The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. Any and all OCs and original locations belong to me unless specifically stated to belong to someone else.

The Voice
Chapter 45 - Would You Prefer Slagathor?

"What?!"

Teba drank greedily from the water skin, nodding gratefully to the Sheikah girl who'd handed it to him. He'd run out a day or so ago and stopping to fill up would have been a complete waste of time...or even more of one, now that he knew he'd missed his window.

One day. He'd missed them by one day, and now Link and Sheik were miles away, probably deep in the Gerudo Desert already. If it hadn't been for that damned storm...

"How is such a thing possible?" Prince Sidon asked, eyes narrowed and sharp teeth bared.

It'd been pure luck that Sidon was the very first person Teba had run into upon landing in the Domain, panting and shouting for someone, anyone, who could point him in the direction of the Hylian Champion. The prince had been contemplating a statue of a tall, slender Zora woman, and immediately came to his aid.

The commotion had brought several others into the square, including a Sheikah girl who'd demanded he explain the situation from the beginning, which Teba had done to the best of his ability.

It did not go over well.

"I do not know," he said after finishing his drink. "It is what I saw, and while I wish I could say that it was all a dream or hallucination, the crater left behind only confirms that it was real. I don't know what that creature is, or what it wants other than those two...and I decided to come here and warn them."

"But its appearance," Sidon pressed. "The way you describe it...it can't be!"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Teba said, fixing the Zora with a glare, "but please do not call my eyesight into question. I saw what I saw. There is no doubt about it."

"They must be warned," Sidon said, fists clenched at his sides. "They'll be deep in the desert, by now."

"I'm going there, as soon as I catch my breath," Teba assured him.

"Y-You're hurt," the Sheikah girl said, looking at his bandaged foot.

"A little souvenir from Vah Medoh," he said, running his fingers through his crest. He didn't look forward to the insistent grooming of Saki he'd be in for later. "Nothing to worry about." He turned to Sidon once more. "Your Majesty, do you know which route they'll be taking into the Gerudo Desert?"

"Only the rough outline," Sidon explained, calling for a map. It was quickly produced by a black-scaled Zora guard, who looked just as worried as the prince. "Thank you, Bazz." Sidon unfurled the map and drew his finger along a straight line from the western end of the Great Plateau, across the mountains, and into the south-western desert. "According to Sheik, they would teleport to the Great Plateau and take the way across the mountains on foot."

"Not through the canyon?" Teba asked.

"Sheik feared ambushes by the Yiga," Sidon explained, crossing his arms, claws digging into the scales of his forearms. "And I don't blame him. Link is a good climber—if anyone could climb across those peaks, it's him."

"Hm," Teba hummed. He wasn't overly familiar with the Gerudo Desert, but from what he remembered of his lessons as a child, there were two main settlements that his two idiot kids would head for: the Kara Kara Bazaar, or directly to Gerudo Town.

...unless they skipped those entirely and went straight for the Divine Beast, that is, but he doubted even they were that stupid.

"I'll head for the Bazaar first," he announced, pointing to the map. "Gerudo aren't fond of allowing men into their city, so I'm willing to bet they'll make their camp there before taking on the Beast."

"Th-They're too e-exposed out there," the Sheikah said. "Even if th-this creature d-doesn't outrun you, the Yiga..."

"They've handled Yiga before, though," Teba said, looking at her in confusion. "Why would this be any different?"

She frowned, looking to Sidon for support.

"There have been some...developments, since they left you, Master Teba," Sidon said, lowering his head. "Information discovered that...well, we fear for Sheik's mental wellbeing." He held up a hand. "Not that we think he would willingly lead Link into danger, but he might be a little...preoccupied, and could possibly miss something."

"I see," Teba said, not seeing anything at all. As much as he wanted to know what exactly had happened during their stay in the Domain, there really was no more time to waste. "I must be off—every moment I stay here is one more moment the creature has to advance."

"H-Here," the Sheikah said, holding out a wrapped bundle of something that smelled salty. "You l-look hungry," she explained as Teba took the bundle and put it in his pack.

"Thank you, Mistress...?" he replied.

"P-Paya," she answered.

"Thank you," he said, nodding again. "Please, stand back, I need some space to take off."

"One moment, Master Teba," the prince said just as he prepared to unfurl his wings to their full width. He came closer, lowering his voice just so Teba could hear it. "I...wanted to thank you, for taking care of them. I was so relieved when they told me they'd found an ally in you."

"You can thank my wife for that," Teba replied, giving him a small smile. "She was the one who pointed them in my direction."

"I'll be sure to," Sidon said, stepping back and watching as Teba took a running start and beat his wings as hard as he could, generating enough lift to get him into the air.

He'd spent less than fifteen minutes at the Domain, but that alone was too much time. The creature had several days' head-start on him. His arms and back were burning with the effort, the muscles screaming at him to rest, but he couldn't. Not yet.

Not yet.

"Keep up," Ayla hissed, leading Link through the Gerudo palace, nodding to the various guards they passed, who all pretended to look the other way. "If you get caught here without me to chaperone you, you're definitely in for it."

Link did so, while simultaneously trying to take in as many details of the palace as he could.

It wasn't as opulent as he'd expected—or maybe it was, and the Gerudo simply put value on different things than the other races did. Water had a prominent role in most of the decoration and colouring. Tiles in various shades of blue and teal formed mosaics of flowing rivers, around which green tiles made up the life that the water gave rise to.

The palace itself was carved out of the stone, but carpets and drapes were found everywhere to dampen echoes and give the place some warmth.

Link had once heard someone in a tavern refer to the Gerudo as savages, but anyone who paid a visit to the palace (or their city, for that matter) would find they were anything but.

"Okay," Ayla said as they paused outside large archway near the back of the palace, blocking his way. "I don't think I have to stress the importance of behaving in front of Riju, yeah?" she asked, directing it mostly at the slate on Link's belt. "You will be respectful."

"If she doesn't start shit, I won't start shit," Sheik replied. "Respect is a two-way street, after all."

Link groaned. "I w-will mute you," he warned.

"Look, if she's as great as everyone in this town says, then she'll be smart enough to see just what a boon our arrival is."

"So far it's been less of a boon and more of a pain in my ass," Ayla said. "But yes...if your stories about the other Beasts are true, then you are definitely our best hope for calming Naboris, even without..." she groaned. "Riju will have to explain that. Come on."

They swept into what turned out to be throne room. Or, Ayla swept in; Link slinked after her, trying to take up as little space as possible. Large chambers like this tended to make him nervous...though this one wasn't quite as imposing, as the entire back of the throne room was open, giving petitioners a spectacular view of the desert landscape behind the throne.

The throne itself was, as everything else, carved out of stone, with a high back covered in writing Link couldn't decipher, and a symbol he'd seen repeated in the various banners and other decorative patterns throughout the city—some sort of crest, likely.

After his initial study of the room, Link became aware of two things.

The first was that, next to the throne, stood the biggest damn woman he'd ever seen. Even for a Gerudo, the warrior was massive, her hands resting on the hilt of a sword as tall as Link...or even taller! Her fiery red hair was kept back in a high ponytail, her forehead protected by a golden plate.

He almost made the mistake of assuming this giant warrior was Riju...until he looked at the throne, which was occupied by the second thing Link noticed.

That is, by Riju herself.

Who was small.

Very small.

Sheik must have noticed this as well, judging by the stifled snort coming from Link's belt. His finger hovered threateningly over the mute switch until he stopped, by which point they were at the base of the stairs leading to the throne.

Riju and the warrior—bodyguard, possibly?—were having a conversation, but broke it off once Ayla and Link had paused. Riju turned her head to regard them, torchlight reflecting along a crest-like crown that had apparently been woven into her hair, along with a jewel displayed prominently on her forehead. Gold bangles adorned her arms, jingling as she adjusted her seat to get a better look at Link, her big eyes studying him carefully, with more than a little suspicion.

Her eyes were green, Link noticed, instead of the gold amber he'd seen in every other Gerudo.

"Hm?" she asked, giving him a little smile. "Yet another traveller..."

Her voice was soft, betraying her age—far younger than Link had expected. No more than fourteen, if he were to guess.

"How did you get in here?" she asked, though her gaze flitted to Ayla, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Chief," Ayla said, bowing her head. "You'll want to listen to this one."

Riju hummed, looking back to Link, studying him closer. "Oh," she muttered, her eyes narrowing upon spotting the Sheikah slate. "It seems you have something rather interesting, there..."

Link made to step closer, but the warrior at Riju's side slammed the tip of her blade into the floor, making a loud bang.

"You stand before Lady Riju, chief of the Gerudo!" she bellowed. "Declare your business, but come no closer!"

Link nearly jumped back down the stairs—she was absolutely terrifying!

"Hold on, Buliara," the Gerudo chief said, holding up a hand. "This one appears to be more than a common traveller." She pointed a manicured finger at him, demanding: "You there—what is your name?"

"L-Link," he answered, forgetting his cover name entirely...though then was it really a cover when all he'd added were two extra letters? In the corner of his vision, Ayla palmed her face with a sigh.

"Link..." Riju repeated, her smile growing a little wider. "And what is it you've come all way here to tell me, Link? Ayla rarely smuggles random Hylian vai into my palace, so it must be important."

"I c-can c-calm Naboris," he declared.

Or tried to, at any rate. Instead of the bold claim he'd hoped to make, it came out as a squeak. He really should have taken Sheik up on his offer to speak for him more often.

As if on cue, there was another distant tremor as the Beast in question stomped the desert floor. In the distance, the sandstorm around the Beast was visible. Neither Riju nor Buliara paid it any mind, focused on their smuggled-in visitor.

Buliara scoffed, looking him up and down, clearly finding him wanting.

"You think you have what it takes to subdue something so powerful as a Divine Beast?" she asked. "The only ones who could ever control them were Champions like Lady Urbosa...and all of the Champions died in the Calamity a hundred years ago."

"Wrong!"

Link had once heard somewhere that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That really was starting to ring true, especially when it came to Sheik and expecting him to actually know the value of silence...or good timing, at that.

To Link's left, Ayla groaned quietly into her hands.

For a moment, it almost seemed like things were going to go well. Riju and Buliara's eyes widened a little, but neither seemed overly perturbed by the third voice that seemingly came from nowhere.

Then, naturally, reality ensued, and Buliara immediately launched herself to stand in front of Riju, sword at the ready.

"Who said that?!" she demanded. "Show yourself, assassin!"

"I said that," Sheik replied.

"Where are you?!"

"Right here."

"Cowards fight from the shadows!"

"Good thing I'm not a coward, then."

"Buliara, please," Ayla said, holding her hands up placatingly, as if trying to calm down an angry bull...which was probably a more apt simile than Link dared to say out loud. "There is no assassin—the voice is coming from the slate." She pointed to the device on Link's belt.

"What is this nonsense?" Buliara growled. "Ayla, get over here and defend your chief!"

"Look, if I wanted to kill Tiny over there, I would have done so already. I can create bombs out of thin air, for Din's sake!"

"So, you admit that you are an assassin!"

"Only of Yiga and people's self-esteem, if that helps."

Link pretended he was standing on a beach. The sun was warm on his face, the crashing of waves filled his ears, the soothing feeling of water washing over his feet. It was a far better option than the nonsense he was forced to participate in at the moment.

"Ah-hah!" Buliara exclaimed once more. "So, you admit that...wait, what?"

"If I may speak?" Riju asked from behind the large warrior. "Ayla, do you vouch for Link and this...phenomenon?"

"I do," Ayla confirmed with a nod. "In fact, they came to my aid in a battle against Yiga. That is the only reason I led them to you, Riju."

"Then, Buliara, perhaps you could stand down, so that proper introductions can be made?" There was an iron edge to her words, and Buliara obeyed immediately.

"As you wish," she said, returning to her previous stance...though standing a little closer to the throne, now, ready to spring back into action at the first sign of trouble.

Really, her mistake had been not doing that the second Link appeared, because if anything he got the feeling that he was trouble incarnate. Or maybe that was Sheik, and he was just along for the unfortunate ride.

"Now, then," Riju said, rising from her throne and taking a few steps closer, peering down at Link. "That item you carry...the slate, you called it?"

"Sheikah slate," Sheik corrected her.

"Ah, yes...I recognise the Sheikah's markings," she said, nodding. "And you are...inside it?"

"Yes, hello, my name is Sheik," Sheik replied with a put-upon tone. "I'm a Sheikah out of time who was put inside this slate, yadda yadda yadda, my favourite colours are blue and red, I enjoy long walks on the beach in the moonlight, blah blah blah, very nice to meet you, let's move on."

"Are you trying to get Link killed, you utter piece of—"Ayla began, but Riju cut her off with a wave of her hand.

"That is...I mean, it is very nice to meet you too, Sheik," Riju said, clearly trying to keep a calm, placid façade...but Link could see cracks in her mask, the sheer absurdity of the situation threatening to overwhelm a well-rehearsed, fake sense of calm. "I can't claim to understand what you just said, but I...I..." she trailed off, her brows knitting, as if she just realised something.

Link had rather been hoping she didn't.

"What..." Another crack appeared in the form of a slight twitch in her left eye. "Did you..." One more, her teeth slowly coming to bear. "Call me...?"

"Oh, no," Ayla whispered.

"What did you call me, you little shit?!" Riju shrieked, almost launching herself off the platform at them, the only thing holding her back being Buliara's firm hand on her shoulder—clearly a practiced manoeuvre.

"Whoops?" Sheik asked innocently. Link groaned. "What? I couldn't help it! Plus, have you looked at her? She's even shorter than you, Link!"

"Buliara, bring me that bastard's head!" Riju shouted.

The warrior looked torn between ensuring that her chief did not attack a visitor and following the order. "I do not believe he actually has a head to bring you..." she muttered.

"I like you, Bull, and you're absolutely correct," Sheik told her.

"B-Bull?!"

"You don't like it? Would you prefer Slagathor?"

Link decided that was enough, and flicked the mute switch on the slate, kicking himself for not doing that right away. He never learned, did he?

"R-Right," he said, taking a deep breath.

It took him a while, but he did manage to calm down Riju enough to actually explain the situation (with some help from Ayla). It was a heavily abridged version of who he was, what had happened, and what he'd come to do. By the end, Riju looked intrigued, but Buliara was not convinced.

"This story is absurd—a Sheikah machine that can bring back the dead?" she scoffed. "And you, the Hylian Champion?" She paused. "Wait, if that is true, then that means you're a voe!" Her hand went to her blade again, but Riju sighed.

"Buliara, that much was painfully obvious from the moment he walked in here," the chief said. "I mean, he's a very pretty voe, but...well, you seem to be lacking certain assets..." She gave Ayla an amused look. "This was your idea, I assume?"

Ayla shook her head vehemently. "I accept no credit for this," she said, her voice firm. "This was all them. They're lucky I decided to hang around the gates to vouch for them. Right, Linkle?"

"It w-worked, d-didn't it?" he shot back, feeling insulted. "Th-They weren't th-the only ones I f-fooled!"

Riju rolled her eyes. "And him?" she asked, gesturing to the slate. "Is there a reason you let him mouth off like that? Clearly you have some control over him."

Link frowned. Sure, Sheik had a habit of pissing off just about everyone he didn't like, and mouthing off at the worst possible times, but...that didn't give Link the right to just arbitrarily take his voice away. How else would he communicate and interact with people around him? It was all he had left. Yes, it caused problems, but at the same time he also solved problems.

Sometimes.

Occasionally.

Speaking of...

He lifted the slate, seeing the screen flashing on and off. Oof, Sheik was not happy right now. Link made sure he had the lens pointed at himself and said:

"W-Will you b-behave if I u-unmute you?"

The screen flashed once.

"I-Is th-that a y-yes?"

Another, single flash.

For all he knew, Sheik was giving him a figurative finger.

Still, though...

He flicked the switch.

"If I ever get my body back," Sheik said quietly, "the first thing I'm doing is gagging you."

"So...a hundred-year-old Hylian Champion has just walked into my throne room," Riju said, leaning back in her seat. "You claim you can calm Naboris—a feat only someone like you would be able to perform...that is, if you are speaking the truth."

"Absurd," Buliara muttered under her breath.

"Do you have any proof of these claims?" the chief continued, ignoring her bodyguard. "Any way to convince me?"

"T-Two, actually," Link said, pointing to the sword on his back. "Th-This is th-the Sword th-that Seals th-the Darkness."

"The Master Sword?" Riju said, surprised. "Truly?"

"M-May I?" Link asked, directing the question to Buliara, gripping the handle.

"Go ahead," Buliara said, looking intrigued. "But I am watching you!"

"Go, Slagathor," Sheik whispered.

Link drew the sword, holding the blade out to his side to let them study it. There was an ethereal quality to the way the light danced off the metal—sometimes it even seemed to emit it on its own, even without any of Ganon's corruption to set it off.

"That...is certainly a fine-looking replica," Buliara said haltingly, eyes narrowed.

"It's the real deal," Sheik protested. "We had to argue with a fucking tree to get it back!"

"A tree?" Ayla said. "What?"

Riju looked afraid of asking her next question. "And...the other proof?"

"Me!" Sheik said brightly. "Or, rather, the slate, I guess. The pleasure of my company is just a bonus!"

"What crime did you commit to be saddled with such an annoyance?"

"Hey!"

"Th-The slate l-lets us c-connect to th-the Beasts," Link explained quickly, before Sheik could get started again. He had no interest in calming the two of them down once more. "L-Let's us c-control th-them."

"And that is how you tamed the other three Beasts, as you claim?" Riju asked. "Intriguing...but still, we have no idea if you are actually speaking the truth, Link."

"How about a test?" Buliara suggested, looking at her chief. "If he can recover the Thunder Helm..."

The Gerudo chief nodded slowly. "Yes, that can work," she said, focusing on Link. "Naboris won't let anyone come near her, hurling lightning at anyone who tries. The only thing that can protect against such strikes is the Thunder Helm, which has been passed down through my family for generations."

"Ooh, ooh, let me guess!" Sheik said. "You lost it, right? On account of your tiny head, which didn't fit in—"

"Sh-Sheik!" Link hissed.

Riju's gaze turned cold. "It was stolen from us," she corrected him. "The Yiga infiltrated my city, slew several of my guards, and made off with the helmet. Any attempt at taking it back has resulted in more death, or several of my warriors being taken captive." She rose and walked towards Link, stopping a few paces away.

She really is shorter than me, Link thought.

"Go to the Yiga hideout," she said. "Recover the Thunder Helm and rescue my warriors. Then I will believe your story, Link."

"Wh-Where is it?" Link asked.

"To the north-west," Buliara said. "Their headquarters is located inside an extensive network of tunnels in the mountain. It is a labyrinth."

"Oh," Link said. "G-Goody."

"If you're even half the Hero you claim to be, Link," Riju said, "I'm sure you can do it."

"And i-if n-not?"

"Then I will say a prayer for you when you don't return," she said simply.

"I w-will return," he said, trying to sound...well, reliable. She was definitely trying to appear unaffected by all this, but her stand-offish attitude was easy to see through. There was worry, beneath it. Worry for her people—her emphasis had been on the people he was to save, not the helmet. "I p-promise."

"I look forward to it."

"Um, excuse me?" Sheik said, cutting in.

Riju sighed. "Yes?"

"You expect Link to be able to infiltrate a Yiga base, by himself, and then extract himself and a bunch of Gerudo warriors and a presumably well-guarded helmet...all on his own?"

"He is a Champion, is he not?" Buliara asked.

"Damn right he is, Slagathor," Sheik said. "But the Champions didn't fight alone, you know? They had support from each other, and the Divine Beasts. The least you could do is give us some backup."

"I'm not sacrificing more of my people for this," Riju said immediately. "I've lost too many to those caves already!"

"Th-They wouldn't h-have to f-follow us in," Link said.

"We just need someone to watch our back when we come back out. Knowing our luck, we'll have the entire Yiga army on our tail—they'll run us down in no time."

"He has a point, Riju," Ayla said, "as much as I hate to admit it. A small escort group can surely be spared? Just to keep an eye out while Link sneaks inside? If it goes wrong, they can retreat to a safe distance, out of the Yiga's reach."

"That...could work," Riju said, nodding slowly. "And if you do manage to save my people and recover the helmet, they can provide a distraction while you get away."

"Exactly," Sheik intoned. "You're smarter than you look, Tiny."

Riju's eye twitched. "W-Well," she said, "this sounds like a plan. You'll head out at first light in the morning. Ayla, you will lead the escort group. Take as many warriors as you need."

Ayla's shoulders slumped. "What? Why me?"

Honestly, Link felt a little insulted. And here he'd thought he'd made a friend of her.

"You're the one who led them here," the chief pointed out...by which she actually meant that Ayla was responsible for this mess. "You've already established a rapport with Link and...the other one."

"Sheik," the slate helpfully supplied.

"Yes, that one," Riju said, ignoring him. "And I'm sure you'd like another opportunity to work together."

"Ah...I...suppose," Ayla replied through gritted teeth. "Looking forward to it," she added to Link.

"L-Likewise." He smiled at her.

"Oh, and one more thing," Riju added. "If you happen to come across Kohga, the Yiga leader...please do us all a favour and kill him."

"Finally, a proper task!" Sheik said gleefully.

The first explosion went off just as they passed the first checkpoint. Kiro's breaths came in harsh pants as he races as fast as his legs could take him, leading the small group of Gerudo captives through the Yiga tunnels, inwardly counting down for the next explosion, hoping that he'd gotten the fuse lengths right.

They reached the second checkpoint, and the tunnels shook with tremors as the second stash of explosives went off, taking out load-bearing pillars and other structures. Not enough to collapse the entire system, but enough to block certain key passages to make it much harder (and slower) for anyone to pursue them.

Ashamed as he was of his clan—his family—he couldn't bear the thought of trapping them inside the tunnels or bearing blades against them.

...well, perhaps he wouldn't mind doing that to one individual Yiga, but that was not his goal at the moment.

"Are you sure about this?" Barta asked, breathing heavily. "If you made a mistake—"

"I didn't," Kiro insisted. "As long as we keep moving—"

Third checkpoint, a third explosion. Rocks and sand cascaded down behind them, blocking the way of their pursuers, whose voices were growing louder and louder as more and more Yiga were awakened by the noise, immediately giving chase.

"We'll be fine!" he finished.

They were near the exit, now. Just a few more bends, and—

They emerged into the main entrance chamber, leaping over the noisemakers and other traps to prevent intruders from sneaking inside.

"Kiro!"

He stopped, panting, looking up at the small stone balcony that overlooked the chamber.

Master Kohga stood there, flanked by nine of his elite guards—the biggest, strongest warriors the clan had to offer. Next to them, the bloated master looked anything but formidable...but Kiro knew that it wasn't Master Kohga's physique that made him dangerous.

"What are you doing, Kiro?" Kohga asked, his voice muffled by his mask. "Stealing the Thunder Helm, freeing our prisoners...have you lost your mind?"

"No, master," Kiro said. "I think, for the first time, that I'm actually doing the right thing."

"The right thing?" Kohga said, chuckling. "The right thing?! The right thing is betraying your clan? Your family? And for what? The Gerudo? Kiro, they are our enemy!"

"Even if I believed that, master, I still have a life debt to honour. Please...don't try to stop me."

Kohga sighed. "I didn't want to think I'd lost you, boy, but clearly something has deluded you." He raised his hand, palm facing up, and there was a feeling of something heavy settling in the air. A thousand tiny particles glinted in the torchlight as Kohga drew metal particles out of the sand that covered the floor, concentrating them and forming them into a flat, bladed star-like shape. "Give me the Thunder Helm, or you all die."

"We don't have time for this," Barta said.

"Hang on," Kiro whispered. "Three...two...one..."

His last cache of explosives went off, just inside the tunnel they'd just emerged from...below the balcony. He wasn't so stupid as to think it'd finish Kohga or his guards, but the tremors threw them to the ground...and giving them an opening.

"Go!" he shouted, pushing Barta and the others towards the entrance. "Run!"

Within feet of the entrance, Kiro looked back. The guards were stumbling around, trying to keep their footing as the caves around them shook...but Kohga was on his knees, his arm already moving through the air.

The star-shaped projectile bit deep into Kiro's shoulder, the force with which it was thrown—aided by Ganon's foul magic, a gift to Kohga—nearly knocking him off his feet. He found himself steadied by Barta, who took his arm and dragged him away.

They emerged into the desert night and kept running.