She had no idea how long she had been cradling Link's lifeless body. She wasn't even sure how much time had passed since her tears had stopped. Her grief hadn't subsided in the slightest, she just didn't have any more tears left in her. She had tried healing him, but it had no effect on the corpse in her arms. All she could do was hold what remained of the broken Hylian.
Mipha wasn't really sure where she was. She had vague memories of traversing an arid, sand filled landscape, but she didn't have the first clue where it was or how she had come to be where she currently was. Occasionally, Link's body would fade away and give way to crystal blue surroundings. These brief bouts brought some relief because she could almost convince herself that everything proceeding it was in her head and not reality. If she were to look up during these episodes, she would notice a large orange face that gazed at her worriedly, but before she could process anything, it was all yanked away.
All she was left with was the corpse of her most beloved companion.
Knowing there was no use, she set her hand on him, watching dully as her hand refused to glow. With nothing else left for her to do, she set the crest of her head against his forehead and closed her eyes. Though there was next to nothing left, she wanted to cling to the little bit of the Hylian that remained.
She was startled when she lurched forward, her head crashing through the space that was supposed to be occupied by Link's. Her eyes snapped open, finding that Link was nowhere in sight. Instead, she was close to the bottom of an unfamiliar body of water. Though she was in her element, the Zora felt her chest constricting as she tried to catch her bearings. Feeling claustrophobic, she quickly swam towards the surface and hauled herself onto the edge.
She stood, trying to make sense of what she saw. Stone buildings, brightly colored tents, and strange combinations of green and gold. Feeling very small and very alone, she sat down, dipping her feet in the water. She searched and searched, trying to find some meaning in the world around her. Unfortunately, no answers made themselves known.
A massive weight on her back caused her to flinch violently. After a moment of panicked breathing, she found that it was the weight of Daruk's hand she was feeling. The Goron didn't say anything, only sparing her a sad glance before gazing upward at the night sky.
Following his gaze, Mipha finally noticed the stars above her. Under different circumstances, she might have found them beautiful, but the black background they were set against reminded her too much of the darkness in which she had been holding Link.
Her gaze shifted down before she could drift too far down that stream of thought.
Mipha felt Daruk's rocky hand move up and down across her back in a vain attempt to comfort her. Maybe he didn't know what to say. Maybe he knew that his words wouldn't really matter. Maybe he just wanted her to know that he was there.
She didn't know why he sat there so quietly with her. In fact, she wasn't even entirely sure he was really there. With how reality kept shifting around her, she couldn't be sure if what she was experiencing was real, or just fragments of her shattered psyche trying to make sense of everything. She couldn't decide which one frightened her more, not that she had dedicated too much thought to the matter at all.
She closed her eyes but quickly opened them again as the emptiness served as another reminder.
It seemed that whether this was real or not, there would be no respite. No matter where she looked, there was a reminder of the images that had been plaguing her relentlessly.
Though she made no indication that she was even aware of him, the Goron Champion remained beside her. His hand continued moving up and down her back rhythmically as the distraught Zora made every effort to stop thinking altogether.
She was left wishing it were that simple.
Urbosa stood on the balcony outside her room, staring over the vast Gerudo Desert as she reflected on the last few months. While the only significant thing to happen was witnessing her best friend give birth to a beautiful baby girl, it had been enough to bring back some old sorrows.
"Has anyone ever told you that you spend far too long lost in the past?" a familiar voice asked from behind her.
Urbosa shook her head as she began to chuckle lightly. "Are you sure you should be gallivanting across the Kingdom? You did just give birth, after all."
"What is it you always say? 'Don't underestimate how stubborn I can be?'"
"I don't recall ever reading about the former monarchs of Hyrule being so cheeky."
"Ah, you must forgive me," the Queen replied with mock sincerity. "I was taught that the Gerudo Chiefs had a penchant for jesting even in the direst of situations."
"You are over correcting far too much, my dear," Urbosa replied with a shake of her head. "Even so, I suppose it is good to see you," she finished with a smile as she embraced her closest friend.
"It is good to see you as well," the Queen chuckled as she returned the hug.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Urbosa asked.
"I was worried about you." The smile faded as the blue eyes began searching her intently. "And I see that I was right to."
The Gerudo Chief suspected as much. While she could hide her inner thoughts from most of her closest friends, the Hylian Queen was always able to see through her act. "I know what you're going to say."
"I have already learned better than to tell you not to blame yourself."
Urbosa nodded. While the Queen could be incredibly wise at times, there were others when she couldn't see the reasoning behind the actions of others. Though she knew on some level that it wasn't her fault that she couldn't have a child, having someone to blame made it easier for her to accept. Blaming herself prevented her from taking out her frustrations on somebody who didn't deserve it. "Well, it only took three separate conversations."
"Have you thought about adopting?"
She had indeed considered the possibility but had ultimately decided against it. From what she had heard, it was difficult for adopted children to become integrated into their new family. Even infants could struggle to properly attach to their new parents. Not only could this cause friction in the parent-child relationship, it often led to tension between spouses or other family members.
It was a responsibility that required time and patience. She had patience to spare, but time was another matter entirely. As Chief of the Gerudo, she would struggle to balance her responsibilities to her people while trying to help a child acclimate. If she was being truly honest with herself, she felt it was selfish of her to bring a child into her life to fill some unfulfilled desire on her part.
"So, you have."
"Has anyone mentioned that it's really unnerving when you read minds?"
"You have made a habit of mentioning it at least once a visit," the queen replied offhandedly.
"Apparently, that one hasn't sunk in yet."
"Well, perhaps in time, your situation will change."
Sometimes, the Gerudo found the Queen's persistence quite frustrating. It was only worsened by the fact that she was still grieving. She was well past being angry and depressed, but sometimes she felt it acutely. "And how do you figure?"
"I am not sure," the queen replied thoughtfully, "but we both know that I just know about these things."
Urbosa laughed in response. No matter how outlandish a claim, the Queen was more often right than not. Maybe there was still a bit of hope.
"Lady –"
"Stand aside, girl."
Urbosa shook her head as the memory faded away, leaving her confused and exhausted. Though she lacked much of the context for the scene that had just played out in her head, it still left her with a deep abiding sadness. One that felt extraordinarily familiar.
Setting it all aside for the moment, she finally looked at the scene playing out in front of her. Captain Teake had set herself in front of Medli, trying to shoo her off even as the Rito girl was trying to peer around the woman in front of her, frantically trying to get the Gerudo Champion's attention. If Medli's antics hadn't been enough to convince her there was at least something of mild importance, then the hilt of the Master Sword poking over her shoulder was.
"I'll take care of this," Urbosa muttered as she stepped forward and set a hand on Medli's shoulder. "Keep going. I'll catch up."
Teake grumbled something incomprehensible before giving the order to continue.
The Gerudo Champion guided the Rito off to the side. The woman was concerned by the mix of fear and hope she saw plastered on Medli's face. "What happened?"
"SoIwaswalkingaroundafteryouleft, butIwasn'tpayingattentiontowhereIwasgoingandthenIgotlost-"
Urbosa sighed, silencing the girl by setting both of her hands on Medli's shoulders. She appreciated that the Rito understood that she was in a rush, but there was no way that she was going to make any sense of the jumble of words that fell out of her mouth. "Too much, too fast." The girl took a deep breath and opened her beak again, but Urbosa cut her off, "Keep it quick. Only the important parts."
"Muava handed these to me because Link can't protect them right now."
Urbosa rubbed her temples as she debated whether or not she wanted to ask for more information. The advantage to talking to Medli was that she would give all of the pertinent information. The problem with talking to Medli was that she gave too much information.
"How did Muava get them?" She had a feeling she knew the answer, but she wanted confirmation.
"She said a friend gave them to her."
She sighed before tilting her head back, "Would it kill you to be a bit more straightforward?"
"I'm sorry!"
"Not you, dear." While 'friend' was not a particularly descriptive term, it was more than enough for Urbosa to piece together a rough idea of what had happened. "Did Muava say anything else?"
"Just that she thinks Master Link and Master Revali are still alive."
"Good." She eyed the Rito in front of her, debating whether or not she truly wanted to suggest what was going through her head. "Do you think you can make it back to the Bazaar?"
"I think so… maybe…"
"You can, and you will. Tell Daruk that I am heading with some of my sisters to infiltrate the Yiga's hideout and that I will be back soon, do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good, then be careful." With the conversation ended, Urbosa sent the Rito on her way, watching her nearly run towards the gates. "You had best take care of her," she growled as she looked up briefly.
Whether she liked it or not, she had gotten the message that Hylia was trying to send. The Goddess was going to be there regardless of how she felt about it. If She was going to be there, then Urbosa figured that she may as well rely on Her.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she set out after the guards she was to accompany.
Medli stood on top of the wall surrounding Gerudo Town. She had doubts as to whether or not she could reach Kara Kara Bazaar. If it were just her, she had no doubts that she could fly most, if not all, of the way back to the Bazaar. With the Sword and shield, she wasn't so sure. If it weren't in the middle of the night, she might try walking. Unfortunately, many of the more dangerous creatures were active at night.
Flying was probably her safest option.
"Uh… I don't know if you can hear me or not… or why you would even care if you could, but if you can and you do, I could use some help." Medli felt herself blushing slightly as she heard the guards nearby chuckling about the fact that she was talking to herself. She felt her shoulders rise up defensively, but she opted to not move her perch. It was the closest she could get to the Bazaar. "Please…" she added, hoping to not be rude. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what proper etiquette dictated when imploring the Goddess' help, but she figured the extra bit couldn't hurt.
She felt a warm breeze brush past her, as if in response to her request.
Medli flapped her wings, pushing herself unsteadily up into the air. Though it had been weeks since her last major flight, she had still taken some time to practice the method that Revali had shown her. Unfortunately, it hadn't helped her very much. She had been embarrassed by her lack of progress until Revali had reminded her that she had years of bad habits to unlearn. Not only that, but some of her muscles were underdeveloped, meaning it would take months of intensive work before she could fly further than a few miles at a time.
Hopefully, what she could do would be enough to get her to the Bazaar.
Once she climbed up to a suitable height, she stopped and spread her wings wide, catching the gentle breeze with her wings.
Medli quickly became distracted from the dull pain in her shoulders as she glided over the desert. She hadn't been able to appreciate the sight of the land she was in during the heat of the day. Now though, she could see many of the details she had missed the first time around. The lack of tall, reaching plants, like trees, made it even easier for her to see the land below her. While the vast majority of the ground was dusted with sand, there were small patches of green, making the desert look like an odd, mismatched quilt. With her superior eyesight, she could make out little critters scampering across the sandy dunes.
It was all beautiful in its own alien way.
In the midst of daydreaming about the research she would like to do, she remembered what she had set out to do. She berated herself for becoming distracted as she reoriented herself towards the Bazaar. The Rito winced as her wings and shoulders groaned at her, complaining about holding both her and the extra weight she carried. She carried on, pushing through her extreme discomfort.
Her wings grew numb as she approached the Bazaar, but she felt a small rush of energy as she caught sight of Daruk. If she hadn't been busy giving everything she had to reaching him, she might have called out to him. As it was, she barely had the energy to remain airborne. She wouldn't even be able to land properly.
She prepared herself for a rough rendezvous with the ground; however, she was preparing for the wrong thing. She felt what little air was left in her body exit as she crashed into a large, stone hand. Luckily for her, Daruk managed to catch her before she collapsed on the ground. The stars and black spots that danced across her vision made her want to vomit. A desire that was only compounded as the Goron Champion set her gingerly on the ground.
"You okay?"
"I'm… I'm alright," she gasped dizzily as she underwent one of the most unpleasant experiences of her life. She was caught in the strangest cycles of trying to breathe while simultaneously trying to keep the contents of her stomach where they were. While they sounded like inherently different tasks, every intake of breath felt as though it was going to bring something unpleasant back up with it.
"Where did you get that?" Daruk asked quickly.
"Get what?" she asked, not really processing anything that was being said to her.
"The sword."
"What sword?... The Sword!" she squawked as everything clicked back into place. She tried to get to her feet, her head was still spinning terribly. "I- "
She closed her mouth quickly as Daruk picked her up gently. "I'll be back in a bit Mipha. Just need to get her to the inn and make sure she's okay."
"Okay…" came the soft reply.
"Sorry," Daruk murmured as he carried her towards the inn. "She's been in and out of it for the last few hours. I really don't think seeing the Sword will do her any good right now."
"Sorry."
"For what?"
"I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Urbosa sent me back here because she wanted you to know that she's going to infiltrate the Yiga's base?"
"She's what?!" Medli flinched at the sudden noise. It hadn't done any favors for her head. "Sorry," he muttered as he realized that he had just added to her discomfort.
"Don't worry. She went with a group of Gerudo warriors."
"That's better than nothin,'" he sighed as he got her inside the inn. Getting Medli a bed required quite a bit of haggling as Daruk didn't carry money on him. It wasn't until Medli convinced Daruk to set her down so she could try to fish a red rupee out with her numb fingers, a task that she barely succeeded in accomplishing.
Unfortunately, her troubles weren't quite over once she reached her bed. She still needed to loosen the buckles so she could finally set the weapons down. Daruk's fingers were too large, meaning that the exhausted Rito had to fumble with the buckles for several minutes before they mercifully loosened, letting Daruk remove the weapons from her back. She sighed in relief before flopping down on the bed.
"So," Daruk started as he set the Sword and shield down next to the bed and sat down next to her, "what happened?"
"So, I was- " she was interrupted by a yawn, forcing her to rub tears from her eyes "- I was walking around beca …" She had been forced to end the sentence there as another yawn escaped her. She tried a third time, "I was –"
"You were walking around?" Daruk asked patiently.
"Yeah," she sighed as her eyelids grew ridiculously heavy. She was becoming increasingly certain that she was laying in perhaps the most comfortable bed in all of Hyrule, which was making the struggle to maintain a coherent thought all the more difficult. "I met a strange lady… who said that a friend… something about…" that was the last thing she remembered before blacking out.
"Hmm." Barta hummed as another group of Yiga rushed by. "I wonder what has them all worked up."
Revali wasn't paying much attention to the Gerudo's verbal stream of thought. He was preoccupied with Link's condition, which had been steadily worsening over the last few hours. The healing and stamina potions had bought them some time, but if he didn't get the Hylian Champion out of there quickly and back to Mipha, there was a good chance he wouldn't survive the night.
"How is he?"
"Not good."
Barta was silent as another group of Yiga dashed past them. "This will be our best opportunity."
"What?!" he hissed. He was beginning to think that she was absolutely insane.
"When they first brought him in, I thought he might have a few days to a week. Now, I don't know if he'll last till morning."
He hated to agree with her, but he was struggling to remain optimistic at this point.
"Here's the thing: with the bombs, we could have technically left at any time, but we would have had to fight our way out, likely from both sides. That's why I wanted to wait for another shipment of bananas, but this distraction will work just as well. We can slip out and get away in this mess, yeah?"
When he had first met Barta, he had been convinced that she was a few arrows short of a full quiver. Now he saw that he had been giving her too little credit. She was quite adaptable and ready to turn a situation in her favor. That was probably why she had made it into the Guards in the first place.
"You ready to go?"
"I don't see how this can go any worse."
"Good. Grab two shields while I get him ready."
Revali did as he was told and, for once, he didn't gripe about it.
"All right. We'll fasten him to your back and –"
"No," Revali interrupted sharply. "Once the door is open, I'll go out and clear a path –"
"Cute," Barta said, cutting him off, "but there's something you're forgetting. He's running out of time and there is only one of us that can get him to help in time. Once we get outside, you hightail it out of here and get him to Gerudo Town. They typically don't allow voe in the city, but Lady Riju can be amenable when the situation calls for it. Take him and- "
"No. I know someone better."
She gave him a hard look for a moment before she relented. "I sure hope you're right."
"I usually am."
"And so humble too," she replied dryly as she lifted Link on to his back and tied the Hylian down. Seeing how limp the Hylian was gave him even more cause for concern.
Revali, fully aware of how much time they had just wasted, placed a square bomb at the base of the gate to their cell. He took his place next to Barta and held up his shield. "After I get him to my friend, I'm coming back for you."
"When we get out of this, you're really going to have to tell me who the lucky lady is?"
"What?!"
"I'll explain some other time. Now!"
By some blessing of the Goddess herself, another group of Yiga ran by their cell right as Revali detonated the bomb. Not only did it blow their cell open, but it knocked Yiga flying and rendered most of them unconscious. The Gerudo was dashing through the door before the dust settled, having already disabled the few Yiga left who could have caused them trouble as Revali made sure Link was safely secured to his back.
He and Barta exchanged a glance before the Gerudo started leading the way towards the exit. As desperate as they were to reach the exit, they controlled their pace, listening for any threats that weren't in their line of sight. On the off chance they did hear someone coming, they hid in the many contours that the stone wall provided. Thankfully, the Clan members that passed them were running around so frantically that very few noticed them. The ones that did were so taken aback that they were unable to defend themselves as Barta's shield smashed into them.
As they drew close to the entrance, they heard a cacophony of shouts and clanging metal, which meant that the Yiga were under attack. "I see my sisters are finally here," Barta muttered.
Before Revali could reply, the Gerudo yanked him behind a corner as someone came sprinting towards them. She tensed up, ready to strike if an enemy showed their face. A cloaked figure whirled around the corner, dodging the attack and flicking her blade, stopping it just before it could cut through her throat.
"You must be Barta," the figure stated as she lowered her weapon.
In the entire time he had known the Gerudo Champion, Revali had never once been gladder to hear her voice than in that moment.
"It's about time you got here," he said hotly as he stepped around his fellow escapee.
"Give me a break, Feathers. I had to cross the blasted desert twice today." He could just see her lips draw tight as she caught sight of Link.
"Where's Mipha?"
"Kara Kara Bazaar," the Gerudo Champion replied, "as soon as we get out –"
A sharp crack followed by deep rumble cut her off and sent the three of them stumbling as the earth shook. Revali felt his stomach drop at the eery familiarity of the noise. "Please tell me that was you."
"No," Urbosa replied as another crack resounded through the air. Revali looked around sharply as he heard stone shattering around them. "Get moving! And you," she continued as she caught Barta's arm, "tell our sisters to retreat. I'll retrieve the Helm."
"We don't –"
"That's an order!" the Gerudo Champion barked before she raised her weapon again. She moved past them as Clan members appeared behind them. "Go! I'll handle this."
Revali felt himself being pulled along as he watched his fellow Champion rush the Yiga. He turned around, knowing that any further attempts to argue would only waste time. He and Barta rushed onwards, being spurred on as the sounds of combat grew louder. Unfortunately, so did the thunder and quakes.
"If I didn't know better, I would think that Urbosa herself had come to rescue us," the Gerudo muttered, sounding apprehensive.
"What?" he asked, temporarily flabbergasted by the statement. They had quite literally been in the Gerudo Champion's presence a few moments prior.
"My mother used to tell me stories about her. She would talk about how even lightning itself would heed Urbosa's call. I know it sounds childish, but all of that thunder made me think of those stories."
Revali shook his head, taking a moment to remember that many in Hyrule were still under the impression that the Champions were dead. He supposed that, given that the only experience that the Gerudo had of their Champion were through legends, it was understandable that the sounds of thunder on a battlefield would bring a sense of awe. Medli had told him some of the tales that had been passed on about him, and even he had been struck with disbelief when it came to his own supposed abilities.
Even the irony of the statement wasn't enough to calm his worry though. Urbosa, for all of her prowess, couldn't even come close to matching the same power he heard in a single clap of thunder, let alone doing it time and time again. He had, however, had the misfortune to meet a being who possessed the raw power to create those kinds of blasts.
Revali's fears were confirmed as they finally made it outside. Farosh was circling above the chaos that was ensuing in the canyon, sending lightning bolts flying in several directions. Even though the Rito Champion couldn't see a trace of purple anywhere on the dragon's body, he was still suspicious, but he didn't have time.
"Be careful!" Barta shouted over the din as Revali crouched down, having already decided that he was going to give Farosh as wide a berth as possible. "I can't tell whose side he's on!"
"Which way to the Bazaar?!"
"That way!" she replied as she pointed towards the South.
"You might wanna stand back!"
She gave him a questioning look but didn't waste time by asking for an explanation. Once she had moved back sufficiently, Revali gave a powerful flap, generating the largest updraft he could. He rocketed over the two groups and left them behind completely. A moment later, he heard a deafening blast. Afraid that Farosh was after them, looked over his shoulder to find one of the strangest sights he had ever witnessed. The dragon had ended his circling and rushed down towards the ground, forcing his way into the cave that Revali and Barta had just exited. Even from his distance, he could see massive fissures spreading throughout the stone.
It looked like Farosh was planning on bringing the entire mountain down.
Revali growled as he turned back towards the South. He hated the idea of leaving Urbosa to contend with not only the Yiga but a clearly insane dragon as well. If he hadn't been responsible for the survival of one of the Champions, he wouldn't have left at all. Instead, he would have to hope that Urbosa remained true to her typical stubbornness. She would need every ounce of it to make it out of the caves alive.
The Rito Champion flew on, hating many of the choices he had been forced to make in the last hour.
Daruk scratched at his beard as he sat beside Mipha. He had gotten very little information from Medli before she had passed out, but he was still impressed. It was the worst-kept secret among their group that she was a terrible flyer, a fact which was only exemplified by the presence of one of the best fliers in Rito history. The fact that she had managed to fly as far as she had with extra weight was an impressive feat. It took a strong will to push past someone's physical limitations.
He had been a bit unsure about her, but that had been more than enough to prove herself to him. She was just as willing to put everything on the line as the rest of them. He was certain she would be just fine if a little sore in the morning.
If only he could have that same confidence in all of his companions.
He looked down by his side, watching as Mipha stared off into nothingness. He had gotten used to her spacing out from time to time, but this was something different entirely.
Had anyone asked, he would readily admit that he simply didn't understand much of what went on in his companions' heads. That was where many of Urbosa's talents lay, however, he didn't need her understanding to see that something was very wrong with Mipha. He had noticed that something about her had changed when they finally caught up with the younger three Champions back in the Rito Village, but he had shrugged it off at the time. It wasn't that it wasn't important, but rather, he figured that it was a personal matter that she would sort out on her own. Instead, her condition had worsened progressively, coming to a head when Link and Revali had disappeared.
He had tried talking to her, but he was beginning to think that Mipha was worlds away. More often than not, she didn't seem to hear him. When she did hear him, it was like she couldn't quite understand what it was he was saying to her.
He wished the Gerudo Champion was there with him. She would have known what to do. As it was, he could support her the only way he knew how, by sitting with her through it.
"- pha!"
Daruk perked up, looking around for the source of the sound he'd just heard.
"Mipha!"
Recognition hit Daruk like a boulder as Revali's voice cut through the night. He turned around and gaped as the Rito Champion soared up to him. Even with Daruk's comparatively poor eyesight, he could see that Revali was fairly banged up, but that was nothing compared to Link.
"What happened?"
"Mipha," Revali repeated as he touched down, much more unsteadily than normal.
Daruk wasted no more time on questions as he helped remove Link from Revali's back. When the Hylian was safely on the ground, Daruk turned to Mipha.
"Oi! Little Sister!" he bellowed as Revali struggled to catch his breath next to him. He was worried, but that wasn't the reason for his volume. As he expected would happen, Mipha flinched violently, her head whipping around as she looked for whoever had spoken. "Over here!"
The Zora looked at him uncomprehendingly, so he gestured to the Hylian laying at his feet.
As her eyes fell on Link, they widened. She stared, her face twisted in horror as she slowly got to her feet and stumbled over. Daruk watched, unable to understand the scene that was playing out before him. As far back as he could remember, Mipha had always rushed whenever anybody needed healing, especially when it was Link. Now, it was like everything flipped on her head, like she didn't want to be at his side.
When she reached him she knelt next to him and wrapped her arms around him, cradling his torso as silent tears were streaming down her face.
"What're ya doin?!' You gotta heal him!"
"I can't," she whispered, her tiny voice cracking as she choked it out. "No matter how hard I try, it never works. He always dies in the end…"
"Wha –"
"I get it," Revali interrupted quietly, startling Daruk. The Rito Champion stared at Mipha as he knelt on the other side of Link. "I know what it's like to…" he trailed off, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before continuing, "I know what it's like to watch terrible things happen to people you care about. I know what it's like to try again and again and still fail."
Mipha looked up slowly, amber eyes locking onto emerald ones.
"That doesn't mean you can give up though," the Rito continued quietly. "Sometimes, you have to keep trying because that's all you have left. Sometimes, the hope that maybe one day you'll succeed is the only thing carrying you forward."
"What if I can't do it?" she asked, voice almost trembling.
"Then you try again," the Rito replied with the same uncharacteristic calm.
Daruk had seen many expressions on the Rito's face, but this was the first time that he had seen sadness on Revali's face. It wasn't the kind of sad like he had lost a red rupee, or the sadness a child felt when their parents wouldn't buy them a candy they'd had their eye on. It was the kind of sadness that battered a person down, one that continued to chip away at him continually over a very long time. Though he was quite young compared to Daruk, the Goron felt like he was looking into eyes that were older and more worn than he was.
Mipha stared at the Rito Champion for a few seconds before she turned back to Link. She gingerly set a hand on him. She stared intently at Link, but nothing happened. "I can't…" she whispered as she drew her hand back.
"Yes, you can," Revali replied as he caught her hand and moved it back to where it had been "Try again."
Mipha exchanged one last glance with the Rito Champion before turning her eyes back to Link. Daruk took a deep breath and held it as a look of intense concentration crossed her face. After a few seconds, the blue glimmer that accompanied her healing power shone dully. If flickered for a moment but came back even more brightly than before. It wasn't as bright as the Goron Champion remembered, but it appeared to be doing its job.
Revali remained where he was, watching Mipha work silently. After a few minutes, he must have decided that he was no longer needed and sighed as took to his feet. Without sparing anyone a second glance, he walked towards the edge of the Bazaar and stood, looking out over the vast expanse of sand before him.
Daruk eyed Mipha, making sure that she didn't need him anymore. His worries were waylaid when he saw that she hadn't even noticed Revali's departure. The only thing that existed to her was the injured Link in her arms.
The Goron was exhausted, but his job wasn't done yet.
Rolling his shoulders, he walked across the sand, joining Revali at the edge of the Bazaar.
He couldn't tell what was going in the Rito's mind, and he didn't ask. If the Rito Champion wanted to share, he would. If he didn't, then he wouldn't.
"I left Urbosa behind," Revali said quietly.
Daruk frowned. In all of the excitement, he had completely forgotten about the Gerudo Champion. "She can take care of herself."
"Farosh was attacking the Yiga's hideout."
"She's got her lightnin' and her brains. Besides, ya had ta get Link back ta Mipha," Daruk replied evenly. He was worried, but there was no way that any of them could make it to her aid in time. He would just have to have faith in his friend. She was clever and strong and if the Calamity couldn't take her down, then neither could the Yiga or a Dragon. He chose to focus on something that he considered to be equally important. "Ya did good back there," he said as he set a hand on the Rito's back.
Maybe it was the darkness playing tricks on his eyes, but he thought he had seen the slightest smile on the Rito's face.
A companionable silence fell between them as they kept their vigil over the sleeping Desert.
Urbosa charged through the collapsing tunnels of the Yiga Clan's hideout. Even in her rush, she was currently cursing her luck. Not only had she been unable to see two of her companions to safety, but now she was in a mad dash through the lair of a group of banana obsessed assassins as a dragon was trying to worm its way through the mountain behind her. It occurred to her that, had she any children of her own, she wouldn't have told them a story anywhere near as ridiculous as the one she found herself in.
The Yiga were in a blind panic now. If any of them noticed the cloaked woman sprinting through caverns, they didn't care. They were all running around, shouting nonsense as they tried to escape the enraged shrieks behind her.
She couldn't blame them. She was grappling with her own sense of panic as she barreled through the collapsing tunnels. When she had told Revali and Barta that she was going to reclaim her people's treasure, it hadn't occurred to her that Farosh was planning to completely level the hideout. By the time she had figured it out, it was too late to go back the way she had come.
So, she ran deeper into the tunnels.
She came to regret that decision as came to a circular chamber that looked to be the end of the hideout. She looked around quickly for any exit, but there was none that she could see. What she did find, however, was what she had come in search of.
The room apparently functioned as the Clan's treasure room. There were various relics stacked haphazardly around the room, only really being protected by a few, very worn rugs. Ancient weapons, chests filled with rupees and precious stones that glittered in the dim lighting, and other objects were spread across the room's circumference.
None of that mattered to her as she spotted the Thunder Helm on a dais in the center of the cavern. While the object enjoyed an almost sacred standing, especially among the Gerudo Chieftains, Urbosa had no problem whisking it off its stand unceremoniously. She looked around again, tucking her quarry under her arm as she tried to find some sort of shelter.
The stone that made up the floor and walls cracked dangerously as Farosh continued worming his way through the caverns behind her. She stumbled as the floor beneath her jumped, causing her knees to buckle and the stone around her to fracture.
She also heard a faint scraping that sounded of metal dragging across stone.
Sending a quick glance around, she noticed that a section of the wall was jutting out ever so slightly. She closed the gap between herself and it then proceeded to peer at it closely. What she had originally taken for a wall was actually a giant plate that had hidden another entrance to the hideout, or at least, she assumed it was a possible entrance. The fact that she could just make out the light from the moon certainly made her more confident.
Deciding there was no time to search for some sort of mechanism, she placed her shoulder against the plate and heaved with all of her strength. The plate began to swivel outwards with an agonizing slowness as the chamber began to collapse around her. Again, the floor leaped beneath her, pushing the door open of its own accord and throwing her out into the chill of the night air as the chamber caved in behind her.
The Gerudo Champion tucked her head under her shoulder and rolled, coming safely to her feet and sprinting to get clear. Just because she was outside didn't mean that she was safe from the chaos behind her.
She finally stopped, setting her free hand on her knee as she hunched over, trying to catch her breath. She looked around the tiny canyon she found herself in. In the center was a massive hole. Aside from that, the only other landmark of note was a path that looked to lead up to the top of the Highlands.
"There had better be a good reason for all this racket!"
Urbosa straightened in less than a second as a tall, overweight Yiga appeared before her.
"Wait… who're you?" he slurred as he drew two knives. "I was enjoying a nice nap when all this blasted noise woke me up. And now I see that someone has made it to my private space. You must be cursing your luck now that you find yourself facing Master Kohga, the leader of the infamous Yiga Clan."
The Gerudo Champion stared at the mess of a man before her. His mask and clothes appeared to have just been thrown on as an afterthought, and he wavered precariously as he tried to keep his balance.
Not for the first time, she asked herself how the Clan had managed to survive. Not only were their combat tactics average, but now she could see that their leader was a bumbling idiot. It was almost insulting as the Yiga of her day had been under the guidance of a formidable leader. One who was almost as feared as Ganon himself.
Now she understood why Riju and Buliara hadn't considered them a threat.
"I'll just take care of you and get back to my rest."
"I think you get a bit too much of it," Urbosa growled as she readied her fingers. She was in no mood for a drawn-out fight. She would use her power than use what remained of her stamina to get as far away as she could.
Kohga sent one his daggers racing towards her as her finger drew across her thumb. The cave behind her exploded outwards, throwing both her and Kohga off their feet and rendering both of their attacks useless. An earsplitting roar filled the canyon as Farosh surged out of the caves and into the canyon.
Urbosa staggered to her feet as Kohga leaped to his feet with surprising agility. "What…" the head of the Clan stared up at Farosh, who had placed himself behind Urbosa so that his head towered over her. His head then moved back to the Gerudo Champion, then trailed back up to Farosh. "I see. It looks like this situation calls for my super-secret ultimate move!" Kohga drew his hands up by his face before flinging them out toward his two opponents, while also throwing his hips back as though he were pushing some massive, invisible object.
Though she had known Master Kohga for less than five minutes, she could say she was genuinely surprised to say that he did indeed have an ultimate technique. What didn't surprise her was that it summoned a giant, spiked ball, and what surprised her even less was the fact that it fell as soon as it appeared, landing at Kohga's feet with a loud thud. And, to complete the irony of the moment, it remained immobile.
"Hold on!" Kohga shouted around the massive weapon he had summoned. "In just a minute, you will feel the unending agony that –"
Farosh growled impatiently as he leaned forward and tapped the ball with his massive snout, sending it rolling back to Kohga.
"- is my ultima – wait? Wait!"
Urbosa watched, not entirely sure she wasn't in some kind of fever dream as Master Kohga backpedaled away from his own weapon, screaming curses at them as he backed off the edge of the hole she had noticed earlier. The spiked weapon followed after, punctuating the man's screams with a loud crash.
The Gerudo Champion stared at the place where Kohga had disappeared, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.
Even after several minutes, she still struggled to comprehend it.
Shaking her head, she turned to Farosh, who was staring at her. "They were a threat?" she asked, her voice tinted by disbelief.
The Dragon snorted as he rolled his eyes.
She shook her head, sill unable to process the last few minutes. She looked up, finding Farosh chuckling above her. "What? Now you feel like laughing?"
The Dragon nodded.
"You just tried to bring a mountain down on me," she said, letting only some of her accusatory tone be feigned. "How do you intend to make it up to me?"
Farosh clocked an eyebrow before lowering his head so that it was laying on the ground.
"You read my mind," she murmured coyly as she climbed up the side of his head. She wanted to get back to her fellow Champions as soon as possible, both to let them know she had survived and to make sure that Link had pulled through. His earlier antics aside, Farosh was her best bet to return quickly.
Once she was secure, the Dragon lifted off the ground, flying gracefully out of the canyon before escorting the Gerudo Champion across the Desert.
A/N: Guess who's back... it's- it's me guys. My hiatus took longer than I thought, but I do have some things to show for it. While I was away, I rewrote the first three chapters, the fight with Waterblight, and got caught in the grips of a fever dream (yes, I am referring to OWaP). I wanted to rewrite four as well, but this chapter was calling my name.
Anyway, before I start responding to reviews, there is one more thing I need to do. Thank you to HeroAlexa249 and PokeKingCharizard for their advice on how to fix the first few chapters. A special thank you to KL-Cribbage, Constipated Genius, and ebonysumgestator (you know mom... that name is a bit on the nose now that I think about it). You guys not only gave me advice but then double checked the revisions to make sure that they were of a higher quality, which can be quite the task. So thank you.
Guest Reviews:
EnjoyingTheStory: The quote that you took issue within your first review was a joke between Hylia and Muava. It wasn't to be taken literally but rather meant to show a facet of the relationship between the two (kind of like how you and your friends would joke in ways that others may not necessarily understand). The other problem is Zelda herself. If you go back and watch the memories in which she prays, she asks for help, but almost immediately decides that Hylia is ignoring her. With so little time between the two actions, it makes a person wonder how much effort she is putting into listening. It would be like you asking me that same question but then not stopping to read my response and immediately assuming that I wasn't going to answer at all (which wasn't the case, but you get the point). While theoretically, Hylia could still force her guidance on Zelda, that would interfere with Zelda's autonomy and take away from the whole point of free will anyway. I hope that helped a bit (and sorry for the long response).
Guest: I am glad you enjoyed the conversation between Revali and Barta.
Ze Doktor: Don't fall off. I would feel bad.
Razmire: I hope it doesn't last too long either.