"Follow my instructions, and refrain from speaking unless addressed. Do not interfere with me."
And so it had begun. But not before Princess Zelda had scolded Everett and Link to stay out of her way and not to talk to her. Everett agreed, he didn't have anything to say to her anyway. Hell he was regretting destroying that guardian to stop it from blowing her to pieces. Now here he was following behind Link and Zelda. Zelda of course was leading the circus as she was a couple feet in front of Link, who was in the middle as he was her sworn protector. And finally Everett was last behind everyone making sure nothing was following them. It had been awfully quiet, and they were on their way to Goron City.
Apparently, Gorons lived in a volcano, and they needed a fireproof elixir to even survive the heat of Death Mountain. Until Impa had introduced Everett to fireproof elixirs, which had tasted awfully bitter and left a sour taste in his mouth when he tried it. He had almost spat it out before hearing that the effects wouldn't work unless he swallowed. He had to restrain himself from throwing Impa across Hyrule because of it.
The sun beat down on Everett, making him damp with sweat. It shone so brightly that he had to shield his face with his hand. They had been walking for quite a while now, and he presumed they wouldn't make it to Goron City until tomorrow morning. He sighed. His mind drifted to Aston, his brother who was probably long gone now. In another reality or universe.
Why did death bring him here? Why didn't death just drop his conscious and leave him in a dark void as if he were asleep. Or as if it was before he was born. Was it like this for everyone? Was his Mother in a different environment? And why would he be in a fucking video game of all places? And here of all places?
Now he's stuck with a guy whose voice is probably somewhere in his ass and a stubborn spoiled princess.
Nighttime had eventually fallen onto the land, and it wasn't until after another scolding from the Princess and a harsh set of words echoed through his mind that he had a simple question.
"Why don't you simply stop listening to everyone telling you what to do?"
"Is this some game to you? Are you here to make my life miserable? Do you not know the dire consequences that will come if I do not awaken this blasted power? You are such a brute."
"I was merely suggesting-"
"I do not need your suggestions!"
Everett sighed before putting his face in his palm, dragging it down the length of his face. The fire crackled, and the only thing he could see in the darkness was the Princess's tent which had been set up far enough away from him and Link. The two sat across the fire avoiding eye contact with each other. Everett looked up, the silence didn't help and he felt like he needed to get to know these people better before getting too deep into their world.
"What's your story?" Everett asked the hero. Link didn't answer for what seemed like an eternity, before he simply shrugged and continued looking at the fire. Everett sighed. "Cut the crap man, I know you can talk. You were humming before we left the castle."
Link looked back up at him with his eyes slightly widened, before looking over his shoulder towards the Princess's tent. It was in the distance, dark and lonely. Everett sighed again.
Everett waited again. Link didn't answer. "Fine. Stay quiet then."
"I'm from Hateno," His voice was soft, definitely not what you'd expect from a hero of the entire land. I barely caught it because of how soft it was.
"Do you have any family?" Everett asked.
"Sister. Aryll." Link simply said. "She's back at home."
"No parents?"
Link looked back up at Everett before nodding slowly. Everett looked back into the fire. It had been quiet for a few more minutes before he heard Link's soft voice again.
"What about you?" He asked. Everett looked up. "You have any family?"
Everett stared at the fire before he smiled meekly. "I did." He kept smiling to himself. He remembered all the memories he had of Aston. They didn't have the bestest childhood, and were often dead broke for a majority of it, they still had fun in ways they tried. "I had a brother. Aston."
"What happened to him?" Link asked.
Everett's meek smile had faded into a form while he continued to stare in the fire. He snapped out of his strange before looking at Link who had been waiting for an answer.
"We were separated when we were younger," He half lied. He saw Link visible flinch at the information given to him by the other man.
"Do you remember him?"
Of course.
"I remember everything about him. All the scars he had gotten when we were younger. The many times we'd fight. Many times we'd have to share our dinner because we didn't have enough for both of us." Everett looked up to the clear sky that had been riddled with small dots of stars. Probably other planets or suns in the galaxy. "I've tried looking for him. But I've never found him. Wherever he is. No matter how far he is. Dead, alive or even if it's something else we don't know of, I hope he's okay."
Link nodded. "What made you want to know about my family?"
"Because we don't gotta hate or compete with each other man. The other champions no doubt, doubt us in our position. They think we're incompetent. We gotta prove em' wrong." Everett answered. "If we want to beat whatever is planning on eating your world, we gotta at least somewhat like each other. Even if we don't get along with the Princess and the other champions. We, us are going to be fighting this thing face to face. Let us at least have faith in each other before we face our death."
Link looked up, with a somewhat confused look. "So you want to be friends?"
Everett shrugged his shoulders. "Friend doesn't have to be the word, more like ally. I'm willing to put our differences aside."
"I agree," he said.
"Good."
It was silent after that, and the fire had continued to ignite the two sitting around the campfire. Zelda's tent was still in the dark, unmoving and still as the leaves on a tree. There wasn't any wind, all he could feel was the warm air of the summer in Hyrule. The weather had reminded him of New York sometimes. When it was sunny, it was gorgeous. But when it was cold? It was hell.
His daydreaming stopped when the two had heard a snapped twig in the distance, both snapping their attention towards the darkness that had created the snap. Link had reached for the Master Sword, ready to have it unsheathed. Everett's fingers brushed the handle of the sword he had staring into the darkness with such intensity.
The suspense was cut short when a lone fox had stepped out of the darkness, and ran off towards the fields. The two men sighed before they had took hands off they're weapons.
Everett blurted out, "I need sleep. We can take turns. Just wake me in an hour or two; I'll take watch."
Link nodded and it wasn't long before Everett found himself lying there falling deep into the void of sleep.
"Guys! You made it!" Daruk's deep happy voice boomed throughout the volcano it felt like. His gigantic arms had opened up wide in welcome as the trio had made they're way up the volcano. Everett had wiped a pond of sweat from his forehead which had almost soaked his forearm. "Welcome to Goron City!"
"Hey man," Everett had breathed out. He had wrapped his shirt around his neck to catch all the sweat that had been dripping down his face. "I know y'all got some water or something to drink on in there."
Daruk shook his head. "I'm afraid we don't have any water here in Death Mountain, big guy," he said.
Everett had breathed heavily. "I think this magic potion or whatever you call it is wearing off," he panted, putting his hands on his hips before spitting on the ground. Steadying himself back up, he asked, "How the hell do you live out here man?"
"Is the heat a bit too much for the strongest man in Hyrule?" He heard Zelda comment in the back. He had eyed her from the corner of his eye before slightly biting his tongue. He shook his head slightly before chuckling to calm himself down.
The silent awkwardness had been brutal and it wasn't long before Daruk had waved the trio in. "Welcome to the city! I have plenty of fireproof potions I can give you."
They made their way into the volcanic town, seeing multiple Gorons roaming around the town, doing everyday life things. They had walking into a building that had been carved into little houses.
"Daruk, how is the divine beast going?" The Princess had asked excitedly blanking ignoring Everett's needs. The nerve. Maybe nows a chance to toss her scrawny ass into some lava.
"It's going great! Although I'm afraid I haven't gotten it under control. I dunno whenever it doesn't want to listen to me or it's a mental thing." Daruk explained.
Zelda nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem I can't handle." She looked back towards the two with a look that Everett couldn't decipher. "You two will not follow me into the divine beast, do I make myself clear? I won't tolerate any more disobedience-"
Everett raised his hand with a shrug. "Yeah yeah, we get it you don't like us and we're annoying. Same old story I haven't heard. Just go do your thing." He saw Zelda's face contorting into anger before Everett had completely brushed her aside, walking past her, Daruk, and Link.
"Actually Everett," Daruk had interrupted him as he was about to walk out of sight. "I have sort of a monster problem over at Gotramm Cliffs. The talus there are causing everyone trouble nowadays! Someone has to put them down. Of course, that is if you're up for the challenge."
"A talus?"
"Yeah," Daruk said flatly. "Y'know, those big rocks with the emerald."
Everett had quickly put his facade back on. "Oh! Those things, yeah sure I'll take care of it, why not?"
The three of them looked at Everett with visible confusion for a moment or two. Not taking their eyes off him, he frowned and asked, "What?"
"You do know what a talus is, right?" Daruk asked.
Everett sighed before looking at the sky. "Of course I know what it is. Look man, it's hot. I need one of those disgusting potions if I can do what you want me to."
Everett groaned. He had hoped they didn't want him to take down some monsters, he actually wanted to sit in the hot springs Zelda had blabbered about during their journey over to Goron City. Before he could speak Daruk, had invited them into the city. Luckily not too many Gorons had been around at this time as it was still morning.
Metal catwalks that had shielded everyone from melting hopelessly into lava had been planted all around the city, and there had been multiple rock-like structures which were in the form of houses and stores. The four made their way to a handmade rock structure that had coding on the sign. It had seemed like a bar and it was confirmed when inside held some tables and a bar. Daruk led them towards it and the three had sat down, Zelda of course in the middle as Daruk went behind the bar.
"I know thirsty people when I see them, anything I can get you guys?" Daruk said happily. Everett raised an eyebrow.
"I'll have some water." Zelda answered.
"I'll take a water too..." Link whispered softly.
Everett cursed himself. "Give me a shot."
"Drinking on the job?" Daruk smirked, but it didn't change the glare the Princess was giving him.
"Are you serious?" Princess Zelda inquired. "What are you trying to achieve?"
Everett had closed his eyes letting a breath out. "If you want me to deal with the talus, give me a shot." He let the last words come out in a growl. He had heard Zelda grumble something under breath and he made out true word 'brute'.
Daruk had slid three glasses across the table before he filled the two glasses with water and placed a fireproof elixir next to them. He quickly swapped the bottle with a bottle colored red, he then placed a elixir next to the beverage. Everett quickly downed both the potion and shot before he finished it with an 'ahh' he had set the glass down before getting up.
"Where ya going little guy?" Daruk asked.
He paused. "Do you want me to take care of this thing or not?"
Daruk somewhat flinched at the harsh tone. "Well not right now. You've probably been walking for ages. Eldin isn't particularly the idea climate to do all that traveling you guys have done."
Everett breathed out somewhat annoyed. It was annoyingly hot here, even with the elixir. He didn't want to stay here longer than he needed. He was here on business apparently, and wanted to get back where a human could live and not burn to death. He dragged himself towards the bar again before sitting next to the Princess with a thud. He let his arms spread across the top, stretching them out enough to hear a crack before reeling them back in to his sides.
"So Everett," Daruk cut the silence. "How does a Hylian like yourself get so strong, that you can overpower us Gorons?" Daruk had challenged with a confident smile.
Everett looked at the humanoid rock in front of him. He pondered for what felt like hours in his mind but was merely seconds in reality.
"I can't answer that. I've just always been this strong." Everett lied through his teeth. Hopefully Daruk didn't see that his was so full of shit his eyes were brown. "I've just learned how to master it. Keep it under control. I occasionally work out to keep up with them."
"Any kind of workouts?" Daruk asked eagerly to learn about the man sitting in front of him. "Us Gorons squat boulders."
Everett nodded. "Before the tournament, my mentor made me pull a house sized boulder by rope. Throughout Hyrule Field."
He saw the glances from Link and Zelda in shock as he told them the information. Daruk raised an eyebrow with his gigantic thumb stroking his white beard. "So, you can lift anything? Just like that?"
"I feel like it varies," Everet explained playing with the cup, he didn't realize that the three had all eyes on him when he was explaining. "If I need to lift a tree, I can do it. If I need to lift a house sized boulder, I just need to get in the right mind state to lift it."
"Interesting..." He heard Link say.
I wonder what Aston would think. Everett smiled a boyish grin in which he heard the Princess sigh next to him. Immediately snapping himself back into reality, he lightly slammed his fist into the bar before getting up. "Now, where is that talus?"
Daruk nodded. "At Gotramm Cliff. But before you go," Daruk walked around the bar and slung his gigantic arm around Everett's muscular shoulders. "I thought you would need a bit of help, so I had contacted the perfect man for you!"
He heard burly footsteps as he looked up from the ground to see a familiar face. "You've gotta be kidding me."
...
"Didn't expect to see you so soon," Gonbick said cutting the silence that had been upon them for fifteen minutes. He heaved the boulder breaker onto his shoulder with his gigantic hands wrapped around the handle. The two men walked around the hot atmosphere of Death Mountain making they're way to Gotram Cliff. The air had been thick between them, and the entire walk had just been them two sizing each other up. "How ironic? Two of the strongest guys looking for a wimpy talus, can't believe they don't put any faith in you."
"Good to see you too, I guess." Everett mumbled loud enough for the Goron to hear.
Gonbick chuckled. "I ain't got nothing against you brother, just nice to see you is all. Don't know why they don't send the hero out here with us." Everett sighed before continuing to walk, before Gonbick had pointed towards a cliff like landscape before he put his hand over his eyes to see.
"Thankfully I didn't have to go with them to that divine beast. It's so draining being around them." Everett said.
Gonbick scoffed. "I can see why. Daruk told me everything."
"Link's fine. He's silent and I can tolerate that. But the Princess..." Everett even shuddered saying her name. She gets under his skin and he doesn't know how. Every time he hears that goddamn voice he knows a storm is brewing.
"I'd give her a break. She's really gotten all the pressure on her. Think about it," Gonbick heaved the boulder breaker off of his shoulder and used his as a can to lean on. "Imagine failing at your duty for years, and the hero randomly pops up with the sacred sword that's been around since the beginning of time. Then a man, who is apparently stronger than anything in the land of Hyrule also shows up. Both doing they're duty and both tapping into they're potential. Would you feel some type of way? Watching people your suppose to save Hyrule with go above and beyond you?"
Everett thought. Gonbick had a point, a good one. Yes, it's unfortunate what the Princess is going through with her duty right now, it still doesn't make him feel sympathy for her while she goes around all day bashing him and Link for having it easy. He literally died. Nothing was easy slipping out of consciousness, unable to do anything as you're entire world fades away.
"This must be it. We just gotta cover the area." Gonbick informed.
Everett nodded. "We'll split up. You check that side, I'll check this one. Holler if you see the thing." Everett had wandered in the opposite. Luckily Daruk had given him extra fireproof potions so that he wouldn't be turned into chicken out here and some Goron devour him.
The area was clear, and he was almost certain that Daruk was mistaken. He looked to his right to see a cliff in the distance before he had flopped his hands up and down. What the hell? He thought. Swiftly turning around, he jogged back to where Gonbick and him had split up.
"Gonbick?" Everett called out. He heard no answer, he had further walked down the path that the goron had gone done. He called out his name one more time. "Gonbick, you there!?"
"Over here!" He heard the booming voice. Everett jogged towards where his voice came from to find the Goron looking around. "See anything?"
Everett huffed. "Nope. Looks like Daruk was mistaken."
Gonbick had scratched his head. "Huh, that's weird though. Daruk's usually never wrong about monster hunting."
The two men looked around suspiciously. Everett had noticed it became readily quiet even for being a volcano, the only thing that cut through the silence was the bubbling lava a few feet from them. The two waited a minute or two for a miracle to happen in case the thing tried rising from under them. When nothing happened to the two shrugged.
"Think we should head back?" Everett asked the Goron.
Gonbick nodded. "I guess so, wow. I was totally thinking something was here-"
And just like that, Everett felt himself suddenly on fire being almost being thrown from where they were standing. A gigantic explosion had made him fly into a peak side a couple feet away. He took a minute to recover feeling his entire body on fire. He heaved himself up with his hands, leaning up enough to the gigantic talus slowly walking towards them. The talus charged, and threw another gigantic rock at Everett who had swiftly moved out the way. He saw Gonbick from the other side begin to move around.
"Gonbick!" Everett called out. The talus had dug his side to the dirt, pulling another rock grenade from the ground, charging his throw at Gonbick. Gonbick had quickly rolled out the way turning into a ball, rolling towards Everett. He spilled out of the roll and collapsed on the ground before getting up. "Well? Got a plan?"
"We have to take out that crystal. It's better if-shit!" Another rock had came flying towards them, Gonbick had flung Everett to the ground to avoid the oncoming bomb. It exploded on the peak side, letting rocks crumble down in the explosion. The rocks had landed on Gonbick and Everett covering them.
Everett had almost exploded, the rocks flew off him towards a few feet from him. He felt angry, and he was ready to rip this thing to shreds. Gonbick had tossed a large rock that had almost landed on him at the talus, it had hit the crystal barely taking a chunk of it. It had stumbled, before falling over completely taking a few moments to recover itself. This gave Everett an idea he looked at the height of the peak that had stood high in the sun. It wasn't high, but it was high enough for him to slam that boulder breaker Gonbick has into the talus. Everett paused. How did I come up with an idea like that?
He shrugged it off. "Gonbick," the man looked at him before heaving another rock at the talus who still coming closer but slowly. "I need your breaker."
Gonbick's face twisted into a grimace. "No way man! How am I going to defend myself?"
Everett smirked. "That's the point jackass! See that point up there," Everett pointed to the peak that had hung over where they were fighting. "I go up there. You keep it distracted. Take one of these rocks, knock it down. Giving me enough time to come down hard with that breaker!"
It seemed like an hour when Gonbick nodded his head. He quickly tossed Everett the breaker, which was lighter than he expected but then of course he's a thousand times stronger than he used to be. He quickly ran around the side of the mountain at him and Gonbick had followed before coming towards the peak that went upward. He began to ascend quickly, only being stopped by stumbling or almost tripping. He quickly got to the top of the peak before he looked down.
It wasn't necessarily a high fall, but it was definitely high enough to break a few bones. He's been thrown into a stone wall, had a boulder sized rock thrown at him and exploded and has been shot by a hot beam that would've destroyed any human back home. What would a little drop do?
"Ready!?" Gonbick exclaimed, his voice boomed up to Everett.
"Yeah!" He said. He took the breaker in his hand, he inches closer to the ledge before he hesitated and thought to himself about how much of an idiot he was. "Lure him over here!"
Gonbick did what he said, the talus had threw another rock towards the Goron in the direction opposite of where Everett had wanted him, giving Gonbick a perfect opportunity to move to where he's suppose to. Almost there...
Got it!
Everett cried a warriors roar and jumped from the peak, he felt his stomach flatten against the heaviest wielding the boulder breaker in his hand. When he was close enough he swung with all his might at the crystal hearing an loud pow! Everett landed on the ground rather harshly, but he shrugged it off. He felt something in his leg pop, but it was quite an ease to pop it back in quickly.
The talus has stood upright before it had swayed and crumbled into nothingness. Everett had backed up before watching it die. It had crumbled into hundreds of pieces of small stone. Everett chuckled before getting up and dusting himself off. He felt the blood on his lip, and the sweat had made him glisten. His clothes were now covered in filth and die, something he wished wouldn't happen when he woke up today.
"Not done yet!" He heard Gonbick yell. He snapped his head towards the Goron who had pointed behind him. Two Lizalfos had cases them with sharp weapons. The one on the right charged Everett, and swiped at him.
Everett had barely jumped back, dodging the sharp blade that was latched in the monsters hand. It jumped around almost like it was toying with Everett. It let us tongue fly, and it hit Everett in the face. He wiped the saliva off of him before starting to get pissed. He waited for the Lizalfos to use that tongue again. And he did.
Like lighting, Everett quickly caught his hand around the tongue, tightening it to the grasp. The monster had stomped it's foot out of anger, struggling to snap its tongue back into it's mouth. Everett tugged it enough to pull the Lizalfos forward, and proceed to bash it in the head with the hilt of his sword.
He roughly grabbed its head, before twisting it roughly. It had resisted but not long before Everett's own strength risen over the monsters and he heard a small crack before he casually threw the mindless beast aside. In the corner of his eye he had seen Gonbick threw the Lizalfos carelessly into the ground before slamming the breaker onto its head, crushing it.
"Ha! That'll show em!" Gonbick said clapping his gigantic hands together. "Good stuff Everett! You surprised me big man, no wonder they have you watching the little Princess with the Hero! You're a natural!"
"Ah don't thank me," Everett let a smirk wash over his face, obviously thankful for the compliment, he dropped the breaker into Gonbick's hands.
"Seriously. Besides Link' you're one of the most fierce hylians I have ever met."
"I appreciate it man. But let's focus on getting back to the city."
Apparently Daruk had taken Link and Zelda to the divine beast. He hadn't had the chance to clean up his wounds or dirt smudged on him because Daruk wanted know if they had cleared the talus out. Bidding Gonbick farewell, he walked the route Gonbick had told him to follow. He had drank another potion which he was getting tired of because it tasted like piss.
His muscles groaned, that explosion was weighing on him more than he thought but he shrugged it off. It took about ten minutes for Everett to walk up Death Mountain before seeing one of the long legs of the divine beast. He sped up his pace before deciding to try and climb up the side of it which he was successfully doing before the mountain had shook violently. He was almost thrown off the machine before grabbing the bar he had been holding onto, he had pulled himself up before heaving himself up onto the platform. He had seen Daruk and Link in the center of the divine beast, and they had looked like they had just been shook up by the sudden shake.
He dragged himself up to his feet before tiredly walking towards the two. It had taken longer than he realized for the two to notice him walking towards them. It had they almost seen a ghost at the sigh of him.
"Everett! You alright big guy? How many talus's did you fight?" Daruk exclaimed.
He chuckled. "It had caught me and Gonbick by surprise. It was like hiding when we down there to find it, then it got us good with a cheap shot. Those thing pack a punch. There also a couple Lizalfos."
Daruk had uncreased his face before he did another look over. Everett really did look like shit, he was able to get a good glance of himself through the hot springs in his way here. He had a cut on his lip, and some burn marks on his arms which didn't help considering it was covered in dirt and his clothes were covered in muck.
"Should've went with us Link," Everett said with a girn. Link turned his head towards the hero who almost flinched up when he was addressed. "Probably wouldn't of been blindsided. So, where's our little princess?"
"She's in the divine beast." Link quietly said.
"Doing her usually inspection or whatever she does in there," Daruk said shrugging the topic off. "She's interested in this type of stuff. I was just telling Link here about getting to be the Princess's knight!"
Everett scoffed. "Best job in the world, huh?" He saw a slight smirk on Link's face before his stoic attitude washed it away.
"Just remember what I told you about the Princess. Mountains and peaks." He said Turing to Link. Everett hadn't known what the two were talking about. He all so hadn't really cared for it as he sighed deeply. I need a bath.
He heard soft footsteps approach them before an gasp escaped the Princess's lips. "Everett! Oh skies, what happened?"
Everett merely brushed her off with a shrug. He haas the disappointment and annoyance wash over her face once again.
"Tell me what happened. That's an order."
He gritted his teeth. "We were blindsided. Nothing we couldn't handle."
"Are you sure you didn't fight through a hoard of Lynels?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"The talus had waited until me and Gonbick had our back turned. Then it threw one of those rock bombs at us."
"Well," Daruk started. "At least ya ain't blown to pieces or burned to a crisp! You will need to get those burns treated. Princess, did you complete your research in there?"
The Princess had nodded her head. "Yes. I'm certain the divine beast will be able to respond to you're commands Daruk."
Daruk had pumped a fist. "Great! Now to give that Calamity Ganon a taste of our mind!"
Now all Everett had to do was survive three more trips.