Author's Note
Oh boy, sorry that it took so long to get back into writing this one. Three months, ouch. Sorry again, I really mean it. I just got so burnt out that I couldn't keep writing it, but now I'm back.
As an update, I've recreated the cover art for the story, I think everyone will enjoy it better.
I'll try to keep this story updated at a better pace now, so look forward to that...
Uploaded
11/05/2023
LEGEND BELOW
"O-Oh goodness, I'm so clumsy!" = Normal speech.
''Dont panic.'' = Normal thoughts.
Chapter 18
A Hero returns victorious
Rated-M
M rating for Romance, and things of explicit nature, and blood and death.
Music of the day
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - Gerudo Town theme
Gerudo Desert
"Lady Riju…?" The words were uttered in worry, a sentiment shared by many there.
"I have faith in him…" The chief of the Gerudo muttered, hands clasped over her chest. Upon returning to her town, she was joined by her people, her guards, and even the townsfolk. They all watched in anticipation for the outcome of Link's mission to regain control of the Divine Beast, knowing that the man was up there alone in his fight.
Some of the other Gerudo wished to go and aid him in the battle, but they knew that they'd only be in the way, and that was if they'd even find it possible to board the beast at all while it was moving.
However, since their leader safety returned from her short mission with him, they'd all been watching in anticipation for what was to come.
The beast seemed to continue to roam about as if nothing happened, but after a short while it began moving oddly, its head changing positions over and over as if someone was controlling it from the inside.
"D-Do you think that's because of him? Is he controlling Vah Naboris?" Someone asked in worry, hands clasped before them.
"He's so high up, I'm afraid even I'd be worried about going in there with that sandstorm…" A pink feathered Rito woman expressed in deep concern.
"Quiet! Do not talk so little about our Chief's husband! Have faith in him, as she does." A guard exclaimed, slamming her spear on the ground to make her point known.
Riju, somehow managed to keep a straight face at the words of her guard. Yet, even still, her face had turned a peculiar shade of red at the thought of the man…
Well…
Now technically speaking, her husband atop the Divine Beast.
Gerudo law and all that. Bedding a man made him your husband, even if the more appropriate ceremony had not yet taken place…
She'd be sure to let him know that once he returned…
Temporarily distracted with that train of thought, Riju tuned back in when flashes of a dark malice appeared from within the Divine Beast. She knew then that Link must be facing the monster that had slain her ancestor.
Lightning struck around the beast, the sounds of blades clashing echoing across the desert lands, flashes of light that only served to fuel the imagination of the onlookers.
Then, a relatively short time later, everything stopped.
Riju held her breath, afraid to breathe, to speak, to do anything. The crowds watched on in silence, awaiting the outcome of the battle.
Then suddenly, the Divine Beast stopped in its tracks. The hulking mechanical beast then turned, and began making its way toward the mountains that stood between the Gerudo Desert and the Mainland of Hyrule. The world seemed to shake as it scaled the mountain, before nesting atop one of its flattest peaks. It's head took aim at the Calamity in the far distance, before charging up a blinding red laser.
And that's when it sank in for all in attendance, all across Hyrule.
The past one hundred years of suffering, strife, fear fueled anxiety. The many years full of waiting, surviving, hiding, to see if the day would ever come that the Calamity that oppressed them would finally be pushed back.
So many had lost hope, so many had even given up entirely, and most that had survived the initial fall of the kingdom had already passed on.
But all knew the legend, the story of the great kingdom that had been pushed to a shattered and forgotten brink. All knew what Hyrule used to be before its fall.
And all knew in some way, what the out of control Divine Beasts existed for. So for the first time in one hundred years, hope had returned to the lands, as all within sight watched as the first of four Beasts took its aim at the dreaded Calamity Ganon.
Before, there was no chance, no hope…
But now…
Now the tide had been turned, and it was in the favor of the people that survived the kingdom's fall.
Riju wasn't even aware of the cheering that erupted around her, the nearly deafening applause and tears of joy that overwhelmed her dear people and all visitors of her land.
Today was a day of victory, of celebration, or happiness! Today marked the day that Hyrule had begun to be taken back over, and it was only the beginning of the end for the Calamity…
He stood atop the head the mighty beast, eyes gazing towards the dark castle in the distance. The winds blasted against him, yet he stood unmoved from his position, hardened gaze locked onto the center of Hyrule.
Even now, he could see the bodiless form of the Demon King, swimming around the Castle, unable to escape the Princess's grasp. He knew that Zelda was in there somewhere, doing everything she could to hold the beast at bay.
But he knew she wouldn't last forever.
One hundred years had already passed, he would not make her wait even one more.
He would save the other three Divine Beasts, save the tribes that made up the other three corners of the kingdom. The people that lived there, the people that had been, and likely were still living in fear of the day the demon king escaped his containment, to them he would come.
When he first awoke in this strange and lonely world, the touch of humanity having been all but forgotten, pushed to the furthest corners of the lost kingdom, he wasn't sure what to think, what to feel.
He had barely even been given a name, informed of who he was supposed to be and what he was supposed to do by a ghostly voice of the Princess speaking to him. At the time, all he had that pushed him forward was the threat that loomed over what remained of the land.
That had been enough at the time, enough to light a fire underneath his feet, propelling him into action.
But now…
Now he felt like he had even more reasons to push him forward, even more purpose in life.
Standing atop his first major victory against the calamity, he found his mind wandering to those that he'd come to know since his awakening in the desolate land of Hyrule.
Paya, the adorable and beautiful young woman in Kakariko. When he'd first met her, he wasn't sure what to think.
She was clumsy, tripping over her own two feet upon their first interaction together.
He had still been unable to remove the image of her undergarments from the front of his mind, the thought occasionally crossing his mind on his journey. Even then, after he'd gotten to know the girl, he realized that she was very special.
Her upbringing had been difficult, as many's had been in the shadow of the ruined kingdom. Yet, even so, she had grown up into a wonderfully sweet and beautiful and caring young woman who would go out of her way to help those around her, no matter what it meant for her. It wasn't just his status as the Hero of the kingdom that had urged her to devote her care and attention to him, and he loved her for who she was, something he realized the night he stayed with her.
He knew that he'd become very special to her, and he knew that he could never leave her behind. More than that, he learned that he'd come to view her with just as much respect and affection as she did him. Even now, he found himself missing her touch and her embrace, his greedy heart longing for her.
But she wasn't the only one.
No.
For shortly after he had left Kakariko behind, he met another beautiful and special woman, and this woman just so happened to have been the Aunt of Paya.
Purah had been someone he did not know, as with everyone else in the world. Yet he learned quickly that she was very well aware of who he was.
For, she had an undying love for him, a love that been born a lifetime ago. This love for him had been powerful enough to encourage her to create a device that allowed her to reverse the devastating effects of age, just on the off chance that she would one day see him again.
And when he finally arrived on her doorstep, no trace of memory in his eyes, he was greeted with a beautiful woman who immediately threw her entire heart at him.
He had not been expecting her, and having been tasked with caring for the fragile old heart of a woman that had waited for one hundred years to profess he eternal love to him was not something he ever expected he would end up doing.
And yet, when that time came, he promised her that he would learn to return her affections, because it was the least he could do for her after making her wait all those years. It made his heart ache when he left her behind, a kingdom out there to save.
He knew she would understand, he knew that she was aware of his destiny. But he still felt, dare he say, irresponsible in leaving her behind. He decided that he must return to her side soon, assure her that he was still real, that he hadn't been something conjured up by her imagination. The thought of her dying of a broken heart pushed him forward, giving him the strength he needed to save the world that she lived in.
He vowed that one day she would be able to live in peace, and that he would be right there by her side when that time came. Once the world no longer need him, his attention was going to be on her, he just prayed that she could wait just a little bit longer.
After leaving her behind, he ventured into the harsh desert lands. That's where he met her.
Riju, chieftain of the Gerudo women tribe.
When he first met her, he viewed her as this strong and powerful woman who led her people through thick and thin, doing everything within her power to protect those under her care. And while his initial impression of her had well founded, he eventually learned who she was underneath the mask of a proud and strong Gerudo woman.
She was a girl who had unfortunately been forced into a position of power at an age far too young, told to lead and protect the people of her tribe while simultaneously trying to fight back against the vile Yiga clan and protect those around her from the rampaging Divine Beast.
When he first met her, she had been at her wits end, and was on the verge of completely breaking down as all hope abandoned her.
Then he forced his way into her life and demanded, no, ordered that she allow him to help her and her people. When she gave him the chance to do just that, he went and did just that, and returned her sacred artifact to her, and saved one of her people from a demise so foul he wouldn't even speak of it.
When the seemingly powerful and mighty Gerudo woman dragged him to her personal quarters, he wasn't sure what he was expecting. But, he had not been ready to learn that underneath that tough mask she wore over herself was a terrified young woman who was struggling to keep her head above water in an ocean that was trying to drown her.
He certainly hadn't been expecting to end up bedding her either the following morning, but life certainly had a way of throwing him for a loop every single turn he took.
He felt like he'd just accomplished something great for the kingdom, yet he also felt like he had so much more ahead of him. The future hung in the balance, and with each passing day that balance was slowly tipped more and more in his favor.
Now with the Desert lands safe, he felt like it was time to move onto his next mission.
But, before he could leave, he supposed that it would be appropriate of him to return to Riju once more before he departed. After all, he had no idea when he would ever see her again.
With that thought in mind, he pulled out his Shiekah Slate, and activated the transportation rune. He closed his eyes, letting the magic power take him away, vanishing into a mist of blue energy…
Slowly his eyes opened as consciousness returned to him, his feet lightly dusted with warm sand, the grains sinking in between his toes as he touched down on the ground before the shrine just outside of Gerudo Town.
However, upon opening his eyes, he realized that he had a crowd surrounding him.
He barely had the time to react as a certain red haired chieftain threw herself into his arms, allowing him to catch her as he spun around with her in his arms. His eyes widened as she embraced him in a tight hug, holding his head to her chest, as if afraid to let his go.
When she finally pulled back, he wasn't even allowed a moment to get a word out before she smashed her lips to his, stealing his breath away in one intense kiss. He felt his eyes fluttering at her intensity, a trail of saliva connecting the two when she finally pulled away.
"You did it! Oh Goddesses, the day has finally arrived!" She cried in joy, holding him tightly to her chest. "I never thought I'd see the day the Divine Beast was in our control again, you've done a great thing for our people!" She suddenly pulled away, holding him still by the shoulders. "Please, if there is anything I can do-" She went to say, but he stopped her before she could finish.
"Riju, it's alright. I didn't do this for a reward, I did it because it needed to be done, and I'm the only one who could do anything about it. I don't need gifts for doing the right thing…" He assured her, smiling that handsome disarming look.
She looked surprised for a moment, before she smiled as she shook her head.
Of course he'd say something like that.
That night a festival was held, and everyone within the Gerudo Desert was invited to attend, even men under the strict rules that they behaved themselves under threat of prosecution.
And in the dead of night, when all but a few guards were still awake, the Hero made his exit. He knew Riju would urge him to stay with her for some time longer, but he couldn't linger, the kingdom was waiting on him.
So, he made his leave. However, before departing, he was sure to pick up his armor that had been under repair from Riju's blacksmith's. The entire ensemble had been repaired, the silvery metal shinier than he remembered it to be. The cape was a bit difficult to fix, and it had been left tattered, but he did not mind.
Without warning, he made his departure, taking with him the relic weapons left behind by Lady Urbosa, her sword and shield strapped to his back.
No one even saw him leave…
A storm had rolled in late into the evening, bringing with it a heavy rain. Hateno was no stranger to such sudden storms, but even in all her years living in the land, she still didn't appreciate the way it would happen with little to no warning whatsoever.
The appearance of the storm, however, was not what kept her mind running late into the night.
No…
For it was the strange thunderstorm she had seen of occur in the distant region of the Gerudo Desert, an otherworldly event surely taking place.
She'd scrambled to her telescope to view the situation unfold, hoping that perhaps her scope could help shed some light on her questions.
Although she was unable to see the source of the storm due to the mountains that blocked her view, she was able to watch the clouds as they moved around the desert. Then, as suddenly as they disappeared, she bore witness to the Divine Beast Vah Naboris clamber up the mountain, before coming to a final resting place atop a flat plateau.
She felt her heart in her throat as she watched the events unfold…
And then…?
Nothing.
The beast took aim at the Castle in the distance, and nothing more.
She didn't need to be as smart as she was to understand that the mighty beast had been freed from its control from the Calamity.
She wasn't surprised that Linky had done that, no, she knew he was very capable as a man.
She was surprised that he'd done so so unbelievably fast. For it had been but a few days since he left her side in his quest to save the kingdom.
And he had already accomplished one fourth of his journey.
It was astonishing!
And so now she waited.
She knew that he promised he would return to her, and that had been enough to hold her over for a short while…
But after seeing his accomplishments from a distance, she knew that she needed to see him again…
Hold him again, to confirm to herself that he was still real.
And so she waited, sitting atop her laboratory, hiding underneath an awning. The storm that had appeared had made such a thing difficult, but not impossible.
Then, she heard it.
A sound of magic swirling could be heard, the tell tale blue glow of Sheikah technology streaking through the skies above. She swung her head around, looking for the source of the sound.
Her eyes caught a glint of blue in the sky, flying towards her like a soaring arrowhead. It came straight from the depths of the desert, shooting across the dark cloudy sky like a star.
It closed the distance between her and it quickly, and soon enough it began collecting around the front of her house.
She scrambled out of her hiding place, rushing down the spiral stairs outside her laboratory as she ran for the front door. She tossed the door open, the wooden frame only managing to go halfway before it seemed to slam into something.
"Gah!" A muffled voice exclaimed in surprise.
Purah peaked out from the door, spotting her Hero in all his armored glory, now sporting a bleeding nose. He cracked a crooked grin at her, despite the red leaking from his face. "I'll take that as you're happy to see me?" He joked, trying to ease the tension.
Purah promptly tossed the door aside as she pulled him into her embrace, holding her tightly to her chest. His eyes widened in surprise, before softening as he realized that she was crying.
He gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her head to his shoulder. "Shhh, it's okay now. I'm back, I'm safe…" He coped gently, soothing the distraught woman. He swooped her off her feet, carrying her into the warm and dry laboratory and out of the rain. "Don't worry, everything's alright."
"You came back…" She breathed…
Chapter
18
End
