A racing mind. A frantic heartbeat.
The sun was just barely starting to set in the red-stained horizon as the Zora princess hurried back towards the domain. Towards Vah Ruta. She wasted no time diving into the water that ran under Inogo Bridge, gliding through the waters of the Zora River and towards her home.
A guard stood tall and proud as Mipha sprinted across the Great Zora Bridge, and he gave a formal greeting to the princess as she ran right by. On any other day, Mipha would have returned the greeting with grace, however the stakes were now higher than ever as the Zora Champion raced to retrieve her beloved Lightscale Trident.
"Hello sister!" An eager voice greeted. A young Zora boy ran over to his older sister as she picked up her weapon.
Mipha couldn't help but smile faintly as she felt the little prince hug her legs, happy to see her as always. The Champion knelt down and gave her brother's head a gentle pat.
"Hello Sidon," Mipha said, smiling warmly at the young Zora still hugging her legs.
"Lady Mipha, we've received word that the Calamity has awoken!" A guard interrupted. Mipha looked to the guard and gave a nod.
"I am aware, thank you. Please inform my father that I am on my way to Vah Ruta immediately."
"Yes, your highness," the guard replied, before hurrying off to inform King Dorephan as per Mipha's request.
"C-Calamity?" Sidon whimpered, looking up at his sister as fear clouded his bright eyes. Mipha gave him a solemn nod.
"Yes, which is why I must go, Sidon. I need to pilot Vah Ruta."
The Zora prince gave a hesitant whine as he clung to his sister tighter. "Y-You're gonna come back, right, sister?"
Mipha took in a breath before she knelt down to her little brother once again. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a warm smile, as her golden eyes met his. "Yes, Sidon. I will come back after the Calamity is sealed. But until then I need you to be brave for me and to help protect the domain. Can you do that for me?" The Zora prince gave a determined nod as he pulled a fist to his chest and grinned confidently; the light glinting off of his teeth. Mipha nodded back to her brother with a proud smile before pulling him into a hug. "I knew I could count on you, Sidon." The prince giggled happily as he hugged his older sister back, tightly.
"I love you, sister."
Mipha's smile grew at this. "I love you too, Sidon. I love you very much."
After patting his head one final time, Mipha let go of her brother before retrieving her trident once more. Sidon's smile slowly faded, and he clung to Mipha for just a bit longer before letting go of her once and for all. And then he watched as his older sister sprinted off towards the East Reservoir, and towards the Divine Beast that she was meant to pilot.
Sidon gave a small sigh of dismay once Mipha was gone. He knew that she often had Champion things to do, but a small part of him would always worry when she went off to fight. Regardless, Mipha was the bravest person the little prince knew. She would always put herself before others, and she'd do anything and everything to protect the ones she loved. One day, he wanted- no, he knew he was going to be just as brave as her.
Running down the dock of the East Reservoir, Mipha quickly dove off the edge and swam up to Vah Ruta in mere seconds. The beast gave a small, trumpeted bellow as it sensed its pilot's presence within the water around it, and the entrance hatch on its side began to open. Mipha swam into the open hatch just as the giant mechanical elephant began to lower within the water, eventually submerging itself within its icy depths.
"Ruta, head for Rutala River. From there we can make our way down the rivers towards Hyrule Castle."
The Divine Beast began to propel itself forward as it continued its descent within the reservoir. And after passing under the Rutala dam and into the depths of Rutala River itself, Vah Ruta slowly began rising within the water.
Noticing the beast beginning to ascend, Mipha swam through the water around it and grabbed ahold of the edge of its right ear. She held on tightly as she rose through the river, and just as Vah Ruta's ears broke the water's surface, the Zora Champion hoisted herself up onto the one she held, so that she could get a look at her surroundings.
The cool, humid air carried sprays of mist as it hit Mipha's face, feeling oddly refreshing for such an occasion. Looking back, Mipha could see the bottom of the Rutala dam as its luxuriant marble sparkled in the reddened sunlight. Had it been any other day, Mipha would have wanted to try diving from atop Ruta's ear and into the crystal water of the river below. She had already been diving from the entrance hatch at Ruta's side before. So, the idea of diving from one of the beast's ears brought a thrill to the Zora princess, and she wished that she had thought of trying it earlier.
The sight of Ruto Mountain at her right brought about memories of when Link had last come to visit Zora's Domain. How Mipha had originally planned to give the Zora armor that she had crafted to him. And despite her many prayers to Ruto, a Zora princess of the past who was told to have held romantic interest in a Hylian, Mipha had decided at the last minute that it just hadn't been the right time to present her gift to the man she had made it for.
Looking ahead, the Zora Champion's attention was suddenly centered on a few hordes of Lizalfos that were lined up along the sides of the river. Upon noticing the arrival of Mipha and Vah Ruta, the many monsters began to grab their weapons in preparation to attack. This wasn't an issue for Mipha, however, as the young Zora simply raised her hand in the direction of the malice foes.
"Ruta, fire at the shoreline," she commanded. Without hesitation, the technological elephant extended its mighty tusks forward, and a large chunk of ice began to take shape between them. Seconds later the compact ball of ice was shot towards one of the Lizalfos hordes, crashing into it and sending its members scattering. And all the while, the mechanical beast continued to wade forward, making its way through the water with ease.
Mipha watched in awe as Vah Ruta followed her orders; firing chunk after chunk of ice at the hordes of Ganon's minions who lined the shores of Rutala River. Every shot fired would send at least fifty of the monsters flying from their posts with tremendous force and velocity.
"Good, Ruta! By working together as one, we will surely pull through!" Mipha encouraged, as she stood tall atop the ancient elephant's ear. They were nearing the point in which Rutala and Zora River merged and fed into the Hylia River. Mipha could determine this because of how Vah Ruta had begun to walk through the river as opposed to simply floating within it. The waters of the rivers were much shallower than those of the East Reservoir. And so, the giant beast had begun churning up waves as it continued its journey on foot. By now the Zora Champion had grown used to the way Vah Ruta moved. And she kept her stance steady and strong through each of the beast's quaking steps through the waves below. It was as if they were in perfect sync with one another.
Gazing at the horizon, Mipha could see a glimpse of Hyrule Castle as malice swirled around it like icy waves. Taking in a breath, she turned her gaze towards the reddened sky for a brief moment, and she thought of Link once more. Despite her unending faith in his ability to take on the Calamity, Mipha still couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of worry in her chest as the Hylian knight crossed her mind yet again.
Though this worry was suddenly pushed aside as in her peripheral, Mipha noticed a series of sparks shooting up into the sky from the Zodobon Highlands.
"Shock arrows…" The words escaped her lips in a surprised exhale as she saw the row of Lynels along the cliffside. "Ruta, intercept," the Champion ordered, with an outstretched hand towards the descending arrows as they flew towards her without mercy. Her sweet voice held a slightly stern undertone. However, it was one fueled with worry for the Divine Beast that she had grown so attached to.
Vah Ruta bellowed a response as it ceased its fire of ice chunks; its blue, shield-like barrier fading into view and surrounding it as it continued its journey down the river. Mipha watched as the shield formed overhead, the shock arrows colliding with it with a loud yet harmless crackle of sparks. Though, the Lynels began to fire more of the dreaded arrows into the sky. Every shot sent three new sparks whizzing towards Vah Ruta in a threatening firework display. Straining to concentrate through the thunderous onslaught of arrows against the forcefield, Mipha could see there were at least three dozen of the Lynels that crowded the edge of the Zodobon Highlands. Her thoughts were quick as she ordered the mechanical beast to face the source of the shock arrow shower. More and more arrows came, sending booming sets of sparks across the barrier as they struck. Yet, calm and collected, Mipha took in a breath before raising up her left hand, as if she was presenting something to the sky itself. Ruta followed this order without hesitation. The glowing blue forcefield dissipated, and the water around the giant machine churned violently as it swung its hefty trunk up hard towards the mass of Lynels. The Zodobon cliff edge was obliterated on impact. Chunks of earth were hurled into the air along with the Lynel army they once supported. This wasn't without its drawback however, as both Mipha and Ruta now braced themselves as the remainder of the shock arrow tsunami came down upon them in the barrier's fading wake.
Mipha's heart jolted as she stumbled to her knees. She could feel the electricity from every single arrow as it surged through Vah Ruta and into her. Ganon's minions were smart. They knew that the Zora were particularly weak to electricity. They knew to use shock arrows. Mipha's vision became blurry for a split second before the shock began to dissipate. However, it was the pained bellow of her Divine Beast that forced the Zora Champion back to her still-spasming feet once again.
"A-Are you alright, Ruta?" She asked. Her face held great worry as she briefly used her trident for support. The elephant lowered its trunk as it bellowed in response to its pilot, this time sounding determined. Mipha smiled at this, standing tall once again and sharing in this determination. "Right," she declared, planting a foot forward. "Then let us continue on towards the castle."
Vah Ruta carried on down the river, occasionally firing chunks of ice at surrounding monsters at Mipha's command. The sun was now being cradled by the distant Hebra mountains as it too continued its descent. And as the sky had begun to darken, Ganon's malice had begun to thicken within it. Though, with no more major hiccups to delay the beast and its pilot, it didn't take long before they arrived at the Lanayru Wetlands near where the rivers merged. And it was then that Mipha could see Death Mountain just northeast of the castle. Through the occasional whisp of malice she spotted Vah Rudania as it lumbered across its scorching terrain and down the heated mountain, towards the castle. The Zora Champion smiled as she thought of Daruk's enthusiastic attitude, as well as just how observant the Goron Champion truly was. He had been the first to pick up on her smitten behavior around Link after all. And although he had initially taken it in a more literal sense, Mipha was still grateful for her Goron friend's efforts in bringing her and the Hylian knight closer. There was one specific interaction with Death Mountain's Champion that Mipha dwindled on, however. And even amidst the Calamity's chaos, the Zora's hands began nervously fiddling with the hilt of her trident as she pondered this memory further.
It had been a couple of months ago, when the lovestruck princess's mind was still toiling over whether or not she would craft a set of armor for the man she was oh so fond of. The dilemma had been so distracting that it had begun to show during her training session with Daruk. And thus, the Goron Champion had just succeeded in knocking Mipha to the ground for the third time in a row.
"Looks like I'm on a roll!" Daruk chuckled, helping his colleague to her feet. "Though, uh, I couldn't help but notice something…" The rugged rock placed an awkward hand on the back of his own head as he tossed his hefty Boulder Breaker aside. His metal chains gave a gentle clatter as he took a seat next to the young Zora. "You seem a little off your game today." Mipha pulled her trident a bit closer to herself. A subtle blush ignited in her cheeks as her gaze fell towards the ground. Nevertheless, she took a seat next to her friend.
"I suppose I've had a lot on my mind as of late…" Daruk gave a nod at this, giving Mipha a sympathetic smile.
"I see. Well, I'm happy to listen if you wanna talk about it. Maybe getting some of it off your chest could do some good, you know?"
"Oh, n-no, I…" Mipha stuttered. She began a tumbling descent down a staircase of her own words as her blush grew darker. "I-I, um… I-It's nothing. J-Just matters having to do with being a princess and all… I-I would truly hate to bore you with such things, really… I thank you for your kind offer though." Mipha began to recompose herself as her awkward stumble down the vocabulary steps ended in a feasible alibi. And although 'being a princess' wasn't exactly what was troubling her, there was some lingering truth in the excuse of royalty. Crafting armor as a proposal was customary of Zora princesses after all.
Though unfortunately for the princess in question, Daruk could see straight through this coverup, and he couldn't help but get a knowing grin.
"Princess stuff, I gotcha," the Goron remarked, playing along. He raised a bulky index finger to his bearded chin as he pretended to ponder what he already knew the answer to. "And this princess business wouldn't happen to involve a certain Hylian knight, would it?"
A gasp-like squeak was the young Zora's response, along with her trident slipping through her fingers. And the weapon clattered to the ground in front of her despite her brief scramble to try and catch it. Daruk gave a hearty chuckle as he retrieved the trident, grabbing it between two fingers and lifting it as if it were a toothpick. He once again gave Mipha a sympathetic smile as he gently handed the weapon back to her.
"Th-Thank you…" Mipha mumbled. Her face was nearly as red as the hands that reclaimed the three-pronged spear as it was returned to her. "U-Um…" The Zora took in a breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it back out in a confronted sigh. Daruk looked to her with intrigue, patiently waiting for her to find the right words. "Might I ask how exactly how you're aware of this?"
"A Goron's gut is never wrong!" Daruk replied, a twinge of pride on his face. The Goron then chuckled before adding on to his statement. "I've also noticed you eyeing the little guy every now and then. You often look like you wanna go over and talk to him." His faintly teasing smile then faded as concern glinted in his eyes. "But something always stops ya."
Mipha let out another sigh, as if admitting defeat. "I-I admit, it never used to be difficult talking to him…" She thought for a moment before she continued. Her hands began to nervously fiddle with one of the red fins that hung at the sides of her face, as she weighed each and every word carefully before speaking it. "I-I've known him for a long while, and we've always gotten along just fine. However, this… this f-feeling that I have towards him… It is still relatively new, and I-I am embarrassed to say that I am still unsure of how to handle it."
The Goron elder gave an understanding nod at his colleague's plight.
"Love can be pretty complicated."
Once again, Daruk's words seemed to have held more strength than he did, as Mipha sheepishly hid her face behind her hand in response to his blunt remark.
"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of," he quickly added. The wise Champion's chains gave a gentle set of clinks as he gestured a hand outwards to emphasize his statement. "Nothing wrong with love. Besides, I can tell you really care about the little guy. Heck, that's the whole reason you've been training with me, right? So that you can fight alongside him." The Zora princess slowly lowered her hand from her face, keeping her eyes to the ground, nevertheless.
"I do care about him quite a lot…" she admitted. "That is why I chose to pilot Vah Ruta. I wish to provide him support and protection. I-I wish to fight alongside him. B-Because…"
A lovestruck mind. A fluttering heartbeat.
"B-Because my heart is drawn to his…"
The pair sat in silence for a few moments, though it felt like an eternity to the lovesick princess. Thankfully though, the quiet was broken as Daruk gave a small chuckle to lessen the tension.
"The little guy sure has you all mixed up, huh?" He flashed Mipha his reassuring smile yet again. The Zora princess couldn't help but give a small chuckle in response to this, even as her cheeks flushed crimson yet again. Though her smile was short lived, as her concern slowly returned. Glancing up at her colleague, Mipha could tell that this hadn't gone unnoticed by him, as Daruk once again looked back at her as if he were waiting for her to go on. Deciding it was pointless to try and hide anything more from the Goron Champion, Mipha once again spoke.
"A small part of me wishes that I could confess these new feelings, though I worry that doing so would place further pressure onto him…" Mipha paused yet again, and Daruk could see the young girl's expression shift to one of worry as she pondered the Hylian's newfound responsibilities. "H-He's become so quiet ever since he was assigned as the Princess's personal knight… So, I-I have become hopeless in what I should do…" It was then that Mipha felt a gentle, albeit large, hand on her back as Daruk smiled in encouragement.
"Well, if you really do feel this strongly about him, then why not go with your gut?"
"Go with my gut?" The Zora questioned, looking up at her Champion colleague with a glint of hope in his advice.
"Yeah! Take it from the mighty Daruk! You can't ever go wrong when you go with your gut!" With that, the Goron gave Mipha a firm pat on the back, nearly knocking the young girl forward. Nevertheless, Mipha smiled at his encouraging words, giving a tiny nod to herself.
"R-Right!" She stated. The young princess now knew what she would do. Daruk gave a hearty chuckle at this before hoisting himself back to his feet.
"That's the way!" The Goron Champion cheered, before retrieving his Boulder Breaker.
Mipha smiled at the memory, still gazing in the direction of Vah Rudania. Though Daruk's advice had allowed the young Zora to craft the armor meant as a proposal, on the evening in which Mipha had planned to give said armor to the Hylian knight, her confidence had unfortunately faltered. And in realizing she had failed to fully follow Daruk's advice, Mipha felt a wave of dismay. The Zora Champion was about to whisper an apology to her Goron colleague when she suddenly noticed something about his Divine Beast that worried her.
Though the whisps of malice that trailed through the air were few and far between around her and Ruta, the same could not be said for Vah Rudania. In fact, the whirls of malice looked almost as if they were attempting to engulf the Divine reptile. Though whether this was just to obstruct the sight of its Goron pilot, or if it was an attempt at something more, Mipha did not know.
An alarming sequence of beeps tore the Zora Champion's focus away from the mechanical salamander. The beeping in question was echoing from one of the inner chambers of Vah Ruta. And although it was somewhat quiet, Mipha understood the message that the repeating pattern was carrying. She understood it loud and clear. It was an SOS signal.
Glancing back towards Death Mountain, Mipha's concern only grew as she noticed that Vah Rudania had come to a halt at the mountain's base. Malice seethed and flowed around it like a raging inferno. In that moment, the Zora Champion let out a shaky breath. Standing atop her Divine Beast on that humid evening, a chill ran down her spine.
A cautious mind. A fearful heartbeat.
"Ruta, continue towards the castle. Please be careful." The mech elephant gave a small bellow of confirmation as it pressed onward. And with that, Mipha gripped the Lightscale Trident a bit tighter as she began her hurried descent down to Vah Ruta's inner chambers. All the while the occasional little whisps of malice continued trailing through the air.
Upon entering the main room of the Divine Beast, Mipha could hear the SOS signal more clearly. The Zora Champion wasted no time in her search for its source, which eventually led her to the chamber which housed Vah Ruta's main terminal. Stepping foot into the chamber, Mipha used the shallow pool of water at the floor to glide over to the bud-like terminal, where the SOS signal was being emitted. And although she didn't notice it straight away, a small part of the Zora could faintly hear another pattern of beeps coming from somewhere else.
After placing her trident on her back, Mipha gently laid a hand upon the main terminal's sensor. As she did, the source of the SOS call seemed to change suddenly, while still maintaining its current volume and intensity. Gazing in the direction of the signal's origin, the Champion felt her heart drop slightly as her suspicions were confirmed. Though hard to see through both the segmented windows of the chamber, and the occasional clouds of malice that blocked her view further, Mipha was able to determine that the SOS signal was coming from the direction of Death Mountain. It was coming from Vah Rudania.
"Daruk… please, hold on…"
She had to help him. Sure, it would be dangerous to venture to a more arid terrain with Vah Ruta, but what other choice did she have? Without all of the Divine Beasts, their chances of sealing the Calamity would significantly decrease. Not only that, but her friend's life was in jeopardy, and Mipha wished to provide support to him.
"Ruta, we need to make a detour," the Zora declared, placing her hand on the main terminal's sensor once more. "We must make our way to Death Mountain to help Daruk." Mipha turned to begin making her way back to her post atop Vah Ruta's ear, and that's when she noticed it. The malice. Whisps of malice were beginning to seep into the room. Snaking their way through the windows and towards the main terminal where the Zora Champion stood. Without hesitation, Mipha drew her trident and stood in front of the terminal, defending it. Her heart rate was subtly starting to increase, and it was then that she could begin to decipher the other morse signal that she had faintly noticed on her way into chamber. It was slightly higher in pitch, being sent on a different frequency for sure. However, what confused Mipha the most about this message was that it wasn't coming from the main terminal. Instead, it seemed to be echoing from all around her. Or rather from all around Vah Ruta itself. Though when it dawned on the Zora as to what the message was saying, a candleflame of fear ignited within her.
It was a SAD signal: Search and Destroy. Playing over and over, subtly increasing in volume as more and more malice was seeping into the chamber.
A distressed bellow suddenly came from Vah Ruta as Mipha could feel that the beast had stopped in its tracks. The Zora Champion swallowed hard as she glanced towards the window segment facing Death Mountain. Though much to her dismay, and growing worry, the windows were now all but obstructed by the waves of malice flowing around Vah Ruta.
Mipha took in a few short breaths before placing a hand onto the main terminal's sensor once more.
"Ruta… send out a distress call," she ordered, before gripping her trident firmly with both hands.
A new sequence of beeps began to echo from the main terminal as Vah Ruta sent out its own SOS signal. Trident in hands, Mipha noticed that her own SOS call was slightly louder than the one coming from Vah Rudania, sounding faintly more distressed than the call of her Goron friend. Perhaps Ruta could sense her worry.
The Zora Champion hurriedly turned to make her way back to her post when a violent force suddenly struck against Vah Ruta, like a meteor had crashed right into the side of the beast. The sudden impact caused the pilot to stumble as she was briefly sent off balance. The raging waves of malice began to flood into the chamber without mercy as Mipha regained her footing. Vah Ruta bellowed loudly in distress as the volume of the SAD signal suddenly increased tenfold. The flood of malice began to collect into a growing mass at the chamber's entrance, and within seconds of watching it, Mipha quickly found herself gazing into the icy blue eye of a nightmare.
A hell spawn of malice-infested Sheikah technology now floated above the shallow pool of water at the chamber's floor. Though it was oddly slender for something that was crafted by Ganon, the potent whisps of malice that it radiated were more than enough for the Champion to sense its power. The guardian-like eye in the center of its three-pointed mask immediately locked onto Mipha. All the while it emitted cyan pulses of light in sync with the blaring beeps of the SAD signal.
"Such strength…"
Mipha took a half step back to ground herself as she held her trident in a ready stance, eyeing her newfound opponent with a determined glare. Seeing this, the corruption let out a low growl that gargled through its malice form.
From here on, Mipha figured that it would be all about speed and distance. She had seen what regular guardians were capable of, so she had to keep herself on her toes in the event that this thing could fire lasers. The mass of Sheikah tech that substituted its left arm looked as if it could be a crusher of some kind. So, as long as she kept a good distance from it, Mipha knew she would be just fine. This paired with the fact that she used a weapon with a distant range allowed the Zora Champion to regain her courage in her newfound plight.
Her opponent raised its malice hand upwards, levitating a large chunk of ice from the water and hurling it at its target. Mipha was quick to react; swiftly skidding across the shallow water as the chunk of ice collided with the main terminal. The realization that this monster could also manipulate water caused the Zora's heart to begin racing once again. Regardless, she kept herself light on her feet and ready to dodge more chunks of ice. Once again, the intruder raised its hand to the ceiling. This time raising three large blocks of ice from below and launching them towards the Champion. Though, like a dancer, Mipha once again skidded across the water's surface, easily dodging the first two projectiles as her red scales propelled her forward through the crystal liquid. Though the monster had been clever, and had sent the third block of ice not at the Zora herself, but at where the Zora would most likely be after dodging the first two. Despite this, Mipha quickly summoned a small fountain of water that propelled her upwards, and the block of ice narrowly missed her, shattering against the wall behind her. Landing back on her feet, Mipha ran back to the main terminal to guard it once more.
Speed and distance. Those were the rules. Be quick on your feet and stay out of reach. Though Mipha knew if she wished to weaken her opponent, she needed to wait for it to attack once again. Another splitting series of beeps pulled the Champion's attention back to the main terminal. Another SOS signal. And much like the one still coming from Vah Rudania, this one was steady and quiet as it joined in with those of its colleagues. Still keeping her defensive stance, the Zora reached a hand back and placed it upon the terminal's sensor.
Once again, the source of the SOS calls seemed to move. With the initial signal trailing back to Vah Rudania, while the new one was coming from what Mipha assumed was the southwest. From Vah Naboris.
Though the Zora Champion had little time to think about this, as the hellish spawn of malice called another set of ice blocks up from the shallow pool and sent them careening towards her. Seeing her opportunity, Mipha then summoned a thin vortex of water which she used to narrowly slip between the blocks and launch herself at the monster with her trident pointed forward. Though just as she was going to sink the prongs of her weapon deep into its eye, the creature folded in on itself and vanished in a whisp of blue light.
Mipha quickly caught herself with another water fountain as a sharp, metallic sound came from behind her, like that of a sword being unsheathed. She whirled around to face her opponent just in time to see a large, glowing blue object swipe across her torso in a blur. Mipha let out a shaky gasp as she stumbled backwards, quickly catching herself with her trident as she felt warmth beginning to pour from the freshly opened gash in her stomach. Glancing upwards, the Champion saw that the creature now floated above the main terminal. What Mipha had previously assumed to be a crusher on its left hand now holstered a long spear that gave off a haunting cyan glow, its jagged head now donning spots of the young Zora's blood.
In that moment, Mipha's golden eyes widened. Her heart began to beat loudly within her chest as red patches started to bloom on her Champion garb, soaking through its fabric. She took shallow, panicked breaths as she truly began to process the situation that she now found herself in.
A sharpened mind. A marching heartbeat.
Her opponent's eye remained centered on the wounded Zora as it continued emitting its SAD signal. Search and Destroy. That was the order. The Champion placed a shaking hand upon her wound and began to heal herself. Though, even as her powers numbed her of her pain, Mipha continued to take in shallow breaths. Terror had taken hold of the young Zora's body for the first time in a very long while.
"R-Ruta…" She exhaled. "I-Increase the volume of the distress call… p-please…"
Even amidst its own distress, the Divine Beast obeyed its pilot, as the SOS signal it was emitting became louder and more urgent.
Having mostly healed herself, Mipha regained her stance just as another set of ice blocks came flying at her. She once again dodged them with ease, all the while being careful of the reach that the monster's giant spear was capable of. It swiped at her a couple times as she maneuvered through the water and between blocks of ice, trying and failing to wound her once more.
While dodging the array of attacks was easy enough, Mipha had no idea as to how exactly she was going to retaliate. She couldn't get close enough to her attacker without fear of being sliced open once more. The spear it wielded just had too long of a reach. She could try to get behind it, maybe. Though it would most likely vanish and reappear behind her if she did. Though, right as another ice block flew at her, another idea popped into Mipha's head.
Rather than dodging, the Champion propelled herself up towards the block using another fountain of water. Still maintaining a safe distance from the dreaded spear, Mipha met the block head on, holding the hilt of her trident in front of her and using it to send the block flying back towards its summoner. The monster raised its right hand up immediately, stopping the rebounding block of ice just before it could collide with its mask. And as Mipha caught herself with another fountain of water, she could hear a growing sound coming from her opponent's weapon, like it was charging up.
Though just as the Champion put two and two together, a blur of cyan was thrust directly at her as the spear fully extended itself.
A static mind. A staggering heartbeat.
Mipha choked out a pained scream that slowly trailed into frantic breathing. And she used a shaking hand to grab at the giant, glowing spear that she was now impaled on. The serrated head stuck out of the Zora's back, dripping with the blood it was bathed in, having torn right through the princess with ease. Mipha felt her chest spasm in agony with every labored breath she attempted. Every spasm forced a heavy wince through her vocal cords, and as the pain became more and more intense, the young Zora couldn't hold back another agonized wail as it bubbled from her throat. She tasted the metallic liquid that rose along with it as it pooled in her mouth.
Mipha's vision became fuzzy as her opponent raised its spear, lifting her from the floor. Her body was starting to become numb as more and more blood gushed around the spear from her torso, staining the shallow water crimson like the Calamity sky above, as it dripped from the Champion's legs.
Starting to lose consciousness, Mipha kept a weak grasp on her Lightscale Trident as the monster suddenly flung her from its weapon with a brutal swing, sending the mortally wounded Champion flying out of the main terminal's chamber and back into the main room of the Divine Beast. Mipha sucked in a hitched breath as her body spasmed from the shock of the spear passing back through her the way it had entered. She wheezed in writhing pain once more as her body smacked into the wall and slumped against it as she landed. Her trident clattered to the ground beside her, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood onto herself in her struggle to breathe. And for a few moments, all Mipha could do was lie still with her eyes squeezed shut, and whimper as wave after wave of agony crashed over her.
In that moment, filled with the excruciating pain, the worried bellows of Vah Ruta, and the frantic beeping of morse signals, Mipha turned her gaze to the sky as she weakly began trying to heal herself. To her slight surprise, she was able to see some of the stars now, given the fact that most of the malice that swarmed Ruta earlier had manifested itself into what had wounded its pilot. And even through the crimson sky, the twinkling stars provided a small bit of comfort to the young Champion amidst her agony, and she took in a stifled, yet deep breath as she eyed them.
She thought about how on clear nights, she used to look for shooting stars with her little brother, Sidon. And a weak smile crossed her lips at the dizzy memories. Though at the same time, a small part of Mipha knew that this may very well be the last time she would ever see the stars before she resided amongst them.
Nevertheless, she carried on tending to her wound, her strength returning more and more as she did. Giving up was simply not an option. She had to keep fighting until the very end, no matter the outcome. Her brother and father needed her. Her people needed her. Hyrule needed her. And of course, Link needed her too.
Finally, after a couple more minutes of healing, the hole in Mipha's torso had closed back up, and any pain or dizziness that had plagued her before had faded. The Zora Champion rose to her feet one final time, retrieving the trident that she cherished so dearly before making her way back towards the chamber which housed the main terminal of Vah Ruta. The chamber that housed her opponent.
A new series of beeps suddenly rang out from the still-frantically beeping terminal. This one sounding more panicked than the previous ones. In fact, it was even overlapping itself on multiple channels in a desperate attempt for someone to respond. Mipha's heart sank a little at this. Though she no longer needed the terminal to know who was calling for help. It was now clear to the Zora Champion that all of her fellow Champions were more than likely in the same situation as her. Fighting for their lives against nightmares specially designed for each of them. Specially designed to kill them. Search and Destroy. It was perfectly clear to Mipha now…
A rushing mind. A screaming heartbeat.
Stepping into the chamber, Mipha was greeted by the sight of her attacker once more as it turned away from the main terminal to face her. The terminal itself was starting to turn a sluggish orange from the monster's influence, and Mipha could feel that the chamber had become significantly colder than when she had last stepped foot into it. Taking in a deep breath, Mipha pointed her trident at the brute, steeling herself.
The malice reaper gave a growl of frustration at seeing its victim back on her feet, clenching its right fist in seething rage and hatred.
"I am Princess Mipha!" Mipha announced, standing tall. "Champion of the Zora! And I will not allow you to lay a finger on those who I care about!" Speed and distance. That's all she needed to remember. The rush of adrenaline sharpened the young girl's focus.
The demon shrieked in response to the Zora Champion's declaration of war, and Mipha watched as its right fist was engulfed in a mix of malice and blue light. And in seconds, a flail made of pure ice was swinging from where its hand used to be. Giving another shriek, the monster swung the flail mercilessly into the shallow pool of water at the floor, sending a tidal wave of frost in all directions. The rush of cold instantly froze over the watery floor, which was the only combat advantage that Mipha had to begin with. The hell spawn gave an ear-piercing roar as three more blocks of ice appeared in the air around it.
The Champion let out a shaky exhale at this, glancing down at the icy floor before she looked her demise in the eye one final time. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had as the nightmare of malice gave a vicious swipe of its spear in an effort to threaten its target.
The truth sank in for Mipha in that moment, colder than the ice that surrounded her. She would not be returning to the domain she once called home. She would not keep her promise to her father. She would not be there to help raise her little brother. She would not be able to protect the man she loved.
A bewildered mind. Yet a determined heartbeat.
"So this is how it ends…"
Despite her dread, Mipha put her right foot back, getting into a ready stance, her Lightscale Trident held high as she pointed it at the reaper. This was it. This was how she was meant to go with her gut. She had already chosen to pilot Vah Ruta. She had already chosen to craft the Zora armor. This was the path chosen by her heart, and she needed to see it through.
The monster let out a roar of hatred before raising its spear and charging at the Zora Champion.
And the last thing Mipha saw was her own reflection within the devil's icy flail, only a split second before it was brought down mercilessly upon her head.
.
A Cryonis mind. A Stasis heartbeat.
The Lightscale Trident fell and clattered against the frozen floor next to its wielder. Though no attempt was made to pick it back up.
The malicious murderer lifted its flail from the mess of shattered ice and gore, and the dripping weapon vanished from the demon's arm in a whisp of blue light. Without a moment to spare, the creature folded in on itself and transformed into a dense wave of malice, flying through the chamber and striking into Vah Ruta's main terminal, turning its once blue glow to a sickly orange.
The beeping ceased.
The ice thawed.
The remains of a Champion floated on the frigid water's surface.
The Divine Beast gave a bellow of agony as its noble blue glow was stained pink. And slowly, against its own will, it began a sluggish journey up the Rutala River, back the way it came. None of Ganon's minions dared to touch it as it shambled past them, and thus it didn't take long until the beast was surfacing within the East Reservoir waters once more. Noticing this, the Zora guard who had greeted his princess just over an hour ago quickly made his way up to the dock to get a better look at the Divine Beast.
"L-Lady Mipha…?" The guard called, gazing into the pink glow of the devil himself.
Vah Ruta gave a thunderous bellow in response to what it now saw as an intruder. And the beast floated closer as it raised its trunk up in preparation to squash the guard without mercy.
The guard quickly stumbled backwards, landing on the ground at the base of the dock just as Vah Ruta's trunk came crashing down upon the dock's end, smashing it to pieces and sending a giant wave crashing into the reservoir's landing. After shielding himself from the harsh tidal wave, the guard became aware of an object that had clattered in front of him in the wave's wake. And the Zora guard's blood nearly froze as he registered what he was looking at.
The Lightscale Trident.
Mipha's Lightscale Trident.
The Divine Beast bellowed another warning as its massive trunk began to rise once more. Seeing this, the guard scrambled to his feet, quickly grabbing the trident of his princess and running straight to King Dorephan.
"Your majesty!" He exclaimed, sprinting up the steps to the throne room's landing.
"What is the meaning of this?" King Dorephan responded. However, his expression suddenly shifted when he noticed his daughter's weapon in the guard's white-knuckled grasp.
"Y-Your majesty…" The guard began, quickly bowing to his king before placing the trident before him. "L-Lady Mipha's trident had washed up from Vah Ruta after the Divine Beast had returned to the East Reservoir…"
King Dorephan's eyes widened as he took in a deep breath.
"A-And my daughter?"
The guard bowed his head once more.
"I-I… I-I am so sorry, your majesty…"
Sidon lay awake in his bed. It was early in the morning, and yet the little prince was still wide awake. How could he possibly sleep though? His sister, whom he had loved so much and always looked up to, had just been ripped away by the hands of Ganon. He had overheard the fact that Vah Ruta had returned to the East Reservoir. He had overheard that his sister's prized trident had been washed onto the landing. He had overheard how the adults were preparing to gently break the news to him tomorrow morning. Their efforts would be in vain, however, as the tears soaking the young prince's pillow were proof enough that he was already aware of Mipha's fate. Reflecting upon the news that the guard had brought yet again; Sidon suddenly got an idea.
Carefully, the young prince climbed out of his bed and retrieved his blanket and pillow. He then quietly crept from his room and made his way up the large staircase leading up to the East Reservoir. A part of him was expecting not to see Vah Ruta when he finally made it to the base of the dock that led out to the water. A part of him still simply refused to process that his sister had truly met her end only hours before. But even in his denial, Sidon was soon gazing up at the Divine Beast that his sister had once loved so much, as it sat stationary in the water. It didn't seem to take notice of his presence, as it currently lacked a glow of any kind or color, as if the malice inside of it was resting after its horrendous victory.
The young prince promptly dropped his pillow down onto the floor of the dock's base before laying himself down with his head upon it. He felt the tears starting to brim in his eyes for what seemed like the thousandth time that night, as he curled up and pulled his blanket onto himself. Once again, he gazed at what was now this sister's tomb, staring into its static eyes as he felt the tears dripping down his face. All was silent as the red moon reflected off the reservoir's water.
"G-Goodnight, sister…"
And with that, Sidon buried his face into his already soggy pillow, soaking it with more tears.
Though whether it was simply from emotional exhaustion, or from something else entirely, sleep eventually graced the young prince's troubled mind, numbing his pain and providing him with temporary relief from his heartache.
A regretful mind. A still heart.
"Goodnight, Sidon…"