Chapter Text
A sweaty, callused hand reached back to grab a wooden sword out of its scabbard. The sword was unfamiliar in this person’s grasp, as it was not his weapon of choice. However, it was the ideal weapon for avoiding getting killed by the merciless storms that were unique to the southern land.
“Fucking lightning,” Ukobi whispered, looking up to the sky to see dark clouds moving in, and lightning moving with it. The lands of Faron had always made Ukobi uneasy. He couldn’t bring his sword, fitted to his grip, and crafted to be nearly unbreakable. This forest sword was made by koroks, who knew nothing about what makes an effective fighting tool. He still had his phernic bow, which was the most valued item he had and he couldn’t leave it behind. It had, like the iron piercer, been enhanced with the power of spirit orbs. It couldn’t break except by Ukobi’s own hand.
The sky darkened and Ukobi sought shelter, finding it under a cave-like knot of vines. He remembered an old tale, one his teachers had taught him. Farore was a goddess, and was part of the Golden Power. Her power held over the Faron region, and caused the storms for she was the Goddess of Courage and the mighty storms and rage of lightning suited her. He had never believed the tales of the goddesses or of Sheik, but as the rain fell fast and hard and bolts of electricity struck the land, he felt a strange sense of hidden magic coursing through his veins. Maybe it was just the humid air getting to him.
“If you are up there Farore...are you serious? You couldn’t have picked a light drizzle or maybe some sun once in a while?” He laughed in a heavy way, too tired to appreciate irony.
Brushing palm tree leaves aside, Ukobi came to a broken bird statue in the middle of Ebara forest. His heart was racing, as his body still hadn’t adjusted from the fear of Floria bridge, which seemed like only vines and it was incredibly unstable. The gaps in the vines where you could see the rushing water and sharp rocks below didn’t help either.
Ukobi pulled his mask down. The bridge of his nose and the area around his lips were already sweaty. The thick mask and hot weather were a rather unpleasant combination. Suddenly there was a crack through the sky, followed with an anguished sigh, and then heavy, fat raindrops were let loose from their cloud prisons.
"I hate Faron." Grumbled Ukobi. "Goddamn rain everywhere...impossible to climb...stupid electric enemies...I hate it." Many of his words were inaudible, just mindless mumbles mixed with swears and angry jabs at the weather. After walking for a while Ukobi found a tree that had grown above the ground, creating a place underneath where one could be sheltered from the rain. It was cramped, but there was just enough room to make a fire. Ukobi struck his bow against the flint piece he had been carrying and the sparks caught almost immediately, and he quickly fell asleep against a root.
"Jewelry! Circlets! Earrings! All with special benefits!" A Gerudo woman called out over the bustle of Gerudo City. Ukobi looked around wildly, embarrassed by his bare stomach and newly acquired feminine style. He was wearing a Gerudo sirwal, top, and veil from an illusive merchant who was famous for sneaking into Gerudo Town. Being around her made Ukobi blush a deep shade of red, and he knew the woman was thrilled to be making such an impact.
"My, my. Aren't you a pretty vai? Do you want some jewelry?" Isha the jeweler pulled Ukobi over. She wore gorgeous jewelry, all handcrafted. It looked like it was made by the same hand who made Urbosa's, and Ukobi presumed that she had made the adornments for all the armor and the accessories for the chiefs and guards that are held higher up.
"You say they have benefits?" Ukobi asked.
"Electricity resistance, heat resistance, cold resistance, guardian resistance. Oh, and some that help you swim faster. So what do you say?"
"I'll take the topaz. Electricity resistant. My teacher likes to send me to Faron, which is a region that's the spawn of Ganon, if you ask me."
“You know, every area has its tough climates. The desert isn’t all that easy to tackle. Maybe your teacher should teach you to toughen up.” She smirked.
“Hm. I’ll take note of that. Though something tells me my teacher won’t appreciate instructions from the student.” The vendor grinned, and it was infectious. Ukobi didn’t smile much, he didn’t really think there was a need.
“Hey, um, would you want to get a drink with me sometime? Trust me, the Noble Pursuit is the best thing that will ever taste." She inquired.
"Oh, I'm not - I don't - I don't go out with women." Ukobi stammered. He had never told anyone that before except for Revali...
"Oh! I'm sorry. That's okay, though. I think Cara has been wanting to go out with me, and I just haven't asked yet. Maybe it's about time. Anyway, you wanted the topaz? It’ll just be a minute, darling." Ukobi explored the shop for a while. The intricacies on the metal were stunning. Tiny leaves and designs that were absolutely gorgeous.
"ALL DONE! My, these will look great on you. Sarqso." Ukobi nodded to her and started to run, but then he remembered the flat shoes he was wearing were not good footwear. Oh well, a little time to rest wouldn’t hurt. A brisk walk was acceptable.
Ukobi had always been fond of the desert air. It was sweet and had a special scent of cold and hot mixing. And the stars. My! You could see all the stars. The sky was lit with them, like scales on a dragon at night. There were purples and blues like Naydra, a swirl of galaxies far away. No one knew what lies beyond the stars. Maybe each star was a land like Hyrule, filled with problems but gorgeous landscapes. What if someone was looking up from a desert-like he was, thinking the same thoughts. Maybe one day worlds would meet, but for now the mystery was sweet and beautiful.
The sound of the grains of sand moving with the wind was smooth. His mother, who lived in Gerudo town with her sister, always would tell him about the desert sands. The magical thing about the desert is that it is always moving. If you paint a grain of sand it won’t be in the same spot ever again , she would say. There was truth to this. It didn't cross his mind then, but his mother may have been hinting at more than just grains of sand. Souls, each with a different purpose go to the desert for many different reasons. They move to other places, but the winds bring in fresh blood to be kissed by the desert's loving touch. Ukobi looked at the sky again. I miss you, mama. I didn't know you but I miss having you all the same. Does that make sense? Maybe I'm crazy. He sighed longingly, and he could've sworn he heard a whisper . Maybe I am just going crazy.