"What are you doing, Master Revali?" Medli asked as she joined the Rito Champion on the ground.

Revali looked from the branch he was holding, pausing in his tracks as he gave her a nod in greeting. "Making a bow," he answered as he resumed stripping the wood of bark.

"May I watch?" she asked.

"It's not that exciting, but you can if you want," he replied absently. Thankfully, she didn't seem offended by his lack of interest and enthusiasm. While making a proper bow wasn't exactly difficult, it required a decent amount of concentration.

The Rito girl sat next to him quietly, watching with interest as he experimentally bent the branch. He growled in annoyance as he felt far too much resistance and heard the faint sound of cracking. He set it down, taking a calming breath before he got back to his feet.

"I have to go find another branch."

"Oh, I'll come with you!" The excitable Rito leaped to her feet and started following him as he began poking around for a suitable branch. "May I ask why you are making another bow? Is your Falcon bow damaged?"

"No, I…" He grimaced as he covered his eyes with a wing. He certain that his reason was only something that would make sense in the confines of his own mind. "… I've been feeling like I'm stuck… or maybe…"

"Stagnated," Medli offered.

"Huh?"

"Maybe you feel like you aren't making any more progress. Like you've gone as far as you can go."

"Yeah," he muttered. It was a large part of why he had picked up a sword in the first place. While he felt like he was gaining competence, it was like he was crawling along while Link was bounding forward with his own training. It was difficult to believe he was making progress while one of his peers was so easily able to adapt what he learned.

It was humiliating if he was honest. He had always tried to make himself appear superior in every aspect, but, time and time again, he was given examples of just how far behind he was. "I suppose I thought that maybe I could try to remake my old bow."

"The Eagle bow? How would that help?"

"If I can't remake it with improvements, then it proves that I really can't go any further." He wasn't sure it would be an accurate measure of what he had left to accomplish, but it was something he wanted to try all the same.

"Oh," Medli replied thoughtfully, "I understand."

"You do?"

"Kass likes to tell me that the best learning is done through failure, but I'm not so sure. If that were true, I feel like I'd be the wisest Rito ever," she sighed.

"You're getting better at cooking," Revali offered after a moment of awkwardly searching for something to say.

"Not really. Master Link has to keep making up for my mistakes."

He could sympathize with the hopelessness he saw on her face. There had been a time when he too wondered if his efforts would ever amount to anything.

"So," he started as he mentally reached for anything to change the subject, "how did they make bows in ancient times?" He mentally palmed his face as he considered just how inane the question must have sounded.

Medli tilted her head in thought, forgetting her woes for the moment. "Well, as I understand it, they use the same woods these days; however, they used the tendons from larger animals for the string."

"They what?!" He was caught somewhere between admiration at the ingenuity and disgust at the thought of using such a thing.

"Yep. They used tendons as bowstrings," Medli replied with a nod.

"Did they work?" he asked, still not quite sure he was hearing her right.

"Oh yes. Though I suppose that isn't really surprising. Animal tendons have to be strong and durable, so it's only natural they would work so well."

"I'll take your word for it," he replied.

"May I ask a question now?"

"Sure," he replied as he started his search anew. He had been so distracted by their conversation that he had momentarily forgotten what he was doing.

"Why did you want me to come along."

Again, Revali forgot what he was doing as he got lost in the moment, not entirely sure how to respond at all. "I guess I thought it might do you some good to get out of the Village," he finally said.

"Do me some good?"

"I… remember how… lonely it can be," he answered awkwardly, wishing that he was better at having conversations like the one he was currently involved in.

If he were better at saying what he meant, he might have mentioned how odd he found it that he felt loneliest when he was surrounded by the members of his own race. How it had been like a breath of fresh air to travel through Castle Town with no one knowing who he was ,despite his complaints to the contrary.

"You're right," she murmured sadly. "It seems like if you're the odd duck, then there's very little chance you'll ever belong. Is that why you enjoy traveling with them?"

"What?"

"Is that why you like traveling with the other Champions? Do they make you feel like you belong?"

"Who said I like traveling with them?!" he squawked.

"Well, since we've left the Village, you act… happier, maybe," she said, visibly debating whether or not it was the right word to use.

"I'm just glad to be away from the Village is all," he grumbled. He sighed internally as he could see by the expression on her face that she didn't quite believe him. "I suppose that they aren't all that bad," he conceded, earning a small giggle from Medli.

"You act so much like Genli. She pretends that she hates singing, but she actually loves it quite a lot."

"Then why would she pretend to hate it?"

"Maybe pretend is the wrong word," she said thoughtfully, before perking back up. "Maybe I should say that she has convinced herself that she hates it. I think it's the same with you and the other Champions.

"Not in the slightest," he sniffed. "I tolerate them because I have to." He hid a smile as she tilted her head and looked at him like he was one of her books. He wasn't sure why being analyzed like that would make him want to smile. Maybe it was because he had managed to distract her and even made her laugh, even if that hadn't been his intent.

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"What?" he asked.

"I wasted your time while you were trying to make a new bow," she explained apologetically.

"There are… worse uses of my time." The Rito Champion was again feeling the need to slam his head into something. He wished he could learn to think before he opened his mouth and said something childish.

"I should get going."

"You should stay," he said quickly, ignoring the voice that was screaming in the back of his mind. "What I meant to say is that I… enjoy your company." He let out a deep breath, wondering why that had been so hard to say.

"Really?"

"Yes… maybe you could help me," he offered weakly. Medli tilted her head in puzzlement for a moment before she nodded.

"Okay! I'm not sure how much help I'll be though."

"I'm sure we can figure it out." He had years of experience crafting bows. How hard could it be?

Mipha had considered dissuading Link; however, she could tell even before she had spoken to him that he had made up his mind about something. While she hated to think that he was putting extra effort in just for her sake, she knew that it would be pointless to try and convince him. He was going to see it through just as surely as she would heal him if he were injured.

She shook the thought off quickly. Her anxiety levels were high enough without thinking about the Hylian Champion and potential injuries. She hadn't truly gotten enough sleep since the night that Link had spent the night sitting beside her but the last few nights had been particularly bad. Nightmares had been plaguing her, making what little sleep she did get far from restful. According to Urbosa, she had even been shouting at one point, much to her shame. None of the others had made complaints, but she was certain that she had disturbed them as well.

Unfortunately, waking up hadn't been the end of it. All that morning, she had been struggling to maintain control of her frayed nerves, doing the best she could to refrain from melting down. Poor Medli had tried to help, but Mipha had turned her away a bit more harshly than she had intended to.

She wanted to believe that it was nothing, but a small voice nagged at her that all was not well, and it had only grown louder as the sun had climbed higher and higher into the sky. A voice that warned her to hide for the foreseeable future.

Now, Link was leading her along a path towards the top of a nearby hill. He had made a habit of taking her away from others when he wanted to have a personal conversation. The lack of curious ears made it easier for both of them to relax. In his hand, he held the same basket that he had given to Revali during his date with Medli. If she had to guess, he had cooked a sizable amount of food in a variety of ways in an effort to cheer her up. While eating was something that helped him more than her, she had no doubt that he had been thoughtful enough to make the things that she liked.

When they reached the top of the hill, Link opened the basket and, to her surprise, pulled out a large cloth and set it on the ground. He sat on top of it and patted the spot next to him, letting her know that she was supposed to join him.

"How're you feeling?" he asked as she sat next to him.

"I am all right," she replied.

"… So how are you really feeling?"

She sighed as he stared at her, already knowing that it would do no good to try and lie her way out of the question. "I… am not doing well," she murmured. The Hylian Champion lay back, shifting his gaze to the sky above. The Zora Champion followed suit, her eyes flitting between her friend and the sky, not finding solace in either.

"It's nice out here," Link noted quietly as they listened to the birds chirping around them. A soft but constant breeze blew past them, causing the grass to sing gently to them as the blades rustled together.

Just South of them, towering over everything in sight, was the Gerudo Highlands that separated the Desert from the rest of Hyrule. In a few short hours, they would be on the cusp of entering Urbosa's homeland and the domain of the final Divine Beast; however, such thoughts were far from her mind.

"It is," she replied, mildly confused by the change in topic. After a moment's thought, she decided it wasn't out of the ordinary for the Hylian. If he thought that somebody didn't want to discuss something, then he wouldn't pursue the topic.

They sat silently, soaking in the sun as they stared up at the boundless expanse of blue sky above them. Ordinarily, it would have been a bit too warm for Mipha's tastes, but she had exchanged the Lightscale Trident for the frost spear, which helped to keep her cool.

Finally, Link opened his mouth to speak. "…Why me?"

"Hmm?" she hummed absently.

"You could have chosen anyone. Why choose me?"

It was a question that she had spent copious amounts of time considering. As it turned out, the answer was much simpler than she had thought. "To just about everyone, I was Mipha the Zora Princess," she sighed. While being a Princess had its benefits, there were downsides as well. Very few people had paid attention to her emotional needs. The council had been more concerned with proper conduct, appearance, knowledge, and other niceties. The people had viewed her as some sort of untouchable entity, one that had substantial power over them.

"To you," Mipha continued as she kept her eyes locked on the sky, "I was just Mipha. I could be your friend for no other reason than because I wanted to. I never had to wonder if you were trying to use me for your own ends," she murmured as she suddenly began chuckling. "You were so innocent that I imagine you would have been horrified by the thought."

Link didn't reply, but she wasn't disappointed. The Zora Champion had started thinking about many of the marvels that she had discovered in her Hylian friend.

"I was surprised that it was a Hylian who treated me as an actual person," she sighed. "I had met several Hylian ambassadors before, and I only ever felt that they held contempt for us Zora, but you… you were different. I always got the impression that you saw me as a Zora but weren't bothered in the least. In fact, you would often comment on how much you enjoyed living in the Domain."

"Zora are cool," he replied.

She smiled at that. She was glad to see more and more of his childlike nature resurfacing. While it was still a rare occurrence, it was far more common than it had been before.

"Why you?" she asked, repeating Link's earlier question. "You were, and are, the most remarkable person I have ever met, and my best friend. I will always love you," she murmured quietly. While it was nothing that Hylian Champion didn't already know, she was overjoyed that she could finally say the words without suffering from fear or embarrassment.

Link gave her an indecipherable look, but after a moment, she felt his hand entangle itself with her own. He opened his mouth as though ready to say something, but all that came out was a sigh.

"Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm not good with words," he sighed, "but I…" he trailed off, seemingly unable to finish.

She wasn't sure why it was right then, but as her friend struggled to say what was on his mind, all of the cryptic things he had said over the past couple of weeks came back to the forefront of her mind. Link continued his struggle to speak as she struggled to fit the words of the past together. Suddenly, it clicked.

"You feel the same… that's what you've been trying to tell me, isn't it?" she asked as she searched his face for any sign of the answer.

The Hylian Champion nodded.

"I kept misunderstanding, didn't I?" she asked sadly, her sorrow increasing as he nodded again. It pained her to know that she had been so oblivious that he had to step far too much out of his comfort zone. Stepping out a little wasn't a bad thing, but too much at one time could damage any sort of relationship. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I should have –"

"I need to learn to say it," he replied. He sighed again, "Remember our first night in the Village?"

"Yes."

"I… said it then, but I… it sounded wrong."

"Wrong?"

He was silent for a long moment, as though contemplating how to explain what he meant. "It sounded cold like I didn't mean it."

"Oh…" She wasn't sure what to make of the news. As a child, she had always imagined that if such a moment came, it would be accompanied with flowers and declarations of undying love or other such romantic gestures. When she had grown up a bit, Mipha had altered the image a bit; however, even when taking Link's rather quiet nature into account, she still hadn't imagined it would be like this.

The more she thought about it, the more heartwarming she found it. Not the words that he couldn't say, but the ways that he had tried to say it. Even though Revali had apologized for all of the awful things he had said to her, Link had still gone out of his way to assure her that it wasn't true. Then, he had gone out of his way to say other things to let her know she was important to him.

Even though his words had failed him at times, he hadn't relied on them alone. As she continued reflecting on all the years they had known each other, she made a note of the many different ways he had taken care of her. From having her back in battle to sitting beside her and holding her hand so she could finally sleep at night, he had found more ways than she could have thought to show her that he loved her. Even before he had stopped speaking, he had always believed in actions more than words. Even though he couldn't speak the words, he had found a way to say them all the same.

She turned her eyes back to the sky above, finding a nearly forgotten sense of peace in the moment. They lay there, silently enjoying the moment until an unnatural rumbling roused her. She sat up quickly, looking around as she gripped the spear beside her.

Link had also gotten up, but rather than looking around for a nameless threat, he was opening the basket. He pulled out a plate filled with fish, taking one and sticking it in his mouth as he set the rest between them.

"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly, "I'm pretty hungry."

Mipha giggled in response. It seemed that no matter what happened, some things would always stay the same.

Prince Sidon and the rest of the Zora Guard stood at the gates of the Domain, waiting apprehensively for the moon to rise. Kapson, the religious leader of the Zora, had informed him that morning that a Blood Moon would rise that night, bringing with it hordes of undead monsters.

The ever-present enthusiasm within him reminded him that they could be in a far worse situation than they were in. After the Domain's last major battle, He had possessed the foresight to have the corpses of the Lizalfo army disposed of. It had taken far longer than he had wanted it to, seeing as he had made certain that the bodies were nowhere near any Hylian settlements as well. While the Hylians were not his primary concern, he knew that his father, sister, and Link would be disappointed in him. They knew he was better than that and he was determined to make them all proud.

"Prince Sidon!" He turned to find Captain Bazz jogging towards him. "Everyone who won't be partaking in the fight has been secured in the Throne Room."

"Thank you, my friend! I have no doubt that you and the rest of the Brigade will do a marvelous job in defending them!" he replied as he gave the Zora guard a toothy grin.

"I was hoping to talk to you about that," Bazz replied. "I think we would be of more use here with you."

"Nonsense!" His smile faltered slightly as Bazz's face creased in consternation. "Remember, my friend, that one of the monsters we will fight are Lizalfo. If they use the river to get by us, then who will be there to defend our friends and family? I wish for someone I trust to be there just in case."

"As you wish," the Captain relented.

"Do not worry. I will not be fighting alone," Sidon reminded him.

Bazz nodded, looking slightly less morose as he saluted before diving into the river and swimming back towards the Domain.

As he turned back to the ranks that stood just behind him, he noticed how they all looked at him, almost unable to hide the fear they felt inside. He couldn't blame them for that as he was battling his own dread even as he grinned at all of them, flexing his arm as he did so. He was determined to smile for them no matter how he felt internally.

After the Champions had left, the Prince had devoted a sizable amount of time trying to remember his younger years, particularly how Link had fit into the picture. There was still very little he could recall of the Hylian Champion, but there was one memory that had come back clearly to him. One that had defined what Link represented to him.

He had been quite the little fool as a child, often getting himself into trouble in the pursuit of adventure. During one such occasion, he had happened across two Bokoblins. Had he been near water, it would have been a simple matter to escape. As it was, there wasn't a suitable body of water anywhere near him. The young Prince had been forced to run, tripping over his abnormally large tailfin a few times. No matter how hard he pushed himself, he could still hear the monsters gaining on him.

He was certain he was going to be captured when he saw someone leap in between him and the Bokoblins. He looked over his shoulder to find that Link had come to his rescue.

Up to that point, Sidon hadn't much cared for the Hylian. He had been fun to play with from time to time, but after Link had met his sister, Mipha had steadily gravitated towards him. It made Sidon jealous to see his sister finally opening up to someone after she had been growing distant from him for years. He had, on more than one occasion, told Link exactly what he thought of him, and it was far from kind.

Yet, there was Link, putting himself between the two bloodthirsty creatures and Sidon. In a panicked haze, the Prince had shouted something incoherent, but rather than shouting anything back, Link had flashed him a grin. Though Link had never been in an actual fight as far as Sidon could recall at that point, it hadn't stopped Link from giving him one of the most confident smiles he had ever seen.

The fight was a blur to the young Zora, but there was one detail that had stuck with him. Even during the worst of the fight, when Link was knocked down by a strike that he hadn't been able to dodge, the smile never faltered. In fact, it didn't disappear until the Prince was safely back in the Domain.

Later that night, Sidon had snuck into the infirmary and listened to his sister chastising the Hylian for his recklessness. He had felt a moment of kinship with Link as he was reminded of the lecture that he had received upon his return. As he continued listening, he learned that Link's injuries were far worse than he had originally thought. So much so that Mipha wasn't able to heal him entirely.

The Prince tossed and turned that night, trying to understand why Link had grinned. All of the heroes he had seen fight before always looked fierce, almost terrifying in the way their skin was pulled tight across their glares. Yet the Hylian's expression had been a far cry from the ferocity he would have expected. It also occurred to him that it was odd that Link had paid any attention to him at all. No matter how he turned the event over in his mind, he couldn't make any sense of it.

It wasn't until he had explained it to his father that he had finally received an answer. According to the King, Link hadn't been smiling for his own sake, but rather for Sidon's. By showing a confident grin, even through the worst, the Hylian had let Sidon believe that everything would be all right. After that, the Prince had decided that was the kind of leader he wanted to be. Someone who could smile even during the worst of times.

The site of the blood red moon rising over the surrounding hills pulled him out of the past. He felt his breath hitch slightly as the red circle came into full view. He reached for his sword, an unwavering smile on his face. He felt ill, but he wouldn't let it deter him. His people needed his boundless optimism, so he would keep smiling for them.

His hand abandoned his weapon as he covered his ears as an earsplitting roar tore through their surroundings. He looked up to find a blue dragon flying overhead. Waves of golden light flowed through the air, emanating from the dragon as she continued winding through the air.

"Naydra," he breathed. It wasn't his first time seeing the Dragon, but it had been a long time.

"What is it doing?" he heard one of the guards ask.

Sidon, remembering that all was not yet well, looked down, finding the path to the Domain as empty as it had been minutes prior. He bent over the cliff, scanning the river below for any signs of the monsters he had been expecting, but there were none to be found. "Keep watch!" he called as he sprinted back towards the Domain.

He rushed through the walkways, feeling water splash his legs as his feet kicked it up. Normally, he found the Domain to be calming at night; however, the red hue that covered it was almost suffocating. When he finally arrived at the throne room, he found things just as quiet as at the gates.

He looked up again, watching the Dragon's beautiful dance as the waves of light continued to emanate from her beginning to fill the sky above him. He began laughing as he remembered a story that he had heard as a child. When the Goddess had created their world, she had gifted three spirits, in the form of dragons, with the power to protect the land from dark influences. Now, above him was one of those beings.

Sidon looked down again, blinking in surprise at what he saw. The tainted red that had stifled the Domain was receding, as though something was slowly drawing it out. His grin returned, not at all forced as Naydra roared again, her call a statement of defiance against the darkness.

The Prince, feeling energized by what he had seen, rushed back to the gates. As he made his way through the Domain for the dozenth time that day, he took a moment to hope that his sister too was far from danger.

"You knew this would happen?" Teba asked as he and Kass stood atop the spire that the Rito Village hung on. Across the gorge that separated them from the rest of the Tabantha region, they could see Dinraal surrounded by a golden aura as he flew through the skies above.

"They told me that freeing Naydra had eliminated the threat of the Blood Moon in her territories," Kass answered idly. He was busy trying to determine the right tune while also formulating the lyrics to adequately describe the scene before him.

"But did you know?" Teba asked as he eyed the Bard.

"I had my suspicions."

"We refrained from cutting the bridge because you had a feeling?"

Kass couldn't blame his friend for being mildly upset. He did have a wife and son to protect, something that the Bard could empathize with greatly

"Now Teba, I'm sure we can agree that it will be nice to have a break from repairing the bridge," Kaneli chuckled as he lighted down next to them.

Teba huffed something under his breath before sighing audibly. "I suppose I could have cut the bridge regardless of what you said to me," he grumbled.

"Thank you for trusting me," Kass murmured.

"You haven't given me a reason not to… yet."

He chuckled at his friend's antics. Though Teba wouldn't admit it, he was thrilled to have been able to see his old Master again and it showed in his attitude. While he was normally cool and detached, he had started taking up a few of the Rito Champion's mannerisms over the last few days. It reminded Kass of a few incidents he was certain that Teba would rather everyone forgot.

"I have seen many wondrous things in my life, but nothing quite like this," Kaneli said, the awe in his voice nearly tangible.

"I suppose this is something," Teba muttered.

"Yes. It is quite wondrous to see Kass putting up with that spunk of yours," Kaneli agreed, chuckling slightly as Teba rounded on him.

"As ever, Master Kaneli, you are a real hoot," Kass chortled.

"Please stop."

Kaneli and Kass laughed as Teba glared at them both. After his mirth subsided, Kass turned to look South. While he was certain that she was safe in the company of the Champions, he couldn't help but worry about his sister. Medli was kind-hearted and quite intelligent when it came to written facts. Unfortunately, such intelligence would only get her so far in the dangerous situations she would be faced with while on the road with the Champions.

"I should be going," he said suddenly. Thinking of his sister had also made him think of his family. While he had managed to convince Amali that they would not be in any danger, he had noticed that she was still uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, watching Dinraal while his wife was likely worrying about their daughters. If he wanted to write a song about what he saw, the view from his home would have to do.

"Give Amali my regards," Kaneli replied, to which Teba agreed.

As he flew towards his house, he took a moment to pray that the Champions had possessed the sense to stay under Dinraal's protection and keep his sister well away from the dangers of the Blood Moon.

"I understand why they cut the bridge to the Village now!" Medli shouted as she did her best to keep up with the others.

"Now's not the best time!" Urbosa called as she rammed the remains of a Bokoblin with her shield. She found herself more annoyed than worried. They were close to the Gerudo Desert, close to taking back her Divine Beast, yet their progress was being stymied by an endless stream of undying monsters.

"Sorry!"

"Can we please focus?!" Revali followed up his request by releasing a bomb arrow into a group of skeletons.

"Sorry!"

"Medli, ya don't have to keep apologizin'!" Daruk was having the easiest time by far. His giant stone sword, combined with his strength could shatter the skeletal beings beyond recognition, and those that weren't shattered were tossed too far away to be a threat.

"Sorry!"

Urbosa, despite the danger they were in and her own frustrations, found it mildly humorous that Medli couldn't stop her stream of apologies. She had a feeling that to say anything would only prompt another bout of apologies.

"There!" Urbosa glanced briefly at Link, who was pointing towards a small opening in the cliffside ahead of them. They had begun a mad rush as soon as the moon had started to creep into the sky. While the Hyrule Ridge offered many nooks and crannies, it had nowhere near large enough for them to hole up in while waiting for the Blood Moon to pass. Their only option was to try and make it to the base of the Gerudo Highlands and search for a suitable shelter.

"Go!" Daruk ordered, causing the group to cut through the mass of bones in front of them in a desperate attempt to get to the cave. Even with their newfound strength and stamina, they wouldn't be able to survive an all-out battle against the undead. Things may have been different if the monsters would stay dead, but as it was, they would eventually succumb to the relentless swarm.

Without needing to be told, the five warriors surrounded Medli, keeping the Rito girl safe even as they rushed forward. Thankfully, Medli had the good sense to stay in the middle rather than giving in to terror and running blindly about.

As soon as they were in the welcoming embrace of the cave, Daruk turned on his heel sharply and swung the Boulder Breaker with all his might, throwing everything unfortunate enough to be in its path out of the cave and into the other corpses that scrambled to reach them. Link used those precious few seconds to summon a bomb and tossed towards the entrance. He detonated it as Daruk fell back, causing the wall above the opening to crack and come crashing down, cutting them off from the outside world.

Urbosa stood in the pitch blackness, catching her breath as the adrenaline in her system slowly disappeared. She heard someone rustling around for a few minutes before a fire sprang to life. Link straightened himself as the flames lit the caverns around them.

As soon as the Gerudo Champion's eyes adjusted, she did a quick head count, noticing that both Midna and Epona were gone. It didn't really surprise her as she had watched Link goad Epona back in the general direction of the Tabantha region. Midna had likely followed.

Revali was checking on Medli, who was holding up quite well, though Urbosa could see that she was visibly shaken. Oddly enough, Mipha looked to be in even worse shape than the Rito girl; however, Link was already tending to her.

It surprised her to see the Zora Champion in such a state. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath, even as Link murmured something to her and patted her on the back. If anything, she had been expecting Medli to be the one that was losing control.

"Hey, Little Guy!" Daruk called out from the front of the cave, "can you build me a fire over here?"

Link looked at the Goron for a moment before turning back to Mipha. He gave her one last uncertain glance before crossing the cave to join Daruk. Urbosa could see that the Zora Champion was not holding up well, especially without anything to keep her mind occupied.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly as she approached Mipha.

"This is my fault… I should have known…"

"How?"

Mipha looked at her uncomprehendingly.

"How would you have known?"

"I could feel something was off."

Urbosa frowned at the response. "Let me ask you something: if everyone here was shouting at you all at the same time, would you be able to hear anything that one of us was saying?"

"I suppose not," she answered after some thought. The Gerudo Champion could see that she didn't understand what she was trying to say.

"I know that something has been bothering you lately. Your healing abilities are limited, you barely sleep, and anytime Link is more than five steps away you become jumpy. It doesn't take a genius to see that something has been bothering you. Under those conditions, do you really think you can tell what's causing you to feel that way?"

She looked over her shoulder as the cave brightened more. Link had supplied Daruk with another fire and was now making his way back towards Mipha.

"We'll finish this later," she said as she set a hand on the Zora's shoulder. She turned away and made her way back to Daruk, who was walking around the perimeter of the cave-in slowly. She waited silently as he muttered to himself while stroking his beard.

"Yeah, I think thas' a good spot. Just gotta be careful how I do it," he said to himself.

"Careful with how you do what?"

"How I dig us outta here. If it was just me, I could smash my way out, but the falling rocks might kill ya."

"Is it that bad?" she asked as she looked at the heap of rocks in front of her.

"Yeah. The Little Guy did some pretty serious damage to the cave wall. Not to worry though! I can get us out of this!"

She personally couldn't make out any sensible escape route, but that didn't shock her. Daruk had likely spent years in the mines on Death Mountain. If anyone knew how to get them out without causing a collapse, it would be him. "So, what's the plan?"

"I'll have to dig a hole big enough for ya to crawl out, then, once ya'll are clear, I'll smash through."

"Won't that bring the cave down on you?"

"When you put it like that…"

"On the bright side, you would be surrounded by your favorite meal."

"Do you really have to make it worse?"

"I thought you enjoyed eating," Urbosa chuckled as the Goron Champion sighed.

"Yeah, but the thought of being killed by food is embarrasin.'"

Urbosa shook her head as she grinned at him. She could leave it to him to take something like that out of what she had said. She quieted down as Daruk turned back to his self-assigned task. While she knew he needed to concentrate, there was a pressing matter they needed to discuss; however, she wasn't sure how to broach the subject.

"I think," Daruk muttered as he began scratching his beard "that we should talk about Mipha."

The Gerudo Champion's eyes widened in surprise. It seemed that they shared the same concerns.

"I think we should consider sendin' her back home," he said.

"I can't say I disagree. She hasn't been herself lately. She struggles to heal, and she struggles to keep her composure."

"And she distracts the Little Guy. I'm worried that he won't be able to focus on what he needs to do if she's around."

She didn't like the fact that they had to discuss the possibility of sending Mipha away, but the Zora Champion was quickly becoming a liability. If she couldn't come out of the funk she was in, she would get herself killed, and possibly get others hurt in the process. It was an unpleasant, but necessary consideration. "When we get to –"

She was cut off as they heard a muffled shriek from the other side of the stone.

"Uh… what was that?" Daruk asked.

"Don't tell me that was –" Another shriek cut her off. "Link! Revali! Get over here!" the Gerudo Champion commanded as Daruk quickly began digging through the rubble.

"That was Farosh?" the Hylian Champion asked as he joined them.

"Don't know, but if it is…" She didn't finish, trusting that they knew what needed to be done.

"We can handle it," Revali said.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Farosh should be out of range from the ground."

"Take care of yerselves out there," Daruk rumbled as he moved one last stone, creating an opening just enough for them to crawl through. "If ya get in trouble, we won't be able to help ya."

Urbosa watched as the two Champions exchanged a glance, nodding to each other before turning their determined gazes back to her and Daruk. She was proud of how far they had come since the beginning of their journey.

With nothing left to say, Link and Revali left the cavern behind.

"Can you hold this?" Urbosa asked as she looked at Mipha. The Zora Princess was already starting to deteriorate.

"I got it," he replied.

Urbosa nodded, moving to uphold her role in the group.

"We'll use the same tactics that we used against Dinraal!" Revali called over his shoulder. "I'll get you in close, then you…" The Rito Champion didn't finish his sentence as he finally noticed Farosh. Unlike Naydra and Dinraal, he was not covered in the malice-born eyes. Instead, the iridescent tips of his scales shown with a deep purple hue instead of their natural green. The result was a sickening medley of purples and greens.

Without the eyes, Revali had no idea how they were going to purge the malice. He supposed they could try to cut Farosh himself, but the odds that Link would be able to cut through the Dragon's hide, even with the Master Sword, were astronomical.

The Rito Champion changed course, flying directly overhead the Dragon as opposed to beside it.

"Got any ideas?!" Revali shouted.

"Look!" He followed Link's finger to the nape of the Dragon's neck, where he saw an oily black mass bubbling.

Though there looked to be only one point of infection, Revali didn't feel confident in the slightest as he angled into a shallow dive. In fact, he felt an overwhelming sense of dread as he brought Link within range. The Hylian stabbed at the mass with the Master Sword, but before it could make contact, Malice exploded outwards, throwing them away.

Thankfully, Link pulled his arms in and pressed himself low against Revali's back, allowing the Rito more maneuverability. Once he regained control, he turned his attention back to the mass. It churned and boiled as Farosh screeched in pain. Both he and Link watched as a single, liquid black stalk with a large bulb on top erupted outwards. It swung towards them, eyelids peeling back to reveal a single eye.

"That's it?" Revali asked, feeling almost disappointed with himself for getting so worked up.

The large orb focused on him as though hearing his words. Two appendages extended from the sides of the eye like large wings. From below, he could just make out a mouth that opened wide as it screamed at them.

The Rito Champion pulled up sharply as the iris glowed green. He heard the clap of thunder as a bright green beam shot out of the eye, missing him by a few feet.

"You had to ask!?" Link shouted as another beam shot towards them.

"Let's just finish it!" Revali dove down, counting the seconds between each beam as he and Link began to catch up. He would have to have impeccable timing, or else he and Link would both be fried. After dodging another shot, he pulled alongside the eye, giving Link the opportunity to strike. The two wing-like appendages crossed in front of the eye as the Master Sword flashed towards it. It screamed in pain, snapping the structures open and striking Revali.

The Rito Champion was flung away as he twisted and turned, trying to regain control of his flight as Link tried to maintain his grip. Revali finally righted himself only to find that Farosh had used the opportunity to turn around and was now charging towards them.

"Fantastic," he grumbled before spiraling out of Farosh's path. If there was one thing he had learned during the three previous battles it was that the best way to avoid the Dragon's gaping maw was to remain as close as he could. He shot past Farosh's head, eyeing the eye that controlled the Guardian Spirit. "It's regenerating!" he snapped as watched the malice on the creature's body writhing, quickly growing out to replace what had been lost.

As soon as the monster caught sight of them, it began firing beams at them again.

'I've got an idea!" Link called as Revali dodged another attack "Get me on his back!"

"How will that help anything?!"

"Trust me!" Link replied as Revali felt him strap something to his back. He tilted his head back quickly to find the Hylian Shield strapped to his back. The Rito Champion cursed silently as he dropped Link off as close as he could to the eye. The less time he had to spend weaving back and forth, the better.

The massive eye turned its gaze towards Link as he began his precarious climb towards it. Revali took the shield and readied it as he saw the eye beginning to glow green. He dove down sharply, holding the shield in between himself and the blast. He grunted as he was knocked back, forced to fight for control again as the beam was deflected off the shield's surface.

He quickly righted himself as the eye screamed its frustration. It charged up another shot, forcing Revali to think quickly. As he dove down again, he covered as much of his body as he could with the shield as he began spinning as fast as he could. He felt something strike the shield, but, thanks to his momentum, he wasn't knocked back.

He came out of his spin to find Link almost on top of the eye. Before it had the chance to attack again, he pulled out his bow and began firing ice arrows as fast as he could. The eye screeched horribly as large, icy patches grew along its body. When it could barely move, he pulled out a bomb arrow and fired it at the base.

The creature collapsed, laying limp as its focus swiveled back to Link. Revali watched carefully but the creature made no attempt to move or fight back as Link closed the remaining distance between them. As the Hylian raised his blade, the Rito noticed a bright light on the Dragon's body. Everything slowed as he looked down and saw a luminescent glow emanating beneath Farosh's scales.

"Link, don't –"

The creature screamed, as though celebrating a triumph when Link's blade plunged into it. There was a bright flash followed by a deafening crack as Farosh jerked violently.

Revali's eyes darted around, looking for any sign of the Hylian as Farosh flew away, writhing in pain silently as a sharp ringing clouded Revali's hearing. The seconds stretched on into eternity as he searched desperately for the Hylian Champion, finally catching sight of him as he fell belly up towards the ground.

Revali slammed his wings into his side as he dove down towards his companion. He grit his beak tightly as he realized that he had no way to secure the Hylian safely, meaning that once he caught Link he would have little to no control of his flight.

With no other option, he wrapped one wing around the Hylian as he braced himself for the inevitable crash that awaited them. He either could let Link fall, or he could do his best to slow them both down and hope that they would both survive.

He flapped as hard as he could, throwing as much power into it as he could like he was trying to create a gale. To his surprise, he slowed their fall considerably, though his vision still swam sickeningly as he slammed into the ground. Even with a thick layer of snow covering the ground, their landing knocked the wind out him.

He was glad they had fallen on the Plateaus as opposed to the lower ground.

He lay on the ground, coughing violently and resisting the urge to empty his stomach as he rolled over and crawled to the unconscious Hylian. He grimaced as he looked at his fellow Champion. Link was covered head to toe in small burns, except for his right arm, which was a blackened, mangle of a limb.

Though Revali had never been jealous of Mipha, he found himself wishing that he had been gifted with her powers as he dug through Link's pouch quickly, pulling out a bottle filled with a red potion. He bit the cork and ripped it out, dumping the contents into Link's mouth as he held it open. He tossed the bottle aside and reached for another.

Had the Rito Champion been paying closer attention, he would have noticed that the Master Sword had disappeared. Had he been paying more attention, he would have noticed the figures that had surrounded him and the Hylian Champion. He would have noticed as they closed in. As it was, he didn't notice until a pair of boots entered his field of view.

He grabbed an arrow and looked up quickly, just in time for a foot to smash into his face, causing his head to snap back as Darkness overwhelmed him.

Guest Reviews:

Guest(1): Thank you. Will the teasing be turned up though?

E.A.T: Daruk is simplistic by design. Not only are the Gorons a relatively simple race, but he is also older, meaning that his character development shouldn't be nearly as radical as Link, Revali, and Mipha. He should still be changing but in a much more gradual manner.

Nightbreed1: You know, I can't see the Zora as kissers. Between their teeth, and the shape of their head, I just can't make it work n my head. To answer your question about FE characters in Smash... there aren't enough. As for my favorite Zelda, I don't really have one.

Darth Vader: Is it the power of losing? Because it does so a lot (returns hug with awkward side hug).

Guest(2): I usually don't ship Link with anyone either, though Mipha and Midna are the exceptions.

A Sand Seal: I'm calling your bluff. That last part was totally included for references.