Chapter Text
The mine cart rattled in a way that made Lena doubt its integrity. She stood back to back with Shin, crossbow at the ready for any enemy who fired from the scaffolding, while he guarded from enemies on the other side. She could still hear the frightened cries of the young Goron, growing louder from the proximity… and Gorbo’s increasing distress.
They reached the end of the line, Shin helped her out of the cart before nimbly hopping out himself.
In one direction, a door under lock and chain. In the other, a metal fence with a heavy stone slab blocking the entrance, and above, a more scaffolding with some kind of target set into the wall… far too high for them to reach.
“I guess we should check the fence?” Said Lena, and Shin nodded.
Upon closer inspection, there was a chest on the other side, but no gaps or entrance to speak of aside from the one blocked by the slab— the next target of their investigation. Aside from “heavy” and “large” its only other feature was a metal chain with a handle on the end, and grooves on the floor beneath.
“Well… there’s nothing for it…” Shin said, stretching his arms in preparation.
“Will you be okay? I’ll help but I don’t know how much I can do…”
“I’ll be fine.”
He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before stepping up and gripping the end of the chain.
Shin slowly walked backwards until the chain was taut, and that’s where the hard part started. His eyes widened as he tried to take another step back, face going red and beads of sweat forming, every muscle straining. Shin cursed under his breath.
“It’s… heavier than I thought…” the rest of his breath he preserved for the task at hand.
Lena moved his side, wrapping her hand in cloth and gripping the chain just in front of the handle. She wasn’t sure how much she could contribute, but she had to do something. Slowly, together, one step at a time the stone slab scraped across the stone floor. Only once, they slipped, and to their horror; the slab slid back into its original position. And so they began again, dragging it back until there was a gap just big enough for a person to pass through.
“Go.” Shin gritted out. “I’ll hold it.”
Lena didn’t waste any precious time by coming up with a response, not wanting to make him strain himself longer than necessary. She slipped through the gap, and threw open the chest, snatched up its contents without even bothering to check what it was. The second she was out, Shin let go— voluntarily or simply unable to do it anymore, she couldn’t tell. He sank to the floor, breath ragged and arms still shaking. Lena knelt beside him, offering him a canteen.
“Hey handsome, that was some impressive work.” She smiled.
Even with the exhaustion etched into his expression, Shin smiled back, glancing at her sidelong.
“Trying to give me a boost? Well… it’s working.” He leaned in, taking a kiss as a well earned reward.
“Alright, what did you find, please tell me it was worth it.”
Lena pulled her findings out of the pouch where she’d stuffed it… a key.
“Do you need to rest more before we—”
“We can’t exactly afford to do that. I’ll be fine.” He said, still he did accept her hand to stand up, and let her wrap bandages around his hands, which were quite bruised.
Through the door, down a hallway, and then another door, they encountered a very unusual room.
“What… would this even be used for?” Lena whispered.
Before them, the path narrowed and curved into a spiral staircase with shallow steps… surrounded by a pit, with a magma lake far below. In the center was yet another chest… surrounded by a circle of fire. Just at the base of the steps was a button. When they stepped on it, the fire went out, leaving the chest free for the taking.
“Seems too easy…” Shin muttered, but regardless moved up to the steps.
Keese tried to come after him, he slashed them down of course but it did cause one heartstopping moment where his foot slipped, thankfully he recovered but then… the fire rose back up around the chest.
“Ah so that’s the game…” Shin muttered.
If one were to take it on alone, this would be quite the challenge… but Shin was not alone. Lena stepped on the button again, and Shin kept walking carefully, taking his time. He batted Keese and had Lena press the button again when the time ran out. Together they made quick work of it, together…. They could do anything.
I was a fool for thinking I could do this without her… Lena, thank you for helping me realize that… even when I was being an ass about it.
Inside the chest was a strange arrow-like object with a handle and a trigger button. When he pressed the trigger, the arrow shot out on a chain with surprising speed.
“Maybe hitting the target in the main room will trigger a switch?” Lena said, examining the “Hookshot” after Shin returned to her side.
“Worth a try.” He said.
But when they tried it, the results were… not as expected. The hook sank into the target, but when the chain retracted… it pulled Shin up rather than coming back like normal. The yelp he let out when his feet left the ground was a little embarrassing, but he was taken completely off guard. It didn’t feel like it should have been possible… did not even the laws of physics apply normally in this world?
Regardless, Shin found himself on the scaffolding he’d been looking up at a moment ago. Regaining his composure, he found a ladder to kick down, allowing Lena to join him.
“Not exactly what I was expecting…” he said as he gave Lena a hand up.
“Nothing ever is here.”
And with that, the pair turned to face the door they hadn’t been able to see from the ground… just as…
“NO! YOU WILL NOT CATCH ME!” Gorbo’s voice echoed through the mines, Shin and Lena glanced at each other, and hurried onward.
~~~
Before her was a shrine made of black stone, glowing with an orange, otherworldly light. The door was sealed, and in front of it was a terminal. Zelda approached, touching the Sheikah Slate to it but… nothing happened.
“But how?” She whispered, “this is how the hero of ancient times did it!”
“Perhaps this one is different?” Impa suggested.
Zelda set the Slate back on her belt to examine the terminal more closely. It looked different than the ones they found before, its markings almost looked like… a hand.
Zelda pressed her palm against the strange stone and… nothing happened.
Zelda cursed under her breath in a way un-befitting of her status, but Impa either didn’t hear… or pretended not to.
“Maybe we’re in the wrong place after all.” Her attendant suggested, “we can—”
“No wait! I have one more idea.”
She closed her eyes, reaching for the power deep within herself. It was more difficult than when her life was in danger— in those moments, instincts took hold and told her what to do. She’d never tried to willfully draw on it like this. But eventually… she felt something warm building up within. And once she’d tapped into it… she found channeling it into her hand— and then the terminal, to be a simple matter.
The glow went from orange to blue as she hoped, but then something odd happened… as if her power truly seeped into the stone itself, the blue was replaced by brilliant white, and then at last… the door opened.
“Well done Highness!” Said Impa. Zelda beamed at the praise… until they both stepped forward and…
Zelda passed easily through the door, but some invisible force stopped Impa in her tracks. The woman grunted in surprise, pressing her palm against what should have been empty air.
“It’s a trial for me.” Said Zelda, “I have to face it myself.”
Impa frowned, dropping her hand.
“I suppose so… Be safe, and good luck, Zelda.”
“Thank you… stay safe yourself. I’ll be back soon.”
She stepped forward, and the world seemed to shift. The room she stepped into was impossibly big and the wrong shape for what she’d seen from the outside… this space must have existed in its own dimension. Before her a stone slab, and three doors, all barred.
As she stepped further inside to examine it, a voice echoed through the chamber.
“She who carries the blood of the Goddess… Only those with true wisdom can wield Divine power.”
“Alright then…” she whispered.
The slab was composed of several stone blocks with markings that resembled a map. Zelda reached out and experimentally pushed one, the block slid into place in front of the only piece that was locked and immovable (presumably, her current position.)
The moment the block moved, the ground began to shake… and the bars on the door directly in front of her lifted. Zelda’s eyes widened.
“The pieces… move the rooms!”
She arranged as many blocks as she could before proceeding to the next room.
Before was an elaborate setup… seemingly with the goal of getting an orb into a hole, so that a currently immobile platform would move, allowing her to get across a gap. On the other side; a shrine with a statue of the goddess, another stone slab, and a door.
Use your wit and the relic of ancient times to overcome the obstacles in your path…
As if in response, the Slate at her side pulsated with light.
“I see…”
Perhaps it was inappropriate, but Zelda felt just a bit of excitement as she set to work.
~~~
Beyond the door was even more scaffolding, and an alarmingly close lava lake…. And more monsters to fight their way through. It was mostly a straight shot, with an occasional button to push to disable the random traps (the purpose of which they could not decipher.) Occasionally Shin would have to use the Hookshot to get past a gap, and then press a button to open a bridge or path for Lena.
He still hadn’t quite recovered; his shoulder hurt and his hands were sore. Shin was strong… but he didn’t have time to catch his breath, so he struggled a bit, but he tried not to let it show.
Until… something stopped them in their tracks.
The end of the scaffolding led to a cave… the entrance of which was blocked by fallen rocks. Gorbo’s voice could be heard from the other side, from the sound of things… he was running out of strength to keep evading his pursuers.
The only other way forward was a walkway on the other side of the lava lake, and the Hookshot target affixed to it. Unlike the previous times however…
“There’s no way we can both go forward…” Lena said, her brow knitting with anxiety.
“I’ll go on ahead then.” Said Shin without hesitation, but then he winced.
“But your hands are still hurt. I saw you struggling when we were fighting back there… I’m worried you might have strained something. I know you’ve been through worse, but… you have me now, you don’t have to. I’ll try to find a way to let you through.”
His hesitation was instinctual. The thought of her leaving his sight for even a moment filled his heart with dread… and she knew as much, for she reached up to cup his face in her palm.
“I can do this.”
This was his chance to make up for his previous mistakes… his chance to prove he trusted her fully.
“I know. Be careful Lena.”
And when she smiled… he knew he’d passed the test.
Lena took the Hookshot, affixing it to her arm. She then kissed him… and was off. Before he knew it, she’d slipped into the crack in the wall above. He tried to keep calm; pacing helped, to an extent… and then an explosion rocked the ground, shockingly close.
“—cough— Lena!” Coughing from the dust, Shin frantically called for her. But once it settled… his shoulders slumped in relief. There she stood without a scratch on her.
“There were bomb flowers growing on this side! You're not hurt are you?”
“No I’m okay… what about you?”
“I’m fine, we need to hurry!”
Gorbo’s cries were growing weaker by the moment, they were almost out of time.
~~~
He curled up as tightly as he could. Having run this far only to reach a dead end… his only choice was to curl up so the monsters could not reach him… but even so eventually they would wear him down and then…
Worse yet, they had collapsed the cave entrance behind him, leaving him completely trapped.
Father… you were right… I am so sorry…
“Gorbo! Are you in there?” A familiar voice called out… If he remembered correctly, her name was Lena, and she was one of Brother Link’s “temporary replacements”.
He peeked from his curled up position, towards the caved-in entrance, but he could not see them, which in turn only made him more scared.
“Y-yes! I am here!” He called, sounding more pitiful than he would have liked.
“We’re here to rescue you.” Said the one called Shin, his voice calm. “But there aren’t any bomb flowers close enough for us to carry safely…. Can you roll into the rocks and break them?”
“But—”
Just then, the monsters attacked with renewed effort, poking and kicking at him. Gorbo whimpered pathetically, he hoped the sound did not carry to his rescuers.
“Gorbo… I know you’re scared.” Said Lena, speaking to be heard over the monsters. “But I promise it’s going to be okay.”
“Think of your pride. You want to avenge your grandfather, don’t you? Are you going to let these things sully your pride and his?”
He… is right!
The young Goron began to spin, building up for the biggest charge he’d ever attempted. He rammed straight through monsters and rocks alike, breaking free at last and jumping up into a standing position.
Standing there waiting for him was Shin and Lena, the former handed him his father’s hammer.
“Not bad… Now let’s deal with them.” He said, jerking his chin towards the monsters who were getting to their feet.
“Right! Thank you!” Gorbo said, his confidence renewed.
~~~
“Oh heroes! Thank you! Thank you!” The Goron chief attempted to hug them, but Shin and Lena both wisely dodged.
“You are true Goron Brethren! How can I ever repay you?”
Shin and Lena glanced at each other, the answer was clear.
“Will you… let us complete our mission and find the Tear?” Lena asked.
The Goron blinked, clearly not expecting such a request.
“Well… to tell the truth, we may need your help after all… those vile monsters destroyed the mine carts that lead to our sacred temple, and have now taken it completely over! There is one other method of entry… but we Gorons can not use it.”
He set a heavy hand on each of their shoulders.
“I hate to ask new friends— the ones who saved my son! To take on another dangerous task but…”
“We’ll do it.” Said Shin, “it’s what we came here for.”
“Very well, Brother… I will show you the way.”
~~~
The Gorons gave them supplies, fireproof arrows, potions, and two odd devices— strapped to their backs with a pull string attached… almost like a…
They were led up to the summit. Shin found it odd that they still couldn’t see the temple. One thought crossed his mind, but he dismissed it, for it had to be wrong… it couldn’t be that.
“Here we are.” Said the Chief once they reached the peak.
“But… there’s nothing here.” Said Lena.
“Pull the string 5 seconds after you start falling, once you’ve succeeded you can use the updrafts to ride back up.” He continued.
“No… there’s no way…” Shin breathed, exchanging a wide eyed look with Lena.
“Do not worry Brother, you will be fine! Good luck, fight well!”
And with that, his two great hands shoved both of them on the back— right into the maw of the volcano.
~~~
Sand was difficult to walk on— so naturally, running was a whole other level of hell.
His feet were constantly slipping and sinking into the sand. By sheer force of will, or perhaps the luck of the gods he managed to stay on his feet.
It didn’t help that his pursuers seemingly had no such difficulties; the Lizalfos that chased him slid easily over sand, and for any Bokoblins that tripped up, well, there were plenty more who could keep running.
He fought any lone monsters he found thus far, but this was far too large a group. Not to mention at this point he was battered and exhausted, and his sword (which hadn’t been in very good condition to begin with) was on the brink of snapping in two.
His legs burned, the cold desert night bit harshly at him, and the ones giving chase never wavered.
Finally through the haze of sand he caught sight of the city wall. Surely seeing him being chased would be enough reason for them to let him in?
But unfortunately… Link’s luck betrayed him once more. For as he arrived at the city… he found its walls broken down, and through the gap, he saw it overwhelmed with sand. Worse yet, more monsters appeared from the inside.
“No… no it can’t be… Gerudo town is…?”
He had no time to think, as his pursuers caught up to him. Link fought them off in a daze…and then ran again. Around the city wall, calling out for someone, anyone to answer him. Even if they didn’t help, just to know they were alive.
“Please! Yuka! Chief! Zelda!” His desperation got the better of him with that last plea, clouding rational thought with his fear and despair… and the longing for the comfort of his beloved.
Finally, having put some space between himself and them, Link stopped running, he stood in front of the deserted city having made full circle around it. Staring up at the broken wall, the sandy streets, the monsters teeming within. There was another strange growth right in the center, Redeads pouring from it in droves.
Gerudo town had fallen.
What now?
What indeed. This place had been his final hope and now…
Link’s legs gave out, he sank to his knees, heedless of the horde growing ever closer— from both sides now, including within the city. He still could run the way he came but…
“I’m… so tired.” He whispered, lowering his head, his eyes fluttering shut, breath coming out weak and broken, “of fighting… of running… How much longer am I supposed to go on like this?”
And in that moment of hesitation (resolve, surrender) they were upon him. A sword pressed against his throat, clawed hands grabbed him, beat at him. Link didn’t bother fighting back. What was the point?
And then a thunder bolt turned the surrounding enemies to ash… the ones grabbing him fell by the sword just moments later. Link opened his eyes just as a human hand grabbed his wrist and started pulling him along.
“On your feet Voe! Unless you want to die!”
“You’re—”
“Save your breath for running!” The red-headed woman said, “Vai! Kick up the sand!”
Other women— all tall, red haired and dark skinned, did as she ordered, creating a smokescreen against the remaining monsters.
They slipped away into the desert night, the other women catching up with them after a moment.
They ran until they came upon some old ruins, Link stopped when everyone around him did as well.
“Well…” said the woman, “I didn’t expect to see you of all people here.”
“Gerudo Chief…” Link bowed his head in respect and graditude, “thank you for your aid.”
She was a woman just a little older than him, tall like all Gerudo were, she towered over him. She was however missing her usual adornments— circlet and jewelry that marked her as Chief. In fact she and all the women around her looked rather worse for wear.
“Chief… what happened here?”
“We can save that conversation for when we’re safe. Now— woah!” She cried out suddenly… for at that exact moment he collapsed, one of the soldiers caught him… but he was out cold. It seemed the presumed safety made his exhaustion catch up to him.
“Tsk, seems he’s worse off than I imagined…” the Chief whispered, gesturing for the woman who caught Link to carry him the rest of the way.
“Hero… Link… just what have you gone through?”
Her question would remain unanswered for now. She and her subordinates made their way to the hidden home of the Gerudo. Carrying with them the sleeping hero… safe at last, at least for the moment.