#Legend is tired of finding new dark versions of hyrule

[lidoshka]

In the dark

Wild is trying to figure out where they are. The slate says it's their Hyrule, yet this is a totally new and unexplored place.

Meanwhile Legend has a bad feeling about this.

+

There you have it (I changed it a little bit to fit the #switch prompt for #LUtober), here are the last three members of our valiant group of heroes!

Four, Warriors and Time - Rulie, Wind and Wolfie

Thank Hylia these three have items that can give them a bit of light because Wild has yet to encounter brightbloom seeds. ;)

[gintrinsic-writing]

LU + Courage the Cowardly Dog

Starring Wolfie and Courage! The crossover nobody asked for but I was delighted to write. This is Part 1 of 2~

-

Twilight stepped into the portal, anticipating the cool, flickering miasma as it engulfed him.

Wolfie stepped out. 

The cloudless sky offered dim starlight, as though smog clung to the air. The moon was nowhere to be seen. In every direction, the horizon stretched under flat, arid desert like a smile pulled too wide. Only the occasional tumbleweed and scraggly shrub offered any variation along the dry, cracked sand.

Wolfie spun around in a circle, nose held high as he sniffed for his companions. But the weak breeze carried only notes of small lizards and sandstone.

He howled, low and short, then listened for voices, ears swiveling alertly. Cicadas answered his call. Frustrated, Wolfie chuffed and put his nose to the ground, but he couldn't even detect the bitter tang that usually accompanied a recent portal. It was like he had just... been dumped here. Where was he? Was this Hyrule's land? Or Legend's? The desolate environment certainly fit their homeworlds. 

The portals--they still don't really understand them. Not their origin, nor their real purpose. Wolfie supposed it was only a matter of time until something like this happened. It was weird, though, to be so isolated in an unfamiliar world. Now that he thought about it, he didn't remember making the active decision to transform into Wolfie... 

Had the portal truly forced him? 

Sighing, he closed his eyes and focused on shifting back to Twilight. His mind centered, pooling around the Shadow Crystal, then-- 

Pain, and a coldness so severe he felt stiff, corpse-like. His body stayed as Wolfie. 

He was stuck.

Deeply unnerved, Wolfie shook his whole body as though he could fling the coldness from him like water. It helped a little. He looked up, trying to find a constellation he was familiar with, something to guide him through this mess, but none of the stars were recognizable. In fact, they were all bland pinpricks of light, dull and indistinguishable, with equidistance between them. Something was wrong with this place. 

Something was very, very wrong. 

Were the others even here? Were they separated as well? Not knowing what else to do, Wolfie threw his head back and howled again, carrying the note as long as he could. It was a hollow sound, flat and without echo; when it trailed off, he tensed, hoping and hoping. 

This time, something howled back. And Wolfie knew he had made a mistake.

The noise seemed to come from all around him, emanating from the cracks in the ground. Sand shifted, and shadows that should not exist suddenly spilled from the dried crevices like scars that had begun to bleed. 

Wolfie jumped back, but the shadows reached from him. The next limpid breeze carried with it a susurration that grew louder with every second, multiple voices that soon bellowed as one until Wolfie heard his own howl thrown back at him--a garbled, distorted mimicry that Wolfie knew, intuitively, was as hungry as it was mocking. 

He turned and ran, feeling the oppressive shadows at his back, licking at his paws. The desert lay otherwise still around him, indifferent to his fear.

After a couple minutes, his muscles began to burn, and only adrenaline allowed Wolfie to keep sprinting. He could see the shadows coalescing in his periphery, could tell they were growing larger and swifter even as he began to tire. 

If this was the Twilight Realm, then it was a version his Hyrule had been spared. 

He felt trapped in a vacuum, running without gaining distance. His panting was loud in his ears, and his heart beat heavily in his chest. The shadows reached for him, grasping with too many fingers, and Wolfie put on a burst of speed he wasn't sure he had the energy to repeat. 

Suddenly, the horizon changed. There was no transition, no subtle reveal. One moment, there was desert. And the next, as though born from a mirage, there were two buildings; one large and square-shaped, the other long with a row of doors. Nearby, flickering with artificial light, there was a sign. The alphabet was unfamiliar, and yet somehow, impossibly, Wolfie could read it. "KATZ MOTEL. No vacancy."

The shadows' whispering grew with fervor--a predator recognizing the potential loss of prey. The sand groaned as it shifted, new cracks forming under the weight of the coagulating darkness. 

Wolfie ran for all he was worth. The door to the larger building seemed to glow with a sickly yellow light, and he aimed for it desperately. Time seemed to slow down, each second growing heavy with the malicious desire of the darkness behind him, pulling and pulling and pulling at him to join the dust crunching underfoot. The unknown lay behind that door, but death nipped at his heels. 

With a scared, guttural growl, Wolfie bodily threw himself at the door. The cheap latch snapped under the force of his weight, and he frantically spun around, claws scraping and sliding on old, rotting hardwood, to shove the door closed again. 

Outside, the darkness howled one last time. Then silence, like some pernicious default, reigned once more.

Wolfie didn't move for several minutes, panting as he pushed his weight against the busted door. The front wall had a single window, and the light that filtered in from that strange sign flickered erratically. He was afraid to stare out the glass, knowing that something might stare back, but he forced himself to look. Nothing but flat desert landscape could be seen. 

Letting out a shaky breath, Wolfie finally glanced around the room he was in. It was sparsely decorated and poorly maintained. Dust clung to every surface, and some of the floorboards were irreparably warped and stained. Ignoring the small sign that read "No Dogs Allowed," he put his paws on the counter top and saw a single bell, a few keys, and a glossy magazine showcasing various spiders. His eyes lingered longest on the keys, but he didn't have a way to carry all of them conveniently. Especially not if he had to fight or run again. 

Finally, he turned his attention to the only other things in the room--a thick door built into the back wall. A padlock was attached to the knob, but none of the small keys on the counter looked like they would fit it. 

Curious, Wolfie put his nose against the very narrow gap between the door and sniffed. 

Blood. Decay. A rancid, metallic stench. 

He drew back with a snort, shaking his head. The odor clung to his nose. He swore he could almost taste it. On the other side of the door, there was a light scratch. Wolfie firmly decided he didn't want to investigate.

He returned to the front of the room, curiosity warring with trepidation. He really hoped the  others were having better luck that he was, wherever they were. Nothing looked or smelled right. Was this even Hyrule? 

He thought about trying to switch back into Twilight again, then dismissed the idea; that coldness lingered in his bones, a warning. Tail low, Wolfie returned to the window, tilting his head one way then the other as he listened for... anything. Besides the occasional cicada and the low, unnatural hum coming from the sign, there was nothing. Even the breeze was gone. He studied the other building, straining to make out any details through the haze, when he saw a flash of movement by the farthest door. 

Before Wolfie could make out any details, there was a loud, pitiful, "Aaaahhhh!"

Wolfie didn't let himself think about it; he shouldered open the busted door and raced outside, drawn toward that fearful scream. The desert sand was warm underneath his paws, blessedly lacking in unnatural shadows. Within seconds, he reached the other building, and the haze cleared as though demanding witness to a piece of horror. 

A small, purple dog was tied to a post. He chewed frantically at the rope with yellow, rotting teeth, whining and moaning as the rope held. At the other end of the porch, speeding toward the dog with deadly intent, was a spider the size of Wolfie's head. 

"Oh no, oh nooo," the dog cried.

[jinmukangwrites]

LINKED UNIVERSE MULTI-CHAPTERED

-o-RUINS 1-o-

[x1x] [x2x]

Summary: Wild opens up to Time in the worst way.

-o-GRACE TRILOGY-o-

GRACE

Summary: Wild would do anything to protect his friends, even if it meant jumping into the line of fire.

GRACELESS

Summary: Twilight has some things to think about and Wild doesn't understand what he's done wrong.

GRACEFUL

Summary: sometimes, things take a turn for the worse, and the world feels like it’s falling apart. Wild’s always jumped at the chance to save someone else, but what happens when the favor is returned?

-o-LABRAT AU-o-

LABRAT

Summary: Wild as lab rat / Discord Warrior Week prompt.

[x1x] [x2x] [x3x]

Summary: In a modern version of Hyrule, a young man finds himself in a world filled with nothing but white walls, studying faces, and tests after tests. Something is different about him, and the world seems very interested is seeing what makes him tick. (A modern, BOTW/LOZ "Labrat" AU)

-o-SOMEBODY DIFFERENT-o-

SHRINE

Summary: Wild dies, and it's Legend's fault. (A practice fic to Somebody Different)

[x1x] [x2x] [x3x]

Summary: Legend is always messing up, but this mistake takes the cake.

-o-praestrigiae [In Progress]-o-

Summary: It starts like this.

-o- succumb -o-

[x1x]

Summary: While collecting firewood after a harsh day of traveling, Wild and Hyrule find themselves ambushed and alone, facing a mysterious enemy that wants Hyrule for something Wild doesn't understand... or more specifically: they want Hyrule's blood.

-o-o-o-o-

GEN LINKED UNIVERSE

SCARS

((LINK MISSING D:))

PROMISE

Summary: Legend wakes up in the worst way possible: alone.

BLADE

Summary: Time’s sword is gone and Sky is hurt, unconscious. When cornered between a raging monster and the sword laying by Sky’s limp hand, Time is forced to make a choice.

(NOT) BROKEN

Summary: Wild breaks a gift from Mipha. He's understandably upset about it.

GLIDE

Summary: Or the one where Twilight has multiple consecutive heartattacks because of Wild, jumping of bridges, and dragons. Not particularly in that order.

BENEFITS

Summary: It's been a while since Wild and Zelda saw each other. Meanwhile, Wind tries to figure out what "Friends with Benefits" means.

MEMORY

Summary: Wild shares the story of a picture he has hanging in his house to the others. They all decide he needs more pictures hanging up.

LOSE

Summary: It's been awhile since Twilight's been forced into his wolf form. He forgot how painful it was, but there isn't a thing he can do about it due to the fact everyone is currently under attack.

ALONE

Summary: They think Wild had no one on his adventures, but they were wrong. Wild had a very special friend. He had a wolf.

SPEAK

Summary: as time passes, things change. The language does as well, and that causes some problems when they meet the new hero.

FEAST

Summary: Wild is always eating something.

SHADOW

Summary: Wild finds himself lost and alone, or what he thinks is alone.

(DONT) REMEMBER

Summary: Wild was completely content going the rest of his life not remembering the past.

DOUBT

Summary: It's funny how one thought can lead to another, and suddenly the whole world feels like it's tilting.

HOPE

Summary: The group finds themselves captured while Hyrule and Four find themselves alone.

CUB

Summary: He's the Hero of the Wild, it's only fair that the creatures get to know him.

LIKE US

Summary: Warriors finds out a little more about the Yiga.

MOON

Summary: The group has a little run-in with Wild's pesky red moon.

REFLEX

Summary: Tired, hungry, on-edge, Wild finds himself having trouble remembering he's among friends. Hyrule helps.

CAGED BIRD

Summary: The desert is a heartless place, and traveling unprepared is about the worst thing you can do. Good thing Wild has some friends.

DARK

Summary: It's a domino effect, at the beginning Wild is actually okay, by the end he's left gasping.

FLY

Summary: Sky takes a tumble.

HUNGER

Summary: There’s a demon, and she’s been hungry for a very long time. Patiently waiting for the perfect moment to pounce upon her prey.

Battle

Summary: Stories of war are only ever told by the survivors, though the survivors are not always the brave and strong. They are just the lucky.

Mutual (Mis)Understandings

Summary: Wild and Zelda seem to be engaged... and Twilight like the worried mother hen of the group that he is overreacts and misunderstands greatly. 

-o-o-o-o-

LEGEND OF ZELDA

BOY BEHIND THE LEGEND

Summary: Link likes to listen, and he knows there is nothing wrong with that.

TIME FLIES BY

Summary: ""Time flies by, " they all sang along"

STORM

Summary: Zelda and her good pal Ganondorf decide to overthrow the kingdom together idk

TRUSTED

Summary: "We should never have trusted you."

WILD

Summary: When he wakes up from the shrine of resurrection, Link notices that he doesn’t always feel like a he. Link learns to be okay with that.

Tbc

[aiden-png]

Hyrule the baby detective?

ohohoho okay so.. I have three genres I like to write in my original lit: horror, scifi, and mystery. so I wanted to write a mystery for LU, multichapter and thoroughly outlined (partly because analyzing HSH was so much fun and I wanted to keep that going alkdfjkasdfj). so I came up with an idea for a crime mystery set in a vaguely 1890s ‘modern’ Castle Town city following apprentice detective Hyrule... I actually wrote a Lot for the first draft before realizing it was a bit too silly for my intent and I hadn’t outlined it enough to solve the sideplots I’d introduced while writing. so I scrapped this... 4? chapter first draft right before the climax and sat down to Really plot it out (I wrote this one in July I think lol)

I have a whole outline and I made a new setting: ‘modern’ university AU with a serial killer antagonist who takes an interest in Hyrule. I had so much of it planned out and I was hype to write it because the twist was amazing, which is the part I felt was lacking set up in the first try. but then classes started and I came up with another multichapter idea and started writing that instead, kinda.. oops!

so if I ever release a version of this fic, it’ll probably be an edited and finished version of the crack taken seriously first draft XD and I’m not sure if I’ll ever use the twist I came up with for the second version so I won’t share it, but it was Good omg.... I love adding twists into my multichapter fics, they’re so much fun aaa! :D

and I guess, just because I can.... have a (unedited and messy) snippet from it! :D

Hyrule was so nervous he’d managed to leave the office and board the subway before even opening the envelope. The envelope where the address of the client and time of meeting was… Hyrule sighed, carefully opening the clasps and peering inside. There was one tiny slip of paper and nothing else. Great. Hyrule pulled the appointment card out, squinting down at the scribbled address and-- oh dear, the meeting was in less than an hour! Hyrule’s eyes flicked around, only relaxing slightly as he realized he’d somehow managed to board the correct train.

He was a bit frustrated at the lack of information he’d been given, if he was being honest. A murder case typically had a name, some pictures, a report even when they got the call, but the card Hyrule held simply had an address and a name--Twilight. Odd name, but he didn’t really have room to talk, his parents had named him after a country after all.

The train arrived and Hyrule shuffled his way through the crowds at the station, climbing the stairs to find himself in the center of the historic district. Towering stone buildings lined the streets in streaked creams and greys, stained by coal even as most of the city moved to electric. The houses here were expensive and ancient and Hyrule knew the district was made of wealthy, private citizens more than anything else. People who preferred to keep their affairs under the table, tight-lipped and aloof, rude even. Hyrule lived in a dingy apartment, packed like a sardine in rooms barely big enough for a bed and stove. He felt small and out of place just standing in the street, suddenly aware of how cheap his white shirt and suspenders looked compared to the businessmen clad in full suits around him.

Hyrule rushed to find the building, glancing up towards the clock tower that rested in the building at the end of the street. Rows and rows of brownstones, all looking strikingly similar, before Hyrule found the bright red overhang of an apartment building, the address emblazoned on the cloth in gold script. He let out a small sigh of relief, still ten minutes ahead of schedule, and pulled open the grand wooden door at the entrance.

The interior was dark but spacious, high ceilings and sconces all fit with gas lamps that were out of use. There was a window at the top of the first flight of stairs, smudged and allowing a grey, watery light to pass into the foyer--the only light present. The right side of the hall held a built in alcove, a set of open mailboxes behind a desk and chair. An attendant sat in the dim light, head slumped forward on his chest, brown hair disheveled over his maroon uniform. Obviously asleep. Hyrule looked down at his note, up at the stairs, and quietly snuck past.

Two flights up Hyrule noticed a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling at the top floor, visible through the gaps in the alternating staircases. A small man was strapped to the rail and ceiling, grease and soot staining his shirt and hair pulled away with a green headband. Hyrule found himself on the fifth floor and peering at the precarious set up the man had constructed--or was he just a boy? He didn’t look much older than fourteen, but he was clearly hard at work, wires looped around his arms and clamps in hand as he converted the chandelier from gas to electric. The kid shot Hyrule a questioning look and he realized he’d been staring, quickly turning away and facing the hall ahead.

There were six doors, three on each side of the hall with tiny golden plaques adorning the wood with each apartment number. Hyrule winced as each step he took broadcast itself in loud squeaks, the maroon carpet rolled over the wood doing nothing to muffle them. Fortunately the apartment he was looking for was the first to his left, room 501, and he took a moment to check his pocket watch and take a few steadying breaths. Before he moved to knock on the door he heard the click of the knob, and a moment later the door tugged open to reveal a man dressed in a dark jacket with dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. They narrowed for a second and Hyrule felt himself stiffen in fear before the man grabbed his arm and pulled him in.

The door shut quickly, trapping Hyrule in the mysterious apartment with a threatening stranger and no escape. He almost considered trying to bolt before his eyes landed on the teen sprawled over the loveseat ahead, long blonde hair spilling onto the ground while his bare feet rested over the couch back. His left side was covered in a layer of streaking pink scars that pinched his eye slightly shut and twisted his mouth into a perpetual smirk. What made Hyrule pause however was the grin the kid shot him, warm and excited, and when he turned back to the other man he saw the tense posture had relaxed significantly.

“You’re from the agency, right?” the man asked, voice a bit tired and hopeful, like he’d been through this song and dance several times before.

“Ah, y-yes! My name is Hyrule, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Hyrule stretched out his hand and the man shook it readily, firm, and Hyrule felt himself begin to relax slightly.

“I’m Twilight. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll fill you in on why I called.” Twilight offered a small smile and Hyrule let himself be guided to sit in a high backed armchair opposite the loveseat. Twilight shoved the teen’s legs off the back and came to sit beside him as he readjusted into a cross-legged position, grin still wide on his face.

“I’m Wild by the way,” Wild waved, Twilight nodding somewhat resigned.

“It’s nice to meet you, Wild,” Hyrule nodded despite the odd name, smiling at the thanks Twilight mouthed at him.

“Alright, so,” Twilight huffed, crossing his legs and straightening his back. Hyrule perked up, pulling a notepad and pencil from his jacket pocket and flipping open to a blank page. “I didn’t say much on the phone last night because this is a… well, a sensitive case, let’s say.”

Hyrule hummed, curiosity easing his anxiety enough to shine through. “A murder, yes?”

Twilight winced and Wild snickered at his side.

“Yes and no…” Twilight shot Wild a glare. “See, it hasn’t exactly happened yet.”

Hyrule paused. Huh.

“So you heard that a murder is being planned and you called us to help prevent it?” Hyrule surmised, only to be met with more laughter from Wild. Twilight shoved him but the teen only hid his smile behind a hand in response.

“Not exactly,” Twilight sighed, and Hyrule noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. “You see, we have this odd neighbor at the end of the hall, and--”

“Twilight saw the guy’s ghost in a dream and is convinced he’s going to be killed.” Wild cut in, ignoring the sharp glare Twilight shot his way.

“Well, that’s a new one.” Hyrule raised his eyebrows, taking in the giggling teen and Twilight’s tired expression.

“It wasn’t a dream, I saw him, or at least I think I did.” Twilight sighed, fixing Hyrule with pleading eyes. “It must have been a ghost because he just appeared out of nowhere in the hall, covered in blood, and told me to call the cops. I did, but when they arrived they said nothing was wrong and I must have been seeing things. But I have a bad feeling about it, something isn’t right. I just want to make sure the Old Man’s okay.”

“When was this exactly? Have you checked on him yourself?” Hyrule tapped his pencil on the notepad, mulling over Twilight’s words. This certainly was an interesting case, and while he wasn’t sure how much he could truly do to help, he understood what Twilight meant. Hyrule trusted his own instincts--a bit too much according to Legend--but they hadn’t truly led him astray yet.

“This was a week ago. I checked on him right after I woke up the next morning. He was fine, not a scratch on him, but something tells me whatever is coming for him hasn’t yet.” Twilight twisted his fingers together nervously and Wild’s laughter petered off. “I’ve been hearing arguments from his apartment. More and more strange people have been coming to visit, and at odd times of the night. I think he’s gotten himself mixed up in something, but he’s pretty stoic and keeps to himself. I just worry…”

Alright, so maybe this case wasn’t as straightforward as he’d been led to believe, but Hyrule wasn’t deterred. Twilight’s words shone with honesty and he realized that the man was likely on his last attempt to find help. No one in their right mind would believe this story, no respectable detective would take on such a case. So it was a good thing Legend sent him, because Hyrule had literally nothing to lose.

“I’ll help you,” Hyrule announced, feeling a swell of confidence as Twilight smiled and Wild shook his head fondly. “If what you say is true there is cause for concern. I can start interviewing those close to him and keeping tabs. If he’s in trouble, we’ll find out, and I can make sure he stays safe.”

Well, he could try, but that was beside the point.

“Thank you so much,” Twilight said, already relaxing. “You don’t know how many detectives I’ve reached out to. They all say I’m crazy or trying to pull a prank.”

“Well, I’m here now, and I’ll get to the bottom of this.” Hyrule replied with far more confidence than he had. At least Legend had taught him one thing--how to bullshit. “So, why don’t we start with what you know about this man…”

Twilight sat back in the chair, Wild getting up to make tea in the adjacent kitchenette. Hyrule readied his pencil, hands steady as his nerves eased.

“We call him Time.”

[phantoms-lair]

Hey, for legend of zelda aus, can you do one with the Mystery Inc instead?

The original one here is by @arthurtristankingsmen but I’ll give it a shot (Takes place in the failed hero timeline)

1) There has always been three parts of the triforce. Wisdom, Courage, and Power tied to three souls endlessly incarnated, Zelda, Link, and Ganondorf. At least there was until one particularly nasty end battle got out of hand, severing all three of the triforces in half, and instantly killing the three bearers. For a while it seemed the cycle had been broken. Sadly Hyrule had been destabilized over the period of Ganon’s reign and with the royal line of Hyrule ended as well things were still chaotic. 

After many generations one man seemed to rise to unite the land. He seemed kind and willing to work hard to make the world better for everyone. It was only after he had near absolute power he revealed his truth.  He was, as he put it, a shard of Ganondorf. He had half the Triforce of Power manifesting as Social Power. And it was time for a new dark age to begin.

2) People hoped that with a Ganon back, the Princess and Hero would return. But for years there was nothing. Finally tired of waiting two friends, Fred and Daphne, found the Shrine to Farore and hoped to find something that would help them fight back, like the Master Sword. Instead they were greated by the Goddess who told them they held the two haves of the Triforce of Courage. Fred was Reckless Courage, going in without ever realizing there was danger, while Daphne was Righteous Courage, able to face any danger in order to do what she had to. Farore told them in order to seal the evil away, they needed to find ALL of the remaining pieces of the triforce, then use the Master Sword.

3) Fred and Daphne decide to keep quiet that they’re the newest version of the Hero. For one thing they don’t need the target on their back. For another it had frustrated both of the how the Hylians just waited for someone to save them and they didn’t want to vindicate that.

4) They wander around fighting evil until they think they’ve found the two pieces of Wisdom. One was a Scholar named Velma, who’s intelligence was almost frightening and the other was a cook named Shaggy who it seemed took to magic like a ruto to water.

They presented them at the Shrine of Nayru and discovered they were half right. Velma indeed had half the Triforce of Wisdom, Wisdom of Knowledge, but Shaggy didn’t. However they had incidentally brought the second Wisdom holder after all. Shaggy’s talking dog, Scooby, had the other half, the Wisdom of Good Council (judge of character and being able to trust others because of it).

At first Shaggy’s relieved he isn’t involved in this battle, but stand stand the thought of leaving any of the to fight the Heir of Ganondorf. In a small voice he asks if he can still help and they’re proud to have him with them.

5) The final confrontation happens sooner than they expect. There’s been no sign of who might have the other half of the Triforce of Power since no one but the King is allowed to gain any real power. Instead they try for the Master Sword, but are caught almost as soon as they get get it. 

Daphne fights the legions off with the Master Sword, Fred traps the Battlefield, Velma and Scooby help with tactics why Shaggy throws every ounce of magic he’s got at them. They’re winning at first, but that changes when the King himself comes with his most elite legions.

When he enters the battlefield the Master Sword glows, along with Triforce markings on their hands. Green for Fred and Daphne. Blue for Velma and Scooby. And Red for the King and Shaggy,

Shaggy hold the other half of the TriForce of Power. The Power of Sorcery.

And he knows how this has to end, How it always ends. Power must be sealed away by Wisdom and Courage. And if it means keeping his friends and all of Hylia safe, him being sealed away is a small price to pay. The King cajoles him, asking him to join him. That as the two halves of Ganondorf they’d be unstoppable. But being stopped is what he has every intention of doing. He freezes the king with a spell and shouts at the others to finish it.

But for the first time they hesitate. None of them like the idea of sacrificing Shaggy, but they can’t exactly let the King go free. For a moment they’re paralyzed, but Scooby makes the decision. Shaggy isn’t going anywhere.

Daphne choses not to seal the King with the Master Sword, but instead use it to chop his head clean off. There’s a moment where the army of monsters turns to Shaggy hopefully, but he’s made it clear what side he’s on.

6 Because I want to finish this out) In the end though word of the King’s defeat spreads far and wide, they never tell anyone they bear Triforce fragments. The King was defeated by those who stood against him, end of story. Velma helps create a parliamentary system where all the rulers are appointed by the people they rule and there’s no Prime Minister or head of the Council. All are equals. They also make sure there’s a great number of public works help any disenfranchised.

They can’t stop him from reincarnating, But with no one being the high leader, and no one needing one as a rallying point, they can keep his power neutered as long as they can.

[tier-k]

What Binds Us Together, A LoZ Fanfiction

Hi! This is a small section of the Legend of Zelda FanFiction I just finished! Feel free to leave feedback! You can find the full version here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13257086/1/What-Binds-us-Together

Sheik lay awake, staring out at the crescent moon hanging low in the Western sky. What if Link was the only one who was safe? He hadn’t yet tried to harm Sheik with anything more than fists. Those hadn’t worked, but perhaps a blade would? Sheik thought that was unreasonable, but couldn’t shake the concern. The Goddesses loved their Hero. Of course they would protect him. But nobody loved Sheik, and if they died, they doubted the Goddesses would care. 

‘You’re the only one in love!” Link had said. Sheik knew this wasn’t true. Maybe they had thought that Link wasn’t such a bad person. Maybe they had stared at his sky blue eyes as they made their plans and thought of the bluest mountain skies, maybe they had spent most of their life thinking about this boy and preparing to kill him. But none of that meant that Sheik was in love. Obsessed maybe, but not in love. 

But then why was Sheik so upset that Link had actually left them alone in a hostile city? Sheik didn’t have an answer. 

The sun rose, and Sheik packed their things, preparing to leave. They had saved the king, and they couldn’t kill Link on their own, it was time to go home. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Link’s anger had cooled by the time he had snuck back into his room in the castle. In the morning, he decided, he would talk to his father about Cousin Frennen, and ask for his father’s permission to travel Hyrule. Zelda was still waiting for him in Kakariko, much to his father’s displeasure, so he didn’t have much time to waste here. 

He slept fitfully, and in the morning he went straight to his father’s chambers. 

“Link,” the king said, sounding none too happy to see his son. 

“Father,” Link replied. “I must speak with you. In private if possible.” He eyed the attendants flitting about the room. 

The king waved them out and sat heavily behind his imposing wooden desk. He looked tired, his eyes sunken in their sockets, his skin pale and clammy. “What now, Link?” he asked. Even his voice sounded tired. It lacked the anger of the previous night, which reassured Link just a bit. 

“I tried to tell you last night,” Link began. 

Instantly his father’s eyes narrowed. 

Link hurried to get the words out before his father could interrupt. “Cousin Frennen is the one plotting to kill you. Shei-- er, someone else has dealt with the traitors in our army but he’s bound to try again. He’s the one who kidnapped me, and the reason why Zelda got poisoned.” Link stopped to gather his thoughts, but rushed on before the space was enough to warrant a response. “Also I want to go on a journey across Hyrule. Zelda said she wants to come with me. I hope we can have your permission,” Link said. 

The king’s frown had grown heavy while the prince spoke. “Duke Frennen is loyal to me,” the king said. He started to say more, but his voice what cut off by a coughing fit. 

“Father!” Link exclaimed, eyes widening with horror. 

Blood stained the handkerchief that the king had used to cover his mouth. 

Suddenly, something clicked in Link’s head. There had been a particular cup-bearer at the dinner last night, one who had refused the other nobles bids for her to fill their cups and had served only the king. He shot to his feet. “I’ll get the doctor!” 

The king continued to cough as Link sped from the room. 

 ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Sheik paused in their stealthy escape from the city, crouched low in a waterway. Ahead of them, they could hear whispering voices. The tunnels curved in such a way that their quiet words were carried clearly to Sheik’s ears. 

“Was the mission a success?” 

“It was. Our infiltration party was caught and all of them murdered, but they served their purpose as a distraction. The king drank the poison in his wine last night.” 

Sheik mentally swore. 

“Excellent. Master Frennen will be very pleased.”

Sheik heard the rustling of paper and cloth as something traded hands and was slipped beneath water-logged clothes. 

“May the dark sun shine upon you,” one of the voices said. The other repeated the phrase and Sheik crept hastily back around a further corner as two sets of footsteps went in opposite directions, one towards the tunnel’s exit, one back towards the city.

Sheik mentally swore again, this time in Sheikah, and turned around. If Link died, that was fine, but if the King died, Sheik would be breaking their word to protect him. There was still work to be done before Hyrule would be safe.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Zelda heard many things during her time in Kakariko. As soon as she was well enough to stand, she had begun helping the doctor around his shop. His hobby was studying new and interesting plants, which Zelda enjoyed immensely. Sometimes, she would work in the front of the shop, giving the people that came to the doctor for help the herbs and medicines he assigned or selling them various supplements and teas. In her time off, she spent almost every minute in the doctor’s lab and greenhouse studying the wide variety of unusual plants he had collected. It made the time go by quickly, and kept her from dwelling too long on how things were going back at Hyrule Castle. She hoped everything had gone well. 

In addition to a range of herbal knowledge, Zelda also heard rumors. One popular rumor was the story of the witch-summoner and her demon that had laid waste to a traveling band of mercenaries not too far from the village. This one made Zelda smile quietly to herself. But the piece of gossip that really caught her attention was a rumor about the disappearance of the Forest Sage. She couldn’t help but wonder if the strange dreams she’d been having and the growing unrest across Hyrule had anything to do with that. As of late her nightmares had been getting worse and worse. Once shadowy, vague shapes were beginning to solidify into figures and fears. Zelda wasn’t sure what they meant yet, but she was convinced that they were more than mere nightmares. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Link was sitting by his father’s bedside in the infirmary when the doors slammed open and a squad of guards marched in, hauling a struggling figure between them. 

“Prince!” 

Link recognized the voice immediately; it was Sheik. 

“Quiet!” snapped one of the guards, swinging his spear. Link heard a grunt of pain and the sound of Sheik’s body hitting the floor.

“Stop that!” Link ordered, getting to his feet. “Let him go, he’s no danger to me.” 

The soldiers gave him an incredulous look. “Sir, this is the monster that murdered 16 of our men last night and tried to assassinate you not a full month ago.” 

Link cringed at the number. He took a breath. “I know,” he said eventually. But he wouldn’t have come here unless it was something important. Out loud he said, “Even so, release him, but leave him bound. I will speak to him on my own.” 

“Your majesty-”

Link glared at the guard, silencing him. 

The guards shuffled from the room, giving Sheik dirty looks that promised pain as they left. 

As soon as the door closed behind them, Sheik awkwardly got to their feet, careful not to trip on the chains binding their ankles together. 

“Why are you here?” Link asked. 

Sheik’s red eyes locked onto Link, and he could practically see Sheik fighting down the urge to say something offensive. Instead, when Sheik spoke it was only to give Link directions. “Hidden in the bindings on my left thigh is a small packet and a letter,” they said. “They contain information regarding the poisoning of the king. Though I see my information comes too late.” 

Link turned back to look at his father. Only minutes before he had been well enough, now he was asleep on the bed, waking up every few minutes in coughing fits. “The doctors don’t know what type of poison was used,” Link said. “So perhaps you can be useful after all.” Link got up from his chair and moved over to Sheik. 

“Wait,” Sheik said, taking a shuffling step away from Link. “Unbind me, and I shall give you the evidence.”

Link snorted. “No way. You killed 16 of my men, a whole group of mercenaries, and would have killed me too, I know how dangerous you are.” 

Sheik had no good response to that, so they settled for “You suck.” 

“And you smell like a soldier’s dirty laundry,” Link replied. He took out a knife. “Don’t you dare cut those!” Sheik snapped, trying to move away again. 

Link merely reached out and grabbed their arm. “Shh,” he said, holding Sheik more or less still as he cut through the wrappings on Sheik’s leg. 

Sheik’s string of rude names was ignored as Link picked the note and oiled leather envelope off the floor where they had fallen. He moved to opened the envelope. 

“Don’t open that!” Sheik said. “If you breathe it in, it could kill you.” 

Link gingerly set the envelope aside. “Poison, got it.” He opened the letter. “This is hard evidence that Cousin Frennen is plotting against my father,” Link said. “Everyone will have to believe me now.” 

“Yes, I have saved the day, now release me.”

“No.”

“I just saved the king’s life! And yours… Damn.”

“True, but you also killed a lot of people.”

“They deserved to die.”

Link shook his head and walked back to his father’s side. 

“Ungrateful jerk. I shouldn’t have come to help you,” Sheik grumbled. 

The king did not open his eyes, but Link hoped he could hear him. “I’m going to save you, father. The doctors can find an antidote now. I know you don’t like the idea of me traveling, but I’m going. I’m sorry. I’ll stop Cousin Frennen and protect you and Hyrule.”

Sheik watched the exchange impassively, but in their mind, a small flicker of concern blinked into life. Here was a boy destined to be a Hero choosing to take a hero’s path. The boy would become a man, and if they didn’t do something quickly, Sheik would become exactly like those before them. Link had to die before he realized his role as the Goddesses’ Hero.

[gregzillagt]

Gregzilla’s Thoughts on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Breath of the Wild is a very good game.  Very good.  Great, even.  If you’re a Zelda fan or a fan of open world adventure games then I absolutely recommend it.

I just wanted to make that very clear so I don’t get ravaged for having plenty of negative things to say about it.

(I’ll keep this free of major spoilers, but I think this game is more enjoyable the more blind you go in, so if you want absolutely nothing spoiled then maybe play it before you read this.  If that’s all good, then read on.)

(Reviewing the Nintendo Switch version)

-I am not a fan of open world games, but it’s one of the best open worlds I’ve experienced.  Most open world games nowadays bore the shit out of me, as they’re usually just tons of space without much meaningful content.  Lots of repetition, lots of samey quests, and a severe lack of discovering anything truly special.  BotW doesn’t avoid this entirely, but the beautiful environments, likable and active NPCs, fun abilities, and varied terrain go a long way to making it more fun to explore than its contemporaries.

-Gorgeous visuals, a strong contender for best art style in the series.  When the sun shines on the grassy fields, it creates a beautiful lushness the likes of which I haven’t seen in a game before.  Characters are also much more expressive than Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword, capturing a bit of that Wind Waker charm that I’ve really missed.

-Combat has some great new additions, especially the new Flurry Rush, which rewards you for performing a dodge at the very last second.  It gave me a Platinum games vibe and I hope stuff like this carries over to future games.

-One of the hardest Nintendo games in recent memory, and a complete reversal from the hand-holding of Skyward Sword, which is incredibly refreshing.

-The puzzles in the shrines and dungeons utilize Link’s abilities and the player’s spacial awareness very well to create some fun problem solving situations.  Another breath of fresh air after the dull, tedious challenges of the previous two 3D Zelda games.

-The Master Sword actually feels like a very special goal to work towards, something many of the recent Zelda games really lacked.

-Many of the side quests are fairly engaging.  I particularly enjoyed the quest requiring you to find locations based on pictures (outside of one or two that were overly vague).  In general there were several quests that I felt the need to go out of my way to do, which I can’t say about many side quests in games.

-Voice acting is not particularly good.  Outside of a few good performances, most of the voiced characters sound forced an awkward, like a mediocre anime dub.  Zelda herself, while not a bad actor, has a very unfitting voice - she’s supposed to be around 17 but ends up sounding 30.  I’m glad they tried it once, but unless the quality is upped considerably then I think I’d prefer they stick to text and grunts, or maybe Hylian.

-I was not a huge fan of the main story.  Most of the big events revolve around characters from Link’s past who you don’t really interact with as a player, while there are four perfectly good characters you DO actually go on quests with and are active in your adventure that would have been more satisfying to see stick around in the story.  Additionally, Link is often recognized and hailed as the legendary hero, which is a story element I don’t really enjoy.  Wind Waker Link is really the only one I enjoy as a character, because he (and the player) actually has to prove himself due to his complete lack of legendary status.  BotW brings everything back to “Link is destined to beat the bad thing,” which is pretty tired at this point.  Zelda’s character development via flashbacks was one of the better aspects, as they gave her more conflict and personality than most Zelda incarnations.

-This is probably one of the most boring incarnations of Ganon to date, having basically zero impact on the gameplay experience until you actually go to face him.  Outside of summoning enemies into the world now and again, the world seems to be doing pretty alright even as the demonic pig cloud is hanging around the castle.  The primary motivation is to save Zelda, as well as PREVENT the world from getting its shit rocked, which isn’t a terrible motivation, but certainly pales in comparison to Ocarina of Time, in which you actually get to see the direct results of Ganon’s takeover.  For the most part it’s very easy to forget Ganon’s even there, which doesn’t make him a particularly strong villain.

-The shrines, while having very good puzzle design, feel completely detached from the world.  I’m glad the puzzles themselves are improved, but at times it feels less like I’m playing a Zelda game with better puzzles, and more like I’m playing a Zelda game that temporarily turns into Portal whenever I enter a shrine.  The big open world and the enclosed shrines feel totally separate, and I would have liked to see more of these kinds of puzzles utilized in the actual overworld.  It feels incredibly artificial, and at first it’s not an issue, but as the game went on I found myself getting very bored at the concept of the shrines, as it turned the whole experience into a formula.

-The dungeons are a similar issue.  While they have some of the best puzzle design of any dungeons in the series, they all look basically the same and don’t have much personality.  No dungeon really feels special or standout from the others, they’re all a pretty samey aesthetic.

-The bosses have the same issue as well.  The main bosses of the game all look almost identical and don’t really feel that different, which is one of the biggest disappointments for me.  I also found them incredibly frustrating, doing unreasonable amounts of damage and often attacking erratically, which could often feel like too much to handle considering switching between weapons and shields can be a bit more awkward this time around.

-The final boss is the exception, it feels much more polished and up to the series’ standards, though it was a bit strange how easy it was compared to the dungeon bosses.  I died many, many times on all the other bosses, but I played through the final boss twice and didn’t die once.  Regardless it’s a satisfying finale, probably one of the better ones in the series.

-The scenes BEFORE the dungeons, involving some of the more memorable characters, are very exciting and fun, probably some of the most engaging moments in the game.

-Enemy outposts are fun to take on at first, but it didn’t take long for me to just start ignoring them.  I didn’t find much desire to experiment on ways to take them on when it was usually just a better idea to pick my strongest weapon and wail away, or use bombs and arrows to set them ablaze.  

-This is more of a personal opinion, but I just am not a fan of the emphasis on equipment and picking up tons of items survival game style.  I really just don’t dig when games stuff your inventory full of tons of shit to keep track of.  I much prefer Zelda to leave the RPG elements on the lighter side, and stick to just a few weapons and permanent arsenal upgrades, as I feel that creates a stronger sense of progression and makes every item feel special.  I can see why Nintendo tried the survival game angle, and it certainly has its charm, but I hope they don’t try it again.  I know Zelda is often referred to as an action RPG, but I never wanted the RPG side of that to be that prominent.

-There’s some very fun and likable NPC characters, made even better by having schedules and not just standing around waiting for Link to show up.  Highlights include the painter Pikango, the Sheikah tech lab scientists, and of course Sidon, the internet’s new favorite fish boy crush.

-Optional minibosses in the overworld are a very fun addition, though there’s several of each type, which makes them feel less special.  

-The music is surprisingly sparse for a Zelda game.  Considering the vast open world I can see why they would try this, as the mellow piano tunes certainly compliment the calm atmosphere.  I do wish there were a few more memorable tunes though, because when I think Zelda, I think truly masterful soundtracks.  The Hyrule Castle theme is by far one of my favorite tracks in the series, however.

-Shield surfing is the best.

-Pretty much every NPC species is something we’ve seen before.  Rito, Gorons, Zora, and even Koroks are back.  There’s plenty of likable characters in the bunch, but it would have been nice to visit a region with a whole new species instead of just reusing old ones.

-Finally, while exploring the world is absolutely enthralling for a good while, I unfortunately began to feel my typical huge open world boredom as the hours racked up.  Over time the rewards for exploring began to feel less exciting and more formulaic, which sadly just seems inevitable whenever I play a gigantic game like this.  I just prefer the smaller, tighter, more intimate worlds like Majora’s Mask and A Link Between Worlds, or other games like (shocker) Dark Souls and Bloodborne.  This is more of a personal opinion, again, but I really do gravitate towards games with a more hand-crafted and dense feel, where every single inch has something new and interesting.  BotW certainly comes closer to capturing that feeling than most giant open world games, but in the end when a game is this gigantic, it’s bound to bore me sooner or later.

So there ya have it.  I know this sounded very negative, but just know that I really did have a good time with Breath of the Wild, and I think it represents a very good change of pace in Nintendo’s game design.  The fact that they were so willing to totally rebuild the Zelda experience from the ground up leaves me very hopeful for them to be more adventurous like this in future games as well.  There were plenty of moments I truly enjoyed myself, and it really is a beautiful world to explore.  But for me, I just don’t think bigger is always better.  It’s very much worth playing, and I’m glad Nintendo gave it a go, but it’s not personally my ideal Zelda experience.