Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I don’t know you. And I’m actually pretty busy here. You should probably go.”

The Rito sat on the platform, eyes fixed on his bow, his white braids swaying gently in the cool breeze. When the Hylian didn’t move or respond, he sighed and turned his head.

“Did you need something?”

The Hylian nodded, before pointing up to the sky. Teba didn’t need to look, he knew what flew above.

“Vah Medoh?” He chuckled. “What exactly can you do about that?”

The Hylian kept eye contact and drew a rusted sword and wooden shield that looked suspiciously like some sort of pot lid.

The Rito suppressed his laughter and studied the figure before him. He was shorter than Teba, but probably average height for a Hylian. He wore an old-looking green doublet that was more patchwork than material and a Snowquill Headdress was woven through his long, tangled, blond hair, likely to keep out the bitter cold of the Hebra region.

“What’s your name, stranger?”

The Hylian broke eye contact for the first time and look down to the ground uncomfortably. Instead of speaking, he pulled, from seemingly nowhere, a small tablet, decorated with intricate symbols and lines. Hylian characters were displayed neatly on one side.

“Link?”

Link nodded.

“Not much of a talker huh,” he continued. “Well, Link, I’m Teba. But you already knew that. I’m guessing the Elder asked you to come here and talk some sense into me. Am I right?”

Link nodded again and Teba rolled his eyes.

‘Typical of the elder to put one Rito’s safety over that of the whole village. He never did understand basic defence.’

He stood to face Link.

“Look – you seem like an all-right guy, but let’s make one thing clear: I’m not going anywhere. As a Rito warrior, I can’t rest until my people are safe. There’s only one way I’m going back to Rito Village, and that’s –“

As if on cue, a demonic screech erupted from above the Flight Range. The pair gazed up at the large mechanical bird which soared overhead. Giant stone beams created a ribcage-like structure across the beast’s underside, and long wings and various propellers kept it hovering high above the ground.

Teba returned his gaze to Link.

“And that’s once Divine Beast Vah Medoh falls from the sky,” he finished. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect Rito Village… even if it means destroying it.”

Link sheathed his sword and nodded enthusiastically.

Teba chuckled again.

“Seriously? Well, far be it from me to talk you off the edge.”

In reality, that was exactly what he wanted to do. He’d only known Link for a few minutes, but the Hylian’s eagerness and enthusiasm coupled with his unpreparedness (he couldn’t see a quiver to load the bow on his back) would almost certainly get him killed trying to approach the Divine Beast.

“The only way to stop Divine Beast Vah Medoh is to get inside it. Fat chance of that happening. There’s no way we can step foot in Medoh.”

It was Link’s turn to cock his head.

“The only people able to enter the Divine Beasts are the five champions of old, and unfortunately for us and the rest of Hyrule they all died a hundred years ago…”

Teba’s train of thought left him as he saw the tablet device Link was holding out once again. As Link turned it over, he saw a decorative eye engraved on the back – the symbol of the ancient Sheikah Tribe.

He looked back to Link and noted the similarities between the Hylian in front of him and descriptions of the Hero of Hyrule who had supposedly fallen 100 years ago. The blond hair, blue, determined eyes.

‘Could this be some sort of descendent?’ he thought. ‘No, if the Champion had died then there would be no descendants at all. So could this really be…?’

Teba pushed these thoughts out of his head. Divine Beast first, questions later.

“If we approach Medoh recklessly, its cannons will blast us out of the sky before we can even get close. I can dodge out of the way fast enough, but I’ll need to test you before I take you with me.”

He turned and looked out of the Flight Range. The small wooden hut was perched on the edge of a deep ravine. Cracks in the earth below created gusts of air strong enough to sustain flight.

“We Rito use the updrafts here to hone our aerial archery skills. You have some sort of glider, right?”

Link nodded and pulled out a tattered paraglider. Teba raised his eyebrows but continued.

“You’ll have to manoeuvre through the air and hit at least five targets in three minutes. Understand?”

The Hylian nodded and stepped forward to the edge of the platform. Teba noted that a quiver had appeared on his back.

‘Had that been there before?’

Link surveyed the surroundings, made sure his bow was safely attached to his back, then leapt into the updraft.

Link still hadn’t got used to having empty air beneath him. He’d had the Paraglider for over a week now and he still felt his stomach drop when he leapt into the sky. Still, if that’s what it took for Teba to agree to help him then he didn’t really have any choice.

The updraft hit him like an icy wave, catching the glider and slowing his descent. He felt the air slow around him as he nocked his first arrow and took aim. The targets were bright blue, not dissimilar from the glow that came from those luminous stones he had spotted before.

Easy to see, even easier to hit.

Bullseye.

He deployed the paraglider out again and felt the air currents lift him upwards. These updrafts had a refreshing quality missing in the others he’d come across – he felt as though he could ride them all day and never get tired.

He aced the next three targets in one go, then pulled the glider out again and searched for an appropriate finale. Spotting a target just below, he twisted his body to face it, pulled out his bow, and hit the target in its centre without even slowing time, landing in front of the Rito warrior shortly after.

Teba didn’t look impressed, but his mood had lifted a little.

“You’re a skilled archer… for a Hylian. I see you’ve mastered the Rito art of slowing time while you aim – not many even know of that technique.”

Link shrugged as he returned to the relative warmth of the shelter. He wasn’t entirely sure where he had learned that skill, never mind mastered it.

“I’ve got to tell you Link, when you first showed up, I thought somebody was pulling a prank on me. But after seeing you handle that bow, I can tell you’re the real deal. You must have seen a battle or two…”

Link’s brain stalled. He liked Teba and for a split second he felt ready to tell him the truth - or what he knew of it, at least. But then the enormity of his task came crashing back into his head. And without his voice it would take too long.

He shrugged his shoulders.

Teba nodded, as if he understood, but Link felt his eyes boring into his own.

“Well,” Teba continued, looking over to Rito Village, “if we’re going to bring down Medoh, it’s now or never.”

Link nodded.

“Here, take this,” Teba said, handing him the bow he had been working on, “It’s a modified Falcon Bow. You’ll be able to nock arrows faster than with your Hylian Bow. Take these Bomb Arrows too. Don’t waste them, that’s all we have.”

The Hylian attached the modified bow to his back and added the Bomb Arrows to his own collection. The pair stood in silence for a moment watching the Divine Beast glide above Rito Village.

“Why are you doing this Link?” Teba asked. “Risking your life to take down Medoh?”

Link turned and saw the Rito watching him again.

‘How to answer this one…’

He settled for taking the Sheikah Slate from his hip and showing the direction left by the old man on the Plateau.

Defeat Calamity Ganon.

Teba inhaled sharply.

“Calamity Ganon?”

Link watched the Rito study him, concerned that he had worked out his identity without any help, but he simply closed his beak and nodded.

“Well, let’s do it,” he said, and knelt at the edge of the platform. Link climbed onto the Rito’s back and held on tightly to his coloured shoulder pads.

Teba stood tall, then took off in three large flaps, the updrafts of the Flight Range lifting them high into the air.

The pair soared above Hebra, coming level with the Divine Beast. Link clung on to Teba’s back. He wasn’t ‘scared’, as such, but they were very high up. He could see most of the Kingdom below and made out the Great Plateau Tower off in the distance. He looked east to the Dueling Peaks and wondered if the strange merchant he had bought most of his arrows from was still there.

Teba spoke, breaking his train of thought.

“All right, it’s showtime. There she is,” he said, as Medoh loomed out of the clouds ahead.

He shivered and was suddenly glad of his warm doublet and Snowquill Headdress.

As they approached, a sparkling pink barrier appeared around Medoh. It was too translucent for malice, Link thought, but the colours were similar.

“What a pain,” he heard Teba mutter under his breath. “You see those turrets at the edge of the barrier?” He spoke louder now as the roar of the beast’s engines increased, “Those are its cannons, but they also generate the forcefield. I’ll draw their fire, and you take them out with your Bomb Arrows. Sound good?”

Link nodded and adjusted his stance, so he was crouched and ready to leap.

“If you need to withdraw for a bit, just glide straight up for a while. I’ll take that as a sign that we need to regroup. Ready to go?” he continued.

Link hummed an affirmative.

“All right, let’s take Medoh down!” The Rito shouted as he took position over the Beast.

Link sprung from his back and pulled out the Paraglider, instantly shooting upwards in whatever artificial updraft Medoh was creating. He let himself fall a little, before taking aim at the nearest canon. One shot wasn’t enough to take it out, but a second shot on target caused the turret to shake slightly, before dislodging entirely from the barrier. As it fell it disintegrated, before disappearing in a puff of malice.

Link rode up higher, gliding towards the other cannons and scanning the sky for Teba. He spotted the Rito towards the nose of Medoh – a white blur marked by red targets as he ducked and dived two separate guardian lasers at once, the beams colliding and exploding mid-air.

Link was impressed. Dodging one shot was hard enough for him, but he supposed Teba had the advantage of being airborne.

Two more Bomb Arrows took care of the rear cannon, and soon Link was gliding towards Teba and the nose of the beast. He watched as Teba stalled mid-turn, taunting out a misfire from one canon, before flipping backwards and dodging the other.

Link dropped until he was level with him and nodded as the Rito flew past. He positioned himself equally between the remaining canons, then drew his bow and felt time slow around him.

His first arrow missed, and he frowned – rookie mistake.

The next three shots hit their target and he allowed himself a moment to refocus. He saw Teba veer away from one final laser, before gliding down behind Link as he took aim. The arrow hit its mark, and the canon fell away.

 Vah Medoh let out a deafening screech. Link felt it vibrate in his bones and he had to concentrate in order to keep hold of the Paraglider. He looked below and saw the pink barrier become patchy, then fade, before disappearing altogether.

He saw Teba circle round, and heard him shout, “Well done Link! That thing is history!” He caught up with Link and the pair glided together above Medoh.

“Looks like it’s holding pretty steady for now though,” he continued.

Link nodded and took one hand off the glider. He pointed at himself, then to Medoh.

“You think you can get inside?” Teba asked, eyes raised. “Well, OK. I’ll come down with you. Who knows what’s controlling that thing…”

Link cocked his head. He hadn’t expected any help taking back the Divine Beasts, but he supposed it couldn’t exactly hurt. Besides, the Rito was right - who knew what was waiting inside Medoh?

He nodded again, and began gliding down towards the Beast’s splayed tail, with Teba close behind him.

Chapter Text

Link touched down just as the sun reached its apex. In front of him was a Sheikah pedestal. It had the same eye engraved into it as the Towers and Shrines scattered throughout Hyrule, so he took the Sheikah Slate and held it near until the pedestal glowed blue.

Travel Gate registered to map.

The raised ground behind him seemed to come to life in a gentle blue glow, just like the Towers had. Link went to check his map but was interrupted.

“Well now, I’ve seen that face before…”

That was the voice of the Rito Champion, Revali. Link recognised it, despite only having heard it briefly in his memories. It was clipped, each syllable no longer than it absolutely had to be.

“I had a feeling you would show up eventually. But making me wait a hundred years is a bit… indulgent.”

Link smirked. From what he knew, he and Revali hadn’t exactly gotten along. The last memory he had recovered had shown the Rito challenging him to a duel. He didn’t know if that ever played out before the Calamity.

He looked to Teba, who was entering into the main body of the Beast. He hadn’t reacted to the voice, so Link assumed that only he could hear Revali for now.

“You’re here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?”

Link nodded. It felt silly nodding to someone’s voice. Where should he look? Could Revali actually see him?

“Well, the first thing you’ll want to do is find yourself a map,” Revali said slowly, as if he was explaining something mind-numbingly simple to a small child. “Go straight through the main hall in front of you and you’ll come across a Guidance Stone containing information for the layout of this Divine Beast. Think you can manage that?”

Link rolled his eyes. He could feel the sarcasm dripping from the Rito’s voice. He wasn’t sure why Revali had disliked him so much. Perhaps he could ask him in person once he took back control of Medoh.

He turned and followed Teba into the Divine Beast.

Teba gawked at the insides of the Divine Beast. If Medoh’s outside looked impressive, the insides were out of this world.

Brown stone surrounded the large entrance hall above the beast’s rib cage, but the open ceiling kept the room feeling spacious. Ahead of him a dark purple substance had formed a large pool, with some consolidated peaks barring their passage. It bubbled slightly and he could see streaks of darker colours oozing through it. It reminded him of the malice clouds that appeared after he defeated the Frost Talus above the Flight Range. Perhaps it was a creation of the Calamity?

He had left Link on the beast’s tail as he activated some sort of pedestal with the slate on his hip.

‘That slate must have come from the Sheikah, but just how had he got his hands on it? Surely they wouldn’t just give it to anybody… But then just who was Link?’

His thoughts were interrupted by the Hylian himself appearing next to him. He looked at the pool in front of them, then followed it off to the right. Teba hadn’t noticed it before, but now he saw the source of the substance. A single, yellow eyeball attached to the wall by a purple tendril. It stared back at them, twitching occasionally. Link took out his bow and struck it with a single arrow.

The eye twitched, quivered, then closed entirely, before bursting into purple mist. The pool in front of them followed suit shortly after, opening their way ahead.

“I didn’t really think about what to do next, Link,” Teba admitted as they entered the main chamber. “I suppose we should look for a control unit? Something that we can use to take Medoh out of the sky? Or maybe there’s some sort of monster som-“

He stopped as Link turned and gestured for him to follow. He wasn’t used to following instructions from anybody, much less a Hylian he had met only hours previously.

But of course Link knew the way to go.

‘Just another mystery to add to the ever-growing list,’ Teba decided, and followed.

Link took them forward through the main chamber. A fan created an updraft for the Hylian to glide across, while Teba hovered behind him.

On the other side a small, round shape appeared, glowing the same deep purple as the pool from before. Teba was beginning to associate this shade of purple with evil, and his hunch was confirmed when Link landed and pulled out a sword and shield before approaching.

The shape had extended its round head to reveal a single eyepiece, much like those found on the few rogue Guardians he had encountered. The spear it carried glowed a bright blue, but it scuttled around on only three spider-like legs, not eight.

Teba decided he could handle this much more efficiently from his position above Link. He swooped forwards, drawing his own bow. He felt time slow as he nocked an arrow and took aim. If these machines functioned anything like their bigger counterparts, he knew exactly where to strike.

The arrow smashed through the creature’s eye and lodged itself deep inside the head. It whirred mechanically for a moment, before exploding in sparks of light. It dropped its spear and some odd-looking screws. Teba watched as Link gathered the screws together and seemed to… place them into the slate? He did the same with the spear.

They moved forward, arriving in front of another pedestal. Teba noted that, unlike the one Link had approached on the outside of Medoh, this one stood underneath a strange rock column hanging from the ceiling, narrowing to a blunt point just above the pedestal.

He watched as Link placed the device into the unit. It spun and seemed to be withdrawn into the stone itself. Words appeared on the screen.

Sheikah Slate authenticated. Distilling map of Divine Beast.

Before Teba could react, the hanging column above glowed blue and square Sheikah runes began running down, coalescing in what looked like a water droplet at the bottom. After a few seconds, it dropped down and splashed onto the slate below.

Teba was about to ask Link how he knew this stone would produce a map, but the Hylian seemed distracted, looking around at nothing in particular. His eyes were focused, like he was listening. Was Medoh speaking to him? Or someone else?

“You’ll need to look closely at your map of the Divine Beast,” Revali spoke again, putting emphasis on ‘closely’ as if Link were short sighted. He continued, “The terminals that will activate Medoh are marked by those glowing points. Use the map to control Medoh’s angle. You’ll need to take advantage of that to reach all of the terminals. Think you’re up to it?”

Link didn’t nod this time, but he did allow himself a smirk. Even death hadn’t softened Revali’s bitterness.

He turned to Teba, who had been waiting, watching him. He definitely couldn’t hear Revali’s voice, because he asked “So, what now?”

Link moved to stand next to him and opened the map for them both to look at. Feathers brushed his arm and reminded him just how cold it was in the Divine Beast.

A transparent model of Vah Medoh varnished the screen, its wings flat against a gridded plane below. Five orange circles appeared, dotted across its span. Link pointed to them.

“Terminals?’ Teba asked, reading the display. ‘We need to go to these spots, right?”

Link nodded again. He dragged his finger across the screen and tapped. Vah Medoh let out a loud cry and Teba and Link stumbled as it veered off to the left, tilting the ground beneath.

“OK,” Teba said once he regained his balance, “why don’t we split up? You take those two, and I’ll do the three on this side.”

Link shook his head. He couldn’t be sure, but chances were these terminals could only be activated by the Sheikah Slate. Things were difficult like that.

He pointed to the slate.

“Ah, ok. Well, no point in wasting time. Let’s get started.”

As Link had suspected, some of the blocks in the main room were magnetic. They had the same pattern on them as the Magnesis Shrine on the Plateau, and they weighed roughly the same as he shifted them. Using them as a platform, they crossed back to where they had entered the beast, then rotated Medoh so that they could glide through a small gap on the left-hand-side of the chamber.

The room was small compared to the previous one, and Link spotted another trail of malice coating the wall on the left. This one, however, had a clump in the middle. On closer inspection, he noticed it had… teeth? This was confirmed when an opening – ‘a mouth!?’ – appeared and spat out a Stalmoblin head. It floated in the air for a moment, before spotting them and beginning to wobble over.

Before Link could move, Teba had drawn his bow and proceeded to shoot it out of the air. He glanced briefly at Link, before nocking another arrow and firing at a malign eyeball which Link hadn’t noticed before. It shrivelled and disappeared, taking the rest of the malice, and the mouth, with it.

“Thought that might work” Teba grunted, before walking ahead. “Look,” he continued, “there’s our first terminal. Need a leg up?”

Link looked up. The wall of malice had been shielding a Sheikah podium. He glanced around the room. An orange switch and raised platform suggested to him that the ancient Sheikah who had designed this place had intended for a slightly more complex solution than a ‘leg up.’

But then again, what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

Teba leaned against the wall below the opening and moved his wings for Link to climb on. He placed one leg on, using Teba’s shoulder to balance himself, then flew into the air as the Rito catapulted him upwards.

Link flew right past the opening and felt the air leave his lungs as he hit the ceiling. On the way back down, he stretched his hands out and grabbed onto the ledge. He hung on for a moment, catching his breath, then pulled himself up.

“Sorry,” Teba chuckled. “Forgot how light you were for a second.”

Link rubbed his head and gave a wave back before turning and activating the Terminal.

“There are four terminals remaining! Still a ways to go.”

Link smirked again to himself. The contrast between these Rito warriors couldn’t have been bigger.

Teba watched as Link placed the slate against the final terminal. In the space of less than an hour, he had seen the Hylian move metal as if it was air, conjure explosives from nowhere, and now he had stopped time itself. If Teba had entered Vah Medoh with a list of questions for the Hylian, he had a whole book-full now.

Still, they could wait until after Medoh was taken out. He watched as the cylinder of stone slammed into the orange switch and the bars blocking the final terminal slid up. He caught Link’s eye and nodded.

They had used explosives and Medoh’s angle to open the path to the next room. Two terminals had been placed on the very tips of Medoh’s span, but Teba made light work of carrying Link and his slate to each. Now, as they activated the final podium, Link looked around again, as if listening.

Before Teba could ask, he was shown the slate again. Now a new orange circle pulsed on Medoh’s plan, larger than the others. It seemed to be placed centrally on the beast’s back.

“Alright,” Teba said encouragingly. “Last one. Ready?”

Link nodded and led the way.

The Main Control Unit glowed a deep orange, a colour Teba found comforting in comparison to the dark purple which lined the interior. It sat on the centre of Medoh’s back and looked like a decorative flower, stone leaves rising upwards, as if ready to bloom.

He and Link approached it and Link took the slate from his hip, once again placing it against a small pedestal. He held it for a moment, then cocked his head. Something wasn’t right.

Teba stepped forward but a burst of purple mist exploded from the pedestal, knocking Link back into him. They stumbled backwards and watched as the entire unit was consumed in a swirling purple cloud. Link drew his weapon. Teba did the same. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t part of the plan, and it definitely wasn’t good.

Bright strands of blue light began forming above, swirling, and forming a blue sphere before expanding. Teba watched as the light formed the shape of a large beast, before darkening to show its true form.

The beast hovered in front of them. A single blue eye twitched and watched them, more manic than the small Guardian from earlier. Two arms stretched outwards, the right taking the form of a large laser blaster. Its skin was formed of the same dark-pink substance as the pools of malice, constantly swirling and moving around the beast’s form. It reared back and let out a screech – the same sound Medoh had made earlier.

Teba glanced at Link, who was gripping his sword tightly. Link glanced back, determination etched in his eyes, and nodded.

Chapter Text

An arrow whizzed past Link’s ear as he ran forward to swing at what the Sheikah Slate had called ‘Windblight Ganon.’ Before either attack could land, however, it transformed back into a ball of light and flew higher, out of Link’s reach.

He ran over to one of two upward-facing fans carved into the floor of Medoh’s back, large blades creating an updraft. He saw Teba, who had already taken to the sky and was circling above even the Blight. The Rito had his bow drawn, but the beast turned away from him, lifting its large blaster and locking on to Link with its laser. Link timed his jump into the updraft so that the laser missed, exploding on the ground below him as he shot up.

“Link!” he heard Teba shout, “Turn him to face me!”

Link drew the Paraglider and swerved to the right, but Windblight had already teleported away. He watched as the blue orb spun directly at him. Unable to change course fast enough, they collided, and Link was knocked back to the ground. He stumbled to his feet and looked straight into another laser beam, locked on to his chest.

Their altercation had moved the monster just enough for Teba to get a clean shot, and a volley of arrows smashed into its blue eye. It let out another screech and fell to the ground, momentarily paralysed.

Link took this as his opportunity. He sprinted across to where the beast lay and drew his heaviest claymore. He hit the creature once and let himself spin round for a second blow. Switching to a smaller blade, he managed a few more swipes at the malign skin before the Blight threw itself back into the air and teleported out of reach.

He heard Teba land beside him.

“Same again? Maybe don’t get thrown out of the air this time, though.”

Despite the beast looming over them, Link allowed himself a smile, and the Rito nodded back before taking off again.

Link ran back over to the vent just as the Blight appeared to his right. Instead of locking on with his laser though, this time it swung widely with its left arm.

A group of huge whirlwinds flew forwards towards Link. He rolled to the side of one, the strong air current pulling him to his feet in time to dodge another before jumping into the fan and out of reach of the attack.

He swung around the blight this time and waited until it locked onto him again before dropping to the ground. He heard Teba’s arrows clatter into the beast’s weak spot again before it fell to the ground.

He repeated his claymore swing, and two more slashes from a broadsword caused it to jump into the air with another deafening screech, before retreating away from the Hylian. He saw Teba land far to the left of the control unit, bow still clutched in his wing.

Teba watched as the beast reformed above the Main Control Unit. It let out another cry and four small rockets spawned from the tubes on the back of its head. They shot into the air and hovered around it. Teba wasn’t sure exactly what they were or what they’d do, but he wasn’t keen on hanging around to find out.

He used the vent nearby to accelerate into the air and, before the beast managed to teleport away, sent a single arrow straight into its glowing eye.

He watched as Link ran to tackle it from the ground, but an explosion blocked his path. The rockets began circling around the Hylian, waiting for him to move before careering towards him and exploding on the ground as he rolled out of the way. Teba tried firing an arrow at one. A direct hit, but it simply wobbled before regaining its position.

‘No good,’ he thought, ‘but maybe with a bit more fire power…’

Once all the rockets had exploded, he landed next to Link, who he was pleased to see unharmed, if breathing heavily.

“Do you have regular arrows?” he asked as they watched the monster drag itself back into the air. Link took his slate from his hip and checked the screen before nodding back.

“Give me those Bomb Arrows back. I’ll take care of the rockets, you go for its eye, got it?”

Link tapped the screen and, miraculously, a pile of Bomb Arrows materialised in his hands, which he promptly handed to Teba. Teba tilted his head, but they were distracted by the sound of four more rockets beginning to circle. Teba added the explosives to his quiver, then took off.

Link ran in the other direction, and before the first rocket could reach him, Teba twisted in the air and fired a Bomb Arrow. It struck the projectile directly, sending it spiralling into the ground far from the Hylian, who was already aiming his own bow at the colossus.

By the time Teba had dealt with the remaining rockets, Link had brought the beast to the ground, and was hammering at it with his sword. Teba swooped round and added another few shots into the creature’s eye.

Teba landed just as the beast began to right itself. He had nocked another bow as he landed, and as the monstrosity began to teleport away, he let it fly. It hit straight in the eye, and he was rewarded with another screech as the beast recoiled mid-teleport.

This screech was different, though. It shifted upwards in pitch, and Teba watched as the entire beast flickered out of existence for a moment. He thought he had imagined it, but then it happened again, and again. It retreated into its blue ball of light and moved back above the control unit.

He ran alongside Link to face it head on, but on reappearing it didn’t attack or spawn any more rockets. Instead, it kept screeching and began writhing as though in pain. It threw its head back and Teba watched as the purple substance which formed its body began to drip, then run, as if its entire being was melting.

It drew back into itself, and the screech ascended until it became an almost inaudible static. Bright purple lights began emitting from within it, before enveloping it entirely.

The screech faded, and when the light disappeared, the creature had gone.

He heard Link exhale, and Teba let out his own breath that he hadn’t noticed he was holding. They stood for a moment, riding out the rush and enjoying the quiet after the battle.

Link took the Sheikah Slate from his hip and tentatively walked forward, back to the Control Unit. It now glowed a comforting orange once more. He tapped it on the pedestal, and the entire unit flashed blue.

‘It looks… active,’ Teba thought. ‘If we can control it, maybe we don’t have to force it out of the sky after all.’

He went to share these thoughts with Link, only to find him staring to his left. Teba turned but couldn’t see anything. Link’s eyes were focussed on… empty air.

“Well, I’ll be plucked… You defeated him, eh?”

Link gave a soft chuckle at the Rito’s terminology. Something caught his eye and he turned to his left, expecting to see Teba beside him.

Instead stood Revali. Or, at least, an apparition - translucent blue and surrounded by gentle flames, but definitely the Rito Champion.

“Who would’ve thought…” the Champion continued, holding out his wings.

Link noticed the scarf emblazoned with Medoh’s design. He also noted that he could see eye to eye with him without tilting his head upwards. Was the infamous Rito Champion really this small?

“Well done,” Revali mumbled, looking away. Link almost laughed at his comment.

“I suppose I should thank you now that my spirit is free. This returns Medoh back to her rightful owner!” He stared back at Link for a moment, before adding, “Don’t preen yourself just for doing your job. And besides, it looks like you needed a Rito’s help after all.”

Link looked to his left, where he saw Teba watching him. He turned back to the spirit.

“He can’t see or hear me, no.” Revali answered his silent question. “I do suppose you’ve proved your worth as a warrior. A warrior worthy of my unique ability!”

His voice raised as he continued, and Link took a step backwards, bracing himself. For all he knew, Revali’s idea of a unique ability could be throwing him off the Beast without his glider.

He watched the spirit spread his wings and a gust of wind blew towards him. He felt the surrounding air tremble, then come back around and lifted him straight into the air.

“Link!” He heard Teba shout from below, startled. But before Teba could counter the invisible foe, Link landed lightly back on his feet and held out a hand to reassure him, before turning back to Revali.

“It’s now time to move on and start making preparations for Medoh’s strike on Ganon,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “Only if you think you’ll still need my help while you’re fighting inside Hyrule Castle... Feel free to thank me in advance.”

Link opened his mouth. He wanted to speak to Revali, even if it was just met with sarcasm and bitter comments. This was his only connection to the past and he at least wanted some sort of relationship with the Champion, even if it was an unfriendly rivalry.

But with Teba so nearby, Link’s throat still felt tight. He felt much more comfortable than he did in their first meeting, but full words still wouldn’t come in the presence of strangers.

He closed his mouth again and looked to the ground.

“Or… never mind, just go…”

He felt a small lump form in his throat as Revali spoke. Guilt? Sadness? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t move his eyes from the ground.

“I could take you straight back to the ground, but you never were one to ask for my help, were you? I’m sure the Rito will be happy to assist… as usual.”

Link nodded and took one last look at the Champion. They locked eyes and Link thought he saw some of his own sadness reflected in the green before the spirit faded into nothing.

He turned to Teba, who had been waiting for the conversation he couldn’t see or hear to end.

“Is Medoh under control now?” The Rito asked.

Link nodded.

“So, what now?”

Link took the slate from his hip, opened the map, and pointed. Teba looked at where his finger lay – Rito Village.

“I suppose you’ll want a lift?” he asked. Link chuckled, and Teba noted that it was the first sound he’d heard the Hylian make. No words, but it comforted him to know that there was someone underneath the hardened exterior.

They walked to the far span of Medoh’s wing. The sun was beginning to set, casting a glittering light across the vast ocean that lay beyond the Kingdom’s east coast.

Link positioned himself on the Rito’s back, once again holding tight to his bronze armour, and they took off, slowly descending to the land below.

Chapter Text

Teba and Link circled around the Flight Range, their eyes fixed on Vah Medoh above. The Divine Beast had veered sharply after they left and was now spiralling slowly downwards over the Hebra mountains.

That Medoh had changed course didn’t go unnoticed by the Rito guard either. Teba could see several brown and grey dots flying around the pillar of rock that stretched up above the village.

The Divine Beast let out a screech as it turned and approached the town once more. Tilting backwards, large stone talons extended from below. The wings spread outwards and slowed the beast as it approached the stone pillar. Clawed legs grasped on to the strip of stone and Teba watched numerous propellors attached to the beast roar into action, balancing Medoh’s huge weight on the thin rock it now clung to.

Once settled, Medoh’s head rose to face east, its wings stretching out as if to show off their awesome span. A red ball formed slowly at the tip of its beak, exploding into a laser target that beamed straight into Hyrule castle, causing a puff of malice to rise.

‘One down,’ Link thought.

Satisfied that the Divine Beast had settled and was no longer a threat, Teba and Link descended towards Rito Village.

Teba landed on Revali’s Landing and Link climbed off. By now it was late evening and the sun had set entirely, leaving only a burnt glow above the large cliffs to the west.

Link glanced up to where Vah Medoh now sat high above them. It was quite intimidating, having such a huge construction perched on such a tiny piece of rock, but he trusted Revali to keep it steady.

Probably.

He followed Teba up the steps to his roost where they found Saki waiting for them. Teba’s wife had her wings crossed, and Link could have sworn her normally violet feathers were tinted a darker shade of red than they were the last time he had seen her.

When they entered, a small white Rito rolled from a hammock to the side and began jumping around Teba’s feet.

“DAD! DAD! YOU’RE BACK! DID YOU SEE MEDOH? IT LANDED ON TOP OF THE VILLAGE IT WAS SOOOOO COOL!”

Teba picked the fledgling up in his arms.

“I sure did kid, it looked pretty awesome didn’t it?” he replied as he placed his son on his shoulders.

“Tulin,” Saki cut in sharply, her voice clipped, “run and tell the Elder that Teba and the Hylian have returned from the Divine Beast.”

Tulin jumped down from Teba’s shoulders. “Sure thing!” he shouted, still hopping from foot to foot, before running out of the roost.

“I think I saw him down by the Inn!” Saki shouted after him, before turning to Teba.

She raised her right wing and brought it clean across his face. Link flinched at the sound it made as the slap connected. Teba recoiled his head, but the rest of his body remained remarkably still.

“That” she whispered, “was for being so unimaginably stupid. You could have been hurt, you could have been killed, or… something even worse!”

She sounded angry to the point of tears. Teba opened his beak to reply, but she cut him off with a tight hug.

“This is for coming home safe.”

Teba wrapped his wings around her back. Link stood awkwardly in the doorway as they embraced, suddenly finding anything and everything around the room very interesting.

Saki stood back and regarded her husband. Her tone was softer, but she was still visibly shaking.

“What would I have told Tulin if you hadn’t come home? Do you know how upset he’d have been? And what about Hearth? Couldn’t you even have waited for him to be flight-ready again? No, you just had to cruise on back up there and prove yourself. As if you, of all birds in this place, ever have to do that.”

Link shifted his weight slightly, causing the floorboards to creak. Saki turned to him as if he’d just appeared out of thin air. He froze, but her face softened significantly.

“Oh Link, dear, I’m so glad you’re safe,” she spoke warmly, all of the previous anger gone. The sudden change almost startled him. “I’m sorry that Teba dragged you into all of this, thank you so much for bringing him home safely.”

“Actually,” Teba said, “Link was really helpful up there. He basically led the way once we were inside.”

Saki froze for a moment. Link and Teba both realised his mistake and shared a glance.

“You…” Saki began slowly and quietly,  “abducted the Hylian? The Champion’s Descendent!? And took him into Medoh?”

Teba shifted his feet as Saki moved towards him again but was saved from answering by the return of Tulin, who was dragging a much slower Elder behind him. The large owl had to duck to enter the room, He regarded Link and Teba from behind his bushy moustache.

“So…” he said in a high, twittery voice, “Vah Medoh has returned under our control, and I believe it’s thanks to your efforts.”

“It’s locked onto Hyrule Castle for now, presumably in preparation for an assault on Ganon in the future,” Teba confirmed.

“Well, Teba,” Kaneli continued, “as ever you have proven yourself a true asset to this village and its people.”

Teba glanced at Saki, who exhaled audibly.

“And you, Link,” the Elder said, turning to face the Hylian, “it’s clear that you have the blood of the Champions of old running through your veins. We are deeply grateful for your assistance also. I have an artifact that may interest you, please come and see me later.”

He regarded the Rito family once more, Tulin now dancing around his mother’s feet. Link wondered if the fledgling ever stopped moving.

“To celebrate this momentous occasion, we’ll have a feast tomorrow, together, as a village. A celebration! Teba, Saki, can I trust you to spread the word?”

The couple nodded. Kaneli smiled, then ducked back out of the room and shuffled back to his quarters. Link made to follow, but Teba stopped him.

“You will stay for the meal, won’t you?” he asked.

Link had been hoping to make progress towards… whatever Divine Beast was next closest, but he couldn’t refuse Teba at such close quarters. Especially since the Rito had been so essential in taking back Medoh.

He nodded.

“Good,” Saki said, “Tulin would love to hear more about your ‘adventures,’” she glared at Teba as she said it and the Rito rubbed the back of his head.

Saki continued, “The beds at the Inn are comfortable enough, but why don’t you roost with us this evening? We can tie a spare hammock for you.”

Link nodded again.

‘No escape now.’

The landing was quiet, and Link listened to the non-Rito birds singing in the trees around him.

He hadn’t ‘snuck away’ from the meal, he reasoned. He had eaten with the other Rito, listened, and showed interest in a guard’s fascination with dragons, and only disappeared once all the courses had been served and it was clear no more food was on its way. All in all, he’d spent at least two hours in the company of Rito Village.

And… it wasn’t awful. He had to admit, he hated spending time in most company – he didn’t spend any more time than necessary in Kakariko Village, and he always opted for the most isolated and out-of-the-way bed in all of the Stables he’d rested at. Something about other people just made him... uncomfortable. His throat clenched up when they looked at him and he felt trapped, especially if they knew who he was.

Or, rather, who he used to be.

Once he was on his own, his vocal cords loosened, but he had no one to talk to, so he really didn’t speak much at all. He had mumbled a few words to Impa, but Paya’s nervous stuttering had rubbed off on him and he couldn’t really remember their conversation in detail.

He gathered his thoughts, and his belongings, and stood, Paraglider in hand. He was going to make his way back to Tabantha Tower tonight, then look for the next Tower south of there in the morning. Hopefully he could make his way to Gerudo Desert without too much trouble.

His thoughts were interrupted by the clacking of talons on wood approaching from behind. He turned and saw Teba, still wearing his bronze armour, stepping on to the landing.

“I thought you might try and do a runner,” he said with no malice in his voice. Link gave a small shrug of his shoulders.

Teba continued.

“I wanted to say thanks. Properly, I mean. Up there,” he gestured up to where Medoh stood, “things were pretty crazy. I don’t think I could have taken down that monster without your help, but I definitely wouldn’t have known to activate those terminals if not for you. So, thanks, I guess.”

Link watched the Rito, his braids swinging gently. His eyes didn’t meet Links’. The Hylian cocked his head – Teba wasn’t just here to say thanks.

The Rito saw Link’s encouragement and smirked.

“The Elder says you’re a descendent of the Hero from 100 years ago. That you’re back to reclaim the Divine Beasts and defeat Ganon once and for all to avenge your ancestors,” he said, his voice slightly lowered, even though they were entirely alone. His eyes locked with Links’.

“But I don’t think that’s quite true, Champion.”

Link swallowed. So, he had worked it out.

 “Do you remember what you said to me on the Flight Range? When I asked why you were helping me, you showed me that slate – ‘Defeat Calamity Ganon’ it said. That was my first clue.”

Link nodded.

“Then when we landed on Medoh, it was like you knew exactly what to do. You knew how to get a map, where the terminals were, how to fight that beast that appeared. You knew things only a Champion would know.”

He looked away but felt the Rito’s eyes still locked on him.

“When we boarded Medoh, and after we activated the Control Unit, you heard someone, didn’t you?” Teba paused, hesitating before completing the thought. “Was that… Champion Revali? Some records say his spirit remained trapped on Medoh 100 years ago. Could you hear him?”

Link hesitated, before nodding again. Teba had obviously thought this through, and he felt a pang of guilt for not being truthful to the Rito. Not that his voice gave him much of a choice.

“I don’t blame you,” Teba said, moving forward and sitting on the ledge, “for not speaking, I mean. If you’d told me the truth when we met at the Flight Range, I’d probably have laughed you out of there.”

Link joined him on the ledge and took the Sheikah Slate from his hip. He opened the map and moved it to cover the Great Plateau, showing the icon displayed to Teba.

“Chamber of Resurrection,” he read. “So, you died in the Calamity and were brought back to life?”

Link shrugged. It wasn’t entirely accurate, but it would do.

They sat in silence for some time. Despite his aversion to company, Link felt entirely comfortable as they watched the moon rise towards its peak.

“Link, I…” Teba started, not facing him. “I have a request.”

His words were slow and deliberate. Link watched him and waited.

“You have three more Divine Beasts to take back, correct? They’re spread throughout the kingdom if I remember.”

Link nodded and showed Teba the marks on the otherwise fairly empty map that signified the remaining Divine Beasts. One in the southwest, one in the east, and one in the northeast.

“Can I come with you?”

Link was taken aback by the question. Sure, he had benefited from Teba’s help on Medoh, but nobody had mentioned any assistance in his quest. There was nothing in the legends of old, or the memories that he had recovered so far.

His quest.

Hylia might not have planned for him to have help, but they probably hadn’t planned the Calamity either. While he still had free choice, this was his quest, and his choice to make.

“I’m sorry,” Teba spoke, much louder now, “it’s a stupid request. You’re the Champion of Hyrule and I’m just a Rito Warrior. I shouldn’t have ambushed you like this, I’ll just… go”

The end of his sentence tailed off as he ran out of breath. He stood quickly and began to leave the landing. Link watched him go.

Teba, who he had trusted to fly him up to Vah Medoh.

Teba, who had trusted him to reclaim the Divine Beast.

Teba, who had helped take down Windblight Ganon.

The Rito was halfway up the stairs of the landing when he was stopped by a sound he never expected to hear.

“Teba”.

The syllables had been separated by a pause, and the voice sounded shaky and rough. He paused and turned slowly to face the Hylian, who had stood and was now looking back at him, a small smile on his lips.

“Is that a yes, then?”

Chapter Text

It was early morning when they left.

Teba took one last look at his sleeping family before stepping out with Link. He had discussed his plan with Saki – she hadn’t been pleased, but she knew once he had made up his mind there was no changing it.

The sun, blocked from view by the mountainous surroundings, illuminated the sky a warm orange as the pair crossed the bridge out of the village, contrasting the bitter wind that still blew. They made a short stop at Rito Stable to allow Link to gather resources and prepare some meals, before starting on the steep path towards Kolami Bridge.

“Where are we headed first?” Teba asked once they were well out of earshot of the Stable. They hadn’t spoken any further last night, but the Hylian looked noticeably more comfortable around him today, so he took the chance to push his voice a little.

Link looked at him.

“Desert,” came the response. His voice was… fairly normal once you got used to it. Calm, and still a little rough, but not forced.

Teba nodded.

“The Rito don’t have much in the way of communications with other races. I don’t think any of the major settlements do. Everything fell away after the Calamity. I think their current chieftain is quite young though.”

Link nodded again, and they continued onwards across a makeshift rope bridge. As they descended the hill, a large tower loomed overhead. Teba had watched it emerge from the earth not too long ago – this one and one to the east in Hebra. He had meant to check them out, but it slipped his mind as Medoh threatened the village.

“Are these towers Sheikah related too?” he asked.

Link took the strange slate from his waist and tapped the screen a few times before holding it up. It displayed fragments of a map. Teba spotted Rito Village within the Hebra region, and a smaller region further south.

“How many are there? Your map only has a few unlocked.”

Link took the slate and looked at the map.

“I’ve got three,” he replied, pointing to the strips of land that appeared. The rest of the page was a deep blue colour with ancient patterns adorning the background. The Hylian pointed to these un-seen areas.

“Split into 15 regions, though.”

In Teba’s time in the Rito Guard he had only ever patrolled around Rito Village and the Hebra mountains. Looking at the map, he reckoned that accounted for 10% of Hyrule at most. The sheer size of the Kingdom was difficult to comprehend.

‘Was Link really going to have to travel across that whole map to defeat the Calamity?’

As they passed the base of the tower, Link stopped suddenly. He still had the map open in his hands and was zooming in on something. He looked up and to his left.

“Water…” he said to himself, before saying louder, “Follow me.”

He walked to the side of the path, then started pulling himself up the short but almost vertical cliff. Teba hadn’t expected him to be so nimble, but then again, he was the Hero of Hyrule. He let him climb a little higher before taking a short run and taking off, circling back around and landing atop the ledge just as Link pulled himself up.

They turned away from the edge, and Teba’s eyes widened.

There, hidden behind shrubbery and well-placed rocks, was a large flower bud surrounded by rigid orange petals that towered over them both. Dotted around were Silent Princesses, Mighty Thistles, and… small orbs of light that seemed to twinkle as they hovered around. Teba had never seen anything like it before, but Link began walking straight towards the huge bud without pause.

He walked up the petals arranged in front of the bud and a deep, ragged voice called out from… somewhere? Teba could have sworn it came from within the flower itself. Was someone in there?

“Boy… Sweet boy… Please listen to my story,” it said. “This place was once a beautiful spring,  but as time passed, fewer and fewer travellers arrived to offer me Rupees. As a result, my power has abandoned me. I’m nearly powerless now, so I beg your help – I only need 500 rupees to become whole again. Once my power has been restored, I can help you do great things, boy.”

‘Sounds like a scam to me…’ Teba thought, but Link took the slate and 5 Silver Rupees appeared in his hand. Teba had never asked how the slate could store and summon items at will, but now it seemed like it could also store money? He added it to the ever-growing list of questions.

A large hand adorned with multiple rings and bangles emerged from the bud, into which Link placed the currency. It retreated again and the bud began to writhe.

“Thank you. You are too kind,” came the voice again.

Teba placed one wing on his bow. He assumed Link had done this before due to his confidence, but he wanted to be ready. Just in case.

A sparkling purple mist began to erupt from the tip of the bud, then its leaves bloomed out words, revealing bright yellow petals and a small, glittery pool within. A huge figure burst out of the water - humanoid in shape, but at least three times larger than Link or Teba. The Rito gripped onto his bow a little tighter.

As the water settled, Teba could see the figure more clearly. Female, in terms of Hylian physique at least, and wearing extravagant beads, pearls, and pendants. Her pastel pink hair contrasted against her darker skin, and everything about her was shiny – from the pearly petals covering her torso to the rainbow hair clips that resembled massive fairy wings.

She looked at Link.

“So, you’re the one who brought me back from the brink. I can see now that my first impression of you was correct. You most definitely are pleasant to look at... I am the Great Fairy Kaysa.”

Teba gasped. Great Fairy? He had read stories about them but had assumed they were mythical, or at least died out along with most other myths alongside the Calamity. So, they really did exist, and one so close to Rito Village too!

His gasp caught her attention.

“Oh, and your friend isn’t half bad either. I do like a bit of muscle. How would you both like to live here with me, hmm?”

Teba felt his feathers bristle slightly, and he could see Link opening and closing his mouth like some sort of fish.

“Hah! I’m kidding, of course,” Kaysa’s laugh bellowing around the clearing. “But you certainly are cute when you’re blushing…”

Teba let the arm on his bow rest. The biggest threat posed by the Fairy was death by embarrassment, and no amount of fighting could prevent that.

He watched Link trade with her, a one-sided transaction that involved Link summoning various materials, tunics, and headsets from the slate. In return, Kaysa enhanced the clothing, improving its natural qualities and defence.

As they left, she turned to them and said, “My sisters’ powers call out to me. I believe you’ve already met Cotera in West Necluda, but two others still remain. If you help free them, I can upgrade your clothing even further. Now, wouldn’t that be a fun time?”

With a dramatic wink and a blown kiss, she disappeared back into her pool.

As Link waited for Teba to catch up, he looked around atop Piper Ridge. Ahead, he spotted the Shrine that he had skipped in favour of reaching Medoh faster resting atop the adjacent cliff near some crumbling columns.

“Shrine?” he suggested, pointing across the ridge. Teba followed his hand to the ancient Sheikah structure and nodded. As they reached the edge of the cliff, however, he spotted movement below.

“Link, down there…”

Two arial turrets patrolled above the path through the ridge. They had similar designs to the small Guardian they had found in the Divine Beast but were slightly larger and much more agile. The slate had called them ‘Guardian Skywatchers’ and they’d forced him to sneak around the side of the cliff instead of following the path on the way towards Rito Village.

“Can you give me a lift?” he asked, a small smirk on his lips.

Teba rolled his eyes but nodded.

“Just this once.”

They landed safely and undiscovered in front of the Shrine. Link noted a Black Moblin slightly further down the path, but they appeared to have slipped its notice for now. He approached the Shrine and held the slate to a small podium. Tena Ko’sah Shrine appeared on the screen.

He spotted the confused look on Teba’s face.

“Shrines are mini challenges left by the Goddess. The more I do the stronger I get.”

Teba nodded. There was a similar structure near the centre of Rito Village, though no one had managed to work out what it was for.

“What kind of challenges?” he asked.

Link shrugged.

“Depends. Puzzles, combat, quests... Only way to know is to go in.”

They stepped into the small chamber and a circle of light glowed beneath them. The floor shuddered slightly, and they descended deep down into the earth.

“To you who sets foot in this shrine… I am Tena Ko’sah. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this combat trial.

The voice echoed inside Teba’s head, but it didn’t come from any direction in particular.

They entered into the chamber in a beam of blue light and stepped forward. The inside of the Shrine was massive. The walls were dark stone, with constellation designs similar to those inside Medoh, only glowing orange, rather than purple. In front of them was an entrance to a larger chamber. The barriers surrounding the room reminded him of a battle arena or colosseum.

Teba looked up, expecting to see artificial lighting. Instead, the Shrine extended upwards beyond what he could see, even though they had only travelled downwards for a matter of seconds. Despite this, the light still looked natural.

Link walked towards the larger chamber.

“Combat Shrine,” he stated. “Like the Guardian inside Medoh.”

Teba nodded and drew his bow. He followed Link into the empty room.

It was entirely flat. A square in the middle of the floor was missing but, as they approached, the room shook, and a section rose. In its centre was a small Guardian glowing blue and orange. It was a similar size to the one from Medoh, but it held two items – a sword and large axe – and a large shield, all glowing a bright blue.

Link drew his sword and shield, Teba nocked an arrow, and they began to fight.

“Go for its eye!” Link shouted, as he sprinted towards the machine.

The Guardian had retreated to the far side of the room and was now visibly drawing in energy from its surroundings. Its weapons lay forgotten on the ground around it and a red target laser was printed on Link’s forehead.

Teba drew another arrow and fired. It hit the side of the Guardian’s head just as Link collided with his own attack. The Hylian managed three swings before the Guardian unleashed its first blast, a beam of pure energy whizzing into the space he had just occupied. He dodged another with a yell.

No time to think. He grabbed a Shock Arrow from his quiver, nocked it, and fired. It landed straight in the Guardian’s eye, and it misfired a single shot which exploded against the far wall.

The Guardian twitched, rotated its head to face Teba, then exploded, just as the one within the Divine Beast had, dropping several gears and screws, as well as leaving its weapons and shield behind. Link lay on his back, and Teba had to squint to make sure he was still breathing. He replaced his bow and watched as the grates opposite to the entrance chamber opened.

After a few moments, Link climbed to his feet and Teba approached.

“You ok? Did it get you?”

The Hylian sheathed his sword and shield and nodded in response.

“Just about missed. Nice shot.”

“It’s sort of my job,” he shrugged. “What do we do now?”

Link pointed to the newly opened path. “There’s a chest and a monk through there. I’ll do the monk; you check the chest?”

They exited the chamber, and Teba approached the single chest, placed on a podium. Inside he found a Knight’s Halberd. Not his usual type of weapon, but he held on to it anyway.

He turned his attention to Link, who had ascended the stairs behind the podium and was now approaching a small figure perched within a box of blue light. He distinguished a large circular hat, but thin, almost skeletal limbs beneath, arranged in a prayer position.

‘Some sort of mummified being?’ Link had called it a monk, but it must have been truly ancient. Teba wondered how long it had been down here. Waiting. Watching. Praying.

Link touched the box of light, which burst suddenly into thousands of single strands. The voice from before returned.

“Your triumph over the test of strength subverts a prophecy of ruin. From the ashes of Hyrule, heroes have risen. In the name of Goddess Hylia, I bestow upon you this Spirit Orb.”

Teba watched as an orb floated from the Monk’s chamber towards Link, eventually disappearing into the Hylian’s chest.

“May the Goddess smile upon you.”

With that, the monk also dissolved into strands of bright light, leaving an empty space in front of them. Link turned to Teba and said,

“See? Not that hard after all.”

Teba blew out a chuckle.

“If you say so.”

Chapter Text

Teba stepped out first into the early evening. He checked that the tall pig-like beast further down the path hadn’t seen them. It was slumped over itself, and he could see bubbles forming around its mouth. It was fast asleep.

“We should probably stop for the night,” Link said, emerging behind him. “I’ll set up a fire.”

He walked a little further out of the Shrine and drew a pile of wood and a piece of flint from the slate.

“So that tablet, it can store weapons and things for you?” Teba asked.

“It’s called the Sheikah Slate. And yeah - items, food, meals. I can draw anything anytime I like,” Link said as he lit the fire and turned back to face Teba and the Shrine. “It’s useful. It has a bunch of other…”

His voice trailed off and Teba could see his eyes move past him and to the Shrine behind.

“Link?”

Without moving his eyes, the Hylian took the slate back in his hands and opened a menu. “I recognise this place,” he said quietly, bringing the slate up to his face. His eyes darted between the Shrine and whatever was on the screen.

Teba watched him freeze for several seconds. The Hylian drew in a sharp breath and Teba darted forward to catch him as his knees buckled.

“Easy, what’s wrong?” he said as he lowered him towards the crackling fire.

Link sat and stared into the flames.

“Sorry,” he said slowly, “I’m OK. Give me a second and I’ll try to explain.”

Teba sat opposite him and placed his wings on his knees. “Take your time,” he said gently. He closed his eyes and they sat in silence.

Teba wasn’t sure how long it was before Link spoke, but the sky was a little darker and the fire had taken full hold of the wood, flickering, and providing warmth to their chilly surroundings.

“When I woke up,” he began, and Teba noticed that a forced sound had returned to his voice, “I didn’t remember anything. I think they knew that would happen - the Princess.”

“You lost all of your memories? What happened after you woke up?”

“I met a spirit who died in the Calamity,” Link explained, opting to leave out that the spirit was of the King of Hyrule, deciding that was just a little too ridiculous sounding. “They told me to go to Kakariko Village in East Necluda and meet Impa, one of the Princess’ advisors. She told me about the Divine Beasts and a bit about what happened 100 years ago. She said that the slate needed repaired, and to visit the Ancient Tech Lab in Hateno. So, I did and then I could see some new pictures, images that hadn’t been there before.”

Link handed Teba the slate, open to a grid of 12 images.

Teba scanned them. They were definitely all Hyrule. One looked as if it was on Irch Plain looking onto Hyrule Castle. He recognised the ancient pillars and the Shrine in front of which they were currently sat.

 “They were taken by Zelda herself, apparently. To help me recover my memory.”

“These were places you travelled to together?” Teba asked, to which Link nodded. “And one was here, in front of that Shrine.”

Link took the slate back.

“I was her personal guard. Appointed by the King of Hyrule to protect her, to stick by her every second of every day. But she snuck off here on her own, and when I caught up, she… yelled at me.”

He frowned into the fire.

“Did you not get on with each other?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only seen one other memory and we seemed to be on OK terms in that one? They’re not in order. At least I don’t think they are. It’s… so confusing,” his voice trailed off and he rubbed his eyes.

Teba let him sit for a moment.

“Get some sleep. I’ll go deal with that monster down there so we don’t need to keep watch.”

He stood and drew his bow.

By the time he returned the Hylian was asleep, curled in on himself, his head resting on a pile of tunics drawn from the slate.

Teba sat and lay his own head against one of the pillars nearby. He thought about Link’s memories and everything that he had lost.

The sound of the fire crackling, combined with the thoughts of his family and his current adventure, lulled Teba into sleep.

 Link stood in a small courtyard. Grey brick walls surrounded him, but the lack of roof let the bright sun shine in. On either side of him were small ponds, and windows allowed a glimpse into the castle’s interior.

He walked forward towards the young girl that faced away from him. As he reached the top of the steps, she turned and saw him. Her mouth opened and her eyebrows raised. Zelda was speaking to him, but no sounds came out of her mouth.

‘Zelda? When had he decided this was Zelda?’

She didn’t look anything like she did in his memories. The girl in front of him was much younger, perhaps not even ten. Her ginger hair was tucked into the white and pink cloth and the rest of her outfit followed a similar colour scheme. She was much smaller than the Zelda he remembered too.

She was still speaking to him but seemed completely lost in her own story. Link saw a flash of light in the corner of his eye, which then floated around him. It was small and reminded him of the fairies that gathered around the Fairy Fountains.

Zelda stopped speaking. Her eyes were cast downwards, like she had remembered some terrible memory.

‘As if they could be any worse than mine.’

She stepped aside and gestured for him to look through the small window behind her. As he approached, he caught his own reflection in the glass. He looked much younger too. He wore a green tunic and had almost yellow hair, parted down the middle. He could also see a green cap resting on the back of his head. Since when did he look so young?

The window looked into a large chamber inside the castle, in which he could see two guards in armour. Not the Royal Family armour he recognised.

A new man stepped into frame. He was tall and bulky, with dark skin and bright orange hair. Intricate gold patterns were woven into dark green robes. He knelt on one knee and placed a fist against his chest.

Link felt an overwhelming feeling of evil wash over him. Darkness oozed from the man like malice. Was this Ganon? Is this what he looked like in his human form?

The man bowed, then twisted his head, his gaze locking directly into Link’s eyes.

Link was woken by a yell.

It took him a moment to recognise his surroundings, and it took a startled look from Teba to realise that the yell was his own.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, rubbing his neck.

“Bad dream?” his Rito companion asked, his face knitting into a look of slight concern. He had been restringing his bow when Link had awoken.

“Something like that, yeah.”

He had at least, he noted, slept through the night. The sun was already a fair distance into the sky and the air in Tabantha was surprisingly warm. Looking to the south, however, he knew that it wouldn’t be that way all day. Their path to the desert took them through the snow topped Gerudo Highlands, which looked particularly cold.

“We should go,” Link said. “We can eat on the way.”

Teba nodded, and they began towards the edge of the cliff on which the Shrine sat.

Link approached the edge of the cliff. Below, Tanagar Canyon stretched out all the way up to the tower north of Rito Village. This had been a much more difficult crossing on his way there, but now he had the upper ground and a new trick he wanted to try out.

“Watch this,” he said to Teba, who raised his eyebrows.

Link crouched and paused for a moment, before feeling a strong gust of wind rush from his feet. He leapt and was catapulted into the air. The vortex circled around him, but each individual gust cancelled another out and he kept his balance long enough to pull the glider and begin floating towards the small patch of trees ahead.

“So, you can perform Revali’s Gale too?” he heard Teba say, as the Rito hovered alongside him. “Why am I not surprised…”

“Revali… gave me it? He kind of ‘allowed’ me to use it, I guess. You’ve seen it before?”

“It was known that Champion Revali was a skilled Rito. A few records from the time mention ‘Revali’s Gale’ as proof of his mastery of wind, but nobody really knew what it was, never mind pulled if off successfully.”

They landed in the small-wooded area and began walking towards the path up the tall cliff face.

“Didn’t anyone ever try?” Link asked.

“I studied it for a while when I was in the guard,” Teba nodded, “but then Tulin came along, and with Vah Medoh acting up I haven’t really had a chance.”

“You should try. If anyone can ‘master the air’ I bet it would be you.”

Teba laughed at the sudden compliment.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind next time to ask me to fly you across some canyon. If anything, you can carry me across!”

The path up the side of the mountain was steep and littered with Bokoblins. When they were spotted, Teba could dispatch of them easily, but some managed to evade the pair’s notice, rolling large boulders towards them. As such it was late afternoon by the time they reached an updraft. The plateau at the top of the gust was dusted with fine white snow.

A large lightning bolt had been etched into the side of a strange black and blue surface on the side of the next mountaintop.

“Is this some sort of puzzle?” Teba asked.

“I think it might be a Shrine,” Link replied. “Do you think those lightning bolts mean electricity?”

“You want me to try firing a Shock Arrow at it?”

“Worth a go,” he shrugged. “Try and aim for the pedestal.”

Teba turned and took off, and Link watched him circle round to face the markings. He took a Shock Arrow from his quiver and nocked it. Slowing his flight a little to balance himself, he fired the arrow towards the etching. The arrow arced downwards, striking the etching just above dead centre. The blue pedestal hummed, then changed to orange.

The ground underneath Link’s feet began to shake, and he quickly dodge to the side, just as the tip of a Shrine burst through the ground. Teba landed next to him as the Shrine became fully emerged, and they began walking towards it.

It was cold and dark when they emerged.

“So, I get us into the Shrine, do all the work in making it appear, and then you can just walk in and claim the reward?” Teba thought aloud.

Link chuckled.

“I don’t get to pick which Shrines are blessings and which are puzzles, sorry. Besides, I think the monks have already noticed you.”

“What makes you say that?”

Link held a Fire Rod in his hand and was arranging a pile of wood for them to camp around near the Shrine entrance.

“Major Test of Strength - when we were leaving the monk said, ‘From the ashes of Hyrule, heroes have risen.’ Heroes. They used to just say ‘Hero.’”

“Oh well that makes up for not getting a blessing,” Teba scoffed as he began on a chicken leg Link had provided, “but I’ll be sure to thank Hylia for the mention.”

They sat in comfortable silence, Teba working his way through a collection of poultry, while Link sipped some mushroom soup, listening to the wind howl around them.

“This is the last peak,” Link said. “On the other side it’s all downhill.”

“You think we’ll make Gerudo Town tomorrow?”

“Not sure, we’re past what the map shows now.”

“Maybe we should make a detour to the Gerudo Tower if we see it.”

Link downed the last of his soup and yawned into the empty bowl.

“If we see it, yeah. I haven’t spotted it yet, though.”

“Get some sleep,” Teba said, through bites of chicken leg. “I’ll keep watch for a while, but we’re pretty isolated up here so I’m not too worried.”

Link rested his head against the wall of the Shrine and closed his eyes. In seconds, he felt sleep overtake him.

Chapter Text

When Link woke, he was still sat in the same upright position. He listened to the wind rush around him, less harsh than the previous night, but still a strong breeze.

He opened his eyes and saw Teba a little beyond the Shrine. He was facing the cliff wall and kneeling, wings spread to full span and head down. To Link, he looked like he was concentrating, the grey feathers at the tip of his wings fluttering slightly in the wind.

The Hylian stood and stretched his limbs, stiff from sitting in the cold all night. He walked towards Teba. Were his eyes playing tricks on him, or were the snow particles swirling… around his wings?

Before he could confirm, the Rito stood and turned to greet him.

“Morning. Ready to set off?”

“Sure,” Link replied, “only if you’re finished…”

“Oh, you saw me. I was uh… Anyway, let’s go.

Link tilted his head but followed the Rito back to their camp near the Shrine. They packed their things, which mostly consisted of Link storing items in the Sheikah Slate, then headed back to face the steep cliff to the top of the Highlands.

“Do we try to go round it?” Teba asked.

“I can probably get to the top with a Gale, you could boost off of that?” the Hylian offered.

Teba nodded, and Link crouched, his fingers sinking slightly into the snow covering the ground. He felt the tell-tale gust rush past his feet, and leapt into the air, pulling the Paraglider to balance himself, before grasping onto the rock face. He had made it just over halfway up when he heard the sound of Rito wings behind him as Teba flew past.

The air was cold in the Gerudo Highlands. Teba was used to snow and ice – Rito Village became particularly frosty in the winter - but this somehow felt even colder. The world below had disappeared behind an icy mist that surrounded them completely, and the constant snowfall muffled anything not immediately nearby.

He watched Link pull himself up from the side of the cliff. The Hylian was quite athletic, Teba noted, especially for his size – he had climbed almost halfway up the mountain side without even breaking a sweat.

“I told you I’d make you carry me next time we had to fly anywhere,” the Rito laughed.

Link smiled and swapped a brown bandana for the Rito Headdress.

The pair crunched through the snow, keeping a keen eye out for any enemies. Teba knew his colouring would keep him mostly camouflaged, but his armour, and his companion, would stand out more clearly.

“At this rate we’ll struggle to see Gerudo Town, never mind get there,” Link murmured.

“I’m more worried that we end up walking in circles.”

“Well, you could just fly up and away, right? Don’t you have some sort of homing sense?”

Teba closed his eyes.

“I’m not some sort of pigeon, you know.”

Link grinned.

“Anyway, the air’s already pretty thin here, I’m not sure how much further higher I could make it,” he continued.

“We’d better not get lost th-“

Link froze.

“Teba – don’t move.”

Teba stopped in his tracks. He heard the edge in the Hylian’s voice and didn’t even turn his head to look. Instead, he closed his eyes and listened. Listened for any out-of-place sound, any other footsteps in the snow.

To his left, perhaps around 50 feet away, he began to make out breathing, which turned to a low growl. It wasn’t loud, but it vibrated within his ears. He recognized that sound from his days in the Rito Guard. He’d only heard it once before, but once was more than enough.

Link lunged in front of him, pulling his shield out and swinging it…

…directly into three Fire Arrows, which clanged against it and fell to the ground, hissing as they met the snow.

The Lynel swivelled to face them and drew another set of arrows, but Teba had already leapt into the air, his own bow aimed firmly at the beast’s silver mane. He fired and heard the roar as his shots connected.

“You stay low!” he shouted to Link, who had drawn a Guardian axe and was running towards the beast, drawing its attention away from the Rito circling above.

Link parried one blow from a thick club and dodged out of the way of a second. He swung the axe, but the beast jumped backwards. Before he could regain his balance, it began charging towards him, club abandoned in favour of a full-speed stampede.

An explosion threw the beast off track, another causing it to topple away with a deafening roar. Link glanced upwards but the white Rito was completely invisible against the snowy sky. He turned again to face the Lynel, streaked in brown blood and very, very angry.

Above, Teba watched as the monster charged towards Link. The Champion’s ancient weapon glowed a vibrant blue, allowing him to track his position and attack only when he was out of the way.

The Lynel swung its club at Link, who ducked underneath and used his weight to swing the axe down on the beast’s rear. It roared, but before it could retaliate, an arrow struck its eye. It collapsed forwards and knelt on the ground, clawing its face. Link took the opportunity to leap onto its back and swing from relative safety. He swung once, and the Lynel howled. He swung again and it jumped to its feet. Swinging for a third time, he was thrown from the monster’s back, crashing into the snow some distance away.

He landed on his back and rolled away from the beast in an attempt to dodge its next attack.

That attack never came.

Link glanced up as the creature let out a strangled howl, then collapsed forwards into the snow, lifeless. Its body disappeared in a puff of purple malice.

He saw Teba descend from the clouds and land where the Lynel’s weapon and shield now lay. He pulled himself to his feet and jogged over.

“Thanks for that. I don’t fancy my chances if I’d been alone,” he said.

“I’m sure you’d have managed just fine,” Teba replied, picking up the Lynel’s thick club and making a face.

“Don’t fancy a new weapon then?”

“Not convinced I could even take off with this on my back,” the Rito chuckled, before spotting the Lynel Bow sparkling in the snow. “This, on the other hand, is meant to be able to fire 5 arrows at once. I like the sound of that.”

Link nodded and picked the bow up. The silver material glinted brightly in its snowy surroundings.

“I’ll store it for you. Let me know when you want to try it out.”

Link stored the Bow along with the rest of the Lynel’s remains within the slate, and they continued across the snowy plateau.

“Well,” Teba said, approaching the edge of the latest cliff, “there’s the desert.”

It sprawled out in front of them, still hazy through the snowfall. It seemed to go on forever, but there was a walled city not too far from where they stood.

“And that, I imagine, is Gerudo Town,” Link said, pointing at the civilisation.

Teba’s gaze rounded to their left.

“Look, there’s the Tower.”

The Sheikah Tower rose out of the ground, not quite as tall as the Tabantha Tower.

“Let’s head to Gerudo Town first,” Link said, eyeing the sun’s lowering position in the sky. “It’s a straight line from here. We can stay the night there and activate the Tower later if we need to.”

Teba nodded and took flight from the platform. Link pulled the glider and leapt after him.

The heat hit Teba like a wall as they descended towards the ground. The icy mist had evaporated, replaced almost instantly by a wall of heat. He lost concentration for a moment and dropped considerably, before catching himself and gliding to the ground safely.

“You ok?” Link asked as he landed beside him.

He nodded. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting the heat.”

Now, in the late afternoon, the sun was beating down on them strongly. Teba could feel the sand beginning to burn his talons.

“We’d best start moving before my feet burn off.”

Link nodded, removing his cold-resistant gear.

They trod through the sand; their progress slowed by the relentless sun. Teba felt his pace slow with each step, his feathers absorbing and locking in most of the heat like a greenhouse. Relief washed over him as a Shrine came into view, located just outside the city’s walls.

He half dragged, half crawled into the entrance as Link opened it, and collapsed inside. Link followed behind and handed him a flask of water, which he gratefully took and downed in one movement.

“Stay here, I’ll go and see what’s going on and come back and grab you if I need to,” the Hylian said.

Teba could see the sweat droplets running down Link’s neck as he walked out. Even in the shade, the air was warm and humid.

He had never been to the desert with the Guard – their patrol only stretched as far south as Tanagar Canyon, but he had heard Kaneli had visited once or twice on business. How the large owl had survived in conditions like this Teba could only imagine.

Once he felt able to stand without the world spinning, he exited the Shrine. The sun had moved a little lower, although residual heat still radiated from the ground. He looked right and saw Link trudging back towards him.

‘Why was he shaking sand out of his hair?’

“We might have a slight problem,” he said, running his hand across his now ruffled hair once more. “They won’t let me in.”

“They won’t let you in?” Teba repeated. “Are you a wanted criminal or something?”

Link shrugged, but before he could reply, another voice cut in from behind him.

“Oh, didn’t you know?”

The voice was nasal, and its owner appeared from behind the Shrine – a Hylian male with short brown hair wearing a thick jacket and khaki trousers. Teba marvelled at the race’s ability to survive in ridiculous conditions.

“The Gerudo only allow women into their town. It’s a tradition that traces all the way back to ancient Hyrule, something about a single male going power crazy and taking over the kingdom. Apparently, the gods had to bring together seven pages to stop him, or so I heard. I read about it in a text I found…”

Teba watched as the man continued on and on. He glanced at Link and noticed the Hylian’s attention was similarly unfocused.

“So there’s no way of us getting into Gerudo Town?” He interrupted the man’s explanation of ancient fishing techniques.

“Ah, well,” the Hylian smiled, effortlessly transitioning into this new topic, “I have heard rumours of a man sneaking into the town walls. He travels quite often between here and Kara Kara Bazaar in the northeast. I’ve been waiting here to try and catch him in his travels, because not only is what he doing absolutely illegal, but it’s also – “

“Thanks, I’m sure you’ll run into him sometime,” Teba said as he and Link both began backing away from the man who, unphased, continued considering the moral implications of his own actions.

Once they were out of earshot, Teba let out a breath.

“Well, I’m glad we got out of that one. To be honest, I think I’d have rather faced another Lynel than listen to his lecture on the exact coral used to catch a Reekfish three million years ago.”

At his comment, Link let out a loud laugh, which eventually spread to the Rito, and they giggled through the remainder of the journey to the small Bazaar.

“I recognise this place,” Link said as soon as he stepped into the market – a collection of stalls arranged around a small lake.

“As in… from the slate?” Teba asked.

Link took the tablet from his hip and opened the photo tab. Sure enough, there in the top right corner, was an image of the lake in front of them before a setting sun. The largest building, an inn of some sorts, was silhouetted on the left of the image.

“So, on the other side of the water?” Link murmured, already beginning to walk around to the edge of the market.

“You want me to give you some space?” Teba asked. The last memory Link had stumbled upon almost by accident, but he wasn’t sure if his presence had helped or hindered the situation.

“Uh… I’ll probably be OK,” Link replied. “Come grab me if I start a fight or something.”

Teba watched the Hylian as he crossed the market and retreated to the inn to give him some privacy.

The building was dim inside, lit only by candles and some small windows carved into the walls. It was a comfortable temperature inside, contrasting with the quickly cooling desert outside.

Teba paid for two standard beds and took the chance to remove the outer layers of his bronze armour. He felt sand roll out of his feathers and cursed the entire region. It was in the beads holding his braids, it was wedged in his talons, it had even worked its way behind his chest plate.

“I’ll wash in the pond once Link is back,” he muttered, dusting himself down for now, a small mound of sand collecting on the rug below. He sat on the edge of the small bed, closed his eyes, and waited for his companion to return.

When Link entered the inn, Teba could see that the memory had, once again, left him deep in thought. Realising that the Hylian still hadn’t fully come to terms with whatever he had just seen, he stood.

‘I got you a bed. I’m going to go and get rid of as much sand as I can. I’ll be back soon.”

Link gave him a small smile and nodded, throwing his sword and shield down next to his bed as Teba left.

“I saved her life here.”

He sat at the end of Teba’s bed, legs crossed, looking out of the window. Outside, the sun had sunk below the horizon, and the only source of light were the candles flickering around the inn. A quiet buzz filled the building – multiple voices spoke, but none were distinguishable. Despite this, Link spoke quietly, almost conspiratorially.

“She was attacked,” he continued, “and I stopped them.”

Teba sat at the top of the bed, restringing the Savage Lynel Bow they had salvaged earlier that day. He looked up from his work.

“How does that make you feel?” he asked.

Link turned his head. “I… don’t know,” he said. “I jumped in front of their blades. I put my own life on the line to save her.”

“You were her personal guard, wasn’t that your job?”

Link chewed on his tongue for a moment.

“My job…”

He turned back to face the window.

“If it was my job then why did she yell at me in Tabantha for doing it? Or did that come before this one? And why did she look so… confused when I saved her?”

Teba returned to the bow.

“You’ve only found three memories. Maybe things will be clearer as you remember more.”

Link didn’t reply. Teba continued working, and when he next looked up, the Hylian was fast asleep, leaning against the wall at the end of his bed.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he chuckled quietly, throwing a blanket over Link’s legs. He stood, stashed the bow back in the Slate, and made his way to the other bed for the night.

Chapter Text

When Teba woke, Link was gone. The bed was made, and his belongings were absent. On asking the innkeeper, a tall Gerudo who towered over even Teba, he learned that the Hylian had left early in the morning, heading towards Gerudo Town.

‘Maybe he found a way in?’ Teba wondered. Or, a less savoury thought, ‘Perhaps he’s decided to ditch me and carry on alone.’

Teba pushed those thoughts aside. Link wouldn’t just ditch him – he didn’t seem like that sort of person. Replacing his armour, he made his way out to the market, and spotted an unlikely visitor.

“Well well well, what’s a bird like you doing out here?” he shouted to the brown Rito sitting with his feet dangling into the lake. The figure jumped and twisted to face him.

“Teba? I never thought I’d see another Rito out in the desert. What brings you here?”

“Doing some travelling with… a friend. What about you, Guy?”

“Wanted a change of scenery. I travelled here once with the Guard, but we never stayed long so I thought I’d come visit on my time off,” he replied, his gaze returning to the clear pond.

Teba sat next to him, dipping his own talons into the water. “And what do you think? Aren’t you roasting?”

The brown Rito laughed. “I was, that’s why I’ve stuck around here for a few days, but a Hylian came by this morning and gave me a Chilly Elixir so I’m going to head over to Gerudo Town later on.”

“Good luck with that,” Teba chuckled, “the most you’ll see of the town is the guards as they kick you out.”

“Oh, so the whole ‘no men’ thing is true then?”

“’Afraid so,” Teba confirmed, “but the Bazaar is still nice, right?”

Guy nodded and sat back on his wings.

“The Hylian,” Teba queried, “was he by any chance blond, short, and carrying a weird looking slate on his hip?”

Guy nodded, “That was him. You’ve run into him too?”

Teba laughed.

“You could say that. He’s the one I’m travelling with.”

“Oh? Not like you to stray far from the village. Especially with Medoh as it is…”

“Funny you should say that. As it happens, Medoh is back in our control, and it was all thanks to that Hylian.”

Guy turned and stared at Teba.

“He took down Medoh!? On his own?”

“Well, I flew him up and helped out inside,” Teba added, keen not to underplay his involvement, “and we took out the beast controlling it together, so it was a joint effort really.”

“Wow Teba,” awed Guy, “I thought we’d never get Medoh under control.”

“You doubted my ability?” Teba acted shocked. He knew the Guard were well aware of his ability as a warrior.

Guy’s response was predictably flustered.

“I, uh, never meant, I didn’t mean to say that—”

Teba laughed and patted his friend on the back.

“I’m kidding Guy, don’t worry. Harth and I were nearly wiped out when we approached Medoh before, remember?”

Guy loosened next to him.

“If you couldn’t take it down on your own then he must be pretty strong.”

Teba thought about Link’s position as Champion, and his access to the Sheikah Slate and Revali’s Gale.

“Yeah, he’s not bad.”

The Rito warriors sat and watched the market bustle while the sun rose into the sky.

Link returned to the Bazaar just after noon. He spotted Teba by the side of the water and walked over. As he approached, he saw the brown Rito he had given a Chilly Elixir to earlier sat next to him. Teba nodded to him, and he waved.

“Guy,” the Rito spoke, “you’ve already met Link I believe. Link, this is Guy. He and I were in the Guard together.”

Link waved again to the other Rito. He wore a cream tunic and green shoulder blades and was slightly smaller in build than Teba. The way he sat comfortably in the afternoon heat told Link he had already consumed the Elixir.

“Nice to see you again, Link.” His voice was softer than Teba’s too, and Link wondered if he was still an active warrior. “Thanks again for this morning.”

“No problem,” Link replied quietly, his vocal courage surprising himself.

“How did you get on this morning? Any progress?” Teba asked.

Link shrugged. He pointed behind the Rito to the east, where a large sandstorm raged in the not-so-distant horizon.

“That’s Vah Naboris?” Teba asked, and Link hummed in agreement.

“Hold on, Vah Naboris?” Guy interrupted, turning to Teba with wide eyes. “That’s the Gerudo Divine Beast, right? Don’t tell me you’re planning on taking it down too?”

Teba frowned and turned to the warrior. “It’s uh… a long story. But yes, that’s the plan.”

“You’re crazy,” Guy said, shaking his head. “Does Saki know you’re doing this?”

Teba waved his wing in dismissal. “You think I’d just leave her without saying anything?”

“Then she’s craz—” Guy began, but Teba’s sudden glare stopped him in his tracks.

“Why are you doing it, then?” he opted for instead.

Teba looked to Link, who was standing a little away very deliberately not watching them.

“If Vah Medoh threatened us, then what’s stopping the other Divine Beasts from doing the same?”

Guy considered his words for a moment, before saying, “I’m not convinced. But I was never one to doubt your words. Just… be careful, OK?”

Teba laughed. “Now you’re beginning to sound like Saki! I’ll look after myself, don’t worry.”

With that, Teba stood and began towards Link.

“You were the best commander we ever had; you know that?” Guy shouted after him.

Teba turned back and gave him a small smile.

“A good commander is nothing without his soldiers.”

As they began crossing the desert, Link removed a small bottle from the slate and handed it to Teba.

Teba took it and examined the dark blue liquid inside.

“Chilly Elixir?” he surmised.

Link nodded.

“Made a few this morning, gave one to your friend.”

“Thanks,” Teba said, as he uncorked the bottle and downed the potion. It tasted of fresh mint and cool air and yet still managed to turn his stomach.

“And do I want to know what was in that?” he asked through a screwed-up face.

Link chuckled.

“A few Chu blobs, a Cold Darner, and Moblin Guts.”

Teba grimaced. That taste wouldn’t be leaving him any time soon.

“You know you can just stick to Chu Jellies for these? That’s what we use back home for Spicy Elixirs.”

Link shrugged.

“I like the texture.”

“You sure you didn’t die of food poisoning during the calamity?” Teba retorted. “Anyway, where exactly are we going? We’re heading away from pretty much everything.”

“We need to go to the Tower after all. The Gerudo Chief said she’d help us board Vah Naboris, but the beast attacks anyone who gets close with lightning.”

“Hold on, you got into Gerudo Town? How?”

Link opened his mouth and rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks flushed.

“I uh… doesn’t matter. I met a guy who got me in, that’s all.”

Teba narrowed his eyes but let the non-answer slide for now.

“So why are we heading to the Tower?” he asked.

“The Chieftain, Riju, said the Gerudo have a priceless artifact called the Thunder Helm which can block Vah Naboris’ attacks, but that some group called the Yiga Clan have stolen it. She said if I, or we,” he gestured to Teba, “could get it back, then she’d help us board the beast.”

Teba nodded.

“So, we’re getting a map of the desert so we can find their hideout.”

They walked in silence for a while.

“How long were you in the Rito Guard for?” Link asked, as they entered shade cast by the large cliff face ahead of them.

“I joined when I was 14 as a Village Guard,” Teba said. “Spent a few years training with the older Warriors, then graduated to a Warrior myself when I was 17.”

“That’s quite young?” Link asked.

 “I was the youngest Warrior in the troupe. In fact, I was the youngest Rito to graduate in over 100 years. The last Rito warrior that age was…”

“Revali?” Link finished, and Teba nodded. Link hadn’t realised from his memories just how young the Rito Champion had been.

Teba continued, “I was 19 when I was promoted again to Commander.”

“That’s the highest rank?”

“Pretty much. The next level up is Champion, but that’s a slightly different role. The Commander is in charge of the entire Rito Guard. They decide who goes where and what the biggest threats are, and they mediate with the elder. Champions don’t take on any of that responsibility, they just kind of do what they want. They can stay in the Guard, or they can take missions on their own. Plus, the Rito Champion title can only be given by the Hyrulean royal family, so obviously it’s not been used in a while.”

“You know a lot about it,” Link observed.

Teba shrugged.

“I was in charge of the entire Rito army for over 3 years, I kind of had to.”

“And that’s how you met Guy?”

“He and a few others were in the same squad. We joined at the same time, and then I was in charge of them for a while before becoming Commander. You probably met Mazli? He guards the village entrance these days.”

Link thought back, vaguely remembering a reddish purple Rito with kind eyes welcoming him to the village.

“I think so. He mentioned something about dragons?”

Teba chuckled.

“Yep, Mazli was always interested in dragons, that sounds like him. He was part of my squad too, along with Harth, who I think you probably met.”

They stopped, having reached the cliff face between them and the region’s Tower.

“Want another lift?” Link asked, unpacking his Paraglider.

Teba nodded, and Link crouched, creating a strong updraft that sent them both into the air.

They stood in front of the Tower, which protruded from a deep canyon. When Link peered over the edge, he couldn’t see the bottom – it seemed to disappear far beyond the surface.

“We’re still quite a way beneath the top, perhaps we should try to find some higher ground before flying across,” he said.

“Let me try something first,” Teba said, and walked towards the edge. He stopped and knelt, spreading his wings, and holding them perpendicular to the sandy ground. Link watched as he closed his eyes and concentrated.

‘This was the same position he was in outside the Shrine yesterday morning…’

The desert sun beat down on him, complimented by a slight breeze.

‘Was the breeze getting stronger? Or was the heat beginning to mess with his head again?’

A sudden gust of cold air blasted past Link, knocking both him and Teba to the ground. Link jumped up and grabbed his sword, searching for the attacker, but Teba intervened.

“It’s ok, that was me,” he shouted, as he lay flat on the ground.

“What do you mean?” Link asked.

Teba pulled himself to a sitting position, feeling for any injuries. Finding none, other than bruised feathers, he stood.

“That was a not very successful attempt at Revali’s Gale,” he muttered.

“Oh.”

“But obviously I haven’t progressed much since the last time I tried it over 5 years ago.”

Link shrugged. “It’s a start,” he said. “You’ve certainly got the wind creation down.”

“A work in progress, I suppose,” Teba dusted himself down and surveyed the surroundings. “Alright then, I suppose we’ll need to do this the old-fashioned way.  Hop on.”

He knelt and Link jumped on his back. A few steps later, they were airborne, ascending towards the Tower’s platform.

The desert was, like most deserts, fairly bland in terms of both visual and sonic points of interest. Sand, wind, and some more sand.

So Link was surprised, to say the least, at the sound that floated towards him as they approached the top of the Tower. At first, he thought the wind was playing a trick on him, but the more he listened the more he was certain he could hear some sort of music?.

Upon landing he found the source to be a large blue Rito standing on the edge of the platform holding an accordion. He looked to Teba, who gave a somewhat stiff nod in recognition.

“Oh?” the musician murmured as he heard them approaching. “My apologies, I didn’t hear you there. I never expected to meet anyone else up here.”

He turned and faced them. His front was coloured a clean white, and he wore various belts and straps across his chest. He stood tall, above even Teba, who he seemed to recognise, although he was slightly bulkier than the Rito warrior.

“Ah, Teba. It is a surprise to see someone like you,” the larger Rito said. His voice was deep and smooth, and Link wondered if he was a singer as well as a musician.

“Kass. Long-time no see,” Teba replied flatly. “I trust your travels are going well?”

“As it happens, the appearance of these Towers may have supplied the answer to many of my teacher’s writings. I’ve visited 5 now, and each seems to have related to one of the songs.”

He turned to Link.

“Ah, my apologies – I don’t believe we’ve met. I am Kass, a travelling minstrel seeking to unravel the mysteries of this land through song.”

Link waved his hand, his customary greeting to strangers. Now, though, he had Teba to make conversation a little easier.

“This is Link. He’s a Hylian looking to…” Teba paused, “investigate the Divine Beasts, and I said I’d tag along to help.”

Kass’ eyes widened. “The Divine Beasts!? My, that is quite the quest. I’ve only ever seen Vah Medoh up close – the others are a little difficult to approach right now.”

“We’re actually on our way to Vah Naboris,” Teba said, “albeit taking a bit of a diversion.”

“You wouldn’t be looking for the Yiga Clan, by any chance?”

Link nodded before Teba could reply, and Kass chuckled.

“I thought so. I saw a small envoy come by this way earlier. They may have seen me, they may not, it matters little. They headed to the west, over that cliff.”

“That’s very helpful, thank you Kass,” Teba praised. “We’ll be on our way, now. Ideally we’ll make it there before it gets dark.”

“Ah, before you go,” Kass spoke, his attention returning to Link, “perhaps you’d like to hear an ancient verse written about this very area?”

Link saw Teba roll his eyes, his back now turned to Kass, but it piqued his interest, so he nodded keenly. Kass smiled and turned away, facing out from the Tower’s platform.

He took his instrument in hand and began to play. The melody was quick and seemed familiar to Link. He wondered if he was about to remember something, but nothing came, and the Rito began to sing.

“As light shines from the northwest skies,
From the tower’s shadow an arrow flies.

His singing voice was deeper than when he spoke, and Link felt himself getting lost in the rich tones. He glanced at Teba and saw him, wings crossed, leaning against the pedestal in the centre of the platform.

Pierce the heaven’s light
to reveal the prize.”

The chords ended without concluding, Kass letting them fade to nothing before turning back to them.

“Well?” he asked, and Link gave him a large smile.

“Those lyrics were passed on to me from my teacher. I believe they have something to do with the platform that lies to the southeast of here, but I haven’t been able to figure it out yet.”

“It was nice seeing you, Kass,” Teba spoke, and Link thought he could detect a little curtness in his tone, “but we had really better be off.”

Kass nodded at the warrior, then turned his focus back to Link. “I’m sure we’ll meet again. I travel home every so often, I look forward to seeing you, young Link.”

He smiled, then turned and began playing a new melody again. Link returned to Teba and began activating the Sheikah Tower.

They sat listening to the crackling fire. The desert was dark, now, and the area was illuminated only by the fire between them and the blue glow of the Shrine standing behind them. The Tower emitted a gentle light across the canyon.

Link chewed on a grain of rice leftover from his meal, and watched Teba, who sat opposite, picking apart the remnants of a chicken carcass. They hadn’t spoken, save for a few words coordinating bomb explosions inside the Shrine. Link hadn’t minded, but sensed a tenseness coming from his companion, and didn’t want to force anything.

But now the silence was becoming unbearable.

“So…” he said slowly, “you and Kass…”

“What about us?” Teba replied without looking up.

“Well you didn’t exactly get on like a house on fire…”

Teba set down his meal and sighed.

“Kass was part of my squad for a while. But he decided pretty quickly that it wasn’t the sort of life he wanted, and we had a few arguments before he finally left.”

“So, you don’t like him because he didn’t want to work with you?”

“Not exactly,” Teba grimaced and leaned back. “We disagreed but we were pretty amiable at the time. It was later that we… butted heads.”

Link nodded, watching the Rito stare into the distance. He let him think at his own pace. After a while, Teba continued.

“A few years after that Tulin was born. I started training him early – nothing strenuous, just taking him to the Flight Range, teaching him about bows, things like that. Kass… didn’t agree with that.”

“He didn’t agree to how you were bringing up your own son?”

“He didn’t agree with the idea of a child being born into the life of a Warrior. He wanted fledgelings to be a certain age before they started training. I was Commander at the time and the whole thing dissolved into… quite a big argument.”

Link nodded but stayed silent.

“Some might say I ‘bullied him’ out of the village, but that’s not true. It’s just… having an argument or a disagreement with the Commander makes for a pretty stressful life. He left shortly after to ‘travel the world,’ which is what he’s doing to this day.”

“And he hasn’t been back since?”

“He visits. He has children of his own, five in fact, with Amali, so he comes to see them every so often. But he never stays for long and doesn’t really consider himself a part of the village.”

Link hesitated before asking his next question.

“And what about Tulin? Did you keep training him?”

Teba brought his focus back to the Hylian. His eyes were sharp, and Link struggled to read what was really going on behind them.

“I don’t regret training Tulin to be a Warrior. Hylia knows none of the current Guard are capable of protecting the village, and someone has to take my place when I’m gone…”

“But,” he continued, his voice softening, “I make sure Tulin knows what his options are. I always ask if he wants to train, and I always make sure we finish if he’s too tired or it’s getting dark. Rito Village needs a warrior, but I won’t force it on my only son if he doesn’t want it.”

“Does he want it?” Link asked. “To be a warrior?”

Teba smiled slightly.

“He enjoys his time at the Flight Range, I think. And he always gets excited when he watches the Guard fight.”

“He seemed pretty hyper when we came back from Medoh,” Link laughed, remembering how he had almost vaulted Teba in his excitement.

Teba laughed aloud.

“A combination I think of his Dad doing something cool and a stranger in the roost. I wonder how he and Saki are getting on...”

“You want to visit after we finish with Naboris?”

“Maybe. The Festival of Wind is coming up soon, might visit then.”

Link cocked his head. “Festival of Wind?”

“It’s a festival we hold once a year on the anniversary of Revali’s birth. To celebrate the last Rito Champion.”

“Ah. That sounds like a very Revali thing to do,” Link chuckled.

“Actually, it was only started after the Calamity. But yes, a festival dedicated to one person does sound right up the Champion’s ally. It’s a few weeks from now – I was planning on inviting you back anyway.”

Link nodded and yawned. The Rito rolled his eyes.

“Looks like I’m on first watch again. Get some sleep – ideally we’ll raid the Yiga tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

The door slammed shut behind him and Link jumped.

Trapped – in more ways than one.

He gripped the sword in his hand a little tighter.

The room he stood in was large and intricately decorated. The carpet was a bright red and two large pillars stood ahead, each topped with a flame, lighting the room.

‘This could,’ Link thought, ‘be what Hyrule Castle looked like 100 years ago.’

Directly in front of him was a podium, on which lay a young woman. Once again, Link instinctively knew that this was Zelda, despite her hair being a dark brown.

‘How do I know this? I’ve never seen her before…’

She wore a flowing purple dress and was clearly unconscious. Behind her stood a tall man with long, pale green hair. He wore robes which brushed the carpet as he raised his hands towards Link.

“Ahah… Link! I’ve been waiting for you!”

His voice was deep and echoed around the room. The hairs on Link’s arms stood up. Did he know this man? Was this Ganon? He didn’t look anything like he had last time…

“I was hoping I could make Zelda vanish in front of your eyes,” the man continued.

‘So that is Zelda,’ Link thought, stepping closer to the podium. A flash of pink appeared in his eyeline. Was that… his hair?

“Behold!” The man bellowed, splaying his fingers, “The last moments of Princess Zelda!”

The Princess began to rise from the podium slowly, her hair dangling below her. The man began chanting some incoherent spell as his hands crackled with electricity. The energy connected with Zelda and began to visibly circle her.

Link tried to move, tried to cut the man down, but his feet were glued to the floor. He could only watch as, at the climax of the man’s spell, Zelda’s body burst into a flash of light. When the room dimmed, she was gone.

The man chuckled, then brought his attention back to Link.

“With this, the seal of the seven wise men is at last broken. It is now only a matter of time before evil power covers this land… After all, the legendary Hero cannot defeat us, the tribe of evil, when we are armed with the Power of Gold.”

He raised his arms again, this time pointing directly at him.

“Now, it is time for you to go!”

A beam of electricity shot from his raised hand straight towards Link.

The startled cry from the Hylian made Teba jump.

“Link?” He said gently, “Are you OK?”

Link lay flat on the desert ground. The sky above was still dark, but a glow of orange in the east told him that it was almost morning.

He sat up. His chest was hammering, and he felt a covering of cold sweat on his skin. He looked to Teba, who was sitting a little away, staring intently.

“Sorry,” he murmured, wiping his forehead on the back of his sleeve. Both were soaked. “Bad dream.”

“Another one? You were murmuring something in your sleep… I think it was the word ‘pink’?”

The dream was already fading from Link’s immediate memory, but he remembered that detail.

“My hair… was pink.”

Teba’s beak lay open for a moment, before he chuckled, “Well, that does sound like a bad dream.”

He stood and stretched. “You up for an early start? We can wait for a bit if you need some time…”

Link shook his head. He stood and felt the damp tunic sticking to his skin.

“Actually, give me two minutes to change my clothes,” he murmured, grabbing the slate, heart still beating hard against his chest.

The canyon sank away in front of them, a path carved out into the cliff face. The pair were covered by shade down here, and Teba was thankful for it.

He had let Link sleep through the night for various reasons. For a start, his mind was still occupied with thoughts about Tulin and his training.

‘Did he really still want to become a warrior? Even after he found out how dangerous it was? And did he want his only son to put himself at risk?’

He had decided to have a serious chat with Tulin and Saki the next time they were all together. To put his mind at rest.

After he came to that decision, he was still restless. His encounter with Kass had thrown him more than he liked to admit. He quietly retreated a little away from where Link slept and worked on improving his gale manipulation.

He was beginning to understand how the air around him worked, but it was controlling it that still wasn’t coming to him. Still, he reasoned, any time spent developing it was time well spent.

He had, eventually, forced himself to sleep. He had never encountered the Yiga Clan, and he suspected they’d have no business against him if he had, but he had heard enough stories to know they were dangerous.

‘Even more dangerous now you’re actively helping the Hero of Hyrule,’ he thought, and subconsciously brushed his wing against the modified Savage Lynel Bow strapped to his back.

“What do you know of the Yiga, Link?” he asked.

Link shrugged.

“I’ve come across a few on the road, but I just thought they were mad assassins or something.”

Teba chuckled. That was certainly one way of describing them.

“You know they’re Sheikah defectors?” he asked.

“They are? That would explain their logo. Why did they defect?”

“I think it was because of an argument with the ancient Royal Family. They split with the rest of the clan and pledged allegiance to Calamity Ganon.”

Link let out a whistle.

“Trust the Royal Family to start a war amongst the most advanced clan in the Kingdom…”

“From what I know, the Yiga can still perform some pretty powerful magic. We’ll need to be careful.”

“Nah,” Link scoffed, “we’ll just walk straight in and out. They’ll never know we were there.”

“I fear,” Teba murmured, partly to himself, “that it won’t be anywhere near as easy as that.”

The entrance was small, although Link didn’t know what he expected. On one hand, he thought that the base of the most technologically advanced group in Hyrule should be big and bold but, on the other hand, this was a hideout, and bright neon lights and loud music wouldn’t be very subtle, especially in the desert.

“Here,” he said, passing the Rito a small rice ball. “It’s sneaky – it’ll help us… sneak.”

Teba ate, as did Link, and they entered the hideout.

The first room was small and had multiple tapestries hanging on the walls around them. In the centre, a lit torch burned. There were no obvious corridors to follow, but Link spotted a breeze flowing past one of the drapes.

He took hold of the torch and beckoned for Teba to follow. Pausing for a moment to ensure it wasn’t a trap, he held the torch against the cloth until it caught alight. It burned quickly, ash floating down onto their shoulders.

Once covered by the tapestry, a staircase was now revealed. Teba gave him a thumbs up, and they continued further in. The pathway led out to a platform overlooking a dark cavern. Link spotted a holding cell opposite the entrance and made his way towards it.

Teba was following behind when he spotted the flickering of a torch appear on the ground below. A Yiga Blademaster appeared shortly after on patrol. He grabbed Link and pulled him back behind cover.

The Blademaster let out a questioning grunt below.

“Shit,” the Rito whispered. They stood in silence, backed flat against the wall, barely daring to breathe.

“Who’s up there?” A deep voice called out from below. Teba heard the patrol draw his Cleaver and tensed, readying himself for combat.

“Just me you fool,” a fierce voice shouted from across the platform. Link and Teba stared at the holding cell, where a tall Gerudo had appeared, clasping her hands across the bars.

“Of course, if I scare you that much, you could just… let me go,” she continued.

“I heard sounds. It sounded like a scuffle.” The Blademaster was no longer coming towards them, Teba noted, but neither had he sheathed his weapon.

“Now wouldn’t that just be ridiculous,” the Gerudo let out a hearty laugh. “Intruders? In the Yiga Clan Hideout? You think anyone would ever be foolish enough to come here?”

She said this directly to Link and Teba, a smirk forming across her face.

Teba heard a “hmph” from below, followed by the sheathing of a Cleaver.

“You mock us, Gerudo, but do not forget whose prisoner you are.”

They waited until the footsteps had faded away before carefully stepping back out onto the platform.

“Well, well,” the Gerudo whispered, “who do we have here?”

“I am Teba, this is Link. Thanks for your cover just there.”

“Nonsense, anything to throw those damned ninjas out of step.”

Link had spotted a contraption on the wall and, upon yanking a lever, the bars trapping the Gerudo lifted. She stepped towards them.

“I am grateful. Thank you for coming for me.”

“Ah,” Teba replied, “we weren’t here specifically for you, although I’m glad we could help. We’re actually here for the Thunderhelm?”

“You too, huh?” The Gerudo laughed under her breath. “Well, you can see how that went for me. But then, I never was the stealthiest.”

She turned and pointed to the other side of the cavern. Link could see another Blademaster guarding a doorway into another corridor.

“I believe the Yiga Leader holds on to it. You’ll find his quarters at the other end of the base.”

“Thank you,” Teba nodded.

The Gerudo started towards the entrance but stopped and turned. “”Oh, and if you get stuck, try a Mighty Banana. I find that works wonders in this place.”

With that, she turned and disappeared back towards the entrance.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Teba wondered aloud.

Link shrugged his shoulders, and they quietly made their way through the cavern.

Traversing the room was relatively simple. One Blademaster patrolled near the prison block – they had already encountered him once, so it was simple to time their advance to avoid his presence.

The second guard, however, was stationary. From their position crouched behind a stack of barrels, Link fired an arrow into a shelf opposite the guard. It collapsed, sending a collection of arrows and Rupees clattering to the ground. The guard huffed and stepped forward to collect the goods, not spotting two intruders sneak through the door behind him.

The second room proved a much more complex operation. Link and Teba crouched by the entrance and watched the Guards, trying to memorise their movements. After a while they retreated to the hallway.

“There’s too many of them and it’s too open a room for both of us to go at once,” Teba concluded. “I did notice a balcony, though, and there are walkways across the top of the room. If one of us gets up there, we could distract the guards while the other made it through…”

After a little exploration, they found a ladder to the upper levels.

“Do you want to go up or will I?” Teba asked.

Link grabbed the Slate from his hip and swiped as he spoke.

“Well, your feathers probably don’t lend themselves to covert movement,” he whispered, summoning a dark blue outfit which he promptly swapped his Champion Tunic for. It fitted tightly against his skin and covered much of his face. A Sheikah emblem was printed on the chest. “I’ll go low, you go high?” he finished.

Teba nodded at the outfit.

“A bold choice, considering we’re in the Sheikah Traitors’ base.”

Link shrugged and watched as Teba ascended to the balcony before heading back to the second room. He spotted the Rito above, surveying the room before waving for Link to start moving.

The Hylian crouched and entered the room. He could see the flickering of a torch to his left, but he was still concealed behind a stone pillar. He shuffled to his right, staying low behind the stone and stacked crates. He settled once again, now in the corner of the room, where another guard patrolled up and down a straight path.

He glanced up at Teba and mimed firing a bow, then pointed at the nearby guard. Teba nodded and pulled his bow out. He aimed below the Yiga – far enough away that he wouldn’t actually injure the guard, but close enough to draw his attention. The arrow flew silently and impaled a wooden beam with a soft ‘thunk’. The guard cocked his head towards the sound, before slowly moving to investigate. Link took the opportunity and leapt behind them. The armour kept his movements silent, and he landed in another crouch, well out of eyesight of the returning guard.

He turned to face the exit, guarded by another stationary Blademaster. This time, however, there was a second guard facing him just down the passage. Their previous trick with the arrow wouldn’t work so well this time.

He craned his neck to see Teba slowly crossing the wooden slats above, his talons treading lightly but deliberately, feathers glimmering in the dim light.

He mouthed up, “What now?”

Teba surveyed the passage. The guard facing the exit would be the biggest problem – they’d need to turn him around if they were to make it out undetected. He scanned the room for inspiration. There were odd shelves holding barrels around the room, but each were too big to simply divert a guard’s attention – they’d be more likely to attract the whole place.

His eyes caught a flash of yellow behind him. At the end of the balcony was a small compartment with a table. Stacked on the table was a huge pile of Mighty Bananas.

Just like that, everything clicked into place in Teba’s head.

Link shifted his weight, feeling his legs begin to cramp. He glanced up at where Teba had stood and found him carefully crossing back towards the raised entrance of the room. He followed his movements until he lost sight of him behind a wall, reappearing again a moment later. He was carrying something, but Link couldn’t make it out.

Teba returned to his former position and gently placed the item in front of him. Then he took out his bow and nocked an arrow. He caught Link’s eye and gave him a nod. Link prepared to move.

He aimed the arrow at the midpoint of the passage, directly between the two guards. He fired, and they both stretched to attention simultaneously, before shuffling towards the discarded arrow. Teba waited until they were together, before moving backwards slightly. He took the item and dropped it to the ground where the guard facing the exit had stood.

Link watched as a yellow blob hit the floor.

‘Was that… a banana?’

The guards heard it hit the ground but, instead of the call to arms he expected, they both let out an “ooh” of excitement, before rushing over to the fruit. Teba took the opportunity to leap silently from his platform and glide through the exit, and Link quickly followed, glancing back at the very distracted guards.

They found themselves in a small but empty room. Link turned to ensure they hadn’t been spotted, before allowing a small chuckle.

“You distracted them with a banana?” he asked.

“You remember what that Gerudo warrior told us?” he replied. “’Try a Mighty Banana.’ Turns out they’re obsessed with them. Had a hold stockpile up in the balcony.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, I guess.”

He looked around the room. There was no obvious next step, but on closer inspection he found that one of the walls wasn’t quite flat. Using the Magnesis Rune, he was able to pull it aside, revealing a path out of the Hideout.

They found themselves back in the desert. The courtyard was large but mostly bare, save for a circular hole cut right down the middle. It was shaded from most of the sun by high cliffs on all sides. They moved forward but were stopped by a voice echoing around them.

“Hey…”

The voice was deep, but Link detected a hint of… sleepiness?

“Who the heck are you? And what are you doing in my napping spot?”

A puff of smoke erupted ahead of them, and when it retreated, they could see a large male in a Yiga uniform sitting cross legged. His hair was tied in some sort of tube that stuck out of the back of his head, and his gut hung very far over his belt.

“Wait a minute…” he continued, rubbing his eyes with a squeak, “what’s that on your hip?”

He jumped to his feet and pointed.

“But if that’s…” he said quietly, “then you’re… and I’m… and he’s… which means… so we…”

Each thought came with a pointed finger and a rising pitch. By his conclusion, his voice was loud and squeaky. He pointed back at Link.

“YOU! You’re that Link guy!”

Link and Teba exchanged glances.

“Ohohoho!” the Yiga chortled, holding his stomach. Link swore he could see the belt itself stretch with each breath.

“Oh… but how impolite of me – I haven’t even introduced myself…”

He disappeared again, before reappearing to their right.

“Introoooooooducing!”

He jumped onto his left foot.

“The Stupendous Chief of the Yiga Clan!”

He bounced onto his right foot.

“Maaaaaaassteeeerrrr Kohga!”

He twirled in a surprisingly athletic pirouette, before landing and pointing at the pair with both hands.

“He’s gonna kill you both!”

Link cocked his head. Teba covered a snort with a cough.

“To death!” Kohga finished, before slamming his hands together and starting a low hum.

The hum raised in volume as his arms moved upwards. As they hovered above his head, a large stone ball appeared in a puff of smoke, and the Yiga Chieftain began laughing.

Link drew his weapon, and Teba followed suit.

Kohga’s fighting style was… unorthodox, Teba decided. It consisted of blue barriers which blocked their attacks and stone balls which moved far too slowly to be of any danger to them whatsoever.

Oh, and grunting. A lot of grunting.

Teba ducked under another ball which bounced and rolled away, just as Kohga grunted, again, and spun out of range of their attacks, again. It was proving incredibly difficult for anyone to damage anyone else here.

He let Link approach the Yiga Chief and waited until the stone ball was summoned, before launching an arrow at the Yiga’s chest.

“Ooft,” he cried out, and the ball dropped directly on his head. Kohga buckled under its wait, and collapsed to the ground, head sinking into a layer of sand.

Teba bit back another laugh. Was this really the best the Yiga Clan had to offer?

He approached again as Kohga pulled himself out and back into the air.

“You’ll pay for that you unseasoned cuccoo!” he yelled.

Teba nocked another arrow but this time the Yiga was prepared. A blue barrier knocked the arrow from the sky, before barrelling into Teba, knocking him backwards.

Teba felt his foot reach through empty air, and he toppled into the large hole in the centre of the courtyard. He watched as Link fired a replacement arrow into Kohga’s chest, unaware of the Rito’s position. Then the sandy walls of the chasm rushed past.

He braced himself for impact on whatever ground was below. He hadn’t noticed what was in here, or how deep it was. After falling for a moment, he righted himself and looked down…

…into a black abyss. The hole was bottomless – it disappeared into the dark below him. He flapped his wings, desperately trying to slow his descent as the light from above began to dim.

He slowed to a stop and began propelling himself upwards. The hole was narrow, and it was difficult to find enough room to fly properly. He felt his wings brush against the sides more than once. Eventually, the light above began to shine more strongly.

And then suddenly it didn’t.

Teba gazed upwards as a huge, spiked metal ball came hurtling towards him. He threw himself to the side of the hole, colliding hard against the sand, and sank his talons deep to stop himself from falling further. The spiked ball whizzed past him, accelerating every second.

Teba breathed and pushed off of the wall, starting his ascent once more…

…only to collide with the Yiga Chieftain as he fell down the hole too, his screams bouncing off the walls. His body mass knocked Teba straight back down and the two became a tangle of wings and arms. Teba pushed against Kohga and heard the Yiga collide with the side of the chasm, before disappearing into the darkness, cries echoing out of earshot.

Teba levelled himself once again, not waiting to hear Kohga hit the bottom, if it existed, before starting off the long flight back to the surface.

“Teba!?” Link shouted to the empty courtyard. His companion had been right behind him one second, then the next time he looked he had completely vanished. Had Kohga taken him?

He heard the Rito before he saw him – a flapping of feathers and tired breathing. Link turned to see the white Rito emerge from the chasm before collapsing in a heap on the sand.

“Teba!” he shouted, running over to the pile of feathers. “Are you ok?”

Teba didn’t answer but raised his wing in a ‘thumbs up’ gesture.

“Where did you go? You just disappeared?”

“That hole’s pretty deep…” came the rasped reply.

Link sat on the ground next to Teba while he recovered.

“That guy was uh… pretty weird, huh.”

Teba wheezed a laugh.

“That belt was putting in a serious shift. Did you get the Thunderhelm?”

Link nodded and pulled it from the Sheikah Slate. It was a circular helmet shaped like a beetle. A thin wire ran above the headset, and various jewels were inset around its face.

They sat while Teba regained his breath. Eventually, Link stood, and offered his hand.

“We should go, it’s getting late, and we probably want to get out of here before any actual threats find us.”

Teba nodded and accepted the Hylian’s hand, pulling himself to his feet.

“Unless,” Link continued, “you want to stick around like the ‘unseasoned cuccoo’ you are.”

He laughed and ducked out of reach of Teba’s swipe.

Chapter Text

“I’ll meet you at that outpost there in, like, an hour?”

Teba squinted at the outline of a small building silhouetted against the sandstorm in the distance.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Why don’t I just come with you to Gerudo Town? I’ll wait outside the walls while you speak with the chief and then we can all go together.”

Link rubbed his neck and said, “Really, it’s not a problem, I can just go myself, honest.”

Teba squinted at him, but ultimately let it pass.

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged.

The Hylian nodded, turned, and left the Bazaar towards Gerudo Town. Teba watched him leave, then once again made for the pond to rid himself of sand granules. Guy was nowhere to be seen – he must have either made it into Gerudo Town or given up and gone back to Rito Village.

His thoughts wondered to Hearth and whether he had recovered from their previous attempt on Vah Medoh. They hadn’t even destroyed one canon before Hearth had taken a shot to the wing and they’d been forced to retreat.

Saki and Tulin entered his mind next. Hopefully they were getting on OK. If Guy had gone home, he’d probably tell her he’d seen him in the Gerudo Desert. She’d be worried, but then she’d have been worried if he’d been spotted resting calmly by Lake Hylia. Worrying was in her nature.

He let the water soak through his feathers and waited for time to pass.

He spotted Link first, waving at him from the small building. He joined him on a short ladder, and they climbed to the shabby lookout post above.

Here they found a small Gerudo. On looking closer, Teba saw that she wasn’t just small, she was young too – a girl, probably a teenager, he guessed. She was dressed in a long skirt decorated with intricate Gerudo patterns and symbols. Her hair was bright red, braids reaching down to her ankles. The Thunderhelm lay at her feet.

She turned and smiled at Link. It wasn’t a wide smile, but it was warm.

“Well, then. That’s what you really look like,” she giggled. “With voe banned from town, it’s not very common for me to see someone like you.”

Teba squinted at Link, whose cheeks flushed.

The Gerudo turned to him.

“And you are?”

“Teba,” he replied, still considering her previous statement.

“Well, Teba,” she said, her voice becoming serious once again, “I am Riju, Chief of the Gerudo. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Teba’s mind whirred. He had known the position of Gerudo Chief was passed from mother to child on death, but he had no idea just how young she was. And still her first comment lingered on his mind.

“I assume you’ll be joining us on approach to Vah Naboris?” she asked. Her voice had a distinct accent and she spoke with pronounced diction, as though she was used to speaking formally.

Teba nodded.

“Link has told me a little about you,” she said, before turning to face the desert.

“What a sight. Divine Beast Vah Naboris is pretty intimidating… If we want to get close enough, we’ll need to use sand seals.”

She returned her gaze to the Rito, a frown now forming.

“I’ve never seen a voe Rito ride a sand seal, never mind a big warrior like you. Have you ridden one before?”

“I haven’t, no,” Teba replied, brushing over her compliment.

“I can teach him,” Link suggested. “It isn’t too hard, provided your balance is OK.”

Riju smiled again.

“Thank you, Link. We’ll use the sand seals to get in close, then it’s up to you. Naboris gets its power from its feet. Bomb arrows should be powerful enough to deactivate them. I’ll create a barrier with the Thunderhelm, but it won’t be very big. When Naboris prepares to attack, you’ll both need to retreat back to me – one strike from the Divine Beast could prove fatal.”

A shiver ran down Teba’s spine.

“Are you both ready?” she asked.

Teba looked her in the eye and saw something he saw so rarely in the eyes of Rito warriors – hope. Riju carried the weight of her people on her shoulders but, faced with the impossible task of a Divine Beast, she still had hope. Admirable.

“I’m ready,” Link affirmed.

“As am I,” Teba added, “but, once the Divine Beast is tamed, you have to promise me one thing.”

Riju’s face fell for a moment, but he continued before she could reply.

“You have to tell me what Link looks like dressed as a vai.”

A beat passed, before Riju laughed aloud, covering her mouth as she did so. Link turned a bright shade of red before whirling around and almost throwing himself down the ladder towards the seals below.

Riju stood ahead of them, her small figure dwarfed by the large sandstorm raging. She placed the Thunderhelm on her head and raised her hands, muttering some ancient Gerudo words that Link couldn’t quite make out from his position behind her.

He looked over to Teba on his left. The Rito looked, quite frankly, ridiculous, balancing on a tiny Gerudo Shield tied to a dark green seal but, as Link had predicted, his excellent balance was helping him master the animal fairly easily.

With an audible ‘whoosh’ a translucent green barrier extended from the Thunderhelm, enveloping Riju. It stretched for a moment, before settling a few meters on all sides of the Gerudo.

She turned.

“This is the Thunderhelm’s barrier. When you stand within, you’ll be protected from lightning strikes.”

As if on cue, Divine Beast Vah Naboris let out a screech, its head appearing above the sand cloud.

“Alright,” Riju shouted, “let’s move!”

She turned and approached her own sand seal. As Link and Teba moved towards her, she clasped her hands to her chest and looked up to the giant beast.

“Lady Urbosa…” she whispered, “Please grant Link, Teba, and me your protection…”

Vah Naboris’ hooves glowed a harsh purple, cutting through the sand surrounding them. Link could feel grains scraping against his face as they drew close. He drew his bow and Teba did the same before surfing out of Riju’s protective barrier.

The first of Link’s arrows hit the beast’s rear left foot, exploding into smoke and sand. As the debris cleared, he saw that it now glowed a bright pink.

‘Damage? If Medoh needed two shots per canon, maybe Naboris is the same…’

To his left, he saw a volley of arrows explode another hoof, which crackled with electricity, then dimmed to nothing.

He turned to Teba, who was nocking another set of arrows into his Savage Lynel Bow.

“Show off!” he yelled, unsure if the Rito could even hear him over the roar of the storm.

Before either could fire more arrows, a static sound erupted from above. Link glanced up to see a ball of electricity forming between the Divine Beast’s humps.

“Come back!” he heard Riju shout from behind. “It’s going to fire!”

Pulling back on his reigns, Link entered back into Riju’s shield. He watched as Teba skilfully brought his sand seal around in a circle to follow close behind them. The hairs on his arms stood on end as the static sound grew louder and louder. It seemed to seep into his skin, transcending into a physical sensation as well as a sound.

Finally, just like a thunderstorm, the electricity burst like a bubble.

The first strike slammed into the barrier directly above Link and he almost lost hold of his seal, which barked and sailed in closer to Riju. The second cracked the ground in front of them, leaving a smoking mark on burnt sand.

They waited for a moment, ensuring that there were no aftershocks, before once again approaching the beast. Link steered himself towards the damaged rear heel, while Teba moved to deal with the remaining front hooves. The Hylian tried to ignore the multiple explosions ahead of him as he fired single shots into his targets.

Eventually both feet lost their purple shine, and he returned to Teba and Riju, who were waiting nearby.

Vah Naboris let out a deep screech that rattled through Teba’s bones. A half-formed ball of lightning faded from its humps, and it stumbled forwards. For a moment he thought the giant beast was going to topple over entirely, but its front legs simply folded, bringing the torso crashing to the ground and sending a cloud of sand flying into the air.

He heard Riju let out a small gasp.

“If it’s anything like Medoh, there’s still a lot of life left in it,” he reassured her quietly.

She seemed to gather herself, then nodded.

“Will you join Link inside the Divine Beast once more?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Then I will join too,” she said decisively, “you’ll need all the help you ca—”

“No.”

Teba startled slightly at Link’s interruption.

“I’m quite capable of handling myself, thank you,” Riju replied. She had entered into a staring contest with the Hylian.

“You’re too important. The Gerudo need you.”

“And Teba wasn’t important?”

“He’s not the Elder, he’s a warrior. He’s specifically trained for battle. You’re a leader, a politician. A…”

He trailed off, but Riju pushed.

“Go on, say it. I’m a what?”

“A girl…” he croaked.

“A girl,” she swallowed, finally breaking eye contact, and turning away. She murmured, “I’m not so much younger than you, you know.”

Link looked to the ground. Teba watched his fists clench and wondered just how old he had been during the Calamity. He looked maybe 17 or 18. And now he was tasked with what – saving the world? It just wasn’t fair.

But then, neither was the position Riju found herself in now. Chief of her entire race at such a young age?

Two warriors robbed of their childhood in order to serve and protect. However kind and generous the Gods were meant to be, the likes of Link and Riju were clearly just pawns, to be used and discarded.

He left the silence for a few more moments, before making the decision.

“Link’s right, Riju,” he said gently, “You’re the Gerudo Chieftain. One day, you’ll be a true general, with strength to match Champion Urbosa, I can see that much in your eyes. But until that day comes, you’re needed back home. To guide, to advise, and to protect.”

She nodded and wiped her eyes. Teba could see that tears had run down her face.

“Like Link said, I’m dispensable. My race isn’t depending on my return.”

He paused, thinking of Saki and Tulin, and Hearth, and Guy and Mazli, and everybody who was in fact, depending on his return, before continuing.

“I’m a trained warrior. I spent my life fighting monsters and, eventually, our own Divine Beast. It’s just what I’m here for.”

He glanced over at Link, whose head still sagged forwards.

“Plus, someone has to stop Mr. Champion over there from blowing himself up. Besides, he’s not that old, you know.”

“Older than both of you combined, actually,” the Hylian murmured under his breath.

“What was that?” Teba retorted.

The Hylian shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s what I thought.”

He turned back to Riju and summoned an understanding smile.

“You should return to the town. Tell your people that the Divine Beast will be under control soon. They shouldn’t approach until we return.”

“And what if you don’t return?” She replied.

His smile changed to a smirk.

“We will, I’ll make sure of it.”

Riju nodded.

“Thank you,” she murmured quietly to Teba, before turning to Link.

“Good luck. I—I’ll see you soon, Link.”

She bowed her head, before returning to her sand seal. Link and Teba watched her surf into the distance before turning to face their next challenge.

“Was I…”

They sat on the edge of Vah Naboris’ boarding platform looking down at the desert below. As soon as they had boarded, the beast had lifted up once more and purple lines of malice had started pulsing along the walls like veins.

Teba turned to him, inviting him to continue.

“Was I too harsh?” he finished. “On Riju.”

Teba let out a long breath.

“I think you care for her,” he replied.

Link turned his head quickly.

“I don’t, like, uh… like her,” he stammered, and Teba chuckled.

“No, I didn’t mean like that. But you obviously thought about her safety more than you thought of mine, for example.”

Link considered for a moment.

“You challenged me, before we took on Medoh, made me prove myself. I knew you could handle yourself. Besides, I don’t think I could’ve stopped you from coming with me whatever I thought. Plus, you’re an adult. She’s not.”

“You’re right there. The only thing that would’ve stopped me taking Medoh down myself was an injury. But that’s not the only reason you didn’t want Riju here, is it?”

Link was silent for a while, and Teba was content to sit and watch the desert pass by below. Despite the thunderous sounds of the camel’s footsteps below, the beast’s torso barely shuddered.

“There are two kids in Kakariko and Hateno,” he said finally, “they’re all maybe six or seven. They run around and play and cook and hide and laugh, all day. Everybody else I’ve met is either an adult, or old. They’re either you or Kaneli. And then there’s me. Too young to be noticed by the adults, too old to play with the kids. Too important to do either. Just me saving the world on my own.”

Teba nodded but didn’t interrupt. Link’s hands were beginning to shake, and he didn’t want to force him to say more than he wanted to.

“And then I met Riju and she just… accepted me. I said I was the Champion, and she went with it. She trusted me with the Gerudo heirloom, and now she’s trusted me with the Gerudo Divine Beast.”

“She saw you, as opposed to seeing your role,” Teba offered, and Link nodded.

Another silence followed.

“You’re not wrong about our ages, either,” Link said. “Impa told me I was only 17 when I… when the Calamity happened. And I know it was over 100 years ago, but I’ve only been ‘awake’ for 17 of those. I’m only—”

He stopped suddenly, his voice cracking. Link clenched his eyes and dropped his head. Teba sighed and wrapped his wing around the Hylian as his shoulders began to shake.

He was right – it just wasn’t fair.

Chapter Text

“Well, well, well… You sure do know how to keep a woman waiting.”

Link stepped away from the pedestal, allowing the voice without a source into his head.

“I see you’ve brought a friend, too. I hope he’s a little more… amiable than a certain other Rito I once knew. I can’t wait to see you take Naboris back from Ganon!”

Urbosa’s voice was rich and stern, but Link could feel the warmth directed towards him.

“One thing at a time. You’ll need a map to find your way around and control Naboris. At the far end of the chamber above you’ll find a Guidance Stone. Sounds easy, right?”

Link nodded and turned to Teba.

“You heard the Gerudo Champion?” he asked.

Link nodded.

“Her name was Urbosa.”

He turned and they started towards the ramp ahead. Blocking their path was another small Guardian. It whirred to life as they advanced, a small Ancient Spear extending from its arm. Teba drew his bow, while Link gripped a newly acquired Windcleaver.

He let Teba fire first, stunning the beast, before approaching with a wide swing. The blade clashed with the Guardian’s chest, a burst of air pushing it sideways. It clambered to regain its balance, but in doing so, lost its footing on the platform. It stumbled, before falling entirely, disappearing into the desert below.

Link peered over the edge while Teba caught up.

“That was easy,” the Rito murmured, before continuing up the ramp.

The Divine Beast’s central chamber was a horizontal cylinder with various exits positioned along the sides. The Guidance Stone was positioned at the centre of one end of the room. Link and Teba clambered partway up the wall before grabbing onto a small ramp outside the room and pulling themselves in.

“Good work getting the map of the Divine Beast!”

Link smiled in response. It was nice to have a guide that wasn’t as patronising as Revali.

"The terminals that control Naboris are noted by a series of glowing points on your map. Activate them all, and you’ll be well on your way to taking Naboris back. You’ll need to use the map to alter the central chamber. Naboris has an electrical charge running through it – take advantage of it and you’ll have no problems. You’re ready for this.”

The last comment wasn’t just encouragement – it was a statement.

Link joined Teba at the entrance to the central chamber and opened the map. He changed the orientation, and they watched as one section of the room rotated 90 degrees, taking the exits and pathways with it.

“Is that electricity running through it?” Teba asked, nodding at the bright green lines running through each segment.

Link nodded.

“Apparently some parts of the beast operate on electricity.”

“As opposed to ancient wizard magic?” Teba offered.

Link laughed.

“How hard can it be?”

It was, in fact, very hard.

Naboris was much more maze-like than Medoh, and their progress was hampered further by the increasingly complicated paths which required specific orientations of the central chamber.

Teba stood on an outside balcony, taking the opportunity to eat before tackling the final two terminals. The desert below was dark, but a faint glow was beginning to appear over the horizon. He looked over to Link, slumped against the side of the beast. The Hylian’s eyes were hidden, but his breathing had slowed and every so often he let out a gentle snore.

He had slept a little himself, but not before scouting out the rest of the beast and getting rid of any other Guardians and malice. He would have flown around the outside of Naboris for a final check, but he couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t strike him down out of the sky, so he stayed firmly grounded.

Link stirred. He blinked heavily and looked around.

“Sorry…” he murmured, “didn’t mean to have a nap.”

Teba chuckled.

“You were only out for a few hours.”

His eyes widened.

“Oh… sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry, I cleared out the rest of the beast while you were sleeping.”

“Find the last two terminals?”

“The one behind the gate - we’ll still need to find the other metal conductor,’ Teba explained, ‘and the other is on the beast’s head. Not sure how we’re meant to reach that one.”

Link shrugged.

“Probably a circuit puzzle or something. Let’s do that one first.”

They re-entered the chamber and headed towards the front end of Naboris. Link opened the map and rearranged the sections to allow the electrical charge to flow along the top of the room. They made their way into the exterior courtyard, where the beast’s head stretched out horizontally in front of them.

“What does this do? Have we tried it yet?” Link asked, referring to the large wheel placed on the ground. Around it, etched into the floor, was the trademark neon green of Vah Naboris’ electric charge.

Teba approached and turned the wheel. As it turned, so too did a vertical cog to Link’s left. After a few turns, an orange bulb appeared. It flashed blue as it aligned with the electricity flow etched into the floor. Nothing happened.

“That’s one, what about the other?” Teba asked, pointing to an identical bulb situated on the opposite side. It sat just out of line of the charge.

“Try the other way, maybe?” Link asked, approaching the wheel himself. He pushed and the opposite cog began turning, rotating until the second bulb had turned almost full circle, snapping into line with the other.

The platform rumbled, then, with an electric hum, Vah Naboris’ neck began to rise, until it stood straight. A lift glowed blue, inviting the pair to ride to the top.

Link approached the terminal located in the small alcove behind the beast’s head. He touched the slate and listened for Urbosa’s guidance.

“Just one terminal remaining! You’re almost there…”

He nodded and turned, but before he could move, the voice continued.

“By the way, what is your friend’s name?”

Link hesitated, before saying aloud, “His name is Teba.”

Teba cocked his head at the mention of his name but said nothing.

“He’s been quite helpful, you know.”

And then she was gone.

“She asked your name,” Link explained, “Urbosa.”

“I hope it wasn’t to talk badly of me.”

Link shrugged and moved back towards the lift.

They stood within one of the beast’s humps. The final terminal lay in front of them, locked behind a gate. Positioned on either side of them were two small pedestals. On one sat a spherical metal orb containing an electrical source. A current flowed from this pedestal up the wall and behind the gate. No such ball or current existed on the opposite side.

“I had a look for the other source earlier, but I couldn’t see it. Must be hidden pretty well.”

“I had an idea about this one,” Link said. “But it’s probably cheating.”

“I promise I won’t grass you up to Hylia…”

Link chuckled, before stepping forward. He looked above him at the ceiling, before crouching and placing the tips of his fingers on the ground. He heard Teba grunt behind him as the updraft rushed past him and he let himself be lifted into the air.

His moment of victory was cut short when he crashed into the ceiling. He let out a gasp and pulled the Paraglider, which sent him upwards again. The forward momentum carried him over the gates, and he let himself fall back to the ground in front of the terminal.

“You’re just showing off, now,” Teba muttered, from the other side of the room.

“If I had a Rupee for every time I’ve been thrown into a Divine Beast roof…” he grimaced, rubbing his head. “Also, that was my last Gale. Might be trapped in here for a bit.”

“It would serve you right,” the Rito replied as he watched Link touch the slate to the terminal. He paused for a moment, listening to the Gerudo Champion’s words, before checking the map once more.

“Main Control Unit now?” he asked.

“Well, I’ll go save Hyrule and you can wait for your superpowers to recharge,” the Rito laughed.

As he spoke, however, the gate disappeared into the ground with a small jingle, and Link stepped back into the room. He smiled at Teba.

“I’m more than happy for you to fight whatever thing’s in charge around here on your own, if you’re offering.”

“I think I preferred it when you were locked in there,” Teba responded.

The central control unit sat in the main chamber. After rearranging the sections, Teba and Link approached the orange glowing structure across the raised pathway that spanned the length of the cylinder.

“You ready?” Link asked.

Teba nodded.

Link stepped forward and touched the Sheikah Slate to the console. There was a moment’s grace before a puff of purple malice exploded from the console, sending the Hylian staggering backwards. Teba caught him before he fell from the platform, and they turned to where the malice was now swirling.

Slowly a solid figure came into being. It was much smaller than Windblight and hovered in the air just before them. As it formed more completely, a short blade extended from its right arm, while a shield appeared in its left, small petals extending around its circumference. Brilliant red hair flowed wildly from behind its helmet.

It let out a roar, sparks flying from its now fully formed body. Electricity crackled from its back.

“Stay on your edge! This formidable adversary was made by Ganon and brought me to a warrior’s demise 100 years ago.”

Link listened to the Champion’s advice as he watched the creature. It had lowered its single blue eye and was now manically surveying the room, focusing on one place for no more than a fraction of a second. The hairs on his arms stood on end.

“Do not allow this to be your end. Fight for your life… and its death!”

The beast let out another mighty roar, and Link and Teba drew their weapons.

Link moved first, dashing towards the blight, sword in hand. It blurred out of sight, zigzagging towards him. Before he could react, the beast’s sword tore through his tunic and dragged him off the platform, tumbling to the floor below.

Teba watched the beast strike Link and nocked an arrow, but before he could fire the beast had gone again. The blur moved towards him, and a shield smashed into his side, knocking him to the ground also. He grunted as he landed, and rolled, ready to parry a further attack, but the beast had retreated for now, observing them with its crazed eye.

“You ok?” he shouted to Link, who grunted back. His tunic was ripped across the front and a trickle of blood was beginning to stain the fabric, but he gripped his sword just as tightly.

They returned their attention to the blight just as it wound up for another attack. This time, however, Link was prepared. He leapt away from the sword as it emerged from the blur, then dived forward with his own. The strike tore through the malice coating and the beast shrieked and reared back. Teba took this opportunity to let loose a volley of arrows into its eye before Link struck for a second time.

The beast pushed itself from the ground before speeding away once more. It hovered a distance away from them, malice dripping from its body. It raised its sword to the sky before sending three balls of electricity towards them. They dodged in opposite directions while the blight started another dash attack, this time approaching Teba.

The Rito watched its approach with an arrow nocked. As soon as it manifested in front of him, he let loose, and the arrow lodged in its eye. It shrieked and Link moved in once again.

Another round of attacks followed, before Link shouted, “Get back!”

He took a few steps back from the beast himself, then hurled his sword at it. The weapon collided and shattered into a bright light. The Blight recoiled and let out a louder scream, before blurring far into the air. It watched them from above, its breathing noticeably ragged.

Raising its sword skyward, it let out a mighty roar, before summoning a huge lightning bolt from above. Once again, Link felt the static increase around him.

THUD

He jumped as a metal pillar crashed into the ground next to him. Teba rolled out of the way of another as a dozen of the posts fell from the sky. The Blight twisted its sword in mid-air, and lightning began to strike each post in turn, scorching the ground below.

Once each post had been destroyed, the creature blurred away again, but did not approach. This time it reappeared mid-air and repeated the same attack, summoning new pillars.

Teba fired an arrow, but the creature effortlessly blocked before continuing the arial assault. The Rito glanced at Link.

“What now?”

Link’s mind ticked. He had been caught in a storm once before, and the lightning had been attracted to certain weapons - metallic weapons.

‘And what else could he do with metal weapons?’

Everything clicked into place.

“Get below it!” he shouted back, before drawing the Sheikah Slate. He waited until the beast brought down another round of pillars before activating the Magnesis rune. He pulled one from the ground with little effort and manoeuvred it until it hovered just below the Blight.

Seemingly unaware, it summoned a lightning strike into the post, which instead cracked straight into its helmet. It screamed and fell limp to the ground, where Teba was ready with a volley of bomb arrows.

Link jumped down into the remnants of explosion just as the beast regained its footing. It blurred away, then towards them, and Link jumped out of the way of its attack. He lunged in with a new blade, but was met by another sword strike, and barely managed to parry, toppling over to the side.

Before the sword could strike again, the blight raised its shield to block another attack from Teba. The arrow knocked it backwards, allowing Link to jump up and hit once more. The Blight held up its shield, blocking Link’s attacks, each more desperate than the last. Finally, with a yell, his blade smashed through the shield, shattering it into blue light.

It staggered back before retreating once more into the air. A red laser target settled on Teba’s chest as the blight charged its attack.

“Not liking that…” Teba remarked as he retreated quickly. Link drew his shield and ran after the Rito, but the beam fired straight into one of the platforms, searing the surface.

Link drew his own bow and nocked a single bomb arrow. The beast fired another volley of balled lightning. Link dodged underneath and let loose. The bomb hit its mark, sending the Blight flying backwards, colliding with the platform above and ricocheting to the floor where it lay still.

Link’s victory was short lived as he heard a shout of pain from behind him.

“Teba!?”

The Rito lay on the ground, convulsing. Link could see electric charge fizzing through the tips of his feathers, dancing between the ground and his wings.

“What do I do!? What can I do, I don’t know wh—” Link stuttered, grabbing the slate with one hand, the other nervously rubbing his neck.

After a moment, the impact of the shock receded, and the electricity dissipated into the ground. Link watched closely and let out a sigh of relief as he saw the Rito’s chest rising and falling. His eyes remained closed, however, and he made no attempt to move.

He hadn’t noticed the Blight’s demise taking place behind him until it let out an unholy scream and exploded in a shower of sparks. He turned to find an empty chamber.

He let the silence calm him, before kneeling beside the Rito. Gingerly moving a hand forward, he was relieved to find that the electricity had dissipated. He gently lifted the Rito and carried him with some effort to the platform in front of the central control unit. The warrior wasn’t huge, but his feathers hid a lot of muscle, and Link was worn out by the time he placed him down again.

He took the Sheikah Slate and placed it once again against the pedestal. The unit glowed orange, then a deep blue, before humming.

Click. Click. Click.

Link turned to the source of the sound.

“I knew you wouldn’t let us down, Link.”

Urbosa descended the stairway. She was muscled and tall, much taller than Link, and probably Teba. Her face was stern, but she smiled warmly at him.

“Thanks to your valour and skill, my soul is free and Naboris is ours once again.”

She caught his worried glance to Teba, who still lay on the platform behind him.

“He’ll be fine. He caught a shockwave from that Beast. Using Naboris’ natural power against us… vile.”

Link relaxed at her reassurance.

“You work well together. Amazing what Rito can do once they put their ego to rest. That was a mighty fine battle. With Naboris free, we can finally complete what we started years ago.”

She smirked.

“We Gerudo have no tolerance for unfinished business. I’ve waited so long for the moment to see you finally rush Hyrule Castle. Now, perhaps you won’t have to do it alone. I look forward to incinerating Ganon into a pile of ash. Which reminds me, I wanted to give you a little something. Please accept this gift, which has come to be known as Urbosa’s Fury!”

She raised her hand, and with a growing shout, formed a ball of energy in her palm. After it formed, she threw it towards him and it struck him in his chest, dissipating around him.

He felt strange for a moment, before a surge of electricity pulsed through him. He almost fell to his knees, before the feeling became more comfortable. It pulsed through his shoulders and into his fingertips. He clicked his fingers, channelling the energy through the motion, and a clap of thunder sounded around the beast, followed by several bolts of lightning.

Urbosa smiled at him, almost proudly, before her face shifted into something much sadder.

“Both you and the Princess… I know you have suffered much regarding what happened to the Champions. But this is how things had to happen. No one need carry blame. Make sure you and the Princess understand that.”

Link felt a lump form in his throat and looked to the ground.

“Let her know… I couldn’t be any more proud of her.”

Urbosa’s voice wavered as a shimmering dust formed around his body. He turned and saw the same effect on Teba.

“You take good care of the princess.”

Urbosa and Naboris began to fade from view as Link felt the effects of teleportation transport him into the air.

“Oh,” Urbosa added with a wink, “and take good care of Hyrule.”

With that, Link felt his body and spirit leave the Divine Beast.

Teba was unconscious when they reappeared outside Daqo Chisay. He made sure the Rito was comfortable, then turned to face into the desert.

He watched as Vah Naboris thundered out of the sandstorm. It thudded towards the cliffs in the east before he lost sight of it. When he next saw it, it had inexplicably made its way to the top of the cliffs, settling in place next to an unvisited Tower.

From here, it bent its legs, kneeling, and a moment later a brilliant red laser erupted from its head, thundering beyond the horizon. Link heard it crash into what he assumed was Hyrule Castle and let himself breath.

He turned back to Teba.

“Two down.”

Chapter Text

“You ready to move again?”

Link sat at the end of a bed in the Gerudo Canyon Stable. He held the Sheikah Slate in his hands, a map of south-western Hyrule displaying. His question was directed to the Rito sat at the opposite end of the mattress.

“I’m fine, honest,” Teba grumbled swivelling his wings as if to prove the point.

“You said that last time and we barely managed from Daqo Chisay to the Bazaar before I had to start carrying you.”

Teba returned his gaze to the bow sitting in his lap.

“It’s cooler today. Besides, we’re not really in the desert anymore. I’ll be fine.”

Link glanced outside at the valley. The Stable was positioned in a crevice between two tall cliffs, so despite the ascending sun above them, they were mostly bathed in shadow.

“There’s a Shrine outside,” he said, “Kay Noh. I checked it while you were asleep. Why don’t we deal with that first, then make our way to the Tower? It’s just up the cliffs a bit.”

Teba swung his body off the bed and stretched his talons.

“Sounds good.”

“I never asked about what happened in Naboris…” Teba said, as Link used the slate to haul a metal sphere with an electrical source onto a small pedestal. The gates ahead creaked open.

“You didn’t miss much,” Link shrugged. “I saw Urbosa.”

“She spoke to you?”

Link nodded.

The room they found themselves in was a long hall. On their left was a stationary conveyer belt with a large stone block sitting at the end of it. Two pedestals stood on either side of the conveyer. One had an electrical source sitting on it. In front of them was a locked door. The corridor sloped down to their left, and it was this path they investigated first.

A small Guardian whirred to life at the end of the path. It scuttled towards them, eye glowing a bright blue. A red laser settled on Link’s chest, but before it could fire Teba let loose an arrow straight into its eye. It stumbled backwards before exploding, dropping a selection of screws and bolts.

“You’re getting good at that…” Link commented.

Behind the Guardian was the second electrical source, which Link began transporting to the conveyor.

“Did she say anything to you?” Teba asked.

Link paused; the source held by Magnesis above them.

“Urbosa was… always closer to Zelda than me,” he replied. “She was friends with the Queen and when she died, she sort of… took Zelda under her wing.”

He placed the source on the pedestal and the conveyer whirred into life, slowly rolling the stone block to the ground, revealing a hidden chest. Teba stepped forward and had opened the chest before realising that Link hadn’t followed. He turned, key in hand, and slowly returned to the Hylian, who stood with his head down, hand resting gently on the Slate.

“Did she… say anything else?” Teba offered.

Link stayed still for a moment before replying slowly.

“What… do people know about the Calamity?”

“The Calamity?”

“The event – the whole thing. Do they know what happened?”

Teba considered.

“It’s not something that’s really talked about, I guess. Kaneli knows a bit, but he wasn’t around so it’s probably just… passed down through generations.”

“You knew about me, though. You must have known something about what I did.”

Teba shrugged.

“I knew there was a swordsman that fell protecting the Princess, but I don’t know anything else. To be honest, I kind of went out on a limb when I said I knew who you were.”

They stood in silence for a moment.

“Did you remember something?” Teba asked.

“Not really,” he replied. “Everything’s just out of reach. Just a… buzz at the back of my head. Urbosa… she said, ‘No one need carry blame’. I’ve never thought about it like that…”

“You think it was your fault? The Calamity?”

“I… don’t know. Something must have gone wrong if I ended up dead. I guess I just… never thought about someone being to blame. If I hadn’t died, would I have stopped the Calamity?”

“Well, whatever happened, you obviously protected the Princess. If you’d have survived, she might never have returned to the castle to seal Ganon.”

Link considered his words.

“I think…” he said slowly, raising his head to meet Teba’s gaze, “I need to find more of my memories.”

Teba smiled and nodded.

“If you want to talk about it again, I’m happy to listen. I’m sure Kaneli would be happy to share what he knows of the Calamity too if you asked him.”

“Thanks, Teba.”

“’Just up the cliffs a bit’ my ass,” Teba puffed, allowing Link to jump from his back before collapsing to the ground. “This is almost higher than Vah Medoh.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. It looks closer from the Stable,” Link chuckled.

“Why don’t I throw you back down for another look?” Teba shot back, pushing up to his feet.

Ahead of them was the Tower, standing tall in the middle of a large mud pond. The surrounding area was designed like some sort of amphitheatre, with staggered ledges rising further behind them. A similar plateau lay beyond, this one playing host to the dormant Vah Naboris, the giant structure’s gaze silently locked onto Hyrule Castle.

“How are we getting up there, then?” Teba asked.

“You could fly me?” Link suggested, but was met with a glare.

“I think I’d like a day off, if that’s OK with you.”

Link shrugged.

“I’ll just climb over those pillars. Shouldn’t be too hard. You can join me when you’re ready.”

Teba nodded and watched the Hylian jump onto a large collapsed pillar and begin making his way towards a second.

He had rebounded fairly quickly after their conversation in Kah Noh. Back to smiling and laughing. Perhaps the Hylian was just burying his anxieties, but there was nothing he could do about that apart from offer his support when he wanted to talk.

He stood and felt a gentle breeze flow from behind the tower. Carefully, he climbed the ledges of the theatre and leapt into the air, soaring upwards with a powerful flap of his wings.

Immediately the gentle breeze turned fierce, blowing him backwards. He spun once before regaining control where the wind was gentler.

‘Did that come from the Tower?’

Turning, he flew towards the structure, and once again was confronted by a gust of wind which held him stationary, hovering above the mud lake below. Teba grimaced and let the wind carry him backwards, before tilting and flying around the perimeter of the area to where the air wasn’t so harsh. Approaching from the opposite side of the Tower was easier, though the strong winds almost carried him over the side of the platform where Link stood holding the slate.

“You forget how to fly out there?” the Hylian asked with a smirk.

“There’s some sort of artificial breeze surrounding the Tower.”

“Really?” Link reattached the slate to his hip and brought out his Paraglider. Moving to the edge of the Tower, he jumped, and was immediately carried backwards by the air currents. He dangled below the glider, and only just missed the mud on landing.

Teba jumped after and glided to a more graceful landing.

“Told you,” he muttered as Link pulled himself to his feet.

The Hylian chuckled and dusted himself down.

“There’s a path just below here,” he said pointing over the edge of the cliff. “It’ll take us to a Stable just outside the desert. We can stop there for the night?” he suggested, to which Teba nodded.

They approached the edge of the cliff, Link with Paraglider in hand, Teba with wings spread, and leapt off, leaving the Tower behind them.

“So, what’s our plan now?” Teba asked as they walked.

The desert outskirts were much cooler and, while still sandy, the ground was solid - a fact which Teba was thankful for.

“Well, I think Zora’s Domain and Vah Ruta are closest – it’s just north of Kakariko. I thought I’d drop in and see Impa on the way.”

“It’s been a long time since I was last in Zora’s Domain,” the Rito thought aloud. “I went once on a trade envoy. I think they still have their monarchy?”

Link shrugged.

“I’m not even sure who their Champion was. I’ve only seen her once or twice.”

“If I remember correctly, she was the Zora Princess,” Teba replied. “The Hylian-Zora relations weren’t too great after the Calamity – that’s why we stepped in to help with supplies.”

“Oh.”

“Speaking of memories, I think we should take another look at the pictures on your slate when we reach the Stable. If any are on the way, we can take a quick detour. Do you agree?”

Link nodded silently, but Teba could see he was deep in thought. He left the journey in silence until non-sandy ground came into sight behind a make-shift bridge. The rickety structure stretched out in front of them in several chunks. Planks of wood tied together with rope rested on multiple islands. Gaps and holes scattered the path where wood had rotted away or simply fallen to the lake below.

“Digdogg,” Link stated.

“What?”

“The slate says this is the Digdogg Suspension Bridge. The Stable’s just on the other side of it.”

Teba looked at the state of the bridge then to the water below. It wasn’t far, but he was thankful that, if he did fall, he could probably catch himself before hitting the water.

“What’s that?” Link asked, pointing to the middle and largest island on which the bridge sat.

Teba followed his hand to a large black mass lying on the island. It looked as though it was breathing, but he was too far away to tell for sure.

“Don’t know. Let’s take it slow,” he replied.

Despite its appearance, the bridge seemed relatively stable, and the pair crossed the first islands without any difficulty. On crossing the second portion, however, Link froze and threw his arm out to stop Teba. He turned and put a finger over his lips, before carefully sneaking forwards.

As they approached the black mass, Teba began to hear a gentle vibration in a constant rhythm. He looked ahead and confirmed that it was coming from whatever beast lay in front of them, fast asleep.

Link turned to him and whispered, “It’s a Hinox. If we’re quiet, we should be able to sneak past it.”

Teba nodded. They continued forwards, keeping low to the ground. Reaching the central island, Teba saw that the Hinox lay dead centre, leaving little room on either side of it to manoeuvre.

He waved his wing at Link and gestured; ‘You go one side; I’ll go the other.’

The Hylian nodded and began sneaking to the right of the beast.

Teba looked up at the giant monster lying next to him. It was so obese that its relatively small legs were suspended above the ground as it slept. The snoring was loud, and Teba was sure he could see a bubble forming on its nose.

He began cautiously, taking slow but steady steps while keeping the rest of his body as still as possible. He had a little experience of stealth missions, including their raid of the Yiga Clan, but the Hinox was a much bigger and more immediate threat.

He was past halfway when the beast exhaled loudly and shifted. He froze in place and glanced at its head. On seeing the beast was still sleeping, he continued forward, and shortly made the other side of the island. He turned to look for Link, but the Hylian was nowhere to be found.

‘Did he fall off? Where did he go?’

On returning his gaze to the island, he spotted him.

Crouched on the Hinox’s chest. The beast’s hand had dragged him up.

Their eyes caught, surprise in Teba’s, sheer terror in Link’s. They stood frozen for a moment, before Teba drew his bow. He gestured firing an arrow to the Hylian, then a beckoning feather.

‘I’ll distract him, you run,’ he thought, and Link nodded in understanding.

He drew three arrows and aimed at the creature’s head, low enough that he wouldn’t risk misfiring at Link. He pulled back and stared at Link. With a single nod, he let loose.

The arrows slammed into the creature’s eye, and it roared in pain. Link sprinted forwards, but the Hinox sat up sharply, causing him to tumble backwards to the ground.

“Shit,” Teba muttered, nocking more arrows.

The beast threw itself to its feet as Link tried to dodge between its legs. He crawled through but tripped on part of the armour guarding the Hinox’s ankles. Stumbling forwards, his fingers brushed the Sheikah Slate on his hip. Teba fired another round of arrows towards the beast, which ducked out of the way and twisted to face them.

Link pushed to his feet and sprinted forwards, but the Hinox swiped its long arm and grabbed him, hoisting him into the air. The Sheikah Slate dropped from his hand and clattered to the ground at Teba’s feet.

The Rito grabbed the device and jumped backwards as the Hinox swung Link at him like a club, the Hylian yelling the whole time. He ducked another swing and felt the slate vibrate in his hand. Glancing at the screen, it let out an audible click.

Translucent yellow chains snapped into existence around him, attaching to the Hinox, which froze in place mid-swing. Its single eye stared at him. He glanced to its hand and saw Link, also frozen mid-swing, his face mid-scream.

Teba took a step back and nocked a single arrow. Aiming straight for the beast’s eye, he let loose, and the arrow clanged against the beast as if it had struck metal.

A beat passed, before the slate clicked again and the chains disappeared. The Hinox roared in pain, throwing itself backwards and bringing both hands to its pierced eye. In doing so, it let the Hylian go, and Link tumbled through the air, arcing upwards before falling and disappearing below the side of the island.

Teba threw himself after him, spreading his wings and thundering through the air. He closed his talons around Link and twisted, pulling sharply up just before hitting the water. The Hylian was still conscious and had stopped yelling.

They returned to the ground above, Teba depositing Link gently. The Hinox stood waiting for them. Once again, Teba shot a single arrow into the beast’s eye, and it collapsed onto its rear. This time, though, Link dashed forward, blade in hand, and began to slash at its stomach.

The Hinox roared once more, collapsing onto its back. The cry died in its throat, and its flesh began to smoke, before it turned black and disappeared in a puff of malice.

“You OK?” Teba shouted to Link, who hadn’t moved. He was surrounded by weapons of various sizes which had been tied around the Hinox’s neck.

Link turned and let out a deep breath. His face was red, and his tunic was crumpled, but he gave the Rito a small smile and a thumbs up.

“Let’s get you to this Stable, then, and you can reflect on your time as a human baseball bat.”

Link sat on a soft mattress at the back of the Stable. Teba had paid for a premium bed, and he had slept through the rest of the evening and into the next morning. The Hinox had probably crushed a few ribs, but the right mixture of ingredients and bugs had dealt with most of the pain.

Now he sat alone, listening to the morning wind outside. Teba had helped him to bed and then disappeared. He wasn’t sure where to, exactly - he had been too tired to ask and hadn’t seen the Rito since.

Urbosa’s words came to him again.

“No one need carry blame.”

‘Is that how he felt? How he should feel? How could he feel guilt over things he had no memory of? Did Zelda remember what happened? Did she blame him? Or herself?’

He sighed and sat up. He must have gone round in the same circle five times by now. There were no answers, that he could find, at least. Maybe Urbosa was right. Why carry blame for forgotten memories?

He reached to his hip for the Sheikah Slate… and found empty air.

He grasped around under the bed covers, then through his gear at the side of the bed, to no avail.

Just as he began to panic, Teba’s voice sounded through a nearby window.

“Easy, soldier. I’ve got the slate.”

Link jumped at the voice, then sank back into the bed. He watched as the Rito entered the Stable and approached, slate in hand. He sat at Link’s feet.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

Link shrugged.

“You sleep like Tulin. Ganon could’ve been resurrected, and you’d have slept through it.”

They sat in silence.

“What happened to the Hinox? When it froze. Was that the Slate?”

Link opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He gestured to the slate and Teba handed it over. He summoned an unlit torch, then tossed it in the air next to the bed.

CLICK

The slate halted the torch’s descent, freezing it in mid-air.

“You’ll need to explain that properly when you can speak,” Teba muttered, as the Torch clattered to the floor.

Link placed the slate down and returned his attention to Teba. He pointed at the Rito, then made an ‘OK’ sign with his hand.

“Yeah, I did some target practice outside, and checked out the surrounding area. There’s a flat-ish plain behind here so I did some hunting. Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything exciting without you.”

Before either could respond, a high-pitched scream sounded, and a young child came running into the Stable, tears streaming down her face. She ran into the arms of an adult, who scooped her up and held her.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” She half asked, half shouted over the bawling child. “And where’s Martin?”

“He – He dared m-m-me to go into the c-c-“ the girl stuttered as she was brought back to the ground.

“Please don’t tell me he went into the Coliseum Ruins…” the lady asked sternly. The girl gave a small nod.

“Oh Hylia, what have I told you both about that place? It’s swarming with monsters. And the Zora Guards aren’t due back for another week – how are we meant to get him out?”

The girl started to whimper, and the lady dismissed her.

“Go and help grammy with dinner. Do not tell her about Martin, else she might cook you too!”

The girl ran off, and the lady turned away and placed her head in her hands.

Link turned to Teba, who was still staring at the woman. He gave the Rito a small kick and a meaningful stare. Teba nodded back, and they began gathering their things.

Chapter Text

Order.

The Lynel surveyed the Coliseum floor.

Quiet.

Calm.

Perfection.

The beast had defended this position for multiple years now. Many had tried to take its place. Some had followed the lawful channels, others had not.

None had succeeded.

It looked up to the circular balconies above. The stone had crumbled in places, but each level still had enough solid ground to house multiple smaller beasts. While they looked similar to the beasts scattered throughout the land, these individuals flourished in solitude. They represented the best of their kind.

They had to to survive here.

After the Calamity, the Coliseum had been left deserted. Slowly monsters inhabited it, preserving its original purpose – to highlight the most talented fighters in Hyrule. Only now, these fighters were monsters.

A particularly intelligent Lynel had introduced the stringent rules and traditions which now governed the structure. New challengers started from the top level and, on defeating each enemy, progressed further down, until they reached the bottom. They could stop at any time and defend their current position, which most monsters tended to do. Any contender revived by the Blood Moon was welcome to rechallenge, but they had to start from the top. The reigning champion occupied the large ground floor.

Said champion felt the wind blow through its white mane. It was a stickler for tradition, keeping the other challengers strictly in line. No monster had dared challenge it for months now. Many had entered and made it partway down, before settling in their position. For now, the Lynel ruled supreme, and it planned to keep it that way for as long as possible.

An arrow thunked into the back of the Bokoblin’s head, and it fell forward without so much as a cry.

Link landed softly on the stone, followed closely by Teba. He edged forward to the edge of the platform and peeked over.

“There’s a White-Maned Lynel at the bottom. Shouldn’t be too hard with two of us.”

Teba grunted.

“There’re monsters on each floor. All types. With bows, too. We should take them out first, otherwise we could find ourselves being attacked on all sides,” he replied.

“You think they could hit us from so far away?”

“Trust me, they have much better aims than you think.”

Link surveyed the top level of the coliseum. A Blue Bokoblin stood watching them on their left, while a Blue Lizalfos and Black Moblin stood together on their right.

“Think you can handle the Lizalfos and Moblin?” Link asked.

Teba scoffed.

“With my eyes shut, sure.”

Link flashed a grin and turned towards the Bokoblin, which raised its bow towards him. He dodged out of the way of its shot and swiped, slamming the monster into the stone wall with a Sledgehammer. It let out a cry, then dissolved into malice.

He turned and watched Teba, who fired an arrow at close range into the Lizalfos, then ducked as the Moblin swung a Rusted Claymore. It collided with the lizard, and they tumbled together down to the next level. The Lizalfos dissolved mid-air from the claymore strike, while the Moblin cried as it hit the ground before suffering the same fate.

Link gave a thumbs up, then beckoned the Rito over to his position.

“Nice moves, show off. There’re some stairs over there, let’s head down."

The Lynel stood in the centre of the floor. Eyes closed, it contemplated its current position.

Unlike the other monsters stationed here, Lynels were naturally solitary beings. It hadn’t left a family or a battalion behind. It had travelled here, all the way from Lanayru, on its own steam, determined to conquer the unique challenge.

Like the other beasts, though, he appreciated the value of good combat. The land was governed by chaos, a result of the calamity wreaked by Ganon a century ago. Without proper weaponry skills, anything, whether Hylian or else, needed solid fighting capability to survive.

But combat wasn’t just a necessity, it was an art. The ability to conquer against any foe took skill, dedication, and a complete understanding of the resources available to them. A successful battle didn’t just result in survival, it was a work of beauty created by two combatants.

‘Every being in this place values combat ability over all else,’ the Lynel thought, ‘but there’s something more which they don’t possess. An edge, which only I hold.’

It smirked and turned on its hooves to face the rear of the coliseum floor.

‘Art.’

A collection of heavy bars and crates created a make-shift prison cell, in which the Lynel liked to toy with rule breakers. Those who skipped floors or, Hylia forbid, bypassed every floor altogether and made straight for the champion.

‘No, these beasts cannot appreciate true beauty.’

The Lynel slowly approached the cage and looked in at its current occupant – a young Hylian boy, huddled and fast asleep against the wall.

A Traveller’s Sword slashed down inches from Link’s arm. He tensed and swung behind him with his shield. It clanged heavily against the Moblin’s chest, and it tumbled backwards. Before it could regain its balance, Teba fired an arrow into its eye, and the beast roared, before collapsing to the ground, defeated.

Link exhaled, but a Fire Arrow whizzed past him before he could truly relax, and he spotted a Black Bokoblin nocking another ahead. He jogged forward, blocking the arrow with his shield when it came, before swinging his sledgehammer, the momentum flinging the beast backwards.

Its scream in turn alerted the Black Lizalfos which lay camouflaged on a crumbled piece of wall. It hopped down and fired a ball of water at Link, who was knocked back by the impact.

The Lizalfos scuttled forward, dodging multiple arrows, and hopped around in front of Link. It took a swipe, which Link ducked under at the last second, using the opportunity to roll behind the monster and dig a short dagger into its back.

He turned and once again saw Teba fighting a Black Moblin. The beast swung a large club, which the Rito jumped onto, propelling himself further into the air and knocking a volley of arrows into its eye. It screeched and dropped to the ground, its lifeless body sliding out of sight below the platform.

“More stairs here,” he pointed out to Link when he caught up. “We’ll need to be quiet. If the Lynel spots us now things might get sticky…”

The Lynel watched the Moblin corpse slide from the platform and fall through the air. It hit the ground with a soft thump and dissolved into purple malice.

A smile crept across its face.

‘Challengers.’

It wasn’t afraid of death. Nor was it particularly afraid of losing its position as champion. The Blood Moon would inevitably revive it if it fell, but it would likely return to Lanayru. Coliseum champion was a highly contested position, and they had spent long enough here. Time to move onto new challenges.

Indeed, if it fell here, it meant a challenger more skilled in combat had bested him. The battle would surely be fierce – a truly artful end to their reign. Defeat was not so painful when it took such a beautiful form.

No, this battle would be fierce, but it was not scared. It would embrace the challengers with dignity and fierceness.

And it would be so, so beautiful.

Their stealth in descending allowed Link to strike the Black Bokoblin from behind. It screeched and fell forward, weapon dropping to the ground with a clang. Link winced at the noise, but followed Teba forwards, crouching near the outside wall as much as possible.

The monster’s death had alerted the others on this floor, however, and they pointed arrows of various types at the warriors.

Teba ducked under a Shock Arrow and lunged forward, striking a Lizalfos with his bow before it could leap away. While the Rito engaged, Link ran forward towards the remaining Bokoblin. Its silver skin reflected in the afternoon sun, and it dropped its bow in favour of a large club.

It swung at Link, but missed, and the Hylian took the opportunity to land several blows on its back before it regained its balance. He ducked under the next swing, but instead of stumbling, the monster used its momentum to spin a second time, and the club slammed into Link’s chest, throwing him against the wall.

Before it could ready another attack, however, an arrow struck its head and it stumbled backwards. Teba, having dispatched with the Lizalfos, now stood, Shock Arrow drawn, aimed straight at the Bokoblin’s head.

The monster froze, eyes locked on the bow. It tilted its head to the side, and Link could swear its mouth curled into a crooked smile.

The Bokoblin jumped to the side and flipped the large club in his hand, changing its grip. Teba let loose, but before the arrow landed, the Bokoblin hurled the club straight off the edge of the platform.

Link heard it clatter on the ground below as the Bokoblin was struck by the arrow, jerking backwards before succumbing to the shock.

“So much for stealth,” he muttered to Teba, who helped the Hylian to his feet.

“You ready?” he asked.

Link nodded, and they descended the stairs to the ground floor.

The Lynel stood waiting for them. The club lay a little to its left. Behind it, they could see a small child, curled up in a makeshift cage against the wall.

As they stepped onto the stone ground, Link placed his hand on the sword strapped to his back, but Teba raised a wing to stop him. Link cocked his head.

“Look at what it’s doing,” he murmured. “Lynels are smart, and the ones I’ve fought took combat very seriously.”

Link looked again at the beast and saw that it wasn’t taking a combative stance. Instead, it stepped forward, then bent its front legs in a deep bow.

Teba copied the gesture, and elbowed Link to do the same.

“Don’t make it angry – it’ll be tough enough in a good mood.”

Link clumsily bent his knee and bowed his head, all too aware of how easy it would be for the Lynel to strike them down in this position.

It didn’t, however, and, after a moment, all three returned to a standing position. The Lynel brought one hand to its large blade and nodded. Teba took his bow in hand and nodded back.

Taking a deep breath, Link reached for his sword, and the battle began.

If he was being honest, Link hadn’t known what to expect from a Lynel. Prior to their encounter in the Gerudo Highlands, he had given the species a wide berth on Impa’s advice.

What he found was a beast with intelligence, resilience, and an abundance of strength. It swung its huge sword with a single hand like a tree branch and could seemingly take multiple swings without needing to rest. Link had dodged these swipes by mere inches several times, feeling the blade sweep past at high speed.

Their counterattacks seemed to do minimal damage too. Link had already shattered three swords and an axe on the creature’s torso but had barely left a scratch. Teba, even with his ariel advantage, seemed only to cause pain when his arrows struck the beast in the eyes. His shots were accurate, but the beast often ducked or dodged out of the way.

This was the final challenge the Lynel posed - even against one of the finest Rito warriors and the Hylian Champion, the battle was annoyingly fair. It parried Link’s attacks before firing Fire Arrows at Teba in one movement, as if fighting only one opponent.

Only when they coordinated their attacks could they create a small opening. Teba would fly high then swoop down on the Lynel, using his own body as an attack. Link would approach from behind, swinging his sword against the beast’s shield as it parried him and swung at the Rito simultaneously. Finally, Teba would fire an arrow towards its eye. Depending on how lucky the beast had been on its previous swings, the Rito could be anywhere from crouched behind it to high in the air, so his accuracy varied. When it hit its target, however, the Lynel roared and slumped forward, allowing Link to fit in multiple swings as it recovered from the blow.

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon before the Lynel showed signs of tiring. It leapt backwards, away from Link, breathing harshly. Its sword scraped along the ground, green blood seeping from its arm.

Link loosened the grip on his sword, his hand cramping, and saw Teba land on a platform above. The fighters stayed solitary, enjoying the brief respite.

Teba was the first to resume the fight, letting out a battle cry and leaping from his position. He drew a single arrow and fired. The arrow flew over the Lynel’s head, but as it glanced upwards, Link ducked underneath, running his sword along its belly.

It roared and swiped clumsily, catching the Hylian with its large fist and throwing him across the floor.

Teba landed on the beast’s back and drove a small dagger into its head. He too, was thrown off, as the beast reared back on its hind legs. He landed someway across the room and watched as the Lynel, blood dripping down its legs and across its face, swung wildly at combatants who were nowhere nearby. The shield had been discarded and the sword struck the ground with such force it left cracks on impact.

After a moment, the roaring stopped. The Lynel slowly let the sword fall to the ground, before bending forward, collapsing onto its front legs. Its head fell forwards, still.

From opposite sides of the floor, Link and Teba nodded at each other. Blood trickled down the Hylian’s face from a cut across his cheek, and Teba could feel a tenderness under his left wing where the beast had struck, but they were otherwise unharmed.

A gentle sobbing broke them from their post-battle daze. They turned to the back of the colosseum, where the young boy, awoken by the Lynel’s cry, was huddled against the wall, hands clutching his knees to his chest.

Large eyes followed the fighters as they approached him slowly. Link forced open the cage, and held a hand out to the boy, smiling gently. He helped the child to his feet, and they turned and made for the exit.

The Lynel raised its head slowly, pain shooting down its spine. It watched the Hylian and Rito leave the Colosseum with the small boy in tow.

It smiled and tasted blood.

He was right. The battle was beautiful. A work of art if it did say so itself.

And he had been bested, fair and square. The Hylian hit hard for someone so small, and the Rito was a truly skilled archer and flier. Perhaps it had been a little unfair, two on one, but in the end, it had made the battle even more frenetic.

‘Yes, in the end…’ it thought, darkness beginning to seep into its vision, ‘everything worked as intended.’

Closing its eyes, it felt its legs buckle. Falling forward, one final thought entered its mind.

‘Order.’

Chapter Text

The hot, sunny weather of the previous days had disappeared as Teba and Link began their journey towards Kakariko Village. Now, clouds had gathered, dark and heavy, making for a warm but humid day.

Link kicked a stone along the path. The Great Plateau towered above them to their right, while Hyrule Field sprawled off into the distance on their left. He hadn’t made it to that region’s Tower yet. He had considered a detour on the way to Rito Village, but two Guardian Stalker encounters were enough to put him off the journey for now.

“What was the Plateau used for?” he asked, craning his neck up at the sheer rocky cliff face.

“I’m not actually sure,” Teba replied. “I think they used to hold ceremonies up there, though for what exactly I don’t know.”

They continued in silence for a moment.

“That’s where you… woke up?” Teba asked, hesitating to find the right word.

Link nodded.

“It was like a Shrine, but smaller and darker.”

“You mean you didn’t have bed and breakfast for a hundred years?” Teba chuckled.

Link smiled.

“I don’t really remember anything about it. I barely remember waking up, now. Just that I heard Zelda’s voice telling me about the Sheikah Slate.”

Teba raised his eyebrows.

“You heard the Princess?”

“In my head, yeah. Not like how the Monks talk, though. It was like… she was speaking directly to me. Like she was in the room.”

“She must have meant a lot to you if you’re willing to risk yourself saving her without even remembering her…”

Link thought over the comment before replying.

“I saw her. There’s a Tower up there and I climbed to the top. I could see the castle and… I saw her. Inside the castle. And it was just instinct. I knew I had to save her. No matter how impossible it seemed.”

“And does it still seem impossible? Now we have Medoh and Naboris back?”

“We don’t know what Ganon will be like when we get there,” Link replied, his voice rising slightly as he spoke. “Hell, he could break free before then. And then what would we do? He could rampage half of Hyrule while we’re inside a Shrine and we wouldn’t stand a chance!”

“Link,” Teba half shouted, placing a wing on his shoulder and stopping him in place. A look of panic had spread across the Hylian’s face. “We can only plan what’s in our control. If those… things we’ve faced so far were connected to Ganon, then I’d bet he’ll shoot from the same bow they did. If Ganon does break loose, you think we’d be alone? The Rito and the Gerudo already know something’s happening, and the other races wouldn’t be far behind. Hyrule would back us to the hilt. I’m sure of it.”

Link stared into Teba’s defiant eyes. He’d never seen the Rito so serious before.

“Plus,” he carried on in a gentler tone, “the Princess is stronger than you think. She’s held on for 100 years without you and seeing you back will only make her stronger. She’s not going anywhere.”

Link nodded slowly.

“Thanks. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so…“

“Don’t worry. Happens to us all.”

Link felt the warmth of the wing on his shoulder for a moment longer, before turning and continuing along the path, Teba a few paces behind.

The road was fairly uneventful, with only a few Moblins impeding their progress. The only other sign of life they witnessed was a lone traveller on Proxim Bridge. The man watched from beneath a small hut as they passed but made no attempt to approach them.

The Dueling Peaks rose ahead, making even the region’s Tower look like a tiny landmark. It already shone a bright blue; Link having activated it on his previous visit to Kakariko.

The sun had already disappeared as they approached the base of the mountain range, and the path ahead looked increasingly gloomy.

“We should probably stop for the night soon,” Teba suggested, “before any Stals wake up.”

“There’s a Stable just on the other side of the peaks,” Link replied. “There should be enough light to see us through.”

The narrow path between the mountains channelled the wind into a mighty gale which whistled past them, but eventually the inviting glow of a Stable appeared on the other side, and they gladly entered.

Hyrule Castle stood in front of him, but the purple malice clouds had been replaced with a murky green diamond that imprisoned the mighty structure. It pulsed and glowed and sent a sense of dread through his bones.

He stood on a large bridge with imposing metal doors at either end. Looking down he saw his clothing was different. Once again, he wore a green tunic, but this one was dirtier and heavier than before, and his tough leather boots reached almost to his knees. The sword in his hand glowed, and he had no doubt it was the Master Sword. It felt… odd. Why was he holding it in his left hand?

Movement from the other end of the bridge caught his eye. A small imp-like creature stood facing him. Her body (‘her?’) was covered in green and black patches, while a stone headdress rested heavily on her head, obscuring one eye. The other, a brilliant orange, stared back at him. She didn’t seem menacing, more... scared?

She raised a hand to her side and several chunks of stone, similar to the headdress, materialised around her. They hovered for a moment, before seeming to magnetise inwards, locking into the existing mask. They created a large helmet which completely covered the Imp’s head and seemed to throw her off balance.

The helmet vibrated around her head, before violently flying to the right and slamming into the wall. Link winced internally, but his current incarnation stayed still. The imp flew across the bridge again, slamming into the opposite wall. Her body fell limp, but the helmet held her above the ground, and they slowly levitated upwards until they were out of sight. Link squinted against the harsh twilight sun, but she had disappeared entirely.

He blinked. Or lost consciousness. Or was distracted. But now he was standing in a dimly lit chamber. Stairs climbed to a large throne ahead, and pillars lined the walls. The entire room was tinted a cold blue.

Link shivered.

A tall figure sat in the throne. A metal helmet obscured his head above the mouth, but it didn’t look like a crown. Instead, it was shaped like a face, large eyes and a monstrous tongue carved into the material. The sleeves of their robe were long, much longer than their arms, and draped shapelessly by the side of the seat.

The Imp appeared in front of Link, and he noticed that she no longer wore the full headdress, just the fragments from before. She faced the throne and spoke, but Link couldn’t hear her words. They blurred into the room, echoing off of the walls around him. She seemed angry, but he sensed a defiant attitude, like she knew exactly how to wind the man in the throne up.

“You speak of magic?”

Now the masked figure spoke. His voice was light but serious, and he held his ‘s’ for just a little too long. Unlike the Imp’s, his words cut through the dream, clear and crisp and cold.

“Still your tongue for a moment and I will tell you of both magic and the oppression of the ages.”

He stood slowly, drapes tumbling from his shoulders and swinging loosely around his torso. He stood much taller than Link, but his clothing was so loose-fitting that it was difficult to gauge his body exactly.

“The people of our tribe… a tribe that mastered the arts of magic… were locked away in this world like insects in a cage.”

As he spoke, his helmet slowly dismantled, revealing the top half of his face. Dull yellow eyes stared into Link’s, and he felt like his very soul was under observation. An intricate design was painted above a narrow nose, and sharp red hair stayed rigidly on his head.

“In the shadows we regressed, so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor hatred, nor even the faintest bloom of desire. And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence!”

His voice grew in volume and pitch as he spoke, eventually reaching a high screech. He paused, composing himself. When he resumed, his words were slow and deliberate once more.

“I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my impudent princess.”

The last two words were spat into the air and Link saw the Imp flinch.

‘Was she the princess? This would be so much easier if I know what was going on…’

The man disappeared and Link gripped the Master Sword a little tighter.

“And why, you ask?”

The voice came from behind them, and Link twirled to find him standing with his hands outstretched, as if presenting a brand-new invention.

“Because I believed I would be the next to rule our people! THAT is why!”

He disappeared again, before reappearing perched on a pillar at the side of the room. He faced the wall but began leaning back until his body was bent unnaturally, head upside down facing them.

“It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens… and found a god.”

Link’s gut dropped. Surely this maniac couldn’t be worshipping…

“My god had only one wish…”

He stood, once again, in front of them. Hands stretched out to his side; he began twisting them. His back twisted too, bringing his torso to face the throne while his hands circled his head. After a moment, his body was entirely mangled, limbs stretched at impossible angles, and all the while those dull, yellow eyes stayed locked on the Hylian.

“To merge shadow and light… and make DARKNESS!”

As if releasing a bow string, his limbs all snapped back to their natural position, sending drapes flying. The man let out a high-pitched screech, before flying straight at Link.

Link himself yelled and tried to jump out of the way as the man’s face flew terrifyingly close to his.

He was on the floor when he woke, heart pounding against his chest. Daring to open his eyes, he was relieved to find the tall man gone.

Instead, he saw the inhabitants of the Stable. Some were staring at him; some were doing anything to avoid it.

“Link?”

Teba’s voice called gently, but it still made him jump. He pulled himself to his feet, well aware of the cold sweat soaked in his clothes, and quickly backed out of the Stable.

It wasn’t long before Teba found him huddled on a rock, looking out over the swamp that sprawled out behind the Stable.

“Thought you might want a blanket,” he said, handing over a woollen quilt he had taken from Link’s bed. The Hylian took it with a slight nod and wrapped it around his shoulders.

Teba watched the Hylian’s eyes return to the dark field and lowered himself onto the rock next to him. They sat listening to the night’s quiet breeze rustling through the trees, and the occasional shuffling from the Stable.

“Tulin used to have nightmares,” Teba said eventually. “He’d dream that he was falling out of the sky when he was really just falling out of his hammock.”

He chuckled and saw Link break into a small smile.

“It drove Saki up the roost, and I don’t think he was very popular with the other Rito for a while, but they got used to it.”

They fell into silence again for a moment, before Link spoke, his voice quiet and raspy.

“They’ve happened since I woke up. But they’re not like… normal dreams I don’t think. I’m… different in them.”

“Different?”

“Zelda told me, once, before the Calamity, that there were others. Other Links, I mean. And Zeldas. And Ganons. Different versions of the same person.”

“Incarnations of each other?”

Link nodded and pulled the blanket a little tighter.

“They each fought their own battles, went on their own adventures. I thought it was just stories, at first, but then Impa told me the same thing.”

“And you think you’re seeing these different incarnations in your dreams?”

“Not just seeing, I actually am them. I’m wearing their clothes, there’s always either a Ganon or Zelda. I even had the Master Sword in one.”

“And what happened tonight? You woke everyone up with that mini backflip you tried.”

Link shrugged.

“There was this… guy who tried to fly into my face. I think he was a version of Ganon, but who knows…”

Teba turned to look at Link.

“Do they scare you?”

Link looked up to the clouded sky as he thought about his answer.

“They’re not exactly nice, but I wouldn’t call them nightmares. I guess it’s just weird living through another me’s life.”

“But they’re not you, they’re all on different adventures, by the sounds of it.”

Link nodded.

“I guess…”

“I’m sorry for prying, but I was pretty worried when you tried to escape your sheets earlier.”

Link laughed.

“Thanks for the blanket. And… thanks for listening. I know they’re a bit weird and everything –“

“I doubt even your weirdest dreams could be weirder than the real you,” Teba interjected. “But thanks for telling me about them.”

Link smiled back at the Rito.

“It felt… OK to talk about them. Plus, you know what’s going on whenever I wake up screaming again…”

“I’ll just assume you’ve slain a dream version of the pig beast.”

Link’s chuckle was overtaken by a large yawn.

“Maybe you should get back to bed,” Teba suggested, and they stood. “How long will it take to reach Kakariko from here?”

“Maybe an hour or so?”

“I’ll let you sleep in then. If you’re lucky.”

“Thank you, Teba.”

Chapter Text

An old lady sat by a dwindling fire as the pair walked through the wooden arch at the entrance to the village. As they approached, she stood to greet them. She smiled, but Teba could see her eyes scanning him.

“It’s nice to see you again, Link,” she said, to which Link raised a hand and gave a slight smile. “And travelling with a friend, too?”

“Teba,” the Rito answered.

“It’s nice to meet you, Teba. It’s been a long time since I last visited Rito Village.”

Link caught her eye and brought his hand to his foot.

“My ankle? It’s much better, thank you Link. I’m sorry to have been in such a state for our first meeting…” Her voice trailed away, as if embarrassed. Link shrugged lightly, which seemed to relieve her.

“Anyway, you must visit Lady Impa while you’re here. She’ll be most interested in the progress you’ve made so far, and, of course, to meet your friend.”

Link nodded a goodbye, and they followed the path through the village. The buildings here were compact, built tightly around each other with sloping thatch roofs. Much of the space around them was covered in vegetable patches. The village was small, but busy, and several children nearly toppled into Teba, before jumping back and staring up at the Rito, mouths agape. He shot them a quick smile, before chuckling as they ran off, whispering urgently.

“That was Nanna,” Link said quietly as they passed what looked like a clothing store. “She was the first person I met here.”

“She seems nice,” Teba replied.

“She had a twisted ankle; I gave her some potion. She was a big help when I didn’t have a map of Hateno.”

“Impa…” Teba muttered, “The name rings a bell.”

“She was Zelda’s advisor before the Calamity, and she basically told me everything I know now. Or, tried to at least.”

They stopped in front of an impressive building overhanging a large pond, fed by several waterfalls flowing from above the mountains that surrounded the village. Two guards stood at either side of an arch and the stairs to the main door. They nodded stiffly to Link as the pair ascended.

“You’ve done well, Link. Two Divine Beasts are back under our control.”

The voice was quiet and slow, but definite. Teba looked around the inside of the large room. It was dark, quite the contrast with the bright sun outside, and furnished with basic desks and chairs.

“And you bring with you a companion?”

The question was directed to Link, but Teba felt another pair of eyes fall on him. A small, wrinkled lady sat atop a stack of precariously balanced cushions in a shrine-like alcove. A large, pointed hat sat just above her eyeline.

“Teba, of the Rito Tribe, I presume?”

Teba blinked.

“You know my name?” he asked.

The old woman chuckled and gently slapped her hand against her lap.

“I might spend most of my days meditating alone, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have contacts. You’ll give my love to Kaneli, won’t you?”

Teba saw Link bow his head to hide a smile.

“Well, Teba, I am Impa. I was – am - Princess Zelda’s advisor. I thank you for helping the hero in his quest.”

“Only when he’s most needed it…” Teba replied.

“I found some more memories,” Link said, his face becoming more serious. “One in the ruins in Tabantha, and one in the Bazaar in the desert.”

Impa nodded.

“I see. How do you feel about them?”

“Confused? There’s still a lot missing.”

“And how do they make you feel, Teba?”

“Me?” Teba replied, surprised. “They’re… not my memories to judge. But it sounds like Link did his best to protect the Princess when he could.”

“Even though she often treated him unfairly?”

Teba sighed and looked to Link.

“From what I know, she was under a lot of pressure. Both of them were.”

“A considered answer,” Impa replied. Her eyes narrowed at the Rito, but her mouth curled into a slight smile.

“My dreams are… getting more frequent, too,” Link said, his voice becoming quieter.

“Still?”

“Always the green tunic, always the Master Sword. Different places each time.”

Impa’s face became concerned, and she fell into thought. They stood in silence for a moment. Finally, she responded.

“Are these dreams distressing?”

Link shrugged.

“Sometimes.”

“Are they having an impact on your waking hours?”

He paused.

“Not really.”

Impa nodded and sat up a little.

“Then I wouldn’t worry about them for now. I’ll have Dorian mix some sleeping drafts for you – they might help. I’m sure Teba won’t mind taking a few extra night shifts,” she finished with a wry smile to Teba, which he returned gratefully.

Before Link could respond, there was an urgent knock at the closed door behind them. Teba turned to see a large man dressed in the same white and red robes as the guards outside enter. He bowed his head to Impa, breathing heavily, as if he had just been running.

“Lady Impa, I bring urgent news!” he gasped, before standing straight, seemingly regaining his stamina instantly.

“It regards your impending death.”

Teba felt time slow around him. The intruder disappeared in a puff of smoke momentarily before reappearing, now dressed in red Yiga clothes. In slow motion, he swung his arm forwards, launching three sharp blades towards the Sheikah elder. They flew through the air so slowly that Teba could see the light glinting off of them as they rotated.

Without thinking, he took his bow from his back and nocked a single arrow. He followed the path of the blades for a moment, before raising the bow and firing. The arrow intercepted the blades in their path, knocking all three off course. One spiralled into the wall, the others clattering to the floor.

Time rushed forward around Teba and he became aware of a shout from the door. He turned, reaching for another arrow, only to catch the Yiga foot soldier disappear in a puff of smoke moments before Link’s sword drove through where he had stood. He caught the Hylian’s eye as the sword was sheathed, and they nodded before turning back to Impa…

…who was no longer there, her cushions scattered around the floor.

Teba tensed once more, and Link ran forward.

“Impa!?” he shouted, searching frantically.

A gentle chuckle sounded from above, and Teba looked up to see the old woman perched upside down on the ceiling in the same seated position she had been in a moment before.

“Just because I’m old and fragile,” she laughed, slowly rotating and lowering back to the scattered cushions, “doesn’t mean I don’t have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

Link let out an audible sigh before gathering the cushions together and stacking them once more. Impa, now entirely the right way up, turned to Teba.

“That was an impressive manoeuvre, Teba. I haven’t seen anything like that in over 100 years.”

Teba returned his bow to its holder.

“It was nothing, really. Just simple archery.”

Impa slapped her knee and laughed again.

“A talented Rito warrior without the ego. What a nice change. With archery skills like those, I think you could even have given the Rito Champion a run for his money…”

“You knew Revali?” Teba’s attention returned fully to the Sheikah Elder.

“I did, if only briefly,” she sighed.

“If you would be willing, I’d be grateful to hear about him sometime.”

Impa nodded kindly.

“I would be happy to, Teba. Perhaps later, however. This morning’s commotions have taken their toll and I need some rest.”

Teba nodded and turned to Link.

“I can show you around, I guess?” the Hylian suggested, and they exited the room together.

A Shrine sat atop a steep path overlooking the village, and Link and Teba cleared the teaching within with little difficulty. A short distance from the Shrine was another Great Fairy, so while Link took the opportunity to… do whatever the Fairies did to enhance his gear, Teba took off from the cliff above and circled around the village.

He saw the elder’s house, perched across a lake, and how the mountains and peaks surrounding the village made it incredibly isolated.

‘No wonder it survived the calamity,’ he thought, ‘it’s almost impossible to get in without following the main path…’

To the north was a sprawling wetland with various islands scattered around, make-shift bridges linking them together. On one of the islands, he could see the orange glow of an inactivated shrine. He made a mental note of its location, before circling back down towards the orange petals of the Fairy Fountain.

They made their way back towards the village and headed for the general store. Link bought a questionable variety of ingredients, then made for the cooking stove. Teba watched as the Hylian threw vegetables haphazardly into the pot. Link seemed perfectly in his element, so he wasn’t surprised that the final product – a vegetable and meat skewer - tasted fantastic. It wasn’t standard Rito diet, but it was too good to pass up.

Once they had eaten, it was late afternoon, and Link announced he was going to rest at the inn for a few hours.

“I’ll catch you later, then,” Teba remarked, “I’m going to see if Impa can tell me anything about Champion Revali.”

Link nodded, and they parted ways.

“Was he really as talented as the legends say he was?”

Teba sat hunched on a small stool in front of Impa, who had returned to her cushion pile, hands clasped on her lap.

“Well,” she chuckled, “that depends. Did he write them himself?”

“Revali was indeed the most skilled of the Rito, yes,” she continued. “And it wasn’t even close. Where some Rito Warriors could hit multiple moving targets, Revali could hit ten in a single shot. Most Rito Warriors could out-manoeuvre a Guardian's laser, he could dive between five and still find time to shoot them back. And, of course, he had that gale technique which no other Rito could even attempt.”

“Revali’s Gale?”

“That’s the one. Named after the one and only.”

“What was he like?” Teba asked, leaning forward. “As a Rito, I mean, not a warrior.”

Impa smiled slightly, but it wasn’t a full smile, and Teba sensed a melancholy fall over the elder.

“He was… confident in his own abilities. Always sure of himself, always ready to give everything he had. He could be… overbearing, sometimes.”

“’Insufferable’ was the word Link used,” Teba suggested, and Impa laughed.

“Maybe his memories aren’t as cloudy as he’s let on. No, the pair did not get on, not like you do with him, anyway. Revali believed that he was a better candidate for the chosen hero, and that Link was inadequate. He was always at the boy’s back, taunting, gloating, teasing. It’s a wonder he never snapped back.”

“I think he probably would now. Maybe it’s for the best the Champion stays on Medoh for now.”

Impa looked up from her reminiscing.

“Revali is on Medoh?”

“His spirit, I think. That’s what Link said, anyway. He saw him after we took back control.”

“Interesting. There’s a lot we don’t know about those Divine Beasts. Lots of secrets kept from us.”

Teba stood.

“I’d better get back to Link to plan our next steps. Thank you for sharing your memories of the Champion with me. Seriously, it means a lot. Champion Revali is…” he paused, “an inspiration to a lot of the Rito. Hearing him through a first-hand account was fascinating.”

He turned and had made it to the door before Impa’s voice stopped him.

“I see him in you, Teba.”

Teba turned to face the elder, whose face was now covered by her hat.

“What you did today, shooting down those blades, was no act of simple archery. You have talent, and a charisma not unlike Revali’s – even if you are a little more… modest. I’m confident that, with you by his side, the Hero will have no trouble reclaiming the remaining Divine Beasts. Stick together, Teba.”

Teba nodded silently, before exiting into the evening sun.

“Well, if somebody hadn’t felt the need to have a nap in the middle of the day, we could have made it halfway to Zora’s Domain by now...”

Teba’s comment was sarcastic, but Link could sense the exasperation in his tone.

“Sorry,” he shrugged, “but when naps call, who am I to refuse?”

They sat at the northernmost point of the village under a large tree. A monument consisting of several stacked stones stood at the abrupt end of the path. Beyond the fencing was a steep drop and, beyond that, the large wetland Teba had spotted earlier.

Link took out the Sheikah Slate and opened the map. The area ahead was still greyed out, and from their position he couldn’t see a nearby Tower. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too difficult to spot tomorrow.

“Any pictures look nearby?” Teba asked.

Link swiped the screen.

“Doesn’t look like it. Nearest one I found was uh… that way,” he pointed behind them, then waved his hand, “maybe…”

“We can keep an eye open, I suppose. How far to the Domain?”

“Dunno, but it can’t be that far. Impa says there’s fairly regular trade between here and there so we should be able to get there in a day,” he finished the sentence through a yawn.

“And what about a night? Don’t tell me you need even more sleep now?”

Link smiled and closed his eyes, head resting against the tree trunk. Teba sighed and stood, holding out his wing to the Hylian, who took it and pulled himself to his feet.

“Sometimes I forget which one of us slept for a century…”

Chapter Text

As it happened, the wetlands weren’t quite the vast emptiness they resembled from afar.

From his position behind some stone ruins, Link counted at least forty Lizalfos, probably more. Some were patrolling back and forth, some were still, blending into their surroundings, and some were… doing some sort of dance? They huddled around a fire, leaping from leg to leg and waving their hands above their heads. Directly to their right, a Guardian Stalker patrolled an open section of the water.

“One Shrine,” he muttered, pointing ahead to the faintly glowing monument, ‘and one Tower.’

The Tower stood above an enemy encampment marked by large skeletal remains. Link could just about make out more Lizalfos patrolling the paths around it. A problem for later, he decided.

“That’s a lot of Lizalfos,” he considered aloud, turning back to the Shrine. It stood on one of the various islands scattered throughout the area. That island and those to the west were mostly flat, with the remains of decimated buildings scattered across some. The other islands to the east featured more vegetation and elevation. Sunlight glimmered across the shallow water.

“If we go in from above, we could probably avoid fighting most of them,” Teba suggested, “and just deal with the ones that notice us.”

Link nodded an agreement. He crouched and summoned Revali’s Gale. Teba stood back and allowed the sudden burst of updraft to carry Link into the sky, before leaping upwards himself.

They glided in silence above Lizalfos of various ranks – Link could have sworn he even spotted a silver one too – until they hovered directly above the Shrine. Two Lizalfos stood on either side of the structure.

Link dropped down first, attracting their attention. They cried out, raised their weapons, and slowly approached the Hylian. Once they were in range, Link froze one with Stasis then ducked behind it as the other swiped. He summoned a Throwing Spear and launched it against the frozen Lizalfos. The spear clattered to the ground as the Stasis deactivated, sending the enemy hurtling into its ally.

The attack on Link had attracted the attention of two other Lizalfos, who were now scampering across towards the Hylian. Link swirled to face them, but an arrow lodged itself in the foot of the foremost monster and it tumbled. The second Lizalfos tripped over it, and they rolled forwards, collapsing in a pile at Link’s feet.

The Hylian looked down at the monsters and gave a small smile, before summoning a round bomb and holding it out. The Lizalfos let out a shriek and, in their hurry to escape, left behind their weapons and shields.

“That was… easy,” Teba said as he landed gently on the Shrine podium next to Link, who had turned and was holding the Sheikah Slate. The Shrine hummed, then turned from orange to neon blue as the door slid open.

“Daka Tuss,” he read from the slate’s screen.

“Think I’ve heard of that. Nasty condition…” Teba chuckled.

“I’m gonna tell the monk you said that,” Link fired back as they descended into the Shrine.

Inside the Shrine they found a deep pool of water with several small orange orbs floating on the surface. To their right was a closed gate, and a cage at the opposite end of the room contained a large switch, just the right size to fit an orb into.

“I guess we have to get the orbs out of the water and into that switch?”

“Can’t you just fly over with one of them?” Link suggested, but Teba shook his head.

“I’m not the greatest swimmer, believe it or not. They look too heavy to throw over too… There’s something at the bottom of the pool, looks like some sort of bowl?”

“What if I threw the orbs out to you, then could you fly them over?”

“What if,” Teba said, holding out his wing to stop the Hylian speaking, “we do this one properly, unlike all the others we’ve cheated…”

Link rolled his eyes but handed the Sheikah Slate over to Teba. The Rito activated the Magnesis Rune and aimed at the submerged item. After a few attempts, he managed to scoop up a single orb in the metal basin and drop it into the cage. The switch whirred, then glowed a bright blue, and the gate shuddered open.

“Look at you, Legendary Hero…” Link muttered as they entered a new room.

The second chamber contained another pool and caged switch. On collecting an orb from the pool, however, the Rito encountered a new problem.

“Hmm, there’s a top to this cage. The orb won’t go in…”

“What about that big switch in the water?” Link suggested. “Would the basin hold that down?”

“It might,” Teba replied.

He carefully placed the orb on top of the cage, then brought the basin back to the water’s surface. It sank to the bottom of the pool and weighed the large switch down. In turn, the cage opened, and the orb dropped in. Once again, a calm blue washed over the switch. The pool began to drain, revealing a path to the final chamber.

“I could be the Hero of Legend no problem,” the Rito chuckled.

“I’ll leave you to it, then?” Link replied, as they approached the Monk’s pedestal.

“I have an idea,” Teba said suddenly. “Before we carry on, can I try something out?”

The question came as they exited the Shrine, the afternoon sun now shining strongly above them. Link shrugged a curious affirmative and followed the Rito as he led them from the island into the water.

“Wait here,” the Rito murmured, before continuing forwards.

Link considered his surroundings. Teba had brought him away from the nearby islands into a shallow pool of water which lapped gently at his boots. He watched as the Rito walked forwards towards a slightly deeper pool, then crouched. Splaying his wings to the side, they brushed against the water, sending ripples across the calm surface.

Nothing happened. It looked almost as though he was trying out some new fishing technique, but his body was still, focussed. After another moment passed, Link cocked his head and was about to ask what Teba was looking for when a hurricane-strength gust of wind slammed into his back, sending him face-first into the water.

Spluttering, he scrambled to his feet to see that Teba had disappeared, the once calm waters now rippling where the Rito had previously stood.

Hearing the gust continue upwards behind him, he turned to see Teba hurtling through the air in a twister of wind and feathers. The Rito attempted to gain some sort of control over his ascent, but the gale was clearly too strong. It tossed him out of the updraft, and he tumbled back towards the ground, splashing loudly into the pool of water.

“Teba!”

Link ran forward. He wasn’t sure how deep the water was where Teba had landed, but he couldn’t see him anywhere. After a few moments, the Rito emerged, white plumage sticking closely to his body. He spluttered as he pulled himself to a shallower area, then collapsed on his back.

“That… wasn’t quite as elegant as I’d hoped…” he coughed.

“Are you ok?” Link asked. He was concerned but had to smother a chuckle at the sight of the sodden Rito.

“Physically? I’ll dry eventually. My reputation? I’m not sure I’ll ever recover…”

The Tower stood atop a small hill before the larger mountain range of Zora’s Domain. Perched precariously on all sides, monster encampments made the approach from any direction difficult at best. Large skeletal remains emerged from the path to the top, but Link wasn’t sure what kind of beast was big enough to leave bones this size behind.

On their approach, Teba had elbowed Link and pointed further down the path. In a ditch to the side lay a Red Hinox, snoring loudly.

“Fancy a rematch?”

Link shuddered.

“After last time? I’ll pass, thanks.”

They stood now on a sandy bank before the Tower. Behind them lay the Wetlands, displaced Lizalfos marking the paths they had taken through. The Guardian could still be seen in the distance, none the wiser to their presence.

Teba stood, wings flayed, still drying from his failed Gale attempt. The warm sun was doing its work, however, and he wasn’t shivering anymore.

He watched Link assess the land in front of them. No doubt trying to work out the easiest, least confrontational path to the top. Either that or planning a route that got him into the most difficulty possible. It was hard to tell with the Hero.

“Splitting up’s probably too dangerous,” Link muttered, if only to himself, “and the obvious path up goes through at least three encampments.”

He turned now to speak to Teba. “Which leaves the left-hand-side. It’s steep, but I can probably climb if you can fly it?”

“Or,” Teba mused, “if we can create an updraft here, I can carry you all the way to the top of the Tower without any of those things even noticing us.”

“I don’t have any Gales left, I can only use three at a time.”

“Don’t you have anything in the Slate that could do the job?”

Link raised his eyebrows.

“Wouldn’t that be cheating?” He emphasised the word.

Teba shrugged. “I don’t mind it when our lives are on the line. When it’s just a puzzle set by an ancient mummy it’s not so perilous.”

“I’m sure that makes sense in some world,” Link sighed and removed the Slate from his waist. He summoned a large glowing red rod and three piles of wood. Teba could feel the heat pulsing from where he stood.

“This might dry you off a bit faster?” Link smirked, waving the rod far too close to Teba for his liking.

“Point that thing at me again and I’ll drop you halfway up.”

Aiming the rod at the piles of wood, balls of fire erupted from the tip, starting a blaze. Link stored the Rod again and felt the updraft rushing through his hair. He turned to Teba.

“Shall we?”

The view from atop this Tower was probably better than any of the previous, Teba reasoned. He could see across the Wetlands, from Daka Tuss to the pool of water he had… attempted Revali’s Gale.

A failed attempt, but one that yielded more results than any of his previous tries - that counted as some sort of success in his eyes. He wondered just how much Revali had worked on the ability to master it, create it, even. The Champion didn’t have anything to model it on like he did, only inspiration.

Beyond the wetlands was Hyrule Field. It lay barren, having taken most of the brunt of the Calamity. All of the settlements and military bases had been destroyed totally. Traders avoided it like the plague, warned off by stories of rampant Guardians and frequent attacks. As such, the area lay empty, save for the mechanical beasts. No towns, no villages, just monsters. At home in the centre of the ruined Kingdom.

And pride of place in that kingdom was Hyrule Castle, surrounded by swirls of Malice, pierced by two red lasers. Six large pillars stood around the structure like prison bars, pulsing a deep purple.

He followed the target beam back to Vah Medoh, still perched precariously above Rito Village, and his mind wandered to Saki and Tulin.

‘What were they doing right now? What did they have for breakfast? Had Hearth recovered from their attack on the Divine Beast? Was Kaneli in the middle of his afternoon nap?’

The last one was easy enough. The sun was still in the sky, so the answer was probably yes.

“Done,” Link said as he joined the Rito on the Tower edge.

“What does Lanayru look like on a map, then?”

“Hilly, unfortunately, and quite wet.”

Teba grimaced.

“Although I’m not sure what I expected Zora’s Domain to be if not wet.”

Link chuckled, then continued.

“There is a straight path to the Domain, though. Well, not exactly straight. Actually, it’s kind of the opposite. But it’s probably safer than scrambling over all those hills…”

“You’re not exactly filling me with confidence…”

Link shrugged.

“We’ll make it. Eventually. Probably.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a weak voice.

“P-Perhaps I could… help you with that?”

Chapter Text

“P-Perhaps I could… help you with that? If… if you could please pull me up?”

Link, having jumped at first sound of the voice, was now looking for its source. The Tower platform had been empty when they arrived, and it still seemed to be now.

“Where are you, exactly?” Teba asked.

“Oh, I’m down here. Maybe don’t look down too quickly, though…”

Teba stepped towards the platform’s edge and looked down.

A tall fish-like figure was clinging on to the ledge. A dark blue fin ran down his back, while his front was a lighter shade of blue. His hands were pale from gripping onto the Tower.

Teba knelt down and yanked them up by the wrists, pulling them straight to standing. He stood taller than both Teba and Link, although his shoulders were hunched forward. He stood with his hands on his knees for a moment, sucking in air desperately.

“So… do you come here often?” Link asked, earning himself a sharp elbow from his companion.

“I’ll be… ok in a minute. I’m not the biggest fan of… heights,” the Zora murmured. “Maybe we could move away from the edge?”

Now standing in the centre of the Tower’s platform, gripping tightly onto the small podium, the Zora seemed more at ease.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue there. My name is Gruve.”

“I’m Teba, this is Link. So, what were you doing up here anyway?”

“Ah, that’s a good question!” He said, straightening up slightly. “I, by order of Prince Sidon of Zora’s Domain, was searching for a Hylian. I had just passed over Inogo Bridge when I heard a loud noise and awful quaking. This… structure burst from the ground below me and sent me towards the heavens! It was all I could do to hold on tight…”

“Hold on, let’s backtrack a bit. You’re looking for a Hylian? Any one in particular or would, say, this one do?” He gestured to Link, who scrunched his face back.

“Ah, a Hylian!” Gruve exclaimed, only seeming now to notice Link. “Well, my luck is improving, it seems. I wonder if you would be willing to carry out a task for Prince Sidon…”

Link cocked his head, and Teba continued.

“Prince Sidon?”

Gruve let out a hearty laugh.

“Prince Sidon is the son of King Dorephan, the King of Zora’s Domain. He is currently working to keep the domain safe from external threats and has sent us out to locate a Hylian who could aid in this task.”

“What is the task?”

Gruve shrunk a little.

“I’m afraid I’m not sure, and it wouldn’t be my place to guess…”

Teba let the silence hang.

“But…?”

“Well, it has been raining an awful lot lately, more than usual. And I’ve heard rumours of Vah Ruta activating once more.”

Teba shot Link a glance.

“Where can we find Prince Sidon? If he’d have us, I think we can come to some arrangement.”

“The Prince said he would wait on Inogo Bridge for the Hylian we sent. The bridge is almost directly below this Tower.”

Gruve slowly edged to the side of the platform and, shaking, peeked over.

“Perhaps I should swallow my fear and jump to the river below. Then I could return to him! He must be worried sick…”

He knelt and gripped the edge of the Tower, straightening his legs as if about to run a race, before collapsing and scuttling back to the pair on his knees.

“No! Nope! Can’t do it! I’m too high up. I’ll likely meet the gods of the ever after before I ever see Prince Sidon again…”

He looked up at Link.

“Mr Hylian, I must apologize… It will be some time before I can get back to Prince Sidon. Please, you must leave me here and go on ahead.”

“Or,” Teba suggested, “we could just give you a lift down?”

Gruve gave a small smile.

“I shouldn’t intrude on official royal business,” Gruve muttered. “Thank you so much again for helping me down. I don’t know how long I’d have been stuck up there. If you’re passing through the Domain, do say hello!”

With that, he dove into the river. They watched him swim under the bridge ahead and out of sight. Link turned to Teba.

“How many times did he thank us?”

“Seven.”

Inogo Bridge was flanked by two blue towers, intricately decorated and almost glowing. As they approached, rain began falling. It was light, almost mist-like, but it made Link shiver and summon his Hylian Hood.

“Well, this is Inogo Bridge,” he muttered, wiping the moisture from the slate’s screen, “but I don’t see anyone.”

“Perhaps the Prince has retreated to the Domain?”

“Say hey there!”

The voice called out, but Link couldn’t find its origin.

“Up top, above you!”

The pair looked up to see a red figure standing atop one of the towers. He waved, before diving elegantly into the air, flipping then landing lightly before them.

“Pardon the entrance, but you’re a Hylian, aren’t you? I was hoping perhaps you’d have a moment to talk?” He threw his arms wide but continued before Link or Teba could reply. “Oh, pardon me… I am Sidon, the Zora Prince!”

He gestured with his arm, and Link could have sworn he saw a twinkle in the Zora’s sharp smile.

While Gruve had been a dark blue, Sidon was a lively red colour, standing out vividly against the grey surroundings. He wore a frill around his neck, along with a whistle which hung against his cream-coloured chest. He was also adorned with several metal ornaments around his neck and wrists. A long, red fin protruded from the back of his head.

“I’m Teba, and this is Link.”

“Your name is Link?! What a fantastic name! Though I cannot shake the feeling that I have heard it somewhere before… And Teba? A Rito! What a strong race! To be honest, I’ve been watching you both. I can tell by the way you work together that you are no ordinary team. You must be strong warriors amongst your races, correct?!”

Link stuttered. He was taken aback by the sheer energy of the Prince, who seemed to be able to talk without taking a breath. Coupled with his immense height, towering over both he and Teba, and his strong physique, Link was totally lost for words.

“Now, there’s no need to be humble!” Sidon continued, “I’m a Zora Prince, after all. I have an eye for talent that is unparalleled!”

As Sidon finally paused for breath, Teba took the opportunity to speak.

“Your friend mentioned you were searching for someone to carry out a certain task…”

“That is correct,” Sidon replied, his face turning more serious. He turned and looked up-river, where dark clouds had gathered. “Right now, Zora’s Domain is in grave danger because of the massive rainfall coming from Divine Beast Vah Ruta! We’re in dire need of a Hylian to help. Won’t you please come to Zora’s Domain with me?”

Link nodded, and Sidon swung his hands into the air.

“Wow! Really?! Thank you, both of you! You are indeed the team I thought you were! No time to waste! To reach the domain, you will need to go straight along this path. Because of the rain, the cliffs are too wet to climb. The path may be a bit treacherous; you likely have a tough fight in store.”

“I reckon we can handle it,” Teba replied, and Link nodded confidently.

“Amazing! Don’t give up! I believe in you!”

Sidon punched the air again. Link definitely saw a twinkle in his smile this time.

“ I shall go on ahead and make sure there is not anything strange going on where you are headed. I’m counting on you!”

He turned and walked towards the river, muttering quietly to himself.

“’Link…’ I am sure I have heard that name before…”

With that, he jumped high into the air and dove into the river.

The rain fell heavier as they crossed the bridge, now pattering against the ground.

“If it carries on like this, we’re going to be drenched by the time we make it to the top,” Teba grumbled.

“We can stick to the trees, they might shelte-“

A rock slammed into Link’s back, sending him flying onto his face. Teba twirled to the water, where a large blue balloon floated above the surface. From where he stood, it looked like it had a small tuft of green hair spouting from its head. A mouth and eyes appeared on its surface, and Teba only just dodged a second rock flying his way.

“Urgh…”

Link stood, his front covered in mud. He spat out some grass and joined Teba on the riverbank.

“We’re being attacked by balloons now?” he asked.

“An Octorok. They’re pretty common in the east.”

Teba raised his bow and aimed at the creature. Its eyes widened and it exhaled, slowly descending back towards the river, but Teba’s arrow was too quick. It pierced the Octorok, which deflated like a burst balloon, whizzing loudly into the air before puffing into a small cloud of malice.

“That was… actually quite funny,” Teba chuckled.

“Well, I’m glad one of us is enjoying themselves,” Link muttered, wiping the mud from his cheek. “I don’t think you’ll be laughing for long…”

He pointed upriver. The path twisted and turned far ahead of them, all the time rising. They watched as multiple blue balloons slowly hovered above the river, far more than they could count.

Teba sighed.

“Going to be one of those days, is it?”

The path wound through just about every part of the area on its way to the Domain. Any sections that weren’t covered by Lizalfos camps were flanked by the river and, as such, constant Octorok attacks.

Several times Sidon spoke to them from the water, mostly shouting encouragement.

“Strange character…” Teba muttered after the Zora Prince submerged once more.

“…Link?”

Link stood unmoving, staring at the spot the prince had disappeared from.

“Uh, Hyrule to Champion, are you still with us?” Teba asked again, giving him a shove.

“Oh! Uh I- yeah I’m, yeah…”

“Little bit obsessed, are we?”

“Am not!” the Hylian shot back.

“Sure…”

“I’m not obsessed, he just has such a big… presence,” Link replied as they carried on up the path. “Kind of hard not to be sucked in.”

“He’s pretty loud, yeah,” Teba conceded. “And the way his smile glints-“

“You’ve noticed that too?”

“Thought it was just a trick of the light at first, but it happens every time. You could at least try not to be so clearly infatuated, mind.”

“It’s not obvious, is it?”

Teba laughed.

“Not entirely. Although you were drooling a bit.”

Link gave him a sharp elbow.

“Besides he’s a Prince, I’m just a Hylian. It would never work out.”

“Royalty has to survive somehow. I’m sure if there was no other option, you’d be acceptable.”

“Oh great, bottom of the pile, thanks.”

They chuckled and continued walking in silence listening to the rain patter on the soggy ground around them.

“Who was the Zora Champion, do you know?” Teba asked.

“Her name was Mipha. She was the daughter of the Zora king. That’s all I really know; I can’t remember spending much time with her specifically.”

“The same king?”

Link shook his head.

“Can’t be, surely. It’s been a hundred years; they must have had a few generations by now.”

“We could always ask Sidon the next time he pops up. That is, if you’re not too distracted…”

“Shut up.”

Several Lizalfos camps, and even an Ice Wizzrobe encounter later, Link gestured to Teba.

“Can I make a suggestion?”

They stood in a small alcove which sheltered them from the rain, now thundering down outside. Despite being late afternoon, the mountains were covered in dark clouds. The path, now almost a second river, was illuminated by small lanterns, all glowing in the same luminous blue as the Inogo Bridge towers.

“What’s up?” Teba asked. He was drenched once more, feathers sticking close to his body.

Link took the Sheikah Slate in his hand and rummaged for a moment. He was grateful for the device’s waterproof screen. He pulled out a Fire Rod and held it up expectantly to the Rito.

“What, we set ourselves on fire so we don’t get wet?” He seemed unimpressed.

Link sighed.

“No, we just use it to dry off a bit. We’re both soaked, and there’s not much further to go now. We dry off now, then make a dash for the Domain!”

“Are you sure you can do that without burning us both to a crisp?”

“…of course”

“You hesitated for far too long-“

“Ok, well why don’t we just light some fires instead?”

“I would much prefer that.”

After some moments, they sat back-to-back in the centre of six fires, crackling wood almost drowning out the pouring rain.

Link was quiet. Too quiet, Teba decided. He could almost hear the Hylian’s brain whirring.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked quietly.

“Sidon,” came the reply.

“You’re not still dreaming about the fish prince, are you?”

Link smiled slightly.

“Nah, not exactly. Just about the whole… thing.”

“The whole thing?”

Link was silent again, and Teba gave him time to process his thoughts.

“I’m meant to end up with Zelda, right? That’s how it goes.”

“Is it?”

“That’s what the legends say. Every time. Hero and Princess.”

“And you don’t feel like that?”

“How could I?” Link snapped back, before exhaling deeply. “Sorry, I just… How could I have any feelings towards someone I can barely remember?”

“And what you can remember, there doesn’t seem to be any serious connection between you?”

Link shrugged, and Teba continued.

“Is that such a bad thing? You and the Princess might be bound by history, but what’s stopping you from breaking free? I’m pretty sure none of the legends are exactly the same.”

Silence fell once more.

“What if she doesn’t feel the same?” Link asked eventually. “If she thinks we should…”

“Whatever Zelda thinks is a problem for after we save her. Besides, she’ll understand that you’ve lost your memories.”

Link twisted to face Teba. The fires had begun to die down, but he could still make out the Rito’s eyes watching him back.

“Sorry for being so… dramatic, I guess.”

“It’s ok, I think I’m used to it by now.”

Link chuckled.

“Give me your Snowquill Headdress,” the Rito said, holding out his wing.

“Why?” Link questioned, reaching for his slate and searching for the gear. Teba didn’t reply, taking the accessory, handing it back a moment later.

“Have you sabotaged me?” Link asked, eyeing the bright white feather now adorned by the headdress.

“It’s a Rito tradition. They say that if you wear a Rito feather in the headdress it amplifies the cold resistance. Should help you stay warm out there.”

Link cocked his head.

“So I’m wearing a bit of plucked you?” he asked. “Ew.”

“I’ll have you know that feather came out completely naturally, thank you.”

They fell into a comfortable silence once more.

“So… has anyone caught your eye since you woke up? Or did your eyes just go straight to the 7-foot, muscular shark Prince?”

“Not straight exactly,” Link shrugged.

‘Not technically a lie,’ he thought, but that was a problem for another time.

“Well, if you do spot anyone, let me know. I’ll give you some space, light some nice candles, maybe hire Kass to play some nice music, Saki co-“

“Shouldn’t we start moving again?” Link interrupted with a smile. “The rain’s lightened, too. It’s only slightly pouring now…”

He gathered his things and began along the path again.

“Just say the word, Hero, and I’ll set up the most romantic date you’ve ever seen,” Teba called after him, chuckling.

“That’s… quite an impressive sight.”

They stood at the far end of the Great Zora Bridge, looking onto the Domain. It glowed a luminous blue through the misty rain. A large decorative structure stretched so far upwards that it disappeared into the clouds. Platforms were suspended high above the reservoir below, connected by snaking pathways.

“Makes Rito Village look pretty meek,” Link murmured, earning himself a glare from Teba as they began crossing the bridge.

“Don’t look down if you’re scared of heights,” the Hylian shouted, glancing over the side of the ornately decorated railings. “It’s a long way down…”

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind as I drop you off…”

“Link! Teba!”

The voice called at them from the Domain, and they could see a tall, red figure running towards them.

“Whoa, I’ve been waiting for you!”

Sidon pumped his arm and once more gave a twinkling smile. Teba and Link exchanged a glance.

“Welcome! Behold the pride of my people, Zora’s Domain!” He gestured to the structures around him, all decorated in blue. “Now I shall introduce you to the King. Hurry, this way!”

They advanced forward into the Domain. Teba followed the Prince towards a staircase to their left, but caught sight of Link trailing to a stop ahead of a statue, formed of the same blue material as the rest of the Domain. It stood in the centre of the pathway and was bathed in a deep blue light.

Even though he had limited knowledge of the Calamity, and even less of the Zora, Teba had no doubt as to whom the statue was dedicated. Link’s awestruck reaction only confirmed his suspicions.

The Zora Champion, Mipha.

Chapter Text

The Domain was spread over three levels, with staircases and spiralling paths arranged seemingly randomly. A huge chamber occupied much of the top floor, and Link was slightly out of breath by the time he caught up to the Zora Prince.

Once inside, he saw why the chamber was so large. A huge Zora sat on a throne positioned inside an ornamental basin. He was adorned in a red scarf, from which hung several medals and drapes. To his left, Link spotted Sidon, tiny in comparison. He caught Link’s eye and gave him an inconspicuous thumbs up. On his right, an older-looking grey Zora stood. Was it his imagination, or was he actively scowling at him?

“Ah, you must be the pair that Sidon brought here, correct?” The large Zora’s voice was livelier than Link expected. “You did well to make it all the way here! I am King Dorephan, ruler of the Zora.”

Link saw Teba give a small bow in the corner of his eye, and hastily followed suit. The King gave a mighty laugh.

“Ha! You flatter me, but such formalities are not needed here… Sidon tells me you are formidable warriors. Looking at you now, I doubt not that you have endured a great many trials. Still, I must ask you to hear my plea.”

He gave a low grumble and looked out of the chamber to a large dam which towered over the Domain.

“I shall do you the courtesy of speaking bluntly. Zora’s Domain is in danger of vanishing because of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. It has been spewing torrents for weeks now. We alone cannot stop this beast. Will you lend us your strength?”

“WHAT?!”

The older Zora yelled out, causing Link to jump a little. His small frame had turned to face the King, and he seemed to be shaking with anger.

“King Dorephan! My liege! Please do not speak so! To ask a Hylian for help… Why, the very thought of it curls my fins!”

The King sighed and directed his attention to the brittle Zora at his side.

“Muzu, I expected more of you. How can you still protest?”

Muzu began to protest again but was cut off.

“Muzu!”

This time, it was Sidon’s voice that bellowed through the chamber.

Link turned to the Prince. Gone was the friendly demeanour. Gone were the kind eyes and twinkling smile. Now Sidon stood straight, glaring at the servant, teeth almost bared. Link felt himself shrink away, only stopping when Teba was definitely between him and the angered Prince.

When he spoke, his voice was cold and flat, each syllable pronounced carefully and deliberately.

“With such unprecedented rainfall, we have no choice but to rely on the aid of a trustworthy Hylian.”

Muzu held the stare but addressed the King.

“Have you forgotten already, my King? We cannot trust these lowly Hylians. A hundred years ago, they abused the power of an ancient civilization and turned Hyrule into what it is today! It is… it is their fault that Lady Mipha was lost to us…”

“That is enough!” The King bellowed, bringing his hand crashing into the pool beside him in a splash. “You are dismissed, Muzu. Leave us.”

Muzu sighed loudly as he turned and sulked out of the chamber. Link let out a silent breath.

“My apologies,” the King muttered. “Link, Teba, Mipha was my daughter, and Sidon’s sister. One hundred years ago, she was also chosen as the Zora Champion, and designated the pilot of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. I’m sure you are both aware of the events of the Great Calamity. Mipha was lost to us within the Divine Beast.”

A sombre silence fell over the room, which Link found almost unbearable. Finally, the King continued.

“Muzu was Mipha’s tutor. He held great feelings for her, and so was understandably upset with her passing. Unfortunately, this has turned into anger and hatred towards all Hylians. I had hoped, given the urgency of the situation, he would be willing to overlook this. I apologise for his outburst.”

“Father,” Sidon whispered, his voice returning to a more amiable tone, “do we still have the armour?”

Dorephan raised his eyebrows and gave a small smile.

“Ah, yes, of course. Link, I’d like to present you with a gift. Think of it as a show of faith in your abilities.”

He produced a small chest and placed it in front of Link.

“My apologies, Teba. Had I known the Hylian was part of a pair, I would have sourced a second item.”

Neatly folded within the chest was a garment – a top – coloured in the familiar Zora blue with intricate designs stitched onto the shoulders and front. He held it out in front of him and felt a strange connection to the armour.

“This is the Zora Armour. Traditionally, a Zora princess will gift a version of this garment to the one they have sworn to marry,” the King said, clearly reminiscing.

“My sister crafted this version herself, “Sidon added. “We believe she planned to present it to the Hylian Champion before…”

He trailed off. The King’s eyes locked on to Link’s, and he frowned slightly.

“The Hylian Champion… I wonder,” he said quietly. “Sidon, go and check on Vah Ruta. I wish to speak further with our visitors, and I will send them to meet you once we are done.”

Sidon nodded, flashed Link and Teba a smile, then leapt through the open side of the chamber into the water below.

The King turned back to Link, his eyes narrowing.

“Yes… Now that I’ve gotten a good look at you, it is all too clear who you are… Link, you are the Hylian Champion of 100 years ago, correct?”

Link swallowed and nodded.

The King gave his mighty laugh again, and Link felt the tension lift from his shoulders. For a moment, he thought Dorephan was about to call Muzu back to tear him to shreds.

“But, do not tell me you have forgotten me? I cannot believe it. The Hylian Champion, Link, has appeared before us… I had heard a terrible rumour that you had fallen in combat, but it appears you managed to survive. Extraordinary!”

Teba stepped forward.

“Link was placed in stasis after the Great Calamity. He… lost most of his memories in the time since.”

“Lost your memories? That’s quite unfortunate. So, the fate of the Princess, it still remains unknown?”

“The Princess is in the castle, holding the Calamity in place. She sent Link to reclaim the Divine Beasts.”

“What?! Princess Zelda herself instructed you here? So then… she is still alive…” He stroked his large chin. “This is a most fortunate turn of events. You understand, the last century has been bleak, believing that Hyrule’s Champions had all fallen in the Calamity. And yet, here you are!”

The King sat in silence for a moment, smiling down on the pair, before collecting himself and sitting straighter.

“I suppose you should go to Sidon now. He’ll be waiting at the top of the dam to the east, on the shore of the reservoir. I assume getting there won’t pose an issue?”

They turned to leave before the King called out to them.

“Link?”

His voice was different, softer.

“I suppose you will have forgotten our dear Mipha also?”

He didn’t know how to respond. Was there a right answer?

“Your silence speaks for you, Champion. Below this chamber, in the centre of the Domain, is a statue to honour my daughter, to immortalize her within the memories of the Zora. Perhaps it will raise some memories for you also.”

Link gave the King a sombre nod, before following Teba out of the hall.

By the time they reached the reservoir, the torrential rain had resumed. It slammed into the ground and the water relentless as the numerous waterfalls surrounding the Domain. Teba was, once again, soaked to the skin, and he was grateful to see the figure of Sidon in a covered bunker built into the side of the reservoir. The Rito gave a small wave, before running under cover and fluffing his feathers out, sending several waves of water towards Link, who was following closely behind.

Sidon stood, sombrely looking into the reservoir. Following his gaze, Teba saw the source of the Domain’s problems.

In the centre of the water was a large platform, slightly raised above the surface. Torrents of water erupted from within the structure. Such was the speed of the flow, it was impossible to guess how much water was being sent into the air, but Teba understood now why the Zora were concerned. The Divine Beast was clearly intent on submerging the entire kingdom, and it wouldn’t take long at this rate.

“So, what’s the plan?” he asked Sidon. “What do you already know about Vah Ruta?”

“On approach the entire beast rises to defend itself. There are four orbs, one on each corner, which control the water flow. Hitting one with a Shock Arrow seemed to slow the beast, so we think hitting all four should stop it completely. I presume you have Shock Arrows?”

Sidon’s voice was less cheery than usual, and his energetic mood seemed forced, Teba thought, as he nodded, checking his ammunition. He handed what he had to Link, who added them to his own supply.

“I had thought, as a Rito, you might be able to simply hit all four orbs yourself, but the rain will hinder that somewhat, correct?”

Teba grimaced.

“Probably. I might be able to hit two, but once the rain soaks in, I won’t be able to stay airborne for long.”

Sidon nodded, before turning to Link.

“The alternative is I swim you out to the Divine Beast myself, Link. There’s a flow of water coming from each side. Your Zora Armour should allow you to swim up it without too much difficulty. From there, a single shot to each orb should do it.”

Link nodded and summoned the Zora garment to change.

“A perfect fit…” Sidon muttered. And it was – even Link was surprised at how the armour was neither too tight but stuck to his skin like a wetsuit. Even the rain didn’t feel so cold, now.

Sidon sighed.

“Link, I… I know who you are. You are the Hylian Champion from 100 years ago, correct?”

Link froze, holding Sidon’s eye.

“Your silence says it all my friend. I want you to know that… What Muzu feels towards you and your race, it is a feeling I do not share. I cannot speak for the events of the Calamity, but I do not blame you one bit. Not for your defeat, not for the defeat of the Princess, not for the… death of my sister…” he trailed off, before turning back to face the reservoir. His fists clenched.

“The best we can do for her now is take back control of her Divine Beast. I will, of course, do everything in my power to help you in this task.”

The fire seemed to relight in his eyes as he spoke, and he flashed his brilliant grin at Link and Teba.

“Ready?”

Link nodded confidently.

“Ready.”

While the armour Link wore on his top half was waterproof, his trousers and boots were not. He gasped as he jumped into the water and had to hold on to Sidon until the initial shock wore off.

“You OK?” the Zora asked gently.

Link nodded.

Sidon tilted himself forward, and Link grabbed onto his shoulders. They began moving through the water, slowly at first, but quickly gaining speed, until Link’s hands were tightly gripping the Prince’s shoulders as the water raced past them.

As they moved towards the centre of the reservoir, Link felt the water around him churn. Tremors sent waves of increasing height tumbling from around the waterspout ahead of them, before dying away, leaving the surface suspiciously calm.

Vah Ruta burst from the depths of the reservoir, a mighty elephant, rising until each of its legs were almost standing on the water’s surface. Its trunk, segmented into multiple chunks and no longer spouting water, stretched far into the sky. The beast let out an almighty cry. To Link, it looked similar to the others he’d faced - the standard brick-like structure with pink highlights. Two cones emerged from below the trunk like tusks.

“Divine Beast Vah Ruta will no doubt use its power to repel us!” Sidon yelled over the sound of the rushing water. “That includes hurling giant ice blocks at us. I shall leave those to you.”

With that, Sidon powered around the side of the beast. Link spotted the orbs on the beast’s corners, glowing a bright pink and surrounded from below by barriers. They stood out like sore thumbs.

‘Why do weak points always do that?’

Huge cubes of ice formed by the beast’s side and hovered for a moment, before hurling towards the pair. There was some sort of icon engraved on the side of the blocks – ‘was it the same as the Cryonis rune?’

Link grabbed the Sheikah Slate and activated the rune. Sure enough, the blocks shattered into tiny particles, dissolving before they hit the water.

“Shock Arrows ready?” Sidon shouted, and he began swimming towards the beast. “Jump!”

Link propelled himself into the air, Sidon’s momentum carrying him into the waterfall. It crashed down, paralysing him. The force of the water thundered above him, yet he found he could still swim through it. He pushed forwards, his legs splashing behind him, trying desperately to find the surface of the reservoir…

…and burst out of the top of the waterfall, shooting high into the sky above Vah Ruta.

Surprised, it took him a moment to pull the Paraglider. From here, he had a clear line of sight to the two nearest orbs. Nocking a Shock Arrow, he felt time slow around him and aimed for the first. Upon the arrow finding its target, he twisted and let loose a second, striking the second orb.

As time resumed, the water came rushing up to meet him, and he disappeared far beneath the surface. Before he could feel any panic, strong arms grabbed him, pulling him towards the surface.

Sidon pulled Link out of the water and back on to his shoulders, before powering away from the Elephant as it let out another mighty roar.

“Fantastic, Link! You’ve already hit two of the orbs!”

Link could only admire the Zora’s toned back-muscles as he wiped the water from his face. Regaining his focus, he saw that Vah Ruta was once again launching an ice attack. This time, the ice blocks formed into spiked balls, which spun through the water for a moment before disappearing beneath the surface.

“Be wary, Link!” Sidon shouted, as one of the balls launched out of the water high into the air, before barrelling towards them. Link only just managed to shatter it in time before other balls appeared around them, far more than last time. Too many to deal with simultaneously.

“Forget the ice, Link! Deep breath and hold on tight!”

With this as warning, Sidon dove below the surface of the water, swimming almost vertically downwards. Link barely had time to catch a breath before the water surrounded him once more.

If the reservoir water had seemed dark from land, it was pitch black down here. Link quickly lost sight of the surface and could only grip onto Sidon’s shoulders tighter. The Prince levelled out before scanning his surroundings. He began swimming forwards and slightly up, but not quick enough for Link’s liking. He gave the Zora a few frantic squeezes, and they began accelerating towards the surface.

Link gasped as they broke into the air, far from where they had dived down.

“Sorry about that,” Sidon said, “Are you OK to carry on?”

Link coughed, but gave a thumbs up, and the Zora began swimming back towards the Divine Beast.

 Vah Ruta let out a desperate roar as the final arrow struck, its trunk flailing high into the air before crashing downwards. Link plunged into the water and felt Sidon’s strong hands pull him to the surface and onto his back.

“Link, look! The water spouting from Ruta has slowed down! It’s beginning to lift out of the water too!”

Ruta shuddered, before rising upwards. The trunk had sunk below the water’s surface, and there was a gentle ripple above it where water was still flowing, albeit at a much calmer pace. From below the beast, a large stone platform folded outward.

“We’ll return to collect Teba, then I’ll bring you closer!” Sidon shouted as he began swimming back to the reservoir’s edge.

Vah Ruta towered before them. With an unknown portion of it still submerged, it was impossible to tell exactly how large it was, but Link was certain it put the other beasts to shame.

‘It is an elephant, after all,’ he reasoned.

“Well, here we are. Looks like this is where the real work starts…”

He had deposited the pair on the stone platform, on which Link had noted a Sheikah Terminal, and now bobbed in the water below looking up at them.

“Why don’t you come with us?” Teba suggested. “We could always use more help.”

Sidon’s face perked up. He glanced at the Divine Beast, then back to Zora’s Domain.

“I think I had better not,” he sighed. “As much as I would love to, I should report back to my father about the current situation. I wish you both the best of luck, though! Show the enemy no fear!”

The Divine Beast shuddered and began to rise further.

“I’ll see you both back at the Domain!” Sidon shouted up at them as he watched them ascend. Before long, he dipped below the surface, and Link and Teba retreated into the beast.

Sidon reappeared above the surface of the now calm reservoir waters as Vah Ruta’s trunk let out a slow trickle.

“Finish the job, heroes…”

Chapter Text

“You’re here.”

The voice was soft and bounced off of the beast’s walls gently. Link didn’t move as she spoke. Teba was startled to find that he could also hear her.

“I must say… that I am so happy to see that this day has finally arrived. Now Ruta can be freed of Ganon’s control. You’ll need a map to prevent you from getting lost. The Guidance Stone in the entrance chamber contains the information that you will need.”

“That’s…” Teba began slowly.

“Mipha.” Link nodded gravely and bowed his head for a moment. “Let’s get started, I suppose.”

They entered the beast.

“You can hear her too?” Link asked, “But not Urbosa or Revali…”

They stood in front of the Guidance Stone, the map of Vah Ruta distilling onto the Sheikah Slate.

“Beats me. She sounds nice.”

Link nodded. “She was… I think.”

“Do you remember much about her?”

Link scrunched up his face as he removed the slate from the stone.

“Kind of… I remembered some stuff at the statue, but there’s more coming back to me in bits.”

“That’s not how it normally happens, is it?”

“No, but the other things aren’t complete, and they’re not all from just before the Calamity. I remember playing with her when I was young, jumping off of waterfalls, chasing the Lynel on Ploymous-“

“You chased a Lynel for fun?” Teba exclaimed. “No wonder you’re so…”

“Brave? Courageous?” Link laughed. “Mipha had the power of healing, so she healed me whenever I got hurt. I remembered that at the statue.”

“That would explain why she was chosen to be the Zora Champion.”

“Five Terminals, five pedestals we need to activate – the usual,” Link muttered as he studied the map. “Think we could sneak past that Guardian out there?”

Teba considered the small Guardian which sat motionless in the corner of the chamber.

“I think I could deal with it with my eyes closed.”

“By the way, can you control Ruta the same way you could control Medoh and Naboris?”

Link nodded and checked his surroundings, glancing up to the ceiling.

“Sure can, go stand over by that cog and I’ll show you what I can do.”

They stood now in the central chamber above the entrance. Two large cylinders connected above pools, a terminal in each which they hadn’t yet managed to reach, although Link was beginning to piece the beast’s puzzles together.

“Alright,” Teba shouted over to the Hylian, “What now?”

Link changed some settings on the slate, then looked back at the Rito.

Teba cocked his head at the Hylian. He had obviously changed something, but all that had happened was that Ruta had begun to tremble, like part of the beast was moving.

Gradually the trembling turned into a roar, louder and louder, until a torrent of water came flooding through the top of the beast, landing directly where Teba was standing. The Rito, forced down by the pressure, leapt forwards and rolled out of the current. Too late, however - the water had already soaked through to his skin.

He stood and ruffled the surface water from his feathers. Link stood, his hand to his mouth holding the silent laughter back as the Rito glared back.

“If and when,” Teba said quietly, “you do manage to take down Calamity Ganon, I will give you 30 seconds and you’d better run as far as possible because not even the Demon King will stop me from finding you and skinning you alive.”

Link’s laughter shook his body as the sodden Rito turned and walked away.

“You’ve activated all of the terminals! Now you can start the main control unit. There should be a new glowing mark on your map. Head there, but be careful not to let your guard down!”

Link jumped back from the terminal, and out of the rush of water falling from above. It had done the trick of extinguishing the flames surrounding the panel, but they reignited if left alone, so the flow had had to stay on target. Now he stood in front of a smirking Teba, dripping wet.

“Oh, did you get soaked there?” the Rito sang smugly. “What a shame…”

Link made a face back, before summoning some dry armour from the Sheikah Slate.

“Ready to go? I think the main control unit was on the bottom floor.”

“Let’s finish this off,” Teba agreed, “and then we can get somewhere warm and dry for once…”

The main control unit sat alone in an empty chamber. A shallow pool covered the floor, light glinting around the walls through the large windows high above them.

“What an ominous room,” Teba muttered.

“If we hadn’t done this twice before, I’d swear we were about to fight a big monster in here,” Link agreed.

He walked forward, steps sending ripples through the water. Slowly, he placed the slate against the unit, and it began to glow a brilliant orange. The slate vibrated gently in his hand in time to the whirs of the beast, and finally the unit turned blue.

Link cocked his head. Was that it? He turned to Teba, who shrugged.

“Maybe whatever was here died of old age?” the Rito offered.

Link took the Slate back and began walking towards Teba. As he walked, the water below his feet rippled outwards. Then he noticed another ripple, a larger wave, coming from behind him.

He heard Teba shout as he whirled round to face the large swarm of encircling the control unit. From the depths of the cloud, he spotted an eye, then a hand…

…then a massive blue spear, flying straight towards his face. Link closed his eyes and waited for the blow.

“NO! I will not allow you to take them also!”

He heard the clash of metal-on-metal before he opened his eyes. In front of him stood Sidon, his tridents blocking the beast’s spear. He turned and gave Link his trademark smile, though the strain in his eyes was obvious.

“Sidon!” Link exclaimed, drawing his sword.

Sidon turned back to the beast, which had now formed into a tall monster, thinner than the previous beasts, and pushed his tridents upwards, forcing the spear back to its wielder.

“Close one,” Teba shouted, joining Link and the Prince, drawing his bow. “Ready for a fight, Your Majesty?”

Sidon grinned at the Rito, and they dove into battle.

The beast dropped its spear and screamed, throwing arm-like swirls of malice into the air.

“Is it done?” Sidon yelled over the noise.

Link grimaced against the screech. It felt like it was driving right into his soul, rattling through each of his bones as it went.

“None of the others went down this easy…” Teba shouted back.

As if on cue, the beast curled its hands upwards, the scream becoming less savage and more concentrated. The water around Link’s feet began to bubble, then swirl, then rise around them. The pool which had once covered the floor of the room now rose higher, consuming the main control unit and forcing Teba into the air.

Four stone platforms rose out of the water, giving the fighters some solid ground to rest on, but soon after the beast’s screaming stopped, and its attention turned back to them.

“What are we meant to do now?” Link asked, holding the monster’s glare. “He’s over the water!”

“Link, Teba, you distract him, I’ll bring him down onto solid land!” Sidon whispered, before diving into the water.

Teba fired an arrow towards the beast, which dodged and struck back, the spear slicing past the Rito’s wing by only a few centimetres. Link took the opportunity to summon a block of ice and leap onto another platform. From here, he launched a bomb towards the beast. Its explosion didn’t reach, but the noise drew its glare, and it turned to face the Hylian.

Sidon leapt upwards out of the water, tridents flying towards the beast’s back. He slammed them down and the creature collapsed onto one of the platforms. It lay still for a moment, stunned by the impact, and Link used the time to let loose with his sword.

The beast roared and threw itself upwards, launching Link into the water. He plunged below the surface for a moment before Sidon’s arms grabbed him and threw him back onto a platform, where he rolled onto his front, spluttering.

“You OK?” Teba shouted from across the room. Link gave a feeble thumbs up, his soaked hair plastered across his eyes.

The beast rematerialized between them, its spear pointing towards the Rito, who dodged out of the way of its swing. Instead of launching a second swing, the spear disappeared, replaced by a curve of malice in the shape of a bow. The Blight swung the bow in Teba’s direction, then Link’s, before locking on to the shadow of red lurking in the water. It crackled with energy, and Link called out:

“Sidon! It’s coming for you!”

Sidon propelled himself into the air just as the monster released its shot. The projectile hit the water and dissolved, sending shockwaves across the surface. The pool bubbled, as if it were boiling, but created no steam.

Sidon landed deftly beside Link.

“That was close,” he whispered, swinging his tridents. The beast raised the bow once more, aiming at Link and Sidon, but was interrupted by a Shock Arrow, knocking the bow out of its hands and into the water, where it dissolved. The beast shrieked and turned, only to be met with another Shock Arrow in the eye, knocking it down onto an adjacent platform.

As Teba swooped in to attack, Link turned to Sidon.

“Give me a boost.”

Sidon’s eyes raised but he clasped his hands and held them out. Link stepped into his grip and jumped, the combined force sending him across the toxic pool towards the stunned Blight. He landed with a stagger before rolling to his feet. Jumping forward, he brought his sword down with all his weight, the blade tearing through the malice and into the Blight’s eye.

It screamed and jolted backwards, rolling into the pool. The water hissed and crackled as the beast came into contact with it, and swirls of malice swarmed upwards. Link watched as the Blight dissolved into the water, its screams turning to gurgles as it was dragged below the surface.

As the final remnants of malice dissolved, the whole pool began to hiss, bubbles rising quickly to the surface. Link moved to Teba, ready to be lifted out of harm’s way before noticing that water level was actually lowering. After a moment of hissing, the water had returned to its former shallow depth, and the energy, once crackling across the surface, had disappeared too.

“Is it… gone?” Sidon asked tentatively. Teba looked to Link, who looked to the main control unit, now free of any sign of malice. He nodded.

“Thank you for your help, Prince,” Teba nodded to Sidon, who brushed it off with a wave.

“It was nothing. Anything for my friends.”

Link glanced at Teba, nodding back to the control unit. Teba cocked his head at the look on the Hylian’s face but nodded and turned back to Sidon.

“Perhaps we should double check the beast is truly no longer a threat?”

Sidon nodded and followed the Rito out of the chamber, leaving Link alone with the control unit.

He took a breath and held the Sheikah Slate up. The response was almost immediate.

“Hello, Link.”

He turned.

There, in the centre of the room, was Mipha, hovering just above the water. He felt a lump begin to grow in his throat, which he quickly swallowed.

“Because of the courage you and your allies have shown, my spirit is now free. And Ruta, as well. Thank you.”

She began to move forwards leaving a small ripple in her wake. Link noticed how small she was, only just matching his height despite hovering above the ground.

“I am now allowed by this freedom to see you once again. Since I am now a spirit, my healing power would be wasted on me – I have no need of it. I would like you to have it.”

She held out her hand and the water began to swirl around Link’s feet.

“Please accept… Mipha’s Grace.”

A bright ball glowed in her hand, and the water twisted up around Link, surrounding but not submerging him. It began to glow, and he felt a surge of energy rush through his body, refreshing each limb. He felt like he was devouring a glass of water after three weeks in the desert.

The water began to decline until it rested still at his feet once more. Mipha stood closer now. He spotted a single tear roll down her cheek.

“Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here, and you brought Sidon too. All this time my hope…”

She looked away.

“My hope was to see you once more.”

Link looked away himself now. He felt a wetness around his eye – leftover from the battle? Or…

“I’m relieved to see your tunic fits well. I assume father told you… what it meant?”

The tear ran down his face, followed by another. He stepped forward, his voiced shaking.

“Mipha, I…”

“I must go, Link. Ruta and I have our roles to fulfil, as do you. We are both honoured to be able to play the role of support.”

As her image began to fade, Link felt the tears falling more freely, running down his face and splashing into the water below.

“Please, don’t go-“ he croaked, moving towards her.

“Farewell, Link. Please, tell my father… I never meant to make him worry.”

And with that, she was gone. Link sank, his knees splashing into the water, unable to control his tears.

Alone.

Teba watched Link as he slept in the waterbed. They had retreated to the inn at Zora’s Domain after freeing Vah Ruta to regroup and plan their next move. Sidon had reported to the King, promising to meet with them later. Link, however, hadn’t spoken a word since they left him. While his silence wasn’t unusual, he had barely even looked at Teba or reacted to any of his questions either. He had been almost completely despondent.

‘At least,’ he considered, ‘his nightmares seemed to have stopped.’

Now, as colour began to appear above the mountains surrounding the Domain, he had slept the whole night calmly. Teba couldn’t get comfortable on the liquid mattress, and so had stayed awake.

He kept watch, not for monsters or danger, but for the goings on of a society. The shopkeeper took stock after closing at night before diving into the pools of water below the throne room. The innkeeper seemed permanently tired – not unlike a certain Hylian he knew. There were bursts of gossip from above in hushed tones.

‘Life goes on,’ he thought. ‘Just like back home.’

At the sound of a less-than-elegant splash below them, Link began to stir. Teba watched as the Hylian twisted, pushing the light blanket onto the floor, before sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He still looked tired.

“Morning,” he croaked.

A response - that was encouraging.

“Sleep ok?”

Link nodded, before pointing back.

“These beds don’t agree with me I’m afraid. I’ll be fine, though.”

The Hylian swung his legs out of the bed. He placed his head into his hands, exhaling, before running them through his hair.

“How are you feeling?” Teba asked.

Link shrugged.

“Fine. Just wanna get away from here, y’know?”

“Well, I might be able to help with that, actually,” Teba said. “Remember that celebration I told you about in the desert? The Festival of Wind.”

Link nodded.

“Well, it’s in a few days’ time from now. I was planning on going back for it anyway, but you’d be more than welcome if you want a break before heading to Eldin.”

“I’d like that,” Link said, standing. “As long as you promise Saki doesn’t get started on me…”

“Not even I’m capable of that, I’m afraid,” Teba chuckled. “We should go and speak with the King before we leave, I’m sure he’ll want to thank you.”

Link swallowed heavily. Not a conversation he was looking forward to.

Stepping out of the inn, he spotted Vah Ruta standing triumphantly atop the highlands outside of the Domain, its laser locked onto Hyrule Castle.

‘Three down.’

Chapter Text

Materialising at the top of Tabantha Tower, the cold air bracedagainst Link’s skin as he changed into his Snowquill Armour.

‘Cold,’ he thought, ‘but at least it’s dry.’

Teba was looking to the north. From the tower platform, Vah Medoh and Rito Village were clearly visible.

“Looking forward to it?” Link asked, sensing the Rito’s eagerness to return home.

“More than you can imagine,” came the reply. “Shall we move?”

Link nodded and followed Teba off of the side of the platform, pulling his Paraglider and gliding behind him.

The Stable on the outskirts of the village stood at the base of a large slope. Link could just about see the figure of Beedle, the traveling merchant (who, he had noticed, managed to show up just about everywhere…) plodding down the path, while the innkeeper swept the ground around the Stables.

Teba greeted the guard patrolling the first rope bridge into the village as Link collected some items from Beedle, before they began crossing the makeshift bridges.

“How come these bridges are so rickety?” Link asked, as his foot split yet another wooden plank.

“The village is designed to be hard to reach by foot. We don’t need to walk, remember?”

“How could I forget…” Link said, rolling his eyes.

“Because anyone could just walk into Hyrule Castle and see how that went,” Teba shot back.

“Hi Mazli,” the Rito waved to the guard by the village entrance.

“Teba! Good to see you back,” Mazli replied, “Link, it’s good to see you too!”

Link recognised him as the Rito who had engaged him in a (one-sided) conversation about dragons during his last visit. The maroon Rito smiled at him warmly.

“Anything to report while I was away?” Teba asked. “Has Medoh made any movements?”

“I’m afraid not, but we did notice two more red lasers targeting the Castle. Were they your doing?”

“We took back the beasts in the desert and the wetlands, yes. Although it was mostly Link, I’ll admit.”

Link frowned at the comment.

“How many are left?”

“Just one,” Link replied, “in Eldin.”

Mazli jumped slightly at the sound of Link’s voice. He realized he hadn’t exactly been vocal during his last visit.

“Anyway,” Teba jumped in, “I’d better go check in with Saki before she finds out I’m back through other means.”

“See you later, Mazli,” Link waved as he followed Teba up the stairs and into the village.

“And just WHEN were you going to tell me you were back?”

Saki stood, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. Teba gazed back, beak open.

“How did you know we were back at all? We just walked into the village 2 minutes ago!”

“I have my sources, Mr. Seems like you stopped to talk to just about everyone except me!”

Link watched awkwardly from the doorway. He wasn’t sure whether to interject or just back away in an attempt to save himself from the wrath of an angry Rito. His answer came in the form of a tug at his trouser leg. He looked down to see Tulin smiling up at him.

“They might be like this for a while,” he whispered. “Want to come see something cool?”

Link considered his options, before nodding. They quietly slipped away.

The 5 stones stood in a circle around a raised platform. It glowed orange, just like the shrines, but Link couldn’t see anything of note nearby.

“This is where the other kids come to practice their singing,” Tulin half shouted at him. He had climbed onto one of the stones and was now balancing precariously on top. “Sometimes I sneak out to listen to them.”

Each stone had a different formation and a small hole chiselled through the centre. On closer inspection, Link found that each hole was a slightly different size, ranging from around the width of his hand to a hole he could probably fit through.

“So!” Tulin shouted, jumping from the stone, and landing clumsily, “Where did you and Dad go? Did’ya do anything cool?”

Link chuckled at the thought of Teba doing anything remotely cool.

“Mazza mentioned the desert and the wetlands when I asked.”

“Mazza?” Link murmured back.

“Mister Mazza at the front of the village! He keeps out all the bad people.”

“Ah, of course,” he chuckled. He sat on the pedestal next to Tulin.

“The desert must have been super-duper hot, right!?”

“Super-duper,” Link nodded. “We had to stay in the shade during the day.”

“That’s so cool. I’ve never been too hot! In fact, I think I’ve only ever been cold. Once, when I went into the mountains with Dad, he…”

Link smiled inwardly as the fledgling went off on a thousand tangents, one after another, never seeming to pause for breath. He wondered how that trait had been passed down, seeing as neither Saki nor Teba were chatterboxes. Maybe it was just the thoughts of an overexcited, hyper child.

He looked out over the large lake that surrounded the village. The sun was glittering against the calm waters below, barely a breeze to move the trees around them.

“…anyway that’s how I ended up with my beak stuck in a barrel of baked apples. Funny, right?”

Link blinked.

“Sure is, Tulin.”

“Anyway, we should probably get back. Mum’ll want me to help set up for the festival.”

Link stood, stretching as Tulin ran down the verge back towards the village.

“Race you back!” He called back to Link, who chuckled.

‘I guess he could use a little bit of a head start…’

Link found Teba sitting by the cooking pot in the Firing Range. The sun was still high in the sky, but the snow whirled around them nonetheless.

“Made it out alive, then?” Link shouted out.

“Only just,” he chuckled back, not taking his attention away from the bow he was restringing. “I’ve been consigned out here until the festival starts, so I thought I might as well do something useful.”

Link sat opposite him and took out the Sheikah Slate.

“Mind if I do some cooking? We kinda burned through most of our supplies.”

Teba shrugged, and Link began swiping through his materials. He grouped together some carp and Hearty Radishes, and, while they cooked, summoned a chunk of Raw Prime Meat and paired it with some Courser Bee Honey. His stomach rumbled.

“Do you ever think about anything other than food?” Teba murmured.

Link shrugged.

“Sometimes I think about drink, does that count?”

“No, it doesn’t.”

The Hylian chuckled as he filled up the slate with the new meals.

“So where did you two sneak off to earlier?” Teba asked, placing the bow down carefully beside him.

“Some place called Warbler’s Nest?”

“Off to the west, right? Tulin probably shouldn’t be going there on his own…”

“Well, he was with me.”

“Let me rephrase that – Tulin probably shouldn’t be going there without a responsible adult.”

“Ouch.”

“I appreciate you looking after him, though.”

“Wasn’t hard work,” Link replied with a shrug. “I just nod when he stops for breath.”

Teba chuckled and they fell into silence. Link shivered as he watched the snow whirling around the cabin. He took out his Snowquill Headdress.

“I was going to have a chat with Tulin…” Teba muttered, “about whether he still wants to train for the guard.”

“You had doubts?”

Teba sighed.

“No, but he should have options. He wouldn’t thank me for forcing him into something he doesn’t enjoy.”

“He enjoys coming to the Flight Range though, right? No harm in training even if it’s not with joining the guard in mind. Fun is fun for fun’s sake.”

“I guess. Would you mind… being there when I ask him? Just for backup.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.”

Teba tracked a snowflake as it fell past the cabin, swirling around in circles before floating towards the crackling fire and dissolving into nothing.

We should probably get going,” he said, taking the bow in hand and standing. “The meal should be starting soon. Any preference for seating?”

‘Anywhere not next to Saki is fine.”

He sat next to Tulin, in the end. The fledgling had fussed about sitting next to his Mum, then Teba, then Link, then back to his Mum, so they had sat him between Link and Saki, and across from Teba. On his other side was Mazli, who had looked pleased when he first sat down, but had been unusually quiet since.

After the first course, a hot chicken soup which he devoured before most others had even started, Link turned to Mazli, who was resolutely staring down a pitcher of water on the table.

“Have you spotted Dinraal again?”

Mazli jumped a little, his eyes darting down to meet Link’s.

“Dinraal?”

“The dragon. You were telling me about it last time, right?”

“Oh, Dinraal, of course! Yes, that was me.”

“You ok? You look a bit… out of it?”

Mazli sighed and rubbed his eyes.

“Sorry, long day I guess.”

Link chuckled.

“You haven’t seen the other Dragons by any chance?” Mazli continued.

“Not yet, sorry. Don’t know where they are.”

“Oh, well I can probably help with that.”

The Rito sat back in his chair and thought aloud.

“Farosh has been seen around Lake Hylia during the morning and evening.”

“That explains why we didn’t see it, then,” Link replied. “We only passed Lake Hylia for an hour or so during the day.”

“Farosh’s known movements tend to be around the Faron rainforest to the south of there,” Mazli added. “Naydra, on the other hand… there haven’t been any confirmed sightings of Naydra since the Calamity 100 years ago.”

“You mean… Ganon… what, killed it?” Link asked, trying to hide his shock. “Is that even possible?”

Mazli’s eyes lit up and he leaned forward.

“No confirmed sightings. There are quite a few rumours, though. Have you heard of Kakariko Village?”

“Only in passing,” Link lied.

“Apparently there’s a secret Shrine to the Goddess around there. Rumour has it Naydra was wounded, but not killed, and she hides within that Shrine.”

“Could a dragon hide from Hylians? Wouldn’t it be too large?”

Mazli shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

“Not really sure, to be honest. Pretty cool though, right? I’d love to be able to go and find the truth someday.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open if we’re ever in the area.”

They were interrupted by the arrival of the second course – a meat dish, probably, but Link had devoured it before he could really tell.

“You know nobody’s going to steal that from you, Link?” Saki asked. She smiled at him over Tulin’s head.

Link chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. Her gaze moved beyond and slightly behind him, and he saw her smile falter for a moment before she turned back to her food.

‘Was that at him?’ he wondered. He glanced behind him for any strange sights but saw nothing. He glanced back, but Saki had resumed eating, and he didn’t want to interrupt, or speak at all now, really.

The remaining three courses flashed by, and Link found himself following Teba out of the feast and back towards their roost. As they passed Revali’s Landing, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hope you enjoyed that,” Mazli said, “the meal, I mean.”

Link smiled and nodded.

“I suppose you and Teba will be leaving again tomorrow? I should be posted at the village entrance again, if you want to say bye or anything…”

He gave a small smile and Link watched the evening lights twinkle in his green eyes.

“Anyway, I’ll just go, night Link!” Mazli blurted, before about turning and almost stumbling down the stairs.

‘Twinkling in his green eyes’? Where did that come from? Surely that’s not how you interact with a normal person? And why had so many people made funny faces over his shoulder? Had someone stuck a message on his back?’

Link felt his heart rising and his chest tightening.

‘Too many thoughts for one night.’

The cold winter air bit against his skin, but the view from up here was worth it. Standing on Vah Medoh’s splayed wing, he could see far across Hyrule Field, all the way to Vah Ruta in the east. He imagined the snow clouds would blot out the view almost entirely, but tonight it was clear.

“You’re back.”

The voice rang out at him from all angles and he almost lost his footing in fright.

'Was that…?'

“What, you thought you could just climb aboard without the pilot noticing? You never were the sharpest.”

Link turned. There, standing alongside him on the beast’s wing, was Revali. His appearance was more solid than it had been when they had last met, but he was still surrounded by a faint blue aura.

“Didn’t think you’d speak to me,” he muttered, turning back to Hyrule.

“Well, I don’t exactly have much choice, do I? It’s either you or nothing,” the Rito spat back. “And I sensed you weren’t coming up here for a chat over tea, so I thought ‘what better a way to ruin your evening by appearing?’”

Link smiled slightly.

“So,” Revali continued, his voice softening slightly, “why are you here, then? Am I correct in assuming it wasn’t to speak to me?”

The Hylian nodded and sat, his feet dangling over the side of the wing. Revali joined him.

“Was just a long night, I guess… I know it sounds stupid, but you check there’s nothing on my back?”

“On your-“ Revali let out a large sigh but stood and walked behind him.

“Nothing, apart from the constant urge to push you off…”

“I’d just drag you down with me.”

“Your hand would go right through me, remember? But if I had still been alive, I’d have taken your arm off before you could even touch me.”

He sat again and took in the view with Link.

“So… why ask me to check your back?”

“People kept looking at me weird, thought someone had played a prank or something.”

“Well, that’s just… asinine…” Revali said, his voice slowing as he turned to face Link. His eyes narrowed.

“What?” Link asked. “Now you’re doing it too! If you’re just going to make things worse then you can piss off!”

“Calm down, you idiot, I was going to tell you. I see you’ve been getting particularly friendly with a Rito down there…”

“Yeah, well that’s another problem, but how did you know?”

“Your headdress, hand it over,” Revali stated bluntly, holding out his wing.

“Won’t it just… go through?” Link asked as he removed it, the cold air biting slightly harder.

Revali’s beak fell slightly, before he composed himself.

“Just hold it out then. In front of you.”

Link held the thin ring of fabric in front of him. Brass-coloured beads ran round the circumference, with shinier jewels dotted around, and Teba’s white feather attached to the side.

“That’s not the original feather, is it.”

Revali’s wing brushed against the feather, creating a slight breeze in its wake. Link shook his head.

“There’s an old ancient Rito tradition involving the Snowquill headdress,” the Rito continued, waving his wing out in front of him. Link rolled his eyes.

“Must be old if you’ve heard of it…” he muttered under his breath. Revali either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore it and continued.

“A Rito presenting their feather to a Hylian, often for use in their clothing, is a show of dedication, either in a romantic or deep platonic sense. I can’t possibly imagine why anyone would ever consider you in either of those ways, but here we are. That’s probably why you were getting some odd looks – you tame the Divine Beast then disappear for weeks, then when you reappear you’re engaged to one of their own!”

Link’s brain stalled.

“That’s not what happened! For a start he’s married.”

This time, Revali’s beak fell wide open. Link was grateful for the moment’s silence.

‘Surely Teba had to have meant it as a platonic gesture?’

“Was it often used as a friendship thing?”

Revali pulled himself together after a moment.

“Most often, yes. Marriage between Rito and other races was rare, so it wasn’t like it was used as a marriage proposal. If the owner of this feather is married, then it’s likely a gesture of trust and friendship, yes.”

Link’s chest loosened slightly. At least he wouldn’t have to explain that to Saki, although he still felt a bit awkward that Teba had gifted him something so important.

They sat in silence, the only sound a gentle whirring from within the Divine Beast. Link wasn’t sure how long they sat there for – time seemed to disappear in the air around them.

“You look tired,” Revali said in a tone so gentle Link was almost surprised.

“I don’t sleep well.”

“Nightmares?”

Link nodded.

“I have them too, sometimes.”

“You sleep?”

The Champion shrugged.

“Not in the same way I did when I was alive, but there are periods when I allow my mind to wander. Piloting a Divine Beast is hard work, but it doesn’t take up all of my time.”

He let out a sigh.

“It’s always the same one, though. That day, 100 years ago, when Ganon awoke. Do you remember it?”

Link shrugged.

“Vaguely,” he lied.

“I had two jobs – to pilot Vah Medoh and aid in the destruction of Ganon,” he sighed again, and Link thought he saw his bright blue feathers wilt a little. “I failed two for two… and my nightmares won't let me forget it.”

“I’m… sorry,” Link muttered. “Mine are different every time and I don’t really know what they’re trying to say…”

“What are they like?”

“It’s… always me, but I look different. I’ve been a child, an adult, I even had pink hair once. But it’s always me, I can feel it. I had one last night that was different again. I was on a boat in the middle of the ocean. I couldn’t see anything but water for miles. Then this tower started rising out of nowhere, water pouring out of it. Was kind of weird.”

Revali pushed out a breath.

“Well, once again you’ve bested me, Hylian. Those are some truly disturbing dreams.”

“I don’t think it’s a competition of who can have the worst dreams,”

“Of course not,” Revali replied, straightening his back and turning away, “but if it were I’m not sure anyone could rival you.”

Link chuckled. He looked to the east, where Vah Ruta was silhouetted against a faint glow encroaching above the horizon.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, “for listening to me ramble all night.”

He turned, but Revali was gone, an empty space where he had appeared moments before.

“Never could take a compliment, could you?” He thought aloud while standing. Pulling out the Paraglider, he took one last look at the view, before diving down to the village below.

He had an errand to run.

The blue Rito didn’t raise his head when he entered, continuing to focus on the bow in his lap. Only once he had finished the task at hand did he look up. He was surprised to see the Hylian Teba had accompanied standing in front of him looking as though he hadn’t slept in three weeks.

“Link,” he said, his voice low but carrying through the early morning air, “what can I do for you at this hour?”

The Hylian’s mouth opened for a moment before he spoke.

“Harth, I need a favour.”

“Daaaad do you really have to go?”

Tulin circled his father’s feet as they walked over the bridge towards the Stable. Link walked behind them, his feet dragging slightly. Saki had, predictably, had some choice words for him when he disappeared the previous night, and Teba hadn’t exactly been happy with him either, but he managed to brush them off eventually with some story about going to the Flight Range.

“I’ll be back before you know it, kiddo,” Teba said, removing the excited fledgling from his leg and placing him gently back on the ground.

When they reached the Stable, Tulin turned his attention to Link, jumping on his shoulder and getting a tour of the building while Saki turned to Teba, a forlorn look on her face.

“Just one more beast then you’ll be home again, right?”

“Well, one more and then whatever is left of the Castle.”

“The castle!? Teba for Hylia’s sake that place is riddled with monsters!”

“So is the rest of Hyrule, in case you hadn’t noticed,” he said, his voice rising to match Saki’s.

He sighed.

“I’m sorry, but I have to finish what I started. I can’t just leave Link on his own.”

Saki stared him down for what felt like an age before deflating slightly.

“Look,” she said, glancing at Link, who was now spotting Tulin as he tiptoed across a plank of wood elevated above a basin of water, “whatever happens out there, no matter how ‘chosen’ he is or how ‘fated’ your help is, if you get into trouble, please save yourself. Saving the world isn’t worth anything if you’re not in it with me.”

Teba moved forward and they embraced, Saki’s wings clutching tightly at his back.

“I will,” he whispered into her shoulder, “I promise.”

“Ew!” Tulin shouted from his stance atop the plank. He promptly lost his balance, slipping off the wood and splashing into the water below. Link dived forward and pulled him out dripping wet.

“Serves him right,” Teba muttered, earning him a stare from Saki. “Alright, time to go.”

He nodded to Link, who brought Tulin to Saki then reached for the slate.

“Be careful, both of you,” Saki said, taking the now fluffed-up Tulin into her arms.

Link nodded and pressed down on the screen. Teba locked eyes with Saki, before they disappeared in streaks of bright blue energy.

“Please come home, Teba.”

Chapter Text

North of Zora’s Domain, beyond the great cliffs of Upland Zorana, a ruined fortress stood atop a towering chunk of rock.

Akkala Citadel.

Once it had stood as the pinnacle of the Kingdom’s military force, arguably even more impressive and impenetrable than the twisting corridors of Hyrule Castle itself. Surrounded on all but one sides by rocky cliffs, a narrow bridge provided the only safe path into the fortress, funnelling any assault into a predictable area.

Now, though, it lay ruined, infested with malice and guardians. The roof of the fortress had all but disappeared, and a Tower spire emerged from the rubble, standing tall above the ruin. Nature had also snuck in. Bright orange patches of leaves on branches perched at impossible angles along the cliff edges, clinging on to sheer surfaces and emerging from cracks in the stone. The bridge too lay in ruins, the entrance having collapsed totally, its remains lying in the valley below.

In fact, much of the building had met the same fate, the integral structure remaining, while the decoration had fallen to waste. The fortress had stood desolate for a century now. The threat of Guardians kept adventurers away, a testament to the state of the Kingdom. No one had stepped foot here in a very long time.

Until now.

“Couldn’t you just gale up to the Tower?” Teba asked. Link shook his head.

“This place is crawling with Guardians; it would be too easy for something to shoot us down out of nowhere.”

“So, what? We sneak our way up?”

“Yeah, basically.”

Teba looked in surprise.

“You? Sneak?”

Link nodded again, a small grin creeping across his face.

“If you don’t remember, I’m quite good at being quiet, actually. Plus, I picked up gear in Kakariko that’s meant to make your movements quieter, and I want to try it out.”

“And what about me? I suppose I have to be quiet too.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Link muttered, already searching through the Sheikah Slate for his new outfit.

“Just watch your step on the way up. Wouldn’t want you tripping and falling now, would we?”

The main doors into the citadel towered above the entrance hall, almost the full height of the room itself. They struck awe into anyone who entered, whether travelling merchant or royalty. Large, intricate engravings displayed various impressive and important scenes, illuminated by several torches positioned on either side of the entrance.

But even they hadn’t been able to resist the decay of time. Now, the entrance was blocked by dirt and brick, the doors unhinged and half buried, their engravings scratched and hidden.

With no entry available here, the only path forward was a stone stairway which snaked its way around the exterior, crumbling in places and missing in others.

“We can probably shoot that one down,” Link whispered.

They were hunched behind a mound of stone facing the entrance. A single Skywatcher Guardian patrolled ahead, hovering left and right, a pale red beam creating a pool of light on the rocky ground below.

“Do what you like, I don’t think there’s any way in here. The entrance is totally ruined.”

“We’ll go up there,” Link pointed to a narrow stairway that disappeared around the side of the structure.

Teba nodded and nocked a Bomb Arrow. He waited for the Guardian to pause in its tracks, raised slightly over their cover, and fired.

A bright blue beam shot from within the citadel’s walls, intercepting the arrow mid-flight. It exploded mid-air, the Skywatcher seemingly none the wiser.

“Ok then…” Link muttered, sinking a little further behind the rubble.

“Maybe flying up wasn’t such a good idea after all,” Teba agreed. “So, what now, Scramble Manoeuvre?”

“A what?”

“Scramble. It’s a term we use in the Guard. If we both present an equal risk to the enemy their attention will be split and, hopefully, so will their firepower.”

“So, what, we just run in different directions and hope they don’t shoot either of us?”

“It’s a bit more effective in the air, I’ll admit. How about we throw you off the edge and see if they follow you down?”

“Would probably be safer, but sure, let’s try your ‘Scramble Manoeuvre,’ I’ll be sure to thank you if we survive it.”

The Citadel hadn’t been required in a combative capacity since its construction. Despite its seemingly turbulent royal line, Hyrule was a relatively peaceful kingdom, perhaps unsurprising given the constant threat of a supernatural evil.

As such, the grounds had been used as a military base, hosting parades and inspections and even the occasional tournament, although those were usually reserved for the Coliseum. Below the bridge, the large parade grounds sprawled away below the sheer cliff-face. During royal visits, hundreds of guards would stand, perfectly in line, ready to be inspected. Some, such as the King or disinterested advisors, would pass each row without a second glance. Others, including the Princess and her advisor, Lady Impa, would enjoy the event, stopping to speak and admiring the uniformity of the army.

In a general sense, the fortress acted as a residential for soldiers. A mess hall large enough to cater for hundreds at once, dorms designed with minimal room for maximum capacity. Some of the higher floors were dedicated to research, some reserved for important visitors and permanent residents.

“You idiot.”

“Sorry.”

“I could have been killed.”

“It was your idea in the first place!”

Link stood leaning against the side of the fortress, while Teba, bent double, held his right wing against his chest.

“My idea was to split the fire equally,” he replied tartly, “but someone decided to run out with his fancy stealth gear on and wasn’t seen at all!”

Link ran his hand across his mouth and turned away to hide his laughter. After a moment, he reached for the slate and swiped the screen before summoning a small bottle.

“Here, this should help,” he said, handing over the vial.

Teba eyed the red substance inside.

“For what it’s worth,” he muttered, uncorking the bottle, and trying to ignore the smell, “I dodged every single one of those lasers.”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have flown straight into the wall afterwards then…”

Link ducked under Teba’s swipe and jumped back, the smile never leaving his face.

“So what next, do we just carry on up?” Teba asked, gesturing to the staircase, which continued up around the side of the wall.

“I guess so,” Link shrugged, “just carry on until something gets in our way again.”

“Well how about you walk in front, and I’ll make sure your back is nice and safe from any attacks, how about that?” Teba said, glaring at the beaming Hylian.

Perhaps it was ironic, then, that the fortresses’ first stand had also been its last. After the Calamity had lain ruin to the Castle, the remaining forces had fallen back to the only place they knew they could defend. The one place they knew was impenetrable.

With the King dead, and the Princess missing, the hierarchy of the army had shifted, but not disappeared. While technically the scientific advisors in residence were in charge, the generals and admirals had assumed control over the situation, briefing the advisors and preparing for their stand against Ganon.

Having seen the destruction of Hyrule Castle, they at least had the benefit of preparation. They had pulled resources from wherever they could and, on hearing that the remaining forces from the castle were falling back and likely bringing monsters with them, readied themselves for battle.

They prepared for a siege. They were met with an onslaught.

The strategic positioning of the fortress provided many benefits. Hylian-like races would be forced to advance across the narrow bridge, where they could be concentrated into one area of fire. Aerial invaders could be shot out of the sky by the numerous canons situated on the roof. There weren't any other routes into the fortress.

So the Guardians chose both.

They crawled across the bridge, arrows and canons clanging against their metal hulls, bouncing off like they were made of plastic. Skywatcher Guardians nimbly dodged the canon onslaught, lasers burning into the stone roof, sending soldiers falling to the battlefield below.

The Hylian forces were outnumbered, outgunned, and faced by an enemy with no moral reservations.

Their loss was inevitable.

The Skywatcher Guardian hovered stationary ahead, its laser covering the entire width of the path. The staircase had narrowed, the wall steadfast on their right, a sheer drop to their left.

“Another one,” Teba muttered. “If I could just get its eye…”

“Hold on here,” Link said, looking up, “I have an idea.”

Teba watched as the Hylian turned to the wall and began to climb up it. His beak dropped.

“Have you always been able to climb vertical surfaces?” he called up.

“It’s one of my many hidden talents,” the reply came as he reached a small balcony and pulled himself up and out of sight, before popping his head back to look down.

“Oh, maybe don’t look down, by the way, we’re kinda high up.”

“Link, I’m a bird.”

Link stared for a moment, his mouth hanging open, before pulling himself back out of sight.

“So, what’s the plan?” Teba called up.

“Hang on…”

He could hear movement above, then a chunk of rubble cascaded over the side, crashing into the staircase behind him, taking the steps crumbling down into the rockface below as he leapt forwards.

“Whatever it is could you try to not kill me in the process?”

“Sorry!” The reply was half-hearted, distracted.

Then, with a swooshing sound, a large metal door came hurtling over the side of the balcony. It collided with the Skywatcher, sending sparks flying and the Guardian spinning, spiralling away from the fortress wall and down to the ground below.

Link landed behind Teba, putting his Paraglider away.

“Well?” he asked, a slight smile on his face.

“Am I supposed to be impressed?”

“I mean I did clear the path, and that was pretty cool, right?”

“You did clear the path,” Teba admitted, “but I was on the path at the time. Would it not have been easier for me to fly up and take care of it?”

Link’s mouth opened, then closed it, then opened it again.

“I should have thought of that when you reminded me you were a bird shouldn’t I…”

Teba shrugged.

“It’s ok, we can’t all be intelligent all the time.” He waved his wing up the vacant staircase. “Shall we?”

Their defeat was absolute. It took less than an hour for Ganon’s forces to invade Akkala Citadel and gut it of its army. The remaining soldiers fled, some heading north to Eldin. Others retreated to Hateno in the south, unaware of the even bigger and more desperate battle awaiting them.

The eyes of Hyrule, frightened by the sight of Hyrule Castle, showed the first signs of a century of sadness as the Kingdom’s last line of defence fell to the Calamity.

As the generals and admirals watched their soldiers fall, the scientific advisors, flanked by Sheikah, escaped into the night. They vowed to continue the battle against Ganon in secret, spread throughout the land for their own safety.

In the span of just a few hours, Akkala Citadel had gone from the pinnacle of Hyrulean military to a burning shell, a gravestone to thousands of soldiers marking the Kingdom’s last stand.

Between the pools of malice, the roaming monsters, and the hole punctured by the ascending Tower, the roof of the citadel had been destroyed completely. Large chunks of rubble lay scattered, half submerged in purple goo.

Link and Teba stood at the top of the staircase. The ground in front of them, some of the only unaffected ground in sight, was half-covered by bright orange leaves, skittering across the ground in the slight breeze.

“Even the top isn’t the top, then…” Teba muttered, looking up to the Tower, which raised even further above them.

“I can go up on my own if you want to stay here?”

“Nah, might as well go the full way now. Will you gale up?”

Link nodded.

“I’ll meet you up there then,” Teba replied. He turned and moved to the edge of the roof, before leaping forwards and catching an updraft, soaring high above Link. The Hylian turned and knelt, feeling his own updraft surge out of the ground below him, before leaping and joining Teba in the sky.

The sun was setting across the horizon when they landed atop the Tower. It cast a deep orange glow across the landscape, of which Link could see for miles. It wasn’t quite the same as the view from Vah Medoh, but it was still impressive.

Teba also took in the sight of Hyrule below. This was the highest he had been since Medoh had started circling Rito, and it felt good to be so far away from the ground again.

“It almost looks peaceful from up here,” he muttered, “and not like we’ve had to fight every step of the way.”

“It will be peaceful soon, hopefully,” Link shrugged, casting his own glance over to the shrouded castle.

“Here’s hoping…”

Link turned and walked to the central podium. Soon after, the Tower was enveloped in a soft blue light, and the area’s map was downloaded onto the Sheikah Slate.

“Anything useful?” Teba asked.

Link studied the screen before shaking his head.

“Not that I can see - Eldin must have its own Tower. There is another Ancient Tech Lab, though. Why don’t we head in that direction and see if they can help us?”

“Fine by me,” Teba shrugged. “Besides, do we really need a map to get to the active volcano?”

“Don’t know what I’d do without your keen sense of adventure and direction…”

Chapter Text

“You’re… scared of bugs?”

The woman twiddled her thumbs and looked past Teba at nothing in particular.

“I’m not scared of them, per say, I’d just rather stay as far away as possible from them at all times.”

“Right… and so you want me to bring you some dragonflies? That’s all?”

She nodded.

“My sister loves them, and I really need to prove to her that I’m not scared of insects, because I’m obviously not, right? So you go out and find them for me, and then I can give them to her… probably.”

A tap on Teba’s shoulder brought his attention round to Link, who was holding a collection of arrows and food, methodically stowing them in the slate. He looked up at the Rito and nodded towards the path.

“I’m ready when you are,” he muttered before turning back to the lady beneath the tree. “If I can find you your dragonflies, I’ll bring them, but no promises.”

She smiled broadly at him as he turned and followed Link down the path.

“Making friends?” Link sniggered.

Teba did not reply.

The weather had turned following their trip to the citadel, and the sky was now a dark grey, heavy clouds glowering over their heads. Akkala was, compared to the other regions they had visited so far, fairly undisturbed and barren. Their path took them east of the Stable and down a steep hill. On their right, the fortress towered atop the cliff, but their left was occupied only by a large and mostly empty field.

“Doesn’t look like many people live here…” Link mused. “I wonder why.”

“Would you like to live in the shadow of that?” Teba asked, pointing to the cliff.

“True, but there’s plenty of land, surely someone would have tried to cultivate it? There’s life pretty much everywhere else in the kingdom.”

“Or,” Teba suggested, looking to their right, “maybe there’s another reason.”

As they passed the rear of the Citadel, the cliff fell away sharply, revealing a large forest filled with mostly barren trees. From his position on the path, Link could see at least two Guardians patrolling the area.

“Would you like to live so close to those things?” Teba continued.

“Let’s just keep our distance, hopefully we won’t have to deal with them.”

Aside from being mostly uninhabited, Link noticed that Akkala was also a completely different colour to the rest of Hyrule. While the Domain had shone in cold blues and greens, and Rito and Tabantha were pale browns, Akkala had a bright golden glow to it. The leaves on the trees were orange, as if ready to fall at any time. The path they walked was a lively brown, while the field to their right was duller, as though the grass hadn’t seen rain for an awful long time. Despite the dark clouds hovering above, Link felt the land was bursting with light and life, even if it wasn’t all necessarily friendly.

The path led them past the forest and along the edge of a large lake. In the distance, Teba could see a number of waterfalls. They thundered from various heights, and he reasoned that Zora’s Domain was their source, which must have been just behind the large cliff-face from which they fell.

The path met the eastern coast of the kingdom and twisted to the left, following the sea until the ground began to rise again. The water grumbled in the same colour as the clouds above, but the waves broke in a subdued manner for now, at least.

“I’ve never actually been to the coast,” Teba said, stopping to watch the waves roll in.

“Neither have I, at least not since I woke up.”

They stood in silence, watching the water ebb and flow, waves building then breaking onto the rocky beach.

“Does anyone know what’s out there?” Link asked.

“Probably, but not me,” Teba admitted. “Can’t see any land, at least.”

“And there’s not much to see on the other side past Rito. Do you think there’s anyone out there at all?”

Teba paused.

“You think Hyrule is alone? And there’s nobody out there?”

“Is there anything to prove otherwise? What if it’s just us?”

“’Just’ is a small word for a Kingdom this size.”

“This size compared to what? Maybe it’s not that big? Maybe there’s places out there that are 10 times the size of Hyrule? And maybe they’ve got loads of different people and races…”

“I wouldn’t fancy our chances finding all of their Divine Beasts somewhere that size…”

Link laughed.

“Once this is all over,” he continued, a little more quietly, “once we’ve got rid of Ganon, can we go and find out what’s out there?”

“You mean out there? I’m not sure Saki would be too happy about that…”

“We could take her with us, and Tulin! We could take a whole expedition out!”

Teba laughed.

“I think you might be getting ahead of yourself a bit, but sure. If you can get Saki to agree, I’d be more than happy to join you in whatever schemes you come up with.”

Finally, the clouds broke, and rain began to fall, slowly at first, but gathering pace quickly.

“For now, though, “Teba concluded, “we have more pressing issues than exploring the great sea. Namely, staying dry.”

He turned and began a brisk walk along the path.

Link took one last look out over the sea to the horizon, before following behind.

“Isn’t that…”

“Yeah, it’s Beedle,” Link nodded.

“But we saw him at…”

“Rito Stable, yeah,” Link nodded again.

They sat inside the Stable watching the merchant lug his portable shop along the path despite the torrential rain. Droplets battered loudly against the canvas covering, and the sky outside had only gotten darker, leaving the Stable itself dimly lit by several candles.

“How did he get here before us?” Teba asked quietly. “We warped to the Domain, surely the Akkala Tower didn’t take that long?”

“He’s done it before too,” Link replied. “I saw him at the Gerudo Canyon Stable, then again at Outskirt. We took a detour up to the Tower then too, but then I saw him again at the Dueling Peaks Stable, and he definitely didn’t pass us that time.”

“Can he warp too or something? Maybe he’s a Sheikah?”

“Surely he’d have said something by now. Or Impa would have mentioned him?”

They fell into silence as Beedle entered into the Stable itself, dripping heavily and earning himself a glare from the man standing behind the counter. He plodded into the centre of the room, dropped his bags and signs, and thudded down, leaning against the central pillar of the tent. A pool of water began to form around him.

Link glanced at Teba out of the corner of his eye, and they stifled a laugh.

Soon the downpour began to lessen, and the sky outside lightened significantly. Teba and Link approached the entrance and watched as the grey clouds broke apart, revealing a bright sky.

As they stepped out, the Ancient Tech Lab revealed itself at the end of the path they had been following. A large windmill was silhouetted against the sky, and several other contraptions seemed to be attached to the building that Link couldn’t quite make out. The path wound slightly on its way up the hill, flanked by bright orange trees and similarly golden grass.

“Look,” Teba stated, holding a wing out in front of Link and nodding to a solitary boulder to their right.

“What am I looking at?”

“Behind the rock, see it?”

The ground sank away from them and, as Link peered ahead, he saw a single mechanical leg lying in the grass. He crouched down and crept forward, slowly revealing the lifeless Guardian slumped in the ditch.

“Nah, we’re fine,” he said, standing straight and confidently striding forward. He threw his arms outwards and turned back to Teba, “See?”

His smile disappeared as a single red laser locked on to his chest. He spun to face the Guardian, now gathering its snaked legs and getting to its feet. Frozen to the spot, Link only stared as the beast dragged itself out of the ditch and towards him.

“Link!” Teba called, reaching for his bow too late.

A bolt of bright blue light erupted from the Guardian’s eye. It grew outwards into a swirling ball of energy, before collapsing in on itself. The Guardian’s body distorted towards the source of the light, before evaporating completely. Link stood, mouth open, staring at where the Guardian has stood only a second ago.

“You OK?” Teba asked, running to his side. He nodded slowly.

Teba’s gaze moved to the path ahead, where a figure stood, bow in hand, watching them.

“Good shot, huh?” she called out to them. She was dressed in Sheikah robes not unlike those they had seen in Kakariko Village. Her straw-coloured hair was tied into a bun, and she held a thin but sturdy looking bow in her right hand.

“Good to see I haven’t lost my touch.”

“Thank you,” Teba called out as he pushed the still frozen Link forwards, “I’m Teba, and this is Link.”

“Good to meet ya!” she cried, “I’m Jerrin! I’m an amateur scholar of ancient history, although, to be honest, I’ve been focussing a lot of my research lately on shrines.”

She lowered her voice for the last part of the sentence and glanced over her shoulder at the Tech Lab, as if watching for eavesdroppers.

“Do you work at the Tech Lab?” Teba asked. “Would you mind taking us there?”

Jerrin bounced her head in what Teba assumed to be a nod, before turning her attention to Link, who had recovered from his encounter, but still stood in silence.

“Your pal’s not much of a talker is he…”

“It’s getting him to shut up that’s the trick,” Teba muttered, giving Link a playful nudge, before following the researcher towards the lab.

The man was… tiny.

There really was no other way to describe him, Link decided. While Teba was a good foot taller than him, and he was just under average height for a Hylian, the old man with shocking white hair barely reached his knees. Despite this, his Sheikah clothing fit him perfectly, and Link wondered if he had had it specially made. Or perhaps stolen it from an expectant mother.

“Robbie, dear, guests,” Jerrin had sung on their arrival.

The old man turned and stared through his aviation goggles, as if sizing them up (‘maybe size was a touchy subject,’ Link thought). After a few seconds of awkward silence, Jerrin cleared her throat.

“These are some trav-“

The old man coughed loudly and held up his hand to stop her. He rolled his shoulders back and stood tall (‘er, small’).

“I am the lead Guardian researcher and director of the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab!” With each word he waved his hands in larger gestures. “Doctoooooor… Robbie!”

He shot his hands into the air and froze, as if expecting a guitar riff or theme tune. Link had to bite his tongue to stop himself from giggling.

Robbie held the pose for what felt like an eternity. When he finally came back to reality, he dived forwards, reaching out and rattling his hand in a surprisingly firm and violent handshake.

“So, you want to know about the Calamity, huh?” he asked.

Link tilted his head.

“Oh, I knew from the moment you walked in! Jerrin and I can communicate almost non-verbally now – her face told me everything I need to know.”

He whirled round and ran towards a large chalk board balanced precariously in the corner of the room. He grabbed some chalk and turned back to face them, grinning brightly.

“If you want to know about the Calamity then you’ve come to the right place! There are only three Sheikah remaining who experienced the Great Calamity of 100 years ago… Robbie of the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab (that’s me, by the way), Impa of Kakariko Village, and Purah, in charge of the other Ancient Tech Lab over in Hateno.”

Link was beginning to feel rather dizzy watching this tiny man wave his arms around so violently, but Robbie’s energy seemed to die away suddenly.

“That… on your hip… Where did you get it?”

His voice was nearly a whisper now as he edged closer to Link, who brought the Sheikah Slate into his hands and held it out.

Robbie dropped the chalk to the floor.

“Are you… the one called… Link?”

Link nodded and Robbie shuffled closer.

“That scar… on your arm. I recognise it. It seems to have mostly healed, but it lines up with the scars you received during the Great Calamity. So you really are…”

His mouth dropped open and his breathing quickened. He dropped to the ground, grabbed his chalk, then jumped into the air with a cheer.

“That means THE TIME IS NOW!” he yelled, running back towards the blackboard. “You see, Link, the goal of our Sheikah research lab is simple, really. We aim to destroy the Calamity that has endured across time… to rid Hyrule of its dark influence and, above all, to rescue Princess Zelda.”

Link drew in a sharp breath at the mention of her name.

“We have worked ourselves to the bone conducting our research. For a time, I feared I’d pass before we could prevail. HOWEVER! You, Link, managed to awaken before this old sack of flesh gave out. Yes, now is the time to join forces with us Sheikah, yes?”

He continued before Link had a chance to nod. In the whirlwind of speech and arms, Link noticed he hadn’t actually drawn anything on the chalkboard.

“Now, there are four things you must do! In each corner of the land is a large mechanical beast-“

Link waved his hand to stop the doctor’s speech and showed him the Sheikah Slate. Robbie’s eyes widened.

“You’ve already taken back control of THREE Divine Beasts? MARVELOUS!”

He threw his hands into the air once more but, instead of waiting for another guitar riff, he ran to the door and gestured for them to follow.

“You see Death Mountain? Well, look closer!”

Link squinted at the mountain, unsure of what he was looking for.

“It’s… moving?” Teba asked.

“Not the mountain, bird boy, it’s what’s on the mountain that’s moving!” Teba frowned at the doctor’s remarks. “Divine Beast Vah Rudania. That’s the one you’re missing, right?”

With that, he darted back inside.

“Your Slate. Hand it over,” Robbie said rather bluntly, holding out his hand. Link obliged. He took the Slate over to a cluttered desk, holding it between a finger and thumb as though it were a poisonous frog, before sliding the entire contents of the desk onto the floor and slamming the tablet down.

Link flinched.

“Now, this thing isn’t technically my area of expertise, but I bet I can whip up something to help you out. You’ve seen those towers around the place, haven’t you? And you’ve even activated some of them, according to this…” Robbie continued, studying the Slate carefully. “There’s a Tower over in the Eldin region. If I fiddle around with this… I should be able to warp you both there without needing to activate the Tower first.”

He tapped the screen a few times, then looked back at them blankly.

“Oh, this may take a while. You’re welcome to stay the night if you wish. I’m sure Jerrin can keep you entertained.”

He surveyed the table for a second, before reaching for a large hammer.

Link quickly turned away.

“Say, have you visited many Shrines?” Jerrin asked. She and Link stood behind the lab, watching the sunset over the horizon. The lab was situated at the very edge of the mainland, and the cliffs fell almost straight down to the beach below.

Link nodded.

“Are they part of your quest? Or do you just do them for fun?”

Link smiled. He thought of the number of times he or Teba had almost been killed inside the pseudo-challenges. Not ‘fun’, perhaps, but not as daunting as their main quest.

“He’s a busy bird, it seems,” she continued, looking over her shoulder to where Teba currently knelt. His wings were splayed, barely brushing the ground, and his eyes were closed in concentration. The grass around him bristled unnaturally.

‘Gale practice’, Link thought.

“Well,” Jerrin said, turning back to face the horizon, “if you’re looking for more Shrines, there’s one in that hunk of rock over there.”

She pointed northwest, and Link saw the large stone structure that seemed to be embedded deep within the seafloor.

“Lomei Labyrinth, it’s called. On a clear night you can see the orange of the Shrine deep within, but no one’s ever managed to get to it. Place is crawling with Guardians, I hear. Of course, I doubt that would be a problem for you two.”

Link shrugged.

“Stay here tonight, and I’ll cook you up some nice food for the trip tomorrow, how does that sound?”

Chapter Text

“She’s 70!?”

“I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how rude it is to discuss a lady’s age, Link.”

It was a cold morning as they stepped out of the Tech Lab.

“But she looks a billion years younger than she actually is?”

“You’re looking pretty sprightly for a 117-year-old.”

Link scoffed.

“Maybe she’s got her own Shrine of Resurrection in there somewhere.”

“What sort of food did she make for us?”

“Dunno,” Link shrugged. “It smelled nice, whatever it was, but it went straight into the Sheikah Slate once Rumpelstiltskin was finished with it.”

Teba sighed deeply.

“Sometimes I think your muteness was a gift from Hylia.”

“Anyway, are you sure this labyrinth is a good idea? We could just warp straight to Eldin Tower now…”

“I’ve never seen a maze that couldn’t be solved by flying over the walls,” Teba shrugged.

“Now I’d call that cheating…”

“You want to glide over?” Teba asked, ignoring the comment.

“Might take a lift if that’s ok. Saves me a Gale.”

Teba nodded and knelt, allowing Link to climb onto his back, before leaping off the cliff and into the fresh sea air.

The labyrinth was much, much bigger than it looked from the mainland, Teba decided as they approached. Walls rose high into the air on all four sides, with only a small gap for entry. From what he could see below, they disappeared far beneath the waves too.

He felt Link’s gloved hands tighten ever so slightly as the shadow of the mighty structure blocked out the sun above them.

As they glided into the entrance, the outside world seemed to disappear. The sound of the waves was silenced, the wind died almost immediately. Teba shivered at the sudden change of atmosphere.

They landed on the gravelly ground and Link hopped off, only to immediately drag Teba behind a nearby pillar. The Rito almost let out a shout but silenced himself as a Guardian Stalker rounded the corner and scanned the area. Seemingly satisfied with its findings, it scuttled back in the direction it had come from.

“Good start,” Link whispered. “Look, behind you.”

Teba turned and saw Link already clambering up a ladder above him. He followed and joined the Hylian someway up, standing now inside the pillar.

“There’s no clear path to the Shrine according to the map,” Link mused, staring at the Sheikah Slate.”

“I think the reason for that is in front of you.”

Link looked up and then down - down through the hollow centre of the pillar they had just climbed.

“There must be some sort of underground network of tunnels. That’s how we get into the Shrine.”

“After you,” Teba said, holding his wing out ahead of the Hylian, who grabbed his Paraglider and jumped forwards.

“You know,” Teba sighed, “by definition labyrinths only have one correct solution to the goal.”

“You’re starting to sound like Revali,” Link shot back as they traversed what felt like the hundredth identical tunnel. Each corner looked the same as the last, yet the flow of Lizalfos and Bokoblin never seemed to run dry. The tunnels re-emerged to the surface in some places and took them high up the walls of the maze in others.

“What’s that?” Teba asked, pointing to the end of the long stretch they currently found themselves in.

“What’s what?” Link asked, squinting ahead.

“The gold at the end of the passage, can’t you see it?”

As they moved closer, Link could start to make out something glimmering ahead of them. The sun was almost directly overhead now and, while its warmth seemed to be reflected away by the walls of the labyrinth, the light illuminated their path clearly.

“Is it a campfire? That might mean we’re heading in the right direction…” Link suggested.

Teba shook his head.

“No smoke and it isn’t moving.”

Approaching closer, Link could see that the object was larger than a campfire - much larger.

They were only a few feet away when a single eye appeared on the object, whirling around momentarily before focussing on them.

“Oh no…” Link muttered.

The object uncurled itself, rising to its full height and drawing a trident from the ground beside it.

“Lizalfos!” Teba shouted, ducking out of the way of the beast’s weapon.

Link drew a sword and moved to swing, but was interrupted when the beast’s tongue shot out, wrapped itself around his weapon, and yanked it out of his grip, sending it flying down the corridor.

“Now that’s just rude,” he muttered, reaching for the slate whilst dodging the stabbing trident.

Several arrows pinged against the beast’s bright skin, bouncing off harmlessly. Teba frowned and cocked another set of arrows.

“You never told me they came in gold?” he shouted. “What, did this one win a medal or something?”

Link could only shrug before thrusting the Sheikah Slate forwards. Chains appeared around it, locking it mid-frenzied attack. The pair let out a breath, but the Lizalfos quickly broke free from its bonds and resumed its onslaught.

“Just keep hitting it!” Link yelled as he dived underneath the trident and scraped a blade along the golden chest in front of him. A volley of arrows stabbed into its back, and it yelped, whirling around and firing boiling jets of water at the feet of the Rito, who leapt out of the way.

Link took the opportunity to activate the slate again, this time aiming far down the corridor. He felt the Magnesis Rune locate his discarded sword, lifting it off the ground. Slowly, the blade began to return to the Slate, quickly gathering speed.

“Teba!” Link yelled, “Duck!”

Teba slammed himself to the ground just as the sword barrelled over his head, careering into, and through, the Lizalfos. The monster let out a mighty screech, green blood dripping down its chest, before collapsing to the ground and disappearing in a puff of malice.

“Good shot,” Teba exhaled as he got to his feet, “although I’m not exactly sure with what.”

Link shrugged and held up the Slate.

“Magic.”

“You think we’re close?”

“Maybe, would make sense putting one of those things near the Shrine…”

They continued forward along the corridor, which ended in a left turn.

“Thank Hylia,” Link muttered as the familiar glow of a Shrine appeared in front of them.

“Agreed. I was beginning to think you’d never get out of here.”

“But you can fly?”

“That’s why I said ‘You’” Teba smirked.

“Those are my least favourite Shrines…” Teba said as they stepped out.

“What? Why? You just walk in and get your reward, it’s so easy. How do I look, by the way?”

Balanced on his head was a helm shaped like a beast’s skull, with two large tusks protruding out of the sides of his face. Red fur was braided into thick hair which fell down to his shoulders.

“Ridiculous,” Teba stated flatly, earning him a frown.

“Might just keep it on for longer then, I quite like it actually.”

“Hey Link, come and look at this…”

The Hylian jogged over to where Teba was peering down a large hole in the floor of the labyrinth.

“Was that there when we went in?” he asked.

“No,” Teba shook his head, “and there’s quite a strong updraft coming from below.”

Link peered down, but the tunnel disappeared into darkness before any ground could be seen.

“Could it just lead to the seabed or something?”

“Maybe, but can you feel the air coming up? It’s warm, and not very salty.”

“You think it leads somewhere else?”

Teba nodded and straightened up.

“Want to check it out?” he asked.

Link dramatically threw the helm’s fiery red ponytail over his shoulder, held onto the horn, and threw himself into the pit.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Teba sighed, before carefully jumping after him.

The cavern they found themselves in was massive - bigger even than any of the shrines, Teba reasoned. It must have sprawled out under the entire labyrinth at least, if not beneath the sea too.

The size wasn’t the most noticeable feature of the cavern, though. That was the multiple decayed Guardian Stalkers littering the floor. There must have been at least fifty of them. On first landing, he had jumped back into the air, ready to evade their fire, but they seemed to be inactive.

Or dormant.

“Woah…” Link stood, mouth open in awe at the sight. “How did all these Guardians get here?”

Teba shrugged, keeping one wing on his bow, just in case.

“And where even are we? Is this like some sort of storage place? Could it be Sheikah? Maybe that’s why all of these Guardians are here, this is like the Sheikah storage cupboard!”

“You might be right, but did you have to phrase it like that?”

Teba’s comment went unanswered as Link ran towards the nearest Guardian carcass and started trawling through its insides.

“We could get our hands on a lot of pretty rare stuff down here!” he shouted, his top half now fully inside the pile of scrap.

Teba walked forwards, eyes patrolling the room for any sign of active Guardians, or any other monster for that matter.

‘Surely a Bokoblin or two must have stumbled down here at some point,’ he reasoned.

He felt something crunch under his talons. A now crushed skull, and some other bones were scattered on the dusty floor. He looked up to see another gap in the ceiling, which seemed to lead back to some point on the surface.

“Hey, a chest!” Link exclaimed, obviously distracted from his salvaging.

The chest sat in the dead centre of the room, raised by a small step, and surrounded by four eternally burning torches.

Teba’s heart dropped as he looked at it. A chest in the centre of a room underneath a massive labyrinth didn’t sound like anything good. In fact, it felt almost exactly like…

Link threw the lid open and Teba felt the room grow cold.

‘…a trap.’

“It’s a diamond headset!” the Hylian shouted, turning to show it off. Even as he moved, though, his face fell.

The Guardian nearest Teba crackled once. Then again. A light slowly faded into existence behind its single eye, which whirred around the room.

One by one, each Guardian around the room whirred into life, all glowing a sickly purple colour, looking for the poor soul who had fallen for their trap.

Or poor souls.

Those nearest Link locked on first, three red targets settling on his chest. As others awoke, more targets were added.

Teba started sprinting forwards. He locked eyes with Link, who had whipped the Sheikah Slate from his hip, ready to escape.

‘Too far, too slow,’ he thought.

The red lasers on Link’s chest narrowed.

“GO!” Teba shouted.

Link’s eyes widened, but there was no time to play the hero. The slate clicked, and the Hylian disappeared into strands of blue light. Moments later, several laser blasts fired through the space where he once stood.

Teba ducked under one misfire, his momentum carrying him rolling forwards and back to his feet. Watching another beam explode into a different Guardian a plan started to form in his head.

Changing course, he ran towards the Guardian now ablaze. Time seemed to slow slightly as he approached and spread his wings out wide. He felt the air around him, multiple currents interacting with each other, creating a maelstrom of wind. Grasping onto this chaos, he gave a mighty push downwards. The maelstrom was strong and didn’t budge, but it did change his course, sending the Rito upwards above the flaming wreck. Several laser beams fired, once again missing their target by mere inches.

From here, he latched onto the updraft created by the fire, soaring up towards the roof of the cavern. While the Guardians recalibrated their weapons, he circled above them.

There was another flash of blue light, this time from the corner furthest from him. A small Hylian figure appeared, wearing an unmistakably ridiculous helm. They began sprinting forwards.

Teba changed course abruptly, and the Guardians locked onto him once more. He flew as fast as he could over them, sorely aware of their targets following him. The air buffeted against his wings as he sprinted towards Link, who had also accumulated a share of the targets.

Link slowed slightly, altering his grip on the Slate in his hand.

The Guardian’s weapons locked on.

Link swung his arm back.

Teba pushed forward.

The Guardian’s weapons readied to fire.

Link threw his arm forwards, launching the Slate into the air. At the same time, he began to disappear in the familiar blue light.

The Guardians fired.

Teba saw the slate hurtling towards him too late to dodge. He frantically pulled back, feeling the slate slam into his chest.

The world went white.

Whatever came after death, he hadn’t imagined it to look like this.

He lay on his back watching the dark grey sky above threaten rain. Around him he could hear wind rustling the leaves of trees, but he was too tired to look around. The sound of water crashing against rocks could be heard, but only faintly.

His wings ached, and he was fairly certain he had strained most, if not all of his muscles. There was also a dull pain in his chest where the slate had collided with him.

‘Pain…’ he thought, slowly. ‘If I can feel pain…’

“Teba!”

The shout startled him into sitting up and confirming his theory on how many muscles he had strained.

“Ow…” he muttered, rubbing his chest, where the dull pain wasn’t so dull anymore.

“Are you ok?”

Link knelt in front of him, face creased with concern. He noted in passing that they were back outside the Ancient Tech Lab.

“I’ll be fine… I think.” Teba managed, allowing Link to pull him slowly up to lean against a tree stump. “What just happened?”

Link bent down and picked up the Sheikah Slate from the ground.

“Robbie said he had altered the Slate’s area of effect so it could transport us both more easily. Didn’t think I’d have to try it out so quickly, though.”

Teba gave a small chuckle.

“How did you warp back to me? There wasn’t a Shrine down there.”

“I’m not sure, but I think Robbie’s ‘Warp to Eldin Tower’ button might actually be a ‘Return to Last Place’ button.”

“Saved by Rumpelstiltskin,” he murmured, groaning at the shooting pain firing along his wings. “Well, I won’t complain too much.”

“Stay here for the rest of the day, then we can carry on towards Eldin tomorrow,” Link suggested.

“What about you?”

Link shrugged.

“I have an errand to run.”

“An errand?”

“Something like that, yeah. Think I’ll get the Slate checked over first, though.”

Teba frowned but decided to let the Hylian keep his secret. For the time being, he was more interested in having a very long lie down.

“Nice of you to come back for me,” Teba called out when he saw Link approaching. He had left the Lab for some fresh air (and to avoid Robbie’s curious and frankly uncomfortable conversations with a stone statue) and was sat leaning against a tree trunk in a small forest near the Stable.

Link gave him a wave, and he noticed the Hylian was part holding, part dragging a large sack almost as tall as himself over his shoulder.

“You’ve not brought me a body, have you?”

“No, but if you’re peckish I’m sure I could kidnap someone pretty easily.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

The Hylian dropped to the ground next to him. The sun was nearing the horizon, and the sky was a deep orange.

“How are you feeling?” Link asked.

“Better. Robbie gave me some potion that didn’t smell of monster guts and that seems to have done the trick. Still, there’s a strange rectangular bruise on my chest, can’t possibly imagine what caused that.”

Link winced slightly.

“Sorry.”

They sat for a while, watching the Stable workers carry out their evening tasks. Finally, Teba’s curiosity got the better of him.

“Alright, I let you off with sneaking away earlier, but I can’t just ignore the body bag forever. What’s up with it?”

Link didn’t turn to look at him, but he could see the Hylian’s face tighten slightly as he swallowed.

“When you gave me that feather in Lanayru…” he started, “was it true? What you told me about it amplifying the cold resistance?”

Teba smiled inwardly.

“No, not quite,” he admitted. “How did you find out?”

“I uh…” Link paused for a second, “asked someone who’s been around for a long time.”

He swallowed again before continuing.

“Why did you give me it, then?”

“I guess,” Teba began, speaking slowly, “it was my way of saying thank you. For letting me come with you that night in Rito. I suppose I never really wanted to leave the Rito Guard, and while I wouldn’t change having Tulin for the world, I don’t think I ever lost the need for adventure.”

Link nodded silently, still looking straight ahead.

“I’m sorry for not telling you the truth,” Teba said after a moment.

Link shrugged.

“Other than a few odd looks I don’t really mind not knowing,” he said. “But… do you enjoy doing this? With me? Don’t you wish that you had just stayed home, with your family?”

“Not for a second,” Teba replied immediately. “Of course I’d prefer to spend time with my family than not, but not if it meant you doing this on your own.”

He paused, searching for the right words.

“That night when I asked to come with you. I spent hours before thinking it over. I decided that if you needed my help on Medoh, you might need it elsewhere. I decided that I would rather help you than let you go on your own and hope that that was good enough. And… the more we’ve done together, the more I’ve seen, the more I’m convinced I made the right call.”

He turned to look at Link, who was still looking straight ahead. He noted that the Hylian’s breathing had quickened, and his hand was gripping his leg tightly. He watched a tear form on his face and slowly trickle down.

Gently he placed a wing around Link’s shoulder and pulled him in. They sat together until the sun had dipped below the horizon. Once the Hylian had calmed down, Teba stood and arranged a small fire in front of them.

Sitting down again, he spoke.

“As nice as this moment is, you never did say what was in the bag.”

“Shit,” Link said, sitting up straight. “Sorry, I forgot…”

He pulled the bag over and placed it between them.

“I thought… After you gave me the… I didn’t really know…”

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s for you,” he said simply.

He held out his hands, inviting Teba to open it.

The Rito leaned forward and carefully untied the knot which kept the bag sealed. He reached inside, feeling something cool within. He pulled it out.

It was a platinum breastplate adorned with the Rito Guard’s emblem. The metal glinted in the flickering firelight.

Teba raised his eyebrows and looked over to Link.

“And where exactly did you get this?”

“I might have snuck off during our last visit to see Hearth. I thought if anyone knew what you’d like it would be him.”

Teba looked back to the armour. It truly was of the highest quality, and the engraving was impeccable. He stood to put it on.

“Fits like a glove.”

“Of course it does, it was made by Hearth,” Link chuckled. He pointed to the bag. “There’s something else in there too.”

Teba reached in and pulled out two multicoloured shoulder guards.

“You really did go full out, huh,” he muttered, attaching them to the armour. “How do I look?”

“After the compliments you paid to my Barbarian Helm earlier, I think I’ll abstain…”

He sat back down in front of Link.

“Thank you, Link. I really don’t know what to say…”

“Thank you for sticking with me,” Link shrugged. “I’m not sure I’d have stayed sane without you.”

“I’m not sure you were sane to begin with,” Teba chuckled.

“The armour does suit you, by the way.”

“And it’s the highest quality. I don’t even want to guess how much that cost you.”

“Ah, I just pulled the ‘Hero of Hyrule’ card… and a few thousand Rupees.”

“Well, thank you anyway.”

They sat together until the fire died away and the moon hung high in the sky. Teba watched the Hylian gaze up at the stars, slowly drifting into sleep, before carrying him back to the nearby lab, listening to his new armour clinking gently in the quiet night.

Chapter Text

"I could hear every word she said."

The spring was a small lake dug into the surrounding hills. Several streams flowed from above into the pool in a seemingly never-ending cycle. A statue of Hylia stood in the centre.

"I never let on, never admitted it, but I could hear her cursing the Goddess."

Teba stayed silent, watching the Hylian approach the water.

Link stepped forwards, closing his eyes. The location was intimately familiar to him. He felt the icy water start to lap at his boots and his legs as he entered the mere. A vision of Zelda flashed into his mind. The Princess following the exact same path he was following now, desperately searching for her powers just as he searched for his memories.

"Everything ok?" Teba asked when the Hylian left the pool.

"She never did awaken her powers, did she?" he asked, changing his damp clothes. "She prayed, begged, pleaded with the Gods... and it was all for nothing."

"Destroying Ganon is one thing, but I think sealing him away for a century requires a very different power. One that has nothing to do with the Gods," Teba replied.

Link gave a hollow smile.

"Sure. Shall we get going?"

“How are you feeling?” Link asked as they landed next to a Shrine they had spotted at the foot of the mountain. A Stable bustled quietly nearby.

“A bit light-headed, but I should be ok to carry on,” Teba said breathlessly, his wing subconsciously brushing the bruise on his chest.

“I can handle the Shrine on my own, why don’t you go grab a seat for a bit?”

“If you’re sure…”

He watched the Rito continue towards the Stable before turning and placing the Slate on the Shrine pedestal. It glowed gently, before the wall blocking the entrance folded away, revealing the small elevator behind. Link carefully stepped onto the platform and descended into the Shrine.

“How did you get on?” Teba asked on Link’s return. He had found a secluded table at the back of the Stable where he could sit out of sight of most other travellers.

“Fine,” Link shrugged. “It was pretty much a copy of one of the Shrines on the Plateau.”

“What do you think of this?” Teba asked, bringing Link’s attention to the wall behind him.

On it hung an old painting of the Stable, the summit of Death Mountain visible in the background. The surface of the art was scratched and ragged in some places.

“What about it?”

Teba pointed to the leftmost edge of the image.

“That orange glow there,” he said, “isn’t part of Death Mountain – it’s too far away. So…”

“…it must be a Shrine?” Link finished, nodding in agreement. “Where is it from here, though?”

“Looks southwest from this angle, but we could always just head to wherever the painting was made and go from there.”

“Sounds good, I can take a picture of it for reference if we get lost.”

They gathered their belongings but were stopped in their exit by a short Hylian, one hand clutching a broom, the other resting on her hip.

“Hello! If you two are stopping by Foothill Stable, then you’re probably headed to Goran City, right?”

Link, caught off-guard by her sudden appearance, nodded his head simply.

“I thought so, buddy. But are you really headed there dressed like that?”

Link frowned, surveying his Champion’s Tunic. Teba barely contained a laugh, earning himself a glare.

“That place is sheer cliff after sheer cliff, and it gets so hot past the second checkpoint that your body will catch fire. And you,” she said, wiggling a finger at Teba, “will be cooked chicken before you know it.”

It was the Rito’s turn to frown.

“I’m sure we’ll manage just fine,” he stated, stepping to the side. “Now, if you’ll excuse us-“

“-Normally,” she interrupted, moving to block his path, “I wouldn’t stop two strangers from heading to their doom, but I kinda like ya. So I guess I have no choice but to sell you these Fireproof Elixirs.”

She produced a collection of bottles tied to a string, dangling them in the air. They contained a burnt red liquid.

“These will protect you from the burning air. Even Goron City regulars usually take at least… three elixirs with them.”

Teba shot a glance at Link. ‘If it gets her out of our face…’

Link turned to the woman, nodding, and holding up 6 fingers.

“Wow, you sure do want to prepare for the worst!”

Link produced the Rupees from the Slate, and they watched the woman almost skip away from them.

“Not being able to say no costs 300 Rupees, apparently,” Link muttered as they finally left the Stable.

“This is the spot,” Link said, comparing the image on the slate to their surroundings.

“Looks like it – there’s our Shrine,” Teba replied, pointing out over the edge of the path. Sure enough, a Shrine sat in a small alcove, hidden from view by tall rocks on almost all sides.

“And look what else – Eldin Tower.”

The very tip of the Tower could be seen behind the rock formation. It seemed to shimmer in the heat of its surroundings.

“If we’re quick in the Shrine we should be able to get to the Tower before it gets dark,” Link said, taking his Paraglider out.

“Just a minute,” Teba called after him, “If I can manage a Gale here it’ll save us some time.”

Teba walked forward and stood at the edge of the path.

“There’s barely any wind,” he explained, splaying his wings out and kneeling, “so this shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Link felt a rush of artificial wind whirl around and past him. As he regained his footing, he saw Teba launch straight upwards, his wings spread wide to balance his ascent.

The Rito flew high into the sky, and Link was about to cheer his success when a second gust seemed to throw Teba off-balance. He adjusted his wings to counter the interruption, but it was too late. Link watched as Teba tumbled out of control back towards the path, only just regaining his balance before landing roughly, stumbling forward.

Link caught him before he toppled over completely, the Rito’s momentum almost sending them both to the ground. Teba was breathing heavily.

“I take it that wasn’t the desired outcome,” Link muttered, pushing them both back into a standing position.

“Damn it,” Teba spat to the ground once he had regained his breath. “I really thought I had it there.”

“You were pretty close though! You just lost it right at the last second…”

“It’s all or nothing – I need to get it completely, although after that I’m not sure if I ever will…”

“Hey, it’s meant to be you telling me not to give up, not the other way round!” Link laughed. “Besides, what would Revali think if he saw you giving up now?”

“I’d never hear the end of it…” Teba muttered, a small smile appearing on his face.

“Exactly. You just gonna let that puffed up pigeon win?”

“Pretty sure that’s treachery of some sort…”

Link smiled widely.

“If it means getting the last word in over Revali, I’ll take it. C’mon, let’s get to this Shrine.”

“Passing the Flame.”

“What was that?” Teba asked as they stepped off of the platform and into the Shrine.

“It’s what it says on the Slate: Passing the Flame. Usually something to do with the Shrine puzzles.”

“I’m not sure I’d trust you with a damp matchstick, never mind a full flame…” Teba replied, surveying the room they stood in. It was an enclosed section of a larger chamber, artificially slick walls on three sides. Ahead, another wall was coated in dry brown vines and the path led out of sight to the right.

“Dead end?” Link wondered out loud, frowning slightly at the discoloured vines ahead of him.

“There’s a couple of lanterns down this way,” Teba called from around the corner. “We’re probably meant to use the flame to-“

He was interrupted by the sound of a large explosion as Link detonated a Remote Bomb below the vines. They disintegrated in the blast, revealing a small gap in the wall through which they could see into another room.

“…burn the leaves.”

Entering into the second chamber they saw the Monk sitting on their pedestal to the right, on a platform just too high to climb onto. Emerging from this platform was a short bridge, propped up by four wooden crates.

“Maybe let’s do this one properly at least,” Teba said as Link produced another remote bomb. The Hylian’s face fell slightly, but the bomb vanished, and he stood back.

Teba nocked a single Fire Arrow and fired into the crates. After a moment, the flames took hold, and they were soon reduced to ash. The bridge dropped down, creating a small ramp to their goal.

“That was… surprisingly easy,” Teba mused as he approached the Monk.

BOOM

Another explosion caused him to jump, and he turned to see a metal chest flying through the air, landing with a clunk only a few inches away from the Hylian, Slate in hand.

“Am I going to have to confiscate that thing from you?”

Link, cradling a chunk of Opal like a new-born baby, pouted as he joined him in front of the Monk.

“Can I keep it if I promise not to blow you up?”

“That’s an exceptionally low bar you’re setting yourself.”

The Tower, while appearing from a distance to be just behind the Shrine, was actually perched atop a further mountaintop. Between their current position and it was a large pool of water.

“What’s a lake doing out here?” Link asked, peering down to the clear blue water below.

“This close to the volcano I’d wager it’s a hot spring rather than just a lake.”

“Oh, so it’ll be nice to swim in?”

“Nice or not, you’ll still be soaking wet when you get out,” Teba said, grabbing the Hylian’s tunic before he could dive off the edge and into the pool. “Let’s get a warp point on the Tower first, then we can think about relaxing.”

Link rolled his eyes.

“Alright, but I’m not entirely sure how we’re planning on making it up there. That woman at the Stable was right, it’s just a sheer cliff. I don’t think a Gale would get us enough height either.”

Teba nodded. The rock on the other side of the valley was jagged and steep, with no clear path or even footholds to be seen.

“I can probably get some sort of updraft from the water below. Once I’m in the air it shouldn’t be too hard, as long as you don’t mind hanging on.”

“Sure,” Link replied, carefully climbing onto the Rito’s back. “Damn, these shoulder guards sure are nice - where did you get them from?”

“Scratch them and I’ll drop you into the volcano summit,” Teba chuckled before taking off.

As they glided towards the water, Link could feel the air heating up around him. It wasn’t the same warmth as Gerudo Desert – it was sharper, stinging his skin. It was a wet heat, rather than the bone-dry heat of the desert.

Teba flew over the hot spring below and the updraft created by the water raised him upwards. Using this extra momentum, he pushed higher, above their previous vantage point and towards the Tower’s base. He flew past its large base and circled around, using the extra time to level himself with its platform.

He landed less than gently, stumbling slightly.

“You ok?” Link asked as he jumped off.

“Yeah fine,” Teba nodded, “Just wasn’t expecting it to be so hot up here.”

“It is pretty hot,” Link replied, already wiping sweat from his brow. “Maybe we should take one of those Elixirs?”

They held the bottles out in front of them. Link took a careful sniff of the potion and scrunched his face.

“Maybe hold your nose for this one…” he suggested. Using his free hand to pinch his nose, he quickly downed the liquid in one gulp.

Teba followed shortly after, resulting in a similar reaction. Soon, though, he felt a strange coolness wash over his body. Not cold enough to be uncomfortable, more like a fresh breeze on a hot day.

“How long do they last?” he asked Link, who shrugged.

“If they’re anything like the other potions I’ve had, about 12 hours?”

“So not quite enough to make it to the morning then…”

Link waved his hand.

“We’ll be fine. Worst case we wake up in the middle of the night on fire.”

He turned and headed to the podium in the centre of the Tower before Teba could argue. Shortly after, the Tower whirred to life, the familiar blue colour appearing up its central column.

“There’s the summit there,” Link murmured, pointing at the Slate’s screen. Teba joined him. “And there’s Goron City over there…”

“If the other Divine Beasts are anything to go by, they’ll probably have been causing problems for the Gorons,” Teba suggested. “I’d say we should head there first and see if anyone would be willing to help us get near the beast.”

“Sounds good. They’ll probably have extra Fireproof Elixirs too if we need them.”

Link handed the Slate to Teba.

“Can you look after this for a bit?”

Teba narrowed his eyes.

“Why?”

“Well, you said we could think about checking out the hot spring once we’d activated the Tower,” he said, running to the edge of the platform and peering down. Seemingly satisfied with the positioning, he grabbed his tunic and pulled it off. “We’ve activated the Tower now, so…”

“You’re not seriously considering jumping into the hot spring from all the way up here?”

Link only shrugged as he removed his trousers, throwing them on top of the tunic.

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

“If you hit your head, I’m not carrying you all the way back to the Great Plateau…”

Link simply grinned before taking a running leap off of the platform.

Chapter Text

The rocks exploded, revealing the Monk’s chamber.

“Well, at least we know where we’re headed,” Teba said.

They stood in Qua Raym, a Shrine visible from Eldin Tower. Perched within a lake of lava, they had been forced to glide in from above. The extreme heat had hit them both, but the Fireproof Elixir seemed to still function, keeping the worst of the temperature at bay.

Inside the Shrine stood two large platforms connected below the floor. They appeared to be linked by weight, as setting fire to a crate on the left platform caused it to raise, the opposite platform lowering in sync. This new path to the Monk stood above the right platform, just below a ceiling of sharp spikes.

“Are you sure you can’t just fly us both up there?” Link asked.

“First of all, there’s no elevation in here for me to get airborne. Secondly, that row of spikes doesn’t leave enough room for me to glide under.”

“So what now, how are we meant to weigh down that other platform?”

“What about this crate?” Teba asked, pointing to a large metal cube which lay partially hidden at the rear of the chamber.

Link raised the Sheikah Slate. The box shuddered off of the ground and was manoeuvred through the air to the top of the left platform, which creaked but lowered only slightly.

Clambering onto the other platform, Link reached up for the ledge but came just short.

“It’s not enough…”

“Bring the box back down, I have an idea,” Teba replied. Link raised the cube.

“Put it just in front of the platform.”

As the crate was grounded once more, Teba pulled himself on top of it, then up onto the platform itself, which squeaked and moved a little.

“Now go and stand on the other plate and move the crate up here from there,” he instructed.

Link did as he was told, climbing onto the right platform then carefully moving the metal cube next to Teba. The platforms creaked, moving slowly, but eventually Link was level with the path to the Monk. He ducked out before the spikes could reach him.

“Since when were you so heavy?” he shouted back to Teba, who frowned.

“I’m more concerned that you’re so light.”

Link collected the Monk’s blessing, then jumped back down to the Shrine floor to join Teba.

 The sun was shining brightly when they exited, but its warmth was dwarfed by the lava lake around them.

“So how exactly are we getting out of here?” Teba asked, surveying their immediate surroundings. There was a path of metal boxes precariously half-submerged in the lava to their right which led back to the main path, but he didn’t particularly fancy his chances.

“Link?” he asked, turning, and only just managing to catch the Hylian falling forward to his knees.

“Woah, I’ve got you! What’s wrong?”

Link seemed to regain his composure quickly, placing a hand on the ground to balance himself.

“I remember…” he said breathlessly, “I think there’s a memory nearby…”

“Well let’s check the Slate then,” Teba began, but was interrupted by a rush of wind surrounding him. Before he could say anything, Link shot into the sky, pulled his Paraglider, and began gliding to the west, away from the path to Goron City.

“Link! Slow down!” Teba called after the Hylian, only just managing to use the end of Revali’s Gale to soar into the sky after him.

When he caught up, the Hylian was sitting on a rock at the edge of a small plateau in the peaks surrounding the volcano. The air was cooler here, and the view was spectacular.

Hyrule Castle sat directly ahead of them, closer than Teba had ever seen it. Malice continued to swirl around it, blocking their view of any specific details of the structure. Five large pillars towered around it, glowing a deep purple. Hyrule Field sprawled out in the distance, and even the peaks of Gerudo Desert could be seen towards the horizon. To their right was a large patch of fog which completely shrouded the area it covered.

'The Lost Woods..." Teba thought, shoulders shuddering.

He approached Link slowly. The Hylian was sitting, staring out at the view.

“You OK?” Teba asked, quietly sitting next to him.

“Yeah,” he mumbled back, “wasn’t anything important this time.”

“Your memories are all important when you can’t remember them. What did you see?”

“I was with Zelda, she was tending to a wound, I think. There were a lot of dead Bokoblins lying around.”

“Did you kill them?”

“Must have,” Link shrugged, then continued, “She was worried that the number of monsters was increasing, and so Ganon would reappear soon.”

Teba nodded gently, content to sit in silence while the Hylian worked through his thoughts.

“Shall we go?” Link asked after a few moments, standing.

“You sure you’re ready to move on?”

“There’ll be another memory at Goron City, I’m sure of it,” he replied seriously. “Zelda and I wouldn’t just travel out here for the sake of it. Let’s go.”

He didn’t wait for Teba before turning and heading down the mountain.

While each of the other settlements they had visited were located in unique settings, Goron City was actually carved into the structure of Death Mountain. A large rock carving jutted out over their heads to the left, and various small caves had been hollowed out to allow for living quarters and a few shops. Teba could feel the heat oozing out of the lava stream that flowed below the main paths around the village.

He followed Link as he purposefully strode towards the largest building in the area. The Hylian hadn’t spoken since he regained that last memory, and Teba was beginning to worry for him.

‘Still,’ he reasoned,’ if he does remember more here then that can only be a good thing, right?’

A Goron emerged from the cave as Link approached, muttering under his breath. Like the other Gorons, he was twice the height of Link and almost spherical in shape, with large rock-like backs. This Goron had long, white hair that streamed from around his head, leaving a large bald spot in the centre.

“That blasted Rudania…” Teba heard him mutter before he noticed Link, who tilted his head questioningly.

“With Rudania runnin’ wild recently, Death Mountain’s eruptions have gotten real bad.”

“Rudania?” Teba asked, joining Link.

“Vah Rudania, the Divine Beast,” he turned and pointed up to the base of the mountain. “Do ya see it stompin’ around up there on the mountain?”

As he spoke, a large beast crawled into sight from behind the summit. Clinging onto the mountain, the lizard-shaped beast was almost vertical as it slowly stomped around the lava trails running from the peak.

“And they say that 100 years ago, it actually used to protect our people from harm…” the large Goron continued, shaking his head. “But that was then, and this is now! All it does is mess up our mining operations! We’re all suffering because it’s stoppin’ us from doin’ business. I can’t tell ya how many times we’ve used the cannons to chase off that fiend, but it just keeps coming back!”

At this last comment, he threw his arms into the air, and a mighty crack sounded. The Goron’s face scrunched in pain, and he didn’t move from his position – hunched forward with both hands aloft.

“Are you ok?” Teba asked.

“Hmph…” the Goron replied, still frozen. “It’s just some back pain…”

Slowly he brought his arms back down to his side, breathing deeply and  loudly in the process.

“Just who are you anyway?” he asked.

“I’m Teba and this is Link.”

“I see. Not often we see a Hylian out here, even less a Rito! But if you’ve come all this way to pay your respects to me, then I like you already, brothers!”

“That’s not-“ Teba started, but the Goron continued.

“Well, my name’s Bludo. I’m the great Goron Boss who’s fearsome enough to silence a crying child! Or make a silenced child cry… Either way, I was plannin’ to drive off Rudania like I always do, but then this blasted pain in my back flared up outta nowhere. I sent my young assistant to grab some painkillers from the Abandoned North Mine, but he hasn’t come back yet.”

“We could go and check up on him for you?” Teba suggested, glancing at Link who nodded enthusiastically.

“That would be great, brother!” the Goron exclaimed, almost throwing his hands into the air again, before thinking better of it. “The Abandoned Mines are just over that hill there. Let me know if you find him!”

Bludo, one hand clamped to his back, turned, and hobbled back into the large rock structure.

“What do you think? Is that Daruk’s descendant?” Link asked.

Teba shook his head.

“I’d bet my bottom Rupee that his assistant is, though. That’s how these things usually go.”

“Better head towards the mines then. Why would you store anything in a place called the Abandoned Mines anyway?”

“Before we go, can I grab another Fireproof Elixir? I can feel the last one beginning to wear off.”

Two dark red potions were retrieved from the Slate and, noses pinched, downed in one go.

The Abandoned Mines actually consisted of several mine entrances, perched atop rock towers scattered across a vast lake of lava. Each now also housed a variety of Lizalfos, some having built their own watch towers.

“We’re probably looking for the largest mine, right?” Link asked.

“The furthest one looks most promising,” Teba agreed, “but in this heat I don’t think I’d be able to fly us both all the way over. Can you make your own way across?”

“Has the potion not kicked in yet?”

“It helped a bit, but the heat is just… weighing down on me. I should be ok to fly solo, don’t worry.”

“Well, if you need to rest do that first, I can find the Goron on my own.”

Kneeling, Link summoned Revali’s Gale and shot into the sky. Slowly, Teba used the remaining updraft to follow him.

It was slightly cooler up here, and Teba happily drew in the fresher air. He flew above Link, who was beginning to glide towards an artificial updraft which had been chiselled into a thin rock pillar. Some Lizalfos had noticed their path forwards but, seeing as the pair were far out of their weapons’ ranges, they were content to observe them for now.

He watched as the updraft sent Link back to his height, before they descended towards the large pillar together.

Two scarlet Lizalfos stood outside a pile of rubble, jumping from side to side and hissing towards the rocks. They didn’t notice the pair land softly behind them, drawing their weapons quietly. One fell to the ground, an arrow lodged in its head. Its ally barely had time to register the attack before Link’s sword slashed its back.

“Nothing here?” Link asked.

Teba tilted his head.

“Can you hear something?” he asked.

Link frowned.

“Like what?”

They stood in silence for a moment, Link straining to hear against the flow of lava below. Now that he was focussed, he could hear something… A muffled cry from inside the rock pile.

“Hello?” Teba shouted, “Is there someone in there?”

There was no response. In fact, the crying seemed to stop, as if hushed by their presence.

“Think that’s who we’re looking for?” Link asked.

“I doubt Bludo would have sent someone who wasn’t capable of defending themselves out here…” Teba considered, “But we can’t just leave them trapped in there. Think a bomb will clear the rubble?”

“Might take two…” Link replied, activating the Slate.

“If there’s anyone in there, we’re going to get you out! Get as far away from the rubble as you can!” Teba called out, before retreating.

Link placed two bombs, one circular and one square, on the ground beside the rubble, then paced back to where Teba was standing. He tapped the screen, and the bombs exploded, sending an eruption of rock and debris into the sky. He had to shield himself from small pieces of stone from above.

Once the dust had settled, they approached the now open cave. Inside was a collection of pots and chests and, right at the back, was a small Goron, head in hands, surrounded by a strange orange aura. Around his neck was a blue cloth, which Link was sure he recognised, but couldn’t place exactly.

As they approached, he looked up. Seeing them, he leapt to his feet and let out a yell.

“Monsters!” He shouted, running round in a small circle. “They’ve found me! Help! Heeeeeeelp!”

The Goron paused, evidently out of breath. He stared at Link for a moment, then seemed to calm down slightly.

“Now that I’ve gotten a good look… You’re a Hylian! Were you the one who broke through that crag to rescue me, goro? Thanks brother! But what brought you all the way out here to begin with?”

“We’re looking for Bludo’s assistant,” Teba said. “Do you know where we could find him?”

“Oh! So that’s it! Boss told you to come find me!”

Teba raised his eyebrows, but the Goron turned back to Link.

“Phew, thank goodness. In any case, I sure am glad you saved me, goro! The name’s Yunobo, but everyone calls me… Yunobo. Makes sense, goro. I came to get some painkillers for Boss, but those monsters trapped me in here.”

He gave a small shiver.

“Oh! But this isn’t a great time to chat. I need to deliver these painkillers as soon as possible! Sorry, I’ve gotta roll! But come by and see the Boss later, OK? He may be gruff, but he always repays a favour. OK then, goodbye for now, goro!”

With that, he curled up into a ball and rolled past them and out of the cave.

“So how does that help us?” Link asked.

“Let’s head back and see if Bludo can help us get any closer to Vah Rudania. Although, given where it’s sitting at the moment, I’m not sure we’ll have any luck.”

They looked at the beast, currently resting near the summit of the volcano, before venturing back towards the city.

Chapter Text

When they arrived back, Bludo was standing outside of his cave. He gave a large wave as they approached.

“Ah! It’s the tiny traveller and his bird friend! Yunobo told me all about how you helped him out. I arranged a little something for you, head on over to the shop to pick it up! Anyway, it’s time for me to meet up with him.”

He lowered his voice to a mere yell, leaning in towards Link and Teba.

“I mean no disrespect to Daruk’s legacy, but if I’m not there to give that Rudania a good walloping…”

“Is that Daruk up there?” Teba interrupted, pointing up to the large rock formation hanging over the town and giving Link a subtle nudge. Several figures had been carved into the stone: four larger than life figures constantly overlooking the city.

“Are ya really tellin’ me ya don’t know about Daruk? The Goron Champion!? That’s him up there, right at the top.”

Link squinted to see the carving through the hot air. Teba watched as the Hylian focussed in on the Champion. Bludo continued talking, but neither Link nor Teba were listening.

“…because normal cannonballs are no good against him.” Bludo concluded, seemingly none the wiser that neither of his companions had heard anything he said.

Teba saw Link jolt out of his trance and breathed a small sigh of relief.

“All right, that’s enough outta me.” Bludo concluded, turning. “Time to go drive off Rudania!”

He swung his arm in the air triumphantly, resulting in another loud crack.

“Youch…” he grumbled, slowly moving his hands to his back again. He grimaced.

“I’m afraid I’m not going anywhere today… I hate to put you on the spot again, but can ya please go tell Yunobo that I’m gonna have to cancel for today? He should be at Eldin Bridge.”

“No problem…” Teba said slowly and, with a nod from Link, they set off on the path up the mountain.

“You ok?” Teba asked cautiously.

“I remembered being with Daruk on the Divine Beast,” Link replied.

“Did he say anything to you?”

“We were just chatting. About Rudania, and Zelda, and the mountain. He used this weird power to shield us from a rockslide…”

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic – did he say something about Zelda?”

“No, no everything he said was normal. Nothing special but nothing bad, I guess. There’s just… something that I’m missing. Something important that I’ve not spotted yet.”

“What kind of something?”

Link scrunched up his face in concentration, then sighed.

“The more I think about it the less likely I’ll be to remember it. I’ll tell you if it comes to me.”

Teba nodded, and they continued up the dirt path towards Eldin Bridge.

“Someone please help me!”

The shout came from ahead. Link glanced at Teba for only a second before drawing his sword and running forwards. Teba followed behind.

Two large Moblins had cornered Yunobo, their clubs raised. The Goron was cowering, surrounded once again by the strange, orange aura.

Link launched into the first Moblin, throwing it off balance. The second Moblin whirled round and swung its club, but Link dodged below, letting the attack hit its ally, who staggered from the double blow. Before it could regain its composure, it was struck by an arrow, sending it reeling backwards. Its feet found some loose rubble at the edge of the path, and it roared as it tipped back into the lava and sank out of sight.

The second Moblin swung again at Link, who leapt backwards from the attack. He swung his hand into the air and clicked his fingers. A mighty CRACK sounded from above them, and a bolt of lightning crashed into the monster, which spasmed as the electricity jolted through its body. It collapsed to the ground, lying still for a moment before dissolving into purple malice.

Teba, arrow still aimed at the spot the monster had stood, raised his eyebrows at Link, but the Hylian had already turned his attention to the cowering Yunobo.

Hearing the combat die down, the Goron slowly dropped his arms from around his head.

“Thanks for saving me!” he shouted to Link and Teba as they approached. “I would’ve been in real trouble if you hadn’t shown up when you did, goro. But still no sign of Boss, eh?”

“He’s not coming,” Teba replied. “He asked us to tell you his back still hurts.”

 “Aw, after we went through all that trouble to get them, the painkillers didn’t even end up working, goro. Well, if Boss can’t help, there’s nothin’ else we can do. I suppose I’ll just head back now…”

“Before you go, can you show us the best way up Death Mountain? If we were, say, trying to board the Divine Beast…”

“WHAT?!  You’re gonna try to board Rudania? Who do you think you are, Lord Dar-”

“The scarf!” Link shouted, so abruptly that Yunobo jumped back.

“The scarf?” Teba asked.

Link pointed at the Goron.

“The scarf you’re wearing… it’s not yours, is it?”

“Oh this?” Yunobo asked, rubbing the bright blue material in his hand. “No, it was passed down to me from the Goron Champion.”

“You’re Champion Daruk’s descendant?” Teba asked.

“That’s me…” Yunobo replied with a self-conscious chuckle.

“I knew Daruk…” Link said quietly, almost to himself. “If there was a chance we could help Goron City, don’t you think he’d want us to try?”

“Wooooaaaah, you knew Lord Daruk!?” Yunobo shouted, his eyes almost popping out of his head. “But how? You’d need to be at least, like, 50, and you don’t look anything like it!”

“It’s… a long story,” Link replied.

“Well, I suppose you’re right. The problem is… good ol’ Boss raised the Bridge of Eldin to make sure that mean Divine Beast couldn’t get over here. In order to get to where Rudania is, we’ll have to find a way to lower the bridge, goro.”

“Bludo mentioned something about normal cannonballs not damaging Rudania,” Teba said, “What do you use instead?”

“Oh! That’s right, we use me as a cannonball. That should work!”

“Wait, seriously?” Link asked.

“Sure! I’ve got Daruk’s Protection, goro!”

As if to demonstrate, Yunobo punched his knuckles together and the orange aura appeared around him once more.

“That means I can smash into anything and it won’t hurt one bit, goro! My ancestor’s help can’t possibly fail me! Alright, take aim at the bridge and fire away, goro!” he continued, curling into a ball, and rolling into the neck of the canon.

Link shot a concerned glance at Teba, who simply shrugged his shoulders. Carefully, the Hylian placed a bomb into the rear of the canon, took a few steps backwards, and detonated.

Yunobo shot from the canon far into the air, curving towards the bridge. The Goron impacted at the very tip of the structure, which wobbled slightly, before slowly tipping towards them. It crashed into the lava below with a large bang.

Yunobo landed just in front of them, bouncing twice on the ground before rolling to a halt. Daruk’s Protection still active, he stood and rubbed his head, before giving the pair a large grin and a thumbs up.

Together they approached the bridge, the Divine Beast perched high above them on the side of the mountain.

“Can we… just wait for a moment?” Teba asked, slightly breathlessly, holding on to the side of the bridge firmly.

“Everything ok?” Link asked, running to join him.

“Think that last Elixir must have worn off already. Heat just hit me like a truck,” Teba grumbled.

Link grabbed the slate and summoned another bottle.

“Last two, we never did pick up any spares from the village. Want to run back and grab some now?”

Teba waved him away.

“I’ll be fine. Do you need to take one right now? If not, save it for later.”

He uncorked the bottle and downed the potion in one.

“Better?” Link asked.

“Not really,” the Rito admitted, “but let’s carry on anyway.”

Vah Rudania loomed overhead as they reached the other side of the bridge. A rocky path ascended around the side of the mountain to their left, but before they could go any further, a mighty screech came from above.

“Quickly!” Yunobo yelped, “Hide against the wall!”

He ran to the cliff-face nearest them and pressed his back against it.

“What’s going on?” Link asked as he followed suit. “Can it see us?”

“No, but its sentries can…”

As he spoke, several small, purple drones flew into view, not dissimilar to Guardian Skywatchers. They scattered along the path, hovering high above the ground. Once in position, a red light beamed out of them, casting a circular glow on the ground below.

“Step into that light and Rudania will go nuts, shooting out lava bombs, goro. I… always get spotted. Normally Boss would just swat them away like they were nothin, but I don’t think you’d be able to do that.”

“Can’t you fly up and take them out?” Link asked Teba.

The Rito shook his head.

“Not in this state,” he croaked, “I don’t know if I’d even be able to stay airborne, never mind take out a Guardian…”

“We’ll just have to be careful then. What’s our best plan?”

“There are three canons on the path to the summit,” Yunobo said, counting them on his stubby hands. “Usually after three hits Rudania retreats to the inside of Death Mountain for a while.”

“Inside?” Teba asked.

Yunobo shrugged.

“Normally that’s good enough for us. I’m not sure your Fireproof Elixirs will work on the inside of a volcano, but there’s only one way to find out, right?” He said with a nervous laugh.

“Alright, let’s get started then. We’ve only got one potion left, so we’ll have to be quick,” Link stated.

Yunobo started up the path, Link following behind, shooting a concerned glance at the Rito, whose shoulders were sagging significantly.

“Ready?” Link asked as Yunobo approached the first canon.

“As I’ll ever be…” his reply came as he rolled up into a ball and entered the weapon. Link adjusted its aim until the barrel was pointed straight at the Divine Beast, then dropped a remote bomb into the chamber and stepped back.

The explosion sent Yunobo in an arc through the sky and colliding into the Lizard. It stumbled slightly, its feet searching for grip on the rocky mountainside, before letting out another screech and manoeuvring further away from them.

“One down!” Link shouted as the Goron landed with a thud beside him.

“This one, uh… isn’t moving…”

While the previous sentries had patrolled along a set path, making them easy to avoid with well-timed movement, this one was stationary, its surveillance zone covering the entirety of the path forward.

“Give me two minutes…” Link muttered, eyeing up the cliff beside them. Carefully, he began scaling it. The rock was hot under his fingers, but not enough to burn him. Upon reaching a flat surface, he spotted a large boulder resting near the edge. Locking it in place with the Slate, he built up a little momentum and aimed it towards the sentry.

The rock clicked out of stasis and spiralled forwards, smashing into the Guardian, and sending it plummeting down the side of the mountain. Link heard cheering from below and looked down to see Yunobo clapping his hands.

“The second canon’s just up here!” he shouted, before running ahead. He was followed by a noticeably less animated Teba, who had been worryingly silent for the majority of their climb.

The third impact knocked Rudania back, causing another loud screech. Rocks crumbled and hurtled down the mountain as the Divine Beast reoriented itself, before beginning to ascend to the summit. Here, it threw itself forward into the crater, creating a mighty rumble. An explosion of magma and rock erupted from the volcano.

“Woah!” Yunobo gasped, “That was so cool! We really put a licking on that thing, goro! Time to finish the job!”

Link nodded and started towards the path to the summit when he heard a thud behind him.

“Teba!?”

The Rito had fallen to his knees, wings supporting himself as he gasped for breath.

“Too… hot…” he murmured. “Go on…”

“I’m not just leaving you here?” Link said, kneeling by his side. “Yunobo!”

The Goron ran over, and between them they managed to haul Teba back to his feet.

“I won’t be of any use to you in there… You go on your own, I’m sure you’ll be fine…” he muttered, head rolling slightly on his shoulders.

“Yunobo can you take Teba back to Goron City?”

The Goron nodded frantically, supporting Teba on his shoulder.

“I won’t be long… I hope. Just make sure he’s ok, ok?”

Yunobo nodded again and, with a little difficulty, began helping Teba back down the path.

The heat rising from the inside of the volcano was, unsurprisingly, immense.

Link started down at the Divine Beast, which had settled on a lake of lava in the centre of the mountain. A stream of superheated air was billowing upwards, creating a constant updraft. With the amount of heat being generated, he’d have to freefall most of the way, only relying on the Paraglider at the last second.

He glanced back down the mountain and spotted the figures of Teba and Yunobo, still descending. He knew Teba had been struggling and, feeling how hot it was up here, he wasn’t surprised the Rito had sent him on alone.

There was a slight tug in his chest, but he brushed it aside. Teba would be fine. He always was.

A single bead of sweat dripped down his forehead, and then another. Feeling the heat somehow intensify, he summoned a Fireproof Elixir and held it in his hand.

“Last one…” he thought aloud. “Better make it count.”

The elixir was downed in one gulp, and the heat faded – slightly.

Ensuring all of his equipment was attached securely, he looked down at the beast, far below in the pool of lava.

With a deep breath, he ran towards the edge of the crater and jumped.

Chapter Text

“Hey, little guy! Long time no see.”

Daruk’s voice bellowed into Link’s head. It had to – the sound of the volcano churning around him was almost deafening. The Goron continued speaking as Link moved towards the Sheikah terminal in front of him.

“I always knew you’d come back. Y’know, I never stopped believing in you! You’re here to take control of ol’ Rudania back from Ganon, right? You’ll need a map that shows the guts of this place. It’ll help you control it too. You can grab the info from the Guidance Stone on the opposite side of the main chamber. Now get a move on!”

Link looked towards the entrance to the beast – a small passage which protruded above the level platform of the beast’s back and descended deep into its core. He took one step forwards, but the floor was so smooth that he lost his footing. He let out a yelp as he tumbled backwards and slid down into the darkness.

For a moment, he thought he had lost his eyesight - in front of him, only darkness - but the gentle flicker of two blue torches behind him suggested that he could still see – the main chamber of the Divine Beast was just very, very dark.

‘At least it’s cooler in here…’ he thought, grabbing one of the torches and moving forwards.

While the lighting was poor, his torch dimly lit the walls and floor of Rudania, allowing Link to study its design. It looked similar to the other beasts, albeit with some charring to the markings. There were also large piles of malice seeping through the walls and collecting in corners. He shuddered to think how it had managed to get in and stayed well away.

The first gate he came across was simple to open: an unlit torch hooked to the wall, once lit, opened the path forward.

As the gate ground open, a single, circular blue light appeared near the ground ahead. He stared it down for a moment before further lights appeared in lines around a circular shape.

Link only just ducked out of the way as the Guardian fired its laser towards him. The beam cast a flash of light across the room until it hit the opposite wall. Link’s torch lay abandoned, flickering against the floor.

‘Can it see me in the dark?’ he wondered, slowly drawing a sword, and turning to face the enemy.

The Guardian twitched its head slightly from side to side. Link allowed himself a sigh of relief before it produced a bright blue axe and hurled it in his direction. It clattered into his hastily drawn shield and sent him stumbling backwards.

“I’ll take that as a yes…” he muttered.

“Nice job getting the map of the Divine Beast! The terminals that control Rudania are noted by the glowing points on your map. You got this, little guy!”

As Daruk’s voice faded once again, Rudania rumbled. Link grabbed on to the terminal and looked up to see four large vents grinding open, revealing the darkening sky above and the very top of Death Mountain.

He dragged his hair out of his eyes, already damp with sweat. While the room was still cooler than the volcano ascent had been, it was still unbearably warm.

‘The sooner I can get out of here the better…’

He turned his attention to the map. Vah Rudania’s structure was displayed on a clear grid, with five glowing dots representing the terminals. Four of them seemed to be in the main chamber itself, but he knew it probably wouldn’t be as easy as just wandering around.

Turning his attention to the text on the screen, he saw an option to “Tilt 90 degrees”. Curious, he tapped it. The Rudania on his screen moved in time with the structure around him. Slowly, the floor began to tilt away from him, and he once again found himself clinging on to the terminal.

The beast continued to move until the entire chamber had rotated 90 degrees. Link carefully jumped down onto what used to be a wall.

‘There’s always got to be a gimmick in these places, hasn’t there?’ he thought.

Now lit by the volcanic glow, Link saw that the inside of Rudania was, in fact, significantly more marked than the other Divine Beasts. Some walls were engraved with detailed Sheikah logos and runes, while others seemed to have what looked like full passages of text engraved on them.

Other surfaces had clearly not survived a century without damage. One entire wall was charred, remnants of a Sheikah carving barely visible beneath the burnt black stone. Others were infested with Malice, the substance pooling at the bottom and climbing upwards like some sort of liquid poison ivy.

The few walls that weren’t marked with any engravings were decorated with the familiar constellation-like designs. As with the other beasts, these glowed a deep pink. Link made a mental note to compare their forms to the real constellations that could be seen from Hyrule on a clear night.

Deciding to start where he had entered the chamber, he made his way back through the three gates he had opened to get to the terminal. Each room was a similar size, and, for some reason, littered with chests. He must have stocked up on at least 50 arrows in this chamber alone.

To the right of the entrance corridor (‘slide?’) was another gate, this one with a small eye-shaped whole in its centre. Peering through he could see a large metal crate, several beams of fire, and another unlit torch.

He moved to light an arrow on the torch which flanked the entrance but, on summoning it from the Slate, it caught fire naturally. Before it burnt out completely, he fired it through the small gap. It flew through the stand, flame catching. With a heavy whir, the door slid open, allowing him access to the room.

The small chamber was split into two halves by five streams of fire billowing from the floor. Beyond the flames he could see a terminal, but there was no obvious way to bypass the fire.

Hoping to find some sort of clue, Link opened Rudania’s map on the Sheikah Slate. The room began to slowly tilt. As gravity pulled him towards what once was the wall, he heard a grating sound, and turned to face the large metal crate as it began to tumble towards him, only just flying past as he rolled out of the way. It clattered loudly on impact.

Link looked between the crate and the flames, which were now firing out of the wall sideways. Something clicked in his head.

Using Magnesis, he hauled the metal crate from its resting place and dropped it in front of the flame-throwers. The fire blew into the crate, heating it and turning it a deep orange, but persisted no further, creating a safe passage for the Hylian.

“There are four terminals remaining!” Daruk’s voice called out as he stepped back from the pedestal. “That’s the way!”

He turned to find that the flames had disappeared, leaving only a lightly roasted metal crate which he gave a wide berth as he made his way back to the central chamber.

He saved the most confusing terminal for last, but there was simply no avoiding it now.

He stood outside of a locked gate, staring in. Behind him was a large circular indent in the floor of the Divine Beast, one which he was pretty certain acted as a switch for the lock in front of him. ‘Just like in the Shrines,’ he figured, ‘placing the ball in that switch will open the door.’ The only problem was he had no idea where the ball was.

He suspected it had something to do with the long chute that ran through the whole of the beast’s central chamber. In fact, it was so out of place and seemingly unnecessary that he was almost certain of it.

Returning to the opposite side of the chamber, he positioned himself close to the spot where three walls formed a small cubby. Then, as Rudania shifted its position, gravity gently pulled him from the floor onto one of these walls. From this position, he could make a small leap onto the chute and follow it out of the chamber towards its source.

It twisted on exiting the beast, before bending around the exterior and becoming almost vertical and disappearing behind one of Rudania’s scales. Link slid down onto one of these platforms and almost landed on top of a torch holder. Behind it was what looked like a small gate mechanism.

Pulling out a torch, which ignited on contact with the scorching air, he lit the stand in front of him. A small ‘click’ could be heard, and the gate raised up.

Link cocked his head. ‘Shouldn’t there be a ball or something? Or am I meant to be in there somehow?’

Moving to re-enter the beast’s interior and study the chute from the other end, Link readjusted Rudania’s angle once more. As he made his way towards the interior again, however, he heard a rolling sound from behind him. He turned to see a small orange sphere rolling back down the chute and out of sight.

Running quickly after it, his foot caught on a small vent and he tumbled forwards, sliding quickly down the side of the Divine Beast. He felt his contact with the ground lessen as the beast curved away from him and the ground became wall. Just as the contact disappeared completely, he threw out his hand and grabbed on to the small gap he had used just moments before. The stone was scorching under his fingers, and he had to fight the impulse to let go, but slowly he managed to pull himself back inside.

Rolling forward he sprawled out face down, his heart racing. Several deep breaths later, he allowed himself to open his eyes.

There, directly under where he lay, was the orange ball, halted by gravity.

‘Why couldn’t they just have put a key in a chest?’ he thought, half laughing, half exhausted.

The malice swirled around the Main Control Unit as Link approached. Combined with the sheer heat of the volcano, it seemed to twist and contort even more frantically than usual.

The Slate was heavy in his hands, and a bead of sweat dripped from his hair. He could feel the fire-proof elixir wearing off.

‘Better finish this quickly,’ he thought, placing the slate to the panel.

The malice swirled high into the air, pulsing between a deep purple and sickly orange. Whisps of bright blue light began to flow out of the mass, streaming past Link and forming a ball of their own behind him. After a moment, the ball glowed brightly and let out a loud roar.

The beast, which the Slate identified as ‘Fireblight Ganon,’ hovered before him, a large, Guardian-like sword clutched in its right hand. In its opposite, a ball of flame. It was shorter and rounder than the other blights, but its main identifying feature was the fiery red hair that flowed down its back from behind a ceramic plate and seemed to be producing more heat than the volcano itself. A single blue eye glared at him from the plate.

“Watch yourself, Link!” Daruk called out, “That ugly pain in the crag is Ganon’s handiwork. “Thing might have got the best of me a hundred years ago, but I believe in you little guy! Go get ‘im!”

Link grabbed his bow and ran backwards, looking to put some distance between him and the Blight. The beast raised its right hand and flung the ball of fire towards him, which split into 5 smaller projectiles that whizzed past his head. The beast spun quickly, dissolving into blue light which raced forward.

Turning, Link quickly checked his arrow supply – Bomb Arrows were out of the question, but he had a few Ice Arrows that would probably do the trick. He summoned one and knocked it, just as the beast reappeared directly in front of him.

Link watched as it readied its sword for a swing – the weapon alone must have been at least five times his size. He rolled forwards, feeling the mighty blade sweep above him, before returning to his feet and firing the Ice Arrow.

It struck the beast directly in the eye, sending shards of ice crackling through the air, before melting and evaporating into steam. The blight screamed and fell to the ground stunned. Link took his opportunity, darting forward and slashing while the beast was down.

A large trunk of malice swung, knocking him backwards. Stumbling, he threw one hand out to stop his fall, and felt his blade slip out of his fingers. It clattered on the ground, bouncing only once before slipping over the edge of Rudania and falling to the lava below.

The Fireblight made a strange grating noise as it regained its footing which Link thought resembled laughter, before returning to its ball of light and retreating high into the air.

Link wiped his brow. The Elixir had now almost completely worn off and the heat of the volcano was beginning to hit him like a train. He summoned another Ice Arrow, holding it close to his face just to cool down as he watched the Fireblight approach.

Moving to swing its sword once more, Link took advantage of the slow wind-up time and pulled the Sheikah Slate from his waist. As the beast began to swing, Link froze it mid-attack and threw himself under the blade’s path.

The Stasis lasted for only a few seconds, but it was enough to throw the massive beast off-balance. It roared as its sword crashed into the ground, dragging its body down with it. Link paused for only a moment to look longingly at the Ice Arrow, before sending it flying into the blue eye and repeating his attack cycle, ensuring to retreat before the beast regained its footing this time.

The Blight flew into the air once more and hovered above the main control unit. They remained still for a moment, eyes locked, both breathing heavily in the extreme heat, before the beast raised its left hand and clicked its fingers, summoning a ball of flame. It held the flame to its sword, which appeared to heat up greatly, turning from bright blue to an even brighter orange.

Seemingly unsatisfied with just this upgrade, the beast waved its arm upwards, and a sphere of transparent fire engulfed it. Link knocked another Ice Arrow and fired before it had a chance to attack, but the arrow simply dissolved as it hit the barrier of fire.

The beast let off another laugh before dissolving into blue light once more. Link watched as it hovered over his head, reappearing in mid-air over the side of Rudania, out of reach of his melee weapons. It spread its hands wide, and the fire shield glowed a deep orange.

Air began rushing past him towards the Blight, its hands still spread. On contact with the shield, it combusted, causing the beast to disappear behind an increasingly large ball of fire. The Hylian began to back away, having to shield his eyes from the attack as it grew in intensity and heat.

After a moment, another ball of fire flew high into the air. The beast disappeared, taking its shield with it. Link watched as the secondary fireball began falling back towards the Divine Beast. The air around it was warped by the sheer heat, and Link scrambled backwards away from it. The next step he took didn’t meet ground, and he toppled backwards into the Beast’s interior.

He crashed to the floor, dazed by the heat. The Slate bounced from his hip, and he half-heartedly reached out to grab it, but was interrupted by a thunderous crash from above that rocked the entire room.

He craned his neck up to see a wave of fire crash over Rudania’s back as the fireball exploded. The heat even made its way down to him, forcing him back to the ground until it passed.

Slowly, Link pulled himself back to his feet. He checked his supply of Ice Arrows – just one left.

A whirring noise from behind him drew his attention. He turned to find the Fireblight hovering almost directly above him. It summoned another fireball in its hand, and Link prepared to dodge out of the way of its sword swing.

‘The Blights might hit hard,’ he thought, ‘but they’re nothing if not predic-‘

The blight set fire to its hair.

The once red hair now burned a violent orange, and Link could hear it crackling. The beast slowly rolled its neck and then swung it violently forwards. The fiery hair slammed into the ground to Link’s right, scorching the floor and sending him reeling to the left. He rolled out of the reach of the second swing, stumbling backwards as the beast continued its assault. His side stung, and he looked down to see his tunic badly charred from the attack. His skin, it seemed, was still intact for now.

The Blight reeled back after a moment, clearly dazed by its method of attack. Link dragged himself forward. He wasn’t sure what he was holding anymore but he swung it desperately, slicing the beast’s sides.

The Blight swiped at him, sending him flying back across the chamber, crashing into a wall and sliding down to the floor. Link collapsed forward, desperately sucking air into his lungs. He heard his weapon clatter far out of sight and reach. The heat was unbearable now, the Fireproof Elixir’s effects having worn off. It surrounded him completely, thick and suffocating.

His tunic glowed briefly, before catching alight. He gasped and frantically clawed at it, tearing the material away before it burned his skin.

He raised his head slowly to see the blight ahead, a ball of fire growing in its hand, the shield nowhere to be seen. He moved to stand but his legs wouldn’t react, trapping him to the spot.

He felt a sudden cool breeze brush against his torso. Groaning, he turned to see his final Ice Arrow resting on the ground beside him, the arrowhead twinkling like a Fairy.

‘Just need…’

He spotted his bow lying to the left. Leaning slowly, his body toppled over towards it. Breaths coming in short, rapid rags, he reached his arm out to the weapon. The beast’s fireball had grown considerably now, but it wasn’t in any rush to finish him, seemingly relishing in its success.

His fingers brushed the bow, pulling it slightly towards him. He grabbed it and dropped it again with a gasp, the metal burning his hand. Taking a different approach, he slowly knocked the arrow in the bow as it lay on the ground.

Taking as deep a breath as he could, he quickly grabbed the bow and twisted himself to face the Beast. The heat began to swarm his vision. The beast roared and fired its fireball towards him.

As darkness began to take hold, he raised the bow and fired.

Chapter Text

“Link…”

“Link.”

“Thanks to you, all of the Divine Beasts have returned to us and the spirits of the Champions are free.”

“We’re all awaiting your clash with Ganon at Hyrule Castle. Good luck, Link.”

“Link…”

“Link…?”

Link scrunched his eyes.

“Yeah yeah, I heard you the first time…” he mumbled.

“You’re awake!”

Slowly, the darkness began to lift as his eyes adjusted to his new surroundings. He was lying flat on some sort of bed. It was bright and the sky he could see was clear.

“You’re not… Zelda?”

“Hmm…” the voice returned, “not unless I’ve changed species in the last few minutes, no.”

The first thing he noticed was the heat – or lack thereof. It was far too cold to still be Death Mountain, but not unpleasant.

The second thing he noticed was the smell – trees and grass, definitely not burnt rocks and magma. But then, why would there be burnt rocks and magma in the afterlife?

The third thing he noticed was the bird song – chirp and cheery. He had only heard this sort of song in one place.

“Amiinritovillage?” he asked, his words slurring as he moved to sit up and winced at the pain that shot through his sides

“Yes you are, now sit down and stop wriggling.”

A figure leaned over him and he blinked, trying to focus his eyes on their violet appearance.

“Saki?”

“Well, I’m glad you’ve not experienced any more memory loss,” she smiled, “I’d hate to have to reintroduce you to everyone.”

“How did I get here? What happened to Rudania? Where’s Teba? Why di-“

“Relax,” Saki chuckled, “you’ll pull a muscle stressing out like that. Well, another one, at least.”

She pulled a small chair towards the bed and sat.

“Teba brought you here. Apparently, you appeared in Goron Village the night after you left, but when you wouldn’t respond and their healers couldn’t wake you up, he flew you back. He said that there was some sort of blue aura around you. I think he must have been suffering from the heat too, because he said it looked like a Zora, but a Zora in Goron City is a recipe for grilled fish if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Teba flew me all the way back here?”

“Yes, and I’ve given him hell for it already, don’t worry. Bad enough one of you injured, but if he had sprained a wing or been caught by monsters…”

Her voice trailed away and she looked out of the room.

“You were suffering from heat exhaustion, that’s probably why you passed out and wouldn’t wake up, but you were also burned pretty badly on your side and hands. Whatever happened on Rudania, it nearly killed you. If you weren’t so weak I’d have half a mind to tear into you as well, but I suppose I had better save it.”

Link smiled weakly.

“I expect nobody but you knows exactly what happened on Rudania,” she continued, “but given the way the Divine Beast has acted since you returned, I’d say you were successful.”

Slowly, Link turned his head to follow her gaze. From the small chamber high in the village, he could see the massive lizard perched atop the volcano. A pale red laser was pointed straight at Hyrule Castle, joining beams from the other three beasts.

“That makes sense,” he mumbled. “Zelda spoke to me in my sleep, told me they were all back.”

“Princess Zelda?” Saki asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.

“She, uh… does it a lot.” Link replied.

“Oh, and I should also mention that Mazli has been asking after you too. I had to send him away, but I said I would pass on his thoughts.”

The thought of the Rito Guard asking for him made him smile, or maybe it was just the thought of the Rito Guard himself… Either way, he closed his eyes, the light beginning to hurt his head. His side had begun stinging again and he was feeling strangely tired.

“Sleep, Link,” Saki said, standing. “We’ve given you plenty of attention, and you’ll be well again in a few days, but your body’s suffered a lot of strain. It’ll take time to recover, so let it.”

“Thank you, Saki,” he mumbled, drifting to sleep. “Will you tell Teba…”

“I’ll let him know you’ve been awake, but I won’t let him see you until you’re in better shape.”

“You know, I think I much prefer you when you were in a coma,” Teba muttered.

“Yeah, well I think I preferred your company when you were walking back down Death Mountain,” Link shot back through a mouthful of food.

They sat at the edge of the village, feet and talons dangling over the side of the island, chewing a fish dish that Saki had prepared especially for them.

“Please, just try eating like a normal person,” Teba said, returning to his own food as Link continued to chew loudly through his meal.

They sat and ate in the pleasant afternoon sun. Since he had woken three days ago the weather had been nothing but clear and warm – a surprise, but one Link wasn’t going to complain about. His health had improved quickly and, on promising not to do anything stupid or dangerous, he had been allowed to leave the ward that morning.

“What’s the plan now?” Teba asked between bites of his fish.

Link paused eating.

“Zelda spoke to me, while I was sleeping. Said she was waiting for me in Hyrule Castle.”

“So what, we just storm the castle? No secret entrance or safe passage?”

“Doubt it,” Link shrugged, “but there’s one more place I’d like to go before there. Have you heard of the ‘Master Sword’?”

“It’s a sword that’s supposedly passed down from generation to generation. The hero uses it to seal Ganon, or something along those lines.”

“Well, this hero is still missing it,” Link said, pointing to himself. “Impa mentioned it when I met her first, or rather mentioned its absence.”

“I didn’t realise it actually existed – thought it was just each Hero’s chosen sword. Did you have it a hundred years ago?”

“Think so, but apparently Zelda took it and sealed it away before she went to the castle. Impa said it would be in the Lost Woods. Does that ring any bells?”

Teba let out a breath and his face darkened.

“The Lost Woods is just northeast of here, but it’s impossible to get in and out of,” he replied, his voice lowering.

Link cocked his head, and Teba continued.

“There’s only one way in and out – anyone who tries to get in anywhere else just blacks out and wakes up back outside again. There’s a dead island to the west of the forest that they all wake up on, with no memories of what happened.”

“A dead island? How can an island be dead?”

“You don’t want to know, and you don’t want to find out.”

“So, what about the proper way in and out?”

“The woods are surrounded by a lake, and there’s only one path that crosses it. Once you’re inside the path disappears and, if you’re lucky, you wake up on that island with no memory of what happened and, hopefully, no motivation to try again.”

“And if you’re unlucky…?”

Teba was silent for a moment, looking out over the lake below.

“We’ve lost five good warriors to the Lost Woods. They went in and were never seen again.”

“So, you don’t think we should go there…”

“I implied it would be stupid to try,” Teba smirked, “I never said I wouldn’t do it. But if we get lost forever, I’ll kill you.”

“I’m happy to go in alone. Besides, if I get lost, chances are the Slate will warp me out.”

“I’m not convinced. Everything I know about that forest points to it not following any of the rules. If there’s any part of you that thinks you can go without the sword, I’d recommend listening to it.”

“And if that part of me doesn’t exist?”

Teba paused, his eyes locked on the Hylian’s.

“Then we do it together.”

“You’re rather… persistent.”

“If you’d rather I didn’t say hello while I was passing then I can just jump back down again.”

“Why jump? Allow me to give you a push.”

Revali’s spirit smirked at the Hylian. They stood atop Medoh, looking out over Hyrule in broad sunshine.

“I just came to say…” Link’s voice faltered, turning to look towards the castle.

“I saw you took back the final Divine Beast,” Revali said, moving to stand beside him. “I suppose I should congratulate you.”

“Nearly killed me, to be fair.”

“Well, the Gorons are a strange race. I’d be concerned if you’d gotten through it completely unscathed.”

Link considered raising his tunic to show his still-charred skin, but Revali continued.

“Well, unless my counting skills have deteriorated over the last century, that means you’ve recovered all four Divine Beasts.”

“And I started with yours, your honour.”

“Hmm, yes I suppose I will take that as a compliment.”

Link smiled slightly.

“So, Hyrule Castle next?” Revali asked.

“The Master Sword first.”

“Ah yes,” Revali sneered, “I suppose even Hyrule’s greatest warrior is nothing without his metal stick.”

“If the stories are true, it’s a little bit more than that, and I want all the help I can get before we go to the castle.”

“I hear the Sword sleeps in the Lost Woods. Do you remember the trick to getting through there?”

“There’s a trick?”

The Rito nodded and held out his wing.

“Light a torch and hold it in front of you. Follow the direction in which the cinders blow. That should bring you to the inner forest.”

“And that’s where the Master Sword is?”

“It’s where it was the last time, I see no reason for it to be elsewhere now.”

“’Last time’? You’ve been there before?”

“Believe it or not I did more than just preen myself a hundred years ago. I also accompanied the Princess on some very important missions.”

“You tried to pull the sword yourself, didn’t you?”

“I may or may not have attempted to pull the sword, however,” he said, raising his wing for emphasis, “I decided that the pathetic Hylian knight would get more value out of wielding it, so let it be.”

“How noble of you.”

“I thought you’d need all the help you could get.”

They stood in silence for a few moments, looking over Hyrule.

“And once you have the Master Sword?” Revali asked.

Link didn’t answer, his eyes once again falling to the malice-covered castle. His heart beat a little faster every time he looked at it.

“I can’t blame you for feeling anxious about facing the foul beast,” Revali continued quietly. “Truly a threat beyond anything this kingdom has faced. It can’t be easy, having that all rest on your shoulders.”

Link remained silent.

“Whatever is waiting for you in there, we will have your back. As much as it pains me to say it, I’ll follow your lead. Whenever you’re ready to face Ganon, we’ll be with you.”

“Thank you,” came the soft reply.

Revali’s beak turned upwards slightly.

“What about your Rito friend down below? How is he getting on?”

“Teba is good,” Link replied, pulling out of his anxious silence. “Probably saved my life over in Eldin.”

“You’re getting into quite the habit of being saved by a Rito…”

“It’s nice to have company… and help, I suppose. Plus, I think his wife’s taken me in as one of her own. For better or for worse…”

Revali smirked before moving to the edge of the platform. He looked down and sighed.

“Everyone seems to be doing well, as far as I can tell. I can’t fathom that it’s been 100 years… There’s no one left who would even know me. It’s almost sad, isn’t it? The Rito Champion of the Great Calamity, doomed to be forgotten in –“

“There you are, I thought I spotted you up he-“

Teba landed lightly on the platform and stopped mid-sentence.

The Rito froze, eyes locked on each other – Revali mid soliloquy, Teba mid landing. It was Teba who recovered first.

“Champion… Revali?”

Revali dropped his wing slowly.

“You… remember me…”

“Remember you? You’re the Rito Champion, how could we forget you? It’s an honour.”

Revali’s beak opened, then closed again.

“You can see each other?” Link asked.

“I was told that only Champions could step foot on Divine Beasts, but perhaps not,” Teba replied, still watching Revali.

“It’s a little more complicated, actually,” the spirit replied. “Only those allowed by the beast’s pilots can access them. Naturally Medoh can be accessed by any Rito, and I may have made some exceptions for certain Hylians.”

“So, you’re still up here, after all this time?” Teba asked.

“It was my job to pilot Vah Medoh 100 years ago. It remains my job today, after you and Link defeated that vile blight.”

“Mostly me, though,” Link muttered.

“You must be Teba?” Revali continued, ignoring the Hylian’s comment. “Link has told me how you’ve been assisting him. I suppose I owe you my thanks for keeping him alive, a task I can only imagine gets harder by the minute.”

“Especially when most of the time it’s me that wants to kill him,” Teba agreed. He turned to Link. “Speaking of which, Saki wants a word with you before we set off, just as a warning.”

“Well, I don’t want to keep you from your tasks,” Revali sighed. “It’s been an honour, Teba. Please pass on my thoughts to those below.”

“The honour is all mine, Champion,” Teba replied, bowing his head slightly. “I hope we can meet again, there’s a lot I’d like to ask.”

The Rito bowed his head once more and, with a nod to Link, leapt from the platform.

Link turned back to Revali, but his spirit had disappeared. Instead, he heard the Champion’s voice in his head.

“Remember what I said, Link. We’re behind you all the way.”

He nodded his thanks to the Rito and jumped from the beast.

“Are you sure you’re ready to go, Link?” Saki asked, her wings tight around the Hylian’s shoulders.

He nodded vigorously, although whether from sincerity or fear he wasn’t sure.

They stood on the outermost island between Rito Village and the Stable. Saki had insisted on assessing his health one last time, and Tulin had tagged along for the excitement.

“He’ll be fine, Saki, leave him alone,” Teba chuckled, counting arrows.

“If he isn’t fine, it’ll be you to blame,” she replied. Turning back to Link, she spoke more gently, “You look after yourself, Link. Teba’s refused to tell me where you’re going, which I can only assume means you’re heading somewhere stupidly dangerous. Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself?”

He nodded again.

“Teba says you don’t have much in the way of friends or family,” she continued, looking over to where Tulin was sneaking up on some salmon in the small pond, before diving in and giggling at the large splash.

“Once this is over, Link, I want you to know that you’re welcome here, with us, any time of any day. You’ll be welcomed with open wings and hearts.”

Feeling his chest tighten a little, he smiled.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“Ready to go?” Teba called out, snapping Link back to reality. He smiled once again to Saki, before joining the Rito Warrior at the edge of the island.

Two Hylians were crossing the bridge, so Link took the opportunity to check their supplies and weapons.

“Jeez,” he murmured, “how long did Saki have this thing for? There’s almost fifty meals in here!”

Teba only grunted in reply. As Link looked over to him, the hairs on his arms stood up and he shivered. By the look on Teba’s face, he felt it too.

“Link?” he whispered under his breath. “Tulin.”

Link nodded his understanding.

They whirled round simultaneously, Link diving towards the young Rito still playing in the pond, Teba grabbing his bow and taking aim at one of the travellers just passed. As the arrow whizzed towards them, they disappeared in a puff of smoke and a malicious cackle, before reappearing to the side donning Yiga outfits.

Link jumped in front of Tulin just in time to deflect a shuriken with his shield, sending it splashing into the pond. The fledgling yelled and grabbed on to his leg. The Yiga moved forward slowly, another shuriken spinning in his gloved fingers.

“Tulin?” he whispered, “When I say, I need you to jump as high as you can and then fly back towards your mum, got it?”

“I can’t jump very high… or fly very far…” came the scared response.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get a boost,” Link reassured him, keeping his eyes locked on the approaching target.

The Yiga stopped and moved his arm back. Link waited until the projectile left his hand before activating the slate.

“Now!” he shouted.

A block of ice crackled from the water below them, lifting them up and launching them above the attack. Tulin pushed up from Link’s leg, flying high above him and, frantically waving his wings, began flying back towards Saki. The shuriken bounced against the ice block, splashing into the water.

Link, similarly airborne, drew his own bow and sent three arrows flying towards the Yiga. One struck their leg, which buckled. They yelled in pain, dropping to the ground clutching their wound.

The Hylian looked to Teba, who was facing a much bulkier Blademaster. The Rito was mid flip, having used his opponent as a jump pad. Link watched as he drew his bow while upside down, took aim, and fired, all before landing.

The arrow struck the Blademaster in the chest, but Teba wasn’t done. Diving forward once more, he lashed out with his elbow, then foot, catching the Yiga by surprise and sending him stumbling backwards towards his incapacitated ally.

“Get up, you idiot, we’re not finished here,” the Blademaster grumbled, yanking his friend to his feet. He turned, ready to fight once more, only to find Teba’s bow and Link’s sword pointed directly at them.

“For the sake of my son you may keep your lives,” Teba growled, so quietly Link barely heard him. “Go, and tell whatever worthless leader you have that Rito Village is my home, and while I’m here, you won’t get any closer.”

The Blademaster stared the Rito down for a moment, seemingly considering the threat, before grabbing his partner roughly and disappearing.

They stayed in position for a moment, ready for any surprise counterattack. Once he was satisfied that they had retreated, Teba allowed himself to let out a shaky breath he hadn’t realised he was holding.

“Everyone ok?” he asked, looking round for Saki and Tulin.

“We’re fine, thanks to you,” Saki shouted back, stepping out from her hiding spot – a small ledge on the side of the island, out of sight. Tulin was attached to her back, the small Rito trembling. “Are you both ok?”

Link gave a thumbs up as Teba nodded and grabbed his arm, moving them towards the bridge.

“We’re going to go,” he shouted, “any problems we’ll be right back.”

Link gave a wave to Saki and Tulin as he was manoeuvred towards the Stable.

“Don’t you want to say goodbye?” he asked. Teba didn’t answer, simply dropping his arm and continuing away from the village.

Chapter Text

Sheikah Tower activated.

Link watched as the structure glowed a bright blue, distilling whatever information it had on their surroundings into the slate below. The Hebra Tower wasn’t strictly on their way to the Lost Woods, nor did it contain any particularly useful locations, but Link had suggested it would provide a good vantage point for their next steps, and Teba hadn’t objected, so here they were.

In fact, Teba had barely spoken a word since they set off, simply grunting or nodding in response to Link’s questions. Now he stood staring out from the edge of the Tower platform, wings crossed, in silence.

Link shivered. The Hebra Tower was located on the edge of the icy region, bordering the much milder Central Hyrule, but the temperature was still well below freezing – even the Tower’s base was surrounded by large chunks of ice.

“Shall we make moves?” he said, joining the Rito in looking over the edge of the platform. “If we head towards those lights across the canyon, we should reach a Stable pretty quick, then we can plan our next move from there.”

Receiving just another grunt in response, Link took a worried glance at his friend before leaping forward and drawing the Paraglider.

Teba stood from the cooking pot and looked towards the path.

“We should go,” he said, almost in a whisper.

Link remained seated.

“Not until you tell me what’s up. You’ve barely spoken since we left Rito.”

The Rito’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned away. The gentle flickers of the fire reflected against his back. After a moment, he turned back with a sigh, but remained standing.

“The Yiga in Rito Village… they were only there because I was there. Saki and Tulin, or anyone else in the village, could have been hurt and it was because of me.”

Link remained silent, looking up at his friend’s face, which had darkened significantly despite the blazing sun above.

“If we had left earlier or hadn’t come back at all they would have been safe. Am I just a constant threat to them now?”

“Rubbish,” Link interjected sharply, jumping to his feet. “We both know if you hadn’t brought me back from Eldin I’d still be lying there somewhere, and how would that help anyone? Besides, the fact that you were there at all probably saved loads of people. If we hadn’t stopped them, they’d have gotten into the village and then who knows what would’ve happened?”

“So both me and the village are under threat now… Maybe once this is all over, I should travel some more, keep the target far away from my home.”

“Teba, once this is all over, we won’t be a target anymore.”

“The Yiga will always be out there, waiting.”

“And we’ll always be ready for them. They barely even made it a foot past you before you caught them last time! And, with a little training from an expert, I’m sure the Rito Guard would be more than capable of dealing with them too.”

Teba stood in silence, staring into the distance as he considered the Hylian’s words, so Link continued.

“Just, please don’t blame yourself for things other people do. The Yiga would be targeting Rito regardless of whether you were there or not. They’ll target anywhere with a link to the Goddess, and they’ll target anyone who knows me. You want to send me away from the village too?”

“Once we’ve dealt with Ganon, perhaps a second trip to their hideout might be in order. Just to deal with any leftovers.

“If it would make you feel better, I’d be happy to do that,” Link smiled, sensing his friend’s mood improving.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“A little, thanks. I’ll feel better if we come across any more Yiga on the way.”

“I’ll make sure to keep my eyes open. Maybe wear a big sticker that says ‘Friend of the Hero of Hyrule’ on it? Maybe get some flashing lights or something.”

“I’m sure it wouldn’t be any more obnoxious than you already are…”

“Harsh,” Link pouted. “There’s a Shrine just up on the hill there, shall we head towards that?”

“What even is a parabola?” Link asked, stepping out of the Shrine.

“You know, if you had asked that before we went in things would have been much easier.”

Teba followed the Hylian out of the Shrine onto the small hill. This was probably the closest they had come to the castle, and Teba felt like he could hear the malice swirling around it. From here, he could make out the shape of some destroyed battlements and crumbling walls, but the majority of the building was still hidden in the mist.

He moved to travel back towards the Stable before realising that Link wasn’t following.

“Link?”

The Hylian stood on the Shrine entrance staring at the castle, Sheikah Slate in hand.

“The castle…” he murmured, glancing at the screen, “...from this angle. I think there’s a memory nearby.”

“Here? Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s check it out.”

Link had already started down the hill but was now running. He leapt over a small pond that had formed at the bottom before coming to a skidding halt at a large solitary tree.

“It’s here somewhere, I’m sure of it!”

“Take your time,” Teba called out, finally catching up, “there’s nothing about and I’ll keep watch.”

He took a position by the tree trunk, turning his attention to Hyrule Castle, almost within touching distance now. Only a small length of field and the Castle moat lay between them and their final destination.

‘What would be the best path to take? How would they make their way through the castle itself without being detected? And how would they even know where to go? It wasn’t as if there were going to be big neon signs directing them to Ganon.’

He was pulled from his thoughts by a soft gasp. He turned to see Link, eyes locked on the castle but vacant. Clearly he had discovered the view he was looking for.

The wind blew gently through the long grass around them, and Teba, returning his gaze to the castle, lost track of time waiting for the Hylian to return to the present. He followed the path of a single Guardian Skywatcher as it emerged from the Malice, patrolling a constant path across part of the battlements.

His observations were broken by the sound of Link’s footsteps behind him.

“How was that?” he asked. He turned to see the Hylian kneeling, seemingly inspecting a patch of grass. “Drop something?”

“Come see,” Link replied, waving his arm but remaining crouched.

Teba approached to see the focus of his attention – a small plant with a thin stem and a single flower. The delicate head was blue in the centre, before fading into white towards the tips. Link was cradling it softly in his hand.

“I’ve seen those before,” he said, crouching next to the Hylian. “That’s a Silent Princess, right?”

“Zelda was cataloguing flowers, or something, out here. She came across this and started gushing about it.”

“I see. What did she say?”

“They’re endangered, difficult to grow. I think she was trying to increase the population, but they were only growing properly in the wild in really specific conditions.”

“Do you remember going on many outings with just the Princess?”

Link shrugged and stood.

“Not really… Most of the other memories are either just the two of us in the castle, or with the rest of the Champions.”

He looked towards the castle. Even in the bright afternoon sun its visible walls were dark and stained purple.

“We should head off again,” he suggested, bringing out the map. “We’ve been distracted a lot but if we’re quick we should still be able to make the Lost Woods by nightfall.”

He started back towards the Shrine, Teba following behind. Despite his best efforts to distract himself over the map, he couldn’t get the Princess’ exact words out of his head.

“The Princess can only thrive out here in the wild.”

Any worries Link had about somehow missing the Lost Woods disappeared as the forest appeared over the horizon.

Or rather, didn’t appear.

A huge area was blanketed by an artificial-looking sea of fog, so thick nothing could be seen through it, not even the shape of the forest. The only evidence anything was actually behind the curtain was the traces of land emerging from the grey lake surrounding it. Otherwise, the area just looked like a particularly foggy, unusually large lake.

“There are your woods,” Teba said, “I promise they’re in there somewhere.”

The path along the south side of the lake was fairly straight but formed of several steep hills and ridges. To their left, an eery silence, wind entirely muffled by the unnatural fog smothering the woods. To their right, a deep, constant hum, almost mechanical in nature, accompanied the whispering malice and vaguely rotting smell.

“Have you thought about how exactly we get into the castle?” Teba called forward to Link. “Or has the Princess mentioned any particular place to head for?”

“Not sure,” Link replied, pausing on a flat surface to bring out the slate, “but there is this one picture that looks suspiciously like the castle.”

He showed it to Teba. It displayed a stone path leading to a small tower. There were larger structures visible in the background, as well as multiple flags all bearing the royal crest.

“Looks like one of the towers on the west wing,” the Rito murmured. Seeing Link’s questioning look, he added, “that’s the side facing us from where you found that last memory. In fact, I could probably pick out the exact tower from that image.”

“Alright, eagle eyes.” Link chuckled. “Maybe that’s a good place to start, then? Find the memory, then go from there?”

“There are rumours that the Castle is riddled with secret passages. Maybe one of them will be of use.”

They continued forward. Slowly, another Tower came into view.

“Did I mention she tried to make me eat a frog?”

Teba stopped walking and crouched down, placing one wing on the rocky ground to steady himself.

“I’m going to stop here until you start making sense again.”

“She did!” the Hylian laughed back. “She found it next to that Silent Princess, and she was going about how it was good for you and stuff.”

“No really, any time you’re ready I’ll start moving again.”

“Apparently it was meant to give some sort of stamina boost? But I was having none of it…”

“That’s… an unfortunate place for a Tower,” Teba murmured as they ascended the final hill on the path.

The Tower’s base emerged from a sea of mud, and was surrounded by numerous pathways and wooden structures, some intact, some splintered into several pieces. Most were also occupied by monsters.

“What is this place?” Link asked.

“I think this is, or what’s left of, the Military Training Camp. This is where the Royal Guard came to train.”

“Doesn’t look particularly friendly. Think I might just have trained as a chef or an artist…”

“I think it was probably more military camp-like, less monsters of death and bottomless swamps. As it happens, I do think you’d have been better suited to a life of luxury…”

“So, what, can we not get to the Lost Woods without going straight through it? I’ve counted at least ten Moblins from here.”

“Oh sure, we could go round it. It would take a bit longer, and almost certainly be easy and risk free.”

Teba smirked and turned to Link.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” the Hylian asked.

“Because where’s the fun in that?”

Chapter Text

It was poetic, really, that the site where the strongest of Hyrule’s warriors trained in combat and endurance in preparation to battle against monsters was now overrun by monsters itself.

Overlooking the camp, the Golden Lizalfos stood perched atop the highest viewpoint – a strange, unnatural Tower that had erupted from the earth in the previous weeks. In daylight, the sun would glint off of its skin, a reminder to all those who saw it of its status. Now, though, on a cloudy night, it blended into the surface of the platform. Without any moonlight reflecting against its skin, it was almost completely invisible.

Of course, the camp hadn’t fallen into their hands entirely of their own doing. There had been the small matter of the attempted apocalypse 100 years ago which, even the Lizalfos had to admit, was a stroke of luck. With no soldiers left to defend it, what once was the most dangerous area in the Kingdom was theirs for the taking.

And take it they did.

The Bokoblin fell into the mud without so much as a cry. The arrow lodged in its back was the last thing to disappear beneath the thick mire.

The assailant, dressed in dark, Sheikah-like clothing, aimed their next shot at the torch the beast had been resting near, and fired. The flame extinguished with a hiss and the area was consumed by darkness.

Much like the Colosseum in the south, the Training Camp allowed monsters to compete against each other. Unlike the Colosseum, however, the Training Camp was designed to test endurance, not combat ability. Contenders entered at the lowest point of the camp and worked their way upwards through the various obstacles and barriers, just as the Hyrulean Army had a century ago.

The route was a little trickier now, of course. Any misstep or mistake led to the bottomless swamp that flooded the area. No amount of struggling would free you from its grip, and even the strongest of Lizalfos couldn’t escape.

Intriguingly, the Lizalfos noted, monsters who had succumbed to the mire hadn’t, to its knowledge, been revived by the Blood Moon. It seemed that whatever fate awaited those who were sucked into the earth might well be worse than death.

A single white feather caught the attention of the Moblin standing atop the westernmost platform of the camp. Exhausted by the trials it had overcome that day, it watched the feather slowly float downwards, before searching for the pigeon, or duck, or particularly lost cuckoo that had shed part of its coat.

The sight of the empty, grey sky was the last it registered, an arrow lodging itself firmly in the back of its head. It let out a helpless grunt, falling to its knees and slowly rolling into the mud.

A soft click could be heard as talons landed quietly on the wooden platform. Quickly, the figure moved to the nearby torch and extinguished it, before slipping into the newly created darkness.

No monster could match the intelligence of Hylians, that much was obvious. But intelligence ranged between monster species just as much as it did anywhere else.

Bokoblins were the simplest of the regular species. The Lizalfos didn’t want to sound mean or harsh – they were often also the liveliest and most comedic species, and they were certainly the most abundant – but there was no denying that what they made up in numbers and personality, they lost in their inability to reason, or do any thinking at all, for that matter.

Moblins were, it supposed, technically next, though not by much. Their sheer size meant they could pull off stunts that a Bokoblin couldn’t, but whether that was entirely down to their size or was connected to their tiny brains, the reptile wasn’t sure.

And then came the Lizalfos. The most intelligent of the races by far, probably because they were the most biologically similar to Hylians. They often moved in groups, claiming turf and defending their ground.

Without meaning to brag, the Golden Lizalfos considered itself a pinnacle of even its race. It wasn’t particularly fast, or strong, or nimble. It didn’t make its way up here through force, it claimed its position through intelligence.

It was thanks to this intelligence, it reasoned, that it noticed the torches around the camp being extinguished, one by one. The first few it thought had been tricks of the light, but now it was sure.

Someone, or something was moving through the camp, carefully and methodically working its way through each of the stations, slowly tightening the ring of darkness around its throne.

The Lizalfos double checked its skin was invisible against the Tower. Whatever was coming wouldn’t be able to extinguish the orange glow of its throne. That was some comfort, at least.

The Moblin’s snores harshly contrasted against their near silent surroundings. A bubble had formed from one of its nostrils and, even from the shadows, he could see a line of drool escaping its mouth.

Putting his disgust to the side, the figure reached for the device on his hip. Tapping on the screen, he held it forwards towards the monster. Six translucent chains appeared mid-air, latching onto the Moblin and freezing it mid-snore.

He moved forward quickly, the cover of the nearby trees shrinking as he approached the torch. The Sheikah clothing stuck close to his figure, a black cloth mask hiding all but his blue eyes and blond hair.

With a wave of a strange, ice-blue wand, his first move was to extinguish the nearest torch. The Moblin had chosen grass over wood for its nap. More comfortable, but far easier, it seemed, to be breached by unwelcome visitors.

Next, he waved the torch in the monster’s direction. Still frozen in a blissful sleep, the Moblin quite literally froze – its skin covered in a thick coat of ice so cold that steam could be seen rising from it.

Moving gracefully, the figure drew a single arrow and aimed carefully, taking a moment to ensure the projectile followed the correct path. Satisfied, he let loose, and the arrow flew a short distance before colliding with the frozen Moblin and dropping to the ground.

Finally, he leapt round to the other side of the beast and held out the blue wand again. This time, however, instead of using it, he simply knelt down and held it above his head. Glancing around, he made some adjustments to his position, then waited.

The smoothness of his actions meant this had all taken a matter of seconds and, with the passing of just a few more, the chains snapped from the Moblin’s body, and all hell broke loose simultaneously.

Catapulted forwards by the arrow, the monster flew from its resting place off the edge of the grass and through the air. Its momentum carried it straight into the figure’s hand and, by extension, the wand. Allowing it to slip from his grasp, the torch was brought along with the Moblin across the swamp.

The heavier of the two landed first, clattering onto a wooden platform containing a pair of Bokoblins sleeping beside another torch. The Moblin’s body swept all three into the mud, where they sank without time to even cry out.

The torch was carried further, heading towards a small wooden tower topped by a Lizalfos. Lizalfos kept one eye open while sleeping, and so the monster spotted the weapon flying towards it. It jumped to its feet and leapt off the side of the platform. The wand landed and, with a frosty snap, expelled a cloud of frozen air outwards, catching the Lizalfos mid-jump. It froze in place, ice covering its skin, and fell into the mud, disappearing below the surface.

The figure chuckled. No need to escape back to the shadows when the whole camp had been extinguished.

Well, almost whole.

Now just the gentle orange glow of the tallest Tower remained.

“Three in one go?” The Rito commented.

“You should’ve seen it; it was so cool!”

“I feel like you’re just showing off now,”

“Three separate attacks mean two more opportunities to be spotted. I figured taking them all out in one go would be a more tactically sound strategy.”

Teba snorted.

“I’m not sure you even know what any of those words mean.”

They stood on a platform attached to the side of the Tower midway up. The orange glow emitting from the centre of the structure really was the only light nearby – the ground below was completely dark.

“I don’t think trying to crack the Lost Woods in the dark is such a brilliant idea,” Teba whispered, beginning to climb once more. “We should make camp here for the night then move again in the morning.”

“Sounds good to me,” Link replied, following behind.

The top of the Tower was capped with a large stone. In the darkness of night, that was all Teba could really distinguish – that and the total lack of light from a quarter of their view.

He scanned around their surroundings. Hyrule Castle glowed an eery purple, even at night. In fact, it was perhaps even more menacing in the dark, shadows seemingly dancing around the crumbling structure like some sort of cursed campfire. Four red beams dissected the Kingdom, but their sources were lost in the clouds. He could spot just a few other Towers from here and, completing his revolution –

He froze.

A pair of narrow eyes glinted at him in the near darkness.

Before he could move, the monster leapt forwards towards Link, tackling him to the ground as he held the Sheikah Slate to the Tower’s terminal. The tablet fell from his hands and clattered towards the edge of the platform.

Link wriggled from underneath the Lizalfos, shoving it to the side and rolling away. Teba fired three arrows towards it, but it nimbly dodged between them and jumped forward. Mid-air, its long tongue flicked out, wrapping itself around Teba’s bow, twisting it from his grip and throwing it over the edge. Landing, it turned its attention back to Link, pouncing forwards.

The Hylian was prepared this time, drawing his sword and swiping. The Lizalfos brought up its right arm, encased in a rough material. Link’s attack bounced off and he staggered backwards, giving the monster time to pounce, once more sending them to the floor.

Teba considered his options quickly. He had no backup bow on him, and Link was fast tiring of dodging the beast’s attacks. With no alternative method of approach, one final idea came to him.

He crouched to the ground and splayed out his wings. The night, while cloudy, was relatively calm, although being this high did come with some interference. Concentrating, he felt the calm breeze around his wings begin to stir, swirling around the Tower in an increasing frenzy.

After a moment, he snapped his head up and shouted to the Hylian.

“Link! Glider!”

Link didn’t get a chance to reply. The winds converged on the Tower platform, whistling through the gaps in the floor. They rushed into and past Teba, collecting both the Hylian and the Lizalfos in their path.

Just as the pair were about to be blown from the side of the platform, the gust changed direction, sending them flying upwards. Link had grabbed his glider, but before he could use it, he slammed into the large stone covering part of the structure. By the yelp of surprise, the Lizalfos had suffered the same blow.

A final gust of wind slammed into them from the side, catapulting all three fighters from the side of the Tower and plummeting to the ground below.

Teba groaned as he dragged himself to his feet. He had landed on a dirt path to the east of the Tower, only just managing to slow his descent. Glancing upwards, he saw Link lying nearby, but the Lizalfos was nowhere to be seen.

“You ok?” he asked, the Hylian rubbing his head as he was helped back to his feet.

“Think so, what was that?”

“That,” Teba chuckled, “was an unintentionally violent take on Revali’s Gale.”

“Thanks, I think? I’m not sure if I should thank you for slamming me into some rock and then throwing me to my presumed death.”

“Next time we can make it an assured death, you can thank me then.”

“Uh,” Link sputtered, hand waving by his waist, “I don’t have the Sheikah Slate.”

Teba’s heart sank. If the tablet had been blown into the mud by his Gale…”

A soft chirping noise accompanied the rustling of some branches in the darkness to their left. Link crouched down and Teba grabbed a small stone, ready to attack.

The Lizalfos emerged from the darkness, its slow movements contrasting with the species’ normal gait. A small trickle of green liquid ran down its side and, in its hand –

“The slate!” Link whispered.

Teba launched the projectile at the monster, which moved out of its path with the smallest movement. Teba scrambled to find another stone, but Link held out his hand.

“Stop! It’s not attacking us…”

True enough, the Lizalfos moved forwards slowly, unblinking eyes focussed clearly on the Hylian. Once it was only a few steps away, it stopped and the arm holding the Slate extended forwards.

Holding his breath, Link stepped forward to meet the Lizalfos and reached out, accepting the tablet.

The Lizalfos dropped its arm, looked between Link and Teba, then back to the Tower. It dropped to its hands and scuttled back down the turf and towards the swamp. As it traversed the various platforms, the moon appeared from behind a cloud, lighting up the camp once again.

Those watching the Tower closely that night might have spotted a strange golden glimmer ascending its side.

Or perhaps it was just a trick of the light…

Chapter Text

“There’s no such thing as a ‘good’ monster. We should have finished it off when we had the chance,” Teba grumbled as they set off from the Stable.

While it was technically dawn, the rising sun was completely hidden by Death Mountain and the mountain ranges to their west, so the path they followed was still fairly dark.

“I’m not saying it was good,” Link replied, “I just think it had priorities other than killing us. Any other monster in that position would just have launched back at us.”

“Hmm,” came the grumbled reply.

“What’s gotten into your feathers this morning anyway, Mr Grumpy?”

Teba shot him a glare.

“Well for a start we’re heading into what is essentially a death trap.”

“It’ll be fine, you’re with the Hero of Hyrule,” Link replied, holding his hands to his chest to emphasise the title. “It’s not like the Gods are going to let Ganon come back because I got lost in a few old trees.”

“Just like they did such a fantastic job of not letting you get grabbed by that Hinox, or boiled alive in Eldin-“

“Or thrown off a high Tower by a Rito?” Link suggested, still smiling. “Relax! It’ll be fine, I promise.”

They continued down the path towards the forest. It curved slightly to the left through a group of trees, passing between two rocks that towered over the side.

Link stopped.

“Uh, did it just get really dark all of a sudden?”

Even the faint glow of the sun through the tree branches had faded, leaving them surrounded by a strange, dim fog.

“We’re close,” Teba stated solemnly. He carefully moved forwards. “First the fog appears, as a warning, then you find… The Boundary.”

He stopped in front of a crumbling stone arch. It appeared out of the fog only a few metres ahead of them.

“The Boundary?” Link asked.

“As far as we can tell, this is the point of no return. Go through that arch and you’re at the mercy of the forest.”

“If you really don’t want to go in you can head back to the Stable and I’ll catch up with you after. I’ve got a pretty good feeling about this place, though.”

Teba considered his offer for only a moment.

“No. What’s the point of having me around if I’m just waiting for you everywhere? Together, or not at all.”

Link nodded.

“Alright, let’s do it then.”

They stepped forward to the arch. Passing under it, the air chilled immediately. At the foot of Eldin, the forest had been slightly hotter than average but now, with the mountains fully blocked by the fog, they could have been standing at the Flight Range. The sound of birds and wind was cut off suddenly too, as if they had passed through a door.

“It’s certainly atmospheric,” Link muttered, turning to look back through the arch…

…which had disappeared.

“Uh, Teba?”

The Hylian gestured to where the stone had stood, just metres behind them. Now, the ground lay empty, with no trace of the gateway whatsoever.

“Good start”, the Rito replied.

“Maybe a little light will help us out?” Link asked, summoning a torch from the slate, and lighting it. The glow just reflected against the fog, revealing nothing.

He smirked internally – he never had gotten round to telling Teba about Revali’s advice.

“Alright, what now?” Teba asked, gesturing around them. “Pick a direction and hope it’s right.”

Link pretended to concentrate.

“My Hero intuition says… this way.” He pointed to the right. “Follow me…”

Teba sighed but followed behind the Hylian. Slowly, their surroundings started to darken again, despite it being almost noon. Teba began to make out dark shapes forming in the fog. He couldn’t tell if they were real or just the forest playing tricks on him.

“Ok,” Link spoke, “we need to go this way now.”

Teba moved to argue but realised that he didn’t have any better suggestions, so simply followed again.

The shapes appeared more and more solid, until Teba eventually realised that they were trees. Warped, twisted, and very much dead. Lots, scattered around them, their dead branches reaching high above their heads and blocking out what little light made it through the fog.

Looking closer, Teba had to stop himself exclaiming. The trunks had… mouths? Their bark was carved into sharp teeth shapes, some with mouths twisted into agonising screams.

‘Was this what happened to all of those people that got lost in here?’

“We’re in the depths of the forest now…” he muttered. Link continued forward, glancing upwards at the torch, and changing direction every so often.

Eventually, Teba spoke up.

“Ok, Link, I think we’re lost.”

The Hylian turned.

“Trust me, the Gods have my back.”

“The Gods sent us in here either to our deaths or our endless wanderings,” he spat, his voice rising in panic. “We’re lost – I’m not blaming it on you or me, but that’s the truth.”

“We’re not, I promise, it’s just a little further. Look, there’s something I shou-“

“Can you warp us out of here? Or have even the Sheikah run out of time for us?”

Link stayed silent. Teba ran a wing over his face and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, “but this was never a good idea in the first place.”

Link moved to reply, but paused, cocking his head.

“Link?”

“Shh.” He held up his hand to silence the Rito. “Listen.”

Teba held his breath. There was a faint noise, only just audible. He strained to make out what it was.

“Can you hear it?” Link asked. “It sounds like-“

“Jingling?”

“Can you tell which direction it’s coming from?”

“Behind us, I think.”

They turned and moved slowly forwards. Link glanced at the torch’s flame, satisfyingly burning in the direction of their movement.

A large shadow loomed before them, wider than most of the other trees. As they approached, it turned into a fallen tree trunk, hollowed out.

“Well, well, well,” Link said, pointing at the base of the path. There stood a burning torch. More flames began to appear further down the path.

“We… made it?” Teba asked, still moving forwards.

“Well, we’ve made it somewhere. Whether it’s where we want to be… only one way to find out.”

The tree trunk extended far forwards, twisting slightly to the left as it went. Torches were placed at regular intervals and, as they moved, the sound of jingling grew louder. In fact, Link began to think he could hear more than one set of bells.

Eventually, the trunk ended and the path widened in front of them. The fog had dissipated, revealing their surroundings as a lively forest, trees once again bearing green leaves and rising high into the sky above them. Through their plumage shone sunlight, breaching the forest floor once again.

As they moved forward, the jingling sound expanded. No longer coming from directly ahead, they could now hear several different sounds from all around them.

“Where are we?” Teba asked, eyes wide at their new surroundings.

“Welcome, Teba, Link,” a voice boomed out to them, and yet the forest was still. “Come, the Korok Forest welcomes you both.”

They glanced at each other, but continued forwards. A scattered stone path appeared from the long grass as they progressed, leading them through the trees towards their destination.

The path straightened out and led to a small clearing, headed by a massive tree trunk. It stretched far into the sky, almost out of sight, and its base formed one edge of the grove they found themselves in.

“I am the Great Deku Tree.” The voice spoke again. This time, it seemed to emanate from the large tree, whose bark moved along with the words. “It’s been a long time Link, but I believe you have a far more important reunion to make before we catch up.”

Link’s eyes were drawn to a small triangular pedestal in front of the tree, raised from the long grass and illuminated by a single ray of light shining through the trees above.

“Is that…” he whispered, moving forward slowly.

He reached the pedestal. In the centre, set deep in the ground…

“The Master Sword.”

“Your master will come for you. Until then, you shall rest safely here.”

Zelda knelt in front of the pedestal, the sword resting atop its stone sheath. Its blade was rusted and cracked.

“Although the Slumber of Restoration will most certainly deprive him of his memories, please trust me when I say that I know he will arrive before you yet again.”

She let out a small sigh, shoulders falling slightly.

“He must,” she whispered.

“If I may be so bold…” The Deku tree spoke, his voice just as deep as it was 100 years later, “What is it that you are planning to do next, Princess?”

Zelda stood. She wore her white ceremonial dress which was caked in mud and tattered. Her golden hair was tangled and discoloured, and her eyes were red.

“The Master Sword… I heard it speak to me. It seems that my role is unfinished.”

“I sense that there is great strength in your dedication.”

Zelda nodded solemnly. She stood motionless on the podium for a moment, eyes focussed on the sword at her feet.

“Great Deku Tree, I ask of you, when he returns, can you please relay this message…”

Her voice faltered.

“Tell him I-“

“Now then,” the tree interrupted gently, “don’t you think that the most important words, those that come from the heart, are better told in person?”

Faltering at the interruption, she smiled again.

“Yes.”

Slowly, Zelda knelt and gently picked the sword up, holding it in front of her, blade pointed towards the earth. She lowered it until the blade resisted against the stone, then pushed down slightly.

The sword shuddered into the podium; its blade engulfed in a soft white light.

“Link,” she whispered, hands still clasping the grip. “You are the light – our light – that must shine upon Hyrule once again.”

When Link opened his eyes, he was knelt on the podium in front of the sword. Teba was by his side eyeing the blade.

Slowly, he stood.

“A memory?” Teba asked. “Here?”

Before he could reply, the Great Deku Tree spoke.

“So, you finally return. Better late than never,” he chuckled. “After 100 years, I’d nearly given up hope on seeing you again. That look on your face tells me that you have no recollection of me, however. I have watched over Hyrule since time immemorial. Many have referred to me over the ages as the Deku Tree.”

“We met…” Link said, “100 years ago?”

“Multiple times, we did.”

“And you’ve been watching over the Master Sword until my return?”

“That is indeed the weapon created by the ancient Goddess,” the tree confirmed. “Forged in the Sacred Flames, the sword that seals the darkness – that only the chosen knight can wield against the Calamity Ganon. You likely already know, but it was you who wielded that sword 100 years ago.”

“That’s why I came back for it.”

“I must warn you - take extreme caution. The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I do not believe you have the ability to draw it and attempting to would be a foolish endeavour.”

“What does that mean?” Link asked sharply. “How do I get the ability to draw it?”

“The trials scattered throughout this land…” the Deku Tree mused. “They would likely return you to your former strength.”

“But we’ve already been to loads of them. How many do you want me to go to?”

“I cannot say exactly. Return when you have increased your strength. Best of luck young one.”

The Deku Tree fell silent, and Link let out an exasperated groan.

“What’s the point of being the ‘Chosen Hero’ if I can’t even hold my own sword?” he half-shouted to nobody in particular.

“Well, we’ve passed up on a few Shrines so far, we could always go back and pick them up?”

“We could,” Link muttered, grabbing the Sheikah Slate, “but we have no warp target here, and this STUPID machine won’t let me warp out without one for whatever reason.”

The Hylian turned back to the sword, staring at it. He brought his hand slowly to its grip. ‘Surely his own sword couldn’t do that much damage?’

“Don’t be stupid,” Teba said flatly, pulling his arm away from the blade. “We’ll think of something.”

As he spoke, Link felt a small tug on his tunic. He looked down but saw nothing.

Another tug, this time on the other side, again nothing to be seen. He quickly stepped back from the podium to look for the source, and his foot caught on something, sending him crashing to the ground with a comedic jingle.

He rubbed his head and sat up. At his feet was a small brown creature with a large leaf for a head, which it was also rubbing with its small twig arms. It was shaped vaguely like a large acorn.

“Hylia, I’m so sorry,” Link blurted out.

“Yaha-ouch…” the small creature tweeted as it returned to its feet. “That’s ok, Mr Hero! I didn’t mean to get in your way.”

“Uh… What exactly are you?” the Hylian asked, returning to his feet.

“Me? I’m a Korok, just like everyone else here.”

The Korok waved its arms out and Link looked around to see several other small creatures emerge from their hiding spots about the area. All were slightly different – a lighter shade of brown, different shaped leaf masks, so even hovered mid-air and hung from trees.

“We’re the children of the forest!” he continued, “And I’m Chio, good to meet you Mr Hero!”

“You can just call me Link, thanks.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Link thanks,” Chio replied, continuing before Link could correct him. “If you’re looking for more Shrines, I might be able to help you.”

“Are there Shrines near the forest?” Teba asked.

“Near? There’s some in it!”

“There are shrines in the forest?”

“Sure are! There’s three – one in the northeast, one northwest, and one southwest. They’re all part of the Korok Trials. I can take you there if you’d like?”

Link and Teba glanced at each other for only a second.

“That would be great, Chio.”

“We’ll head towards the Trial of Second Sight first,” Chio twittered, leading them down a ragged path from the main grove. As they moved further away from the Deku Tree, the fog returned and the temperature dropped.

“A Hylian seeks to attempt the Korok Trial! Is that even allowed?” a whiny voice pitched from atop a nearby boulder. They looked up to see another Korok, this one with a bright green mask, looking down on them.

“Who cares!” he concluded, hopping down from the rock to their feet. “Welcome to the Trial of Second Sight. I’m Zooki, and I’ll be your guide today. Let me tell you about the trial. All you need to do is keep going and not get lost in the mist! Easy, right?”

“So it sounds,” Teba muttered.

“Don’t worry – I’ve got a cryptic little hint for you! ‘The hungry trees will show you the way. Spy their iron to win the day.”

Zooki let the comment linger in the air for more than a few seconds. When he finally returned to the present, he moved to the side of the path, encouraging the pair to proceed.

“Good luck out there!” he shouted.

“Can’t you come-“ Link began, turning around, but both Chio and Zooki were nowhere to be seen.

“Guess we’re on our own,” he muttered.

“Come and look at this,” Teba called. He was standing by a tree trunk. This far from the Korok Forest they had reverted to their twisted, silent scream forms.

“Look in its mouth.”

Wedged in the tree’s gaping trunk was a large black boulder.

“Did it get peckish or something?” Link asked.

“Hungry trees will show you the way…”

“Spy their iron to win the day,” Link completed the Korok’s clue, pulling the Sheikah Slate into his hands.

He activated the Magnesis Rune, and the boulder glowed a bright orange.

“It’s made of metal!” He exclaimed.

“And look,” Teba said, pointing further down the path, “there’s another one down there.”

Sure enough, a faint orange glow could be made out in the thick fog. On approaching it, another appeared even further down the path.

Following this breadcrumb path of metal boulders, the fog lifted slightly and they found themselves standing at the edge of a large lake.

“Feed me the aged shield guarded by monsters eternal. My brother will repay you in kind.”

“What’s that?” Teba asked, turning to see Link reading from a small stone tablet in front of a large tree trunk.

“’Aged Shield’? So, like this Rusty Shield?” he suggested, tapping the discarded item tangled in the weeds by his feet. He tugged it out of the ground and cautiously threw it into the tree’s gaping mouth, as if worried it was going to snap shut on his arm.

A chest appeared from thin air to their right.

“Was that right?” the Hylian asked.

“It’s just Amber,” Teba replied, opening the chest. “Why don’t we see what’s on the central island?”

They boarded a wooden raft floating by the water’s edge and piloted their way to the small island at the centre of the lake.

“Another tablet. This one reads, ‘Please place my chest in my mouth.’ And then in smaller writing, ‘The shield eater’s brother stole it from me.’”

“Are we just sorting out some sort of forest drama here?” Teba asked, heading back to shore to fetch the emptied chest they had left behind.

Pushing it into the tree trunk, the ground began to shake, and a Shrine slowly emerged from below the earth.

“This had better be a blessing…” Link grumbled as they entered.

“Let me get this straight,” Link muttered under his breath as they followed the stone path back to the centre of the forest, “one of the Korok Trials, trials designed specifically to test whether a Korok is ready to become an adult or not, is to follow a child for five minutes.”

That was exactly what they had spent the last trial doing – following a young Korok on their journey to a Shrine, simultaneously staying out of sight and protecting them from various monsters.

“Well, at least you got a few more shrines under your belt. Perhaps we should speak to the Deku Tree again? Would save us having to go and retrace our steps elsewhere.”

“Oh, do you need another Shrine?” Chio chimed in, walking slightly ahead of the pair.

“Is there another one in the forest?” Link asked.

“Sure! It’s back in the main clearing. Follow!”

The Korok jumped and ran down the path.

“Couldn’t he just have taken us there first?” Link asked.

“Wouldn’t be much of a trial then, would it?”

Chio led them back to the central grove but veered off to the right ahead of the Master Sword. Sure enough, set just out of sight from the main path and entangled in the forest’s greenery, was a Shrine.

“Good luck, Mr Link!” Chio tweeted, before turning and scurrying back to the clearing.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure you don’t want to grab another few before you try it?” Teba asked?

“No,” Link said decidedly. “I came for the Master Sword and I’m not leaving without it.”

He stepped forward onto the stone podium.

“Just… be careful,” Teba said.

The Hylian took a deep breath and raised his hands. The forest around him seemed to fall silent, as though all of its residents were holding their breath. Watching. Waiting.

He placed his hands on the sword’s grip and felt a rush of energy flow through his arms. He gasped, feeling the shock pulse through his system. He pulled upwards, and the sword shifted, but remained stuck.

He pulled harder. It felt like the sword was pushing into his mind, burning his vision, and racing through his memories, or whichever ones he had recovered, at least.

The sword shifted again.

A blur of images appeared in front of him. An island village, a little girl and a huge bird, a herd of goats followed by a man telling him not to leave the house. These weren’t his memories - why was he seeing them?

The sword shifted again. It felt loose, he just needed one more pull.

He heard Zelda’s voice.

“Will you come to wake me up?” She asked, but it wasn’t his Zelda. The image of a golden crystal and crumbling temple flashed through his mind before changing once more.

“Your master will come for you,” she said.

His Zelda.

His memories.

The sword pulled free.

It felt weightless in his hands, and yet its power surged through him. The blade glowed blue, gentle, and calming.

The Great Deku Tree’s voice brought him back to his surroundings.

“After you were separated from the sword, the Princess thought to bring it here, where she knew that it would be safe under my watch.”

“Those memories, and the one I saw earlier. Where did they come from? How did I see Zelda here if I was already… If I wasn’t with her?”

“Curious…” the tree mused. “The Hero and the Sword have been partners for millennia, longer than even I can remember. Perhaps the sword bonds with its wielder. It showed you its last memory of your Princess, and perhaps it tried to verify your identity against all of its past wielders.”

“So those memories… were all heroes of the past.”

“Zelda continues to fight,” the sage went on, “trapped deep within the confines of Hyrule Castle.”

“Not for much longer,” Link said, his grip tightening on the sacred blade.

He turned to Teba and nodded. Together they retreated back along the stone path. The Deku Tree spoke as they left, his voice echoing around the Hylian’s head.

“Her heart cascades with faith that you will return. She has a smile like the sun… The Kingdom would do well to feel its warmth once again.”

They sat around a small stove, eating one of Saki’s prepared meals in silence. The Woodland Stable sat in the shadow of the region’s tower, a short distance from the Hylia River. Hyrule Castle was relatively close but was blocked behind a mass of trees.

“So, we’ll head back to the west of the castle and make our way in from there?” Teba asked.

Link nodded.

“Once I’ve found that memory, I think our best bet is to head inside. That’ll keep us out of the way of most Guardians.”

The sound of the river carried to them as they ate. Link finished his meal and lay back. He could hear the sound of the river running nearby. The sun had long since set, and the sky was clear, peppered with stars.

“This time tomorrow it’ll all be over,” he said. “One way or another…”

“There’s only one way I believe this will end,” Teba replied.

“I’m scared, Teba,” he admitted, his voice wavering slightly.

“You’d be foolish not to be. But fear is good. Fear keeps you grounded.”

“I just… wish it didn’t all rest on me. I have to fight Ganon. I have to save the Princess. If I fall tomorrow the world ends.”

Teba stayed silent, watching the Hylian gaze at the stars, the Master Sword lying by his side.

“After tomorrow,” he said eventually, “you won’t have to worry about any of that anymore.”

The Hylian didn’t respond.

“Come on, Mr Hero.” he continued, standing, and tapping his talons against his friend. “Like you say, big day tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.”

He wandered into the Stable, leaving Link staring into the open sky.

He was standing…

Where was he standing?

Black void surrounded him. Link looked round. His hair felt… softer than usual.

Catching sight of his clothing, he saw that he was wearing a cream tunic with blue pattern designed around the neck. He had puffy green trousers on, the legs of which disappeared into leather boots.

An earth-shattering roar sounded from behind him. He jumped and, before he could turn, the darkness around him formed into a gigantic beast. It was at least ten times his height, covered in spikes that seemed to flow around like liquid. It had no limbs, only a mouth which spanned its width, filled with sharp teeth.

A light shone from high above him, turning the void an inky violet.

A voice sounded.

“Rise, Link… The time has come for you to awaken…”

It sounded robotic, but it tugged at his heart, his eyes watering for a reason he couldn’t fathom.

“You are fated to have a hand in a great destiny. This comes to pass. The time has come for you to awaken. Link…”

The beast roared again, and the light disappeared, the darkness returning. Link stumbled backwards at the sound, and when he regained his balance, the beast was gone.

He twirled around, surveying the void, but it remained empty.

The ground disappeared and he began to fall.

New ground rushed to him, and he landed on his feet with a thud in the long grass.

He was back to himself, that much he was sure of. The body felt familiar, and he could feel the familiar grip of the Master Sword in his left hand.

It was raining, heavily. Had it been raining like this when he had fallen asleep?

Looking ahead, he was startled by the arrival of multiple Guardians. They scuttled out of the mist, pulsing bright pink, searching for their next target.

He tried to turn and warn those in the Stable, to tell them to get away as fast as they could, but he was stopped by a wave of overwhelming exhaustion. He sank to his knees, the Master Sword’s blade sinking into the sodden wet ground.

Why was he so tired? Why did his body ache like he had been fighting for his life? And where had all the trees by the Stable gone? This wasn’t the Woodland region. In fact, it looked more like Hateno Fort-

The answers to his questions came in the sound of a single voice.

“Link!”

The Princess. His Princess.

He was still dreaming.

“Link, save yourself! Go!”

The Princess appeared behind him, grabbing onto his shoulders and begging.

“I’ll be fine! Don’t worry about me!”

‘Worry about you?’ he thought. ‘That’s my only job.”

With the last of his strength, he wrenched his sword out of the mud and pushed to his feet. Blood rushed to his head and he stumbled backwards, off-balance.

A Guardian scuttled across the field ahead, caught sight of them, then turned and approached.

Link tightened his grip on the Master Sword and grimaced.

‘If Zelda would just go now she might have a chance of escape. Why did she insist on staying here and getting them both killed?’

The familiar red laser locked on to his chest. He had no shield, no protection against the beam. He closed his eyes and waited.

“NO!”

Zelda screamed and pushed past him. He stumbled backwards, too exhausted to stop her suicidal manoeuvre.

The Princess raised her hand towards the Guardian, and Link was blinded by a bright light. It seemed to engulf him, the Princess, and everything around them.

After a few moments, it faded. In its wake, lay three Guardians, destroyed completely, the last traces of malice fading from their eyes.

He tried to speak, to ask Zelda what she had done, if she had finally unlocked her power, but his strength had depleted entirely.

He collapsed, only vaguely feeling the cold, wet earth beneath him as the Master Sword slipped from his hands. Zelda exclaimed and ran forward, cradling him in her arms.

His vision faded. The last thing he felt was the Princess sobbing on his chest, her tears mixing with the rain and soaking into his tunic.

He lay in her arms until the rain stopped and the exhaustion ebbed away.

He woke with a gasp. If this was death, it looked suspiciously like the Woodland Stable. He leapt to his feet, his heart hammering against his chest. It was - he was back in the Stable and very much alive.

“I thought you might have been dreaming,” Teba said, standing at the entrance to the outpost. “Well, actually the Deku Tree warned me you might after getting the sword back.”

“That…” Link croaked, his voice ragged, “wasn’t a dream.”

Teba tilted his head.

“I think I just died.”

“Ready?”

They stood on Irch Plain, where Link had found his previous memory. Just across the river was Hyrule Castle.

The Hylian nodded.

“Ready.”

He crouched, summoning a mass of swirling wind around him. Leaping into the air and drawing the Paraglider, he soared into the sky. Teba stepped into the gust after him and followed suit.

They glided together over the water and on to the Castle grounds.

A flat plane of land jutted out from the side of the castle, where only multiple long-dead tree trunks remained. They landed quietly but, looking up at the nearest wall, there were no Guardians there to meet them.

Silently, Link beckoned Teba to follow, and they made their way towards the Castle walls.

“That’s it up there,” Teba whispered, pointing at a crumbling stone tower connected to the main building by an equally unsafe-looking bridge. “Another gale would get us there I think.”

As the gust lifted them onto the bridge, two red lasers locked on. One came from a Guardian Turret nestled in a parapet one tier above them, the other from a Skywatcher patrolling overhead.

“Into the tower, quick!” Link shouted, pushing the Rito forwards through the archway ahead.

They found themselves in a very small room, walls covered in scientific diagrams and shelves holding various trinkets and books, all blanketed in a thick layer of dust.

“I can’t imagine this would ever be a very comfortable place to study…” Teba muttered, surveying the walls. “That said, I don’t suppose there were wild plants growing through the floor 100 years ago.”

Link followed his gaze to the floor where a single flower was growing, blue in the centre, before fading into white towards the tips. His stomach sank and he drew the Sheikah Slate.

“Zelda’s Study,” he read aloud, confirming his fears.

“Zelda? The Princess?”

“And that out there,” Link said, pointing back towards the archway, “is going to trigger a memory. I felt it as we ran in.”

“I don’t fancy your chances lost in the past with two Guardians about,” Teba said, grabbing his bow. “Give me two minutes.”

Sure enough, the Rito soon returned.

“Should be clear to head out now. I’ll keep watch for you.”

Link nodded his thanks and slowly moved to the bridge.

Teba looked around the study in awe.

‘So this is where the Princess had spent her time all those years ago…’

It was tiny. Not just a small room for a Princess to spend a little time in, it was… prohibitively small. How was she meant to unlock her powers from in here?

Now he understood why she had appeared in so many of Link’s memories outside of the castle. She couldn’t carry out her research properly from one tiny room, so she had to get out there.

His eyes were drawn to the corner of a small book peeking out from underneath an upturned box. He carefully slipped it out, revealing a decently preserved notebook.

‘Research Notes’ was written on the cover in a floral but clear handwriting. He opened the pages and began reading.

‘Today we uncovered some ancient technology that we believe may have the power to control the Guidance Stone. It is a rectangular object, small enough to be held in my two hands. Sheikah text is featured prominently on it. We are calling it the Sheikah Slate, by the insistence of Purah. Feels a bit on the nose to me, but was not a fight I thought I could win.’

Another entry read –

‘We have started training the Champions who will pilot the Divine Beasts. It may sound rude that I found this unexpected, but Mipha mastered the controls with surprising ease.’

Teba’s eyes skipped through the text until he found the Rito Champion’s name.

‘Urbosa and Revali both managed just fine as well.’

Teba smirked at the thought of Revali’s reaction to anything he did being described as ‘just fine.’ He continued reading –

‘I spoke with Purah about the Shrine of Resurrection we discovered earlier. As we speculated, this particular shrine is, in fact, a medical facility. It also has a long-term stasis function that can be activated and maintained until healing is complete. In the war against the Calamity 10,000 years ago… were the injuries so great as to necessitate such a facility?’

He closed the book and turned to check on Link. The Hylian was standing in the arch, leaning against the stone wall, unmoving.

His attention returned to the table, where he spotted another notebook, nestled between two clear jars.

‘Zelda’s Diary’

He hesitated. Was it his place to read the Princess’ diary? Then again, it could provide information that related to Link’s memories.

Delicately, he opened the notebook.

‘I am unsure how to put today’s events into words. Words so often evade me, and now more than ever. He saved me. Without a thought for his own life, he protected me from the ruthless blades of the Yiga Clan.’

Teba remembered this memory, uncovered by the Bazaar in Gerudo Desert.

‘Though I’ve been cold to him all this time… taking my selfish and childish anger out on him at every turn… Still, he was there for me. I won’t ever forget that. Tomorrow, I shall apologize for all that has transpired between us. And then… I will try talking to him. To Link. It’s worth a shot.’

Teba couldn’t help but agree. He skipped ahead a few pages.

‘Father scolded me again today. He told me I am to have nothing more to do with researching ancient technology. He insisted that I focus instead on training that will help me awaken my sealing magic. I was so frustrated and ashamed I could not even speak. I’ve been training since I was a child, and yet…’

In placing the diary down, it fell naturally open on a half-filled page. Curiosity got the better of Teba and he picked the book back up.

‘I had a dream last night… In a place consumed by darkness, a lone woman gazed at me, haloed by blinding light. I sensed she was… not of this world. Her lips spoke urgently, but her voice did not reach me. Would I have heard her if my power was awoken?

I turned 17 today. That means this is the day I will finally be allowed to train at the Spring of Wisdom. When Link and the other Champions arrive, we will set out for Mount Lanayru. I have not seen my father since he last scolded me. Things are too strained now… but I will meet with him when I return.

Actually… I’ve had a horrible feeling ever since that dream. No one would believe a failure of a princess, but…

Right now, for no particular reason, I am filled with a strange and terrible certainty that something awful is about to happen.’

Teba checked the pages after this. His heart sank.

Empty. This was the last entry.

Gently placing the diary next to the research journal, he turned once more to Link. The Hylian had recovered his memory, and was staring into the room, fists clenched. The Rito thought he spotted a tear running down his face.

“How are you feeling?” Teba asked.

“She did everything she could,” he said quietly through gritted teeth, “and what did he call her? ‘The Heir to a Throne of Nothing.’ How could you say that to your own daughter!?”

He spat the words out, visibly struggling to continue.

“She was surrounded by people who didn’t believe in her power, who didn’t believe in her at all.”

He let out a stuttered sigh and turned away, unable to control the tears running down his face.

Teba let him recover in silence.

“Before the day is over, you’ll be able to prove them all wrong.”

Link wiped his sleeve across his face and nodded. He brought the Sheikah Slate into his hands and moved towards Teba.

“I know where we need to go,” he said, pointing at the screen. A complex map of the interior and exterior of the castle was displayed. Teba knew the castle’s layout was deliberately complex to counter attacks, but this map was frankly… unhelpful.

“The Sanctum is at the top of the building. That’s where Ganon is. That’s where… Zelda is.”

“How do we get there?” Teba asked, giving up trying to decode the map.

“We start at the bottom,” Link said simply, closing the map. “We go to the main entrance to the Castle grounds, and we work our way up, eliminating every single shred of Ganon on our way.”

“Won’t that give up our location? What happened to the element of surprise?”

Link clenched his fists.

“Good. I want him to know we’re coming. I want him to watch as we destroy everything he’s ruined. And I want him to be scared.”

Chapter Text

Two great iron doors stood ahead of them. Above, a Skywatcher Guardian hovered, its red search beam not quite infiltrating the small alcove in which they stood.

Teba looked out at what remained of Castle Town. Barely even ruins, buildings destroyed so completely they had been wiped from the earth. Several Guardians scuttled amongst the waste, as if expecting to find survivors 100 years after the massacre.

“Ready?”

The Hylian barely whispered the question. He crouched in the alcove, his blue Champions Tunic reflecting brightly against the sun. The Master Sword was sheathed on his back.

Teba nodded, drawing his bow.

Link paused, holding his breath. Then, once the Skywatcher was in position, he stepped out of cover and onto the path.

As expected, the Guardian spotted him almost immediately. It zeroed its laser on his chest, hovering statically while it prepared the shot.

The shot never came. A collection of arrows whizzed through the air, colliding with it. Some flew into its propellors, jamming them. Others clanged against its exterior, dropping to the ground harmlessly. One, however, slammed straight into its glowing eye, sending it careering backwards.

It whizzed down, past the bridge on which they stood, and crashed loudly into the moat below.

The metal doors creaked heavily as they were dragged open. Link and Teba walked through.

The castle’s layout was complex, and deliberately so. In the event of an attack, the invaders would inherently be on the back foot once they trespassed on the grounds. Not only was the official layout complicated, formed of winding hallways and misleading dead ends, but there were a multitude of secret passages and escape routes for officials to take to safety in the event of invasion.

To maintain the illusion of an easy advance, however, the exterior of the structure was, in many ways, much simpler. A single, long, winding path lead from the main entry point to the Sanctum, the chamber in which the Royal Family sat. There were no traps or deceptions along the road, but several twists were designed to create choke-points should one, or multiple, be needed.

Two Gatehouses divided the stretch, designed to allow guards and officials to check and sort incoming visitors. Since the Calamity, however, only one type of visitor had passed through each Gatehouse. Ones willing to wait patiently for their pray to come to them.

While the Guardian perched partway up the path spotted them almost as soon as they stepped foot into the castle grounds, it was buried so deep in mud and ash that it could only fire at them from its position.

It was from distance, then, that Teba sent three arrows flying towards it. Each hit the eye directly, one after another.

“You’re just showing off now,” Link muttered as they progressed up the path.

“Tell you what, why don’t you run and put that little sword back if we’re not even going to use it…”

The next resistance they met came in the form of multiple Guardian Turrets, positioned at points along the castle walls as the path twisted almost 180 degrees ahead.

“You take the ones on the wall,” Link murmured, “I’ll get the ones surrounding the gatehouse.

The Rito nodded and Link watched him advance forwards, heading for a break in the wall where the stone had crumbled.

He turned to the right, where part of the cliff the castle resided protruded from the ground. The stone was rough and offered him a good grip as he began to scale it. Malice seeped horizontally along parts like some sort of poisonous ivy, but he managed to clamber onto the higher level without getting stuck.

He stood directly behind a Turret. He admired the design on the base, more intricate than those seen on the Skywatchers or Stalkers. Then again, he wasn’t keen on getting this close to either of those, so perhaps they were just as pretty.

Either way, the Master Sword would soon put an end to them.

The sword had started gleaming once again as they stepped foot into the castle. Link felt even more power surging through him, and it seemed like this translated into a supernatural ability to slice through Guardian-related material.

It drew through the Turret’s base like water, sending sparks flying. The Guardian whirred, raising its head and urgently scanning around for the source of the attack.

‘Too little, too late,’ Link thought. Another swing ripped through the Turret’s base. Its head snapped round, its movements already beginning to jerk and slow down.

Link grabbed the stalk forcibly, staring down his foe’s eye.

“Coming, ready or not,” he spat into the machine.

As the light faded, he took one final swing, tearing through the Guardian’s neck, sending its head clattering to the ground below.

As he made his way to the Turret opposite, he spotted a blur of white flashing through the sky. It slowed momentarily to fire a volley of arrows towards the Guardian currently aiming at it, before diving behind the walls again.

Deep below the Castle’s foundations, something shifted. Not a physical change, not even a mental change, something even more abstract.

The Guardians had no conscience. They had no morals or decision-making skills. They existed purely as weapons, to be used either for defence or offense. Whichever their controllers deemed necessary.

This controller sensed the impending events. It felt the oncoming storm. It watched the Hero move forwards, every victory becoming even more determined.

The shift from below the earth sent out a signal. A call to arms.

‘The Calamity is under attack. It is time.’

And throughout the Kingdom, its servants began to respond.

The gate slammed shut behind them. On the opposite side of the enclosed chamber, a similar gate blocked their exit.

“This feels like a trap,” Teba murmured, bow still gripped firmly in his wing.

“The whole castle is a trap,” Link reminded him, walking forward.

As he stepped into the centre of the room, an almighty roar sounded. He spun to see a White Maned Lynel appear mid-air, slamming into the ground to his left.

“Watch out!” he shouted to Teba, who had already taken to the air. An enclosed space was tricky enough with a Bokoblin, never mind a Lynel.

The beast rushed at the Hylian, taking him by surprise. He managed to duck under the sword swing, but the torso slammed into him, and he spun away, falling to the ground.

Teba, perched on a small balcony above, fired three arrows which bounced off of the Lynel’s tough skin. It turned and glared at the Rito, drawing its own bow.

Teba dived out of the way of a volley of Shock Arrows, fired exceptionally quickly by the monster’s strong arms. He rolled to his feet and leapt forwards, dodging another attack, and gliding the short distance to the other side of the chamber.

Link, still winded from the collision, pulled himself to his feet and forced his eyes to focus. Drawing a spear from the slate, he hurled it with all his might at the Lynel. It caught the beast’s outstretched arm, causing its bow to clatter to the floor, earning him a glare and the beast’s attention.

They continued trading attacks in this pattern, the Lynel maintaining the same level of vitality throughout, while they began to falter.

Link felt himself pushed to the ground by a large golden shield. He heard the clatter of the Sheikah Slate as it detached itself from his hip. He had an idea.

When the Lynel turned to block Teba’s following attack, Link rolled to his side, grabbing the Slate.

“Teba!” he shouted, hurling it into the air. “Stasis!”

The Lynel watched the device spin above its head in confusion, until the Rito caught it, twisting in mid-air, and activating the rune.

Chains appeared around the Lynel’s legs and arms, attempting to bind it in place. They were small, weak, and pathetic, and they wouldn’t hold it for more than a few seconds.

That was all the time Link needed. He pushed himself to his feet, the Master Sword gripped in his left hand, and swung around the beast’s frozen head, landing on its back and mounting it like a horse.

When the Lynel unfroze, it bucked backwards, yelling in pain as the Hylian on its back slashed its body. No matter how violently it twisted it couldn’t shake him off, eventually succumbing to the sustained attack.

It stumbled forward, sending Link rolling over its head and onto the ground. Its knees buckled, the large sword fell from its hand, and it collapsed sideways, dissolving into a pool of malice.

He heard Teba land behind him.

“Nicely done,” the Rito commented as the barriers around the gatehouse creaked open once more.

Link frowned at the spot where the Lynel had fallen. Something wasn’t right.

“Looks like a fairly straightforward path to the next gatehouse,” Teba said, peering out of the chamber. “Let’s move before anything else finds us.”

Beyond the first gatehouse, the castle grounds began to open up. A path leading to some sort of training courtyard stretched off to their left, the Princess’ study located beyond, while a waterfall rushed down from a higher level of the castle’s structure ahead.

The path twisted to follow the castle walls as it extended. This section had been particularly badly infested with malice, large areas of the road being completely impassable.

As they ascended higher, the sky around them seemed to darken. It was still day – Link could see the sun only just passing its apex - but the world around them had some sort of purple tint to it, as though malice was forming in the air like a mist.

On approaching the second gatehouse, a similarly hexagonal chamber positioned above the castle’s stream, Teba turned to look at the ground they had just covered. He grumbled quietly.

“What’s wrong?” Link asked, reaching for his blade, and looking for the threat. “Did you see something?”

“That’s the point,” Teba replied. “Where are all the Guardians? We fought at least six on the way to the first gatehouse, we didn’t see a single one between there and here.”

Link looked around. Sure enough, there wasn’t a single Skywatcher or Turret to be seen. The grounds lay in eerie silence.

“Hmm…” he replied. “Let’s keep moving.”

The second gatehouse was shaped identically to the first and, just like that first chamber, heavy iron gates crashed to the ground as they entered, trapping them inside. Weapons drawn, they cautiously moved forwards, waiting for whatever monster was ready to ambush them.

A puff of malice appeared to their left and revealed a monster Link had never seen before.

It was a Lynel, that much was clear, but its skin glowed golden, almost glinting in the tainted sunlight. If it wasn’t imminently going to try and kill them, Link could have stared at it for hours.

It turned its head, bright purple irises locking on to them, and roared, sending shivers down Link’s spine.

They leapt into action once again, moving to the same rhythm as their last encounter. This Lynel, though, was faster and more agile than the last, and brushed off their attacks without so much as a pause for breath. It caught onto their routine before they could execute their plan, and when Link launched the Slate into the air, the beast intercepted it, smacking it across the room where it clattered against the wall.

Continuing the movement, it slammed its arm into Link, sending him crashing into the wall. It trotted over to him leisurely.

A volley of arrows bounced harmlessly off of its torso, clanging as though they had hit metal. The Lynel interrupted its advance to turn and launch its shield across the room, colliding with Teba as he jumped from the balcony, sending the Rito rolling into a heap on the opposite side of the chamber.

Link looked up, frozen to the spot, as the Lynel approached. Its eyes burned into his mind.

‘Not like this. Not when we’re so close…’ he thought, desperately searching for an escape.

The Lynel held its sword in both hands and raised it high. Link held his breath and closed his eyes.

He heard the sword clatter to the ground.

Opening his eyes, he saw the Lynel frozen in position, mouth gaping, eyes very much vacant.

It collapsed forwards, almost crushing Link before he rolled out of the way.

Before its torso hit the ground it dissolved, the familiar purple malice pooling on the ground.

This time, though, Link watched as it swirled around, before lifting into the air and becoming translucent. It hovered for a moment, before rising above him and flying out of the opening gates.

Hearing a grunt from the other side of the room, he ran over to where Teba had picked himself up from the ground. He was holding his wing and grimacing.

“Here,” Link said, taking a potion from the Slate, “this should help.”

Teba gulped the potion down, the grimace not leaving his face.

“Urgh, that was strong,” he spat.

“That was the strongest potion we had.”

“And you wasted it on me?”

“I wouldn’t call it a waste.”

“What happened to the Lynel by the way? Did you scare it off or something?” Teba asked, wandering over to examine the spot where the beast had last stood.

“Dunno, I kind of had my eyes closed,” Link admitted.

He moved to the centre of the room, eyes widening.

“They didn’t drop any remains… The Lynel in the first gatehouse completely dissolved – no guts, no hooves, no weapons – completely gone. This one was the same, it just happened sooner… Were they not real? Were they apparitions created by malice? Then why did they disappear like that?”

“Link…” Teba called from the gatehouse exit. He stood pressed against the side of the chamber looking out. “I think I might be able to answer that…”

Link jogged over to join him, his mouth falling open at the sight in front of them.

Guardians. Tens, if not hundreds of Guardians. Stalkers pacing across the path, Turrets positioned at frequent intervals along the castle walls, the halo of multiple Skywatchers patrolling above.

“Woah…” Link muttered.

“Yeah.”

“That’s our only way to the Sanctum.”

“I wouldn’t describe it as a ‘way’ right now. They’ve appeared behind us too.”

Sure enough, a handful of Guardians could be seen out of the opposite exit.

Link slid down the wall to the ground.

“So what do we do?” he asked. “There’s no way we can fight our way through all of them at once…”

Teba was silent.

“We’re SO CLOSE!” he yelled, slamming his fist against the ground.

Teba looked down at him. The Hero sat slumped forwards with his head in his hands. The Rito sighed and took the slate from Link’s hips. He started exchanging arrows.

“What are you doing?” Link asked, looking up. His eyes were red. “You think different arrows are gonna help us get through that?”

“No,” Teba replied flatly, now quickly restringing his bow, “but I want to give you the best shot I can.”

“Best shot at what?” Link asked, standing.

The Rito didn’t look up from his work.

“Different arrows aren’t going to help us get through that, they’re going to help you. There’s a narrow path to the left of the exit. It takes you behind the inside wall, out of the line of sight of any of the Guardians on the main path. Follow it across and you should be able to climb to the Sanctum entrance without being spotted.”

“Teba there’s hundreds of them out there, I think they’d spot us making a break from any direction.”

“Exactly. So, they’ll only be spotting one of us.”

He reattached the bow to his back and began tightening his armour.

“I’m going to go first. I’ll fly out of here, get their attention, and keep them distracted, while you run along that path, into the Sanctum, and defeat Ganon.”

Link’s mouth fell open once more.

“No,” he said simply. “You’ll get yourself killed.”

“I’ve dodged Guardian lasers before, I can do it again.”

“Teba there’s hundreds of them!”

“Then I’ll just have to fly faster then, won’t I? I don’t have to do it for long, just long enough to let you get into the Sanctum.”

“For long enough? And then what, you think they’ll just let you fly in after me? One wrong move, Teba, and that’s it. Game over.”

“If it means you defeating Ganon, then that’s not a game over. Not for me. If me dying means you living then I’m willing to pay that price.”

“Well I’m not!”

Link’s cry echoed around the room. They stood face to face, breathing heavily.

“This has been…”Teba began, his voice wavering slightly, “the best time of my life. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

“And we’ll carry on those times because I’m not letting you do that. Give me the Slate and I’ll warp us out of here. We’ll get better weapons, come in a different way, get the element of surprise back-“

“Link,” Teba interrupted gently, “It’s ok.”

The Hylian’s head fell, his shoulders shaking slightly as tears began to trickle down his face. In a burst of movement, he jumped forward, wrapping his hands around the Rito.

Teba stood with his wings outstretched for a moment, before returning the hug, his wings wrapping round the small Hylian’s back.

“Thank you, Teba.”

“Don’t go all soppy on me now,” the Rito chuckled, “you’re going to need all the strength you can get in there.”

They released the hug, Teba standing just inches from the door. He handed the Slate over.

“Promise me,” Link said, “that once I’m out of the way, you’ll get as far away as possible. You’re not on some sort of suicide mission, it’s only for as long as necessary.”

“I’ll do my best,” he replied with a wry smile.

With a final glance at his quiver, he took a deliberate step backwards, taking him from behind the cover of the gatehouse wall and into the line of sight of the waiting Guardians. Within seconds, several red dots had locked on to his chest.

He braced for take-off, turning to Link once more.

“Oh and, Link? When you meet Ganon, give him hell from me, will you?”

Link nodded and, with a flurry of feathers, the Rito raced into the air, leaving the mass of red targets lagging behind.

Wiping his eyes, Link checked his own equipment was safely attached and jogged to the edge of the wall, peering round. As expected, the vast majority of Guardians had spotted Teba and were repositioning themselves to get the best shot. The Rito whizzed across the right side of the path, leaving the left side clear.

He dashed quickly across the path. A single Guardian turret spotted him, moving its laser to accommodate. Mid-adjustment, however, a white blur whizzed past its view, pulling its attention in the opposite direction.

He continued down the narrow path, sandwiched between a stretch of wall and the castle’s stream. It ended abruptly in a small cliff, which he climbed with ease.

The peak of the castle lay in full view, its spire reaching high into the crimson sky. Wind whipped around his tunic as he sprinted across the now empty path and towards the corridor leading to the centre of the Kingdom.

As he ran, he heard the clatter of multiple Guardians advancing towards him. He glanced behind him and saw three Stalkers racing up the path, lasers targeted into the air. He pushed forward, diving behind the cover of the corridor and rolling to safety.

Twirling round, he saw Teba stop mid-air at the end of the corridor. He started forward, moving to help, but was stopped by several lasers misfiring into the stone above.

“Go!” Teba shouted, waving his wing forward.

A laser found its target, firing into Teba’s chest plate, sending him crashing into the ceiling. Another volley caused the stone to crack. A barrage of lasers followed, ripping through the stone. Link staggered backwards, dodging the collapsing structure. Leaping into the chamber, he felt a rush of dust and debris rush past him.

He turned to find the corridor gone, replaced by a heap of stone and gravel.

Link stared at the rubble.

There were no cracks of light, no gaps, no chance of escape.

‘For either of us.’

Chapter Text

The room was as large as would be expected for a royal chamber. Tall stained-glass windows tinted light from every angle, casting a deep red glow across the tattered carpet. Ahead was the main attraction – the throne. It was raised above the ground to allow the King to observe his subjects.

‘Judge them, more like.’

Behind the chair was a mighty circular decorative piece detailing a song in ancient notation that Link barely recognised. Chunks had obviously rusted away over the years and what was left resembled a muddled attempt at a melody.

Following the windows upwards, Link startled at what he saw above him.

What he could only describe as a ball of solid malice hung attached to the ceiling. A deep purple in colour, it pulsed and glowed, dark veins running along its surface.

“Link…”

The voice, her voice, sounded weakly in his head. Before she could continue, though, a buzzing noise began to fill the room. It started slowly, filling Link’s ears like some sort of static, then grew louder. After a moment, a whirl of malice joined it, spinning around the centre of the room. It began to clump together, creating a horrifying form he was only too familiar with.

Fireblight Ganon stood revived in front of him.

This time, though, Link had the upper hand. He knew the beast’s attack patterns, how to take advantage of its weaknesses, and, most importantly, he wasn’t battling stupidly high temperatures.

This fight was his.

He began by firing an Ice Arrow, which struck the Blight directly in the eye. It screeched and fell to the floor with a thud, singeing the remaining tatters of carpet.

Link leapt forward and swung, the Master Sword slashing through the malice notably faster than their previous encounter, its blade shining brightly.

Ducking under the retaliatory swipe, he leapt backwards. The Blight teleported up into the air and summoned its fire shield. It began sucking in the air around it, a ball of fire growing in its large hand.

Link summoned a bomb and threw it forwards, watching it get sucked into the attack. Once it was through the shield, he detonated it, sending the Blight crashing into the stone wall and tumbling to the ground again.

One final round of attacks was enough to finish it off. The Blight screamed as malice surged from its body. It did not dissolve, however. Instead, it twisted and contorted into a different, new form.

Waterblight Ganon.

‘Are we really gonna do all of them?’

He threw himself to the ground as the long spear swept above his head. Rolling to his feet, he summoned a spear of his own, throwing it like a javelin towards the beast. It collided with its head, clattering against the wall and falling to the ground.

Another stab from the spear forced him to jump to the side, falling awkwardly on his back. He watched as it raised its free hand and began summoning balls of ice.

‘They might have come up with some different attacks for a rematch,’ he thought, rolling out of the way of a spiked ball of ice, which shattered on impact with the carpet. Another ball came flying towards him, and he frantically thrust the Sheikah Slate out, the Cryonis Rune activating and turning the ice to water inches from his hand.

Once each of the projectiles had been destroyed, he thrust his hand into the air and clicked. A loud roll of thunder sounded, and a bolt of lightning struck the beast, electricity surging through its body.

Link ran forward, scooping up his discarded spear from earlier and swapping it to his right hand.

He began slashing with the Master Sword, each blow causing malice to burst out and pool on the floor. Then, as the Blight began to recover, he activated the Stasis rune, freezing it in place. He swapped weapons again and moved towards its head. After the chains snapped, but before it had time to recover its position, he thrust the spear directly into its eye.

Malice gushed from its face as its body burst out of existence, the liquid once again rolling to the centre of the room and merging into a new, smaller form.

Thunderblight Ganon manifested in front of him, its scream shattering one of the stained-glass windows. It raised its sword high, and a bolt of lightning struck the blade.

It blurred forward, zigzagging across the room until it appeared directly ahead of Link, who quickly parried its attack with his shield. Unperturbed by this, the Blight swung again, the tip of the blade missing Link’s torso by inches, slicing a section of his tunic.

It retreated back into the air and held its sword aloft. Several metal posts appeared around the room, thundering towards the ground one after another.

Link recognised this attack from his previous encounter and used the Slate to unearth one of the posts and slam it into the Blight, which tumbled out of the air and to the ground, its small shield clattering on the singed carpet and rolling away.

Link dove towards the beast, slashing only a few times before it zipped back into the air. He jumped away from the subsequent balled-lightening attack, and his foot landed on something solid.

Thunderblight’s shield lay at his feet.

He glanced up at the monster, who was in the process of summoning more pillars. Taking his opportunity, he grabbed the small shield and hurled it like a frisbee. It glided through the air, smashing straight into the monster’s chest.

The blight screeched, its attack interrupted, before combusting into an explosion of malice, flowing to the centre of the room for a final time.

“Here we are again, huh!” Link shouted at Windblight Ganon, which stood before him, laser blaster raised. “Fancy your chances this time?”

The beast began by teleporting behind him. Its blue ball moved much faster than Link remembered, and he barely rolled out of the way before a ball of energy crackled into the floor where he had once stood.

He twirled mid-dodge and raised his bow, firing a volley of arrows back at the beast, which deflected them easily with a lazy swipe of its arm. In retaliation, it raised its other hand and summoned a collection of small tornados, which began whirling across the room at him, ripping up the carpet as they went.

Link dodged in between these attacks and raised the Sheikah slate. The Blight was constrained by translucent yellow chains for a moment, giving him time to fire multiple arrows into its eye.

The Blight screeched and fell to the ground heavily. Link ran forward, ready to attack, but was knocked backwards as it reared up again, a deep cackle mocking him for falling for the feint.

He hit the ground hard, rolling backwards as a red laser target appeared on his chest. By the time he looked up, it had already prepared the shot, and he was moments away from being fried to a crisp.

Instinctively he brought his hand up to guard his face...

…and found Thunderblight Ganon’s shield gripped between his fingers.

Before he had a chance to question its appearance, the blight fired its shot, the heavily upgraded guardian beam smashing into the shield and reflecting backwards, hitting its creator square in the chest.

The Blight squealed as pure energy of its own making fried it from the outside in, malice pouring out from the wound, its laser-arm, and its eye.

Link shielded his eyes as the beast lost its form, the malice swirling manically while being devoured by a blinding white light.

When he opened his eyes again, the room was empty. The malice had gone.

Link knelt forward, hands on his knees, breathing deeply. He had survived an absolute onslaught. He felt rough, but, as he observed the state of the Sanctum around him, he figured it could have been a lot worse.

What carpet had remained had either been burnt to a crisp or disintegrated by pure energy. Several of the stained-glass windows had been shattered, some inside, some outside. One wall was cracked, and another had crumbled entirely, allowing a beam of sunlight to cast a shadow across the devastation.

The large cocoon attached to the ceiling remained, however.

“Link…”

Her voice again, this time stronger and emanating from within the malice above him.

“Zelda!? I’m here!” he called out.

“Link…”

Beams of golden light began to shine out from the mass, beginning weakly but soon growing brighter.

“I’m sorry… but my power isn’t strong enough… I can’t hold him…”

The light dimmed and was replaced by a sudden energy beam bursting from within the malice. It tore through the ground, quickly spinning around the room, destroying everything it came into contact with.

Link ducked as it swerved above and around him, throwing dust into his face.

Several more beams of light emitted from the cocoon, though none seemed to match the ferocity of the first. They orbited around the surface like veins, carving out intricate patterns, before sinking into the ball.

A puff of steam was emitted, as though the being was exhaling, then the entire mass fell from the ceiling.

It hit the floor with a mighty crack, throwing even more dust and debris into the air. Link felt the floor beneath him fracture, then give way. He scrambled towards the safety of the throne, but the ground disappeared from beneath his feet and he began to fall.

The Sanctum floor gave way to a long, wide tunnel, stretching down at least past surface level. Link could see snippets of glowing lights embedded in the walls as he hurtled downwards. The malice was ahead of him and seemed to be accelerating. When he heard it smash into the bottom of the chasm, he pulled the Paraglider from his waist to slow his fall.

The tunnel opened into a vast chamber, bigger than any of those found in the Divine Beasts. Along its domed shaped roof were hundreds of etched constellations and star patterns. They throbbed a brilliant pink, illuminating the room.

The floor was not so delicately designed. Gliding around the circumference of the room, he landed gently on rough stone and debris, kicking up a small amount of dust as he touched down.

The malice had not landed so gracefully, sending up a cloud of debris and rubble in the centre of the room, disguising its true appearance. Link readied the Master Sword as the air began to clear, ready to face whatever was waiting for him.

It was, quite frankly, hideous.

The malice had taken the form of a large spider-like creature, four legs extending outwards to help it stand, four arms each dangling weapons of a different kind – one held a large sword, another a snapping pair of blades – all glowing a brilliant blue. Each limb was formed of a thick chunk of malice, swirling pink and black.

A mane of red hair flowed across its back that would put Fireblight Ganon to shame. Its face was formed of a small skeletal plate, with two glowing orange eyes staring back at him. Bits of mismatched armour and gear were attached at seemingly random points around its body.

Calamity Ganon raised its sword and screeched. Link braced himself for battle.

A mighty crash shook the castle and the ground they stood on. Both Link and Ganon stumbled, the beast’s large, clawed feet scrabbling for hold on the ground. Another crash hit, followed by a third and fourth, each impact seeming to shake the very foundations of the building.

Link steadied himself as the ground began to still. Was it him, or was the room beginning to brighten?

As if to prove his speculation, a brilliant blue beam of energy rushed down the tunnel from above, slamming into Ganon and eliciting another ear-piercing scream. Link watched as the beam disintegrated large chunks of malice all at once, the beast writhing in agony.

Revali’s words echoed in his mind.

“We’re behind you all the way.”

“The Divine Beasts! So that’s what they were for...”

The beam ended with a surge of energy, leaving the room in silence and a cloud of blue smoke surrounding the Calamity, which had collapsed to the ground, several of its weapons visibly damaged or simply completely destroyed.

Slowly, it pulled itself to its feet, its fiery eyes burning into Link’s. It raised its sword once more, ready for battle, whatever the damage.

Link felt the energy of the Master Sword surge through his hand, and he knew without looking that it was glowing with its full strength.

Ganon opened with a wide swing of its large sword. As the blade approached, it turned a burning orange and, although Link leapt clear of it, he landed in a wall of fire summoned by the attack, sending him stumbling forwards.

The Calamity scuttled backwards, raising up on its hind legs before slamming down on the ground, sending a circle of pure energy out. Link groaned as the attack crackled through his legs and into his hands, causing the Master Sword to slip from his grasp.

As the beast prepared its next attack, he drew a bow and launched an arrow straight into its face. It screamed and collapsed in a stunned heap.

‘Oldest trick in the book,’ he thought, grabbing the Master Sword from the ground and lunging forward to attack.

As the beast stood, it reared up once more, but Link was too quick, leaping out of the range of the energy attack as it landed. The beast’s long spear had seemingly become stuck in the ground, as Link managed to sneak in a few more slashes before he was pushed back by a threatening red beam locking onto his chest.

One of the Calamity’s surviving arms had morphed into a blaster, just like the Windblight’s. It aimed the charge at Link and fired, only missing the Hylian by a few inches.

Link used the momentum from his roll to move to the beast’s side and slash there instead, ducking out of the way of a sword swing in retaliation. Another arrow striking its face stunned it for long enough to attack even more.

A particularly hard swing into the Calamity’s neck caused it to scream. A shockwave pulsed out, sending Link tumbling backwards.

Ganon raised from the ground. Malice was dripping from various gashes around its form, but its eyes glowed a furious red. It raised back onto its hind legs once more. This time, however, the slam was accompanied by a bright orange glow covering its body, not unlike the barrier used by the Fireblight. In fact, Link could feel the heat emitting from the new shield from halfway across the chamber.

It scuttled away from him, heading to the wall. Bending its legs, it began scaling the side of the room, crawling around while keeping its head facing Link. Pausing for a moment, it aimed its blaster at the Hylian once more.

The laser bounced off of Link’s shield, sending him stumbling backwards, and exploded across the room. Ganon continued moving, its large body being held impossibly aloft by the comparatively tiny limbs.

Link drew his bow once more and fired a single Bomb Arrow into the Calamity’s face. He heard a satisfying ping as it struck directly into its head, exploding on impact and causing Ganon to crash to the floor. Seeing that the fire shield had disappeared, Link dove in to attack.

The large sword, now cracked in several places and glowing an angry orange, slammed down next to him. Rather than an attack, however, this was the beast’s attempt to stand. Retreating, Link saw how deeply it was breathing and how angry it looked.

From where it stood, the Calamity roared, summoning a wall of fire that began advancing across the width of the room. Link watched the flames advance and quickly summoned his final Gale, flying into the air and safely above the attack.

From this vantage point, he slowed time and fired another volley of Bomb Arrows, shrouding Ganon in a cloud of smoke and explosions. He could just about hear the beast’s screams over the sound of the attack and, as he landed, he saw the fire shield flicker out of existence once more.

The beast lay on the ground, limbs stretching in all directions. Its torso rose and fell alongside a grinding noise which Link assumed was its attempt at breathing.

Its eyes, however, still burned orange.

Link ran forward, closer to his opponent. Holding the Master Sword out to his side, he felt Urbosa’s presence as electricity began to flow through the sword and into his body. Channelling it into the air around him, he clicked his fingers.

A loud crack filled the air, along with multiple lightning strikes.

Ganon screamed. Where malice had been dripping from its body, it now flowed freely. Like a dam bursting, several more wounds opened, the sickly pink substance rushing forth.

Link retreated backwards at it began pooling on the floor. Ganon’s eyes raised to meet his, and it attempted to crawl forward, to launch one final attack. Its limbs buckled underneath it and he fell forward, allowing even more malice to escape.

Slowly, the form of the Calamity gave way to a bright purple light, which eventually engulfed the entire room. Link braced himself against the light and the rush of malice which burst from the centre of the room. It flew past him like a gust of wind, hitting the walls and dissipating into the air.

When he opened his eyes, all that remained was a ghastly cloud of malice swirling in the centre of the room. He readied himself for a further battle, but the cloud swirled back up through the tunnel in the roof.

He was left standing alone in silence. The room was empty.

A golden light began to envelop his body. He was being transported, but not by the Sheikah: by Zelda.

“Is it over?” he asked aloud. “Did we do it?”

He was standing in Hyrule Field. Ahead of him, in the distance, was the Castle, seemingly free of the swirling malice that had ensnared it for so long.

He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. Teba was in there somewhere. Alive or…

He should go back for him. It was the least he could do.

A rush of wind from the opposite direction drew his attention before he could move. He turned.

A maelstrom of dark malice was forming, taller than anything around him, towering over the entire field.

“Ganon…”

The clouds whipped around it, shadows and dust hiding what was forming beneath.

“Ganon was born out of a dark past. He is a pure embodiment of the ancient evil that is reborn time and time again…”

A large, muscled limb burst from the whirlwind, itself at least the height of the Sheikah Towers, and three times as wide.

“He has given up on reincarnation and assumed his pure enraged form.”

The malice ignited, illuminating the field in neon pink. Another limb appeared, ending in a two-toed hoof.

The cloud barrier began to dissipate, revealing the beast’s true form – a massive boar. Pink fire ran down its back and it stared at Link over thick tusks. It was formed entirely of swirling malice.

“I entrust you with the Bow of Light – a powerful weapon in the face of evil.”

The bow appeared in front of him, and he reached out, hands shaking, to grab it.

The beast bowed its head, drawing in energy to its tusks, preparing to attack. Link watched as it produced a powerful beam, wider than any of the Guardians were able to generate. It seared the ground it touched, destroying any life that got in its way.

He was in its way, and yet, his feet were frozen to the ground. The beast towered over him, over everything. How was he meant to get near it, never mind take it down?

The laser approached.

He tried to move, to shout, to do anything, but his whole body had stiffened up. He was stuck, with no one coming to help, about to be vaporized, letting Ganon, or whatever this thing was, loose on the world.

He had failed.

The laser moved forward, only metres away now.

He was going to die here, alone, and there was nothing he could do.

Chapter Text

He felt a sharp pain dig into his shoulders as he was pulled from the ground and into the air, just as the beam tore through the field below.

“Hold on!” a voice shouted from above.

“Teba!?”

Link craned his neck upwards to see the Rito warrior, his talons gripping tightly onto his shoulders.

They flew to the side of the humungous beast and landed heavily. Link stumbled forwards, still reeling from the previous onslaught. Pulling himself up, he whirled round to face the Rito.

Teba’s platinum armour had a large scorch mark on it, colouring the shiny silver a burnt brown. He also sported some singed feathers on his right wing and Link noted that the quiver had disappeared from his back.

“You’re alive!” he yelled in relief.

Teba shrugged, keeping his eyes on Ganon.

“You’d have to hit me a bit harder than that to get me to stay down. More to the point, are you ok? You look like you’ve been through an entire hoard.”

Before Link could answer, Zelda’s voice rang out.

“That energy covering Ganon’s body is called Malice. None of your attacks will get through as he now is…”

“So how do we damage it?” Teba called out.

“I will hold the Malice back as much as I can, but my power is waning. Attack any glowing points that you see!”

“Might be easier to avoid its attacks from the sky?” Link asked.

Teba nodded, kneeling to allow the Hylian to jump on his back, the Bow of Light gripped in his hand. The scorched earth left behind by Ganon’s attack provided an updraft which sent them high into the air.

“You can hear Zelda now too?” Link asked as they took to the sky.

“Just started here,” he confirmed. “I saw that pig starting to form in Hyrule Field and thought ‘If I were a hero determined to be in the most dangerous place possible, where would I be right now…’”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m so predictable,” the Hylian half chuckled. Despite his prior anxiety, he found the presence of his friend made the impossible task ahead seem almost feasible.

“Prepare yourselves! On the beast’s right side!”

They glided slowly around to the pig’s right side, where Link could see patches of discoloured malice, as though it was already wounded. Three large bright circles appeared over those spots, emblazoned with the Triforce symbol. They rotated slowly, glowing an almost ethereal golden colour.

“That’s our target!” Teba shouted as Link took aim.

The Bow of Light felt different to any other bow he had held before. It was much lighter and easier to manoeuvre, yet the shots he fired sped off with massive velocity. The arrows themselves were self-replenishing, a new one appearing nocked as the last one was fired. The arrow tips glowed with a dazzling golden light, almost audibly buzzing with holy energy.

The first shot hit the circle on the beast’s leg, malice exploding outwards. The circle disappeared, leaving behind a spot of malice that looked grey and dead.

His next attack was interrupted as Teba dived quickly under a beam of energy that fired from the beast’s side. Link rebalanced himself on the Rito’s back and fired two more shots, each directly hitting their targets. The substance coating Ganon’s right side now appeared grey and still, contrasting the fiery pink that still covered the rest of the boar.

“What happened back at the castle?” Teba asked, gliding further into the air above their target.

“Ganon revived each of the Blights again.”

“And you fought all of them?”

“In reverse order,” he confirmed. “To be fair, Thunderblight took itself and Windblight down, so I really just did two of them. No big deal.”

Teba rolled his eyes at the Hylian’s bravado as they flew high above the pig beast, which was slowly turning, searching for its prey. Its large hooves thundered into the ground, sending dust and debris flying out with each step.

“Then Ganon appeared in this, like, spider form thing,” Link continued. “It wasn’t very pretty, but it was slow, too.”

“I heard a crash and then it all went silent. I was about to go in and find you, but then the Divine Beasts sent a beam into the Sanctum that nearly fried me, so I retreated a bit.”

“What happened to you? Last I saw you were the latest addition to the castle foundations. I thought you were…”

He trailed off.

“The Guardian’s laser actually sent me through the ceiling, so I was above it when it collapsed. Wasn’t exactly the most painless thing I’ve done, but it seemed to convince the Guardians that they had finished us both off. They retreated after that, and I wasn’t keen to chase after them.”

“I told you that was a stupid plan.”

“And yet here we are, both still alive.”

“Quickly now – on its left side!”

Teba dived back towards the earth, making Link grip a little tighter onto his armour. Three glowing targets had appeared in identical positions. Link took aim and soon the beast’s left side mirrored its right – dead and grey.

Ganon let out a mighty roar, and several laser beams shot from its tusks, razing the ground in front of it. It began turning again, the beams still firing, causing Link and Teba to quickly retreat to its rear.

The sky, which had previously been glowing in the noon sunlight, was now dark with supernaturally red clouds. Rain thundered down and a fierce wind began to gust around them.

“You ok?” Link shouted over the sound of the downpour which was quickly soaking into the Rito’s skin.

“I’ll be fine, as long as we get this over with quickly…”

Having exhausted its previous attack, Ganon began charging a new one. The laser hit the ground, completely destroying a small group of trees, and moved forwards slowly.

“Look!” Link pointed towards the beast’s underside. “There’s another target!”

“And how do you expect me to get under-“ Teba began, but was silenced as Link leapt from his back, falling towards the ground before pulling his glider and landing just at the beast’s foot.

He sprinted underneath, praying that Ganon didn’t decide now would be a good time to take a seat. The glowing point was directly above him now, and he fired a single shot into it, leaping out of the way of the explosion of malice that followed.

Ganon roared once more as Link retreated back out into the open field. The grass was muddy now, his steps squelching as he sprinted out of reach of the Beast’s massive hooves.

Ganon turned to face him. Its sides and belly were grey, the only colour remaining the neon fire that blazed across its face and along its back.

Teba landed beside him. It was only now that he realised the rain, so torrential just a moment ago, had stopped - the wind gone completely.

“The sky…” Link murmured, looking up. “Teba look at the sky.”

The storm clouds had disappeared, replaced now by a dark pink coating, covering the land in shade, even blocking out the sun. The world around them seemed dulled – the only light being that of Ganon’s flames.

“Look! Up there!”

The pair diverted their attention to Ganon, who was charging up another attack. A golden light seemed to be emitting from the back of its head, illuminating the sky above and glimmering as if coming from inside its body.

“That’s the very core of Ganon’s being! Do what you must!”

Link turned to Teba.

“We need to get up there!”

Teba nodded.

“Jump on.”

As the Hylian climbed onto his back, he knelt to the ground and splayed his wings wide, the tips brushing against burnt grass.

He concentrated. The noise of the beast ahead of him dimmed, leaving only the air gently flowing around him. He felt that air brush through his feathers, feeling where it had come from and where it was going. He felt each gust, breeze, current, all working together, moving as one large being, interconnected like clockwork.

There was a gap in the mechanism, the tiniest space where gusts didn’t quite meet, didn’t quite flow. Take control of the gap, and the wind was yours.

Teba grabbed onto the air around them, pulling it towards him and creating a focussed maelstrom below, sending them both soaring upwards. The currents whipped around him violently, but he held firm, determinedly staying within the eye of the storm. As they reached the apex of the launch, he felt two things.

The first was the winds immediately dying down. Not because the gust had ended, but, he sensed, because they had accepted his mastery, his challenge. He had harnessed the Gale and now it was bowing to his control.

The second was the feeling of Link launching himself upwards, thrusting from his back and gaining even extra height. Holding his bow forward, a single Light Arrow flew from his grip and struck the large eye that had appeared above Ganon’s head.

As the beast roared in pain, a ball of golden light shot out of its back, rising high into the air before lowering to the ground and taking the form of a Hylian, glowing bright against the backdrop of malice.

Teba circled above, watching as Ganon retreated once more back into the cloud of malice and smoke, apparitions of its former beast appearing as tendrils, swirling and diving around the outside of the storm.

The largest of these tendrils dived towards the glowing figure, drawing back at the last moment before impact. The second time it approached, it made no attempt to stop itself.

Instead, the figure held out her hand and glowed even brighter. A sphere of similarly coloured light appeared ahead of her, engulfing the tendril and beginning to grow, slowly consuming the entire storm of malice.

Once Ganon had disappeared entirely, the ball shrank to a tiny dot hovering high above the field, before finally blinking out of sight. Teba circled above a heavily singed, but malice-free Hyrule Field.

She stood facing the castle, with her back to him.

Zelda.

“I’ve been keeping watch over you all this time…”

Her voice was quieter, no longer sounding only in his head but in his ears and all around him. It was somehow even more beautiful in person.

“I’ve witnessed your struggles to return to us as well as your trials in battle.”

In the distance, the large pillars outside of the castle now glowed a gentle blue, and the sky had returned to its afternoon glow. His eyes, though, were focussed solely on the Princess.

“I always thought – no, I always believed that you would find a way to defeat Ganon.”

He heard the sound of Teba landing softly behind him.

“Thank you Link… the Hero of Hyrule.”

She turned to face him, a soft smile forming on her lips. Her golden hair blazed in the reflection of the sun.

He felt a single tear run down his face as she continued.

“May I ask… do you really remember me?”

Chapter Text

“Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight…” 

Zelda’s soft voice rang out across the Sacred Grounds, or what was left of it, at least. Only one of the pillars surrounding the central platform remained fully intact - the others had toppled over or crumbled completely. 

“You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity…” 

The Princess stood in a deep blue ceremonial robe; her hand held outwards as she recited the ancient words. She spoke confidently, her eyes glittering at the subject knelt before her. A small smile danced across her lips. 

“…and have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia.” 

There was a small crowd gathered to witness the event, the first in over a century. From his position, Link recognised many faces from their travels – Riju stood with a particularly muscular and scowling guard, Sidon stood with his permanent smile seemingly glowing even brighter than usual, and even Impa had made an appearance, balancing impossibly atop a tower of purple cushions. 

It wasn’t a surprise to see so many familiar faces. After all, he had been the one to invite them. 

To his left were Saki and Tulin, the young fledgling gripping on to his mother’s leg and bouncing from foot to foot, unused to having to stay still and silent for so long. 

He caught Zelda’s eye and she smiled, finishing the dedication brightly. 

“May the Goddess smile upon you.” 

She lowered her hand. 

“You may rise, Teba – Rito Champion.” 

The Rito rose slowly, his platinum armour glinting in the sun, now complimented by a bright blue scarf adorned with the symbol of Divine Beast Vah Medoh at each end gently billowing in the breeze. 

There was a round of applause from the spectators, Link could even hear an excited Yunobo whooping from somewhere. 

Seemingly unable to contain his excitement a second longer, Tulin dash forward and launched himself into Teba, the newly appointed Champion only just able to keep his balance. 

That was, until Link also launched himself on top. 

The three of them toppled to the ground, causing Zelda to jump back in surprise, a hand rising to her mouth to supress a giggle. 

As Link pulled Teba to his feet, Saki joined them. 

“Will you be joining us for the celebrations, Link?” 

Link opened his mouth, before turning to Zelda. 

“You would be more than welcome also, Your Highness,” Saki added. 

Zelda blushed. 

“I would like that very much, thank you.” 

She turned back to Link as the Rito family returned to greet the rest of the crowd. The sound of the cheering seemed to dim as he listened to her voice. 

“How are you?” she asked quietly. “Any more nightmares?” 

“None,” Link shrugged. “Ever since we destroyed Ganon the nightmares, and the memories, have all stopped.” 

The Princess nodded, relief washing over her face. 

“I’m sorry… for putting you through that. For putting both of-“ 

“Zelda,” he interrupted, “you’ve nothing to apologise for. We’ve been through this – it wasn’t your fault.” 

She looked away from him, turning to the castle. It still lay in ruin – reconstruction and recovery were possible, but it was a mammoth task and would take some time. 

As he followed her gaze, his eyes were drawn to the Sanctum, high above the rest of the structure. For a moment - just a split second - he swore he could see a faint blue glow emanate from the chamber, but with a gust of wind it seemed to dissipate. 

“If I had just confronted my feelings sooner…” 

“And if I had just fought harder…” Link replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Come on, if we move now, we can check out the problems with Vah Ruta before that dinner date.” 

“Mipha’s father…” she wondered as Link took the Sheikah Slate from his waist. “I believe he would like to hear more about her. The least we can do is offer him some closure, don’t you think?” 

Link thought back to the Zora spirit on the Divine Beast and swallowed the lump in his throat. 

“I think he would like that, yes.”

Link sat, alone, on Revali’s landing. It was early morning. The sun was above the horizon, but blocked, for now, behind the mountains surrounding the village. 

It had only been a week since they had eradicated Calamity Ganon. His wounds hadn’t even totally healed, and yet it felt like an eternity. 

His first act after the Demon King’s defeat was to suggest Teba for the role of Rito Champion. Zelda hadn’t argued. He wondered just how much of their journey she had watched. 

Each day had been packed with activities he hadn’t ever had to consider before – assessing the damaged castle, travelling by horse between locations, finding somewhere substantial for Zelda to rest. 

Vah Medoh was empty, now. Revali’s spirit was gone. With the Calamity sealed away once more, it seemed like the Divine Beasts had returned to a dormant state, with no need for their former pilots. 

He swallowed at the thought of not saying goodbye to his friends, even if he still couldn’t remember everything from his past life. 

Still, each night, he had returned to Rito – to the spare hammock tied in Teba’s roost. Saki would prepare a meal for him, Tulin would bounce around his feet, firing questions about his day. It was… disturbingly normal. 

Of course, he reasoned, there was no such thing as ‘normal’ for the Hero of Hyrule, especially not in a Kingdom that had suffered for so long. He just had to take each day as it came. There was no long-term goal anymore, no ‘Defeat the Calamity’ quest on the Sheikah Slate. 

There were, however, some shorter term plans he had to deal with. And the first, he reasoned, watching the sun break over the tip of a mountain, would just have come on duty right now. 

He stood and made his way down to the village entrance. Spotting his target, he leapt over the wooden barrier, dropping down a level and landing easily on the small wooden flooring below. 

“So,” he said. “Dragons.” 

Mazli nearly jumped out of his skin, his Feathered Spear clattering to the ground. Link wondered how useful the maroon Rito would be in the event of an actual attack on the village. 

“Link! You can’t just… sneak up on people like that!” 

Link laughed as Mazli collected himself. 

“So…” the Rito continued, “how are you? I heard about Ganon… obviously.” 

“Pfft, Ganon,” Link replied, waving his hand and leaning nonchalantly against a nearby post. “Guy was just a big pushover.” 

“I’m sure he was for someone like you… I mean the ‘Hero of Hyrule’ and all that…” 

He stood there in silence, awkwardly staring at Link before catching himself and quickly looking away. 

“You, uh, mentioned dragons?” 

“I did!” 

“Did you happen to spot any while you were gone?” 

“I didn’t, no, but that’s why I’m here. I’ve got a bit of ‘time off’ coming up…” 

“You’re thinking about searching for the Dragons?” Mazli asked, his head snapping back towards Link. 

“Sort of. You said there had been no confirmed sightings of Naydra in over a century. What if that were to change?” 

“You’re going looking for Naydra!?” Mazli’s eyes almost popped out of his head. Link giggled at the sight. 

“Well, sure I could go on my own. But I figured it would make sense to have two people on the search. Cover more area, and all that.” 

Mazli nodded. 

“So… I was wondering if you’d like to come with me?” 

“ME!? You’re asking me to go Dragon hunting with you? How would we even do that? Kakariko Village is all the way on the other side of the Kingdom! And I’d never get enough time off from my duties…” 

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll have a word with the boss. He owes me some favours.” 

“Teba owes you some favours?” 

“I saved his life a few times while we were out there, no biggie,” Link shrugged. 

“I can’t imagine Champion Teba needing to be saved like that…” Mazli chuckled under his breath. 

“It was a very… flat team structure,” Link replied, thinking of all the times Teba had saved his life. “Plus, there’s this house over in Hateno that apparently I own? I’ve never really needed to use it before now, but you’d be welcome to stay there with me.” 

Mazli’s beak opened and closed. Then it opened and closed again. 

“So… Sound like a plan?” Link asked. 

“Link… Of course!”

“You’ve picked a nice day to move out,” Saki reflected, watching the morning sun bounce off of the mountains around Rito Village. 

They stood, once again, on the final island before the Stable. A few small bags surrounded Link, mostly containing gifts and offerings from the Rito. 

“Well, you know the offer is always there. Our doors are always open, Link,” she continued. 

“Thank you, Saki,” he replied, giving her a warm hug. 

Link spotted Teba approaching from the Flight Range, accompanied by a much smaller figure in the air beside him. The Rito Champion landed softly beside Saki. Tulin’s landing was slightly less graceful, and the fledgling tripped over onto his face, rolling forward a few times before pulling himself up quickly. 

“You’ll get the hang of it eventually, Tulin,” Link encouraged, ruffling the Rito’s hair as he returned to his mother’s side. “How was training?” 

“Pretty good, I’ve had to drag him away at sunset most nights this week…” Teba chuckled. 

“So he’s still enjoying it then?” 

The Rito shrugged. 

“Looks like it. He knows he can say if it stops being fun.” 

“You sure we can’t convince you to stay?” Saki asked, “We’re pretty close to the castle here.” 

“The Princess has specifically requested my services on-site,” Link shrugged. “Apparently there’s a new cavern that’s opened up below the castle. Zelda thinks it might lead to a cave system – she wants us to go and check it out.” 

“That sounds like a perfectly safe plan that couldn’t possibly go wrong in any way whatsoever,” Teba shot back. “You want some backup with you?” 

“Nah,” Link replied. 

He was actually looking forward to spending some time alone with Zelda. A chance, perhaps, to assess their feelings. 

“It should all be fine,” he continued. “You know me, any sign of trouble and we’ll out of there as fast as the Thunderblight. Besides, I don’t want to interfere with the Rito Champion’s new training regime.” 

“Yes, well, you’ve already interfered quite enough, poaching one of my Guards.” 

“Ah, so Mazli told you, did he?” 

“Scheduling guard rotations is hard enough without you butting in. Was I not good enough?” 

“Well, I thought given how useless you were as a travelling companion I’d try another Rito. Pretty low bar, you know?” 

“I distinctly remember threatening your life at least three times. Perhaps I’ll make good on my word.” 

Link smiled as they watched a traveller cross the bridge into the village. 

“Thank you, Link.” 

“What for?” 

“For everything.” 

“It should be me thanking you! I’d have gone mad doing everything on my own.” 

“Still, you didn’t have to let me in like you did.” 

“I’m glad I did. And hey, we’re not done yet! I think I remember you promising me we could go and find out what’s beyond the eastern oceans once Ganon was gone.” 

“Maybe by the time you’ve dug up the castle foundations and gone on that dragon date then I’ll have enough spare time to do that.” 

“It is not a date,” Link stated flatly. 

“You’re right! You’ve skipped straight to living together.” 

Link glared before turning to face the Rito. 

“Well, I’d better be off.” 

He spread his arms wide and embraced Teba, who returned the hug tightly. 

“Good luck, Hero.” 

“Catch you later, Champion.” 

Strands of blue light began to encircle the Hero, until his form had disappeared entirely, leaving the Rito alone in the bright sunlight.