Chapter Text
The walls of Vah Medoh are the same as they’ve always been. As are the floors and windows. The ruins atop her wings. The ceiling, even. Not a speck of dust out of place–was there even dust in this…purgatory? Revali couldn’t be sure. He wanders his divine beast day in and day out. If time even passes here, which he is positive it doesn’t.
When was the last time he’d seen one of the brilliant sunsets from atop Medoh’s perch the Rito so loved to brag about? Or a gathering of clouds threatening a violent storm cresting over the horizon? He’d give anything to feel the breeze of his gale between his feathers again. All around him was an infuriatingly still gray haze. Endless in all directions and yet he still finds himself holding on to some hope that Medoh would eventually break through this prison. That finally he’d see the serene blue of a cloudless sky and the inviting green of grassy fields.
It’s been too long…
Whatever “too long” meant. Months or years, but perhaps even just minutes or hours. Why was he here again?
Ah, yes, because that cursed Windblight had bested him. Now he remembers, though he’d certainly prefer not to.
Revali continues ambling about the innermost chamber of the divine beast–her chest, so to speak–with the soft clink of his talons against the stone floor the only sound to accompany him. He had considered multiple times finding a loose stone to tally his time spent…well, wherever he was. Though, again, how was he to know just how much time had been spent? And surely there wouldn’t be an empty space left to tally by now.
“...i…”
The feathers along his spine shift, slowly rising for a heartbeat before settling back down.
That’s odd. He thinks, pausing in his mindless walking. His eyes sweep over the empty room for anything seemingly out of place. But everything was just as it always has been. Always will be. So he continues making his way towards the halls of the right wing.
“...vali…”
There it is again. Revali stops in his tracks, hands subconsciously clenching at his sides and back stiffening. He’s never heard anything in these rooms that hasn’t been of his own making. It’s a voice, he can tell that much. But whose? It’s achingly familiar and yet he can’t pinpoint where he’s heard it before.
Vah Medoh, perhaps? But it couldn’t be. She was always a grounding presence in the back of his mind. Not to mention he hadn’t heard a word from her since arriving in this plain of existence. And why would she suddenly begin communicating now?
He’s about to turn around when it cries out again, “Revali!”
There’s an urgency to it now that makes his blood turn to ice. Whoever this is, they’re pleading, the strain in their voice obvious to even him.
“Ack!”
Revali doubles over, an intense stabbing pain erupting in his abdomen. It feels like liquid fire is tearing through his stomach and working its way towards his heart. He clutches desperately at his chest, urging the pain to stop but it doesn’t let up. Instead the fire races through his arms, up his neck, and down his legs, growing more unbearable by the second. He feels as if he might pass out at any moment. The pain is slowly inching closer to his heart until he’s sure it’s nearly there and he falls to his knees.
And then it’s gone.
Revali gasps for breath, eyes blinking furiously, trying to focus on something, anything. But there are still only the same bland walls surrounding him. The same hauntingly quiet rooms and hazy atmosphere. He braces his hands against the floor so he can stand, leaning against the wall for extra support. It takes a mild amount of effort but he’s back on his feet soon enough, still regaining his composure.
“Wh-who’s t-th-there?” His voice is unsure, rough, and raspy from disuse. Barely even a whisper. Who has he had to speak to, anyway, besides the divine beast he’d given up on hearing from since he arrived here?
There isn’t a response. He wasn’t expecting one, if he’s being honest. Yet he has the sudden uncanny feeling that he isn’t alone anymore. There’s someone–something–here with him. Revali steadies his breathing for another moment before straightening up and surveying his surroundings. The air remains clouded and unmoving. It doesn’t appear as if anything has changed within the mechanical bird. Regardless, once he feels stable enough, Revali starts making his way to the control panel above.
It doesn’t take him long to reach the so-called “heart” of the beast. It lies at the very center of her back amidst the broken pillars that line her wings. Revali steps lightly, careful not to disturb the decaying grass between the stone pathways. That seems to be the only thing about the divine beast that has endured any change. Instead of remaining lush, vibrant, and full of life, the atmosphere has been slowly sapping the energy from the tiny blades, turning them a sickly, brittle yellow. Hence the reason Revali preferred to retrace the rooms below, in an effort to avoid the depressing scene upstairs.
When he reaches the bulbous centerpiece he rests his hands atop the panels. There is no light emanating from the screens, no blips of sound or any indication the machine would respond to his touch. He’d tried countless times before, of course, only to yield the same results.
Except this time there is a tiny vibration.
It’s very faint, nearly imperceivable, but it’s there. Revali snaps his hand back in surprise. He doesn’t even have a second to investigate further before a deafening shriek fills the air and the ground begins to tremble. He stumbles forward, hip crashing into the control panel and hands grabbing blindly.
Medoh!
He’d recognize that sound anywhere. The divine beast lets out another shrill cry before falling utterly silent. Revali presses away from the controls as the stone begins to still again, his eyes frantic as he searches for any disturbances on the surface. A part of him deathly afraid the blight may have returned against all odds.
“Revali…”
This voice is gentle. Vastly different from the one calling out to him moments ago. Despite his racing heartbeat it provides a soothing feeling. There is no distress in this voice, no gut-wrenching timbre that sets his feathers on edge. It feels…warm.
“...ith my fi…l…po…er…”
Revali spins in a circle, searching for the source of the voice. That’s when he sees it: a faint white light descending from what he assumes is the direction of the sky. It falls like a lone snowflake without the wind to guide it, gentle and calm. He’s tempted to reach out and touch it but something tells him not to. A feeling in his gut he hasn’t felt since his final moments in the living world. The light continues its descent until it stops just before his eyes. He stares at it, admiring its soft glow, rendered speechless.
And then it bursts.
Immediately he’s blinded, overcome by the bright light that swallows his vision. He lifts his arms in an attempt to shield himself from the light but it doesn’t help. It almost seems to intensify the more he tries to look away. It’s in his eyes. In his head.
“...grant yo…lif…t…ave…him.”
He’s tempted to cry out. To scream and yell and demand answers. But what does he say? He’s not even sure what’s happening or who is speaking to him. He’s too focused on maintaining his footing in his newly blinded state that he can’t understand what is being said to him. It’s too faint, as if it’s coming from miles away. From another world entirely.
Suddenly the solid stone completely vanishes from beneath his feet and he’s free falling. Vah Medoh is nowhere to be seen. Not above or below just simply gone. The gray haze he’d grown accustomed to is ever present but now there’s a fierce wind buffeting his feathers and sending him down in an uncontrollable spiral.
He’s cold. Which is strange considering he hasn’t really felt anything since his last breath was drawn. There was no temperature in his solitude. Nothing to disrupt the absolute barren world he’d been inhabiting. And to make matters worse Revali can’t seem to angle himself just right to catch the draft and stabilize himself. He can’t even fully process what was happening moments ago before he notices the encroaching mound of white coming from below. An awful panic begins to form in the pit of his stomach as he realizes he’s about to crash. Never in his life–and whatever that was that came after–had he struggled to fly. Until now the very wind that was tossing him about had bent to his will.
He only has seconds to brace himself, tucking his head down in between his arms and bringing his knees to his chest, before he crashes into the snow.
And then there’s silence again.
***
“...bad idea guys!”
“Hush, Genli! He’s not even awake.”
“Where did he come from?”
“Kotts, can you help me drag him a little further?”
“But what if he’s a monster? Or a spy!”
“Gen-”
“I bet he’s a member of that giga club!”
“Yiga clan, Genli, and he isn’t.”
“Eeuughhh…”
“Stand back, he’s waking up!”
There’s a horrible pounding in his head and his eyes feel as if they’ve been glued shut. With some effort he’s able to pry them open and is immediately assaulted by the sight of five feathered faces staring back at him.
Revali leaps back with a yelp, instantly regretting it as his back lights up with pain. He must’ve landed roughly–if he’d even landed at all, he could hardly remember how he’d ended up here to begin with, wherever this new “here” was. He instantly notes Vah Medoh is nowhere to be seen. When the pain subsides he takes in the strangers huddled around him.
Ah, fellow Rito, that’s comforting. But they appear to be…children? He doesn’t recognize any of them, not that he was ever around the village enough to commit the names and faces of its residents to memory–much preferring the solitude of the flight range–but the fact that he’s still so confused does little to quell his growing anxiety.
“It’s okay!” The one with steely blue feathers speaks up, seeming to be the authority here, and takes a step towards him. When he reflexively pulls further back she stops short, frowning. She casts a quick glance toward the others standing slightly behind her before getting to her knees, bringing her bright blue eyes level with his.
“My name is Cree,” she begins, quieter this time. “Can you tell us yours?”
He’s slow to respond, still attempting to grasp the situation he’s found himself in and assessing the best course of action. This lot seems harmless enough. He can feel the stiff feathers on his shoulders begin to relax and he releases a sigh he wasn’t aware he’d been holding, a fraction of his anxiety dissipating.
“Rev…Revali.” he manages, having to stifle a cough.
The Rito knelt before him–Cree, he remembers–gives him a thoughtful look. She extends a hand forward, gesturing for Revali to take it, and he does, acutely aware of how small it is against his own. She clasps the back of his hand with her other and helps heave him to his feet. It takes a bit of effort on her end and an incredible amount of wincing through the pain on his, but together they manage to get him standing.
Revali peels his gaze from hers to peer at the group behind her. A smaller fledgling with a brighter crest of light green feathers lets out a squeak and shuffles behind the other three, all of which are staring intently at him. He finds himself inspecting their clothing, noticing immediately the intriguing differences in fabric and leather. They look to be adorned in brightly colored pieces with intricate patterns woven throughout. Nothing like the dull, varying shades of beige he was used to.
The four he’s evaluating begin to huddle together the longer he studies them and Cree quickly steps into his line of sight again. He can sense an air of protectiveness coming from her but no ill intent.
“These are my sisters.” Cree points a finger at each of them in turn. “Kotts, Notts, Kheel, and Genli.” They each give a small smile which he returns with a nod of his head.
“We should get back to the others, Cree.” Kotts speaks up, looking increasingly worried the longer they stand about.
Cree nods to her and turns back to him with a smile of her own and gently grabs his elbow. This time he doesn’t startle, instead taking her silent offer and walking with the group as they begin to move.
The rest of the girls bounce along a few steps ahead of Cree, talking and giggling amongst themselves, while the blue Rito hangs behind to guide Revali. He won’t admit it but he is grateful for her calm presence seeing as the more he surveys their surroundings the more questions he has.
It looks like they’re just outside Rito Village judging by the series of ascending bridges they have to cross. But it’s…wrong. The entire atmosphere is off. Excessive amounts of snow cover the ground as well as every surface available and there’s an incessant wind blowing so strongly from behind he has to dig his talons into the ground to stay upright. There’s also strange rock formations jutting from the earth and walls and…did one just…fall? Revali’s eyes widen as he watches a clump of black rock fall from seemingly nowhere and yet the fledglings ahead of him don’t seem bothered in the slightest. In fact, one of them–Genli, he recalls–seems to whistle a shrill tune along with the rocks descent until it lands in the lake below, emphasizing with a loud “Kersplash!”
And perhaps most notable being the same gray haze that has plagued his vision is still surrounding them. Though now he’s sure it’s due to the weather rather than being trapped in some endless loop.
“I see Molli up ahead!” Genli crows, suddenly sprinting the rest of the way to the village while Kotts, Notts, and Kheel pick up their pace to follow. Revali fights the urge to chastise them for being so reckless in such severe weather. Cree seems content to let them go, however.
Upon cresting the steps at the base of Rito Village Revali is overcome with an immense feeling of nostalgia. There’s the small Goddess statue nestled into the rock at the entrance–which, oddly enough, gives Revali a sinking feeling deep within himself he can’t quite identify–and the familiar signage leading towards Swallow’s Roost. He could remember many nights spent at the inn when high winds kept him from reaching the flight range. But the wood railings and fabrics hung from the roof seem different. Like they’d been repaired and replaced time and again. New.
Cree seems to understand the analyzing look in Revali’s eyes and guides him further along till they reach her sisters again, this time gathering around another young Rito with blush feathers. They make room for Revali to enter their circle, urging him to take a seat which he does hesitantly. Genli passes a steaming mug through the other girls until it stops in his hands. They all watch him expectantly.
Revali lifts the mug to his beak, sniffing at the steam while eyeing the creamy liquid, and is almost instantly overcome with relief. It’s just a cup of warm milk and he happily downs the whole thing in a few heartbeats. He lets out a long sigh, rolling the tension out of his shoulders, and sets the empty mug at his feet. With a new warmth in his belly he feels a little more ready to address the fledglings around him.
“S-so,” He clears his throat, still not used to hearing his own voice out loud again but feeling more comfortable since having a drink. “This is Rito Village?” He pauses as they all give a quick nod. “I don’t recall there ever being this much snow. A-and where are all of the adults?”
Each of the Rito around him share a mildly concerned look. This time Kheel finds the courage to speak to him.
“We’re experiencing a bit of a blizzard at the moment. All of the adults are out gathering food and wood so we’ve been holding down things here.”
“And we’re doing just fine!” The pink Rito chimes in.
The rest all smile at her. Kheel chuckles, “Yes, Molli, we’re handling things quite well.”
“You’re not from around here, are you?” Kotts leans in, curiosity in her eyes.
Revali isn’t sure how to answer that. While, yes, he most definitely is from Rito Village he’s not from…this Rito Village. This village that seems to have weathered many many years without him. Are there still notches in the wood of the landings where he’d made some not so graceful touchdowns in his youth? Or permanent soot marks from rogue fire arrows he’d mishandled right after purchasing? But something tells him those memories may have long since been forgotten. Painted over or replaced entirely. Remembered by none but him.
There’s a lump of dread settling in his stomach as he weighs the best answer in his head. They most likely won’t believe him if he admits to being born and raised here. But when the village is the only home he’d ever known he’s not sure he can come up with a convincing response otherwise. Not to mention he’s not entirely sure of the state of affairs of the rest of Hyrule at the moment.
Once again Cree saves him from having to think too hard. She rests a fist under her chin, contemplating. “You said your name was Revali. Why does that sound so familiar?”
The group is silent for a moment, serious glances being tossed between one another. Then suddenly Genli’s face lights up.
“Revali’s Landing!” she practically squeals and the rest all make sounds of agreement.
“Ah, right. But that was named after the Rito champion from over a century ago, right?” Notts leans forward, shaking the buildup of snow from her russet feathers. “Maybe you’re a distant relative.”
Did she say over a century? Revali can feel his heartbeat quicken, a cold sweat beginning on the back of his neck and a numb tingle reaching up his fingers. Surely it hasn’t been that long. Then again he’s not entirely sure just how long he spent pacing around Vah Medoh, is he?
“A great-great-grandchild?” Genli pipes up.
Revali’s brows rise in shock and he scowls in mild disgust. He crosses his arms and looks down his beak at them, doing his best not to appear distressed. “I assure you I have fathered no chicks.”
This only leaves the girls blinking in confusion. Some of them lean in to whisper to each other while the rest don’t take their eyes off of him. It’s incredibly unsettling and does little to quell his ever present anxiety.
“Well, mister Revali,” Cree beckons the others to be quiet with a flap of her wing. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Revali considers her question for a moment, painfully aware of their expectant gazes. What does he remember of recent events? When he searches his mind for anything relevant it feels as if something is holding him back. A soft presence resisting the prying of his own thoughts. Urging him to stop. Trying to protect him from things he might be better off forgetting.
“I remember…Calamity. And losing control of Medoh.” he doesn’t risk looking at the fledglings for fear of what their reactions may be. So he presses on despite the growing pain behind his eyes. “Then there was nothing and…and then I was rescued? But not really. I was still trapped. Still tied to my divine beast. But the malice was gone, I could breathe again, think freely again. And then we were called upon by something…someone, in a final attempt to vanquish that pig-headed beast.” He hears one of the girls gasp quietly. “Then nothing…and now I find myself here.” His arms gesture broadly to the Rito around him who have all scooted in rather close.
The headache that had begun to form vanishes the second he’s done speaking. He expects some kind of reaction, not the silence that greets him. They all seem to wiggle anxiously in their seats, not wanting to be rude but also avoiding his pointed gaze.
“Is it possible the Upheaval has something to do with this?” Kheel finally asks.
“Upheaval?” Revali doesn’t like the sound of that.
“Yes, this…new calamity so to speak.” Cree wrings her hands out in front of her, rising from her seat to pace the room.
Revali balks at her choice of words. Another calamity? Something in him itches to find Vah Medoh.
“About a week ago this blizzard showed up, cutting us off from the rest of Hyrule and making it near impossible to find food and supplies.” She continues, not missing a beat, “Then, some of the adults that were able to make it through came with the news that Hyrule Castle had begun floating in the sky and Princess Zelda had vanished–”
“Link, too!” Genli adds.
That name sends a jolt down Revali’s spine. It’s awfully familiar but again he’s not sure why.
“And the monsters!” Molli sounds like she’s on the verge of tears. From the corner of his eye he sees Notts stand to give her a hug.
“They’re saying giant holes split open the ground and a whole city appeared in the sky. Nobody knows where the princess has gone and there are rumors spreading that this may be the end. For real this time.”
It’s a lot to process, for sure, and Revali’s still stuck on the fact that the castle is…floating? He stays silent for a moment, pondering the information. Could it be that Calamity Ganon wasn’t properly defeated? Had some small portion of his malice remained and–given enough time to fester–returned to finish the job? It’s all so convoluted and Revali still can’t crack through the fog in his mind that might help piece things together. What he does know is that he needs to find someone with more details and a better understanding of the situation.
Revali stands abruptly, startling the embracing Molli and Notts. “Is there somewhere people may have gathered since this…Upheaval? A base of sorts?”
“I’ve heard of a makeshift fortress near the castle.” Kheel offers. “I think it’s being called Lookout Landing. If you can make it there in one piece I’m sure somebody can tell you more.”
“Great, I’ll be on my way then.” He brushes off the layer of snow that had gathered on his shoulders and makes to leave the inn. He has a vague recollection of the lay of the land and, granted his wings can carry him through this storm, he thinks he’ll be at the base before too long.
A tug on his arm stops him.
“Please don’t leave just yet, mister Revali!” Genli’s grip on his bicep tightens. The other fledglings crowd closer, big, blue eyes pleading. “Rest for a while and we’ll pack you some provisions.”
Revali wants to scoff. Wants to brush her fingers from his arm and turn tail. He’s a solitary Rito, never having relied on the help of others. But something in the way they cluster about his feet has him thinking it over. The hospitality they showed him when they could have left him in the snow. After all, he may well have been…gone…for at least a few years now and isn’t sure what to expect from the journey ahead.
He rolls his eyes. “Fine.” And ignores the pang in his heart at their cheers.
***
Meanwhile, somewhere far above in a world yet unexplored, a confused Hylian huddles closer to his campfire, tattered clothes doing very little to fight off the chill as night approaches. A chiming bell in the distance is his only company.