The only sounds that managed to escape Link and Murdoch's throats were incomprehensible murmurs. Staring back at their dearly departed loved one, in her full form, sparked emotions that couldn't be defined by either of them. Her presence was surreal…almost dreamlike, and yet…in a way, sensible. They had just defeated the creature that had been imprisoning their beloved Zora princess for two Hylian generations, so naturally, her soul could finally be free upon its demise. However, neither of them expected her to manifest in a form with which they could see and communicate.
One thing was certain in their minds, though. They had missed her fiercely. And now that she was here, even if it was for a short time, they didn't know how to process their resulting feelings.
For starters, they couldn't move. The many fibers of their subconscious screamed at them to run to their dear Mipha, whom they had suffered insanely without, but alas, they could not get their legs to respond. The sheer shock of the moment held its grip, locking them in place while the long-missing link of their family glanced between them with a growing, motherly smile.
"You've both done quite a lot for your people, haven't you?" She cooed, breaking the silence that had been dwelling amongst them. "Oh, the adventures you've had together…in such a short amount of time!"
"Mother, I…" Murdoch paused at the beginning of his opening statement to release the awkward chuckle that had been collecting in his throat. "…I'm sorry…I still can't believe I'm saying 'Mother' directly to you…"
Mipha was delighted to hear the deep, commanding voice of her son, as a young adult, for the first time. She had been persistently watching over him and his sisters for years, of course, but…certain sensory details were always lost between the physical and spectral worlds. It was now, in the main control room of Vah Ruta, final resting place of her physical self, that she finally received the pleasure of meeting her son in his full, developed glory. Therefore, upon hearing his sheepish, stuttering reaction to her appearance, she couldn't help but to share in his chuckle. All the while, she took gentle steps toward him and Link, drawn to the sound of her thriving offspring.
"No matter how old you may grow to be, Murdoch…" She hummed playfully. "…you will never be too manly to call me 'Mom.'"
"Right, right, of course…um…M…Mom." He floundered. "I just…I still can't believe it's really you! After…so long! Truly, I thought…this…this day would never come!"
Despite his own share of exhilarating amazement, Link took notice in the complete disarmament of Murdoch's tone. He couldn't recall a point during their reunion when the powerful Zora behaved so submissively. It appeared as if his son was genuinely humbled by his mother's appearance, pulled back into the innocence of his childhood simply by her presence. He was like a totally different individual. In all honesty, Link was reminded of the Murdoch that had appeared in his flashbacks.
Mipha continued with the grand statement that had been due the moment she was rescued by her family. "I must thank both of you. Because of your sacrifices for each other, my spirit is now free! And as such, I am now allowed, by this freedom, to finally be with you once again."
Link took a step forward as he was eventually able to speak. "You shouldn't have to thank us. Seeing you…is a greater reward than I ever could've imagined. I, too, never thought I'd see the day of your return."
Murdoch nodded in agreement. At their mutual sentiment, Mipha smiled another time. It seemed like she had been smiling perpetually since her arrival, and it was evident that she'd be continuing to do so until the moment she left. A hundred years was enough time for the birth and passing of an entire Hylian life, after all, and after such time…their grand reunion was just too much to withhold the smiles.
Murdoch jumped in again with continuous stutters. "S…So…what was it like these past countless years? Did you ever…you know…worry about us? Were you even…able to worry about us? How did…"
Mipha raised up her ghostly hand, silencing her frantic son mid-sentence. Her calmness was quite entrancing to the two of them, even as their minds raced with the many thoughts, emotions, and curiosities of the moment. She acted as if their reunion with her was inevitable…like she had been patiently waiting for it all this time. She seemed to want to take her time with their moment together.
"I bet you have many questions for me, my dear." She paused for a moment as Link and Murdoch both eagerly nodded their heads. "I will share whatever I can with you in the short time we have together. But, first…I feel like our family is missing a few members!"
She was clearly talking about the…rather evident absence of Mira and Noelani in the control room. With them having been brought up, Link suddenly realized the unfairness of Mipha's return here, without the sisters sharing in the reunion. How would they fare, knowing their mother had appeared from the dead outside their knowledge? He couldn't imagine the pain…the disappointment…the envy. Surely, they needed to know of Mipha's arrival.
"Right…the sisters." Link mumbled. "I'm not sure how we'd lead them here safely, especially with Lani's condition and all…"
Mipha raised her hand again, silencing him as she had done with Murdoch a moment ago. Once again, she did not look concerned. "You needn't worry. I've had a lot of time in solitude to ponder my situation here over the years, and I've found there are a few things I can do with my limited power, now that I'm free of Ganon's shackles. I can take us to our daughters."
Link's face perked up at this. Murdoch put a hand on his chin, intrigued by his mother's claim. He had never experienced supernatural power before, so the implications of her promise were interesting to him. He did, however, just get done facing an abomination of darkness and evil, manifested out of nothing but Ganon's seething hatred for Hyrule, and as such, he kept an open mind.
Neither of them gave a response as she commenced their exodus from the Divine Beast. She closed her eyes and lowered her head, and in the seconds that followed, as the two of them looked to her with fascination, they felt themselves become gradually lighter. Murdoch glanced down at himself in time to feel his body lift completely off the wet floor of the chamber and become enveloped in a strange, warm energy. Glancing over to his right, he noticed the same thing happening to Link, who was looking around with the same curiosity.
It felt as if they were slowly losing their senses, one by one. Starting with their feet and creeping upwards, numbness consumed their bodies until, eventually, nothing could be felt. Their sense of sight, hearing, smell, and taste were not far behind as, finally, their heads were lapped away by the numbness. Before blacking out, the last thing they could see was the evaporation of their physical forms, replaced tenderly by golden, glittering dust. The dust followed an invisible stream that carried it, and the two of them within, up to the ceiling of the chamber and out one of its many carved windows.
Mipha followed right behind them. As the essence of her husband and her son floated out into the night, she faded silently away, leaving the wispy green flames around her to die in the same manner. In just moments, the control room was quiet once again, left as if it had not been entered in the first place. The room shared a bloody history with the rest of Hyrule, and now, it sat in peaceful tranquility, as Hyrule hopefully would as well…in the coming weeks, at least.
Mira did not like the circumstances. Vah Ruta was supposed to be a symbol of protection and hope for her and her people, and yet, throughout her life, she had associated the thing with…death. And right now, two more of her precious family members were trapped up inside it. The loss of her mother had done a lot to shape her into what she was today, after all, and…she just didn't think she could take two more tragedies at this stage of her life. For the sake of her permanent well-being…she needed some good news.
Noelani, on the other hand, didn't seem to be showing any signs of nerves. She could be seen sitting perfectly still on the waterbed, her back directly upright, staring blankly in the direction of the lake, as she had been doing for the last ten or fifteen minutes. Mira was usually great at feeling the emotions of her sister without having to talk, of course, but there were still some times…times like this…when her sibling acted like quite the enigma. She never liked to talk too deeply about her innermost thoughts, and it was because of this that Mira still couldn't figure out what filled the mind of a young one without sight.
She cleared her throat awkwardly. "You, um…you doing okay there, Lani?"
Noelani's eyes widened a bit. "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine."
She just seemed so distracted. It was emphasized in the fact that she didn't immediately pick up on Mira's question. Something was occupying her mind, and Mira just wished she could understand what it was. Her natural hunch told her it was something to do with the past…perhaps reminiscing on the good times with their mom still alive. At the same time, though, that was something they had done together all the time throughout the years, and it had never usually involved her being so quiet. A few times, even, she wondered if—
"How are you feeling?" Noelani blurted, cutting off her thoughts.
"H…How am I feeling? Well, I…uh…" She did not expect the sudden rebuttal. Noelani wasn't usually keen on that type of action.
"Don't worry, sis. I think Murdoch's going to be okay. Same with Dad." She finished, ironically being the one to weasel into Mira's head. One of them always had to be predictable. If not her, then her sister, of course.
She chuckled. "I guess I'm kind of easy to read, huh?"
"Not really." Noelani answered with a shake of her head. Her long tailfin wobbled around with the motion. "I can just hear you tapping your foot. You sound very nervous."
Oh. That explained it nicely. She already seemed to forget how well Noelani could hear and interpret her surroundings. And at that, Mira hadn't realized how bad her jitteriness had become. Her nerves had only gotten worse after watching Murdoch depart for the Divine Beast, since it had essentially doubled up on the potential losses she and her sister could be facing. It would mean the world for her to see her father and her brother return safely from the lake, as a repeated childhood trauma would certainly destroy her over her many remaining years.
Slowly, as she pondered over these feelings, the space in front of her began to grow brighter. Despite the disturbance, she continued looking toward the Divine Beast as she had been doing before, albeit with a gradually growing squint. Over time, it was getting more difficult to discern the distant figure's details through the light. It was easy to brush the effect off as reflected moonlight at first, given the water from the Reservoir covering the dock by over three inches, but eventually, it started getting too bright to ignore.
Before long, the mysterious light seemed to condense on a couple of distinct points about ten feet in front of the awning, forcing Mira to cover her eyes with her hand. The light was also accompanied by a soft tinkly sound akin to bell chimes, the lure of which was picked up by Noelani a few feet behind. Mira was greatly confused by these phenomena, above all, and quite frankly, she was concerned for what the strange occurrences were foreshadowing. Noelani, on the other hand, practically stared directly into the light, fazed only by the sounds she was hearing.
It only felt like a brief moment to her before the light suddenly vanished. For a moment, even with her hand shielding her face, the light had seemed almost infinitely bright, like staring straight at the sun. It was gone now, though, returning the dock to the same dim embrace of the moon's light. Mira's eyes had to adjust after the strange event, a process she tried to hasten by rapidly blinking. She lowered her hand back down to her side.
She gasped quickly, nearly choking on her tongue. "Whoa! Wh…huh?!"
The dock became visible to her again after her hand returned to her side, and the first thing she saw was Link and Murdoch, standing before her on the platform with perplexed looks on their faces. They were standing exactly where the orbs of light had been shining just seconds ago, with no trace of how they got there so suddenly. Mira was only able to assume that they had come from the light sources themselves, despite the craziness of that concept. When their eyes met, she could tell their confusion was shared.
"How did you guys get here so fast? Did you fix Vah Ruta?" She blurted.
Link answered her as he and Murdoch began wading through the water on the dock to meet her and her sister under the awning. "See for yourself."
He pointed his thumb toward the lake behind him, causing Mira to glance over his shoulder at the Divine Beast. Aside from the obvious lack of water spewing from its trunk, of which everyone was already aware, the giant entity didn't seem very different as before. However, one other feature stuck out, and it was the glowing, colored patterns covering the Beast's surface. For the past century, they had kept the glaring, putrid purple color of Calamity Ganon for all on the Reservoir to see, and they served as another constant reminder of the Calamity's many hardships during their childhood.
Now, though, upon Link and Murdoch's return, the Beast's colors were…blue. They were blue. The same color they were when Mipha entered the machine for the last time. It was a sight she had not seen on the lake in over a hundred years.
"Oh my…wow…" She sighed in exasperation. "How did I miss that…?"
"It's incredible, isn't it?" Murdoch chimed. "It's a sight we haven't seen from our home since we were little kids."
Link took a glance at Noelani, who continued to sit on the waterbed in complete silence. She seemed neither sad nor happy. Almost…indifferent, in fact. She probably didn't have any doubt that he and Murdoch would be returning, given the great amount of trust she was often known for having. Another day in the life, supposedly.
"It really is amazing, now that you point it out." Mira continued. "It really helps me feel a bit at peace after everything that has happened in there." A shiver ran down her spine at the thought, which Link and the others had no trouble noticing. Those wounds would probably never heal. "I'm still curious to know how you guys got back here, though! I'm glad to see you both safe, of course, but…"
She trailed off as Murdoch cut her off. It seemed like he began to…laugh. It started as a mellow chuckle, then it escalated into a deep, genuine, wholehearted episode that seemed for a moment like it would go on all night. He sounded…not sarcastic, not upset, not condescending, but…excited. It was a laugh of pure ecstasy, like his world had been freed of all burdens. Mira cocked her head to the side at the sight and sound of her brother's sudden expression of bliss.
"What is it?" She murmured sheepishly.
"You're not going to believe how we got here so fast!" Murdoch raved. The sisters gave him their full attention, lured by his unusual display of eagerness. "Mira, Lani, I need you to prepare yourselves for this."
Noelani shrugged. "I'd like to think I'm pretty prepared. Right, Mira?"
Mira looked back at her with a quick glance, adding a swift nod to express her agreement. She turned back to eye her brother curiously. "Yeah, I mean…what's this about? And where did that light come from a moment ago?"
Her mind had to take a moment to catch up, which, for her, happened occasionally. Sure, she had the ability to share in the thoughts and feelings of her family members at times, but…the ability itself was untrained. If she were only aware of her subtle connections, she'd be able to apply herself in a way that would most likely rob her siblings of their privacy, in all honesty. Until then, though, there would be times when she just wasn't in her prime. However, in this case, that didn't stop her from eventually feeling the spark.
"Wait a minute…" She paused with widening eyes as the feeling came to her. "…you don't mean…?"
Right away, to punctuate Mira's suspicion, the wind briefly picked up on the dock next to them. It wasn't very strong, but it was noticeably out of pattern with the calm, clear weather that had been blessing the Reservoir since Vah Ruta's appeasement. Link and Murdoch were standing nearest to the location where a visible cloud began to form from the wind, gaining opacity as its strength picked up. The cloud was just about as tall as Noelani.
A grin appeared on the faces of Link and Murdoch as Mira observed the phenomenon with an ever-widening jaw. Her outward expression of disbelief only grew more apparent as small, aquamarine flames began dotting into existence around the center of the cloud. There was a distinct change in the atmosphere around them as the dock was becoming occupied by a familiar spectral presence. Noelani, from the waterbed behind Mira, was sitting the farthest away from the phenomenon, but even she began to feel the mysterious changes.
Finally, in a manner similar to its formation, the cloud rapidly proceeded to dissipate. The winds slowed to a gradual halt, while the dancing flames surrounding the former cloud's center continued to burn dimly. The entire event only took about ten seconds to occur, but the events occurring afterward would last forever in the minds and hearts of Link and his children.
Right where the apex of the winds had previously been, a new figure was now standing…or, rather, hovering, above the flooded waters of the Reservoir platform. The figure's only connection to the physical world was through its visibility and its audibility. Beyond those things, it held very little power to displace physical objects by touch, especially after spending so much of it to send Link and Murdoch away from the Divine Beast.
Mira couldn't believe her eyes. The figure, of course, was the condensed spirit of Mipha…her mother. Years…so many years…had passed since their last time together. So many years…of remembering the childhood she gave her. So many years…of standing by the foot of her statue, talking to it alone with Noelani's hand in hers…hoping the words were reaching her on the other side. So many years…and it was now, finally…that her mother could actually look back at her, with eyes that were not merely chiseled.
"M…Mom…" She whispered weakly. A wave of emotion crashed heavily over her, and she commenced another fight with her tear ducts.
The smile, of which Link and Murdoch had already seen so much back in the Divine Beast, returned to Mipha's face with full gusto. This time, in fact, a little bit of her impassioned energy boiled over into a soft giggle that caused a brief fluttering in everyone's chest. Her presence amongst them ignited unbelievable emotions in the hearts of the entire group, including herself.
"Ah…I'm home at last. It would seem our family is finally back together." She sighed, raising her arms at her sides to draw in the significance of the moment. "It almost feels like we can pick up where we left off."
Once her spirit actually spoke, Noelani was able to catch on to what was going on. She was the next one to react after her mother's opening statement, causing her and the others to look in her direction. The young Zora's expression told novels of her shock at the sound of the voice she could never forget, but inside, she still hadn't succumbed to the belief a hundred percent.
"Mom?" She breathed. "Is…Is that you?"
"Oh, Lani…it's so refreshing to see you and your sister again. You both look like the beautiful, caring adults I had always envisioned. It's hard to imagine that you could fit into my arms the last time I saw you!" Mipha responded, using the continuing sound of her voice to indirectly answer Noelani's question.
"H…How…How are you here? What's happening?" She stuttered uncertainly. Mira could see that her sister was indeed thrilled to be in the presence of her mother again, but on the surface, it was masked by the confusion of the circumstances. In time, she would understand.
"It's her spirit, Lani." Murdoch explained from the side. "Mothe— erm…Mom's spirit was freed from the Calamity after Father and I killed the being that was holding her hostage all this time."
Link chuckled playfully. "So you're going to keep calling me 'Father,' then?"
"Well, I…you…I—" He stopped, folding his arms awkwardly at his chest. "…I'm getting there, Dad. Let me get used to things."
Link and the others had a short laugh, while Noelani continued to stare straight forward with the same mesmerized expression on her face. It was as if she stood in the presence of Hylia herself, her mannerism communicating nothing but awe and wonder at the sound of Mipha's voice before her. She yearned for more.
"I missed you…" She babbled sadly. "…I want to hear you talk more…"
Mipha's smile dissolved for a moment at her daughter's flickering sorrow. Words could not describe the joy she felt from getting to spend precious moments with her family again, of course, but she still wished, more than anything beyond life and death, that she could be alive again to hold her sleeping girl just one last time. She could see, in the grown-up, womanly form of her little Lani, the persisting dependence and innocence of the child she had tragically left behind all those years ago. She very clearly still craved her mother's touch. If only…
"Do not worry. There's something that deserves to be said to each and every one of you before I depart this evening." Mipha assured. "When it's your turn, my dear, everything will become clear. I promise."
Noelani's mind ran at a hundred miles an hour. She wasn't Mira, of course, so her mother's intentions behind that line were not clear to her. She could've been coming up on a major turning point in her life, assuming this moment didn't already count as one. There was no one in Hyrule she trusted more, though, so she remained steadfast that Mipha would help her see, whatever she needed to see, clearly.
At this point, Mipha commenced what she had wanted to accomplish for countless decades. She was now united with the most precious people in her life after a century in isolation, and she wanted to exchange meaningful words with them…with what little time she had. She started with Murdoch, who didn't expect to be chosen first.
"Murdoch. First of all, I'm impressed with how you've grown!" She mused.
"Oh, yes, well…" He grinned slightly as he tried to retain his composure. His regal mannerisms tended to suffer in Mipha's presence. "…I got it from you, of course."
"You've truly made something of yourself during your adolescence, and it shows wonderfully in the handsome form you have now." She enunciated her words carefully, making sure her message was driven into her son's heart the way it deserved. "Your courage in saving your father's life on my behalf was also fantastically commendable. Murdoch, I'm very proud of you."
He nodded. "Th…Thank you…M…Mom. That means a lot, coming from you."
A hug would've been in order right then, but the mother and son knew the reality of their situation. However, it didn't change the significance of their exchange thus far. The entire family shared a moment of silence as he continued to gaze into her eyes, and she into his. His entire childhood, leading up to the Calamity, had been bent towards impressing his parents with enthusiastic tricks and daring stunts, some more reckless than others. Now his mom was passing the line right to him in a discrete sentence, in acknowledgment of his recent deeds concerning the Divine Beast.
On the other hand, she was not about to miss addressing the elephant in the room. With her solemnity on the rise, she transitioned to the other tone that was often entailed by parenting.
"Now, that doesn't mean you haven't had some struggles in recent years." She mentioned, changing to the grimmer subject. "Under Ganon's terrible influence, I've still been able to keep a subtle watch over you on occasion, and I've seen the effects of our cruel fates on your juvenile heart."
The atmosphere shifted a little as Murdoch lowered his head and accepted his incoming evaluation. "Yes…I agree. It's been…difficult."
She continued, with carefully-selected words that reflected the amount of time she had had to herself before this fateful evening. "I understand what a loss of that nature can do to a young person. A few manage to remain hopeful, but many tend to grow up unable to love…or to trust…or to otherwise thrive emotionally."
She left another pause in her speech to allow her family to reflect on the points she was making. Link looked around at Noelani and Mira to see them with their heads down, deep in thought over their mother's words. He had glanced over at them in time to see Mira reach for her sister's hand and grasp it tightly. They knew, and he knew that they knew, how lucky they were to have had each other, and how much luckier they were to still have each other going forward. It was a shame Murdoch hadn't connected more with them in the recent years, when his pain had only seemed to elevate.
"Sometimes, it can be easier to place blame on a particular person…rather than accepting such tragedies as merely the work of fate. I understand that." She looked unto him with a bit of sympathy, and an equal ration of guilt. "You've always had a lot of your father in you. When your natural instinct tells you to charge threats head-on in the name of protecting your loved ones, well…it can be hard to conceptualize a threat that is bigger than your capabilities."
It took a moment for Murdoch to conjure up a response. He had redeemed much of himself by rescuing Link back in the control room, but that didn't manage to completely erase the shame he felt from his prior mistakes. "I don't know, I guess…I just felt like your missions meant more to you than we did. And…when neither of you came back from the Calamity…I thought the possibility of orphaning us was only a secondary concern of yours. I felt betrayed."
"Grief can do many haunting things to us. If I had been the one to lose you children, instead of the other way around…I just…I don't know what I would've done with myself. I probably would've spent every day I had left in the world upset at myself, unable to get over the lack of things I could've done to protect you." She took another quick pause as she, herself, reminisced on her descriptions. "You, Murdoch, are one of the many who find it easier to respond to pain with anger…rather than sadness. Sometimes, it can be a blessing, but more often, it hurts the loved ones you still have. The advice I wish I could've given you sooner…before any of this could've happened…was to allow yourself to be weak when there is nowhere else to turn. Only then…can your family break through your walls to heal your pain."
Even in death…nay, especially in death, Mipha's wisdom knew no bounds. Murdoch had nothing to say about her speech, for she clearly had him nailed to a point in her analysis. He had to wonder, in fact, just how many of his misguided antics she had witnessed in recent years. Her brief contact with him before his shock arrow mistake had made it obvious that she knew about that plan in particular, but…did she know about the unkind words he had said to his father? Did she know about the duel he had instigated?
He decided not to bring any of that up. "Don't worry…you needn't blame yourself. Knowing myself as a child, I probably wouldn't have listened to that advice very well anyway."
"Nonetheless…" She rebutted solemnly. "…it would've given you something to think about. Out of the three of you, you were the toughest one to contact from my place beyond the grave. It was only at the peak of your ascent by Vah Ruta, with the shock arrow drawn in your bow, that you had the necessary proximity for me to reach you. Surely, then, you could hear me trying to make you understand."
She spoke with a slightly scolding tone, as parents normally did when their children acted wrongly. Murdoch had been quick to brush away Link during his earlier attempts at stringency back at the Domain. Mipha, however, exacted full control over him with the authoritative elements of her voice. He associated his childhood with his mother rather heavily, and as such, he was found to have reverted back to the obedience of his juniority while listening to her talk directly to him.
"…Indeed, I did, and…I'm…I'm sorry. About…everything."
She grinned again, allowing the tone of the exchange to end on a lighter note. "You don't need to apologize. I can already see the remorse deep inside you. The Calamity did a lot to bring out your most negative emotions, Murdoch, but it never changed the resilient and fun-loving spirit you were meant to be."
Link and the sisters smiled widely as they turned to look at Murdoch, who timidly put his hand to the back of his neck. This kind of attention had become…rather new to him after the years he had spent away from his family. The first impulse in his mind was to say something, anything, in response to Mipha's words. However, nothing came to mind. He needed time to absorb what would certainly be the new thing on his mind for the next hundred years.
Next, Mipha turned to Mira. Mira glanced over from Murdoch to meet her mother's gaze, and in doing so, she immediately knew she was about to receive her share of affection. As of just twenty minutes ago, she never would've expected a moment like this. She almost didn't know how to prepare herself.
"Now, Mira…" She began, looking as if she was about to say something funny. Her titillating change of behavior got Mira's mind running. "…you've turned out to be rather surprising to me."
Mira chuckled, albeit a bit nervously. "Surprising? How so?"
Mipha folded her hands in front of her with the same pregnant smile on her face. "Having mentioned earlier…that I've tried communicating with you all as a trapped spirit…"
"Oh, so that was you talking to me the last few years?" She interjected with a sharp gasp, entirely cutting Mipha off. "I knew it!"
Her mother couldn't help but to laugh at her enthusiasm. She was deeply charmed by the evident, familiar qualities her children still showed, after the long series of wildly unfortunate events that, in most cases, would rob younglings of their light. "Hear me out, now. I've found that…reaching you, and talking to you…was as easy as could be. It came as such a pleasant relief when I learned of that fact."
"You really think so?" The young Zora beamed, eyes glittering with curiosity. "So…easier…how?"
"Your mind…your essence…has a fascinating link to all of us, I've found." Mipha actually seemed to be equally as intrigued by this statement as Mira, since her discovery of the fact had only been within the last few weeks, around the time Link had awoken from the Shrine of Resurrection. "There's something strong about your spirit, Mira. Something so strong…that I can sense it from the other side. I wish I knew how to describe it."
This was a lot of information to process at one time. Mira never really felt very extraordinary throughout her life. She never heard any weird voices from anyone, nor had she ever felt any strange psychic connections to her family. The most she could remember were the repeated hunches she'd get in the middle of normal conversations, telling her of things that her acquaintances might've been thinking. However, without any proof, she had also held out the certainty that her father never died, even just shortly after the Calamity itself. Interestingly, the common denominator between these abilities was their exclusivity to her relatives. She could never really tell what Dento, Muzu, or any of the other Zoras of the Domain were thinking the same way she could with her siblings and her grandfather.
"I…I guess I don't know what to say." She uttered.
Mipha continued. "I feel…that if you apply yourself to these abilities…marvelous things could come about. I may never have to be apart from any of you. My thoughts could very well be expressed right through you."
Link took notice in his wife's words. He and Murdoch had mused, not too long ago, in fact, that Mira's predictive mind could open new doors for their family down the road. He remembered Murdoch saying that only the training was standing in the way, after having to initially inform her of the power, of course. Mipha was doing that for them, it seemed. Even with the possibilities in mind, though, they never expected her to be able to eventually communicate with her mother the way it was being described. Perhaps she'd be able to act as the medium for their missing link and allow their family to chat wholly again.
"Wow, I…" She couldn't keep from passing a chuckle, which evolved into a gentle cough into her fist. "…I wish I knew where to start. This is…uh…a lot to absorb."
"You've been experiencing remnants of this ability all throughout your life, Mira. I trust enough in that prior knowledge to have confidence in your potential." Mipha said with another proud smile. "Nonetheless, if you're feeling unsure, you can try talking to Kapson. He orchestrated me and your father's wedding, and he definitely knows a thing or two about spirituality. If anyone in the Domain today can help you down this path, it'd be him."
Mira giggled a bit. "I was just thinking of Kapson! Guess that's…not…a coincidence?"
Mipha put her hands together in front of her chest. "You're beginning to understand."
The emotions invoked by this stage of the conversation where significantly different than they were during Murdoch's portion. Murdoch was acknowledged by his mother as a powerful, righteous warrior, worthy of her and Link's praise. That positive message, however, had also been infused with mortal reminders. It was a grim exchange, surely, but…it was also hopeful, as Murdoch's character was still seen to be far from tarnished. Mira, on the other hand, instilled a lighthearted and pleasantly surprised vibe in her mother. She had surely grown more mature in her adolescence, jarred from her excessively rampant and teasing childhood behavior by the slap of the Great Calamity. Mipha saw this in her, and with the thrilling implications of her spirit coming to light, she made for a shining beacon of hope for her dearly departed parent.
"I'm excited to see what you make of yourself with this, as I am already greatly impressed with how you've turned out so far." She added, beaming brightly. "Now, Mira…on a final note…"
Mira held up a finger to cut off Mipha's sentence. "Wait, wait, is it…" She took a brief moment to let her mind run as she placed her raised hand on her chin. "…is it a thank-you? Are you going to thank me for something?"
Mipha put a hand on her forehead. Indeed, she knew, Mira would not be having any troubles with her newfound identity anytime soon. "Very impressive, my dear. Yes, I was going to express my appreciation. I wanted to thank you for watching over your sister during these many years. It seems you two have been truly inseparable since my passing, and for that, I am relieved."
Mira blushed a little bit, but she was slightly confused by her mother's last statement. "You're…relieved? How come?"
"Oh, Mira…don't you remember your toddler years? You used to pick on Lani relentlessly. You and Murdoch."
"Did we?" She felt a little taken aback, but she couldn't deny that the memories were there…once she took the moment to think back on them. They weren't so pleasant, in hindsight. "…Oh. I guess we did."
Her mother didn't seem upset by that fact, as it tied well into how she wanted to continue. "You see, I'm relieved because of how that changed. Before the Calamity, when I was still around, you and your brother were tremendously rambunctious. You each had such an overwhelming abundance of energy, and often, it melted into a potential for mischief. Your father and I worked constantly to keep you grounded." Everyone except for Mipha and Noelani chuckled impishly, remembering the fun times on the Reservoir when peace and silence were uncommon. Mipha allowed this pause, but immediately after, she continued. "The thing is, Mira, your sister never shared in your electric behavior. She grew up very differently, as blindness often does to a young individual. She was often very scared of the things she didn't understand, you see, and as a result, she had formed a rather fragile, emotional shell. Your father and I had to constantly make sure she felt safe, in hopes that she wouldn't grow up to be too timid to function. It's a very delicate matter."
There was a long silence at the end of her last sentence as Mira and the others expected her to continue right away. When that didn't happen, Mira gestured her mother along by acknowledging her explanation. "…I…I see."
"Once my desperate battle against Ganon's henchman began to turn against me, there came a catastrophic moment when I knew I wasn't going to make it." She held her head down for a moment as she briefly relived the horrid feeling another time. However, she didn't let it manage to slow down her speech. "In that moment, there were a few things that went through my mind, most of which I cannot share. One of them, though, was about this very thing. At the moment that I realized that my time amongst the living was nearing its end, I hoped…with everything I had…that Lani would receive the care she needed. Without me or your father, I feared deeply for her…a life without trust…security…or warmth."
Behind the group, on the waterbed, Noelani nodded pensively. No one saw the action, though, since their eyes were all locked on Mipha's wispy figure. Her mother's words were hitting her on an emotional level, as if they were tailored specifically for her. In particular, the accuracy of her descriptions struck a special chord with the sightless Zora. Noelani may have been quite young in those days, but she could still remember all too well…the feelings of perpetual fear and doubt. Locking her gaze on the horizon, forming false images the only way her naïve brain could know how, was sometimes the only comfort she would get in the face of a crumbling reality. She often wondered if anyone besides Mira knew about that…until now.
Mira sensed a small snippet of Noelani's thoughts in her head, but she was currently too distracted to assign any attention to it. She was still fully dedicated to hearing out what could've been the last direct statement she would ever receive from her mother. "So…you're saying you're glad I stepped in and provided Lani with the care you were hoping for?"
Mipha nodded. "Exactly. When Ganon attacked, and everything in your lives changed, you set aside the isolating tendencies of your childhood and stepped up to support your sister when your parents couldn't return to her. Lani has you to thank for the fine womanhood into which she grew, and for that, I will thank you again. I can't even begin to describe how proud you make me for this reason, and I hope that, because of it, you can allow yourself to be proud as well."
Mira could feel the same rush coming back to her from the night before—the emotional tsunami. It pushed at her throat first, and eventually, it made its way into the back of her eyes. She thought she had been doing so good since last night at keeping her emotions in check, considering the fact that her dark past had been one of the only topics of discussion during the entirety of the last forty-eight hours. There was little that needed to be said to explain the tears that inevitably began flowing out of her eyes at the end of her departed mother's monologue. To be among both of her parents in this time, and to hear the words that every child wanted to hear, from the figure she had missed so terribly, well…it was enough. More so than anything.
She sniffled. "I'm j…just proud to…to be your daughter…"
Once again, a hug would've been the perfect action to punctuate the moment. The best Mipha could do, though, was provide Mira with her usual, affectionate smile. Silence was in order, at the very least, to allow her to ride out the wave in peace. It was understandable, and more prominently, it was permitted by her nature. It was the only time they would get, after all, so its preservation was in everyone's best interest.
It was with good patience, then, after allowing her the remainder of her allotted time to properly grieve, that Mipha finally turned to Noelani. She had been building up to this moment for too many years, and now, as it was her chance to give her young one something she'd certainly never forget. It was going to be the final piece that would make her return as special as possible. She needed to do something for her that would last forever, and in her time alone throughout the ages, she had found the perfect solution.
She began with a simple sigh. It could only be described as one of admiration. "Noelani."
Noelani raised her head a little to address the sound of her name. "Mom?"
"You're something of a hero yourself, aren't you, my dear? You must know…that your family owes its enduring survival to you."
This was a grandiose way to start her exchange, Noelani thought. Such large statements, and yet…they felt a little undeserved. She didn't feel comfortable being compared to the marvelous likes of her father and her brother. "Mom…please…I didn't do that much. Dad and Murdie, they…they deserve a lot more credit."
"There is no need for modesty, Lani. The goddess, in all her omnipotence, chose you to inherit my healing power amongst your siblings for a very good reason. I noticed you revived your brother with stunning grace, especially knowing his condition before you reached him. That takes a remarkable amount of…focus…and dexterity."
"Well, I…thanks, but…I'm only responsible for saving Murdoch, nothing more. Really…Mom…I'm just glad to be with you again. I don't need all the praise." She further evidenced her humility by grabbing her long tailfin and stroking it shyly.
Mipha knew her daughter well, and a response like this was something she had expected as a result. Praise was always nice, as almost everyone could agree, but Noelani was never one to enjoy hogging any spotlight. She still felt her daughter needed to know just how valuable she was, though…and how appreciative she made those around her. She knew the young Zora would reflect on her words privately for the next couple days, and in time, she'd accept the compliments and receive the inner warmth she was intending her to have. There was something else she wanted to do for Noelani, however, and she was steadily approaching that glorious moment with patience.
"It is fine if you don't want to be shrouded in attention. I can understand that. Still, I just want you to understand the significance of the things you have done for all of us. Without Murdoch, you see, Link would have suffered the same fate as me, at the hands of the demon that had been haunting Vah Ruta. And in turn, without Link, my spirit would still be trapped under its oppressive influence." She paused to see if she would get any kind of response from her daughter, but there appeared to be none, so she added her conclusion. "Thank you, Lani. It's funny to see your father and I become so dependent on our little girl—the same one that had been so dependent on us to begin with."
Noelani didn't really know how to feel about these statements. She felt such a mixture of things inside…from the joy of listening to Mipha's echoey, soothing voice, through the slight pressure of being the topic of discussion, all the way to the deep sadness of her mom's inevitable departure. Overall, she felt no different than her siblings did. Her childhood insecurities returned to her in full strength, locking her feelings behind her veil of introversion. It felt just like the old days, and in the old days, she barely ever talked. So…she said nothing.
Mipha gently cocked her head to the side. Noelani was sometimes tough to read when she was silent. One could never know whether her feelings were positive, negative, or…indifferent. Of course, in good times, she was usually somewhat vocal, even if her words remained soft and cautious. However, this particular good time must've been…confusing. She was meeting her mother again for the first time in a generation, but…perhaps it wasn't the same to her. Perhaps she wanted more…to be able to feel her again, be held by her again, or…
Luckily for her, Mipha thought, she would be getting more very soon. Hylia seemed ready to grant her one more miracle.
"Come towards me, Lani." She whispered. "I want to show you something."
Link and the others assumed a slight bit of curiosity at the impending direction of their reunion. They turned to look at Noelani as, slowly, she took a few steps forward to obey her mother's luring command. Curiosity had her as imprisoned as everyone else standing on the platform.
Naturally, she had very little to go off of as far as where exactly Mipha was standing. Her voice had indeed emanated from a distinct position not too far beyond the edge of the awning, but her exact position was going to be a guess. Was her mother a solid form…able to be impacted if she stepped too far? Was she merely a wispy figure of fog floating through the air? Or…was she just a trick of their minds? Noelani was far too captivated by her presence, but…she was dead, wasn't she?
With her head aimed straight ahead, she carefully approached her mother. One step…two steps…three. Eventually, as she reached the spot directly in front of Mipha, she was instructed to stop, thankfully. She would've otherwise kept taking steps until she plunged into the lake.
"You seem to be about eye-level with me now! I almost feel like I'm looking at a mirror." Her mother took a loving breath, letting it out in a gentle sigh. Noelani shut her eyes as she actually felt a cool rush of air flow along her face from the sigh. How was it possible?
"C…Can I…touch you?" She asked sheepishly. Her amazement was growing along with her curiosity.
Mipha shook her head with dismay, though the action was not seen by Noelani. "I would love to allow you to see me again the way you are able, but alas, my form is not physical. I have but a spectral existence in this world."
Noelani looked toward the ground. "…Right. Got it."
"Fret not, my dear. Though you may not be able to feel my presence with your flesh, I am able to feel yours. I want you to close your eyes again."
Noelani was about to say something briefly, but Mipha hushed her. The only thing she had left to do was obey again. She closed her eyes as slowly as she was able, severing the sight Mipha had of her feathery, clouded irises. Not knowing how else to act, she clamped her arms to her sides and stood completely still. She remained completely at the mercy of what was yet to come.
Mipha, in the meantime, promptly raised both of her hands and rested them tenderly on her daughter's cheeks. Noelani shivered as, much to her surprise, a tingling sensation greeted the regions of her cheeks whereupon her mother's ghostly hands had made contact. It lingered in those spots while retaining its radius on each of her cheeks, matching the approximate size of Mipha's hands. As Mipha rubbed her hands back to the sides of Noelani's neck, and then up into the undersides of her ear-fins, the tingling sensations on her daughter's face shifted around to follow the areas she felt. The others watched the event unfold in continuing silence, assuming her actions to be some sort of bonding exercise.
"Your youth is still as strong as ever. I can see it…not only in your complexion, but in your heart. You seem to have aged exactly like your siblings."
"That's…good…right?" She failed to keep herself from moaning quietly at the tingly sensation beneath her fins.
Mipha grinned. "Do you not look up to your siblings? I couldn't be more proud of how they've developed into their age. And…you should know…they do look up to you. Very much."
"Well…I don't think they do th…tha…that much." She stuttered stupidly as her mother's right hand drifted down the side of her extensive tailfin, causing a good portion of it to go numb for a moment.
"I know I do." Mira chimed in. "I call you my little lovebug for a reason. Sometimes…you know…I just want to be like you."
Murdoch raised a hand as well. "I should say that I do too. You know exactly when to be assertive over that fragile frame of yours, and you always do it in a way that can just…stun a whole room. You have guts, Lani. I love that about you."
Link merely stood silent and watched, his smile growing gradually. He could still notice a bit of discomfort in the amount of direct attention Noelani was getting from everyone at once, despite the audience being only her family members. Therefore, he decided to hold off before adding his two cents. He remembered having already said many things to boost the little one's confidence in the past, but that didn't mean he was going to refrain from doing so many more times in the coming years. His children would have a long time to be with him after he completed his journey in the coming weeks, after all. Tonight, though, was their time to be with their mom, and he allowed that. They seemed to need her more than anything after the last couple days.
Eventually, Mipha's hands trailed back up the length of Noelani's tailfin and converged to the center of her forehead. Noelani shuddered one last time at the gliding tingles, and as her mother's illuminant hands came to a stop on her forehead, she drew in a deep breath. She still didn't open her eyes, as she had not been instructed to do so.
"Would you say you feel properly relaxed, my dear?" She did not move her hands as she said this.
Noelani let the breath out in a long sigh. Her shoulders seemed to drop an inch or two, releasing the nervous tension that had built up in them. "Yes, um…I'd say so. That felt…nice."
"The healing touch is a sacred thing. It's Hylia's unique gift to our royal family as a token of her subject Nayru's wisdom. The one who inherits its power is always one of great compassion and selflessness. Noelani…I hope you see these things in yourself."
"I suppose I do…" She chuckled awkwardly. "I mean…others tell me a lot that I do."
She still didn't seem too certain with herself, but Mipha did not pay it any mind. If anything, it seemed Noelani was trying to be humble in the face of all the praise. After all, humility was something she and Link had always made sure to teach their kids back then. It hadn't rubbed off too well on Murdoch, though he did have a lot to brag about with his prestigious position in the Zora Guard. On the other hand, Noelani seemed pretty adamant on maintaining the doctrine she was taught, which was respectable.
"The truth is, you appear to have more potential in wielding this power than I ever had when I was your age. I was almost exactly as old as you are now when I married your father, and at that time, the most I could heal at once was a compound fracture." She giggled a bit to lighten the mood as she spoke, causing Noelani and the others to do so a bit as well.
"Well…Mom…you are the expert. A compound fracture is a pretty serious injury." Noelani countered.
"Though it may be, Lani, it is nothing compared to your brother's injuries. I witnessed the shock he took as it was happening, and if I had to be honest…I, too, thought we were going to lose him. An explosion like that would've been enough to fry every nerve in his body, along with a few vital organs. To have him back as he was, healthy and mobile as if nothing had happened, takes incredible skill and focus. You must realize that."
Murdoch and Noelani both looked at the ground again, feeling a bit of weight settled on their heads. They just hoped that they'd eventually be able to forget about that disturbing event. "Right…he was pretty beat up…"
Mipha's hands were still pressed to Noelani's forehead as this exchange was going on. Noelani felt no physical pressure on her forehead, of course, and as such, she continued standing still with her eyes closed. The tingling, however, was still there, and the more pressure Mipha would apply with her hands, the stronger the sensation would become. She was merely too distracted by the conversation at the moment to acknowledge the tingling anymore.
It did return to the forefront of her mind, however, as Mipha shifted her hands around to her temples again, with her thumbs positioned by the sides of her eyes. She shuddered again at the sudden feeling. "The thing I wanted to bring to light, Lani…was your blindness. I feel like your inability to see with your eyes has given you a marvelous advantage over me and your ancestors in using the power you were given. It's almost as if…when you heal…your hands can do the seeing for you, exactly the way they do when you feel someone's face."
Noelani perked up a little bit. "That's…actually exactly what happens. It's kind of like…being able to see down into their skin, and…when there's damaged tissue hidden in there somewhere…it's like a wall that…sort of…blocks my vision. If…that makes sense, you know?"
Mipha grinned again. "Extraordinary, indeed."
The time was now, she thought to herself. Since birth, her daughter had built her life around her incomplete interpretation of the world. An interpretation that was…unfortunately…lacking as a result. It was all she understood, but compared to the reality of her peers, it was only a slice of the true universe around her. The time was now…to give her a taste of reality, and how beautiful it could be.
"Little Lani…I think you are ready to receive payment for your deeds. I want you to open your eyes." She directed calmly.
Noelani obeyed, and her foggy eyes were shone to her mother once again. Her expression, and the expressions of those watching, turned curious. "Payment? What…kind of…payment?
Mipha strengthened her grip on Noelani's temples, causing her tingling sensation to grow more intense. As she did so, she raised her thumbs outward so they were poised in front of her daughter's face, an inch or so from her eyes. Noelani did not flinch nor squint, of course. She remained completely unaware of what was about to happen.
"I can only do this for you temporarily…but Lani, you are ready…to finally see the world like the rest of us."
Without further warning, she pinched her hands inward, plunging her spectral thumbs directly into Noelani's eyes. Noelani gave a startled yelp and threw her arms forward as her eyes suddenly went completely numb. She began blinking rapidly in a reflexive attempt to purge the perceived object from her corneas, but alas, her mother's thumbs were not physical. Each rapid flutter of her eyelids only managed to send the thin layer of silky flesh phasing right through Mipha's ghostly appendages. The tingling, meanwhile, gradually grew stronger.
Link's, Murdoch's, and Mira's jaws dropped as they tried to absorb the events happening before them. Mipha held her stance perfectly still, and the areas surrounding Noelani's eyes started glowing with soothing, blue light. It was the same light phenomenon that occurred whenever she or Noelani used the healing power on someone, which led the three others to believe that Mipha's spirit was actually…healing Noelani's eyes somehow. Such a thing wasn't even supposed to be possible…right?
Several gasping noises were heard from Noelani during the process. No one knew what exactly the treatment felt like to her, but from the sounds she was making, it seemed like it wasn't painful. These thoughts occupied the short amount of time there was before Mipha was finished with the mysterious procedure. Toward the end of her thumbs' contact, the glowing regions around Noelani's eyes seemed to grow wider until they nearly encompassed her head, and then, when she finally removed her hands from her face, the auras completely vanished. Noelani was left standing, still in a stunned position, with her eyes clamped shut. The onlookers held their breaths.
Mipha lowered her hands back to her sides and took a few light steps backwards. She raised her head to look at Noelani, whose eyes were still shut, face-to-face. Mira felt a bit like she was going to faint.
"Once more, Lani…open your eyes. I promise, this time…things will be different when you do. …Open your eyes."
Noelani kept her eyes shut for another moment. The suspense building in the onlookers' chests was becoming unbearable. Mira raised one of her hands to her head and began fanning her face anxiously. Link and Murdoch, from the other side of the circle, just stood in dumbfounded silence.
The seconds went by in this state, and finally, her lids were parted once more. To everyone's amazement, the creamy haze that had always occupied Noelani's irises quickly vanished as soon as her eyes were exposed to the moonlight, like wind blowing away a cloud. What remained…were two clear, sparkling irises, radiating a vibrant, ocean-blue shade that matched the likes of Link and Murdoch and reflected the pure colors of the now-purified Eastern Reservoir. Her entire form seemed to be altered with this change. She looked more…alive.
"OoooOOOOH…" A curious hum drizzled out of Noelani's mouth before suddenly gaining volume and ending in a loud interjection. "Whoa…whoa…whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA…!"
Link and Mipha had to try and stifle a good laugh as they watched their daughter become powerfully overwhelmed by the new sensation. Her voice cracked several times in her reaction, resulting clearly from the incredible volume she was reaching in her tone. It had only been a moment, and they could both already figure that this was the loudest the little one had ever been. She had good reason, though.
Noelani did not know how to handle the information with which she had suddenly been presented. The blankness…the complete lack of sight in any conceivable form…had suddenly been replaced with perfect vision. Thanks to her mother, she could truly see, for the first time in her life! But…since it was the first time, she didn't know what anything was. Every other process in her brain melted down as it struggled to process the incoming wealth of details from the world around her…through her now working eyes.
She saw a large, flat expanse of rippling blue against a dark, dotted sky, with a towering beige structure sitting within its depths. Behind the expanse were rolling oscillations of brown that, from their distance, seemed to vary in height by hundreds or thousands of feet. In front of the expanse was a perfectly flat layer of smoothness, more turquoise in color, with an extension of the ripples covering over its top. And…directly in front of her, standing all around her on both sides, were…figures. One of them looked distinctly different from the others, with a tan, wispy bush on its top and a body of a very white-orangish color. The others had variations of red in their hues, with front ends that shone perfect white against the red, and long, wavy extensions off the back of their tops. The one standing closest to her wasn't standing at all, but…rather…floating, almost, with green flames dancing around its wind-like appearance. The only problem was…she didn't know what any of these colors were. All she could tell was that they were obvious in their differences, in a way that couldn't be described.
"Wh…Wha…What…What is all this…?! I don't even…I don't…I don't even…know what to think!" She stuttered. Her legs began shaking.
Mipha put her hands by her chest and put on another motherly smile. She gently coaxed her daughter to silence. "Shh…just relax. Do not fret. I have temporarily cured you of your blindness."
Noelani sucked in massive breaths as her thoughts jetted by at the speed of light. She did happen to notice that, as she moved her head and utilized her eye muscles, the image she received would change accordingly. "No…No blindness? So…I'm seeing right now? I can…I can see? This is seeing?!"
"Indeed, it is. But it will only last as long as my spirit dwells within this world. When I eventually move on into the afterlife…when my duty as a Champion is finally fulfilled…your blindness will unfortunately return to you. It is all I am able to do." Her smile faltered a bit, but she did well to maintain it so as not to bring Noelani down. She remembered, though, that Noelani didn't exactly know what a smile looked like anyway.
Noelani, on the other hand, started making conjectures as she coordinated between her acute hearing and her newfound sense of sight. When hearing the familiar sound of her mother's voice as she talked, she could also see a part of the wispy figure's "face" move a bit in conjunction. She obviously couldn't connect lip movement to sound, since she didn't even know what lips looked like, but nonetheless, she figured she could put two and two together. It could only mean one thing.
She aimed her eyes directly at Mipha and pointed her finger at her curiously. "So…wait. Is this, er…are you…my mother? Are…Are you Mom?"
Since she could see everything now, it would seem, on the surface, like she would already know this information. However, being that her eyes had not worked from the moment she emerged from her egg, seeing itself was an alien concept to her. Nothing she saw registered as anything of comprehensible value. Nothing at all. She didn't even have a reliable way of relating the things she saw to the things she had felt before with her own hands.
Mipha cocked her head to the side and chuckled lovingly. "Oh, Lani…you're going to be meeting your family all over again, wouldn't it seem?"