Chapter 13 - Vah Medoh
Summary: With Teba's assistance, Mipha works to appease Divine Beast Vah Medoh.
It was morning in Gerudo Town, and Buliara was waiting for Chief Riju to finish her morning session with Patricia, her Sand Seal. Riju used to spend most of the morning chatting with Patricia, but ever since Naboris started acting up, her time with Patricia was more limited. So, it was still early when Riju returned to the throne.
"Any news on the Thunder Helm, Buliara?" said Riju.
"Some news, My Lady," said Buliara. "We know where the thieves took it. But finding a way to retrieve it has proven elusive. Our guards are still exploring."
"I know you and the guards are doing your best," sighed Riju. "I think this sacred relic was stolen because our enemies do not respect me, do not feel I am worthy of being the Chief. And sometimes I think they are right."
"No, no, you must not think that, My Lady!" said Buliara. "You are a worthy Chief. It is my failure, not yours. I should have been more careful to guard such a precious heirloom of our people."
"I appreciate your kind words, Buliara," said Riju. "But I know it was my recklessness seeking out Naboris on my own that has kept you by my side ever since. Spending all that time with me has taken you away from your other duties. So, it is my fault you were unable to protect the Thunder Helm. But we should stop shouldering each other's blame. What is important now is finding a way to recover it. Without it, I cannot appease Divine Beast Vah Naboris."
"Yes, of course, I understand, My Lady," said Buliara. "I will summon the Captain and get her latest report on the search."
It was morning in Rito Village, and Mipha awoke feeling full of vitality and stamina. For a bed on land, she had to admit that the Rito-down bed was quite restful. But today was her big day. She said a prayer, then took advantage of the Hearty Salmon in a pond near the village entrance. They were delicious and increased her vitality even more. From there, she glided across Lake Totori in the direction of Dronoc's Pass.
It was bitter cold as Mipha landed on the snow-covered ground, and she could see her breath amidst the lightly falling snow. Two Bokoblins on horseback were in her way as were two Icy Lizalfos. Fire Arrows took care of the Lizalfos, and Ice Arrows and some easy combat eliminated the Bokoblins. Using her spear, the Bokoblins never got a blow in.
That brought her to the Sha Warvo Shrine. The puzzle involved a good deal of gliding on updrafts, taking out a Guardian Scout, and claiming a Purple Rupee, then navigating around a structure to reach the final updraft leading to the monk. Having finished the Shrine, Mipha made her way up the snow-covered path to the Flight Range.
The Flight Range was a circular wooden structure situated on top of a tall pillar of rock, and she could make out from a distance the welcoming glow of a warm fire within it. After climbing a short ladder, she saw who must be Teba sitting on the outside platform, adjusting his bow. Teba turned to glance at her, then turned back, testing her bowstring.
"I don't know you. And I'm actually pretty busy here. You should probably go," said Teba.
Mipha walked out onto the platform and interrupted Teba's concentration.
"Did you need something? I'm busy here," said Teba.
"I can help you," said Mipha.
"Help me? With what exactly?"
"Vah Medoh," said Mipha.
"Let me get this straight... Some random Zora wants to help me bring down Divine Beast Vah Medoh? I'm not buying it. What's your name, stranger?"
"I'm Mipha."
"Mipha, huh? Well, Mipha, I'm Teba. But you already knew that. I'm guessing the elder asked you to come here and talk some sense into me. Am I right?"
"That's right," said Mipha.
Teba shook his head and muttered something under his breath.
"Look—you seem like an all-right girl, but let's make one thing clear. I'm not going anywhere. As a Rito warrior, I can't rest until my people are safe. There's only one way I'm going back to Rito Village."
"And that is..." said Mipha.
"Once Divine Beast Vah Medoh falls from the sky. If I have to kill Medoh...so be it. Only then will I return to the village."
"Then let's get started," said Mipha.
"Are you serious? HA! Well far be it from me to talk you off the ledge. But it's as the elder said: the only way to stop Divine Beast Vah Medoh is to get inside it. Fat chance of that happening. There's no way we can set foot in Medoh."
"Actually..." said Mipha, about to explain.
But before she could say anything further, Teba interrupted her.
"So, not only are you wingless... you're brainless too," said Teba. "Let me fill you in—the only people able to enter the Divine Beasts are the five Champions of old. And unfortunately for us and the rest of Hyrule, they all died a hundred years ago. If it hadn't been for Ganon...never mind. Let's focus on bringing down Medoh one step at a time. If we approach Medoh recklessly, its cannons will blast us out of the sky before we even get close. So, I'm going to test you before I take you with me."
Teba explained about the updraft in the target range and challenged Mipha to destroy five targets in three minutes. Mipha accepted the challenge, and given all her archery combat experience by now, she had no trouble quickly completing the challenge. Teba called her back.
"You're...a skilled archer," said Teba in a quieter tone, obviously impressed. "I've got to tell you, Mipha...When you first arrived, I thought 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."
"I've seen a few," said Mipha.
"Don't be modest. I can tell, just looking at you," said Teba.
Then Teba paused.
"Mipha...I feel I've heard the name somewhere before. Well, if you want to help me bring down Medoh, it's now or never. I'll get you into position so you can give its cannons all you've got."
Teba presented Mipha with a Swallow Bow and twenty bomb arrows. He also cautioned her to prepare for extreme cold. Then he paused again and looked over at her.
"All right. Let me ask you something. Why are you doing this? Why risk your life to bring down Medoh?"
"To free Princess Zelda and Champion Link," said Mipha.
"Huh? But those are the names of the Hylians Revali served with one hundred years ago at Hyrule Castle. I don't know what they have to do with Divine Beast Vah Medoh, but whatever. As long as you're helping me bring down Medoh, your motivation is fine by me."
Teba seemed anxious to begin action against Medoh. He did not appear in the mood for an explanation of what had happened to Zelda, Link, and her. So, Mipha climbed onto Teba's back, and they soared into the sky. As they climbed higher and higher, the view was magnificent, but there was little time to enjoy it as they approached Medoh.
"All right. It's showtime," said Teba. "There's Divine Beast Vah Medoh. It has its barrier up again. What a pain..."
Teba reviewed the plan. He would draw the cannon fire while Mipha used Bomb arrows to destroy the four cannons. Teba brought Mipha close, and then she jumped off, paragliding toward the first cannon. The guns fired powerful blasts of energy similar to Guardians, and Mipha had to alter her path to avoid getting hit by them. Working methodically, she navigated around Medoh using the powerful updrafts there and targeted each cannon one-by-one. Two Bomb Arrows to each cannon destroyed them, and that shut down Medoh's defenses, its barrier disappearing.
Mipha began paragliding down to Medoh when Teba told her the bad news. He had been hurt by one of Medoh's blasts and would need to retreat, hoping he could make it. It was all up to her now.
"Teba, wait! I can heal you!" shouted Mipha.
But Teba was already out of earshot, flying as fast as he could back to the Flight Range. Mipha had no choice but to continue gliding on down to the surface of Divine Beast Vah Medoh.
When she landed, she first destroyed some malice near the tail and retrieved a Sapphire from a chest she had spied there while gliding to the surface. Nice! Then she made her way to the pedestal by the entrance. Activating the device, it added the nearby travel gate to her Sheikah Slate map. Suddenly she heard a voice inside her head that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. She recognized it as Revali from her flashbacks.
"Well, well, well, I know you," said Revali. "So, you survived, huh? Who would've thought! But you're here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct? Since you've piloted a Divine Beast yourself, I don't need to tell you the process. Can you make it to the guidance stone?"
As was true of Shrines in this region of Hyrule, and in keeping with the Rito's ability to fly, Mipha realized Medoh's puzzles would involve use of the wind. Hence she would have to be skillful using her paraglider.
Mipha approached the entrance and could see the Sheikah symbol above it glowing an infected red, a sign Ganon's malice corrupted the Divine Beast. Once past the entranceway, she used an arrow to destroy a glob of malice blocking her way. There was a strong updraft just beyond the entrance, and she used that to glide over to a section she could grab onto and then climb up to a small platform. She collected an Ancient Core from a chest on the platform there.
There was more malice in places, and she destroyed it whenever its ugly eyeball was in the range of an arrow. Looking further toward the guidance stone location, she could make out a Guardian Scout blocking the path. She glided toward it, using her time in the air to hit it with some arrows. After landing, two stabs with her spear reduced it to Ancient parts.
Medoh had transparent windows throughout its structure, and one could look down through the lower level and see the landscape passing below as Medoh continued to circle the area. The Guidance Stone was near Medoh's head, where two massive windows looked like giant eyes. Touching the Guidance Stone with the Sheikah Slate, the Slate was authenticated, and a map of Medoh downloaded onto it, activating the Divine Beast controls.
The controls were similar to Rudania's, tilting Medoh to the left or right. Mipha knew activating the five terminals came next. Tilting Medoh to slide some huge blocks enabled her to reach one wing. It took a moment to figure out what was needed after striking an orange device that created an opening and a stiff breeze. But using Magnesis to hold a fan in place while tilting Medoh in the other direction drove a large sliding column against a switch, opening a gate to the first terminal. She was not sure if Revali was pleased with how quickly she figured this out. People often underestimated her abilities. But his only comment after she activated the terminal was sarcastic that she still had a ways to go.
Making her way to the other side of Medoh, she found two terminals there. One was blocked by malice, and after destroying it and the Cursed Moblin it spawned, the path to the terminal was clear. Climbing a ledge after striking another device to open a portal creating a crosswind, she glided over to it. Revali's tone seemed to change after she activated the second terminal as if he sensed that she might succeed and free him from his imprisonment. At this point, he urged her to keep going. She glided over to claim a Knight's Claymore from a chest above a locked door to the third terminal.
The last puzzle in this room involved rolling bombs through an opening to destroy two stones sections, then using Magnesis to maneuver a giant metal sphere into position. Tilting Medoh while holding the sphere, then releasing it, engaged a switch that opened a door and the path to the third terminal. Revali's tone changed again at this point, sounding even more hopeful, and remarking she was almost there.
The final two terminals were outside at the edge of each wing. One involved destroying more of that disgusting malice that was blocking a propeller-driven updraft. After clearing it, Mipha could use the updraft to boost her elevation and glide over to a small room at the edge of the wing containing the fourth terminal. Revali sounded hopeful now.
"Just one terminal remaining! What do you know?" said Revali.
The final terminal was on the opposite wing and involved tilting Medoh to ride a small compartment along a rail, taking time to remove some malice with a timely arrow on the way. She left the car, walked up the platform, and activated the final terminal. This also opened a door leading back into the room containing the first terminal.
"That was the last terminal! Now you just need to start the main control unit! Well? Flap to it!" said Revali excitedly, forgetting she already knew that.
The main control unit was outside on the upper level, and Mipha made her way across the room to the inside of Medoh, then rode the strong updraft to the very top. The large familiar main control unit glowed orange, awaiting activation.
Mipha knew what would happen next, so she made some preparation. She ate a Mighty Fish Skewer she had prepared from five Mighty Carp to increase her attacking power. Then she made sure her Ancient Arrows were ready in her quiver. Approaching the pedestal to the main control unit, she pressed the Sheikah Slate against it.
Once again, a blast of purple fumes emerged and surrounded the unit while a swirl of Ancient Energy coalesced high in the air. It was another ugly monstrosity of Ganon's creation, as repulsive a creature as one could imagine. It had the same Guardian style single blue eye, and its body was covered in malice. Its right arm was a massive triple-barreled canon, and it let out a mighty screech designed to terrorize any who would stand against it. Before the battle commenced, Mipha could hear Revali's voice in her head.
"Good luck! That thing is one of Ganon's own, and it plays dirty. It defeated me 100 years ago, but only because I was winging it. I can't believe I'm actually saying this… But you must avenge me, Mipha!"
Then the battle was on. Mipha wasted no time hitting it with an Ancient Arrow, knocking it to the ground, then running up to its prone body and stabbing it twice. The creature arose, regrouped, and then sent a tornado-like gust of air her way. The gust of wind took her by surprise, and this time she was knocked off her feet. She quickly got up and scampered away from the blasts it shot next from its canon. There was no time to take a stand and reflect them back at it.
Mipha realized she would have a better shot at this creature that stayed high above her if she too flew in the air. So, she ran to one of the turbines and rode the updraft as Windblight Ganon re-emerged from the blue Ancient Energy sphere it used to maneuver about the area. She hit it once more with an Ancient Arrow, and it again collapsed to the surface as she ran to strike it once more while it lay stunned.
This seemed to weaken it, and it suddenly regrouped in the air and changed tactics. Four drones spawned and circled, then Windblight's energy blast bounced off all four of them ricocheting erratically across Medoh's surface. Mipha dodged, keeping her shield raised and relying on Daruk's protection to escape injury. But she had had enough. Running to one of the turbines, she glided into the air and launched seven straight Ancient Arrows into the loathsome creature as she floated down. That did it!
As happened with the other blights, it contorted, screamed, spewed out a horrible malice fluid, then dissolved into nothingness in a burst of purple. The malice fog around the main control unit disappeared. The battle was over.
Mipha was worried about Teba and wasted no time. She approached the main control unit and touched her Sheikah Slate against the pedestal. As before, the control unit turned a pleasing shade of blue. It was back under their control.
And then Revali appeared in spirit form.
"Well, I'll be plucked!" said Revali. "You defeated it, huh? I'll admit I'm impressed, Mipha. But I'm glad it was you who did it, and not that insufferable Hylian knight. I suppose I should thank you now that my spirit is free. This returns Medoh back to its rightful owner. And you've proven your value as a warrior, a warrior worthy of receiving my unique ability, the sacred skill that I have dubbed Revali's Gale."
Revali hurled a ball of energy her way, and she found herself briefly lifted off the ground. She now had the power to summon an updraft.
"It's now time to move on and start making preparations for Medoh's strike on Ganon. I'm glad to see you made it, Mipha. But your job is far from finished, you know. Those two in the Castle have been waiting for you for an awful long time," said Revali.
Mipha felt herself dissolving, and the next thing she knew, she was standing back on Revali's Landing. Then Medoh banked and turned and gracefully perched itself above the village. Moments later, its red targeting beam shot out toward Hyrule Castle. Another Divine Beast was back on their side! Mipha wondered if Ganon experienced worry or fear. She certainly hoped so.
But she needed to treat Teba. Running up the stairs of the village, she planned to ask Teba's wife Saki if she knew where he was. But it turned out Teba had already managed to make it home, and his wounds had already significantly healed. Teba said he planned to take his son, Tulin, to the Flight Range.
Mipha then went to see the elder, who greeted her warmly.
"You have done it! And you survived, at that! You conquered Divine Beast Vah Medoh! To think the beast has taken up roost at the top of the village. It looks simply…divine. If the legends are true, "the light from the Divine Beasts will ravage the Calamity." For now, Divine Beast Vah Medoh will become the protector of this village and live on in legend, alongside you. Hoo hoo hoo! Oh, yes! Of course, I must reward you properly! Feel free to take what is in that treasure chest. You will get more use out of it than I. What you did was miraculous. Though I should expect nothing less of one from the bloodline of a Champion."
The treasure chest contained the Great Eagle Bow once used by Revali himself. It was a formidable weapon capable of launching three arrows at once.
Mipha thanked the elder. But it was getting late now, and it was time to go. She could go home directly by Sheikah Slate transport but wanted to check on Sandy first. So, she began walking back toward Rito Stable. It was pleasant to see how peaceful the village had become without the threat of Medoh literally hanging over their heads. Perhaps someday she could return here. The elder had told her she would always be welcome as a friend of the Rito. When she reached the stable, she went directly to where Sandy was boarded.
"I'll be with you again soon, Sandy," said Mipha as she petted Sandy after feeding her an apple. "We have some more riding to do on our way to the desert. But first, I need to go home for a bit."
Sandy neighed once and nuzzled her hand. Mipha petted Sandy one more time, then walked to the front of the stable and activated the Sheikah Slate.
It was late by the time Mipha materialized by the Shrine in the heart of Zora's Domain and made her way onto the plaza. It was quiet there now, most people asleep. She planned to head right to the slumber pools but then was surprised to see Sidon standing by her statue, lost in thought.
"Don't you ever sleep, dear Brother?" said Mipha.
"Oh! It's you, dear Sister," exclaimed Sidon, surprised to see her. "You startled me. Does your return mean you appeased Medoh? That is fantastic news!"
They held each other in a welcoming hug. Sidon seemed especially eager to hold her tightly and slow to release his embrace. Finally, they separated.
"Don't I ever sleep, you ask? I've learned to sleep on my feet as I daydream, so to speak," said Sidon. "I come here each night and imagine I'm speaking with you, wishing you were here to guide me, imagining what advice you might give to me and remembering what I can of our time together. I'm still not used to you being back, Sister, and old habits die hard. Maybe once you're here permanently, I can change. But you look tired. Get some rest. Father's asleep now too, and we can all talk in the morning."
"Very well, you're right, and I am tired. Goodnight, my dear brother," said Mipha.
Mipha walked up to the next level and the slumber pools, then quietly slipped into the water. She was soon fast asleep.
But her contact with Revali's spirit triggered a dream, perhaps a flashback.
The ceremony at the Sacred Grounds had finally ended and Link had been officially recognized as the keeper of the sword that seals the darkness.
"Thank the Goddess that's finally over!" said Revali.
"It did go a little longer than I expected," said Daruk. "But I still think it was proper to have the ceremony."
Link had risen from kneeling by now, and was standing next to Zelda. Mipha sensed she didn't like that, but Link was Zelda's appointed knight now and would be spending a good deal of time with her. The Princess, however, paid Link no attention, and instead turned to everyone and made an announcement.
"I know it's been a long morning for us all, but I hope you will join me for lunch before you return home," said Princess Zelda.
"Forgive me, Princess, but I need to leave at once," said Revali. "I wish all of you a good day."
With that, Revali took off and started flying back to Rito Village. The rest of them all agreed and began walking back to the Castle. To Mipha's surprise and delight, Link came over to walk with her, while Urbosa, Daruk, and Zelda started to walk together and to chat.
"I'm very proud of you, Link," said Mipha knowing Link usually had difficulty starting a conversation.
"Oh, thank you," said Link. "But I overheard Revali and had to bite my tongue to avoid laughing. That would surely have infuriated the Princess even more! But I am sorry to put all of you through such a long boring ceremony."
"I didn't mind it at all," said Mipha. "I thought the Princess did an admirable job praying for your success. But I wish Revali would have stayed for lunch. It's so seldom we all have a chance to be together."
"I know," said Link shaking his head. "But I'm pretty sure it's because of me that he left. He thoroughly resents me and my role in all this."
"Well, don't let him bother you," said Mipha. "But why did you say 'even more' about the Princess's feelings toward you? Isn't she excited about you becoming her knight?"
"Are you kidding?" said Link lowering his voice. "She resents me more than Revali does!"
"What do you mean?" said Mipha.
"You should have seen her expression when I was with her and His Majesty, and her father told us his wishes, that I should accompany her from now on," said Link. "She scowled as she looked at me and folded her arms. If I expected a glimmer of gratitude, I was sorely disappointed. I shudder to think how she will treat me once we begin to travel together."
"Really?" said Mipha. "I wonder why?"
"Because she can't access her power and it kills her that I'm so skilled with my sword," said Link in a low voice. "I do feel a bit sorry for her. We'll have to see what happens. By the way, can I visit you this coming weekend? I should have some time off."
"Of course," said Mipha. "You're always welcome. Don't you know that?"
Link looked at her and smiled, which was rare to see.
"I know you're a Princess too," said Link as he smiled at her. "I don't presume you're always available. But I do always look forward to seeing you."
Then the dream ended, and her sleep was undisturbed for the rest of the night.