Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Entry 29: Final Preparations
Past the East Barrens, I entered the valley known as Champion’s Gate. A few Lizalfos lurked in the pass, but they posed little threat.
As I made my way through the valley, I stumbled upon the South Lomei Labyrinth, nestled deep within the canyon. Expecting to find a shrine at its center, as with the other labyrinths, I ventured inside.
Moving carefully, I marked my path in my mind, avoiding pools of blight and watching for hidden passages. The twisting corridors tested my sense of direction, but after careful navigation, I finally reached the shrine at its heart and claimed the monk’s blessing.
Upon exiting the maze, I found only one way out of the canyon and up into the highlands—climbing. I donned my climbing gear and began the long ascent. By the time I reached the snowy peak, darkness had started to settle in.
As luck would have it, I stumbled upon the ruins of an old house, complete with a campsite for shelter. Grateful for the find, I started a campfire and took notice of a weathered journal resting on a nearby table.
The journal detailed the writer’s search for a shrine platform hidden nearby, guided by an old text that hinted at the key to unlocking it: casting a cold shadow upon the platform’s center. The author had spent several days unraveling the mystery but was forced to leave when their supplies ran out—thankfully, they had left their notes behind.
The next morning, I set out to investigate. Sure enough, I soon discovered the shrine platform on the mountainside. Scanning the area, I noticed several snowballs lying around, and the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
As the afternoon sun began to dip, I fashioned a large snowball and held it above my head, positioning its shadow over the platform’s center. The moment the shadow aligned, the platform activated, and a shrine rose from the earth behind me.
After receiving the monk’s blessing, I decided it was time to return to Gerudo Town.
On the way back, I noticed a banner I hadn’t seen before and spotted two Gerudo standing nearby. Curious, I made my way over to see what was going on. I met Shabonne, who introduced me to Tali—the Gerudo sand seal racing champion. Surprised that I had never heard of either of them, Shabonne filled me in on the sport and then gestured toward the champion’s trophy… a shrine orb!
She told me that if I could beat Tali’s time, the orb would be mine. I accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Word spread quickly about the first sand seal race since Naboris had gone haywire, and a crowd began to gather. After a few quick stretches, I took my position at the starting line. Shabonne counted down, and I was off. Compared to riding a sand seal through a sandstorm while dodging attacks from a Divine Beast, the race course felt like a breeze. I crossed the finish line in record time.
Tali congratulated me and handed over the shrine orb trophy. I brought it straight to the shrine pedestal, and as soon as I placed it, a shrine emerged from the ground. I received the monk’s blessing inside.
After saying my final farewells to the Gerudo, I spent one last night at the inn, planning to leave first thing in the morning for Kakariko Village to speak with Impa.
As I traveled to Kakariko, I reflected on my transformation—from a weakened, amnesiac traveling merchant to a Champion of Hyrule who had freed the Divine Beasts from Ganon’s corruption. Along the way, I rediscovered my fate: to face Ganon, not alone, but alongside the spirits of the Champions still guiding the Divine Beasts.
When I arrived in Kakariko Village, I went straight to Impa’s house. Before I could even speak, she looked at me and said she could feel the presence of the Champions with me. It was time—time to face Ganon.
I spent the rest of the day making final preparations. I brewed elixirs and checked over my weapons and gear. Using shrine travel, I journeyed to the Akkala Tech Lab to craft ancient arrows, along with an ancient shield, bow, and sword.
Before returning to Kakariko, there was one last thing I needed to do. I shrine-traveled to the Forgotten Temple and knelt before the massive Goddess Statue, offering one final prayer—for power, for wisdom, and for courage in the battle ahead.
I returned to Kakariko and prepared my horse, Aragorn, for the journey. That night, I stayed at the inn, but my sleep was restless. Tomorrow, I would face my destiny: to defeat Ganon… or die trying.
