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Chapter Text

"Pssst."

Link flinches and looks behind him. Hiding halfway-behind a banner, he spots a Yiga Blademaster beckoning him over. Kela, he's pretty sure. The flickering torchlight barely reaches this corner, granting them the cover of darkness.

"Listen, kid. I have a big opportunity for you. You want a promotion, yes? Everyone wants a promotion."

Link straightens his mask nervously, eventually nodding. The other Yiga completely towers over him.

"Everyone wants a promotion," Kela repeats to himself, "anyway, you're what, sixteen?"

"Twelve."

"Whatever. No difference. Listen, you're a very skilled fighter. More than skilled enough to go on actual missions."

"Really?"

"Shh. Let's keep this on the down-low. You're going to steal that Thunder Helm from the Gerudo."

"But -- Master Kohga said -"

"Promotion, remember? Anyway, Kohga is a coward. The signs are all there. Hyrule's Princess is going to drop her stasis spell soon, and when that happens we're going to need to be ready for the thunder. Kohga is going to squander this opportunity by trying to keep a low profile, just like his grandfather completely blew it when Ganon emerged."

"Okay, fine. How… do I…?"

"Go get a disguise and get going. You'll figure it out. Learn on the job."

Kela grabs Link by the shoulders and swivels him around, pushing him forwards. "The others already know what's up. Chop-chop!"

Despite Kela's annoyingly casual attitude about the whole idea, Link is shaking a little as he hurries through the passageways. This is an immense weight on his shoulders, one that would have him killed by the Gerudo or Kohga himself if he found out. He's lucky he doesn't stand out; ever since he started dyeing his hair black he can just blend into the crowd of Footsoldiers.

He finds his way to the armoury, and has barely stepped across the threshold when a roll of cards is pressed into his hands and he's ushered back out.
Looking back over his shoulder as the attendant pushes him, he can see why. Kohga is already in the room, staring over the developers' shoulders as they pen the spells on the cards. Kohga glances up and Link's breath catches. Even though neither of them can see each other's faces, Link is sure that Kohga has him figured out. The inverted eye stares directly at him, the man's head slightly tilted.

Link keeps moving, shoving through the milling crowd and leaving the armoury behind. He's much shorter than everyone else, so disappearing out of sight is incredibly easy, so long as someone doesn't -

He's grabbed by an earring, forcing him to stop in his tracks to avoid tearing his uniform. "Hey!"

Link swipes at the hand holding his accessory, turning as much as he can to see his accoster. It's one of the initiates, of course. They all have it out for him for some reason. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" Ikki taunts, one hand on his hip.

With no other weapons on hand, Link lifts his arm, threatening to cut him with his guard-spikes. "Kela wanted me to fetch something. Durians."

Ikki quickly releases him before he can cut his hand, holding his hands up in mock-surrender and rotating his entire face to make it clear he's rolling his eyes. "Of course. You do everything Kela tells you to. Grow a spine, loser."

The surrounding initiates laugh, but nobody blocks his path.

The roll of cards has a hastily written set of instructions stuffed into its centre. Most of the cards are for a disguise as a Hylian girl, with a couple to summon a sickle or Longblade if things go south. Link has a small knife sheathed at the small of his back, but he won't be able to use that without dispelling the disguise.

Link crumples the small paper, lifting his mask slightly to shove it into his mouth and swallow. There's no such thing as taking too many precautions. Kela has already implicated him into the mildly-treasonous scheme, whether or not he actually goes through with it. He might as well follow it to its end.

He quickly unrolls the cards. They're twice the length of traditional playing cards, coloured a deep, shiny red with golden sigils. The disguises are easy enough to use, just slap a card on your masked forehead, and wrap the others around your upper arms, wrists and ankles. With a quick set of hand motions, the array of cards activates with a puff of smoke.

When it clears, he's an entirely different person. A Hylian girl, with soft red hair that reaches down to her back. Dressed in an ankle-length Hateno dress, they make for a very unremarkable traveller, especially in Gerudo Town.

The cards are the culmination of centuries of Yiga technological development. The complex spells make a disguise even feel real to the touch. There's no trace of their Yiga armour or mask, only the bright eyes of a cheerful girl.

Link leans forward slightly, peering over the edge of the outcropping to the Gerudo Canyon Stable. They can spot a disguised Yiga soldier down there, chatting up a group of travellers. Yiga masks allow members of the clan to identify each other, showing glowing red lines where the cards that make up a disguise are hidden. It's a strange sensation, to have your vision augmented by a mask that you cannot feel yourself wearing.

Nobody is looking Link's way, so they can climb down unseen and join the crowd. They're not used to the illusory dress, and almost trip over a couple of times.

"Do you need something?" the Yiga soldier asks, turning from his conversation to look down at them. "You look like you might be lost." He flicks his illusory hair confidently.

Link sees his eyes dart from their forehead to wrists, utterly failing to hide his knowing look. Link can't recognise his voice through the disguise, but they have a few guesses as to who this might be. "I, uh… yeah. I'm looking for my aunt."

"If I you need me to, I'd be happy to escort you to Gerudo Town," the towering Gerudo woman beside him muses, "but, it is a long journey, and I'm actually wanting to meet someone at Outskirt Stable in a few days."

"Oh, it's okay…" Link says nervously. Staying in character is a bit too much of a task when you're stuck with one person for days. Instead, he points at the disguised Yiga solider. "He can go with me."

"What?" the soldier startles, and tries to smile through his annoyed grimace. "I guess I am going that way."

The Gerudo woman laughs, and wanders away to talk to a merchant.

"Seriously?" the Yiga soldier hisses. "I was doing something. I don't have time to follow you across the desert."

Link shrugs. "Kela's orders."

The Gerudo Desert isn't too bad at this time of year. The wet season -- or as close as you can get to one -- has almost finished, leaving the desert lush with transient oases and the faintest touch of humidity.

After a couple days of travel, they bid Kabanda, who is clearly still annoyed, goodbye. The guards at the gates let them in with no thought.

Gerudo Town is bustling with activity. Merchants call out to passers-by, and a busker plays a tune on a lyre. A pair of innocuous travellers leaning against a wall are unmistakably Yiga, cards slapped lopsidedly across their foreheads. Children run about, seemingly without a care in the world.

Link had heard that the current chief is a child, but none of the young girls stand out from each other. They're dressed more or less the same, and no leader would stoop so low as to dress the same as their subjects. There's no crown in sight. The chieftain is most likely in the throne room, or one of the inner chambers of her palace.

They need to somehow gather information without garnering any unwanted attention. Fiddling with a lock of illusionary hair, they survey the town. Guards are a bad idea in general, since they're trained to remember faces. The shopkeepers probably won't remember them in the endless stream of customers, but won't be all that talkative.

A lone girl is sitting on top of a wall, resting her head in her hands and staring distantly across the desert. Atop her head is the unmistakable crown of their chief. Well, that was easy.

Link runs over and scales the wall, hauling themself up the sandstone and almost falling face-first into the canal. With careful steps, they walk along the rim of the canal, hands held out to the sides even though they have no trouble balancing. The girl glances over at them, but turns away again.
This calls for dramatic attention-grabbing measures.

Link takes a few more slow steps forward and leans slightly over the water. With a flurry of over-exaggerated hand waving, they let themself fall backwards into the stream. "Ah!"

The girl turns to look again, letting out a giggle. "Do be careful. It can be slippery at this time of year."

Link laughs, shaking out their soggy sleeve. "I'd noticed! This is a pretty cool spot, sorry if I splashed you. I'm Malon, by the way."

"It's alright. Riju."

Link tries to stand, but the underwater tiles are slippery. Leaning into the difficulty, they scramble a few times and fall back again. Riju stands, stepping into the water to help them up.

"Thanks." They take her hand and pull themself to their feet. "You can really see a lot from up here. Have you been watching something cool?" Riju is a little younger than them, but not by much. She's probably about ten.

"Not really. I've just been thinking," she sweeps her long braid over her shoulder, swiping water droplets off it.

"Thinking's boring," Link proclaims, hands on their hips, "I'd much rather go look at sand seals."

"Sand seals are awesome." Riju agrees.

Link pauses. The bracelet they'd swiped from Kabanda is not around their wrist anymore. "Where'd-" they take a couple of steps downstream, carefully examining the blue tiles. "Did it wash away?"

"…Did you drop something?" Riju asks carefully.

"Yes, my bracelet! I hope it didn't go down a drain." That thing had to have been worth at least ten rupees.

"Is this it?" Riju asks, unexpectedly holding it, "it was -"

"Wow! You're like magic!" Link proclaims, taking it back, "thank you so much, Riju." The turn it over in their hands, thinking. "…It doesn't look like much, but was my mother's."

Riju stays silent, but they spot her expression minutely soften. Perfect.

"It's a special charm bracelet. Each one represents a place she's been." Kabanda's amateur woodcarving makes this a bit difficult, but they single out a bead that might be a cucco if you squint. "This one is for Rito village."

One… two… three…

"Here, do you want a look at it?" They hand the bracelet to Riju, who takes it reverently. "I think I'm going to add to it with my own travels, now that it's mine. It's a way to keep us connected, you know?"

Riju sighs. "I wish I felt the same way. Everything I have of my mother only emphasises how… far apart we are now." She scrubs at her eye with the back of her hand, "…what's this one supposed to be?"

Some kind of spikey blob. It doesn't look like anything. "Uh, it's a… Korok. They're mythical creatures, but my mother always said she saw one. She always loved magical things. I do too."

Riju carefully hands the bracelet back. "Would you like to meet my sand seal? Her name is Patricia."

Link slips the ugly bracelet back onto their wrist, "you have your own sand seal? That's so cool!"

"Of course! Every chief needs her own seal." Riju leads Link across the walls and towards the palace.

"I didn't know you were the chief!" Link lies easily.

"Doesn't the crown made it obvious?"

"I haven't been to Gerudo Town before! I guess I just thought you were really fashionable!"

Riju laughs loudly, surprising the guards stationed at the palace door as they pass them. Link hears them whisper to each other, clearly moved by the poor little chief being happy for once.

Walking past the throne and into the next room, Riju shoos her guards away. "Give us some space!"

Laying leisurely in the middle of the courtyard is a massive bulk of fur and ribbons. With a huff, the immense sand seal sits up. Riju pats the long fur on the side of its face affectionately. "Malon, this is Patricia. She's something of an oracle, but I haven't been able to understand her myself just yet."

"That's a lot of ribbons." Link observes blankly. "Did you say she can tell the future?"

Patricia turns to glare at them, snorting loudly. She thuds her tail repeatedly, stirring up a small cloud of dust.

"Not the future." Riju says, burying her face in the seal's sandy fluff. "Just the present. She sees things exactly as they are, in a way that others cannot."

That doesn't sound good. The sand seal still hasn't stopped staring at Link. A deep, menacing rumble emanates from its throat. Its tusks look very long, and really sharp…

"Oh, why are you growling? Don't be rude." Riju admonishes, "Are you hungry? Would you like a melon?"

The seal is quickly distracted by the promise of food. She slaps on the ground again, and Riju happily throws her a fruit.

"Do you want to go seal surfing with me tomorrow?"

Link drops the mosaic in front of Kabanda. A piece is dislodged by the impact and skitters across the table. Nobody in the workshop pays any mind, more than used to the sound of things breaking. It's the Yiga Clan hideout, after all.

"What is this?" the other Yiga asks, picking up the shattered tiles.

"The chief of the Gerudo broke it while playing with her toys. I offered to fix it." Link announces, "She didn't want her servants finding out."

"Alright then," Kabanda says, "it won't be too hard. There's glue under the table."

Link leans over the table, "No. You're going to do it. I don't have time for these things. You love crafting, so you might as well make yourself useful for once."

"Not unless you ask nicely. And I know you've been stealing my stuff."

"What are you going to do about it? Fight me? You know who'd win." With that, Link turns and leaves the room. Despite being six years older than Link, Kabanda is an unskilled coward. Worst of all, he's actually friendly, which just means he's even more of a pushover.

Kela is leaning against the wall just outside, not even trying to pretend he wasn't eavesdropping.

"What exactly are you doing? Are you helping the enemy?"

"I'm getting her to trust me."

"Hmm. Clever thinking. You clearly haven't been learning from Kohga's finest. Seriously, these guys keep wasting their disguises by using them to commit crimes in broad daylight. It may help keep the Clan in the shadows, but disguises are expensive! We can't keep wasting them like this."

Link nods curtly. He can just barely hear Kohga screaming at his agents across the hideout.

"Anyway, keep it up champ. I'd like the Helm before next month."

Kela strides away, humming to himself.

With that meeting smoothly dealt with and Kabanda working on the mosaic, Link naturally has time to kill. Hopefully no-one's touched his stuff. He keeps it in the rafters above one of the training rooms, but there's no guarantee of privacy even up there; the Yiga are famously nosey.

He avoids any confrontations with other Clan members, and climbs up his ladder as quickly as possible. Crossing the thin rafters to his little nook in the wall is as easy as breathing. The ledge is barely larger than a coffin, but it's his spot, which is what matters. Hidden up here, there's some actual privacy.

Link's blankets and collection of cool rocks and other trinkets is undisturbed, but a quick rummage through his bag reveals that most of his food is missing.
Oh well, aside from the candied honey, most of the stuff would have gone bad. He just wonders who would want to loot his uncooked rice of all things. Whoever it was had better actually cook it before they try to eat it.

There's some commotion in the room below. He lifts off his mask and sticks his legs over the edge to spectate. Seems like Kohga hasn't cooled off his temper yet, and is now yelling at the Blademasters who had just been innocently using the training room to lift weights.

"What happened to the sense of order around this place!?" Kogha shouts, pacing in a circle. "Nobody here knows any discipline."

Kohga slams his fist against a post, shaking cards loose. "Not ready… None of you are ready…" He mutters.

He looks up at the rafters and spots Link. While Link fumbles to put his mask back on, Kohga snaps a finger. A ball of blue light forms around Link's foot. It suddenly shoots down, pulling Link with it to crash onto the dusty floor.

Ignoring a sharp pain in his ankle, Link jumps to his feet.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Kela sent me on a mission. Sir!" Link drops into a bow.

"On what authority? He's not Master, I am! You are not doing anything without my say-so." The anger is practically emanating from Kohga. The Blademasters are standing as still as possible, seemingly in hope that Kohga forgets they were there.

Kela sighs dramatically, appearing in a puff of smoke. "It's short-sighted to not utilize Link. He's the perfect age to be underestimated, but he'd be able to beat anyone in a fight, easily."

"Bah! Blatant favouritism! If that's so, then why don't we put him to the test? If he's able to match me in a duel, then maybe I will tolerate your judgement."
Kohga turns on his heel, and starts barking orders to the Blademasters to clear out the obstacles in the area.

"Wooo!" Kohga yells. "Am I good or what!" A few members of the crowd cheer along with him.

Link just lies there, trying to catch his breath. He's pelted with banana peels from the audience.

Kela squats down next to him. "Well, that was rough. You were doing great! Until he decided to use magic. A little unfair, that one. But don't let that get you down, you're only nine years old, you've got plenty of time to hone your skills."

"…Twelve." Link groans, but Kela isn't paying attention.

"Well, go find someone to patch you up. I still expect you to get the Thunder Helm." Kela's voice fades away as he leaves. The room grows very quiet, enough for Link to hear the echoes of his own breaths.

Link sighs. Some part of his face is bleeding, stinking up the inside of his mask with the unpleasant odour of metal. That's going to be an annoying stain to clean out. He tries to sit up, but decides against it and lays back down. His ribs sting a bit.

Someone grabs his hand, and he doesn't resist as he's dragged across the floor. He really had been doing pretty well, until Kohga had started ranting about his mother's father and summoning way too many spiked metal balls. If he'd focused more on dodging straight away, he probably wouldn't have shattered his sword and doomed any chance of winning.

"Oh dear." Kabanda says. Link is somehow in the workshops now, scraps of wood chips right in his face. He doesn't remember how he got here. The older Yiga sits him up despite his protests and starts trying to wrap his wounds. "I finished the mosaic, if you still care about that. It was missing a couple of pieces so I just used some polished wood."

Link really doesn't care. Gerudo Town and Riju feel like an entire world away. All he wants to do is curl up into a ball and fall asleep forever.

Kabanda hands him some rice balls. "I won't force you to, but you should eat something. It's probably best if you can stay out of Kohga's sight for the next few days, I'll cover for you if you need… Anyway, I'll be going now. Nobody's supposed to be talking to you until the end of the week."

Link doesn't feel like lifting his arms, so he just sits there for a while, staring at the gift in his hands. Sometimes…

He won't finish that thought. Eventually, he lifts his mask and takes a bite of rice. It doesn't do much to get the taste of blood out of his mouth.

"Do you ever feel like you just want to run away from all your problems?" Link idly asks, staring out to the desert. From the Gerudo palace, they can see across the endless dunes to the Divine Beast, impossibly huge yet so small on the horizon.

Riju looks at them funny from the corner of her eye. "Sometimes… yes. Of course I do. For the past few months, I've been wishing that somehow, Lady Urbosa escapes her stasis and takes over as chief from me. I have so much responsibility to my people, though, that I cannot spend my time with such fantasies. Gerudo Town needs me, no matter much I'd rather it not be true."

"You're very wise. And brave." Link runs their hand their hand through their long red hair. Whatever scratches are still on their face are hidden underneath Malon's.

"I learned from the best." Riju smiles. "My mother always said that as a leader, you should always focus on the things that you can change. I can't just wait for someone to solve my problems for me. I have to face them myself."

She pauses, "If there is anything you'd like to talk about…"

They dip into a very awkward silence. Link absently reaches to touch the card wrapped around their left wrist, lifting the edge of the paper ever so slightly with their thumb. The red glow shines through their fingers, completely invisible to Riju.

Completely invisible to anyone outside the Clan.

It's about time to change the subject. "I heard there's a Molduga causing trouble not too far from town."

"Yes. A real annoyance, that one. The guards have been arguing about how to deal with it for hours."

Link tilts their head towards Riju. "I always wondered if they were weak to elemental attacks. It's annoying that shock fruit aren't in season. I'd love to chuck some at them."

Riju takes a step back, hands proudly on her hips. "Well, luckily, we don't need any. I have my own power of lightning!"

"What! That's incredible! Can you obliterate your enemies simultaneously like Urbosa?" Link punches at the air like they're boxing an invisible enemy. This is bad. Since when could Riju use lightning?

"…No. Not quite. My accuracy is really poor. I'm definitely not bold enough to try striking more than one place at a time."

"I know a thing or two about accuracy," Link says, "I might be able to help you learn, so long as you don't electrocute me."

"…There is a way… but Buliara won't like it." Riju says. She heads for the door, holding a hand out to Link, "Meet me at Lookout Post."

The sun is near the horizon, casting a deep shadow from the lookout rock. Link sits in the shadow beside their rented sand seal, waiting.

The seal begins barking excitedly when Riju finally approaches, sledding behind Patricia. The Thunder Helm is tucked under her arm.

Link's heartrate increases immediately, nerves making every move feel heavy and impossible.

It's right there.

"So long as we're not out for too long, Buliara won't notice that I took it." Riju lifts the heavy Helm, holding it in front of her face. "I just need to activate it first."

Link feels like they've forgotten how to breathe.

She awkwardly puts the Thunder Helm on. It's clearly much too big for her. Riju turns to face the desert and lifts her arms up to the sky.

"Ancestors of the Gerudo! Hear my call!"

Nothing happens.

"I require your help!"

Frustrated, Riju adjusts the Helm again.

"If I am to learn my powers, I need your aid to protect my friend!"

The seals dash away playing happily with each other, oblivious.

Link's eyes flick to examine the distant town. They can't see any guards outside, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not being watched.

Riju drops her hands, head still angled up.

"…Please. Mother… can you even hear me?"

Her shoulders begin shaking, and her breath grows ragged. She takes the Helm off, defeated.

"It was a stupid plan, anyway. I'll go put this back… we can just go seal surfing again."

Link doesn't move. Slowly, they reach up to touch the Thunder Helm.

Riju takes a couple of steps back towards town, scrubbing at her face with one hand. "Come on, Malon."

They stare a moment longer, and lunge.

Link grabs the Helm with both hands, slamming into Riju with their shoulder. The small girl falls into the sand. Link starts backing away, holding the heirloom tightly.

"…What?" Riju stares up at them in confusion. The tears she had been fighting openly run down her face. "What's going on?"

Link turns and runs.

"You're not Malon!" Riju realises, horrified. "What have you done to her? BULIARA! HELP!"

Link breaks into a sprint.

The desert is a horrible place to run. The sand is uneven, their boots sinking deeply into it with every step and making it hard to not trip. The dress certainly isn't helping.

Link can hear Riju running behind them. They loop their arm through the metal ring of the Helm, freeing their hands. They dispel the disguise, revealing their Yiga armour.

Riju shouts even more.

Now with access to his stowed knife, Link makes a beeline to Patricia and smoothly slices one of the bands of its harness. With it ruined, Riju won't be able to seal surf after him.
He keeps running, reaching his own seal, grabbing the rope and shield and urging it to dash at full speed.

There's nowhere to hide, just endless flat plains. This was perhaps the worst place to steal something in broad daylight.

Link looks over his shoulder at the Lookout. A Gerudo soldier had emerged from inside the hut, and already has a bow drawn.

Arrows thud into the sand just beside him, and he spurs the sand seal to dash even faster.

Link steers the seal deeper into the desert. He doesn't want to lead them back to the Yiga hideout, so he'll take the long way around.

They pass near the Divine Beast. Its giant, mechanical form looms over the desert, casting a long shadow that stretches for miles across the cooling dunes. One leg is lifted from the ground, its next step interrupted.
Somewhere up there, high above the sand, a lone Gerudo warrior is fighting a monster. They've been there for nearly a century, frozen in time.

One day, the Beast will take another step, and someone inside will fall with it.

The people of Gerudo Town barely mention it at all. It's just a part of life.

Such an immense threat to everything the Yiga value. The pinnacle of the tech that they lost. It's many things at once, but right now, it's beautiful.

Link dismounts the seal, letting it take a rest for a couple of minutes. He just sits, and stares, and wonders.

"Oh wow." Kela says giddily. "You really did it."

The Blademaster dances around, holding the Thunder Helm in the air.
"This'll show Kohga. Thinking we should keep a low profile, conserve resources… focus on recruiting…"

Kela spins the Helm around, staring into its eye-gems. "It looks pretty weird. Make sure you bring a sword or two to the clan meeting tonight. We're both going to get a big promotion."

Oh. It's going to be a coup.

Link isn't sure how that didn't occur to him before.

The clan members mill about the grand entrance hall, waiting for the meeting to begin. Link just has his knife and the cards to summon a longblade, since there's not much he can do to conceal one on his person.

He can spot several other clan members carrying weapons. Mostly Kela's fellow Blademasters, but a few footsoldiers have freshly sharpened sickles at their hips.

The lights begin to dim, hushing the crowd. A spotlight shines on the elevated platform in the centre of the room.

In a flurry of cards, Kohga appears in the light. The audience claps politely.

"Thank you. We have much to discuss tonight. First, we shall showcase the new disguises from the developers -"

Kela pushes through the crowd and into the spotlight. "Excuse me. I believe what I have is much more important."

The crowd murmur suspiciously, hushed by the Blademasters interspersed in their midst.

"Excuse me!?" Master Kohga exclaims, "What insolence is this? You will sit down, nephew."

Kela shakes his head. He walks in a slow circle around Kohga, addressing the crowd. "As many of you know, the clan has been stagnating. Our prophets have been telling us that we are in a time of imminent opportunity. And what does Kohga do?"

"Get him out of here!" Kohga commands.

A few loyalists try to climb down the stairs to reach them, but the Blademasters draw their Windcleavers and block the way, an impassable barrier.

All eyes are on Kela. He points at Kohga. "He does absolutely nothing. He has no bravery, no wisdom. Does a man like him really deserve power?"

Kohga splutters. "You know nothing!"

Kela holds a hand up in the air and summons the Thunder Helm. The crowd gasps. It sparkles boldly in the light, the brightest thing in the room by far. "Meanwhile, my judgement proved correct. We were able to easily obtain the Thunder Helm, sacred and powerful relic of the Gerudo, during a key moment of their vulnerability. My agent didn't even waste their disguise, unlike Kohga's loyal dogs."

Link is tempted to hide his masked face in his hands. He had spoiled the disguise by stealing in front of the Gerudo chief, but now admitting so would be mortifying.

"So, I believe it is within everyone's best interest, the Clan's prosperity, that you step down."

In response, Master Kohga casts a shield of blue light.

Kela draws his blade. "So, you have made your choice. Like Hylia, you'd fight only to withhold power from the worthy. You are undeserving of the title of Kohga."

And life goes on, ultimately. The Clan is still led by Master Kohga, just now he's a lot less experienced. The old Kohga disappeared before he was truly brought low, probably having entirely fled the ruins of the kingdom to the nomadic folk across the desert.

Still, things can change.

One morning, Link is about to go and join initiate training, when he's stopped by Kohga.

"You don't need to bother with that anymore." The Master says, crossing his arms. Clad in the fine armour of the leader, there is little trace of his previous identity. "I have work for you. You have more than proven yourself after twelve years in the clan."

It feels like the beginning of a new era.

Chapter Text

Four years later...

The biggest priority for the Yiga Clan right now is investigating their enemies' weaknesses. Link was appointed head of infiltration by Kohga, which mostly means he has the unfortunate job of having to try and teach the footsoliders the art of acting.

They're not very good learners.

For one, most of them are way too used to making stupid expressions behind the privacy of their masks. This really clashes with any work where they are not in uniform. When in a card-powered disguise, a Yiga's real face won’t be visible, but their expressions sure are.

The number of times an agent is doing just fine and then ruins it by openly glowering at a passing Sheikah is absurd.

Link has only been getting better at schooling his expressions, able to mask any emotion behind an inoffensive blank slate.

Unfortunately, despite Link outranking them, none of the agents are very interested in learning from a teenager. (The only reason anyone respects him at all is for the simple fact that he holds a position above them. Most of them act like it won't be for long.) Instead, Link resolves to send them away and do most of the investigating himself.

The best spies are Genin, Hitsuke and Ikki. Genin is able to actually politely smile at Sheikah, so he's immediately sent off to Kakariko. Hitsuke is excellent at getting tipsy people to overshare, so she goes to Gerudo Town. Ikki is… Ikki. Link is above such things as grudges… he sends him to Death Mountain.

The others are all mediocre in ability, so Link assigns them randomly with the hope that one of them might work something out eventually.

The worst agent is, by far, Kabanda. In the years since the change of leadership, he never got any better at anything, so Link points at an empty spot on the map in Akkala. He can just wander around the wilderness where he won't run into trouble.

Once everyone's cleared out of the meeting room, Link begins his planning in earnest.

From what they know of the Champions, Urbosa is the largest threat with her power of lightning, but the Yiga have the Thunder Helm, and are already working on producing replicas. Link would also not like to return to Gerudo Town after exposing his disguise as a Yiga agent -- the longer he can go without anyone in the Clan finding out about that mistake, the better. He circles a no-go radius around the settlement. Kara-Kara Bazaar is probably off limits too.

It was convenient that the Gerudo created a relic that could counteract their own leader's powers with the Thunder Helm, but any other of the races doing that seems unlikely. Link can't even imagine what could foil a magical shield or "summoning the wind", whatever that means. The technicians have been brainstorming on that, but the only idea they have is bigger bomb arrows.
As the Zora Champion's healing ability… bombs would probably solve that problem, too.

A hundred and twenty years ago, a fortune teller spelled doom for the Kingdom of Hyrule. The royal family did everything in their power to cheat it.
They unearthed the creations of the people they had turned against centuries ago. They gathered loyal followers to fight while they feasted. Their hubris could only be their downfall.

The Great Plateau is… underwhelming. After the long and difficult climb up the cliffside, Link had expected a bit more. It's just one massive forest, reaching from the eastern edge of the Plateau all the way to Mount Hylia. It seems that a century is more than long enough for even "the Birthplace of Hyrule" to fall apart. Confident that he won't meet anyone here, Link removes his mask and pulls down his hood, letting his dyed hair loose for once.

The Plateau is very serene, left alone for all these years. The trees grow without any order, densely filling the area and choking out most of the undergrowth. In the shadows, a young boar snuffles at some tree roots, not even shying away when Link approaches close enough to reach out and touch it if he wanted to.

He makes his way through the forest, sickle drawn. If there's monsters in these woods, Link won't see them coming. The wind gently rustles the leaves. Sparrows chirp happily as they flit about the treetops. Squirrels dash about the forest floor. The dark and narrow space reminds Link of the tunnels of the Yiga hideout, but it sounds so much more alive.
After an hour of traversing the thick forest, Link arrives at a clearing. Shaded beneath the towering trees and overgrown with vines, sit cluster of very old-looking ruins. It seems as if there might have once been a very large building, but most of it has crumbled, leaving vaguely skeletal remains. Even more trees grow in the courtyard. Pulling out his map, Link decides that this must be what remains of the Temple of Time.

If there was ever a pathway leading towards it, it is long gone. Link cuts his way through more foliage with his sickle until he finally reaches the doorway. With trees and ferns crowding the windows and patching the roof, the inside of the Temple of Time is very dark.

Dusty, too.

Completely shadowed, the large goddess statue looks ominous, inhuman. She would hate a Yiga trespassing in her sacred grounds, but her smile still looks so smug. Link sets his hiking bag down and unhooks his Duplex Bow. He nocks a pair of bomb arrows, immensely satisfied when his shot strikes the statue directly in each eye, blasting most of her face off.

Keese emerge from the shadows, screeching in panic and making for the open sky through the holes in the roof.

The temple, and the forest, fall completely silent when the last rock lands. The explosion had also scared away the birds, and the entire place seems much less welcoming without their song.

Whatever.

He pulls the backpack back on and leaves the temple to explore the rest of the forest.

The Calamity was a mighty beast, created by the pure power of a Challenger against Hylia. Almost exactly a century ago, it had struck. There was no swordsman to oppose it, and the princess had no power to destroy it.
Yet, the Calamity failed.

Link finds a lonely wooden cabin, crowded by trees. The small building is in tatters, missing many logs and patched with rotting fabric. It doesn't seem nearly as old as the temples, but that's not saying much.

The cabin is partially built into a rock outcropping, and its inside is surprisingly not filled with plants or animal nests. There's even a bed. Link could make this his personal base of operations, with a bit of cleaning. But first, sleep. The bed looks way too old and dusty to bother with, so he pulls out his bedroll and settles on the floor for the night.

In the morning, Link gets to work. He finds an axe and starts chopping the surrounding trees down. After some not-so-impressive woodwork, he's able to fill many of the gaps in the walls. The roof needs some fabric to repair, but he finds more than enough, miraculously well-preserved in an ancient chest. He strips the old fabric roof off, setting it aside to burn later.

While clearing a tree away from the front door, Link even finds an upturned cooking pot. Perfect.

He cooks the remainder of his supplies. He'll have to go hunting later, or maybe fishing. Either way, there seems to be more than enough game and forage to last a lifetime.

It seems very easy to live like this forever.

Before he even realises it, it's been weeks.

He would have barely noticed if not for the roots of his hair growing out blond. Crouched over a still pond, he tugs at his fringe and scowls, as if staring long enough at his reflection will make the offending golden hairs disappear. Link still has a small amount of hair dye, but he will have to go buy some soon, since he's never been able to formulate it himself.

Link sighs and packs up his bag again. He can't just keep living the quiet life out in the woods like this. He has a duty to his Clan. Their plans of greatness will never come to fruition if soldiers forget their duty.

As unexpected as the Princess' power of time was, such cheats were nothing new. They were the legacy of the Royal Family, inherited directly from Hylia herself. Time and time again, even the most worthy of Challengers were struck down by her interference.
It dates back to the very creation of the world.

Kakariko Village is the next stop. Link pulls out his cards and activates his disguise. The illusion cast is still the same red-haired girl, but she's grown older and taller alongside Link. Some Yiga have a problem using a disguise of a different sex, but Link barely notices.

Sheltered between steep mountains, the village of traitors is quite picturesque. It feels a bit weird, seeing the Inverted Eye not inverted at all, plastered over every door. There's a large amount of cards stuck to the walls of houses, but they seem to be basic warding charms rather than advanced technology. Everything is damp after yesterday's rainfall.

They walk down to the village, vigilant of any Gerudo that might recognise the disguise. But there's only Sheikah in the town, tending gardens and failing to herd cuccos. Link tries to keep a pleasant smile on their face and strikes up conversation with an old lady.

She has nothing interesting to say, so Link moves on. The next person has nothing to say either, just commenting about the weather. The pattern continues for each person Link meets. He had hoped that some might have an idea of where their princess is, but it seems the Sheikah really did give up everything for the sake of their rural little lives.

One of the Sheikah women sitting outside the inn has the tell-tale glowing strips of a Yiga disguise. This must be Genin. Link makes meaningful eye contact with the agent, who subtly nods, continuing their conversation with the locals as if nothing happened.

There's a girl in her late teens standing outside the stairs to the most ornate house, talking with a man who looks like he's probably a guard. "Oh! A visitor!" she says, turning to look at Link with wide eyes. "We don't get many visitors. You're not allowed in! This is the chief's house, outsiders are forbidden! But you are free to visit anywhere else in the village! I'm Paya!"
She blinks, looking a little embarrassed and shrinks slightly. "Sorry. That was loud. I'm not used to talking to new people. We don't get many visitors." she buries her face in her hands. "…I already said that."

Paya takes a deep breath, straightens up and then immediately bobs into a bow. "I offer my sincere greetings. What's your name?"

How embarrassing.

Link dips their head in a slight, less respectful bow. "I'm Mal-- Marin." They almost gave the exact same name as what they used in Gerudo Town.

"Malmarin?" Paya repeats.

"Uh, just Marin."

Paya offers a sympathetic smile, "I do that a lot. Misspeak my name, I mean. When Dorian returned to town after so many years, I introduced myself as Paypapa. Would you like me to give you a tour of Kakariko?"

That night, Link meets with the other Yiga spy, just outside of town.

"Genin." Link greets.

The other Yiga shakes their head. "I'm Teisatsu, not Genin. I don't know what happened to Genin, he must have left before I got here."

Link smacks his gloved hand against his mask. How annoying. It has been months since he was given the assignment, so Genin could have any number of reasons to disappear. In the best case, he's following a lead. Worst case, he was killed by a Lizalfos. If he was caught, this other agent probably would have heard about it.

"It doesn't matter." Link says. "Do you have any information?"

"Not really. The Sheikah are really boring. They have some nice art, but they don't seem to know anything about the Champions or tech."

"They have really lost their way." Link muses. "Keep working here, I will be back."

Teisatsu bows in acknowledgement, and Link disappears back into the darkness.

A long, long time ago, the Golden Goddesses shaped the world with their very breaths. The earth, the law, and life to mould it further. They created a relic of ultimate power, the Triforce, to be wielded only by a worthy mortal who greatest embodied the Three Virtues.
The lesser goddess Hylia was created to oversee the trials such a Challenger would have to face. Her role was the guide the young peoples to eventually claim their destiny.

When Link arrives at Zora's Domain, they discover that Lanayru is currently experiencing their once-a-decade extreme rains. A week there proves completely miserable, and they're never able to talk to any of the Zora because they're too busy dealing with the flooding. There's always guards posted around the Divine Beast, making sneaking inside impossible. Resigned, Link turns back westward.

Link spends a couple of months hanging around stables trying to parse their gossip for real news, interspersed with various Yiga missions. Errands and dirty work.

Kohga has decided that the network of Stables needs to be dependent on the Yiga Clan, and it is a bothersome task to ensure that there's always a member of the Clan at every chosen Stable, at all times. They can give the impression of safety by clearing out nearby monsters during the night. In exchange, they get a reliable stream of income from the Stables' earnings so long as the Clan members don't keep wandering off.

At least the protection racket has promise. No one has any reason at all to suspect the Stable Association is part of the Yiga Clan.

The Yiga hideout is bustling with activity, technicians carrying equipment and ordering Blademasters around. Link stops one to ask what's going on.

"Oh, hi Link! It's good to see you back. Master Kohga decided to listen to Jonin's idea to explore the Chasm. Everyone's trying to get supplies sorted - lights, food, weapons, spells. All that stuff."

Link never expected Kohga to take Jonin's suggestion seriously. The Chasm had been left untouched for a reason -- mainly superstitions about it leading to a cursed den of monsters, but also because exploring it would mean overextending the Clan when they should be preparing for the un-freezing of the Calamity. Maybe someone had dropped one-too-many bananas down there.

Nobody in the hideout has seen Genin, the missing agent assigned to Kakariko, in nearly a year, and none of the other spies have reported any useful information. It's a hard life for a sixteen-year-old manager.

Kohga is busy with a meeting in the workshop. "Seriously, I thought I already told you that we need some kind of pulley system! We're not just going to drop soldiers down the hole with no way to bring their findings back up!" He notices Link and waves him over.
"Link, glad to see you, there's something I need you to do. There's apparently been some investigative reporters loitering around Gerudo Canyon looking for information on the Hideout. Go intimidate them or something. I don't wanna have to think about them."

Link nods. He's met the gossipers plenty of times before, and they're hardly a threat, but he can imagine how they could cause problems down the line.

But even the most passionate of busybodies can be scared off by someone with a big enough sword. He might even be able to spin it into a recruitment spiel by dropping lines about the Yiga's noble want of privacy to pursue their training.

As he leaves, a technician calls for Link's attention. Her workbench is covered in different cards, and she picks up a small bundle to hand it to him.

"These," she says, pointing intently, "are the short distance teleport cards. Use them to confuse your enemies in close combat and to cross ravines." She picks up a separate bundle of cards, "And these are the long distance cards. You teleport to wherever you left one of these travel tokens, but you can't take anything you're carrying with you. You'll lose everything but the clothes you're wearing. Do not get them confused."

"...Too many soldiers are losing important possessions because they used the wrong one," the technician next to her grumbles.

Link is slightly taken aback. "You're just handing out long distance teleports?"

The technician bounces in their seat enthusiastically. "Yes! Master Kohga decided that a safe retreat from an unwinnable battle should be top priority for all agents, not just the high-ranking members of the Central Families. He's so wise and considerate and noble…" They press a hand to their mask, practically swooning.

"He gave the whole card-making department a banana-budget raise because of the extra work!" another technician adds. "We're using it to develop some really exciting new stuff."

The group hold up bananas in a cheer to Kohga's health.

But Hylia coveted power. She had never earned the authority that the Goddesses had granted her, and was truly, deeply unworthy.
As the end of her reign drew nearer, she sought to maintain her power. At any cost.

Link is awoken by the sound of distant screaming. He sits up with a jolt, instinctively reaching for a sickle. Instead of an enemy, he is faced by the awful all-encompassing glow of a pure red moon. Churning clouds race across the sky.

The entire world is lit up in scarlet. He leaps to his feet and stumbles around the outcropping between his camp and Tabantha Stable. The ground is covered in thick black mist, obscuring the terrain. There's a crowd of people gathered outside, staring up at the moon in horror.
He hurriedly casts his disguise and runs down to join them, sliding down the slightly muddy cliff-face.

Trails of red smoke rise from the ground and swirl in the air. The moon seems to take up most of the sky. It stares down at them, one big hideous eye.
Most of the gathered people have clearly only been awake for mere minutes, dressed in light clothing and shivering in the cold. Though maybe that's just the fear.

"We're doomed!" a stable worker exclaims, pulling at his weird hat. "It's the end of the world!"

A traveller has to sit down, looking dizzy. The children start sobbing.

"What's going on?" Link asks nervously.

"It's not the end of the world." the stable owner explains. "It's just a Blood Moon." He holds the children in a reassuring group hug.

The stable worker who had been running around like a headless cucco stops in his tracks. "A Blood Moon? There hasn't been one since the Calamity! It might as well be the end of the world! It's returned to finish the job!"

The sitting traveller just stares up at the moon. "So this is it. Today was the last peaceful day I'll have on the road. There's going to be monsters everywhere now."

"So, um." one of the workers says cautiously, "Does this mean that the stasis spell is breaking?"

Everyone turns to look at the dark silhouette of Vah Medoh in the sky.

"...It doesn't look like it moved." Link says skeptically.

The stable master hums in thought. "There's no use worrying ourselves. Everyone should try and get some rest. And you," he points at Link, "can stay here with us too, no charge. It won't be safe for anyone to be alone tonight, especially kids."

’Marin’ is visibly a near-adult. This stable owner is a bit sentimental.

Link shakes their head. "Don't worry, I can handle myself." They do not want to have to worry about their disguise breaking while they're sleeping amongst enemies.

When they make it back to their little camp, there's a hulking horse-like monster standing right next to it. That certainly hadn't been there before.
Maybe they should have stayed at the stable, after all.

As a goddess, Hylia was forbidden to wield the power of the Triforce. She feared the day that her role as its guardian would end. She consulted many wise spirits, who urged her to simply accept her role. Instead, she pursued a loophole.
In an act of complete defiance against her creators, she forsook her godhood, the core of her very existence, to became mortal.

Link staggers to Tabantha Stable the next morning, trying not to wince from the sharp pain in their side. Whatever that monster was, it was not open to letting Link just grab their belongings and leave without a fight. The disguise conceals their injuries, so nobody should notice. They're just a little dirty.

"Oh, are you alright, dear?" a pink Rito asks, immediately noticing. "You look like you've been for a tumble, what happened?"

"There was some kind of… horse monster." Link explains, too tired to bother with a different story. "With a really big sword."

The Rito gasps, wingtips pressed to her beak. "You don't mean you were attacked by a Lynel?!" she immediately pulls a bottle from her bag and pushes it into Link's hands. "Please, take this. It's a hearty elixir, it can heal you up."

Link eyes the elixir suspiciously, but this Rito has no reason to poison a stranger, so they down it in one swig. It's nasty.

"Are you coming to the village for the festival?" the Rito asks, taking back the empty bottle. "It's very unfortunate timing, isn't it? My husband and I can take you right there, if you'd like." She gestures at a white Rito, who is intently conversing with the stable owner. "I'm Saki, and that's Teba."

Saki takes Link's bag while Teba lets them climb onto his back. It's a bit awkward, but it's well worth skipping the Guardian-infested road. The mechanical soldiers skuttle about below, heads constantly swivelling in search of prey.

"We haven't seen Guardians this close to the village in decades." Teba observes, pitching sharply to turn away from them as quickly as possible.

Rito village is draped in colourful banners, streamers wrapped around the central rock pillar. A bard plays a merry tune that carries all the way across the lake to Rito Stable. There's a surplus of hanging lanterns, all different hues.

The Divine Beast isn't directly over the village, suspended above the fields to the northwest. An immense amount of streamers hang from its underside, blowing in the wind like an upside-down meadow of multicoloured grass.

The village is crowded with members of every tribe. There's even a couple of Gorons and Zora.

"You won't find any spare beds in the village." Teba warns. "You'll have to lodge at the stable."

The stable probably doesn't have any room either, with these numbers. Saki lands next to them and hands Link their bag. They thank the pair of Rito with an clumsy little curtsy and wander into the village.

They have no idea what this festival is even about. Everyone's just talking and eating and ringing bells. It must be some kind of Summertime ritual, for good hunting and harvest.

Everyone seems to be having a good time, but there's an undercurrent of tension. Children run across the planks screeching happily, while the adults eye the Divine Beast and murmur about monster attacks.

Most of the locals and even some visitors carry Rito-made bows.

A group of Rito children are gathered around the bard. The massive blue Rito warbles a unfamiliar tune about a warrior with wings made of cloth, his audience completely captivated. They start singing along, entirely off-pitch, but he doesn't seem to mind.

"Can someone really fly without feathers?" Link whispers to one of the Rito kids.

(Children are a useful source of information so long as you get them chatty.)

The little white Rito puffs up his chest, "Of course you can! Vah Medoh is made of rock, and it's been flying in the same spot for a hundred and two years, exactly!"

"Wait, how do you know that? You're not a century old."

"Today's the anni-ver-sary of the day the princess froze everything in time." The kid explains patiently. "That's what the big party's about. It's something we do to support Master Revali."

Link looks up a the stationary Divine Beast, hands on their hips. "Is this really helping? He's all the way up there, and I don't think he can hear us."

"Maybe not, but there's lots of ways we can help him. Like by eating our vegetables."

Link raises their eyebrows at that, but doesn't challenge it. They can spot a couple of Rito circling around the Divine Beast. "Are they allowed up there?"

"Huh? Oh, people go up there all the time. There's even a rope ladder if you want to go see. But it's a really big climb."

The Rito seem to have the complete opposite attitude of the Gerudo, who don't ever enter Vah Naboris. It's a valuable opportunity to investigate the Rito Champion and his Divine Beast. Link leaves the music behind and makes their way to the edge of the village island.

A temporary-looking wooden bridge connects the village to the shore beneath the Divine Beast. It's also covered in lanterns and bells, ringing with every step Link takes. From up close, Vah Medoh doesn't look much like a real bird at all, with its blocky shape and yellow-glowing eyes. Clouds drift across the sky behind it, but the mechanical monster does not move an inch.

It should be impossible, the way that it stays suspended in the air while never moving. Time magic is so… unnatural.

A Goron sadly tugs on one of the rope ladders, "Aww, there's no way this will hold me. You'll draw a picture of what it looks like up, right?"

His Hylian friend has barely made it a few rungs and is already looking tired. "You know I'm not good at art."

The back of the Divine Beast is nothing like Link had expected. The stone surface is carpeted in moss, and holds numerous sun-bleached wooden flower beds. A strangely callous move, to transform what is technically an active battleground into a garden of simple Safflina.

In the centre of the platform is a hulking mass. It takes a few seconds for Link to realise that it's the Windblight.
The Rito villagers have completely covered it up in fabric. A massive bag covers its head, and ribbons are wrapped around it hundreds of times.

High above in the air is an unmoving Rito. That must be the Champion.

Link shades their eyes from the harsh sunlight and squints. The Champion doesn't really look like anyone in the village. He's dressed in a different style of armour, and has long braids trailing in the opposite direction as the wind that's pulling at Link's illusory hair. They can't make out his expression from this distance, but it is probably not that interesting anyway.

There's a bandage wrapped around his leg. That's actually not all that serious of a spot for a Rito to be hit, compared to other races.

The way the Champion holds his bow almost by the very tip makes it look like it might be hooked over his wing rather than held in proper archer's form.

How strange.

Link can just barely hear the sound of bells. They're coming closer. They tilt their head towards the village in time to see a large group of Rito shoot up past Vah Medoh and into the blue sky.

A few immediately alight onto the surface of the Divine Beast. One of them is Teba, who has the little Rito from earlier on his back. The Rito child hops off and goes running, flapping his wings to ring his bells furiously.

"Tulin!" Teba shouts. "Don't run off!" He turns to Link, "Marin, would you mind keeping an eye on him for a few minutes?"

"Sure." Link says. Tulin is busy trying to climb the structures on Medoh's back like it's a playground. He seems like he can handle himself. Link certainly didn't need (or get) supervision at that age.

A couple of Rito are flapping around their Champion. The black feathered one gingerly reaches his talons out as if to touch the frozen warrior.

"What are they doing?" Link asks, but Teba has disappeared.

A second later, Teba is up there too, holding a Rito bow in his feet. Very carefully, the group of Rito remove the Champion's elaborate bow and replace it with Teba's much simpler one.

A pair of Rito stand outside the bowyer's home, holding plates of seed-cake and not paying much attention to their surroundings. The perceived safety of numbers during the festival is making the guards complacent.

Link wanders inside. Harth, the bowyer, sits at his workbench surrounded by tools. He holds the Champion's bow in the air and pulls at the string, watching the way the bow's riser and limbs creak against each other.

Link sits on a stool and kicks their legs. "Is that the Champion's bow?"

Harth nods solemnly. "Yep. Master Revali broke it during the battle and dropped it, so it's not affected by the stasis. We fixed it decades ago, and bring it down every year for a full maintenance check." The Rito bends the bow between a wing and his leg, reaching to pull the string from its nock. "It's not a very good place to leave a bow, up there. It gets damaged by the rain, the shine, the cold… But our Champion has no chance of winning without his weapon."

While Harth is distracted preparing a new string, Link reaches into their boot and pulls out a Yiga travel token. They slip it underneath one of the colourful floor rugs.

A Challenger eventually approached the Triforce, but was attacked by Hylia. Using the stolen magic of the relic, she unleashed it upon him and destroyed him.

But she had already sealed her own fate.
Her power was as temporary as her mortal form. In her hubris, Hylia had chosen to live and die rather than see anyone ascend higher than herself.

As Link had expected, security is much tighter that night. He sheds his disguise with a sigh, glad to feel the security of being hidden behind the Yiga uniform. He pulls out his long distance teleport cards and red light swirls around him as he performs the incantation.

He reappears in Rito village, buried under Harth's rug. He wrestles it off.

Link now has full access to the workshop. It's incredibly dark in here, with the canvas curtains drawn to cut off all access in or out. Harth and his daughter are sleeping undisturbed in their hammocks near the ceiling. Link can hear the guards stationed outside quietly talking, completely oblivious to the hut already being breached.

Link grabs the Great Eagle Bow and all the arrows he can find. The long distance teleport cards are invaluable for stealth operations, but have the very steep downside of not allowing Link to bring any of his own weapons. He doesn't even have his other cards.

He passes an arm through the bow to hold it on his back.

The only way out is through the door, past the guards. He could use one of Harth's chisels to tear a gash in the canvas walls, but he won't make it to the ground safely from this height.

Link holds an arrow in his fist and sneaks towards the door. One of the guards had wandered away, leaving just one. Teba. He is armed, with a bow holstered on his back.

Jumping forward, Link uses his momentum to drive the arrow into Teba's leg. The Rito is knocked off-balance, caught completely by suprise.
Link yanks Teba's bow from his back and hurls it over the edge of the landing.

And then he runs.

Teba screams bloody murder.

Link rushes down the stairs, cursing the village's spiral design. He can hear the Rito waking in their huts.

He pauses next to a lantern, pulling the Great Eagle Bow from his back. He uses another arrow to smash the light and nocks it onto the bow, dipping its tip into the exposed fire. He shoots the flaming arrow at one of the many banners attached to the inn below.

It catches fire instantly.

He shoots again, this time up at streamers hanging from beneath a hut.

Link slings the bow over his back and walks away.

The fires spread easily, greedily eating at the exuberant festival decorations.

A green Rito emerges from a hut, pausing at the sight of Link. "Who -- Why do you have the-"

"There's a fire!" Link exclaims, pointing, and she immediately turns to grab a bucket and fly to the lake.

The rest of the escape goes off without a hitch. Nobody in the village even knows what a Yiga is. In the chaos, he walks right past the rest of the frantic villagers and they completely fail to notice him.

Link travels south entirely under the cover of darkness, staying away from the paths. The Rito have been furiously searching for the thief (and arsonist), flying over the main roads and visiting stables every day.
Travelling during the night also has the benefit of most monsters being asleep. Ever since that Blood Moon, the land has been completely infested with them.

Eventually, Link returns to his cabin on the Great Plateau. The Great Eagle Bow is a spectacular weapon. It would be wrong to just hand it in to the other Yiga without properly trying it out…

He spends a few days revelling in its strength. It can take out the local Bokoblins in a single, well-aimed shot. It's also great for hunting, since nocking multiple arrows allows Link to shoot down several pigeons at once. Most arrows punch right through their targets and keep flying. It's very satisfying.

Link decides to keep it. He plasters some summoning cards onto the bow, and stows it in a hole hidden beneath a bearskin rug. Now, he'll be able to summon it from anywhere in the world.
It's best kept for an emergency.

The world remained in a cycle. Its very creation was left unfinished, the Triforce continually held in the undeserving clutches of Hylia's descendants - the Royal Family.
The world was, and is, deeply flawed. The immense grace of the Golden Goddesses to allow the people to complete the shaping of the world had been twisted against us. Pain, disease, death. All are the products of the interloper. Society is unable to change in any meaningful way, endlessly repeating the same patterns…
All we can do is wait for a Challenger to arise, and aid him in every way possible.

Link is just outside the Dueling Peaks Stable when it happens.

The sky darkens, swirling red. At first, they think that it is just another Blood Moon, but this time it's different. Lightning flashes, over and over, and a great roar echoes through the valley.

The Calamity.

It must be.

Link has no time to reach any of the Divine Beasts, any of the Champions. All they can do is rush to the summit of the mountain and watch.

An enormous red cloud circles the castle, its gaping maw raised in a deafening scream.

Chapter Text

Zelda had never been more terrified in her life, or felt greater despair. The Calamity had been rampaging through Hyrule for hours, and all she could do was fruitlessly pray and pray.

Tears dripped down her face and onto her clasped, trembling hands.

Her guards, ever loyal, stood by her side, weapons held tightly as they watched the ongoing battle rage outside the fort. The three of them were safe, for now, in the throne room. Impa faced away, her Kodachi shaking in each hand.

The Sheikah Slate beeped with cries for help that would go unanswered.

Sir Doylan was also in tears, but placed a hand on her shoulder in empty encouragement.
Pleading, desperately, that she somehow finds any trace of the Sacred Power.

It was more than too late.

She prayed to any god or spirit who would listen.

If only there was more time…

But she was met with silence.

Far too much silence.

Zelda opened her eyes and lifted her head.

The world was painted in greyscale. Even the potent red of the overtaken Guardians had dulled.

Everything was completely still.

"What?" she spoke, voice wavering. "How has this…"

Zelda. A feminine voice, faint and warm like the sun.

If time is what you need…

Something was glowing in Zelda's robes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a radiant golden object. The stone she had found in the ruins of the Zonai Temple.

The Zonai Stone had been yellow since she first touched it, but it had never before glowed so brightly. Staring into its light, she understood.

Let me help you. I will guide your hand.

In a snap, the world returned to life. The clashes and explosions of battle resumed as if nothing happened. The fort shook as Vah Ruta trumpeted again.

Zelda held the stone tightly. "I know what I must do. I shall face the Calamity directly."

Impa turned sharply to stare at her, expression unreadable.

"Huh?" Sir Doylan startled. "Your Highness! You cannot be serious! You are far too valuable to-"

"As Princess," Zelda said firmly, "and as act- as acting Queen. I command that you do not obstruct my judgement."

She turned and ran. There was no way she could make it to Hyrule Castle before everything in the Kingdom was destroyed, so she made for the Dueling Peaks. It was a muddy, rainy night. The valley was crawling with Guardians, yet the spirit must have protected her, for none looked her way.

It felt like she ran for hours.

Zelda's guards followed behind her as she ascended the carved stairs, reaching the summit to the horrid view of Hyrule Field.

She could not see it well in the dark, yet she knew Castle Town was gone. Entirely razed to the ground, crawling with Guardians. The immense cloud of smoke obscured the light of even the stars.

The Sheikah Slate still beeped with signals. There was still hope.

With one more prayer, Zelda raised the Zonai Stone. She could feel the mysterious spirit guiding her thoughts, allowing her to meditate on a well of power she had never known within her chest.

She drew upon it, following the faint pull of the spirit to feed her strength into the stone.

Focus on what you want to hold.

The Calamity. The Divine Beasts. Her friends, they're dying.

Hold them tightly. Tighter than anything you have ever wanted.

Zelda reached out her power, feeling it stretch across the Kingdom. Her knights gasped as she was consumed by complete, all-encompassing light.

She collapses to her knees in the grass, a great ache in her head. She suddenly feels so empty. Eyes closed, she cries out to her guards, "did… did it work?"

The guiding spirit is gone, yet she still feels the dark, unmistakeable presence of the Calamity.

Neither Impa nor Sir Doylan say a word. They must despise her so. Even when offered a solution, a light in the dark, Zelda had accomplished nothing.

The smell of the smoke from the burning kingdom is so potent. Almost like… incense?

She opens her eyes and shouts with surprise. She's suddenly inside a building.

It's a small wooden Sheikah shrine, filled with heirloom tapestries. She is kneeling right in the centre of the room, where the floor has been cut away to leave a circle of grass.

The door is flung open. An elderly Sheikah stares at her, wide eyed. "Zelda?" the woman breathes.

Zelda clutches her hands to her chest, hiding the faded Zonai Stone. "Wh-Where am I? What has happened?"

"Zelda." she repeats, eyes filling with tears. "It has been so long. A hundred and two years and nineteen days."

She barely registers the words. Something about the woman is so familiar. A purple crest tattooed onto her forehead. Sparkling eyes that are almost brown. Zelda slowly rises to her feet.

Surely it cannot be…

"Impa?"

He shoulda spotted that there was something off about Rudania right away. When Daruk had rolled down to join her in the crater, she hadn't actually been where he parked her.

But he had dumbly climbed onboard, Boulder Breaker still on his back. It had been a long journey, and he was so tired, just glad to be somewhere that might as well be home.

"Come on Rudania," he called, "let's get those Sentries out. It's showtime!"

The Beast rumbled, and Daruk felt the strangest pain in his chest. He rolls over to the main controls. "Hey, don't worry. Ganon doesn't stand a chance against us!"

He still couldn't hear the buzzing of the Sentries. "Rudania? What's the holdup?"

The console was very faintly beeping.
A message from Mipha!

bip bip bip beeep beeep beeep bip bip bip

S-O-S.

What did that mean again?

Something gurgled. He lifts his head from the console just in time to see a giant monster appear out of nowhere.

"Gah!" he yelped. "SOS means help!" He punched in his own message and cast Protection just in time to block a mighty swing from its sword.

His Protection strained under the pressure. He hoped that Mipha was alright.

"Let's see what you're made of!" Daruk drew his Boulder Breaker and charged. He slammed it into the monster's lower half, sending it flying across the back of Rudania. The thing bashed into the ground and disappeared into a lot of glowing blue lines.

Before Daruk had time to laugh, it reappeared next to him. It stabbed at his shield again, this time shattering it. He cast Protection again and rolled away, dodging the following swing.

This thing is hardy. It might be best to keep his distance while he comes up with some ideas.

The Monster reared its hand back and created a fireball. Daruk yelped and kept rolling as it launched attack after attack at him.

Eventually, it backed off and Daruk was able to catch his breath. It started making a strange clicking noise, growing faster and faster.

A great beam of light shot from its eye, breaking Daruk's Protection immediately. He frantically cast it a third time.

Daruk swung his Breaker back and hurled it right at the monster's face. A direct hit. Something cracked. A bit of its ugly face snapped off. Finally, a step forward.

Now unarmed, Daruk had nothing to rely on but Protection and his own two fists. He raced for his Boulder Breaker, taking hit after hit like an anvil. His shield gave way again and again until he took a hit directly to his back. He retaliated with a punch to what might be the thing's chin.

He grabbed his Breaker and rolled back away. He would not be able to take much more of this.
The monster cast its own shield in a big swirl of fire, and Daruk realised that he would most likely not be making it outta this one alive.

Suddenly, the monster is buried under an avalanche of rubble. Rudania's whole body bobs from the sudden extra weight.

Daruk blinks. It's really bright now.

What the rock just happened.

"Whoo!" someone shouts. Standing at the top of the crater is a Goron youth, arms raised in the air. "I knew it would work!"

Those blue strings of light appear again, and Daruk readies his Breaker for another round.

The monster appears atop the pile, jittering weirdly. Much of its face has broken off, and its weapon lets off little sparks, blade phasing in and out of existence.

Alright! Looks like luck is on his side.

Mipha pressed a hand over her chest, trying to halt the bleeding. Her ability to heal herself was limited, and it took far too much concentration. She kept her ragged breathing as quiet as possible, hoping to all odds that the demon could not hear her.

Her Lightscale Trident was somewhere below, in a puddle of water. There was no way to fight without it. She had to get it, somehow.

The demon floated around, searching. Its spear was massive, larger than itself. It used it like a light, holding it into every corner as it hunted her down.
She couldn't hide forever. Ruta still wasn't responding to her no matter how many times she reached out.

Her Champion's sash was stained with her own blood.

But she would not give in to despair. She must have strength. Someone would hear her distress call.
Mipha wipes away her tears with her free hand.

Her wounds finally healed, she focused on strategizing. Ruta had a cavernous inside, all wide open spaces. She had loved that about it, once. It felt freeing.

It just made evading the demon harder. It would see her from all the way across Ruta. As quietly as possible, she stepped along the platform, maintaining her distance from her pursuer.

Mipha waited until it was at Ruta's head looking down the trunk, and jumped down.

She landed with a splash. The demon jerked its head around, its glowing eye searching.

Oh, where was Lightscale? The water was up to her waist, and she could barely see anything in the darkness. She ducked under the surface and swam frantically, knowing she had mere seconds.

She felt its dark presence above her a mere moment before it struck. She leapt out of the water, just managing to dodge its thrown spear.

Time seemed to slow as Mipha flew right past its face. Its horrid eye drifted to look at her.

It grabbed her.

She was slammed into the ground, pressed against Ruta.

She could feel its disgusting Malice seeping through her skin. She struggled desperately, clawing at its armoured hand. Its grip held tight, and its spear reappeared at the end of its other limb.

She didn't want to die!

Mipha closed her eyes and thought of her family. Father. Sidon.

She loved them so much.

So much that it hurt, far more than any injury or dark magic could. She would do anything to protect them.

In a massive surge, her healing power clashed against the Malice, creating sparks as the opposing magics strained against each other. She called upon everything she had, feeding her power into the swirling disharmony.

It burst into an explosion.

She screamed in pain.
The demon was launched through the opening in Ruta's roof.

Mipha rolled onto her side, curled into a ball. She grasps at the last shreds of her magic to heal herself. Her skin knitted back together, agonisingly slowly.

Eventually, she pulled herself to her feet. Her power was completely spent. The next hit would be her end.

She returned to the water, resuming her search. Mipha's eyes finally landed upon her Lightscale Trident and she grabbed it, holding it up triumphantly.

She finally had a chance to fight back.

Just then, the demon returned. The armour had been blown right off its hand, but it looked otherwise unharmed. It still wielded that wicked long spear.
Mipha settled into a fighting stance. She would stand her ground one last time.

The demon twisted its arm and its spear shot right at her.

Mipha reacts too slow, too late to--

It clatters harmlessly against a luminous stone wall.

She lands upon a pile of cushions.

"Mipha!" someone exclaims.

Dazed, she stumbles to her feet.

Vah Ruta is filled with chains, crisscrossing from wall to wall in a complex grid.

The demon struggles, trapped. It roars and disappears into light.

It manifests behind her and charges closer, but is caught once again.

A pair of Zora guards hurl their spears at it.

"Mipha!" one of them calls. "Sidon will be here as soon as he can!"

"Sidon?!" she shouts, panicked, "don't let Sidon in here! You have to keep him away!"

The demon shrieks and teleports over and over. It smashes at the chains with its weapon.

A great red warrior lands in front of her, carrying multiple spears in his arms.

"Mipha! Don't worry, we can beat Waterblight together!"
He says it like he's never wanted anything more in his life.

Snap.

Lightning crashed down, but the demon had already darted away. Urbosa's lip curled in frustration.

They had been clashing for minutes, but neither fighter had landed a blow. The demon moved with speed unmatched by anything she'd ever seen. But she was a Gerudo warrior, and nothing would ever take her down easy.

She heard a second distress call join Mipha's. Glancing to Naboris' console, she saw the representation of Rudania's head light up. Looks like they're all in trouble.

The thunder demon was distracted by the noise. Urbosa snapped her fingers.

Boom.

A hit.

The demon convulsed. Like herself, it was weak to its own strength. She took the opportunity to run toward it and slash at it with her scimitar, but it managed to block every move with its shield.

She flipped away as it summoned another volley of metal stakes. They shot down, studding into Vah Naboris. A chain of electricity immediately sparked between them.

Urbosa was running out of room. With every piece of metal, she was caged in closer and closer. Soon, nowhere would be safe.

The demon sped towards her once more. She stood her ground and summoned lightning again.

It dodged, and her electricity was drawn down the field of metal stakes. Her own powers were working against her! Her enemy was safe in the air, but she was vulnerable from all sides.

She wouldn't be able to do this by herself.

Urbosa turned and ran. The demon zipped around behind her, too intent on maintaining its own unpredictability to keep up.

She reached the main control unit and punched in her own distress call. She then jumped from the platform to the base of Naboris' chest.

The demon zipped over, but did not venture below its nest of metal.

She took a deep breath

With a battle cry, Urbosa ran up the curved wall and leapt from it straight at the demon. Daybreaker impacted it first, slamming it down into the metal spikes.

One punctured through its oversized face panel, pinning it in place.

Urbosa stepped away.

She snapped her fingers, over and over.
The demon was struck by a thousand Furies.

It disintegrated into blue light.

Her body seized, a yell escaping as lightning passed through her.
Urbosa did not fall. She turned, huffing pained breaths to see the demon sparking brighter than ever.

Their duel was nowhere near over.

Gerudo and demon slashed and parried tirelessly, every strike more desperate than the last.
It smacked her jaw with its shield. She sliced its jaw off.

More and more stakes thudded into Naboris.

In a blink, they're gone.
Daylight shines in through the doorways and windows.

The thunder demon flinches and darts away, not comprehending.

Urbosa is mysteriously wearing a necklace of elixirs. Shock resistance and fairy tonics.

She uncorks one. It tastes like divine intervention.

Now that's her kind of cocktail.

Hyrule field burned with death.

Revali barely had to try to maintain altitude, the updrafts from the fires sparked by the rage of the Calamity being more than enough to keep him high above the battles. It had to mean something.

He couldn't see any survivors. He could barely see anything at all through the seething smoke.

The scarlet glow of overtaken Guardians were unmissable. Nothing could obscure that truth.

With a great snarl, the spirit of the Calamity appeared from beyond the castle. It grinned with foggy teeth, seeming to look right at him.

Revali dove down, building immense speed. The sooner he made it to Vah Medoh, the better.
He had kept everyone waiting long enough.

Lasers shot past him, missing by a feather.

It was well into the night by the time Revali reached Medoh. Her glow was the only source of light under blocked-out sky.

He touched down upon her back and strode towards the main control unit. Vah Ruta's visage upon the terminal was flickering red, alternating between six short and three long bursts. Mipha was in trouble.

Blast it! This was the worst time for things to go wrong.

Revali knew that no-one else would be able to reach Mipha. He had to immediately turn around and cross Hyrule a third time. A gauntlet of endurance for any Rito, but he was the Champion. He would do what he must. Else, everything that had led up to this would be rendered pointless. His wings ached, but he stretched them outwards, preparing to call his Gale.

But, he faltered. Medoh wasn't connecting to him.

He'll have to answer manually. He turned back to the main control unit and opened his communication channel, transmitting his own message.

bip beeep bip
(message received)

He cleared his message, ready to elaborate, but was distracted by a new distress call from Daruk.
Urbosa's call joined mere seconds later, creating an incessant cacophony of chimes.

bip bip beeep beeep beeep bip bip bip bip
beeep bip bip bip bip bip bip beeep beeep
bip bip bip beeep beeep beeep bip bip bip
beeeeeeeep beeeep beeep beep bip tik

Revali instinctively called upon his Gale and burst to the sky, dodging a flurry of laser blasts.
Right behind where he had stood was a massive creature of some kind, glowing with the same evil energy as the Guardians in Hyrule Field.

It was just a hulking mass of small lights, the rest of its form invisible in the darkness.

Revali drew his bow, nocking a trio of bomb arrows.

All three arrows boomed against Va Medoh, a miss. He never misses.

The wind was all wrong.

The collection of light convulsed, and Revali could just barely hear the rushing of unnaturally swirling wind. This demon thought it could beat him at his own game!

He transferred his Great Eagle bow to his feet and focused on flying. The demon blasted lasers at him, but each attack was betrayed by the sound of the weapon firing up. All it took was a well-timed barrel roll to dodge each shot.

But the turbulent wind was building. The wind was becoming so distracted that it was barely listening when Revali called on it for his Gale.

Every arrow was less sure than the last, buffeted from random directions. Only a few shots ever collided with the beast, but he couldn't tell if it did any damage at all.

He needed to think, but he could barely do anything but dodge.

Revali tucks his wings to his sides and plummets below far Medoh, snapping them out to catch the wind and shelter below her ribcage.
The demon may be a quick shot, but its movement speed had been lacking so far. He had a few seconds.

He flapped his wings tiredly and tried to come up with a solution.
Anything.

The Calamity swirled around the castle, its red glow all that was visible among the darkened kingdom.

Something beeped next to his head.

He folded his wings and dropped like a stone.

A tiny object, one side of it glowing. It was hit by a laser and redirected it horizontally, missing Revali by a mile. Instead, it connected with three other identical objects, creating a dance of light that kept building speed.

A hail of lasers shot right at him.

One hit his leg, searing straight through his thigh and colliding with his bow. It splintered into pieces and its string twanged against his foot.

He gritted his beak through the pain. He would not give the demon the satisfaction of hearing him cry out.

The laser most likely cauterised the wound, so he chose to ignore it and flew back upward. The Great Revali never retreats.

He finally had an idea.

His bow destroyed, the only weapons left in the fight belonged entirely to the demon.
But those drones seemed to operate independently of it.

With some skilful flying, he might be able to manipulate it into attacking itself.

It would mean flying far too close a heavily armed foe, but Revali was the best of the best. He could handle it.

The drones flew up to surround Revali again, and the demon repeatedly shot to them. The light ricocheted from each point.

He dove directly toward the cluster of red lights, pitching to the side at the last moment. The hail of shots burst down, multiple slicing perfectly into the demon. It roared and something slammed into Revali's back.

It knocked the wind from his lungs and flung him into a tornado.

Revali growled and tried to call on the wind. It felt like catching a feather in a snowstorm.

His Gale pushed him back skywards, barely avoiding clipping Medoh's crest. He twirled in the air, turning to face his foe once more.

He flinches as his eyes are accosted by glaring light.
The sun had jumped into the middle of the sky, casting its painfully bright radiance across the kingdom.

He doesn't let himself get distracted, immediately looking back to the demon. It writhes, wrapped in layer upon layer of fabric.

This is incredibly bewildering.

Revali flaps his wings, dislodging something that had been hanging from his right wingtip. A falcon bow!
He darts down to catch it in his feet.
His quiver is helpfully full of bomb arrows. He has a fresh chance.

The wind has settled, and immediately leaps to his call. From high above, he pelts the struggling demon with explosives.

The fabric ignites. The demon screeches beneath it and goes still within the upswept flames.

Is it dead? Surely not so easily.

He watches the bonfire carefully, but sees no movement.
How and why are there bandages wrapped around his leg? Seriously, what is going on?

"Gah!" A shot burns through his wing, tearing flight feathers free.

Gasping in shock, he turns to see the demon hovering by Medoh's tail.

The plucking thing had teleported!
In the light of day, he can clearly see it for the first time. It is a disgusting beast, its wiry flesh melded into ancient technology like a living disease. Its flat, malformed face, tilts. It gives the impression of menacing and all-consuming hunger.

Missing large flight feathers, a lesser Rito would have plummeted like a stone, but Revali knows how to balance his wingbeats to accommodate for the uneven surface area.
It's a big hit to his speed and concentration, but he can keep fighting.

The demon raises its massive blaster, pointing once more to the drones. As soon as it fires, Revali shoots a bomb right at its face. It recoils.
He repeats his earlier strategy, flying in close and darting away. The shots ring out, but they do not hit the demon.

Instead, they fire away from Medoh after an entirely different target.

A tiny white fledgling of a Rito, shrieking in fright as he evades the lasers. What does that fool think he's doing?!

"Get away from here!" Revali shouts, "You're drawing its fire!"

"I noticed! But I'm not going anywhere." The fledgeling holds his bow in his feet, draws it with his beak, and fires at the demon. It pings off its faceplate harmlessly.
He fumbles as he tries to nock another arrow, completely oblivious to the drones assembling a new formation right above his head.

"Watch out!" Revali dashes over in an instant, summoning his Gale to fling the kid out of harm's way.

But with his unbalanced wings, Revali doesn't catch the wind to safety. Instead, he's thrown sideways, completely out of control. He sees clouds then mountains then deadly blue.

The drones fire their shots, some missing.

But one hits.

He's knocked out of the sky, landing harshly upon the solid stone of Medoh's back.

He just lays there, staring upwards. Safflina sway in and out of his vision.

The demon beeps, drawing closer.

And then it explodes.

The sky fills with Rito warriors, all wielding bows and elemental arrows. Shot after shot thuds into the demon, alternating fire, ice, lightning and bombs.

Revali sits up. He still has his bow. There's an arrow just next to him, an ordinary one dropped by the fledgeling.

The demon is buffeted by the onslaught, but never stops staring directly at him.

He draws his bow and fires the arrow directly into its eye.

It screeches louder than ever before, clutching at the wound. Darkness starts spilling out of it, then light brighter than even the sun.

With one more wail, it explodes into pieces.

Gross.

He can feel Medoh's spirit again, like it was never gone. She rumbles, and it's warm in his chest.

A little wobbly, Revali rises to his feet. He needs to get Medoh facing the Calamity to make her shot.

"You probably shouldn't be walking on that leg," a tall white Rito warrior lands next to him, "I would kno- oh clutch. That's a lot of blood."

Medoh tilts as she turns. All the other Rito stumble, but Revali stays stock-still, staring at the castle. He takes some satisfaction as the atrocious garden boxes slide right off her back.

There's no time to land and line up the shot perfectly. The battle took too long already.

They have to give the Calamity all they've got.

The elderly Sheikah hands her a handkerchief to wipe at her tears. It's the most ornately embroidered thing she's ever seen, and even has 'Zelda' stitched along the edge.

"Impa, please tell me -- what has happened since…?" For now, Zelda will simply think of the time before as last night. She does not have the energy to dwell on the existential dread of her situation. She did just go on a very long journey from Mt Lanayru to the taller of the Dueling Peaks.

Impa adjusts her hat solemnly. "When you cast your spell, you were completely frozen, holding up that mysterious stone. You were like a statue. Nothing Doylan or I did could ever move you, so we decided to watch over you in shifts. After many days, we realised that your magic would last a very long time." The old woman extinguishes the lanterns in the shrine, then starts to snuff out the incense burners.

"You had also frozen the Calamity and Divine Beasts, though everything tainted by its Malice remained and continued their attacks. The spirit of the Calamity dispersed soon after, and the Guardians slowly started to break down. I journeyed to Kakariko alone, and brought village elders to see you. We decided that it would be wise to keep your location a secret, so we constructed this shrine around you. Doylan chose to leave, but I have spent many of my days here, by your side."

With the fires extinguished, Impa collects some items and turns to leave. "There's clothes for you in that chest."

The set of clothes look just like her usual travelling garb, though it's made of slightly different feeling fabric. Her normal clothes have probably disintegrated from age by now…
Zelda stubbornly does not think about it. Her white dress is muddy and cold, so she's grateful to wear something dry, and wrap a cape around her shoulders.

She follows Impa out of the little shrine. The world outside is nothing like it was. Across the valley, Fort Hateno is in ruins, surrounded by dead Guardians. The area is so overgrown, it's difficult to imagine that it had ever burned.

Even the stairs she had taken up the mountain are gone.

She turns to look at the castle.

It is a shadow of its former self. The dark power of the Calamity is still concentrated around it. Everything that had been in Hyrule Field has long been flattened into rubble.

"The magic worked." Zelda says emptily. "But there was no point. It hasn't changed anything at all. We lost a long time ago."

"This may be a different world to the one you knew," Impa says, voice hoarse with age, "but there is still life. The people adapted to change, as they always have. And I believe that things are not quite so dire as they seem."

"What do you mean?" Zelda turns to look at the enigmatic Sheikah.

Impa just smiles softly and tilts her head towards Death Mountain.

The immense form of Vah Rudania lifts itself out of the distant caldera. It crawls down a few plodding steps and settles into a wide, sturdy stance.
Its face unfolds, revealing its main weapon powering up, sights focused upon the castle.

"He's following his original plan!" Zelda exclaims. "He made it!" Sure enough, Daruk's distress call had been shut off, replaced with Situation Normal.

Urbosa's SOS has also been cancelled, though Vah Naboris isn't yet visible. They must be carefully climbing up the Gerudo Mesa.

But no updates from Mipha. She wishes she knew how to send messages to her, but the Sheikah Slate can only receive them. Revali never activated a distress call in the first place.

Zelda can't spot Vah Ruta, but Vah Medoh seems to be circling aimlessly around Tabantha. Peering through the Slate's scope, she can just barely make out explosions and flashes of blue light.

"If only there was some way I could help," she says tiredly. When was the last time she ate? Twelve hours ago, or a hundred years?

Vah Naboris' head rises above Spectacle Rock. She's almost in position.

BOOM.

Zelda whips her head around to see a massive spray of bricks exploding out from the castle. Medoh had fired a shot!
Its laser cut diagonally across the castle, obliterating several towers. They buckle and crumble into pieces. A giant cloud of dust rises around the ruins, obscuring whatever crawls within.

The Calamity's spirit convulses.

Rudania immediately follows with a pinpoint shot. Something deep inside the castle explodes.

The long grass of Hyrule field is pushed flat by the massive shockwave. It takes a second or two to reach her, blasting her hair back from her face. The bangles on Impa's staff rattle.

Naboris's laser slices down the bell tower, followed shortly after by a haphazard shot from a newly emerging Ruta.

The rubble showers down in a molten rain. The sound, even from this far away, is deafening.

The spirit of the Calamity rears its head as it disintegrates from tail to head. The swirling red cloud dissipates, sinking back below the earth from whence it came.

The five great pillars around the castle shudder, and slowly retract back beneath the ground.

The wind rustles the grass. The sky is clear and beautiful.

It had worked.

They killed the Calamity.

A hundred years in the making, it seemed rather anticlimactic.

Her eyes drift across the ravine to the other side of the Dueling Peaks. Crouched down to the mossy rock and staring right back at her is a red haired girl. Zelda, not knowing what else to do, awkwardly gives a little wave.
The girl's eyes widen and she hurriedly scrambles away.

This is a new era, and Zelda's as much of a stranger to Hyrule as it is to her.

Chapter Text

Link will admit that running away like a frightened deer was perhaps not the best first impression to endear themself to the princess of Hyrule.
They had recognised Zelda a split second after she had already noticed them. Not entirely thinking straight, they had panicked, assuming that she somehow knew they were Yiga through their disguise and would blast them with her royal magic.

It had resulted in Link tumbling down the mountain, leaving a very confused Zelda behind.

Link manages to catch their momentum before they fall down a steep cliffside, grabbing fistfuls of grass. They need a plan.

It's incredible luck to find Zelda as soon as she made her return. Her location had always remained a mystery, despite decades of Yiga searches. Everyone in the Clan knew what she looked like from their collection of paintings, but that hadn’t helped at all.

Link and their disguise as Marin are about the same age as her, too.

(Most Yiga disguises are designed to age with their user, after all. For long-term assignments where someone might be in the same village for years, chasing one single secret. It also means that an elderly spy doesn't get caught in a situation where someone expects they can come rock climbing.)

('Marin' is still ever so slightly taller than Link. He's not annoyed by that.)

This opportunity might make up for the bad luck of being way too far away to do anything to stop her Champions before they destroyed Ganon.

The Calamity is gone. How is that even possible? The ancient texts had been very clear about the formula needed to defeat it -- Divine Beasts, sacred power, the sword that seals the darkness. The Yiga Clan knew better than anyone that using only one of those three things shouldn't be possible.

Link picks themself up, brushing dirt and grass from their illusory dress. Currently, killing Zelda isn't actually a priority, and Link isn’t sure if that’s what the Clan wants. She may be the last of her immediate lineage, but most of Hyrule's nobility fled a century ago and may continue to survive somewhere out in the world beyond. Her power would just be reborn in one of them.

Not to mention that attacking her directly would be extremely dangerous. Who knows what kind of occult magic she has?

It's Link's job to find out.

The bit of mountainside they just fell down is blocking their view of Zelda. It doesn't matter, since Link has a pretty solid guess as to where she's going to go next. After a century frozen in time, she'll want to go somewhere safe, but connected, so that she can hear about everything she missed and find people to serve her.

Link can see the trail of smoke rising from Dueling Peaks Stable. She'll most likely stop there for a dainty little lunch, commandeer a horse and make her way to Kakariko before nightfall.

Link retraces their steps to find the pack they had abandoned under a tree in their rush to watch the Calamity. The crowd outside the stable are chattering in excitement. Someone's set up a table laden in celebratory apple pies, and everyone is holding a plate.

"Do you think they'll rebuild Castle Town? Now there's no risk of monsters and stuff?" a traveller asks, shoving far too much pie into his mouth.

His friend scratches his beard. "I don't know who 'they' are. It doesn't make sense to clear out all that rubble and build a whole town when there isn't anybody to live in it. Hyrule Field is fertile ground, though, so someone's probably gonna start grazing their sheep there once the remaining Guardians are cleared out."

Link wanders over to grab their own plate of pie. They won't pass up an opportunity for free food.
The crust is dry and tough around the edges, soggy underneath. Not ideal, but the apple filling is fine.

One of the stable workers butts into the conversation, casually waving his spoon at the two speculators, "It'll a trading post first. Like Kara-Kara Bazaar. When nobody has to circle around a field full of Guardians, it will definitely be a lucrative spot for merchants. Stables, too. It will become a town eventually."

The first guy nods in agreement. "That's what I'm saying! Those ruins are in a good spot! When choosing where to live, the most important thing is always water. The old moat is great for connecting it to other places by the rivers so that people can use boats for their cargo. It'll be big for the Zora, especially."

"But it doesn't have to be where Castle Town was," his friend insists, "the islands might be a better spot, strategically, or even right in the middle of the field."

None of the group bat an eye when Zelda walks right past them, hood drawn over her head. They only raise their eyebrows at the sight of Impa's tiny form and giant hat.

"Chief Impa!" the stable worker exclaims. "I didn't expect to see you here today! Do you have any news?"

The Sheikah woman stands on her tiptoes and reaches up to the table to grab a couple of servings of pie. "The Calamity has indeed been defeated," she confirms slowly, "and the princess and Champions are alive."

The group cheer. The stable worker sets his plate down and runs off to the horses.

"This is so exciting!" a traveller says giddily. "What are the chances that this happened during our lifetimes?"

"Dude, if I knew how to play an instrument I would write so many songs about this."

"Gimme a sec." one of the travellers pulls a lute out of her pack and strums a chord.

"Ganon was a mighty beast, we knew he'd make a mighty feast…"

"We waited for the day he'd die…"

"…And then baked him into a pie!"

Everyone laughs and clumsily dances to the childish tune, holding hands and twirling around, kicking up dirt.

The stable worker returns, leading a horse. "I'm going to go tell everyone at Hateno. They probably have no idea!" He mounts his steed and with a happy wave, urges it to gallop away down the path.

Zelda is sitting on a stump next to the firepit. She stares into the flames, lost in thought. Impa walks over to her and hands her a plate, but she just holds it, not moving to eat.

Link sidles closer to eavesdrop as they eat.

"I don't know how to feel…" Zelda says quietly, "everyone's so happy… but this isn't a real victory. Nothing will ever make up for what's been lost."

Impa scoops the filling out of her slice of pie, not bothering to eat the crust. "It's understandable for you to have complicated feelings. This situation is completely unprecedented, but you have as much time as you need. Everyone will accept you with open arms."

"They don't even know who I am!" Emotionally, Zelda stabs her spoon into the pie. "How am I supposed to help anyone? It's my duty to be princess, but I've never been there for any of them!"

She falls silent as she starts eating, expression hidden under her hood. After a few minutes, Impa collects her plate and leaves to talk to the stable manager at the counter.

Link wanders over as casually as possible and sits across from Zelda. "…Are you princess Zelda?"

Her eyes lift from the fire. "…Yes. I am. Aren't you the girl who fell down the Dueling Peaks earlier?"

Link winces, grinning awkwardly. "Oh, I was hoping you'd forget that. Embarrassing myself in front of the Princess of Hyrule like that…"

Zelda averts her gaze, expression carefully neutral. This might not be the right angle to take, it's probably boring her. Rich people love being showered in compliments and talking about themselves.

"Anyway, you're just so amazing. The way you just -- invented a whole new type of magic? I've never heard of time magic before! How'd you do it?"

"It was… a lucky moment." Zelda says quietly. "I'm sorry, but I'm not really in the mood for talking right now. It's been a long day."

"That's alright! It was nice meeting you!" Link rises to their feet and speed-walks around to the other side of the stable.

They punch a tree. It leaves a slight dent in the bark and their knuckles aching. They blew it! Link had a golden chance to butter up the princess and all they did was annoy her.

It's fine. It's not a lost cause. Even if the princess doesn't think they're worth the time of day, they might be able to wedge themself into the social circles of the Champions.

Fireflies dance in the soft white light of the moon.

The mood that night in Kakariko is much calmer than the Stable, though no less joyful. After the long horseback ride, Zelda feels bone-tired, wanting nothing more than to sleep for several days straight.

"It's Princess Zelda!" an old man exclaims. The Sheikah all bow their heads respectfully.

An elder takes her hand to aid her as she tiredly dismounts her horse. "It has been so long, Your Highness. We have missed you greatly."

"Thank you." Zelda acknowledges.

A child presents her a bouquet of white lilies. A young woman gives her a beautiful pair of boots. A bottle of perfume is pressed into her hands. Someone sticks a shining pin into her hair. Soon, she's entirely laden in gifts, struggling not to drop any. "Oh dear."

"How about we let the Princess get some rest?" a young woman says, taking some of the items from Zelda's wobbling arms. Zelda stares with wide eyes. She looks identical to how she'd known Impa just yesterday. Impa had told her about her granddaughter during the journey. This must be Paya.

"S-She can stay at the- at the Shuteye Inn!" a man offers, eyes screwed tight. "It would, um, be an honour!"

A soft bed sounds heavenly. Zelda eagerly nods, but Paya shakes her head. "She will be staying in the Chief's Hall, where she is not to be disturbed for several days -- no, a week. Our Princess needs her rest."

The crowd grumble in disappointment, but respect the young woman's authority. She leads Zelda to the Hall, leaving Impa with the people to explain all the details.

"We don't have a spare bed, so you can, uh, sleep in mine. I'll be fine sleeping on the floor for a while -- here, you can put those things on the table."

"I am very grateful for your hospitality," Zelda says, "but I plan to leave Kakariko tomorrow morning. I must meet with the Champions as soon as possible."

She feels so terribly guilty, having somehow stranded them a century away from everything they've ever known. She had never found her Sacred Power, and as a result, has potentially ruined the lives of her closest friends. Zelda can only hope that they have been accepted by their communities with open arms, even though they are strangers.

Paya nods. "You should rest for a few days, at least. They will understand -- we can send messengers ahead of you."

"I will decide in the morning," Zelda declares, and flops face-first into the blankets.

After a moment, she can hear the quiet foot-falls of Paya going back down the stairs.

Finally alone, Zelda curls up into a ball and lets herself cry.

Link's head-start to Zora's Domain barely helps when Zelda has a horse. She and her Sheikah attendant (was that Paya?) overtook them on the path into the Domain to arrive several hours ago and Link's barely just reached the Great Zora Bridge.

Link really has to just commit to catching and keeping a horse, even though it makes them easier to trace. They've been wandering around Hyrule on foot since they were fifteen and it's starting to get old.

Zora's Domain sparkles in the bright sunshine. The atmosphere in the town is merry, but life seems to be continuing as normal. Guards stand at their posts, children play in the pools, shopkeepers tend their wares.

Vah Ruta stands on a mountaintop, its strange long nose dangling down to the cliffside.

The Princess and her attendant are standing just outside the throne room, talking with a pair of red Zora - one short, the other incredibly tall.

Link recognises the tall one as Prince Sidon. They had encountered him a couple times during their first, badly timed visit to the Domain. The other must be his sister, the Champion Mipha.

Link just has to somehow find a way to talk with Mipha, but it doesn't look like Zelda is going to part ways with her for a long time. The two princesses seem to be having some deep conversation that could go on for hours. The prince stands, watching them intently, barely saying anything himself.

Mipha leans close to Zelda to say something into her ear, and Zelda nods. She straightens her posture and looks around, eyes landing on Link. She beckons them over.

"Sidon, why don't you give my friend here a tour of the Domain?"

Sidon startles a tiny bit. He looks down at Link. "Oh, uh, certainly! A friend of Princess Zelda's is a friend of the Domain and deserves a full welcome!" He flashes a bright smile.

Link almost laughs aloud at the Princess' audacity. This is an obvious attempt to get Sidon stop listening in on their conversation for a while -- she doesn't even know their name! A name, at least. She's just remembering Link's praise and assuming the privilege of being called her friend will make them go along with it.

Link will along with it, but not for the reason she thinks. Befriending Sidon is an easy step towards getting close his sister, the Champion. Unfortunately, it means that Link will also miss whatever they don't want Sidon knowing about.

Over the past few hours, Zelda has almost let herself believe that she never jumped through time at all. The Domain is almost exactly the same as she remembers, populated by many of the same people. King Dorephan looks just as he did a century ago, though he is more tired. Colder. More protective of his daughter.

It's hard for Zelda to look at Mipha. She looks so different to last time Zelda saw her -- the day of the Calamity. Much of her chest and half of her face is mottled with healed-over scars, like cobwebs. She's not any less beautiful, it's just…

It's such a harsh reminder of how close they all were to their deaths. The Champions had done everything so perfectly, only for Zelda to let them down. Mipha will have to wear that reminder for the rest of her life.

As Sidon wanders away with the Hylian girl, he keeps glancing over his shoulder back at them. "Sidon really is reluctant to let you out of his sight." Zelda observes.

Mipha sighs. "I understand, I really do, but I fear he will never let me leave the safety of the Domain again. Everyone has been… quite smothering with their attention."

"I can imagine." Zelda feels an ache of longing, but quashes it immediately. Now's not the time to mope about her own solitude. "You wanted to talk about something in private?"

"Yes. Would you mind accompanying me to Vah Ruta? It will be a short journey if you ride on my back."

Zelda looks up at the looming form of the Divine Beast that watches over the Domain. "Oh -- yes, of course. It would be nice to check up on it and see if everything is in working order."

Mipha turns apologetically to Paya, "unfortunately, Ruta is back to preventing non-Champions from entering again. Will you be alright on your own?"

Paya waves a hand awkwardly. "It's fine. I can… talk to the locals, work on my social skills, haha."

The Zora Princess eyes her unsurely, but takes Zelda's hand into her own and leads her down the stairs.

"Say, are you any good at fighting?" Sidon asks, after a few dull minutes strolling around the uninteresting shops. "I see that you have a sword and bow on your pack."

Link feels a jolt of dread for a moment, fearing that they forgot to stow their Duplex bow away at their cabin, before remembering they bought a bow from another traveller on the road. "They're mostly for self-defence. You run into a lot of monsters when you're travelling, especially this year."

"But you've taken down monsters yourself, yes?" Sidon presses.

"…Yes?" Link tries to keep their skepticism off their face. What's Sidon's angle?

"Great! I've been looking for fighters willing to assist with a monster problem up on Ploymus Mountain. There has been an electric wizzrobe roaming around for the past few days, causing a great deal of trouble. We would really value your assistance defeating it, but I completely understand if you're not willing to join -- electricity is not pleasant!"

Link grins widely, matching Sidon's energy, "Sure! I haven't fought a wizzrobe before, it seems like a fun challenge!"

Sidon beams, and his sharp teeth glitter dangerously. "I'm sure it won't stand a chance against us! Now, I'll just go check if any of the guards are available to join us. How about we meet at Mikau Lake? That's the one across the eastern bridge." He waits for Link to nod, then goes running off.

Now that they're alone, Link considers ditching their plans with Sidon and finding Mipha and Zelda. Whatever they're talking about has to be important, but letting Sidon down would probably ruin all chance of befriending him.

Frustrated, they kick idly at the ground. It doesn't seem like there is a single other member of the Yiga Clan anywhere in the Domain. There will never be another opportunity to do what Link doesn't do.

A rather unhappy looking Paya wanders into the room, immediately brightening when she sees Link. "Malmarin!" she hurries over with a smile, "I thought that was you. It is good to see you!"

Link winces. "It’s Marin." Paya's displaying a very surprising amount of enthusiasm to see someone she barely knows.

Paya smiles, slightly flustered. "Sorry! Oh, I just feel so out of my depth right now, I rarely ever leave Kakariko and I'm suddenly on my own all afternoon. Wh-where's Sidon disappeared to?"

"We’re going to go fight a wizzrobe. Do you wanna come with?" Link wonders if the idea will give the overly-anxious girl a heart attack.

Paya stares with wide eyes, "a wizzrobe? That doesn't sound too bad. It's probably less bad than small talk, right?"

Zelda twists her hair to wring the water out. Her detached cape and lays atop Ruta's head in the sunlight to hopefully dry. It is troublesome, that there is no way to visit Vah Ruta without getting wet.

Mipha sits cross-legged next to her, watching. "You're not too cold, are you? I should have thought to find a spicy elixir for you…"

"Oh, I'm fine. It's a warm day." Zelda runs her fingers through her wet hair. "What was it that you wanted to discuss?"

"Um, well, I wanted to ask about how you've been doing. To make sure that you're alright. I've been very worried about you, and the other Champions."

Zelda swallows, and unties her braid as an excuse to avoid eye contact. "…I've been well. It's been a lot, adjusting to this new world, but I've mostly been… happy. That we won."

"That's good to hear! I know other races don't live as long as Zora, so I thought you might not feel at home anymore. I'm glad you've made new friends already."

It doesn't feel right, lying to Mipha. But the thought of her worrying makes Zelda's heart skip a beat painfully, so she just nods. She doesn't mention that Paya never talks to her unless she's asked a question, or that the red-haired Hylian girl is actually a complete stranger.

"May I ask about your time powers?" Mipha tilts her head towards Zelda curiously, "I never knew you had them."

"Neither did I." Zelda rummages through her bag to pull out the darkened Zonai Stone. "A mysterious voice helped me find magic I never knew, and I think this gemstone amplified it. I burnt all the power I had, so I'm not sure if I am capable of ever using it again."

She looks up from the stone to Mipha, and freezes. The Zora Princess has a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. She looks horrified. "A spirit made you do it?" She sounds strangled.

"She didn't make me do anything," Zelda snaps, "she offered me advice and I chose to follow it. I could tell I could trust her, and everyone would have died if I didn't."

Mipha stares at her for a long time. "I - I trust your judgement. I understand why you did it… but spending all your power like that is incredibly dangerous."

"What do you mean? Didn't you do the same, using up all your healing power during your battle with Waterblight?" Zelda is mostly just confused. She'd never read anything about problems with using up one's magic in all her studies. Just that it's something to be avoided because it could take months or even years to for it to return.

It's still sunny atop Vah Ruta, but Zelda's ear twitches at the sound of distant thunder.

Mipha rises to her feet and turns to face the ruins of Hyrule Castle, hands hovering at her chest. "A person's magic is like a floodplain. You're born with natural inclines and hills, but as you practice, the water carves its way into a deep, reliable river. Even if you drain all the water out, it will most likely flow down the same path, the same type of magic. What you did… It's like emptying a whole dam onto the plain. The turbulent water completely shifts the natural geography, changing things in an unpredictable way. It might… cut things off.

Thunder crashes again.

"So you think there's a low chance I will be able to use both my time power and the sealing power I'm supposed to have?" Zelda turns the stone over in her hands. Even if that is so, she does not regret it. With Calamity Ganon defeated, she does not have much use for either power. "How come I have never heard of this?"

"It's not something that people… talk about. I believe that every tribe but the Zora have long forgotten." Mipha turns, and kneels to take Zelda's hands in her own. "Please, promise me that you will never tell anyone what we have discussed. And when you feel your power return, you speak with me immediately."

Taken aback, Zelda can only nod. Her ears flick at the sound another boom of thunder.

Paya looks a little wobbly on her feet.

"Joyride up the waterfall a bit much for you?" Link asks, pouring water from their boot.

"It - It was exciting. That means it was… fun. I simply don't want to do it again."

Sidon hadn't found a guard available, which means it's just the three of them. Link can just barely hear the plink plink plink of the wizzrobe dancing around somewhere nearby. They shove their boot back on and stand to join the Zora Prince, sword in hand.

"Do we have a plan, or are we just going to hit it until it dies?" they ask, swinging their old soldier's broadsword. Electric wizzrobes aren't that tough, but it's going to be hard to fight when their own weapon is a lightning rod.

"Ah, yes, of course!" Sidon hands Link and Paya an electro elixir each. "These will grant you some resistance in the case you're hit with its electricity attacks. Our goal is to defeat the wizzrobe quickly, before it can summon a thunderstorm. If it does, we will retreat immediately."

Link thinks for a moment, then stabs their sword into the grass. It will be simpler to just fight with a bow, and not have to worry about attracting lightning. The wizzrobe bounces over, finally noticing them.

Paya draws her throwing knives, and Sidon readies his spear.

As it turns out, Sidon isn't very good at identifying monsters. A single swing of its staff identifies the wizzrobe as a thunder wizzrobe, not just electric. The three quietly buzzing balls of electricity are easy enough to dodge, however.

Link draws an arrow and shoots the wizzrobe in the head, knocking it out of the air.

"Great shot, Marin!" Sidon praises, and runs over to the monster to jab repeatedly it with his spear. After a second, the monster leaps into the air and goes intangible.

"If we keep hitting it, it won't have time to cast any spells," Paya says, intently watching the invisible monster's footsteps. She readies a knife and throws it as soon as the wizzrobe reappears.

It falls to the ground again, and Sidon resumes his spear-stabbing with a cheer. Link nocks an arrow when the wizzrobe disappears once more, carefully following its trail.

Link would be able to track it with their eyes closed, given the loud plink it makes with every step. Up here at the mountaintop, there's not all that much noise to get in the way - just birdsong and the sound of… galloping?

Link turns just in time to see an enraged Lynel charging full speed directly at them, massive sword lifted above its head. It swings, and Link dodges almost too late. The monster gallops past, hooves thudding heavily into the grass.

Paya screams, "Lynel!"

Sidon immediately turns and hurls his spear at the Lynel, barely missing. Paya's knives thud into its back. The Lynel doesn't even notice.

Its attention is locked onto Link. It circles around, lifting its sword once more.

Link turns and sprints away.

"Look out!" Sidon shouts, fear clear in his voice.

They drop to the ground, and the Lynel's sword swings overhead, cutting the tips of their illusory hair. One of its hooves lands dangerously close to Link's head, but it thunders past, unable to halt its momentum.

Link has fought one of these before, in far less favourable circumstances. They just need their sword, abandoned a good distance away. They leap to their feet and keep running.

They're knocked slightly off-balance when an arrow thuds into the back of their right shoulder. They keep running, wounded arm held to their front to not jostle it.

The weather is turning, thick droplets of rain falling from the sky. By the time Link reaches their sword and yanks it from the ground with their left hand, it's showering. The world flashes white, followed by a boom of thunder.

The thunder wizzrobe, entirely forgotten, giggles to itself.

With a roar, the Lynel charges again and tries to crush Link between its sword and shield. Link leaps away, and time almost seems to slow down. They're able to get six hits in before the monster can even react.

"Marin!" Paya calls, throwing another knife. "There's no point fighting this thing, we need to run!"

The Lynel does not look like it will let that happen. It readies a fireball, silhouetted by another flash of lightning.

Link's sword sparks.

Fire blasts across the field, and Link runs to the side to evade it. The next fireball is cut off when Sidon runs over and stabs the Lynel in the back. It swings its bladed shield in retaliation, sending the Zora Prince flying. Paya shouts and runs to where he landed.

Link seriously considers dropping their disguise and teleporting away. There's a certain point where the mission just isn't worth it anymore.

Their broadsword keeps sparking, so in a panic they throw it at the Lynel. It embeds itself into the monster's flank and sparks even brighter.

A great flash, and a resounding boom. The Lynel, having fallen to its knees in circle of burning grass, reaches to yank the sword from its body. With a roar, it throws the weapon. It whirls through the air and right off the edge of the distant cliff. That just made it angrier.

With their sword gone, their only option is to pelt the Lynel with arrows. Drawing the bow strains their wounded shoulder, but they're too full of adrenaline to feel anything but a vague heat.

And suddenly, pain. Link convulses and drops to the ground. The wizzrobe giggles again and waves. After a moment to recover, Link reaches to grab one of Paya's knives from the grass and throws it. It hits, and the wizzrobe falls, finally dead.

Link staggers to their feet and takes the monster's discarded weapon, a spikey, glowing, magical staff. The Lynel charges again, and all Link can do is raise the rod to catch its sword. It's a pure battle of strength, and it takes everything Link has to not be pushed down to the ground. The thunderstorm rod is the first thing to give, snapping clean in half.

Link stumbles backwards and trips over a rock falling onto the ground again. The Lynel rears back, giant sword held up, ready to slam down.

And then it disintegrates.

Link winces and covers their eyes, accosted by the brilliant blue light.

Vah Ruta trumpets proudly in the distance, and Sidon weakly cheers with it. When Link lowers their hands from their face, it's to the sight of Sidon and Paya lying next to each other in the muddy grass. The storm has already cleared, casting warm sunlight over the battlefield. The Divine Beast stares right at them from atop a distant mountain, across the lake.

Link staggers over and collapses next to them. Mud on your face is good for you, right? "Let's never do that again."

"Agreed."

"That was… so stressful," Paya says, and bursts into laughter. Sidon joins in a moment later.

"Ha ha." Link breathes, not finding it all that funny at all.

Zelda and Mipha meet them at the Domain's infirmary. An attendant hovers her hand over a deep cut in the Prince's abdomen, glowing with blue light. Her power seems much weaker and slower than Mipha's, probably not much better than a hearty elixir.

Paya sits alone on a bench, looking very tired.

"Sidon!" Mipha exclaims, and runs to his side. "What were you thinking!?"

The Zora Prince sits up slightly with a bashful grin, "I thought we were going to fight a wizzrobe! I did not anticipate the Lynel. Thank you, dear sister, for saving us. Your accuracy with Vah Ruta is outstanding!"

Mipha wraps her arms around him tightly. "I'm just glad you are alright."

Zelda lingers at the doorway. "…What happened to, uh, my friend?" She needs to at least learn that red-haired girl's name, or it'll be too obvious she doesn't know a thing about her.

Paya weakly gestures to the door, frowning. "She disappeared a while ago."

"What!?" Sidon exclaims, "She had an arrow in her shoulder! Why would she leave without healing?"

Mipha releases him from her hug. "She must have known I would have given her a stern talking-to for going on dangerous adventures with my baby brother."

"Hey!" he protests, "You will do no such thing, she is an admirable warrior and a valued ally. And I'm not a baby, I've seen more years than you."

"Don't be silly, Sidon. You'll always be my baby brother. It's my job to watch out for you." She pinches his cheek like a doting grandmother.

Zelda feels herself smile slightly. Even though they've been apart for a century, Mipha's only concern is catching up on her duties as a big sister.

Chapter Text

The electro elixir is wearing off, which wouldn't normally be important. The wizzrobe is dead and its thunderstorm has long cleared.

The problem, is that Link is pretty sure that the arrow in their shoulder is a shock one.

Sidon and Paya had refused to touch it until they returned to Zora's Domain for proper medical attention, but Link was not going anywhere near a Zora using magic. The Yiga spells forming their disguise are a direct progression from Ancient Sheikah tech, and Ancient Sheikah tech absorbs magic of any type like a sponge.

Any healer with half a brain would notice their magic behaving weirdly. Letting someone else attend to the wound just isn't an option, not that Link would trust the Zora anyway.

Link had slipped away when nobody was looking, grabbing their pack to sling it over one shoulder, careful to not disturb the arrow lodged in the other.

They keep moving until they find a secluded area of forest, where they drop their pack and then the disguise. The grass is long, untouched by people or animals for a long time.

The arrowhead lets off a small spark, and the muscles in Link's injured arm contract involuntarily. He doesn't scream. He wants to, though. He really, really wants to. Now that he isn't in the heat of battle, the wound really hurts.

He rips off his mask and tries to examine the arrow, but the angle is really hard to see. Craning around to try and look at the back of his shoulder just tugs on the wound more. He takes a second to catch his breath. Every time the muscles in his arm move, they slice themselves even more on the head of the arrow.

As much as he'd like to take his time with this, it's just not possible. Once the effect of the electro elixir is gone, this thing will kill him. Not quickly, but eventually he won't be in a state to do anything to save himself. And Link refuses to die alone in the forest from a single arrow.

He pulls out some cards and in a burst, a Windcleaver rests in his hand. It's a pretty bad tool for this, but it has a reflective surface he can use to see his own back. He holds the sword above his head and spends too long trying to get the right angle.
There's not all that much blood, held back by the arrow itself. It had just missed his plate armour, the dual points stabbing through the part of his uniform that's just thin, flexible fabric. He's not sure what he would have done if it was stuck under the metal of his armour. He probably should have thought about that before he dispelled the disguise.

Knowing a Lynel's strength, the only reason it didn't go straight through him is because it's lodged in bone. It's going to be a nightmare to pull out.

He can reach and touch it with his left hand, but every angle he tries won't allow him to yank it free.

Luckily, it's not buried very deeply into his shoulder -- the part where the two tips of the arrowhead meet is exposed. He might be able to thread something through the gap. He briefly considers the Windcleaver before deciding there are far too many ways that can go wrong. That's a bit of a ridiculous way to die, stabbing yourself in the back with a sword.

The arrow jolts again while he's looking through his pack. He squeezes his eyes shut and tries to keep his breathing even. Something wet trickles down his back.
The spool of spare bowstring is exactly what he's looking for. He pauses at the sight of a travel token. Would teleporting solve this whole problem?

He tosses the token across the clearing and performs the handshapes to teleport over to it, spending precious cards.

The arrow sparks again, still in his shoulder. Each time, it's getting slightly more painful. It's starting to make him want to just claw the thing out with his fingernails.
At least he's found a way to smuggle weapons over a long distance teleport -- just stab yourself first!

He may be getting slightly delirious.

Link staggers back over to grab the thread. He fumbles trying to hold the end, and the spool drops to the grass and unrolls as it bounces away.

His right arm is starting to feel numb, and twitches even when it's not getting shocked.

It's difficult to do with one hand, behind his back, but he's eventually able to get the length of bowstring through the root of the forked arrowhead.

He ties the ends firmly around a tree branch. He takes a deep, shuddering breath. And runs.

The bowstring goes taut with a twang and the arrow is yanked free. He can't hold back a yell of pain, and his legs go weak and he's suddenly on the ground.

The arrow lands next to him, bloodied tip studded into the dirt. His vision blurs with tears.

Blood… he needs to do something about that.

…He's probably bleeding a lot right now, but he's really tired.

He cracks an eye open when something gently tugs at his hair. A horse's face is way too close to his own.

It loudly snuffles.

"Ack!" he sits rolls onto his side and tries to smack it on the nose, but misses. "Don't eat my hair!"

The horse's ears flick backward, but it doesn't look too spooked. It moves on to shove its face into his pack.

Link shakily pulls himself to his feet.

He needs to find his bandages before this horse eats them.

His shoulder is wrapped tightly, if a little haphazardly. There was no way to do that one-handed; he had to use his teeth, too.

Link lights a fire and, too exhausted to cook anything elaborate, roasts some apples. The wild horse still hasn't wandered off, staying close to the crackling fire and watching the apples as they cook.

He tosses one to it, and they eat together.

Sidon strides out of the infirmary with a big grin on his face. He flexes his muscles triumphantly, "-- And nary a scar at all! Mipha, dear sister, you have done more to train the young healers of the Domain in the past days than decades of study."

Mipha smiles softly, "I am just glad to be of service."

The Domain has quieted, now that the sun has fully set. Zelda's boots feel far too loud on the hard, polished surface. It's a strange thing to notice, but she can't help but be overly aware of the fact that she's the only one of the group whose footsteps she can hear. Sidon and Mipha have bare feet, and Paya is somehow able to not make a single noise with her wooden sandals.

"…Zelda," Mipha says, "when you leave to visit the other Champions, may I join you?"

"What?" Zelda and Sidon say at the same time.

"I do want to see the others, too."

"But you cannot just leave the Zora after so much time away!" Zelda doesn't know what to think. Mipha still has her family -- she doesn't need the other Champions. She should be happy -- why would she ever willingly leave them after what happened, after she almost died?

"Our time together has been a blessing," Mipha acknowledges, "but I know that my home will always be waiting here for me. I do not believe we are quite done with our sworn duties as Champions... We may have to sneak away, though. My father will not be happy to know I am leaving."

Zelda hands are curled into fists. She forces herself to relax before she cuts herself with her fingernails.

Sidon takes it in stride, "If that's the case, I shall also join you! I hear there is danger on the roads, and I would be proud to serve as protection for Princess Zelda and my beloved sister alongside my new friend Paya."

"But we're going to Death Mountain!" Paya exclaims, speaking for the first time in hours. "…And, I, um, don't mean any offense, but I don't think Sidon will fit on the back of a horse."

"…That is true," the towering Zora shrugs. "However! We can simply commission a carriage. I hear there is a group of highly skilled carpenters in a small community in Akkala. They work quickly and well. It is not too much of a detour, I believe -- and we can make it there in less than half of the time if you are willing to travel the waterfalls."

"Oh Goddess." Paya mumbles.

Zelda huffs a deep sigh. "Paya, are you prepared to resume our journey in the morning?"

The young Sheikah doesn't look at her, instead watching the moonlight reflected on the waterfalls. "Of course, Your Highness."

Link wakes up much later into the day than he's used to. It's a bit disorienting.

The horse is still here, grazing at the lush grass.

His shoulder aches, but he is used to pain. Instead, he picks up his discarded upper armour. The fabric is stained a dark reddish-brown, and has two punctures where the arrow had cut through.

The space between the holes is slightly singed by the electricity that had run through it.

After a hearty breakfast of fried eggs with greens and whatever else he could find, Link goes looking for a pond. The horse follows, intently curious as Link dunks his uniform into the water and scrubs.

"Excuse me, uh, Your… Honour…?"

"Her Highness." Paya corrects.

"Oh, uh, apologies. Her Highness, the carriage is done." Hudson gestures over to the worksite across the plaza.

Zelda sets down her empty teacup. "It was lovely having tea with you, Mattison."

The toddler beams and collects the wooden cup into her basket. She waves goodbye as Zelda stands to curtsey graciously and follow Hudson.

Mipha and Sidon are both elsewhere, assisting with some work down at the lake.

As they walk, Zelda's eyes drift to the mountaintop that holds the remains of the Akkala Citadel. At the right time of day, it casts a deep shadow over the valley in which Tarrey Town sits.

In her time spent in the cheery settlement, she has been struggling to ignore it.
A monument of strength that had never truly existed.

If she ever had her sacred power, she might have been able to purify the dark magic that still taints the Guardians infesting the old fortress. But the only method she knows to deal with them is to destroy them through brute strength. Perhaps the Divine Beasts would be able to assist…

She's torn from her thoughts by Hudson, discussing the carriage.

"-- stress tested it. It can handle the weight of more than one Goron, and will make for a fairly smooth ride even at high speeds." The carriage is covered by a sheet, and with a flourish, the Goron worker sweeps it away.

"We present: The Hudson Convertible!"

"…Convertible?" Zelda examines it. It looks like a normal cart, though it is in the same style as the houses. It has a bright blue body with white trims.

"Yep," Hudson confirms, "we wanted to make sure it was useful in any part of the Kingdom. The roof is designed to protect against all conditions. It can be folded back, and the top parts of the walls can also be slotted down and out of the way for open-air travel on nice days."

"Wow." Paya steps up to it and raps her knuckles against the painted wood. "…Sidon might still have to slouch, though."

Several days later, Link trots up to the counter of Foothill Stable on the back of the wild horse. At the sight of them, the stable's manager opens a book with a smile.

"You're here to register that horse, I presume?" the manager holds a quill, poised to start writing. "The fee's 20 rupees." His nametag identifies him as 'Ozunda'.

"Partially, yes." Link dismounts from the horse and pulls out their own book and quill. "I'm actually here to talk on the behalf of the Stable Association."

"The Stable Association?" Ozanda repeats indignantly. "I paid my dues last week, and you're not getting any more money out of me. Not after a Guardian came rampaging through here yesterday -- it was eyeing us for days and none of your guys did a blasted thing about it. If we didn't have a group of Gorons visiting, this stable wouldn't be here at all."

Link reaches over to dip their quill in the man's inkpot. "Oh, that's not good. Sorry about that." They spend a moment writing nothing in particular in the notebook before reaching into their bag and pulling out two silver rupees. "We have a member satisfaction guarantee, so you get this as compensation."

Ozunda takes the money without complaint. "I just don't want it to happen again, alright? If I'm paying for protection I expect to get it."

"I completely understand," Link flips through their book. "The issue is that we're really understaffed at the moment. Most of our fighters are freelancers who operate on a bounty system. If they don't immediately see a monster in the area they'll just move on. We're working to get more full-time guards on payroll, but it's a slow process."

This whole charade is a lot easier now that Link is of working age and not a pre-teen. It had been difficult getting people to take them seriously back when they started.

"Well, can you speed it up, then? My employees don't feel safe."

"I can put your stable at the top of the list, but the biggest problem is money. With only five associated stables, we're stretched pretty thin, especially when we issue refunds."

Ozunda nods thoughtfully, "I'll put a good word in with the managers up at the Akkala stables, then."

And that kills two birds with one duplex bow. This manager will try to convince the others to join the Association and save the Link a lot of effort, and he's just agreed to having an intelligence agent stationed here. Time to see how many more birds they can get.

"That would be great! Now, what I actually came here to talk about was a new customer loyalty system the Stable Association is setting up… We're calling it Pony Points! We're thinking of giving out prizes like novelty saddles - and we'll provide them, so don't worry about that. All you need to do is track everyone who visits the stable…"

Link's arm still aches, so after they register their horse (they had blanked on a name and dubbed her "Cloud", even though she's mostly brown), they buy a hearty elixir along with the heat-resistance they need for Death Mountain.

(They had completely depleted their own supply of elixirs and hearty ingredients, habitually taking one every few hours.)

(It's fine.)

The stable worker selling the potions takes the opportunity to vent her life struggles, "Chilly elixirs are just so hard to make around here. It's easier to get the ingredients for fireproof elixirs, but no one wants to drink 'essence of lizard' just because Death Mountain isn't actively covered in lava. For some reason, even when there's already actual monster parts mixed in, everyone's so much more happy with juiced dragonflies. It's soooo annoying."

Link wants to grimace, but just blankly nods along. This worker's words really aren't helping to sell them. They're already not much of a fan of elixirs, vastly preferring to get the same effects from a nice, cooked meal. Elixirs are just handy since they're easily stored in a bottle and won't go stale.

"-- Have ya ever seen a Goron down an elixir?" she continues, "I'm still not even sure if they have any effect on them, but the young ones love chewing on the glass bottles. Don't let them convince ya to eat their food. It is not worth it."

On the road to Goron City, she can just barely hear the sound of thudding, growing louder as they approach.

"Are those… drums?" Zelda asks. From the back of her horse, she looks back to Paya, who is sitting cross-legged atop the roof of the carriage. This far from the crater, and in the shadows of cliffs on either side of the path, the heat is strong, but not oppressive.

Paya shrugs. "It sounds as if they might be having a party. I would not know, I've never been here before."

Mipha sticks her head out of the carriage, a wet cloth draped over her shoulders. "Is something happening? …Is that Vah Rudania?"

"Huh?" Zelda looks up.

Overhead, a giant leg reaches across the ravine, thudding into the opposite side, cracking the wall and sending large rocks tumbling. Rudania's head stares straight ahead, not glancing down.
A horde of Gorons appear, rolling down the path towards them, stirring up a massive cloud of grey dust.

Zelda's horse rears. She's thrown back, slamming against the front of the carriage and to the ground.

"Princess!"

She sits up and hits her forehead on the front axle of the carriage, falling back down to her elbows.

The horse steps backwards in a panic. Its feet clomp dangerously close to her legs, her only option being to scramble away underneath the carriage.

Rudania takes another massive step.

"Oh, sorry horsie!" a Goron unfurls from his ball and holds his hands out to the terrified animal.

It rears again, shrieking.

"Stop it!" Paya yells, "Back away!"

"Huh?"

The rest of the Gorons unroll, clearly confused.

The horse tries to bolt to the side, jolting the carriage. Zelda grabs onto a bar on its underside. Paya jumps from the carriage and runs to the horse's side.

Sidon and Mipha slam the door open and leap out. From under the carriage, all Zelda can see is their legs. "What is going on?" Sidon exclaims.

"Daruk!" Mipha calls, standing on the tips of her toes, "Come down here! Daruk!"

Rudania makes all sort of mechanical noises and halts with a clank.

A pause, and a thud.

"Hey hey hey, what's going on here?" Zelda's missed Daruk's voice. He's always had so much confidence. "Mipha!"

Mipha's feet disappear as she's lifted off the ground.

"It's good to see ya! I was worried 'bout you! How you been?"

Paya seems to have managed to soothe the horse, so Zelda decides it's likely safe to move out from under the carriage.

She reaches a hand out as she crawls, and a Goron shrieks. Sidon grabs her hand and drags her out before anything else can go wrong.

"Are you quite alright, Princess Zelda?"

She takes a deep breath. "…Yes. I am just a bit shaken. That was all very sudden." She releases Sidon's hand with a shaky, grateful smile.

"O-oh, this is all our fault. We weren't looking where we were going at all. I'm so sorry." the first Goron says.

"Woah, Princess!" Daruk exclaims, "What were you doing under there?"

"I don't think that's how you're supposed to use wagons," a young Goron adds, helpfully.

Zelda tamps down her annoyance, focusing on brushing the volcanic ash from her clothes. It comes off like little clouds of darkness. "Let's just put this whole thing behind us. Daruk, it is wonderful to see you."

Daruk grins, "Even better to see you!" Knowing better than to pick Zelda up, he instead offers a handshake (with his thumb and index finger).

"It looks like you've been getting along well with the Gorons of this time," she nods her head towards the horde, who are currently distracted by a flexing contest Sidon has gotten himself involved in.

"Yeah, they're great!" he leans toward Zelda, shielding his mouth as if to share a deep secret, "They don't know any of the classic jokes, so I may have been reusing some. Of course, I miss some of my ol' buddies, but --"

"I am sorry." Zelda says, "You agreed to fight Ganon, you never agreed to… this."

Daruk pokes her in the forehead. "Hey. Stop getting all caught up in your head. I just said I've been having a good time."

"And will you be having 'a good time' for the rest of your life?"

He shrugs. "There's no point worrying. We'll take every day as it comes, alright? By the way, who're your friends?"

Zelda introduces Paya, who just looks at Daruk wide-eyed without a word. Daruk solemnly gives her a fistbump.

Mipha drags Sidon away from the other Gorons, "Daruk, this is my younger brother, Prince Sidon. I don't believe the two of you have ever met. He was just a small child a century ago."

"Ha! Don't worry, a brother of Mipha's is a brother of mine!" he slaps Sidon on the back cheerfully.

"Ighh." Sidon says, knocked forwards a step. He coughs, slight tears in his eyes. "It is great to meet you, Champion Daruk!" He returns the back-smack with gusto.
Sidon silently grimaces and clutches at his now very sore hand.

Daruk gestures to the crowd, "Me and the boys have been scouting 'round the mountain to see if we can find new caves to open up. You wanna join?"

It's not really Zelda's… style, but she wants to spend more time with Daruk. "I suppose so."

"You won't be able to keep up with the boys rolling on the ground, so you'll have to ride with me and Rudania. Mipha, how 'bout you?"

Mipha is looking a little dry. "Uh, well, I think this might be a bit much for me, right now."

Daruk frowns. "We can stay away from the molten areas, and just look around the outer edges..."

The Gorons sigh sadly.

"While we're up at Vah Rudania," Zelda says, "We can do some diagnostics and see if she's in working order." She holds up the Shiekah Slate.

"Good idea! We'll have to leave Sidon and Paya behind, though… And I don't think they'll be able to keep up with the boys rolling on the ground."

"That's fine." Paya says, "We'll meet you later."

Sidon doesn't look quite as willing to be separated from his sister again so soon, but he doesn’t protest.

"We'll meet you at Goron City by evening," Mipha promises.

Daruk whistles loudly. "Rudania! Sentries!"

Something within Rudania rumbles, and a few seconds later, four Sentries appear. They hover down from the Divine Beast and into the canyon, their fan-blades buzzing.

Daruk grabs onto one and pulls it down to Zelda's height. "Just grab onto the bar here, it'll lift you up."

Mipha also gets one, while Daruk grabs one for himself with each hand.

The Sentry's propeller speeds up, and Zelda's feet are suddenly not touching the ground anymore.

Paya watches after them as they ascend. "Well, I must admit I am somewhat glad we are unable to join them. That looks much more stressful than swimming up a waterfall… So, uh, what now? I'm feeling pretty warm right now, it must be quite uncomfortable for you."

Sidon shakes his head. "The heat isn't that much of an issue, all I need is a bit of water. I say we visit the hot springs! I've heard great things about them."

"Hot springs?" Paya cringes, "Doesn’t that mean taking your clothes off?"

Sidon looks down at himself. "Paya… I am already unclothed."

"Oh. Right. Hot springs it is, then! If there's another Lynel, I will never go anywhere with you again."

Goron City is… unexpectedly quiet. The place seems almost entirely abandoned, aside from a few elders puttering around. It's absolutely the opposite to everything Link has ever heard about the place. Where did everybody go? Were they killed by Guardians?

Ready to unsheathe their new sword at any moment, they wander into a shop. A bored Hylian is slouched by the counter, shirtless in an apron and hardhat.

He also has the glow of Yiga cards all over him.

"What's going on here?" Link asks, approaching cautiously.

The agent straightens up. "Everybody's out adventuring with the Champion." He narrows his eyes. "…Link."

Link glares back. "Ikki, I assume? Report."

Ikki leans against the counter with sardonic smile. "Well, I'm on great terms with Daruk. He's been telling me all his best jokes, and keeps bringing me premium rock roasts, not that I touch the stuff. He thinks I'm very trustworthy."

"Ok. Give me intel."

"I'm afraid you might have trouble getting on his good side. I tried to help, by mentioning my good friend, a young Hylian woman with red hair? oh, her family breeds dogs! Because who doesn't love dogs, right?"

He leans into Link's space. "How was I supposed to know he hates them?. It freaked him out so much, he won't even talk to Gerudo… It was an honest mistake."

Link doesn't take a step back, because they won't be intimidated by Ikki. "Uh huh. Of course you'd let your grudges get in the way of the mission. Are you asking to be reported for sabotage? I outrank you, remember."

Ikki chuckles. "I wouldn't be so quick to flaunt that authority. Haven't you heard? The Clan found something very important in the pit. We're calling it the Depths, and Master Kohga has decided to completely restructure the Clan's hierarchy to focus on exploring it."

Link keeps their expression firmly blank. They hadn't heard of that at all.

"The issue of who gets to remain in the Intelligence Division is entirely based on recent performance. And what do you know? You haven't done anything."

He counts on his fingers, never dropping his smug expression, "The Thunder Helm is useless, because nobody can get it working in the five years we've had the thing -- it might even be a fake. You had years to figure something out, but the Calamity died anyway. You haven't even recruited half the stables to the Association… and you've still got nothing on how Zelda performed the stasis spell."

Ikki finishes his list with a condescending thumbs-up. "…You probably won't be demoted all the way down to hard labour, but it's not looking good."

"I don't care what you think. You're just a footsoldier." Link turns on their heel and walks away.

"Have fun in the Depths!"

If any of what Ikki said was true, then they're on a time limit.

If Daruk already dislikes Marin without ever meeting her, then the best option might be to cut their losses and move on. Not waste any of their precious time accomplishing more nothing at Death Mountain.

But that might be exactly what Ikki wants.

Link doesn't know what to do.

Frustrated, they swipe a handful of sapphires from an unattended stall and shove them into their bag. At least it partially makes up for the Foothill Stable refund.

The things they'd do to Ikki if he was bluffing. The things they'd do if he wasn't.

No member of the Yiga Clan has ever concerned themselves with being the bigger person.

Paya sighs contentedly, lying on the edge of the springs with her ankles resting in the water. "I am… so relaxed right now." The heat is like a blanket, and the steam makes such interesting shapes as it rises.

She has a brand new sword and shield by her side, ready for any surprise guests.

The water swishes as Sidon wades a bit closer. "The, well, texture of the spring water is quite unique. The minerals are entirely different to the ones I am familiar with at Zora's Domain. Thank you, again, Yunobo, for showing us the route to this fine location!"

Yunobo laughs self-consciously. "Aw, it was - it was nothing. If there's anything I can do to help folks out -- I'll do it!"

He pauses. "Oh, hey," the young Goron mutters, peering up the mountain. "There's someone waving to us. I guess I'll… go see what's up. Yeah. Uh, see ya, Goro."

Yunobo reminds Paya of herself, which is a very peculiar thing to ponder, considering so much between them is very, very different. Is she anywhere near as selfless and kind as Yunobo?
She kicks up some water, splashing Sidon in the face.

The Zora Prince laughs good-naturedly and splashes her right back. She shrieks and tears her legs out of the water to curl up into a ball and shield herself.

After about twenty minutes, Yunobo returns.

"Was there an issue?" Sidon asks. "We can --"

"Ah, no, not really. It was just someone who wanted to ask about Lord Daruk."

"…I would like to know more about him, too," Paya muses. "We met him for only a moment before we went our separate ways. Did you discuss anything interesting up there?"

Yunobo touches his finger to his chin. "Well, we had a good chat. She was really nice, and funny too -- she wanted to know if Daruk is actually scared of dogs. I said 'yep!', and she smacked a boulder and acted like she broke her hand. I'm not sure if I got the joke, but it was a pretty good punchline."

Chapter Text

"So, you're really doing well?" Zelda presses. She holds the Sheikah Slate to Vah Rudania's console, watching as unreadable text fills the screen. Eventually, it loads up the map so that she can inspect it.

"Yep!" Daruk grins, "I have a grandson!"

"A grandson?" Mipha repeats, "How… did that happen? I didn't know you have relatives." Some Sentries had carried a tubful of water up to the Divine Beast for her, and she seems very grateful for it. The air is very dry.

Zelda focuses back on the task at hand. The Slate's map is lit up with several warnings. As expected from Daruk's story, the damage is limited to Rudania's back, the scene of the fight against Fireblight. It had faced the brunt of a rockslide, and one of the Sentry ports is locked partially open.

Fixing it would have been a difficult task for the craftspeople and scientists a century ago. Today, it might never be repaired.

Daruk rubs at his nose proudly, "Well, I never actually had any brothers by rock -- I didn't even have any grandfathers, either. I thought I would stay lonely like that, but suddenly there he was, popping out of the very same cave as I did! It's been great getting to know him. My own grandson, that I don't even need to share!" He grins so brightly.

"That is very interesting. Are the two of you more alike than other Gorons?"

"Oh yeah! He's got Protection, too! It's his own style though."

Mipha blinks, "Wow. I didn't realise the rock you came from was so influential. I suppose that it does make sense -- most magic is affected by one's family."

Zelda closes the map and snaps a picture of Daruk and Mipha as they talk. A simple, happy moment. She smiles softly, but her heart immediately dips.
Both of their injuries are visible in the picture. The scarred burns on Mipha's face, and the deep gash across Daruk's back.

She silently deletes it and hooks the slate back onto her belt.

"The other Gorons tell me that Yunobo isn't a very brave guy, but I have no idea what they're talking about. He was the only one who came up with a plan to help bring down Fireblight. Without him, I'd be toast!"

Daruk laughs heartily, but Mipha's smile grows a bit strained. They watch the landscape pass by as Rudania walks, a moment of pause.

"How'd you go, Mipha? You got to your fight a lot earlier than any of us."

"Oh, uh. It was not… great. But Sidon and several other warriors came to my aid. It did not take long to bring Waterblight down. Everything was just so confusing. Soon after, Ruta… well, once her systems were fully back online, she expelled everyone, which helped me to focus on the mission."

"That must have given them a good scare!"

"Indeed" Mipha looks down at her hands. "…It doesn't quite seem fair. That after they did so much to save me and Ruta, they are once again forbidden to enter. It does make me ponder… how had the blights made it aboard?"

"…Good question." Daruk frowns. "I never thought about that. We got caught by surprise because nothing else can get in but us. If Rudania knows, she's not telling me…"

"Evil assimilates, overwhelms, impersonates." Zelda quotes, recalling one of her oldest lessons. "It may be that the Calamity held some intelligence that the Ancient Sheikah did not anticipate. It simply learned from the past and used abilities it always had."

The Goron Champion shudders. "Scary. Hope whoever has to fight it next does better than us."

"None of us will be around next time the Calamity returns, if it does." Mipha says, "I think we must try to safeguard the Divine Beasts, before what happened to us becomes lost to legend."

"That's easier said than done. We don't even know how it happened."

"We have nothing but time," Mipha assures.

Zelda considers it. It could take decades to decode the Sheikah Slate, even more to learn how to replicate it and then apply that knowledge to the Divine Beasts. It would easily add up to hundreds of years. "I think that if we set up the right research programs and treat this seriously, we might come up with a solution, if not in our lifespans, then within Mipha's."

Hyrule could become a hub of technological development, just as it had been ten thousand years ago. Zelda can make it happen, now that she is the --

The de-facto ruler.

Her father is gone. He has been gone for a long time.

Daruk and Mipha distantly laugh about something. Zelda turns back to Rudania's main control unit.

She should keep working.

Even after downing another elixir, Link's hand still stings from punching that rock. They hardly regret it, though. They've never felt so frustrated before.

After that young Goron, Yunobo, had left, they dumped their travel pack onto the ground and sat atop it, face buried in their hands.

Ikki, that idiot, would never pass up the chance to sabotage Link at the first chance he got. Link was a bigger fool for thinking that posting him across the kingdom would make any difference.

Marin would probably never be able to befriend Daruk. And Ikki has probably found a way to make himself scarce for the next few weeks. There's no reason to return to Goron City.

If there really is a chance of Yiga Clan ranks being restructured, Link needs allies. They'll have to find Kabanda and get him back at the Hideout.

After several long minutes failing to think of anyone else on their side, Link stands up and picks up their bag. They'd better get moving.

Daruk tilts his head. "Oh?"

Vah Rudania rumbles softly and stops in her tracks. The Goron Champion nods. He leans towards the edge to where the other Gorons are rolling alongside the Divine Beast. "Rudania says there's a cave around here!"

Mipha sits up. "Where is it?" She peers down to the ground below, seeing only a harsh cliff face, some boulders and a small, nearly-dry creek.

"Dunno." Daruk says, watching the Gorons search. "I'm not sure how Rudania even finds them. The boys are just gonna dig around for a bit until we spot something."

Mipha thinks it over for a minute, then points. "Look at the creek there. The water always has to go somewhere, but it just disappears." The slightest distance down the hill, there's no water at all. The creek looks like it only exists for about ten metres.

"Hmm. You think it's going into the cave?"

"It also looks like it's just appearing from the base of the cliff over there. It has to be coming from somewhere, too."

Daruk grins proudly. "Wow. You're clever with this. Two caves, in one spot, great job!"

He loudly whistles, and directs the Gorons to dig around the creek. The sound of rocks breaking is loud and rhythmic.

Mipha stands and walks to Zelda, still at Rudania's console. The Princess is hunched over her Sheikah Slate. Her journal is open beside her, its pages covered with indecipherably messy notes.

"Zelda? We have found a cave, probably."

Zelda looks up at her blankly, then immediately turns back to her Slate. "I'm busy right now." She's rotating the map of Rudania, zoomed in on the Divine Beast's fire ducts.

"Oh, uh, I thought you might like to take a break from your work."

"I don't need a break. You can go without me."

Rudania clanks and abruptly lowers about five metres. Mipha lets out a gasp and grabs onto the console to avoid falling over. Her stomach lurches.

"Sorry! My bad!" Daruk calls.

Zelda's book slides closer to Mipha. She leans over to pick it up, but Zelda snatches it away. Looking slightly flustered, Zelda snaps it shut and shoves it into her bag, then continues not looking at Mipha.

"Is there something wrong?" Mipha asks, "You don't have to --"

"Just go. It's better for my work to be done now than to have to come back later."

Something is clearly bothering Zelda, but she does not look like she's in a mood to talk about it. Resigned, Mipha returns to Daruk's side. The two Champions jump down from Rudania's lowered height to join the horde of Gorons.

The group had already pried enough rock from the cliff face to reveal a surprisingly spacious cave, apparently full of -

"Rock Roasts!"

Daruk holds one up, the chunk of rock looking almost like a normal cut of meat in his giant hand. "Let's see… probably not as spicy as the ones from the caves around Goron City, but look at that patterning. Gorons these days don't know what makes good rock -- the young ones will even eat octorock rocks, which is just asking for trouble. Gotta eat around the nasty stuff. This is a good, simple roast."

He holds the roast above his head and loudly announces, "Banquet tonight! Let's get ready for a feast, shall we?"

The Gorons erupt into cheers. For perhaps the tenth time that day.

"Hey, uh, Boss."

"Don't call me Boss. Yunobo's the Boss." Daruk corrects happily.

"Lord Daruk, the downstream cave, it's all flooded. I think it's not worth looking into."

Daruk nods in agreement. "No need for soggy rocks."

Mipha looks over to the disappointed huddle of workers around the smaller cave entrance. "I can investigate it, if you would like?"

A small Goron eagerly nods, "If you want to! I've always been curious about water caves. Nobody goes down into them, because Gorons don't swim."

The excavated cave entrance is small, but more than large enough for Mipha. The water flow from the creek is very gentle. To have flooded the cave, it cannot be the only water source. It doesn't smell stagnant, either.
She sets one foot inside. The water is much warmer than anything within Zora's Domain, but still tolerable.

There's a steep drop-off from the creek bed and into the depths of the cave. Mipha dives in.

The racket of the Gorons above-water is immediately muffled beneath its surface, leaving only the dull thuds of their picks. It's dark, with only a few luminous stones to light the cave below.

The current swirls around her. It's a very refreshing relief from the dry, dusty air.

She swims further down.

Half hidden beneath fallen rocks is a small structure. Carved white stone, holding what must be a broken statue of some kind. Jade green fragments, all different shapes and sizes, are scattered across the cave's floor. Mipha has no way to interpret how any of them had fitted together.

It's certainly an interesting material, quite unlike anything she has seen before. It must be an ancient site of some kind. There might have been wooden carvings or fabric here, once, but the mineral-rich water would not have treated such things kindly.

There is no way she can bring all of this back with her. Humming to herself, she selects a piece that looks almost complete, a carving of a horned creature's head. It is very large and quite heavy, but she's still able to carry it back to the cave entrance without trouble.

She holds it up, out of the water, and a Goron takes it from her hands. She surfaces to the sight of them huddled around it.

"Wow! This thing is weird."

"This isn't normal rock," the Young Goron muses, poking at the carved teeth. "Must be from Gorondia!"

"I don't think Gorons would ever make something like this. Why carve a weird ram when you can make a big Goron?"

Mipha pulls herself out of the water.

"Was there any rock roast down there?"

She shakes her head. If there was, she doesn't know how to identify it. The Gorons hand the large carving back to her. "Well, finders keepers. This thing's yours."

She isn't really sure what she could do with the strange object. Maybe Zelda would like it.

Link runs into another Yiga at Foothill Stable. She's most likely the agent who had wandered off instead of trying to fight that Guardian earlier. Rather than bothering trying to get her to do her job, Link gives her a real reason to leave - to go find Kabanda and tell him to return to the Hideout.

For the first time in years, they buy supplies. Link doesn't want to waste any time on the long journey hunting for food.

Paya is very of tired by the time she, Sidon and Yunobo return to Goron City. The combination of the late hour and the endless travel have left her feeling wiped, something not at all reflected in the locals' attitudes.

Goron City is alive with activity. Gorons bustle about an open plaza-type space, adjusting tables made of great slabs of metal to be aligned just right A grand stack of Goron food sits in the centre, beneath the shadow of Lord Daruk. A statue of his face, that is.

The real Lord Daruk waves them over to where he's sitting, at a table with Princesses Zelda and Mipha. "Hey, welcome! We're celebrating a lot of things tonight -- two visiting heroes, good friends, and good rock roasts!"

Princess Zelda pays them no mind, entirely distracted by a strange carving of a dragon's head that sits before her. Paya steps closer to peek at her journal. She can make out a scribbled diagram of Hyrule, with several locations highlighted. She desperately wants to ask about it, but can't quite muster the confidence.

She and Sidon sit next to Yunobo at another table. Paya just smiles and nods awkwardly as Sidon excitedly converses with their Goron hosts.

She is so far from Kakariko right now.

A Goron approaches the tables, bearing a platter. He sets down a curry for Mipha and Zelda each. He frowns when he notices Sidon and Paya.

"Oh… We only made a few curries. Unless you want a rock roast, it'll be a while…"

"That's fine!" she blurts, "I'll try a rock roast! We're in Goron City, after all!"

Sidon nods, "That's the spirit! I really have no choice but to follow suit."

"So, Yunobo," he begins, once the server has left. "I hear that we partially have you to thank for Daruk's defeat of the Fireblight."

Yunobo grins and rubs at the back of his neck. "I guess so? Nobody else had any ideas of what to do, or if helping was even a good idea. That monster was scary. A trap seemed like the best idea at the time. There's no way I could beat it with just a cobble crusher."

Sidon nods. "It is a bit similar to we Zora. Mipha was always the most skilled fighter of us all, so we worried that bringing more warriors into the battle might just result in more casualties with little result. It was only when we devised a way to restrain it -- almost a century ago, now, that we were confident to prepare for everyone to join the battle."

"That must have been weird for you, just waiting. It's been so long that nobody in Goron City thought anything would ever change."

"It was… painful. To be separated from my beloved sister for so long… I was always ready to leap into battle to help her."

"Even when you were a child?" Paya asks, surprised.

"Yes, of course! …It took me a while to realise it, but out of all of us, she was the one who most believed she might never return from her duty. I was determined to prove her wrong."

"That's heavy, Goro."

The group dip into silence. It's not long until three rock roasts are delivered to their table.

"Thanks!" Yunobo says, and starts eating without hesitation.

"This really is just rock, isn't it?" Paya taps her fingernails against it. It's completely solid.

She counts down from three in her head and lifts the chunk of roast to her mouth and attempts to bite into it. It tastes like rock, but there's some depth there she hadn't expected. Something cracks unpleasantly.

Paya drops the roast and covers her mouth with her hand.

"…Interesting." Sidon says as he chews. "Ohk. I think I chipped a tooth."

"Me too." Paya says miserably. One of her teeth is definitely not the shape it used to be.

"So we match! Not to worry, it'll grow back," the Zora Prince valiantly takes another bite.

"No it won't!"

"What, really? That is very surprising. I will just have to break my replacement tooth in solidarity."

Paya groans at the corniness, but can't help smiling. She's already committed to it, so she very carefully takes a second bite of rock.

Princess Zelda's untouched plate of curry taunts her.

Link pats Cloud's neck as they dismount. The horse leans into the touch, clearly a bit worn from the long journey. They should remember to give her extra treats for a job well done.

A greying Hylian in a giant, gaudy coat stands outside Rito Stable, leaning against a stack of logs and counting. "Twenty-two, twenty-four. Alright, that should be enough wood for the framework. You said that this is a larger building, yeah?"

The green Rito next to him startles. "Yes, that's correct."

No one pays any mind to the massive Divine Beast circling overhead. Everyone is much too busy with their woodworking to stare at something that's always been there. The only difference is that it's moving now.

Link walks past the piles of construction materials, carefully leading Cloud around a donkey harnessed to a wagon of freshly felled logs. A large wall made of planks hammered together is painted with diagrams of the anatomy of a standard Rito house, surrounded in scrawled equations. Much of it is coated in a thin layer of morning frost.

Once they've walked around the wall, Link can finally see the result of their earlier, flame-based handiwork. It's pretty dire.

Cloud snorts, as if agreeing.

Several buildings are missing in their entirety, others scorched black and cracked through their supports. The winding staircases are mostly gone, replaced by steep planks haphazardly connecting the few structures that remain unburned.

The village is surrounded by tents and a few makeshift cabins crafted from the charred scrap wood.

"Hey lady!" the man in the coat calls, "You've got a horse, you here to work?"

Link turns and points to themself, questioning.

"Yeah, you! Eight rupees an hour. I'd normally pay a smidge better, but this is quite the charity case… and it's eating into my retirement fund."

"I'll just… check my horse in at the Stable." Link mumbles.

The man sighs. "Young people these days… whatever happened to work ethic…"

Arriving at the counter, Link hands Cloud's reins to a worker and then dives into the Stable Association pitch. A great thing about the Association is that part of the fees go towards insurance. So if a stable were to burn down, the manager wouldn't have to scrounge up the cash or rely on goodwill like the poor Rito. Galli basically agrees to sign up on the spot.

Arson really is a multipurpose tool.

The wind carries the smell of cooked food, but by the time Link has crossed the bridges to the village, everyone's cleaning up after their breakfasts. Link spots Tulin pouring soap into a tub of water. His feathers look messier than usual, sticking out from the sides of his head.

"Hi Marin," the young Rito says, barely looking up from the dishes he's scrubbing. "My parents were worried that something happened to you during the fire. I thought you just left before it happened."

"…Yes." Links agrees cautiously. "I didn't even hear about it until I got to Riverside Stable. But they shouldn’t worry, I can take care of myself - I'm not a child."

"Knew it. Mom and Dad are such worrywarts." Tulin grumbles, dunking a bowl into the water. "Worry worry worry about everything."

"…and something about that seems to bother you." Link tries a sarcastic smile.

"Nobody around here thinks I can do anything! I've been flying two years already, and I can shoot better than half the warriors. But they won't even let me join them clearing monsters from the forest." He smacks his washcloth into the dish aggressively.

"What about the Champion?"

"He's as much a stickler as all the adults. He just got mad that I tried to help beat the Windblight. But he's mad at everyone, like, all the time."

"Oh... Does he have… anger issues?"

"I think he's just cranky. He was really injured, so he hasn't been able to do anything since the Calamity. Must be boring, I guess."

The satisfaction of watching the Calamity die was immense, incomparable. Everyone around Revali cheered as the final shred of its spirit sank back beneath the ground, like smoke that was somehow both heavier than air and intangible.

The other Champions were alive, evidenced by their own strikes upon the castle. He can assume that they were all struck by similar demonic ambushes.

He did feel bad about not coming to anyone's aid. It was something he had often thought about; that if anything were to go wrong aboard a Divine Beast, Revali would be the only one who could possibly respond in time. He took a lot of pride in that fact, but when the situation actually appeared, he wasn't able to do anything.

"Wow." the white Rito breathed. He made startled eye contact with Revali, then turned to shout, "Saki!"

Revali was starting to feel a bit tired, now that the disgusting beast was dead. He still didn't recognise a single Rito in the crowd of curious faces.

The masses parted for a pair of pink Rito, carrying overstuffed bags.

"Medics are onsite, everyone else get off Vah Medoh!" the redder one ordered as the other slowly pushed Revali to sit on the ground.

"Alright, dear, let's just relax." she said, pressing her wingtips to Revali's cheek. "Oh, I had so hoped we wouldn't end up with a face wound. There's a lot of bleeding, but I think it's just a scrape."

"Saki." the other Rito interrupted, kneeling next to them. "Chest wound."

"What?" Saki. She glanced down. "Pluck. Bedoli, scissors." She pushed him down further until he was lying on his back.

Saki ignored Revali's protests as she snipped through the straps of his armour that she could've just undone without ruining. He tried to swat her away, but his wings were suddenly feeling very weak. "He's definitely in shock. An elixir might drown him."

As Saki cut his clothes away, Bedoli quickly unpacked the rest of their medical equipment, revealing a massive swathe of bandages, bottles, surgical equipment - and three glowing jars. She set one down right next to his face. "Fairies on standby," she reported. Noticing him looking, she smiled tightly. "I've been preparing my whole life for this moment."

Revali felt a flare of irritation through the ever increasing fog in his head. "Just what is going on?"

"I don't think knowing would help you right now" Saki said, removing his Champion's scarf. It was stained an unpleasant shade of red. "Don't need to stress about it. We're here to help."

Who were these people? They must have been from a village outside Hyrule, but then, what happened to his villagers?

She swore again once his chest was exposed. "Bad spot. Teba, press here to feel his pulse, and watch his breathing."

"What, just make sure he's still doing it?" Teba's voice was frantic.

Bedoli reached over to quickly wipe at Revali's chest with a soaked cloth. She handed Saki some kind of metal tool.

Revali gave up on paying attention after that point. His wounds were suddenly hurting a lot, making each shaky attempt at a breath sting. It felt like he wasn't getting enough air.

Teba smoothed down the feathers on his forehead, which was nice.

… vein, not artery … going to pinch … tially cauterised on ex … too much blood … ight through a rib … shard might've punctur …

And then Teba started shouting.

When Revali opened his eyes again, he was still lying on Medoh's back in a pool of his own blood. The little jar next to his head was empty.

That was several long, dull days of enforced bedrest ago. Since then, Revali had nothing to do but lay around and stare at the ceiling of Teba and Saki's home. Despite the endless amount of elixirs and fairy dust they had periodically inflicted on him, the villagers were refusing to let him do anything in fear of him straining himself. It was annoying. Demeaning really.

Some hero's welcome. The finest, and technically eldest, warrior in the village being treated like a fledgeling.

The village itself was a shocking sight. There's literally only three huts left. A far cry from its former glory. They've been working to build new houses, so everyone else is busy fetching wood and loudly hammering through all hours of the day. Torturous.

All there is to do is to dwell on the fact that almost everyone he once knew is long dead.

"Ahem."

Finally, a living soul. Revali's thoughts aren't the kind that anyone would like to be left alone with.

It was Teba, standing in the doorway of his own house as if he was not sure if he's allowed in. Behind him, Tulin.

Revali considered trying to sit up in the hammock, but that is generally not something anyone could do with grace.

"Tulin has something he wants to say to you." Teba announced, and gently pushed Tulin across the threshold.

Tulin mumbled something.

"Speak up." Revali ordered.

"I said I'm not sorry."

"Tulin." Teba grimaced like he just ate something foul.

"I'm not sorry! You can't force me to apologise."

Revali fumbled to sit up, almost kneeing himself in the face in the process. The hammock swung wildy. "You're glad you distracted me in battle and almost got me killed?"

"Well, it wasn't my fault, was it? I'm not the one who shot you. I was just trying to help."

"What exactly would you have been able to help with?"

"I'm a great shot, and the plan was that everyone who could fight would. I wasn't going to miss out on the moment everyone had been waiting for just because I'm a kid."

"Ah, you were in it for the glory. You must be disappointed, then. That was an embarrassment."

Tulin stormed away.

"I'm really sorry, Master Revali. He's… entering his rebellious phase, and it's a bit much for Saki and I to handle. He got these ideas into his head after the fire -- I swear he's a good kid."

Revali flopped back down into the hammock. Why anyone would act so brattish with two loving parents was entirely beyond him. What does Tulin think he has to prove?

Does the kid think he's better than Revali? That's just delusional.

The Champion had only been knocked out of the fight in the first place because he was trying to stop Tulin from getting killed. If no-one had interfered, he wouldn't have needed anyone's help at all. Revali had a strategy that was working, and would have killed that Blight eventually, century-long-stasis or otherwise.

Link needs to be delicate, when trying to interact with Revali. From Tulin's account, the Rito Champion is very easily offended.

Revali's apparently been walking around camp this morning, though he shouldn't be exerting himself. Tulin says his mom was very particular about that.

There's a couple of Rito chiselling away at curved wooden beams, refining the parts that will slot together to create the underfloor structure. Some Hylian workers are slowly working at splitting a log, hammering wedges deeper into its wood while a group of Rito children try to sing in time with the irregular beat.

The Rito workers are hugely outnumbered by Hylians.

Link wanders around the site for several minutes, not seeing Revali anywhere. He's the only Champion that Link has the advantage of already knowing what he looks like, but that's not helping at all.

It's only when they walk around a stack of crates at the edge of the camp that they find him.

Revali is sitting on the ground, staring across the lake.

"Why are you hiding?" Link accidentally asks. They're immediately off-script.

He looks over to them, and turns away dismissively. "I'm not hiding. Mind your own business."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I told Saki you're over here."

"Why do you care what I'm doing?" the Rito's feathers fluff up slightly. That's defensive behaviour, Link is pretty sure. They're off to a bad start. Again.

"Why wouldn't I care? You're the great Master Revali, the Rito Champion. You're by far the most interesting person here."

Revali looks at them again, but doesn't turn away. He raises one eyebrow slightly. Judgementally.

"And, well, when I heard you were back, I had to see for myself. I came all the way from Hateno right away," Link is rambling again, but can't manage to stop themself, "because everyone always says such amazing things about you, and I wanted to see if it was true. Can you really harness the wind to take off from the ground?"

Revali's unimpressed eyebrow lifts even further as they keep talking. This is just a repeat of the mess with Zelda. Link's heartbeat is hammering erratically, and all they want to do is jump down a well. They're hopeless at this.

And then the Rito Champion smirks. "I assure you, whatever you have heard of my skills is no exaggeration. I am the most capable warrior the Rito have ever seen. It is only natural that even Hylians would remember my abilities even a century later."

He stands, a wing dramatically pressed to his chest. It's missing a large chunk of feathers. "Unfortunately, I am told I am in no state to fly. I'm sure you understand my plight."

Link's mind is uselessly blank. They had expected nothing but rejection. Caught off-balance, they fumble to act naturally, resting a hand on one hip and tilting their head.

"I don't think anyone can tell you what to do. Would you be able to show off your archery, at least?"

"If you so insist. However, we'll need to find a bow without provoking my doctors. I have been wanting to practice my archery for a while now, and they've been trying to stop me at every turn." He turns to walk away.

"I'm Marin, by the way. It's great to finally meet you!" Link falls into step next to him. Things might finally be looking up.

Chapter Text

"I don't know how you can stand this," Revali complains after a mere fifteen minutes into their journey around the edge of the lake. "This is so woefully slow. Don't you find it childish?"

"Do you mean walking? We don't really have a choice. There's a reason Hylians aren't known for our flying." Link privately thinks that core of the Rito Champion's unhappiness is because he has short legs. He probably has to walk a bit faster than usual to match Link's pace, and it's messing with his pride that he's empty-handed while Link carries their travelling bag and archery equipment. "I have a horse, if you'd prefer I go back and fetch --"

"That will not be necessary. Horses are hideous, dangerous beasts, for all that you Hylians are enamoured with them."

Link shrugs, adjusting the weight of the bag on their shoulders. "Riding a horse feels like freedom. Especially at a gallop. It's just the two of you against the world."

"But, all the training and… excrement… you must endure to get to that point. Any Rito warrior would balk at the level of reliance your soldiers have upon those things."

"Hey, connections aren't a bad thing. It's healthy to be able to trust someone to have your back." Not that Link would know, really.
(Kabanda might count, if he was ever capable of keeping a secret.)

Revali scowls. "I get the sinking impression you're trying to talk about something else. I'm not interested in you trying to interrogate my psyche."

"Just think about it," Link says with a grin, "I can catch you a horse if you ever decide you want one."

"You can believe me when I say that will never happen."

They continue talking about nothing in particular as they travel. Revali doesn't pay any mind to the temperature dropping as they draw nearer to the snow-capped mountains. There's no snow underfoot, but the wind is harsh, stinging Link's ears and pulling wildly at their hair.

Eventually, they climb a ladder to enter a lonely hut. It's as open as all other Rito designs, doing nothing to shelter them from the cold. This place seems to just be an equipment shed, but also sports a firepit and a few hammocks.

Revali strides across the room to a platform suspended over the edge of a deep canyon. "Welcome to the Flight Range," he declares, and then his expression drops. "Oh. The targets are gone."

"Where are they supposed to be?" Link shivers and grabs a blanket from a hammock and wraps it around their shoulders. Marin's clothes are not suited to cold climates, and neither is Yiga armour. They're not actually sure which outfit would have an effect, either way. They're not a technician.

"Along the cliffsides, and in the centre pillar, there. Whoever was last here was apparently too lazy to replace all the targets they destroyed. What are you doing."

Link rummages through their bag until they find their flint and cooking ingredients. "Gonna start a fire. It's cold." They grab the wooden branch they picked up earlier, and snap it into smaller pieces over their knee.

"Is your constitution really so weak? You should have brought warm clothes."

They shove the wood into the metal cage and strike the flint until it sparks. It takes a moment to catch, but the fire happily eats at the waiting fuel. "I'm not great at thinking ahead."

"Clearly. Summer in Tabantha does not mean the same thing it does everywhere else."

Link pours a dash of oil into the cooking pot, then works on tearing up some peppers in their hands. They throw in a handful in once it seems hot enough. As they watch it cook, Revali strides around the hut impatiently.

"You want some sauteed peppers?"

"No. There's plenty of spare targets. We might be able to mount them on some of the trees, anything else is probably a waste of time. Neither of us can fly right now, so --"

"I could put them up in the range if you really want." Link shoves the still-scorching peppers into their mouth. "Just climb around for a bit."

"Seriously? Marin, that's absurdly dangerous. If you slip, you're dead."

"I said I wanted to see you in action, right? I'm willing to take some risks."

"And it won't be necessary. The point of the range is for aerial archery, it barely matters when we're just on the ground." Revali gathers up the targets in his wings and drops them down the ladder, muttering to himself. "Of all the ideas…"

Link follows behind sullenly. "I climb up and down cliff faces all the time. It's how you get to the best hunting spots." Namely, the Great Plateau.

"Is everyone so reckless these days, or just you?" Revali hands them half of his collection of targets. They're made of painted wood, pockmarked by arrows already. "Go attach these to the trees over there."

The wind has finally calmed enough that Link can see their own breath with every exhale. It stands out strikingly against the dark foliage of the tree line.

"I haven't wielded a bow since I was transplanted into this accursed era… excluding my defeat of Windblight, of course," Revali muses as he turns a swallow bow over to examine it. "The craftsmanship is passable." He tugs the string experimentally, and smoothly nocks an arrow.

Bow drawn, he aims at a target about fifty metres away. "I would prefer my Great Eagle bow, of course." He releases the arrow, and it lands within the painted centre.

Link claps politely. "That was an amazing shot! Especially with no warm-up."

Revali ignores them, drawing another arrow from the quiver at Link's hip. "…Teba has blatantly been concealing the details of my bow's disappearance. I suspect he fears that I will react harshly. Do you happen to know anything?"

"Not more than anyone else. They lost it on the night of the fire."

"But it has not been destroyed."

Link shifts their weight awkwardly. "You're not going to go running off to find it, are you?"

"Whatever I do is my own business. I can tell that you know something." He hits a hanging target right at the edge, causing it to swing and spin wildly. He aims for the same target again.

"You're too smart to keep secrets from," Link flatters. "It was stolen. I don't think anyone has had time to look into it, given the rebuilding."

"Stolen," Revali mutters, and fires. The spinning target jolts, the arrow embedding itself perfectly in its centre. He smirks.

"…Wow. I thought we could do a competition, but I don't have a chance here. How do you do that?"

Revali shrugs with insincere humility. "It is a well-honed skill. You should see me shooting from the air."

"When you're all healed up, I'm sure I will! Then we can go find your bow. I assume you want to do it yourself, given-"

"That sounds like a great idea. That thief's days are numbered… they can run, but I'll shoot them in the hands."

"The hands?" Link winces at the thought. Revali would be able to make that shot.

"Seems fitting, does it not? They'll never be able to use a bow again, or hold the rupees they probably sold it for… Though, they'll likely be dead before that's relevant."

"That's great. So, uh, how long until your feathers grow back?"

Revali holds up his damaged wing. "These missing feathers aren't the problem. Anyone proficient enough will be able to fly regardless. The actual issue is with one of my abdominal air sacs."

Link blinks. "Huh?"

"It is apparently damaged where it connects to my lung. I am told I shall make a full recovery, but in the meantime, any strenuous exercise risks rupturing it again. Or I could just pass out from lack of oxygen."

"I'm sorry, what is an airsac?"

Revali rolls his eyes and resumes his archery demonstration, drawing and firing shots in quick succession. "It is a vital component of the Rito respiratory system. It has the same purpose as -- but is far superior to -- a mammal's diaphragm. Every bird has them. You've said you're hunter, surely you've butchered a pigeon before."

"I don't pay attention to their guts! That's weird!"

"Weird as it may be, it's the best way to have a proper understanding of how anatomy works. Whoever raised you clearly neglected you education."

"Oh. That might be true." Link picks up a rock. "How good are you at shooting moving targets?"

Revali shoots a couple of snow pigeons for a late lunch. They sit together in the cabin, Link preparing the raw meat while Revali tries to make them look at bird guts.

Link starts skewering the meat, alternating with mushrooms. They pause.

"Isn't a bit weird?"

"What are you on about now?"

"Eating birds. You're a bird."

"You tell me. Is it weird eating cows?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're both mammals -- oh. Nevermind." He flaps his wing and turns his head away angrily, as if he was the one insulted.

Link lets out a breath of a laugh. Revali looks slightly embarrassed, but relaxes when he sees that Link clearly doesn't mind it at all.

They return to Rito Village a couple of hours before sunset. Standing at the threshold, wings on her hips, is Saki.

"Where'd you two go?" her tone isn't accusatory, but Revali bristles anyway.

"You do not need to constantly know my location, every hour of the day."

"Revali, I am your doctor. If you exert yourself too much after such a traumatic event, it'll stunt your growth."

"I am not short!"

Saki doesn't try to stop him as he walks past her and into the village. She sighs, looking at Link with heavy tiredness in her eyes. "How'd this happen? Suddenly I'm looking after two angsty, uncooperative boys."

"Tulin's been causing you trouble, too?"

"He's suddenly learned stubbornness. The two of them just rile each other up."

"I bet you weren't expecting all this from the Rito Champion."

"Oh, from everything my mentor told me, I knew he'd be restless during recovery and that would make him irritable… I just didn't expect my sweet Tulin to make things worse. Hopefully things will calm down once he's back to full health."

All the Rito who had been out in the forest had returned to the tent camp for the evening, accompanied by even more Hylian and Goron workers.

Cooking for everyone is a large-scale operation. Every Rito with enough energy to help is gathered around the cooking tables in an assembly line, slicing meat, peeling vegetables and rinsing rice. Massive pots that must have been brought by the Gorons simmer over carefully maintained firepits.

After about ten minutes, the first pot is ready. Someone hands Link a bowl and they're suddenly in the line for food.

"Oh, you're Master Revali's friend, aren't you?" the Rito says as she ladles pilaf into Link's bowl. "Take another bowl, make sure he eats."

Revali is nowhere to be seen. Link triple checks every potential hiding spot, then starts to climb the stairs up to the remnants of the village, a bowl in each hand. After a few spirals, the brand-new stairs drop off, leaving just pegs driven into the rock with long wooden planks connecting them. Ascending any higher requires precarious balancing on the steeply angled boards.

It's quite reminiscent of their old nook in the Hideout's rafters.

The noise of the crowd fades away from the distance. The sun still has not touched the horizon, lingering into the late hours of summer.

"Uh, hello?" they say unsurely, stopped at the threshold of Teba's house. They were told this might be where Revali went, but he doesn't seem to be here either.

"Huh? Oh, you again." A hammock in the rafters rocks, and then a thud. An undignified pile of Rito feathers is suddenly on the floor.

"Ah! Are you alright!?"

Revali pulls himself from the rugs, rubbing at his beak. "I am fine. I… meant to do that."

"Of course. It’s the most direct way to the ground." Link hands Revali his food.

"Is this why you're here? You climbed all the way up to deliver a milquetoast bowl of pilaf." He lifts his spoon, and goopy rice plops back into the bowl to punctuate.

Link shrugs and sits cross-legged on the floor rug. "Is that so bad? I wanted to spend more time with you. You're an interesting guy… and I don't really like crowds."

Revali sits across from them. "Hmm. Everyone down there is insufferable. In numbers, they are indeed worse."

"You'd say that about your own people?" Link shovels pilaf into their mouth. It's a bit bland, and unevenly cooked, but far from the worst thing they've ever eaten.

"I hardly know them, and see no reason to change that. I'd be done with the village and depart as soon as I am able."

Link almost chokes on their food. "Really? You -- I don't think that's a good idea at all!"

"Why not? They don't need my protection, and I certainly don't need theirs. It is a time of peace, after all. I might even cross the northwestern ravine and see for myself how the other tribes have fared in the past century."

This is bad. That won't help anyone, least of all Link. If Revali leaves Hyrule entirely, they won't be able to follow, and certainly won't get any information out of him. While the rest of the Clan wouldn't mind a Champion running away from his problems, it's just going to make a thousand more problems for Link.

They thought they finally had an in with Zelda's entourage.

"What about Princess Zelda and the other Champions? Don't you want to-"

"What about them? I've fulfilled my role. I see no reason we should be glued together for the rest of my life."

"Aren't they your friends?" Link anxiously keeps eating.

"Associates. Coworkers, perhaps."

"But you have a special bond. Shared experiences, secrets."

Revali tilts his head boredly. "You could say that. I don't see how that matters, now that the Calamity is dead. We don't exactly have any common enemies anymore."

"The Yiga!" Link blurts out.

"…What about the Yiga?"

"They're the ones who stole your bow and burnt down the village!"

"They still exist? I assumed those buffoons would be long gone."

"You can't go yet, because Hyrule still needs the Champions to defeat the Yiga Clan. They have… evil ambitions. You can't underestimate them!" This is a very bad idea for so many reasons, but Link is grasping.

Revali hums, beak raised. "If it will ease your worries, I will look into it. It sounds as if the Yiga need to relearn consequences."

"Thanks. I've been… on edge, for the past few weeks." They finish off the last of their meal, though they don’t feel hungry at all anymore. "I'll… be going, now. Give you your privacy."

They practically run out of the hut.

Link returns the next morning, carrying a basket. Revali is sitting on the floor again, assembling arrows. He winds a thread around the shaft of the arrow to secure the fletching in place, over and over. The repetitive motions are almost hypnotic.

Link tears their eyes away and unpacks the food. "I made crepes. Used the last of my fruit and honey." They brought two plates, and the pre-sliced toppings in little bowls.

"Crepes? Oh, it's a kind of omelette, is it?"

They furrow their brow. "You could say that? Maybe? It's got eggs, but also flour and milk. It's supposed to be sweet."

Link takes a crepe and piles wildberries and chunks of banana in, topping with honey. They fold it up and push it towards Revali.

Revali cautiously picks it up in his wingtips and tears a small piece off with his beak. "Passable." A moment later, he adds, "…I've never had mighty bananas before. I don't see their appeal, the flavour is lacklustre. The honey does more than enough to sweeten it." He continues to peck at it.

"You can't say that about mighty bananas."

"They're bland, Marin. And slimy."

"You can't say that!"

"I simply speak the truth. Where did you even get them, did you carry them all the way from Faron?"

Link piles all the slices of banana onto their own plate. "Yeah." They bought them at a stable, but there's no reason to overcomplicate the conversation.

"And you're from one of the towns in southern Hyrule." Revali reaches over and takes a second crepe.

"All Hylian towns are in southern Hyrule, since the Calamity. But most people aren't really from anywhere these days. I just travel around."

Revali thankfully doesn't seem to care enough to ask for elaboration. "Are you intending on continuing archery practice today?"

"Amali asked me to supervise her children for a few hours. You're welcome to come with."

"No. I don’t have the time for such things."

"Aww, come on. What else are you doing with your time? They'll love it! Everyone really looks up to you."

Revali sighs dramatically. "I'll think about it."

"Hooray!" a green Rito child cheers, holding her wings up into the air. "Master Revali's here, too!"

The other girls turn around, sparkles in their eyes.

They're standing around a pile of cords, working together to twist them into ropes. Each of them has a single strand, skipping around in practised routine.

There's very few Rito in the village anymore. A pair of Hylian workers remain, lugging wood across the rope bridge, but pay them no mind.

The Rito children swarm around Revali, who very much looks like he doesn't know how to react. "Master Revali! Hi!"

Link cannot remember their names, but they're easy enough to tell apart by their bright feathers, each one a different a colour from her sisters.

"We're making ropes! Do you want to help!"

"For hammocks!"

Revali blinks his startlement away. "Ahem. If you so insist."

The yellow one gathers up cords in her wings. "What colour do you want? This one is the same as your plumage."

The girls rummage through the pile, bickering quietly until they gather a palette of dark blues, yellows and white. "It matches you," one says smugly.

Revali takes the offered colours without complaint.

"And orange ones for Marin!" The group push a selection of orange, yellow and red into Link's hands.

Link looks down at the cords helplessly. "I don't know how to braid."

The fledgelings ignore them, skipping away to resume their project.

Revali quirks an eyebrow skeptically. "Really? You have hair. It's fairly long, too. What do you do to stop it getting messy when it's windy?"

Link avoids eye contact. "I dunno." When Marin's hair gets too tangled they just dispel the disguise and recast it. Link's own hair is a mess, but it's not like anyone ever sees it. "…Can you teach me?"

"Fine," he sighs, like it is some great burden. "What the fledgelings are doing is too complex for beginners. You can start with something simpler. Pick out three of the strands and tie them off at one end so it doesn't unravel on you."

Link does so.

"And all you need to do is thread the outermost one into the middle. It's like each strand is a bitter rival, and insists on being the centre of attention by one-upping the others. It is a never-ending cycle, as doing so pushes another to the outside. See how two are always closer than the other?"

"…Okay." Link keeps their expression carefully neutral. That's very strange way of thinking about it. Does Revali treat everything in life like it's all about competition?
His attitude doesn't match any of the other Rito Link has met. Was their society of a hundred years ago radically different, or is he just an outlier?

"Pull the threads tighter than that," Revali criticizes, snapping Link from their thoughts. "Hey, you're doing it wrong. You have to cross it around either the front or the back, you can't do both."

He reaches over to interfere with Link's work. They try to gently slap his wing away with the back of one hand, but he is undeterred. He smacks their hand in retaliation. Link leans away, holding the strands away from his reach. "I can do it myself!"

It devolves into an undignified game of keep-away, Link falling onto their back and pressing one foot to Revali's chest to hold him back as they continue to try and continue the braid. Eventually, Revali is able to swipe it from their hands.

"Look, it's all twisted where… you… already redid it." Revali practically deflates. "…You may resume." He tosses the braid back, and it hits Link in the face. "Braiding is a fine art, you know. It is not to be treated lightly," he says to their self-satisfied grin.

In the time takes to finish the one braid, Revali has made three much more complex ones. The Rito children have started singing as they work, a tune they must have learned from their father about Revali himself.

Revali is practically preening at the complimentary lyrics. Noticing Link looking, his feathers fluff up slightly. "You're done are you?" He takes the completed braid and inspects it. "Hmph, you messed up again in the middle, but it's not bad work overall. How about you try a four strand one next?"

"Hey Marin, check this out!" Tulin says, then jumps and flaps his wings.

"Um, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be seeing?"

"Didn't you feel an updraft?"

Link shakes their head. Tulin holds his wings out at his sides, lets out a breath, and tries again.

"…Sorry, the only draft was from your wings."

Tulin pouts, as much as someone can with a beak. "Molli said she felt it." He twirls in a circle, wings waving up like he's trying to scoop up the air. "What about now?"

"I'm not a Rito, I'm probably not as sensitive to these things. Why don't you ask Revali for help?"

"I don't need his help, he figured it all out on his own, so I can, too." Tulin spins the other way.

"He might be intimidating, but I think he likes teaching. You should ask."

"But he doesn't like me."

"What's the worst that can happen? Do you think it would make him dislike you more?"

"That's stupid advice." Tulin wanders away, still flapping his wings.

The next day, the first new home is finally completed and ready to be lifted to hang from the village's spire. It's a tedious and dangerous task, requiring all hands that can help.

Revali is very obviously put out that Link was asked to help, while he was not. Link is currently crouched precariously on a ledge next to a pulley, waiting for the squadron of Gorons to bring the hut over.

From where he stands on the stairs below, Revali calls, "You're not going to fall are you? I won't catch you."

"I'm not going to fall." Link idly spins the wheel of the pulley. All they have to do is catch the rope and fit it through. It's simple enough, no one would bother calling it aiding the enemy.

And that is something for Link to be cautious about. There's a few Yiga in the village right now, and they had pulled Link aside the other day to inform them that there's a very important Clan meeting soon. It feels a bit like impending doom.

"I don't even see why anyone thought it necessary for you to participate. It would be laughably easy to simply attach the rope to an arrow and fire it through the mechanism."

"That's just overkill." Link grabs onto the chain attaching the pulley to the rocky overhang and leans away from the edge.

"Marin! Don't do that!"

"Don't do what?" they lift their feet from the ledge and swing. "Are you worrying about me?"

"You're insufferable." Revali turns away and crosses his wings.

The Gorons eventually carry the hut to the spot below the pulley. There's several ropes already fixed to it. A Hylian loops a rope around a rock and throws it up to Link.

They just barely manage to catch it with one hand, the other holding onto the pulley for balance. They drop the rock (causing an indignant squawk from Revali below) and feed the end of the rope through the pulley. They need to lower it quite a bit for anyone to be able to grab it from the ground. After lowering a few metres of length they get very bored. There's a faster way to do this.

They hold tightly onto the rope and jump. For a moment they freefall, until it pulls tight. They swing far from the ground, their weight not nearly enough to pull the hut up. Rather than just climb down the rope, they let go and land in a Goron's arms.

"Whoa, lady, that was cool."

Link leaps out of his arms with a quick thanks and climbs the steps to join Revali. The other pulleys are in much easier spots to reach, and the workers start heaving the building upwards in no time.

"That was utterly ridiculous," Revali mutters.

Link shrugs with a smile. It was fun, which is all they care about. They sit down on a step to watch the lifting effort.

Revali paces, his wings held behind his back, before sitting next to them. "It's lopsided. Those two Hylians are pulling too quickly."

"I think they know what they're doing."

"They really should have replaced the old hook instead of reusing it. It might be rusted through by now. That thing's probably at least two hundred years old."

Link bumps their shoulder against Revali's, "Come on, take it easy. You're like one of those old men who just stand around judging people doing their jobs."

"I'm almost a hundred and twenty years old, Marin. I think I've earned my right to grumble."

"Ha. Those hundred and two years only count when you want them to." They lean back against the stairs to look up, ignoring the discomfort of the edges jabbing into their back. "…The sky's nice today."

It's bright blue with thin wisps of cloud, impossibly high, stretching across the sky. A puffy cloud forms from nothingness, drifts for barely a minute, and disperses back into the blue.

The Divine Beast is really high up, looking like it's a quarter of the size Link's accustomed to. It's still really weird seeing it actually move.

"…How does it work?"

"What, the sky?"

"Vah Medoh. How do you pilot it, does it have a steering wheel like a boat?"

Revali tilts his head back to watch the Divine Beast circling. "Medoh simply knows what I want her to do and performs the action. It's a mental, or even spiritual, connection."

"That's… difficult to picture. What's the point of the Champions if the Divine Beasts can move on their own?"

"What's the point, indeed," Revali says flatly.

Maybe not the brightest thing to say to a Champion's face. The mood suddenly feels a lot less comfortable.

The hut has been lifted fully. Teba stands on its roof and flaps his wings to adjust its angle so that the workers can carefully hook it onto the waiting chain. Everyone lets out a sigh of relief when it finally attaches, and they slowly let go of the ropes. The house hangs there, secure and steady. Teba unties the ropes and lets them fall to the ground.

One done, dozens to go.

"Well, the interesting stuff is over," Link says, stretching their arms above their head as they stand back up. "The day's still young, I think it's good weather to practice archery."

Revali doesn't respond, glaring towards the horizon across the lake. Link shades their eyes and squints, but can't see anything that might be bothering him.

He's probably just thinking about something unpleasant. A memory, most likely.

Link catches themself wondering what he's mulling over. It really doesn't matter. "I'll… be at the Flight Range. You're free to join me, if you can come to terms with the walk."

Chapter Text

"Rito Stable. Finally," Zelda mutters. She flicks the reins of her horse and urges it to walk slightly faster. They have reached the end of their long journey from Death Mountain.

Camping for the night so close to the remains of the destroyed castle had put her in a poor mood all day. She had slept fitfully, and was continually compelled to get up and check that the Calamity itself hadn't returned to finish its havoc. But all she ever saw was the distant red glow of the Malice-touched Guardians that still patrol the grounds, undeterred by the death of their master.

Maybe it would have been wiser to travel north of Lake Mekar and through the tundra rather than along the rivers and moat, for all that her Zora companions insisted.
There was nothing but destroyed towns the whole way… the rubble of the Royal Ancient Tech Lab had been particularly striking. Sidon and Paya clearly thought nothing of it, and that just made her feel more… complicated. How can the world possibly continue past such utter devastation? How many of the dead have no one left to remember them?

She is currently riding her horse alongside the carriage while Paya's horse, stronger and sturdier, pulls. Zelda's horse is stubborn, and after the fright with the Gorons, refuses to be harnessed to the carriage at all.

Daruk merrily rolls next to them, sometimes gaining too much speed and stopping to uncurl and look around at the new, desolate landscape.

As they near the village, she grows more and more concerned. Vah Medoh is circling above, just as it had before the Calamity, but is much higher than usual. It would be just her luck if Revali's all the way up there. If so, then there's nothing they can possibly do but wait for him to come down on his own.

Her heart drops when the village finally comes into view. It's… gone.

She had heard, of course, that there had been a fire. She had convinced herself it couldn't possibly be so bad.

No one at the Stable or Rito Village recognises Zelda as Princess. But Daruk is unmistakeable.

"Are you the Goron Champion?" a small pink Rito asks him excitedly.

Daruk grins widely. "Sure am! Champion Daruk, great to meet ya!"

"Wow… Are Princess Zelda and the other Champions here, too?"

"Uh-huh! But we haven't met with Urbosa yet."

"I'm going to go tell everyone you're here! We were hoping we'd be done rebuilding before you all came to visit…"

"Before you go," Zelda interrupts, "Can you tell us where Revali is? We're here to see him."

"Oh. He's up there." She gestures up the stairway to the half-built village and runs off.

Revali stands on a landing, wings folded behind his back as he faces the cliffs beyond the lake. It's just the right season for wildflowers.

Zelda remembers this place, as somewhere she'd often meet with the Rito Champion.
The nice design that was painted onto the wood is gone, and Rito never leave anything undecorated for long. This landing must have been rebuilt in the past few days, too.

The village seems much less alive without the little windmills that were once here.

He must hear their footsteps approaching, especially Daruk's, but Revali does not turn his head to look at them until Daruk calls over to him.

"Hey, Revali!"

Revali's eyes drift past Zelda and Daruk to land on the Zora Champion. "Mipha. I am glad to see you. I have need of your healing magic."

Daruk falters, confused and concerned.

"Oh," Mipha lowers her gaze apologetically. "I cannot help, at the moment. I spent all my power in my battle against the Waterblight. Do you--"

"Forget I asked." Revali looks away to the distance again. "Do any of you have something of import to say or are you just here for niceties?"

Zelda should have expected this. Of course Revali wouldn't be happy.

Mipha and Daruk say nothing. Sidon looks flabbergasted.

"…I feel like I'm missing something?" Paya says, breaking the stiff silence.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you somehow fail to notice the past one hundred years?" Revali turns on his heel and gestures to Zelda with one wing, still not sparing her a glance. "Did you not discern that the Princess never had a granule of a plan and made the rest of us pay for her negligence?"

"Revali…" Mipha murmurs, pained.

"No sealing power, no legendary sword… the royal family sent us to die, and that failure of a princess did nothing."

"You should not speak of Princess Zelda in such a manner!" Sidon says.

"Sidon." Zelda suddenly feels very agitated, "Everyone. Could you please leave for a few minutes. Revali and I need to have a discussion in private."

"Yes, Princess." Paya bows and swiftly walks out of sight. Sidon and Daruk follow her hesitantly, back down the wooden stairs behind Zelda.

Mipha makes solemn eye contact with Zelda, slightly touching her hand as she walks past. She murmurs, quiet as Paya's footsteps, "Don't forget our promise. No one."

Zelda straightens her posture and adjusts her hair, pulling stray strands away from her face. She doesn't like keeping secrets. She's never been good at it.

"Dismissing everyone was certainly a choice," Revali says snidely. He's not wearing his Champion's scarf, and lacks the blue-adorned bow he always carries. "Is there something you don't want them hearing?" He idly straightens a feather on his wing.

"I didn't come to start another fight. I'm here to apologise."

"Apologise? You could have done that over mail. Not that anything you could say would make much difference. You have time powers, apparently, so why don't you work on making it so none of this ever happened."

"I… don't know if that's possible. I completely used up the well of power I had, it could take a lifetime to build up again." Not to mention, the Zonai stone seems deadened, and the guiding spirit has vanished to wherever they came from. The chances of her replicating that power without them is vanishingly small. The blessing had been spent.

"Why'd you even do that? An entire century is utter overkill. It's not as if it made much difference, regardless."

"Do not say that. Mipha would be dead. She was the first of anyone to have to battle a Blight, and was disarmed and terrified for hours. She would have never survived without the aid of her people."

"Everyone else is dead! What makes her so special?" Revali strides closer to loom over her, feathers ruffled.

Zelda sighs angrily, and turns her head to avoid his gaze, using all her trained decorum to speak clearly and not through gritted teeth. "She is a Champion. Required to kill the Calamity. So are you. Champions can't be treated the same as everyone else, regrettable as it is. You have sworn duties to perform and are indispensable.

"Wow." Revali's talons click on the wooden boards as he steps away. "That would be a good argument, if it were true. You've always treated me exactly as a common soldier, as evidenced by the fact that you never cared to share that you have time powers."

"I didn't know either! It came to me all at once, I barely knew what I was doing." Zelda crosses her arms defensively. Nothing good ever comes from secret-keeping, but she will not break her word.

"A likely story," Revali dismisses, "We all know that magic requires intense training and practice. To be able to cast such a wide-reaching, long-lasting spell from nothing is unprecedented."

"It -- it must have been an act of Hylia. Some things are not meant to be understood… I would have much preferred to just unlock my Sealing Power." It's improper for a princess to have her arms crossed, to close off her posture, but Zelda can't help it. This whole conversation is a complete mess. Why is Revali so difficult?

"There's no point trying to argue about divine intervention. I believe we're done here. We followed a foolish, half-built plan rather than pursuing other options, so we might as well live with it." He moves to leave.

Zelda wrestles with the conflicting emotions inside her head. Surely Mipha would understand… "Can you keep a secret?"

Revali pauses. "No. I am the Rito that I am because I am honest. I have no interest in becoming more like you."

"You are not honest!" Zelda snaps. "There's a difference between honesty and bluntness."

Revali keeps walking without another word. As he disappears down the stairs, she calls after him, "If you ever found the Sword that Seals the Darkness, you would have been more than welcome to wield it yourself."

The arrow almost misses the target entirely, hitting too far to the left. Link looks up to the sky and sighs.

As much as they try, Link just doesn't have the affinity for judging wind speed. Rito must have a natural advantage, since the wind itself is such a vital part of their survival.

"I'm getting my arrows," Link announces, "don't shoot." They sling their bow to hang behind their back and walk towards the tree line.

"Oh, don't worry," Tulin says proudly, "I'm too good to accidentally hit you." But, because he's a nice, considerate kid, he chooses to fire in the opposite direction so that Link can yank their arrows out of the targets in peace.

Link pauses when they spot movement out of the corner of their eye.

Revali. Walking up the path to their improvised archery range.

They shove the arrows back into their quiver and run back to Tulin. "Revali's coming, hide!" They gently shove him towards the ladder to the storage hut.

Tulin turns around. "Why would I hide? I'm allowed to be here."

"…Fine. If you two start something, I'm not getting involved." Link draws their bow again and acts as if nothing happened.

This time they overcompensate for the wind, and hit too far to the right just as Revali walks over.

"If you're struggling so much to judge wind speed, I recommend that you tie a cloth or ribbon to your bow," Revali says.

Link turns around, ready to respond with some kind of joke, but Revali's expression knocks all such ideas from their head. He looks really annoyed. They knew they should've gotten Tulin to leave.

They lower their bow, resting both hands on it like a walking stick. Probably best to act like they don't notice…?
"Hey. Come here often? It's quite a hike, I hear."

Tulin shoots Link a weird look over his shoulder. They ignore him.

Revali snatches the bow from under their hands, making them stumble for balance. "At present, long, dull walks are still more tolerable than staying in the village." He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a ribbon.

"What happened this time? Construction workers start singing again?"

He hands Link their bow back, now with the short ribbon tied around it. It's green, with yellow embroidery. "Princess Zelda has decided to grace us with her presence."

"…Really? I thought she'd still be in Zora's Domain." Link should be careful about returning to the village, then. Zelda might think it's a bit strange that Marin is suddenly all the way in Tabantha, the complete opposite side of the kingdom from where they met. They don't want her messing up whatever they've got going on with Revali.

"She seems to be in a hurry to meet with all the Champions. Don't see why, since time is hardly something that should bother her."

Seriously? Do Revali and Zelda not even get along? Link's never going to be able to get into her good graces.

"That… seems a bit harsh."

Revali takes a bow from their messy collection of archery equipment in the grass. "I don't see what difference her being here in person makes. A messenger should more than suffice."

"You think she'd be that impersonal?"

"Zelda seeing me as a friend first requires her seeing me as an equal. The fact she never told me of her time powers is proof enough that she does not consider me as a part of her trusted circle."

Tulin looks over incredulously. "Wait, you didn't know?"

"I hadn't a clue. She always insisted she had found no power at all, even on the very day of the Calamity's attack."

"That is weird," Tulin agrees. "And totally not fair."

Link hands Revali half of their arrows. "So, did she explain anything?"

"Not at all. She said that she figured it out on the spot. I don't think I need to explain why I find that difficult to believe."

"…I don't get it," Tulin quietly admits.

"It's not that complicated," Revali says shortly. "Magic requires practice. Even my Gale took-"

"Wait -- your Gale is magic?" Tulin exclaims, "No wonder I haven't been able to figure it out." He kicks a pebble. "I've wasted so much time…"

"Regardless, what I find most insulting is her lack of respect for my skills. There was no need to include me in her time spell. I was more than capable of defeating Windblight myself."

Link draws their bow, and watches the breeze tug on the new ribbon. "Didn't your bow break?"

"…Yes, but I am not just an archer. I was easily able to manipulate the Blight into hitting itself with its own weapons."

"Sounds risky. That probably wouldn't have worked forever. Just one mistake and you'd be dead."

Revali scoffs, "I don't make mistakes."

The weather begins to turn by the time they reach the bridges to the village. Dark grey clouds are gathered overhead, carrying the scent of oncoming rain. Every piece of canvas in the camp flaps loudly in the turbulent wind.

"It's going to be quite the summer storm," Revali observes, adjusting his braids. "But don't worry, it won't be as bad as it gets in the south of Hyrule."

"Says you," Tulin grumbles, "You're the one living in my house. The tents are gonna get all flooded. It's just the worst living on the ground."

Link watches as Vah Medoh circles, far above. It's half-hidden in the dark clouds, leaving a slight clearing in its wake. The most visible part of it are the massive fans on its underside. "Will the Divine Beast be alright?"

Revali laughs, "It takes a lot more than a little rain and thunder to damage a Divine Beast." He tilts his head to the side to look up at it with one eye. "Medoh's made it through a lot to get here."

"I suppose that would have to be the case." Link scans the village of tents for Zelda, eventually spotting her talking with a group of Rito children. There's enough people in the village that they probably won't run into each other. "…Has Medoh changed at all in the past century?"

"Hardly. Medoh was trapped in the stasis, too. She just got a bit mossy-"

"Ahem." Someone clears their throat behind them. Link spins quickly to see Mipha and Daruk sitting on some rocks in the shadow of a tree. Daruk looks spooked, half-shielding his face, glancing around as if a horde of monsters is going to burst out of the bushes any moment.

Mipha has one leg crossed over the other, looking entirely composed, other than a slight crease to her brow. "Revali. I think it would be wise if we had a talk."

Revali turns slowly, posture guarded. "Well then, talk."

Mipha holds the silence for a moment, as if waiting for Tulin and Link to leave. She sighs. "…We discussed this before the Calamity -- Princess Zelda is in no state to be pecked at. Whatever you said to her is not helping. The Champions are supposed to be a unified team."

"Ah. Stern Mipha finally rears her head," Revali says. "It's been a while."

"Pick your fights, Revali." The Princess of the Zora stands. She yanks her trident out of the ground, holding it close to flick a spot of dirt from one of its blades. She's really not much taller than Tulin, but everything about her demeanour demands respect. "I expect you to apologise to Zelda before morning."

"I'll be happy to disappoint," Revali mutters. He lowers his stance, and in a massive sweep of wind, he takes off into the sky.

Link takes a step back, arm held in front of their face to shield from the blast of the Gale. In a second, Revali is just a small dot disappearing towards Medoh. "…Uh," they say blankly.

Mipha flips her grip on her trident. "He'll come down when he's gotten over himself. We'll get this resolved, don't worry."

"Um, Revali really shouldn't be flying!" Tulin flaps his wings nervously. "I'm worried!"

Mipha's eyes widen. "Oh! He was injured, wasn't he? Oh dear…" She looks to Daruk.

Daruk grimaces. "We can't get up there. This is a bit rough."

"My parents are gonna be so mad…" Tulin says.

Link grabs Tulin by the wing and drags him to the other side of the islet, out of sight of the two Champions. "I have some elixirs, if Revali's actually hurt. Do you think you can help me up? He'd probably be more willing to take them if I'm the one to hand them over."

Tulin stares back for a moment, beak slightly open. "Of course I can," he says. He glances back to the village and leans in to share, "I already have a plan."

Revali clutches at his abdomen. That flight had taken a lot more out of him than he'd expected. He tries to level his breaths, but his throat tastes like blood. He can't help but cough.

Medoh rumbles. He can feel her concern, drowning out his own burning anger.

He pats the carved Sheikah rock absently. "I'm fine. Everything is fine."

Maybe taking flight was a bad idea. He acted impulsively, he can admit that. Feeling a bit dizzy, Revali lowers himself to rest on his back, huffing short breaths. He wants to stop thinking, but he can't.

That look on Mipha's face, the ambush of an intervention -- they don't respect him.

No one respects him!

A hundred years… everything is different, but nothing has changed at all. Sure, the villagers all know of his skills, but he'd spent his whole life fighting beak and talon for more.

It's hard to see what the point of any of it was.

At least he's back with Medoh. The Divine Beast is a familiar presence, and up here in the dark clouds, he can pretend that there's nothing else except the two of them. Being so close, yet completely out of reach was really annoying him. An irksome reminder that he was too injured to be worth anything.

A tiny droplet of water lands in his eye. Another soaks into the feathers on his cheek. Revali lifts his wing to cover his face from the slowly growing rain. He should get under cover before the storm really picks up. He hasn't been preening properly lately -- his feathers probably aren't waterproofed at all.

"Revali!"

He sits up immediately and then clutches at his head when the action spawns spots in his vision. He hears another Rito's talons landing next to him on Medoh's back.

"Revali, are you alright?" It's Teba.

Wing still covering his eyes, Revali grumbles, "Go away."

Vah Medoh's spirit practically pokes him in disapproval. He flinches slightly and hisses at the ancient Beast to shut it.

"You know you shouldn't be flying. Saki is going to be furious, and well, I don't want a repeat of what happened the last time we were up here."

Revali drops his wing into his lap and glares at Teba. "Windblight is dead. No one is going to get shot by lasers."

"That isn't quite what I -- have you been crying?"

"No! I don’t cry! It's raining!"

Teba looks around. "…So it is. Champions Mipha and Daruk told me that you had a bit of a… fight. Do you want to talk about it?"

Revali brings his knees closer to his chest, resting his weary wings over them. "No."

The other Rito says nothing and sits down next to him. They just sit there, watching the wisps of fog drag themselves across Medoh's surface. After several long minutes, Teba starts preening his wing feathers, comfortable as if he's up here all the time.

Eventually, Revali cracks. "It isn't fair."

Teba hums, not sounding interested nor bored.

"I expected I might die. It was always a possibility, and I was at peace with that, I think. I'm a warrior, I knew what I was signing up for. But it's everyone else who's gone! And here I am! How am I just supposed to act like that's OK?"

"That's a very big question," Teba says. "I still haven't quite figured out how to answer it, myself."

Revali lifts his head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, everyone in the village has thought about it. Even the people you're mourning, I'd gather. Every day, we'd look up at Vah Medoh and try and rationalise how anyone could come to terms with waking up in a world where everyone you know is gone. When I was a hatchling, it gave me nightmares. Still does, really."

"Wow," Revali says flatly, "That really makes me feel better." It's rather mortifying to think about. Generations of people speculating about his mental state, using his life as a thought exercise? That's not the kind of notoriety anyone wants.

"Look, I'm just saying that I can't hope to understand what you're going through. But I don't expect you to, either. I'd like you to give this village a chance, and see if you can find your answer somewhere in our messy, half-burned lives, instead of shutting us out."

"…Did you rehearse that?"

"Maybe. Anyway, you don't have to make up your mind anytime soon. You're young, you have time to figure this stuff out."

Revali narrows his eyes. "I have already made my decision. I'm leaving as soon as possible."

"Oh."

Lacking anything else to say, Revali fiddles his one of the rings around his ankles. The accessories are the only items of his original clothing to survive the punctures, burns and bloodstains. Everything else just wasn't worth trying to salvage. Just another reminder that his past is gone forever.

"I won’t try to stop you from leaving --" Teba says.

Revali scoffs. "As if you even could."

"-- but you're certain? Just because everything's different doesn't mean it's worse."

"Sure. But I'm not interested in wasting my efforts bothering to find out."

"I… suppose that makes sense." Teba resumes preening his wing. A white feather falls loose, and is picked up by the wind to fly off the edge of Medoh. "You'll always be welcome back, if you find solitude doesn't suit you."

"Unlikely. I have no interest in getting attached to any of you."

Teba's brows furrow. "We wouldn't --" and he cuts himself off. Teba stares off into space, breath picking up slightly. "Oh. I understand. You're scared it'll happen again."

Revali opens his beak to rebut, but his mind catches.

It makes too much sense. This entire time, he hasn't been angry.

He hasn't been angry at all.

He's terrified.

His wings are trembling. He grabs onto his knees to hide it. "I don't get scared," Revali says tersely. "I'm a warrior, the finest of the Rito. That's just a foolish idea."

"Revali, it's a completely normal reaction. Everyone has fears, even the most courageous. It's… a part of being alive." Teba tentatively rests a wing on Revali's shoulder. "The Great Calamity is over. It won't be back for thousands of years. There won't be another war, and there's no use for time magic. I promise."

Revali wipes another raindrop from his face. "I just…"

"Woooo!" someone shouts.

They both turn around to see a swarm of Rito children and Marin land in a heap atop Medoh. Teba stands up.

"Tulin?" he says, confused.

"This was all my idea!" Tulin announces.

"We made it!" one the countless children cheers.

"That was so scary," the littlest pink one says. "But soo cool!"

Marin pulls herself to her feet, waving bottles in each hand. "I have elixirs!"

"How did you get up here?" Revali demands.

"A flock of children helped," she says proudly, jogging over. "…Am I interrupting?

"Not at all," Revali says, before Teba can respond otherwise.

"Well, elixir delivery complete," Marin says with a grin, handing over the bottles. She pushes her unkempt hair out of her face. "I'm glad you're okay. You had us worried."

"I'm fine." Revali uncorks the elixir anyway, and takes a swig. It's surprisingly not as disgusting as usual. The effect feels immediate, the pain in his abdomen dulling. Maybe he won't have lasting damage from this misadventure.

"It's probably going to start raining soon," Marin says. "You gonna stay up here?"

Vah Medoh screeches, empty of her typical warmth. Marin clamps her hands over her ears.

"Really, Medoh? Now you get picky about visitors?" Revali chides.

Marin's ear twitches, and turns to face the entryway into the Divine Beast's depths. "What's that?"

Revali sighs. "That will be a Guardian Scout, here to chase you all off."

Sure enough, a small Guardian emerges, wielding a shimmering battleaxe. It's head swivels, until its sights connect with the closest Rito child.

Marin reaches over her shoulder for a weapon that doesn't exist, hand grabbing at empty air. "Molli! Get over here! We need to go!" She turns back to Revali. "Sorry about this. I wasn't really thinking."

Molli screams and dashes back to the group.

The Guardian Scout keeps advancing, metal feet clanking loudly against the Sheikah rock.

Revali addresses Teba, "You'll have to go, too. Don't worry about me, I'll glide back to the village tomorrow morning."

"It would be better if you came down right away," Teba protests, "Your injuries need checking-over."

"Fortunately, I have elixirs. I don't think there's much else I need." If Revali was hungry, there's even a few stashes of food up here, most likely frozen in time just like everything else in Medoh.

"Bye, Master Revali!" the children exclaim. They frantically flap their wings in the air off the edge of Medoh, feet gripping ropes of various length.

Marin holds the other ends, waving enthusiastically. "See you later. Your Gale was awesome!" With that, she leaps off the edge to hang from the group of little Rito.

"Wait! I wasn't ready!" the blue fledgeling screeches, fumbling with her rope.

The group drop out of sight.

"That Hylian has a death wish," Revali mutters.

"She certainly is a strange one," Teba agrees. He raises his wings and leaps off the edge to follow.

With no one left to chase, the Guardian Scout stops in its tracks.

"You're a hypocrite, you know that, Medoh? You get mad at me for pushing people away and then do the exact same thing."

The Scout sheathes its weapon and almost looks apologetic.

Revali sighs.

He has a lot to think about.

Chapter Text

Rain patters ceaselessly against the wooden roof of the carriage. Paya snores quietly on the bench across from her, tightly wrapped in her blankets to ward the passing night's chill. Zelda can hear Mipha and Sidon quietly talking outside, but tunes out their words.

The Zonai carving grins at her with its massive teeth. Its stone surface is ice-cold to the touch. Despite her inspecting every facet of the artifact, it still remains an enigma. It's obviously Zonai, given the strong resemblance to the ancient statues in Faron, but there is much more about it that is unique. The green stone, the shimmering, not-gold embellishments, its strange glow. The cylinder it holds within its slightly open jaws.

The only Zonai statue she knows of with an open mouth is the one at the Spring of Courage. Could there be a connection there, or is she grasping?

Mipha had found this in Eldin. Far from Faron, but neatly between the Typhlo Ruins and the Lomei Labrynth. This indicates that there could by Zonai relics strewn across the entire kingdom.

She needs answers, but the Zonai are nothing but mysteries. She needs to know more about the Zonai stone that she had used, and why it had so unsettled Mipha.

The statue's gentle green glow is much more apparent in the low light. She opens the Sheikah Slate to take a picture, and freezes as text appears.

It's analysing the artifact.

The Ancient Sheikah knew what this thing is.

The label is in their language, of course.
Zelda doesn't hesitate to nudge Paya, intent on waking her immediately.

Paya scrunches her face. "Nuhh," she mumbles, and tries to pull her blanket over her head.

Zelda grabs the blanket to stop her, and pushes the Slate into her face. "What does this say?"

Paya sleepily opens one eye, "Huh?" She winces at its light, "Zonai fire device. Records… indicate… it could create flame, but its power… uh, source is unknown."

A device. Zelda's heart flutters with excitement. If she could study Guardians, she will study this. She glances back to Paya, who's clearly struggling to keep her eyes open.

She pulls out the Zonai Stone from her bag and takes a picture, turning the screen to Paya. "What about this?" She hovers a hand in front of the image to obscure it, but Paya seems way too out of it to remember any of this regardless.

"Blank Zonai stone."

"Does the description say anything about the fire device?"

"Uhh… mysterious ancient power… wielded… no." With that, Paya rolls over to face the wall and promptly falls asleep.

Zelda sits back on to the wooden floor of the carriage, her mind racing with far more questions than answers. What would it mean for the Zonai to have had "fire devices"? Was this unwieldy thing used like a flame rod? How potent was their magic?

If the Zonai Stone is anything to go by, other Zonai magic must have been quite formidable.

The rain clouds part slightly outside, allowing the early sun to cast light into the carriage through the mostly-covered windows. The day has already begun, and she was too engrossed in her studies to notice that she had missed her cue for prayer.

Zelda hurriedly shoves the Zonai device under the bench Paya's still sleeping on, to save her from stubbing her toe on it when she wakes. She spends a hurried moment combing her hair, throws her cape around her shoulders, and bursts out of the carriage.

"Hey, Zelda!" Sidon greets, sitting on a block of wood far too small for him. "I'm making some smoked fish, would you --"

"That sounds lovely, but I really must be going!" Zelda says as elegantly as possible, while speedwalking through the thick mud. She forgot to swap her slippers for boots.

She rushes across the bridges to the Rito camp, nodding politely to anyone who glances her way. It's still raining, but it is light and not enough to soak through her cloak.

Finally, she reaches her goal; the Goddess Statue at the base of the village spire. It's surrounded by scaffolding for the construction efforts, and still blackened with streaks of ash from the fires. She ducks under a wooden beam to kneel before it.

With more than a decade of practice, she clasps her hands and bows her head.

Over the years, her prayers had deteriorated from respectful requests for guidance to desperate pleas for acknowledgement.

For anything at all.
Today, she prays for forgiveness.

Zelda doesn't care what the Goddess thinks of her. Hylia had already made up her mind about her long ago. Keeping her breath even, Zelda prays for the souls of the thousands that have died.

May they have peace. May they know they have been avenged.
Please, forgive her.

"Um, hello!"

Zelda doesn't open her eyes. Hopefully, this person will realise she's in the middle of something and go away.

"So, I was wondering… how'd you do it?"

She waits a few seconds, but they just hum a grating tune, still standing there.

Annoyed, Zelda forgets her prayer. "How did I do what?" She turns to look at the interrupter. He's a tall Hylian, with scruffy sideburns.

"Oh, well, I was wondering how you do the whole time magic? And stuff? Um. My buddy and I had a wager going. Or I guess, our… great-grandfathers did. Yeah. Was it Sheikah tech?" His posture is very slouched and he rubs at the back of his neck casually, but his eyes are sharp and attentive.

Zelda has nothing to gain from snapping at a random civilian. She doesn't let any discomfort show as she raises herself to her feet, hands held neatly in front of her. "It was entirely my own power." Remembering the point of tension Revali had noticed in the lie, she adds, "…Like all magic, it required immense practice, and patience."

"Hmm. So like, other Hylians could do stuff like that, you think?"

An interesting question. "Potentially, yes." If they had a Zonai stone, anything might be possible.

"And it really didn't have anything to do with the Sheikah?"

Zelda would very much like a way out of this conversation. "That is correct."

"…I knew Ikki was making stuff up," he mutters.

She furrows her eyebrows. The name sounds vaguely familiar, but she cannot place it. "Who's Ikki?"

The man straightens his posture, eyes wide. "That's not important! I'll be going now! I think I left my oven on!" He makes a gesture that could be a salute, turns on his heel and walks away without another word.

Zelda doesn't know what to make of that at all.

"Don't mind him," a Rito says, walking down the nearby stairs with a basket in her wings. "Some of the workers are a bit eccentric, but we take all the help we can get. You would not believe some of the things they get up to…"

Zelda purses her lips. "…I'm not missing some cultural shift, then? I was beginning to worry." She hasn't met many Hylians in the past few days, but almost every single one has left her baffled. At times, it is as if they are speaking an entirely different language.

The Rito laughs. "Oh, no, not at all! Most Hylians I've met aren't like that. There's just a few confusing ones, but that's true for every group, I think."

"You might be right about that," Zelda says, "I'm sorry, I don't think I've been told your name?"

"Oh, my apologies, Princess. I'm Saki." Saki shifts the basket to one wing and bobs into a small curtsey.

She's also heard that name before, but this time Zelda is able to remember the connection. "I've been told you're Revali's doctor."

Saki smiles. "It is a great honour. I hadn't ever expected to be the one to have the responsibility after the tribe had spent so long waiting… I'd already started my apprentice tutoring the fledgelings to one day select her own apprentice."

"I never knew the Rito to have dedicated healers. In my time, the Rito all had a rudimentary knowledge, and if they needed an expert they would contact other villages."

"Really?" Saki tilts her head in thought, causing the circular braids framing her face to sway. "That's interesting. I suppose things were much different in the past."

"Can you tell me about Revali's injuries? How long will he take to heal?"

"Oh… if Master Revali hasn't told you himself, I don't think it's my place to do so. It was a pleasure meeting you, Your Highness, I really must be going." Saki dips her head shortly and continues on her way.

How frustrating. Revali never tells Zelda anything.

Her relationship with Revali has always been so much more… complicated than the other Champions.

The other three felt so untouchable and mature, but Zelda met Revali when they were both children.

She hadn't noticed him the first time she had visited Rito village, on a tour of the Kingdom with her parents. But he had been unforgettable at an archery tournament a couple of years later - the tiny Rito had outshone every squire, and even some knights.

When the time came for Zelda to choose a Champion from the Rito, Revali was the obvious choice.

He had seemed quite pleased with that, but the good terms between them didn't last. He wasn't the only one agitated by the lack of progress in the plan, but he was by far the most unpleasant about it.

And Zelda was unpleasant right back. Even in a very difficult time, the two only found ways to make life worse for each other. They brought out a rudeness in each other, unseen to anyone else but the poor Royal Guards.

Revali stood at Medoh's console, troubled focus clear on his face. "I… I'm not getting it," he finally admitted, long after the beeping had ceased. "…This is a terribly inefficient way to send messages, anyway."

Zelda looked up from her notes with a smile. "I guess not everything comes naturally to you, after all."

The Rito Champion glowered, and took the booklet to revise the letters of the beeping-code yet another time.

Zelda, of course, didn't tell him that she had instructed Daruk to send a nonsense message. Small victories.

Zelda rolled over, covering her face with her pillow. She should have known better than to expect herself to be able to sleep through the entire night--

Twang.

She grimaced and sat up, furiously rubbing the blurriness from her eyes. It was very dark, but she could glimpse the faintest hint of sunrise through the flaps of the marquee tent.

Revali was sitting atypically close to her, plucking his bowstring.

Twang.

"Revali." she hissed.

He looked at her innocently, sliding his feathers against the bowstring to make an awful, drawn out squeak. "Zelda."

She covered her ears. "Stop that."

"Stop what? I'm just making sure my bow is in working order. Not much else to do on guard duty." He plucked the string a couple more times.

Revali was tapping his foot. Repeatedly. Zelda was getting sick and tired of his presence, how it felt like his eyes were digging into the back of her head no matter what she was doing. Every few minutes, he would scoff at something she said, even though he's very much not part of this conversation.

She stood, excusing herself from the Rito Elder to find a sheet of paper and a quill in the Scholar's Hut. She quickly wrote a note:

I just need some time away from Revali. You understand. Please pretend this was an important message and don't look too amused. -- Zelda

She folded it up, shoved it in an envelope, and turned to hand it to Revali, who had followed her.

"Deliver this to Urbosa," she said. Gerudo Town, while not as distant as Deya or Lurelin, would cause enough trouble for the very male Rito that he'd be gone for several extra hours, at least. If she's lucky, Urbosa won't even be in town and he'd be forced to try track her down.

Revali quirked an unimpressed eyebrow. "I'm not a postman. I have better things to do than run errands."

He also should have had better things to do than follow Zelda around the village. She wouldn't get lost, and was being shadowed by her guards, Impa and Doylan, anyway. At least those two had the decency to stay quiet and not roll their eyes when they know she's looking.

"The Elder would be very unhappy to hear you've disobeyed an order from your Princess," she said flatly. "You did swear an oath."

With a grimace, he snatched the envelope and strode away, talons clicking against the wooden floor.

Zelda had noticed that Revali was reading a book she knows quite well, and waited until he was about halfway through the thousand-page epic before she struck.

"Oh, are you reading Under the Falling Moon? That one's such a good romance… but I do think the ending is a bit contrived, what with the world not actually ending after all that fuss. At least the scene where they finally reunite is good. The author really had me thinking he'd never get his wedding mask back from the hideout. I was on the edge of my seat!"

Revali stared at her with barely-disguised fury. After a minute in silence, he snapped the book shut and walked away.

He did the same thing to her a couple of weeks later. She knows for a fact he's never read The Faces of Koridai.

That demon had just flipped to the last chapter for the explicit purpose of reading the ending before she did.

It wasn't a very good book, anyway.

Revali leaned against the wall, holding a bowl of delicious looking, premium vineyard grapes. He slowly took one and popped it into his beak.

He picked up a second and examined it, angling his head to the side nonchalantly. "I saw, you know," he finally said.

Oh great. Of course he wouldn't think eating in front of her would be enough torment.

She ignored the mixture of hunger and fury in her gut. "What did I do?"

"I suppose you must not know how fasting works. It kind of ruins the whole ritual to eat partway through."

Zelda, too hungry to think of a rebuttal, just glared.

"You're just not treating this seriously! Am I going to have to tell the Priestesses?"

"I forbid it," she said through gritted teeth. "If you want to keep that scarf you will not say a word."

If the Priestesses find out she took fruit from the Champions' pavilion, they will force her to repeat the entire four day fast all over again. She's so close to the end -- she's not sure she could endure another day of just water and prayer. She's not sure she could endure her father's disappointment.

"…Wow. No wonder the Goddess isn't speaking to you. Are you using your rank to threaten everyone into letting you cheat at every ritual?"

Zelda wanted to scream.

Her threats were meaningless, anyway. He had already told the Priestesses before he even visited her.

How different would things have been if she had just chosen someone else?

What even are they, now that they don't have a half-broken destiny to tie them together?

Despite the fact that she's hated her time with Revali, she hates the idea of saying goodbye even more.

Link has somehow ended up polishing wood. They're probably a bit sleep-deprived after staying up late the past few nights and then not getting much sleep at all in the rain. At least pouring some sealant onto a wooden beam and wiping it with a cloth for a bit is a pretty difficult task to mess up.

Most of the rain is caught by the piece of canvas suspended above the workstation. They're finally a bit dry for the first time in hours.

Tulin is approaching the task with disinterest, ignoring the wood he's supposed to be working with to watch Daruk carry another Rito house all on his own.

"That Goron sure is big," he mutters. "I bet his parents never made him do boring chores."

Tulin's certainly going through something at the moment. This must be the childhood rebellion Link's heard so much about, but never actually seen. Yiga wards just do what they're told.

"I don't think Gorons have parents," Link says, rather than addressing any of that. "Hey, do you think we should be worried about Revali? I don't think he's come down from Vah Medoh yet."

"It's fine. My dad offered to take Princess Mipha up there and drop her off before Medoh can shoot at him, but she doesn't want to put him in danger. So they're only doing that if he doesn't show up before sunset."

Sunset. The Yiga meeting everyone's been telling Link about is in only a couple of days, and Link knows from experience that it is best to be well-prepared. They will have to leave sometime around noon in order to make it.

Link heaves the wooden beam over to polish the other side. "What do you think of the whole thing?" Tulin could be feeling rebellious enough to help them get up to Vah Medoh a second time, but the chances don't look too good now that everyone knows there's Guardians onboard.

Tulin drops his polish-stained cloth and crosses his wings. "It doesn't matter what I think, because everyone else says I'm too young to do anything! Mom was furious that we went up there, even though it was to help her do her job. Even Master Revali thinks I'm just some useless hatchling. I should've known he'd be just like the adults…"

"You think Revali looks down on you?"

"Of course he does! He lives in my house and he's barely bothered to say a word to me! The most he's talked ever to me is when you're around."

Paya watches the beautiful, unfamiliar trees on the shore across the lake. They're so tall and thin, and just so abundant. They feel ancient, almost completely unmarred by the Great Calamity.

She doesn't look at her feet, as she is trying not to acknowledge the buckets of slimy fish. Ever since the two Zora royals had joined their travelling party, she has laid eyes on more fish than she thinks she has ever seen in her life -- there are very few of them in the waters around Kakariko, and only the most confident chefs will bother trying to cook them into something appetising.

Sidon and Mipha eat those things raw.
It is really, truly, too much. Her only solace is that they don't expect her to do the same, and are more than happy to gut, scale and cook them for herself and Princess Zelda.

Sidon was absolutely thrilled to get right back to catching fish today, especially with the knowledge that it lifts a burdens from the shoulders of the overworked Rito people. Paya would rather do most things in life than fish, especially with her bare hands, but here she is. Standing on the shore, guarding Sidon's growing collection from opportunistic raptors and foxes. Maybe wolves, too.

The Zora Prince majestically shoots from the water like a dancer, landing on the shore with a massive grin. In his arms, another bunch of sad, wriggling fish.

"Aren't the colours just brilliant?" he proclaims, as the fish slide from his hands into the bucket. "I am looking forward to trying these trout -- they are sold at the in the Domain, of course, but none so fresh and vibrant as this! It's always incredible that no two fish are the same."

He stretches his arms above his head, readying to return to the waters once again. "Have you caught any, Paya?" he asks, completely genuinely.

Paya tries not to grimace. "…No."

"You won't catch a fish unless you're willing to get your feet wet!" He confidently strides into the water, gesturing for her to follow. "It's not that cold."

"These fish need guarding!" Paya insists. "Look, there's some birds up there…"

There's several eagles or hawks circling very high up, so high that they're really just dots. But one of them seems to be getting quite a bit bigger…

A white Rito barrels through the air to land right next to her, almost making her lose her footing from surprise. He flutters his feathers to dislodge sand from his slightly messy landing. "Hi!" he says, "I'm Tulin!"

Paya takes a moment, turned away with a hand over her chest, to try regain her composure.
She greets the Rito with a smile. "H-hi! My name is -- Paya."

"You've really caught a lot of fish," Tulin observes.

"O-oh, no it was Prince Sidon. Over there." She gestures to the water, just as Sidon does another flip.

"Wow. He swims fast."

"…Yeah. He does, doesn't he?"

They stand there for a minute, watching the Zora Prince chase fish around the lake. The waves rock calming against the rocky shore, in time with her focused breaths.

This is terribly awkward.

"…So, uh, do you have some kind of warpaint on, or is that what your skin looks like?"

"What? …Oh." Paya absently touches the Crest on her forehead. "This is a tattoo. It's a Sheikah tradition that wards away evil."

"Does it work?"

"Um. I haven't encountered much evil, so I think so."

"Makes sense. We don't get many Sheikah visiting Rito Village… You're with Princess Zelda, aren't you?"

"Yes." Paya dips her head in a slight bow. "It has been a great honour to serve as her guard as she travels the Kingdom."

How different her life is to just two weeks ago… she feels like she'll never be used to it.

Paya's reminiscing is cut short by Sidon, once again approaching the shore. She stares widely at the truly enormous salmon he proudly carries. It's large enough that if Sidon were the size of a Hylian, it… it would be the size of a normal salmon in his hands.

"…And I think that should be enough fish for today. Don't want to impact their population too much, after all," Sidon says cheerfully. "Oh, hello Tulin."

The feathers on Tulin's head and shoulders fluff up, perhaps a subconscious reaction to make himself look less minuscule compared to the towering Zora.

Sidon gestures to the buckets of fish, "Would you mind helping us carry these back to the village?"

Tulin nods and politely takes a bucket, Paya doing the same with a fake smile on her face. Atop the pile, one fish looks back at her, its dead eye glistening.

She picks up a leaf and gingerly places it over its eye so that she won't accidentally look at it again.

They walk for a few minutes, listening to Sidon excitedly describe the vaguely interesting underwater cave he had found beneath the lakebed.

Paya appreciates that about Sidon. He completely picks up the awkward slack in Paya's social skills and fill every silence he can. He's very… genuine about it. She can see why he has an entire fanclub of Zora dedicated to him.

Once Sidon pauses to take a breath, Tulin interrupts, "…I was wondering if you could give me some advice?"

"But of course!" Sidon says, easily dropping the previous subject. "It is very wise of you to know to ask for help. Is it a matter of the heart, perhaps?"

Tulin grimaces, looking completely revulsed. "No! I was just thinking… you two are both warriors, right? When did people start treating you seriously, and not just like some kid?"

Paya is not sure if "warrior" is anywhere close to an apt description for her, so she keeps her mouth shut and lets Sidon handle it.

He touches his hand to his chin in thought. "Ah, of course. Our childhood circumstances have been very different, given the fact that my father's overprotective nature was spurred by our separation from Princess Mipha…"

"Wait, your dad is judgy too!?" Tulin exclaims, almost dropping his bucket of fish. "But you're so big!"

Sidon nods solemnly. "Indeed he is. In fact, our mere presence here is an act that he would never approve of, which is why Mipha and I are here in secret! It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission, as they do say."

The Zora Prince continues to describe King Dorephan's sentimental nature as Tulin stares off into space. Paya has the distinct impression that Sidon is giving Bad Advice.

"…Parents have seen us at our most helpless and struggle to forget it, even after you slay a gargantuan octorock," Sidon concludes, a hand over his chest. "But, it will eventually be the child's turn to take care of the adults… such is the nature of the burden that is time."

And then they're both staring off into space together. This is absolutely going in the wrong direction.

Paya's heart stutters as she raises a finger. "B-but! Respect is not the be-all-and-end-all of-- of life! I don't really think it's something you should be really worrying about…?"

"Of course respect is important," Tulin mutters. "The reason Revali doesn't like me is because he won't treat me seriously, he just thinks I'm… annoying."

"He's… probably struggling with his own feelings of not being respected," Paya tries. "Since he's being told what to do by your parents, who are like, a hundred years younger than him?"

"But he's the great Master Revali," Tulin dismisses, "Everyone loves him."

"Not necessarily everyone," Sidon says, "I have heard many a sour tale from the Zora Elders. But I agree, his skills in archery and flight are unmatched by anyone in my lifetime!"

Tulin glowers.

The Zora Prince grins, and his fist held to his chest exuberantly. "…So you'll just have to be better."

Paya covers her face, mortified by this messy, messy conversation.

Sheets of thin rain wash over the surrounding grasslands, obscuring the distant mountains like fog. It's much too warm and late in the day for real fog, the air holding an uncomfortable humidity that seems to cling to everything. It's a stark contrast to the dryness of the desert, but Link's spent much of the past few years hanging around the Stables in Faron. They're used to this.

Link was lucky enough to buy a cloak from the workers at Rito Stable, its hood almost being enough to stop water from dripping on their face. Back across the lake, they can just barely make out Daruk lifting a Rito house above his head.

Link really should have left the village hours ago. The other members of the Yiga Clan have all disappeared, with one of them being so lazy he used a long-distance teleport and made his partner carry all his shed belongings back to the Hideout.

Link has no such luxury.

With a sigh, they lift Cloud's reins and gently nudge her sides with both heels. The horse happily starts walking forwards, weaving around the piles of construction equipment. Cloud has taken incredibly well to following orders. She must be an escapee, rather than wild-born.

They round a pile of crates and almost walk right into a certain Rito.

"Revali!" Link greets, immediately hopping from the back of their horse. "I didn't know you were back on the surface. I'm glad to see you."

"You - Of course you are," Revali says. "Is this your horse?"

"Yep." Link pats Cloud's side. "Don't know what else she'd be. Her name is Cloud."

Revali regards the horse suspiciously. "Hm," he says, like he doesn't believe them. "Are you interested in some archery today? I-"

Link winces. "Ah, sorry. I've gotta go. Family stuff. You know how it is."

After a pause, they add, "So, you feeling alright? Didn't burst your, uh, bird organs?"

"I'm fine. Great actually. It was nice to have some time to myself for once," Revali says, which is definitely a lie. Everything Link's heard from the other Rito points to Revali spending most of his time alone.

"That's good," Link says, and glances to the sky, as if they could see the sun through the rain. "Well, I'm late already."

Revali seems to hesitate a moment, and holds up a bundle of fabric that Link had somehow failed to notice. "Here. I want you to have this."

"What is it?" The fabric is mostly red, secured to curved sticks. It's got the Rito emblem woven into it.

"A paraglider. I found it in Vah Medoh's storage. It's quite valuable, since not many alive know how to make them."

Link has no idea how to react to this. Isn't a paraglider the thing Hylians can use to fly short distances? That sounds amazing. It's a surprisingly generous gesture… What is Revali wanting in return?
"…Don't you need it? It would be useful to you, since you've been having trouble getting around without flying."

"Sure, but I can wait. I'm more worried about you falling off a cliff and breaking your neck."

"Thank you. But you really don't have to worry about me."

Revali crosses his wings. "Hah. I just wanted to save you the embarrassment."

"Of dying? I guess it would be pretty bad for my reputation." Link clips the paraglider to one of Cloud's saddlebags and climbs onto her back. "If you want to contact me, just let the people at a stable know. Messages travel fast through there, and I work with them anyway. See you later!"

With that, Link starts Cloud at a trot and enthusiastically waves goodbye until Revali disappears out of sight.

That conversation was significantly… different. It felt like Revali himself was different, that he had a goal beyond just being nice. They're probably going to spend the next few days wondering about that.

Revali watches Marin and her stupid horse go for a minute before turning around to begin his tiresome walk back to the village.

When Tulin had told him she was leaving, he'd been worried he wouldn't be able to catch up. But he'd found her just in time and done a great job acting completely naturally and not at all like he'd been looking for her.

And with that, his first step in his plan to not lose Marin is complete.

He's done a lot of thinking, and decided that he's just not going to be upset anymore. He did so much thinking that he didn’t actually get any sleep, but he’s feeling better than ever. People died, but they've been dead for a long time. He's completely over it.

It's not going to happen again.

Because Revali is going to be proactive about this.

He likes Marin well enough. She's interesting, if a bit crazy. Nowhere near as annoying as every other Hylian he's met -- Zelda's Royal Guards were especially grating.
It feels good to impress her.

He doesn't want knowing her to be a waste of time or effort.

The plan is very logical.

Now that he's helped ensure that the featherbrained Hylian is less likely to accidentally get herself killed, he can focus on the next step.

He needs to get Mipha to like Marin. If the kingdom's greatest healer is emotionally invested in her, then she's effectively immortal. That unfortunately means that Marin can’t be just his friend.

And then he will somehow find a way to convince Zelda that Marin is part of the team and worth including the next time she casts an overzealous time spell. It’s bound to happen again — Zelda is an incredibly powerful novice, who can’t have had all that much training.

If Revali can’t prevent himself getting caught in a time spell, then he can try to… alleviate the impact.

The Elder used to tell him that he wasn't a very good strategist. That he was too brash to think anything through to find the right path, and instead always went with the first idea that felt like it might work. That couldn't be further from the truth! If only the Elder was alive today just so Revali could prove him wrong to his face.

Chapter Text

The moon is full, casting white light across the frigid valley, cut by perfectly black shadows. It's a frozen, windless night. Not a single grain of sand shifts except by the feet that tread the sleeping desert. On nights like this, the world truly feels ancient and unknowable.

The Yiga do not match this energy.

The Hideout must be the busiest it's been in years. Link hasn't seen crowds like this since Kohga's ascension to Masterhood. A lot of the lower-ranked members have been pushed out of the Hideout and into the path up the Karusa Valley, most huddling in groups around campfires. They gamble, gossip and grumble.

One, perched on a blindfolded statue in stance more like a lizalfos than a human, slowly turns their head to watch as Link walks past.

The smell of roasted bananas hangs heavily in the dry, stagnant air. A test of mental strength, given that there’s no privacy for anyone here to lift their mask to eat. If there's one thing Yiga love to do, it's taunt each other.

"Halt." A single footsolider steps forward to block Link's path, brandishing a Demon Carver with a twirl. "Prove to me you are a real member of the Yiga Clan!"

Link sidesteps him and keeps walking, not sparing him a second glance. "Isn't the uniform enough for you?"

A mumbled chant, and in a puff of smoke, the footsolider appears in front of him. "Oh-ho, but anyone could wear these clothes!"

"You must be new here," Link says. He reaches for his belt.

In one smooth motion, he draws a knife and hooks it against the inside curve of the Demon Carver, yanking it out of the other Yiga's unprepared grip. He elbows him in the gut for good measure.

The weapon thuds into the sand in the distance. The seated footsoliders burst into cackles.

"Come on, Link, play fair! He's just an idiot!" someone shouts.

"Punch his face in!"

Link is a bit uneasy with this much attention on him at once, but the other Yiga is evidently more so. The rookie silently backs away and disappears in another puff of smoke.

With nothing else to do, Link nods his head shortly at the nearest spectator and re-sheaths his blade.

He barely makes it a few more steps before he's interrupted again.

"Link! Just the guy I wanted to see!" she exclaims, waving her hands wildly as she walks backwards in front of him. Makibishi. A diligent but spiteful worker. "I am sick and tired of making saddles! You promised it would be interesting, but not a single stable has ordered one with spikes on. I'm going crazy here!"

"It'll just be a few more months," Link hopes. "You're one of the best metalworkers in the Clan, I need you to be doing this..." He hates that he basically has to trick people into helping.

"I learned metalworking for spikes, not buckles," Maki says snidely, "And, leather stinks!"

Link shrugs helplessly.

"I’ve been making spikes anyway… be careful where you rest your head at night, hyeh hyeh." She raps a knuckle against the side of her mask, which does little to hide the sharp grin that he can tell she's sporting.

The Mercantile Division are a tight-knit group that Link does not want to lose the favour of. They’ve been barely tolerant of the work required to keep the Stable Association project running, but are able to deliver results when most Yiga don't. He gives Maki a thumbs up of acknowledgement (she scoffs) and steps over the threshold into the Hideout.

The air is thankfully much warmer inside. It would have been embarrassing to be shivering amongst the highly-ranked Yiga officials that are congregated in the entrance hall.

A group of Blademasters conversing by the door pause to watch as he walks in. They recognise him after a moment (as there are very few members of the Yiga Clan as short as Link) and turn away again.

One gestures to the rightmost doorway. "You're too late for a briefing. You've got a few minutes to pick up a Windcleaver and get to the Chasm before we let the riff-raff in for the meeting."

Great. Link's always been on the periphery of the Clan leadership. It's never a good look to go into a meeting completely blind and suggest that he is not on equal footing with the other Division Heads.

He follows the directed path. The hallways are disconcertingly silent. Distantly, the very earth seems to rumble.

His Infiltration Division, in the short year or so it has existed, has continually struggled. The members were assigned unwillingly, as most prefer the glory of honest battle and impersonation over the long process of building an identity recognised and trusted by Hyruleans. Link is well-aware that his underlings will favour the leaders of their former divisions over him any day.

Kohga had said that comradery takes time to build, but the Infiltration Division's chances are rather hindered by the fact that its members are, by necessity, scattered across the Kingdom.

The Footsoldiers and lesser Blademasters trickle in, surrounding the central pit.
Link stands at attention, facing outwards towards the crowd. In the open air, the night only grows colder.

The courtyard around the ancient pit is an unusual choice for a meeting location; the carved-out antechambers within the Hideout are traditional, and have more of a stadium setup where the audience is elevated so that everyone can see.

Here, the ground is flat, surrounded by cliffs, and there is no stage at all.

A drumroll builds. It crescendos, and in a flash, a Blademaster appears in a clearing in the audience. Link can't really see her over the heads of everyone else.

"Well, hello, Yiga Clan!" she says, holding a sound-amplifier to her chest. "It's great to not so many faces tonight! I'm Jonin of the Enforcers, and by Din, have we got a show for you! Hit it, boys!"

With that, the drums return, and a puff of smoke signals she's summoned an instrument. She sharply strums a lute, building energy. The crowd enthusiastically chants along with the beginning of the ballad.

It's just the pre-show.

There's almost a hundred people here. An impressive chunk of the Clan, and perhaps an even greater showing than at the coup five years ago. Link drums his fingers against the blade of his Windcleaver in frustration.

Where is Kabanda? Link hadn't been able to find him, and is in desperate want of whatever information he can get about this meeting.

He scans the faceless crowd, eyes drifting upward -- there! On one of the rock shelves. Hunched over with his lousy posture, nervously tapping his chest, staring right back at Link. Kabanda is easier to identify than most, given he never quite manages to dye his hair perfectly charcoal-black. It's vaguely purplish.

Link glances back at the other Division Heads. Barely anyone is looking his way. All eyes are on Jonin, anyway. He stabs his Windcleaver into the ground to free his hands so he can fumble through his collection of cards, looking for the talismans for short-distance teleports.

Cards in hand, he mutters the chant and pushes into the midst of the crowd to disappear a bit more discreetly.
In a flash, Link's standing somewhere entirely different.

He almost trips over his own feet from disorientation, Kabanda grabbing his arm and shoulder to stop him from stumbling of the edge of the rock ledge.
Link might be one of the top fighters within the Clan, but how anyone is able to fight while blipping around is entirely beyond him.

"You alright, Link?" Kabanda asks, unsurely.

Link slaps the taller Yiga's hands away. "I'm fine. What intel can you give me? Be quick."

Kabanda rubs the back of his wrist. "You're so rude sometimes, you know that? After you forced me to leave Akkala, where I was onto something, mind you, I would appreciate a 'please' or 'thank you.'"

There's literally nothing in Akkala. Whatever adventures are going on in Kabanda-land are completely outside the realm of importance, and Link is tempted to say as much, but he holds his tongue. "Please," he privately grimaces.

Kabanda nods happily. "That's better! Well, I haven't been able to overhear all that much over the past few days, but what I have heard is pretty big."

Below, Jonin throws her head back and lowers to her knees in a passionate lute solo, the crowd screaming with enthusiasm. Did she put glitter on her mask?

"There's been a lot of meetings between Division Heads. They're negotiating something or other, but I'm not quite sure."

"Another coup?"

"No. Whatever it is has had everyone cozying up to Master Kohga, especially the members of the Central Families."

"What's new." Link mutters. The Central Families are as catty as it gets. Being the actual heirs to the Ancient Sheikah, they deserve a lot of power, but are always trying to gain more. But there isn't much more authority to claw out of anyone but each other, given that ten of the thirteen Division Heads are Central already.

"It is different this time," Kabanda insists. "Kyokan has been in an awful mood for days. He's been having meetings with everyone, clearly trying to fix something or other. He's clearly been trying to make a case with Master Kohga, but he's not getting through."

"Kyokan?" Link repeats blankly. "The Head of Assassination?!" This is different. Assassination is a father-son inherited Division, owned by a branch family that is incredibly close and loyal to the Kohga line... For the most dedicated members of the Clan to be excluded by a decision indicates that it is a big one.

Kabanda rubs the back of his neck. "And I know people have been watching me. People have been watching everyone. Taking notes, muttering about resources and performance… It's like they're getting ready for, like, war or something."

"Are they?" Link demands.

"I don't think so. It wouldn't make any sense. Who would we even be fighting? The Gerudo have their massive camel back. The time for that kind of thing is long gone."

Jonin's performance is winding down. They're out of time. Link reluctantly thanks Kabanda for his basic intel, and climbs down the rock face to return to the crowd.

This would be the perfect time to use the paraglider.
His paraglider…

But that would be stupid, since it would draw so much unwanted attention to himself. Link ducks his head down and pushes back through the crowd to his abandoned Windcleaver.

Jonin loudly thanks the applauding crowd. "And I suppose I'll get out of your hair," she jokes, elbowing someone a bit too hard. "We all know you're only here for one person, after all… The one! The only! MASTER KOHGAAAA!" She sings the last line, pointing skywards.

High above the pit, a strange green object bursts into being, spurting fire in every direction. The crowd freeze, awestruck.

The massive spinning fireball descends, and atop it stands Master Kohga.

Link remembers himself and fixes his posture, facing back toward the enraptured crowd.

"Thank you all for coming here today!" Kohga addresses, still miraculously airborne, "We have one heck of a meeting ahead of us!" He snaps his fingers, and bananas burst into the air and fall into the eager arms of the audience.

"Now, many of you are aware of the mysterious cave systems that reside far beneath us through this chasm. But! It is far larger than anyone had thought! The Depths stretch the full breadth of Hyrule… and we have reason to believe that this chasm was purposefully built to access them, by none other than our most advanced ancestors."

The crowd breaks into astonished whispers, shushed by Kohga raising one hand. "But! What we found down there is of far more import than any sacred orb or Sheikah rune."

He snaps his fingers again, and Link can't help but look.

Behind him, something shifts within the bottomless chasm. A platform, raising higher, holding a pile of mysterious green objects.

"Behold! A conduit of power unseen for millennia -- the legacy of the Zonai!"

The pile of green objects rises, and whirs to life. It forms into a lizard-like construct of some sort. It holds its hands out in front of itself and looks around, almost appearing confused.

"Near-indestructible, unknowable to our enemies…" Kohga continues. "The Depths hold a seemingly unlimited store of weapons… and we will use it! We will abuse it! We will control it! And with it…

"We will resurrect the Calamity!"

The crowd is stunned into silence.

"We will give our own form to the Ancient Challenger. We will strike Hyrule when they least expect it. Hylia won't know what hit her!"

The Yiga Clan scream with excited fervour. The air is filled with pure, animalistic glee.

Link cannot hear himself think. His heartbeat is thudding in his throat.

It's overwhelming. It's insane. It's brilliant.

A couple of years ago, he'd be caught right up in the energy. Instead, he thinks over how much work this is going to take. The Research Division will have to triple in size, meaning--

"I am glad to have you all by my side." Kohga says. "Together, we will defy destiny. We will overcome prophecy. We. Will. Win."

Kohga bows, and he and the flaming platform disappear in another cloud of smoke and cards.

The music returns, and Link can do nothing but stand there and stare as the Zonai Construct folds in on itself, its energy going dormant once again.

A Blademaster cautiously steps onto the platform, taking centre stage. They pull out a paper and brings it close to their face to read it. "And now for the administrative details," they intone. "The Depths Branch will consist of Relay Bases and Mobile Agents. Relay Bases will be led by one manager each, who will report to either Hisomeru or…"

Link is distracted by his own thoughts. The Clan is being completely restructured… This is bigger than anything he or Kabanda could have imagined. He never should have stayed so long in Rito Village.

"…The following Divisions will be entirely relocated to the Depths: Research. Cartography & Scouting. Combat."

A few complaints, more excitement. To be assigned to the Depths is a massive honour. One that Link does not want.

The Blademaster clears their throat. "As for the Surface Branch... Any Division not mentioned will be dissolved, effective immediately." A pause for the audience to quiet down. "Exceptional members will be integrated into the most similar Division, while the rest will be moved to the Depths Branch."

Link turns away again, standing stock-still, not broadcasting a single emotion. This moment he's been waiting for. Either Link's job has gotten a whole lot more difficult, or he's… losing everything.

"Mercantile Division."

Several members slap each other's backs. The Merchants staying together is really no surprise.

"Training & Testing."

Link closes his eyes. Come on. Infiltration. It's a brand new Division, surely Kohga wouldn't turn around and disband it after just a year.

"Distribution."

Infiltration.

"And finally,"

Infiltration. Infiltration.

"Espionage."

Link feels like the world's dropped out from beneath him.

The crowd breaks into discussion.

A member pushes his way through the crowd to the front. "You seriously can't just disband the Enforcers!"

"Idiot!" Jonin chides from across the chasm, "I'm the one leading the Surface Branch now! The Enforcers are obviously still a thing!"

"Excuse me?" Someone holds their hand up. "What about the Wardens? Are we trainers now?"

The person next to them shrugs. "Makes sense to me."

"--You can't just bundle Assassination with the boring spies! There's such a huge difference!"

"Master Kohga's word is final," the Blademaster onstage says. "And that's that. Glory to Master Kohga! Death to our enemies!" They slam their fist into their chest.

"GLORY!" Link recites the mantra alongside his Clan. "DEATH!"

And that's that. Meeting over.

It's well past midnight, and most of the Clan are going their separate ways. There will be no deals to be struck until morning.

Link's entire body feels heavy. He's just tired. The rainy night several days ago where he barely slept a wink didn't help, followed by the long gallop southwards, where all breaks were for Cloud's benefit rather than his own.

He wants to return to his cabin on the Plateau, but time spent away from the Hideout is time wasted.

His feet carry him by themselves to his small office space -- an old carved out room large enough for his planning table and bedroll. He opens the door, and reflexively jerks to the side, jumping to cling to the wall.

A wave of massive caltrops comes tumbling out, clattering to the floor and echoing down the passages.

The office is filled, floor to ceiling, with metal spikes.

Thanks, Maki.

It's been years since he climbed these rafters.

His old nook hasn't been claimed by anyone else. He sets his bags down. The space, once perfectly sized, is far too small. But it'll do.

He curls up and tries to get some sleep.

There's no daylight in the depths of the Hideout.
Link, comforted by a bitter sort of nostalgia, very much overslept. The timepieces on the wall say that it's mid-afternoon.

Link ends up in the cooking-hall. It consists of a large room with a long bench cutting it in half. On the other side, about twenty cooking pots line the walls.

The Merchants are bustling about, holding trays of banana muffins. They don't look too bad today, so Link exchanges a few rupees for one of the simpler ones without whipped cream.

(He's learned from experience, here. The Yiga Clan do not have cattle or goats -- all dairy is sourced almost exclusively from the efforts of the now-defunct Banditry Division. They intercept Gerudo trade routes but never bother to steal the ice that the milk is stored in. It gets rancid, fast.)

The routine here is simple. Link hands a red rupee to a Merchant staring off into space in front of the nearest cooking pot, and they unlock the station's spice cabinet and wander away.

Cooking is good. He can turn his brain off and focus on the delightful simplicity of dicing carrots, radishes and whatever else he's managed to forage over the past few days.

Drop the slices of stambulb into the pot with some oil. Wait. Then the other vegetables. Wait. Add water. Mix spices. Someone's taken the bottle of tumeric, but he has his own. A bit of flour to thicken. Wait.

And it's done. Link takes a serve of rice from the big central pot and then ladles his curry on top. He snaps his fingers a couple times, and a Merchant appears. He points to the cooking pot, still holding about six servings.

"One hundred and fifty rupees," he says.

The Merchant crosses their arms. "It doesn't even have meat. Fifty."

"You don't have to buy it if you don't want it."

The other Yiga relents. "Fine. Seventy-five."

"One-fifty."

"Fine!"

Jonin is lounging at her desk, glitter still covering her mask. "Ah, Link. Just the guy I wanted to see. Sit down, let's talk." She gestures to a stool across from her.

Link does not sit.

Jonin unsheathes her Windcleaver and looks it over, absentmindedly cleaning its blemishes with a rag. Eventually, she speaks. "…Hisomeru and I were discussing a trade yesterday morning." She pauses to look directly at Link, then resumes her work. "He wants his half of the Relay Bases to have preferential treatment from my Distributors. Better food, and more of it. In exchange, he'll defer to my orders, so long as they don't conflict with Master Kogha's will. You can see why this deal is valuable to me."

Link nods hesitantly. He feels like kicking himself for being so late to all of this. He's entirely missed the inter-leader politics, and is now left scrambling. Whatever chances he had to negotiate his own position are completely dead. He doesn't have any semblance of a leadership position anymore.

"He also wanted one more thing. You." She sets her blade down and leans forward smugly. "The Depths are dangerous, he could use a brawler. Someone to keep those idiots alive. I expect you to remain loyal to me, of course, but you'll mostly be moving between Relay Bases as needed."

No.

"You can't do that," Link protests. "You need to keep me in the Surface Branch, I've made too much progress gaining the trust of the Rito Champion to just throw it away." Link can't have just been reduced to someone else's bargaining chip.

Jonin stares a moment, then laughs and slaps the table. "And what's the point of that? Nayru, help this idiot! All brawn and no brains! Everyone knows Revali and the Princess have always hated each other's guts. Focusing on him is worse than nothing."

"I'm onto something, alright? Just give me a bit more time," Link pleads.

"…Fine. I'll give you a week." She stabs her Windcleaver into the wooden floor to punctuate. "A week to prove that you're somehow more useful to me than everyone under Hisomeru put together. Combined with my Surface Branch, that makes more than half the Clan."

A week is nothing, but Link knows better than to try and push it. He keeps his mouth shut and nods.

"I know you've been taking advantage of only having to report to Kohga -- the busiest man in the entire Clan -- to slack off. But your little identity of Marin isn't some kind of secret, either. My Enforcers will track you down if you run off and try to ignore my orders. Your dead little Division has been nothing but trouble for us and I am glad to be rid of it. Now get out of my office."

A time limit, a kick to the gut. They both feel about the same.

Link doesn't quite feel like he's breathing.

He finds Kabanda loitering outside.

The older Yiga is slouched against the wall, one finger tapping against his other arm impatiently. "I talked to the guys in charge of the Pony Point logs. Zelda and friends were last seen at Gerudo Stable, about three hours ago, now."

Link draws a sharp breath and grabs Kabanda by the elbow to lead him somewhere they are less likely to be overheard.

"I can't go to Gerudo Town," Link hisses. "Not Kara-Kara either." He only has a week and Zelda's going to spend all that time surrounded by people who know Marin is Yiga.

Kabanda looks at him, either concerned or aggravated. "Because you got your disguise compromised? I can't help there either, my disguise is a man. A very handsome man."

"Go to the Developers, tell them you need a new disguise." Link can't ask, himself, not when he's under so much scrutiny -- Jonin finding that kind of dirt would give her reason to rescind the week's grace. Kabanda is more than a head taller than Link, but he might be able to use a disguise designed for him without too many glitches. Maybe.

"No." Kabanda says, straightening up. "I won't. I am tired of sticking my neck out for you! Jonin's guys think I'm incompetent and aimless because you made me return to the Hideout to do nothing but eavesdrop. I'm being sent to the Depths! You should have let me stay in Akkala! I have my own life and I think it's about time you figure out how to solve your own problems."

Link steps back, more surprised than hurt. He can't think of anything rational to say to that.

Kabanda pauses for a moment, as if he's wanting to say more, but instead turns on his heel and walks away.

Link silently watches him leave. It's fine, Kabanda wouldn't have been very useful anyway. Link has a few days to even get to the town, surely enough time to figure something out on his own.

Riju, Chief of the Gerudo, and therefore her soldiers, know Marin (by a slightly different name) is Yiga. Marin can't go to the desert, anywhere near the civilisation it holds.

Marin can't go.

…

Link has a really terrible idea.

Chapter Text

The south wind blew once more, proudly carrying the festering storm over the northern mountains. What was life without the wind? It knew better than most, always moving, always changing. To stagnate would be to cease to exist.

Kass took a long inhale, and breathed out a hum.

"Papa?" Notts asked, shifting in her hammock. "Can you sing a bedtime song?"

"Another one?" he asked with a smile, "Wasn't the Song of New Homes enough?" It was one of his own compositions, consisting of an old Hylian prayer edited into a ballad. He had been quite proud to finally show it off, but the double meanings seemed a bit lost on his youngest ones.

Genli's hammock rocked as she sat up. "Papa, we're not tired! A new house is just too exciting to have to lie around in."

A chorus of agreement from the others. They were getting much better at their harmonising.

"Oh, how can I resist such beautiful tones…" he sighed dramatically, not entirely for show. Kass was tired from helping move logs today, but his weary wings would pick up the accordion once more.

"Oh no you don't." said Amali, "Kass, my light, you need rest. And don't you know it's just improper to perform twice in a row?"

Kass perked up a little. "Are you going to tell a story?"

His perfect wife nodded. "I am going to tell a story."

Woes completely forgotten, Kass sat down across from her, wingtips drumming against their brand new floor rug. The children poked their heads over the edges of their hammocks to look down at them.

Amali had once told him she didn't understand why he was always so excited to hear stories from her. She wasn't a master at all, and wouldn't perform song-stories because she didn't have a great memory for lyrics and would mess up the wording.

And that was the reason. Amali made each and every story her own.

He could wax poetic about the day they met. Amali was working at Serenne Stable back then, and he had jokingly pretended to pay for supplies with a song. She had smiled and said he had overpaid, and she simply had to reimburse him with a story of her own. With an introduction like that, of course he had fallen for her.

"This is a bit of a sad story," Amali warned, "But I think you girls have matured quite well over the past couple of years."

Kotts nodded her head solemnly.

A long, long time ago, there was a Prince and a Princess.

"Princess Zelda?" Cree asked.

Amali shook her head. "Definitely not any Princess you've met. I did say a long time ago."

They lived in a prosperous land, in an era between war and ruin. They were brother and sister, quite alike in many ways, but different where it truly mattered.

The Princess was wise, beyond her years. She was wise to know that she forever had more to learn. Every day she sought to further her studies -- her understanding of the world and its peoples. Her heart was full of love for every soul she met… not that she got out much.

That was enough to tease a laugh out of Kass. His daughters shushed him.

And the Prince… The Prince was courageous, sure, but short sighted. He thought that when given the ability, he would simply make the world perfect, exactly as he thought it should work, regardless of what everyone else wanted.

Their Kingdom was one blessed by the goddesses. They held a holy artifact, unmatched by any within mortal hands. Its magic allowed their people to prosper for centuries, untouched by fear or famine. It had been passed into the King's hands by his wife, and her mother before her.

But the march of time pauses for no one, and not even the greatest, holiest powers would allow the King to live forever.

The Prince, was of course, the King's heir. Along with their Kingdom, he was destined to inherit the artifact and the unstoppable strength that came with it.

The King saw his son as stubborn and idealistic beyond reason. He knew that the Prince could very well be fooled by anyone into making the kinds of decisions that no one can ever undo. The young man's ears were ready to hear from far more people than the sagely advisors. He would be easily lead by the greedy into misusing the artifact.

And so, the King came to a decision.

He would not trust his own son.

He did not go back on tradition and deny the Prince his Kingdom, but he deemed that the power of the artifact was far too great to be held by one man. He split part of the artifact from the whole, and hid it away where the Prince would never find it.

While the Princess studied, the Prince would go on hunts with his attendants and even the common people.

It was during one of these hunts that his father died.

He returned to find his sister already in mourning robes.

All of a sudden, they only had each other. Within days, he was crowned King.

With new ideas in hand, the new King sought out his family's magical artifact. He was shocked to find it incomplete. Rather than thinking his father had split it, he came to the assumption that it had been that way for a very long time, and everyone had simply been bluffing.

The King was disappointed, but moved on. With his sister's help, he ran the Kingdom close to how he wanted, making contact with new peoples and forging alliances. All the while, he searched for clues as to what happened to the artifact.

But it was not long before an old plague returned. People became sick and wasted away. Previously, everyone had been cured easily, but with the artifact incomplete, this was no longer possible.

People began to take notice.

Their new allies looked upon the struggling kingdom with hunger. After a long peace, war was on the horizon and Hyrule's people were in no state to fight.

And still, the King could not find the missing piece of the artifact. He was able to use the remaining pieces to drive back invaders, but it was only a temporary measure.

As the weakening kingdom struggled, the King continued his royal hunts.

It was during one of his hunts that the King was approached by a wizard.

The wizard easily worked his way into the King's good graces. He was remarkably knowledgeable and offered to work under the King to help with any request.

The King confided in him a secret that only he and his sister knew, but everyone had begun to suspect. The artifact was broken. And they had no idea how to fix it.

The wizard thought for a few minutes, and offered an idea that the King had never even considered; perhaps the Princess knew more than what she told him.
She had been their father's favourite, after all.

The King was horrified by the suggestion, but, over time, it ate away at him. Could his sister's dedication to her research for a solution be a mere farce? Could his own sister withhold salvation from their dying people?

He would not be so quick to see the worst in the Princess. Instead, he asked the wizard to aid her in her research and report anything suspicious to the King.

The wizard and the Princess worked well together. Although they made little progress in their main goal, they invented several new magics, and the Princess began to consider the wizard a friend.

But the wizard was not there for friendship. His heart had been darkened by a great desire for the absolute power that the artifact promised. He was growing impatient. He wanted the Princess to tell him everything, but she was always shadowed by powerful guards.

The wizard was becoming impatient.

So, he returned to the King and reported that all his suspicions were correct. The Princess obviously knew the truth and was concealing it from her own brother.

Enraged, the King immediately went to see his sister. He dismissed her guards so that he and the wizard could properly interrogate her.

The wizard demanded information from her, but the Princess did not tell him anything. Whether she knew anything or not, she refused to speak.

The wizard began to threaten her, and her brother merely watched. Eventually, frustrated beyond reason, the wizard attacked the Princess, cursing her into an eternal, death-like sleep.

The King was frozen, shocked. He drew his sword.

He and the wizard battled, and the King emerged victorious. But it was no victory at all, for the damage had already been done.

There was no way for him to wake his sister. The only hope was the artifact itself, but now the King knew for certain that he would never find it.

Not without her.

And so, the King sealed the Princess away, somewhere she would eternally sleep in peace.

Amali bowed her head, signifying the end of the story.

Kass applauded politely. He felt a little hollow inside after that one, and glancing to his daughters showed they felt similarly.

"…That's it?" Notts asked. "What happened next?"

"The King eventually died. There's not anything more to the story."

"What!" Cree and Kheel whined in unison.

"Is she still out there, then?" Genli's eyes sparkled with excitement. No doubt making plans of how she could heroically save the Princess herself.

Amali shrugged, leaning to press cheek to her daughter's forehead. "Maybe so. It's an old story, a lot of details have probably been lost. Time changes all things."

"If any of you ever believe an evil wizard over me, I'll be very mad," Cree mumbled.

Already, several of the fledgelings were drifting off to sleep. After saying his own goodnights, Kass wandered from their roost for a walk.

The night air held the kind of quiet that wasn't quiet at all. The wind pushed through branches, the wooden buildings creaked, crickets sang in piercing bursts.

Kass leaned against a railing. The story was an interesting one, to be sure. Not one he had heard from Amali before, and he could make a few guesses as to why. Just a couple of weeks ago, and it would have inflicted quite the sense of foreboding.

But tonight, there were no more Princesses frozen in time. History doesn't always have to rhyme.

The sonata of the crickets was joined by an aria of a wolf's howls. Kass tilted his head to listen intently. The key was a bit off, but with some adjustments it could be something.

He hummed along.

The floorboards of one of the walkways creaked. Kass dropped into silence.

"Princess." Revali said.

"Master Revali," a quiet, hesitant response from Zelda. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I believe there is something we can clear up between us."

"Really?" Zelda responded, perhaps a bit quicker than the girl would, normally.

"Mmh. I may have spoken a bit rashly. My interaction with you was coloured by my discomfort of this new world. I think it would be best if we put the whole thing behind us."

"Put it all behind us…" Zelda let out a shaky breath. "You know, how about we start over?"

Revali made an inquisitive noise.

Zelda continued, "We've both said a lot of things we regret, and we wouldn't have ever done if not for the situation. These past few years… we can just pretend it never happened."

"An interesting idea. What would this mean, exactly?"

"No more… I won't give you any more orders. You won't have to listen to a thing I say if you don't want to. And in return, you won't treat me like a Princess, or an enemy. We can just be… friends."

"I suppose we can do that." Revali eventually said.

Kass smiled to himself. These kids. He has to admire them for trying.
Hopefully his own will be better at communicating by the time they're this age.

"We'll be going to Gerudo Town tomorrow." Zelda said. "You're welcome to join us."

"But I don't have to." Revali.

"But you don't have to." Zelda affirmed.

"…I suppose I might as well. There's not much to do around here."

A silence, where they might have smiled and nodded at each other. Or perhaps, stuck out their tongues.

Kass heard Zelda's footsteps leaving, and after a minute, Revali's talons clicking as he wandered off.

The crickets continued to scream.

They've set up their camp somewhere on the road between Rito Village and Gerudo Town. Somewhere between stables, a patch of ground between a forest and a hill. There's no monsters in the area, not anymore.

Sidon and Daruk were very enthusiastic about dealing with those.

The night is peaceful, slightly cloudy, and warm enough to not want a blanket. Only the two Princesses are still awake.

Mipha is enveloped by a hug from Sidon. Zelda isn't sure how effective of a campsite guard Mipha can be when her much larger brother is holding onto her like a stuffed toy, but Zelda can't fault her for allowing it. In the morning Sidon will part with the group, taking the rivers back to Zora's Domain rather than following them through the desert to Gerudo Town. Mipha has always had a little trouble parting with her family, and the guilt she must feel about the century they lived without her must be downright painful.

"I had always wished for nights like this," Mipha whispers.

It's far too dark to embroider, but Zelda pretends that is what she's doing. She pulls the needle through the corner of one of her handkerchiefs, tugging the thread through. "What do you mean? We've camped like this countless times."

Sidon makes a little snork in his sleep, and Mipha gently touches a hand to one of his fins, her face incredibly fond. "We're on the road because we want to be, not because we have to. I'm here, with my beloved brother and friends, and I finally know that there is no longer anything to fear. After all this time, I know everything will be only be better than it is right now. Oh, isn't that wonderful?"

Zelda sighs. She's spent the last decade worrying and it doesn't feel like she'll ever be able to let go of that. It wouldn't be fair to Everyone to just be happy, but she doesn't want to bring Mipha down with her.

"It certainly doesn't feel real," Zelda admits. She awoke from her normal life into a dream and nightmare. Her worries evaporated, because they came true. She doesn't know if she'll ever be used to this new world. If she should even try.

A moth dances around the campfire, drawing precariously close to its heat only to dart away.

"I know what you're thinking, Zelda. We cannot do anything to change the past. The people of today are happy and safe, and that is the best we can ask for. The future is in our hands, their hands, rather than that demon's."

Mipha glances to the curled up boulder that is Daruk, "Zelda, we are so proud of you."

Zelda can't help but freeze like a startled deer..

"You have shown so much strength. Nobody would think less of you if you stayed at Kakariko and took time to grieve, but you are already travelling the kingdom and taking time to hear its people. You just keep inspiring me with your resilience. And," she says slyly, "you've somehow found a way to make amends with Revali during all this. I don't know how you did it, but I am very much impressed."

Although he had agreed to join them on the journey to the desert, Revali has spent little time lingering at their camps. He had disappeared into a tree at sunset. Still unable to fly, he had clambered up in quite an undignified manner, which the others had politely pretended to not see. Zelda would normally have wandered closer for a better view, but that would be rude, and she's not going to be rude anymore.

She still quietly laughed about it after she was sure he wouldn't see or hear.

Zelda keeps working on the embroidery that she can't really see so she can avoid any chance of eye contact with Mipha. "I am so grateful to have you and the other Champions, Mipha. I… don't think I'll be able to make any new connections. The people of this era are so different, and I don't believe they actually like me very much."

"Don't be so harsh on yourself," Mipha murmurs. "You've already made new friends. Paya, Marin…"

She makes another stitch, knowing she'll just unpick this in the morning. "Is that her name?"

"…What?" Mipha sounds genuinely baffled, "Did you not know Marin's name?"

"We don't know each other. I just bluffed to make Sidon go away."

Mipha laughs softly. "Have I really been listening to Sidon talk about this girl for no reason at all? It is a bit strange that she went along with the lie."

"It wasn't the first time I've tried that trick." It usually didn't work. Zelda singling out a random citizen to pretend to know usually just ended up with them immediately asking what she was talking about. Or just standing there, bug-eyed. "Regardless, she definitely doesn't count."

"Well then," Mipha says, "How about we try change that? When we get to Gerudo Town, you should take some time to talk to the women there. See if you can find someone with similar interests to you."

"I don’t know…" Zelda pushes the needle through fabric again, and a burst of pain spikes into her thumb. "Ow!" She startles, dropping her work, and quickly wraps her other hand around the pinprick cut on her thumb.

Mipha sits up, "Zelda, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just poked myself with a needle."

"Come over here. Let me see." The Zora Princess' voice is gentle but doesn't leave room for argument.
Zelda stands and takes a few short steps around the fire to crouch next to Mipha. The Zora Princess, still held in the arm of her big little brother, takes Zelda's hand between her own.

Mipha hums, and a soft blue light washes over Zelda's hand, gone in less than a second. Mipha swipes the tiny spot of blood away to reveal unmarred skin.

"You have your healing magic back!" Zelda whisper-shouts.

"Shh. I didn't want to mention it until I have enough strength to heal the last of Revali's injuries. I can only do a little for now, and I know that would just make him very frustrated."

Zelda nods in understanding. "Thank you. I think I shall go try and get some sleep now." Staying up just seems awkward. At least there will be more distractions in the morning.

A warm smile grows on Mipha's face. "Goodnight, Zelda. Do not forget my suggestion about talking to new people. You won't know how it'll go until you try. What's the worst that could happen?"

Years ago, there was a footsoldier who had been collecting supplies in preparation to defect from the Yiga Clan. Luckily, he's not alive to object to Link digging through his stash.

Deep in the warren of tunnels, Link sets his lantern down and kicks over a pile of spears to access the long-forgotten bag of clothing. He had first found this dusty old storeroom when he was a child, and the items within had lived in the back of his mind ever since.

The weapons used by the Yiga Clan have long represented pieces of wisdom, lessons to be learned and remembered.

A sickle is a symbol of the irony of equality in death, of the inevitable harvest that must follow every beginning. Death comes for all, in a world neglected by the goddesses. The Clan wield death fully understanding its consequence.

A Demon Carver is a sickle that is inverted; the sharpest edge is on the outside, representing a harvest that has turned against its collector. A symbol of pure defiance against the order of a broken world, a reminder that even nature can be compelled to change.

A Kusarigama is a lesser-used weapon, but today its lesson feels more relevant than ever. It is a sickle, connected by a chain to a small weight. The wielder swings the weight, throwing it to bind the chain around their foe's weapon or body, creating leverage to lunge forward and press the sickle to their helpless throat.

Link is the weight on the end of the chain. No matter how far he strays, he will remain bound to the sickle, to the might of the Clan. His purpose is to position his enemies to be defeated.

Everything he does, he does for his people.

He digs through the forsaken bag, and pulls out a Hylian tunic. It's just his size.

Chapter Text

The air around the small cluster of Gerudo ruins is boiling, the harsh morning sunlight pressing against the stone and sand. He stands in a shadowed crevice, bag at his feet and reluctance in his hands. Out of sight, for now.

Link hesitantly turns his wrist over and starts unbuckling his gauntlet. The piece of spiked leather slips loose and falls to the sand. He repeats the process on his other arm.

It's strange. He's taken his armour off countless times before, to wash and repair, but it has never felt like this.

He nudges the discarded gauntlets into his bag with his foot, starting on the straps across his torso. Eventually, he's swapped his uniform for typical, forgettable, Hylian garb. The tunic and pants feel wrong.

He reaches a hand to the back of his head to touch the strap of his mask.

"Hey, you."

He flinched and turned around, looking up at the very tall Blademaster watching him. "…me?"

The Blademaster leaned forward. He was easily more than twice Link's height, but that wasn't saying much. Link had always been shorter than even the other kids. "Your mask is on upside-down."

Link flinched, covering his mask with one hand. He knew there had to be a reason it was fitting so badly! "I'm sorry." He reached to undo the mask, but the Blademaster quickly grabbed his wrist.

"Don't just take it off! What are you doing?"

I don't know, Link wanted to say. He didn't know anything! It'd been an entire three days since he had been transferred to the main Hideout from the Maritta Branch, and he still didn't know where anything was, who anyone was, or even how to read the timepieces. Things had been so much simpler in Maritta.

All the other transfers were wards. Despite being nowhere near of Testing age, Link was actually an initiate. And as an initiate, he couldn't just be babysat. He had to be able to understand things on his own, but he was just so bad at it.

The Blademaster was staring at him, still holding his wrist. Expecting him to say something.

"I'm sorry," Link said, again.

With a sigh, the Blademaster guided Link's hands away from his mask, letting go. "The number one rule here is, no matter what, nobody can see your face. That outweighs looking like an idiot Sheikah for a few minutes."

That was what was most different about the Hideout, more than the giant orange rooms and crowds. Everyone was always, always, in these spooky masks. Back at Maritta, the wardens had usually worn disguises even in the base, so that the wards would be able to actually see their expressions (They said it made for "more emotionally intelligent spies", whatever that meant). Here, everything was a complete mystery. Link didn't like it, but he was smarter than to say that out loud.

"Why?"

"Why?" the Blademaster repeated, taken aback. "Are you - I have better things to do than deal with…" he grumbled to himself, most words muffled by his mask. "Fine. The great Kela is going to waste his precious time lecturing a four year old. Why not."

Link wanted to correct him, but he didn't actually know how old he was. Probably not four. Four's really little, and Link's a big kid now.

Blademaster Kela patted him on the shoulder. "There's a lot of reasons that we wear masks. Your face is one of the only things in this world that's entirely your own. Nobody deserves to see it, so nobody should see it. That's only opening yourself to immense danger.

"…Eyes are quite famously a weak point, after all," he continued, waving a hand in a circular motion. "A vulnerability. Curses enter your body through your eyes -- the kinds of things that can twist and change you. The Inverted Eye is an ancient talisman, a layer of protection from both spiritual and mundane threats.

"The Yiga aren't cowards, we face all our enemies head-on, never once looking away! We do it knowing that we have our entire Clan by our sides. The uniform connects us to our past, and is a tool we use to seize the future.

"The rest of the world has decided they don't want us. That's why us Yiga have to stick together. We’re doing work that needs to be done, and history will be on our side in the end. Do you understand?"

Link nodded.

"Your mask is your strength, your people, an oath. To take it off is to reject the Clan itself. Remember that. Now go and put your mask on properly, it's embarrassing."

Link can't take the mask off. He has to take the mask off. Isn't there another way?

He's doing this for the Clan. He's not betraying anyone, it's for the greater good.

It's necessary.

He unbuckles the mask and rips his hood off. He runs a shaky hand through his tangled hair and unsuccessfully tries to not think too much about this.

People have been called traitors for less, but he's doing the right thing. For the Clan. Nobody can ever know.

Aside from a few mishaps as a kid, Link's face has been his own since the day he joined the Clan. He doesn't even remember the time before. Can he actually do this? Throw it all away out of nothing but stubbornness?
Maybe the Depths wouldn't actually be so bad. He can survive without the feeling of a fresh breeze, the songs of birds, the delight of fresh food. Link's never really liked caves, but he could adjust to the darkness. It wouldn't be forever. A few decades, at most.

…Who is he kidding? The idea is about as palatable as stabbing himself in the gut with his own sword. There's just no world where he could do that.

Link crouches to shove his Yiga uniform into the bottom of his bag. He digs around, pulls out his Hylian cape and puts it on. He flips the hood up to cover the top half of his face.
He moves his bag into a corner and shifts a rock over to conceal it. He can't have any items in common with his identity as Marin.

Link straightens up and does some stretches. It's not too long of a walk to Kara-Kara Bazaar. He doesn't feel ready.

He steps into the sunlight.

Visible above the cresting sand, Vah Naboris stands guard over the distant town. Its six glowing eyes are looking right at Link.

It's… probably just pointed towards Kara Kara Bazaar and not Link specifically. Hopefully.

Link tugs his hood down further over his face. He can appreciate the hood for shading him from the burning sunlight, but the dark fabric is starting to accumulate a lot of warmth.

It's still not yet midday, not even close to the desert's peak temperature.

A cluster of men stand under a tree, furiously talking amongst themselves. They don't notice Link, because they have no reason to notice Link.

He walks past them, resolving to not overthink this.

The first person to look him in the eyes is a clothing merchant.

"Sav'otta!" she greets.

Her eyes are dark and shiny and looking right at him. She can see him.

His face is no longer his own.

Link tries not to flinch and forces himself to walk closer to inspect her wares. She has a couple of mannequins set up to show off some nice dresses, and a table with folded garments.

He hesitantly points to a set labelled for its heat resistant properties. It is undoubtedly, blatantly, women's clothing. It's several hundred rupees, but Link has managed to steal enough from Hyruleans and his fellow Yiga to cover it.

The shopkeep nods, accepting the money happily. "Ah, good choice. I have a few of those in different sizes. Who is this for, a girlfriend… or yourself?"

Link doesn't dare speak aloud, in case there's a fellow member of the Clan wandering around in earshot. There's a small chance they'd recognise his voice and realise immediately that he is neither in uniform or disguise.

Instead, he awkwardly points to himself.

"That makes things a bit simpler," she smiles warmly. "You wouldn't guess the number of voe who don't even know their girlfriends' shoe size. Take off that cloak so I can get your measurements."

With stilted movements, Link unclasps his cloak and shrugs it off, tentatively folding it and placing it onto the counter.

The shopkeep makes no comment, procuring a length of striped ribbon. She guides his arm to straighten to measure its length from shoulder to wrist.

"Hmm," she pauses as she measures the width of his shoulders. He wants to ask if something's wrong, but has no ability to do so, so he just tilts his head around to try and look at her. "…Your hair is really scruffy. If you want to model clothes as fine as mine, this really won't do. Lift your arms a bit."

He grits his teeth when she accidentally bumps the still-sore remnants of his arrow wound.

She measures around his torso. "Seriously, do you just scrub at your hair with a bar of soap?"

Link wouldn't even answer that if he could.

A couple more measurements are made, and then a bundle of blue, green and purple fabric is deposited into his arms. A slightly showy Gerudo outfit, sized smaller for a Hylian. "These should fit perfectly. I think it's just your style… and before you go, I insist you take these."

She presents a pair of small jars. "Powdered soapseed. This is good stuff, from all the way across the southern desert. It’s what basically every Gerudo uses to make their hair so soft. Massage a bit into your wet hair, wash it out, and then apply some of this hair oil for shine. Stop using normal soap."

Link doesn't want to risk annoying her any further, so takes the offered hair products. He nods a thank you and turns to walk away.

"Come again!" she calls after him, "I also do embroidery and darning!"

That all felt… really strange. It was such a mundane interaction, with some generosity piled on top. Just a merchant trying to snag a repeat customer.

Link isn't really sure what he expected.

For the second time that morning, he changes his clothes and returns to the desert. Next stop, Gerudo Town.

Heat ripples the horizon. It's almost sunset, the clear sky tinged with a faint purplish glow. The hours between noon and sunset are always the hottest, making Link's run across the dunes about as awful as it possibly could have been. He feels tired, a bit shaky, and very dehydrated. His hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat.

There's a few agitated men loitering by the gates of Gerudo Town, watching the guards intently, and getting watched right back.
They stare at Link as he walks past, and he feels the phantom sensation of something crawling in the skin of his neck.
That must be one of those eye-based curses.
Great. He made it maybe eight hours before getting hit by one.

The guards greet him politely, and let him pass. He's dressed as a vai, and they don't much care beyond that.

The interior of the town is blessedly cooler than the open desert, but it's still a very, very hot evening.

Link looks around until he spots a bar. He needs a drink, before anything else.

He sits on a stool at the bar counter, resting his forearms on the cool, carved rock. The bar is lively with patrons, half-empty bottles of liqueur in hand, with even more empty on their tables.

The bartender's eyes flick over to him, not pausing for a moment as she chops into a palm fruit. "Drinking age around here is twenty. You don't look a day over eighteen." She slams the knife into the fruit aggressively, "…but you're in luck. Ever since Lady Urbosa returned, she's been insisting we serve alcohol-free drinks because it's unprofessional for soldiers to get drunk on lunchbreak. Today's mocktail special is iced safflina tea with melon juice. Fifteen rupees."

Link silently drops the money onto the table.

The barkeep takes it and turns away with a grunt.

"Hey. You're new," a Hylian woman sidles over to sit next to him. She's fairly tall, with brown hair and thin eyebrows. "Let me buy you a drink to welcome you to town." She leans closer conspiratorially, "Barkeep doesn't care how much alcohol anyone drinks so long as an adult's paying." A wink.

Link keeps his mouth shut and shakes his head.

"Oh, come on! Girl, you're cute, you deserve a real drink. Not one of those shtupid mucktails. I'm Tirosa, what can I call you?"

He shakes his head again. How can he convince her to go away? He's far too tired for this.

"Not even gonna introduce yourself, huh. Who rejects a free drink?" she drops her smile for a moment, and quickly plasters it back on. "I insist-"

"She's not interested." A familiar voice cuts in.

Link immediately lifts his head and turns to look, his heartrate jumping.

Standing just behind them is Princess Zelda. Was she here the entire time? He's tired, but that's not an excuse to just not notice her.

Zelda brushes hair from her face, obviously trying to feign confidence. "She obviously doesn't want to talk, you should respe-"

"Excuse me?" Tirosa says, "Who are you, exactly? What makes you think you can just walk up and interrupt any conversation you want?"

She rises to her feet, a full head taller than Zelda.

The brown-haired Hylian tilts her head and smiles sardonically, eyes narrowed. "Hey, wait a minute… You're that Princess, aren't you? Your shtupid little superiority complex doesn't mean you just get to tell everyone what to do."

Link cautiously stands up, ready to back away and out of this situation. All the other patrons are watching. Why did he even come here in the first place? This is mortifying.

Zelda drops her gaze. "I didn't- you're making a scene. Please, just…"

The woman laughs. "You think I'm making a shcene? I'll show you a shcene!" She grabs a glass bottle and slams it against Link's skull.

It shatters, spilling alcohol and glass everywhere. The world goes black a moment, and fades back in buzzing with tiny lights.

The room erupts into shouts. Everyone leaps to their feet. Tirosa grimaces as she releases the remaining shards from her hand, dripping with her own blood.

"Bar fight!" a Gerudo shouts excitedly, and tackles the vai next to her to the ground.

Link staggers a few steps away and hits his elbow on the edge of the bar as he crumples to the ground.

He clutches at his head instinctively. And quickly tears his hand away when it's cut by the contact.

There's glass in his hair. In his face. Everywhere. He raises a shaking hand to carefully pry a large chunk out of his left eyebrow. It stings even more when he pulls it out, and dark liquid drips into his eye.

He feels a bit dizzy.

"Hey -- stop that." someone says, grabbing his wrist. The bartender. She's crouched right next to him, but sounds strangely muffled.

Blood drips onto the glittery stone floor. He tears his one clear eye away to keep watching the fight.

Tirosa lunges at Zelda, only to be grabbed around the waist and lifted off the ground by a short-haired Gerudo. She claws at the arms around her, and the two are pulled apart by a Gerudo in blue. The short-haired Gerudo immediately whirls around to punch the other, and they end up grappling as they both attempt to trap each other in a headlock. Another person tries to stop them fighting and gets punched for her efforts. Tirosa steps back from the brawl and toward Zelda, fists raised in a clear threat.
Zelda lets out a panicked squeak, dodges around the bar and grabs the abandoned fruit knife.

She turns and swings it in her assailant's direction, grip firm but inexperienced.

Tirosa immediately backs away with her hands raised. "Hey, now, let's not get that sherious."

A Hylian grabs Tirosa by the hair and slams her face into the bar table.
She grabs onto the edge of the bar and raises her head back up, nose dripping blood. She chuckles darkly and whirls around to kick the other Hylian in the thigh, Zelda entirely forgotten.

"Good grief." the bartender complains, still holding Link's wrist. "I just cleaned the place. Blood's the worst. A word of advice, kid - don't ever run a bar. The bad days always outweigh the best."

Tirosa blocks her opponent's strikes with her forearms, then ducks under a wild swing of her fist to jab her in the stomach. Despite her injuries and drunkenness, she fights like she's been trained. Link knows those moves, because he's learned the same routine. She's Yiga.

The disguised Yiga ducks and slams her shoulder into her opponent's chest, then grabs her tunic to swing her bodily around to slam into the pair of wrestling Gerudo. All three fall down in a tangle of confused and furious limbs.

Tisosa backs away, swiping at her bleeding nose as she surveys the chaos in the room. Her eyes land on Link and the bartender, and light up with malicious glee.

She picks up a wooden barrel.

"…And I'm out of here," the bartender says, "Good luck." She lets go of Link. He hears a door slam somewhere behind him, the click of a lock.

Tirosa lifts the barrel above her head. She waggles her eyebrows.

There's a pressure around Link's arm and the world becomes a disorienting smear. He's suddenly standing up and wants to puke, but there's no time because the grip around his arm switches to capture his hand and he's tugged sideways.

The footwork required to not fall over is awfully complicated. He can't even see properly out of one eye, with how his eyelashes are caked with blood and tears.

"Come on!" the blonde person holding his hand says. She has a knife in the other, so he's not going to argue.

She turns to run, and Link is forced to follow. Zelda ducks, pulling him down with her just in time for the barrel to fly above their heads and smash into the stone wall beside them. They end up soaked in alcohol, stinging the countless cuts on Link's head.

They keep running. Zelda makes a beeline for the door, dodging around groups of fighters and their stray kicks. Everything abruptly shifts sideways as the large floor rug is yanked from under them, knocking several people to the floor. Link's chin collides painfully with the rock surface.

(There's a bloodied earring on the ground next to his face.)

Tirosa grabs Zelda by the hair, flinching back a second later when the Princess swings her knife. Zelda lets go of Link's hand for moment to roll out of the way of Tirosa's attempt to stomp her.

The rug ends up thrown over Tirosa's head, giving Link and Zelda enough time to scramble to their feet. They fumble through the doorway's curtain to escape outside.

"Hitsuke, you idiot, they're getting away!" Tirosa shrieks.

The fight spills out onto the street after them. A Hylian scrambles to chase after them only to be tackled to the ground and punched in the head by someone that looks far too excited to be doing this. Bystanders try to break up the fight but only end up pulled in, shouting in surprise and anger as everyone loses track of who's who. A voltfruit bounces off Zelda's head. She swings her knife at anyone who approaches them, clearing a way through the crowded street until they can disappear into an alleyway.

A group of soldiers thunder past.

Link leans heavily against the wall and heaves for breath. Zelda is still holding tightly to his hand.
She lets the stolen fruit knife fall from her grip and onto the sandy ground.

This entire situation is beyond absurd. Link's breath catches in silent laughter that shakes his shoulders. The Hylian Princess lets out a few nervous chuckles.

"That… was…" Zelda slumps against the wall next to him. She pushes her mussed up hair from her forehead with the back of her hand, smearing someone else's blood over her face. Probably Link's.
After a second she jolts back to life. "Are you alright?" Zelda finally releases Link's hand to face him, hands hovering unsurely. "I'm - I'm not the one that hit you, but I think I… didn't help? I'm so sorry. You're supposed to put pressure on bleeding wounds, right? Oh, but the glass…" She purses her lips. "I'm going to take you to Mipha. She'll know what to do, don't worry."

Link doesn't know what else to do but follow her lead through the town to Riju's palace. Zelda keeps a hand over his shoulders, trying to steady him. Moving through the market district is easy, as most people clearly don't want to brush shoulders with their disturbing spectacle. The guards at the steps to the Palace give them wide-eyed looks, taken aback by the combination of blood-soaked and royalty.

The hallways smear past. Zelda gives out orders to attendants. Without adrenaline to distract him, Link feels the headache he had been ignoring return, and it is a nasty one.

After a few twists and turns, Link is dragged into a room already full of people. It has no roof; only a bright tapestry overhead and tall walls, one of which has a waterfall. Sitting in the room, their conversation suddenly interrupted, are Mipha, Daruk and a finely dressed Gerudo warrior.

"Zelda!" Daruk balks. "What happened to you?"

Mipha is already on her feet, closing the distance between the two Princesses. "Where are you hurt?"

"I am fine," Zelda says, nudging Link forwards. "But it's my fault she got hurt, can you please take a look at her injuries for me?"

The Zora Princess turns to look at Link quizzically, but he has no answers to give. "…Of course."

Link is guided to sit next to the water feature, Mipha sitting across from him. One of the Gerudo attendants hands her a box containing medical equipment.

Mipha closes her eyes and hovers a hand next to Link's head. "Hmm."

She unclasps his bloodied hair veil, setting it aside. Mipha waves her hand in a slow motion, and glowing water is drawn straight from the little waterfall, spiralling around her fingers. "This might be a bit cold," she warns, and holds the bubble of water to his head.

He fights a full body flinch. The water, softened by magic, feels really, really weird.

"I am just rinsing out the wounds," Mipha explains. "Hopefully this will get most of the glass out." She deposits the reddened water into a pail that an attendant had brought, then repeats the process with fresh water.

The Gerudo warrior that can only be Lady Urbosa finally speaks, having not moved from her lounge chair, "So, are you going to explain what happened?"

Zelda sighs. "I made a fool of myself at a bar and got a drunk woman angry."

"Huh?" Daruk sits back down. "Doesn't sound like you."

"I was trying to help her out of an awkward situation, and I suppose I forgot my… tact."

Mipha continues her water magic in one hand, holding the other in front of Link's face. "Can you follow my finger? With your eyes, don't turn your head."

What a strange request. He watches Mipha slowly move her finger from side to side. She hums again, seemingly displeased with whatever that did or didn't do.

"Zelda," Urbosa says, "Did you start a bar fight?" When she receives no answer, she snorts.

Mipha gently dabs at Link's head with a cloth. "When I said to go out and meet new people, that is not quite what I had in mind."

Zelda winces, Urbosa throws her head back and cackles. "We let her out unattended for thirty minutes and she gets herself into a brawl! Oh my, I can't imagine what she'll do next."

"I thought Gerudo Town was safer than this," Daruk worries. "I never heard of stuff like that happening."

Urbosa waves a hand dismissively, draping it casually in front of her mouth as she speaks. "No town is perfect. Riju has had a bit of trouble keeping a lid on this kind of nonsense, but I've already been consulting with the guards. It will be handled."

Link is pretty certain he's the only one sitting at the right angle to see her mouth twisted into a grimace. It seems Urbosa is not as unfazed as she'd like to appear. Urbosa's eyes shift to return his gaze, her expression betraying nothing more of her thoughts.

"Anyway," she continues, "What's your name, little vai?"

And now everyone's looking at Link. He hadn't thought this far ahead. What's a normal feminine name?

'Papaya' is taken. He's not going to name himself after Paya.
'Palm fruit?' That doesn't make any sense. 'Voltfruit' isn't a name, stop thinking about food.

'Ruby?' That seems fine.

He opens his mouth to speak. Nothing happens.

It feels like he's choking on air, it somehow thickening in the back of his throat and stopping him from exhaling. They're all looking at him.

He feels lightheaded and sweaty and why is this so hard? Talking isn't hard, he does it all the time. His lips make the shapes of the word, but his voice box does nothing.

"Are you okay?" Daruk finally asks, "You look like you're gonna puke."

Mipha drops the tweezers she had been sanitizing and presses her hand to his forehead. "I was only able to sense a mild concussion. Do you normally have any trouble speaking?"

Link clasps his slightly numb-feeling hands together and gives a shaky shrug. Helplessly.
Is he dying? He's been stabbed more times than he can list before he was even fifteen. He can't just be done in by a mere bottle, not after everything.

Urbosa stands. "It think it would be best to give them some privacy to sort this out. How about we go see what Riju and that Sheikah vai are doing?"

Zelda moves to follow, lingering at the door a moment before Daruk gently nudges her to keep walking.

With that, they leave. It's just Link, Mipha and an attendant. Why is Link so on edge?

Sure, any one of these people could kill him if they caught him off guard -- but they still have no reason!
He's the (former) head of Infiltration, he knows for a fact that not a single Yiga has managed to get a job in Riju's palace. The servants are nobodies. There's no one that would recognise his voice; no one can recognise anything about him.

"Everything is alright. Let's breathe together," Mipha prompts, holding a hand in front of her chest. "In, two three. Out, two three. In, and out."

Link closes his eyes and follows along. He can almost pretend this isn't happening.

"I have some trouble, myself, with anxiety," the Zora Champion shares, voice soft. "It's easy to forget to breathe… everyone seems to notice apart from me."

This isn't anxiety. Link is not a coward. It's just… one of those eye curses. He's been looked at by hundreds of people by now, thanks to the head-turning amount of blood all over him. Any one of those people could have casted a curse, knowingly or otherwise.

"Breathe," Mipha gently prods. "Whatever you're thinking about isn't helping right now. Let it go."

Eventually, Link starts feeling some modicum of normalcy. He opens his eyes.

Mipha smiles with a surprising amount of warmth. She's night-and-day different to how she was during that confrontation with Revali outside Rito Village.

This doesn't seem like an act. The Princess of the Zora actually seems concerned for the wellbeing of a random Hylian she's only just met.

Link is not quite sure what to make of her.

"I need to ask some questions. Don't try to speak or move your head." She holds up fist and waggles it, "This means yes." She then holds three fingers apart and snaps them together like a closing mouth, "…And this means no."

He mimics the motions, 'Yes. No.'

"Is there anything you need to tell me?"

'No.'

She nods in acknowledgment. "I wasn't able to get all the glass out of your wounds with the rinse, so I will have to try with tweezers next. Is it alright if I cut your hair so I can work faster? I'll be less likely to miss something."

He shrugs.

"Yes, or no?"

'…Yes.'

"Thank you." Mipha reaches for a pair of scissors. She gently pulls his hair upward. He tunes out the slow, methodical snip, snip, snip as she trims half of his hair down to the roots.

He's going to look like an idiot, half shaven and scarred.

Mipha asks a few mundane questions as she works, the use of hand-shapes allowing Link to answer without disrupting her. She asks whether he likes dogs. If he's ever been to Faron.

She waits for every answer, paying close attention and asking follow up questions.

It all seems rather pointless.

After cleaning each individual cut, Mipha uses her magic to seal the wounds with the kind of precision an elixir could never match.

Several long, long minutes later, the last piece of glass is tugged out of his skin and deposited into the pail. The last dregs of healing magic touches him and then fades. Mipha sits back and sets her tweezers down, a hint of tiredness in her movements. "There we go. How are you feeling?"

Link can't answer that with a yes or no.

She realises that a moment later and sighs. "And as for your difficulty with speaking… I don't think it's from the head wound. It seems like some kind of mental block? It can happen to some people when in a new situation, especially among strangers… the fact you were hurt wouldn't have helped. It would have been stressful for anyone."

Maybe Link can just get away with never speaking. Mipha is already making the excuses for him.

It seems a lot easier to not have to bother planning out every sentence, obsessively thinking over how every word could be misinterpreted, or give too much away.

It would be safer, too.

The attendant passes Link a bundle of clean clothing. He clasps the new hair veil to cover his weird half-bald hairdo as best as he can.

"I am going to join the others," Mipha rises to her feet. "I know that you would be very welcome to join us, but if you would rather leave, I can help you get to wherever you're staying. It is fairly late."

No matter what, Link is not going to turn down the strange streak of luck that this day has been giving him. He should follow it through and see if it's been good luck or bad luck.

He tentatively takes her outstretched hand.

They find Zelda and the others in the Palace's gardens. They are ornate, with lush oasis plants, bright mosaics and combed sand. The whole scene is lit by softly flickering oil lanterns. Link has been here before.

Riju is draped over her sand seal, idly braiding the beast's long fur as she talks with Paya.

She's grown, but of course she has. It's been five years.
The Chief's crown looks much more natural upon Riju's head. Her hair is short now, which feels far more jarring than anything else.

Mipha interprets his sudden freeze as hesitation. "Don't worry, we’re not intruding," she whispers.

Zelda notices them, and gives a bright smile. "Hello! I am glad you seem alright now. Let me introduce you to everyone."

She tells Link names that he already knows. He nods politely.

"Do we still not know her name?" Urbosa asks, "Could you write it down?"

"You shouldn't bother," Riju declares smugly. "Patricia always tells me exactly what I need to know. You can't beat divine advice!"

She claps her hands and a servant brings a bowl of wildberries. Riju flicks one to Patricia, who catches it in its mouth.

The seal snorts. It turns its head to look at Link, and makes a strange kind of crooning noise.

Riju scratches under the massive seal's chin. "Sav'vai," she praises, "but you could have done without the pun." She looks up with a smile.

"It is nice to meet you, Link."

Chapter Text

Fear. A jolt of it through his spine, heart rate jumping like he's been ambushed.

Link freezes, mind blanking but for one thought: Oh no.

"…Though the Hylian would rather con-seal it, Link is the name you seek," a nearby attendant translates, leaning against her spear with a concealed yawn. "If we had to hear the pun, you all might as well, too."

Link covers his face with his hands. He was right to be terrified of Patricia. How did the sand seal know?

Riju giggles. "You're rewarding her by sharing it. My girl has a big personality, isn't that right?" She ruffles the seal's long fur. "You just love attention, don't you?"

He can't forget he's among enemies. He's unarmed, tired, lost some blood. He doesn't know how Mipha's healing actually works -- maybe she can magically rescind her healing at any moment, leaving him cut up and disoriented all over again. After that, killing him would be easy. His only hope had been to not provoke them, but it's inevitable, now.

Mipha pats him on the shoulder consolingly.
(What does she even think is going through his head?)

Nobody says anything more. Link lifts his head and avoids looking at anyone, instead doing a quick survey. The garden walls are not too high or smooth to scale, but he would have to get past the cacti, and would be vulnerable while climbing.

If he could reach an oil lantern it would make a good distraction. It would be most devastating to throw it at Mipha.

"…Link's not a bad name, is it?" Daruk asks, finally breaking the strange quietness in the room.

Paya sits up. "Not at all! It's pretty common, actually. Traditional. The Kakariko blacksmith's name was Link… he's retired now," she clarifies, like it matters in the slightest.

"He?" Urbosa muses, a curled hand to her cheek. "…Have you ever met a vai named Link?"

Oh, no no no. Is this seriously how this is going to happen.

"Uh… No. I haven't." Paya runs a hand through her hair and suddenly looks very guilty, eyes darting between Link and the Gerudo. "But-"

Urbosa chuckles. "We welcome all sorts in Gerudo Town… but not the ones who think they deserve our adoration simply for being voe."

Paya stares, guilt morphing into slight confusion as she parses the sentence. "So you don't actually ban all men?" Link is equally surprised, but manages to probably not show it outwardly.

"Just the ones too stubborn to compromise. We can't stand those that try to advertise themselves to our citizens, but beyond that we don't care. We can tolerate a few voe who respect our culture, follow the dress code, and aren't fools - we are supposed to have a Gerudo male every century, after all." She pauses there, looking to Riju. Silently asking a question.

Riju shakes her head. When she speaks, it's in the language of the Gerudo. "Venqa nati. Saiko no voe, Voto-nen nae, va voe Sais'o gatsa… siboh."

Urbosa responds in the same tongue, looking frustrated. "Vasa-vasa na'sava…" she mutters, "S'airu voe vada siboh."

(He's vaguely aware of Paya saying, "So why did we leave Champion Revali at Kara-Kara?"

Mipha sighs, "When we first told him about the option he just thought we were mocking him. He's probably too attached to his self-image for it to work, either way.")

The two Gerudo continue talking, clearly taking advantage of the language barrier between them and their guests. Despite the number of people in the garden, the only ones privy to the conversation are Gerudo.
Link would very much like to eavesdrop, but he only knows a few words. The most prominent is, of course, 'voe'.
Urbosa might have only just remembered to ask if the Gerudo's once-a-century voe is alive today. He also recognises the word 'siboh', which he's pretty sure means 'death', or something close to it. So, the Gerudo male has probably already died, and however it happened has left Urbosa agitated.

The Gerudo are weirdly secretive about their rare male members. They'll happily share the pattern of their births as an interesting fact, but seem completely against discussing any individuals. Gerudo men don't have an automatic kingship anymore, not for centuries upon centuries, but whatever becomes of them seems purposefully covered up.

So of course the Yiga want to find out. It smells like blackmail.
Whatever shakes the pride of the Gerudo is definitely worth figuring out.

Probably not enough to get Jonin off Link's back, but he will always take what he can get.

Zelda is watching with focused attention, clearly trying her hardest to follow the conversation, but it doesn't seem her Gerudo is strong enough for their hurried whispers. Urbosa holds a hand to Riju, stopping her mid-sentence. "Apologies, Princess. Riju and I were just discussing a Gerudo matter. It is not your concern."

Zelda stands, "If there is anything that I can do-"

"There is not. I will not let yourself place another burden upon your shoulders. Rest, Little Bird."

The Hylian Princess averts her gaze, seeming more chastised than comforted.

Mipha guides him and Zelda to leave the room with a quick explanation that Link also needs rest. He can faintly hear Riju recounting one of her old stories about her sand seal, fading away until it is replaced by the sound of their footsteps on the tile floors. The faint echo of Daruk laughing. It has been a very long time since Link walked these halls.

"Well, Link," Zelda begins, "This is perhaps an awkward question, but worth asking, I feel. Are you… a man? It's fine if you are! Or if you're not?"

It makes no difference to him either way, so Link nods. Better than being caught out later. Then, remembering, signs 'yes.'

Zelda smiles, "Oh, Mipha! You taught Link some military handsign? That's a brilliant idea! The Champions and I are all fluent. Mipha?"

To demonstrate, Mipha quickly makes a long string of handshapes. She only uses one hand, which Link quickly realises makes for a strong tactical advantage -- it leaves the other hand free to hold a weapon or shield while communicating. A language constructed for soldiers, by soldiers.

"Ahead," Zelda dutifully translates, "three unarmed blue bokoblins and a stalnox inside the fortification. Rito soldiers, loop around to the river and await instructions from Champion Revali, do not use bombs. We can say all of that, but can't even talk about the weather. Or food… If we actually want to use this to talk we're going to need to workshop this." Zelda is starting to look excited, eyes shining with the thrill of a low-stakes project.

"But before we get ahead of ourselves," Mipha interrupts, "You should start with the basics that we already know. But that should come later, since it is very difficult to learn while recovering from a head wound."

"Oh. Right."

Link ends up in a small but well-fitted guest room. An imposing guard was already in the hall outside, silently watching the Princesses say their goodbyes for the night. A trained soldier by the doorway might be a comfort to Riju's normal cohort of visitors, but to Link it makes for a very blatant threat.

Over the night, he is continually snapped out of his sleep by the sound of the guard coughing, moving her spear or talking with the next vai on shift. Even her footsteps, quieter than most, ring through the cold stone rooms and remind him that he is among enemies.

Much earlier in the morning than he'd like, Link is awoken by the sound of the curtain over the doorway rustling. He cracks an eye open to see a servant carrying a platter with a bowl, a jug and a towel. Unmoving, he watches as she sets carefully it down on the room's vanity, then picks up and folds his discarded cloak.

She leaves after a few minutes, as quietly as she arrived. The complete lack of privacy he holds while in the palace is… unsettling.

Link gives up on sleeping and climbs out of the weirdly soft bed. The workers at the Stables always laud the luxury of a soft bed, but after finally getting the opportunity to sleep in one, Link really can't see the appeal. It's claustrophobic, among other things.

The vanity has a mirror, made from polished bronze. Link spends far too long trying to arrange his hair into a style that covers the newly acquired bald patch where Mipha had cropped his hair.
Even magically healed, the short scars from all the glass cuts are even less flattering. If the Princess of the Zora, prodigy of healing among even her own kind, can't make the wounds invisible, they're probably going to scar forever.

All Link used to have to worry about was making sure he remembers to redye his hair regulation black before his roots grow out. Now, he suddenly has to think about the way his face looks. Before yesterday, he only had one, subtle facial scar; a cut on his cheek gained when he was hit so hard in the face that his mask cracked.

Eventually, he resignedly clips on his veil. It covers most of his hair, but the uneven cut is still slightly visible at the front. He's tempted to cut it all off, but hair that short would absolutely break Yiga regulations.

When he pushes the curtain aside, a new guard looks down at him. Her eyes are sharp, but bored. "Lady Mipha would like to see you in the Eastern Hall. Keep going forward and take a left, then the second door on the right."

He nods stiffly and as naturally as possible, rushes to get out of her sight.

The palace seems smaller than he remembers. A symptom of growing up, or just having seen more of the world outside. There's more sand seal portraits on the walls than before.

Link can hear muffled conversations as he wanders, but only pays attention when he hears his own name. He stops next to the curtain that covers the doorway to listen in.

"Daruk, don't give me that look. You know what I mean," Urbosa disembodied voice grumbles.

"I'm not sure if I do."

Urbosa lets out a weary sigh. "I had the staff do a background check on him. They found nothing. He's not of the desert, obviously. He only just arrived in town, but he's not a merchant either."

"Well, that's not unusual. There's plenty of people who just wander around. See the sights."

"Not in this age. The world is crawling with monsters, especially in the past few months, I've been told. It is remarkably dangerous for a solo traveller, so it is custom to send word ahead of you so people know if you don't arrive. But he did no such thing. Not even the people at the nearest Stable know his name."

"Meaning?"

"For a voe to cross the entire kingdom alone, not even caring if anyone misses him, it paints an unfortunate picture."

"…Ah. But isn't this a good thing for him, then? If he's, what, an orphan? He can come with us. It would be really good for Zelda to have a friend with no commitments or anything."

"Daruk, the boy has anxiety. It won't do him any good… And with a name like that, I don't want Zelda to…" she trails off. "She'll just end up hurting him, and hurting herself."

Link has no idea what Urbosa could possibly be alluding to, but he's more worried about her immediate low opinion of him. She's barely seen him for more than a few minutes and already thinks he's weak. He used to be so good at managing first impressions…

It's almost dizzying, the complete lack of control he's had over the situation.

"Zelda's only got a few years before new responsibilities catch up to her. You've gotta let her make her own mistakes sometimes. She's already grown up a lot more than you're willing to see."

"I… suppose you might be right."

"If the little guy sticks around I'll keep an eye on him for you, how's that sound?"

After Mipha finally gives Link a medical all-clear, Zelda drags him to the markets alongside Riju with a promise of buying him whatever he wants.

A stereotypically rich move. Trying to make even on her mistake by throwing money at it. If Link actually had any choice in how he acts around the Princess, he would like to imagine that he would have enough integrity to not be so easily bribed.

The entire way, the small group are shadowed by two tall, spear-carrying guards. No bar fights will be happening today.

The sector of the markets that sell fresh food and spices is already bustling with shoppers. It's a cacophony of noise, the shouting of an auction almost drowning out the music of the nearby buskers. Most stores are owned and visited by Gerudo, but there are many Hylians and a few Rito in the crowd. There's some individuals that Link doesn't even know what tribe they are of -- they must be traders from outside the kingdom.

The crowds give the crown atop Riju's head a wide berth, allowing them to pass without any resistance.

Riju makes a beeline for a stall, darting between a pair of merchants carrying massive bundles of fabric.
"This place has the best halva," Riju declares, and points to a pile of what looks like grey bricks. "One of the nut ones, thanks."

The shopkeeper smiles and wraps a brick in paper, handing it over with a bow. Riju takes the package and immediately unwraps it. She holds out a hand to one of her guards, who wordlessly gives her a pocket knife. Riju holds the brick and deftly slices through it, handing a thin piece to Zelda and then Link.

Behind her, her other guard pays for the food.

The slice vaguely looks like cheese, with pieces of some kind of nut mixed in. It smells like honey. Link waits a moment for Zelda to take a bite of her own before he tries it. It's good, if a bit oily.

Riju hands him another slice. "So, what are we thinking of doing? With Zelda's budget you should be able to afford basically anything in town… but what do you actually want?" She shoves a large piece into her mouth.

Link shrugs. He hasn't thought about it at all. It might be good to pick something he can resell later. He looks to Zelda, who doesn't seem to have any ideas, either.

"Well, have you ever been seal surfing?" Riju prompts.

Yes. With Riju. Link nods.

"But you don't have your own shield, right?" She gives the rest of the halva to a guard and looks Link over. "Seal surfing is best with a proper, reliable shield. Can't trust a rental." Her mind made up, Riju grabs Link and Zelda by the hands and starts walking. "Come on, we're going shield shopping."

Riju's grip is surprisingly firm, giving Link and Zelda no choice but to follow. "Riju, there's no rush," Zelda tries to say, but is promptly ignored. They take a few turns, the bustle of the food market left behind for the quieter craftswoman district.

The Gerudo Chief releases Link's hand and gestures at a collection of shops, displaying all sorts of combat-focused wares. "The best shields are made here, but there's also imported ones, if you'd prefer something less… flashy."

Link can certainly see what she means by "flashy". The shields on display at the front of the stores gleam with polished gold, studded with sparkling stones. Zelda picks one up and almost drops it. "Oh, that's heavier than I expected," she mumbles. "It's beautiful, though."

The vai standing at the store's threshold eyes them keenly. "I made that one myself. It's one of my finest works, though I think it is better suited for someone of a Gerudo's stature."

Zelda nods and awkwardly sets it back down, hands darting back to catch it before it topples.

Link isn't sure what makes one shield better than another. The Yiga do not use shields, not when you have perfectly good armoured forearms to catch blows. Big bulky slabs of wood or metal are just not suited for agility. He's always carried a shield as more of a formality than anything, something to help him not stand out.

Riju prods him. "Solid metal shields are best for surfing, but they're heavy to carry around. If you're not going to spend much time on the sands, you might prefer wood."

They spend almost an entire hour wandering around looking at shields. Some are painted with complex designs, others are simple.
Some seem more like decorative pieces than actual defensive tools, Link thinks as he examines a shield emblazoned with a ceramic mosaic of a sunset.

"What about this one?" Zelda asks, holding up a wooden shield inlaid with large gems.

Riju takes it and holds it up to the late morning sun. "I think this is just coloured glass. You don't want this."

"…Oh." Zelda puts it back. "I feel like we aren't getting anywhere with this."

"I think we've got a few options," Riju dismisses, handing yet another shield to Link. It's black, with small pieces of quartz forming constellations. Not really his style. He passes it to one of Riju's guards.

The poor guards are carrying about a dozen shields between them.

They wander further into the shop. This side is mostly knives, racks displaying traded wares from all across the kingdom and the lands beyond.

"Maybe I should get myself a pocket knife," Zelda muses. "I'm no good at fighting, but they're useful for a lot of things. Especially if we're travelling…"

She picks up a knife with a polished wooden handle, carved with a complex leafy design. "This looks nice… What?"

While Link does not know shields, he knows knives. Silently, he holds out a hand, and Zelda gives him the knife once she realises what he's asking. He immediately feels the balance is off, egregiously so. He flips it around in his fingers for a moment, thinking it over.

The blade isn't shaped quite right, but more notably, the knife is much heavier at the blade than the handle -- the metal tang extends less than an inch into the wood. This thing is purely ornamental, and won't hold up to cutting a palm fruit, let alone anything one wants a knife for on the road.

He spends a while trying to communicate the issue through miming, involving a lot of chopping and snapping motions. Eventually, Zelda gets it. "Oh, the blade is just going to pop right off the handle! Thank you Link, I wouldn't have thought about it." He finds himself slightly matching her smile.

"So, what do you recommend, then?" She puts the knife back, and he finally remembers that he has no reason whatsoever to help the Princess of Hyrule buy a good weapon. It's actively counterproductive.

Maybe Link should pick out a subpar knife for her. Like a double bladed dagger that she's more likely to accidentally hurt herself using. He glances behind him to Riju, leaning against a pillar and watching them with interest.

She's smart enough to know what a bad choice looks like.

He started this, he might as well commit. Link examines a few options before settling for a smaller, multipurpose knife. The balance on this one isn't quite perfect, but it's pretty good for one that still has stylish flair and a comfortable grip. The golden embellishments on the bronze handle match the trims of Zelda's outfit quite nicely, he thinks.

Zelda accepts it gratefully. "This one does feel nicer, and it even comes with a little sheath! I like it, thank you."

…She's being overly polite. Does she hate it?

She addresses the shopkeeper, who had been watching them like a hawk this entire time. "I'll take this one. How much?" She rotates the knife thoughtfully. It sparkles brightly in her hands that have never seen a day's work and almost looks like it belongs.

The Gerudo worker bobs into a quick bow and lists a price that is a bit too high for Link's liking. Despite the finery, it is just a sliver of metal in the end. "It is an older item," she explains, "It was created with a sword, shield and spear. We already sold the spear, but we should still have the other pieces somewhere in the back."

She disappears through the door behind the counter, reappearing a minute later with a sword and shield in hand. They don't seem that special, but Zelda happily declares that they'll take the rest of the set and pays the very steep price.

"That worked out well," Zelda says. "You can take the sword and shield, and then we'll match!"

"You're making a bit of an assumption that Link can wield a sword," Riju comments wryly. She glances to her guards and their collection of shields. They bow their heads and split up to put everything back.

Zelda freezes, eyes flicking to the sheathed bronze sword in Link's hands. "Oh-uh…I… If you don't want it-"

Link shrugs the sword's strap over his shoulder. It's not badly made or particularly used, so he really has no complaints. Free stuff is free, after all. He had already come to terms with whatever strings are attached to the gift of the shield, an extra sword on top makes little difference. He gives her a thumbs up.

The past days have been the longest he's travelled without a weapon of some sort on his person in several years. The sword's weight is comforting.

Riju knocks her knuckles against the shield. "Bronze-plated wood. Not bad. Well, you've done what you've planned and reimbursed Link for all his trouble. What now, Princess?"

Zelda hesitates. "I saw an art gallery that seemed interesting. I thought it might be worth having a look at. I would very much appreciate if you would come with us, Link."

This is new. Link is very much used to being the one putting in the effort in the mission-guided relations. Mipha had implied that Zelda has been lonely, but he hadn't even bothered to hope that she would think anything of him. She'd been so dismissive of his overt friendliness as Marin, only to latch onto the first guy she had an overly dramatic and violent escapade alongside.

…Royals are fickle, he concludes. And remembers that Zelda is expecting a response to her offer.

'Yes.' he signs.

The gallery is small, and mostly features bright mosaics with a few lopsided interpretations of pots. Riju and one of her guards split off to go get something, leaving Link and Zelda alone with the other, already bored, Gerudo soldier.

Zelda examines each piece with far more thought than Link has ever put into artwork. "It's interesting how they managed to make this part of the mosaic look smeary." She gestures to a wobbly line of bright green tiles cutting through an otherwise nice portrait of a Zora.

They continue wandering, Zelda occasionally commenting on the pots. "The glaze work is very smooth… the patterning on this one is very even." She stops next to another portrait, this one of a blue-skinned blonde woman holding a miniature town in her hands. Palm trees with swirly leaves grow out of her head like antlers. "Hmm. It's… certainly well-made. I like the use of shadows."

Link glances between the artwork and the Princess. Their resemblance is suspiciously strong.

He taps her on the shoulder to catch her attention, then points at the art and then at her, repeating the motion a few times.

"Huh? You think-- it's a portrait of me, isn't it?" Zelda stares, wide-eyed, blinking quickly. Her thoughtfully crossed arms become hunched in on herself. Not the reaction he had hoped for.

Link uses a sign he was taught this morning. 'Problem?'

Zelda shakes her head. "No, it's fine. It's… a nice artwork, really. I'm-- flattered!"

He tilts his head, hoping to communicate he doesn't believe her.

"I'm just… not used to anything like this. People in my time never made anything so… so unusual -- especially featuring living royalty. To make something like this was quite taboo."

Link nods in understanding. Zelda is completely weirded out by this modern stuff, which is why she's commenting on random technical details instead of the overall impression. She's convincing herself to accept it.

He thinks a moment, then holds his hands above his head like the portrait's antlers and poses next to it, pointing his head and body more exaggeratedly than even the picture.

Bemused, Zelda uncrosses her arms. "Don't make fun."

But her mood seems lightened, so Link continues to imitate the poses and features of the weird artworks, getting closer and closer to drawing a laugh out of her.

It's when he mimics an artwork of dancer -- with his legs apart, squatting slightly and holding his arms out widely to the sides with his shield balanced on his head, that he gets her to crack a real smile.

"You are ridiculous," Zelda laughs, and unclips something from her belt. She holds the small rectangular object in front of her, and Link struggles to maintain a neutral expression as he realises what it is.

The Sheikah Slate.

Priceless artifact among artifacts. The single most valuable item in the history of the Yiga, the Sheikah, this entire goddess forsaken kingdom.

It makes a clicking noise, then beeps.

The sole interface with the greatest weapons ever created. The key to countless ancient mysteries. Given freely by the Ancient Sheikah to a King who would turn against them.

Zelda turns it around and reveals a shimmering picture of Link making this stupid pose.

He needs the slate.

Riju's guard yawns.

"I'm keeping this picture," Zelda declares, clipping the Slate back to her belt. "Now, I think we've seen everything in this gallery."

He can't take the Slate without a plan. Grabbing it and running is a terrible idea, and not just because of the soldier. The cause and effect is simple; Link taking the slate will reveal himself as Yiga, and then all the Yiga in town would know he's not in uniform.

He lifts his shield from his head and stands as naturally as possible, slowly securing it to his back. Zelda leads them to the exit, thanking the vai at the door.

Riju and her other guard are waiting outside, bottles in hand. "Ah, you're done. Did you see anything you liked? The curator calls the collection 'avant-garden'. I don’t really get it."

Link mimics the antlers again and Zelda scoffs, gently elbowing him in the side.

Riju takes a long sip of her drink. "You two seem to be getting along well."

Zelda accepts the bottles from Riju with a thanks and passes one on to Link. Voltfruit juice. "That took longer than I expected. Should we get some food?"

Link trails behind them.

If the Slate were to mysteriously disappear, he would be the prime suspect. They wouldn't even have to think about it, it would be so obvious.

He doesn't even have a place he could stow it.
He came to town almost empty-handed and with no justifiable reason to be here. He's already caught Urbosa's attention as some kind of trouble. They already know he's wearing a disguise of sorts, dressed in these vai clothes. It just screams guilty.

"Do you want to go directly to the Palace or go past the fashion markets?" Riju asks.

"I would like to get some fabric," Zelda says. "But not today. I've told Urbosa we'd continue our survey of Vah Naboris today."

Gerudo Town is walled in. The moment Zelda realises the Slate is missing, the entire city will go on high alert. The guards will monitor every gate, and search through every building and bag.

He can't teleport out. A long distance teleport would just leave the Slate behind, and suddenly leaving would be hugely suspicious anyway.

He can't take it while she's sleeping, either. Riju's palace is full of guards. Every door and window is watched by someone.

With every step he takes, he thinks of another reason taking the Slate is close to impossible. He'll continue to think on it, but he should focus on the present instead.

Three women are leaning against a wall, idly watching everyone walk past. One of them is the worst kind of familiar. Tirosa, the person who had started the bar fight yesterday, doesn't seem to be letting her bruises get her down. She keeps her head high like she owns the place.

Link stops in his tracks and hands his unopened bottle of voltfruit juice to Zelda. He turns to approach Tirosa, having a vague semblance of a plan, but he mostly just wants to wipe that expression off her face.

"Link, what are you doing?" Zelda hisses behind him.

Tirosa breaks from her conversation with her friends mid-sentence to look down at Link. "What do you want? If you have any shense of shelf-preservation, you should keep walking."

The Gerudo next to Tirosa leans over to warn, "Do not get into trouble while you're on bail. I'm not paying again."

Tirosa ignores her, taking a step forward. She plants one hand on her hip, reaching the other out to tap Link on the top of his head. "Nice haircut. Really compliments the shcabs. Would you like shome more?"

Link grabs her wrist. Despite its bare appearance, he feels the phantom sensation of paper plastered to her skin, hears it crinkle under his fingers. He knew it!

Before she can react, he tears the invisible card away, releasing her wrist to dodge away from the following puff of smoke.

In his hand is a crumpled Yiga card.

Zelda gasps, Riju and her guards ready their weapons. Bystanders gape.

Disguise dispelled, the Yiga who had been 'Tirosa' screeches in fury, lunging forward with her hands forward to grab around his throat. "You little demon!"

He dodges to the side easily. Tirosa is a lot less threatening when he's not potentially bleeding out from a head wound.

She whirls around and draws her sickle. "You're gonna regret ever shtepping into my shight! I'll kill you!" Sadly, she's wearing the standard Yiga mask, so Link can't get the satisfaction of seeing the fury on her face.

The nearby civilians shout and starts pushing to get away from the oncoming fight.

"Princess, get behind us." Riju's guards step forward, mirroring each other's stances, spears directed to Tirosa.

Tirosa's attention snaps to Zelda. Her posture straightens, and Link draws his new sword.

With a mumbled chant, Tirosa disappears into swirling red smoke. Link whirls around, grabs Zelda with his free hand and swings her out of the way of Tirosa's suddenly descending sickle, using the momentum to pull himself forward. He slams the flat of his blade into Tirosa's side right as she hits the ground.

The Yiga shrieks again and quickly teleports out. She reappears on the rooftops to shout obscenities and make a few rude gestures. She winds her arm back and hurls the sickle before disappearing again.

Link intercepts the flying sickle with his sword, the blades clacking loudly. The sickle spins around his sword and falls to the ground harmlessly, along with a few rupees.

Coward. She used a long-distance teleport to escape before she even took any injuries. Abandoning both her items and her small chance of causing some proper, honourable carnage. Link sheathes his sword.

"What in Din's name just happened?"

"A Yiga… in Gerudo Town…"

A crowd forms, everyone wanting to see what all the fuss was about now that the danger seems to be over. Whispered conversations and accusations fill the air.

"Those two -- are they Yiga?"

Tirosa's abandoned friends cringe. "We had no idea, I swear!"

Riju's guards approach them, spears at the ready, but Riju holds up a hand to stop them. She flicks her hand towards the gathering onlookers, and the Gerudo warriors split up to control the crowd.

"I apologise for what has happened here, and assure that you have my sympathies," Riju says. "You have my word, as Chief of the Gerudo, that your friend will be found and justice will be dealt against the Yiga that has impersonated her."

Tirosa's Gerudo friend doesn't seem to know what to do with her hands. "Uh, I'm not sure that-"

She's cut off by the other woman stepping on her foot. "Thank you, Lady Riju." She dips into a bow. "We are ever-grateful for your thoughtfulness."

"Go make a report with the Guards," Riju orders, and the two women seize the chance to leave the scene.

"Link, that was incredible!" Zelda said, "How did you know she was a Yiga? She wasn't a very nice person, but it never even occurred to me."

Link has no idea how to explain himself, but luckily he doesn't have to. He only knows about four words in sign, none of which are relevant, so he just shrugs.

It was a well-informed guess, one that people outside the Clan are (hopefully) very unlikely to make. Mostly, he just hopes he won't have to see Tirosa again. Getting spotted by a random, non-Sheikah should be enough to have her relocated to some random corner of the Depths operations.

One of Riju's guards returns to her side "He clearly has some experience fighting against them. Seemed a step ahead the whole time. And she wanted him dead."

"Link has a very useful skillset," Riju contemplates. "The Yiga Clan have caused a lot of trouble around here recently… he could make for quite the asset in removing them. If we can learn how to spot them before they cause trouble, we’ll be one step closer to finally having peace again."

Zelda hands Link the bottle of voltfruit juice back.
He opens it and takes a long swig. He can tell things are going to get a lot more complicated from here.

But mostly, he's just regretting not hitting Tirosa with the bottle.

Chapter Text

Overnight, Vah Naboris moved from its post next to the town. It was the cause of much spectacle, with people crowding onto the streets outside the Palace to watch the massive Divine Beast sink to its knees and rise once more. Then it began its slow, thundering walk, shaking the ground and making the crowds whoop with excitement.

Eventually, its footsteps faded into the distant desert, enough that they did not rattle every collection of silverware in town.

Then the lightshow started. Massive arcs of lightning streaked across the night sky, casting everything in pure white light for a fraction of a second before darkness returned. Urbosa had the foresight to test the giant machine a massive distance from town, where the distant booms would have been too quiet to disturb anyone.

Everyone was already awake, of course, but the common vai could agree that it was really the thought that mattered.

All hints of Zelda's weariness from a late night out in the desert evaporate the instant she lays her eyes on one of the clothing stores.

"Mushroom hats!" she exclaims, immediately making a beeline across the street. "How incredible!"

She examines the display with a smile, hands clasped behind her back in the polite princessly restraint she had the other day when examining the pieces in the art gallery. Link picks up a hat and quickly shoves it over her head.

"Hey!" Zelda laughs and lifts the brim from her eyes. "…This is actually really comfortable."

She turns to examine her reflection in a small mirror with a mushroom-patterned border, titling her head at different angles. "I've never seen anything like this before. Would it be… too much if I were to wear it around?"

Hmm. It would certainly tarnish the image of the noble, spiritual princess, but only by being incredibly endearing. It really doesn't make much difference.

'Situation good,' he signs, meaning: I think it would be fine.

Zelda smiles. "I w--", she cuts herself off, expression dropping. She focuses her attention back on the mirror, continuing to adjust the hat. "…He would've hated it, wouldn't he?"

Link doesn't have anything to say to that. It sounds like it might be a topic that requires strong emotional intelligence, which he is aware is not exactly his strong suit. He instead looks at the other mushroom-themed garments. Zelda might be reminiscing on someone (probably dead) who wouldn't like bright mushroom clothes, but the more Link looks, the more he realises he is very much a fan.

…If he's going to stick around and keep being Link The Hylian, then he'll need multiple sets of clothes, wouldn't he? He can't just wear the decades-old tunic. He needs something stylish.

He picks up a bright green blouse with pale yellow shrooms. So… so bright. Beautiful. Fun.

He unbuttons it and shrugs it on, over his light vai clothes. Then puts on an orange hat, and a pink and purple scarf, and a dark blue kilt, and a grey jacket and a necklace and--

Zelda removes her hat from her head, eyes downcast. "Link… I-- what are you wearing?!" she balks and slaps a hand over her mouth.

Link freezes, midway through clipping a mushroom earring on. A snort escapes Zelda's desperate attempt to suppress it.

She doubles over and slaps her thigh. "Oh my-- HA, you-- you look--" Zelda takes a desperate gasp for air. "Colour coordination--" she tries, but dissolves back into laughter.

He blinks and glances over to his reflection. He thinks he looks pretty good. It's all the pieces of a good outfit, in different colours and patterns because he likes all of them. Link is not really sure what there is to complain about, here.

He turns to check how the Gerudo guards -- that he had been ignoring this entire time -- have reacted. One quickly averts her wide-eyed gaze, while the other has her face buried against her partner's shoulder, shaking with laughter (or tears of joy, at his beautiful fashion sense).

"…There is some… charm to it," one of them finally manages.

Link finishes attaching the other earring and strikes a pose.

"You're so sincere that it feels cruel to make fun of you," Zelda sighs. "Are… are you new to buying your own clothes?"

'Middle' Link replies, which is mostly a lie because he's only ever worn a Yiga uniform or Marin's pre-set clothes. All he's ever bought is a cloak, and that was recently.

"Well, it would be… hasty to buy your entire wardrobe from just one store. How about we each get one thing, and we can come back later if we want?"

It sounds disappointing, but he is interested in discovering what fashion options exist beyond fungal designs. An entire world that he has completely ignored has suddenly opened up to him! Link reluctantly agrees and starts returning his clothes to where they came from. He settles on a blue, wide-brimmed hat. Zelda picks a pair of earrings.

They call the attention of the shopkeeper, who barely glances up from a stack of papers. "Huh? Oh-- customers! How may I help you today?"

Zelda places the hat and earrings on the counter and looks through her bag for her rupees. "Just these items, thank you. We both really like your stock!"

The shopkeeper smiles weakly, checking over the items. "Is this your first time buying Cece?"

"Is that the name of the designer? Oh, is there studio we could visit?"

"Yes. But she operates out of Hateno…"

"Hateno?" Zelda repeats, mildly surprised.

The shopkeeper accepts Zelda's rupees, suddenly ducking out of sight. "I know right? You wouldn't expect such nice designs out of a place like that. It's causing a lot of trouble for me right now."

"It is far away," Zelda agrees hesitantly.

A small fabric bag appears on the counter. "Hmm, not really. I used to trade with the apothecaries across the southern desert… the nomads are a lot cheaper delivery vai than the backpackers, and a lot less likely to vanish without a trace…"

"What? Does something happen to backpackers?"

A hand smacks onto the counter, the shopkeeper pulling herself back into sight with a grimace. "Of course something happens to them! It's Hateno! You'd have to be an idiot to not know, there's like fifty-- Oh Aunt Boru that's Princess Zelda." She bows immediately, knocking her forehead against the countertop. "Ow. Apologies, Your Highness. I have spoken out of turn."

"I accept your apology, Zelda says formally, "But never mind that. What the problem with Hateno?"

"Oh. Um. Y'know…"

"I do not know. Please inform me."

"…Guardians. There's a lotta them! Right up at their doorstep!" She laughs nervously. "Look, I'm really sorry, please don't tell the Chief or Cece-"

"I wouldn't."

"-or the trade union head-"

"I don't know who that is."

"-or my mother. Please. You can have your money back. Your items are on me!"

"Again, I accept your apology. We don't need your money-- Link!"

Link snatches his hand back from the offered rupees guiltily.

Zelda collects their items and pulls him out of the shop. "…We got a bit sidetracked there. I came here to get fabric. Did you see a fabric store?"

Link hesitates, then simply points to their assigned guards.

"Oh, right," Zelda chuckles. "Excuse me, where may we find a high quality fabric store?"

The two Gerudo guards exchange glances before one determinedly strides off, the rest of the group following her.

They end up at a large store overflowing with fabric, creating tight corridors between all the displayed rolls. A bored looking vai snaps to attention. "Sav'aaq, welcome! What are you looking for today? We sell the finest fabric in town!"

Zelda hands off the items they bought to Link, suddenly a lot more somber. "I need several metres of light blue silk."

"Very well, just this way." The worker disappears into the fabric maze. Link and Zelda follow, ducking under rolls and around cabinets, pushing through racks of hanging cloth. It reminds Link of the lonely forests up on the Great Plateau, with the constant turns and endless branching paths, the way light is cast unevenly over everything. The bright colours and vast amount of patterns call for his attention, but he doesn't stop out of fear of losing track of Zelda and ending stuck in this maze forever. The shop didn't look this big from the outside.

"Most of the fabrics are from far out West," the worker says, her voice becoming a beacon to follow, "They have the most ingenious contraptions to weave and knit. There's also some heirloom fabrics recovered from old ruins, but they are less complete and are in need of patching up."

"I wonder if there's any curtains left in the castle," Zelda mutters to Link. "I hope they were taken, rather than…. Oh, it's weird to think about… a whole century to rot on their hangers. All my gowns are so old now…"

Finally, the worker stops at a collection of blue rolls. "This is all the light medium-blue silk we have. We also have some that is closer to teal or indigo of that is what you prefer."

Zelda looks over the cloth thoughtfully, drifting a hand across a few rolls. She shakes her head. "I didn't expect to find a match. I think I shall just get white, instead."

"Very well."

They resume their journey through the maze, arriving at the white section. Zelda picks a roll of immensely soft cloth, and Link carries it to the counter for her, finding it unexpectedly heavy.
The cloth is unrolled, measured, cut and bought for an exorbitant amount of money. The number of swords or elixirs that could be bought for the same amount is a bit off-putting.

Zelda seems to have lost her good mood from earlier, not commenting on anything about the store for the rest of their visit. The worker folds the many metres of purchased fabric with Link's help. She hands the surprisingly small package to him, and he gently hugs it to his chest along with the mushroom hat.

They wander back onto the street outside. "I'm very glad you were here with me for this," Zelda says to Link.

She turns around just in time for a teenage Gerudo to slam into her side, sending both girls tumbling to the ground. The vai scrambles to her feet immediately and runs off without a word, shoving past everyone in her way.

Their guards lower their spears, both watching her flee, clearly itching to know why but not willing to leave the Princess' side. Link offers his hand to Zelda, helping her up. "Thanks. That was very startling." She rubs the back of her head, staring after the now vanished vai. "And a bit rude," she comments, "not even stopping to see if I was hurt."

Link very carefully shifts the bundle of fabric from one arm to the other, glancing around as subtly as possible. What had that vai looked like? Average height for a Gerudo her age; much taller than Riju. Shoulder-length hair in a ponytail. Nothing special. There's probably a dozen vai who look exactly like her.

He adjusts his veil to fit more properly over his nose and wills his heart rate to slow.

Zelda waves to the guards. "Can you lead us back to the Palace, please?"

They walk for only a minute before Zelda abruptly stops in her tracks. She lets out a quiet gasp, clutching at the empty spot on her belt. "It's gone! My Sheikah Slate is gone!"

"What?" one of the guards says sharply. "For how long?"

Zelda covers her mouth. "I don't know! I didn't notice it disappear! I had it at the Cece shop, I think!"

The guard curses. "That vai! I should've known she was a pickpocket! You--stay with them, tell every soldier you see."

The Gerudo warrior splits from the group and sprints away. Their remaining guard takes a deep breath, wrapping her shaky fingers more securely around her spear. "We will go directly to the Palace."

"But- we can help," Zelda tries, "is there an intersection we could try and cut her off at?"

"Please, Princess, your safety must come first. We will consult with the Chief."

All argument seems to leave Zelda at the desperate tone in her guard's voice. She nods and the three quickly make their way through the streets, soon flanked by two more guards.

The Princess presses her knuckles against her forehead. "I cannot believe I didn't notice her taking the Slate," she mumbles. "Link," (he flinches, slightly) she speaks louder, looking to him despairingly, "Was she a Yiga?"

He carefully signs a 'Maybe'. It is certainly possible, especially since most Yiga act strangely. She has been running like she was being chased, but Link never saw anyone trying to pursue her.

He wishes he thought this through more. Tucked within the bundle of folded silk, the Sheikah Slate feels far too heavy in his arms. It's too late to back out of this, now.
For all that he likes to think of himself as clever, he is, ultimately, a very impulsive person. He had already decided taking the Slate would be too risky to even attempt, but had still snatched it from Zelda's belt at the first opportunity he saw. He acts before he thinks, and has such a dangerously low amount of self-control when it matters most.

How can he keep the Slate? He can't just carry it around everywhere for days.

They race up the steps to the Palace, and are immediately escorted to Riki's throne room.

Riju is pacing, rattling out orders to her soldiers. "I want four- no, five guards at each gate. One soldier every fifty metres along the walls. No one is leaving the town unchecked. I want a complete lockdown. The Slate will stay within our walls! Understood?"

"Yes, Chief!"

Riju's eyes land on them as they enter. She points a finger at their very nervous guard. "You! I want a complete report of every street Zelda went down, every building she entered! A description of every suspicious individual she came within three metres of!"

"Yes, Chief!" the guard stammers.

"What are you waiting for? Go! All of you!"

The soldiers all scramble to leave the room.

Riju collapses into her throne, head in her hands. "I cannot accept this. This cannot be happening again."

Zelda's face softens, and she takes a step towards Riju, hand outstretched. She pauses, "Link, can you take my items to my room?"

Link nods. Riju snaps a finger and points to him, not looking up. "Someone, follow that one. Make sure nothing happens. We will need Link for questioning."

…Oh. Link had hoped to duck under the attention of Riju and her soldiers completely, but of course she's gotten more thorough than she was as a ten year old. He, despite spending a couple of days in Zelda's company with no issue, was still at the scene of the crime.

An imposing guard falls into step behind him.

Link eyes every possible escape route as they walk through the Palace halls. He can feel the soldier's eyes resting heavily on him and the suspicious package in his arms. He should have brought Yiga cards with him. He should have made an exit plan.
If this soldier decides to ask about the bundle of silk, it's all over. All he can hope to do is get her in the vitals and make a sprint for it. A rooftop escape would be fastest, least likely to be stopped by a civilian, but would draw the entire town's attention.

He then remembers that Riju has lightning magic. As does Urbosa, who's somewhere in town. A rooftop escape would be an incredibly bad idea, actually.

"The Princess' room is on the right," the soldier intones. He knows where Zelda's room is, but nods in acknowledgement.

The guard holds the curtain open for him. The room is large, sunny, with lace curtains. Spotless, aside from Zelda's collection of bags sitting under an immaculate shelf. Her bed is perfectly neat. The vase of flowers next to it would make an alright, single-use blunt weapon. The guard follows him in. He hears the butt end of her spear tap against the ground.

He takes the final steps towards Zelda's bags.
As he does, an idea forms, so perfectly it feels like a carefully crafted blessing from Nayru herself. Perhaps it is.

He doesn't need to get the Slate out of the town.

Zelda will do it for him. It's so simple.

If the Slate is in Zelda's own bag, then who is going to find it? The guards won't stop her, Riju wouldn't want to inconvenience her any further. And if Zelda finds it herself, she can convince herself she was just forgetful, that it was always there and she never took the Slate out today.

And then, when they leave town, he can just steal it a second time.

He opens her largest pack. He carefully shoves the fabric into the bag, while blindly pulling the Slate out of it. He reaches further to shove the Slate past all her possessions and into the very bottom of her bag.

When he stands, the guard isn't even looking. Another has appeared, and the two vai share a few short words in the Gerudo language. "Link. It is your turn for questioning."

Link is subjected to a profoundly awkward pat-down by a flushed guard, who finds nothing, of course. She sends him onward to what is a poorly disguised office-turned-interrogation-room.

Riju's personal guard is waiting in the room, seated at a table, a book open in front of her and a quill in hand. "Link. My name is Buliara," she introduces. "Sit down."

He does so. It's a small room, almost entirely featureless aside from an off-white tapestry hanging on one wall. Between them on the table is a tea set.
Buliara pours a cup of tea, placing it directly in front of him. She watches him pick up the cup, then notes something down.

"You are a mysterious individual, Link," she states. "I think it will be best for all of us if we got to know you a little better."

He takes a sip of tea. It seems high quality, but he doesn't know tea well enough to guess the variety.

"My first question. Are you literate?"

Lying would be so easy. He can't be questioned properly if the Gerudo think he has no way to answer. But Zelda already knows he can read. She wrote out a handsign guidebook for him.

He nods.

Buliara makes another note. "That is good." She slides a paper and quill over the table. "Write down your answers. Try to keep your lettering clean, and don't use any shorthands."

Nayru, divine and unchanging patron of wisdom, guide his hand.

(His hands are slightly shaking, but he has messy handwriting anyway.)

He sets down the cup, picks up the quill, and Buliara writes something else in her book. "Write your full name."

Link
--he writes, and pauses. He doesn't have any other names than that. He doesn't even know who named him. Should he make something up?

Buliara's noticed his hesitation. "No surname?"

no parents.
She nods. "I understand. Where are you from?"

I work for stables.   I move around.

"Interesting. Why did you come to Gerudo Town? Have you been here before?"

Luckily, he's thought about this already. For hours. Instead of sleeping.

first time here.   got yiga angry at me and wanted to lie low.

"Isn't that ironic. Tell me more about that."

got in trouble on road between highland stable and riverside. they wanted money. I ran. thought gerudo town would be a safe place to stay until they forget what happened.

"Hmm. You say you work at the Stables, but we have already consulted with them, and they said they don't know anything about you." She leans forward slightly, eyeing him like cornered prey, but he doesn't falter.

He's rehearsed this answer a hundred times already.

I am a night guard.   I fight monsters, keep watch from a distance.   I do not talk, I do my job.   stable association people know me.

"And the Association is fine with you leaving indefinitely? Did you not tell them? Can they do nothing to protect you from the Yiga?"

the stable association has its own problems.   it collapsed 10 years ago,  they are still rebuilding again.   I told my boss I would be away for a while.   she did not care.

"A couple of days ago, you were in an altercation with a vai you somehow knew was a Yiga. Tell me about that."

I have experience with them.    there are patterns to how they fight.    they cause trouble at stables sometimes.

"Is that it? Just from the way she fought?"

I was not confident.    thought finding the truth was very important.

"And how did you unmask her, exactly?"

(Now that is a tricky question. If he is fully truthful, he is delivering key information to someone who will use it against his Clan. But the more he says, the better it looks for Link, since none of it applies to him right now. The basics wouldn't hurt, right?)

yiga have cards on them.    take a card from them,  and the disguise breaks.

"Interesting. And you knew the placement, how?"

it was luck. different for all of them. I knew it when I touched it.
(--he lies. All Yiga have to wear disguise cards in the exact same way.)

"Hmm. What were you and Zelda doing in town today?"

she was buying fabric.   she asked me to come with her because it was something she did not want the champions to know about.   I did not ask why.

Buliara flips to the next page of her book. "Do you think the pickpocket that Zelda ran into is a Yiga?"

A grin threatens to form on his face. It feels like a massive weight has suddenly been pulled from his chest. He's not the prime suspect. But he can't pin all the blame too heavily on that vai, in case this question is a trap.

not sure.   I suspect,  but did not see her take slate.    she did not do anything obvious.   could run for many reasons.

"Would you be able to identify her if you saw her again?"

not sure.    she left very quickly.

"From what you know of the Yiga, what do you think she did next?"

yiga teleport.    but it is obvious when they do.    she would have had to have gone into an alleyway or building first.

Buliara sighs. "It has been observed that Yiga leave items behind when cornered. How would she have taken the Slate with her?"

they only leave things behind when taken by surprise.    they are suprised because they think that they will win all their fights.    but she would have had a plan,  and probably was working with a team.

"You think the Slate is already outside of town?"

yes.    there is nothing to gain from staying.    she is already main suspect. the slate is important,  whatever else she was in town for would not be as important.

"Do Yiga leave any evidence behind that shows where they teleported from?" An interesting question, actually.

not that I am aware of.    the magic will move sand a bit,  but not in a distinct pattern.

Buliara shuts her book. "Well, I think that concludes our questions for now. Thank you for your cooperation. I would like to ask you for more information you have about the Yiga, but I will be very busy for the next few days. Make sure you don't disappear."

She stands to give him a handshake as he leaves. Gerudo don't do handshakes. Her grip is firm and practiced. His hand is sweaty.

"And don't go letting any more people know you're not a vai. The last thing either of us want is for the townspeople to start questioning the company the Princess keeps."

Link feels great. Despite the rough start, this has got to be his best operation yet. Every time, he's getting better at what he does. He's going to get out of this one without anyone having a clue who took the Slate!

Should he go find Zelda? She's probably with Riju, but chances are, they're not in the throne room anymore. If they're in the Palace, they could be in the dining hall, or in the garden with Riju's sand seal--

A shock of icy dread stabs through his chest.

He forgot about Patricia.

The all-seeing sand seal. He needs to-- he has to kill it.

Seals have thick skin, he needs a sword, or an axe-- but the seal is always guarded, isn't it? He wants to pull on his hair and scream. If anything happens to that stupid seal Link becomes more suspicious.

A hypothetical Yiga culprit would skip town without even knowing the seal is important. He just told Buliara that.

Link turns on his heel and strides to his room. He grabs his sword, and an apple. He's not entirely sure what he will do when he comes face-to-face with Patricia, but he will do something.

The garden is unassuming. Nearly empty. The guard on duty is making patterns in the sand with her spear. She barely glances to Link. A Gerudo soldier with a spear is not an easy match to his sword. The difference in reach is laughably huge. Too risky.

Patricia rolls over to look at him. It huffs out a big breath of air, stirring up a small cloud of sand.

He approaches the hulking animal. Lifts a hand.

And points at it accusingly.

I'm watching you. he thinks very loudly. If this seal is as good as Riju brags, it should understand his thoughts, as insane as it sounds. It knew his name, somehow. I will not hurt you or Riju, so long as you do not snitch.

Patricia snorts.

He holds up the apple, waving it in her face. I swear to Farore, do not ruin this for me.
Patricia might be wise beyond reason, but what animal can resist a delicious morsel of food?

He says nothing aloud. Neither does the seal. A gentle wind tugs at his hair and ruffle's Patricia's massive crest of fur, but doesn't kick up any sand. The seal seems to study him for a moment, before switching its attention to the bright red fruit.

He tosses the apple. Patricia makes no move to catch it. The apple bounces once, twice against the sand before hitting the seal itself.
Patrica lifts its head and picks up the apple with its teeth.

Crunch. Apple chunks go flying. Juice dribbles down its enormous white tusks. It holds extended eye contact.

He squints. Is that a threat? I'm not scared of anything, least of all you.

The seal sits up and slaps her flippers against the ground. The attendant snaps to attention, smudging her design in the sand.

"Sealcret numbers!" she shouts, "Uh-- eight hundred and seventy five! Negative one, or uh, two… uh. It ends with zero. Sorry Patricia, I wasn't really paying attention."

Link looks between her and the seal. The tension slowly leaves his body as he realises that the seal hadn't immediately sold him out. The seal flops back down again, seemingly uncaring that its enigmatic message was lost in translation.

"Yeah, uh, Patricia sometimes gives out numbers. I never know what they mean. The chief, and the former one, too, tried to figure it out, but it’s all really inconsistent."

Maybe he… shouldn't interact with the seal again. His has no idea what the beast thinks of him, but if it tries to communicate again, it feels more likely than not that it would say something incriminating.

…But perhaps, Patricia isn't as aligned with Riju's perspective as he had thought. The seal is an animal, not a corruptible human. Why would it respect the dead goddess' agenda? The seal has an uncanny understanding of Truth, after all. It might know better than anyone what needs to be done.

He gives it a curt bow and sidesteps out of the garden.

Link doesn't find Riju, Zelda or any of the Champions in the Palace. He wanders around for an hour, double-checking each room, before giving up and sitting in one of the entry halls to wait.

It's well past sunset before the group trudge into the Palace. They all look very defeated.

Zelda spots Link and makes a beeline to him, collapsing into the floor cushions that surround him. Mipha follows her, settling onto a cushion with an elegant, if tired, air. "This is not how I wanted this tour to go." Zelda groans.

Mipha absently starts playing with Zelda's hair. "It is easy to underestimate our enemies when we are in a time of peace," she murmurs. "The culprit struck even while you had two guards beside you, in a crowded place. We must be grateful that our wake-up call was the Slate disappearing, rather than a knife to your throat."

"It's irreplaceable!"

"So are you."

Zelda doesn't lift her face from the cushions. To Mipha, Link signs, 'Bad?'

One hand still combing through Zelda's long hair, Mipha nods solemnly. "There is no good news. Daruk and I were in the Palace when the news broke, and we did our best to assist the Gerudo in their search, but accomplished very little. The pickpocket still hasn't been found."

Mipha leads Zelda out of the room, continuing to reassure the Hylian Princess. Link really, really hopes Zelda does not think to check her own bags.

The next few days go like this: The Champions and Gerudo soldiers spend most of the day turning entire sectors of the town completely upside down, one after the other. No pot is left unchecked, Link hears rather than sees, because he spends most of each day with Zelda.

The Princess is never let out of the sight of the Palace's guards. She's also not really let of the Palace itself. So, with nothing better to do to distract herself from her troubles after she's done with her daily prayers, she teaches Link more handsigns. Her passion for knowledge seems to easily translate into a love of teaching. She gets into the habit of signing words as she speaks, but there's so few that actually match conversational words that it works for only about one or two per sentence.

But Link getting quite good at sign, and is slowly figuring out ways to use the limited vocabulary to make some jokes -- mostly comparing things to monsters. (Zelda is impressed by the creativity, but doesn't find the "jokes" themselves particularly funny.)

Once Link is able to remember the basics, the lessons to get more complicated as Zelda explains some of the more creative uses she's witnessed. Red, used to label the weakest category of monsters, would occasionally be used by gossiping soldiers to describe something (or someone, she mentions, a slightly distant look in her eyes) as weak, new or small, with silver having the opposite meaning.

The people in the Palace mostly treat Link as an extension of Zelda. If something needs to be given to her but she's elsewhere, it will be handed to him without a thought. It seems like most people have already forgotten that they haven't actually known each other for that long. Zelda likes him, so everyone else defers to the Princess' judgement.

But, there's still much to worry about. Namely, the person that everyone still thinks took the Sheikah Slate still hasn't been identified. It seems, by all accounts, that she really did teleport out of town. This is not great to think about.

After the fourth day locked in the Palace, Zelda gets restless enough to convince Mipha to accompany her and Link into town. One small Zora in a cloak is a whole lot less disruptive than a squadron of guards, or Daruk's bulk. They sneak, eyes watching every corner, to a small theatre show.

The actors onstage are depicting an old myth through the medium of overly-abstract dance. Link knows Zelda enough by now to expect her to be explaining the events for him, given that it is apparently a fairly famous story, but she remains silent. Link feels a bit lost, but at least the dances are pretty to look at.

The main character is being, quite literally, pulled two directions -- by a character that he is pretty sure is her mother, and by the weird Hylian mage character. The dance involves a dizzying amount of twirls, and the Hylian actor actually falls over at one point, but Zelda doesn't laugh with the rest of the crowd.

(By taking the Slate, did he do the wrong-- he tries to cut off the thought before he gets stuck in it. There's no reason to think about it. She doesn’t associate it with him, which is what matters.)

His understanding of the performance is somewhat sabotaged by his inability to not listen in to nearby conversations, no matter how whispered or unimportant they are. Two people sitting behind him have been talking for most of the performance.

"--I'm just saying that if she was Chief, none of this would be happening. Urbosa would squash the Yiga in a day."

"They were a problem when she was chief, too."

"She would handle it better though. Riju's turning into a little tyrant about the whole thing. Can't go a block without having to do a search. It's going to ruin our trade with the nomads, everyone knows they hate soldiers. She just doesn't think things through!"

"…Yeah. She is far too inexperienced to be chief. Did you hear the rumours about the Thunder Helm?"

"I heard that it's missing."

"Apparently, she lost it. She was playing with it in the desert and just lost it. Years ago."

"What? And they covered that up? That's terrible!"

"And that fight that one of Zelda's cohort got into with a Yiga? Riju just let their accomplices, likely also Yiga, walk away."

"Wow, she really doesn't seem to understand the consequences of her actions."

"…That's going a bit far. Regardless, I don't believe Urbosa is the answer like everyone is saying. She stepped down to serve the Hylians. She can't just become Chief again."

"Why not? All the guilds would totally back her. The only reason people wouldn't is just because retaking the throne is untraditional, but who is more traditional than everyone's Vaba's childhood chief?"

"I suppose we might not have a much of a choice. Gerudo Town needs Lady Urbosa more than ever."

Zelda grimaces and tugs her hood down to cover her face better.

The performance goes on. The next hour that is much more confusing than the first half, with weird purple fabric being waved around by stagehands continuously dragging characters offstage, but it seems to end happily. He's not sure though. A few characters seem like they died, and he couldn't quite tell if they were villains or not.

"Well, what did you think?" Mipha prompts.

Link gives a thumbs-up. Zelda shrugs. "It followed the book quite well, I suppose. It was a bit disappointing that they didn't include the bear."

'What?' Link signs, then again, 'What?'

Zelda sighs. "There was this monster, thing. It… it's not that important."

He struggles to think of how a bear could possibly have fit into that story as they exit the theatre. He finally catches a glance of the pair of Gerudo who had been discussing a leadership change.

They're soldiers.

There's still no changes the next day, or the day after. The atmosphere in the Palace is tense, so the Champions decide to take a break and go to a bathhouse. Link is awkwardly invited.

"We always get a private room," Zelda hurriedly explains, "So you don't have to worry about other people seeing you undressed, but we can get a room of your own if you're not comfortable with Mipha, Urbosa and I."

"I'm happy to go with the little guy," Daruk volunteers. "Hope you don't mind a mineral bath. I've been collecting some rocks to pulverise."

The bathhouse is a very short walk from the Palace, and startlingly humid after spending so much time in the desert air. Urbosa clamps a hand over Link's eyes as they walk through the main room, only releasing him once he's been pushed into a smaller room with Daruk. "No employees will come into this room, but I am sure you can handle yourselves."

The door slides shut, leaving them in privacy.

Daruk starts unpacking his box of rocks. "You humans sure are funny about clothes. All these rules… Just sounds tiring to me."

He crushes a chunk of salt in his fist and sprinkles it into the large, circular bath. He has several different kinds of rock, all in different colours, and applies tiny amounts into the tub with an almost scientific level of precision.

"Not as good as the springs up on Death Mountain, but it'll do," he declares, loudly dusting off his fingers. "Oh, right, the slate."

Link flinches. Daruk is holding out a flat slab of rock and piece of chalk, both comically small in his hands.

"…Since paper won't do. I brought one so you can write if you want." Daruk furrows his brows. "Something wrong?"

Link shakes his head and hurriedly turns around to start stripping down to his underwear. Once he's done, he quickly steps into the water and sits down. He's not quite sure what to do from here.

The Goron whistles. "That's a nasty scar you've got on your shoulder there. How'd that happen?"

The arrow wound from the Lynel. Link had almost forgotten about that. He'd expected it to be gone by now. He twists around to try and look at it. The scar is raised up from the rest of his skin, and very discoloured where the two prongs of the arrowhead had burned the skin between them with electricity. Welt-like and ugly. He picks up the slate and chalk from the side of the bath, and scrawls,

a black bokoblin with a spear.

(He realises, right as he flips the slate around to show Daruk, that both he and Daruk know the signs for every word in that sentence.)

"Those guys are pretty nasty." Daruk settles into the spa with a groan. "Ah, my back." He leans back to submerge himself more fully in the water. At Link's inquisitive look, he adds, "I'm not getting old that quick. Battle scars of my own."

'Mipha?' Link slowly signs. The shapes for Zora + Champion are tricky to make in sequence.

"Not much she can do to help. Water magic doesn't really heal Gorons. Just gotta wait it out and see if I can get some new rocks to grow in."

Daruk idly taps his fingers against the floor of the bath. "I've kind of been putting off taking care of the scars. I can't really reach there myself, but I don't want to make the Princesses worry 'bout me hurtin'. Not with everything else. Can you lend me a hand?"

'Yes,' Link agrees. Anything to get solidly on his good side.

Daruk grins. The Goron reaches over to his box of rocks and pulls out an ordinary-looking pebble. He crushes it between his hands, depositing the silt into Link's.

He spins around, exposing the large crack through his rocky shell. "Just apply some clay where it looks bad."

Link dunks the handful of silt into the water, stopping to examine it. It really doesn't look that special. It's a similar colour to a cold rock roast. He messily smears some onto Daruk's spikey back. The Goron flinches at a few points, but hums contentedly despite it probably hurting a lot to have someone touching a rather fresh-looking wound.

"I took this hit during the Calamity," Daruk explains, "That monster Ganon sent after me had a mean right hook-sword. It nearly got the best of me, but my grandson showed up to help. It was a nice bonding moment. He's a great little guy."

His voice is so affectionate that Link is hit by a pang of envy. He slathers the last of the clay onto his back and shuffles away a bit.

"Thanks, little buddy!" Daruk rotates his shoulders. "I owe ya one." He slaps Link on the back, knocking him face-first into the water.

Daruk gestures at a shelf of bottles, suppressing a yawn. "The others usually use that stuff on themselves, but I've never paid attention to what they do, can't help you there. I'm gonna take a nap now." He climbs out of the tub and curls up into a ball on the tile floor.

Link picks up the nearest bottle. Its label is written in Gerudo. He opens it and gives it a sniff. Smells good.

Tastes awful. With a shrug, he dumps it over his head.

"Do any of them look familiar to you?" Buliara asks.

The lineup of Gerudo teenagers are visibly trying not to fidget under the intense gazes of Link, Zelda and several stern soldiers.

Zelda wanders further down the line.

Buliara keeps her posture straight, attention focused on Link. He shakes his head. Her shoulders slump near-imperceptibly. "These are the last of them. Unless someone is still sheltering the culprit, we may have to accept that it was a Yiga who left town a long time ago."

Over the past few days, Link has had a few long meetings with Buliara. Sharing information, mostly accurate, about Yiga, reading through statements to check for mistruths, and the endless lineups of suspects to be recognised. He knows that Buliara is a sly, brutally persistent vai, and any statement she makes about giving in is just further strategy, tempting her enemy to drop their guard.

A hand lands on his shoulder. Buliara leans down, not face-to-face, but close. "Now. Have you, perhaps, ever received an indication that Lady Urbosa intends to retake the throne?"

Link freezes, baffled. He hadn't expected to be asked this. He doesn't have an answer prepared… but maybe he should have -- on his very first day in town, hadn't the bartender said something about Urbosa imposing new rules? Perhaps trouble has been brewing, above Riju's head, between her most trusted advisor and her lifelong idol. And Link's own actions had been a catalyst to turn mistrust into the beginnings of a true power struggle.

This might be a feat comparable to stealing the Slate, to be honest. If he could find a way to take credit for it.

Link's mind races -- Buliara believes he's in the know about Urbosa's intentions, due to his closeness with Zelda. She would fully expect him to tell Urbosa of this question, so for Buliara to show her hand regardless…

"--I really do apologise for all this," Zelda says to the assembled Gerudo teenagers. "I hate to cause so much trouble. I think you should all be able to leave now?"

Buliara releases Link, seeming to read something in his expression, as her own becomes closed off.

"Yes," she says, "I think we are done here."

That evening, Riju joins the group for dinner, but doesn't touch any of the food. She's intensely focused on her ongoing troubles, not even looking to her guests. Link tries to look like he's paying attention to the rather dull conversation between Daruk and Paya rather listening in on her side of the table.

"I don't understand why Patricia cannot give me a straight answer," Riju fumes, peeling an orange with extreme prejudice. "I've given her so much fruit, of all different types, tried every way of phrasing my questions, but all she's giving me are proverbs about integrity and numbers. I don't want riddles, I need solutions!"

She dumps the peeled orange into a bowl. "What does she want, sorbet? Is fresh fruit not good enough for her anymore?" Riju miserably slumps. "I do not know what to do. I have let you down, Princess Zelda."

Zelda sighs. "Riju, the last thing I want to do is to burden you with more than you can handle. We can live without the Slate. Its use… isn't really needed anymore."

"You think I can't handle it," Riju mutters dejectedly. "I try, Princess Zelda. I want to be a great, wise ruler like my mother, but even my own people are no longer listening to me."

Link sneaks a glance their way to see Zelda with her shoulders up to her ears, misery plastered across her face. Before Zelda can say anything, Urbosa leans across the table.

"You do not own the Gerudo. The Chief is the servant of-"

Buliara, standing at attention behind Riju, cuts her off with a harsh word in Gerudo, "Davare." Everyone at the table falls silent and turns to look to her. Buliara says a few cold words, then returns to her silent guard.

Urbosa stares at her, stunned. She narrows her eyes and says a few slow words back. It sounds like a question, maybe two, then an emotionless statement. She gestures to Riju, who averts her gaze.

Buliara scoffs. Riju says something quietly, and Urbosa's expression closes off. She slams her hand onto the table and rises to her feet. "Very well. We shall leave tonight, if that is what you so desire."

The table bursts into confused chatter.
"What?" Zelda exclaims. "What just happened?" When Urbosa simply walks away, she tries again, "Riju?"

The Chief returns to peeling her fruits, looking very unsatisfied. "No one is banished. We think it wise if your group would leave town for now. Things will hopefully be calmer when you are able to return."

Zelda stutters out a few syllables before giving up and racing out of the room, chasing after Urbosa.

Link resumes eating.

The gates of Gerudo town are more of a tunnel than a doorway. The many nooks lining the passageway could conceal any number of watching eyes, beyond the visibly armed guards always stationed to watch.
The minute Link steps across the threshold, there is no turning back. The walls of the tunnel are far too close together to be able to plan a realistic escape route. But he doesn't need to.

He doesn't need to. (It's hard to believe that, when completely surrounded on all sides.)

Each step echoes slightly. There are eyes everywhere. The fabric hangings flutter in the cold breeze.

The guards perform a cursory, uninterested inspection of Mipha's bag before sending her on. They look through Daruk's possessions with a bit more interest, admiring some of the brightly coloured rocks he's toting around.

They halt Paya and Link, and lift their bags from their shoulders without asking. Paya slinks away to lean against a wall uneasily.

And finally, for Zelda, they bow deeply, thanking her for her service to the Kingdom. She dips her head and passes interrupted. They don't bother stopping Urbosa, either.
Victory.

After fully digging through his bag, a guard holds it out for him to take. "Keep the Princess safe," she orders, finally releasing his bag. Link nods and speedwalks out of there.

The crisp air of the cooling desert hits him as soon as he passes the walls. A team of sand-seal handlers is waiting outside, and he's immediately handed a harness. The area outside of town is busier than usual, with nomads camping outside, keeping a wide berth from the usual cohort of loitering men.

As Paya joins the rest of the group, Urbosa gives one last look to her town before turning away. "Let's go. We will briefly stop once twilight has passed, and anyone who needs to can change their clothes once we are far from curious watchers."

They finally arrive at Kara-Kara Bazaar under the light of the stars. Link is glad to see it. Inexperienced with seal-surfing and distracted by his thoughts, he had fallen off and held up the group too many times for his dignity.

Link can't help the slight smile that grows on his face at the sight of Revali prowling around the Sand Seal pens, staying close to the warm torchlight. The Rito looks incredibly grumpy. Link… honestly kind of missed him.

"Good to see you alive, Revali," Urbosa greets, pulling her seal up right next to him.

"Same to you," he replies shortly. He looks over the group, stopping at Link. "You've got a follower."

"Oh," Zelda says, "This is my friend, Link. We met him at Gerudo Town."

Link waves.

Revali eyes Link's unkempt, sandy self with clear distain (especially his mess of a haircut, no longer concealed by his veil, now crammed back into his bag). "You met him out in the desert? I know we've agreed to not critique each other or the company we keep, but have you thought to check that one's pockets for the Slate?"

"Very funny, Revali," Zelda says flatly. "You can keep those thoughts to yourself. Link will be joining us."

("They checked Link's bags three times a day, every day. Mine too," Paya says, to the cold night air.)

"Well, if he's as obnoxious as everyone else around here, I'm sure we'll have a lovely time." Revali turns around, muttering something under his breath, and goes to talk to Daruk. He disappears from sight, likely intentionally, behind the Goron's bulk.

Link stares after him, his heart sinking. This is… it seems like this is going to become a problem.

Paya nudges him, "Champion Revali is not normally this grouchy… I, uh, think?" Link makes no effort to respond.

He thought Revali was his friend. But Revali was only ever Marin's friend. Of course it wouldn't translate.

What a terrible second first impression.

Chapter Text

"By the way, Purah wants to see you tomorrow," Revali states. "She's staying at the inn you booked."

Zelda sounds concerned, slightly shocked as she responds, "Purah came all this way? To the desert?"

"She was going to meet you at Gerudo Town, but wanted all the Champions in one place."

"I'm… still stuck on Purah travelling so far, at her age. I've heard the road from Hateno is very dangerous."

Revali laughs at that. "She's fine."

Link combs a hand through his hair as he ponders if he knows who Purah is. His hand finds a stick, and he winces as he tries to free it from the tangles.
He really doesn't like having to think about his appearance.

The group arrive at the inn, where a middle-aged Gerudo woman waits anxiously at the doorstep. The building is double-storey, but on the smaller side, clustered together with other small businesses.

"Sav'orr, Your Highness, Champions, and associates. My name is Ciro, I am the owner of this inn. Your beds are ready for you."

"Oh, thank you. I hope it wasn't too much bother staying up this late for us."

Ciro dips her head. "Not at all. It is an honour to host you, truly."

Zelda climbs the steps to enter the lobby, then stops to remove her boots, subtly blocking the way until Link gets the message and does the same. He tries to brush off some of the sand that covers his tunic. There's some in his hair, too, but there's little he can do to dislodge it.

Link pays extra attention to the layout of the inn as they walk through it. The wooden front door locks, and each guest is given a key. Past the lobby is a small central dining room with a large table crammed in. To the left, an open doorway to a room filled with cheap-looking bunks. He can hear snoring.

Ahead, a door marked as employees only in Hylian, with text beneath it in several other languages, likely saying the same. To the right, stairs and another closed door.

The group climb the stairs as Ciro talks. "Breakfast will be served at seven in the morning. I'm sorry, Lord Daruk, but we don't have any rock roast at the moment."

"That's alright," Daruk says. "I'm happy to eat a bit of organic food sometimes."

"Then I'd better wake my husband to start cooking right away," Ciro jokes. "He'll be delighted, I'm sure."

The next floor leads to a square room, with a hole cut in the floor so that daylight that enters through the skylights can shine into the dining room below. Daruk very carefully steps around the wooden lattice that would definitely never hold his weight. Ciro points to the door by the stairs, "Purah and her assistant are staying in that room. The other three, are yours. Don't hesitate to call me if there's anything you need."

The Champions thank her. Once she's gone, Urbosa opens the door to the north and looks around. "The Princesses and I will be staying in this room," she declares. "I trust the rest of you can sort yourselves out."

Link tries not to watch too obviously as Zelda, followed by Mipha, enters the room, dumping her bags against the bed furthest from the door. The room has a window that seems like it might be large enough to climb through. Urbosa closes the door behind them.

Revali grabs Daruk by the arm. "We're taking the room with the balcony. Good night," he says without even glancing to Paya and Link. His tone is harsh, dismissive. Revali doesn't like either of them, and seems to have no interest in trying to hide it.

That leaves Link and Paya with the eastern room. It's small and doesn't have any windows, just a small vent on one wall.

"It's so cold," Paya grumbles, climbing into the bed nearest to the door and curling into a tight ball. "I want to sleep forever, but please wake me up for breakfast."

There aren't many hours of night left. Not enough time to go get his Yiga gear, buried in those ruins outside of the Bazaar. And he's certainly not going to wander into Zelda's room while two seasoned warriors are inside. Urbosa and Mipha are smart enough to sleep in shifts even in a seemingly secure building. Whatever he will do, it cannot be tonight.

He snuffs out the light.

The next morning, Zelda and the Champions are all seated at the dining table by the time Link successfully drags Paya out of bed.

There's also a young Hylian woman with short brown hair, and a Sheikah man sitting and talking with them; some of the inn's other guests.

The young woman hands Paya a basket of fresh bread with a friendly smile. "Good morning! My name is Celessa. Are you Purah?"

Paya takes a piece of bread and passes the basket onto Link. "Oh, uh… no."

"Purah won't be up for at least another hour," the Sheikah man states, lifting his cup to take a deep drink of tea.

"So, how long have you been working for her, Symin?" Mipha asks politely.

Symin takes a moment to respond. "Longer than I ever expected to. She never runs out of new projects."

"That sounds like Purah," Zelda says.

"Ooo, pretty ladies!" a Hylian man exclaims, taking the seat next to Mipha. He brushes his dark hair from his face, grinning widely. "The name's Bozai, what's yours? Bet it's something cute."

Mipha ignores him. "Link, can you pass the bread, please?"

Link does so, trading the basket for the platter of fried eggs. He serves himself a few, then passes it on to Paya.

Celessa says to Zelda, "I've make a pilgrimage to Mount Lanayru every year. It's a long journey, but I really enjoy it."

"That's nice," Zelda responds.

"What about you?" Bozai says to Paya. "Lemme guess. Sweet-berry... Swebberry"

Paya grimaces, "…N-no. I don't… um, I really… "

"Did the goddess statue speak to you, at the Spring?" Celessa asks. "There's something about that one…"

Two more Hylians appear from the room with the bunks and join them at the table - a blond man sits next to Link, and a brunette slumps sleepily at the head of the table.

"Hey man," the blond guy says, "I'm Eryck. How's it going?"

Link gives him a thumbs-up and shoves an egg into his mouth.

Eryck nods. "Righteous, man. I've never been this far into the desert before... It's pretty neat, right? I'm kinda really feeling the cacti… Not literally, that would hurt, but I'm, like, into the vibe."

There's a lot of conversations happening at this table. It's getting hard to keep track of everything.
A man that is presumably the inn owner's husband appears through the staff-only door carrying a large pot. He sets it down on the table, "Lentil soup," he says, matter-of-fact, and turns on his heel to disappear back into the room he came from.

"I'm not sure if I've ever tried lentil," Daruk comments, reaching for the pot. "What is it?"

"Legumes, which are seeds." Urbosa replies.

"- so I've just been taking things easy, the past few years. I really gotta find myself, y'know? But I can't get idle, either-"

"- and Purah has been very… picky about her food recently. It gets a bit tiresome."

"- I kind of prefer a more natural makeup look on women, but I guess the eye thing is interesting -"
(Paya looks desperately to Link, like he can do anything to save her from that one-sided conversation.)

"- I've always wondered how you all control the Divine Beasts-"

The sleepy woman sits up. "Oh, are we talking about ancient stuff? It's all so amazing, have you seen-"

Paya is handed the pot of lentil soup. She sets it in front of her and slumps down, as if to hide behind it from the weird man sitting across from her. Link takes the ladle and scoops some lentils out onto his plate. A thought occurs.
He takes another scoop, and then "fumbles" it. The ladle clangs against the edge of the pot and flips up, sending lentils flying across the table and right into Bozai's face.

"Hey! That was totally on purpose, you weirdo!" Bozai stands, knocking over his chair. He points aggressively and storms away.

Paya breathes a sigh of relief.

Revali, sitting all the way at the other end of the table, covers his face with his wing. "Insufferable. All of them, insufferable."

"Legendary move, there," Eryck says to Link. "Sorry, I totally shoulda done something myself, gotta look out for my fellow, uh, Hylian… Waste of good food, though."

"-aren't Guardians so interesting?" the sleepy woman says, to no one in particular.

After a few minutes, Eryck finishes his food. "Well, it was great meeting you. Yesterday it was just Loone, who's not really a morning person," he gestures to the sleepy woman, "two Sheikah and the bird-guy, and he wasn't much for conversation… I'm gonna go explore the desert! See the sights!"

Loone also leaves the table with a yawn, presumably to go back to her bed.

With fewer people, it gets much easier to listen in as normal. Zelda and Symin seem to be getting along quite nicely, discussing research and book work. Celessa seems have realised Zelda isn't keen on talking to her, but is just happy to be here.

"Purah?" Zelda gasps, rising to her feet. "You don't look a day older!"

Link turns to see a young Sheikah woman wandering down the stairs. She rubs at her eyes and waves. "Zelda! Champions! It's so good to see you all!"

Zelda rushes over to hug the Sheikah woman. Purah smiles fondly and pats her on the top of her head. "It's been tough, hasn't it? But we're here. We're still going."

Celessa stares. As does Link, but probably for different reasons. He's managed to remember that he has heard of Purah, the sequestered Sheikah researcher, but she's supposed to be one hundred and twenty six years old. This woman looks barely older than her own great-niece. Is this an illusion? The Sheikah's version of a Yiga disguise? She doesn't move like she has the bones of an old woman.

"Hey, let's move to another room." Purah says. She goes to the table and loads up her plate with bread. "There's a sitting room that gets some good morning sun. I'm sure there's a lot you'd all like to talk about."

The sitting room is the one that Link had noticed next to the stairs. Inside, a lot of cushions and some benches against the walls. Not quite a sun room, but that's not really something anyone is desperate for in a desert.

The Champions settle down. Zelda gestures for Link to sit next to her. Paya and Symin don't leave the dining table, busy discussing boring Sheikah stuff.

"Alright!" Purah says, still standing. She tears into her bread. "First, I just wanna say, you lot sure are zippy. I wanted to join you earlier, but you just wouldn't stay still long enough for me to catch up... Sending me and poor Symin racing across the entire country."

"I wanted to reunite as soon as possible," Zelda says, "And check on the Divine Beasts."

"Oh, good idea. How are they?"

"Better than I expected. Medoh and Ruta only have a few scuffs, while Naboris has some new holes on the inside of its hull, and Rudania has a broken port."

Purah nods along. "Yeah, that's not bad. So their intelligences seem unharmed?"

"As far as we can tell."

The Sheikah researcher takes a big bite of her bread, thinking. "I had wondered… if they could be corrupted the same way as Guardians. But it seems they're a lot more complicated."

"Seems pretty clear, from the fact they need pilots," Revali mutters.

"Yeah, yeah. Pity about the Sheikah Slate, I'll have to design a new way to try interface with them…"

"I have a question," Mipha says, hand slightly raised. "The Calamity. The Ancients attacked it with the Divine Beasts, then a Swordsman battled it until it could be sealed by the Princess. We only did the first step."

"…So why did it work?" Purah muses. "Good question. I dunno. Brainstorming, go!" She snaps her fingers and points at Mipha.

Mipha blinks, "well, um, perhaps Zelda holding the Calamity in place exposed it to her latent sacred power."

"Next!" She swings her bread to point at Daruk.

"Uhhhhh… It wanted to lose! Living as the Calamity seems pretty miserable, if the Blights are anything to go by."

"Next!"

"Clearly, the particulars of its temporal position was of some import to the Calamity, given the ten thousand year pattern. After being displaced in time, whatever conditions that had summoned it no longer empowered it."

"Next!"

Urbosa crosses her arms. "I was considering something similar to Revali. The Calamity may have been drawing on a curse or source of power that no longer exists."

Purah shoves the bread into her mouth claps her hands together with a solemn nod. "…Alright. Good thoughts. Unless you have a theory, too?" She turns her head to look at Link sideways.

"Link doesn't speak," Zelda explains. "…But this might be a good exercise to see if he can work with the signs I've been teaching him!"

Link looks at his hands. He thinks it over, then very slowly signs, 'Divine Beasts thousand attack injured. Nearby dead.'

Zelda nods proudly. "You think our predecessors weakened it the last time it emerged, and we just had to deliver the finishing blow."

"Here I was thinking he was trying to suggest that it was thousands of vengeful ghosts that did the work for us," Revali says snidely.

Purah grabs another piece of bread and taps it against her head in thought. "That one is probably less likely, Revali. Hmm… It could be that the answer is a combination of a few of these ideas, as well as many that we'll never understand. Every battle is decided by countless factors."

"Is there anything we can do to get a more definitive answer?" Urbosa asks.

"There's a few things we can try. What we need is more information. And there is a way to get some." She takes a bite of bread. "About ninety years ago, I set up some monitoring equipment in the castle. It was 'sposed to broadcast the information it collects every month, but that stopped working a few decades ago. I think it was just the transmitter that got busted, so if the rest's there we'll have a lot of stuff to look through."

"The castle," Urbosa says flatly. "It's a smouldering pile of rubble covered in Guardians."

"Eh. Sheikah tech is tough. A few bricks won't hurt it, probably. It wasn't in one of the spots that got lasered. And I'm sure you can handle a few Guardians. You've got shields and Divine Beasts."

"Regardless, returning to the castle will be both incredibly inconvenient and dangerous. Are you certain that this data is valuable?"

Purah nods enthusiastically. "It's some of my finest work in there, I set it up to measure everything, both in the environment and within the Ancient Sheikah systems. I spent years studying the Calamity from every angle, but there's only so much you can get from what was, at the time, a statue. But my tech was there, taking measurements, the very moment Zelda's time spell dropped. That kind of data is irreplaceable, and absolutely the best shot we've got, I reckon. We can get a full timeline of what changed before and after it was killed."

Revali has his eyes closed, brow furrowed. After a moment, he announces, "Vah Medoh will meet us there."

Purah pushes her glasses up with a sigh. "There's no rush. You can take it easy for a while."

"The sooner this is resolved, the sooner we can rest. I think the people of Hyrule will be grateful to have fewer Guardians running around the kingdom."

"That is a sentiment I can get behind." Urbosa closes her eyes and raises a hand above her head, snapping her fingers. "…Vah Naboris will also join us."

"Ruta will not," Mipha says. "She can't travel unattended, she'd crush half the Domain."

"…I can't reach Rudania from this far away." Daruk looks slightly embarrassed. Mipha pats him on the elbow.

"I've had enough travel," Purah grumbles, "You're going to have to meet me in Hateno."

"We will do that," Zelda agrees. "We've got a lot of catching up to do. But we can travel together until we part ways. How about leaving tomorrow?"

Purah lets out an exaggerated groan.

At about midday, Link passes Zelda a note,

I gotta go.    stable association stuff.

Zelda doesn't look happy. "Do you have to?"

yes.    I've been away a long time already.

"Buliara and I talked, I know you went to Gerudo Town because you were in trouble with very bad people. I don't want you to feel like you have to go anywhere alone without backup."

…Oh. Link's perfect excuse doesn't seem so perfect anymore.

I will talk with my manager.   but I am not going to quit my job.

"I won't force you to do anything," Zelda sighs. "Is Marin your manager?"

Link pauses, confused. How and why would Zelda think that?

"She's friends with Revali. He asked the people at Gerudo Stable if they know her, and they said she's an Association representative in charge of the stable guards."

Hm. His plotting hadn't really accounted for the fact that people would talk about his identities when he's not around to hear it. What other bits of information, that he hasn't even thought to keep track of, have they already shared amongst themselves?

"…But, really," Zelda continues, "she should be fighting tooth and nail to make sure the other employees, whether they're under her or not, are safe at their jobs. You're being targeted! She should care about that."

Oh no.

I can handle myself!!!

Link waves the note in Zelda's face, then underlines the words. This is getting convoluted, Zelda is thinking badly of Marin for Link's sake.

"I know you can. But that doesn't stop me from worrying. As your Princess, and as your friend."

Link gives her a smile, even though he's really not feeling it. He still hasn't quite figured out what Zelda wants from him. He's never seen anyone act like this before, she must know that her words don't seem genuine at all. Who cares about this kind of thing? Regardless of who is or is not after him, finding a way to keep a guard safe just seems inconvenient. Inefficient.

They exchange farewells, through speech and sign, and then Link goes and gets his bag.

Paya is lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Still no opportunity to retrieve the Slate from Zelda's bag.

Link digs up his Yiga uniform, donning it and crossing back to Kara-Kara just in time for the last traces of sunlight to slip past the horizon. The cover of darkness will suit him well.

A Hylian sneaking around Kara Kara is suspicious, a Yiga doing the same is garden variety nefarious. Nobody would bother asking further questions like why he's lurking. Yiga just do that, as far as anyone else is concerned.

The Bazaar isn't very busy at this time of evening, but he keeps his distance from the central oasis. His hearing isn't as effective as it would be without his mask and hood on, but he keeps his senses sharpened and ducks out of sight before anyone comes close to spotting him.

He makes his way to the back of the inn.

The walls are laughably simple to scale. He makes it to Zelda's window and peeks through. The room is empty. He slips inside, touching his feet gently down onto the stone floor. He knows better than to step onto the rug; these things have a habit of concealing faults in the floor. He always needs to know exactly where he's putting his weight. No creaky floorboards, tonight.

He crouches down and opens Zelda's bag. Pushes past her notebook and normal clothes and the bundle of silken fabric, to reach the bottom of the bag, where…

He finds nothing.

It's not there.

What.

How is not here.

He pulls everything out. Flips everything over. Unfolds the silk.

No Sheikah Slate.

Did he seriously go through all this effort, risking his life several times, to just lose it.

Where did it go?

Baffled, irritated and wanting to rip his hair out, Link folds Zelda's possessions and shoves everything back where it came from.

(…Focus on the anger, not the fear. But never get so angry that you lose focus…)

She must have… found it.

He looks around the room. If Zelda has it, she wouldn't part with it.

His eyes land on sandy footsteps across the rug. Not heels, not bare feet, not slippers. Boots. Zelda made a point of making sure the Champions and their associates took their shoes off.

Someone else was here.

Someone else went looking through Zelda's possessions and stole something.

He examines the footprints. Human, obviously. Going from the door to the bag, then back to the door. Unlikely that they also came in through the window. (They could have. It's possible they started from the window, then wandered across the carpet to peek out the door, then opened the bag and left. But he doesn't want to entertain that possibility.)

If they came through the door, could this person have been an outsider, rather than a guest? It would be strange, but plausible -- no, everyone needs a key. Link had to give his back to the owner when he left. And the owner would probably have been in the lobby all day. She wouldn't let someone wander in without paying for a bed.

It wouldn't be one of the Champions, as none of them wear boots. It might have been Symin or Purah, though he hadn't noticed them wearing shoes, either. He hadn't exactly been paying attention to such an inane detail.

It could also be one of the other four Hylians staying downstairs. Are they still here? Surely if someone stole from another guest, they wouldn't stick around for the night.

What reason would they have to look through Zelda's possessions?

Bozai seems creepy enough to do it just because she's a woman.

Celessa seems infatuated with her, in a cultish kind of way.

Loone just seemed a bit strange. Maybe the type to casually look through anyone's bags.

Eryck… is on a journey of self-discovery? Did he need to "discover" if his true self is a petty thief? Maybe he's short on funds and was just looking for some jewellery to sell.

He carefully opens the door. Steps outside, and just barely peeks down through the gaps in the floor to the dining table.

Purah and Urbosa are sitting at the table, talking quietly over drinks. There's probably other people with them, but he doesn't have a great angle. No Slate in sight. He can't go downstairs without them immediately seeing him.

He backtracks and climbs back out the window.

The great thing about being back in uniform is that he can finally see who's also a member of the Clan. An unassuming Hylian sitting under a palm tree has clear, glowing lines indicating their appearance is just a disguise.

"Hey," they groan. "You can't just walk up to me like this, you're gonna blow my cover."

Link opens his mouth to speak, but nothing happens. He tries again. Maybe it's been a little too long since he last tried to speak. "…D-do you. You know where or Bow-Bozai went?"

They sneer. "That weirdo? Why would you be looking for him? He's probably run back to Gerudo Town. He never gets in, but that doesn't stop him from trying. The sand seal dealers have him blacklisted."

Gerudo Town is a long way away. But Bozai can't move too quickly. Link should be able to intercept him, especially if he's stopped for the night.

"E-Eryck. What about him?"

"If you want more outta me you'd better pay me for my time." The other Yiga leans back against the tree, making a grabby motion with one hand.

Link drops a blue rupee. They pick it up, shove it into their pocket. "I don't know anyone named Eryck. You could ask around at the Stables, I guess."

He's wasting time. Link turns around and starts running.

It's almost midnight when Link finally spots him. He's striding, a pep in his step, through the sand like it's no trouble at all.

Link draws his knife.

He charges, and knocks Bozai down onto the sand, holding the sharp knife to his throat.

Bozai screams.

"S… Scream all yi- all you like. Nobody's coming f-for you."

Bozai keeps screaming. Link, in a fit of annoyance, cuts the pendant off his ugly necklace and tosses it as far as he can.

"Hey! That's just rude! Why did you even do that, that has sentimental value!

"Th-this is a robbery," Link says, twirling the knife. "Give me, give me your stuff."

"Oh. You're terrible." Bozai sits up and removes his backpack. "I haven't done anything!"

Link opens the bag and upends it onto the sand. A change of clothes, extra pair of boots, a towel. Hairbrush. Maps. A journal. A frying pan, blankets, raincoat. A waterskin, a bottle of booze, some jerky. No Slate.

"Now everything's all sandy!"

Pressing his foot down onto Bozai's shoulder to stop him from trying to sit up, Link grabs the bag at Bozai's hip and cuts it loose from its straps. Inside, a purse of rupees. Not that many. A few foreign coins. A single topaz. A spare pair of glasses. Nothing he actually cares about.

But, to keep up appearances, Link pockets the rupees. And then takes the snow boots from the pile, tucking them under one arm.

Anything else? Well… "G-give me you-your boots."

"You already have my boots." Link points at the ones still on Bozai's feet. "Seriously?"

Link waves his knife, removing his foot to let Bozai sit up. He reluctantly starts removing his sand boots, muttering the whole while.

About eighty rupees and two pairs of boots richer, Link backs away. Bozai takes the opportunity to scramble to his feet and start running, cursing as his socked feet sink into the sand with every step.

Link sits down, takes off his shin guards and straps on his brand new sand boots. There's nothing else to do but return to Kara-Kara.

The Yiga he had spoken to isn't around anymore. Nobody is, this late at night. Most lanterns have dimmed, and all the small buildings have become dark monoliths in the moonlight.

Link wanders around the oasis for a while, but doesn't spot anyone. It's when he circles back around to Ciro's inn that he spots someone, lingering next to the faint lantern light at the front door. Is that… Celessa?

Why is she still hanging around?

He approaches quietly from behind, drawing his knife again.

"…What are you doing out here?" he asks quietly.

Celessa flinches. "Nothing!" She leans against the wall and avoids eye contact.

"A strange time and place to be doing nothing."

She sighs. "It is a bit embarrassing. Princess Zelda is staying here, and I didn't have enough rupees to stay another night. But I didn't want to just leave. I've wanted my whole life to meet Princess Zelda."

She looks over to him and then shrieks.

Link clamps a hand over her mouth. "Shh!"

They wrestle a moment, Link grabbing onto her bag and letting her struggle out of it and run, leaving it behind. Like with Bozai, he opens and upturns it.

Like with Bozai, there is nothing.

Nothing in the smaller pockets. Just normal, not particularly valuable possessions. A bit of money, but not enough to have sold an artifact for. She has a nicely decorated shield though. Not something Link would have noticed just a week ago.

He frees the shield from the straps attaching it to the bag to take a closer look.

Then hears something rattle. Faintly, wood creaks.

It's pure instinct that has him dodge to the side. An arrow flies past his head and thuds into the sand. He lands on his feet and looks up.

Bow already drawn again, Revali glares down the shaft of an arrow at him.

Link dodges again. He raises Celessa's shield, quickly backing away. Protect the head, protect the chest.
(Protect the hands.)

"Well what do we have here?" Revali crows. "Scum of the night, I think. What are you doing, terrorising random travellers, Yiga? Short on funds and fervour, now that your precious Calamity is dead?"

Revali nocks another arrow, and abruptly releases before he's drawn it fully.

Link doesn't have time to react. The arrow buries itself in his thigh. He fumbles the shield. It falls to the ground, his shaky hands losing grip completely.

"Oops," Revali says, "Looks like I missed."

He readies a fourth arrow.

Link needs to go.

He stumbles closer to the inn and dives around the corner, messily rolling over and staggering to his uneven feet. His breath is already coming out fast, irregular. This is the third time he's met Revali for the first time, and it is by far, undoubtedly, the worst.

He hears rustling and there's suddenly talons in his face.

What happened to not flying?

Where's his knife! He dropped it without noticing. Link grabs at the claws attacking him and swipes at them with the jagged spikes of his arm guards until Revali backs off.

Revali laughs and lands a few steps back, picks up his bow. Not the Eagle Bow, thank the goddesses. Taking that bow may have saved his own skin. (If he does manage to survive this.)

"You weren't expecting a real fight, were you?" Revali taunts, "You thought you could just take what you want and everyone would be too scared to stop you. I certainly have no fear nor respect for bandits."

Link frantically pulls out his teleport cards. He quickly recites the chant under his breath, but fumbles his words.

He manages it on the second attempt, and teleports back to where Celessa had been standing. He presses one hand against the wall to keep his balance.

Is his knife somewhere around here? It's hard to see in the darkness.

He hears Revali spin around and teleports away again. An arrow drives itself into the brick wall.

He doesn't have a clear enough head to plan where he ends up. He just has to keep going. Keep the distance, run a few steps, don't stop activating it.

"You're a quiet one." Revali comments, simply fixing his angle every few seconds to track his irregular teleports. "I've never liked quiet people."

An arrow hits the spikes of his arm guard with a ting. Link doesn't have time to think of a response. He teleports again.

The smoke clears. He's under the tree that the other Yiga had been at. All the way around the other side of the buildings. With a second to finally think, all he can think about is the pounding headache that's been building. It's been a long night.

There's still an arrow in his thigh.

Revali is a Rito. He would have trouble finding anyone in the dark with his innately poor night vision, so Link can believe he's safe for now, if he's slow and quiet. He hobbles further away from Ciro's inn. Closer to the oasis, circling around the other side to collapse behind the closed up tents of the bazaar.

He's still wearing Bozai's stupid sand boots. He'd probably be dead without the agility they lent him. He bends his uninjured leg to unclasp the leather straps securing the boot to his leg, then starts unwrapping its outer fabric.

It'll do as a bandage, for now. Once he has a suitable amount, he slices through it with his armguard, then lifts his mask slightly to stick the end between his teeth.
He grabs the shaft of the arrow. It hadn't sank very deep into his leg, thanks to Revali not bothering to draw his bow to full power. It's not too deep. It's fine.

Three… two… one….

He yanks the arrow out. And stares, uncomprehending, at the bloodied but blunt wood at the end.

There's no arrowhead.

The arrowhead came off.

It's… still in there. A sharpened chunk of iron, or whatever Revali uses to cap his arrows. In his leg. He can't really see it, there's too much blood in the way. He really should have pushed the arrow through and out the other side, but that would have been just as terrible without a knife to use to trim the fletching off. He should have just left the arrow until morning.

Curse Revali and his weirdly shoddily-made arrows.

This… is a problem for the Link that lives about three hours in the future. He wraps the wound, applying enough pressure to slow the bleeding, but hopefully not enough to push the metal deeper into any important parts.

Every step is going to cut deeper, so he's just going to… step carefully. He's made it this far, it's probably not broken through an artery or anything.

He rises to his feet. It's not even that bad.

He just needs to get away from Kara-Kara, for now. One step at a time.

The chill of the night is starting to dig into him, making him want to shiver now that he's starting to calm down. The arrowhead in his thigh seems to be the only part of him that's warm, pulsing between a gentle heat and an intense feeling of burning.

Link walks, slowly, carefully for about twenty metres before he hears something that makes him pause.

"Oh my darling baby, you are just so cute," a voice murmurs, singsong. "Look at you! So small…"

Sitting on the other side of a stack of crates against a tent, is Loone.

In her hands, the Sheikah Slate. She rocks it from side to side.

"…Seriously?" he manages. This woman is mad.

"Is something wrong?" she says, looking up at him with a slight pout. "It's rude to interrupt."

"You- you stole that."

"It was all alone in the dark, I had to save it. Isn't it so lovely?"

"…Very. I need that."

Loone narrows her eyes. "I'm not just going to hand off a child to the first person that asks. What kind of person do you think I am?"

Link takes a deep, steady breath. "Is there anything I can… trade for it?"

She considers. "Only if it's older and cuter and more special. But I don't think anything is."

"Zonai stuff. I can show you lots of Zonai stuff. And a whole lot of Ancient Sheikah things that most people don't even know exist."

Loone leaps to her feet, "Oh, really? Where? I wanna see it! Show it all to me!"

Does she know nothing about the Yiga Clan, at all? Maybe bringing her along is the best option. If she's stuck in the Hideout, then she can't go around telling Zelda that the Sheikah Slate was in her own bag this entire time. She seems to type to accidentally confess to taking it right to Zelda.

He can think of a better idea on the walk there. "…Alright. It's a long walk."

"Ok! I'm gonna hold onto this little guy until we get there, then. Isn't its little eye so cute? Kinda matches the one on your mask."

He tiredly nods along and keeps limping. It's almost sunrise.

It was a long night, but might end up being an even longer day ahead.

Chapter Text

"Wow, look at that!" Loone exclaims, pointing back across the desert. "Doodlekins is moving! Is it looking for its baby?"

Link glances back over his shoulder to see Vah Naboris slowly making its own march out of the desert. To the Gateway of the desert and then on the way to Hyrule Castle for it latest mission.

It's getting warmer, bending the air enough for the horizon to shimmer and make the distant figure wobble. He feels himself getting sweaty, but that might be because of the mostly untreated wound in his leg. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, he can't ignore the spread of cold, digging pain so easily. He keeps walking.

"Oh, I'm sorry for taking your baby!" Loone calls out to the distant Divine Beast. She waves the Sheikah Slate around in the air. "I promise I'm taking good care of it!"

Only another hour until they reach the Great Cliffs. The landscape ahead of them is a smear of sand, with the long lasting sand storms going as strong as usual. At least the storm will make for a bit of shade.

Loone jumps in place, continuing to wave the Slate above her head.

"Why are you trying to call attention to us?" Link snaps. He wants to wipe sweat from his forehead, take a drink of water, but he can't while she's here.

"I don't want to be mean. And Doodlekins deserves honesty, doesn't it?"

"There might be a Gerudo patrol somewhere nearby. They think the base is somewhere around here."

Loone ignores him and keeps waving to Vah Naboris.

Link spots a mostly barren patch of rock positioned nicely in the shadow of a boulder. He makes a beeline toward it rather than trying to fight Loone's… Loone-ness. He needs to get his arrow wound cleaned and wrapped properly before they enter the storm raging around the Cliffs.

That means removing the arrowhead.

Link had, at around sunrise, retrieved his other possessions. He sets his bag down and sits down. He pulls out and prepares a few items: His waterskin, a roll of proper bandages, needle and thread, a bottle of potion, some flint and firewood. His fish knife.

He assembles a small pile of firewood and strikes the flint, once, twice. The sparks catch, building just enough flame to clean the blade before he has to do something very unpleasant with it.

He unwraps the rough cloth from around his thigh, then carefully tears at the light fabric of his uniform to reveal the wound.

(During the long walk overnight, he had considered cauterising the wound to perhaps save on potions, but now that he sees how close it is to the mottled, curling scar of an old blessing, he knows there is no way he can bring himself to do so.)

The bleeding isn't too bad. He pours some water over it, a small part of him appreciating the coolness of it despite the stinging pain that forces his jaw to clench tightly. He can see the hard spike in the base of the arrowhead, just barely below the edge of the wound. It might not be too hard to get it out.
If only he had tweezers.

The bleeding is about to get a lot worse.

Tuning out Loone's strange rambling, Link removes a glove and picks up his filleting knife.

The second the last bandage is tied off, shaking, sweating, wanting to puke, Link picks the bloodied arrowhead from where he had dropped it in the sand and throws it as far as he can.

Loone turns to watch it land. She had gotten bored of staring at Vah Naboris about ten minutes ago, and had joined him in the patch of shade, stubbornly not looking anywhere near the bloody mess that he had become.

She picks up the bottle of potion and uncorks it, holding it out in the space between them. "Here. You can take your mask off, I won't look."

Link hesitantly accepts it. Loone doesn't look, true to her word.

He downs the potion quickly as possible, then slaps his mask back down over his face. "…Thanks."

Loone, still not looking, says, "Don't mention it. What kind of weirdo gets some shard of metal in his leg and takes care of it himself? That's not normal."

"And you're the expert on normalcy," Link says flatly, starting to pack everything back into his bag. The knife needs a good rinse.

Loone rises to her feet, brushing sand from her pants. "Normal people know when to ask for help. I… I'm not good with injuries, but I could've… There has to be someone… Let's just go. There's ancient things waiting to meet me."

Link follows after her, shaky on his feet, unbalanced by a bit more than the ache in his leg.

As they approach the Great Cliffs, the swirling wind picks up from a gentle breeze into something harsh and unrelenting. The rushing sand in the air steeps the world in shades of dull orange and brown. All sound is drowned out by the endless rushing of wind and sand.
Loone hunches over, squinting tightly in hopes of getting as little as possible in her eyes. Her pigtails fly wildly around her head.

Link, protected behind his mask, continues onward, and Loone follows closely behind.

With every step deeper into the entrenched storm, the distant light of the sun, diffused through the sand, becomes even dimmer.

Navigating the endless sandstorm is simple in concept, but not so much in practice. The first step is to make a beeline to the largest rock spire, and then head more-or-less north from there. The problem is, of course, that it's pretty hard to tell if you're going in a straight line when you can only see a few metres in front of you. Which is why there are a whole lot of statues and posts wrapped in Yiga fabric.

Which is, in turn, why the Gerudo think the Hideout is somewhere around here.

There's a statue just up ahead. It has a bag over its head, the Inverted Eye painted on it sandblasted almost beyond recognition. Link cuts the ties holding it down over the statue. He turns around, the fabric flapping wildly in his hands, and shoves it over Loone's head.

She complains loudly, but doesn't remove it. Link grabs her by the hand and leads her deeper into the storm.

They encounter no trouble, beyond a sleeping Lizalfos that Link came far too close to stepping on for comfort.

He finally spots the small, almost unnoticeable entrance into the cliffside; one of the ancient tunnels that serves as a shortcut under the Gerudo Highlands. Before he learned the Yiga never actually have the answers to these kinds of questions, Link had always wondered whether they were carved out by ancient peoples, natural forces or some kind of burrowing monster.

"I'm so tired of walking," Loone complains, bag still over her head. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost." Link pulls her along. She keeps her other hand pressed against the nearest wall, occasionally trying to stop them in their tracks when she feels something that might be a fossil. More walking. Occasionally, they pass Yiga going the other way, but nobody acknowledges each other.

The tunnel widens, merges with others, until it all comes to an abrupt stop at the Eastern Gate. Link raps his knuckles against one of the wooden logs, waiting slightly too long before someone finally answers.

"Who's there?"

"Link," he says, glancing to Loone, "and company."

The door shakily slides open, the Doorkeeper manning it stepping aside to allow them to enter the hall. Surrounding them are countless worktables laden with devices in the process of being analysed, some even hanging overhead by chains. As usual, the floor is an absolute mess of loose papers. The nearest pair of Researchers seem to be scuffling over how the Zonai devices should be categorised.

"It should be by weight!"

"But then the two types of batteries will be kept at opposite sides of the Grand Stronghold! Do you know how long the walk is?"

"Link," the Doorkeeper greets. "Who's this? A recruit?"

Before Link can answer, Loone cuts in. "Yes! And, personally, I think Zonai artifacts should be sorted by how many teeth they have."

"…Intriguing. So you intend to join the Research Division?"

"She-," Link tries.

"Absolutely," says Loone, who definitely doesn't know what the Research Division is, but has quickly latched onto the name.

"Well, that's good," the Doorkeeper says, "We really need new Researchers for the Depths. Master Kohga made a whole thing about it yesterday. I'm not sure if you've ever endorsed a recruit, Link. She must be really capable."

"Uh." Link had been thinking more along the lines of indefinite prisoner, but the Blademaster is already starting to discuss the next steps with Loone.

"We are sort of fast-tracking the recruiting process for Researchers due to the demand, so you should be able to get onsite in less than a week. Here, I have a spare mask. You won't be able to use it fully until you're Initiated, but it works as a face covering."

Link grabs Loone by the shoulders and turns her away from everyone in the room to hide her face as she finally takes the cloth bag off her head and swaps it for a Yiga mask.

Loone looks around the Research Hall, tapping her fingers against her mask. "Wow, this is so weird. It's solid, but I can see right through it! Oh, there's so many artifacts here! What is that?"

She makes a beeline across the room to the Blinded Guardian. Built into the opposite wall, the hulking mass of Sheikah technology looms over the Researcher Hall, its menacing eye rendered inert by a stake driven through the reticle.

Loone rests her hand on one of the many machines grafted onto its body, looking up at its swivelling eye. "It's alive," she says breathlessly.

"Yep!" the nearest researcher says cheerily. "It's a real marvel, isn't it?"

"…It seems a bit cruel." Loone says, gesturing to the thick chains securing it in place, "The poor thing doesn't even have legs."

"They're around here, somewhere," the researcher dismisses, "We can always put them back on later. That's the great thing about machines. It doesn't hurt it, and it doesn't exactly care that it's not free."

Loone gives it a long look, letting out a sigh when its blinded eye drifts in her direction only to continue wandering. "What do you use it for?"

"Oh, lots of things. Most of the time it just powers the production of cards. See that machine next to you? We put Guardian parts in there, it smashes them up and then liquifies them into the ink we use. It gives us enough to make about fifty basic cards per hour, but only when we're not using one of the other machines. That brings the efficiency down."

She takes a step back. "You… destroy Guardian parts?"

"In the name of advancement! We support the rest of the Clan so that they can support us in our endeavours for understanding. It's unfortunate, but necessary." With that, they turn around and hunch over their work once more, clearly done with the conversation.

Loone turns back to Link. "Thanks for bringing me here. I want to have more of a look around on my own now. Here."

She hands Link the Sheikah Slate and quietly wanders away. Its previously blank screen lights up with a moving symbol of a koi swimming around the Sheikah Eye. A moment later, it is replaced by Ancient Sheikah text:

Unable to authorise. Please try again later.

Does it only work for the right kind of person? Hopefully there's a way to override that, or all of this might have been for naught…

Link clips the Slate to his belt, choosing to think about something else. Loone joining the Clan… probably won't cause much trouble, aside from the potential risk to Link's own reputation. The important thing is that she likely won't ever be able to leave, regardless of whether she wants to. The rest of the Clan now also have a vested interest in her not talking to other Hylians from here.

Now to find Jonin.

"Ah, Link." Jonin says, when he returns to her office. "What do you have for me?"

He holds up the Sheikah Slate. She drops the scroll she was reading and stands, rushing over for a closer look.

"The Sheikah Slate? Let me see that."

He steps away, moving it clear from her reaching hands. "I am taking this directly to Master Kohga. I just wanted to show you that I met your challenge."

"You sure did!" she laughs. "But Master Kohga is in the Depths right now. I was going to have a meeting with him soon, so I can--"

"Then I will go to the Depths." Link can't have Jonin stealing the credit for his accomplishment.

"Perfect," she says smoothly. "Then we can have a talk about what happens next on the way there."

The circle of light above them grows smaller and smaller, until Link and Jonin are cast in near-complete darkness. Only the lantern at Jonin's hip lets Link see the endless walls passing them as they descend. It feels like, rather than being shadowed from light, they are slowly approaching a source emanating pure darkness.

"It's a long trip down," Jonin comments, "Get comfortable."

Link glances to the crates. He stays standing.

The silence surrounds them more solidly than the rock of the chasm.

"…I've been trying to figure you out for a long time," Jonin finally says. "What did my predecessor, Tanto, see in you? I always wanted to ask him, but he died before I had the opportunity."

Link offers no response. He does not like to remember Tanto.

"Why did Tanto pick you to mentor? He taught you to lie, to scheme, to fight. Never did that for anyone else. I always thought it was a complete waste of his talent, he was one of the best strategists in the entire history of the Yiga, certainly the best Initiate. He even had a son that followed him into the Clan -- but he instead focused on you."

He tightens his grip around the Slate, feeling the carvings in its handle digging into his skin.

"You, of all people. You're no one's legacy, just a child found out in the wilderness up north and brought in by a footsoldier... And do you know who that footsoldier was?"

Despite his want to never let Jonin know when she's getting to him, Link finds himself leaning forward, drawn in by the chance to finally have an answer to a question he has never dared to ask. "Who?"

Jonin laughs. "I don't know either! No one does! I had my Enforcer boys ask every Yiga in the Clan, and nobody could give us an answer. It was somebody so utterly forgettable that, whoever he was, he probably went and died and nobody even noticed. And you would have been just like him, if not for Tanto's attention. You came from nothing, you have nothing."

(Link doesn't like it, but there is an option Jonin doesn't seem to be considering; whoever brought him into the Clan regrets it and would rather lie to the Enforcers than admit to having done it.)

"But I've realised, that's exactly it. You are nothing. You've got no hobbies, no passions, not even a sense of humour. Unpeel that banana, and there's nothing but air. You only care about what you've been told to care about -- more like a piece of technology than a person, plodding around and following your programming with not an extra thought in your head.

"There's so little to you, that when people look at you, they see exactly what they want to see. Tanto saw the perfect student. Kela saw someone who could save his little coup-"

"Don't call him that," Link grits out. "His name is Master Kohga."

"Oh, whatever. Kela, Kohga, Cucco, who cares. He'll always be the same fool."

"You speak treason."

"So did Kela. You should have reported him, but you went right along with it. Anyway… Your weird little stooge saw, what, a son figure? That Zora, Sidon, saw a comrade-in-arms, Paya saw someone to learn from, Champion Revali saw a peer…and Riju saw someone she could lean on, someone to lift her up and see the good side of everything. Poor little thing, having that offered and ripped away so quickly." Jonin's voice grows endlessly more smug, "Yeah, I've known about that little mess you made from day one. You can't keep anything a secret from me."

"Where are you going with this? Get to the point."

"What's the rush? We're both stuck on this platform. My point is, you're nothing but potential. And in order to unlock it all, you just need the right orders. And I'm the one who's gonna give them to you."

"You're already my boss. And you're getting far too ambitious."

"Everyone's ambitious. Everyone thinks themself the One. The Challenger that will finally be the one to lead the Clan to its destiny, they're just waiting for their moment. But not you. Something tells me that you don't even entertain the possibility. You've never daydreamed about glory and power."

Link… hates that she's right. What does he even want in life? A bright sky above his head, the wind in his hair and good food. Simple, small, meaningless.
He's always known that there's nothing greater for him, even though he's never thought about it deeply. He's only ever chased stability.

"I already know you better than you know yourself. As the leader of the Enforcers, it's my job to observe and understand the members of the Clan." She pauses. "Or at least, the important ones. We could do great things if we work together -- and you can consider me and my Enforcers the family you never had. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Jonin lifts up her lantern, looking over to him. "The terms are very simple; no matter what Kohga tells you, you will report to me first. In return, you can keep doing what you're good at, without having to worry about the rest of the Clan finding out about the… messier parts of what you've done."

She lets her offer linger in the air. The platform creaks, the only sound Link can hear beyond his own breaths.

"Fine." Link resigns to the path of the least resistance. He knows he's been too slow to challenge her points when he had the opportunity, and she's successfully danced circles around him. He'll probably regret this later, but for now, her offers are somewhat tempting. He was never all that great at dealing with the schemes of fellow Yiga.

She claps her hand together. "Great! Welcome to the Enforcers, Link. We have a meeting every month, and I expect you to be there."

"I'm a field agent. The travel would eat up a third of my time."

"Alright, every second month. But if you miss a meeting, you will be reprimanded. You are expected to drop everything and meet with me whenever I request it. Also, there's no need to tell Kohga about this."

"Great." This deal is sounding worse by the second.

"Hey, don't worry. We Enforcers look out for each other. I always wanted a son, y'know?"

"You're laying it on a bit thick, now."

Jonin slaps him on the back. "That's my boy."

The elevator finally clears the last of the chasm, the walls suddenly opening up around them, revealing the endless dark expanse of the Depths.

For all that Link has heard of the Depths, this is his first time down here. The air is cold and smells old and chalky. Stale. He can see lights off in the distance that look artificial, but also less clear ones that move around on their own like living beings.

He takes a careful step closer to the edge of the elevator's platform to squint into the darkness.

"Is that… an Ancient Sheikah building?" he says. A thin tower is lit up in faint orange, looking like it reaches from the very floor of the Depths back up to the ceiling. He can just barely see that it connects to a bowl-like structure embedded into the foggy rock above.

"Sure is," Jonin says. "There's a lot of pristine Sheikah construction all across the Depths. They were all over this Zonai stuff."

The elevator lowers the final stretch until it touches down onto some scaffolding above a giant smooth pit. All this Sheikah architecture, hidden right below the Hideout this entire time… They really are on the cusp of something truly great. Kohga's scheme to summon the Calamity early could actually be possible.

Footsoldiers run past them to start hauling the crates from the elevator, others bringing new boxes of Zonai artifacts to be carried to the Surface. The walkway to the ramshackle Relay Base at the base of the pit is creaky and uneven underfoot, but that hardly seems to slow anyone down.

Jonin catches a passing footsolider with a hand clamped onto their shoulder. "Where is Master Kohga? I need to see him."

"O-oh. He and his squad left to go to the Stronghold a few hours ago. You might be able to catch him at one of the relay bases."

Link has to fight the urge to hug the Sheikah Slate to his chest defensively, out of reach of the watchful eye of Jonin's leering mask. Of course Kohga isn't here. Jonin probably already knew.

"That sure is inconvenient," Jonin grumbles, releasing the footsoldier to pose with her hands on her hips. "We just missed him. Well, it's a long way to the Stronghold, I don't think you've been there. Real harsh."

She definitely knew.

"I know where the Stronghold is," Link snaps defensively. He had looked at the maps around the Hideout. It's in Hyrule Field. Under it. A long, treacherous climb through sunken valleys, winding, almost backtracking between ancient and unstable structures until finally reaching the dull, endless plains.

Entirely in complete darkness. For days. More than a week to get there and then return.

All that, with Jonin?

The thought makes him shudder. Is doing all that worth it, just to hand the Slate directly over to Kohga?

As valuable as the artifact is, this feels like it could just play out as a repeat of the Thunder Helm. Monumental at the time, but ultimately useless. He can practically hear Ikki's gleeful taunting, No one can get it working, it might even be a fake.

"Fine." Link holds up the Sheikah Slate. "Have it your way. You can deliver the Slate on your own." He's already done what he needed to in order to appease Jonin, going further is needless risk, as much as he hates to think it.

He doesn't have time to waste, when the Champions are on their way to the castle. Maybe there's something in Purah's data, or the instruments themselves, than can be used to bypass the security in the Slate. (Somehow. It seems unlikely.)
At least the measurements of the Calamity's short-lived rampage might be helpful to the Developers working on a new body for it. It's only a matter of time until Jonin demands another miracle from him.

Jonin feigns surprise. "Oh! Well, if you insist. You are a very busy guy, it's the least I can do to make things easier for you. You certainly deserve a few favours after pulling this off." She takes the Slate, then barks out some names, and some of her enforcer stooges emerge from darkness just outside of the base camp's torchlight.

"Hey boys," she says brightly. "Link's in the gang now, you know what that means." She points to the tallest Enforcer. "You, come with me. Let's see if we can catch up with Master Kohga."

Link watches her leave, taking his last chance of claiming recognition with her into the shadows. He's already really second-guessing his thought process.

Someone slings an arm around Link's shoulders, resting heavily on him. "Link? An Enforcer now? Aw, isn't that fun?" They pat him on the head until he pushes them away, releasing him with a laugh.

"So, Link…" a small Enforcer says, circling around him. "Wanna go rough up some slackers? I've heard there's been trouble with some of the latest crop of trainees."

Link cautiously shakes his head. He makes a halfhearted excuse about being needed elsewhere, then returns to the elevator just in time for a new collection of Zonai technology to be lifted back to the Surface.

One of the Enforcers follows him. He procures a set of dice and asks Link if he'd like to play. Over the course of the long trip back up, Link learns that his name is Mono, he's a young member of one of the Central families, and he's really, really bad at the game.

The wind rustles through Link's hair, his real hair. It feels like the Surface is welcoming him back.

Gerudo Stable is the same as it has always been. A quick glance, squinting past the brightness of the morning, is enough to see that the Champions are here. Not just because most of them are standing around in the open air, but because Vah Naboris has come to a stop, its immense body nearly shielding the sky from view. Daruk spots Link and he waves.

"Oh, hello," Piaffe, the owner of the Stable greets with an exaggerated smile as Link walks up. "Welcome to Gerudo Canyon Stable. Though, I usually say that to Hylians coming from the other direction. How long have you been out in the desert? I don't think I've seen your face before, do you know about the stable system?"

Link nods. This is weird. He's had many a conversation with Piaffe over the years, as Marin. He's always the most… needy of stable owners to deal with, always asking for new supplies or publicity every other week. But now he's just one of many travellers.

"That's good! Remember us for all your horsey needs! And make sure you check in at the counter for a free pony point!"

Zelda wanders out of a building talking with Purah and her assistant. Her face lights up when she sees Link.

"Link! You're back already! Did everything go well?"

Link gives her a thumbs up. It went as well as things usually do.

"Great! We're just setting up to leave now, we'll be ready in a few minutes. We're going to part ways with Purah at the next fork in the road… if you don't end up wanting to come along with us to the castle, I fully understand."

Revali shuffles past, face stony. His wing is pressed against the side of his torso.

Paya, carrying a box of supplies, notices Link staring. "If you're wondering about him, he got into a fight the other night."

"And in typical Revali fashion," Urbosa continues, loudly enough to be overheard by the Rito in question, "…he chose to strain himself by fighting directly instead of letting the rest of us back him up."

"But Mipha says he'll be fine," Paya reassures. "In a few days she'll be able to heal him up, like she did for you!"

Revali stops in his tracks. "…Mipha did what." He turns his head just enough to finally look back at Link, through a narrow, disapproving eye.

Paya falters, unsure, "Link was hurt. Cut up after a fight. Mipha used her magic to help…?"

Mipha pokes her head out of the carriage, "Did I hear my name? Is… something wrong?"

"I don't know!" Revali snaps. "Is it wrong to lie to your fellow Champions, Mipha? Is this funny to you, telling me that you have no magic at all?"

"Of course not!" Mipha splutters, "I wasn't lying out of spite. I just didn't think it beneficial to update you until I'm strong enough to actually help you."

"Oh, but you could heal him. No comradery for me, but all the sympathy in the world for the desert pervert!"

"What?"

"What did you just call him?" Paya squeaks.

"Oh, forgive me for having no respect for the men who come all this way just to leer at the gates of Gerudo Town! I've met more than enough of them in my time and in this one. They're all the same and I am sick of them!"

"Revali," Urbosa snaps. "Link is nothing like that. You think my, our, standards are so low to tolerate the presence of a voe like that?"

Link wants to sink into the sand. Maybe the Depths aren't so bad, if they're deep enough to hide from the knowledge that Revali thinks he's like Bozai. This is unsalvageable.

"Then what is he doing in the desert?"

"That is nobody's business but his own," Urbosa says. "Just know, Link has been nothing but respectful to everyone. I wish I could say the same of you."

Revali snaps his beak shut and storms away. The others watch without a word as he stomps around to the other side of the carriage and out of sight.

Urbosa sighs. "I had hoped this entire situation might have shocked some maturity into him, but this is perhaps the worst he's ever been. Link, if he causes you any trouble, let me know immediately. He should know better than to speak like he's entitled to Mipha's magic."

"I'm so sorry," Paya winces, "I'm the one that set him off. I didn't know."

"It's not your fault," Mipha says quietly. "It would have happened eventually. At least he probably doesn't believe Link is, uh… that anymore?"

Zelda and the others come into view, following a pair of stable workers as they lead their horses to the carriage.

"Did something happen?" Zelda says, slowing to a stop.

"No." Urbosa says, without a hint of dishonesty to her tone, "Paya was just asking about Vah Naboris. Did we miss anything?"

"Oh, no. Are we all ready to leave?" Zelda asks the group. They make a few noises of vague agreement. "Alright. I'll let the stable master know."

The horses stamp their feet, clearly ready to be leaving as the stable workers harness Paya's horse to the carriage. Paya, holding Zelda's by its reins, looks to Urbosa.

"Have you much experience with horses?"

Urbosa nods. "Of course, I used--"

"Link!"

Link turns around. Zelda is standing at the Stable's front counter, beckoning him over.

"Link," Zelda says, once he's joined her. "There might be a letter for you."

He looks over to the stable master, confused.

"It's been bouncing between stables for a while now." Piaffe says, digging through a cabinet behind the counter. "Nobody knows who it's actually for, since it's simply addressed to Link, with no family name. Aha!"

He holds the envelope out so Link can see the words. "Do you recognise the sender's name?"

Link is nodding before he even realises what he's doing. It's from Kabanda.

"Hooray! Small victories!" Piaff says, and hands the envelope over. "Didn't think we'd ever get that one resolved."

Link takes the letter. Why would Kabanda send him a letter? How would he know to address it to Link, and not Marin?

If Kabanda knows he's abandoned his mask, who else does? How did this happen?

He tears it open, pulling out the paper inside. Making sure no one is in a position to look over his shoulder, he reads.

Hi Link!

This is Kabanda! Just wanted to write you a letter. I don't often do this sort of thing. But I don't think we'll see each other as much in the future, so I thought it would be a good idea.

I just wanted to say: I'm proud of you! It fills my heart with joy seeing you do so well. I know that managing an entire Division has to be really hard, but you're such a strong kid, I know you'll do amazing. Everyone will be super amazed, and I can say that I was the one looking out for you since the start and I've believed in you the whole time. (Or, at least since you were eight. Close enough!)

Anyway. I believe in you! Feel free to write back when you can, I'll be closest to South Akkala Stable. If you ever need my help, I know I'll probably be a long way away, but I'll do my best!

From Kabanda.

…Oh. This letter is just really, really old. Kabanda was his usual self and simply forgot to address the letter to Link actual disguised identity, so it just went undelivered for four years. Kabanda doesn't know anything at all.

"Is everything alright?" Zelda asks, "It wasn't bad news was it?"

'Not good, not bad.' Link signs. The letter was so unimportant, he has no idea what Kabanda was even thinking when he bothered to write it. It's weirdly sappy and not even true, since Kabanda can't stand him anymore.

He folds the letter back up and tucks it into a pocket. He should find some way to dispose of it.

He watches, silent as usual, as Zelda makes her final goodbyes to the workers at the stable.

…It's really Kabanda's own fault that he's upset. He was overly optimistic, and never assertive enough. Of course Link would use his help when he could, and Kabanda is the one who chose to change that arrangement.

But he doesn't need him anymore.

The strong use the weak, but don't need them. Link never needed Kabanda at all.

Chapter Text

A wooden sword lands in the grass at Link's boots.

He looks up from his lunch to see Urbosa staring down at him. She's loosely holding a matching sword, her other hand on her hip. "Zelda believes you are coming with us to the remains Hyrule Castle. I think it best that I allow you to prove your skill in combat first. Find your shield and meet me when you are ready."

She turns and strides away. Divine Beast Naboris, stationed on the other side of the clearing around Outskirt Stable, slowly turns its immense head to watch her go, rumbling the earth from the motion.

Link's first thought is that this is a threat, but as he picks up the given sword, he decides that if Urbosa's intention is intimidation, she would be all-too happy to stick to her legendary scimitar. Using wooden training weapons is a gesture of good faith, though someone like Urbosa is never actually unarmed.

"Good luck," Purah says, pushing the vegetables on her plate around with her fork. "You'll need it."

Link straps the bronze shield that Zelda had given him to his arm and follows Urbosa.

Urbosa stops at a patch of grass, seemingly completely arbitrary other than a small smattering of wilting wildflowers, and raises her sword. "If you wish to join us in the heart of danger," she announces, "You must prove you are no liability to yourself or to others. Someone with no sense for battle is a burden only; if you fail this trial, you shall join the Sheikah on their journey to Hateno. Understood?"

Link nods. He adjusts his grip on the handle of the wooden sword, getting an understanding of its weight and balance. He raises his shield. He has no love for tests, but this one is just simple combat. He can handle this.

Daruk wanders over and sits down to watch. Mipha, already only a few metres away cleaning the last of the cookware, shuffles closer to the Goron, dragging the soapy bucket of water with her.

"I believe in you, Link," Daruk cheers. "Show us what you're made of!"

"The winner will be the first to strike the other thrice," Urbosa says. "Let us begin."

She lunges forward immediately, and Link sidesteps, raising his shield to protect his core. She follows up with a twirl aimed for his head, blocked by his sword.

They part, circling each other. Urbosa holds her sword low, Link lifts his above his head. Both guarding, watching for their opponent's next move.

"Not bad," Urbosa comments, "Reacting quickly and without panic is one of the most necessary skills. A good warrior is ready for anything and remains aware of her surroundings at all times."

Link is the first to act, quickly stepping closer and swinging his sword down diagonally, aiming for her abdomen. Urbosa easily deflects the strike with her shield and taps him on the head with her sword.

"A point to me," she says, stepping away again. "That was a foolish risk."

The others have all wandered closer to spectate. Zelda stands next to Mipha, and the three Sheikah are grouped together, Paya flashing Link an awkward smile when he glances to her. Revali stands further back, wings crossed and looking unimpressed.

Link shakes his head and raises his sword and shield once more. Urbosa, being much taller than him, has a strong reach advantage. He has to be wary of how much closer he needs to be in order to actually connect.

But he has a whole life of experience in fighting people who are much larger. Move quickly, and remain on the defensive until you are ready to strike.

Shield raised high, sword low to cover his lower body, he steps closer. Urbosa promptly swings and he ducks, sending the point of his sword up. She slams her shield against the blade to divert it, swinging her sword back around. Link catches the blow with his own sword and they separate again.

They continue to circle. Purah yawns, leaning against Symin.

Urbosa jerks her sword above her head, and Link flinches away, sword swinging up to meet empty air. She lowers her weapon with a smirk.

A moment later, she charges forward, sword held high once again. Link blocks with his shield above his head, pushing upwards as he performs a quick spin to strike his blade against her hip. She slams him with her shield a moment later, but the point is made.

Daruk applauds loudly.

"Good work," Urbosa says, "One point each."

Link rubs at his shoulder where her shield had connected, rolling the joint. That is going to make quite a bruise.

It takes a while for either of them to do anything. They take a step forward, back, make a feint, but no real attempts are made to strike. A pair of birds dart past, chasing insects in the warm afternoon.

Finally, Urbosa steps forward, swinging for his head. He raises his shield high to block, but rather than knocking against her sword, it connects with her gleaming, outstretched shield. She rams her weight against his, forcing him back, and her sword is suddenly against his neck.

"And another point to me."

One more mistake and Link loses. He can't afford to lose. This test seems stupid and contrived, what Guardian even has a sword? They certainly don't move with the fluidity of a trained Gerudo warrior. Being sent away from the group over a fight with sticks just seems unfair.

He takes a deep breath, brushing his hair from his face.

Link is not used to fighting with a shield on one arm, but he's been picking up on Urbosa's stances by watching. Her defence is usually quite loose, ready to shift to block rather than relying on covering all her vitals at all times. He knows he's not using his own shield properly. His single point was scored when he did manage to use both sword and shield in tandem, but that was more by instinct than strategy.

Certainly not repeatable, against a warrior as learned as the Gerudo Champion.

Urbosa watches him carefully. She lunges forward, swinging her sword low for his legs. He twists and blocks with his own, dodging away when she makes an uppercut with her shield. She follows with a swift swipe to his wrist, narrowly missing.

He sees a flash of blue in the corner of his vision and reflexively reels back, narrowly dodging a jet of water blasting past where he had just been standing.

He whips around to see Mipha, standing with expression focused and hands still raised.

What? Why had she-- did she think…?

"Impressive," Urbosa says, lowering her water-soaked shield. "…Consider me convinced."

Link's shock fades into pure confusion, heartbeat still hammering. Urbosa's pleased smile offers no explanation, so he turns to the other Champions.

Mipha shrugs. "It was a cheap shot, but it wasn't my idea. Urbosa asked me to."

"And the real test. A water shot from Mipha is pretty comparable to a Guardian's blast, though far less lethal. I wanted to know if they would be able to catch you while you're distracted. I think this was proof enough you can handle yourself."

"Good job, Link!" Zelda praises.

Daruk picks Link up, holding him above his head and spinning, "I knew you had it in you, little buddy!"

He sets him down again, holding him steady with one hand so that Link doesn't fall over from disorientation. "Oh, sorry. Got a bit excited there."

Link laughs, signing, 'no problem.'. When he looks up, he makes direct eye contact with Revali.

The strange expression on the Rito's face is immediately covered by a scowl at being acknowledged. Revali says nothing and walks away.

"…I think I'm just going to go with Purah," Paya decides, fiddling with her hair. "I am not doing that."

"Aww," Purah says, "I wanted to throw a surprise apple at you. Next time, I suppose. I'll save it for when you least expect it."

The group decide to remain at Outskirt Stable for the night. They split up to fulfil their own interests. Zelda sits and talks with the other travellers. Daruk rolls off to look for a specific type of rock. Link won't be missed for a short while.

He writes a quick note about going foraging, leaving it on one of the seats of the carriage, and slinks away.

Now seems like a great time to check on how the Stable Association has been going. He put years of his life into getting the Association running, he can't stand the idea of whoever has been put in charge of the project neglecting it and letting it run into the ground.

He circles around a rock outcropping, disappearing into a copse of trees to quickly change. There's little point in struggling into a whole uniform, so all he bothers with is a mask and the necessary cards.

An invocation, and then Marin replaces Link.

They roll their shoulders and do a couple stretches to re-acclimate to the subtly different proportions and clothes. Marin is slightly taller, with arms just the tiniest bit longer and barely smaller hands. The kind of small differences that are easy to forget until they come back to bite. (Mostly by Link hitting their head on low branches.)

Link doesn't know nor care how the disguise magic works, but they sure are grateful that it's quick to use. They walk leisurely back to the faded road, hoping that no one pays any mind to the fact that Marin is travelling without a bag.

They turn the bend and immediately see that one of the travellers that Zelda is conversing with is a Yiga. Link should probably know by now that anyone assertive enough to approach the Princess is probably a spy. The other Yiga completely ignores Link as they walk up to the counter. Someone's set targets up, out in the field where Link and Urbosa had duelled.

"Oh, hello miss Marin!" The Stablemaster says. "Welcome back to Outskirt Stable. Are you here to take Cloud out again? She's a very strong horse, but I think you've been pushing her a bit hard recently."

Ah. Link might have been a little irresponsible with their quick journeys across the kingdom since finding the horse. But Cloud never really seemed all that tired. "No, uh -- thank you. I'm planning on going right back to-- Lake Hylia." A fairly remote but not distant, horse-unfriendly (thanks to the steep slopes around it) location off the top of their head. That'll where Marin's imaginary family lives, from now on. "If you could send Cloud on to Riverside, that would be great. I'm actually here for a review."

The Stablemaster suddenly looks nervous, but Link keeps talking. "The Stable Association appointed a new representative, and I wanted to know if they've visited recently."

The worry on the Stablemaster's face clears away (which really makes Link curious, but there's probably no way to dig for information without making Marin unpopular). "Ah yes, Todd. He came by a couple of days ago. Seemed nice."

Link has no idea who Todd could be, but if he's good at his job, it won't ever matter. "No complaints or pointers?"

"None at all. He checked the Pony Points and ordered some more saddles for us. Oh, I forgot to tell him, I was thinking the place could use some art to liven things up a bit. There's not too many flowers around anymore, so a bright painting would be wonderful over winter."

"…I'll look into it." Link turns away from the counter, waving goodbye. "I'll be on my way now, please contact me if anything changes."

"Will do! Thanks for stopping by."

With that done, Link's worries are mostly alleviated. They can stop thinking about the Association for a few weeks and things probably won't go horribly wrong without them.

There's not much reason to stick --

"Marin!" The sound of Revali's raised voice almost has Link sprinting away, but they catch themself before their reflexes do something so blatantly stupid.

Revali likes Marin. He is not going to shoot them with arrows. They turn around with a smile. "Revali! Hi!"

The Rito Warrior walks up, expression bright. Link had already gotten used to his grouch, it's weird to see it gone. His eyes look so much bigger when he's not grimacing at their mere presence. "Are you doing anything?"

"Just work stuff, but I'm done for now-"

Revali grabs their hand. "Come with me," he says, and starts dragging them away from the Stable's buildings. "This is perfect timing."

"W-what are we doing?" Link asks, trying desperately to keep any hint of nervousness out of their voice. Their hand is completely enveloped within Revali's wingtips, which are right up against the invisible card around their wrist. Just one wrong move and Revali will touch it. And then have questions.

"I am going to show you something," Revali announces. He releases Link's hand and takes a few steps further away, spreading his wings with quite a bit of flair.

The wind picks up around them, rustling the grass, lifting fallen leaves into the air. Revali crouches, raising his wings. The swirling gale turns, pushing upwards with sudden immense force.

Link's hair gets in their eyes, and then Revali is gone. Faster than Link's ever seen something move, he's a mere dot in the sky, circling around overhead.

"Well, it seems like someone's happy," Urbosa laughs. She turns her gaze to look down at Link. "I take it that you're the Marin that he's been talking about."

"Uh, Yes! Revali has been… talking about me?" Link feels a bit flustered. What could Revali possibly be saying about them to Urbosa? Hopefully nothing embarrassing. Has Link, as Marin, done anything embarrassing in front of Revali yet?

Urbosa smiles knowingly and says nothing. She turns her attention back to the sky and Link follows her gaze.

Revali is swooping down at an incredible speed, bow clasped in his talons. In an instant, the tool is transferred to his wingtips, and arrows drawn. Three arrows thud perfectly into three of the targets across the field. Then the bow is back in his talons.

He soars around, and a second later, the targets jolt as they are struck again, from the opposite side.

"He's feeling very showy," Urbosa mutters.

After a minute or so, Revali runs out of arrows and plummets back to the ground, snapping his wings out to halt his momentum at the last moment. He touches down gently, folding his wings behind him.

"That was incredible!" Link says, bouncing onto their toes to get closer to Revali's eye level. "That was your legendary Gale, right? That you used to take off?"

"Indeed it was," Revali puffs his chest out proudly. "I've been waiting far too long to use it."

"It was even more impressive than last time."

The Rito Champion deflates somewhat. "I forgot you saw that," he says under his breath. Louder, "I'm back to top form now. And didn't miss a shot. I did tell you my aerial archery is superior to anything I can do from the ground."

Link nods along, mind returning against their will to the events of that night.

Whoops, I missed.

Scum of the earth, I think.

"I'll-- get the arrows," they say.

Revali says something in response, but they're not looking or listening, already crossing the field to the array of targets.

The nearest one has two arrows driven pretty deeply into it. Deeper than the arrow into their thigh. Link grabs one by the shaft and yank it out. It comes free cleanly. The shining arrowhead is still attached, even though the target offers far more resistance than flesh.

It's very finely crafted. This thing is not breaking apart anytime soon.

Link pulls out the other arrow, and it doesn't break either. They're both very similar to the one that had shot Link, but -- the fletching is different.

These have green feathers. The ones on that arrow had been red, and it wasn't just because of the blood. Revali has colour coded arrows, for ease of tormenting his enemies. He makes good ones for training and probably hunting… and specially-made terrible arrows in order to be as terrible as possible to remove.

It's… very petty.

But, Link has to begrudgingly accept that it's also pretty clever. Is that Revali's own idea, or was every archer like this a century ago? Back when everyone's main concern was other people, rather than monsters?

They collect less than a third of the arrows; in the time that they had been thinking, Revali had picked up the rest.

"…Are you alright?" Revali asks, cautiously and clearly uncomfortable about it. Like he'd rather be doing anything else, but feels obligated to say something.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine," Link waves him off and remembers to smile. "Just thinking about work. I should probably be going, it was great seeing you."

"Wait," Revali says, grabbing their shoulder to stop them from speedwalking away. "We're going to the castle."

Link turns back around. "…Okay?"

"It… it'll be dangerous, but I know you're a good fighter. Would you like to accompany us? If money's a--"

"Ah. I can't. Sorry." Link cannot be two people at once, and they already showed their other identity's commitment to the journey. "I'm going to Necluda. If you end up going that way I'd love to do some more archery practice."

Revali straightens some feathers in his wing absently. After a moment he says, "Do you know someone named Link?"

Ah. "Yeah? He's a stable guard. Why?"

"He said he knew you-" (no, Link did not! The Champions decided that on their own!) "-and I just wanted to hear your side."

"I don't see why he would lie about that, Revali," Link says flatly.

Revali shrugs. "I just prefer to approach things with a bit of caution. I don't like his attitude."

What attitude? "…Well, anyone who signs up to guard stables at night is going to be… uh, different? The pay's not that good for how dangerous it can get." (What is Link saying?) "But he's good at it and that's all I care about! Haha. Not his social skills. It's not like we talk that much!" Is Link saying too much? They're not thinking this through properly.

The Rito Champion gives them a long look. "…If you say so. Travel safely."

"Ok thanks! Bye!" Link practically runs away, not stopping until they're around the bend and out of sight. They lean their forehead against a tree and groan quietly. They have so much trouble reading Revali. Why is it getting harder to say the right things?

Link dispels the disguise, stopping to watch the used cards crumble into embers. He removes his mask. Foraging had just been an excuse, but a wander through the woods sounds like a great way to clear his head.

The next morning, the three Sheikah gather their belongings from where they had been strewn around the Stable and carriage.

Purah shrugs the strange box she carries from her shoulders, letting it hit the grass with a gentle thud.

"Zelda!" she calls. This Princess joins her, crouching far more elegantly than the researcher's squat. Purah smacks her hand against the top of the box.

"This is a data box. If you lose or break it you will feel my wrath, Your Highness." Purah taps one of the glowing dots, causing a little door to pop open. She reaches in and yanks out a sphere on the end of a cable. "You can plug this in to most terminals, but it's more of a backdoor thing and doesn't have the kind of authorisation you're used to… Just connect it to my measuring instruments and it will transfer everything they've got. And then bring it back."

"I understand," Zelda says. "Thank you, Purah. For everything."

"…eh, don't worry about it." Purah stands, gazing off into the distance, scratching her upper lip. "I need to get back to Hateno. Gotta make sure Reede doesn't break into my house."

Symin staggers over, weighed down by an enormous backpack. "Let's… let's go," he gasps. "…Paya?"

"I'm coming!" Paya shouts, tumbling out of the carriage. "Just need to- my horse-"

"Oh," Zelda says, picking up the data box as she stands. "Paya's horse is the only one comfortable towing the carriage."

Paya lingers there, hands clasped.

"…You can take your horse. I do not intend to steal it. We will make do without."

Paya nods and darts away.

"The carriage is a liability, anyway," Urbosa says. "We have little need for it in the field, especially when we have Vah Naboris with us."

A few minutes later, Paya returns leading her horse. Purah makes a beeline towards it and climbs onto its back with great effort. She sits up and waves as they leave.

And with that, a group of nine became six.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Zelda asks, watching as they disappear over a hill.

"Yes." Mipha says softly. "They've lived in this world far longer than we have."

Zelda closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Alright," she says after a minute, "We should keep going."

As Daruk and Zelda determinedly puzzle through dismantling the carriage to fit aboard Vah Naboris, Urbosa makes a demonstration.

A small Guardian, described as a Scout, crawls out from somewhere within the Divine Beast. It scuttles down from Vah Naboris' lowered body and onto the grass.

"Let's ensure we have the same understanding of Guardians." Urbosa makes a small gesture with one hand, and the Scout does a little spin, stepping from side to side as it does so.

"Guardians are fairly agile beings. This model has a sword and shield," the Scout waggles two sticks, manifesting shimmering weapons, "…But our main concern is their beam attacks. Familiarise yourself with its tells."

She walks away to join Daruk and Zelda.

The Scout folds its tools back into its body and swivels its head, focusing its eye away from Link. A red dot appears on a large rock. Steadily, the Scout's eye grows brighter, accompanied by a strange noise.

beeeeeeeep beeeep beeep beep bip tik!

The rock explodes.

Link flinches back, guarding his face with his elbow, but the split second afterimage of the solid line of light feels burned into his eyeballs.

He grimaces and rubs at his eyes. Pieces of hot gravel rain down around where the rock once was.

"You'll need to be a bit less sensitive than that," Revali says.

'Yes I understand.' Link signs, hoping that conveys the agitation he intends, but he can hear Revali quickly walking away, so he's probably not even looking.

The Guardian Scout focuses on another rock, repeating the same windup and shot.

"Do you want to practice blocking?" Mipha offers, "I can do some more water beams. I'm pretty familiar with the way they time their shots. It won't be quite the same, since Guardian lasers have unique properties, but the more practice, the better."

Link can agree with that logic.

By the time that the others have managed to load the pieces of the carriage into Vah Naboris and they're ready to leave, Link is soaking wet, but Mipha is pretty confident about his survival chances.

"Link," Zelda says, gently easing her horse to stop beside him. "Want a ride?"

Oh, right. Vah Naboris won't tolerate him following Urbosa and Mipha onboad. His only option is by horseback or walking.

He jumps up, settling onto the horse's back behind her, with both legs to one side. "Are you sure you can balance like that?" Zelda asks skeptically. "I've found that manner of riding takes a lot of practice."

He nods. If he has trouble he can just hop off. Sitting any closer seems weird.

Zelda clicks her tongue, and the horse starts at a walk. "Vah Naboris and her passengers will go ahead," she explains, "and Daruk will watch our backs. We likely won't encounter anything ourselves today."

Revali is already airborne, circling above at a leisurely pace, nearly matching the giant form of his own Divine Beast above the castle. The morning birdsong is the only thing that Link can hear past the gentle beat of the horse's hooves on the faded path. All is quiet. It's hard to imagine the nest of Malice-infected Guardians that awaits them on such a clear, warm morning.

Daruk rolls up alongside them.

Vah Naboris lets out a low roar and rises to its feet behind them. In only a few massive, thudding strides, it overtakes their small group. Panicked birds erupt from a tree and swarm away, disturbed by the quakes of its movement.

Zelda guides the horse up a gentle slope, and just as they crest over it, Naboris makes a strange noise, and a floating ball of light builds between its two humps.

Link nearly falls off when a massive bolt of lightning strikes in the distance, forking into vivid bursts of electricity and flame.

"There go some bokoblins," Zelda comments. "It almost feels cruel to take them out from so far away, but at the very least it is a quick end."

Naboris glows again, creating that same strange wobbling noise. Thunder strikes a second time. That distant camp of bokoblins has no chance at all.

There's no way that the Calamity would have ever had a chance, either, without seizing control of the Sheikah technology and turning it against the kingdom. No individual could ever be so powerful. How can the Clan possibly hope to destroy all of this? Will a resurrected Calamity be able to repeat the same corruption?

The Ancient Sheikah were such fools to create such power and then give it away.

Zelda, oblivious to his thoughts, pats her horse and praises it for not spooking at the continued bursts of lightning.

They make camp for the night near a set of ruins. From the way Zelda keeps glancing at them forlornly, they're not that old.

There had been one Guardian prowling the crumbled buildings, but Naboris had struck it down long before Link and Zelda had come anywhere close to it. Its body, cracked open from the sheer force of electricity, is still smouldering. The wind keeps shifting, but when it is upwind, the smell is very unpleasant.

Link distracts himself by volunteering for cooking duty. His idea was to go with something pungent enough to drown out the acrid smell of the charred Guardian, so he is working on a curry containing nearly every spice Urbosa has in the collection she keeps aboard Naboris. She had brought them over for him in a big crate, then turned around to disappear back into the Divine Beast.

Link quietly hums as he works. Mipha, who sitting across the fire sharpening her trident, starts tapping her fingers against the weapon to the beat. He looks up, song trailing off.

Mipha gives a small smile. "Don't stop on my account. Music is something to be shared." She must read the continued apprehension Link feels as she quickly amends, "But I'm not going to put pressure on you to do so."

He's quite relieved by that. Actually acknowledging that he was humming with an audience made him lose the tune entirely and he barely remembers what he was doing. What was he doing? He looks down at his hands. He's holding a spatula, a pan of onions in front of him. Right, he's stirring to stop them burning.

The onions brown, and Link quietly watches the others around the camp. Zelda keeps walking up and down Naboris' steps, book and quill in hand as she seems to puzzle over something. Mipha sets a teakettle over the fire then practices a complicated manoeuvre of spear jabs and water magic. Daruk sits contentedly watching the sunset. Revali still isn't back from wherever he'd flown off to.

Urbosa finally exits Vah Naboris, carrying some kind of stringed instrument. She sits by the fire and gently strums to a tune that almost feel familiar. By the time Link tosses the other vegetables into the pot, she has begun to sing. It's in the language of the Gerudo, so Link of course can barely understand a word. It's nice, though.

They make a firm plan of how they will approach the castle town, once Revali has returned from what was apparently an aerial survey. The Champions spend a long time discussing the minutiae of the details, down to the exact route they will take down the ruined streets.

"No, past the bookstore is a death trap," Mipha insists, cutting off Urbosa's analysis of the map Zelda had drawn for them from memory. "The alleyways off Telma street are very sheltered, see? There could be any manner of enemies in there, and neither Naboris nor Medoh would be able be able to detect them properly. We should take the next street over. There is more rubble, yes, but far fewer blind spots."

They debate and argue and strategise well past dusk, barely acknowledging Link when he hands them bowls of food.

"We could have the Divine Beasts attack the blind spots even if there's nothing there. Then there won't be anymore." Daruk suggests, dipping a rock into his serve of curry.

"That would surely knock these walls down," Urbosa comments, tapping her fingernail onto the paper. "All that rubble would be difficult to get past, and we can't be wasting your lifting strength on avoidable matters. Not when half the castle is collapsed and needs digging to get through."

"Well, how about approaching from the east?" Revali suggests. "The flooding didn't seem particularly deep, the path should still be traversable."

"It's a long detour," Mipha says doubtfully. "And it might not be useable for Daruk. I don't want to risk wasting our time."

And the planning continues.

With little else to do, Zelda drifts away from their makeshift table (a wide slab of wood atop some rocks, courtesy of Daruk) to sit next to Link by the fire. "They'll come to a consensus eventually," she promises. "And it'll end up being the best possible plan."

Link is pretty sure that they'll run out of lamp oil long before then.

Chapter Text

The next morning is cold and cloudy. There's no imminent threat of rain, but the world seems flatter in the diffused light. It's the kind of cloudy day where everything green seems somehow more vibrant than ever and Link could stare across the grassy plains for hours.

"At least no one will be distracted by the sun in their eyes," Zelda says, returning to the camp after her morning prayers. She unties her horse and removes its reins so that it can run free without risk of entanglement. She combs through its mane. "This horse is as well-trained as I think any can be in this era. Hopefully she shall still be somewhere close when we are done."

The campsite is packed up and everyone is ready to go. Looking over to the southeast, Link is pretty sure he can spot a group of Hylians watching them. Waiting for the spectacle promised by two Divine Beasts closing in on one location.

"It's only an hour's walk to the walls of town," Zelda says. "And we need to stay together, understood? The safest place will always be next to Daruk. You're free to change your mind about coming, but there will be no turning back once we're there."

Link nods and signs, 'yes.' The complete seriousness that the Champions are approaching this mission with is slowly building a pervasive sense of dread. Before all this, he had never come closer than a hundred metres to any Guardians that weren't already disarmed and heavily restrained.

He can practice deflecting shots all he wants, but he knows it will not matter when he comes face to face with the real thing. Especially if there's more than one.

"We should go over your sign on the way there," Zelda says firmly. "Link, show me the sign for Guardian."

With Daruk taking the lead and Mipha walking half-backwards to watch their backs, Link and Zelda walk through one of the decrepit old archways and into Castle Town. There's little need to actually use the gate, given the massive gouges taken out of the mostly-destroyed walls, but the plan is to stick to the path, even if it makes for a longer route.

They're met by the husk of a freshly destroyed Guardian, leaking a disgusting combination of blackened fluid and Malice into the ashy cobblestone.
Considering how long ago the city had been destroyed, the complete lack of any kind of natural life has Link feeling even more uneasy than he had been expecting. No birds, no trees, not even vines covering the corners of old stonework. Only patches of sickly grass.

The booms of Vah Naboris' cut through the stillness, a harsh reminder of the ever-present danger.

The surrounding area has been completely flattened, but only a few streets over there are some buildings that are mostly still standing. Their height is not nearly enough to block off the sight of Vah Naboris positioned somewhere near the centre of the city, six gleaming eyes sweeping the street in eager search for movement.

Daruk visibly tightens his grip on his massive Boulder Breaker and steps around the Guardian's husk, glancing back briefly to Zelda.

In strong contrast to her usual curiosity, Zelda is steadfastly ignoring anything but the back of Daruk's head, lips moving in the shape of words but never actually saying anything. Most likely in prayer. Link is too busy watching the darkened corners of caved-in buildings to pay her any mind. No one in the group says anything, their previous conversation as dead as the city.

They walk for a few minutes, the ruins steadily growing taller as they enter a less-ravaged area. It feels like the walls are closing in on them, and the streets becoming only narrower. It's all so grey.

Old storefronts, many with still visible signs. Alleyways blocked up by debris. Mundane items strewn across some paths - metal buckets and pans, shattered pots, strange statues. Some buildings have their facades completely blown open, revealing interiors filled with the rubble of stone brickwork and roof tiles. Sharp shards of wood stick out of the wreckage, more like thorns than the floorboards and beams they had once been. Any pile of wreckage could be hiding the long-decomposed remains of people.

Thunder booms, echoing down the empty streets. Another strike from Naboris. Link raises his shield closer to his chest. He can't let himself be distracted by old history.

Daruk stops just before a street corner, holding a hand out behind him, carefully snapping his fingers once to catch the attention of the rest of the small group. Orange light appears around him, forming shapes that solidify into his legendary shield. He takes a careful step back, signing with one hand, 'Stop. Guardian ahead-right. Mipha take offense.'

"Watch our back," Mipha whispers to Link as she passes him, readying her spear into a throwing position.

She darts forward, turning mid-step to immediately fling her trident. Link dutifully turns around to watch the street behind them. The sound of the trident striking into its target is unmistakeable.

Frantic beeping, whirring, the clamour of something solid colliding against stone. Daruk yells and charges forward. There's a great smash and the wrenching of metal and pottery.

Pieces crumble to the ground. Something explodes.

"It's safe," Mipha calls after a moment. Link and Zelda hurry to join them.

The two Champions stand over the corpse of a headless Guardian, Mipha wiping the residue of Guardian goo from her spear. "Let's continue."

As they approach the centre of the city, the buildings fade from mostly whole to completely obliterated. There's more and more burning Guardian husks. They turn a corner, and the castle finally comes into sight. Despite its decrepit state, it is an imposing structure of monotone walls and sharp rooftops.

Vah Medoh has lowered its flight path. It circles the castle at a height just above what the central towers would have reached, had they not collapsed. It glows, encapsulated by a bubble that Zelda had explained to be its shield, and launches cannon fire every few seconds at corrupted sentries.

Revali flies free of his Divine Beast, a small dot swooping in to strike with a volley of bomb arrows and retreating before Guardians can lock onto him and retaliate. Link could watch the spectacle for hours, but the others haven't even paused.

They make their way across the desolate grounds towards Vah Naboris, now silently standing guard over the shattered remnants of a fountain.

"…What is that?" Zelda murmurs. Link follows her gaze, to a series of rocky spikes sprouting from oddly smooth and warped ground. They look disturbingly like a massive set of exposed rib bones.

Mipha cautiously approaches the nearest one, hovering her hand over it. "Inert Malice," she says. "It doesn't seem any different to normal stone, but I would advise keeping away from it just to be safe. These structures seem to be the only remnants of Malice."

Aside from what's still in the Guardians.

Urbosa is waiting for them at Vah Naboris' feet.

"We didn't run into much trouble," Daruk says before she can even ask. "You reckon' Revali and Medoh are done yet? At the castle?"

"There certainly has been a decrease in the number of explosions," Urbosa comments. She raises a hand, making a quick waving motion. Vah Naboris rumbles deeply.

A moment later, Vah Medoh makes the same noise, fainter from distance but no less intimidating.

Urbosa nods. "He's done with the exterior sweep."

The group exit Vah Naboris' shadow to cross the old bridge to the castle. Urbosa leads the group now, sword sheathed and one hand raised almost casually in preparation to snap her fingers at any point.

At the end of the bridge is a massive gateway, with two solid metal doors firmly blocking their way.

"Pity to do this," Daruk mutters. He draws back his fist and punches the connecting point between the two doors. The entire structure rattles, and the metal buckles just enough for him to fit his fingers between the doors and slowly pry one open. The ancient hinges creak painfully.

He holds the door with a slightly bashful smile. "Uh, after you."

Overhead, Vah Medoh disengages its shield. It's significantly higher than it had been earlier. Its work is done.

They continue up the cliffside road, passing one destroyed Guardian after another. The path curves around, giving a great view of the series of collapsed towers on the western side of the castle.

Clearly Revali's fault by the angle, Link decides. A sort of chain reaction had caused one tower to hit the other, sending a massive landslide's worth of bricks toppling down the many layers of cliffs and into the moat. It's quite an impressive sight. Link had seen the event itself, but the massive scale had been hard to conceptualise until now. Whatever had existed on this half of the castle is completely gone.

Zelda keeps her gaze averted. Murmuring too softly to be overheard, Urbosa holds her hand out, and the Princess takes it in her own. They keep going.

They enter the First Guardhouse, where a prowling Blue Lynel is waiting. Before Link can react, Urbosa snaps her fingers. Boom. The monster is sent into helpless convulsions, and Daruk runs forward, smashing Boulder Breaker directly into its skull.

It doesn't live much longer than that.

The Champions are… horrifying. That Lynel had been a more powerful variety than the one that Link had faced alongside Sidon and Paya, and it had died within seconds. What chance does Link, or any Yiga, have against them? Battle truly isn't an option. Link's role of subterfuge, finding weaknesses, is even more important than he had expected.

Mipha is still watching for anything coming behind them, not even paying attention to the slaughter that had just happened.

Link draws his sword. Outlandishly skilled or not, he shouldn't rely on the Champions to protect him. He has to be ready for the next monster.

As they exit the building, Revali alights next to them. "Ah, you've already dealt with this one. The next Gatehouse is clear."

"Thanks, Revali!" Daruk says, very slowly and gently patting him on the shoulder (it feels like there's some backstory there). "You and Medoh did a good job dealin' with all the Guardians, it's been a real breeze."

Revali smiles at that, until he notices Link watching him. He quirks an eyebrow and Link looks away first.

Zelda guides the group through the halls of the castle. Link notes that the curtains are, indeed, missing rather than rotting on their hangers. She'll probably be happy about that once she's done being sullen about the overall state of her home. It's a ridiculously big home. The amount of servants needed must have been completely absurd.

"Purah said that her equipment was in a smaller room near the Library," she says, collecting wall-mounted torches and holding one out to Link. Deciding a shield is more useful in this situation, he sheathes his sword-- having never actually used it -- and accepts the torch. Zelda carefully lights it with her own.

They take a turn deeper into the building, leaving the soft light of the outside world behind them. The rooms get progressively darker, until the flickering torchlight is the only light at all.

"I can't believe Purah came all this way by herself…" Urbosa says.

"It's only a little further," Zelda answers stiffly.

Link glances around, and nearly laughs when he spots Revali and Daruk. The two Champions are holding hands. It must be quite a hit to Revali's pride to need to be led around in the dark. Staring as wide-eyed as possible while next to the Goron's bulk, he looks like a lost child.

The group encounters a few lizalfos along the way, but nothing makes it past Urbosa's scimitar or Mipha's spear.
Stepping over the corpse of a particularly foolish monster, they enter a large chamber.
There's a thin sliver of natural light sneaking in through the cracks of a massive section of collapsed wall and ceiling. It illuminates the complete landslide of bricks, pillars and dust blocking the entire left side.

Zelda makes a dismayed noise. "I had hoped… Daruk, will you lend a hand, please? We need to get to the other side."

Daruk walks forward, resting his palm against a massive slab of broken stone. "Let's see… moving all this doesn't seem very safe. Might have to have a look 'round the outside to make sure we don't bring a tower down on us."

"It's the only way to Purah's equipment… maybe we could take a different passageway and break through the walls between…"

Zelda and Daruk wander off, followed by Urbosa. It seems like it's going to take a long time for them to decide what to do and they have little need for anyone else's input, so Link, Revali and Mipha are currently left to their own devices.

Despite the small amount of sunlight, the room is still incredibly dark. It's hard to tell how large it is, especially in its broken state, but it's very quiet. Muffled.

"Would you mind helping me with something? While we're here," Mipha says to Link, "I'd like to see if I can find a book."

A book? Link looks around, with a new understanding of the weird walls. This is a library. Far bigger and despite its destruction, still far neater than any of the Yiga archives. The walls look like that because they're full of well organised bookshelves.

"It'll be written in an unusual language," Mipha explains, "and I expect it will not have been kept in the main room. It will probably have this symbol on it, somewhere," she presents a scrap of paper, which Link needs to hold his torch closer to make out the drawing. It looks a bit like the Goddess Nayru's emblem, with unfamiliar runes in place of the normal circles.

Link nods, and Mipha chooses a side room to explore. Revali quietly follows behind them, probably just so he's not alone in the dark.

Mostly, all Link does is hold the torchlight to small metal plaques on the shelves, so that Mipha can read them and then shake her head. Sometimes the plaque is covered in dust and cobwebs that need to be brushed away first, which shakes up the routine a bit.

They continue down the long room, straying further from the meagre light that had been able to enter through the crushed library windows. They take some turns into other rooms, but still feel no closer to what they're looking for. Eventually, they reach a formation of petrified Malice that has grown over the walls and floors, covering the shelves in that strange stone residue.

"What a pity," Mipha murmurs. "These books could still be intact under it, but it will take so much time to remove…"

She crouches to examine the inert Malice. Link glances over his shoulder.

In the dark, he can just make out Revali leaning against one of the walls, wings crossed and one leg lifted to rest his foot against the wall. And behind him…

Link is moving long before he even thinks. He winds back his arm and throws his torch into the face of a black lizalfos hanging from the ceiling, then crashes into Revali in a full-body tackle.

Revali squawks in outrage as they both go tumbling, rolling over each other on the mangy carpet. The lizalfos' boomerang smashes into the wall, and they come to a stop, Link on top of Revali.

They just…stare at each other, lit by the flickering flames of the burning lizalfos. It screams, writhing desperately, until it is cut off by the sickening crunch of Mipha driving her spear through its neck. She quickly works to extinguish the fire before it can spread to the carpet.

Revali's eyes are wide and extremely dilated in the darkness. Up close like this… hm.
His long braids are all splayed around his head, which looks… nice. He's all fluffed up in surprise, and looks very very soft. Link wants to run his fingers through those fluffy feathers.

Before he can do something so incredibly weird, Revali pulls himself back together and shoves Link off him.

Mipha walks over and offers a hand to help Link up. "That was an impressive response time, Link," she says. Looking at the chunk of spiked metal driven deeply into the old books, she adds, "that could very easily have been deadly."

Revali sits up and rubs his elbow, grumbling. It must've been hit pretty hard against the floor, but the Rito absolutely cannot blame Link for a minor injury inflicted while saving his life.

Link holds out a hand to Revali, like Mipha had for him. Revali ignores it, or perhaps his dark vision is so poor he can't even see it, and stands on his own. His tail feathers are bent out of shape.

"We've lost our light," Mipha says. "Does anyone have flint?" A long, awkward pause. "Um. We should regroup with the others. Let's hold hands so we don't get separated."

She grabs Link's hand. After a long hesitation, Revali wraps his other hand in his wingtips and the small group returns back the way they came.

Mipha had seemingly been paying much more attention than Link had been to the turns they had taken, as she leads them perfectly back to the main library chamber. They arrive just in time to meet with the other group coming the other way.

Urbosa raises her scimitar at the sight of them emerging from the shadows. "Ah. What happened to your light?"

"We were taken by surprise," Mipha says simply. "So, have you come to a consensus of how to get past..?"

"Don't worry about it," Zelda says, "There was a gap just big enough to crawl through. We already collected the data."

"Mission success!" Daruk a announces cheerily. "Was that everything we wanted to do?"

"Almost," says Zelda. "I'd like to visit the vaults. They're not too far out of the way."

She holds her torch to the one Mipha is holding to relight it, and it is passed back to Link.

As they leave the library, Mipha asks, "So, where the roof collapsed… what section was that?"

Zelda sighs. "Ancient History."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Princess."

"…It's all right. It was a necessary sacrifice to destroy the Calamity. Lives are worth far more than books. The knowledge will always exist, somewhere."

The vaults are past a long, wide hallway that clearly would have once been lined by guards. Today, it is very empty. At the end of the hall is a massive smooth slab engraved with what looks like decorations, but is more likely a complex spell.

Zelda does… something, and the thick door slides open. The room inside is automatically lit up by a series of self-igniting braziers, making Link wince slightly from the sudden brightness.
The glossy polished stone seems entirely untouched by monsters or Hylians, though there is a small patch of hardened Malice growing in one of the corners. Zelda strides past a series of smaller doors to the largest of them all, which she also opens.

Link and Mipha follow her in. The room is filled with countless precious items, stacked onto each other like scrapwood. Old paintings, framed in gold. Sacks of precious rupees. Chests of extravagant jewellery. Statues made from now-tarnished silver. Boxes upon boxes of embellished books and old documents.

(At the doorway, Link hears Daruk ask, "Hey, are you alright, Revali? You're lookin' a bit shaken."

"I'm fine!" Revali snaps.)

Link picks up a necklace and admires it. Fine Hylian jewellery. Something very uncommon these days. Most of the nicest things were destroyed a long time ago, or traded to brave foreign sailors for simple supplies. It's made from glittering green stones Link doesn't even recognise, set into what has to be real gold.

"Link," Zelda says, and he shoves the necklace back into its box guiltily. She presents him a
small purse, only large enough to hold a few rupees. "I want you to have this. It's a Korok-blessed bag."

He doesn't really know what that means. Is it lucky? Link accepts the bag and looks inside. He sticks his hand in, and pauses when he doesn't even touch the edges. What.

Zelda laughs. "They're bigger on the inside! The Koroks specialise in forest magic, which is growth, games and illusions. You'll probably be able to fit everything you own in there! Just don't lose it."

Link is already thinking of all the ways this can make his life easier. He doesn't have to worry about lugging around two sets of gear and a Yiga uniform if he can shove it all into one tiny bag. And now he can hoard so many more ingredients.

Zelda sighs. "Koroks are such wonderful beings. Their hearts are so light, all they know is play… I do hope they survived the Calamity unharmed… We should pay the forest a visit, see how the Deku Tree fares. It won't be too much of a detour…"

"That sounds like a great idea, Princess," Mipha says, holding a stack of thick books. "He may be able to guide us in our next steps."

Zelda offers her another Korok bag, and the Zora Princess gratefully puts the heavy books inside. As she does, Link spots that symbol she had showed him. She had found what she had been looking for, in the personal vaults of the Royal Family. It must be incredibly valuable.

He files that thought away and helps Zelda collect some sacks of gold rupees. "This should help us get settled, but we have to be careful to not spend too much too quickly." She hauls a bag out of the pile and carries it to the door, where Daruk quickly takes it from her hands. "The economy is very different to what we knew. The last thing we want to do is bring instability."

Link thinks that sounds a bit more like an excuse to hoard money. They already have brought instability, simply by returning. The current unrest in Gerudo Town is proof enough of that. The kingdom was doing just fine without a princess showing up and introducing old ideas.

With data, riches, and mysterious items collected, the Champions are finished with their business in the castle. And with no injuries at all, something that would be entirely unthinkable to any other group.

"It would be wise to return someday," Urbosa says as the group makes their way up a flight of only slightly crumbled stone stairs, "and clear out the last of the monster forces. That should allow Hyrule Field to become habitable once more."

"Oh, there's just so much to do," Mipha bemoans. "There's monsters all over. It would take years."

"What else is there to do these days?" Urbosa says wryly.

They step out of the tunnels and into an bright, open atrium. Link breathes a sigh of relief, taking in the ambient light of the late afternoon and only slightly musty air. They were in there for far longer than he'd realised.

His ears twitch at the sound of sudden movement and he turns around just in time to see a small group of lizalfos charge at them from an upper balcony, leaping down with bloodthirsty gusto.

Before anyone can react, a flurry of arrows shoot into the leader's head, dead before it hits the floor.

"Whooo!" a high pitched voice shouts, and three more arrows fly down. A small Rito swoops past and delivers a few more shots, darting through the air excitedly.

Tulin? Why is Tulin here?

The Champions are similarly shocked, but that doesn't keep them from quickly slaughtering the rest of the monster attack.

When the last lizalfos collapses, Revali immediately whirls around to face Tulin, who had landed to pose proudly on a handrail on the floor above. "What are you doing here?" he demands.

Tulin brushes imaginary dirt from his clothing. "I just thought I'd help out a little."

"We are a day's flight from Rito Village! Did you come here on your own?"

"Well, it depends on your defin-ition. I hitched a ride on Vah Medoh. Didn't even have to do all that much flying to get here."

Revali gapes. His outrage gradually shifts to confusion. "…Medoh?" Brows furrowed, he paces away.

"Are you hurt at all?" Mipha calls up to Tulin.

"Of course not! I'm too good!"

Urbosa chuckles, shaking her head. "Vata s'airu. Always the same. What about your parents?" she says, louder. "Won't they be worried?"

"They worry about everything," Tulin dismisses. "They should know by now that I can handle myself!"

He jumps down, gliding leisurely, if a bit wobbly, to join them on the ground floor. "I'm Tulin." He holds a wing out to Urbosa. "Lady Urbosa, I assume?"

Urbosa turns her head away for a moment to conceal her entertained grin, then demurely shakes his hand (wing). "It is a pleasure to meet you, young Tulin. You seem a fine warrior."

Tulin grins. "I sure am!"

Daruk walks up to them, holding an arrow covered in monster blood. "Did you make this?" he asks, holding it up. Link takes a moment to realise it's tipped with a broken shard of a monster's horn.

Tulin does a proud little hop. "I sure did! It was my own idea, too. Well, me and Molli, but it was more theory-tical for her. I actually did it."

"It's very impressive. This a boko horn?" Daruk pokes at the tip with one big finger.

"Moblin. I didn't have much to do yesterday, so I went hunting. I wanted to help fight the Guardians, but then Medoh put up its shield and I got stuck up there."

"Thank the goddesses for that," Zelda whispers to Link. He nods.

"Was it scary?" Mipha prompts.

Tulin beams. "Not at all! It actually got a bit boring, but there was plenty of food and stuff up there."

"…Of course you'd let him eat my food," Revali mutters. "Why not? If you're already letting him be a little squatter…"

Tulin glances around. "Where're Sidon and Paya? Are they alright?"

"They went back to their homes," Mipha says gently, "Which you should do, too. Regardless of whether they should be worrying, your parents are probably both looking for you. Teba and Saki are both very nice people, and this will be stressing them out."

"No way! You can't just send me home, I barely got to do anything!"

The Champions are all being overly kind and careful as they talk with Tulin, none of them wanting to be seen as the villain. Link has no idea how Tulin hasn't caught on to the unnatural level of friendliness they're treating him with. If everyone actually gave all this attention to children nothing would ever get done.

As the others continue to talk, Link turns his attention to Revali, who seems to be having a one-sided conversation with the ceiling. "…Why didn’t you tell me!" He throws his wings up into the air in frustration. "Is it just because I didn't ask? How am I supposed to even know to ask in the first place!!"
Revali covers his eyes and groans. It looks like he might be losing this monologue.

"--I'm not going home!" Tulin insists. "You can't make me!"

"Tulin…" Zelda says, tone getting closer to unmasked exasperation.

"How about," Mipha says, "we make a compromise?" That catches Tulin's attention. "You'll go home-" The little Rito opens his beak to protest, but Mipha continues, "-but, first, you can come with us to the Great Forest! Very few people have ever been there. It's very mysterious! Then you'll have been to both the Forest and Hyrule Castle, two of the most interesting places in the entire kingdom."

"Deal," Tulin says, very serious.

The others breathe a sigh of relief. Tulin is still barely half Link's height, and not nearly as capable as he thinks himself. If he got angry and flew off, they wouldn't be able to stop him without Revali's cooperation. And Revali is still very distracted bickering to himself.

"So, who are you?" Tulin asks Link as they walk.

"This is Link," Zelda says for him. "He's a friend."

"And what is he good at?"

"He's very good with a sword. He's got great reflexes, and-"

"Oh. I don't really care about swords." Tulin immediately loses all interest in Link. It seems a bit rude, but it does make sense when Link thinks about it for a bit. Every Hylian bold enough to travel to Rito village and actually make it there has a sword. There really isn't that much about them that hasn't been said already.

Tulin speeds up to bother Revali at the front of the group. "I was impressive, right? I'm a great shot when it matters."

"It wasn't bad," Revali admits reluctantly.

"I saw all those lizalfos gathering in that big room, and I thought, oh, they must be planning something, so I got all my good arrows ready and picked a strad-strategic position up on one of the window edges. And I was right. They wanted to do a surprise attack!"

"Mhmm."

"So you know now that I'm not just some kid. I proved it."

"Sure."

"Which means you have to teach me!"

Revali stops in his tracks. "I what."

"I declare our rivalry official over! It's time to get along, because you're going to teach me everything you know about the wind and archery!"

The older Rito stays silent, still looking shocked. He tilts his head to look up at Vah Medoh. After a moment, he relents. "If you insist. You certainly have a lot to learn, but the skill you already hold is commendable."

Tulin cheers.

Chapter Text

When they return to the central square of Castle Town, they find Zelda's horse waiting by the fountain. It snorts and flicks its tail at the sight of them.

Zelda runs over to it, hands clutching at its snout in a gentle half-hug. "Oh, you sweet, foolish thing! What are you doing, being so loyal?"

They unpack the carriage from Vah Naboris, and Daruk ends up pulling it when the horse still refuses to be harnessed to it. Zelda had been able to attach the harness itself, but the horse reacted poorly to being near the carriage, so as they travel, she gradually eases it to walk closer and closer alongside Daruk.

Link is content to walk, even though it's starting to lightly rain. A little bit of misty rain is pleasant after the time spent inside the stuffy castle.

The two Rito sit atop the carriage, legs crossed and facing each other. "Keep your eyes closed," Revali instructs.

"How do you even know that my eyes are open without opening yours?" Tulin argues.

"I can tell. Now, focus on your magic."

"Do I make it spin around first, or go straight up? I've noticed that when you-"

"Neither. Just focus on it."

"Aww. When do I get to actually do the cool stuff?"

"We are going to do this properly. If you're going to be my student, then you're going to do it my way."

Their group continues their travel past sunset, stubbornly committed to making it all the way to the comfort of Foothill Stable rather than camping near the grounds of the castle or its ruined town.

Link is assigned the duty of preventing monsters causing trouble, so he walks slightly ahead of the rest of them. It's starting to get cold, as the darkness grows and the rain continues.

A trio of stalkoblins burst from the ground, and Link delights in tearing one's arm off and using it to knock the skulls of all three right off. He stabs his sword through the nearest disembodied head, then makes quick work of the rest.

The lights of Foothill Stable are visible now, only a short walk away. Link stands over the scattered bones of the slain monsters and waits for the Champions to catch up. When they do, he notices that Tulin, still atop the carriage, has fallen asleep.

The little Rito's head is leaning against Revali, who carefully holds him in place with a snug wing wrapped around him, covering most of him from the gentle rain. Link turns away and pretends he hadn't noticed. Revali would definitely shove Tulin off him if he knew they were being watched, especially by Link.

"This is a good lesson about listening to the wind," Revali says, as the path ahead fades into the misty shadows of the Lost Woods. "See if you can figure out the secret to navigating the forest."

Tulin straightens his posture and bounces to the tips of his toes. "Hmm. The breeze seems… normal."

"Is it?" Revali presses.

Tulin scrunches up his face. "I dunno. It's windy, but there's still a lot of fog that's staying in place. That's weird."

"It's being moved by forest magic. See if you can isolate it. You'll know it when you've spotted it."

With that, Tulin stops talking for a while, intensely focused on the wind. Revali leads the group through the forest, taking a mysterious, arbitrary-seeming route.

Link finds himself paying attention to the wind, though he expects being able to sense far less than the naturally attuned Rito. The Lost Woods are quiet, the gentle wind barely rustling the leaves and grass. The thick canopy and dark fog completely block the midday sun, and the entire area seems dull and unpleasant. The grass is short as if wildlife regularly grazes here, yet there is no sign of animal tracks or droppings. It feels like he's being watched.

"The Lost Woods sure haven't changed," Daruk comments, gently tapping his Boulder Breaker against his own shoulder restlessly. "Real spooky."

Spooky sure is right. Link's pretty sure he's seen a few gnarled faces carved into some of the withered trees. Any sign of movement within the depths of the fog has him tensing up and reaching for his sword. This seems like the place monsters will inevitably gather.

But there is not actually all that much to do. Spooky forests can only hold Link's full attention for so long, and his hands start itching for something to do as he walks. Only slightly off the path, he spots a nice, long stick that would make for a decent walking stick, and stops to pick it up. It has rough bark that flakes off with only a bit of pressure, so Link happily occupies himself picking it off as he follows along. It's a good stick.

Link jumps when a flock of pigeons burst from the grass and fly off.

"Almost there," Revali says.

"Oh, I got it!" Tulin exclaims, "There is magic in the wind, and it's way different to what you use. Forest magic, huh? It's so weird!"

"And which way is it coming from?"

"…Below us! It's coming from under our feet and pulling the air to make the breeze."

"Good," Revali says absently. "Do you-"

Tulin gasps. "What is that! Hi!" He dashes forwards and crouches, focusing on nothing at all. "You're a Korok, aren't you?" He giggles. "Not me! My name's Tulin. I've never met a Korok before."

"There's… a Korok… there?" Revali asks, strained.

"Yep!" Tulin says. "They're so little! Can you not see them?"

Revali stiffly shakes his head. "I… I did. Before…"

Tulin pauses, turning back to the empty space. "Hmm. Oh, if you can see this Korok, hold up your hand!"

Just three hands are raised. Zelda, Daruk, and Tulin himself.

Link, Revali, Urbosa and Mipha do not. At least Link is not the outlier here. Anything that would single him out is a potential problem, and he knows it probably would have ended disastrously if he needed to pretend to see them.

"Well, I'll just have to be the interpreter!" Tulin says determinedly. "Oh, uh, This Korok just said it hasn't seen adults in a long time."

The group passes through a tunnel that appears to have once been an old, hollowed out log, and on the other side is a glade shining with dappled sunlight.
It's full of so much life.

Tall green grass filled with wildflowers, vibrantly bright despite how late in the season they are. Healthy trees, overgrown with fascinating vines. It even feels warmer.

Everything is covered in a layer of fallen pink blossoms. Link takes a moment to fully appreciate the chittering birdsong.

In the middle of the clearing is an enormous old tree, casting most of the shade over the area. Tulin chases after something invisible across a stone platform before it, running off into the ferns. He trips over and bursts into laughter, kicking up a pile of pink flowers. "I didn't see you there, sorry!"

"Ah… what a delight to see fresh faces within this forest once more," a booming voice says.

Link nearly falls over. The giant tree is moving. It has a face. He leans heavily on his new walking stick to compose himself.
It's a tree. It can't eat him.

Zelda steps onto the platform to address the tree, followed closely by Mipha. "Great Deku Tree! I am gladdened to see that the Forest has not suffered for the Calamity."

"Princesses, and Champions. What a wonder it is that we are able to meet once more after these many years."

The Champions exchange pleasantries with the tree and then disperse. Daruk rolls past Zelda to interact with what is presumably another group of Koroks. Urbosa leans against a large rock, closing her eyes. Revali summons his Gale and takes flight, disappearing into the great tree's canopy, sending a burst of fallen petals into the air in his wake.

"It is by several miracles that we are here today," Zelda says. "Many of them mysterious. Do you have any insight to offer, regarding the Calamity's death?"

"I am afraid there may be little I can tell you that you do not already know. My memory of times long passed has grown faint"

"I understand," Zelda says, disappointed but not dismayed.

The Princess and the tree continue talking, occasionally interrupted by Zelda stopping to acknowledge a Korok or something. Tulin watches them with interest from where he's sitting in the grass.
Link, emboldened by the tree not at all acknowledging him, steps up onto the platform to stand behind Zelda and Mipha. He continues to be ignored, so happily looks around from this slightly higher vantage point.

There's a group of colourful pigeons happily pecking at the grass. Link has some seeds in his bag, that he'd foraged the other day. They'd probably really like those.

To free his hands, he sets his walking stick in a conveniently placed slot in the pedestal, leaving it sticking straight up.

Zelda and the tree pause. She turns around to look at Link, a small smile tugging at her mouth. Her eyes flick between Link and patches of empty air.

Tulin giggles. "The Koroks thought what you just did was hilarious," he explains, "…But I don't really get it."

Link feels a bit self-conscious, apparently being the centre of attention of a whole group of unseen creatures. But, they seem to be quickly distracted, given the way Tulin quickly runs off shouting about some game. Zelda resumes talking with the old tree, and the moment seems to be forgotten.

He pulls the stick back out of the plinth and goes to sit down somewhere a bit more out of sight, just barely still within earshot of Zelda, not that he's really listening. He pulls out a knife and starts carving the last of the bark off the stick.

The flowers strewn all over the forest are startlingly bright. It's well past the time of year for trees to be flowering; these soft pink petals should have long rotted away by now. It might even be autumn already. Link doesn't really pay attention to the categorisations Hylians shove the months into. He just knows that a few trees are turning orange, and it'll soon be a great time to hunt for mushrooms.

The Deku Tree rumbles the earth slightly with each word. "But, there is something I sense… You have changed since I last saw you."

"What do you mean?" Zelda asks.

"The Koroks have regaled me with many a detail they have overheard from your group. I know what you believe, and I may correct it, somewhat."

"Great Deku Tree, I--" Mipha interjects, but the tree continues speaking.

"It was no borrowed power that you wielded. You dabbled in old magics, the kinds that are best left forgotten. I warn you to be cautious."

This sounds important. Link sits up, carving forgotten, to listen closer.

"What?" Zelda urges, "Please, can you explain more?"

"I cannot. My knowledge in this matter is quite limited."

"Is there somewhere I can find more information?"

"This has been studied before yes, but knowledge of the people who did so would do no help to you. It is not the will of the Goddesses."

The conversation dries out after that. How mysterious.

Link turns his attention back to carving the stick. He wonders, idly, just how many Koroks are watching him right now.

They remain in the forest for a few hours, until Tulin has had his fun and is ready to go home. The arrangement they've settled on is easy enough; Revali will fly back to Rito Village with him to make sure he actually gets there and stays there, while everyone else will go to Woodland Stable for the night.

"Make an updraft, Master Revali!" Tulin urges. "I wanna try!"

Revali scoffs. "Summoning an updraft is only one half of the equation. The hardest element to master is to know how to use it. At your level of inexperience, it'd send you right into a tree."

"No, I'm too good," Tulin insists.

"We will find a proper launching spot," Revali says firmly. "This is not the time for you to try new techniques, not after you've already tired yourself far too much playing with Koroks. I do not intend on needing to carry you, certainly not for the whole journey."

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Tulin grumbles, but the argument is over.

The two Rito take off, Revali vowing to rejoin the group before they make it to Kakariko.

The journey to Kakariko is uneventful, aside from Revali returning as he had promised. There's very few notable monsters along the main path. It's been long enough since the Calamity died that all the troublesome ones have already been killed or chased their prey into the wilderness.

Wooden talismans clink against each other on their strings. A cucco crows, as iconic of a welcome to the village as possible.

Zelda's horse picks up the pace for the final stretch through the gates, eager to return to its home and horse-friends. The second it's free to wander on its own, it trots off to the paddock fence, nuzzling a horse that had come over to greet it.

"I'm going to visit Impa," Zelda says, watching the two horses sniff at each other. "I'm sure she'd be very glad to see you all too."

"I don't see much reason to," Revali says dismissively.

Zelda looks disappointed, but doesn't try to convince him. Mipha gives Revali a pointed look and says, "I'd be delighted to see her again. Let's go."

The Champions, minus Revali who had slipped into the general store, approach the steps to the large home of the Chief. The guards at the archway bow their heads in reverence as Zelda passes by, then lift their heads to eye Link suspiciously. He doesn't feel particularly welcome to join the Sheikah Chief in her home.

Urbosa and Mipha follow her up the stairs, but Daruk hesitates. He carefully lifts a foot, pressing down on the wooden plank of the first step. It creaks. "That's no good," he says quietly, backing away and drawing in on himself a bit.

The two guards rush to reassure Daruk. "Lord Daruk, my sincerest apologies! The chief meant no ill will by the state of the stairs--" the one with the pointy beard says.

"'Course not!" Daruk grins. "I never would'a thought otherwise! If Impa's up to it, she can come and meet me down here, but I'm happy either way. This is a great little place."

The guards exchange glances.

A Sheikah child comes running up to them, followed by her even smaller sister.

"Koko…" the guard with big spiky side whiskers warns.

The child ignores him and grabs onto Daruk's hand with both of her own. "Hello Mister Goron! Would you like to play with us?"

Daruk's eyes soften immensely.

"Koko, show some respect to the Chief's guest!" the guard orders."You are being a poor example to Cottla."

Koko groans, bending her legs to hang from Daruk's hand. "But, daddy, we're bored! Everyone's busy harvesting plums!"

"Plums!" tiny Cottla echoes, grabbing onto Daruk's other hand by the pinky finger and tugging like she could ever move the hulking Goron.

Daruk looks a bit like he's going to melt from the pure cuteness. "Don't worry, uh…"

"Dorian," the guard says.

"Don't worry, Dorian. These little river pebbles aren't bothering me at all. If it's no trouble to you, I'd be very happy to entertain them for a while."

Dorian sighs. "I don't really like to reward bad behaviour, but very well. Girls, don't cause too much trouble."

"Koko will be very good!" Koko affirms with a salute. Cottla copies the motion, but with too much gusto; she overshoots and smacks herself in the forehead.

"Well, what are we going do do, kids?" Daruk asks them.

"A race! Let's race!" Cottla exclaims.

Daruk lifts his hand to scratch his chin, lifting Koko right off the ground. She shrieks with delight and kicks her legs. "We could do that. Link, would you like to be our judge?"

Link nods, signing 'Yes,'

Even though the two girls are Sheikah, and he feels weird about interacting with them, it seems like a better choice than just loitering around the village waiting for trouble.

"Ok… three… two one go!" Cottla says and starts running.

"Hey, we didn't even decide where we're going!" Koko protests. The little girl isn't one to accept losing even on unfair terms, and quickly runs after her sister.

Daruk laughs and lumbers after them, not bothering to roll up into a ball. The girls don't run very fast, all Link needs to do to match their pace is jog.

Cottla, running as fast as her short legs can carry her, leads them further into the village. People are up on ladders in one of the orchards, reaching for the very last plums of the season hidden in the highest branches. There's baskets and baskets of plums, enough to eat for weeks and preserve for months.

There's an unattended basket by the path. Link stops for a second to discreetly grab a single plum, then keeps jogging.

"I win!" Cottla shouts as soon as she notices her older sister nearly overtaking her. She stops right away, nearly tipping over from the momentum.

Koko runs a few paces more before slowing to a stop, turning around grumpily. "No fair! You stopped because you knew Koko was faster! I would've made it to the armour shop first!"

"We weren't racing to the armour shop," Cottla insists stubbornly.

"I think that looked like a draw," Daruk says. "What do you think, judge?"

Link makes a show of examining the scene, circling around the girls and then squatting down to touch some dirt between his fingers like an animal tracker. He sniffs the dirt and the girls giggle. He scratches his chin in mock-deliberation, then signs, 'Yes, understood, silver thousand loop around nevermind,' - a random string of handsigns to look extra official. By now, he's learned every military sign and none are particularly relevant to the situation.

"Yep. Thought so. Judge Link agrees it was a draw, and as you can see, he's a real professional at this stuff. Best in the business. We'll have to do a rematch."

Cottla immediately turns to start running again, but Daruk gently snags the back of her coat between two fingers to stop her.

"We'll make some proper rules this time. How about we do one lap around the village, past those crop fields, and finish back here?"

The two kids agree. Link directs the three racers to line up in a row, and he holds up three fingers, counting down. On zero, he stamps his foot and the girls scurry off, followed by Daruk a second or so later.

Link leans against the nearest fence and takes a bite of his plum. It's slightly overripe, but he's not one to complain about food being too sweet or a bit messy.

He turns his gaze back to the Chief's house. Zelda and the others still haven't returned. They'll probably be in there all day. There's only one guard at the stairs now; the other one, Dorian, must be on break or doing an errand.

He's a bit surprised that the villagers hadn't made a big fuss about the Champions arriving. Most of them are working on the harvest, and the rest seeming to be following their normal routines. It's strange, how quickly the incredible becomes unremarkable.

The Calamity is dead, and they're all continuing on exactly as they had before. As if nothing had even happened.

Link finishes the last of the plum and tosses the pit to a nearby cucco. The bird jabs eagerly at the remaining scraps of fruit clinging to it, flicking the pit across the dirt with each peck.

The cucco flees with a surprised cluck when Koko comes running up. She's looking a little bit puffed out. She slaps Link on the arm, treating him as a checkpoint. "I win!" she shouts.

Cottla and Daruk run up a few seconds later. "Good job, Koko," Daruk grins.

"Aww…" Cottla says morosely. "It's not fair, you're bigger."

"Daruk is way bigger and he was in last place!"

The sisters argue for a bit, before seemingly forgetting about it entirely and turning their attention back to Daruk.

"Mister Goron, can I get a ride on your shoulder?" Cottla asks shyly.

Koko clamours to insist that she also gets a ride.

Daruk is weak to the charms of pleading children. He carefully picks the girls up and sets them on either shoulder, making sure they're both holding on tightly before he lets go. He continues to hover his hands near them to catch them if they fall.

"I'm so high up!" Koko gasps. "Koko is tall now! Take us to that tree, I wanna touch the top of it."

The Goron dutifully walks to the nearest tree. Koko reaches a hand out and touches a leaf.

Cottla tries to copy her, shakily rising into a standing position.

She tips over backwards, losing her balance.

Link runs forward and catches her in his arms. Cottla blinks. "Oops." She knees Link in the jaw impatiently trying to wriggle out of his grip.

He sets her down and she runs up to Daruk, who looks a bit freaked out. "Again! Pick me up again!"

"…Maybe that's enough for today." Daruk says, crouching down so that Koko can hop back down to the ground.

"That's ok," Koko says. "Koko should start cooking soon anyway."

"You cook?" Daruk asks.

"Yeah. I need to, now that mommy's not here anymore."

"She's sleeping underground for ever and ever!" Cottla shares. "But it's okay, because she can still hear us when we pray to her, so we don't need to miss her!"

Daruk looks like they just stabbed him in the heart. "You're some real strong kids."

"I know," Koko says neutrally. "Goodbye, Mister Daruk! I hope you come and play again soon! And you too, Mister Link!"

"I wanna help cook, too!" Cottla says, and the two sisters race off together.

Daruk watches them leave sombrely. "…I ought to spend a bit more time with Yunobo."

With little to do in the village while Zelda and most of the Champions are with the Sheikah Chief, Link decides to leave. He passes Daruk a note to inform him that Link had been rostered to guard a stable that night, receives a wish for good luck, and starts making his way to Duelling Peaks Stable.

He feels it is a good idea to establish the idea that Link frequently comes and goes. Like a stray dog. Then they might not feel the need to question an unexplained disappearance when it really does matter.

When he makes it to Duelling Peaks Stable, Link spots Revali sitting atop the big ornamental horse head of the central pavilion. A Rito's ability to go wherever they please in such a short amount of time is really enviable. Revali must have gotten rightfully tired of the Sheikah and gone for, what is to him, a short outing somewhere a little less insufferable.

Link ducks out of sight and dons his mask and cards, pulling their trusty old travel pack out of the far smaller korok bag. Disguise activated, they walk up to the Stable.

The last time Link had been here, there had been a quick, makeshift party to celebrate the Calamity's abrupt and rather unceremonious death. Today, there's only a small group of travellers playing cards with a the stable's at an outdoor tale.

The stable master gives Link a casual wave and turns his attention back to the game, clearly having nothing that needs to be discussed today.

"Marin!" Revali lands in front of them with a flourish. "Fancy running into you here."

"Hey, Revali," Link says. "This is good timing. I don't have anything I need to do today. So, if-"

"Have you used the paraglider I gave you yet?" Revali asks.

"Nope. I haven't really had the opportunity to."

"I suppose that’s a good thing, since it means you haven't been going near cliff drops recently, haven't you?" Revali enunciates the end of the sentence very pointedly, implying his doubts. Which is a bit rude. Thinking Link is a complete fool who carelessly puts themself in danger for no reason.

(Link very carefully puts themself in danger, and usually with a good reason.)

"Well, Duelling Peaks seems like the ideal place to practice using it. Shall we?"

Link tilts their head back to look up at the steep mountain tops. "All the way up there?"

"We'll start small. And not do anything drastic."

Paragliding itself seems a pretty simple process, but Revali insists on delivering a lecture that Link immediately forgets most of. He has them repeat the act of opening the paraglider quickly a few times over to make sure they can actually accomplish it without fumbling, then directs them to walk a bit up the slope of the mountains.

Link readies the glider, takes a breath and takes a running leap downhill. They unfold the paraglider and slowly drift. The ground grows further away from their feet as the slope dips away but Link stays at an almost consistent altitude. It's so simple, but so exciting. They're floating. The closest Link can ever get to flying on their own.

Their drifting has a distinct tilt to the left. They try to compensate by bending their left right more, but overcompensate and start drifting too hard to in the other direction. This seems incredibly tricky, actually.

Soon, they lose enough height that their feet touch the ground again. Hanging from a glider with any level of finesse is surprisingly exhausting.

"Well, Marin," Revali says, "was that superior to riding a horse?"

Link shrugs, fiddling with the paraglider. "It's slower, and tiring. I'm not sure they're comparable, really. Can't really paraglide long-distance."

"I meant in terms of how freeing it is. You said that nothing compares to galloping with a horse."

Link ducks their head slightly. How had Revali remembered such an inconsequential comment? One of the few things Link had said that was completely unthought but true? "I-- well, yeah. Flying is something special, even if it's just a glide."

There's a weird, distracting warmth in their chest. "…Part of what makes horses so great is… well. Cloud has… opinions, sure, but we're more like equals. It's nice, to get some space from people who order me around but not… have to be alone. To get away from what everyone expects of me for a while. The things I have to do seem a bit further away. When we're between stables."

Why is Link telling Revali any of this? They keep their gaze fixed on a browned leaf scuttling across the grass, helpless to the wind.

Revali hums. "I'd like to see you engage in aerial archery one day, so keep practicing. You should be work on being able to control the direction you go even when there's a breeze."

Revali seems mostly content to just watch and make a few comments every now and then, as Link gradually builds their familiarity with this very, very strange mode of travel.

The sun is close to setting, sinking out of sight behind the steep slope of the Peaks. The clouds are already reflecting a truly gorgeous warm golden light that only promises to get better.

"Revali!" Link calls, waving him over. "I want to watch the sunset!"

Revali glances up at the sky. "Very well. We can conclude practice for the night, then."

"I want to watch the sunset from up there." Link insists, pointing to the taller of the two peaks. "Can you fly us there?"

"…I suppose you'll have no time to climb there on your own," Revali sighs. "If you truly want to…"

Link nods their head enthusiastically.

True flight -- not just gliding -- is incredible. The ride up to the peak is an exhilarating taste of a life that Link can only imagine, of pure freedom. And it is over far too quickly.

Revali dumps them unceremoniously onto the stone summit next to a pair of strange statues, slightly uphill from an old wooden shrine. Link drops to the ground and onto their back, laughing softly and staring up at the sky. Revali's head appears in their vision, disappearing when he sits down beside them.

"It is a nice sunset," he comments.

It's beautiful. The sky has shifted into a purplish hue, covered in fluffy pink clouds that fade into the brightest yellow-orange that Link has ever seen.

They sit up, scooting over to almost touch their hip against Revali's. It’s a little funny, how the height difference between them is far greater when they're sitting; Link completely loses the help that their slightly longer human legs give them. They're nowhere near eye to eye, now.

Link turns their attention back to the sky. Some small birds are flying above them, darting up and down and around each other in a complex dance. The normal chorus of birdsong that accompanies dusk is much quieter, all the way up here.

"…What was Hyrule like, before?" Link find themself asking, then quickly shakes their head. "--You don't need to answer that."

It takes Revali a while to respond. "It was certainly… busier. You couldn't throw a stone without hitting someone. There were villages everywhere, and they were all more populated than anything that exists today. It's so much quieter now. Even the air is different. The tinge of smoke from hearths and forges was inescapable."

Revali has his eyes fixed upon the burning glow of the disappearing sun. "It was… home. But it never really felt like it. I didn't know what I had until it was gone."

An unexpected moment of vulnerability, a level of openness that Link has never seen before. There's something about the border between day and night where what is normal barely applies.

Link reaches down to touch Revali's wing gently, a point of contact between them. That's comforting, right? It feels like the correct thing to do. They can't think of anything to say, so stay silent.

"But there were so many absurd rules. 'This Hylian has never accomplished anything of note in his sorry life, but he's the Marquess of Akkala and so everyone has to stop to listen to what he says and kiss his boots!' And don't ask what a Marquess is, because I don't know. Decorum, hierarchy, tradition… Everyone was obsessed with it. It was tradition that required a Rito become a Champion, but the Hylian nobility couldn't stand it. Myself and Daruk, we were tolerated at best. Even if it were the will of Hylia herself, they would have never allowed either of us to face the Calamity directly, and certainly not wield the Sword that Seals the Darkness, no matter how much I deserved it."

Link thinks for a second, mulling over the rant. It seems the Yiga Wardens really hadn't been over exaggerating the flaws of the old kingdom after all. "But… why would that even matter? You're an archer, if you had been given the sword, you wouldn't have been able to fight to your true potential."

Revali leaps to his feet, pacing in front of Link from one side of the small summit to the other. "Because I know my own value! For years everybody had thought I was nothing. I've had to work every day to prove them wrong!"

He waves his wings passionately, curling their tips into fists, seemingly almost lost in the memory of the past. His pacing quickens."It would be against everything I've ever lived by to willingly take second place behind anyone. The rules are arbitrary and stifling -- I choose my own path, which is not to the whims of anyone but myself!"

He stops, turning on his heel to face Link directly, "I refuse to ever let myself become just another forgettable cog in their machine! I did not risk my life because they ordered me to. That would be meaningless!"

Revali's chest heaves, and they just look at each other. After a moment, he straightens his posture and turns his head away, a dramatic profile backlit by the setting sun. "…You shouldn't let anyone tell you what to do, either."

Link stares, eyes wide and almost afraid to blink. Revali, perfect and beautiful in the golden light, a symbol of pure, unattainable, rebellious self-determination. And Link, staring up at him from behind a false face.

Link wants to be him. Wants to close the distance between them and -- and do what, they don't even know.

(The flickering firelight, a dying lizalfos. Link's hands-- his real hands, pressed against Revali's chest, just barely able to feel his heartbeat. Adrenaline, something else? Those soft, tempting feathers…)

Link wants--

"…What's with that look?" Revali asks.

Link averts their gaze, bringing their knees up to their chin. Their heart is hammering, their chest tight. "I dunno," they say, "Just thinking."

They want Revali to want them, too.

This want is so sudden, so overwhelming, but…nonsensical. Revali, caring about Link.

How could he? This face is a mask, he knows nothing about Link. He doesn't even know he already hates them, two times over.

Link crosses their arms over their knees, resting their head on their arms. Their left thumb finds its way to fiddle with the edge of the invisible card around their right bicep. If it were to come off, the disguise to fail… It could never go well.

Despite what Link has been caught up in a moment ago, the two of them are not in fact the only people in the world.

This weird feeling… it will pass. Probably. They'll just have to ignore it, until then. It's poor spywork to actually get invested in a target. Jonin would think it hilarious. Master Kohga would deem Link a liability. Kabanda would be confused and disappointed. More disappointed.

The sunlight is fading, the pink lining slipping away from the clouds, continuing to cling only to the very highest ones. The sky to the east is dark, but holds no stars. Link stands, straightening their tunic. They need some air.

"Do you want to-" Revali starts, but Link's already running.

They reach the edge of the summit in just a few strides, then take a leap off the cliff. For a beautiful moment, Link feels like they're flying, free and solo. The darkened, empty sky above, the empty ruins of the plains below. It's just Link and the open horizon, calling for them to meet it.

Revali shouts, and Link is snapped out of the reverie. Their momentum is spent, and they plunge into freefall. The air, rushing past, buffets at their hair and makes them squint their eyes.

Link fumbles to unclasp the paraglider from their belt, then snaps it open. The cloth catches the air loudly, and their legs swing up from the sudden halt to their drop.

"Looks like giving you that was a miscalculation on my part," Revali comments, matching their gliding pace. "…It's doing nothing to keep you safer. It's only encouraging the most featherbrained acts imaginable."

Link grins at him, and Revali rolls his eyes. "Try not the drift right into the cliff face. I might be inclined to not bother to assist you."

"We should come back here for sunrise sometime," Link says, ignoring Revali's snark. "It must be really nice from over the ocean."

"I'm not sure if I should let you near steep cliffs. But regardless, there are many lookouts that are far superior to Duelling Peaks."

"Then you'll have to show me, next time."

"Next time," Revali affirms, and Link can't help but smile.

Link's feet touch down on the slope of the northern mountain, still a long way down to the Stable. "My arms…" they groan melodramatically.

"You can walk," Revali dismisses, still flying. "If not for your reckless, unnecessary actions, I might have been willing to have flown you down."

Ok, Revali's nagging is beginning to get annoying. "That's fine. It's a nice night for a bit of mountain climbing. You've probably got places to be, so I guess I'll see you later."

Revali lingers for a moment before making an affirmative noise. With a strong beat of his wings, he drops into a dive. In just a few moments, he's a small dot making its way northward.

Link does have a long downhill walk ahead of them. All the more time to master the practice of not thinking about whatever that was that had happened up there at the summit.

They have the entire night to work on that, because they already know it's unlikely they'll be able to sleep properly. Maybe Link could actually guard the stable tonight.