Every breath flowing through Link's throat brought about the sensation of swallowed daggers as he sat beside Mipha, his mind riddled with guilt as she lay there, all but lifeless, within her suit. He had spent enough minutes thinking over his own status, his chapped throat forefront upon his mind, before thinking solely of Mipha. From where he sat, he only had a rough angle with which to glance into her visor, but by now, the entire screen had fogged up, leaving him wholly oblivious to her present state.
He fought his growingly decrepit body, turning to the side and balancing himself with a hand atop Vah Rudania's hide, bringing himself gradually closer atop Mipha's mechanical shell. He reached a lingering hand over her visor, wiping grimy dirt over the glass in an attempt to peer inside, finding only Mipha's slumbering face, wholly devoid of constriction. Her lips no longer pursed for breaths, nor did her brow twist or turn in determination.
Link's heart began to race. He weakly pulled his backpack around his side, dropping it to the surface beneath them before sliding a hand atop the helmet, worming it along before finding the pneumatic tab that would force open the visor, hoping to return some gekari gel at least to her face. With a gentle pop, the visor swung open, allowing Link to quickly wipe the dirt from his hand before reaching into his pack for the jar so desperately needed at this moment.
"It's okay," he whispered with pained, extended breaths, as much to himself as to Mipha, "It's gonna be okay…"
He scooped up a portion of gel onto his two fingers, reaching into the visor to gingerly spread it atop Mipha's face, her body not reacting whatsoever to the foreign presence upon her. His eyes widened slowly, his breaths growing tremulous as his fingers crossed her skin, the piecemeal portion of gel vanishing in between her scales, leaving less of a barrier between his skin and hers until, finally, he grew to understand her condition.
His heart skipped a beat as he pushed himself closer, leaving himself on both knees before quickly reaching his other hand inside the visor, his voice just skirting that tone of abject terror, "No. No, no, no…"
The palm of his hand pressed into her cheek. Instead of that sweetly snowy sensation of her skin, he only found warmth, as if she were a Hylian, her body having already begun its decay.
Link grew desperate for breaths as his vison grew cloudy, having missed an allotment of inhalation as he came to terms with the danger currently surrounding Mipha. He turned to Urbosa, frenzied for something of assistance, only to find her still passed out herself, with only her rising chest to denote her state of living.
"Ur-" Link choked, his tearful reverie, in duet with his charred throat, depriving him of much of anything in terms of a plea, "Urbo- sa!"
So deep into her slumber, Urbosa hadn't the faintest inkling of the impending dread.
Link returned his attention to Mipha's suit, overlooking the mechanism for the ten hundredth time, the mechanical barrier so necessary a moment ago now simply encaging her atop Death Mountain itself. He knew it wasn't going anywhere. Not any time soon, anyway.
He forced himself to his feet, wiping away the tears that stole away his vision before positioning himself above Mipha's head, clutching the bottom of her helmet with his voice convulsing in miserable woe.
"Goddess, help her," he prayed, tortured by his thoughts as he jerked his body back, throwing the upper half of the suit free from its adjoining half.
He rushed to her midsection, crouching low to brace himself against the leg-section while throwing his hands to the cuff of the torso, sliding it in agonizingly slow movement until Mipha's body could be slipped free. He did so with haste, exposing her body entirely to the hellish elements, knowing it was better than simply allowing her to drift away into oblivion.
They were one, he knew; and so long as one of them could swim the depths or cross mountains, the two of them had a chance.
Link threw his shoulder, forcing the Master Sword free from its perch atop its back until it slid down to his hand. He took a glance at it, then to Mipha, before simply reaching low and tossing the Sword toward Daruk, shaking his head as he prepared Mipha for their ascent to cross the crater's summit.
The Master Sword's place now vacant, Link grabbed its strap to anchor Mipha's body to his own, eying the Sword as it lay at Daruk's side, as if the two were locked into a staring contest, leaving Link to shake his head, muttering, "You'll understand some day."
With Mipha's anchored to him, free from any bodily protection, Link stepped to the edge of Vah Rudania, not wasting a second to worm a foot into the rock face, pushing his body up, feeling the added weight of Mipha holding him. So exhausted was he, still, that she felt no different than were she still within the suit, though Link carried on, teeth barred as grunting pants of determination followed the two of them as he worked his way up toward the rim of the crater, knowing the descent from there would be easier than any tunnel out from the crater.
As he ascended, he couldn't quite recall the order with which Zoras would die in such heat. He knew she had rolled the dice on a single one.
That was one too much.
Daruk's eyes began to stir. Before he could see to confirm his state of currently being alive, he already recognized the rolling hunger within his stomach, the precursor to him finding the will to awaken fully, though not without the searing pain nearly encompassing his upper body. He groaned boorishly, pushing himself to his feet, examining his surroundings to find himself with Death Mountain Crater.
Even more than that, he was standing atop Vah Rudania.
"By the Goddess," he exclaimed lowly, his impressiveness quickly sinking as he recalled the dire straits of many of the Company's members.
He spun around to take stock of the situation, only finding Urbosa nearby, lost to sleep herself, before zeroing in on the split-open suit that Mipha had once been adorned. Daruk's eyes bulged with furious unease, quickening his search for the others, not bothering to wait before shouting.
"HEY!" he roared, rushing along Vah Rudania's side, "HEY! GUYS!"
From the most unexpected voice came a chiding, "Down here, you fool!"
Daruk immediately spun around, peering into the interior of Vah Rudania to find Revali standing with Zelda in his arms, the Rito desperately keeping her from the soot-covered stage of the Divine Beast beneath their feet. He jerked his arms up to better his grasp upon Zelda's still body, obvious in his sheer disgust with the situation.
"I've been making my deepest clamoring known for at least ten minutes now!" Revali complained, "Someone get down here and relinquish me of this situation!"
Daruk turned away, only sliding to a halt before returning to Revali, "Where's Link and Mipha?!"
"By the-! How should I know, you boulder?!" Revali spouted venomously, desperate to keep Zelda from sliding too low down his plumage.
Grumbling to himself, Daruk hustled toward Urbosa, crouching down and taking her shoulders before shaking her awake, "Urbosa! Hey! Wake-!"
"GaaaAAAAAH!" she roared to life, throwing her arms out in defense as though she were being assaulted, forcing Daruk backward as he raised his arms.
"Friend! Not foe!" he clarified, "Look, get down there and help Zelda! I've gotta-!"
Urbosa's face contorted in thunderous unease as she worked her way up, "Wait, just start over, who-"
"Link took off with Mipha," Daruk confirmed, a shadowy expression appearing on Urbosa's face, "I have to go get 'em. You and Revali get Zelda out and I'll- I don't know; I'll find 'em."
Before accepting an agreement, Daruk took off toward the cliffside, jamming his fists into the rock wall with enough force to anchor his entire body in place, allowing him to alternate fist to fist as he ascended, newly revitalized, not only due to his unconsciousness, but by service to his Sworn Brother.
Urbosa watched him ascend for only a moment before turning toward the interior of Vah Rudania, catching only a glimpse of the Master Sword as he brow fell.
"How in the bloody-" she cursed under her breath, quickly approaching the weapon, "Have you any clue how quickly Zelda is going to-"
At the split second of her reaching down to grasp the Sword, she recalled its immense weight, the recollection jarring her mind as she lifted it, only to drop it in shock, reaching over in a flash to clutch onto her wrist for fear of having broken it. She watched the Sword for a brief second, wondering if she weren't still lost within a dreamscape.
"HEY!" shot Revali's voice, "HEEEY!"
With no time, Urbosa groaned unhappily as she took the Master Sword once more, taking in a deep breath before throwing her arm up, only to find the Sword having followed her, remaining indelibly weightless that she failed to comprehend its properties.
"HEEY!"
Her attention broken, Urbosa whipped her head back around toward the source of Revali's voice, shoving the Master Sword's sheath into one of the straps of her backpack before hopping down into Vah Rudania. Revali glared at her with a pithy glance, still disgusted by having come into contact with Zelda, though remained steadfast in keeping her upright all the same.
"This was not in my contract," Revali complained as Urbosa approached, allowing him to push Zelda away into her waiting arms.
Urbosa rushed, "What happened?!"
"Pshaw, how should I know?!" he replied heatedly, "I was scouting the area and she wat jotting stuff down as I reported. I was simply standing here, minding my own after the fact, when she just collapsed."
Urbosa frowned, "Probably from the fumes and the heat, you birdbrain! Come on!"
Angrily enough, Revali sputtered up into the air while Urbosa made her way up Vah Rudania's hide, hoping Zelda had written down all she needed. She hated to abandon the quest without certainty, but by now, she knew she hadn't a choice.
Link carefully worked his way down the mountain, desperately attempting to avoid the more destructive of routes as he stepped along, slowly, balancing another body along with his own. The sight of green pastures, albeit so incredibly far away, left him with a sense of hope, even if the cloud of dread lingered overtop the two with even more maliciousness.
Coming to a particularly nasty segment of rock, Link came to a halt, deciding to readjust Mipha's position. He quickly unlatched her from the strap that ran along his back, and instead brought her into his arms, better allowing him to shift her weight if needed.
He stepped lightly atop the shallow shelf of rock that looked able to break apart at any moment under their weight. He tried his best to hold Mipha's body away from him, if only to spread out their center of gravity, only to have overcome the obstacle, leaving him only to focus, once again, on the next best place to descend.
"We got this," he panted, feeling his legs about to give way any second, "You didn't- give up on me. You know I won't."
He continued muttering aloud, as if believing it were somehow entering her unconscious mind, helping her to hang on.
Rocks began to break beneath his feet, screwing his balance for a moment as the large pebbles went charging down the mountain with reckless abandon, not remaining within Link's thoughts for more than a moment as his focus remained on Mipha.
"It's not gonna end this early," he mouthed, almost silently, "It can't."
He stepped quicker.
"I won't let it."
Reorienting his thoughts, returning to caution, Link worked his way down a winding pathway, his method of seeking the easier paths proving rather inefficient. Mipha was already on borrowed time, he knew.
He broke from his pattern, moving as vertical as he could, taking weak steps to ascertain his footing before rushing along, sending loose gravel flinging through the air, sending tremors of pellets aflutter further down the mountain.
With each step, he imagined, he was a step closer to saving the woman he loved. the woman who had saved him a week earlier. When he, himself, was on the brink of death.
He scurried down the mountain, planting his feet into the best pockets of rock he could find, throwing his momentum back and forth to remain upright before, finally, coming to a halt in order to take a quick breather after his body's tumultuous exertion.
"Almost there," he lied, noting the remaining two-thirds of the mountain still ahead of them, "We're gonna get you better, alright?"
His eyes caught a glimpse of her lifeless body for but a moment before he pulled himself away, knowing tears would only be to his detriment. He shook the fear from his mind, taking another step before, once again, working his way down the cliffside.
"Just think about home, alright?" he pleaded, even with no indication of Mipha even comprehending his words.
"Think of all the water. Think about swimming around, as though he hadn't a care in the world."
His steps took powerful strides into each pool of rock.
He drew in a sharp, sniffling breath, muttering quietly, only to himself, "I suppose we all have cares, now…"
Another step.
"Think about home," he repeated, shaking his head, "about being in my arms."
Another.
He bit his cheek, "Mipha, please, don't-"
In a sudden
gut-wrenching moment
Mipha's body flinched with a furious convulsion
The motion threw Link's momentum to pieces. Mipha's body went flying as Link instinctively tossed her away to brace himself, but with the split-second decision making of a soldier, bloodied for weeks to train himself to ignore pain, his arms flew toward Mipha instead of the ground. He took her head and yanked in into his chest, protecting her from harm as the two barreled down the mountain, slamming into steel-like formations of rubble that stabbed into Link's back.
He could feel his muscles contract with every piercing contact, but he refused to release the Princess in his arms, choosing to leave himself scarred if only for the hope of Mipha's survival.
As the two of them slid to a stop upon a craggy facing of rock, Link buried his face into those crimson scales atop her head, bracing the two of them for further trauma, though it never came.
His eye opened skeptically, checking the rocks up above them, before immediately returning to Mipha, who released another dreadful convulsion atop of Link's body.
"No, no, no," Link repeated in a frightfully light voice, holding her closer to him, tighter, "Calm down, Mipha; just- just…"
There was no stopping her. After the initial, powerful flail, her body began to weaken all the more, her violent shaking gradually dying down in between Link's eyes.
"M- Mipha…" he pleaded, feeling the last of her life escaping from his grasp, "You can't go- please."
Her body grew more and more limp with the disquieting lingering of death surrounding them.
"Goddess," Link begged, pressing his face even more forcefully against her scalp.
He brushed his lips against her scales, feeling their silkily rough textures against his most delicate skin, recalling those nights when he truly felt as though he were no longer alone in the world. Born to link two knights, Link hadn't been able to find a link of his own- not until Mipha's brilliantly crimson scales crossed his eye. Not until he had come to know just how lost she was, and understood how weak, himself was. Not until he realized that, for all the weaknesses they held on their own, together, they were strong.
They were safe.
They were loved.
His eyes shut, thinking only of the woman lying in his arms.
"Goddess," he repeated, "If I could only speak a thousand words- I would spend each one upon your ear. Then, I would spend a lifetime reciting my love for you on paper."
He suddenly chuckled through the tears, "That's why you need to learn to better read Hylian."
His sudden laugh having brought levity to himself, he felt guilty, knowing the same couldn't be said about Mipha.
"I would write it on your scales with my lips," he muttered weakly, remembering their little game back in Zora's Domain.
They had been in the same position, yet their circumstances had been worlds different.
"You can't-" Link managed weakly, "Please, don't-"
As her body gave its last series of tremors, Link's heart poured out through his eyes as he refused to release her, as if refusing to give her up would keep her spirit from doing the same. His body jolted in anguished reverie as his voice choked up, crying, now that the world had been lost to him.
"BROTHER!" came a booming roar from overhead.
Link's head whipped to the side, the black soot of his face lined with ragged streams where tears had changed his skin red. Despite Daruk's approach, Link remained with his arms wrapped tightly around Mipha, even as Daruk came to a thundering stop beside them.
He reached down to take Mipha, only to notice Link's trembling form beneath her.
"Brother," he repeated, a solid timbre lining his voice.
Shaken as he was, Link could only watch.
Daruk assured with a deep, booming voice, "On my honor as your brother- No harm will come to her."
He reached down to grab her arm, even which Link's grasp constricted tighter.
"Link," Daruk spoke lower, a paternal air exuding from his solid pores, "Trust me."
His lips trembling with apprehension, Link slowly allowed his arms to slide down Mipha's sides, falling into the gravel earth below as Daruk hurriedly took Mipha into his arms, speaking only a couple of words before barelling down the mountain.
"Don't worry."
With the body of a mountain himself, Daruk hopped down the mountainside, his body crushing any auxiliary boulders that crossed the warpath he was spearheading down the mountainside with a furious pace.
Link lay there for a few moments more before weakly making his way back up to his feet, his eyes glues to the descending path below until Daruk grew out of sight. He then stood there, still, realizing that, were he to move, his body wouldn't have been able to keep up, sending him hurtling to the ground. Instead, his mind worked, imagining a scenario where Mipha was okay, despite knowing, full well, that such a thing had grown into a near-impossibility.
Suddenly, the sound of crushing boulders re-emerged, but from behind him, forcing Link's neck to twist as he glanced up the mountain, finding Urbosa emulating Daruk with her violent march of a descent sending gravel exploding into the air with every step as she laid waste to every stone in her path, Link only barely able to notice Zelda in her arms.
The Gerudo woman tore down the mountain with such zeal that Link could barely comprehend her even having passed him. His body wore on weakly, watching her disappear down the mountain, leaving him alone once a-
"Bwark!"
He spun around again, this time finding Revali struggling to fly down the mountain, matted as his feathers were due to the conditions. The Rito shot laced obscenities into the air as he hopped along, his wings being used more for gliding than anything resembling actual flight.
Link's brow curled with confusion as Revali approached him, a angry, sputtering voice ejecting from Revali's mouth, "Don't you dare say a word and- OW! Stupid feather- Just- grab on!"
His eyes noticeably shrinking with wariness, Link forced another boisterous voice from Revali, "By the- My talons, you fool! just-!"
Revali threw his body up into the air, his talons swinging toward Link to goad him on, but Link simply recoiled in fear.
"Imbecile!" Revali cried, sighing as he realized that tact was necessary, "You little- Look! You saved my life back there, so-! Just-!"
Already angered beyond all measure, Revali repeated the motion, leaving Link frightfully unaware of the Rito's intentions. So weak was his mind, Link could barely make out the man's words, but- It seemed, oddly enough, as though he were offering help.
Confused, Link still managed to grapple onto Revali's talons, leaving the Rito to flutter his wings furiously, his flight still widely inadequate, though he managed. The two battled the broken surface of rock beneath them as Link lifelessly attempted to kick free any debris Revali was too unable to avoid, sending even more painful smears across his legs.
Still, the excursion was much quicker than by foot, and Revali's piercing gaze could keep track of Urbosa's path, before finally catching sight of Daruk as they gradually descended the mountain.
"Down there," Revali noted with a jerk of his head.
Link managed weakly, "I think that's Cephla Lake. There's a shallow riverbed, so-"
He paused, thinking of Daruk's consideration of the matter.
The two swooped down haphazardly, catching up with Urbosa as she continued plowing through solid rock, passing her on as they coursed past Medingo Pond before twisting around Broca Island. Daruk's maneuver had given Link some hope, his mind still reeling from the emotional distress of the last hour, coupled even with Revali's insistence toward helping him.
They glided down to the embankment of Cephla Lake, where Link released himself, forcing his legs to carry him the remainder of the way. He turned the corner to find the shallow strip of land that just emerged from the lake itself, his heart skipping a beat as he noticed Daruk lying there, unmoving, as if he'd succumbed as well.
His heart sunk, but only for a moment. He stomped through the shallow water, wading through like a mad man before coming to Mipha's body, half-submerged, in the lake's water.
He fell to his knees beside her, grabbing her cheeks to turn her head toward him, examining her face. It remained as still as he had last seen it, as if there were nothing more beyond those scales.
"M- Mipha," he spoke up shakily, "Mipha, we- We made it. You can- can-"
He cupped his hand, taking some water to pour over her face before returning his hand to her cheek, "Mipha… Mipha, please… Please, don't…"
Leaning in closer, he brought her head into his chest. His heart had been so cold without her. He hoped that, perhaps, being so close, he could warm her up with that beating heart, but- With her gone, he knew-
He knew his heart hadn't a place for warmth. Not anymore.
"Mipha," he breathed quietly into her ear, rocking her back and forth in her arms, "We've got too much life to live together… Too many stories for me to tell you."
He voice trembled.
"Please…"
Revali watched from afar, critiquing the scene before him with waxing interest while he crossed his arms. Slowly, he began to turn as he heard Urbosa's approach, scowling while remaining silent. The Gerudo walked over with Zelda remaining silent in her arms, Urbosa's brow furrowing with worry.
"Oh no…" she spoke up with a weakening heart.
Revali didn't speak, though continued to watch the scene play out, more curious as to the budding relationship, seemingly, that he had missed. Still, he was saddened by the sight. Mipha had, perhaps, been the most genuine with him up until her time had passed, and despite his begrudging attitude, he knew her to be a special sort of soul.
His plumage drooped sorrowfully as the realization became apparent. Frowning, he dropped his head reverently, burying it against his mantle as he thought of the journey so far. Thinking about life. About Princess Mipha.
His attention flickered away as a glint of something caught him from the corner of his eye, his head rising toward Urbosa before a look of shock spread across his face. The Gerudo stepped toward Link, walking into the shallow waters as Revali remained anchored in place, mouth hanging open at the sight before him.
Link's tears only served to stain Mipha's scales as he pulled her head against her chest, running his cheek against her skin, permanently attempting to impress the feeling of her against him. He shook his head in desperation, barely able to accept this event as truly happening, and yet-
A tap at his shoulder.
He jolted away from Mipha angrily, yelling at the top of his lungs, "JUST LEAVE US A-!"
In a split second, his mood tore away from a veneer of furious resignation into one of abject shock. His eyes gleamed while his face took on the same expression as Urbosa; mouth hung open in awe while his eyes widened at the sight of something truly unbecoming of anything he'd come to know in Hyrule.
Urbosa's skin crawled, trembling, as she watched the body of Zelda within her arms. As she stood on the riverbank, she noticed the Princess' arm arise, as though a body possessed, sending a chill throughout Urbosa's entire frame. She followed the outstretched arm, all the way out into the shallow water, leading her here, of Zelda's unconscious direction.
"W- Goddess…" Link whispered.
A glow appeared to surround Zelda's hand as Urbosa knelt down, crouching lower as Zelda's reach seemed to be guiding her toward the deadened body of Mipha, much to Urbosa's fright. Link pulled away to give Urbosa room to maneuver Zelda around, until that glowing hand found rest atop Mipha's forehead.
Link's eyes glimmered at the sight, leaving Urbosa's face alone plastered with awe. Zelda's hand remained still, wholly unmoved, until, suddenly,
Mipha took a breath.
"Gah!" Link let loose an awkward sigh, belying the abject euphoria swelling up within his chest.
As quickly as Mipha had shown that sign of life, Zelda's arm fell away, that golden hue escaping the sight of the three of them while Urbosa quickly stood up to keep Zelda from the waters of the lake, leaving Link to fall atop Mipha to hold her once more, careful not to smother her, allowing the cool, shimmering waters to encapsulate her.
He heard her half-hearted breathing in his ear, indicative that her gills were doing their more powerful work, as he buried his face into her shoulder, caring little that his face grew submerged with every passing wave.
His tears would simply be left with the lake.