Here we go! Stuff gets intense from here on out. Or, well, I guess from the last couple chapters! The reaction that the Yiga Hideout chapters received has been awesome. I know I took some heavy liberties with pretty much everything Yiga, so I'm thrilled that it went over well! I wanted them to come off as strange. We rarely see people truly serving Ganon. A lot of times, they are brainwashed or something of the like. So to have a group of people that genuinely serves him-it fascinates me. The fact that they originated as Sheikah makes it even better, as they are so often depicted as firmly loyal to the royal family.
And lemme tell you-it is so satisfying to finally get them out of the way. The Yiga plot is one of the primary sub-plots of the story, after all! Just a few more to resolve before the end... And I like to think that, if you liked how this one ended, you'll like what I've got coming up... As far as this chapter goes... well, it's a ride. Quite literally.
God of Twilight: I'm amazed that anyone can binge this story in a week, at this point. Part Three is, by far, my favorite part, too. All of them have special places in my heart, but Part Three just felt so good to write. So many satisfying moments for me-and, hopefully, for my readers! And I'm glad you like the contrast in the Yiga! In a way, I imagine that a lot of them are fairly normal people. Some may have gotten drawn in before they truly realized what was happening, while others are drawn to power. I like to imagine that they are still people. They have their reasons. They may not be good reasons, but reasons, nonetheless.
Michy: You picked up what I was putting down! I intentionally made Kohga use repeated tactics and stole some moves from the Maz Koshia fight to add some spice to the conflict. Very observant! And that part with Link walking towards him... well, that was just fun to write. So often, I have Link barely keeping his head above water. Sometimes, it's fun to let him just get in the zone and wreck someone. Who better than Master Kohga?
iCards: Never mess with a bunch of angry Gerudo. And yes, Kohga was definitely very psychotic. Regarding the dreams... well, I always like the concept of someone else pulling the strings... But who? Hmm... And you're right! The tall Yiga was, in fact, Haia from Side Quests I. I haven't really shown much about her yet, but you'll have to read on to see what comes of her... And the old woman? Yeah, I'm not talking about her yet, either. And, yes! Link's Flurry Rush is, in fact, his "Champion Ability". That's a theory out there among Zelda theorists, and I shamelessly acquired it for my own story. The main reason for it is that it is actually mentioned in Daruk's Journal. Link acknowledges that he has a strange ability to slow time that he doesn't understand.
All right, I've written enough of a wall of text here. I'll let you all get to the wall of text that you want to read. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
Chapter Forty-Eight
This just isn't right, Link thought. Didn't I do enough to warrant some relaxed rules? At this rate, they'd probably still refuse to allow him entrance, even after he tamed their Divine Beast. Maybe even after he'd saved Hyrule.
He glanced around at the market, which despite the early evening, was surprisingly empty. Even several of the merchants had packed up their carts and stands. The marketgoers had, finally, begun to realize the danger of the Divine Beast, now that Naboris had turned towards the city. Hopes that it would turn had not yet been realized—it continued its slow, steady pace across the land.
A day. Maybe a day and a half, at most. The Kara Kara Bazaar had already largely emptied—it would strike there first, before the next day would be over with. The Gerudo living there had begun traveling back towards Gerudo Town, while many of the outsiders fled the desert entirely.
Tomorrow, he thought, grimly. It needs to be done tomorrow morning, at the latest.
He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. The Yiga infiltration had only happened earlier that morning. The battle had gone well for the Gerudo. Though Link hadn't expected an actual fight to break out, his killing of Kohga had left the Yiga far more reckless than they normally were, it would seem. They skirmished with the Gerudo outside of the canyon, which left the Yiga at a severe disadvantage. They had been slaughtered, their corpses left to stain the sand and be picked apart by scavengers. It had been… chilling to witness, despite their violent nature.
The trip back to the town had been a victorious one, though few of the Gerudo warriors truly seemed to know what to do with Link. He found some acceptance among their ranks, despite his gender, and more than one of them had suggested… well, suggestive activities, which Link quickly declined.
However, when they reached the city, they turned him away, just like any other day, though Liana did tell him that she would tell Buliara of his contributions that day.
So, Link disguised himself for the second time that day.
"Ahh, little Hylian!" one of the Gerudo guards at the entrance to the palace said as he approached. It was the same one that Link had spoken to the day prior—Reeza. "Go on in. Lady Riju made it clear that you were to be allowed entrance without question."
There was a twinkle to her eye—a knowing look that made the hair on the back of Link's neck stand on end. But if she knew his secret, she said nothing. As he walked into the palace, he saw other Gerudo guards giving him strange looks, though none stopped him.
When he walked into the throne room, he found the lavish space to be mostly empty. The throne was unoccupied, though Buliara stood near one of the Gerudo statues. When she saw him, she gave him a nod, motioning for him to approach.
Link walked over towards her, and Buliara turned, walking past the throne to where the back of the room was left open to look out onto the desert beyond. He followed, walking past the throne and the burbling fountain behind it, moving to stand beside her.
For a few moments, Buliara was silent, but then she looked down at him. "I owe you an apology." When he didn't respond, she continued on. "When you first arrived in our city, I assumed you to be, at best, a foolish voe and a liar. I very nearly ordered your execution due to your… entrance. I am glad I did not, though."
"So am I," Link said. "That would have really gotten in the way of some of my nefarious plans."
Buliara grunted. "Regardless, I acknowledge now that your intentions, however foolish, were noble. You've done a great thing this day."
"Hopefully I will do even greater tomorrow," he said.
"Indeed. Now that you have recovered the Thunder Helm, we shall work with you to tame the Divine Beast. I have been in conference with Lady Riju on this matter. We have… some disagreements on how this shall be accomplished."
"I don't know if there is much time for disagreements, Buliara." He looked up at her. "Naboris is coming. There is only one way to tame it. I need to get aboard it."
The Gerudo woman pursed her lips but did not argue. She remained silent for a time before sighing. "Lady Riju would like to speak with you in private. In her quarters."
"That's… okay?" Link asked, hesitantly.
"No." Buliara paused. "But she is insistent. But you will treat her with respect. Understand that this is a great honor that is reserved only for Lady Riju's closest companions."
"Right. Why… doesn't she just meet me down here?"
Buliara glared at him, nostrils flaring.
"So, should I just go up now? Do you need to announce me or something?"
She pointed towards the stairs on the opposite side of the room, which were guarded by another tall Gerudo wielding a spear. "Take those stairs. Lady Riju already knows you are here."
Link hesitated a few moments before nodding and following her directions. The Gerudo at the top of the stairs eyed Link suspiciously but allowed him passage. He stepped through an arch, out onto a staircase that he recognized from when he first arrived at the city.
Funny that I'd end up back here, Link thought with a wry smile as he climbed the stairs. At the top of the staircase, he found Lady Riju sitting upon another set of stairs that led up to the entrance of her room. She held the Thunder Helm in her hands, fingers tracing the green gems that were set into its face.
"I wondered how long it would take you to get here," she said, patting the stair next to her.
"Well, you know, I had to freshen up," Link said, sitting down beside her. "Got to look my best before meeting with the chief."
Riju glanced at him, grinning. "Well, you do look very cute." Link snorted, and she laughed. When her laughter subsided, she looked up at him, eyes twinkling. "Thank you for retrieving this. I am sorry for sending you on an errand like that—it would have been far better if we had been able to do it ourselves. But after our last failure and with things as they are, I had no choice."
"I had some unfinished business with the Yiga that I needed to take care of," Link said.
"Regardless, it's silly to make you sneak into the city here." She looked up at him. "The guards know who you are. I made Buliara tell them."
"So… I don't need to wear this anymore?"
"No, you do. But the palace guards, at least, and some of the soldiers know the truth."
That explains the strange looks, Link thought. "Well, at least I know I won't get thrown in prison again…"
"Hmm… probably not. Though if it gets out that you're a voe, Buliara will probably insist we at least make a show of throwing you in there again."
"Naturally."
Riju grinned, and Link felt a strange warmth bubble up within him. Though she was young, she spoke with an easy, familiar air. After a moment, she held the Thunder Helm up, staring into its face before turning it around and slipping it onto her head.
"How do I look?" she asked, looking at him.
The Thunder Helm was clearly too large for her. With it on, only her lips and chin were visible. She had to reach up and adjust it when it slipped too far down.
"Looks great," he said. Seeing her wearing the helmet made him think of Urbosa. He'd rarely seen her wear it, but when she did, it never did look very dignified.
Riju smiled and removed the helmet again a moment later. "With this, I can get you to the Divine Beast."
"Buliara mentioned some disagreements about that."
"Oh, yes, she's very angry at me right now," Riju said. "I told her that I would be the one to wear the helmet into the battle against Naboris."
Link considered that for a moment. "Lady Riju, I—"
"Please. You can call me Riju. I'm not your chief."
What is with royalty insisting I don't treat them as such? Link thought, smiling wryly. "All right, Riju. I don't know what the Divine Beast is going to be like. They're dangerous."
Riju sighed. "That's why I need to go."
"What do you mean?"
She tapped her finger on the helmet for a few seconds before speaking. "When you look at me, do you see a child?"
Link didn't answer her. That appeared to be answer enough.
"So does everyone else. Oh, they treat me with respect and obey me, but I'm still… a child to them. It's like they indulge me, rather than truly expect me to lead them."
"That doesn't mean you have to throw yourself into danger just to prove yourself."
Riju snorted. "You haven't been around the Gerudo very long. It's not uncommon for one of us, when we reach maturity, to go do something reckless as a sign of our bravery. Go climb one of the mountains or cross the desert on foot. Slay a Molduga."
And have you reached maturity? Link thought, though he didn't speak out loud. He still couldn't quite get over how much she looked to be around the same age as his little sister. "So, you want to go with me as… what? A rite of passage?"
"No, of course not. I want to go with you because I'm the chief of the Gerudo, and it's my job to keep my people safe."
"You don't have to put yourself in danger to do that. Most royalty, from what I remember, don't always go out into battle. That's why they have soldiers."
"Gerudo Chiefs do not just sit around and let others go to battle for them. Lady Urbosa fought. My mother fought. And I'm going to fight as well."
"Riju… what happens if something goes wrong? What happens if you die?"
She fell silent for a time. "Then my people would choose someone else. I do not have any heirs, so they would go on to choose a new chief of the royal line. It isn't so uncommon—Lady Urbosa didn't have any children when she died, either. Many Gerudo never bear children. But the royal line is extensive. My grandmother was cousin to Lady Urbosa."
"And do you think now is the best time to risk putting your people through that?"
Riju snorted. "The last time we had to do it, the kingdom of Hyrule had just been destroyed. We survived then, and I am confident that the Gerudo will survive if I fall."
He sighed but knew that he wasn't getting anywhere with her. "Riju, what if I just wore the helmet? Do you think you could show me how…" He trailed, off, seeing the look of horror in her expression.
"I can't just give it to you. Not now that we just got it back!"
You mean, now that I just got it back for you, Link thought, glumly.
"And, besides, you wouldn't know how to use it properly. It takes practice."
"But you do?"
She smirked. "Of course, I do."
"And no one else could use it in your stead?" She shook her head, and Link sighed. "Royalty."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I've determined that you're all stubborn," Link said. "And really good at coming up with excuses to worry your protectors."
Riju laughed. "Oh, Buliara hates it."
Link leaned back, resting his elbows on the stairs behind him. "Only because she cares about you so much."
Riju raised an eyebrow, looking at Link. "You used to protect your princess, didn't you? Lady Urbosa mentioned you both in her old diary."
"I did, and she had a habit of getting into trouble as well…" Memories flashed through his mind.
A horde of monsters. Three lynels. Red, volcanic rock of Death Mountain. And a princess that refused to run away, despite his insistence that she do so. Then a field of dead monsters, and Zelda, gently wrapping his arm in a bandage with a gentle touch, admonishing him for his recklessness. Of course, she didn't mention the fact that it was her idea to go off the mountain path in the first place.
Link felt a smile grow on his lips at the thought, and he was grateful for the veil.
"Lady Urbosa truly cared for your princess," Riju said softly. "It was almost like…"
Walking behind them as they chatted on the way back from the Divine Beast. Urbosa encouraging Zelda to sneak with her down to the kitchens in Hyrule Castle. Urbosa placing a gentle kiss on Zelda's forehead and encouraging her before departing for the desert.
"Zelda was like a daughter to her," Link supplied.
"Yes." Riju stood, walking over to the stone lip of the castle roof, looking towards the northeast. Towards Naboris. "Could you… tell me more about her?"
Link stood, joining her. He thought that the diminutive Gerudo chief looked nervous. Perhaps more afraid of the Divine Beast than she lets on, he thought.
"Urbosa liked… being playful. And she always encouraged Zelda to relax and have fun."
Riju's eyebrows knit together in a frown. "Really? I… I've read her diary. She didn't seem like that in it."
Link shrugged. "Maybe that was just how she tried to come off to others. I doubt it, though. It seemed like she and Zelda were very honest with each other."
Riju fell silent, staring off in the direction of the Divine Beast. Finally, she said, "I always feel like I need to be more serious."
"No… Take it from me. It's better to be honest about who you are, Riju. Trying to fit the mold of who you think you need to be… It doesn't work." He reached back, unsheathing the Master Sword, turning it over in his hands. In the waning daylight, it shimmered with color as if the blade had been coated in oil. "For the longest time, I thought I had to act a certain way to be… worthy. Honestly, Urbosa was instrumental in teaching me that I didn't have to be like that. Watching her and Zelda with each other… I realized that heroes didn't have to be stoic, serious, or infallible."
He looked down at her. She was staring at the sword with wide eyes, but when he paused, she looked up and met his eyes. "Sometimes, it's okay for heroes to like rock-climbing and making bad puns."
Riju's lips split into a wide grin. "Sealiously?"
For a moment, he was confused, but then he noticed the embroidery on her skirt—a simple depiction of a sand seal. He smiled. "Sealiously."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Zelda avoided talking about what had happened at the Spring of Courage, and Link couldn't blame her. It must have been humiliating to stand there in the pool of water, praying—pleading—with the Goddess, all the while knowing that he stood just outside of the spring. And, of course, knowing what awaited her upon her return to the castle.
He suspected that was the real reason for this detour in the first place. She hadn't told him about it before beginning their trip, but he could hardly tell her no when she asked if they could head west to watch some of the games currently happening at the coliseum.
He had always enjoyed watching the games, of course, even once imagining himself as winning a grand tournament in the ancient coliseum. Those had been childhood fantasies, and though he thought that he would likely be capable of winning, it no longer held the same draw that it once had.
Not that he minded going with Zelda now. He'd found her company to be more than pleasant on this trip. Perhaps too pleasant.
"Ahh, yes!" Zelda said as they crossed the Aquame Bridge onto the small coliseum peninsula. She pointed, and he followed where she was pointing to see a grouping of tents flying the Gerudo flag. "I'd hoped they would still be here."
Suddenly, her reasoning for wanting to come here became that much more apparent.
She kicked her horse into a trot, and Link followed quickly behind. As she approached the tents, a tall Gerudo woman stepped out of one of them, looking around at them. The woman's eyes widened in surprise.
"Urbosa!" Zelda called, pulling her horse to a halt and quickly dismounting.
"Princess Zelda, what are you doing here?" Urbosa said, quickly crossing the distance and embracing Zelda tightly. "I thought you were still in Faron."
"We hurried here as quickly as we could. I hoped to catch you before you left back for the desert."
"Oh?" Urbosa asked, eyebrows raising. After a moment, she leaned a little closer, though Link could still hear her. "How did it go?"
Zelda's smile slipped some. "It… well, we shall be going to the Spring of Power next month."
If Urbosa was disappointed, she didn't show it. Instead, she nodded, smiling. "Good. Well, come on—I have some warriors that are just about to start fighting." She wrapped an arm around Zelda's shoulder, leading her towards the coliseum. She paused, however, glancing back over her shoulder at Link. "You too, Link. Give the horses to one of my attendants and come with us."
Several hours later, after the Gerudo warriors thoroughly trounced some Hylians in hand-to-hand combat and as the sun set, revealing stars overhead, Zelda and Urbosa walked together a distance away from the coliseum. Strangely, Urbosa had insisted that Link go with them, and Zelda hadn't objected. Perhaps Urbosa knew that he would have insisted he be allowed to remain close by, regardless, and suggested as much preemptively.
Of course, that did not prevent him from feeling distinctly out of place with the two women.
As they walked, Urbosa and Zelda spoke about nothing, commenting on the competition, the stars, the weather. Finally, the conversation turned to the topic that Zelda had, up until then, been clearly avoiding.
"Tell me about your trip to the spring, Zelda," Urbosa said, her voice gentle, but firm.
Zelda stopped walking, sending a brief glance towards Link. For a moment, he thought she was going to ask him to step away, but she didn't. Instead, she looked down. "I don't know if there is anything to tell, Urbosa. I prayed at the spring and… nothing happened."
That night had been painful. After saying good-bye to him and entering the spring, she prayed for hours. When she finally came out, it was well after midnight, and she ventured deeper into the forest to change out of her dress and go to bed. She hadn't said a single word to him until later the next morning, when she finally spoke of her feelings of shame. Worthlessness.
He'd barely known what to say, but for once, she didn't seem to mind that he just listened. He did tell her that he didn't think she worthless, though.
"And how do you feel now?" Urbosa pressed.
Zelda sighed, reaching up and rubbing her arm. "How do you think I feel?"
The Gerudo just waited for her to continue.
"I feel like… I had hoped that this would be what finally did it. Legends say that the very first princess traveled to that spring to be purified. The priests thought—"
"Zelda, I do not give a damn about what the priests think. I care about what you think."
Zelda paused, and he saw the conflict in her expression. It was strange how easy he found her to read now. How had he ever found her difficult to understand? She took a breath and began to pace, crossing her arms.
"I… I don't know what to think. In a way, it feels too… simple." Her voice dropped, and one of her hands clenched into a fist. "But what choice do I have? Maybe I need to visit another one. Maybe I need to visit all three. But…"
"But?" Urbosa asked.
Zelda remained silent for a long time before sighing, still refusing to meet either Urbosa or Link's eyes. When she did speak, her voice was a whisper. "What if it doesn't work?"
Urbosa clucked her tongue and reached out, taking Zelda by the shoulder and pulling her into a tight embrace. Link looked away, uncomfortable. Maybe he should have just let them go alone. Surely Zelda would have been more comfortable without him there.
Yet, she didn't seem any less comfortable having him there, either. Since their promise in the garden to be friends, she'd been surprisingly frank with him. Honest. Blunt. It was, in a way, not so different than how she'd been before they became friends, only her ire wasn't directed towards him. Usually.
Urbosa simply held Zelda for a time, stroking her hair. Finally, though, she pulled away, smiling warmly down at her. Then she turned to the west, where a tall mountain rose imposingly. Its peak glowed with a soft blue-green light.
Satori Mountain.
"You know the legends of the Lord of the Mountain, don't you?" Urbosa asked.
Zelda turned to look up at the mountain. "They say that the Lord of the Mountain was once the sage of the forest, and that he watches over the forests and all that live within them."
Urbosa hummed in acknowledgement. "Do you think it's true?"
Zelda frowned. "I suppose. Evidence suggests that there is certainly some kind of creature that lives atop the mountain, and that it might even be truly unique."
"Have you ever seen it, though?"
"Well, no. Of course not. Few people ever have." She paused, and then pursed her lips, looking up at Urbosa. "Are you going to tell me to just have faith?"
Urbosa threw her head back and laughed. "Am I a priest? No. I just wondered if you'd ever seen it yourself. I tried to see it once when I was a child."
"And did you?" Zelda asked. Urbosa smiled mysteriously, and Zelda's eyes widened. "You did?"
After a moment, Urbosa's composure broke, and she grinned, showing teeth. "No. Of course not. Only someone already waiting on the mountain when it appears ever has a chance to actually see it. It only appears for a short amount of time."
She looked forward again, eyes drawn to the mountain. As they watched, the glow atop it began to fade.
"But those who have been fortunate enough to be there when it did appear often say that it changed their life. The awe it inspires in others… It makes me wish I had waited atop the mountain just a few more days. Maybe I could have seen it for myself."
The two of them fell silent for a time. Both Zelda and Urbosa's eyes were fixed on the fading glow atop the mountain. Link, instead, found himself looking at Zelda. Her green eyes reflected the moonlight.
Urbosa glanced around and caught his eye. She winked. He immediately looked away, face flushing. What would his father say? Worse, what would the king say?
Finally, as the glow faded completely, Zelda looked back at Urbosa, frowning. "But… why bring that up?"
"Well, I noticed the mountain was glowing," Urbosa said, shrugging. "Made me think of when I was a girl and tried climbing it."
"Oh."
Urbosa laughed again, drawing Zelda close with one arm. She kissed the top of her head. "Little bird, one day your abilities will surface, just like the Lord of the Mountain does. They may be unpredictable, and they may not come when you want them to… But, when they do, the moment will change the life of anyone who witnesses it."
"Urbosa…" Zelda began, but then she snorted, grinning. "You are telling me to just have faith!"
Urbosa laughed heartily. "Of course, I am! I would have been much more straightforward about it, too, if you weren't being such a smartass."
Zelda laughed happily, and Link found himself joining in, feeling the tension he'd felt since leaving the Spring of Courage melting away. Somehow, in a single conversation, Urbosa had managed to do something for Zelda that he'd been unable to do so with several days' worth of bad puns.
She glanced around and met his eyes. There was something there, in her expression, that made his heart soar. Joy. Contentment. Happiness.
He wanted to learn how to bring more of that to Zelda's life.
She gasped, and his attention sharpened, his arm immediately reaching up to his sword. But a second glance revealed not fear in her eyes, but awe. He followed her gaze and soon found what she looked at. A dragon, shining yellow, undulated through the air. It was far away, above the distant Gerudo Highlands, yet it still seemed to be accompanied by the hush that always seemed to follow along in the three dragons' wake.
It flew slowly, yet purposely on, its eyes taking in the land beneath it. Its legs hung, relaxed, beneath it, useless in the air. Did it ever even land? To the best of Link's knowledge, no one had ever actually seen the dragons on the ground. They each appeared regularly, though this one, Farosh, tended to be the most sporadic of the three. It also had the longest flight path, appearing in multiple places throughout the country.
As if it were keeping watch over the entire land.
Link smiled faintly, tearing his eyes away from the dragon to look at Zelda, who watched with a rapturous expression.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Link rose early the next morning, well before the sun rose. Outside, the wind had picked up. He could hear the palm leaves rustling, and a window shutter flapping somewhere nearby. The inn was empty, save for him and the Gerudo innkeeper. She decided to let him remain one last night—she would be packing up and heading for Gerudo Town this morning and had advised he try to leave the desert as well.
Naboris was close. Closer, perhaps, than they had even expected.
He ran outside, climbing up the rock pillar over the inn so that he was able to look out over the desert. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the powerful sandstorm from within.
There isn't much time, he thought, grimly.
He slid down the wooden ladder and ran back into the inn, gathering up his supplies. When he was finished, he rushed back outside, finding his sand seal, like always, lounging in the sand. Rhondson's seal was gone—she'd retreated back to Gerudo Town the day prior with most of the other merchants.
He snapped the reins, and the seal took off, dragging him along behind it. He traveled quickly in the direction of Gerudo Town, where he and Riju had agreed to meet. Already, the sands had shifted, new dunes forming due to the increased wind.
It didn't take him long to reach the city. When he did, he found Riju already standing just outside of the southeastern gate, her dark blue sand seal, which she called Patricia, eating a piece of fruit. Buliara was there as well, holding up a lantern.
He pulled his seal to a stop and looked at Riju. She looked nervous, biting her lip and looking towards the sandstorm. She held the Thunder Helm in her hands. She glanced at him when he arrived, taking a deep steadying breath. Then she looked at Buliara.
"I'll be all right, Buliara," she said, apparently trying to reassure the taller woman once more.
Buliara grunted and fixed Link with a glare before sighing. "You will do everything in your power to keep Lady Riju safe."
"I will," Link said. If he could have his way, Riju wouldn't even be coming with him on this mission, but he understood the necessity.
"If anything should befall her, I will—"
"Buliara, Link has more important things to worry about than what you will do if I get hurt," Riju said, cutting off her protector. "I appreciate your concern, but this is something that I willingly do to protect the Gerudo. You know that."
Buliara was silent for several moments before nodding stiffly. "Of course, Lady Riju."
Riju gave her a smile, patting her arm, before looking at Link. "Are you ready to go?"
"You're sure you can control that?" Link asked, eyeing the Thunder Helm.
Her expression grew irritated. "I can control it better than anyone else. I know what I'm doing."
I sure hope she does, Link thought. It would be a short trip, indeed, if they were exposed to the lightning.
Riju stepped up onto her sand seal's sled—a small concave circle seemingly just barely large enough for her to stand on. It was decorated lavishly, with the Gerudo symbol patterned in gold on its curved surface.
"Let's go," Link said.
Riju grinned and set the helmet atop her head. She grasped the reins and snapped them. "Let's go, Patricia!"
Her sand seal barked and dove forward, into the sand, yanking Riju forward. Link snapped his own reins, and his sand seal charged after them.
The cloud of swirling sands and lightning rose before them. Wind blew around Link, kicking up sand and dust and blotting out the stars overhead with its haze. Riju pulled Patricia to a stop, looking up at the sandstorm, her expression unreadable beneath her Thunder Helm. Link saw her bite her lip, however. She was nervous.
And that was perfectly understandable, considering what they were up against.
In the center of the storm, Naboris walked, only made visible by the jagged bolts of lightning that originated from above its back. Thunder cracked, making the sand seals shift anxiously.
Riju slowly stepped off of her sled, standing in the sand and staring up towards Naboris. Even from Link's perspective, she looked painfully small compared to the intense sandstorm. After a moment, however, she threw her arms out to the sides.
"My name is Riju!" She spoke in clear, strong tones, her voice ringing out over the sounds of the storm. "Descendant of the royal line and leader of the Gerudo! Ancestors of the Gerudo—hear my call. Aid me in this task that I now face. Lady Urbosa, I pray you help me calm Divine Beast Vah Naboris!"
As she cried out, something began to change about the Thunder Helm. As Link watched, small sparks of electricity began to jump between the golden lightning bolts on the vertical halo. Link held his breath as the power manifested, arcs of electricity coursing over the surface of the helmet, seeming to gather in the halo, forming a web of lightning that flickered and flashed.
Riju snapped her finger.
Lightning crashed down beside her, sending up a gout of sand. A chill down Link's spine. He could remember Urbosa doing that so clearly, and to see Riju doing it now… She didn't look quite so childlike anymore.
She looked back at Link, her face still mostly obscured by the helmet. The electric lines still sparked and flashed within the halo, casting strange shadows. She smiled, however. "Now I'm ready."
Link nodded, feeling a surge of anticipation within him. The thrill of battle. This was it. The final Divine Beast. I'm coming soon, Zelda.
"Stay as close to me as you can," Riju said, remounting her seal sled. "I don't know how far I can extend the protection that the Thunder Helm provides. Just try to aim well and let your seal do most of the steering—she should stay close to Patricia if not being directed otherwise."
Link nodded, exhaling. This was where he came in. Riju would provide them with protection from lightning, but he would be the one attacking the Divine Beast. According to the Gerudo texts, Naboris drew its power from the sands beneath its feet. The hope was that explosive arrows—something also made in Gerudo Town—aimed at its feet would disrupt the power enough to stop its attacks.
If nothing else, then Link hoped that the explosive arrows would be enough to bring the Divine Beast to the ground. It was a thin hope—the Divine Beasts were made of incredibly strong materials. But they had no choice—they were out of time. The Kara Kara Bazaar was just outside of Naboris' range now.
"Ready?" Riju asked, looking back around at him.
Link reached up, pulling his goggles down over his eyes and covered his mouth and nose with his scarf. He nodded to her.
They set off, into the storm.
Immediately, the wind around them grew to a gale, forcing Link to lean forward on his sled, gritting his teeth. Even with the goggles, it immediately became difficult to see. They rose and fell over large sand dunes, he barely able to do more than follow the sparking halo of light that was the Thunder Helm.
Lightning cracked overhead with a peal of thunder, slamming into the ground nearby. Link swore, blinking away the colorful afterimage. Riju looked back at him, making sure he was still following, and then pressed on, swerving around a piece of stone that jutted up out of the sands. The remnants of some old structure that had once stood here.
He pursued, snapping his seal's reins to urge her to speed up, to keep closer to Riju. He didn't want to find out if Mipha's healing abilities would allow him to survive a lightning strike.
It soon became apparent that he might not have a choice in that matter, however.
As they neared it, Naboris released a horrible, low, rattling sound that made the ground rumble under their feet. Lightning crackled and flashed again, striking another old piece of stone near them, causing it to explode in a shower of sharp rocks that pelted Link.
I think it saw us, he thought, grimly.
If Riju had any second thoughts, she didn't show them. Instead, she pushed forward, easily swerving around a grouping of cacti. She drove her sand seal with incredible grace, seeming in tune with her every move. Her footing was as stable as on solid ground. She controlled the sled with ease, shifting her weight to maneuver the sled back and forth.
Link, for his part, had gotten better, but he still nearly lost his footing every time his seal dove forward. How was he supposed to shoot arrows like this?
Damn it, he thought as lightning gathered again above Naboris. It formed in a ball of electricity that illuminated the Divine Beast. It was so tall. Easily the tallest of any of the machines, it towered over Link like one of Hyrule Castle's spires. It was breathtaking to behold.
Another jagged bolt of lightning shot out. Link cringed, but the lightning did not strike him. Instead, it appeared to slam into a kind of spherical barrier around them that flashed with green light when hit. The lightning split into a dozen smaller bolts, flying out at random, striking the ground all around them.
The protection of the Thunder Helm.
Naboris roared its displeasure, and Link felt the sandstorm's intensity grow. Sand particles blew across him, stinging his hands and the parts of his face still exposed.
"Come on!" Link called, snapping his reins and speeding up to ride beside Riju. He pointed towards Naboris, and she nodded, changing her angle slightly. Link's seal followed without prompting.
They quickly approached the tall, imposing legs of Naboris. Its enormous feet were shaped almost like round hooves, each glowing with a familiar red light. The impact of every step caused the ground to shake perceptively.
Overhead, lightning struck and, again, it was redirected by the Thunder Helm's barrier. Link looked at Naboris' legs and then over at Riju. She looked back at him, expectantly. Swearing softly, he carefully loosened his grip on the reins, adjusting his feet for better support. He was still tied by the waist to the sled, but it hardly felt secure.
His seal jumped again, nearly upsetting his balance, but Link managed to shift his weight and catch himself. Taking another deep breath, marred slightly by the presence of his thick scarf, he released the reins. His seal continued on, unconcerned by the lack of direction.
Link withdrew his bow and reached down to his quiver of explosive arrows. He aimed as carefully as he could towards the closest foot and released the arrow. The arrow shot far too wide, both due to the wind and Link's own poor aim. It sent up a fountain of sand as it detonated.
"We need to get closer!" Link called, but his voice was lost to the gale of wind and thunder. He pointed, and Riju nodded, angling closer to Naboris. His sand seal followed along.
He drew another arrow, aiming at one of the feet, which was even larger than he'd initially assumed. He released it, but again it flew wide of its target.
How do the Gerudo even do this? Link thought angrily as the sled under his feet bucked. Gritting his teeth, he knelt down, placing a hand against the unstable floor to steady himself. And then he drew another arrow, remaining kneeled.
This time, the arrow exploded against the glowing foot. For a moment, the foot's lights flickered, but then they resumed, just as strong as before. Link swore and drew again. His seal swerved around a rock that jutted out of the ground, and Link fell to the side, the arrow flying off in a random direction. He pushed himself back up and looked around, realizing with horror that a gap had opened up between him and Riju. She was waving at him emphatically.
Overhead, a ball of lightning crackled to life above Naboris.
Link slipped his bow over his head and lunged for the reins, which flapped freely in the wind. Come on! His fingertips brushed one of the twin ropes, but another jolt ripped them free. Cursing, he carefully edged forward, still on his knees.
He reached down again, leaning forward, over the gap between his sled and the seal. Just a little closer. Just a little… there! He grabbed one of the reins and pulled it, not towards Riju, but towards Naboris. His seal angled right for the stomping feet.
He could hear a powerful hum that grew louder as he neared. He was close enough now that he could actually hear the lightning energy building overhead. The ball of electricity increased in size, with jagged bolts lancing out and connecting with the twin spires that rose up from Naboris' humps. Or perhaps the spires were the source, feeding the ball of lightning.
Cursing, Link lunged forward again, grasping the second rein. He snapped it, forcing his seal to speed up, passing underneath Naboris just as the lightning struck. It slammed into the ground just behind him, unable to reach underneath the Divine Beast.
His seal barked in panic, nonetheless, and turned—right towards one of the falling feet. Crying out in surprise, Link wrenched the reins in the opposite direction, barely swerving around the foot at it fell, kicking up a plume of sand that he rode through. He emerged out the other side, behind Naboris, nearly colliding with Riju's seal in the process.
"Are you mad!?" she cried, and he heard her this time due to their sudden proximity.
Link gritted his teeth, turning his seal to swim alongside Riju's again. "Maybe!" He didn't release his reins this time, but instead set them down on the floor of his sled, holding them in place with a foot while kneeling. "Get us closer again!"
Riju said something that was lost to the gale, and then she turned Patricia, looping around and coming up behind Naboris. Lightning struck again, but it reflected harmlessly off her barrier.
Link pulled his bow free again and drew an arrow, eyeing the nearest foot. As they grew close, he released the arrow and it flew true, exploding against the foot. Again, however, it did no apparent damage.
Damn the Sheikah! Link thought as he tried firing another arrow, but this one went wide, nearly striking another of the feet.
"It's not working!" Riju cried.
"I know! Keep us close!"
They passed around the front of Naboris, and Riju began to turn, bringing them around for another pass. As they turned, however, Link looked forward, noting with alarm that he could actually see the Kara Kara Bazaar now. The sandstorm had enveloped it, and as he watched, a bolt of lightning lanced out, crashing into one of the stone homes at its outskirts. The building exploded.
Swearing, Link drew another arrow, taking aim. Again, it did no damage. What was he supposed to do? He tried firing next at its segmented legs, hoping that would prove to be a weak point. These, however, proved just as impervious to his arrows.
Desperately, he even tried studying the legs. Could he climb them? But no, they increased in thickness as they rose, designed, apparently, to be able to collapse down on themselves. Those would prove incredibly difficult to climb, even when not constantly moving. But what?
"Take me closer!" he cried again, waving at Riju. She looked at him, expression unreadable, but then she did as he asked, actually crossing under Naboris, as he'd done. Well, that would work.
He grew another arrow, aiming for the nearest leg and released it. It struck and exploded, but before its lights could even stop flickering, he fired another arrow at the same spot. The foot flickered even more rapidly now, and the leg stiffened briefly. That was something, at least.
They emerged out the other side, only to find the wreckage of a building in Naboris' wake. The Divine Beast appeared to have sped up some, moving in the direction of the bazaar and, ultimately, Gerudo Town.
Cursing, Link turned on the sled, aiming behind him. He fired another arrow, hitting the same foot as before. It definitely flickered more fitfully now.
I am doing damage. But too little. Riju had provided him with twenty fresh explosive arrows—a wealth of arrows in any normal circumstance. He'd already used more than half of those.
Overhead, lightning splashed against their barrier again and then again. Naboris roared and the wind itself picked up, throwing even more sand and debris around the Divine Beast in a swirl. Thunder clapped and a bolt of lightning slammed into another of the buildings at the bazaar.
Link slung his bow and yanked the Sheikah Slate from his waist, pointing it at one of the legs. He attempted the Stasis rune, but the yellow light burst as quickly as it arrived—the Divine Beast was far too large to be held in stasis. But he had another idea.
"Back in!" Link cried, pointing for the gap underneath Naboris, between its front and back legs.
Riju nodded, angling Patricia in. Link's seal followed, and they passed back underneath the hulking machine. As they paused underneath it, one of its feet landed not far from them, causing the earth to tremble.
Link pressed the Remote Bomb rune, and it appeared before him on the sled. He grabbed it before it could roll off and turned, lobbing it towards the leg that was in the process of coming down. His throw wasn't perfect, but the bomb landed near where the leg fell, and Link triggered its explosion.
The lights on the foot flickered angrily, its many joints stiffening. It was close. He clipped the Sheikah Slate back on his belt and removed his bow, taking aim and launching another of the arrows.
The lights on its foot went out. The leg stopped moving. Naboris shuddered overhead.
"Hey!" Riju called, and Link looked around at her. She pointed up, at the large body of Naboris directly overhead. He caught her meaning and nodded. Immediately, she turned Patricia and Link followed, out from under the Divine Beast, in case it fell.
As they left, Link glanced back at the damage he'd done. The leg dragged, leaving a wide gouge in the sand behind it. Naboris' movement slowed, and it definitely appeared more labored now, struggling to continue on three legs, instead of four. It did continue, however, and Link watched with horror as more lightning struck out, destroying homes and shops in the bazaar. Tents erupted into flame, palm trees fell, and rock shattered as Naboris released its furious barrage.
He desperately hoped that the innkeeper and any others still remaining in the bazaar had made it out.
"Same side, in the front!" Link called, pointing. Riju nodded, snapping her reins. Patricia surged forward, and Link's seal followed, though at a slower pace. Cursing, Link shouldered his bow and grabbed the reins, snapping them. "Come on, catch up!"
His seal gained ground not a moment too soon, as another bolt of lightning hit the barrier directly over him.
Riju rounded Naboris' front legs, and Link followed. When they were in position, he pinned the reins down again and turned, reaching a hand out to steady himself. Right behind him, the leg fell, sending up a spray of sand.
He triggered another of the Sheikah bombs and threw it at the foot on the same side as the disabled leg. This time, his aim was even better, and the foot came down right atop the bomb. Link triggered it and saw a blast of sand erupt out from under the foot. Naboris released a distressed sound as that leg rocked with the explosion.
"Come on!" he snarled, wrenching the bow free again as the rune recharged. He took aim and fired another pair of arrows at the foot, each exploding against it with a flash of light and fire.
Riju cried out in alarm, and Link looked around just in time to see Patricia swerve out of the way of one of the destroyed buildings. Link's seal did the same, but too late. His sled hit one of the jagged pieces of stone, and suddenly, he was airborne.
The cord attaching him to the sled saved him from being flung free, but he came back down hard, hitting the floor of his sled hard enough to knock the wind out of him. He heard something snap and looked up in horror to see that the rope connecting the sled to the seal break free. He made a grab for the reins, but they slipped through his fingers. The seal continued on, following Riju, leaving Link in its wake.
The lightning barrier disappeared from around him, and Link cursed, dropping his bow and reaching down to detach himself from the sled. A shadow passed overhead and he looked up to see the Divine Beast's foot bearing down on him. He cried out, throwing the rope free and rolling to the side.
The foot came down, shattering his sled to splinters and sending sand and rock cascading over Link. Coughing, he pushed himself free of the debris and looked around desperately. There was no sign of his bow—he'd lost it in the fray.
He still had the Sheikah Slate, however.
Triggering another of the bombs, Link threw it at the leg and ducked down, detonating it. The explosion and ensuing sand washed over him harmlessly. The same could not be said for the Divine Beast.
Naboris bleated as another of its legs failed, its joints growing stiff. Its other front leg came down hard, and it teetered for a moment before, with a terrible groan, slowly beginning to fall to the side.
He started running in the opposite direction, passing underneath its other front leg as it was lifted into the air, red lights flickering and joints spasming. He kept running until he heard—and felt—the impact behind him. When Naboris hit the ground, it did so with a shockwave that sent a literal wave of sand out in all directions. Link was caught by it and, for the second time, flew into the air.
He fell back to the ground, the blow only softened somewhat by the sands, and another blast of dust and grit washed over him, casting his entire world into darkness.
