#set in a hyrule where ganon is already like. sealed away like the Main Story already happened | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

silentprincess17 · 3 years

Text

Sometimes Things Have To Get Worse Before They Get Better

This is essentially a darker, heavier alternate take on Memory #7 - Blades of the Yiga. I wanted to write a fic with a competent Yiga Clan. (Yes you read that right). It is very angsty in the beginning and then becomes fluffy (hence the title!)

Summary: Link and Zelda have returned from Vah Naboris with Urbosa and have spent the night in Kara Kara Bazaar Inn. Link wakes up and finds her missing.

Cue the angst.

This story is complete and I will post each chapter daily on here but you can read the whole thing on AO3

Rating: Mature (Graphic descriptions of violence) Pairing: Link/Zelda (Zelink) Characters: Link, Zelda, The Yiga Clan, Master Kohga

Chapter 1: Everything goes wrong when you don't have breakfast

Link was having a bad morning. He’d missed breakfast, a cardinal sin, and now he was anxiously darting around the Bazaar, weaving between the trees, in an attempt to see if he could spot a glimmer of blonde hair or a flash of a blue shirt.

She just had to run away. Again.

He sighed. It wasn’t that hard to understand why she constantly gave him the slip, even if he wished she didn’t. He knew it wasn’t fair of him to think such things, especially when he knew it wasn’t really him, she was running from, rather it the sword that was strapped to his back. It wasn’t him she was frustrated with, it was herself. And the sword symbolised how he was apparently fulfilling his destiny and his side of things, whilst she struggled endless with the stone-cold Hylia and had nothing to show for it. Essentially, the sword meant destiny and fate had already set out a predetermined plan for her, and she was currently set for failure. So yes, he could understand why she felt the need to escape what was surely a suffocating sight every day- the boy with the sword that has it all sorted, geared and ready to go, whilst she stumbled in the dark, Hylia’s Divine Blessing evading her.

If only she knew how much he struggled too. He didn’t just pull a sword out a rocky pedestal and boom morphed into Hyrule’s Saviour. He’d trained long and hard too. And frankly, he had felt compelled to draw the sword, it hadn’t been something that was in his control- if he had a choice, then he would also choose to just leave it be in the Lost Woods. It sounded naive and foolish now, but he hadn’t anticipated what the consequences would be when twelve-year-old Link had jumped up and wrapped his hands around that cursed mauve handle. Mostly, the thing he regretted the most about pulling the sword was that he’d effectively doomed them all. Did he want to be the one to basically foreshadow what was now surely coming? No. Another was that it had put a timer on the Princess to find her powers, and he didn’t want to cause her such anguish at being unable to unlock supposed birth-right sealing powers that she clearly didn’t have and didn’t know how to obtain. But… there had been a hidden consequence, one that he couldn’t for the life of him have predicted- when he released the sword from the pedestal, it didn’t just end with him now possessing the mythical legendary blade, oh no. He’d also obtained a whole wealth of memories, memories of past lives, past successes, past failures, and he’d lost whatever childish innocence he’d had then. And it crushed him, having this soul that apparently was doomed in this endless fight, and now he had to live up to them. He had to live up to these past Heroes and by Farore he had no idea if he’d be able to.

Every word that had come out of the Princess’s mouth at his blessing ceremony had cleaved him in two. All those past disastrous events that happened in Hyrule, and all the lengths his predecessors had gone to save the country… Adrift in time indeed. IN TIME. How was he supposed to do the same? And it made him fearful. And he was not easily frightened. He liked to think he was a little bit brave, he would run headfirst into any sort of challenge, be that eating rocks, defeating hordes of monsters, including Lynels, or even redirecting errant guardian laser beams but when he thought about what those Heroes had gone through… He certainty didn’t feel very brave when it came to imagining what exactly he’d have to do, what trials he would have to face, in line with theirs.

He finally finished strapping the sword properly to his back, he’d ran out as soon as he realised she was missing, and he tried to find any distinguishing patterns of her boots nearby. It was a useless venture, because sand shifted, constantly, and as a result any tracks were lost pretty much as soon as they formed. He sighed, deciding to do another very quick run through the Bazaar in case anyone else had spotted her, or she had come back from the baths maybe. He was clutching at straws, he knew it, and he felt that familiar churning feeling in his gut that something was wrong, but he decided to keep calm and check again just in case he’d missed something.

He sighed, even before Urbosa told him how the Princess’s behaviour was in fact coloured by the sword, he could have guessed. One of the biggest signs was that she always looked at it, instead of him. He only wished to tell her that he was just as lost as she was, because yeah sure, everyone Impa stated that he had the Sword that Seals The Darkness. Okay, but how did it do that? How does one go about killing darkness? Monsters he knew. Monsters he’d trained for. But darkness? And the thing that frightened him the most was that most of the past Heroes had fought a man. A power-obsessed, strong-willed and formidable opponent, but still, fundamentally, a man. None of them had fought this… Calamity equivalent that he seemed to be up against. Hence why he was uncertain, and fearful even, if the sword would be enough.

Not to mention how much it pained him that the arrogant idiot bird had managed to find his greatest insecurity, but that was neither here nor there.

But in truth, every time someone mentioned how he was their savour he wanted to cry. Perhaps she didn’t realise that whilst everyone had pinned her as a hopeless case and a lost cause, he’d been saddled with double the expectations to succeed. So much pressure, so many eyes, that he’d all but gone silent. Every word spoken could be misconstrued in some shape or form. Nothing he said was ever safe from scrutiny, so to continue to play the perfect, composed Hero that he was supposed to be, he decided to stop talking. What he wouldn’t give to explain to her that these praises that were lavished on him made him feel sick. Made him feel suffocated. Made him like a liar. Because really, he felt like a failure too- he had no plan other than maybe try and hit the darkness with the sword and hope that works. And the foreboding feeling he had that he hadn’t yet faced the supposedly impending huge trial that most of the other Heroes had, and they had all done said trial well before they obtained the Master Sword. He felt unworthy of it, somehow. All he’d done was train hard, fight and try to eradicate the plague of monsters in the land. He hadn’t travelled through time, he hadn’t transformed into a wolf, he hadn’t lost his sister, or his best friend. Hence why he was dreading meeting Ganon. There was a catch somewhere. He could feel it.

He exhaled heavily, sweat starting to build on his brow. This was why he wanted to tell Zelda that she wasn’t alone. That he knew what she was going through. They were a pair in destiny, fate… even souls after all. But she hated him, his very being, and probably wished he didn’t exist- no correction- she wished the sword didn’t exist, then he wouldn’t have pulled it and wouldn’t have become a direct comparator for her success. It all felt futile sometimes, and he wondered why exactly he was in such a melancholy mood this morning. Probably something to do with not eating.

She wasn’t in the Bazaar. He’d now checked over every stall twice. And Link felt rising trepidation. Of all the places for her to run away, she’d chosen the desert. She’d chosen where the main dissenters of the Royal Family lived. She chosen the one place where it was highly probable that there would be an assassination attempt on her. And he wasn’t there to protect her. Link could freely admit to himself he was scared. What if he didn’t find her in time, what if – No. He had to think positively. And then his eyes fell to his Champion’s tunic, embroidered, as it was, by her hand. Goddesses above, how would he present himself back the Castle if he’d actually lost her this time? And in such a worrisome place too. A stone settled in Link’s gut, as he desperately racked his brains, replaying last night’s events trying to remember if she’d dropped any hints as to where she was going.

He drew a big fat blank.

In the name of Din, where else could she have gone? She had been silent on the way back from Vah Naboris, probably reproachful that he’d managed to find her, yet again. And he had, admittedly, found it suspicious that she’d remained mum, accepted going to the Bazaar, and sleeping in the Inn, and leaving to head to Goron City the next day without a single word of dissent. He should have known that she was planning something.

And now, it was starting to get hot, as he quickly ran off towards the path, wondering if she’d gone back to Gerudo Town. But she’d already said her goodbyes to Urbosa last night... Link sighed, the heat already causing his tunic to stick to his back. It was a desert after all, one couldn’t expect it to get cold during the day, and he hadn’t had time to fill in their canteens, and oh for the love of Farore could he at least get a single sign as to where Her Highness had deigned to grace her presence at. He didn’t want to be beheaded for incompetence so soon.

He saw a small cloud of sand rise in the distance. At this point, it could be a mirage and he was seeing something that his mind had conjured in desperation at trying to find the missing Princess.

And then he saw a flash of red.

And his blood ran cold, despite the heat.

25 notes · View notes

scatterpatter · 4 years

Text

Breath of the Wild (and Hyrule Warriors) take place in the Child Timeline [Theory]

This is 100% Theory and I could be Totally Wrong but hear me out, because this makes perfect sense from my perspective and all it involves is considering Hyrule Warriors as a “main game”, talking about it under the cut cuz this is a long one

Okay so everyone knows that the Zelda timeline is a bit wonky, and should be taken with a grain of salt, but ever since Breath of the Wild came out the biggest question is “What timeline does it fall under?” And at first it seems like it should be an easy answer... except not. Ritos and Zoras co-exist, locations are named after characters that reside in any of the three timelines(even TERMINA), so on and so forth, it seems like it somehow dips into every timeline, which should be impossible... until I blow your mind.

Well one big thing we know is that wherever Breath of the Wild takes place, it takes place at the end of its timeline. So for BotW to have references to each timeline, it seems like there was some sort of... timeline convergence? Except that’s not how time works. Timelines can be split, but not thrown back together.

Here’s where I blow your mind, just roll with me because this’ll make sense once I explain: Breath of the Wild takes place in whatever timeline Hyrule Warriors takes place. I’ll go into detail why I’m convinced of this in a short bit.

First, I just want to throw the canon timeline from the Zelda Encyclopedia on here so we’ve got all our other games into one basket:

The only inconsistency note I’ll make is that Hyrule Historia places Oracles of Ages+Seasons before Link’s Awakening, though I believe this was retconned later on, and since Zelda Encyclopedia came out well after Hyrule Historia, we should believe this version more. But that’s a moot point anyways since that won’t affect my theory, just thought I’d mention regardless

So if we’re going to follow my theory on the fact that BotW is the same timeline as Hyrule Warriors, we need to find out which timeline Hyrule Warriors falls under.

First off, we know that Hyrule Warriors takes place sometime after Ocarina of Time, because Impa recognizes the name “Ruto”, so the events of OoT already happened. Therefore, HW has to take place in one of the three split timelines

I’m convinced that Hyrule Warriors does not take place in the Adult Timeline for the following reasons:

We don’t see much of the land of HW’s Hyrule, but it seems like a solid continent and not a series of islands, so this likely cannot take place before Spirit Tracks

The Triforce, Ganon, and the Master Sword are not seen since Wind Waker in the Adult Timeline, so this likely does not take place after Wind Waker

While Spirit Tracks is a new continent and a new Hyrule is established, Spirit Tracks introduces a new insignia, which involves a Force Gem, but everywhere in Hyrule of Hyrule Warriors we see the “traditional” insignia with the Triforce.

So with the Adult Timeline rendered nearly impossible, this leaves the Fallen Timeline and the Child Timeline, and I’m about to explain why HW most likely takes place in the Child Timeline

You see, Hyrule Warriors is an... interesting plot. In that the main antagonist, Cia, opens what’s called the “Gate of Souls”, or “the doorway to time itself”. With her powers, she essentially opens rifts in time and space so that areas such as Skyloft, Death Mountain(OoT’s), and Twilight Field(Hyrule Field from TP) are now within Hyrule Warrior’s world

So we have worlds from Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess opened. The reason why these worlds specifically are because of Ganon. Before the events of Hyrule Warriors, in one of Link’s lifetimes we haven’t seen in any Zelda game(yet), after Ganon was defeated, he was split into four pieces. 3 pieces were scattered across time and space, the fourth sealed away with the master sword that Link eventually uses in Hyrule Warriors. Now let’s take a look at where each piece of Ganon was sealed:

Lake Hylia(Ocarina of Time)

Sealed Grounds(Skyward Sword)

Palace of Twilight(Twilight Princess)

Master Sword(Hyrule Warriors)

What’s VERY important to note here is that while, yes, Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time exist in every timeline, Twilight Princess only occurs in the Child Timeline. It was at this point I realized: the main story of Hyrule Warriors only covers these settings/characters, and makes a Majora’s Moon reference one time, but all other instances of characters from other timelines occur as DLC. And we’ll get to the DLC stuff shortly, but let’s focus on the “main” story first.

It’s quite possible that this Link before Hyrule Warriors, when splitting Ganon into 4 pieces, only had access to his own timeline to seal Ganon away. It isn’t until we get the powerful sorceresses Lana and Cia do we start opening rifts to other timelines. This makes me believe that Hyrule Warriors takes place in the Child Timeline

Side note: Goron Forces appear to be a mix of OoT Gorons with TP Gorons, judging by their tattoos

Also, no Sheikah appear in any of the games of the Fallen Timeline, whereas we have Sheik and Impa(who are both Sheikah) in Hyrule Warriors. This still lines up because even though not-explicit, Impaz from Twilight Princess is implied to be a Sheikah, implying Sheikah traditions are passed down through the Child Timeline and eventually to HW

“But Scatter!” You cry out, frustration setting in “What the hizzity heck does this have anything to do with Breath of the Wild?!”

*Leans in close to you and grabs you by the collar*

~This is the part where I blow your mind~

So now that we’ve established Hyrule Warriors most likely takes place during the Child Timeline, yeah? And I said earlier we’d get to the DLC?

Let’s talk about the DLC.

So we now know that Cia and Lana are capable of opening and closing rifts to other times, even other timelines. Let’s look at some of the DLC characters that are playable in HW as a result:

Marin(Link’s Awakening- Fallen Timeline)

Ravio and Yuga(A Link Between Worlds- Fallen Timeline)

Toon Link, Tetra, King Daphnes, Medli(Wind Waker- Adult Timeline)

Toon Zelda(Spirit Tracks- Adult Timeline)

Skull Kid, Tingle, Young Link(Majora’s Mask- Child Timeline)

These, combined with the SS+OoT+TP characters from the main game, and we have access to settings and characters from all three timelines.

Now we could assume that after the events of Hyrule Warriors, the main characters never open a portal to another timeline again... but we could also assume the opposite. It could be entirely possible that the people of Hyrule Warriors regularly looked into these other timelines to learn from them. To study their past and alternate timelines really isn’t a farfetched idea when you have the power to do so.

With these portals opening, it’s quite possible that yes, Zoras and Ritos began living in the Hyrule Warriors world, explaining the co-existing of both races by BotW. With the technology that Spirit Tracks provides, the people of Hyrule Warriors could have eventually learned to build their own vehicles and machines, eventually leading to the Guardians and Divine Beasts. The ancient robots of Skyward Sword could have also contributed to these, alongside possibly paving the way for Sheikah technology, such as the Sheikah Slate, to be developed. Twili technology could also contribute to this, as well as whatever the heck is going on with Ganon in the BotW2 trailer.

With knowledge and access to other timelines, it makes perfect sense that the Child Timeline would face an immense industrial/technological boom in a very short time, leading to the Sheikah Towers, the Sheikah Slate, the Divine Beasts, the Pillars under the Castle, the Guardians, the Shrines, and more to be made for the battle 10,000 years before the events of Breath of the Wild. Sometime between then and the Great Calamity this technology was mostly lost(Zelda Wiki says this was due to fear over the power of such technology leading the Sheikah to hide their tech away, though I’m not sure where exactly in-game this info is revealed), paving the way for Breath of the Wild to occur.

There is no timeline convergence. Breath of the Wild takes place in a Child Timeline that obtained the ability to open rifts to other timelines.

Also one last little detail- this isn’t solid enough to be “evidence” but doesn’t hurt my theory either: Hyrule Warriors Link is the first Link to wear blue, meanwhile Breath of the Wild Link wears an entirely blue tunic

While this can’t be concrete evidence that the 2 are linked(HAH GET IT BECAUSE LI-), it could be possible that HW-Link started the trend of heroes wearing blue accessories. Again, a bit more of a stretch, but doesn’t hurt my theory either

So there you have it! I firmly believe that Hyrule Warriors and Breath of the Wild are both in the Child Timeline due to this evidence! And I’m so mad that of all games, Hyrule Warriors was the one to tie it all together XD

#loz #botw #hw #hyrule warriors #breath of the wild #the legend of zelda #zelda #zelda theory #and listen i know matpat was all 'bUT THE CAP AND THE LYNELS' but hey that could be a result of opening time gates too #long post #i hope i explained it well- sometimes something makes perfect sense to me but i have trouble getting others to see from my perspective XD

7 notes · View notes

dazstormretro · 5 years

Text

Ocarina of Time - Dec 1998

It took me a while to get over the anger of my beloved PS1 being stolen, after all when you lend someone an expensive games console you expect to get it back but time heals all wounds so they say.

Now in my second year at university and enjoying my new student house with a good bunch of friends all seemed well in the world. During the final months of 1998 I had been enjoying watching two new television shows, a sitcom called That 70’s Show and the phenomenon which was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both shows had come over from the US and were a staple part of our weekly television watching routine.

As far as video games were concerned Goldeneye was still getting plenty of attention on my N64, often dipping in and spending an hour or so shooting up the the Facility level to let off some steam. The only new game which I had purchased around this time was Mission: Impossible which had been released in September of 98. With such great titles available at the time including Mario Kart 64, F Zero X and Lylat Wars 64 I’m not sure why I opted for this particular title, I wasn’t even a big fan of the movie? Whatever the reason for this unusual purchase it helped tide me over until the December of that year when a game which I had been patiently waiting for was finally released.

It was way back in the early 90’s whilst reading an issue of Super Play Magazine that I first discovered Nintendo was working on a new Zelda game. Already a massive fan of the franchise after playing A Link to the Past on my Super Nintendo I could barely contain my excitement when I heard a new adventure was on its way. For years there had been a rumoured sequel set for the SNES but as more details of the fabled N64 console started to emerge it became obvious this would be the new platform for the next Zelda game. Accompanying the article was a small photo of the alleged game featuring a fully rendered Link fighting a silver knight. This image would later turn out to be a tech demo for the Ultra 64 as it was known back then.

If nothing else it was this article which sealed my decision to one day own a Nintendo 64 console solely to play the new Zelda game. Over the next few years Nintendo would slowly leak out information and early screenshots to entice its loyal fans, keeping us on our toes until the game would ultimately be revealed to the world. Finally on December 11th 1998 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released in the UK just in time for Christmas. Gaming magazines at the time had scored it extremely high stating it was one of the best games ever created and praising Nintendo. At last I could finally play the next Zelda instalment.

I remember the day in question very clearly. Knowing full well I would be getting Ocarina of Time that Christmas I had already packed up my N64 console along with suitcase and was waiting for my parents to take me home from university for the Christmas break. Around midday my luggage was in the car and we were ready to travel back home for three weeks of catching up with mates and plenty of festive merriment. On the way home we stopped off at Derby city centre for a spot of lunch but more importantly to pick up my copy of Ocarina of Time from HMV which would be put away until Christmas Day.

The next few weeks were spent celebrating the festive season with friends and family, hanging out at the local night club, dancing to the obligatory cheesy Christmas tunes and eating and drinking way too much. Finally Christmas Day arrived and I would get to enjoy the splendour which was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Since that initial experience with A Link to the Past my love of both action and JRPG’s had persisted to grow. Some of my past favourites included Final Fantasy 3, Secret of Mana and Breath of Fire but this was the game which had been at the top of my wish list to play.

Once again I found myself in the mystical land of Hyrule but with a big difference. Unlike my previous Zelda encounter this world was completely 3D. Just like they did with Super Mario 64 Nintendo had pushed the boundaries of gaming creating a fully immersive world where the player was free to traverse a rich landscape. Buildings and towns way off in the distance could now be explored either by foot or horseback. Main objectives and side quests could be attempted in multiple orders, so could acquiring certain items throughout the adventure giving the game a real sense of freedom.

I must have spent most of that Christmas Day lost in the world of of Hyrule. Starting off in Kokiri Gillage I soon found myself sneaking into Hyrule Castle for a secret meeting with Princess Zelda before being sent on my quest to gather the three spiritual stones.

To say Ocarina of Time blew my mind was an understatement, this game had it all. From it’s amazing 3D graphics to the beautiful music which accompanied the epic gameplay. The introduction of the Ocarina which allowed players to learn different melodies in order solve puzzles and help your progress was an ingenious touch. So was the moment I first learnt I could travel forward in time and become adult Link which opened up the game just as the Dark World had done in A Link to the Past years earlier.

Over the coming months I would slowly chip away at Ocarina of Time, progressing the main story, completing its side quests and gathering new weapons. Eventually one evening during the February of 1999 I managed to defeat Ganon. As the credits rolled I remember sitting back in the bedroom of my student house sipping a beer and feeling a little sad that this awesome adventure had finally come to a close.

The game would later be traded in for cash at a local video games store without a replay. It’s only now, twenty years later that I’ve gotten around to start a fresh game once again. So with my N64 control pad in hand it’s time to relive those nostalgic Zelda memories, let’s hope it still holds up.

#retro gaming #nostalgia #1990s #video games #n64 #legend of zelda #ocarina of time

1 note · View note

gwydionae · 7 years

Text

Visions Softly Creeping

Chapter 2 is finished! Had both Link and Zelda listed as important characters over on ff.net, and this chapter starts to show why I had the latter added and not just Link who is undoubtedly the main focus. While not explicitly a Zelink romance story, the two of them having feelings for each other is canon, and I’m sticking with that here as I explore Link’s personal journey.

Posted on fanfiction.net >here<. Chapter 1 on tumblr >here<.

Teaser: He was a knight. It was not his job to feel. The day for grieving would come, but for now this one night, one day of mourning was the only reprieve he would allow himself. Because it was his duty, and he would keep the princess waiting no longer on account of his weakness. (Spoilers for main story points including, eventually, the end of BotW.)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. All titles are lyrics borrowed from Simon and Garfunkle's "The Sound of Silence."

Chapter 2: Silence Like a Cancer

The steady rain that pelted Link as his horse trotted along the hilly terrain chilled him to the bone, a far cry from the burning heat he had endured atop Death Mountain mere days ago. And yet it seemed as if an eternity had passed since he'd fought his way up the massive volcano and freed Daruk's spirit from the clutches of Ganon. The numbness he felt currently, though indeed heightened by the cold rain, had been clinging to him long before the clouds had gathered above.

As with Mipha, upon setting foot in Goron City and gazing at the statue of the fallen Champion, sparse memories of his time with Daruk rose from the fog that obscured his past. Heartbreaking as it was knowing that such a friendly and confident individual had been lost a century ago, Link had refused to allow himself to dwell on the depressing thought, instead burying it alongside his grief of the Zora princess until a more appropriate time. While nothing could truly have softened the blow, after coming face to face with Mipha's spirit, he had mentally steeled himself for the moment a softly glowing Goron appeared before him. It had been agonizing, receiving yet another generous gift before his body was forcefully removed from the Divine Beast, the last smile he would see on Daruk's face fading away. But that was a reality he had prepared himself for. The events that followed, however, were not.

The scorching heat inside the very mouth of the volcano had been suffocating despite his special elixirs and armor, and this made properly navigating Vah Rudania all the more difficult. Not only had it taken a toll on him physically, his throat unquenchably dry and cracked while his skin was so tender that the slightest touch was akin to a jab with a hot poker, but the mental strain was far greater as well. Even a second's lack of focus could have tripped him up and sent him hurling into the molten lava and a most assuredly painful death. His plan had been to continue moving forward as quickly as possible, his constant progress making it easier for him to ignore his bottled up emotional turmoil. But his weak body ill-suited for spending hours in the heart of a volcano had not allowed him to leave Goron City without rest, and thus he had spent a long two days in bed, a restless Yunobo constantly hovering at his side. And while not ungrateful for the care, the last thing he had desired was company.

Link couldn't help but feel overcome with his comparatively frail body's inadequacy. Even in his few memories from a century ago he was being healed by Mipha or protected by Daruk. The confidence he had started this journey out with was waning with each new trial he endured and past event that came to light. Every time he proudly reminded himself of the fact that he had already defeated two hideous monstrosities created from Ganon's own Malice, a sinister echo in the back of his head would grow louder, making sure he was aware that these were merely minions. Barely defeating them only to pass out shortly afterwards was an ominous sign that the outcome against Calamity Ganon himself would be much different.

As soon as he had been sure his legs could carry him, Link was on his feet, using every ounce of his willpower to appear healthy and steadfast in his decision to trek back down the mountain so that Yunobo would allow him to go without a fuss. It had, however, been surprisingly easy to win the young Goron over.

"I believe in you, brother! You're so strong and brave, just like Lord Daruk. And maybe someday I will be too, goro!"

He had politely accepted the compliment, but the words rang hollow as Link slowly made his way toward the base of the volcano. Wishing for nothing more than some solitude, he had avoided the path that would have lead him to the Southern Mine, instead choosing to traverse the rocky terrain to the west of it. The new route had been treacherous, but the air wasn't quite as unbearable, and he didn't have to worry about whether or not the cracks in his stoic mask were showing as there had been no one to notice.

A few hours into his descent, a splash of light pink had caught the corner of his eye. To the southwest of the volcano sat Hyrule Castle, the view of it from the mountain sending shivers down his spine. But farther north lay an island covered in trees and shrouded in mist with only the top of a large, blossoming tree clearly visible in the center. He had stopped, the itch of familiarity causing his heart to race, and as he stood still, mesmerized, he could suddenly picture the entire rocky area immediately surrounding him covered in the blood and bodies of dead monsters. In the center of all of it were two nearly untouched Hylians.

Link's breath had caught in his throat. The carnage was his doing. He had single-handedly defeated an entire army, everything from the common red bokoblin that had already been reduced to a minor annoyance in present day to vicious looking white maned lynels, a species he actively avoided out of fear in a color he had never even seen. He could remember Princess Zelda warning him to be careful, that being brave did not equate to immortality.

Recalling his past strength had been a somber yet joyful experience. Though his current, weakened state paled in comparison, the memory and scenery before him had caused an important detail he had been overlooking since King Dorephan first tried to bring his attention to it to finally come back to him.

The sword.

A century ago he had wielded what others now whispered to be a sword capable of sealing the darkness, though he himself could not remember it. Everyone who spoke of the blade seemed to be in awe of its power, and just before he left Goron City, their leader, Bludo, had mentioned that it was hidden in a forest to the west of the volcano. Link had been struggling to maintain his emotionless expression during the goodbye, and therefore had practically forgotten the advice. But with its strength fresh in his mind and what had to be the forest in which it rested in front of his eyes, a renewed vigor had filled him with hope, propelling him down the mountain. It took one, single day for that hope to dissolve into despair.

It was no longer simply his own feelings of inadequacy that tormented him. The sword itself had decided that he was no longer fit to wield it.

Merely touching the hilt of the divine blade had filled his head with a blur of scenes from the past and Princess Zelda's commanding voice entrusting Hyrule to him, causing a wave of varying and confusing emotions to crash into him. So taken aback by the sudden onslaught, he had released his grip on the weapon resting in the stone and gasped loudly as he stumbled backward, accidentally waking the dozing Great Deku Tree who informed him that he'd been tasked with watching over the darkness sealing sword - the Master Sword, as was its true name. The gigantic tree had at first seemed pleased to see him after one hundred years of waiting, but it hadn't taken long for his tone to take a foreboding turn.

"The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not..."

The warning had shaken his already fragile confidence, but he had refused to be deterred. If the Master Sword had truly once been his, then he had to try and take it up again. Princess Zelda's words had echoed in his head as he took a deep breath and reached for the hilt once more. She was counting on him, and though he could barely remember her, deep down he knew that above all else he desired to be useful to her and deserve her faith in him as the Hero of Hyrule. But as he had struggled to pull the blade from the stone pedestal in which it sat, it felt as if his very life force was being sucked from his body. Despite his moment of panic, he had refused to let go until the Great Deku Tree commanded it, but as soon as he had, he found himself panting and sweating, the Master Sword staying stubbornly where he had found it, silently mocking his incompetence.

Link had left the forest only moments later, the mere sight of the holy weapon too cruel to stand. Stumbling around the misty woods in a daze, it had been a miracle that he'd managed to emerge safely back on the other side. But as he had trudged along the path, his mind not bothering to care about his next destination, he noticed through the trees a tall tower glowing a bright orange. Below it sat a vast enemy encampment completely surrounded by a bubbling bog.

The map on his Shiekah Slate was still far from complete, but he knew at least that he should eventually make his way west toward the Divine Beast shaped like a bird that circled high in the air, a route that took him directly through territory that would be unlocked on his map if he were to activate the heavily guarded tower.

He rushed in without hesitation.

Whether out of foolishness, anger at his own weakness, or a sudden need for self validation, he was still unable to explain exactly what drove him to run straight into the thick of battle in such a deadly arena without a second's thought. Lizalfos and octoroks shot at him from the murky pond while bokoblins and moblins engaged him in melee combat. As he drew closer to the base of the tower, a wizzrobe caught sight of him and began hurling fireballs in his direction. With cries of frustration, he had slashed wildly at them all, his own wounds piling up to match his body count, until at last he had reached the base of the tower. Adrenaline surging through his bleeding body, he raced to the top as fast as his limbs could carry him, and once there, he approached the terminal and waited as his Shiekah Slate received the new map information. Retrieving it, he tried to study it only to realize that his eyes refused to focus. His breathing had become ragged, and his legs gave way beneath him, his arms barely able to cushion his fall.

He couldn't remember how long he lay there, his mind, for once, completely blank. But eventually he had managed to push himself up and look around. The Woodland Stable was close enough to the south that he could paraglide down to it, which gave him somewhere to rest and a horse for his travels as well. Given his current physical and mental state, he had deemed it wise to at least start the next leg of his journey on horseback, an insight now proving advantageous due to the harsh rain, the slick grass and thick mud being far more easily navigated by his sure-footed steed.

The daze he had found himself lost in since his failure to procure the Master Sword was only just beginning to lift. Since leaving the stable over an hour ago, the patter of rain and sloshing of hooves had been strangely soothing despite the cool temperature and his soaked clothing. Intent on regaining his focus, Link did his best to keep his eyes forward, though the misty forest to his right and the foreboding castle to his left were impossible to ignore completely. He would head toward Salari Hill as there was a road nearby, and as his map indicated a steep cliff not far beyond it, he would take that road south, hopefully leading him toward one of the towers he saw in the distance so he might receive a clue as to where to proceed from there.

But as the rain continued its relaxing fall and his horse clopped steadily along with barely a nudge of guidance needed, he found he couldn't keep his thoughts solely on plotting his course. The crumbling Hyrule Castle, surrounded by Guardians and swirling Malice, kept stealing his gaze, vague shadows of memories from time spent inside when it was bright and welcoming trying to claw their way out of his subconscious. Above all else, though, he could picture her.

While no specific memories sprang to mind, images of Princess Zelda roaming the castle halls in a regal, blue gown forced their way through the cloud concealing his past. She was beautiful, moving with grace, head held high, but somehow the only expression he could imagine her wearing was that of anxiety and disappointment. Even with his scarce few vivid memories of her, it wasn't hard to guess what the cause might be considering whatever power she had been trying to harness had alluded her up to the very hour of Calamity Ganon's return. But somehow she must have gained control of that power as her spirit fought on inside the castle even now. By means he would probably never understand she had continued to fight for one hundred years while everyone around her failed, leaving her utterly alone. That could only be done by someone with great strength and confidence. So perhaps the real reason he found it impossible to recall even the smallest smile was not due to the disappointment she felt for herself but the disappointment Link felt his current self would surely be to her.

Roughly shaking his head, he urged his horse to go faster as if it were possible to simply outrun his own thoughts. He could not afford to be overtaken by his emotions again. His recklessness in pursuit of scaling the previous tower could have killed him. Being a living disappointment meant there was still a chance to change his fate; being a dead one would doom an entire kingdom.

Refusing to so much as glance to either side of him, he drove his horse onward at breakneck speed. The sooner he reached the next Divine Beast the sooner he would be too preoccupied with not falling from the sky to dwell on such dark and distracting thoughts. The rain finally stopped shortly after the castle at last lay behind him, and up ahead to his left he noticed a small pond not yet visible on his map. Feeling slightly guilty for pushing his horse so hard for so long, he decided to rest there for a short while, just long enough to allow his mount some food, drink, and a chance to catch its breath.

As he dismounted and handed the horse a bright red apple, Link's eyes slowly swept over the area. The gently sloping ground was covered in wildflowers that glistened with fresh moisture in the sun as it peeked through the retreating clouds. A soft breeze tugged at the leaves on the trees and his own damp hair. It was serene, a stark contrast to everything he'd experienced in the last week. And yet as his gaze drifted back in the direction of Hyrule Castle, that now familiar sense of recognition that whispered to him of a moment one hundred years ago had him clamoring for the Shiekah Slate at his hip. Sure enough, the view from where he stood matched one of the photos near exactly, and once more a memory from his past came rushing back to him.

Princess Zelda was holding the very same Shiekah Slate, chattering on about the wildlife and its various scientific uses. One flower in particular caught her eye, one that made the speed of her words slow and voice reverent. But then, without warning, she was excitedly holding a green frog out to him, willing him to taste it, of all things. More important than all of that, however, throughout the entirety of what he could remember, she was smiling.

With a true, warm smile, her face lit up like the sun. The golden hair falling over her shoulders and framing her cheeks almost appeared to glow, a shimmering halo accentuating her bright green eyes and pale pink lips. Even as a mere memory Link could have sworn that he suddenly felt warmer in her presence, the pure delight radiating from her transcending time itself. And after a grueling three weeks without the slightest twitch, the corners of his own lips at last curled upward as well.

Time seemed to stand still as he stood there, his eyes unfocused on the present. Of the far too few memories he had recovered of the princess, this one felt different. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this one made him feel different. It wasn't just the pure delight from seeing her smile. No, this went much deeper. Not a childish flutter in his heart or a blush on his cheeks one might normally get from having the attention of a pretty girl, but instead something closer to devotion, a fierce need to keep that smile protected at any cost. This was how she was meant to be, deserved to be.

Of course, he knew that it was a hundred years too late for that. The most he could hope for was to see her spirit smile upon him one last time, as Daruk had. As Mipha had. But there was no use dwelling on such thoughts. If he could only live up to the faith she had in him, someday she would be free, and with Ganon gone and her own duties fulfilled, perhaps she would go on to a better life where she would be able to smile amongst the flowers for all eternity. If it was in his power, he wanted nothing more than to give that to her.

The vague ache he had felt upon first remembering her face nearly a month ago seemed to grow with every passing moment. The more he thought of her, tried to force himself to remember her, the more his chest tightened. And yet he found himself unwilling to completely push any thought of her aside. It was painful, but he couldn't help wanting - no, needing to know every lost detail. He was drawn to her in a way that was like no other from his past. Perhaps it was due to how many days and weeks they must have spent together, him being her appointed knight and bodyguard. Maybe he had been privy to a side of her she kept hidden from others. But unless he regained all of his memories, he would never know, and thus it didn't matter if it would be an agonizing task, reliving the life of one whose physical body had already returned to dust. He would do whatever he had to in order to face the princess with a full understanding of everything they'd been through together.

The sun hung low in the western sky as Link finally remounted his horse. He was sure he'd seen a stable nearby, and though he wanted to reach the next Divine Beast as soon as possible, it seemed wise to rest for the night while the monsters were most active, especially since he was quickly running out of map. He guessed that he would be able to reach the next tower tomorrow, however, and as most so far were fairly well guarded, he wanted to be well rested and sharp in order to avoid another reckless assault.

With one last, longing look around the small pond, Link took a deep, calming breath and urged his steed forward. As much as his newly regained memory further saddened any thoughts of the future, he was aware that it had come back to him exactly when he most needed it. He couldn't let it matter that the Master Sword rejected him. The princess deserved better than someone lacking focus and self control. She deserved a knight, strong and confident, and while he believed he was currently neither of those things, he must have been once. That was who she was counting on and that was who he would force himself to be again.

A/N: This time I would like to thank everyone responsible for helping create the interactive map available on Zelda Dungeon. I cannot stress enough how helpful this has been in helping me plot out Link's path through this story! It’s also just plain freaking awesome and a lot of fun to play with, haha.

Thanks for reading, and as always, critics and grammar police are appreciated!

Chapter 3 coming soon (hopefully)!

#the legend of zelda #breath of the wild #zelda botw #loz botw #zelda breath of the wild #link #my fanfiction

0 notes