The Hero's Path

by LuxDragon

A retelling and reimagining of Breath of the Wild with Age of Calamity elements added. Will be AU eventually. Pre-Calamity.

6. The Four Swords

Eldin Province – Death Mountain, Darb Pond

Link wasn't sure if he believed in Hell, but if he did, Death Mountain was probably the closest anyone would ever get to it.

Unless you were a Goron, anyway.

Those were his thoughts as he continued to slam his Cobble Crusher—a Goron-made metal sword… a massive metal sword, its size dwarfing that of the standard Knight's Claymores Link was used to seeing—against the boulder he was meant to break. The task was made harder since the Cobble Crusher did not have a sharp edge, which meant he was to destroy the boulder with nothing but the sheer weight of the sword and the strength of his arms, back, and legs.

When Liena had heard the kind of training Link was meant to undergo, she had grabbed him by the shoulders, looked him in the eye, and said, "Good luck, Link. I believe in you."

She had then retreated back to their inn and relaxed.

And so, this was where Link found himself: amid the scorching environment of Daruk's personal training ground, surrounded by lava rivers, donned in the heavy protection of the Flamebreaker Armor, swinging a heavy metal sword… and mindlessly smashing rocks.

He couldn't blame Liena for wanting to run away and hide in the relative comfort of their inn room.

Occasionally, his efforts would yield precious stones or gems. A Goron miner would come by, collect the bounty, maybe snack on some of the loose rocks Link had separated, and leave after a bit of friendly conversation. It tended to be one-sided, since Link was grunting and breathing heavily with the effort of breaking rocks.

His father had once told him that Hyrule prisoners who broke the law and were sentenced to hard labor were tasked with doing the exact same thing Link was doing.

So, I'm basically sentenced to hard labor. Fantastic.

Another mighty swing, and another boulder was finally broken. Planting his sword into the ground, Link took a moment to take a breath. On another stone island, Link watched as Daruk was swinging his sword with abandon… with only one hand. Daruk's personal sword, the Boulder Breaker, was even bigger than Link's Cobble Crusher, and having swung it once, Link knew it was much heavier. Daruk's training was vastly different from Link's, because he was smashing metal ore veins instead of rocks. A string of Goron miners kept coming by to pick up the fruits of Daruk's labors and cart them away.

Sighing, Link picked up the Cobble Crusher and returned to his punish—training.

~o~O~o~

"Morning, brother!" Daruk boomed.

"Morning," Link said. "Almost done putting on my armor. I'll see you at the pit?"

"Nah, got something new for you to try!" Daruk said happily.

That got Link's attention, as well as Liena's, who was checking their stock of food. She had taken to traveling up and down the mountain as a part of her personal training. After suffering with just one journey up Death Mountain while wearing the Flamebreaker Armor, she avoided using the fireproof elixir and exclusively used the heavy armor.

She had proclaimed it was training and had nothing to do with the fact that the elixir tasted like Hinox blood.

Aside from physical training, Liena's treks back down were also practical. She had to make the journey to the Foothill Stable and purchase fruits and vegetables, which she had to store in a special bag that protected her delicate cargo from the fires of the volcano. While they had various game to eat, there was little else, which would eventually impact their health. To ensure they remained as physically healthy as possible, she had to, more or less, go shopping—past the occasional monster attacks, in heavy armor, while going up and down a mountain—every few days.

Link had to respect her dedication to her variation of training while he underwent his own.

It was showing, too, after a month. She was bearing the weight better and better, able to go longer without feeling the need to pass out.

If there were any problems, it was when Liena liked to complain. It wasn't the complaints that bothered him, and she wasn't really the kind to give her current grievances words, but more about how she complained.

She would lay back in bed in the evenings and moan.

The sounds were in pain, or piteous in nature, or in utter hatred of having to wear something so bulky and heavy, but still…

They did terrible things to his mind.

At one point, three weeks earlier, she had suggested that Link give her a massage, and she would return the favor when she could feel her spine again.

He couldn't sleep a wink that night, even as exhausted as he had been.

Link was shaken out of his sudden reverie when Daruk spoke again, detailing the new training he was going to inflict upon him.

"We're going to try the Gut Check Rock Challenge!" Daruk said cheerfully.

"Gut Check Rock Challenge?" Link repeated.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but what is that?" Liena asked with some slight trepidation.

"Gut Check Rock is a place north of Death Mountain," Daruk said. "It's also far enough that travelers don't need fireproof armor or elixirs."

"Okay, but what is that challenge?" Liena asked.

"Oh, right. It's run by the Goron Blood Brothers," Daruk explained. "Those guys are cut from the same rock as I am, I tell ya. They train day and night to harden their bodies. For that challenge, you've gotta climb Gut Check Rock within a time limit."

"So… it's a climbing challenge?" Link asked. It was training he could get behind. He loved to climb.

"Ha, you wish!" Daruk said. "You've gotta pick up the flags on the cliff face as you go up. Get enough to pass and beat the timer!"

"Oh…" Link muttered.

Liena walked up to him and patted his shoulder. "Okay, we'll do it."

"That's the spirit!" Daruk cheerfully said. "Get ready, it's a long walk. We'll have to camp out. Also, we'll be staying for a while, so pack everything you need for the long haul."

"We'll get our gear together," Link said.

"Hurry up, little guy!" Daruk said in his booming voice before lumbering back out.

"Mountain climbing… now why didn't I think of that?" Liena muttered.

"Just pray we don't have to do it in the Flamebreaker Armor," Link said as he set himself to gather what was needed for the journey ahead.

~o~O~o~

Eldin Province – Gut Check Rock

The trip to Gut Check Rock had one major event of note, if one didn't count the occasional monster attack or monster camps along the way. The monsters of Death Mountain knew better than to fight the nigh-invulnerable Gorons and made sure to steer clear of them. However, they also remained fiercely—almost stupidly—territorial, so when they crossed paths, common sense gave way to rage, and they tried to drive them away.

The fights weren't even fair, even if the two Hylians and one Goron were greatly outnumbered.

What was most memorable was Link's—and Liena's—first encounter with a Talus.

The course their journey took was a mine cart ride above Darunia Lake—more lava, surprise, surprise—before getting off at the 'coast' of Lake Darman. They trekked northward, where they encountered the Talus.

The standard Stone Talus was basically a rock monster, a collection of boulders that coalesced into a shape vaguely bipedal. One massive boulder served as both chest and 'head'—in actuality, there was no head and no face to see—a bunch of smaller boulders that served as arms and legs, and often a crystalline structure on its back or flanks that was its weakest point.

Unlike the standard Talus Link had studied, the particular species they were fighting was an Igneo Talus. The shape was the same as the Stone Talus, but it used molten rock, making approach very difficult.

Daruk drew his sword and swung it around a few times to warm up.

"Ha! If this thing thinks it has a chance against us, then it's in for a surprise!" Daruk shouted out in challenge.

Link unsheathed his Cobble Crusher and stood next to Daruk.

Liena hung back with an ice arrow nocked and ready.

The fight was unexpectedly simple, even to Daruk. Liena started off the fight with an ice arrow. The fire and heat of the Igneo Talus were extinguished instantly, and it seemed to fall flat on its 'face'. Link and Daruk stared at the comical faceplant before Link charged forward with a cry.

Not to be outdone, Daruk hefted his sword and roared as he rushed at their foe.

Link fought with precision, going right after the crystal on its back, while Daruk just hammered away at the limbs and body. One good whack from the Boulder Breaker, and one leg was gone. Another whack, another leg.

The fight lasted less than thirty seconds and only costed one ice arrow.

"Nice work, you two," Liena said.

"Not sure who contributed the most on that one," Link said. "Us or you."

After the fight, they circled around Lake Darman, camped out at Eldin's Flank, and traveled east until they finally reached Gut Check Rock by early morning.

And what Liena saw caused her to gush. Link had never seen her gush before, and he couldn't help but stare in bewilderment.

"Are those hot springs?!" Liena squealed in delight.

Again, Link was flabbergasted. He had never heard her sound like that, either.

Daruk nodded. "Yep."

"Oh, please tell me we can take a dip in it!"

"Of course!" Daruk said, thoroughly amused. "Wow, if I knew you liked hot springs, I would have told you about the ones south of Goron City."

Liena whirled on him, eyes narrowing. "Wait, there were hot springs nearby?!"

Link winced and avoided making eye contact. It was completely the wrong move, because Liena rounded on him next.

"You knew?!"

Resigned to what might be his inevitable death, or at least dismemberment, Link hesitantly nodded. "Daruk and I go there after training—"

"You knew?!"

"But it's really occupied!" Link hastily said. "Lots of Gorons go there! It's very popular!"

That brought Liena up short.

By nature, the Gorons were, in fact, male. Or the equivalent of it. Technically, they were genderless, but to ease the minds of the other races and to avoid confusion, they all simply used masculine words to define their race.

Taking several deep breaths, Liena closed her eyes and stood there.

"Is she okay?" Daruk whispered to Link.

"I-I think so?" Link muttered back.

They both stood at attention when Liena's eyes snapped open. "And… there's no separate pools for… um… females?"

Link shook his head. "None. And yes… I go in… um… uh…" He had to swallow the lump that formed in his throat, before quietly finishing, "naked."

Liena's expressions became a prism of emotions, changing from anger, to sadness, to irritation, before settling on resignation. "Why me?"

"Oh, but these pools are pretty much unoccupied!" Daruk quickly said. "It's too far for most, so the only ones that ever come here are the Goron Blood Brothers!"

Liena perked up a bit, then looked around. "And… where are they?"

"Oh, I told them they can train at my place at Darb Pond," Daruk answered. "We've got the place to ourselves. Remember, we'll be staying here for a while so Link can bulk up."

Stars seemed to appear in Liena's violet eyes. "And we don't need to wear the Flamebreaker Armor here?"

Daruk shook his head. "Nope."

"Yes!" Liena cheered, looking more feminine than Link had ever seen her. "Right, I'm going for a dip."

"R-right now?" Link asked.

"Of course!"

"Okay," Link said. He looked around. "Um… where?"

"Good question," Liena muttered. "Maybe after we scout around for a bit. I want someplace private."

And so, the trio circled the island of Gut Check Rock. Liena would occasionally dip her hand into the water and shiver with delight. At the south was a monster camp, which Daruk took offense to and charged at the moment he saw it. Realizing that they were in the way of finally being able to relax in some genuine hot springs, Liena also rushed the camp with uncharacteristic ferocity. Link decided to take care of the tower lookouts with arrows.

At last, Liena opted for the island's eastern shore, which had enough foliage to provide privacy, had the right temperature, and was still deep enough for her to enjoy.

"Do. Not. Peek," Liena warned to her traveling companions.

Link and Daruk mutely nodded at the glare she levied at them.

Smiling, with little stars still shining in her eyes, she practically skipped to her chosen spot.

"Um… are all Hylian females like that?" Daruk asked.

"I don't have the first clue," Link muttered.

Daruk chuckled, gave Link a pat on the shoulder—Link managed to stay upright—and walked off towards Gut Check Rock. Link did a cursory check for any more monsters before walking to the clearing they had chosen for camp.

After taking three steps, he heard Liena let out a satisfied moan, followed by a splash. He started running for the campsite instead.

He quickly busied himself as he set about pitching camp. He divvied his supplies and Liena's into separate tents. Treacherously, his brain reminded him that the clothes they had packed were specific for Death Mountain, which meant they did not have anything proper for the water… which also meant that in order for Liena to enjoy a dip in the hot springs, she was likely doing it in the buff.

Bad Link. Stop. Now!

He took his Flamebreaker Helm in his hands and bonked his head against it. Several times.

"Whoa, little guy. You okay?" Daruk asked.

Link managed a shaky smile. "Yeah, just toughening up."

Daruk let out a laugh. "Good! You'll be as tough as I am in no time!"

"Doubtful, since you can protect yourself with your ancient technique… although…" Link said before trailing off. He glanced down at his shield that was propped up against his bag.

I wonder… could it be possible?

"What?" Daruk asked.

Link shook his head and stood up. "No, never mind. Just an idea. I'll try it out another time. For now, let's rest, scout out the area again, and make sure Liena isn't disturbed, or there will be hell to pay."

Daruk flashed him a thumbs-up. "You've got it, little guy."

~o~O~o~

In total, Liena spent about an hour in her private hot spring before returning to camp. Her skin was flushed, her long brunette hair was damp, and she had a serene smile on her face. Accepting the canteen Link offered, she took a long pull before leaning back against a tree stump and sighing.

"Goddesses, I needed that so badly…" Liena said contentedly.

"Clearly," Link said.

"I was wondering why you didn't seem as sore as me when you train," Liena said. "Now I know."

"Yeah, I was going to tell you at one point, but then I remembered that the Goron Hot Springs are always full, day and night," Link said. "The miners, you know?"

Liena opened her eyes. "Are those the only hot springs nearby?"

Link tapped his chin. "Hmm… actually, I think there are more, but they're harder to reach."

Liena perked up. "Where?"

"Remember how the path at Goronbi Lake curves north?" Link asked.

She nodded.

"Well, if you can manage to climb that steep cliff, there are supposed to be hot springs there, too, though I can't say for certain," he said. "And even if there are, I can't say what the temperature is like, if there any monsters, or how private it is."

Sighing, Liena sat down against the stump she had claimed for herself and considered his words. "Well… I guess I'll check it out next time I do a supply run. If it's a viable place… then I'm taking you with me. To protect my virtue, you understand."

Link kept his face blank and nodded. "Fine, whatever."

Smiling again, Liena looked at the mountain they were going to start climbing. "Well, good thing that we have hot springs here. This is definitely going to generate some sore muscles."

"Oh, as a trick, if you wear your circlet, you can stay in the hot springs almost indefinitely," Link said. "Prevents heatstroke."

Liena sat up attentively. "Really?"

"Really. Very helpful for me after undergoing some of Daruk's training methods," Link replied, tapping one of his sapphire earrings.

"I am going to try that later," Liena said definitively.

Link chuckled before looking back up at Gut Check Rock. He gauged the height and sighed. "I'm going to take my Paraglider up there as I climb. Just in case."

"Good idea," Liena said. She looked around. "Where's Daruk?"

"I think he's setting up the course for us," Link said. "Remember, we're supposed to climb the mountain within a time limit and grab the flags that are planted there. I bet he's putting the flags in now."

Liena checked the sun's position. "Late morning. I guess this is what we'll be doing until lunch."

"Hey! Enjoy the springs?" someone else asked.

Both of them saw Daruk lumbering up to them with his ever-present grin on his rocky face.

"I did," Liena said. She stood up and stretched. "Thank you, by the way."

"Ah, don't mention it," Daruk said. "Anyway, the course is all set up. So up you go. I'll be timing you, remember that."

It was an abrupt start, but there was little reason to delay, so Link clambered to his feet and dashed to the cliff face, Liena hot on his heels.

"And… go!"

~o~O~o~

Link staggered back into his tent and gracelessly plopped down on his bedroll. Liena hadn't returned from her soak in the hot springs on what had unofficially been deemed 'her' side of the island. Not that Link was surprised. She was probably trying out his trick now and taking advantage of it.

He had taken a soak himself on the north end of the island, letting the ache in his muscles ebb away, and had nearly dozed off from the sensation.

Another hour later, Liena came in, looking thoroughly relaxed. "Hot springs are the best. It's absolutely making up for the discomfort from this trip."

Link, still lying atop his bedroll, shrugged. "It's probably the only thing keeping me in one piece."

She sat down on her bedroll and crossed her legs—her bare legs, not that Link noticed—and said, "Just imagine how formidable you'll be in a few months if you can fight like a Goron."

"It is an enticing thought, I admit," Link said. However, in his opinion, the Goron techniques, for lack of a better description, were entirely too basic. They used their natural strength and inherent resilience rather than any skill to wield their weapons or consider strategic defense. Put simply, all Daruk really did was swing his massive sword around—Link still had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that he did it with one arm—and destroy whatever was in his way.

No, what had caught Link's attention was the protection technique Daruk used. His mind worked overtime to divine the mechanics behind that technique and how to emulate it.

"—ong way to go, though," Liena said.

Blinking out of his reverie, his mind automatically translated Liena's incomplete sentence. "Well, if the Gorons consider this place training, I say we would be foolish if we could climb that 'rock' in a day."

Liena fell back and lay down on her bedroll. "This one might take a while. I mean, I must've fallen more than a dozen times."

"At least we're getting Paragliding practice in," Link said.

"I wonder what it will be like to Paraglide off the top," Liena said.

Tucking his arms under his head and staring at the canvas above, Link grinned. "It'll be worth it, because that sounds like a great ride."

"You did well, though," Liena said. "Almost a quarter of the way up on your first day."

"Yeah, but with a fraction of the flags you got," Link muttered. "I was just focusing on climbing first."

"Ah, so that's your strategy," Liena said.

"Only for preparation for what's to come," Link said. "Mark my words, when I complete this challenge, Daruk will have me wearing the Flamebreaker Armor next and tell me to do it again."

Turning her head, she opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before grimacing. "Oh, he was wearing those boulders wrapped around his shoulders when he was climbing, wasn't he?"

Link nodded.

She reached out and patted his arm. "Well… do your best, okay?"

With that piece of 'encouragement' said, she turned around, tucked herself in, and promptly went to sleep.

~o~O~o~

The training was as rough as Link had anticipated. Daruk expected excellence out of himself and therefore expected the same out of Link.

When Link and Liena had set out for Death Mountain, they had thought they would have to look for someone to teach Link, so it was good fortune they had met Daruk. They hadn't even had to ask; Daruk had taken it upon himself to teach Link without hesitation.

The crumbling rock beneath Link's fingers made him question if he'd had good luck or bad luck with their meeting.

He had several flags tucked away, but it was not nearly enough to pass. He was able to climb halfway up now in a single session without losing his grip, and he was able to identify what he could climb and what was treacherous.

Most of the time.

The moment he pulled on his handhold, the rock gave way and he fell again. He readied his Paraglider, pulled the rods apart, and instantly felt his rapid fall become a gentle descent. As he glided back down, he spotted Liena, following her strategy of flag collecting before climbing. She was a little over a fourth of the way up, but at her pace, she would never beat the timer. Currently, she was focused on her task and couldn't spare a glance at Link. Thankfully, she was taking a different route, so none of the rocks broken from his failed attempt would fall on her.

Landing on solid ground, he heaved a sigh, folded up his Paraglider, walked over to their makeshift resting site, picked up a canteen, and took a long drink. Once slightly more reinvigorated, he shook his arms to relieve the aches within before going back to Gut Check Rock.

Daruk was waiting at the base with heavy boulders wrapped in metal chains tied around his shoulders. The Goron barely looked like he had noticed. He grinned at Link and gave him a thumbs-up. "Halfway up!"

Link gave him a firm nod, shook his arms one more time, then started his ascent again.

It took Link the better part of two weeks to be able to make the climb without falling and within the time limit, but without the flags. It took another two weeks to be able to gather the flags, but he failed to reach the top within the time limit. It took another week to be able to finally accomplish the task he had been given.

Daruk widely grinned. "Ha! I knew you could do it, little guy!"

"Thanks, Daruk," Link breathed out. He was hunched over, hands on his knees, panting heavily. He'd made it with ten seconds left, but he had to push hard to get to the top after grabbing the minimum amount of flags Daruk had wanted.

"Time to up your training, then!" Daruk said before breaking out into a full-on belly laugh.

Link tried to imagine that laugh as evil, he really did, but the Goron was simply too friendly to make it feasible. All Link could do was offer a shaky smile.

That evening, Liena could only offer a sympathetic smile as she helped him out of his Flamebreaker Armor. "Well, when you're right…"

"Ugh…" Link muttered as they managed to pry off the chestplate.

As he had suspected, Daruk had made Link climb with the armor on, but only for half the day. The other half had been back to the regular training with the Cobble Crusher. Needless to say, the hot springs were a lifesaver and quite possibly why his body had managed to hold together after all this time.

"Just consider the progress you've made," Liena optimistically said. She was tugging at Link's boots now.

"Yeah, yeah," Link muttered. "I remember. 'Am I better today than I was yesterday?' Training under Captain Teboh feels like a lifetime ago."

With the boots removed, Link could finally take off the greaves and stretch his legs. "Oh, goddesses, that's better."

"Up!" Liena ordered. "Time for the hot springs."

Link nodded. "Thanks, Liena. By the way, congratulations on getting to the halfway mark."

Liena nodded and rotated her shoulders, wincing when her right arm protested against the motion. She grasped it and gave it a rub. "The first thing I'll do when I get to Hyrule is taking my mother out for a spa treatment."

"What is that?" Link asked.

"Pampering," Liena said. "Hair, nails, makeup, massages… beauty treatments."

"Huh. I was thinking about just sleeping in," Link said.

"Well, you have your coping mechanisms, I have mine," Liena said.

"Speaking of which." Link gathered the supplies he needed to enjoy the hot springs and trotted off.

Daruk was already soaking when Link arrived. He cheerfully waved. "Hey, little guy! Good work today. You're improving quickly."

Stripping down, Link grinned back before letting out a contented sigh as he entered the pool. "Thanks, Daruk."

"At the rate you're going, you'll be ready in time for the Four Swords for sure," Daruk said.

At the reminder, Link perked up a bit. He had totally forgotten that was the purpose of the training. He had been more focused on being able to survive Death Mountain over the previous two months that it had slipped his mind. "Will you be watching?"

Daruk nodded. "Of course! Gotta show support for… oh, right, you don't want to know who you'll be up against. Well, don't worry, little guy! I believe in you, too!"

Link leaned back and closed his eyes. "That means a lot to me, Daruk. I promise, I won't make the Goron competitor look too bad when I beat him."

A wave of water splashed over him. Link sputtered, sat up, and promptly retaliated.

~o~O~o~

For the foreseeable future, their new main training ground was Gut Check Rock, though they did take some time to go back to Goron City to restock on supplies occasionally. Daruk allowed for those times to be considered breaks in training to recover, something Link and Liena were eternally grateful for.

It was a bit of a surprise to Liena that she was able to bear the weight of the Flamebreaker Armor better now. Sadly, whatever elation she felt over her newfound strength was overshadowed when she learned that the hot springs Link had told her about weren't suitable. Lizalfos occupied the area, and the smell was "atrocious." Her inspection of the Goron hot springs also confirmed her fears: it was constantly occupied by Gorons, and they would spend hours and hours there, day and night.

Link could almost see a small, gloomy, depressing cloud following Liena after she confirmed her discoveries.

Link felt bad for her. It was the few times they weren't punishing their bodies, therefore, she couldn't enjoy a soak for pleasure. And when they returned to Gut Check Rock for training, soaking in the hot springs over there wouldn't be the same, even if she had the hot springs to herself. In solidarity, he abstained from using the hot springs as well. She weakly protested, but he could see the gratitude in her eyes.

Nearing the end of Farore's Season, both Link (wearing the Flamebreaker Armor) and Liena were finally able to climb Gut Check Rock, securing enough flags and doing so within the time limit. They cheered and relaxed at the top, watching the sunset while basking in their triumph.

Once the sun was just about to crest, they shared a look, grinned at one another, and then, on an unspoken signal, jumped from the edge and glided down, whooping at the ride and reveling at the rush of air.

Once on the ground, Daruk stomped up and hugged them both. Link was able to bear it best thanks to his armor, but Liena grunted and could only smile shakily.

"Ha, I knew you could do it!" Daruk said. Letting them go, he grinned widely. "Tough as any Goron!"

"Thanks, Daruk," Liena said. She composed herself quickly and stood straight.

With their success, Daruk had them climb again the next day, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Both Link and Liena managed to do it again. Twice.

Satisfied, Daruk called the end of their exercise. It was finally time to pack up their camp, then collect their belongings at Goron City before returning to Hyrule.

As they gathered their supplies, a thought occurred to Link. "Daruk, why aren't you participating in the Four Swords?"

Scratching the back of his head, Daruk offered a bashful grin. "Ah, well. If I were to go, then none of the others—other Gorons, I mean—would want to go, you know? I guess they would feel intimidated. It wouldn't feel right to ruin their fun, so I backed off and let them have a go."

"Oh, that's really nice of you," Link said.

"Yeah, well, one of them is a close friend of mine," Daruk said. "He's the leader of the Goron Blood Brothers, Yunobo. A true brother, that one!"

"Oh, he's participating?"

"He and ten others are going, since I'm not," Daruk answered. He leaned in and whispered. "Don't get me wrong, little guy. You're like a brother, too."

Link grinned. "I get it. No picking favorites."

Daruk let out one of his booming laughs. Link knew what was coming and prepared himself for it.

A hearty slap on the back a moment later, and Link barely flinched this time.

"I'll be cheering for all of you!" Daruk said. "Just go out there and have some fun, all right?"

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Mabe Village

It was with great relief that they were finally able to leave Death Mountain behind. It felt like every breath of fresh air was a gift from Nayru.

"If we were weaker Hylians, we might never leave Central Hyrule ever again," Link said.

Liena laughed. "Well, the trip was worth it. I think you're as ready as you'll ever be. You even got a bit of information on the competition."

Link tilted his head. "I can guess that Revali from the Rito will likely compete. He'd want to show off, I think. I don't know anyone from the Gerudo. I know several knights and soldiers are planning to compete, if only to curry favor with His Majesty. I wonder if anyone we know from Zora's Domain is going to compete… Maybe Mipha?"

"Doubtful," Liena said. "Even using blunted wooden weapons and training arrows, there is no way a royal would be put at risk in a tourney."

Link absently nodded.

They collected their horses from the Foothill Stable. Ammy was filled with boundless energy upon seeing them, but was whining a bit when she was forced to leave behind a Hylian Retriever she had befriended. The dog was also quite sad to see Ammy depart.

"Come on, Ammy," Link softly said. "You'll get to see Aryll again."

The wolf let out a small cry but did as she was told. Standing next to Link, she let out a howl, a sound the Hylian Retriever emulated. As they rode off, they could still hear the dog howling in the distance.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit sad, too, Ammy," Link said. "We met a great friend up there. Daruk. We had to say goodbye, too."

Ammy's trot lacked energy, and her tail was down.

"Don't worry, we'll perk up when we're home," Link said.

The journey home felt longer than it had taken to get to Eldin. Their route had them traveling south along Ternio Trail, curving west to camp out at Zelo Pond, before crossing the Thims Bridge, then continuing south towards Wetland Stable. They spent the night there, reveling in the feeling of a real bed, rather than the bedrolls they used—the Gorons slept on rock beds, which wasn't a surprise, but they did have to sleep with their bedrolls, even at the inn in Goron City—that sleeping on a cheap mattress felt luxurious after having spent fall and winter on Death Mountain.

The next morning, with Mabe Village hours away, they rode further west, across Rebonae Bridge, until they reached the familiar fields of Mabe Prairie. It wasn't long before Link's village was visible on the horizon.

"I'll leave you here, Link," Liena said. "I have to register you for the tournament."

Link absently nodded. "Okay. I'll see you at the garrison?"

"I'll let you have three days," Liena said. "Relax, enjoy yourself. Maybe practice that ocarina you've talked about?"

"Thanks, Liena," Link said.

"Enjoy your break!" With that, Liena turned north, towards Castle Town, and presumably home.

Which was probably the real reason she was leaving him now. She was probably anxious to get that spa treatment she had been fantasizing about for months.

"Okay, let's get home!" Link said to Epona and Ammy.

Surrounded by familiar sights and smells, Ammy's mood perked up considerably, and she was bouncing anxiously.

Link guided Epona into a full gallop, keen to get home as soon as possible.

As always, Cremia and Romani were the first to see him. They quickly helped him remove the saddle from Epona and brushed her down, during which they informed him that no one was home. Naturally, Link's father was conducting his duties at Hyrule Castle or elsewhere, while Link's mother and Aryll were at Castle Town for music—and dancing—lessons now.

"Dancing, huh?" Link asked. He hefted some oats into Epona's stall.

"She's been teaching me, too," Romani shyly said.

Link nodded as he did a physical inspection of Epona as he had been taught. He was checking to see if there was anything that would bother her; any loose rocks caught in her hooves, injuries, sores on her skin or mouth, the clarity of her eyes, and the condition of her coat.

Satisfied that she was the picture of health and that she had everything she needed, Link waved goodbye to the sisters and made his way to the house, Ammy hot on his heels.

Knowing he'd be in trouble if he didn't, he took off his boots, quickly washed off the dust of travel, and changed into a set of clean clothes before plopping onto his bed. He stretched out and took up as much space as he could… until Ammy jumped up and snuggled against him.

Giving her a scratch on the head, Link promptly went to sleep.

~o~O~o~

"Link!"

That was the only warning his foggy brain could give him before a weight heavier than Ammy plopped onto his stomach.

Now fully awake, Link grabbed the offending object—person—and held her still so he could breathe in again. "Ack! Aryll!"

"You're home!" Aryll said.

"I'm sleeping in my bed," Link wheezed out. "I should hope that this is home."

"You know what I mean!"

"It's nice to see you, too, Aryll," Link said. He let her go and flopped back onto his bed. "Oh, that was a good nap."

"Ammy! Oh, I missed you so much!" Aryll said. She somehow ended up sitting on his stomach again. The situation was only made worse when Ammy bounded onto Link's chest to jostle for attention from his little sister. Link had to protect himself from her wagging tail, which was slapping him in the face as Aryll gave Ammy scratches on all her favorite spots.

"Okay, Ammy, sit on the side!" Link said.

Ammy rolled off to the side, presenting her belly to Aryll, who was only too happy to oblige.

"When did you get back?" Aryll asked as she rubbed Ammy's belly.

Link made a private promise to apologize to their father at some point for jumping atop him when he was younger whenever the chance had presented itself.

So this is probably how he felt.

"Earlier this morning," Link said, now able to breathe properly again. "What time is it?"

"A little after lunch," Aryll answered. She jumped off him and tugged his arm. "Are you hungry? Oh, why am I asking? You're always hungry!"

Link allowed himself to be tugged back to his feet and dragged down to the kitchen. Ammy, not one to resist food as well, trotted after them.

Marin was waiting for him to appear and engulfed him in a hug. "Welcome home, Link. How was your journey?"

"Harsh," Link said, returning the hug. "Sorry, but there was no way to come home sooner. Someone had the audacity to put a volcano in the way."

Marin laughed and, as always, pushed Link to arm's length to inspect him. "Well, look at you! It won't be long before you'll have all the ladies swooning over you!"

It was a different kind of compliment from what his mother had given in the past, and Link found himself blushing.

"Oooooh, he's turning red!" Aryll taunted. "Already have a girlfriend?"

Faster than a whip, Link reached out and flicked the tip of one of Aryll's pointed ears. She shrieked and covered the offended appendage.

"Link!" Marin scolded.

"Just making sure my Sheikah training is still there," Link said 'innocently'.

Aryll retaliated by kicking him in the shin. He barely moved.

"Aryll!" Marin said in that voice.

"Sorry, Mother," Aryll said.

Marin sighed, shook her head, and turned her attention back to her oldest. "Have you had lunch yet?"

Link shook his head. "Anything but chicken or eggs, please."

Marin arched an eyebrow at the request. "You've never been one to be picky about food before."

"It's literally all Liena and I ate for a couple of months," Link replied. "There was more game north of Death Mountain, but it was still mainly fowl for all of Farore's season. I'll get over it, but until then, something different."

Marin laughed at his 'plight'. "Very well. I can get a stew going quickly."

Aryll tugged Link's arm again until they were seated at the dinner table. "So, what was Death Mountain like?"

"Exactly as the name suggests," Link answered. "It is the roughest place I have ever been to, but Liena and I made it work. The Gorons there are great people; very welcoming, very friendly, and very outgoing. You've met a few while in Castle Town, right?"

Aryll nodded. "I like them a lot."

"I got to train with their best fighter, too," Link said. "Daruk. I really like him."

"Will I get to meet him?" Aryll asked.

Link smiled. "He'll be coming to the Four Swords, but to cheer on his fellow Goron brothers and me. I'll introduce you then."

Aryll cheered before perking up. "Oh, the Rito will be there, too, right? Will I get to meet Captain Teboh?"

"I don't know," Link admitted. "I hope so, though. I'd like to see him again, too."

"Will Mipha be there, too?" Aryll asked.

"I don't know that, either," Link answered. "I hope so, though. I miss her as well."

"And Master Impaz?"

"It's likely," Link said. "Her granddaughters work at the castle… although Purah won't be there. She and Robbie will have moved on to the Eldin Province."

"So, does that mean you'll have to compete against the Sheikah?" Aryll asked excitedly.

Link shook his head. "The Sheikah have never competed. It's their way."

Aryll pouted. "Aw, why not?"

"They like to keep their methods secret," Link replied. His nose twitched when the enticing smell of beef stew filled the air. He turned his attention back to his sister, lest he begin drooling. "They're very loyal to the royal family, so everything they do is in service to them."

"Wow," Aryll said.

Link smiled but didn't elaborate further. It sounded heroic, but Master Impaz had assured him it was anything but. Some, perhaps many, of their practices were questionable, even unethical, but if the royal family did not have a problem, then it wasn't his place to question.

Marin eventually came out with a bowl of stew. It took more willpower than Link thought to control his pace, lest he attempt to inhale it. Even Aryll, who had already eaten lunch, asked for a small bowl. Ammy brought out her cutest look, which prompted a bowl served to her as well.

As the siblings ate, Link told them of the training he'd had to go through, what Death Mountain was like, and all the comforts that he and Liena had had to forego.

"Wow," Aryll muttered. "I kind of want to visit it, but I kind of don't want to. Is that weird?"

Link gave her a self-deprecating smile. "No. I was excited to go there, but once I was there, I was eager to leave. I know exactly how you're feeling."

Once lunch was over, Link helped with the dishes, conversing with Aryll all the while. After that chore was completed, he headed back to the stables, where he knew Ilia would be.

He could hear her singing well before arriving.

Aryll tugged his arm again. "She's gotten really good, huh?"

"Yeah," Link said. "Are you still doing a duet?"

"Yep!"

Inside, Ilia was soothing Epona in her own unique way that Link couldn't emulate. Given Epona's gentle temperament and wild nature, music was probably the best way to tame her.

"Hey, Link? Can I ride Epona next time we go to town?" Aryll asked.

"She's a bit big for you, but we can tandem ride," Link answered. He turned to his friend. "Hi, Ilia."

Ilia stopped singing to favor Link with a smile. "Hi, Link. You came back this morning?"

"Wow, how did you know that?" Aryll asked.

"Epona told her," Link teased. "I'm kidding. Likely Romani and Cremia told her."

"Oh."

"They did," Ilia said. She rubbed Epona's head. "They already cared for her, so I was just singing."

"With the way you treat her, maybe Epona should be your horse," Aryll said jokingly.

Ilia smiled before blinking when Epona neighed. The mare's eyes sought out Link and made visible eye contact.

"It looks like Epona knows which one of us she adores," Ilia said. Maybe it was Link's imagination, but he thought he detected a hint of melancholy in Ilia's face.

Not that he knew what to do to help, though.

Clearing his throat, he said, "Well, how about we talk outside? You can tell me what has been happening while I was away."

~o~O~o~

Later that evening, Revan returned home, and he had brought a small book with him.

First, he pulled Link in for a hug. "Good to see you, Link. Liena told me all about your time on Death Mountain."

Link hugged his father back. "Told or complained?"

"Hmm… perhaps a bit of both," Revan said. He pushed Link to arm's length and inspected him just like Marin had done. "Hmph. You're growing into a fine knight."

"Thank you, Father," Link said happily.

"Here, this is for you," Revan said. He offered the book he was holding.

Link took it and read the title. "Oh, is this the rulebook for the Four Swords?"

Revan nodded. "Study it well, boy. The last thing you want is to be disqualified on a technicality."

Eyes wide, Link nodded. "Got it."

"He can read it in his room on his own time," Marin said. "It's dinner time."

Grinning, Revan winked at Link. "You heard her."

Link put the book into a pouch. "Yes, Mother."

"Clean up, all of you," Marin said. "No food for any of you until then."

Link let Aryll clean her hands first. His father had retreated back to the hall to take off his boots, so Link was next. The siblings sat at the table and waited impatiently for their father to return, under the watchful eye of their mother. The food had to be strategically placed so that if they attempted to get a quick bite, Marin would surely spot them.

A small part of Link wanted to know if his Sheikah training allowed him to be quick enough to take something and still evade notice. The rest of him knew that he would have to endure her disapproving gaze for the rest of dinner, so he refrained.

As always, dinner was a welcome affair after so many months away. Link told his family about the training he had endured, about Daruk, and about Death Mountain. Revan, in turn, told them about his own experiences with the Gorons, his journeys to the Elden Province, and his impressions of Death Mountain—he had never been up to the mountain himself, so he was very keen to hear all about it.

After dinner, Link was back in his room alone. Ammy had chosen to follow Aryll into her room, much to Aryll's delight.

He changed into his sleep clothes before digging out the rulebook his father had given him. Laying back on his bed, he started reading about what to expect.

The tournament's rules were straightforward enough. Each match was a best of three rounds unless a competitor conceded. A victory was achieved with an uncontested blow to the chest or head via blunted weapons or arrows. A judge would determine if the blow was valid or not. Limb strikes did not count—mostly for the entertainment of the masses. Any strikes towards a particularly vulnerable spot—eyes or neck, for example—were expected to be controlled, precise, and appropriately moderated to avoid permanent injury; they were counted as a win if the strike was deemed clean and sure without ambiguity. Against a Goron opponent, a minimum of five arrows was required for victory, and against an opponent favoring plate armor, a minimum of three arrows. A competitor was allowed to bring as many weapons as they could carry—and only carry—into the arena. Positions in the tournament bracket and type of arena fought in was to be determined via random draw.

"Sounds simple enough," Link mumbled to himself. He yawned and put the book down. "I'll ask Father for tips tomorrow."

Blowing out the candle, he promptly went to sleep.

~o~O~o~

"Sorry, Link, but I can't help you," Revan said grumpily, even disappointedly. "Believe me, there was a time I was looking forward to giving you as many tips and strategies as I could in anticipation for this day."

"Why can't you?" Link asked.

"Because I'm in the Royal Guard now," Revan said. "We're prohibited from interfering with the tournament in any capacity."

"Why?" Aryll asked curiously.

"It's perceived as favoritism or an unfair advantage, at least to the other races," Revan answered. "I don't know the details. The rule was established well before my time."

"Can I ask L—Dame Sortiliena for help, then?" Link asked. "There isn't a rule against it."

"That is fine," Revan said. "Many competitors have masters or mentors that assist in their training in preparation for this day."

"Is there a rule saying the Royal Guard can't help Link?" Aryll asked. She took the book and started thumbing through it.

"That order was given to us by the Captain of the Guard," Revan said. "You won't find it written in there, but we're reminded every tournament that we're forbidden from assisting."

Link nodded. "I guess I'll ask Dame Sortiliena when we next go to Castle Town."

With his plans on hold for the time being, Link spent his three-day break mostly lounging. He helped his mother around the house and estate, looked after Epona and Ammy, and resumed the exchange of lessons with Aryll: ocarina for self-defense.

When he finally met Liena again after dropping Aryll and Ilia off at their music lessons—Ilia was the coachwoman this time, while Marin sat next to her; Aryll got to ride with Link atop Epona—he discussed the logistics of the Four Swords.

"There are definitely strategies to consider," Liena said seriously. "Obviously, the rulebook won't offer that."

"So, what can you tell me?" Link asked.

"Well, part of rules say that you're allowed to bring as many weapons as you can carry, right?"

Link nodded.

"Well, you have to consider the advantages and disadvantages of that," Liena patiently explained. "Having more weapons means more options, but it weighs you down and makes you slower. Having fewer weapons takes away options, but you're lighter and less likely to succumb to exhaustion. Some matches can be over in moments, others can go on for hours."

"Oh, I see," Link said.

"Now, while attacks to the head or chest end the round, you're not exactly limited to that," Liena said. "Strikes to the limbs will weaken your opponent, reducing mobility. For example, if you strike the leg in the first round, your opponent will have to deal with that in all the subsequent rounds, making your victory more likely."

Link nodded.

"Traditionally, most competitors will bring a shield, a melee weapon of some kind, and a bow and arrows," Liena said. "Some fights end instantly with an arrow to the chest."

Link tilted his head. "How are the arrows fashioned here?"

"There's a piece of cork affixed to the arrowhead," Liena replied. "It keeps the competitors safe, but it also makes archery less accurate, so watch for that. We'll practice so you're prepared for the changes."

"Okay," Link said.

"Shields are self-explanatory," Liena said. "If your opponent runs out of arrows or they never used a bow and arrow to start, then it's all on the ground game. And, Link? It's no holds barred. If the opponent wants to fling dirt in your eyes, they're allowed. The Gerudo love that one, as well as low blows to the groin. They fight to win, not to look good."

"Right," Link mumbled.

"It's not a duel, it's a competition," Liena said. "If fighting like that isn't your style, that's fine, but don't judge if your opponent engages in that sort of strategy."

Link nodded. "Anything else you can tell me?"

"There will be different arenas chosen at random," Liena said. "Specially constructed for the event. You might have noticed on the way into the garrison that they're working on it now."

"Yeah, it sounded busy," Link said.

"They're all circular, but with different terrain mockups," Liena said. "Sandy, rocky, plain grass, those kinds of things."

"Right. 'Always mind my surroundings'," Link said, quoting Master Impaz.

"That will be tested," Liena said. "Finally, it's also about endurance. If you're tired or injured from an earlier round, there are medical tents and break tents for you to recuperate, but as competitors get eliminated and we get closer to the finale, rest times will be less and your injuries might begin to affect future performances, so mind your pace."

"Let me guess: some people go in full plate armor and don't even make it to the third round?" Link asked.

"Exactly," Liena said. "You are welcome to change equipment between rounds, but it's not really an option when you're in the middle of combat."

"Okay, I think I've got the gist of it," Link said. "I guess we should talk strategies now?"

"Of course, but one more thing," Liena said. She pulled out a small box. "Here, these are some old earrings I used to have when I was younger. You can keep them."

Link took the box and opened it. Inside was a pair of simple silver earrings the shape of a loop.

"Wear those so your ears stay pierced," Liena said. "You never know, you might need those sapphire earrings again or maybe some other kind of special earrings in the future."

"Thanks, Liena," Link said. One by one, he fitted the modest ring-type earrings until they were comfortable. "How do I look?"

"Actually, I think they suit you," Liena said approvingly.

"I like them," Link said. "I can barely feel them. Much lighter than those sapphire earrings."

Liena smiled. "Come on. Let's talk strategies."

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Hyrule Field

Link kept up with his practice for the next month leading up to the tournament. Nayru's season had flown in, taking many by surprise and bringing an early spring. It created a festive atmosphere as people prepared for the upcoming tourney. The Four Swords was only held every four years, so it was always looked upon with anticipation.

For Link, however, he was getting more nervous as the day of the tournament approached. He had to employ every Sheikah trick he knew to keep calm, find new ways to distract himself that didn't involve training, and keep a stoic face when asked how he was feeling.

He learned to hate that question.

Finally, though, the day of the Four Swords Tournament was upon him, and he was as ready as he could be. His family all came to watch. Ilia and her father came to watch. Most of Mabe Village came to watch. Even Liena's family was in attendance, though it was mainly to be seen.

The tournament bracket was set, and soon enough, Link's turn was called.

"Are you sure about this?" Link asked nervously.

"Scared?" Liena teased.

"Only within healthy bounds," Link said. He tried to ignore the sounds of the gathering crowds outside.

"This will be good for you," Liena said. "We're stepping out of observation, practice, and drills. Competition is the next logical step. The only thing more I can do for you is, I don't know, find you some bandits and have you take them to task. Or fight a war. You need combat that isn't solely monsters. This is the next best thing."

Link sighed. The Four Swords Tournament really was a big deal in Hyrule. Competitors from all the races would challenge each other, using a variety of weapons, not merely swords, as the name would suggest.

Link's father had been a winner, twelve years earlier, a memory Link cherished to this day.

"Are you sure?" Link asked again.

Liena nodded. She spun him around, grabbed his shoulders, and frogmarched him to the competitors' tent. "It's time to show people what you can do! You know, your family is out there, watching. Time to impress them!"

"And what about you?" Link asked, obliging her and marching forward while she held him in her grip, leading the way and setting the pace.

She laughed. "I know you'll eliminate me. I would much rather watch and see how much you've learned. It's time to see if all that time has paid off!"

She shoved him into the tent and yelled, "Good luck!" before leaving.

Sighing, Link sat down on the stool provided and checked to see if he had equipped everything he needed for the first round.

~o~O~o~

It must have only been minutes, but the wait still felt agonizingly long. It was almost a relief when a horn sounded and a herald was shouting introductions. Link impatiently waited until his name was called before leaving the tent.

The crowds shouted, though they probably were just cheering that a new round had finally started, rather than applauding for any particular competitor. Or at the very least, he doubted he warranted such praise.

He didn't know his opponent, besides his name: Mido. He was a wiry, red-haired youth, maybe a few years older than Link.

Both competitors approached the judge standing in the middle of the chosen arena: a rocky area with boulders and dirt that emulated Death Mountain, sans lava.

"I hereby stand ready to judge thee today under the watchful eyes of the Goddesses," the official said imperiously. "You are aware of what is expected of you both?"

Link nodded. Mido scoffed and nodded as well.

"You will follow the rules established by the Royal Family of Hyrule," the judge intoned. "Noncompliance will not be tolerated. Is that clear?"

Again, they both nodded. Mido was trying to glare at Link in an effort to intimidate him, but since Link was looking at the judge, the effect was wasted.

"Salute!"

Link turned to Mido and snapped off a salute. Mido did the same.

"Turn and step ten paces away from one another," the judge said.

Turning on his heel, Link quietly counted his steps to ten before turning to face his opponent.

"Are you ready?!" the judge shouted.

Link drew his sword. Letting the hilt settle into his left hand, he gave it a few practice swings while he waited for his opponent to get ready. He opted to fight with only a sword and bow and arrow to start this round and was clad only in his preferred leather bracers and chainmail. Mido was similarly armed, except he had a shield and was wearing full soldier's armor without a helmet.

"Hoi!"

Link held his sword defensively and carefully observed Mido.

Mido, in turn, went on the offensive at once. Link steadfastly parried the attacks, stepping toward Mido's right side to avoid the shield in case Mido wanted to use it offensively.

After a few minutes, Mido—frustrated that he couldn't break Link's defense—tried to swing his shield in a wide arc.

The distance was too long, and the windup was obvious. Worse yet, because the swing was horizontal, Mido had to pull his sword arm back to make the attack work.

Link neatly ducked and swung at Mido's legs.

Mido cursed when he toppled over. He tried to roll away, but Link was on him immediately. One swipe, and the clang of armor rung out as Link struck Mido's back.

"Halt!" the judge cried out.

Link leapt back and waited. Mido cursed again and stood up.

The judge raised his hand in Link's direction. "Point! Now, stand ready!"

Just one more time.

To Mido's credit, the loss didn't shake his rhythm. He charged on the offensive once more, meeting Link's defensive parries. Link kept a wary eye out just as he had been warned.

Mido pulled his blade back after another exchange before dropping it low and flicking dirt in Link's direction. Link opted to roll backward, away from the expected dust cloud.

Now with Link backpedaling, Mido rushed forward, only to trip on one of the buried rocks Link had led him toward.

Once again, Link was on Mido before he could react and lightly tapped his fallen foe's head.

"Halt!" the judge shouted. "Winner, Link!"

The crowd cheered once again, and this time, Link knew it was for him. Sheathing his sword, Link approached Mido and offered a hand up.

Mido scowled but grudgingly allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

"Nice moves," Mido said. His face looked like he was sucking on a lemon.

"You as well," Link said.

Mido looked away and exhaled noisily.

As tradition demanded, they both faced the judge and saluted to him.

"Good luck, then," Mido said out of the corner of his mouth just as the judge dismissed them both. Without looking back, Mido walked off to his side of the arena.

Link observed Mido's retreating back, trying to find something to say, but fell short on ideas. He, too, left the arena towards his tent.

~o~O~o~

Link's next few matches were of similar fare. He fought a few more Hylians (rank-and-file soldiers and a couple of knights that he knew), two Gorons (he could hear Daruk cheering from the stands), three Gerudo warriors (it was his first time fighting them, but Liena had assured him that his Sheikah training would make him formidable), two Rito (archers both, forcing Link to use a shield), and one Zora (she seemed to recognize Link and seemed resigned to her loss before the match even began, though for the life of him, Link couldn't remember who she was).

Eating lunch in the cafeteria tent, Link found himself grinning. The strategy he and Liena used was one often employed by many others. The plan was to start off appearing weak, using as little equipment as possible. Knowing that future opponents would be watching, the idea was to provide as little information as possible to the ones favored to win. The drawback was that if you underestimated your current opponent, or came unprepared and underequipped, then defeat was certain.

So far, the gambit had been paying off. But as he approached the finals, the skill of the ones he would face would climb extremely high.

Probably time to up my game.

The fact that he was only fourteen was not lost on many. Only the knights he fought took him seriously, even warily, making their matches more mental than physical. Everyone else underestimated him, but now that he was more than halfway through the tourney, people were taking notice now.

Liena entered the tent, spotted him, and weaved her way around the contestants.

"You're doing great, Link," Liena said proudly.

"Thanks," Link shyly said.

"By the way, no pressure, but I have a lot of rupees riding on you, so don't let me down," Liena said seriously.

"Um… okay?"

"You're coming up against some heavy hitters now," Liena said. "No fun and games, got it?"

"Got it," Link said.

"And be careful," Liena added. "You're the youngest ever to join the tournament. People are paying attention to you now."

Link nodded before realizing something. "Wait, so when you said you were betting on me, that wasn't a jo—?"

Liena cut him off with a quick hug before dashing out of the tent.

Frozen in place, Link hung his head and sighed. "Yeah, no pressure…"

~o~O~o~

The crowds seemed to cheer even louder than ever before when Link stepped out into the arena once more. This time, it was sand, either mimicking a desert or a beach, Link couldn't tell. It seemed fitting, though, considering the sun was just past its zenith.

His current opponent was a big man, muscular, a few years older, and wearing his red hair in a unique style that reminded Link of a Cucco.

Link distantly knew him as a squire as well, called Groose, serving under Knight Pipit, but knew nothing more than that.

Another judge came out and commenced his ceremony.

"So, you're the one that all the knights talk about, huh?" Groose quietly asked.

Link didn't bother answering and tuned him out. Liena had warned him that some people would try psychological games to get him to break his rhythm. It was a lesson Master Impaz had taught him already: how not to rise to the bait, and how to manipulate or use mind tricks on people with far more effective results.

Not that he was going to use those lessons for the tournament.

When the judge finished pontificating, he ordered them to take their positions. Link walked the prerequisite ten paces and drew his sword.

"Hoi!"

Groose surged forward with a speed that would have surprised Link if the big man hadn't been in a stance that looked like he was prepared to sprint across the entirety of Hyrule Field.

Rather than block, Link waited until the last moment and dodged left. With the initial power from the charge gone, Groose hefted his large sword and tried another power swing. Link raised his shield and shifted the angle so that the sword glanced off the surface.

Link tried to counterattack with a quick stab, hoping to end the round early, but Groose was able to bring his bastard sword down to block.

This time, Link was a bit astonished. He had thought that his block would be sufficient enough to force Groose off-balance and expose his chest.

Link hopped back and away from Groose and the reach of his weapon. Groose was relentless, though. Rather than break away, he hurled himself at Link again.

Bracing himself against the charge, Link dodged the first attack and used his sword to block the follow-up attack. He stayed on the move, dodging and weaving, blocking only when necessary.

The sand supplied poor resistance, making every step harder to pull off than normal. Link allowed Groose to make his big swings and charging attacks, all while wearing metal armor. However, despite Link's fleet-footed moves, Groose did not seem the least bit tired.

Looks like my plan to wear him down might not work here.

At some point, they locked swords, with Groose trying to physically dominate the match.

"Been training in the desert, right?" Link grunted out, having guessed why Groose's stamina seemed higher than normal.

Groose growled as he strained from the effort at Link's surprising resilience despite the physical differences between them and nodded. "Yeah. Training for the Four Swords."

Link twisted his blade, using his entire arm to do so in order to avoid injury, and broke the lock. Groose kept his footing and whipped his bastard sword around in a horizontal arc. Link backflipped above and away.

The crowds cheered at the spectacle.

"Hmph. Moves like that, you should have been an acrobat or an entertainer," Groose said. "With all the talk about you, I was expecting better."

"What kind of talk?" Link asked.

"About how you're supposed to be good, like really good, but I'm not seeing it," Groose said. He lunged again.

Instead of dodging the charging attacks as he had been doing, Link immediately went on the offensive at the same time. The change of rhythm finally pushed Groose off-balance. Blocking with his shield, Link's sword simultaneously snaked out and landed a firm slash against Groose's flank.

"Halt!" the judge shouted. "Point, Link!"

Groose sneered at Link. "Lucky shot."

Link narrowed his eyes but said nothing. They backed away from one another, twenty paces apart.

"Hoi!"

Once again, Groose rushed at Link. This time, Link did the same. It soon became an all-out brawl between them as Link tried to outmaneuver the big man, while Groose tried to tag the fleet-footed younger boy.

Eventually, Groose used his size to prevent Link from sidestepping away and kept a closer distance on Link to ensure he was always within striking distance. Their swords soon met in another lock.

"You aren't gonna trick me again," Groose growled out.

"Yeah, well… here's the thing…" Link said as Groose tried to overpower him. "I already did. See, I'm not left-handed."

Groose blinked and looked down to see that Link was indeed holding his sword with his left hand, as he had been doing since the first round for all his potential opponents to see.

Link brought his shield up to bash Groose in the face, forcing the big man to draw in his bastard sword to deflect. Link jumped back and threw his shield at Groose.

Groose easily struck the impromptu projectile out of the air and was completely unprepared for the flurry of sword strikes that followed.

The moment Link swapped hands, his entire style seemed to shift. Going hard on the offensive, Groose struggled and was giving up ground. Link's attacks seemed to come from all sides, all angles. Groose was just barely able to defend his chest and head, but it costed him in other areas. Link solidly struck his legs and arms. A particularly merciless hit on Groose's right leg caused him to buckle under the weight of his equipment coupled with the soft sand. The next strike disarmed him accordingly as he tried to regain his footing, and his weapon went flying. A moment later, Link's wooden sword rested against Groose's shoulder, with the wax-coated blunted blade touching the side of his throat.

"Halt!" the judge cried out. One glance, and the judge nodded. "Winner, Link!"

Groose was flabbergasted at the sudden change before scowling. Link sheathed his sword and waited until the judge ordered for them to salute.

As they did so, Groose said, "Okay, that wasn't bad. Next time, though."

Link nodded. "You, too. Next time."

With no further words exchanged, they walked off to their tents.

~o~O~o~

Having given up his hidden advantage, Link stayed with his right hand, but continued to fight conservatively to maintain his stamina. Groose had been the longest fight he had thus far, and Link vowed not to underestimate the physicality of his future opponents. As he racked up victory after victory, the breaks in between matches were becoming ever shorter, forcing Link to end the matches as quickly as possible. As Liena had warned, his foes' talent increased drastically, but not to any such degree that Link felt quite threatened yet.

Link fought his way to the finals, still against a bevy of different opponents from all the races in Hyrule until at last, a few hours before sundown, he claimed victory over a particularly stubborn Goron in the semi-finals.

He entered the competitors' tent, feeling exhilarated and nervous. He had no idea what to expect now, or even who his next opponent was. Part of him was tempted to go to the tournament boards and check the brackets, but he had abstained from doing so all day. He took a deep breath to calm down and remained in place. He had done fine so far, so there was little reason to change his methods now.

Keep the rhythm.

"Link!"

Taking one last deep breath, Link turned around and smiled. "Hi, Liena."

She bounded over and gave him a hug. "I knew you could do it! You're at the finals!"

"Thanks," Link said bashfully.

"Your family and I have some really good seats, so we'll be cheering you on," Liena said. "Ilia, Daruk, and Captain Teboh are here as well, so do your best. No more reason to hold back, okay?"

Link nodded emphatically. "Got it."

"Lastly, this last match will be in the presence of the royal family, King Bosphoramus and Princess Zelda," Liena said. "I'm just warning you ahead of time, not to make you nervous. As per tradition, when the herald introduces you to them, you must kneel. Not bow, not salute, kneel. Got it?"

Link nodded again. "Got it."

"Okay, that's enough out of me," Liena said. "Do what you do to ready yourself. I'll let your family know you're okay."

"Thanks, Liena," Link said before adding, "for everything."

Liena hugged him once more before running out.

~o~O~o~

There was still enough sunlight to see, but Link had to admit, the setting sun casting its red hues certainly made the moment even more dramatic amidst the backdrop of cheering crowds in the open field.

Approaching from the other side was his final opponent. And it was someone he recognized.

Revali.

It wasn't a terrible surprise. In order to make the fights reasonable for all races, the Rito were asked prior to each match if they would prefer to fight on the ground or in the air. Most of the Rito were archers and took to the skies, but there were some spearmen and swordsmen who opted for the ground. For those that wanted to take flight, there were towers constructed for them to climb and take off from before the match would begin. However, they had to keep a maximum height to maintain fairness for their opponents.

Link knew what Revali would pick and mentally prepared himself accordingly.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the herald shouted. He waited until the audience quieted down before continuing. "We have now reached the finals of the Four Swords Tournament!"

The crowds cheered and applauded. Once it was quiet enough, the herald continued.

"I present to you Revali, representing the Ritos!"

A section dedicated to the Ritos immediately started cheering, along with many other races that Revali had charmed with his archery skills that had led him to the finals. Revali raised his arms and took a bow, basking in the adoration.

"And Link, representing the Hylians!"

To Link's surprise, there was quite a lot of support for him. Mostly Hylian, of course, but the Gorons seemed pumped up and were stomping their feet, causing tremors that Link could feel. The Zora were also cheering for him. He looked around but couldn't find Mipha anywhere, though King Dorephan was in attendance. Link hesitantly gave a tiny wave, which drove the volume up even more.

Once the audience had calmed down sufficiently, the herald turned to the ornate spectator box, adorned with the crest of the royal family. "Your Majesty, King Rhoam Bosphoramus of Hyrule, and Her Highness, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, I present to you our finalists!"

Link knelt down, as did Revali.

His Majesty nodded and raised a hand.

"Stand, combatants, and face one another," the herald instructed.

Link and Revali did as they were told.

"I present to you the honorable judge Owlan," the herald announced before leaving the arena.

A tall, wiry man walked up to them. He had silver hair yet a youthful appearance, making Link wonder if the man was a Sheikah. However, he lacked the tattoos or adornments that the Sheikah were known to have, plus his skin tone was closer to that of the Gerudo.

"I am Judge Owlan," he said. "I hereby stand ready to judge thee today under the watchful eyes of the Goddesses and His Majesty, King Bosphoramus. You are aware of what is expected of you both?"

Both Link and Revali nodded.

"You will follow the rules established by the Royal Family of Hyrule," Owlan said solemnly. "Noncompliance will not be tolerated. Is that clear?"

Again, they nodded.

"You stand as representatives of your respective peoples," Owlan said. "Be proud, fight honorably, and may the Goddesses bless the victor. Revali, please prepare yourself."

Link stood in place as Revali walked off the field to the nearest tower. Once up top, he gave a wave to the crowds, who cheered accordingly, before flapping his wings and leaping off. He kept his position in the air with a series of flaps and nodded his readiness.

"Link, are you ready?" Owlan asked.

Link drew his sword and shield, and nodded.

Stepping back, Owlan raised his arm. He glanced once at Revali, once at Link, then dropped his arm quickly. "HOI!"

Revali charged forward. The maneuver almost caught Link off-guard; he had expected Revali to fire a volley of arrows to secure a quick win. Link wasn't wearing any metal armor, so according to the tournament's rules, one arrow to his chest or head would be enough to secure a point.

Link dodged to the side. He tried to strike at Revali as he passed, but the Rito was too quick. Instantly, Link realized that the move was meant to test his reflexes.

Revali charged only once more. Link failed to score a hit as well.

Using the speed generated by his aggressive flight tactics, Revali managed to make a tight turn that surprised Link this time. In his hands was a drawn bow, arrow already nocked.

How the hell did he ready that during a turn that hard?

Link managed to raise his shield and block the arrow, but Revali sped past him. Without thinking, Link spun in place, shield still raised. Again, he heard the arrow bounce off his shield.

Link risked a moment to look and saw that Revali was still flying hard and fast, yet somehow he was able to raise his bow and launch a series of arrows.

Link continued to hide under his shield, but the arrows seemed to be coming from all directions. With his shield blocking his view, a particularly sneaky shot clipped him in the leg. He grunted from the impact and snarled. It was the first real hit he had taken since the start of the tournament. He knew that if the arrow hadn't been blunted, it would have crippled his movement.

Link started running, watching Revali carefully, and prepared to intercept him if he tried to dive at him again.

He thought he had plotted where Revali would be, but the way the Rito changed direction and angle in midair…

So fast!

Link barely raised his shield in time. The edge of his shield miraculously made contact with the arrow's shaft midflight and altered its trajectory, and he felt it slam into his shoulder.

"Halt!"

Judge Owlan stepped into the arena. Link lowered his sword and shield, and presented himself for inspection.

"Where did you feel the arrow?" Owlan asked.

"My shoulder, but I don't know if it's close to the collarbone or not," Link muttered.

Owlan nodded and inspected Link's tunic before pulling aside the collar. He checked the chainmail underneath before pulling that and his undershirt aside to attempt to see the flesh beneath. Link stoically endured the manhandling.

"Hmph. Red spot at the shoulder, just shy of the throat," Owlan announced. He released Link and stepped back. He faced the king and bowed. "No point! The round will resume! The contestants will return to their places!"

Link adjusted his clothes and chainmail, hefted his shield and sword, and moved the obligatory twenty paces away from Revali.

Once Owlan was assured that both competitors were ready, he raised his arm. "HOI!"

Revali surged forward again, yet somehow he had already managed to ready an arrow. Link barely managed to deflect it.

It was the first time he had been pushed so defensively against his will, rather than as part of his strategy, and he grew frustrated. The way Revali flew, coupled with his uncanny ability to stop flapping for just a moment to release arrows with uncanny accuracy, only to fly away again. It was hit-and-run tactics refined to such a degree that Link found himself a bit jealous and a bit in awe.

The fight progressed exactly the same as earlier, with Link trying to find his footing and counterattack, while Revali dive-bombed at him, firing arrows, sometimes two or three at once.

During one of the more aggressive attacks, Revali demonstrated his mastery of the air by somehow flying at top speed, only to stop on a pin and change directions, again while releasing another volley of arrows.

Again, Link tried to raise his shield. He avoided two of the three, but the last was coming straight for his torso. Like before, the shield made contact with the arrow's shaft, but he was too slow this time. He felt the arrowhead strike his torso, just below the collarbone.

"Halt!" Owlan ordered. Stepping into the arena once more, he approached Link and asked, "Where did you feel the strike?"

"Torso, just below the collarbone," Link answered, doing his best to keep his voice level to hide his disappointment. "It was a clean point."

Owlan nodded, turned to His Majesty, and raised his arm towards Revali. "Point, Revali! The contestants will return to their positions."

As Link marched back to his position, Revali was flapping nearby, looking smug. His bow was nestled comfortably in his talons. He still had half a quiver of arrows left.

Link narrowed his eyes and considered his options. He had hoped to wear down Revali using defense before either using his bow or sword to get victory, or letting him use up all his arrows before attacking. However, it seemed like either Revali had trained up his endurance at the Flight Range back at the Hebra Mountains or was using his skill to finish fights as quickly as possible to avoid fatigue and ammunition problems.

It was then that realization struck Link like a bolt of lightning.

It was likely, even probable, that most if not all of Revali's opponents had opted to use a shield as their primary strategy to defend themselves against his aerial barrage. And Revali took advantage of that mindset and had trained himself accordingly to beat opponents that would use shields against him.

Need to change my strategy, or this will be it. Time to be sneaky.

Link readied himself when Owlan raised his arm.

"HOI!"

Instead of flying at him, Revali also made a small change of strategy. He flew to the side, going in a tight circle to attack Link at his right flank—his sword arm, not his shield arm, which would make deflecting the arrow harder.

Link backflipped over the projectile instead of relying on his shield. The moment he landed, Link dropped his shield and sword, and hoped his footwork would suffice against Revali's accuracy.

The preparation would take only a couple of seconds, but against Revali, that was almost a lifetime.

Link grasped his bow, ducking as he did so to avoid another arrow. He settled the bow in his left hand into its usual position, and he had to leap to the side to avoid one arrow, only to halt his motion to avoid the second arrow that would have struck him had he kept going. Finally, he managed to pull three arrows out of his quiver before having to roll to evade another volley of arrows. One flew uncomfortably close to his head, but its flight was unimpeded and didn't compel the judge to halt the match.

Link drew one arrow, tried to predict Revali's flight path, and released. He expected that Revali would be able to dodge it, but that was the point: by having two more arrows in his hand, he saved time by treating his hand like a quiver; another arrow was already set.

Revali did dodge, but it meant he lost speed. He would need to flap at least once to maintain his attacking momentum. Link led the target and let loose another arrow. He gritted his teeth when Revali managed to dodge that, too. Last arrow already drawn, he tried once more.

This time, Revali avoided a loss, but the arrow did strike him in the leg. Revali hissed in pain. To fly as fast as he did, he had to abscond all forms of armor, so he felt the blunt trauma for sure.

It was a distraction Link could use. He drew his bow and nocked three arrows at once.

Surprised that a Hylian could do something like that, Revali's pace was shaken as he tried to find a way to fly around all three arrows. His hesitation allowed one of Link's arrows to strike true, and it landed firmly on his abdomen. Revali barely managed to stay in the air as he flapped harder to keep his position. Once he recovered, he looked gobsmacked that Link had managed to hit him with an arrow whilst he was in the air.

"Halt! Point to Link!" Owlan declared. "Return to your positions!"

"Hmph. Well, you seem to have some skill," Revali said. "Don't expect to be so lucky twice. You might think you're good, but I'm better."

Link bared his teeth. Revali was masterful in the air, that much was true, but he knew that once he was able to ground the pompous ass, there would be no way Revali would be able to match Link's ground game.

Have to time it right.

Link picked up his equipment and got back to his position. He nodded his readiness to the judge.

Owlan stood tall and made eye contact with each of them before dropping his arm. "HOI!"

Revali flew at Link in a straight charge, swapped directions, and loosed another arrow. Link blocked with his shield and was nearly bowled over when Revali actually flew in to kick him. His shield was still up, and Revali's talons made contact. There was a screeching sound as Revali used the metal surface as a launch point to fly off of and achieve his max speed once more.

That's a good move.

But the way Revali was attacking was familiar. Captain Teboh had once shown Link the same maneuver during the rare occasion they would spar, and Link believed he knew what was coming. Revali was taking the fight closer, trying to bait Link into attacking with his sword.

If I'm wrong, I'll lose.

Well, it was time to commit to his gamble, not to be timid. Playing along, Link waited until Revali charged at him again and took a swing using his sword while shifting his shield above and behind his head in one motion.

As Link had hoped, Revali had all the agility the Rito were known for and perhaps a bit more. In mid-charge, Revali was able to abruptly change direction, flapping once with extraordinary force to flip over Link to avoid the sword swing. In an instant, Revali had his bow in his hands, nocked an arrow, and prepared to capitalize on his attack on Link's blindside, only for the intended target to be prepared with a metal shield, holding and guarding himself in the most unorthodox way.

Revali let out an undignified squawk but was too late to stop. The arrow had been released already.

The moment Link heard the arrow clang against his shield, he spun around, dropping his sword to grasp his shield with both hands, flip it around, and toss it like a discus before Revali could recover and fly away.

Revali's missed charge and attack costed him greatly. He tried to twist around and flap his wings to regain air speed and altitude, but the shield struck him solidly in the chest.

With a grunt, Revali fell the short distance to the ground.

Link scooped up his sword and dashed towards his downed foe.

Refusing to give in, Revali rolled onto his back, with his bow already drawn with a fresh arrow, and fired again.

In an amazing show of reaction time and precision, Link's sword struck the arrow out of the air with an upward slash. With his wooden blade now raised, he was now in a position to finish the fight.

In desperation, Revali raised his bow to block.

Leaping into the air, Link struck the bow with his sword, and using his weight and momentum from the leap, he pressed his advantage as hard as he could. His strength was more than enough to buckle Revali's defense. With both bow and sword pressing against Revali, Link continued to apply force until the blade rested against Revali's neck.

"Halt! Winner!" the judge announced.

Link promptly got off and sheathed his sword. He offered a hand to his opponent, but Revali glared and got up on his own. He dusted himself off. As tradition demanded, they turned to the royal box and kneeled.

"Your Royal Majesty, I present to you Link Faron, your champion!" the herald announced.

King Bosphoramus nodded and raised his hand in acknowledgement.

Revali was quick to rise to his feet and stomped off. Link was more measured and graceful in his departure.

~o~O~o~

It was a whirlwind of events as Link tried to process what had happened. He was presented to the royal family in an official ceremony. His Majesty had given a speech, but Link couldn't recount what had been said. After a trophy was presented to him, his family had crowded around him, even his father. Afterward, friends and family all came to congratulate him. Captain Teboh, Daruk, Ilia, people he knew from the village, knights from the garrison, Liena, his parents, Aryll, they were all there.

Cremia offered to take care of his trophy so he wouldn't have to hold it constantly. He thanked her amidst the crazy amount of adoration and celebration for his victory.

After what felt like hours, he managed to sneak away from the crowds and get some fresh air in Hyrule Field. The festivities had moved into Castle Town, which was as rowdy as Link remembered during the previous tourney.

He took a deep breath and looked around. The sun had fallen sometime earlier, but the Moon was almost full, so there was plenty of light to see with. Link looked around for Ammy, the one companion he hadn't yet seen. He had a steak wrapped in wax paper for her.

Link let out a whistle that Ammy always responded to, but frowned when she didn't appear.

"Hey, Link!" Aryll shouted. She ran up behind him and gave him another congratulatory hug. "What are you doing, hiding out here? Too embarrassed to meet your adoring fans?"

"Something like that," Link mumbled. "Just not used to it. Have you seen Ammy?"

Aryll wanted to tease him more, but the question stopped her. "Um… early this morning, but she ran off into the nearby trees… I actually haven't seen her since."

"Not once?" Link asked. He was sure that Ammy would follow Aryll around to protect her.

"No," Aryll said, thinking similar thoughts. "I was so busy watching you or waiting for your matches to start or visiting all the new vendors that it didn't cross my mind… Is she okay?"

Link frowned and whistled again, louder this time.

The siblings stood there in the field, looking for hide or hair of their beloved companion.

"Oh, I see her!" Aryll said happily. "Wait, I think I see her… what is that?"

Ammy was slowly walking towards them from the tree line, but hidden within the foliage was another canine.

Link thought it was another Hylian Retriever that Ammy had made friends with, but it stepped into the moonlight for just a moment, and he saw that it was another wolf.

Oh… oh.

Ammy looked reluctant to answer Aryll's coaxing, but she was not one to disobey, which tugged at Link's heart.

"Ammy, what's wrong? Don't worry, you can visit your friend when Link takes you to the garrison," Aryll said gently.

"Aryll, I don't think that's a friend," Link softly said.

Aryll looked up and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I… I think that's her partner," Link said.

"Oh, does that mean we'll have two pets now?" Aryll asked excitedly.

Link shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I think it means… I think we have to say goodbye."

Aryll's eyes widened, and she wrapped her arms around Ammy. "What?! No! Why?!"

Link knelt down and gently rubbed Ammy's head. Far from looking happy at the attention, she looked forlorn and indecisive. "She wants to have a family of her own, I think. She's been a part of our family for years. It's time to let her have her own. We can't ask so much of her."

Aryll started crying. "But, no… she's…"

Link gently took Aryll's arms off of Ammy and presented what would likely be his last gift. "Here, Ammy. If I had known, I would have found a better cut… the best cut of meat I could get."

Ammy gingerly took the offering but did not eat it. She calmly held it in her mouth.

Link hugged Ammy as tightly as he dared before giving the loyal wolf a kiss on the head. "You've been a better friend than I probably deserve, Ammy."

Aryll, with tears running down her cheeks, walked up to Ammy next and hugged her. "I'm going to miss you so much, Ammy."

Ammy whined and gently nuzzled the side of Aryll's face.

Link gave Ammy one final scratch. "Okay, Aryll. Let her go. She needs to leave."

Aryll sobbed once but took a deep breath and released Ammy. "Go on, Ammy. I hope… I hope your family will be big and beautiful."

Both siblings took a step back to wait and watch.

Ammy let out a mournful howl around her treat. She took a few steps back before turning around and running at the wolf in the distance. Once there, she dropped the steak so she could turn around and howl, long and loud for them to hear.

"Do you… do you think we'll ever see her again?" Aryll asked.

"I don't know," Link quietly confessed. "I hope so, but I don't know."

Ammy and her partner watched them for a while longer before Ammy took her gift and ran into the woods. Her partner seemed to convey gratitude in his eyes before running after Ammy.

Link wrapped an arm around Aryll. "Are you okay?"

In lieu of answering, Aryll turned around, hugged Link, and began to cry in earnest.

~o~O~o~

Link brought Aryll to their parents. Upon seeing her, they excused themselves from the festivities. Link quickly told them of what had happened. Marin carefully took her little girl in her arms and rubbed her back to soothe her.

Revan rested a hand on Link's shoulder. "You did the right thing, Link."

"Really?" Link asked.

"Yes, of course," Revan replied. "You know, there will be a time when your mother and I will have to let you go. Aryll, too. You'll have to leave us, live your life accordingly, without us to tell you what you can and can't do. You'll have to live with all of your decisions with minimal help from us. Ammy deserved the same."

Link looked down at his boots. "I already miss her."

"I'm sure she does, too," Revan said. He pulled Link into a hug. "Just when I think I couldn't get any prouder of you, you have to go and do this."

Marin and Revan opted to take Aryll home, but they bade Link to stay to enjoy his well-earned victory and not let what had happened dampen his spirits overly much.

At that point, several of the other knights found him and asked him to join in on their version of fun.

What it was, Link had no idea and would not remember come next morning.

~o~O~o~

It took her most of the morning, but Liena finally found Link inside one of the competitors' tents where they would wait before entering the arena.

Link was in a sorry state, looking utterly disheveled, red-eyed, and piteously lying down, trying to block out the sudden surge of sunlight when she pulled back the flap.

Link moaned and curled into a ball. "Hurts."

Liena frowned. Without lowering her voice, she mercilessly said, "Yes, that's what happens when you drink. Does it feel good?"

A loud groan was her answer as Link covered his ears and pathetically pleaded for mercy.

She was tempted to torture him more but sighed instead. She fetched some water from the nearby pitcher and knelt next to her squire. "Drink, Link. If you don't, I'll find some pots and pans to bang around you."

It took some effort, but he managed to take in a few cups.

Next, she wet some cloth and cleaned up Link's face a bit before drawing up a blanket. "Sleep tight, Link."

"G'night. Thanks," Link mumbled.

Once she was sure he was asleep again, she pulled up a chair and stayed in the tent to watch over him.

Link slept for a few more hours, almost all the way to the afternoon, before he blearily woke up. It took him several minutes to get his bearings before he spotted Liena sitting nearby.

"I'm going to take a guess, but you don't want food for what might be the first time in your life," Liena said.

Link shook his head.

Liena pulled out a canteen. "Water. Drink it."

It took Link a moment of effort to get up, and he grasped the canteen. He took several grateful gulps and handed it back to her.

"Now, get up," Liena ordered. "You need to use the privy. I'm rather surprised you haven't embarrassed yourself yet by pissing your trousers or sleeping in a puddle of your own vomit."

Link groaned but managed to stand up on unsteady legs. He left the tent, growling at the sunlight shining in his face as he went about his business.

When he returned, he crumpled back to the floor.

Liena sighed. She sat down next to his prone form. "Okay, Link, I need you to pay attention to what I have to say. Drinking is not okay. A lot of people will tell you it is. It isn't."

"So I'm learning," Link muttered.

"No, you don't understand," Liena firmly said. Her thoughts turned to some extended family. Drinking had been a problem there, too. Then there had been a fire, and…

She clamped down those memories. It wasn't fair to Link for her to project her pain onto him. "I'm not trying to ruin your fun. I'm asking for some moderation, okay? If this is something you want to do for fun—"

"No," Link immediately said. He rubbed his eyes. "I understand, Liena, I really do. No more drinking. I don't want to embarrass you like this."

Now she felt guilty. "Link, I want you to know, while I may not personally approve of it, the decision should be of your own feelings on the matter. I don't want you to promise simply because it makes me happy. I do need you to understand why you're making the choice you're making, okay? This is your life, and whatever you want to do, you can do it."

"I got it, I do," Link said seriously. "And I mean it. No drinking. This has been one terrible lesson to learn."

"I'm sure it is," Liena said.

"Do people really piss themselves or that other thing?" Link asked.

"Yes," Liena said. "Be glad I'm the one that found you. Heaven forbid someone else sees their Four Swords Champion looking as undignified as you."

"Thanks, Liena," Link mumbled.

Liena smiled. "Thank you."

~o~O~o~

After another brief nap, Link felt much better. He cleaned himself up, managed to look somewhat presentable, and ate a late (and light) lunch.

"So, was it a good party?" Liena asked. They were riding back to Mabe Village together. Liena had insisted on escorting him home, just in case.

Link shrugged. "I guess so."

"You drink enough to get your first hangover, and all you can say is, 'I guess so'?"

"Ammy found a partner while we were in the tournament," Link said gloomily. "We had to say goodbye."

"Oh… oh!" Liena said, realizing the full implications. "I'm so sorry, Link. I know how much she meant to you."

"Yeah. I guess I got carried away with drinking more because of that," Link said. "Aryll was a bit of a mess, too. Mother and Father took her home early."

"That's why I didn't see your father boasting more," Liena said. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Link answered. "Ask me again tomorrow."

"Do you need time?" Liena asked.

"No, she's fine," Link said. "She didn't die or anything dramatic like that. She… she just wanted to move on, and we had to let her."

"The timing of it all… just as you won the Four Swords," Liena said sympathetically.

"Better than before the tournament, I guess," Link said. "In the end, I know it was the right thing to do."

"I'm proud of you, Link," Liena said. "In so many ways."

Link somehow manufactured a smile that almost felt genuine. "Thanks."

~o~O~o~

Author's Notes:

In my head canon, I would like to think that Daruk would follow the same naming scheme as Darunia and name any offspring from close brothers.

As for Revali, I wanted a real reason to generate the animosity that exists. I didn't think jealousy would be enough. He's not spiteful, just arrogant.