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Not Nintendo OR Rick Riordan

Chapter Thirteen

The Unexpected Meeting

My POV

I faced down the guardians, unwavering in my stance. The machines all stopped before me, dimly I heard my wife shriek my name followed by my daughter wailing. I turned my head back, saw my wife fighting to free herself from Lexa's grip as she was being dragged away. She froze when I mouthed two words, trust me, that was it. Then I turned to the guardians again as the last of the chariots lifted off, the guardians trained their lasers on me, and then…everything stopped.

I looked at the guardians in confusion, they were all motionless. Looking around, I saw that even the fires were frozen in place. It was like time itself had stopped completely, what in the name of the goddesses? A voice jerked me from my thoughts.

"Well I'll be plucked. You truly are more than just a warrior, you were prepared to sacrifice yourself for your loved ones, despite your destiny." A familiar voice came from off to the side.

I looked over and there stood the glowing bluish green figure of a Rito warrior, but not just any Rito, a Rito I hadn't seen in this lifetime.

"Revali? What are you doing here? I thought you were resting in the heavens?" I exclaimed.

"Were you expecting someone else? Like Teba perhaps? And secondly, you could be thanking me I might add." He said eyeing me with a sideways glance, wings folded in front of his chest.

"For…this? You did this?" I ask impressed.

"Yes and no, but that's not what I meant. I meant that other time, remember?" He prompts me.

At my confusion, he elaborates with exaggerated annoyance, "Years ago, you know, when you were twelve?"

Suddenly I know exactly what he's talking about. It was before I knew who and what I was, my "sixth grade teacher" turned into a monster and attempted to kill me before being killed himself by an arrow fired from the window. I never knew who saved me at the time, but to think it was Revali… "Thank you, truly, Revali." I say sincerely, folding an arm across my chest in a traditional Rito gesture.

He looks surprised at my genuineness, but returns the gesture.

"I should also point out I didn't come alone." He adds.

"That means the others…" I trail off when another voice speaks up.

"Hey little guy! Long time no see eh?" Daruk's voice makes itself heard just beyond my sight.

I turn to him, he's standing there, boulder breaker over his shoulder. Just like Revali had his great eagle bow strapped to his back. Then I hear another of the champions of an age past.

"You truly are an impressive voe, I couldn't be more relieved that my little bird has you to look after her." Urbosa says, holding her daybreaker shield and scimitar of the seven in her hands.

Before I can say anything, I hear the voice of the one remaining champion from before, "It's good to see you again Link." Mipha's soft voice speaks up, as I turn to her, seeing her holding her lightscale trident.

"Why are you all here? I'm curious what has had you all come down to see me." I ask curiously.

"Well, little guy, we're here to give you a little something. It was actually Revali's idea." Daruk answers.

"I'll be honest Link, when you freed Vah Medoh from Ganon's control, I realized I'd been wrong about you. You see, you accomplished something that even I could not. Indeed, you truly had skill after all, not just luck." Revali adds.

"What have you all come to give me?" I asked quietly.

"The same gifts as before little guy." Daruk tells me.

'Oh, the champion abilities, that could be helpful.' I thought.

"Link, I offer you my power, Revali's Gale! I give it to you this time as a means of apologizing for my treatment of you in your last life. I hope this doesn't seem shallow of me." He says with sincerity.

"That will be fine Revali. Thank you, I'll use your power in my fight against the demon king, I swear it." I reply as the orb flies from his wing and into my chest.

I turn to Daruk as he speaks, "Well even across lifetimes you still manage to impress me little guy! I never doubted you for a moment! I've never been more certain than I am right now that you're a Goron at heart. And that's why I offer my power! From this moment on, the power of my protection, from the depths of my soul now lives inside you." He says thumping his fist against his chest at the end of his sentence. He sends the orb into my chest, bestowing his power to me alongside Revali's Gale.

"Link." Urbosa addresses me.

I turn to her as she continues, "Daruk is right, no matter what lifetime, you are just as impressive. I've never met a voe more remarkable than you. I've been watching over you and Zelda, even though I never knew this Zelda personally, as she is a reincarnation of the one I knew, she is still special to me. I know you will you continue to protect her with your life if necessary. You have the spirit of the Gerudo, and that's why I offer you my power, Urbosa's Fury!"

She snaps her fingers and the orb flies to me and soaks into my being. I then turn to Mipha, and I remember something that leaves me unsure what to say.

"Mipha…" I trail off. I remember how in my last life she had loved me greatly, so much that she had been going to propose to me. The Zora armor she made for me was confirmation of that, as Zora princesses only did that for their chosen husbands. I hadn't known she felt that way until after I woke in the shrine of resurrection and made my way to Zora's domain to face Ruta. I felt like I had to say something to her now, I hadn't gotten the chance to last time because by the time I had recovered enough of my memories to remember about Mipha she'd already left for the heavens.

"It's alright Link, you don't need to say it. I already knew." She replies softly.

I just stare at her, dumbfounded.

"I knew, deep down, at the time of the Great Calamity, but I had a hundred years after that before you came to Ruta to reflect on things. I had more than enough time to come to terms with what was the reality of the matter. I admitted to myself that you didn't have the same feelings for me that I did for you." She answers, voice quiet. "I also reflected on all our interactions after you were appointed as Zelda's knight. I accepted that it was she who'd captured your heart. That's why I kept my distance from you in Ruta when you defeated Waterblight Ganon, I didn't want to seem like I was imposing on you. It's also why I told you what I did as you left Ruta that day. You remember, don't you?"

Indeed, I did, it was burned into my memory. As Zelda teleported me out of the divine beast, Mipha's words resounded in my head, voice almost sad or wistful, "Save her Link, save the princess! Save princess Zelda!" She was encouraging me to save the one I loved.

"I have been watching over you and Zelda, just like Urbosa. It makes me very happy to see the two of you find true happiness with each other. That is why I would be honored for you to accept my gift. This way I can help make sure that you are able to continue your life together. Please accept my power, Mipha's Grace." She continues, holding her hands in front of her and making a triangle with her fingers, as the blue orb appears and enters my chest.

"Will I…Will I see you all again?" I quickly ask, seeing them start to fade.

"Don't worry little guy, you'll see us again!" Daruk assures me as they disappear.

Time returns to normal speed and the guardians all fire their beams, when time again freezes. I look around, the beams are motionless in the air, halfway to me. Then I hear a voice, familiar for reasons I can't describe.

"I have something to give you as well, courageous hero." The voice comes from everywhere and nowhere, almost as if inside my own head.

Suddenly a column of white fire appears in front of me, a moment later it fades. When my eyes adjust, there he is, standing just six feet away from me. He strangely looks almost exactly like me, albeit with a few differences. For one he's wearing full length pants that along with his boots are as black as the night. His tunic is a light turquoise, but the center part of his torso is covered with a chest plate that looks segmented like an exoskeleton. His cap is shaped like mine, but it's the same light turquoise color.

His hair is pure white, and some of it hangs on either side of his face. Speaking of his face, it's covered in lines of red war paint, and his eyes are completely white. On his back is a massive two-handed sword shaped like a double helix.

He looks familiar, but I have never exactly seen him like this. The one other time I was in his presence, it was more like I was him and he was me. I vaguely recall how I encountered this being by using a mask. A mask that was simply known as the fierce deity's mask. It was said to have the power of a dark god.

"Fierce deity?" I exclaim.

"Indeed." He nods.

"How are you here? Why…?" I stammer.

"I'm here because you and I kindred spirits, and because you showed such impressive courage that I was impressed." He responds.

"Wait…kindred spirits?" I ask, puzzled now.

"Yes, we both are natural warriors, but our motivation is the protection of that which we value most; family, friends, and home." He replies.

I understood now, he was not a dark god, like he'd been described. That was the description of those who were scared of what they didn't understand.

"What have you come to give me, fierce deity?" I ask, almost breathless in awe.

"To lend you my power, you have always been of fascination to me. Your unwavering courage in the face of evil truly astounds me. All the way back at the beginning, you stood your ground against the demon king when everyone else would have either run, begged for mercy, or died on the spot. You didn't even flinch, I had never seen anyone face such a powerful malevolence with such strength before. That is why you are able to hold the Triforce of Courage, because your soul is akin to mine." He finishes.

"I accept your power, fierce deity." I say kneeling to this god, despite how our souls are connected.

"Please, call me Kinshin, and you need not kneel to me." He says, coming over and resting a hand on my shoulder. "I now offer you my power, in your hour of greatest need, you shall receive my power to help you overcome the obstacle before you. I have faith in you, hero." He adds before dissolving into a mass of brilliant white particles and enters my being.

I feel strength flood my body, I've never felt so alive before. Time returns to normal speed; the guardians beams connect with my body and explode. But it doesn't hurt at all, I barely feel anything, why should I? How do you hurt a god? With my new (temporary) god status, I know how I look from the outside at the moment. Sort of like an out of body experience, but that's not really what it is. In my mind, I see myself crouching there, massive and strange sword on my back, outfit completely unscathed, and my eyes blazing with an inner power.

I hear a sudden mocking laughter.

"HAHAHA!" The disembodied voice of Demise laughs, "YOU HAVE FAILED HERO! I WILL PERSONALLY DESTROY…WHO ARE YOU?!" He trails off upon noticing my glowing white eyes through the lingering smoke and dust.

I slowly but smoothly rise to my feet, gazing back with my fierce eyes. I wait a moment and then swipe my hand to blow away the dust and smoke and speak, "IT'S ONLY US!" There are two voices rolled into one, mine and Kinshin's.

"WAIT A MINUTE! THAT PRESENCE! WHICH GOD ARE YOU?" Demise rages.

Kinshin speaks up, "I AM THE FIERCE DEITY!"

Demise howls in rage, and super charged with Kinshin's power I launch myself nearly a hundred feet straight up, draw the massive sword from my back, and then crash back to the ground. The sword becomes radiant with magical power as I hurtle back down like an asteroid falling from the sky. The moment I make contact with the ground, sword slamming against the Earth, the energy gets released in a titanic explosion so large it creates an intense fireball so hot it instantly vaporizes the guardians, and would have vaporized me if it weren't for Kinshin. Demise shrieks that this isn't over, that he will crush me come the final battle.

I launch into the sky again when Kinshin speaks directly into my mind again, "Hero, I must separate from you now, you have a higher tolerance for borrowing my power, but you are not immune to it. If I don't remove myself from you, you will die." My thoughts are fuzzy with fatigue, I'm struggling to hold onto consciousness, the ground racing towards me. "I have called your friend to you, she will carry you back to them." He says before his presence disappears from my awareness. Just before everything goes black, I see a winged shape swooping toward me, a Pegasus? I think. Then everything goes dark.

Important Author Note: Fierce Deity's name was NOT created by me but rather by author Kaytala for a story of their creation about Fierce Deity and Hylia pre-Skyward Sword so definitely check that out if you want to get the whole story. So ya, credit to Kaytala for the name, I just used it for lack of a name of my own for Fierce Deity.