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Chapter Text

For the longest time, there was nothing. Perhaps a dream here or there, or maybe memories? Link wasn’t so sure anymore. The only concrete thing he could grasp amongst his dreams was a grainy yet strong silhouette of a bird-like being that held a large bow between its feathery hands. However, if he dared to get any closer, the being would always be a hair out of his reach. Link could only ever just barely see the bird’s fiery emerald stare and tight but warm smile. Never once did the bird speak, that was at least until Link had dared to venture too close.

“You know, Link, it’s been rather indulgent of you to keep us waiting so long.”

For the briefest of moments, the shadow around the bird faded away into a bright golden light to reveal glistening navy and white feathers adorned with shimmering jade jewelry and armor and a pristine sky blue scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Link knew him, and yet he didn’t, and the bird seemed to recognize this from the frown that formed on his beak and swift turn.

“Never mind,” his voice was soft now, almost hurt, but it still had an air of importance to it. “Just wake up.”

“Please, Link, it is time to wake up. Open your eyes.”

Gone was the bird’s voice only to be replaced by the urgent voice of a woman beckoning him to awaken, pleading even. Her voice, like the bird’s, sounded hurt but not in the emotional sense; she sounded as though she was on her last leg, and that in turn lit a fire in the being that Link had forgotten his mind was attached to.

Upon his sky blue eyes snapping open, Link was greeted by the uncomfortable feeling of having to throw up. While the cave around him was, for the most part, was dark, the blinding bright blue lights of the odd apparatus above him made him weak, nervous even. As if the woman had sensed his discomfort, she called out to him again.

“Link, you need not worry. Those are not the lights of foes. You are safe”.

Link wanted to speak to her. While he was supposedly safe, she was not. But as soon as he had opened his mouth to the heavens where he was convinced her voice was from, a blue liquid poured from his mouth and onto the stone below the container he had awoken in. He dared not open his mouth following that as an overwhelming sense of embarrassment flooded through his once hollow being. He just allowed her to lead him.

The woman led him to a device known as the Sheikah slate that, according to her, was to be a major help to him on his quest. Link had to crinkle his nose at her words of a supposed quest; with his mind as foggy and empty as it was, he didn’t know what good he would be to anybody, but she had faith in him, and so did the bird in his miniscule memory. The slate itself also seemed familiar to him, so that was a start even if he didn’t know a thing; perhaps it would all return in time.

“You’ll also need some clothes. You can’t exactly save Hyrule in your underwear”.

Despite the woman not even being on his current plane of existence, Link found himself turning red at the ears as he realized he was only garbed in a tight pair of boxers. “Y-you could have told me sooner!” He found himself hissing out, earning him a weak chuckle from the woman.

“You’ve never been so informal with me before! Mipha and—Oh…”  Her voice trailed off as Link found himself a ratty pair of pants and a threadbare shirt to dress with. “Stay calm, Zelda. You knew this to be a possibility…”

As it was more of a mumble to herself, Link ignored it and pressed onwards down the hallway, the light of the sun just peaking out over a small ledge of rock. The thought of fresh, non-stagnant air gave him the energy for the small climb. As soon as he was up, he darted free of the cave and out into the refreshing wind and wild unkempt expanse of the world. Before him, he could see forests of plenty, a massive volcano looming in the distance, as well as a castle, regal in appearance, all just sitting there for him to explore. If Zelda, as he now knew her name to be, hadn’t called out to him, he likely would have fallen off the cliff he hadn’t known he had emerged onto.

“Link… You may not remember, but you are the light—our light—that must shine upon Hyrule once again. I believe in you, we all do. Now go”.

As Zelda’s voice faded away, Link found the nervousness that had filled within him under those blue lights returning to the pit of his gut. It was overwhelming.

“Oy, you there, boy! You look like you’re about to pass out!”

Startled, Link turned to his right to see an old man garbed in a hood with a big fluffy white beard poking out and patchwork clothes much like the ones Link wore, only they clearly fit better. He was a bit away close to a fire leaning on a worn walking stick. However, what caught Link’s eye the most was the food the man was cooking. Anxiousness now fading into an overwhelming urge to eat, Link found himself running down to the old man’s camp, mouth salivating.

“It’s strange to see another person up here. This plateau you see is rather cut off from the rest of the realm,” the man spoke up as soon as Link collapsed at the fire’s edge. When he saw Link eye-balling the baked apple he had by the fire, he nodded at the blonde, who wasted no time digging in. “What brings you here anyway, boy?”

With a loud swallow, Link shrugged. “I’m not sure. I woke up in that cave back there. I couldn’t remember anything, but I know I need to do something…” He knew he had to complete a quest for Zelda, he had to be the light, but he hadn’t a clue on how to accomplish that.

“Perhaps that trinket at your side has something to do with it, boy.” Almost as soon as the old man had pointed at the Sheikah slate, Link noticed a small glowing dot appear on the otherwise blank screen. “If I’m right, I think that would lead to that old ruin over there.” He promptly pointed northeast towards what looked like a giant rock with a small camp outside, “though I’d be careful, there are monsters that lurk over there.”

Taking note, Link stood, but not before snagging a baked apple for the road. “Then that’s where I need to go.”

“You are rather courageous for going into a monster camp with not a bit of weaponry or protective armor, boy,” the old man chuckled with a stroke of his beard. “At least take my axe. You can pay me back by chopping some wood for me later, deal?”

Link nodded, “deal.”

-

With axe and a shield with the protection level of a walnut, Link cleaved his way through the small monster camp and into the small cave the old man had pointed out. The pedestal within was shaped like the one he awoke in, so he just placed the Sheikah slate on the pedestal without really thinking. What happened next made the poor man fall onto his butt, his back quickly following.

“Sheikah tower activating. Please watch for falling rocks”.

As soon as the monotonous voice finished, the ground began to quake and roar as the platform beneath Link suddenly began to rise, shattering the rocks that had once covered the pedestal’s roof and revealing the bright blue lights that lit it. With no desire to become a smear on the dirt below to be picked at by monsters, Link hunkered down until the tower finally stopped rising.

When it was finally safe to stand, Link, looked onto the Sheikah slate to find that it now had a map of what he assumed to be the near area amongst the dark screen.

“Well, that could have gone a bit smoother,” Link sighed as he pocketed the slate, ready to begin figuring his way down the tower when suddenly he heard Zelda’s voice begin to call out to him faintly.

“Remember… Try to remember…”

Link wasn’t sure what was going on, but he was compelled to turn his stare towards the castle looming off in the distance. As his stare focused, he swore he could see a bright heavenly glow coming from the castle’s highest room. It looked much like the light that had awoken him from his slumber.

“You have been asleep for the past 100 years. The beast… When the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end”.

As Link drew closer to the tower’s edge, the ground began to quake again, causing him near to fall. When he was able to steady himself, from the castle’s moat, he could see an ominous black and purple fog rising quickly towards the golden light; and from that fog emerged an enormous tusked beast with an impossibly wide deep purple and black maw, its bright gold eyes sharing none of the warmth from the light in the castle. Link couldn’t help his heavy gulp at the sight.

“Now then… You must hurry, Link. Before it’s too late…” With those final words from Zelda, the beast slowly drifted back down into the castle. However, the thick gloom it brought with it remained, encircling the castle with a foreboding haze.

Link wasn’t even so sure how he had made it down the tower. The only thing he knew was that as soon as his feet touched the dirt below, he heard the old man call out to him as he drifted down from a paraglider, a frustratingly familiar paraglider. He wanted to ask him about it. However, as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, the old man cut him off with a guffaw of laughter.

“My, my seems we have an enigma on our hands. As well as this tower, many others have arisen all across the land. It seems like an ancient power has awoken rather suddenly.”

Link wanted to laugh and say, “Yeah, that was me alright. 100 years asleep, 100 years too late”, but instead, he held his tongue, choosing to stare at the paraglider the old man had folded up behind his walking stick.

“Hmm, if you don’t mind me asking, boy, but did anything occur while you were up there? This was the direction your little device pointed you in, wasn’t it?”

Realizing the man wanted an answer, Link slowly nodded, “…I heard a voice,” he wanted to add that it wasn’t the first time that he had heard the voice, but it didn’t seem appropriate. The old man was likely to think he was crazy. “At least I think I did.”

“Oh, you did now,” the old man spoke, thoughtfully running his hand through his beard. “Perhaps it was the voice of Hyrule’s princess. I take it you’ve seen Calamity Ganon?” He pointed towards the murky castle in the distance. “One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin; so many innocent lives were lost… For a century now, the princess has kept that evil at bay.”

With a small glance at the old man, Link swore he could see a tear in his eye as he looked onto the castle, his face solemn. As if he could feel Link’s stare, he looked over at him.

“Tell me, courageous one, do you intend on making your way to the castle?”

Without any semblance of hesitation, Link nodded, “I do.” While he still couldn’t remember Zelda or his part in what happened 100 years ago, he knew he had a score to settle with the damned beast that festered in that castle. Zelda didn’t deserve what happened to her, and nor did any of the innocents lost. He owed it to them.

“Well then, boy, you’ll need a paraglider like this one here,” the old man hummed, lifting the glider for Link to see. The bird-like design woven into the fabric immediately caught his eye. Like the Sheikah slate, it too looked familiar. “You see, this plateau is isolated to the rest of the lands by sheer cliffs. If you were to jump, you’d most likely—“

“Give it to me!” Link cut the man off, lunging for the glider only to be easily dodged as the old man took a step to the side. At Link’s scrunched-up face, the old man laughed.

“Nothing in this world is free, my boy!” At the man’s comment, Link tried again to steal the paraglider, only this time, the man simply swatted him away with his walking stick.

 “I can tell you’re eager. How about we make another deal instead? Do you see that shrine over there?” With a smile on his face, the man pointed across the river towards a large black and glowing yellow structure that reminded Link of the tower that he had just been atop of. “There’s a treasure in that shrine; I know it. Get me the treasure of that shrine and the three others on the plateau just like it, and I’ll give you my precious paraglider”.

As attempting to steal the glider had gone so well for him, Link let off a grumble of agreement but not before eying the paraglider one last time. The more he stared at it, the more he swore he could hear a voice echoing through his head.

“What kind of Hylian wouldn’t want to fly?” The voice in his head snorted. It sounded mocking, but at the same time, Link felt a semblance of warmth from it. It reminded him of the voice other than Zelda’s in his head, albeit much younger. He wanted to hear more of it.

-

As the old man was firm in his conviction to have the treasure of the shrines and Link in his desire for the damned paraglider, Link successfully made his way through the first of the four shrines. Besides earning himself a new rune for his otherwise empty Sheikah slate, he was also gifted an orb from the crusty mummy that lived inside.

When Link told the old man of his venture within the shrine, he was promptly scolded for referring to the monk within as a ‘mummy.’ Apparently, the monk had been a part of an ancient civilization known as the Sheikah, who were heralded as saviors of the land until their eventual disappearance. In all honesty, it was an interesting story to Link, but lending the old man his ear didn’t get him his glider any quicker.

However, Link was tempted to use his newly found magnetic rune to drop a steel crate over the old man’s head. That desire only grew as he found his way to the next shrine.

The infernal shrine was guarded by a large, broken contraption that still had the ability to attack and attack it did. From its decrepit body, a lurid red ran through it like blood while its eye alit a bright blue, causing Link’s blood to run cold. As he stood unmoving under its gaze, it began to focus its sights on his frame.

It was pure instinct. The moment the machine shot, Link lifted his shield and deflected the harsh beam back at it, hitting it dead in the eye. For a second, the machine writhed before crumbling into nothing but spare parts. If he didn’t have a mission to accomplish, Link, too, would have collapsed.

Link wasn’t fond of his gift from the shrine. Other than another orb, he left with a bomb rune for his slate, the bombs being the same color as the machine he woke up under as well as that beast’s eye. It made him shiver, but the bombs were a valuable asset nonetheless.

The third shrine was more pleasant to reach in comparison. Other than being able to spend the night at the old man’s fire, he had been able to return the favor for his lending of an axe. Link spent a good half of the day chopping wood for the old man, and in return, was gifted a warm coat for his troubles. While he would have preferred the paraglider, the warmth the doublet offered was compensation enough, he supposed.

Before setting off for his climb to the third shrine, the old man let him know that the damned creature he fought within the eastern abbey was a guardian, another one of the ancient Sheikah’s technology. While they were once a force of good, Ganon’s malice corrupted them. Link wanted to say that they should promptly change that name, but he didn’t want to waste his breath as he had a climb to make. The shrine happened to be located at the top of a cliff. It was much preferable.

The final shrine wasn’t that far off from the third one. It was located amidst a snowy mountain. If he hadn’t had the old man’s doublet, Link was sure the trek would have been much more uncomfortable than it already was. The thin pants he had didn’t do much at all to protect his legs; by the time he had actually reached the shrine, he could hardly feel them.

“Come on, boy! You’re almost there!”

Link grimaced when he saw the old man come flying down towards him on the paraglider he desperately needed. He also looked much more comfortable in the weather than he was. “T-tell me something I d-don’t know!” Link barked. Other than the cold, he was hungry. He had long since eaten his last baked apple.

The old man let off a roar of laughter as soon as his boots touched down on the powder beside the shrine. “You’d be kinder if you saw what I had to offer.”

At those words, Link perked up, “P-paraglider?!”

Again, the old man laughed. “No, but good guess.”

Instantaneously, Link deflated again. At least that was until the savory smell of cooked fish hit his nose. Turning towards the old man, he saw a small container of fish stewed in peppers and herbs in his hands. He was salivating instantly.

“I figured you could use a meal, and I guess I was right,” the old man spoke as he allowed Link to swipe the container from his hands. “That should warm you right up.”

True to the old man’s word, the more Link ate, the more he regained feeling in his feet and fingers, which was as relieving as having a full belly. “Thank you for the food.”

With the now empty container back in hand, the old man looked down the mountain’s side towards the old temple at its foot. “After you complete this final trial, I’ll be waiting for you at the point where the shrines intersect. There, I will give you the glider”.

Link didn’t know why the old man was trying to be so cryptic, especially when he was looking right at where he wanted him to go, but instead of arguing, Link nodded and placed his Sheikah slate on the shrine’s pedestal and took its elevator down.

Fitting to the climate, Link received the rune for cryonis. It was pretty cool to be able to create large ice blocks from the calm waters of the shrine. It was even cooler than they could stand up to the blasts of the little guardians that infested the area, leaving openings for Link to make an attack.

By the time Link obtained his orb and exited the shrine, the old man was gone, likely already waiting for him at the temple of time as the Sheikah slate’s map called it. If he, too, had a paraglider, he was sure he could make it to the temple much quicker. Instead, he had to fumble with the slate’s map to figure out the best path back down the mountain.

However, as Link was pouring over his map, he overlooked the bokoblin sneaking up on him until its snorting gave it clear away. Embarrassingly, he was startled, so much so he jumped, his fingers ghosting across one of his previously visited shrines on his map.

The bokoblin must have been as startled as Link by what happened next from how it squeaked and fled. One minute Link was standing about to get attacked, and the next, he was being swarmed by the same bright blue light of the guardians and then nothing. The next thing Link knew, he was standing outside of the shrine he had received the bomb rune from. The temple of time was now merely a short walk away. It was something to be amazed about, but Link couldn’t get over how he had managed to click the shrine where he had encountered that big guardian. Luckily, it hadn’t magically returned, but Link still found himself miffed, which continued well until he arrived at the temple’s entrance.

The temple of time had surely seen better days, Link was sure. Everything was broken from the walls to the windows, inhabited only by the creeping grass and ivy. The only thing that appeared to be still intact was the large statue of a gentle-looking woman. He didn’t know why but he imagined that the statue before him was how Zelda looked.

As he stared at the statue, the sunlight from the cracked roof began to focus down on it, an ethereal voice coming from it: “Allow me to amplify your being.”

Before Link could say a thing, the orbs from the shrine emerged from his being and disappeared into the statue. For a second, he felt empty, but as the statue glowed, even more, he suddenly felt even stronger and invigorated.

“Oh, I see you found the statue of Goddess Hylia. Her blessing has made you stronger”.

Looking up to the cracked roof, Link could see the old man peering down at him through a hole. For a man with a bad back, he sure could get places Link thought. Just who was he?

“Well, don’t stand there like a fish out of water; come on up here! Do you want the paraglider or not?”

The old man’s words lit a fire in his step. He wasn’t about to keep doing the old man favors for the damn glider.

As quickly as he could, Link ascended the rickety ladder that rested against the temple’s wall and onto its even more so roof. With each careful step he made, he swore he could hear concrete crumbling down onto the ground below. He never looked down, only ahead. He could see the king’s mirthful smile as he dangled the glider around his pointer finger. In annoyance, Link blew a raspberry at the old man as soon as he made it to the platform he stood on.

“So, paraglider?” Link panted out before he began to shake out his clammy hands on his pant leg.

Finally, the old man nodded. “Yes,” the moment he held out the glider to Link, who eagerly reached for it, he pulled it back to his side. “But first, I want to show you who I really am…”

Link took a step back as suddenly the old man became engulphed within a slew of seafoam green flames. With water nowhere in sight, Link wasn’t sure what to do until suddenly the old man emerged again, only this time he was garbed in regal attire fit for a king.

“I am King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. I was the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists”.

“Then you’re Zelda’s father?”

The King’s face softened considerably at the name. “So, you do remember… And here I thought your mind would be too fragile.”

Link shook his head. It was too kind to say he remembered. He didn’t remember much of anything, only bits and pieces too frustratingly small to pick at. If Zelda hadn’t mentioned her name by accident, he never would have known.

“I see…” The king sighed his face hardening again. “Then allow me to tell you the tale of calamity Ganon and the prophecy around him.”

The King spoke painfully of the malice that had laid waste to his once prosperous kingdom. The ancient Sheikah had crafted divine beasts and guardians to aid in the combat against the scourge that was Ganon’s appearance. As the centuries passed after their initial use, they were long buried and eventually uncovered one hundred years prior. Champions of the different races of the land were chosen to pilot said beasts. On top of these appointed champions of notable skill was a princess with the power of the Goddess Hylia as well as her faithful knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. However, Ganon was cunning. On the day of his revival, he seized control of Hyrule castle and the divine beasts, killing everyone within the castle and the champions. In Ganon’s assault, the knight was gravely injured protecting the princess. However…

“However, the princess survived; that princess being my dearest daughter. That knight in my story was none other than you, Link. You gave your life protecting her, and I can never thank you enough…”

Mouth dry, Link choked on his words, “h-how am I here then?”

“Zelda, had you taken to the Shrine of resurrection, where you were revitalized to be able to stand where you are right now.”

Link didn’t say anything. He had failed one hundred years ago. What difference would it make now?

“Link… For one hundred years, my Zelda has been fighting calamity Ganon all alone; her power is winning, and when it does, Ganon will be unleashed, free to destroy the land… I-I know I have no right to ask this of you…”

Before Link even knew it, the King was bowing at his feet, tears falling freely from his eyes and into his beard and to the floor. They made no sound as they hit.

“But I am powerless… You must save her… My daughter and do whatever it takes to annihilate Ganon”.

As the King pleaded, Link began to feel his heartache. Unconsciously, he reached his hand out to the old man’s shoulder, only for it to phase clean through his spirit and a piercing chill to stab at his fingers. Quickly, he brought his hand back. He really was dead.

When the King brought himself back up to his full height, Link nodded up at him. “I promise, I’ll save her as well as your kingdom.” If he truly was Zelda’s knight, he must have had some sort of relationship with the King himself. Even despite not remembering, he had an unshakeable faith in Link, and Link wouldn’t let him down. He knew that much.

At his words, a smile formed amongst the king’s beard. “Words do not begin to express how thankful I am to you, Link.”

“You can start with the paraglider,” Link chuckled out. The stuffiness within the temple’s broken belfry was starting to get to him. He imagined in the past, he was never allowed to be informal with the King as a knight under his servitude; but the king didn’t seem to mind now. He, too, laughed at Link’s comment.

“I admire your eagerness, Link. Here as promised”. When the King held out the glider to Link, he didn’t swipe it back to his side. “Your father entrusted this to me…” He sighed once it left his fingertips.

“My father?” Link questioned as he ran his fingers over the smooth red fabric of the glider. The voice he had heard accompanying his first sight of the glider didn’t seem as though it would belong to a grown man.

“Yes, he was the head of my royal guard,” the King answered, his voice distant with remembrance. “He gave his life for mine when the calamity first struck. He only asked that I return your glider if I saw you again and apologize for him for taking it from you. Not that you would remember, but that paraglider meant a whole lot to you”.

The King wasn’t wrong in his assumption that Link had no memory of the glider. It was frustrating. He had thought once he had gotten it back in his hands, the memories would come spilling forth, but his mind was silent, except for the occasional bit of static when he thought too hard. He had hoped the King would elaborate further in his claim, but instead, he only pointed northeast of the belfry, his spirit becoming dimmer.

“…It seems my time has finally dried up, Link. Head northeast of here along the road towards Kakariko village. Meet with its elder. She will be able to answer what I cannot. As you are right now, going to the castle would be a death sentence”.

Link puffed out his cheeks at that comment, even if he couldn’t outright deny it. Despite being blessed by the goddess Hylia, he still felt weak, certainly not to the caliber of the legendary knight who wielded the sword that sealed the darkness. As he was right now, he could only imagine himself encountering Ganon with a stick and a pot lid donning poorly fit rags. Ganon would squash him like a bug.

When Link was finally able to pull himself from his thoughts, he could see that the King’s spirit had nearly faded completely away. The only thing that was left now was a gentle fatherly smile.

“You certainly are now more like the child your father brought to the castle for training, Link. How I wish for another life where I could have raised my Zelda with the warmth she deserved; how I wish you didn’t have to silence yourself under the weight of your destiny…”

Link too smiled as the king’s spirit finally faded away into the sky. “I wish for that too… I hope you find peace.” With those parting words, Link adjusted himself to the paraglider and lunged from the belfry, the air immediately catching itself under the glider and carrying him through the air.

As the wind tore its way through his hair and exposed skin, Link couldn’t help the exhilarated shout he let out. The air was refreshing, and even more so was the sight of the edge of the plateau coming and leaving his eyesight.

“See? Isn’t flight the more exhilarating way to travel? It’s a much better way than utilizing those stubby legs or having to get soaked”.

Eyes widening at the familiar voice that suddenly echoed throughout his head, Link near let go of the paraglider.

Again, Link almost let go of the glider as another voice, a female one that didn’t belong to Zelda, cut through his mind in a panic.

“I-I disagree, Revali! I feel like a fish getting plucked up by a hawk! You really like this L-Link?!” She questioned, her delicate voice filled with fear.

Link answered as he was sure he did then as well, “Th-this is amazing!”

By the time Link landed along the road the king had mentioned, Link was vibrating. Gliding through the air was the most enjoyable thing he had experienced since waking up a couple of days ago. While, for the most part, he had enjoyed his time on the plateau with the old man who had turned out to be Hyrule’s last king, he was ready to start his journey: ready to free the divine beasts and their champions, ready to save Zelda and more than ready to beat Ganon back into the dirt from whence he came and more than ready to recover his lost memories. Granted, he knew he wasn’t at that point yet of achieving three of his four goals, but it didn’t take beating up monsters to unlock his memories. It was the little things that brought them out like his paraglider.

As the old man had told him to do, Link began his trek to Kakariko village. The elder would likely have more insight than the king’s spirit. She wouldn’t outright be able to tell him every last bit of himself, but it was a start, a much better start than just diving into the thicket of things.

At least that’s what Link told himself as he heard the loud screeching of a bird in the sky.

The sun quickly became obscured by a massive avian shadow. Looking up, Link was greeted by the sight of a bird-like machine with the same lurid red travelling through its veins as the guardians had. He knew in his heart that the thing above him was a divine beast.

“You know, Link, it’s been rather indulgent of you to keep us waiting so long.”

Link’s eyes widened as he heard the voice of the bird-like man from his last dream while in the shrine of resurrection. It was definitely the older voice of the child he kept hearing through his paraglider. “R-Revali?” He tentatively called out to the bird, earning himself a screech from the beast as it flew off into the distance. Before Link could even think to give chase, a voice stopped him.

“Wh-whoa, I never seen a bird that big!”

Link looked to his side with a frown to see a man with a large backpack and an even larger spear looking at the retreating machine. His pointed ears were perked up with interest while his hand was at his forehead, blocking out the light so he could get a better look. 

“I wonder if that has anything to do with those strange towers and glowing shrines? Eugh if the world is gonna end, just end already. I can’t take the suspense…” The man let off a loud groan. “It’s only a matter of time now before that damn thing wakes up…”

Peering over the man’s shoulder, Link could see he was referring to a crumpled, moss-covered guardian. For both their sakes, Link hoped the thing wouldn’t suddenly gain life.

“Um, excuse me… Is this the right way to Kakariko village?” Link asked the man. He was thankful for the man’s presence as it had broken his trance from chasing after the divine beast. He only wished he wasn’t as awkward. As though he had never noticed Link in the first place, he jumped out of his skin, exclaiming it was the end of the world until he realized Link’s question had nothing to do with the bird.

“O-oh, sorry, yeah, it is. Just follow Proxim bridge here and through the mountain. I’d watch out for monsters, though… Oh! And those damn shrines and strange towers; those damn things sprouted out of the ground quicker than mushrooms! I’d hate to have been standing near one of’em when they rose…”

Happy to know he was on the right track, Link began his trek across the mentioned bridge until the man called out to him. “H-hey wait, it’s dangerous out there! Here”.

When Link turned back around, the man had a small sword and scabbard in hand.

“It’s a feathered edge. It’s a weapon used by the Rito. I got it off a bokoblin a couple of days ago. I think you need it more than me”.

Tentatively, Link took the sword from the man. It was a nice lightweight weapon, much more suited for fighting than an old axe or rusted sword. “Thanks, this’ll be a much better weapon than a bokoblin arm.” At Link’s joke, the man let off a nervous chuckle. Clearly, he wasn’t accustomed to fighting the risen dead. Link was shocked his first night on the plateau when a couple of skeletal bokoblins had tried attacking him. He was even more shocked that he could use their own limbs to put them back down where they had first come from.

“Just be careful, okay? Since those strange towers came out of the ground, the monsters have become bolder. Even old Hyrule castle has gotten scarier. Did you see that creepy malice beast the other day? I wouldn’t be surprised if that bird thing was one of’em… Hey, you okay?”

The bird-like divine beast was far off in the distance now. Link wasn’t sure why, but he could feel burning tears in his eyes. Wiping at his eyes, Link nodded. “I-I’m fine…” He wasn’t really, but it got the other man off his back. Revali was trapped in that beast. He knew not who Revali was to him. He only knew he was a cherished person of his forgotten past. “I just need to get to Kakariko…” Link didn’t want to go there anymore. He wanted to chase the divine beast to the ends of the world to find the answers he sought.

Without so much as a goodbye to the man, Link dashed off in the direction he was given. He only ever stopped to explore the tower and shrines along the way.

Chapter Text

After getting a grip on his franticly fleeting memories and emotions, Link was able to bring himself back to focus on his mission, Kakariko village.

Upon his arrival in the village, Link acquired himself a fitting pair of clothes with the rupees he obtained by selling the various ‘treasures’ he discovered throughout his trip off the plateau. He didn’t want to leave a bad impression on the village’s elder; his threadbare clothes seemed to be on their last leg, and he didn’t want to put the elder in an early grave if they suddenly decided to combust spontaneously. The shopkeeper was also more than interested in his wares. Not that he knew why until she told him.

“You can make cool elixirs and tonics out of monster parts and various creatures,” she explained. “I certainly wouldn’t be caught dead trying to get a horn off a bokoblin myself!”

Link felt slightly swindled after that encounter. If he had known he could do that, he certainly would have decided to fork over the gemstones he had found. But at least he had come out of it without clothes that weren’t rags and knowledge for the future.

By the time he had made it to the elder’s home, the sun had begun to set. Not wanting to be a bother, Link made his way to the inn for the night. He still had enough rupees in his pocket for a comfy bed, and he certainly deserved it. He had been travelling non-stop from when he had the encounter with the divine beast, choosing to not even stop at the horse stable along the way, much to the dismay of the workers who wanted the extra business.

However, other than not wanting to keep the elder up and his weary bones and muscles, Link wanted to examine the feathered edge he was given. If he was versed in sword maintenance at one point, he wasn’t now. The sword’s edge had become chipped from its constant use as the road to Kakariko was plagued by many monsters. He had other weapons at his disposal if it broke, but it saddened him to think he might not find another like it. As it was lightweight and quick, it cleaved through attacking monsters with ease.

Once he got his bed in the inn, Link quickly whipped out the blade and set it on the mattress, startling his bed’s neighbor. Link took no offense when the man asked for a change of beds. He just turned towards the wall and set to inspecting the blade. Wiping it down revealed that many of the chips he had been concerned about were actually just dried flecks of flesh from the monsters he had slain, easily cleanable. However, that didn’t mean the feathered edge was without injury: there was a crack in the handle, and there was a spider-web of cracks forming down through the tip.

Pursing his lips at the damage, Link ran his thumb over the cracks in an attempt to feel how deep they were. On a list of things he expected to happen, the blade shattering in his hand was much higher than a beak obscuring his view.

“Typical Hylians. Using something until it breaks, only to be sad when it’s gone.”

When Link looked up, he found himself sitting high up on a grassy ridge overlooking a large fish-like structure that sat in the middle of an even larger lake. However, it wasn’t the location that had his attention; to his side, he was greeted by the same fire-filled emerald eyes of the bird-like man in his dream only set into a much smaller and plump face of navy and white feathers. For some reason now, however, he knew him to be a Rito, the makers of his feathered edge. It was Revali.

In his hazy memory, Link looked down at the broken training sword that sat in his much smaller lap before looking back up to Revali and blowing a raspberry at him. “Says the guy who went crying to Miss, Luto when you broke your bowstring!”

At Link’s comment, the Rito’s feathers ruffled up. Letting off a hiss, he pounced on the Hylian, his weight negligible, but Link didn’t allow him to know. He ended up rolling around with him until suddenly, they managed to roll themselves into a river which fed down into a waterfall.

“You bumbling oaf!” The Rito squawked frantically, slapping at the water. Despite being a bird with hollowed bones, he had no concept of how to float on the water’s rocky surface.

Link held Revali close to his frame without much thought, uncaring for the waterlogged feathers that slapped at his own soaked hair. Link was determined to keep him safe. Eyes darting side to side, Link observed the approaching drop in hopes of finding anything that they might grab onto.

 However, he didn’t have to look long as from the waterfall, a crimson, human-esque fish rocketed into the sky, the water coming off their scales turning to rainbows under the midday sun.

“You two can’t keep out of trouble for five minutes, can you? Sidon causes me much less grief!” She scolded as she dived down at the two, enveloping the young children easily in her larger arms. Her red-painted lips were pulled a tight frown, but her soft golden eyes only showed relief.

“Blame Link! He rolled us straight into Mikau lake, Mipha!” Revali shouted out in between Mipha’s jumps in her descent down the waterfall.

“I did not!” Link barked back. “You accused me of not taking care of my weapon! Papa says even a maintained weapon will break-in time, but if it served its purpose, it deserves a rest!”

Once safely back on the shore, Revali shook out his feathers, uncaring for how they puffed awkwardly around his drenched tunic. Mipha was looking between him and Link warily. As she appeared to be much older than the two, she was ready to step in if things got ugly again. Link, however, didn’t want to fight with Revali anymore. Instead, he chose to focus on wringing out his shirt.

Revali, on the other hand, didn’t get the idea.

“A sword’s purpose is to protect its user. What if it breaks in combat? What then?”

“Revali—“ In an attempt to calm the Rito, Mipha reached out to him only to have her hand slapped away.

With his chest puffed, Revali pushed his wing at Link, earning him a glare. “What then? You’re as good as dead without your weapon, training all for naught. Those who loved and cared for you left miserable. What then, Link?”

Even Mipha looked to agree with Revali from how she brought her hands together, rubbing her fingers nervously.

“Did you ever consider that when you decided to go off and play knight?!” Revali’s voice was near hysterical now as he paced around Link, talons clicking methodically against the stone. “Mipha and I will likely never see you again. Could you imagine the frumpy Hylian royals letting a Rito or Zora in? Mipha may be a princess, but those safe in their ‘little’ castle know their prejudice…”

Even with Revali’s harsh words, Link kept calm. He understood them well. They came from concern, not that Revali would admit to it. So when Revali poked at him one more time, Link smiled at him, taking his feathered finger in hand before he could steal it away.

“I understand your worries Revali, you too, Mipha.”

When Link looked her way, her pale cheeks flushed as red as her scales before she busied herself picking at one of her many adornments.

“But I’m becoming a knight because I want to protect you all. You’ve heard the rumors of calamity… If I train with my father and the king of Hyrule, I think I can accomplish that. Even if I were to die, if I could protect either of you… I would in a heartbeat”.

Before Revali could give his response, the memory began to fade back into static, leaving Link only with the angered scrunch of the Rito’s beak and Mipha’s somber stare.  

“Hey, you wanted to be awoken in the morning, right?”

With a groan of discomfort, Link shot himself up, his back cracking and his eyes squinting at the bright sun that poured in through the inn’s shutters. He had fallen asleep sitting up, his feathered edge’s hilt still loosely in his grasp. What a waste of rupees. He didn’t even get to enjoy the damn bed. To make matters even worse, he could hardly even think of the snippet of memory he had recovered. The only thing that his mind was doing was going between the desire to go back to sleep and seeing the village elder.

When Link finally gained the ability to turn his head towards the innkeeper, the white-haired man was sheepishly rubbing at the back of his neck.

“Tell you what; I’ll try again in the afternoon, okay? You look like you need the extra sleep”.

Link said nothing further to the man; he just collapsed back on the bed, this time comfortably. While he had slept a hundred years straight, he was already running on fumes.

-

Luckily come afternoon, Link was more easily awoken. If you actually sleep properly in bed, Link quickly realized, even a small amount of sleep is refreshing.

“If you want to take a bath, the shower’s outback,” the innkeeper spoke as he returned to his desk.

With a smile and nod, Link gathered up his belongings and made his way towards the exit before the innkeeper called out to him one last time.

“Oh, I almost forgot! Lady Paya came looking for you this morning on the elder’s orders. I told her I’d let you know”.

“Thanks for telling me.” With a quick wave, Link darted out the door. If the elder knew of his presence in the village, he didn’t want to keep them waiting. However, he also didn’t want to offend. One quick sniff to his armpit proved he desperately needed a shower.

The shower in mention, however, wasn’t so much a shower but a pond with a bucket and towel at its side. Not as exciting as he had envisioned. He quickly stripped out of his ratty night shirt and boxers with an annoyed mumble and hopped in the luckily not frigid water and began scrubbing himself. Once his body wasn’t as smelly, he moved to his hair to get the dirt and other greasy grime that had made its way there, but as soon as he got there, a squeal and profuse apology met his ears.

Whipping around, Link was greeted to the back of a shaking female figure bent down, holding her hands tightly up to her white hair.

“I’m sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” The girl squealed. She was too petrified to move, Link assumed.

“It’s okay. Accidents happen,”; Link assured as he grabbed his towel to wrap around his waist. Washing his hair could wait for another day. “Uh, did you need something?”

The girl sounded as though she was choking as she floundered over her words. “Grandma—N-no, elder Impa—see you!” With a strangled gasp, she darted away, almost tripping as she went, leaving Link to scratch at his partially wet head.

With the situation with who he assumed to be the Lady Paya that the innkeeper mentioned over, Link dressed and quickly made it over to the elder’s home only to be stopped by the gatekeepers outside.

“State your name and business with lady Impa,” the heavily bearded guard spoke sternly as he scanned over Link.

“Uhm, my name is Link, and I am here on the orders of the king of Hyrule to speak with your elder.” Link assumed his introduction was taken seriously from the lack of a dagger being thrown into his throat. However, their dumbfounded expressions spoke otherwise.

“…There’s no way,” the bearded guard murmured while his companion stroked at his goatee.

“No, no, Dorian, look, look at his hip.”

To make things easier on the guards, Link pulled out the Shekiah slate they were both trying to take a glance at, their eyes alighting once the slate’s sleek design reflected in the sunlight.

Wordlessly, the guards stepped aside and gestured for Link to go on through.

As Link made his way up the creaking steps, he took notice of the back of the girl he had encountered during his bath. She was bent over, scrubbing violently at the ground, mumbling to herself, the most audible word being ‘embarrassing.’

Not wanting to upset her further, Link tried his best to step into the elder’s house as quietly as he could. Unfortunately, but that wasn’t what fate had in store for him. Not being familiar with the home, he managed to step onto the squeakiest board in all the lands. The poor girl shot up like a rocket with a gasp and profuse apology.

“Gah! I-I’m sorry! So sorry! I wasn’t peeking on you, I swear! I just saw that you had left the inn and, and my grandmother—I didn’t mean to peek!”

As she had her face covered, Link couldn’t see if she was just crying or worried if he was still naked. But the guards were looking up towards them suspiciously. Not wanting to be kicked out, Link did his best to soothe her.

“It’s okay. I’m not mad. I promise you—um…” Gently as he could, he brought his hands up to hers in an attempt to peel them from her face. “Paya was it?” The moment he got his hand around hers, her face lit up as red as the tattoo on her forehead. It looked exactly like the mark on the Sheikah slate as well as the towers and shrines.

“How do you—never mind,” Paya stammered out. “My grandma—the elder, she wants to meet with you! Pl-please go see her!”

Nodding, Link pulled away from Paya with a small apology. He didn’t want to fluster her any further. As he reached for the door, Paya shakily spoke up.

“Y-you really do possess the Sheikah slate… You really are the hero my grandmother spoke of, aren’t you?”

Link smiled over at Paya, who quickly turned red again. “I really hope so. It would be kind of stupid to have been stuck in a resurrection tomb for a hundred years and not be the hero who’ll wield the sword that seals the darkness”.

Paya said nothing after that. Instead, she just clasped her hands close to her heart and looked nervously at the ground.

-

As Link entered the elder’s home, he was immediately greeted by the age-worn voice of a woman.

“…So you’re finally awake, eh? It’s been quite a long time, and I am much older now, but… you remember me, don’t you?”

At the end of the room sat a short old woman sat up at the top of a stack of smooth red pillows with a large hat sat atop her head. Link wasn’t sure how the woman held the hat up. It looked too big. Upon closer look, she had a similar tattoo to Paya centered on her wrinkled face as well as a warm smile which she directed Link’s way. Link, however, could not reciprocate the smile. As much as he racked his brain, he couldn’t remember her.

“What’s the matter?” The elder called out, her smile dropping. “You are looking at me as though I am a stranger to you. Those eyes… They lack the light of familiarity. It is I, courageous one, Impa. Surely you must at least remember the name Impa?

Link looked down at his muddied boots. It saddened him to know that someone who had known him had survived long enough, hoping to see their old friend, only to be met with a blank slate who was only just barely regaining some memories of his childhood. He wanted to remember her. In the past, he knew Impa as a friend. However, now, he only knew her as Kakariko village’s elder.

“I see… So you have lost your memory”, the elder sighed, her small hands folding together in her lap. “Well, it matters not; perhaps it’s even a blessing in disguise… But, please, Link, come a bit closer…”

At her beckon, Link moved closer, kneeling on the pillow at her side. Impa smiled at this. Pillows shifting under her weight, she turned to Link and patted her hand on his head. Despite her frail appearance, she had quite the amount of strength behind her touch. 

“Forgive my childish behavior, Link. I had hoped knocking at your head might jog something loose,” she chuckled impishly before relaxing back into her seat, her wrinkled face saddening again. “A hundred years ago… the kingdom of Hyrule was destroyed. After you fell, Princess Zelda’s final wish was to place you in a sacred slumber. And then, all alone, she went to face Ganon… She entrusted me to tell you this when you found your way to me but Link… I will not tell you if you lack conviction. You are still without your memories.  How can I be so sure that you are willing to risk yourself for the greater good?”

While Impa was trying her best to keep her stare firm, it occasionally cracked into one of softness as Link looked up to the ceiling, his sky blue eyes lost.

“While it’s true, I am without most of my memories. I did remember something… I remember my conviction as a child to become a Hylian knight. I wanted to protect my friends, Mipha and Revali…” As he was spaced out, he didn’t see Impa’s eyes widen. “Even now that I don’t remember much of them or my role as the princess’ knight, but I still want to finish what wasn’t one hundred years ago… It’s the right thing to do”.

When Link back at Impa, through her tilted hat, he could see rivulets of tears running down her wrinkled cheeks and falling onto her lap. Ears dropping with worry, Link promptly stood his intention to find Paya until the elder caught his arm with a choked sob.

“I-I’m fine, you courageous dolt. Hardly remembering a thing and still going on to be the hero you were destined to be”.

At her words, Link calmed and sat back down at Impa’s side. Looking under her hat, he could see that her tears weren’t of sadness but happiness.

“I’m happy to know you have some memory of Mipha and Revali, Link. Next to the princess, they were the closest to you, even after…” Impa paused, seemingly unsure if she could on. Despite Link’s nod of encouragement, she shook her head. “No, that’s for you to find out on your own… You are here to fulfill your duty”.

Link could feel his eye twitching. There was no reason he couldn’t do both. But at the same time, he understood her reasoning. If his mind was taking its time recovering his memories, then rushing them wouldn’t be in his best interest, it could even be detrimental, and he didn’t have the time to go back to sleep for another hundred years.

As calmly as he could, Link nodded in understanding. “So, what was the princess’s message for m—“

Before Link could so much as finish his sentence, Impa sharply leaned in close to him, her eyes likely reflecting the same determined look in them that they had when Zelda first imparted her words to the Sheikah long ago.

“Free the four divine beasts!’ Is what she said. As I’m sure you know, the four divine beasts are weapons crafted by the ancient Sheikah to be wielded by the four champions who Ganon defeated… Vah Rudania, controlled by Daruk of the Gorons. Vah Naboris, controlled by Urbosa of the Gerudo…”

Like before, Impa paused as if she wasn’t sure if she should continue. However, unlike the last time, she pressed on. “Vah Ruta, controlled by Mipha of the Zora, and Vah Medoh, controlled by Revali of the Rito…”

Link could feel a heavyweight begin to settle in the pit of his empty stomach. His dear friends had lost their lives to Ganon, trapped in their respective beasts for a hundred years, likely watching their own bodies decompose. Perhaps it would have been better if he hadn’t remembered.

“Do not lose heart now, Link,” Impa sternly spoke upon seeing Link’s nauseated expression. “You’re their only hope now as well as all of Hyrule and all her people.” When Link didn’t respond, Impa pursed her lips and leaned over, easily snatching his Sheikah slate from his unprotected side. “I’m going to assume this to be some jitters that will dissipate. Perhaps if you—hmm, that’s odd”.

At Impa’s puff of annoyance, Link looked over to her. He hadn’t even noticed that she had taken his slate. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, have you regained your courage?” Impa snorted, earning her a glare.

“Ha, very funny. What’s wrong with the Sheikah slate?”

“It seems to be missing a function. You see Link. While this slate serves as your guide, it is also your memory. Before you, Zelda was the keeper of the Sheikah Slate, and as you were Zelda’s guard, you shared in her memories, making them yours too. It’ll be a good way for you to remember Zelda as well as the champions, your friends”.

-

As Impa had sent him on his way, Link decided to make his way back towards the Dueling Peaks stable for directions as he had no idea where Hateno village was. While the stable hands were kind enough to give him directions, they also encouraged him to find himself a horse as horses were the fastest way to travel if one was in a hurry. Link had hoped the stable would just provide him one, but instead, he was just pointed towards a field full of broken-down guardians. He had to tame his own horse.

Approaching a wild animal from behind was a recipe for disaster if you asked Link, and true to his opinion, it was. The first horse he approached, a grey mare, seemed to be unaware of his approach, at least that was until he was ready to hop on. She then kicked him away, whinnying in joy as she ran, happy with the pain she inflicted.

“Sadistic horses…” Link moaned out after his fifth attempt and final attempt before he decided to take a break under a nearby apple tree. He swore he could see the folks at the stable watching his failed attempts like they were a comedy show. It was probably the most interesting thing that had happened all week.

Sighing, Link pulled himself into the tree to collect a couple of the tree’s bounty. At least that was his plan until he heard a nicker. Looking down, he saw a pale pink horse with a spotted white rump and mane looking up at him curiously. She wanted an apple.

“Oh, now you wanna be friendly, eh?” Link grumbled out, earning him a curious stare from the horse. “Fine, here.”  After plucking an apple from the tree, he hopped down and pulled out his blade, cutting the fruit in half and offering it to the horse, who ate it with gusto. “So, are you gonna kick me now like the rest of your herd?”

When the horse looked up at him, Link braced for the impact of its kick; but instead, he was met by the horse’s head brushing against his. She apparently liked him now unless she was trying to lull him into a false sense of security.

Warily, Link attempted to mount her. However, while she whinnied in argument for a minute, she quickly calmed down, allowing him to direct her to the stable for registration.

When he arrived at the stable, he was met with applause from the workers. Who joked that it was the longest they’ve ever seen it take to catch a horse. Link didn’t pay too much attention to their words. Once his horse was registered, he was gone.

He named her Apple, as cliché as that was.

-

According to Impa, her sister, who lived in Hateno village, was the director of the research institute in the Necluda region and the prime candidate to repair the Sheikah slate to its complete capabilities. However, once Link reached the institute, he was greeted by a small child that sent him on the runaround. First, she claimed her assistant to be the director, and then she had him repair her ancient furnace. But, unfortunately, while taking a torch of blue fire from one lantern to another sounds simple on paper, it wasn’t in practice with fickle weather to contend with.

By the time Link had gotten the furnace had lit, the director, Purah, as she introduced herself to be offered him a warm mug of tea and a shove towards the table before snagging his Sheikah slate just as her sister had done a day ago.

“So, Linky, do you remember anything from your time in the slumber of restoration,” Purah questioned as she sat herself on her research table to eyeball the slate. “You certainly don’t look different, but something must have happened!”

Link lazily watched the excess tea leaves floating in his beverage. It was nice to have a bit of the calm before the storm of combating divine beasts and calamitous monsters. But he still felt uneasy. There was much more he could be doing while Purah fixed his slate.

“I did dream yes,” Link replied sadly, causing the small child to tilt her head in confusion until he further elaborated. “I dreamt of Revali and Mipha… It was nice at first…”

Link didn’t know he had been gripping his teacup too hard until Symin, Purah’s assistant, came over and patted his hand for the cup.

“Oh Linky, I’m so sorry…” While Purah’s voice was full of concern, Link could easily tell that she had the desire to pry for more answers. He couldn’t blame her. She was a researcher, after all.

“Other than that, I don’t really remember anything. Impa said it would all come with time”. But he wasn’t sure if he wanted that anymore. His friends were gone. Practically everyone he knew was gone. Was there even any guarantee that Zelda would make it out of her imprisonment alive? What was the point other than to be hurt?

Purah opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, but she quickly snapped it shut, choosing instead to look towards her guidance stone which Link could see reflecting in her glasses.

“Well, I know, the princess loved to play photographer with her Sheikah slate. You know, click snap?” With a wide smile on her face, Purah pulled herself to her feet and struck a cheerful pose before hopping off the table and running to the stone, gesturing to Link to follow. Once he, too, was at the stone, she handed him the slate.

“Okay, put this on the guidance stone! I keyed in all the repairs, but unfortunately, it only responds to the ‘hero who seals the darkness”, Purah puffed out the last part with a suspicious gleam in her red eyes. Link got the feeling she wanted to keep him as a guinea pig to further her experiments.

Much like with the Sheikah towers, the stone took his slate and dropped the eerie bright blue goo onto it, distilling its repairs. If he didn’t hate the color so much, he would have wondered what the goop tasted like; though if it was anything like the stuff in the shrine of resurrection, he would want none of it.

Once the stone was done with the Sheikah Slate, Link snagged it back to see a camera feature unlocked as well as a bunch of photos of different locations. In some of them, he could see Vah Medoh. He had to wonder if Revali was on the oversized bird or with him and Zelda when she took the photo. Before he could think too long on it, however, Purah began to grab at the slate.

“I wanna see Linky! Lemme see!” Like a child, she jumped for the slate which Link held from her.

It was a constant pull for Link. One minute he wanted nothing to do with his past, and the next, he was trying to cling to whatever he could remember of it. In between Purah’s constant attempts to steal the slate from him, Link looked carefully over each picture, hoping to trigger something other than static.

Eventually, however, Purah won out as she kicked at his shin, causing him to drop the Sheikah slate clean into her hand.

“Hmph! I fix your Sheikah slate for free, and this is how you repay me?” Purah stuck her tongue out at Link before sashaying her way back to her research table. Link could see Symin offering him a look of apology from his bookcase.

By the time Link was able to hobble back over to the table, Purah was already sitting comfy, looking at the pictures with awe. “Princess Zelda was such the photographer, eh Linky? Since you were her royal knight, are you gonna go check these places out? They might be key to your memory!”

Link nodded as Purah stopped at a picture of a gate overlooking a snowy mountain.

“I can really only help you with this one, Linky. This is the Lanayru gate. As the name suggests, it sits right at the base of Mount Lanayru, got it? My lil’sister Impa will definitely know more than me. She fawned over the princess like you wouldn’t believe in her youth”.

Purah was right. Link couldn’t believe it. He still had yet to recall anything of what Impa looked like one hundred years ago.

“But princess Zelda, she only ever had eyes for princess Mipha. They were so cute together!” As Purah prattled on, for the faintest of seconds, Link could see a glimpse of Mipha’s bright red scales amongst a pile of straw blonde hair he assumed; her painted lips were pulled into a wide smile as a distorted giggle ran its way through his ears. “Not that you would remember Linky, but maybe the princess will tell you once you bust her out of that malice castle.”

When Purah looked expectantly up at him, Link smiled down at her and nodded. There was no guarantee of the success that had eluded them thus far. But, link would be damned before he didn’t at least try. Since awakening, he had only come across those who believed in him to be wholeheartedly the hero of courage, anointed by the Goddess herself. He had to work on being so unsure of himself. “I promise I’ll bust her out of that ghastly castle and put Ganon down.”

Purah returned his smile in kind before reaching up to pinch his cheek, eliciting a squeak from the Hylian. “Oh Linky, you’re so adorable now, did you know?” She giggled, “before; you were the stony, silent type who only ever showed emotion around a big plate of food!”

Before Link could ask her to elaborate further, Purah pulled the Sheikah slate up to their faces, revealing their reflection like that of a mirror. Now curious, Link leaned in closer until Purah suddenly chirped.

“Click, snap!”

The next thing Link knew, there was a photo of him and Purah together of the slate next to Zelda’s photos.

“You know, in case you lose your memory again, hero boy! I don’t think I could handle it if you forgot me again!”

-

With his Sheikah slate now fully functional, Link was ready to head back to see Impa. But as he made his way back down into Hateno, Apple was nowhere to be seen. He had left her by a water trough before his trek to see Purah. But upon asking the villagers about her location, they all shrugged except for a little girl.

“I saw your pony go towards the old abandoned house behind the shrine!” The girl exclaimed. “I hope she’s okay. I hear creepy banging over there all the time! My momma says not to go over there.”

As a child’s imagination is so vivid, the ‘creepy banging’ turned out to be construction work on a house that appeared older than the rest of Hateno. Apple had busied herself picking at the workers’ pants, preventing them from hammering away at the old house.

“Is this your monstrosity?” The head worker, a balding man with a pink band wrapped around his head, asked as Apple tried to pull at his vest.

Running a hand through his hair, Link sheepishly nodded and whistled for Apple to come to his side. “Sorry, I didn’t think she’d wander off.”

The man just waved him off, “you’re lucky you’re cute. This village is paying us the big rupees to tear this place down posthaste, y’know”. The man huffed as his partners went back to work with their hammers.

“How come?” Link asked, occasionally pushing at Apple, who had now begun to busy herself chewing on Link’s hair. “It seems like a nice place.”

“I guess there’s not a lot of buyers for pre-calamity houses. I heard the place used to be owned by a couple before the calamity struck. They went to aid the kingdom and never came back, or so the villagers say”.

Without thinking really, Link blurted out, “I’ll buy it!”

The construction workers immediately stopped while their boss gave Link an incredulous stare. “Okey-doo… You look like a wandering type. I doubt you got 50,000 rupees on you to pay our wages~.”

He wasn’t wrong. Link only had a couple thousand off of all the stuff he had picked up through his travels. Link felt his shoulders drop. He wasn’t sure why the house was so special, but he really wanted it to be saved.

“Ugh, a sad face doesn’t suit you,” the construction worker sighed. “If you’re so determined, I’ll take 3000 rupees and thirty bundles of wood, okay?”

Immediately perking up, Link nodded, “you got a deal!”

-

When Link walked back through Impa’s doorway, the last thing she had expected to hear from Link was that he had bought a house in Hateno Village. She assumed it meant that he was committed to seeing their world saved. She was also happy to see him readjusting to life.

Impa only hoped that the pressure of his duty wouldn’t break his spirit as it had a hundred years prior. However, when the threat of the calamity became imminent, the pressure upon Link and Zelda near pushed them to the breaking point, their once budding friendship turning sour. Her old heart couldn’t take it if he closed himself off to others as well as himself again.

Chapter Text

Once he let Impa know of his success in getting the Sheikah slate repaired, Link immediately set out to find the Lanayru gate that Purah had mentioned. Impa had further clarified the location, claiming it to be close to the village, just off the Lanayru road. She was even kind enough to pin the location on his map to aid in his venture; however, before he could get too far from Impa’s home, one of her guards stop him.

“Master Link! May I have a word, please?” Dorian, the more heavily bearded guard, called out to him before he reached the foot of the stairs. His partner was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing as he had no reason not to chat with the man, he stopped to hear what he had to say, hoping it would be quick. He didn’t want to be rude, but he wanted to return to Apple. But, unfortunately, he could see her trying to start a fight with a Cucco up the hill.

“I know you’re a busy man, Master Link. I won’t keep you long”, Dorian spoke evenly. From the way his eyes shifted to the grassy dirt beneath his feet to the two little girls playing by the village’s cooking pot, Link could tell he was nervous. “Have you seen suspicious people in your travels?”

Link pursed his lips with thought at the question. The strangest person he could recall encountering was a man at the Dueling Peaks stable who just stared up at the sky praying for a blood moon. While Link had yet to be privy to one, he assumed they weren’t something good. But other than that, the man had seemed relatively harmless, so he shook his head.

Dorian let off a sigh of relief. “That’s good to know. However, I want you to keep your wits about yourself. There’s a group known as the Yiga that have been snooping around the area. You see, they are Sheikah that have fostered a hatred for the kingdom and have thus sworn themselves to Calamity Ganon’s cause. They have a habit of disguising themselves as weary travelers, preying on the good intentions of others. I don’t want you to fall victim to them”.

Link bit his lip at the thought. “I understand.”

“I would also do your best to keep your Sheikah slate out of sight. As they do Ganon’s work, they will want you dead and will likely send out every one of their available soldiers to see you dead. Keep an eye out for an inverted Sheikah symbol. That’s their tell.”

Whatever benefit there was in seeing the world turn to nothing but malice and calamity was beyond Link. But he wasn’t about to take Dorian’s words with a grain of salt. He seemed genuine in his claim as though he spoke from experience.

“Okay, I’ll keep an eye out, Dorain. I’ll tell you if I see any suspicious people when I return from the Lanayru gate”.

Nodding, Dorian stepped aside, allowing Link to run after his horse, whistling crazy at the animal. In the time that they had been talking, the horse had attracted Cado’s attention as it was chasing one of his prized cuccos.

As Link and Cado both were too busy trying to pry their respective animals from the other, neither noticed Dorian rubbing miserably at his tear-filled face. “I’m sorry, Master Link, stay safe.”

-

Once Apple was calmed and Cado’s cucco's tail freed from her teeth, Link promptly ushered her around the village and towards the Lanayru road. She wasn’t too happy to have to run through water and myriads of monster camps, but to Link, it’s what she deserved for making the poor gatekeeper near have a heart attack. Apple, however, easily got her revenge each time Link grumbled about having to waste his newly restocked arrow supply on the pesky lizalfos that spat at them.

Sometimes he had to wonder which side she was on. Knowing his luck, Apple herself was a Yiga spy. It would explain why she was so easy to tame.

By the time they made it to the end of the road, there was a trail of monster corpses painting their pathway.

“Least we won’t get lost, eh?” Link joked while pulling an apple from his saddlebag. As it was his last one, he split it between the two of them.

While Apple chewed happily on her reward, Link pulled out his Sheikah Slate and began looking at Zelda’s picture. They were in the right place; he quickly took note. He could see mount Lanayru peeking out just above the massive moss-covered gate at the end of the road. He could also see a massive lynel wandering closer to the mountain’s foot.

“Let’s be sure not to go near that thing…” Link hummed to himself, drawing closer to the gate until his head began to ache and vision swim.

When he fell, he thought the last thing he would hear for a while was Apple’s worried whinny; but as soon as his vision blackened, his eyes snapped back open, and he found himself trudging through the grass opposite of the side of the gate he remembered being on.

“I don’t understand… What’s wrong with me?”

Looking to his side, Link was finally able to put a face to the voice that had greeted him upon waking up. The straw-blonde woman garbed in ceremonial regalia was Princess Zelda. She looked defeated, on the verge of tears. Link could feel a desperate urge to comfort her, but instead, he simply looked on ahead to the gate where four others stood.

Before him, the blinding sunset made it hard to see them other than their shadows, but Link knew Revali and Mipha had to be amongst them. They were likely the two smaller shadows, as the taller womanly figure didn’t strike him to be Mipha, and the bulkier, rocky frame didn’t scream avian.

As soon as the knight and princess approached the gate, the Goron, Daruk, approached Zelda, his bearded face pulled into an expression of deep worry. “Well? Don’t keep us in suspense. How’d everything go up on the mountain?”

Weakly, Zelda shook her head while Link looked at his dirt-covered boots. It had been a failure. Link had to pry her from the chilled waters of the spring of wisdom. She hadn’t wanted to go, but Link feared she would catch her death. Perhaps if he had let her stay longer, the goddess would have smiled down on her.

“So you didn’t feel anything?”

Looking up, Link allowed himself to take a deep look at the older Revali and Mipha before him. While Mipha hadn’t changed much, except for maybe growing an inch taller, Revali was a good couple inches taller than Link now. Both Revali and Mipha looked worriedly between themselves and Zelda and Link.

“No power at all?” Revali questioned softly as not to upset Zelda anymore than she already was.

Clutching her hands tightly together, Zelda looked down to keep the tears in her eyes hidden from the Rito, “I’m sorry, no…”

Mipha was at Zelda’s side in an instant, cradling one of her hands delicately between her own while the tall Gerudo woman, Urbosa, approached Zelda, hugging her as a mother would their child.

“Then let’s move on. You’ve done all you could”, Urbosa soothed, gently brushing debris from Zelda’s hair that had accumulated through their trip around the mountain. “Feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help. After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mount Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking”.

Leaning closer into Urbosa’s hold, Zelda smiled ever so slightly, “that’s kind of you… Thank you”.

With Zelda’s mood slightly lifted, Mipha squeezed her hand before bringing it closer to her scaled chest. “If I may… I thought you… Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words…” Blushing, Mipha squeezed Zelda’s hand a bit tighter. In turn, Zelda stroked gently at her scales. “I’m actually a bit embarrassed to say it… But I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind…” Shakily, she brought her other hand up to Zelda’s. “It helps when I think—when I think about—“

Before Mipha could finish her sentence, the ground beneath them began to shake and roar. While Urbosa, Zelda, and Link were able to keep their balance, Mipha stumbled, her grip slipping from Zelda while Daruk near rolled onto his back. Revali, however, didn’t experience the shaking for long as he was quick to shoot into the skies to see what was going on.

Link could feel a panic coursing through his veins as he watched Revali’s figure in the sky. It was the calamity. He could see dark black and purple fog coursing through the sky. He wanted to scream at Revali to get back down, but no words came from his throat.  It was only when an animalistic roar cut through the air that Revali allowed himself to land again.

“It’s here,” was all Revali said the moment his talons hit the cobblestone.

“This is it, then…” Daruk spoke, eyes to the now murky sky.

“Are you sure?” Mipha asked, her eyes darting from Revali and back to Zelda, who looked ready to collapse to her knees.

“Positive.”

“No… It’s awake, Ganon!”

When Zelda took a step forward, Mipha quickly wrapped an arm around her in an attempt to calm her and herself as well. Mipha could only imagine what was going through her mind.

Taking charge, Daruk turned towards the champions. “Let’s stop wasting time! We’re gonna need everything we got to take that thing down! Now champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head-on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault! Little guy! You get to Hyrule castle”.

When Daruk pointed his attention towards Link, he could feel Revali’s stare on him, but when he looked, the Rito was already looking away.

“You can count on us for support,” Daruk assured. “But it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!”

With Daruk’s orders given, Urbosa wrapped herself back around Zelda’s shoulders. “Come. We should go. We need to get you someplace safe”.

Zelda, however, was quick to shake her off. “No!” Turning to the Gerudo and Goron, she stared up at them with firm conviction in her eyes. “I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield… But there must… There must be something I can do to help!”

Before their answers could be given, the memory began to fade away as the malice fog drew closer, and once it was completely gone, Link shot up, near head butting Apple, who had begun to sniff at him.

“Pl-please tell me, you weren’t trying to eat me.” Link groaned out as he prayed the headache the memory had given him would go away. It wasn’t a good idea to be lying out in the open for too long after all.

In response, Apple just nickered down at him before trying once again to eat his hair.

“Okay, okay! I get the idea! I’m getting up!”

However, as Link rose, he got the awful feeling as though he and Apple were being watched. From the corner of his eye, he could see the lynel through the gate chasing after a bokoblin, so the feeling didn’t arise from that. On the road he and Apple had come, not a single monster corpse was out of place.

Anxiously, his ears perked up as he whipped his head around until the sound of bombs burning through their wicks taunted him. Then, looking skyward, on the top of the cliff that bordered the road, he could see a dark shadow armed with a bow, three bomb arrows in its notch aimed directly at Link.

The moment the shadowy figure let the arrows fly, Link lunged for Apple’s reins, his frantic movements startling her into an even more frantic run. But, while he almost fell off her in his attempts at steadying himself on her back, he managed to hold tight as the bombs hit the road, the cobblestone exploding upon impact right where he and Apple once were.

Expecting the assailant to continue his assault, Link readied his own bow once stable on Apple’s back. However, by the time he had aimed, the figure was already gone as though it had never been there in the first place. The only proof of its existence was the now cratered road.

“Guess that’s what Dorian was talking about…” Link sighed, thoroughly exhausted from the whole ordeal. His head still throbbed painfully at his newfound memory.

How soon after that memory had the champions fallen? Why was he so distant from those he was supposed to care about? How in the hell did that stupid Yiga asshole know he was going to be there? He had no answers to those thoughts, and it was frustrating and likely not helping his aching head.

With a loud exhale, Link allowed himself to let his head rest on Apple’s mane. She was a smart horse. He trusted her to lead them back to Kakariko village and alert him if danger arose. He only intended to rest, but as soon as Apple’s run turned into a light trot, Link found himself lulled off to sleep.

-

“Our little Link is a precious boy, isn’t he, Corrin?” A woman’s delicate voice hummed over the heavy trotting of a horse’s feet hitting the dirt path below.

“Ay, Lianna,” a male’s gruff voice replied. “He’s remarkable with the sword and even more so with your horses. Not to mention your looks! I’m sure all of Hyrule will be all over him once he comes of age!”

“Nonsense Corrin,” for a brief moment, Link could feel a small and warm calloused hand caress his neck. Unconsciously, he tried to move closer to it. “He has your eyes. I remember when you and your group stopped at my stable with the king, I was smitten almost instantly the moment you laid your eyes on me”. She giggled. “Then you opened your mouth!”

At her comment, he let out a guffaw of laughter before his larger hand patted Link on his back. “Well, you married me! Link, it’s time to wake up. We’ve arrived at the Zora Domain. Don’t you want to see your friends again?”

Almost instantly, Link shot up, looking between the smiling blonde woman that shared his face, his mother, and the stern, yet gentle look of his father, his sky blue eyes like his own, full of love for his son. His mother was dressed much like the stable hands Link had seen at the Dueling Peaks stable while his father was garbed in a regal blue and red uniform with a matching beret sat upon his brown hair.

“Of course!” Link giggled, his voice full of happiness. In one of Mipha’s letters to him, she wrote how Sidon was walking now, and he wanted to see. She also mentioned how Revali had a present for him. “How long can I stay?!”

Corrin and Lianna exchanged a looked at one another. His mother’s green eyes had hardened as she looked into Corrin’s sky blue ones. His father’s brows knitted at her glare, but they easily fell back into place as he looked back onto Link.

“Three months. But after that, you won’t be able to return for a long time, Link.”

Link felt the pep in his small body dissipate at his father’s answer. He knew it was coming. The only thing anyone ever talked about around his father’s military camp or his mother’s stable was the approach of the calamity, the day Ganon would rise again and destroy the kingdom. The thought of the mass destruction and murder of innocent lives made Link ill. Even more so to think Mipha and Revali could lose their lives.

When he had asked his father if he could train him to be a royal knight, his mother had been distraught. She always worried about her husband’s fate as a part of the Hylian king’s royal guard. Now she had two to worry about. As she couldn’t argue with Link’s determination, her only stipulation was that he waited until he was ten and that date was three months away.

“I understand, Papa,” Link solemnly nodded before reaching into the back of his mother’s wagon for his bag and training sword. He wanted to show Revali a new move that he had been practicing.

“Remember darling,” his mother spoke up once he had jumped off the wagon to pet her stallion goodbye. “Don’t wait until the last moment to tell them of your intentions. My dear friend, the Queen of the Zora, never told her husband nor Mipha of her illness… When Sidon was born, and she passed, the domain was devastated, as was I. So much so, I was worried I was going to lose you…”

When his mother looked as though she was ready to cry, Link felt himself too. Whenever he and Mipha would see her grave, she was always inconsolable, wondering what she could have done differently or if her healing abilities were too weak. He never wanted to cause her pain.

“I understand, Mama, I promise.” Link answered hands heroically on his hips in an attempt to make her smile, which he succeeded in. Then, with a gentle coo, she leaned over her spot on the wagon and pinched at his cheek.

“My little courageous boy… Go. Enjoy yourself”. Once Link’s cheek was thoroughly pinched, she pulled away enough to tousle his dirt blonde hair. Tell Mipha I said hi, and be sure to ask Luto if she has any extra amaranth to sell. Our rams at the Woodland stable get cranky without it!”

“I will, Mama!” Link squealed out as he frantically moved to straighten his hair. The last time he had arrived at the domain a mess, Luto had busied herself preening him while Revali laughed his tail feathers off at Link’s inability to escape the Rito merchant.

Once Link was sure he looked presentable, he waved goodbye to his parents and took off down the bridge to the Zora domain; the coolness of the air and scent of water easily enveloping him as he ran.

In fact, he swore he could actually smell the musty, damp smell of a wetland.

Shooting up from Apple’s back, Link was greeted by the sight of a vast wetland filled with trees and various grasses that Apple had busied herself trying to eat while not getting a nose full of water.

“Apple! We were supposed to head back to Karariko village! Not…” Link pulled out his Sheikah Slate with a frustrated groan to find their current location to be unknown. But wherever it was, it was off the border of the Hateno and Dueling Peak towers. “Here…”

Sighing, Link pulled himself off of Apple, grimacing at the wet that promptly filled his boots. There was no use in complaining. He had at least got a decent amount of sleep that had relieved the ache in his head. The dream/memory he had, had also been pleasant. He finally could put a face to his parents. He could see as to why his father had been King Rhoam’s personal guard; he exuded the same strong and caring aura the King had; he probably had the same sort of humor too. He also learned that he did not inherit his mother’s ability with horses if Apple was any indicator.  

“Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise…” Link spoke lowly to himself, looking about the wetland until he caught sight of something large moving beneath the surface of a deeper pool of water a good distance away from the bank Apple had stopped at.

Curious, Link patted at Apple’s side in an attempt to tell her that he’d be back in a bit. She didn’t acknowledge him. She was too busy chewing at a lotus seed pod by this point.

Sloshing through the muddy wetland was not how he had envisioned his day going. But then again, he hadn’t expected to get shot at by a bomb arrow-wielding maniac either. So at least he’d have a story to tell Impa later.

When he finally made it to the creature playing beneath the water, Link’s eyes widened at the sight. It was a bright red Zora. Heart beating rapidly now, he slapped at the water’s surface to gain the Zora’s attention. “Mipha! Mipha! Mip—“

When the Zora rose to the surface, Link deflated. While she shared many similarities with Mipha figure-wise, her scales weren’t the same red as Mipha’s. He felt dumb for thinking it could have her. She was gone.

The Zora didn’t seem to acknowledge that Link was upset or even what he had been saying to her while she was under the water. She just looked him up and down with a wide, sharp-toothed smiled. “Oh, my goodness! You’re a Hylian, aren’t you?! Otherwise, you’re one sad-looking Zora…” She muttered the last bit more under her breath.

Sadly, Link nodded, “yeah, I’m Hylian…”

Still choosing to ignore his dour tone, the Zora cheered. “Your timing couldn’t be better in you tried Hylian! Prince Sidon ordered me to find a Hylian!”

“Sidon?” Link murmured. The name was familiar. He couldn’t put a face to the name, but if Mipha talked of him, he must have been her sibling.

“Yes, Prince Sidon! He’s so dreamy… Okay, Tula, calm down, focus! You see, Hylian, you are needed for a great task. Us Zora are in terrible danger! Our home is about to flood over, which would be bad for everyone! Please, you need to meet with Prince Sidon! He’s over there at Inogo bridge by that big tower”. Tula pointed over towards a mountain range where a Sheikah tower had sprouted up from. Beyond the mountains, Link could see a dark mass of clouds indicating heavy rainfall.

“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll go and meet with him,” Link declared, earning him a clap from the Zora.

“Yes! Just don’t tell Prince Sidon I was playing around in the water, okay?” The happiness had dropped from her golden eyes, turning into angry slits, which near made Link jump backward.

“I-I promise?” He choked out, appeasing the Zora who fell backward into the water, singing a happy tune as she swam about.

Taking this as his opportunity to go, Link bolted across the wetlands and towards the bright orange of the Sheikah tower; Apple would be okay on her own for a couple of days with food and water everywhere at her disposal. Impa, on the other hand, he was sure she was getting worried. He had told her he would be right back after visiting the Lanayru gate. But, if she sent out a search for him, what would they think when they saw the crater his assailant’s bomb arrows left?

Unfortunately, he had to put that thought to the side for the time being. The Zoras needed him. Mipha needed him, and that’s what his job was. He was to free the Divine Beasts and their champions.

Chapter Text

Getting to the Lanayru tower was an easy enough feat for Link. Fighting through the monster encampments around its hillside gave him the opportunity to restock his weapon supply and give his well-worn feathered edge a deserved rest.

By the time Link had reached the tower’s terminal, the sun had begun to set over the mountain, the air becoming crisp. As it was unknown territory, he considered camping out at the tower until morning, at least that was until he realized he wasn’t alone. Behind one of the pillars of the tower’s roof sat a blue scaled Zora, clinging miserably to the tower, eyes scrunched shut in fear.

“Hey, are you okay?” Link called out once his Sheikah slate was back at his hip.

At his question, the Zora bounced, his grip slipping around the pillar before he firmly dug his nails back in. “Wh-who goes there?!” He squeaked out until bravely cracking one of his golden eyes open to see Link drawing closer. “A Hylian?! Oh, my Goddess! I can’t believe it!” Shockingly, the Zora stood as though his fear of heights was suddenly forgotten and approached, eyeing Link up and down. “May I ask what brought you here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Link snorted as the Zora once again became aware of the extreme height of his current location. He decided then to sit down, gesturing for Link to do the same.

“An e-excellent query indeed,” the Zora choked out. “I was ordered by Prince Sidon of Zora’s Domain to search for a Hylian… Well, I was…” With a sigh, he began to play with the silver jewelry around his neck. “Or I was… but then I fell asleep. I awoke to a loud noise and awful quaking, and now here I am”.

Eyes widening, Link began to fish through his bag for something for the Zora to eat. It had been at least a couple of weeks since the towers had risen by this point. So how in Hylia’s name was the Zora still alive? On his way up to the tower, he had been able to catch and cook a couple of basses. When he produced the grilled fish, the Zora’s eyes lit up in happiness.

“Wow, my luck really is turning around!” He cheered before taking the fish and shoving it in fanged mouth whole. “We Zora can go long periods without food, but… it’s not very fun. You, sir Hylian, are a true hero”.

Link smiled at the Zora’s compliment before taking out his own fish to eat. He hoped Apple was doing fine on her own and not getting into any trouble, but knowing her, it was more likely than not.

“Oh, sir Hylian, my name is Gruve, by the way, may I ask yours?” The Zora asked as he shakily stood on his feet.

“It’s Link,” he answered easily. With how nervous the Zora was making his way to the edge of the tower, it made Link queasy. So much so, he only picked at his fish.

When Gruve leaned over the edge, Link readied himself to grab him. However, luckily he didn’t stay in the position long.

“Prince Sidon! I found one! I found a Hylian! A Hylian named Link!”

The nauseous feeling Link had quickly turned to dread. He had no idea who or what was in the area that wanted to see him dead other than the, for the most part, unintelligent monsters. If Prince Sidon was truly down there, he worried if he had just inadvertently put him in danger.

“Hmm, Prince Sidon doesn’t seem to noti—Ah!”

Before Gruve could finish his sentence, Link lunged off the tower’s edge, paraglider in hand. As Gruve watched Link slowly fall towards the Inogo bridge, he couldn’t help but feel as though he had almost been pushed. However, that thought was easily pushed from his mind when the admiration for Link’s bravery took hold.

“I wish I was that brave… He’ll certainly be the one to calm Vah Ruta, I’m sure of it! Now…” Gruve gulped. “Now I just have to muster the courage to leap…”

-

The fog that came up from the Zora River as the night made its presence known made the visibility of the area low. But as Link got closer to the bridge, he could easily see the bright scarlet scales of a large Zora cutting through the fog like a beacon. It made the rapid beating of his heart calm for a moment, at least that was until his boots hit the bridge and the Zora became clearer.

Before Sidon stood two travelers; while he seemed to be jovially talking to the pair about what he needed them for, one of them was slowly reaching behind to their sheath.

Instinctively, the moment the gleam of metal hit Link’s eyes, he threw himself before Sidon, pushing the Zora onto his butt before deflecting the dagger the assailant had with his shield, the blade taking a chunk out of the wood of his shield.

At their murder attempt being thwarted, the two travelers scoffed before leaping backward, their once ragged clothes becoming a form-fitting blood red and black suit with a white mask painted with the upside-down symbol of the Sheikah. They were a part of the Yiga clan.

“So the rumors were true. You do live”, one of the Yiga soldiers hissed out, his sickle weapon poised to strike at any minute. “You’ll never be able to destroy Calamity Ganon, pathetic hero.”

Link didn’t bother giving the Yiga an answer. Instead, he drew his broadsword and readied his shield for their attack.

“Not much of a talker, are we, eh?” The sickle-armed Yiga soldier laughed out before disappearing in a puff of smoke, only to reappear right at Link’s side, sickle at his throat.

Link leaned to his side to avoid the swipe before plowing his shield right into the man’s side, eliciting a grunt of surprise that got his partner’s attention. The moment the other Yiga soldier pulled out his bow, Link produced a forked-lizal boomerang from his back and flung it at the man; it easily sliced through the man’s bow and fingers. When the man let off a wail of pain, the sickle-wielding Yiga disappeared back to his partner’s side to assess the damage.

“This won’t be the last you see of us,” he spat out upon realizing his partner wasn’t fit to continue. “We have a secret weapon that will make you get on your knees and pray for forgiveness to Ganon himself!”

“If it’s about as useless as you two in a fight, I’d like to see it try!” Link shouted in return, charging at the two until they both disappeared within a cloud of smoke as though they were never there.

Once satisfied that neither was going to return, Link returned his attention to Prince Sidon, who had stood back up by this point. His golden eyes were wide while his shark-toothed mouth was left agape as though he was still processing the scene that had just happened before him.

“Did they hur—Whoa!” Link was surprised when the Zora prince suddenly unfroze and picked him up, pressing him into his wider frame with a tight hug.

“You! You are the Hylian I’ve been searching so long for!” The prince near sobbed, pressing his scaled face deep into Link’s scalp. “You are the Hylian that will save my sister from her prison. I just know it!”

“C-c-can’t breathe!” Link choked out, weakly tapping at the Zora’s scaly chest until he was put back down on his feet, the prince assessing to see if he caused any damage.

“Please forgive me, warrior! I am just overcome with such profound happiness. You saved my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful! I feel embarrassed that I must ask another favor of you, but I need you to accompany me back to the Zora’s Domain”.

Link nodded up at the honest Zora. “You need help with Divine beast Vah Ruta?”

The prince tilted his head down at Link curiously, “how did you—“

“My name is Link, I am on a mission to stop Calamity Ganon, and that mission starts with freeing the Divine beasts and their champions.”

At Link’s words, Sidon’s eyes welled with tears. “Y-you really are the Hylian I’ve been searching for… Link, I remember you… I was merely a small child, but I—no, this if for another time”. Wiping away the tears from his eyes, Sidon turned around and bent over. “Please, hop on my back. We have not a moment to lose!”

Link bit his lip as he remembered his memory of his ride with Mipha and Revali down the waterfall of Mikau lake. It was only a brief moment, but the amount of water in his clothes and nose could have filled a bathtub. But Sidon was right; there wasn’t a moment left to lose. The clouds over towards the Zora domain only looked as though they were getting worse.

Gingerly, Link wrapped his arms around Sidon’s neck while he pinned his legs to his stomach. “Pl-please be careful.”

Sidon chuckled at Link’s wary tone. “Where’s your courage, warrior?”

When Sidon leaped, Link screamed.

Floating through the air on a paraglider for some reason, a less scary experience; sure, if he let go, he’d become a pancake on the ground, but it sounded like a much nicer way to go than to drown. Besides, it was a strange thing to say, but he felt as though the air welcomed him, as though he had a presence protecting him.

Hitting the water felt much like concrete. It near knocked Link’s hold on Sidon loose. If Sidon wasn’t wearing a sash, he was sure he would have been lost to the vicious waves of the river. Sidon was also doing his best to be considerate of Link’s need to breathe air, so he kept jumping up like a fish, but that only served in making Link want to hurl up his meager lunch.

By the time Sidon had made his last leap onto the domain’s wet stone floor, Link hadn’t wanted to move in case it was too good to be true. It wasn’t until Sidon manually put him onto his feet that Link believed he was out of the rough waters.

“We’re here, Link,” Sidon assured, resting his clawed hands on the Hylian’s shoulders. “Would you like to rest for a while? My father is likely to be asleep still. Now that you’re here, I feel as though we can already rest easier”.

Link didn’t say a thing to the prince. The moment his eyes caught sight of a sign for an inn, he shakily made his way over.

“I’ll cover your stay!” Sidon called out just as Link disappeared within the inn. “Rest well! I will see you in the morning, hero!”

-

As he was soaked to the bone, upon entering the inn, Link plopped his butt down beside the fire and cooking pot the innkeeper had by the door to dry off. While the Zora’s domain, for the most part, was thoroughly drenched with the rain of Vah Ruta, Link still didn’t want to make a mess of the inn. The cooking pot also gave him the opportunity to cook up some hot peppers to warm his chilled body. Of course, he would never tell Prince Sidon this, but he would have preferred to travel on foot to the domain. Sure he likely would have arrived as wet as he was now, but at least he wouldn’t have a couple of gallons worth of river water in his gut.

“Oh, sir Hylian, Prince Sidon has alerted me that you are staying with us tonight, would you—Oh Linny, it’s really you!”

Before Link even knew what was happening, a red-scaled Zora was behind his back, pulling him into a tight embrace. While her hold was much gentler than Sidon’s, she still had quite the vice grip. The moment Link began to cough, she loosened her grip and leaned her face over his shoulder, a look of apology glimmering in her bright yellow eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Linny! I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s been one hundred years… But it feels like it was only yesterday that I was playing with you, Mipha and Revali… When I had heard that you and the champions had fallen… I was distraught”.

While the Zora was on the verge of tears, Link felt his heart begin to ache. He must have meant a lot to her, and yet he couldn’t remember a thing about her. True to her statement, however, he could faintly remember running about the domain being chased by her and Mipha while Revali flew overhead, squawking something about ‘cooties.’

Seeing his lost look, the Zora stuck out her lower lip, “You don’t remember me, Linny? It’s me, Kodah!”

When her grip further loosened, Link apologized. “My memory is… Really incomplete. I’m sorry I can’t remember you well…” Then, in his attempt to make her feel better, he explained what he did remember.

Wiping at her face, Kodah nodded in understanding. “I should have figured Linny… But, of course, you couldn’t have forgotten Revali o-or Mipha. Mipha was your best friend and Revali… Well, you know…”

“Unfortunately, I don’t,” Link sighed plainly as he moved to poke at his cooking peppers when Kodah moved to his side to sit. “Every now and then, I get little bursts of memories from doing random things. I’ve mostly seen things from my childhood or from my time with Princess Zelda. I just wish there was a switch in my head to make it all come back. I mean, I want to know, but at the same time, I fear what I will learn”.

Kodah hummed gently at his words before reaching over Link for a plate for him to put his dinner on. “Memories, good or bad, are what make us who we are, Linny. I have both warm and cold memories with you. I remember fondly the times we would play together as children. However, I think sadly of our last encounter one hundred years ago…”

With his peppers now plated and warming his sinuses, Link looked towards Kodah, who stared miserably down at the crackling fire-pit. “If it’s alright, can I ask what happened?”

Kodah pulled her knees close to her chest to rest her head as she returned Link’s stare. “Well, one hundred years ago, I asked you… to choose between Revali and me… I-I’m sorry about that, even if it doesn’t ring a bell. It was rude of me, especially when you two and Mipha were dealing with the oncoming calamity. Besides, I knew how much you loved Revali. I should never have asked”.

Link near spat out a half-chewed pepper at Kodah. The only concrete memories he had of Revali were of the Rito arguing with him over his decision to become a royal knight and of his stare at the Lanayru gate. He didn’t yet understand how they could have ever had a romantic relationship. Link wanted to ask her to elaborate further, but Kodah seemed to be done talking as she stood up.

“I have to go ready your bed for the night. The prince asked me to prepare you one of our finest water beds. You’ll sleep like that of a baby; Oh and Linny”.

When Link turned his head to looked up at the Zora, she was looking down at him with a wide-toothed grin like that of Prince Sidon’s. “You spent a lot of time here as a child, and just before the calamity with Mipha and Zelda. I’m sure your memories will return to you”.

Link happily returned her smile, “thank you, Kodah.”

“it’s never a problem, Linny.”

True to Kodah’s word, the moment Link allowed his back to hit the squishy surface of the waterbed, he was out like a light, the bed rocking him to sleep and taking away all his aches and pains of the day.

-

Link knew his three months were up the moment his eyes snapped open to see the sapphire-colored stone of the roof of the Zora domain’s inn. He counted the days carefully, praying that time would slow down, even just for a minute. But each day, as he turned over, he could see Kodah humming a small tune at the cooking pot, cooking up breakfast for her parents and the inn’s guests, her fishtail swinging back and forth like a clock ticking.

Revali and Mipha knew it was his last day too. As Link pulled himself out of his bed, he could see Revali’s bed to be empty and Mipha making her way down the stairs of her father’s throne room; Sidon was wrapped close to her chest in a shawl. From what Link could tell from the distance was that the young prince was teething happily on one of Mipha’s silver necklaces.

He had to wonder where Revali had gone off to. The young Rito was never one to skip breakfast. He adored the fish and rice that Kodah usually cooked.

“Kodah, did you see Revali this morning?” Link called out to the young Zora once she had her buffet plated and ready to be eaten.

Kodah scratched thoughtfully at her scales until Mipha walked in, and she handed her her bowl as well as Link’s. “He was gone by the time I woke up, I believe. Mipha, do you know where that bird-brain might have gone?” Kodah jokingly asked before turning her attention back to her platter of breakfast to deliver. “Maybe he went to screech at the sunrise like a Cucco.”

Mipha rolled her eyes at Kodah’s words before handing Link his food. Then, she sat herself down on Revali’s cot and began to busy herself spoon-feeding Sidon his breakfast, which the young Zora squealed happily to have. “You need not worry Link, Revali likely went to see Luto. She was bringing Dento some supplies to repair my Lightscale trident”. As she finished her sentence, she gave Link a small glare which made him shrink in on himself.

He could recall asking to borrow her trident the other day to spar with Revali. He intended to show the Rito some tricks of using a sword against a spear, but their sparring quickly turned heated, with both Mipha’s trident and Revali’s sword cracking. Mipha hadn’t been happy with the result. Needless to say, by the time Revali and Link made it back into the domain, Revali was missing a couple of feathers, and Link was soaked from head to toe with a fish wriggling in his shorts.

“He might also finally be ready to give you his gift, Link.”

Link nodded at her before he began to scarf down his breakfast. Three months ago, when Revali greeted him, he had a shoddily wrapped parcel in hand with Mipha conveniently stood in the spot where the gift poked out of the wrapping. However, once he had told Revali and her of his intentions to join the Hylian guard, Revali had stormed off, leaving Mipha to console the saddened Hylian.

 For the first couple of days after that incident, Revali didn’t talk to Link or acknowledge his existence. Instead, he slept in Luto’s merchant wagon and attempted only to eat what he could catch out of the lake under the domain, which wasn’t often. For those few days, it was a normal occurrence to see Luto’s bright green, red and yellow feathers soaring through the skies with an angry puffball of matted navy feathers clutching tightly to her back. Finally, after the third time it happened, Revali had put his pride aside and ate breakfast with Link again. Their relationship, however, continued to be strained for the next month until the incident at Mikau lake.

Once breakfast was finished, Link and Mipha set off for Dento’s workshop, leaving Sidon with Kodah, who was happy to look after the young prince.

True to Mipha’s word, upon their arrival, they could see Revali holding onto Luto’s side, his beak buried into the thick down of her hip. He appeared to be crying as she examined the contents of a parcel in her hands, her beak clicking now and then as her hazel eyes scanned it.

“Don’t worry, little fledgling. It’s an easy fix. Just be careful from now on, alright?” Luto gently spoke before placing the parcel down on a workbench so that she could pull Revali up into her arms. “No more tears. You’re going to be a strong Rito warrior, are you not?”

When she began to preen his forehead feathers, Revali looked over to the workshop’s entrance in horror; Mipha and Link hadn’t done the best job of hiding, especially with Marot, Dento’s granddaughter, trying to climb onto Link’s back to play.

Wiping viciously at his face, Revali squabbled until Luto let him flutter to the ground in a flurry of feathers. “Y-you saw n-nothing!” Revali screeched in embarrassment before huddling behind Luto, moving with her as she moved to sit at her workbench.

“Fledgling, they’re your friends. They don’t care if you show affection”, Luto tutted as she set to work, easily fixing what had Revali upset. “Now, be sure to give your friend his gift this time, alright?”

“Yes, Luto…” With a sigh, Revali stood on his tippy talons to grab at the parcel, wrapping it haphazardly as he walked towards Link and Mipha. “H-here… Luto helped me make you this…” Looking away, he handed the gift to Link, who took it happily when Mipha moved to occupy Marot’s attention.

Upon removing the wrapping, Link was greeted to the sight of a beautifully crafted wooden paraglider with a red cloth as its sail, the beige insignia of the Rito knitted in the middle. Link felt his heart skip a beat as he moved his hands carefully over the softwood. “W-wow.”

“Wow, is right. I mean, what kind of Hylian wouldn’t want to fly?” Revali snarked even though his emerald eyes were full of delight at Link’s reaction; “now all you need to do is jump and let the wind catch you. Even you or Mipha could fly”.

And fly they did.

With the thought of adventure catching the sails of the three young children, they made their way up to Shatterback Point. None of the domain dared venture close to the mountain due to the lynel that liked to call it home. But the point was still a spot many thrill-seekers loved to gather as it was the ultimate dive test. The rumor was that even King Dorephan himself completed the dive, inspiring many young Zora males to do the same as to woo their potential mate. Needless to say, a sign was quickly erected warning potential jumpers of the risk.

But diving wasn’t what any of the children had in mind.

“Wow, you can see Death Mountain from up here!” Mipha called out over the roaring winds.

She was vibrating from head to toe; Link quickly took note. Revali, on the other hand, stood with his wings on his hips, eying the drop below. It was even hard to see the domain’s lake. Perhaps they should have chosen something smaller as their first flight, the young Hylian thought at least for Mipha’s sake. When he opened his mouth to ask if they should turn back, Mipha spoke up.

“Well, we came this far,” her voice quivered. “We should see it through, yes?  I promise you both I’m no guppy”. Moving close to Link, Mipha took hold of the glider in his hands, positioning herself behind Link. “O-okay, I’m ready!”

Beak quirking up into a smile, Revali moved closer to the edge of the mountain before dropping off. It was awkward to move, but Mipha and Link shimmied to the edge to see Revali rising on a gust of wind.

“Think you can keep up?” He chirped, cackling at Mipha’s face when Link lunged off the edge; Link was sure. He could feel the scales of her face scrunching up against the skin of his neck. She didn’t calm until the paraglider caught onto the current Revali flew on. Her pants were as loud as the flapping of the fabric against the wind.

Link didn’t feel the same fear as Mipha. The cold mid-morning air cutting through his hair and face was refreshing, as was Revali. The Rito kept his emerald eyes trained on him and Mipha, flying close to make sure nothing went wrong. It was comforting to know he had their backs, but it also made his chest flutter. Revali had gone out of his way to share his ability to fly with them. He assumed it was his way of making up for Link’s teaching him proper sword techniques. Revali never liked to be in debt to anyone. However, those classes were easily repaid when Revali coached him on how to use a bow. Maybe it was a birthday present? But even that didn’t make sense to Link as he had tried to give him the gift when he first arrived.

Link ended up deciding it was best not to think about it. He was spending so much time in thought that he hadn’t been enjoying the view. Revali had moved under Mipha and Link, fluttering his wings to rise them back into a higher current and not end their fun so soon.

They passed cleanly over the domain, with Mipha actually opening her eyes. She cooed as she saw Sidon and Kodah sitting down in the plaza. Sidon was munching on an iced fish pop while Kodah talked with a friend, none the wiser to the group floating up above.

“See? Isn’t flight the more exhilarating way to travel? It’s a much better way than utilizing those stubby legs or having to get soaked”, Revali called out before directing the glider towards an updraft. When it caught the draft, Mipha squeaked.

“I-I disagree, Revali! I feel like a fish getting plucked up by a hawk! You really like this L-Link?!”

“Th-this is amazing!” Link easily answered. The lifting air took the weight off his arms; it made him feel free as though he wasn’t about to leave his friends, as if there wasn’t an impending calamity. He had to wonder if this was what it felt like to be a Rito, gently coasting through the winds. He wondered what went through Revali’s mind each time he took to the skies.

As soon as the updraft quit, Link was left to marvel at how high it had left them. Looking over his shoulder, he could see that they were even up above Shatterback Point. Maybe even Death Mountain, his mind thought.

“O-oh, look! I can see Vah Ruta!” Mipha spoke, kicking at the air with her foot to point down at a large pool of water sat atop a small mountain. Within the pool sat an oversized elephant-like contraption with scaffolding littered about its exterior. The people that flitted about around it looked like ants from their current height.

“If you think Vah Ruta is cool, Mipha, you should see Vah Medoh! She’s the crown jewel of the Rito village!” Revali boasted as he circled the glider to keep it in place. None of them wanted to go too far from the domain if anything were to go wrong. “I’m going to become the strongest Rito warrior, the stuff of legends! So Link, if you think you’ll be protecting me, you’re dead wrong!”

While his words were harsh, the light in his emerald eyes only spoke of care. Link gave Revali a wide-toothed smile. “Then we’ll protect the kingdom together!”

He was sure Revali was blushing from the way his feathers ruffled. But before the Rito could say anything, he looked to the ground, his eyes widening with horror. His beak moved, but Link couldn’t hear what he said as a loud, echoing trumpet cut over the Rito before the memory became grainy until finally ending into a silent black.

Chapter Text

Link was up before Kodah could even wake him. The sour end to his memory, as well as that trumpet, had jostled him awake just as the sky had begun to get a tinge lighter. It was hard to tell due to the torrential rain outside, but it was almost four in the morning the Sheikah slate had alerted him.

Upon rolling off his squishy mattress, Link could see Sidon standing outside of the inn, staring up at a statue of a Zora Link had yet to notice. In his haste to dry off, he had forgotten to take a tour of the Domain. A lot could change in a hundred years, but from what he could see, everything was the same from his memories, aside from the statue that had taken the place of a fountain.

Once he was packed and dressed, Link quietly made his way out of the inn to meet Sidon as not to rise, who he assumed to be Kodah’s husband, who was fast asleep at his desk with his tailfin tucked under his chin like a makeshift pillow.

When Link was out from under the inn’s roof, Sidon turned to him, a tired smile on his lips.

“Ah, good morning, Link. Did you sleep well?” The Prince asked once Link was close to his side. “I hope Ruta’s cry didn’t startle you.”

So it was Vah Ruta’s call that had interrupted his dream. As he contemplated his answer, he looked up to the statue. It shared the same glow of a luminous stone as well as the chilled temperature of a sapphire. As his eyes trailed up the body, he immediately knew who it was as his eyes rested on the statue’s opal face, carved with precision was Mipha’s gentle likeness.

She really had met her end. While it was an obvious statement, Link had childishly hoped she would appear down the stairs of the second level, scolding him for taking so long to wake up. She was a kind soul; she didn’t deserve to die at Ganon’s hand, nor did Revali or the other Champions. If he hadn’t failed—

“I slept fine. I was already awake by the time Vah Ruta cried out,” Link decided on answering before shifting his stare to the Prince. Sidon had returned his stare to Mipha’s statue. He looked at her with love and longing. “Um, how about you?”

Sidon chuckled before returning Link’s stare. “I’m sure you can tell, but I didn’t sleep a wink.”

Upon closer examination, Link could see the white scales under his eyes had adopted a bluish-grey hue.

“Most nights, I don’t sleep. Well, especially as of late”, Sidon sighed. “I can’t stand to see Vah Ruta so upset. It’s as if Mipha herself is crying…” The trembling of his large frame shook the ground, making Mipha’s statue mirror his shaking. The rain didn’t help. It really did make her look as though she was crying. “I was barely walking when the calamity hit… I couldn’t do a thing. I could only snivel and cry, asking my father over and over when my big sister would be home. Now once again, the calamity is upon us and… I feel as useless as I was then.”

Link understood his feelings all too well. While he couldn’t remember everything from 100 hundred years ago, he knew enough to know that he had failed, leaving Zelda to hold the fort. If he had the sword that could seal the darkness then and failed, what could he do now? Beat Ganon back with a crumbling feathered edge and a pot lid? And yet, here he was still trying.

Grabbing ahold of Sidon’s clawed hands, Link stared directly into the bewildered Zora’s golden eyes. “Sidon, I believe in you. You’re not useless”, Link firmly stated. “When your home and, in turn, the rest of the kingdom was in danger, you sought help and found it! You even gave me a personal escort here, granted I feel like I still have lake water in my lungs; you saved us some time. Even now, there’s more you can do. You just have to believe in yourself like you believe me to be the hero to save Vah Ruta”.

By the time Link was finished with his speech of encouragement, Sidon was red in the face, his eyes as watery as a sunset over the ocean.

“I-I—“ The prince stammered over and over until a loud scoff cut him off.

“Great, now another Hylian is trying to steal away our prince!”

Letting go of Sidon’s hands, Link turned to see a strange Zora with a green pattern and manta-like head. His beady eyes regarded Link with absolute disgust, but as he leaned in closer, his mouth became a snarl.

“You… You! You’re the Hylian that introduced our lady Mipha to that harlot of a Princess, Zelda! How is it that you live and she is gone?!”

Before the angry Zora could get close to Link, Sidon stepped between the two, pulling Link behind his back while keeping the other Zora at an arm’s reach. “Muzu, please! He is here to help us appease Vah Ruta!”

“We don’t need to have a Hylian, let alone this degenerate, to help us! It’s his fault lady Mipha is gone! It’s his fault we’re in this situation anyway!”

“Do you not think Link understands this? He wouldn’t be here now if he didn’t!”

“Oh, so you’re on a first-name basis with this heathen, are you no—“

“Enough!” A booming voice cut across the domain like a thunderclap, immediately ceasing the argument as though it had never happened.

Looking to the sky, Link’s face near lost all its color as he saw a massive war-weary Zora glaring down at the three from the second floor. He looked from Sidon to Muzu before finally settling on Link, well, more specifically, his Sheikah slate before his glare softened considerably.

“You… You’re the Hylian Champion! Yes, I remember you… Link. Come up here. There is much to discuss”.

As his body retreated away, Muzu stamped his foot. “But your highness!” However, the massive Zora gave no response, so begrudgingly, as Sidon took hold of Link and led him up to the second floor, Muzu followed a good distance away.

-

King Dorephan, as he had introduced himself when Link failed to immediately recall his name nor face with firm conviction, was a lot more understanding than his royal advisor, Muzu, who continued his glare in Link’s direction.

Dorephan was elated that Link had retained some memories of his daughter, Mipha, despite his memory loss. But for the most part, he was saddened as he explained how close they were.

“My daughter, even intending to marry Princess Zelda… She still crafted you a set of Zora armor. You meant a great deal to her. She wanted to be able to protect you…”

When the king began to fish around the water of his throne, Muzu’s face contorted with horror. “You can’t honestly be thinking of giving Mipha’s armor to a shady Hylian such as him!”

Once again, the King paid him no mind. Once he found the chest he had been looking for, he placed it before Link, waving his hand for him to open it. As Link pulled the ornate blue and grey armor from the chest, Muzu looked away, unable to stomach the sight.

If he hadn’t known a thing about Mipha, receiving the armor likely wouldn’t have meant a thing to Link. It would have just been something else to wear with a supposed sentimental tag attached to it. He could easily see her smiling as she sewed each scale together with what he could remember of her. He imagined even Zelda had helped. The more he ran his fingers along, the more he could feel Mipha’s gentle touch wrapping around his arm, filling wounds with warm bubbling energy that made them go away. Unconsciously, he hugged the armor close to his chest. Like his paraglider, it was the closest thing he had to someone who had cared for him.

It was faint, but briefly, Link could see Mipha’s warm golden eyes focused down on a wound on his arm. Her hands delicately wrapped around it as bubbling water emanated from them. They were sat high on the trunk of what Link was sure to be Vah Ruta.

“Perhaps when this is all over, Link… We can return to the domain, you, Revali, and me, and play like old times… We can even show Zelda the fun of a paraglider…” With a gentle smile on her lips, Mipha looked towards Ruta’s face. Following her stare, Link found himself staring at Zelda’s back. She appeared to be jotting something down on the Sheikah slate.

Link could feel tears beginning to prick at the corners of his eyes.

At the sight of the Hylian nearly breaking down in the throne room, Muzu softened while the King had begun to rub at his face in an attempt to hide his tears. Sidon, however, just burst into tears. He was overcome with emotion at the sight.

-

Soon after donning Mipha’s Zora armor, Link found himself standing beside Sidon at the eastern reservoir, looking onto the massive elephant machine that he had seen from afar in his dream. Being close to the weeping beast made him wonder if this is what it felt like to be a bug looking onto a human, who could easily crush it and not even mean to. Yet, despite its crying, the venomous pink that pulsed through the divine beast’s veins told Link that it wouldn’t mind crushing him if he came too close. In fact, it dared him to try.

“According to Princess Zelda’s notes, if we hit the red orbs atop its spigots with electricity, we can stop the flow of water,” Sidon explained before handing Link a rubber quiver of sparking arrows. “As I’m sure you’re aware, these are shock arrows. I collected these for you the night before”.

Upon taking the quiver, Link raised an eyebrow at the Zora. If he remembered correctly, the Zora had an aversion to electricity.

At Link’s quizzical stare, Sidon smiled before bringing his arm up to strike a pose. “You see, there’s a lynel that lives on mount Ploymus that loves electricity, but not as much as it loves fish. So I traded it a basket of freshly caught fish for its quiver of electric arrows!”

Link snorted at his gesture before lightly punching the Zora’s arm. “You did all that for me, and you still doubted your worth? There are only things you can do. Trust me; I couldn’t have done that. I would have likely run around like a Cucco with its head cut off trying to collect its arrows”.

As he could feel his face turning red again at Link’s compliment, Sidon leaped into the water, allowing its temperature to cool his scales. “Hop on Link. I will take you to Ruta’s waterfalls; from there, you can climb!”

“Me? Climb a waterfall?” Link questioned as he carefully wrapped himself around Sidon again. The ride through the Zora River was turbulent enough. He could only imagine what it was going to be like when Ruta decided to attack. Unfortunately, it was already starting to rumble out a warning.

“Yes, with Mipha’s armor, you can ascend waterfalls like us, Zora. Think of it like your paraglider”.

The thought made the feeling of worry die down slightly, but as soon as Sidon began to cut through the waves, Ruta let off a loud trumpet before spears of ice began to barrel towards them.

Before Sidon could even tell Link to dispose of the ice, Link shot down the spears with carefully aimed arrows. Then, while Ruta paused its assault to recharge, Sidon threw Link towards a waterfall.

As Sidon had explained, the armor really did allow him to climb waterfalls. Once he put his arms into the current and kicked his legs to move, he was climbing and jumping the water as any Zora could. However, it didn’t do anything for the water that got in his nose, ears, or eyes that was still the same. When he reached the waterfall’s peak, he whipped out his bow, notching it with electric arrows. As he fell, time slowed, allowing him to take careful aim at the red orbs on Ruta’s back. By the time his focus faded, he had hit all four, the beast letting off another trumpet before ceasing its torrential water flow.

When Link hit the water, Sidon was at his side in an instant. “You did it, Link! You’ve saved Zora’s Domain!” He cheered, hugging Link close until he noticed his stare at Vah Ruta.

“I have to go in Sidon. Do you think you can get me close?”

Sidon looked from Link’s determined face and back to Vah Ruta’s flickering red lights. “I will, so long as you allow me to accompany you.”

Seeing as there was no way of arguing with Sidon, Link agreed. He didn’t know what Ganon had awaiting him in the belly of the beast. It would be better to have someone watching his back.

Sidon waited until there was a large enough wave to ride before lunging himself and Link onto Ruta’s entrance platform.

Once on solid ground, Link moved to the Shekiah terminal to place his slate. Link swore Sidon was about to jump out of his skin when the ground below him alit with bright blue energy. He had been busy staring down at the reservoir below, watching the water get farther as Ruta stood to its full height.

“…Link, I never thought I would get to see you again, nor you my sweet brother… Look how you’ve grown”.

“Sister?!” Sidon called out, looking left and right before finally deciding to enter Ruta.

Link was quick on his trail, drawing his sword just in case. While he was sure that was Mipha’s voice, he wasn’t sure if Ganon had his beasts playing tricks.

The layout of the divine beast was much like that of one of the many shrines he had encountered on his travels since awakening. The only difference really was that he could see outside and that there was malice growing from the walls and floors. He decided on calling it malice after he decided to stupidly poke it with his boot. As soon as it connected, he could feel his flesh burning and his ears filling with a seething voice speaking in a language he couldn’t understand.

“Okay, Sidon, promise me you’ll stay away from the goo, okay?” Link called out shakily once he pulled himself free from the goop.

“Y-you touched it?” He heard Sidon call out from the outside of Ruta before he reentered a Zora spear in hand. “That stuff has the power to corrupt all living beings.”

“Duly noted,” Link mumbled while he pulled out a small health potion from his bag.

-

Neither Link nor Sidon heard from Mipha again throughout their exploration of Vah Ruta. Once they found the beast’s map, they activated all the terminals listed before making their way to the control room, which contained a terminal that looked like a ready-to-burst flower bud with the faces of the beasts etched into the ends of its petals.

“Link… Sidon… Be careful…” Mipha’s weak voice echoed throughout the chamber the moment Link placed the Sheikah slate. When the slate connected, an explosion of black and purple erupted from the terminal. Sidon was quick to knock Link to the side before the malice could touch him.

“What in Nayru’s name is that?!” Sidon hissed; fangs barred as he pointed his spear at the writing mass of malice that slowly was gaining a gangly form.

Link grimaced at the sight. The creature looked like an abomination of Sheikah technology. It had bones like the towers, a face like a guardian, as well as a weapon like one, all held together by Ganon’s essence of malice.

“That… Thing is one of Ganon’s creations. I put up as much of a fight as I could, but it proved to be my demise 100 years ago…” Mipha explained as the beast began to raise itself into the air, twitching with anticipation on who to attack first.

“So you’re the creature that took my sister from this world? It will bring me great pleasure to see you erased!” Sidon declared, his spear raised to attack until Link placed himself between him and the beast.

“Let me take lead, Sidon.”  The Zora looked ready to argue, but once he looked onto Link’s steeled stare, he nodded, switching to a more defensive position.

When the scourge began to giggle, Link directed Sidon to move. Almost instantly, the beast had flung its spear, right where the pair had once been standing. Defenseless without its spear, Link pulled out his bow and notched it with a shock arrow, letting it flying right into its eye, earning him a squeal of pain for his efforts. When it fell to the floor, holding its eye in agony, Sidon skidded through the watery floor towards the beast, dragging his spear through its gut as he went. Once he was at Link’s side again, the creature began to cackle to itself before rising again as though it hadn’t been in pain mere moments ago.

“What is wrong with this thing?” Link panted out until he realized the water level in the room was beginning to rise considerably, making it hard to move. Before Link could make it to one of the floating platforms, the blight flung a wave of ice spears Link’s way before flinging its regenerated sidearm.

If Sidon hadn’t been with him, Link was sure he would have been in trouble. With the water level high, Sidon was in his element. He easily manipulated the water to throw Link onto a platform before slashing away at the beast’s ice spears, allowing Link the time to set up a cryonis block to stop its large spear in its tracks.

With the spear lodged in an ice block, Link took his opportunity to vault off of Sidon and onto the block before running down the spear. Then, with a roar, he lunged at the beast, feathered edge drawn, plunging it into its eye, causing it to crack with a spurt of dark blue liquid that stained Link’s face.

Using the blight’s head for momentum, Link pulled himself free, vaulting backward to Sidon, who easily caught him. For a while, the beast twitched and screamed violently as it tried to pry the blade free of its eye, but the more it panicked, the more unstable it became before it finally began to erupt, its malice disintegrating before it could hit the walls or Link and Sidon.

“It’s over…” Link sighed happily as the water began to lower. There was nothing left of his feathered edge, but it had certainly served him well. If he ever got the chance, he’d return to the Proxim bridge and thank the man who gave it to him.

“Yes… Mipha’s spirit is free”; with a small smile, Sidon pushed Link forward towards the terminal, “now to free Ruta.”

With a quick nod, Link ran up to the terminal and placed the Sheikah slate, happy to see the terminal go from orange to blue. Even if he hated the specific shade of blue, he was happy to see it in this instance. It meant he had succeeded. Vah Ruta was free.

“Sidon… I don’t know how I can ever thank you for your help today…” When Sidon didn’t respond, Link turned his head to see the tall Zora bent over, a familiar seafoam green fire flitting around his frame.

Dashing over, Link was met with the sight of Sidon hugging the faintest outline of Mipha close to his body. Tears were pouring from Sidon’s eyes.

“Mipha…” Link near whispered. He couldn’t raise his voice any higher; his throat wouldn’t allow it. He, too, began to cry.

“Please don’t cry, you two…Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here, you both are here. If only Zelda… My hope… was to see you all once more…”

When her spirit became fainter, Sidon held on tighter. “D-don’t leave! Please…”

“I have little time now, Sidon… I bequeath onto you, Vah Ruta. I know you’ll care for her well and Link…” With a flicker, Mipha disappeared from Sidon’s arms and before Link, her hands barely visible against her chest. “As a spirit, my healing abilities would be a waste upon me. So, therefore, I would like you to have it”.

From her chest emerged a bubbling blue energy that radiated a soothing aura. The farther it went from her, the more her spirit began to fade. When the energy was absorbed into his body, Link immediately felt his injuries from the day begin to evaporate.

“Promise me… Promise me… You’ll save the other champions… Promise me you’ll save Princess Zelda…”

When Link nodded, Mipha’s spirit was nothing more than the faintest of outlines. “I promise you, Mipha.”

With a gentle smile, Mipha’s spirit vanished into a flutter of seafoam flecks. Both Sidon and Link had to lean on each other to make it to Ruta’s controls. Despite Mipha’s desire for neither to cry, they couldn’t help but weep. There was a century's worth of things the both of them had wanted to ask her, and in the end, they only had five minutes.

“Sister… I promise you, I’ll care for Ruta, I will take your place as her champion… I’ll make you proud”. With his tears now wiped clean from his eyes, Sidon reached his hand out to the terminal. As it had done with the Sheikah slate earlier, it lit up.

“Authorizing… Welcome Champion, Sidon”.

As soon as the terminal finished its minute speech, Vah Ruta let off a loud trumpet as its gears began to whirl, shaking the ground violently underneath Link and Sidon. The Divine Beast was moving. But to where, neither could guess.

“Calamity detected… Moving location”.

“I-I never asked my sister how this thing worked” Sidon spoke up once he had made sure he had a good hold on both Link and the terminal. From the darkening of the windows, he could tell Ruta was descending into the reservoir. “I don’t think I would have comprehended much, though.”

Link snorted. “Trust me; I don’t think I would have either. I’m more of the hack and slash, ask questions later kind of guy”. It was a mere whisper of a memory, but he could vaguely hear Zelda’s scolding voice in his head asking if he was paying attention to her.

Luckily for Link and his necessity to breathe air, Ruta automatically sealed her control room so he wouldn’t have to worry about drowning. But it did nothing for the painful pressure of being deep underwater that made his eardrums crackle. Sidon even looked uncomfortable though Link wasn’t sure if it was because he was mirroring his pinched-up face.

When the beautiful light of the sun began to filter through the room again, Link was about to jump for joy, at least that was until the terminal’s voice startled him.

“Optimal firing range reached, set sights?”

Confused, Link attempted to stand on his tippy toes to see what Ruta was talking about, but when he couldn’t, Sidon lifted him up under the pits so he could see. The divine beast was staring directly at Hyrule Castle. The purple fog swirled madly as though it knew one of its hundred-year allies had turned traitor.

“Yes, Ruta! Set your sights!” Sidon chirped out once Link was satisfied enough to be put down. “Together, we shall avenge Mipha!” Cheerfully, he flashed the terminal a pose, which surprisingly made the blue of the flower bud-like contraption flicker as though it were laughing.

“Acknowledged champion, setting sights,” with those words, Ruta let off another trumpet before a loud whirring quickly eclipsed it.

 As soon as a bright red beam erupted from the divine beast, Link could feel his body becoming lighter and lighter. Looking to Sidon in confusion, he could see a bright golden light enveloping the Zora prince. Sidon, however, didn’t seem to notice. He was too focused on the terminal. It made him smile. Mipha would be glad to know her little brother had become friends with Ruta.

In his last moments aboard Vah Ruta, Link swore he could see Mipha standing at the control room entrance. She stared blankly at him and Sidon as though she didn’t even see them. He only even thought it was her due to the many silver adornments that covered her body. He attempted to call out, but Ruta had vanished amongst a field of gold before he even could.

When the gold twinkled free of his vision, Link found himself and Sidon standing before Mipha’s statue, a crowd of Zora quickly forming around them, their cheering filling his ears and thoughts making it seem as though what he had seen hadn’t even occurred at all. The happiness of the Zora was infectious, and Link hastily found himself absorbed in their celebration.

-

The Zoras had set up a banquet to reward their heroes. Ornate tables lined the plaza, each filled with various foods that both Zoras and Hylians would adore.

Link would be lying if he said he didn’t partake in the feast. He was more than happy to pack his plate high with fish and vegetables. It wasn’t every day you got to eat like a king out in the wilds; most of the time, he was lucky to not end up with an upset stomach from undercooked or improperly cleaned foods.

“Ah, a good meal does a body wonders…” Link sighed out contently to no one in particular from his makeshift seat on the stairs to the throne room. Most of the Zoras had flocked around Sidon as though Link didn’t exist, so he was left to his own devices. He didn’t mind the quiet, however. He wasn’t on his journey for the fame; it was to end the calamity, hopefully once and for all.

“Erm… Link, do you happen to have a minute?”

Tilting his head backward, Link was greeted by the scrunched-up face of Muzu.

“I’m guessing you’re not popular at the party either, eh?” He joked, earning him an annoyed grumble from the aged Zora.

“For your information, in my hay day, I was the life of the party!” Muzu retorted, his fins curling threateningly at the Hylian before hastily smoothing out. “But I digress. I’m not here to squabble with you. In fact, I’m here to apologize for my awful behavior towards you and well… Hylians in general”.

“You don’t have to apologize to me, Muzu. You cared about Mipha and felt as though it was Zelda and mine’s fault she was killed. I’d hate my guts too”.

Muzu scratched his head at Link’s understanding. He didn’t expect forgiveness so easily.

“I just wish I could remember more about her. I feel as though I’m spitting on her memory by not remembering much, considering how much she meant to your people,” Link sighed out. The sky had begun to darken, and the stone lights around the domain began to light up. It reminded Link of the stars in the sky.

“The king believes it will all come in time. But he hoped this might help you along”.

Confused, Link turned his head back towards Muzu to see him holding a beautifully crafted silver and diamond trident with sapphire teardrops dangling against the spear’s handle. It was a Lightscale trident; it belonged to Mipha… Almost instantly, Link’s head began to throb, and his vision swim. He could hear Revali wailing and Mipha’s frantic voice. Not long after that, his hand began to ache and twitch; he swore he could see it faintly glowing.

“Do you remember? Do you remember the day the Goddess Hylia chose you to be her hero of courage?”

Chapter Text

The next thing Link knew was that was he was thrust back into the body of his ten-year-old self, floating high on his paraglider with Mipha’s scales pressed against his back. Looking down, he could see Luto’s caravan stopped at the middle of the bridge at the foot of Ruto mountain. Her bright green feathers were easy to spot, as was the hulking mass of a silver furred lynel.

Revali instantly dived to her aid, the gust of wind he created as he did so, forcing Link and Mipha back towards the domain. It was useless to scream at the Rito to regroup with them at the domain, Link knew, but he still did. Revali didn’t have his bow, nor did Link have a sword or Mipha her spear. It was a death sentence.

“We have to tell my father!” Mipha cried. “He’ll gather our soldiers!”

It was a reasonable suggestion. In fact, it was much better than Link’s plan. But that would take time, more time than what they had.

“Mipha, I want you to grab on tight to me, okay?”

Gingerly, Mipha did as she was told, carefully peeling her nails free of the wood of the glider and wrapping herself around Link’s smaller frame. “What do you have a plan—Oh my Goddess!”

She clearly hadn’t expected him to fold up the glider, causing them both to plummet at a rapid rate towards the domain. When the ground came too close for comfort, Mipha let off a scream that lasted until she felt the sharp pull of the paraglider reopening, allowing them to hit the ground safely.

“Lady Mipha, are you alright?” Kodah called out to her and Link while Sidon threw himself at the Hylian, whimpering. “We heard an awful roar, and then your screaming we—“

“Kodah, you need to alert King Dorephan! There’s a lynel at the crossing!” Link hastily interrupted as he pressed Sidon back into her chest. He had to get to the blacksmith. Dento always had a couple of silver swords and shields in his stock of weapons.

At the mention of a lynel, Kodah's eyes widened, and fins flared. But regardless of the fear she felt, she nodded and rushed to do as she was told.

With the king now being alerted, Link took hold of Mipha and charged for the general store, leaping over Marot, who had busied herself watching a snail, and into her grandfather’s workplace, where the pair found him to have fallen asleep. Link couldn’t help his sigh of relief. He wasn’t so sure how he would have convinced the Zora to allow him to borrow a real sword.

“Link, you’re sure we can do this? A Lynel isn’t like a bokoblin…” Mipha spoke once her lightscale trident was in her hands. “They’re vicious, especially the silver furred ones…”

At Mipha’s words, Link began to worry the inside of his cheek. She was right, he may be a genius with the sword, but he was still young, inexperienced. Even his father and his soldiers had issues dealing with the lynels that occasionally tried to kill his mother’s livestock. But at the same time, Link didn’t care. Luto and Revali were in danger. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t act.

“I know we can, Mipha. I think we’re the only ones who can do this”, Link answered wholeheartedly, earning him a small smile from Mipha.

“I believe in you, Link,” gently she took his hand before taking off into a sprint for the domain’s edge. Lunging into the air, she maneuvered her trident behind her for Link to grab onto as she dived into the water, cutting easily through the waves like butter.

When the bridge came into sight, she rocketed into the air, using all of her weight; she flung her spear skywards, allowing Link the opportunity to open his paraglider to find an optimal point of attack.

Scanning the bridge, the only thing Link saw was red. Blood spattered much of the area, nearly turning spots of the blue bridge indigo. Luto’s cart had been destroyed, her products scattered everywhere, and her spear splintered in half. It had not been a fair fight.

The Lynel nor Luto and Revali were anywhere to be seen.

With a hiss, Link allowed himself to land on the bridge, Mipha joining him quickly after.

“Were we too late?” Mipha questioned forlornly until she looked at Link, who sharply shook his head.

“Look,” Hand vibrating in anger, he pointed forward. While the Lynel had been careful not to leave a trail of its victim’s blood, it hadn’t been smart enough to make sure they hadn’t left a trail of feathers. Carefully, Link bent down to pick up one of Revali’s navy feathers that he had left behind.

He would personally make the damn lynel pay.

Time was of the essence now. The skies were beginning to fill with clouds, and the wind was picking up. Taking hold of Mipha’s hand, Link sprinted down the bridge, following Revali’s feather trail faithfully until it wrapped around the mountain.

Through a bright clap of thunder, Link saw it. In the clearing atop the mountain stood the lynel with Revali’s small, limp body firmly held in one of its massive paws while the other clutched its blood smeared crusher. Luto was crumpled before it, her once bright green feathers completely scarlet. One of her wings was clutched firmly to her side while the other shakily held onto a rusty broadsword.

“P-put my fledgling down n-now…” She hissed dangerously before breaking into a coughing fit. Then, as the skies rumbled again, she fell to the dirt, blood pooling from her beak.

When the lynel raised its crusher to deliver a final blow to the Rito, Link let off a roar as a bolt of thunder crackled against the mountain’s side. Drawing his silver sword, Link charged at the lynel; using his smaller frame to his advantage, he blindsided the lynel by sliding under its belly and slashing at its thick skin, causing the beast to let off a howl. In a rage, the beast threw Revali to the side like a ragdoll to focus its attention solely on Link, allowing Mipha to drag both Ritos to relative safety to treat their wounds.

“You’re a big fat coward, you know that?! Attacking a lady and a child! I’m gonna put you in your place, you smelly beast!”

As though it could understand Link, the beast roared, raising its crusher at Link and driving it down at the Hylian. At the sight, Mipha cried out, her healing magic ceasing until she saw that Link had masterfully deflected the beast’s blow with his shield, knocking both back with surprise.

With the lynel flabbergasted at having its attacked blocked, Link took his opportunity to deliver onto it a flurry of swipes of his sword until it recovered its senses, swiping at Link with its free paw, which was easily dodged with a backflip.

“Is that all you got?! I’ve been threatened more by a Cucco!” Link laughed despite himself. In all honesty, he was scared. His blows hardly did a thing to the lynel’s thick skin, and to make matters worse, his sword and shield were already beginning to show wear. The blocked blow had left a thick crack in his silver shield, and his sword was beginning to dull and chip.

As if sensing his bluff, the lynel let off another roar before it dove down on his paws, its jaw unhinging with fiery energy.

Gasping, Link rolled out of the way, only narrowly avoiding the fireball that came from the lynel’s mouth. He had prayed that was all the creature had in it, but as it let off two more bursts until it knew that it couldn’t hit the Hylian, so it turned towards Mipha and the Ritos, another fireball charging.

“Mipha!” Link screamed out, tripping over himself as he tried to get to her in time to shield her.

Mipha, however, wasn’t about to go down so easily. “You come to my domain. You hurt my friends… Do you really think us Zora will stand for this?!” Standing from her charges, Mipha raised her trident to the air, rain beginning to fall as she did so. The rain funneled down close to her. “Allow me to show you the strength of the Zora’s princess!” Thrusting her spear forward at the lynel, the cyclone of water followed, plowing into the lynel and sending it into the air, a sharp air current generating from the force.

“Link!”  Mipha called out before tossing him her trident. “Finish it!”

Once the lightscale trident was in his hands, Link pulled out his glider, which immediately caught the air. Link could feel the electricity in the air ghosting his skin and raising the hair on the back of his neck. With how high he was and the fact that he was holding a metal weapon, he knew it was only a matter of time before he got electrocuted, but he didn’t care if he would get hit, so was the lynel.

At the top of the cyclone, Link found the lynel floundering in the whirling water, its mouth a fire pit, ready to strike Link if he drew too close and draw close he did.

“I told you I was going to make you pay!” Dropping the glider to raise the trident to spear the lynel’s head, Link allowed himself to fall towards the fire that came free from its mouth. It didn’t matter what became of him. If the domain was free of the lynel’s threat, he did his job. If Mipha and Revali got to live another day, he would be happy.

As soon as the trident connected with the lynel’s head and the lynel’s fireball with Link, the sky erupted with thunder and lighting, eclipsing Link’s sight and feeling within a golden light.

“Young boy… You have shown great courage”, a woman’s ethereal voice called out to him.

Faintly amongst the golden light, Link swore he saw a smiling blonde woman garbed in a billowing white gown drawing closer to him.

“Wh-who are you?” He spoke up. “Am I dead?” He couldn’t have been dead. He felt the woman’s warmth as she reached him, taking ahold of his left hand. He could feel the delicate pads of her fingers and the tickle of her long hair against his cheek.

She chuckled. “You are not dead, my child. I am the Goddess Hylia… I have heard great things from the Goddess Farore’s acolyte, Farosh, of your courage. I am here to bless you with her symbol of courage.”

As she spoke, Link began to feel strange. He felt lighter, stronger with any fear he had being shushed. But, while it remained, it didn’t weigh him down. When the goddess pulled her hand away, Link could see what he recognized to be the mark of the Triforce on his hand. His father had told him at one point that the triforce was left to Hyrule by the creators of their realm: Din, Nayru, and Farore. It was a mythic relic, but its visage still had become the royal family of Hyrule’s crest.

“When the time comes, my child, you will be able to wield the sword that seals the darkness. It is your destiny now to aid in the sealing of the emerging calamity. No other is fit this task”.

When Hylia began to retreat from Link, so did the gentle glow around him. As it did, he could begin to feel the pain of his injuries and the frantic crying of Revali and Mipha. But before he allowed himself to return to his friends, he called out to the Goddess one more time.

“Please tell me, Goddess Hylia, how long is it until the calamity rises?”

Unfortunately for Link, he didn’t receive an answer. Instead, the goddess shook her head. “That I cannot say my child; trust that the pieces will fall in their places within the passage of time…”

With those final parting words, the warm gold faded into the slate of clouded sky and cold droplets of rain. Link sighed painfully, his ribs aching as he did so. It hurt to breathe; he must have broken a rib or two in his fall from the sky.

There was also an uncomfortable yet warm presence on his chest. Carefully, he lifted his head to see that Revali had his face buried into his tunic, his feather-torn wings draped across his torso like a makeshift blanket. From what he could see of his beak, it was pointed towards the fallen corpse of the silver lynel. It was a relief to see it gone; he could rest much easier now…

Overcome with exhaustion; Link allowed his eyes to drift closed. The last thing he heard was his father’s frantic shout and Mipha’s somber voice.

“I-I-I couldn’t save her…”

-

When Link’s eyes snapped open, he found himself resting against the slimy scales of Sidon’s stomach. The Zora prince had his back rested against the railing of the stairs to the throne room. Upon looking at the Zora, Link quickly noticed he had fallen asleep. The drool dripping down his chin didn’t suit the regal headdress and jewelry he had put on for the party. But Link couldn’t blame him. They had had a long day.

“So, did you remember?”

Attention drawn away from Sidon, Link saw Muzu stepping down the stairs with Mipha’s trident in hand.

Link sighed, “A silver lynel attacked… Mipha, and I fought it, and then I was blessed by the goddess Hylia, becoming the hero of courage and future wielder of the sword that seals the darkness”.

At Link’s response, Muzu nodded before taking a shaky seat beside Link and the sleeping prince. “The merchant Luto, she lost her life that day. Poor Mipha, she was so distraught. She had never failed to save someone with her powers… I wish to this day that she didn’t have to suffer that pain. For a while, I even blamed you”.

“You sure seem to like to blame me for the woes of the world.”

Muzu rolled his eyes at his comment before pressing on. “We ended up sending Revali back to the Rito village after Luto was buried. We ended up naming the crossing for her… It was quite a mess, in all honesty. The relationship between Zora’s domain and Hyrule became shaky for a while. Your father wasn’t happy that you got hurt fighting a lynel. He blamed us for you being a reckless child”.

Link scratched nervously at his head at Muzu’s glare until it softened as he stood back up.

“Regardless of the past, you’re here to do your job now, and I know Lady Mipha would love for you to take her trident on your quest.”

Carefully removing himself from Sidon’s lap, Link got up and gratefully took the trident, immediately feeling its familiarity in his hands.

“If you’re on the hunt for divine beasts, you should head up to Death Mountain. Torfeau, one of our soldiers, spoke of seeing a giant beast crawling around the volcano. Our Goron friend has also spoken of an unprecedented amount of eruptions. I fear the same thing that happened to our home could be happening to the Gorons”.

“I’ll go there next then,” Link easily answered, inwardly kicking himself. He still had to return to see Impa, not to mention see what Apple was up to. He also wanted to free Revali to learn more about their relationship. But Death Mountain was right next door. He’d just have to backtrack later. Daruk didn’t deserve to be kept waiting.

“Us Zora can’t go towards Death Mountain for obvious reasons, but I did ask Reagah if he could craft an elixir or two for you to make your travels a bit easier. I left it with your stuff in the inn as well as some leftovers from the party. Consider it my apology for making an ass of myself”.

Link snickered. He never imagined Muzu having the ability to curse. He seemed too uptight.

“Just get out of here before I change my mind…” Muzu grumbled out before looking down at Sidon, who began to twitch in his sleep. “The prince has told his father that he intends on returning to Vah Ruta to train with her should you need the assistance in your final battle. I, of course, objected, but Sidon has taken a real shine to you, Link. I hope you don’t do anything to sour your relationship with him as you did with Revali”.

“W-wait what?”

Muzu, however, chose to ignore the Hylian’s inquiry. He just made his way back up towards the King’s throne room, leaving Link frustrated, his frustration continuing all the way back to the inn to get his stuff and throughout his trip down from the domain and back to Apple.

“Dumb, stupid old Zora asshole, making snide comments and not elaborating; it’s not my fault my memory is playing games with me…” Link grumbled out as he stomped harshly through the wetlands, uncaring for the muck that got in his boots and on his face. To satisfy his anger, he just pretended he was stepping on Muzu.

At least that was until he caught sight of Apple. She had moved closer to a couple of dilapidated buildings for shelter. However, she wasn’t alone; by her stood a familiar dark figure, the figure offering her bits of wheat which she greedily gnawed on.

With a curse, Link threw himself behind a thicket of reeds before peeling a couple apart to peer through.

The figure was definitely the same size as the person he had encountered on the Lanayru road. They were shorter than Apple but just barely taller than him. If they were a part of the Yiga clan, they sure dressed differently. The figure wore a dark cloak that covered its body from head to toe with a wide-brimmed hat on its head. If he could get the drop, he could take the assailant out without any trouble. He just had to sneak through squishy mud and crinkly grass. It would be a cinch!

‘If only Apple were an obedient horse, she’d kick the bastard away, not take his snacks!’ His mind shouted when the figure stuck out its heavily cloaked arm to stroke her head. Leaning as close as he could without making any noise, Link could just barely make out a shock white coming from the edge of the cloak. Those weren’t normal fingers. Too thick, too feathery; The person wasn’t Hylian, so what was it? A Rito? The Yiga clan did strike him as the sort to indoctrinate other races into their group. Or perhaps the idea of calamity Ganon was enticing to more than just the Yiga.

Apple melted into the mystery person’s touch, happy to be receiving pets after a couple of days on her own. She would have eagerly partaken in more of the attention, but a shock of blonde out in the wetlands caught her attention. Her owner had returned, finally. Hopefully, with him were more apples. Tabantha wheat was nice, but nothing beat the satisfaction of the crunch of an apple between her blunt teeth.

When Apple whinnied in Link’s direction, the assailant turned as well, revealing the white and red mask of the Yiga clan poking out of scarf around its neck. Almost instantly, the person threw back their cloak, pulling from it a bow already notched with three bomb arrows that easily flew at Link with pinpoint accuracy.

Link let off a curse in his horse’s direction before leaping out of the way of the blast. The cursing easily continued as the muddied water of the wetlands erupted over him, the blinding muck making it hard to see. However, through his blurry vision, he could see the Yiga assassin and Apple. The assassin had another line of arrows ready to fly, but Apple had seemed to finally figure out just who it was. With a loud squeal, she raised onto her hind legs in a threatening fashion before seizing the assassin’s cloak and flinging them with all her might. Link had just barely gotten the mud cleaned from his face when he saw the person fly through the air before catching themself on an air current above. Link’s eyes widened at the sight.

In Apple’s attack, the assassin’s mask had fallen from their beaked face, revealing a hollow set of emerald eyes that sat in a mass of dulled navy and white feathers that regarded Link blankly before dangerously narrowing.

“R-Revali?!” He shakily called out.

The Rito paid no mind to Link’s call. Instead, with a click of his beak, he holstered his bow and spread his wings, allowing the wind to lift him higher.

“H-hey wait dammit!”

As quick as he could, Link tried to pull out his glider to catch the air the Rito had created, but it had already been too late. The Rito was already gone, drifting cleanly on the air current before suddenly vanishing as the other Yiga assassins had days prior. Frustrated, he kicked at an innocent stone.

It had been the same in Vah Ruta. He swore he had seen Mipha staring at him with golden eyes hollowed without any memory of him. But, while it had only been a glimpse of Mipha, he literally saw Revali floating in the sky plain as day. It was him. He knew it was him, it had to be him, and now he had to deal with the knowledge that he was within the Yiga’s hold, and there wasn’t much he could do for the time being. But, as much as it pained him, he still had a job to do: rescue the Divine Beasts and their champion’s spirits, defeat Ganon, and free Zelda.

When Apple made her way through the mud to his side, Link immediately wrapped his hands around her head and leaned his forehead to hers. He felt hot tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, but they never fell. Maybe he was just imagining things he liked to think. He didn’t want his friends to be wandering around the realm without a clue of who they were, being taken advantage of by only the Goddesses knew what. Sensing his distress, Apple let off a soothing nicker before rubbing her head close as if to tell him to calm down. But, unfortunately, his thoughts would get him nowhere.

“I know, girl, I know,” he sighed into her soft beige locks before pulling himself free to grab her reins. “I think there’s a stable up ahead. How about we rest there and head out towards Death Mountain at dawn?”

At his question, Apple let off a whinny of approval. She likely wanted some fresh hay as much as Link wanted the day to be over. The encounter would become a distant memory and allow him to focus on his next task, freeing Vah Rudania and Daruk.

-

It hadn’t been Link’s imagination causing him to see both Mipha and Revali. Truly, the champions did live. When they had been left to take their final breath from the scourges of their Divine Beasts, in their last moments of freedom, the beasts absorbed the champions into their own version of a slumber of restoration. However, they did not rest as safe and sound as Link had.

Ganon was happy to leave the champions to their slumber. An act of goodwill, he had joked with Princess Zelda upon her arrival to the castle’s sanctum. He knew how much she adored each of the four. He could hear both her and Link’s constant chatter over the years.

The three of them were eternally connected whether they acknowledged it or not as holders of portions of the triforce: him of power, Zelda of wisdom, and Link of courage. It made his decision of when to attack the kingdom only easier. To strike when and where it would hurt the most; when Zelda’s prayers to Nayru fell on deaf ears, and the kingdom was left without its hero; when the divine beasts were without their champions.

It was a delight watching them scramble and fall. It was especially so when he told Zelda that even if Link were to survive and come again to her aid, the champions they so loved wouldn’t be the same. With their spirits tied to their divine beasts, they would be nothing more than mere husks, wandering the land without purpose if Link never found them. With his own memory fractured from his slumber, he wouldn’t even know to look for the champions, and by the point, he realized this, they would be long gone.  

Even if they could seal him away, Mipha wouldn’t look upon her with the same loving eyes, nor would Link and Revali rekindle their relationship. It would be a pyrrhic victory for the pair. While they had saved the world, they were left without what they cared most for, which would entail victory for him. It was their curse to bear, Zelda for her blood and Link for the spirit he carried.

The look of malice in the princess’s eyes at his words rivaled that of his own. It made the being of calamity itself realize that he and she weren’t so different after all. The reincarnate of the divine Goddess, Hylia herself, was nothing more than a blood-thirsty beast just as he. He couldn’t wait to see the same look within the hero of courage’s eyes as well.

Chapter Text

As soon as the sun began to peek up above the horizon, Link was up and out of the Wetlands stable. He would eat on the way decided as he set his bag on Apple’s back. She, too, seemed eager to get on the road from the way she impatiently stamped her hooves.

The moment Link calmed her enough to jump on, she took off, charging down the roadway as though her tail was on fire. Her haste didn’t bother Link. In fact, he was happy about it. The quicker he made it to Death Mountain, the quicker he could return to Impa and tell her of his findings, and the quicker he would get to Urbosa and Revali. The only thing Link really did wish for at that moment was for the road to be a bit less bumpy. It’s hard to stuff a rice ball down your throat without choking when your horse manages to hit every single rock on the road. He had to wonder if she was doing it on purpose.

By the time they reached the Foothill stable, the sun had already set, and the moon was rising. The strange thing was, as he watched it, the moon began to pulse red. Immediately taken aback at the sight, Link pulled on Apple’s reins causing her to let off a squeal that startled the only person who was still outside of the stable. The Rito, Link quickly realized, fumbled with his bandoneon before fluttering hastily over to Link’s side.

“Are you alright? You nearly gave me a fright on this foul night”, the Rito spoke before placing his powder blue wing over Apple’s heavily pulsing neck.

Looking away from the Rito’s gentle stare, Link stared up into the sky. The blood-colored moon had made its way overhead, bringing with it a strange purple and red fog with it that chilled the Hylian down to the bone. “I-I um… What’s going on with the moon?”

The Rito didn’t follow Link’s stare; instead, he just fiddled with his bandoneon. “Ah, you’ve never seen a blood moon before, have you? It’s the night when the calamity is at its strongest and fallen monsters rise again to torment the lands. Most people do not come out on these nights or even during the day before and after. One can just sense the evil in the air”.

“I guess that’s why my horse was so eager to get here this morning,” Link sighed. He remembered the strange man back at the Dueling Peaks stable. He wondered if he was happy to see the moon in such a state. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, how come you’re outside?”

The Rito smiled up at Link. “I’m what you would call a wandering minstrel, with a love for song. I occasionally perform for the horses at various stables between my hunts for songs of the areas I travel in...” Any cheer in the Rito’s face left instantly as he let out a saddened sigh. “But in all honesty, you caught me on my way out. You see, there’s this strange machine hovering over my home village, and I fear for my family. I’ve sent word out to them and received no response…”

Link let of a hum in reply. He could remember as though it were yesterday when he had gotten off the plateau. Seeing Vah Medoh flying overhead was an amazing yet terrifying sight. He imagined Revali could pull off all sorts of spectacles with the divine beast. But with it under Ganon’s control… He shivered at the thought.

“Please, don’t let me keep you.”

Over the course of their conversation, the blood moon had passed, and the sky had returned to normal. Link was sure it would be safe for both of them to continue down their paths.

“Thank you for chatting with me um…”

“It’s Kass. May our paths cross again, young champion”. Before Link could even respond, Kass began to flap his wings before taking off towards the edge of the stable, the wind immediately pulling him higher into the sky.

When he was a mere speck in the sky, Link let off a sigh as he patted at Apple’s mane. “I must really have a big sign on my back that says ‘Hylian Champion.”

At his comment, Apple let off a loud snort of amusement.

-

With a name like ‘Death Mountain,’ Link decided it would be best to board Apple at the Foothill stable until he returned. He didn’t want her to end up wandering up the volcano, and knowing her; it was a possibility. Of course, she wasn’t happy to part again so soon after meeting again, but at least this time, she had the company of other horses to complain to about his misdeeds.

Muzu and the stable hands had warned Link about the heat of Death Mountain, but he had pushed it off. If he wasn’t even breaking a sweat near the hot springs, an active volcano can’t be that hot; his mind dumbly reasoned until he actually made it closer to a lake of free-flowing magma. Link could almost feel his skin singeing and his bow and shield beginning to catch on fire. With a screech, he immediately began digging through his bag until he found the fireproof elixir Muzu had packed him.

Without even reading the label, he downed the elixir in one swig, nearly vomiting at the awful taste. If it’s made with lizards and bokoblin guts, it’s not going to be good. With a grimace, he eyed the bottle, promptly kicking it into the lava lake the moment he saw it read, ‘Best if used on skin!’

Luckily, his ass wasn’t on fire anymore, but his wooden shield and bow couldn’t say any different as they crumbled into a miserable pile of ashes.

“Aw horse spit,” he moaned into his hands for not having the foresight to have left the wooden weaponry with Apple and bring a steel bow. But at least he had a shield he had picked up from a shrine’s guardian scout on hand, and there seemed to be a plethora of lizalfos skittering across the mountain with metal weaponry strapped to their bodies. He still had everything under control…

At least that was until he looked down at his chest to see a guardian’s targeting laser snuggled cozily on his sternum.

With a screech, Link dove behind a boulder just as the guardian fired. Unfortunately, while the rock saved him in that instance, it wouldn’t do so again as the blast turned it into pebbles.

“Of all the damn places, I thought Gorons live here! Why would they let these assholes run rampant?!” Even with an elixir keeping him from ending up like his shield and bow, the air still hurt to breathe, and thus every movement Link made became sluggish, which wasn’t a good thing with a guardian on the hunt.

He would have preferred the Yiga’s Rito assassin.

The guardian’s chase was endless. It knew the Hylian couldn’t run forever. It would just have to keep following until he inevitably gave in. However, it didn’t take into account who it was actually dealing with.

Realizing it wouldn’t give up no matter how far he ran, hid, or jumped over pools of lava, Link stood his ground. Not that he had anywhere to go anyways, the damned thing had him cornered between it and a lake of lava.

“F-fine, you want a fight, I’ll give you one you won’t forget, you dumb machine!” With his guardian shield raised, he glared at the guardian as it charged its beam. Goddess, he loathed the color of his shield. It was too blue. It was why the damned thing found itself at the bottom of his rucksack, where it would promptly return once he found a more suitable shield.

When the guardian fired its beam, Link deflected it with ease as he had the one on the Great plateau. But the difference between the one back there and the one here was that this one was still completely mobile. It had all of its potential attack power and more, and it wasn’t happy with the chase Link had put it through. The strength of its blast was enough to send Link flying clear over the lava lake and cause the guardian to crumble away without even leaving so much as a screw.

After righting himself midair, Link whipped out his paraglider, happy to be rid of the guardian and to be coasting through a cooler air current until he neared a cliff to land on.

Being up and away from the magma pools, the cliff wasn’t as hot, making it a great place to take a well-deserved rest. He had hoped to make it to the Goron village by morning. But with the sun just rising over the horizon, he knew that wouldn’t be the case.

With an annoyed grumble, Link made his way closer towards the cliff’s edge, where it was sure to be even cooler to have a snack. He still had plenty of leftovers packed from Zora’s Domain that he was eager to dig into. Deciding on a grilled fish skewer, he busied himself looking over the horizon as he ate.

From his location, he could see Hyrule castle, the fog of malice that curled around it, as well as Vah Ruta’s targeting laser, focused at its top. The sight made him crinkle his nose. He had to wonder what Calamity Ganon was thinking now that one of his allies had turned. Was he going to try something against Sidon and Ruta? Or was he allowing the Yiga clan to handle it?

 In the end, he just turned his gaze from the castle to Vah Medoh off in the far distance. Watching the beast circle around was relaxing even though he was sure Kass and the Rito that lived under it would say different. In the past, Revali had said Vah Medoh was the guardian of the Rito, and Link was sure she still would be if Ganon hadn’t possessed her. He hoped Kass made it home safe and sound to his family.

Once his snack was finished, Link pulled out his Sheikah slate. Below the hill, there was a Sheikah tower that he wanted to make a note of before leaving, but as he did so, the slate opened to its album, a picture of the exact area he was in showing up. “Huh?”

Before Link even knew what was happening, he found himself sitting next to Princess Zelda amongst a field of fallen monsters. He had killed the monster hoard, he remembered. They were moving to threaten the Goron’s southern mine operation. Knowing that Zelda would be coming through the area, he dispatched them, and in that process, he had gotten injured.

Zelda was close to his face, her wide green eyes scanning an injury to his forehead. Her lips were pursed tight as though she was trying to hold her tongue. At least that was until she decided he was fine. “That cut doesn’t look too bad, actually. You’re fine for now. But I’ll ask Mipha to give you a look over once we see Daruk”.

At her words, Link just hummed in understanding. Nothing hurt. There was no reason to see Mipha. She should save her healing for those who actually needed it. But he wouldn’t argue with Zelda. She was his superior.

As though she knew what he was thinking, she scrunched up her face before flicking at his forehead, eliciting from him a grunt of pain. “But you know, there’s a fine line between courage and recklessness. As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal”.

Link tilted his head in confusion. He was not reckless. He could handle himself better than any of the other knights at the castle. It was why he was chosen to be Zelda’s guard; it was why the master sword had chosen him to be its wielder. It would have been reckless not to have taken care of the monsters.

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Typical… Just please take my words to heart, Link. Both Mipha and I care for you. Neither of us wants to see you hurt. I want you to think of yourself for a change, alright?”

When Link merely shrugged his shoulders, Zelda let off a huff before standing to shake the dirt off her pants. “As you seem too emotionally constipated to understand my plea, I digress. These attacks do seem to be occurring at a frightening rate… I fear that this is an omen which portends the return of Calamity Ganon. And, if that’s the case, I’m ready to expect the worst. We’ll need to make preparations as soon as possible…” Looking towards the castle, she bit at her lip before reaching for Link’s hand to help him up. “Those preparations should include making sure we’re able to work as a team. Have you patched things up with Revali as I asked you?”

Link flinched as the memory began to fade. He did not. He couldn’t. To accommodate the champions, Zelda had made rooms for them within the castle, so they were close when the calamity hit. While not all of the champions were able to stay at all times, it was asked that at least one stay for a week before shifting out, and this week, was Revali’s turn.

When Zelda spoke of leaving for Death Mountain, he had followed her without a word. With the calamity at hand, there was no need to show emotion. It would only lead to hurt and poor decisions. Once Ganon was defeated, he could try to speak with Revali again. Revali knew what was at stake too, he would understand. It was what he told himself every day to make it easier.

With the haze of his memories gone from his vision, Link pocketed his Sheikah slate before holding his head into his hands and screaming.

The person in this memory certainly explained to him why he was such a cold asshole at the Lanayru gate. But, he didn’t know how the person, who risked it all for his friends out of love, became the ‘emotionally constipated’ ass who pushed everyone away for his duty. It would all come with time, he knew, but it didn’t make him feel much better.

With a heavy heart, he pressed onwards. He still had to find the Sheikah tower of the region as well as get to Goron City. Maybe his memories with Daruk would shed some light on his past self’s state of mind. 

Chapter Text

With the Eldin tower activated, it became immediately easier for Link to find his way around Death Mountain.

The path he had been following before being attacked by that forsaken guardian led directly towards Goron city. Along the way, he even came across a monster camp, which provided him with a new shield that allowed him to chuck his guardian shield back into the pits of his bag where it belonged. He even managed to get a piece of an armor set that allowed him to withstand the heat of the mountain without having to consume the nasty fireproof elixir. He only had to find a couple of lizards for a Hylian at the Southern mine (though he wish he gave him his helmet too).

It was the early afternoon by the time Link made it to Goron City. The moment his foot was through the gate, he was welcomed by a wail of pain followed by “For the love of dirt, where is that damned Yunobo with my medicine?!” The old worn voice echoed off of the rock walls of the city, causing a bit of rock to crumble down into the bubbling magma pools below. Link gave a curious look to the Goron guard, who just shrugged.

“That’s just our Chief, Bludo. His back gave out again”.

Link nodded at the Goron before attempting to continue on, only to stop when the Goron spoke again.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, lil’ Hylian. We don’t get much visitors since that divine bee-thing started squirming around our volcano”.

“Divine bee?”

The Goron vigorously nodded before pointing up the volcano where a large lizard-like machine sat, surveying the area before deciding to move again. “The boss, our chief, he calls it a ‘divine feast’ or ‘divine bees’ depending on his mood that day.”

Link did his best to stifle his laugh. From the crotchety voice of the chief, he wasn’t all that surprised the Goron misheard him.

“So, you here on business or pleasure? I know a Gerudo lady came here wanted to collect some nasty gemstones. But as you can probably tell, it’s a no go with the divine bees moving about”.

“Business. I’m here to stop that divine beast”, Link firmly answered hands heroically on his hips. He half expected the Goron to cheer, but instead, he scratched at his head.

“Divine beast? Never heard of it. But I commend you lil’ fella. I recommend you got to my friend’s shop first though, he’s got armor that’ll protect you from the heat”.

Having no desire to clarify that he was on the hunt for the ‘divine bees,’ Link thanked the Goron for his advice and quickly went to procure the full set of the fire-breaker armor. Besides being made of fireproof rocks, the armor had insulation weaved with sapphire and opal that made the burning air more tolerable than the elixir ever did.

With that now out of the way, Link’s next stop was the angry-looking Goron at the far end of the city. He certainly looked like a boss with his brushed beard and eye patch. He also looked to be in severe back pain from the way he hunched over, occasionally rubbing at one of the boulders on his back.

“Are you okay?” Link bluntly asked. He couldn’t figure out anything else to say to the elderly Goron. It seemed like the best start as any.

The Goron glared up at him. “Does it look like—Ow! Ugh, it’s just some back pain…” He grumbled.”It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve seen a Hylian brave enough to come up here. So what’re you here for?”

Link pointed up at Rudania, who had begun to pull itself into the volcano. “I’m here to calm the divine beast.”

The Goron let off a guffaw of laughter before becoming overcome with pain as his back cracked. “Y-you calm Rudania? I’ve been beating that damned beast back for weeks, and it just keeps coming back! The dumb thing keeps messing up our mining operations and has caused unprecedented eruptions! Supposedly, the thing used to protect us 100 years ago, but that was then, and this is now! If we Goron can’t get a handle on it what, makes you think you, a fragile Hylian, can handle it?”

“Because as hard as it is to believe, I’m the Hylian champion.”

“Yeah, and I’ve been blessed with Daruk’s Protection.”

When Link gave the Goron a quizzical stare, the Goron groaned. “Hylian champion, my rocky ass! If you don’t know something as simple as that, you’re no champion! Daruk was our champion, blessed with the ability to create a protective shield! See that statue up there? That’s Daruk!”

Not wanting to argue with the Goron, Link looked behind him and up the mountain that surrounded the village. Amongst other Goron, carved into its side was the likeness of a kind-looking bearded Goron, pointing over the city with a happy Goron child sitting under his arm. The sight made him happy, unlike when he saw Daruk at Lanayru’s gate.

With a soft sigh, Link found himself atop of Vah Rudania at Daruk’s side as the Goron learned the controls to his Divine Beast. It was strange to see the beast’s Sheikah blue lights instead of an eerie pink, but to his past self, it was completely normal.

Looking up at Daruk, he could see a wide smile plastered all over his bearded face. But, unfortunately, Rudania hadn’t been the most cooperative of beasts, and thus Zelda had personally asked Link to keep an eye on the Goron in case anything went awry.

 It was nice to see things working out for the Goron for a change. Before they ascended Rudania, Daruk complained about his son, who was now in his rebellious teenage phase and wanted nothing to do with his ever-doting father. He wished he could have been of assistance, but he had no business talking about the subject.

“Yeah! I think I’m finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!” The Goron cheered, excited that Rudania had listened to his desire for him to let off a roar of strength. It was strange to think of a machine as shy, but Rudania was. When Daruk was first introduced to his terminal, the beast remained quiet. It had made both Zelda and Link wonder if he wasn’t compatible, but true to Daruk’s kind nature, he never gave up. He talked with it day and night until he got the terminal to light up and accept him as his champion.

Link genuinely smiled up at Daruk as he watched him stretch out once Rudania was parked comfortably amongst a pool of lava. Daruk had always been nice to him. He was never uptight, making it easier to ease up around him and let his mask drop. He was always jealous of his son; He never knew what it was like to have a Father who pushed him too hard. He was sure Daruk would have cried if he had ever had to ask his son to forgo himself, his relationships, everything he cared about, all for the sake of appearing strong in the eyes of the royal Hylian court, even in jest.

“I tell you what… Sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around”, with a brush at his nose, Daruk triumphantly turned towards Link, an even wider smile across his face. “Let those Champions know; they better eat their gravel if they wanna keep up with Daruk!”

Link chuckled. He didn’t want to burst Daruk’s bubble, but Mipha and Revali had already mastered their control over Vah Ruta and Vah Medoh, respectively and Urbosa was just about done training with Zelda on Vah Naboris.

“Speaking of which, can you believe this view? Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains… Mighty tasty!”

Grimacing when Daruk licked his lips, Link looked out towards the mountains. He couldn’t understand how Gorons could eat rocks. Well, any rock that wasn’t a grilled rock roast.

On his first meeting with Daruk two years ago, after dispatching a group of lizafos, Daruk invited him to dinner with his son. While Zelda warned him of Goron eating habits, he agreed anyway as not to be rude. He also couldn’t pass up a free meal. When he dug into the rock meat, he was surprised to find it to have the same texture and taste as his Mother’s charred brisket. He couldn’t get enough, much to the surprise of the Gorons and later Zelda. Revali had called him an idiot and told him to stay far away from his jade jewelry.

“I may not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing… Us Goron, for the most part, have kept to ourselves here on this ol’ mountain; but mark my words, I’ll protect this land of ours to the death! Right, Little Guy?!”

Even though he saw Daruk’s meaty hand coming a mile away, Link was still not prepared for the thunderous clap of his hand across his back. With a groan, he stumbled over as Daruk let off a laugh that matched the punch of his hand.

“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!”

If it was possible, his back only hurt more at the comment. Daruk meant well with his congratulations. But Zelda hadn’t been as thrilled as he would have thought to have him at her side. During his years of training to become a knight, his father and the king allowed him and Zelda to play with each other often. Being two years her senior, she was always happy for his company as he allowed her to get into more of the castle’s research wings rejected bits of technology. However, once he returned to her with the master sword in hand, she became distant, even loathing his company. She was better now, but her distance made his father be a thorn in his side.

“She is the Hylian Princess, perhaps even your future wife if you play your cards right. I don’t want you to lose this opportunity, son!” His father’s words echoed through his head gratingly. “I know you care for Revali. Your mother adores him too. But a Rito can’t provide you the love you need”. Whatever that meant, Link hadn’t a clue, but his father was his superior, at home and work, so he had to obey without argue. Even so, he loved his father, his father wanted what was best for him, but he just wanted him to butt out, sometimes, most of the time, all the time.

When he finally became aware of Link’s discomfort, Daruk leaned down and gently placed his hand on the Hylian’s back, rubbing soothing circles into his tenderized flesh. “Did I hurt you? Or is it something else? The Princess always tells me how you’ve been tighter-lipped than an octorok and its boulder as of late. Is the Calamity business getting to you?”

Link waved his hand frantically at the Goron, signing to him that he was fine and that there was no need to worry, but Daruk was having none of it. Without a warning to Link, the Goron lifted him into the air before plopping his butt down on Rudania, placing the Hylian on his lap as he would a Goron child for storytime.

“We’re like a family by this point! My little boulder of a son adores you, as does the Princess and the other champions! So I want you to be able to talk to me about whatever’s eating at you… Y’know, I hate to pry, but I overheard an argument between you and Revali after the ball the other day… Does it have something to do with that?”

For the first time in his memories, Link felt emotion from his past self, sorrow. Then, as the memory began to fade, Link let off a wail before burying his head into Daruk’s Champion shawl.

Link didn’t know what he said or if he said anything more to Daruk, but the Goron champion patted his back with a tender hand.

“It’ll be okay Little Guy…”

When Link came back to, Bludo was looking at him as though he had sprouted another head.

“…Where on Death Mountain did you go? Hylians sure are strange… Anyway, Yunobo is a descendent of the great Daruk, which is why that damned slacker can utilize his protection…” With a pinched face, the Goron boss rubbed at his back. “Ugh, where did that little torch slug get off to. I told him to go get my medicine from the damned north mine, not lollygag rock shopping!”

Seeing as there was going to be no end to Bludo’s rants about Yunobo, Link quickly interrupted before he could say anymore, “hey, how about I go find him for you?”

Bludo snorted. “If you think you can calm Rudania, then be my guest! Just don’t come haunting me if you become seasoning!”

Link didn’t question the Goron on his choice of words. He didn’t want to know that Gorons used questionable ashes as seasoning for their meals. The thought made him shiver. With a bow, he excused himself from Bludo and headed farther up into the village.

With a quick consult with his Sheikah slate and a Goron guard, he learned the Northern mine was situated in the middle of Darunia lake and a rather difficult spot to get to as the area had become infested with various monsters before finally being abandoned. Unfortunately, Vah Rudania’s constant movement on the volcano also didn’t help things much. His movements caused eruptions, and eruptions caused many of the pathways to crumble into the lake.

The Goron also warned Link not to touch Bludo’s cannons as they were difficult to manage. Link, however, took that bit of information with a grain of salt. With sheer determination and an infinite source of bombs, anything was possible.

When Link smacked at the lever to the cannon with a cobble crusher he found in the city, the Goron screamed at him to stop, continuing nonstop, even as Link slipped one of his Sheikah bombs into the cannon and detonated it. He quickly shut his lips when the cannon’s round blew clean through a molten boulder, freeing a hot air vent.

Getting to Yunobo was an easy feat after that. It was cannon, aim, fire, repeat until he made it to the mine where the poor Goron had been trapped due to a rockslide. Once freed, Yunobo pulled Link into a tight hug, near popping every bone in the Hylian’s back.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The Goron happily cheered, swinging Link around before finally putting him back down to gather his bearings.

It was tough to see through the small gap in his armor, but Link could tell the Goron he was looking at was young. He had a youthful smile full of innocence and naivety with blue eyes that spoke of wanting to do the right thing. He imagined Yunobo was how Daruk was when he was that age.

With a pep in his step, Yunobo made his way to the back of the cave and picked up a small rock box. “Now I can get the Boss his medicine! I sure hope he’s not mad… When I got in, Rudania let off a pained wail, and the next thing I knew, a magma bomb came down and caused the tunnel to collapse, Goro!”

When Link gave the box a curious look, Yunobo opened it to reveal a wriggling worm of lava that made the Hylian jump back as it spat hot water at him. “Th-that’s his medicine?!”

Yunobo nodded cheerfully. “Well, they're torch slugs, but I call them squirmies! They eat magma and produce concentrated bursts of mineral water that works wonders on a Goron’s body! My Papa showed me how to catch them before…”

Seeing Yunobo’s shoulders begin to quake and his eyes prick with tears, Link took hold of one of his massive fingers in an attempt to tug him from the cave. “Come, we still have to get that medicine to the chief, right? I’m sure he won’t be mad if you explain what happened”.

The Goron gave the Hylian a weak smile before sheepishly pulling at his tuft of white hair that came down his forehead. “Sorry, Goro. I guess I—“

“You don’t have to talk about it right now if it hurts still.” Link should know. Whenever he found his way back to Impa, he wasn’t sure how he’d broach the subject of his found memories. He found his past self to be an asshole, honestly. Sure, he had his reasons, but if he was indeed the hero of courage, he should have had the courage to tell his dad to butt out of his love life.

Suddenly very shy, the Goron began to focus his attention on his medicine box. “Thanks, um… What was your name? I’m Yunobo, by the way…”

“I’m Link.”

“Link… I feel like I’ve heard that name before…”

-

When the pair arrived back at the city, Bludo was about ready to chuck a rock at poor Yunobo, at least that was until he saw the box in his hands.

“Took you long enough, boy! Did you sample some fine rocks on your way?” The Boss tersely questioned before snagging the box and ceasing its contents.

“N-no sir, I-I…”

While nothing was threatening about Bludo in his current state of squeezing a magma worm for mineral water, Yunobo was still floundering, pulling at the blue scarf around his neck.

Sighing softly, Link decided it would be easier to fill the chief in on what happened.

“…Ugh, I see; that damned Rudania’s only getting worse. If only this stuff worked instantly, I’d be throwing Yunobo here at that blasted contraption…” Groaning, Bludo focused on Link. “I’d hate to ask this of you, but considering our goals align, and you seem to have a handle on my cannons, would you accompany Yunobo to the Eldin bridge and swat that damn beast away?”

Link nodded, “It would be my pleasure.”

“And it would be my pleasure if Rudania found its way clean off the mountain! Now get a move o—Ugh!” When a crack cut through the air, followed by a slew of curses, Link began to push Yunobo towards the city’s exit. He was too young to have to listen to the colorful language of his elder.

Once out of the city’s limits, Yunobo apologized. “Sorry, our Boss doesn’t like to mince words,” he chuckled out. “I’m used to it!”

Link scrunched his nose up at Yunobo’s words. “He seemed awfully rude to you. Why do you put up with it?”

He didn’t expect an answer, but once Yunobo got them on the path toward the Eldin bridge, he spoke.

“Well… My Papa died when I was young, a mine collapse… And Bludo took me in as his own. I became his assistant. I was always scared of my own shadow, and he always did his best to get me over my fears… But that hasn’t really worked yet…”

Link hummed thoughtfully at his words before smiling up at the Goron. “If you ask me, I think you’re brave already, Yunobo. That Northern mine was wrought with danger, and you made it out alive”.

“Only because of my Grandpa’s protection… I’m pretty much just a giant cannonball”.

With a roll of his eyes, Link punched at Yunobo’s arm, causing the Goron to squeak like a toy. “I’ll let you in on a secret. Not that I think you’ll believe me but, I’m the Hylian champion, blessed by the Goddess Hylia to take out Calamity Ganon. Well, I failed 100 years ago with the master sword in hand, but here I am, now without the sword! I freed one divine beast without it, and here I am about to do it without it again. What I’m trying to say here, Yunobo, is, you’re more than your ability, okay?”

Yunobo had long since stopped in their walk to the Eldin Bridge. He had become busy wiping at the tears and snot that had begun pouring from his face. Worried that he had upset the Goron, he reached out to him in comfort. However, once again, he found himself wrapped in the Goron’s arms in a tight hug.

“I don’t know if I’m happy to know that you are the champion Link that my Papa spoke of or if I’m happy cause you made me feel less insecure! I don’t know! But thank you, Link! My Papa and Grand-Papa would be so happy to know you’re okay!”

Choking on spit and hopefully not blood, Link gurgled out, “Th-they’d be happy ab-about you too!”

Seeing Link struggling for air, Yunobo promptly put him back down with a profuse apology. “I-I got carried away! I‘m sorry, Link! Is there anything I can—Gah! Look out!”

Before Link even knew what was happening, Yunobo shoved him behind him as a bright orange shield surrounded him just as a volcanic rock came flying down from Death Mountain. Upon impact with Yunobo’s shield, the rock instantly disintegrated, never to be a threat to anyone again.

Shifting his stare from Yunobo to the now kickable rocks, Link spoke. “Wow, you sure saved my hide. I would have been squashed like a bug!” 

Yunobo rubbed at the back of his neck, not used to having someone looking at him with admiration. “Ah, it was n-nothing, Link. Think about it as repayment for busting me out of the mine”.

-

The rest of the walk towards the Eldin bridge was uneventful for Link and Yunobo. Rudania had stopped his movements around the mountain, choosing to observe the two which kept the magma bombs as Yunobo called them to a minimum. The only thing of merit that really happened was a group of moblins that had gathered themselves around the raised Bridge of Eldin. It appeared they were annoyed that they couldn’t cross. However, link easily dispatched them before they could become a problem for the Gorons.

“You sure make that look easy, Link!” Yunobo chirped before jumping up onto Bludo’s cannon. “Whenever me and the Boss run into those guys, they usually just jump on me like a trampoline until the Boss blows’em up!”

Link chuckled to himself as he joined Yunobo at the cannon. His mind wouldn’t cease the picture of bokoblins jumping on Yunobo like a bouncy bed.

 Once the cannon was armed with a bomb, Link gave Yunobo a warning before detonating it. With a loud squeal, Yunobo went flying at the raised bridge, the metal reverberating loudly around the mountain as it fell back down with a loud clang. When Yunobo landed, he couldn’t stay on his feet. He fell onto his back with stars in his eyes.

“And you do this often?” Link asked questionably. He hoped Yunobo didn’t have a concussion. Even with a protective shield, he still could scramble his brains.

“T-totally! We gotta chase back Vah Rudania!” Then, ever so slowly, Yunobo began to regain his senses. “The Boss wants to destroy Rudania, y’know? But if we can keep it back, there’ll be no reason to hurt it. I just wish we could calm him down, Goro…”

When Yunobo finally got back onto his feet, he was met by Link’s heroic stance of his hands on his hips. “Well, if we can stun Vah Rudania for long enough, we could get on it and free him! Without Ganon’s control, Rudania will calm down and return to being the protector of your people, meaning…”

While happy with Link’s plan, the Goron still looked apprehensive. He wasn’t comfortable with the idea of boarding a volatile beast, but he shook off his fear. “Rudania won’t have to be destroyed?”

“Correct! C’mon Yunobo! Let’s go be heroes!” When Link held out his hand, the Goron gave him a finger before allowing the Hylian to drag him up the mountain towards the Divine Beast.

Chapter Text

As soon as Link and Yunobo drew closer to Vah Rudania, the divine beast let off a roar of warning. He didn’t want the pair any closer, but unfortunately for him, they weren’t about to turn around now. When they showed no fear, Rudania grumbled again before releasing what appeared to be mini flying guardians from his back.

“Oh… Yikes… Rudania’s sentries are always a nuisance, Goro…” Yunobo whispered close to Link’s ear. “If one finds us, Rudania’ll go nuts, and Death Mountain will erupt, Goro.”

With Yunobo’s words in mind, Link carefully observed the path ahead. Past a line of sentries was a cannon that they could use to hit Rudania. How to get there, however, Link wasn’t sure; Yunobo didn’t appear to be the stealthy type, and nor was Link, to be honest. He preferred to whip out his sword and ask questions later.  But that wouldn’t be the case today.

The sentries appeared to be flimsy, not made of the same stuff as guardians but strong enough to stand the test of time. Around the mountains above the sentries sat leftover metal crates from previous mining expeditions that would likely come in handy. With a smile, Link knew what he had to do.

“Okay, Yunobo, I want you to hang back until you hear me whistle, okay?”

Yunobo didn’t argue. He gave Link a quick salute before watching him climb up the side of the mountain with ease. He was curious to see what he was doing until suddenly, he saw a metal crate floating in the air above a sentry before dropping it, taking it down to the ground with it. Yunobo squealed with delight. It was the coolest thing he had seen in a while; well, Link, in general, was the coolest thing he had ever seen. The stories in his Grandfather’s old journals of Link paled in comparison to seeing the real deal in action.

Systematically, Link took out the sentries around the mountain before paragliding back down, whistling as he went to get Yunobo’s attention. From there, they were able to use the cannons to hit Rudania until finally, they succeeded in knocking the divine beast down into the mountain’s crater.

Once they were up at the lip of the volcano, they could see Rudania lying in the molten magma glaring up at them.

“Think you can jump down to it?” Link dared, a smile on his face. They had come so far together; he hoped Yunobo was brave enough to join him. He could hear the Goron breathing heavily until he suddenly just leaped, taking Link off guard, but not enough not to follow. Drawing his glider, he jumped after the screaming rock that was Yunobo.

While Link landed with grace, Yunobo hit the ground as hard as he hit the beast as a cannonball. Daruk’s protection kept him safe from injury, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t shaking like a leaf under heavy rainfall.

“I-I-I can’t believe I just did that Link! Sweet Lady Din, I could have died, Goro!” He squealed out while Link busied himself setting his Sheikah slate on the terminal. Yunobo’s frantic cries quickly faded away as Daruk’s voice echoed around them.

“Hey, little guy! And hmm, who might we have here? You look just like my boy, Rook! Oh, that sweetens my dirt to know that my boy had a little rock of his own!”

Yunobo blushed; his shaking stopped but only to be replaced by him digging his foot into the stone of Darunia. He spent years thinking of things to say to his grandfather but now that he was here in spirit, he felt clammy. He just wanted to hear him speak. He was happy to know that Link was in the same boat as he. The Hylian stared up at the sky, ready to hear Daruk speak again.

“I always knew you’d come back, Little Guy. Y’know, I never stopped believing in you! I take it you both are here to take control of ol’ Rudania back from Ganon, eh? I know you two can do it!”

Daruk was more energetic in tone of voice than Mipha was Link had taken notice. Mipha had sounded as though she had been on her last leg. Either his hope had truly kept him going, or he was just good at hiding his weariness. Nonetheless, Link was happy to know he was holding on strong.

With the Sheikah slate activating the terminal, the interior of Vah Rudania opened to reveal a vast pool of inky darkness that was only alighted by a single blue torch and a myriad of puddles of pink malice. Yunobo clung to Link, warily wrapping his protection around the Hylian.

“I-I’m ready if you are!” The Goron squeaked out.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine, I promise you.”

It was a phrase Link commonly said throughout their venture through Vah Rudania. With the map of the Divine beast found, Rudania’s vents opened, allowing for the shifting of the main room. Each time Link twisted the room for better access to the terminals, Yunobo would go rolling clean across the room; one time, he even managed to squish a roaming guardian scout.

By the time the two got all of the terminals activated and made it outside to Vah Rudania’s main control unit, both Link and Yunobo were exhausted. While the firebreaker armor protected Link for the majority of his trek through Death Mountain, being in the volcano’s pit was complete overkill that not even the sapphire and opal insulation could cure. He was sweating like a beast. Yunobo wasn’t any better off. Even the Goron was having difficulty dealing with the extreme heat.

“Once… Once we get your doo-dad on the terminal, Rudania… Rudania’ll calm down, right, Goro?” Yunobo panted out before falling onto his stomach as Link placed the slate down.

“W-well, after we pound Ganon’s abomination into the dirt.”

“Wh-what?!”

Yunobo was on his feet instantly the moment a mass of pink and purple goo escaped from the terminal. It threw itself to the ground, wriggling and squirming as both fire and a bright blue light began to circle its slowly growing limbs. Yunobo near threw up at the sight.

“Be careful, you two! That ugly pain in the crag is Ganon’s handiwork. That thing got the best of me a hundred years ago, and I don’t want the same to happen to you! Watch out for its sword!”

At Daruk’s shout, Yunobo quickly erected his protective shield, catching the beast’s now fully formed guardian sword. As the creature backpedaled from the parry, Link used the opportunity to jump off Yunobo and slash cleanly through the blight’s chest, causing it to squirt malice with a howl.

“W-wow, you go, Link!” Yunobo cheered when Link fell back down to his side.

“Don’t celebrate yet, that things just getting started…”

True to Link’s word, the blight wasn’t out of the game yet. With an impatient hiss, it produced a ball of fire from its hand and infused it into its blade. Yunobo flinched; that would hurt a lot more than just a sword to his shield; it now had the ability to turn his protection into an oven.

“Wh-what’s the plan now, Link?!” But before the Goron could get his answer, Link was already strafing around the monster, keeping its attention easily as he had pulled out his bow, notching it with a set of ice arrows.

“I dunno, improvise!” When he unleashed his flurry of arrows onto the blight, it let off a screech. As its flesh began to freeze over, it lurched forward, driving its sword at Link with murderous intent.

“Link!” Pulling himself into a ball, Yunobo threw himself towards the Hylian, opening enough to pull him close to his chest as the monster’s attack hit his shield. True to his thought, the monstrosity’s weapon of fire did turn his shield into an oven. The already volatile temperature got even hotter. However, luckily, the ice from the arrows kept it from holding its position for long.

As the ice began to encase the blight, it let off a roar before fire erupted from its being, encasing it in a sphere of fire, successfully overpowering the ice attack. When it emerged from its fiery shield, its dark red hair became wings of fire, and its blade now looked to be fully crafted of fire’s essence. It was done playing around.

Letting off a gurgle, the creature teleported itself high above Link and Yunobo, generating an oversized fireball as it went. Then, with a cackle, it threw its own volley down at the pair, separating them as Link chose to run behind the beast, and Yunobo hunkered down to activate his shield.

Before the beast had unleashed its fury, Link took careful note of how the magma that had dripped from it had begun to lessen. As Link had been a moving target, it chose to focus its attention solely on Yunobo. When the beast finally ceased its flurry, it looked near identical to how it did at the start of their battle. It would have to absorb heat somehow, and Link planned to use that to his advantage.

With its magma reserves empty, the blight began absorbing the boiling air around it at a rapid pace. Time was of the essence. Shouting at Yunobo to rush to his side, Link produced a bomb from his Sheikah slate and chucked it at the beast. In the swirling air, it unknowingly absorbed the bomb, like Link had planned it to.

Once he was safely inside Yunobo’s shield, he detonated the bomb. Instantly the sky above Rudania became full of exploded pink and dark purple goo. Then, with one final ear-piercing cry, the remnants of the fireblight came falling onto the divine beast before finally disintegrating as though they had never existed.

“D-d-did we do it?!” Yunobo cried out in disbelief even as Link vigorously nodded.

“We did it!”

With a hoot of joy, Yunobo lifted Link into the air and spun him around, laughing the whole way. “Sweet Din! I can’t believe we did it, Goro! Link, you’re amazing!”

When he put Link down, the Hylian pulled out his Sheikah slate. “Well, we're not done yet. We still have to seal Rudania and Daruk’s freedom”.

The moment the slate was placed, like with Vah Ruta, the terminal’s glow went from orange to blue. Divine Beast Rudania was free.

"You did it, Link and my little Grand-rock! Cause of you, Rudania’s free again!”

Both Yunobo and Link’s faces lit up as Daruk’s spirit appeared from behind the terminal. He had a wide smile on his face that only became wider as Yunobo ran at him for a hug.

“I’m so happy to finally meet you, Grand-papa! Papa always told me cool stories of both you and Link! You guys were—are heroes!”

With a guffaw of laughter, Daruk patted Yunobo’s hair down to his sweat-covered brow. But through his eyes, Link could see a deep sadness. Even though a hundred years had passed, he had hoped to see his son, at least once more.

“Well, you’re the hero now, my little Grand-rock! You’ve proved your mettle, and Vah Rudania’s responded. He wants you at his helm as his champion!”

“M-me, Goro? I-I’m nowhere near as brave as you, Grand-papa…” When he began to quiver, Link clapped him on the back.

“You’re not really gonna turn your Grand-papa and Rudania down, are you? After all, we’ve been through, you’re about as much hero material as me!”

At Link’s words, Daruk’s eyes widened with bewilderment. “Little guy… It’s nice to see the real you again!”

With Yunobo shifting and blushing at Link’s encouragement and Daruk wailing about how he was so proud that Link had found himself again, the Hylian wasn’t sure what to do, at least that was until he began to notice Daruk’s spirit becoming ever so dimmer. When he opened his mouth to speak, Daruk raised his hand to shush him.

“Don’t worry, I know. Now that Ganon’s influence is gone, my tie here is gone. I’m gonna slowly disappear… But before I do, Little Guy, I wanna give you something”.

Link didn’t say a thing as he watched Daruk pull from his chest a glowing red orb of pulsing energy.

“It’s a special power of mine. I think you know what it is, seeing as you’ve been hanging out with my Grand-rock here. It’s no good to me being a spirit and all that… It might be useful to you unless you’re gonna drag my Grand-rock with you!” Daruk laughed out with a slap to his own gut once Link took hold of the orb.

While Mipha’s grace had healed his wounds with gentle bubbling energy, Daruk’s protection left him feeling warm and protected like a turtle would in its shell. Happily, he patted at his chest before looking back up at Daruk, who was already beginning to fade away.

“I know you two will do good things in this world. Oh, and say hi to the Princess for me when you see her again, Link. I bet she’s worried that we hate her, but I want her to know that I never regretted agreeing to become the Goron champion”.

Link nor Yunobo could say a thing as Daruk faded away into a puff of seafoam smoke. But once he was gone, Yunobo clapped at his face before letting off a war cry that startled Link. It was a much different noise than his squeals and wails he had grown accustomed to.

“I’m gonna do my Grand-papa proud Link! I’m gonna be Rudania’s champion, and I’m gonna be ready to blast that mean ol’ Ganon to smithereens when you storm the castle!” With another war cry, Yunobo charged the terminal and placed his palm upon it. As soon as it connected, it whirred to life with a small beep.

“Authorizing… Welcome Champion, Grand-rock”.

“Grand-rock? My name’s Yunobo, Vah Rudania!” The Goron puffed out while Link tried to hide his laughter.

“Welcome Champion, Grand-rock? My name’s Yunobo”.

Seeing that he was getting nowhere with the Divine beast, Yunobo just sighed and nodded down at the terminal. “Sure, that’ll do for now.”

With Yunobo’s agreement to his name, Vah Rudania let off a roar that shook the bubbling lava below.

“Climbing, please move to our interior for safety.”

Neither argued with the Divine Beast. As soon as it began moving, Link and Yunobo darted for its insides for safety. It would have been laughable to have freed the beast only to end up falling to their deaths via the mountain’s magma-filled crater.

Vah Rudania climbed up the mountain until it was satisfied with its positioning before alerting the two that it was safe to come out. Once they were by its terminal, it spoke again.

“Calamity detected, optimal target set. Engage targeting system?”

Peering over Rudania’s head, Link could see its stare was focused at the top of Hyrule Castle, exactly where Vah Ruta had her own sights set. From a distance, he could even see Ruta herself. He had to wonder if Sidon was sitting inside, bonding with her.

“Sure, Rudania! Make that Calamity Ganon wish he’d never come crawling out of the dirt!”

Humming in acknowledgement, Rudania’s face panels began to open to reveal its cannon. Once its targeting laser shot out, Link felt the familiar caress of golden light against his skin. While he was calm, Yunobo was startled, looking at the golden light as though it was a mosquito that wouldn’t leave him be.

“R-Rudania! I don’t know what’s happening, but I promise I’ll be back to keep you company!” Yunobo cried out as he slowly began to disappear.

Rudania seemed happy with his words, for it let off a gentle purr that made Link smile. He was happy to know Rudania had found himself a new friend.

As Link too began to vanish amongst the golden light, he didn’t take notice of the Goron that had climbed its way onto Rudania’s back. Instead, he only heard Rudania’s gentle humming.

When the golden light faded away, Link and Yunobo were at the entrance of Bludo’s home. The Goron chief was rubbing at his eyes, mumbling about his medicine. He hadn’t expected the two to come out of nowhere.

“Where on—never mind,” Bludo snorted out before standing up straight, showing his back to be feeling much better. “You really are somethin’ else, brother! I can’t believe you conquered Rudania and got this slacker to help!” With a loud laugh, he reached out and punched the two in the shoulders, forcing them to turn like an opening door from his force.

While Link began to rub at his arm in pain, Yunobo bounced up and down, smiling from ear to ear. “Boss! You’ll never believe it, but Rudania accepted me as his new champion!”

Bludo’s eyes widened. “You’re right, I don’t believe it. But seeing as Rudania ain’t raining hellfire on us, I’ll take your word for it. Daruk and your father would be proud”.

At Bludo’s honest words, Yunobo fell backward, his unconscious face one of sheer happiness.

“Ugh, some things never change. But he does seem a whole lot braver since you came around, brother. I guess I can get over the sheer embarrassment of having my people thinking I was fibbin’ about my back pain!”

When Bludo reached out to him, Link braced himself for another smack, but surprisingly, Bludo met him for a handshake instead.

“I always forget you Hylians are fragile little things. It’s hard to believe one of your kind could wield the sword that seals the darkness!” He laughed out before giving Link’s hand a vigorous shake. “You should try and seek the thing out. I bet you could wield it without a problem with all things considering!”

Was he ready for the master sword, though? Link wasn’t sure. Even with the power of two of his friends and Hylia’s blessing sleeping within him now, he still felt weak, incomplete. But even so, he nodded at the Goron leader, assuring him that he would seek the blade out. He just didn’t say when and Bludo didn’t ask. Bludo instead began to usher him into his house, leaving a Goron child to fan at Yunobo’s still unconscious form.

“Thanking people isn’t something I’m really good at, as I’m sure you can tell, brother.”

Link bit his lip in an attempt to stifle any rude comment. With Bludo free of back pain, he could easily chuck him into the lava without a second thought.

Shifting through the various rocks and mining equipment that littered his house, the Goron eventually produced a blunt-looking blade made of rock with the symbol of the Goron people etched into its side. “But, I got somethin’ for you, here, take it.”

Before Link could even reach for it, Bludo threw it at him, catching him by surprise. When he reached for the blade, it slipped through his fingers and fell to the floor with a loud clang. With an apology, he bent down to pick up the sword, only for his vision to become hazy.

The next thing Link knew was that he was standing at the entrance to the Goron village, skin feeling sticky and clammy at the same time as he watched Revali come to a landing before him.

The Rito looked none too pleased to have his feathers greased over with fireproof elixir, but it was that or spontaneous combustion. He also didn’t look happy to see Link; his emerald eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, and his beak clicked methodically together in a warning.

“I don’t know why you’ve called me here. You’ve made your feelings known”, Revali hissed out. He knew nothing would intimidate Link, but he still stood to his full height to seem as threatening as possible.

Link didn’t blame him.

“I-I didn’t want… Want things to end up like this…” Link answered, his voice terribly scratchy to his own ears.

“Then what did you want?” The Rito spat. “You… You come back into my life, y-you make me love you and then—then you get that accursed sword and suddenly want nothing to do with me?! You adopt this sickening quiet attitude where you act as though you don’t matter. It’s all for the ‘greater good,’ but I don’t buy it. Courageous on not, it’s foolish; you’re just protecting yourself. I don’t even know how Mipha still claims you to be the same ‘kind’ person you were when we were kids!”

“…We have a duty to keep, Revali…” Link sighed, thoroughly defeated by Revali’s terse words. He wasn’t wrong. Since obtaining the master sword, he had begun to find it hard to be open to those closest to him; his father told him he must be strong for the calamity, he mustn’t slack in his training. Zelda had begun to despise him, and the king trusted him to protect his daughter and dispatch of Ganon when he inevitably arrived. The only people he had ever talked to of his problems were Mipha and Revali. However, it would be against his duties to seek them out, not to mention his father’s insistence that Revali wasn’t good enough for him. While he never believed it for a second, he still separated himself from Revali.

It was better this way, anyways. He was at the center of the plan to defeat Ganon. If he didn’t make it, he didn’t want to know what it would do to the Rito. As much as Revali was outwardly strong, he had deep issues with insecurity and abandonment. It was better to keep him at a distance. It would hurt less, he liked to lie to himself when he couldn’t sleep at night.

“We have to be able to tolerate each other at least…”

Revali’s eyes dangerously narrowed as ripping gust wind began to pull at his feathers, pushing the Hylian back through the gate the moment he took flight. “I won’t lie to myself, nor will I lie to you like you certainly like lying to yourself! I almost regret helping you find that accursed blade!”

As Revali disappeared off into the sky, Link found it hard for himself to keep on his feet. The moment he began to stumble, a loud clang reverberated throughout the air before he felt himself land in the large hands of Daruk.

“You okay, Little guy?” The Goron softly asked once he had Link stable in his arms.

Link couldn’t meet the Goron’s worried stare. He instead focused on Daruk’s fallen Boulder Breaker. “You should not leave your weapon unattended,” he lazily signed up at the Goron.

Daruk rolled his eyes at the comment. “My ol’blade will be fine for a couple of minutes while I get you to the inn, Little guy. But I’m worried about you—you can tell me anything you know”.

Link shrugged. There wasn’t much to tell that Daruk hadn’t likely heard eavesdropping.

“Well, if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. Maybe some other time; after all, the Princess wanted me to ask you if you’d be willing to help me with my training with Vah Rudania. I can’t let you guys have all of the fun while me and Rudania are struggling to take one step!”.

Fun, it was a strange word to hear coming out of the Goron’s mouth. There was nothing fun about Calamity Ganon. In the dead of night, he heard strange whispers from the master sword: cries of agony, words of hope, and a voice full of murderous intent. Be them voices of who have clashed with the malice in the past or the words of Ganon himself; he didn’t know. He only knew that he could hear them and did his best to ignore them. Zelda had asked him once if he heard the voice of the sword. He had never given her an answer. If what he heard was the sword’s true voice, he never wanted her to know.

Link’s response to Daruk showed little of his actual feeling. He just gave the Goron a weak smile before allowing him to place him on a rocky, inn bed. As Daruk began to leave, the memory faded away, leaving Link to open his eyes to find himself in the same spot. The only difference was that Yunobo was sat at his side, snoring away on a stool. By him was Daruk’s boulder breaker leaning against the wall. He must have passed out.

The moment he sat up, Yunobo jolted awake with a snort.

“Oh, Link! You’re okay!” The Goron spoke with relief. “The moment I woke up, I saw the Boss trying to get you to a bed. What happened?”

When Yunobo leaned in close for an answer, Link rubbed at his sweat-laden neck. “Eh, I think the heat just finally got to me, y’know?”

Happy with his answer, Yunobo stood to grab a glass of water from a nearby end table. “We’ll have to get you off the mountain fast then. All we have to drink here is hot spring water”.

Link took the glass anyways, greedily downing its contents. It had a sulfuric taste, but it was better than nothing in wetting his throat. “…Thanks”.

-

With pep in his step, Yunobo escorted Link back down Death Mountain. To prevent further exhaustion, he carried the Hylian on his shoulder all the way to the Foothill stable, where Apple was eagerly waiting.

Whinnying, she leaped from her pen and dashed up to Yunobo, circling him until finally giving him a quick lick for keeping her owner safe and sound. Yunobo was happy to have the horse’s affection, and so was Link. He had feared for a second that she would bite him.

After Yunobo placed Link on Apple’s saddle, he gave her a quick pat to her head. “Keep him safe for me, alright?”

“Mm, not unconscious…” Link murmured tiredly into Apple’s beige mane. “Just gotta get back to… Kakariko village…”

At his mumble, Apple let off a huff before starting her trot towards the village. Yunobo waved them off with a smile until they were well along the trail. Once they were out of sight, he began his trek back up the mountain. He had a promise to keep to Vah Rudania after all.

Chapter Text

Link wanted to kick himself for dozing off on Apple’s back again. The last time he had asked her to take him back to Kakariko village, she had taken him towards Zora’s domain. Not that there was an issue with that, it all worked out in the end. But he feared opening his eyes now. He didn’t want to know where she’d lead him this time.

However, surprisingly, when he finally decided to crack open his eyes, Link found himself and Apple sitting just under the gate to Kakariko village, the clinking of the gate’s decoration, music to his ears. At his surprise of their location, Apple let off a loud, offended huff before busying herself with the tall grass.

Leaving Apple to her business, Link ran towards Impa’s house, taking no note of the lack of guards outside as he busted through the doors only to be greeted by Paya’s tear-filled face.

“L-Link, it’s terrible!” She sobbed out, causing Link’s heart to drop into his gut. Had Impa passed away?! “I-I only took my eyes off it for a second!” While Paya was still sobbing, Link breathed a tad easier.

“Took your eyes off of what?”

Shakily, Paya pointed towards an empty pillow where he vaguely remembered a giant orb sitting.

“Our Sheikah heirloom has gone missing…” Impa sighed out as she descended from the stairs to their second floor. “I had been consulting with Cado and Dorian about your whereabouts, and the next thing I knew, Paya was crying.”

“I-I-I had just discovered its secret too…” Paya miserably spoke before falling to her knees, a wail escaping from her throat. Link bent down instantly to her side, pulling her into a comforting hug.

“Link…” Impa called out once she was back on her typical seat of pillows. “Paya is afraid the thief may still be nearby. Would you please stay by her side today? We can use the time to discuss your travels”.

Link didn’t hesitate for a second before he nodded. He hadn’t expected to be gone as long as he was. It was the least he could do.

After changing into some looser clothes that weren’t drenched with sweat, Link took Paya into the kitchen and began to busy himself cooking. There were many fresh ingredients littered about; he could easily whip together a nice meal for Impa and Paya.

Humming to himself, he began digging through his bag for some fresh meat while Paya busied herself preparing a pumpkin. She still cried softly to herself, but her cuts were precise.

“…Do you have any idea who would steal the heirloom?” He asked once he had some prime meat in hand.

She shook her head sadly, “…none of the villagers would do this… And this place is off-limits to outsiders… To think someone would come in the dead of night with malicious intent… I’m just glad Grandmother’s okay, but I—I feel so violated…”

With the pumpkin now in the pot cooking, Link began making dough for noodles, allowing him the time to ponder Paya’s words. With it limited who could come in and at what time, the thief was likely someone close to Paya and Impa as terrible of a thought it was. His only other thought was that the thief could be in league with someone close to the family. He didn’t share his musings with Paya as not to worry her.

“Um… Link, thank you for spending time with me… Your pr-presence is really soothing!” Her face once again was as red as her tattoo; it made him smile. He was glad to know she wasn’t as nervous around him as she was during their first awkward encounter.

“It’s nice spending time with you too, Paya.”

At his response, the Sheikah girl let off a strange noise that sounded like a mix between a cat with its tail stepped on and a bird’s mating call. While it made Link laugh, Paya was overcome with sheer embarrassment. She ended up burying her head in her arms for the rest of the time Link cooked. Luckily, she calmed down once everything was ready to eat.

Once the table was set and ready, Link plopped himself between Impa and Paya at their dining table. Tucking his feet onto his pillow, he thanked Impa for allowing him to stay the night.

“Nonsense, Link, you’re like family. This also allows me to keep an eye on you!” With her chopsticks in hand, Impa childishly flung a noodle in Link’s direction. “I told you to retrieve a memory then return. Instead, you leave us thinking you were gone again! “

“Grandmother, he did save two of the Four Divine Beasts,” Paya argued in Link’s defense.

Impa sighed, “True, but I was still worried. I felt as though I aged another hundred years!”

Link ran a hand through his hair nervously under Impa’s harsh gaze. “S-sorry… I wanted to return after I visited the Lanayru gate, but I was attacked and… Well, I was tired after that, and my horse ended up taking me to the wetlands. The Zora’s were in danger. I had to help”.

The old Sheikah chuckled, the anger gone from her voice. “Typical Link, reckless as always,” excusing herself from the table, Impa shuffled her way towards a drawer below a painting and pulled out a sky-blue shirt that made Link’s eyes widen. It was the very same shirt he remembered seeing himself wearing in his more recent memories. “I wanted to give this to you before you faced the beasts and their blights. It was woven by the Princess herself, imbued with her divine protection. It would have offered you great defense”.

When she handed it off to Link, he quickly busied himself looking over the fabric in his hands. Some of the blue was singed dark in places while others were shoddily sewn tears. The shirt had seen better days, that was for sure, but it was unmistakably his. Even if it held with it bad memories, he was sure there was good tied to it as well.

“Each of the champions wore a garb like this,” Paya explained. “To reflect their roles with their Divine Beasts, it was also to show unity as one force working together to stop Calamity Ganon.”

There wasn’t much unity between him and Revali, Link’s mind darkly thought. If courage was forgoing oneself for the greater good, then why was he punished for it? Why did the champions have to fall for his own failings in life? The Gods should have smiled on him for sacrificing his own happiness, not punish him.

Seeing the way he scrunched up the tunic in his hands, Paya reached over and placed her small palm over his.

“Zelda always told me of how your duties weighed you down, even to the point of silence,” Impa heavily sighed. “You and her were much alike in that regard, Link. While you could wield the sword that seals the darkness, she could not get her sealing powers to activate, no matter how long she prayed. But whereas Zelda continued to live her life, you allowed yours to cease the moment you pulled the sword from its slumber. You became the blade”.

“Isn’t that what I was supposed to do?” He chuckled. “What good was I otherwise?” He feared the day he was to find the blade. Any memory he had with it strapped to his back, he showed no emotion. He was nothing more than a ghost looking in on the world around him. He was a walking weapon, killing monsters and hurting those he supposedly cared for. He didn’t want to become that again.

While Paya looked down at her now cold bowl of soup sadly, Impa’s face hardened.

“Link, it wasn’t the praying that in the end activated Zelda’s sealing abilities; it was her love and care for you.”

Link’s eyes widened.

“When you close yourself off to others, you become bitter. You begin to think your life has no meaning other than your duties. Calamity Ganon preys on this. He feasts on worries and doubts, fears and anger and relishes in it too. It was what made his assault so deadly one hundred years ago. A princess of Hylia’s blood who couldn’t seal the evil and her faithful knight, numb to the world around him, he fed on that weakness and became fat off it. Why you’ve succeeded where your past self failed is because you don’t have the same burdens hanging over your head like a noose”.

Link didn’t know what to say to Impa. He had begun to fall back into that river of thought, hadn’t he? What good would his hundred-year sleep have done if he allowed himself to fall into the same pit of despair?

“…Link, you’ve been given a second chance at life. I would hate to see you squandering it, focusing on things about the past you can’t ever change. The Princess, nor Revali or Mipha would want that for you…”

Dinner was long forgotten by this point. When Impa was finished saying what she wanted to say, she excused herself for bed, encouraging Paya and Link to do the same. Link didn’t acknowledge Impa’s request; he hadn’t even known she’d left until Paya put her hand on his shoulder.

“I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through, Link…” She puffed, her nails digging into the fabric of his shirt. “But my Grandmother’s right, those that loved you would want you to be happy. The you I know is a good person, Link. I’m sure even back then, you still were a nice person, even if you couldn’t show it. My Grandmother told me so many stories of you while you were gone. I-I think you’re a real hero”.

Link smiled at Paya’s heartfelt words. It warmed his body that had begun to grow cold with worry.

He couldn’t change his past, but he could do better for the future. Vah Medoh would be his next stop. He had to apologize to Revali. While their relationship in his mind was still obscure, the heartache he experienced through his memories on Death Mountain spoke volumes. 

“…Thank you, Paya”.

When the Sheikah didn’t respond, he looked over to find that she had dozed off sitting up, drool had already begun to drip down her chin. With a quiet chuckle, Link moved to pick her up bridal style. It was bad to sleep sitting up, as he had learned from experience.

Quietly as he could, Link took her up the stairs to her room. He didn’t want to wake her. She deserved the sleep after her exhausting day. Once at her cot, he gently laid her down and pulled her quilt up to her chest, which she grabbed onto almost instantly with a pleasant sigh before rolling to her side, snoring.

Paya was a kind girl; she shouldn’t have to deal with the stress of constantly looking over her shoulder for danger, nor should Impa. The heirloom was precious to the both of them, and if a thief could break in so easily to their home to steal it, they could do much worse.

Link kicked himself for being gone so long. While it was with good reason, he should have been quicker. Before his mind could jump even farther down the rabbit hole of ‘what ifs’ that it seemed to be coming, he left Paya’s room for fresh air.

 Instead of wallowing, there was more he could be doing.

Upon exiting Impa’s home, Link immediately caught sight of Dorian leaving his post. However, he was none the wiser to Link’s presence as he darted up the hill of the village than of the small little girl that had hidden behind a tree close to the village’s cemetery.

Link intended to follow Dorian, at least that was until the little girl ran up to him, frantically pulling at his tunic.

“Mr. Hero! Koko thinks Daddy’s in trouble!” She quietly screamed up at Link, her chubby face dripping with tears.

Bending down to her height, Link took a gentle hold of her shaking shoulders. She was cold to the bone. How long had she been outside all alone? “What do you mean, Koko? Why do you think your Dad’s in trouble?”

“Th-these mean men in red took our Mommy! Now they’re here for Daddy! Mr. Hero, please! Koko can’t leave Cottla. Please save Daddy!”

With a glance up the mountain, Link could see Dorian darting up past the shrine. He was going towards the Lanayru gate. If he started running now, he could catch him, he was sure.

“I promise Koko, I’ll bring him home. Now, go home to your sister”.

As Link took off running, he could hear Koko’s soft pants as she too ran up the mountain. He feared she’d follow, but luckily, she ran into her home just before the mountain’s higher trail.

Once passed the shrine, Link took things much slower. He didn’t want Dorian to know he was chasing after him. It would put them both in danger.

While he felt it foolish for the old guard to try to take on the Yiga all alone, he could understand his reasoning. The Yiga had murdered his wife, the mother of his children. But he should have told Link that. He would have helped.

Instead of going towards the Lanayru road as he had thought, Dorian took a path towards a small bridge that led into a small clearing in the forest where Link could spot a large indented platform sticking out of the ground; it looked of Sheikah origin.

“Alright, show yourself!” Dorian shouted out as he reached the bridge’s end. “I know you’re there!”

With a dagger in his shaky hand, he looked all around the forest until a large, buff man garbed in the red of the Yiga appeared from behind a tree. In his hand rested a wavy blade that glimmered everywhere except for where it was stained dark with long dried blood. At the sight, Dorian gritted his teeth.

“You don’t have to shout. I’m right here”, The Yiga assassin laughed, unthreatened by Dorian's battle stance.

“I somehow knew it had to be you who stole the heirloom,” Dorian hissed. “You just couldn’t let my betrayal go, could you?!”

“How could I, brother? I have no idea why it’s so precious to the fools of this village, but I knew you’d come running if I stole this dumb artifact”, the Yiga bladesman humorously laughed before lifting his blade to Dorian’s throat. “You knew what you were getting yourself into when you decided to leave the organization. You forfeited your life the moment you left”.

At the comment, Dorian groaned, his guilt admitted.

“You did well to tell us of the heirloom and of the hero’s revival. Unfortunately, your usefulness has come to an end, as must you”. With a cackle, the Yiga assassin moved to stab at Dorian until swiftly pulling his blade away and towards Link, who had hidden himself behind a tree, readying himself for attack. The Yiga’s blade cut cleanly through the tree and the bit of Link’s hair that hadn’t been able to duck quick enough. “…But first, it appears we have an audience! Perhaps you’re useful yet, brother! You’ve brought the hero of courage right to us!”

“Link! What’re you doing here?!” Dorian shouted, none too pleased to see the Hylian with a trident in hand.

“I was ordered by an important girl!” He gritted out as Mipha’s trident met the Yiga’s blade in a clash. “You gonna help o-or just stand there like an idiot with his pants down?!” With a hiss, Link powered through the Yiga’s strength and was able to get in two quick jabs at his side before he teleported out of Link’s range.

Dorian stood still for a minute, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water until he came to his senses and nodded before joining at Link’s side.

The Yiga assassin laughed at the sight. “You truly have abandoned your family, haven’t you, Dorian?! Master Kohga gave you a home when you had none, and this is how you repay him?!” When he lunged at Link, Dorian was quick to put himself between him and the hero, his dagger digging in painfully to one of the waves of the large blade.

“You were never my family! Within Kakariko village, I met the most amazing woman who blessed me with two lovely children! I cut my ties with you! You could have left it at that, but instead, you had her killed as my punishment! You threatened the lives of two innocent children as well as the lives of the elder and her granddaughter! How could I ever consider you lot to be my family?!”

Incited by Dorian’s words, the Yiga assassin let off a roar, pressing his cleaver harder into Dorian’s dagger until it began to crumble. “How dare y—“ Instantly, his strength waned as he looked down to see the hero’s damn trident sticking through his gut. However, that wasn’t the most infuriating thing; the damned hero had the nerve to stare up at him, his sky-blue eyes firm with the desire to see everything the Yiga had worked tirelessly for destroyed.

“And supposedly, I’m the rookie to your cause.”

A piercing chill ran through Link’s skin as he looked up into the tree-line to see the same mystery Rito perched on a branch, his Yiga mask alit by the sizzling bomb arrows notched in his bow.

The familiar voice… The eyes and finesse with a bow… It really couldn’t be, could it?

“Master Link!”

Before Link could go anything, Dorian had pulled him and the lightscale trident from the Yiga assassin before the Rito could let his arrows fly. The bombs exploded upon impact with the ground, sending both Dorian and Link flying into a shrub.

By the time they regained their bearings and the smoke settled, the Rito and the assassin were gone, leaving only the Sheikah heirloom as proof that they had ever been there in the first place.

With a shaky sigh, Link replaced the trident to his back as Dorain went to check the heirloom for damage.

“…I can’t believe I was being followed…” The Sheikah sighed plainly once he was sure the heirloom was without injury. “I’m sure you’ve figured it out, but all of this is my fault…”

While Link disagreed, he let Dorian speak his piece.

“There’s no point in trying to hide it. I am… A member of the Yiga clan, or I used to be, anyway. I had been ordered to spy on Impa for the Yiga’s leader, Master Kohga. But… But then I met the most incredible woman who blessed me with Koko and Cottla… So, trying to change my ways, I left the clan, but they weren’t as understanding as I had hoped…  They… They…”

Dorian couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. The wounds were still too fresh, and Link wouldn’t push. Dorian’s motives were pure in Link’s opinion. He had wanted a fresh start in life and was punished for it.

“…I couldn’t let them hurt my children, so I used my position as gatekeeper to gather information for them. I told them about you and the village in exchange for safety. But the grief of losing my wife consumed me… I cut ties with the Yiga completely shortly after your appearance in the village. Seeing you bravely commit to your destiny; it gave me courage. I decided I could protect my children from the Yiga. I wasn’t afraid anymore”.

When Dorian looked up to Link from his feet, he was met with Link’s understanding. The Hylian’s eyes weren’t hardened as though he was looking at a monster. Instead, he still looked at him as though he was Dorian, the gatekeeper to Impa’s home. It was as relieving as seeing his daughters’ sleeping faces at the end of the day.

“I-I know it’s a selfish request, Master Link… But do you think you could keep what really happened a secret? I don’t deserve mercy, but I don’t want Koko and Cottla to suffer anymore. I know it doesn’t make up for what I’ve done, but I pledge to protect the village and my family with my life from now on”.

“I know you will, Dorian. You have my trust”.

-

By morning’s first light, Link had returned the heirloom to its place on the shrine, accepting the monk’s blessing happily, and had Dorian escorted back to his home, where his daughters immediately attacked him. Link had even received a hug from Koko as well as a dish she had made the previous night.

Paya was thrilled that the heirloom was found and returned to its rightful place. With that being said, she was still upset that it was gone from her care. Impa was just happy to have the threat in the air gone and Link with a smile on his face. Doom and gloom had never suited the hero.

By the time Link had Apple ready to head out for Vah Medoh, it was already mid-afternoon. Impa had asked him to spend another night to rest, but he assured her he would find a stable along the way.

“Still so reckless!” Impa laughed jovially as she met him at the village gate. “I’m glad you returned when you did, Link. You made my sweet Paya happy again”.

“I’m just glad I could be of some help. Dorian did most of the work”, Link spoke whilst feeding Apple a carrot for their journey.

“I’m also happy to see that the dark cloud over you has grown dimmer.”

“Dark cloud?” He snorted. Truthfully, she was right. It had grown dimmer. He felt more at ease after talking with Dorian. Dorian had made many a grievous mistake in his lifetime and was still moving forward, while Link had two and found it hard to see past his other self’s mistakes and issues. He just had to keep moving. There was no more room for despair.

Impa rolled her eyes at the comment, choosing not to argue, at least verbally. “Seeing as you’re likely off to Vah Medoh now, Link, I recommend you go through Hyrule ridge and into Tabantha. The Hebra region is a tundra, and we don’t need you freezing your balls off!”

“Grandmother!” Paya squealed out as she walked in on the scene. In her arms was a basket of provisions put together by the villagers. The various meats and veggies and mushrooms near made Link drool at the possibilities of foods to make.

At the comment, Link just laughed. He really had no desire to go through reverse puberty on top of memory loss. He’d take Impa’s word.

“Is there anything else you might want to know before you leave, Link?” Impa asked, now that Apple was fed and fully packed. “We may not see each other again for quite some time.”

Link hummed thoughtfully for a second until the Yiga Rito’s voice went through his head.

“And supposedly, I’m the rookie to your cause.”

The voice was unmistakably Revali’s. He had the same harsh tone as he did on Death Mountain but at the same time a hint of concern for his companion, even if it was a Yiga clansman. According to Dorian, the Yiga did worship Ganon; could they have done something with the champion’s bodies? The thought made his stomach churn.

“Um, Impa, do you think there was any way the Champions could have lived through Ganon’s attack?”

Both Impa and Paya looked confused at Link’s question.

“Why do you ask? What have you seen?” Impa asked seriously while Paya pulled at her hair, her eyes flicking back and forth as though she recalled something she had once read.

“Nothing,” he lied. “I just… I was just hoping, I guess”.

Impa didn’t seem to buy his story from the way her wrinkled face scrunched up. If she had a stick, Link was sure she would have beat him with it.

“Well, you best be off now. If you leave right now, you should be able to reach the Outskirt stable before nightfall. After that, you just need to follow the road through Hyrule. Even despite the danger, I do recommend you seek out the Hyrule tower to expand your slate. You also don’t want to lose your way in case your horse takes the lead again”.

“Duly noted,” with a wave goodbye at Impa and Paya, Link shook Apple’s reins, coaxing her into a gallop. 

Chapter Text

As Impa had recommended, Link took a detour to activate the Central Hyrule tower, and as she had warned, the area was wrought with danger.

Many guardians freely roamed about the roads without a thought other than destruction while their dismembered brethren kept a steady, stationary watch. At the sight of the tower’s guard, Link encouraged Apple to keep her distance in a nearby forest.

“Okay, we’ve faced guardians before. How bad can these be?” He spoke easily to himself, promptly regretting it not even five minutes later.

From her grazing field, Apple could hear Link’s screams and curses as well as the rapid movement of the guardians that targeted him. She could see he had at least made it to the tower from the bright blue tunic he decided to wear that day against the tower’s orange glow. She could also see the various red lasers that targeted his back end. Apple wasn’t worried; each blast missed its target. Link was fast enough to get to cover each time.

He would return eventually, likely with a couple of wounds to lick, but he would be in one piece.

Seeing him move and squirm up the strange tower, however, made her thirsty. With a huff, she turned her attention towards a dilapidated structure with tantalizingly fresh pools of water circling it. Link would be okay without her watchful eye, at least for a little while.

With a maniacal cackle, Link finally made it to the top of the accursed tower. He near threw the Sheikah slate at the pedestal in rage. Every bit of his body was covered in sweat. Climbing this one tower was worse than his entire time on Death Mountain, amazingly. At least on the mountain, he only had to deal with one accursed guardian; here, he had to deal with five training on his every movement. It had been a frustrating experience, but surprisingly, not as bad as looking over into the forest where he left Apple, only to find her to be gone.

Cursing, Link pulled his Sheikah slate free and put it up to his face to use its telescope feature. He had to groan when he found where Apple had wandered off to.

Amongst a ceremonial-looking pile of ruins, Apple trotted, taking greedy gulps of the water that encircled it. To make matters even ‘better,’ a couple of guardians were squirming about the area. None of them looked to be bothered by the horse, but the moment he made his way over, all hell would break loose.

“For Hylia’s sake Apple, can’t you ever just stay put?”

Exchanging his slate for his paraglider, Link took a leap off the tower towards Apple. Immediately the guardians took focus on him again, uncaring if their shots missed the flying Hylian.

If he wanted to keep Apple out of danger, he’d have to take out the guardians around the ruin. He didn’t trust her as far as he could throw her to return where he left her.

The moment he landed, Link took charge at the guardian off the road. As it observed a group of sparrows, he lunged onto the monstrosity, taking advantage of its confusion and stabbing it in its eye. The thing didn’t even know what had hit it before it exploded into bits, leaving Link stained blue with its blood.

Looking to the road for the next one, he found it to have retreated towards the fog-filled castle as something else had grabbed its attention. Link wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth; using this opportunity, he dashed to Apple’s side on the ruin.

“You could have waited for a damn drink!” He scolded the horse, who just nickered back at him softly as though she wasn’t aware of the pain she had just caused him.

Seeing as there was no arguing with Apple, he simply jumped on her back and began to observe the area. Link imagined that in the past, these ruins were a place of ceremony. The middle of the platform was decorated with the symbol of the triforce and the symbols of the deities that crafted it. He had seen this place before.

Biting his lip, he pulled up his Sheikah slate and looked through Zelda’s pictures, and true to his thought, there was a picture of a cleaner, well-kept version of the ruins.

The next thing Link knew was that Apple was gone, and he was on his knees before Princess Zelda, garbed in a dress befitting a princess. She wasn’t happy to be looking down at him, her face mirroring his own blank expression.  Behind him, he could hear the quiet chatter of the Champions amongst themselves.

“Was this ceremony even necessary? None of them look too thrilled to be here”, Revali puffed. “Ceremonial pomp and grandeur, that nonsense won’t make things any better.”

“Daruk meant well, Revali,” Mipha quietly scolded. “Even if Zelda is upset now, she knows deep down that it was good Link was able to pull the master sword from its slumber.”

“But for now,” Urbosa added, “he’s a living reminder of her own failures. While the Goddesses smile on him, she is left in the dark, despite her constant prayers”.

Peering up at Zelda through his eyelashes, he could see her now on the verge of tears as she dug her nails painfully into her gloves.

“Don’t think I can’t hear you lot!” She roared at the champions, taking all but Mipha by surprise. Fat tears now freely fell from her face.

She was too young to be dealing with this, Link painfully thought. She was only fifteen. She wanted to busy herself with the mysterious machinations of the ancient Sheikah, not freezing herself in the cold waters of the Goddesses’ sacred springs. She should be able to do as she loved. But, instead, she was looking miserably between her appointed knight and the champions she was to eventually lead into battle.

“I-I know better than any one of my own failings… You don’t have to remind me on this day”.

When Zelda stormed off of the ceremony grounds, Mipha was hot on her trail, calling after her, leaving Link in the company of the other three champions.

“Ugh, I really stuck my foot in it this time, didn’t I, Little guy?” Daruk sighed sadly before taking a heavy seat on the stone ground. “I thought it would help, not make it out like we’ve already lost to Ganon.”

‘Don’t worry, the Princess isn’t mad with you,’ Link signed sloppily. He was still getting used to the fundamentals of the sign language his Father had taught him. It was to help him communicate on the battlefield silently, but it was slowly becoming the way he liked to speak. It wasn’t a welcome sight for many of the nobles in the Hylian court to see a commoner serving as the Princess’ royal guard, especially one as young as him; it was heresy. Anything he said or suggested was frowned upon, so it was easier to keep quiet and out of sight.

“She’s just mad the Goddesses’ haven’t recognized her devotion to unlocking her birthright,” Revali spoke, wings on his hips. His eyes weren’t cold to Link yet; in fact, there was love in them that made Link’s chest feel fuzzy. The feeling only grew as he walked closer to the silent Hylian. His body radiated a warmth that Link wanted to bury himself in. If it hadn’t been inappropriate, he would have in a heartbeat. “There’s still the Spring of Wisdom after all. Her hope shouldn’t be lost so soon. The puzzle will come together in time. I mean, there are only so many other pieces when I play a major part: the hero and his side-kick, who just happens to wield the sword that seals the darkness”.

When Revali flapped his wings out to their full span in triumph, Link let off a loud chuckle that brought a smile to the Rito and Goron’s faces.

 Even Urbosa cracked a small smirk, that smirk turning into a full-on smile when Mipha returned with Zelda’s hand in hers. Instead of her somber face, Zelda was beaming; her cheeks flushed a light pink as Mipha leaned in close.

“Aren’t you two adorable,” Urbosa purred out as the memory became hazy. “You’re giving Revali and Link a run for their rupees.”

As the memory ceased, Link came back to with a lazy grin on his face.

Despite the somber beginning, he was sure it was one of his fonder memories. There was a sense of hope. Even with Zelda sad, he still had the master sword in hand and was willing to lay his life down for her as her loyal knight. The burden of the sword and his duties had yet to wear him down.

Even if he was beginning to forsake himself, it was still nice to see his past self act as a normal being, even if it was brief.

With his senses back together, Link took quick note of the sun’s rapid departure. The night was soon to be upon them, and he didn’t want to see what might emerge from the malice-ridden castle in the cover of the dark. That guardian still had yet to return to its post; not that he cared, it was nice to see the damned thing gone, but if something dispatched it, he’d rather not get on its bad side.

At the click of his tongue, Apple got the idea and began her trot down to the road before shifting into a fast gallop. The arms of the many dead bokoblins and moblins had begun to pull themselves free of their shallow graves. Not wanting them to spook Apple, Link pulled out his bow and took careful aim to crack their skulls before they could be a threat to anyone.

Being so absorbed in his task, Link hadn’t taken notice of the darkening clouds until a crackle of thunder came down on a tree, splintering it just at his side. At the thunderous noise, Apple let off a squeal of panic, raising onto her hind legs and forcing Link off her back and onto the hard dirt of the road before taking off like a bat out of hell down the road.

Link let off a string of curses as he moved to stand. His tailbone was screaming at him, and his ears were still ringing from the thunder strike at his side. Looking to the sky, he could tell that it wouldn’t be the last blast it let loose. With the moon obscured, the only light, other than the fire that burned through the struck tree, was the flashes of thunder and lightning amongst the clouds and the faint orange glow of a Sheikah tower up a hill.

It was a bad idea, he knew, but the Sheikah tower had his attention. Following Apple down the roadway, while the better idea, would only set him back in time. On the other hand, if he could activate the tower, he’d have more map to work with, which would help in the long run. Not to mention, he had long lost track of the correct road to follow to get to the Outskirt stable.

“At least it’s not raining,” he sighed to himself before starting his jog to the tower.

He promptly regretted his choice of words as, as soon as he made it up the hill to the tower, the sky let loose with a heavy downpour. But that wasn’t even the worst part. Encircling the tower was a small lake filled with electric wizrobes and lizafos. While they seemed to be having fun, enjoying the rain and electric current that was in the air, the moment he walked up, they would be monstrosities to deal with.

“…They don’t pay me enough to deal with this stuff…”

“Last I’ve checked, you don’t get paid at all.”

A cold chill ran down Link’s back as Revali’s cold voice tickled his ear. Sharply turning, he was met by the sight of the masked Rito. His cloak was soaked through, and water poured freely from the brim of his hat, but he didn’t seem to mind from the quirk of his beak. How long had he been following him?

As if he knew what Link had been thinking, the Rito chuckled, “you’re quite the easy target to track. Of course, you would have been so easy to take out at those ruins, but where would the fun be in that? Attacking a target that can’t fight back, it’s what makes these Yiga cowards”.

“Th-then why are you working with them?! A-And who are you?!”

When the Rito laughed again, Link leaped away, narrowly avoiding a shock arrow to the gut.

“Who I am is irrelevant to the story. You need only know that I am tasked to see your demise”.

 Instantly the Rito had his bow notched again, letting his arrows loose. Link could hardly get his shield up in time. While two of the shock arrows buried themselves into the wood of his shield, one tore through his shoulder, nicking his skin with a burning electric charge that was enough to make Mipha’s trident fall from his now quivering grasp.

When Link fell to a knee, his assailant clicked his beak. “You’re the hero who’s to slay Ganon, and yet you fall to a smidgen of electricity? You’re weak. I’m doing you a favor, aren’t I?”

Link snorted at his comment before shakily standing. As much as he hated to do it, he pulled out a guardian’s sword from his belt and pointed it at the Rito, the blue light glowing on his mask. “I only hesitate because you have the same voice as someone I loved. Y-you look like him too, but it’s all a damn trick! You’re not him!”

When Link lunged at the Rito, his sword was met with a dagger instead of a bow, clashing. Their strength was even, with neither Link nor the assassin having the upper hand for long as they pushed furiously at each other. Seeing that the struggle wasn’t going to end soon, the Rito leaped away, thrusting his cloak back to take to the air.

Link had yet to get a good look at the Rito’s frame, even when he was above him in the Lanayru wetlands. But the moment the sky turned bright as day due to a lightning strike, he caught sight of the Rito’s heavily scarred body. Burns and scratches littered his body, leaving only a spotty collection of feathers amongst his thin frame. The sight brought with it the feeling of fury. He wanted to destroy what had delivered onto him those injuries. But, unfortunately, the fury had been so blinding, he only narrowly avoided the flurry of electric arrows that came down his way.

“D-dammit Link, focus!” He hissed at himself with a quick slap to his own cheek. “You’re gonna get yourself killed! It’s not him. It’s not Revali!”

When not-Revali dived bombed him, Link deflected his talon with his shield, taking advantage of his talons digging into the material to fling him towards the lake around the tower. The Rito let off a squawk before he was thrown into the shallow water atop a sunken tree. Link was on him before he could even get his cloak unclipped. The beady eye of the Yiga mask disgusted him. It had to be destroyed. Maybe then he would come to his senses.

The first punch cracked the mask of the Yiga while the second completely shattered it, the shards of porcelain leaving the Rito’s feathers matted with cuts and blood. His blank emerald eyes reflected none of the love or hatred Link had been expecting. He only watched, unmoving even as Link began to tear up.

“Why…” Link choked out, his fists falling to his sides before shakily moving to the sides of the Rito’s unflinching face. He could feel his head throbbing and vision flickering. One moment the Rito’s eyes were empty, and the next, they looked upon him with love and care.

“You know Link; you’re more than the hero of the calamity,” Revali breathlessly spoke before reaching his wing up to caress the Hylian’s face; his hand wasn’t wet with the water of the lake. It was a memory.

Link could feel himself smiling down at Revali before burying himself in the crook of his neck, relishing in the tickle of the downy feathers that covered it. “I-I know…” He hoarsely replied. “But am I really? If I fail…” He could feel Revali’s beak pulling at a knot in his hair.

“It’s always ‘what ifs’ with you, isn’t it? Overthinking, overdoing is supposed to be my thing, Link. So just don’t lose yourself, and all will be well… And if it’s not, at least we get to go to the afterlife together then, eh? It’ll be our land of lack of expectations”.

“Only you could make failing sound pleasant, Revali.”

“I do try, though; any realm will be infinitely times better with my mere presence.”

Link laughed into Revali’s feathers, earning him a soft chirp in his ear.

Never in his mind, as a child, would he have guessed that he would find comfort, years down the line, in Revali’s arms. In their youth, the Rito had always tried to one-up him, always frustrated if Link succeeded where he failed. But even so, he always cared for Link’s wellbeing, even if it was hidden behind harsh words and actions. Losing those he loved: his parents, Luto, steeled the young Rito to protect himself from hurt, from being seen as the weak and lonely fledgling he saw himself to be. 

Link had always related to Revali’s circumstances. While he had both of his parents, he still spent a majority of his childhood when not within Zora’s Domain, on his own, alone. His father was a part of the King’s royal guard, and his mother was the director of the Woodland stable. Neither had much time to spend with Link. It was why he ended up at the Domain so frequently. It made him cherish the time his father spent on his short visits training him on proper sword techniques. He practiced his day in and day out with Revali and Mipha in his attempts to get his father’s attention. If he trained hard enough, he would come home more often to him, and he wouldn’t be alone, and in the end, his training did pay off. He had his father’s attention, but when he got it, it all seemed so hollow. In becoming a knight, he lost his ability for four years to see Mipha and Revali. He got his father but lost his friends, who had become his true family.

But it was for the greater good. He was now able to protect those he loved, and Mipha and Revali were back in his life, but for how long? He feared losing them again, but at the same time, he knew it was an inevitability for the sake of his duty.

“You’re overthinking again, aren’t you?” Revali spoke, ceasing his thoughts happily. “The Princess told me that you’re escorting her out to Death Mountain after the ball tomorrow. As hard as it is, you should try and relax. Who knows when we’ll be able to see each other like this again?”

Revali was right. It wouldn’t be for another two years… It wouldn’t be until…

“Goddesses be damned! Why does it have to be you?!” Link shouted down at the unflinching Rito. He didn’t even blink even as thunder roared across the clouds high above. His blank emerald eyes only stared emptily into Link’s. “I-it can’t be you!”

“Master Link! You need to look out!”

Before Link even knew what was happening, the Rito’s eyes narrowed dangerously before he vanished away in a puff of smoke. The cackle of a mad man resounded behind him, but before he could turn to retaliate, another puff of smoke appeared behind him. When it dissipated, Paya was there, meeting a Yiga foot soldier’s sickle with a dagger of her own.

Her sudden appearance allowed Link to regain his bearings. Shaking off his encounter with the damned Rito, he retrieved his blade from the water and circled behind the Yiga. With his attention focused on Paya, he wasn’t aware of Link’s recovery until he saw the blade sticking out of his gut. With a wail, the Yiga teleported away, leaving a couple of scattered rupees and a bushel of mighty bananas in his wake.

With a sigh of relief, Paya bent herself down and began to pick up the mess. For it heavily raining, she was still remarkably dry. Link was jealous; he was shaking, cold and wet to the bone, and still frantic from his prior fight.

“Master Link, my apologies for appearing so suddenly, but I…” Paya hesitated for a moment as she watched Link’s trembling hands reach out to take the spoils of the battle. “Why don’t I get you to the Tabantha stable? I’ll explain everything there”.

When he shook his head at her words, Paya tilted her head until he pointed towards the Sheikah tower. The electric monsters had begun to move away to follow the thunderstorm.

“Ah, I see. Let me make it easier for you, master Link”.

As soon as Paya touched his shoulder, Link found himself atop the tower, shocking the man who, regrettably, was in the same position Gruve had been in at the Lanayru tower. But at this moment, Link didn’t have the patience to care. With the Ridgeland tower activated, he jumped off the tower to glide down to Paya’s side.

“Ready?” She simply asked, her hand raised to meet Link’s.

“Sure, I want to go to bed.”

The moment their hands connected, the scenery instantly changed from the soggy hillside to a much dryer in appearance stable that sat beside a rickety bridge. Across its canyon was a large set of red-colored mountains with snow-like icing atop like a cake; he was hungry.

“My Grandmother told you to find your way to the Outskirt stable, but I figured you’d end up closer here if you went after the Central tower,” Paya explained before leading Link towards the stable.

Link lazily nodded before turning his attention towards the horse pens. He could see Apple had been boarded and was happily stuffing her face with the offered hay. “Yeah, once night came, I got a bit lost, and then the weather soured.” He wanted to say a snide comment about Apple, but he chose against it. He hadn’t expected the lightning storm any more than she had. “So, what brought you out here anyway? I mean, no offense Paya, but you’re the last person I expected to see.”

Paya puffed out her cheeks before directing Link towards a table so she could get them checked in for the night. Once he was seated, one of the stable hands promptly brought him a mug of warmed milk and a plate of steamed buns. By the time Paya returned, which was only a minute later, he had the plate cleaned.

The Sheikah looked from the plate to Link’s crumb-covered face before sighing. There was a silence between them for quite a while, with Link giving Paya her time. She brushed her hands through her hair before occasionally allowing her face to fall into her hands with a whine. Whatever she had to tell him must have been weighing on her deeply.

“You don’t have to—“

“Master Link, the champions do live!” She blurted out, startling the stable’s sleeping inhabitants as well as the stable head. Link didn’t even know what to say as he stared into Paya’s firm stare before she squealed, realizing she had woken everyone and closed in on herself.

“W-what?” He choked out, eyes blinking incredulously.

“I-I-I um…” Paya stuttered, much quieter now. “Wh-when you asked my Grandmother of the Champions… I-I remembered I read a bit ago in one of the journals of the Princess that she kept, th-that there was a possibility of the Divine Beasts having some of the same capabilities as the Shrine of resurrection. But the journal was incomplete… Her father had stopped her part in the research, but she left a note about checking with the castle’s research wing awhile later in secret…”

Link’s eyes widened as he took a closer look at Paya. While she had been free of rainwater, her clothes were positively filthy, and her robes slightly singed. Could she have been what attracted that guardian into the castle’s grounds?

“P-Paya… You—“

“Please don’t tell my Grandmother…” She pleaded quietly, bringing her hands close to her chest. “I had to be certain before I told you anything… I-I know how you loved one of the champions from the Princess’s journals. I just wanted to help”.

Link gave her a gentle smile before reaching out to her hand to calm her. While his gesture at first startled her, she quickly calmed, allowing him to rub his thumb soothingly into her skin. “What did you learn, Paya?”

“Princess Zelda was right… It was the last entry before the calamity struck, but the Sheikah researchers discovered the same technology within. My Grandmother told me that before the beasts were completely overtaken, she saw a glimmer of blue. I believe the Divine Beasts saved them at the last possible minute; I truly do… When I learned this, the malice in the castle seemed even more vicious… When I made it out, I knew I had to tell you. So I made my way towards the Tabantha stable, and when I found Apple without you… I got scared and went to find you”.

Link nodded calmly at Paya; he even smiled at her. However, on the inside, he was screaming. So he had seen Mipha within Vah Ruta. One part of him wanted to jump for joy, while the other part of him wanted to cry. It meant that the Rito who shared Revali’s likeness and voice really was Revali. Like he, they had no memories, unknowing what to do, an easy, moldable target.

“Do… Do you think they all awoke like me, or do you think they’re still in slumber in their divine beast?”

Paya shook her head. “I don’t know, Master Link. But if you want me to, I can send word out to the Gorons and the Zora. Seeing as how those Divine beasts are free, it would be best to test the theory with them first”.

“That would be for the best, thank you, Paya. You’ve been so helpful to me”. It was nice to see her dark eyes glitter with happiness at his words. He hoped this experience would allow her to come further out of her shell. She was much more capable than she thought, especially if she could survive within the thicket of Calamity Ganon’s malice.

“You helped me too, Master Link. I’m happy to be of service in any way I can to your cause”.

Chapter Text

Come morning, Link and Paya parted. There wasn't much time for any more pleasantries with Divine Beasts to save and people to message. Paya urged Link to be careful, and he the same. He hoped she wouldn’t be going on any more adventures to Hyrule castle, but he couldn’t stop her even if he wanted to. Paya did as she thought was right, much like he did.

The moment Paya had teleported away, Link began nudging Apple towards the bridge into the Tabantha region. Apple wasn’t too thrilled to be going over the aged bridge, but she still went. Perhaps she knew she had earned her owner’s ire for ditching him the previous night.

Once over the bridge, Apple kicked it into high gear, happy to be free of the dangerous wooden deathtrap. The feeling of the crisp morning air was exhilarating. It allowed Link to relax and allow his thoughts to shut down for a moment. It was as though he had just emerged from the Shrine of resurrection again, not a care in the world, just the knowledge that he had something to accomplish.

He longed for the world Revali spoke of, the one without expectations.

After an hour on the road, Link brought Apple to a halt. As he peered up a hill, he caught sight of the region’s Sheikah tower. It looked easy enough to get to. There weren’t many enemies that he could see, and the pathway looked pretty straightforward.

“Okay, Apple, I’ll be back in like… An hour. Promise me you won’t wander off?”

When he looked up at his horse, she snorted, her head rocking to the side like she wasn’t listening.

“I can always take you back across that bridge back there,” he threatened, snickering when her eyes widened; she was a rather intelligent horse when she wanted to be.

“Good, girl.”

With a quick pat to her head and offer of a carrot, Link took off up the hill, quickly taking out one of the bokoblin sentries that stood at its foot. The poor thing didn’t even see him coming. It was much of the same up the rest of the hill, taking out the monsters that had just woken up for breakfast. He would have felt bad, but they wouldn’t be gone for long. When the blood moon came again, so would they.

It wasn’t until he came closer to the peak of the hill that he realized getting to the tower wouldn’t be so easy.

Malice surrounded the tower as well as much of the paths around the hill’s peak, making it hard to get around without Link either finding himself in pain or being stared at by an eye of Ganon. In one instance, he even found a couple of bokoblins cheering at the eyeball. It near made him want to puke. At least when an eye was destroyed, the malice around it disappeared, which was helpful.

After hitting an eyeball stuck to a ruined column’s side, Link was ready to get to the tower. Looking at the Sheikah slate, he was still on time to meet Apple within an hour as he had promised.

It was with a smile of triumph that Link made it up to the tower, pleased with the ease of his success, at least that was until he caught sight of a bit of frayed sky-blue fabric stuck to the terminal. Heart throbbing now painfully in his chest, Link reached for the fabric, immediately seeing the mark of Vah Medoh sewn in with once stark thread.

The moment the scarf touched his fingers, Link could hear the cry of the Divine beast. Looking to the sky, he could see the beast firing its lasers at specks in the sky, one of them, the darker one, taking a hit before tumbling back down towards the village that was built into a massive stone column. The white speck dove for its friend, but not before releasing a flurry of bombs that distracted Vah Medoh long enough for them to make their escape.

Link didn’t dawdle long at the Tabantha tower. Once it was activated, he left. He had to reach the Rito village as quickly as possible before others got hurt trying to fight the Divine Beast. Doing his best to ignore the scarf that was burning a hole in his pocket, he urged Apple quickly down the road.

 The horse didn’t protest. She could sense the urgency in his spurs. She knew he was going to vanish again for a day or three. It would give her well enough time to recover her stamina.

-

By the time they reached the Rito stable, it was the late afternoon from the sun’s current position. There was still much to do, however.

Link was quick to make a deal with one of the stable hands for a quick boarding of Apple. In exchange for five bottles of Goron spice that he got while in the Goron city, he took Apple off his hands and handled her paperwork, allowing Link the freedom to quickly charge to the Rito Village.

The trek up to the village was a winding one but a well worth one. As soon as he made it to the village’s Hylia statue, he was overcome with a serene sense of nostalgia. Like Zora’s Domain had been, this had once been his home.

“Hmm? Are you a traveler?”

Pulled from his thoughts, Link looked to his side to see a tall chestnut-feathered Rito staring down at him curiously. He tapped his spear to the ground as if he was unsure whether or not to raise it at the Hylian.

“Sorry, we’re not exactly in a welcoming mood right now, you see—Gah!“Before the guard could finish his explanation, a Rito child ran flew down into him, talons barely nicking his forehead feathers, his mother hot on his trail.

“Tulin!” The pastel-colored Rito scolded her white puff-ball of a child who had no desire to give up his quest. Well, at least that was until Link seized the squirming child from the air.

“Hey! Lemme go, Mister! I gotta go get to the flight range! My Dad said he’d play with me!” The Rito squabbled out in Link’s firm hold, his wide grey eyes full of frustration in how he couldn’t free himself. There was something oddly familiar to him about the fledgling. It was as though it wasn’t their first encounter. But that would have been impossible, right?

“Oh my, I thank the Goddess Din herself that you were here…” The fledgling’s mother spoke tiredly as she grabbed her still fitful son. From the matted feathers that stuck under her eyes, it appeared that she had just been crying when her child had tried to fly the coop. “Tulin, it’s not safe outside right now. Your Father will come to get you when he’s ready”.

It was a clear as day lie, but it was still enough to placate the fledgling, at least for now.

“What’s going on? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking”, Link spoke up. He already knew what was going on, but it was better to hear it from the Rito themselves.

The pastel Rito sighed sadly, her clouded azure gaze focusing on her son, leaving it to the guard to answer.

“I’m sure you’ve already seen that accursed beast in the sky. It showed up a couple of weeks ago. It didn’t seem like a threat, at least in the beginning. We could still fly around no problem, but then… I don’t know what, but something changed. The damned thing started attacking us!” The guard explained, his staff digging deeply into the wood below. “Five of us were lost…”

“Today, my husband and his friend, Harth, tried to drive the beast away…” The female Rito added when the other was too angered to finish. “…Harth was injured, and my husband… He left the village”.

Link nodded. That explains then what he saw at the Tabantha tower. But he still needed to know more. “Is it alright if I speak with your elder? I have something important to talk with him about”.

The guard clicked his beak, “why didn’t you just say so? He’s up at the top level. You can’t miss him.”

The pastel Rito glared at the guard before gesturing to Link with her free wing to follow her. “Allow me to repay you for the kindness you’ve done for me, traveler. It won’t be long, I promise”.

-

Saki, as she introduced herself, was a kind Rito. She reminded him much of Luto in how she cared for her son. She was tough but loving all the same. She explained how the village was in fear that Medoh would begin tightening the noose it had over the village. Some thought they should move their home back deeper into the Hebra region, but the elder was against it, as was her husband.

“We’re not about to flee our home… Not after… No, I shouldn’t say too much”, she quietly spoke. Tulin had fallen asleep amongst the pink curls of her hair; she wasn’t about to wake him again. “We’re here,” she pointed up to the sign for a clothing shop known as the ‘Brazen Beak.’ “My friend runs the shop. I can get you a discount on a set of Snowquill clothes. You’ll need them if you’re to be travelling the region”.

Link grinned. He wasn’t about to pass up a discount. The only thing that had begun to fill his rupee bag as of late was dust bunnies, and that wasn’t much of a currency.

The shop owner was more than happy for the business, even at a discounted rate. But, with Vah Medoh circling, Hylian tourists had come in a sharp decline.

“My, you look adorable,” Saki chirped out the moment Link came out of the dressing room.

Link blushed at the comment, though he wasn’t totally sure it was the comment or the warmth the clothing set gave him. The rubies kept the sharp bite of the air away from his nose and cheeks while the Rito down stuffed inside as insulation served to keep his body’s heat in. If he had worn this on Death Mountain, he was sure he would have been dead, regardless of how many fireproof elixirs he downed.

“Thank you, Saki. You have no idea how thankful I am for your kindness”.

The Rito easily waved him off. “Nonsense, you’ve done me a much kinder service traveler. I fear to think what could have happened if Tulin got out of the village… It was a story told to us as mere fledglings, but I believe there is validity to it. You see…”

Once upon a time, in a time not long passed, there once lived a family of Rito of incredible skill: Hiruno of the sky was the mother’s name, regarded as one of the best archers in all of Rito history. She could hit the same target over and over with the greatest of ease. It was quite the sight to see. Cardin the bright was the father. His bright red feathers made many stop and stare. He was no warrior, but his skill instead rested with the needle. Together, they had a son, the smallest fledgling ever to hatch, they say.

Hiruno doted over her little bird. He was her world. Cardin crafted him the finest of clothes and adornments that would stand the test of time itself. The little fledgling was never left with a want. It was a fact that drew him a great terror.

Being born from talent does not entail a born natural, the fledgling soon found out.

Dared by his peers, the fledgling leaped from the landing. As any Rito could, he flew. He wished he fell instead, for a fearsome foe waited on the snowy edge before him, a beast unknown, a beast of pure malice. The beast wanted its dinner while the poor fledgling, his mother.

As the beast bared its gnarled teeth, the fledgling cried. He wasn’t strong enough to pull himself higher into the air. He feared it was his end, but instead of the creature’s teeth, it was the warm plumage of his father; he was safe, or so he thought.

The beast was not deterred by the appearance of the fledgling’s father. It was only incited. It salivated a lurid pink goo from its mouth, its stomach growled. The beast howled a distorted wolf’s cry, a distant memory of what it once was. 

Cardin was no warrior, but he loved his son dearly. So he stood his ground withstanding bite after bite until he saw Hiruno’s blue plumage reflecting in the sky’s light. If he died now, it would be fine. Their fledgling would still have his mother.

However, even the Goddesses couldn’t prevent fate.

When Cardin fell, Hiruno descended, shooting arrow after arrow into the foul beast of calamity’s premonition. The creature took each arrow in stride. By the time her quiver was free of arrows, the beast had its catch in its maw.

There was nothing the fledgling could do but cry as the beast took his parents from him. They had given their lives for the one they loved most.

When Saki finished her story, Link grimaced. A chill had run up his backside, making even the snowquill’s insulation fail. “The adults told that story to kids?”

Saki scratched at the small feathers under her beak, “it was our old Elder’s way of keeping the more rambunctious fledglings from venturing too far from the village with the rise of monster attacks in the area. To this day, we Rito don't really leave the village much. I feel rather bad for Amali and Kass; their children were never frightened by the story… Tulin was, at least until his father left”, she finished with an exhausted sigh.

“So Kass made it here, okay? I met him at a stable over near Death Mountain”.

Link didn’t miss the look of amazement that crossed the Rito’s pastel face. “Wow, you really are well-traveled. I do hope you stay long enough to share your tales with Teba, my husband. He’d love to hear them”.

As Saki made her way out of the clothing store, Link followed as they were going in the same direction anyway. “Does your husband not get along with Kass?” The blue Rito had seemed kind enough in their brief encounter.

“Ah, not particularly; they used to be close in their younger years, but when Kass left on his travels, Teba became angry. He couldn’t imagine there being a reason strong enough to leave his kids…” She muttered something more under her breath, but Link didn’t ask; he already figured what she had mumbled. “But I digress, young traveler, our Elder, Kaneli’s nest is just around the corner.”

Link hadn’t even noticed that they had made it to the top of the village until he could the dozing head of an owl-like Rito rocking away within the farthest nest.

“Ah, well, thank you again for the clothes, Saki. I really do appreciate it”.

With a smile on her beak, Saki waved him goodbye before disappearing into her own nest. The sun had gone from the sky, with the moon taking its place. Link thought it might be rude to approach the Elder so late, but he pushed that thought aside. The sooner he got more information on Vah Medoh, the sooner Revali’s spirit would be free and his home safe.

Steeling himself with a sharp inhale of cold air, Link knocked on the Elder’s nest and stepped in. “Um, hello? Is it okay to talk?”

Elder Kaneli let off a mix of a hoot and a yawn before he leaned forward in his chair to get a better look at Link. “Hoo? A Hylian? What brings you here so late at night? It must be rather important”.

Link nodded. “Yes, Elder, it is. I know this might be really hard to believe, but… But I’m here to calm down, Vah Medoh. I am the Hylian champion.”

Kaneli tilted his head at Link’s claim, “Hoo, that must explain that little slate at your hip.”

When the elder pointed the Sheikah slate out, Link removed it from his side to give him a better look, satisfying his curiosity. Did he believe him?

“I never thought I would see an actual Champion like our Revali in my lifetime.”

He believed him!

“But no…”

Link deflated; the Sheikah slate near slipping from his fingers as his shoulders dropped.

“The Champions died a hundred years ago… But…”

“But?”

“You must be the Hylian Champion’s descendent, inheritor of the Sheikah slate, hoo!” Then, with a slap of his wing against his knee, the elderly Rito stood, shocking Link with his tall stature. “Perhaps, you really could free Vah Medoh before that pesky student of mine makes a grievous error.”

With a now labored breath, the elder held his wing out for Link to grab onto. Link didn’t hesitate for a second; Kaneli seemed to be on his last leg. If he could help in any way he could, he would. Revali would have wanted that. Kaneli led Link to one of the drawers at his nest’s door before gesturing to the Hylian to pull out the lower drawer.

“Revali was and still is one of the greatest warriors ever to grace the Rito. Teba, my student, idolizes him as many of us Rito do, myself included. I shouldn’t be surprised by Teba’s actions; he is the grandson of our previous elder…”

Link pursed his lips. He wasn’t so sure what the elder had meant until he got him back to his chair and looked in the drawer. Within it was an old box covered in a red fraying fabric with the symbol of the Rito sewn carefully in. Once encouraged to open it, Link was greeted by a box of lifelike pictures that made his breath hitch.

The top photo depicted himself standing close to Revali, who was bent down with his wings close at a small white fledgling that looked remarkably like Tulin’s side. Revali was the face of utter concentration, it wasn’t the most flattering of pictures, but it was endearing. He could see the love in his own eyes that focused down on Revali as though he was telling him to relax. Turning over the photo, he found a pretty cursive scrawl that read: Tulin, one and half years! Rito grow so fast, Revali’s going to have a hemorrhage! While there was no indicator on who wrote it or even took the photo, Link had the feeling it had to be Zelda’s work.

“Our previous elder was the son, Tulin, the young charge of Revali and the Hylian Champion Link. If you are indeed the Champion’s descendent, then I believe it would please Revali to have you know of your predecessor’s relationship with him”, Kaneli hummed with a pull of his beard before waving at Link to continue thumbing through the box.

It felt wrong to Link to be looking through Revali’s memories. While they were memories they shared, he might as well have been an outsider. The myriad of pictures of him, Tulin, and Revali frustratingly sparked no memories. The pieces added to the puzzle of his relationship with the Rito champion, but he was still missing a couple of major pieces that wouldn’t allow his mind to fill in the blanks.

Seeing the pained expression that had overtaken Link’s face, Kaneli gestured him to hand him the box. “Hoo, I wasn’t even a twinkle in my parent’s eye when the calamity struck. But, looking at the photos and journals, it really makes you understand what it was like to be a Champion… But I do understand your pain; you do have quite the big shoes to fill! Hoo, Hoo!”

Link weakly chuckled at the Elder’s joke. It wasn’t that he was worried he couldn’t fill his past self’s shoes. He wasn’t sure he could find them. While the memories were painful, they could also be nice. He wanted to be able to remember Revali; he wanted to see his spirit and be able to tell him why he was an asshole. He wanted to tell him that he loved him now as much as he did then. He didn’t want Revali’s spirit to suffer as he was sure Mipha’s did with his lapse of memory. He hadn’t been able to say much to her at all. It must have hurt her not to have her childhood friend recognize her well. By the time he had reached Daruk, he had more of a personality, but still, he was, for the most part, quiet.

If Paya was right and the Champions indeed lived, they were still separate from their spirits, and he wanted to comfort them in their final moments.

The Rito Elder didn’t have Link look through any more photographs. He instead directed him to the Flight Range. The Flight Range was where Revali and many potential Rito warriors honed their skills with the bow and of flight; it was also the birthplace of Revali’s gale, Kaneli explained and likely where Teba most likely would have gone following his failure to defeat Vah Medoh. He also urged the Hylian to locate Revali’s diary, which was also located there. Link, however, wasn’t so sure Revali would want him to be snooping through his private thoughts.

Upon exiting Kaneli’s nest, Saki was promptly at Link’s side, frantically dragging him down the stairs. Her feathers were puffed and a tinge duller than he remembered.

“Champion descendent, I’m sorry, I was sort of eavesdropping… But I need your help again”, she begged, her grasp on his wrist shaking terribly. “M-my husband, Teba, he returned briefly to tell me he is going into the Hebra region to search for weaponry. I tried to stop him, I tried to tell him that we have a champion to assist us, but him and his dumb stubborn pride…”

With a pat to Saki’s wing, Link assured her that he would bring her husband back, kicking and screaming if he had to.

Saki’s feathers softened at his assurance. “Thank you, Descendent. I do appreciate your assistance. I would go after him myself, but I have Tulin to look out for. If our fledgling caught wind of what his father was up to, I would have two to worry about”.

Chapter Text

Neither Link nor Apple thought they were going to see each other again so soon. Link had expected his time in the Rito village to take much longer, but even so, he had a mission to complete.

According to Saki, Teba was a strong warrior, skilled in both flight and the bow. It was what saved him from injury in his attack against Vah Medoh in their first encounter. But he was also on the stubborn side. He did what he knew what he had to do, even if it wasn’t of popular opinion, and Saki clearly hadn’t wanted him to go into the Hebra region.

While the Hebra region wasn’t as dangerous to the Rito as it was any other race in the land due to their thick coating of insulating feathers, it was still filled to the brim with Ganon’s minions, both live and dead; it wasn’t the place one would want to go through alone. Link certainly didn’t. Even with the Snowquill set, as warm as it was, the moment he crossed the threshold into the Hebra, the icy chill of the air bit into his nose.

But regardless, Link had the feeling that Teba was going to be the only person who could help get him close to Vah Medoh. He would tough it out as he had always done.

Upon making it out of the snowy canyon, Link was welcomed by the sight of a brightly glowing Sheikah tower off in the distance. However, for once, it wasn’t the tower that had his attention; it was the considerable amount of dilapidated houses. The temperature seemed to drop even lower the closer he drew, and Apple showed great discomfort. Something dark had happened here.

When Apple began to squeal, Link decided it best to dismount before he got thrown off.

“Hush, hush, you can go back to the stable. I’ll be fine, I promise”. Link had hoped his trusty steed would hesitate, but she didn’t. With his go-ahead, she took off back towards the Rito stable. He couldn’t blame her; he wanted to turn tail too.

The air was too silent. Normally in abandoned settlements like these, monsters thrived off the leftover scraps. However, there was none. Even with the moon high in the sky, there wasn’t a single stal enemy, only their bones.

 Link had his doubts that it was just untouched grounds. That thought was only solidified when he stuck his boot in the snow-covered, frozen corpse of a bokoblin. Kicking some of the snow off it, he found there to be an arrowhead-shaped hole in its head. Someone recently had shot it and salvaged their arrow. While it didn’t help the bokoblin in any way, at least Link knew he was on the right trail.

Hands-on his hips, Link scanned the rest of the fallen village’s torn houses, and sure enough, next to fallen Moblin, he could see a couple of white and black tail feathers sticking out, twitching with the quick movements of their owner as well as the occasionally thrown aside rusted weapon.

Whoever it was, it filled Link’s description of Teba, and he believed it to be him as his toes were beginning to beg for forgiveness.

As Teba was a warrior, he didn’t want to approach brazenly. That was more than likely going to get him shot with an arrow. But quietly moving up to him would likely end in the same result. So to avoid that, Link decided it to be best to move to a closer location and call out to him. Something around the lines of: ‘Hey! Your wife wants to strangle you!’ Or ‘I’m the Hylian champion descendent or whatever, we can calm Vah Medoh together!’ Would work.

Or at least, that was his plan.

Link hadn’t expected to be thrown into a memory when he moved towards one of the broken houses. But, upon grabbing onto what he presumed to have once been a doorway, he noticed a dark stain. While it could have been any number of things, his mind knew it was blood.

-

Upon graduating from Hyrule’s knight academy, Link was eager to see Revali again. It had been a long, grueling four years of hard, laborious work and training. He wanted to show off the fruits of his labor to his dear friend. He wanted to show Mipha too, but he couldn’t be in two places at once. When his father came to him with his first set of orders, he let him choose his first mission, and out of the five missions offered, the request of the Rito Elder seemed to be the most in need.

As the Hebra and Tabantha regions were, for the most part, uninhabited, it allowed for more monsters to gather without any opposition. This was a danger for the Rito and other brave civilians who wanted to branch out from their typical dwellings. The Elder requested a strong knight to aid their warriors in protecting the newly forming villages outside the Rito village. It sounded much more up his alley than training Sidon or helping the Goron clear out a new mining tunnel. Not that he minded doing any of those tasks either. He loved Sidon and Mipha and always had a blast wrestling with the Goron that came to visit the academy.

“You sure can’t wait to get to the Rito village, can you, my boy?” Corrin chuckled down at his son, who was bouncing at his seat at his Father’s side on their wagon.

Link nodded up happily at his Father. He noticed that age had quickly caught up with him. The brunette hair he sported only four years earlier had become grayed with barely a brown tint left. The same bright glow in his eyes that he and his son shared was now dim. The oncoming calamity was weighing down terribly on him.

“Yeah, Papa, of course, I am. I want to see how strong Revali’s gotten”.

Corrin chuckled at his son’s competitiveness, “how sure are you that Revali continued his training with the bow? He could have found another passion”.

“Yeah, right,” Link snorted. “Revali would drop dead before he’d allow me to surpass him!” He stated matter-of-factly even though his too big knight’s helm fell down his brow, obscuring his vision for a brief moment before his Father corrected it.

“You are right in that regard, I suppose.”

“So, can I have my paraglider back? If I’m gonna be with the Rito for a while, I need—“

“You don’t need it, Link,” his Father tersely responded, leaving no room for argument.

The cheerful mood in the air quickly dispersed soon after that as Link’s bubbly attitude deflated. Since his blessing by the Goddess Hylia, his Father had been on edge. While Link recovered from his injuries, his Father hid away his paraglider, and if Link ever asked about it, it was always the same answer as the one he just received: you don’t need it. It was just his worry for his son, his Mother always assured in her short visits over the years at the academy. He loves you. He’s doing it for your own good. Link never saw it as such. Despite him being a full-fledged knight of Hyrule, he still felt coddled.

He prayed to Hylia that his Father wouldn’t stick around to watch over him on his mission. Other than it being embarrassing, he wanted a break from his Father’s expectations. He just wanted to be able to hang out with Revali as he had done in the past.

Link had to hide his sigh of relief once they arrived at the Rito Village. Just as his Father was explaining he would be overseeing his mission, one of the Rito guards ran up to him with an urgent message from the King, saying that he had to return immediately to his side.

If it wouldn’t have been inappropriate, he would have dropped to his knees and prayed to Hylia then and there. Instead, once he waved his Father goodbye, Link made a mental note later to drop a flower at the Rito’s Hylia statue to say his thanks.

“My, my, look what Dinraal dragged in.”

Link could feel his heart thrumming at a rapid pace in his chest at the matured voice that drifted through his ears like a song. He was happy to have his helmet covering most of his face as he looked up the stairs to the village. At the top stood Revali, leaning against the rock pillar that held up the village. He had grown much taller, taller even than Link, which hadn’t been a thing in the past. He was by no means the strongest looking of the Rito he had come across, but there was a great strength he could feel radiating through his lithe frame. He was sure this was known to the other Rito too. Instead of the traditional armor, he wore an intricate silver cuirass that fit a tight leather tunic. On top of all the fanciness sat a simply designed scarf that looked warm. Link wanted to bury his face in it.

Link didn’t really understand why, but he was blushing. He almost felt embarrassed to be in Revali’s presence. He felt rather dull in comparison with his standard-issue knight armor.

“You’ve kept me waiting for four long years, I’ll have you know, Link,” Revali laughed with a click of his beak as he descended the stairs to the Hylian’s side.

Link wasn’t sure what to do but stammer when Revali began circling him as though he was assessing him.

“I would have hoped that you’d have more to say to me than that after all this time.”

When Revali leaned in close, Link could feel his face overheating. His emerald eyes were too intense. He couldn’t get a single word out; he couldn’t allow his gaze to leave Revali’s until he caught sight of something else green in the air.

“I-I like the gemstone in y-your hair! Is that jade?!”

Link wanted to kick himself down the Hebra plunge when Revali pulled away, his eyes widening for a brief moment before reaching for the braids he had his feathers tied into.

Perhaps he was just easily marveled, but he thought Revali’s braids were the coolest thing. How he was able to get a dirt blonde ribbon into a braid was beyond him. He could hardly get his hair to stay in a hair tie.

“Oh, yes, it is jade. How very astute. I’m glad to see they taught you something other than how to be a brute at that academy”, he snorted before flipping his hair back behind his shoulder. “If you think you can handle it, I can show you how to tie your hair like mine…”

For the smallest of seconds, Link swore Revali was blushing too. Not that it was obvious on a Rito or anything, but over the years of hanging out with Revali, he had come to associate the subtle puffing of his cheek feathers to mean blushing, either that he was flustered. But it couldn’t have been that. Revali only got flustered when he lost.

“I-I-I’d really like that!”

Revali gave Link a quick smirk before moving his feathered palm to knock at his helmet. “Good, now you really don’t need to shout everything out. I swear if you shout out in the middle of the night that you have to pee, I’m going to throw you off the landing!”

There wasn’t anything malicious in his tone or touch; it was just the banter they always shared. But to Link, it felt different; his touch was warmer, even through the metal of his helm. It made Link want to melt.

“Would you like to see the Flight Range? I figured I might as well ask before I drag you there. It was built for my accomplishments with the bow”, he proudly spoke before moving his wings to his hips. As he did so, his scarf raised to reveal a twine necklace with a couple of crudely crafted aquamarine spheres and a pair of light blue and white feathers. Link recognized the feathers immediately.

“Those are Luto’s feathers,” Link pointed out, remembering the sky blue of the feathers of her tail. He wasn’t sure why Revali seemed so flustered at his seeing of his necklace. The moment he pointed it out, Revali grunted and quickly smoothed out his scarf, covering it once again.

“Yes, yes they are. When our Elder came to collect me from Zora’s Domain, he gave them to me. Luto always loved to collect precious stones, so; I thought it was the best way to honor her memory”.

‘Then why hide it?’ Link had wanted to ask, but he kept it to himself. Revali had his strange habits. Perhaps he was embarrassed by his own shoddy craftsmanship.

Seeing as Revali didn’t want to speak more on the subject, Link decided to drop it. He didn’t want to waste his time bickering with his old friend when they had so much to catch up on.

Revali was happy to move the conversation to his achievements over the years during their trek to the Flight Range. Upon returning to his home village, the Rito immediately began training under the village’s star archer, Chord. He was apparently a very intimidating Rito in stature and appearance with his piercing red and yellow eyes. Revali, of course, hadn’t been frightened by his looks in the slightest. He assured Link would know him when he saw him at the range. Revali had quickly become his star pupil, even breaking his master’s records at his age. He was on the road to becoming the greatest warrior, the likes of which his village had yet to ever see.

Link found joy in listening to Revali’s talks of grandeur. He hadn’t exactly stood out at the Knight’s academy. No one could deny that he had skill, but the teachers and students hadn’t liked him. Be it because he was the son of a royal knight or because his family had zero ties to nobility, he was typically ignored. Not that it mattered much to him. Link was motivated to train regardless, graduating at the top of his class. He wore his newly minted armor with pride, unlike many of his other classmates who wore it as a show of their station.

By the time the pair reached the Flight Range, Link had forgotten all about the pride he had in his armor. The frigid air that came down from the Hebra Mountains chilled him to the bone, and the metal of his armor wasn’t helping in the slightest. He made the error of adjusting his arm guard and ended up with his fingers gluing to the metal. It wasn’t his finest hour.

“You Hylians and your lack of feathers,” Revali snarked before wrapping one of his wings around his shoulders, the warmth of his body immediately melting Link’s hand free. “I mean, really, what is the evolutionary advantage of your bare skin?”

“I-I-I wish I knew too,” Link stammered out. Now he wasn’t sure if the chattering of his teeth was due to the cold or the sheer closeness of Revali’s body to his own.

“Revali, you’re certainly the brightest of us, Rito, but you couldn’t even think to offer our guest a warm change of clothes?”

While Revali simply clicked his beak, Link near jumped out of his skin. Revali was right in that Link would know Chord when he saw him. The Rito was massive, taking up much of the porch of the Flight Range with his meaty talons and even larger build. Other than the Rito’s admittedly intimidating red and yellow stare, he also had a thick white plumage with the tips of his feathers dyed red with paint. He didn’t look like the type that would hesitate ripping your throat out on the battlefield.

“My apologies, he didn’t ask.”

Link felt his eye twitch. If he had known, you bet to the Goddess Hylia herself he would have asked. He would have choked Revali out if he hadn’t moved closer to him.

“Don’t worry, I have some warmer clothes in the range you can change into,” Revali assured, his beak so close to the Hylian’s ear, he could feel his warm breath tickling down his neck.

When Link let off a string of strange garbled noises, Chord rolled his eyes before trudging back towards the range’s landing.

True to Revali’s word, he had a Rito down sweater and pants Link could slip into for warmth within the range’s nest. The warm clothes were so relieving; Link didn’t even think to ask Revali as to why he had stored clothes for a Hylian there in the first place. All he knew now was that his armor didn’t chafe as harshly in the cold air.

“Good to see you haven’t frozen over,” Chord huffed out the moment Link joined him and his student of the landing. “Our Elder is putting his faith in you, Hylian. I would hate—“

“Master, is this truly necessary?” Revali interrupted. “Link is rather capable with a sword. He’s by no means as good with a bow, but he can hit a target”.

Link snorted at Revali’s attempt at a compliment. He appreciated his attempts at standing up for him. But he knew the only way he would be able to prove himself to the Rito was to demonstrate his skill.

“I understand your concern, Chord. I’m a knight fresh out of school. But I assure you, as Revali said, I am more than capable with a blade”. Even under the older Rito’s harsh gaze, Link did not waver. It seemed to have left an impression on him, for he drew his feathered edge from its sheath, pointing it at Link.

“Prove it then. First to knick the other’s cheek is the winner”.

Link smiled. He could do just that. Pulling his own blade out, he put himself into a fighting stance.

Revali rolled his eyes at the scene before him as he fluttered up to perch on the landing’s railing. To Revali, swordplay was unrefined; archery was the pinnacle of combat.

Chord made the first move. He was a bigger target, something that was both advantageous and a disadvantage at the same time. While he could easily overpower an opponent, if they were nimble, like Link, a lunge was easy to dodge.

The moment Chord lunged at the Hylian, Link ducked, sliding clean between the Rito’s legs, righting himself with ease to make his own move. Before Chord could even turn, he felt a sharp cut hit just along his cheek; nothing too deep, well physically. 

“I win,” Link chirped out, returning his blade to its scaffold.

Chord didn’t say anything for a moment. He stood stalk still with his wing to his cheek, his eyes wide, until finally, he let off a hearty laugh that surprised both his student and Link.

“That you have, Link. Perhaps with your aid, we really can protect the Tabantha village”.

Over a warm fire, cozy blankets, pillows, and some skewers of fish, Chord explained the situation in the Hebra region in great detail.

Other than being a village of with a population of just over a hundred. It was the first of its kind that hosted people of each of the five races of Hyrule. It was a place where people went for a fresh start in life, away from their homelands. No one there cared where you were from or your past so long as it didn’t harm the community. It also was Chord and his wife Oura’s home. Chord was proud to say that he and his wife were expecting their first egg any day now.

But the happiness in that statement didn’t last long.

He spoke of the rumors of calamity that had been drifting through both the Rito village as well as the Tabantha one. Calamity Ganon was to resurrect any day now, be it tomorrow or three years later. It wasn’t ‘if’ but ‘when.’ The signs of his return were evident in the Tabantha region with spouts of his malice oozing out of the ground, and in Hebra, the monsters had begun to multiply. If one camp was taken out, three more would take its place.

In the past, the monsters had kept well to themselves. But more recently, they’ve started getting bolder, attacking merchant caravans and travelers.  Chord reasoned that they had come into contact with the malice and had become corrupted by Ganon’s influence of hatred. There wasn’t anything to be done other than to put them down at that point, which was why the Rito elder had reached out to the Hylian guard. While they could handle it now, the number of attacks would only rise, and inevitably, they would run out of firepower.

Link understood the Rito’s worry. Calamity had been just about the only thing discussed in the capital as well as the academy. Not to mention, he had his own worries. Since his first meeting with the Goddess Hylia years ago, he hadn’t heard from her again. He knew he had her blessing, but he had no direction to act in. He was to play a part in the fight against the calamity. Shouldn’t he at least know where to find the sword that was to seal the darkness?

He had never told a single soul of his encounter with the Goddess. He didn’t think anyone would believe him. He had been struck by lightning while fighting a lynel. One would reason he had likely hallucinated the whole vision. Hell, even he sometimes did. The only thing that ever reminded him it was real was when he looked at the back of his left hand. It was the softest of glows, but he could every now and then see the faint etching of the triforce in his skin.

Maybe Revali or even Mipha would know something. He just had to ask.

Chord assured Link that there was nothing to worry about for the rest of the week as another group of warriors was watching over the Tabantha village. Chord also told them of his plan to do a bit of reconnaissance on the monster camps in the area on his own. Unfortunately, with their numbers growing every day, their maps were always becoming out of date.

It must have been news to Revali from his sharp exhale. It was an unconscious movement on Link’s part, but he shifted closer to the Rito. Revali had no doubts in his teacher’s skill, but he did worry even if he wouldn’t admit it to Link or Chord himself.

Revali didn’t seem to mind Link’s movement. Either that or he assumed Link was still cold. When Link moved to grab his fish skewer from the fire, Revali snagged it for him before he could even get his hands out of his blanket and shoved it in his face. Not harshly by any means, just surprising. Link knew from the grinding of his beak; he was just trying to have something to occupy his hands as well as his mind. If Link wasn’t there, he was sure Revali would be in his teacher’s beak, arguing with his decision to go alone.

For as intimidating as Chord was in appearance, the coo he let off at Revali’s action was anything but scary.

“You really seem to bring out the best in my student, Link! When he first arrived in the village, he would get into a squabble almost every damned day, drove my Oura crazy. If I saw him feeding another fledgling, I would’ve eaten my own talons!”

While Chord laughed and Link stuffed his face, Revali grimaced at his teacher. He was trying so hard to not squawk at his master, so much so Link thought he might combust; his feathers were puffed, and his talons were digging into the wood flooring of the nest.

Luckily, Link didn’t have to worry about Revali combusting. Soon after Chord finished his wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes, he excused himself. He had to return home and prepare for his mission. While Link got up to walk him out of the range, Revali stayed put by the fire’s side.

“How long will you be out in Hebra?” Link questioned once they were out in the whirling snow and of Revali’s earshot.

“If all goes well, I’ll be back in two days,” the older Rito unsteadily answered.

Link tilted his head in confusion. “Then why go alone?”

Chord sighed heavily at the Hylian’s prodding. “Because it’s a suicide mission,” he whispered. “I plan to block the Tabantha Tundra. If I detonate enough bombs, I should be able to cause an avalanche, choking off a majority of the monsters in the area. Of course, it won’t kill them all, but I’ll be damn sure to get as many of the bastards as I can”.

Link didn’t know what to say as he looked into the Rito’s harsh gaze. He had a child on the way; why would he volunteer for something so dangerous? Then again, Link knew he would do the same. It wasn’t about the personal risk; it was about doing what could help others.

With a wavering voice, Chord brought his wing close to his chest, clenching it into a fist. “I beg of you as one warrior to another. Do not tell Revali”, he begged. “I’ve imparted all I’ve can onto him, and he’s surpassed me in every aspect. He is the future of the Rito. I don’t want him to throw it all away because he thought he could save me”.

“Does… Does your wife know?”

“She does. She’s accepted it as I hope Revali will one day too. With the threat of the calamity looming heavily over the kingdom, if I can buy us even a little time, then my life would mean something”.

Link didn’t say a thing to Chord before he took off. He couldn’t get his voice to work for him. Would it have been comforting for him to say that he was the hero chosen by Hylia to fight off Ganon? Should he have told him he would keep his word? It was just easier to stay quiet.

By the time Link had returned to the nest, Revali had already fallen asleep. He had himself curled on top of a couple of pillows with Link’s blanket loosely draped over his tail feathers. It had looked as though he was trying to keep it warm until he had kicked it off. The Rito didn’t typically sleep with blankets as their feathers just made everything too hot.

With the crackling of the fire and warmth of the nest, Link could hardly keep his eyes open long enough to make it to his pillow bed at Revali’s side. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light, the exhaustion from his travel and of Chord’s words catching up to him.

Chapter Text

Time seemed to slow down for Link as he found himself falling back into the groove of his childhood spent with Revali.

Revali woke up at the crack of dawn, always urging Link to do the same, much to the Hylian’s dismay. Being a knight didn’t change Link’s desire to sleep in Revali realized, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t force him. Back in Zora’s Domain, Revali would typically pour a pot of cold water over Link to wake him up. However, in the Tabantha region, he didn’t have to go to such lengths. Just opening the blinds of the nest was enough to get Link on his feet.

Mornings were reserved for training, Revali declared. He wasn’t exactly thrilled that Link hadn’t brought his paraglider. It would have made aerial training much easier for the Hylian, but ever the generous Rito he was, Revali gave Link a spare. It wasn’t of the same quality as the one his father had refused to return to him, but it got the job done, and Link was able to keep up with Revali at the Flight Range.

Link was always impressed with how Revali seamlessly cut through the air, hitting every target he came across with the greatest ease. Link was no archer by profession. Sure he could hit a target, but Revali made it an art. It was as though time itself would slow down for the Rito as he let his arrows fly.

He wasn’t the same squabbling fledging he was four years ago.

Watching Revali was quite the distraction. On more than one occasion, the Rito had to forgo his target practice to save Link from falling into the water below the range. Enamored as he was, Link occasionally found himself smacking face-first into the rock pillar at the range’s center.

“How did they let you graduate from that academy?” Revali would usually say once he had Link secured in his talons.

“Oh, you know, all you have to do is pick up a quill and sign your name. They give out this armor like hotcakes”, Link would weakly retort. In those situations, he was either dazed from hitting his head or too busy staring up at Revali. The way the wind blew through his feathers and the firm but gentle way his talons gripped him made the Hylian feel rather weak. He had to curse his mind for making him feel this way.

However, rescuing him wasn’t the only way Revali made Link feel as though his legs were turning to applesauce.

With training out of the way, the afternoon was spent back in the Rito village, helping the villagers with whatever they needed.

Revali had never been much of a people’s Rito back at Zora’s Domain. He was liked, but he always had difficulty expressing himself in any way that wasn’t considered hostile. For example, when one of Luto’s shipments of shock arrows fell off her caravan, he called the Zora, who tried to help the Rito pack them up, ’a complete idiot’. He wasn’t trying to be mean; he was only trying to look out for the Zora’s wellbeing, but the Zora still cried at his harshness.  According to Chord, he was still much like that; at least he had been when he first arrived back at the Rito Village.

 But from what Link saw, Revali was quite the popular Rito, especially amongst the young fledglings. Whenever they came up the village’s steps, Revali was immediately accosted by several fledglings who followed him around as ducklings would their mother. Each always had a request of the Rito. The dark feathered twins, Brach and Rhyn, wanted Revali to teach them archery. While a group of brightly colored fledglings simply wanted Revali to sing with them. Revali’s feathers always bristled when singing was asked of him in front of Link.

Revali would direct the twins to learn from Link while he led the group of fledglings to Warbler’s nest to practice. The twins always complained that the choir of fledglings always got what they wanted. But for as much as the twins complained, they always had fun learning how to use a sword.

The twins were called home early one day, leaving Link free to meander about the village.

 It was only a day now before he and Revali were to take over guard of the Tabantha village. Unfortunately, neither of them had yet to hear back from Chord, which left a sour spot in both Link and Revali’s guts. As he had nothing better to do, Link decided to make his concerns known to the Elder.

Elder Cygnus was a tall white-feathered Rito with a neck longer than most as well as a more lilted voice. Link always wondered why the choir fledglings didn’t just go to the Elder for their singing lessons. He seemed to be born to sing.

“Good day to you, Knight Link. I hope our Revali is treating you well? He asked specifically to be your guide, you know”, the Elder hummed out, not even turning to see the Hylian as he stepped in his nest. He was too busy looking out the window, down at Warbler’s nest, Link assumed.

“Yes, he’s been a good friend to me,” Link truthfully answered.

“Oh, that’s wonderful to hear,” Cygnus sighed softly. “The poor darling was so closed off when he first returned. Fought with everyone, including me…” When he realized Link was still standing at his nest’s door, he gestured for him to come closer until he was at his side.

As Link had thought, he had indeed been looking down at Warbler’s nest. Link smiled when he spotted Revali standing atop a strange pedestal with the fledglings circled him. In the whistle of the wind, he could just barely grasp the honeyed melody of their singing. He wanted to get closer.

“But I’m glad to see that he’s adjusted. Chord and I, we could only get him to calm down in one of two ways: either with a bow and arrow or a singing lesson. I’m sure you can guess, however, which he preferred!” The old Rito chuckled fondly before stiffening his face. “But I’m sure Revali’s not the reason why you’re here, Knight Link.”

Link nodded. “I wanted to ask you if you’ve heard from Chord. I know of his mission”.

The Rito hummed thoughtfully at Link’s words as he pulled at the feathers on his neck. “He sent a message that he was indeed able to block off the tundra, but…”

“You haven’t heard anything else?”

Cygnus shook his head. “I have a bad feeling in these old hollow bones of mine, Link… It was why I sent for aid in the first place. I truly believe we are on the cusp of calamity!”

At the Elder’s impassioned words, Link could feel the triforce etched into his hand begin to throb, stinging intensely with each movement of his fingers.

“I was going to call you and Revali to my nest today and ask you to head over to the Tabantha village early. But you’ve saved me the time and perhaps even… No, I mustn’t think negatively. Please fetch Revali. I will collect the fledglings”.

Link said nothing as he excused himself to do as he was asked. Cygnus was the Rito’s Elder for a reason. If he felt that something was amiss, then it likely was.

With haste, Link packed his bag with as much stuff as he thought he and Revali might need for their trip. Even if the village was only half a day’s walk away, he had no idea what they might encounter along the way. He packed food and blankets as well as an extra bow and a fully stocked quiver.

By the time he was ready to get Revali, the sun was already beginning to set. Their trip would be even more dangerous now, but time was of the essence. Despite the heaviness of his backpack, Link was able to make it to Warbler’s nest in record time without any cut to his energy reserves. But the moment he heard Revali’s singing voice, he could feel his legs beginning to turn to mush as his face heated up.

“When wind convinces the rocks to sing, open the monk’s door will swing,” Revali sang, the melody saccharine to Link’s ears. It almost made him forget what in Hyrule he was doing, at least that was until he caught sight of the Elder’s shadow in the setting sky.

Without so much as a warning to Revali, Link charged at him, startling both the teenaged Rito and the fledglings who scattered like mice at the appearance of a cat.

“Li-Link what in Din’s name—“

“We got to get to the Tabantha village now!” He quickly spat at the flustered Rito until he, too, had the same urgency in his voice as Link did.

“Then hold on!”

Without another warning, Link could feel a shaky gust of wind forming under him until suddenly, he was in the air, his shoulders being gripped tightly by Revali’s talons.

“I-I can’t believe that worked!” Revali chirped out, more to himself than to Link. But Link didn’t mind. It was the faster alternative to walking due to his lack of wings.

It was hard to speak over the whirring gusts of winds that cut through the air, but Link explained to Revali the Elder’s concerns regarding Tabantha village.

“And my dumb teacher thinks it’s a good idea to be playing reconnaissance? It’s no wonder I’ve surpassed him!”

Link didn’t say anything at Revali’s comment. However, he could hear the worried tone in it. He was just as concerned as Link; he was just having a difficult time showing it.

“S-so, you didn’t hear my singing did you?”

Link never got the chance to answer as, as soon as they made it past the hills, Link found himself being dropped into the snow. He would have complained to the Rito, but the moment he pulled himself out of the snow pile, he was met by a gruesome sight.

Screaming filled the air, as well as the angered snorts and roars of various monsters. Tabantha village was on fire. Hylians were being cleaved down by bokoblins on horseback while Zoras baked alive in their burning homes; those lucky enough to escape were swiftly taken out by the gathering lizafos. Gorons were being held still by moblins as lynels delivered the killing blow. Link couldn’t see Revali anywhere.

Something in Link snapped at the sight. His hand burned even more than it did within Cygnus’ nest. But strangely, it didn’t hurt. The moment he drew his sword and shield, he felt lighter, more powerful. The monsters would pay for what they had done.

The Moblin didn’t see Link coming. It was too busy chasing a fleeing child. The moment his broad sword connected with the monster, it let off a screech before falling, cut cleanly in two. The child didn’t think twice before running towards Rito village.

The next target, a lynel that had found entertainment by shooting fire arrows into the sky, was shown what it was like to be mounted and hacked to bits by an angered Hylian.

The sight of a lynel being taken down like it was nothing scared off a considerable amount of bokoblins and lizafos, but they didn’t get away. From the sky, Revali came down and shot off a volley of bomb arrows that sent them clean off the mountain’s side.

“So you attack a defenseless village and think you’re going to get away when things stop going your way?” Revali roared the moment he landed to find a Moblin still holding on to the cliff’s edge. “Then you got another thing coming!” With the snap of his leg, the Moblin was kicked off the edge.

The two remaining lynels were not deterred by Revali’s words or Link’s murder of their comrade. If anything, it only enraged them. One of the lynels, a white-maned one, charged Link, who met it head-on in a clash while the other went about trying to cause as much destruction as it possibly could.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Revali hissed before shooting into the air, it was shakier than the gust he had emitted earlier, but it got the job done, allowing him to snipe the lynel from the air.

Link could feel his sword cracking under the lynel’s strength and superior weapon, but that didn’t mean he was going to give up. “Nngh! Why are you doing this?!” Link growled out. He didn’t expect an answer until he heard a deep laughter emanate from the lynel.

“Why not? It’s fun watching you writhe, hero of courage”.

Taken aback, Link wavered for a second, allowing the lynel to pull back and raise its weapon.

“Dammit, Link! Look out!” Before Link even knew what was happening, he found himself being pushed out of the way of the lynel. He screamed.

“Revali!”

When the lynel’s crusher connected with the Rito, a loud crack reverberated throughout the air as he was sent flying into the remains of a freshly charred cottage. At the sight of his dear friend slumping over, Link saw red.

The lynel didn’t speak anymore even as Link lunged at it with attack after attack. When one weapon broke, he salvaged another from a monster’s corpse and kept up his onslaught until finally pulling out Revali’s spare bow and shooting a bomb arrow straight at the beast’s face at point-blank range. Link didn’t care that he was caught in the crossfire. The monster was dead, crumbling into the snow like its victims.

“…Re-Revali…” As much as Link wanted to collapse, he had to check on Revali. He had to see that the village got the help it needed if there were any survivors.

Vision blurring, Link rubbed at the blood and sweat that covered his brow before leaning himself onto the broken doorway to the cottage when Revali had been thrown. “R-Revali?” He called tiredly; his body wanted to give out.

“Link… You… How did you graduate again?”

Link could feel a weak smile on his face at Revali’s comment. Through his warbled vision, he could see Revali at the cottage’s far back with something white sitting on his lap. But he couldn’t discern what it was before his vision went dark, and he fell face-first into the floorboards.

-

When Link cracked his eyes open, he was greeted by the roof of the Flight Range he had seen in his memory, as well as feel the light caress of a warm fire on his cheeks. If he hadn’t found himself sitting next to a completely different white and black Rito, he would have thought his memory was still going.

“You could have caught your death out there, you know.” The Rito explained as he busied himself with stoking the fire. “I almost missed you.”

Link didn’t want to tell him that he almost died out there once before over a hundred years ago, but he held his tongue. He had to push his memories aside for the mission at hand. “…Are you Teba?”

The Rito’s golden eyes widened briefly at Link’s disregard for himself before narrowing back down. “Yes, I take it my wife sent you after me? She told me of a Hylian traveler”.

“I’m more than just a simple traveler. My name’s Link, and I’m here to help calm Vah Medoh”.

Teba clicked his beak suspiciously. “And Goron’s can fly, I’ve heard, Link.”

Sitting up, Link shook his head, “no, no! I’m serious! I’m here to help you calm Vah Medoh!”

The white and black Rito rolled his eyes as he stood to leave the nest. “Let me get this straight, some random Hylian, who I picked up out of the snow, mind you, wants to help me bring down Divine Beast Vah Medoh?”

“Absolutely!”

“I’m not buying it.”

Link groaned. It was his encounter with Elder Kaneli all over again. Scrambling to his feet, Link ran to catch Teba’s wing. “Is there any way I can prove myself to you?”

Seeing the eagerness in the Hylian’s eyes, Teba began to grind his beak in thought as he allowed his golden eyes to scan him over. Link was short by Hylian standards, but height didn’t make the fighter. Instead, he was lithe and agile and strong enough to hold Teba to his spot. Definitely an outlier, but so was…

Teba let off a long-winded sigh, “if you show me, you can handle a bow like a Rito warrior in our Flight range; I’ll bring you with me up to Vah Medoh.”

“I can do that!”

Teba’s goal for Link was to shoot at least five or more targets within three minutes, all the while floating on the updrafts of the range. It was a course designed to test his skills with the bow midair. Teba described Vah Medoh to be a floating fortress. She was protected by a force field generated when threatened, be it from a Rito or a mere sparrow. Once the shield was up, her cannons deployed, shooting until her airspace was free again. It wasn’t a surprise to Link that he wanted to test him. He was taking a huge chance on bringing him along, not that he would regret it. Link wouldn’t allow himself to fail again.

Revali’s paraglider in hand and bow he borrowed from Teba’s stock; Link threw himself off the range’s landing into the gale. The test would be easy, unlike the training sessions in his memories; he didn’t have any distractions. It was embarrassing to see how he messed up regularly in Revali’s presence. But then again, it was young love, and he couldn’t fault himself for that.

With a slew of targets in sight, Link took a deep breath. Then, collapsing his glider, Link replaced it with his bow. Time slowed around him as he fell through the updraft. The five clay targets around the rock pillar before him were as clear as day, shifting ever so slightly in the breeze.

“Focus, take in all around you, and soon you’ll notice that time itself will start to slow.”

Revali’s voice drifted through his ears as he let arrow after arrow fly. The cracking of the blue pottery sounded as though it was happening underwater, but as soon as Link took hold of his paraglider again, time returned to normal; the shattering was loud, causing his ears to flatten back. From the landing, he could hear Teba’s gasp trickle down into the range.

As Link floated back up to the landing, he could see Teba staring at him in wonder. He looked as though he had seen a ghost.

“Well, did I pass?” Link spoke the moment his boots touched the wooden panels.

“You… Yes, yes you did. You’re… a skilled archer. It was as if time stopped with every arrow you let fly”. The glittering look in Teba’s eye reminded Link of a child meeting their hero for the first time. He wanted to tell him that he should be thanking Revali; the skill he displayed was learned from him. But perhaps Teba already knew that or at least considered the idea. “I’ve got to tell you, Link… When you told me you wanted to help me fight Vah Medoh, I thought you were delusional with hypothermia or that someone was pulling a prank on me. But after seeing you handle that bow, I can tell you’re the real deal. You must have seen a battle or two”.

Link couldn’t resist the wide smile that was forming on his lips. He was happy to know that he now had Teba’s trust. He wanted to tell the Rito that he had seen way more than just one or two battles, especially one hundred years ago, but he figured he would just think he was joking; or think he was delusional again.

“You know, Link… I feel I’ve heard that name somewhere before, but…” Teba sighed, his serious demeanor returning, “I’ll save that for another time. Come, it’s time we take on Vah Medoh”.

Link put up no argument. The sooner they got up to Medoh, the better after all. However, Link hadn’t expected Teba to bend down before him, posing much like a parent would for their child, signaling for them to climb on. But Link didn’t want to misinterpret. He had yet to see Revali make any such motion in any of his memories; he didn’t want to hurt Teba.

“What are you doing? Climb on”, the Rito urged with an antsy shake of his wings.

“You sure?”

Teba clicked his beak. “Yes, I wouldn’t be telling you to get on if I wasn’t.”

Link didn’t hesitate long after that. As gently as he could, he wrapped himself around Teba’s back, holding onto his cuirass as he would Apple’s reins. Once secured, he signaled to the Rito he was ready.

With a heavy gulp, he closed his eyes as Teba took off the landing. He half expected them to fall into the lake below, but as soon as Teba’s wings caught on the updraft, they were soaring high into the sky and into Vah Medoh’s sight.

  True to Teba’s word, the moment they reached Vah Medoh’s airspace, the giant mechanical bird let off a screech as a mirror-like shield formed around her. The Divine Beast wasted no time in directing her cannons at the pair with deadly accuracy. If Teba wasn’t the skilled flier he was, Link was sure they would have already been ashes by the time they even got close enough to aim an arrow.

“I’ll draw the cannon’s fire while you shoot the cannons with bomb arrows, got it?”

Before Link could even answer, Teba pulled sharply up, dropping the Hylian into the howling winds. Link wanted to shout about his lack of warning, but as soon as his paraglider caught a gust, he could see a trail of smoke drifting down right where they had once been. He decided he’d keep his mouth shut.

As Teba darted through cannon blast after blast, Link weaved his way in close to the distracted cannons, taking one by one out until finally Vah Medoh let off a shrill cry; her defenses fell, but that by no means meant she was down for the count.

The moment Link and Teba regrouped in the sky, she aimed her beak’s cannon straight up at the pair and took a shot before going silent. Neither could react in time before the blast hit. It cut straight between the two, separating them with its searing force.

Severe pain in his leg and Teba’s falling form was the last thing Link could grasp onto before his vision went dark.

Chapter Text

Link knew instantly the moment he opened his eyes that he wasn’t really opening them. Instead, it was another memory he had fallen into. Granted, he was happy to know that he wasn’t dead, but Revali really wasn’t the Rito he needed to see at this exact moment. Teba was likely injured and needed his help, and he was of no use if he was stuck in his own head.

As his vision cleared, he found himself staring up into the wood paneling of a nest in the Rito village, a stark contrast to the burning village of Tabantha. While he was snuggled into a warm Rito-down hammock, there was a whole village slaughtered; its small survivors left homeless.

“Nice to see you back in the world of the living, Link,” Revali spoke from his side. Link hadn’t even noticed the Rito was in the hammock at his side. Revali had certainly seen better days. His right-wing and chest were wrapped heavily in gauze, a broken wing, and rib or two, he guessed. But that wasn’t what held his attention; it was the white and black speckled egg that sat in his lap, wrapped tightly in his scarf.

Seeing Link’s stare, he brought his unbound wing to rest on the egg’s top, a small hum escaping his beak. It made Link’s heart jump. He never thought Revali could be tender with anything. But then again, he was always full of surprises.

“…My teacher, he nor his wife survived the attack… But, I found their egg and I…”

“Don’t worry, Revali, Chord, and Oura would be proud you want to raise their child in their stead.” Link tiredly smiled at the Rito, earning him a flustered puff of navy feathers. “I’ll help in any way I can as your best friend.”

Revali scoffed, forcing his feathers to flatten, “you’re only saying that because you’re high on medicinal herbs!”

Link lazily waved his hand in denial in Revali’s direction, unconsciously turning over as he did so. He hadn’t noticed his movement until he felt something warm under his palm. He had managed to rest his hand on Revali’s. He had expected the Rito to smack him away, but instead, he just stared down softly at their hands and egg, that same hum emitting from his beak.

“…Please don’t lie to me, Link”.

The Hylian near jumped at the sudden sadness in Revali’s voice.

“I know you’re going to leave again. I saw the mark on your hand back at the Flight Range. You’ve been chosen by the Goddess, haven’t you?” The Rito spoke, his voice returning to its usual confident pitch as he smoothly removed his hand from under Link’s. “She certainly has a strange taste in heroes. Though I suppose it is a sword is what is to seal Ganon away. Personally, I feel a bow could do much better. But I’ll have you know, this doesn’t mean you’ve surpassed me in any capacity”.

Revali liked to think of himself as a locked book even in spite of the fact that he wore his emotions on his sleeve, at least around Link. Revali was hurt Link hadn’t told him he was the hero to end the Calamity. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep it a secret. The opportunity to tell him had just never presented itself.

With the sleepiness gone from his body, Link sat up to pull himself closer to his friend’s hammock. His movements were shaky, with the hanging fabric threatening to throw him to the ground below. Revali was kind enough to stick his foot out and stabilize him before that happened.

“Revali I—“

“Save it, Link,” Revali promptly interrupted. “Don’t think I’m going to let you have all the fun with Calamity Ganon. Even if I don’t have the main role, I’m not about to let the world end”.

Before Link could stop him, Revali pulled himself free of his hammock with a pained groan. He was careful with the egg, leaving it wrapped tightly in his scarf before moving over towards a cluttered table at the nest’s entrance. After sifting through a couple of pages and tomes, he returned to the hammocks, presenting Link with a small worn book.

“It’s clear to me that as you don’t already have the master sword at your back, you haven’t a clue where it lies. With both of our wounds, perhaps a little reading will do us both some good in the meanwhile, eh Link?”

“Link?”

The sudden change in Revali’s voice was strange. He sounded much older and shockingly like…

“Teba!” Link screamed out as he shot up, knocking his head painfully into said Rito’s beak.

As they both moaned in pain, Link took in their surroundings. From what he could tell, they had at least landed on Vah Medoh. It would have been a rather annoying experience to fight the beast back into a temporary submission again. The Divine Beast was unlike any he had been on yet. Medoh’s back was alive with flora and fauna that made the chilled air smell pleasant. If Ganon’s malice hadn’t possessed Medoh, her back would have been a great place to take a nap.

“Ugh, well, it seems like we’re not getting out of here until we calm Vah Medoh,” Teba groaned out with one final stroke to his sore beak. The Rito Warrior didn’t look the best; much of his leg feathers had been singed off by Medoh’s attack, as well as tufts of on his wings.

Link wasn’t that well off either, from what he could see. While the pain was slowly numbing away as Mipha’s healing energy kicked in, his armor was ripped, a large burn stretched across his torso and upper thigh. At least it was his right side; he’d still be able to fight Ganon’s abomination.

“It’ll be alright,” Link spoke, pulling himself onto his feet. He could see one of Vah Medoh’s terminals. It was best to get things moving before exhaustion and injury became too much to bear. While he had Mipha’s grace, Teba didn’t. He didn’t exactly know if he could heal others as Mipha had. “I got a couple of health potions in my bag if we need it.”

Teba made a noise of disgust at the mention of potions. Truthfully, they didn’t taste the best, being the product of monster parts and bugs and lizards, but they were better than the alternative of death.

“Let’s save those for when we need them. I can still notch an arrow. I’m not out for the count yet”.

Link didn’t care to argue with the Rito. He instead just made his way towards the terminal. The moment the Sheikah slate connected with the cold stone, it lit up blue and beeped.

“Well now, I’ve seen that face before… I had a feeling you would show up eventually. But making me wait a hundred years is a bit… Indulgent,”.

Link could feel his legs begin to quake and heart tremble as Revali’s disembodied voice trailed down into his ears.; for as awful as he had been to him before the Calamity had struck, he still sounded happy to see him again.

“Champion Revali?” Teba curiously spoke, his eyes darting around Vah Medoh’s moss-covered body.

“My… You look just like him. It’s nice to see proof that my life had some meaning, I guess. Death makes you rather reflective. But I digress,” Revali sighed heavily. “You’re both here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?”

It ended up being Teba who spoke for him; Link couldn’t get any words to come out of his mouth that didn’t sound like incoherent garble. It was frustrating. Revali didn’t seem to notice as he simply directed them towards Medoh’s guidance stone to retrieve a map.

“I’ll be waiting, Link. I hope it doesn’t take you another hundred years to find me”.

As Revali’s voice drifted away, Teba placed a sturdy wing on the Hylian’s back. Link immediately leaned into the warm touch as his face began to burn with tears.

“While I had my suspicions, I never thought it would be possible for you actually to be the Hylian Champion. But seeing how… I’m sorry, this must be difficult for you”.

Link chuckled, his laughter catching mercilessly on his tightened throat to the point where it sounded as though he was choking. “I-It really is! My memory is fragmented; my friends remember me, but I struggle to remember them. I can’t offer them any comfort”. Not to mention, he was an emotionless prick that closed himself off from everything in his memories closer to the Calamity. “I-I just keep freezing up… I don’t want to put Revali through any more pain”.

“Link…”

Listening to Teba’s gentle, fatherly tone, he looked up at the Rito to find that his eyes had softened.

Bringing his other wing up to smooth out Link’s unruly hair Teba, let out a long sigh before speaking again, “Link, have you ever considered that the Champions understand your situation? Even if you don’t remember them as well as you once did, you’re still risking yourself to free them. That speaks volumes. Champion Revali is more understanding than you may think”.

At Teba’s words, Link could feel the tightness in his throat easing up just a bit. He had to stop allowing himself to fall into such bouts of melancholy. But at least since his time in Kakariko village, they were starting to come few and farther between. All he could do was to keep moving forward. He wouldn’t allow himself to clam up when he saw Revali’s spirit. He couldn’t.

Once Link had completely regained his composure, he and Teba entered Vah Medoh. Her interior was rather unlike her exterior. Instead of mossy walls, the pair were greeted by malice-covered ones with eyes that glared daggers at them. Teba didn’t let them live much longer after that. With his bow notched, he dispatched each of the eyes while Link took care of the Guardian sentries that skittered around the interior.

“I doubt Champion Revali would be happy to see what has made Vah Medoh their home,” Teba spoke after shooting a couple of cursed lizafos skulls out of the sky.

“Did he spend a lot of time up here?” Link curiously asked once he had retrieved Medoh’s map.

“Yes, his journals detailed how Medoh offered him solace from the world below. He was protective of Medoh and her of him. As much as he ranted of how he wanted a more active role in the battle against Calamity Ganon, he was happy to have her as his Divine Beast”, Teba explained as he came to look at the map.

“I guess that’s why she wanted to maim me,” Link sighed. “Revali and I didn’t have the best relationship before the calamity hit.”

Teba clicked his beak in annoyance with Link’s words, but he didn’t offer any rebuttal. He instead just urged Link along towards the terminals.

Unlike Vah Ruta or Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh’s terminals were all along her wingspan, making them much easier to get to, especially with Teba’s ability to fly. They had each of the five terminals activated and made it up to Medoh’s control unit in no time at all. She by far had been the kindest beast to him and his companion, despite their shaky introduction.

“Well, Teba, ready to face the blight of Vah Medoh?” Link asked the moment they reached the orange control unit. Of course, regardless of the answer, he would place it down, but he wanted to give the Rito fair warning.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Teba answered, his falcon bow already notched with a couple of sizzling bomb arrows.

When the Sheikah slate connected with the platform, a bright pink and purple fog surrounded the terminal before moving towards the top, where guardian blue energy began collecting; as soon as the energies began to mingle, a dastard form began to take shape. The beast was disturbingly lanky, with a shrill screech for a voice and cannon for an arm. It also had some strange pillars sticking from its back, but Link was sure it was a surprise for later.

“Good Luck! That thing is one of Ganon’s own, and it plays dirty!” Revali’s voice called out. “It defeated me one hundred years ago… but only because I was winging it”.

As the beast began to set its sights on Teba and Link, Revali spoke one last time, more urgent before it attacked, “I can’t believe I’m actually saying this…But you must avenge me, Link!”  

It was all Link needed to hear before he took action. As the beast dissolved to move around Vah Medoh, Link directed Teba to get into the skies, which the Rito did without argument. Once it came back into its shape, Link held its attention, strafing around the blight, taking a quick jab when able. Teba took a couple of shots at its back, taking the beast by surprise; it let off a cry before hitting the stone below. Sprinting to its eye, Link dug his blade deep into the thing’s eye over and over until it shook him off angrily.

When the beast rose, it held on to its bleeding eye, a dangerous growl coming from whatever it had had for a mouth. From the sky, Teba continued to throw volley after volley of arrows at the beast, which did nothing but seem to irritate it further until finally, the pillars on its back released four small funnels into the air, which immediately began sniping at the Rito, leaving the blight free to focus solely on Link.

“Teba! Keep safe, okay?!” Link called out once the beast began to target him as a guardian would.

“Worry about yourself!” Was the Rito’s answer. He was a skilled flier; he wasn’t about to let a couple of measly funnels take him out.

Link smiled. The battle was going smooth; he deflected the blight’s beam right back at its malice-filled head, and Teba seemed to have a handle on the funnels. He had even been able to disable two of the four funnels that were hunting him.

Everything was going fine until it wasn’t.

Suddenly, without any warning, the windblight switched its target. Once its laser was fully charged, instead of shooting Link, it sharply turned, aiming directly at Teba. As soon as the beam left its eye, Link could feel the world slow around him as a gust of wind began to circle him before shooting him up into the skies. Link didn’t question it; it allowed him to get in front of the damned blight’s attack. Then, as he fell before the blast, he whipped out his shield, sending it point-blank at its face.

The blight let out a howl of agony before it crumpled down to the ground for the last time. Link wouldn’t allow it to get back up again. With a roar, time sped up again, and Link dropped down of the beast, his sword plunging straight into its head. The blight only let off one last hiss before its body began to bloat as it died. Link didn’t even care to get his sword. As it started to explode, he just darted to Teba’s side as he landed.

“It really as though time slows for you while you’re in the air,” Teba panted out.

Link just smiled from ear to ear, “I learned from the best.”

“That you did,” Teba easily returned Link’s smile. “How about we finish what we started?”

With a point of his wing towards the terminal, Link could feel his knees begin to shake again. Once the Sheikah slate connected with it, he would be reunited with Revali, the Revali his past self loved and the one he was getting to know again. What would he say to him? He certainly wanted to apologize for his past self’s actions, but he was unsure how to tell him his body was likely being used by the Yiga clan against his will. He didn’t want Revali’s spirit to rest uneasily. Then again, maybe Revali already knew.

Seeing Link’s unease, Teba promptly began leading him with a wing to his back. He even helped Link bring the slate to the terminal. Both sighed with great relief when the unit turned from orange to a bright blue. Finally, Vah Medoh was free to soar the skies again without threatening the Rito who worshiped her.

“Well, I’ll be plucked… You defeated him, eh? Who would’ve thought… Well done”.

Link bit harshly at the inside of his cheek as Revali’s voice drifted into his ears. Then, from out behind Medoh’s control unit, strolled Revali, his wings crossed behind his back. While his outward demeanor seemed serious, Link swore he could see a look of longing in his emerald eyes.

“I suppose I should thank you both now that my spirit is free,” the spirit puffed as he covertly made his way closer to Link and Teba through pacing and grandiose movements. “This returns Medoh to her rightful Champion!”

Once Revali was as close as he wanted to be, he stopped in his tracks, not meeting Link’s stare. “Don’t preen yourselves just for doing your job.”

Link’s shoulders sank. He truly remained mad. Not that he could blame him. But he still had to say his piece.

“Revali I—“

Link was never able to finish his thought as Revali suddenly reached a wing out to him, cupping his head gently in the glass-like sea foam that had become his wing. Link didn’t know what to say, and when he looked over to Teba, he was in the same amount of shock, for Revali held his other wing to his beak.

“You do look so much like our little Tulin… You must be his descendent. You certainly did find Vah Medoh a worthy new Champion, Link.”

Teba was as wordless as Link, gaping like a fish for breath under Revali’s stare. He looked as though he was about to pass out. It had been no secret to Link that Revali was someone Teba looked up to. He hoped he wouldn’t be angry at him later for seeing him in such a state. But Link was sure Teba would have just as much dirt on him by the time they were teleported from Vah Medoh’s back.

“I’m also glad to see you’ve become true to yourself, Link. You’re that same courageous runt of a Hylian who is desperate to save his home and keep those he loves safe that I fell in love with. And as embarrassing as it is for me to say still, thank you for avenging me, I suppose you’ve surpassed me as a warrior”.

When Revali began to pull away, Link tried to grab his wing back, only to have his hand phase through the seafoam fire of his spirit. He was going to fade away at any moment.

“Revali, wait I—“

Revali however once again interrupted him, only this time, it was only with a finger to his lips, “Hush, hush, before my unique ability is lost to time.” Taking a step back, Revali unfurled his wings, his spirit dimmer. “Link, I’m bestowing upon you the sacred skill that I have dubbed Revali’s gale!”

Reaching to the sky, from the Rito’s being came a bright green orb that he promptly threw in Link’s direction. As soon as it connected with his chest, Link brought his hands to the warmth it brought him. It made him feel as though he was free as if there was no impending calamity hanging over his head.

He also felt much lighter, as if the winds were always at his side, and in truth, they were; Revali was with him.

 It was also a sort of familiar feeling, not from his memories per say. He swore he felt the same winds at his feet during his and Teba’s fight with the Windblight.

“Well, it would seem my time is up,” Revali sighed out, earning him a forlorn stare from Link. “Vah Medoh needs her new Champion to start preparations for her strike on Ganon.”

“…But there’s so much I still want to say to you, Revali…”

Revali shrugged at Link’s despondent words before smirking suggestively as his spirit began to blow away into the wind. “Then perhaps, we’ll meet again. Just don’t keep me waiting this time. Even my patience has its limits, Link”.

With those final words, Revali was gone, as if he had never even been there, to begin with. Link said nothing as he mulled over Revali’s last words while Teba made his way over to the main control unit’s terminal. As soon as he placed his wing, the terminal lit up.

“Authorizing… Welcome, Champion Tulin”.

Teba snorted at the terminal’s greeting. “Ah, Tulin was my Grandfather. I named my son after him, Vah Medoh. My name’s Teba”.

“Understood… Welcome, Champion Teba. Seeking suitable perch, please seek immediate shelter”.

Vah Medoh began her descent with a loud shriek, her sights set on the large rock pillar that held up the Rito village. As soon as she began to tilt, Teba took to the skies, swiping Link by the collar with his talons before he could fall. Unfortunately, the poor Hylian was still distracted. Link was a talented warrior, but somewhat scatterbrained, the Rito had taken note. 

When Medoh landed, she spoke again, “Presence of Calamity Ganon detected, shall we take aim?”

Once Teba perched himself at the crook of her neck, he nodded. “Give that swine fiend hell, Vah Medoh!”

“Acknowledged Champion.”

Link only became aware of his movement when he saw Medoh’s beak light up a bright red; Hyrule castle was in her sights, joining Vah Ruta and Vah Rudania. Now, he only needed to save Urbosa and Vah Naboris. Of course, he still needed to retrieve the master sword, but that could wait for now. He still wasn’t so sure he was ready.

Soon after Medoh targeted Ganon, Link could feel the familiar warm gold embrace of whatever force spirited him and his companion away from the Divine Beast. It was a feeling that he had become used to, so he wasn’t all that shocked when Teba began to flutter at his side anxiously.

“Don’t worry. We’re not—“

“Link, look!”

Just as the gold dust obscured his vision, atop Medoh’s head, Link could see the familiar Rito that had chased him throughout much of Hyrule, standing, his mask of the Yiga clan hollowly staring down at him. There was no time to call out to him before they were teleported back down to the village’s landing. Teba didn’t waste any time lunging off the landing to see the strange Rito, and Link didn’t stop him. He wouldn’t be there anyway.

“Ugh, that husband of mine! I don’t care if he placated Vah Medoh. He certainly hasn’t placated me!”

Turning, Link found himself staring up at Saki’s puffed-out pastel feathers. She must have rushed down the moment she saw them return as Tulin was still climbing down the stairs to be at his mother’s side.

“When he gets back, I’m—“She immediately closed her beak; the second Teba landed, in an ungraceful heap on the landing. She was by his side instantly.

From what Link could see of Teba that wasn’t being fretted over by Saki or Tulin, who had just thrown himself at his father’s head, the Yiga’s Revali puppet hadn’t done a thing to him. Instead, he was just purely exhausted, adrenaline gone from his system, allowing his injuries to make their presence known again.

“Oh, Teba! You’re going to put me in an early grave with your antics! Skilled Rito warrior or not, you’re still mortal!”

“Dad! Dad! Now can we go to the flight range?! What happened to your feathers?! You look like you stepped too close to the cooking pot!”

With Teba swarmed by his doting family, he didn’t notice the Elder’s presence, nor did he see Link trot off after him to his nest.

-

“Hoo, hoo! I’m impressed, descendant. Divine Beast Vah Medoh is at peace once again!” Kaneli hooted out as he led Link up the stairs to his abode. “Champion Revali would be most pleased.”

“Yeah, I really think he was…” Link softly replied. He was trying hard not to think about Revali’s appearance atop Vah Medoh. The spirit of Revali seemed at ease with his fate, but at the same time, he seemed to know his physical form still lived on. “He chose Teba to be Vah Medoh’s new champion.”

“Did he now? Hoo.”

Link nodded as the Elder began to stroke at his beard.

“That warms my old bones to hear, Link. I think it would please our previous Elder too”.

Once Link and Kaneli made it to his nest, the Hylian helped the aging Rito into his rocking chair, earning him a coo of thanks.

“Link, I would like to offer you something as thanks for coming to our aid.” With a wave of his wing, a dark-feathered Rito walked in with a pink-feathered fledgling at his hip. The Rito, Harth, as Kaneli introduced him, held onto an intricate bow, with his daughter, Molli, standing under with her wings above her head as though she was triumphantly holding onto the bow.

The bow itself looked to have seen many battles from the various chips and scratches that covered the glossed wood, but what held Link’s eye the longest was the bit of sky-blue fabric that was tied snuggly to the limb of the bow. It reminded him of the scarf that was beginning to burn a hole in his already torn pants.

“This bow you see here is the Great Eagle bow, the weapon of choice of our Champion Revali. It was recovered by our Elder during the Calamity from Nero Hill. I wholeheartedly believe that Revali would have wanted you to have this, being his beloved’s descendant”, Kaneli spoke before urging Harth forward.

Harth gave the Elder an unsure look, but at his daughter’s prodding, he brought the bow closer to Link’s fidgeting hands. At least that was until Link made to grab at the bow. He snatched it back to his chest, near giving his daughter whiplash as she still had a grip on the bow. “Elder Kaneli, are you sure? This is a priceless artifact! Do you really want to entrust it to a Hylian with the hands of a newborn fledgling?”

At her father’s comment, Molli looked up at him in frustration, “But Daddy, he saved us from the big birdie in the sky! He made Tulin’s Daddy come back! Mister Hylian is a hero that’ll save the princess so we can all live happily ever after again!”

Harth had a difficult time arguing with his daughter. In the end, with a grumble, he handed Link the bow and stormed out, his daughter hot on his trail after waving goodbye to Link and Kaneli.

“Hoo, hoo, I feel bad,” Kaneli sighed with a pull at his beard. “Harth is our resident bow crafter, and the Great Eagle Bow was his family’s greatest possession. But I know in my heart that Revali wouldn’t want his bow to be nothing more than an heirloom”.

Link smiled down at the sturdy piece of wood in his hands. It didn’t spark a memory, but that was fine. Maybe with time, it would.

“Yeah, I doubt he would want this collecting dust.” He knew nothing of bow care, but he was willing to learn. He wanted to make Revali’s spirit proud. He would take his bow and gale with him throughout the rest of his journey to save the kingdom and, if possible, the recovery of the lost champions.

“You’ve had a long day, Champion descendent,” Kaneli softly spoke, breaking Link from his thoughts. “Why don’t you rest on one of our fine Rito-down beds for the night, hoo? Consider it our treat for pacifying Vah Medoh as well as that stubborn Teba, hoo, hoo!”

At first, Link wanted to argue with the Elder. Vah Naboris was the only remaining divine beast now. He should be restocking his arsenal for his trip to the Gerudo desert. He had heard from many a Gerudo traveler that the desert was scorching during the day and freezing in the night. It wasn’t going to be an easy place to reach on foot. Horses had difficulty traversing the sands, and he wasn’t about to force Apple to try; not to mention he was sure there wasn’t much around she could eat or drink. She’d have to stay at the stable again. Just thinking about it all made Link’s head swim. Perhaps he did need the sleep.

With only a small nod and a loud yawn that made the Elder give one of his own, Link dismissed himself. His body was on autopilot, leading him down the stairs of the Rito Village. It was like he was on Apple’s back and able to enjoy the scenery. To his side, he could see Saki in her nest, busy wrapping Teba’s wounds with Tulin getting in her way every now and then. The young fledgling just didn’t want to let his father go despite Teba’s saying he wouldn’t. He was so distracted watching the happy family that he hadn’t noticed he’d gone off the trail until a feathery arm caught hold of him.

“As strong a warrior as you are, I doubt you’d survive a fall of the landing.”

Gasping, Link looked down to see the far-off ground and trees as well as the village’s guard post. While the fall wouldn’t have killed him, it might have his pride. Turning his head away from the drop, he was greeted by the kind, beaked face of Kass.

“I-I normally don’t space out like that,” Link stuttered out once Kass put him safely on the landing. Out of embarrassment, he wanted to look anywhere but at the Rito mistral without trying to seem rude. So, he focused on the sign to the landing, which was right behind him. Unfortunately for him, it read, ‘Revali’s landing,’ and Kass didn’t miss his quiet gasp.

Kass clicked his beak gently as he turned to follow Link’s stare. “Yes, this landing was named in honor of our Champion, Revali, as not to forget his memory nor the day he was taken from us.”

“Oh,” was Link’s simple answer. For as fondly the village spoke of Revali, he thought they would have erected something more grandiose in his memory than a simple landing. The Goron and Zora both had statues of Daruk and Mipha, respectively.

The Rito chuckled at Link’s dour tone as though he knew exactly what he was thinking. “In the days of yore, according to my late teacher, Revali and the Hylian champion frequented this landing. You see, we Rito mate for life, and after the Calamity struck and the champions were lost, my teacher suggested to our Elder of the time to name the landing after Revali”.

Link tilted his head up at the Rito. He could feel the tiredness leaving his body as his heart began to pound in his ears and Revali’s bow began to burn at his back.

“My teacher spoke of the Hylian champion returning to us one day, who was the mate Revali had chosen for himself. He hoped that when the Hylian champion returned, he and Revali might be reunited at the very landing they became betrothed to each other”. With expectant eyes, Kass watched Link pull Revali’s bow from his back. The Hylian immediately focused on the fraying sky blue ribbon that was tied to its upper limb. “As much as they fought and squabbled like young fledglings before the calamity struck, as the impending day grew closer, the pair managed to reconcile.”

Like a twig in the breeze, Link had begun to sway. His head begun to throb on top of the fast beating of his heart. As his eyesight had become grainy, he swore Kass had started to shrink as well as Revali’s Great Eagle bow began to disappear from his fingers.

“Well, what is it you’ve come to say?” Kass, no Revali spoke. Link couldn’t help his slight shiver under the emerald-eyed Rito’s harsh stare. Many of the monsters that infested Hyrule regarded Link with the same contempt, but they never frightened him in the slightest.

Link dug his foot nervously into the painted Rito insignia of the landing. He was braver when he left the castle the previous day under Zelda’s urgency, but as he and Epona traveled, the braveness whittled away until there he was, trying to regain the courage Zelda had given him to face the Rito.

‘Link, my seventeenth birthday is in three days. Time is of the essence now if you want to fix things with Revali. I don’t know how things will go at the Spring of Wisdom, but I feel it will be better for us both if we approach Mount Lanayru with our consciousness clear. But as your friend, I know how heavily this weighs on you… Revali, too from what Mipha tells me. I know I’m not one to talk, but you shouldn’t care what your father thinks of your love life. As harsh as my father has been with my training, he’s been surprisingly supportive of Mipha and I’s relationship…

But if things don’t… If I… I don’t want you to have any regrets.’

“What, a lizafos got your tongue?” Revali puffed out before hopping onto the railing of the landing. “If you have nothing to say, then—”

Revali’s sentence went unfinished, as when he tried to fly off, in one quick movement, Link had caught ahold of his wing, pulling him from the railing and face-first into Link’s arms; where the Hylian promptly buried his head into the crook of his neck. But, struggle as Revali might, there was no freeing himself from Link’s grip.

“Y-you asinine oaf! Let me go! You th-think this changes anything between us?!”

Link could hear the tinge of sadness to the Rito’s otherwise hostile tone. It only made his hug tighter. He didn’t care if Revali pulled at his hair or beat his wings into his back; he only dug his fingers deeper into the straps of the Rito’s cuirass. He hadn’t even known he was crying until Revali had begun to crow about the tears in his feathers.

“You left me, and you’re the one crying?! I had thought—no, ugh! Just let me go, already! I have to see that the Elder has everything he needs to look after Tulin while I’m gone. Not like you care. Tell the princess I’ll—Mmph!”

As Revali had been ranting, he hadn’t noticed Link had loosened his grip until he found the back of his neck seized with one hand and his beak with the other. Link could feel the tension in the Rito’s neck disappear the instant he pressed his lips to his beak. It would have been easy for Revali to break away from his hold, and yet he didn’t.

“I-I don’t expect forgiveness for what I’ve done, Revali… I hurt you, something I never wanted to do,” Link spoke lowly, his lips still close to the Rito’s beak. “I was too caught up in my duty to Hyrule. I forgot what was most dear to my heart, you. It was easier to just listen to my father or the King. I thought if I did that, it would be easier to take down Calamity Ganon, and if I died, my death wouldn’t hurt you”.

Revali let off a sharp scoff as he pulled away from Link. The Hylian’s heartbeat quickly in fear that his words were too little too late, but as he looked up to the Rito’s face, he could see the downy feathers by his eyes had become wet.

“You know Link, I’ve never been comfortable with you fighting Ganon. I get that you’re the wielder of the sword that seals the darkness and what not; I was there when you plucked it from that stone. But, I also know that I’m of a much superior skill than you”.

Link rolled his eyes, his lips twitching with a smile.

“To think you’ll be fighting that swine alone, well… It’s asinine. I’d rather be more than your support, and despite everything, that thought of mine has never changed. If the moment arises in our battle for me to come to your aid, you better believe I’ll come and outshine you and that sword. Ganon will be on his knees begging for forgiveness seconds into my arrival”.

At Revali’s words, Link could feel the dams behind his eyes breaking completely. Then, with no care to Revali’s squabble of protest, he lunged at the Rito, burying his face into his chest, knocking Revali onto his back. He didn’t care that he was covering Revali’s armor in snot and tears. He was just happy to know that Revali had never hated him.

“…Just, don’t lie to yourself again, Link. Be who you want to be, not who or what someone else wants you to be. We Rito value our freedom, and I think it’s time for you Hylians to do the same,” Revali gently cooed, his voice as tender as it was when he was with Tulin. “Now, would you kindly... Get off! You oaf, you weigh a ton!”

Feeling like they were children again, Link let off a giggle as he bounced off the Rito, who fluttered back onto his talons, wings moving to rub at his back. Link hadn’t even noticed the bow he had strapped to his back. It was much fancier than the falcon bow he was accustomed to seeing.

“Give a guy a warning before you—”

“Did you make that bow?” Link asked, smiling when Revali’s eyes narrowed at being interrupted, only to brighten at Link’s question.

Beak quirking upwards, Revali masterly pulled the bow from his back, “impressive is it not? I modified my old swallow bow with the pieces from a falcon bow and a diamond. It’s a masterpiece that only I can wield, see for yourself”.

When Revali handed him the bow, Link didn’t feel much of a difference in weight from the standard knight bow, but then again, he had never seen Revali use a knight’s bow. Revali never really liked Hylian made weapons, nor did the other Rito. To the Rito, their speed of attack was everything.

“Are you not impressed? This bow can masterfully shoot three arrows at a time with ease. I tried to show it to our bow craftsman, but he wasn’t interested. Too heavy, he said. It just goes to show you who the best archer of all the Rito truly is. However, I suppose you can wield it if you feel like it, someday down the line. Just don’t break it like you did Mipha’s trident”.

Link sputtered at the jab from their childhood as Revali retook his bow. “Hey! You played a part in that too! Besides, I’m much better with my weapons now. I’ll have you know that the master sword hasn’t gotten a single scratch under my care.” That was a lie, but he was sure Revali knew that. The master sword had some sort of regenerative property that healed it after any, particularly rough battle.

An airy chuckle escaped from the Rito’s beak as he watched Link bounce until something else caught his sight. With a twitch of his head, he nudged Link to the side and bent down. In confusion, Link looked to find Revali plucking a bit of sky-blue fabric out from between the landing’s floorboards. Eyes widening, Link looked at his tunic to see that the material had come from the back of the hem. He puffed out his cheeks. Zelda wasn’t going to be thrilled he had managed to rip his tunic again. However, before he could think that much on it, Revali took the bit of fabric and had begun to tie it to his bow, a small tune coming from his beak.

When he finished his knot, Revali presented Link with his handiwork. The bow looked lovely with the shock of bright blue amongst its darker hues. It reminded Link of Revali and his Champion’s scarf. “I don’t want you to leave here thinking all is forgiven, but consider this our promise to meet here again, after the Calamity is all said and done, Link. Be who you need to be to put Ganon back in his hole, but promise me once it’s over, you put that sword back where it belongs”.

As Revali’s face became grainy again, for the shortest of times, he could see himself reaching up to the Rito’s beak, likely for one last kiss. As much things changed, the more they remained the same. Despite their tepid reconciliation, the Link of the past still had been cold to Zelda and unresponsive to his fellow champions. If something else had happened before that fateful day at the Lanayru gate, he wasn’t sure. He could only wait for his memories to unfurl further. But he preferred to think it was just himself being focused on his duty to Hyrule, not the expectations that had been forced on him. He still had yet to remember what caused his and Revali’s separation. He only knew it had something to do with something ball hosted by the King of Hyrule. Maybe the key to that memory rested within the castle’s malice-covered walls.

When Link opened his eyes, instead of Kass and the landing, he was greeted by the roof of the Rito inn and the delicate caress of the morning sun. The village’s Elder was right; the Rito-down beds were comfy, he hardly wanted to leave, at least that was until the innkeeper approached him, a smile across her beak as she presented him with an envelope as well as a bag of what appeared to be goodies.

“Well, it looks like I won’t need to eat my tailfeathers. You certainly look well-rested! When Kass brought you in last night, I didn’t think you’d be up until the following week”, the innkeeper chuckled out before placing Link’s things at the foot of his bed. “And I’ll have you know; the elder only paid for one night, so…”

Link couldn’t help the grimace at the mischievous look in the Rito’s eyes. He hardly had the rupees for arrows by this point. He could only imagine the price of a week’s stay in the inn’s premier attraction. The bag of goods at the foot of his bed was even starting to worry him. He could see bushels of various arrows poking out of the bag as well as some cool safflina, a couple of bundles of wheat and mushrooms, as well as some salted meat.

“Relax, champion descendent,” the Rito laughed, bending to pull at the knotted mess that Link’s hair had become during his sleep. “This is nothing you need pay for. It’s a gift from us villagers for pacifying Vah Medoh. The letter, on the other hand, is from Kass. He asked you to read it on the road and not a moment sooner.” As she pulled away to make her way back to her desk, Link swore he heard her mumble something about the minstrel. He wanted to ask, but he didn’t want to pry, lest he’d end up paying for his night at the inn.

With his stock resupplied, Link found no reason to continue to say within the village. As he made his way down to the stable to get Apple, he couldn’t help one last stare up at Vah Medoh. At this time of the day, her shadow was directly down on him with the sun behind her like a halo.

“…Revali, wherever the Yiga has you, I’ll find you, I promise. It might be a hundred years later, but I’ll make good on our promise”, with a smile gracing his lips, he held up the Great Eagle bow towards Vah Medoh, the worn fabric tied to it snapping in the breeze. Once he replaced the bow to his back, he pulled out the frayed cloth of Revali’s champion scarf from his pocket. Careful not to stress the already worn fabric, Link tied it to his wrist, “I promise you that, Revali.”

While Link expected his words to fall onto no one’s ears but his own, he actually had an audience on Vah Medoh. Revali’s spirit clicked his beak as he crossed his wings, a pit of jealously forming in his nonexistent stomach. His body was no longer his own and a puppet of Ganon, no less. Even if his body recovered his memories, it would never be him connected to Link, that accursed Ganon had made sure of it. In the end, he was free, but alone, always alone.

“Heh, it’s always how it is…” He sighed, his gaze following Link to the stable where he had begun to feed a pink and beige horse. At least he hadn’t lost his ‘touch’ with horses; he thought when the horse had begun to nip at his hair. “…Alone…”

“Revali, I hope you know you’ll always have us” a small smile ghosted the spirit’s beak as he turned to see the spirits of Mipha and Daruk behind him. Mipha’s stare was always warm, but he could always see her want for Zelda as she could see his for Link. Daruk was as jovial as ever. Nothing ever made that rock upset. “Link will see soon to Urbosa’s freedom as well and then…”

“He’ll find the master sword and put that swine, Ganon, in his place, and we can rest!” Daruk finished for the Zora.

As much as Revali, too, wanted Ganon gone, he didn’t share in their sentiments. Once Ganon was gone, what would be keeping them tied to this world? Their bodies wouldn’t accept them and their divine beasts had new champions looking after them. So there was no need for their existence anymore.

The thought of dying never really bothered Revali. Even when he was a young fledgling, he hadn’t cared. But the idea of never seeing Link again was almost too much to bear. He imagined Mipha must be feeling something similar with Zelda.

But he’d never tell a soul of his feelings. Not even Mipha. “…Yeah, rest, sounds nice”.  

Chapter Text

At the edge of the Gerudo Highlands sat a deep valley known as Karusa, and it was within said valley that the Yiga clan called home. While the land of Hyrule was a ghost of its former self, there were only so many places the allies of Ganon could make base without constant attack. It was only ever the occasional brave soul that would dare trek through the unforgiving desert.

The Yiga diligently served Calamity Ganon’s will. If their leader, Master Kohga, a name passed down from leader to leader, heard even a whisper from Ganon, the entire clan was up in arms, ready to fulfill their duty. In return, Ganon would give their leader valuable information to strengthen him and their soldiers. It was Ganon’s whispers that brought the Yiga Clan to Revali in the first place.

During one of Kohga’s afternoon naps, the form of Ganondorf appeared in his dreams. It was rare to see the spirit of malice itself in any form other than a rage-filled boar. But it was well known to the Yiga that he at one point held the form of a Gerudo male, a king even.

“…It is time; the Hero of Courage has awoken, as have the Divine Beasts’ Champions. I’ve sensed one of the Champions close to your location. Find him, turn him to our side, and you will have a puppet that not even that hero will be able to destroy”.

Of course, Kohga was slightly annoyed by Ganon’s appearance in his dreams. He’d much rather loaf than do work, and his soldiers didn’t mind indulging him one bit, at least usually. Even his foot soldiers and blade masters had their limits. He couldn’t blame them for not wanting to go after a Champion without his aid. He was the great Master Kohga, after all! So, with a bushel of bananas in hand, he joined his soldiers on their trip up into the Gerudo Highlands.

Being Sheikah, the cold wasn’t of much concern. Their suits protected against all sorts of temperatures and weather. However, that didn’t mean they aided in trudging through the thick snow. The Yiga’s search was halted on more than one occasion when Kohga found himself sinking into a deep spot in the snow. However, In the end, it was this bumbling that led them to their target.

Separating himself from his entourage for a banana break, Kohga ended up slipping on a loose pile of snow and tumbled down the side of the Gerudo summit. If it hadn’t been for the snow that had collected around him during his fall, he was sure he would have met an untimely end; as he rolled down in the snowfield below, the snowball that he had become exploded with something hard upon impact.

“Master Kohga, are you okay?” One of his foot soldiers immediately asked once he and a blade master teleported down to his side.

Of course, he wasn’t okay! Who would ask that of someone who fell a couple of thousand feet?! That was what Kohga wanted to say, but he was working on the attitude he shared with his grandfather. So instead, he just stood and shook off the snow that still clung to him. He had bigger fish to fry, like that damn rock he could have gotten a concussion on. But as he turned his attention to it, his jaw dropped, causing his mask to nearly fall from his face; sitting before him and his minions was the snow-covered body of the Divine Beast Vah Medoh.

“Whoa, Jackpot!”

The feeling of victory didn’t last long within Kohga. Discovering Vah Medoh was one thing; moving through its insides was a completely different challenge. So many of the corridors were frozen over, and those that weren’t were so slippery; Kohga just decided he would scoot around on his ass. It took less effort. If they were having this many issues, a damn Rito wouldn’t be any better off. Unfortunately for Kohga, however, he was wrong.

The search for the Champion was going slow, but they were starting to gain progress by digging through the snow and into the beast’s stomach, where at the center, they discovered an empty tomb-like contraption. As soon as one of his foot soldiers stepped closer for inspection, a volley of shock arrows came down from the iced-over ceiling. The moment the soldier fell, Kohga transported his group back towards where they had dug through in the snow. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be a hidey-hole for long as their assailant changed up his arrow stock to that of flame arrows.

How in Ganon’s name did that damn Champion’s arrow stockade survive a hundred years’ worth of pillaging and snow cover?!

“Master Kohga, what should we do?” A Blade master questioned, his sword drawn until Kohga shook his head.

“As much as I want to make that bird fry, we have to get him alive. Let your fearless leader handle this one!”

Although his minions each wore face coverings, Kohga could see the excitement in their faces. It was rare, after all, for him to break out the ancient Sheikah arts that had been passed down through his family for generations.

Stepping free of the safety of the wall of snow, Kohga looked up into Vah Medoh’s rafters. Upon an iced-over beam, he could see the haggard form of the Rito Champion shakily pointing his bow down at him. He literally was a wild, caged bird in his presence.

“I would much prefer the easy way, but considering you hurt a member of my clan, I’m gonna make you pay!”

 Raising his hands over his head, in a poof of red smoke, a pair of spiked boulders emerged, which he chucked up at the Rito, who was too weak to get out of the way in time. When the boulders connected with his perch, he fell into the snow below. But he wasn’t out of the game yet. As soon as he pulled himself out of the snow, he notched his bow with a couple of bomb arrows and let them fly at Kohga, who had decided it would be the time for a mighty banana break. His soldiers were screaming at him to put down the banana, but it was all just theatrics for Kohga. Before the arrows even came close to him, he levitated himself out of their way, earning a roar of applause from his audience while the Champion just groaned in irritation.

“You’re fighting a losing battle, you know, Birdie. We can end this if you just come with us”, Kohga spoke before tossing his banana peel aside. He chose to ignore the Rito’s hiss of disapproval of using the beast as his trash can. What did he care? It was compostable! “I can tell your memory is blank. If you know nothing of yourself, the Yiga clan can offer you a much better home than this icebox”.

The Rito twitched uncomfortably from where he sat in the snow, “how do you know that?” He quietly asked whilst pulling at the tattered cloth of the tunic he wore.

Kohga could see the patches of burnt, featherless skin that looked like craters amongst his navy and white feathers. Calamity Ganon’s Windblight sure did a number on him if not even ancient Sheikah technology could heal his scarred flesh.

“I’ll kindly inform if you come along with us. Trust me, it’s not an offer you can afford to pass up. You’ll freeze out here if you don’t starve first”. Kohga couldn’t resist the smirk that formed under his mask when the Rito clicked his beak in frustration. He knew he was right. But even so, the Rito champion was too stubborn to make it easy.

In a last-ditch effort to dispatch Kohga and his minions, the Rito thrust himself into the air, notching his bow seamlessly with a set of sizzling bomb arrows; Kohga wasn’t amused. While his minions pulled at him to seek shelter from the blast, Kohga stood his ground. When the Rito let his arrows fly, Kohga raised his hand, stopping the volley almost instantaneously, surprising the archer who had begun to fall.

“You could have made things much easier on yourself, birdbrain!” Kohga laughed out just before sending the Rito’s attack right back at him. There was no time for him to dodge. It was a clean hit. It was rather satisfying hearing his clan’s cheers when the Rito plummeted unconscious into the cushion of snow below. 

Calamity Ganon’s will was absolute. He wouldn’t fail him.

-

The Rito barely survived the trek through the Gerudo highlands back to the hideout. For being the supposed Rito champion, he was awfully weak without adrenaline coursing through his veins (not that bomb arrows to face helped much). A side effect from his suspended slumber Kohga supposed. His mother had been the one more interested in the schematics of ancient Sheikah technology; he preferred learning their secret techniques, which were much cooler in his opinion. But one thing Kohga became fairly certain of was that Revali was no longer Vah Medoh’s Champion.

The moment they had vacated Vah Medoh, the divine beast let off a shrill cry as red energy began flowing through her being. The sight scared many a foot-soldier, who quickly teleported away when she started to stand.

Even Kohga couldn’t resist letting off a squawk when the ground began to quake, and heavy piles of snow began to rain from her wings. With no desire to be entombed in snow, again, Kohga teleported himself and a group of his nearest henchmen upon a nearby mountain just as Vah Medoh began to take to the skies. Unfortunately, her updraft caused avalanches around her, taking many a Lynel and Moblin to an early grave.

“Master Kohga, why do you think the beast took off?” The blade master toting the Rito questioned once Vah Medoh had begun to soar away.

Kohga snorted as he watched the bright pink and red of Ganon’s energy that coated the divine beast light up the cloudy night sky; the sight was simply gorgeous, the Divine Beasts obeyed Ganon now. On the other hand, the orange shrine that had sprouted up from the snowy ground across the snow-filled canyon, however, was a sour sight to behold.

“It seems Calamity Ganon was right, that damned Hero of Courage truly has awakened, and he’s already a thorn in our side.”

-

Not one to waste time, at least not when he had a mission from Ganon to complete, Kohga began to ‘train’ Revali; with the Rito being a blank slate, it was easy for the forbidden Sheikah technique to take hold. The reason why the Sheikah shied away from their past achievements; other than being forced to by Hyrule’s monarchy, many Sheikah techniques were considered to be morally ambiguous, and the method he had in store for Revali was of them.

Memories are a precious, coveted thing. While not all are good, they are what makes someone who they are. To a Sheikah, memories are a way to pass on knowledge from another discreetly. After the first Calamity and the Sheikah civilization were destroyed, the technique of memory transfer was held in high regard. It allowed for the preservation of crucial information and became the backbone of the Yiga. When one Master Kohga was on their last leg, they would impart their knowledge onto their successor. However, this didn’t mean that this technique stayed in its purest form over the passing of centuries. Through some tweaking, one Kohga discovered the technique could also steal knowledge and impart false information. If one thought it up, it could be instilled in someone’s head. The Yiga’s current leader’s mother had inferred that this was the basis for distilling runes and the Shrine of Resurrection.

Kohga wasn’t interested in the slightest in learning the ins and outs of his ancestor’s technology so long as he could make it work for himself. After sifting through his clan’s collected knowledge of the Rito champion, he started devising Revali’s ‘memories.’ While nothing had to be too grand to force his support of Calamity Ganon, he wanted to impart on him some hatred of the Hero of Courage considering they had been close before the Calamity; but that didn’t seem like it would be too hard of a prospect. According to his great-grandfathers’ notes, they had a habit of acting like oil and water with each other.

In the end, Kohga decided on tweaking the destruction of the ancient Shiekah to apply to the Rito. Of course, Revali was the Hylian hero’s lover, but that didn’t stop the supposed hero from leading the charge against his people due to their support of Calamity Ganon.

Kohga had hoped it would be enough to hold the Rito’s support. But that hope had been annoyingly shattered fast. It almost made him wish he had disobeyed Ganon.

 “Ugh! You’re a useless buffoon! You’ve had that rat of a Hylian in your sights on more than one occasion! How am I supposed to overlook failure after failure!” Kohga shouted at damn Rito, who had one, interrupted his afternoon nap and two, had yet again failed to take the Hylian Champion’s head.

To make things even more annoying, Revali simply shrugged at Kohga’s words, which only furthered the rage the Yiga felt growing in the pit of his stomach.

While unchallenged in skill, Revali’s attitude was less than to be desired, and no amount of conditioning seemed to do a thing. Other than failing at his mission to eliminate the pesky hero, he got along poorly with his comrades. According to Revali, they had no business calling themselves servants of Calamity Ganon.

 “If they couldn’t track the hero down in his slumber, what made them think they could when he was awake?” Were the infernal Rito’s words to one of his top bladesmen. How Revali had any sort of romantic life was beyond Kohga. The damned Hero of Courage must have been nuts to fawn over that overgrown chicken.

“If you must know, Master Kohga,” Revali finally decided to speak, startling the Yiga leader out of his thoughts. “I would rather eliminate my target one-on-one. It would be rather boring to take out an opponent behind their back”.

It made Kohga proud that he could hold back calling Revali a ‘complete and utter buffoon.’ Instead, he allowed his masked head to fall into his palm with a groan. “While I would prefer you just to take him out, I can respect your reasoning considering your history with that damned urchin. But from my perspective, your loyalty to our cause is questionable”. At that moment, Kohga detested his decision to have his clan always be garbed in masks. The Rito betrayed nothing. “I would like you to prove your loyalty by venturing into the Gerudo capital and stealing their leader’s sacred heirloom, the thunder helm. Do this, and I won’t question your methods again so long as you do your job”.

Much to Kohga’s surprise, the Rito bent down onto his knee, with his wing close to his chest, “if that is what must be done, then I will complete it before the next moon’s rise.”  

Chapter Text

It was a frustrating concept to be unable to truly remember a thing Revali had quickly come to realize as he stared up at the roof of the cave in Karusa valley he had come to call an uneasy home. Every morning he awoke in a fevered state, a panic in his chest as a creature of burning red and purple energy loomed over him in his sleep with its too-bright blue eye twitching wildly at him.

“How does it feel to die? How does it feel to know you will never see your beloved again?” The inhuman creature would cackle, taking clear enjoyment in Revali’s suffering as it raised its weapon that shared the same eyes.

The dream never met its conclusion before Revali woke up, but it didn’t take him too long to guess what had happened. He had met his end, a fate much different than the one that permeated his memories.

According to what he could recall, he had volunteered himself to the Yiga to go into slumber, to awaken again the day Hyrule’s last hope returned. But it felt fake, like that was the actual dream.  He would never go to Kohga with his suspicions however, that was suicide.

Despite being an ally of the Yiga, he felt more like their willing prisoner. For whatever reason, the Yiga regarded him like a caged animal ready to lash out at any second, so he responded in kind. It made him relish when he was out of the base and out in the wildlands that made up Hyrule.

Sure, Revali had his mission to eliminate Calamity Ganon’s mortal nemesis, but if he were as worn as he was from an extended slumber, then he would be of no threat to Ganon for a long while and where would the fun be in taking out a Hylian who likely couldn’t hold a sword? Besides, it would hardly be a fitting demise for someone who he was sure wronged him.

As the days went on, Revali was unsure if he could even trust his own mind. Link, hero of Hyrule, Revali had come to know him through wracking his brain, was not only his enemy but at one time his lover. Outside of the Yiga hideout, his mind allowed him a somewhat rest from his constant nightmares. Perched upon a tree somewhere in the Lanayru region, Revali found himself dreaming of a Hay blonde Hylian garbed in a sky blue tunic, worn tan trousers, and even more worn boots. The Hylian’s warm smile made his heart skip a beat, especially as he presented him a matching scarf with a white bird’s design sewn carefully into the fabric.

“Princess Zelda, sh-she asked me to give this to y-you,” the Hylian’s spoke, his voice scratchy and face beet-red as he fisted the silky scarf until Revali reached out and carefully took it. “Y-you know since your Vah Medoh’s chosen champion… She wanted to be the one but, um…” Link stopped himself the moment Revali reached his free wing out to cup his face.

“You don’t have to lie, Link. I know you asked the Princess personally. Mipha told me”. Revali couldn’t help the blush that had begun to form under his feathers at Link’s sheepish face. He couldn’t deny Revali’s words.

But in what could have been a flicker of lightning, that sheepish face contorted into an angry snarl, illuminated by the harsh red glow of fire and even an eerie crimson moon. However, just as Link unsheathed his sword, Revali awoke, ungracefully falling from his tree in a huff. In a panic, Revali drew his bow at nothing in particular. He couldn’t exactly shoot his nightmares as much as he wanted to, but it still made him feel safer.

His first encounter with Link came soon after this. After being unable to fall back asleep, Revali decided it would be best to patrol around the Lanayru heights. According to some intel, he was spotted leaving Kakariko village. While there was no guarantee he’d be coming his way, it was better to keep a lookout. Unfortunately, Kohga wasn’t the most trusting he’d come to realize. Every now and then, he’d catch sight of a foot soldier tracking his movement.

As Revali neared the edge closest to mount Lanayru, he caught sight of a pale pink and cream horse and the hay blonde Hylian from his dream, staring blankly up at the broken gate before just suddenly falling onto his back. Revali couldn’t help but wince; that had to have hurt.

It was also the perfect opportunity to take Link out. He was defenseless aside from his horse, but it didn’t seem too concerned with his safety. Before the dust even settled around him, it was already sniffing at his hair, assessing whether it was edible or not.  The sight made the Rito chuckle as a strange wave of nostalgia washed over his frame.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to let a horse eat your hair,” a young Revali snorted as he watched a younger Link giggle as chestnut-colored horse gnawed lazily on the blonde’s hair instead of the hay in its boarding stable. The horse’s spit made the Hylian’s hair stand on end like a dove fanning out its tail feathers.

“Nonsense! She’s grooming me! Me and Epona are the best of friends!”

Revali rolled his eyes at Link’s exuberant statement. After all, it was the plight of Hylians to be wingless and have to rely on strange creatures for travel.

The Rito groaned as he shook himself free of the unsolicited memory. It didn’t matter. Link was his enemy. The moment the Hylian began to rise, Revali found himself blankly loading his bow with a line of bomb arrows. He only wavered momentarily when Link looked him dead in the eye. Within the skies that were his eyes, he could see no animosity, just a man as lost as him, and yet, he still let his arrows fly.

Beside himself, Revali prayed his arrows didn’t hit. His life would have been easier if they did, his mission would be accomplished, and Calamity Ganon’s reign would go untested once the Princess’s strength failed.

“He’s the enemy, the damned enemy…” He hissed to himself before pulling away from the mountain’s edge. He could recall the Hylian’s assault on his village. With master sword in hand, he cleaved through innocent Rito after Rito.

“I cannot allow the world to return to Ganon, Revali! If you stand in my way, then I will cut you down too!” The Hylian roared, his blood-marred sword level with the Rito’s beak; there was no warmth, no love in his now hollow sky blue eyes, just the desire to get his job done.

However, none of it felt real. While Link’s blank stare seemed vaguely familiar to Revali, he couldn’t convince himself of the memory’s validity.

With a frustrated click of his beak, Revali forced himself to look over the edge to find the smoke of his bomb arrows clearing, revealing an empty crater in the cobblestone path. Link had made it onto his horse, successfully making it off the Lanayru road.

Revali breathed easier.

-

The next encounter Revali had with Link came two days later on the outskirts of the Lanayru wetlands.

It hadn’t been an easy return to the Yiga hideout. The moment Kohga had found that he had encountered the hero of Courage, the pottery he had within his chambers was floating with glee. He had assumed Revali had taken him out and was ready to shower him with praises and bananas; that was, of course, until he had told him he had evaded his attacks and escaped. The pots after that were hastily thrown in his direction.

“Ugh, well, at least we know his whereabouts, I guess,” Kohga had puffed once he regained his composure after downing a banana. “Good work, just make sure you squash him next time, alright? Restock and head back out into the area. He couldn’t have gotten too far”.

As Kohga had said, Link hadn’t got too terribly far. Once back in the Lanayru area, he caught sight of him sloshing around in the Lanayru wetlands; his attention focused on a red-scaled Zora that made him grind his beak. She looked familiar to him, but he couldn’t place where from. It was another easy chance to take Link out, but he chose not to. Instead, against his better judgment, Revali decided to covertly tail the Hylian, who had begun to head off towards Zora’s Domain.

Link was interesting to watch, from the clever ways he took out the monster camps that littered the hillsides to his brazen jumps into the Zora River to catch the schools of bass fighting the current. He was fearless, but he was also caring. Once he had climbed up the strange, out-of-place, orange tower, he had come across another Zora. Instead of fighting him off as he had presumed he would, he offered him some of his fresh-caught fish.

Was he indeed their enemy?

As Revali mulled over the thought, he missed Link’s leap from the tower. He only caught sight of him again when he was clashing blades with a Yiga foot soldier. Being a part of the Yiga himself, he knew he should have stepped in to provide his comrade assistance, but it would be good data, he reasoned, for him not to.

Link was a remarkable fighter, skilled with a sword and shield and impromptu fighting. He seemed to be ready for anything the Yiga threw at him, forcing them into a hasty retreat.

“This won’t be the last you see of us! We have a secret weapon that will make you get on your knees and pray for forgiveness to Ganon himself!” The foot soldier spat as he readied himself to teleport.

“If it’s about as useless as you two in a fight, I’d like to see it try!” Link shouted as he broke into a charge after the pair. But, unfortunately, he never made it to them, as they were gone, now at Revali’s side.

“For a secret weapon, you’re about as useless as a rupoor,” the foot soldier hissed up at the Rito before busying himself, looking at his friend’s injured fingers.

‘Secret weapon,’ it was another thing about the Yiga that annoyed Revali to no end. While he was well aware of his mastery of archery and appreciated the acknowledgment in such, a ‘secret weapon’ was not needed to take Link out. He could easily best Link; he just had to get around to it.

Revali scoffed, “says the guy who couldn’t take the Hylian down two versus one.”

“I hope you don’t think that Master Kohga won’t hear of this,” the injured foot soldier spoke up matter-of-factly. “He won’t be thrilled to hear you did nothing to aid us. He might even question your loyalty, and you won’t like that”.

Revali rolled his eyes. What awful things could that loaf of a Sheikah do to him?

He really wished he hadn’t asked that. It was mere moments after the pair of foot soldiers left his presence that a Yiga bladesman appeared behind him, quickly wrapping his arms around his waist before taking him straight to Kogha’s chambers. Even with the mask obscuring his face, Revali knew it was contorted into an expression of anger, especially from the way he clutched at his bed’s sheets.

“I’ll have you know, Revali, I didn’t get to my position by not caring for my lackeys, your teammates,” Kohga carefully spoke, his temper barely held back. “To hear that you watched them get maimed by our target no less; it’s not exactly the most reassuring.”

“I was attempting to observe his techni—“

Kohga quickly interrupted him with a ‘tsk, tsk.’ “I’ve also learned that that’s what you had been doing prior to your teammates’ encounter. Perhaps I’ve been too lenient with you”.

Revali began to feel a pit form in his gut as he watched Kohga stand from his bed and reach for something in his nightstand. It didn’t help, especially when the bladesman’s grip tightened.

“Oh, relax,” Kohga huffed when he noticed the Rito squirming. “It’s nothing risqué. I just simply want to test one of my ancestor’s medicines on you. I’m sure it will make you… More agreeable”, from the drawer, Kohga produced a vial filled to the brim with a seaweed-colored liquid that made Revali’s stomach churn. “Now open wide.”

Link didn’t seem as bad as the Yiga did after all. Maybe his ‘bad memories’ of the Hylian were the nightmares, he thought as his beak was pried open and the thick liquid was poured in. It tasted sour yet sickly sweet at the same time and went unpleasantly down into his stomach. He instantly wanted to retch as his vision began to swim, making Kohga’s form look like a wriggling snake.

“You can take him to his room,” Kohga’s distorted voice heavily warbled through his ears; it made him feel as though he was underwater, especially with how heavy his body felt. “He’ll be better in the morning.”

That was an absolute lie, at least in the Rito’s opinion. The moment he had been left to lie down, Revali found himself sweating up a storm, his feathers clinging uncomfortably to his body as an electric chill began to run up and down spine and head, making him dizzy. Laying down couldn’t even cure the dizziness. It only made it and the sweating worse. Revali wasn’t sure when it happened, but eventually, his body gave him a reprieve and allowed him to sleep.

However, Revali wasn’t sure how long his slumber had lasted. His dreams were much unlike the ones that usually plagued him. Hazily, he could recall himself feeding what he recognized to be Link’s horse a bit of Tabantha wheat and then nothing until a crackle of thunder echoed around him, and he found himself under Link’s rain-soaked frame, his eyes filled with sorrow as he looked down onto him.

“Why… Goddesses be damned! Why does it have to be you?!” As much as he wanted an answer, Revali couldn’t give him one. Not because he didn’t want to, he couldn’t; his head burned as though it was trying to remember something but refusing at the same time. “I-it can’t be you!”

“We can’t be together anymore, Revali,” Link’s voice, scratchy, yet unmistakably Link’s rang through his ears before the Hylian’s frame dried before him as suddenly; the night sky became clear, speckled with gently glowing stars. He and Link were stood on a heavily decorated balcony, with the heavy chatter of a crowd and music pouring in from behind. “I-I know it’s sudden, but I hope you understand…”

Revali felt a mixture of emotions welling up in his chest, sorrow, confusion, panic, anger. It made it difficult to get a single word out that wasn’t incoherent babble.

“As the Goddess’ chosen to wield the Master Sword, I have a duty to fulfill. I can’t… I can’t allow myself to be with you like this anymore!”

While Link’s words were heartfelt, it was jarring to the Rito to see his eyes empty, blank even as he pulled farther and farther away, until he was suddenly gone as Revali found himself able to open his eyes to find himself in a completely different location, high in the sky atop an oversized mechanical bird.

With the chilled air of the skies billowing through his cloak, Revali found himself face to face with Link once again, not the strange blank-eyed blonde he had just bore witness to, nor the bloodthirsty one of his nightmares, but the wild card of a Link he had come across at Zora’s Domain. Link wasn’t alone however, he stood with another Rito, a white and black feathered one that too made his heart begin to ache.

There was no time for an attack, even if he had felt like it. Instead, a strange gold light teleported the pair away, leaving nothing but a trail of dust as proof they had ever existed on the expansive wing tip they had been standing on.

“My, my, I leave my body for 100 years, and this is what you’ve done with it? Have you even preened yourself?”

Revali felt his feathers stand on end as he found himself staring at his own mirror image, aside from the sea-green glow. When he tilted his head, the other mimed his movement before letting off a scoff.

“I am not a mirror, you oaf. I’m you, a much better version, but unfortunately, one lost to time”, the other Revali sighed before silently approaching, beak upturned in scrutiny. “I suppose it’s not your fault. None of the other Champions have had it easy either. Though I, of course, had to be the one who ended up in the Yiga’s clutches, ugh; they have great tastes in some things, I suppose”.

Revali simply hummed at his other-self. He wasn’t sure what else to say. His mind was still hazy from Kohga’s damned drug, not to mention he wasn’t sure how much time had even passed since then or what he had been doing for that matter.

“Considering that I once used to inhabit that body, my body, I would love to reclaim my life and finish what I had started, but… Calamity Ganon has made that impossible. I guess if he couldn’t kill the body, why not the next best part? I don’t even know if you’ll ever be able to remember a thing… Do you?”

There was a catch in his voice that made Revali grind his beak painfully together. His head felt like a jigsaw puzzle with unmatchable pieces. Nothing seemed to want to fit together, and wherever something came close, his mind would reject it.

At his silence, his old self just let off a sigh before stepping away, his spirit fading. Be them separate entities now; they were still the same person, his silence spoke volumes.

“I could say much more to you, but I doubt it would mean a thing. I just want to impart this simple knowledge with you: if your circumstance feels strange, it is likely false. Keep that in mind, and I’m sure you’ll stop feeling so conflicted”.

-

Revali spent some time pondering over his past self’s words before returning to the Yiga clan hideout. Despite the fond images his mind liked to play him of the Yiga clan and the horror stories it showed him of Link, he still felt closer to the Hylian. At least he wanted to be closer.

The Rito decided it was best to keep it to himself that the drug had worn off.  That idea was only solidified the moment he reached Kohga’s chambers, and he was greeted with the Sheikah’s attempt at hiding a tantrum due to his lack of progress. It was understandable from his perspective, Revali supposed. He was his pawn, after all. In the end, Revali just shrugged, earning from Kohga a sharp noise that sounded like a boiling over tea kettle.

Realizing it wasn’t a good idea to keep tight beaked, Revali sighed. “If you must know, Master Kohga,” it was best to watch his words carefully. Kohga already seemed ready to have him dispatched, and as much faith he had in his abilities with the bow, he couldn’t take an entire clan full of faithful nuts. It was suicide. “I would rather eliminate my target one-on-one. It would be rather boring to take out an opponent behind their back”.

From the tensing of Kohga’s shoulders, Revali realized he hadn’t been as careful as he had hoped. Speaking without putting his talons in his mouth didn’t seem to be his strong suit. Unconsciously, he brushed his wing against the bow beneath his cloak; luckily, though, it was unnecessary as Kohga dropped his head into his palm, a groan emanating from under his mask.

“While I would prefer you to just take him out, I can respect your reasoning considering your history with that damned urchin. But from my perspective, your loyalty to our cause is questionable”.

Revali couldn’t argue. He was questioning where his loyalties should lie. As much as he detested Kohga, he had a home to return to, even if he was only considered to be some ‘secret soldier.’ His concrete memories furthered his connection to the Yiga, yet he couldn’t help but focus more on the fuzzy memories with Link.

“If your circumstance feels strange, it is likely false. Keep that in mind, and I’m sure you’ll stop feeling so conflicted”.

As much as Revali wished he could have adhered to his past self’s words, a terrible burning had begun to make its way around his head, blotting out anything that wasn’t of the Yiga clan. So maybe it didn’t matter that the drug had worn off. It had already accomplished what it needed to do.

“I would like you to prove your loyalty by venturing into the Gerudo capital and stealing their leader’s sacred heirloom, the thunder helm. Do this, and I won’t question your methods again so long as you do your job”.

Without question, Revali bowed before Kohga even despite the burning of bile in the back of his throat at his action. “If that is what must be done, then I will complete it before the next moon’s rise.”

If they met again now, Revali wasn’t so sure if he could avoid harming Link. 

Chapter Text

Link couldn't help his constant muttering throughout his and Apple's trip towards the Gerudo desert. He had well forgotten Kass' letter until he had passed through the Hyrule ridge, and when he decided to read it once he had found a suitable spot for him and Apple to camp, he was kicking himself as the urge to return to the Rito village had become intense.

Dear Link, I hope this letter reaches you well, despite the fact I know you'll be upset with me if we meet again. My late teacher was a poet of the royal Hylian court one hundred years ago, but he always frequented the Rito village when he had the chance. Other than song, he kept details of his visits and the status of the village.

I know some of the more trivial things will mean nothing. But my teacher wrote of an encounter he had with the Hylian champion and Revali at Warbler's nest. He told me it was how he came across one of the songs of the area. I thought it might spark a memory in you, like what happened on the landing. I requested you not to read this until you were on the road because of your quest for the Princess.

If all goes well with Vah Naboris and you're not too mad with me, I hope you'll meet with me at the Woodland stable. I've heard of something that might be of great use to you. –Kass

As eager as Link was to recover his memories, Kass did have a point. Vah Naboris came first. But even so, he was still a tad sore at the Rito minstrel. He had been right there! It wouldn't have caused that much delay, at least he thought. Then again… Yeah, Kass was right. His memories were becoming longer and longer. He only had so much time to spend on himself in a given day, and that was typically reserved for sleep.

However, tonight, sleep did Link not. After finishing the letter, sleep alluded Link. Despite how much he tried to get comfortable at Apple's side, he couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned well into the dead of night, occasionally hitting at the horse's flank. It eventually got to the point where Apple simply got up and nudged him to do the same. As much as Apple had missed her owner, she hadn't missed his terrible sleeping habits out on the road.

"Sorry, Apple, guess I'm just antsy."

Apple just huffed when he climbed on. While she had got a bit of sleep despite Link's restless movements, he hadn't, that much the horse was certain. She hoped being on the road would put him at ease enough to sleep; however, that was not the case. As soon as they neared a statue that shared her likeness stood on its hindlegs, Link was off her back in an instant. In the rising sun, she could hardly see his back, but she still snorted at him before busying herself with the fountain. She didn't know much about a desert, but it didn't sound too pleasant to the ears. This may be her last drink of water for a good while.

Link had recognized the Sanidin Park Ruins as one of the places in Zelda's pictures the moment Apple approached the beautifully carved horse statue. As he ran up to the statue's side, he could see the sun coming up from behind the malice-covered Hyrule castle. He imagined back in the day; this was a sight to behold. With a soft sigh escaping his lips, he pulled the Sheikah Slate from his hip to confirm his thoughts, and true enough; he was standing in the spot Zelda had taken the picture, watching her replace the Sheikah slate to her hip. She was sat atop a white horse garbed in the gear of the royal family's prized horses. He, too, was atop his horse of the time, Epona, he was sure her name to be as he petted at her chestnut fur.

"Be sure to take the time to soothe your mount… That's the only way it will know how you truly feel.' Your advice was quite helpful—thank you. This little one and I are getting along quite well now", Zelda spoke fondly, running her hands through the beige braids her horse's hair was tied in. "At first, I wasn't sure if I should outfit him with all of the royal gear. I thought maybe he should have to earn it first. But it works! He wears it like a true natural. I'm trying to be a bit more empathetic. Benefit of the doubt, you know?" She smiled at the last part; her bright green eyes filled with warmth as she looked at Link.

Link returned her smile as he hopped down from Epona to help her off her own. Instead of telling him that she could have done it herself, she bowed her head in thanks.

"You've been much happier since we met up at the Hyrule Ridge. I take it your trip to the Rito village went well?"

Link nodded, signing to her that he and Revali would meet back at the village once Calamity Ganon saw his end. At his words, Zelda's ears tilted downwards, causing Link to tilt his head in confusion. Had his news upset her somehow?

At first, Zelda didn't elaborate. She only turned from him, her attention turning to the far-off mountain in the distance. In the setting sun, the mountain was only a mere shadow against the skyline. "See that mountain? That's Mount Lanayru. It takes its name from the Goddess of Wisdom", she explained somberly. "Lanayu's decree is very specific. It says: 'no one is allowed, under the age of seventeen… For only the wise are permitted a place upon the mountain."

Link had always thought that decree was a bunch of hogwash. None of the other springs had such rules or so that he knew. Urbosa and Mipha had accompanied Zelda to the Spring of Courage and never spoke of any regulations. He had escorted Zelda to the Spring of Power with Daruk and Revali, and there was no rule there either. Wisdom came with experience, not age, and to Link, Zelda had more than enough wisdom. She shouldn't have to wait until she was seventeen, especially with Calamity Ganon ready to rise at a moment's notice.

"I've prayed at the Spring of Courage and at the Spring of Power, yet neither awoke anything inside me. But maybe up there… Perhaps the Spring of Wisdom, the final of the three, will be the one". For almost a moment, she sounded almost hopeful. But as quickly as that hope came, it vanished. "To be honest, I have no real reason to think that will be the case. But there's always the chance that the next moment will change everything". With a tear-stained face, she turned back towards Link, "tomorrow… Tomorrow is my seventeenth birthday… So, then I shall go and make my way up the mountain. I've asked the Champions to meet with us at the castle tonight… One last night together before…"

She was never able to finish her sentence. Instead, the memory began to hastily become grainy as Zelda started to cover her face as tears freely flowed down her cheeks. When Link moved to comfort her, he heard a familiar voice call out his name. As he turned to see his father as well as a couple of other royal guards standing at the entrance to the park, the memory ceased, returning Link to the present.

The sun had completely risen, the Sheikah Slate reading that it was now 10:05 in the morning. Link sighed as he gave the horse statue one last look before returning to Apple's side.

At least in terms of Zelda's photo gallery, chronologically, that was the last memory before the Ganon's awakening at the Lanayru Gate. She hadn't taken any photos during that final night at the castle, or if she had, they weren't on the slate now. He hated how sorrowful she was in the last bit of the memory. Not that he could blame her, he would have been too if their positions were reversed. He also hated how abrupt the ending to the memory was. But perhaps, it was just because his mind wasn't ready for it yet. There was no use in dwelling. He still had yet even to breach the walls of Hyrule castle. He was sure a ton of memories rested within those malice-covered walls.

However, as much as Link knew there was no use in dwelling over the memory of Zelda, he found himself doing so the entire trip down to the Gerudo Stable.

The trip was relatively uneventful aside from the shrines along the way and the Hinox he fought atop the Digdogg suspension bridge. After that, his map was blank, so he had no clue where he was, but according to the stable hand at the Outskirt Stable, all he had to do was keep following the path, and he'd end up at the Gerudo Stable and true enough, by nightfall, he reached the stable.

The Gerudo Stable sat right on the cusp of the desert. While the tall canyon walls blocked most of the frigid night air from reaching the stable, he felt the biting cold nipping at his face if he walked close enough to the desert entrance.

Not wanting to find himself getting lost in the cold of the desert night or its melting days, Link decided it was best to find the tower in the area before he even thought of stepping into that sandy mess. A traveling merchant told him he saw an orange tower pop up atop the canyon near a place known as Spectacle rock. Link wasn't sure what could make a rock a spectacle, but rock climbing had always been one of his favorite things to do. There was nothing as satisfying as climbing up a huge rock and looking down. It also allowed him to try out Revali's gale.

With a wide smile now on his face, Link positioned himself at the base of one of the canyon walls and crouched down in concentration. Taking a deep breath, he imagined himself soring through the skies with the Rito at his side, and sure enough, he could feel a gust of wind forming around his body. When the gust became strong enough, Link jumped, pulling out his paraglider, which quickly caught on the air, taking him high into the skies. For the briefest of moments, he swore he could feel Revali's spirit at his side, taking him higher and higher until finally, he saw it, the Gerudo Tower. Smile even wider, he pulled himself free of the air current and began falling towards the tower, catching on at one of its steps. Without Revali's gale, he would have had to contend with the mire of muck from which the tower had grown. One wrong step, and he would have become one with the tar. Not wanting to think of such a dreadful fate, Link decided he would just climb the tower and register it to his map.

With a sigh of relief, the Gerudo tower gave him the map of the desert and the canyon. At least now, he didn't have to be worried about getting lost, or so he hoped. When he looked over the tower's edge towards the desert, he was greeted by the sight of two different sand storms on either side of what appeared to be the Gerudo town. The one to the right looked like a simple storm that came and went as it pleased; the other, however, was another story. In the middle of the storm to the left of the town, Link could see red peeking out from the dust and lighting that sparked in clouds. Biting his lip, he pulled the Sheikah slate's scope to his eye. Within the eye of the storm, he could see the massive rampaging form of Vah Naboris. None of the other divine beasts had anything on Naboris' size. He wasn't even sure how he'd even approach with the sands and electricity swarming around her.

Clicking his tongue, Link turned the scope towards the Gerudo town. As the scope came into focus, Link jumped with what he saw standing at the town's gate. Talking with the guards was the navy feathered form of Revali. However, instead of being garbed in his traditional cloak, he was wearing a light pale green and white tube top over his breast and a green sirwal that hugged loosely around the white feathers of his hips and stomach. The Yiga mask was gone from his beak, replaced instead with a matching white veil. Instead of the braids he usually had his hair in, it was down, decorated instead with small sapphire and opal clips. He appeared to be talking easily with the guards and was even let into the village without a fight. Link gasped. Before he could stop himself, he was jumping off the edge of the tower, the Gerudo town firmly in his sights. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he didn't do a thing to stop Revali from doing something he might regret.

Link was happy for the rubies that were still wrapped in his hair from his time at the Rito village; they, for the most part, kept him warm from the freezing desert air that whipped against him as he descended toward the village. However, the closer he came, the more strangely the guards looked at him, until finally, he landed at their feet, only to have two golden spears pointed at his face.

"W-w-wait, don't stab! I come in peace! That Rito you just let in—"

"Voe are not allowed in our village. Leave," one of the guards huffed, pulling her spear away to stomp it in the sand in anger.

"But you don't understand—"

"What part of voe are not welcomed here, do you—" The other guard's sentence went unfinished as an explosion was heard coming from the back of the village, followed by screaming.

Try as Link might to get into the village to see how he could help, one of the guards remained while the other disappeared into the village, barking in a language Link couldn't understand.

"Please, I don't know what a voe is, but I promise—"

The Gerudo guard didn't let Link finish before she pushed him away with the butt of her spear, effectively ending their conversation as her companion came back, the pair conversely heatedly in what Link assumed to be the Gerudo language.

Sensing the futility of remaining at the gate, Link turned his attention to the shrine just outside the village, where he could see another Hylian standing. He looked rather suspicious, probably no more so to the guards than Link was, but Link was curious as to why he was looking at the walls to the village as well as the gate entrance.

"Hey, you a spy?" Link simply asked when the other Hylian began trying to climb on the shrine to get a better look into the village. His question promptly scared the man off the shrine wall, causing him to fall into the sand below. When the man began to sputter wildly, Link knew he was no spy. He had none of the dexterity.

"N-n-no! For your information, I'm a merchant! I may not look like it, but I'm leader of a caravan!"

The man was right; it was rather hard to believe. He looked more like the kind of guy who would peep into a woman's house just to see if he could catch a glance of something. When Link narrowed his eyes at the man, he became even more frantic.

"You see, I traveled all the way here for trade, but the village doesn't allow men in so… That's why I… It's research! Research!" The merchant squealed, red in the face like a tomato. "See? Not a spy!"

Link rolled his eyes before looking back at the gate. The guards look much calmer. The trouble seemed to pass, but unfortunately, with it, he was sure, was Revali. The Rito lightly wouldn't have lingered long.

"But I'm sure you'd be interested in hearing this as a fellow Hylian male who wants to sneak in."

"I'm sure our reasons are much… Different", Link sighed plainly. Luckily the man didn't seem to be the slightest bit offended.

"After almost a week of constantly getting kicked out… More times than I can count… I almost gave up… However! I heard of a man who managed to slip past the guards! Apparently, he goes between here and the Kara Kara Baazar just along the road. I have yet to see him, but I haven't given up yet!"

Link wanted to ask the merchant why he was trying to peer over the village walls then, but he held his tongue. It was the most information he had to go on. "Well… You keep looking then". The sun was beginning to rise over the desert, and he hadn't slept since he was at the Rito Village. It was best to start moving before the sun became too harsh.

-

Kara Kara Bazaar was much cooler than the path through the desert. Link had sweated through several of the concoctions he had made from the cool Safflina the Rito had provided him by the time he arrived. Instead of busying himself asking the inhabitants of the mystery man, Link threw himself into the oasis, relishing in the cool embrace of the water. He would have been content to stay there until nightfall, but his mind had other ideas as he had begun to relax, his eyes falling onto the building carved into the pillar of rock that served as the bazaar's inn. It looked familiar to him, as did the palms that shed their leaves onto him.

Pursing his lips, Link pulled himself from the water to grab the Sheikah slate from his things beside the oasis. Feet kicking at the water, he thumbed through Zelda's pictures until he found the matching photograph, and before Link knew it, night had fallen. Instead of relaxing at the water's edge, he saw himself walking beside the Gerudo Chieftain, Urbosa.

"Link, don't take the Princess' curt attitude with you personally," Urbosa spoke calmy down to the Hylian, her hands on her hips as she looked up to the clear night sky. Link could see the stars in her eyes and the smile on her sapphire-painted lips. "She's gone through a lot in her young life, and to have such a destiny thrust upon her at that young age. I suppose she feels that while she's trained and trained for her birthright, you just fell into it".

Link shook his head violently at the Gerudo chieftain, signing as quickly as his fingers would let him, "No, I didn't fall into it. I was blessed by Hylia herself as a child, I was trying to protect my friends. She never told me of the Master Sword's location. Revali helped me locate it".

Urbosa let off a full-bodied laugh at Link's explanation, the Hylian near jumping out of his skin when a bolt of electricity struck an innocent cactus nearby. "Perhaps that's where the key lies in Zelda's sealing abilities. My Little bird has been closed off for so long. It's rare I even see her smile anymore…" As her stare moved to her heels, the far-off skies began to rumble with thunder. "I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but I was in a relationship with the late Queen, Zelda's mother. Hylian royalty is rather hard to understand. You never marry for love, just political gain; a foreign concept to us, Gerudo. But the King was open to my involvement in Zelda's life, at least until… Mirele, the Queen's passing. Zelda was only five then. After the Queen's funeral, Zelda was put into training to unlock her sealing abilities, and my allowed visits were less frequent until nonexistent. Perhaps it was because I always snuck her some ancient tech one of our sand seals dug up. Zelda always did love looking at those sorts of things with her mother. She even told me aboard Vah Naboris that you got her into the research wing at the castle. Quite the courageous feat".

Link allowed a hoarse bit of laughter to escape from his lips at Urbosa's comment. He had been reprimanded time and time again by his father for doing that, and yet, he had continued. Where was that courage now?

"But I digress, Link. Zelda shouldn't have gone too far into the desert on her own. We'll find her in due—" It was a thunderclap that finished Urbosa's sentence for her.

Running into the Kara Kara Bazaar was a panicked Zelda followed by a couple of Yiga footsoldiers. As one of the Yiga sent a string of arrows Zelda's way, one caught the side of her boot, causing her to fall with a squeal. Frantically, Zelda tried to undo her bootstrap as the Yiga approached. None of them, however, got very far. With the snap of Urbosa's fingers, two of the group were electrocuted until they were charred husks, while the others were dispatched by Link and the Master Sword.

When the last Yiga fell, Link turned towards Zelda and pulled the arrow from her boot while Urbosa pulled her back close to her chest.

"A-are you okay?" Link verbally spoke to her. It had been a while now since he had last used his words. He hoped he hadn't sounded too strange to the Princess. When her lips began to quiver and tears fell from her eyes, he feared that to be the case, but that thought was quickly pushed aside when she threw herself into Link, burying her tear-stained cheeks into his tunic. As the memory began to fade, Link could see Urbosa smiling fondly at the two. He couldn't help but notice the look of relief in her green eyes.

By the time Link came back to, the sun had begun to set, thankfully. The breeze had become tolerable, at least for the moment.

Despite not sleeping in the last 48 hours, the memory left him feeling slightly refreshed, as though he had gotten a wink of sleep. Pulling himself up from the rocks by the oasis, Link moved to grab for his warmer clothes, at least that was until he felt as though he was being watched.

While there were many merchants in the area, none seemed to pay him any mind. He was just another passerby, here one day, gone the next. They only cared if you were there to offer them rupees for their goods. Scratching at his head, Link scanned the area until his eyes fell on the inn. At the top, he swore he had seen a shock of purple for the briefest of moments. Curious, he packed his things up and made his way up the ladder, where he found a woman garbed in a similar outfit to what he had seen Revali in the previous night; the only difference was instead of hues and white and green, it was purple and pink.

The woman giggled at Link, her hands disappearing sheepishly under her veil. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't help but stare. You have quite the nice figure".

Link flushed when he realized he was still only in his boxers. He had taken his clothes off to combat the heat and forgotten all about them when he felt her stare on him. "Th-thank you, um, you wouldn't happen to know anything about a man sneaking into the Gerudo village, would you?" He didn't know why she would know, but maybe she'd seen something being so high up.

At the question, she began to fiddle with her veil. "Well… I know nothing of a man sneaking into the village. But I do a Rito", she cheekily replied. "He asked for a Gerudo outfit, and I provided. A girl needs to make a living, you know".

As much as Link wanted to tell her that had been a mistake, he chose not to say a thing about that. Instead, he pulled out of his rupee pouch. "How much do you want for one of your Gerudo outfits?"

The woman, Villa, as she promptly introduced herself once Link proposed the deal, gushed. He could hardly understand her as she began to flit around him, eyeballing his measurements. "I think you'd look simply perfect in sky-blue and green, wouldn't you think? It'll match your hair and those cute eyes of yours!"

Link chuckled at Villa's complements. "I'll take your word for it."

"Wise words indeed, young man. But, tell you what, I'll have your outfit ready for you come morning. Why don't you take a rest at the inn and meet me back here then? Or if you're the restless type, you can always sell some things. Your wallet is looking a tad… empty. Women don't like a tease, you know".

Knowing sleep wouldn't come, Link did exactly as Villa had suggested. He ended up spending most of the night lightening his pack with a couple of the Gerudo merchants in the area as well as one merchant who reminded him of a Beedle, mostly because he paid big rupees for some of the horned beetles he had caught on his ventures. By the time morning came, Link's back didn't ache as bad from his bag's weight, and his wallet was heavy. He just hoped Villa wouldn't run away with all of his newfound rupees.

By the time he reached the inn's top, Villa was already there waiting for Link with a wrapped parcel in her hands. While a veil covered her face, Link could feel the smile radiating from underneath.

"Oh, I think this is some of my best work! You'll have to model it for me, here and now, won't you? I promise I won't look".

Link wasn't so sure on that last bit of her claim, but he couldn't say no after she went through all the trouble of making him the outfit. After unwrapping the beautifully crafted outfit, he slipped in on and immediately felt cooling relief. Even in the morning, the Gerudo desert was boiling.

"Oh my, Goddesses, you look fabulous!"

Link could feel his face burning at Villa's complement beneath the sky-blue veil he now wore. Suddenly feeling shy, he locked his hands behind his back and began to rock on his heels as Villa got a closer look.

"This outfit is the traditional garb of the Gerudo. It's such a striking look around here. I doubt anyone would even suspect that you're a man! I'm sure the Gerudo'll think you're adorable!"

"Thank you again, Villa; how much did you want for it?"

"Seeing as how you're such a cutie in that, I'll give you a discount, 600 rupees sound fair?"

Link gulped. He could only imagine how much the outfit was regularly, "deal."

With glittering rupees in hand, Villa let off a sorrowful sigh, "I wish I could pull that top off as well as you."

"Nonsense, I think you wear it well."

"Ooh, you're such a sweetheart!"

With Villa's help, Link was now ready as he would ever be to get into the Gerudo village. Before he left, Villa had made mention to Link of Vah Naboris and its travels. According to her, it was only getting closer to the town. If intervention didn't happen fast, she feared the town might be wiped off the face of Hyrule. It was all Link needed to hear to get him dashing off towards the village; at least that was until he realized he could just warp to the shrine at the town's entrance.

Chapter Text

Upon materializing at the Gerudo town’s shrine, Link was greeted to the back of that merchant, who had yet to take notice of his presence. Feeling a smirk creeping onto his lips, Link decided to spook the guy.

“Still spying?”

The merchant near jumped out of his breeches as he whipped around to see Link garbed in his Gerudo outfit. After looking Link up and down, the man’s face flushed. “H-he-hey good looking, where’d you come from?” He ‘smoothly’ asked, trying to lean against the shrine, only for his hand to slip against its smooth material.

Link let off a light chuckle before placing his hands on his hips and leaning closer to the guy, who became, if possible, even redder. His Gerudo disguise was working like a charm. “Mm, I dunno, but I sure can tell when someone’s spying~” There was something entertaining in watching the merchant deflate into confusion.

“Why, does this exchange seem awfully familiar?” The merchant began to mutter to himself once Link began to walk away in disinterest.

Link was just happy to confirm that the disguise did indeed have the intended effect. He should have figured from how easy of a time Revali had in getting into the village, but it was better to be safe than sorry. When he approached the gate, he was met by no opposition by the guards, who two nights ago were ready to spear him like a fish.

“Sav’otta. Oh, a Hylian vai, we don’t get many of you here”, one of the guards greeted him.

“Especially not as of late,” the other spoke, curiously eying Link up and down. “I’m sure you’ve seen the divine beast stomping around southeast of here. Vah Naboris, she appeared here a couple of weeks ago and has wandered aimlessly ever since. Everyone fears she may wander here eventually. Our chief, Riju, is doing all she can to stop Naboris, but…”

“None can go near her, lest they be lost in her storm, of hit by electricity. I hope you steer far clear little vai, seeing as how brave you are to venture here”.

“Thank you for the warning,” Link hummed as he walked through the gate. It was still a surprise to him that he even managed to get in. He’d have to thank Villa later for her handiwork.

The Gerudo town was a true gem of the desert. The oppressive heat was nonexistent within the town walls due to the water that freely flowed from what appeared to be the town’s capital into channels lined with sapphire and opal. Link imagined the town was also cozy to be in at night from the many braziers that lined the walls and torches that stood around the walkways. From Link’s stroll around, he couldn’t find any evidence of the explosion he had heard the other day, the damage must have been minimal, or the Gerudo were fast builders. But regardless, he was sure he’d learn the answer from the town’s chief.

The chief’s residence was a well-guarded as the town’s entrance. Two guards stood outside, each giving Link a wary eye as he approached.

“State your business with the chief, Hylian vai,” one guard commanded while the other shook her head, squinting as though she knew something was coming.

“Ploka!” A barking voice called from inside the capital, startling the guard. Her companion only slightly winced; she had been expecting it. “How many times do I need to tell you the Chief is allowing visitors?!”

The guard offered no further argument to Link; she just calmly stepped aside, gesturing to the Hylian to enter. Link began to worry his lip under his veil. He wasn’t sure what to expect of the Gerudo chief when he walked in. If she was anything like Urbosa, she was someone to be feared, but also someone you could depend greatly upon. But then again, he was a man entering the chief’s home. He could be skewered and left out for the moldugas. He shivered at the thought. One of the Gerudo stable hands that had taken Apple under their care had shown him a picture of one before he had left to find the tower, and death by one didn’t sound very pleasant.

“My, are you alright? You look as though you are ready to pass out”.

Jumping out of his thoughts, Link was greeted by the sight of a young Gerudo girl sitting upon the throne. She was garbed in the royal regalia he had recalled seeing Urbosa wear in his memory of her, but she looked too young to be the chief; she hardly looked even twelve. Beside the chief stood her guard, who he was sure the one who had called out to the guard outside. She looked as though she was barely resisting the urge to cleave Link in twain with her blade.

“You stand before Lady Riju, chief of the Gerudo! Declare your business, but come no closer!” The guard shouted, banging her blade into the stone flooring. Link could feel the ground beneath him quake at her strength.

“Hold now, Buliara… You seemed to be more than a simple traveler. That is, if that is what I think it is at your hip… Come closer”. While Buliara didn’t seem too thrilled with her chief’s words, she did help Riju down from her throne when she extended her hand to her.

When Link approached, he kept a small distance between him and Riju not to upset Buliara, who was watching him like a hawk as he handed Riju the Sheikah Slate. With wonder in her wide electric green eyes, Riju hummed in awe at the slate.

“What’s your name, traveler?” She asked, excitement in her eyes.

Link smiled down at her when she handed him back his slate, “my name’s Link. I’m not sure if you’ll believe it, but I’m the Hylian Champion of a hundred years ago”.

While Buliara scoffed, Riju was positively beaming. “As I can’t imagine a relic such as this being gifted to a mere drifter, I believe you, Link. Though…” She hummed mischievously, “I don’t recall a Hylian vai other than the princess being amongst the champions~.”

At Riju’s suggestion, Buliara’s nostrils flared, her steely glare focusing harshly on Link. “You’re a voe! A voe within our walls is a great crime!”

The air cut around Link when she raised her blade in his direction, the tip resting right at his veiled nose. He gulped loudly as sweat began to run down his brow. When Riju started to giggle into her hand, Buliara let off a guffaw of laughter before bringing her blade back down to her feet.

“I’m sorry, Link, I couldn’t resist,” Riju apologized, her sapphire-painted lips still full of mischievousness. “My mother spoke to me once of a story of the calamity. The princess placed the fallen swordsman in a deep slumber. The swordsman even bore your name, Link. However, the story seemed more steeped in legend than actual fact. But I cannot deny what lies before me”.

“Please, don’t be hasty, lady Riju. This voe carries not the sword that seals the darkness,” Buliara painfully pointed out.

Link felt his ears droop at the mention. True, he didn’t posses the master sword, but it didn’t make him any less capable. He had already saved three of the four divine beasts without it. “You are correct… I don’t have it yet. When I awoke from my slumber, I was without my memories or the blade. The sword sleeps somewhere I’m unaware of at this moment. But that doesn’t mean I am not fit to aid you in your task of calming Vah Naboris. I’m sure there is a way I can prove this to you, lady Riju”.

The chief gave a hum of thought before looking to Buliara, speaking hushly in Gerudo. The head guard didn’t seem too thrilled with what she had to say, but she gave Riju her approval.

“We’d never mistreat a friend of lady Urbosa, but seeing as you lack the master sword, I have a task I would like you to complete before we attempt to calm Naboris.” Gesturing Link to follow her and Buliara, Riju led him past her guards’ training grounds and out the exit near it. Link could see where the explosion hit; the gate looked as though it was ready to collapse if a wooden beam didn’t support it. Riju pointed out into the desert, where a sand storm raged off in the distance. “The other day, thieves broke in and stole my family’s cherished heirloom, the thunder helm. My soldiers say the thieves are likely a part of the Yiga, a splintered group of Shiekah who have called Karusa valley their home”.

When Riju let off a small sigh, Link looked down to see her biting at her lip; she looked frustrated the more she stared at the storm. “I believe that Lady Urbosa and our other ancestors must be looking down on us with such shame right now. I wonder if my people can tell just how powerless their young ruler truly is...” She muttered lowly to herself, her tiara near falling from her head if Link hadn’t caught it for her.

While Buliara glared at the Hylian, she allowed him to right it on Riju’s head. When her cheeks reddened with embarrassment and tears began to fall, he pulled the sash from his waist and began to wipe them for her. Like Zelda, Riju had quite the destiny thrust upon her at such a young age. She deserved the right to be a kid like he had with Revali and Mipha, not stuck being a diplomat. “You’re doing the best you can, Riju. I know your ancestors and Urbosa would be proud of you as well as your mother. Don’t worry, I’ll get your helm back for you, I promise, and then we’ll calm Narbois together”.

“Th-thank you, Link. You’re too kind…” Suddenly shy, Riju took a step closer to Buliara and stood on her tiptoes to whisper something to her.

At this, Buliara gave her a warm smile before quickly returning to her stern stare at Link. “Lady Riju wishes to lend you her prized sand seal, Patricia, for your journey into Yiga territory. If so much as a tuft of fur is missing off her hide, I shall personally see to your dismemberment!”

Link squeaked, “d-duly noted!”

-

Sand seal surfing was definitely a new experience for Link. It was strange to be standing on his worn Hylian shield and tethered to the seal that made cutting through the sand look easy. Patricia was also well behaved, unlike Apple. When he pointed Patricia in the direction of Karusa Valley, she didn’t deviate in the slightest. In contrast, Apple would lose interest and occasionally wander, and yet, he wouldn’t trade her for the world. It was endearing to him, plus he was sure even sand seals would find trouble in surfing through the dirt.

The pair ended up making it to the valley’s entrance in record time; the sun was only beginning its descent into nightfall. If all went well, then he should be back at the Gerudo town by morning.

But he knew it wasn’t going to be that easy, especially once he saw Revali perched upon one of the Yiga’s frog statues deeper in the valley. He was twirling what Link assumed to be Riju’s thunder helm around one of his feathered fingers. He was also still garbed in his Gerudo outfit. The look suited him rather well, Link thought as his face began to turn red, his eyes trailing up Revali’s sirwall to the white and navy feathers of his belly before finally focusing on his face. There still was no clarity to the Rito’s eyes as they blankly looked about the valley until focusing on Link’s, and even then, there was no emotion.

“Wow, I was beginning to wonder when you were going to show up,” Revali spoke while Link urged Patricia to seek shelter for the time being. “I was beginning to think you got cold feet.” At least he was being talkative. That was a good sign, right? “These eyes of mine see quite far. When I saw the glimmer of that slate, I figured you would have been at the town instantly to stop me, hero”. Carelessly, Revali threw the helm into the air, where it disappeared into a puff of smoke, only to be replaced by a fully notched duplex bow that Revali swooped into the air to grab with his talons.

As much as Link didn’t want to fight Revali, he didn’t feel he would have a choice. He knew what he was getting into when he had come here. “Sorry, got a bit held up at the gate, y’know?” Whipping out his shield, Link easily deflected the bomb arrows back at the Rito, who swiftly dodged them, allowing them to explode on the valley’s walls, causing a bit of rubble to come down Link’s way. “The Gerudo don’t let men in. I’m sure you noticed”. After rolling out of the way of a boulder, Link took his own shot at the Rito. A shock arrow would hopefully stun him long enough to approach if he could just hit him. “Villa’s makes some nice disguises, don’t you think? I hope you told her so!” Link bit at his lip when his shot missed.

“Please, clearly, ‘she’s’ using the disguise for the same reason we had to, are you that dull?” Revali huffed as he landed, taking aim at a higher rock wall above Link. If he couldn’t hit him directly, a boulder would shrink the Hylian’s playing field.

Link blew a raspberry the Rito’s way before he manifested one of the Sheikah slate’s bombs into his hands once he saw what Revali was up to. Chucking the bomb above, he detonated it once it connected with the falling rubble, shattering it into harmless dust. “She’s a nice lady, and you seem to like her handiwork!” Link laughed when Revali squinted down at him with a lack of argument; he even swore he saw a twinkle of life in the Rito’s otherwise dull eyes.

“This garb is rather comfortable for the desert I’ll have you know, you asini—augh!”

Link’s eyes widened as he watched Revali suddenly crumple to his knees, his head held in his wings. “Revali—” Before he could even take a step in the Rito’s direction up the valley’s road, a group of Yiga footsoldiers and a bladesman teleported around him, obscuring him from Link’s view.

“You shouldn’t have come here, champion,” the bladesman spoke, his voice deep, emotionless even. “You’ve sealed your fate. You’re at our mercy now”.

As the bladesman began to mutter some incantation under his breath, Link pulled out his broadsword and charged him. However, when his blade came near the Yiga soldier’s mask, it suddenly vanished into thin air, his sword cutting through nothing.

“…What in the…” Link could feel his heart rate pick up as he found himself standing alone atop a pedestal, surrounded by what appeared to be long red tapestries. Despite the lack of immediate danger, Link didn’t sheath his blade. Someone or something was watching him. And the loud screech of laughter that echoed off the walls only confirmed it.

“Ha! I can’t believe the Hylian champion actually just wandered into our lair! I had heard you lost your memory, but I hadn’t expected you to be so stupid!”

“What have you done to Revali?!” Link called out to the annoying mystery voice. No matter the danger that awaited him, he could handle it. But it was hard for him to know Revali had been held within these walls and molded into the Yiga’s design.

“Eh, that’s what you care about? And here I thought you were a braindead fool. Guess Ganon was right. He is something not even you could destroy. However, I don’t see why you’d care. He doesn’t remember you. In fact, he hates your guts”.

Link gritted his teeth at the voice’s words. He could feel his hearing begin to cut out as the voice, likely the Yiga’s leader, spoke more to him, his words sounding like a garbled mess as Link cut through the tapestries that lined the room. There had to be an exit somewhere.

As he cut through the second to last tapestry, Link was met by stairs leading deeper in. He felt a feeling of satisfaction creep into his chest as the Yiga leader hushed his lip once Link began to trudge inside. The hand that bore his mark of courage had begun to ache. It was a strange feeling. He had yet to feel it outside of a memory, but the more it pulsed, the stronger he felt. If it was Hylia’s way of telling him he was ready for the master sword, it was going to have to wait until he was done with Naboris, but he was sure she knew that too.

Upon entry into the Yiga hideout, Link was greeted to the sight of a Gerudo guard behind bars as well as a table filled with mighty bananas. The Gerudo looked at him strangely, which confused him until he remembered he was still wearing his Gerudo gear.

“You’re a strange vai, aren’t you? What’re you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Link spoke, crouching to look at the lock on the gate until the Gerudo waved him off.

“Little vai, you need not worry about me. A vure vai slipped me the key a little while ago. I’ll make my escape in due time”.

Link tilted his head at her words. He knew ‘vai’ meant woman, but he wasn’t sure what ‘vure’ translated to. When he had the time, he wanted to sit down and try and learn the language.

“Oh, vure translates to bird in your language. We don’t see vure very often in town. Poor things aren’t fond of our preferred proteins, so I tend to forget their name, Rito, was it?”

It was good to know that the Yiga’s ideals hadn’t completely corrupted Revali. “So, how come you haven’t flown the coop yet?”

The Gerudo pulled at her ponytail with a winded sigh. “After the Chief’s heirloom was taken, I ran after the thieves and ended up being thrown in here. The damn bastards don’t fight fair; hit me right in the back. With my pride wounded, I wanted to remain here and take back the chief’s helm. I figured studying the Yiga’s habits would lead to something I could use against them, but the only thing I learned was that they have a penchant for mighty bananas”.

“Mighty bananas, eh?”

True to Barta, the Gerudo guard’s word, the Yiga went absolutely bonkers for mighty bananas. Out of curiosity, he had thrown one down to the blademaster below Barta’s cell, and instead of questioning where the bananas came from, he let off a squeal of delight before trotting over to claim his find. It wasn’t Link’s style of fighting by any means. He’d rather hack and slash his way through the hideout, but he really didn’t want to find out what those mighty bananas actually did for the Yiga. Sometimes it was better to sneak, even if it wasn’t his forte.

After getting through the first couple of guards, Link found himself high above what appeared to be the main stomping grounds of the Yiga. At least, he assumed from the easy access to a whole hoard of mighty bananas and the many Yiga below, both on patrol and chatting amongst themselves.

“I wonder what Master Kohga has in store for that Rito?” One footsoldier spoke to a bladesman guarding a decorated door in the back. Other than the conversation pertaining to Revali, Link was sure that was where he needed to get to. So, as carefully as he could, he conjured a small burst of Revali’s gale and flew over to the rafters above the chatting Yiga.

The blademaster hummed lowly in thought. “While I despise the guy, he did help us steal the thunder helm. But his inability to dispose of the Hylian Champion is inexcusable. Why did Master Kohga risk his safety in the Gerudo Highlands for something too broken to follow simple instructions?”

“It’s no wonder Master Kohga had to break out the ancient Sheikah technology to make him even slightly more agreeable. His skill in archery is unparallel, but his temperament is terrible!”

While both the Yiga shared in a laugh, Link could feel his nails digging into the boards of the rafters, his hand beginning to burn as though it was urging him to end the lives of those two Yiga.

“They insult your beloved, and you let them keep their lives? Ha!”

Link grimaced at the strange voice that drifted through his ears. The voice was deep, dripping with malice. He had heard it before, but not in his present state. The voice had come from the maw of the lynel he faced at the Tabantha village with Revali.

“Sh-shut up…” Link hissed quietly at himself before chucking down a bushel of bananas he hadn’t noticed he had begun to crush accidentally. The Yiga didn’t seem to notice or mind; they just squealed in delight to have their favorite treat at their feet. With them distracted, Link pulled out his paraglider and gently fell through the door before the guard could return to his post.

The guarded door fed into a long stone hallway before finally ending into a room that looked to be where their leader stayed most of the time from the bed and many chests that lined the room. However, none of the treasures held his eye for long, for laying on the bed, he saw Revali’s writhing form, pulling at the blankets in what appeared to be a fitful sleep. As sure as Link was that it was a trap placed for him by the Yiga, he couldn’t stop himself from approaching the struggling Rito.

“…Revali?” He hushly asked, one outstretched to the Rito while the other sat on the hilt of his blade. When his hand rested on the sweat matted feathers of his head, Link was surprised he hadn’t turned into one of those damned Yiga footsoldiers. He was even more surprised when Revali leaned into his touch, his heated breath burning against Link’s wrist. He was too hot. Carefully, Link pulled his hand away from the Rito so he could dig out one of his cool safflina elixirs. The taste wasn’t the best, he likened it to the potpourri he saw in the inns sometimes, but its effects more than made up for it. “Here, this should help you feel better.” Gently, he dug his nail into Revali’s beak enough for him to pour the liquid in before moving his hand down to massage his neck to make it go down easier.

Sure enough, once the elixir was all gone, Revali cracked open one bleary emerald eye. While there was still no recognition, he didn’t look at him with hate. “…You. You need to get out of here…” The Rito hoarsely puffed as a tremor ran through his body. “I won’t… I can’t…”

Link shook his head down at Revali before he brought his wrist up to his hazy stare. The Rito eyed the frayed sky-blue fabric before looking back at Link quizzically. “I’m sure you don’t remember, but this was your scarf when you were Vah Medoh’s champion. I-I found it atop a tower on Nero hill in the Tabantha region. Also,” Link pulled the Great eagle bow from his back, bringing it into Revali’s field of vision. “This is your bow. A hundred years ago, we made a promise to meet again at the Rito village. I want to keep that promise to you, Revali”.

The Rito scoffed, “I thought you destroyed that village?” As much as he seemed to be trying to avoid the Hylian’s stare, Link found him stealing glances, but he mainly focused on the bow. He hoped it was triggering something in his mind. “Nevermind that… You need to leave”.

“I’m not gonna leave you here to be tortured, Revali.”

“Stop calling me that,” The Rito hissed out before bringing his hands to his head in pain, occasionally swatting at Link, who had tried to grab at his wrists. “You need to go, now, before I—”

Taking Revali by surprise, Link pulled his wings free of his face before placing a kiss upon the nose of his beak. The Rito immediately went limp in his hold.

“I’m not leaving you again! What part of that don’t you understand?!”

“Well, that makes it easier for me!”

Before Link even knew what was going on, he found himself outside the Karusa valley, overlooking a giant pit that appeared to go down for miles. Revali was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the Yiga leader. He bit his lip harshly, drawing blood as he whipped out his broadsword.

“Show yourself, dammit! Fight me like a man, you coward!”

“Geeze, you act like I’ve been the one hiding for a hundred years!”

Appearing in a puff of smoke was a tall, fancier dressed Yiga, whose tight uniform gave him the appearance of a pear. He didn’t look as threatening to Link as the blademasters, but he could feel a great strength emanating from his frame.

“We’ve spent a hundred years looking for you, Link, and here you are. Wandering into our base like a lost puppy for your pet bird, or was it for this?” With a snap of his fingers, the thunder helm appeared in the Yiga leader’s hand. “That Urbosa was a pain in my Grandpa Kohga’s side,” he explained as he spun the helm around his finger. “Seeing as this was her prized possession, it would only make sense we’d claim it as retribution. It only took a hundred years for those damned Gerudo to get a weakling of a chief, lax enough to let us simply steal it”.

With a growl, Link lunged at the Yiga, ready to cleave him in half. However, he wasn’t about to let that happen. Before Link got too close, he teleported away to the side of the pit, laughing.

“Aw, did I hurt your feelings, insulting the chief? She’s a kid; it’s not her fault. But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna pass up a freebie”.

Tiring of his games, Link shouted at the Yiga leader, “are you gonna fight? Or are you gonna keep wasting my time?! I’m here for the helm and Revali, and I’m not leaving without either of them!” If he wasn’t wearing a mask, Link was sure he’d see the man rolling his eyes at him.

The Yiga leader let off a loud scoff as he began stretching his legs out and arms out. “Fine, if you think you’re ready to meet your end at the hands of the strong, the burly, the one! The only! Master Kohga! Prepare yourself, hero boy!”

Instantly teleporting closer, Kohga took a swing at Link’s back with a vicious sickle, which Link parried quickly before rolling to his side to avoid another sweep of the blade. Once he was righted, Link notched three bomb arrows into the Great eagle bow and fired at Kohga, who just laughed as he materialized a shield of blue energy before him that absorbed the blow.

Kohga let off a loud yawn, causing Link to grit his teeth. “What a bore! I could be napping right now; I’ll have you know”.

“Then why don’t you just end me then, eh? Or are you too chicken?!” Link smiled beneath his veil when he saw a twitch of anger run its course through Kohga’s body. Kohga had skill, but he was lazy, and Link was going to exploit that. If he egged him on, he was sure to become clumsy. “All that cool ancient Sheikah powers, and that’s all your gonna use? A dinky shield? I thought you were the Yiga leader!”

“Hey! I’ll have you know, hero! I learned all these cool skills from my mother’s father’s, father’s husband, the original Master Kohga!”

To prove his point, he began to form a giant ball covered Sheikah talismans above his head. It looked like it required quite the amount of concentration to form. If anything were to break that concentration, say maybe like an arrow, the ball was sure to fall. Notching an ice arrow, Link took a shot at Kohga’s belly, the blast freezing a section of his gut and snapping his concentration as he quickly began trying to scrape away at the ice. With his attention off the ball, it promptly plummeted, pounding the man into the ground like a nail. Link was amazed by the man’s resilience and the strength of his outfit; it withstood many a hit of his broadsword before Kohga pulled himself free of the dirt with a screech of annoyance.

“You little brat! How dare you mess up my clothes!”

“That’s what you care about?” Link laughed until he realized the man had begun to float. The last time he checked, the Sheikah couldn’t fly unless the Yiga were more buoyant.

When Link took a step back, Kohga laughed before he began to spin his arms around again, this time a couple of spiked steel balls forming over his head. “And don’t even think about trying to hit me with another arrow!” Snapping his fingers, Revali appeared before him. He didn’t look any better than when Link had found him in the hideout. He only looked worse. He didn’t see Link. Instead, he looked through him as he hovered before Kohga, protecting him.

“What have you done to him?!” Link barked, grip on his bow wavering. He couldn’t risk injuring Revali.

“Isn’t ancient Sheikah technology just the coolest? I found a note in one of my mother’s journals of medicine our ancestors used on the more cantankerous members of their society to make them more pliant”, Kohga happily explained. “Revali here, however, was a bit more… Disagreeable. So, I had to make my own modifications, and voila! Here you have it! My perfect little Rito soldier! He’s about as loyal as my bladesmen now. If I order him, he does it! Unfortunately, though, he still doesn’t have the same taste for mighty bananas…” He muttered the last bit more under his breath, but Link still heard it loud and clear.

“You’re a monster!” He screamed out, despite his words falling on deaf ears. “What good even is the world if it’s under Ganon’s control?! Do you really think if Ganon were here now, he’d allow you the time to nap and eat bananas at your whim? No! He’d run you ragged or do away with you, altogether! He’s not going to grant you any sort of boon for your loyalty! He only wants to see the world destroyed!”

Kohga shrugged uncaringly at Link’s words before he began to throw the spiked balls Link’s way. “Eh, then it’s an eternal nap for me!”

Hand beginning to throb again, this time painfully, Link whipped out his Sheikah slate and keyed in the magnesis feature. “Oh, I’ll give you an eternal nap alright,” pointing the slate at the spiked balls hurled his way, he took control, shocking Kohga, who nearly fell out of his levitation. As careful as he could, he launched the balls at Kohga’s head. Try as Kohga might to direct Revali to take the hit for him, he wasn’t quick enough and the spikes connected with him, sending him into the dirt at Link’s feet.

With his face in the ground, Kohga could only give a muffled shout-out to Revali to finish the job. But as Link could hardly understand him, he was sure Revali couldn’t either. However, he was quickly proven wrong.

Link was more than ready to deliver the killing blow to the Yiga’s leader, but Revali had other ideas. Diving from the sky, his talons connected with Link’s hip, sending him skidding across the valley. Link winced at the pain he felt in his side as he watched Revali land before the struggling Kohga, his stare never leaving the Hylian for a second. He’d just have to trust Mipha’s healing energy to take care of it. He still had Vah Naboris to calm after this. He wasn’t going down yet.

“I told you to leave, Link,” Revali stated, uncaring for Kohga’s muffled voice telling him to pull him out of the dirt. “Pity you didn’t listen.”

When he pulled out a vicious sickle of his own, Link raised his blade. He didn’t want to harm Revali, but if he was as far gone as Kohga claimed him to be, it might be the only way. When Revali charged him, Link clashed his blade against his, the two equally meeting each other in equal force.

“Sorry, I’ve got a bad habit of not listening.”

“So, I’ve noticed.”

Revali attempted to jump away to take to the skies, but Link didn’t let him. The sky was the Rito’s best friend. If he let him get airborne, the fight was as good as over. Grabbing ahold of his ankle, his hand locking against the jade band around his ankle, Link threw him into the ground below, the Rito letting off a squawk as he connected with the dirt.

“Just stay down. I’m not here to hurt you. Only Kohga”, Link attempted to explain, but that only incited the Rito, who fluttered onto his weapon raised again.

“Bleck! Huff, lacky! I had hoped you would have had that rat taken down already!” Kohga panted out once he had finally freed himself. “What use are you if you can’t even do that?!” With a stomp of his foot, Revali flew to his side. “So much for wanting to finish him off one on one. If you won’t, I will!” The more he stomped his foot, Link swore he had begun to see a bright red forming behind the Yiga leader’s mask, but as soon as it started, it stopped as Revali motioned for him to take a breath. “Oof, thanks, lacky… I almost lost my temper there… Argh, what a pain… I can’t go out like this… What to do, what to do…”

As Kohga hummed to himself in thought, Link stole a glance at Revali, who was doing the same. Without Kohga’s orders, he wasn’t attacking. He only stared, still unseeing, Link felt. Link just wanted to take Kohga out and get Revali some help. He was sure Impa or Purah would know something about how to help him. But he knew if he got too close, Revali would attack, or Kohga would teleport away, or both. He had to think.

“Ha! I got it!” Kohga suddenly declared, bringing all attention onto him as he began to cackle into his palm before breaking into full-blown maniacal laughter. “I’ll bust out my serious moves! A secret technique passed down by the original Master Kohga, my Great Grandpa! It will. Destroy you! This is the end, Link!”

As Kohga began to mumble in the same dark language he had heard the bladesman speaking in earlier, the ground started to shake and rumble, nearly causing Link to lose his balance until a giant spiked boulder bearing the Sheikah symbol appeared before him. It was so massive; he couldn’t even see Kohga nor Revali anymore. As the ball was metal, Link promptly snagged his slate from his hip.

“Ahaha—uh… Huh. Maybe it’s just a tad too big. Are you still over there?”

“Why would I tell you that?” Link asked in bewilderment. How in Hylia’s name did the Yiga have any respect for this guy?

“Well, no matter! Soon you’ll be gone and not just from my line of sight…” Kohga began to trail off as he began to watch his creation rise into the air. Then, with a cheeky smile, Link waved his Sheikah slate at the man.

“Bye, bye.”

Dropping the ball, Link watched as it tumbled towards Kohga. As he was shocked to have his creation coming at him, he failed to give Revali any orders, until out of fear, he grabbed ahold of the Rito’s wing just as the boulder connected with him, taking them both down into the pit.

Heart racing, Link let out a cry as he ran to the edge of the abyss, where he found Revali clinging to an outcropping below.

“Don’t you dare let go, lacky!”

Unfortunately, Kohga, too, clung to the Rito. He offered no help to the struggling Rito. He was only making things worse for Revali; Kohga’s constant pulling and squirming weakened his grip against the rock face.

Without any hesitation, Link leaped down to the outcropping and took hold of Revali’s quivering wing, and began to pull. “Hey, Kohga, you’re dead weight, let go!”

The Yiga leader squeaked. “Hey! I thought you were the hero of courage! Saving the weak and innocent!”

“Weak? Innocent? You brainwashed my best friend!”

“Hey! It was free real estate! He couldn’t remember a thing anyway! I saved him from turning into a frozen Cucco up in the Gerudo highlands! So cut me some slack, hero boy!” Panicked, Kohga began to hug tighter onto Revali’s wing, the Rito wincing from the tightness of his grip.

Link didn’t hesitate long after that. Pulling out Mipha’s lightscale trident, he used the butt of it to poke at Kohga until his grip slipped, and he fell with a shout.

As Link pulled Revali up and into his arms, he could hear Kohga screaming up at him.

“Coward! I shall be remembered! The Yiga clan will track you to ends of Hyruuuuuuule!”

“I’ll be waiting!” Link called down after him before letting off a sigh of relief.

Revali was quiet in his arms, his body boiling and trembling. Brushing the hair from the Rito’s eyes, he found him to have lost consciousness. He only hoped that doing away with Kohga didn’t harm him, but if he didn’t, Revali would never be free.

“Don’t worry, Revali, I’ll get you somewhere safe, I promise.”

Chapter Text

When Link returned to Riju’s throne room, she hadn’t expected Link to be towing a Rito as well as her thunder helm. But in the end, she was just happy to see him back within the town’s walls, safe and sound.

Barta was even in his company. When she had heard of her disappearance after the Yiga’s raid, she had become worried for her safety. The Yiga was no laughing matter, and Barta, a young recruit into the royal guard, didn’t understand that.

Link nor Barta seemed to want to leave the Rito’s side for long, but Vah Naboris was still an active threat, and with the thunder helm back in her hands and Link’s presence, there wasn’t a better time to strike. So once she had Buliara make sure the Rito was comfortable in her chambers, Riju was quick to pull at Link’s sirwall.

“You need not worry, Link. Your Rito friend is safe here,” she assured. “I’ve asked Barta to remain at his side while we quell Naboris’ anger. He’s in good company”.

Link didn’t seem too sure of Riju’s words from the pinch of his face. But he still gave her a smile in acknowledgment. He had yet to tell her his Rito friend’s name or what he had done to get entangled within the Yiga, but trust came with time, and she wanted to prove to him she was worthy of his trust as Lady Urbosa had.

“With the thunder helm, we shall be protected from the electricity Naboris produces.”

Riju knew she’d look ridiculous in the thunder helm. It was fit for a full-grown Gerudo, not a child such as herself, but seeing the distant look in Link’s eye made her want to change that as he had pulled her from her somber thoughts. Pursing her lips, she pulled her tiara from her head and replaced it with the thunder helm. Almost instantly, the helm fell over her face with an awkward tilt. Curiously, she peered out from under the mask to find Link chuckling softly.

With her mission a success, Riju giggled. “Come, let’s get to the outpost south of here. We’ll ride to Naboris together from there. I have something I need to grab for you there”.

-

Buliara had been very specific and very harsh with her instructions to Link: don’t let Riju from his sight, even for a moment. She hadn’t even wanted the young chief to tag along with him, but she couldn’t deny Riju. She was still her superior. Link swore to the Gerudo guard he would protect her with his life, and if he failed, she was free to feed him to the Molduga.

Riju didn’t seem to share her guard’s concerns now that she had the thunder helm at her side, Link noticed. She led Patricia through the dunes with the greatest of ease, even with the added weight of Link at her back.

“You seem to bring out the best in people, Link,” Riju spoke once they reached the outpost. Naboris was still way off, but Link could still feel the electric current in the air. “A couple of days ago, I hadn’t a clue how I would save my people from Vah Naboris’ wrath, and then my thunder helm was stolen right out from under my nose… I was scared I had disappointed my ancestors, my mother, and Lady Urbosa especially. But then you showed up, just in the nick of time. Lady Urbosa must really be smiling down upon me. My advisors and guards always tell me I’m doing my job well, but it feels nice to hear it from an outsider, from a champion like Lady Urbosa. I feel… I feel your words gave me the courage to stand here now, to fight at your side. I am no warrior like my mother before me or lady Urbosa. But, even so, I know in my heart I can help you.”

When Riju began to rub at her face in an attempt to hide her tears, Link took his sash and handed it to her, which she eagerly took, uncaring that it began to mess up her makeup.

“I’m glad my words mean something to you, Riju. When I first woke up after so long, I didn’t have much direction other than the Princess’s voice telling me that I was the light to shine down on Hyrule again. I didn’t know who I was, why anything Zelda or anyone said mattered to me, but I did know I had to do something. I still don’t remember everything, but my conviction in saving Hyrule has never wavered. Sometimes I fear I’m not doing everything I can, but as long as I’m doing something, I’m doing more than I was when I was asleep”.

“You truly are a hero, Link.”

Link laughed, “tell that to the Yiga’s leader, Kohga… I kinda beat him down in a pit with the butt of my trident”.

“If you ask me, he deserved it,” Riju huffed, hugging her helm closer to her chest as she dismissed herself to go retrieve something from the post. She was only gone for maybe a minute when she returned with a couple of bundles of bomb arrows under her arm. “I consider it divine retribution for the trouble he and his ilk caused my ancestors and I. That man always sent out his goons to raid our outposts for gear.”

“You know, he said something similar about the Gerudo.”

Riju rolled her eyes as she slipped the bomb arrows into Link’s quiver. “I bet that mongrel did… But I digress, Link; I want you to use these to hit Naboris’ feet. She draws energy in from the ground. If you hit those, it should stun her long enough for us to board”.

“Sounds like a plan. Should we head off?” When Link made a motion to Patricia, the sand seal barked with excitement.

“Yes, but first, I want to say a prayer to my ancestors.”

Link nodded at the chief as he watched her don the thunder helm and raise her arms into the air. While the helm still fell awkwardly on her head, the air began to swirl around the pair and Patricia.

“My name is Riju, descendant of the royal line and leader of the Gerudo people! With the power of the heirloom passed down in my family, I shall calm the Divine Beast Vah Naboris. Ancestors of the Gerudo! Answer my call! Aid me in this task!” The louder she called, the stronger the air whipped around until Link could begin to see an electric current rushing around. “Oh, wow! I can feel their power coursing through me! Lady Urbosa... Please grant Link and me your protection...” A bright green shield formed from the wind around them as she finished, taking the electric bite to the air with it.

Riju squealed with delight, bouncing in the sand until her heels began to sink and Link had to pull her free. “Link, I swore I heard Lady Urbosa’s voice! She sounded so strong, so warm! I know we’ll succeed with her blessing!”

The ride into Vah Naboris’ storm seemed even longer than the ride to the outpost. It was making Link antsy to see the behemoth of a divine beast groaning in the distance. She was begging for help, but no matter how fast Riju urged Patricia, it felt as though they weren’t getting any closer. He could tell Riju felt the same from the way she bit at the sapphire on her lips.

“D-did you ever hear the story of how Lady Urbosa came to have the power of electricity running through her veins? I read it in one of my mother’s old books; want to hear it?”

Link nodded; a story would be one way to kill time.

-

Well over a century ago, within the kingdom of Hyrule was a princess by the name of Mirele. She was blessed by the Goddess Hylia with a sacred sealing ability that all across the domain came to see. She was a beacon of hope. Her touch healed the wounded and cured the ill. She never turned a blind eye to someone in need.

Lady Urbosa, the soon-to-be chief of Gerudo, heard of the blessed Hylian as she had come of age to set out to find a lover.

The thought of a voe never particularly interested Lady Urbosa. She’d leave that to her sister, but that didn’t mean the thought of travel didn’t entice the young Gerudo. It also got her mother out of her hair. Her mother, the Gerudo chief, was always dissatisfied with her eldest’s disinterest in continuing their family line. She had little hope of her daughter returning with a voe at her hip as she watched Urbosa leave the town’s walls.

She especially hadn’t thought her daughter would earn the affection of the Hylian Princess.

In her wandering of the land of Hyrule, lady Urbosa’s travels had led her deep into the forests of Faron, where thunder and lightning ran rampant. Lady Urbosa showed no fear, however, for she had with her the Gerudo’s treasured heirloom, the thunder helm at her side. Others, however, didn’t share her fortune. During a rather violent storm, she came across a broken-down carriage bearing the insignia of the Royal Hylian family.

While Lady Urbosa wondered what could have brought cushy, Hylian royals out into the wilds, her answer soon came when she saw a bright light come from the Dracozu river. According to her map, the Spring of Courage rested by the serpent’s maw that was the river. Not one to miss out on a battle, Urbosa pulled her scimitar of the seven and her daybreaker shield from her back and made her way up the river.

The Dracozu river had been overrun with monsters. The Royal Hylian guards hadn’t stood much of chance from the myriad of weapons strewn about. Lady Urbosa could hardly tell the difference between what was blood and what was mud amongst the river’s bank. But despite that, the casualties seemed equal on the sides of monsters and Hylians. She could see the charred corpses of bokoblins floating down the river and speared Hylians in the brush.

And it was at the river’s end that Urbosa saw her.

Standing her own against a mighty lynel with electricity foaming at its maw was the Princess of Hyrule, Mirele, her ceremonial gown torn and dirtied, her brunette hair coated in twigs and mud, holding a bow of pure light at the beast.

“Well, don’t just stand there staring, help!”

Heart thumping in her chest, Lady Urbosa felt a wide smile forming on her lips, “My pleasure, Princess!”

As Mirele let fly one of her arrows of light, Lady Urbosa met the lynel’s gaping, fanged mouth head-on with her shield, fighting heavily against its immense strength. Lynel weren’t native to the Gerudo region; while she had no experience fighting one, Lady Urbosa wasn’t one to back down. She had read enough on them to know how to kill one.

While Mirele’s arrow stunned the beast, Urbosa dug her scimitar into its neck and swung herself onto its back with ease, amazing the Princess with the fluidity of her moves. Mirele always likened her moves to an intricate dance; they were always too mesmerizing to look away.

As Urbosa slashed deeply into the beast’s hide, Mirele pelted it with her arrows of light until the beast knew its time was coming to an end. In a last-ditch effort to kill the pair, it unhinged its jaw, electric energy pouring forth. It had Mirele in its sights.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Vaulting herself off the lynel’s back, Lady Urbosa placed herself between the Princess and the beast as it spat the bolt of electricity. Not having the time to get her helm on, she hoped it was enough to simply touch it as she held her other hand forward.

When the bolt connected with her hand, Lady Urbosa writhed in agony before falling to her knees. The only satisfying thing about her pain was that with that last attack, the lynel fell into a heap at the river’s edge. Mirele was at her side instantly; her hands enveloped in warm light as she took Urbosa’s wounded one into her own.

“Why did you do that?” Mirele questioned the Gerudo, worry evident in her otherwise soft voice. “I could have handled it!”

Lady Urbosa couldn’t help her fond chuckle up at the small Hylian. She truly stole her heart and hadn’t even known it. She had always thought the notion of true love at first sight that her sister talked of was a fantasy. Yet, here she was now, staring longingly into the Hylian Princess’ wide hazel eyes, wishing the trembling in her hands would quit long enough for her to brush the light brown hair from her eyes. Mirele could have handled herself fine, but that didn’t mean lady Urbosa wanted to let her. She wanted to protect her with her life. She only wished she could tell her that as she pulled away, the light fading from her hands.

“There, you should be fine now. You know it was rather reckless what you did! You could have gotten yourself killed!”

As the Princess puffed and ranted, Urbosa took the time to look at her hand. There wasn’t a single bruise or blemish, and yet, she could feel an electric charge running through it. Then, out of curiosity, Urbosa outstretched her hand towards a tree in the forest and flicked her fingers when a bolt of lightning came down and lit the tree on fire, startling both her and the Princess.

“Well… Isn’t that something?” Mirele murmured, her hazel eyes alighting with fascination. “Um, would you mind accompanying me back to the castle? I would like to run some tests on you… I-I mean if you don’t mind, um…”

“Please, call me Urbosa, Princess.”

“Mirele.”

Lady Urbosa always found it strange that her ability had become known as Urbosa’s fury. The power wasn’t formed out of anger but from her love and care for the late Queen of Hyrule. However, that didn’t mean she didn’t understand why. Over her many years possessing the ability, she had become known as the fury of the desert for her quick dispatch of foes that came her way with both her sword and electricity. Perhaps it was the name that had become shortened over the years.

-

“Well, Link, what do you think? Pretty interesting tale, is it not?” Riju asked, her tale finished.

They had finally come upon Vah Naboris’ heels, the divine beast letting off a loud moan as electricity began to rapidly pool between the humps on her back.

“Quite,” Link replied, notching his bow with three sizzling bomb arrows to hit one of Naboris’ back feet. Even without Riju’s tale being an actual memory of his, he had gotten to know more about Urbosa. He wondered if the Hyrule royals thought she was to be the wielder of the Master Sword back in the day. He hoped once Urbosa’s spirit was free, she got to be with Mirele again.

When the bomb arrow connected with Naboris’ hoof, the divine beast let off an eerie grumble as the purple light that lit it up short-circuited. Then, as that hoof began to lag, the others glowed brighter to make up the difference.

“Well, one down, three to go!” Riju chirped, adjusting her helm so she could see the sands better. The storm made visibility nil, but the bright purple lights of Naboris’ feet served well as a beacon, as did the angry pink lights that lined her body. But that didn’t mean getting near her hooves was any easier. The lightning Naboris expelled hit violently against the Thunder helm’s shield, shaking both her and Link and near causing them to fall on more than one occasion. Patricia always took this in stride, always leaping back towards the pair, barking at them to hurry it up.

After withstanding another direct blow from Naboris, Patricia rushed for one of the divine beast’s front hooves, placing Riju and Link between the still active back hoof and the front that was still behind in Naboris’ stride.

“Go, Link!”

It was a risk, but Link still went for it. Allowing Revali’s gale to surround him, Link pulled out his paraglider and took flight from Riju’s side. Outside of her protective shield, the static in the air was almost unbearable as it flicked against his skin. He could also feel Naboris setting her sights on him, but he didn’t intend to be in the sky long. As soon as he dropped the glider, the air slowed as he aimed the Great Eagle bow at the three remaining hooves, hitting each one with deadly accuracy. By the time he retook hold of his glider, Naboris had begun to let off a pained groan as her feet collapsed out from under her.

Link could hear both Riju and Patricia’s cheer as he landed at their sides before Vah Naboris’ lower entrance.

“Amazing marksmanship, Link,” Riju spoke, sweat dripping down her brow from where the thunder helm once sat. “But our quest doesn’t end here.”

“That it doesn’t.”

As Naboris regained its footing, Link hoisted Riju onto her platform before crawling on himself as she rose.

“Patricia, wait for us at the outpost, okay?” Riju called down to her faithful companion.

 However, instead of heeding Riju’s words, the sand seal let off loud bark as it buried down into the ground, only to rocket back up, landing between Riju and Link with a huff. She wasn’t about to be left behind.

Link found himself smiling as he made his way to Naboris’ console as Riju scolded Patricia on the dangers that existed within the divine beast. She sounded almost like Buliara.

The moment the Sheikah slate connected with the terminal, Urbosa’s voice trailed down from above, causing both Link and Riju’s ears to perk up.

“Well, well, well… You sure know how to keep a woman waiting… Hm? What’s this?”

Feeling shy, Riju rocked on her heels, squeezing the thunder helm close to her body. “I-I um, Lady Urbosa, I’m—”

At Riju’s stuttering, Urbosa let off a loud boom of laughter that shook even Naboris’ walls. “It’s quite alright little one. I know exactly who you are. You’re the strong chieftain of the Gerudo! I’m glad to see my sister found the love of her life and continued our bloodline… You have her hair and eyes,” Urbosa cooed, voice considerably softer as Riju hid under her helm. Link could tell she was happy with Urbosa’s words, but she was still shy at being recognized by her ancestor.

Seeing this, Urbosa returned her attention to Link. Despite not seeing her, Link could tell she was smiling. “I can’t wait to see you two take Naboris back from Ganon! It’ll be quite the delicious sight! Don’t keep me waiting now; you hear Link? I don’t think I can take another hundred years of Ganon lording over Naboris”.

“D-don’t worry, Lady Urbosa!” Riju squeaked out, taking both Link and Urbosa by surprise. “We will be at your aid, posthaste!” To prove this, she whistled to Patricia. “Patricia, get that monster!” Down the hall of Vah Naboris sat an old guardian scout. As they were out of its range of sight, the scout hadn’t cared about them, at least that was until it had a three-ton seal smacking its body around like a ball. Before the thing could even pull out its blade, Patricia crushed its head between her teeth.

Link just blinked at the sight of Patricia rolling around the blue blood of the broken scout’s body as Riju retrieved the scout’s blade. She wielded the guardian’s sword without fear, which made Link a tad jealous. He still couldn’t stand the color, and he didn’t think that would change with time.

Urbosa let off another full-bodied laughter at the sight. “Little one, you truly are my descendent! You two got this!”

Chapter Text

The interior of Vah Naboris reminded Link heavily of Vah Rudania. For him and Riju to get around, he had to manipulate the beast’s insides with the map he had retrieved, and like with Rudania, it involved a lot of twisting and turning to get anywhere. Riju didn’t seem to mind the constant tumbling around Naboris’ insides; in fact, the beast was much kinder to her and Patricia than Link. When she and her sand seal tried to get up Naboris’ higher levels, the turning her belly quickened and slowed just for her. It made Link wonder if Urbosa still had some control of Vah Naboris even after all these years. Either that or her ancestors truly favored her. Link liked to think of it as both.

The only trouble the pair ever encountered was the many pools of malice that covered Naboris’ insides and her humps. The gurgling and blinking of the eyes of Ganon unnerved the young chief, who was always quick to pop them with her guardian sword.

“My mother told me that if one were to touch that… Goop, you would hear the voices of those Calamity Ganon felled”, Riju explained after popping another eye of malice. At the same time, Link moved to retrieve one of the balls of electricity needed to access the final terminal. “It encapsulates their final moments, driving the living who touch it mad if they hold their hand to it for too long.”

At Riju’s words, Link found himself staring at one of the pools of malice that covered the wall by the electric orb. He could see its eye wiggling as though it was beckoning him to give it a touch. To see how his friends were cut down by Ganon’s blights. He had gotten a taste of it during his time in Vah Ruta. He had felt Mipha’s fear in her final moments before he broke away from the puddle. If he stayed longer… He didn’t want to think about it.

“Link, is everything alright?”

Link jumped at Riju’s concerned voice. He wondered how long he had been staring at the wall to bring Riju and Patricia to his side. While Patricia found fun in riding up and down the elevator, Riju joined Link at his side, her hand pulling at his sleeve, urging him away from the muck.

“I know what you’re thinking… I, too, wonder what happened to Lady Urbosa within these walls… What sort of creature could Ganon create to take down a Gerudo warrior of her caliber? I’m not sure what the other divine beasts were like, or their champions, but I do wonder what befell them”.

Link let off a sharp sigh at Riju’s words. He had yet to tell her of the blight they were likely to encounter once they reached Naboris’ main terminal. If it was anything like the others, it was designed to counter its designated champion as though Ganon had been watching them prepare. Perhaps he was. As Urbosa was an esteemed warrior, he expected her blight to have similar speed, stamina, and strength to take her down. It made him fear for Riju’s safety. As capable as she had shown herself to be, he worried it wouldn’t be enough.

“Riju I—”

“Save it, Link,” she interrupted, nails digging into the sheer fabric of his sleeve. “I appreciate your concern, but I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think myself ready. Being at your side has allowed me to overcome my doubts as chief of the Gerudo, and with my ancestors behind me, I will not let you down”.

With her electric green eyes filled with conviction, she put on her helm and grabbed at the steel ball of electricity. The protection of her helm clashed violently with the electric charge of the ball. To Link, it looked like the ball was floating in her hold.

“Come now. We have a terminal to unlock and a beast to fight”.

As the elevator returned to their level, they were greeted by Patricia, who had managed to retrieve the other ball all on her own. Link was sort of disturbed to see her biting at the sparking ball, but Riju didn’t seem the least bit concerned. Instead, she simply cooed at her companion, giving her a quick scratch to the tuft of fur on her head before joining her find with the other ball already in her care.

“Sand seals have a natural resistance to electricity due to the blubber-like rubber that makes up their bodies.”

Link scratched at his head. That at least explained Patricia’s lack of care of being left in Naboris’ storm when he and Riju got thrown off.

-

Once the last terminal was activated, Link, Riju, and Patricia quickly made their way back towards the central control unit of Vah Naboris. As Link stood before the terminal, Sheikah slate in hand, he gave Riju one last look.

“Sure, you’re ready for this?”

Riju nodded, her guardian spear in hand and thunder helm secured to her head. Patricia was even bouncing at her side, ready to body slam whatever creature Ganon had come up with.

“Okay.”

The moment the slate connected with the unit, a mass of pink and black goo erupted from the terminal, quickly followed by the bright blue light of the Sheikah’s technology. As soon as the blight began to form, Link drew his blade, unconsciously pushing Riju to his back.

“Be on your edge, Link, my descendent!” Urbosa called out once the twitchy mass of Ganon’s essence emerged from the malice. The blight twitched, an electrical current running through its sinewy body as it formed its shield and scimitar-like blade from Sheikah technology. “This formidable adversary was made by Ganon and brought me to a warrior’s demise 100 years ago”.

The blight at first seemed content to stay in place, chittering to itself, its head shaking to the side wildly, unpredictable. Link gritted his teeth; it was observing them. When it finally lurched forward with an eerie giggle, Link knew it was ready to begin.

“Do not allow this to be your end.”

When it teleported before Link with a cackle, he met it head-on, digging his shield into its blade.

“Fight for your lives… And its death!”

“Riju!”

With the beast occupied in its clash with Link, it allowed the Gerudo chief to slice at its gut, causing the blight to hiss and teleport away in a blur to the level below the terminal. Link was glad, the platforms surrounding the control unit were constrictive.

“Riju, watch my back, okay? That thing is fast!”

The Gerudo nodded as she and Link made their way down after it. Patricia decided to jump, her body thumping loudly against Naboris but certainly not louder than her bark at the thunderblight.

As the two were making their way down, it had decided to up the ante, coating its blade in its electrical energy. Its chittering had become growls, its head twisting violently as its red hair covered its flickering blue eye. Unfortunately, it didn’t give Link nor Riju the time to react before it was in their faces, butting Riju to the side with its shield while swiping at Link with its blade, digging into the skin of his abs. The wound seemed superficial to the eye, but the electric charge it delivered was enough to bring Link to his knees, his shield and sword falling from his hands.

“Link!” Riju cried out as the beast raised its blade high over its head. Still stunned by the hit she took, she couldn’t get onto her feet in time despite the nudges her sand seal gave her. “Patricia! Save him!”

The sand seal acknowledged her owner’s pleas with a bark before leaping back into the air. On her descent, she dug her tusks deeply into the electricity-coated blade of the blight, pulling the hissing beast to the ground below. The action gave Link enough time to regain his senses and weaponry to begin unloading slash after slash on the moaning monster until it finally had enough and melted away into a bright blue light that started to fly upwards.

“R-Riju… You okay?” Link puffed out in their moment of reprieve. She had made it onto her feet, but she was leaning heavily on the hilt of her blade.

“I’m fine. Just a tad stunned. How about you? That wound…”

Link shrugged off her worry. He could feel Mipha’s energy already beginning to take the burn away. He was more worried about her, at least that was until he could feel an electric charge in the air. Then, sharply turning, he saw that the blight had emitted metal stakes and had begun driving them into the ground in an attempt to encircle them. However, as it did so, Link took note it had used the electric charge that coursed through its veins. He wasn’t sure it would work, but he had an idea.

“Riju, can you project that shield again with your helm?”

“Yes, I can!”

Doing her best to ignore her fatigue, she raised her sword into the air, causing the electricity into the room to funnel around them as it had done when they were first setting out for Naboris. Link smiled. So far, so good. Next, he pulled out his Sheikah slate and activated his magnesis rune, attaching it to one of the thuderblight’s stakes.

“Now, Riju, think you can focus that electricity onto this stake?”

She pursed her lips, unsure, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t about to try. Pointing her blade toward the stake, she focused heavily on it. “Ancestors, please, heed my call!”

Thunder boomed outside of Naboris as the energy swirling around them coursed down through Riju and her sword and onto the stake, supercharging it to the point it was almost hard for Link to control, but he managed to hit his mark up above. With a screech, the blight fell back down to their level. It didn’t appear to be ready to quit from the way it panted, leaning on its blade, its eye racing from side to side.

“L-Link, you’ll need to finish it…” Riju weakly spoke as she fell to her knees, her hands shaking as Patricia coiled close around her.

“I’ll make you proud, Chief!”

Riju found herself chuckling lightly at the small salute Link gave her before he dashed to clash with the thunderblight. She wasn’t sure what had happened when she called upon her ancestors. She felt their power coursing through her as she commanded the lightning to her will; she hadn’t expected to be overwhelmed by it. Perhaps it was because she was still too young, or perhaps…

Looking at her hands, she was shocked to see an electrical current dancing along her palms and nails. Perhaps her ancestors truly did smile down upon her.

“Mother… I hope I’ve made you proud this day…”She sighed out softly before falling into Patricia’s hide.

With Riju down and Patricia acting as her protection, Link was the only thing on the blight’s radar. Ganon’s damned creation seemed to only register what was moving around it, which was good for him. So long as he kept it occupied, it would never stray towards Riju.

The beast had regained its electric charge and had powered up its weapon again, but Link, by this point, was well used to its common tactics. When it would try and catch him with its superior speed, Link would sidestep and catch it in a flurry, relishing in the groans it made as his blade spilled its malice blood. If it tried to meet him head-on, Link would beat away at its shield until it gave way, allowing him to hit even more, and yet the blight would not fall.

Exhaustion getting the better of him, Link felt himself getting sloppy. He mistimed his sidestep and took the hilt of the blight’s blade to his side, knocking the wind out of him. It wasn’t the thunderblight’s strength that overwhelmed Urbosa. It was its tenacity.

Recovering as fast as he could, Link lunged back into the fray, meeting the blight in another clash. When it didn’t give way, Link pulled back, surprising it, which gave him enough time to get a couple of swipes in. “Why. Won’t. You. Die?!”

“Why should I? Why should I let go of my last divine beast?”

Link could feel his ears flattening back at what he was sure to be the voice of Ganon emanating from the blight.

“Urbosa lasted the longest against my blights, hero. I feared she might overcome it, but our strength and speed are not something only one can overcome. Mipha and Daruk were the first to fall and call out for help; poor Mipha, her blight, overwhelmed her. The fight was uneven from the start, even I felt bad; and Daruk? He didn’t want to worry any of you as he baked alive! I know Revali thought he could kill his blight. But even that egotistical bird had to shut his beak. You know what the last thing he said was?”

“Shut up!”
“He called out for you like the pitiful fledgling he always—”

“I said, SHUT UP!”

“Do you even remember how you fell?”

Hand throbbing with the glowing light of the triforce embedded within, Link thrust his blade into the beast’s gut, taking pride in the howl of agony it let off as the radiant energy trickled down his hand and into his sword, the light immediately piercing through its malice flesh, eroding it, until the blight could take no more and attempting to teleport away. However, it didn’t get very far from Link before it began to bloat and finally erupted.

Vah Naboris was free of her scourge. But Urbosa stilled needed to be freed.

Everything on Link felt heavy from his hands to his face and body. He could hardly even make his way to Riju and Patricia before collapsing onto his knees, his head falling into Patricia’s thick flank. He didn’t want to keep Urbosa waiting any longer, but he could hardly move. The moment the blight was slain, the adrenaline pumping through his veins went with it, allowing his exhaustion to catch up with him.

“Take a rest, Link. You and my descendent deserve it…” Urbosa called down, her voice soothing to the ears.

“But, Urbosa…”

“Not another word. I’ve waited a hundred years for this moment. What’s a couple more hours? Rest. I’d rather you two greet me bright-eyed than falling all over yourselves”.

Link couldn’t argue much with that. Especially with Urbosa’s voice sounding like that of a lullaby and Patricia’s fur being so warm… “Just a bit longer… I promise”.

“I pray good dreams befall you, Link. I can only imagine what Ganon’s words will trudge up…”

Chapter Text

"Link… Gods no, please wake up! Goddess, you can't take him from me too!"

Eyes bleary and body groggy, Link could hardly budge. The voice calling out to him was urgent, weak, and forlorn, yet still refined. He had heard the voice before. It couldn't have been Riju. He had done away with the Thunderblight; Urbosa had given her word that it was safe for a rest. Desperately he wanted to comfort her. 

"Pr-Princess Zelda?" By the Gods, did his body burn as he cracked open his eyes to see Zelda leaned over him, her straw blonde tresses tickling his nose. Her usually pale face was red and covered in mud, her teary eyes barely acknowledging he was moving. She couldn't believe he was still breathing.

"Link…" She sobbed, her dirtied nails digging into his burnt and ripped tunic. "How did it come to this? The divine beasts… The guardians… Ganon, he turned them all against us! Gods… What do we do…"

"Zelda…" Despite it hurting to move, Link forced himself up from the ground to pull the sobbing Princess closer to him, her head immediately burying into the crook of his neck. Now that he was up, he could see Zelda had managed to get him under a small hill within the Ash swamp close to the Dueling peaks stable. In the future, Link recalled, the place was littered with the broken-down corpses of guardians.  

A sinking feeling began to form in his gut.

"W-we need to get you to safety… We need to regroup with the others".

"What others Link?! They're all gone! Mipha, Revali, Daruk, Urbosa, m-my father, they're all gone!" She wailed as a screech rang out through the sky.

Looking up, Link was greeted by Vah Medoh, her once bright blue lights flicking pink rapidly. Heart racing, he could see what appeared to be guardian beams shooting into the sky atop the beast. "R-Revali…"

"I-Impa… Sent word to me she saw the same with Vah Ruta at the Akkala citadel… Mipha… Sh-she—she" When Zelda pulled away to cup her mouth in nausea, Link immediately moved to rub circles into her back. "Link… Everything I have done… Everything was for n-nothing!" She choked past her tears and bile. "I r-really am just a failure! All my friends, my kingdom, my father, I've left them all to die! All because I couldn't harness this accursed power!" With a scream, she righted herself, nearly sending Link to his pain-filled side. He hadn't a clue what she was doing until he followed her bitter stare. Beside them laid the master sword; its blade chipped and marred with blood and dents, which she promptly snagged as Link was too weak to stop her.

"Zelda!" He cried out as she raised the blade to her right hand, venom in her eyes to the triforce that failed to give her the power she worked tirelessly for, the power she needed. He had only just managed to get to his feet and stop her before she slashed at herself. It wasn't the wisest idea of his to grab the blade with his hand, but the blood that trickled down the sacred weapon was enough to shock her back to her senses.

"L-Link I…" The hilt fell from her trembling hands instantly. It was all she could utter before the sound of rapid heavy movement filled the hazy night air.

The Guardians had caught up to them at last, their lurid pink and blue lights filling the smoky area. They shot indiscriminately in their search for the Princess and her knight.

Link knew he didn't have it in him to take down another guardian, and neither did the master sword. He never thought the blade would come to break, but even its sacred power had its limits, as did he. But he couldn't allow harm to come to Zelda. He couldn't protect Revali or Mipha or the other champions, even the King he was sworn to protect. He'd be damned if he failed Zelda too. Despite his legs giving out on him, Link grabbed ahold of the master sword in an attempt to stand. As he tried, he could feel Zelda's hands fall onto his shoulders. They felt warm; it was a nice feeling amongst the cold he could feel his body becoming. This would be his last stand, this much, he was sure.

"No Link, please go save yourself," Zelda begged, frantically pulling at his sleeve as a guardian caught sight of the pair, its eyes flickering with glee. "I'll be fine! Don't worry about me! Run!"

Link found himself wanting to laugh, but all that came from his lips was a gurgle when he finally stood up straight, albeit shakily. There was no more running for him. Spilling from his mouth was blood, a much different sight from the Sheikah goop that had fallen from his lips as he had woken up. He was sure he looked about as threatening to the Guardian and the friends it called as a newborn sparrow. "Zelda, I-I'll hold them off as long as I—"

As the Guardian began to set its sights on him, the world spun around Link. It didn't even hurt when he hit the muddied dirt below. All he could see was the sky blue lights disappearing from Vah Medoh and becoming completely pink. With a pain-wracked cough, Link knew he would see Revali soon.

"Revali… I'll see you and our land of no expectations soon…"

As his eyes began to close, a bright golden light enveloped him in its warmth. Was this death? It seemed too kind, painless.

It took a hundred years, but he learned that wasn't his death. Zelda had protected him.

"Link… Link wake up".

"…Z-Zelda?" He tiredly called out.

"Princess Zelda? No Link; it's Riju. It's time to wake up!"

Link hadn't expected a quick jolt of electricity to run through his nose, but it did get him up. Before him sat Riju, stifling back a giggle behind her hand that glowed with static.

"When could you do that?" He asked. He couldn't bring himself to be angry with the young Chief for shocking him. But he could wish she had been a bit gentler in rousing him.

"My ancestors have seen it fit to bless me as they had lady Urbosa with their strength. I am grateful to them for this chance to grow".

"Me too," with a smile, Link pulled himself to his feet. He was sure Riju would only grow even more if Vah Naboris accepted her as her champion. He couldn't think of anyone better to fill the role other than Urbosa herself. "Come, let's go free, Urbosa."

Once the pair reached the main terminal, Riju took a step back towards Patricia, her weapon held warily in her hands.

"Don't worry," Link chuckled, Sheikah slate in hand. "I have yet to see another blight come out of one of these things."

The moment the slate was pressed to the terminal and the unit turned blue, Riju let out a gasp. For a split second, Link had thought he had been proved wrong, but upon following her stare, he was greeted to Urbosa's sea-green spirit sashaying down the steps of one of Naboris' openings.

"I knew you wouldn't let us down, Link," Urbosa spoke, a broad smile on her sapphire lips as she looked down at the Hylian and her descendent. Her bright green eyes were filled with nothing but warmth for the two, as well as the sand seal that clapped its fins to her in respect. "It's nice to see that the Gerudo are still as strong as ever. You'll make a fine warrior when your time comes… Hmm, what did you say your name was?"

"R-Riju! U-um Makeela Riju!" She near squeaked out before pulling nervously at her braided hair, focusing on a part that got singed by the blight. "I-it's an honor to meet you, Lady Urbosa!"

"Likewise, Chief Riju. Thanks to your and Link's valor and skill, my soul is free, and Naboris is ours once again. Which means that finally… We can complete what we started years ago. We Gerudo have no tolerance for unfinished business".

When she had drawn close enough to Link and Riju, Urbosa couldn't help but muss up Link's veil-covered hair and pinch at Riju's check. Despite the cold, glass-like touch of her hand, her touch felt nice and refreshing. However, that relief wasn't felt long as her eyes had quickly become downcast as she stared down at Link, her face pinched.

"Link… I want to ask; I heard Ganon's words to you. While you were asleep, did you…"

Seeing Link's stare begin to mirror Urbosa's, Riju leaned closer to him. She could feel him start to tremble.

"I saw my fate, yes… I was protecting the Princess, and my injuries got the better of me. The last thing I remember was Vah Medoh and Revali falling into Ganon's hands and a bright warm light". That light he assumed was Zelda's sealing powers, having activated in just in the nick of time. It was the reason he was standing before Urbosa and Riju as he was and the reason she was still fighting alone against Ganon. At least he didn't have to wonder any longer as to why the Guardian's eyes unnerved him so bad.

Urbosa hummed in response, her fists clutched to her side, vibrating. "Both you and the Princess… I know you have suffered much regarding what happened to us champions. But this… This is how things had to happen. No one need carry blame. So, please make it clear she understands that. Tell her to shed any worries and let her know… I couldn't be more proud of her".

As her spirit became dimmer, Urbosa looked to the sun rising out in the desert. "I have longed for one hundred years to see you storm the castle as well as my opportunity to incarnate Ganon into nothing but ash! But as the spirit you see now, that would be impossible… So, please, accept this gift, which has come to be known as, Urbosa's fury!"

Taking a step back from Link and Riju, Urbosa let off a war cry. She floated in the air for a brief moment, directing one hand at Link while the other was held closer to her. Then, with a snap, a ball of pure electric energy came from her hand and embedded itself into Link's chest. For a second, he feared it might burn, but instead, his body just vibrated with the feeling of electricity at his fingertips. Wanting to impress both Urbosa and Riju with his new strength, he spun around, striking a pose before snapping his fingers, causing a small lightning storm to form around him.

At Link's antics, Urbosa let off a booming laugh while Riju looked up at him with sparkles in her eyes. Even Patricia had to give him a clap of approval.

"Oh, how I missed this!" Urbosa chuckled before wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm glad to be able to see you as you are now, Link. Reminds me of Zelda's fifteenth birthday. We had just accepted our roles as champions, and you decided to challenge Daruk and half the Hyrulean army to an eating contest. Poor Revali could hardly get you to stop, even when you were the last man still standing".

Link hoped Urbosa would continue, but he knew their time was up from the dimmer glimmer of her spirit.

"But I digress… Link, I know you'll do me proud, you as well, Riju. You'll make a fine chief and champion of Vah Naboris. In fact, I think she already adores you".

Link found himself snorting at Urbosa's words as Riju jumped in delight. So, he hadn't imagined that she had been kinder to her than him. Seeing this, Urbosa chuckled.

"What can I say, Link? We Gerudo prefer our women" with a wink, Urbosa's spirit vanished into the wind.

Sensing Link's confusion, Riju explained, "Nabooru, who Vah Naboris was named for, was the Sage of Spirits in a time long forgotten, but still celebrated by us Gerudo. Her heroics were quite the legend. She rebelled against Ganondorf and aided your long ancestor, Link".

At Riju's words, Link had to wonder if the other divine beasts were named after those who had assisted his previous ancestors. The thought made saving the divine beasts even more personal than it already was. He hoped now their spirits were at rest as well.

"Well, Riju, you ready to take control of Vah Naboris?" Despite the lack of storming weather outside, Naboris wandered around the desert aimlessly.

With a quick nod, Riju placed her palm upon Naboris' main terminal, causing it to glow a brighter blue.

"Authorizing… Welcome, Chief Riju. It is nice to meet you".

"Likewise, Vah Naboris," Riju spoke, bowing slightly to the main terminal. At this action, Link swore he heard a purr-like noise emanate through Naboris' insides.

"Calamity detected. Shall we move closer, Chief Riju?"

"Yes, please locate the perfect spot and take aim."

"With pleasure."

As the ground began to move below them, signaling Naboris' movement, Link pulled Riju close to his side. At the same time, Patricia coiled close around their legs, pinning them effectively to their spot at the terminal.

Riju, however, wasn't exactly as content to stay in place. Squirming around Link and Patricia, she wanted to get a good look outside of Naboris. She had never ventured far from the Gerudo town. She had never seen the Palu wastelands nor the Eastern Gerudo Ruins. She had always wanted to see the sight of the statues of the seven heroines. Her mother had always promised to take her one day, but… Looking to her side and seeing Link sharing in her stare of the seven heroines and Patricia, her mother's last gift to her, barking in glee at Naboris' climbing of the canyon's walls beside the statues, she couldn't be more than happier.

When Naboris finally came to a halt at the top of the canyon and knelt, Link led Riju and Patricia up to one of the balconies upon the hump closest to Naboris' head. Riju couldn't help her gasp at the sight of the rest of Hyrule.

"Wow… Link, you truly have freed the other divine beasts…" She marveled, her eyes following the lasers of the beasts to the upper sanctum of Hyrule castle. Naboris was finally to join them.

Link nodded, "It wasn't the easiest of tasks. I nearly drowned, got lit on fire, froze, and well… electrocuted, but I met wonderful people along the way; who were just as willing to become their champions".

"Well, let's not keep them waiting." Then, with a quick wink at Link like Urbosa had done earlier, Riju stepped closer to the balcony's edge.

"Vah Naboris!"

The Divine Beast let off a hum of acknowledgment.

“Please target Calamity Ganon! Set your sights as the others have! We may be late to the party, but we will make up for it, won't we?"

The noise from Vah Naboris sounded like an eerie chuckle on the wind. "As you wish, Chief Riju." The sound of rock hitting rock echoed throughout the air as Naboris' horns began to move forward, blue energy extending them forward towards Hyrule castle. Once optimally set, a bright red orb of pulsing energy-filled between the horns before jutting out with speed. Even from a distance, Link swore he could see the top of Hyrule castle tremble at the strength of Naboris' hit.

Almost as soon as the dust began to settle at the castle, Link began to feel that familiar golden energy begin to encircle him. Riju, at first, looked frightened but seeing Link's calm demeanor put her at ease. Patricia didn't mind; she was just trying to eat the bright golden orbs that floated near her face.

"Vah Naboris, I'll be back as soon as I can to your side!" Riju called out as she began to fade even further. "I'm not sure I can go far without my guard, but I know you'll like them too. They are strong like Lady Urbosa!"

"I'll look forward to it, Chief Riju."

As Riju and Patricia vanished, Link was the last one remaining. It was startling at first, but when Vah Naboris spoke, he understood why.

"Hylian Champion… You have freed my siblings and I. I cannot express in words how thankful I am to you. When the Calamity struck, like you and your champions, we too were taken by surprise. In the end, the only use we had was saving our champions' lives as the Princess saved yours. When you woke up, so did they. We only reactivated when the Sheikah towers came online. It was a signal to Ganon that you returned. My Urbosa, she was gone by the time I woke up… I, however, do not know if the others remained within their Divine Beasts, but judging by your face, I can gather they didn't stay. I couldn't blame them. We did betray them, unwillingly".

Link was unsure what to say to Naboris. He was happy to know he hadn't been going crazy when he saw Mipha and Daruk. He was delighted to know Paya's theory was true. He was happy to know that it was indeed Revali who he had saved from the Yiga's clutches. But where was Urbosa? He could tell Naboris was saddened to know Urbosa was still missing. He wondered if the other Divine Beasts longed for their original champions; they just weren't as vocal. They didn't have much of a reason to trust Link in the beginning. How were they supposed to know he was going to aid them all? He could have helped some or none and still gone after Calamity Ganon. But that just wasn't who he was.

"As you said, Vah Naboris, you and the others were taken by surprise by the calamity's arrival. We champions knew of the dangers we were signing up for. You did all you could".

At Link's words, Naboris let off another creepy groan. "The Goddess Hylia picked a good Hylian for the soul of the hero. Memory or not, you are the hero who will bring Hyrule peace. And while I have no proof, I feel it in my ancient bones that our champions are trying the same… Well, I've talked your ear off long enough. Chief Riju must be worried about you by this point, hero".

When the golden light completely enveloped Link, he heard Vah Naboris say one last thing:

"Good luck, hero of courage. If you ever find my Urbosa, please bring her to me, one last time…"

-

The moment the golden light faded from Link's vision, it was quickly replaced by Patricia's hide and Riju's red hair, and the tight feeling of something crushing his ribs.

"Link! You had me worried the Gods sent you to the wrong place!" Riju exclaimed, pulling away to reveal he was sitting at the stairs to her bedroom. It was where he had returned her thunder helm. "Did Vah Naboris have more to say to you?"

Link nodded as he stood to dust himself off. The poor Gerudo clothes Villa had worked all night to make him had begun to fray from the stressful combat he had put them under. If he wasn't still in the Gerudo village, he'd give the poor garments some needed rest. As much as he was sure Riju didn't care about his attire, rules were rules, and he didn't want to test his luck with the village's hospitality.

"Yeah, Vah Naboris just wanted to thank me for coming to the aid of her and the rest of the divine beasts." With Paya's research into the divine beasts now validated, he felt comfortable letting Riju in on what else Naboris had told him. "Vah Naboris… She told me that Urbosa and the other Champions live. In their last act of freedom, they protected their champions. Urbosa, as well as Mipha and Daruk, are out there roaming around, and that Rito I rescued from the Yiga, he is Revali".

As soon as the words left his lips, Link could see the gears turning in Riju's head, her electric eyes flitting from side to side. Her sudden quiet demeanor alerted Buliara from her post at the Chief's throne.

"Chief, what is wrong?" The Gerudo questioned until her eyes fell on Link. "Do you have something to do—"

"Buliara! We must round up our troops!" Riju suddenly shouted, whipping around on her heels to meet her head guard's confused stare.

Buliara looked from Riju's firm eyes to Link's unreadable one. She wondered if he regretted saying what he had to put Riju up in arms. "But why so suddenly? You've only just returned from the Divine Beast; you need your rest".

When Buliara began to usher Riju up to her room, the young Chief began to squirm.

"No! You don't understand, Buliara! Lady Urbosa lives! We must find her and help the others recover their champions! We cannot let them fall into Calamity Ganon's hands!"

Link near jumped out of his skin at the heavy sound of Buliara's golden claymore hitting the floor, cracking the tiles as it came to a halt at the Hylian's feet.

"Surely you tease, my Chief. Th-that would be impossible!" Buliara exclaimed before moving to reclaim her blade.

"I wouldn't lie to the head of my guard, Buliara. If you don't believe me, then we shall go see, Revali then. Won't we, Link?"

Link couldn't argue with Riju's heated stare, nor the forceful way she made her way up the stairs to her room. Buliara could only follow after her and Link silently. But, from the pinched look on her face, Link could tell there was something she wanted to say.

Upon their entrance to her room, Riju let off a gasp. Other than Patrica bouncing on her bed with her stuffed toys, the room was empty. Revali nor Barta were anywhere to be seen. Link could feel his heart rate begin to spike. He wasn't sure of the extent of the damage the Yiga had done to Revali. He could be a danger to himself and those around him.

"I never got the chance to tell you, my Chief. But Barta ended up taking the Rito and leaving the village. Our soldiers nor I could stop her. You know Barta…"

"When she has an idea in her mind, she won't let it go…" Riju sighed before making her way to her bed to sit with Patricia.

"Do you know where she would have wanted to take him, Buliara?" Link hastily asked.

"She was mumbling something about Sheikah technology and the Hateno region. Barta has never ventured far from the desert so, I don't know how she expects to make it there. But knowing Barta, she'll find a way".

If Barta took Revali to Hateno, then it was likely to see Purah. He had wanted to take Revali himself there after Vah Naboris was freed. He wasn't sure what sort of Shiekah technology she even specialized, but he had figured it would be worth a shot.

"I see… Then I'll head out there now".

The moment Link whipped out his Sheikah slate, Riju was on her feet, placing her hands on the screen.

"Wait, Link, before you go, I have something for you." Then, snagging the slate so he wouldn't get any ideas while she was gone, Riju ran down the stairs towards her throne room.

When she returned a moment later, she had a beautifully decorated shield and scimitar with her. Link quickly recognized them as Urbosa's weapons: the scimitar of the seven and her daybreaker shield.

"If Lady Urbosa hasn't returned to us yet, then I can only assume her memory was fractured as yours… Try as we might to locate her. I feel you'll have better luck. If she sees these, perhaps it will spark something in her. But, until then, I want you to use these until you find your Master Sword, Link. You radiate the strength and courage of a hero. The sword will have no issue bending to your will".

After handing him the weaponry, Riju still had yet to return the Sheikah slate. For a moment, he thought she had simply forgotten as she made her way back to her bed. But after grabbing something from behind Patricia, she hid both the slate and whatever it was behind her back.

"Link, I wish I could accompany you on your journey… I'd love to see the sights of Hyrule. But for now, I must be settled with my duty as Chief and Vah Naboris' champion. I hope you don't think this as childish of me, but I would like you to have this".

When she was close enough to Link, Riju presented Link with a handsewn sand seal plush. It had the coloration of a wild sand seal with tufts of fur made from sheared fluff. The cutest part to Link was the tiny pink fabric sewn to its mouth to serve as a tongue. He could also tell the amount of love that went into every stitch.

"…My mother made this for me when I was much younger. I always called her Patty; it's where Patricia gets her name. I want you to take Patty and show her the sights of Hyrule. As I said… It's a childish desire…"

Link shook his head as he hugged Patty close to his chest. The plush was rather cuddly and soft to the touch. Nights at the stable inns would be much better now with Patty at his side. "I don't think it's childish at all, Riju. I promise you; I'll show Patty the sights of Hyrule. She'll return to your side with many tales to tell".

With a smile on her lips, Riju returned Link his Sheikah slate. "Thank you, Link… Do send word to me when you find Barta and Revali. Barta's always been quite the wild card, but she is loyal to those she cares about. She won't let harm come to your friend".

"Don't worry. I will, Riju".

With a wave to Riju and Buliara, Link punched in the coordinates to the shrine within Hateno village. As the blue energy of the slate began to engulf him, he could see Riju tearing up. Buliara was quick to her side, placing a hand on her shoulders, Riju reciprocating the touch before giving Link her wave goodbye.

"Sav'orq, Link, may your travels be safe."

Chapter Text

For as long as Mipha could remember, which wasn’t much, she quickly came to realize was pain; an unimaginable pain that traveled up through her abdomen and to her head. When she found herself awakening within a small pool of strangely thick liquid, her body ached. There was no comfort within the stone-like walls she found herself in. Everything around her was as dark as her sleep had been. The only light came from a faintly glowing orange terminal that beat much like her own heart.

“Wh-where am I?” She called out into the inky darkness far from the terminal she had begun to huddle herself by. The terminal was the warmest thing in the room. It provided her at least a bit of comfort that her strange bed didn’t. Upon receiving no answer other than a peculiar groan from the outside, Mipha pulled herself closer to the terminal, resting her head on her scaly knees. Her head had begun to throb again.

“Mipha, you have to abandon Vah Ruta before it’s too late!” A woman’s hurried voice called out to her. Mipha could feel her head pulsing at each word that left the woman’s mouth. “The citadel can hold its own!”

“Purah! That’s suicide! Do you really think Ganon will let her out?!” A man hissed out, earning him the woman’s ire.

“Shut up, Robbie! Daruk’s already out of range of our radio—he could already be—”

“Please stop…”

The more the voices echoed throughout Mipha’s head, the more panicked she became. The air became too thin. Her scales felt dry. But the worst was the stabbing pain that wrapped around her abdomen and up her back that only fueled the unbearable ache in her head. Any bit of the room's lighting she found comfort in quickly soured as the light only made the pain worse. Firmly shutting her eyes didn’t help either, for the tighter, her eyes became, a grainy scene began to play out before her.

Heart hammering in her chest, Mipha could see out the expansive windows that encircled the terminal she sat by. Out one side, she could see what appeared to be a citadel under siege by an obscene amount of beady, red-eyed monsters and a legion of squirming robots that glowed a bright pink in the hazy, smoke-filled sky. Out the other, she could see more of the robots skittering closer to the citadel and, out in the distance, a writhing, giant, salamander-like beast that flickered from red to blue and back again. She could feel tears falling down her face at the scene.

“…Zelda, Father, Sidon, I… I don’t think I’ll be making it home to any of you…” Looking down at her feet, Mipha was greeted by the sight of a bright blue spear that reminded her heavily of the eyes of the robots storming the citadel. It was stuck clean through her right side, its tip digging into the water at her feet. She could feel something dribbling down from her lips as her body quivered.

“V-Vah Ruta!” She coughed out past the blood that flew from her lips, spattering the blight’s blade before quickly burning away. “P-please, while I still breathe, stop the siege on the Akkala citadel!”

As a loud trumpet cut through the air, the beast pulled its blade from Mipha, allowing her to fall into the shallow water below, her head cracking against the stone. She felt herself smile at the sight of Vah Ruta’s trumpet destroying the bridge to the citadel, the beasts falling like shooting stars, their eyes shining bright.

“Content, are we?” A demonic voice cackled from behind Mipha. She had no strength to face her foe, so it came to her.

Mipha felt nothing as she stared weakly up at the mass of malice and Sheikah technology that was the Waterblight that hung upside down before her. She could hardly even twitch when its thick red mane touched her cheek as it assessed her.

“Your act saved many people, but it lost you your life. You could have fought harder. How does that make you feel?” The beast asked with a twitch of its head. “Was it worth not being to see the princess or your family again with your own eyes?”

Mipha said nothing, allowing the blight to poke her with its blade. Instead, she just watched the blood from her wound swirl around the once clear waters of Ruta. The more blood that left her, the more she noticed the ground below her glowing blue.

“Hmph, what a waste…” The Waterblight groaned as Mipha’s vision began to fade to darkness.

The last thing she could remember seeing was a bright golden light ascending into the heavens from one of Ruta’s windows. Despite being so far away, she felt the light’s gentle warmth.

“Ze-Zel-Zelda… I’m so… Happy…”

Fearing falling asleep again, Mipha jolted up onto her feet the moment what she presumed to be a memory of hers faded away. For a moment, she feared it wasn’t a mere memory, but her reality as light had begun to filter into her chamber, revealing to her the expansive windows of Vah Ruta from her dream. But much to her relief, there was no burning citadel of swarming monsters, just the bright, if not a tad, cloudy sky and peaceful mountain ranges.

“Okay, Sidon, promise me you’ll stay away from the goo, okay?”

Mipha near jumped out of her skin at the voice that echoed through the archway she had never even noticed due to the darkness she had been in. The voice sounded… Familiar, yet it wasn’t either of the kinder voices of her memory. As much as she wanted to run out to meet the owner of that voice, she instead hid behind the terminal, her knees shaking and wound burning.

She had never gotten a decent look at herself until now. The ache that was her abdomen was a choppy, pink scar that marred the white scales of her belly, and from what she could tell, her back was much of the same. From her reflection in the water, she could see the silver adornments that covered her body were cracked, if not completely broken, and her fins were frayed, appearing as though a fish had nipped them. But strangely, the most perplexing thing to her was the tattered sky-blue sash that had once been clipped to her necklace. Under her touch, the clip had broken, leaving the fabric to fall into her hand. As her nails dug into the old sash, she swore she could hear a woman’s voice; however, she couldn’t discern a thing of what was said, as it sounded to her ears as though the woman was underwater.

Pursing her lips, Mipha tied the tattered shawl to her hips in an attempt to hide her scars. Maybe the voice would sound clearer in time. After all, she had a stranger to tail after.

-

As brave as Mipha thought she was to follow the blonde swordsman and his tall Zora companion, she couldn’t bring herself to emerge from the shadows and show herself. The pair went from terminal to terminal, activating them all without noticing they had an observer hiding in the water or behind a wall. Anytime a good opportunity to show herself presented itself; she always got cold feet. As good as their intentions seemed to be within Vah Ruta, her fear wouldn’t leave her. She had no weapon to protect herself with if things went south, and things went south fast.

Once the pair had made their way back to Ruta’s main terminal, Mipha had been set on introducing herself. However, as soon as she stepped foot through the archway, the swordsman placed a strange object on the terminal, and a disgusting glob of black and pink shot out, quickly followed by the blue tendrils of Sheikah energy. It was the Waterblight. Not wanting to be on the end of its blade again, Mipha ran out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her.

Feeling her body turning into nothing but a walking tremble, she hid behind the wall outside the terminal room, crouching down to bring her knees to her chest. She prayed for the safety of the pair fighting the beast. She had lost herself to it who knows how long ago.

 “So you’re the creature that took my sister from this world? It will bring me great pleasure to see you erased!”

Golden eyes widening, Mipha crawled on her knees to the archway where she could see the tall Zora standing firm, his spear pointed firmly at the blight. Her breath quickened; she could almost remember the exact sight; the only thing was, was that the Zora was much, much smaller, wielding a similar spear, five times his size. He had his weapon pointed at a blue-maned lynel, not a creature of unknown creation.

“Why do I…”

“Let me take lead, Sidon,” the swordsman spoke, earning him a frustrated stare from the Zora, but he still listened, taking a more defensive stance.

The familiarity to his voice was frustrating to Mipha. In her mind, she could see the blonde standing next to a grainy, navy blue figure and an even more hazy blonde and sky-blue figure. None of their words were clear to her. Everything was warbled.

“Why can’t I remember?!”

As her fists hit the water below, a shrill cry reverberated throughout Vah Ruta. Eyes snapping back to the terminal, she could see the swordsman and the Zora were safe and sound. The Waterblight bloated before finally erupting away into nothing. Mipha could do nothing but blink, especially once she saw her own seafoam reflection emerge from the wall, she had taken her final breaths. Was she dead? No, that was impossible; the world around her felt real: her pain, fears, and water beneath her fingers. It was all real!

But then, who was the tall Zora holding close to his chest as though they’d vanish again? The swordsman looked as though he was crying like the Zora. Mipha felt wrong for looking in on them. While she shared her likeness, they were separate people. She was sure of that.

Before Mipha knew it, her spirit self was gone, and Vah Ruta was moving, the darkness returning. Mipha could feel panic begin to swell in her chest, especially once the terminal entrance sealed shut and the water started to rise around her, but as it did, she swore she could feel a tender hand on her shoulder.

“Do not be afraid. You will be alright”.

From the corner of her eye, for the briefest moment, Mipha saw her own hand soaked in seafoam before the water covered her head. She was a Zora, she would be fine in the water, and sure enough, she was. When the water receded, the chamber reopened, and she was greeted by the sun again. A blessed sight after being in the dark for so long.

The comfort of the sun gave her the courage to step into the terminal room once more. But as she drew closer to the swordsman and other Zora, she had begun to realize it wasn’t the sun giving her comfort; it was the bright golden glow that had begun to encircle them. Mipha thought she heard the swordsman say something, but whatever it was, was lost on her ears as he vanished into golden dust that Mipha was quick to try and grab at.

“…Mipha… It’s strange to see you so lost”.

Startled by the strange, disembodied voice that called to her, Mipha looked around until her eyes settled on the gentle beating blue of the terminal.

“Ruta?”

“You remember me?”

Mipha shook her head, digging her nails into her sash, “not really, no…” Vah Ruta grumbled at her words, causing the ground to shake below Mipha’s feet. Fearing she upset the machine, she added on. “B-But I know you heeded my last request… I-I felt the blight’s blade tear through me, but somehow, I feel you saved me”.

“It’s good to know that Ganon’s magic wasn’t all-consuming… As my last act of free will, I put you into a restorative slumber despite knowing it may take your memories. Ganon, however, had control of me soon after. He severed your spirit from your body, sealing your spirit and abilities within me. What you saw with the Hylian Champion, Link was that last vestige. All she could do was bequeath her powers of healing before vanishing,” Ruta explained, her voice heavy.

“Does this mean I’ll never remember my life before this?” Despite the ache the memory of her demise had given her, Mipha had the desire to know more. The people in her memory had cared for her; they wouldn’t have asked her to flee Vah Ruta otherwise. And what was her relationship to the Hylian Champion or his Zora companion? The thought of never remembering made her queasy.

“if you were able to recall your final moments… Perhaps your memories will return to you with time, but your abilities will not”.

“I don’t even remember what they were, Ruta. Could you tell me?” Hands clasped close to her chest, Mipha stepped closer to the terminal as she began to feel its warmth grow.

“What sort of Divine Beast would I be if I didn’t? My lost champion…”

Vah Ruta spoke of nothing but admiration of Mipha’s previous self. She described her as a caring Zora princess, who wanted nothing but the ability to protect those she cared about, so she agreed to be Vah Ruta’s champion. Before the Calamity that brought Mipha to her end, she had possessed an ability unknown to her kind. She had been born with the ability to heal wounds with her mere touch. Zelda, the Hylian princess, had hypothesized that the water retained in her body possessed restorative capabilities. Ruta seemed as though she wanted to say more on her talk of Princess Zelda, but she held her tongue.

It upset Mipha, but none of Vah Ruta’s words triggered anything within her. She couldn’t imagine having the ability to heal wounds. However, she could acknowledge that she didn’t possess them anymore if the giant scar that covered most of her frame was anything to go on.

My sweet Mipha… I can see in your eyes that none of what I’ve said has rung any bells. I feel it would be best of you to seek out your own answers”.

The Zora looked worriedly outside of Ruta’s windows. In her following of Link and his companion, she had ventured outside of the safety of the divine beast. Below, all there was, was water. While she still saw water, it was now closer to her. In the distance, she saw a massive snow-covered peak with a strange beast wrapped around it.

“Ruta… What is that? If you don’t mind me asking,”. It was strange, but she swore she could hear the beast calling out to her. Without really thinking, Mipha began to scale the Ruta’s walls to sit on the window’s sill. The drop below was still quite a way off, but she couldn’t live the rest of her days within Ruta.

“Ah, as a child of the Goddess Nayru, it doesn’t surprise me you sense her acolyte’s pain. What you see is Mount Lanayru and the dragon, Naydra. Mount Lanayru was yours and the champion’s last stop before the calamity began. Ganon’s malice heavily corrupted the area. Not even Naydra was safe”.

“I-I… I think I need to go”.

Ruta let off a hum of curiosity at the Zora. “Despite having no memory, you still want to risk yourself?”

“I was too absorbed in my fears to even introduce myself to the Hylian champion, someone I was once close with… But now I… If I truly was once your champion, then I can aid Naydra even without my abilities. But, as you said, I must seek my own answers”.

Without looking down, Mipha allowed herself to fall from Ruta, her body quickly shifting into a dive that allowed her to pierce through the water with ease. From her spot in the dark water, the only thing that stood out was the murky blue light of Ruta’s feet, but she could tell the water led the way into an underground cavern from the pull of the water below. Vah Ruta seemed to favor her travel by water, so there must be many chambers throughout the area for the beast to get around effectively. With the feeling of giddiness overpowering the ache of overexerting her body, Mipha dove deeper into the caverns.

-

In the dark of the water, Mipha traveled blindly until she began to see a bit of light breaking through the water. She wasn’t sure where she would emerge, but as she peeked out of the water, she was happy she could still see Mount Lanayru off to her right. There was also a pathway just before the gate to the mountain that looked clear of enemies. But as soon as she had begun to swim closer to the road, the now-night sky had started to turn blood red, and the corpses of the once dead monsters that lined the road stood again, reclaiming their weapons as though they hadn’t acknowledged their deaths.

Mipha considered a hasty retreat, but as she swam back to deeper waters, a lizafos caught sight of her, squawking at its companions to do the same. By the time they started trying to pelt her with arrows, Mipha had just made it behind a broken-down fountain.

“Well, this could have gone better…” She groaned to herself. At least the skies had returned to normal. The bright full moon now showed down upon her, and as though in apology, the light glimmered down upon a Zora spear that had been forgotten in the shallow water.

Upon her grabbing of the spear, one of the lizafos had grown bored of waiting for Mipha to come out of hiding. As it scurried to her side, it was met with a spear stuck through its throat. It let off an incoherent gargle before falling to the water as Mipha removed her weapon.

“I’m sorry, but it was you or I…”

When the rest of the monster camp noticed their friend’s corpse floating down the river, their attention was on Mipha, who had stood herself atop the broken fountain. She could feel her body tremble, begging her to flee, but she refused. She was tired of living scared in the dark, suffering in silence with her pain. She wanted her answers, her memories. If taking on an army of monsters was the way to do that, then be it.

Mipha could tell she had played more of a support role in her past life due to her healing gifts, but in her bones, she could feel the skill of a strong warrior the tighter her hold on her spear became as well as the nip of the water at her ankles. As the bokoblin and lizafos charged at her, Mipha fell into a fighting stance, easily butting the weapon from one lizafos’ claws before swiping at the water, sending a wave at her disarmed enemy as well as the rest that had yet to catch up still. It was nice to know the water bent to her will regardless of the lack of her abilities; then again, it was likely just an innate ability of the Zora. However, regardless, it still made her heart swell. She could do this.

Once Mipha was sure the monsters were drowned or busying themselves, shaking the excess water from their bodies, she took off down the Lanayru road for the mountain. She knew it wouldn’t be easy to climb her way to Naydra, but she hadn’t expected to come face to face with a massive red-furred lynel so soon after crossing the gate.

“I don’t suppose you’ll let me through, will you?” Mipha found herself dully asking as the beast whipped out its crusher. “I didn’t think so.” As it charged Mipha’s way, she nimbly dodged its blow, leaving her an opening to spear at the beast’s gut. It was as if time had stopped around her for a moment bringing with it the feeling of nostalgia.

“You see, Link, Revali, when your enemy comes close to you, at the last possible second, dodge,” Mipha could see a slightly younger version of herself explaining to a younger version of the swordsman from Vah Ruta, Link, as well as a Rito fledgling. She could only guess that the Zora didn’t age the same way as the other races. She held a lovely diamond and sapphire trident in her hands as she demonstrated her technique to her eager audience. “My father told me that this act will serve to startle your enemy, giving you a window of attack! He told me it feels like time itself slows down, though I have yet to experience it…”

Instead of focusing on her fight with the lynel currently before her, Mipha’s mind decided to jump its thoughts to a battle with another lynel. Atop a spiny-looking mountain, Mipha found herself and Link standing before a red-furred lynel as thunder crashed down on one of the mountain’s spires. In the brief illumination, Mipha could see a small Zora child lying curled tightly into the lap of a blurry blonde figure’s black-clad lap behind the lynel’s back hooves. Mipha could feel her chest heaving heavily.

“Accursed lynel!” She spat as the falling rain began to circle around her trident. “As my father before me, I shall end you and any more of your kind that finds their way up to this mountain!”

When she looked at Link, she could see the surprise in his sky-blue eyes, but it quickly faded into a firm stare as he signed to her. ‘You take the lynel. I’ll get Princess Zelda and Sidon to safety and come back”.

‘If you think he’ll still be standing,’ Mipha signed back, earning her a smile from the Hylian before they splintered off to accomplish their tasks.

Mipha’s world shifted from past to present as she fought her lynel. As she got the upper hand in the present, she found herself fighting through a parry with the lynel of the past, funneling the water around her spear to give herself more strength. When the lynel’s power inevitably prevailed, Mipha jumped out of the way with grace, causing the beast’s crusher to get stuck in the mud, leaving her the window to jab away. When she got the present lynel on the ropes, it unhinged its jaw, ready to blast her with fire, a stark contrast to the one of the past who decided to whip out its bow, notching it with shock arrows. Mipha hadn’t a thing to deflect the arrows with. The only thing she could do was dodge, and dodge she did. As it let its arrows fly, she rolled to her side.

It was at that moment that she knew what her father was talking about, the perfect dodge. True to his word, the world slowed around the Zora; she could see each shock bouncing of the arrows and the grimace on the lynel’s features. She could even see Link running back up the mountain’s side, the master sword at his side. But, in the present, she could feel the heat of the lynel’s fireball licking at her scales.

Mipha could feel a smile crossing her lips both in the past and present as she raised her spear like a javelin. Then, with all the strength she could muster, she threw it at the lynel’s face, piercing it with deadly accuracy. The lynels roared as they tried to pull the weapon from their face, but it was useless. They succumbed to their injuries after a bit of struggle, allowing Mipha to reclaim her weapon.

It wasn’t much of a memory, Mipha thought as she scavenged around the lynel for materials she could use. But at least it confirmed to her she had some sort of a relationship with the Hylian champion and perhaps even his Zora companion, even if it made her curse her trepidation on greeting them within Vah Ruta. The one thing the memory left her with was the desire to know more. Who was the Rito? How was her father doing? And what bugged her the most was the mystery blonde. Something in her was telling her that they were important to her, but if that was the case, shouldn’t it be easier to remember them? She knew it was no use in thinking about it. Memories weren’t simple things, but they frustrated her to no end.

“Perhaps, Naydra can tell me more…” It was a shot in the dark, but she felt the dragon’s call for a reason, right?

The only thing Mipha found of use on the lynel was his lance and a small pouch of unappetizing spicy peppers. It would have to do. Mount Lanayru didn’t appear to be the warmest. Taking her sash, she wrapped it around her upper body and head, tying it just above her breastbone. It was meager protection at best, but if the chilled waters of the underground caverns hadn’t bothered her, maybe she would be fine in the cold, she prayed as she began her trek up the snowy mountain.

 At least her wounds didn’t seem to ache as much anymore.

Chapter Text

In sleep, there was peace; at least that was the answer you’d get if you asked Daruk. Being asleep within a hot bath of blue goo was the best rest for any Goron, he would declare. He dreamed ceaselessly of fresh fall of the bone rock roast and tall, tall glassed of delicious mineral water. Despite it all, he felt as though he was missing something, especially when his bath began to move, sloshing all the liquid out to be quickly evaporated by the heat in the air.

Without his bath, Daruk hadn’t a reason to stick around the same area. So, he decided to explore his now roly-poly surroundings. The outside of what he decided to dub a giant fire salamander was near inhospitable when he decided to climb around the volcano's sides, he called home. But the worst was when this cannonball would come out of nowhere and beat at the salamander. It didn’t often happen, especially when he heard a cry from the volcano’s foot of “Ow, my back!” If that aged voice met Daruk’s ears, he and the salamander didn’t have to worry about an attack for a good week. It allowed him the time to kick up his feet and relax, except for the constant shifting of the salamander’s insides. After a while, it was like a lullaby, rocking him to sleep.

However, the more time passed, the more he began to dream of more than rock roasts.

Sometimes Daruk would find himself laying on his back with a mini version of himself bouncing on his gut, teething at a metal chain that he had wrapped around his body, taking ‘special’ care to focus on the metal plate with a ruby carved in the shape of what Daruk assumed to be a foot inside.

“Hey, little rock, be careful with that Goron ruby. It tastes awful!” He laughed when the child began to sputter as soon as his tongue touched the ruby. “Gemstones are the worst, aren’t they? Pretty but foul!” The young Goron didn’t share his father’s mirthful laughter.

That was one of Daruk’s fonder dreams. However, the worst by far was the dream that left him feeling as though he was burning alive.

In the dream, he was surrounded by a red barrier, a blade of rock in hand. He was pushing heavily against another blade; only it was encased in fire. In one eye, he could see the volcano he and the fire salamander lived on now, and in the other, he could see the orange terminal he had noted on the salamander’s back. The only real difference was that it was flickering from blue to orange.

“I-Is that all ya got ya hunk of lava sludge!” Daruk spat at the fire blade’s wielder. Through the flick of flames, he could see what looked like a dark piece of slate rock with a beady blue eye set in its center. The longer he stared, the hotter his barrier became and the more the beast cackled. It knew he was bluffing.

“D-Dar—you---need—out of there!” A woman’s heavily static-filled voice crackled over the terminal. He got the gist of what she wanted, but he had no intention of complying. If he left Vah Rudania now…

With his eyes on Death Mountain, he shook his head. “Sorry, Purah! I can’t do it. Can’t let Ganon take ol’Rudania back home!” Allowing his barrier to drop, he did his best to parry the blight’s blade so he could dodge to the side. It was a sloppy maneuver, earning him a deep gash to his left arm, but he managed to get away for a brief moment, his eyes on Rudania’s terminal despite the heavy shaking of his vision. The Fireblight’s heat had gotten to him.

“R-Ru-Rudania! I know it sucks but—Gah!” Pain erupted from his abdomen; looking down, he found that the blight had stabbed him clean through the back. No blood dripped; the wound had been cauterized instantly by the extreme heat of its weapon. What a coward. “Rudania, you can’t l-let Ganon take you back home! Pl-please… take yourself out to the Akkala sea! I’m beggin’ ya!” ‘I won’t let Ganon hurt my boy!’

When the Fireblight pulled its blade free of Daruk’s back, he fell face-first into the rock below. He couldn’t budge a single muscle. Ganon had bested him.

“…D-damn… And here I thought we’d be supporting you, Link… Sorry little guy, but this is where I…”

“Why did you have to fight? You could have spent your last moments with your child instead of dying a pitiful death upon this divine beast”.

Daruk managed to eek out a hoarse scoff at the eerie, malice-filled voice of the Fireblight that floated between him and Rudania’s terminal. The blight had cooled down, its fiery hair returning to the dark red of Ganon’s.

“I ain’t gonna justify nothin’ to a coward like you. Coming when Zelda was at her weakest. Invading the divine beasts behind their backs and taking over the guardians”.

The blight laughed to the point where it had to bring its hand to its eye to regain its composure. “Do you really expect me to play fair? You make me laugh! I don’t care how underhanded my methods may be, a win is a win!”

As Daruk’s vision began to fade, he could see the rising of its now bright blue weapon into the air, ready to finish him off. Daruk had every intention of closing his eyes, but a bright golden light erupted over the horizon beyond the blight’s back. It was beautiful.

“Princess… You and Link got this now…”

After that dream, Daruk always found it difficult to sleep. He had come to remember as a Goron that he didn’t need to rest as much as he had been in the past. But it had passed the time much quicker than wandering about Rudania’s inner chambers.

Daruk wasn’t sure how long time had passed before he saw Rudania’s door shut, plunging him into darkness aside from the myriad of pink and purple goop that stared at him with their beady yellow eyes. He had never even noticed the goo until now. But none of the ick was what concerned Daruk; at what once was Rudania’s entrance, he could see a bright red shield that mirrored the one he had displayed in his dream. The Goron inside looked rather cowardly, but Daruk was sure he was brave if he actually had ventured here. Rudania had moved down into the pits of the volcano after all. Beside the other Goron was a much smaller man who had a sword attached to his back. He was confused at first as to why the man wasn’t bursting into flames, but he quickly assumed his garments were protecting him.

Having been alone with himself for so long, Daruk wasn’t sure he wanted to approach the pair. He felt shy, especially with the giant white scar that marred his otherwise tan belly. He was sure the rocks on his back didn’t look any better. He feared he’d scare them off, and he didn’t want that. So as the pair activated the blue torches in the room, Daruk made himself scarce, hiding in the shadows of the room behind them until they got Rudania’s vents and doors open again, at which point, he hid behind the door they had come from. It was the perfect spot to lay, at least that was until Rudania decided to move himself around repeatedly.

“Geeze, Rudania, having trouble getting comfy in the magma?” Daruk laughed, patting the salamander until he was calm. With his constant movements, he hoped that his guests were doing alright. He could hear the Goron squealing every now then as well as the swordman’s words of encouragement, until, for awhile, there was nothing.

Worried, Daruk hoisted himself up to Rudania’s terminal, where he was met by the sight of the same fiery creature that had taken his previous life. The sudden twinge of the pain of his scar near made the Goron fall, but when he caught sight of the Goron and the swordsman standing up to it, the ache began to dull, especially once he saw the Goron successfully parry back the damned blight’s attack with his shield. It was strange, but he felt pride swell in his chest at the sight, feeling it only grow as the swordsman made quick work beating the beast in.

But that pride soon turned to worry as the Fireblight changed tactics. When it caught the pair in the same pinch of a spot It had him in, Daruk had wanted to do something, but he had nothing. Nothing he could do would take the blight’s attention off the pair for longer than a second. It would just be a repeat of the past, and he was sure he wasn’t going to get a third chance. Luckily the ice of the swordsman’s arrows kept the beast from holding its assault for long. But that didn’t mean Daruk was any less worried; for the remainder of the battle, he kept his head pinned to the stone he clung to until finally, he heard the blight let off a shrill squeal.

Looking up, Daruk was met with the sight of the Fireblight erupting into nothing and the Goron and swordsman jumping for joy. He couldn’t help his sigh of relief as he slid back down towards Rudania’s inner levels. They were safe, the blight was destroyed, there wasn’t anything more to worry about, or so Daruk thought.

The moment Daruk had gotten comfy, Rudania was on the move again, causing him to have to cling to one of the beast’s inner terminals. He could see the swordsman and other Goron having to do the same, and the last thing he wanted to do was crush the tiny swordsman by rolling around.

When Rudania finally was happy with his new location, the pair ran back out to his surface. Daruk couldn’t help but follow after once he was sure they were there, but by the time he made it, they were already being absorbed within the same warm golden glow he had seen in his dream. It was brief, but Daruk could feel the swordsman stare at him before he vanished.

“Dang it, late to the party…” Daruk sighed with a scratch to his white hair.

It was rare for Rudania ever to get as close to the lip of the volcano as he was now. The sight of the lands away from the volcano was breathtaking. Daruk liked the grainy rocks of the mountain, but even he could appreciate the greenery all around. The only thing he didn’t like was the dark energy surrounding the castle out in the middle of the landscape. It reminded him darkly of the Fireblight.

“Took you long enough to get here. I was beginning to wonder if you got lost”.

Daruk didn’t know how he knew it, but he was sure as the rock beneath his feet that the disembodied voice he heard belonged to Vah Rudania. Daruk chuckled. “Sorry ya giant dodongo, I was just feelin’ a little shy, that’s all. Not every day you get to see yourself avenged”.

Rudania hummed in agreement. “It was quite the pleasure watching the Hylian champion, and your descendent destroy that accursed blight, wasn’t it?”

Daruk pulled at his beard. So that little swordsman was the Hylian champion… Link his mind helpfully supplied and his descendent; it was no wonder he had been able to use his shield. The thought made his heartache. His little son from his dreams had grown up and had a kid of his own, and maybe even that kid had a kid. How long had he been down for the count? “Yeah, it was. Sure, put that thing in its place… Say Rudania…”

“A hundred years have passed since the fateful day of the calamity. Before that cretin could finish you off, I took you into my restorative chamber. But, unfortunately, the slumber stole your memories, and Calamity Ganon stole your spirit and abilities. When the champion freed me, your spirit chose to give those abilities to him and bequeath me onto your descendent. He is now my champion”.

The Goron couldn’t help the smile that formed on his face. When Rudania let off a noise of confusion, Daruk chuckled. “Well, that version of me knew that lil’guy, Link. I trust injudgmentement. I’m more than my powers, after all! And I’m sure my descendent is cut from the same rock as me! I’m sure you’ll love him, Rudania.

“It's impressive to see that your lack of memories haven’t changed who you are in the slightest, Daruk. I do wonder what became of the other champions. I doubt my siblings had as good of Champions”.

Daruk felt himself begin to blush at the divine beast’s words. “Aw, you’re too kind, Rudania. I don’t know much of what’s goin’ on but… Think you can give me a refresher?”

At Daruk’s words, Rudania let off a low purr, before beginning his tale.

According to the Divine Beast, after Daruk had fallen, the Hylian princess, Zelda had been able to activate her sealing abilities, but at the cost of the Hylian Champion, Link, who was a key piece in ending the calamity. To save the realm, Zelda had Link placed in a slumber similar to Daruk’s where he stayed for 100 years before awakening. Alone, Zelda faced Ganon, freezing him and his power in time until the hero came again. Zelda’s power cut Ganon’s connection to the divine beasts, causing them to freeze where they were. But it didn’t mean they were free; only dormant.

“If I remember correctly, I was stuck halfway out in the Akkala sea, Vah Ruta was left outside the Akkala citadel, Vah Naboris fell out in the Hyrule Ridgeland and Vah Medoh froze out in the Gerudo Highlands. The last word I received from any of them was that they too placed their champions in slumber”.

“Wow… Think any of them are still kicking around their divine beasts?”

“I do not,” Rudania bluntly answered, causing the Goron to deflate. “Link, has already reached out to Vah Ruta, as you can see by the light she emits onto Hyrule Castle. I doubt her champion still lingers if he hadn’t said a thing about her. As for Vah Naboris and Vah Medoh, those two champions were particularly battle inclined. I imagine Ganon hadn’t been able to damage their spirits as effectively. If Ganon hasn’t considered this already, then they’re more than likely to find themselves at Link’s side come the time he finds himself ready to take the beast on”.

Feeling as though that was Rudania’s way of cheering him up, the Goron found himself stretching his arms out. “Then what am I waiting for? I was your champion for a reason, right? I can’t let the lil’guy face that Ganon thing on his own!”

“I suppose not… Though I wouldn’t head for the castle in your state. I would head to into the most Northeastern reaches of here, the Akkala region if you find a map. During my time stuck in the sea, I watched a Sheikah researcher take up residence in the area. I remember him from your time, so I feel that would be the best place for you to start. He might even arm you… Well, for a price I would assume”.

Daruk pursed his lips. Even at the cusp of the end of the known world, he’d still have to find rupees… Good thing Death Mountain was rich in gemstones.  

“I know this is quite a bit of information to take in, Daruk. But I want you to know, you can start a new life. You don’t have to fight Ganon anymore. You don’t have to let Link know you live. I know he wouldn’t blame you”.

“Don’t worry, Rudania, I know. But I just don’t think I could live with myself if I didn’t do something. Link avenged my death; I think I owe him something… Besides…” It was hard for the Goron to say his next piece. “Besides… I doubt there’s much waitin’ for me back down with the Goron’s. I don’t want my descendent to think I’m gonna freeload off him”.

It had been hard for Daruk to leave Vah Rudania’s side. It wasn’t because of the lava or the treacherous terrain of the volcano itself, but because it felt as though he was leaving home for the first time. He knew that was far from the case, even if he couldn’t remember it. Rudania had been sad to see him go. If he was more than a disembodied voice, he was sure he would have seen him cry. But Rudania wouldn’t be alone for long. His descendent would be around shortly to keep him company. Daruk never caught his name, but he was sure he was someone both he and his son would be proud of.

Being a Goron, Daruk had been able to roll himself up into a ball and make it down from Death Mountain in record time. At least that’s what he thought. But, being unfamiliar with the roads, he hadn’t been sure when to stop, so he kept rolling and rolling until finally, he felt the ground disappear below him.

“Eh?!” Uncurling, Daruk found himself plummeting towards a small watery cavern dug into the grassy ground below. He had made it off Death Mountain alright, but as a cannonball. “I sure hope nothin’s down there!”

As Daruk hit the water, he could hear rock crumbling beside him. He had broken something, alright.

“Ow…” The Goron groaned as he righted himself. The water was incredibly shallow with strange little plants floating about; though most of them now covered the statue that sat in the middle of the spring as well as her now damaged platform. As Daruk stood, one of the pillars beside the statue crumbled. All Daruk could do was offer a meager apology to the statue.

“Uh, do you like gemstones?” He nervously asked the statue, staring up at her never-changing smile as he presented her with a ruby he had found on the mountain. When he received no answer, he placed the stone down on what appeared to be a platform for offerings.

Daruk hadn’t expected a thing to happen, but as he stepped away from the statue, he noticed it had begun to glow a warm, familiar, gold light. It was the same as the one he saw on Rudania as well as in his dream. “Z-Zelda?” He asked tentatively as the glow brightened.

“For your offering, allow me to show you a memory long forgotten…”

Before Daruk even knew what was going on, he found himself transported to the entrance of the spring. Closer to the statue, but not quite in the water, he could see Link, standing with the Master Sword (how’d he know that?!), his hands resting on the pommel, while in the water, he could see a young blonde woman wading her way out to the statue.

“Ugh, why did we have to accompany that insipid knight and the Princess out here?”

Looking down to his side, Daruk, was greeted to the sight of a sour-faced Rito glaring outside of the spring. He never once turned to meet Daruk’s eyes or check in on the Princess.

“C’mon, Revali. It’s a part of our job descriptions as Champions! Zelda’s our leader. We have to make sure she’s safe”, Daruk firmly answered, frustration with the Rito growing in his belly. He had always been on the standoffish side, but this was becoming ridiculous. “Besides, Mipha did offer to come in your stead”.

Revali’s feathers puffed, “what are you implying, Daruk?”

When Revali’s emerald eyes narrowed dangerously up at the Goron, Daruk could feel a mischievous smile beginning to form on his face. “The Princess told me at camp that Link had been in a training accident the other day.”

“So? What do I care?”

“I imagine a lot. After Mipha healed his wound, she told Zelda that you wanted to take her place on our trip the Spring of Power”.

 Daruk wasn’t one to dig into other people’s business, but it hurt him to see Revali and Link so distant with each other. He hadn’t known either of them long before they distanced themselves from each other, but it had been the happiest he had seen either of them in the last two years. Now, with Zelda’s seventeenth birthday and trip to the Spring of Wisdom around the corner, he wondered if they’d ever make up before the calamity hit.

Revali scoffed at Daruk, turning his beak high into the air. “He could have been a liability to you and the Princess or Mipha. I’m always ready to step in should he fall”.

Daruk mentioned nothing to the Rito of the slight crack he heard in his voice. Seeing as his words were getting nowhere with him, he had turned his attention back towards Zelda and Link.

Link had returned his sword to his scabbard and had begun to wade his way out to the Princess. In frustration, Zelda had started to beat at the water’s surface. With her concentration broken, they were done at the spring for the day.

Daruk hadn’t a clue as to why the Goddess desired to put such heavy responsibility onto the young shoulders of Zelda, Link, and Revali. The expectations of those around them were trapping and damaging them. Urbosa had told him Zelda had been training since she was five years old to harness the power of the Goddess that flowed within her veins and before Link had become quiet and Revali bitter, the Hylian had spoken adamantly about the Goddess telling him of his destiny at ten. While he had lived a rather normal life until he pulled the Master sword at fifteen, afterward, he too found himself put through intense training, coming out of it as a husk of his former self. If the calamity wasn’t as real of a threat as it was, he was sure there wouldn’t be a rush for Zelda to unlock her powers or for Link to forsake his own life, his happiness. 

Urbosa had made mention on more than one occasion to Daruk that one of the only reasons she agreed to become Vah Naboris’ champion was due to her connection to Zelda. She considered herself as a mother to her and wanted no harm to befall her. While she couldn’t change Zelda’s destiny, she wanted to do anything and everything in her power to make it easier for her, be it getting in the King’s face or comforting her after a visit to one of the Goddess’ springs.

Daruk felt the same way with all of the champions, but especially with Link. He was like a son to him. He wanted to be there for him and tell him it was okay to be himself even if the royal family didn’t like it. But he knew it wasn’t in his place. As much as the royal court needed him and the other champions to control the divine beasts, they still detested them for one reason or another.

By the time Link had convinced Zelda to come out of the water, the sun had begun to set bringing with it a chill.

The moment Zelda had begun to shiver, Revali beckoned to her with his wing outstretched. “Princess, please let me keep you warm”.

Zelda didn’t pose an argument as she numbly waddled her way over to bury her face into the thick down of the Rito’s feathers. Daruk didn’t even need to see Link to know he was upset.

“Don’t worry Lil’guy, I’ll keep you toasty!”

Daruk knew his gesture wasn’t what Link wanted, but it was what he needed. As he pulled the Hylian up to carry him back to camp, he could feel Link nestle his shivering frame deep into his arms, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

The last thing Daruk could see before his world turned grainy again, was Link nodding off in his arms.

With a wipe of his eyes, Daruk was back, standing in the water before the statue, her glow now gone. He couldn’t help but scratch at his head, had all of that been real? A memory of his from his past’s life? The Link in his memory seemed so different from the bubbly swordsman he had seen in Vah Rudania. Then again, he was sure he too was different somehow, aside from his lack of memories.

As Daruk pondered the memory the statue had given him, Daruk failed to realize that he wasn’t the only being within the Spring of Power anymore. At least that was until he felt something poking rapidly at one of the stones on his back. Thinking it was a bug, he tried to scratch at himself until he heard a screech.

“Hey! Hey! Watch the goggles!”

Looking down, Daruk was greeted to the sight of a very tiny white-haired child with a set of goggles on his head that reminded Daruk of a chameleon.

“Aw, did you get lost, kid?”

The ‘child’ wasn’t happy with the Goron, fuming, he made an attempt to kick at Daruk’s shins until he realized that would have been a very poor move.

“I’ll have you know, I’m over 120 years old!”

It was a mistake to chuckle Daruk soon realized as it earned him another assault on his shins from the apparently ancient man. “Sorry, sorry! I guess I shouldn’t be one to judge on age”. Despite the massive goggles that covered most of his face, Daruk could tell the white-haired man was raising an eyebrow at him. “I’m over a hundred years old myself!”

The man made a ‘tsk’ noise. “That’s typical of Goron’s you know. Much like Sheikah”.

Daruk scratched at his head, “it is? Hmm”. So his descendent must be his son’s rock then. Maybe he was still kicking it back on Death Mountain. Perhaps he had been too hasty in his departure…

“You’re a Goron”, the man bluntly spoke. “You should know this stuff. Why don’t you remember?”

“Well… You see I lost my memory…” Daruk sighed out, earning him a quizzical stare from the short man. “My uh… Friend told me I should seek out a Sheikah researcher over here in Akkala. He said he could help me”.

“I see…” The Sheikah sighed as he pulled at the strange contraption on his back. “Consider yourself lucky, that’s where I’m heading myself. Think you can give me a lift? These old bones of mine don’t work the way they used to”.

Daruk brightened at his words, a smile overtaking his face as he whisked the Sheikah off his feet, nestling him into the crook of his elbow with ease. “Thanks! I don’t think I would have found my way there myself without a map. Oh, the name’s Daruk by the way!”

The Sheikah squirmed a bit in his hold before letting out a small grunt, “Robbie…”

Chapter Text

"Please, wake up, Urbosa… Our daughter needs you…"

At the beckoning of the soft yet urging voice, Urbosa allowed her eyes to open. Everything was blurry and too bright, from the dull flickering green lighting high above her to the sunlight reflecting off the tan stone walls. But the worst offender by far was the sticky bright blue liquid she found herself lying in as she moved to sit up. The liquid clung to her heavily scarred skin but dripped cleanly off her torn clothing. However, as annoying as the feeling was, she gathered that the goop was the only reason she was able to stand again.

 Upon looking at her torso, Urbosa could see any number of scars that could have been a lethal wound. But she hadn't a clue as to how they got there. She couldn't remember much other than her name, but she knew that the voice that had awoken her belonged to someone she knew. While she couldn't put a name to the voice or even a face, the woman's voice had quickened her heart. She even had a kid with her. So, why couldn't she remember?

"Urbosa… I know you've only just awoken, but I need you to make haste", The woman called out to her again, the urgency bringing a painful jolt within Urbosa's head.

"Urbosa… I'm sorry I never told you I was ill… With you being the Gerudo's new Chief, I didn't want to bother you…" It was hazy, but Urbosa could see the woman behind the voice. Sitting in the middle of a massive bed was a rather frail-looking brunette woman. If she hadn't spoken first, Urbosa wasn't sure she even knew she was there; her unclear green eyes were focused more on a small lump in the bed at her side. The sight made Urbosa panic, the woman didn't usually look like this. Before she knew it, she was at her side, cupping her small face in her hands. She could feel each individual bone in her face and neck.

"Sa'oten, Mirelle! You're a damn fool! I could have—don't you…" Urbosa could hear herself clearly saying without a single word leaving her lips. "Don't you know, Chief or not, I-I love you! I want to be by yours and our Little Bird's side!" Head throbbing, she brought her hand up to her face to feel a stream of tears.

Mirelle smiled at Urbosa's words. "I-I know you would have, Urbosa… But you have your own people to look after now…" Lifting her bony hand from the lump beside her, she brought it to Urbosa's. Urbosa felt herself flinch at the trembling, cold fingers against her own. "…Nothing could have been done for me… I don't want you thinking you could have changed a thing… This was my fate…"

When her hand began to slip from Urbosa's, the Gerudo quickly snatched it back. "No! I won't accept it! My Gerudo healers can help you, Mirelle! You have to fight this!" Without really thinking, Urbosa attempted to pull her into her arms, not expecting her to be so light. She felt as though she'd break like glass if she jostled her too much. Feeling Mirelle's breath becoming heavy against her chest, Urbosa took a seat on the bed, pulling her beloved into her lap.

Feeling Mirelle move, the lump shot up, revealing to Urbosa a messy-haired little blonde girl, the eyes she shared with her mother puffy and red. "No! You can't take her!" She squealed, ready to pounce on Urbosa until she realized just who it was. "M-ma, Urbosa…"

"Zelda, our Little bird…" Urbosa sighed as the little girl crawled close to her, to bury her head into her side.

"Momma's not going to make it… Papa says it'll be my duty to seal away Calamity Ganon when the time comes", Zelda spoke, her voice on the verge of breaking. Urbosa could feel her nails digging into the bed's quilt.

Urbosa knew just as well as anyone in the realm that Calamity Ganon's revival would happen any day now, but to expect your young, barely even five-year-old daughter to be able to seal the Calamity away even before her mother passes away? She wanted to deck the King of Hyrule. She knew Mirelle's marriage to Rhoam was nothing more than a marriage of convenience, but surely, he had to think of their daughter as something more than just the bearer of the Goddess' bloodline.

"Oh, Mirelle…" Urbosa whispered gently into her brunette hair. It had always been so silky in the past, Urbosa had always found herself lost in it during her many visits over the years, but now it was dull and straw-like. "What is it you want me to do?"

 If Urbosa had things her way, she'd whisk Zelda away to her home in the Gerudo Desert. She'd make sure she never has a want in the world. She wasn't sure how to even train her how to harness her powers of the Goddess, but she'd figure something out. It would be much better than having to live under a roof with a man, who cared more about the blood that ran through his wife and child than them themselves. But she knew Mirelle wouldn't want a feud between Hyrule and the Gerudo.

"…Urbosa… Please… Please watch over our Little Bird, our daughter…"

Urbosa didn't need to see the aftermath to know that Mirelle died shortly after the scene ended in her head. At least she had been there with her and Zelda. But why her mind had chosen to forget the memory, let alone her entire life, was anyone's guess. She was just glad Mirelle had come and jogged it for her.

"Well, Mirelle, I'm sorry I was stuck here napping, but I'm here now. Point me in the direction of our daughter".

"Look to the castle steeped in darkness… She has been stuck fighting an endless battle with Calamity Ganon for the last one hundred years. Without the Hylian Champion, there is not much you on your own can do, Urbosa… But…"

Humming to herself, Urbosa climbed her way out of her strange prison. It wasn't so much a building but a giant camel-like contraption that sat out in the middle of an open ridge filled with strange-looking trees that appeared more like rocks. True to Mirelle's words, she could see a castle covered in an eerie purple and black fog. She didn't have to be there to know that it was infested with monsters and wrought with danger, it made her smile from ear to ear, and her hands itch for a weapon. "I don't know much about a Hylian champion, Mirelle, but if he's out there, then he best not keep me waiting then, eh?"

As soon as the words let her lips, Urbosa could feel the sun at her back. She didn't remember much of Mirelle or even Zelda, but it was comforting to know that she still stood at her side even though she was gone. It may have taken her a hundred years to answer her call, but she wouldn't let her down.

-

The first of many obstacles Urbosa faced on her journey to Hyrule castle was her lack of weaponry.

Bokoblins and lizafos didn't care if she didn't have a weapon to her name. They still indiscriminately attacked her. It was pretty fun cracking their skulls together when they thought themselves skillful enough to take her on. She was happy to know her skills hadn't declined in the slightest over her years asleep, though she did wish for a better weapon to showcase them. The weapons the monsters had always had terrible durability.

Urbosa hadn't found a weapon of decent quality until she happened across a woman getting attacked by a cheeky bokoblin. The creature wanted nothing to do with the woman, it just wanted her stash of strange purple vials.

Without so much as a warning to the woman, Urbosa jumped into the fray, easily spearing the bokoblin through with a wooden stake she had caught another monster camp using to cook fish with. When the woman squealed, Urbosa wasn't sure if it was due to the violent manner as to which she put the bokoblin down or the simple fact that she had come out of nowhere. But once she tossed the bokoblin to the side, she realized why she was so giddy. The woman had never seen a Gerudo before from the starry look in her eyes.

"W-wow, I never thought I'd meet a Gerudo before I found Kilton," She cheered, "let alone helped by one! Oh, where are my manners? My name's Chabi!" Without waiting for Urbosa's response, she darted back to her camp and procured one of those strange vials before returning. "Here, this is some monster extract! You can make some real good meals with this stuff!"

Urbosa wasn't all that enthused with the woman's gift. As much use as she sure it was, she really didn't want more monsters turning their noses her way. She was more interested in the sheathed blade sitting untouched in her tent. The woman, Chabi, already had a weapon at her hip; maybe she could spare it.

"Why don't you keep your monster extract, young vai? You seem to have gone through quite the trouble to acquire it. May I instead ask for your unused weapon? Mine broke a while back. Good weapons seem to be few and far in between".

Chabi let off an incredulous snort at Urbosa's request as she retook her gift. "You want that old thing? I dug it out some mud by that old Divine Beast thing. I hoped I could sell it, but this stupid Beedle guy at the Tabantha stable said it gave him the creeps. You can have it, though I'd rather take the extract".

With a dismissive flip of her hand, Chabi returned to her tent, leaving Urbosa to claim her prize. The scabbard clearly wasn't the original; it looked to be made up of scraps of cloth Chabi had lying around. But other than that, she wasn't sure as to why the blade wouldn't sell. It was a beautifully crafted scimitar with a golden hilt and guard. Whoever had made the blade crafted it with love and careful precision from the intricate design that covered the curve of the blade.

"Where did you say you found this again, Chabi?" Urbosa found herself asking as her nail bit into a small crack on the blade.

"Oh, I found it by that big divine beast over in the ridge. My Great Grandma told me it was once known as Vah Naboris, but now it's known as the thing that trampled Hyrule Ridge", the Hylian easily explained as she had begun to busy herself with cooking up a meal. "Your skirt kinda reminds me of it."

Tilting her head in confusion, Urbosa allowed her eyes to fall down to the sky-blue skirt around her waist. She hadn't paid it much mind when she had woken up. The material had seen better days; much of it was burnt and torn, but at the bottom, she could still see the vague design of a camel woven in with likely once a pristine white thread.

"Back before the Calamity, my Great-grandma was a little girl living in Hyrule's castle town. She told me that when the champions, those that could control the Divine Beasts like the one in the ridge, were anointed their duty by the King, they were given garments crafted by Princess Zelda herself bearing their respective beast. Apparently, the color was sacred to the family and rumored to contain magical properties. Not even the dye maker in Hateno village can recreate it". Chabi let off a soft sigh of remembrance as she stared down at her cooking pot. The moment she added the monster extract, the meat and vegetables she put in began to grow, unnerving Urbosa. "If my Great Grandma was still alive, I bet she'd love to see your skirt. She always talked so fondly of the champions."

"I see…" Urbosa found herself pulling at the design on her skirt thoughtfully. While she felt a semblance of familiarity with Chabi's words, nothing sparked in her mind, like when she heard Mirelle's voice. Even the blade in her hand felt familiar to her, but the only feeling that brought with it was a sharp jolt of pain in her chest, making it hard to breathe for a moment.

"You don't look so good… Wanna sit down and have a snack with me?" Urbosa hadn't even noticed that the Hylian had stood until she could feel her tugging her hand away from her skirt and pulling her under her tent. "I have plenty to share."

Despite having no desire to sample Chabi's cooking, Urbosa accepted the offer. She hadn't had much of a break since waking up two days ago, and the Hylian was decent company. Besides, the weather had begun to turn sour anyway. The skies darkened and rumbled with thunder and lightning as heavy rain down poured. The warm monster stew Chabi put under her nose didn't seem so bad anymore compared to the weather. As strange as it looked, the taste was magnificent.

"So, what is a Gerudo like you doing out here in the Seres Scablands?" Chabi asked in between sips of her own bowl of stew. "Are you looking for a Voe? I read in the Rumor Mill that Gerudo men aren't a thing".

Urbosa shook her head. "I don't really remember much of my life, to be honest, as strange as that sounds. But I don't think I've ever really fancied the Voe".

Chabi chuckled, "me neither to be honest."

It was a relief to Urbosa that Chabi didn't question her about her lack of memories. She wasn't even sure if it was a good idea to tell her. Not that she was sure what one would even do with that information, but Urbosa didn't need her memories to know that there were strange people out in the world.

"Oh, if you don't recall much, do you need a map? I pretty much know Hyrule by the back of my hand by this point. If you need to get somewhere, I can probably tell you a little bit about the area. Well… Asides from the desert". Chabi didn't wait for Urbosa's reply before digging through her bag for an old cloth map which she splayed out for her, pointing out a crossroad just outside of the Hyrule Ridge, "we're here, by the way."

Sensing no ill intent from the Hylian woman, Urbosa put her bowl down to look closer at the map. In all honesty, she wanted to storm Hyrule castle and save Princess Zelda, but according to Mirelle, that would be impossible without the Hylian champion. Perhaps she should try and seek him out, but if he were like her, memoryless, then that would be difficult. "Do you know a good place to find weapons?"

Chabi brought her hand to chin in thought as she peered down at her map. "Well, somewhere in the ridge, I've heard there's a Hinox. Hinoxs for some reason think of our weaponry as jewelry. I've been able to sneak a couple of mint condition halberds off them in the past".

Urbosa pursed her lips. Sneaking really wasn't her style. "Got any other locations?"

The Hylian nodded. "I read an article in the Rumor Mill that in the Faron region that there's this big dragon with lighting in its veins that flies over Floria Falls. Rumor has it that if you get one of its scales and offer it to the Spring of Courage, it will grant you a wish. I bet you could ask for a big cache of weapons!"

Urbosa chuckled at the exuberance in the young Hylian's words. She didn't want to tell her, though, that that wasn't what she would wish for, so she nodded along. "Well, who could pass up a free wish?" While it was only a rumor, it could be her chance to find her memories again. If Zelda had been trapped as long as Mirelle had said, then it would be better for it if she remembered more.

"If you want, I can lead you up to Lake Hylia; after that, I'm off to the Eldin Region. But like I said, the map's yours".

"Thank you, Chabi. You've been a blessing".

The Hylian blushed at Urbosa's words, "W-well, you did help me out. Least I could do, um… I don't think I ever caught your name".

"My name's Urbosa, Chabi."

Chabi giggled, her face as red as a tomato. "Ni-nice to meet your acquaintance, Urbosa! Your name really sounds so familiar… I just wish I could put my finger on where I heard it before…"

True to Chabi's word, she indeed led Urbosa as far as the gate to Lake Hylia.

On foot, the journey took the pair about two days and half. One night was spent within a stable and the other on the road. On the second night, as the two set up camp, the two were greeted by the sight of a giant bird soaring overhead. Urbosa had first thought it to be an actual bird, but the shrill cry it let off was anything but natural. Upon asking Chabi about it, she told her it was the Divine Beast Vah Medoh. In her travels, she had only ever seen three of the four beasts, never Vah Medoh. Her Great Grandmother had told her it had been lost to time, again.

When it came time for them to part, Urbosa couldn't help but sigh. They had their own journeys to complete, but it was rather lonely out on the road. She had yet to hear Mirelle's voice after departing Vah Naboris. Urbosa knew it was selfish to expect her spirit to always be at her side, but it was a desire she had nonetheless. She could gather her past self had felt the same way from their last memory together.

"Well, Urbosa, it was nice traveling with you," Chabi spoke. "I hope you find yourself again out in the wilds."

"As do I, Chabi." Somewhere beyond the Hylia bridge was a Spring that could hopefully alleviate some of the fog in her head. It was foolish to think it could fix everything, but she could only hope. Princess Zelda and her mother were counting on her.

After waving goodbye, Urbosa took off in a sprint down the bridge; a couple of lizafos by the fountain had caught her eye. Once she was out of earshot, Chabi let off a dreamy sigh.

"There goes the only woman for me…"

-

As strange as it was, Urbosa felt at home in the humid thicket of the forests of Faron. The Gerudo desert, as far as she knew, was a wasteland. A land where the winds and sands were fickle and the weather changed heavily between day and night. And yet, the consistent rain and thunder fall felt second nature to her. The bite of the static against her skin just felt right. She could only gather that she had spent a considerable amount of time in the area at some point in her life.

By the time she had found her way to a small stable by the Floria Falls, night had begun to fall. Not wanting to be a sitting duck out in the open in unknown territory, she decided to stay. One of the stable hands had been 'kind' enough to let her stay for free, so long that she figured out what was causing the stable to be the victim of so many thunderstrikes; apparently, his daughter had been scared stiff as of late because of it. It hadn't taken her long at all to find the answer. Someone's axe had gotten lodged in the head of the horse effigy on the stable. The stable hand had been rather embarrassed that the answer had been so simple. He had feared the stable had been cursed. Luckily, he was a man of his word, and Urbosa found herself sitting pretty at one of the stable's dinner tables with a plate of freshly made mushroom rice balls on the house.

"You solved the mystery of the many lightning strike? Oh, Beedle is so thankful! I could hardly sleep a wink!"

Urbosa couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the strange man who stood before her table. He didn't have the strongest physique she had seen in men, but he must have been strong from the way he carried his massive beetle-shaped backpack. She gathered he must have had a thing for bugs if his tube top decorated with a rhinoceros beetle wasn't a dead giveaway.

"It wasn't a problem. I don't exactly have rupees to spend on a room or food," she plainly answered as the man took a seat at her table. She hoped he wasn't trying to get some of her food. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, yes! Where are Beedle's manners? I am Beedle!"

"Yes, I know."

"I'm a traveling merchant, and I couldn't help but notice the scimitar at your back…"

"It's not for sale." Urbosa couldn't help the growl that left her lips, but it got her point across to the strange merchant, who promptly began shaking his head.

"No, no! Beedle doesn't want it! A traveler tried to bribe me with it about a week ago! Beedle feels strong negative energy flowing off it… You should return it to the Divine Beast which it came from!"

Urbosa wanted to laugh, but the serious look in the dopey-eyed merchant made her bite her tongue. Grabbing the blade from her crude scabbard, she threw it on the table before the man. "What exactly do you sense coming off my blade?" Truthfully whenever she did wield it, a sharp pain radiated in her chest, but it was easily ignorable in the heat of battle.

"Death," the merchant answered, thunder echoing off in the distance.

Urbosa felt her skin become clammy. It was a foreign feeling to feel a pang of fear running down her backside. It made her snarl. Showing weakness in front of a stranger was never wise. But the more she stared at her own weapon, the more she began to see what the merchant saw, death, her own death, to be precise.

Head falling into her hands, Urbosa was greeted to the sight of herself armed with the same blade that sat before her as well as a beautifully decorated shield. She was fighting tooth and nail against some sort of black and pink abomination with an eerie sky blue eye and dark red hair that made her seethe. The creature fought with the same weapons as her, but it was by far an uneven fight.

The battle was dark, flickering with lightning outside and the rapidly changing light of a contraption she had seen when she had woken up going from blue to orange. To make matters even more annoying, the cretin possessed uncanny speed. No matter how much lightning she conjured, the beast was always just a hair out of reach, easily cutting through Urbosa's defenses. But even so, as a Gerudo warrior, she would fight to the death for what she cared about.

"Ganondorf! At one time, you held the form of a Gerudo, a King even, but a tyrant! An enemy of Naboris' namesake. Do you really think I would hand her over to you?!" Urbosa spat as the blight managed to slice her waist. She didn't dare let it go unscathed for such an action. As soon as it tried to jump away, she raised her shield, jamming it deeply into the malice of the beast's torso. Fighting against the pain in her side, she used her shield as leverage to spin on her heel, allowing her to slice her scimitar of the seven clean down its middle.

"Urbosa seems you don't even need my h-help," a prideful voice echoed throughout her divine beast. Urbosa found herself rolling her eyes as she jumped away from her hissing blight.

"Revali, this isn't a competition," Urbosa panted out. From the corner of her eye, in a flash of lightning, outside of Naboris, she could see Vah Medoh circling, her flying unstable as above her was an explosion every few seconds. Revali was having just as much trouble as she was. It made Urbosa think of Mipha and Daruk. While the two champions were strong in their own right, they didn't have the battle experience of her and Revali. "We're fighting for our lives and all those of Hyrule!"

"D-don't you think I know that?!" The Rito hissed, their connection shaking due to a shot from his blight. "Do you think Link got the Princess to safety?!"

"We can only pray, Revali. If they die, our hopes of succeeding go with them!" Feeling the air shift at her back, Urbosa turned sharply, spinning to meet the damned Thunderblight head-on. She didn't think she needed to tell him she cared more for Zelda's safety, even above that of the Calamity. Even if he wouldn't admit it, he felt the same about Link. Not to mention, she didn't want to give Ganon any more fodder to work with; her blight seemed to relish in her concern for her fellow champions and Link and Zelda from the way it giggled.

"I'm going to circle closer to the castle!"

Urbosa couldn't argue one way or another with the Rito, for he ended communications the moment he set Vah Medoh's path. It was foolish to leave one another. If one of them managed to overcome their scourge, then they could help the other. But Urbosa had to admit, she likely would have done the same if she was Medoh's pilot. The mechanical bird could travel much faster than Naboris.

"You're fighting a losing battle. Even your fellow champion must think so if he's abandoning his post. He's going after his beloved and the Princess, isn't he?"

"Shut up, you piece of Molduga shit," she growled, pressing harder against the blight's blade, despite the tremble in her hand. "Link and Zelda will destroy you!"

The blight laughed before disappearing from Urbosa's sight, causing her to fall forward, her blade digging into the stone as her knee hit the floor. As strong of a warrior as she was, even Urbosa had her limits. Ganon had been waiting for this moment.

Before she could even flick her fingers to conjure an electrical shield to protect herself, the blight was at her side, butting her to her side with its shield.

"I-I won't die here!" Urbosa roared, pulling herself shakily onto her feet. The wound to her waist, as well as the many other burns, cuts, and bruises she had received, acted against her, doing their best to pull her back down to the ground in defeat; but she persevered.

Blindly charging her blight, Urbosa brought her hand to her blade, running an electrical current through it before she sank it deep into the chuckling beast's body. "You deserve no mercy!" With a snap of her fingers, she sent all of her electrical energy, as well as the energy stored within Vah Naboris, down at her and the beast. If even she found the amount of energy to be scalding, then surely Ganon's abomination…

"N-no…"

Much to Urbosa's horror, despite the heavy current running through its screeching body, it still managed to move. Twitching heavily, it brought its hand to Urbosa's blade, slowly pulling it from its gut.

In the end, her fury betrayed her. When the thunder storm faded, Urbosa fell to her back, cracking her head against one of Naboris' steps. The blight still stood, and with her own energy running through it no less, her final gambit was a failure. With a laugh, the blight threw her scimitar out Vah Naboris' window, to be found a hundred years later stuck in the mud by a random traveler.

Urbosa didn't give the blight the satisfaction of seeing her face. She turned her face upwards towards Naboris' window. The thunderstorm had cleared, giving way to the twinkling night sky. However, none of the stars in the sky compared to the bright beam of golden light that shot up in the heavens.

"My little bird… You—Nngh! D-did it…"

In her final moments, Urbosa could see the thrumming blue energy of the thunderblight's blade sticking out from her chest. Death was supposed to be peaceful, her mother had once told her. But to Urbosa, that was a farce. She felt no acceptance, only anger and pride.

Zelda had finally done it. The goddesses finally saw it fit to bless her hard work, but… Urbosa would never get to tell her how proud she was of her. Zelda had lost her mother, her father to the Calamity, and now her…

It was a feeble attempt, but before her vision went blank, she attempted to pull the beast's blade from her chest. The last thing she heard was its annoying chuckle.

When Urbosa came back to her senses, she pounded her fist into the wooden table, uncaring of the frightened gasps of the stable's patrons. She could see Beedle looking warily down at her blade.

"You saw it too, yes? The death of the Champion Urbosa. Beedle feels bad for looking in on her final moments, but my beetles insisted. I can't sell a haunted blade. It's bad for business!" Urbosa could feel her eye twitching at the merchant's words. "So, will you return it?"

"No."

Beedle tilted his head in confusion, "no?"

"Because it's my blade. Good memories or not". With her appetite gone, Urbosa pushed her plate of unfinished food towards the now wide-eyed merchant before standing to find her cot. She didn't need to focus on her death. It was irrelevant to her in the current moment. Perhaps she'd think of it again when she's within Hyrule castle with Ganon at the mercy of her blade.

Urbosa would make Ganon regret not finishing her off one hundred years ago.

Chapter Text

As soon as the Sheikah energy dissipated from Link, he wanted to make his way to Purah. However, upon stepping out of the shrine’s maw, the chilled rain above Hateno made him let off a squeal. Looking down at himself, he realized he was still dressed in Villa’s Gerudo garb. While it kept him comfortable in the desert, the rain made the silk material feel slimy against his skin.

“Oh, yeah…”

The next time Link emerged from the shrine, he donned his Champion’s tunic as well as his snowquill pants and Hylian hood. He had moved Revali’s scarf to his neck to protect the worn fabric from the rain.

“Oh, you look different. I suppose you were too muscular for a Hylian vai”.

Link nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard Barta’s sigh at his side. Whipping around, Link found her leaning against the shrine’s side. She was soaked to the bone with rain but she didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she looked happy. But at that moment, Link didn’t really care.

“Where’s Revali?!” He questioned hurriedly. “You shouldn’t have moved him, he could be dangerous!”

Barta chuckled at his concern as she peeled herself from the shrine to pat at Link’s now wet hood. “Don’t worry, Link. The vure voe is fine. I brought him to the Sheikah here. She gave him some medicine and he was as right as a Noble Pursuit on the tongue”.

Link let off a sigh of relief until he realized that he had never introduced himself formally to Barta. “How did you—”

“Because I told her, nitwit”.

The Hylian let off a loud gulp as he spun on his heels to find himself staring up at Revali’s face. His eyes weren’t far off anymore, they weren’t blank. But for the briefest of moments, Link would have preferred them to be. His emerald eyes were as cold as they had been in many of his recovered memories. He wasn’t wearing his Gerudo garb anymore choosing instead to wear a light tan tunic that had likely been made from scraps from the clothing store. Rito weren’t common in the Hateno region.

Revali regarded Link with a loathsome stare before he moved to Barta’s side. “Purah seems to think that the toxins in my body will be gone within the week”, he explained to the Gerudo without a care to Link who couldn’t bring himself to budge from his spot. “Then we’ll be free to go”.

Barta nodded before clapping the Rito on his back, a wide smile on her lips. “Good to know, Revali!” Her voice boomed, causing Link to flinch, a tinge of jealousy burning at his cheeks until he heard Barta speak again. “Where will you go once your better?”

Link’s ears perked up for the Rito’s answer.

“Well, I have a duty I must attend to. I’ve slept it off for a hundred years now, so Purah tells me”.

“Then you should go with, Link here. As surprising as it may sound Little Vure, this tiny voe is the Hylian champion~”, Barta sang, her painted nails falling onto the feathers of Revali’s shoulders. She could feel the Rito tense under her hold, even more so when Link turned to face them himself.

“I-it’s true Revali… I-I don’t know what you remember but I—”

“I don’t care!” The Rito squawked uncaring for the way Link began to fiddle with the garb around his neck, uncaring for the way Barta tried to keep him in place. He just shook her off before storming away. Link didn’t miss that his direction was towards his house. “I’m going home!”

Barta let off a groan, pulling at her water-slick ponytail as she approached Link. “Ah, that could have gone better. I’m sorry tiny voe”.

“It’s not your fault,” Link sighed. “I wasn’t the best to him in our past, after all”.

The Gerudo hummed thoughtfully at his words. “As I was bringing him here, all Revali would talk about was how you had saved him from the Yiga. That he didn’t truly know how he knew you, but he knew that you were a strong warrior that he had a connection to. After I took him to see the director of the lab, however, that changed. Perhaps your answers lie there?”

Link found himself staring up the hillside where Purah’s lab sat, the dark rain-filled clouds making the sight rather ominous. It almost gave credence to the children of Hateno’s claims that a mad doctor lived on that hill.

When Link and Barta parted ways, she left him with the knowledge that she and Revali were staying at Link’s home at the town’s edge. She explained that Purah said they could stay there. Link didn’t mind. He hadn’t been making much use of it since he bought it, so he was glad it was getting some much-needed love. She had asked Link if he would be staying there too, but he had shaken his head. He didn’t want to push Revali while he was still recovering.

By the time Link had made it to Purah’s lab, the rain had begun to clear up revealing a small rainbow over the far-off Necluda sea.

“Luto told me when I was a young fledgling, that if you fly through a rainbow, you’ll taste the sweetest of wild-berries”. Link could hear Revali’s wistful voice echo through his ear.

“My mother told me you’d find the lost Lake of the Horse God…” Link blankly spoke until he felt something pulling at the hem of his tunic. Looking down, he was greeted by Purah’s worried stare.

“Linky…” The Sheikah softly spoke her lips in a pout. “None of this was my intention…”

Link weakly smiled down at her, “it’s alright, Purah. You helped Revali. If Barta hadn’t brought him here first, I would have. The Yiga are dangerous”.

“I just wish I had a better picture lying around…”

Link tilted his head, “picture?”

Purah nodded as she began to dig into the pockets of her skirt, “Those dumb Yiga tried to rework his memories with ancient Sheikah technology, so I had to reverse it…” She groaned as she finally pulled a wrinkly old photograph from her pocket, grimacing as she looked at the picture. “This was the only bit of the past I still have on hand. Though I don’t know why I kept this off all things…”

Purah was at first hesitant to hand Link the photograph, but upon his insistence, she acquiesced. The moment the photo touched Link’s fingers, he could feel his head ache, but that ache was nothing in comparison to the throbbing he felt once he looked down at the picture.

In the photograph, Link could see himself and Revali standing in between a woman he quickly recognized as an older Purah. They appeared to be a fancy ballroom with guests dressed lavishly and a small band halfway in the frame of the shot. Purah appeared happy as can be in the picture while Link and Revali looked anything but happy. Link was pulling at the royal Hylian guard beret on his head while his face looked red and puffy. Revali on the other hand held a bit more composure aside from the tension in his shoulders and the way he held up a wing to his beak, his emerald eyes were unreadable.

Before Link knew it, he was sitting in the exact ballroom, watching the musicians and their instruments as well as the swinging ballgowns and dancing of the elite of Hyrule. He wasn’t dancing, he was staying close to a table where a blonde woman sat, garbed in a handsewn peach-colored dress with a gilded tea cup sitting in her lap. It wasn’t the most lavish of outfits, but it made him happy.

“Mother, that’s a gorgeous dress you made. I’m sure Father will be excited to see it”, Link gently spoke. His mother simply giggled as she turned to him, her hazel eyes twinkling in the light of the crystal chandelier.

“You look rather spiffy yourself, in that Royal Guard outfit, Link. It suits you”.

“I don’t think the Princess is in agreement,” Link sighed quietly, his eyes falling on Zelda across the room. She was busy at the food buffet with Mipha, showing her the delicacies of her home. Mipha looked adorable in her coral-pink cocktail dress. The Zora had told him that Zelda made it for her, just for the ball. She also wore her Champion’s garb as a ribbon around her waist, tying it like a bow with Vah Ruta’s visage resting snuggly against her side. They looked happy together with Zelda holding up a piece of cake for Mipha to eat, at least that was until Zelda noticed his stare. Scrunching up her face, Zelda immediately began to nudge Mipha away towards another part of the ballroom to finish her treat.

Link’s mother chuckled lightly into the rim of the teacup in her hand. “She’s still a child, much like you are Link. She doesn’t understand you’re only trying to protect her”.

Link shook his head in spite of his mother’s insistence. “Mother, she loathes me. I have the master sword, the key to our destiny, the Goddess still doesn’t smile upon her…”

“I don’t really think the Goddess smiled down upon you either, my child”.

Link found himself taken aback by his mother’s comment. Her face was passive as she stared at the blissfully unaware dancing nobles aside from the tear that fell from her eye and into her tea. When his parents learned he was destined to be the Hero of Hyrule, blessed by the Goddess to wield the master sword, his father had been thrilled. His mother on the other hand never made her opinion known to him, at least until now.

“Mother?”

“I pray these words never reach your father’s ears, but… Every day I wish the Goddess would change her mind and place the burden of the calamity on someone else but my boy. Your father has placed such heavy expectations on you because of it. I fear every day that even when the calamity is dealt with, yours won’t end. I just want you to be happy…”

Link gave his mother a weak smile. He had doubted his role as the Hero of Hyrule would end even after Calamity Ganon was defeated. As strange as it was, he was glad his mother felt the same way. Most of the nobility in the ballroom always spoke about how once the calamity was taken care of, the realm would return to normal, to the way it was before the rumors even began to circulate. But no matter how hard they prepared, death and destruction were inevitable. They were there to mitigate its effects.

“Link, you look as though you’ve eaten a bad bit of fish”.

The Hylian immediately found his thoughts to silence themselves the moment Revali’s comment echoed through his ears. He could see his mother's smile return to her face before he even turned to see the Rito and when he did, he almost spun back on his heels to face his mother; she however quickly stopped that by jutting her hand out to his hip to calm him as she would a startled horse. Link was a blushing mess under the RIto’s warm emerald stare.

Revali was dressed for the ball. He had his hair free from his braids instead, they were bound in a loose braid that he had draped over his shoulder with a dirt-blonde ribbon holding it together. It was strange to see the Rito garbed in anything but his cuirass and scarf, but today he donned a tight-fitting mahogany tunic with a gold tassel sitting at the juncture of the outfit’s high collar and his chest, he had his champion’s scarf wrapped around his waist like a sash. Another notable thing that immediately caught his eye was that Revali was proudly wearing his necklace with carved aquamarine and Luto’s feathers. The sight of Revali in general made Link swoon. He hadn’t thought he would come down. After his knighting ceremony, Revali hadn’t had any interest in the ‘pompous celebrations of Hyrule’s nobility’.

“Revali, it’s a pleasure to see you. You never come by the Woodland stable anymore”, Link’s mother hummed, her eyes glittering again.

“Ah, well, when I’m not here in Hyrule, I’m back at the Rito village looking after Tulin, Miss Lianna”.

“You should bring Tulin around some time, Revali! Oh, I’d simply enjoy seeing the little fledgling, my little Grandson!”

Link began to sputter, his face turning redder than the magma of Death Mountain at the comment while Revali’s feathers puffed, his wing digging into the fabric of his scarf, looking anywhere but at Link or his mother’s giggling face.

“A-ah Mother, he’s not—I’m not—were not,” Link sputtered incoherently whilst rubbing at the back of his neck. He could begin to feel the eyes of the nobility on him murmuring amongst themselves, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t calm himself. His heart was beating too fast. If his father saw him now, he was screwed. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t cease the thoughts of living a domestic life with Revali and little Tulin. His father had left him his old home in Hateno for him to use during travel to the region for Zelda’s research, but it was hardly used. The Hateno village was a quiet farming area, the perfect place to raise a young fledgling in his opinion. Every now and then he would have a dream of living there with Revali and Tulin. They would invite Mipha and Zelda and the rest of the champions over for dinner. On those nights, he always woke up somber. It was a farce, a dream never to be realized.

‘Link…” Revali lowly spoke into his ear, jarring him from his thoughts once again. “Your father…”

The Hylian gulped heavily as he saw his father crossing the ballroom, his expression unreadable, even as Daruk materialized to try and gain the royal knight’s attention. Urbosa even pulled herself away from the alcohol to try and intercept the Hylian, but Corrin wasn’t to be deterred.

“Link,” the greying brunette lowly hissed, seizing his son’s arm despite his wife’s displeasure.

“Corrin, it’s a ball! Leave him alone”, Lianna spat, yanking at the hem of her husband’s coat while Revali held his wing to Link’s shoulder.

Revali wasn’t the tallest of Rito, he wasn’t taller than Corrin but he still stood as straight as he could to appear as threatening as he could. “Perhaps you should listen to your wife, sir knight. You wouldn’t want to make a scene that would make the nobility cry”.

“You Rito have no concept of affluence. You have no right to judge”.

“Corrin!” Lianna hissed, standing to grab her husband who shifted his anger onto Revali, who had pushed Link behind him. She however was quickly pushed back into her seat by Corrin.

“Stay out of this Lianna. Link as your superior, I must have a word with you in private”.

Link looked down at his polished white boots. He didn’t have a choice. Revali, however, seemed to think differently as the moment Link tried to move towards his father, the Rito placed his palm against Link’s chest.

“You don’t have to go anywhere with him if you don’t want to, Link.”

‘If only it was that simple’, Link wanted to tell Revali, but he couldn’t. Without another word, he gently pushed the Rito’s wing down and stepped closer to his father, who quickly ushered him out of the ballroom and towards the knight’s barracks. Link occasionally looked over his shoulder to see if Revali followed, but he could still see him standing by his mother, motionless, at least that was until Mipha appeared at his side, her golden eyes filled with concern.

Once Corrin had his son in the barracks, he sat him down on an old wooden bench overlooking a weapons rack.

“Link, we’ve been over this… You don’t have a future with that Rito. You need to think of your status in the Kingdom. Inter-species relations are not looked upon favorably in the court”, Corrin explained as he fixed his beret. “I don’t see why you favor him so much. The Princess will be better for you”.

“Better for me, or for you?”

Corrin was taken aback by his son’s comment. Link didn’t miss the flare of anger in his eyes that they shared.

It was no secret to Link that his father had come from a family of very minor nobility. His mother had explained to him that his father had been expected to marry his family into a higher status, but instead, he married his mother, a daughter of a stable master on the outskirts of the military training grounds. ‘The heart wants what the heart wants’; she had told Link this with a somber stare upon his return with the Master sword in hand. His father had been disowned for his actions and now Link was the one to ‘fix’ his errors. As the Goddesses’ chosen, he had many a suitor approach him, but he turned them all down, much to the ire of his father.

“You only like to think of yourself, Link”, his father spat, gloved hands clenched at his sides.

Link’s eyes narrowed, “what in Hylia’s name are you—”

“Don’t you dare use the Goddess’ name in vain! I know you’re going to say, ‘I’m her chosen, how am I selfish?’ Am I right, son?”

Link dug his nails into the wooden bench, his eyes falling down to his boots.

“Think of your mother, think of me for once. You and I both know that either one of us, or both of us could lose our lives to the calamity. Death is mercy, life is suffering. Without you or I, who will care for your mother? The Woodland stable will only be so generous when she outlives use. Truthfully, I don’t know what the end result of the calamity will be, but the only way to ensure her safety is for you to end this tryst with Revali! Your duty to your Kingdom and your family is more important than your feelings!”

“Then why can you be happy with Mother?! While Zelda and I have to suff—” Link never got to finish his sentence as a thick crack reverberated throughout the air. Link felt nothing despite his father hitting him across the face, knocking him down on the bench. He knew his skin was throbbing and his cheek was littered with splinters from the cheap wood below, but there was no pain. He was numb.

“Remember your duty, Link”, his father sighed before disappearing from the barracks. He didn’t care to wait for his son to rise. “Think about it. If you truly love Revali, you wouldn’t want to hurt him if you don’t return. His duty is nowhere near as perilous as yours”.

Link couldn’t remember much of what happened after he walked out of the barracks. He found himself briefly at Zelda’s vanity staring blankly at his reflection. One side of his face was an angry red and the other was littered with scratches. Zelda had a powder that would cover it. The next moment of consciousness, he was standing on a balcony just outside the ballroom. He could hear Urbosa saying something to him, but whatever it was, he wasn’t paying attention. He just nodded along until he could feel the back of her hand across his forehead.

‘I’m fine’, he signed lazily to her, uncaring for the murmur of disagreement she let off. ‘I’m fine’, he asserted. He could feel tears begin to prick at the corners of his eyes. He didn’t want the makeup to run. Much to his relief, Urbosa didn’t continue to push, she let him be, sashaying her way back into the ballroom. However, it was foolish for him to think that she wouldn’t send someone in her place.

“Link”.

Link’s heart dropped as he felt Revali’s warm wing rest upon his shoulder. He desperately wanted to lean closer into the touch, yet he sharply pulled away as his father’s words rang throughout his ears.

“Remember your duty, Link”.

“Link?”

 Bless his heart, the Rito just didn’t know when to give up. When his wing landed on the Hylian again, Link let off a strangled gasp, his throat had begun to constrict and his body vibrate. He slapped Revali away, his eyes only briefly catching the confused glint in the Rito’s emerald eyes amongst the blurry lights of the ballroom.

“We can’t be together anymore, Revali”, he choked out past the constriction in his throat. He wouldn’t allow himself to cry, despite the burning in his eyes. It was for the best. It was for the best.

Was it though?

“I-I know it’s sudden, but I hope you understand…” He stared at Revali, unseeing. The Rito was nothing more than a blur amongst the film of tears in his eyes.

“…Why… What did… Why are you…” The Rito clicked his beak, occasional hisses and grunts emanating through. He couldn’t find the proper words and nor could Link.

‘I never wanted this to happen…’ “As the Goddess’ chosen to wield the Master Sword, I have a duty to fulfill. I can’t… I can’t allow myself to be with you like this anymore!” ‘I don’t mean it! Please… I don’t want to lose you!’

Revali scoffed, his walls had already closed. Link felt his heart break even further. “What did your father say to you?” He callously asked, placing his wings behind his back.

“He said nothing to me. I came to this decision of my own free will.”

The Rito stepped closer, his talons digging into the marble below as he leaned down to Link’s ear. “Bullshit”, he sharply spoke before pulling away to return to his spot by the balcony door. “You Hylians are a strange breed”.

As Revali spun on his heels to leave, Link felt his heart begin to beat out of his chest and his hand throb.

“Is beating me back really worth all this turmoil, Hero of Courage?”

Link flinched at the dark voice that echoed through his head. It sounded much like the one that he heard from the Master Sword occasionally. But the Master Sword for once wasn’t against his back. He had left it in his room in the Castle so as to not gather unwanted attention. Instead, the voice seemed to be coming from his hand if the twitching light of the triforce was any indicator. Link didn’t pay it any mind however as he could see Revali’s form disappearing into the crowds of the ballroom.

“Revali wait I—”

“Linky! Come look at the Sheikah Slate! I got its camera feature to work!”

Before Link even knew what was going on, he found his hand grabbed by none other than Purah. It was strange seeing her as an adult Sheikah instead of a child, but she looked the same regardless, she even wore a similar dress to the one she had in her child form albeit more puffy, matching the extravagance of those garbed for the ball.

“Please forgive my sister…”

Looking to his side, Link was greeted by the spitting image of Paya, aside from her different colored tattoo. She had her long white hair over her shoulder which she pulled at incessantly. Her stare wasn’t focused on Link or her sister, but instead over on Zelda and Mipha who had occupied two seats beside the band. Mipha had a silver lyre in her hands that she plucked in tune with the music; Zelda was absolutely enthralled.

“Impa!” Purah whined with a wave of her Sheikah slate in her sibling’s face. Link definitely saw the resemblance in Paya and Impa now. She scrunched her face up the same way Paya did when she was upset. “You didn’t have to help me take pictures you know! I’m sorry Linky, ignore her. She saw the Princess—”

“Purah!” She barked, taking her sister off guard with the angry red her face became. It made her Sheikah’s tattoo look like an angry navy bruise against her skin. “Not another word…” Controlling her breathing, she regained her composure before stepping away to leave the ballroom.

It seemed the ball wasn’t going Impa’s way either. Link found himself sighing as he watched Impa disappear towards the castle’s gardens. Purah just huffed her hands on her hips.

“Rejection must really suck. You won’t find me ogling over anything but research material! Romance just complicates things”.

“Tell me about it…” Link muttered lowly to himself. Purah was luckily none the wiser to the situation as she began to tug at his sleeve.

“C’mon, Linky. You’re my new assistant tonight! I’d ask Robbie, but… Ew”.

Link felt as though his body had betrayed him when a small smile crept its way onto his lips at the look of disgust on Purah’s face. He didn’t deserve to be happy while Revali was… But it would do him no good if the others learned he was upset. Urbosa was already suspicious of him and she was sure to tell Daruk, who would tell Mipha, who would tell Zelda—word would get back to his father eventually and he would be reprimanded. Revali wouldn’t tell a soul; he was too proud.

In the end, Link put up no argument. He followed Purah around the ballroom, assisting her with taking photos with her Sheikah Slate. It was nice to see the marveled faces of the guests at the realistic pictures she handed them. They all thanked her and Link for the gift of memory they gave them.

“Pictures are like little slices of memory”, Purah hummed as the ball was beginning to come to an end. The nobility was beginning to file out, each being personally thanked for their attendance by Zelda and the King himself. “You could forget something, then see the photo, and BAM! You got your memory back”.

Link darkly smiled as he eyed Revali across the ballroom close to where he saw Impa disappear. He wasn’t wearing his necklace anymore. “I don’t think I’d ever want to remember this night…” He sighed out against his better judgment.

“Nonsense”, Purah laughed, ignoring Link’s dower tone. “Why would you want to forget a night spent with yours truly?” As she pulled up the Sheikah Slate to take a picture, she took notice of Revali’s retreating form towards the exit. “Ah-ha! I know what’ll make your night better, Linky!”

Link could feel a terrible burning sensation beginning to form in his chest as he realized who Purah was looking at. “P-Purah n—”

“Oh, Revali! Hold your tailfeathers!”

The Hylian grimaced as the Rito stopped to look over his shoulders. The whites of his eyes were red and the feathers around them were disheveled. Revali didn’t budge even as Purah rammed into him and began tugging at his wing.

“Don’t be like that Feathers! I got a picture of everyone here but you and Linky!”

“You have our Champion’s photo. That’s your picture”.

When he tried to pull away from the Sheikah, she refused to let go, and much to his surprise by the widening of his eyes, she began to pull him back into the ballroom, his talons digging gratingly into the marble tile.

“Don’t argue with a Sheikah~” She sang until she noticed Link had begun to inch his way back towards the hall to the barracks.

If his father saw what Purah was trying, he knew the end result for him wouldn’t be the prettiest. To make matters worse, the scratches on his cheek were beginning to become irritated by the makeup he had covered them with.

“You’re still shy? How cute, Linky!” Purah cooed, intercepting him with ease. If researching ancient Sheikah technology didn’t work out for her, Purah would make a fabulous warrior. She was quick on her feet and strong to boot. “I promised Mipha I would get a picture of you two!”

Not wanting to disappoint Purah and Mipha too, Link decided to suck it up and inched closer to Revali as Purah moved to take a picture. He tried to extend a hand to the Rito, but it was promptly smacked away before he could even blink. He didn’t blame Revali. The Rito only inched further away, crossing his wings.

“Revali, you’re not even in the shot!” The Sheikah whined. “I can tell you don’t like photos but the flash won’t kill you! You’re not a hamster!”

The Rito clicked his beak, begrudgingly stepping closer to Link. “Good to see you’re doing fine, ‘hero”, he lowly hissed down at the Hylian who nervously held his hand behind Revali’s back. He could feel the heat radiating off his feathers almost burningly so.

 This time it was Link who stepped away. The loathing he felt radiating off himself and the Rito was all-consuming. His body felt as though it was boiling but he knew the cold air of the outdoors would bring him no comfort. Anxious, he began pulling at his beret in a meager attempt to fan at himself. He could feel Revali’s quizzical stare beating down on his head at his action which didn’t help.

Purah groaned, digging one of her hands into her pinned-up hair in exasperation. “Okay, I’ll just have to be Daruk for this photo”.

Heels clicking against the floor, Purah closed the distance between her and her photo’s unwilling subjects. Before either of Link could react, she pulled them close to her before whipping out her Sheikah Slate.

“Say: ‘click, snap!”

As the memory began to fade, Link found himself looking down at the picture that triggered his memory. He found himself groaning then as he did as he came back to his senses to find Purah staring up at him apologetically.

“I sure stuck my foot in it again, didn’t I, Linky?”

Link shook his head down at the Sheikah. “It’s alright, Purah. A memory is a memory, even if it isn’t the best. I’d rather have Revali angry with me than for him to be stalking me around Hyrule attempting to kill me”.

“True,” Purah sighed, moving to pull at Link’s tunic to bring him inside.

Link didn’t fight her, even as she pushed him down into a chair at her work table. Symin didn’t appear to be around at the moment so it was Purah who ended up bringing out a tray of tea and some cookies that appeared to be a bit on the charred side. When she took a seat at his side, she looked at the Hylian expectantly as she poured them both a cup of tea.

“I made those myself. Symin does most of the cooking, cleaning, and… Well, a lot of things now that I’m… Shorter. The recipe came from my mother, so I know they’re good. I followed the recipe exactly”. Despite the confidence in her voice, her chubby face was pinched in a scowl. “Revali didn’t think so. He took one bite and threw it in the trash. How rude, am I right?”

Link could see why the Rito wouldn’t like the baked confection as soon as the crumbly cookie touched his lips. The burnt edges left a bitter taste on his tongue, but as he pushed past it, he was rewarded with the sweet taste of vanilla. As he swallowed, a smile formed on his lips as he took another, causing Purah’s eyes to widen in glee.

“I think Symin will love them, Purah”, Link hummed once his second cookie was finished. He imagined Revali had taken a tentative bite and was met only with the bitter. Life in general could be bitter, but if you worm your way past it, a sweet center awaits. Revali would eventually move past his bitterness and work to find his better memories. Link only hoped that he would allow him to help along the way, but even if he didn’t, Link was patient. It was strange, he mused; gaining motivation from a simple cookie.

“Linky? Are you crying?”

Link shook his head even as Purah dabbed at the tears coming down his cheek with a handkerchief.

“N-no, I’m actually happy”. His mind was beginning to feel whole again. He remembered the good times and the bad of his life before the Calamity. He wasn’t under his father’s command anymore, he was his own person to live how he wanted. He saved the four Divine Beasts and their champions untethered to his father’s ideology of how he should act. While there was much more to dig up, he felt firm in his convictions to continue his current path. He felt whole enough to wield the Master Sword once again; Zelda was counting on him. 

 He knew it was time for him to meet with Kass at the Woodland stable.

Purah rolled her eyes before taking a cookie of her own, “you’re a strange one, Linky”.

Chapter Text

When Revali stepped inside his and Barta’s temporary dwelling, he couldn’t help but wrap his wings around his frame, a sob racking through his body. He couldn’t stand himself. He had every right in the world to loathe Link for how he treated him in his newly recovered memory, yet he found himself upset with his attitude towards the Hylian. Link had helped him and genuinely cared about his well-being, but how could he trust him?

Purah had assured him that his memory was only a tiny piece to a larger puzzle that would come together in time. She even told him that it would likely come faster if he followed Link on his adventure, but how was he when the Hylian had hurt him so deeply?

“Regardless of your feelings towards Linky, now, Revali, you were once the Rito’s chosen Champion.” Purah’s firm voice echoed through his head. “You both have a duty to the kingdom to stop the Calamity’s spread. Link isn’t the same man he was then, nor are you, Revali”.

But his prideful nature wouldn’t allow him to let it go.

When Barta wandered into the house to dry off, Revali flew up to the chandelier to perch himself out of her way. The Gerudo chuckled at his behavior before making her way to the stove to heat them up something to eat.

“How long are you gonna brood, Revali?”

The Rito puffed out his feathers, “Excuse me?”

Barta rolled her eyes, “is sulk a better word for you?”

“Yes, and I’m not sulking, Barta,” he huffed.

“And I’m sure the Gerudo Desert is a verdant landscape. That Link voe really seems to want to make things right with you, Revali”.

Revali scoffed at the Gerudo’s words. “He wanted nothing to do with me then; why should it be any different now?”

 “As the Goddess’ chosen to wield the Master Sword, I have a duty to fulfill. I can’t… I can’t allow myself to be with you like this anymore!”

The Rito ground his beak almost painfully together as he found himself stuck in his damned memory again. He had just left Link’s side and had wandered out into the castle’s garden, and had settled himself under a marble gazebo. He wished he had his bow and quiver; the feeling of the wood and string in hand was always calming. It reminded him he had a purpose.

“You look like you’re having as nice of a night as I am.”

Revali exhaled sharply as Impa, Zelda’s royal advisor, strolled up to his side. She looked as ‘cheery’ as he was from the flush to her face. He could smell the strong odor of alcohol in the air around her, but she didn’t appear the slightest bit tipsy as some of the party’s guests he had seen on his way out. The Sheikah must have been built differently.

“You would be right in that assumption, Impa,” the Rito sighed. He inched to the side to allow Impa a spot on the bench, which she fell unceremoniously into, her head lolling onto his shoulder. If the King saw her in her current condition, he was sure he wouldn’t allow her within fifty feet of his daughter. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand Hylian culture.”

“Not much to understand,” Impa spoke. “You always need to think three moves ahead; if you don’t, you’re yesterday’s news.”

“I’m guessing you saw the Princess and Mipha together.” He could feel Impa’s grimace against his feathers.

“Zelda can love who she wants… I just… Ugh, I feel terrible…” When she lurched forward onto her knees, Revali rested his wing against her back, rubbing warm circles until her retching ended. Nothing came of her coughing, much to the Rito’s relief. He didn’t want to find another spot to sit.

“You’re not the only one feeling spurned tonight. Link… He ended things with me. I suppose I got in the way of his duty to the sword”. He didn’t believe his words for a second nor did Impa from the side glance she gave him from underneath her stark hair. “He’s the Hero of Courage, and yet he doesn’t have the courage to stand up to his father. If Calamity Ganon tells him to ‘go to his room,’ how will the kingdom fare?”

Impa snorted at the Rito’s attempt at humor for his situation, but he could tell she felt sad at his news from the slump of her shoulders as she rose back to her former position.

“I’ve known Link for years. I know he loves you with all of his heart, Revali. It’s just politics”.

Revali shook his head as he could feel his body tensing. He knew Impa’s words were true, but surely, he mattered more to Link than a snotty court of royals. No, he was expendable. Even when the Calamity ended, he would be cast aside if Link’s father willed it. There was no future where he and Link would be together. The Hylian was bound to his duty, forever trapped in a cage, unable to feel the wind beneath his wings. He was the kingdom’s pet.

“The King doesn’t seem to mind his daughter cozying up to a Zora.” At many times during the night, the Rito had seen King Rhoam approach the Princesses to check in on them. He certainly didn’t seem as absorbed in who she was seeing as Link’s father had been. So why was Link any different?

As he could feel Impa’s concerned stare on him, Revali looked down at his necklace; Luto’s feathers flew gently in the light breeze while the aquamarine twinkled in the moon’s gentle light. “My little fledgling, you really adore Lianna’s boy, don’t you?” Luto’s voice sang through his ears the longer he stared at the offending object; Revali could almost feel her beak pulling at a loose feather on his head as he was taken back to his younger years sitting amongst Luto’s crowded caravan. While the Rito preferred the freedom of flight, it wasn’t the most convenient way for a merchant to move product.

“I do not!” A young Revali huffed, crossing his wings, uncaring for the heavy wing that rubbed at his head. He just busied himself trying to pull away from the older Rito and into the back of her caravan, where she kept her linen products.

“Love isn’t a thing to be ashamed of, Revali,” Luto gently spoke, coaxing the young Rito back into her lap. “Love is the reason you’re here today. Your parents loved each other and had you”.

“Love didn’t keep them here with me…”

Luto clicked her beak at the fledgling’s words, a pained sigh escaping through the cracks. “But their love for you is why you’re sitting here with me now.”

Revali had been much too young to remember his parents' faces, but apparently, they were a part of Luto’s merchant guild. He only knew what Luto had told him of them, of their fate, and that of the vague memory of the shadows of monsters amongst the bright moonlight. The Rito had poor night vision; his parents never stood a chance. She said they had hidden him amongst their stock of silent shrooms, where Luto had found him the following morning when they hadn’t shown up for their weekly meet-up.

Luto hadn’t left his side for more than a day since that event five years ago. He always worried that she wouldn’t return one day, and he’d be alone again. He knew the same thought went through Luto’s head as well when she would leave to make a quick delivery; she always explicitly made sure Revali knew when she expected to return to Zora’s Domain and assured him that if he had any worry, to make it known to either Mipha, her father, or Link if he was visiting, but he never did; the only thing that quelled his worry was training. On the days when she was gone, and Link was around, he always asked to train with the Hylian. Feeling a bow in his hands or even a simple training sword always calmed his nerves the way talking never could. If he was strong, he didn’t have to worry anymore.

“Ah, my fledgling, I didn’t mean to upset you…” Luto spoke up, breaking Revali free of the verity his thoughts had become. “If you were growing up in the Rito Village…” She grinded her beak as if she wasn’t sure how to word what she wanted to say. “Well, um… You see, you’ll start soon to age quicker than your peers here in the Domain, even Link… Din be damned, I don’t know how one talks to their little one about this….”

Revali tilted his head into the blue fluff of Luto’s chest feathers, watching her dark brown eyes flick from side to side. He had turned ten a month ago. He could recall the letter Link had sent him wishing him a happy birthday. He even said he was coming to stay until his own birthday. He wouldn’t tell anyone, but the knowledge had made his heart flutter. Link had been his first sparring partner as well as his first friend. He never had a difficult time understanding the Hylian or Link him. Link also never coddled him; he regarded him as he would anyone, not just the poor Rito who had lost his parents, but as Revali, Rito warrior-in-training.

Luto wasn’t wrong. He did feel something more profound for Link than friendship.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that in our culture, when we meet the one, we want to spend the rest of our lives with, we craft them a necklace bearing the feathers of our parents, showing their blessing and of a stone of the loved one’s eyes. Hylians seem to be different. Lianna told me Corrin had given her a fancy horse saddle to show his love”.

When Luto looked down at Revali, she was met with his wide emerald eyes; she could see the gears turning in his head.

“Luto, think we can make Link a present? His birthday is coming up”.

Luto smiled, “Sure, my little fledgling.”

Crafting the paraglider had been the last thing he made with Luto. While it saddened Revali, he would never forget the smile on his and Luto’s beaks at Link’s reaction. It made the Rito’s chest swell with joy as it had when he had received his letter.

Sure, they sometimes fought and didn’t get along, but it never lasted long, and they were always stronger for it. They were together for better or for worse, and according to Kapson, Zora Domain’s priest, that was marriage. So it was no surprise to Revali when on his fourteenth birthday, he found himself searching around the Hebra mountains for the perfect stone to match Link’s eyes. Link was almost done at the Knight’s academy, and he wanted to surprise him. He had accepted the paraglider, so he was sure he’d accept the necklace. The other Rito his age were already starting to pair off, and he wasn’t one to be left behind.

It was within the Coldsnap Hollow, after beating down a talus, that Revali found the perfect stone. Amongst the sapphire and opal of the fallen talus, he found a small node of aquamarine that reminded the Rito of Link’s eyes. He knew Luto would approve of the stone. She had often hinted to him that aquamarine was the closest he would find to the color of the skies.

In the end though, when Link finally came to the Rito Village after four long years, he chickened out of giving the necklace to him. He had been too stunned by the Hylian’s appearance. He had grown much since the last time he had seen him. Granted, Link was still short for his age, but then again, so was Revali. His dirt blonde hair had grown to frame his face well, and his bright sky-blue eyes didn’t look so big on his face anymore, but none of that captivated Revali more than the bright smile and blush that had settled across his face. In the morning sunlight, the Rito could count each individual freckle that dusted his nose and cheeks like the constellations in the sky. Was he worthy of him? He was the shortest of his peers and possessed the dullest feathers, even amongst the other male Rito. He didn’t have the same muscles as his fellow Rito warriors; when enemies looked at him, they underestimated him. While it was to their detriment, it was rather irksome to be judged by traits he had no control over. He knew in his heart Link wouldn’t judge him based on these facts, but it did nothing to cull the apprehension in his mind.

In the end, he hadn’t. He had been right not to give him the necklace.

“What’re you doing, Revali?” Impa questioned, watching as the Rito yanked the necklace from his neck.

With shaky fingers, Revali pulled Luto’s feathers from the clasps that held them before chucking the twine and aquamarine into the shrubbery beyond the gazebo. At the sight, Impa let off a hiccup as she threw herself shakily onto her feet to look over the edge.

“Why’d you do that?”

“It was a worthless trinket”, he coldly answered. That wasn’t true. He had been the happiest while wearing it for the past three years. While marriage was for better or for worse, he didn’t think even he could weather the storm of Link’s eternal duty. He supposed he didn’t truly understand Link as well as he had thought.

“No ish not,” the Sheikah slurred as she slipped over the railing and into the shrubs below. The alcohol must have really started to kick in. Revali would have been concerned if she hadn’t popped up a moment later with leaves in her now messy white hair. “I’ll prove it to you! Things may not work out with me and Zelda, but I’ll be damned before you’re sad too!”

Revali rolled his eyes at the drunken woman as he stood to make his way back into the ballroom. He could hear the horse-drawn carriages begin to gather at the castle gate. The ball was over, and he wanted to go to bed and put this horrid night behind him. “Sure, sure, and I’ll eat my tailfeathers.” As he strode through one of the castle’s doors, he could hear the Sheikah childishly blow a raspberry at his back. He wasn’t sure how she was considered to be one of the royal family’s most esteemed advisors. She was only a year older than him. He’d never understand Hylians.

Much to Revali’s chagrin, there was still activity in the ballroom, albeit dulled down. The band still played, and some nobility remained, but none of that annoyed the Rito as much as seeing Link and Purah flitting around the emptying ball. Link almost looked happy being dragged around by the cheerful Sheikah researcher. It made him feel sick. He hadn’t even mattered that much to his friend, after all. The worst part of it was he knew he would have to go past them to get to his chambers. Sure, he could fly to his window, but in his infinite wisdom, he had locked the window before leaving, a choice he quickly came to regret. Messengers from the village often came to see him, and tonight, he hadn’t wanted any visitors. He had intended on… He didn’t finish the thought as he could feel Link’s stare on his frame. Revali grimaced, especially once Purah caught sight of him, calling out all the while waving her Sheikah Slate wildly. If he was quick enough, he could hide away in the garden again. But not even he could outrun the Sheikah on a mission as she seized his wing in a death grip.

At this point, he was barely even holding it together. He could see Link felt the same way from the splotchy red his face had become, but it didn’t matter to Revali. It was likely just simple pity, and he rather die than be pitied.

“Don’t be like that, Feathers! I got a picture of everyone here but you and Linky!” Purah whined when Revali tugged at her hold on him.

“You have our Champion’s photo. That’s your picture”, he hissed none too gently, but she was not to be deterred as she ignored the comment and began to drag him closer and closer to Link, who seemed to want to escape just as much as he did. Purah, however, was having none of it.

“You’re still shy? How cute, Linky!” She cooed sweetly to the untrained ear. Revali, however, could hear the irritation slipping through the cracks. “I promised Mipha I would get a picture of you two!”

 Once she had Link, she swung him close to Revali before stepping back to ready herself to take the picture. When she gestured for the two to get closer to one another, it was only Link who inched closer. Revali could feel the Hylian’s hand cautiously reaching out to the small of his back, a feeling that, up until a couple of hours ago, he would have melted into. But, the moment he felt the hand brush against the fabric of his tunic, he smacked it away and stepped farther away, folding his wings as he did. He cursed himself for wanting to fall into the touch again.

“Revali, you’re not even in the shot!” The Sheikah whined. “I can tell you don’t like photos, but the flash won’t kill you! You’re not a hamster!”

The Rito ground his beak together. His torture wouldn’t end until the petulant Sheikah got her damned picture, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stomach the situation. Link looked as though he might fall over, he was shaking like a leaf, and despite how much he tried not to feel anything, his heart ached. In spite of himself, he stepped closer to the Hylian, but he couldn’t stop the low hiss that escaped from his beak the moment he felt Link’s hand rest twitchingly across his back, “good to see you’re doing fine, ‘hero”.

Almost instantaneously, Link jumped away from his side. From the corner of his eye, the Rito could see the Hylian frantically grabbing at his beret to fan himself, his eyes wide like prey, knowing its end had come. It confused Revali to no end. Link had dug his own grave. Why was he not content to lie in it? If he had been forced to end things with him, why wasn’t he more forthcoming? Again, he would never understand the supposed descendants of the Goddess Hylia. But Revali eyes weren’t allowed to rest long on Link as he heard Purah let off a groan.

“Okay, I’ll just have to be Daruk for this photo”.

Before either Revali or Link could process what was happening, Purah charged between them, pulling both close to her before pulling her Sheikah slate out, angling it up so Revali’s face would appear. Neither she nor Link were the tallest.

“Say: click, snap!”

As soon as his eyes weren’t burning from the camera’s flash anymore, Revali excused himself, Link doing the same once he caught a saddened glance at the picture. The last bit of the memory that was clear to Revali was of his screech before he knocked over a flower vase. As the memory became grainy, he could see himself staring down at the broken bits of porcelain and the spreading water.

“You were remembering again, weren’t you, Revali?” Barta called up to the Rito, who was beginning to hunker down closer to the chandelier’s edge so he could hop down.

“I wasn’t,” he answered once he was at the Gerudo’s side. Whatever she had cooked up had smelled good. The Gerudo didn’t cook with poultry or fish, for that matter, but she made the exception for him.

A snort escaped Barta’s lips at his reply, but she handed him a steaming bowl of chicken and fish stew anyway. She smiled at the hungry gleam in his eyes. Despite his predominantly sour mood, he always lightened up when it came to her food.

“The way you eat makes me wonder if the Yiga ever fed you”.

Revali grimaced at the Gerudo’s words as she took a seat beside him at the dining room table. “The only thing there to eat was Mighty Bananas”.

“And I thought that’s just what they gave their prisoners… Hmm, say Revali?”

The Rito looked sadly down at his now empty bowl of soup, “What?”

“Purah said she had to rework your memory because of what the Yiga did. Do you still remember what they put in your head?”

Revali let off a hum at her words. In all honesty, he hadn’t thought about it in the slightest until she asked. If he thought hard enough, he could see Link’s wild, hungry eyes looking down upon him with the vibrantly pulsating Blood moon at his back. Despite its fakeness, the sight left a sour taste in his mouth, especially when it mingled with his newly recovered memories. It was like the nightmare was bleeding over into his reality. This was the reason he was still in Hateno under Purah’s care. He didn’t trust himself with the Yiga’s influence still circulating in him. He was a danger, especially to Link.

“D-damnit…”

Barta leaned into her hand, eyeing the Rito curiously. His emerald eyes were narrowed dangerously, but the Gerudo warrior felt no danger from him. She could only feel the anger and confliction he held within himself.

“Revali, perhaps you shouldn’t overthink this stuff. Why don’t you see this for what it appears to be? Link has been nothing but good to you now. The past is the past; it’s not something to be dwelled on but learned from. Link’s likely remembered much more than you by this point. It's why he wants to right things. What I am saying is, give the voe a chance”.

The Rito scoffed, copying Barta’s movement by resting his wing under his chin. Under the Yiga’s control, he never had the desire to harm Link. It was the mission instilled in him, and yet, he had never been able to bring himself to do it, even when opportunity after opportunity had presented itself. Even during their encounter in the Ridgeland, Revali hadn’t harmed him much from what he remembered. Even when he remembered a tad of the memory Purah returned to him, he hadn’t felt animosity. He still didn’t want to hurt Link, even when Kohga had absolute control of him. Even when Kohga had control of him, Link had been careful not to harm him; he even saved him.

Was his pride really worth the ache in his chest?

The Rito sharply stood, his chair falling onto its back from the gust he kicked up. Barta couldn’t help her wince when a bit of dust got in her eye.

“I-I think I’m going out for a walk…”

“Be back before nightfall. Don’t wander out of the village without a weapon”, Barta called out once he was halfway out the door. Revali didn’t even give her an answer. He wasn’t a fledgling.

The rain had stopped, much to Revali’s relief. He wasn’t the biggest fan of the droplets that hit his balder patches of feathers. It chilled him to the bone. The mud, however, felt nice against his talons. The scorching sands of the Gerudo Desert were not somewhere to tread with bare feet. The air was also easier to breathe. In general, his time in Hateno was much more enjoyable than his time in the desert had ever been. It just wasn’t the place for a Rito.

Without much thought, he took flight, allowing the winds to take him into the sky until he found a suitable perch upon a windmill. It was the only place in the village where the bustle of the villagers didn’t meet his ears aside from his temporary abode, but even that had the occasional curious child who peeked in on him and Barta. No one had the ability or desire to find themselves up on top of the windmill.

At least, that was until today.

Revali nearly lost some of his feathers when he felt a thump land behind him. Whipping his head around, he was greeted to Link’s unreadable face. It was baffling how the Hylian could look so happy and yet sad at the same time. His sky-blue eyes were as warm and full of life as they always had in his recent memory, and yet his lips quivered as they had in their shared memory. He wondered how Link felt at seeing that memory. He had his doubt that Purah would hide such a thing from him.

“…Link…” Revali lowly spoke, avoiding the Hylian’s stare. He didn’t have it in him to be hostile anymore. Instead, he focused on the paraglider that he had in his hands; he was fiddling heavily with the designed fabric. It was the one he had built with Luto.

“Revali, I hope I’m not bothering you. I know I’m likely the last person you want to see right now…” Link sighed, bringing his hand up briefly to pull at a bit of his hair that had fallen from his ponytail. His hair had certainly gotten longer since their first encounter. “I-I wanted to let you know I was leaving the village tomorrow morning. I have business over at the Woodland stable… Um…” He paused briefly, his eyes falling onto his boots. Revali felt his heart throb wildly in his chest when he caught sight of the bright blush staining the Hylian’s cheeks. “I’m staying at the village’s inn if you wanted to…”

When the Rito’s eye twitched, Link dropped his paraglider, jumping back to frantically wave his hands at Revali in apology.

“N-No! I didn’t mean—Aw horse spit—I meant, if you want, I can share some of my memories with you! Most of them have you in them, and I thought that… You don’t have to say anything. I just want to be of some help, Revali. But I understand if—”

“Alright then, lead the way”.

Link froze, his eyes widening in surprise. “Wh-wha?”

“Purah can only help so much with my memory, and much as I distrust your past self, I suppose you’re not him. If you think you can help, who am I to object?”

As Revali bent himself to catch a gust, he briefly turned to find Link staring at his back slack-jawed. He didn’t blame him; he was singing quite a different tune than he was earlier that day.

“I hope you’re not going to keep me waiting”.

It was those simple words that re-lit Link’s fire. He immediately shook himself out of his stupor and lunged off the windmill, though Revali had to groan. The Hylian had forgotten to reclaim his fallen paraglider. With a click of his beak, the Rito seized the forgotten object with his talons and jumped off after him, catching Link just before he hit the grass. Link gave him a sheepish look of apology, causing Revali to roll his eyes.

“And you’re the hero to save the world, eh?” Revali sighed breathlessly whilst watching Link haphazardly close his reacquired glider. The blonde was terribly sloppy. His hair was covered in twigs, leaves, and dirt while his clothes were torn or burnt. He was a man living on the edge. He undoubtfully was strong, but he also screamed careless, a man without a plan. How had he survived this long on his own?

“Yup,” Link cheerfully answered once the glider was back to its rightful spot on his back. “Let’s get to the inn! It was almost dinnertime when I was checking in. The innkeeper said they were serving some poultry pilaf!” Revali was sure Link hadn’t even realized he had done it, but he had grabbed at his wing, dragging him towards the inn, and Revali didn’t stop him. It just felt… Right.

-

“Sit right here; I’ll be right back!” Link chirped the moment he had Revali in the inn’s walls. In the few days, the Rito had spent within Hateno, he never stepped foot in the inn; he never had a reason to until he found himself with the man, who he wanted nothing to do with up until about ten minutes ago. Yet, here he was being sat at a table, watching the Hylian dart off towards the inn’s serving area.

“A Rito? I heard one was visiting, but I hadn’t figured you would be with that… Man”.

Turning his head, Revali was greeted by a generally friendly-looking brunette woman. She must have been the innkeeper. “It’s only for business,” he half lied, much to his own chagrin. “Why do you know something I don’t?”

The woman pursed her lips, her eyes darting around the room before leaning in close to the Rito. “He asked me what I liked earlier, so I told him, restless crickets, that my dream was to have a hundred of the little things, and you know what happened?”

Revali quirked up his eyebrow, “what?”

The woman lurched forward with a groan, “This gross guy who hangs outside my inn came in with a hundred of the damned bugs! I was so disgusted… Then your business partner decides to waltz in and offer to get rid of the bugs for a free room and meal! I never felt so conned in my life!”

The Rito found himself trying to hold back a small laugh. He imagined Link was trying to be the wingman to a man who had a crush on the innkeeper. At least he got back his stock of bugs; they made quite the elixir, if he recalled. “Perhaps say you like something more pleasant next time, like gemstones. At that point, you’ll be conning your suitor”.

The innkeeper smiled until she noticed Link had begun to round the corner, two plates of pilaf in hand. “I like your style Mr. Rito. I think you could do better than him”.

As she waved goodbye, Link placed a full plate of poultry pilaf before the Rito before taking his seat to dig into his own monstrous-sized plate. Revali had yet to tell the Hylian he had eaten prior, but he couldn’t once Link’s happy sky-blue eyes landed on his emerald; instead, he just took small bites. He got the feeling that whatever he didn’t eat, Link would scarf down. And true to his thought, once Link had finished and Revali had started to poke at the never-ending amount of rice, he offered to eat his leftovers. The man was a bottomless pit. He took out Revali’s plate before dashing off for dessert, returning with a large piece of wildberry shortcake and a bowl of the unused berries.

“We can talk in my room if you like,” Link spoke, nudging his head towards the stairs so as not to disrupt the desserts in hand.

“I was wondering when we would get to that,” Revali sighed, rolling his eyes when he saw Link’s shoulders slump into a pout.

“Excuse me for wanting to show you I wasn’t a jerk…”

Revali inwardly groaned. He wanted to apologize, but his pride wouldn’t let him. “W-well, you’ve done a decent job thus far. I haven’t a reason to doubt your intentions… Link”.

The bright smile was back on Link’s face at Revali’s words. While they hadn’t been said in the kindest of voices, Link didn’t seem to mind.

Link’s room appeared to be the finest that the inn had to offer. It was sectioned off from the communal sleeping quarters with its own door and bath. The bed was also of considerable size, with a silken canopy over the top and nightstands on either side with bottles and candles lining their surfaces. It looked like a room designed for honeymooners, perhaps for those in the village who wanted to get away without really being gone. While Revali felt his feathers bristle at the sight, Link didn’t seem to notice the suggestiveness of the room. He simply made his way to the bed to dig into his cake.

“I brought the wildberries for you… I got the feeling that you’d prefer that to cake”.

When Link held out the bowl, Revali felt the skin underneath his feathers heat up. It was a simple gesture; why was he reacting like this? The Rito ended up taking the berries with a low grumble before making his way to the room’s desk to make use of its chair. He doubted he would be able to handle sitting next to the Hylian. Link didn’t seem to mind. Luckily, he was none the wiser.

“Um… While I don’t know everything, I know bits and pieces of our childhood and teenage years. I don’t know much of your time spent as Champion, though…”

Revali popped a berry in his mouth as he listened to Link. It didn’t surprise him Link didn’t know much of his time as Champion. He gathered that incident at the Hylian ball happened soon after their anointment. There wouldn’t have been much of a point to the celebration otherwise. The way Purah had described the calamity to him made the world sound rather bleak. It was all the more reason to get to the Hyrule Castle and roast the swirling swine. None of the world now seemed to really acknowledge the bomb lurking under the castle. The Princess had it under her control, but that would wane sooner rather than later.

It would be a selfish choice to ruminate on his feelings about Link.

“What caused us to fail a hundred years ago?”

Link’s eyes widened as a bit of cake got stuck in his throat, causing him to sputter and pound at his chest until the offending bit of food flew out of his mouth and onto the carpet. Revali shifted uncomfortably in his seat at the way the color drained from Link’s skin to the point where he was as pale as the whipped frosting on his half-eaten cake slice. He had wanted to ask him if he was alright, but before he could even open his beak to ask the Hylian, Link spoke.

“Ganon, he took control of the Divine Beasts. He systematically took you as well as Mipha, Urbosa and Daruk out with creatures of his own being. The Princess and I didn’t stand much of a chance after that. The Goddess didn’t see it fit to bless the Princess with her birthright until I was drawing my last breath… The last thing I saw…” He paused briefly, his voice becoming choked. “The last thing I saw was Vah Medoh… Ganon’s creature had killed you”.

Revali couldn’t stop the bowl of berries from falling onto the floor as his vision began to swim, and his head throbbed. It felt as though he had been clubbed over the head by a bokoblin. Link was by his side, instantly clutching his arms, his fingers digging into his feathers. He was saying something, but it went on deaf ears as Revali found himself falling into the Hylian’s arms.

The wooden walls of the inn peeled away into the night sky. All that surrounded him were dark clouds that erupted with thunder and lightning. At that moment, the otherwise annoying weather pattern was a godsend. The dark skies didn’t allow for much visibility, especially for the Rito.

It was through a clap of thunder that Revali found himself face to face with a chittering beast made of dark purple goop and red hair with Sheikah technology for its bones. Its entire right arm was a weapon, with the eyes of guardians embedded in it. He could only imagine the firepower it was packing. It let off a giggle before moving behind one of Vah Medoh’s pillars just as the flash dissipated.

It was the creature that haunted his nightmares. So this is how he died.

“So, you’re the foe that Ganon decided would be able to take me out, eh?” Revali snarked, pulling his bow from his back before he took to the skies. “I’ll have you know, I’m unparalleled in aerial combat!” With his gale beneath his wings, Revali notched his bow with three shock arrows; bomb arrows were his specialty, but they were as good as useless in the rainfall. The beast was easy enough to spot, with its weapon glowing brightly in the vapor the rain created when it hit Medoh. “Too easy!”

Not that Revali would ever say it vocally, but he quickly regretted saying those words. As soon as he let his arrows fly, he felt a searing hot blast hit his back, forcing him out of the sky. Plummeting, he could feel the skin beneath his feathers bubbling, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. Grinding his beak, he forced his gale to activate to soften his fall. It was frustrating to hear the damned blight’s laughter across from Medoh. With a curse, he looked to where he once was to see a strange, funnel-like object floating about.

The accursed creature wasn’t even fighting fair.

Forcing himself onto his feet, Revali could see Vah Naboris roaming the grounds below. He could see Urbosa’s fury erupting rather frequently from the beast’s interior.

“Urbosa, seems you don’t even need my h-help”, he spat pridefully past the blood that had begun to accumulate in his beak. He had to start moving again; in another flash, he could see more of those damned funnels emerging from his beast’s back.

He could almost see the roll of her eyes as answered, “Revali, this isn’t a competition. “We’re fighting for our lives and all those of Hyrule!”

“D-don’t you think I know that?!” He hissed out, taking flight again just as the blight sent out a shot of its arm cannon instead of letting his buddies do all of the work. It gave him the opportunity to shoot a quick volley of ice arrows in its direction, the dissipating energy of its blast acting as Revali’s guide in the dark. From the hiss it let off, he knew his shot hit true.  “Do you think Link got the Princess to safety?!”

The last he had seen of Link, the Hylian had told him and the other champions he was going to take Princess Zelda to Hateno. They had all deemed it was far enough from the castle and possessed a good-sized number of troops next to the Akkala citadel. It also showed next to no signs of the impact of the calamity. Though nowhere would be showing signs of Ganon if the damned Goddess just blessed Zelda. She had well-earned it at this point.

“We can only pray, Revali. If they die, our hopes of succeeding go with them!”

Revali felt his chest begin to burn as he aimed another volley his beast’s way; he could see the bit of Link’s tunic that he tied to his bow flitting in the wind. He ended up having to forgo the shot when a group of funnels caught up, attempting to pin him. He tsked, throwing his bow to his talons to avoid the coordinated attack. The rain was beginning to soak through the coating on his feathers and armor, slowing him down significantly. There was no point in running anymore. He needed to be on the offensive. Grabbing his bowstring with one of his talons, he allowed himself to fall in the wind, giving him time to aim. In one swift shot, he took out the three funnels on his tail. He smirked the moment he heard the beast’s frustrated pout. This thing seemed to be nothing more than a joke without its funnels.

“I’m going to circle closer to the castle!” Revali called out to Urbosa as he commanded Vah Medoh to change her pathing. He would be done with the blight before he reached Link and Zelda. If he knew Link, even without Zelda, he would attempt to storm the castle. He couldn’t let him do it alone. Urbosa didn’t argue with him much to his relief, though he wasn’t sure he had really given her the time anyway.

“Do you really think you’ll kill me so easily?”

Revali felt his feathers begin to bristle at the demonic voice that came from the blight. It was Ganon himself talking through his creation like a macabre puppet.

“You haven’t shown me much to fear thus far!” He shouted back, uncaring for the blasts it sent his way. Where the beast aimed had no rhyme nor reason, they were easy enough to weave through, allowing him for his own potshots.

“I don’t have to. You will fail in due time”. The coward; really was toying with him.

“I won’t give you the satisfaction!”

Revali could feel his quiver was beginning to run thin on arrows. He doubted the blight would be gracious enough to allow him to restock within Vah Medoh. Taking a deep breath, he reached under his quiver for the feathered edge he always kept on hand. The cretin took a moment to charge its blast. After dodging one last blast, he plummeted, landing on its arm to charge for its eye. If it was anything like a guardian, it would fall. It had to.

“Die!”

Just as the blade was mere centimeters from the Windblight’s eye, Revali felt a string of searing blasts hit his chest and back. The funnels had regenerated. As Revali felt his vision blur, the blight grabbed ahold of his body, its touch worse than the burns that riddled his frame.

“I suppose you were the closest to killing one of my blights.” Revali glared up at the creature’s eye as it dragged him across Mehoh’s wing. “Why don’t I reward you? Look”.

None too gently, the blight wrapped its sinewy hand around the back of Revali’s head, hoisting him up over the edge. He could see hordes of guardians skittering around the swampy waters below; they shot without a care to what they hit. Revali began to writhe in the blight’s hold. He knew what it wanted him to see.

“The wretched hero is down there with the princess. I can sense he’s on his last leg. Don’t you want to see his final moments?” Ganon questioned, the pleasure in his voice only increasing when the Rito struggled even more. Cackling, he dug his fingers deeper into the feathers of the champion’s head, forcing him even closer.

Revali could feel his throat beginning to burn as he saw the guardians begin to congregate towards the Blatchery Plains. It was only briefly, but he caught sight of the bright blue of Link’s tunic.

“L-Let me go!” If he could get down there, he could… He could.

“As you wish”.

While the Windblight possessed no mouth to smile with, Revali could feel its wide grin boring into his back. The beast did let him go, just not where he wanted. Laughing, it spun around, chucking him back towards Vah Medoh’s terminal; the Rito could hardly let off a whimper as his back connected with the stone. Any pain he had felt melted away. He was done. Medoh must have known so, too; the normal blue of her terminal had begun to be overtaken by orange.

“How does it feel to die? How does it feel to know you will never see your beloved again?”

Revali scoffed at Ganon’s creation, his vision fading in and out as it approached, its cannon charging. “Just kill me”.

There was no point in fighting anymore. Zelda and Link were gone. There wasn’t any way they could survive an attack by that many guardians. Ganon had won. The two years he spent as Champion, training, loathing the love of his life were wasted for nothing. The only lasting impact he would leave was a stain on Medoh’s terminal. He doubted Tulin would remember him… He was too young, and that was for the best. The village elder would be a much better role model for him. But who was he kidding? Now that they failed, the world was forfeit.

“What are you waiting for, Ganon?! Kill me already! Do it!” He spat the effort causing his body to tumble completely to Medoh’s ground soundlessly. He must have looked rather pathetic if even Ganon’s minion was hesitating. Revali, however, soon realized it hadn’t been hesitating. It was looking at something.

“Heh… Now things are getting interesting…”

“Wh-what’re you—”

And then Revali saw it; a bright column of golden energy erupted into the sky, its power cleaving through the clouds. Vah Medoh even trembled against the warm energy that spread across the land. Revali could almost hear Zelda’s gentle voice against his ear; she told him to rest and that all would be okay. But it wouldn’t… He’d never see Link again. All this time, he feared Link would perish in battle, and yet, here he was, bleeding out on Vah Medoh’s mossy ground. He was leaving him.

“Link, I love you…”

When Revali finally allowed his eyes to shut, he found himself returning to the present. Gone was the cold stone of Vah Medoh’s rain-soaked wings; it was replaced by the soft plush of a bed and the warmth of a duvet. Link must have put him to bed when he fell into the memory. Rolling his head to the side, he was greeted by the dozing face of the Hylian, his blonde hair was a mess on the pillows, and his mouth was agape with drool spilling freely. It wasn’t the most attractive of faces, but Revali found himself smiling nonetheless. He could only imagine how much his past self would have liked to wake up to the sight. Unconsciously, Revali found himself reaching his wing out to Link’s head, but as soon as his feathers were mere centimeters from his cheek, he retracted like his hand had been burned.

“I’m sure the Princess can wait another hour…”

“I promised her I would meet her at dawn by the Sanidin Park. We’ll see each other tomorrow, Revali. It is Zelda’s seventeenth birthday, after all”.

Revali couldn’t help the hiss that escaped his beak as he briefly found himself staring over a pile of pillows at Link’s dressing form. The Hylian had yet to pull back on his trousers; he was too focused on staring back at Revali. His eyes looked lustful. The Rito was too embarrassed to look down at himself.

“Wha-what’s wrong, Revali?” Link yawned, awakened by the Rito’s frantic attempt to get out of bed. However, with it being the dead of the night, Revali only succeeded in getting his talons tangled in the sheets.

In the end, with a huff, Revali gave up his struggle, allowing himself to fall unceremoniously onto the floor with his tail feathers in the air. “You try remembering how you died, then promptly finding yourself in another memory only in a post-coital arrangement with the man who broke your heart”.

“Oh…” Link simply spoke.

There was silence for a moment before Revali could hear the bed frame squeaking. He couldn’t see Link, but he could feel him pulling his talons free of the blankets; once they were free, he slid the rest of the way onto the floor.

“Sorry, I should have taken more note of the lack of blankets in the Rito Village”, the Hylian sighed before leaning his cheek over the bed’s edge to see Revali. There was a far-off look in his sky-blue eyes as they met the Rito’s emerald ones. “When I was fighting the Scourge of Vah Naboris, Ganon spoke through it to me. He taunted me with the deaths of you and the champions as well as myself… He said you called out to me in your final moments… I wanted to let you know that I did the same”.

It must have been asking too much of the calamitous entity that was Ganon to keep his final moments to himself. Revali ended up humming in reply to Link’s words. Did he really want to tell him that his last words were that he loved him? He was supposed to be on the fence about the guy. But then again, he was trying to give him a chance at least for Barta’s sake. He had to wonder what she thought had become of him. That is unless she was expecting this outcome, and if so, he had to groan. The last thing he wanted to be one of the characters in the romance novels he had caught her reading over their short time together.

But despite it all, Revali spoke his past self’s words.

“My last words to you were to you, Link. I said I love you”.

It was likely the pent-up emotions of their pasts and the stressors of the present that led to what happened next, Revali rationalized after the fact. As soon as the phrase left his beak, Link had slid himself off the bed, pinning the Rito down to the floorboards; his eyes were wide, tears threatening to fall. He was looking to the Rito for approval. Revali didn’t fight him. He showed his consent by bringing his wings to Link’s hips, baring his neck as he did so. It all came so naturally to the both of them, each tug, pull, and press.

Revali would be lying if he said the night hadn’t been blissful. But it wasn’t meant to last. At least for now, it couldn’t be. While he couldn’t deny the connection, he felt growing towards Link. He wasn’t ready. Link had months to recover what he remembered; Revali was just starting.

Link would understand.

Come morning, when he returned to Barta, the Gerudo gave the Rito a sly look. She didn’t say a word, but the smug smile on her topaz-painted lips said everything as she pushed a plate of eggs to his side of the dining table. Revali could only groan.

Chapter Text

The morning had come too soon if you were to ask Link. As soon as the sun had begun to rise over Hateno, light began to pour into his otherwise dark room, targeting his face as though on purpose. He couldn’t help the groan that escaped his lips.

 It wasn’t as though Link didn’t want to wake up; it was quite the contrary, really. If he opened his eyes, he’d get to see Revali. The night they had spent together… Link felt a sharp shiver run down his belly button at the thought. However, he couldn’t shake the thought that it was all an elaborate dream. And when he opened his eyes, he feared just that. Revali was gone from the bed, his side having long gone cold. The only proof he had that Revali had ever even existed in his room was the stray feather he saw at the door.

Link felt his shoulders slump. Was it a dream? It had all felt so real… Sighing softly, he pulled himself out of bed, his eyes trained on the feather. It was likely a wing feather from the glossy navy of its body with a dash of white running across it. As he twirled it in his fingers, there was a knock at his door.

“Ah, come in”.

“Master Link, I’m so glad I—Aiyee!”

Link’s eyes widened as he was greeted by the sight of Paya turning into a tomato. He had no idea what was making her so flustered until he looked down to see himself in the buff. It felt like his first meeting with Paya all over again, only this time he was embarrassed, perhaps even more than Paya. With a squawk of an apology, he darted into the bathroom where he had left his bag the prior night so he could clean his clothes. Luckily the trousers he had set out had dried. The shirt was still a bit on the damp side, but anything was better than being naked.

“I’m sorry, Paya”, he profusely apologized, peeking his head out of the bathroom. Paya hadn’t moved much from her spot at the door, other than to hide her face in her hands. “Don’t worry I’m decent”.

Paya let off a sigh of relief before pulling her hands free of her face which was still rather red. “I’m sorry for intruding Master Link. When the innkeeper said your guest left, I had assumed you were awake as well”.

“My guest—Oh, Revali…”

The Sheikah’s mouth dropped open for a second, a strange sound escaping her throat as she closed her mouth. “Oh, you and—Oh!” If Paya’s face could get any redder, Link was sure it would. The poor girl looked faint. “S-so then my aunt Purah was wrong in saying things were strained then…”

Link shook his head. “No, things are still strained as ever”. But not as bad as he had originally feared, at least that’s what he hoped when he eyed a letter on the stand close to the door. The cursive wasn’t as elegant as Zelda’s, but Link knew it had to be Revali’s penmanship from the boldness of the lettering. “So, Purah told you about Revali?” He asked, changing the subject.

Paya nodded, pulling out a small book from her coat as she did so. “Other than bringing Apple here, I wanted to let you know about my progress on locating the other champions”.

Link felt his heart quicken, “really? What have you found?” He had his doubts Paya would come all the way out here to deliver him Apple. When he had put in the request with the Gerudo for Apple’s transfer to Hateno, he hadn’t expected his horse’s deliverer to be the Sheikah. She must have had some substantial intel.

“Well, I do have some bad news too, Link. So let me start with that”, Paya spoke, her nails digging into the book in her hands. “There are rumors that Master Kohga of the Yiga still lives. Yiga sightings have been increasing across the land as well”.

Link groaned. It seemed Kohga was going to make good on his ‘final’ words after all. “At least they don’t have Revali anymore”.

Paya nodded, “My aunt told me what happened… I’m glad you saved him, Link”.

“You don’t think the Yiga are trying to find the other champions now, do you?” He hated to think what they would do to Mipha, Daruk, or Urbosa. They had failed to make a perfect weapon out of Revali. He would imagine Kohga would try something much more permanent if he got a second chance.

“I can’t say for sure, Master Link, but it's better we prepare for the worst”.

While Paya’s words were grim, Link wasn’t about to give in. “So what do you know of their whereabouts?”

“I don’t have anything concrete on Mipha or Urbosa, but I do have a good hunch on Daruk’s location, based on what my aunt told me”, she hummed, stepping closer to show Link her book that she had begun to thumb through. Littered amongst the pages were quickly jotted notes as well as various hand-drawn maps and pictures. Link was amazed with the detail, she even had the likenesses of each of the champions.

“Wow, Paya, did you draw these?” He questioned in amazement earning him a shaky nod as an answer. He could see showing her work to him was making her embarrassed, but he wasn’t sure why.

“Y-yeah… I went around asking some traveling merchants if they had seen anyone that looked like them. One merchant named Beedle said he ran into a woman who looked like Urbosa in the Faron region. No one saw Mipha, but various people here in Hateno say that there’s been more activity on Mount Lanayru as of late, and as for Daruk… My aunt seems to think her old colleague, Robbie up in the deep end of Akkala is housing him”. As she finished, Paya placed the book in Link’s hands. “I’m going to Akkala to see for myself, and in the meantime, I hope you retrieve the Master Sword, Link”.

Link smiled as he pocketed the book, “Don’t worry, that’s what I’m off to do now. A friend of mine is waiting for me at the Woodland stable”.

“What of Revali?” Paya asked with a tilt of her head.

While he had been expecting the question, Link still worried his lip about how to answer that. He very much doubted that Revali would travel with him, even if things weren’t as hostile between the two of them. He wanted to give the Rito the time and space he needed. When Revali was ready, he would come. “Purah is still working with him”, he ended up replying. It wasn’t a lie, but Paya didn’t seem happy with the answer from the pout that had formed on her lips.

-

It wasn’t until midmorning that Link found himself on the open road again with Apple, Revali’s letter burning a hole in his pocket.

Apple had been as happy as a horse in a carrot field to see Link. She nearly licked the hair off his head when they met outside the inn. She of course expected many pets and a fresh apple for her trouble and Link was more than happy to oblige her. Hearing her whinnying was enough to push the ache in his heart to the back of his mind. He had wanted to see Revali one last time, but he was sure the Rito had meant for his letter to serve as that. He had yet to read it; every time he came close, he could feel his anxiety rising.

In the end, it wasn’t until the Woodland Stable was just in his view that he opened the letter.

Link—I’m sure by the time you read this, you’ll already be long out of the village—

Link grimaced, well he was right about that one.

I don’t blame you. I can only imagine what you thought awakening with me gone. I honestly didn’t want to write this, but something compelled me to; perhaps guilt or the love we once shared and seem to still. It’s all rather frightening to feel something so strong and yet know not of it all. What happened last night… Despite it being the result of our stresses and tensions coming to a boil, it wasn’t a mistake. I hope what happened between us happens again, but not until we’re both truly ready. I would rather look upon you with the same eyes of love.

I also would like you to burn this letter. I’d rather only you see this. –Revali

Link could see his tears hitting the paper before he felt them. Revali felt the same way as he did. While the night had been cathartic, he hadn’t been expecting himself nor Revali to act that way. He feared he might have scared the Rito away or worse, made him come to hate him even more when he woke up alone this morning. Revali was an important part of his life and he didn’t want to lose him again. The painful memories he had were a heavy reminder of that. Revali needed his time and space to recover himself as did Link still. In spite of knowing his destiny as the hero of Courage, he was still finding his new place in the world. Compared to him, the Rito might as well have just hatched.

In the end, Link knew in his heart that no matter how much time it took, he and Revali would find their way back to each other.

“My, you look rather jovial, Champion”, Kass sang, the song he played on his bandoneon going uninterrupted even as Apple had begun to snort at the feathers pinned to his head.

Link smiled down at the Rito before dismounting from his steed. He could see the tower he had spotted upon Death Mountain just over some hills in the distance. He would have to activate it if he wanted to know any more of the area. The only reason he had found the stable in the first place was due to Paya’s direction. “Well, all four of the Divine Beasts are free as well as their Champion’s spirits. I think that’s reason enough for cheer”.

Kass chuckled. While he never moved from his spot at the stable entrance, he kept an eye on Link’s movements. His first stop was the Shrine at the back of the stable, followed by a visit to the Sheikah Tower. The Rito had to wonder how he made it look so easy to infiltrate the mire that was the old Hylian Military Academy. It took him until sunset to return, by which point a stable hand had come to board Apple as she had begun to roll around outside, nearly knocking over the Beetle-backed merchant. Link didn’t seem too upset at the matter, he simply apologized to the stable master before making his way over to the cooking pot, gesturing to Kass to follow; and seeing how late it was becoming, it was time to pack his instrument in for the day anyway.

“So, I read your letter,” Link hummed whilst pulling out Revali’s letter. As much as he wanted to keep the letter, he also wanted to respect Revali’s wishes. So, as the fire began to die out, he threw it in, earning him a curious glance from Kass. “What is it that’s of ‘great importance’ to my quest?” He knew he was being coy about it, the only thing that would have been helpful to him now was the Master Sword’s exact location.

“I think you already know what I have to say,” Kass spoke, his eyes alit with a mischievous light in the fire of the cooking pot. “First, I would like to ask you, if this area sparks anything in your mind”.

Link pursed his lips. The Woodland stable was a stable like any other. When he shook his head, an airy laugh escaped Kass’ beak.

“My master had a great love of this stable, for here he learned a song well over a hundred years ago; it was the song I was playing earlier when we met. Do you know who taught him it?”

Link shook his head.

“It was your mother. She learned it from you. She called it Epona’s song. It was the melody used by the hero to call his steed”.

“Oh…” As if the air itself was speaking to him, Link could hear the gentle hum of the song on the winds that swirled the fire’s embers into the sky. Ever so subtly, the hum turned into a voice, his own voice.

“Epona, Epona, come to my side. When we're together I'm not lonely So, Epona, stay here with me, I'll protect you”. Link could hear himself sing as the face of a chocolate-colored horse with a white splotch on her forehead appeared before him. He could see his hand reaching up into her long white tresses; From the faint imprint of the triforce on his hand, Link knew this occurred after his tenth birthday.

“My Link, you’ve tamed your first horse,” Link could hear his mother speak from behind him before she approached, a set of reins in her hands. “It was a long time coming, but I knew Epona would be your first horse. At least now I don’t have to worry about you and Revali getting lost in the Great Forest”.

Link felt a hot blush scorch its way across his face, especially once he took notice of the Rito leaning against the stable door. He prayed Revali hadn’t heard him singing. His voice was nowhere near as good as his, it was likely an affront to the ears of anyone besides Epona.

“I remember the day Luto stopped by here with Epona… You were more excited to see Revali than the foal that was your Epona,” his mother sighed in remembrance. “She had found her just outside the Great Forest wandering around. I imagine she would know her way around still. Though as I’m sure you’ve heard, Link, there are even more monsters around that forest than there were seven years ago. Are you sure you want to search for the blade there?”

Link nodded vigorously. “Of course Mother! It’s my destiny to find the blade that will seal the darkness. In some old texts, Revali and I learned it's deep within the Great Hyrule Forest, protected by the Deku tree; no monster can dare to dream of stepping foot on those grounds”, he ended matter-of-factly.

His mother rolled her eyes at her son before moving to set up Epona’s saddle and reins. “Well, many bards tell tales of how once upon a time, the forest was inhabited by the Kokiri, those who lived forever as children. They all lived under the Great Deku Tree’s protection, for where his roots touched, they could live as they could not survive without him. When the calamity struck 10,000 years ago, Ganon’s forces attacked the forest, killing many of the Kokiri, and those who remained became Koroks, beings unseen to much of the realm. If you don’t have good intentions, you’ll never see one nor the treasure they protect”.   

Link could recall hearing his mother’s story told many a time in the stable when he helped out. His father had always thought it to be a bunch of hogwash bards would tell for a quick rupee. Link however had always believed it. Every now and again during his time at the academy, he could see a little walking tree bouncing about. If he was out on the training field, he could see them trying to mimic his movements with tree branches to varying degrees of success. The beings would never approach and they would always make themselves scarce if Link tried to call out to them. He could only imagine the heart attack they would have when he and Revali intruded on their domain.

“Don’t worry mother, I know. I’ll be careful and courteous”.

“I know you will, Link”, his mother responded with a beaming smile as she dusted off her pants. “Epona’s all set to go. With her and Revali at your side, the journey won’t be long at all”.

His mother’s smile was the last thing Link saw before the cooking pot returned to his view. Kass was still sitting across from him, only now he was tuning his bandoneon.

“My master met your mother after the calamity came one hundred years ago. She was rather closed off to the world around her. She had lost you, her husband as well as her livelihood in the attack. Her only wish to my master after telling her tale was to share your song with the realm”.

Link found himself solemnly looking down at the fire as Kass spoke. He wasn’t really hearing him, only the thoughts that ran rampant throughout his head. While it occurred to him in hindsight, he knew this stable had been his home for a good portion of his life. The name had come up many a time in his memories, but it hadn’t been an important detail to him. In his mind, the champions and Zelda were more important to him as they could be saved, his mother, and his father, were lost to time. He would never get a chance to see them again and he hadn’t wanted to dwell on the past he couldn’t change, only what he could fix. He loved his mother and father despite their shortcomings, he longed to see them again as he did to be with Revali again. But he’d never get the chance to say that. It made the memories with them all the harder.

“I too long for the day I get to meet with my master again,” Kass spoke, his instrument now to his side. “He taught me all I know; he was my parent. After he died… For a while, I separated myself from everything that was him. I married, I had kids, I involved myself in training with my old friend, Teba. It made things easier for me to grieve, but I wasn’t happy; my wife, saw this”, Kass’ eyes drifted down to the fire, his eyes sharing the same somber look as Link's. “One day, out of the blue, Amali, my wife, she came to me with my master’s old notes, an uncompleted song he had been working on before his passing. She suggested to me it would clear my conscious to finish the work he had dedicated his life to. Since I’ve been on my journey, I’ve felt closer to my master. I’ve learned much of the ancient songs of the land. I feel I’m even close to finishing his song”.

The thoughts in his head quieted down quite a bit after hearing Kass’ story. While he couldn’t change the fate his mother or father suffered, he could remember them still, carrying their spirit on.

“I hope to be able to hear your song when you’re finished, Kass”.

The Rito smiled, “I’m sure my master would be most pleased to hear you say that. My master always talked kindly of you. Before the Calamity, he was the Royal family’s court poet”.

Link spent much of the night chatting with Kass about his travels around Hyrule. Apparently, there was many a shrine that lay hidden by a riddle. The Rito was kind enough to share his notes for Link’s leisure. While Link visited every shrine he could find, there were many that weren’t so easy to find; and despite his boon in strength beckoning to the Master Sword, he wouldn’t turn down any extra power for his fight with Calamity Ganon. With the Divine Beast’s free and their new champions at the ready, as soon as he had the sword that sealed the darkness in hand, he was going to free Zelda from her hundred years of suffering. As much as he hoped the former champions would aid him in that task, there was no guarantee that Paya would locate the rest of them nor that they would even be ready. Revali was strong, but his memory was still fractured, and the others could be worse off for all he knew. The thought that Ganon could be sending the Yiga after them made his blood boil as it did when he knew they had Revali. There wasn’t a thing he could do when he had a bigger goal to accomplish.

“I wouldn’t enter the Great Forest if you have any doubt in your mind, Link”, Kass spoke as the sun began to rise over the hill. The now blue of the Sheikah tower was much more appealing to the eye in the Rito’s opinion. “Champion Revali would turn in his grave if he heard my master’s anecdote of his trip to the forest”.

Kass always seemed to know what to say to calm Link’s mind. It was likely just the parent in him. Link leaned into his hand to get closer to the dying embers of the fire. “Ooh, you have to tell me”.

Kass obliged at least a bit, with the sun rising and the stable’s inhabitants beginning to wake, he pulled his bandoneon into his lap, an airy tune catching on the air. Link thought it fit Revali perfectly.

“Long ago, in a forest not so far away, two futures were made. One a hero, one a champion, one picked by the Goddess, and one by her descendent. As regal as the pair sound, they were anything but…”

Link pouted when the Rito stopped, but as soon as he opened his mouth to complain, Kass stood, a mirthful look in his eyes. “Wouldn’t you rather experience the story, Champion?”

-

Paya couldn’t help the dower turn of her mood after she left Link’s room. While part of it was from her embarrassment from walking in on him in the nude, again. She was mostly upset over his acceptance of Revali’s current state. From the way her grandmother talked of Link and Revali’s relationship, she made it seem as though the moment they reunited, they would never part again. It was always the love she desired for herself one day, that no matter what strife happened, one day, they would find their way back to each other. 

“You look awfully familiar… Are you a relative of Purah?”

The Shiekah nearly jumped out of her skin when a Rito suddenly jumped down before her from the inn’s roof. But she quickly calmed once she recognized him to be Revali; however, the realization of this fact quickly put her back into her anxious state. One of the Champions was standing before, in the flesh!

“Take a breath, would you? I’d rather not have to lug you up the mountain to Purah”, Revali sighed, watching Paya flounder until she finally managed to nod.

“Y-yes! She’s my aunt, U-um, Champion Revali!” From the Rito’s snort, her bow must have been over the top. “W-were you here to see Link? He-he um left already…”

“That much I am aware. Where did he go?”

Paya tilted her head in confusion. He could have asked him, himself. She knew Link would tell him. Hell, he’d even invite him along more than likely. But as soon as she opened her mouth to say that, Revali clicked his beak.

“I’d rather him not know, okay?”

“You want to stalk him?” Paya blurted out before she could even stop herself. She wished she could stuff her head into the ground like an Eldin Ostrich, the sight of the Rito puffing out his feathers was too much. He definitely wanted to kill her.

Surprisingly, however, her life wasn’t expunged. The Rito shook his head as he smoothed his feathers out with his wing. “Let me rephrase myself. Where are you going?”

Paya blinked. “Y-you want to know what I’m up to?”

“Yes, I can tell you are doing something for Link. I want in. I feel caged in this village, it’s too peaceful. I need to spread my wings. Also, I know not much of my days as a Champion, but I can gather there’s more to accomplish before Link charges the castle”. Paya could tell he was trying to make himself sound apathetic to Link as well as his duty, but he couldn’t hide the look of concern in his eyes.

“If my aunt gives you the go-ahead, you can come with me to Akkala. Since I can tell you were eavesdropping,” Revali looked down at his talons, his beak grinding together what looked to be painfully. “I’m locating the other champions. Mipha, Daruk, and Urbosa are still lost. I fear they could be targets of the Yiga like you were”.

The grinding of his beak became louder.

At least Paya knew now that her journey wouldn’t be a lonely one anymore. ‘Link, I know what trials will await you in finding the Master Sword, so don’t worry. Revali and I will find the others. We’ll be ready whenever you are to save the Princess.'

Chapter Text

As Link found Apple and himself before the entrance to the Great Hyrule Forest, Link felt a well of sadness form in his heart; its ominous fog-filled air and distorted trees did nothing but deepen it. He wished Revali was here to experience this with him. Finding the Master Sword was his accomplishment, as it had links he knew. The memory would have been priceless.

“Wanna wait here for me, Apple?” Link sighed softly, his voice echoing off the dense fog that had begun to drift closer. As strange as it was, it seemed curious, slowly circling him and Apple before rising.

Apple didn’t seem interested in waiting. With a gruff huff, she moved into the forest, beckoning him to follow with a shake of her head. Link found a small smile forming on his lips at her action.

“Guess you don’t want to part again so soon, eh?” He asked, earning him a whinny.

The interior of the Great Forest was as off-putting as its entrance, if not worse. Dead trees with gaping maws and following eyes stared him down, daring him to traverse their domain. A foreboding shiver ran down the Hylian’s spine. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew these trees were once the Kokiri people from his memory, angry and full of regret from the lives so callously stripped from them.

“I can’t say I blame the Goddess for leaving the Sword that Seals the Darkness here,” Revali spoke from his side, his wings behind his back as he moved closer to the torch that sat farther in. Its light was the only thing that illuminated the dark thicket of fog and trees. “Why would Calamity Ganon’s minions look somewhere already encased in darkness?”

Link hummed in agreement both in the past and present. He could see none despite his Mother’s warning of monsters infesting the forest. However, it didn’t mean that none existed; they might just be lost.

“So, your horse knows the way?” Revali asked skeptically, watching the chocolate mare busy herself with a bit of unkempt grass closer to the torch.

Link rubbed at the back of his head nervously. “My Mother thinks so. According to Luto, this is where Epona was born. Maybe her purpose is to lead us?”

The Rito rolled his eyes. “I have my doubts Epona is some blessed gift from the Goddess herself. If she leads us to the Great Deku Tree, it would be a mere coincidence. It’ll be quicker if I find the route by air”.

At Revali’s words, a sly smile formed on Link’s face, “Wanna bet?”

It didn’t take the Rito long to puff out his chest at the provocation. “What would you be willing to bet?” His voice was full of confidence, and he didn’t think he could lose.

“H-how about a date?!” Both Link and Revali sputtered at the Hylian's words. Link hadn’t even expected him to blurt it out.

After the Tabantha village incident, Link spent his time recovering with Revali. With him being a new knight to the King, his father feared that an injury on his first mission upon graduation would earn him a quick boot out of the military. So, he had lied that the mission was taking longer than expected. Technically, even now, he was to be recovering, but it had been two months, and both he and Revali were going stir-crazy with their newfound knowledge of the Master Sword’s location.

Not all of their downtime had been spent in bed reading; however, neither Link nor Revali would have lasted long if that had been the case. They continued helping where they could in the Rito village and egg-sitting Chord and Oura’s egg. While the fledgling had yet to hatch, Revali decided he was a boy and that his name would be Tulin. Link was always entranced by the careful way the Revali handled the egg, his movements were precise as they were with his bow, but gentle and slowed. He’d never seen the Rito so tender in his life. Even when handing Link the egg to hold, he would press himself close to the Hylian to make sure he had the egg in his grasp before letting go. On more than one occasion during the handoff, Revali had begun to preen at his hair, an airy hum escaping his beak. The action never lasted long as Revali always caught himself, Link however wished he didn’t. Feeling Revali close… It felt right. It made his heart swell and beat a mile a minute.

Link hadn’t a clue when their relationship changed, but he felt himself growing fonder and fonder of Revali every day. He wanted to be at his side constantly, assisting in any way he could with Tulin. He wanted to practice the bow with him; he wanted to sing with him. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to…

Link felt his face become as red as a tomato and as hot as Death Mountain as he looked at Revali who he was sure was in the same condition from the puffing and flattening of his feathers.

“Y-you want—You’re on! If I win, you’re letting me hold that Master Sword!”

The gale Revali produced as he shot into the air was a breath of fresh air to the burning of Link’s face. The Rito quickly disappeared into the fog and wasted no time drifting back to where he broke through.

“Well, we can’t lose to him now, right, Epona?” Link chirped, a pep in his step now as he pulled at his horse’s reins. Epona, however, was hesitant to move as she had dug her hooves into the loamy dirt below. She only moved her head to look at the torch at her side. “What is it—Hmm,” Link pursed his lips as he observed the fire. The wind seemed to be carrying off its embers to another torch in the distance.

Curious, Link let loose of Epona’s reins to check it out; however, before he could take a step forward, he heard Revali land in a huff behind him. He didn’t even need to see him to know it; he knew solely based on the string of articulate curses that poured from his beak.

“Hey Revali I—”

“This place…” The Rito hissed. “Stupid magic”. He didn’t stay grounded for long; in another gale, he ascended into the forest’s canopy again.

Link could only shake his head as he ran to the next torch. True to his thought, its embers led to another torch and so on until finally, the embers just directed him forward. It was a leap of faith that much Link knew, but he would never find the sword if he didn’t try. The worst that would happen was he found himself back at the start. Taking a deep breath, Link followed the embers until they vanished, as well as the fog. The sudden appearance of the bright morning sun was nearly blinding to Link, who had become accustomed to the gloom. He had made it through.

“Ugh… Don’t say a word…” Revali groaned from his back as he trudged forward, tugging at Epona’s reins. There were some twigs and leaves sticking out of his feathers and cuirass.

Link did his best to hide his smile behind his hand.

As the memory faded, Link found himself in the same position as his past self. The only difference now was that Revali was gone, and Epona had become Apple. At the sight of the lush ferns, Apple let off a whinny of delight. However, the moment she moved to take a bite, one of the ferns came to life with a squeal.

“D-d-d-don’t eat me!” A little korok screamed as it bounced out of the fern. While its arms were stubby, it still tried to cover the maple leaf that hid its face out of fear.

“It’s okay, little fella,” Link spoke, leaning closer to the Korok’s height to show he meant no harm. “I promise, my horse only wanted the fern. She wouldn’t harm you”. Link got the feeling Apple didn’t agree with her snort, but it got the Korok to calm at least slightly.

“Th-thank you, kind sir,” the Korok spoke nervously while moving closer to Link. Apple was watching him like a hawk. “You must be a hero if you can see me!”

“Chosen by the Goddess,” Link assured as he picked the Korok up. They were heavier than they looked, but it wasn’t a bother to Link. “I’ve come to retrieve my sword from its slumber.”

The Korok let off a loud gasp. “Y-you—you really are, Mr. Hero! The Princess was right. You would come back! Oh, we have to see the Great Deku Tree! He’ll be so happy!” With his small arms, the Korok urged Link forward. “Just promise your horsie won’t eat my friends. Your horsie ate some of my brother’s leaf one hundred years ago!”

Link chuckled, his eyes on Apple, who let off a snort as though she had been offended by the little Korok.

The Korok introduced himself as Okai, the younger brother of Tasho. He was best of friends with Peeks, a Korok in love with Blupees, and a big Korok named Hetsu, though according to the small Korok, Hetsu hasn’t been in the forest lately along with several other Koroks. Some of the more mischievous spirits decided to play a prank on their friend and, steal the beads in his maracas and hide across Hyrule. Okai had thought it was a mean thing to do, but no one listened as he still hadn’t completed his pilgrimage to a shrine out in the deeper woods.

Link listened carefully to the little one’s story. He had encountered many Koroks on his travels, some of them commenting on him not being their friend, Hetsu, but they still rewarded him for the trouble nonetheless. However, he wouldn’t consider what they gave him to be maraca beads and upon showing Okai the ‘beads,’ he only confirmed it with a marveled gasp.

“You really are Mr. Hero!” Okai giggled as they reached the end of the forested road. “One hundred years ago, those Koroks played the same prank on Hetsu, and you brought him back his beads! Oh, I know he’ll be so happy when you see him again!”

Link had wanted to ask Okai just how many Koroks he was looking for, but before he could get the words out, a booming yawn cut him off, startling him into taking his eyes off Okai. With a gasp, Link found himself looking onto the worn pedestal of the Master Sword, its blade gleaming in the bright morning light, hypnotizing him almost instantly. The blade was calling to him.

Without much thought to Okai, who drifted down from his slacking hold, Link drew closer to the blade. The world around him became static and blurry lights, except for the sword. Heart beating in his ears, he wrapped his hands around the violet hilt. The burning in his hands and mind was instantaneous.

A flurry of fractured memories flashed across his mind’s eye, one he was with Zelda in a field of Silent Princess flowers, the next he was at his knighting ceremony, he could feel her anguish, growing as the memories continued. The next, they were on one of Hyrule castle’s battlements, the King’s disappointed stare on his daughter, but it didn’t last long before morphing into the angry pulsing eye of a corrupted guardian, its target on both him and Zelda… It was his death.

“Link… You are our final hope… The fate of Hyrule rests with you!” Zelda’s weakened voice called to him as he managed to yank himself free of the blade’s hilt, the swirling form of Calamity Ganon being the last thing he saw before he found himself falling onto his ass. Sweat poured freely from his body, his hand throbbing with the mark of the Goddess, not to mention the burning ache in his head. It felt like the Master Sword had been sapping away at his life.

Before Link could even think to stand again, the booming yawn rumbled across the area again. Link hadn’t even noticed the immense tree sitting before him until he noticed it had begun to move, much more than any normal tree could in the wind.

“Who is that… Did I doze off again? Hrm?”

Link blinked up at the tree as it did the same down at him, assessing him as well as Apple, who hungrily looked at its leaves.

“Uh…” Was all Link could stutter out under the Great Deku tree’s stare, his head was spinning and his vision was becoming spotty.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Hero, we got you!”

As Link felt himself beginning to fall backward, he could feel a myriad of tiny arms on his back, gently helping him onto the cobblestone. Once safely down, Koroks of differing sizes bounced about his shaky field of vision, toting pots of water and leaves, some patting him down with cool cloths and others trying to keep him warm. The Great Deku Tree chuckled at his children’s endearing antics.

“I’m glad you finally have decided to return… Link. Better late than never.” While his words could have been spoken nicer, Link hadn’t wanted to be out of commission for a century. Still, he could understand the tree’s terse tone, especially with his collapsing at the Master Sword’s pedestal, even as unexpected as it was. He had honestly just expected to be able to take it and be on his way to Zelda’s aid.

“I knew I’d never see Revali again after what the Princess had said… But after a hundred years, I had almost given up on seeing you again too. Even my patience has its limits, you know”.

Link just stared blankly up at the Great Deku Tree. In the blurry buzz of his vision, he could see flickers of the tree, a younger Zelda and Revali, and the glimmering light of the master sword, but nothing concrete would spark. He was hoping to find himself recalling his first time pulling the sword. He thought it was the reason why the sword had floored him, but now he was beginning to worry if it was because he wasn’t ready and if he wasn’t ready…

No… he couldn’t keep Zelda waiting any longer. He had long since lost track of how much time had passed since he had awoken from the Shrine of Resurrection, but it was too long.

“From the light in your eyes, I can tell you know much about the sword that seals the darkness and how you wielded it one hundred years ago…” The Deku Tree spoke, his voice still winded from his slumber. “Though you seem to have forgotten its toll on your body. The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are right now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not…”

Link couldn’t help the gulp that escaped from his throat. If he wasn’t ready now, would he ever be? As if to feed more into his doubt, a pair of Koroks wandered over to a stick stuck in the mud as the Deku Tree continued his speech.

“If you sought the sword in any sort of weakened state, you would surely lose your life where you stand… Or sit in your case”.

At the Great Tree’s words, one of the Korok tried to pull at the stick before falling over in a sweat, much to his partner’s dismay. Seeing the paling on Link’s face, little Okai started bouncing, furiously jingling until the two Koroks ran away.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Hero! I know you’re ready. I can feel it!” Okai assured, flitting around Link as he began to pull himself back onto his feet. “I know the Great Deku Tree thinks so, too; he just doesn’t want to say it.”

The Great Deku Tree chuckled before letting off another long yawn, “Best of luck, young one…”

‘Well, that was helpful’, Link’s mind painfully sighed. The Master Sword didn’t look menacing at all in the filtered light. It wasn’t something like a lynel or Hinox that would kill him without thought. The sword thought. It would consider him worthy or not and kill him if it chose the latter. The mark of the Goddess suggested to him it would choose favorably, but then again, it was also the Goddess who chose to wait until the last possible minute to grant Zelda her birthright.

“Mr. Hero, if you’re tired, why don’t you rest?” Okai suggested with a tug of his pant leg. “Pep made a big leaf bed for you in anticipation of this day!”

“A leaf bed sounds real nice…”

Link was glad Okai didn’t think bad of him for retreating to collect himself. As the tree said, if he were weak in any way, the sword would eat him alive; though he was sure the Great Deku Tree meant physically, he was sure it wouldn’t mind preying on the doubt and worry of his mind.

Pep was a kind Korok, a sleepy sort but kind nonetheless. She was happy to let Link stay for free as she had recognized him one hundred years ago. She had made him and Revali, even Princess Zelda, a leaf bed just like the one he was in now before he even plucked the sword from the stone.

“You were unsure then, Mr. Hero. But Champion Revali nor the Princess herself would let you leave without trying,” Pep explained past the sleepiness in her voice. “The Great Deku Tree can be harsh, but it’s because he cares. He worries about you and the Princess as he does us Koroks”.

Link had expected Pep to go on, but she had seamlessly dozed off, a snore of something about vegetarians escaping from her leaf. Link couldn’t help the smile on his lips as he laid down to do the same.

-

As he slept, Link found himself standing before the Master Sword again, albeit a tad shorter. Revali was at his side, his wings crossed as he eyed the sword with a wary eye.

“You say the Goddess chose you, Sir Link. Why do you hesitate?” Zelda’s unmistakable, though younger voice questioned from his other side.

Link turned his head to his side to see Zelda’s chubby face staring back at him. She looked no older than twelve, her hair braided into a high ponytail that rested upon her shoulder. From the dirt and twigs that stuck to her hair and face, as well as her less-than-fancy attire, Link got the idea it was a secret that she was away from the castle.

“You heard what the tree said, Your Majesty,” Revali puffed tartly, “If he’s not ready, the blade that seals the darkness will eat him alive. What chance might we have at stopping the Calamity then?”

Zelda’s face reddened, her emerald eyes narrowing at the Rito. “What are you implying? Y-y-you—”

“What are you going to say? Are you going to call me a birdbrain? A cockalorum? You royal, affluent ilk are all the—”

“W-would you two cut it out!” Link interrupted.

He had grown tired of the bickering. It was no secret to Link or Zelda that Hyrule Castle or town was sparsely inhabited by any race other than Hylian. It resulted in most being unsure how to act towards the roaming merchants that happened by, and some even developed a superiority complex towards them. If they weren’t seen, why consider them the same as those around you? Even the Sheikah, on occasion, were treated with contempt by the nobility despite their higher standings. Some just wouldn’t let their past technological prowess go. Link knew Zelda wasn’t like that; she was just unused to being outside the castle walls without an entourage of guards. Revali, on the other hand, was raised by Luto and her merchant trade and was used to people looking down on him and belittling him. It was why he prided himself on his skills and took nothing from anyone.

“It’s getting late; why don’t we rest for the night? I’m sure your father wouldn’t be pleased to hear you didn’t get any sleep, Princess”.

Zelda scrunched her face into a pout. Link had yet to ask her why or how she had entered the Great Forest. When he and Revali had first stumbled upon her examining the Master Sword, she nearly jumped out of her skin, accusing Link of following her or questioning him if her father had sent him. Link’s denial did nothing for her nerves; the only thing that calmed her was him showing her the mark of the Goddess on his hand, but even then, it seemed only to make her more uptight.

“I suppose you’re right, Sir Link, Sir…”

The Rito rolled his eyes, “Stop with the ‘Sir’ business before I keel over. Revali is fine, your majesty”.

“Well then, Revali, I hope this means you will quit calling me ‘your majesty.’ Princess or Zelda is fine. We can rest within the Great Deku Tree”.

Link wanted to assure Zelda that Revali was like this with everyone he first met, but he found himself unable to speak as she stalked off towards a waving Korok.

“She’s a piece of work. How do you expect to work with her in sealing Calamity Ganon away?”

Link groaned at the Rito. “She’s not—She has a lot resting on her shoulders, Revali.”

“And yet, she’s trying to burn bridges with you.”

“She’s only twelve.”

“And you’re only fourteen. We don’t have the luxury of being picky with who gets to put Ganon down like a mad dog”.

“Just be nicer to her, Revali. The legend speaks of Divine Beasts and their Champions that aided the hero and Princess. Maybe she’ll choose you”.

Link snickered at the way Revali puffed his breast, pulling his bow from its holster at his back. “If she chooses me, it won’t be because I worshiped the ground she walked on; it will be due to my unparalleled skill with the bow.”

Zelda was calmer when Link and Revali wandered into the Great Deku tree. She had herself sat in a pile of leaves with Pep curled into her lap asleep. She was humming a gentle tune to the little Korok as she rubbed at the bark of her head, none the wiser to the pair’s appearance until Revali let off an involuntary coo. Involuntary, as the moment it left his beak, he covered it with his wing. Link snorted, the sight had likely reminded him of his soon-to-be fledgling, Tulin.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you two come in…” Zelda spoke, a tinge of red spreading across her freckled face. “Are you feeling better about the Master Sword, S—Link?”

Link rubbed at the back of his neck. He wouldn’t know if he was ready until he had his hand around the blade’s hilt. “I-I’ll give it a shot in the morning.”

Link didn’t sleep. He tossed and turned about his leafy bed, occasionally waking Pep with his struggle, who was clinging to Zelda. Frustratingly, despite the weariness in his still-recovering body, sleep was elusive. It wasn’t until he felt Revali’s wing slap at him that he quit his charade of sleep.

“Get up, would you?” The Rito lowly spoke, yanking at the blonde’s shoulder until he got him to sit up. It was still night from the soft moonlight that trickled into the tree’s opening and onto the navy of Revali’s feathers.

“You look like an angel…” Link blearily yawned, a smile forming as he looked onto the halo of light on Revali’s back.

The Rito groaned, resting his wing that wasn’t on Link’s shoulder on his beak. “I still find it hard to believe you’re the Goddess’ chosen sometimes; I hope you know.”

“I’m sure Zelda feels the same,” Link answered, his vision clear now as he turned to Zelda just as she let off a snort. She carefully adjusted her grip on Pep to turn herself and the Korok away from the moonlight. “When I first went to the Knight’s Academy, my father would bring me to see her. All I would do is wait on her hand and foot. If she wanted to go somewhere, I would take her. I didn’t really think about it. I probably seemed rather dull”.

Revali rolled his eyes at the comment, “You’re dim, not dull, Link. Now come on before the Princess awakens”.

Without waiting for Link to acknowledge his words, Revali pulled him onto his feet and pulled him out of the Great Deku Tree, near stepping on some sleeping Koroks in the process.

“What’re you—” Link stopped himself the moment Revali released him so he could flutter over to the Master Sword’s pedestal. “Y-you—You better not be—”

“Relax, I wouldn’t dream of it. If it were a bow, I’d certainly consider it”. Talons clicking across the stone, Revali bent over a bit to help Link up to the pedestal. “Just give it a try. Without the Princess’ eye. If I think it’s too much, I’ll pry you off the blade. Sound like a plan?”

Link nodded, tossing the Rito a shaky thumbs up before approaching the Master Sword. “Okay, I can do this, I can—”

Before Link could continue his mantra, the squeal of a Korok cut him off. Head whipping to the forest entrance, Link and Revali were greeted to the sight of a large Korok and several smaller ones running from a horde of stal monsters, their leader a stal Hinox at the back.

Revali clicked his beak, “Link we—”

The gasp from Revali was strange to Link, as was the thrumming energy that coursed through his veins. It was light but mighty, the Master Sword in his hand. One swipe of the blade unleashed a wave of pure energy that cleaved through the army of stal bokoblins and lizafos that scattered into the Great Deku Tree’s domain.

“S-so this is the strength of the Sword that Seals the Darkness…”

Zelda’s voice echoed through his ears, the memory fading away as Link lunged at the stal Hinox’s eye. For in the present, Link could feel a small set of pointed hands pushing at his back.

“Mr. Hero, it's morning,” Pep yawned, her little ministrations becoming few and far between as she began to doze off again. “Time to…”

Shaking off the residual sleepiness, Link rose, tucking Pep in his place before heading out. The only thing on his mind now was the Master Sword. His desire to help save the Koroks helped him overcome his fear of pulling the sword. Now it would be his desire to free Zelda from Calamity Ganon that would help him.

“So… You’re giving it a shot?” The Great Deku Tree hummed down at him curiously.

“Yes, Zelda needs me. I freed the Champions and their Divine Beasts. Now it’s Zelda’s turn to be freed”.

The Great Deku Tree said no more, simply choosing to watch Link as he took hold of the blade. The sap of his life was instantaneous, his energy was pulled from every nook and cranny of his body funneling into the blade.

“You’re back?” A voice that sounded suspiciously like himself spoke up through the thrumming in his ears. “We’ll finish it for good then, eh?”

“Yes. We. Will!” With a roar, Link forced the Master Sword free, a bright white light immediately erupting from the freed pedestal, obscuring his vision.

“Your master will come for you. Until then… You shall rest safely here”, Zelda’s gentle voice spoke through the light until the bright haze cleared to reveal a cracked and chipped Master Sword that was caked in mud and blood. Zelda sat before the blade, her hands clasped in a prayer. Link felt his heartache at the sight of her covered in dirt, worn and bleeding. This must have been shortly after he had… Died. “Although the Slumber of Restoration will most certainly deprive him of his memories, please trust me when I say that I know he will arrive before you yet again.”

With her prayer finished, Zelda shakily moved to grab at the blade, only to stop when the Great Deku Tree spoke up.

“If I may be so bold… What is it you’re planning to do next, Princess?” He asked, his bark brows furrowed as he looked down on the shaking Princess. She hadn’t expected him to talk to her. He had been silent in her venture here on her thirteenth birthday. He only spoke once Link and Revali had arrived. It made her wonder if she was even worthy of his attention. Another failing in life she couldn’t control…

But she wouldn’t allow herself to fail anymore.

Hand clutched to her chest, Zelda looked up to the Great Deku Tree with determination. “The Master Sword… I heard it speak to me. It seems my role is unfinished. There still is something I must do”.

“I sense there is a great strength in your dedication.”

Zelda nodded. Her palms felt sweaty. The Goddess’ energy was a strange feeling within her body. The pulsing and thrumming was a power not meant for mortals. She wondered if Link felt this way when he wielded the sword to protect her. The sword now mirrored his state of life on death’s doorstep. Would the Goddess feel the same strain when she encountered Ganon?

But she would not waver.

“Calamity Ganon has taken all I love and care about. I will hold him at bay until Link returns. But Great Deku Tree, I ask of you when he returns, Can you please relay this message… Tell him I—”

“Now then…” The Deku Tree interrupted fondly. “Words intended for him would sound much better in the tone of your voice. Don’t you think?”

Zelda’s shivers ceased. The Great Deku Tree’s words gave her hope. She wasn’t simply fated to fight Ganon till her last breath, Link would come for as he always had throughout their years in each other’s acquaintance. She was holding the fort while he rested. Mipha, Urbosa, Revali and Daruk… They were gone, but she wouldn’t allow their sacrifice to be in vain, nor would Link.

Ears perking up, Zelda smiled up at the tree, “Yes.”

As tenderly as she could, Zelda took the wounded Master Sword into her hands and plunged it back into its pedestal, stepping back only once the blade’s regenerative field surrounded it. It would heal just as Link would.

“I’ll be waiting, Link.”

As his vision returned, Link held the Master Sword overhead, its blade gleaming in the morning light as Korok after Korok descended from the Great Deku Tree to ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ at the scene before them.

“See, I told you he was the real Mr. Hero!” One Korok squealed while others mumbled about owing acorns as they had lost the bet, but all of it bounced off Link unheard, for another voice had his attention, his own.

“If you think that’s all it takes to wield the Master Sword, let me be the first to assure you you’re wrong.”

In his reflection of the blade, Link could see himself stained in seafoam green fire, staring back at him with tired eyes. It was the life he lost to the Calamity. He was looking directly at his past self.

“Just because you have the sword in hand, it doesn’t mean you’re ready to fight Calamity Ganon. He’ll mop the floor with you.”

“What do you…”

“Mr. Hero,” a Korok with a Gingko leaf on his face spoke as he floated down from one of the Deku Tree’s limbs, landing on Link’s wrist and breaking his stare off with himself. “We Koroks have prepared some trials for you to complete. They will surely ready you for your upcoming fights!”

Link had doubts that the Koroks knew what war or even fighting was. They had hard, tree-like exteriors but were soft little things with a knack for hiding. But he’d humor them regardless. He wasn’t trying to ignore his past self, but for right now, getting the damn sword out of the stone was an accomplishment in itself.

As he let Chio, the Gingko Korok, lead him to his first trial, Link allowed himself to take a breath and grab Revali’s champion scarf. ‘I did it again, Revali; I got the Master Sword. It won’t be long before Ganon is gone, and I can return the blade as I promised you all those years ago.

At least, he hoped it wouldn’t take much longer.

Chapter Text

According to Chio, the Korok Trials, as he introduced them, had nothing to do with the Master Sword. They were trials that each Korok had to complete to be considered a respected member of the forest and have the ability to leave. It was something they had done since any of the Koroks could remember. Chio, however, seemed to believe they were trials based on that of Link’s long predecessor. But while the trials for them were for nothing but status, for Link, they would give incredible strength. Link likened this thought to mean that Sheikah shrines rested at the end of each trial. A boon to his strength was always welcomed. It would at least help him handle the sword better, so Link hoped.

Other than Link, Okai, too, was participating in the three trials. The little Korok had grown tired of always being considered ‘too young’ and ‘too scared’ to become an adult. He wanted to prove his brothers and anyone else wrong. Link could respect that, wanting independence. He didn’t exactly have that in his past, as he was tied to his father and the royal family. He couldn’t have the life he wanted.

However, Chio didn’t believe Okai was even ready with how he pulled at his leaf. The little Korok had pulled Riju’s plush sand lion from Link’s bag, jingling with glee as he rolled it around the grass. While cute to Link, the action was irksome to the elder Korok.

Once they reached the first trial, Chio tiredly asked, “Okai, are you sure you’re ready for the trials?”

The distance from the Great Deku Tree allowed for the eerie fog to return, as well as the disturbing trees. The small Korok shivered behind the plush, but he stood his ground and put one branch onto Link’s pant leg.

“If Mr. Hero and Birdy could do the trials one hundred years ago, I can do them now, Elder Chio!” Okai declared, unwittingly triggering the image of Revali beating the head off a Stal bokoblin with a wooden shield that bore what appeared to be Vah Naboris’ face.

“Test of Wood? Bah! They might as well call it Test of Fire!” The Rito hissed before trading his shield for a bow to shoot at a Fire Chuchu that had begun to drift too close for comfort. “These little Korok’s are sadists! Aren’t they made of wood?”

When his ice arrow connected with the monster, Link quickly dispatched of it with his Forest Dweller’s blade with a laugh. “I’m sure that’s why only a handful of the little guys have completed the trial.” It felt good to be on the field again, especially with Revali at his side; they made a good team, whether the Rito would admit it or not.

“I’m no Birdy,” Okai spoke, breaking Link from his reverie. “But, Mr. Hero, I promise I won’t slow you down!”

Looking down, Link found Okai staring up at him expectantly with his dark eyes. Within those eyes, Link swore he saw a little blonde child garbed in leafy clothing, a Kokiri. The sight caused Link to take a step back, but he saved face by bending down to reclaim Riju’s plush. “Don’t worry, Okai. I trust you.”

Chio’s first trial was the Trial of Sight. To complete the trial, one must navigate through the forest and to the island in the middle of Lake Saria. Though, one Korok who had just finished the trial gave Link and Okai the hint: "The hungry trees will show you the way. Spy their iron to win the day."

“Spy their iron’?” Okai huffed. The Korok huddled close to Link, eying the faced trees warily. “The ghosts don’t like being stared at?”

“Ghosts?” Link mused as he pulled out his Sheikah Slate. Iron was a metal and the magneisis rune should be able to spot it and sure enough, upon lifting the slate to his eyes, he was able to see chucks of iron shoved into some of the maws of the trees.

“Y-yeah! The ghosts of the lost… The Great Deku Tree told my brother, Tasho, that there used to be many more of us before Calamity Ganon came ten thousand years ago. He even said the Hero who wielded the Master Sword was one of us! Though I don’t know how a Korok could hold a sword like you, Mr. Hero…”

Okai’s words reminded Link of the Koroks that mimed out the Great Deku Tree’s words of his fate if the Master Sword deemed him unworthy. The little guy couldn’t even pull a twig from the ground unless it was just a good actor. But it also made him wonder what the hero of the past was like. Did his previous self meet him like he did himself? He was sure the question would be answered when he stopped his dallying with his Master Sword trial, but the Korok Trials seemed much more appealing. He very much doubted he would have any company other than himself while partaking in the trial and while much of his journey was spent alone, he liked having a partner with him. Just because he was the Hero that would stop Calamity Ganon, it didn’t mean he was infallible. Ganon’s resurrection one hundred years ago was pure proof of that.

The Trial of Second Sight went as well as it could. Once, Link and Okai got turned around and ended up getting lost in the fog and back at the forest’s entrance. Okai shivered at the cackle that accompanied them. He said it belonged to a Skull Kid, a Kokiri who had become lost in the woods. They apparently lived in the strange trees and were even shyer than the Koroks, but they loved to play in the fog, tormenting those who wandered.

At the mention of the Skull Kids, Link could recall a faint memory of Revali shooting a flame arrow at one of the trees. He was squawking about one of the ‘little miscreants’ pulling at his tailfeathers during the Trial of Second Sight and citing technical fouls as they would pull him to the fog regardless of whether he was on the trail or not. Link however had none of the same troubles, the Skull Kids left him alone, allowing him to follow their trail to Lake Saria. They hadn’t even pestered Zelda when she attempted the trial herself. Chio likened it to the kids having bird-like faces and thought Revali might be one of them.

Chio didn’t congratulate Link or Okai after the trial. It was the easiest one, the one most Koroks could easily complete. The second trial, the Lost Pilgrimage, weeded out most of the weaker-willed Koroks and was the one Okai struggled with most. The object of the trial was to make it from one end of the forest to the Shrine pedestal at the other, which sounded easy enough, but the fog was thicker, and wolfos stalked the area; not to mention, Okai wanted to attempt the trial alone much to his older brother, Tasho’s, dismay.

“Oh, I thought for sure he’d cling to you like glue, Mr. Hero…” The Korok bemoaned, fiddling with a tear in his leaf. Link assumed that’s what Okai had meant when he said his horse bit at the Korok. “Do you think you can follow him? He couldn’t have gotten far”.

Link tilted his head, “wouldn’t that be cheating?”

Tasho shrugged, “You can call it ‘cheating,’ or you can call it a stealth mission, Mr. Hero.”

As Tasho had said, Okai hadn’t got very far into the forest. He was stuck shivering amidst a meadow of flowers, hugging his berry twigs close to his maple leaf.

“C’mon Okai! You can do this! You can prove to Tasho that you’re a full-grown Korok who’s not afraid of no ghosts!” He attempted to pep himself up. “T-two out of three trials won’t be bad… I’m no Mr. Hero, but I can be b-brave enough to—” Okai never got the chance to finish his sentence, for as soon as the howl of a wolfos echoed over the fog, the little Korok took off running through the meadow.

The dense undergrowth of the trees and the thickness of the fog and trees themselves made tracking Okai near impossible. Still, luckily for Link, the little Korok stayed close to the brightly blooming nightshade plants, their scent being enough to mask both of their presences from the wolfos, at least until Link was able to take it out with a well-placed arrow. Link worried the shot would alert Okai to his presence, but much to his relief, the Korok had become distracted by the thought of ghosts and started spastically running around the meadow before him in fear.

No other wolfos dared attack after the cry of their companion, allowing for smooth sailing the rest of the way through the trail. Well, as smooth as it could get. Okai would occasionally get distracted by the flowers or think a ghost was following him, but in the end, they made it to the shrine, Okai none the wiser to Link until the shrine began to rise from the ground.

“W-wow, the Goddess must really be smiling down on me,” Okai gaped at the Sheikah shrine until Link stood at his side, slate in hand. “Did you see Mr. Hero? I did it! I’m a grown Korok now!”

“Not gonna attempt the third trial?” Link asked despite already knowing the answer.

Okai jingled in affirmation. “I-I’m not gonna train to fight like you, Mr. Hero. The Trail of Wood is reserved for those of us Korok who can wield a weapon. Old Chio is pretty scrappy, and Hetsu’s so big and strong… Me? I’m small, and I don’t think I could hurt a fly”.

“Stature doesn’t make the warrior,” Link stated firmly, almost startling the already emotionally frayed Korok. “But you shouldn’t have to fight if you don’t want to”.

Despite not having a mouth, Link was sure Okai was smiling up at him, and the admiration was clear in his eyes, especially when Tasho fluttered over to them.

“Y-you did it? Oh I’m so glad you aren’t hurt!” The older Korok chirped as his sibling started dancing around him.

“Yeah! You won’t have to worry ‘bout me anymore!” With flourish, Okai flew himself to the top of the Sheikah Shrine.

Looking down at Tasho, Link could sense that Korok was happy for his sibling but, at the same time, nervous from the shaky noise that came from his body. Just because Okai was grown, it didn’t stop his worry.

“Don’t worry, he’s not going for the third trail,” Link whispered once Okai slipped from his perch and into a bushy shrub. The relief in Tasho’s woody body was immediate. With a nod in Link’s direction, Tasho darted off to his sibling, leaving Link to claim his prize in the Shrine.

According to Chio, the Third and final trial, the Trial of Wood, was the hardest one. It had only been completed by Chio himself and Hetsu, who Chio described as a bumbling giant Korok who knew how to shake some maracas. To complete the trial, one must make it to the shrine like the other trials, but the kicker was that you had to maintain a complete Forest Dweller Weapon set amongst enemies who wielded the power of fire, and if memory served, the trial had been rather annoying for him and Revali.

“So you’re opting out, Okai?” Chio questioned the smaller Korok, who had begun to hand Link his weaponry.

“Yup, I think I’m grown up now. Tasho thinks so too”. Okai had decided he would watch over Link’s equipment while he was undergoing the trial. Besides wanting to protect the Master Sword, Okai wanted to play more with Riju’s Sand Seal Plush, but Chio did not need to know that.

“Two out of three isn’t bad. Though it’s good to see you haven’t lost your courage, hero. My memory’s been fuzzy cause of the here mushroom growing out of my head, but if I remember correctly, it took you and Revali two tries each to complete this trial. Think you can do it in one?”

As much as Link liked to think he could accomplish the trial in one go, he ended up having to come back to Chio for another shield; just as the shrine had been in sight, a stal bokoblin decided to crawl out of the trees and shoot him in the back with a flame arrow.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Link chuckled upon his return to the Korok, only to find a younger Zelda sitting in the elder Korok’s place, the Master Sword sitting on her lap with her fingers running across its smooth scabbard. She didn’t seem aware of his presence in the slightest in her examination of the blade.

“Curious… They say the sword has a voice… I should be able to…”

“Princess?” He asked, bouncing back when she let off a shrill cry of surprise, the sword falling from her lap. “I-I’m—”

“Why’re you back so soon?” She interrupted, her face flush with embarrassment as she floundered to reclaim the sword before Link could. “An-and where’s Revali? You shouldn’t have left him alone out there!”

Link sighed. He missed the days when Zelda didn’t regard him as a pest. She wasn’t happy to see him knighted at his graduation ceremony. She was thrilled when he left for his first mission out to the Rito Village and miserable when he managed to pull the sword from its stone. They were similar in age, yet while he had all these successes, she only had failures. He didn’t blame her, but he missed her kind eyes.

“Revali can handle himself, Princess”.

“My returning doesn’t make your point any less valid, Link”, Revali groused, trudging up towards Zelda to grab another bow. “It didn’t burn. It broke. Those monsters don’t know when to give up”.

“And they likely won’t…” Zelda sighed, her voice softer. She wasn’t trying to be mean, she was only frustrated, especially once her eyes drifted down to Master Sword in her hands. “As the calamity grows closer, their numbers will only thicken, hence the stal attack on the forest…” She bit her lip, debating on what she should say next. “It was… Fortuitous that you were able to pull the sword, Link. You should be focusing on the trials that await you with the blade instead of the ones the Korok offer”.

“That’s Link’s decision, not yours, Princess,” Revali huffed.

“And you shouldn’t be either, Revali,” Zelda bit back, her stare steely. “I sense a great power within you. One that would serve the realm well in the coming fight”.

Revali took a step back, grinding his beak as he did so. Zelda’s comment took him aback, but the surprise didn’t last long as he quickly switched back to his prideful nature. With a flip of his wing, he turned back towards the forest. “Nice of you to finally notice, Princess. Come on, Link, let's finish this”.

When the memory faded away, Link found himself looking on at Chio and Okai instead of Zelda’s solemn face. Both of the Koroks looked up at him curiously.

“Where’d you go, Mr. Hero?” Okai asked. “You looked so lost”.

“Eh, just remembering something, Okai. I’m fine”. Link could see the Master Sword resting against a hollowed-out wood trunk, its hilt shining a sea green under the misty sunlight. “Something I need to do”.

Upon returning to the forest with his new shield, Link was careful to scope out his surroundings before proceeding. Climbing onto one of the trees, he was able to snipe some of the stal bokoblins that meandered about, as well as the flame chuchus that tried to bounce at him. The only trouble he had was with the bog surrounding the shrine. He lost one of his boots to the goop and some arrows that fell from his quiver in the struggle. A fire keese tried to bite at his shield as he ran for the shrine, but he made quick work of it with his other boot, beating it back into the mire. He lost the other boot, but those were replaceable. He didn’t want to have to come back a third time.

With the third trial done and the blessing accepted, Link wanted to report his success to Chio and go take a nap with Pep, but upon leaving the shrine, he heard himself call out to him.

“Okay, enough with the stalling. Return to the pedestal with the Master Sword. Your final trial awaits”.

Link wasn’t sure what he looked like as he trudged out of the forest, but Chio flinched, and Okai hid under Riju’s plush. Neither said a thing as Link reclaimed the Master Sword and wandered back towards the Great Deku Tree; he could only hear their rustling as they grabbed his stuff to follow.

By the time Link reached the Great Deku Tree, the tree was just awakening from a nap.

“Oh, you’re back? I take it you’ve completed the trials of my children?”

Link nodded. “I heard… I heard myself tell me to come here”.

The Tree hummed, “So he deems you ready then…”

“I’m not sure if he thinks I’m ready or if we just don’t have the time to dawdle”, Link bluntly spoke. He could feel the sword vibrating heavily against his back, bringing a clammy feeling to his skin and a burning to his head.

“Link, all of the Sheikah research alludes to a trial that will unlock more power in the Master Sword,” his father’s voice echoed through his head. “You’re not the same knight who pulled the blade three years ago. You’re stronger. You have nothing to fear. Now replace the blade”.

“But father… Can’t we wait for the Champions? And what of the Princess? She wanted to be here…”

“Unlike you, the Princess has yet to unseal her own abilities. Her being here will change nothing, nor will the Champions”.

Link shook. As courageous as he was, the Master Sword was still unknown to him. It mumbled and hissed in the middle of the night; he never knew if he was hearing it speak or not. Zelda claimed it could, but what it said wasn’t normal. It wasn’t guidance; it was just the pain of those who once wielded it.

“F-Father… I’m not sure I—”

Link screamed. Fighting past the doubt of his past and current anxieties, Link plunged the blade back into his pedestal, causing a pillar of light to encircle him, whiting out the world around him.

“You know, I’m jealous of you.”

As the light faded away into an enclosed, foggy area littered with grass and trees, Link could only blink as he found himself basically staring at a mirror version of himself, the only difference being that his other self wore the armor of a Hylian knight.

“O-of me?”

“You had the choice to go through all this. I didn’t,” the other Link elaborated. “The Goddess chose me, and I didn’t mind. I wanted to be the hero. I wanted to protect the kingdom and my friends. But it was because of this I had to give up everything. I became a political bargaining chip to my father. If I, could it over again. I don’t think I would”.

“Y-you wouldn’t?”

The other Link laughed, a full-bodied laugh that made Link uneasy. Something wasn’t right… “Why would I? All I accomplished was causing the ones I loved pain”. His father, Revali, Mipha, Zelda, Daruk, and Urbosa, emerged from his body, each circling Link and drawing closer.

“A no-name Rito will do nothing for our Family, Link. You owe it to your mother and I to find someone of higher status. My death… Your death… What if you fail?”

“Contemptable Silent knight. You might as well be a servant, so eager to please. How could I have ever loved you?”

“Link… You’ve changed. How can you be so callous to those who love you? I can’t stand what you’ve become”.

“I’ve trained my entire life for my destiny. How can the Master Sword accept you so easily?”

“Does he really think I care about him? He’s just something to stop the Calamity”.

“How dare he make my Little Bird weep. If he didn’t have the Master Sword, I would rend his existence from this world”.

Link bit his lip harshly, unable to look at anyone for more than a second beside his cackling self.

“What hero can face their destiny without looking within? These are your fears, your anxieties. Face them”. With those simple words, his past self vanished, leaving the group to close in.

“Trial of the Sword… My foot,” Link lowly growled as he reached for his blade only to find it gone, as well as his shield and bow; hell, even his clothes were gone. The only thing he still had on were his boxers. He might as well have had nothing.

Before his father could slash at him with his royal broadsword, Link booked it into one of the nearby trees to assess his options. It was one against six fully armed and highly dangerous individuals who were slowly approaching. The small breathing room at least allowed him to find that he still had his Sheikah Slate as well as access to all its runes. While he never relied on it much in the field, there was no better time to do so than the present.

“Okay, Link… They’re not real… You got this”. Taking one of the tree’s branches in hand and what appeared to be a shoddy boko shield, he jumped down from the tree, throwing a bomb as he did. The attack managed to disrupt Revali’s flight, forcing him down, but not out of the fight. Mipha was immediately at his side, her hand radiating healing energy that instantly fixed the burn on his wing. As much as it pained him, she would have to go first.

“Mipha—”

“Link, who are you?” The Zora Princess questioned her trident in hand. Like her caring self, she stayed close to Revali as he rested momentarily. “Are you the boy who wants to protect his loved ones? Or the quiet knight who lets no one in?”

“I want to protect the kingdom!” Link answered. Mipha was a healer by nature. Her grip on her trident wasn’t strong. It was easily stolen with the magneisis rune. While she squeaked in surprise, she wasn’t deterred in any way.

“So you’ve forgotten your past woes?”

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten. I acknowledge them, but they are not me!” Fighting back the urge to vomit, Link lunged at Mipha, plunging the trident through her chest. She didn’t scream; she only smiled as blood pearled down from the corners of her lips.

“I’m sorry.”

Link wasn’t sure what she could be apologizing for, but before he even knew what was happening, her clawed hand snaked up to his wrist, digging in and causing a bright blue light to envelop him, taking him out of the battle and back into the inner chamber of Vah Ruta.

“Wh-what the…” The chamber was different. Fog drifted in, and brimstone from a nearby fire and the sounds of guardians charging their lasers. Also, instead of being clothed in his boxers, Link was clad in a complete set of Zora armor. He still had Mipha’s Lightscale trident, but he also possessed a ceremonial one and a silver bow with a ten-arrow supply. He knew in his heart that he was in Mipha’s shoes during her battle with the Waterblight. And sure enough, from the orange terminal, the Waterblight formed, chittering with glee to be whole again.

“You really think you can beat my creation?” Ganon’s voice oozed from the blight as Mipha stepped forward, seemingly from Link, as when he tried to reach for her, his hand went through her as though he were a ghost.

“I may not be as strong as my peers, but I will not go down without a fight”, she spoke, her voice unwavering as she pulled her trident from her back.

“No, no, no, no…” Link found it difficult to breathe. He was going to have to watch her fall. He couldn’t aid in any way. His attacks went through the blight, like his hand through Mipha. She was on her own.

Mipha was a master of the spear, her attacks as elegant as deadly, but the Waterblight was a foe designed explicitly for her. There was no overcoming it. If she met it with a jab, it deflected, overpowering her with its sheer strength, relishing each hit it got on the Zora. It never used its blade. It was toying with her choosing only to hit her bluntly, relishing in how she flew across the room only to stand back up again, ready for more. However, it seemed to be done with that after Mipha managed to get on its blade. Uncaring for the burning of the blade and malice against her feet, she charged the beast, spearing its eye before falling into the water below as the beast writhed.

Link begged Mipha to run, to flee to get out of the Divine Beast, but his words went on deaf ears. These were his fears, his memories. Was this how Mipha died? Or was it how his mind wanted to think she fell. When Mipha stood, the disorientation was clear in her eyes. She had taken one too many hits and was too dazed to budge, and the blight took full advantage of this, spearing her clean through her back.

 “…Zelda, Father, Sidon, I… I don’t think I’ll be making it home to any of you…”

When the beast pulled its blade free of her, Mipha fell, vanishing in a cloud of sea foam flames. Now, it was Link’s turn. Before the Waterblight could even face him, Link shot an arrow into the back of its head.

“Hey, ugly! Remember me?!” He was seething with rage, a dangerous thing to be in the moment. Anger led to mistakes, and mistakes led to an untimely death, but he had beaten the beast back once before he could do it again, even without Sidon’s help.

The beast chuckled, uncaring for Link’s taunting words. It simply threw its spear Link’s way without a care. It, however, hadn’t expected him to erect an ice block that shattered its spear. Knowing that it would then take the beast time to regenerate it, Link whipped back out his bow and shot at its eye, causing it to ragdoll to the shallow water below. Using every bit of stamina he had, Link charged for it, stabbing its eye in over and over until finally its spear returned and it attempted to swipe him away. Link however wasn’t to be deterred, taking a page out of Mipha’s fight, he jumped the beast’s blade. He could feel the burning energy melting through the metal of his boots, but he could have cared less. At the end of the spear, he lunged for its eye, jamming the ceremonial trident in before falling back to the water below.

The Waterblight wasn’t down for the count yet, that much Link knew. Now the creature was mad. It twitched and chittered violently as the water level began to rise. As he was in full Zora gear, the water wasn’t as much of a hinderance as it had been for him when he was with Sidon. He swam quicker and could dive when the cretin decided to throw its spear at an inopportune time, but dodging wasn’t what was going to kill it once and for all.

Once Link had pulled himself onto one of the risen platforms, the Waterblight decided to conjure its own cryosis blocks which it threw at Link as Ruta had him and Sidon. Link deflected one with an arrow while his ice block absorbed two hits. In the flurry of broken ice shards, Link took aim at the blight with his last arrow, piercing the blight through its eye.

This would be the final attack.

Diving into the water, Link charged the fallen creature, stabbing its eye in furiously until it let off a shrill squeal, signaling its death. The memory/nightmare, however, wasn’t kind enough to let him see the beast bloat and explode. Before he knew it, he was thrust back out of Vah Ruta and back into his fears, sans Mipha.

Daruk wasn’t content to let Link regain his bearings. He rolled at Link with a roar, forcing him to cartwheel out of the way. He was already missing his Zora armor. At least it was warmer than his boxer shorts.

It was needless to say, but Link preferred the Korok Trials to the Trial of the Sword.

Chapter Text

Revali hadn’t spent much time dwelling on his time within the Yiga’s clutches since he and Barta made it to Hateno. So, to hear Purah and Paya’s hushed arguing on the matter was rather irksome. The Sheikah had elected to discuss Revali’s travel permits within Purah’s home under the guise of Purah having some tech to lend her niece.

“As much faith as I have in my prowess with the technology of our ancestors, Paya, I don’t think in good conscious I can let Revali go with you,” Purah would huff while Paya would stamp her foot. “I need more time with him!” Revali could even hear Symin trying to mediate between the two women but Purah would always shout at him to go away.

Revali figured it had been too easy to rid himself of the Yiga’s influence. No matter how much time passed, Purah would likely view him as a ticking bomb, only assisting out of guilt of their association during the calamity. It burned, but it was expected. He only wondered if she would treat the other champions so coldly. Likely not, as they were not tools of a deranged faction of her clan. His instincts were true, he couldn’t trust himself with Link.

“Auntie, I know you would have let him go with Link if he asked. What makes me so different? I can handle myself as well as any Sheikah warrior.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Purah dismissed, likely with a wave of her hand. “Like Impa. You sure have grown much since the last time I saw you. You were afraid of your own shadow.”

“I was four auntie…” Paya sighed plainly. “I’m grown now and I know Revali can help me find the other champions and put an end to the Calamity.”

“Does Impa know what you’re up to?”

The noise that came from the lab was reminiscent of the one Paya had let off when Revali approached her out of the inn. It was nice to know Impa was still kicking. She had been kind to him in his memory. She listened, shared his pain and was even hopeful for his and Link’s future.

He wondered if she still would feel the same if she knew what had happened to him.

Listening to the two Shiekah argue was doing nothing for the Rito’s mind. It only made him panicked, drudging up what he assumed to be painful emotions of his past: fear, abandonment, loneliness. It made the skin beneath his feathers burn as the world felt like it was closing around him, trapped, wrapped in the malice hand of the Windblight.

“How does it feel to die? How does it feel to know you will never see your beloved again?”

Revali couldn’t help the shrill cry that escaped his beak when he looked down at his frame. Littered amongst the patches of his chest feathers was the pulsing vivid violet and pink veins of malice, bubbling and popping with malevolent mumbles. As useless of an endeavor as it was, Revali frantically began to peel at it, uncaring for the searing pain in his fingers that followed each chunk he pulled, until finally he could see his own flesh again. While he felt relief at the sight, it was short lived as a golden eye erupted open in his skin, its cat-like slit focusing on his emerald eyes instantly, freezing him over like a pond in the winter.

“Where has your confidence gone? So desperate to do something and yet you balk at the sight of your enemy. You feared you would slow the hero down. Feared your connection would fade once he saw how broken you truly are.”

“Sh-shut it!”

“Revali, are you okay?!”

As if a spell had been broken, the malice vanished as though it had never been there in the first place; his tunic showed no tears and there wasn’t a feather out of place, at least aside the feathers of his hands. Paya at some point had emerged with Pura from the lab, likely when he was crying out. The young Sheikah held his larger hands cupped between her smaller ones, her wide eyes filled with worry. Purah was in a similar state closer to the lab, she was digging her heel nervously into the dirt as though she was unsure if she should approach.

“I-I-I’m fine…” Revali sighed despite himself. The malice had been in his imagination. It was merely his own mind’s idea of self-deprecating fun or it was the Yiga’s toxin working its way around his body. Either which way, it left an uncomfortable feeling of nausea in the Rito’s stomach.

“Revali…”

Paya didn’t believe him for a second. But she never got the chance to voice it as, as soon as she opened her mouth to speak again, Barta’s loud voice boomed over the setting sky.

“Look at the mountain!” As Barta made it up to the lab, she immediately forced the stunned Sheikah and Rito to turn towards Mount Lanaryu, where in the darkening sky, the pair could see something large shifting at the peak, its slithering body flashing a disturbing pink. Revali recognized the color immediately. It was malice.

“So Naydra’s stirring again…” Purah murmured as she approached, her thumb nail firmly wedged in her teeth.

Naydra, as Purah called it, had begun to rise from the mountain, the higher it climbed the louder the village below became. Some villagers awed at the sight, while others screamed. The malice-tainted dragon, however showed no interest in Hateno; it seemed to be having its own troubles as it thrashed in the air. The bright orange eyes of Calamity Ganon that coated its body like beacons wilted away one by one as though something or someone was piercing them. But that wasn’t the only thing that caught Revali’s eye. Amongst the deflating dust of malice, Revali could see red smoke.

“Paya, I think there’s a champion up there,” he spoke hushed as to not alert Barta. The Gerudo warrior was strong, but Revali knew he couldn’t tote her and Paya up to the dragon. Din be damned, he wasn’t even sure if he had the strength to take Paya.

“My thoughts exactly.”

Paya didn’t alert Revali to her plan. One moment he was sandwiched between her and Barta and the next, he found himself standing amongst a blizzard, a statue of the Goddess Hylia smiling down upon him as if there was no war going on above her.

“Wh-what the?” Craning his neck up into the rushing wind, Revali could see the dragon falling, its belly digging into the mountain’s face. It didn’t seem to care, its mouth weakly opened and closed, indifferent to the snow and rocks that hit it and its eyes neon eyes that despite bright, looked glazed over. The malice was killing it.

“I won’t let you harm Naydra anymore!”

Revali’s eyes widened at the delicate, yet strong voice that echoed throughout the tundra. Atop Naydra’s falling back, stood a petite, red scaled Zora armed with a Lynel’s spear that she held fiercely against a Yiga blademaster.

“Naydra belongs to Calamity Ganon,” the Yiga soldier callously answered, before charging for the Zora.

“Mipha!” Revali unconsciously shouted. He could feel the wind beneath his wings urging him forward, but what he could honestly do to help, he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t thought to bring a bow, not that he owned one anyway; he considered taking one from Link’s stock after their romp, but he couldn’t bring himself to go through with it, much to his annoyance now. He wasn’t even sure if Paya had a weapon, but sure enough, when he looked to find her at his side, Paya was gone. She had already teleported to clash with the Yiga, taking both the Yiga and Mipha by surprise.

“Revali! Take Mipha and free Naydra!” Paya shouted, her kodachi digging into the Yiga’s wind cleaver.

Without a weapon, Revali couldn’t exactly argue with Paya. Before Naydra could skid any farther away, Revali threw himself into the air, immediately seizing the confused Zora like a fish out of water.

“Wh-who are you?! What do you want?! How do you know my name?!” Mipha cried, squirming against the Rito’s talons. Revali had to be careful not to accidently injure her.

“Just hit those pustules with that spear of yours, and all those answers will be yours, alright?” He likely didn’t sound the kindest, that much Revali was sure from the way the Zora’s lips pinched together, but she nodded anyway, her unnecessary movements ceased, allowing for Revali to draw closer to Naydra confidently.

Mipha’s jabs were swift and precise. The moment Revali came close to one of Ganon’s eyes, she jabbed her spear out and dragged it through the squishy mass to be certain of her kill. When the eyes exploded, she cared not for the goo that spattered her body nor the sizzling burns it left in its dissipating wake. It was a sight that unnerved Revali, bringing with it the feeling that he had seen something similar in his past, but Mipha didn’t strike him as someone who didn’t care her wellbeing. However, he quickly changed his mind once he felt Mipha begin to thrash her way free of his talons.

Clicking his beak, Revali realized only one eye remained on Naydra, the massive one stuck to her forehead. Mipha’s golden eyes were like slits as she stared down at the abomination. Hissing, Mipha swung herself towards the blight, forcing Revali to free her lest he fall from the sky. She was smaller than him, but she still had more weight.

As Mipha fell, she summersaulted into a dive, her spear held firmly before her, the eye her target. Revali couldn’t do much but circle Naydra’s head. Paya was still clashed with the Yiga soldier, unaware of the situation. Revali hissed. He didn’t like feeling useless, that there was more he could be doing. It made his chest burn with embarrassment. It made him feel—

“Always the one left behind? Poor Revali. When your beloved’s pitiful hundred-year counterstrike fails again, you will be alone again, Revali. I can change that. I can—”

“Shut up! I want nothing to do with you!”

Revali shook his head at the shrill cry Mipha let off as her spear pierced Ganon’s eye, malice erupting around her as she continued to spear the receding malice. Ganon had been talking to the both of them. Lulling them to his side with false promises. Preying on weaknesses. It wasn’t the Yiga who had a hold on Revali, it was Ganon and he would not let him or any of the champions go until he dead.

Mipha did not fight Revali when he came to her side and pulled her into his tunic. She instead dropped her spear and buried her head into him, a choked wail escaping her throat. He closed his wings tightly around her, pressing her shivering form into him as far as she could go.

As Naydra began to recover and pull herself back into the sky, Revali could feel Paya’s hand on his shoulder, but he paid no mind. He didn’t even notice the change in temperature or Purah’s worried voice at the time. The only thing that mattered to him was Mipha, someone who understood him as Link did.

So, when he felt Mipha go limp in his grip, Revali panicked. “Mi-Mipha?!” He shouted, his fingers rushing to her lolling head. In a flash of lightning, he could see both his wing and her frame shrink as well as well as a Zora child, pulling frantically at the fins framing Mipha’s face.

“B-Big sis! You gotta wake up! I promise I-I won’t go after no more lynels! Just wake up!” The small Zora begged past the tears that choked his voice. “Revali! You must find the Princess of Hyrule! She has the power to wake her up!”

Revali found it difficult to find his words. Life was not a child’s fairytale. He knew exactly what tale Sidon was referencing. The Tale of the Zora’s Scales, it was a story Kodah knew by heart, so she regularly told it to the children she babysat. The story was of a Zora princess who was in love with a Hylian Prince. Despite knowing their love would be short-lasting, they vowed that they would marry. However, before their union could be complete, war broke out between the Hyrule and a neighboring kingdom. The prince had to leave to fight. As her father forbade her from participating in the Hylian war, she could not remain at his side to protect him. So, she crafted him an armor of her scales to protect him in her place. But time was not on her side and by the time she finished, he was already off to war. All she could do was send off her package to him and wait. Unfortunately, word came that he was lost, her package had not made it in time. Devastated, she fell into a deep slumber. For years, she slept and slept, until one day she felt his lips on hers again and she woke up to find him smiling down on her. Her scales had arrived; they had protected him. And they lived happily ever after.

The story was a bunch of poppycock to Revali and he made sure to remind Kodah of it every time she told it. Why did it take years for the damn prince to return if the scales protected him? How did she survive so long asleep? Kodah never had the answers. The only thing she would say that Revali was unimaginative, and that no prince or princess would ever sweep him off his feet, not that Revali would want that anyway.

But if there was ever a time to believe in fairytales, now would be the time. The sky was only getting darker and the rain heavier. He doubted any Zora would be able to find them amidst the dense forest of Tabahal. Hell, he, and Mipha had hardly even found Sidon before he got mauled by an enraged blue-furred lynel.

“W-we just need to get Mipha back to the domain, alright, Sidon? I-I can—”

“I’m sorry… I-I just didn’t want you to go yet Revali… Luto’s gone and now Link’s gone away… I just didn’t want you to go too.”

Revali sighed, a shiver racking down his feathers as his eyes crossed the bloody fabric of his tunic that he had wrapped around Mipha’s arm and head. The Lynel had clubbed her, just as it had done Luto… But Mipha had got back up and jammed her trident clean through its neck before collapsing. Her grace had saved her, but it was unable to save Luto. He hated the part of him that was upset, to think Mipha could have done more for his caretaker. She had tried so hard. Her father practically had to pull Mipha from Luto.

“I-I don’t really want to go either…” Revali eventually settled on saying. He didn’t have a choice. Without Luto, he was an orphan. He already was before, but without her, no one in the Domain would put up with the ‘ill-tempered’ Rito child. It was better for him to be with his own back at the Rito Village. It was today that the Rito elder was to get him and the moment Sidon had heard that well… “But you have to know that this wasn’t the right course of action.”

“I know… I didn’t think a Lynel would show up…”

“The realm is getting more dangerous Sidon… I don’t want you hurt…”

Both Revali and Sidon’s attention turned down to Mipha. Her bright golden eyes weakly looked upon them both, a gentle smile on her lips. “I’m just glad you’re unhurt.”

“Mipha, you were the only one hurt,” Revali spoke. The moment he tried to pull out his bow, Mipha had shoved him towards Sidon, facing the lynel alone. “I’ve never imagined you to be so reckless.”

The Zora gave a weak laugh. “I could not allow any more harm to come to you my dear friend. Besides I can heal.”

“Mipha…” It was an unconscious movement, but Revali found him wrapping his hand around Mipha’s. He could feel the guilt ebbing off her. And being one not really in-tune with the emotions of others, it concerned Revali that he could feel that. “Just because you can heal, it doesn’t mean you have to bear the burden alone.”

The Zora princess was thoughtful in what she wanted to say, but she never got the chance. As soon as she opened her lips to speak, a couple of white feathers fell from the sky amongst the rain. Looking up, Revali was greeted by the sight of the Rito elder fluttering down, his long neck craning back and forth to observe the three.

“I thank the Goddesses that you children are alright! You gave us quite the fright!” Cygnus’ airy voice called down.

While Cygnus was excited to see them, Revali could see the pout forming on Sidon’s chubby face. And as the memory began to fade, the pout of Sidon shifted to that of Purah’s. The Sheikah scientist was flitting about Mipha’s bedside. The Zora was still, her shawl serving as a makeshift blanket as Purah checked her up and down. Purah focused heavily on Mipha’s hands and feet which had become a nasty shade of violet.

“Goddesses be damned, I don’t want to see her die again!” Purah choked out, her voice hoarse past the tears she had been shedding even before Revali had come to.

“I-I-Is she…” Revali wasn’t sure he should even be speaking. He didn’t want to distract Purah, but… he had to know. Mipha was a kindred spirit. He didn’t want to lose her before he got the chance to know her again.

“I can reverse the frostbite! I just need sunshrooms, Symin and Paya are looking for some, but you—you can fly you can get them faster! Yeah, yeah, yeah Death Mountain, fly to Death Mountain get them please!”

Revali had never heard Purah so frazzled, so broken. She had known them both, lived through their deaths and now here they were again, tampered with by Yiga and on the verge of death. He might have been hasty on thinking she thought he was a threat. Purah just didn’t want to lose them again.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Without waiting for her response, Revali flew out her bedroom window, a gust from the sea immediately catching under his wings. It was the dead of night, but the magma pouring from Death Mountain lit his path high into the sky.

“I’ll save you Mipha, I promise.”

-

“Mipha, you are nothing but a husk acting on instinct to the one who breathed life into your people. Naydra is using you. She will not bequeath any knowledge onto you. However, I can. I can help you remember all of who you have forgotten. Don’t you want to know who that blonde is in your memories? I can help you, come to me. We can help each other.”

“Shut up! I want nothing to do with you!” She screamed, ceasing the malevolent voice whispering in her ears.

As soon as her spear pierced the final eye of malice possessing Naydra, a delicate voice crossed Mipha’s ears.

“Thank you for freeing me, Champion… I only wish now that I had the ability to grant Zelda her gift when she needed it most. It would have saved so many a great pain…”

“You’ve done all you’ve could,” Mipha murmured past the ringing in her ears. With her duty accomplished, she could feel the adrenaline leaving her body at a rapid pace, taking with it her strength and leaving only the sharp bite of ice in its wake. Since entering Mount Lanayru’s frigid landscape, Mipha hadn’t stopped moving for more than a couple hours in her quest for the Mountain’s peak. Tossed and turned through blizzard after blizzard with only a small satchel of hot peppers to keep her going, when she finally reached Naydra, her exhaustion faded into determination and now that determination was relief but as good as that was, relief did not keep the body warm. “I’m s-so glad you’re safe, Naydra…”

“You are a kind soul, Champion. Allow me to impart you with some of your forgotten memory. A cherished memory, one shared with the Princess of Hyrule.”

As Naydra’s soft voice disappeared over the whooshing wind, so too did the snowy landscape which melted away into what appeared to be a ceremonial platform that sat amongst a lush verdant plain. If Mipha did not feel awash with worry and concern, she would have taken the time to marvel the sight. But this was a memory, she didn’t have that luxury.

Mipha wasn’t alone upon the platform; beside her was a Rito, that looked much like the one she encountered on Mount Lanayru. The only difference between the two really was this Rito exuded confidence while the other was beaten and weary much like herself. Revali was his name, her mind told her. A kindly-looking Goron, Daruk, stood on the Rito’s other side while a Gerudo, Urbosa, stood beside him, while Urbosa was composed, Daruk stared nervously staring at the ceremony where Link, the Hylian champion kneeled before a blonde woman garbed in an elegant navy and gold dress. Princess Zelda. The sight of her made Mipha’s heart throb, especially the pained look in her green eyes as she recited her speech that only seemed to grow the more they all spoke until finally the blonde snapped.

“Don’t think I can’t hear you lot!” Zelda roared. Mipha hadn’t been surprised by her outburst. Daruk and Revali were never good at staying quiet and Urbosa, Zelda always spoke of Urbosa as a mother figure to her. Of course, she knew what was bothering Zelda but to say it within earshot, wasn’t exactly the best of ideas. “I-I know better than any one of my own failings… You don’t have to remind me on this day.” Zelda did not wait for any rebuttal from her comrades before turning on her heels to run off, nor did Mipha in giving chase.

“Princess!” Mipha cried as she followed Zelda into the nearby tree line, where she almost instantly lost sight of her in the thicket of trees and shrubbery. If it wasn’t for the string of hushed curses that Zelda was letting off, Mipha was sure she never would have found her. Following her voice, she found Zelda haphazardly sat at the foot of a thickly trunked oak tree, her dress stuck in its lowly growing branches and the bramble bushes that coated the ground. She wouldn’t look at Mipha, her face firmly hidden in her now dirt-covered gloves.

“I just want to be alone, Mipha. Go back to the others,” Zelda grounded out past sobs and hiccups. She had meant it as an order Mipha knew, but she didn’t listen.

“I am a Princess too, Zelda,” she responded, softly but firm as she bent down to sit at the Hylian’s side, her fingers finding her way to the twigs and leaves in Zelda’s hair. “I-I don’t want you to simply think of me as a champion, but a… friend.” ‘Maybe someday something more?’

It was no secret to Revali or even Link, maybe even Hyrule, that Mipha had a crush on Princess Zelda. She could remember the day Zelda approached her to be Vah Ruta’s champion as though it was yesterday.

There had been rumors in Zora’s Domain of a caravan of Hylians travelling through the Lanayru Wetlands, but Mipha hadn’t thought much of it. While caravans had become rarer in the domain, they still came by to trade their wares occasionally. Sidon on the other hand was always ecstatic, even for rumors. Bless the young Zora’s heart, he always held out hope it was Revali or Link’s return. Neither had visited the domain in over five years, but in a Zora’s life that might as well have only been five months. So, when Kodah told Mipha Sidon was missing, the princess was not surprised.

“No matter how many times I tell him not to leave the domain, he never listens…” Mipha found herself muttering as she swam through the Zora River. Whenever Sidon would look for the rumored caravan, he would always wait at the Bank of Wishes. Mipha supposed he figured the bank wasn’t too far from the domain and today was of no exception. As soon as her webbed feet hit the silt, she was greeted to the sight of her young brother playing with the long navy train of a blonde Hylian’s dress. While the Hylian had her back to Mipha, the Zora princess could see her bright smile reflected in Sidon’s wide golden eyes as she petted gently at his head.

“You seem a tad too young to be out here on your own, little one,” the Hylian spoke gently. “Are you lost?”

Sidon shook his head before popping a heroic pose. “I wanna make sure the people traveling to the domain are safe! It is a prince’s duty to make sure everyone is safe!”

The Hylian giggled, her gloved hand covering her mouth. “That is a princess’ job too. I’m here to make sure everyone, is safe.”

“So that’s what you were wishing for when I came by wasn’t it?” In Sidon’s eyes, Mipha could see the Princess deflate.

“This I cannot deny, young one,” she answered sadly. “A heavy burden rests upon my shoulders. A burden I am sorry to need to share.”

Sidon puffed out his cheeks at her somber words. He wanted to say something, but when Mipha stepped closer, he finally took notice to his sister.  “Princess don’t be sad! Mipha, my big sister, she can help! As you said, it is a princess’ job to keep everyone safe too!”

“Oh, Mipha…” the Hylian quietly mused before rising from her crouch at Sidon’s side. Mipha could only blink as she eyed the Princess’ doe-like emerald eyes. Her stare was so sad and yet, Mipha could see a powerful determination behind them, hidden amongst her duty. She held herself like a princess, her hands crossed together at her hips, her fingers twitching ever so slightly as she debated on what to say. “Tis a pleasure to meet you, I am Princess Zelda,” she settled on with a small curtsy. “I have come to ask you something on behalf of the King of Hyrule, my father.”

Mipha pursed her lips, her hands moving to fiddle with her adornments. Behind her formality, Mipha could hear her breaking and it tore at her heart. “I am not opposed to listening to what you need to say Princess,” Mipha spoke, earning her a strange look from the other princess. “But you seem weary from travel. Please return with us to Zora’s Domain and rest a night. I will hear you out in the morning.”

The relief in Zelda’s eyes was palpable in the air. Mipha wondered how long she travelled without rest.

Zelda and her entourage brought much happiness to the Domain. As travelers had been few and far in between, the villagers were more than excited to entertain, especially that of a Hylian royal. Zelda however wasn’t one for the excitement. She left it all to her royal guards while keeping closer to the eastern bridge, away from the merriment.

“I hope my people have not offended you in anyway, Princess, “Mipha found herself apologizing when she caught sight of Zelda’s discomfort. “We haven’t had any visitors, not since—”

“Link, correct?” Mipha didn’t miss the way Zelda’s hand tensed against the luminous stone railing of the bridge. There was a fire in her eyes that reminded the Zora of Revali when he and Link would spar. The Rito hated to be out done. But what could Link have done to earn the Princess’ ire?

“You know of him?”

Zelda scoffed, “how could I not? He is all my father talks about. He’s the Goddess’ chosen to wield the Sword that Seals the Darkness. He’s already… Nevermind…”

Mipha bit her lip. She had only been privy to the occasional whisper of Calamity over her many years. She had watched the Sheikah uncover Vah Ruta. She had heard her father talk amongst his council of potential pilots. Her name had come up many a time, but both her father and his advisor, Muzo always disagreed. According to legend, Zelda and the wielder of the Master Sword were to seal away Calamity Ganon with the aid of the four Divine Beasts and if Link was a part of that legend… She wondered where that left Zelda with her evident disdain of her childhood friend. “It may not be my place, Princess, but when I am stressed, I like to climb up to Mikau Lake… Would you like me to take you?”

Mipha was glad for her differing anatomy. In the soft light of the stone pillars, Zelda’s emerald eyes glittered, her tight frown pulling away into the softest of smiles that made the Zora feel as though she sat out in the sun too long. If she were Hylian, she imagined her scales would have pinkened.

“I would like that very much, Mipha.”

At the water’s edge of Mikau lake, Zelda didn’t hesitate in ripping off her evening gown in favor of her bloomers. Mipha didn’t blame her. The dress seemed to be rather constrictive, and she seemed happier out of it as she waded into the water, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.

“Ah, the water is so refreshing,” Zelda mused, flipping onto her back as Mipha swam up beside her. It was nice to see the Princess’ worries ebb away. “The showers at the stables are nice, but nothing beats fresh water.”

Mipha smiled, her eyes trailing up the lake’s waterfall. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Princess. But a swim is not all Mikau Lake has to offer.”

Following Mipha’s stare, Zelda gaped. “The waterfall? There’s no way I could traverse that!” While worry began to form on her freckle dusted face, the Zora could see a shimmer of adventure in her eyes as she began to look around the falls. Hylians couldn’t climb waterfalls, but they could scale the cliffs as Mipha had learned from Link.

“We can climb together, Princess.” When Zelda flipped back onto her stomach, Mipha swam just before her. “You can ride on my back.”

When the Zora gestured for her to climb on, Zelda let off a small chortle. “Do you do this for every Hylian?”

Mipha figured she must have meant if she had ever allowed Link to climb with her and at that thought, Mipha wanted to laugh. She was sure as a salmon moving upstream that Revali would have pecked her if she ever tried. To scale a waterfall with another, at least with another Zora, was considered a romantic gesture, a sign of interest. There was something about Zelda that intrigued Mipha, made her want to know more of her.

Zelda however, was not interested in Mipha’s response as before the Zora could even try to string together a sentence, she felt the Hylian’s arms encircle her neck and her legs at her hips. The squeak Mipha let out was involuntary.

“Did I hurt you? I apolo—Ah!”

The strings of curses and gasps Zelda let off as Mipha bounded up the waterfall were instantaneous. In the water, Zelda’s weight was negligible, the only thing Mipha felt from her was her warmth pressed tightly against her back as the rapids crashed against them.

“Are you okay, Princess?” Mipha asked in between her jumps for air for Zelda’s sake. Zelda’s shouts had died down considerably as they neared the crest of the waterfall. But when she made her landing at the fall’s edge, Mipha learned why as Zelda disembarked her back. Zelda was beaming, her hair was snaked all around her face and body in stringy clumps as she giddily bounded around Mipha looking her up and down as though she was studying her. Mipha didn’t mind though, it warmed her heart to see the Princess so excited. Here, she was in her element.

“M-M-Mipha! That was absolutely astounding!” Zelda sputtered enthusiastically. “How you are able to cut through the water so easily with my weight… You fought gravity itself—you were truly—Ouch!” Distracted, Zelda hadn’t taken notice of the sneaky river snail crawling about until she managed to cut her foot on its spiny shell. In her attempt to not bring any further harm to the snail, she fell backwards, which in her excited fervor, ended up being the waterfalls edge.

“Zelda!” There was no hesitation in Mipha’s actions. The moment Zelda disappeared back down the waterfall, Mipha dove after her. Before the Princess could even shout, the Zora had her pulled into her arms bridal style and had pulled them back towards the water fall which she skated down with the greatest of ease. She had done the same many a time for Sidon or Link and Revali when the pair got into a squabble. It was second nature to her, but to the Princess… In Zelda’s trembling emerald stare, the Zora could see her fear, her relief and something she had only come to know more recently, love.

Back on the grassy ground below the falls, Zelda had clammed up again, urging their return to the Domain. While she was thankful for Mipha’s rescue, she was disappointed in her actions that had led to her predicament. No matter what Mipha could say would change her mind. She was as hard on herself then as she was now.

“It’s no wonder to me now as to why you were chosen to pilot Vah Ruta, Mipha…” Zelda near whispered. Mipha doubted she had wanted her to hear or even acknowledge her, but the Zora did anyway.

“If you wish me to be Vah Ruta’s pilot, Princess, I will without hesitation.”

The blush that creeped across Zelda’s face suited her, in Mipha’s opinion, the scarlet hue to her cheeks made her freckles more prominent. They reminded her of the scales of a fish, always changing in the light. The same blush as she had then, rested upon Zelda’s face now at Mipha’s words.

“I-I do consider you to be a friend, Mipha… More than most…” Zelda murmured, dropping her chin into her knees. “I am sorry… It is just…”

“This is more than about Link, isn’t it, Princess?” Mipha asked, kneeing down to Zelda’s eye level. Her blush had vanished, replaced with puffy red eyes and tears. Taking her champion’s scarf, she dabbed at the tears Zelda allowed her to reach. “I won’t pry but talking might help.”

The Hylian sighed deeply before rocking her head in Mipha’s palm. “Ten years ago… This day, my mother… She passed away. The Goddess Hylia had blessed her as I with her gift… But unlike I, my mother had her gift under her control by my age… Sometimes I feel my father sees me as a failure because of this. A Princess of the Goddesses,’ unable to access her boon, a princess doomed to lead her people to—Mmph!”

It was an impulsive decision, but Mipha had to get her to stop her vicious train of thought. Bringing her hands sharply to Zelda’s cheeks, she clapped them together before diving in for a kiss, effectively silencing the Princess, who was too stunned even for rebuttal once Mipha pulled away.

“Zelda! Just because the Goddess does not see how hard you try harness your gift, I do and so does anyone who sees you. I believe that in time, your powers will come, but disparaging yourself won’t make them come any faster. Your mother would not want that for yourself.”

Zelda blinked wildly at the Zora. Never once had she raised her voice around her, and for a moment, Mipha worried she might have only upset her further as her tears had begun to quicken. However, before Mipha could utter a word of apology, Zelda dove at the other princess, pulling her into a bruising hug.

“M-Mipha I—”

“It’s alright Princess…” Mipha soothed, her fingers gently pulling at a stray knot. “I too lost my mother when I was young. I couldn’t save her, even with my healing… In her last moments, she told me not to cry, that even though I couldn’t help her, there would be many others who would be blessed by my gift. One day your light will shine on the kingdom, Princess and the calamity will be no more.”

“You’re too kind, Mipha…” Zelda breathed into her scarf, the warmth tickling her breastbone. “But I…” Mipha could feel the trembling of her lips. “One day the Calamity will strike, Mipha… What if that day my powers still haven’t awakened? I-I’ll have condemned the kingdom… Mipha everyone will die!”

It was indeed a possibility; a possibility that Mipha and the other champions trained to mitigate every day. It was also a whispering Mipha had heard throughout the Castle’s town. Hylians murmuring if their Princess was indeed of the Goddesses’ blood. If she was even trying to prevent disaster.

‘I always see her pestering the Sheikah researchers. Shouldn’t she be praying to the Goddess?’ Some would say. ‘The Hylian Champion, I saw him with the Master sword at the training grounds the other day. If that ill-bred boy can wield the blade that will banish the calamity already, why is our Princess failing us?’ Whenever Mipha heard these whispers, it physically pained her not to say a thing. The populace already viewed her as well as Revali, Daruk and Urbosa as outcasts, it wouldn’t do her any good to fracture the already uneasy relationship between them and the Hylians. Instead, she would always get back at them more covertly. If they spoke ill of Zelda, they would find themselves slipping in water and falling into the mud.

But it was a possibility, nonetheless.

“Regardless of what comes to pass, Princess, the champions, and I will remain at your side. This our destiny to face together.” At her words, the Princess begun to peek her eyes out from her scarf, her emerald eyes-tinged red with sorrow. In those wide saucer-like eyes, Mipha could see her own soft smile. “Prin—Zelda… I think it might already be clear from my actions earlier, but I adore you. You work tirelessly each and every day to access your abilities and you still find time for the things you love. Every time I find you in the research wing of the castle, I smile. The light in your eyes when you make a new discovery, it makes my chest tighten. Every time I accompany you on a trip to one the springs, my heart aches for you. I want to be with you through the good and bad Zelda… I hope you do not think ill of me for voicing this…”

Mipha squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the Princess move against her. She had been forgiving with her kiss, but a confession of love was likely too much for the poor Princess. As she was getting closer to seventeen, her father was probably already looking for possible suitors none of which being the Zora’s Princess. But the tighter she squeezed her eyes, the more she begun to feel warm air against her scales and the twitching of lips against her own.

However, the closer they came, the fuzzier the memory became until finally, Mipha found her eyes opening not to that of Princess Zelda, but of an old wooden roof decorated in strange schematics she couldn’t understand. Her huff of loss was instantaneous as was the stinging in all her extremities. In the gentle memory, she had forgotten she had been atop Mount Lanayru and its frigid climate. But as for where she was now, she hadn’t a clue.

“Nngh… Where am I?” Mipha weakly choked out as she attempted to rise only to have a warm wing push her back down.

“It would be foolish to move in your condition, Mipha. You’re too weak,” a terse, yet hushed voice whispered. Following the navy wing, she was greeted by the worn green eyes of the Rito from the mountain, the same one from her memory, Revali… A champion like herself.

“Re-Re-Revali?” She stuttered as her voice began to give out. Her throat was unbearably dry and so were her scales. She just wanted to throw herself into the nearest lake but considering her body’s lack of desire to cooperate with her, she imagined she would just drown.

“That’s my name,” the Rito answered plainly before busying himself with a pitcher of water at her bedside. While Mipha’s vision warbled with her strain to move, she could see his tunic appeared to have been torn and hastily resewn. His movement also seemed to be rather stilted. As he moved around her, the shifting of his garment revealed pearly bandages wrapped around his chest. She hadn’t seen him take any injuries on the mountain, her attacker had been focused solely on her up until Revali and his comrade’s arrival. “Have some water.”

As he bent down to Mipha’s side, the Zora couldn’t help but flop her hand on the bandaged wing he rested upon the bed, he stilled immediately, the water he had near sloshing out of its porcelain home. “Are… Are you okay, Revali?”

Revali scoffed, turning his head away from Mipha. He didn’t do a very good job of hiding his tears. “Why are you asking me that? You were the one in a coma…” He lowly spoke, voice cracking before he continued his task. Pulling his wing out from Mipha’s hand, he moved it to her head, bracing it as he tipped the glass to her lips.

The soothing chill of the water on her tongue was almost enough to distract her from what Revali had said, but not enough. “C-coma?!” She sputtered, spraying water all over herself. A coma? She had just been in one for a hundred years! How much time had she lost this time?! “Revali! How long?!”

At her outburst, Revali attempted to take a step back, his eyes flickering to the door to the room, but he didn’t get very far. In a panic, Mipha seized his wrist. While it was only to help get herself on her feet again, the sudden movement took him by surprise, causing them both to fall back onto the cot.

In all the commotion, none of them noticed the heavy steps towards the room until the door suddenly shot open, the wood cracking against the stone walls.

“Little ones, you okay?!”

Mipha couldn’t help but blink at the massive rock-like man that squeezed his body through the door. But from her memory, she easily recognized him as Daruk, the Goron champion, a friend like Revali. Once through the door, Daruk did his best to gently make his way over, but the ground still shook under his weight as he approached. “I-I heard commotion and I got worried…” He apologized, scratching at his white hair, “but I’m glad to know it’s just ‘cause Mipha woke up!” Daruk’s smile was infectious, at least it was for Mipha. Revali on the other hand, one he picked himself back up, moved off towards the window to sit, his eyes however were never far from Mipha. “Do you remember me at all?”

“O-only a little…” Mipha honestly answered, but it was enough to get Daruk to swoop her up into a hug.

“Don’t worry, I only remember a lil too! Oh, Purah and Robbie’ll be so happy to see you awake! They’re outside right now, but I’m sure the sun’ll feel great on your scales!” Daruk spoke gleefully as he positioned Mipha gently into the crook of his elbow. From the daggers she could see Revali glaring across the room, she imagined Daruk’s hold wasn’t always so gentle. “You coming Revali?”

The Rito shook his head. “We still have one more champion to locate, Daruk. When Link returns with the Master Sword, we all need to be ready.” Without another word, he jumped out the window, the air catching under his wings.

“Sorry Mipha…” Daruk sighed. “Revali’s been that way for the last couple of weeks. Finding me was a complete accident to be honest. He told me he was out lookin’ for sunshrooms when he found me getting into it with this guy, Yiga, I think he said.”

“Yiga?” The Zora repeated, an image of a burly man garbed in red and a strange white mask coming to mind. As she had approached Naydra, the man approached her. In the gusty winds of the mountain’s peak, she hadn’t a clue what he said, but she knew he was there to stop her. “Um… Daruk do you mind telling me what occurred?”

“Sure thing Mipha! It’s a bit of a tale, ya sure you don’t mind?”

Mipha smiled up at him, “it’ll be a way I can get to know you both better.”