Memories: A Zelink Fanfiction

SHIVERS

The Divine Beast Vah Rudania was the first the Hero had set foot upon.

Daruk controlled the beast easily with various body movements and commands. Link stood beside him as the giant mechanical lizard moved along the base of the volcano. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his arms, beneath his tunic. Everywhere. Taking the fireproof elixir has made it so he couldn't feel the effect of the heat, but his body still reacted.

"Yeah!" Daruk bellowed confidently while the beast came to a rest beneath them and released a great roar. "I think I'm finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!"

Link agreed with an easy grin, swiping the back of his hand over his forehead. He was enjoying himself. Daruk was easy to get along with and seemed to accept him and his position unlike Revali.

"I tell you what. Sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around." Daruk turned his neck sharply on his shoulders, cracking it and turned toward Link. "Let those other Champions know, they better eat their gravel if they want to keep up with Daruk!" He smiled mildly then turned and gazed into the distance. "Can you believe this view?"

Link admired the view as well. Although he preferred the trees and the grass and not sweating profusely, he supposed the volcano was also a beautiful sight in its own way.

"Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains. Mighty tasty!" His large, stony face turned serious as he looked back to Link. "I may not know a lot about this Calamity Ganon thing, but mark my words. I'll protect this land of ours to the death. Right, little guy?"

Link didn't find the nickname Daruk had given him to be offensive considering Daruk's size. One of Daruk's hands was as big as Link was. Daruk raised one of his massive hands and slapped Link a good one on the back and laughed heartily as Link stumbled forward with a gasp.

"Right," Link agreed as he straightened. He rubbed his back with his face screwed up in pain, but smiled up at Daruk.

"Hey, by the way, congrats on becoming the princess's appointed knight. That's a really big deal. Protecting the King's daughter... No pressure!" He chuckled and patted Link more gently on the back this time.

Link raised his eyebrows with a small, nervous laugh.

Yeah, no pressure, he thought. Only she doubts me and doesn't want me around.

"The princess is a strong personality- so strong she can't quite see the range for the peaks." Daruk scratched his head with one giant finger. "Remember that and you'll be fine."

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble beneath Vah Rudania and Daruk turned his attention to the volcano with knitted eyebrows while Link stabilized himself. From a rocky peak above, three colossal boulders fell and tumbled in their direction. Daruk let out a shout and threw his fists out in front of him, creating a bright orange force field around them just before the boulders crashed down upon them.

After the dust cleared, Daruk turned to face Link again. "Alright, so what was I saying?"

"What was that?" Link asked instead of answering Daruk's question. What they'd been talking about previously didn't seem to matter compared to this.

"That was a little strange... As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades. But if the mountain was shivering enough to send down a bunch of boulders that size, then-" He broke off suddenly, and although he looked away, Link could see the concern carved into his features. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."