#POWERFUL THAN HYLIA. POTENTIALLY MORE POWERFUL THAN HYLIA. TO THE POINT SHE GAVE UP HER GODDESS FORM TO BE MORTAL | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gemglyph · 2 months

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This is kind of freaky if it’s in any way acknowledged but I had an interesting thought. Sun is Hylia reborn as a mortal. She unlocked her memories as Hylia through the course of her journey in Skyward Sword. It also came with awakening her powers.

But what if there were some of her gifts that she had used previously, unintentionally of course, when she was much younger or in extreme distress.

I was thinking about a couple different authors who have Sky’s biological parents range from simply neglectful to downright hellish. And thinking about what a baby Hylia could do if she found out her best friend suffered so much in silence and the adults didn’t know.

And then those parents disappear. Sky is taken in by the entirety of Skyloft. The academy instructors are kind to him, her father is kind to him, anyone not those two who were supposed to be his parents…

NOW THIS! THIS IS SOMETHING TO WAKE UP TO *excited bouncing*

I have thoughts. (I have thoughts often….)

Loftwings are Divine Beings blessed to people from Hylia. They are also referred to as “Guardian Birds”. I personally think they are the Other Half of Skyloftians’ Souls.

In reference to Martyr specifically, Sky’s Mom saw him as a blessing, and his Father saw him as a curse. It’s directly stated like that in story.

Sky’s Mom died when he was young and after that his Father made sure that he truly felt like the curse his Father believed him to be. That is.. Until Sky’s Father’s Loftwing handled the situation.

(I promise this is all relevant to what I’m about to say… and this got very long sooooo… more under the cut!)

Hylia and Sun… I don’t quite see them as the same person. I have a few reasons for this. One of which is… personality. Which is SHOWN to us in Skyward Sword during That Scene. Where Sun is leaning into Hylia and how DISTANT she was from everything. Not uncaring, not unloving, but I felt like she was… a little cold…

My thoughts on Hylia is that her behavior is like Fi. Not too cold, certainly not uncaring, and very straight to the point. Very literal. Analytical. We must remember that Goddesses and the Divine are not always able to be fully comprehended by people… and we must remember that even when something bad happens.. that it might have been the lesser of two evils.

Hylia is known as the Goddess of Time, and I personally like to also equate her to being the Goddess of the Sun. Which is how people, mortals, tell the time of day. She has the ability to literally reverse time. As well as Seal- (crying as I just now realized I never made the Hylia and Demise post)-

BRIEF CUT-

IF WE GO TO JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY, one of the Goddess interpretations that Hylia is based off of was not originally a Goddess, she was tempered into a Goddess. Thus limiting her abilities. The being Demise is based off of is described as Other. Originally Hylia was also like that. Hylia was also Other. With the potential to become more powerful than the Gods and Goddesses the Golden Goddesses are based off of. In an interpretation of the story, the Omnipotent Goddesses didn’t want to potentially be overpowered by the Light Other, and thus tempered her growth into becoming the Sun Goddess. (I do not know if the Golden Goddesses in the Legend of Zelda are like that or not, just interesting historical facts and other tales. I also remember NONE of the names of anyone and I’d find the story if I had the chance but I currently do not)

(Does anyone want to talk about the fact that the primordial forms of the Goddesses are Dragons——)

ANYWAY- THAT SPIEL IS RELEVANT

Hylia is everything that the Light touches, she is Light itself, and Demise is everything else. Two sides of the same coin. Light against Darkness. Time against an omnipresent being.

NOW- Her mortal reincarnation. Sun… Sunlight

Sun is very stubborn! Stubborn and outwardly protective. Willing to throw hands with anyone and anything. Promise you. Promise you she’d be ready to throw hands with ANYONE for Sky. (Sky would do the same for her). She’s almost, if not outright, impatient. And I’m like 85% certain she might have a little bit of a temper. She has the capacity for jealousy (as seen with her wishing she had that same connection with her loftwing that Sky has). As well as extremely impulsive behaviors.

Sun is the mortal reincarnation of Hylia, the Goddess of Time (The Sun Goddess), who has Sight Beyond and has LAYER after LAYER of failsafes specifically to make sure Demise ends up Sealed away. Hylia, who was kind enough to make sure that her Chosen Hero was not without company. Hylia granted Fi. A friend for a journey who would be able to answer all of her Hero’s questions. The questions of someone who has not been on the Surface ever before. Who has never been in this kind of Danger before.

Failsafes.

Sun can absolutely cast low levels magic or something. Hylia would not be able to RISK something like that. Not after such meticulous planning.

However… What you certainly don’t want is a Baby with the ability for Divine Smite and/or to Seal. Which is why her powers were not fully unlocked until the events of Skyward Sword

That does not stop a baby from having a smile that almost lights up an entire room (metaphorically or literally is up to you). Or an otherworldly presence. It doesn’t stop her from dreaming of things that Babies, children, MORTALS should not know. It doesn’t stop her from having a connection with Loftwings- who are Divine Beings/Divine Guardians/Protectors that HYLIA blessed the Skyloftians with. Hylia left her people with blessings… And then her mortal self. Who has a heart who longs for Love, Justice, and Fairness.

The Loftwings listen to Sun. She has the Soul of their Goddess. Everyone on Skyloft knows her. Who wouldn’t recognize Divinity?

Who doesn’t want to bathe in Sunlight?

#out of the apple box #lil anon friends!!#lu martyr #So what I’m saying is- I’m saying that there’s potential that Sky didn’t kill a God. I’m SAYING SKY DEFEATED AND SEALED AWAY A BEING MORE #POWERFUL THAN HYLIA. POTENTIALLY MORE POWERFUL THAN HYLIA. TO THE POINT SHE GAVE UP HER GODDESS FORM TO BE MORTAL #AND I THINK SHE WANTED TO BE MORTAL SO *SHE* COULD USE *THE TRIFORCE*#Sorry this is probably not what you were expecting I just #I have… Thoughts.#ANYWAY HAHA THIS DOESN’T EVEN TOUCH THE FACT THAT SKY DEFEATING DEMISE WAS A FAILSAFE-

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nocturnalfandomartist · 1 year

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💛 I Remember You 💛

Time Elapsed: 1 hour, 11 minutes

Program used: Ibis Paint X

(This doodle is me coping with the Tears of the Kingdom trailer and pretending they aren't about to be traumatized more).

BotW/ToTK will forever be my favorite version of Zelink. They've been through a whole lot together, and seeing them reunited at the end of BoTW is so sweet (especially in the context of the diaries outside of the English translation)! Such a shame everyone's probably dead. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted...

I cannot express enough how agonizing it has been to wait for more news on TotK! So when I saw a Nintendo Direct was coming up, I was unable to focus on anything else. I knew we were bound to get info, but I was NOT READY FOR THIS

Everything about that trailer was so well done, it makes the wait for May seem even longer! A few thoughts I had personally:

1. Ganondorf is pretty decent casting. I'm admittedly surprised he doesn't sound hoarse or anything considering he's a reanimated corpse, but it's still menacing!

2. I'm convinced Ganondorf and Zelda are going to take the forms/powers of Demise and Hylia at this point with all these parallels...

3. POSSIBLE MORE RUNES MAKE ME SO EXCITED! We thought Link getting a motorcycle gave us too much power... Now we have cars and mechanical gliders.

4. It doesn't seem Zelda is getting damseled! That makes me so happy. I figured she wouldn't be playable (unfortunately), but it at least seems she'll have a presence throughout the story! Perhaps a Skyward Sword situation where she must go on a journey of her own? Maybe in the form of flashbacks to the previous Zelda from 10,000 years ago? If it goes with a SS route, maybe that leaves room for a playable Zelda in post-game.

5. All the monsters look stronger than before, and there are even new ones! I tried to see if those dino bird things matched up with any classic enemies, but they didn't seem to be so. Either way, they're awesome!

6. I can't wait to explore where all the characters are after a potential time skip. Zelda especially! She got so much character in BotW, and I am going to love seeing more of it!

7. If Zelda doesn't end up becoming Hylia, I'm also wondering if the previous Zelda ends up being revealed to be the same one (same with Link) due to time travel shenanigans like in Skyward Sword.

8. If Zelda and Link don't kiss or address Zelda's feelings for him at least once I will be very sad (but I'll love the game anyway).

9. I hope to see the cycle broken here. That seems to be where this is leading! It would be great to watch Zelda and Link finish off Demise's curse once and for all and finally have the peace Hyrule has been fighting to have for eons.

10. Hopefully Link's diary won't be lost in translation this time! Adding those little details like that made BotW even better than it already was.

11. LINK THREW THE MASTER SWORD ASIDE TO CATCH ZELDA I CAN'T- But poor Fi. Hope she's doing okay with the whole Malice infestation thing. This is a stretch, but perhaps there will be a return of Ghirahim or his sword form. That'd be cool.

12. It looks like there's potential for more old-school dungeons! With the Divine Beasts seemingly inactive, Link may have to travel through monster-ridden ruins to drive them out of Hyrule.

13. I'm excited to see details on the time between BotW and TotK, like how Zelda got her hair cut! It'll be nice to see which NPCs changed and which haven't (Beedle is probably the same and will be the same even as all of existence crumbles around him).

14. Maybe the memory mechanic will be implemented again by Link recalling his past life 10,000 years ago?

Alright, sorry for the ramblings here. I'm too excited. I have lots more thoughts, but I'll share them in the future. May 12 can't come fast enough!

Reblogging is fine, but please don't post this anywhere else without linking the original post. Thanks!

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pastelsandpining · 3 years

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All I Want for Christmas (Yearning)

The third prompt in 12 Days of Christmas by @zelink-prompts

Prompt List

**Note: For the stories actually involving Christmas, I and a few other authors changed the holiday to Hylia’s Day (credit to @fatefulfaerie for this) so that it’s more relevant to Hyrule

Cover Art: @neezlebums be sure to show some love to the original here! I cannot stress this enough guys, PLEASE go like and reblog his work. He spends hours upon hours on every single cover drawing and it’s super disheartening that he’s getting 8 notes max on things he’s working really hard on. So please give his post as much love as you give mine!

Words: 1956

Summary: Link takes Zelda out to the Festival of Hylia in the hopes that she can enjoy it as a normal kid, and they share a moment during the fireworks show.

BotW pre-calamity (not HWAOC related)

**If I don’t have explicit warnings, read with caution. It simply means there’s nothing I could think of that could be potentially triggering, but I could’ve just missed something. In that case, please let me know and I’ll be more than happy to put a warning!**

Zelink-mas 2020 l Masterlist

The concept of soulmates is rather simple for something so deep. Whether it be one soul torn into two, or a red string of fate, or two souls that found comfort in one another, the premise was the same. Lifetime after lifetime, for the eternity that was to come and go, two hearts cried out for one another. They searched high and low, across continents and oceans, across timelines and ages, yearning for their partner—their lost piece.

Yet fate could be a cruel player in the game of existence. It could drive a stake in between a set of mates, or prevent their meeting entirely. It could taunt them with the prospect of forever, and take it away at twice the speed.

It could take those souls and resurrect them only in times of destruction and decimation.

How much could a soul handle? How much could it stretch and bend before it shattered? Was it still marked by trauma all those years later, when it was finally placed into a vessel and sent back into the world?

The soul of a hero, for instance, would be battered and bruised until fate decided there was no use for it.

And until that decision was made, the hero’s soul would stay by the goddess’s side, even thousands upon thousands of years later.

An impending war, what they referred to as a Calamity, was nothing new to the old souls. Yet they were filled with optimism, a sort of youthful comfort that wrapped like a blanket, and old souls did not entirely push away childish ideas and schemes.

Said hero was scampering through the streets, hand in hand with the young goddess, both tucked under cloaks that fared as a decent disguise given most participants were too drunk to think otherwise at this point in the night.

“You cheated,” Zelda accused through a fit of giggles, but she made no move to drop the stuffed sand seal.

“I did not,” Link defended with a borderline emergent smile as he stole a glance towards the booth they’d run from. “I was just… a little better than their usual customers.”

“Yes, because their regular customers consist of skilled soldiers of Hyrule.”

“You don’t know that.”

Zelda pressed a hand over her mouth and laughed again. It got harder to suppress his smile. Something about the freedom that came with sneaking out, on top of the thrill of being where they weren’t supposed to be, left him feeling giddy and mischievous. It’d taken a while to convince Zelda to come with him, but attending the Festival of Hylia to only bestow a blessing over the kingdom wasn’t fair. They’d attended earlier in the day, with the princess wearing a grand, white dress to make her look like the goddess, and all he wanted to do was give her a chance to experience the festival as a normal kid. It was the least she deserved, after spending all of her time and effort focused on the Calamity. Of course, the only way they could actually get out was in a disguise, but Link trusted the cloaks would do their jobs so long as the late night attendees were drinking properly.

“You’re positive we won’t get caught?” she asked, for what had to be the hundredth time since they’d left the castle.

“Do you trust me?” he asked in response, fixing his eyes on hers. They were twinkling even in the darkness, and he could see the Castle Town lights reflected in her irises. When he looked at her like this, when there was no one watching them with attentive eyes, he found it hard to believe she was only Hylian. She radiated a light they couldn’t see, but he knew it was there because she was always so warm. Her eyes were always so bright.

“Yes,” she answered with a nod. Once again, Link almost smiled. But instead, he pulled her by the hand over to another booth. The worker looked too tired to care, so he didn’t have to take much caution in sliding over the rupees and asking for a soft pretzel, a caramel apple that had caught Zelda’s eye, and a set of drinks. It was just a shame they had to release hands to hold it all.

“We used to come to the festivals all the time,” Zelda said after a few bites, letting her shoulder brush against his. “My mother would play the goddess and do the blessings, but after that, father would take me around to the different games and let me play. I was never any good at it, but they gave me prizes anyway. Mother was brilliant, though. She knew just how to get past the games’ rigging. After her death, father didn’t let me stay out as long. Once I was twelve, my only purpose at the festival was to give the blessings. Did your family always come?”

“Almost every year. My father always took us the first night,” Link spoke with a nod. “Because he was on duty the other two. He tried getting my sister and I to play the games, but I was only interested in the food.”

Another giggle passed the princess’s lips.

“It sounds like you haven’t changed at all,” she replied, nudging him again.

“Except now I know how to win,” he said and gestured to the stuffed sand seal.

“I still think you cheated.”

“They cheated us first.”

Zelda had no argument to that one. Link tossed the paper from his pretzel into the trash, then adjusted the fasten on his cloak.

“Do you think we’ll be able to see the fireworks?” she asked. “I used to watch them from my window all the time.”

“I don’t know if it’s better than the view from your window, but I know a place,” he replied. Zelda slipped an arm around his, like she’d done it a thousand times before, and he ducked his head to hide his face from the overhanging light.

“I’ll have to see it in order to judge,” she said simply. He fought back a smile and pulled her through the streets of Castle Town once more, until they’d reached the outskirts.

Link jumped up to grab the tree branch above them, then turned and held his hands out to her. Apparently his intentions were clear because even in the darkness, he could see that Zelda was appalled.

“We can’t climb on a random person’s house! Link! Get down!” she yelled in a whisper, but he just let the grin cover his face.

“It’s empty. For sale, I think,” he replied with a shrug. She looked around, as if she wanted to make sure they were really alone, before taking his hands. He pulled her into the tree effortlessly, then boosted her up onto the roof of a Castle Town house. “It’s no castle view, but you won’t be eye-level with the fireworks.”

“You can see the entire festival from here,” she spoke when he joined her at the top. “It’s not just lights. You can see everything. How did you..?”

“There was one year when my father had to attend all three nights, so it was just my sister and I. We ran out of rupees trying one of the games, and she was really upset, so I just.. snatched a prize and ran. We climbed onto a roof and stayed there for the rest of the festival, until I was sure he hadn’t sent any soldiers after us. It gave us a pretty good view.”

“You thief!” Zelda accused, giving him a shove. Link bit back a laugh.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever told. So now you’re the holder of some pretty powerful information.”

She hummed in thought and leaned her head against the plushie.

“I could do so much with this. I could tell everyone and finally have my freedom from you.”

“I don’t know if stealing a plushie from a festival booth ten years ago is enough to get me demoted.”

“It’s a serious crime,” but he could hear the laughter in Zelda’s voice. He turned to face her just as the first of the fireworks went off, drowning her in a soft yellow light. Even if he wanted to watch the fireworks, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She was in a category all of her own, and the word beautiful couldn’t describe her in her entirety.

He could call her hair golden, but it still didn’t capture her richness. He could compare her eyes to emeralds, and it still wouldn’t tell how precious they were. He could say her voice was a melody, and it still couldn’t describe how much he loved the song she sang each time she spoke. With every passing day, she grew more and more into the goddess whose blood she carried in her veins. She radiated a power and displayed a wisdom he’d never seen before, yet it felt so familiar to him that it never surprised him. He could watch her for hours, whether she was studying the Sheikah technology or praying at the foot of a goddess statue (not that he did, obviously, because that was sacred and private). It didn’t feel like a job--it never had. He’d give his life for her over and over again, like it was written into his blood and soul. Like he’d done it before.

With how far they’d come, Link wondered just how much could one feel for a single person. If he could shield her from the world, he would. But she didn’t need that. Zelda was strong and independent, but what he wouldn’t give to remain by her side for as long as he could.

She took his arm again and rested her head against his shoulder. Her hold was as gentle as she. Her fingers intertwined with his and he gave her hand a small squeeze.

“Link?”

He hummed to let her know he was listening and ready to answer any question she wanted to ask.

“What do you want for Hylia’s Day?”

The gift giving tradition held true even to this year, but Link didn’t quite know how to answer her. What he really wanted was her. He wanted her to be happy and safe and secure. He wanted the goddess to respond, and for her powers to awaken so she could just enjoy whatever time they had left.

Was there a stronger word that fit this feeling than yearning? Yearning for Zelda and her life and her future.

He bit his cheek in thought, because none of that could be said aloud.

“I want a promise,” he replied at last. “that once this is all over, you’ll keep researching. And that maybe I can stay your knight attendant for as long as you can tolerate me.”

She almost laughed.

“Link.. I can’t promise anything. If I can’t awaken this power, then-“

“You will,” he said, holding her hand tighter. “I believe in you.”

Zelda smiled at him—weak and small, but it still filled him with a warmth that made him feel all the more confident.

“I want a day off to just relax with our friends,” she stated, returning her head to his shoulder.

“All of our friends?”

“Yes, even Revali.”

Link chuckled and shook his head, watching the last of the fireworks pop. He’d never felt more relaxed than he did then. It was like they belonged there. Something about her was so calming that he didn’t want to go back to the castle just yet.

“Thank you,” she spoke softly into the quieting night. “For tonight.”

He wished he could kiss her.

Instead, he gave her hand a squeeze and said, “Anything you want, Princess. Just say the word.”

#zelink #botw link #botw zelda #botw zelink #zelink prompts #christmas prompts #take a shot every time one of my fics shits on revali #it's a common theme #can u tell I dislike the bird manchild #link just kiss her it's fine i promise u #it'll even do u all some good

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loruleanheart · 3 years

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Desired Fate, Chapter 13

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Read on AO3

One step closer to Hyrule Castle and one second closer to the Calamity…

And Zelda was no closer to awakening her power than when she began all those years ago.

Zelda cast a side-glance at Astor, who walked beside her. He was being very quiet, almost mirroring her dour mood. What was he thinking? He looked completely absorbed in his own headspace. She wondered what sort of inner demons he must have been fighting. He must have been under a great deal of pressure just as she was. What was it like to serve an ancient evil and be expected to be the perfect instrument to bring about its revival? Not to mention trying to turn away from such a destiny.

He’s changing... I was somehow able to persuade him, and now maybe he could be the key in turning back Calamity Ganon since it seems I won’t be able to… What if I’m being too optimistic? Believing he could change... Or that I had anything to do with it… He’ll always see me as the pathetic royal girl that can’t wield her power. He’ll never see me as anything more. He’ll never love me… Or anyone for that matter... Possibly why he turned to Ganon in the first place... Not that any of us are going to live long enough to worry about that, and it will be my fault...

Astor looked down to Zelda, who seemed as though she were about to break into tears again at any moment.

“I must envision a life after the Calamity, I must...” Zelda said aloud and to herself.

Hylia’s prophecy echoed in Astor’s mind. He wondered if those words could set Zelda’s mind at ease. If so, it seemed almost cruel not to tell her. But he couldn’t bring himself to say the words out loud. What if Zelda shut down the same way he had when Hylia had told him? For all he knew Hylia had noticed his weakness and had come up with a lie to tempt him, Ganon’s chosen, exploiting his weakness to gain the advantage in the war against her greatest enemy. There was no way the goddess herself had ordained THAT for the girl that bore her namesake and her blood.

Yet, Zelda had been unreasonably kind to him. She had ordered her knight to spare him, even after he tried to kill her. She had gone above and beyond in reasoning and pleading with him. There was the way she looked at him, spoke to him. She made him feel desired. But how could that be? Astor briefly wondered if this was Hylia’s doing as well, as far-fetched an idea as it was, but Astor was running out of explanations for Zelda’s behavior towards him. Weren’t the royal daughters supposed to be able to hear the voice of the goddess?

“Zelda…” Astor paused, trying to get used to using her given name. “Does the goddess ever speak to you?”

“No… Not really… I’ve had these dreams though... but I can never quite hear her words.”

This answer satisfied him. Zelda seemed to be unaware of anything Hylia had planned. Her actions and words towards him were genuine.

“There’s something I can’t quite wrap my mind around... Why aren’t you afraid of me? Why don’t you hate me or find me repugnant? For all that I am, and all that I’ve done… Anyone else would.”

“There’s something about you… I can’t describe it.”

“I’m not worthy of whatever it is you feel for me…”

“That's not how it works… It just is…”

“But I swore myself to Calamity Ganon for so long… I am damned.”

“I refuse to believe that.”

“What about that knight? You must have feelings for him?”

“You mean Link? Why do you say that?”

Astor braced himself for what he would say next, but he knew it couldn’t go unsaid if he wanted to show any kind of true compassion towards Zelda.

“You’re fated to unlock your power because of him. It was a vision given to me by my harbinger.”

Zelda stopped in her tracks. It was a lot to take in. “So I haven’t failed after all? It’s really going to happen? Why would you tell me that?”

“I guess to redeem myself a bit, though what I’ve done up until now is unforgivable... I want to help you because you spared my life and helped me to see the truth about Calamity Ganon, and you seemed like you needed to hear it.”

“That’s surprisingly kind of you… But I don’t know if I believe it… I’ve already had my hopes raised and dashed so many times.” Zelda paused for a long moment. “But if an individual could be the thing to bring out my power, I... I want it to be you.”

“I can’t be that person for you…Fate has already decreed it…” He said in a soft, sullen way.

They walked in silence a bit longer.

Astor thought of the Harbinger. Its absence didn’t bode well. It was likely aware of what its seer was up to and it certainly wouldn't let such grievous disloyalty go unpunished.

Astor’s eyes darted around his surroundings. Astor had never been afraid of his Harbinger before, but now he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was capable of doing something really horrible to him.

After some time, they reached a high cliff overlooking Kakariko Village. She had passed through the village on her way to Mount Lanayru in the early morning hours before anyone would be awake to see her, now the village was bustling.

Astor hadn’t set foot in a village in ages, and as soon as they started to cross paths with other people, Astor remembered why. The Sheikah Villagers were giving them odd looks, and of course they would. This village was pretty closed off from the rest of Hyrule. It was rare for them to see non-Sheikah.

A couple of small children darted past them, laughing, barely acknowledging their presence or personal space as children often did.

A Sheikah woman standing outside of a garment shop smiled at them, trying to wave them down. “Pretty clothes for your girlfriend?” The woman said sweetly.

Astor gave an exasperated, flustered moan, drawing his hood further down his brow.

“No, not today, but thank you,” Zelda responded kindly to the Sheikah shopkeep, beaming and radiating a sense of joy even for a moment. Her smile was like the sun, and any doubts Astor had dried up and disappeared. She loved him, and nothing seemed to be able to sway her. Hylia’s prophecy was one step closer to being realized.

I could tell her the prophecy, and she might just die of happiness…. Astor thought darkly. Loving her. Loathing her. He still couldn’t shake his aversion of Zelda realizing her power. It was too deeply ingrained. Although now he suspected that it was out of jealousy for the knight. And then there was Hylia’s prophecy which filled him with a feeling that had been foreign to him until lately. It was a feeling that both disgusted and thrilled him. But he couldn’t summon the words to tell her. Saying them would breathe them into existence even more so.

They passed houses and other shops, including an inn. Other Sheikah villagers were taking notice of them.

“Isn’t that Princess Zelda?” one of the Sheikah villagers whispered loudly to another.

Astor walked faster, eager to clear the village. Zelda walked a little faster, too, despite that her legs felt heavy from covering so many miles.

They made their way through a wide-open valley known as Sahasra Slope, which boasted a magnificent view of Hyrule Castle.

“Father is going to be so cross with me…”

Astor looked at Zelda strangely. She kept bringing up her father. It was almost like she was afraid of him. More afraid of her own father than she was of him… which really said something. Astor knew just enough about the royal family to make some assumptions.

“Does he believe the same as the people in your court?”

Zelda flinched. “Oh… You know about that…? It feels that way sometimes.”

“I don’t understand. You’re the one with the blood of the goddess. Shouldn’t he be worshiping the ground you walk on?”

“Well… He doesn’t see it that way. Tough love, I suppose…”

“What does he have to be angry about? Aside from you breaking custom to go to the Spring of Wisdom? Not a reason to be angry, if you ask me. This is a war, after all. You’re just doing what you must to have the potential to be victorious.”

Zelda looked at Astor with surprise. “You really believe that?”

“I’m… I was... Ganon’s chosen… I’m not ignorant or blind, although I suppose it would be accurate to say that Ganon kept me blind for so long. It’s important to understand your enemy. Your father is a fool. Trust me on this.”

“Hmm…” Zelda hummed. “What about your parents? What were they like?”

“I never knew them… I grew up in an orphanage in Deya Village.”

“Oh… I’m sorry… Now I feel silly for complaining.”

“It's fine. It stopped bothering me years ago and it’s beyond irrelevant now.”

They crossed the Rebonae bridge, on the last leg of their journey, and passed through a vast apple orchard, slightly off from Zelda’s original course.

The sky grew a vibrant orange as they entered Hyrule Castle Town. Zelda gave an audible exhale. “… Almost home…” She knew she had to prepare herself for anything now.

Astor jolted when Zelda took hold of his hand. She was barely aware of how tightly she held onto him. But he felt her… or rather a time in the future where she would squeeze his hand with such intensity, to the point of pain. Her ragged breath was in his ear, as she braced herself against him. A wave of intense emotion washed over him and he...

...ripped his hand away, Zelda looking at him puzzled and a little hurt.

“Whenever you touch me… I see and feel things.”

“Oh… Do these things displease you?” That wounded expression lingered on her face.

“I… I suppose it doesn’t…” He said, offering his hand to her. The vision didn’t continue, but it still left him stunned and strangely longing for more.

The streets were almost as devoid of life as they had been the night before. No one gave them more than a cursory glance as they passed by.

They walked up the winding brick pathway that led up to the castle, and when they reached the sanctum, all four champions, Impa, and Link turned to them as they appeared in the doorway. All was eerily quiet as they came forward. Zelda’s eyes were red from crying and everyone looked with suspicion at Astor. Link placed his hand on the hilt of the Master Sword.

Urbosa and Impa ran to Zelda.

“Well if this isn’t a fine how do you do?” Said Revali in a dry tone. “We all thought the princess was in danger when in reality she was just off on some tryst. The Calamity is about to occur at any moment, and we’re all miles away from our Divine Beasts with our fingers in our tailfeathers...”

“Oh, Revali. Go suck an egg. This is NOT the time.” Urbosa chastised the rito, and then she turned to Zelda. “Are you alright, little bird? Where were you? And why is HE here?” Urbosa looked at Astor with great dismay and distrust.

“Urbosa, remember when you said you would always support me and to just say the word? This is it... I need your support now more than ever.”

Urbosa considered this, her azure blue lips parting slightly, although at a loss for words.

“Tell me what's going on? I’m all ears.”

“Alright, now that Zelda is safe and sound, can we get back to our Divine Beasts and forget this whole asinine situation.” Revali interrupted again.

Astor spoke up. “That’s exactly where Calamity Ganon wants you when he returns. Ganon’s blights are set to take over the Divine beasts and kill their pilots.

Everyone turned to Astor with a look of disbelief. Mipha reached for Link’s hand for support, but stopped short, growing self-conscious.

“And why should we believe you, vile follower of the Calamity? How do we know you’re not trying to set us up? You may have convinced the Princess, but it’s going to take a lot more to gain our trust.” Urbosa responded curtly.

“Urbosa!” Zelda protested.

“Forgive me, little bird. You may have shown this man mercy, but I won’t…”

“I believe him,” said Daruk.

Urbosa turned to Daruk. “You’re kidding right?”

“I mean, he sounds sincere enough to me.”

Mipha quickly assessed the energy between Princess Zelda and Astor and intervened, speaking. “I believe him as well… Or rather I believe Princess Zelda. Let’s give him a chance before we jump to rash conclusions.”

Urbosa turned her ire back to Astor. “What are you trying to pull?”

“I’m not trying to pull anything. You can take my warning or leave it, for all I care. I just wanted to spare Zelda the heartache of losing her champions.”

Urbosa folded her arms. “I swear if you hurt her I’m going to cut you up piece by piece and feed you to the Molduga. She is precious to me and I must do right by my dear friend, Zelda’s late mother… We Gerudo have our ways of dealing with voe who take advantage of one of our vai, especially when said voe is a member of the Yiga… or an affiliate.”

“Do I make myself clear, Prophet?”

“Crystal…”

King Rhoam appeared on the balcony, alerted by the commotion of the Champions.

“What is the meaning of this…. Zelda? You’ve returned? What were you thinking, running… quite literally running from your duty when the Calamity is nearly at hand?” There was much derision in his voice.

“I did no such thing. I would never.” Zelda’s voice wavered. She wasn’t surprised her father would make this accusation, but it still hurt terribly.

“Then. where. were. you?” Rhoam said evenly, and in a way that shook Zelda to the core.

“I went to the Spring of Wisdom… In a bid to unlock my power. I’ve failed. I’m sorry. I didn’t feel anything. Just like all my other attempts.”

King Rhoam shut his eyes. “That was not your decision to make. You know it is forbidden for you to set foot on Mount Lanayru until you are of age. For all you know your disobedience may have cost all of Hyrule!”

Zelda began to break down. “But…”

“No more excuses, Zelda! You are to spend the rest of the night in prayer, asking the goddess for forgiveness and discernment, and so help me, you WILL unlock your power.”

Zelda clenched her fist. “No, I won’t! I’m not a child anymore. Please stop ordering me around like one. We must prepare to oppose the Calamity in whatever way we can, and I won’t waste another second praying for this cursed power to awaken!”

“Zelda, you are out of line, and I will not tolerate another word from you!” Rhoam raised his voice, almost shouting. “There is no excuse for this behavior. As long as I am King, you will obey me. Your mother would be very disappointed in you, Zelda. What a waste…”

“You should watch your tongue, old man… How could you speak thus of the one who carries the blood of the goddess? Perhaps it is you who should beg forgiveness.”

Everyone went deadly silent as they directed their attention to Astor.

Rhoam glared at the younger man, indignantly, taken aback by his words. He felt a deep sense of suspicion just from the look of him. There was a darkness about the young man that gave Rhoam a great sense of disquiet. “You… You must be the prophet I’ve heard about. What role do you play in all this? And who are you to tell me how to speak to my daughter? You know nothing of the responsibilities I have to my kingdom or of the pressures of raising a daughter of the royal family.”

Astor was about to protest when something violently rocked the very foundation of the castle. Everyone braced themselves, gasping.

Zelda’s eyes widened, horror in her expression. “It cannot be…” Zelda raced outside, already knowing what she would see. Everyone followed her out.

She looked up and sure enough, the worst had come to pass, and it was beyond her worst nightmare. Circling and raging around the highest spire was a purple-red miasma. It was just like the image on the Sheikah Slate, except now Zelda could make out that it resembled a great swine. There was a clap of thunder, and embers of malice floated down all around them.

“Ganon…” Zelda stared up at the being in terrible fear as 100,000 wretched screams of despair rang out across Hyrule.

#Astor #Age of Calamity #hwaoc #Zelast #I apologize for the abundance of Zelast in this chapter #I'm sorry #But alive Astor is a good Astor #Imnotsorry

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ashleyswrittenwords · 4 years

Text

Of Gods and Goddesses (IV)

Note: I finally revisited this one. Here is the final installment of OGAG! This is dedicated to my burning love for HyLink. A final thank you to @royxhe for the inspirational fanart!

First Chapter

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Of Gods and Goddesses

Hyrule had been torn to pieces by Demise’s hoard. It had been years since Hylia’s descension and the Hylians were cornered. Refugees from all walks of life met at a single point to defend both the Triforce and their survival. The goddess of light was at the forefront, organizing forces and splitting resources to sustain the camps. It would be wildly convenient if her sisters would return, but they never did. Hylia was left alone to pick up the pieces. All the while, looking forward to the day she would drive a blade through Demise’s dark heart. Her people were calling him a demon king and refused to refer to him as any sort of god.

Then one day, one of her commanders approached her with word that a man with the Triforce imprinted on his right hand was found. She rushed to the entrance of her tent and threw aside the drapes. Lightening boomed through the sky and she found him knelt in the pouring rain, knees sunken in the mud. Sandy blond hair was soggy, and his forest green attire was drenched by the travel. From what the commander had said, he was from the frontlines.

The man refused to do no less than bow in reverence before her until she demanded to see his hand. The wavering words and the sight of the triplet triangles made their eyes meet for the first time. However, to Hylia, it felt like the countless time she had seen those blue irises.

“Alikah?” she breathed out in disbelief.

His expression twisted in confusion but held an odd air. The man couldn’t quite place her. He knew who the goddess was, of course, from the tales and legends. But this was altogether different.

“Actually, Your Grace. My name is Link.”

Alikah’s death echoed pain through the years and her heart seized. Eyes wide with a tight grasp around his hand Hylia knew it was him, although now in a mortal form. It had been over 25 years since she felt him take his last breath. Usually that span of time would be nothing, yet each morning felt empty and each night lonely. It had been so long and here he was, albeit different. He didn’t have a godly glow around him, nor the perfections that came from being holy, but this was him. Alikah’s eyes, his voice, his hair, his mark that he had tattooed on his back was in her hands.

Even so, he did not recognize her. She was to him as she was to the rest of the mortals. Hylia could see it in his face. The mother goddess and the light of Hyrule.

Biting down a wave of grief, she released his hand and it fell to his side. Link returned to kneeling and she realized what Alikah had meant. He wasn’t useful as a god and there were strains in her chain of command. They revered her, but when it came to drawing out battle plans they refused to speak their minds. Having their own at the table beside her would potentially change the course of this war.

With a steady breath, she pulled the sword from her side. The master sword had been her companion since the beginning and she was no stranger to Alikah. He had wielded her once before, and he would have to unwittingly do it again. His eyes flickered up to hers as she held it out, “Link, I must ask of you to give more than just yourself. To wield my sword and stand by my side until the Demon King is defeated.” Hylia forced her voice to be strong, but the implications of forcing a mortal to endure conquering Demise… is this what Alikah would have wanted?

“You’re free to walk away. I will not hold you to this,” she finished. His eyes fell from hers and all that could be heard was the rain falling around him. When he finally spoke, all she saw was resolve.

“If it means protecting this land and your people,” Link spoke as surprise filled her, “I wholeheartedly accept, my goddess.”

My love…

Then, it was done. He took the Sword that Seals the Darkness gingerly from her grasp and the crowd that formed around them watched in awe as the chosen hero accepted his destiny from the goddess of light.

Time went by steadily and the war dragged on longer with it. It wasn’t like the War of Old where centuries went by without a notice. Each year was grueling and tore at Hylia whose army beat down on Demise’s hoards. It didn’t matter how efficient they were, the monsters regrouped greater in both strength and number. She felt that every life that fell was by her own hand. Even still, she had to keep positive. The Hylians depended on her and saw hope in her being. If she were to lose face before her people, she feared all would be lost.

Hylia found comfort in wearing their clothes and actively participating in their customs when war wasn’t immediately called for. As she charted out where each battalion would move next, she wondered what Din would say at her discolored and seemingly bland skirts. It made her smile despite the weight on her heart. Even the generals have insisted on more elegant apparel. She had expressed her profound disapproval of the notion. Why would she wear anything different than the people that fight for her?

The opening of her tent shifted, stilling her quill. A head of blond hair popped through and the rest of the man followed.

“Ah, Link,” she smiled. “What do I owe the pleasure?”

The sword on his back glowed warmly as it always did in her presence. It was rather late in the night and she hadn’t expected him. He nodded in her direction, “Your Grace.”

She glanced around, “Please sit anywhere.”

He did, drawing a chair to her desk and looking curiously at her plans. These past few years were cruel, but Link’s presence was a great help. His prior years climbing the ranks until his mark was found out gave him an edge that many generals did not have in the fight against the demon king. The man knew the varied monsters and strategies to take them down. His expertise only solidified Hylia’s conviction that he was the rightful one be by her side. Not to be forgotten was their growing friendship.

“I had a premonition last night,” Link said in that quiet voice of his. He didn’t speak loudly and the only times she had seen him upset were in the manner of his words, not his volume. She straightened, fully taken with his speech. “A premonition?”

Link’s hands rested on his knees, thumbing the seams of his trousers. “I have no other explanation for what it could be,” he looked up at her then. In his eyes there was a pleading. “Hylia, if I were to die… what would happen?”

A pregnant silence settled so softly that she hardly noticed how much he sounded like a god who was killed nearly three decades prior. Her gaze left him to rest on the melting candle before her. It wicked away at the wax and she wondered if the appropriate action were to cry. Though, she decided against it. Whatever stirred within her had to wait.

“You won’t. I do not think I could bare a pain like that again.”

He was quick to reiterate her words, like he knew something she did not. In his seat, Link leaned forward, “Again?”

Hylia searched his face. He looked so much like him. A wilted, weak part of the goddess wished to make him hold her as Alikah did. Another part desperately tried to separate them only to see their mannerism, their words, and features grow so similar that they melted together in her fantasies; causing her to start the process all over born from the frustrations of her own inadequacy. Even now, she could see that in his patient waiting the man was picking apart her words and trying to read her as she read him.

If her hunch was correct and he was the reincarnate of Alikah’s wish, there was danger in speaking too much. Hylians simply weren’t built to carry the soul of a god. If, for whatever reason, the memories of Alikah were to surface there was no telling what would happen. It was easier for Hylia to avoid talking about him altogether – no matter how much it hurt.

She wore a plastic smile and folded her hands in her lap. “I misspoke.”

His body seemed to sag at her words. It concerned her. “Link,” she reached for his hand and he did not stop her. “If you want to walk away-”

“No, it’s not that,” Link interrupted, curling his hand in hers. “I need to know if… if you would be able to endure.”

As it was, the strategy was to incapacitate Demise. At best he would be dead. Link was the driving force. Once they pushed through the hoard, the demon king would be forced down by the chosen hero. With her light, Hylia would then plunge Demise into light. If she was able to reach his heart, his life was as good as over.

If the goddess could labor both, she would. Forgoing the downfall of Demise was her ultimate goal, but if she were to slip and succumb to his darkness at any point there wouldn’t be enough power vested in her to make one final act to save her people. After all, Demise was an ancient god in himself and it took an army of immortals to vanquish three of his kind.

“Unfortunately,” she started, “even I have limitations. The future would be uncertain.”

They grew close, she found comfort in his trust. Link’s forehead brushed hers. A sad smile graced Hylia and her voice dipped into a whisper, “But you must know already that when it comes to it, I will give myself for you and this land.”

“In all of your plans, do you see yourself staying with me?”

The question was plainly stated, but it had brought back the aching. She was certain that without the dark reign of Demise, the people would be able to cultivate the land once more without her. Everything her sisters gifted them would remain. It had given her hope that when she uses herself to bring the god of darkness to his own demise, they could continue without her.

Never did she afford herself a dream where she survived.

“It would be a lie to say I haven’t tried.”

Alikah had told her that Hylian culture had many odd customs, although she found nothing odd in the way Link pressed his lips to hers. As his hand threaded through her hair, she realized that he had hid more than she thought.

The demon below her screamed has Hylia’s light burned it from the inside. Around them, the hoard was thinning as they cut through the monsters. Black blood coated her armor as she waved the battalion forward. It was a smaller group of men and women, but their loyalty to the cause was of gold. Link retched the master sword from the head of a Hinox. Her feet touched the ground beside him.

“He’s inside,” she said gravely. A spiraling building was before them. Above that, thick clouds swirled and drowned out the daylight to create perpetual night. Link stared up with a grimace, “To think someone would want the world like this.”

Wind was rushing by them with a fierceness. The dark hurricane had been roaring since they broke through the second wall of monsters and now it was almost deafening. To Hylia, there was no doubt in her mind that this was where the portal lies – and with it the creator.

Link then turned to his soldiers and barked out orders to keep any incoming hoards away while he and the goddess confronted the demon king. They followed suit, taking defensive positions as Link and Hylia walked towards the entrance of the dark tower. This was it. This was what years of violence had led up to.

Hylia hummed, “Most of this is an illusion. He’s expecting us.”

She willed her power to course heavier through her veins. With it, any petty illusion that she used to blend in with the Hylians slipped away. Golden hair softly wavered around her in a halo and if you looked in her eyes, you’d see heaven.

Wordlessly, the hero and the goddess walked along the drawbridge. Below them were serpents in the moat that moved in the same manner as water. The walls were lined with torches and the sickening scent of death. It opened up into a cavernous throne room where a single sword laid in the center. Everything was the color of coal, yet the weapon still burned darker. Link voiced his curiosity and began walking towards it.

That was when Hylia realized she couldn’t feel its presence.

“Link, don’t!” she shouted, making him twist around in confusion. It was an enchantment. While the hero’s back was turned a sharp void shot from the sword and the goddess leapt, creating a wall of light as she did. The blast hit the wall and sent shocks through her magic. The darkness withered her light into faint sparks.

A laughter haunted through the room in several directions as black sludge melted the sword. From it an arm emerged, curling against the stone floor before birthing a twin. In long drapes, a cloak stood from the darkness. The whisperings of black magic plucked at Hylia’s consciousness for this was its father. In Demise’s grasp was a jagged weapon. Orange flames licked down his face, matching the fire in his eyes.

Blown back from the force of power, Link steeled himself at Hylia’s side.

“You been locked in your own dimension all this time,” the goddess stated bluntly.

A crooked, mangled smile spread itself on his face, “Always the clever one of your sisters. Why should I waste away on the Surface when I could be saving myself for you?”

The god walked a thin line around them slowly, eyeing Link with some curiosity. “The Almighty has assorted with dirt for so long. I wondered if perhaps you would simply guide me to the Triforce yourself. How is it living with rodents?”

“It will never be yours.”

Her words made him laugh.

“You’re living in a pipe dream, Hylia. Though, there is still time to leave everything for my good graces. I wouldn’t mind a pet,” he left her for Link. “But it looks like you’ve adopted your own to send to the slaughter.”

Light burned in her hand and in her palm formed a hilt up to a sharp point. Her feet tapped on the ground in a quick burst as she jumped through the air for her sword of light to meet his. It clashed and sent shockwaves. With a spare hand, she pressed it to Demise’s chest. Before she could gather enough power, he gripped it in his own and twisted it. She bit down and gripped his forearm in a vice, flinging him into the opposite wall. The goddess needed to buy time.

Demons poured through the hole in the wall Demise made. Link and Hylia looked upon each other. Their defenses outside the fortress had fallen. In a desperate attempt, she visualized a boxed room in her mind and made it so. As the vision became reality, the shield started at her feet and crawled along the floor like spilling water. The demon king growled, already recovered and sped towards Hylia with red eyes. She braced herself for the impact.

A different clash was heard; it was familiar. The master sword whispered in her mind and she saw Link’s red mantle, now long muddied by the journey, in front of her. His feet slid on the ground from Demise’s force but stayed upright. The shield around them was almost complete. She could feel Demise fighting it and pushing his own poison to will her light away. Distracted by the Hylian, the shield was positioned.

Demise was trapped.

“You insolent-!”

The master sword slipped in a grating sound against the spiked tips of the dark sword. Link ducked out of the way. Enraged by his actions, Demise suddenly doubled over into a hunch. Screams tore through his throat, knocking back the goddess. Before her eyes, he grew in a mangled fashion. Spores burst from his back and his veins split. Screams turned to laughter.

“He turned himself into one of them,” Hylia couldn’t look away, horrified. “I have to stop him.”

Link shouted her name, but it was too late. The goddess started out in a sprint and sent a charge through her sword. With enormous strain, she stabbed into the god’s back only to watch the wound heal. Each attempt let darkness infect her sword just as the void did her wall of light. The whispers of fear adhered to her as she tried to evaluate what to do. He was merging with his demons.

With all her might, she drew her light cleaver upwards and slashed deeply into his back. The swords dragged down with the sickening noise of wet flesh flaying. It shattered in her grasp. She thrusted her now empty hand into the bloodied tear before it could regenerate and bellowed as light burst from her fingertips. Her power drained slowly as if he were absorbing it.

Suddenly the world went sideways as Demise roared over her in more voices than one. In a blast, she hit her own shield and then the floor of the throne room. The goddess could hear her chosen hero scream her name and the wet, sinking footsteps of a monster coated in his own blood.

“Do you think I would suffer through isolation for millennia to squander at your feet?” it said through scratchy and inhumane noises. “I find happiness in your misery, goddess of light, and I will perpetuate it longer than you have mine.”

Unable to recoil from the coldness that dripped on her, it took everything to keep the shield steady. In the least, she had dislodged whatever kept him healing. Another set of footsteps and then Demise let out the awful yell that deafened her. Hylia opened her eyes to find Demise being sunk to the ground by the master sword. Her weak heart leapt and she forced herself to her feet, swaying from the drain of lifeforce.

“Damn you, Alikah!” the demon king growled. “I will take the pleasure of killing you twice!”

As the tip of the blade evaded Demise’s monstrous arms and touches what was left of his chest, the corrupted god pierced his own sword into Link’s abdomen. Link plunged the sword deeper, ignoring Hylia’s screams and the pain that would inevitably kill him. Even so, she couldn’t get to him fast enough. His hands slipped from the hilt and the master sword wavered in the chest of their enemy, Tears poured from her eyes as she fell to her knees in front of him. With a broken cry, she willed the sword to stay, knowing it wouldn’t hold him for long. Tears fell from her cheeks as Link gasped for air. The shield had shrunk around them and Demise’s hoard pounded on it.

“I’m so sorry,” she cried, pulling him into her lap. “This is all my fault.”

Link denied her with a slight shake to his head, then with a withered voice, “You don’t have enough left in you, do you?”

He grasped her wrist; her pulse was faint. Without heaven’s source, she was limited. After years of putting protections of villages and crops, this was what she was left with. A nod confirmed his fear. She wouldn’t be able to vanquish the life of a god so easily, instead she would need to seal him away and nothing was permanent. The sword shook again.

“It’s okay,” Link smiled weakly. “I’m so proud of you.”

And she saw Alikah again, instead he was dying with red blood in place of gold.

She took his face in her hands, “I want to see you again.”

“I would happily die if it meant I could know of your smile in another life,” he said. Hylia felt herself faulter as golden light surrounded them both. He was slipping away; a god’s soul was dangerous to hold onto for long. The demon king hoarsely screamed out curses as words melted from Hylia’s lips.

The light was blinding now. Around them, the Surface groaned and shifted. Link’s fingers lacked the warmth they once held. The green of his tunic was beginning to match the dark scarlet of his cloak. Far away, where they met, land was being uprooted.

Along with it, the Triforce.

Hylia was giving herself to the darkness and the darkness with giving in to her. The curses of Demise faded with his demons.

She wasn’t there anymore.

When the goddess opened her eyes, warm breeze hit her cheeks. She sat under an oak tree in a field of grass. In her lap with a languished grin, Alikah stared up at her. No longer was he bloodied. Hylia ran her fingers through his hair, “We lost.”

“Though, you’ve succeeded them.”

“The world will change drastically.”

“And they will still prosper because of you.”

She sighed, sinking deeper into her seat in the grass. Her sisters had influence in this place. There was truth in his words and despite her body not surviving, she felt comfort.

“Our destinies have become intertwined, my love,” she brushed blond bangs from his eyes.

Alikah’s smile softened, “Then I will see you again.”

#hylink #zelink #hylia #legend of zelda #loz #link #original link #of gods and goddesses #goddess hylia #zelda #idk she's there later #skyward sword #fanfiction #ashleyswrittenwords #you know when i first wrote this fierce deity totally escaped me so shout out and sorry to him i guess #fierce deity #my bad dude i changed your name

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katedoesfics · 4 years

Text

Breath of the Resistance: Chapter 34

“No!”

“Zelda!”

The wind had begun to whip around them once more, threatening to cut off their vision completely with another sandstorm. Zelda ignored Riju and stumbled out of the car, pulling out the other gun, but her knees shook and gave way under her and she fell to the ground. She scrambled to her feet, glancing up as Link fell to his knees, his arm wrapped around his stomach, doubled over in pain. Zelda raised her gun, her hand shaking, but her vision was too blurred for her to see. She fought to steady her hands, and though her eyes dried for a moment, the wind continued to pick up the sand around them and she could no longer see through the thick wall that seemed to develop before her. There was the sound of a struggle nearby, soon followed by a thud – the sickening, all too familiar sound of a body hitting the ground – and her heart stopped.

The air buzzed and cracked with electricity as Riju let loose another deadly attack. Lightning plummeted and the ground shook violently where it crashed. The force broke up the churning sandstorm once more and Zelda covered her eyes with her arm until the wind finally subsided. Around them lay the lifeless bodies of dozens upon dozens of Lizalfos and among them, caught in the wave of Riju's attack, were a few pirates. The rest that had threatened to attack them seemed to have vanished, retreating from the battle.

“Will you put that thing down before you shoot me?” Link muttered through gritted teeth.

She dropped the weapon at the sound of his voice. She opened her eyes to see the pirate lying motionless on the ground. Link stood over the body, his hand clutched at the dagger wound in his gut.

“I didn't say drop it,” he grunted.

Zelda ran to him and he let himself lean against her.

“Are you okay?” she asked. She pulled his hands away to inspect the wound.

“Do I fucking look okay?” he snarled.

“Don't give me your shit!” Zelda hissed at him, pushing him away from her. He grunted as he stumbled backwards, then narrowed his eyes at her.

“Enough, children,” Sidon said as he trotted to their side. “I can take care of that.”

“I'm fine,” Link muttered.

“You'll bleed out.”

“I said I'm fine.”

“Shut up, Link,” Zelda growled at him.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Saving your sorry ass,” Riju said as she strode to them.

“Looked like I was saving yours,” Link said.

“Semantics,” Riju said, waving a hand at him and grinning.

“And now I'm saving yours,” Sidon said as he pushed through. “Hold still.” He held out a hand and a soft, blue light emitted from his palm. The light brightened, growing larger until Zelda could no longer see Link. When it subsided, the wound was healed.

Link blinked at the place where the wound had been for a moment, then wiped his blood from his hands onto his pants. “Thanks,” he muttered. He turned his gaze to Zelda's. Zelda hurried to him and pulled him into a hard kiss, her lips pressed deeply up against his. Link wrapped her arms around her body, pulling her closer to him.

“Oh, get a room,” Riju mumbled, turning away.

Zelda hesitated, pulling away from him slightly. She turned her gaze to meet his. “Stop almost dying on me,” she muttered.

Link grinned. “Stop making me save you.”

“Keep your clothes on,” Riju said. “We've gotta get moving.” She pointed out into the wastelands. As the sun was starting to rise, they could see another sandstorm brewing in the distance. “They're coming in stronger and I won't be able to disperse them. If we get caught in that, we're not getting out of this place alive.”

Link's brows knit together as he turned his gaze back to Zelda's. “Dorian has the Master Sword,” he explained quickly. “I don’t know how he’s doing it, but he must have every one of the Sheikah brainwashed. Even Impa.”

Zelda's mind raced. “What's he going to do with it?” she asked.

“He's going to bring back Ganon.”

“But Ganon was sealed away,” Zelda said. “We sealed him away.”

“With the Master Sword, Dorian will be able to break that seal and bring him back. He’s probably already set off to do that. All he needed to do was get rid of me so I wouldn't get in his way.”

Zelda's eyes searched his, panicked. “Where is he going? What do we do?”

“The Forgotten Temple,” Link said. “I have to stop him before he gets there.”

“The Forgotten Temple?” Zelda turned her gaze to the ground in thought. She knew the place. She had read about it in one of the old Sheikah texts. “The statue of Hylia,” she said quickly. “It's supposed to hold a great power.”

“Dorian and Impa are in Kakariko,” Sidon said.

“We tied 'em up good,” Yunobo confirmed.

Teba shook his head. “He's probably half way there by now. Our ties wouldn't stop him.”

“So,” Riju said. “We better get moving if we want to beat him there.”

“No,” Link said sharply, his eyes narrowed on Riju. “There’s no 'we.' I’m doing this myself.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Teba hissed. “As the newly appointed Champions, we’re going with you. You’ll need our help.”

“We already lost the other four,” Link hissed. “I won’t be responsible for anyone else’s death.”

“Death?” Yunobo muttered.

“No one’s dying today,” Sidon said proudly.

“I don’t know what you think you’re gonna do, Fishboy,” Riju started, her arms crossed. “But say the word, Link, and I’ll shock Dorian into oblivion.”

“Fishboy?” Sidon narrowed his gaze on Riju. “Perhaps you’re too busy playing in your sandbox down here, but I’ll have you know -”

“Enough,” Zelda growled. She turned to Link and offered him a reassuring smile. “Are we going to do this or not?” She handed him the gun she had dropped on the ground.

Link hesitated. He knew he would not win this. Which only meant he’d have to work twice as hard to make sure no one got their asses kicked.

“Fine,” he muttered. “But you guys better take care of yourselves.”

Riju put her hands on her hips and grinned. “Not a problem,” she said. “I think we did well out here for ourselves.” She turned to Zelda. “It's up to you to get us out of here, though.” She threw her thumb over her shoulder, indicating to the approaching sandstorm to the east. “If you can get us through that, we should have a clear shot out of this place.” She leaned forward slightly and pointed towards the car with her chin. “I'll even let you drive this time.”

“Great,” Zelda muttered. She rolled her eyes and moved to the driver's side door. “Leave it to me.” She slid in behind the wheel as Riju took shot gun. Link climbed into the back while the others piled into the SUV. Despite being viciously clawed by the Lizalfos, the engine turned over and the car lurched forward as Zelda stepped on the gas. The needle on the speedometer climbed higher and higher as they sped across the wasteland and into the swirling sandstorm.

“Drive straight through it,” Riju said. “Don't stop, no matter what.”

Zelda's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as they neared, and within moments, they plunged into the storm, sand whipping violently around him. Zelda narrowed her eyes in concentration as she fought to keep the wheel steady. The wind blew forcefully, threatening to lift the car right off the ground and throw them off course.

“Now would be a good time!” Riju shouted over the raging storm.

Zelda sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. She was familiar with her power, now, but never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd ever have to use it again. She felt the energy flow through her as she commanded it through her body. The Triforce on her hand began to glow and pulse, a soft, golden light. The light brightened and grew and then seemed to burst, an explosion of light around them. They covered their eyes with their arms for a moment until it subsided enough for them to see once more. The light held strong, growing and enveloping the two vehicles like a sort of force field that pushed the sandstorm away from them. It cleared an opening through the storm – a path – and Zelda pressed harder against the accelerator, shooting through the space in the storm and across the wasteland.

The light subsided quickly as soon as they exited the sandstorm and it dissipated behind them. The Triforce on Zelda's hand disappeared and they pressed onward across the desert, following Riju's direction. To her surprise, they had come out further north than where they had entered, but Riju directed them easily back to the main road that would bring them out of the desert and back into central Hyrule.

Zelda followed the main interstate north, taking the exit that cut across Hyrule to the west towards the direction of the canyon where the Forgotten Temple was located. The next exit they took off the interstate brought them towards the canyon, and Zelda cut off the road to follow the edge in search for any sign of Dorian. She sped along the edge of the canyon, praying that they weren’t too late. But as they neared the Forgotten Temple to the north, she noticed the Sheikah army down below them. She cursed under her breath; she couldn’t possibly let anyone kill all these potentially innocent Sheikah. Not if they were simply brainwashed.

“I can take care of that,” Riju said from beside her.

“We can’t kill them,” Zelda reminded her. “Don’t kill them.”

“You’re the boss,” she said as she scrambled to pull herself through the moonroof. “One non-lethal attack, coming up!”

At that moment, Teba swooped in from behind them and Riju climbed onto his back. He took flight over the canyon and with a snap of her fingers, lightning shot across the sky. Teba swerved through the air as the Sheikah soldiers fired up at them, but Riju was quicker, and the lightning she commanded struck the ground with intense fury. The ground erupted where each strike landed and the Sheikah soldiers were thrown off their feet in every direction.

In the rearview mirror, Zelda watched as Yunobo threw himself out of the car, rolling down into the canyon with striking speed, plunging himself into the remaining standing Sheikah soldiers like a bowling ball. He stood as Teba and Riju flew down to the ground, and he extended his shield to protect the three of them.

Just ahead, approaching the old Goddess statue, was Dorian. He had spun around upon hearing the battle that had erupted behind him, and started sprinting towards the statue with the Master Sword in hand. Link pulled himself through the moonroof and fired rapidly at Dorian, but the bullets only kicked up the dirt around his feet as Dorian continued sprinting across the canyon.

Without another thought, and ignoring Zelda’s screams from inside the car, Link climbed onto the roof of the car and threw himself over the edge of the cliff. Teba swooped in once more, catching Link as he plummeted towards the ground.

“You’re a crazy fucking bastard, you know that?” Teba muttered as he soared down into the canyon.

Link shoved in another magazine and took aim once more as Teba neared Dorian, but this time, Dorian spun on his heels and thrust his hand in the air. The force of the attack knocked both Teba and Link to the ground. Link rolled away as he made impact, then hurried to his feet, sprinting towards Dorian, firing off two more shots. Again, Dorian thrust his hand towards Link and his gun flew out of his hand.

But Link didn’t hesitate, throwing himself onto Dorian and knocking the Master Sword out of his grip. He tried to pin Dorian to the ground, but Dorian’s fist went into Link’s gut and he pushed Link off of him onto the ground. Without waiting to catch his breath, Link lurched at Dorian once more before Dorian could retrieve the Master Sword. Dorian spun around, letting another fist fly at Link, but this time Link was able to catch his punch. He twisted Dorian’s wrist in one hand while the other landed hard against Dorian’s nose and he stumbled backwards from the impact.

Link seized his opportunity to pin Dorian to the ground once more, pulling a knife from his belt as he did so and pressing it up against Dorian’s neck, but Dorian did not flinch. He looked up at Link and a grin split his face.

“You can’t kill me,” Dorian said. “You’ll kill Dorian, but you won’t kill me.”

“Bastard,” Link hissed. “I will end you, even if I die, too.”

“So willing to throw your life away,” Dorian said. “I will gladly take your life myself.”

Before Link could react, Dorian pushed him forcefully off of him, sending him flying through the air and falling hard to the ground. Link fought against the spinning world, fought against the darkness that dared to close in around him. He could just barely make out Dorian’s figure as he reclaimed the Master Sword and raised it in the air, a wicked smile splitting his face. He met Link's gaze.

“It's over!”

#breath of the resistance #chapter 34 #botr34 #loz #legend of zelda #botw #breath of the wild #fic #fanfic

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clumsydarknut · 5 years

Text

The Duty of a Hero - Prologue

A novelization of the original Legend of Zelda

A long, long time ago, the world was in an age of chaos.

Wars raged across the land. Kingdoms that were once great dwindled into decline, led by the hearts of corrupted kings and lost to the despair of the people.

And yet, in the midst of the chaos, a glimmer of hope still remained.

In the remnants of a kingdom in a distant corner of the world, a legend was being passed down from generation to generation. The legend of a mystical golden power, its origins lost to history, that could reshape the world and return peace to the land. Once wielded by the Kings of Hyrule, this power manifested in the form of three sacred triangles – the Triforce.

Though the Golden Power had the potential for peace and prosperity, if one with evil designs held it the world would be utterly destroyed. The Triforce was split to avoid such a fate, and without the heart of a just king wielding the sacred power, the kingdom fell into ruin.

The people of Hyrule were scattered, but still the legend of the Golden Power persisted, along with the belief that one day the Triforce would return the kingdom to its former glory.

---

“How long until they reach the citadel?”

“Not long, Your Grace.”

Zelda stood at the edge of her balcony, staring down at the burning city. Her curled brown hair fluttered in the heat wafting up from the flames, the smell of smoke and seared flesh staining the air. The gem dangling against her forehead felt starkly cool as the sweltering gusts attacked her skin. The ashes of her kingdom smeared her pink silk gown with soot. In the midst of the fire she met two glowing eyes; the eyes of a beast, staring up at her in rage.

She clenched her fists. The city – if you could call it that – offered little protection. Her tiny castle was surrounded by little more than a village, comprised of people straggling in from the wilderness. Her kingdom had already been scattered and broken, lost to the ages of war and deceit. Minions of darkness had already roamed freely, raiding the hamlets they found and forcing her citizens into hiding. Castle Town had been the only true settlement, and now it burned.

This is my fault, she thought. My forces are too weak. I can’t protect my people. She continued to meet the gaze of the beast in the flames for a moment longer before turning to her maid.

“There is nothing we can do for the township now,” she said. Fear threatened to choke her voice, but she swallowed it and maintained her composure. “We are going to lose this battle.”

“Your Grace?” Her elderly maid, Impa, watched her in perplexed anxiety. The woman’s thick, white hair flowed over her shoulders and down to the small of her back, and her red eyes glinted in the firelight.

Zelda took a deep breath. “We are going to lose this battle, but we can still win the war. We must prevent Ganon from getting what he came here for.”

“Do you mean…?” Impa gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Zelda replied sternly. “You know as well as I do what it is the Prince of Darkness seeks. We must make certain that he cannot wield the Golden Power.”

“But your Grace, surely there must be some other way!” she protested. “If you split the sacred triangles, you may never get them back! What would become of the kingdom?!”

Zelda closed her eyes. The risk of this plan was great. Wielding two of the golden triangles herself had still proven futile in rebuilding the kingdom. If she lost them, the only thing holding Hyrule together would be gone, and the remnants of the people of Hylia might be destroyed entirely. Any who remained would be doomed to start from scratch, with no one to lead and no protection from the evil that ravaged the land.

But the risk of the power – though incomplete – falling into the hands of Ganon was even greater. If he seized the sacred triangles, he would become nigh unstoppable. Everything would fall to his malice, and the world itself would be destroyed. The ancient ways were gone, and without them there was nothing that could stand against his might.

“We must hope,” Zelda breathed, “that the Gods will send us the aid that we need. We have to believe in that, or it won’t only be our people that are destroyed.”

Impa nodded solemnly. “What will you do, your Grace?”

“The only thing I can,” she replied. “I will shatter the Triforce and hide the pieces in the ancient labyrinths.” She opened her eyes. “There they will rest, away from the grasp of evil, until one with a courageous heart retrieves them and reassembles the power to wield against Ganon.”

“But, your Grace,” Impa faltered, “Who can accomplish such a thing?”

“That I do not know.” Zelda met Impa’s gaze. “But I am counting on you to seek them out.”

Impa gave a start. “Your Grace! I cannot leave you here!”

“You must,” Zelda commanded, “or all is lost.”

“Your Grace…”

“Flee, Impa!” she shouted. “Take the ancient maps and flee!”

Tears welled up in Impa’s eyes, but she nodded. In another moment, she had disappeared behind the chamber door.

Zelda sighed. I hope we meet again, Impa.

The princess turned back to the flames, and her stomach dropped. The demonic eyes of the Prince of Darkness were nowhere to be found amongst the carnage.

A thunderous crash from deep in the castle shot fear straight into her core, and the building shook. He’s already here. I need more time!

Frantically, she summoned the ancient magic. The energy filled her chest with warmth, and she took on a soft, golden glow. For centuries, the Royal Family had been blessed with such powers, as had all Hylians, though to a lesser degree. Her people, the children of the Gods, were said to hear the whispers of the heavens with their long, pointed ears. Zelda called on those gifts with all the strength of her soul, and from her heart she drew forth the Triforce.

Another crash came from below. Zelda held the sacred triangles, one floating above each hand, with dread shining in her eyes. Please, give me more time! She set aside the Triforce of Power and took the Triforce of Wisdom in both hands. She channeled all of her magic into the ancient force. Her hands shook as the Golden Power resisted. Again a crash sounded, only footsteps away. In one last, desperate push, the Triforce shattered.

The Princess of Destiny sent the fragments soaring away over the kingdom and reached for the second Golden Triangle when the walls and ceiling of the room collapsed. The shockwave of rumbling dust knocked her off her feet, rubble smashing against the broken floor and cracking the stone balcony. The dim, red light of the burning sky lit the stage, and towering over her was the dark beast.

“The Triforce…” The monster’s voice rumbled like thunder and grated on her ears like sandpaper. Zelda reached for the sacred power floating above the destruction but gasped as a sharp pain shot through her spine. Gnarled debris pinned her down, and blood began to seep through her dress. The giant, boar-like creature, spittle foaming from its snarling mouth, stepped toward the golden light. Gods, just a little more time…

“The Triforce is mine!” the beast cried. The maniacal, booming laughter shook the castle, and the balcony beneath her shifted. Zelda clung to the remains of a rug and prayed she would not fall.

Abruptly the laughter stopped. The monstrosity leaned down over the princess, its hot breath blowing her hair about. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the rancid scent of human flesh as it rushed over her.

“Where are the others?” the pig growled.

Zelda summoned the last of her composure and met the beast’s eyes. The scarlet stare scorched through her, but she held her gaze.

“They… are gone.” The monster’s shock made her smirk. “Hidden where you will never find them, Ganon. Your plan has failed.”

Ganon threw his head back in an enraged roar. Lightning crackled through the room and the floor trembled.

“Where are they?!” he bellowed. Zelda winced as phlegm spattered over the room. “Where are they you puny human!”

“Out of your reach,” she spat back. The monstrous Prince of Darkness raged, power seething from his grip on the Golden Triangle. The sky turned dark and his crimson eyes changed to pure, searing white as he gnashed his fangs. Terror pricked in the princess’ heart as the beast clasped his gigantic paw around her and lifted her from the floor. Pain burned across her torso and for a moment her vision went black. Ganon lifted her to his face, now shrouded in dark magic, and growled.

“You will tell me where they are, princess,” he boomed, “and when I find them, you will be made to watch as your world burns.”

#the original legend of zelda #the spirit of the hero #the duty of the hero #hyrule #legend of zelda #loz #fan works #fanfiction

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loruleanheart · 3 years

Text

Desired Fate, Chapter 10

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The atmosphere around him had become much colder and darker as night descended on the Gerudo Highlands. The prophet stirred. Everything hurt, but there was also the headache that only intensified when he tried to reason with what had happened.

It had to have been a dream… A very terrible and ridiculous dream… Yes, a dream… Not a prophecy...

His mind couldn’t accept that Hylia herself spoke to him.

Yet, If it hadn’t been real, then how had he survived Sooga’s attack?

Hylia… That vile goddess had turned his whole world upside down, her ways more bewildering to Astor than even the Yiga Clan.

The conflicting thoughts had been tormenting to begin with, now they were only magnified to an unbearable intensity. As devoted as he was to the Calamity he was only mortal, and he didn’t want to perish over what he’d so blindly followed for too long. But the alternative would make him a failure in Calamity Ganon’s eyes, and wasn’t the Calamity the only thing that mattered?

She had known everything… Every thought and emotion no matter how deep or repressed, she had laid it all bare, and it terrified him. He feared his thoughts of the princess and his potential to be disloyal to Calamity Ganon.

That wasn’t the only thing he had to worry about. The Yiga Clan was almost certain to make another attempt on his life, and they knew the location of his hideout. The prophet gave a frustrated groan and turned to leave the Gerudo Highlands before a potential ambush could be devised by the clan.

He began to wander northeast aimlessly, only having a vague idea of where he was going. Eventually, desert cliffs gave way to lush green fields.

He could see Hyrule Castle’s silhouette in the distance, and he began to feel jittery, nearly breaking into a burst of insane laughter. He tried to focus his thoughts on how ironic it was that he and the princess now had the Yiga as a common enemy. Anything to not have to think about what was revealed to him by the goddess. It couldn’t be true…

Oh, I’m sure that would go over well. The king would be so thrilled… The prophet thought facetiously.

He gave Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town a wide breadth, also avoiding villages or other areas where people might congregate.

As he rounded the perimeter of the Lost Woods he couldn’t help but notice how visible the back of the castle was from this vantage point. Which window belonged to the Princess? The castle’s wide moat separated the ground he stood from the castle, but still, it was breathtaking to be so close.

The Lost Woods was much the same way. It was surrounded by water, with only one foot-path going in. The pink flowering top of the Great Deku Tree could be seen at the center of Great Hyrule Forest, and Astor thought back to that fated day he crossed paths with the princess before that great, imposing tree. Somewhere, within those woods was a much more mysterious place he had only seen in visions - that place where the Silent Princess flowers grew rampant, and he was intent on finding it.

oOo

“No matter what it takes, you must awaken your power before the Calamity returns.” King Rhoam’s commanding voice filled the castle’s sanctum.

Zelda looked down, gathering her resolve. If the Calamity was going to rise on her 17th birthday, as newly uncovered images from the broken Guardian indicated, she didn’t have much time left.

Whatever it takes? What is that supposed to mean? I’m already doing everything I can.

She bit back her protests, one more time, ever the good, obedient daughter. “Understood.”

“I sense you have become complacent regarding your duty,” King Rhoam said, becoming colder.

Zelda slowly looked up, at a loss. She could sense Impa’s sympathetic gaze on her, and she wanted to cast a glance back at the advisor in shared exasperation but thought better of it. “I - I’m sorry father. Please believe me. I’m trying my hardest. I really am -.”

“No more, excuses, Zelda! From this moment on you are to have nothing to do with the childish hobby you’ve been carrying on with Sheikah technology and you are to devote yourself fully to unlocking your power. You must be single-minded in this crucial duty. Or perhaps it is your poor attitude that is interfering with your training.”

Zelda flinched internally, but it barely showed on the outside.

“Yes, I understand… I will try harder.”

The King’s expression hardened and he raised his voice. “No, you don’t try! You do it! You are going to the Spring of Courage immediately, and Link and Impa are to accompany you, do I make myself clear?”

The Princess held her head high as she headed to her chambers to change into her ceremonial white gown. As soon as she was out of sight she let out a big huff and nearly broke down, but somehow held herself together.

She took her time getting changed, disconsolate and a little bit spiteful to have been humiliated in front of her friends.

The gown was pure white and was designed with the goddess Hylia as inspiration. It was a small consolation to feel closer to her ancestor by donning the dress and royal heirlooms.

She fixed her hair, undoing her braid and brushing it out. She put on the gold bracers and tossed her hair to one side to fasten the gold Hylia crest necklace passed down in the royal family for countless generations.

As she languidly moved about her chambers, her mind raced with thoughts of hopelessness. She had already trained at the Spring of Courage and Spring of Power in the past, and both had yielded no results. All that remained was the Spring of Wisdom on Mount Lanayru, and she would only be permitted to make the trip up the mountain when she reached the age of 17. But with knowledge of the day of Calamity Ganon’s return she knew it would be too little too late.

Before she left her chambers, Zelda paused to look at herself in the mirror. She gave a sharp exhale. All of Hyrule was believing in her, leaning on her to save them... or at least that's how it felt. Zelda wasn’t unaware of the fact that she was the subject of mockery among those who were aware of her unfulfilled duty. And although those closest to her were doing their best to support her, a void remained.

The worst was coming. She knew it. If only she had someone to brace herself against for when the Calamity would inevitably rise and consume everything and everyone she loved.

Zelda rested her forehead against the mirror and closed her eyes, holding back tears one more time, unsure how much longer she could hold on before she gave out.

oOo

Astor found himself in that mysterious place. The one seen in his visions as of late, particularly when the princess drew near to him. It was an ethereal and dark forest, hidden away within the Lost Woods much in the same way as Korok Forest. Perhaps it was the goddess who led him there and allowed him to find it, although Astor wasn’t sure if it was real or illusionary.

Moonlight peaked down through the tops of the trees, the blue and white Silent Princess flowers seeming to glow in its light. Was it always night here? It was clearly a refuge for him.

He took an uncertain step forward, looking around. There was a small spring of clear water.

He thought of the princess and how she would likely go to the Spring of Courage and Power soon. Let her try, the prophet thought. She wasn’t going to be unlocking that power anytime soon. He could envision her visiting one such spring, her shoulders bare, her dress clinging to her form as she stood in the water so focused on unlocking the power that evaded her. That jittery feeling came back in full force.

Kill her… You’ll be in control again…

No, no… I must stay as far away from her as possible, lest the goddess’s prophecy comes true…

He wasn’t sure which one was Lord Ganon’s will. His trust in the Calamity had been so compromised he couldn’t discern Ganon’s or even fate’s design any longer. There was a part of him that wanted so much to remain faithful to Lord Ganon. He didn’t know how else to exist, even knowing that to remain loyal would end in regret for a prophecy unfulfilled and his own death.

The prophet held his head in his hands. He hastily disrobed, leaving his clothing in a haphazard pile, signaling his mental disarray. He got into the small spring, completely bare save for the circlet he wore with the Malice Eye. Many bruises from his earlier fight marred his pale skin.

Thoughts and feelings he might have easily shoved away before were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. No, it was downright impossible after the goddess’s parting words, and his thoughts of the princess were running wild. He could feel the distance between himself and the Calamity widen further, and he panicked.

He slid under the water’s surface, holding his breath as long as he could. If Hylia was merciful maybe he’d drown and in death, those vexing feelings would stop plaguing him. The urge to take a breath was increasing, and he came back up, gasping.

Astor relaxed a bit, resting his head on the edge of the spring and stretching out into a comfortable position in surrender, hoping this place was indeed illusionary and that no one would stumble upon him in such a state, not that travelers typically explored these woods for fear of becoming lost.

This place was so… otherworldly… so beautiful. Astor wondered briefly if Calamity Ganon could even ‘see’ or perceive this place.

And at last, he confronted the goddess’s prophecy with a clearer mind, although wavering between doubt and resent. How could it come true? He had acted with such cruelty toward Princess Zelda, why would she ever look at him with anything other than disdain?

Astor had once been very disciplined in his mindset towards the princess and his plan to bring about her demise, but he was out of reasons to fight what had been repressed. His thoughts of her lingered and then intensified. He yearned to embrace her, to touch her, and ached to feel her hands on him. He was paralyzed by the thought, but he couldn’t deny how exquisite it would be to give in to those feelings if the opportunity ever arose, despite knowing he would continue to resist out of fear of losing himself.

The desire to have her was increasing to a point of no return and Astor knew he would have no peace until he could, at the very least, see Princess Zelda again.

#Astor #Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity #Age of Calamity #HWAOC #Zelast #Vaguely a Valentine's Day chapter #I feel like I'm really stretching that T-rating #Hylia take the wheel

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loruleanheart · 3 years

Text

Desired Fate, Chapter 11

Read on FF.net

Read on AO3

Fireflies glided through the air like green-yellow orbs of light. Zelda was grateful for the comfortably humid evening air of Damel Forest, welcoming it against her skin.

She, along with Link and Impa, approached the entrance to the Spring of Courage, which was marked by the wide-open maw of a stone dragon, carved by an ancient tribe in the distant past. Zelda pushed ahead of Link and Impa, ascending the stone steps and moving towards the spring at the end of the walkway, eager to get this whole ordeal out of the way.

Fallen leaves floated in the ankle-deep, crystal clear waters of the spring. Zelda looked back momentarily at her companions. Link had stopped some distance away and had his back turned to them, guarding the two women should monsters encroach on Zelda’s duty at the spring.

Impa gestured for Zelda to get in, giving her a reassuring smile. “Everything is going to work out.”

Zelda hung her head slightly. She made her way over the last bit of the walkway where it started to space apart, carefully balancing herself as she navigated the stepping stones. She began her prayers aloud, watching the water ripple out from her as she waded through the water.

“I will do whatever I can, as I am right now. Even if all I have to give is my faith that things will work out. This is the thread I have been following all this time.” Zelda hated the worn-down quality of her voice.

She came to a stop, directing her attention to the towering Hylia statue in front of her, and she absentmindedly wondered which had been carved first: the monument to the dragon Farosh or Hylia.

She stared up at the goddess statue. It had a simple smile carved onto its face, and Zelda couldn’t help but feel a tinge of irritation. It was almost like it was mocking her, as silly as that sounded.

She was already quite exhausted just from the journey itself. And there was a terrible ache in her heart, weighing her down.

What's wrong with me? Am I not enough or am I just a joke to you?

And Zelda can almost hear the statue whisper back. “It’s because you’re not trying hard enough... You’ve got a poor attitude... It’s because you’re wrong. It’s because you’re impure, not holy like all the royal girls of the past. You’re a stain…”

Every real or imagined slight she’s ever endured came to mind and she broke. Zelda unclasped her hands, letting them fall to her sides. “I can’t… I can’t do this…”

“Princess Zelda?” Impa’s concerned voice called out from the edge of the spring. “Why don’t you take a moment of rest before you continue.”

“But we just got here…” Zelda replied, a little embarrassed that she had lost her composure so soon.

The silent knight turned to give Impa and Zelda a pitying look but said nothing.

Impa clasped her hands, a look of resolve dawning in her eyes. “Okay, I want you to try this. You say whatever’s on your mind and know that there is nothing you can say that will make us think less of you. You can get whatever it is off your chest, and then you can try again with a clear mind. Need to scream and rage? Want to gush about something you love? Anything. No judgment.”

Zelda gave Impa a strange look. This was the most unorthodox suggestion.

“It works for Purah when she gets stuck in her research.” Impa nodded for Zelda to at least give it a try.

“All of the research into the relics - if I cannot awaken to my power -will have been in vain. Impa, you are carrying out your duties with such grace, just as much as Link and the Champions. I am the only one who cannot live up to her own potential...”

“I didn’t ask you to self-flagellate, and there’s no need to butter me up. I’m asking you to air your rawest and darkest thoughts and emotions. Come on, give the goddess a confession that will make her proud.”

“I don’t have anything to confess.” Zelda choked out defensively. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought Purah had used a glamor spell to impersonate Impa. Zelda bit her lower lip, knowing there was no use trying to fool her closest friend and royal aide. “Well, I…” She took a steadying breath. “If you must know…. I can’t help but -”

The Princess’s expression went lifeless, being frozen in place as she was enveloped by a transparent dome characterized by a familiar feverish pink glow and constellations.

“Your Highness!” Impa yelled, noticing with alarm that Zelda’s eyes were glassy, the irises a faded green as if they were viewing something beyond their perception. Her lips were slightly parted as if in surprise.

Link quickly closed the distance between him and Impa, helping the Sheikah woman in her attempt to dispel the magical barrier holding the princess, but it was no use.

Impa pressed anxiously against the dome. “Is this the power? Please tell me it’s the power…” Impa’s voice went up an octave, although already knowing this was a ridiculous conclusion.

Link shook his head, pounding on the barrier with a look of desperation in his eyes.

Zelda’s eyes focus on the Prophet of Doom. They are both standing within an expansive luminous pink dome with its constellations creeping across its surface. Outside the dome, there is nothing but darkness. He’s not facing her, but he looks like he’s waiting for her. Zelda gives a sigh of longing, relieved that he is still alive. He is the one who consumes most of her thoughts. He was the first person she thought of when she woke up in the morning and the last she’d think about before she fell asleep. He had summoned her for some reason, and her heart skips a beat wondering what he could want. He’s not facing her, but he looks like he’s waiting for her.

“Good evening, your Highness...” There’s something about the tone of his voice that sets her at ease. It’s far less antagonistic.

Astor turns to her, and she’s not sure what to make of his expression, but it’s different from the way he looked at her before. She can feel his eyes on her, and she doesn’t move to cover herself, letting his gaze fall over her. His pale complexion does nothing to hide a massive bruise on his cheek, and Zelda’s hand goes to her chest.

Astor’s fidgeted with his hood, trying to hide his face from her. “Oh… You’re wondering how I came to be in such a sorry state? A certain Princess ordered her champions to attack the Yiga Hideout and Kohga’s right hand took exception to that…”

“I did no such thing! I was trying to protect you. I begged you to stay, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“Hmph! It is not befitting for you to fear for my safety. I have seen the future and you have not. I am far more powerful than a mere Yiga footsoldier. Ganon would not allow me to fall, for I have his resurrection and victory to ensure.

Zelda recognizes doubt in his voice, she has heard the same pained inflections in her own prayers.

“Ganon’s chosen or not, you are mortal. I can’t imagine Ganon to be a merciful master who would revive you if you were to fall. Did Ganon even punish those who did this to you?”

Astor didn’t answer, her point having landed.

“So… What are you going to do now?”

The question catches Astor off guard, but he responds with what comes naturally and makes him most comfortable, not ready to feel disloyal to Lord Ganon. “Continue my purpose without them, of course, and when the Calamity returns the Yiga Clan will face the full brunt of Lord Ganon’s wrath.”

“Just tell me… Does my seventeenth birthday mark the return of Calamity Ganon? Is it true?”

Astor nods, giving her a taunting smile, “It is fated by Lord Ganon himself, so you won’t awaken your power in time to stop the Calamity.” He doesn’t know why he persists in torturing this poor girl; not being able to help but fight against Hylia’s plan for him, set in his devotion to Ganon.

“Then… I’ll just have to go to the Spring of Wisdom early. I don’t care if I get in trouble or what happens to me as a result - if my father wants to punish me, that's fine. At least no one could say I didn’t try… not even him.” Zelda thought back to what Impa said, but she wasn’t confessing her most personal thoughts to Hylia, she was telling them to Astor.

“Naughty Naughty... Breaking Lanayru’s decree, are you? Nice try, Your Highness, but you don’t stand a chance of holding back the Calamity, even by going up to Mount Lanayru prematurely.” Astor couldn’t help but admire her devotion to her duty. Perhaps she wasn’t that different from him.

The princess sighs. “Maybe you are what’s wrong with me.” A sad, introspective expression crosses the princess's features. “You… being the reason I can’t find my power… Does that give you some satisfaction?”

Astor blinks. Was she even listening to him? It is like she is in her own little world as she looks at him… And Astor knows he has already lost to her. He is overcome at how vulnerable and beautiful she is at that moment, and he is stunned into silence by her admission. He had summoned her to shake her companions to the core and make a show of his power, or at least that is what he convinced himself of to not feel like a failure before Lord Ganon for wanting to see her so badly, but it is the princess who breaks down all his defenses with her words and her gaze. He can see the weariness and desire in her eyes. A Desire for him?

“What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?” She asks.

“I- I don’t know…” He says, sounding… afraid? Zelda’s heart melts. Was she actually getting through to him?

“Astor… I hope you will allow me to give you what Calamity Ganon cannot…”

The seer panics, losing all control of the illusion, and the dome that held them shatters violently. Zelda screams, shielding her eyes as she reaches out for him.

Zelda blinked a few times and then looked to Impa and Link with surprise. “Oh…”

“Your Highness, you’re not hurt are you?”

It takes her a moment to fully come to. “Oh no, I’m fine,” she said, managing a melancholy smile. “I… I think I’m ready to continue.”

Link and Impa exchanged suspicious looks.

“Wait a minute. Aren’t you going to tell us what that was?” Impa demanded.

“Oh… That was… Astor.” Zelda said, trying to keep her voice serious in tone, although not being able to hold back a dreamy look in her eye.

“What? That was him? He didn’t hurt you, did he? What did he say?”

“Calm down, Impa. I’m fine, really,” Said Zelda, gently.

They stayed for about an hour more. The Princess eventually grew increasingly exhausted from her training and the group returned to Hyrule Castle.

After a day of rest, Zelda proceeded to the Spring of Power in Akkala, once again going through the motions of what was expected of her.

Her seventeenth birthday was closing in. She was growing more and more disillusioned by the day, although not willing to give up.

Zelda recalled when she’d first began her training at the age of seven. Urbosa had accompanied her to this spring during the winter months. The idea was to push her mind and body to the limit by standing in freezing cold water, and she had done just that for hours growing weaker and weaker. Urbosa had rescued her when she noticed the young girl begin to sway. Zelda had become very ill from that incident.

Now she stood in that same spring nearly a decade later, although thankfully it was a much warmer time of year.

Would prayer really awaken her power? She was questioning it more and more these days.

She thought of her mother, trying to recall memories that were growing dull with age.

Mother promised that her own power would develop within me… But she was wrong…

It was becoming harder and harder to return to the castle unsuccessful, mostly because her father was looking at her like she had disappointed him.

When she returned from the Spring of Power, King Rhoam issued the decree to evacuate Hyrule Castle Town, instructing his citizens to take shelter in villages that were furthest away from Hyrule Castle.

Zelda went to her chambers and collapsed into her bed, quickly falling asleep.

Zelda looks out over what she assumes to be the Spring of Wisdom, which is completely taken over by gelatinous red-purple matter... Malice. And she sees the eyes, like the one she saw in The Lost Woods; like the jewelry Astor wears to signify his role as Calamity Ganon’s chosen, that stare up at her as she calmly steps into the malice, wading through the waist-deep, undulating plasma.

She stands there a moment in silence, just accepting the state of things, and then she perceives a light growing above her. She looks up to see the goddess… Or at least the same woman from her dream before, the same one she had seen playing a harp and singing silently, as Zelda could not hear her voice.

The goddess was looking right at her, trying to speak to her, but again, no matter how urgently she spoke the goddess was silent. Zelda focused, trying to read her lip movements.

“Wake up” or “Don’t give up.” That was what she seemed to be saying. “Go now!”

#Astor #Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity #Age of Calamity #HWAOC #Zelast

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loruleanheart · 3 years

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Desired Fate, Chapter 4

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All four champions had, at last, been recruited. It had all seemed a blur to Zelda, who felt as though she were going through the motions, her thoughts always lingering on a certain man. Still, no sign of his existence apart from his image on the Sheikah Slate, and Zelda was beginning to feel restless, only compounded by the fact that her father hadn’t commended her efforts to recruit the Champions or assist them with their respective Divine Beast, and she knew why... She still was no closer to finding her divine power, although this failure, she had grown accustomed to. Upon her return to the castle, King Rhoam had merely given a grunt of approval and convened a meeting with the Champions where he lavished them with praise.

It’s only natural that Father would be frustrated. Am I trying hard enough? Am I really doing everything I can?

The Princess stood by quietly as her father instructed the Champions, Impa seeming to sense her disappointment and stress. It was Impa who spent the most time with her and knew her so well, although Zelda had yet to say a word to her about the hooded man who invaded her every thought. There was just no reason to, Zelda rationalized.

There was, however, one bit of information she had learned from the Rito Champion Revali that had given her and Impa a slight reason for concern. Revali had revealed that his village had been repeatedly attacked by monsters led by a Guardian much like the one that accompanied them. This was right after Link and Revali nearly killed each other over the misunderstanding that Rito Village was under attack once again. The existence of another small Guardian causing such chaos troubled the princess. If word got back to King Rhoam, he would almost certainly believe her little one was a potential threat. Or worse become aware that an attempt on her life had been made and forbid her from leaving the castle ever again… At least until she unlocked her sealing power, which Zelda despaired would be never.

“Champions, seek out the hero who will wield the sword that seals the darkness. This will require that you all work together to vanquish the monsters that have taken over Korok Forest.”

The Champions gave their oath. In the morning, they would depart for the Lost Woods which surrounded the hidden oasis, Korok forest.

Later, when Zelda took to her chambers, her mind was still consumed with uncertainty.

“Who… are you...?” Zelda said to herself quietly, once again staring into that image on the slate that was both a blessing and a curse.

As she peered down at his image that night, she prayed to the goddess Hylia that she would soon cross paths with him somehow. A selfish prayer, perhaps, but Hylia had never deigned to answer even her noble prayers to unlock her power. To Zelda, it was nothing more than a wish.

oOo

The harbinger seemed to know all and shared much of its knowledge with its seer. The Champions who would pilot the Divine Beasts had been chosen and in the past few days recruited by the Princess of Hyrule in rapid succession. Astor didn’t need a prophetic dream from the Calamity to know what this meant.

He was well acquainted with the legend of 10,000 years ago. His oldest memory was hearing the tale at the orphanage where he was raised - located in one of the most backwater little villages in Hyrule. A caretaker at the orphanage had gathered the children together to tell a story, and young Astor had immediately felt an affinity for the Calamity but kept it to himself. The love of the goddess Hylia was being impressed upon the children, which included regular field trips to the village’s goddess statue where he was instructed on how to pray. Astor didn’t hate the goddess, at least not back then, but he often found himself secretly questioning her intentions. Why would a loving goddess allow a parent to abandon their newborn for dead in the trash, as had been done to him? And was such a goddess worthy of devotion? A thought that kept him up most nights. A question he danced around when speaking with his carers. “The goddess has a purpose for you. She loves all her people, even you.” Sure, this was enough to satisfy a young child, but as he got older, it became more and more difficult to believe. There wasn’t any evidence that she loved him. Apparently, he wasn’t worthy of it.

But the Calamity had set apart a grand purpose for him. And now, he would be a part of a new legend.

Unfortunately, the enemies of Lord Ganon were one step closer to reaching their goal to oppose the Calamity. This was probably why the seer’s prophetic dreams were becoming more frequent, more demanding, ordering him to cement his fate as the Calamity’s chosen by killing the princess.

With the knowledge of who the Champions were along with the power of Lord Ganon’s malice, he was able to create dark copies of the Champions called Hollows which would obey his every order.

Astor stood a few paces from Kohga and Sooga in an outdoor area of the Yiga hideout, where there was a large circular pit in the center. Kohga had designated this place as his napping spot. Astor thought it was such a strange place to rest, considering it was exposed to direct sunlight. The prophet tried to stay in as much shade as possible, the robe and hood he wore making the desert heat nearly unbearable, yet he did not remove it.

Astor levitated the ancient orb. He summoned the Hollows, and ordered them to fight the footsoldiers who had volunteered to train against the Champion’s copies as practice. “Let’s see what they can do…”

“Hey, how come you don’t have one of the Princess?” Kohga asked in a provoking manner.

Oh, here we go… Two can play at this game...

Astor pointed to the Urbosa Hollow. “Would you like a rematch, Kohga?”

The Urbosa Hollow swung her ‘scimitar’ at one of the Yiga footsoldiers, sending them flying across the yard.

“.... no thanks…”

“I thought so.”

Sooga scoffed. “So these Hollows will fight your battles for you? I see you’re powerless without that orb.”

Astor didn’t respond. Being chosen by the Calamity was enough for him, he reasoned. He had all the power and purpose he could ever want or need.

“Soon I must prevent a certain pest from pulling the sword… According to Legend, the sword is powerful enough to defeat even the Great Calamity in tandem with the princess’s sealing power. It’s too important a task to leave to you two… It is fate that I would be chosen to stop those who are trying to bring about the Great Calamity’s ruin.” Of course, all three already knew who the wielder of that sword would be, even if the boy himself didn’t know yet. His hatred had grown exponentially for the knight, and he didn’t know why. It was the Princess who was the real threat to Lord Ganon.

The two Yiga leaders exchanged relieved glances that they weren’t expected to perform this task. Even masked, the two seemed so in tune with each other, the bond of friendship and brotherhood as Yiga clansmen apparent between them.

Astor glanced down at the ancient orb and shook his head, averting his attention back to the Hollows. He wasn’t sure what he hoped to see in that orb. There would be nothing there for him apart from the Calamity.

Ah, Calamity Ganon, I will not allow anyone to alter fate’s rightful course.

oOo

Astor breathed in, closing his eyes and bowing his head as he waited in the Lost Woods. It was a welcome change from the harsh sunlight and heat of Gerudo Desert.

His focus relaxed and he perceived a place much like this… But this place in his vision had dozens of blue and white flowers that seemed to be growing luxuriant. It wasn’t exactly the Lost Woods, nor Korok Forest. It looked like a mix of the two - dark and gloomy, yet still lush with the blue and white flowers that seemed to glisten in the moonlight.

He wasn’t sure where this place was or even ‘when’ it was, but he sensed the princess was close, along with her knight and Champions. There was no way he’d be able to get close to her with all those nuisances around. There had to be a connection between this unexpected vision and the princess. And then an idea came to him.

And she was getting closer still… His heart skipped a beat, unbidden. Astor opened his eyes and raised his chin, trying to regain his composure before the vision could send him spiraling.

“And they’re here….” His voice deep, yet soft and melodic at that moment. He smiled, knowing how to get her alone.

oOo

“This is quite the fog…” said Mipha, the Zora Champion.

They wandered through the fog for what seemed like the longest time. Were they going around in circles? There were defined paths and certain trees that stood out from the others that could be used as landmarks, but it wasn’t enough to point them in the correct direction.

“Why can’t the hero drive out the monsters himself? Whoever he is... This is so asinine.” Revali complained.

“Oh Revali, give it a rest. You accepted this mission, just like the rest of us. And it is an honor.” Urbosa chastised the Rito Champion.

“Are you not impressed with how skillfully I piloted Vah Medoh to route out the vast majority of the monsters?” Revali countered.

Zelda kept quiet, not wanting to get involved in any squabbling between the Champions. She hung towards the back of the group. Her mind began to wander as the bickering continued. She looked around, sighting something that gave her pause. It was a Silent Princess. The blue and white flower appeared illusionary. She stared at it for a long moment, and when she looked back at the group they were growing further away, unaware that they were leaving her behind. She looked back at the Silent Princess, seeing more beginning to sprout up from the earth as if marking a path made just for her.

Zelda cautiously began to follow the path, curious as to where it might lead. The Lost Woods could be an intimidating place, but Zelda continued through the grey, fog-laden woods, unafraid, almost in a trance.

It was a black and purple tarry substance that broke her from this trance. The strange substance was growing on a gnarled, twisted tree, undulating… And there was an eye. The eyeball looked back at her, and she almost let out a gasp. The iris was slitted and yellow. It reminded her of the design on the hooded man’s circlet. She began to feel uneasy but gathered her courage when she saw a lush path in the distance. She continued, certain that she had found the entrance to Korok Forest.

Korok Forest truly was a verdant, beautiful oasis. There were shallow pools of crystal clear water among the tall grass, unlike the bogs seen in the Lost Woods. The imposing and magnificent Great Deku Tree she’d read about in legends was impossible to miss. In front of this vast tree was an ancient stone dais. There, on the dais stood a figure blocking her view of the Sacred Blade. He or she appeared so small compared to the Deku Tree, but Zelda was still somewhat far away. She moved closer, trying to make sense of the figure that turned when she had been noticed. And she stopped suddenly in her tracks.

It was him! Her heart rate sped up. The princess couldn’t believe it, her thoughts going haywire. Of all her prayers, Hylia answered this one...

Zelda took an uncertain step forward, barely noticing as her boots splashed through the shallow water. There was a crude stone path between them. The two stood silently for a moment at a distance, the tension palpable as he was guarding the sword for some nefarious purpose.

Zelda kept her expression placid. She was about to speak when the man slowly raised a glowing spherical object, levitating it above his left hand. A dome went up, illuminated with constellations. And when it vanished, four figures stood around the hooded man. The manifestation’s eyes glowed red. Dark energy rose off their forms, sending out the same constellations from the dome they had been formed.

Zelda’s eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise.

What are those?! Some kind of twisted illusions of the Champions?

But her main focus wasn’t on the Champion imposters. Her attention was fixed on him, barely registering she was in danger. Zelda felt as if time stood still being held in his gaze. And then he raised an arm to point at her.

“Kill her...”

#Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity #Age of Calamity #Astor #Princess Zelda #fanfiction #Zelast #HW:AOC Spoilers #Spoilers

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