"The showdown of the century deserves a historical conclusion." The host shifts the audience's attention to a blanketed object perched up top the stands. Several bystanders wait patiently for their cue to lift the curtain. "Feast your eyes on our latest evil contraption." The veil raises and reveals a giant ornate hourglass. "This match will be under a strict time limit of ten minutes. If at least one challenger isn't executed within this small window, then both teams will suffer unfortunate consequences.
"What exactly are they scheming," Riju ponders.
"Any rule-breaking participants will immediately submit to incineration." Following the shocking news, a whiff of fire disperses from iron tubes buried in the coliseum walls.
"That's ludicrous," Riju cries out. "Where's your sanity."
"They're dealing with three wanted criminals Riju; there is no sanity," Abdul interrupts. He marches towards you with a pair of Savage Lynel swords connected by a chain. A mask obscures his face, but his crimson eyes bleed through his disguise.
"One must die, One must die," the mob repeatedly chants as Abdul approaches you.
"No one dies, No one dies," Riju chants, attempting to quell the masses.
"Don't waste your precious breath princess; the Yiga are all just pity caveman devoid of any actual intelligence. I realized that the hard way," Abdul grumbles.
The commentator dawns the microphone, "The fortunate victor shall be gifted their freedom. Now with all the introductions out of the way, let's allow the real competition to commence."
"As much as I loathe Yiga scum, I do adore a good challenge," Abdul proclaims, before lobbing his dual swords in your direction. You engage in a head-on brawl with Abdul, while Riju stealthily strikes from behind. Abdul whips the cable around his body, blocking any oncoming advances from Riju. Back and forth, he successfully counters your multiple sword hits and deflects Riju's bow swipes. The crowd is utterly mesmerized by the all-out frenzy that plagues the battlefield. A glorious spectacle of synchronized slashes and blows, almost resembling a pre-coordinated effort. Abdul's chain wraps around Riju's abdomen and crushes her in a tight bind. Abdul hurls Riju's body towards the bleachers with incredible audience satisfaction. You witness his disrespect towards Riju and release your built-up aggression through a series of powerful thrusts. Abdul effortlessly parries the onslaught, swinging his blades in a figure-eight style pattern. "I've been training for this precise moment, the moment of your death," Abdul smirks. The long cable coils around your neck, restricting your field of movement. Abdul takes considerable pleasure in tightening the chord. Riju grits her teeth as she observes the unfathomable sight. The viewers react boisterously and proceed to repeat a dreadful phrase, "One must die, kill the boy."
"I usually perceive gruesome murders to be quite tasteless, but I'd also hate to displease my new fans...
Don't worry; I'll make it quick." Abdul promises.
You struggle for air, pulling and tugging at your steel collar. You manage to chop the chain with Abdul's knife, but you pass out from lack of oxygen. Riju rushes over, scrambling to assist your fall. She examines your pulse and deduces an unexpected outcome.
"You killed him," She says, shaking uncontrollably. She pauses and remains lifeless, like a puppet with cut strings.
You weren't dead, Riju just didn't know how to check a pulse properly. However, you can't move because you're paralyzed from head to toe. Riju cries intensely, "No, no stop, please, I can't take this anymore." As she weeps, her tears feel like sharp daggers cutting into you.
You can't believe she cared for you that much.
The announcer chimes in, "Wow, the banished clansman is victorious against the champion of Hyrule. Who could've known? Welp, since the contestants have obeyed the regulations, it's high time we grant them their freedom." The hourglass is half full, with five minutes to spare.
"I'm not done yet," Abdul showboats. "I want two heads on my mantle."
Abdul inches closer to a sobbing Riju. She readies her bow as she wipes her face.
"How will you shoot with no arrows, little girl?" Abdul queries.
"I don't know, but I have to do something," Riju explains.
"Oh Riju, your as naive as your mother," Abdul grins.
"What are you talking about," Riju asks, intrigued by his assertion.
"My father took delight in banishing that wench to the underworld. Now it's finally my turn to do the same."
Suddenly, a spectral figure emerges in the sky. The character is covered in layers of smoke, but the outline resembles one of an older Gerudo women. "Mother is that you," Riju says, recognizing her mother's silhouette in the smog. The apparition refrains from articulating out loud, communicating to Riju via the wind. The smoky goddess descends from the heavens and levitates Riju's body off of the sand. The spirit begins to exert a more definite form, with her long hair and beautiful armor becoming visible.
The resemblance is uncanny; the phantom was undoubtedly Riju's mother. It was the same fog-like spirit Riju interacted with during the storm.
Riju and her mother hold the sacred bow steady. A massive electric arrow materializes on the golden string. "Thank you, mother; I owe you one," Riju says, beaming with gratitude. Her mother kisses Riju on the forehead before they release the arrow from it's resting position. The shot shatters when it makes contact with Abdul and stuns him instantly.
The four champions, Daruk, Revali, Urbosa, and Mipha, are all summoned to protect Riju.
"You called?" Urbosa states proudly. "Trust me Riju, Abdul doesn't stand a chance against our forces," Urbosa boasts confidently.
"Time to give the fans what they came for," Revali announces smugly.
"Yeah, it's time to show 'em what we're made of," Daruk says boldly.
"It would be a great honor," Mipha adds as she graciously restores your health.
Riju rushes over to you and flings her body into your arms. You twirl with her in circles as Riju smothers you in kisses. Mipha impedes on the reunion, "Um sorry to burst your bubble, but we have more important issues to deal with."
"Yeah, sorry I got a little carried away," Riju apologizes.
The four champions promptly assume their fighting positions. Daruk curls into a sturdy ball and dashes at Abdul top speed. The assault is successful, and Abdul is brutally beaten by the wild rolling bolder. In deep frustration, Abdul reveals his ultimate trump card.
He unveils a hidden box of TNT with various wires leaking out of the switch. "Don't move or I'll bomb the whole stadium to smithereens," Abdul threatens. The champions stand their ground, waiting for Abdul to let his guard down. The audience flees from the scene and hurries to a safer locale. The hourglass reaches the three-minute marker, with every second ticking closer to incineration.
"I'll disarm all of the explosives under one strict condition. You surrender your weaponry to me, including the Master Sword and the Lightning Bow." Abdul demands.
"Deal," Urbosa concedes.
"Urbosa, do you really trust his word." Riju butts in.
"Just trust me," Urbosa says, calmly reassuring Riju.
You obey Abdul's request and slide the weapons along the gravel. Abdul carefully inspects the antique golden bow, snickering with glee. "Oh ho ho, this is my favorite part."
"Now," Urbosa exclaims. With a loud snap, Urbosa casts a massive lightning bolt through her fingertips. The lustrous relic acts as a perfect electrical conductor and pins Abdul in place.
You and your small army unleash an all-out attack. Arrows, scimitars, clubs, and tridents are all present in the blitz. Abdul recovers his strength, yanking the TNT lever upwards. Revali summons a large gust of wind and blows the box out of Abdul's possession. Everyone is now in a mad scramble to obtain the detonator. Abdul equips the clawshot and quickly snatches the switch. The box glides over Mipha's shoulders and slides under Daruk's legs. You seize control of the detonator, but Abdul trips you by wrapping the chain around your feet. You flip over and accidentally push down the lever with your weight.
The bomb explodes.
A destructive earthquake shreds through the arena, and the sandstone architecture begins to collapse. Revali rockets Riju into the atmosphere, rescuing her from plunging into the quaking chasm. Mipha assists with your escape by throwing multiple spears at the stadium wall, creating a pathway to swing on. You sling yourself from spear to spear as the dirt crumbles beneath you. Fortunately, you clear the wide gap and make a safe landing on the other side. Abdul extends the clawshot towards the rocky cliff-face. The chain catches the top of the platform but slowly begins to slip away.
Eventually, he drops off the edge of the cliff...
Riju clutches the chain before Abdul plunges into the bottomless pit. She starts sliding off herself, but you clasp onto to Riju's stomach and prevent her from slipping off. The champions follow suit, Mipha grabbing you, Urbosa latching onto Mipha, Revali holding onto Urbosa, and Daruk gripping Revali's tail feathers. The hourglass surpasses the one-minute marker, thirty seconds until impending doom.
"Argh, my arm, it's killing me," Riju screams in agony.
"Why are you saving me, after what I've done to you?" Abdul asks begrudgingly.
"What you did was argh... inexcusable, but no one deserves the prospect of death," Riju rebuttals.
"Don't do this Riju; he's not worth it," Urbosa urges.
"She's right; this crazy escapade of yours has gone on for far too long," Mipha argues.
"I... I can't cope with death," Riju finally admits. The dread of losing anyone is argh... mortifying. I can't face that pain urgh... again, regardless of the circumstances."
Steam billows from the rusty iron tubes as the incineration process is prepared.
"You sure are persistent; I'll give you that," Abdul mutters. "However, your selfish agenda is pathetic," Abdul says, proceeding to provoke Riju and taking jabs at her intelligence.
"Oh no guys, our time is almost up," Daruk worries.
"Is the spirit world pulling us back already," Revali groans.
"Well, we wish you the best of luck," Daruk salutes as he slowly disappears.
"Don't do anything stupid," Revali remarks, fading from sight.
"Goodbye, don't forget to utilize those gifted brains of yours," Urbosa announces, dissolving into dust.
"I love you, Li-" Mipha wails before vanishing from thin air.
Abdul resumes spouting his warped principles, "My sole purpose in life is to wreak havoc across Hyrule — nothing more, nothing less. If I can mentally torment someone for the rest of their life, then I can surely rest in peace. If my demise inflicts anguish upon Riju..."
"Then I've completed my mission," Abdul declares valiantly.
Abdul stabs his arm with a knife and plummets into the abyss. The last grain of sand falls as Abdul perishes to his doom. The incineration is officially canceled with one-second still lingering on the clock.
Riju curls into a ball and covers her eyes with her hands, "I couldn't save... I killed," You hold Riju as she cries into your arms, "I just want it to be over, " She says softly.
It was over; you won the battle.
The coliseum is wholly deserted, mirroring an authentic ghost town. The massive steel gates swing open, and the warm sun floods the barren wasteland. You grasp Riju's palm and embark with her on your next adventure.
At this moment, you make a profound observation.
Today, thousands of people witnessed the sunrise.
But only you and Riju were able to witness the sunset.