Rhea was shocked at what she was hearing. "The two of you are truly immortal?"
"Until the world ends or a sufficiently powerful being decides to kill us, yes," Mercedes confirmed.
Rhea took a moment to think. This wasn't unprecedented in the world. She herself was immortal, and she had granted immortality to many other people through her blood.
But all of those people had her to help them adjust to their new lives. And others who had received a Nabatean's Crest had also had help adjusting, save for Nemesis and the fifteen people to whom he had given her kin's blood. And while some of the Elites had not struggled with their immortality to her knowledge, she had known that the four who had turned against Nemesis had hated being immortal. Noa Nuvelle had even killed herself when her husband died. And even among the Elites who had not turned against Nemesis, the personal writings of Blaiddyd and Lamine had shown that the two of them had not loved their long lives.
"I am sorry. I imagine the two of you struggled without proper support," Rhea said. "Even as someone who was never mortal, I know that for humans, the adjustment to immortal lives can be difficult. If in any way Seteth and I can help you..."
"Thank you for offering," Hubert said. "But we mostly have adjusted. It gives me no pleasure to know I will have to say a permanent farewell to my Lady, my family, and most of my closest friends, but I have accepted it."
"If you want to help us, the best thing you can give us is your company," Mercedes suggested. "Friends we won't have to watch grow old and die are a rare and valuable thing for those like us. But I don't think I need to tell you that."
No, she did not. "Of course. The two of you are always welcome in our home."
"Thank you, but...truth be told, it's not just us I was asking for," Mercedes admitted. "Farosh, Naydra, Dinraal, and Volga have few friends they haven't had to bury."
"And we hope to befriend them as well, but for the moment, there is work that must be done first," Rhea said.
In truth, a trip to Hyrule was sounding rather appealing to Rhea. But she couldn't exactly leave Fódlan to fend for itself. Perhaps, once Byleth was able to channel Mother properly, she could return with Zelda and Link.
Edelgard nodded. "In any case, the three of us arrived at the heart of Korok Forest that night..."
The three of them followed Hestu into the large clearing at the forest's heart. There, stood the largest tree that any of them had ever seen. The Great Deku Tree, with a trunk as wide around as several houses and a canopy taller than a castle's towers, gazed down at them with a benevolent expression. Branches formed long eyebrows over a pair of strangely expressive depressions in the wood that stood in for its eyes. It had a nose, formed from bark, and beard and whiskers made from roots. It had a huge mouth as well, which opened as the three of them approached.
"Greetings, Link, Edelgard, and Claude. You have come a long way to reach this place, literally and metaphorically."
Edelgard couldn't do anything but gape. Beside her, she heard Claude mutter, "well, I guess this is the concept of tree people taken to its logical conclusion."
The Great Deku Tree seemed to smile at that. "This world is stranger than you realize even now, Claude."
"You're telling me. Every time I think nothing can surprise me anymore, something comes by to prove me wrong," Claude joked.
Link stepped forward. "You know why we're here."
"Yes, I do," the Great Deku Tree confirmed. "You are not yet ready to face Ganon, but it may be that you are ready to wield the Sword that Seals the Darkness once more."
The three of them looked over to the pedestal where the Master Sword was displayed. Claude looked closely at it, though he was careful not to touch it. "Huh."
"Not what you were expecting?" the Tree asked.
"I guess if it's got enough magic power, it'll work," Claude said. "But couldn't whoever designed it have made it look more functional? See this crossguard? It's terrible. Style over substance at its finest. And that spot where the blade is wider than it is before or after it?" He shook his head. "Any good blacksmith would consider this design a travesty."
Edelgard looked at the Master Sword. Claude was right. It looked very poorly-designed.
"The poor design choices were intentional," the Tree said. "When Hylia created the sword, she wanted to emphasize that the most important part of the sword was not the sword itself, but the power within it. Foolish people have tried making imitations of the Master Sword, as if to claim status like that of the Hero. Every single one regretted their hubris when they met someone with a better weapon. But the Master Sword is different."
Claude shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. More easy to have faith in Hylia instead of your swordsmanship when the sword is one no swordsman would ever wield if he didn't have faith that Hylia would protect him."
Link stepped up to the pedestal. Suddenly, he paused.
"Link?" Edelgard asked, waving her hand in front of his face.
"I've seen this before," Claude informed her. "He's having a flashback."
A minute or so later, Link snapped back to reality. "I remember. I was here before. With King Rhoam, and my father. I saw...I remember pulling the Sword out of this pedestal. It was the day I met Zelda for the first time. I...I didn't understand why she was so horrified then. Didn't know about her struggles with her powers."
"Do you want to tell us more?" Edelgard asked.
Link shook his head. "No, I think I'm going to keep this one to myself."
"Fair enough," Edelgard said.
Link stared intently at the Master Sword. He made to reach for it, but he hesitated and turned back to the Great Deku Tree. "There were other Heroes, before me."
"Yes," the Tree affirmed.
"Did any of them fail? Like I did?" Link asked.
"Failed totally? No, but for two of them, victory came at a terrible price," the Tree said. "And you haven't failed totally yet. You almost failed. But remember, where there's life, there's hope."
Link nodded. "It doesn't really matter. Doesn't change what I have to do."
He grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword with both hands and began to pull. His face betrayed the immense amount of effort it took, but eventually he pulled it free from its pedestal.
He held the Master Sword out in front of him. "Should I feel different?"
"Do you think you should?" the Great Deku Tree said as a pair of Koroks brought Link a scabbard that matched the Master Sword. Link put the Sword in the scabbard.
"I guess I thought I would. I did last time, but apparently this time I don't," Link shrugged. "Maybe it's because I already knew what I have to do this time."
"That may be," the Tree agreed.
Link shrugged. "We should get some sleep."
"We prepared some beds for you and your friends, Mister Hero!" a Korok said.
The next morning, the three of them said their goodbyes to the Great Deku Tree. Hestu led them back through the forest to the entrance.
To their surprise, there were people at the entrance, none of whom were Company members. There were six of them. One was a girl with blond hair and a staff, one was a girl with red hair and tan skin with an axe (she was too short to be a Gerudo, but otherwise Link would have thought she was one), one was a man with dark hair and a pair of golden gauntlets, one had long lavender hair and a gender that was difficult to determine, and carried a sword, one was a boy with deep purple hair carrying a sword, and one was a girl who bore some resemblance to Link who wore a green hood and carried a crossbow. Also with them was a small flock of Cuccos.
The girl raised her hand to greet them, but then she saw the Master Sword on Link's hip. Her expression turned angry and she pointed her crossbow at him. "Hand over the Master Sword, thief."