They'd been walking for the better part of the day, when a familiar neigh had Link's already good mood skyrocketing. "Echo!" He called out, and the midnight black stallion happily trotted over, nuzzling his hair like a parent.
"That horse can really find you anywhere." Urbosa mused.
"He really can." Link smiled. "I'm starting to think I should've named him Boomerang." He snickered as Echo shook his head in disdain. "All right, sorry." He patted Echo's neck before swinging up into the saddle. It felt good to be on Echo again.
They hadn't been walking more than ten minutes when Echo started itching for a good run. "Will I lose you guys if we run?" He turned to look at his ghostly companions.
"I can just fly, so I'll be fine." Revali smirked.
"No you will not with that wing." Mipha glared.
"Relax, Mipha. I'm sure a quick flight won't hurt him." Urbosa soothed.
"Are you challenging me to a race?" Revali either didn't hear Mipha, or was flat out ignoring her. Judging by the gleam of mischief in his eye, it was the latter. Link prayed for his doomed soul when Mipha realized this.
"You think you can outrun Echo?" Link laughed and Echo snorted in agreement. "Please. Land or sky, we can beat you any day."
"What about us?" Zelda pouted.
"Don't worry, Little Bird." Urbosa laughed. "We don't have to worry about that."
"As ghosts, we've attached ourselves to Link." Mipha spoke up. "So all we need to do to find him is picture him clearly in our minds. Then we'll teleport to his side."
"That's handy." The Hylian princess blinked. "How does that work, though?"
"Nobody knows." Urbosa chuckled. "But let it be what it is. For now, let's just watch these two idiots go at it."
"HEY!" Link and Revali glared at Urbosa in sync.
"All right. Are we doing this?" Revali shook out his wings as he prepared to take flight, rolling his injured shoulder to make sure it wouldn't give him any trouble.
"Without a doubt." Link smirked. "First one to that tree over there wins." He gestured towards a lone tree standing on the other side of the field.
"Ha! Child's play." Revali grinned, readying his Gale.
"Oh, fine. On the count of three." Mipha spoke up. "One!"
"Two!" Zelda joined in, grinning madly.
"THREE!" Daruk boomed, and they were off. Echo left a trail of dust behind them, as Revali soared like the wind itself. At first, Revali was leagues ahead of Echo and Link, but the horse snorted in displeasure and kicked it into high gear.
In moments, the two were neck-and-neck. Revali spared the two a surprised glare, but didn't dare speak for fear of losing his concentration. He heard the excited cheers of the other Champions, but paid it little mind. Link's heart pounded in glee as the wind whipped through his hair. His blood pumped loudly in his ears as he let out a whoop of excitement.
In his three years of memories, he couldn't remember feeling such unbridled joy. He and Echo leapt over a boulder with ease, regaining their footing as if the obstacle had never been there to begin with. Revali ducked and weaved among a small cluster of trees with a practiced wing, wind guiding him around branches and trunks he technically didn't need to move around. Link figured it was either instinct or a sense of sportsmanship.
Either way, he was going down. Link and Echo weren't going to give up. He leaned forward. "Come on, Echo. Homestretch. Let's give this our all."
The horse neighed loudly as he pushed himself even harder, muscles rippling beneath silky black fur as ebony hooves pounded the grass in an age-old rhythm.
"FINISH!" Urbosa cried out, and Link realized that he and Revali had both crossed the finish line. Echo circled around, dropping momentum as he panted loudly, a sort of satisfaction shining in his eye.
"Well? I won, right?" Revali had sat himself against a tree, looking rightly exhausted. Link grinned as he dismounted and Urbosa hummed thoughtfully. Mipha was quick to check on Revali's wing, frowning a bit when he winced at her probing.
"Actually…" Zelda held up—when had she taken his slate?! "I got a photo of the finish." She turned it around to show that Revali's beak was a half inch behind Echo's nose. "Echo and Link won."
"Told you. You can't outrun Echo. He's the best horse in all of Hyrule." Link grinned, and Echo let out a laugh-like nicker as he came over to rest his head on Link's solidified shoulder.
"Just how smart is that horse?" Revali glared, only to receive a glare right back.
"Smart." Link smirked. "Echo understands everything we say. Though I'm not sure if he can see you guys or not." He mused.
As if to answer Link's question, Echo walked over towards Zelda and made to nuzzle her, only for his nose to go through her shoulder. He startled a bit, looking between Link and Zelda with what could only be described as bewilderment. Link chuckled a bit as he gestured for Echo to return to him.
"Well, I suppose that answers that question." Zelda shrugged.
"How's your wing, Revali?" Urbosa asked as Link mounted his steed again and they started walking.
"Sore, but all right. I've been needing to stretch my wings for days, now."
"You're hurt. You need to rest." Mipha reminded him. "Just because I've sped along your healing doesn't mean that you're fit to fly."
"Wait, don't we have to pass through Fort Hateno to get to the town?" Zelda frowned.
"Yeah, but don't worry. There aren't really any worrying monsters on that route." Link nodded.
"But what about the Guardians?" Zelda frowned. "You don't have the Sword that Seals the Darkness, how can you—?"
"I handled them before I had Fi, and I'll handle them now." Link reminded her. "Besides, most of the Guardians in that area are deactivated."
"Fi?" Revali blinked incredulously. "You named the sword?"
"She told me her name." Link huffed. "Fi is the spirit that dwells within the Master Sword—or the Sword that Seals the Darkness, as it's come to be known."
"Fi, huh?" Zelda hummed. "So there's been a spirit in there this whole time?"
"Apparently." Link shrugged. "No idea if I could hear her a hundred years ago, but in my memory, I only heard her after you gave her a power boost."
"I wonder if it's because of her age?" Zelda mused.
Link opened his mouth to respond when a sudden rush of adrenaline flooded his system. His bow was in his hands a moment later as his eyes scanned the immediate vicinity for any signs of danger.
"Link?" Zelda's voice was laced with uncertainty, but he didn't bother to respond. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right—
He barely ducked under the arrow that would've embedded itself into his skull. Without another thought, he turned and shot in the direction from whence the arrow had come, and was rewarded with a pained grunt.
A puff of smoke had him jumping from Echo's back and landing in a battle ready position. "Yiga." He hissed as his gaze locked onto the Blademaster and two Footsoldiers—one of which now had an arrow sticking out of his side.
"Don't worry, Little Guy! We'll give ya a hand!" Daruk grinned, moving to take a step forward.
"No." Link spoke sternly under his breath, causing the spirits to pause. "I want you all to stay put and hide." He dove to the side, scarcely avoiding the gust of razor sharp wind that created a small scar in the earth beneath him. "We have no idea if you're visible to them or not and I don't want anyone else getting hurt."
"If you're that worried, then give us a weapon." Revali stated. "Like it or not, we're warriors just like you. You aren't getting rid of us that easily."
"He's right. We won't turn tail and run." Urbosa smirked. "Besides, it's just a few Yiga. Nothing to concern yourself over." She watched the enemies with a sharp gaze. "Although it appears they can't see us, we'll be no less careful." She sent Link a smile. "Don't worry so much, Little Fox. We may have been idle for a century, but we can take care of ourselves. Don't doubt our strength."
"Yeah." Daruk laughed confidently.
Link smiled at them as Mipha stepped forward as well. He felt a little guilty for his concern. Of course they could handle themselves. Revali had just been caught off-guard because he hadn't realized the dangers. If he'd gone into that fight fully prepared, that Lynel wouldn't have stood a chance. To imply that they couldn't take on a handful of Yiga was insulting.
A quick tap of his Slate had a Rito-made bow in Revali's waiting wing and a Gerudo-made Scimitar in Urbosa's outstretched hand. "You're right." He smirked as he handed off a Zora spear to Mipha. "I'll make sure to grab your weapons when we reach Hateno. I'm sorry for doubting you."
"Worry not." Mipha placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's natural for you to worry—you haven't fought beside someone since we were alive."
The Yiga glanced in the direction of the Champions, but seemed unable to see them. Echo snorted and circled around, ready to help if necessary, but out of the way so Link could concentrate on the fight before him. Either way, Link wasn't going to take any chances. It seemed Revali had learned his lesson, too, as he took to the skies.
Link's sword clashed with the Blademaster's. He wasn't sure how he fought a century ago, but he was fairly sure that his old self would've had a better technique to handle these Blademasters. He winced as he felt his scars ache something terrible and knew that if he didn't figure something out, he was going to get hurt again. Mipha was right—he did need more rest.
"Don't worry, you aren't fighting alone this time." Urbosa spoke from beside him as her blade joined his, allowing them to successfully push back against the Blademaster.
Said Blademaster seemed to frown before going in for another attack, which was blocked by the Gerudo Chief.
"So there is someone else here." He muttered under his breath. "Invisible enemies!" He warned the other two Yiga, who frowned at one another before vanishing in puffs of smoke. Link came at the Blademaster from the side, intending on getting a good hit in, when one of the Yiga shot an arrow towards him, causing him to back off.
A laugh from his left had him quickly whirling around as he scarcely dodged an arrow, but the third Yiga—the one he'd injured initially—was a tad smarter.
Link bit back a cry when the arrow from the injured Yiga embedded itself in his upper arm. That same Yiga let out a pained cry as Echo's hooves found a home in his back, and with a resounding crunch Link knew that the Yiga was dead.
Revali's arrows found several homes in the torso of the other Yiga, and Link didn't hesitate in ripping the arrow out of his arm and jumping back. He felt the blade from the Blademaster pass just inches from his face, having somehow disentangled himself from Urbosa. The familiar heaviness of the air told him he'd activated his Champion's Ability—a yet unnamed power to slow time around him down to a crawl for a few precious seconds. Or perhaps it merely sped him up.
He rushed in and slashed wildly at his opponent, stabbing him in the chest just as time resumed. Link was quick to jump backwards, wary of the foes before him. The Blademaster let out a cry of pain and glared, blood dribbling from beneath his mask. "We cannot win this fight. With so many unknowns, retreat is our best option." He decided. "Next time, Hero." He then vanished.
The remaining Yiga footsoldier—still badly injured from Revali's attack—took one look at his dead comrade, Echo glaring at him with the promise of the same fate, and vanished as well. Link waited a good few minutes before allowing himself to relax.
"Thanks for the save, guys. You too, Echo." He smiled as his horse came over and nuzzled him in concern. "Though we're gonna have to clean off your hooves again."
"You idiot!" Revali glared as he landed and made his way over, Mipha in tow. "Don't you know better than to pull an arrow out like that?! Stupid! Stupid! You can cause so much more damage that way! Idiot!"
Link blinked, staring up at the enraged Rito with confusion. "But it hurt, so I took it out."
"NO!" Revali glared, giving Link a none-too-gentle cusp upside the head. "You snap off the shaft and carefully remove the head, like Mipha did with the arrow the other day. Sometimes, depending on the location and if the head is barbed or not, you'll want to push it through. But you are a ghost!" He reminded Link. "You could just phase through the arrow and avoid further damage!" He crossed his wings. "Idiot nestmate."
"Nestmate?" Link sent the Rito a smirk.
"I-ignore that. It just slipped." Revali flushed a bit.
"Right." Link smirked, seeing right through his mask. "Because you obviously aren't worried about me or anything."
"O-of course not!"
"You're a horrible liar, Revali." Mipha chuckled as she bandaged Link's arm.
"Is anyone else hurt?" Link asked, looking at Urbosa. "Thank you. For helping me out with that Blademaster."
"Of course. We're a team, now." Urbosa smiled. She gave a low thoughtful hum as she looked at her arm. "While I could clash blades with him, he was unable to injure me. His sword passed right through my arm; no damage at all. I wonder if it may just be Revali who can be injured."
"What, so I'm the special one, now? Great." Revali glared at the spot the Yiga had fled from. "Well, if it's just me… then why?"
"It could be monsters?" Link suggested. "Yiga may have sworn their allegiance to Ganon, but that doesn't make them monsters. They're still people. And we've already established that people cannot see or touch you."
"I suppose that would make sense, but let's not go after anything just yet." Zelda spoke up. "It may also have something to do with the Blood Moons."
"How's the arm, Little Guy?" Daruk asked, looking between Mipha and Link.
"It feels fine?" Link gave a one-armed shrug, mindful of the fact that Mipha would likely hit him if he moved the injured appendage too much. He understood that she didn't want to risk using her Grace actively on him, but it was still fairly irritating to wait for it to heal naturally. Thankfully, with an elixir, it should be healed within a day.
Mipha sighed as she looked at Link. "It doesn't look like it hit anything major, so you should be fine to use it if you must, but do try to let it rest. It went rather deep."
"Asking Link to rest is like asking a Goron to eat a glacier." Daruk laughed. "I doubt the Little Guy could take it easy if he tried."
"I mean, Daruk has a point." Link gave a small smile as Mipha made him a sling. "Asking me not to find trouble is like asking a Zora not to swim."
"I suppose you're right." Mipha laughed. "You've never been able to stay out of trouble. In fact, I remember you used to drag me into that trouble with you."
"Oh, did I?" He raised an eyebrow as they set off again, Echo now keeping a firm eye on his rider. Link kept an eye out for a good lake, pond, or stream that he could wash Echo off at before the blood dried.
"Oh, goodness, yes. One time you helped me sneak out of the domain to visit the sea. My scales were dry for weeks, but there were so many things to discover under the waves!" She sighed a bit as she remembered.
"Well, we could visit the sea again?" He prompted. "I don't think I've ever explored beneath the surface."
"Can you even swim well enough?" Revali gave him a look. "Because I think I've lost count of the number of times you've nearly drowned."
"I can show Link some different techniques." Mipha responded. "He's always been a fast learner, and that certainly hasn't changed."
"I'll look forward to it, then." Link beamed. A sudden cry from somewhere in the distance garnered their attention. Link didn't even need to spur Echo towards the sound.
"Stay out of trouble. Yeah, that didn't last long." Revali huffed under his breath. "A whole five minutes. Might be a record."
"Oh, shush you." Zelda rolled her eyes. "You find trouble nearly as much as Link."
"I resent that statement!" Revali squawked as he flew behind Link.
The Hylian was more than a little surprised to see a lone traveler being accosted by a Golden Bokoblin of all things. Under most circumstances, he'd let the traveler handle the beast themselves while he stayed on standby in case they needed him. The people of his homeland were hardy and headstrong, and many didn't take too kindly to outside help unless things were looking bad or they asked for it. Though most knew Link well enough by now to understand that he was just that way, and accepted any help he offered. But Link knew how much stronger the Golden monsters were, and even a single Bokoblin may be too much for a simple traveler to handle.
That thought in mind, he let his arrow fly. It hit the monster in the shoulder, eliciting a cry of surprise as it turned its beady black eyes on him. "Run!" He called out to the traveler as he and Echo ran at the monster. He took a swipe from his place on Echo's saddle, the extra momentum causing much more damage than he would've been able to do alone.
"B-but I can't just leave you here!" The traveler protested. "That's no normal monster!"
"Yes, you can! GO!" Link spared him a glare as he and Echo turned around for another hit. The man took in Link's blue Champion's tunic with wide eyes.
"Y-You're the Hero!" He realized. Link sighed at the familiar title as he took a second swipe at the Bokoblin, which was now seething in rage. It dodged this time, and Link realized he'd need to fight it in close combat if he wanted to do any real damage.
"Some call me that." Link shot another arrow before leaping off Echo.
"F-fine. I'll go. Please be careful!" The man ran off into the woods nearby, and Link let out a sigh.
"Finally, he's gone." Revali huffed as he and the other Champions came to stand by Link's side. Zelda gave Link a meaningful look and he hesitated a brief moment before nodding, materializing another bow for her. He'd fought Calamity Ganon beside her, after all. He knew her strength.
The Golden Bokoblin eyed Link, before turning its attention towards Urbosa, who'd slowly started moving off from the side of the group. It tracked her movements just as the Lynel had Revali.
"Well, there goes that theory." She frowned. "It can obviously see me."
"That just means we can hurt it back." Mipha gave a grin filled with sharp teeth as she darted forward, spear striking out at lightning speed. The bokoblin was incredibly fast, but it still got nicked in the shoulder. It lashed out with its sword, nearly hitting Mipha before Link activated his Stasis Rune and paralyzed the monster for a few precious seconds.
Mipha backed off a bit as Urbosa and Link slashed several times before the Rune's powers shattered, and the monster growled in rage. Like the Lynel of Death Mountain, it seemed incredibly intelligent and incredibly resilient.
And just like the Lynel, it bled black.
Thankfully, a bokoblin was still much weaker than a Lynel, regardless of coloration. Revali—or maybe it was Zelda?—got in a phenomenal shot right to the eye, causing the monster to almost entirely lower its guard for a precious moment where Urbosa charged her scimitar with lightning and dealt a devastating blow. Link followed it up by piercing its thick hide—softened by the lightning from Urbosa—with his sword, straight through the heart. The bokoblin gave a pitiful half-whine as it died.
"Black blood again." Zelda frowned, hanging her bow on her back. "I think we should talk to Purah or Robbie about this—they may have some better ideas on what's going on. Perhaps they've heard of something?"
"I'd go to Purah." Mipha nodded. "Robbie's great for weapons and armor, but this seems more like Purah's forte. Besides, we're on our way to her regardless."
"Urbosa, you're hurt!" Zelda cried out, drawing everyone's attention.
"Oh, this? It's nothing." She waved away their concern. On her arm was a shallow cut. It bled a steady red, but truly was nothing to be concerned over. "Though I'll admit, the pain was something I both missed and forgot the intensity of. I fear any pain tolerance we once had is now gone."
"I can attest to that." Revali shook his head.
"It really isn't anything to worry over, but I'd feel better if we at least bandaged it." Mipha came over with the supplies.
"So monsters can see us." Zelda frowned. "It isn't just Revali."
"And monsters can hurt us." Mipha agreed.
"Whatever this is might have something to do with these new golden monsters." Daruk spoke up. "I mean, no Blood Moon has affected us like this before, and other than the Little Guy and these golden monsters, nothing's changed."
"There's no point in debating this." Link shook his head as he eyed the setting sun. "We should reach Hateno within the next few days." He eyed the nearby stream as he led his horse over to the water's edge.
"Wouldn't it be easier to teleport?" Revali raised an eyebrow, as Echo obediently stood in the cold waters.
"Yes, but if these golden monsters are running around, I'd like to at least make sure some of these roads are safe." Link chewed his lip a bit as he started washing off the blood from the Yiga earlier, taking special care to clean the crevices of Echo's hooves and pick out any rocks that were caught around the frog. The horse patiently waited as Link quickly and carefully cleaned all four hooves.
"I suppose I can understand that." Zelda sighed. "If you hadn't been there, that traveler would've surely perished."
"I think it's safe to assume all monsters can see you." Link rinsed the blood from his arm carefully. "That in mind, I'd like to keep everyone armed."
"I'll keep a patrol of the skies, make sure nobody gets the jump on us." Revali nodded.
"I'd rather you not fly with that shoulder for another few days, but under the circumstances, I can understand it." Mipha sighed. "Keep the patrols to a minimum, though. Link seems to have better hearing than he used to, so he should hear anything before it hears us."
"Relying on the observational skills of a single warrior is never a good plan." Urbosa shot the idea down. "It's fine for a little while, but I think Revali should do regular patrols—perhaps once or twice an hour."
"We'll rest here for the night." Link decided. "I'm honestly not sure I have the energy to make it to the stables after both those encounters, and there shouldn't be anything dangerous in this area of the woods. With that golden bokoblin gone, I doubt we'll encounter much." He fought off a yawn.
"If you're feeling tired, then we should rest." Daruk agreed. "I'll keep watch over the camp tonight." He grinned.
"Urbosa, you should rest, too. I may not have healed you, but you did get hurt. Please try to get some sleep?" Mipha urged as Link pulled out some wood and gently slid a piece of flint along his blade. His eyes shone gleefully as the tinder caught aflame, and he couldn't help the small chuckle of mirth that passed through his lips.
"Pyromaniac." Revali hissed under his breath.
"I've only burned down one field." Link defended himself.
"You were far too happy about that. And don't think I didn't see how you burn grass just to get a little more lift with that paraglider."
"Like you wouldn't if you were stuck as a Hylian." Link stuck out his tongue.
"Well, you'll never know, now will you?"
"All right you two, time for some rest." Urbosa placed a hand on each of their shoulders, and Link gave her a small smile.
"Fair enough." He yawned as he quickly scampered up a tree.
"A tree?" Zelda stared, confused. Echo snorted a bit as he grazed at the edge of camp.
"Safer to sleep in a tree." Link explained. "Last time I slept on the ground, I woke up to a Yiga's blade buried in my stomach." He grimaced a bit as the sting of that betrayal made his heart ache.
"I believe that night was the second time you had to use the fullest extent of my Grace." Mipha winced.
"Fullest extent? You mean reviving from the dead?" Zelda tilted her head.
"I've only had to use it that way three times." Link explained. "Not including the Castle."
"Knowing your luck, I thought it'd be more." Revali shook his wing out as he started preening his feathers. Link may not have been born a Rito, but he knew they only did such things in the presence of flock or around people they felt extremely close to. For Revali, it was practically screaming that he thought of all of them as family, and it made Link's heart warm a bit. Had he been sitting next to the Rito, he may have offered to help him, but his tree branch had a nice comfortable groove in it that cradled him like a bed. For a moment, he swore the tree itself was warming beneath him, as if welcoming him into rest.
"I may have had the ability to revive from the dead, but I wasn't about to abuse Mipha's Gift. Besides, I had no way of knowing if it had a limit." He shrugged. "My predecessors managed to do their jobs without such a power… I had to use it three times."
"That doesn't mean you failed three times." Zelda crossed her arms. "None of my predecessors had to work to obtain their powers, either. I only obtained mine when it was too late." She grasped her hand with a frown, even as a small pulse of golden energy flared on her palm. "Despite my current state and lack of Triforce, it seems I can still access it."
"It is a part of you." Urbosa nodded. "I'd be more concerned if you couldn't use it."
"So if sleeping on the forest floor was the second time you used it, what was the first? Or the third?" Zelda tilted her head.
"The first time I had to use it…?" Link felt a bitter smile cross his lips. "Guardians. I was trying to activate a Sheikah Tower. I honestly can't remember if it was the one in Hyrule Field or the one over by the Akkala Citadel Ruins. Both are swarming with Guardians."
"It was the second one." Mipha intoned softly. "The tower was covered in Malice, and you had a very hard time climbing with the burns they inflicted on you. It was also the first time you'd encountered the flying Guardians."
"Scared the hell out of me." Link gave a breathy laugh. "I had no idea Mipha's Grace could revive me. I really thought I'd failed completely."
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could revive you. But I had to try." Mipha confessed. "I'll admit. The second time was easier than the first, and the third even easier than that. I fear it may have been the reason why it activated of its own accord."
"What, so too many revivals would've made him immortal?" Revali scoffed. "For someone this reckless? That's a hazard."
"I'll have you know, I was careful. I only died three times on my journey."
"Five if you include the first and last."
"Two if you only include the semi-permanent ones." Link countered.
"Still more than me." Revali smirked.
"This isn't a competition." Zelda intervened. "Nor should it be. It's horrifying enough that you died once, Link, but you're essentially a child. A child who died three additional times before dying a final time to save us… and… I let you."
The clearing went silent as her words settled upon them all. "Listen." Link spoke up. "I may have only three years of memories to my name, and in many ways I may be a child, but I'm not one. I'm a hundred and twenty or something like that. I am a knight. A warrior. A hero. A Champion of Hyrule, and despite my shortcomings and failures, this is exactly what I signed up for. Zelda, you didn't choose this. None of us chose our fates, but we did choose to pick up our weapons and meet them head on. If I cannot blame myself for your deaths, then you cannot blame yourselves for mine. Child or adult, it has never mattered in the story of the Hero." He took a moment to gaze at the stars. "I think I remember something about the Hero of Time being a child."
"He was. The Old Texts say he was merely a boy—only ten—when he began his journey." Zelda spoke softly.
"And the Hero of Winds? The one who sailed the Great Sea?"
"No older than twelve, I believe."
"Why should I be any different?" He turned to look at her. "Be grateful that we were seventeen with The Great Calamity struck, and not ten like the Hero of Time. What matters isn't how many times I've fallen to get here, it's that I am here." He sighed as he wrapped his cloak around himself. "Besides… my deaths… are not something I wish to dwell upon."
"We should all try to rest." Revali broke the heavy silence. "Daruk will take watch tonight. As ghosts, let's not worry about shifts."
"I thought we couldn't sleep?" Zelda frowned.
"We can, we just don't get tired like we did when we were alive." Urbosa put an arm around Zelda's shoulder as they settled down by the campfire. "Come on, now. Let's get some sleep. Daruk will wake us if something happens."
"I've got it. Get some rest, everyone." The Goron Champion smiled. Link fell into a restless slumber, plagued by the memories of the lights of Guardian lasers and the screams of the Calamity.
Link wasn't sure what to expect when they walked into Purah's lab, but a wrench flying at his face was decidedly not on that list. "Hey!" He protested, ducking at the last moment. "What gives?!"
"You think you can just waltz around Hyrule for a month after sealing Calamity Ganon, and FORGET TO TELL ME?!"
"Oops." Link blinked as he realized that he had informed neither Purah nor Robbie of anything.
"I knew we forgot something!" Daruk hit his palm with his fist.
"Don't you oops me!" Purah fumed. "I had to find out from IMPA!"
"I-I'm sorry! But I had a few things to figure out." He raised his hands in surrender, keeping a wary eye on the second wrench sitting well within grabbing distance.
"Like your new ability to see ghosts?" She ventured. "Yep. Impa told me about that, too."
Link winced. Purah was going to put him through the wringer trying to figure out his new abilities, and he was going to have one hell of a time hiding his ghostly nature from her. Perhaps telling her would be better?
"That's Purah?!" Zelda gasped. "She's so… so young!"
"She messed around with some runes and managed to deage herself." Urbosa explained with a grin.
"She found a way to… does it reverse age or time itself?" Zelda started muttering to herself as Link quickly tuned her out, intent on redirecting Purah's curiosity away from his ghostly abilities as quickly as possible.
"We came to ask about the Golden Monsters that've been cropping up lately."
"Golden Monsters…?" Purah pursed her lips as she thought, and Link held up his Slate to show her the picture he'd taken mid-battle of the Golden Lynel.
"And you had time to take that picture… when?" Revali stared at Link, dumbfounded.
"Dunno." Link shrugged. "It's a habit I picked up from trying to fill the compendium. I've got one of the bokoblin, too." He answered without thinking. Purah glanced at the space where Revali stood. He internally winced. Staying with the Zora for nearly a week had made him far too comfortable speaking aloud to his friends.
"Right. I assume there's someone here." She eyed the space where Revali stood warily.
"Revali's being a snark again." Link shrugged, quickly ducking under a flying apple. "STOP THROWING FRUIT AT ME!" He glared. Purah and Symin both stared at the apple in disbelief. "Where are you even getting it from?!"
"I will keep you guessing." He smirked, tossing another apple up and down.
"How does that work?" Symin wondered aloud, rolling the apple on the ground a bit with his boot.
"Anything stored in my Slate can be touched by ghosts for a short period of time." Link answered, and Purah's eyes shone.
"I don't recall that being a part of the Slate's abilities beforehand."
"It… erm… might be best to tell Purah." Zelda ventured, and Link sighed.
"Look. I need your word—both of you—that you will tell no one. Not even Impa. Not without my express permission." Link looked them both in the eye.
Purah had an unusually serious look on her face as her red eyes bore into Link's blue ones. There was a long stretch of silence before she nodded. "I don't know what this is about, Linky, but if it's that important to you, I'll keep your secret."
"Ok." He took a deep breath as he sat on a chair. "Here's the thing. So about a month or so ago, I—stupidly, might I add—stormed the castle alone. There, Zelda and I fought Calamity Ganon. But he hadn't been weakened by Zelda over the last hundred years, he'd been feeding off her energy somehow." Purah's eyes went wide as Symin went pale. "As you can imagine, he was incredibly powerful." Link gave a dark, humorless chuckle. "We were doomed from the start. I think we both knew that, but it hadn't fully set in until…"
He glanced at Zelda, who put a hand on his shoulder. "Go on."
"Until what?" Purah prodded gently, her expression was incredibly odd to see on such a youthful face.
"Until it was too late. Zelda was mortally wounded… and so was I. She used the last of her powers to charge the Master Sword, who was then able to speak with me. Together, we managed to seal Calamity Ganon in the castle." He raised his gaze to meet Purah's horrified eyes. "And then we died. But Mipha gave me an ability after I calmed Vah Ruta. It can revive me from the dead. I saw the Gates of Death and the other Champions and then… it tried to pull me back. We still aren't entirely sure what happened, but I was somehow ejected from my body and… well, now I'm some kind of ghost that can influence the living." He let his bangs shadow his face as he phased his hand through Purah's research table. "I'm dead, Purah. I failed. I'm sorry."
He was startled when Purah's arms wrapped around him. He almost didn't solidify in time, and he nearly went incorporeal again in shock when she started to cry. "L-Linky! I'm so sorry! You—! I never—! And then we—!"
"Hey, it's okay, Purah." Link soothed, gently patting her head. "It's not your fault. I was the idiot who stormed the castle alone."
"But Impa told us about your memory loss." She persisted. "I had no idea it was that bad. I admit, I thought you'd just had a mild case—lost some memories about the time just before Calamity. I hadn't realized you'd lost everything! Linky, you're a child. We sent a child to war."
"Wouldn't be the first time." Revali muttered under his breath. Zelda sent him a small look of apology, and the Rito waved it off. "I know what I signed up for. Unlike Link, I got a choice."
"Purah." Link looked at her. "I did this because I wanted to do it. I'm grateful for this journey and the people I've met on the way. I met you and Symin and Sidon and Teba and everyone. I was happy to fight for you all. And I don't regret dying to save you."
Purah finally started to calm down and pulled away. Her glasses were covered in spots and streaks from her crying fit, and Symin handed her some tissues for her runny nose. Link tried not to think about the snot covering his tunic. Thankfully, during his time in the Zora's Domain, he'd found he could just phase through that so long as it was from a mortal. He discreetly went incorporeal and let the snot fall to the ground.
"I… Still, I owe you an apology." Purah took a breath as she pulled herself together. Link could hear the cogs shifting in her mind as she switched gears. "But that aside, how are you a ghost I can see and touch?"
"I think it has something to do with this." Link pulled off the fingerless glove that covered his left hand to show his Triforce mark. Purah gasped in shock and Symin dropped a book he'd been holding.
"T-the Triforce?!" She held his hand gingerly as she tilted it this way and that, examining the mark with a sense of awe.
"And that is why we insisted you cover it." Urbosa crossed her arms with a satisfied smirk.
"It's a thing of legend." Zelda stated. "While the Hero's Spirit is a well-known reincarnation, it doesn't always come with the Triforce. Both are sacred and legendary in their own right—to see them together is an entirely different matter. I remember when you first showed up with the sword, everyone stared at you like a god incarnate." She chuckled. "But even back then, you hadn't the Triforce."
"What makes the Triforce so special?" Link looked at Zelda as Purah shot him a glare.
"Haven't we already explained this?" Zelda huffed.
"Well excuse me, princess." Link rolled his eyes a bit. "I've been sitting through so many lessons on politics and foreign relations that some stuff has tumbled out of this empty skull of mine."
"Do you know the ancient story of how Hyrule was created?" Purah asked.
"Uh… Din, Nayru, and Farore created the world and left, right?" Link tilted his head.
"And left the Triforce behind." Symin nodded, picking up his book and the apple Revali had chucked at Link earlier.
"Throughout time and legend, the three pieces of the Triforce have shown up amongst common individuals. Ganon was said to hold the Triforce of Power. The Princess—my ancestors—held the Triforce of Wisdom. And the Hero consistently tends to receive the Triforce of Courage. Of course, while there have been many confirmed or suspected incarnations of the Hero, only the most notable received the Triforce. There are countless tales of the Triforce being broken and reforged, but according to the legends, one who possesses even a piece of the Triforce will have incredible powers and strength. I held the Triforce of Wisdom for a bit. It came to me when I unlocked my powers—that plus my Sealing Powers were how I was able to survive for a century. Now that I'm dead, it's gone."
"And it seems it moved to Link." Urbosa nodded. "Not every hero had the Triforce, but the most notable ones did. Hero of Time. Hero of the Winds. Hero of Twilight. It is said that it is granted by Farore or Hylia to the Hero when they are facing a great evil that requires a touch of divinity to conquer. There were countless other incarnations of the Hero's Spirit—some even pulled the Sword that Seals the Darkness. But most of them did nothing more than clear out a few monsters or serve in the military."
"It's almost like Hylia was trying to give them a break." Daruk smiled.
"I'm assuming Zelda's going on a rant." Purah smirked.
"A bit." Link nodded. "She was explaining why the Triforce is so powerful." He tilted his head. "So it's… what, the reason I'm physical?"
"Possibly." Purah nodded. "I've never heard of a dead person possessing a Triforce—it typically flees when the wielder perishes, or so they say. Though it's entirely possible that your final act was what caused the Triforce to choose you in the first place. Or perhaps it sensed that your job was not yet done."
"Because I only sealed Ganon?" Link sighed.
"Maybe not." She smiled mysteriously. "Ancient texts mention the Heroes of Old vanishing for periods of time after their journeys. It's quite possible that there's a journey, place, or task you must go to or accomplish before you can fully call your role in fate complete."
"Huh." Link sat back as he thought. "I wonder if it's got anything to do with these monsters…"
"Well, we'll just have to wait and find out, now won't we?" She grinned.
"Either way, I doubt it could be that. It'd imply that I'm on their tier." He laughed at the absurdity.
"You think you aren't?" Purah raised an eyebrow. "You defeated Ganon just as the Heroes of Old did."
"I sealed him after failing." Link corrected. "I left Hyrule to suffer under his power for a century. I even got Ze…" He cut himself off at Zelda's harsh glare.
"You don't blame yourself, I don't blame myself." She reminded him.
"Listen, Linky. You've done all you could. No matter your thoughts on the matter, you have saved us. And as far as I can tell, that makes you a Hero."
"Link, tell Purah about the Blood Moon." Mipha spoke up, and Link glanced at her before nodding.
"Mipha wanted me to tell you what happened this last Blood Moon. We were at Zora's Domain when it happened—the ghosts of the Champions and Zelda became visible to everyone."
"To everyone?!" Purah's eyes were wide. "Perhaps it's due to your consistent contact with them? Your Triforce? My, you must stay here for the next one." She insisted.
"Don't forget to tell her about those scars." Zelda crossed her arms. Link shot her a glare, and she held it resolutely. After several long moments, Link finally sighed.
"Zelda has reminded me to tell you that… erm… My scars—from my death—act up a bit during the Blood Moon." He felt his cheeks redden.
"A bit?" Revali glared. "You were screaming."
"Okay, maybe more than a bit."
"May I see?" Purah asked softly, and Link took a breath.
"I suppose…" He lifted his tunic to show her his side and chest. She let out a shaky gasp that sounded like a small whine as her fingers gently ghosted over the scars.
"Oh Hylia above..." She whispered out. "Is that Malice in there?"
"Y-yeah. It's why they act up during the Blood Moons." He felt himself flush in shame. "And ever since that Blood Moon, monsters have been able to see the Champions, and Revali even got hurt the other day."
Purah's eyes narrowed at his words, but she didn't look up from his scars. "Symin. Bring me my red notebook—the one with the smiley faces on it."
"Yes, ma'am." He ran off for a moment before coming back with a small red booklet. Purah leafed through it for a moment before analyzing one page in particular.
"I'm going to work on a potion recipe for you." She stated suddenly. "I'd had a project a while back to help fight Malice Infections and treat burns caused by Malice, but put it on the backburner when you activated the Sheikah Towers. I knew I'd need to work on those Runes first. But now this is a more pressing matter." She hummed. "I should have something by the next Blood Moon; with luck, it will help soothe those symptoms." She announced, snapping her booklet closed as she stared up at Link. "You will be here for the next Blood Moon."
"R-right." Link sighed, already planning out his letter to Sidon. The prince would understand, he was sure. But Link still felt bad about robbing him of another night with his sister.
"Don't worry, Link." Mipha smiled. "I'll have plenty of Blood Moons with my brother."
"How do you…?"
"You're an open book." Revali smirked.
"You are pretty easy to read when we know you." Urbosa added.
Link sighed as Purah set her gaze on the hero once more. "So. Tell me about these Golden Monsters…"