"Oh no, this is bad. This is really bad." Tobias worries.
"What's bad? Are you talking about the fact that Guster just nabbed Link's mythical sword?" Gustav asks.
"Yeah, without it, we don't stand a chance against a horde of nasty moblins. Here, I have an idea. Link and I will meet up with the blacksmith in Goron City to replace the old demon slayer. You take Riju to the hot springs and try to calm her down. Those two need to be separated for a while if we ever want to get anything done."
"Huh, you're really stepping up to the plate, Tobias, acting like a true adult."
"Yeah, an adult. I quite like that title."
"Welcome to my new and improved weapon shop," Rohan familiarizes. "It's odd to see a warrior such as yourself without any form of defense. But I guess that's why you've come here. So what'll it be, elemental blades, ancient weapons? If you're looking for anything apart of the lynel series, I'm your guy."
You look around at the countless selection of weapons available. You stumble across a very important item on the nearest shelf.
"Oooh, it seems the old savage lynel swords have caught your eye. It might not seem very effective chaining the two blades together, but you be surprised at the myriad of uses you can get out of them."
You receive a set of disturbing flashbacks from the yiga coliseum. It was the same weapon Abdul wielded during your daunting fight that took place oh so long ago. You couldn't quite put your finger on it, but it was almost as if someone was beckoning for you to take it.
"What do you think, Link."
You delicately cradle the sharp blades letting the chain slip through your fingers. The sensation was getting stronger. Someone was pleading for you to adorn yourself with such a piece of technological mastery.
• You nod your head in agreement.
"Okay, we'll go with the dual lynel action.
"Oh, that beauty, she's priced around 10,000 rupees."
"10,000 rupees! That's highway robbery."
"Hey, lynel swords aren't cheap, you know, and I gotta make my living somehow."
"Fine, you're lucky we have just the budget to cover it. Remind me to thank my mom for lending us this money."
Guster snickers while eyeing the crystal spheroid, "Good, good, that was almost too easy. I can't believe he actually fell for the old beckoning sword trick. At this rate, it'll make Link turning on Riju a snap."
"Aaah, that feels so good," Riju rejoices, dipping her legs into the searing tub. "Goodness, I'm glad I could get away from that troublesome boy, Link. Men are just so annoying, right, Gustav."
"Yeah, they uh sure are... but girls are even worse."
"Hey, Gustav, you're supposed to be on my side."
"Oh, yeah, Tobias tasked me with calming you down, my bad."
"I was just thinking. Isn't it weird how Guster took Link's sword and shield, but not my bow?
"Well, I've never heard of the lightning bow before. It's probably not as notorious as the fabled master sword. Speaking of Link, what was that whole fiasco about earlier."
"Look, I love Link to pieces, but I don't think I'm ready to be his girlfriend. That isn't just because we're fighting, it's also because I'm inexperienced with relationships. I've never dated someone before. How am I supposed to know what to do?"
"I'm not the dating type either, but if there's one thing I know, you gotta grab the bull by the horns and ride that beast into the sunset."
"That's a little ironic coming from you, Gustav, Mister no-show."
"Hey, dating and fighting are two completely different things. I'm a lover, not a fighter."
"I guess that makes sense."
"No one knows what to do when they first start out, but you gotta start somewhere. If you don't, you'll miss out on a lot of spectacular moments."
"Ugh, why does this have to be so difficult?"
"No one ever said love was going to be easy, Riju. That's why so many people struggle when dealing with it."
"Look at you, Gustav, lecturing me about love like your some sort of mystical guru. I appreciate the kind sentiment though, I really needed advice regarding this topic."
"Well, as long as you can help me get over my fears, I don't mind helping out from time to time."
"That sounds like a deal," Riju optimistically condones, shaking Gustav's hand.
You and your troops decide to call it quits for the mountainous region of Eldin, moving into the lush verdant territory of Akkala. The train reaches a set of bridges adjacent to a large waterfall. Soon enough, the infamous landmarks of the Great Fairy Fountain and Tarrey Town are within sight.
Torin Wetland, a once overgrown guardian nightmare, was that no longer. It now functioned as a makeshift campsite where travelers would come to bask in the rustic countryside.
"Are those your new swor-" Riju stops mid-sentence after realizing the horrific sight. The swords that once placed Link in a brutal chokehold were now apart of his arsenal.
"Are you crazy?! Those are Abdul's weapons. Why would you ever wanna reminisce on those troubling memories? That was the day where we almost faced certain death."
You continue to polish the large knives, neglecting Riju's advice.
"You just don't care, do you? You just don't understand what that day did to me. The nightmares I've endured because of that man—the trauma I've experienced and what I've undergone to treat that trauma. You just simply don't care."
The sword was speaking to you. It was telling you to ignore these desperate cries for attention. The sword wanted you to focus on the bigger picture, the things that really mattered.
You get up and chart a path to your tent.
Riju interrupts your listless stroll by forcing her body in front of you, "HEY! I'm speaking to you."
Riju was an obstacle, a burden for you to carry, or that's at least what the sword said. At this point, you didn't know who or what to believe.
"Do you still care about me, Link? Be honest with me. Has all this fighting made you wary about continuing our relationship?"
You did! You still cared about her. You cared about Riju more than any other person on earth. But no matter how hard you tried, the words just wouldn't come out. It was almost as if the sword had a tight grip on your vocal cords.
You walk back to your shelter without saying a word.
Riju tilts her head down.
Not only did the sword have a tight grip on your vocal cords, it also had clear control over your actions. Making you want to commit an unspeakable evil, hurting Riju.
Guster can't contain his excitement, having completed the impressive goal of persuading the hero of time to do his bidding, "Hahaha, things are just going too well, and it's only going to get better from here. Soon, Link will turn on all of his teammates, one by one, banishing them all to eternal damnation. May the goddesses of Hyrule hear my song, so none of our noble adventurers get along."
Riju remains awake, unable to fall asleep. She was far too preoccupied with racing thoughts and a sense of uneasiness, "Why didn't Link say anything? Why did he just walk off like that? Does he not wanna be around me anymore? Dang, I have so many questions."
You wait till the middle of the night when most campers are sleeping. The fire is as roaring as ever, providing you with a steady source of light. You venture out of your tent, bringing with your pair of lynel swords. You make your way across the wet savanna, encountering Riju's residence.
Riju spots your presence and dives under her quilted covers.
You inspect the area for any signs of activity. Once the coast is clear, you raise the dual set of daggers above Riju's head.
Riju opens her eyes to witness an unfathomable sight, you standing above her with two sharp lynel sickles. Riju rushes out of the tent, booking it behind a nearby tree, "What's going on? Why is the guy I like trying to kill me?"
You obeyed the word of the sword, following orders like an empty puppet. You were a shell of man, not fit to be in control of your body. You were a slave, and the blade was your master, issuing commands like a Sargent on the battlefield. There was no rhyme or reason to believe otherwise, no rhyme or reason to fight back.
You swing the chain around in a circle on the right side of your body. You throw the sword out. You spin and lift the chain overhead, channeling all your energy into a powerful downwards slash. You cut the tree that Riju is hiding behind in half.
Riju scurries out from her hiding spot, hesitant about engaging in conflict, "A-are you okay, Link? W-was it something I said?"
You grind the two swords together, displaying your rage.
"I'm sorry, okay, I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I know I've been really stubborn, but that's because I want you to be a good person. I want you to use your strength for good, not just to impress me."
You throw the sword out again. The sturdy coil wraps around Riju's body, leaving her briefly stunned. You grasp the chain and pull her closer, using the other sword to make a swift slice. Riju dives under the strike and then sprints towards her lightning bow for protection.
Riju equips herself with the cherished heirloom. The two weapons clash with one another. "Ugh, I know it all stems from jealously. I know you fight other men because you care about me. Ugh, You don't want anyone else to take me away. You wanna be with me. But I'm too much of an ugh, coward to take you up on the offer. I'm a disgrace; I'm truly a horrible human being."
You break away from Riju's tight grip and then launch the sword at her. The blade misses its target and strikes a nearby pillar. The dagger remains submerged within the stone structure. Riju glides along the chain, using her bow to zipline across. You toss a sizeable rock at the swift-moving Riju. She avoids it by swinging her body around the chain. She kicks you in the gut, simultaneously yanking the blade out of the concrete.
You eject one of the swords backward, snag a piece of wood with it and then sling it forwards. Riju dodges the heavy timber with impeccable timing. You continue to fling swords in her direction, twisting and turning the chain around your torso. Riju escapes the wild onslaught through a series of backflips and well-timed kicks. Riju begins to fire lightning missiles from her lustrous bow. You spin the chain in front of you, deflecting the charged projectiles. You then spin the chain above you, hovering slightly above the ground, mimicking a helicopter rotor.
The blade controlled you now. You lived by a code of steel. You no longer held any power over your actions. All you could do now was watch as the girl you once loved was torn to shreds.
As you're hovering, you hurl the opposite knife at a dazed Riju. Riju evades the hefty slice and scales the lodged-in chain. She runs up the chain-link, heading straight on a collision course for you. She hooks your neck with the lightning bow and sends you plummeting to the ground. She then presses an arrow up against your neck, holding you in a dangerous bind.
"I-I don't know what to do. I'm not good with these things."
The chain was only a few feet away, almost close enough to reach.
"Honestly, who is. Nobody knows everything."
You extend out your hand, hoping to clutch the nearby cable.
"But If I could know everything, I would wanna put it to good use for you..."
You snag the sturdy chain and reel the sword back in.
Riju places her lips on your neck, "Because I'm in love with you."
You quickly grab Riju and roll away from the incoming sword. The sword lands snug in the ground, inches away from you and Riju.
"Link, y-you saved me."
"I did; I saved you because I love you too."
"You do. You really do."
• You provide Riju with a hearty nod.
Riju covers your cheek in a swell of kisses, "Oh my goodness, it makes me so happy to hear you say that. I love you. I love you. I love you!"
"No, what's this. They're making up. This isn't how things were supposed to go. They were supposed to hate each other, fight each other, destroy each other. Why did they stop! No, no, no, why dammit, why. I was this close to achieving my goal. This close!" Guster shouts, smashing the crystal ball with his fists.
You leave the lynel swords lodged in the ground, walking away from the evil source of energy. You were no longer a puppet; your strings had been cut. You were finally free to roam the earth as you pleased. The world was now your oyster.
You carry Riju bridal style across the swampy midnight marsh.
"How's my girlfriend feeling, not to beat by that battle, right? Although seeing as you are my girlfriend, I assume you could deflect a punch or two."
"Girlfriend! Um, are you sure about that, Link?"
"Don't worry, Riju, we'll take things slow."
"Do you pinkie promise?"
"I do, and if I don't fulfill my promise..."
"You can cut off my pinkie."
The End
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Legend of Riju Book 4
Created by - Zachary Rozell
Based on - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Special Thanks -
Logan Jindrak X, Duke Serkol, and MasterKogha for reviewing the story
The Staff of Breath of the Wild
Eiji Aonuma = Producer
Shigeru Miyamoto = General Producer
Hidemaro Fujibayashi = Director
Satoru Iwata = Executive Producer
Thank you for reading
All rights reserved, 2021 Nintendo.
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