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The echoes caused by the shriek of Divine Beast Vah Medoh reverberated throughout all of central Hyrule. The great bird had made its turnaround while Princess Zelda had been explaining all of the events that took place at Hyrule Castle yesterday. The amount of composure the princess was showing in spite of the tragedy she just faced was impressive. Link was doing his best to match it.
This was proving difficult, however, because his night was restless. The fact that Vah Naboris and Vah Medoh had taken so long to free left the champions with nearly any nighttime left to rest, and as the sunlight was beginning to creep upon the eastern half of Hyrule, Link could not help but wonder about the two champions still defending their divine beasts.
He thought, from this distance, he could make out the visage of Vah Rudania on Death Mountain. His friend, Daruk, surely must still be defending the insides of it from these… these beasts. When he first saw the monsters who attacked Urbosa and Revali, he thought he had taken too many headshots. They were too gruesome to be real, he thought. It must be the result of double vision, or concussion, or hallucination. What were they even supposed to be?
No matter. Daruk was legendary for his defensive protection. He may not be able to hold out forever, but if any of the champions could win single-handedly, it would be him. No, the real fear for Link was down near the waters inside of Vah Ruta.
Mipha was the smallest champion physically, and while her healing abilities were legendary already, and she knew combat well, Zora biology had proven difficult in combat situations outside the Lanayru region. Without the advantage of water and wide space with which to work, Mipha was extremely vulnerable to elemental attacks like fire, but especially lightning. Vah Ruta, with its main console being inside the beast, had the smallest command chamber of any of the four. With all those disadvantages, could she…?
No. No, she would survive until morning. She may not have been able to a few months ago, but all of the training the champions had done left them far stronger than they had ever been. If Urbosa could make it hours with that speed demon in her chamber, Mipha could make it to morning with hers.
“Um, pardon me, Link.”
Link broke himself from his thoughts. He had been off to the side away from everyone while they were strategizing. It gave him a chance to be alone with his thoughts while his body healed. What he wouldn’t give for some food with healing properties right now.
As his thoughts turned to the person in front of him, he realized it was the little Gerudo who had appeared to fight alongside Urbosa while Link made his way to the divine beast. He gave a nod of recognition to her.
“I- I don’t believe we have met before, or rather, I don’t believe you have met me, but as Urbosa indicated earlier, I am the future chief of the Gerudo. My name is Riju. It is good to see you again, Champion of the Hylians.”
Link had a few thoughts develop from this. She’s met him before? She is the chief of the Gerudo, Urbosa’s position? She’s from the future? He had a few conversations that would need having, so he figured he should start with the simplest one.
“You’re young for a Gerudo chief.”
“Hm, I’m well aware,” Riju responded. “My mother passed when I was a girl, and I was handed the mantle very young.”
Link felt a bit guilty for asking.
“Not that it should have kept you from asking. Standing next to Lady Urbosa, it reminds me of the weight and gravitas the chief role held when it was my mother.” Riju turned away as she continued. “My people are very supportive and look upon me with respect, but for the longest time I questioned whether I had done anything to actually earn that respect. That is, until you visited our town for the first time.”
Link raised an eyebrow, hoping to invite an explanation.
“Vah Naboris was still under the control of that… thing inside the chamber at the time I was in charge. You arrived claiming you could calm it. I was not entirely certain of your abilities, but when I saw your Sheikah Slate and realized you had fooled my entire guard into thinking you were a vai…”
Link’s eyes were like saucers and his mouth was hanging open at this story. There were a lot of details that sounded simply absurd.
“... I knew that you had to be the champion who had gained so much acclaim in our town thanks to the memoirs of Lady Urbosa. I know it sounds odd for me to thank you, when you haven’t done any of those things yet -- well, aside from freeing Naboris -- but I’ve always wanted to have this heart-to-heart with you in my time, and it feels… freeing, to say it to you now.”
“Don’t forget, he saved Medoh for a second time as well,” the other Rito on Medoh said as he approached the pair.
Link examined him as he walked over. He didn’t have nearly the hostility he felt from Revali. In fact, he seemed completely self-assured and had the eyes of recognition about him, like he was standing across from a friend. Link decided to ask.
“I, in the future, know you as well?”
The Rito nodded. “Yes, you were instrumental in the re-taking of Vah Medoh 100 years in the future. The name is Teba.”
Link absorbed the name Teba, but also the other detail in that statement. “100 years? How?”
Teba and Riju looked at each other. Riju spoke up. “To be honest, we only have the basic details. It was part of a plan that the Princess came up with in order to stop the threats to Hyrule.”
Teba then replied. “You didn’t go into detail with myself either. I would assume it had something to do with the Sheikah technology, but it’s admittedly not a question I’ve sought the answer to. Sorry I can’t be of more assistance.”
Link waved off the apology. While he’d need to ask such things again once things were over, he knew they were getting close to the drop-off point. He began drifting back into thought.
“You’re thinking about your fellow champions,” Teba said, matter-of-factly. Link turned back to him.
“You have the same look in your eyes that I had each morning before I trained to reach Vah Medoh. That singular focus. That fear being reconstituted into focus and strength. I was using my family, my wife, as motivation to keep driving forward. You care deeply for the champions who are fighting for their lives, am I right?”
Link nodded slowly. It astounded him how this stranger, one who idolized Revali, no less, could understand him so well based on interactions he’d never had.
“Well, just so you know, I will do everything to make sure your loved ones are safe and that you have support, just as you did for me.” Teba reached out his arm. Link looked at it for a moment, and then locked arms with him.
“Thank you.”
Riju piped up. “You can be certain that goes for me as well. Admittedly, my first thought was to protect Lady Urbosa, but now that I’m here, I’m going to make this the best future possible!”
As Link nodded in acknowledgement, Urbosa called out to everyone. “Alright! We are getting close to the area near Vah Ruta and Vah Rudania! Revali will be lowering Vah Medoh now.”
Link gathered up his equipment and prepared to head over. “Are you two coming along?”
Riju nodded. “Yes, I’ll be waking up Patricia and be helping to clear paths for your troops.”
Teba shook his head. “Vah Medoh will need covering fire for when we turn back to take out the enemy camps and guardians. My best location is here, helping Master Revali.”
Link acknowledged their answers. “Well, I don’t plan to wait. I’ll see you down there, Riju.”
As he began running to the wing of Vah Medoh, Riju suddenly realized what he was saying. “Wait, are you crazy?! You’re jumping from this height?!”
Zelda, who had been gathering up her own gear, finally caught wind of the commotion and tried to call out to Link, but it was too late. Link dove off the body of Vah Medoh. Admittedly, this was not the safest option, but he knew that whatever information he could gather quickly could prove the difference between rescuing Mipha, and failing.
(Following the battles with Vah Ruta and Vah Rudania)
The burns on Link’s arms stung, but there was a feeling of triumph in the air. All four divine beasts had been reclaimed.
In hindsight, Link was grateful that Ruta was first. Not only did it allow him to rescue Mipha, but it allowed her to heal him before heading out to fight on Death Mountain. He was already well beyond tired from fighting all last night and not resting, but the wear-and-tear was getting to him by the time the beast in Vah Ruta had been bested.
For this fight, though, he was fresh, and with two incredibly gifted Gorons at his side, that beast was both outnumbered and outmatched.
This did raise the question, though, as to who exactly the other Goron was, and how he was able to use Daruk’s protection ability. Luckily, it looked like the opportunity to ask was here.
“Alright, you two, I have to position Rudania a little better so everyone else can get on. Little guy! Be sure to introduce yourself to our new friend while I bring everyone else!” Daruk said.
Link nodded, and as Daruk left, the Hylian turned to Yunobo.
“Oh! You don’t have to worry about introducing yourself to me, goro. We’ve met before! Er, well I guess I should say, I know you. I don’t think you know me right now, do you?”
Link shook his head. “How do you have Daruk’s power?”
“Oh, right! I guess I should explain that. See, I come from the future where I’m the latest descendant of the Great Daruk! It’s a burden sometimes to have those expectations, goro.”
Link actually broke his stoic nature a bit and chuckled to himself. This Goron had the unassured nature of a child, but his excitement was really infectious. “So what’s your name?”
“I’m Yunobo! I met you when you rescued me from a cave-in back on Death Mountain. You were so brave and went straight for Vah Rudania in order to appease it. Only the elders had that kind of energy and incentive before. It was really inspiring!”
Did I just do everything in their time that I did over the last day? Link thought to himself. It was hard to fathom that these rescuers not only already had experience with these fights; but that they all seemed to be inspired by his actions, none of which he remembered.
Yunobo continued. “But yeah, once I realized that the Great Daruk was in danger, I knew this was my chance to do something important! So just like you, I went head-on into battle, and we had victory, goro!”
Link smiled. “I’m glad you were here to help.”
Yunobo smiled back. “I’m glad you were too! It’s was so much fun to fight beside both of you today.”
Suddenly, their attention was turned to the front of the beast. Daruk had brought everyone on board.
( The cutscene follows.)
"...Next thing I knew, I was inside Vah Ruta…"
Prince Sidon's story raised so many questions about the events of this battle. It was wild enough that all of the champions were saved by beings from the future, but the idea that Sidon, who at the moment was a small Zora child, had come back as a fully grown adult who had already mourned his sister for decades to undo an injustice, was a lot for everyone familiar with the Zora royal family to stomach.
This, specifically, referred to Mipha and Link, who had both seen Sidon multiple times and had gotten used to seeing his growth. When Vah Rudania left them all off to get ready for battle, Link decided to get some answers from Sidon. He didn't want to ask much, as there was a lot still to do, but with Mipha sitting to the side using meditation to use her healing power on herself, Link had said (well, gestured) to Zelda that he would wait a few minutes in case Ganon's forces went after Mipha and Sidon as she was healing.
"Ah, Link! My friend, it is good to see you again. Truly, it was an honor to fight beside my most treasured friend again. And in his prime, to boot! To save my dear sister. Exquisite!"
Link looked to make sure Mipha was out of earshot of Sidon's boundless joy, and then spoke quickly. "Yes, you mentioned that. How exactly do we know each other in your time?"
"Oh. I suppose I'd skipped that part. I apologize. I had forgotten that what I remember as a given, has not happened for you yet. You assisted me 100 years in the future to tame Vah Ruta."
"One-hundred? How am I in fighting condition?"
"To be honest, it didn't make much sense to me, either. When you came to the edge of Zora's Domain, you had shown no indication that we had met before, and indeed, you and I both seemed surprised when my father identified you on sight as the Hylian Champion.
"According to your own account, you had been asleep for 100 years in a Shiekah shrine, and it had cost you your memory. I'm guessing it kept you in your peak physical condition, though, because you were able to ride on my back and hit Ruta with shock arrows to stop it from delivering an endless rain upon the Domain."
Link nodded as he tried to absorb the information. It was times like this where he was glad he'd trained his body not to react to every revelation. Control of his emotions was key now. What were the most important details he needed?
"Did Ganon reign the whole 100 years?"
"Not quite, he seemed… trapped in the castle for ages, and so most areas of Hyrule were only bothered by monsters and the occasional guardian. Turns out, Princess Zelda's sealing magic was holding him in the castle until you could return to take him on again."
That surprised Link. As much as Zelda was struggling, she must have a power capable of incredible proportions if she could do such things at age 17. As it stood, she was only a few days away from that age. Could she bring it out sooner? Something to consider later. There was a more pressing question.
"In your timeline… I don't get to rescue… the champions… like Mipha, do I?" He chastised himself internally for letting that question slip into a more emotional one, but Sidon seemed very earnest and, maybe it was Mipha's influence on him, but he had that same feeling of trustworthiness that occasionally brought back out his childlike vulnerability. And in a circumstance like this, it was hard to maintain his composure.
"No, I'm afraid you do not. When you looked at the memorial statue of my sister, it jarred some of your memories loose. You were trembling and looked ill afterward. The little we did discuss about her was very somber. I know it must have affected you deeply."
Link thought about this a moment. It was emotionally difficult to balance now, so he couldn't imagine being hit with that reality the way his future self was. He saw in the corner of his eye that Mipha was about to finish healing, so he nodded at Sidon and made a move to get back to Princess Zelda.
But before he left, he felt a compulsion to speak again. He didn't fully grasp why, as it was purely emotional and was not necessary, but at the same time, he knew he'd regret not saying it.
"I'm grateful. That you gave me the time to intervene. Thank you."
Sidon softly smiled. "Right. And I'm glad you were there to save her. I know what it means to her as well. That you, in particular, saved her."
Link didn't know how to take that in the moment, and he was sure he would think on it, but for now it was time to head back to Zelda and Impa and make camp.