Before Sky - A BOTW Fanfiction

“Please, don’t do it,” Bryar begged.

“Bryar. You know I have to,” I said.

“Lily-” he started, but I shook my head, pulling out my sword.

“You have Kailani. I have nothing. The only thing that kept me going is vengeance. And now, I finally have it.”

“Lily!” he shouted. I turned away, pretending not to hear him. He had a purpose; I could see it already. He was going to be Guardian of the Sand. 

I was just some lowly girl destined to lead an evil clan. Nobody needed me.

But my people…

I shook my head again. Lily Kogha, do NOT let yourself get distracted. All you have to do–all you have to do is kill Urbosa or die trying.

“Lily, no!” Bryar yelled, as I ran into the cloud of lightning with my sword raised.

Six Months Earlier

It’s harder than anyone thinks to be the daughter of evil itself. The daughter of…um…the leader of a clan of banana crazed freaks.

I’ve heard of real evil before. Ghirahim. Ganondorf. Demise. Astor. They’re real evil. My father, well…not so much. He only cares about himself, and like I mentioned before, bananas.

If Sooga and I weren’t there, Father would have been killed by Link.

That would’ve been bad. Imagine me, a seven-year-old girl, Lily Kogha, leader of the Yiga Clan. Nope. I’ve got bigger goals in life.

One, kill Urbosa. She got the best of me when I was little—but now I’m grown up. I know more techniques. I can best her now. If only the Gerudo would let me close enough to town to kill her…

Two, and this is kinda a small one, my father recently recruited a boy named Bryar that I’d love to train myself. Maybe if he’s good enough, being a Malice Speaker, one day we can fight together.

Three, kill the Gerudo. I know, I know, a whole race? Yes. They’d killed many of my kind before and deserved to have a taste of their own medicine.

And lastly, I have to kill Impa, Purah, or one of the Sheikah. Again. Revenge. I’ll never stop seeking it. Never.

Father didn’t train me well enough, and he stopped to do ‘business’ when I was six, so I started to train myself to reach these goals. 

Two years later was when I spotted Bryar. I snuck over to him, attacked him, and beat him. When I stood over him with the edge of my sword pressed against his neck, that was the best moment of my life.

“Who’re you? And what are you doing here?” I snarled as menacingly as I could. He looked a year or two older than me. 

He held up his palms and chuckled. “Scouting the area. Also, Lily Kogha, I know you’re the correct person to talk to about this. Can I join your clan?”

“You didn’t answer my first question,” I hissed, pressing the sword harder, pretending not to be astonished that he knew my name. “I can slit your throat at any second, Sheikah boy. You better get out of here in five seconds, or I’ll kill your whole village.”

“I’m not Sheikah!” he protested.

“Liar!” I yelled. “Fine, then, if you insist, Sooga and I will take you back to Fath–er, the Master. Sooga, you here?”

My father’s bodyguard appeared next to me and squinted closely at the boy. “Sheikah, I presume?”

“Yep, but for some reason he won’t admit it,” I said.

“I told you, I’m not!” he yelled.

“Yeah, right,” I scoffed.

“What’s your name, boy?” Sooga leaned in closer, and I took the sword off of the boy’s neck.

“Bryar. Kakariko Village,” he sighed.

“See!?” I yelped.

“No, I just live there. But since I’m half Yiga, I’ve come to join you.”

“Join us–?”

“Lily, I’ll take him back. You see if you can spy on Gerudo Town,” Sooga said.

“Fine, but there’s no way I’m getting close, and you know it,” I told him.

Sooga sighed and took Bryar’s hand. Together they disappeared. I rolled my eyes. Another impossible mission just because I was young and a girl.

But I didn’t worry. Soon, I would get my chance. Soon, they would recognize my true potential.

Four Hours Later

“Lily!” One of Father’s bodyguards ran up to me. “The Master wants to see you about that boy. He…he’s much more powerful than anyone thinks.”

“Ugh, fine,” I said, pushing past him and through the halls of our hideout to Father’s hidden hole. I picked up one of the gliders near the hole and soon, I was down and saw Sooga, the boy…and my father.

“My precious banana!” Father exclaimed, embracing me. I rolled my eyes and pushed him away. Bryar snickered, but I shot him a glare, which shut him up.

“So? What’s so important I have to come down here?” I asked.

“This boy is a Malice Speaker! One of the first in centuries! Oh, how lucky are we! He can help us revive the Calamity!” Father exclaimed.

My father’s impossible mission. Reviving the Calamity. Like it would help anyone one bit. Plus, it would just mess up my life goals.

“Still, Father?” I shook my head, then returned my attention to the boy. “What even is his name again, the little Sheikah scum?”

“Bryar.” Sooga turned to him as well.

I looked at him. He looked pretty strong. I could still beat him in battle, though. It would be fun to try and train him.

“Father?” I flicked my black hair back in my cute way, the way I always used on Father to get things I wanted. “Since Bryar will be…joining us…do you think I could train him? I have nothing else to do all day, and it would be so cool to learn how his power works! Please?”

“I suppose that would be okay…” Father said, narrowing his eyes. “I mean, what if we get attacked by Urbosa? Or LINK!?” 

“Father. Really. We beat Link once; we can do it again. Urbosa is no problem. Plus, all the Champions are pretty much busy at the moment.”

“Oh. Well, then, my sweet girl, why don’t you start? Show Bryar the secret airway.”

I narrowed my eyes at Bryar. “Come on. Oh, and, just warning you, I won’t go easy on you. And this isn’t fake, padded weapons either. This is real.”

Bryar grinned charmingly. “Oh, I don’t care. I like it that way. Bring it on!”

“You bet I will.”

Four Months Later

“Good,” I advised Bryar. “Make sure you’re dodging my attacks. Oh, and infest your weapon with Malice. Don’t be afraid to hurt me.”

“Okay,” Bryar said, grinning.

After our training session and a quick water break, Father sent me and Bryar out to explore and spy—again. I hated how Father made us do that, as I already knew the whole desert by heart. I could guide Bryar past the moldugas and past enemy camps. 

But he’d never seen Gerudo Tower, since it was such a climb if you weren’t experienced in gliding. And now that he could glide anywhere, it was easier. I could finally show him the beauties of Hyrule! And he could finally help me prank Beedle at the Bazaar.

 Most Yigas that go out of the hideout are in danger of getting discovered, captured, and maybe even killed. But I’m allowed everywhere because I don’t wear Yiga outfits like everyone else, and also because everyone in the desert (except for Urbosa and some of the Gerudo guards, which is why I’m not allowed in the town) knows me as just Lily. I’d never mentioned my last name to any outsiders.

Anyway, as we ventured to the tower, you could spot its mesmerizing blue glow. Link was so lucky that he could easily access something like this, which was one of the reasons why I envied and hated all the Champions. Life was so easy for them. They just were handed stuff because they got lucky during the Calamity. Me? I have to work even for my own Father’s respect. He still treats me like a five-year-old girl.

“Whoa,” Bryar breathed as we were up top. “I can see the castle! And all of Hebra! I can even see-I can even see my village!” 

His voice was so full of longing, it almost broke my heart. I’d grown to like Bryar and his company.

“We can take you to visit someday,” I said, nudging him.

“No. I can never go back. I wouldn’t be able to face my family. Or Kailani-” his voice finally broke, and I could see his eyes were full of tears.

“Whoa, wait, calm down! I didn't expect you to get this emotional!” I exclaimed. “And who’s Kailani? Talking about her could help.”

“Yeah, okay. Kailani—she was my best childhood friend. She was always there for me, and she would defend me when we got in trouble. She’d take all the blame and punishment, despite her awful parents.

“One day, she was called by the Rito Champion, Revali, to be his apprentice, because of her exceptional archery skills. She left me. Left all of us. I don’t blame her, mostly everyone in our village is horrible. But the last time I saw her was two whole years ago. She rarely visits me,” Bryar sighed.

“Champions are the worst,” I said.

“Yeah,” Bryar agreed. “I call Revali Ravioli because of…well, he doesn’t deserve Kailani. Nobody except me does.”

“Agreed. Sounds like you two were the perfect match before Ravioli murdered the opportunity.”

“Yeah. Maybe one day, I’ll see her again.”

“Hey!” I jumped up. “I have the perfect idea! Let’s kill Urbosa!”

“What?”

“She’s close, plus, she nearly killed me when I was five. Then, we’ll have revenge on the Champions!”

“But…well…I don’t know,” Bryar sighed.

“Coward,” I teased.

“Ugh, okay, fine. But this was NOT my idea, if your father asks.” Bryar stood up, picking up his glider.

“Oh, there’s nothing Father can do to stop me,” I said. “Nobody can now.”

Two Months Later

Why would she do that?

The question I’d been asking myself since Lily’s death. I knew nobody in Hyrule could answer that. But still, that wasn’t like the cheerful, ambitious Lily I thought I knew. She wasn’t determined to kill people. 

And she wasn’t vengeful. She wouldn’t put herself in danger just to kill a Champion.

And now that she had done that, I had no one.

Walking sulkily around the hideout, I thought I heard something, but I shook it off. It probably was my anxiety after Lily’s death.

I eventually came to the giant hole–the deserted one. I was one of the few dedicated Yiga left that didn’t think this hideout was cursed. Lily’s death was her own fault, not a curse like that.

Just then, I heard something. Again. It was the third time today. I couldn’t be imagining it.

I quickly hid. A few seconds later, there were footsteps. And the people I hated the most.

Champions like Lily’s killer.

Link and Mipha.

Mipha wasn’t so bad, she was one of the nicer ones. But Link…I couldn’t handle him. In battle, possibly, but emotionally…no.

Just then, another person came into view.

No way!

Could it be…?

It was Kailani.

They stared down into the pit. I grinned. Maybe then, I could surprise them. Play with them for a while…although it hurt me to have to betray Kailani again.

Do it for Lily.

“So the rumors…” Mipha said.

“Are true,” I said, showing myself for a second, then ducking back into my hiding spot.

Link whirled around, sword out. Kailani clutched her bow, an arrow equipped. Mipha’s trident was already out and ready.

The only thing that they saw was a toad.

I creeped over and tapped Kailani’s shoulder. Mipha gasped.

Kailani turned to face me.

“Are you…a Gerudo?” Kailani whispered. 

“Hi, Kailani,” I said, grinning my lopsided grin. She sprinted over and threw her arms around my neck.

Finally! The one moment I’ve always wanted…

And yet…

I still have yet to actually betray her. 

This feels wrong, but…I have to do it. For not only Lily, but my whole clan. 

Long live the Yiga Clan!