#ruins of hyrule au

[probably-ace-ok]

Ruins of Hyrule: The Lost Woods

an apocalypse/horror loz au

Once a verdant, if misty forest, the Lost Woods has succumbed to a strange fungal infection, killing off anything else inside. Instead of mist, the air is now filled with spores, which can be deadly if breathed in, so Link must wear a specially made mask to enter. Some rumours suggest that on occasion, rather than dying from the spores, their victims will instead be overcome with madness, trying to flee the forest and die to spread the spores further or infect their own companions. Deep within the woods, Link encounters what remains of the Koroks— now shells puppeted by the fungi that infected them, bursting into clouds of spores when they come into contact with fire. The fate of the Great Deku Tree is unknown.

(please send asks if you’re curious about this au! it helps me work new stuff out!)

[grooviestsadpapaya]

More background practice :) Rito ruins this time

Also might wip dump after this, feeling silly. I’m not thrilled with this one either, but it’s a step in the right direction! It’s better than what I usually do! This isn’t the official art, just a concept. I like it tho.

[hero-of-the-wolf]

Okay so here me out—

Link and Zelda are out exploring one day and (somehow) they accidentally get yeeted into the future. They also (somehow) get separated, and now Link's stranded in these eerily familiar ruins desperately searching for his best friend. And who does he run into?? This boy who's also eerily familiar, but in a completely different way.

Link, meet Link.

[lordsooga]

Was going through my files and stumbled on some old doodles of a triforce swap au i never finished

In this one, Gan’s got the triforce of courage. He both lost his parents and realized he had the triforce at a young age. He’s told it’s his quest to save Hyrule from the tyrannical Princess Zelda. He’s stubborn and determined to prove that he can be a hero and that he can do this by himself...

Until Gan meets Link, a history and archeology nerd scholar. After meeting Gan and realizing he’s a literal child trying to go out and save Hyrule alone, he says “No. Absolutely not.” and joins him. Gan didn’t exactly invite him along, but eventually he begrudgingly accepts his help. He also likes to steal the snacks Link carries around. 

Not much for fighting, Link mostly helps Gan by using his knowledge about Hyrule’s history and heroes past to help with navigation and solving the temples’ riddles. It’s only later that he realizes he has the triforce of wisdom

Zelda’s the princess of Hyrule who has turned to abusing her political and religious powers. She shows a different face to the rest of Hyrule and claims that she’s blessed with guidance and power from Hylia like her ancestors. But really, she’s turned her back on Hylia and is instead grasping for the triforce of power to fulfill her goals.

(in case you don’t recognize it, this is the meme on gan’s scroll) (ID under the cut)

[ID: Two pages with a series of sketches of an AU Link and Ganondorf. Link is a young, Hylian adult here with long ears, glasses, and a sleeveless vest worn over a button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Ganondorf is a young, Gerudo  child wearing a short-sleeved shirt and often seen carrying the Master sword.

On the first page, Link and Ganondorf are seen outside an ancient temple overgrown with plants, outside what looks to be a sealed doorway. Link is reading from a thick book saying “I think if you play a specific song, it will open...” He turns to look at Ganondorf who is fruitlessly kicking at the door and says “...or you could just kick it, sure.” The next doodle shows an injured Link, slumped against a wall. Ganondorf stands in front of him, holding his sword in one hand and throwing out his other hand protectively in front of him. The last sketch shows Link and Ganondorf around a campfire. Ganondorf is sprawled out, fast asleep under a fairy- patterned blanket. Link has his shoes off, peacefully reading from his thick book by the light of the fire.

On the second page, Link and Ganondorf are seen, resting on a log. Link looks down at a scroll draped over his legs. In one hand, he holds a sliced apple. Without looking up, he holds out a slice to Ganondorf who begrudgingly takes it. The next sketches show Links bewildered face saying “Oh dear Hylia, you’re only 10?!” Ganondorf looks up at him stubbornly saying “Actually I’m 11 so shut the fuck up.” In the last sketch, Ganondorf holds out a scroll for Link who looks at him curiously. Unfurly the scroll, the meme attached above is seen. The meme is a screenshot of a facebook group. The name of the group is “As u can see i am only 11 and u are gay”. The icon image is a poorly drawn Knuckles with sunglasses on, and the header image is a car poorly photoshopped to be crashing into a building and exploding. \end ID]

[lynx-q]

"The land of Hyrule is full of creatures known as pokémon. However, I urge you to be wary of these beasts; the Calamity's corruption runs deep, and there are few pokémon left in the wild that will not try to kill you on sight."

over the decades, Calamity Ganon has refined his power to overtake the wills of unsuspecting pokémon, turning them into hyper-aggressive extensions of him own rage. these pokémon are labeled as Malicious, and crave destruction above all else.

while a cure for this condition does exist in the form of stylers, their hard-to-repair mechanisms make stylers a luxury that only a few settlements can afford to keep. this cure, however, does not prevent Ganon from retaking pokémon under the light of the Blood Moon.

on random nights, the sky turns red, ash drifts up off the ground, and the full moon reflects the Calamity's power across the face of Hyrule. any that are pokémon caught out in it's light are helpless against Ganon's thrall, however, if you catch the signs in time, it is possible to prevent your pokémon from becoming Malicious. roofed, enclosed spaces are the best preventative measure one can take, but quick defenses such as a tarp or even a pocket can be just as effective-- just make sure there's not an inch of your pokémon that's sticking out!

it should be noted that the Yiga Clan revel under the conditions the Blood Moon creates, going so far as to outfit their poor pokémon with armor-like control devices that inject Malice directly into the pokémon. this "armor" keeps them compliant, even when they are captured by a styler.

[waywardsalt]

god i just realized. cuz the bellum x linebeck fic takes place in a light au and therefore the events of (and around) ph didn’t happen so if i plan this out right i could actually write linebeck’s brother as a character and not some vague backstory figure

[proxycrit]

FAMILIAR FAMILIAR MASTERPOST

(EDIT: pinning this for linktober to keep things in order! All shenanigans will also be reposted on my alt blog, @critbit-hoard )

If you want to see my general info (and also which tags to look at my other art, click here)

FAMILIAR FAMILIAR is a self indulgent TOTK AU where Link and Zelda traverse the wild lands of Hyrule together. There are ruins to be discovered and monsters to be eaten.

This project is a linktober challenge that will extend past the month of october. Please be patient with me as this is entirely being funded by a hyperfixation and the support of beloved patreon backers (ty patreon backers). Pls note fanart, fanfics, and spinoffs are perfectly fine as long as credit is due!

Chronological Order (updating as we go!)

1. Blood Moons and Headaches

2. Basement Adventures

3. Basement’s Adventures Haunted

4. Basement’s Extra Haunted

5. Lost (and found)

6. World’s Endin, Purah’s Stressin

7. Concern about Death Mountain

8. Goron City

9. Death Mountain vs Oversized Railgun

10. The Sage of Fire

11. Interlude

12. Goodbye Eldin!

13. Rained In

14. Skyview Towers

15. Close Call

16. Welcome To The Swamp

17. A Guide Named Yona

18. Sidon’s No Good Very Bad Two Months

19. Authority Issues

20. Lab in the Sky

21. The Water Sage

22. Reprise

23. Century Idol

24. Safe Travels

[ezlo-x]

hi I have thoughts to implement to my au maybe sorta I just thought the idea was cool. The Zonai were a Minish Tribe that were established in the Faron region when descending down from the skies

The Zonai were architecturally advanced as their structures and monuments were massive compared to their small size. It was at a point lead to believe that Hylians from a long ago past created those structures that are in the Faron region. Zonai don’t have a third eye in this, only highly respected Zonai would create these headpieces in form of a third eye. It is only a wild coincidence that the Sheikah and Zonai use eye symbols. However the Zonai in my au use more hand symbolism as they connect it more to into their architectural history and skills.

The Zonai established their own society in Faron, being the first to create a monarchy way before Hyrule was established to have a kingdom. That is the Zonai tribe of the south region, as a handful of the Zonai started to embark to the upper north side of Hyrule. There were two siblings in hopes to create their own society just like their cousins, Rauru and Mineru. They first settled in the upper north of the Woodland Region now known as the Thyphlo Ruins, until the discovery of the Great Lord Deku Tree in the Deku Woods (this is before the Koroks appeared). Rauru and Mineru decided to focus on the magic of the forest with the help of the Lord Deku Tree. Making Rauru hone the power of light and Mineru the power of spirit.

With these powers they have and their wisdom through experimentation and with Lord Deku Tree's blessing, was the creation of the Moth Fairy. Healing Fairies that transformed into Moth Fairies in their pupa stage. Who absorb the wisdom and story of the Zonai. As the Zonai wanted to keep their traditions alive the moth fairies were there as to archive their stories.

This magic came in handy when a threat of evil emerged in Hyrule as the Master Sword only being a few centuries old. And the incarnate of Light in a need of help to stop this force of evil from consuming Hyrule into darkness. The Zonai with their powers of magic that were obtained through the forest, gifted the Master Sword an enchantment to strengthen the sword and vanish the evil from Hyrule.

As centuries and many millennia passed by and the threat of evil being handled by child of light and courageous hero. Zonai tradition slowly diminished as also the Minish started to expand across Hyrule. The Zonai culture and tradition slowly faded as new cultures and traditions formed reestablishing as the Woodland tribe. People from Hyrule slowly forgetting about the Minish tribe. Leaving only the Moth Fairies to be the only remnants to know the origin of the Minish. The Zonai from the Faron region never really vanished however just like their Woodland cousins they became the Faron tribe as many things changed. However they had it slightly unlucky as not a lot of Moth Fairies know much for their history aside from the origin. Leaving many things behind and to be left a mystery.

The Master Sword's enchantment slowly diminished mostly as the threat of evil came back in long periods of time. In the current stage the Master Sword is weak due to the absence of maintenance and the enchantment is completely gone. The Master Sword has slowly become a rusted sword from a legend that is 10 thousand years old

[scarlett-green-rose]

There's two ways this could go. Either this is repentant past Gerudo King Ganondorf (who is older than 10k Ganon who became the demon king) repenting for his descendant's sins against Hyrule out of guilt of a tradition that he may have inadvertent started (the whole gerudo males born once every century-ish and becoming leader for their people) and thus lead to the easy rise of the Demon King.

Or this is just straight up Demon King Ganondorf who had gained back enough power in the century that Link's been asleep and thus started the Upheaval early and learned about Link just as Zelda was calling him for help/to wake up. There's like, only a few years difference between BotW and TotK, and in the span of 10 thousand years of imprisonment a few years earlier for Ganondorf to be freed (or a few years later for Link to awaken) it's a definite possibility. In fact, it's a miracle it didn't actually happen.

Either way, both are really good options!

Remember that old BotW theory that the old man on the Great Plateau was Ganondorf in disguise? We should bring that back as an AU.

[skyward-floored]

Whumptober Day 23 - Forced choice, secrets revealed, (public display) - Warriors & Legend

Slipping some hdw au into this one heh heh heh

If you’re unfamiliar with it, all you really need to know is that hw Link is part dragon. Since this is lu, that’d be Warriors. Also unrelated to hdw, Legend’s mermaid tail works like it does in my other mermaid Legend fics. Hee.

Warnings: brief blood & injury, whipping (offscreen), brief/implied animal abuse.

Ao3 link

NEXT (day 29)

————————————————————

“All right boys, I have a deal for you.”

Warriors glared at the woman who’d spoken, her smile much too bright for the situation. Her boot pressed down harder on Legend’s chest, and the veteran wheezed, gills flaring as he tried to get in water that wasn’t there.

“The only deal I’m making is one that involves you letting him go,” Warriors snapped, and the woman let out a tsk, sending dark hair over her shoulder as she shook her head.

“That’s not an option. He’s just what my troupe needs, a new attraction, some extra spice. ‘The boy who can breathe both water and air! Watch as his legs twist into one, how he defies nature itself!’” she said excitedly. “Business will boom!”

The group of performers around her cheered, shaking their weapons in the air. Legend wheezed again, and Warriors looked down at him in a panic, his tail flapping weakly in the shallow water it rested in. It was just enough water to trigger Legend’s mermaid tail, but not nearly enough for him to breathe.

The whole situation was ridiculous honestly, the two of them swarmed by the group after Legend had tripped on a loose cobblestone and accidentally triggered his scales by falling into the gutter. It would be laughable if Legend wasn’t trapped and essentially drowning, and Warriors didn’t have a good dozen weapons pointed at his neck.

Legend’s face was starting to turn red from lack of air, and he was giving Warriors a look that begged him not to do anything stupid.

Unfortunately, Warriors already had a stupid plan forming.

“I’d hate to ruin such a pretty face, so here’s the deal,” the woman with her boot on Legend’s chest said. “You let us leave with your friend, no fighting, no following, and in return, we won’t kill you.”

“Pass,” Warriors said with a glare, sword clenched tightly in his palm. The woman made a pouting face.

“Aw, can’t we settle this like civilized people? We’ll be gentle, so long as you cooperate,” she smiled, and dug her heel into Legend’s ribs.

Legend grunted in pain, and Warriors swallowed, his thoughts whirling. His idea really was stupid, and the thought of using it made him cringe, but he was outnumbered and rapidly running out of time. Legend’s wheezes kept growing more frantic, and Warriors didn’t want to bet his safety on whether he could take on the entire crowd.

At least he wasn’t in his own Hyrule. Revealing the secret here would be awful, and he knew these people would exploit the knowledge, but at least it wouldn’t come with the political firestorm it would at home.

And if it got Legend free, it was worth it.

Warriors sighed.

“What if I have a better deal for you?” he asked, and the woman raised an eyebrow.

“What kind of a deal? If it involves you, I already have a fella,” she said mildly, and Warriors swallowed.

“Nothing like that. A trade. Me for my friend.”

Laughter went through the group, and the woman snorted. “You may have a pretty face, but you’re nothing compared to a merman, honey. Sorry.”

“Would it change things if I told you I’m half dragon?” he said quietly.

The woman’s ears flicked, her eyes widening. “Oh?”

“Yes. Much more exotic then a kid with a curse,” Warriors said, keeping his eyes off of Legend. He wished he could’ve told him about this on his own terms. Who knew what he was thinking at the moment. “If you let him go, I’ll come quietly.”

“And do everything I say?” the woman said with a raised eyebrow, and Warriors swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat. He would escape. It wouldn’t be for long.

“Yes.”

She hummed consideringly, eyes trailing over Warriors. Legend wheezed again, and she glanced down at him, then back up again, crossing her arms.

“Well, I can’t really pass that up, can I?” she said, and snapped her fingers. Two burly men came up and grabbed Warriors’ arms, one twisting his sword out of his grip.

Warriors didn’t resist like he said he would, and happened to catch Legend’s eye, the other hero giving him an unreadable look. He was pretty sure he saw exasperation in his gaze though.

I don’t have a tail whenever I get wet, Legend, I’ll be able to escape better than you.

Warriors’ arms were tied behind his back, and he breathed out as the woman finally stepped off of Legend’s chest. A different bunch of people came forward as she snapped her fingers again, hauling Legend up out of the water, and they held him still while his tail split back into legs.

Legend began to struggle the moment he had his legs back, but the people held him tight, suddenly pulling ropes over his wrists and ankles. Warriors watched in shock as Legend was thrown back to the ground, a cloth tied over his mouth, and he snapped his gaze over to the woman.

“You said you’d let him go!” Warriors shouted, struggling wildly against the men’s hold. He shot an elbow out, trying to hit one in the face, but they only twisted his hands tighter behind his back, at an angle that felt like they were close to breaking.

The woman who was obviously in charge came over to him while he struggled, still smiling happily.

“We had a deal!” Warriors spat.

“We didn’t shake on it hon,” she said with a shrug, tapping his nose. “And there’s no way I’d pass up on a real mer. I happen to have a use for dragon blood at the moment, but even if you were lying about that, having another pretty face around is always good for business. I’m sure I’ll find a use for you somewhere.”

Warriors tried to lunge for her, but the men held him back, kicking his legs out from under him. Warriors dropped to his knees as she walked away with a laugh, and locked eyes with Legend, the veteran’s expression frantic as he was dragged away as well.

Oh Legend I’m sorry.

Then something hit him in the head, and with a burst of pain, Warriors knew no more.

(...)

A tapping noise woke him back up.

Warriors groaned, eyes flickering as he tried to figure out where the tapping was coming from. His head was throbbing, but it wasn’t too bad, and he pried his eyes open, a mostly dark room meeting him. The pounding kept up, more quickly now, and Warriors raised his head and looked to the side.

Two glowing eyes stared at him, and Warriors yelped, sitting up rather abruptly.

His head hit wood, and he made a pained noise, rubbing his forehead. He looked back over at the eyes, and Legend gave him a grim smile, the motion making the scales on his cheeks shine.

Oh. Right.

Warriors groaned, more in annoyance this time than anything, and glanced around, wrinkling his nose at the small cage he’d been dumped in. It was wood on the floor and ceiling, but metal bars blocked off everything else, the door firmly locked.

“Well. This is just lovely,” he sighed, and Legend let out a snort that shot out bubbles.

“Yeah, quite a nice predicament we’ve landed ourselves in. You okay, pretty boy?” Legend asked, his voice warbling a little strangely. Warriors was surprised he could hear him through the thick glass. “Or should I say dragon boy? Nice plan by the way.”

“Sorry, it was all I could think of,” Warriors apologized, leaning against the bars with a wince. The cage was so small he could only just barely sit up.

“Yeah, well it was a valiant effort,” Legend hummed, rubbing a dark bruise on his arm. He was silent for a moment. “Were you uh... were you serious?”

“About being half dragon?” Warriors asked, and Legend nodded. “...Yeah. It’s true. On my father’s side.”

Legend made a noise Warriors wasn’t sure how to interpret. “Huh. Well, I’ve heard weirder.”

Legend didn’t sound accusatory or disgusted or anything, mostly curious, and Warriors’ shoulders lost some tension he didn’t even know he’d been holding. It looked like Legend wasn’t weirded out much at all. Which was understandable since he was currently covered in blue scales and barely looked Hylian at the moment, but the reassurance was nice.

“...So how’d your mom get with a lizard exactly?”

Warriors’ goodwill towards Legend immediately disappeared. “Oh don’t even start, no, he has a hylian form! Don’t be weird!” he said in disgust, and Legend laughed, the sound oddly musical.

It broke into a bit of a wheeze, and Warriors’ exasperation turned into concern as Legend coughed a couple times.

“...Are you okay vet?” he asked worriedly, and Legend waved him off with a webbed hand.

“Yeah... yeah, ‘m good. Having a heel ground into my chest didn’t do me any favors,” he said with one last cough. “And all this going back and forth between lungs and gills isn’t much fun. But I’m alright.”

Warriors took a moment to study Legend, bruises painted across his skin, fins drooping. He didn’t look too bad, but he wasn’t in great shape.

“So how are we getting out of here?” Legend asked, breaking Warriors’ thoughts.

“We’ll think of something,” Warriors sighed, looking around his cage. “If I had something to pick the lock I could get out of this thing at least. Think you could get out on your end?”

“I already tried breaking the glass, it’s reinforced or something,” Legend grumbled. “And again with the lock, there’s bars over the top of the tank.”

“So we’re stuck for now, then.”

“Yep.”

Silence fell over them as they digested their situation, and Warriors sighed, looking around their prison. He was pretty sure there were in the back of a large wagon of some sort, based on the size and shape of the area. A few small beams of sunlight snuck through some cracks, lighting up more cages and equipment Warriors really hoped wasn’t for them.

He wondered what that woman was going to do with him. Legend was very obviously exotic—all she would really have to do was put him in a tank and the money would pour in—but Warriors looked rather normal. She said she had a use for him, for someone with dragon blood specifically, but what exactly was she thinking?

And how was he going to get him and Legend out of this mess?

A quiet chirping cry broke the silence, and Legend and Warriors both froze, pricking their ears.

“What on earth was that?” Legend asked in confusion, and Warriors shushed him, eyes narrowing. His night vision was a bit better than most Hylians, but he still couldn’t see very well in the shadowy room. And something about that sound...

He could just barely make out another cage, a spot of sunlight shining beside it, and another crying chirp came from its direction. Something about the sound struck Warriors right in the chest, and he kicked at the bars, peering through them and trying to see better.

“Whoa, what’s gotten into you? Any clue what that is?” Legend asked, and Warriors growled, kicking at his cage again.

“I don’t know, but it sounds hurt. I don’t think it—”

“Ma!”

Warriors went silent again, listening as the tiny voice repeated its cry. Legend looked utterly confused as Warriors kicked at the bars again, another tiny cry ringing through the room, and he growled in frustration.

“Cap, seriously, why are you so wound up? It’s probably just an animal or something,” Legend said confusedly, and Warriors stared at him. “I don’t like that it’s trapped either, but we can’t get it out right now.”

“An animal? Can’t you hear it talking?” Warriors said in disbelief, and Legend slowly shook his head.

“All I hear is growling and chirping. ...How hard did they hit your head?”

Warriors opened his mouth to argue, but a door was suddenly opened, and the room flooded with light. Warriors and Legend both squinted against it, and the chirping cries faltered into a whimper.

Footsteps clicked against the wooden floor, and the woman who’d gotten them both in here stood above the two of them, flanked by two larger assistants.

“Oh great, you,” Legend grumbled.

“Me. You might want to fix that attitude there merman, or today isn’t going to be much fun for you,” she said with a tsk. “Time to learn some tricks.”

“I already know plenty of tricks, I don’t need more,” Legend shot back, his arms crossed.

“It’s always good to expand your repertoire. But first,” she said with a clap, turning back to Warriors. “Let’s see that supposed dragon blood put to some good use. Hope you weren’t lying, honey.”

One of the burly people she’d brought with her stepped away, and went over to where the frantic chirping had been coming from. He came back with a cage in hand that was only about as big across as a shield, then put on a hefty pair of gloves.

The cage was set down, and then opened, the man quickly grabbing something from inside. A terrified chirp came from the cage, and Warriors and Legend both watched in shock as a tiny pale green dragon was yanked out, its eyes wide with fear.

Outrage burned in Warriors’ chest, and he watched in distaste as the poor creature was manhandled, the man avoiding its attempts to bite and claw him. Warriors stiffened as the man approached his cage, but didn’t have time to attempt an escape as he unlocked the door and quickly tossed the dragon in.

It hit the ground with a small thump, then wailed, scrambling to its feet and immediately running for a corner. It cowered against the bars, spikes on its back raised threateningly, and bared its teeth as a squeaky growl came from its throat.

Then it froze, nostrils twitching.

It raised its nose in the air, and suddenly looked straight at Warriors, eyes wide.

Then it made a beeline for him, chirping in distress as it clawed its way up his leg. Warriors jumped and nearly kicked it away, but something stopped him, something that told him the tiny dragon wasn’t a threat. Sure enough it didn’t try to bite him, and quickly latched itself onto his shirt, body trembling. Warriors carefully touched its head, and it butted cautiously against him.

“Well then, looks like you might have been telling the truth after all,” the woman hummed in interest, tapping her chin as the dragon clung to Warriors’ shirt. “I need someone who it’ll listen to, I haven’t made any progress getting the thing to behave. But if you’re dragon like it is, then you should have no problem.”

“He,” Warriors said quietly, running a careful hand over the tiny scales. The dragon nuzzled into his hand. “It’s a he.”

“Good to know. Start training it,” she said, and put a hand on the whip at her belt. “Or else this will be unpleasant for all of us.”

“Are you kidding? Look how small he is, he’s only a hatchling. You can’t train a baby,” Legend snapped from his tank, and the woman gave him a look.

“I’ll do whatever the public wants to see. Now come along honey, you have tricks to learn.”

The burly people she’d brought with her unlocked the top of Legend’s cage, then dragged him out despite his best efforts, tossing him onto the floor. Legend grimaced as his tail turned to legs yet again, and before he could recover he’d been grabbed and was quickly dragged away.

“Hey!” Warriors shouted when one of them kicked Legend, and the veteran struggled viciously. “Get your hands off—!”

The door was slammed, cutting off the sound of Legend’s struggling. Warriors was plunged into darkness once again.

He let out a tense breath, and looked down, the dragon still shaking against his chest. He was trying to work his way under Warriors’ scarf at the moment, and Warriors lifted a fold out of the way so he could slide in.

The shaking eased a little finally, and Warriors studied the tiny dragon in quiet curiosity. It was less like dragons he’d seen in his world and more like Wild’s, a long body, small legs, no visible wings. Two tiny horns poked from his head, and his eyes were bright with a pure green that reminded Warriors of Faron woods.

He’d never seen a dragon that wasn’t full-grown before, and Warriors looked at every detail in quiet fascination. He grew more worried the longer he studied the creature though, noting how thin he was, his scales lacking some sparkle.

Warriors may never have seen a baby dragon before, but he knew what a healthy dragon should look like.

And this wasn’t it.

“Ma,” the dragon chirped again, breaking him from his thoughts. He whimpered as he hid in Warriors scarf, claws scratching him a little. “Ma.”

A little wail came from the dragon, and Warriors felt that sharp feeling in his chest again, a frantic urge to fix the problem, get rid of the threat, stop the crying.

“Hey, hey it’s okay,” he tried, wishing he could purr on command as the hatchling cried. Unfortunately that particular quirk only seemed to happen without his permission. “We’ll find your mom and get you out of here. Calm down.”

He scratched a careful hand over the dragon’s head, and his wails quieted a bit. He looked at Warriors with his bright eyes, and tilted his head.

“Ma?” he asked, and Warriors nodded.

“Exactly, we’ll get you back to your mom,” he assured, all while he was wondering how exactly he was going to do that.

The dragon made a small chirp, and nestled himself up next to Warriors’ neck, still shaking just a little. Warriors kept scratching near the base of his horns, and the dragon gradually relaxed, tiny claws flexing.

Warriors glanced at the empty tank beside them, worry clenching at his chest. He didn’t know what Legend was dealing with, but he hoped it wouldn’t be too bad.

Right. Like our luck is ever that good.

The dragon let out a sound Warriors thought was a sniffle, and he petted him again, letting him nuzzle deeper into his scarf. At least the little guy wasn’t attacking him. Can he tell I’m half dragon? Is that enough to label me not a threat?

...Or is it just a Hero thing?

Warriors sighed, and attempted to get in a more comfortable position as the dragon chirped again. It didn’t really matter much.

What really mattered was figuring out how they were going to get out of this.

(...)

Hours passed, Warriors attempting to talk to the dragon, and not getting very far. He gave up eventually, and tried to think of some semblance of a plan while he waited for Legend to come back.

But Legend was gone for a long time. Long enough that both Warriors and the dragon were asleep when the door finally reopened.

They both startled, and the dragon chirped in alarm as moonlight spilled into the room, tiny scales sticking up as he scurried under Warriors’ scarf. Warriors quickly sat up as the same two burly men came in, and sucked in a breath as Legend was dragged in behind them.

He wasn’t moving.

Legend was lifted up and tossed back in the tank without a word, and Warriors clenched the bars as he saw him jerk, blood floating through the water. A brief cry came from him as his legs merged back into a tail, and he went limp as it finished, breathing heavily.

“Legend?” Warriors asked frantically as the men left, leaving them in darkness again, “hey, Legend, talk to me. What did they do?”

Legend didn’t reply for a few long moments, floating silently except for his pained breathing. More blood wafted through the water, and Warriors caught a glimpse of red lines cut into his back.

“Oh Legend, did they whip you?” He whispered, and Legend finally opened his eyes, blinking slowly.

“Mm... yeah,” he mumbled, letting himself drift down to the bottom of the tank. He breathed out tiredly. “Kept talking back, refused to do what they wanted. Lady didn’t like it. Actually got loose once, gave her a black eye. Really didn’t like that.”

He chuckled, then grimaced, wrapping his arms around himself.

“Legend, why didn’t you just play along?” Warriors asked in dismay, and Legend huffed.

“Tried to at first. Didn’t work,” Legend grumbled, then hissed as he shifted around a little.

Warriors watched in alarm as a little more blood wafted into the water, and Legend grimaced as he tried to get himself into a comfortable position.

“‘M alright Wars,” Legend sighed when he fell still, his eyes closing again. “It’s not that bad. Won’t let ‘em win.”

“I know,” Warriors said quietly.

The dragon still in Warriors’ scarf finally poked his head out, and crept along Warriors’ arm, nose twitching as he stared at Legend. Legend opened his eyes again, and the two of them watched each other in silence.

“Made a friend?” Legend rasped, and Warriors hummed, reaching a few fingers through the bars to just barely brush Legend’s tank.

“Yeah. He mostly initiated it though. Poor little thing is terrified,” he replied, watching the dragon settle down on his arm. “And before you ask, I can understand him a little, but not everything.” Warriors had gotten as far as getting him to say something vaguely like his name, but that was really it.

“Any idea how he got here?” Legend asked, and Warriors shrugged, the dragon still watching Legend with his bright green eyes.

“He can’t talk that much. Probably the same way we did, more or less. But... I’m thinking he might actually help get us out of here, if I can figure out everything he can do,” Warriors said with a small smile. Legend hummed, and shakily moved forward a bit, resting his head against the side of the tank around where Warriors’ fingers brushed.

“I’ll let... you plan, then,” Legend murmured, and closed his eyes again.

“And you rest. Sounds good,” Warriors replied softly.

Legend didn’t say anything else, and Warriors kept his fingers on the glass until his breathing evened out, and he knew the younger hero was asleep. He drew back with a sigh, leaning his back against the bars again, and the little dragon moved to his lap, still watching Legend.

“You hear that little guy?” Warriors said softly, running a hand over his head. “I’m going to think of a plan to get us all out of here.”

“Ink,” the dragon chirped in agreement, nestling up to his shirt.

Warriors sighed again as the little dragon closed his eyes, and while the more scaly prisoners slept, Warriors thought and planned, all to the sound of tiny snores and raspy breathing.

[spadeprincesss]

in your aged up art, you say vio practices dark magic but it’s a secret.

when you say that, do you mean a secret from the general public but the colors/shadow/zelda know, secret from most people (so maybe shadow or some of the colors know), or that no one but vio knows?

great question! I should have clarified better but yes I mean that it’s a secret from the general public but the colors + Shadow and Zelda know! He needed all their help to bring back Shadow after all!

I remember seeing a tag comment on the original post about their designs asking if Shadow taught him dark magic and the initial answer is no, Vio taught himself in order to resurrect Shadow. He had Zelda’s approval as well as the support from the rest of the colors. Zelda even chipped in a bit, her magic allowing Shadow to be able to roam during the day, though not at full power.

There are a few reasons for this being a secret though:

• Firstly is the stigma against dark magic. The general public fears and hates it, and to a degree its understandable, this type of magic has been used to bring ruin to Hyrule many times, but at the end of the day Vio believes magic has no morality. Magic is as good and as evil as the person wielding it. This said Vio doesn’t want the heroes’ image to come under any scrutiny because if his practices, so he keeps it a secret and only uses it when fighting alone/when necessary to save someone.

• Secondly is simply because it’s better to keep all your cards close to your chest isn’t it? The other colors and Shadow don’t really abide by this rule as often and Vio has respected that, and the other colors respect him in turn for wanting to keep this hidden as long as he’s transparent with them about it.

This is reflected very well in one of my favorite scenes of this AUs main story. All the colors are separated from Shadow and Zelda, each sent somewhere different so they can’t get in the way. Vio is surrounded by men who think he’s easy pickings on his own, and Vio gets his “I’m not stuck in here with you, you’re stuck in here with me��� moment. Pictured below.

Fun fact: overusing dark magic leaves marks on your skin, after this encounter Vio has to wear fingered gloves to cover up the fact that the tips of his fingers and his hands have been dyed black because if the usage of dark magic. Are there more marks on his body? Who knows. 👀

[probably-ace-ok]

Ruins of Hyrule (aka the Zeldapocalypse AU)

an apocalypse/horror loz au

Decades after the Kingdom of Hyrule was torn apart by a series of disasters, Hylians are only just starting to leave their underground homes, and returning to the Surface — but the land of Hyrule is very different to what they remember.

Death Mountain is a shadow of its former self, spewing clouds of toxic ash from the remains of the eruption that heralded the beginning of the end. The river at the base of Zora’s Domain is filled with bones, and the Lost Woods are avoided by all who wish to keep their life. The Gerudo have retreated into the desert, the Rito to the sea. Kakariko Village is silent until the night falls. Something is pulling entire parts of the land up into the sky. Hyrule Castle seems abandoned, but no one who goes in ever comes out and on some nights a light shines from the highest tower.

This is the world that Link, a young explorer born after Hylians descended underground, lives in, using his cybernetic enhancements to search the ruins of Hyrule for valuable resources. That is until he falls into an ancient chamber, exposed by chance, and meets an ancient Gerudo man trapped inside who claims to be a sorcerer — and to know a way to restore the land of Hyrule.

(please send asks if you’re curious about this au! it helps me work new stuff out!)

[fancy11schmancy]

Finally, after all this time, 1920’s AU Link’s Main outfit concepts are all done!!! It’s been a challenge traveling for work and having time to work on art, but I am slowly getting better at it! (Sorry this took so long ;;)

AU Main Summary:

Since travel has been restored between the light realm and the twilight realm, a newfound unity flourished between the two societies. New friends, new towns/cities to explore, never-before-seen technologies and fashions at their disposal- all seemed well...until nefarious rumors of a returning great threat started to spread... Brief Lore of Link’s Role In The AU: With the new alluring land of Twilight open for entry and for any and all visitors, Link jumps at the chance to visit the amber-hued and shadow-filled world as Zelda’s accompanying guard for the latest council meeting. What and who lies in wait for Link to meet in this parallel reality? A world far more alien and advanced than his own? Rumors of an ethereal beauty shrouded in shadow? ___________________________________________________________ Link, a kindhearted, brave and daring country boy, is ready to make a name for himself as Hyrule’s greatest explorer! He’s known across the land as the “one-man army” for being extremely adaptable and prepared for any situation at any time with his wide arsenal of tools at his disposal. Some may also call him the “evergreen mountaineer” being as there is no mountain or peak he cannot scale- and by the fact he is always seen donning his famous dark green field coat, cap and his pickax of legend. He always greets friends and acquaintances alike with a warm smile and a firm handshake with a hearty hello (or ‘howdy’) with a slight southern draw. (A trademark from those who hail from “across the field," the Ordon Region.)

With his natural talent for exploring and his insatiable hunger for discovery and adventure, he’s charted vast ancient ruins, several dungeons of lore, and has uncovered a fantastic array of numerous treasures on both land and sea. Because of this, he’s occasionally seen as a young, irresponsible and reckless lad, especially due to the extreme nature of most of his exploration missions and his tendency to throw safety to the wind. He may seem like a “lone wolf” most of the time, but he always manages to bring along his dear friend Princess Zelda (and sometimes Midna) for any excursion he may be heading on…but in secret, of course. If the King of Hyrule were to ever find out about the “dangerous” adventures he’s been dragging Zelda onto, surely it would not go well…. Besides adventuring, Link spends his time helping his adoptive family back in Ordon with their expansive pumpkin farm and raising goats that are for producing the finest of goat cheese known region-wide. Any other spare time he has is at the right-hand side of Zelda, helping her with daily royal errands, solving mysteries, or just going out on the town to a local pub or to a delightful picnic in Hyrule Field. When he is at the pub, he can be seen boisterously playing an array of instruments, ranging from drums, stringed instruments, and most notably, his Ocarina (a very cherished gift from Zelda). While Link may be a bit of a country boy, he is no less capable of assisting Zelda in her pursuits of solving the various mysteries popping up around Castle Town, often providing a unique perspective from being the most skilled survivalist around. Once Midna arrives on the scene, she often enables Link’s craziest ideas- bringing out his secret (or not-so-secret) mischievous side. However, Link absolutely loathes Zant, Midna's towering Valet, due to his arrogant nature and his occasional mocking of Link’s short stature.

[hero-of-the-wolf]

Chapter 1: A Strange Discovery

“Look at this, Link!”

Link couldn’t help a smile as Zelda proudly held up a strange metallic cube. Back at the castle she was always so quiet, doing whatever her father deemed needed to be done. But out here she was free to be herself, and Link counted himself lucky that he got to see this side of her as often as he did whenever she dragged him out on these expeditions.

“What is it?”

“I have no idea! Isn’t it exciting?”

He shook his head fondly as she carefully set the cube back down and sat down next to it, sparing a moment to push her long, brown braided hair from her face. Then she pulled out a large thick book from her bag and started flipping through it, looking for a match. That book never left her side. She was always pouring over it, scribbling down notes and little drawings in the margins. As long as he’d known her she’d always been fascinated by these sorts of trinkets from an age long gone. He didn’t understand it himself, but he was always more than happy to listen to her gush about them. He sat down too, giving the cube a critical look. It was small and simple, with strange symbols carved into every face.

What in Hylia’s name could such an object have been used for?

Zelda pulled out a pencil as well and started quickly writing down notes on a blank page. Once she finished sketching the cube she held it out for Link to see. “What do you think?”

Metallic cube

1’ by 1’

Use unknown.

⬜️

“That’s good.” He picked up the cube himself and turned it around in his hands. “What do you think this was for?”

“Maybe it was an artifact used in ancient, forgotten rituals.” Zelda’s bright smile sharpened into a smirk. “Or maybe it was a paperweight. Who knows?”

“Haha, well if anyone can figure it out, I’m sure it’s you.”

She beamed at him at that.

He smiled back and tossed the cube to her, but when she caught it the carvings started to glow a strange blue. The world around them blurred into a dizzying kaleidoscope of colors. Link blinked hard against it but the simple action only made it all worse.

Then they were falling.

He instinctively reached out for her, desperately grasping for her hand, but her fingers slipped through his.

“Link!!” She cried.

He reached for her again. The colors faded into an inky blackness, so thick he couldn’t make out a thing. Through the impregnable darkness he found her hand and held it tight. “Zelda! Hold on!”

Then Link’s head smacked into something hard and he knew no more.

The first thing he became aware of was the firm ground underneath him. He opened his eyes slowly, staring up at the sky above. It was so blue it hurt to look at. His head was killing him.

Something was wrong.

He sat up with a groan, looking around. A field stretched out around him as far as he could see, the grass swaying softly in the breeze.

Zelda.

He shot up to his feet. His head swam at the sudden movement, darkening his vision at the corners. He gave it a firm shake and resumed his search, looking desperately for any sign of her.

“Zelda?”

There were birds singing nearby. Some of them flitted through the air in graceful cartwheels. Others preened themselves idly, oblivious to the fact that his best friend was gone.

“Zelda? Where are you?”

He stepped forwards and froze at the sound of a weird thunk, glancing down to see that he’d stepped on something. His heart skipped a beat as he crouched down and picked up Zelda’s book.

She never would have left this behind.

He hugged the book to his chest and exhaled sharply.

She must be in trouble.

He closed his eyes for a moment, just breathing.

He’d had her hand in his, he remembered. But now she was gone and she’d left her book behind. Something had happened, and he hadn’t been able to protect her. He was her knight, it was his job to protect her, and he failed.

Wherever she was, whatever had happened to her, he swore that he would find her. He wouldn’t fail her again.

With a sigh he pulled the book back down to run his hand over the cover. Then he tucked it with great care into his bag and squinted up at the sky again. The sun was already starting its decline. He must have been out for a few hours at least. But where was he? And more importantly, where was Zelda?

Wherever he’d ended up felt oddly familiar, somehow. He picked a direction and started walking. The field soon turned into woods, then the woods gave way to some old town. The buildings had long since fallen into disrepair, broken and rotting in scattered haphazard piles. Link brushed his hand over the decaying frame of a house, frowning thoughtfully.

He and Zelda had traveled all over Hyrule, but they’d never been to a place like this. So why did it feel like he’d been here before?

She would have loved to see this….

Rubble shifted behind him. Link whirled around, drawing his sword, and met the suspicious gaze of a young boy.

He couldn't have been older than sixteen, all gangly limbs and eyes still shining bright with curiosity. But he also looked… haunted, and wary, and ready to fight or flee at a moment's notice, too.

And he was standing in his way.

Link stared back at the stranger, the master sword in his hand a reassuring weight. He moved to step around him but the kid, his own sword poised and ready to strike, wasn’t as willing to back down as he’d hoped he would be. He blocked his path again and raised his sword in challenge.

Link didn’t have time for this. He needed to find Zelda, and fast. He didn’t know where they’d ended up, but he did know that this place, whatever it was, was currently setting off every alarm bell in his head. They needed to get back home.

“Who are you?” The boy asked.

“What is this place?” Asked Link at the exact same time.

The kid shifted uneasily at that, making Link tighten his grip on his sword. “I asked you first.”

They weren't getting anywhere with this. Link moved to push the boy aside, but he was faster. The kid grabbed his arm and yanked him forwards with surprising speed, and the next thing that Link knew he was staring up at the point of a sword.

“I believe I asked you a question, stranger.”

Well. Checkmate.

Link held up his hands in surrender. “My name’s Link.”

The boy quirked an eyebrow at that. His sword lowered, just a bit. “Me too. Uh, my name’s Link, as well.”

They stared at each other again, dumbfounded.

“You’re sure?”

“Sure as I’m sure of anything.”

“Well… can’t argue with that, I guess.” Link nudged the sword away with the back of his hand. “Uh, can I get up now?”

“Oh!” The other Link stepped back, sheathing his sword and offering Link a hand. Link took it and let him pull him back up to his feet.

…. yeah. This wasn’t confusing at all.

He brushed himself off and sheathed his own sword. Two Links? Well, maybe it shouldn’t have been so surprising to share his name with a stranger. But this kid, something about him felt… familiar. This whole place… something about all of it was giving him an unsettling sense of déjà vu.

“So… where are we?”

The other Link gave him an incredulous look at that. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Am I that obvious?” He asked flatly.

Link, the other Link, gave a faint smile and rubbed the back of his neck. Goddesses, this was confusing.

“Right. Well, welcome to Castletown.” He gestured at the ruins around them. “Or, what’s left of it, anyways.”

“Left of it? What… what happened?”

This was Castletown? Link looked around at the ruins again, suddenly realizing why everything felt so familiar. This… this was his home.

The other Link only shrugged. “Ganon, probably. I dunno. That was ages ago.”

“... oh.”

This was Castletown. Castletown had been destroyed. Ages ago.

Link sat down roughly against a toppled over column, putting his head in his hands. This was just too much. Somehow, he’d failed miserably as the Chosen Hero. Not only had he lost Zelda, but Hyrule had been destroyed by some Ganon, whatever that was, and he hadn't been there to protect it. Or maybe he had been, and he’d just… failed. He wasn’t sure which was worse.

A soft rustling of fabric brought his attention to the other Link sitting down next to him. “Link? Are… are you okay?”

No, he was not okay. His world was in ruins. At every step he’d messed everything up without even knowing it. But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was finding Zelda.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He stood up abruptly and started to walk away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.”

“Hold on—” The other Link scrambled to follow after him. “Do you need any help?”

“I’ll be fine on my own, thanks.”

The boy didn’t follow him after that. Good. Link picked his way through the rubble, not entirely sure where he was going. He just needed to move, to get away from everything. He needed to find Zelda and get out of this wretched place. He needed—

He stumbled over a half-rotten beam and nearly lost his footing. He fumbled for a moment and cursed, grabbing a hold of a broken-off door to steady himself.

Wait—

He blinked at it, realizing he recognized it. This had been the front door of the bomb shop. The building it had been attached to was nothing but rubble now.

So this really was Hyrule. This was the land that he'd sworn to protect. These broken ruins were all that was left of his proud kingdom, and it was all his fault.

He needed to find Zelda, and fast.

[kiruamon]

Minish AU - Sketch dump 4

Aaaand I came up with a few more ideas about the minish au. So maybe stick around for me rambling a little bit here and there or just to look at the sketches. Whatever you guys like the most.

We start with Y/N sharing some old Minish legends about a brave young hero in a green tunic defeating an evil sorcerer.

Honestly, I am kind of playing with the thought that what happened in the Minish Cap game is a part of the past in this au. That while maybe humans forgot most of the story that happened back then the Minish kept telling it from generation to generation. Some informations still might have got lost with time. Like the place where castle Hyrule was located. Or the true name of the sorcerer and his origin. So my silly little mind went to: What if instead of the old hidden pizzeria under the Pizzaplex there was the remains of Castle Hyrule? Or the old pizzeria is still there but if you go down even deeper you would find the ruins of the castle? And with it the sealed Sorcerer of the Wind? It's some fun little thing to wrap one's mind around.

Also Sun and Moon are not really believing those legends but do find them entertaining and do encourage Y/N to share these stories with them so they can tell them to the children at the daycare during story times.

_

Also! Let's talk about Kinstone Pieces! Because after living for a while at the Pizzaplex Y/N definitly decided to create a few of those! Wanting to spread a bit of joy and good luck.

They started to hide the finished pieces mostly at the playground of daycare for the children. Hiding them at some obvious places, like the shoes of a child, and some not so obvious places - behind some stuffed toys - while making sure all of them would be easy to reach and not endanger someone.

Also they did 'hide' a special Kinstone Piece for their friends. Which Sun found during cleaning time when putting away the scattered stuffed plushies.

Sun: "Oh? What's this here? A gift from you, my friend?" Y/N: "You found it, Sunny! It's a Kinstone Piece! If you put together two matching pieces it creates good luck!" Sun: "Good luck you say? So it's like a little charm? How lovely."

I would like to think that the pieces that Y/N created for Sun and Moon are multi-colored. Having a yellow and blue side which is rather unusual for Kinstones, but during their creation it just striked Y/N as fitting to use two different colors for this one Kinstone.

I was also playing around with the thought if this au would ever go the story route of the events leading to the ruin DLC and DLC itself what if instead of having to reboot Sun and Moon, Y/N or maybe with the help of Cassie would need to put the two Kinstone pieces together to cause said 'good luck' to spring into action? (Or maybe it would be a mix of needing to join the two pieces and also to do the reboot.)

-

Also... have Vanessa coming into the daycare during her shift and startling Moon or Sun causing the two to swiftly grab their little friend and hide them behind their back.

Vanessa: "What are you hiding behind your back?" Moon: "Dead mouse. Want to see?" Vanessa: "Urgh. No! Why would you even think-..." *takes a deep breath* "You know what? Throw the thing away and clean your hands." Vanessa: *mumbling to herself while leaving* "They don't pay me enough for this... "

And Sun edition:

Vanessa: "Sun have you seen anyone or anything suspicious lately?" Sun: "Oh! H-hello friend! I haven't seen you coming in! How is your day so far? I hope it's faztastic! We surely had a lot of fun today in the daycare! So many things to do. Playing with the little ones and-" Vanessa: "Sun. I asked you a question." Sun: "Haha, right, right. You did. Sorry, but I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Not at all! Everything was splendid over here. No incidents or mishaps. Just a perfectly normal day!" *Vanessa looking sceptical at him, because of how Sun acts* *but also too tired to deal with any possible bullshit* Vanessa: "... I better not find out that you or Moon are hoarding glitter glue to pour it over Monty... again. Parts and Services needed a whole week to get all that stuff cleaned up." Sun: "Oh, hahaha, nonono. Of course not. We absolutely wouldn't do that again. We know our little prank had gone too far." Vanessa: "Hmph... fine. But remember. If you see anything odd let me know." Sun: "Sure! I will keep my eyes wide open! Have a nice day."

Luckily, no human had found Y/N so far. But it was a close call with Vanessa snooping around.

[lynx-q]

im making a 'dex/compendium for ruins bc thats 10x more fun to me than just. writing a story that's just going to be a rehash of the game, just with different mechanics. all the fun is figuring out which pokemon go where, what's on who's team... creative writing? not so much