3 divine beasts down. One to go. That was the thought in Chase and the team's mindset as they journeyed to the Gerudo Region of Hyrule, and the aptly and similarly named Gerudo Desert. It took a day or two to venture from Tabantha to the canyon pass that bears the entrance to the Desert, but they made it. After the team dressed themselves up in heat-resistant clothes, they made their way in, Link taking a Chilly Elixir he made to make sure his temperature was down. Chase, Luck, and Raimundo were all dressed up in desert garb, but this time Katara and Ace's roles were switched. This time… Ace was the one dressed up in desert wear.
"You can survive a scorching hot volcano and walk around a cold mountain like it's nothing, but a Desert is where you draw the line?" Raimundo asked the Whitebeard Pirate Division Commander.
"Hey, I may be fire and cold-proof, but I ain't Heatproof. If this desert is anything like Alabasta, I've gotta be well covered." Ace said.
"Okay… that said, Will you be okay, Katara?" Chase asked.
"I'll be fine. I've got this strange feeling that I'llisbe used to deserts." Katara said.
"Well, alright then," Chase said.
The group, along with Link, then entered the Gerudo Desert and made their way to Gerudo Town, slowly but surely. Along the way, the guttural groan of Divine Beast Vah Naboris cried out, catching their attention as they caught sight of the massive sandstorm it was stomping around in, its shape barely visible through the swirling sand and striking green lighting.
"Well, at least we don't have to go too far to get to that thing," Chase said. "That deadly mix of a Sandstorm and thunderstorms gonna be a problem though."
"Can't we just charge right in and attack it? I bet we can bring it down no problem!" Luck suggested.
"Bad idea, sparks. Unless you're asking to get fried by your element." Raimundo said.
"Plus, it looks like the sandstorm is its design, courtesy of its lightning," Katara said. "We won't be able to know where it's going despite it being so big, and we'll need protection."
"Well, there's gotta be some way to get in there and do our thing with it." Ace said.
"We'll just have to see if there are any answers at Gerudo Town." Chase said.
After a bit of trudging through sand, they finally managed to make it to Gerudo Town, home of the Gerudo Race themselves.
"Alright, lets get in there and-WHOA!" Raimundo said as two guards in front of them blocked them off with spears.
"Stop right there! No Voe is to be allowed entry into Gerudo town!" one of the guards said.
"Wha-Seriously?!" Raimundo asked. "Wait, whats a-?"
"Voe is the Gerudo term for male, raimudno." Katara asked. "As the Gerudo race are all females, only other women, vai, are allowed town entry."
"How do you know so much about their customs?" Chase asked.
"I sorta picked up on it while meeting a few Gerudo around the land." Katara said. "Anyway, you guys will just have to wait outside the city. I'll go speak with the one in charge and see whats up."
"Sounds fair to me." Ace said as Katara walked into Gerudo town, not blocked by the guards.
"A whole city of girls and were not allowed in, can you believe that, Link?" Raimundo asked, the three boys not seeing Link anywhere. "Uh… link? Hey, where is he?"
"That's weird, he was with us a few minutes ago. Where'd he run off to now?" Chase asked.
Inside Gerudo Town, Katara made her way through the marketplace and headed up to the place. In it, she was soon standing before a Gerudo no younger than a child sitting atop a throne, flanked by a large, well-toned bodyguard. The young Gerudo then Gazed upon Katatra with interest.
Riju
Gerudo Cheif
"Yet another traveler…how did you get in here?" the chieftain asked.
"I uh… walked in. Since I'm a Vai and everything i-" Katata said walking towards the throne before she was stopped abruptly by the banging of the sword by the guard.
"Come no further, traveler! You may speak to Lady Riju from where you you stand." the bodyguard said.
"Oh, sorry…" Katara said.
"Hold on, Buliara. This one is more than just a common traveler. Whats your name, vai?" Riju asked.
"Im Katara. Im here because… well, the thing is… agh, its kinda hard to explain, really…." Katara said.
"I can calm Naboris." a familiar voice piped in as katara turned to see Link, dressed in an outfit meant for Gerudo Females.
"Link?!" Katara asked, baffled by what Link was wearing, not expecting him to be in that kind of outfit at all.
"You? Calm Naboris? Ridiculous. The only ones who could calm it are Champions like Lady Urbosa." Buliara said. "And all the Champions died 100 years ago."
"Hold on. I remember something my mother told me. About how the Hylian princess put a swordsman into a deep sleep. That swordsman happened to be named Link. And he is you." Riju said pointing to Link.
"Then that means that is a Voe in disguise! And judging by that Vai's reaction, she knows him!" Buliara said.
"A Voe within the walls is a serious crime. But a Voe who is a champion…. Well, we'd never mistreat an ally of Lady Urbosa. If you both are here to help with Naboris, that makes us allies." Riju said.
"Phew…" Katara said. "Anyway, Link is right. We're here about getting Naboris back to the side of good. We saw it on the way here, in the massive lighting sandstorm it was generating."
"Indeed. And attacking it head-on without proper protection is suicide in of itself. There is only one thing that can endure Naboris's lighting. The sacred Gerudo heirloom, the Thunder Helm. Unfortunately, it was stolen." Riju said.
"Stolen? Who took it?" Katara asked.
"The Yiga Clan. Sheikah traitors who worship Calamity Ganon." Riju said. "If you are truly accompanying a Champion, reclaiming the Helm from the Yiga Clan should be easy. Head to Karosa Valley, Infiltrate the Yiga clans hideout and retrieve the Thunder Helm from them. Then come back here." Riju explained.
"You got it. We'll do whatever we can to help." Katara nodded.
Meeting back up with the others on the outside of Gerudo Town, the group soon proceeded to make their way to the Yiga Hideout. It wouldnt be easy as they had to cross miles of deep sand.
Fortunately, they were able to rent out creatures that were unique to desert travel, called Sand Seals, from Gerudo vendors. Yes, they were seals. That swam in the sand. Chase was weirded out by it, but chose not to question it.
After a few miles of riding which felt a lot like Jet Skiing on shields (Raimundo had the most fun), the group made it to Karosa Valley and infiltrated the Yiga hideout.
They snuck through the canyon filled with toad statues, stockpiles of Bananas, and the upside-down Sheikah symbol everywhere they went. And of course, there was the presence of intimidating Yiga Blademasters as guards. They were able to sneak past the first two with reverent ease. But then they came to a room where there were four of them.
"Well this sucks, how are we supposed to get to the Helmet now?" Raimundo asked.
"Their treasure piles gotta be behind that door. But we gotta move that guy out of the way somehow." Chase said.
"Hmm…" Ace said before taking one of the Bananas and throwing it down to where the Blademaster could easily see. Spotting it, he happily skipped over to it.
"Huh. So that's why they hoard bananas." Katara said as they sneakily rushed into the treasure room, the Blademaster none the wiser.
They searched around the treasure room, and only found chests full of gems and one just having a bunch of Bananas in it. But, Link then found a secret passage that led to another area, where there was some sorta pit at the end.
"A secret area, huh?" Luck asked before someone appeared in the area near them. It was a large-bodied man wearing the same uniform and mask.
"Hey! Who do you guys think you are, trespassing on my favorite napping spot?!" he asked, before taking a good look at Link and seeing the Sheikah slate on him. "Wait a minute…that thing on your hip, that's a Sheikah Slate! Which means… which means! Yeah! It's you! You're that link guy I've been looking for! Just my luck! My scouts have been searching for you high and low all over Hyrule, and yet here you come just wandering into my hideout!"
"Your scouts huh? Guess that would make you the Yiga Clans leader." Ace said.
(Cue: E. Honda Theme- Street Fighter V)
"Indeed, it does! Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Leader… of the Yiga Clan!" the man said as he made a hand sign. "The Strong! The Burly! The One! The Only! MASTER KOHGA!" he said as he posed. "Now, prepare yourselves!"
Kohga spun away before erecting a sort of magic barrier, likely to prepare for his first attack. But luck was too fast for him and just smashed right into him via a lightning-infused, super fast kick.
"Argh!" Master Kohga tumbled back. "No fair! I wasn't ready!"
"Sorry, but there's no rest breaks in battle, and we're in a hurry!" Chase said, blasting at him.
Master Kohga tried to fight back, summoning Boulders and large metal spiked balls to attack them. But Link was able to turn Kohga's own tricks against him by using Magnesis on the spike balls and making the boulders drop on him with an Arrow to the face. It wasn't long before Kohga was down on the ground, out of breath.
"Blast it all! What kind of monsters are you?!" Kohga said. "I can't go out like this, not to the likes of you!" he said lowering his head before he started laughing. "It's time to bust out one of my serious moves! A secret technique taught by my father's mother's father! It will….destroy you all!"
Kohga did a pose before summoning an even larger spiked ball right in front of him.
"This one might be a tad too big, and I don't know if you all are still there. But… I shall…" Kohga said before the ball rolled his way from the slightest gust of wind as it flattened him and sent him straight down into the pit. "Curse you all! This isn't over! Even without me, the Yiga Clan shall hunt you down to the ends of the eaaaaaaaarrrrth…!" he screamed before a loud crash was heard down below.
(end song)
"Well, that was anticlimatic…." Katara said.
"No kidding, he was a total pushover." Raimundo agreed.
"Hey, guys!" Luck said coming over with a uniquely shaped helmet. "I found the Thunder Helm!"
"Great! Now we can get it back to Riju." Chase said.
"But only Link and I will be able to. You guys wait for us outside the town. It wont be long before we attack Vah Naboris altogether." Katara said.
Back at Gerudo Town, Link (in his Gerudo Vai disguise) and Katara returned the Thunder Helm to Riju at her palace, who wasted no time putting it on.
"So? How do i look with it on?" RIju asked.
"It does suit you… though it seems a little big." Katara gave her judgment. "What do you think, Link?" she looked to the champion and only saw him staring. "Uh… Link?"
Link didn't answer, as while he was staring at Riju, he received another flashback.
Night had fallen with Naboris standing still. Link was approaching a Gerudo woman along with a blond-haired girl sleeping.
"Ah! Well, you certainly got here fast. I should have expected as much from the princess's own appointed knight. She was out on a survey all day. Still as the sands now. So, spill it boy. Have the two of you been getting along? Hehehe. It's okay. Your silence speaks volumes. She gets frustrated every time she looks up and sees you carrying that sword on your back. It makes her feel like a failure when it comes to her own destiny. Don't worry. Its not like you carry the blame in any of this. It's unfortunate. She's put in more than enough time. Ever since she was a young girl, she's gone through rigorous training. Daily routines to show her dedication. She once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access that sealing power. And she has nothing to show for it. That's the motivation driving her research. I'd be doing the same thing. She really is...quite special. You be sure to protect her with your life. Its quite the honor." she said.
"I will...Urbosa." Link said.
"The night brings a chill. Its about time we wake her up." Urbosa said as she snapped her fingers as lightning rained down waking Zelda.
"Urbosa! What was that? Did you feel that?" Zelda said in panic. "What the? What are you?"
Urbosa was laughing as Zelda looked confused.
Link then snapped back to reality.
"I'll fulfill my promise to keep Zelda safe, Urbosa…" Link said.
"It was just another flashback." Katara smiled.
"You're a strange one. Anyway, it is now the time to attack Vah Naboris, and I assume you all don't want to waste any more time. Meet me at the Southern Lookout Post with Sand Seals at the ready. I'll have my favorite mount, Patrica, ready as well." Riju said.
"You got it, Riju," Katara said. "It's time to head into the Eye of the Storm. Were coming to free you, Divine Beast Vah Naboris."
Hey all! I know it's been a while, but I'm back with another chapter of this story! I'll try to update this story whenever I can, as I'm trying to finish breath of the wild and this story at the same time. Nevertheless, look forward to more chapters coming soon!