#lozmote

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

Character Spotlight: Ganon

Full Name: Unknown (Goes by Ganon)

Age: Unknown (Several centuries)

Height: Mutable (Usually 20′)

Known as the Blue Beast by the people of Lanayru, little was known of this beast’s origin or intentions for centuries. It was not until Zelda was rescued by him that he began to come out of his shell and interact with the people further down the mountain. Not only is he immensely strong, he also has a knack for magic, notably able to change his size and shape at will... so long as his general likeness remains intact.

His bestial appearance betrays his polite, gentle, and hesitant nature, though it seems there is a secret about him that he prefers hidden. Regardless, he remains patient and answers as many questions as he can bear, and is willing to help others in any way they need. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he seems to relish company where he can get it, but due to his appearance, the friends he has are few and far-between.

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

Character Spotlight: Princess Zelda

Full name: Zelda Selendin Lanayru

Age: 23

Height: 5′8″

Zelda has lived in the fairly isolated capital city of Lanayru for her whole life. Surrounded on all sides by mountains and subjected to intensely cold winters, she’s become quite resilient to the world around her, though some note that this resilience is rather extraordinary, even given her magic prowess.

With her father’s passing in her youth, Zelda has lived under constant protection, out of fear that the royal bloodline will die if something were to happen to her. But a tugging feeling in her heart draws her southward, into the greater wilds of Hyrule. She knows not what is beckoning her beyond her native mountains, but she seeks to prove her worthiness to venture out there... at any cost.

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

The world map of MotE!

At its center is the titular Maw of the Earth, a massive cavern situated at the center of a barren plain. From this crevasse comes monsters and creatures of all sorts, all hellbent on destroying the people who call Hyrule home.

Efforts to quell the Maw have failed, so the people of Hyrule have been forced to flee to the continent’s edges, constructing borders and walls to keep the monstrosities out.

The true source of these monsters is unknown, though ancient legends tell of a demonic tyrant guiding them into battle in a bygone age...

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

a mini comic I did while streaming with friends~

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

Maw of the Earth: Prologue Part 1

Opening the great mahogany door to Impa’s office, Princess Zelda of Lanayru felt a hitch in her breath. 

She knew she was asking for something absurd, something dangerous… but she remembered that tugging feeling in her brain, the one that compelled her to leave her native mountains and to adventure southward. What lied in waiting there was a mystery to her, but this feeling of separation from something, perhaps someone… it had haunted her for years. 

“Regent Impa?” She asked quietly. The regent, an older Sheikah woman, was busy at her desk, and looked towards the young woman with her characteristic chilly demeanor. She took over the position as leader of her people when her father died ten years prior, and was not a woman to be trifled with. Still, Zelda had been one of the few people Impa had trusted, and she trusted her as well.

“What is it, Princess?” she said, laying down her quill.

“I… have a request of you, Regent…” She stepped further into the room, which was lit by a warm fireplace which proved a welcome remedy to the bitter cold outside. 

“Sit and state it, then,” the regent said as she herself transitioned from her desk chair to a floor seat. Zelda obeyed, fidgeting with her gloves as she practiced how to phrase her request.

“In two days I will be 23 years old… the same age as many men in this kingdom are when they go off on adventures beyond our borders… I wish to do the same.”

Impa sighed. “You have made this desire clear before, Princess, but you are not ready for such an undertaking.”

The princess paused, taking in a weary breath. “With all of my respect, Impa, when will the time come when I am ready?”

“When you have mastered combat-”

“I have been training under you for years, Impa,” Zelda interjected. “If I can’t hold my own, then why would you train me?”

Impa paused, pursing her lips, before continuing, “... That, and when you learn to accept help from others.”

Zelda balked. “I am doing that at this moment, Regent.”

“Perhaps, but you seem intent on adventuring alone, are you not?”

“I can travel alone. I don’t need to be babysat!”

The regent sighed, adjusting her sleeves. “I should hope not, but this is not babysitting, it is cooperation. Those men who do go on adventures do so with help from others. You have not shown me that you are capable of working with others, so I have little faith that you could work alone…”

“I’ll prove to you that I can do it,” she blurts. Her face was growing hot… she felt like a child being talked-down to by a domineering parent, not a functional adult. “I’ll… I’ll slay the blue beast.”

She knew what she said was foolish… the blue beast was an unknown and enigmatic creature, thought to bring certain death to all who encounter it. Larger than ten men, and capable of becoming even larger and more powerful via some sort of magic, it’s unknown when and how the creature first appeared, but it has lurked near the kingdom up on Mt. Lanayru for centuries.

For once, Impa’s stoic face changed to disbelief. “Do not be foolish, Princess,” she hissed. “All that will do is bring you to the same end as your father.”

“If it does, then I am content to die the same way he did… fighting.” She sighed. “But if I return… then I cannot be shackled here any more.”

With that, the princess stood and left, slamming the door on her way out. Her whole body shook with anger and frustration, but as she returned to her own area of the castle those shakes turned to heaves as she began to sob. She hurried across the elevated pathway, rushing to get out of the cold. Her tears grew bitterly cold against her face with the chill outside, which stung and blurred her vision. 

Slamming the door once more to her room, she looked at her bow and quiver, neatly hung up on the wall near her bed. It was nearly dusk outside, which should mean that the night would obscure her movement…

As quietly as possible, she prepared for the coldest climb of her life.

…

Zelda snuck off, quietly and with as little movement and tracks as possible. If she moved fast enough, her footprints in the snow might be indistinguishable from those of the local fauna, she thought. 

Mt. Lanayru was virtually untouched by mortals, spearing into the sky as a beacon for travelers to her kingdom. It also got inhumanly cold during the winter months, and took many lives… including her father’s. 

Well, either the cold took her father's life… or it was the blue beast who slew him. Some see the blue beast as a mere apparition, as it seems to merely watch from a distance, and never approach. Those who attempt to investigate it- like her father, the King of Lanayru- never return…

The snow got deeper and deeper, reaching the lip of Zelda’s boots and starting to seep through her winter pants and to her skin. She was already tired after just a half hour of climbing, but she knew she had to continue… though she wished there was another way to prove her worth. 

It grew harder and harder to breathe as she ascended, each breath colder and drier than the last. Paradoxically, she felt quite hot on her skin, as if it were mid-summer. 

She kept moving… until…

The cold was getting the better of her. She collapsed into the frigid snow, her legs too weary to carry on and her breaths hampered by piercing cold air.

The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the starry sky between snow-covered trees…

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

Maw of the Earth: Prologue Part 6

Zelda promptly ushered Ganon into her area of the castle, where he deftly squeezed through the door and stood still for a moment, looking rather out of place. He was stooped quite a bit, his head nearly touching the ceiling. His eyes flitted about the room nervously, taking in all the detail and ornamentation.

“I, ah…” he mumbled. “This is… a lot…”

Zelda took off some of her gear, facing away from him. Her fists balled up in frustration. 

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have… I forced this on you.”

“N-No, Your Highness, I’m not upset...” he approached gingerly, acutely aware of how much space he took up. “I-I… it’s just… I placed you into a difficult situation…”

“As did I,” she replied. “I can tell you don’t want to be here.”

“I don’t want to be somewhere where I frighten people…” he looked about the room. “It’s just you and me in here… which is fine. Please, Princess, do not be upset.”

She sat on her bed, resting her head in her hands. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me… I keep making such rash decisions…”

“It is… a natural part of becoming a self-sufficient person,” Ganon replied, carefully drawing closer and taking a seat on the floor. “They will creep up on you, and in the heat of the moment, you will say or do something you will regret, because you don’t know better. Then… either you are paralyzed by the repercussions of that decision... or you move forward in spite of it. That is what I have learned, anyway.”

She simply nodded in response, lowering her hands. 

“So, then…” he looked at her firmly. “I will leave this up to you, and give you time to decide… how do you wish to move forward?”

She took a breath, her shoulders heaving wearily as the stiffness in her back made itself known once more. “I… in truth, I never wanted to return in the first place. I feel… drawn beyond Lanayru’s borders. I hoped that… well, I wished to slay you to prove myself capable of venturing out there, but those plans changed… I hoped bringing you here would be proof that I could survive out there.”

Ganon simply nodded. “Then, perhaps you needn’t fret too much about my comfort… but rather, you should be more concerned with planning for such travels.”

“Impa said I couldn’t go out there alone, though…”

“I agree. I don’t think it wise, especially with your status.”

“That’s the same thing she said…” she sighed. “But I know that I’ll be coddled by anyone who traveled with me… I wouldn’t be able to do anything if I went out there. I want to just… be a normal individual in cities. Nobody recognizing me, no fanfare, nothing. But bringing someone along from Lanayru will immediately render that impossible; I’m certain of it.”

He glanced around the room as he thought on his reply. “If… If you wish, Princess… I could accompany you.”

She looked at him fretfully. “You would be willing to?”

“I would… and I would be perfectly willing to travel with you simply… no fanfare. Promise.” he sighed, scratching his chin. “I know how it feels to… have all eyes on you. I knew before I became this. It… isn’t fun.”

She smiled sadly. “I would love to have you accompany me. Only issue is convincing Impa…”

“I do have a question about that; if you are the Princess… with all due respect, shouldn’t she be answering to you?”

“She is the Regent; Functionally she acts as a monarch. I’m more of an accessory… though if she were to pass, that would make me queen.”

His brow furrowed. “Am I wrong to assume you have little in the way of autonomy here, then?”

“No, you’re not.” she tucked her knees against her chest. “I’m still treated like a child, despite having grown past that point years ago.”

“I’m certain your people have reasons for wanting to protect you, but… I am sure it wears on you. In that sense… I think it is natural for you to seek adventure.”

Zelda didn’t know if it was wise for her to tell him her desire to explore was more than simple wanderlust… She didn’t know if he would understand the nagging feeling that pulled her southward in the capacity that she did.

“I… would love to have you along, Ganon,” she replied simply.

He beamed, his sharp-fanged maw grinning happily. “I’d love to stretch my legs. I simply hope that I don’t limit you.”

She smiled back. “You won’t… now, about where you’ll stay in the meantime…”

“Does this castle have a loading dock? Stables, perhaps?”

“Ganon, you aren’t an animal.”

“I know, but I’m as big as one. I can grow smaller…” he demonstrated by shrinking down quite a bit, down to the size of a lapdog. “It isn’t comfortable, though. Quite like holding in a sneeze…” with that, he snapped back to his true size, careful to not hit anything on his way up.

She giggled. “That’s good to know… also rather adorable. But I’d rather you be comfortable… which I suppose necessitates a larger space, like you said…”

“So long as I am non-intrusive, I am comfortable with anything, Princess.”

She paused. “You… you know you may call me Zelda, yes?”

He nodded. “I was showing you respect… but if you wish, I will call you Zelda.”

“I much prefer it,” she answered. “I suppose there may be space by the loading docks… let’s go and find out.”

With that, she stood, moving to the door on the other side of the room. Ganon dutifully followed, keeping an eye on his surroundings as they wove through the castle corridors.

Soon, the pair came to a hallway lined with royal paintings- portraits of kings and queens, ancient and recent, lined their path.

Ganon, glancing at each of one, did a double-take at one in particular, stopping in his tracks. Zelda noticed him stop and hurried over to see what was wrong. His brow was furrowed and his mouth agape.

“Who… who is this?” he asked wearily, a shaky claw pointing at the painting.

Zelda looked at the painting, which depicted an ancestor of hers, seated with several officials from other countries. At her ancestor’s side was a Gerudo king, clad in the customary gold and jewels and shaking her ancestor’s hand. 

“That’s King Mauricio, my… grandfather with many greats,” she replied. “I think the man next to him is…”

“Me,” Ganon replied quietly, a quaver in his breath. “That… that is me.”

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

Maw of the Earth: Prologue Part 2

Zelda’s senses soon returned to her, and she was greeted with… warmth. 

Her eyes eased open… before her was a small fire, though her vision wasn’t yet clear enough to make out much of anything else. She could smell something cooking over it, as well as the burning wood and the slightest whiff of damp cloth. The fire crackled gently, and she heard…

A voice, deep and resonant, humming a traditional tune of her people. 

She attempted to sit up, but her arms refused, leaving her lying there. Whoever had rescued her had stripped her down to her underdress and stockings, though she caught a blurry glimpse of her winter gear drying by the fire, alongside her other equipment. She felt a dense fur blanket in their place instead, shielding her in further warmth. She was warm, but not comfortable, as her body ached and stung, especially as she tried to move. 

The voice stopped humming at her movement. “Ah, you’re awake,” he said calmly. 

She was still unable to see the source of the voice, but a massive clawed hand entered her vision, poised gently. She flinched, and winced at the sudden movement.

“Do you wish to sit up?” The voice asked. “I can help you.”

She used what strength she had to nod, still flinching as the bestial hand drew closer. It was quite gentle, however, carefully sitting her up against the wall of… it seemed to be some sort of cabin.

Her eyes watched the hand retreat, following it to…

“The blue beast,” she whispered, her eyes growing wide as she took him all in: a massive body of dull blue fur, great tusks, shocks of flaming hair punctuating his body, great cloven hooves, sharp teeth… he retracted his clawed hand slowly, pursing his snouted lips. 

“It’s alright, I won’t… I will not hurt you…” he said quietly, lowering his towering body towards her. She winced, feeling his warm breath through his snout on her. She saw a long, whiplike tail scoot something toward her feet… a small bowl of soup. “Here… you should eat. It has been quite some time since I found you, and it will help you warm up.”

She looked at the bowl, then back at the creature. “You… you took my father’s life…” she whispered, with as much venom as she could muster before looking away. 

The creature recoiled, leaning back. “You… you’re the princess…”

“I am here to avenge him, yes… what have you done to me?”

“I-I did nothing,” the creature answered, his voice more firm than before, “and I did not kill your father. In fact, I prevented you from receiving the same fate as him.”

She paused, still glowering at him. “What do you mean?”

“He… I found him and his group… frozen to death.” The beast huffed, his menacing yellow eyes showing a hint of melancholy. “I wish I had found them before… Now I am far more vigilant when observing travelers up the mountain. I do not wish for them to encounter the same fate.”

She studied the creature… she was not yet ready to accept that her father merely froze to death, but the beast seemed to be telling the truth. 

“Please… you should eat,” the beast said, picking up the bowl. She mustered up enough strength to take it from his massive claw this time, watching him warily. He stepped back once more. 

“I am certain I am not… easy to trust,” he said, “but I am telling the truth. I mean you no harm.”

Ruminating on his words, she pondered her options. In her state, attempting to fight the creature would be suicide, and she was not properly dressed to flee from his capture. On the other hand… he had made no threat to her life yet, and he seemed to welcome her in, being as hospitable as a monstrosity could be. Perhaps it was in her own best interest to… play along. 

Cautiously, she took a sip of the soup, wincing at first at the temperature, but relishing the warm liquid as it fell to her stomach. Once it cooled, she was awed by how delicious it was. 

“Is it alright? Too hot?” The creature asked. 

She looked down at the bowl. “No, it’s… it’s delicious. Thank you.”

A fanged smile crossed his lips before he sat across from her on the other side of the fire, the flames casting his shadow across the ceiling and further heightening his looming presence. He took a ladleful of his own from the stewpot atop the fire, ladling it into a comparatively tiny bowl. 

“You may have as much as you wish, Princess,” he said, taking his own sip and finishing the bowl in a matter of seconds. Zelda huffed quietly, her attitude towards the creature turning from terror to… comfort. Amusement, even. 

“I-I do not wish to take too much. I am sure you want far more than me.”

“Mmh, I did. I had most of it already. This was my last bowl, but the rest is yours,” he said, smiling again and patting his large, round belly. “I believe there is enough here to feed two grown humans, still.”

She laughed, before flinching at the pain it caused. The creature’s face immediately fell to one of concern.

“Are you alright?”

She now realized how difficult it was to breathe, as if her lungs had shrunk. She coughed, looking at the creature. “I think I am just sore...” she murmured.

He sighed. “I suppose I should not be so fretful… you have just woken up, after all. Still, do let me know if it worsens.”

She peered back at it. “Do you have a name? Other than… other than the Blue Beast?”

He pondered that question for a moment. “A name, hm?… You… You may call me Ganon, for… nothing else seems to fit. So, Ganon will do.”

“Thank you, Ganon,” she said quietly. “Thank you for saving me…”

He smiled, a bit wearily this time. “I did what I could…”

For a moment they simply sat in silence, but this was cut short by the sound of drums faintly echoing from further down the mountain. Zelda recognized them as the traditional drums that started the new year’s eve celebrations… which meant she was missing those. 

Ganon also perked up at the sound of the drums. “Hmm… seems the new year is coming already.”

She simply nodded and continued eating. He glanced down at her. 

“You don’t object to them celebrating without their princess?” He asked. 

“I… was never of any importance to the festivities…” she said quietly. 

He huffed. “As I recall, there is a dance the young women of the kingdom partake in… even this doesn’t involve you, or at least interest you?”

She eyed him warily. “Even if it did… I don’t think I have the strength to dance…”

“I suppose not… surely you will not object to watching the fireworks later tonight, however.” He yawned, bearing more of his sharp teeth. “If I don’t fall asleep before then, that is…”

She smiled. “I suppose.”

[loz-maw-of-the-earth]

Maw of the Earth: Prologue Part 4

Rising from her sleep at the crack of dawn, Zelda woke with a bit of a start, before remembering where she was: the cabin of the enigmatic Blue Beast, Ganon. Her soreness was nearly gone, save for a bit of stiffness in her back, and she felt remarkably refreshed despite sleeping on the floor.

Ganon was already awake, and starting on some sort of roast beast, hanging over the fire. It smelled delicious, just as his soup did the night prior. He was a better cook than it first appeared, she noted.

“Ah, good morning, Princess,” he said, adjusting the spit slightly. “Do you feel better?”

“Yes, I do,” she said, sitting up and scooting closer to the fire.

“That’s good. After we eat, I can take you back down the mountain…” he glanced at her. “If you feel ready, that is.”

She paused, ruminating a bit. For whatever reason, she almost… didn’t wish to return. She liked the solitude and quiet, but she also knew those back at the castle would be worried sick…

“I suppose…” she paused, remembering something she’d meant to say. “May I ask you a question, Ganon?”

“Of course.”

“Where… what did you do with my father and his men, once you found them?”

He nodded, taking in the question. “I… gave them as respectful of a burial as I could. If you wish, I can take you to the site once we leave. I’m sure that it doesn’t come at all close to the standards of a king’s burial, but…” he sighed. “I don’t think I would have made a good impression if I brought the bodies back…”

She pulled her knees to her chest, eyes on the fire rather than the beast. “I’m… grateful that you paid him respect. I’ll admit, I was… worried that you hadn’t…”

He huffed a bit. “I’ll… you should know I was once a man… I still am, deep down. I’m not some… mindless beast,” he replied, scratching at the scruff on his chin. “I do hope you understand that.”

Her face grew pale, realizing what she said. “I-I do now, I-I’m sorry-”

“No, it’s alright!” he interjected, holding up a calming paw. “It’s alright. I’m not offended, Princess. Please do not be afraid. I did not intend to frighten you.”

Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and she looked down at the furs she was sat upon. “You… never mentioned you were once a man…”

“I… became a beast for a good reason,” he replied sadly. “I was not a good man. I hope I am… a better beast…”

“You have been so kind to me, even though it didn’t serve you to do so… Especially considering how hostile my people have been towards you, it’s… you’ve been so generous, Ganon. Thank you.”

He smiled, a bit sadly. “I believe this is about done,” he said, changing the subject to the roasting creature. “Let’s eat.”

…

With a full stomach and refreshed spirits, Zelda began packing her things once more, preparing to leave back down the mountain. Ganon had little to prepare besides cleaning up after their meal, which prompted Zelda to wonder if she should invite him into the kingdom…

“Ganon?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you… If you wish, I can…”

“Are you asking me if I wish to follow you the whole way down the mountain?” he finished her question. “Because… I’m not sure if that’s… wise.”

“I just… I can’t help it. You’re all alone up here, and-”

“I’m content,” he replied. “I’ve learned to be content. I, truly, am fine…” he sighed, his brow furrowing. She wondered if he thought those words were true.

“Are you certain? You seem…” she wavered on the last word, “... lonely.”

A rouge crossed his snout, and he turned to her. “I’m… I’ll admit that I greatly enjoyed your company, Your Highness, but… I simply don’t think it’s a wise decision for me to… rejoin society, as it were.”

“... I can help you,” she replied, standing and taking a clawed hand. “You wouldn’t be going down there alone. I’ll keep you safe… keep protestors at bay.”

“What would we do after that?”

“I’ll find you somewhere to stay… make you comfortable.”

“I’m… not exactly easy to find room for,” he replied sheepishly. 

“It’s not your decision to worry about. I simply think you deserve far more than you have here. You deserve… people.”

He sat and pondered it for a while, subconsciously rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. “I… I suppose it’s worth a shot,” he finally replied, before realizing what he was doing and letting go of her hand, his face blushing further. “I’ll… I’ll pack my things, then, and… try to make myself look presentable.”

She smiled softly. “Don’t worry too much about how you look. Just… be how you were with me.”