Arc V: Path of the Hero

Chapter 47: Path of the Hero

Being a huntsman meant you were exposed to a wide range of discomforts. The heat. The cold. The rain and layers of grime after days of roughing it in the field. Defeating evil was by no means sanitary, but if it meant fame and glory, then it was a price he'd gladly pay.

Which was why he endured the searing air as he flew through the room. Or perhaps "oven" was more appropriate since the open magma vents caused the rough-cut stone walls to radiate a burning orange. Without his Fireshield Earrings, he wasn't sure if even his bones would remain unscorched.

After all, this wasn't a place where normal things lived. But he wasn't here for normal. When he barrelled through a flock of Fire Keese, he sighted his quarry at the end of the tunnel - a girl with green hair and a woman with a crimson shawl.

"Stop in the name of Mistral!"

They bolted down another corridor. He soared after them and dodged falling stalactites when the green-haired girl looked back before entering an expansive magma chamber. The darkened ceiling opened up into blue skies just barely visible through the smoke, and he followed them across the rocky lava pit towards a door with a ruby-like emblem.

"Cinder Fall and Emerald Sustrai, I'm afraid you've reached the end of the line. I mean, what thieves decide to break into an active volcano? I'm sure there are less...heated ways to evade those hunting you."

"Thieves?" Cinder barked. "Do people become thieves when they're retrieving what belongs to them?"

"Do you know what this place is? Are you suggesting you built these ruins thousands of years ago?" He shook his head. "Don't answer. That was rhetorical. I wouldn't want to be infected with your brand of stupid."

Emerald bristled, though Cinder merely chuckled. "You wouldn't understand how inconsequential you are if we even explained it."

"I'd like to see you try," he sneered, firing a trio of electric dust arrows. There was a smoky, electrified explosion, but Cinder shot out so fast that he barely had time to dodge. He flew down and fired arrows upward, and when she lunged through the volley with obsidian daggers, he spawned a gale that propelled him away -

And he yelped as gunfire raked across his torso, allowing Cinder to explode a fireball across his chest and sending him crashing against the rock face. He gritted through flashing Aura to find Cinder hovering smugly while Emerald retreated behind cover down below.

"Ugh. What a vicious piece of -"

"Had enough yet?"

Something sparkled in the air behind her. He held Cinder's gaze and smiled back. "Please. I am Revali, the ace archer and aviator, and I have faced far worse than flying crash test burn victims."

"On the contrary, you'll be the one burned alive as I spitroast your wings and let you bleed to death in the fire."

Cinder summoned a long obsidian spear to impale him -

And screamed as ice exploded across her back. Cinder dodged a streak of white that blurred by, but she was unprepared for the arrow swarm that pelted her from all directions.

"Take your time, why don't you? You're late!"

"I got held up near the entrance," Teba grunted as he soared over. "The Branwen Tribe is withdrawing from Golow Village for now, but it won't be long until other bandits arrive."

Cinder rose back into the air and summoned an array of fiery glass.

"Dammit. Then we must end this now -"

"And take on the academies' assailants without support?" Teba interrupted. "If Beacon and Haven couldn't hold them back -"

"Then I shall succeed where Ozpin and Lionheart failed!" Revali snapped, loosing more ice dust arrows as Cinder unleashed the glass fusillade. The air flashed with ice and fire, and Revali spawned a tornado with his Semblance to fling half-molten stone at Cinder. She responded by using her Maiden magic to explode those near Revali, dissipating the cyclone and stunning him.

Below them, Teba strafed Emerald with arrows before clotheslining her with his Swift Hero bow. She fired a burst and caught his next strike with her revolvers' chains, though he replied by flying up and whipping her against the wall. When Emerald cried out and fell, he loosed a volley of fire dust arrows into the air before swooping down, but a beam of fire caught his wing and forced him to land near the door.

Seeing Cinder approach, Teba slammed his hand down and used his Semblance to change the arrows' trajectory, pelting her in a rain of fire -

And flew back when the door exploded in a shower of rock and dust. Three figures emerged when it settled - Hazel Rainart, Mercury Black and the pale, green-garbed swordsman whose warrant described him only as Link: a huntsman of unknown origin and one of Ozpin's murderers.

The fact only emboldened him as he ignored Teba's voice and fired a gravity dust arrow with his Semblance, quadrupling its speed, but Dark Link craned his neck right before impact. Revali swooped in but was parried by the swordsman, who replied by brandishing a fist-sized black pearl that flared with purple energy -

And the room exploded with a shockwave of malign light, making him crash into a stalactite. When he came to, Revali watched a stream of dark energy arc into the magma.

"What is...no, is he trying to -"

The magma suddenly blacked out, blanketing the cavern in darkness.

A wave of red-orange light pulsed through the floor like a heartbeat.

And again.

And again, before Revali realized that it was in fact, a heartbeat.

"You!" Teba called out as the rumbling became a full-blown quake. "Are you trying to get us all killed!?"

"Not us, you!" Cinder yelled back as she took the moon pearl from Dark Link and gave it to Hazel. "Give this to her. For if I am denied Knowledge, then I shall claim power. And blame your idiot partner for thinking he actually stood a chance against us!"

Revali growled and unleashed a volley of arrows in their direction, but a deafening roar put that to a stop. The molten floor exploded, giving way to a familiar serpentine dragon with a charred bone mask and a pair of curved horns.

...but the similarities ended there. Its scales were no longer a vibrant red as dark purple veins streaked across them like onyx lightning. The mane on the back of its head still blazed bright and hot, though its colour shifted between, red, black and purple. But the worst part was its maliciously amber eyes - dozens of them coated its body like an infection.

This was no longer the dragon they wounded and forced to retreat. Revali joined Teba in soaring up the volcano's cone, ignoring the roars beneath that grew violently louder. He blinked upon entering open skies and plummeted down the slope like his life depended on it -

And Dragon's Roost erupted, announcing the monster's return in a black cloud of ash and fire.

As he took cover from falling rocks, Revali watched it head west while erratically spewing purple-red fire. He then peered down at the mining town below the cliff as air raid sirens went off.

"Dammit. I had them in my sights, and now I -"

"Are you alright?"

"No. Those bastards got away and provoked the dragon. Send word to Mistral."

"Already ahead of you," Teba grunted, holding up his scroll. "But we're stretched thin dealing with the monster surge and bandit raids. I can only hope they'll be ready. And that reinforcements arrive in time."

Revali scoffed and looked away. He was one of the top graduates of his year at Haven. He didn't need any help.

...but if it got the small fry off his back and allowed him to focus on the big prize, he wasn't about to complain.

(==|======-

The Sage's home was dark like he remembered. Wooden beams rose into a ceiling unseen, the floors stretched beyond the ancient blue torchlight and the air was rife with an old, yet pleasant magical aroma. It was a welcome change from the temple's stifling atmosphere.

"...and we killed the monster responsible for the curse. Farozu - er, Lord Farozu appeared to us after. The Spirit Guardian is free."

"Then the souls of our fallen warriors can rest," the Chief replied. "In fact, we all can."

The surrounding darkness flashed brightly, revealing holograms of Kakariko's central square. Children played carefree in the river, their mothers removed protective talismans from their houses and their fathers knelt amongst their crops. They were green and healthy, and those blackened by corruption were regaining their colour.

The holograms then zoomed out to a panorama of the surrounding landscape, with miles of lively forest buzzing with waking animals. If not for patches of bamboo trees, it could've been mistaken for the Emerald Forest.

"It's so pretty," Ruby whispered, a smile tugging the edges of her lips. "It almost reminds me of home."

"Then it must be beautiful," Yohma smiled back. "By no small effort from you and your friends, we survived the direst of monster onslaughts, Faron Woods has been revitalized and we can sustain our livelihoods once more."

Jaune blinked as the Chief, Ta'loh, Paya and Shiro bowed in unison.

"I give you my heartfelt thanks on behalf of my people. We are indebted to you and will never forget what you've done."

"No, please, I...I'm happy I could help. Seeing life return makes it all worthwhile. I'd do it again without second thoughts."

"We know. That's why as Chief of the Necluda, the Sheikah Clan of the East, I bestow upon you this honorific. To our people, you will no longer be known only as Jaune, but as Rinku."

Jaune's eye widened. And he asked anyway despite knowing the answer.

"What does it mean?"

"It is an ancient Sheikah word that directly translates to 'Link', for you are the link to the past, but it is in context referred to one who is a hero."

That hit something deep, and his immediate instinct was to reject it. To convince himself he wasn't yet worthy. But he couldn't deny it somehow felt right.

"In addition, we invite you to rest until you restore your strength and plan where to go next. And though recent events robbed our village of much in the way of resources, I hope you can accept these meagre gifts."

Paya distributed red and green amongst the others while Shiro handed him a small bag that smelled faintly of sea salt. Inside were four small translucent pebbles that shone with blue light, now wrapped in cords like necklaces.

"These Pirate's Charms allow communication regardless of distance, so they will never fail when you're deep underground or out of range from the CCT-Net," Paya explained to the rest. "And if you call upon us, we shall do our best to help."

Now that is useful indeed, Link hummed. Sheikah spies and assassins were without equal at their prime. If they retain even a fraction of that capability...

Jaune pocketed one while giving the others to Ruby, Ren and Weiss. "Thank you. I think these will prove more useful than we realize right now."

"It is our pleasure," a spectral voice replied from all around them. Thin strands of light coalesced upon the platform, revealing the Sage and her piercing masked gaze. "Welcome back, Jaune Arc. Or should I call you Link?"

He shook his head. "N-no. Jaune is fine."

The Sage hummed. "I see. You know of the weight that name carries, and in completing a Hero's labour, you now understand the path you must tread. But all victories come at a cost. In gaining one of three sundered pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, the seal separating this plane from the Dark World has been weakened. The enemy is no doubt aware."

"So where do I go from here?"

"Into the past, for there you can decide your future," she intoned, stretching her arms wide while her Sheikah eye flared a vibrant blue. There was a gasp and Jaune looked back to find Oscar backing away from darkness that now thrashed with ethereal tendrils.

"And it all starts with him, during a time once known as the Age of Calamity."

Someone screamed as the ancient flames went out and swallowed them in shadow.

=I=

In an age long gone, a young boy was rescued during a violent storm. He was no ordinary boy, for he carried a blessing and a curse.

Jaune blinked and found himself in a storage closet. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled outside, but it didn't mask the sound of crying. He found a boy with golden hair hiding behind a crate as muffled yelling drifted through the door.

While he was destined to be the Goddess' chosen Hero, he was also born out of wedlock, an illegitimate scion of the royal family and the Sheikah tribe. His very existence threatened them both.

The door creaked open as a young Sheikah girl perhaps a year or two older entered, causing him to back away. He shook in fear when the voices reached a crescendo, but he calmed somewhat when she held him tight.

The back of his left hand glowed with faint light.

=I=

He grew up safely under his new family's protection, but remained outcast for his heritage and feared for his latent power. More so when he began training in the shadow.

Yang gasped as the boy - now a young teen and dressed in a dark blue stealth suit - was beaten by a pair of Sheikah ninjas into the dojo floor. Like reading a flipbook, he grew older, leaner and taller every second until he was about her age and the last one standing against a dozen unconscious shinobi.

But he was never alone.

She flinched when he met her gaze with piercing red eyes - almost mistaking him for Jaune - until a similarly dressed Impa walked right through her.

An isolated childhood, love for his adopted family and an innate talent for combat allowed him to master Hyrulean and Sheikah martial arts, gaining the attention of the powers at hand.

Clinking metal preceded the knights emerging from the darkened gallery. One carried a blue banner featuring a grey shield in the centre with a Triforce and crown on top.

=I=

Hyrule was not one back then, but two. After reconstruction and an age of plenty, a great war between rival lines of the royal family divided the realm into Akkala and Calatia.

Ren surveyed the sheer amount of people in the throne room who stood before the seated king. They looked down upon the young man and his sister, who now wore knight's plate and a dark indigo robe with kunoichi armour.

They kept his ancestry a secret upon being drafted but were unable to hide his mark forever. A prophecy of evil threatened to tear the world apart, forcing both sides to seek a truce.

A herald shouted something in ancient Hylian as multiple dignitaries entered. They wore deep reds, blacks and silvers rather than the blues and golds of the audience, and one carried a banner depicting a Triforce in a laurel wreath with a pair of crossed swords beneath it and upon a field of scarlet.

In the front was a beautiful young woman in a lighter red dress that parted down the centre from the bodice. Black pants were tucked into boots with steel greaves while she donned an intricate dark silver breastplate and pauldrons upon her torso. Her long golden hair fell down in waves and was braided near the centre of her back, and upon her head was a winged silver helmet adorned with the Triforce.

She removed it, revealing a stern expression and challenging green eyes before extending a hand. When he shook it, Wisdom and Courage rang loud and clear.

=I=

Against the rising onslaught stood the Princess of Akkala, a Hero from Calatia and their friends, who upheld the uneasy peace. They protected innocents from monsters and travelled the land to seal the darkness.

Oscar found himself creeping along a wall with the others, but the rocks broke apart and sent them towards a lava pit. He skidded down a cold, snowy slope, and when he sat up, the howling arctic winds veiled the others until disappearing completely.

From fire and ice, earth and spirit, light and shadow, the scenes flickered in quick succession until they ended inside a familiar ruined temple. Water sloshed between his feet, but having seen the scroll footage, Ozpin stood quietly with the rest and watched the Hero ascend the platform.

The Master Sword rang brightly as it was drawn, a beautiful, decisive sound -

And a moment of triumph became one of great treachery.

Ozpin squinted against the light until it blurred, courtesy of cloaked ninjas with inverted Sheikah crests and thick Malice auras. They descended from the throne room's windows without stopping and slowly whittled the Hero's party down. He yelled for his sister to run, but when she refused, the Hero activated a slate-looking device and tossed it to her before she disintegrated into strands of light.

Surrounded by their fallen friends and hundreds of assassins, the Hero and Princess charged into the enemy legion until they too were overwhelmed.

=I=

They were captured by those twisted by evil and subjected to obscene rituals.

Weiss cringed as she walked down a dark tunnel, unable to ignore the hoarse screams as the Hero's shadow convulsed on the nearby wall. She hurried out the exit into a field hued red by a burning city and a Blood Moon rising from behind a ruined castle. In the distance were the Princess and the Hero, who now had eyes of Malice, dark green skin, fiery red hair and a grin that belonged to a monster.

She screamed as he stabbed her with a depowered Master Sword before raising an arm skyward. Wisdom joined Power and Courage with a grating screech.

With the seals on the Dark World broken, the ancient King of Evil was reborn by devouring the Hero's Soul and taking his body as a vessel. Once he slew the Princess and claimed the Golden Power, he used it for one simple wish.

Weiss watched his Triforce mark flare bright red, blue and green before unleashing a beam of all three colours into the heavens. Such was its power that it separated the skies, revealing the stars, and an eerie silence fell when it stopped.

There was a distant clap of thunder, and they looked up to see a speck of red light getting brighter and larger -

A violent quake rumbled through the area, causing mountains to give way and volcanoes to erupt while the seas thrashed and a vicious gale ripped through the air -

Kill the gods and end the cycle.

And a massive meteor of pure red energy crashed into a ridge, unleashing an immense pillar of fire stretching past the clouds. It was almost blinding, and the outline of a vaguely feminine form inside brought Weiss to her knees - not just because it was a hundred feet tall, but it radiated something she could only describe as power.

Weiss looked up when thunder boomed once more and watched as blue and green meteors fell into the ocean and forest. She missed the Sheikah girl who ran away from it all, possessing neither power nor courage to plant a knife in her brother's heart.

=I=

Armed with the power of gods, the Demon King fought the Golden Three on equal standing. The Divine Calamity fractured continents, boiled oceans and choked the air with ash. Though the Goddesses won, the mortifying cost led them to believe that despite their original intentions, the Triforce could no longer be allowed to inspire chaos.

Ruby opened her eyes, finding herself floating in the void while surrounded by stars and galaxies.

Like an infected limb, the Hero's Soul and the Triforce of Courage were split in half, enabling the Hero's return by severing his corrupted connection to his predecessors.

Ruby watched lights flash by before realizing they were glimpses into the past. One was a young man playing ocarina in a forest meadow, another a wolf charging across a nighttime field, followed by a blue-shirted knight standing upon a cliff with a majestic view.

The King of Evil was imprisoned once more in the Dark World by dividing Wisdom into three. In forging powerful seals with the soul of the mortal Goddess, light and dark remained separate at the cost of denying the next Princess her birthright. With the Triforce scattered, the Golden Three hoped the knowledge of ultimate power and the magic to claim it would be forgotten. But while they prepared for the worst, they also wished to start anew.

Two small meteors flew past, one a bright yellow and the other a deep, dark purple.

They charged two subordinate gods to create a new balance and to keep watch over the buried world with the assistance of three Spirit Guardians. In time, one's pursuit of order and the other's desire for chaos resulted in a second cataclysm that weakened the seals while inspiring others to seek forbidden secrets. And now, as ancient evil reawakens in a world that has just begun to remember…

Ruby found herself surrounded by a circle of fire in total darkness.

…will you be enough to send it back into the abyss?

A tall, shadowy figure with a trident rose from the depths and lunged.

=I=

Jaune gasped as the trident impaled him, only to find...nothing. No fire, no cold steel, only his armour and the dark green fabric of his hoodie. A glance behind him revealed a pained Ruby leaning against a troubled Qrow while Nora knelt beside Ren as he clutched his stomach.

"Whoo boy," Yang panted as she and Blake keeled over. "That was intense. I can still feel the trident jabbing into my chest."

"Likewise. That was too intense to be just some dream," Weiss agreed. "And that person. I can't believe that was really Dark Link. I thought I was watching Jaune at first."

The Sage hummed. "Dark Link...? Yes, I suppose that fits him now. Once known as the Hero of Shadow, he was betrayed and sealed after the Goddesses exorcised Ganon's spirit. A wraith, neither living nor dead, trapped in the waking world until he is put to rest...or restores his soul to what it once was."

She snapped her fingers and a holographic Dark Link appeared. Jaune walked up to it and stared his predecessor in the eyes. "You mean if he kills me."

"Unless you kill him. And you know it will not be easy."

"No. It's necessary," Jaune replied as the hologram vanished. "But I can't do it without the Master Sword and Princess. What can I do to bring them back?"

The Sage raised her hand, illuminating the darkness with scenes of green, orange and white. New growth peeked out from the dead shrubbery of the Shrouded Shrine's mountain while a sandstorm roared through a burning desert to his left and a blizzard pummeled the snowy mountains on his right.

And in both, a pale light flickered somewhere in the distance.

"You freed one Spirit Guardian. Now you must seek out the rest. One will judge you beneath the shifting sands while the other waits in her frozen domain. Once you gain their blessings, physical manifestations of the essences of the Golden Three, return to the temple at the crossroads of time."

Ruby stepped up. "And how do we revive the Master Sword with them?"

"By having the Princess of Destiny imbue the blade with the Medallions before blessing it with the light to repel evil. It was forged by an ancient Hero from the fires of the old gods and consecrated by the Goddess' first incarnation. It can only regain power in the same manner."

"How can we even do such a thing when she hadn't made herself known?" Weiss replied incredulously.

"The Princess is much closer than any of you realize," the Sage intoned. "Hylia's blood is far from extinct, and the true heir shall claim her birthright by reuniting the three pieces of Wisdom. Make no mistake - the Princess has returned but is unable to hear her calling as she had been severed from her timeless memory. But I have faith the Goddess' voice shall reach her as you collect Wisdom's pieces. And she shall deny it. But when the Hero's need is greatest and she accepts the truth of who she is, only then can the Master Sword be restored and evil banished from the world of light."

A tense, stunned silence fell at the implication. Jaune glanced back and found the girls looking between themselves. He didn't need to guess what they were thinking.

"Then we need to gather the three Medallions and the three pieces of Wisdom," he sighed. "So this is what lies before us...before me. I must be enough to send Ganon back into the abyss, and I'll need her help to do so. Thank you...for everything."

The Sage nodded and let out an uncharacteristic sigh. "You must become the Hero this era needs. I ask only that you give your predecessor the rest he deserves…but never forget what's behind you, who fell for you and the future ahead of you. I, amongst millions who may never know your deeds, pray for your success. To that end, hope this gift shall aid you in your quest."

Jaune took out the Goddess' Harp as the Sage withdrew one of black steel, glowing orange swirls and strings of ancient blue. The tune she played was...soft. Soothing, like a summer waterfall in the middle of a lush forest. Majestic, as if staring out the balcony of a grand castle.

Ancient, for it was passed down from when he was just a young man trying to save his friend after she fell beneath the clouds.

As Jaune harmonized with the Sage and mastered Zelda's Lullaby, small holograms of blue and white flowers bloomed in the darkness.

(==|======-

When he first arrived in Kakariko, it was like walking into a ghost town or horror movie set. It would've been neat if the villagers had a choice in the matter, though as far as he was concerned, they paid for it long enough.

Which was why Jaune, garbed in a green kimono, basked in a market square resonating with flutes, drums, shamisen and the laughter of those free to live their lives. After racking out in Paya's house, they awoke in the afternoon to hear the beginnings of a festival, receive a batch of traditional clothing and invitations to be guests of honour.

Jaune exhaled. From seeing Nora spin a wailing Oscar to Weiss keeping Ruby in step with the dancing crowd, the aura of life from the reserved Necluda was more relieving than expected.

But peace of mind was strangely absent.

"Not in the mood to dance?"

A small box of tempura shrimp appeared below his nose, courtesy of Yang in an orange kimono. "Huh? Ah, I'm just taking a break. Don't worry about me. Looks like you've been having fun, at least."

"Kinda, actually," she commented, leaning on the fence beside him. "I've had Mistrali food before, but holy shit, this place knocks it out of the park. And the clothes they gave us are comfier than I thought. Between that, the music -" a wild grin spread across her face - "the fact I beat three ninjas in a row in arm wrestling…"

"Is it cheating if you use your enhanced Atlesian prosthetic?"

"Meh. His fault for losing. You should've seen him flying backwards when I detached it."

Classic Yang. Jaune facepalmed, then chuckled anyway. "Glad to see you're back in business."

"So am I. The grind never stops, and you'll need me in the days ahead," she hummed, smias she picked out their friends in the crowd. "Truth be told, I'm actually a little pissed off."

"Why? Is it…well…"

"Yes and no. While I'm still miffed at Blake, I'd still be lost in the temple instead of enjoying fried shrimp if it weren't for her."

Jaune tracked Yang's gaze to a food stall, finding Blake and Paya devouring ramen at unnatural speeds while a mystified Shiro sat nearby.

"Unlike my avian egg donor, she came back. While things will never be the same, I'm gonna give this another shot. Starting by being…nicer." Yang raised her prosthetic and stared at her metallic reflection. "I just wish I wasn't overly hostile at the start."

Jaune smiled. "I don't blame you for feeling the way you did, but that's good to hear. Let me know if there's anything I can do. I haven't forgotten our promise to check up on each other."

"Me neither, so don't be afraid if there's anything you need off your chest," Yang replied, kicking off the fence. "I'm kinda curious about one thing myself."

"What?"

"Think one of us really is the Princess?"

The words died in his throat. "I…ah…that's -"

"- a good question, I know. You're not the only one with nagging thoughts in the back of their head, but…ah, forget I asked. Rather enjoy the moment here before we step off," Yang sighed. "What I would like to know, however, is if you'll be alright. Ren's got Nora, Rubes has Weiss, Oscar's a good guy and I think he looks up to you, but it's a double deal with Ozpin in his head so I'd understand. Will you be okay?"

The feeling in his heart was dull, not painful, and his smile was lopsided nonetheless. "Don't worry. I have all of you."

"...okay. Sorry if I brought anything bad up, just don't be a stranger and remember the words you said," Yang winked. "Blonde to blonde, I gotcha."

He gave a quick salute and she disappeared into the crowd, the voices and laughter melting into a festive ambience that reminded him of how grateful everyone was. How happy they were to enjoy the evening with their families. With their friends and partners.

Jaune frowned.

Whether she intended to or not, Yang's words echoed your thoughts, haven't they?

"It doesn't matter. I can't undo the past by playing the ocarina, not to mention the whole journey I have ahead of me. I can't afford to think of that stuff right now. A-and I wasn't lying when I said I have them."

Link was silent for a long enough moment that Jaune grew antsy.

You didn't.

"Okay, I know there's something you want to say."

And I shall refrain as it is not the right time. All I ask is that you remember your friends, for you are fortunate to have them in your quest.

"You said being the Hero was to be lonely. That no one will ever understand what this means."

There is another.

His breath caught in his throat.

You have every right to take matters of the heart at your own pace. But when the time comes, the Princess will need your courage the most, for I suspect she will not have as much time to adjust.

Jaune gazed across the river. Villagers released paper lanterns upstream, giving a cozy feel to the area, but it didn't make him any warmer. Receiving Medallions meant gathering the shards of Wisdom, in turn weakening the seals at a faster rate. Even if calamity was inevitable, it wasn't reassuring to know they were doing Salem's job for her.

Not to mention that one of them - girls who were once well-meaning students, friends who he ate with and studied beside in a land far away - may very well be the heir to the greatest legacy in the world.

"...and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

"Neither would I, Mr Arc."

Jaune whirled around, finding a frazzled Ozpin in a brown kimono. The Noracoaster had done her work, leaving him with messy hair and a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

He hoped his mental condolences would telepathically reach the poor farmboy.

He also wondered why he didn't hear him coming closer. Even Link felt rather surprised.

"I…how long were you standing there?"

"I just came over, though I heard you talking to yourself," Ozpin replied. "And I couldn't agree with you more. A child would think immortality is a gift, but being an adult is realizing the value of life because it is finite. When it is taken away, so too is your humanity."

"I take you've got some stuff on your mind too."

The old farmboy leaned against the fence with a neutral expression. "Hearing tales from immortals more ancient than you tend to do that. A Hero born of light and shadow, destined for greater things, only to be deceived by those he was meant to protect and corrupted by what he was meant to seal…have I realized this before fighting him in Beacon, I'd have tried to reason with him."

"Would it have worked?"

He shook his head. "Perhaps not. But as one who once aspired to be a hero, it would be worth a try."

Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"Before meeting Salem, I was a wizard knight in service of Calatia. Or rather, one of the successive kingdoms which adopted that name. I also dreamed of fighting monsters, protecting innocents and saving the princess."

"Until you did."

"And our legacies are a few fragments of truth in near-forgotten fairy tales. But what I care for is that you end Salem's curse and defeat the evil she communes with, no matter the cost."

Jaune sighed. "It's sad enough there's a cost to begin with, but I refuse to let anyone be sacrificed for my sake. If I'm supposed to be a Hero, I don't want to fall from what it means to be one."

Ozpin's gaze was intense and piercing even in the body of a young teen. There was a sense of age and finality he gave off that Jaune couldn't place.

"I see. I also once treaded this razor-thin balance, but unlike me, you won't get any second chances. If you die, you'll be reborn a different person with a legacy of failure - much like you and Dark Link. You may be able to see into your past, but only once will you live as Jaune Arc. Can the world afford a second fallen Hero?"

Jaune angled his hand away when Courage flared, hoping Ozpin wouldn't notice.

"I'm gonna make things right. That much, I promise. But I'm not going to lose control."

"It's easy to say it now, but when faced with life or death, I hope you make the right choice," Ozpin replied, nodding at his Triforce hand before turning away. "For us and those who came before you. From one reincarnated being to another, be careful to not fall prey to keeping secrets that could harm others. I don't want you to learn the same lessons I have."

Jaune watched him disappear into the crowds. Though the ambience reverted to upbeat revelry, no instrument could shake his words away. They stayed with Jaune until the festival ended and the last lights were extinguished in the village.

Sleep didn't come easy to him that night.

(==|======-

The road to Mistral was marginally better.

Mud crunched beneath Jaune's boots as they ascended a grassy hill. Bits of sunlight peeked between the clouds after the rain subsided, leaving a fresh, cool atmosphere in their wake. At the top, he surveyed the sloping hills at the border of the Rozudo Mountains, a sight which almost made the lack of an available bullhead worth it.

But nothing in life was free. While their journey was mostly peaceful, save for the occasional Grimm or Bokoblin pack, it was hard to enjoy the silence with lingering questions in the back of their heads. What was the last Princess like? How would the Goddess' voice reach the next one as they collect Wisdom's pieces? Did that truly mean one of them was the Princess all along?

What if she awakened too late to aid the Hero and stop the King of Evil?

Would they even be enough when the last two weren't?

"...in thought?"

Jaune blinked. "Huh? What?"

"I asked if you were lost in thought. Looks like I was right," Ruby quipped. "Still thinking about what the Sage said?"

"How could I not? I finally have answers after more than a year of looking for them," Jaune sighed. "It's a weird feeling. On one hand, I now have leads to where I need to go, but there's a million 'what ifs' I can't help but think about."

Ruby's smile was lopsided and gentle. "Me too. It's not every day you wake up and get told you might be thousands of years old, the heiress to a lost kingdom and a Goddess at some point in your past life. All I can think of now are if my silver eyes actually come from that too. Past Princesses had powerful magic, right?"

"Well, one disguised herself as a ninja so she could fight alongside her Hero, and another one sealed the beast that destroyed her kingdom by unleashing an ancient sealing power."

"Anyone have magic eyes?"

"None I can think of. Are you…saying you'd want to be the Princess? Did you feel anything when the Sage played Zelda's Lullaby?"

Ruby sighed. "It was really soothing to hear, but I really just want to learn more about my own powers. That's the thing, you know? Some things you just gotta take one step at a time, so don't overwhelm yourself, okay?"

Her gaze was so strong, so determined, so certain that Jaune caved and nodded. "Alright. Thanks, Crater Face."

"What're friends for?" Ruby giggled, poking his arm. "So, Mr Hero Man, where are we going next? Hot, sweaty, sand-in-the-mouth desert or wasteland so cold you'll get frostbite in seconds?"

"Home, if you're gonna put it like that," Jaune grumbled. "I have to say Vacuo, though. Since Atlas is under martial law, it'll be easier to move around the desert. We just gotta pick up supplies in Kuchinashi and see if they have any bullheads to spare."

"Oh, oh, can we stop by Mistral and pay Sun a visit?" Nora called out from behind. "Wouldn't you like that, Blakey? Eh? Ehhh?"

"I will end you, Nora."

"I'm not hearing a no!"

"Sounds like a plan," Ruby chuckled, the light sound mixing with the others. "Apparently, the Agaat Ocean separating Anima from western Sanus is known for storms and Grimm attacks on shipping, so sailing should be a last resort."

"But the question is," Qrow interrupted, striding up. "Do you guys smell that yet?"

Jaune traded glances with Ruby and took a moment, picking up scents of wet leaves, fresh air, pollen and acrid smoke -

"...huh?"

"Hold on," Oscar echoed, stopping them in their tracks. "Is it just me, or is there something burning nearby?"

"I smell it too," Ren whispered, unsheathing his pistols and dashing up the upcoming hill. Qrow beat him to the punch as he flew up in bird form, and when they joined the two, Jaune gawked at the sight before him.

The landscape…was on fire.

Or settlements, rather, as plumes of smoke rose from multiple points throughout the horizon. Several from distant jagged mountains surrounding the city of Kuchinashi, but the most intense came from the village below them. So did screams as a pair of marauders chased down a fleeing civilian.

And right before he could run, a deafening sound tore through the air. It sounded like a deep, low roar with a resonant lilt as if infected or having extra vocal cords. A reddish-purple serpentine dragon broke cloud cover and dove for Kuchinashi, spewing fire across the mountains while ignoring the city's anti-aircraft fire.

The dragon grew closer. And closer. And even closer.

"We're sitting ducks out here in the open," Qrow growled, brandishing his scythe. "Get any survivors you see into cover immediately!"

They needed no further cue. Weiss spawned a gravity glyph that rocketed several of them down the slope, almost keeping pace with Ruby as she dashed with her Semblance. They crashed through the burning palisade right when the bandits cornered the man, only to be knocked unconscious by exploding wooden fragments.

Another roar, louder and definitely closer.

More bandits came from the alleys, prompting them to form a barrier and push them back. Jaune ignored how their mismatched black, grey and red garb reminded him of a certain tribe, and as they followed Qrow's unrelenting scythesmanship into the town square, they cornered the rest against a smouldering barn.

The bandits stood their ground for a desperate last stand -

A great roar rumbled through the air, sapping the bandits' morale and causing them to disperse into the surrounding forest -

And a massive, familiar dragon soared overhead, dousing some of the fires through the wind's sheer force. While they weren't inside a volcano, Jaune felt like the Hero of Time as he stared up at an infected Volvagia arcing around and lining up for a bombing run.

Despite hearing Weiss and Nora scream his name, Jaune didn't budge. He stared at the many eyes of the Malice-infected dragon so he could defend those behind him.

Volvagia breathed in and prepared to spew its foul breath -

Thunder boomed behind Jaune, followed by a flash of green light -

And Volvagia screamed as a beam of emerald green fire slammed into its side. Jaune spun and found the Spirit Guardian Farozu hovering above the village, triple his size from the Shrouded Shrine. When Volvagia recovered, it dodged another beam and shot a fusillade of Malice missiles, tearing through one of the Spirit Guardian's wings.

With a roar, Farozu flourished them and unleashed a ray of green fire that collided with Volvagia's beam of fire and Malice -

Jaune dove inside a house as the light reached a crescendo -

And a mighty explosion ripped the roof off, followed by a pained gurgle-like roar. When he looked outside, Volvagia retreated east with a glowing wound on its belly, and Farozu, having landed on a nearby mountain, nodded to him before vanishing in a flash of light.

All that was left were dying fires and empty silence. Moments later, Ruby, then Yang and the others emerged from a ruined tavern while terrified civilians peeked out from houses still standing.

"Is everyone alright!?" Jaune yelled out, drawing the civilians' attention. The relief in their eyes was palpable. "We're huntsmen! We're here to help! If anyone's wounded or needs medical attention -"

"Thank the gods you're here because we definitely do!"

The last time he heard that voice, it was smooth, collected and borderline suave. Now it was panicked and rough just like its source; behind them stood a wounded Neptune Vasilias, leaning against his battered trident with dirty hair, missing goggles and red spots on his jacket that were a little too dark.

"Neptune?" Weiss asked, stepping forward. "What happened here? You look terrible -"

"Branwen Tribe. We got assigned to investigate reports of bandits looting villages the dragon attacked, only to run into half the whole lot," he replied, turning away. "No time to waste. Follow me!"

They turned down a side street and came upon the rest of Team SSSN by a gated exit; Scarlet was talking frantically on his scroll while keeping watch on an unconscious bandit tied to a wooden beam, and Jaune recognized Sage kneeling by someone in the dirt.

Specifically, a monkey faunus who was pale and deathly still, a hand clutching a very red stain on the side of his shirt.

Blake screamed his name and dashed over. "O-okay, okay, okay. You'll be fine. We're here. Take these," she sputtered, snatching red and green potions from Yang and dunking them down his mouth.

Nothing happened.

"J-Jaune…? Why aren't these working? Why isn't Sun waking up!?"

He was about to reply, but Qrow shoved him away and placed a hand on Sun's pallid forehead. "For it is fortune that guides us to immortality. Through this, we bring hope for some and despair for others. Bound by fate as an omen of chance, I release your soul, and by my hand, wish thee well."

The bloody stain continued growing.

Qrow swore. "His Aura's there, but it's too weak and faint to kickstart it. This is beyond our skill to heal. If we don't get him emergency care soon…"

No. Not again. Jaune scrambled through his inventory as panic and yelling overtook the others; surely, there was something that could help, or at least stabilize him before it was too late -

"Wait, of course!"

Memories of a mystical fountain near home flashed through his mind, and Jaune silenced the others as he pushed through with a glowing pink bottle. When he uncorked it, the fairy fluttered over Sun with sparkling light until it faded away.

A second passed. And then another, with nothing to show for it.

Until some colour returned and Sun began coughing, followed by a faint yellow shimmer across his body.

"Holy crap, is he…is he good?"

"He's not out of the woods just yet, but he's stable," Sage grunted, causing Neptune and Blake to sag in relief. "We need to get him to a hospital. Scarlet's called in a medevac to Kuchinashi."

"Good. We're coming with you. I'm not leaving Sun behind after we promised to look after each other," she replied with moist amber eyes, earning a neutral gaze from Neptune and a hard one from Sage.

"Thanks for helping, but no. This is a team matter now. Besides, haven't you spent enough time with him already?"

"Let it go, Sage," Neptune interrupted as Ruby, Weiss and Yang stepped up. "I know how you feel, bro, but this isn't the time. We all should talk after we get Sun to safety. I mean, you think he'd wanna wake up to all of us yelling at each other?"

Sage glanced between his teammate and Team RWBY before turning away with a heavy sigh. As a tense silence descended, the sounds of jet engines a few minutes later had them looking north to find a pair of approaching bullheads with Haven insignia; when they arrived, one dropped a squad of huntsmen into the forest while they helped the medics load Sun and wounded civilians in the other.

And as they took off and Jaune surveyed the damage from the open door, he had a feeling that the days ahead wouldn't be so simple.

- AN -

Welcome back to A Descendant of Legends!

So here we have it. The mission revealed and the truth of the past laid bare. Rather than stretching out their journey over several chapters, I decided to do a mixed exposition-transition chapter where they'd deal with the aftermath of the Shrouded Shrine while hinting / setting up just exactly where they'd go next and what they'll have to deal with. It was also an excuse to show a little of who will see later and a little of what they can do without making it overly filler-y, because hey, it's kinda fun to see them in action. All the more in the upcoming chapters when the group arrives at their next destination and forms a (hopefully) solid plan to deal with the chaos without losing sight of their main goal. It should be a no-brainer...should be...

Either way, thanks for reading and hope to see you next time!

- Reviews -

Khonkyawza: Maybe, maybe not! Candidate pool's certainly thinning, but you can never know for sure...

Dragon lord Syed 101: Yup, and he even got to assert his dominance over the dragon too! And the Shrouded Shrine isn't the last dungeon we'll get to see!

SentinalSlice: Thank you! It's kinda funny thinking about Jaune or Ruby or someone holding the Lens of Truth up to Emerald and pulling a "no u" when she tries her illusions. The light beam through the Lens was more of a reduced Triforce Slash than an entirely separate power (think Jaune holding back from going all out with the slash), but I will say that there are abilities I'd like to explore once he gets all of Courage, and you know what? Shooting lasers is kinda fun. In hindsight, I'd have made Courage his "Semblance" instead of keeping them separate, but hey, the more you learn.

As for BOTW 2-specific items, I'd have to see since there's only so much we know right now and I don't like to retcon things, especially when I have a general idea of all the items I'm planning on adding. If we get more news soon (pls Nintendo), I'll definitely keep an open mind.

Thanks, and stay healthy too!

Super heavy weapons guy: Thank you, I appreciate it! And there'll definitely be points in the story focusing on one game or a mix of others.

Guest: Definitely some development for the three girls in the chapter! And at the very least, it's a question all the girls are asking themselves...who knows how they'll go forward with that hanging over their heads?

jeremiahkelley93: Thanks!

Guest: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! Blake and especially Yang definitely had some character building moments, and though they got through a major conflict together, I still want to see how they go forward now that they're past speaking terms. I'd like to mix and match the groups that'll enter with Jaune for upcoming dungeons while ensuring he'll solo at least one, but no matter the manpower, I think it's coming up with creative uses of powers and solutions to puzzles that can make dungeons worthwhile.

Guest: Thank you! I'm happy you enjoyed the trio's dynamic, and while I haven't forgotten those two, let me just say...spoilers!

PolishFreelancer115: I definitely think we might be thinking the same things here! Can't say much b/c spoilers, but I have a few ideas for when they cross the ocean!

Guest: Thank you, that really means a lot! The challenge is writing scenes that don't feel overly filler-y, but rest assured that keeping a balance between fighting and character interactions is one of my main goals - just like how the story will not be abandoned. Thanks again and take care too!

Roy4: Yup! The story's thematic Shadow Temple and the nightmare from our childhoods, now back for blood. And the Princess' identity is hard spoilers, I can definitely say that there'll be points in different characters' arcs that might hint towards them being the Princess - some subtle, yet blatant, and others as red herrings. It's definitely fun, though, to see why certain characters may or may not be the Princess!

Guest: Definitely! In fact, in this very chapter for one as I also think they both progressed enough to give each other a bit of a check-in, but I definitely plan to keep this bond between them active throughout the story. Reminiscing in Beacon on how they matured since then's a great visual too!

Guest: Thanks, I'm happy you like it and take care too!

Reader: Maybe! They'll definitely be meeting even more Zelda characters and races over the course of their travels, and many more dungeons!

Guest: The Princess is definitely closer than we all think - she just hasn't realized it yet!

- Stats -

Upload Date: April 25 / 2022

Chapter Word Count: 7828

Approximate Page Length (Times New Roman, size 12, single-spaced): 19.6

- Disclaimer -

The Legend of Zelda and RWBY are the respective properties of Nintendo and Rooster Teeth.