The Rito Champion paced back and forth irritably, stopping only to send a glance toward Link's inert form. Once he confirmed that the Hylian Champion had not moved an inch since the last time he checked, he tried to shake off his frustration before taking back up his pacing.
A little ways off, he could hear Mipha and Urbosa quietly chatting about something. A part of him yearned to be a part of their conversation. Even the thought of Urbosa's teasing was a welcome change to wandering back and forth as his mind tried to account for every possible thing that could go wrong. The question was, how was he supposed to join the conversation? The problem was made worse when he considered the fact that they were likely discussing the current situation.
Either that or they would be discussing wedding planning.
Revali stopped in his tracks as the thought crossed his mind. Where exactly had that come from? And why was he suddenly more interested in trying to join in on the conversation? He shook his head, trying to dispel the thought before once again resuming his attempts to wear a path in the middle of the grove.
He absolutely would not get involved with weddings or their planning. Even the thought of potentially having one of his own and being involved in the preparations was a headache. Trying to match colors, fine decorations, seating, and the festivities as well sounded like something that would make him ill for weeks. Of course, if he was asked…
No, better to stop that line of thought now. He didn't need the extra stress.
It wasn't often he found himself wishing that Daruk would choose that time to randomly check in on him. Of course, the Goron Champion had wandered off to find some rock or another to eat and Medli, being excited to see everything she could in the short time they had, had followed after Daruk eagerly.
So, Revali remained stuck inside his head, trying and failing to find some way that he could intervene. He still wasn't sure where he stood in regards to working with the Hylian Champion. On one hand, he still struggled to think of Link as a friend. On the other, he had a growing respect for his fellow Champion's work ethic and determination to improve. Training with him had shown Revali just how far he was willing to go. One day, they had been practicing with a bow for so long that their fingers had bled.
It was certainly enough to convince him to reconsider some of his opinions on his ally. He had always thought that the Hylian Champion had simply been born with talent and had never had to strive for anything. While Link was certainly talented, able to pick up on Revali's pointers and implement them quickly, he did indeed put in the work.
It was certainly respectable.
Regardless of how good Link may have been, that didn't change the fact that Revali was still aggravated by his inability to do anything. Whatever this "trial" involved, he was certain that the Hylian Champion would need help in handling it. Every major battle they had faced thus far would have been impossible if they'd been fighting by themselves. Granted, Ganon had likely designed the blights to kill each respective pilot. If the trial had been designed specifically with the hero in mind, that meant that he was intended to succeed, right?
It made sense for that to be the case but, even so, it left him restless knowing there was a battle to fight that he could not be a part of. And restlessness led to irritability.
So, he continued pacing back and forth. He'd already sorted through his arrows and counted them, then he'd taken the time to care for his blade as Link had shown him. Now, all that was left was for him to be alone with his thoughts.
"Is there a reason that you're stalking around, pouting?"
The Rito Champion turned around sharply. Urbosa had somehow left Mipha's side and approached him without his knowing. "I'm not pouting." Now that he was talking to her, the events of the day before were rushing back to him. Now, he wanted nothing more than to get her back, but how? He hadn't had the time to come up with anything good, especially since Link and Mipha had forbidden him from using arrows.
"Really?" Urbosa asked. "Because this looks like the exact thing you do when you're pouting."
"That's not-" He stopped, words failing him. As much as he wanted to get even with her, he had to admit, at least to himself, that the state of their fellow Champion was more important
"I get it," she said as he continued struggling to communicate. "It's frustrating not really understanding what's going on and knowing that it isn't much you can do to help, right?"
"Hmph." Revali folded his wings as he looked away.
"You can pretend you're not worried like the rest of us," Urbosa continued nonchalantly, "but we both know your blade didn't need the care you put into it a little bit ago. You really should be careful about that, by the way. Too much and you'll have no blade left." She sighed as she turned back toward the platform the Master Sword had been placed in. "Let me guess, you checked your arrows last night before going to bed, and checked them again this morning before leaving your room."
"And if I did?" he asked defensively.
"Then I know I'm right," she replied.
"What do you want?" He had known her long enough to know that there was no sense in arguing. It would be far easier for the both of them if he encouraged her to get to the point as soon as he possibly could.
"I figured you could use a distraction."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Mipha and I decided that, since we don't know how long Link will be undergoing the trial and what condition he'll be in when he returns, we can't rely on him for dinner."
"You want me to help you cook?" The Rito Champion was immediately skeptical of the plan. "Without him here to oversee it? And what about Medli?" He had developed quite the soft spot for his fellow Rito but Hylia above, she needed to stay away from anything hot, sharp, or meant to season.
"Since when do you want oversight?" the woman asked with a raised brow.
"I don't," he grumbled. "I just don't want to deal with the whining when it isn't 'perfect.'"
"We both know he'll eat it either way."
Revali rolled his eyes. That was probably the truest statement she had ever made.
"As for Medli, if we get started now, there may very well be nothing left for her to do when she and Daruk get back." She grinned at him coyly, "besides, she may be too preoccupied watching you."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," she said over her shoulder as she stepped toward Mipha, who knelt on the ground picking through some supplies. "Now get over here. Watching you was exhausting."
"Fine." Revali sighed, covering his face with a wing as he followed after the Gerudo Champion.
Link braced himself as he brought his shield up quickly. He had already made the mistake of not being ready before and had nearly been knocked off his feet as a result. He had always known that he was a fair amount stronger than most Hylians, but he hadn't been expecting that.
At least, he was assuming that the shade was mirroring his strength.
The incoming blow slammed into him, jarring his arm slightly. Ignoring the pain, he leaned around his shield and swiped back at it. His doppelganger stepped back, just out of range of the Master Sword. The Hylian Champion immediately pulled back his shield as he and his opponent edged around each other.
As Link sized up his opponent, he couldn't help but notice the blade that his mirror held. While it looked identical to his sword in design, the hilt was jet black and the blade itself was a dull, lifeless grey. What stood out though was how the air around it seemed to darken, as though it were draining the light from its surroundings.
Just as he was unsettled by the weapon his opponent held, the shade appeared to be equally perturbed by his weapon, if not more so. While Link kept eyes not only on the darkened Master Sword, he also watched the shield and eyes as well. The doppelganger watched only the blade. Link became certain that the Master Sword was the only thing keeping his doppelganger at bay as it watched the blade carefully and refused to leave itself open to a counter-attack.
So, he clung to the blade, knowing that if he were to lose it for any reason, the shade would happily wail against his shield until he was too exhausted to hold it up any longer.
He had briefly considered putting his shield away and wielding his weapon with two hands; however, that would leave him vulnerable to attacks. Certainly, he would be slightly more agile and his attacks would have more power behind them, but he would also be more vulnerable. And, to its credit, his doppelganger possessed a skill equal to his own. Even with the shade's fear of his weapon, it would only take one misstep to result in a fatal retaliation.
Of course, sitting around debating about what to do would only invite more attacks. If he didn't start pushing back, eventually the doppelganger would try to wear him down with a flurry of attacks. His best bet would be to go on the offensive while ready to defend himself at a moment's notice.
Committing to his chosen course of action, the Hylian Champion rushed his opponent. As Link closed the distance, he took the hilt of his sword in both hands and swung quickly. Knowing how he would have responded, the Hylian Champion was prepared when his mirror side-stepped and raised his weapon to attack Link's unprotected side. Rather than stopping his forward momentum, Link used it to rotate and bring his shield around. He angled the shield as he intercepted the shade's stab, allowing him to recover quickly as he defended what became a glancing blow. Reacting quickly, the Hylian Champion returned with a stab of his own. While the doppelganger blocked the blow, it was knocked back several steps from the force.
Again, the two swordsmen circled each other, eyes trained for any opening they could exploit.
Knowing that he had to make the first move, Link readied himself for another charge; however, the attack would never make it anywhere near the doppelganger. He was stopped as his mind was suddenly flooded with images of Zora's Domain.
Not a cloud marred the sky, allowing the sun to fill the ravine the Domain occupied with its warm rays. The structures and water glittered as the brightly colored inhabitants meandered to and fro. While the Zora were often filled with energy, it was a more peaceful form than Link was used to. They had decades upon decades more to experience everything life had to offer, allowing them to take it all in stride.
Why was he standing still? He needed to move.
His pointed ears picked up light splashes as he walked barefoot through the light layer of water that covered the roads with a hand in his own. He waved as he passed a familiar knight, one that he had become rather well acquainted with over the past few months. To his embarrassment, he couldn't quite remember the knight's name.
He willed himself to take a step forward as understanding dawned on the shade. It started advancing toward him, keeping its guard up just in case it was a ruse.
"It's so pretty!"
"Yes, it is."
He looked to his side, where Mipha walked next to him. The Zora rewarded him with a warm smile before glancing down at the small figure between them. Between him and his wife was a small, ruby-red Zora that skipped along as she held both their hands. Feeling his eyes on her, she looked up at him with excitable, bright blue eyes. She favored him with a large, toothy grin.
The tip of the Master Sword fell as Link struggled to keep the sight of his encroaching enemy before him. Why was it so hard to move? Why couldn't he control his thoughts?
His eyes were guided back to Mipha's as an idea took shape in his mind. He sent her a mischievous grin, feeling it grow as he saw that she understood his intent. Acting in unison, they pulled the little girl back, causing her to glance up at them in confusion as she was pulled behind them. Without warning, they swung her forward, careful not to stress her little arms as she was sent into the sky with a gleeful shriek.
The joyful cry resounded through his skull, sounding the death knell for Link's fighting spirit. Even as the images died, he found himself wondering why he continued drawing his blade day after day. He still couldn't recall much of anything of his past and he wasn't sure he wanted to anymore.
The tip of his blade fell even further, nearly scraping the floor. He dully watched the shade step closer and closer. He fought to raise his weapon once again, trying to dig deep to find that part of him that was still willing to fight.
The Hylian Champion managed to raise his shield before his opponent's blade struck.
"Draw four."
"How?!"
"The real question is why you keep sitting next to him," Urbosa mused as she eyed her hand carefully. "This is nothing new."
"I can't get him back if I'm not here," Revali grumbled.
"You can't seem to get him back while you are there."
Though she had checked the last round, Mipha leaned over to eye his cards again. Carefully controlling her face, she returned to her former position as Medli played a card from her hand.
The wind rustled quietly around Link, Mipha, Revali, Medli, and Urbosa as they played cards. They would have to quit soon, as the sun was setting over the horizon. No one was dreading the inevitable end of the game, though. They were already distracted by the sounds of a laughing Goron as children raced around him.
Link stumbled back as the attack slammed into him, nearly toppling over. Was the shade's strength growing? He didn't have time to debate the answers as the images kept coming, and it seemed that every one drained his strength a little more.
How could he be so selfish? Here he was, wishing for a future he had not earned while the world was still suffering from the result of his failures.
His doppelganger gave him no time to recover as another attack slammed into him, knocking him down to a knee.
The Hylian Champion once again tried to raise his shield but was too slow as the shade's weapon flashed toward him. All he could feel was an overwhelming sense of relief as he prepared for everything to fade away.
Something was rustling all around him. It was almost annoying; however, whatever light was assaulting his eyes was far more irritating. With a frustrated sigh, he rolled onto his side sharply. Curling up in a vain attempt to shield his eyes, Link ignored whatever it was that dug into his side as he shifted around.
All he wanted was to drift off once again.
Of course, sleep continued to elude him.
"… up..." A voice drifted over the endless noise, calling for him to arise.
He ignored it, wanting nothing more than to sleep. Perhaps the world would be different when he woke up. Then again, what right did he have to ask for rest?
What right did he have to hope for a better future when his failures had led to the death and suffering of countless others?
Where was the justice in that?
"Wake up, Link."
His eyes shot open at the words. Though he could not recall where or when he'd heard the man's voice, it was achingly familiar. It roused something in him, forcing him up to confront his unknown companion.
He found himself on the side of a hill, surrounded by healthy, green grass. Small patches of flowers grew along the hillside and the field below. A single tree rose behind him, its branches blocking the majority of the midday sun. Below him, a herd of horses grazed, with nearly as many different colors of coats as there were animals.
None of it was enough to distract him from the man sitting next to him.
His father wore a smart-looking uniform, with a blue vest over a red tunic and a pair of white gloves with matching, knee-high boots.
"...Dad?"
"It's been a while kiddo."
Link looked away, unsure of why it was so difficult for him to look at his father.
"You're not sure this is real, are ya?"
The Hylian Champion turned back, surprised that the question had been asked so quickly. He had assumed that he was experiencing some sort of dream or vision and that the man sitting next to him wouldn't be self-aware at all. Instead, his father had repeated his first general impression of what was taking place.
"Yeah, as it turns out, the world is a lot stranger than anyone could have guessed."
"An illusory realm?"
"I'm not sure," his father answered. "I think this place may have been created just before we arrived."
Link looked back over the field, watching as the horses below continued about their business, blissfully unaware of any hardship.
And then, the question came that the Hylian Champion had been dreading the instant he'd learned that his current surroundings were real.
"Why did you give up?"
"… I'm not a hero," he confessed quietly. "I-"
"That's enough."
Link quickly closed his mouth, watching his father attentively as the man stared out over the horizon. "Your mother and I have been watching over you, ya know."
He could only look away silently.
Link was unsure of whether he was relieved to hear it or if he was ashamed that they had witnessed all of his shortcomings. There were worse mistakes to be sure; however, he knew it was no excuse for the many mistakes he'd made in regards to Mipha and the other Champions.
"People used to call me a hero," his father sighed. "I never really felt like one."
The Hylian Champion frowned as his father continued.
"I didn't feel like a hero when I watched my men die while we visited Death Mountain. I didn't feel like a hero when I had to visit their families and let them know their husbands and fathers wouldn't be coming home. I didn't feel like a hero when my men and I were too late to save innocent people from monsters. And I didn't feel like a hero when I left you and your mother at the gates."
Link pondered the statement, wondering how his father had sustained a career like that. It would have required a strength that he was sure he had himself.
A hand was set on Link's shoulder, causing him to finally look back at his old man. "You haven't been perfect and you've hurt a couple of people, but I can't say I wouldn't have done any better." A smile grew on the man's face as he patted him on the shoulder. "You've taken on so much more than you should have had to." Bright blue eyes burned into him, demanding his attention. "I'm proud of you."
Link took a sharp breath, covering his face as his eyes burned. Whether or not his mother and father had been proud of him was something he had always wanted to know. Maybe everything he'd seen and heard over the past few minutes was all in his head but it was real enough.
Nothing more was said as they turned back to watch the scene below. Before, he'd carried around questions that he would have asked his father if he'd had the chance. Now though, when he had the chance, he couldn't think of a single one. He found peace with it though, as now he had a new memory of his father that he could lean on when he needed to.
As the minutes passed, the Hylian Champion could feel their time together coming to an end.
"It's almost time for you to go back."
"… I know." He wasn't ready, but a small voice in the core of his being whispered that it was time to return to the fight.
"Before you do, I have one last thing I want to tell you."
Link looked over one last time.
"I know that you feel like you're being selfish for wanting to find peace and happiness but you aren't." He turned to face Link, placing his other hand on Link's shoulder. "The most selfish thing you can do is to give up. Don't give up on the fight and don't give up on yourself, you hear?"
The Hylian Champion nodded.
"Good." Around them, the light faded away, causing the horizon to disappear as it was cloaked in eternal night. "Looks like it's time to go." His father stood up as though preparing to leave. "Go make your mother and me proud."
"… I will," Link said quietly as everything, including his father, disappeared.
Adrenaline coursed through the Hylian Champion as the dark figure with fiery red eyes appeared above him once again. Link had never understood how it happened or why but ever since he'd drawn the Master, the spike of adrenaline combined with the heat of battle seemed to cause time itself to slow. The Shade seemed to be moving through water as it continued the swing that should have been the end of Link.
With a surge of renewed energy, Link raised his shield and braced himself. Lunging forward, knowing that his mirror wouldn't be able to respond effectively, Link rammed the Hylian Shield into the Shade. The force was enough to send the shadowy form flying back. Curling up, the doppelganger transferred its momentum into a roll and leaped back to its feet with several yards now separating them.
Link looked down toward the sword he held. Perhaps the other-worldly lighting was playing tricks on his eyes but the blade looked to be emitting the barest amount of light. His fingers tingled with a pleasant warmth that seeped from the hilt of the weapon.
Tightening his grip on the sword, he readied himself to once again charge his opponent.
Even as he advanced, he could still feel the hurt, guilt, shame, and rage trying to drag him down and sap him of his strength. This time, however, his anger pushed back against all of them.
A sharp clang tore through the air as their blades connected. Their blades shifted as they both took a step forward, gripping their respective hilts with their shield hands as they pushed against each other. Suddenly, the shade altered the angle of his blade, shoving Link's guard aside. The Hylian Champion stepped to the side, tilting his sword to compensate. Knowing that the shift in their bind would force his enemy to compensate, Link waited until his opening came.
As soon as the doppelganger was forced to change the direction of his attack to maintain the lock, Link pressed forward. The shade, unable to properly maintain its guard, was forced to bring its shield up and support its blade with it. Not losing a moment, Link lashed out with his foot, causing his opponent to stumble back. Unfortunately, the mirror maintained enough of its balance to swipe at Link as he tried to press further.
Once again, the two circled each other. Link stumbled slightly as his mental guard faltered, allowing the negative emotions a foothold on him, creating a chance for the doppelganger to charge. This time, his anger swelled up, burning away everything, and focusing him once again. His arm tingled more as a warm light grew in his peripheral vision.
The shade once again slowed as Link sidestepped his opponent's swing. Rather than attacking outright, Link feinted with a return swipe. Falling for the fake counter, the shade brought his weapons up to guard himself allowing Link to ram his shield into his enemy's unprotected side.
Again, the doppelganger rolled away before the Hylian Champion could land a strike; however, Link noticed that his opponent's recovery was slower than it had been a moment prior. Upon regaining its footing, the shade hunkered behind its shield far more than it had previously. Every few seconds, its blood-red eyes would dart down to the blade he held. If it had been unnerved by the Master Sword before, it was terrified now.
Knowing that he would have to be the one to initiate the last leg of the battle, Link charged. He remained focused, unwilling to give his enemy another foothold in his mind. He struck out at the shade, quickly following up as his attack was blocked once again. The doppelganger was forced to retreat, his guard weakening with every strike.
Gripping the hilt of his weapon in both hands, Link knocked the shield aside with a powerful overhead swing. The shade stumbled back, falling to its knees. It tried to rise; however, the Hylian Champion was too fast, keeping the shade in place with his blade.
He prepared himself for the final strike yet, despite how dangerous his opponent had proven to be, Link couldn't quite bring himself to deal the finishing blow. He knew that his doppelganger couldn't be anymore truly alive than the blights that he and his friends had fought along the way but something was different about the shade. Maybe it was the fact that it wore his face or maybe he could sense something else other than hatred and rage within. Whatever the case, he lowered the blade, nearly tossing it aside as anger still coursed through him.
He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't strike down an opponent in cold blood. Monsters were one thing, being creations of Ganon's malice rather than true living beings, but something like his doppelganger was very different. Or, maybe it was similar and the only thing they truly shared in common was their appearance. Either way, he wouldn't kill the shade while it sat helplessly before him. Just the thought was enough to turn his stomach.
The shade must have interpreted his lack of action as a sign of weakness as its grip on the darkened blade tightened. Time slowed yet again as his doppelganger lunged forward, stabbing out with its weapon. Link deflected the blow with his shield, retaliating with a fatal blow of his own.
As soon as the Master Sword pierced the shade, it disintegrated into a dark cloud. It was soon to dissipate as the individual, dark particles sped away from the blade, seeking sanctuary far out of sight.
The Hylian Champion stood, breathing heavily as he waited for the voice of the monk to say his piece.
"Hero chosen by the Blade of Evil's Bane, look upon the sword you hold..."
Link obliged, holding the sword up so he could peer at its glowing form. The light was soft and welcoming, reaching out warmly to brighten its surroundings.
"This is the true splendor of the Master Sword. It may only be wielded by one who possesses the strength to overcome their own darkness..."
The glow around the blade grew brighter and brighter, blotting out everything around him as he felt himself being pulled away from the illusory realm.
"Now go and bring peace to Hyrule."
The sound of metal scraping against stone was enough to rouse Urbosa out of her musings. It was amazing that she could pick out the sound at all over Medli's ramblings. The Rito girl and Mipha had been talking since she and Daruk had returned from their foray into the forest. Of course, the Zora Champion understood volume control, and so measured herself carefully. Medli, on the other hand, wasn't as well trained. How loud she was depended entirely on how excited she was about the subject at hand.
Of course, Revali and Mipha were also invested in what Medli had to say so neither heard as the Master Sword was drawn from the pedestal.
The Gerudo Champion turned her head, observing silently as Link held the weapon up. To her amazement, a soft glow enveloped the blade as it emitted a light far different than that of the sun above.
Link lowered the holy weapon, his back still turned to her as he observed the restored blade he held. Urbosa couldn't help but be curious as to what exactly his trial had entailed, how he had beaten it, and what was going through his mind; however, she remained where she was. In a matter of moments, he would be swarmed by the rest of the group and would have to address their concerns. Whatever questions she had could be answered then.
For now, she thought it best to give him a few seconds to himself.
"Little guy?"
Even Medli fell quiet as everyone else looked toward the Hylian Champion. No one, not even Daruk, said a word as Link finally turned around. Everyone waited for something to happen, to give them some indication of what was supposed to happen next.
Considering how many times they had separated to endure life-threatening conflicts, it was amusing to her that this was the time that no one knew what was supposed to happen next. Perhaps it had something to do with the Tree's choice of words when inviting Link to enter the trial. Or, perhaps it had something to do with how the Hylian Champion had hesitated just before accepting the challenge.
Whatever the reason, it only took a few seconds before Mipha rushed to his side, followed closely by Revali and Medli. Daruk would have rushed with them had Urbosa not set a hand on his arm and motioned for him to slow down.
"Are you all right?!"
"What happened?"
"The blade really does sparkle like in legend!"
Together, the two oldest Champions walked toward the group. She had the urge to shoo them away as Mipha forced Link to sit while she scanned him over with occasional pokes and prods while Medli and Revali bombarded him with questions. Certainly, they should have known better by now.
Then again, she was more glad to see that they were all still getting along. Of course, if Link showed any signs of stress at the attention, she'd immediately drag everyone but Mipha away. While it hadn't been a physical trial as far as any of them could tell, that didn't mean that Link hadn't sustained injuries. And considering Mipha's condition for the past few weeks as well as Link's inherent stubbornness when it came to having his wounds healed, she wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't been entirely healed after everything they had been through in the Gerudo Desert.
"What happened?" Revali asked again.
Both Mipha and Medli had fallen silent, allowing the Rito Champion to take charge of the conversation. Under Revali's line of questioning, Link explained what the trial had entailed. The Gerudo Champion could tell that he was holding back as he spoke of his experience of the illusory realm and fighting the manifestation of his inner darkness.
Whatever it was that he wasn't saying, it must have been incredibly personal. She doubted anyone other than Mipha would hear the full extent of the experience.
Revali's questions slowed as he stopped to think about the answers Link had given. As the Rito Champion fell silent, Medli decided to ask a question of her own.
"Is there really a voice within the blade?"
Link paused for a moment as he brought the blade up to inspect it thoughtfully. "… yes." He was silent a moment longer before finally speaking again. "Her name is Fi."
"Of course it is," Urbosa sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. Sometimes, she couldn't tell if the Goddess was using her power and wit to tell some grand jokes, or if She was simply trying to drive Urbosa crazy. It was rather humorous in a way after she thought about it.
She wondered if the spirit that resided in the blade knew that the Goddess had taken its name.
"Wait… Wasn't that the name..." Medli trailed off as she looked back and forth between all of the Champions with a lost frown.
"Probably," Revali replied to the unfinished question. "She has a habit of using that name."
"But why use the same name as the spirit in the sword?"
"Don't try to understand what She does," the Gerudo Champion counseled. She had spent countless hours trying to understand Hylia and her machinations, only to draw several blanks. Now, it was simply easier to hope that the Goddess truly was benevolent. Urbosa still didn't understand why that meant that Hyrule had to fall or why so many had to suffer such a terrible fate.
"I am afraid that we simply do not have the ability to understand the Goddess." Mipha, finally satisfied that Link was unharmed, sat back, and looked up toward the canopy above. "Sometimes, I cannot help but wonder..."
A few seconds of silence followed before Daruk started laughing.
"What's so funny, Big Guy?"
"Can't say I know much about her, but ya gotta admit, She's good at messin' with ya."
Daruk continued laughing as everyone else exchanged glances. Soon enough, Link was grinning as Mipha tried to hide her mirth behind a hand. Medli was trying and failing miserably to contain her giggles, causing her abdomen to spasm sporadically while Revali stared at her triumphantly.
"Yeah, she got me pretty good," Urbosa sighed. "Still not as good as you two though," she said as she pointed to Link and Revali. The Gerudo Champion would have laughed at how Revali's face twisted when she said that but she was too distracted by Link. Though the grin had not left his face, it no longer reached his eyes, which had frozen over as they bored into her. It was one of the most unnerving sights she had seen.
Apparently, she had unwittingly challenged the Hylian Champion to a war and she wasn't sure it was one she could win.
"Uh… is everthin' alright?"
A/N: The end is in sight and I am relieved.
