Link charged through the dust cloud that blanketed Goron City with his tunic pulled up around his mouth and nose. He struggled to stay upright as stone and fire rained down from above, causing the earth to quake beneath him. All around echoed the shouts of panicked Gorons and the shattering of rock. Despite the din that bombarded him from every angle, Link could still hear the screech of Rudania somewhere above them.
Link dove to the side just in time to avoid a charging Goron. As he regained his footing he caught sight of one of the children who had fallen on his back and was rolling back and forth, unable to get up. He dashed over and quickly pulled the child to his feet. "Go!" he shouted as he gave the child a firm push on the back.
The Hylian Champion resumed his mad rush through the city, diving out of the way of Gorons and falling rocks alike.
"Yunobo!" It hadn't taken long after he and Daruk's grandson had entered Rudania's field of destruction for Link to lose track of Yunobo.
"I'm here! I'm here!"
Not for the first time, the Hylian Champion wondered why Daruk had insisted that he and Yunobo take the fast route while he took the slower one. It was nonsensical as far as he could tell. It would have been easy to send one through the cannon and then the other with a brief intermission to launch him across. Despite his misgivings, he carried on, occasionally calling to make sure that Yunobo was still close by.
"Over here!" Link found momentary respite under a ledge near the outskirts of the city.
"Where are you?"
"Here!"
Yunobo finally stumbled under the overhang, hunched over as he tried to catch his breath.
"Whadda- whadda we do?"
"We keep going," Link replied firmly. Yunobo looked like he was about at the end of his rope and they hadn't even gotten close to the Divine Beast as far as the Hylian could tell.
"We never fought that thing this close to the city!"
"And if we don't?"
"Then… Goron City will…"
"So, when we get out of here, I need you to have my back. Can I count on you?"
"Y-ye-"
"Like you mean it!" Link snapped. He only partially regretted losing his temper in that moment. He understood all to well the pressure that the frightened young Goron was experiencing. It had been something he had been struggling with since Rhoam's revelation, but that didn't mean he would just allow Yunobo to turn tail when the going got rough.
"Yes!"
As Link eyed the Goron, he finally understood why Daruk had snapped at him in the mines. The Goron seemed to respond much better to volume and force as opposed to understanding. Perhaps Yunobo understood that his involvement would no longer be negotiable. Daruk's grandchild steeled himself, though he still appeared scared out of his wits.
"Go!" Together the duo left the safety of their temporary shelter and sprinted up the incline.
Link thought about pulling out his shield but quickly discarded the idea. Even though the shield was nearly unbreakable, it didn't extend to him that same trait. If a boulder struck the shield, it could still crush him through sheer weight or force of impact. He'd just have to dodge the best he could and hope for the best.
"Look out!" Yunobo shouted.
Link, resorting to his basest instincts, dove forward, using his hands to cover his head. He felt a flash of heat across his back as an explosion made itself heard just behind him. He sprang to his feet, favoring his shield rather than the sledgehammer.
Above them were three flying machines that looked vaguely like Guardians. They were smaller and more fragile looking, but the Hylian Champion didn't let that ease his concerns any. Little didn't mean less dangerous, especially with the small little propellers that kept them suspended far out of his reach.
"Yunobo!"
There was no response.
"Yunobo!"
He looked around the best he could as held his shield between him and the mini Guardians. He finally saw the Goron huddled on the ground with his magic barrier surrounding him.
"The Sentries never attacked us before! Whadda we do!?"
"Get up and fight back!"
Yunobo just curled tighter, leaving Link to fight their three opponents on his own.
The Hylian Champion raced through his options quickly. The most effective method would have been a bow, but he had none with heat resistance. His iron bows would have snapped the same way his sword would have. On a whim he had tried pouring a little of one of the fireproof elixirs he had on a wooden bow, hoping that the mixture would be absorbed into the weapon. It had caught fire as soon as he left the relative safety of the caves.
That left his sledgehammer, the only weapon that was capable of withstanding the rampant temperatures of Death Mountain. Unfortunately, use of the hammer was out of the question. It was not weighted for throwing, which was the only option left to him without Yunobo to propel him into the air. Even if it had the proper balance, he didn't think he would be able to throw it farther than a few yards at best. It just wasn't made for Hylian use.
That just left his shield. Revali had mentioned that it was capable of reflecting Guardian blasts. If he learned fast enough, he may be able to knock their blasts right back at them.
Link held his shield up defensively, being sure to leave each of the Sentries within his line of sight. Even with the magic imbued shield and his razor-sharp senses, the Hylian wasn't ready for the blast that came his way. He blocked it, surprised by the force behind it, and stumbled back several steps as the beam ricocheted off to the side.
The Hylian's shoulder creaked in protest as he brought it back in front of him. Link angled himself so that his body would support his shield arm and widened his stance considerably.
When the next blast came, he heaved against the shield, pushing back against the blast. This time, the beam didn't bounce to the side, but rather reflected back towards the Sentry, missing it barely. As he set himself back into his stance, another Sentry fired a series of quick bursts at him. The first two bounced off quickly but served to unbalance him with the speed at which they impacted his makeshift weapon. It was the third that pushed him back and caused him to stumble over the uneven ground.
Link fell back, rolling over his shoulder as he did so. He just barely got his shield up to block another beam, which, without a solid base, knocked him off his feet.
The Hylian Champion collided painfully into stone. Before he could curl up under his shield, a familiar orange barrier closed around him, catching and sending another one of the painfully bright beams right back at the offending Sentry. The Machine exploded as the high energy attack struck it straight in the center of its metallic body.
Link looked over his shoulder quickly, expecting to find that Daruk had caught up. Instead, Yunobo was crouched behind him with his arms flung wide.
"Sorry," the young Goron stammered. "They normally just keep an eye out fer threats to Rudania. I wasn't ready fer them to attack us."
"Ready to fight back?"
"Yeah!" Link could still see traces of fear on his ally's face, but there was also a spark in his eyes that he hadn't seen up to this point.
"Let's get below one and fling me up."
"Are you insane?!"
"Any better ideas?"
"Just let their attacks bounce of Daruk's Protection," Yunobo replied.
"Daruk's Protection?"
"My shield."
Link fought off a sigh as he realized that even though Yunobo had made his first step away from cowardice, the young Goron was far from ready to try unconventional methods without good reason.
"Using it tires you right?"
"Yeah."
"Then what happens when you're exhausted and Rudania still needs to be dealt with?"
"I didn't think about that…"
"Fling me up."
"But- "
Link pointed towards the Sentries. During their brief conversation, another shot had bounced off Yunobo's barrier. This one, however, missed as the machine dipped to the left to avoid being struck by its own attack.
Then Link pointed straight above them. There a Sentry had taken position almost directly above them.
"Fling me up quick, then use Daruk's Protection."
"What about you?"
Link answered by resting his hand on the handle of the sledgehammer.
"Is Lord Daruk as crazy as you are?" Yunobo asked as he curled up and let Link climb on.
"Crazier. Ready!"
Yunobo sprang open, sending Link soaring up, high above the Sentry. The Hylian flipped over as he pulled out the hammer, and, using gravity and his own body weight, descended on the machine below.
The propeller was torn to shreds as the blades connected with the hammer. As Link's weapon continued downwards, it shattered a portion of the machines protective layer, exposing the inner gears and wiring. He watched briefly as the mechanisms stopped functioning while it fell towards the ground. The Hylian let go of his hammer and pulled out his paraglider, leaning to the left and right in an attempt to throw off the last Sentry's aim.
He hit the ground running, grabbing his hammer before regrouping with Yunobo.
"All right. One more time, then –"
Both froze as the ground heaved beneath them. A bone-chilling screech emanated from above them as Rudania's body rolled to a stop on the cliff above them.
"Wha- What now?!"
Link grit his teeth. Their only option would be to charge forward and hope they could find some way aboard the Beast before it crushed them.
"Rudania!"
Above them, the last Sentry exploded as a familiar stone sword fell to the earth.
Daruk barreled by them, grabbing the Boulder Breaker as he passed them. Rudania, who had been ready to crush them, turned around and began climbing back the way it had come.
"Oi, Rudania! Don't ya run from me! You bring that pig-faced pebble back here, so I can knock ya both around like the pebblits ya are!"
Link stared after the Goron Champion, shocked at what he had just witnessed. Before he even realized it, he had doubled over laughing at what he had just seen.
Only Daruk would threaten to knock a Divine Beast around, and only he could scare it off.
"Why… why is he chasing it?"
"We're taking Rudania back."
"Taking it back?!"
"Yep. Let's go!"
"Yer both outta yer minds!"
Link dashed after his fellow Champion, determined to catch up as soon as he could.
"Wait! Wait!" Yunobo cried as he and Link began to catch up to Daruk.
"Why?!" Daruk called back, not slowing down.
"Because we won't catch him like this!"
"Whaddya mean? And make it quick."
"It uses those Sentries to keep an eye out fer things that'll attack it," Yunobo panted. "When somethin gets close, it attacks or runs away. There's no way- "
"We already beat the –"
"You don't understand! It'll just make more!"
Daruk's eyes widened at Yunobo. Link couldn't blame him as he was just as surprised by the force in Yunobo's voice.
"Yer sure?" Daruk asked calmly as he stroked his beard.
"Yeah. Bludo shot em down one time with a cannon. It just replaced em somehow."
"Then whadda we need to do?"
"We have to sneak by em."
"Sneaking?" Daruk asked incredulously. "That's not really how I'm used ta doin things."
"I think we should try," Link interjected.
"… All right, but if it doesn't work, we charge straight in." Daruk turned back and looked up at Rudania. The Divine Beast had come to rest about halfway up the summit. "Okay, let's move."
Link took the lead with Yunobo following him. The Hylian Champion edged his way along as he saw small blurs flying over the landscape.
Link spurred his companions onwards towards an overhang as one of the newly created Sentries began flying in their direction. They huddled under the protection as the Sentry flew overhead, passing them by entirely.
"Let's go now," Daruk whispered. Link needed no further direction as they sprinted quickly along the path, only feeling moderately safe when they rounded a sharp edge out of the first Sentry's line of sight.
The misconceived sense of safety died quickly as they saw another Sentry directly ahead that remained stationary above the path.
"Great, now what?" Daruk grumbled as they analyzed the Sentry.
"How do they alert the Divine Beast?" Link murmured to Yunobo.
"They sound an alarm."
Link grinned. If they had to sound an alarm, that meant they were not in direct contact with Rudania. Without an alarm being sounded, the Divine Beast was good as blind. "We can destroy it."
"You sure, Little Guy?"
Link nodded.
"Alright! I can take care of that!" The Sentry's gaze flicked towards them when Daruk shouted, but it was too late. The Boulder Breaker had already torn through it as its eye found them. "Quick!" Daruk called, spurring them onwards before it could be replaced.
They bounded along the path, only stopping when they were certain that they were out of sight for the moment.
"So, Yunobo, when we finally get ta Rudania, how do we knock him out?"
"Bludo usually fires me at it until it goes away."
"Then let's find a cannon!"
"There's one further up, close to where Rudania is."
"Lead the way!"
Yunobo nodded and took the lead. He sent them a nervous glance over his shoulder before he led them further along the path. Along the way, they found several more Sentries, though Link's hearing was sensitive enough to hear them before they stumbled across them. As it turned out, Daruk's aim was not as good as Link had thought it was, forcing the Goron Champion to launch him up towards the machine just as it blared its warning. Thankfully, the brief alarm hadn't been enough to disturb the Divine Beast.
"Sorry about that, Little Guy," Daruk muttered as he picked his weapon back up.
Link waved off the apology as they continued on. He knew that Daruk's weapon wasn't weighted for throwing, making his aim questionable at best.
They ran into a few more Sentries on the way; however, Daruk now took their presence much more seriously. He didn't just hurl his weapon at them now, instead choosing to take the time to measure his throws. They also resorted to less conventional methods, such as using Magnesis to crush them with heavy metal boxes that were strewn along the Mountain's path.
They also passed several cannons; however, they passed them all by as Yunobo insisted that they wouldn't be able to attack the Divine Beast with them. Though Daruk's grandson still quaked every time the earth shook, he also seemed to be gaining some confidence and had even shown excitement when they had taken down some of the Sentries.
"The Cannon's right here!" Yunobo called as they rounded one last bend.
"All right! Aim carefully and launch me at him, Little Guy!"
Link nodded as he and Daruk pushed against the cannon, only stopping its rotation when he was pleased with the angle.
"Wait!" Yunobo cried just as Daruk was about to climb into the cannon. "What about me?"
"You go back to the City," Daruk replied. "You've done enough here, and they'll need yer help to recover."
"O-okay."
Link subdued the frown he felt trying to take over his face. Something about the way Daruk had given Yunobo instructions had struck him as off. Maybe it was the look on his face or maybe it was the way he had said it so dismissively. Maybe it was even the way that Daruk hadn't even stopped to make sure his command was adhered to.
He shook the thought from his head as he readied a bomb and dropped it in. The Hylian Champion checked his aim one last time, knowing that he couldn't afford to miss. As he did so, he noticed that Yunobo hadn't moved from his spot, looking very indecisive about something. He sent the Goron one last glance, trying to communicate to him that he only had a few seconds left before things got hectic again.
As the two of eyes met, Link noticed that same fire beginning to build in Yunobo's eyes. He didn't take any time to wonder what it meant as he detonated the bomb, sending Daruk hurtling towards Rudania.
Link's eyes widened as he saw Daruk's protective barrier fade as he uncurled. Even from his distance, the Hylian could easily make out Daruk's next words.
"Rudania! Ya didn't really think ya could get away from me, did ya?!"
The Divine Beast roared and began its retreat, but it was too late. Even as its massive legs began propelling it along the Mountain, Daruk crashed into one of its legs, latching on like a small child to its mother.
Link's eyes widened as he watched Rudania ascend further up the mountain. In all the excitement, he had forgotten the most important thing about Death Mountain. The peak was the mouth of a Volcano, which was exactly where Rudania was heading.
He looked around wildly his eyes finally lighting on a small set of rails not far from the cannon. The rails extended far above them, leading close to the summit if his eyesight was anything to go by.
"Here!" Yunobo shouted as he tossed something onto the rails. "It's a cart! Use one of those bombs to send us up!"
Link didn't notice Yunobo's use of "us" as he jumped onto the cart and used a bomb to send them flying up the Mountain. The Hylian Champion watched as The Divine Beast tipped over the rim and into the mouth of the volcano, with Daruk still attached to its back leg.
"Now this is gonna be a real fight!" Daruk roared with a laugh as he disappeared over the edge.
Link dove off the cart before it had even come to a stop, sprinting towards where Daruk had disappeared. He briefly wondered how upset Mipha would be with him as he leaped off the ledge before he had even checked to make sure there was somewhere he could land.
Link quickly spotted Rudania, who had settled in the lava that had pooled at the bottom. He angled towards the Divine Beast, nearly having a heart attack as a familiar orange barrier rocketed past him. Link stared, dumbfounded, as he watched Yunobo fall towards Rudania, eliciting a loud groan as he smacked into it.
When the Hylian Champion finally touched down, Yunobo was already on his feet and exploring the small area around him.
"Why?" Link asked shortly as he approached his friend's grandson.
"Well… I don't know. I guess I'm tired of disappointing Lord Daruk. I want him to be proud of me and to know that I can take care of Goron City as well," the Goron finished as he pounded his chest like Daruk.
Link grinned as he finally found a little bit of his old friend in Yunobo. There was still work to be done, but it was much better than it had been. Link nodded to him as he pulled out the Slate, ready to enter Vah Rudania.
Kass took a moment to watch the Rito Champion's back. Master Revali was much more standoffish than he was when Kass had first met him. The Bard couldn't blame him though.
Lady Urbosa had carried The Rito Champion on her back after Dinraal had been driven away. Lady Mipha had then used her powers to heal him, leaving his singed feathers as the only mark of the Rito Champion's former injuries. It was truly incredible to witness the powers that earned the Zora Champion her renown as a graceful healer.
Though Master Revali's physical wounds had healed, he still had mental wounds that needed attention. He said nothing of what was on his mind, but Kass could see he was hurting. The father in him had helped him to see past the superficial actions of others. It wasn't often the Bard chose to address what he saw though. Few wanted someone little more than a stranger to talk as though he knew them.
While it was unusual for Kass to speak to others about their private affairs, he did feel an exception was in order. The Rito Champion was vital to the survival of Hyrule. Besides, it wasn't like he was a total stranger.
While what he had said when he first introduced himself was true, it wasn't really Lady Mipha that had caught his attention, but Master Revali. He had felt his childhood awe overcome him when he first laid eyes on the Rito Champion in the Stable. He had always hoped that he would be able to meet him again but had feared that such a meeting would be impossible.
He highly doubted that Master Revali remembered him. It had been so long ago, and Kass had been just a child at the time. The Bard, like the rest of his childhood friends, had all looked up to Master Revali as a living legend.
Though the Champions of Hyrule were all known in the Rito Village, it was the Rito Champion that every child had wanted to be. Not only could he control the massive machine that had chosen its perch above the village, but his skills as an archer were second to none. Every single child would travel to the shooting range that had been built in his honor in the hopes that they would be able to see him practice, and Kass had been no exception. He could recall countless times where his young eyes were unable to keep up with all of the arrows being fired and targets being shattered.
It had been a long time since he had seen the Rito Champion's skill at play, but he had been no less impressed during Master Revali's battle with the dragon. It had lived up to everything he had remembered: arrows being fired as fast as a gale and a mastery of the sky that was unmatched.
Kass felt lucky to have witnessed it.
It was just a shame that no matter what the Rito and Gerudo Champions had done, Dinraal was no less corrupted.
"What? Here to sing me a tune about how I failed?" Kass wasn't really surprised that Master Revali had caught him without even having to turn around.
"No. I came to ask a favor of you."
"Oh yes," the Rito Champion muttered as finally turned to face Kass, "because there is something only I can do."
Kass said nothing, unsure of how he should respond to Master Revali's bitter words.
"What?"
"Well, you see, I have a sister in the village who grew up hearing the tales that are told about you. She always wanted to meet you; however, you were already sleeping in the Shrine of Resurrection by the time she was born."
"And?"
"I was hoping I could introduce her to you when we arrived at our home."
"Home," Master Revali echoed, momentarily dropping his defenses. All at once, his face hardened again as his eyes refocused on Kass. "And will I still have a home after you tell them?"
"Tell them?"
"You know what I am talking about."
Kass wasn't sure what made the Rito Champion believe his place in the village would be endangered if people heard about the battle with Dinraal. Kass had been thunderstruck when he had seen Master Revali perform stunts he hadn't even thought were possible. They certainly weren't with his own meager abilities.
"Master Revali, I don't think that… "
"Do you think at all?"
"I do." Kass tilted his head as he watched the Rito Champion patiently. Despite how rude Master Revali had been thus far, he wasn't offended in the least. A part of fathering five daughters was being able to take a verbal lashing without losing his temper. It wasn't always easy, but it was a skill that had served him well.
"Fine. I'll meet your sister. Is that all?"
"I was also wondering how you're doing?"
"How I'm doing?" Revali scoffed. "Fine. What does it look like?"
"… I know what it feels like to fail," Kass murmured sadly.
"Who said I- "
"Though I am told I am an exceptional Bard, I know I am a terrible husband and father. I continually leave my family for long periods of time, only coming to visit occasionally, then I am back to traveling. I've missed more of my children's birthdays than I have been present for."
"It must be awful," Master Revali replied with feigned sympathy.
"It is," Kass replied as though not hearing the sarcasm in the Rito Champion's voice. "It makes it very difficult sometimes to continue on, but then I remind myself – " Kass paused as Master Revali shot into the sky above, leaving him all alone, "- that everyone deserves a second chance," he finished quietly.
The Bard watched sadly as his childhood idol flew high above. His time with the Champions was limited, and he had hoped to learn as much about them as he could before it was up.
"Daruk... Daruk," Zelda called quietly. The Goron Champion froze in place, his ears straining for his lost sister's voice. He knew that she wouldn't speak to him unless it was a grave matter. "Rudania is the most stubborn of the Divine Beasts. His will only bows to those who prove they have an unbreakable will and an unconquerable heart, but even he can tire. Rudania will use the last of his will to resist Gannon for as long as he can, but he will be unable to help you. You must hurry and destroy Fireblight before he takes Rudania completely."
"Leave it ta me, Little Sister. I'll smash that blight-thingy into gravel!" Daruk replied as he flexed his arm with a grin. His grin didn't fade in the slightest when Zelda didn't respond.
Now, he just needed to find his way through the pitch-black machine. If he was remembering correctly, there was a pedestal that could be used to light braziers that would, in turn, illuminate the interior of Rudania. Before he could activate the pedestal though, he would need the Sheikah Slate.
There was no doubt in the Goron Champion's mind that Link was already aboard the Divine Beast, and even if he wasn't, he would be shortly. The Little Guy hadn't been stymied by Rudania, so there was no way that a little lava would scare him off. Urbosa, Revali, and Mipha would have called it stupidity. He called it bravery. The Little Guy had the heart of Goron hidden away in that minuscule body of his.
Though he had total faith that Link was aboard Rudania, he didn't have that same faith in Yunobo. While he had told Yunobo to return to the City, he was hoping that his grandson had disobeyed and followed them. He didn't like the idea of putting his grandson at risk, but he hated the idea of Yunobo always giving into his fear. He'd rather his grandson die a true Goron then live as a sham. It wasn't solely for his own reputation, but for Yunobo's sake as well.
Living in constant fear wasn't any way to live. He'd seen the three younger Champions constantly held back by the fear that they felt. He wasn't sure if it was the fear of moving forward, the fear of getting hurt, or fear of pain in general. Whatever fear it was, it was a constantly keeping them from being their best selves. He didn't want that for anyone he cared about, especially not his grandson. He hadn't known Yunobo for more than just a few hours, but that didn't really matter. The young Goron was his grandson, and that's what was important. The rest could be figured out later.
Daruk reflexively covered his eyes as he was assaulted by multiple bright lights. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the lights were actually Keese that were ablaze. He had forgotten that the extreme temperatures had changed the small monsters. Somehow, their bodies were constantly being licked by flames while they were active, yet they weren't harmed in the slightest.
Rather than attacking him, they set down on his arms and stomach, keeping themselves alight.
"Uh… what're you guys doin'?"
As he expected, the Keese didn't respond as they continued to hang off of him. The Goron Champion couldn't say he was annoyed by their presence. They couldn't bite him, their flames couldn't burn him, and, best of all, he could finally see.
"Hey! Look over there!"
Daruk whirled around, filled with surprise as he recognized his grandson's voice. Link and Yunobo edged into his view with their hands covering their eyes.
"What're you doin' here Yunobo? Did you tell him to come along, Little Guy?"
Link shook his head.
"I- I," Daruk was about to tell him to start again when Yunobo stopped on his own. "I came because I wanted to."
"You wanted to?"
"No… not really, but I felt like I should. Goron City is my home and- "
"I'm proud of ya!" Daruk exclaimed as he slapped a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "You're startin' to act like a real Goron!" His grin widened as Yunobo perked up. "Now, let's get movin'!"
"Why do you have Fire Keese on you?" Link asked quietly before Daruk could start looking for the pedestal he needed.
"Oh, that? I don't know."
"Oh, you guys don't know? We use Fire Keese for minin'. They stick close by and act as lights, meanwhile, we're diggin' up bugs and whatever else it is they eat. It's a nice little thing we got goin'." Yunobo finished as Link and Daruk looked at him skeptically. "What?"
"All the Keese we've run into tried to kill us," Daruk grumbled quietly.
Link's eyes tilted up thoughtfully before he reached into his pouch. When he pulled his hand out, the little monsters swarmed him while shrieking madly.
"Whoa, whoa!" Daruk shouted moving forward to wave the fire bats off but stopped when Link shook his head, unconcerned by his predicament.
Without warning, they began hanging off of him, with a few disgruntled Keese that had no perch returning to Daruk.
"Whaddya do?"
"Had some extra Darners," Link replied with a shrug, eliciting unhappy chirps from his passengers.
"No offense, Little Guy, but why aren't they hurtin' ya?"
"I still have fireproof elixirs."
"Oh… right. This way!" Daruk called over his shoulder as he led them towards the pedestal that would light up the rest of Rudania. He ambled through the Divine Beast, heading towards the rear of the giant machine. When they came upon the pedestal, he motioned for Link to activate it. As soon as the Slate was authenticated, the braziers in Rudania lit themselves, causing the Keese to chirp discontentedly and fly off. Link watched them for a moment before he turned back to the pedestal.
"All right," Link muttered as he removed the Slate from the pedestal. He held it out in front of them and tapped one of the controls, summoning a three-dimensional map of the Beast. "Here are the terminals," he finished as he pointed to five glowing marks on the map.
"That thing is awesome," Yunobo murmured as he stared, entranced by the device Link held.
"Its okay, I guess" Daruk muttered. "We know what we need to do." With that, the Goron Champion turned to see
"Uh, Daruk… you're going the wrong way."
"Oh… right. I meant to do that."
Link grinned as he motioned the other way. Even though the Hylian had the map, he still let Daruk lead the way as they worked through the Divine Beast, something he was immeasurably grateful for. It was embarrassing enough that he had already made a wrong turn on what should have been his home turf in front of his grandson. It would have been even worse if he wasn't even the one guiding them through.
"So, Lord Daruk – "
"Don't call me Lord," Daruk grumbled. It wasn't that he was against formalities, it just wasn't for him, especially where family and friends were concerned.
"Oh… uh, Daruk- "
"How about you call me… Gramps!" Daruk decided.
"Gramps?"
"Yep!" Revali had called him that a few days ago. Daruk had taken a liking to the moniker regardless of the fact that the Rito had clearly not meant it as a compliment.
"So, uh… Gramps… where've you been all this time?"
"I was put in some chamber that was supposed to heal me."
"Heal you?"
"Yep. Apparently, I got banged up pretty bad when we tried to fight Ganon."
"And you're gonna try and fight him again?"
"Not gonna try," Daruk corrected, "I'm gonna crush him into a pile a dirt."
"Do you think you can?" Yunobo asked worriedly.
"I don't have a choice. The Little Guy and the others aren't gonna just up and stop. They need me, just like the little sister we're gonna save."
"They need you," Yunobo echoed quietly.
"You okay?" Daruk was worried about the lost look on Yunobo's face.
"I guess I've never really felt needed…" Daruk frowned as Yunobo stared down at the ground.
"Whadda ya mean?"
"I guess I just feel like everyone in the City has given up on me."
"Now isn't the time to give up," the Goron Champion replied firmly.
Yunobo nodded demurely.
"Hey, enough of that! This is the time you show our brothers what ya got! You understand?"
"Yeah…"
"Am I right!?"
"Yes."
"Let me hear you!" Daruk roared.
"You're right."
"Louder!"
"You're right!"
"So, what're ya gonna do about it?!"
"I'm gonna show em what I got!"
"Now you're talkin'!" Daruk exclaimed as he slapped a hand on his grandson's back. "You gotta show the fight in ya! Otherwise, how do yer brothers know they can count on ya? How do yer enemies know they made a grave mistake?"
Yunobo nodded excitedly before a thoughtful look overtook his face. "Do ya think I could come with ya guys after this is over? I… I don't really think our brothers need me."
Daruk began stroking his beard to hide the frown he felt inside. While he had wanted to inspire his grandson, he hadn't meant to inspire him to join the Champions. "Why dontcha think on that some more, and we'll talk about it once we get back to the City."
"Okay," Yunobo replied with a firm nod.
Daruk nodded again before turning to Link, who had stopped just ahead of them. "What's wrong, Little Guy?"
"The last terminal is outside, above the control terminal," Link replied. "I think we should be ready for Fireblight."
"Right. Yunobo, I need ya to stay here," Daruk rumbled as he turned back to his grandson.
"But, you just said- "
"I know what I said, but this here is different. The Little Guy and I nearly died the last time we tried to fight Ganon. We can't promise that you'll make it out in one piece."
"But- "
"Wait," Daruk ordered. While he had hoped that the Goron would follow them aboard Rudania, he had never intended for his grandchild to fight Fireblight.
Yunobo looked conflicted but finally sighed as he nodded.
"Good," Daruk muttered. He nodded to Link as together they left Yunobo behind, stepping onto the exterior of the Divine Beast.
The doorway led out onto the side of Rudania, forcing them to clamber up the rounded surfaces to reach his back. The center of the Divine Beast's back was flat, allowing them to stop for a moment and catch their breath while trying to find the last of the pedestals they needed to activate.
"Up there," Link said as he pointed above them. A low hanging arch spanned Rudania's back, and nestled in it, far above their reach, was the last terminal.
"You know, Little Guy, I'm startin' ta think whoever built this didn't want us to activate Rudania."
Link chuckled as Daruk held his massive hands out, letting the Hylian climb into his makeshift stirrup. The Hylian Champion nodded when he was ready, and with a massive heave, Daruk sent him flying up towards the terminal. Link barely managed to touch the Slate to the pedestal before he began his descent with his paraglider.
"Didja get it?"
"I think so," Link muttered as he squinted back up at his target. "I did," he said confidently.
"Let's finish this then."
As soon as the Slate touched the control panel, an explosion of Malice pushed them back as blue threads crawled out of the mechanism. They spun themselves together into a creature very much like Link had described. The purple skin, the ridiculous red mane, bright veins that spiderwebbed across its body, and the bits of ancient machine parts scattered across its misshapen body. Unlike Waterblight, it was armed with a giant energy ax.
"Oi!" Daruk shouted as the Blight's massive eye found them.
It raised its weapon and screamed at them.
"Good! I didn't want to waste words!" Daruk laughed as he charged towards the enemy. Fireblight brought its ax down, forcing Daruk to pull up his shield.
The Goron's breath hitched as exhaustion pummeled him as soon as the weapon made contact. Daruk's Protection, which he had always thought was impenetrable, began to crack as the Blight was knocked back. He back peddled quickly as the monster recovered.
"I don't how much more of that I can take," Daruk panted as Fireblight floated above them, getting ready to attack again.
"Don't get hit," Link advised as he raised his sledgehammer.
"Right. Any ideas?"
"Remember the Talus?"
"Right," Daruk replied with a grin, "I'll- "
The Goron Champion was forced to leap to the side as the Blight's blade came down again. He huffed in irritation, hoping that Link had at least some idea of what he had been about to say.
The Blight raised its ax once again, but Daruk was faster. He charged forward as he swung the Boulder Breaker, slamming the dull sword into its lower half, unbalancing it. Fireblight shrieked in pain as Daruk watched Link race towards; however, the monster used its free hand to summon and fireball and fling it at the Hylian wildly.
Though it had missed, the fireball still bought the Phantom of Ganon all the time it needed to recover and float out of the Hylian's reach.
"I don't know if this is gonna work. Any other ideas?" Daruk panted. It wasn't like him to be this tired this early in a fight, but that one blow had fatigued him more than anything else that had ever hit him.
"Throw me."
"You sure?"
"Yep."
The Goron Champion didn't waste any more time. He scooped Link up and threw him at the advancing Blight. The Hylian looked so tiny as he flew towards the monster, slipping through its fingers as it attempted to snatch him from the air. He barreled after his friend, determined to catch Link if he needed to.
Daruk grinned as he watched Link catch onto the Blight's mane and hold on for dear life with one arm as he reached for an ice arrow. Though his friend was small, he had a way of hitting hard when he needed to.
The Goron saw a brief flash of white as Link rammed the ice arrow into Fireblight's back. The Hylian Champion let go and let himself fall as an explosion wracked the monster's body. The massive being fell to the ground as Daruk charged towards it, his weapon held high above him.
He brought his weapon down on the back of its head just as it swung its ax, knocking him across Rudania's back. Daruk finally came to a stop as the enemy grabbed ahold of Link and tossed him like a ragdoll. The Hylian crumbled to the ground not far from Daruk.
The Blight floated over to him, taking its time as it raised its ax, tilting its head to analyze him. The Goron Champion tried to bring his barrier up one last time, but something jumped in front of him. The ax fell as a familiar orange glow filled his view and knocked the enemy back.
"Yunobo?! What're you doin' here?"
Yunobo couldn't respond as he fell to his knees gasping for breath. "Sorry… Gramps…"
Link stumbled beside them and over a bottle filled with a muddy substance. "Drink it," he wheezed as he pulled out another and handed it to Yunobo. Daruk chugged his, feeling a little energy come back to him.
"Whadda we do?" Yunobo asked as Fireblight finally righted itself, looking as worn out as the Goron Champion felt. Link had only gotten to him once, but it apparently had been enough to hurt it.
"I got an idea," Daruk muttered as their enemy watched them from afar. "When I give ya the signal, take its arm out."
The Phantom charged, swinging its ax at the Goron Champion. Daruk threw up his shield, knowing it couldn't take the blow. It didn't matter as he only needed his protective spell to slow the weapon down for a second.
He nearly passed out as his barrier shattered, fading out of existence as Daruk grabbed onto the ax, digging in his heels as he held the ax in place with all his might. Fireblight strained against him, but the Goron held fast as Link's sledgehammer slammed into the hilt of the ax. The ancient device began to crack as the enemy desperately tried to summon a fireball. Before it could unleash it, Yunobo's fist collided with the already damaged ax, severing the appendage completely. The energy weapon fell to the ground at Daruk's feet.
The Phantom screamed as its fireball exploded prematurely. It managed to remain airborne, flying higher as it clutched the stump that remained of its arm.
Daruk numbly picked up the ax and spun on to his heel, letting go of the massive blade. The weapon soared above, spinning towards Fireblight and coming to rest in its shoulder. The air was filled with its shrieks as it fell back to the floor. The Goron Champion picked up his discarded weapon as he and Link stumbled towards it. Daruk raised it over his head one last time. He looked up when he felt something catch his sword, finding that his opponent had contorted its arm to catch his strike. He stared into the single, hate-filled eye, impressed by the perseverance and tenacity displayed. Beside him, Link hurriedly raised his own weapon.
"Wait," Daruk panted as his arm began to ache. "I just wanted to say… I've fought a few monsters since I woke up… none of em… none em put the fight up that… you did… You have… my respect." Daruk nodded to Link, who swung his hammer one last time, splintering the Monster's mask.
The Goron Champion watched tiredly as the Phantom began contorting violently as malice began exploding from the various wounds on its body. In one last showing to impress Daruk, the Blight never made a sound as disintegrated in one last explosion.
"We did it!" Yunobo cried.
"Not yet," Link muttered as he limped over to the pedestal. He set the Slate on the terminal, his torn and bloodied sleeves barely clinging to his arms. His arms fell to his side, just barely holding onto the Slate as he fell back.
Daruk tried to move to his fallen companion but before he had even taken a step his vision shifted. He wasn't quite sure how he had fallen, only that he was far too comfortable to even remember why he had wanted to move in the first place. His last thought was that whoever was shouting needed to be quiet as the world faded away.
A/N: Finals are killer...
Anyway, I have some bad news. I will be moving out soon, so life is going to get a little hectic here. I won't say that update times will be affected because every time I say that, it doesn't work out that way but... update times may be affected.
Guest Reviews:
Guest (1): More? More what? More Urbosa? More Mipha? More Lipha? I'm so confused.
Guest (2): I think Kass would make one of the best companions, just because he has such a calm demeanor. It feels like everything could be falling apart and he'd just say "It's going to be fine."
Guest (3): I did another thing... like five minutes after you left that. You must have known this was coming