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Chapter Text

“Please accept...Mipha's Grace."

Mipha sends a gentle blue light into Link's chest. Her power is warm and comforting, it's almost like stepping into a hot spring and feeling all his aches and pains fade away. The power flows through him and lifts him off the ground for a few seconds before gently placing him back down. He can feel Mipha's essence resting underneath his skin, protecting him from harm just as Mipha herself once had.

-

Upon Link's return to Zora's Domain, he is gifted Mipha's trident. He smiles and thanks King Dorephan even though he doesn't feel worthy of such a gift. The Lightscale Trident is stunning. The weapon's silver sparkles and the two green gems dangling from the base of the prongs jingle merrily as it is moved. He puts it into his inventory on the sheikah slate.

The Zora have a subdued celebration in honor of their beloved princess. They gather in the city square around Mipha’s fountain and trade stories of her kindness and bravery. King Dorephan, Prince Sidon, and the Zora who were supposedly his childhood friends all try to make Link feel included but he is obviously an outsider. He can feel so many eyes on him, most looking at him with awe and gratitude that he doesn’t feel deserving of, and the rest glaring at him with burning contempt.

What right does Link have to be here? He saved Mipha a century too late. He can't just sit there and reminisce over Mipha’s life and accomplishments when he's the reason her life has been cut short. As soon as he can, Link slips away from the gathering and walks down the east pathway, putting more distance between himself and the heart of the domain. At the end of the path, a Zora with light purple scales stands guard. She turns to face him at the sound of his footsteps and a flash of recognition and nostalgia passes through her eyes.

"Thank you, Master Link. You have saved us all, you have my eternal gratitude. Please come back soon, maybe we can catch up sometime?" The guard asks hopefully. Link can't remember her or any other of the Zora that knew him from Before. He can't even remember the guard’s name. He doesn't have the heart to tell her that so he simply nods and continues walking.

Link heads up the hill to the stairs that lead to the East Reservoir Lake. His footsteps echo as he ascends. From this high up he can see the entire Domain. It doesn't look nearly as unfamiliar as it had when he first arrived. He sits down at the edge of the lake's dock and equips the trident from the sheikah slate. He holds the trident with a white-knuckled grip and his brow furrows in concentration. He tries to uncover more memories of Mipha but he is unsuccessful. He finds that he can't recall any specific memories but he can remember how Mipha made him feel. He can picture the wistful smiles she'd give him, the warmth of her kindness, the happiness he'd feel when seeing her. His heart feels so heavy it could sink to the bottom of the reservoir.

Link sighs. He closes his eyes and massages his temples to soothe an oncoming headache. At the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, his alertness returns. He turns to see who decided to intrude on this moment.

"You seem troubled, my friend." Sidon sits down a few feet away from him. Link shrugs and averts his eyes from Sidon’s knowing gaze.

"You're thinking of her, aren't you?" Sidon asks. It wasn't really a question, it was more of a statement, but Link nods anyway.

"When I think of my sister I try not to remember her absence, instead I think of the time I had with her. I think about who I am today and how she shaped me, and through that, she is always with me." Sidon gazes into the distance with a sad smile.

Link takes a breath to reply but when he tries to speak no words come out. He clears his throat and croaks out, "Sidon, I appreciate what you're trying to do but my grief cannot compare to yours. She was your sister, but I can barely remember her."

Sidon nods as though he was expecting that argument. "I barely remember her either. I was quite young when she left this world and have very few concrete memories of her, but I remember the way she made me feel. She made me feel safe and loved."

Sidon puts his hand on Link's upper arm and looks him in the eyes. "I have no doubt that you shall eventually recover more memories of her and the other people that were important to you."

Link stares at the hand resting on his arm and realizes that Sidon’s scales are exactly the same shade of red that Mipha’s were. A sharp spike of grief tears through his chest.

Sidon rises to his feet. "I must be off now, but if you ever wish to speak of Mipha or anything at all, you know where to find me. If you ever need assistance in your quest, do not hesitate to ask, all of the Zora would be honored to come to your aid. I have complete faith that you will succeed. Goodbye, Link. I hope to see you again very soon."

Sidon begins to walk away but turns back when Link clears his throat and quietly says, "Thank you, Sidon."

"Of course, my friend." Sidon gives Link his signature smile and returns to the celebration.

-

Link travels north into Akkala. On his second day of exploring the region, he comes across the Torin Wetlands. The evening air is crisp and cool. It had rained the day before and puddles of water and mud cover the ground. The area has many dead guardians littered across it. A century of neglect is apparent in the moss and rust covering their bodies. Guardians, even dead ones, have a way of making him feel uneasy that he doesn’t quite understand. Not even the lynel of Ploymus Mountain sent this type of dread through his veins.

The guardian corpses have some salvageable parts. Most hold ancient screws and springs but if Link is lucky he'll find an ancient gear or two. As he works his way through the field he stops and collects a variety of plants and mushrooms. He finds hearty truffles, silent shrooms, armoranth, Hyrule herbs, razorshrooms, and more. A few boars wander around here and there but they're quite skittish and run at the first sign of trouble.

Suddenly, Link feels like he's being watched. Trusting his instincts, he pulls out his bow and readies an arrow. He hears paws splashing through the mud. A howl rings out and three wolves circle him. The desperate hunger in their eyes is plain to see. After a few passes, the leader of the pack stops and lets out a vicious bark. It charges him but comes to an abrupt stop when an arrow strikes it between the eyes. The other two wolves scatter as their leader let out a shriek of pain, flops to the ground, and dies.

Link salvages some meat from the wolf. He's putting the meat into the slate's inventory when he hears a laser charging and too many legs skittering through the grass. He jumps, turns around, and comes face to face with a guardian. Its menacing red eye projects a beam of death onto his chest. He quickly returns his bow to his back, hooks the sheikah slate onto his hip, and raises his shield. He stands and waits for the whine and flash of light to tell him when to parry. Waiting is always the hardest part. The dreadful anticipation sends his heartbeat into overdrive. 

The laser fires and Link parries at exactly the right moment. The guardian is hit by its own attack. It takes a second to recover but soon enough it's ready to strike again. The second parry goes off without a hitch. The guardian is weakened but not yet defeated. He holds his shield up and waits for the guardian's third shot. Then he hears a second laser charging. He turns to see another guardian crawling toward him. The guardian's unnatural glow reflects off the water and its unsettling legs create splashes with each step. This moment of distraction is all the first guardian needs. Link hears the whine of the first guardian's weapon firing. He turns around to raise his shield but he isn't fast enough.

Link stumbles as burning white pain tears through him. His skin turns pale and a cold sweat breaks out across his brow. The second guardian fires its laser and hits its target with precision. He crumples to the ground.

Why does this feel familiar? The burning agony in his chest, the smell of burning flesh, blood crawling up his throat, and the terrifying knowledge that it's all over.

In this moment, he knows that this has happened to him before. This is not his first time dying from the laser of a guardian. But that hardly matters as he slips away into oblivion. Everything fades away into nothingness but suddenly she is there. Mipha.

She holds him tenderly and a cool and comforting wave of healing washes over him. His pain is gone. His skin, muscles, and organs are stitched back together lovingly.

"It was my pleasure." Mipha gives him that familiar wistful smile before fading away.

Link is back. He can feel the water and mud soaking into his clothes. He can feel the wind ruffling his hair. He can feel the frantic rhythm of his heart. He is alive.

Link jumps to his feet and takes cover behind a tree. He can hear the guardians crawling towards him in pursuit. He clumsily unhooks the Sheikah Slate from his hip, opens up the map, selects the Lakna Rokee Shrine, and dissolves into wisps of blue light.

-

When Link rematerializes he is surrounded by trees of green. The trees in Akkala came in browns and reds and yellows, but these trees are green. He falls to his knees. He wheezes and trembles. He is struck by the fact that he just died. Mipha pulled him back into the world of the living but for a moment he had been dead. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and opens them. Sunset fireflies float lazily through the air, casting a green glow across the trees. Crickets chirp in the distance. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves. He is safe.

Link stumbles towards the small body of water near the shrine and sits in the middle of the bridge that crosses it. He reaches into the water and tries to cup it into his hands to wash the mud from his face but he can't. His hands are shaking too hard. 

Link peels his mud-soaked clothes off and lays them down on the bridge. He slips into the water and the sweat, the mud, the dirt, all of it, is washed away. He submerges himself completely for a few moments to clean his face and his hair. He lugs himself up onto the bridge and wrings the water out of his hair. He selects the Hylian tunic and trousers from the sheikah slate. He pulls the trousers on first but stops as he goes to put the tunic on. Brutal scarring covers most of his stomach and chest. He knows there are similar scars across his back too. He swallows back bile at the realization that the wounds were inflicted by a guardian. He hastily tugs on the tunic and takes several deep breaths.

Link sits on the bridge for quite some time and thinks about a lot of things. He thinks about Mipha. He thinks about Ganon, Zelda, destiny, and dying. The weight of it all is enough to make him dizzy. He doesn't know how long he stays there, just that when he finally broke out of his trance the fireflies are gone and the birds are just beginning to chirp.

He feels hungry so he reaches down into the water and grabs a Hyrule Bass. It wriggles in his hands for a bit before eventually stilling. He takes a bundle of wood out from his inventory and lights it with a flameblade.

Link feels cold down to his very bones and he had hoped the fire would warm him but it didn't. He puts the fish on a skewer and holds it above the flames. He watches as the fish's scales turn golden brown and pulls it out of the fire when it reaches just the right shade. He stares into the flames and chews his food mechanically.

He misses Mipha so badly. He doesn't know how he can miss someone he barely remembers but he does with every fiber of his being. Mipha was young, for a Zora anyway. She was only barely entering young adulthood when her life was taken from her. A wave of overwhelming fury flows through Link. It isn't fair. None of it is. Mipha deserves to have lived. She deserved to marry someone and have kids. That someone could have been him. The armor she made for him was effectively a marriage proposal. He doesn't know if he would have accepted. He thinks he could have fallen in love with her if he had the chance. He definitely knows that he loved Mipha but he doesn't know if it was in the same way that she loved him.

Hot tears of frustration and sorrow trickle down Link's face. His appetite is gone and he sets aside his meal. So much weight is on his shoulders and this burden seems impossible to carry. He doesn't know if he can do this without her. Mipha's power suddenly sends a pulse of warmth and comfort through his chest as if to say, 'I am here.'

A grim determination fills him.

He can do this.

He will do this.

He will tear Ganon apart limb by limb for taking Mipha's life.

He will do it for Sidon, who believes in him.

He will do it for King Dorephan, who mourns his only daughter each and every day.

He will do it for the young Zora who sing songs by Mipha's fountain.

He will do it for the elderly Zora, even the ones who still resent him.

But most of all he will do it for Mipha.

Chapter Text

“I do suppose you’ve proven your value as a warrior. A warrior worthy of my unique ability. The sacred skill that I have dubbed Revali’s Gale!”

Revali raises a wing to the sky dramatically and a glowing green orb forms above him. He then hurls the orb into Link’s chest. 

A strong updraft brings Link’s feet off the ground for a few seconds before shooting him up into the sky. He flips mid-air and lands smoothly on one knee. Controlling the winds made him feel very powerful, it's no wonder Revali had always been so full of himself.

-

Upon his return to Rito Village, Link is gifted the Great Eagle Bow by Kaneli. The bow was unmistakably made for Revali. A blue scrap of fabric is tied to it. Link recognizes it as the same fabric of his champion’s tunic and the sash that Mipha wore in his memories. 

Kass is in Rito Village taking a break from traveling to see his family. Kass offers to play his accordion and seems a bit surprised at the sheer volume of enthusiasm his fellow Rito express. All of the village's children gather on Revali’s Landing and their parents stand close by on the surrounding platforms. Kass’ five daughters drag Link to the landing to sit with them. Kass stands in the center and raises a wing to ask for silence.

“Before I begin playing I’d like to say a few words. Tonight is about celebrating the Rito Champion, Revali. Those who knew him described him as a contradiction. His words were rough and abrasive but his actions were selfless. He acted confident and as though his skills came easy to him, but his hard work and dedication were what brought him success. We gather here to honor our champion, the pride of the Rito!” A loud round of applause rings out.

Kass raises his wing again to ask for silence. “I also want to thank Teba, our brave warrior who helped free Vah Medoh.” Teba nods in acknowledgment as the village cheers in thanks.

“..And last but certainly not least, I would like to thank Link, the champion..descendent who has saved us all!” A truly deafening roar of celebration, gratitude, and triumph shakes the very foundations of Rito Village. Link blushes and gives a timid smile to the crowd.

Finally, Kass begins playing. The music is cheerful, the children are smiling, and Link is enjoying himself. There's just something about music that brings people together and Link actually feels like he belongs here. Kass plays a lot of upbeat songs, the kind that makes it hard not to tap your foot to the beat or clap with the rhythm. The celebrations last until the sun is low in the sky and the parents start taking their kids home to get ready for bed.

During the celebrations, Link had been in a good mood but now with nothing serving as a distraction, he becomes somber. He doesn’t know how to feel about Revali becoming a legend. Link knows that a century has passed but hasn’t exactly processed it yet. Mipha isn’t a legend yet. She is still a sister, a daughter, a friend, or a student to the Zora. It had all been easier to ignore before coming to Rito Village and hearing tales of Revali rather than memories. Now the fact that a century has passed is staring him straight in the face and shouting, ‘Why aren’t you merely a legend too?! You don’t belong here, you should have died with the rest of the Champions!’

Link doesn’t know what to think of Revali. The one concrete memory he uncovered of Revali did not put him in a good light. As his journey progressed, Link had begun remembering certain facts, though he couldn’t remember what experiences had led to those conclusions. He knows for a fact that in the end, he had considered Revali to be a close friend. He has no clue though how he and Revali had reached that point. Would he ever remember? A sharp twinge of panic rises in his chest at this thought, but he breathes deeply and tries to will it away. A cold darner whizzes past his ear and snaps him back into awareness. He rapidly becomes very disorientated. It is night. The stars are twinkling and the only sound to be heard is the wind's howling. Hadn’t the Sun only just been setting? Just how long had he sat there and thought about legends and memories?

Link rises to his feet and grips the wooden railing when a wave of dizziness hits him. He hates when this happens. He hates the feeling of time slipping away from him. He stumbles down the stairs to the inn and chooses a standard bed. He is so out of it that he mistakenly hands the innkeeper a purple rupee instead of a red one.

“Sir! This is 50 rupees, the bed only costs 20 rupees.” The innkeeper tries to hand the rupee back but Link tells him to just keep it. Link nods distractedly as the innkeeper thanks him feverishly. He collapses into his mattress and the world fades away as he falls into a deep sleep.

-

Link and Revali are having an archery contest. They trade insults playfully, Link calling Revali ‘birdbrain’ and Revali calling him ‘blondie’. Mipha and three others watch and laugh at their antics. One is a tanned woman with red hair, her laughter is rich and deep. She holds herself with confidence and rests a hand on her hip. She is painfully familiar. A massive man made of rock stands behind her. He has a mane of white hair and a long beard. He lets out loud rumbling guffaws as Revali and Link come up with increasingly ridiculous quips. He is also painfully familiar. Then there is Zelda. Her cheeks are flushed pink as she tries to hide her giggles with a hand over her mouth. She is beautiful. The only way Link could describe her is ‘golden’. Her blonde hair shines in the sunlight and her laughter makes his heart soar in his chest. He can barely look away.

Revali pats Link’s shoulder with his wing, “Your turn, short stuff.”

”Alright, bird boy.” Link smirks and readies his bow. He hits the bullseye.

They're neck and neck. “You better beat me with how much you’ve been bragging that you’re Hyrule’s best archer," Link steps out of the way for Revali’s turn. “Time to put your rupees where your beak is.”

Mipha and Zelda break into a fit of giggles and Link feels a grin split his face. Zelda doesn’t laugh often enough and it is extremely gratifying to see her enjoying herself. He can’t tear his eyes away from her, greedily basking in her light.

Link finally turns away when Revali lets out a triumphant whoop after hitting the bullseye once again. Link takes his turn and misses the bullseye by about a half-inch.

Revali shouts in victory and grins. “Eat my feathers, shit head!” The whole group bursts into laughter.

Link holds a hand to his chest dramatically, “Oh Goddesses! How will my ego ever recover?”

Revali chuckles, “At least you put up a good fight, but as usual, I soared above the competition.”

”I think that’s the closest thing to a compliment that I’ll ever get out of you.” Link elbows Revali playfully.

-

Link wakes up. It is still dark out and the innkeeper has finally gone to sleep. He slips out from underneath the covers and sits down in the center of his bed.

Was that a memory? Or was it just a dream? He knows in his heart that it was a memory but that just makes it hurt even more. He had been happy. He had been talking just as much as the others. Zelda had smiled. Mipha had been giggling. He and Revali had reached a point where their dislike for each other was a joke and not genuine. That tall woman and the Goron man had been a comforting presence. Why couldn’t he remember their names? His heart could remember them but his mind could not. A choked sob forces its way out and Link hugs his knees to his chest.

He would never have a moment like that again. They were all dead except Zelda and who knows what state she’ll be in if he’s able to save her. No. He can’t think like that. He will save her, even if it costs him his life. But would she ever smile again after being trapped with Ganon for an entire century? It's all too much to think about.

Tears stream down Link’s face. He becomes lost in sorrow, only coming back to awareness when he hears birds chirping their morning tunes. He wipes the tears away and makes the bed. He hopes he doesn’t look like he’s just been crying for an hour. If anyone asks why his cheeks and nose are so red, he’ll just say it's from the cold weather. It is cold actually. He tugs on his Snowquill outfit and leaves the inn.

Link isn’t sure what to do now. Of course, he knows his big goals: free the remaining divine beasts, find this sword that everyone has been talking about, and defeat Ganon. But he is exhausted, emotionally and physically. He decides to stay in Rito Village for the day and leave tomorrow morning. He isn’t sure how he’ll spend the day though until he remembers he hasn’t had a chance to test out the new ability Revali granted him.

Link climbs down the stairs to a platform next to the Rito’s goddess statue. He crouches to the ground and lets the energy flow beneath his feet. He equips his paraglider and springs into the sky, a strong updraft forming beneath him and raising him into the air. Revali’s spirit circles him a few times before dissipating. He feels…free. He already enjoys the feeling of soaring through the skies with his paraglider but this is freeing on a whole new level.

Link becomes confused when he sees a vase floating in the air next to him. He looks down to the platform he launched from and sees more vases scattered about. He lets out a bark of laughter as he realizes the vase had gotten caught in the updraft with him. He lands on a higher platform and startles Teba who had been walking past.

“What the hell..how did you-?” The vase finally falls to the ground and shatters. Teba shakes his head, “No. Never mind. I don’t even want to know. Listen, Link. I’m going to be at the Flight Range today with Tulin and Saki. You should stop by around noon and have lunch with us. Tulin would love to hang out with his new hero.”

Link nods in agreement.

“Alright, see you then.” Teba gives him a small smile and continues walking by.

-

It's almost noon. Link selects the Sha Warvo Shrine on the slate and teleports. He shivers. It is a lot colder all the way up here. Luckily, the Shrine is very close to the Flight Range. He only has to trudge through the snow for a couple of minutes before climbing up the ladder. When he enters he sees that Saki is almost finished cooking lunch. Tulin is walking circles around the cooking pot nervously and Teba is chuckling at how antsy his son is getting over getting to see his new idol. Tulin notices that Link is there first. His eyes light up and he hops up and down in excitement.

”Yaaaay!” Tulin looks at Link with awe.

Link feels a bit flustered and chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck.

“Hey, Tulin.” Link walks in and sits down in front of the cookpot next to Teba. “Do you know what your mom’s making for lunch?”

Tulin rushes over to sit down next to Link. “Yeah! She’s making hearty seafood rice balls. She’s using hearty salmon that I helped her catch!”

”Alright lunch is ready. Tulin, give Link some space to breathe," Saki chuckles. She prepares four plates and passes them out.

”Thank you. It smells amazing," Link smiles and Saki nods and thanks him for the compliment.

Link wolfs down his food in less than a minute. Tulin, Saki, and Teba seem startled.

”Sorry, it just tasted really good," Link smiles sheepishly. Saki breaks into a fit of giggles and Teba chuckles. Tulin stares at Link in amazement, turns to his own plate, and attempts to eat his lunch as quickly as his new hero did. He ends up choking and Saki pats Tulin’s back and tries to stifle her giggling.

“Sweetie, you don’t need to eat as fast as Link does. It’s not good to eat that fast, Link is just being silly, right?” Saki turns to Link and gives him a look that tells him there is only one right answer.

“Yes, I usually eat very slowly. I’m just feeling really silly today,” Link says gravely while trying not to smile. Teba snorts in amusement and Saki swats at his arm.

Tulin takes a sip of water and stops choking. He then finishes off the rest of his meal very slowly.

-

Link spends the rest of the day at the Flight Range. He shows Tulin how he handles a bow and shows off his skills a little. Tulin’s jaw drops as he watches Link hit target after target at such a high speed. He also talks with Teba and Saki about everything and nothing. For the first time in a while, he doesn’t have to force the words out of his throat. Before he leaves to go sleep at the inn, Teba and Saki tell him he's welcome to visit them anytime he’d like. He nods and leaves, hiding the fact that his eyes watered a bit when they said that. He feels so happy, yet so heartbroken at the same time. How can this be? Maybe he’s a contradiction like Revali was.

He’ll never be able to make more happy memories with all of the champions again, and that fact brings on a wave of gut-wrenching grief. However, he can make new memories like the ones he just made with Teba, Saki, and Tulin. It will never replace them, there will always be an empty part of him, but these new memories could help soothe his aching soul.

After his time in Rito Village, Link now has another reason to tear Ganon apart. He will do it for Revali and Mipha. The grief weakens Link at times, but it strengthens his resolve. He is filled with determination and a need for vengeance and justice. He decides that Ganon will die screaming in agony.

Chapter Text

“Please accept this gift, which has come to be known as Urbosa’s Fury. It will no doubt be of use to you.”

Urbosa raises her right hand, a glowing yellow orb forming in her palm. She snaps her fingers and the orb is sent into Link’s chest. Link raises an arm to the sky, spins on his heel, and snaps his fingers with an exclamation. Lightning strikes. He stares down at his hands in wonder.

The fight against Thunderblight Ganon had been grueling, the hardest blight to deal with by far. Link had felt weak, his muscles twitching with the after-effects of electrocution. But now, all traces of weakness are gone. He feels powerful like he never has before. The only feeling that could compare to receiving Urbosa’s Fury is when he pulled the master sword from its pedestal about a week prior. He feels more prepared for his final battle than he ever had before.

-

When he returns to Gerudo Town, after slipping into his disguise, he is gifted the Scimitar of the Seven and the Daybreaker shield. Both the scimitar and the shield are ornate and eye-catching, they are unmistakably of Gerudo origin.

As his journey progressed, Link started remembering more of his past. Sometimes he remembers specific memories but they often lacked context. As he holds Urbosa’s weapon and shield, he remembers seeing her using them. He doesn’t recall when or why he saw her fighting, but he remembers watching her with awe. Urbosa’s fighting style was elegant and brutal, two things he would’ve never thought could co-exist. She moved with the grace of a dancer, her royal blue skirt rippled with her spins and turns. 

Link startles back into awareness when Riju asks, “Link? Did you hear what I just said?” He slowly shakes his head and Buliara huffs in derision.

Riju rolls her eyes at Buliara, “It’s alright. I said that you’re welcome to stay in Gerudo town as long as you’d like, all I ask is that before you leave you’ll come to say goodbye. We’re also having a small celebration later tonight if you’d like to attend.”

Link nods, “Thank you, Chief Riju.”

Link steps out into the crisp evening air and heads to the town’s inn. He feels drained and definitely not in the mood to party. Despite feeling tired, it was difficult for him to fall asleep. At first, he was just feeling restless, but then later in the night, it was hard to find sleep because of the noise from the ‘small’ celebration of the Gerudo. His exhaustion eventually won out though.

-

The hum of activity in Gerudo Town pulls Link out of dreamless sleep. The Sun had just risen, but vendors are already beginning to set up shop. He gets up, fixes his clothes into place, and leaves the inn. The Sun is bright and it quickly chases away the chill of the night.

Link decides to stay in town for the rest of the day. He wanders around, trying to find a way to kill some time, and eventually ends up in the barracks. A woman is begging the guards to hunt a molduga because her husband needed a life-saving elixir that requires molduga guts. 

Link walks up to the woman and promises to bring her molduga guts within a few hours. She looks doubtful but a glimmer of hope shines in her eyes. She tells Link to be careful and he nods in acknowledgment.

After a few too many sand seal puns, Link is prepared for the hunt. He changes into his new desert voe armor, feeds his sand seal a couple of apples, and equips a shield. The seal barks when Link pulls the reins, and they were off. 

This is exhilarating. It feels familiar like he’s done it before. The desert races by in a blur, the wind whips his skin, and the Sun shines brightly. He feels alive.

After about 40 minutes of traveling, it seems he's reached his destination. In the distance, a massive creature leaps out of the sand and swallows 2 electric lizalfos whole. Link leaps off his sand seal at a safe distance away. He feeds the sand seal another apple, hoping it will wait for him to come back.

Link starts his trek into the distance. The woman in the barracks said that moldugas can feel vibrations in the sand and would immediately attack anyone that dared to venture into their territory. He needs to come up with a strategy. The ground rumbles ominously. An immense wave of sand is coming straight for him. His eyes widen in shock, he didn't think the molduga would be able to detect him at his current distance. He needs a strategy now. The beast detects movement, what would it do if he just stopped moving? He stands as still as a statue and holds his breath. It is still moving toward him at an alarming speed. He closes his eyes, unable to watch. Ten seconds pass. He warily opens one eye and sees that the wave of sand had come to a stop only a few feet in front of him. The molduga stays put for about a minute before losing interest and turning back in the opposite direction. Link lets out a shaky sigh of relief.

He needs to think. How could he use the molduga’s qualities to his advantage? An idea strikes and he opens up the rune page on the sheikah slate. He taps the symbol for a spherical bomb and it materializes in his hands. He chucks the bomb out into the sand. The molduga feels the bomb roll across the ground and races toward it. It leaps into the air, its form so massive that it blocks out the Sun for a moment, and swallows the bomb. Link hits ‘detonate’ and the monster lets out a high-pitched yelp of pain and collapses to the ground heavily.

Link wastes no time and runs to the molduga, hacking away at its stomach with the master sword. It whines in pain with every slash to its soft flesh. The ground begins to rumble and he tries to get out of the way but he isn’t quick enough. The molduga’s tail strikes him, sending him flying through the air. He grunts in pain but manages to equip his paraglider before he hits the ground. He gets in a few shots with his electric arrows before it burrows underneath the sand again.

Link runs onto a rock platform where the molduga can no longer feel his footsteps. He equips another bomb and throws it into the sand. The monster leaps into the air and swallows the bomb again. When it falls to the sand, he repeats the process of hacking away at its stomach. This time though, when the ground starts trembling beneath his feet, he runs back onto the rock platform before it can strike him.

Link repeats the process, throwing another bomb and hitting the molduga with electric arrows when it falls to the ground. Link suddenly feels as though he has forgotten something. He prepares more electric arrows and pauses. He is using electric arrows… electric. He suddenly realizes that he forgot that he received Urbosa’s Fury. An electric attack. 

The molduga is still recovering from the explosion. Now is his chance. He stands with his sword ready and calls Urbosa’s power to the surface. The green flames of Urbosa’s spirit appear in front of him. Her power is channeled through him, lightning floods his very being. This feeling of power is…indescribable. Urbosa’s spirit lets out a cry of exertion and snaps her fingers. It is as though time has slowed down. The air sparks with potential and the hairs on the back of Link’s neck rise. Then, light that seems to come from the very goddesses themselves rains down on the molduga viciously.  A crash of thunder. The monster wails in pure agony. Its body shakes as overwhelming power tears through the muscle, the fat, the bones. The molduga’s writhing creates a storm of sand and shakes the ground violently.

The molduga finally stills and its massive form becomes a dark shadow of blacks and purples before fading away into the desert sky. Green guts and pink fins fall to the sand, followed by two golden treasure chests. He feels numb as he opens the chests and receives a royal halberd and a radiant shield. He collects the guts and fins before starting his trek back to the sand seal.

Link has a lot of questions now. First and foremost, how the hell had Urbosa lost? She was a force of nature with thunder in her blood, how could she have been defeated by Thunderblight Ganon? And for that matter, how had any of the champions lost? Mipha was a warrior in her own right, her spearmanship was revered. Revali was quite possibly the best archer to have ever lived, though Link would never let him hear that. He can remember a little of the Goron champion, the man made of rock that Link thought was unbreakable. How had any of them been defeated?

Perhaps the strength of Ganon’s creations had waned over the course of a century, being separated from their creator and imprisoning the champions must have taken a toll on them. Maybe Ganon himself has weakened in his everlasting battle with Zelda. Link hopes so at least. If the champions were defeated by Ganon, what chance did he have of winning? Mipha was a beacon of light, the magnitude of her kindness creating her magic. Revali was a prodigy, he was so determined he created a magic of his own. Urbosa was a powerhouse, she had lightning at her command. Though Link couldn’t remember the Goron champion’s name, he could vaguely remember the glowing red of a magical shield passed down through countless generations. Link is just a man with a sword who has already failed. He might just have a chance if Ganon’s power has waned, but if Ganon is still as powerful as he was a century ago or even more powerful now, what hope is there?

No. He can’t think like that. Thinking like that would get him killed. He just needs more power, he needs to be stronger than he was a century ago. He cannot fail again. He cannot leave Zelda, who is as bright as the Sun, alone in that dark castle where sunlight doesn’t pass through. She isn’t meant to be there, she’s meant to smile and laugh and make him eat frogs. His heart hurts so terribly when he thinks of her being in that castle, the only home she had ever known, with only Ganon for company. He will not fail, he will sooner die than fail. Though perhaps that phrase wasn’t very applicable considering that he has died a couple of times now.

Link is pulled out of his musings when the sand seal lets out a happy bark at his return. He would have just teleported back to Gerudo Town but he doesn’t want the sand seal to have to find its way home all alone, and the ride back will hopefully help clear his mind too. Sunset is only an hour or two away and the nearly unbearable heat begins to relent. He removes his headband, shakes his hair out, and takes a moment to stretch his sore muscles.

As Link races back to town, he lets his mind become empty. There is no Ganon, no Zelda, no champions, no grief, and no pain. All that is left is him and the desert, the sands parting generously to let him through. The sand is getting into his hair and clinging to his skin but that does not matter. All that matters is the here and now, not the cloudy past or the ominous future, just this moment in time. The Sun warms his skin, the breeze whips his hair about wildly. He takes a moment to relish in this feeling of being alive, this connection to the lands of Hyrule that has grown throughout his journey. He is one with the sands, the snow, the water, and the grass. This is where he truly belonged, out in nature, chasing that feeling of being alive. Link takes peace in knowing that at this moment, he is exactly where he is supposed to be.

Link is broken out of his meditative state when Gerudo Town becomes visible through the dusty air. He finds a secluded area and changes into his vai outfit before returning his sand seal and heading to the barracks.

The woman that needs the molduga guts is still there pleading with the guards. When Link hands over the monster parts she is ecstatic. She gives him a good amount of rupees as a reward. It feels nice to help people, he likes making them smile. Though most of all, he likes feeling useful, he likes feeling like he’s made some progress towards atoning for his past failure. He knows that he won’t ever truly make up for it, but he can try.

-

Link had planned to leave town that night but he is just so tired. He decides he'll leave first thing in the morning. He keeps remembering things. Small details about Urbosa, faint memories of life before he pulled the master sword. After bathing in the inn, he decides to take a walk outside the city. He needs to be alone, he needs to breathe.

It is a couple of hours before midnight when Link ventures out into the chilly night. He eventually wanders over to the outpost where he had met Riju before going to fight the divine beast. He climbs up the ladder and lays down on the wooden platform. His breath lets out puffs of smoke and he changes into his Rito clothes.

Link remembers now that he became closer to Urbosa after that night on Vah Naboris. She was able to sense that he was troubled and she tried to be a comfort to him. She would sit with him and talk, he would rarely reply but he listened to every word she said. Urbosa had become a sort of motherly figure in his life in those last few months. He doesn’t think his mother was ever around because as hard as he tries to remember something about her, nothing comes to mind.

He strains to remember his early life and his family. He had recovered a memory where Zelda had said that his father was a knight. Suddenly, he becomes engulfed in a memory, and his vision blurs as he returns to the past.

Link is in a one-room cottage. The house is crowded, two small beds are jammed into the corner of the room. A small table made of wood is surrounded by three chairs, and a simple stove and cooking pot make up the kitchen. A tall man with short blonde hair seems as though he's getting ready to leave, he wears a red and blue uniform. The man tugs on pristine white boots and gloves and grabs a black sword with red accents and places it into a scabbard on his back.

“I’ll be back in a week, take care of your sister, and don’t slack off on your training while I’m gone, understood?” He asks Link.

“Yes sir.”

The man’s face softens a bit and he ruffles Link’s hair. “Alright, I’ll see you soon.” He opens the door and begins walking out.

“Wait, Dad! You forgot your cap!” Link runs to retrieve the cap and hands it to his father.

“Thanks, kid.” Link's father smiles faintly and closes the door.

Link lets out a long sigh. His father had begun spending more and more time away from home over the last few years. He knows that his dad has a duty to Hyrule, but sometimes it all feels so unfair. 

Link snaps back into the present. His dad said to take care of his sister. He had a sister?!? Why can’t he remember what she looked like? Why can’t he remember her name? A storm of grief, rage, and complete agony tears through his soul. He brings his hands to his head and tugs his hair roughly. He can’t live another second with all this pain, but his heart keeps beating and air keeps flowing through his lungs. What happened to her? Had she died in the calamity? Had she lived and believed her brother to be dead? She is dead by now, no doubt about it. Hylians don’t live nearly as long as the Sheikah or the Zora do.

How is he supposed to keep going? Every day he remembers more and more of all that he’s lost, each day it gets harder and harder to choke out sentences. He’s lost everything. He’s lost his family, his friends, and the very world that he lived in. He doesn’t belong in this century. Almost every single person he had ever known is dead. Why isn’t he too? From what he's been told, his soul is stuck in a cycle of reincarnation and he will never truly die. There will be no end to this suffering.

He feels raw and animalistic in his agony. He feels so much he could bite through bone and dig claws into flesh. He needs to destroy something or he’ll destroy himself. He remembers the Gerudo guards talking about the rising number of lizalfos attacks. He can take care of that. He can take care of that easily. He gets up and unsheathes his sword, his teeth are clenched so tightly he can almost hear them creaking. Goddess help any monster that came into his path tonight.

-

Link wakes up to sweltering heat. He quickly sheds his Rito clothing and gasps in relief when he is stripped down to just his underwear. He is drenched in sweat and dizzy. His head is pounding an agonizing rhythm against his skull. He falls back into the sand with a groan of pain...Why did he wake up lying in the sand? Oh, right. He remembers now how he destroyed the desert’s lizalfos population last night. He tore through them without mercy, lost in a haze of bloodlust. Fighting in the mental state he had been in last night made him clumsy if the pain that is slowly setting in is anything to go by. He hadn’t noticed the injuries in his haste to remove the clothing that had been cooking him alive. He turns and looks at his Rito clothes, the left shoulder and the right side are drenched in blood. The surrounding sand is stained red too. Huh. That’s odd. Dark spots begin to fill his vision. That’s probably not good. 

Link drifts in and out of awareness for a bit before he hears the bark of an approaching sand seal. He weakly rolls his head to the side and isn’t sure if he's seeing a mirage. A small form rides a blue sand seal and a much larger person trails a few feet behind riding a red one. They get closer and stop a few feet away from him. He hears someone gag, he thinks it was the smaller person.

“Riju, run back to town and get a medic,”  an authoritative voice barks out. Riju nods and races back in the opposite direction.

A face comes and hovers above him. Oh, that's Buliara. The usually stoic woman looks concerned. 

She pulls a vial of liquid out of her bag and gently raises his head before bringing it to his lips. He gulps it down and gasps in relief as coldness flows through him, it must be a chilly elixir. His insides don’t feel as cooked, so that's nice. He still feels similar to how he had felt on his brief excursion to Eldin the other day when his skin lit on fire. 

“You’re lucky Riju and I came to investigate the mysterious figure seen slaughtering the lizalfos last night,” Buliara told him.

He nods weakly but stops abruptly when the pounding in his head increases tenfold.

“You’re one strange voe, you know that?”

Link tries to shrug but groans in pain when white-hot pain lances through his left shoulder. He's too out of it to mask the pain he's in.

“Don’t move. Stay still and wait for the medic.” Buliara’s harsh tone is back.

They wait for a few minutes in silence, Buliara holds a water canteen to his lips and he gulps it down greedily. Soon, Riju comes back with another Gerudo following her.

“Hey, Link! This is Aliana, she’s gonna fix you up good,” Riju tries to sound cheery but the furrow of concern in her eyebrows doesn’t go unnoticed. A wave of shame passes through him. What the hell was he doing letting a kid see him like this? What was he doing letting anyone see him like this for that matter? He's too drained to do anything about it though. He gives Riju a weak smile and thumbs up.

“The icehouse is nearby, take him there to cool off and stitch his wounds. Bring him to the outpost after, he will need his rest,” Buliara instructs Aliana. “Come on Riju, it's time to go.”

“Wait, but-”, Riju protests.

“We’ll stop by and see him later when he’s all patched up,” Buliara says firmly, leaving no room for argument. Riju reluctantly says her goodbyes and heads back to town with Buliara.

The medic crouches down to pick him up. Link waves his hand dismissively, he can walk on his own. He tries to stand up but his eyes roll back and everything fades away.

-

Link wakes to the sound of murmuring voices. He pries each eye open one at a time and looks up at a stone ceiling. His mind feels foggy and he has to concentrate very hard to process the voices.

“How bad is it?” A woman whispers from outside the door. He thinks it might be Buliara but it's strange to hear her voice sound anything but stern.

“He has a deep stab wound to his stomach, a laceration to his shoulder, a mild head injury, and severe sunburn. He’s dehydrated and likely malnourished. He’s going to be alright but he needs at least two weeks of bed rest. I worry though about his mental state if he has such disregard for his own safety. The poor kid could have died given a few more hours, it’s a wonder he was even conscious when you found him.”

The first woman sighs heavily, “Riju has been asking all day to see him.”

“I think it would be best to wait at least until tomorrow morning. I gave him a strong healing elixir, he’ll likely be a bit…loopy for a while.”

“Yes, I think that would be for the best. I’ll see you in the morning then.”

He can hear one set of retreating footsteps and another set of footsteps getting closer. The doorknob turns and a Gerudo woman walks in. He thinks it might be the medic that Riju brought to him but he didn’t really get a good look at her earlier.

The woman notices that he is awake and kneels by his bed. She is middle-aged and does not have the warrior countenance of most Gerudo women. She looks like a healer, she looks like a mother.

“How are you feeling?” She asks gently.

Link’s throat is dry and his brain is foggy. He opens his mouth and it takes a while for words to come out, “Y-you..gave me healing..”, his tongue feels thick and he cannot form the word ‘elixir’, “healing drink? I go now?”

She brushes his bangs back and brings a wet towel to his forehead, “No, sweetheart. All those healing elixirs only mask the pain, you need time to get better.” The woman speaks to him gently, the way someone would speak to a sick child. He’s not sure why but he desperately wants to cry. He has to clench his jaw to swallow back the tears. He thinks if he started crying now he’d never stop. The woman brings him a glass of water to sip on.

“Do you feel up to eating something?" She asks.

Link shakes his head and she frowns a little bit. “Alright, but you'll have to eat something in the morning.”

The woman blows out a lantern in the corner of the room. “Get some rest, dear.”

He wants to scream. He wants to shout at her about how Zelda hasn’t had a minute of rest for a damn century. Who the hell was he to lay there and be babied while Zelda was suffering?

Link falls into a restless slumber feeling incredibly guilty.

-

Sunlight gently caresses his face. Link blinks groggily and tries to sit up but grunts in pain and falls back down onto the bed immediately. He looks down at himself and sees that he has loose thin pants on and bandages wrapped around his stomach and shoulder. He doesn’t have a shirt on and most of his scars are on display, he must look downright pitiful. 

This was…inconvenient. Pain is wracking throughout his entire body with vicious ferocity. This is the worst he’s been injured without dying and being revived by Mipha or fairies. Mipha and the fairies’ magic were only able to heal fatal wounds and this one wasn’t fatal but it wasn’t exactly minor either. It could be fatal though. He could tear open the stitches in his stomach and let himself bleed out. Then he’d get healed by Mipha and be good as new and ready to keep going.

The usually calm presence of Mipha’s spirit that rests in his chest flares in anger and concern. 

Mipha was unable to articulate anything, but Link can almost hear her saying, ‘Don’t you dare, Link!’

A rush of shame and guilt passes through Link. Why was he thinking things like that? Sure, it was the most efficient solution but it would be so twisted to use Mipha’s gift like that. Didn’t death terrify him as it did a month ago the first and only time he had used Mipha’s Grace? He supposes things have changed since then. That was before he remembered Revali and Urbosa, his family, and some of what he’s lost. That was before he’d more thoroughly explored the ruins in Hyrule Field. A few weeks ago he had told himself that it was time to stare his failures right in the face. To see all the pain that he has wrought. There were rusted weapons and shields littered across the villages, they told a story of an attempted counterattack that was hopeless from the start. The houses were torn apart. There were some chairs and tables, a few beds, and bookcases that had decayed to the point they were nearly unrecognizable after being exposed to the elements for so long. He had had to stop when he found a broken crib in one of the houses. The wood of the crib was scorched and broken and the blankets inside of it were stained dark brown. 

Link is startled out of his musings when he hears the door creaking open. He hadn’t noticed until now but there are tears streaming down his face, he hurriedly wipes them away and quickly grabs a thin blanket to cover his top half. 

“Sav’otta.” Aliana walks in and asks quietly, “How are you feeling? Is the pain bad right now?”

Waves of agony are crashing through every nerve in his body. He isn’t able to verbally admit to being in pain, he just stares into her eyes. He’s grateful that she's able to see the pain in his eyes and that he was able to admit it without exactly confirming it, it made him feel a bit less pathetic. Aliana’s face softens and her eyes shine with sympathy. She pulls out a vial of green liquid and holds it up for him to see.

“Is it alright if I give you a bit of healing elixir? It’ll take some of the edge off.” She asks.

Link looks away from her eyes and nods slightly.

Aliana helps him sit up and places a pillow behind his back. She holds the elixir and then a water canteen to his lips and he drinks both. The pain recedes and his brain feels a bit fuzzy.

“Cheif Riju has requested to have breakfast with you. Are you feeling up to it?”

He hesitates, eating did not sound very appealing at the moment.

Aliana puts her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes. “You’re eating breakfast either way. Is it alright if Cheif Riju eats with you?”

Link sighs and nods. 

Aliana gives him a small smile and pats his uninjured shoulder. “Ok, sweetheart. I’ll go let her know.” She gets up and leaves to get Riju.

His eyes had begun stinging when she called him ‘sweetheart’. He wipes his eyes angrily, goddesses what is wrong with him today? He feels raw and exposed. Link gingerly wraps the blanket around himself so that it hides most of his scars from view. The door creaks open.

“Hey, Link.” Riju steps into the room quietly and sits on the bed opposite to his. Buliara follows in after her, carrying a tray with two plates of food and two drinks. One of the drinks has a long straw, that one was probably for Link. Buliara hands Riju a plate and a drink and then places the tray in Link’s lap. There's a plate of omelets and a glass of what he thinks is hydromelon juice, as he suspected he got the cup with the straw.

Link nods in gratitude to Buliara and she gives him a nod in return before she exits to stand guard outside the door.

They eat in silence for a bit before Riju clears her throat and begins to speak. “So, just so I have this clear, within a little over 24 hours you defeated the blight in Vah Naboris, killed a molduga, and went on a rampage where you killed almost fifty lizalfos?”

It sounds bad when she puts it like that. Link takes a sip of juice before taking a breath and rasping out, “How’d you know about the molduga?”

Riju stares at him blankly for a few seconds.

“Are you serious? That’s all you have to say for yourself just, ‘how’d you know about the molduga’.” When Riju quotes Link she drops her voice a couple of octaves and adopts a blank expression.

Link shrugs his uninjured shoulder and takes another bite of his omelet. 

Riju huffs in exasperation. “One of the guards reported seeing someone kill a molduga and you’re the only person stupid enough to do that by yourself.” She waves her hand dismissively. “But that’s not important. Link, what happened? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” his gaze travels down to stare at his hands.

He hears a sniffle and his eyes snap back to Riju and widen in concern. Tears are gathering in her eyes.

“You...you looked like you were dead!” Riju’s voice shakes and tears fall down her face. “I thought for a moment that you had died! I know you’re not fine, please just be honest with me!”

Goddesses, he's a piece of shit. A worthless, selfish, piss poor excuse for a hero. She's right, he does owe her the truth at the very least after making her witness that. His throat is closing up. He needs to respond to her. His mouth opens and closes like a damn fish out of water. What the hell is wrong with him?!

Riju notices his distress. “Could you type on the sheikah slate?’

Link nods and Riju hands it to him from the table it had been resting on. He opens up a notes page, types out what he wants to say, and hands it back to Riju.

The slate says: ‘Sorry. I’m not doing too great right now but I’ll get better soon.’

He’s not sure if he believes that but it isn’t like he has a choice in the matter. He needs to get better to defeat Ganon. He is a weapon, a weapon that has become rusted and damaged. As much as he hates to admit it he needs time to recover. He had restored three divine beasts and retrieved the master sword all within the span of a month. He had worn himself out, only allowing himself a full night of sleep on the nights after he conquered a divine beast. Now that he thinks about it, he hasn’t been eating often enough either. He’d been trying his hardest to ignore the grief and pain, telling himself that he’d address it after defeating Ganon. It was bound to catch up with him at some point, and he guesses that point had been the night of his rampage. He feels disgusting thinking about the way he tore through the lizalfos. He knows that they needed to be taken care of, but he wasn’t supposed to enjoy it. It was supposed to be a duty, not something he took pleasure in. He remembers how he tore through the lizalfos like a vicious animal and delighted in their shrieks of pain. He remembers how his vision had become blurred from the tears that wouldn’t stop falling. He had been a merciless butcher without any of his usual precision, not caring about getting hit. He feels scared. He's supposed to be better than that.

“...Link. Link!” A hand waves in front of his face and he startles out of his musings.

A small hand grabs his own and squeezes it gently, “Finally.” Riju sounds exasperated but her face is painted in concern. “Thank you for being honest with me. I can guess that you’re not too keen on the bedrest but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We can get more time to hang out! I’ll come to see you when I get some free time.”

Why would she want to spend time with him? He made her witness him bleeding out and half-dead, she shouldn’t forgive him for that so easily. He certainly won’t ever forgive himself for that, she's just a kid she shouldn’t have to see things like that.

Riju must have seen the confusion on his face. She sighs, “You’re a good person Link. I want to know you better. You need a friend and I want to be your friend so deal with it.”

At that moment she reminds him of Urbosa more than she ever had before, he remembers how Urbosa became close to him whether he liked it or not.

Urbosa did not deserve the ending she got and Link burns at the unfairness of it all. He will beat Ganon. He’ll do it for Urbosa. He’ll do it for Riju, the young chieftain trying her best to live up to her ancestor’s name. He’ll do it for himself and Zelda, who both lost a motherly figure in their life when Urbosa left this world.

Chapter Text

“I want to give you something. It’s a special power of mine called Daruk’s Protection. It's no good to me now that I'm a spirit…but it might be useful for you.”
“Here it comes!” Daruk summons a ball of energy and hurls it into Link’s chest.
Link floats off the ground for a few seconds as his body absorbs the power. He then spreads his arms wide before smashing his fists together and forming Daruk’s energy shield.
He feels safe, like nothing can ever hurt him again.

-

“Hey, Link!”
When Link makes it back down the mountain Bludo awaits him.
“I heard you jumped right into the heart of Death Mountain! I gotta say you've got guts for a Hylian! I'd have gone and jumped in right after you if it wasn't for my ol’ back acting up.”
Link rubs the back of his neck and nods politely.
“I got something for you back at my house, c’mon brother!”
Link follows Bludo across Goron City’s metal bridges until they reach a sparsely decorated house. A unique Boulder Breaker is proudly displayed against the wall. Bludo invites him into his house and gives him Daruk’s Boulder Breaker. The weapon is heavy, almost too heavy for Link to wield but he manages. Link inquires after Yunobo’s whereabouts and Bludo tells him that Yunobo is on the bridge above the entrance to the city. Link thanks him and walks back out into the sweltering heat.
Link finds Yunobo gazing down on Goron City with a thoughtful expression. His fireproof armor clanks with every step and alerts Yunobo to his presence.
“Hey, Link!” Yunobo’s eyes widen when he sees Daruk’s weapon strapped to Link’s back. “Is that Lord Daruk’s?! Can I hold it? Boss always had it displayed in his house and never let anyone touch it.”
Link unstraps the Boulder Breaker and hands it over. Yunobo handles it as gently as if he were holding a baby.
Yunobo wears Daruk’s champion sash with pride. Link wonders where Mipha’s sash, Revali’s scarf, and Urbosa’s skirt ended up. Yunobo is the only champion successor to inherit the deceased’s champion’s garb and champion ability. The young goron seems like the opposite of his grandfather, however, Link can see the potential lying beneath the surface. If Yunobo had grown up being ridiculed and harshly compared to a legend, it's no wonder he never gained confidence in himself. Perhaps all Yunobo needs is for someone to believe in him.
“Keep it.”
“Really, goro? I don’t know…boss gave it to you,” Yunobo hesitates.
“Bludo should’ve given it to you in the first place,” Link insists. “You were really brave today and you more than deserve this.”
“Thanks, goro. This…this means a lot to me.” Yunobo smiles gratefully.
Link nods. “He would’ve wanted you to have it.”
Yunobo swings the Boulder Breaker around a few times and grins. “So, how long are you staying in town?”
Link usually spends the night at the town’s inn after defeating each divine beast, but Goron City is unbearably hot and his fireproof armor is very uncomfortable.
“I’m heading out soon. But first, I wanna try this rock roast thing everybody’s talking about.”
Link and Yunobo buy a couple of rock roasts from the Protein Palace and eat outside facing the giant carving of Daruk’s face.
“Do…do you have any stories of Lord Daruk?” Yunobo asks timidly.
Link closes his eyes and sifts through his sparse memories. He can remember how Daruk’s laugh sounded. He can remember that Daruk’s nickname for him had been “little guy”. Impressions of the people he’s lost are essentially all that remains. He wonders if knowing exactly what he’d lost would lessen his burden. The obvious answer is that it would make things worse, but on the other hand, how can he ever begin to heal if he doesn’t even know what he’s lost?
“...Link?”
“...Hmm? Oh, right. Stories.”
Yunobo had asked for a story, not a memory. Stories can be made up. He doesn't like lying to Yunobo but maybe he can tell a story that will help him.
“Alright, so, this was when Zelda came to Goron City and asked Daruk to be Vah Rudania’s pilot. They were talking and came across a group of bokoblins attacking something. Daruk rushed in and killed them all in like five seconds flat. Zelda goes and checks on whoever they were attacking and it's a dog. Zelda turned to thank Daruk and y’know she’s expecting to see a triumphant grin on his face and a proud posture, but that couldn't be further from the truth. He is trembling. Then the dog barked and he cowered behind Daruk’s Protection.”
“Wow…really?” Yunobo asks in awe.
“Yeah, yeah. Turns out he had a fear of dogs. Then he asked Zelda if the Calamity was some kind of ‘dog monster’.”
Yunobo chuckles.
“My point here is that Daruk was brave, but he wasn't fearless. I know you've been trying your whole life to live up to his name and that's fine but remember that he was more than just brave. He was kind and every time you show somebody kindness, you’re carrying on his legacy. Just keep being yourself, Yunobo. You're already making him proud just the way you are.”
“Thanks, goro.” Yunobo sniffs. “I think that's something I needed to hear.
Link nods. “Next time Bludo gives you shit about not being like Daruk, tell him that he never knew Daruk like I did and I say you're doing just fine.”
“Oh, I don't know if I could say that to Boss. He'd be angry.” Yunobo fiddles with his fingers.
“Just…try and stand up for yourself every once in a while, yeah?”
Yunobo nods slowly. “Alright, I’ll try.”
Link and Yunobo trade their goodbyes. Yunobo pats Link on the back and he stumbles forward. A wave of bittersweet nostalgia hits him. Yunobo apologizes profusely and Link waves it off with a laugh.
Link treks down Death Mountain and finds a place to camp for the night. He lays down to fall asleep but his mind is too restless. He stares at the stars with tears rolling down his face. He misses his friend. He misses being called ‘little guy’ and the sound of Daruk’s rumbling laughter.
When he cries, he feels ashamed of himself sometimes, but after several conversations with Riju, he just lets it happen. Riju says the reason Link had a breakdown of such epic proportions is that he’s been bottling up his emotions and putting off dealing with his trauma. For a long time, he’s been telling himself that he’ll deal with the grief after he’s saved Zelda, but Riju says that’s not how grief works. She says that he hit rock bottom and the only way to go is up. Riju is wise beyond her years and Link worries about how she is so well acquainted with grief.
So, Link lets himself cry. He lets himself mourn. Eventually, he falls into a deep sleep.

-

Link wakes up to the sound of a sinister chuckle. A tall shadowy figure towers over him menacingly. The white mask covering its face glows in the moonlight. The blademaster raises his windcleaver above his head and brings it down on Link in a killing blow.
Ouch, that’s going to hurt.
Well, at least he hasn’t used Mipha’s Grace recently. But, before the Windcleaver hits Link, Daruk’s Protection activates. Thin cracks spread across the magical shield. The Blademaster stumbles back and Link throws aside his blankets and grabs his sword.
“Trying to kill a man in his sleep?” Link snarls, “Just when I thought you fools couldn’t sink any lower.”
“For Master Kohga!” The blademaster swings his sword again.
Link ducks underneath the blade and charges forward, tackling the blademaster to the ground. He draws his sword up into the air and brutally stabs it into the man’s gut.
The blademaster groans and teleports away.
Pathetic.
Link hears the twang of an arrow being shot. It hits the magical shield and deep cracks spread from the point of impact. A Yiga Footsoldier ducks back into cover.
Link snaps his fingers, activating Urbosa’s Fury. He hears at least five bodies hit the ground. The hair on the back of his neck stands up. There are still more Yigas hiding in the shadows.
Link uses Revali’s Gale to take a headcount. He spots six foot soldiers and one more Blademaster. Time slows down as he shoots a bomb arrow at the group of archers. The explosion is bright and deafeningly loud.
When he returns to the ground, the Blademaster is ready. He swings his windcleaver but Daruk’s Protection saves Link one final time. The magical barrier shatters like glass.
Link fights the Blademaster, who is surprisingly competent. The Windcleaver and the Master Sword create sparks as they clash against each other. The Blademaster's hits are heavy, making Link’s feet skid backward each time he catches a blow with his sword. He snaps his fingers, electrocuting the Blademaster, who teleports away after he stops seizing.
Link closes his eyes and catches his breath.
Twang!
An arrow pierces Link’s skull and he drops to the ground, dead. It would seem one of the archers survived the explosion.
“It was my pleasure,” Mipha’s spirit whispers soothingly.
Link gets back up on his feet with no evidence of there ever being an arrow through his head.
“W-What are you?!” The archer’s voice trembles in terror.
Link smirks, “I am the Champions.”
The archer disappears in a cloud of red smoke.
He sheathes the Master Sword with a satisfying shing!
All four Divine Beasts have been reclaimed. The Yiga must be getting nervous because their master’s day of reckoning is fast approaching. Link has some final preparations he’ll need to take care of before going to the castle but it’s only a matter of days now. In the early days of his journey he dreaded his final confrontation with Ganon but now the anticipation isn’t unpleasant. In fact, he can’t wait to slaughter the beast and see the light leave its eyes. He’ll make Ganon pay for all the lives he’s taken. He’s ready to end this, once and for all.