Warning: There is some blood and gore in this chapter, so tread carefully. Also, this is my first time writing a fight scene of this length and intensity, so if the pacing or anything feels weird, sorry. Like before, anything that is italicized is Mipha's internal thoughts.
Please Enjoy!
Chapter 5
Mipha POV
Despite only having one eye, it doesn't take long for the creature to find me.
While Vah Ruta's interior is vast, it doesn't have much in the way of hiding spots. Once I am spotted, the creature's eye begins glowing with blue light, and a red laser is pointed at me. I recognized this as the laser attack the guardians at Hyrule Castle used. It fires at me with a blazing blue light, and I just barely manage to avoid it.
It continues to shoot laser after laser at me, but for once, the distance between us is a good thing, as I use the different mechanisms around Ruta as cover. Eventually, the creature seems to realize that this strategy wasn't working, and once again disappears into blue light. I scan my surroundings, waiting to see where this monster will rear its head next. I then hear the creature reform, and the sound is coming from behind me.
I spin around to face it, but I'm too late. The creature lets out a screech and backhands me. Thankfully, this is done with his non-spear hand, but the force of the blow alone sends me careening down to the lower parts of Ruta.
I collide with the ground with a sickening crunch. I can feel blood dripping from my mouth, and it feels like a few of my ribs are broken. I begin healing myself once again, but then I look up and see the creature once again taking aim at me.
"Don't you have any other tricks?" I groan as I get back to my feet.
With no other options, I dive back into the main control unit room, narrowly dodging yet another laser, but the explosion manages to singe my back.
As I'm in the room, healing my wounds so that I may stand, the creature enters the room as well. It looks at me as if it is surprising that I am still standing. It watches my healing power with what seems to be fascination. Its confusion painfully reminds me of the first time Link saw my healing magic.
Dammit, now is not the time
The creature is doing a much better job at blocking the exit this time. Not that it matters, considering whatever surge of power I had before is but a memory now.
The creature attacks me again, but this time I'm ready. This thing might have the edge in strength, but its moves are obvious. I'm able to dodge its attacks easily enough, whilst also trying to breach the gap between us. The problem was, I was getting tired. Attacks from this creature were starting to wane on me, and this monster showed no sign of stopping.
The only other monster that I faced that was as relentless as this one was the Lynel. Link and I managed to defeat it together, but Link did most of the heavy lifting in that fight. If I had fought it alone, I most certainly would have been killed.
Wait! That's it! Link!
A memory flashes through my brain like lightning, reminding me of a particular move Link used during his fight with the Lynel. He told me it was like time slowed down, and he was able to deliver a flurry of attacks to his enemy. It sounded impossible, and I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. If I could pull something that off on this creature, then perhaps it would give me the advantage I would need to put it down permanently.
Ok Mipha, just remember what Link taught you. It's all in the timing. Too early and you give your opponent time to counter, too late and you leave yourself vulnerable.
I keep my spear in a defensive position, but I remain in one place. The monster notices my change in tactic but thankfully does not seem to question it. It reels its arm back once again, letting its blade pop out so that it would have more reach.
Wait for it
He slashes his spear at me with murderous intent. Every molecule in my body telling me to get out of the way.
Wait for it…
The blade is moments away from hitting me, I can feel the weight of the strike already.
NOW!
At the very last moment, I backflip and narrowly dodge the attack. Before the beast can even register what just happened, I lunge at him with all the speed my legs can muster. I reel my own trident back, and with all my strength stab at the beast's mangled chest. My trident makes contact with the monster, and it lets out a grunt of either pain or surprise (let's hope it's both). Capitalizing on my advantage, I begin an attack of my own, pouring all my strength and frustration into my attack. The creature tries to retaliate, but it seems it's forgotten rule one of spear combat: Never let your opponent get too close.
I finish off my barrage of attacks with a spin attack, another trick I picked up from Link. The creature lets out a shriek, and once again dissolves into blue energy.
The creature reappears near the main terminal, and it's looking straight at me. I smile and feel hope fill my body for the first time since this battle started. It may not be dead yet, but if I'm able to keep this up, I have a chance at winning!
I maintain my defensive position and prepare for its inevitable next attack. It raises its hand, but this time something is different. Its hand is glowing with blue energy, and the temperature of the room is getting considerably lower. That's when I realize what was happening. I look around me and see all water in the room begin to freeze.
It's cutting me off
Lastly, boulder-sized ice blocks begin hovering from the ground, circling the beast but never touching him. I feel my smile from before drop from my face, and whatever hope I had before dissipated. What a fool I am, believing it would be that easy.
Ruta! I need your help! Please!
My pleas fall on deaf ears though. From what I can tell, Ruta is almost completely corrupted. My SOS is still going strong, but no one has responded. While I can't deny that I am terrified, a part of me is happy no one answered. I wouldn't want anyone fighting this monstrosity.
The creature lets out a shriek and begins sending the ice blocks at me with nauseating speed. The frozen ground makes it hard for me to maneuver myself with as much grace as before, but I don't have time to worry about that. I slash at one ice block, cleaving it in half, then roll to the side and narrowly dodge the second ice block. The creature makes a stab at me, and I manage to side hop at the last minute and pull off another flurry rush. I lunged toward the beast like before but it was waiting for that. It stabbed into the ground below him, sending out a shockwave of blue energy. The blast sends me flying across the room—colliding with the wall next to the exit. My whole body was aching, and black spots were dancing in front of my eyes. I look up and see the creature's spear hurtling at me. I barely manage to move my head to the side, preventing the spear from splitting my skull in half. I quickly scan the room and see my spear lying in the middle of the room. I run towards it, narrowly dodging more ice blocks. I pick up my spear, but in the process let my guard down. One of the ice blocks finally manages to make contact with my side, and it flings me across the room like a rag doll. I cry out in pain and painfully collide with the ground.
Please…Ruta…Link…Anybody
It's becoming hard to stay conscience, but I manage to stumble to my knees. I look down at my arm and nearly puke at the sight. What used to be my arm is now a bloody, mangled mess. I try to heal the wound, but in truth I'm exhausted, and I've never had to heal myself in such quick succession. I look at the beast, and it seems to have stopped its attack temporarily. It's circling around me as if it's considering what part of me to break next. I try to will myself to my feet, but I can't find the strength. I'm at this creature's mercy.
Without even realizing this, I begin running through all the combat strategies my old mentor Seggin taught me.
Lady Mipha, in a fight to the death, you must utilize everything at your disposal. You must suppress your feelings of compassion and unleash the demon within! If you can't kill an enemy, weaken it! If you can't take its head, take its eyes!
As much as I hate to admit it, it's clear I'm not surviving this, but perhaps I can slow this beast down, and give Ruta breathing room.
I rise to my feet, lock eyes with the beast, and open my arms. The monster tilts its head but seems to understand my gesture.
C'mon, take the bait
The monster pulls its arm back and stabs right at me. Instead of side hopping, this time I leap over the strike, and with all the strength I can muster, hurl my spear right at the monster's eye.
Thank you for the idea Seggin.
The beast was not expecting this, and the trident goes right into the monster's eye. It screeches in pain and falls to the ground. I weak smile forms on my face, knowing that was the last attack I would ever inflict.
The red-manned monstrosity rose from the ground and pulls the trident out of its eye. It throws the spear through one of the openings in the room, into the body of water surrounding Ruta. Then it turns its gaze to me, and its eye begins glowing with blue energy. This time I don't even bother trying to hide, I just close my eyes and wait.
As the beeping gets faster and faster, my mind starts to go through the different moments in my life. Riding on my father's shoulders, listening to my mother's singing, swimming with Sidon, reading with Muzu, and training with Seggin.
And lastly, I think of Link. I think of the boy he was when we met, and the man he grew into as time passed.
I'm sorry Link. I know I said I would always be there to heal you, but I know you are strong enough to survive without me. I only wish I got to tell you…
I hear the beeping stop, and hear the laser fire off. I feel the laser make contact and feel my skin begins to burn away. The pain lasts for only a few moments, but then…nothing.
And with that last thought, the Zora Champion drew he last breath.
And that's that! Mipha was one of my favourite characters, so I really tried to do her justice. I really tried to mirror this fight scene with the way Waterblight fights in the game. I changed up his second phase, cause I figured that raising the water would give Mipha an advantage, which Waterblight would have realized when Mipha raised the water herself in the previous chapter. I also got the idea for Mipha's last attack from a piece of fan art I saw a while back.
Thank you so much for getting this far, I really put my all into this chapter. Please feel free to leave any reviews, all thoughts and critiques are welcome. The next chapter might take a while, but it'll be ready to roll before you know it! (hopefully, that will give you a hint on which champion is next)
Peace!