Corrupted Hero, by anemoiarts
1: False Dawn
The stagnant haze of a century clouded the humid air of the Shrine. Painted a soft blue from the reverent glow of the resurrection pedestal at the heart of the room, the haze hung, silently, around the dormant form of a young Hylian laid across the pedestal. Sealed away from the world above, the Shrine hummed to itself in silence, as still as the Hylian it cradled. Forgotten by time and memory and ash, both the Hylian and the Shrine listened, awaiting the voice they had heard, every day, for one hundred years.
She was late today. Her calls had grown later and later, recently. But the Shrine knew she had a reason. Its patience could withstand the delay; time had always been its friend.
Though initially absent, she finally appeared from out of the darkness. She breathed her usual appeal just as intently and urgently as she had when the fields of Hyrule raged with flames.
Wake up, Link… she plead, faithful as always.
Her voice reached across a vast expanse, seeping through the Shrine’s walls and drifting toward the Hylian. Gently, it pushed through the thick, ancient mist enshrouding the pedestal and sunk through the murky, protective lake entombing him, whispering its way into his mind, straining to inspire some form of life within him.
She paused, half-expecting something to happen. Her ears strained to hear anything — any movement, any sound. Anything. Yet in spite of her efforts, he remained stiff as death. Her throat tightened.
Open your eyes, she mourned, a pang of sorrow wilting her voice. Please!
Only silence.
...I need you...
Nothing.
Crestfallen, she withdrew for a moment, choking back helpless tears. They stung at her eyes as if in punishment for her naught hopes.
She believed he would have woken up by now — now, more than ever — perhaps on this, the hundredth anniversary of his slumber. But why did he not wake? What was she doing wrong?
For an agonizing, almost eternal century in isolation, she had prayed and struggled and cried to awaken him, to bring him back to the world, to get his help that she so desperately needed. But as the years bled together without him, her hope had withered in the shadows, craving the light. Craving him. Buried in darkness and malice, she had grown weary, almost wishing to join him in his sleep. She had teased the thought many times, but found herself too afraid of what may happen to drift off unawares. She had fought too hard to let go now.
Each time she had called to him, the Shrine had replied with a crushing, mute, Not yet. Each denial was nothing less than a strike to the heart, thousands of times over.
She wasn’t ready to give up on him, but just how soon was yet? There had been no respite for her. Day in and day out, staunchly holding back a demon voracious for destruction, all while reaching out to a fallen hero. Her fallen hero.
But just as before, she had nothing to show for it.
She wasn’t sure how much more loneliness she could endure, and how much more silence she could bear.
To her fortune, this silence was soon broken.
With her latest prayers on deaf ears, she was about to retreat back into her mind when, without so much as a warning, the Shrine gave a sudden shudder. The movement stirred the mounds of dust clinging to the corners into clouds. A deep, resounding thud rumbled through the stone of the Shrine, sending a ripple through the water submerging the Hylian as dust motes danced through the startled air.
The girl felt the tremor even from her high, polluted pavilion — it thundered through her mind with a mighty quake that brought her attention immediately back to him and his dull brainwaves. She poised herself, acutely alert, but her guard drawn.
Is it time? she wondered, her hope rising from the dust.
Though unable to watch what was happening in the Shrine with her own eyes, she experienced the great row of the structure within herself in sync with it. Beginning modestly, it grew more and more intense by the second, almost as if the Shrine were ripping itself apart with a calamitous bellow from deep within the earth.
From seemingly nowhere, a bud of nausea blossomed inside her, her head swimming with a dizzying heat. Puzzled, she endeavored to comprehend it. The Shrine of Resurrection, it seemed to have become… sick. It was the only explanation she could fathom. But machines, medical facilities, couldn’t suffer infirmity.
What was happening? She hadn’t the faintest idea. None of her research had told of this reaction. Concerned, she continued to monitor the strange occurrence.
This supposed sickness began to spread. Around the slumbering Hylian, the decorative beads of light on the walls flickered from a serene blue to a panicked magenta color, flashing in-between wildly as the Shrine continued to shake. Such intense movements kicked up a blizzard of dust and rocked the surface, trees swaying above ground, boulders shifting and fauna scattering. The terrific reverberations found their way to her; the familiar trembling of the earth brought back scarring memories.
In spite of the chaos, the Hylian remained obliviously unconscious on the pedestal until the crystalline-blue water around him darkened to a vibrant scarlet, bubbling and writhing as if in a storm. The light glaring off of the water and the frantic wall embellishments cast the room in a violent, ethereal glow such that the Shrine had never seen. The flailing of the Shrine only worsened as an alarm began to blare from a device on the solitary plinth at the opposite corner of the Hylian, clamoring for attention, wailing in fear and shock.
Something’s wrong, she gasped.
The girl’s body ached in tune with the Shrine. Amidst her pain, she paused and gazed around her, finding her own surroundings alight with a vicious glare. Her warden shifted restlessly, pulsating with power, its influence dripping from the ceiling and snaking beneath the overgrown lands of Hyrule, where it ingrained its corrupt claws into the Shrine of Resurrection, and in turn, into Link.
She realized with a stab of horror that, in her grief, the creature had wormed through a careless opening she had made, greedily spreading its poison. It was doing something to him. Something twisted. Something awful. And yet he laid, like a corpse, in the grave that was consuming him.
She had to stop it. She had to wake him.
Calamity Ganon?! she gaped. No! You can’t do this! Don’t you touch him! No, NO!
Had she the capacity, she would have darted free from her bonds, rushing for him. But she could not abandon her post. There was nothing another barrier could fix, now — it was already inside the Shrine. All she could do was scream. She whirled her mind back to him.
Link! Link, you must wake up!
But he didn’t stir. The beast seemed to thrill with satisfaction at her skyrocketing panic.
Stop it, stop it, you MONSTER! LINK!
No matter her cries, he didn’t hear. Or perhaps Calamity Ganon had deafened him? Regardless, there was nothing she could do but listen as the Shrine nearly rent itself into rubble. The alarm from the plinth filled her mind to splitting, an evil light blinding her, crippling her efforts to stay the beast’s clutches. Pain lanced through her brain — she cupped her hands over her ears and pinched her eyes shut, but to no avail.
Petrified at the thought of losing her dear knight after all these years, and at her own misstep, she braced for the worst, her breath caught and her eyes welling with tears.
Link, Hyrule… forgive me… I’ve failed you. I knew I would… Father was right.
With its princess weak, the beast didn’t hesitate. It greedily dug its way further into the Shrine. The blood red water surrounding Link ceased seething for half a moment before it abruptly surged into his body, piercing his pores, pouring inside him through his nose and mouth. As the dark water saturated his lungs and bloodstream, his spine arched and his eyes snapped open, his heart giving a heavy thump as it jolted back into autonomy.
Beneath his revitalized body, the resurrection pedestal cracked into pieces with a tremendous boom, scattering shards of aged stone onto the floor.
Then all at once, the Shrine’s roars and rumbling stilled, as well as the beast’s.
The chamber fell ungodly quiet, apart from its sole occupant; he gulped in a centuries-starved gasp of air, only to immediately choke on both it and the water flooding down his throat.
Rolling onto his side, he coughed up the bright red liquid in his lungs — it ran in small rivers onto the floor. His hacking shredded the once-peaceful atmosphere as he clawed for breath, continuing to spit up excess water for several moments before he managed to claim some control over himself.
He finally fell limp, his body relaxing from the shock. Draped like a sacrifice atop the broken pedestal, he savored his breath, shivering in the warm, moist air clinging to his skin. When his lungs had soothed themselves, he opened his heavy eyes and drew his gaze across the room, groggily wondering where he was.
The small, dim chamber was as full of clouds as his head. Unfamiliar, strange. His empty mind spun with dazed confusion. As the fire in his body steadily cooled, he blinked against the throbbing magenta light igniting the dust and haze swirling around him. The light issuing from the walls seemed to follow the gradually-slowing rhythm of his heart.
Curious, he carefully eased himself upright.
He rotated his head, analyzing his somber surroundings. The only other objects nearby were the lonely plinth in the corner, a sealed doorway, the shattered pedestal beneath him, and an odd, chandelier-like structure looming over his head. It, too, radiated an unnatural, crimson light.
As he ran his eyes over the remains of the pedestal, he sucked in a sharp gasp, flinching where he sat.
His legs — they didn’t look right.
Upon waking up, he had no reason to believe they were anything abnormal, what with his nonexistent recollection of things. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Something was extremely wrong.
Frozen at the sight before him, he found that he could quite literally see his bones — his femur, the tibia, even the knee cap — glowing with that same surreal, magenta light. They glittered up at him beneath black, semi-transparent skin.
Eyes widening, he raised a knee and wiggled his leg back and forth, baffled. His bones floated innocently in his leg, moving at his command. Running a palm over his knee, he stared. It certainly didn’t look right, but it didn’t feel wrong. It felt as normal as anything.
Beginning to stutter for breath, he repeated the action with his equally-transparent, bony hands, clenching and unclenching his fingers before his face. The movements of his claw-like fingertips disturbingly entranced him with such intensity that he almost didn’t hear the voice return to him.
...Link…? she asked, breathless.
Her voice has trickled into his mind softly, yet he heard it clear as day. As if stricken by lightning, he jumped in his place, tossing his head around the room in search of the voice’s owner. But he found nothing but the wordless haze.
“H-hello?” he croaked, his voice ragged. “Who’s there?”
At last. At long, tiresome last. He was here. He was awake. Movement. Beating heart and running blood and breath in the lungs. A voice. Life.
Link. Wonderful, irreplaceable Link. And he seemed to be in one piece, though she was blissfully ignorant of his bizarre bones, as well as the rest of his appearance. She could only feel his strong, courageous presence, and it was like manna to her.
Her joy at just the sound of his voice was immeasurable — it swelled within her, a sunrise after a bitter winter’s night, thawing her icy hopes and setting her heart alight with a golden dawn. She had no control over the tears of sweet relief that streamed down her face then, but she didn’t even attempt it. All that mattered was that he had risen from the Shrine. He was here. All she had to do now was guide him to her.
But her delight was cruelly short-lived. She didn’t get the chance to welcome him any further, for her warden reared its ugly head once again, howling at her. Bleary from her tears, she turned just in time to throw another barrier up between the two of them, only to buckle at the knees beneath the beast’s power.
Like a ravenous wolf for a fresh kill, the beast pounced upon her barrier, baring its teeth with hate and clawing at its prison. Straining to keep it at bay, she took in its sudden energy spike with awe. It seemed to have taken a new fondness for Link as it mindlessly scratched and roared to bypass her and seize him. Perhaps it wanted to finish what it had attempted those hundred years ago, now that he was awake.
But she wouldn’t let it. No matter how much it yearned to. She had just gotten him back.
Calamity Ganon’s rampaging soon grew relentless — her strength withstood it, but it took every ounce of herself to hold it back. She realized with dismay that even if she had wanted to, it would have been impossible to divide her mind between containing the beast and guiding Link. The monster wouldn’t allow it.
It was one or the other.
Curse you!! she cried, closing a fist against the beast. You vile creature! How could you?!
It didn’t seem to care; it ceaselessly pounded against her barrier, wicked eyes set on Link, eager to devour him.
There was no alternative. The thought destroyed her, but she knew which she had to choose. It was her duty, after all.
A new set of bittersweet tears ran down her cheeks. Though it nearly tore her to pieces to withhold herself from him, she stepped back from the Shrine to ward off Ganon’s might. But she vowed, whenever she managed to calm Calamity Ganon, to catch up with her dear knight, guiding him and ensuring his safe return to her. She couldn’t be at his side at every moment. He was strong enough to journey back to her on his own. She knew that.
Beneath the crushing influence of the beast, all she could offer him was this:
Link, she began. His ears perked up. You may or may not know me, but know this: you must rise from that Shrine. Find the Sheikah Slate. It will guide you after your long slumber.
Link, listening to her with wonder, found his eyes drawn to the plinth in the corner, which had sprung to life. He stared at it, his thoughts radiant with her voice. A barrage of questions hung on his tongue, but her tone was so earnest, so captivating, that he remained silent.
She continued, Do not fear what you will face in Hyrule, though trials you will endure — I know you can triumph over whatever will come with the courage flowing through your veins. Link… you are the light — our light — that must shine upon Hyrule once again. We need you.
Her heart stuttered as she prepared to withdraw.
I need you. And I believe in you.
May the goddess smile upon you.
Just as quickly as she had appeared in his mind, she abruptly vanished, leaving Link stupefied, his bones rattling inside him.
When he regained his senses, he sprung up on the crooked pieces of the pedestal, crying, “Wait! Who are you?!”
But she had already gone.
He quaked in the new silence, the pounding of his head his only companion. She stayed with him, a mute ghost in the room. There was something warm and calming about her sweet, imploring voice — it sent a familiar shudder down his spine. But as much as he strained his mind, he couldn’t place where he knew her from.
The memory of her lingered in the back of his head, tickling his brain to remember — it was an itch he just couldn’t scratch.
Waking up in such a strange place, with no recollection of what had lead him there, only made his hunger for information grow. And her mysterious presence, not to mention her words, nearly drove him mad in the minutes he sat alone. What did it all mean? Her voice, her guidance, his bizarre bones. He didn’t have any answers that he craved...
But she would.
He had to find out who she was. It was time to move.
Hey, peeps! I’m very pleased to post this. I thought, after making my first Corrupted Hero sketch, I’d continue. If you didn’t catch it, here’s a link to it:https://anemoiarts.tumblr.com/post/176782294883/corrupted-hero-by-anemoiarts-what-if-during-the. I also updated the design a bit. Hope you like!
Anyway, I’m going try and highlight some of this AU’s more interesting story bits in Breath of the Wild. I was inspired by my favorite webcomic, Romantically Apocalyptic, do tell this story in this format: a picture, and then a story to go with it. I’ll try to keep the others a bit shorter. I actually had to cut down a bit of this first chapter. I was worried it would be too long!
But I’ll stop rambling. :) Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think, and I’ll see you in the next entry!
21 notes
·
View notes
Tagged by @anemoiarts (Thank you :) )
Rules: Answer 30 questions, tag 20 blogs
Nicknames: Mush or Chell
Gender: NB
Sign: Pisces
Height: 5'6"
Time: 6:06 PM EST
Birthday: March 15th
Fave Bands: Franz Ferdinand and Scissor Sisters
Fave Solo Artists: Mika and David Bowie
Song Stuck in my Head: So Tied Up - Cold War Kids
Last Movie I watched: Kingsman
Last Show I watched: Mr. Robot
When did I create my blog: May of 2016
What Do I Post: A lot of garbage....mostly shitposts with a smattering of Fallout. Will always reblog anything with Hancock
Last Thing I Googled: Dorohedoro
Do I Have Any Other Blogs: @zwei-geschlecht and my nsfw blog
Do I Get Asks: Rarely, but the ones I do get are always very nice and sent by my wonderful friends <3
Instruments: I play guitar and some bass.
Why Did I Choose My URL: I know I've answered this before in other questionnaires but for the sake of posterity will answer again. I used to go by Mu5h on the GameFAQs Message boards in the early 2000's. It evolved into Mu5hroom when I frequented the Club CSI and Colbert Report boards. Since I got real heavy into Fallout I added the 'nuclear' part to it (and also because Mu5hroom was already taken here.)
Following: 563
Followed By: 293 wonderful people whom I adore
Average Hours of Sleep: 3-5. I would love to get 8 since my mental health depends on it but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What Am I Wearing: Jeans, graphic t-shirt, hoodie, converse sneakers
Dream Job: Me and my sister selling handmade crafts and art at shows
Dream Trip: Germany
Fav Food: Sushi, Mexican, and Oreo cookies (and sunflower seeds)
Fav Song: You're killing me, smalls....
Paul McCartney - Scissor Sisters
Limb From Limb - Vanity Theft
I'm Your Villain - Franz Ferdinand
The Man Who Sold The World - David Bowie
Love Today - Mika
Destruction - Joywave
Electric Love - BORNS
Sax and Violins - Talking Heads
Bremen - PigPen Theater Co.
I can go on for a long ass time, but these are the ones I got on the top of my head.
Last Book I Read: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (for the 12th time)
Top 3 Universes I’d Like to Join: Legend of Zelda, Fallout, Dune
I don't know if I have the fortitude to tag 20 people tbh, but I will tag @bluedenimdress, @alsafysh, @uglehcat, @octobaaby, @sonderingtrashcompactor, @boarix, @fiofly, @thed-ass, @sakebobomb and @slickmedici
7 notes
·
View notes