Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Is this it? This here, upon the great machinery he had mastered so soon ago—this is it? The night sky in all its beauty stares down at him and the stars—oh, gorgeous, beautiful stars—seem to weep. Of course, it had to be night.

Of course he had to fly right over the most dangerous area of Hyrule. Of course, he had left his bow for this seemingly menial trip. Of course, he shall pass on the Divine Beast he had claimed as his own. And of course, of course, he shall fail at the one task given to him.

Below, a large beast unlike his own. It glows with a malice that almost draws him in, in a way. It moves so unlike a living being that his brain simply cannot comprehend what it is. What is this? What is happening? What...what the hell is that thing?

Its singular eye, only noticeable due to its glow, hones in directly onto his. They lock for a terrifying moment and he freezes with true, undeniable terror. Had he not been who he was, he would have forgotten to continue flapping his wings to stay afloat. It aims its murder weapon towards him and shoots a blast that he dodges. Is he even flying? His speed, his grace—why is he shaking? Why is he so scared? Was it his lack of vision? Maybe his lack of weapon or ammo. Was it...

He cries out in pain and crashes onto the Beast in the least elegant way. How unfitting for a Rito of his great glory—he truly has fallen from grace. Below him, Vah Medoh cries with him as she tries desperately to fight for him, fight for her pilot. His pain doubles as he realizes just how helpless his Beast must feel. Surely, he is the one who has failed her. He failed to protect her, to keep her safe from the Blight that hurts him so. He has failed Vah Medoh, and yet she continues to fight for him.

He must continue to fight for her too.

His eyes lock onto the glowing terminal before him. It's far, too far for him to simply run for it. No time to think, no time to regret. Behind him, he hears the charge of another blast. It's coming for him soon, he knows it. Forcing himself upon his feet, he sprints towards the main terminal as the blast is released onto him. Just a graze, he tells himself. Just another injury to push through. Now is the one time he must outdo himself and bring his speed to a wonderful last burst. He brings an updraft despite the searing pain that shoots throughout his entire body. He flaps his exhaustion away and lets his adrenaline kick in for his last moments and dives. His movements are beautiful—he dances around the beams that aim to kill. It's something to truly behold—Champion of the Rito, finally proving himself as the one to master the wind and sky.

"Almost," he growls beneath his breath, "almost!"

Slamming his wing onto the terminal, he lets himself a moment to breathe as he finally accomplishes something no Rito will ever recreate. His duty to Rito Village and his expectations wash away—he's done it. It all melts away. Immediately, he hears Vah Medoh send a message to the other Beasts: SOS. Save our souls. Save Medoh, save Hyrule, save the princess, save—

A blast wrecks his hearing once more as it kills him. His last thought, Link, save—

He awakes atop stone and moss. The ground beneath him rumbles with...something. Squinting through the sunrays, he attempts to push himself up to a sitting position, but is stopped by the sheer pain that shoots through his entire wing. His wing, his entire body—it hurts so much. He tries once more and sobs with frustration. What the hell happened anyway? Why does he—

It hits all at once. The Calamity, Daruk's booming voice that commands the Champions, the bittersweet look in his eyes as he realized what it all meant. His mad dash to his Divine Beast and watching the horrid Calamity arise from the castle. Fighting the—

He sobs. It's all over, isn't it? This was it. The Champions have failed and the Calamity, all of Hyrule, has been taken over by the likes of an ungodly beast. He still remembers the sight of it. A swirling energy of malice covering the land and sky; what a horrid thing to see right before death.

Death.

Oh.

Oh.

He cries. He cries like the child he has always been, deep down. The Rito can't even muster up the strength to curl into a ball to save the sky of the view of it's favorite visitor; it hurts, so much. He slams a wing into the ground with minimal energy and cries. Was this his personal hell? Staring at the sky atop the Beast he failed. It's too cruel of a fate, but he supposes that's the consequence of failure.

"Oh, oh my goddess, he—he's—get someone! Get one of the healers, tell the Elder! Now!"

The deep voice startles him. If he could jump, he would have. Refocusing his eyes, he looks towards the direction of the voice. A large, white Rito kneels beside him, his wings hovering hesitantly above him. His wings are shaking and his voice is panicked. What the...

"Hey, hey," oh, he wishes for mercy, "you're—you're going to be okay! We're getting healers up here, I swear it—move faster Link!" Oh, he wishes for mercy. The white Rito looks down at him with wild eyes and an unsure demeanor. He takes a deep breathe, "I'm so sorry, Master Revali, this is gonna hurt." His wings scoop underneath his body and suddenly he is moving. Revali screams in pain as a plead to unhand him, but the Rito carries him anyway.

"It hurts," he sobs out, "please, please it hurts so much it—"

"I'm sorry, I have to." The Rito coos at him lightly. It soothes him, and he really hates to admit that. He stops screaming and his cries quiet down. The Rito trembles, "Goddess, you're so...you're way too..." He shudders, shakes his head, and continues to move.

"Here!" An unfamiliar voice cries. There's scurrying and people's voices. It's all too much; the pain, the voices, the suddenness of living. He takes in his surroundings—many a Rito gather around him. They're all so concerned, so panicked. Over what? Him? No concern should be wasted on a ghost, much less the ghost of a Champion who failed. He wants to scowl at the pure fear on everyone's faces. He wants to scold everyone for wasting so much energy on a lost cause. He doesn't even know anybody in this crowd; they're all complete strangers! There's nobody—

His hair is blond and his eyes are blue. There are tears like waterfalls and braids with ribbons and ruby beads that dangle before him. He is crying.

He blacks out.

He wants to stop waking up in unfamiliar places.

It's frustrating, really. Just jumping between different areas. For one, he's fighting for his actual life on Vah Medoh, next he's waking up after his supposed death, now he's in some sort of...infirmary?

Is...

"Am I in Rito Village?" His voice wobbles in a way he despises.

"Yeah, you're here." He jumps and immediately regrets it when he is reintroduced to pain. His entire being seems to creak with every movement and breathe he takes. Groaning, he vows to never move again. "Sorry! Didn't mean to startle you," the voice is almost hesitant to speak, "Are you hungry? Thirsty? I made you some salmon meuniere." His stomach growls like the traitor it is. 

"I...guess I should indulge myself." He huffs a laugh, "You know, you're lucky. Salmon meuniere is—"

"—your favorite, I know." He pushes himself up and sees—

"I've made it for you before."

He is frozen. How? How is this even...

"How the hell are you here?!" He squawks. Link sheepishly looks away and offers the plate to him. The nerve to...!

"So, do you um..." Revali snatches the plate from the pathetic looking knight. Link grimaces as he pulls a chair to sit. Revali does nothing but glare as he awkwardly shifts around. "So, are we both dead or insane?" Link shakes his head, "No, we're both alive. Well, there's also the others and Zelda. They're all alive." Revali's eye twitches in annoyance before the entire situation fully hits him. This...this bastard is...!

"You!" Link jumps as a feathered finger is shoved towards his face. "You can speak, you bastard!" Link shrugs and looks away with a sad look in his eyes. Had the situation been different, Revali would almost feel bad for the boy. "I always could. I just...I think I was super under pressure? I think back then, I was silent for a reason. That's what Mipha told me, at least." Revali hesitates. Revali looks him up and down and instead decides to eat instead.

Link seems to be frozen for a moment before he sighs and pulls out a journal. The scratching of his pen is...oddly soothing. Revali relishes in the silence, for once, and allows himself to relax. A moment of sanity, finally. Insanity after insanity—he actually appreciates the quiet moment. The silences stretches on as he continues to eat his food. Unbearably, the food is wonderful, because of course it is. He scowls slightly at it as if it wronged him. Link notices, "Is it...is it good?"

Revali glares at him with a half-hearted passion. He shrinks beneath his eyes which, admittedly, feels good to see. "It's...adequate." Annoyingly, the stupid Hylian beams under the slight praise. How asinine.

For a moment, he hesitates. It takes all of his courage to open his mouth, "What...happened? To the Calamity, I mean."

A slight pause. "We failed." Revali's eyes betray him as they fill with tears once more. Then, Link makes an odd face, "I mean, we did and then we didn't?"

"Why...Are you asking me if we failed? I'm not sure if you noticed, but I was dead, oh great knight."

"No, I mean..." Link sighs with a weight Revali wasn't expecting. His hand cards through his blond bangs as he leans his elbows onto his knees, "We did fail, yes. I...alright, please don't freak out when I say this but I did...sort of wake up a hundred years later?"

Revali balks.

"And I deafeated the Calamity."

Surely, he is lying.

"Oh, and you're the last of the Champions to wake up. Mipha was first, then Daruk a few days later, and then Urbosa. You're about a week late, Revali."

Had it been anybody else, he would have immediately accepted the information. If Zelda had been the one to tell him, he's sure it would be done in a much more eloquent way. She always had a better way with words; she could convince an army to do her bidding even without the title of Princess. If it had been her, he'd be much more understanding and accepting. However, this...moronic fool just spouts all of this information in such a way that he simply cannot believe him. Instead, he lets out a disbelieving laugh. It's awful how easily his persona is wrought out of him; all because of this imbecile. "Link, truly," he pauses his laughter to smile at him, "that is a great and grand fictional story. Now if you would please just tell me what happened."

"That's what happened." Link's face is serious. Stone cold, the way it had been before There's a weight to the way he insists; like he simply must make Revali believe him. He's dead serious.

Revali's smile falls and with it, his heart. He searches Link's eyes frantically, only to be met with the worst truth. "No," he fights to keep his smile, "no, that—that's not..." Link rests his hand on Revali's. Their eyes meet and it hurts more than his wounds.

"No." He whispers.

"I'm sorry," Link sighs.

It's hell.

"Please...a moment." Link wordlessly moves away from him and leaves.

It's hell, alright.

Chapter Text

"Um, M...Master Revali?" Teba reluctantly places his wing on the doorframe of the infirmary. Before him, a young—Goddess he's so young, he has his fledgeling spots—Rito lays upon a bed. He's already much better than he was the day before. The young Champion shoots up from his curled position and makes a face. "Yes?" He pauses slightly at the sight of the older Rito "What could possibly be so important now?" Teba's eyebrows furrow. This...

Teba gestures with the cup in his other hand, "I brought you some medicine. Doctor's orders." Revali holds his breathe for a moment before he sighs in defeat. He nods and Teba approaches. Teba can't help but notice the way he's melting into himself; the downcast look of his eyes reminds him of his own son. As though he'd been caught. As though he were afraid of...

"Drink slowly," he ignores the pang in his heart, "I have water here for the taste." Revali waves him off, "No, it's fine. I'm used to it, anyway." Wow, if that doesn't hurt at least a little. Teba waits patiently until the medicine cup is set aside. With a clench of his fists, he gathers his courage, "So."

"So?" His voice changes, as though to shield himself of the oncoming questions.

The white Rito pulls a chair up and sits down, elbows leaning onto his knees, "I...I'm not sure if I believe you are Master Revali." His eyes narrow in disbelief. Teba ignores it, "Look, I barely believed that Link was even who he says he is. It's...hard to believe without solid proof. I mean, look at you, you're so...young. You couldn't have possibly—"

"Princess Zelda was seventeen when she sealed the Calamity."

He stops. "What?"

"Link was eighteen when he nearly lost his life against the Guardians."

Teba sits up in his chair. They're...

"...I was nineteen when I died."

The chair clatters behind him. It knockes something over, but he's not sure what exactly. "You're...you're not...!"

"I am not too young to be a Champion. I'm not even the youngest!" His voice rises in volume and his face hardens more. There's something in his eyes that...he can't really understand. "I am capable! Do not let my age dissuade you of my abilities! I am the Rito Champion; I've fought and died and overcome! I am not some—some useless child!"

Teba's wings shake with some unnamed emotion, "Alright." He turns around to pick up the chair and—apparently—side table that had been knocked over, "I won't deny that you're a warrior—I see your scars and injuries. Those are real, I can tell. But," he sits once more and returns to his hunched over position, "until another Champion other than Link can confirm you are who you say you are, I won't fully believe you."

Revali scowls and turns his head in anger, but leaves it there. Teba can't help but feel like a babysitter with a rather...unique child. He'd been there when Tulin had the terrible phase that all toddlers had; Goddess, he's glad he grew out of that.

Still, he cannot help but think of the way he had sobbed in his arms. The way he begged for the pain to stop, the unbearable sound of his screams. He looked so...small in his arms. He'd never seen any Rito in that state, much less one that still had their fledgeling spots on their cheeks. Teba had been terrified in that moment; he wasn't sure if it even was Revali in that moment, but he knew that there was a life on the line. In Rito Village, every single life is cherished among everyone. The entire village raises the young together, they all grow together as a community. It's part of Rito pride to have been raised by many. In that moment, he knew he just had to do something. He couldn't have stopped. Not when he cried that way, not when he was half-consciously chirping like a child.

"Is it true?" He's looking down at his wingtips, fiddling with a loose feather. "The Calamity...it's been defeated? Is it truly gone?" Teba nods, "Link defeated the Calamity around a month ago. You...didn't know?" The fledgling rolls his eyes, "No, what part of me being dead do you not understand?"

Deep breaths. He will not snap.

Revali turns to him and sharply demands, "I would like to be left alone, thank you very much." Teba shakes his head, determined. Revali's voice hardens. As he speaks, his tone becomes one of a veteran. One of a warrior. "You will leave me to rest and wake me only when absolutely necessary."

"And who do you think you are?" Teba snarks back. "I'm not sure if your supposed hundred year rest counts, but if I'm correct I am your elder. You can't just--"

"I want to be alone now, thank you!"

He bites his tongue in response. "Fine."

Teba leaves Revali to himself. Before he fully walks away, he hides himself nearby to keep an eye on the Rito.

He cries.

Teba leaves him.

Link sighs deeply, leaning against the railing of the landing. The Hebra wind nips at his fingertips and the sun shines down on him. He lays his head down onto his arms and stares into the snowy white fields before him.

Revali is alive again. So are the other Champions. One on hand, he's glad they're all getting a second chance together. He should be happy about it all. Why isn't he? Was it the month long wait between seeing their spirits disappear and their apparent resurrection? Had he truly accepted their fates in that time? Or was it just resignation—knowing that there was the slimmest chance of ever coming back.

He was so glad that they're back. He's ecstatic, really! But...what now? They're all back after their biggest mission had been completed. From talking to each of them, none of them even remembering participating in helping. The hundred years spent on the Divine Beasts as spirits are completely forgotten. He can't tell if that's a good or bad thing. For one, they don't have to remember the stretch of time it took for him to awaken, but they don't remember helping him.

Thankfully, the others fully believed Link and Zelda when they filled them in on what happened. But...Revali? Would he believe how much he helped Link on Vah Medoh? Would he believe the things they talked about?

Would Revali remember...

Link runs a hand through his hair. Better to figure that out when Zelda gets here. She'd taken the time to be with Urbosa, as expected. He didn't...really want to be in Gerudo Town anyway. Not with Urbosa there. He shudders at the thought.

He can't help but think of finding Revali. He had been waiting—nearly six days after Urbosa—and scouting out Rito Village. After every day that passed, his anxiety grew and crescendoed until the fateful moment he and Teba found him. It was just a lucky moment—a rare chance of finding him as he had come back to life. He grimaces as the memory floods his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are we even sure that he'll be here?" The white Rito grumbles. They'd both been searching for days in every place they can imagine; Revali's Landing, the Flight Range, hell, even random homes that might have been Revali's.

"It's the last place I can think of," Link huffs and watches his breath fade, "every other Champion has woken up in their Divine Beasts somewhere. He must be here, Teba. I can feel it." He has to hope. Revali's the most stubborn of the group, of course he has to awaken as well. Link's sure he'll be mad when he realizes that he was the last of the group to escape death. 

Teba continues to brood in a different spot from Medoh. Link barely catches some words; something about doubting Link and if it would even be Revali. He gives him the courtesy to ignore that.

Link climbs onto Medoh's beak and searches the horizon. Behind him, he hears Teba's wings get quieter—probably checking from below. His chest clenches and he shakes. How much longer? Why is he taking so long to awaken? Where even is he?

"Please," he looks up at the sky, pleading to Her, "bring him back. Please, please bring him back."

"Link?" Teba's unusually hesitant voice caught his attention. "Something's happening, I don't know what's..."

Link looks down and sees a familiar golden glow. His breath hitches and he jumps down to meet Teba. When he does, he notices particles coming together into a singular spot, right on top of Medoh's talons. Link scrambles and pulls Teba away from the spot, of which they both stumble.

"I..." Link's throat closes up. Once again, he cannot speak. He's at a loss. Did She really hear him?

The glow gets brighter and larger, until it forms the final Champion to awaken. His body floats for a moment, and then it just drops. He slumps onto Medoh's talons. Medoh, upon feeling her pilot once more, lets out a cry. Every Divine Beast has done this upon awakening; doesn't stop it from startling him every single time.

"Oh," Link falls apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Link?" The knight startles and turns. The pink Rito smiles at him sadly and he relaxes at the sight of her. "Normally, you're the one who startles me. Lost in thought?" He huffs out a sardonic laugh, "You could say that, Saki." He turns back around and leans back into the railing. Her wing rests over his back. It's warm, welcoming. Saki's always been a welcoming presence.

"How are you feeling?" Link falters at that.

"I mean," he stutters out, "I don't know. I accepted that he was...you know, sometime in the past month. Then, suddenly every Champion is coming back to life and...it's just all happening so fast." He moves away to pace. "Like, alright, I get Zelda coming back because she hadn't truly died? But then wow! Mipha's coming back to life and then Daruk and then Urbosa and...he just takes forever to come back! And Teba and I—Goddess, I cannot believe we even—we watched his body reappear! As though he wasn't gone a hundred years ago! And I've...I've never seen him like that. He was...crying. He doesn't cry. Revali's anything other than someone who cries, he's—he's a hardass! He pushes through everything and he's so strong, I've seen it! He doesn't hesitate, he doesn't get all pent-up emotions. It's like he's untouchable sometimes! When the other Champions reappeared, they were injured, but not as severe as he was. He looked so...dead. He always seemed so alive and I didn't know how to..." Link's lip trembles at the memory. He turns, and Saki is staring.

Her eyebrows furrow, not out of frustration, but quiet understanding. She moves closer, but doesn't dare get too close. Her voice is calm, "I know you see him as this...what, untouchable warrior? But Link," her wings rest on top of his shoulders, "I know you aren't the most knowledgable in Rito anatomy and such, but he is young. Those red spots on his cheeks? Those are fledgeling spots. He's not even twenty."

"I mean, I knew that, but--"

"No, no buts." She shakes his shoulders gently. "We don't know anything about his past. You cannot make these assumptions about somebody that nobody really knows much about. For example, has he told you of his family?" Link goes to speak, but is stopped. His mouth clamps, and that's all Saki needs. "See? He's in a really weak and vulnerable spot right now, Link. He needs somebody to be strong for him. Emotionally, that is. Now, that doesn't mean throw yourself away--I know you must be so exhausted from everything. But whether it be you or the Champions or even Teba--as stubborn as he may be--somebody needs to be strong for him. Understand?" She gently lifts his chin and wipes a stray tear off his cheek. Link nods and leans into her wing.

"Mom! Notts and Kotts took my bow!"

She huffs a soft laugh and pats Link's cheek. Before she leaves she gives him one last smile, and he is alone again.

Be strong for Revali...? Emotionally? He's never been one for emotional strength. Physical strength comes to him naturally, as a warrior, but he never really had time to be a pillar of emotional stability.

Link turns his head back to the sky. The sun is so bright today. Surely, She is watching him. He wants to be able to say thank you, but he's not sure if he can just yet.

Link sighs.

Chapter Text

Revali is absolutely sick of staying in bed. Being coddled by the other village folk and Link, of all people, has made him feel so small. The second the medics told him he may start to move, he shot out of bed and promptly left after thanking them. It's undignified to be chained to one spot like a prisoner, especially a Rito such as himself! He has to move, has to get out there.

Of course, getting out means seeing others. Getting out means seeing others do the thing that you physically cannot do.

Revali cannot fly, right now. No, with his injuries, he has to stay grounded for a little while. The medics don't know how long, but for now, he must wait.

Not flying! Him! The master of the sky and wind! He isn't a normal Rito, he is the Rito Champion, and Champions don't just wait around doing nothing! They fight, they work towards making all of Hyrule a safer and better kingdom to live in. Revali especially, as he can't afford to lose his ability of flight. Without the sky, Revali is nothing. He's like a young fledgeling once more, watching the adults flying freely in the sky, his already green eyes getting greener with envy. He cannot do this again.

And yet, he stands there in the landing named after him, watching the sky sadly. Every now and then, he will see another Rito fly across. Every time, he clenches his beak and his eye twitches.

There is something so soul crushing about seeing somebody do something that you know you can do better. You know you can fly with grace, you know you have the power and speed that nobody else holds, and yet you are grounded. You will not be able to fly as long as you are injured.

Revali takes a deep breath to help ease the pain. It does not help.

He hears footsteps behind him and before the person can speak, he cuts them off, "Link, I know it's you." The footsteps stop and there is a slight pause, "How'd you guess?"

"Well, maybe it was the loud clanking of everything you're always carrying."

Sure enough, as Revali turns, Link has an unnecessary amount of items on him. He looks him up and down. Bow, shield, sword, Sheikah Slate, all the works. He's wearing the Snowquill headdress and tunic, along with trousers that he does not know the origin of. The beads of his headdress are green and he has dyed his tunic green as well. He hates to admit it, but it's rather fitting. It looks good, and he hates it. Especially the tunic, the corset shapes his waist rather well. He looks...

"Um."

Revali's eyes trail back up to Link's face. He is blushing.

Oh.

"Anyway," his feathers puff up against his will, "what is it you need? Are you here to baby me like everyone else? You know, you of all people should know I can handle myself. It's honestly ridiculous." He puts a wing on his hip and shifts his weight to one leg. His voice drips with sass and mild annoyance. "I am a Champion too. Don't forget that, oh great knight."

The blond's mouth opens and closes a few times. His face is flushed and his eyes avoid Revali's as much as he can. Looking away, he puts a hand on the back of his neck. Normally, Revali would relish in Link's embarrassment. However, this is...

Link's arm flops to his side and he murmurs, "I honestly just wanted to talk to you. I had a few questions about...what you know. Catch you up, y'know?" Revali raises an eyebrow. What he knows? He knows the Calamity is gone, and it's been about a month since it happened. The other Champions are alive as well, and he was apparently last to awaken, which is highly unlikely in Revali's opinion. He's also been dead for over a hundred years.

As he recounts all the details to Link, he watches his face morph into something different. Something painful, as it seems. Link's eyes dull with a hurtful realization of...something. Revali finishes up and awaits Link's response patiently—for once. The Hylian takes a moment and takes a deep breath in, "Alright. Okay, I know where you are now." Link walks towards him before stopping abruptly. His eyes...!

"...Link?"

He's rubbing at his eyes furiously. No matter how hard he seems to try, the tears keep coming. Revali thinks of reaching out, a simple gesture of comfort. He was there, a mere few days ago. But there was something deep within him that prevented him from opening up his heart to the knight.

Link laughs softly, "Do you remember?" Revali's face scrunches in confusion. "'Impressive, I know.' It's the first time you showed me your Gale." Revali balks in shock at that, "You...remembered that?" Link tucks stray hairs behind his ear before Revali could. Link nods sadly and smiles, "I didn't say anything then, but I remember..." Link looks away.

"...I remember thinking you were cool."

Revali blinks. Several times. Then he laughs. "What is this?"

"What?"

"Is this a prank? Have you finally hit your head enough?" Revali feels his chest closing up rapidly. "You—you refuse to grace me with your amazing voice for the longest amount of time and suddenly! You're talking and yapping like an energetic puppy—that's just not—I don't understand? Have you lost your mind?! Did you lose your brain in the hundred years you were asleep?"

"Actually, I um. Lost my memories, Revali."

What.

"What?"

Link shifts uncomfortably, "In the Shrine of Resurrection. I lost my memories.

When I came to, I heard Zelda's voice telling me to get up. I...struggled in the Great Plateau for a while. Took me a few days to travel and get what I needed before I could leave. Then, I travelled to different villages and helped people. I eventually got to Hyrule Castle after I..."

Link chokes. "You don't...remember fighting Ganon, do you?"

"...Yes? I fought that...wretched beast on..." He looks up at the Divine Beast above the village. Though she isn't actually, he can feel her gaze upon him. She's watching them. "What...happened to Vah Medoh? Did—did that monster take over her?" He can feel her sadness from below.

Revali keeps his eyes on her. Link begins to explain, "Vah Medoh...was taken over by Ganon. He corrupted her and sent the Wind Blight to keep others out. Teba and I had to Medoh on our own. I ended up...oh, Goddess, this is gonna be hard, isn't it." His hands come up to his face in frustration. "Long story short, Medoh was freed and you helped me during the battle against Ganon."

"No, no. What happened? You're hiding something."

Hands begin to grip at strands of blond hair. His breath puffs out in a smoke and Revali watches it float away. The knight moves his hands towards the railing and holds on for dear life and turns his eyes to Revali, "I really don't think you'll believe me if I tell you." Revali waves a wing as a "go on." His eyes shift, searching for an answer. Eventually, Link blurts out, "Your Gale!" Revali is not impressed, and his face shows as much. "You gave me your Gale. It was after Teba and I—well, mostly me—saved Medoh from Ganon."

Revali's wings press against his temples, frustration and a headache building up very quickly, "So let me get this straight—I, as a ghost, came to you after saving my precious Divine Beast and gave you my Gale. What else happened, we sat around a campfire and had tea together? Did we watch the damn sunset together and talk about boys and braid each others' hair like fledglings?"

Link looks away. There's a noticeable pause before he continues, "You and the other Champions helped defeat Ganon. The Divine Beasts fired on Hyrule Castle, right onto Ganon. It was...honestly terrifying to watch."

Revali takes a deep breath. Alright! Cool! That makes total sense! Revali will not stay awake at night and wonder what else has apparently happened in the hundred years he was a fucking ghost. His wings drag down on his face as he groans loudly. The headache is most certainly there now. As his wings fall, he looks over at Link.

Link is staring at him, his blond hair softly blowing with the breeze. His arms rest gently against the railing and his head is tilted ever so slightly. His blue eyes dig into his soul, as though he were staring at a long lost friend. There's a look of...longing. Yearning for something that Revali can't know nor give him. His breath hitches and for a moment, they're just looking at each other. For a moment, they are just two people. Not Champions, not warriors, not heroes. Just people.

And Link's eyes are such a beautiful blue.

The Hylian turns away to cough and the moment is broken. Revali turns away and covers his beak with his wing.

What...

"You should go. I'm sure you have some important hero duties to attend to." His tone isn't as mocking as he intended it to be. More...flirty? Oh Goddess, was he flirting?

He can hear Link shifting to move, his weapons making a disgustingly loud clanging noise. "Yeah," he breathes out, "I got... something to do." Link walks away and Revali feels a pit in his stomach.

Why? It's not like he cares. The Hylian knight is not his responsibility. It is not his job to take care of the reckless heathen nor care for his wellbeing. It's just...that melancholic look in his eyes doesn't suit him. It looks like how he was before. As unusual as it is to see more extreme emotions on the knight, he can't say he hates it. A hundred years ago, he would've begged to see any emotion from him. That smile was...pleasant to see.

Revali groans once more. He wants to fly.

Dear Princess Zelda,

Revali has finally awaken. It was...a lot more different from when the others woke up. I know it was a much more quiet affair for everyone else, but unshockingly, Revali's was more dramatic and tear filled. He had been severely injured, much more than everyone else. It was...concerning, to the very least.

Teba and I actually found him before his body was there. There was a bright golden glow, not much unlike yours, and he was laid upon Medoh's talons. He awoke crying.

He is currently resting in Rito Village with the medics and myself watching over his health. He will not be able to fly for a while and I'm sure he's just ecstatic to hear that. He's been restless—sometimes I catch him staring into the sky. I hate seeing him like that.

Oh, he also does not remember anything, just as you expected. I informed him about his Gale and he squawked like a Cucco. I didn't want to overwhelm him with too much information, but I told him what I thought necessary. I think he got fed up with me—though it happened a lot later than I expected--and he sent me away. Upon hearing about his assistance with Ganon, he slammed his wings on his face and groaned so loudly that I'm sure the entire village heard him.

I mean...Goddess, Zelda! He's just as frustrating as you said he would be! I'm getting some odd and mixed signals from him, it's like he can't decide what he wants from me! One moment he's looking at me fondly, then he's telling me to get lost! I mean, before, he had the same demeanor, but it was much more manageable than this! I could usually placate him into being only slightly asshole-ish, but now I feel as though I can't even get close to him! Before today, I was watching over him and he barely even spoke to me. But today! Today! He stood next to me and we talked. It seemed like progress! He even seemed to flirt with me. He suddenly turned away from me and told me to move onto my "hero duties." What a birdbrain, honestly!

I know you are busy catching up with Urbosa, but I would really appreciate it if you were to arrive as soon as you could. I'm trying hard to not ruin any of this, and I fear I will say something that might scare him. It's hard trying to keep it from him, but I don't want to send him away from something like that.

Please, hurry. For my sake and his.

Link

Chapter Text

Zelda's never been too fond of the cold. She's all too used to the comfortable warmth of Central Hyrule. Comfort, she laughs to herself. She still can barely believe that comfort is something she can even think of having. Peace, comfort, friends. All these things seemed so unachievable a month ago, and yet...

She shivers against the cold Tabanthan winds. Not much farther, now. She looks wearily at Rito Village. It's only a little ways from where she is. That gives her just enough time to prepare herself for the oncoming onslaught from the final Champion. To think it's been over 100 years since they had last seen each other...despite everything from back then, she does miss him dearly. Their first meeting hadn't been very...ideal. In fact, she went home with a bitter heart and a doubting mind. She vaguely remembers complaining to Urbosa afterward, calling him nasty names and some unsavory insults. Now, however, he's one of the only people that can see things from her perspective. He doesn't baby her, doesn't treat her like this fragile treasure to behold. No, he treats her as an equal. It was refreshing, for once, to be seen as a person.

While she does miss him, she also pities Link. Poor Link, having to deal with the absolute birdbrain that is an injured Revali. Only Hylia knows how much of a stubborn mule that moron can be. It takes the strongest of wills to handle him normally, so all she can do is pray for the knight and rush her way there.

The winds bite at her skin, harsher now. She hates the cold. It reminds her of too many things. Cold, spring waters surrounding her body as she prayed with everything she had. The rain pouring down as she stared into the eyes of the only person who understood her. The dark walls of the castle during...

She hates the cold.

Sighing, she looks up and realizes where she is. The sounds of people talking and wandering about fill her ears. A fire nearby crackles, though very quietly compared to the rest of the sound. Horses are huffing and the people are joyful. Such is the energy of a stable—warm, inviting, and always a place of rest. She smiles gently and approaches the stable workers and boards her beloved steed. Now, she approaches the village on foot.

Link is awaiting her by the front gate with a sheepish smile. To any other person, they wouldn't suspect a thing. However, she knows much better than any other person. This...

"Link," Zelda starts, "please tell me that you remembered to inform our Champion of my arrival." He smiles wider. Oh, Goddess. This will be a long day. With a deep breath, she maintains a decently neutral face. Not pleasant, no. Decently neutral enough for the average person to not pick up on her tiredness.

Link begins walking backwards up the staircase that wraps the village, "Alright, but, hear me out." Zelda blinks and raises a single eyebrow. There is a moment of silence and Link stops briefly to make a very not convincing face, "He can't kill us."

She wonders how this is her best friend. Pushing him gently, he slumps and continues to guide her up the stairs. Luckily, the infirmary isn't very high up the staircase and soon enough, Zelda lays her eyes upon two Rito. One of which she had recently met as the current leader of the Rito warriors. He is talking quietly to the Champion, who is stubbornly trying to ignore him.

"...take care of yourself," she hears the white Rito murmur. "I've seen wing injuries like these before, they aren't pretty. It takes a while to heal, and you—"

"—can't rush it, I know. I'm not a child, Teba!"

Teba huffs, "Sure act like one." He turns around to see Zelda and Link standing awkwardly at the door. He startles, "Oh, Princess Zelda! I hadn't known you'd be here." He bows his head respectfully.

Meanwhile, the other Rito is staring with wild eyes. Not in disbelief, however.

"Oh," she unintentionally lets that slip. There it is...

"Oh, indeed." His eyes are locked with the blond next to her. "I hadn't known either."

Teba notices the unbearable tension and excuses himself. As he leaves, he sends both Hylians a very apologetic look, as though he knows what is about to begin. Well, of course he does. After spending one hour with him, anyone would be able to know what is about to start.

Revali leans a wing onto the table next to him (Zelda silently notes the medicine bottle and wraps that sit upon it). His voice is almost pleasant, "Well, hello Princess. And is that, and forgive me if I am wrong, is that the oh-so important Knight hiding pathetically behind you?"

Zelda turns and sees him cowering in fear. A correct response, if you ask her. Before she can respond, Link shakily states, "I forgot..."

"You forgot! Oh, let me remind you of—"

"I'm sorry! I was trying to tell you but we—"

Their voices overlap and chaos ensues. They are...unbelievably loud. For a supposed silent knight and a well-respected Champion, they are both embarrassing themselves. In front of the entire village.

"Could you give Revali and I some space, Link?"

Her voice cuts through the chaos. The two look at her in shock. She turns her attention to Link, who cannot decide if he should be grateful or deeply afraid. He shakily murmurs, "I'll go talk to Teba for now. Just let me know when you're done." He leaves, but not before throwing an unsure glance over to Revali. She cannot see his face, but she knows the unsureness is mutual—though it may not be for the same reasons. She turns back to the Champion and reels herself for the talk of a lifetime. The other Champions were much, much easier to handle. However...

"How can that possibly be the knight who defeated the Calamity?" The Princess raises an eyebrow and huffs a soft laugh. He feels his shoulders relax slightly, though there is an anxiety that has taken over his entire being.

This is a person who existed in a time where he failed. Everyone else he has met, the Rito, the folks who run the stable, none of them existed when the Calamity had just begun. A war between an eldritch being with seemingly unending power and six individuals, all too oblivious to the true nature of it. Blinded by his childish hope of a glorious battle, he flew head first into the end of everything he ever knew. And now, facing the one of the only people who truly understand how disastrous his failure was, he cannot help but be struck with a true terror. The consequences of failure to achieve the one thing he boasted he could do. That idiotic pride—always with his pride—will be his downfall at the hands of the Princess. He will—

"How have you been recovering?" Her voice brings him back. His vision clears and she is looking at him with curious eyes. He fumbles awkwardly, "I-I've been doing just fine, in fact! I've had, honestly, too many people caring for me. That also includes Link, oddly enough." His face contorts in an attempt at looking disgusted.

(In Zelda's opinion, he looks more constipated than anything. It isn't a very good sight.)

Zelda's nose crinkles and she smiles knowingly, "I'm sure you haven't given any of them a hard time."

"I have not! Of course I haven't. How dare you assume such—"

"Teba looks rather tired, doesn't he?"

His beak clacks. He opens it, closes it, then reaches for a glass of water next to him. Zelda huffs a soft laugh, surely knowing she had won this battle. He watches with a strained half-smile.

Revali is lost in this situation. Here he is, with one of his closer friends from a century ago. A week ago, he would have fully believed he would never see her again. A week ago, he only knew failure and loss. Now, he knows Link and Zelda.

He is lost.

"Zelda..."

She looks at him and he feels her piercing blue eyes look through his soul.

"How...how much do you know? Of...the last century, that is."

The princess' eyes flicker away and around. Her discomfort is instant and so is his regret. "Well, how much has Link told you?" She moves to find a seat, and Revali follows suit.

"I...I know that we failed. I know of the Calamity's defeat. I know it's been a hundred years since I was conscious and alive."

"Ah," her voice falters, "well, I guess I should catch you up. So, after we all separated..."

As she begins to describe the events proceeding his untimely death, Revali can't help but start to lose his mind a little. His world warps around him and his head spins. The hundred year period between then and now, Link's pure insanity to fight the Calamity on his own, the Divine Beasts. He glances up at Medoh as Zelda mentions her. He can feel her regret, her sorrow of the loss. It's as though she is listening, recalling the past one hundred years with in a painful flashback. It must have been...so painful.

Not as painful as Zelda herself, as it seems. The way her voice falters and shakes every now and then doesn't elude Revali—he can't blame her. An entire century, alone, using all her strength to hold the end of the world itself—it's a feat that he cannot downplay. She doesn't speak much of it, but it's one of the only things he can think of.

Was this a result of his failure? His inability to be fast enough, see enough, be strong enough—was this the result? Deeply, deeply traumatizing someone he once considered a friend? This was...this was the result of everything he worked towards. Towards a failure, a failure—

"Revali?"

He is leaning forward. There is a sickness in his stomach. 

there are holes in his legs there are holes in his stomach his wings are burning he is falling

His wings are resting on his legs.

his ribs are broken he cannot move his wings the wind won't listen he is falling

There are tears in his eyes.

there are tears in his eyes. he is falling.

"Revali!"

Gazing upon her worried face, he cannot bring himself to respond. Not through all the smoke he is breathing. Not with the sounds of lasers surrounding him. His entire body is numb. Distantly, he notes that his lungs are moving much faster than they should be. Everything right before his death hits him over and over again. The adrenaline, the pure fear, the sadness of knowing this might be it. It is dragging him down completely.

he is falling

"Please, Revali, I'm here!"

There are hands on his shoulders...?

There are hands on his shoulders.

He starts to feel. Like a wave, it comes slowly. His wingtips tingle with the sudden urge to move. He clenches and unclenches them, as though to grab onto something. Zelda holds on with the might of a true fighter. Her eyes do not falter, though she may be afraid. Slowly, surely, his body comes back to him. As though his entire spirit was detached, it returns eventually. His lungs are no longer racing, his heart thrums to a steady beat. It leaves him shaking.

He gathers his energy and sputters, "I'm sorry." Zelda's hands hold him down, preventing his consciousness from leaving once more. Her blue eyes look much more afraid now. "I don't know—I don't—it was like I just...I was gone, I don't know what that was." He cannot bring himself to care for the tears streaming down his face now.

Zelda shakes her head, "You're going through a lot, Revali. It's only natural that you—"

He lurches forward with a sob, anger rising, "I'm sorry for failing you!"

She cannot help but watch in horror at the teenager—Goddess, he was barely that much older than her—curl in on himself. He is shaking and it pains her so. She cups his face with her hands and forces him to look at her.

"Revali," she starts, "none of that was your fault. We were—we are—kids. We were never meant to fight this war." For a moment, he stops crying. He looks at her with emerald green eyes, and she once again realizes that they are just children. She has to hold her tears back as well, but cannot stop them from coming. The princess sheds a few tears for their lost childhood, "It wasn't your fault."

He cannot help but think she is wrong. He nods, tired, and she hugs him. He lets her.

She cannot be right.

"...a disaster!"

"Yes, but...tell him the truth, then...worse!"

Though it may not seem like it, Rito have a rather keen sense of hearing. Next to their vision, their ears are the second most important sense they have. It may not be as great as a hound, it is definitely better than a Hylian.

Teba cannot tell if he is grateful for that, in this moment, or deeply regretting his hearing. The Hylian princess and her noble knight are deep in discussion in the hut at the Flight Range. Something unimportant, he assumes. He turns, readying himself to leave when...

"...know Revali better!"

His movements cease immediately, frozen in his spot. What? He ducks somewhere behind a rock by the path and closes his eyes, honing all his energy towards listening.

"Zelda, I can't...about us...won't believe me."

There's shifting. One of them is pacing back and forth, the other still.

"...important to him! You...face him again if...never knows! We can't...secret forever, Link."

"...too much. I can't...lose him again."

Teba's eyebrows furrow. If there is information that the Hylians are keeping...

On one hand, Revali had woke up rather harshly, and very recently. It can't be a good idea to tell him too much when he is still adjusting to being alive once more. On the other hand, the boy deserves a choice. It's unfair to keep such secrets from a Rito when they haven't even gotten chance to decide if they want to know. It's conflicting, of course. He understands both sides from a logical level.

"I know...since you two were...I was."

Teba doesn't want to know. Honestly, if he were to hear this sort of information, it would be from the Champion himself.

Rito aren't taught to keep secrets. The village shares everything together, as a unit. If he were to hear these secrets, he would immediately go to Revali himself or his wife.

He makes his choice. He turns, prepares himself, and flies away.