Breath of the Wild: Link and Friends

Chapter 38

   Link had to check Gerudo Town and got inside without any trouble, surprisingly. The guards barely glanced at him in his outfit. Well, as long as no one ever knew it was him, the embarrassment of having to wear these clothes was manageable. He could walk around with confidence after he found that no one had recognized him as male. Perhaps his longer hair was good in that regard. It kinda got into the way when he fought, which was why he tied it back.
   The first thing Link noticed was how lovely the square was, even though it was darker now. Unfortunately, he didn't really have time to admire it, because he needed to look for Elyza and Zalie.
   He didn't really know his way around the city but he checked as much as he could with no luck. Link decided he would ask someone.
   Link walked back towards the front gate to ask the guards. They would've seen them.
   "Excuse me, but have you seen two girls? A red haired and a black haired pair of Hylians," Link asked, making his voice higher. He inwardly cringed at himself.
   The guard eyed him. "Yes, over an hour ago, heading towards the Bazaar."
   "Thanks." Link turned away, leaving Gerudo Town behind. They had left town and hadn't gotten back. Did Link just miss them because he teleported? Did Kenton find them? They were probably back at the Bazaar.
   Link made his way back to Kara Kara Bazaar as quick as he could, wary of any potential attacks. He'd seen lizalfos camps and he'd been attacked the day before. They had been camouflaged against the sand and some had been buried in the sand.
   When he got there, Kenton and Elijah were sitting facing away from him, slumped over. That...did not seem like a good thing.
   Now worried, Link walked quickly to them and was about to ask if they had found the girls, but then he saw their faces.
   Elijah was wide-eyed and still, mouth hanging open, hands limp. Kenton was similar but rocking back and forth slightly. Neither acknowledged Link and his ridiculous clothes. It didn't even register. Link took off the mask.
  Calamity. They're gone aren't they? Link thought with dread, studying their faces. He was afraid to ask. But he needed to know.
   "Did...did you find them?" Link asked quietly.
   Elijah shook his head and whispered, "Kenton found their stuff. There was no sign of them and it had their clothes. They're—" His voice cracked. "—kidnapped. By the Yiga Clan."
   "Calamity," Link whispered. "Why?"
   "Because they've been seen traveling with you," Kenton said, voice accusing. He slammed a rock into the water. "The Yiga Clan hunts you, and it's no secret you have companions obviously."
   Link felt cold. It's my fault. It was always his fault.
   "The only question is, where did the Yiga Clan take them? Because we are going to get. Them. Back," Elijah said. He looked up, eyes hard and determined.
   Link met his eyes and nodded. "If the Yiga Clan took them, then they would probably be at their hideout. We need to find that."
   "That's means you need to ask someone who could know. And the only place would be Gerudo Town. You need to talk to their leader. Now," Elijah said. He stood.
   "They won't let you see her," Kenton said, voice a growl. "Not tonight. And that means you'd have to wait till morning. That's too long. I'm going to go look for the base myself."
   "There's no way you'd find it, Kenton. You'd get yourself killed in the desert heat, or frozen in the cold at night," Elijah said. "They can take care of themselves. They'll be fine until we can get to them."
   "You're both right. I don't think they'd let me see her, but I also don't want to wait around," Link said. "I'm going back to Gerudo Town. There's gotta be something there that can help."
   Before the other two could say anything, Link pulled out his Sheikah Slate and teleported away. He put his mask back on and marched back into town. Where could he get information?
   Probably not the shops. Too open. There was a bar that the girls had mentioned. Perhaps there? How late was it? It couldn't be much later than 9. Perhaps the he could see the chief still. Most people didn't go to sleep till 9.
   Link crossed the square over to the palace and walked up the steps. Two guards were standing there and they glared at him as he walked towards them. The guards stopped him as he tried to walk inside.
   "The chief isn't seeing anyone else today. Come back tomorrow," the guard said. She glared at him and Link backed off. So they wouldn't let him in.
   He cursed quietly to himself. Well, he wasn't going to leave town. He'd wait all night and see the chief in the morning. Link doubted he'd be able to sleep anyway. He sat down by a tree and laid back, determined to wait—given that was his only option.
                    ——Elyza POV——
   Elyza woke up, eyes still closed. She felt a cold stone floor beneath her which was odd because she definitely remembered being in a desert with only sand. A hot desert.
   She opened her eyes, sitting up. She found herself in a dark cell. Her head hurt and Elyza remembered being attacked. That symbol...the Yiga Clan. Two Yiga had attacked them. And apparently kidnapped them.
   Zalie was there and unconscious on the floor. Another woman—Gerudo—was sitting against the wall. She was awake and staring at Elyza.
   "Um...hello? Where am I?" Elyza asked.
   "The Yiga Clan hideout. Filthy thieves who stole the Thunder Helm," the Gerudo woman said. She looked to be a soldier judging by what she was wearing.
   "Oh. Who are you?"
   "My name is Barta. I'm a soldier. I was trying to scout out this hideout when I got caught," she said.
   "Um, do you by chance know how long we've been in here?" Elyza asked.
   "They threw you in here hours ago. Don't know what time. Can't tell without the sun. I've been in here a couple days," Barta said. "Who are you anyway?"
   "My name is Elyza. My cousin on the floor there is Zalie. Speaking of which," Elyza said. She reached over to shake Zalie awake.
   "Were you snooping around the valley?" Barta asked.
   Elyza shook her head. "No. We were walking back to Kara Kara Bazaar when we were attacked."
   "That's odd. Why would they kidnap you? The Yiga Clan doesn't take random travelers," Barta said.
   Zalie stirred as Elyza thought. Why had they been kidnapped? Was it because they were girls? No. The Gerudo were fierce. Gender wouldn't matter. Yiga Clan...they were after Link. They wanted to stop him from ever defeating Ganon. So...Elyza had been traveling with Link for a while. The Yiga would have spies. It wasn't difficult to discern that she'd been seen with him. She was bait, as was Zalie.
   Zalie opened her eyes and sat up. She put a hand to her head, groaning. She looked around, eyes widening. She looked at Elyza. "Where are we?"
   "The Yiga Clan hideout," Elyza replied. Elyza honestly expected that she'd have been more panicked to be kidnapped, but she wasn't surprisingly. But, she never should have left her weapon. Elyza had been defenseless. She should've known better. Link had even told them to keep their weapons on them.
   Zalie stood and walked to the bars. "It doesn't look like there's many Yiga Clan people in here." She turned. "How hard would it be to get out?"
   "The bars are solid and the guards have the keys. We're pretty stuck," Barta said.
   "We'll have to wait and see if Link can find us," Elyza said. Zalie sat back down. "Kinda wish we'd stayed in our other clothes though. It's cold."
   Zalie nodded, sticking her hand in her pocket absently. She stopped and looked at her pocket before frantically pulling her pocket out. She looked at Elyza. "The letter! It's gone! I must have dropped it!"
   "You can always rewrite it. I just hope someone finds our stuff and figured out that we've been kidnapped and by whom," Elyza said, putting her head on her knees and wrapping her arms around them. She really hated the thought of waiting to be rescued. She could get out on her own, couldn't she? I'm no damsel in distress. I'm not helpless. Right?
   They fell silent. Elyza watched the outside of the cell. There was an odd amount of bananas sitting out, strangely enough. The light was dim over by the cell and patrolling guards carried torches. Those Yiga didn't look like the others she had seen. They were much bigger for one, and carried a large hairy sheath. The walls were cut stone and straight ahead was a passage that turned because she couldn't see very far. Elyza could only guess where the exit was. They were probably deep in the base—it made the most sense for prisoners.
   Elyza didn't know how long she sat there, eyes closed. It must have been morning or at least daytime when she heard footsteps outside the cage. She opened her eyes and found two of those Yiga guards standing there. She tensed. If they opened the gate, she was bolting. She would find Link and come back for Zalie unless she did the same. Link might not be able to find them otherwise. And that was assuming she could escape anyway.
   Elyza met Zalie's eyes. Zalie gave a slight nod. Go. It's fine.
   One guard unlocked it, and the other pushed it up. They watched the Gerudo guard and Elyza took their momentary distraction to run past them. Their weapons weren't drawn, and they were delayed in their reaction. Elyza didn't go right because she would definitely be caught quickly. This hallway would probably be a dead end but that didn't stop her from sprinting down it.
   She turned and dashed down some stairs the way looked block but she went right up to it expecting to run into a wall but it moved. It was a banner. Elyza pushed through it.
   An alarm sounded behind her but she dashed through a large room which she only caught a glimpse of because she saw a hallway that led out into the sun. Elyza ran through it but stopped abruptly as a poof of smoke appeared in front of her and a Yiga scout appeared, holding a bow.
   Elyza didn't wait for them to draw their weapon as more scouts appeared, some holding bows now. She dashed past. She only barely registered that she didn't have any idea where she was. Elyza just jumped off short ledges and rolled to brace herself before getting back on her feet. Arrows followed her and she had to continually dodge and pray she didn't get hit.
   She frantically looked around as she ran. Was there anywhere to hide?
    Elyza slipped in the sand, and started to roll down the hill. Once she managed to stop, she glanced back. A few scouts were coming down, teleporting at certain intervals. Elyza scrambled to her feet and starting running again. She'd deal with her location once she was safely hidden. It didn't seem like they were persistently chasing her, oddly enough. It's like they were letting her get away. After all, they had more than one prisoner. It made her feel extra guilty for leaving Zalie.
   It seemed like this place was a long valley judging by how long she ran before it leveled out and opened up for the most part. She passed by some pillars of rock and banners before finally slowing down. The Yiga Clan has stopped chasing her, but she had left Zalie behind.
   It was hot and Elyza couldn't see far into the desert. A sandstorm obstructed her view. But she had to get back to Gerudo Town, or Kara Kara Bazaar and find Link. That meant getting through the storm. Or at the least, finding shelter from the sun and the storm. Her clothes were light and helped with the heat somewhat and the mask for her face could help with all the flying sand, but she had no supplies, or weapons.
   Elyza walked the the valley walls for shade and sat down to get out of the noonday sun. Ok. So I'm basically going to die if I wander out into that desert. It's crawling with monsters, and I won't be able to see well. It's suicide without proper resources, Elyza thought. Great. Well, she wasn't going to sit here and wait. She didn't have a plan but she was determined to make it through. She stood.
   And with luck, Elyza would run into Link.
                  ——back to Link——
   As soon as he was able, Link went into the palace to see the chief. The guards had let him through once she was in there.
   As Link walked towards the throne like chair in the center of the chamber, he noted that the chief appeared to be very young. She couldn't have been much older than 12. (Srsly how old is she?)
   "Yet another traveler...how did you get in here?" the young chief asked. "It seems you have something rather interesting there..." She wore a large ornate headdress and the traditional Gerudo clothing only fancier and a skirt instead trousers. Her face was heavy with make up like all Gerudo, and her hair was dark red and long—very long. Next to her was a tall, threatening, Gerudo warrior who was holding a large, ornate claymore.
   "You stand before Lady Riju, chief of the Gerudo! Declare you business but come no closer!" the Gerudo warrior barked—tapping her sword on the floor—as Link reached the stairs that led up to the throne. He stopped.
   "Hold on Buliara...this one appears to be more than a common traveler," Lady Riju said, sitting up. "You there—what is your name?"
   "My name is Link," he said. He winced internally. That name wasn't exactly feminine.
   "Link...and what is it you've come all the way here to tell me, Link?" Riju asked.
   Link thought for a moment. He had to calm Vah Naboris and find his friends. Elyza and Zalie would want him to do his actual job. Besides, he could ask about the Yiga Clan later. "I can calm Naboris," Link said.
   "You think you have what it takes to subdue something so powerful as a Divine Beast?" Buliara said, clearly skeptical. "The only ones who could ever control them were Champions like Lady Urbosa. And all of the Champions died in the Calamity 100 years ago."
   "Hmm...Buliara, a memory just jumped into my head—something my mother spoke of," Riju said, leaning forward. "When the Calamity happened, the princess of Hyrule placed a fallen swordsman into a deep sleep. That swordsman, much like our new friend here, was named Link...though it always seemed more legend than fact. What of the device on this one's hip? It appears to be a precious relic of the Sheikah. I can't imagine they would give something so valuable to a simple drifter—can you?"
   Buliara narrowed her eyes at Link. "...I don't remember ever hearing of a Hylian vai among the Champions." She looked momentarily surprised, but in an angry way. She tapped her sword against the stone again. "Wait a moment...you're a voe!"
   Link stepped back in surprise and tensed. Would they throw him out?
   "A voe within our walls is a great crime. But a voe who is a Champion...well, we'd never mistreat a friend of Lady Urbosa. And if you're here to help us with Naboris, then we are allies," Riju said, sitting back. "You saw it on your way to our town. Divine Beast Vah Naboris, cloaked in a massive sandstorm, hurling lightning at any who dare approach. We have to do something to stop it, but we have yet to find any way to appease the Divine Beast on our own. If you truly are a Champion, perhaps you will be able to enter Naboris and calm its anger."
   "Lady Riju! I don't see how you can trust a complete stranger with something as important as this task," Buliara protested. She reminded Link of Muzu. "Perhaps if this person were first to prove his worth by recovering your stolen Thunder Helm..."
   Lady Riju rested head head on her fist. "Ah, yes...an interesting suggestion. You see, there is only one thing in all of Hyrule that can withstand the lightning from Naboris. The Thunder Helm, a family heirloom and relic of the Gerudo. But as Buliara says, it was stolen from us."
   "You needn't worry, Lady Riju. If he truly is a Champion, this should be an easy task for him," Buliara said. "Our soldiers can tell you all you need to know about the thieves you stole Lady Riju's heirloom." She pointed off to the side of the room. "Head through this arch. It will lead you to the barracks. Then, seek out Captain Teake, and ask for a full report."
   Riju leaned forward. "Without my heirloom, you'll never be able to approach Naboris. Heh, you know...I take heart in having such a rare visitor as yourself. Lady Urbosa must be looking out for us." She waved for Link to go.
   Link bowed in thanks and went as they directed. These guards would probably know something of the Yiga Clan as well.  
   The barracks held a bunch of training soldiers with a woman standing and watching over them, hands on hips. She looked in charge. Link walked down the steps and went over to her.
   "What are you doing in here?! This is the barracks for the chief's guards, not a place for tourists to gather," the woman barked at Link. "We're on high alert after the recent theft so you should clear out."
   "Sorry, but Buliara sent me. I'm to help you get the heirloom back," Link explained. "I'm to ask for a full report on the stolen heirloom."
   "What? Buliara sent you? My apologies! I'm the officer In charge of the soldiers, Captain Teake," the soldier said. "The chief's heirloom was stolen by thieves belonging to the Yiga Clan the other day, so everyone is on edge..."
   Link felt shock shoot through him. This might work out in his favor.
   "We've determined that the Yiga's hideout is in Karusa Valley, but...the soldiers are all exhausted, so I was just thinking about requesting some extra help..." Captain Teake said. Karusa Valley. That would be where Elyza and Zalie were! "Hey, everyone! Listen up! This Hylian vai has agreed to help us so offer her any information you can!" She turned back to Link. "Consider yourself a part of our unit! If you have any questions, my troops will be happy to help."
   Link thanked her and went to talk to the soldiers and hear their conversations.
   "Hey, I haven't seen Barta. Where's she gone off to?" one guard asked.
   "She said she was going to scout the thieves' hideout but then she left before we could say anything," another replied. "Now that I think on it, she's been gone for  two days. I wonder what happened to her..."
   "You—are you serious?!" the other guard—Liana (I know Link doesn't know their names I'm just getting confused writing it) exclaimed. "Why did you let her go by herself?! And why did you wait two days to report this?!"
   "I'm—I apologize...she said she just wanted to check it out and would be careful so I thought..." Leena said, looking down.
   Liana groaned. "As if we weren't busy enough searching for the chief's heirloom, no we have to find Barta too...if the captain hears about this fiasco, she'll punish us for sure! Probably 100 laps around Gerudo Desert...again."
   "Oh...oh, no. What should we do?" Kotta asked.
   "I'm thinking about it!" Liana hissed. The guards fell silent.
   Link went around the the guards there, asking about the Yiga Clan. He found out that Karusa Valley was to the north so that was something. Unfortunately, Link desperately needed the tower for the desert. He wouldn't be able to find that valley without a map.
   Link left the barracks and found secluded place to teleport away. He needed that tower now. The girls would have to wait a little longer.