The uninvited visitor surveyed the couple as they slept. The young woman's golden hair stood out in the misty atmosphere, though their forms were nearly imperceptible in the beautiful gloom of the woods. Their desire for each other was palpable in their restless, sleeping embrace. The Harbinger's receptor zoomed in, focusing on the sound of their light sleeping breaths intermingling, barely audible above its gurgling malice.
It was the familiar sound of malice that awoke Astor. The prophet stared wide-eyed for a moment before he shook Zelda awake.
"Zelda, we have to go now." Astor's voice was a terse, fearful whisper. But it was too late. The Harbinger had seen them first, not the other way around.
The princess woke from her light sleep in an instant, gasping when she laid eyes on the Harbinger. It looked just like the little time-traveling Guardian, except for its dark carapace and its 'eye' which glowed red instead of blue.
"You're…"
It was then that she could fully recall her childhood companion. Perhaps it was because of the earlier trauma of her father's harsh words or from the solace she felt in Astor's arms as she slept, but she remembered. There had been a reason the time-traveling Guardian was so familiar. How could she have ever forgotten her—
"...Terrako…? What happened to you?"
Zelda opened her mouth to say something else but before she could the Guardian harboring the spirit of Calamity Ganon lept forth at them, splitting from a seam in its shell and growing in size in that instant. It spread its mechanical arms, bearing multiple ancient blades that glowed a light ethereal blue. Zelda would have remarked that it most closely resembled a Guardian Scout, but much larger and far more chilling to behold in its sudden transformation.
Astor shot straight up, grabbing Zelda by the arm. "Run!"
Zelda cried out, letting herself be pulled along, truly awaking from her tired daze. The dark Guardian charged at them, swinging its array of blades. They ran at full sprint, the illusionary realm giving way to the Lost Woods.
The Harbinger changed up its tactics, firing blasts of energy at the fleeing couple. They were narrowly able to stay a single step ahead of the laser's reach, a few of the beams colliding with trees, sending them toppling in a succession of deafening crashes that made Zelda's heart race faster. It was chaos, complete chaos, Zelda's mind registered vaguely, terror keeping her from thinking clearly as she ran on pure adrenaline.
With his free hand, Astor raised the ancient orb, preparing to summon the Hollows, but when he peered down at it, his heart plummeted. It was clearly no longer of use. The usual feverish pink glow of the artifact was gone.
"Damn…." Astor cursed.
They ran until they were greeted by the bright, blinding light of day, coming to a halt to look around, but the Harbinger had ceased its chase for the time being.
Zelda's pounding heart began to slow in her burning chest. "Is there something wrong with your orb?" She asked, trying to regain her ragged breath.
Astor gave a heavy sigh of defeat and shook his head. "That Guardian is possessed by Calamity Ganon, and well… I guess it isn't too pleased with me. Calamity Ganon gives, and Calamity Ganon takes away. It really is as simple as that…" Astor said, with discouragement in his voice, and then he lost his composure. "Goddesses. damn you. Ganon!" the prophet seethed.
An almost imperceptible smile crossed Zelda's lips. She couldn't help herself as Astor pouted over his loss of power.
After a moment Astor resigned himself. "It's of no further use to me…" He hesitantly let the relic drop from his grasp and it fell with a small thud into the grass. "Some things are better left forgotten."
Zelda removed Astor's robe from around her shoulders and offered it back to him. The sun was beating down on her. How did Astor stand wearing it at all times, especially in hot, arid climates?
"Well… Can't say I blame it… All things considered..." Zelda blushed. "How long do you think it was watching us?"
Astor returned a similar expression and redressed in his robe. "Nothing I do seems to go unnoticed by Calamity Ganon." He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "There's so much more we can do to defy Ganon, and we will…" His hands moved down her frame in an intimate caress.
Zelda gave a soft exhale at his touch. She trusted his words knowing they weren't merely empty sentiments of optimism.
Zelda paused. "You say that Guardian is possessed by Calamity Ganon, but…it looks so much like…"
"It looks like that little Guardian I destroyed because they are one and the same in a way—one belongs to the future and the other the present."
"I… I remember clearly now…My mother helped me build a small Guardian shortly before she passed and I named it Terrako. It was my most treasured companion…but…Father took it away so I would focus on my training." Zelda's smile faded further, struggling under the weight of those memories.
"That very Guardian you remember is now possessed by Calamity Ganon. I'm so sorry to tell you this..."
Astor took in Zelda's dire expression. He wouldn't have imagined that the Guardian would hold such a value to her. He couldn't quite completely grasp her attachment to a piece of artificial intelligence, yet he hated seeing her so distraught.
"Forgive me, Zelda… I wish I could take back the trouble I've caused," Astor's gaze dropped, feeling the overwhelming sense that his apology wasn't nearly enough.
"I know... And I never held it against you. It was all Calamity Ganon." Zelda sighed and clenched her fists. "The Terrako I knew is… I'm going to make Ganon pay for that, and for all those harmed and slain."
A chill ran through Astor at her words, recalling the other disciples Ganon had rejected. He wouldn't have called them friends, but weren't they just as disillusioned as he had been?
"Ganon kills even his own followers..." Astor stated simply, and Zelda seemed to understand what he was trying to convey, already vaguely aware that there were those that worshipped Calamity Ganon, aside from the Yiga.
I never had a future under the Calamity. It should have been so plain to see, but I was blind. I was fated to join them in death after my usefulness had run its course...until Hylia changed my destiny.
"I am all that is left of a cult that worshipped Calamity Ganon… Granted, the only reason I am the lone survivor is that the Harbinger chose me...and consigned the others to death."
"Oh, Astor…" Zelda said, pityingly.
There was a long silence that stretched between the princess and the seer, and then she took his hand.
"The Guardian that traveled through time to warn me… It could be the key to defeating Calamity Ganon. I asked some acquaintances of mine to repair it. Come, let us go to the Royal Tech Lab."
oOo
The slow, deliberate footsteps of Vah Naboris thundered over the plains of Hyrule Field. Despite the mechanical wonder's four-legged gait, it wasn't difficult to maintain one's balance when aboard the Divine Beast.
By now Urbosa and the other Champions were quite adept at piloting their respective Divine Beasts, although that did not assuage the feeling of being out of control in Rhoam.
Urbosa spotted a substantial grouping of Guardians and made Vah Naboris charge, raising her voice in a battle cry. Rhoam feared the long mechanical legs of the Divine Beast would trip over the multitude and nearly cried out as he braced his stance, but the beast's massive hooves crushed the Guardians underfoot so effortlessly, there was only a mild shockwave felt beneath his feet.
Nayru, Din, and Farore, Hylia have mercy… Rhoam looked among his three knight attendants, surveying their pale, wide-eyed faces.
Urbosa looked over her shoulder at her four passengers and then averted her gaze to hide a smirk. Barely a word had passed between her and King Rhoam since they boarded the Divine Beast. Even the knight attendants had not uttered a word sensing the tension between their king and the Gerudo Chief.
Rhoam's anger flared again and then subsided. He had to take control of the situation, but he was utterly out of control in every way. Not in control of his daughter. Not even in control of his kingdom anymore which was going to ruin because of the princess's inability to awaken her divine abilities. Seventeen years of trying to prepare her, and THIS was what he had to show for it. He should have been able to, at least, control his reactions, he reasoned, but he was failing even at that. How was everyone else not likewise outraged by Zelda shirking her duties, and getting involved with that awful man? She was too attached to him for Rhoam's comfort.
Rhoam cleared his throat to get the Gerudo Champion's attention. "Forgive my boldness, Lady Urbosa, but did my daughter ever say anything to you about that prophet, Astor?"
The question sounded sincere enough, so Urbosa answered. "Yes…" She said evenly and cautiously, crossing her arms. "Zelda came to me with his picture on the Sheikah Slate, but neither of us knew who he was at the time. I should have figured it out then… Why she was asking about that man... In retrospect, it is so clear... Later, the Sheikah researcher, Purah—I believe her name was—brought Zelda another image per her request, which revealed his involvement with the Yiga clan."
"His WHAT?!"
Urbosa unfolded her arms and held up a consoling hand. "I razed the Yiga Hideout, Your Majesty, but it seems Astor wasn't present at that time… I was none the wiser… That is until she returned earlier and he was at her side." Urbosa's features shifted, she seemed to be reflecting to herself now more than Rhoam. "I… I swore I would always support her, and she asked me to remember that. She said she needed my support now more than ever." Urbosa leveled her gaze back to Rhoam. "And I intend to honor her wishes. It doesn't seem like he's allied with the Yiga anymore. If his goal was to kill her, he would have done it already. I believe her life is safe in his hands." Her Champion's voice had faded and taken on a motherly tone. "And as worrying as all of this is, we need all the help we can get. If Astor truly wants to help as he says, he could be an invaluable asset in our fight against Calamity Ganon. And unless you want to lose your daughter's trust you must accept it, too."
There was an uncomfortable silence between the King and the Gerudo Champion.
"Don't look at me like that," Urbosa snapped. "I don't like the way you're handling this…"
That was an understatement, Urbosa realized. No, she was horrified at how Rhoam was handling the situation. He was looking at her like she was patronizing him.
"Lady Urbosa, perhaps you are willing to turn a blind eye when one of your citizens allows herself to get captured by a member of the Yiga, but I certainly won't tolerate my daughter getting into such a scandal."
Instead of lashing out at the accusation, Urbosa forced a sickly sweet smile. "I recall a certain Hylian Vai, not much older than Zelda is now, who was arranged to be married to a much older man." Urbosa cocked her head slightly. "It's almost like you'd be more comfortable if Astor was trying to kill her."
"My union with the late queen of Hyrule isn't comparable in the slightest and I deeply resent that remark. I already had this conversation with that man," Rhoam answered defensively. "I won't allow my daughter to have anything to do with a common street prophet, especially one that has ties to the Yiga Clan, even if formerly. Just what are you saying?"
Urbosa was getting heated, on the verge of saying something she would likely feel somewhat guilty about later. "Only that you at least consider her emotional well-being in this. I wish that I had asked my dear friend about her sealing power so that I could be of more help. It pains me to see her little bird struggling. Look around you. Hyrule is on fire. Just let her be loved. It's the least you can do after you've emotionally crippled her to get to this point."
"How dare you suggest that I—"
"Look out!" Urbosa gasped
In less than the blink of an eye, one of the knight attendants was cleaved in half by what could only be described as a monstrosity carrying a sickle-shaped ancient weapon, earning screams of revulsion from the others. The monstrosity moved with dizzying agility as it advanced on those who remained. They readied themselves for a fight they would surely lose as dread overwhelmed them. Rhoam uttered something, perhaps a prayer or a curse.
"Stand back! Let me handle this." Urbosa gripped the Scimitar of the Seven a little too tightly, knowing this was what Astor had warned them all about. It was an executioner created and sent by Calamity Ganon to bring her to a warrior's end.
The abomination known as Thunderblight Ganon attacked with inhuman speed, but Urbosa managed to block every time. As the battle between blight and champion unfolded it soon became clear that her attacks were only inflicting a minuscule amount of damage. The blight showed little sign of the fatigue she already felt creeping in, and as the encounter against the creature wore on a horrible realization dawned on her.
I'm going to be fighting this thing without end until my dying breath and still, it won't be enough…
The creature charged Urbosa again, coming in fast. She dodged with a heavy grunt, growing more exhausted by the second, and then her attention was drawn upwards, witnessing Thunderblight summon a metal pillar to crush her. She jumped away, only to see another pillar falling towards Rhoam. One of the two remaining knight attendants shoved Rhoam out of the way, sacrificing himself. The knight's body folded in on itself as he was impaled and crushed beneath the metal spike, blood and viscera oozing out and running down the grooves on the floor of Vah Naboris.
"No!" Urbosa howled as Thunderblight electrified the pillar, sending a fatal jolt into the nearby third knight attendant. The man seized up, the final moments of his life spent in agony before collapsing.
Thunderblight turned its attention back to the pilot of Vah Naboris. Urbosa wavered in exhaustion but managed to block with her Daybreaker. The force of the blow knocked her back and she faltered, holding herself up with her scimitar. She raised her head to give Thunderblight Ganon a look of intense hate, knowing her demise was imminent.
It was then that Rhoam interceded, saving her. He gave a grunt of effort as he raised his Claymore high and hefted it with all his might, slamming into Thunderblight Ganon from behind and landing a critical blow that staggered the beast. Urbosa couldn't believe it. She took a moment to regain her strength and resumed her fight with a vigor she did not know she possessed. This was not her fight alone.
oOo
Zelda pulled open the heavy double doors of the Royal Ancient Tech Lab and threw herself through the threshold, Astor following after her. The journey on foot had been a long and arduous one, and the two had spent several stints of the trip RUNNING from Guardians.
"Purah? Robbie? Is anyone here?" Zelda called, out of breath. Her green eyes darted around the lab, losing their light as they were met with the stillness of the empty lab.
The floor was littered with paper talismans bearing the inverted eye.
Astor bent to examine the talismans, though he already recognized them from a distance. "The Yiga Clan… Looks like they carried out an attack we had discussed some time ago." Asor gave a long sigh. "Why are they suddenly so competent?"
Zelda almost smiled at Astor's annoyance. "Looks like the researchers were forced to flee. I can only hope they are all safe. Wherever they are…"
She began to search the lab, hoping to find a repaired Terrako. The Guardian was nowhere to be found. There were recognizable parts here and there—ancient screws, springs, gears, and shafts that could have belonged to the Terrako that traveled from the future, but it certainly wasn't finished.
"Terrako hasn't been repaired yet it seems…" Zelda said, softly.
There was a pitiful disappointment in her voice that made his guilt unbearable. "I'm sorry… For the part I have played in all of this..." Astor wanted to go back and kick himself for ever destroying the little Guardian in the first place.
"You don't have to apologize anymore. You're the one I truly long for, and you always will be. I want you to know that."
"There must be something the researchers accomplished recently that must have been more important than repairing the Guardian… Please don't take that the wrong way." Astor corrected.
Zelda thought for a moment. "Oh! Purah did mention that the Master Cycle was close to being completed."
Astor looked at her oddly. "The what?"
"It's an ancient vehicle I asked Purah and Robbie to recreate for me."
"Ah…"
"Let's look around the perimeter of the lab."
They wandered around to the back of the lab, locating what Astor would have described as a mechanical horse with wheels. Zelda took in Astor's apprehensive expression.
"This is it!" Zelda said, brimming with glee.
"You're...going to ride that thing?"
"No, we're going to ride this thing. 10,000 years ago, the hero used one just like this to travel around Hyrule. So…where to next? You decide, seer."
Astor thought for a moment, knowing from his vision where Zelda was predestined to awaken her power. "Fort Hateno?"
"Fort Hateno it is then." Zelda grinned and climbed onto the Master Cycle, adjusting her white dress. "Climb aboard!" She said, patting the space on the 'saddle' behind her.
Astor hesitated. "Zelda, do you even know how to operate this thing?"
"Well, yes…in theory…" Zelda was smiling ear to ear and Astor knew he couldn't refuse her.
oOo
Thunderblight Ganon writhed and growled as it braced itself for its end, giving a gut-wrenching shriek before torrents of its lifeforce tore through its body. Urbosa looked on, feeling no pity as the erupting Malice turned to a feverish pink light and the creature imploded.
There was a silence between the King of Hyrule and the Gerudo Chief as they looked over the vicious assault Thunderblight Ganon had brought upon Rhoam's knight attendants. Urbosa was left breathless and could scarcely believe she'd come out victorious. How in the name of Hyrule had old man Rhoam survived, while all three of his highly qualified, elite knight attendants were utterly annihilated? He was tougher than he looked, or just extremely lucky, Urbosa noted. Still, he was the reason she had survived Thunderblight Ganon's onslaught.
"I must thank you," Urbosa said evenly, holding her aching side. "I would have perished if not for your help. But if what Astor said is true there will be more of those creatures—one for each of the Divine Beasts. We must go and assist the other Champions immediately. They might be under attack as we speak."
"As you wish…" Rhoam said simply, but coldly, knowing it would be inappropriate to continue arguing at a time like this.
Urbosa strode away from him and out onto a balcony, exhaling and trying to get the images of the dead knights out of her mind's eye. She looked out over Hyrule field, seeing a sea of monsters and Guardians.
"Little bird... Please be safe out there."
Faylian: No worries! I'm super late with this chapter, so let's call it even. The harbinger isn't just pouting… The harbinger is a straight up peeping tom… I always enjoy your clever commentary. I do enjoy writing Astor being amorous.
Prometheus17: Really enjoying your assessment of Rhoam here. I think he's one of the more human characters in this story, (well, at least the negative aspects of people, and how they think.) Even canon Rhoam gets criticized for being abusive, even if he doesn't say anything nearly as awful in canon as he has in my story. I knew I wanted Astor to say something in Zelda's defense, since nobody really ever does in canon. At first I had no idea how I would incorporate it into the story. But it just kind of naturally worked out. I'm kind of torn on what to do with Rhoam, though. Sorry for the delay!