#lanayru the thunder dragon
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Wild’s paraglider
Hyrule finally gets to do what he wanted for so long: to glide through the air like a bird.
AO3
Hyrule has never had this much fun in his life.
It is something he’d always wanted to try, since joining the chain, and something none of the other Links would ever let him do.
Only Lanayru would let him.
And the group is here. In Sky’s era. With Lanayru.
He thinks of the mischievous grin on the dragon’s face as he departs from camp, the Champion’s glider in hand. Although he may have gotten permission to borrow the item, he never specified exactly what he would use it for. There are cliffs in this area, sure, but not much higher than ten feet. Wild trusted him to use it for those heights only.
Creeping through the trees like a cat, he notices the yellow and brown in the distance and chuckles. This was his idea, he reminds himself, but Lanayru had approved of it last night. If anyone else finds out, he can blame the dragon.
The sun is high in the sky now, the brilliant blue filtering through the towering tree branches. Birds chirp in the distance, and small animals rustle in the bushes, nearly distracting Rulie as he resists the urge to stop and investigate. But the other Links might come to him…there is no time to dawdle. He is reminded of that as he finally reaches the Thunder Dragon’s clearing, walking up to a mischievous smile and outstretched claw.
“Ho- Rulie, you got it?” Lanayru asks, keeping his voice as quiet as possible. “Here, climb onto my hand.”
Running up to the dragon, and readying the glider on his back, Hyrule obeys. The adrenaline courses through him, heart racing in his chest at his upcoming feat. I can’t believe he’s willing to do this!
“What if it doesn’t work?” he asks suddenly, having not quite thought about it before…
“Then I’ll catch you. I’m not letting you fall a bajillion feet through the air, you silly!”
Oh, right. He might not have considered that, but of course Lanayru did. Surely, the dragon has let him do risky things, but not that risky.
Hyrule takes a deep breath, attempting to calm his excitement, as Lanayru slowly lifts his hand, bringing him all the way up to meet the dragon’s eye level. He then lies down, face-up on the palm so Lanayru can wrap his fingers around his body in a tight grip.
I’m doing it! Hylia, it’s really happening! I’m gonna fly!!
He’s been this high before, in fact much higher, but he doesn’t dare look down. This, after all, isn’t a cuddle session in Lanayru’s beard or a ride on his back. This is much different.
“Alright, you ready?” the Thunder Dragon asks.
“Yep!”
Lanayru chuckles, and a whoosh of air meets Hyrule as the dragon gears his arm back, ready to throw the traveler across the sky, and soon he will be-
“WHAT THE FUCK, LANAYRU?!?”
Oh shit!
Hyrule gasps. Lanayru follows suit, nearly jumping in surprise, but thankfully still manages to keep his grip on the traveler. Who the hell was tha-
“Ah, Link! Wasn’t expectin’ you here!”
Sky.
“What the fuck are you two doing!?” the Skyloftian shouts, loud enough for Hyrule to hear clearly from this height. “Lanayru, put him down-“
The Thunder Dragon lowers his hand slightly, nearly making the traveler’s head spin. “I promise, this is harmless. Just watch.”
“Uh-huh, yeah- like I’m gonna be fine with you chucking Rulie through the air like- one of Groose’s eggs to my face!”
That was…a weird comparison.
“I’m fine, Sky!” Hyrule yells. “Trust me!”
“Lanayru. I swear to Hylia if you-“
The Thunder Dragon simply cackles. Turning his head away from Sky, he rears his arm back once again, Hyrule in his grip.
“LANAYRU—“
Ah, yes, it seems like he’ll still get to fly after all!
“No, don’t, Lan-“ That is all Hyrule makes out, as he is suddenly hurled forward, out of the dragon’s grip and sailing through the sky. He screams with delight as the wind rushes into his ears, blowing his hair every which way.
This is AWESOME!!!!
Of course, this moment is short-lasted, as he quickly begins his hurtling descent. In one swift motion, he opens the glider above his head, holding onto the straps tightly with both hands. He stalls midair, the speed of his fall having dramatically decreased.
“It worked!!” he shrieks, giggling. “Look, I’m doing it! HAHA!!”
The view of the forest below, of the green pointy trees and luscious grass stretching out for ages, almost takes his breath away. He may have seen it all while riding Lanayru, but nothing will ever match this feeling, of floating through the breeze on his own as if he has wings. Letting the glider slowly carry him towards the ground safely. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he would experience this unique sensation.
…And judging by how Sky reacted, this will likely be the only time.
“Great job, Rulie!” he hears Lanayru’s voice call out from behind. “See, Link, I told you it would be alright!”
Whatever the Skyloftian says in response, Hyrule doesn’t hear. He has drifted far into the forest now, approaching the tops of the trees…and now he must focus his landing so he doesn’t faceplant right into one. Carefully he tilts the glider strings just slightly, barely missing the top branches of a large oak. Lanayru would not be pleased if he crashed, and most certainly not Sky.
At last, he slows to a stop and his feet touch the ground. Closing the glider up, he makes a mad dash back to Lanayru. The yellow of the dragon’s robe flashes in the distance. Holy shit, I flew far!
“Over here, thunder man!” he shouts, nearly out of breath. “Look, I made it! I totally stuck the landing—phew!” His cheeks become hot and sweaty as he steps back into the clearing. Lanayru is beaming with delight, but Sky…Sky still does not look content. Whatever the dragon said to him earlier apparently hadn’t mattered.
“Okay, whose idea was this?” The Skyloftian glares at the two, arms folded across his chest.
Unwilling to admit it was his own, Hyrule immediately points at Lanayru. Of course, the dragon does the same to him…We must look so stupid right now-
“Rulie, don’t lie like that,” Lanayru teases. “Take the blame.”
Hyrule simply scoffs, lowering his hand. “Liar liar, pants on fire!”
“Sweet Hylia, am I gonna have to separate you two?!” Sky exclaims, throwing his hands up in frustration. “It’s like I’m dealing with five-year-olds!”
“Oh, come on, boy!” The Thunder Dragon chuckles. “We were just gettin’ the fun started. I was gonna have him try it from up in the clouds next!” He pauses at the horrified look on Sky’s face. “Ah, don’t worry, I’ll bring Eldin to catch him if something goes wrong.”
Wait what-
He isn’t quite sure if that’s something he would like to try…Lanayru’s ambition is strong, but the traveler has his limits.
“Lanayru!” Sky shouts the dragon’s name for what seems like the fiftieth time today. “I swear to the Golden Three, if you do that—“
“Okay, okay, I won’t! You caught me, Link.”
Phew.
“Well, good.” The Skyloftian sighs, appearing a bit more content. “Man, you two are just- I love you both to bits, but ugh!!” He giggles slightly, and Hyrule figures he isn’t truly mad at them. And separating the dragon and hero, when their time together is extremely limited, would be incredibly mean and unlike Sky at all.
“That’s our goal!” Hyrule exclaims. “Right, thunder man?”
He hears the dragon’s booming laughter in response. They only mean to annoy Sky lightheartedly; it’s what siblings do. At least it must be, or else the chain wouldn’t be teasing each other on the daily.
Sky approaches him, hands outstretched. “Here, I’ll give this back to the Champion.”
Oh, right. The glider.
He slowly hands it over, wondering what else he could have done if Sky hadn’t caught them. Definitely not Lanayru’s idea, though…I’ll bring Eldin to catch him? He hasn’t even met Eldin, let alone ridden him!
“I should probably head to camp…” Sky briefly glances behind him at the openings through the dense forest. “But you better not do more crazy stuff while I’m gone.”
“Can’t guarantee that, boy,” Lanayru replies, earning a teasing stare from the Skyloftian.
As Sky begins to turn away, Hyrule glances up at the Thunder Dragon, and they both give each other a cheeky smile.
It had gone reasonably well.
#bailey writes#lanayru the thunder dragon#linked universe#lu hyrule#lu sky#(wild is not in this one lol)#swearing#sky and hyrule have a bit of a potty mouth kmao#*lmao#sky trying to parent lanayru and rulie but failing miserably :)#rulie: I AM BIRB
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#Legend of Zelda Series#skyward sword#sshd#link#ss link#hylia's chosen hero#nintendo#nintendo switch#2023#liad post#screenshot#lanayru#lanayru the thunder dragon#skeleton
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@link-or-sherlock you asked for the spoon so i delivered :)
@a-random-somebody
I like to think that Link or another dragon put a tiara on Lanayru to mess with him but he actually liked it.
(and yes that fairy is rulie)
#gulliver’s art#lanayru the thunder dragon#fancy lanayruuuuu#rulie is like 5 pixels lmaoooo#he may be even smaller but that’s the smallest i could go where he’s still sorta recognizable 😂😂
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All three dragons from my sky hyrule
Lanayru, Faron, and Eldin art project complete
#linked universe au#doodleart#lu faron the water dragon#lanayru the thunder dragon#eldin the fire dragon#doodle chain lore
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Linktober Day 2 - Bones
Lanayru, the Thunder Dragon
#linktober#linktober 2022#legend of zelda#loz#skyward sword#lanayru#lanayru the thunder dragon#thunder dragon#pencil#saddest part of skyward sword#those glowing eyes scared me tho
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By @baileyboo2016
Series Summary:
Lanayru the Thunder Dragon (Skyward Sword) and Hyrule (LOZ I & II + Linked Universe) develop a friendship. They can only see each other when the Chain is in Sky’s era, of course, but that doesn’t mean Rulie can’t have another parent. Grandpa Lanayru is more than willing to take care of him.
Series Tags:
tw a little blood mention (in rulie's memories)
Swearing
No beta we die like Wild
Lanayru Needs a Hug
Found Family
Hyrule-centric
(sorta crack LOL)
Word count: 13,616
Finished: No
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Lanayru the Thunder Dragon gets Bailey Booped!
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TOTK AU idea!! spoilers for the ending of the game!!!
so you know how Zelda got un-dragon-ed by Sonia and Rauru at the end. what if it didn't work right? like, it only *mostly* reverses the draconification, so zelda has horns and a tail and spikes and scales, all that fun shit. But where did all that extra energy go?
It went to the other three dragons, who are now hanging around in hylian-adjacent forms in Hyrule (or the Depths ;)) and having fun/making trouble. I'm going to posit that they didn't start out as mortals like Zelda, so they have more memories of being dragons, unlike Zelda who was 'sleeping'. Also I'm bringing Ganondorf back, but getting exploded has knocked a lot of memories out of his head.
While the defeat of the Demon King has slowed the Blood Moon phenomena and greatly reduced the number of monsters on the surface, it has correlated with a surge in monsters and stalfos in the Depths, making it incredibly difficult to traverse, even by the Yiga. the Gloom has also disappeared from the surface, and only pockets of it remain within the Depths.
Because both Zelda and Link are trying to recuperate and manage the kingdom (and her new body,) they don't find out about this development until a few months after the defeat of the Demon King.
I've been alternating between he/they/she pronouns for all the dragons btw, i don't think they'd particularly care. (all three of the dragons are also wearing their respective armor set for convenience)
More on the dragons below the cut
FAROSH:
They are the tallest of the trio, (3.5m) and also bear the most resemblance to a Gerudo voe.
I have no way to describe his hair other than that it's Gotenks hair. Their hair conveniently sticks up like their horn.
Prefers one-handed weapons and shields.
He wakes up on the shores of Rassla Lake, heads to Tuft Mountain to get the lay of the land, and runs into Bolson.
Farosh: my name is Farosh.
Bolson: like the dragon?
Farosh: ??? of course???
I don't think anyone would immediately clock her as being The Thunder Dragon, just some weird Gerudo who chases off all the pirates.
They don't go to Gerudo Town because she gets mistaken for a voe by a stable attendant, and he misunderstands it as 'dragons aren't allowed'
NAYDRA:
They have the smallest stature, and besides the dragon features he also has a variety of malice scars (a la botw) and feathers (for flavor).
She also has the longest hair, like a waterfall, and white/light blue in color.
Prefers bows and wands/staves.
He initially patrols Mount Lanayru and slowly starts interacting with Kakariko, Hateno, and the Zora as a 'lone wolf monster exterminator'.
I think she would be the first one that Link & Zelda would learn about, and the least cooperative (they don't want to leave their territory.)
I think that their horns would look a bit different than the frostbite headdress, having three large separate spikes with smaller shards in between.
DINRAAL:
Poor Dinraal got their legs while they were in the Depths, and being unable to fly means that he's just kinda stuck down there-- not like she's complaining!
Dinraal is the most muscular of the dragons, and his skin has a rocky texture where it's not covered by scales. Their skin tone is also notably grayer than a normal Hylian.
His hair is very curly, in red/orange/yellow hues, and she keeps it tied back with a metal band.
Prefers two-handed weapons and hammers.
They are the one who finds the returned Ganondorf, who is stumbling through the Depths trying to avoid dying (he is bad at it, because he's lost most of his memories: Dinraal saves him.) She takes him under their metaphorical wing, and tries to teach him how to be the wielder of the triforce of power *without* becoming corrupted by Demise.
thank you for coming to my ted talk. if you want to write/draw anything from this, just tag me because i wanna see 🥺
#farosh#dinraal#naydra#light dragon#tears of the kingdom#tears of the kindom spoilers#tears of the kingdom au#totk#totk au#totk spoilers
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Magic in BOTW: A Study of Elemental Weapons
Breath of the Wild is kind of vague when it comes to magic compared to other Zelda games. There’s no magic bar or characters that are mentioned to specialize in it, (aside from the dragons and maybe the champions). In fact, the magic that tends to be used the most seems to be from the Yiga. Sure, great fairy's and forest spirits like the koroks and blupees kind of have their own thing but I’m focusing on Hyrulians today.
Rods:
Though mostly used by Wizzrobes, according to their descriptions, the monsters did not create them. Fire/ Meteor Rods are described as being ‘crafted by an ancient magician’, Ice/ Blizzard Rods are ‘crafted from refined ice found at the summit of Hebra Peak’, and Lightning/ Thunderstorm Rods have a ‘gem [that] contains electricity from the Hyrule Hills’.
Hebra Peak is made up of special unclimbable ice that can also be found in the cavern that entombs the hebra great skeleton, this could be the refined ice that the ice rods are powered by. While ‘Hyrule Hills’ aren’t a specific place in the game, maybe that’s what Farosh Hills were called, as they’re also the hills that surround Lake Hylia which has several other similar names. (Lake Hylia, Hylia Island, Bridge of Hylia, Hylia River) Perhaps before Farosh showed up, the eastern hills had a similar name, But Hylia Hills sounded like a dirty joke so it was changed to Hyrule Hills.
Now, what about an ancient magician? One that’s only associated with fire magic... My immediate thoughts would be Twinrova or a magically inclined Goron (which is more likely but we’ll get to that a little later), in any case, their name has been long forgotten but who’s to say we haven’t met them before?
Also there’s definitely an aspect with using elemental powered gemstones for both the rods and the weapons. Each of their designs feature it at the end of their hilts and it just makes sense for the gemstones to either assist in the generation of elemental magic or the regulation thereof.
Flame Weapons:
Descriptions of the flame weapons describe that they were made in the fires/ lava/ magma of death mountain. This makes sense, this is not a new concept, I mean its the whole plot to the lord of the rings. but what really is interesting is when we get to the description of the great flameblade.
‘by Goron smiths in an ancient age’. Now that’s Lore! So there’s magic gorons. I’m thinking this is in the ten thousand years before botw/ golden age of Hyrule unless we can attribute this to existing characters. Maybe Darunia was really into making fire weapons or something. He was the Sage of Fire, that had to count for something.
Ice Weapons:
Like the Ice Rods, they were made with the ancient ice from the hebra mountains, though in the great flameblade version it ‘was forged by smelting ore found in the Hebra Mountains’ permafrost’ so that’s a thing. Hebra is mostly inhabited by Rito, who aren’t known to be very magically inclined, but there are also some Hylians. The area is generally pretty desolite with not a lot of evidence of civilization so it’s hard to tell who could’ve been behind the magic in that area. There’s the Zonai labyrinth and the entrance to the ice cavern looked vaguely Zonai or ancient Hylian in origin (like the ruins around the springs and the forgotten temple and Lanayru Promenade, like sksw era ruins)
Anyway the Ice is magic, but only the Hebra ice, not like the ice around the goddess spring or the ice around the actual ice dragon, no that ice isn’t magic. The random ass ice in hebra is the special magic ice. No, I don’t get it either.
Lightning Weapons:
Now here’s where it gets interesting. You’d expect that the magic from the electric weapons would come from the Faron region. WRONG. But that doesn’t matter. We’ll get to that.
The Hyrulean Royal family is who is behind the thunder weapons. Which is odd, the royal family isn’t generally associated with weapons or lightning. or are they? One character comes to mind when I think of both Hylian royal family and lightning (and also making weapons), and that is Skyward Sword Link. So maybe the royal family could be linked to that but it still seems weird that they are the origin of them. Perhaps they had help from the sheikah, they had to do a whole lot of stuff with electricity just for Vah Naboris. Those metal orbs do remind me of the lightning enchanted metal...
This ball. the color is the same (but less bright) but still. Same vibes.
Lets get back to the Hyrule Hills thing. The thunderspear description clears this one up a little.
The lighting comes from Thundra Plateau, aka the place with the glowing balls and the eternal storm that I guess was going on for like ten thousand years, waiting for the shrine to be solved by the hero. This place is also heavily associated with the Zonai, as the ruins are the same as the ones around the spring of courage and in the dark shroud of Thyphlo.
Arrows:
The elemental arrowheads look different than the normal elemental metals. The only context that we get for them is that they are ‘imbued with the power of [insert element here]’ and while it would make sense that the arrowheads are just the same magical metals but cut up to be smaller but I would argue against it. There is probably a finite amount of elemental arrows and weapons that can have their metal harvested to make these arrows. Most vendors of these arrows claim to ‘find’ them rather than make them, and they also only tend to sell certain types rather than the entire roster. The arrow lady in Kakariko only sells fire arrows on top of their normal basic arrows, Rito Village and Hateno sell bomb arrows, etc. Only Tarrey Town and Gerudo Town sell packs of every type of arrows.
Anyway I’m absolutely convinced that the arrow lady in Gerudo Town is the creator of the elemental arrows. Gerudo Town is not new to enchantments, especially ones featuring gemstones, they’re also more associated with sorcery than the Rito kid who is the vendor in Tarrey Town.
I could talk more about magic in botw (the champions powers, the magic found in nature with gemstones and plants and animals, the sheikah and yiga abilities, magic in clothing, and also minor deities featured in botw, I will talk about these things if there is any demand or if I feel the inspiration to.) So this could be a series. So please tell me if you’d be interested in that because I would love to make more random in-depth analysis’.
#long post#i am not going to add a read more#botw#botw lore#breath of the wild#loz breath of the wild#legend of zelda#zelda lore#botw headcanons#botw analysis#video game analysis#I literally could not function until I finished this and now that it's over I have no idea what to do with myself
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Belated Zelink Week 2022 Day 6: Ritual
Skyward Sword Zelink this time! Enjoy!
From His Lips to the Goddess’ Ears
“Hey, Zelda.” Link dredged up a smile. “It’s been a little while since we—since I saw you last.” He laid his hand on the stone in front of him. “I’ve been doing well. The Old One and Groose are doing well, too. At least I think so—it’s a little hard to tell with the Old One. But Groose--he’s been way more helpful than I expected, he’s the one that found a good place to plant—” he let out a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Wait, I should back up and catch you up first, right?”
Link tapped his foot in though. “Remember how last time I came through I told you I was going to Eldin? Well, my trip didn’t go as planned.”
He bit his lip, staring down at ground. “I got captured… and I lost Fi. She blamed herself, but it was really my fault. Some kind of hero I am, right?” He let out a laugh, short, sharp and bitter. “I always seem to measure up short, leaving you to do all the heavy lifting. If I was a better hero, maybe you wouldn’t have needed—” His voice died, and he closed his eyes, shaking his head sharply.
“I can’t think like that. It… it doesn’t matter what could have happened, because it didn’t. I’m doing all I can, and your job will be over soon, I promise! I talked with Eldin, and he taught me the next part of the song.”
Link grinned. “It was nice, he didn’t give me nearly half as much trouble as Faron did.”
He rubbed the back of his neck in thought. “I went back up to Skyloft then, got some supplies, and when to Lanayru to meet the Thunder Dragon. When I got there, however, all I found was a skeleton.” He frowned, head and shoulders drooping under the weight of remembered feelings. “I thought I was too late again, and that I’d failed you for the last time, but…” his head lifted again, wonder and excitement glittering in his eyes. “You know the timeshift stones? I was able to use them to talk to the robots from back before the Thunder Dragon died, and I have a plan to help him! I’m going to use the gate to plant a tree that’s going to heal him right up, and then—” He clenched his fist, grinning fiercely. “Then I’ll have all but one piece of the song left. I’m almost done. I won’t be late this time.”
He looked up, grinning and half-expectant-but as nothing but silence answered him, he deflated a little.
He glanced over his shoulder at the ever spinning gate of time and sighed. "I have to be going now, but after I've healed Lanayru I'll be sure to stop by before I head back to Skyloft and tell you how it went."
He peered through the crack between the two gigantic stone doors, where he could see a small section of a large chunk of amber that had been slumbering there for a thousand years.
Sometimes he wondered if she had been there, his whole adventure, and he'd simply never known or noticed--or if Zelda's presence here was a new change, something he could have prevented-- but now was not the time to wonder these things. Not now, not when he was so close. Now was the time for swiftness and action, and soon...
He took a deep breath, the urge to move pulling at his feet, but his heart tugging him to stay, just for one more moment.
"I love--" He began, then stopped and swallowed. "Sleep well, Zelda. I have something to tell you after I wake you up."
Then he turned and sprinted for the gate, eagerness to be done speeding his feet faster and faster with every step.
Behind him, in the silent chamber, sleeping encased in holy amber, a goddes might have smiled.
#zelink week 2022#ritual#loz skyward sword#ss zelink#zelink#skyward sword spoilers#sksw#trying to post this discretely at my cousin's wedding reception#but fun fact#this is based on true events#and by that i mean when i played sksw every time i was in faron after Zelda was sealed#i'd stop by and tell Zelda of what Link had been up to in game#saying what i thought link would say to her#it was like a little ritual of mine#so ot was the first thing i thought of when i saw the prompt#is that cringy idk#anywhoo#i hope y'all enjoyed
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Lanayru’s tears [Post-LU]
The first couple weeks after the Chain’s adventure is over, Lanayru struggles to deal with the loss of his good friend, bringing concern to the others around him. Link (Sky) finds himself in the mix between missing his family and worrying for his dragon parent.
(I am once again just putting an ao3 link because it’s long enough to make tumblr formatting even more of a hassle)
#bailey writes#lanayru the thunder dragon#lu hyrule#lu sky#faron the water dragon#eldin the fire dragon#skord zelda#lu sun#golo#yes even golo#that goron traveler#a bit of swearing (from lanayru…language old man) 🤭#lanayru has a bad time#lanayru lucid dreams#lanayru needs a hug#(and doesn’t get one oop)#bailey actually writes a post lu fic?? *not clickbait*
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#Legend of Zelda Series#skyward sword#sshd#lanayru#lanayru the thunder dragon#dragon#nintendo#nintendo switch#2023#liad post#screenshot
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The many rings of Lanayru
#gulliver’s art#lanayru the thunder dragon#skyward sword#ZINGA-DINGDING!!!!#get lonked#SPARKLY NAILS WOO#and yeah counting the sets of three thats 11 rings on each hand.#wow lanayru
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Doodle of my au of the thunder dragon Lanayru
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A (for Blind, But Now), Q and U! + some figurative 🍵 for the plague
Thank you for the figurative tea! Hoping to curl up with some literal tea soon 💖
A: How did you come up with the title to Blind, But Now?
I once was lost, but now am found / was [blind, but now] I see :D
But yeah, basically I had that song stuck in my head, liked the theme of redemption, and ran with it.
U: A pairing you might like to write for, but haven’t tried yet.
Ohhh, I've had an angsty sidlink idea kicking around for ages that might be interesting to try to write someday? Urbosa/Zelda’s mom could be fun, too! I do generally write what interests me, though, and I guess I have relatively narrow interests T–T
Q: Do you have any discarded scenes/storylines/projects?
Do I...
lmao actually though, do you want a deleted scene from Crystalline? I started scrolling through my old documents trying to remember just how many unused projects I actually have, and I realized that I'd completely forgotten about the version of Crystalline featuring the Thunder Dragon. I'm pretty sure I abandoned the idea when the pacing wasn't working out right and I couldn't get the scene to resolve the way I needed it to, but I still might reuse the idea for something else someday ;)
((obligatory disclaimer that this never made it out of rough draft stage))
--
On "good" days, Ghirahim managed to track down a Wolfos den or Molderach nest for Link to clean out—but when all else failed, the Thunder Dragon at Lanayru Gorge was still happy to let Link throw himself against the simulated enemies of his past. More and more often, Ghirahim's thirst for a challenge led them to Lanayru eventually.
Today, Ghirahim took them straight to the gorge without bothering to look elsewhere first.
"Good to see you back here, Link!" Lanayru boomed from his usual place as they approached, sitting back on his tail. Even when Ghirahim led them, he always addressed Link. "It's been a few weeks, hasn't it? You up for another trip down memory lane?"
Link nodded, considering his options. The battle with Tentalus was difficult, but he thought Ghirahim resented how much he relied on his bow and arrows. Scaldera had lost most of its challenge now that he had the hang of it, and they'd fought plenty of Molderachs already, so…
Link opened his mouth to say Koloktos.
"He is here to fight Ghirahim," Ghirahim announced before he could get the name out, and Link whipped his head to stare. "The first battle, if you please."
"Ghirahim," Lanayru repeated, deep voice inscrutable. His cloudy beard let off barely a wisp as he stroked it, strips of lightning rippling up his stomach. "The first battle." Turning to Link, he asked, "Is that really your choice?"
Biting his lip, Link nodded. They had never faced any of his remembered battles with Ghirahim before, any more than they’d faced Demise… by unspoken agreement, he'd thought. It occurred to him that Ghirahim's spur of the moment desire for bloodshed was perhaps not as unplanned as it seemed.
“Ghirahim it is, then!” Lanayru clapped his hands together—a thunderclap. “Look to the past to understand the future, as I always say. I assume you both remember the rules, so… are you ready?”
Link nodded. Ghirahim said nothing, but his dark eyes spoke volumes as a dark mist rose from out of nowhere in Link's mind, swallowing up first the looming desert cliffs, then the grassy oasis they stood on, and finally Link himself.
The world brightened again as the simulation took hold, but not by much. The deepest chamber of Skyview Temple was dim, with only hints of sunlight shining through hidden cracks in the ceiling above, though his pale opponent seemed to gather what little light filtered through as he approached. Walking slowly, arm outstretched, Link remembered his taunting smirk all too well. That confident, unarmed approach had frightened him once.
“He’s toying with you, of course,” Ghirahim murmured from beside him, and Link spared him a glance. Gaze focused on his double, the true Ghirahim’s red cloak peeled away in diamond wisps until the two were mirrored. “Not that he would hesitate to kill you should even his pared back strength prove overwhelming. The weak must learn to survive on their own merits.”
Like the Kikwi? Link thought but didn’t say, raising the tip of his black sword experimentally. The false Ghirahim’s eyes followed it, his hand drifting sideways.
As always, the Thunder Dragon had let him bring the sword he carried with him—Ghirahim's sword now, instead of the Goddess Sword. Could this simulated Ghirahim still steal it away?
For the moment, he needn't find out. He had sparred often enough with Ghirahim since this battle to make his "training" style of battle all too familiar. Switching his sword's direction quickly, Link scored a line of diamonds down his side.
"You've grown quite comfortable with me, haven't you, Link?" the Ghirahim beside him mused. The Ghirahim he had struck approached again, silent. "No wonder you have come to harbor such affection."
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A Dragon’s Care Ch 5 (Skyward Sword Sickfic)
Summary: After the defeat of Demise, the dragons of the realm find a very sick Chosen Hero on their doorstep with no explanation and have to scramble to deal with it.
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Chapter 5/5: Going Home
Link was certain he fell asleep on leaves and brush, but when he awoke he found himself nestled in the warmth of fluffy feathers and fur, a crimson tail curled over him like a blanket. He sighed contently, his body only a little sore in comparison to the iron weight he’d felt yesterday. His loftwing cooed, the sound just beside him, and he realized he was on Crimson’s back, and his loftwing had his head tucked into his feathers just beside Link. The young hero smiled, turning on his side stiffly and watching his bird sleep.
He tried to organize his thoughts, piecing together memories and what he’d been told yesterday. He remembered defeating Demise, remembered the happy and tearful reunion with Zelda and the others. He remembered having to say goodbye to Fi, feeling sick to his stomach at the thought of it. He remembered Impa’s death. He remembered Gaepora flying down with a few knights and some of Link and Zelda’s classmates. At the end of the day Link and Zelda had been on top of the statue of Hylia, and she’d said she wanted to settle on the Surface. The two had shared a… moment… and…
Link felt his heart stop. Oh goddesses. He’d kissed her. She must have shoved him right off the statue, that must have been why he was in pain, right? Maybe he hadn’t pulled out the sail cloth in time.
…Or maybe it was all the injuries he’d gotten from Demise and Ghirahim. That was likely too.
But how did he end up in Lanayru with the dragon for whom the land was named? And what in the world was he wearing? He had some kind of loose robe on him with nothing underneath, the cloth unfamiliar but comfortable. He didn’t have any supplies with him. What had happened after that day? His stress started to build trying to figure it out, and he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to center himself.
Link squinted at nothing, trying to recall. He vaguely remembered the sensation of falling. Maybe Zelda had pushed him.
His heart sank. He’d just… been so happy to see her, he’d just wanted to tell her how he’d felt but could never find the right way to say it. He hadn’t wanted to ruin their friendship, but after they’d been through so much he’d worked up the courage to finally admit it. She’d asked him what he wanted to do, and he’d shown her.
A soft chirp emitted from Crimson, whose eyes opened at sensing his partner’s distress. Link sighed, patting his beak. “Sorry, buddy.”
Crimson uncurled his neck and stood, making Link’s feathered mattress wobble as he rose. He stretched his wings and tail, leaving Link a little cold.
“Good morning, Link!”
The loud, booming, welcoming voice of the thunder dragon made Link jump. He twisted on his loftwing’s back and saw Lanayru watching him with a big smile. He had to smile back at the friendly expression, feeling at ease. “Good morning.”
“Ah, you look so much better! Though you could probably stand to eat and drink something,” Lanayru added thoughtfully. “Best head back up to the sky, young hero. Your friends are probably worried about you!”
Link’s smile grew in anticipation, and he nodded. As he readied Crimson for flight, he turned again, his smile turning heartfelt. “Thank you… thank you for everything.”
He didn’t know what else to say. Lanayru had saved his life. Link wasn’t sure how he could ever possibly repay him.
Lanayru let out a chuckle. “Of course, my friend. After all, you saved my life! I’ll pass the thanks along to the other two.”
Link blinked. “Other two?”
“Ah, yes, Faron and Eldin helped too, of course!”
Link stared at the thunder dragon in wonder. They’d… they’d all helped him? Why? That was incredibly nice of them, especially Faron, who usually found it far more entertaining to test him in some manner. He was surprised she didn’t find some way to make this into a new task, telling him he had to go get some sacred water for himself or something of that nature. Maybe she had and he just didn’t remember it.
Shaking the sarcastic thought away, Link felt overpowering gratitude fill him, and the smile returned. He nodded, too overwhelmed for words, and then held onto the strap on Crimson as the loftwing finally started to flap his wings, impatient to return to the sky.
Link was eager to return as well. He wanted to see everyone, to make sure they were all okay. Also, this robe was a bit… airy. He wanted some actual clothes.
Speaking of airy, the instant they took off, his robe nearly flew wide open, making him squeak and grab it with one hand to hold it closed while his other hand clung to his loftwing. They rose sharply, and despite the good sleep, he felt his body start to tremble. He didn’t know how long it would actually take to reach Skyloft now – before, the cloud barrier served as a landmark, but now that it was gone, it seemed like it took forever.
The air grew colder and breathing became easier. The wind whipped around them harshly, tousling Link’s hair and making him laugh. Finally, an island in the sky came into view.
Skyloft.
Link felt his heart sing as they flew overhead. He didn’t have the sail cloth, and he really wasn’t keen on using his robe as one, so he guided Crimson to actually land by the knight’s academy. By then a crowd had gathered as everyone had seemed to notice Crimson while he’d circled the area.
“Link!!”
Startled, Link turned at the familiar voice and saw Zelda rushing towards him. He couldn’t stop the immediate relief and smile that came to him, but a part of him hesitated at his last memory with her. He didn’t have time to process anything, however, as Zelda grabbed him by the leg and yanked him off his loftwing and he practically collapsed on top of her. His cheeks and ears burned as he pulled his robe around him even more tightly, his body shaking from the exertion of holding on for so long, and he could barely hold himself up. Zelda wrapped him into a hug, and what little stability he had left in his legs vanished, making him fall into her as she gently guided them both to the ground while others surrounded them.
Zelda’s shoulders trembled as she held him, and he felt his own shoulder grow damp. Was she crying?
“Link! Thank the goddesses you’re okay!” he heard someone say, though all the shouting of similar sentiments was beginning to overwhelm him.
“Zelda?” he whispered in her ear.
She pulled away, eyes puffy as she held him by his shoulders. “You had me so worried! I—you were so sick, and—and then you just disappeared!”
“I was sick…?” he kind of already knew this from what Lanayru said, but he swore he didn’t remember getting ill. He just remembered kissing Zelda. He blushed again.
His comment seemed to scare her, and she grew frantic. “Yes! You were! We need to get you inside, come on! Groose, can you carry him in?”
Link processed Groose and carry and immediately tried to protest, but before the words could even leave his mouth he was scooped up into strong arms with a yelp.
His cheeks burned even more. For Din’s sake, he wasn’t an invalid, and the last person he wanted to see him vulnerable was the person who had teased him for years about being weak. Groose had matured, it was true, but that didn’t mean Link had instantly healed from all the bullying over the years. He’d forgiven him, but he still felt insecure sometimes, and right now, he did not want to be carried.
Link grunted, trying to wiggle out of the situation. Groose tightened his grip. “Don’t even try it, Link. Zelda will kill you if I don’t.”
Link sighed, his exhaustion winning out, and he leaned against Groose in defeat, shivering. “What happened?”
“You really don’t remember?” Groose asked, his voice worried.
“It’s expected, Groose.” That sounded like Instructor Owlan. “He was very ill for a few days, he likely won’t remember much of it.”
“Professor…?” Link called out tiredly, not really able to see him.
“I’m here, Link,” the professor answered warmly, putting a hand on Link’s shoulder. Link felt his skin crawl, and his immediate reaction was to smack the hand away, but he was too weak to do anything about it. He knew the professor was trying to be comforting; he didn’t used to have these kinds of reactions. “You’re okay. You were badly injured from your last fight and we’re not sure if you didn’t notice or thought it was under control, but you passed out.”
“Yeah, and everything went downhill from there,” Groose piped in.
He passed out? When?
Link heard a door open and he looked around, blinking with effort to keep himself awake. He was in his room. It felt like it had been an eternity since he’d been here. He hadn’t seen his room since the Earth Temple. The room had dust in some areas, but other spots looked different than he remembered. Flowers in unfamiliar pots were on the desk, rags and dishes piled around them, and there were gigantic pillows on the floor. Zelda rushed ahead of him and Groose, pulling the blankets out on his bed so he could lay down. He wiggled feebly in Groose’s arms in an effort to try to maintain some dignity and get himself into bed.
Groose looked at him in response to the movement, and then furrowed his brow. “Where did you get that robe?”
Link huffed, unable to speak, crossing his arms like he could shield himself from the scrutiny.
“Never mind that, get him over here,” Zelda ordered.
Groose knew better than to argue with her, so he took the last few steps to the bed and lowered Link down. Link glanced up to see Zelda, Groose, Instructor Owlan, Commander Eagus, and Headmaster Gaepora in the room and what seemed to be the rest of Skyloft’s population at the door. He blushed again, looking down.
“All right, that’s enough fuss,” the headmaster said, shooing the onlookers away and asking Groose to leave. He closed the door behind Link’s classmate and then walked to the bed. “Link, how are you feeling?”
“’m okay,” he lied.
“You’re skin and bones,” Zelda protested. “I can feel your ribs!”
“Zelda,” her father said calmy, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you go get him some food?”
She nodded, her anxiety redirected into something productive, and she hastened out of the room. Instructor Owlan pulled up a chair beside him. “Let me see your wounds.”
Hesitantly, Link opened part of the robe around his chest and looked at them himself. He hadn’t really paid them any mind earlier. He recognized some of them from the Sky Keep, some from Ghirahim, and a particularly notable one from Demise that had nearly split him open from his shoulder to his hip. However, they all looked pink and faded, almost entirely healed… if not as healed as they were going to be. He also saw feathered patterns that snaked up his right arm. He wondered if that was from the lightning.
Now that he saw them, memories were coming back. Or, rather, the sensation of his body just collapsing. He’d fallen off the goddess statue and passed out in midair. Everything after that was hazy.
“You said I passed out?” he asked Owlan as the professor examined his wounds with piercing eyes, opening his robe around his legs as well (he guessed he was injured all over, but he was too tired to tell).
The headmaster nodded for the professor. “Yes. You and Zelda were together when it happened. Zelda caught you and brought you here. You started succumbing to your injuries fairly quickly, you were delirious and wouldn’t accept help until you were so sick you were barely conscious. But then one night you just disappeared… everyone on Skyloft has been looking for you.”
Link looked away, feeling guilty. He didn’t mean to make everyone so worried. That didn’t explain how he’d gotten to the dragons, but he supposed he wouldn’t find that out today. Even they didn’t seem to know.
Instructor Owlan hummed, closing his robe and covering him with his blanket. “The wounds have healed far better than I expected. I’ll get some more herbs and wrap them again, and I’ll ask Luv for some potions, but I think the main thing you need is to eat and rest. We’ll have Budgick come look at you to be sure.”
As the professor left to get the necessary items and call for the healer, Zelda reentered the room carrying a tray of food and a glass of water. Gaepora excused himself for a moment to step out with Owlan, and put an arm on Eagus, who was watching Link worriedly. The two exchanged some kind of wordless dialogue and they both stepped out, leaving the two teenagers alone.
“Here,” she said, pulling up his table beside the bed. Then she helped him sit up, fluffing his pillow and leaning it against the backboard. She watched him worriedly. “Eat.”
Link obliged, albeit slowly. All he could think about, though, was what happened on that statue. He still couldn’t remember how the kiss had ended. Had he passed out during it? That would be embarrassing…
“Zel…” he said nervously. “What happened… on the statue?”
Zelda blinked at him, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Goddesses, he really didn’t want to have to actually say it. “We… I remember we were on the statue of the goddess… you mentioned that… that you wanted to stay on the Surface…”
Something in Zelda’s expression changed, and he couldn’t quite read it. “You don’t remember after that?”
Link swallowed, looking away. He felt a hand on his cheek, and his heart rate spiked. The hand guided him to look back at Zelda’s eyes, so blue, so beautiful. Her expression was now gentle. “I’ll remind you.”
Leaning towards him, Zelda gave him a kiss. Link felt dizzy and giddy. The room was spinning, his body was screaming, his mind was blank. All he could do was kiss her back. The sentiment that she reciprocated his feelings, the thought she loves me sang through his mind all of a sudden. She pulled away, her own cheeks blushing.
All he could say was, “Oh.”
Zelda laughed, rolling her eyes. “Is that all?”
“I—I—”
“It’s okay, sleepyhead,” she giggled. “I know. Now make sure you eat. And don’t you dare think about getting out of bed unless it’s to use the bathroom, and you’d better call out to Fledge to help you get there.”
Link watched her point her finger at him commandingly, and he had to smile at it. “Yes, ma’am.”
Zelda relaxed, appeased. “Good.”
Link finished his meal in silence as Zelda told him about what had been going on around the academy while he was ill. Her words kind of buzzed in and out of his mind as he grew steadily more exhausted, but just hearing her voice was enough for him. Eventually he felt the bowl he’d been eating out of get taken away. He blinked, confused, and looked back to see that Instructor Owlan and Headmaster Gaepora were back.
Zelda, holding the bowl, stood. “I’ll leave them to it. Promise me you’re going to be okay, Link.”
He gave her a sleepy smile. “I promise.”
Her smile made his heart melt. Bidding him a good night (wait, was it nighttime already?), she exited the room. Link felt warmth settle into him as Owlan tended to his injuries and he slipped away into slumber, feeling at peace for the first time in months.
He was home.
#groose just casually hoisting link into his arms like he can bench press skyloft itself#his power comes from his pompadour#zelda will fuss over link the instant he has a paper cut#but will also push him off a cliff when he's fine#this is canon#I have a headcanon that Owlan is an herbalist since he loves plants#skyward sword#ss link#ss zelda#skyward sword link#skyward sword zelda#groose#crimson loftwing#skyward sword zelink#legend of zelda#sickfic#writing
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