Ballad of the Hero & the Demon

by Cosmic Sky

Link was more than happy with the peace, but that doesn't last too long. As the hero of the land, he had a duty to fulfil. He's slain monsters, but does he have what it takes to slay a demon? What if there's more to this demon than meets the eye? Does he slay her or try to save her? This is the story of a Hero and a Demon, and the unlikely but treasured bond they forged.

8. Chapter 8-Dance with a Demon Pt1

Hello, everyone. Hopefully the year's been good to you all. As we head into the new year, you could consider this my gift to you all. The layout of this chapter actually came to me while I was writing the previous one and I was pretty happy when I was able to finally sit down and write it out. I hope you all enjoy it!

I do not own anything.

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Chapter 8-Dance with a Demon Pt 1

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There were mornings where Link was early to rise and days where he was reluctant to do so. As his Sheikah Slate blared on the side of his bed, he realized this was going to be one of the latter. He turned his back to the nightstand and thus the alarm, trying to block out the ringing. Its tone was meant with a groan from the Hylian knight.

He had his reasons, ranging from serious to…what Link would call sheer laziness at not wanting to get up. This time, it wasn't the latter.

So then, what was the reason? What was it that was keeping the Hero of the Wilds sulking in bed longer than his normal time of awakening?

A dozen different answers were possible, several related to the state of Hyrule's ongoing reconstruction and the reestablishment of its army. Both had been progressing rather steadily baring a handful of setbacks, some of which were linked to bigger problems. One of those problems had certainly gnawed at Link and could have been the reason for his reluctance to rise.

After several minutes the beeping of the alarm grew too much to bear causing him to roll over again. His hand shot out, pressing the snooze button, and silencing the annoying sound. Finally, his bedroom was silent save for the chirping of birds outside the window. Even that could be tuned out or used to help him return to slumber. He'd done it a dozen times before and now would be no different.

Or it would have been if it wasn't for the consecutive knocks on his door. "Link! Link! Wake up! The kingdom needs its greatest soldier!"

"Tell them to get the second greatest!" Link shouted.

"Ahhh, thanks, but I'm afraid this situation calls for the number one!" The Hylian knight gave no response besides a groan of dismay. A chuckle filled with amusement sounded beyond the door. "Come on, everyone loses big every now and then at the poker table. Even big shot heroes. Look on the bright side, at least you didn't lose anything important! Besides some bits of your dignity!"

Link rolled over and looked straight up at the ceiling, annoyance written all over his face. Not that anyone could see it, certainly not his best friend knocking at the door. Granted, he had a hunch that Trevor could so easily picture his face right about now. At least he couldn't see his face right now-the smug grin that he undoubtedly wore. That was something else that made him reluctant to get up and answer the door. Alas, he knew while he could put it off, it was just prolonging the inevitable. As another knock sounded at his door he called out to his comrade and friend that he was up.

Swinging it open, he saw the very face he'd been trying to avoid. Trevor had that all too knowing smile on his face, especially since he finally saw Link's face. Including his bed hair.

"I'll get ready in a second." He stated.

"What, aren't you going to invite me? Even for breakfast?" The human soldier asked with a smirk. Link could tell he was fully expecting to be shot down.

While a part of him would have liked to do that, he found he just didn't have it in him. Cooking was a passion of his, and it was nice to cook for friends. Even when they did their best to annoy the hell out of you first thing in the morning. "Come in. I'll set the table."

"I'll help." Trevor said with a genuine smile.

"Hope you don't mind eggs." Despite his lingering annoyance, Link felt his lips slowly curling into a smile. Cooking always brightened his mood, and it undoubtedly did the same here. "So, what's the job? It is a training regiment or something serious?"

"The latter." Seriousness was written all over Trevor's face. Link internal braced himself, and tried to curb the numerous possibilities he began to entertain. "You remember that bandit, Gerin? He's finally been located. You know what that means."

Link knew. As happy as he was, he also felt disappointment; he hoped that didn't show on his face though. He knew what he was hoping for, and it was for something more than just a bandit, no matter how vile he was.

"I'm…sorry that this isn't the news you were hoping for."

"Huh?"

Trevor's smile was one of sympathy as he began to explain. "It showed on your face. You were hoping for something else, news on someone else. Sorry that I had to be the one to break it to you that this is just more of the same. For what it's worth though, I'm keeping my ears to the ground in case anything about the She-Demon comes through. Pretty sure everyone else."

That much Link knew. From the moment she'd shown up, the She-Demon became the terror of Hyrule, her occasional disappearances only adding to the fearful hold she had on the country. It was the flipside of back-to-back attacks. Some would argue that this was even worse since it left people fearful of when the next attack would happen. It made adjusting to peace all the harder because of the possibility it could be shattered any second.

That'd been the case for the last month. Another burst of uneasy peace that everyone had been reluctant to accept, albeit some had started to. The stories of the savior of Shalford probably helped.

It was still hard to believe it'd been one month since that fateful night. One month since everything he knew had been challenged. In that time, all eyes and ears had been open for any news of the She-Demon, the woman known as Mirajane. And there'd been absolutely nothing. Only rumors that turned out to lead to nowhere. That'd been meant with frustration and relief. People like Trevor knew where Link fell, thus the sympathetic smile he gave him as he stood there in mild shock.

The shock faded as Link realized that he'd failed to hide his feelings. At least the person seeing them was someone he trusted. "Thanks, Trevor. Thank you, but…let's focus on the up incoming mission. People are depending on us."

Trevor silently nodded, choosing not to press the topic. He might bring it up after this mission, which was perfectly acceptable to Link. A part of him wasn't sure he wanted that, but he felt like if there was anyone to talk about it with, it was his best friend. "Alright, I'll explain the specifics on the way to Castle Town."

"Or, you could just tell me here and now over breakfast." Link offered with a smirk.

Trevor nonchalantly waved his hand in admission. "True. Talking about dark stuff isn't so bad when it's your over your food." He leaned back in his chair with a wistful expression. "You know…the people we're going to end up rescuing, maybe you could cook them a meal to celebrate their liberation?"

"That's not a half bad idea." The Hylian replied, an optimistic smile on his own face. He was sure that the people Gerin was holding captive would appreciate a nice hardy meal. Odds were, it'd be the first decent meal they'd had in a while. Human traffickers rarely if ever treated their captives humanely. Even when they did, it was usually never out of the kindness of their heart. A heart willing to engage in such horrific acts such as slavery didn't have much kindness to give.

He'd encountered slavers before, as had his family. As knights, it was part of their duty to confront the evils that set their sights on Hyrule, and the evils that festered within the country. Neither of those things were pleasant, but it was part of the duty they carried out with pride. Link had grown up the feeling he'd do the same when he came of age. Of course, destiny had played with how he'd carry out his family duty. He'd carry it out without even knowing who he or his family was. It was something he'd looked back on the last year with a strong sense of irony. Sometimes it was bitter irony. That was part of regaining his memories.

Hyrule hadn't exactly existed as a nation under the threat of Calamity Ganon, and that had been an open invitation to chaos of all sorts. The Yiga certainly hadn't helped things, doing their best to suppress any attempts for the nation as a part of their "worship" of Ganon. Being a thief, that worship had included acts of thievery and other criminal activities, including human trafficking. He'd learned that such a vile act had actually been an old habit of the Yiga. With their skill set, kidnapping and enslaving people had been an easy task-sickeningly easy at that. For certain groups, it'd also made them extremely useful; amongst those groups, and standing near the top, had been the Acolytes of Ganon. The dark magics that they'd practiced included human sacrifice, which they were in no way put off by, quite the opposite.

Link remembered a handful of stories about some of Ganon's resurrections. One of them had apparently called for a human sacrifice, the sacrifice of those being mystical. Members of the royal family had fit the criteria, much to the Gerudo warlord's apparent pleasure. Learning that had caused a knot to form in Link's stomach. It seemed like a cruel joke, yet in some ways oddly fitting. Luckily, few of those resurrections had been successful, including Ganon's resurrections being incomplete, much like his latest one.

Zelda said that Ganon had given up on resurrection, so no matter how many people were sacrificed, it wouldn't matter. Not to mention how strong they were. It was an unsettling possibility, but one he spared a moment to think about. He took solace in the nonexistent possibility of it happening. No, maybe this isn't related to the Acolytes at all. This is just…ordinary evil at work. That was still an unpleasant thought, but it was one that Link felt slightly better at. It boded well for Hyrule in the grand scheme of things.

Not to mention busting one of the most wanted human traffickers in all the land would help boost the country's reputation. Part of being a nation's appeal was it being safe and being able to catch criminals and bring them to justice.

"Justice," he subconsciously muttered while his hands instinctively worked the frying. The sizzle of the fire beneath it was an apt representation of his heart. Unlike what lay before him, he had no idea what would ultimately emerge. His gut told him it wasn't going to be something as delicious as the scrambled eggs and pancakes he was preparing for himself and Trevor.

"Link, regardless of how things turn out, you must remember. That woman has committed crimes against Hyrule. Even if they were not her own actions, people will call for her blood."

He shook his head, swinging his blond locks between his eyes.

There was a wicked man out there but very much within his range. A man that needed to be stopped, either by being imprisoned or slain, either of which he was fine with. Link didn't relish the thought of killing him, but he did look forward to stopping him, and that's exactly what he was going to do. He'd worry about what came after…after the mission was over with.

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Some of his childhood memories had been having pretend siege battles with his friends. They all grew up on the stories, heroic armies attacking the strongholds of evil warlords and sorcerers, reverting tales that were equal parts embellished and, amazingly, rooted in fact. The army and the royal knights had a history to be proud of, a history that kids loved reenacting on their own. Pretend forts with sticks and wooden swords taking the place of swords and spears, imaginary shields and rocks substituting for arrows and catapults. In the winter, snow was added to the mix, creating another layer of fun for them. On top of making it easier to reenactment winter sieges. Joy was had in the numerous snowballs to the face. Everyone talked about one day turning those reenactments into reality, but doing that was much easier said than done. Only a handful actually had the determination to make it a reality.

Even then, surviving it was still another matter entirely. Real sieges, like real battles, took skill to survive, and not just survive but win. Winning glory for one's self was sometimes secondary to staying alive. Honor could be given to the dead, but it was preferable to live with one's own glory.

As often as it was, glory went to those who were seen and heard, excessively so. That was one thought of regarding soldiers and knights. What about those who operated behind the scenes? Setting the ground work for eventual victories? For securing victories that were worth more than slaying enemies on the battlefield?

Those hadn't been things Link contemplated as a child. Few if any of the kids he played with did. Of course, many of them had been Hylian. What few Sheik he knew growing up held a very different view. Their clan's view was one of duty taken under the cloak of darkness. Setting those ground works. Operating in shadows away from the public eye. Rarely getting huge feasts and honors; actually, sometimes it was more a case of simply turning them down then not getting them. It was a way of life that was an antithesis to all that Link had known. It was a way of life that he never dreamed he'd stick so much as a toe in.

Losing his memories, his identity, had changed everything. He'd been reset to zero, albeit he still had his ingrained combat instincts. Without his memory, he could channel them into new avenues, and he was willing to open himself up to those new avenues in the first place.

The way of the Sheik was the way of shadow and subterfuge. Ironically, he'd already gained a start in that path surviving on his own in the wild. Hyrule was a wild and dangerous place, one that he couldn't just brute force his way through. Not at first. At times it was frustrating, but Link came to see the value in remaining hidden, finding unlikely paths that kept him out of enemy sight. Admittedly, he developed a bit of enjoyment in taking down enemies without their knowledge. Their end was swift, Link at times barely sparing them a second glance before he moved on. In that, he found familiarity-moving from one enemy to another with quiet efficiency.

"You still have the traits of a knight in you, Link, but I can see you also have the makings of a Sheikah warrior. Personally, a part of me always felt you had the mindset for it."

"Was that…unnerving to the others? Including my own father?"

"Some found it to be so, but not your father. I faintly recall him looking at you with both pride and worry. Perhaps he realized the enormity of the weight placed upon you had weighed you down in troubling ways. Your silent and taciturn disposition would not have been strange on a Sheik. Of course, that isn't to say it was wrong for you to have it, or it made you unnatural. Hylians can play the 'strong silent type' just as well as we Sheik can."

He had a lot to thank Impa for. Without him, Link knew he'd have had a harder time completing his quest after awakening. Just as importantly, there were things about his past he might never have been able to recall without her help. Her priding, her recollections, and her pointing him in the right direction so he could regain some memories of his own. Link had much to be grateful to her for.

As he covertly moved through the hideaway, sticking to the shadows, and avoiding detection, Link thanked her again. Her training came in handy yet again. Both sneaking about and lockpicking.

Admittedly, the locks holding the slaves were good, but they weren't uncrackable. Likewise, their binds weren't the strongest he'd ever encountered. Certainly nothing that a Sheikah tanto couldn't cut through, and it did with ease.

The excitement of the freed slaves had to be muffled as they were still deep in the enemy stronghold. A fight wouldn't bod well for them, especially in cramped places like the tunnels. It was clear that many of them longed to see daylight again, especially now freed of their bonds. Link told them to be patient, and to follow every order he and his allies gave. Everyone nodded knowing that they were their best hope for freedom and survival.

Such hopes were things Link was used to carrying. He'd been told that he'd carry them from the time he could walk, and those words had proven right. Painfully right.

Amongst the people they freed were Zora. When Link had heard that amongst the slavers' captives there were Zora, he felt a sharp tug in his gut. He knew it was natural given his personal relationship with them. More so given in another life, they'd have been his people as well, what with his being the Zora Queen's husband-consort. Even still, they were his responsible to protect as a knight of Hyrule.

Then again, he was also a person, one with a moral compass that called for him to act in the face of evil. It was a wonderful thing that there was so much overlap.

The rescue operation was going well so far, nearly perfect. Link was happy for that, but he kept his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. It was simply an ingrained instinct. His eyes continuously shifted from all sides, watching every shadow cast by the torches on the walls. He wasn't alone as he saw his compatriots doing the same. They were all on the same page, and that made the rescue much easier, right down to the end.

As expected, when the freed slaves saw the sun again, many collapsed to their knees while staring skyward with tears running down their faces. It was a heart-warming sight, even for some of the hardest of troops. Several of the Sheik pulled their masks down revealing the smiles on their faces.

Link smiled as well, but his was temporary. As good as it felt to be back in the light, he was ready to head back into the darkness, and for a reason that was fittingly grim. Reaching to his side he pulled up his Sheikah Slate and made the call. "This is the Freedom Team, rescue success. I repeat, the rescue was a success, a resounding success. We haven't been noticed."

"Good, that means we've still got the element of surprise on our side. Now's the time to use it." Spoke the squad captain on the other end. There was a gleam of excitement in his eyes, it was succeeded the split-second relief he felt hearing how smoothly the rescue operation went. Arguably the hard part was over with, now onto the bloodier, yet simpler part of the operation.

"I'm heading back in." Link declared. "I'm going to head straight for Gerin." Even with his focus on the slate, he sensed the surprise of several around him, including the freed slaves. "Just stick with the troops here. They'll get you to safety." He said alleviating their fears. "As for the man who captured you…I'm going to make sure he can never hurt any of you or anyone else again." Despite the implication of his words, his voice remained calm and clear. One could say it was a testament to his professionalism. As well as his combat prowess, an observation his fellow shadow warriors took note of.

One after another they nodded, some wishing him the best before directing the freed slaves. All but one of them.

"M-Make him pay." The voice was quiet, feminine, and filled with a sliver of teary rage that tugged at Link's heart strings. The owner's appearance did so as well. She couldn't have been any older than ten at most, yet the dirt and grime on her clothes spoke of things that no child should have experienced. So did her teary eyes, dark green overlaid with anger and sadness that struggled for dominance within her. Her lips quivered as she stared back at Link, using those emotions to fuel her words. "M-M-Make him…make him pay. Make sure…he…make sure he…"

It was a short stride toward her. He held out his hands, knowing that taking the initiative might not be the best move for someone like her. As he predicted, she hesitated, her entire body seizing up before she gradually began to relax. Slowly, she reached out, laying her hands atop of his. Link gave them a gentle squeeze as he looked her square in the eye.

"I swear, I will. I won't let him hurt you or anyone else." Just like before, his voice was calm, soothing, yet filled with a firm resolve that resonated with her. It showed on her face, at first one of wonder before morphing into relief.

Link stepped away and looked around at his comrades. Again, they all nodded in understanding, knowing what came next.

He took off into the cave, immersing himself in the shadows. His memory still fresh, he quickly found his way around; his destination would be different this time though. Pulling out the Sheikah Slate he summoned the map that would guide him away from the cages where the slaves were kept to the hideaway's command center. It was where he'd find Gerin, even as the rest of the forces laid siege to the mountain-based hideaway. Odds were Gerin would stay there and coordinate his forces' defenses, including trying the move the slaves that they were their "precious cargo". His men would be in for quite a surprise when they arrived and found the cells empty.

And indeed, they were. Link heard them coming before he saw them. Melting into the shadows, he waited for them to take notice of the opened cells, noting their alarm. It was the last thing they experienced before he swiftly assailed them, knocking them out and throwing them in the very cells they'd kept their captives in. When they were let out it'd be in chains, as criminals awaiting their trial date.

The attack by the main force had begun. The walls shook from the roar of battle: weapons clashing, bodies hitting the floor, commands and confusion renting the air, and the occasional explosion. While registering it all Link pushed onward. He knew his destination and hurried toward it with his trademark silent seriousness. He barely batted an eye when an enemy stumbled in front of him. His tanto was unsheathed, then re-sheathed with a fresh coating of blood. Not once was his stride broken as he moved around corners and even up manmade stairs. Second by second, he was brought closer to his goal.

The map on his slate was dismissed in favor of the runes. Bright blue illuminated his covered face as he held the glowing energy bomb in his hands. The twin spearmen guarding the entrance to the main room stared it in shock. Their faces briefly morphed into horror as it went off, annihilating them while blowing open the reinforced doors. Link heard the cries of alarm from beyond it. He dashed straight through the smoke and residual flames, seizing on the element surprise he still had. From his back came his Phrenic Bow, just as effective at close range as it was at long range. The bow sung as arrows left it, flying through the air and impacting its targets. Some took shots to the chest or head, others non vital but still deliberating areas such as the arms or legs. All it happened in less than a second, less than half a second to be precise.

His ears twitched at the sound of clapping. Arrogant clapping that he was somewhat familiar with. It suited the man in charge of this entire mountain hideout rather well.

Three years ago, Gerin Alegre had been a commander in an army, a rather good commander, and a decent man. Unfortunately, being on the losing side of a war had changed that. Still, that hadn't justified what he'd turned to. Nothing could justify the trafficking of human lives.

Not that Link planned on making that argument as he glared at the tan-skinned man across from him. He barely spared a glance as several of his men lay dead around him, the rest scrambling as they tried to figure out what to do. Having made himself known, several were looking at him with clear and hostile intent. A handful were looking around at the arrows sticking out their comrades' bodies-they clear recognized the skill level of the young man before them, and they weren't eager to experience for themselves. They also probably weren't eager on testing the capabilities of the army now busting down their door.

"I have to say, I'm somewhat disappointed. All the stories I've heard about the Champion of Hyrule, and I meet him dressed in the garb of an assassin. Then again, that's perhaps a testament to your skill. Changing from one class to another." His voice was accented, something else that marked him as an outsider to the kingdom. Link knew of a land beyond Hyrule's sea, Gerin's homeland. It was said to be a great and powerful nation, albeit one that had fallen into periods of civil war, partially due to religious conflicts.

"Regardless of what I'm wearing, I promise you, you'll be getting the same deal." He responded.

"Oh, I certainly hope so. It's disappointing to not be able to face the legendary Master Sword, but I'll set for matching its owner." He rose from his feet, bringing his impressive six-foot-one figure to bear. Link was about two inches shorter than him, yet the man's aura made it feel like he towered over him by dozens of feet. It was an intimidation tactic he was used to. "I certainly hope you won't regret not bringing it with you to your final battle."

His hand reached behind his back, drawing the Edges of Duality he'd brought with him. He'd mastered use of the Sheik's single-edged swords, but for this mission he went with their double-edged weapons. Mostly on account of the potential enclosed space would make the high-speed, quick draw style of the former impractical. Granted, using his Sheikah Slate he could summon up such swords he had the room too, or the Master Sword if he deemed the threat grave enough. Not that his opponent knew any of that. He had no intention of letting him find out.

"I'll give you and your men once chance to surrender. That's all your getting." Link declared.

A boastful laugh erupted from the soldier-turned-criminal's lips. "Ah, how merciful of you, but I'm afraid if there's anyone who should be begging, it should be-" His brown eyes had a split second to change from humorous to serious, a change simultaneous to him raising his sword up to block Link's overhead attack. Gerin caught it just in time, and managed to parry the next flurry of attacks.

The battle had kicked off from there, Link going on the offensive with the foreigner finding himself forced onto the defensive. Gerin wasn't happy about it, but he was clearly impressed. Also counterbalancing that feeling was the clear disdain for Link that blossomed within him. He found that not only was Link completely disapproving of his actions, he had the power to do something about them. And he was trying, not with all his might, but enough to push him into a corner. Almost literally.

Their battle moved from the center of the chamber to the side. The spacious nature of the command center worked to both of their advantages. They had room to move, and in Gerin's case, his eyes constantly sought a place to escape to. His men watched on, realizing that attempting to jump in would be the death of them. If not their deaths, then surely their arms. None of them were in a bigger hurry for that.

Link himself felt like he was in a bit of a hurry. Every clash they exchanged was a moment the army pushed deeper into this criminal fortress. With the schematics they'd gone over, it was only a matter of time before they reached this inner chamber. Gerin would have liked to be long gone by then, but thanks to him that wasn't happening. A part of Link wanted to have this wrapped up by the time his comrades arrived. Maybe it was a bit of pride. Maybe it was just him wanting to put this wicked man down as quickly as possible. Whichever was right, it was more fuel to his attacks.

Gerin showed his mettle as a former commander. He was undoubtedly skilled in fighting, but he was still on the defensive, and hating it. Link left him no openings to attack, unwilling to give him that opportunity. His teeth gnashed as he tested his strength against his, and found that Link could contend with him in that department. All the time Link spent training with Gorons, especially their former Champion, weren't for nothing. Gerin's fury grew as he realized that he was outmatched in terms of pure strength.

Somewhere in the back of Link's mind, he mused on the fact he hadn't even used any of his magical abilities. Another part of him chided that feisty voice-this was a battle that could be won on his own, with nothing but pure skill. Maybe it was also better that way.

You thirst for a challenge, like the one she gave you. Of course, it's not like this guy is going to measure up to her.

Before the mission began, Link tried to sooth his mind, and by that he meant purge all thoughts of a certain person from it. The anxiety he felt regarding her, the desire to keep a promise he made, Link knew it would only weigh him down on this mission.

They did.

A slash to his left created by an opening-a momentary pause he wouldn't have given under normal circumstances. A trickle of blood raced down his cheeks and flew off the edge of Gerin's sword as it continued to strike at him.

His ears twitched and his noise wrinkled as the air cackled with the smell of ozone. Link's blue eyes locked with his opponent's dark brown. The grin he wore was illuminated by the sudden burst of lightning from his sword. Rolling to the side, Link dodged it, but more lightning strikes came. Instead of evasion he chose to block them, using his Edge of Duality to expertly parry each lightning slash. As he did, he caught sight of the topaz jewel at the base of his sword. The question of where he got it from briefly danced about in Link's mind before it too was squashed. Where he got the gem wasn't important, what was important was that he had its power. He might also have other elemental gems that he could use.

Grinning, Gerin lifted his electrified sword up. Link felt the pull of magnetism against his blade. A flexing of his energy and the pull was halted, but that only went for his weapon, those of others were another story. He looked around him as the weapons of several of Gerin's troops rose. They were rightly shocked, but quickly realized what was happening and let their leader do as his pleased with them. And that was launching them all at Link with the velocity of arrows.

He saw them all coming, each and every one of them. There were a number of ways he could have blocked them, but Link knew the simplest solution was the best.

Both hands gripped the sword as its tip was pointed toward the ground. Behind him manifested the spectral form of the Goron Champion, Daruk. Link slammed the sword down, and simultaneous to it the ghostly Goron slammed his fists together. Around the Hylian manifested a sphere of roaring fire that hard countered the magnetized projectiles, burning them all into molten slag. Behind the barrier Link heard several shouts of shock, his que to attack, and that's what he did. With the barrier still surrounding him he charged toward Gerin. Even with his lightning-enhanced sword it wouldn't be enough to overcome Daruk's Protection; he'd used it to plow straight through Lynels.

Streaks of lightning clashed against the fiery shield as the commander-turned-slaver gave it his best shot. Link was willing to give him some credit. He watched him gnash his teeth and ring all the power he could out of his elemental gemstone, as well as summoning all the inner power within himself. The blue glow of his lifeforce contrasted the blaze of Link's barrier.

"Now!" Came a voice to the right of him. It got Link to tear his attention away from Gerin in that direction. His sky-colored eyes widened recognizing the cool glow of ice magic. Link felt that same energy around him.

Heh, not bad, but not good enough! Daruk's spirit resonated alongside his own, the fiery shield responding accordingly. Like a bomb blast it rapidly grew, colliding against the blasts of ice magic. They were vaporized on contact, failing at their original purpose to neutralize the flaming shield. The shield itself continued its offensive function as it burnt and battered the criminals.

Not caring in the slightest was their leader, who held his sword up in a guarding position, lightning twisting and contorting into a shield around him. Seeing that, Link channeled the residual flames into his sword, taking it up and lunging at Gerin. Their swords, empowered by the elements, clashed once more, shaking the chamber. Fire and lightning shot in all direction as they put their strength to the test, seeking to overpower the other. The air grew hot and heavy as the two warriors pushed against one another. Suddenly, they broke away, taking a few steps back so they could slash at one another. Their slashes were nothing but blurs, a blazing and electrifying show with no spectators. They were all lying on the ground, either dead or moaning in agony.

Gerin thrusted his electrified sword forward, a direct yet bold move that Link saw coming. He knew deflecting it was just what his black-haired opponent wanted, but he couldn't let the attack hit. Making his choice, Link stepped to the left, just out of the way of the attack. The electrified sword changed from vertical to horizontal, and it was swung at him with blinding speed. He'd been expecting it though. The Edge of Duality caught the oncoming sword, holding it at bay. Flames still danced around the Sheikah-forged sword. Link summoned the Goron-like strength he'd honed to lift the two swords upward, then twisted them down. Gerin tried to break free of the down bearing weight of his sword, but Link wouldn't budge.

Link saw the growing hatred for him in Gerin's eyes. This had gone from amusing to truly infuriating; his pride was likely bruised at the fact that Link wasn't needing the Master Sword to deal with him.

"Give up while you're still ahead." Link offered.

Sparks of the fiery and electric kind flew from their clashing blades. The illuminated the scowl on the seemingly older man's face. "I've tasted defeat before, you expect me to choke on it again!"

"This is where your path's led you." Came his mild, borderline cold response. "You're not getting away from this. You're not getting away from me, Gerin."

"Foolish brat! Don't think just because you've slain a couple of monsters, you're a match for a me!" Barked the foreign warrior.

"I think so far I've proved I am." Link retorted. He felt his lips curling into a cocky smirk. His words were brimming with confidence, so why try to deny it. Every part of him knew he had this fight locked down-it was just a question of how long before he brought it to an end. "Some of those monsters I've slain have been much tougher than you. If you don't want to end up like them, surrender right now. You've still got-"

Lightning flashed, illuminating the ruined command center. "Don't mock me, boy! I'll have your head on a pike! I'll parade it in front of your comrades, across this entire wretched kingdom of yours!" His voice boomed alongside his thundering blade. Gerin rushed him, moving as quick as lightning.

To Link though, it still seemed no more than a slow jog, just a touch above a speed walk. Even his empowered swing came down at a pace Link could easily surpass.

He didn't go for a parry this time. The time for those had come and gone, it was time for something else. Something definitive.

SWOSH!

Link saw the spray of blood trailing through the air in slow motion, and the same went for the arm now disconnected from the body it formerly belonged to. Gerin's face morphed into recognized pain right before Link's eyes. A voice in his head called him to give his head the same treatment as his arm. No one would hold it against him as it wouldn't be the first person he'd killed, nor was Gerin someone undeserving of death for the things he'd done.

Maybe it was side of Link that leaned toward poetic justice that caused him to go for a jab to the gut instead of decapitation. Gerin would live out the rest of his life minus an arm and sitting in a prison cell, potentially even awaiting execution. He'd have time to contemplate those things afterward, likely when he was thrown into a prison cell. For now, he simply screamed and flailed about, blood continuing to spew from his severed left arm. Foreign curses flew from his mouth as he did so, clutching at it.

Reaching for his Sheikah Slate, he summoned a fire sword in his other hand. With a swift kick he stunned him, then pressed the flat side of the blade against the bloody stump that used to be his arm. Gerin promptly screamed in agony, then resorted to biting his lip as the cauterization ran its course. Once he was finished, Link dismissed the elemental sword and stepped back. His defeated opponent went back to clutching his stump of an arm. More foreign curses rolled off his lips, then silence as he raised his head and glared at Link with an expression of pure malice.

"You will pay for this, boy. Mark my words, you'll pay for it!" he snarled as blood dripped from his lips.

Link casually swept his sword to the side, flicking the blood off. "Sure, whatever you say." His blue eyes turned from the defeated slaver to the rest of his men; the live ones anyway. They all had a look of pure fear on their faces having witnessed the near masterful defeat of their leader. "Anyone else?" Link asked in a dead serious tone.

Wisely, they all shook their heads. A second later and all the doors burst open, Hyrulean soldiers flooding the chamber.

"All finished here guys!" Link called to them. Several looked to him, then at the surroundings.

"Heh, guess we missed the best part." One of them joked.

"All of you, surrender! As of this moment you're all under arrest!" Thundered another soldier.

All the men raised their hands, fully accepting that it was over. There was only one outlier.

Gerin charged at him, screaming in murderous hatred with his fist raised.

WHAM!

Only it was Link's fist that found its target-Gerin's face. He stumbled backward, groaning at the pain spreading from his likely broken nose. Now he had that to deal with along with the residual pain in his left arm. A healer would have to tend to him, then he'd be escorted to a prison cell.

"Heh, nothing less than what I'd expect from Hyrule's Hero." For the first time, Link smiled. Trevor casually trotted up to him. Link noticed some blood on his arm, no doubt from enemies now defeated.

"It's not like I had any serious challenges, plus I wasn't about to let these guys get off scout free for what they've done." Link replied in a serious yet jovial tone.

Trevor gave a grinning nod as he looked around the chamber, noting the collateral damage. It wasn't as extreme as it could have been, but it was clear that Link wasn't trying to be careful. "From what I can see, you managed that pretty well." His eyes lowered to the scorch marks on the ground. The way they fanned out from a single position was yet another indicator of what had gone on. "Doesn't look like you burnt away to a complete crisp, even if some of these guys might have had it coming."

"Don't tell me there are plans to renovate this place." Link decried.

The human warrior shrugged. "Just some rumblings. You'll have to take that up with the top brass." With a widen smile, he placed his hand on Link's shoulder. "Good work, buddy, now let's get out of here."

It'd only been a short while, but Link was eager to get back into the sunlight, to feel its rays on his face. He had a strong hunch they would feel extra nice after what transpired in the chamber.

---

Evening of the Next Day, Zora's Domain…

Growing up, the sound of water had become something of a constant in Link's life. After a certain point anyway. It was something that brough him peace of mind, and sometimes he sorely needed that. Other times he just wanted to have some peace and quiet. This was one of those times, though he always felt like he wanted to do a little bit of self-reflection.

Despite wanting to be alone, a part of him also wanted company, company that he could only obtain in Zora's Domain.

Sometime after he freed Revali's spirit from Vah Medoh, he discovered that using the Champion's abilities in their respective homelands allowed pieces of their spirits to return a little more than usual. It was a pleasant surprised, particularly since there was one amongst them that he always wanted to see. Eventually, he told others of this strange phenomena. More than a couple of people were actually happy to hear the news; there were things some of them wanted to say to the Champions of the past just like him. That was especially true for the people of Zora's Domain.

All that said, sometimes the resonance didn't occur. Sheikah researchers and mystics had all given their two cents on the matter. Sometimes the barrier between the worlds of the living and dead were strong, too strong to be overcame without effort. Hearing that left Link at a bit of a crossroad. If he put in that effort, could he overcome it? Would that be a violation of the natural order? Frustration clawed at him from time to time, but in the end he more often than not chose to accept it. He wanted to believe that his words would reach his fallen comrades; he wanted to believe his slain lover could hear him.

Zazari Falls had been one of their favorite places to hang out together. It wasn't too far away from the royal castle; Mipha had told him that the falls had actually been a favorite point of retreat for her ancestors. She shared it with Link well before either of them knew how deep their feelings for each other would run. With the benefit of hindsight, maybe it was a sign of where their feelings would ultimately end up going.

Coming to Zazari Falls always nowadays reminded Link of the pain of her loss, but that pain was always countered by the joy the memories brought. Without fail, the pain was soothed and he found himself simply sitting beside the waterfall, watching its continuous onrush. The water crashed down into a lake, which opened into a river that would stretch far out into Lanaryu. Mipha had once taken him down the waterfall and down the waterway. It'd been a great afternoon, which retrospectively he realized was a date.

On a beautiful summer day like today, the water sparkled like glittering gems. It also looked like a mighty nice way to cool down from the blistering heat. Link had actually done that himself a few times. The lake down at the bottom of the waterfall was looking rather inviting as he felt the heat bearing down on him, even while dressed in such appropriate clothing.

"If I had to guess, are you fancying a swim in the water?" A voice gave form to his inner thoughts.

Surprised, he looked back. Amidst the roar of the waterfall, he smiled at the newcomer. "I'm considering it. Hope you wouldn't mind, Yona."

Giggling, the green-skinned Zora princess joined him. "Link, this is a public domain, not to mention you're a close friend to the royal family, practically a part of it. You have every right to enjoy it." Giggling, she held up her hand to the sun, half-heartedly blocking it out with her hand and flippers. "I was actually thinking of taking a dive myself to beat the heat."

Link paused, then grinned. "A shame that Sidon can't join us." His arrow hit home, igniting a furious blush on her green cheeks.

While he snickered in amusement, Yona attempted to regain some of her composure. It was a losing battle since Link kept on laughing. Finally, she gave up and joined him. "Yes, it is, but he has his duties, as will I."

"We all do…but it's important that we all take time off every now and then." Link breathed in, taking in the warm breeze and pure aroma that rode the water. "Yona, thanks for coming."

Her smile had a similar radiance as Mipha's, but Link would say it was a touch livelier. Natural given Yona herself was more forward than his former love. He felt like that made her a good match for Sidon. "Thank you for letting me join you. When I heard you'd entered Zora's Domain, I actually wanted to come by to see you. Partially so I could thank you myself."

"How are they doing?" He asked.

Yona's smile took on a slightly downtrodden tone, which he wasn't surprised at. "They're healing. Thankfully, none of them seem to have gained any major resentment toward humans. Still, what they went through will take them time to recover from. Most importantly, they're free now thanks to you. Link," The call of his name caused him to turn so that he was fully facing her. With a heartfelt smile, Yona bowed to him. "As the soon-to-be queen of the Hylian Zora, I thank you for what you did."

"It was my pleasure." He responded, giving her a similar bow. "I…stopped by Mipha's statue."

"I know you did, Link; you always do. She would have been proud of you, and as grateful as I am."

Together, they looked back out toward Zazari Falls. Like him, Yona had some fond memories of the place, some of which she'd shared with him. He was happy to learn some of them involved Mipha. She'd been there a handful of times when Yona came to visit, and as one would expect, the two princesses hit it off extremely well. Yona certainly developed a high opinion of her Hyrulean counterpart, even somewhat modeling herself after Mipha as Sidon had done. And like him, she'd been hurt to hear of her passing.

She'd never beat her in a race from the mouth of Zazari Falls to the end of the Zazari River, and she never would. Still, He had a feeling Yona dreamt of it, specifically the graceful smile Mipha would have when she admitted defeat, and congratulated her younger counterpart on her triumph. She told him that she settled for Sidon's congratulations, and they were no less fulfilling.

"Zelda's been thinking about making a diplomatic trip to Labrynna. She feels like it's overdue." He blurted out.

"I can understand why she would think that. After all, Hyrule and Labrynna have quite a long history." Yona's face fell as a somewhat depressive thought crossed her mind. Looking to Link, she gave voice to it. "Is some of the pushback because of…lingering resentment towards Labrynna?"

"I think so. Franky, it's ridiculous, but that's how emotions can make people. Hyrule had the Guardians, and those things are tough as hell, let me tell you. The idea of taking on a whole army of them along with potentially the corrupted Divine Beasts isn't something any nation would charge headlong into. Not unless they were absolutely sure they could win." He answered.

"And that is one gamble that King Damian was reluctant to take."

"He was right to." Link said in response. His words were flat but firm, an undeniable truth that he would argue against anyone who opposed it. The Guardians were originally created to counter an army of murderous monsters headed by the King of Evil. That meant they would be more than sufficient in battling a human army. Or to be blunt, slaughtering a human army. "It's irritating, but I'm sure soothing those old feelings is why Zelda wants to go. Not to mention she honestly wants to see how Labyrnna's changed in the last century." Link felt his face become wistful as he looked up to the sky, devoid of clouds and blue as could be.

Yona matched his gaze and giggled. "Well, let me tell you that the wicked Black Tower has long since been destroyed. I'm proud to say its's been surprised in both height and especially glory by something much better."

"The Crystal Spire." The Hylian stated with a grin. "I've only ever seen it in paintings, but I really want to see it with my own eyes."

"See it, or scale it?" The green-skinned Zora playfully pressed.

An embarrassed laugh slipped from his lips. "Okay, you got me. Maybe that is another part of why I want to see it. It's not like there's a law against it." He paused, looking at Yona with a quick aside stare. "Is there?"

Smirking, Yona said nothing, leaving Link to ponder how much trouble he might get into trying to climb a national monument. Around Hyrule his talent and impulse for climbing were common knowledge and practically accepted, albeit with some boundaries Link respected. Would that be the case for a foreign land? Would he be given carte blanche to climb to his heart's content?

"You really do like climbing, don't you, Link." The future queen remarked. He must have been letting his thoughts show on his face. That, and Yona probably knew him pretty well. She was quite perspective, as befitting of a woman of her stature.

"Guilty." He admitted with a laugh. "I guess…it's one of those habits that I've really taken up since I woke up. Looking back, I did some climbing back in the day, but nowhere nearly as much as I did after awakening."

"Necessity forced your hand." She offered. "The Hyrule you awoke to was different than the one you knew. Sometimes it is…startling how much things can change."

From her tone alone Link could tell she was talking about her own experiences. That was something he and Yona had bonded over-the two different versions of Hyrule that they knew of. One existed in the past, the kingdom being at the height of its splendor. Then there was the current version, a shadow of its self, but steadily building back up. In Link's case though, he'd spent the time between the two in a coma. For Yona, the Labrynna Zora had made the wise decision to stay away from Hyrule, just like countless other nations. With Calamity Ganon quite literally looming in the ruins of the nation's capital, few had thought it wise to travel to Hyrule. More so given the danger of the Divine Beasts. For the Zora in particular, Mipha's disappearance, her death, in Vah Ruta had served as further deterrence.

Thinking about the elephant-shaped machine brought forth a wave of heartache. Link felt himself flooded by it, but only temporarily. He'd been through this before, and he'd learned to rise above it. Mipha wouldn't want him drowning in the heartache; she'd said as much to him.

"Link, for what it's worth…I…consider us to be fortunate." He looked to her with a benign smile, a motion for her to continue. "We saw Hyrule at in its splendor, and we've seen it in its fall. Such a thing is tragic…but most importantly, we're able to see it rise up again."

"Hah! You're right, I definitely agree with you on that. It is…something that I think we can take a little bit of pride in. As a Hylian, that kind of thing hasn't happened to many of us. We don't live as long as you Zora." They shared a brief laugh at his comical stating of the obvious fact. "I never asked for things to turn out this way, but I've accepted it, and I've found plenty of things to be happy about. I got to see the defeat of Ganon."

"Not just see it, you took part in it." The female Zora humorously clarified. "A part of me wishes I could have seen it."

"It was…a spectacle. Though you're lucky you didn't have to lay eyes on Calamity Ganon, to call it a monstrosity would be an understatement." It was only fitting that the most hideous monster he faced was the final one on his journey. The most hideous and the strongest, Calamity Ganon may not have been able to fully resurrect, but he'd still been plenty powerful. "I'd say that Hyrule should never have to suffer another creature like that."

"You'd say it…but you believe the possibility still lingers. Admittedly, it does with the continued threat of Ganon's Acolytes."

Link laced his hands together as an invisible weight fastened itself to his shoulders. "Yona…listen, I…I promise you that if you and Sidon decide to hold your wedding now, I'll do everything in my power to safeguard it."

As he gained the strength to look to her, he found a comforting hand placed on his shoulder. The weigh was lightened. Anxiety and determination gently flowed out of him, replaced by a tender comfort. "I know you will, Link, as does Sidon. That in mind, we do want you to enjoy the wedding as well. You're family too."

A fluttering joy raced through him hearing that. "Thank you…Yona. I…I appreciate hearing that."

"I'll gladly tell you that as many times as you want. And I'll tell you that I trust you to defeat the Acolytes, but don't rush yourself in doing so. That'll only make you open to making mistakes."

"Thanks for that too." Though he chuckled at the words he knew Yona was right. Her words were probably best heard by him and a plethora of other warriors. Eagerness to destroy the Acolytes ran high despite their laying low for a month. Everyone knew it was the calm before the storm, the windup before the punch was thrown. Most importantly, Akkala Citadel was still very much in the minds of many. All the dead had been buried, at least those that had bodies that could be buried. Many from their comrades to their family were still waiting for justice.

I'm supposed to be the one to give it, but… A knot formed in the bowls of his stomach. Link prayed that he didn't let its strain on him show on his face. If he did, Yona would pick up on it. She had quite a sharp eye, and he respected her for that. He knew that was one of the reasons Sidon loved her as well.

"We're still keeping our ears open for any leads. As you know, once we find anything, we'll inform Queen Zelda and you yourself, Link."

"Thanks, Yona. Just…if you or anyone spot the She-Demon, no matter what, don't have your forces engage her. Especially don't have Sidon fight her." Link didn't want to put the thought in her head, but he did. The pain on Yona's face was obvious. She'd heard the stories, and she knew despite her fiancé's skill he stood no chance against the female monster. What she didn't know was…there was another reason why Link didn't want anyone fighting her. That was a secret that stayed with him a and a select few others. A part of him still wondered how others would react to that secret, including one as kind and sympathetic as Yona.

"Link, when you do confront that demon, just…try to come out alive, alright? Please."

"Don't worry, I know that I've got plenty of things to live for. That includes being there to show my nephews and nieces how to swing a sword when they come of age!"

The blush that exploded across her face could put the red hide of her future husband to shame. Matter of fact, Link had a hunch that Sidon himself would have been sporting a blush to outshine his own scales. "L-L-Link!" Yona cried.

"Come on, I know you two have been thinking about it. If not you two, I'm at least sure there's been some whispering around the court." Her expression turned him that he'd hit the mark, on either accounts or both. "Hmm, a nephew or a niece first. I really don't care for which one it is, partially because I have a strong feeling I'll have one of both, or a dozen."

Yona's blush continued to deepen, though her laughter continued. Link quickly joined her, their shared voices riding the wind alongside the roar of the waterfall.

"What about you, Link? Have you…met anyone yet?"

He shook his head, a melancholic smile on his face.

"Link," Yona softly pressed.

"I know, I know, trust me. It's not like I'm actively avoiding romance. It's just…I've got a lot on my mind now. Plus, I…well…no one's quite managed to catch my eye. Not yet." For the most part, he was honest. An image of Paya briefly appeared in his mind, but his feelings for her were more on the platonic side. Rather fortunately, he'd noticed some sparks between her and Trevor. If anything, he'd devoted a fair bit of time to feeding those sparks, with a measure of success. "I'm sure there's someone for me still out there. Maybe I'll run into them."

"Or fall down upon them." Yona offered with a chuckle.

"I'll have you know my climbing record has been damn near spotless." He pridefully retorted.

"Alright, what about your swimming record? Perhaps you're fated to fall for another Zora. You know how much we value the ability to swim."

As he joined her in standing up, he discarded his shirt revealing his scarred but well-muscled body. He had a physique that he knew most women found attractive, deeply attractive. Peering at the water, Link felt a familiar rush of excitement sweep through him. "Just see for yourself!" He yelled before diving off the cliff ledge.

He saw Yona following closely behind him, expelling all the grace to be expected from a Zora.

The moment Link splashed into the water he felt sweet euphoria took hold of him. All his thoughts, his theories, his anxieties, all of them were washed away as he dove deep beneath the water. Moments later, he swam up, bursting through the surface and feeling freshly invigorated, a bright smile on his face as he raised his arms toward the sun.

---

Kakariko Village…

It was a gut feeling that told Link someone was waiting for him at his home. He'd learned to trust those feelings. With that feeling in mind, he was cautious as he reached for the doorknob. His fingers twitched with anticipation as he pushed it open. Though he sensed no hostility he remained on his-

"LINK!"

He had no more than a second to register the shapes coming at him. Shapes, plural.

"W-W-Woah! Hold a second you three!" His plea fell on deaf ears, which he couldn't even see. Unable to stop the three Goron children rolling toward him, all he could was brace himself in the few precious seconds he had. It actually did a go a little ways into making the fall hurt a little less. That was the fall, the three rock children sitting on his chest were a little bit of a different story. "Urgh, uh…listen you three-"

"We need your help! It's Yunobo! He needs your help!" The three yelled in unison.

Everything froze, even the setting sun behind him. Link heard his own skipped heartbeat, a silence that was chillier than the northwestern mountains. The feeling was short-lived as his heartbeat picked up again, and this time it was a furious drumbeat. With that beat fueling him, he sat up, causing the three Goro children to somewhat roll off him. Finally, he was able to get a good look at the three of them. He recognized the three of them, and their expressions were totally uncommon for what he knew of them. Their faces told him this wasn't a joke. This wasn't them overexaggerating.

"Kalo, Rurmes, Tamoda," he spoke in a grave tone. "Once we're inside, I want you to tell me exactly what's going on. I need you three to be calm about it. Whatever it is, I promise I'll listen, but you need to be precise."

All three nodded and followed him into his home. Link shut the door behind him and made a beeline straight for the living room. He ignored the sizable hole in his floor on the way there. He noted it answered his question on how they got into his home. Gorons were amongst the best diggers in all Hyrule. Even young Gorons had an innate talent for digging that could lead them to digging up tunnels on their own. That natural aptitude had undoubtedly been bolstered by the work these three had done as part of Yunobo's mining company.

Link remembered how pleasantly surprised he was to learn that the young Goron had started up his own business. He stood out amongst the current Champions for various reasons, some not entirely positive. That had changed over the last few years.

YunoboCorp had proved to be quite a boon to both the Gorons and Hyrule as a whole. It was the first dedicated mining service that the kingdom had in a hundred years. While it was expected such a thing would come from the Gorons, especially the grandson of the Goron Champion, Yunobo being the one to start it up was still a shock. No one would have ever imagined that slumbering within him was a good businessman, not even Link.

Of course, Yunobo's business had potentially made him a target for various parties. As he sat across from the children, he quietly recognized that one of those parties had gotten to him. And they'd done it seemingly with no one knowing about it.

Kalo was the first to speak, his face awash with grief. "I-I-It all started about a month ago. A-A-At least we're pretty sure that's when it started." Link nodded, indicating for him to go on. He already knew he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear, but he had to. "S-S-Suddenly, mining operations shifted. I-I-Instead of our usual haul of iron ore and gemstones, Y-Y-Yunobo had everyone start mining these strange rocks."

"What kind of strange rocks?" Came Link's immediate question.

"These weird glowing blue rocks!" Tamoda shouted waving his arms. "Those and a whole bunch of other weird rocks."

"Tell me about these glowing blue rocks though." Link pressed. "What did they look like? Were they crystals?"

The three shook their heads. "N-N-No, though they were shiny like crystals." Kalo clarified. "T-T-They were magic though. Really, really powerful magic."

Link's expression darkened seeing his theory verified.

Rurmes, who'd kept his head down as to let his friends do most of the talking finally looked up. Link focused on him as a result. "I…I think they're called chronolithe."

"Chrono…lithe?" The Hylian repeated. The young Goron nodded with his friends following suit. "Chronolithe…"

"T-T-They've got some kind of power over time. I saw it once." Kalo stated. His words made Link's eyes widen. "One of them was used to reverse a cave-in."

Link's mind was flooded with possibilities on what these stones could do. Admittedly, few of them were positive. A hand with his chin as he bowed his head in thought. Chronolithe…I could have sworn I've heard that name before. The Hero of Time…he wielded an ocarina that allowed him to turn back time. The ocarina was special, being both blessed with divine magic and being made from special material. Could it have been this chronolithe?

"A-A-A-And another thing. There's been some strange people showing up around Goron City." Tamoda added.

The unsettling feeling in his gut intensified. "Can you describe them? Were there any insignias on their cloaks? Either the Yiga's or ones resembling a boar?" Even before the three children nodded Link already had a sinking feeling they'd confirm his suspicion. When they did Link felt the stone drop in his stomach. "Oh Hylia."

"They're scary." Tamoda stated while visibly shivering in fear. Link honestly didn't blame the young Goron, not to mention he found his fear perfectly warranted.

He took a deep breath to steady his thoughts. The implications were like a torrential wave being against a dam. Link knew he couldn't afford to let the dam burst, that wouldn't solve anything, not to mention it'd throw the three children in front of him into a greater panic. "Were any of these people actively harming any of the Gorons?" Came his first question.

Slowly, the three looked to one another, grimaces on all their faces. "Uh…we did see them hitting some of the other Gorons, sometimes laughing about it." Rurmes confessed. "None of them reacted to it though."

"No reaction at all?"

"It's the same thing when some Gorons got hurt while working. No one reacts to anything." Kalo further explained with a shake of the head. "Someone could get hurt or even lost in a cave-in, and everyone just keeps on working. It's so scary, Link."

Based on the details Link came to one conclusion, hypnotism. It has to be some kind of magic. A hell of a scary kind considering what it can do. That said, the Gorons have still been able to act perfectly normal when interacting with others. That must be the reason why no one's noticed anything out of the ordinary. Obviously, the Acolytes knew if something was up people would rightfully get suspicious. They'd managed to pull it off for nearly a fully month from the sounds of it.

"Uh, sometimes we saw strings."

He blinked at Tamoda. "Strings? What kind of strings? Like…the strings on a puppet?"

"Yeah! We could never see where they were going, and sometimes we weren't even sure we were really seeing them! It took us a couple of glances to realize what they were."

That's another piece of the puzzle. If I cut the strings that should free them. Of course, I can also go straight for the puppet master. Link's intuition told him the latter option would be easier said than done. Whoever the one pulling the strings was, they'd no doubt use the Gorons as living shields to keep him and his comrades at bay. While not entirely invincible, Gorons could be tough opponents-that especially went when they were enraged. Surviving an onslaught like that would take nothing short of one's best.

"Were any of you able to see where the strings led? A person? An object?" The trio looked sadden as they all shook their heads. Link internally cursed. Okay, whoever the puppet master is, they're smart enough to stay hidden. Wonderful, just wonderful. "Alright, back to the stones the Gorons have been mining, I'm guessing these strangers have been carting them away?"

"With our help." Tamoda added with no small amount of anger in his voice. "They've been working us like slaves."

The bitter irony was not lost on Link. It manifested as a short but audible groan. After it passed Link looked between the three. "Has…anything happened to Vah Rudania? Has anyone made a move on it or has it begun acting strangely?"

Kalo spoke up. "We don't know. The truth is, we don't go near it. We used to, but Yunobo banned anyone from getting close to it. Back before…we saw him attack someone that came close to it. Then…"

"One of those scary robed figures dragged them away." Tamoda finished.

Link quietly wondered if that Goron was still alive. It was a fifty-fifty shot, and if it came out on the wrong end, Yunobo would blame himself when he came to his senses. Many of the Gorons would when they learned how some of their own brethren had been worked. As gloomy as those thoughts were, his mind quickly turned toward a new topic, one that required more of his attention. And summoned a considerably greater amount of dread from within him.

Despite having no solid proof, Link was all but certain that Vah Rudania had been tampered with. It was simply too powerful a factor to be left alone by the Acolytes after seizing control of the Gorons and their territory. In theory, all the Divine Beasts were equal in their power, but they each had strengths that could be played to. In Vah Rudania's case, it possessed the power to manipulate fire and harness the volcanic forces beneath the earth. A mere stomp of one of its might legs could summon forth a wave of magma from hundreds of feet beneath the earth's surface. Even when matched against its opposite, Vah Ruta, its power was substantial and there was room for a victory. After all, a hotter enough fire could evaporate any water attempting to douse it. Vah Rudania's fire could certainly burn that hotly, and more. All of this wasn't even considering its power if it harnessed the magical energies of Death Mountain.

It was a miracle that as a shapeless mass of malefic energy, Ganon's mind was too fractured to make strategic use of the Divine Beasts he'd corrupted. By synchronizing with the powers of Death Mountain, Vah Rudania could have set off earthquakes that could break Hyrule into pieces, or open up magma fissures that would turn vast swaths of the kingdom into flaming wastelands.

If they wanted to, the Acolytes could have done that, they could have done that at any point in the last month. Yunobo may not have fully gotten the hang of piloting his Divine Beast, but he knew enough, and with a skilled puppeteer controlling him, the task would have been easy. The fact that none of that had happened give Link the undeniable feeling that the Acolytes were planning something else-something worse than any of that.

In pondering what that could be, Link's mind wondered back to the mysterious stones that the children had said their people had been excavating. From their name and description, he guessed that they had some power over time. What could come of digging up so many? How far back into the past could they reach? Two years back just before he slew Calamity Ganon?

"…Link, is…is Ganon coming back?"

The voice was utterly filled with fear, serving as a much-needed wakeup call to Link. He looked straight up into the terrified eyes of the three Gorons who'd came to him with this information. "No, he isn't, and it might be thanks to you three." His first instinct was to sooth their fears. The poor boys were on the verge of breaking down into terrors, not that anyone could blame them, least of all him. "I'm guessing you three snuck away to get me this message, didn't you?"

A tear slipped from Kado's eyes as he nodded. "A-A-Almost all the other Gorons were either too scared or…or they're…they're…they're just like everyone else."

Hearing that just furthered Link's resolve to do what he knew needed to be done. Not just for Hyrule as a whole, but for the Gorons as well. "Alright, I'll break the spell on them, including the one on Yunobo."

It took a minute, but their mood began to shift. Sparks of hope were ignited in their eyes. They seemingly jumped from one to another until he was sitting before a bonfire of renewed optimism.

Now that he'd given the children that hope, Link knew it was his job to deliver on it, and deliver he would. But there were some people he needed to speak to first. People who really needed to hear what he just heard.

"Okay, you three, we're going to Impa's house. You're going to tell her everything you just told me. Afterward, you're probably going to have to repeat what it again-to Queen Zelda." Hearing that caused them all to square up. Undoubtedly, they all already knew how serious this was, but to be speaking to the queen herself? It's likely none of the three ever planned on something like this happening to them.

Life was full of unexpected twists like that.

---

Evening of the Next Day, Goron City…

Link remembered the first time he'd laid eyes on Death Mountain; he'd been quite terrified, and mystified to learn that people actually lived there. Of course, said people were living rocks with stony skin that could withstand intense heat. He couldn't help but ask how Hylians could possibly venture up the mountain and survive there. His father had kindly explained him that's why heat-resistant armor existed. Link had learned the benefits of such armor quite well during his adventure two years ago. He never forgot what he'd learned.

Normally, Goron City resembled the volcano that it'd been built upon-rumbling with activity that seemed ready to go explosive any second. Thought to some overwhelming, many came to see the charm in it. The Gorons were a friendly and outgoing people, that energy permeating the superheated air. In some cases, it reached across all corners of the Eldin Region.

Link felt none of that as he entered the region, and that didn't change as he drew closer to Goron City. It was cause for concern of the highest level. It made him sweat, not the heat of the volcano.

His heat-resistant armor wasn't built for stealth, which is what he needed for this mission. It was recon, but Link, and everyone else, knew the odds of it become a combat mission were extremely high. Sir Ingram had downright told him to do what he felt he needed to do as he'd came to the same conclusions Link had after hearing Kado and his friends' recollection. He could tell that the veteran warrior was a heartbeat away from asking for the entire Hyrulean Army to be mobilized. Luckily, like Link he retained his cool, but that in no way banished the possibilities from his mind. Link had those same possibilities dancing about in the back of his mind as well. If worse came to worse, the Acolytes of Ganon could easily create a natural disaster would that tie the army's hand and give them an opportunity to escape. Such was the burden of fighting an enemy with a thinking brain.

The Sheikah knew just how to help though.

"These cloaks will obscure you from nearly all wondering eyes. They are old and rooted in our clan's native shadow magic instead of our more…recent advancements in magical technology." Impa explained as Paya presented them with the shadowy cloaks that they'd be wearing as part of their infiltration.

"So we're going the way of the ancients, huh? Can't say I'm complaining." Trevor remarked as Paya handed him his.

Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw a short exchange of smiles between them. His own smile was brief as he focused entirely on the night-colored cloak in his hands. The purple fabric was dotted with black scrollwork, rolling waves that ultimately came together to form the Sheikah Eye. "Will it be able to fit over the Fireproof Armor?"

"Hmm, it may not be a cozy fit, but I am confident it will." She answered.

"Suppose you also want us to try to bring them back in one piece?" Trevor humorously asked.

It actually got a laugh out of the retired ninja, and Paya as well. "I and many others would prefer it, but we have made peace with the possibility that will not be happening. If you must sacrifice the cloaks, then do so. They are a small sacrifice to make to secure Hyrule's future, and your lives."

While the cloaks may have obscured them in shadow, they weren't fireproof like the bulky armor he was wearing. Thankfully, they were sturdy enough to withstand the heat as Link passed over rivers of lava.

To the naked eye, everything looked normal. Nothing seemed out of place, and Death Mountain didn't seem to be on the verge of another one of its deadly eruptions. Link actually believed he'd have felt better if the iconic mountain was on the verge of erupting, violently.

He stopped in his tracks and stared at the towering geological opening. For the briefest moment Link felt himself flashing back to the first time he'd scaled Death Mountain. That was when Zelda went to recruit Daruk to join the Champions of Hyrule. He was forever grateful that they managed to recruit the elder Goron, and just as grateful to have been able to call him a brother.

"I swear, I'll save them all." Link whispered with his eyes on the smoking stacks that rose from Goron City. In the past he'd practically casually strode into town, but that wasn't the case here. It was the first time that he'd ever actually had to sneak into the volcanic town. He couldn't say it was a pleasant feeling.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

Link had actually been awaiting a call on his Sheikah Slate. At least one of his comrades must have ran into something on their way toward Goron City. Every fiber of his body told him that whatever they found wasn't going to be good news though.

"Trevor," he answered noting the grim look on his friend's face.

"Me and Renato just came across a mining operation. We're keeping our distance, and frankly, I'd rather we keep it that way. Link, the Gorons…they look…they look completely zoned out. Their bodies are moving but you can tell their minds aren't there. Or at least they aren't their own." Trevor flipped the screen and gave him a view of what he meant. The zoom-in allowed him to see a line of Gorons doing another one of their mining drills. Link's blue eyes focused on the vacant expressions on their faces. No orders being yelled or small talk amongst them, just a silent mass of stone bodies digging up the earth. It was…unnatural for a race as energetic as the Gorons.

"They're…they're possessed."

"If they are, it's not by Malice. We've been watching them for ten minutes and we haven't seen a whiff of it. The slates haven't picked up anything either." Came Renato's grim voice.

The lack of Malice was a positive sign, but in the grand scheme of what they were dealing with, it was a small comfort. "Alright, keep moving toward Goron City. If you say anything worth reporting, do it, and keep out of sight." Link ordered.

"Oh, you don't need to tell us that." Renato sounded. "With the creepy looks on their faces, getting caught by them is the last thing we'd do."

"Watch your back, Link."

"Same to you guys." The slate was returned to his side hip and his legs continued their previous track across the rocky terrain. Far to his side was the glow of the setting sun. It'd soon be night, which they hoped would be more of an advantage to their side than the enemy's. The shadow cloaks worked better at night, not to mention Robbie had turned out his latest invention-goggles that could supposedly let users see in the dark., Night vision he called it.

The closer he drew to Goron City the more Link reviewed his plan. Observe, then find Yunobo. Details were fuzzy, but apparently all of this had started with him. If Link could somehow snap him out of whatever possession he'd fallen under, he could get some clearer answers. There was a personal element to all of this of course-the promise he made to the three as well as his friendship with the young Goron. All those promises weighed on him as he drew closer toward Goron City. Still, none of the booming voices he expected to hear.

None of that changed as he drew closer and closer until finally, he was on the outskirts of the town.

It was all as silent as a grave.

Once booming streets were incredibly sparse. The only movement there was involved people hauling cargo, and even that was done in silence. Total silence that was unbecoming of the Gorons.

Not a word was said even as some Gorons passed each other by or when materials were handed off. It was as if they lived for their job and nothing else, and even that was done with a robotic enthusiasm. Link felt unnerved just watching it, yet he couldn't look away. At least not until he retreated further back into the outskirts of the city to call in what he saw. It was the same story from the other recon teams.

The Sheik-composed squad led by Takakuni made their way to Bludo's home. As the leader of the Goron tribe, there must have been something they could glean from his home. Or better yet, find the old Goron himself and get some information out of him while freeing him.

"You're going to head for Yunobo, aren't you?" The Sheikah warrior asked. Link merely gave him a silent nod, knowing that no more needed to be said. "Good luck then, Master Link."

Again, his slate was placed back on his waist. Through the various stone buildings, he made out the tower that belonged to YunoboCorp. Getting to it wouldn't be easy, especially in his somewhat bulky armor, but Link was determined to do it.

And that's exactly what he did.

The near desolate state of Goron City helped him. All he had to do was stuck to the shadows and corners and he went unnoticed. Thanks to his cloak, none of the working Gorons even noticed him when he came within or close to their line of sight. An unpleasant but useful boon.

Obviously, he couldn't go in through the front door, and not just because they might have been locked. Looking at the sides of the building he remembered his conversation with Yona from the other day. Climbing really had become a defining trait of his. Not only was it one of his favorite skills, it was also one he was really good at. Not to mention occasionally breaking into people's homes.

His ancestors would have teared their hair out screaming it was unbecoming of a knight.

He made some noise breaking a window in, but it was miniscule compared to him potentially busting down the front door. Link did a quick look around, relief sweeping through him. Having been in the building several times he knew the layout by rough memory. That made it an easy walk to the office where Yunobo would have been. Normally where he would have been, anyway. Rather or not he was there was there was a coin toss.

So Link pushed the doors open and tossed the coin.

"Yunobo," he called as he did so. "It's me, it's Link."

The large chair sitting behind the desk was turned with its back facing him. Link searched every corner of it. Feeling every beat of his frantic heart he stepped forward. Upon walking around the desk, he saw the chair was empty. He felt both a surge of relief and shock shoot through him seeing the empty seat.

If he's not here, then could he be-

It was the same sixth sense that told him when an attack was coming. The same sixth sense that had kept him alive countless times. Link's hand went to his sword, already unsheathing it as he twisted around to face the newcomer.

"Stop."

To his shock, his body did exactly that. Link felt every muscle in his body freeze. He tried but nothing, not even a pinky, would budge. Sweat dripped down his brow behind his helmet completely undisturbed by his frozen body.

"If you're looking for your little friend, he's busy doing his job in the mines. You just missed him."

Thanks for the tip. Now I know where to go after this. Link thought while continuing to struggle against the paralysis. He knew it was magic, it had to. It was also decently powerful magic.

"Oh, and if you're thinking about going after him, forget it. You aren't destined for the mines, you're far too dangerous, so this will be the end of the line for you."

"Like…hell."

"Draw your sword, and then run it through your heart."

No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! The single word was repeated while his body did as the female voice commanded. His sword was fully removed from the scrab on its back Link watched his hands move from the handle to the base of the blade; it was a twisted sight, like he was watching a recording. He wanted to scream, but not only was his mouth not working either, he needed all the energy he could to fight off the cursed hold that this strange woman had on him. If he didn't, he was going to die on his own sword.

"Now." Spoke the voice again, sounding the tightest bit annoyed that it was taking so long.

His body, like a freighted servant, quickly moved to follow up. The silver blade was dragged toward his chest, its gleaming tip flashing in the darkness of the room.

"MIRAJANE!" Link instinctively cried out seconds before the tip plunged through his armor into his chest.

---

Aaand we're ending the year with a cliffhanger. Sorry, folks, I just couldn't resist doing it. I'm pretty sure you all can guess who's standing behind Link and why his body's gone awol on him, as well as what's been happening with the Gorons. As I said last chapter, I was going to use some elements of Tears, but grafted in a way to suit this story. Also on the subject of the game, I am going to do my best to give some elements of it more exploration than they were given in the actual game.

Yona was where I felt this best showed. For the record I'm perfectly happy with her and Sidon being engaged, though I wish we could have seen more of it. For the Zora cast, she's going to be a prominent character. Given how in this continuity Link and Mipha were indeed a couple, I feel it's natural Link would be on good terms with Sidon's own fiancé and vice versa. While she and Mipha have similarities, they do have their differences. I'm also going to use her to explore life outside of Hyrule. It's all but stated she comes from a different tribe of Zora, Labrynna being a decent candidate so that's what I'm going with. The hundred years Calamity Ganon had a hold over Hyrule was one where every nation kept their distance. Kind of like the fantastical medieval version of a war-torn or unstable country (take your pick from real world examples).

Another thing I want to bring up are the Divine Beasts. Again, this story will be building off what was established in Breath of the World with some of Age of Calamity thrown in. The latter gave much needed showings of how powerful the Divine Beasts could be, though I'm also going to expand on their abilities in ways I think suit them. In Vah Rudania's case, its power over fire includes turning entire landscapes into volcanic wastelands. The other Divine Beasts have this same level of destructive potential using their respective elements. Currently, the next few chapters I'm going to be focusing on Rudania; I'm sure you all can guess why

Chapter Nine will be out in 2024 it'll either feature a couple more scenes I've been eager to write, including Mirajane and Link showing off more of their abilities. Oh, and Yunobo getting some spotlight as well. Now, what kind of spotlight that'll be, you all will just have to wait and see. Don't worry though, I'll do my best to make sure the wait isn't long.

Until then, happy New Year, readers!