#ttye art

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

Onward to Gerudo Town!

A Legend of Zelda/Yu-Gi-Oh! DM crossover fic by Megaeevee

Haga peels his cheek away and lifts his head. Apart from some pink herons that fly away when they get too close, the valley is deserted. They had passed another traveller, a tall, shapely Gerudo, near the start of their journey, and that kept them going for a long time. But now, with no signs of any other soul about, Haga begins to worry that they’d somehow taken the wrong road. Nevermind that there is nowhere else they could possibly go. The sheer, redstone cliffs hem them in nicely on either side, making the valley feel almost claustrophobic. Just when Haga is beginning to panic, the horse happens across a piece of uneven terrain causing them all to rise briefly, and in that split second, Haga’s head is tilted at just the right angle to catch sight of something in the sky. He looks again - and he was right! “Smoke!” he cries. Ryuzaki lets out a triumphant yell. They’ve found the other stable, the mid point of their journey. They won’t be dying today, at least.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55881214

A fic inspired by Ten Thousand Year Elegy but with a complete galaxy brain take of its own - RYUZAKI AND HAGA IN HYRULE! (You don't need to have read TTYE to enjoy this. Just accept the premise that even on an isekai odyssey caused by exploding KaibaCorp tech, our favourite paleontology & entomology dream team have still managed to tag along and get into trouble along the way.)

This is an immensely enjoyable little one-shot that manages to flip between sweet, funny, clever and thoughtful in the space of sentences. Also PLEASE Haga and Beedle interacting is pure genius crossover magic!! Bowl cut entomologists will find each other in any universe!!!

Thank you so much for sharing this Megaeevee (& for being a longtime reader & commenter <3) I hope you'll all check it out too!!

[winkle-pickers]

Thief King Bakura, Ganondorf, and the mythology of Atem

A friend on Discord asked if there was going to be a connection made in Ten Thousand Year Elegy between Ganondorf and Thief King Bakura, namely because I very pointedly used the ‘King of Thieves’ moniker for G-dorf. (I think chapter 18 or 19 (the section just before Rito Village) is the one where he tells Yuugi & co, “In a just world there would be no need for a King of Thieves.”) Anyways, I really enjoyed responding to that question and talking about some of the over-arching thematic elements of Ten Thousand Year Elegy, so I’m gonna copy my response here too if anyone’s interested! (Buckle up for some Zelda/YGO crossover meta......)

There won't be a direct connection, no, but there's absolutely a thematic connection if you look for it (and will become more apparent over the course of the story.) I.E. Yuugi being forced to examine his own beliefs about TKB as they were filtered through the lens of Atem, who was a king and never had to face the sort of poverty that drives that kind of desperation. And that would mirror Zelda's perspective on Ganondorf shifting as well, because her whole understanding of Ganondorf and Gerudo history is based on A - history books written by the victors and B - coming from an imperial family that has had a vested interest in demonizing Gerudo for millennia.

I think it's going to get more apparent over time that Atem's absence is a core thematic element of TTYE - aka breaking down the mythology you construct around someone, the way that love and grief perpetuate those mythologies, and how to learn to love someone while in the process of examining who they actually were, especially when they're no longer around and you're just left with memories you're piecing togethere. I always saw TTYE!Ganondorf as kind of like a "second chance" for both Link&Zelda and the Yuugi-tachi, a way for all of them to move past the 'good vs evil' dichotomy that lacks any nuance, and understand all the people involved in both their stories as eminently human. It's kind of like Justice for TKB!!! brought about through a very long isekai adventure ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[torontotablaensemble]

Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble he Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble (TTYE) is an elite pre-professional training and performance troupe, ages 8-16, under the direct tutelage of tabla maestro Ritesh Das.  It is the most prestigious pre-professional youth tabla ensemble and leadership program in Canada.  Students must audition and undergo a rigorous training program in tabla technique, classical North Indian music, etiquette, history and philosophy of Indian art and culture.

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

KATSUYA JOUNOUCHI - THE WARRIOR

Another card in my tarot series for The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! Jou is a barbarian again because I'm obsessed with his Legendary Heroes barbariansona lol. I gave him pants this time though. And a big-ass axe, because he deserves it <3

The rest of the tarot cards will be going up throughout the week as I transfer my art to this account. NEXT UP: HONDA!!!

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

YUUGI MUTOU - THE SHADOW MAGE

The second card in my tarot series for The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! Yuugi is a shadow mage, with powers inspired by both the Sheikah and the Twili, and Sheikah armour to match. The rest of the tarot cards will be going up throughout the week as I transfer my art to this account. Jounouchi next!!

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

SETO KAIBA - THE SWORDSMAN

The fifth card in my tarot series for The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! I really had a great time designing his swordsman outfit. You just know that dramatic hoe would enjoy a big white cape. Does Seto Kaiba care about how hard it will be to launder a white cape while adventuring through the wilds of Hyrule? No, he does not. DRAMA. BEFORE. FUNCTION.

The last tarot card, Eri, will go up in a couple of days as I finish transferring my TTYE art to this account!

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

A drawing of Anzu from my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover, Ten Thousand Year Elegy. I originally drew this because part of her outfit became plot-important and I realized I'd never drawn a front view of it 😅 So here she is in her full healer set!

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

An illustration from The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, a Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! Yuugi is a shadow mage in this story, and the source of his magic is the Twilight Realm. (Guess who his teacher is?)

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

Light And Dark, Hand In Hand

A Legend of Zelda/Yu-Gi-Oh! DM crossover fic by outer_entity_nyarla

Words: 3,697 Chapters: 1

The woman's expression shifted, and she gave Atem a long, hard look. Reaching forward, she took his hands in hers, and he felt the callouses of a warrior. "How much do you love your friends, Atem? Your partner?" "With everything I have," Atem said immediately. He had never spoken a deeper truth. When the woman next spoke, her voice was all Atem could hear; even the wind had fallen silent. "And what are you willing to do for them?" "Anything."

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50400451

That's right - this is a Ten Thousand Year Elegy fanfiction, that brings Atem into the story! It's a fic of a fic, but my god does it ever stand on its own - all you really need to know is that the YGO DM gang got isekai'd, they're fighting a really tough miniboss battle, and Hylia decides to pull in some help straight from Aaru. If you're a fan of both Zelda and puzzleshipping, read this tout de suite, with great haste, etc. etc. 💖

It's rare to find a writer who can pivot from melancholy grief to a gorgeously-paced combat scene then straight into heartwrenching romance without blinking, while seamlessly blending two canons, in the space of a one-shot. It's even rarer that you're blessed with someone like that as a reader of your own fic to banter with in the comments section and then eventually be gifted a work like this. Thank you so very much Roz, and I hope you all take a look too! ⚔️

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

ÉLÉONORE MORIN - THE HISTORIAN

The final card in my tarot series for The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! Éléonore, or Eri for short, is an OC. She's Anzu's close friend and roommate, and a walking Zelda encyclopedia. Eri helps to fill in lore and background for the nerd herd during their adventure (so even if you don't know much about Zelda, it's still pretty easy to keep up with the fic!)

Now that the tarot cards are done, I have a few more art pieces to transfer from my old account to this one. Almost there!

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

ANZU MAZAKI - THE HEALER

This is the first card in my tarot series for The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! Anzu is the group's healer, and her design is Zora-inspired (as well as her magic) with some Sheikah influences. The rest of the tarot cards will be going up throughout the week as I transfer my art to this account - Yuugi is next <3

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

I just realized I haven't drawn Eri in actual years and I think never outside of her archer's tunic, so here she is. God's favourite fail archer, can only learn new skills by being repeatedly thrown off cliffs, has a bunch of obscure trivia stuffed in where her social skills should be, gets herself through life's stressful moments with a ritual potato incantation. Absolute raccoon of a character. 👏

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

Ten Thousand Year Elegy Masterlist

Welcome to The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, a large-scale multiverse Legend of Zelda/Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters crossover!

SUMMARY

Months after Calamity Ganon’s defeat at the hands of the Princess and the Master Sword’s chosen hero, Hyrule is approaching something resembling peace. That is, until Link and Zelda go missing following a disastrous archaeological expedition.

Meanwhile, in Domino City, Japan: a dimensional domain emulator belonging to one Kaiba Seto abruptly self-destructs, causing an explosion that catches Mutou Yuugi and his friends in the crossfire. Unexpected? Yes. Unforeseen? Maybe not.

Ten Thousand Year Elegy is a canon divergence from Tears of the Kingdom, and takes place immediately after Breath of the Wild. (Mostly TOTK-lore compliant.)

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910

READ ON FF.NET: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13996530/1/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Ten-Thousand-Year-Elegy

    STORY STATUS

March 2024: Book II nearly done! Part 3: The Darkness has been completed, and work on Part 4: The Wasteland has begun. We’re in the homestretch!

   LINKS

FAQ

A selection of questions I get asked on tumblr, discord, AO3 comments and what-have-you, in case you would like to bypass the ask box. (I welcome asks, though! I promise I don’t bite.)

TTYE Art Tag

Art for the series created by myself and others - character portraits, illustrations, spinoff fic & more. If you have any TTYE art requests please feel free to drop by my ask box!

Table of Contents

What it says on the tin. The table of contents, with links to a post, image and summary for each chapter.

Chapter Summaries

Or if you want to bypass the TOC, you can browse all of the chapter summaries from this link. You can also search by Book One: The Three Springs, or Book Two: Leviathans.

TTYE Lore Posts - Chronological

Bonus posts explaining some Legend of Zelda lore, by popular request from readers who are more familiar with YGO (or are generally interested in learning more Zelda lore.) These are very much not necessary to enjoy the story, just some extras!

    ASKS

Do you have questions or comments about the fic? Scenes from TTYE you’d like to see me draw? Want to drop in and chat about Zelda or Yu-Gi-Oh lore & meta? Want to fight me in a metaphorical Denny’s parking lot about LoZ or YGO lore & meta? I love getting asks, even if we’ve never interacted, and I welcome anons - don’t be shy!

[ten-thousand-year-elegy]

Lorepost: Chapter Seventeen, The Storming of Hyrule Castle

By popular reader request, TTYE lore posts are companion pieces for each chapter of the story breaking down all of the Legend of Zelda lore and references made in each chapter, for readers looking to learn more about LoZ or just refresh their knowledge. This chapter contains explanations for: Cryonis, Dead Hands, ReDeads, The Sun’s Song, Magnesis, Princess Zelda, and Link.

The Cryonis Rune

This is one of the specialized runes available to use with the Sheikah Slate. It can generate a strong, sturdy ice pillar from just a few inches of water. Anzu has the smart idea to use the Cryonis pillar to prop up the heavy gate that’s slammed shut in front of them - as Link is seen doing above! Here’s a gif of Cryonis in action.

The Dead Hand

Yup…there it is, in all its awful glory. This art is by Andres Rios, who does some incredible Zelda art, specializing in creepy enemies. In-game the Dead Hand’s, uh, hands are a bit more limited - they stay in place rather than popping up just anywhere - but I upped to ante just to make Kaiba, Eri and Anzu’s lives extra hard. :) Here it is in action. Even in polygon forms it’s pretty gross.

ReDead

This is the thing that screams at Kaiba and freezes him in place. ReDeads are also quite awful, with a particularly disturbing manner of attack. Also check out the link above to see Andres Rios’ take on these freaky mfers. Eri manages to halt it in its tracks with…

The Sun’s Song

This is a ridiculously powerful song that has the power to turn night into day. Perhaps fortunately for everyone else, Eri hasn’t managed to activate that particular ability yet. But it does have one other, smaller ability - freezing ReDeads in their tracks.

P.S. - Here’s the cutscene where Link first learns The Sun’s Song. Does that poem sound familiar to anyone? ;)

The Magnesis Rune

This is another very handy Sheikah Slate rune. It’s a magnetic tractor beam that works on large metal objects, so naturally Link uses it to hurl around gigantic hunks of metal at every opportunity. Anzu makes extremely clever use of it in this chapter to squash the undead!

Originally posted by triforce-princess

Princess Zelda and Link

We finally meet these two!! Hooray!!!

As you all know by this point in the fic, Link and Zelda get reincarnated over and over and are different people in nearly every Zelda game. Zelda, as the aspect of the Triforce of Wisdom, is usually quite wise and mature beyond her years. Link, as the aspect of the Triforce of Courage, tends towards stoicism and reckless bravery.

This Link and Zelda are a little different than their predecessors. Breath of the Wild’s Zelda is brilliant and an accomplished scholar - but emotionally, she can be a little bossy and unempathetic, finding it easier to relate to her books than to other people at times. She’s also gotten her first haircut in this series - so cute!

Breath of the Wild’s Link spent 100 years in stasis at the Shrine of Resurrection and woke up without his memories. This version of Link is less burdened by responsibility than his predecessors and is still brave and reckless but a bit less stoic than usual. He likes eating a lot and blowing stuff up and is prone to horrifically bad puns.

Here’s a bonus adorable gif of Zelda trying to force Link to eat a frog in the name of science. These two are precious and I’m sure even non Zelda fans will come to love them as much as I do by the end of TTYE. 😭

[winkle-pickers]

BONJOUR EVERYONE I finally finished moving all my Ten Thousand Year Elegy stuff over to its very own brand new tumblr! https://ten-thousand-year-elegy.tumblr.com/

All of my TTYE art has been taken down off this account and I will be gradually re-uploading it on the TTYE blog. I would be forever appreciative if you’d give me a follow over there and signal boost the new blog <3

(And by the way, for everyone asking - I’m almost done the next 100k word chunk, so posting should resume shortly!! GET READY FOR TTYE 2: TOTK-COMPLIANT sort of  BOOGALOO.)

YUUGI MUTOU - THE SHADOW MAGE

The second card in my tarot series for The Legend of Zelda: Ten Thousand Year Elegy, my Yu-Gi-Oh DM/Zelda BOTW crossover! Yuugi is a shadow mage, with powers inspired by both the Sheikah and the Twili, and Sheikah armour to match. The rest of the tarot cards will be going up throughout the week as I transfer my art to this account. Jounouchi next!!

READ ON AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32978329/chapters/81849910