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You certainly hadn't planned for your day to go like this.
Then again, you never planned for anything leading up to any given moment.
Above you loomed the tallest moving object you had ever laid eyes upon. A massive mechanical camel, it's neck stretching so far above you, it's head seemed miles away. It looked ancient, and it was unnerving. Its legs were spread around, laying on the ground. Even with this beast momentarily disabled, it still towered over you.
"Unfortunately, I cannot appease Naboris on my own," a small, redhead Gerudo said as you turned to face her. She spoke calmly, removing the golden Thunder Helm from her head. This Gerudo's name was Riju, the twelve-year-old Chief of the desert tribe. Even though she addressed you, her eyes focused on the blond man you accompanied. The knight with the sword that seals the darkness. Link.
"I have no choice but to entrust the rest to you," Riju said, gazing up at the Divine Beast laying in front of you. Patrica, her sand seal, nudged her as if saying they should return to town. Link gave Riju a curt nod, then looked at you. You knew better than to wait for an invitation to follow, so the two of you sprinted towards Vah Naboris without hesitation.
Just as the two of you stepped up onto the entrance platform, the creature reawakened and began rising to its feet. You began slipping and sliding around the platform, having difficulty trying to grasp anything to steady yourself. Link quickly took your hand, holding tightly to you and a ledge as Naboris steadied itself. After giving you a reassuring smile, the man helped you inside the machine, and you were met with a pedestal. Link registered it and activated a travel gate so the two of you could teleport back to the entrance at any time.
"Well, well, well," a female voice spoke, "You sure do know how to keep a woman waiting."
Link rubbed the back of his need, an embarrassed heat rising to his face as he looked away sheepishly. You giggled, looking around, listening to her. She sounded kind to put it simply. She had a teasing tone in her voice.
"I can't wait to see you take Naboris back from Ganon! One thing at a time. You'll need a map to find your way around," she spoke, sounding relieved to have you there. "Head over to the Guidance Stone. Sounds easy, right?"
Then you both noticed a scout guardian, one that most likely served as a guard to the entrance a hundred years ago.
Link took out a small guardian without a lick of fear. The two of you quickly made your way up inside the belly of the beast where stood a pedestal. Link approached it, taking the Sheikah Slate off of his hip and setting it in place. He turned to you, waiting as the Guidance Stone distilled a map into the slate.
"This will be dangerous, Y/N," Link said, taking your hand in his own. You smiled at him, knowing the danger already. "I couldn't let you do this alone," you said, squeezing his hand. "If being here and assisting you in reclaiming this Beast means less danger for you, then I'm more than willing."
Link smiled sadly, kissing the back of your hand quickly before he took the Sheikah Slate back, accessing the map of Naboris. "Good work on getting the map of the Divine Beast," the voice praised. "The terminals that control Naboris are noted by a series of glowing points on your map. Take Naboris back by activating all the terminals. You're ready for this."
With that, you and Link split up, accessing each terminal. Activating them one by one and defeating any enemies you encountered along the way. You took a few small hits, but nothing that could knock you off your game. Link barely took any damage as well, and eventually, the two of you made it to the final terminal.
You looked to Link, anxiously awaiting him to activate the glowing pedestal. He stared at it for a moment, seeming to process before he placed the Sheikah Slate on it. The two of you waited, one anxious, one patient. You took this time to admire him.
The way his blond hair complemented his cerulean eyes. The way his lashes cast shadows over them and the way they fluttered gently. The way he held himself. Confident, even though he had been at rest for one hundred years.
You could tell he was still mending himself, though. The way he would look at Hyrule like he didn't recognize it... because he didn't. His Hyrule was far in the past. A prosperous place of freedom and peace. Castle Town bustling with life, the clamoring of people, and the scent of freshly baked bread wafting through the streets. His friends, his family, his job... all of those were things of the past.
The way he would crumble when he'd regain a memory. He didn't recognize his past self. 'A stoic, hard knight who seemed as though he couldn't bear the weight of emotions,' he had told you. He had cried to himself, and you were by his side to comfort him. You hadn't known him a hundred years ago, but you knew him now... and you loved him. He was fun, gentle but strong, kind but bold. He was courageous.
He must have noticed you staring because he gently squeezed your hand. When you looked down at the terminal it had finished.
Suddenly, the voice returned. "Well done! That was the last of the terminals. Now... you'll need to start up the main control unit!" she praised, a smile in her voice, "Take a good look at your map. Head for the glowing mark you see there," she instructed, a motherly tone evident. "You're doing well... but overconfidence can be a deadly foe."
You shuddered to wonder why she had included that last sentence. Nevertheless, Link guided you with him to find the main control unit. It was quiet between the two of you as you traversed the Divine Beast once more. Eventually, he broke the silence.
"I need you to know the severity of this," Link said, glancing at you. "You weren't there for the other three Beasts... These 'Blights are extremely dangerous."
You nodded a bit, fingers trembling at the thought of what they could do. You had only heard stories of how Calamity Ganon had taken control of the Beasts and slain their Champions. It scared you to think that each 'Blight was a mear fourth of what Ganon was. Link had fallen in his last encounter with the Calamity, and it frightened you to think of him attempting to put the entity to death.
"I'll take your word for it," you said, smiling at him. He returned your smile, with his own sad one. "After I activate this control unit, I'm handing the Sheikah Slate over to you," he said, gently taking our hand and interlocking your fingers with his.
"What?"
"I'll need you to control it and use it to the advantage while I handle the 'Blight. Anything could happen, and there's no one I trust more than you to do this," Link said, coming to a halt in front of the unit.
He stared at it for a long moment, seeming to think through everything that could happen. In his mind, he was thinking of everything that could go wrong. He worried for your safety, and part of him regretted allowing you to accompany him into Naboris. It was dangerous, and it was going to be even more so than the last three.
You placed your hand on his shoulder, "Link?" you whispered, tilting your head slightly as you watched him stiffen.
He blinked, turning his attention to you. He rested his hand against the one on his shoulder, his eyes full of concern. "It'll be alright," you encouraged, leaning towards him to kiss his hand.
He turned to you fully, reaching up to caress your face with both of his hands. "If anything happens, I..." he trailed off, nervous to say what he wanted to. He had the courage to fight monsters and demons, but he couldn't bring himself to tell you how he felt.
He feared the agony that would leave itself in his heart if something were to happen to you.
"You...?"
He stared at you momentarily, then took his hands away. "Just... stay safe. Please," he requested, earning a nod from you. He placed the Slate against the unit, activating the control system.
Suddenly, purple smog rose from around the control unit, encasing it completely. You gasped, shocked as you and Link stepped back. The Divine Beast shook as if an earthquake was taking place. You struggled to stay standing, holding onto the railing around the control unit for support.
Blue lights began racing behind the two of you, and when you turned, you could see something forming from the light. Arms, short but lanky. A large ancient sword and a round shield formed. This entity bellowed a war cry so ferocious it made you stumble in your place. It was an amalgamation of malice and ancient technology. A hideous beast of hate.
Link's face hardened as he steadied himself, handing the Slate to you as the creature finished assembling itself. The creature's name came to your mind through a telepathic wavelength. Thunderblight Ganon.
Your heart began racing as you listened to the feminine voice speak once more, "Stay on your edge, you two. This formidable adversary was made by Ganon and brought me to a warrior's demise a hundred years ago," she said grimly, detest dripping from her words. "Do not allow this to be your end. Fight for your life... and it's death!"
Suddenly Link lept from the platform, parrying one of the attacks. You drew your bow, aiming at the disgusting creature before letting loose a few bomb arrows. It stunned the amalgamation enough for Link to land a few hard blows and quickly back off.
Thunderblight waved its sword in the air before aiming a few electric orbs at both you and your dear companion. You adorned a set of topaz earrings made by a Gerudo merchant, thus giving you shock resistance. You moved quickly out of the way of the slow attack and sped around to the other side of the room.
Before you could unleash more arrows, Link ran forward and struck the 'Blight's shield several times until it was knocked down. Quickly, he landed major blows to the torso and head before sidestepping a sword slash and slashing at its side.
Once he had stepped back, you unleashed more bomb arrows, aiding Link in cutting down the entity. The entity flurry rushed you, knocking you onto the floor below the small outcropping you had been standing on. "Y/N!" Link cried out, rushing to your aid. He parried another attack, giving you enough time to get up and find your ground once more.
"I'm okay! Lead it to the other side!" You called out, a few cuts and bruises staining your skin.
Link did as you requested and lead the monstrosity to the other side of the chamber, landing a few blows and knocking it down.
Suddenly, Thunderblight shrieked, rising into the air and teleporting to the other end of the room. You stood in fear as the ugly beast rose its sword and summoned dozens of metal pillars, each one landing and shaking the expanse of Naboris.
Link rolled out of the way of the attack, getting a few small shocks from the friction build-up in the air. You dodged as well, thinking about what to do next. "Use the Sheikah Slate!" Link instructed, giving you half a second to whip out the ancient tablet and frantically search through the runes.
"Magensis!" You cried out, activating the run and grabbing up one of the pillars, hitting Thunderblight with it just as lightning struck it. This knocked the demon down and Link ran towards it and landed a harsh blow.
The creature bellowed, rising up once more and this time, targeted you. Your eyes widened as you raised your shield to parry its attack, but it was much too fast. Just as your shield rose, it was knocked down and you were thrown across the room.
You went limp after you hit your head on a stair, knocking you out. Link cried out to you, trying to get your attention. Thunderblight was faltering slightly, obviously injured, and frantically trying to get the two of you separated.
Link let out a battle cry, rushing in as the 'Blight teleported forward. Link sidestepped and flurry rushed, landing blow after blow. He ran circles around the incarnation, eventually ending back up at the main control unit. Below, Thunderblight looked around, then headed towards you. Without a second thought, Link went into action. He leaped from the balcony where the unit stood with his sword drawn. He landed square on the shoulders of the unruly beast and drove his sword through its head, earning an ear-piercing shriek from the 'Blight.
Link landed on the ground after the monster dissipated, and helped you up, linking your arm around his shoulders and hoisting you up to the main control unit. He crouched beside you as Naboris trembled, the smog around the unit swirling madly.
He rested his hands on your face, eyes puddling with tears. "No... no, no, no, come on!" He cried, holding your head. "Wake up! You're okay! We did it, Y/N!" He cried, his vision blurry with salty tears.
He leaned his head down, pressing his forehead to yours. His tears dripped onto your cheeks, wetting your face. His hair was messy and his face was sweaty. Yours was as well after such a magnificent battle. "You did so well, Y/N... You were amazing, I'm so proud of you..." He whispered, his voice breaking under the stress.
"Please, wake up, we can go home," he whimpered.
"Allow me," a soft voice spoke.
Link raised his head, looking to the source of the voice. A clear vision stood before him, the Zora princess whom he had been friends with when he was young. Mipha. She smiled at him, crouching by his side, looking at the body of his beloved.
"You love her, Link," she spoke, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"I do, I love her with everything I have and more..." He said, looking back to the limp girl in his arms.
"Then tell her, Link." she encouraged, hovering her hands above your body. Blue light engulfed your body and healed the wounds littering your skin. Mipha's Grace. An ability Mipha herself had given to Link to use in his times of need.
Your eyes fluttered open, your head pounding and the world spinning. You looked around groggily, vision blurred. "Aughh... What happened?" You groaned, raising your hand to your head. Link laughed happily, tears welling up again. He scooped you up into a hug, holding you tightly in his arms.
You squinted, adjusting your vision as you gently returned the hug, unaware of the nearly fatal injury that had been inflicted upon you. You nuzzled your face against his shoulder, sighing. "Where are we..?" You inquired, looking around for a moment.
Then it hit you. You gasped, pulling away to inspect the room, sword drawn. "Where is it? Is it gone?" You demanded, high alert as you scanned the area. Link took the sword from you and caressed your cheek, bringing you into a kiss.
Your eyes widened for a moment, arms flailing in an attempt to comprehend what was happening. He didn't pull away, and quickly your hands found their way to his arms. They rested there as you returned the kiss, confused but not disappointed.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours, holding your face. "I love you, Y/N. I'm sorry I never told you before, and it was almost too late," he confessed, pulling back to look into your (e/c) eyes.
You smiled at him, caressing his face and giving him another kiss. "I love you, Link," you replied, smiling. He smiled, tired but cheerful.
The two of you turned to the control unit, hands locked together, watching as the rest of the purple smog cleared away. The small pedestal in front of it glowed blue, so you placed the Sheikah Slate upon it to activate the unit.
The unit began flashing blue slowly, and the two of you turned your backs to it to scan the room. Would anything change?
A blue haze caught your eye, and you grabbed Link's wrist to get his attention. From the stairs, a tall woman walked down gracefully. It could've been mistaken as floating, but the tap of her heels proved otherwise. She was engulfed by a blue-green haze, proving her to be a spirit that inhabited Naboris.
"I knew you wouldn't let us down, Link," she said, "Thanks to your valor and skill, my soul is free and Naboris is ours once again."
You awed at her beauty, admiring her long red hair and dark skin. She had to be one of the most beautiful women you had ever seen. Link looked surprised when he saw her, but relaxed and a small smile grew on his face.
"Which means that finally... we can complete what we started years ago. We Gerudo have no tolerance for unfinished business."
It dawned on you, her name was written in ancient scrolls and books. Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion and former Chief. A fiery woman who was well known and was close friends with the Queen of Hyrule and a motherly figure to the Princess.
"I've waited so long to see the moment you finally rush Hyrule Castle. As well as the moment when I incinerate Ganon into a pile of ash," She smiled, hands resting on her hips as she addressed Link. You watched carefully, picking your sword up from moments before and sheathing it once more.
"Which reminds me, I wanted to give you a little something," she announced to him, "Please accept this gift, which has come to be known as Urbosa's Fury. It will no doubt be of use to you!"
Urbosa rose in the air and focused all her power into her hand, emitting a golden orb which she forced into Link. He spun, pivoting on his heel before snapping his finger, summoning a few bolts of lightning around him.
"Both you and the princess... I know you have suffered much regarding what happened to us Champions. But this is how things had to happen," Urbosa said, "No one need carry blame. So please, make it clear so she understands that. Tell her to shed any worries... and let her know, I couldn't be more proud of her. You take good care of the princess."
Link nodded, and turned away, but before he could walk away to go towards you, "Oh, and also..." Link turned to Urbosa, awaiting her final words, "Take good care of her." She said, gesturing to you.
You blushed, looking away sheepishly as Link smiled at you.
After he led you back to the entrance of Naboris, the two of you departed back for Gerudo Town. After making it to the outskirts of the town, the two of you rested under a canopy. The weight of the world seemed to fall off your shoulders as you removed your weapons and armor. It felt nice to not have weight on you.
Link approached from behind and began rubbing your shoulders, trying to ease you into a more relaxed state. You looked up at him and smiled, earning a kiss on the head from him.
"We should rest, we have a long journey starting tomorrow," he said as you leaned into him. He snaked his arms around your waist, giving you time to become content.
"We have a long journey every day, Link," you joked, eventually pulling away to get comfortable in your sleeping spot. Link laid down by your side, chuckling quietly. "I guess so, but you never complain."
You smiled, then yawned, watching as the sunset on the desert, creating a cold environment. Perfect after a long day of battle. Link ran his hand through your hair and pulled a thick blanket over the two of you.
The canopy was reserved for travelers who didn't go inside the Town, but luckily it was empty save for the two of you. A deep slumber beckoned you, and your head still pounded. Hopefully, a good night's rest would heal that by morning.
Link nuzzled you lightly, closing his eyes. He made sure you fell asleep first, listening to your sleepy breaths. Feeling comforted by the sound, he began to doze, putting aside the thought of what the days to come may hold.