Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda series, Breath of the Wild, the Characters and some of the dialogue used in this story do not belong to me - not much of a shock there.
This story makes reference to the story and parts of the 2nd DLC of Breath of the Wild - I wouldn't consider it spoilery, but some people might.
This story is somewhat a follow up/continuation of/is related to a previous story of mine (Our Little Bird) that is moderately better and that you should probably read before this. They both focus on a Champion's experience and pay reference to a specific line of dialogue from the 2nd DLC pack - you only encounter this dialogue if you go back and refight the Blights again and again, so I'd recommend watching a Youtube video of the line, personally.
This story in particular focuses on Revali and how he spent his century in purgatory realising that he might be forgotten now in Hyrule, a fear of his. (Sure, I'm taking creative liberties here, but there's something there to work with to begin with.)
I'm still waiting for inspiration to strike for a story like this on Daruk and Mipha, but look out for them in the future as they will probably come in this series I'm calling 'Champion's Reflection'. If you have any ideas for those two characters, let me know with a review or on Twitter (same username minus the 's' on the end).
Otherwise, favourite, follow, review, what have you; I hope you enjoy this!
Oh, and if you do, come check out my still on going Zelda piece 'The Legend of Link: The Bastard Prince', there's not long left until the end of that now, so come have a read!
~WWQ
The Pride of the Rito
Revali had never been one to focus on the past – he thought it pointless to dwell on what you can't change.
But it's also pointless to sit atop a Divine Beast for a century thinking about nothing.
As the sun rose after yet another Blood Moon, Revali sighed. He had never been one to sit around and wait for someone else to save him. Given the opportunity, he would have been the one to save everyone else.
Or so he liked to tell himself.
Now, as he watched the broken fields of Hyrule become bathed in light once again, he finally admitted to himself that he wasn't all he made himself out to be in life.
100 years ago, when he'd lost his life to the Blight now piloting Medoh, he'd been foolish. Presumptuous in thinking the Blight would be as easy as the one in his Trial to control the Beast.
Revali had been dunce in his fight with the Blight. And shame coated his every feather as he watched his fellow Champions fall after he. Loneliness unlike any other seeped into his spirit as he realised he couldn't even call to his fellow Champions, as he realised he was dead on his Beast all alone.
On the dawn of yet another day after the rise of Ganon, Revali bowed his head and finally acknowledged the truth:
He wasn't as amazing as he thought he was. He wasn't worthy of his own archery range or landing in his home village.
Revali wasn't worthy of calling himself the pride of the Rito.
And then it happened.
A tremor shook his purgatorial spirit and the Beast that held him captive. Between Vah Medoh's wings, the Blight howled in despair, causing Medoh to screech in reply.
All Revali could do was stand shocked as the shaking subsided before taking wing to Medoh's beak, which was suddenly facing south east.
From his position, there was very little in Hyrule that Revali couldn't see. To his south he could make out Vah Naboris within the dust clouds of the desert. To his east, Vah Rudania could be seen on the almost constantly erupting Death Mountain. And, if he squinted and looked past the mountains, he was almost sure he could see Vah Ruta near Zora's Domain.
On each of the Beasts he liked to think he could see all the Champions, stood as he was looking towards that raised plateau, to what Medoh was pointing at. He liked to think that the turquoise flames he saw weren't just figments of his imagination or particles among the clouds.
A strange twang of pride hit him, when – some hours later – a large earthquake seemed to rip through Hyrule. Though he couldn't feel it himself, Revali was sure there had been a shake; how else would those towers and shrines that the Princess had never managed to crack have appeared from the ground itself?
He barely registered the pride he held for the knight when he saw him emerge from the tower with the now-dead king by his side. Instead Revali grinned to himself and spoke over his shoulder to the raging Blight.
"You know, creature, Medoh and I have been artfully patient these last 100 years. We've bided our time… all for this moment." He whipped around and stared Wind Blight Ganon in the eye. "Brace yourself, creature, for the knight might even put up more of a fight than I!"
Revali laughed as he turned back to his vantage point, listening to the Blight screech behind him and Medoh letting out a single caw.
"Don't keep me waiting, Link."
It was several weeks later when Revali saw the knight board his horse at Rito Stable.
In the that time, he had seen more Blood moons than ever before; an insane and never ending rainstorm over Zora's Domain come to a sudden stop as Vah Ruta turned blue once more; Death Mountain erupt twice before Vah Rudania also turned blue; and two neat lasers of red light strike Hryule Castle.
In that time, Revali had allowed himself to remember his past just once more.
He remembered the day, so long ago now but as fresh in his memories as ever, that he'd first picked up a bow. His father told him he had talent, his mother told him she was proud of him.
Soon, the young Rito had grown skilled, honed his talent until he was the winner of every archery contest and the holder of every record known to the Rito. Soon, he became cocky as the affirmations of the village went to his head and the adoring looks of the children made him feel like a celebrity.
Perhaps that was why he felt the need to develop his own skill, one that would set him apart from the rest. Maybe that was why he tried so hard to make his updraft work.
And when the Princess came to him with a proposition for him to pilot Medoh, perhaps all the pride and praise went to his head. Maybe, just maybe, he thought it beneath him to be a sidekick in the fight against Ganon.
Revali had been told he was the pride of the Rito. The idea that the Hylian's didn't seem to find that so impressive ruffled his feathers the wrong way.
But the look in her eye when she'd told him Hyrule needed him. That determination, that despair, that fear…
He hadn't accepted the proposition with open wings, he hadn't even liked it all that much, but he'd be caught worse than dead if he turned his tail to a look like that.
With a shudder as the knight glided over to his flight range, Revali remembered a time before he'd gained mastery of the sky. A time when he wished to see the day when the King, Princess and her knight bow before him, telling him that without his skill they would be lost.
Sometimes, a century was all it took to make someone realise they were acting like an asinine arse.
But, even still, Revali couldn't let go of his pride that easily.
The knight had been insufferable and saved two of his fellow Champions before even getting to him; the Princess had only been able to harness that cursed power after the rest of them were all dead.
He'd treat him the same as ever, at least until he proved his worth in Medoh.
As for Zelda…
Revali crossed his wings. She'd suffered enough. If he ever got the chance to see her again, he'd apologise to her, tell her she was the first Hylian he respected, despite her difficulties.
Sighing as he watched the Rito who'd tried to take down Medoh a week or so ago approach again, this time with the knight on his back, Revali accepted the truth.
He, and the other Champions, would never see the Princess again. She'd never know how sorry was about treating her the way he had. She'd never know just how much Mipha admired her, how much Urbosa loved her, how much Daruk respected her.
She'd never know that her father did, in fact, love her.
Glaring Link as he glided over to Medoh's tail, Revali decided it was time to test his abilities once more.
"I had a feeling you'd show up eventually. But making me wait a hundred years is a little… Indulgent."
His stern attitude lasted a terminal, soon after he became surprised at just how quickly Link was able to solve Medoh's puzzles and take her back under his wing. By the time it came for him to take on the Blight, Revali was actually rooting for the knight, asking him to avenge him.
And as the creature that had so easily killed him a century ago was just as easily taken down by Link's bow, Revali once more bowed his head.
Talent and skill would only get someone so far, it seemed. They also need… Luck.
But, as Revali appeared before him, surprised and subdued, he finally acknowledged him as a warrior, one worthy of his skill at least.
Of course, he was still going to be needed in the final fight against Ganon, that was always his part to play in all this. He could see and understand that now. He wasn't just another sidekick, another nameless nobody who's only duty was to stand ready in the background.
He was Master Revali, the Rito Legend. And he wouldn't be forgotten.
"Your job is far from finished, you know." He reminded Link as he began to leave the now free Beast.
Then he remembered the Princess, that she'd be listening and watching everything Link was doing. He wanted to say something to her, something nice. He wanted to say he was sorry, that everything had to happen this way.
Instead, as he turned his back on Link as he left, he said:
"The Princess… has been waiting an awfully long time."
As much has he had tried to deny it, as much as he hoped that she would continue to hate him like he did, Revali knew that the Princess had come to care for Link. From atop Medoh he had seen that she had only awakened her power after seeing him in danger.
He hoped she'd be happy now. He prayed that Link would make it to her safely and save Hyrule once and for all.
As Revali stood on Medoh's beak, looking out at Hyrule from a new vantage point, he voiced his hope into the wind.
"I hope that luck holds out, Link. For everyone's sake."
…
"Woah, did Revali just say something nice about Link?"
"I believe he did, Daruk."
Tearing his eyes off the Castle, Revali looked further to the east and saw the two figures of Daruk and Mipha stood on their Beasts, smiling at him. Quickly scanning the south, he realised that Urbosa was still in Naboris.
Good, he thought. Urbosa had always been the one to take the most pleasure out of ruffling his feathers.
"How long have you two been eavesdropping?" Revali asked with contempt as he settled himself.
"Since Medoh got 'er laser set." Daruk answered, also settling back down on Rudania. Mipha turned her attention back to Zora's Domain – which Revali now saw as the only place that would remember him as a person, not a legend. "The little guy did good, right?"
Revali scoffed. "Took him long enough to get here."
"C'mon, Revali," Daruk sighed. "He had a long way to go, took him a while to get to me too."
"I take it he went to Mipha first?"
"Well, yes, he did save me first." Mipha said daintily, not looking up from the Domain. "But it appears to have been out of convenience rather than… anything else. He has no memories."
"Then he's in no condition to fight Ganon!" Revali shouted suddenly.
"Revali, he just saved your spirit. Would it kill you to say something nice about him?" Daruk asked with a tilted head.
Looking down at his flaming spirit, Revali replied, "Clearly not, so why bother?"
The two other Champions sighed as Revali looked out at Hyrule and the golden glow of the Castle he was sure he wasn't imagining.
A century alone hadn't been fun. A hundred years looking back at everything that had gone wrong is no way to spend time.
Now he had company again, his fellow Champions literally right there with him in this purgatorial realm.
He'd never let on, but he was beyond happy to see them, to actually hear them after all these years of calling out to nothing.
They were going to be in for a wait as Link rescued Urbosa and saved the Princess. A perfect opportunity to catch up.
"So tell me," Revali turned back to the two of them, a grin in his beak. "What have I missed?"
It was several weeks later when Link returned to Rito Village and subsequently Vah Medoh.
According to the others, he was attempting the same trials that they had, back before they had been allowed into their Beasts. It was his last set of trials and strength gaining before he would go and attack Ganon head on.
Revali was as much supportive of Link's efforts to get stronger as he was derisive. One moment he would be telling him that he wouldn't congratulate him on his strength gain, the next he would say they should have had it out a century ago, if only to settle the score.
Then he said something he shouldn't have and let his emotions and fears get the better of him.
"Since you're here, tell me… How is Rito Village faring?... I can't fathom that it's been 100 years. There's no one left who would even know me… Even so, it will always be my home."
The other Champions, and Link himself, all looked over at him after that. A few eyebrows raised at him as he shrugged and settled back down.
None of them had known that his biggest fear was being forgotten. That he strived to make himself memorable and the pride and arrogance that came with that were all just biproducts.
It was one thing to be remembered in Legend and rumour, much like his Beast's namesake. It was another thing all together to realise that there is no one left in the place you grew up that would know who you were proper.
Mipha couldn't understand, Daruk never would and it was some small miracle that Urbosa wasn't laughing at him.
Revali was alone once again with his emotions then as he looked down on his village.
A few moments later, he watched as that white Rito from before crouched down on Revali's Landing. A young Rito climbed onto his back and, a moment later, he took off, heading straight for the Flight Range.
From what Revali had heard and seen of that Rito, he was almost as skilled as he was. The difference in them lay in one's lack of arrogance and the other's over abundance.
Revali's so called 'descendant' Teba didn't fear being forgotten. For as long as that young Rito on his back lived, he would be remembered. And once the young Rito grew old, its descendants would remember him.
Revali couldn't help but admire Teba as he showed his son how to shoot arrows.
The Rito were a proud race, yet some how he had overcome that.
With a heavy tail, Revali watched over him, wishing that he could have met him, could have talked to him. If only once.
Then came the day that Link took on Ganon.
He was a shadow of the knight they had once known, now he was a hero in his own right. Though whether or not that was enough, Revali was yet to know.
Even still, he found himself praying that it was enough, that he could finally be free.
It was up to them to help him by damaging Ganon with their Beasts.
"Brace yourself, Ganon, for the sting of my revenge!"
The Champions watched in awe as Link took on the Calamity and then its Beast form. They listened closely as Zelda told him that true courage is never forgotten.
They felt their souls come free as Zelda finally used her power to confine the beast.
Revali smiled as she asked Link if he remembered her.
The knight remembered them all, the good, the bad and the arrogant.
None of this would ever be forgotten, Revali knew as the Champions said their goodbyes. Even the King wished them well as they left their purgatorial realm.
A sight of the Princess and Link side by side was the last thing Revali saw before crossing over.
"Revali?"
A voice reached him as he opened his eyes onto a distorted Hyrule, one he was clearly looking over from a greater distance than he had on Medoh.
One where the Silent Princess blossomed everywhere.
Around him, just coming into his vision in this land of the dead, he could see Daruk smiling as he chatted to his son; Mipha stood watching over the distorted Hyrule's Zora's Domain, looking at her father and younger brother with her mother's arm around her shoulders; Urbosa crying as she hugged the late Queen, telling her her daughter was everything she hoped she would be.
The former Rito Champion smiled as he turned to face the person calling his name. Then his beak dropped as he saw them.
His parents, stood wing in wing as they smiled at him.
He burst out crying as he raced to hug them, forgetting that they must have died during the century he was trapped.
In Hyrule, the Princess was stood in the field of Silent Princess, hugging Link as she cried tears of happiness.
Here, in the realm beyond, Revali was drying his eyes as he told his parents he was the legend they always told him he could be, as he told them he'd never be forgotten.