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Just cross the bridge.
Cross. It.
Cross the bridge!
Robbie repeated over and over as he could only stand and stare at the bridge leading to the citadel in front of him. The last time he was here was when they were under an attack...
When the Calamity hit them.
His breathing hitched, his footing stumbled. Robbie had to rest against the grand bridge's side for a moment.
If he only brought Purah here -
No.
He had to go here alone.
Tapping his finger against the cold stone of the bridge, he slowly made his way towards the citadel. His fingertips gently gliding against the side of the bridge as comfort.
Only so he could grasp on what was real and what wasn't. He knew that his past visions would be bad here...
He had no choice now. Only move forward.
Making his way to the giant gate, he was met with two soldiers. Hyrulean soldiers.
"Master Robbie? What are you doing here?" A soldier spoke, "I haven't seen you since you blasted the other side of the bridge!"
There was almost a hint of... joy, in the soldier's voice upon seeing Robbie again. It truly caught him off guard.
"Oh!" Robbie chuckles a bit, "I forgot a few things and had to return..." Robbie lied behind a nervous smile, "So! I do hope I could look around the citadel?"
The soldiers look at each other for a moment and nod.
"Of course, Master Robbie! Do you need an esco--"
"NO!" He held his hand out and drew back a bit, sighing under his breath and smiles brightly, "No... I am stellar!" Robbie snaps his fingers, "Nothing is attacking it, so why bother you guys? I'll leave you to your uh, jobs."
Having an escort brought him right back to that moment where they were under an attack, he couldn't handle it.
Nodding again, the soldiers yelled at another solider above to open the gate, peering down they gave a thumbs up and the gate opened slowly.
There he stood, watching it rise again. That feeling of dread came back to him.
He remembers this feeling.
The feeling of how this was his fault that they split. Wondering if she was okay.
Remembering his exact thoughts.
"This is where I am going to die."
As the gate was fully opened, Robbie walked in. He remembered the layout of the place like the back of his hand.
He knew where he was going.
The room he locked himself in.
The room where that maliced Guardian fell through the ceiling.
Tracing his fingers against the walls of the citadel he could see faint visions of the soldiers being attacked by moblins, screaming for backup. As if they were ghosts, he walked right through them.
Screaming, crying, yelling ...
Crying to be saved.
He swallowed a lump in his throat, feeling the panic setting in. He was walking right back to the most traumatic part of his life.
Walking right back into it all alone.
Maybe he should have brought Purah with him, or someone... anyone.
Walking closer to the room he paused.
This was it.
"... Here we go."
Opening the doors with both hands, he pushed the giant doors to the sides. Looking up immediately... It was still being fixed from months prior.
The hole in the ceiling.
"Almost a year now this happened..." Robbie whispered to himself as he walks deeper into the room. The books were still there, the ones he stacked from before as a distraction.
He picked one up, blowing the thick layer of dust and debris off of it. Wiping it with his hand he took a closer look, "Different Types of Weapons. vol. 3."
His eyes glanced back up at the hole in the ceiling, suddenly the vision of the guardian crashing down hit him.
Dropping the book he falls backwards, shielding his face.
Screaming for help.
It isn't real.
It isn't real.
It isn't real!
Moving his arms away from his face slowly, he looks around frantically for the maliced guardian - it wasn't there.
He knew it wasn't there yet...
This was a bad idea returning here.
If something did come back, who would save him?
The Sheikah stood back up onto his feet and picked the book back up from the floor. Slowly placing it back on the table with a deep sigh.
"Attack!"
Robbie suddenly looked towards the window in panic, that yell was from a soldier outside.
Running to the window, he looked outside to see...
Nothing.
All was calm. The Akkala trees gently swaying their bright colored autumn leaves in the wind.
Nothing was attacking, nothing was...
He crouched down, trembling. He felt panic creeping in. He knew it was coming.
Why did he come here again?
This was such a bad idea.
Placing his hands over his head, he started to quietly sob by the window. Hearing the the swords clashing against the weapons of the monsters again. The explosions of the guardians that were taken over flashing from the distance.
"Someone... help." Robbie ducked more down, hugging himself as he squeezes his eyes shut.
Nothing was there.
He knew that deep down yet he couldn't stop it.
He was reliving everything again.
The Divine Beast's loud roar shakes the citadel again, standing up he looks out and sees the entire area around the citadel engulfed in flames as it was before.
Covering his mouth, Robbie's eyes widen at the sight. The soldiers, the monsters, it was like before!
No!
No!
Robbie stumbles back more, rushing to the doors and locks himself in. He couldn't let any monsters...
Wait.
His eyes dart up at the ceiling. The hole in the ceiling...
They were going to get him.
"Link? Zelda....? Impa? Anyone...?" Robbie sobs between his clenched teeth, "....Mipha...Revali? No... maybe Daruk could... Urbosa is too far..."
Robbie mumbled to himself as he gave into his panic more and more.
"Someone please save Purah...please..."
She is at Fort Hateno alone.
It's his fault.
His fault. His fault. His fault.
Wait...
Robbie's head jerks back up. This wasn't right...
Something felt wrong.
He hugs himself tightly, huddling against the wall.
"...Save her...save her... save...her..."
"Oh, come now... why don't you save her?" A familiar voice echoes in the room.
Robbie looks up from his arms, a familiar Rito stood over him with his wings crossed, his head turns to the side with a huff.
"You cannot count on us all the time to save you. We have our own to save."
Robbie swallows hard, tasting the salt of his tears, "But you... you are stronger than me. You know that, I know you do..."
"You are just as strong as us, Robbie..." Another voice chimes in, turning his gaze he sees Mipha tending to a soldier on the ground, healing his wounds as she spoke.
He has seen this before ...
"If I can fight... you can too. I believe in you." Mipha smiles.
"You think I do what I do without being a little afraid?" A stern voice from the other side of the room speaks up, "Fear makes us stronger." Urbosa shrugs her shoulders and smiles back at Robbie.
"You got this!" A loud yet kind voice speaks beside Robbie, looking up it was Daruk.
Why were they all here? The Champions should be helping more important people...!
"I doubted myself for so long..."
Robbie recognized that voice, it was louder than the rest. Slowly he stands up as all the champions turn to look at the girl laced with the golden aura. Her back turned towards everyone.
Her hands clapped together as the golden aura lighted up the room.
That Divine power...
"... I turned away from awakening my power. I doubted myself, thought I would be no use to any of you... Yet you all still supported me. Even when I doubted myself. You believed in me the most."
Zelda slowly turned towards Robbie, her hand drawn close to her.
"You told me to never give up, it was always you. You and Purah were always cheering me on the sidelines... Now it is your turn to shine, Robbie. I know you can..."
Robbie chokes up, tears streaming down his face, unable to stop. Holding his head down he rubs his eyes.
"I don't understand--" Robbie sobbed, "Why are you all here?!"
"You are just as strong as us, Robbie. Didn't you tell me once... that you don't need a sword to be strong?"
A hand gently rests on Robbie's shoulder. Gasping he slowly turns to see Link there.
"You don't need us to help you; but if you do need the extra help... we are always there for you. Just call for us and we will always be there..."
"Like you have always been for us." Impa steps beside Zelda and smiles softly at Robbie.
"No matter what trouble you and my sister get in... I- no... We all know you guys will do just fine."
Robbie couldn't stop sobbing into his arm. What was going on? Why was everyone here?
"Go home to your family, Robbie.
We are right here with you, always."
Go... Home?
His eyes widened again. He was standing in the middle of the room alone.
... ?
Robbie looked around.
It was quiet.
The sound of the light breeze and the leaves shuffling was all that was heard.
Taking a deep, shaky breath he turns around to head back out.
His head was pounding and he needed to head back home. Back into her arms...
Home...
Home...
Right. Head back into Purah's arms.
He came here to finally be at peace with his past, the trauma...
... Still, it was something he couldn't face alone. He did need Purah here after all, didn't he?
Taking one last look around the room he trembled, turning away again.
He is never coming back here alone ever again.
Walking back outside the Akkala Citadel, he waves quietly at the soldiers in the front from before.
After crossing the bridge again, he takes one last glance from behind his shoulder. Back at the tall citadel that still stood tall after everything it went through.
It may have a couple of broken ceilings, cracked walls and even a broken bridge. However, it was being rebuilt with time. It still stood there so proudly.
Just like the citadel, Robbie too, can still stand tall.
He may be still scared, still broken in some places within his mind... but he was still standing. Still alive.
Robbie smiled to himself, turning his head back away.
He suddenly felt a little bit better as he walked back to the Hideout where he was needed most.