It was a peaceful summer night in Hateno Village. A full moon lazily drifted in the night sky, bathing the town in soft moonlight. The hum of restless Restless Crickets and other nocturnal insects played a buzzing tune. The blue flames of Sheikah torches licked the air as a gentle breeze caused them to dance.
It was on this night that Hateno would be visited by the spirit of a Champion.
Mipha passed through the wooden archway denoting the entrance of the sleepy village. Wisps of corporeal energy floated lazily around her, the teal light blending with the white from the moon. Her presence appeared serene, but otherworldly. A villager might have mistaken her for a haunting specter. Though, truthfully, they wouldn't be wrong.
Instead of following the dirt road that lead into town, Mipha walked down a smaller path that veered off to the right. Her destination was not inside Hateno, but on its outskirts.
The path lead to a wooden bridge, which then crossed over a deep trench. These ruts in the land were common for the hillside village, years of rain water running carving away loose soil and rock. This particular bridge acted as the only convenient crossing to a small plateau on the village outskirts. It was here, on the flat ground beneath a sheer rock wall, where a lonely house stood.
Mipha moved across the bridge, the house being her objective. She did not care for the cold campfire outside of the home, nestled under a large oak tree. Nor did she approach the stable on the right side of the home, where a chestnut brown mare laid its head for rest. Rather, she made straight for the front door. The Zora spirit noted that the entrance unremarkable, save for the small plaque nailed into the wood. In small, white Hylian letters, it read: Link.
The Zora spirit paused for a brief moment before she laid her hand on the door, giving it a light push. She wasn't surprised to find it locked, but she did feel a twinge of disappointment. She would've liked to enter the home as any other person. Perhaps to recapture some sense of normalcy and worldly presence. A locked door, though, would provide no such opportunity. Still, that wasn't going to deter her. Mipha closed her eyes, her form shimmering briefly as she phased through the door.
When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a rustic sight. The home was a single room design, with very little in the way of flair. In the center was a small wooden table was in the center table. To the left, a small kitchen area took up the front corner. Cabinets and shelved lined the walls, filled with various spices, herbs, and dried foodstuffs. They flanked a stone hearth, now cold in the dead of night. The right side of the home was completely dominated by a raised platform, acting as the shared bedroom and study.
In all, it reflected just how modestly Link lived.
However, as she scanned the room, her attention was immediately caught by the backwall. A lump formed in her throat. Quietly, Mipha moved forward to the back of the house, where a number of weapon racks hung. Each of them held various rare arms, shields and bows that Link gathered on his journey. However, there was one specific weapon she gravitated toward.
The Lightscale Trident. Her Lightscale Trident. The center most weapon rack was now its new home. The trident appeared well cared for, its appearance gleaming as if it had been recently forged. The metal of the haft and head were polished to a shine. The tips of the trident themselves looked recently sharpened, ready to skewer any of the wielder's enemies.
Her fingers ghosted the shaft, trailing down the unique rust-proof metal. It pleased her to know that he cared for and maintained her cherished trident. A solemn look crossed her face as she backed away from the wall. How she desired to once again take up her weapon. To fight alongside him. To do the duty she had been assigned.
He shouldn't have to bear this burden alone.
Mipha turned around and slowly walked to the front of the room to the stairs. Her bare webbed feet padded up each step of the stairs until she arrived at the top.
His bed was tucked into the back-right corner. The small lump in the blue sheets slowly rose and fell as its occupant slept.
She stopped at the bedside, staring down at the man she would have called husband. The Hylian which stole her heart. He appeared peaceful, no emotion on his face as he slept.
Mipha gently sat down on the edge of the bed, hands in her lap. Her eyes softened at the Hylian Champion, taking in the handsome features that she fell for. She noticed the severe scaring that trailed up his neck, the covers hiding the rest of what were once grievous injuries.
That's when the tears threatened to fall.
It wasn't fair. Wasn't fair to him; left to finish a doomed quest alone. Wasn't fair to her; forced to watch Link sidelines, her only commitment being her powers and her Divine Beast.
And should he win, should he drive back the Calamity, she wasn't sure if she could even stay. Would the Goddess allow her to remain in the physical realm? Not moving on to the other side, but instead, wandering the lands of Hyrule as a specter. Forever wishing for the what could have been. Or to move on with regrets, and try to bury a hundred years of grief and torment. Regardless, Mipha didn't think she could say goodbye.
She leaned down, her lips softly gracing his forehead.
Being with him like this wasn't enough. She could behold him with her own eyes and love him from a distance. But never would she be able to feel the warmth of his skin on her scales, nor hold him in a passionate embrace.
It made it even worse that he barely remembered her. All those years together, gone and lost. His memories were shredded, fluttering in his mind like scraps of paper in the wind. She knew of the side effects from the Resurrection Chamber, the amnesia that stole his past. It was quite obvious after he freed her. That blank stare he gave her inside of Rutah attested as much. He appeared as if he was seeing her for the first time. No warmth in his eyes, only a flicker of familiarity hidden beneath a surprised face when he saw her spirit.
That hurt the most. Almost too much for her to bear.
"I love you Link," she said in a choking whisper. Her palm softly cupped his cheek as she brought her forehead to his. "I still love you. Even after a hundred years. Even if you don't remember me."
Mipha held him like this for a while, savoring whatever touch she could barely feel. It was selfish of her. Selfish to come into his house uninvited, to haunt him as a grief stricken poe. She knew she needed to let him go. But not yet, not until Ganon was sealed at least.
Though, should the Goddess allow, I'll watch over you till very end.
Not wishing to wake him, Mipha gently rose from the bed. As she made for the stairs, she gave him one last wistful look. How peaceful he looked. After everything that has happened, he deserved nights like these. She hoped his dreams were pleasant.
Turning away, she walked down to the bottom floor and phased back outside.
The teardrops she had been holding back finally fell on her cheeks. They glinted in the moonlight before disappearing into nothingness, leaving no trace in the physical realm.
Her corporeal form then trembled, slowly fading as she focused on Vah Rutah. She could feel her spiritual connection to the Divine Beast tugging on her soul. With some focus, she honed in on Rutah's location in the Ruto Mountains. Her spirit was then whisked away, drawn back to the ancient Sheikah machine. Back to her endless watch, waiting for the day of Link's assault.
Unbeknownst to her, a shadowed figure observed her from the window. Link watched Mipha until she slowly faded away, leaving no trace of her visit. Grabbing a book from a shelf below him and a candle, he made his way down to the bottom floor.
He wasn't going to get anymore sleep this night.
AN: Hey guys, Echo here. Man oh man have the last four months been a doozy. Work crunch and irl stuff got to me. But when Maypha rolled around, I had to write something. So, here's a sad little oneshot cause I was feeling a bit down lately. But but but, I have another one shot and chapter 2 of Healing Touch coming your way soon. (I intended to have the two oneshots and chapter 2 out for Maypha, but, well see above.) Anyway, hope you liked it!