One with the Champion
I gazed at the birds that gathered together in flocks of three and four in front of me. This is what is meant for our species, I pondered, harmony. Alternatively, I was perched here, in front of the sunrise of the most isolated island in Hyrule with only the tropical breeze as company. But that was enough for a bird like me who had mastered being in its presence. Not only that, but it was necessary to be here. Today the breeze is the same that it has always been, still and proud.
Suddenly, I heard what I identified as footsteps. Initially, I thought it could be one of the herds of monsters that played on the hillside below me, but my logic told me rightly that the giant purple beast on the hill above me was too scary for them to approach here. Then, who dared to? My eyes finally opened as I meditated in the wind. A person? Inquisition troubled my feathers. Was this he I was waiting for? No, surely it would be a lot more ostentatious arrival if so. However, the tiny bit of hope stayed, along with apprehension. They came closer now, climbing the hill I was on, and quite quickly. My body shook for the first time in all the time I sat here, and my wings trembled.
I finally caught a glimpse of the traveler, a young man, a Hylian that unusually seemed familiar. He had an oddball flying machine on his back, which both amused and delighted me. Perhaps he was the cause of the commotion that I heard take place on the island an hour before, maybe it's how he got here, was he one with the wind too? Maybe I was too lonely, I attempted to resume my mastery, yet a visitor like this was too much of a healthy distraction.
He edged closer and I shuddered- the great eagle bow or something similar was also on his back, but perhaps I was paranoid. I'd been waiting for something like this for too long. And I'd created my own sea siren? Conclusively though, he was real, down to the mousey blonde hair waves that danced with the wind. I turned my head, almost forgetting how to talk, but I was certain my eager beak would come up with something. I thought something rather shrewd would come out, something enchanting, but instead, all of my loneliness oozed to be welcoming. While gazing at the bow, I started a conversation with the courageous Hylian asking him why on Earth he was so high. A blank expression adorning his youthful yet worn-out face as I did so. "I flew up here with this." His dainty, tired hands pointed to his flying machine. After seeing harmlessness and enthusiasm in his face, I quickly grew fond of this man. "I think we will be friends, I've never felt such closeness with a Hylian before." I blurted. Even though aware my isolation caused desperation, I was telling the truth. Most of the Hylians I had met, or Rito, for that matter, never shared such enthusiasm for being so focused on flight. I was heavily curious about this enthusiastic holder of the Great Eagle bow, so much so, I tempted him to join my old game. A game I'd been given as a child, timed flight through several targets. It seemed exceptionally easy as a child, and still now, but to the Rito I met, not even they could pull off some of it as well as I.
A spark caught fire in his striking blue eyes, as I set up the game, a blue that reminded me of the sky here. The fervency in them served to rush me yet, it being years since I had done this for another person, or anything for that matter, I overstepped my goal of time. I swiftly, jubilantly flew to the top of the hill once again and guiltily gazed into his still scintillating. "Sorry it took so long, my friend." Perhaps after this, I should ask for the bow, I mused, then getting back to observing this mysterious man. Drifting their glance across from the mountains in the distance, to the course, my eyes scanned him intently. I smiled in intrigue. This friend was doing almost better than I when I did my training, and without proper wings, just a humble contraption of wood and cloth. I had taken with me quite a lot of my belongings, including money, to this island, and I sat eagerly ready to pass it on to him as a reward. It was the only reward I could imagine would be of use to him.
Not being a Rito, my concern grew as I realized if the contraption failed, so did his attempt to stay in the air. He would surely fall to his death without careful flight and handling of this situation, but seeing the glorious weapons and shields he possessed, I was gladly relieved, for it was my knowledge that in order to possess such weapons, one must already have an elaborate, well-coined skill. Of course, from my family's notable and horrific death even though having irreplaceable skill meant it was still possible, just not common. I hyperventilated every time he pulled his paraglider open close to the floor, praying he would stop such an act even though it proved useful, but I also tried to savor his velour and company instead. Somehow, I managed to keep my count of the specific number of hoops he flew into. Thirty- one. A beautiful amount. Overjoyed, I hurled my body and spread my wings generously to take the exhausted man back.
"That score is...impossible."
His expression seemed underwhelmed, yet something regarding his stance seemed to emanate a sense of victory and dignity. Suddenly, the air became heavy, and rain poured from the heavens, yet like me, he stayed, as unfazed as before it began. Heavy crystals of rain dripped onto the tips of my feathers as I reached for his reward, a gleaming silver rupee that I hadn't touched since I first encamped on this island. As he edged closer, I noticed one of his shields was the infamous Hylian Shield, given to the top-ranking knights of his kingdom, but my eyes were still fixed on the bow. I felt ready now.
"Pardon me my Hylian friend but, where did you get this…" I edged the tip of my wing nervously to the Great Eagle bow now, trying to let the wind soothe me as I did so.
"Why?" He enquired stoically, his voice echoing amidst the storm.
"I am curious."
It wasn't a lie, but it concealed too much truth for me to think it truly wasn't.
"Master Revali." He scoffed, a hint of dismissiveness when he uttered his name. My gaze deepened and a smile wrought my face. "Revali? You mean the champion, Revali, don't you?"
"Yes." He commented. His patchy, stubborn pattern of speech made me quickly realize I wasn't going to get the answers in detail as I'd want to, but perhaps I'd get just enough…
"H…how did you meet Revali?" I stuttered, only slightly able to continue my mastery with the wind as my heart heavily held the conversation.
"Divine Beast Vah Medoh."
Surely it was Goddess Hylia who had brought me and this man together for a purpose I yet wasn't aware of. I'd been searching for freedom on this island, and maybe spiritually, some of me knew this would happen. But I couldn't let myself gain all hope, not after our past as a family.
"Vah Medoh?" I think the Hylian could tell my face was one satiated with disbelief.
"Yes." His tone became slightly friendlier now, allowing me to ease in my contact a little more.
"What's your name, my friend?"
He extended his arms as he uttered it in expression. "My name is Link."
His name grew familiar to me, yet I couldn't fathom why. Link, the Hylian, but it had something along with it. Perhaps sir, or a surname of sorts. Now, even as the Great Eagle Bow sat there, and on close look, looking fitted for him comfortably on his back, I didn't know if I had made the wrong decision. To see it. Could I bring myself to get a touch of it, or would it draw me down into an emotional abyss that opposed my usual stillness? A voice sounded in my mind. "As long as you have your reverence for Goddess Hylia, everything will be as it was." Was it the Goddess? Was it me? I couldn't be sure. But I waved my left wing over to the bow, "Can I touch it, I won't do any harm to it, I promise?"
Link moved backward, and though he didn't verbalize it, I knew the words he would utter. I sighed quietly and let go. "I'm sorry, I guess I got ahead of myself there," I confessed, resuming my meditation and doing my best to ignore the friend I'd now perchance made an enemy of.
"No, no you can touch it as long as you are careful."
I turned my head and raised my brow.
"Huh? Are you serious, Link?"
"Of course!"
Now he truly was a friend, I thought. Quivering, I stroked my feathers across it, its sheer, unbridled design brushing against me like I held some unknown, sacred treasure under the sea beside of me.
"It's…wonderful." I alluded, longing to hold it with both of my hands but that was something that felt too forbidden for now.
"Master Revali, he had good taste," I added, having my last stroke of its diamond frame.
"He did," Link replied, placing an odd-looking arrow into the bow and firing into the sky, the shimmer of its arrow kissing the horizon majestically.
My eyes had never seen such wonder. If I were a Hylian I'd have probably dropped to my knees in stupefaction. Instead, I rose and flew above him to retrieve the arrow. It had orange, brown, and electric blue on its blade, hence I was immensely careful when retrieving it and placed it promptly in his quiver.
"Thank you for making my dreams come true, Link. I wish I had more rewards for you, that definitely requires a bigger one this time too."
This man was no Revali, but he was exceptional, Teba would be proud no doubt- if he still were alive.
It seemed as if Link was in too much of a rush and alienated area to carry on talking with me, so I concealed my questions in the hope he would return. Seeing that bow in action from a significantly skilled archer was more than I could've asked. A piece of him was still alive and intact. The wind had never felt so graceful, and my body never felt such joy.
"Why are you really on this island?"
Now I was too happy to worry about such a question, yet my answer was always going to be the same.
"I…want to be one with the wind!"
"Are you sure? The archery seemed to interest you?"
I couldn't deny this man was clever and couldn't deny his clever repost. I straightened my feathers.
"It does, a little bit. I'm not a warrior my friend."
"I have to go." He answered softly, strolling away from me slowly as the weather cleared, his footsteps sounding on the hill. "Good luck getting to where you have to go." I wished, hearing him climb down on the way out of Eventide.
The next morning, I couldn't bring myself to think what was bothering me, but something disquieting happened. I could no longer meditate properly on the wind, every single time, anxious sensations got in the way. I glanced where the bow had previously fired and came to a premature conclusion. This was it. I had to head back. Even lightning itself had not fazed me, monsters, flooding. No, hearing and seeing something so close to my heart did. My worries were set free here, yet my longings were dead, caged like this island was a prison instead of the escape it originally was. I placed my belongings in a satchel and dragged my body off of the rock, began flapping my wings, soaring. I was certain that this was my destiny.
Rito Village:
Lying atop the rock, Medoh's large, ancient eyes gazed proudly toward me. "I feel you," I whispered, while traversing the bridges of the village, ones larger than I remembered. The wooden creak of them now met me with friendly familiarity. I attempted to get past the guard with ease, yet he instantly smirked, recognizing me.
"Mimo! Oh my gosh. What a surprise here. We have good news, the Divine Beast isn't causing trouble any more thanks to…"
"Link," I answered abruptly, to which he gave a puzzled smile.
"How…do you?"
I carried on strolling, trying to avoid gazing at him directly but sensing the guard's eyes gluing on me as I moved along. I saw a Goddess statue ahead of me, curtained with a dazzling multitude of flowers. She had guided me here. Not the Sky Spirit, that my race still somewhat revere. The glorious forest landscape, a mammoth yet ordered scatter of deep-emerald pines, was a polarizing difference to the tropical one of my island yet to both I felt the same. Both were equally beautiful, both equally unspoiled.
Heading upstairs, I noticed a Rito sitting somberly on the ground, something I seldom saw in my kingdom. I didn't recognize him, possibly he was new to our village, I thought. He had glorious sky-blue feathers and one large, conspicuous frown. Knowing I was not too great at offering my help, I silently prayed for him to the Goddess and continued upstairs. Surely one of my people would soar at the chance to oppose his sadness. Perhaps, it was still the sting of all that had happened during the calamity.
The lanterns around me guided my struggling eyes in the now darkened sky, so much so, that I could just about make out a shop, on the east side manning several foodstuffs and equipment I couldn't make from my current position. Wearily, I headed in, aware that its owner would probably recognize me, and worst yet, be curious. The potent, marvellous whiff of wheat and cane sugar tickled my Cere, as I entered, reminding me of recipes I'd missed from leaving here. I began walking stealthily, giving my anxious mind a few more seconds to prepare for the interaction.
"We are the slippery falcon…." She abruptly stopped. "Uh, is that?" She abandoned her post and squinted her eyes. "Mimo!" She cried gently. "Eventide Island Mimo…"
I recognized her now, a striking Rito, extremely kind and becoming, one that had passed recipes down to my mother that she adored.
"You are back. You must have flown a long way. Here, take some of this. And for free! I got it given to me by a Hylian the other day who sold it to me for some good rupees. I've kept it fresh don't worry." She folded a meal in her wing and passed it to me, the smell of it creating a dauntingly quick wormhole to my childhood.
"This is amazing! Thank you, Misa." I recognized the mouthwatering food as none other than my cousin's favourite, sweet and filling nut-cake. I ate it slowly, savouring all of the individual flavours that dripped like liquid gold onto my tongue. As I ate it, her smile widened like a crescent moon behind her beak.
"I'm so glad you like it. The Hylian is a good cook surprisingly." She giggled. I felt my eyes grazing with water, yet I pushed the tears back. As other Rito entered the shop, I felt more at home, a bittersweet sentiment to say the least…
"I don't know how you could have survived on that island." She coughed, greeting the customers with smiles.
"I put careful thought into my going there."
Still not prepared to give full answers, I sauntered away. "It was a pleasure to meet you Misa!"
"It's…glorious to have you back, almost as good as having Medoh finally tamed!"
I was ready to say my final goodbye yet there was one consuming question I had to ask her.
"Teba…is." I couldn't enunciate it properly, I couldn't hear anything other than what I'd hoped, else shed know my secret.
"Oh, Teba! He helped us take back Medoh. He's at Flight Range with his son."
A tear recklessly forced itself through my eyes and trickled down the smooth edges of my beak.
"He is alive?" I choked a raspy air to my voice not unlike a crow's as he caws. "He survived?"
"Yes, of course! Alive and well. And mightier than ever." Misa announced in virtuous joy.
"Does he…" my talons began to shake. Accept visitors?"
"Yes, in fact, he's looking for people to teach his son to become a warrior too."
I'd always felt a responsibility for this father and child, thinking about them and their wellbeing often on my island, even though Teba was older than I. "Goodbye, I will go now," I announced.
It took me quite a while to envision where the place was, I'd even forgotten its existence, but it soon rushed back to me like a strong, hurricane Gale.
"Remember the Inn, there are soft beds lined with heron feathers. You deserve it, you've come a long way."
The cool night breeze brushed across me as if welcoming me into its arms.
"I'm just going to sleep out here...I..."
Misa laughed, fatigue ensuing in her eyes. "I'm packing up now Mimo, and I wanna see you full of vitality and comfort in the morning!"
*New chapter coming soon :) God bless you all*