So... I have a lot of feelings about this chapter, let me tell you, dear readers. When I began writing this monster of a story back in January, I had just started playing through Breath of the Wild again on Master Mode, and thought that it sounded fun to toy around with a novel. I wrote a bunch of ideas in a notebook for a few days, and then even created a Word doc full of notes, outlines, and ideas. Finally, I decided to give it a shot. I didn't truly believe, at that time, that I would ever finish it, much less post it online. It's been just a little over eight months since the day I wrote "Prologue" at the top of the document, and here we are. The conclusion of the fourth Divine Beast. I like to think I feel a little like Link does.
Not that this is the end of the story. Not by a hookshot or even a longshot! We've still got more than ten chapters left, and I very well may be adding one more to the list to round out one scene... Either way, thanks so much for sticking with me through it so far! I promise that these last 11-12 chapters are chock-full of surprises, more ups and downs, plenty of action, and a good deal of memories.
bladeofthebookworms: Oh, I love me some Lord of the Mountain. He-like the three dragons-is one of those mystical elements that I always intended on adding in some fashion, though it took me some time to figure out how to do it.
heartnut: When contemplating the battle against Naboris, I went through several ideas. I considered going all Empire Strikes Back on it at one point, but then abandoned that idea pretty quickly. Finally settled on staying close to the original vision, but with a twist. Doesn't seem like you'd need to take all four legs out to disable it!
Meyssa: Spread the word! Tell your friends! Take out an add on a billboard! Seriously, I'm all about more reviews... I feed off them like a like-like feeds off shields.
iCards: Sealiously.
Now, please read, enjoy, and let me know what you think!
Chapter Forty-Nine
He was late.
Link cursed himself as he hurried through the central Castle Town market, doing his best to avoid colliding with people. There was already a large crowd gathered in the square—a crowd there to see him. Or the Champions, as well as the newly-seventeen-year-old Princess Zelda.
He wasn't even sure how the news had gotten out that they would be departing this morning. He knew that Zelda had hoped that it would be a quiet departure, but it looked as though she would not be getting her wish. Perhaps the arrival of Urbosa two days prior and both Daruk and Mipha yesterday hadn't helped. Plus, there was the fact that there were no coming-of-age celebrations planned for Zelda's birthday.
At least he had already given Zelda her birthday present the evening before. He flushed at the memory—her reaction and what followed… No, it was best not to dwell on such things now.
No, definitely not now, he thought as he pushed back a particularly large woman and her yapping dog, finally coming out on the road leading up to the castle gate. Of course, he'd slept in. On the one day that he couldn't afford to do so.
Like before his other trips with Zelda, he'd opted to visit his family and spend time with Aryll before leaving. His intention had been to wake up before dawn to get ready and make his way up to the castle to get things ready for their departure. But the events from the night prior had left him tossing and turning half the night away, and he had been woken by a curious Aryll rather than by his own internal clock.
Damn it all!
He sprinted up the hill. When the guards at the gate saw him approaching, they automatically opened the large doors just enough for him to slip through and continue up to the castle grounds.
He turned for the royal stables and was rewarded by the sign of both Daruk and Mipha standing in the field beside it. There was a packhorse beside them, laden with all kinds of supplies. Where they were going, there would be no warm homes, no stables, and little food, so they would have to bring much with them on their trip.
"Oh, Link!" Mipha said, eyes widening. She stood up straighter as he approached, puffing from his sprint. "Did you run all the way here from your house?"
He nodded, taking a few deep breaths to try to steady himself.
Daruk grinned broadly. "What kept you so long, little guy?"
"Slept in," Link muttered, glancing around. He couldn't see Zelda or Urbosa. Perhaps he wasn't as late as he thought?
Mipha frowned slightly. "Are you feeling all right? Did you sleep well last night?"
Link glanced at her and felt a stab of shame. The feelings that had left him lying awake in bed the night before… well, he couldn't exactly share them with her or anyone else. "I… well, no. Nerves, I guess."
She still frowned with concern at him, but Daruk patted Link on the back. "I know what you mean, Brother. I feel like I could eat a whole boulder! This is it, though. She's going to do it this time—I know it."
"Did Revali show up?" Link asked. They'd received the message from Revali the afternoon prior—he could not spare the time to journey with them to the spring, but that he would meet them there in a few days.
Mipha shook her head. "No, I think he was being serious."
Ass. Link pursed his lips for a moment before asking the question that gnawed at his thoughts. "Has Zel—Princess Zelda come down yet?"
Mipha's eyes widened slightly at his near-slip. She looked at him for a long moment before nodding. "The princess and Urbosa are in the stable, getting her horse ready. I think yours, too."
Link sighed heavily. Why was she doing that? Normally, he would have been the one to get the horses ready, but, really, she could have let one of the stable hands do so. Still, he knew that she was trying to cultivate a closer bond with her horse, and he was the one that told her that handling it herself would help.
"All right, I'm going to go in and help," he said, taking a step towards the stable. Mipha raised a hand, as if to say something else, but then she stopped. He looked at her curiously for a moment, but when she said nothing else, he continued on, slipping through the open door of the stable.
The royal stable was very large, full of the horses of both the royal family, but also those of the knights that kept apartments at the castle, like Link himself. He made his way past rows of stalls, most of which still occupied by horses that were contentedly resting or eating oats. Epona was in one of these stables, and she looked up at him as he passed. Link waved at her, trying to reassure the horse that he would be back, and she blew out a breath through her nostrils before lowering her head to her bin of oats.
He continued down the line of stalls until he approached the royal stalls, where the king and Zelda's personal horses were housed. He could just make out the top of Urbosa's head over the wall that separated Zelda's white stallion's stall from the next horse in the line.
Link paused, however, when he heard another sound coming from within the stall, however. It was a muffled sound, and he didn't fully grasp its significance at first. Then he heard Zelda's voice, however.
"I know he probably expected me to come see him, but I… I can't, Urbosa. I haven't even been able to look at him since…" He heard the sound again, and he recognized it now. A sniffle. Was she crying?
Link stiffened, feeling an immediate urge to rush into the stall and see what was the matter. To embrace her, to tell her that he was there, to—
No, he told himself, forcefully.
Urbosa clucked her tongue. "Do not blame yourself for his folly. Your father is a stubborn man—he has always been like that for as long as I've known him. It used to drive your mother mad."
"I know, but… perhaps I should go up and—"
"Zelda, your father knows that you are leaving today. If he is unwilling to come down and see you, himself, then…" She said something in Gerudo that sounded harsh, even to Link's own untrained ears.
"Urbosa!" Zelda said, aghast.
Urbosa sighed, and Link saw her shift. "Sorry. I just have little patience for voe who refuse to admit fault due to selfish pride."
"I don't think it's pride, I just…" Link heard Zelda shuffle, and he could imagine her, folding her hands in front of her, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She took a breath. "He has to think of the kingdom first. I need to awaken my powers, Urbosa. You've heard what the priests are saying, haven't you?"
Urbosa muttered another Gerudo curse. "Do not worry yourself over them. Their words are meaningless."
"What if they're not?" Zelda said, her voice growing small.
Urbosa shifted again, stepping away from the wall. "Then your powers will surely wake."
Zelda remained silent, but Link heard her sniffle again.
"Oh, Little Bird…" There was another shuffle of movement, the swish of fabric. "Listen to me," Urbosa said, voice gentle. "You have done so much. I know that you can do this, too. I have faith in you. They will wake when the time is right."
Zelda sniffed even more now, and Link heard Urbosa shushing her softly. He knew that he should have left. He was intruding on a private moment—something that he shouldn't be present for. Yet he stood there, transfixed.
"I wish… I wish my mother were here," Zelda said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"I know," Urbosa said, and this time, her voice sounded heavier with emotion. "But I believe she is still watching over you. I pray to her every day."
"Really?"
"Of course. And I know that she is proud of you, Little Bird. She was always so proud of you."
The sounds that followed made it even clearer to Link that he needed to leave. He finally took a step back, and then another. His heel scuffed the stone floor. The sounds of crying stopped suddenly.
Link cursed, glancing around. Finding no place to hide, he closed his eyes briefly and then softly cleared his throat. "Princess? Are you in here? Mipha told me—"
"O-oh!" He could hear a rush of motion from within her stall. She sniffled. "I'm in here, Link. I'm with Urbosa. We're just getting Storm ready for departure."
He stepped forward, coming into view. Urbosa and Zelda both stood apart, and Zelda's back was turned to him. She had a brush in hand, and she ran it along her horse's long mane. Urbosa looked at him critically, one eyebrow raised.
"Finally decided to show up, did you?" she asked, smirking.
Link felt his face flush. "Uh… yes."
"It's all right, Urbosa," Zelda said, her voice soft. She turned her head to look at the tall Gerudo, and Link could see that her eyes were, indeed, red and puffy from crying. He felt terrible for eavesdropping, and even worse for not being there himself to comfort her, himself. "He wanted to spend some time with his family before departing. I… can hardly blame him."
That hadn't been the reason for his lateness, and she probably knew that. He appreciated her words of confidence, nonetheless.
"Princess, if you'd like, I can finish up in here," Link said, stepping into the stall. "If you need to do anything else before we leave…"
Zelda finally glanced back at him, and her expression pained him. In that moment, he was grateful that Urbosa was present. If she hadn't been… Well, it was best not to think about what he might have done, had she not been there.
"Why don't you let him finish up in here?" Urbosa asked, gently. "We're already running late, and besides, I want to clean some of this straw off before we go."
Link glanced sideways at Urbosa. He couldn't see a single piece of straw on her, though he couldn't say the same for Zelda. She'd clearly been working with the horses in his absence. Her riding clothes were not extremely dirty, but he saw pieces of straw and oats sticking to her in places.
Neither he, nor Zelda, were under any illusions of Urbosa's intentions, however. Zelda couldn't ride out of the city looking like she'd just stopped crying. It tore at his heart to admit it, but she would have to wear her mask of confidence, just as he would.
Finally, Zelda nodded, handing Link the brush and stepping towards the gate to the stall. Urbosa followed.
Link hesitated, calculating his words in his mind. It was a risk, but… well, the risk be damned. "Zelda?"
Zelda paused, looking somewhat surprised. She looked around at him. Urbosa did as well, a slight smirk on her lips. If she was offended by his use of Zelda's name, she made no indication of it.
"Happy birthday."
There was a pause, and Link saw a slight flush appear on her cheeks. She smiled faintly. "Thank you."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Link!"
Link coughed, spitting out a mouthful of sand. He slowly lifted his head, sand pouring off of him as he did so. He was half-buried. What happened? It took him a moment to clear his mind, pushing away the memory of the past and remembering the last few minutes.
The Divine Beast. Its fall. The shockwave. And…
Groaning, he pushed himself to his feet, reaching up and pulling his scarf away from his face. It had done little to keep the sand from getting into his nose and mouth in the wake of the fight against the Divine Beast. His goggles remained, however, a fact for which he was thankful.
The wind had died down considerably, but there was still a great deal of sand in the air. It seemed to coat his mouth and lungs, and he coughed a few more times, which did little to actually help.
Not far from him, Divine Beast Vah Naboris lay on its side. Its two undamaged legs still moved sluggishly, pawing at the sand ineffectually. Oddly, their lights flickered feebly as they did so. He wondered if it would be able to rise again, or his attacks had caused significant damage.
No time to worry about that now, he thought, as he heard Riju's voice calling out to him again. He turned.
Riju rode behind Patricia, hurrying towards him. Her Thunder Helm had been removed, and her hair looked frazzled, despite its braid. She stopped next to him, quickly removing her restraints and stepping off of her sled.
"Are you all right?" she asked, looking him up and down.
Link nodded, taking his scarf and trying to shake out some of the excess dust. It wouldn't do much—not with the air so hazy. At least the lightning had stopped, however.
A look of relief passed over Riju's face, and she smiled. She looked back to the prone Naboris. "We did it. The sandstorm has stopped."
"Too late for the bazaar," Link said, grimacing. He could see that Naboris had done extensive damage to the small settlement before he had brought it down. Even the tall, mushroom-like rock that stood above the inn had been damaged, huge pieces of it having broken off and fallen to the buildings below. He still had some gear left in the inn, actually—he wondered if there would be any recovering it now.
His eyes passed over the other buildings that he could see. Had Rhondson's home made it out unscathed? He hoped that it hadn't been destroyed. She'd told him how difficult it had been to scrounge together enough funds to purchase the small abode.
"We can rebuild," Riju said, confidently. "It didn't reach Gerudo Town—that's the most important thing."
Link knew she was right. Gerudo Town was not only the most populated town around—possibly in all of Hyrule, from what he'd seen—but it also housed hundreds, if not thousands of refugees. Former victims of Naboris' rampaging.
"Well, we're not done," he said, trying to spit some of the grit from his mouth. It did little help. Finally sighing, he wrapped the scarf around his face again. "There is one more task that I need to complete."
"There's really a creature in it, like you said?"
He nodded. "Once it is dead, then Naboris will truly be freed."
Riju considered for a moment and then nodded. "Then I leave this in your hands, Link."
"Really?" Link said, looking at her and raising his eyebrows.
"What? Did you want my help with it?"
"Well… no. I was about to suggest you go back to the city."
Riju smirked, looking from him to the Divine Beast. "I have done what I came here to do. But I am no warrior. Not like Buliara or Teake. I would only be in your way."
She's so wise for being so young, Link thought, gazing at her. This is a girl that had to grow up quick, just like Zelda did. Maybe even more so.
She looked back at him. "I trust you will be successful."
Link nodded. "I've come too far to be stopped now."
"Good. Come see me when you are finished, then."
"Will I have to dress up again?"
She grinned mischievously. "Of course. You're still a voe. I won't be known as the chief that abolished our oldest tradition."
He couldn't help but to laugh. "You're already letting me into the city, though."
"Oh, that's a tradition in itself. Voe have always found ways to sneak into the city. Most of us know it and accept it as a part of life, even if some, like Buliara, try to deny it."
Naboris began to shift, its flailing legs finding some purchase. Link tensed, glaring towards it. "Time to go. I'll be back soon."
"I know you will. Good luck."
He nodded towards Riju and took off in a run towards the Divine Beast, kicking up sand behind him. Naboris began to roll back onto its "stomach", getting its legs underneath it. As it began to rise again, Link leaped and just barely grasped the edge of a small ramp hanging down from its body.
Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself up even as Naboris' legs extended, raising it high into the air again. When he finally had his feet back underneath him, Link released a sigh of relief and looked around.
The ramp led up into the belly of the Divine Beast, from what he could tell. A latticework of stone formed a barrier to prevent him from falling off the side of the ramp, though he nearly lost his balance when Naboris suddenly took a step forward.
Link grimaced as he glanced out, seeing the beginnings of the sandstorm forming. It would likely only be a matter of time before the Divine Beast was back at its full strength and attacking again—he didn't have a lot of time. The bazaar had already suffered enough.
He stepped forward, climbing the ramp. As he crested it, however, he came face to face with the translucent spirit of Urbosa, standing just inside Naboris' great, round belly, arms crossed, a familiar smirk played across her lips.
"Well, well, well," she said, eyes twinkling with mischief, even now. "You sure know how to keep a lady waiting."
Link couldn't help himself but to smile, though he felt a stab of pain at the sight of her. She was, of course, dead like the rest of the Champions. A spirit clinging to the last vestiges of life to finish her final mission.
"Sorry, I slept in," he said.
Urbosa's lips parted in a grin and she looked at him up and down. "You look good, Link. Far better than one would expect for someone… how long has it been? Decades, at the very least?"
"One hundred years. I was placed in the Shrine of Resurrection. It brought me back."
She took this revelation in stride, nodding. She raised a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "And Zelda?"
"Alive. Still fighting Ganon."
"That's my Little Bird," Urbosa said, with a note of definite pride in her voice. "And now you're here to take Naboris back from Ganon."
Link nodded. "This is the final Divine Beast. I've freed the other three, and the Champions are back in control."
Urbosa's eyebrows knit together in a frown. "They're in control? They are alive?"
"No, they… their spirits are in control. When the blight is removed—"
"Their connection is reestablished. Interesting. I'm sure Zelda would have something to say about that."
"I'm sure."
Urbosa's eyes twinkled. "You'd better tell her all about this after you kill Ganon, then. You will probably turn her theories on their heads."
Link looked at the tall Gerudo woman, feeling sadness not just for himself, but for Zelda. Her relationship with Urbosa had clearly gone beyond friendship.
"It will be hard for her, I think. All of her friends and family are gone."
Urbosa scoffed. "She was always the strongest of us all. She'll be fine. Besides—she'll still have you."
Link met her eyes, something unspoken passing between them. She knew. "Thank you. I don't know if I ever realized at the time how much you did to try to smooth things over between us at the beginning."
"Oh, you both would have come around eventually. You two were like a pair of vedi forced to occupy the same room. You hissed and spat at each other, but you would have grown accustomed to each other eventually."
"I don't know that one," Link said, raising an eyebrow.
Urbosa paused, considering. "Small animals, pointed ears, with claws. You Hylians keep them in your homes and use them to hunt rodents."
"Cats?"
"Yes, cats. You two were like cats."
Link smiled, but his eyes soon focused past her, looking into the interior of the Divine Beast. The inside was an enormous cylinder, crisscrossed by various walkways. He could see several round openings that led out onto other platforms outside, as well as doorways that led into other sections of Naboris.
At the center of the large room, however, atop one of the walkways, was the control device, shining with orange light.
Malice coated much of the interior. It dripped from the ceiling and ran down the walls. It covered sections of the walkways. A few of the doors and openings had web-like tendrils of the stuff over them. He saw several of the yellow eyes, all turned towards him. Staring. Trembling.
"It's scared of you," Urbosa said, her voice soft. "I think it knows what you've done to its siblings."
"Good." Link stepped up beside her, looking into the dark interior of Naboris. He could feel the Malice in the air, oily and repulsive. It seemed that he could feel it even stronger now. More potent. More…
He felt her mind with his and gasped. The spirit of the Master Sword had grown stronger. She desired to destroy the creature within just as much as he did. It was not hatred that he felt emanating from the sword, but a sense of true purpose. Anger that such a thing could even exist in this world, and the need to rid the world of it.
Link reached back and grasped the sword's hilt, pulling it free.
At once, light filled the room around him. The sword shone with a brilliant white light, purer and more vibrant than that of the Ancient sword. It was bright enough that Link had to squint his eyes momentarily until they adjusted.
The Malice in the room shied away from the light, quivering. The eyes on their stalks pulled back. Even the feel of Malice in the air disappeared in a kind of bubble around Link and the Master Sword.
He felt a power in the sword that he hadn't felt before. It was a masterful weapon in any fight, made perfectly for his hand. But now, he felt something else. He felt stronger. Surer. It was a feeling like adrenaline, but more potent. All fatigue disappeared.
He'd felt this before. He could faintly remember the feeling as he charged through Castle Town, which lay in ruins following Ganon's attack. The Master Sword had shone with power then as well, sensing Ganon's corruption. But he could also remember… desperation. Pain like he'd never felt. Despair.
No. I can't focus on that now. He forced the images that flashed through his mind away. There was far too much pain in those memories to get lost in them now. He needed to be focused and calm.
As he stepped forward, into the large chamber, he saw the Malice begin to gather. It dripped down from the ceiling, landing on the platform overhead, which held the control device. The yellow eyes disappeared, sinking down to become pools of Malice that traveled along the ground or even rose into the air, traveling to the center.
"Urbosa? What am I going to be facing here?"
Urbosa stepped up beside him, watching the forming creature, her expression full of rage. "It is fast. Faster than an eye blink. And it… took my power from me. My lightning. Be careful, Link."
He pursed his lips and nodded and attached the shield to his right forearm before stepping forward and getting ready. He had a set of Ancient arrows, should he need them, but he would not use them now. Not now, when the Master Sword desired to fight against this creature so strongly.
The creature began to form, the sphere of floating Malice pulsating and stretching to form its body. It, like the others, formed a mask, though this one was surprisingly tall and sharp-edged, almost like a wide blade. Orange constellation-like patterns covered it, save for the single blue eye in its center. A mane of long, red hair drooped down on either side of the mask, covering most of its torso and extending down to where it ended with no legs. Twin appendages formed arms, each ending in piece of Sheikah tech. Together, each arm sparked to life with a glowing, blue shield forming in the left arm while a long, hooked sword appeared in the other.
The blight in Naboris was far smaller than the others, slightly larger than the size of a man's head and torso, though it still floated a few feet above the ground, giving it a taller appearance.
Link grinned, rotating the Master Sword in his hand. This was more like it. A sword fight—he could do a sword fight.
"Link!" Urbosa said, alerting him.
The creature moved with blurring speed, darting left and then right, zigzagging across the slightly curved ground. Link got his shield up just in time to block a slash of its sword that would have taken off his head.
Cursing, Link shoved back, but the creature easily backed out of the range of the Master Sword before darting in again. Link caught its sword with the Master Sword and, for a moment, they locked, but then the creature was gone again.
So fast! Link thought, gritting his teeth, finding it again. It slammed into his shield with enough force to drive his feet back several inches. This close to it, he heard… whispers. He could almost hear a voice emanating from it. The voice carried no words, but he felt its hatred.
It darted away again and then raised its sword into the air. Link saw the spark of electricity almost too late. He threw himself to the side, avoiding a bolt of lightning that struck where he'd been standing a moment later.
"Watch it!"
Again, Urbosa's warning saved his life. Link rolled and brought the Master Sword up just in time to catch a downward stroke from the creature. He kicked a leg out, catching it in its blue Guardian shield and knocking it back enough for Link to throw himself back to his feet. Naboris' constant movement made the floor underneath him unsteady, and he spent too much time recovering his balance to properly counter.
The creature didn't have that problem. Link deflected an attack with his shield and stabbed forward, the shining tip of the Master Sword seeking its eye. It moved its shield to block, however, and the sword glanced off.
It attacked again, slamming its blade into Link's shield which, thankfully, held against the energy weapon. Link threw his shield wide, knocking aside one blow and then brought the point of the shield down on its shield. It threw the creature off its axis, and Link thrust his sword forward. This time, it touched Malice, and the creature screamed as a portion of the writhing mass that made up its torso burned to smoke.
The creature backed away and unleashed another barrage of lightning that Link tried to block with his shield. This was a poor choice.
Electricity coursed through the shield to him, causing him to yell out in pain. His left hand spasmed, and the Master Sword clattered to the floor.
Shaking, Link barely had a chance to get his shield up to block another rapid series of attacks, each moving faster than his eyes could track. Instinct drove his movements and kept him alive.
It scored a hit against his side, cutting through cloth and searing his flesh. He gritted his teeth and slammed his shield against the creature's face with enough strength that it would have broken the bones of a normal person.
It must have done something, because the creature fell back enough that Link was able to scoop up the Master Sword with still-tingling fingers. He went on the offensive, crossing the ground between him and the creature with three steps, bringing his sword down on its shield. Part of the shield flickered, as if he caused it damage, but he was unable to capitalize on it when the creature struck back against him.
Their clash was brief, and they parted again, each backing away. Link waited for the creature to move, which it did a second later, blurring into motion. He waited, eyes growing unfocused as he didn't try to follow the creature's movement, but let his body move of its own accord. He dropped to one knee, and the creature's sword passed by overhead. Link thrust the Master Sword up and into the creature, where its belly would have been in a normal person.
The creature screeched, flying away, dark mist spraying from its wound. It quickly retreated up to one of the upper walkways, well out of Link's reach.
Swearing, Link took several steps back, eyes darting about. He could see several ways to get up to the walkway, but doing so would leave him exposed. He had the arrows, of course, but now that he had seen the creature in action, he knew that he would never be able to hit it with one of them. Revali could have, perhaps, but Link lacked his unerring accuracy.
"Find cover," Urbosa said, suddenly appearing next to him.
The creature raised its sword into the air, and Link saw electricity arc over it. He darted, first left and then right, narrowly avoiding a bolt of lightning. It was followed by another and another, each coming within a hair's breadth of striking Link.
Link dove underneath the very walkway that the creature floated above, and he heard it make an angry sound above. A moment later, the creature darted to another walkway. Link ran to the side, ducking behind another walkway, as lightning cracked where he'd just been, leaving a white afterimage in his vision.
"Stay out of its sight," Urbosa said, standing strong and tall where he'd been, glaring up at the creature. "Make it come to you—I know you can defeat it!"
The creature was clearly infuriated with this new tactic, and it changed positions, again moving to a place that it could observe and attack Link from afar. He darted to another spot of cover, and the creature made yet another furious screech. And, suddenly, Link heard the hum of its weapons.
He brought his shield up just in time to block another attack, and he spun around, slamming the Master Sword against the creature's own shield, which flickered under the force of the shining weapon.
Link pressed, stepping forward and brought the Master Sword down again and again, each time causing the creature's shield to waver. His own shield blocked any of the creature's counters. For all its speed, the creature was not an expert swordsman.
Link, however, was.
Link thrust the Master Sword into the creature's shield again, and this time, the shield completely fizzled out, his sword cutting deep into the creature's arm. The creature released a pained cry, that arm shriveling as the Master Sword burned through flesh and machinery alike.
The creature spun away from Link, moving with its blurringly fast speed, widening the gap between them far faster than he could pursue. It raised its sword, and Link, again, saw the electricity begin to travel along its length. He prepared to dodge another lightning attack, but then the creature blurred again.
He brought his shield up, blocking its attack, and cried out in pain as electricity coursed through the shield and up his arm. That arm went completely numb, and Link stumbled back, unable to lift the shield any longer.
The creature advanced, and Link blocked another of its blows with the Master Sword. He felt the shock there, as well, though it was considerably dulled. It still nearly made him drop his sword, however, and he gritted his teeth, pushing the electrified sword back.
I need to end this quickly, Link thought as he knocked aside one of the creature's lunges. Each blow sent an electric shock up his sword arm, and though the Master Sword diminished it, he felt that arm weakening. His right arm was still nearly useless, though he was starting to regain some feeling back in his fingers.
The creature blurred with sudden movement, and Link rolled, narrowly avoiding an attack from behind. So damn fast! But the creature wasn't the only one with supernatural speed.
The creature advanced again, moving with its incredible speed, but Link jumped back, dodging its attack. As he did so, he focused his mind, and everything slowed around him. The creature still moved quickly, but suddenly Link could follow it with his eyes, and he knew where to strike.
He moved in, avoiding a downward stroke by the sparking sword, and slid his Master Sword in past the creature's guard. His blade cut straight through the creature's sword arm, lopping it off at the elbow.
The shriek that the creature released deafened Link, and it rushed away from him, again rising out of his reach. Now missing one arm, and its shield arm still shriveled and worthless, the creature had an air of desperation about it. Its sword arm began to regrow, but it was frail and thin, bearing no weapon.
Regardless, it raised its weaponless hand, and Link saw a ball of electricity forming just above its open palm. He jumped to the side, avoiding the first lightning strike, and then the second, finally dodging around behind one of the walkways, halfway up the incline of the rounded floor.
Breathing deeply, Link gritted his teeth. The creature likely wouldn't risk a face-to-face encounter any longer, but Link was at a severe disadvantage as long as it remained in the air. Could he try striking it with an arrow? It no longer had its shield. Perhaps…
The Master Sword in his hand pulsed with light, and he glanced down at it. Suddenly, he heard her voice in his head again, soft, but insistent. Raise your sword skyward.
The creature moved into view, hovering well-out of his reach. It raised its hand, summoning another lightning barrage. Link, too, raised his hand holding the Master Sword.
At once, the Master Sword flashed even more strongly than before. He felt strength surge back into his body, chasing away the pains of his wounds and the shock he'd suffered.
Link looked ahead at the creature, and despite its expressionless mask, he thought he saw confusion in its posture.
He swept his sword back down, and an arc of light shot out from the blade, flying through the air with the speed of a lightning bolt. It struck the creature in the center of its exposed chest, sending an eruption of black mist forth. The creature fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
Link ran forward and reversed his grip on the Master Sword. He leaped and brought the sword, point down, into the creature's pulsing blue eye. He felt it pierce straight through its head and hit the floor beneath.
For a long moment, there was stillness, and then the creature made one, final shriek of agony, its body writhing underneath Link, before bursting apart in a cloud of black Malice. In the past, when Link encountered the Malice in its mist form, it had burned him, yet this time, it did not. Instead, it fled from him and the shining Master Sword, swirling around briefly before fading away.
It was done.
Behind him, Link heard Urbosa begin to laugh. He slowly pushed himself up, staring at the Master Sword as its light slowly dimmed as the presence of Malice disappeared. He smiled, silently thanking the sword, and thought that he received a kind of acknowledgement from it in turn. He sheathed it and turned to face Urbosa.
"Excellent job, Link," she said, her voice strong and full of emotion. "I knew you wouldn't let us down."
He felt Naboris stop moving under his feet, settling for the first time since he'd gotten on board. Outside, it sounded as though the howling wind of the sandstorm had likewise died down.
Link stared up into the Gerudo woman's eyes and smiled, feeling a sudden, overwhelming emotion rising up within him. Relief and joy and sadness, all mixed together. "You're all free," he said. Finally, after such a long journey, after so many trials, difficulties, wounds, and pain, all four Divine Beasts were free. And all four of his former friends had been released from their captivity.
"We are," Urbosa acknowledged, smiling. "Though there is still one person that I believe you must free."
"Oh, I learned my lesson," Link said, laughing, though he felt on the verge of tears. "I'm not out to free Zelda. She's capable of doing that herself, anytime she wants."
Urbosa snorted—a strange sound, considering she was a spirit—but then she smiled broadly. "That girl and her pride. She hasn't changed, even after all this time."
Link looked at Urbosa, at the look of pride on her face and the warmth that emanated off of her at the mention of Zelda. It was an expression that... Well, it made him think of his own mother.
"I wish I could bring her here to see you," he said.
Urbosa focused on him again and shook her head. "It's all right. She knows that I will be watching over her. She can speak to me anytime she wishes, even if I may not always be able to respond."
She turned, motioning for him to follow. They walked through the central hub of Naboris, passing under the platform that housed the control device, which now glowed with a soft blue light. Urbosa led him up onto one of the catwalks and out through another hallway. Lines of green light lit the floors and walls, casting strange shadows as they passed.
Finally, they emerged out at the base of Naboris' long neck. As they stepped out, the neck lowered, forming a straight path that jutted out over the sands and what was left of the Kara Kara Bazaar. Urbosa stepped forward onto the extended neck, and Link did likewise.
When they reached Naboris' oval-shaped head, it lifted them back up into the air until they stood high above the desert, above even the hazy remnants of the sandstorm. The sun had risen, bathing the land in light and causing the distant sands to sparkle.
"My home," Urbosa said, her voice soft, as she gazed out. In the distance, the walls of Gerudo Town were visible, though they were still a way off. Beneath them, the bazaar had been devastated by the lightning storm, yet several structures still stood. Many of the palm trees, surprisingly, looked intact. "Thank you, Link, for saving it."
Link sighed softly and sat down, allowing his legs to dangle off the front of Naboris' head. His eyes were drawn further east, as always, towards where he knew Hyrule Castle stood. There's one more thing to do yet. He felt the sword resonate its agreement. One final foe to defeat.
"When I began this journey, I didn't know if I would be able to," he said. Urbosa settled down beside him, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Link looked at her. "The Shrine took my memories, and I didn't know how I was supposed to accomplish so much."
"And now?"
Link laughed softly. "I still don't really know how I did it."
Urbosa hummed softly, nodding. "Zelda always believed in you."
"Well, not always," Link said. "I do remember some of our travels together."
"True. But that was never about a lack of belief in you."
His smile faded as he thought about her doubt. Her pain. The memory he'd had right before boarding Naboris.
"Did I…" he began, but then hesitated.
Urbosa looked at him expectantly. "Did you what?"
Link didn't meet her eyes. "Did I help her? I can remember you comforting her, and I know that I tried to do the same, but…"
She blew out a long, exasperated breath. "You really are clueless, just like she used to say."
"I lost my memories," he said, protesting. "And… what was I clueless about?"
Urbosa shook her head, chuckling. "I'm not telling you Zelda's secrets. Get more of your memories back, and maybe you'll figure it out."
Link swallowed, feeling his pulse quicken. It was funny how thoughts of Zelda could do that. She had a way of making him feel more nervous than facing down a monster like the one he'd just killed.
"But… yes, Link. You helped her a great deal. She laughed when she was with you. She was happier." Urbosa smiled warmly. "I think you were exactly what she needed, in the end."
"Good," he said. "Good."
Urbosa looked over at him, giving him a knowing expression. "I think you've remembered more than you let on." Link didn't answer. Urbosa threw her head back and laughed. "For as much as you've changed, you are still the same!"
Link looked away from her, feeling his face flush. In truth, he wasn't sure if she was right or not. He felt… something for Zelda. Something strong. But he still hesitated to classify it as love. He wanted more memories, more… knowledge of what he had once been. Of what she had once been. Of what they had once been. He'd already learned the painful lesson about assuming the feelings that he felt in the moment, during his memories, were how he should still feel now. He'd learned it twice over.
After a time, Urbosa composed herself and cleared her throat. When she spoke, she took on a more business-like tone. "So. With the final Divine Beast freed, it will soon be time to finish what we started one hundred years ago."
"Yes," he said, eyes narrowing.
"I've waited so long to see you finally rush Hyrule Castle—as well as for the moment when I incinerate Ganon into a pile of ash."
Link looked at her, smiling wryly. "I'm afraid there's a line."
"Oh, I imagine we'll all have our chance." Urbosa stood slowly, looking back towards her city. "Did you know that our histories state that Ganon once adopted the form of a Gerudo?"
"No, I didn't."
Urbosa's lips formed a flat line. "Yes. Whether it was originally one of us, or if it was just a disguise, I don't know, and I don't care. I have always considered that to be a stain on my people's history—and it is one that I intend to see wiped clean."
Link didn't respond. This revelation meant little to him, but it was clear that it was something Urbosa was passionate about.
She looked at him. "It will be up to you to keep Ganon occupied and draw it out into the open. When you do, we will unleash our strike. After that, well… I imagine that is when Zelda will finally have her chance to prove what she is capable of, once and for all."
Link nodded. "I'm going to have the Divine Beasts gather in Hyrule Field. There are… plans in motion that should hopefully negate Ganon's influence over the Guardians. If that doesn't work, though, then I think I'll have an army at my back."
"Good. The Gerudo should give their aid willingly. If not, remind the chief that the Gerudo are never outdone."
"I will."
"And tell Zelda… tell her that I'm proud of her.
Link stepped off of Naboris' ramp and onto the sand below. Urbosa had offered to give him a ride to Gerudo Town, but he had refused, thinking of the alarm it would cause to see Naboris continuing its march towards the city. After witnessing the reactions at Goron City and Rito Village, Link didn't feel like putting another group of people through that just for his convenience.
Besides, he could warp to the shrine a short walk outside of the city anytime that he wished. But, before he did so, he wanted to see if he could gather up some of the gear that he'd left behind in the inn.
Link quietly picked through the deserted Kara Kara Bazaar, marveling at the destruction that Naboris' storm had wrought. Buildings had exploded as surely as one of his remote bombs. Stone had split, and portions of sand looked like it had fused together to form a hard, glassy surface.
He approached the inn—or what remained of it. Half of its roof and an entire wall had been blown away, but the front door remained, for all that it was worth. He stepped inside, finding that everything within was coated with a heavy layer of sand and debris.
It wasn't hard to find what he was looking for, however. Nestled onto one of the beds, which had not suffered great damage in the storm, thankfully, was his pack. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled it closer, inspecting its contents. He found Zelda's diaries, as well as the book he stole from the Yiga Clan hideout. He also found his Gerudo outfit.
He pulled this out, sighing softly. He could wear it one more time. Just once more, he thought, somewhat morosely. And then I can put this whole, strange desert behind me.
Link stood up, removing his shield and the Master Sword from his back. He reached down to grasp the bottom of his tunic.
"Link!"
He stopped, eyes widening, and whirled, looking for the source of the voice. That familiar voice.
"Zelda?"
