Chapter 14: Infiltration
"A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept." -Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The group had managed to reach the southern mines, only to be once again impeded by high security in the area, no doubt the Yiga having been notified of their approach. Regardless, the group had come up with a possible answer to their problem.
"We really don't have much of a choice, do we?" Link halfheartedly asks.
"Not if you want zero casualties to the Gorons. Our only choice is to walk among them." Samus answers, concluding that they must disguise themselves.
"That's very dangerous. Unless we have their clothes, at least, we won't be getting close." Zelda comments, looking over the sentries posted at the entrance.
"I thought about that. Yunobo, you were there with the others, did you manage to see what was inside their store rooms?"
"Hmm, the one near the left of the entrance had the pickaxes to mine the crystals. Next to that is the forge to make them into weapons and I never saw what was in the rest." Yunobo answers.
"There has to be more uniforms in one of those store rooms. We'll never know until we check."
"Hold on, what exactly are you implying?" Link asks, before realizing Samus's intentions. "You seriously want to go down there alone?!"
"Not entirely. You three will be my eyes while I sneak into one of those store rooms." Samus says before she deactivates her suit. "Can you do that?"
Reluctantly, the others agree and Samus descends the cliffs, keeping away from the skywatchers spotlights. Thankfully, the blue glow from the barrier partially hides her zero suit, giving her a bit more cover. Timing the skywatcher patrol, she sneaks by the lights and reaches the back of the store rooms (around the perimeter of the mines).
"Alright, show me the good stuff." Samus says to herself as she scans the rooms for uniforms (hiding every so often the skywatchers fly overhead). On the fifth room, she sees several boxes with garments and Yiga masks (Samus: Ah, there you are!) and, after hiding one more time, materializes her arm cannon and activates the blow torch like apparatus (from the plasma beam) and makes a square hole in the back of the room, big enough for her to fit through. Quickly, she jumps through, just barely missing the skywatcher. Once inside, Samus places a box in front of the hole to not raise suspicion, and she searches the other boxes for uniforms that'll fit her and the others. After finding two for Link and Zelda (she had their measurements jotted down), she just needed to find one for herself. Her search is interrupted by sounds from outside, causing her to lean her head against the door.
"So, all this just for three idiots?" A Yiga footsoldier asks.
"It's not just three idiots, you fool." A Yiga archer, adjusting a duplex bow on his shoulder, retorts. "The champion, princess and outsider; they're the ones who ruined our outpost and Metroid breeding ground in Lanayru. Remember?"
"Oh, right. But, this seems like a bit much, don't you think?"
"We can't take any more chances; the mining operation is going as planned and the source is protected inside of Vah Rudania."
"Source? You mean what we use to make the elite pirates?"
"Yes."
"How did the supreme master get it?"
"Well, from what I hear…" Samus, clearly interested in how the elite pirates are created, decides to listen in. Unfortunately she doesn't notice the mask sliding from her arm, which falls to the ground, making noise. "What was that?"
"It came from that room."
The one of the guards enters the store room with a blue phazite sickle ready, but doesn't find anyone. Nevertheless, he checks the inside a bit and finds the mask on the ground, concluding that it fell off one of the racks. Seeing the box was moved, he creeps up and slashes behind it, finding nothing again. From above, Samus lodged herself on the roof (feet on one wall, hands on a rafter across), having used the box as a stepping stone, making it look as if someone went through it.
"Did you find anything?"
"Hmm, no. I think a mask just fell off." The guard answers, putting the box back in its place before walking out and closing the door. "Anyway, what were you saying?
"Oh, that. You know what; it's in the files in the watchtower on the left of the entrance. Check for yourself when you get the chance; its better explained there."
Samus quietly gets back on the floor, recovers a new mask and checks the boxes one more time. Finding a Yiga Blademaster uniform (known for being taller than others), she takes it and runs back through the hole she made. While welding the piece back, a skywatcher closes in on her, making her worry. Before its spotlight reaches her, the skywatcher becomes alerted to a rock thrown at it and shines the light at the direction it came from. After a few seconds, it continues its route and Samus makes it back to the others.
"Good arm."
"It was nothing." Yunobo answers with a big smile.
"So, how'd it go?" Link asks.
"I got the uniforms, it looks like we can wear them over our clothes; meaning we can discard them on the way." Link and Zelda nod in acknowledgement. "Also, they seem to have some files that I need to have a look at; they're getting the materials for the elite pirates from somewhere specific."
"How will we find those files?" Zelda asks, clearly intrigued by the idea of learning new information.
"It's in the left watchtower at the entrance. One of us needs to get up there without raising suspicion, the only question is; how?"
"We'll figure it out once we see the inside of the mining station, for now, we should get going." Link says while, having deactivated his suit, puts on the Yiga garb over his champions tunic. Samus and Zelda follow him as well by putting on their own garbs. Link and Zelda decide to leave behind their weapons with Yunobo, who will stay behind until they give the signal. A few minutes later of traversing the cliffs, to appear that they came from the regular path, the three reach the entrance to the mining station, where they are stopped by the sentries.
"Hold!" A Yiga footsoldier stationed at the entrance stops the trio. "What are you doing here?"
Link, not wanting either of the girls to say anything to put them on the spot (Zelda in particular because of her accent), speaks up. "My name is Ravio, Master Silas sent us from the Lanayru outpost to offer security services." Link answers in a gruff voice.
"Lanayru? I thought that outpost was destroyed."
"It was, that is why he sent us."
"Hmm." The footsoldier stares at the other two and addresses them. "Where are your weapons?"
"Uh, those were left behind, for maintenance." Link hastily answers.
"I didn't ask you, young man." The footsoldier sternly says, before turning his attention back to the others. Link begins tensing up because the Yiga is looking directly at Zelda. "Well? What's the story?"
"The exact same one he just told you." Zelda replies, hiding her accent in a more smooth, but reproachful voice. "We left them behind to be repaired and Master Silas told us to pick up the new weaponry as replacements. In case you're wondering, yes; we mean the phazite weapons made from the crystals you've been mining." Link is visibly impressed at Zelda's act, so he steps back to let her continue. "Now, do you have any more questions or are you done wasting our time?"
"Take it easy, I just needed to ask. Your arrival just confused me."
"Hey, I understand. It's just that Master Silas is in a very bad mood and it wouldn't be best to upset him anymore than he already is. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Point taken. Alright, let me assign you three to your tasks; Ravio, you are to patrol the mining operation and report any suspicious activity.
"Understood." Link answers.
"You are to stand guard on the watchtower left of the entrance. Stop anyone trying to get in without authorization. Also, what was your name?"
"Understood sir and my name is Hilda." Zelda answers, hiding her contentment of being assigned to the tower with the files.
"And you...what's your name?"
"Malkovich, sir." Samus answers with a distinct Irish accent.
"Malkovich? What kind of name is that?" The Yiga asks in a fairly derisive tone.
"It's a traditional name; only the strongest fighter in our house has the honor of carrying the name." Samus then moves in close so that her mask and the guards mask are a few inches apart. "And I won't tolerate you deriding it."
"No need to get testy." The guard holds up his hands to diffuse the tension. "Very well, Malkovich; your assignment is to guard the watchtower at the exit to the mines, report any suspicious activity to your superiors at once."
The three have been given their orders and are now able to enter the southern mines. Upon entering, they look on in shock over the unfavorable conditions that the gorons are working in (blisters on their hands and feet, whip marks on their bodies which are most likely phazon burns, the young ones harnessed and forced to drag the carts with pickaxes or harvested crystals and several others being whipped for lagging behind. Steeling themselves, they continue to the shack where the phazite weapons are being held and take what they need (Link: vicious sickle. Zelda: demon carver and duplex bow. Samus: windcleaver). After taking the weapons, Samus hands the others a pair of communicators to keep in touch (on their ears and hidden by their masks) and they separate to their designated areas (A/N: the three events happen at the same time.)
Link
While patrolling the mine and looking out for any possible weaknesses in the area, Link muses to himself over the irony of wearing Yiga attire. His musings are immediately interrupted by the sounds of guards shouting to a goron miner for dropping a cart of crystals. Before they can whip the terrified goron, Link steps in to "do the deed".
"I'll handle it; you go about your business." The other Yiga laugh as Link strong-arms the goron away. After those same Yiga walk away, Link (behind some rocks) takes his mask off so that the goron can realize that it's him. The goron quickly tells him that there's no real escape due to sentries at several points, the skywatchers patrol the perimeter round the clock and the fire breath lizalfos blend into the walls, so they're hard to spot. Link assures him that they're here to help and will find a way to get them all out. For now, he just needs the gorons to hold out for as much as they can, to which he nods. Keeping up the charade, he escorts the goron back and orders him to pick up the pace while yelling at other onlookers (What are you looking at? Get back to work!). The other Yiga laugh at his act while Link internally apologizes for his harshness, promising to get everyone out of here, somehow. For now, Link continues his "patrol'.
Zelda
Upon reaching the watchtower, Zelda relieves the other guard to take his place. After he leaves, she takes the opportunity to look over the files there.
"Hmm, patrol routes...checkpoints...weapon shipments...project helix! Alright, let's have a look."
With the information given to us by Master Ridley, we have been able to successfully create "elite pirates" to add to our forces. Two months ago, a creature called a space pirate by our God came to our world. When she was regaining consciousness after Calamity Ganon's defeat, our God captured it after it decided to wander the caves and kept the space pirate in seclusion in hopes that it would yield information on our world for her, but saw other possibilities when she regenerated Master Ridley.
Combat notes: The elite pirates possess tremendous strength and agility. They follow orders to the letter and carry out any mission with great efficiency. A new feature, according to Master Ridley, is the application of a red phazon core, allowing the elite pirate to mutate into a stronger form should it take excessive damage; with strengthened phazon armor and increased ferocity.
"I should make notes of this; captured space pirate, Ridley regenerated (Samus may want to know about this), red phazon. Now, let's put all of you away. Hmm?" As Zelda puts the files back into their respective places, one file in particular catches her attention; titled "The Giant".
Considered the pinnacle of project helix, this particular elite pirate is in a league all its own. Possessing double the strength of your basic elite pirate, The Giant can also use phazon to regenerate damaged tissue and organs (so long as there is some of the organ left) as well as increases in durability, muscle mass, stamina and intelligence among other things.
Combat notes: Apart from physical strength and firepower, The Giant is also equipped with a red phazon core, allowing it to mutate if it is grievously injured. This is the point where all praise for it becomes fear; upon mutating, its strength multiplies even further, but its intelligence dwindles to that of a rampaging monster. In this state, it attacks both friend and foe alike. We have lost many of our personnel and monster forces to the first one in its berserker state, only after our God destroyed it did the rampage end. These creatures are to be only used as the last resort; anyone who has seen the rampaging Giant never lives to tell about it.
"First one? Then, there's another of these 'Giants'?"
Zelda jots all the important points down and puts the files away to not raise suspicion. Just as she puts the last one away, a guard walks in to ask if there have been any oddities yet. After answering that there haven't been any, the guard leaves to let her continue.
"Alright, we've got the information we need." Zelda walks up to the window and looks out into the station. "Now, how do we get the gorons out?" As she wonders this, she is suddenly brought out of her thoughts by the sound of large wings flapping through the sky. She looks up and a cold chill runs down her spine.
Samus
"Alright, so Goron city isn't that far from here, but there's a large metal wall blocking the way." Samus says, looking at a map of Eldin. "Also, how many hostiles are there?"
There are 17 Yiga, 8 elite pirates, 5 guardian stalkers, 7 pairs of fire breath lizalfos and 6 guardian skywatchers." Virginia gives her report.
"Hmm, the gunship could maneuver around the skywatchers, but the stalkers would all aim at the same time. But, the real problem is how to get the prisoners out of here?"
Before she can ponder any further, a large flapping sound catches her attention, followed by a loud roar. Looking up, she sees Ridley flying overhead, still disbelieving his appearance in this land.
"I do believe that he is an even bigger problem, Samus." Virginia says, causing Samus to huff in frustration. "I haven't figured out how to deal with the hostiles yet, but I may have an idea for an escape route."
"Really? And what is that?"
"That metal gate will take a while to cut through with the blowtorch, but if we use that, then we could destroy it and any hostile in front of it.
Samus listens to Virginia's suggestion, taking into account that using that would take 5 minutes to charge AND that she needs to have her suit fully activated as well, blowing her cover. Sighing, Samus contacts Link and says that she needs a distraction. Unfortunately, before anymore can be said, a large three fingered hand plummets down from the roof, grabs Samus and pulls her out.
"Did you really think that I wouldn't find you skulking around here?" Ridley says in amusement before ripping off Samus's mask and hood.
"How did you know?" Samus demands, the frustration present in her voice.
"I'd never forget your scent, even among all of this mountain's embers; I'll always be able to single you out." After answering, Ridley roars to bring the other Yiga to attention. After bringing her down, three footsoldiers tie her to a post (one of them being Link to assure her that she's got him for back-up). Afterwards, the soldiers (after moving the gorons to a corner) move aside and Silas walks over to Samus.
"Ms. Aran, it's funny how we keep running into each other like this."
"Let me off of this thing and I'll show you how funny it can get." Samus says, seething in anger.
"Oh, I wager you could show me. But, I have other matters to attend to. Now, the princess and her knight; where are they?" Silas demands, only to be met with silence. "Surely you don't expect me to believe that you split up to hide your tracks? I'm well aware that you three move collectively, so (Silas pulls out his red phazite windcleaver and points it at Samus's neck) where are they?"
Samus looks to the side and answers. "I wouldn't know."
Frustrated, Silas sheathes his sword, harshly grabs Samus by the face and turns her head to look at him. "You know, you've been pushing me to the boiling point recently. You made me look like a fool to our master! You three stopped our attack on Kakariko village, destroyed the metroid breeding ground, had the audacity to defy us in Zora's Domain and now you're here to stop the mining of these crystals, aren't you?!"
"Don't get so angry, you'll age quicker." Samus mockingly says while smirking.
"Why, you insolent little-" Silas extends his right arms claws and prepares to impale her before being stopped by Ridley.
"Silas. Haven't you figured it out yet? She's clearly staling our time, there's no need to interrogate her for their whereabouts; they're among us, aren't they?"
Ridley's affirmation makes Samus's eyes light up in alarm and she discreetly looks at Link. Seeing this, Link slowly backs away without calling attention to himself.
"I see. Well then, let us in on the charade; which ones are they?" Silas calmly asks, to which Samus stays quiet. "No? Very well then; I'll just assume that this was a joint effort with the gorons. Pirates, guardians! Take aim!" Silas commands and they all aim at the terrified gorons. Samus and Link begin panic, Zelda looks from the watchtower in horror without any idea as to what to do and Yunobo only watches helplessly from the cliffs. "Fire-"
"No, wait! Wait!" Link steps forward, takes off his mask and throws to the ground before pulling off his hood. "I'm here."
Silas holds up his fist, signaling them to stop. He then walks over to Link, disarming him and staring intently. "Unwilling to make sacrifices, aren't you? Had you stayed down, you might have been able to get away."
"Only you would hide behind innocents, they're not going to pay for our actions." Link says in quiet anger, causing Silas to smile.
"Heheheh, spare me your indignation. Now, where is the princess?"
"I sent her away, she's long gone by now." Link says to the unamused Silas, having told Zelda to run off and regroup with Yunobo (slaying a couple of lizalfos in her way with arrows).
"Well, she couldn't have gotten far, we'll get her later. But first, there's the matter of what to do with you-" Before Silas could finish his sentence, a large boulder falls down near them, followed by another one. Looking to the east, they see Yunobo chucking them to draw their attention and before they can react, fireballs pelt the guardian stalkers, disrupting their sensors. Ridley looks to the west and sees Zelda (unmasked) as the cause of the fireballs and flies off towards her. Making use of the commotion, Link beats two of the guards with his fists, grabs a sickle and cuts Samus's ropes, allowing her to roundhouse kicks Silas onto a cart of crystals. Avoiding guardian and elite pirate fire, Link and Samus duck behind some boulders and the latter activates her suit, calling her ship to offer cover fire. As this happens, the lizalfos shoot fireballs at the pair and the guardians lay a barrage of shots, followed by the elite pirates. Using Daruk's Protection, Link shields himself and Samus from the attacks, not knowing what else they can do with their quickly diminishing shield. Just then, Yunobo jumps down and collides his own protection with Link's, causing a shockwave that knocks back all of the attackers. After both dispel their barriers, Yunobo hands Link his weapons and, as the Yiga recompose themselves, he reactivates his suit (flaking off the disguise in the process) and prepares for battle.
On the western side of the mines, Zelda shoots at Ridley with phazon arrows, slightly damaging his armorskin.
"Raah… Let me show you real fire!" Ridley inhales deeply before firing a stream of superheated energy from his mouth. In response, Zelda uses her barrier to block and redirect the stream onto Ridley's chest. "How are you doing that?! You have no shield generator!"
"It's a power given to the royal family by the gods, this one in particular is called Nayru's Love; I'll throw back anything you throw at me." Zelda answers in a defiant tone.
Before Ridley can retort, Samus's gunship (remote control) flies overhead and fires at the hostiles, destroying several guardian stalkers and breaking away the cell doors that had the prisoners contained. Deciding that the primary threats are in the mines, Ridley abandons the fight, with a swing of his tail at Zelda (knocking her against the quarry wall), and flies up to attack the ship. After getting back to her feet, Zelda shakily pulls out the duplex bow and aims a phazite arrow at Ridley. Exhaling, she lets loose the arrow, breaking off a joint on his left wing before he can strike the ship. Screeching in pain, Ridley hovers down before he crashes and he directs an elite pirate to go after Zelda. Seeing this, Yunobo swings the boulder breaker at the lizalfos in the way and calls out to Zelda, throwing a drillshaft into the wall a few inches away from her. Reaching it, she sees her rapier and lynel bow tied to it and frees them from the shaft before looking at Yunobo, who nods at her before returning to battle. After strapping it back to her waist, the elite pirate catches up and growls menacingly at her, who unsheathes her rapier and demon carver in response.
Link and Samus, back to back, fight off the footsoldiers and lizalfos while the ship offers suppressing fire on the larger monsters (including Ridley). Some of the gorons have decided to aid in the fight, led by Yunobo, and use their tools as weapons. A Yiga tries to blindside Yunobo, but another goron swings his pickaxe horizontally and the footsoldier ducks down. Swinging vertically, the footsoldier slashes horizontally, disintegrating the pickaxe with the phazite blade and leaving the goron open to a deep slash across his chest and he falls to the ground, lifeless. No time to mourn, Yunobo punches the footsoldier into the rocks nearby and prepares for an incoming guardian stalker and lizalfos.
"3 minutes and 15 seconds remain, Samus." Virginia gives the report on that being charged.
"Copied." Samus answers before returning fire to the elite pirates. Link charges his AKEB and slams it into a boulder, sending it flying towards one of the elite pirates, sending it careening towards a watchtower and collapsing it on some lizalfos. Frustrated, Ridley sends out a loud roar, making a cliff wall collapse. The rockslide is revealed to be a corrupted Igneo Talus Titan (double the size of an average one, a vaguely humanoid appearance and the stone parts connected by thick, phazon ligaments).
"Oh damn…" Link and Samus collectively say as they witness the monster.
Zelda struggles with the elite pirate, losing the duplex bow in the lava below. The pirate shoots at her, missing by inches as she ducks behind some rocks. Arming a phazite arrow, she quickly moves out of cover and shoots at the pirate's shoulder cannon, destroying it. Roaring, the pirate charges at her with its bayonets ready and Zelda puts up her barrier and the pirate swings at it. Nayru's Love protects her, but its incomplete formation knocks the both of them in opposite directions, with the added consequence of Zelda dropping her rapier. The elite pirate recovers first and walks towards her, but Zelda shoots another phazite arrow at its face, stunning it and giving her time to run at her rapier. Getting the arrow out, the elite pirate extends its right bayonet and charges at Zelda again, who reaches her rapier, charges it with Din's Fire, turns around and sends a fiery slash at the pirates neck, decapitating it mere inches away from her. The bayonet drives into the wall to the left of Zelda before deactivating and the elite pirates body falls down next to her, much to her relief. Seeing the Igneo Talus Titan, she pulls of her tattered Yiga disguise (her regular attire underneath) and runs off to face it with the others.
With its new ligaments, the Talus swings its "arms" as if they were flails, catching several lizalfos and guardian in its wake (due to its mindless instinct still present) and the two do their best to dodge the swing.
"Link, exactly how do we destroy this thing?" Samus asks, the exhaustion present in her voice.
"There should be an ore deposit on its body. But, this one doesn't seem to have any." Link answers while tossing remote bombs at the Talus' head. In response, Samus scans the beast and finds a large ore deposit within its torso (or rather central stone). At the same time, Virginia informs her that "that" has finished charging and Samus immediately decides to us it to bust through the Talus' fiery stone hide.
"Link, distract it for 20 seconds, I have a plan. When I say move, get clear of the Talus."
"I'm on it." Using Revali's Gale, Link launches himself upward and tosses a remote bomb at its "head", provoking it into swinging at him and, at that moment, Zelda uses her power to restrain it. 20 seconds later, Samus shout at them to get away. Aiming at the Talus, her cannon muzzle opens up into a group of concentric rings.
"Zero laser; ready to fire." Virginia confirms as a large stream of bluish white energy releases from Samus's cannon. Yunobo and the others stare in awe as the laser digs into the Talus' torso. After 7 seconds, the laser dissipates and Samus's cannon reverts to its regular state and the Talus drops to its knees, exposing a large ore deposit.
"Impressive." Zelda comments after dispelling her barrier covering Link and herself.
"Maybe next time you should start with that one." Link jokingly adds.
"Yeah, I can only use it once every three days. It takes a strain on the suit." Samus says while checking her suits diagnostics.
"Samus, look out!" Yunobo shouts as Silas barely misses slashing Samus from behind with his windcleaver. Link shouts that he and Zelda will handle the Talus, Yunobo and the surviving Gorons fend off the Yiga and elite pirates and the ship employs hit and run tactics on the remaining guardians and the still grounded Ridley.
"Link, I have an idea; shoot a phazite arrow at the left shoulder when I say. Got it?"
"Got it." Link uses ice arrows to cool down the monsters fiery surface and, with the added thermal shock, bombards its ore deposit with arrows. In response, the Talus prepares to swing its arm once again; prompting Zelda to shout "now!" and Link shoots a phazite arrow at the extended phazon ligament on its shoulder, severing the arm. Zelda, taking the sheikah slate off of Links belt, uses the stasis rune to freeze it in place and quickly instructs Link to send her up in the air with Revali's Gale and she rapidly shoots arrows at a specific point to add as much kinetic energy as possible before falling down onto Links arms. The stasis cancels out and the arm slams into the gate blocking the exit like a rocket, destroying it.
"Hurry, get to the exit!" Zelda shouts as she gets back on her feet. Yunobo offers backup as the more injured gorons hobble to the exit. Link has Zelda lead them away as he helps Yunobo fend off the attackers. Meanwhile, Samus continues her rematch with Silas.
"This is the last time you make a fool out of me!" Silas angrily shouts as he alternates between his windcleaver and bladearm. Samus, no longer blinded by frustration like last time, effortlessly evades all attacks.
"You let yourself be swayed by a promise of power; you were always a fool." Samus disappointedly retorts, causing Silas to angrily shoot a phazon blast from his arm. Samus answers his attack with the wavebuster, allowing the surges to travel through Silas blast, electrocuting him. While he's stunned, Samus uses her boost ball to ricochet off of him several times before ending in a screw attack across his chest. Just before landing, Ridley intercepts and swipes at her against the wall.
"Silas had his chance, it's my turn now!" Ridley, with his damaged but regenerating wing, flies up and drags Samus against the rocky surface, disrupting her suits stability. The Talus comes to and takes a swing at her with its remaining arm, hitting Ridley as well. The two fall to the ground, Samus trying to stabilize her suit and Silas approaches her with his sword aimed at her heart.
"Be a good girl and stay dead this time." Silas spitefully says before being hit by an arrow through his right leg. As he screams from the pain, Samus takes the opportunity to fan kick him against a crystal deposit, stabbing him several times. Samus grabs his sword and javelin throws it at his abdomen, making him cough up blood and lose consciousness. Leaving her suit deactivated, she runs off to rejoin Zelda (the one who shot the arrow) and they help the gorons get away. Elsewhere, Link and Yunobo hold off the Yiga and elite pirates with both showing signs of fatigue. The Talus makes one final attempt to crush everybody there, but Yunobo has Link charge his AKEB and strike Yunobo with his barrier up into the Talus chest, who strikes the ore deposit and grabs on, punching what remains of it. With a mighty swing of the boulder breaker, the ore deposit shatters, ending the Talus' life. As it falls on the cliffside, it releases extreme heat which makes the stones forming the wall unstable as it disintegrates. Upon landing, Link and Yunobo fist bump in glee. Looking to the exit, they see the others beckoning them to escape. As they run, Yunobo is hit with a stray guardian shot, propelling him to the wall. Link calls out to him before running to offer assistance. The Lizalfos gang up on him, but he slashes at each one that tries to slow him down. Feeling overwhelmed, he conjures Urbosa's Fury, raining down lightning on all of the attackers and allowing him to reach Yunobo.
"Can you walk?"
"Yeah. That was a cheap shot though." Yunobo retorts, causing Link to laugh a little. Helping him up, they see the remaining forces glare at them as they're boxed in. Thinking through their ideas, the enemies close in on the pair. Samus tries to get her ship to fire, but it was forced to land due to overheating. Looking behind him, Yunobo orders Link to jump on his back as he curls up, not explaining what he intends to do. Summoning Daruk's Protection, he propels Link upward as the monsters rush them and, moving quickly, Yunobo uses all his might and slams his fists onto the unstable wall, causing a tremendous rock slide.
"Yunobo! No!" Link shouts as he gets clear of the falling rocks that engulf the monsters, including Ridley (who was unable to get away). Silas regains consciousness as he shouts in alarm before being crushed by the rocks. The dust settles and Link floats down with his paraglider to witness the entire mine destroyed. Panicking, he tries to move away the rocks to try and find Yunobo, before realizing that there are ones that are too heavy for him to lift. Falling to his knees, he hangs his head in shame over failing to protect his friends' grandson. Zelda walks up to him and comforts Link.
"Link, you did all you could. If it wasn't for him, his people couldn't have escaped from their torment. Please, let us continue to Vah Rudania for his sake." Zelda sadly but resolutely says.
Link looks her in the eye before speaking. "I understand. Let's finish this for him. I won't fail you, brother." Link gets to his feet and walks back to the escapees with Zelda. Lagging behind, Samus hears the rumbling of stones as Ridley erupts from the other side of the rocks. Samus spitefully promises that they'll have their rematch before leaving with the others as Ridley stumbles out before turning his head in their direction and roars in anger.
Thundra Plateau
The Yiga, having brought several silver monsters with metallic harnesses, capture a golden lynel which was turned into this from a lightning strike. After binding it, the footsoldiers move away for Dark Samus to approach. Dark Samus digs her index finger into its forehead, corrupting it and increasing its overall strength even further, much to her sadistic delight.
To be continued
Author's note: ok, I'll be honest; I didn't like writing this chapter that much. It blocked my ideas SO MUCH that it took me this long to write it. Anyway, sorry for the delay guys, I know there are plenty of followers who were waiting anxiously for this story to be updated. I hope to get the next one out sooner than this one. On a side note, I know that BotW 2 is on the way, but this will be its own story because there is next to nothing for me to incorporate from it (a teaser trailer really isn't enough to go on, heheh). If they show some other things in the coming months, then I MIGHT consider it.
Now, to the reviewer under the name Tanner, will I incorporate the resurrection of Ganondorf in this story? My answer is: I dunno, wait and see. :P
See you soon, guys. :)
