Champions of a Fallen Age

Divine Beast Vah Rudania

Link charged through the dust cloud that blanketed Goron City with his tunic pulled up around his mouth and nose. He struggled to stay upright as stone and fire rained down from above, causing the earth to quake beneath him. All around echoed the shouts of panicked Gorons and the shattering of rock. Despite the din that bombarded him from every angle, Link could still hear the screech of Rudania somewhere above them.

Link dove to the side just in time to avoid a charging Goron. As he regained his footing he caught sight of one of the children who had fallen on his back and was rolling back and forth, unable to get up. He dashed over and quickly pulled the child to his feet. "Go!" he shouted as he gave the child a firm push on the back.

The Hylian Champion resumed his mad rush through the city, diving out of the way of Gorons and falling rocks alike.

"Yunobo!" It hadn't taken long after he and Daruk's grandson had entered Rudania's field of destruction for Link to lose track of Yunobo.

"I'm here! I'm here!"

Not for the first time, the Hylian Champion wondered why Daruk had insisted that he and Yunobo take the fast route while he took the slower one. It was nonsensical as far as he could tell. It would have been easy to send one through the cannon and then the other with a brief intermission to launch him across. Despite his misgivings, he carried on, occasionally calling to make sure that Yunobo was still close by.

"Over here!" Link found momentary respite under a ledge near the outskirts of the city.

"Where are you?"

"Here!"

Yunobo finally stumbled under the overhang, hunched over as he tried to catch his breath.

"Whadda- whadda we do?"

"We keep going," Link replied firmly. Yunobo looked like he was about at the end of his rope and they hadn't even gotten close to the Divine Beast as far as the Hylian could tell.

"We never fought that thing this close to the city!"

"And if we don't?"

"Then Goron City will"

"So, when we get out of here, I need you to have my back. Can I count on you?"

"Y-ye-"

"Like you mean it!" Link snapped. He only partially regretted losing his temper in that moment. He understood all to well the pressure that the frightened young Goron was experiencing. It had been something he had been struggling with since Rhoam's revelation, but that didn't mean he would just allow Yunobo to turn tail when the going got rough.

"Yes!"

As Link eyed the Goron, he finally understood why Daruk had snapped at him in the mines. The Goron seemed to respond much better to volume and force as opposed to understanding. Perhaps Yunobo understood that his involvement would no longer be negotiable. Daruk's grandchild steeled himself, though he still appeared scared out of his wits.

"Go!" Together the duo left the safety of their temporary shelter and sprinted up the incline.

Link thought about pulling out his shield but quickly discarded the idea. Even though the shield was nearly unbreakable, it didn't extend to him that same trait. If a boulder struck the shield, it could still crush him through sheer weight or force of impact. He'd just have to dodge the best he could and hope for the best.

"Look out!" Yunobo shouted.

Link, resorting to his basest instincts, dove forward, using his hands to cover his head. He felt a flash of heat across his back as an explosion made itself heard just behind him. He sprang to his feet, favoring his shield rather than the sledgehammer.