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whatsthisascianbullshit · 3 years ago

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Blog Info

A little update is in order! As of patch 6.1 I’m up to date with MSQ, role quests, normal raids, and alliance raids. This blog is not spoiler free but I try to tag major patch spoilers with “(expansion name) spoilers” and include patches in that (so patches for 6.X will be covered with “Endwalker spoilers” for example). I also generally tag posts with the relevant expansion “ffxiv: (expansion name)”

This is not an RP blog but I am very attached to my WoLs and the shared canon I’ve made with my friends, plus I love all the different ask and tag posts and talking about my OCs. I’ve started to dip my toes into writing fics but at the moment they are uhhh for my groupchats only.

I have 3 WoLs I’m more actively playing, though Muireann is my main and the one I’ll mostly be talking about!

About Tag / Screenies and art of My Gorl

Name: Muireann Uais

Title: torn between “of the Seventh Dawn” and “Finder of False Gods” as her in game title. Headcanon title is “Godsbreaker”.

Battle class(es):

Arcane Historian (mashup of SMN and SCH)

Bladesinger (mashup of BRD and DRK)

Aspects of MNK used in both custom classes if enemies get too close

Profession(s):

Goldsmith, primary income is from patented designs sold through Eshtaime’s Aesthetics and she will occasionally take commissions.

Adventurer, specifically a freelance adventurer who is not employed by the Scions though she is affiliated with them.

Family:

Silvaire Canaux (father)

Illiette Canaux (mother)

Raer Angathril (Muireann adopted him as her big brother, belongs to @azure-dragonsinger)

“Miss Hanna” (adopted maternal figure, Raer’s mother, also belongs to @azure-dragonsinger)

General Info:

Muireann was born in Proud Creek, North Shroud after her parents fled Werlyt before it came under Garlaen occupation. She grew up in the small, primarily Duskwight community that had reclaimed the ruins there (this community is not based in canon, I just think it’s a neat idea)

She has been fascinated by stories and songs of adventurers since she was a child between that and not being able to play with other children 'normally’ due to her health issues she was something of a lonely child and never bothered to develop a proper sense of self-preservation.

Muireann is not the name given by her parents, she has an awkward relationship with her ‘childhood’ name and has not been called by it since she started journeying around on her own shortly after the Calamity. She keeps that name a secret and only one person outside of her listed family knows it.

She is not the Warrior of Light but does have the Echo. Hers manifests in the ability to convey her emotions and general intentions to animals and understand theirs in return in addition to the regular flashbacks and protection from tempering.

She is incredibly protective of her closest friends and following the events of ARR and HW she develops an intense fear of losing people and not being able to protect them. She has relatively frequent nightmares about it and it was her primary cause for pursuing greater and greater power. That is maybe changing in light of the most recent patch with a return to seeking out adventure and knowledge for the fun of it.

Despite her sometimes debilitating fear of losing others, she still has not developed much of a sense of self preservation, much to Selene’s annoyance.

She is quick to judge, quick to anger, and can be slow to forgive - particularly if her friends/family have been hurt in any way.

I ship Muireann with so many NPCs there are so many fics please send help.

Going to put Wyn under the cut and leave Sami out (for now) because while I love my alt gals, they aren’t nearly as developed ^^;

About tag / Screenies

Name: Rammthota Sundwilfwyn, or Wyn for short

Title: TBC

Battle Class(es): WAR, NIN. No custom classes as of yet

Profession:

Ship cook, Wyn worked on a ship before trying her hand as an adventurer and is a somewhat decent cook and fisher. Since she switched to the land she’s picked up botany to add to her repertoire.

Freelance guard, Wyn’s first few jobs were ad hoc, guarding shipments and stalls for Faezghim and Iron Thunder before she got referred up to Baderon for more regular work.

Adventurer, is the newest addition, but it’s been working out well and has formed a small party with some other adventurers she kept running into.

Family: TBC

General Info:

Wyn was born and grew up on a pirate ship and has known how to swing an axe from a young age. Improving her skills was one of the bigger draws of moving to Limsa.

Wyn is largely oblivious to flirting and has very strong himbo energy.

She’s trying to convince the Lalafel she’s been adventuring with to let her throw him into a group of enemies so he can do the neat book-magic explosions.

#about Muireann #about Wyn #behold my girlies #this got really long abkadkadhk

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dizzydennis · 4 years ago

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My ideas for Sonic Riders 4!

Title:

Sonic Riders: Drift Dimension

I have a lot of ideas for a potential Sonic Riders sequel and I hope you can enjoy what I have to say. I am very passionate about the Sonic series and would love to see the Babylon Rogues again. I wrote a lot, but any comments or feedback would be wonderful! Check it out under this cut!

Story:

I would like the story mode to continue to split between Team Sonic and the Babylon Rogues. For the sake of making this cohesive, I will write out the narrative linearly.

Set a few years after King Doc’s tournament, Wave has convinced Jet to allow her to continue to investigate Babylon Garden even more under the promise that it would improve their Extreme Gears. The 3 Babylon Rogues go deep within the ruins of Babylon Garden by using their gravity modules (from Zero Gravity.) Wave is still worried about the black hole that could occur, but her calculations assure her that it won’t be a problem. However, while in the heart of this floating island, the gravity modules float into the rocky ruins and activate a bright light as Babylon Garden powers up.

Tails pilots the Tornado with Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy in tow. He detected the massive energy surge that cause Babylon Garden to light up. It seems like the garden is warping reality around it, but with their courage, they enter into the void.

It seems that Babylon Garden has teleported to another world. With their airship being grounded due to the warp, the Babylon Rogues hop onto their Extreme Gears to explore. Before long, they encounter a massive airship that completely dwarfs their own. Upon being captured, they learn that Jet’s father, Kaze, is the leader of this group known as the Babylon Legion. The Rogues have been reunited with their ancestors and family. Naturally, they’re overjoyed! Especially Jet who has been longing for his father for years.

Shortly after, Sonic and his friends encounter the airship and are reunited with the Babylon Rogues. Their fun meeting soon turns dire as the Babylon Legion surround and arrest Knuckles.

Later, Jet inquires about why they apprehended Knuckles. Kaze explains that years ago when they crash landed on Sonic’s planet, they had encountered a terrible Echidna Clan who were power hungry to conquer others. When the Babylon Legion refused to give their advance technology to the Echidna Clan, they were seen as enemies. When there were murmurs that the Echidna Clan had awakened a god of destruction, the Babylon Legion tried to get reactivate Babylon Garden to allow them to leave the planet.

Instead, Babylon Garden was stricken deep into the planet and the Babylon Legion was warped to parts unknown. Jet was baffled by what he heard, but he trusted his father. Upon meeting with Sonic and the others, they discuss what happened and that there were plenty of holes in Kaze’s story. Jet, upset that others would accuse his father, argues with them. However, there was one point that Storm brings up that cannot be ignored. How were Jet, Wave, and Storm on Sonic’s planet if the Babylon Legion were teleported to this planet?

They learn that when they were younger, Kaze had volunteered the three for an experiment to see if they could return, but in doing so, the 3 Babylon Rogues were stranded on their own with no real memory of what had happened.

The Babylon Rogues have to choose between siding with Team Sonic or the Babylon Legion, but they soon find out that Kaze intends to use his technology to convert Babylon Garden into Mecha Babylon. Having learned from the Echidna Clan, power needs to be met with power. Therefore, Kaze wants to teleport back to Sonic’s planet with Mecha Babylon being the ultimate weapon; a fortified island with weapons and a metal shell.

All the heroes band together to stop Kaze from reaching the inner ruins of Babylon Garden to allow it to teleport back to Sonic’s planet. During the climax, Kaze activates the portal only for Sonic and Jet to work together to knock him off of it. Torn between going with Sonic or staying with Kaze and the Babylon Legion, Jet ultimately decides that he must go back with Sonic. He claims that “The Babylon Legion had their chance,” as Sonic grabs his hand and the two dive into the portal.

Cut back to Sonic’s planet, Babylon Garden continues to float around the planet, perfectly reflecting Angel Island. Here, Knuckles and Storm reflect that the Echidna Clan and the Babylon Legion were a lot more similar than they were different. Wave notes that it isn’t one’s lineage that defines who they are, but what they do to better that lineage for future generations. Jet and Sonic use that as a means to claim that they’re the fastest as they race across Babylon Garden. Kaze’s words echo through Jet’s mind as he overtakes Sonic and the two ride off into the distance.

Stages:

Tundra Peaks / Frigid Avalanche – A snowbound stage high in the mountains that mixes canyons, rocky hillsides, and snow. The former stage features nice, mountain villages while the latter stage takes place with massive avalanches falling around the player.

Future Mall / Shopping Calamity – A futuristic city that leads into a massive shopping mall. Players would weave in and out of stores while making their way to a large building outside. The latter stage would be at night where a certain band of robots might be trying to get away with a robbery and chase.

Tubular Coastline / Hurricane Seaboard – A gorgeous beach that runs along side an advance city. You can choose to ride along the sand or take to the waves to get some boosts by performing tricks on the water. Be careful of the storm coming in the latter stage that alters the stage in a crazy way!

Thrill Park / Cursed Midway – A theme park with roller coasters, log flumes, and plenty of other rides. Be warned though, the haunted house gets a bit intense at night and changes the entire park!

Neon Woodland / Forest Illumination – A forest hidden within a valley that glows with luminous mushrooms and vines that glow as they are touched. This place really comes alive late at night when a rave party is going on!

Babylon Garden / Mecha Babylon – While not a remake of the original Sonic Riders track, this version would start on the outside of Babylon Garden as you go deep within the floating island. The mechanized version of this stage is far more dangerous with lasers and robots about; players would fire themselves across the island via giant turrets. Mecha Babylon would be the final boss fight against Kaze.

Dimension Hops / Nostalgia Trip – This is a bonus track where you hop between dimensional pockets of Metal City, Aquatic Capital, and Dolphin Resort. It’s a celebration of the Sonic Riders series. Nostalgia Trip sends players through Green Hill Zone (of course it’s here), Final Rush, and Sunset Heights. This one celebrates the Sonic series. These two tracks would not share music.

SEGA Heroics / SEGA Darkness – Much like the other SEGA fan service stages in the series, this one instead separates the two stages between the heroes of SEGA’s rich history and the villains. Lots of fun to be had here!

Playable Characters:

Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles Tails Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow, Storm the Albatross, Amy Rose, Kaze the Hawk, Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat, Cream the Rabbit, Blaze the Cat, Silver the Hedgehog, Vector the Crocodile, Dr. Eggman, NiGHTS, Kazuma Kiryu, Arle Nadja

Gameplay:

The gameplay would avoid the failings of Sonic Free Riders. Motion controls have been pushed since Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity and they’d be mostly dropped here. The game would implement the AIR system, but with the multiple routes with the gravity modules. Due to plot reasons, the gravity modules themselves can’t be used, so this mechanic would just be a movement of the Extreme Gears. Speed, Fly, and Power routes would still be available based on the characters and not the gears... and would hopefully be better balanced. The springs would be taken out as they were so painfully contextual in previous games. One thing from Sonic Free Riders would be certain items to change the course of the races including missiles, ink traps, and a few others. The grab mechanic to reach out to the left or right can be brought over too as it holds a lot of potential. Also, the vibrant visuals from Free Riders should be carried over! Moreover, the boost from the original game would be present. Lastly, the game would feel faster. Drifting, much like Team Sonic Racing would be emphasized more in this game.

Typical features would include the Story, Grand Prix, Battle Mode, Time Trials, Character Profiles, Gear Shop, Gear Gallery, Online Multiplayer, and Options. Let’s have alternate costumes for the characters too! Also, the Grand Prix mode would have character specific endings that would be simplistic, but still a treat and motivation to play through it with each character!

That’s basically it for my ideas. I know it’s just a pipe dream, but I would love for a Sonic Riders game to really get into the old stories and characterizations of the original two games, while adding some heart for the Babylon Rogues. It doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but rather just create a fun racing game that focuses on these amazing characters.

#Sonic the Hedgehog #Sonic Riders #Jet the Hawk #Babylon Rogues #Shadow the Hedgehog #SEGA

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foul-humors · 5 years ago

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Eventorum

Sitting at a desk in the basement of her teashop, Medea dus Lepus (or ‘eir Lepus’ if you asked the right people) reflected on current events.

It had been a long year for Medea. From the moment the first nightmares appeared to the present, she reckoned at least that much time had passed. She admitted to herself that it might have been less. No one else’s perception of passing time seemed to line up perfectly with her’s.

She blamed the backwards ways of keeping time that the savages she lived among had.

“Now, now...they are not savages,” she reminded herself, muttering out loud. “Well...no more than anyone else.”

The foreign memories she’d been “gifted” with allowed her to get a handle on what had happened to her. Those memories were borne of Adrasteia. Adrasteia was - near as she could tell - a former Allagan who had turned herself into a voidsent following the calamity that brought low Allag. Banished to the void, she’d then split herself into two - no, three - beings: Prima, Esoterica, and Melodia. Collectively, they’d taken on the name “Nighean Dorcha”

“Halanuu gave her...them that name,” she commented aloud.

Melodia - who some knew as “Steia” - had turned on the other two after the deciding that they were “too cold” and “a threat to her beloved mortals”. She killed Prima, whose essence flowed into and empowered Esoterica. Esoterica, in turn, used her new strength to strip Melodia of her powers.

Undeterred, Melodia traveled to an entire other world to find someone compatible to rejoin with - Drassa - then returned to kill Esoterica with this extra power. This, in turn, killed Melodia....somehow. Medea still hadn’t grasped that part yet.

Yet Esoterica had anticipated this, and set events in motion to ensure her own survival...which is where Medea came in.

“Because Adrasteia, Drassa, and myself are all shards of the same soul.”

Medea had learned that of all people in the world, she had the unfortunate distinction of being linked to Adrasteia. It seemed her soul - along with the souls of the others - were not, in fact, whole souls. Instead, they were shards of a single, greater soul that was split when the world was yet young. In fact, the world itself had been split, as had every soul on it.

It boggled Medea’s mind, but it was honestly the least disconcerting of the revelations borne by Melodia’s memories.

"Ugh...I can’t believe....” she started, then shook her head. “Later. Focus on what happened to you, not the world.”

Esoterica and Melodia had recruited mortals to their causes, forming a cult that snaked its way through the three great continents. Esoterica’s devotees had numbers among Sharlayan and Garlemald. No doubt it was this cult that found Medea.

Medea’s nightmares had come about because Esoterica had been manipulating her, intending to use her as a sort of “backup” if Melodia triumphed. Fortunately for Medea, Esoterica had not anticipated Melodia finding Drassa. This threw off Esoterica’s calculations, and rather than taking over Medea fully, she got trapped in the Viera’s subconscious.

Later, Esoterica’s devotees would kidnap Medea, and rip the ancient entity out of the Viera before leaving her for dead in Coerthas. Melodia, unfortunately, was never meant to be preserved by the spell, which left Medea with the troubling question: who was “Eve”?

They - Hakra, Shanti, herself and others - had thought “Eve” was Melodia, and they had good reason to think this. After all, Medea seemed to carry Melodia’s memories. When “Eve” was active, she certainly acted as they remembered Melodia acted. And had Melodia not merged with Esoterica before their essence flowed into Medea?

Medea huffed, muttering, “And yet...Esoterica’s spell wasn’t for her, and after Esoterica was pulled out of me, Hakra couldn’t find anyone else inside me.”

She backtracked a little, focusing on the sequence of events. Esoterica had found her and started prepping her, causing her nightmares. Then she’d started receiving visions as Melodia tried to reach out to her through the Echo. Melodia fumbled in her efforts, and unknowingly assaulted Medea with such intensity and repetition that the visions became unforgettable.

“Memories of memories are yet memories,” she muttered to herself.

“Eve” and Medea had been leaving messages for each other. Little notes to coordinate. Shortly before Hakra’s operation to split them, “Eve” had told Medea her plan to leave the group permanently. She intended to go after Esoterica, and didn’t want to leave them in danger with her continued association.

So when the woman Medea met after the operation said she’d stay, Medea immediately knew something had gone wrong. She remembered thinking, Maybe she just changed her mind. After all, she and Shanti have grown quite close.

Yet the very next thing that happened was “Eve” acting as though she barely knew Shanti...something with clearly hurt the other Viera.

“Poor Little Thumper,” Medea muttered, referencing Shanti. Her own heart had ached for her “sister”.

She’d later learn something had gone wrong during the operation. They couldn’t find anyone in the body save for Medea herself. Somehow, “Eve” was just plain gone. So Hakra had gambled and tried to create a new “Eve” from spare aether and the memories everyone had of her. Yet this was not what animated the body. This, Hakra told her, was Adrasteia reborn.

For a moment she thought that “Eve” had been pulled out of her along with Esoterica - or “Pale” as she’d known the Mirror at the time. Yet “Eve” had made herself known even after that trauma.

And that was a thought that nagged at her. After that tauma.

She’d borrowed some of Hakra’s medical texts, digging through them. She already knew a number of disorders plagued people who had experienced mental trauma. Reading through the text, it wasn’t long before she found one that applied to her.

Had her tired and traumatized mind invented “Eve” in an attempt to avoid addressing thoughts, feelings, and desires she was having in reaction to what she learned through Melodia’s memories? Had she created Eve because she refused to accept that she was anything other than a loyal soldier of the Empire, faithful to her current beloved? Had she created Eve to confront the new horrors she was learning about while she continued to tend to “mortal matters”?

“But how could I have possibly stayed awake for all that time? I’d have to sleep-” She paused. “Oh, right. Those over-long naps in trees....”

.....

The blessing of the failed operation was that, for a moment, it allowed her to believe she was cured. It allowed her to confront the memories of Melodia and the actions of “Eve” as just something was aware of...as if it was nothing more than something she’d read about. By the time she realized it had been her all along, she was well rested, and getting back into her usual routines.

The road from here would be rocky, but, really, it always had been in her life. She had been strong enough to overcome those obstacles before, and now she was stronger thanks to her companions.

#short #miss morn #adrasteia darkmist #melodia #esoterica #hakra #shanti

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itsyourchoicedevotionals · 6 years ago

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It’s Not Fair

“Peter asked Jesus, "What about him, Lord?" Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me.” Jn 21:21-22NLT

One of my children’s favorite sentences was, ‘it’s not fair!’ Adults frequently echo those words, like the children. To be honest, I’ve thought, felt, and said the same thing at different times. Face it. When life goes someone else’s way, but not ours, we’re prone to whine the same words.

A gracious lady in our church, involved in every activity, head of the children’s department and deacon’s wife, developed cancer. Shortly before she was diagnosed, the doctor’s found a cancerous tumor in my lung. God healed me. She suffered, went to Mayo Clinic and WD Andersons Hospital but died. In comparison, I believed she deserved to live, and I didn’t think I did. A different kind of cry, ‘it’s not fair,’ but something I thought about often.

Whenever i thought such things about this friend, a scripture came flittering through my mind— “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die;…” Ecc 3:1-2ESV.

Each of us come with plans and work to do, all assigned by God. Psm 139: 16NASB “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.” Also, Jer 29:11NASB “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Had Marcy completed her calling? And I hadn’t started my calling of writing devotionals? Did He keep me alive to do my calling?

Peter’s calling was to be a mouthpiece, leader, author two letters in the Bible, and lover of men for God. John was to chronicle Jesus’s life and words, as well as the end time events, and write three letters included in the Bible. His job kept him alive, alone and isolated. Peter’s, when finished, led to crucifixion.

What I’m struggling to say is this: God loves you—PASSIONATELY. He knows the exact ingredients needed to make you into the best image of Christ you can be. Trust Him to complete what He’s started in you for His glory and your benefit. If you want to compare something, compare how much you love Jesus today, as compared to how much you loved Him five days ago. And set your love free to go all out tomorrow, loving even more, instead of doubting and crying, ‘it’s not fair.’ It’s your choice. You choose.

PRAYER: Sovereign God thank You for knowing what’s best for us. Help us all to trust You, in Jesus’s name I pray.

#Jesus Christ #lord of lords #Lamb of God #Holy Spirit #god #it's your choice #devotional #it's not fair #hope #plans #love #passionately #calling #faith

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jennielim · 5 years ago

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gwydionae · 8 years ago

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Visions Softly Creeping

Chapter 2 is finished! Had both Link and Zelda listed as important characters over on ff.net, and this chapter starts to show why I had the latter added and not just Link who is undoubtedly the main focus. While not explicitly a Zelink romance story, the two of them having feelings for each other is canon, and I’m sticking with that here as I explore Link’s personal journey.

Posted on fanfiction.net >here<. Chapter 1 on tumblr >here<.

Teaser: He was a knight. It was not his job to feel. The day for grieving would come, but for now this one night, one day of mourning was the only reprieve he would allow himself. Because it was his duty, and he would keep the princess waiting no longer on account of his weakness. (Spoilers for main story points including, eventually, the end of BotW.)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. All titles are lyrics borrowed from Simon and Garfunkle's "The Sound of Silence."

Chapter 2: Silence Like a Cancer

The steady rain that pelted Link as his horse trotted along the hilly terrain chilled him to the bone, a far cry from the burning heat he had endured atop Death Mountain mere days ago. And yet it seemed as if an eternity had passed since he'd fought his way up the massive volcano and freed Daruk's spirit from the clutches of Ganon. The numbness he felt currently, though indeed heightened by the cold rain, had been clinging to him long before the clouds had gathered above.

As with Mipha, upon setting foot in Goron City and gazing at the statue of the fallen Champion, sparse memories of his time with Daruk rose from the fog that obscured his past. Heartbreaking as it was knowing that such a friendly and confident individual had been lost a century ago, Link had refused to allow himself to dwell on the depressing thought, instead burying it alongside his grief of the Zora princess until a more appropriate time. While nothing could truly have softened the blow, after coming face to face with Mipha's spirit, he had mentally steeled himself for the moment a softly glowing Goron appeared before him. It had been agonizing, receiving yet another generous gift before his body was forcefully removed from the Divine Beast, the last smile he would see on Daruk's face fading away. But that was a reality he had prepared himself for. The events that followed, however, were not.

The scorching heat inside the very mouth of the volcano had been suffocating despite his special elixirs and armor, and this made properly navigating Vah Rudania all the more difficult. Not only had it taken a toll on him physically, his throat unquenchably dry and cracked while his skin was so tender that the slightest touch was akin to a jab with a hot poker, but the mental strain was far greater as well. Even a second's lack of focus could have tripped him up and sent him hurling into the molten lava and a most assuredly painful death. His plan had been to continue moving forward as quickly as possible, his constant progress making it easier for him to ignore his bottled up emotional turmoil. But his weak body ill-suited for spending hours in the heart of a volcano had not allowed him to leave Goron City without rest, and thus he had spent a long two days in bed, a restless Yunobo constantly hovering at his side. And while not ungrateful for the care, the last thing he had desired was company.

Link couldn't help but feel overcome with his comparatively frail body's inadequacy. Even in his few memories from a century ago he was being healed by Mipha or protected by Daruk. The confidence he had started this journey out with was waning with each new trial he endured and past event that came to light. Every time he proudly reminded himself of the fact that he had already defeated two hideous monstrosities created from Ganon's own Malice, a sinister echo in the back of his head would grow louder, making sure he was aware that these were merely minions. Barely defeating them only to pass out shortly afterwards was an ominous sign that the outcome against Calamity Ganon himself would be much different.

As soon as he had been sure his legs could carry him, Link was on his feet, using every ounce of his willpower to appear healthy and steadfast in his decision to trek back down the mountain so that Yunobo would allow him to go without a fuss. It had, however, been surprisingly easy to win the young Goron over.

"I believe in you, brother! You're so strong and brave, just like Lord Daruk. And maybe someday I will be too, goro!"

He had politely accepted the compliment, but the words rang hollow as Link slowly made his way toward the base of the volcano. Wishing for nothing more than some solitude, he had avoided the path that would have lead him to the Southern Mine, instead choosing to traverse the rocky terrain to the west of it. The new route had been treacherous, but the air wasn't quite as unbearable, and he didn't have to worry about whether or not the cracks in his stoic mask were showing as there had been no one to notice.

A few hours into his descent, a splash of light pink had caught the corner of his eye. To the southwest of the volcano sat Hyrule Castle, the view of it from the mountain sending shivers down his spine. But farther north lay an island covered in trees and shrouded in mist with only the top of a large, blossoming tree clearly visible in the center. He had stopped, the itch of familiarity causing his heart to race, and as he stood still, mesmerized, he could suddenly picture the entire rocky area immediately surrounding him covered in the blood and bodies of dead monsters. In the center of all of it were two nearly untouched Hylians.

Link's breath had caught in his throat. The carnage was his doing. He had single-handedly defeated an entire army, everything from the common red bokoblin that had already been reduced to a minor annoyance in present day to vicious looking white maned lynels, a species he actively avoided out of fear in a color he had never even seen. He could remember Princess Zelda warning him to be careful, that being brave did not equate to immortality.

Recalling his past strength had been a somber yet joyful experience. Though his current, weakened state paled in comparison, the memory and scenery before him had caused an important detail he had been overlooking since King Dorephan first tried to bring his attention to it to finally come back to him.

The sword.

A century ago he had wielded what others now whispered to be a sword capable of sealing the darkness, though he himself could not remember it. Everyone who spoke of the blade seemed to be in awe of its power, and just before he left Goron City, their leader, Bludo, had mentioned that it was hidden in a forest to the west of the volcano. Link had been struggling to maintain his emotionless expression during the goodbye, and therefore had practically forgotten the advice. But with its strength fresh in his mind and what had to be the forest in which it rested in front of his eyes, a renewed vigor had filled him with hope, propelling him down the mountain. It took one, single day for that hope to dissolve into despair.

It was no longer simply his own feelings of inadequacy that tormented him. The sword itself had decided that he was no longer fit to wield it.

Merely touching the hilt of the divine blade had filled his head with a blur of scenes from the past and Princess Zelda's commanding voice entrusting Hyrule to him, causing a wave of varying and confusing emotions to crash into him. So taken aback by the sudden onslaught, he had released his grip on the weapon resting in the stone and gasped loudly as he stumbled backward, accidentally waking the dozing Great Deku Tree who informed him that he'd been tasked with watching over the darkness sealing sword - the Master Sword, as was its true name. The gigantic tree had at first seemed pleased to see him after one hundred years of waiting, but it hadn't taken long for his tone to take a foreboding turn.

"The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not..."

The warning had shaken his already fragile confidence, but he had refused to be deterred. If the Master Sword had truly once been his, then he had to try and take it up again. Princess Zelda's words had echoed in his head as he took a deep breath and reached for the hilt once more. She was counting on him, and though he could barely remember her, deep down he knew that above all else he desired to be useful to her and deserve her faith in him as the Hero of Hyrule. But as he had struggled to pull the blade from the stone pedestal in which it sat, it felt as if his very life force was being sucked from his body. Despite his moment of panic, he had refused to let go until the Great Deku Tree commanded it, but as soon as he had, he found himself panting and sweating, the Master Sword staying stubbornly where he had found it, silently mocking his incompetence.

Link had left the forest only moments later, the mere sight of the holy weapon too cruel to stand. Stumbling around the misty woods in a daze, it had been a miracle that he'd managed to emerge safely back on the other side. But as he had trudged along the path, his mind not bothering to care about his next destination, he noticed through the trees a tall tower glowing a bright orange. Below it sat a vast enemy encampment completely surrounded by a bubbling bog.

The map on his Shiekah Slate was still far from complete, but he knew at least that he should eventually make his way west toward the Divine Beast shaped like a bird that circled high in the air, a route that took him directly through territory that would be unlocked on his map if he were to activate the heavily guarded tower.

He rushed in without hesitation.

Whether out of foolishness, anger at his own weakness, or a sudden need for self validation, he was still unable to explain exactly what drove him to run straight into the thick of battle in such a deadly arena without a second's thought. Lizalfos and octoroks shot at him from the murky pond while bokoblins and moblins engaged him in melee combat. As he drew closer to the base of the tower, a wizzrobe caught sight of him and began hurling fireballs in his direction. With cries of frustration, he had slashed wildly at them all, his own wounds piling up to match his body count, until at last he had reached the base of the tower. Adrenaline surging through his bleeding body, he raced to the top as fast as his limbs could carry him, and once there, he approached the terminal and waited as his Shiekah Slate received the new map information. Retrieving it, he tried to study it only to realize that his eyes refused to focus. His breathing had become ragged, and his legs gave way beneath him, his arms barely able to cushion his fall.

He couldn't remember how long he lay there, his mind, for once, completely blank. But eventually he had managed to push himself up and look around. The Woodland Stable was close enough to the south that he could paraglide down to it, which gave him somewhere to rest and a horse for his travels as well. Given his current physical and mental state, he had deemed it wise to at least start the next leg of his journey on horseback, an insight now proving advantageous due to the harsh rain, the slick grass and thick mud being far more easily navigated by his sure-footed steed.

The daze he had found himself lost in since his failure to procure the Master Sword was only just beginning to lift. Since leaving the stable over an hour ago, the patter of rain and sloshing of hooves had been strangely soothing despite the cool temperature and his soaked clothing. Intent on regaining his focus, Link did his best to keep his eyes forward, though the misty forest to his right and the foreboding castle to his left were impossible to ignore completely. He would head toward Salari Hill as there was a road nearby, and as his map indicated a steep cliff not far beyond it, he would take that road south, hopefully leading him toward one of the towers he saw in the distance so he might receive a clue as to where to proceed from there.

But as the rain continued its relaxing fall and his horse clopped steadily along with barely a nudge of guidance needed, he found he couldn't keep his thoughts solely on plotting his course. The crumbling Hyrule Castle, surrounded by Guardians and swirling Malice, kept stealing his gaze, vague shadows of memories from time spent inside when it was bright and welcoming trying to claw their way out of his subconscious. Above all else, though, he could picture her.

While no specific memories sprang to mind, images of Princess Zelda roaming the castle halls in a regal, blue gown forced their way through the cloud concealing his past. She was beautiful, moving with grace, head held high, but somehow the only expression he could imagine her wearing was that of anxiety and disappointment. Even with his scarce few vivid memories of her, it wasn't hard to guess what the cause might be considering whatever power she had been trying to harness had alluded her up to the very hour of Calamity Ganon's return. But somehow she must have gained control of that power as her spirit fought on inside the castle even now. By means he would probably never understand she had continued to fight for one hundred years while everyone around her failed, leaving her utterly alone. That could only be done by someone with great strength and confidence. So perhaps the real reason he found it impossible to recall even the smallest smile was not due to the disappointment she felt for herself but the disappointment Link felt his current self would surely be to her.

Roughly shaking his head, he urged his horse to go faster as if it were possible to simply outrun his own thoughts. He could not afford to be overtaken by his emotions again. His recklessness in pursuit of scaling the previous tower could have killed him. Being a living disappointment meant there was still a chance to change his fate; being a dead one would doom an entire kingdom.

Refusing to so much as glance to either side of him, he drove his horse onward at breakneck speed. The sooner he reached the next Divine Beast the sooner he would be too preoccupied with not falling from the sky to dwell on such dark and distracting thoughts. The rain finally stopped shortly after the castle at last lay behind him, and up ahead to his left he noticed a small pond not yet visible on his map. Feeling slightly guilty for pushing his horse so hard for so long, he decided to rest there for a short while, just long enough to allow his mount some food, drink, and a chance to catch its breath.

As he dismounted and handed the horse a bright red apple, Link's eyes slowly swept over the area. The gently sloping ground was covered in wildflowers that glistened with fresh moisture in the sun as it peeked through the retreating clouds. A soft breeze tugged at the leaves on the trees and his own damp hair. It was serene, a stark contrast to everything he'd experienced in the last week. And yet as his gaze drifted back in the direction of Hyrule Castle, that now familiar sense of recognition that whispered to him of a moment one hundred years ago had him clamoring for the Shiekah Slate at his hip. Sure enough, the view from where he stood matched one of the photos near exactly, and once more a memory from his past came rushing back to him.

Princess Zelda was holding the very same Shiekah Slate, chattering on about the wildlife and its various scientific uses. One flower in particular caught her eye, one that made the speed of her words slow and voice reverent. But then, without warning, she was excitedly holding a green frog out to him, willing him to taste it, of all things. More important than all of that, however, throughout the entirety of what he could remember, she was smiling.

With a true, warm smile, her face lit up like the sun. The golden hair falling over her shoulders and framing her cheeks almost appeared to glow, a shimmering halo accentuating her bright green eyes and pale pink lips. Even as a mere memory Link could have sworn that he suddenly felt warmer in her presence, the pure delight radiating from her transcending time itself. And after a grueling three weeks without the slightest twitch, the corners of his own lips at last curled upward as well.

Time seemed to stand still as he stood there, his eyes unfocused on the present. Of the far too few memories he had recovered of the princess, this one felt different. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this one made him feel different. It wasn't just the pure delight from seeing her smile. No, this went much deeper. Not a childish flutter in his heart or a blush on his cheeks one might normally get from having the attention of a pretty girl, but instead something closer to devotion, a fierce need to keep that smile protected at any cost. This was how she was meant to be, deserved to be.

Of course, he knew that it was a hundred years too late for that. The most he could hope for was to see her spirit smile upon him one last time, as Daruk had. As Mipha had. But there was no use dwelling on such thoughts. If he could only live up to the faith she had in him, someday she would be free, and with Ganon gone and her own duties fulfilled, perhaps she would go on to a better life where she would be able to smile amongst the flowers for all eternity. If it was in his power, he wanted nothing more than to give that to her.

The vague ache he had felt upon first remembering her face nearly a month ago seemed to grow with every passing moment. The more he thought of her, tried to force himself to remember her, the more his chest tightened. And yet he found himself unwilling to completely push any thought of her aside. It was painful, but he couldn't help wanting - no, needing to know every lost detail. He was drawn to her in a way that was like no other from his past. Perhaps it was due to how many days and weeks they must have spent together, him being her appointed knight and bodyguard. Maybe he had been privy to a side of her she kept hidden from others. But unless he regained all of his memories, he would never know, and thus it didn't matter if it would be an agonizing task, reliving the life of one whose physical body had already returned to dust. He would do whatever he had to in order to face the princess with a full understanding of everything they'd been through together.

The sun hung low in the western sky as Link finally remounted his horse. He was sure he'd seen a stable nearby, and though he wanted to reach the next Divine Beast as soon as possible, it seemed wise to rest for the night while the monsters were most active, especially since he was quickly running out of map. He guessed that he would be able to reach the next tower tomorrow, however, and as most so far were fairly well guarded, he wanted to be well rested and sharp in order to avoid another reckless assault.

With one last, longing look around the small pond, Link took a deep, calming breath and urged his steed forward. As much as his newly regained memory further saddened any thoughts of the future, he was aware that it had come back to him exactly when he most needed it. He couldn't let it matter that the Master Sword rejected him. The princess deserved better than someone lacking focus and self control. She deserved a knight, strong and confident, and while he believed he was currently neither of those things, he must have been once. That was who she was counting on and that was who he would force himself to be again.

A/N: This time I would like to thank everyone responsible for helping create the interactive map available on Zelda Dungeon. I cannot stress enough how helpful this has been in helping me plot out Link's path through this story! It’s also just plain freaking awesome and a lot of fun to play with, haha.

Thanks for reading, and as always, critics and grammar police are appreciated!

Chapter 3 coming soon (hopefully)!

#the legend of zelda #breath of the wild #zelda botw #loz botw #zelda breath of the wild #link #my fanfiction

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