Stroke of lightning

Chapter Two

Link quickly descended down the tower, using the little platforms adorning its side. Once on the ground he contemplated his next action. Immediately setting off to the shrines would usually be his first choice, but after climbing down he was noticing something. Not only was he weaker than before, he was also incredibly famished.

He decided he would first gather food, once that was done he'd immediately toss himself into training. Using the bokoblins as partners to relearn his old skills, he'd hopefully be able to get himself to a suitable enough level.

Departing into the forest within the great plateau, link began to forage, picking Hylian mushrooms along with Apples and herbs. He had also gotten lucky to kill a few boar (Link was quite the savage when pushed). After a very successful gathering, he had made himself a campfire.

The roaring flame captivated Link, and for a second he could have sworn he was in a room he had never seen. The image was gone in seconds, and Link was left contemplative for far longer. Though not to long as his stomach growled.

He took the food out of his sheikah slate and skewered both the mushrooms and boar on some long sticks. After having them over the fire for a minute or so Link sprinkled the herbs he had collected over them. He then let them cook over the flame, cooking the meat until it was well done. He usually liked his meat closer to  medium, but he didn't feel like timing the steaks.

Once done he let them cool while he roasted some apples for dessert. By the time the apples were nice and toasty his food was cooled enough for him to start chomping.

And chomp he did. He ate with a vigor not unlike a starving homeless person getting the chance to eat a burger for the first time in weeks. He was done within two minutes and that did include dessert.

By the time he was done with his meal, it was nearing evening. The perfect time to practice his weapon skills. Monsters were typically the most active in the afternoon to evening times. He had pulled out a two handed axe he nabbed from the old man, and set off.

All in all he was disappointed in how far his skills and reaction time fell, but it wasn't so bad he'd become bokoblin food. Still, he'd need some work. He knew he could do much better than this.

He had created himself yet another campfire once he had collected the horns and fangs of these bokoblins. He hoped he could sell these eventually. Until then he'd hoard the material like his life depended on it.

He stared into the flames again, contemplating his next move. As tempting as it was to rush these shrines and get off the plateau, he knew rushing this stage would be disastrous. He was simply not ready. Relenting with a sigh, he steeled his nerves for what was to be a grueling week or two.

After two weeks Link was confident once more. Bokoblins were not an issue. Not even close. He could deal with the red bastards with his eyes closed now. But that wasn't all he achieved. Well into his second day he had decided to begin working out. It wasn't the easiest considering he had to use nature. But still he made due. Push ups, pull ups, sit ups, and a 5km run everyday. Mix that with training his skills in combat and he was thoroughly tired once done. He was lucky it was easy to gather food in the plateau. He found eating had soothed his aches and dulled his cuts. It seemed to heal him.

After discovering this overpowered ability he abused it. Pushing his body too limits beyond safe, he would gain strength and skill far quicker than what was normal. He would be able to do an easy 100 of each workout he did and increased his runs to 2 a day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon.

Now he was ready to start tackling the shrines. He had went in an order of easiest to reach to hardest. He did the ones within the plains first. Embarrassingly on the second shrine he had froze up as the form of what he instinctively knew was called a guardian scared the living hell out of him. Seeing its laser charge nearly caused him to break down right then and there. It was only be pure survival instinct did he fling himself to the side behind some rubble.

He had begun to hyperventilate, pure panic seizing his mind and body as he clutched his chest. His body trembled, his vision blurred. He felt like he wanted to ball his eyes out as he hid behind the rubble like a little kid.

It took him 10 minutes before he was calm enough to assess his situation. He was not getting past that guardian in the conventional way. Luckily he did see walls on the other side of the shrine. He would climb those walls. There was a wall separating the guardian and shrine so he'd be safe.

Steeling himself he sprinted away from his hiding spot. He never ran so fast, jumped so high, and climbed so far. He was on the outside of the maze of hell within seconds. He quickly circled around, climbed the wall, and entered the shrine.

Once completed he set off to another. This one far, it took him the remainder of the day to reach. Once there he had quickly started a fire, sighing in relief. Picking up a metal bowl he had taken from the cookpot the old man used (he stole it while cackling. The old man wouldn't miss it for a few days hopefully) he placed it over the flame. He had cooked him up some spicy food, finding the spiciness pleasant in the cooler mountain air. He cooked extra, knowing he'd need it for the final shrine as that was even farther in the snowy mountain.

Once done cooking and eating, he had laid near the fire, using it to keep warm as he slumbered away. Once awake, he had cleared the shrine in record time, departing up the mountain to the next and last. It was a hard and treacherous journey. The cold seeped into his bones, and had it not been for the spicy food he had cooked he would've frozen long before he reached the shrine.

Once there he all but threw himself in the shrine, exhaling in relief as his body was immediately surrounded by the warm air of the shrines. He had intentionally solved this shrine slow, wanting to drag out how long he could stay in the warmth before being forced out. Even though he'd use the Sheikah slates teleportation ability to get the hell out off the mountain, he didn't want to be out in the cold one more second.

Though he had to reach the end eventually. Once he did and he collected the spirt orb (now holding 4), he was teleported back out. Immediately the cold assaulted his body. He had moved to pull out his shekiah slate when the sound of walking alerted him. It was only a second later when a blanket was thrown over his shoulders, warming him immensely. He glanced to his side, seeing the old man from before beside him. "You did good, Link. Meet me at the temple of time. Once you do i'll give you the paraglider" he said and before Link could question how he was going to get there before Link, The old man had disappeared into thin air.

Link rubbed his eyes, disbelief clear in his expression before he pulled out his shekiah slate and teleported to the shrine closest to the temple. He'd ask once he caught him. After materializing in front of the shrine he placed the blanket in his sheikah slate, then departed. It was a short walk to the temple, though it felt longer as he had to kill a few Bokoblins wandering around.

Once at the temple he noted the old man standing at the top. Then the old man seemed to...flicker? Link would assume it was a trick of the light. He began to climb the wall of the dilapidated temple, taking great care to find solid wall to grasp. Once at the top he began towards a little tower section, climbing in as he noted the old man looking over the land.

The castle loomed in the distance, and in place of the awe he felt before now only dread remained. The more he looked, the more he felt something terrible had taken place there. Something so sinister, so....personal. It threw him for a loop, and he did not like it one bit. Luckily he didn't have long to dwell as the old man addressed him.

"Link. I must congratulate you for your achievements. You have completed the four shrines I requested you complete. A task I assume wasn't easy." He started. Link nodded. The old man gave a small smile.

"That being said, i'm afraid I have one more request for you. This one however is one I cannot allow you to deny. That being said, I believe this look is no longer needed." He stated before in a flash the old mans appearance changed. No longer was he dressed in clothes reminiscent of commonfolk. He was dressed now in truly regal clothing. That wasn't all though, as now he floated above the ground, his form taking on a greenish hue.

"Let me introduce myself. I am King Rhoam, the last king of hyrule."