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A million different scenarios ran their way through Zelda's mind.
Was Link killed in this attack? No, it would have been reported if the body of the chosen knight was found. Did he fail to save everyone and flee? No, he would have come right back to Hyrule or even the Zora's Domain and told them everything. Not to mention he wouldn't have left Jacklyn alone. So he'd survived, and yet hadn't come back to them despite it being in his vested interest.
Then ... he was captured?
That possibility lingered in Zelda's head. It certainly made more sense than anything else. She took a look back at the stone, which she'd dropped during her and Jacklyn's reunion. She stared at it intently, deep in thought as she tried to not imagine the worst for her knight. Jacklyn poked her head in her face, to which Zelda lightly patted it.
"I know, I know," she whispered.
The princess had little to go off of: a tiny stone from Gerudo, a roughed-up horse, and a narrow field of possible-but-unconfirmed options regarding Link's whereabouts. Additionally, there was the mystery of what happened to Mipha. It was very strange that both of them just happened to go missing on the same day. And yet it wouldn't make any sense for the Zora princess to have been in this area at the time.
As she took one more look at the stone, a deep feeling slowly entered her body. She would have classified it as a gut instinct, but it felt deeper than that. It was as if the goddess herself was trying to contact her, give her an indication as to what to do. She felt a tingling sensation, like she was literally glowing from the inside. Something Zelda had felt only remotely when attempting to unlock her powers. And while it frustratingly never went beyond that, it now stirred a feeling within her as to what she needed to do next: follow the one clue she had.
The Gerudo Desert. Perhaps even Lady Urbosa could help me with this.
Her thinking was then interrupted by a gust of wind, ruffling her flowing blonde hair. It didn't seem to be naturally occurring, so she brushed her hair aside and looked up at the source. Descending towards her was a flying figure that she could easily identify as a Rito. And it was coming towards her.
As it got closer, she saw that it was a dark-blue male, sporting elegant brown and tan clothing topped off with a familiar light-blue sash around his neck. He had a heavy, elaborate bow strapped to his back, yet seemed to be carrying it with ease. She could make out white markings on his face and wingtips, as well as bright red dots on his cheeks.
To her great surprise, she recognized him. It was Revali, another of the four Champions of the Divine Beasts.
He came in to land a few feet away from him, sure to touch down in a stylish pose to make himself look impressive. He got upright and greeted the princess.
"Well, well. I wasn't expecting to fly past you today."
"Rivali!" Zelda shouted joyfully. "Thank Hylia you're here! I need your help!"
The Rito made little attempt to hide his satisfaction at those four words. It was widely known that he was a prideful one, always wanting to show off what he was capable of and more than happy for others to rely on him. Although Zelda had always sensed something deeper behind that pride, something not too far removed from what she once felt.
"Do you now?" he asked. "Well, might I then ask why you're out here alone? Shouldn't that boy be with you for your assistance?" he asked, his voice turning cold near the end.
Zelda's eyes hardened, but she answered. "That's why I'm here. Link, h-he's gone missing. He should have been at Zora's Domain yesterday, but he never got there. My father said to not get worried yet, but I … I just have this feeling that something's horribly wrong."
Revali's face gradually grew more suspicious as she spoke. As if this information added to worries he already had. It carried through slightly into his voice as he responded. "Oh … Well, I greatly appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I'm preoccupied with a rather urgent matter." He walked up to her gracefully, wings behind his back. "As it would turn out, our dear Lady Mipha is similarly missing."
"I know," Zelda sighed. "None of the Zoras have seen her since-"
"Since yesterday morning," Revali interrupted. "Yes, yes, I'm very well aware. The Zoras are quite worried about her. They've already begun a search party to track her down, and not just within the realm of their homes. Someone actually found a piece of her jewelry washed up on, of all places, Mercay Island!"
Mercay?! Zelda thought. That's not terribly far from here! Does that mean she could have gotten caught up in the stable attack? What would she be doing there?!
The feeling that things were worse than initially thought was cementing within the princess even more now. It was becoming harder and harder to deny that the two Champions' disappearances could be connected to both each other and this stable massacre.
"That's actually why I myself am out here," Revali placed a wing on his chest. "I've been recruited by the Zora as part of this search party. They must have known of my expert-level flying capabilities and couldn't resist reaching out for help," Revali added, with confidence of course.
"That's perfect!" Zelda said, not bothering to be annoyed by his ego. "We can work together to find them both! I'm on my way to meet Urbosa in Gerudo. You can come with me!"
The Rito coughed awkwardly, not showing an ounce of the excitement the Hylian now had. Instead he seemed somewhat annoyed, and largely disinterested. To the point where Zelda became genuinely worried over where his priorities lay.
"I … beg your pardon, Princess," he said. "But I've been tasked with finding our Zora Champion, and her alone. That Hylian of yours is little concern of mine, unfortunately," he scoffed dismissively.
Zelda knew that Revali and Link had always been like oil and water, never getting along. It was clear that a primary cause of this was the Rito's jealousy of Link's status as the Chosen One, as the one that he was required to assist rather than the other way around. Initially, Zelda had actually taken comfort in Revali due to her own disdain for Link, with the two of them forming a connection in that regard. Now, however, her newfound friendship with the hero seemed to put her and Revali a bit at odds as well.
Nonetheless, she was still taken aback by how little he cared for Link's disappearance. Was he really that apathetic towards him? Even more discerning, Zelda thought, would she have been the same way had this happened months prior, when she was still so bitter towards him?
"He is the concern of everyone," she insisted sternly. "Like it or not, he is our responsibility, and this is your problem as well. And I'd believe our chances to be greater with you at our aid. Do you not see the peculiarity of this whole situation? Finding one of the two could very well lead us to the other."
The golden brows of Revali furrowed down, a stiff expression on his large beak as several seconds went by without a response. After taking a deep breath, the avian finally spoke again. "Yes, well," he started, "I certainly wouldn't want anything to happen to the chosen hero."
Wouldn't you? Zelda thought skeptically.
"But alas, as I said, I already have my own mission. But I wish you luck on yours."
The Rito gave her a wave with his wing and, apparently just deciding the conversation was over, prepared to take off with his trademark gale.
But Zelda wasn't having it. She was about to go low, but right now she didn't care. "Fine then …" she huffed, crossing her arms. "We'll see what the Rito think when they hear you've said that."
The winged champion's attempted takeoff ground to a halt. His body went stiff, the feathers on his neck rising. He got back into a standard position and slowly turned back to Zelda.
"… And how exactly would they learn that?" he asked accusingly.
Zelda merely smirked. "Oh, I'm sure someone will let them know … word tends to spread like that."
Revali narrowed his eyes, crossing his wings as well. He seemed to have no response other than to look at Zelda with resentment and even betrayal. This girl was once on his side, almost a confidante of his. He saw that she harbored great insecurities towards her abilities to fulfill her destiny, ones that he secretly harbored towards himself. (Not that he'd let anyone know about them.) For a while, he had felt a trust in the princess because of this. Surely she wasn't going to rat him out over that lowly boy!
And yet, as he kept staring at her, he saw that her face was unflinching. She wouldn't budge on this.
And so, he sighed out, head shot up in exasperation. This girl will be the death of me.
Voice almost too soft for her to hear, he mumbled out, "You said you were heading to Gerudo?"
"There you go, Jacklyn. Think you can make it the rest of the way?"
Zelda asked this to the faithful horse as she fed her a small apple, one of the many she had stored away after picking them from a tree on their path. The steed would need the nourishment for the lengthy trip to Gerudo Town.
In spite of the negative circumstances, Zelda couldn't help but feel invigorated by getting to go on this journey. Her favorite parts of her duties were, hands-down, the trips she got to take across Hyrule. Had she not been determined to complete this one as soon as possible, she would have probably stopped every fifty feet to examine some specimen or plant life.
Revali was, of course, less pleased. He kept his wings and legs crossed as he rode atop Jacklyn behind Zelda, trying to look dignified in spite of his mood. He initially demanded that he fly his way there, but Zelda insisted they stick together. Even his company was better than no company.
The trip was largely passing in awkward silence, only the worry of their friends and the tension between them enduring. And as content as she'd be to just observe and enjoy the environment, she figured she might as well attempt to initiate some conversation.
"So ..." she started with uncertainty, "How has your work with Vah Medoh been coming along?"
Revali turned his head to her, seeming surprised by the question. But with a more upbeat tone than he'd carried before, he answered, "Oh, well quite splendidly, actually. Not that it was any trouble to begin with, mind you. I've proven quite capable of becoming one with the beast early on," he boasted. "But there's of course always room for improvement."
Zelda nodded. "It seems you all have gotten a handle on your duties." How I wish I could say the same for myself.
"Indeed. My own gale technique has been perfected as well. I'd like to see these other Champions reach the heights I now can."
"Hmm ..." Zelda grumbled. This bird truly could be grating at times, and it certainly wasn't helping with her current stress. She thus couldn't help but poke him a bit. "We all have our own strengths that we bring. I'd like to see you come close to matching Mipha's speed in the water. Your value is high, but that does not diminish the value of those around you."
" … No, it doesn't …" Revali nearly growled slowly. "But you must admit, I would be quite a match for this Calamity Ganon, no?"
Zelda's grip on the reins tightened, with her trying to keep her head steady. "It is irrelevant," she said. "You were not chosen by the sword."
"Yes, yes, I'm quite aware," the Rito was now close to seething. "But all I'm saying is that if our Chosen One truly does perish ... as I said, there's always room for improvement.
That was it. Zelda pulled on the reigns as her way of commanding Jacklyn to stop. The horse did so, and the two passengers were jerked forward at the abrupt halt. They weren't going to continue, the princess decided, until she gave this arrogant avian a piece of her mind.
"Why are we-" Revali asked, but was cut off by Zelda.
"Can you put aside your petty rivalry for one day?!" she shouted. "I understand you envy him. Believe me, you know I've been there. But to wish death upon him simply because some sword called to him instead of you? I dare call that heartless!"
"I didn't wish death on-"
"You might as well have," Zelda cut him off again. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, not wanting to create a situation where the two couldn't even work together properly.
"Link and Mipha are more than just pieces to a predestined plan, you know," she scolded. "They're people, just the same as us. With or without these frivolous roles we all have to play, we should feel obliged to help and protect them simply because it's right."
Revali scoffed. "Hah, you're certainly one to talk, Princess. I recall you feeling not too differently than me towards the Hylian. You recognized the lunacy of it all. Tell me, what changed there?"
Zelda looked down and sighed, knowing that she wasn't that much in the right to point fingers at him. Nor would it do any good to try and shame him. They needed to be unified, one team against whatever threatened their peace.
"You're right. I did look down on him. And really, Revali, I do understand your frustration." She looked back up at her feathered ally. "But then I actually got to know him better and understand him. And I saw so much more than what I thought was there. Maybe if you did the same, things would change between you two."
"You think I didn't try to?" Revali barked. "I attempted to acquaint myself with him. In spite of my own ambitions, I wanted to approach him as a friend. But he clearly had no such interest. So aloof, so uncaring towards those who mean well to him! It was clear by just the emotionless glance he gave me that he didn't want such a relationship, so why should it be my responsibility to show such care back? You know that he barely talks to anyone. I refuse to reward that!"
Another pause ensued, with the princess unsure how to answer. She knew what Revali meant; Link did give off a very cold, distant, even dismissive demeanor. But she now knew the truth behind it, and that it only hid the many layers of emotion, thought, and dare she say tenderness that all deserved to see ... layers that made her feel more strongly towards him than she could remember feeling towards almost anyone … just the thought of it caused her heart to start pounding.
"Zelda," Revali continued. His voice was no longer as harsh and cold. He seemed genuinely curious as he asked, "What has you suddenly defending him so?"
Snapped out of her reverie, Zelda turned back to the winged Champion. Choosing her words carefully, she simply said, "He's ... not all that he appears to be. I've seen it firsthand. I can talk to him about this. Perhaps … perhaps giving him a second chance could change things."
That was all she wanted to say at the moment. Little did anyone know how deeply her feelings for the hero went, and she didn't want to risk exposing them now.
Revali didn't add anything else. Dozens of thoughts were now swirling around in his head, evident by the conflicted look in his eyes. He just looked away contemplatively, practically signaling that the conversation was over for now.
So with that, Zelda started up Jacklyn, and the trio were moving once more.
One last thought came to her mind, though. "Oh, and giving him food will certainly help," she grinned.
Not much of note occurred since that argument. A few words here and there, but the remainder of their time heading for the desert passed in lingering silence. And both of them felt that was fine for now.
They could tell they were getting closer from the gradual temperature change, the air getting a little hotter by the minute. As they passed in between Mount Nabooru and Mount Hylia, they knew that a swerving canyon would be their last sight before they saw the vast, barren fields of hot, tan sand that was Gerudo Desert. And surely enough, after reaching the Gerudo Canyon Stable, that sight greeted them at last.
The two of them purchased cooling potions from a merchant at the stable, and fed Jacklyn a Chillshroom that would hopefully last her long enough to reach Gerudo Town. As they exited the canyon and started on the desert path, Jacklyn hesitated slightly, taking slow, deliberate steps further out into the open.
"Come on Jacklyn, just a bit further," Zelda cooed, gently slapping the reins.
At their destination dwelt not only the Gerudo people, but Lady Urbosa, Gerudo chief and Champion of the Divine Beast Vah Naboris. She would surely be of help in their quest to unravel this mystery and find their two missing Champions. Maybe she'd even utilize the help of her soldiers, for the all-female Gerudo army were well respected for their battle prowess.
But additionally, Zelda was just excited to see Urbosa again. The Gerudo was a dear friend of Zelda's mother, and so when she passed away, she proceeded to act as a sort of second maternal figure for the princess. She understood Zelda so much and never hesitated to express how proud she was of her, even through her failures. It all served to make the chief one of the people Zelda cherished the most in this world, and she couldn't help but smile at the prospect of being in her presence again.
Jacklyn, however, still did not seem so happy. She picked up her pace upon Zelda' request, but her head was twisting back and forth at an unusual rate. Zelda could feel the horse's body continuously tensing up, and none of the attempts at comfort from the princess or even a half-hearted Revali were helping.
Then at one point, Jacklyn just froze in her tracks, unprompted. She became twice as tense as before and lifted a leg up, head spinning around.
"Jackie? What is it, girl?" Zelda asked gently.
Revali gasped and, without warning, wrapped his wings around Zelda. He tossed them both off the horse, crashing into the sand. Zelda coughed in fury as the substance slipped into her mouth, and was about to ask what the meaning of this was. But then three sharp arrows suddenly landed inches from her face, piercing the sand and causing her to shriek.
The two scrambled up to their hands and knees, but were given no more time before seven clouds of red smoke suddenly surrounded them. Jacklyn was going into a fit, neighing loudly and kicking her hooves aimlessly.
Zelda's heartbeat accelerated when she saw the clouds. She knew what they meant, and could only look on in wide-eyed terror at her confirmed fear as the clouds faded away to reveal seven Yiga Footsoldiers, sharpened weapons and polished bows in hand.
Revali suddenly sprang up onto his feet, wings outspread and stance low, instantly ready for combat.
"Yiga," he growled. "To what do we owe this fine pleasure?"
Laughter ensued from two of the soldiers, while a third answered him. "What do you think, birdie? Two highly important figures like you just wandering through? Ripe for the picking. And we have others who would love for you to join them."
Revali flapped his way out of the range of a charging soldier's slash. He then quickly got out his famed Great Eagle Bow and fired at the Yiga's back. He was satisfied with the resulting scream of pain, but couldn't drink it in as he saw another Yiga advancing on Zelda. He ignored another enemy making a move for him as he flew towards the Hylian princess, knocking the soldier back with his feet and landing deftly after. Another Yiga prepared to fire an arrow at the two, but Revali was able to shoot one at her head first while barely looking in her direction. Her now-lifeless body collapsed.
Being preoccupied, unfortunately, left the Rito open to a Yiga teleporting above him and knocking him down to the ground. The impact knocked the bow out of Revali's wings, and he collapsed down with a grunt. As the Yiga then went up to finish him off point-blank, he thought quickly and swept his feet out to trip the soldier down, rolling to avoid the arrow that was subsequently released right at his chest.
But unfortunately, the rest of the ambush had since collected themselves and now surrounded the duo. Jacklyn tried to charge at them and kick out with her hooves, but a soldier slashed her in the flank. The injured horse whinnied horribly and slid down into the sand, thankfully on her unwounded side.
"JACKLYN!!" Zelda screamed.
Revali got back up onto his feet. He couldn't break his way through the surrounding enemies, and trying to fly up above them would make him an easy target to shoot down with their arrows. His options were looking slim, but he kept himself ready to spring back into action, as the Yiga slowly closed in on him and Zelda.
That was when the lightning struck.
Out of nowhere, a miniature storm seemed to form around the ambush, bright flashes of lightning crashing down on the fight. Only two Footsoldiers were struck down, killed instantly, but it was more than enough to scatter the rest of them. They looked around, wondering what in the world just happened.
And then they saw a tall, bulky Gerudo woman standing proudly and confidently, a devious smile on her face. She had a hand raised, her fingers looking to have just finished snapping. In her other hand was a large, powerful scimitar, and on her back was a gorgeous, elaborately decorated shield.
Urbosa! Zelda's mind shouted with joy.
"Seems I wasn't invited to the party," Urbosa quipped, her voice smooth and level. She strode casually forward, and the Yiga respectively slowly backed away from the approaching Champion.
One of the others ran towards the tall woman, but she simply raised her weapon and slashed it through the attacker's torso, sending him to the ground lifeless. She herself then sprinted gracefully towards another, using her shield to block his arrows until she was close enough to smash his head with it, sending him flying. Revali was pleased to retrieve his sacred bow and fire an arrow perfectly to hit the airborne Yiga, finishing him off.
The remaining two turned to the Gerudo chief and warily raised their weapons. But Urbosa, in a sequence not dissimilar in appearance to a seasoned dancer, then proceeded to parry and strike the duo with ease, a combination of her scimitar and shield dealing swift, deadly blows to them both before they could even counter. Within seconds, they joined their fallen members on the hot sand, never to breathe again.
Leaving only Zelda and Revali standing in awe of their rescuer, whose figure stood triumphant amidst the airborne dusts of sand. Revali had never seen her in action before, but his moment alone showed why she had been chosen as a Champion.
"Urbosa!" Zelda shouted. She ran forward and embraced the Gerudo in a tight hug, which she was quick to reciprocate.
Through a light chuckle, Urbosa commented, "Always in danger when you come to my side of Hyrule, aren't you?"
Zelda internally rolled her eyes, but did make note that maybe she'd need some extra training when venturing to this dangerous desert in the future.
When the two separated, Urbosa then looked over Zelda's shoulder to address the Rito accompanying her. "Revali. Always a pleasure to see you as well."
Not sure whether she was being sarcastic or not, Revali just nodded pointedly. "The pleasure is mutual, my Lady."
With a light smile, Urbosa turned back to Zelda. "As glad as I am to have you here, my little bird, I'm curious what the occasion is. And where that dear bodyguard of yours is," she asked, knowingly winking at the princess.
Revali scoffed lightly enough to not be heard, and while Zelda would usually be rendered a tad flustered at the suggestive wink, her expression became instantly somber as she recalled what brought them here to begin with.
Even more, she thought back to what that one Yiga said: "We have others who would love for you to join them."
She took out the little stone she'd found at the Woodland Stable. It, her logic, and that deep-seeded feeling inside of her that she couldn't quite place had led her here. As she connected this final piece of the puzzle, that feeling came back to her, confirming that she now had the answer to the biggest question that had haunted her all day.
The Yiga Clan had Link and Mipha.
Lifting her head back to face Urbosa, she shakily said, "We have a serious problem."
The Legend of Zelda franchise, the image used, and all characters and settings portrayed (except named Yiga members), all belong to Nintendo.
Originally uploaded on March 30, 2020.
It was admittedly a bit difficult to get my brain back into a writing mindset, having written this after a bit of time off, which may or may not show in the work. It was also harder to write the rest of the story because of how the rest of my semester had me working from my home. Which you'd think would be a positive, but when I have to stare at this computer screen for so much longer for lectures, notes, and projects, and then on top of that spend hours writing stories on it ... it's a bit maddening at points, to be honest.
It's getting closer! Our band of Champions is slowly but surely assembling with our princess, and now they can begin planning their attempted rescue! What's more, I decided to give some time to the relationship between Zelda and Revali, which I feel would have several progressing layers to it. Add in another little fight scene to show Urbosa's power and some extra character building, and I'm overall happy with this for my first full chapter in weeks at the time.
Anyway, in the next part, we see both perspectives, and the big climax draws even closer.
Thank you for all your support, feedback, and just reading this story.
Was Link killed in this attack? No, it would have been reported if the body of the chosen knight was found. Did he fail to save everyone and flee? No, he would have come right back to Hyrule or even the Zora's Domain and told them everything. Not to mention he wouldn't have left Jacklyn alone. So he'd survived, and yet hadn't come back to them despite it being in his vested interest.
Then ... he was captured?
That possibility lingered in Zelda's head. It certainly made more sense than anything else. She took a look back at the stone, which she'd dropped during her and Jacklyn's reunion. She stared at it intently, deep in thought as she tried to not imagine the worst for her knight. Jacklyn poked her head in her face, to which Zelda lightly patted it.
"I know, I know," she whispered.
The princess had little to go off of: a tiny stone from Gerudo, a roughed-up horse, and a narrow field of possible-but-unconfirmed options regarding Link's whereabouts. Additionally, there was the mystery of what happened to Mipha. It was very strange that both of them just happened to go missing on the same day. And yet it wouldn't make any sense for the Zora princess to have been in this area at the time.
As she took one more look at the stone, a deep feeling slowly entered her body. She would have classified it as a gut instinct, but it felt deeper than that. It was as if the goddess herself was trying to contact her, give her an indication as to what to do. She felt a tingling sensation, like she was literally glowing from the inside. Something Zelda had felt only remotely when attempting to unlock her powers. And while it frustratingly never went beyond that, it now stirred a feeling within her as to what she needed to do next: follow the one clue she had.
The Gerudo Desert. Perhaps even Lady Urbosa could help me with this.
Her thinking was then interrupted by a gust of wind, ruffling her flowing blonde hair. It didn't seem to be naturally occurring, so she brushed her hair aside and looked up at the source. Descending towards her was a flying figure that she could easily identify as a Rito. And it was coming towards her.
As it got closer, she saw that it was a dark-blue male, sporting elegant brown and tan clothing topped off with a familiar light-blue sash around his neck. He had a heavy, elaborate bow strapped to his back, yet seemed to be carrying it with ease. She could make out white markings on his face and wingtips, as well as bright red dots on his cheeks.
To her great surprise, she recognized him. It was Revali, another of the four Champions of the Divine Beasts.
He came in to land a few feet away from him, sure to touch down in a stylish pose to make himself look impressive. He got upright and greeted the princess.
"Well, well. I wasn't expecting to fly past you today."
"Rivali!" Zelda shouted joyfully. "Thank Hylia you're here! I need your help!"
The Rito made little attempt to hide his satisfaction at those four words. It was widely known that he was a prideful one, always wanting to show off what he was capable of and more than happy for others to rely on him. Although Zelda had always sensed something deeper behind that pride, something not too far removed from what she once felt.
"Do you now?" he asked. "Well, might I then ask why you're out here alone? Shouldn't that boy be with you for your assistance?" he asked, his voice turning cold near the end.
Zelda's eyes hardened, but she answered. "That's why I'm here. Link, h-he's gone missing. He should have been at Zora's Domain yesterday, but he never got there. My father said to not get worried yet, but I … I just have this feeling that something's horribly wrong."
Revali's face gradually grew more suspicious as she spoke. As if this information added to worries he already had. It carried through slightly into his voice as he responded. "Oh … Well, I greatly appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I'm preoccupied with a rather urgent matter." He walked up to her gracefully, wings behind his back. "As it would turn out, our dear Lady Mipha is similarly missing."
"I know," Zelda sighed. "None of the Zoras have seen her since-"
"Since yesterday morning," Revali interrupted. "Yes, yes, I'm very well aware. The Zoras are quite worried about her. They've already begun a search party to track her down, and not just within the realm of their homes. Someone actually found a piece of her jewelry washed up on, of all places, Mercay Island!"
Mercay?! Zelda thought. That's not terribly far from here! Does that mean she could have gotten caught up in the stable attack? What would she be doing there?!
The feeling that things were worse than initially thought was cementing within the princess even more now. It was becoming harder and harder to deny that the two Champions' disappearances could be connected to both each other and this stable massacre.
"That's actually why I myself am out here," Revali placed a wing on his chest. "I've been recruited by the Zora as part of this search party. They must have known of my expert-level flying capabilities and couldn't resist reaching out for help," Revali added, with confidence of course.
"That's perfect!" Zelda said, not bothering to be annoyed by his ego. "We can work together to find them both! I'm on my way to meet Urbosa in Gerudo. You can come with me!"
The Rito coughed awkwardly, not showing an ounce of the excitement the Hylian now had. Instead he seemed somewhat annoyed, and largely disinterested. To the point where Zelda became genuinely worried over where his priorities lay.
"I … beg your pardon, Princess," he said. "But I've been tasked with finding our Zora Champion, and her alone. That Hylian of yours is little concern of mine, unfortunately," he scoffed dismissively.
Zelda knew that Revali and Link had always been like oil and water, never getting along. It was clear that a primary cause of this was the Rito's jealousy of Link's status as the Chosen One, as the one that he was required to assist rather than the other way around. Initially, Zelda had actually taken comfort in Revali due to her own disdain for Link, with the two of them forming a connection in that regard. Now, however, her newfound friendship with the hero seemed to put her and Revali a bit at odds as well.
Nonetheless, she was still taken aback by how little he cared for Link's disappearance. Was he really that apathetic towards him? Even more discerning, Zelda thought, would she have been the same way had this happened months prior, when she was still so bitter towards him?
"He is the concern of everyone," she insisted sternly. "Like it or not, he is our responsibility, and this is your problem as well. And I'd believe our chances to be greater with you at our aid. Do you not see the peculiarity of this whole situation? Finding one of the two could very well lead us to the other."
The golden brows of Revali furrowed down, a stiff expression on his large beak as several seconds went by without a response. After taking a deep breath, the avian finally spoke again. "Yes, well," he started, "I certainly wouldn't want anything to happen to the chosen hero."
Wouldn't you? Zelda thought skeptically.
"But alas, as I said, I already have my own mission. But I wish you luck on yours."
The Rito gave her a wave with his wing and, apparently just deciding the conversation was over, prepared to take off with his trademark gale.
But Zelda wasn't having it. She was about to go low, but right now she didn't care. "Fine then …" she huffed, crossing her arms. "We'll see what the Rito think when they hear you've said that."
The winged champion's attempted takeoff ground to a halt. His body went stiff, the feathers on his neck rising. He got back into a standard position and slowly turned back to Zelda.
"… And how exactly would they learn that?" he asked accusingly.
Zelda merely smirked. "Oh, I'm sure someone will let them know … word tends to spread like that."
Revali narrowed his eyes, crossing his wings as well. He seemed to have no response other than to look at Zelda with resentment and even betrayal. This girl was once on his side, almost a confidante of his. He saw that she harbored great insecurities towards her abilities to fulfill her destiny, ones that he secretly harbored towards himself. (Not that he'd let anyone know about them.) For a while, he had felt a trust in the princess because of this. Surely she wasn't going to rat him out over that lowly boy!
And yet, as he kept staring at her, he saw that her face was unflinching. She wouldn't budge on this.
And so, he sighed out, head shot up in exasperation. This girl will be the death of me.
Voice almost too soft for her to hear, he mumbled out, "You said you were heading to Gerudo?"
"There you go, Jacklyn. Think you can make it the rest of the way?"
Zelda asked this to the faithful horse as she fed her a small apple, one of the many she had stored away after picking them from a tree on their path. The steed would need the nourishment for the lengthy trip to Gerudo Town.
In spite of the negative circumstances, Zelda couldn't help but feel invigorated by getting to go on this journey. Her favorite parts of her duties were, hands-down, the trips she got to take across Hyrule. Had she not been determined to complete this one as soon as possible, she would have probably stopped every fifty feet to examine some specimen or plant life.
Revali was, of course, less pleased. He kept his wings and legs crossed as he rode atop Jacklyn behind Zelda, trying to look dignified in spite of his mood. He initially demanded that he fly his way there, but Zelda insisted they stick together. Even his company was better than no company.
The trip was largely passing in awkward silence, only the worry of their friends and the tension between them enduring. And as content as she'd be to just observe and enjoy the environment, she figured she might as well attempt to initiate some conversation.
"So ..." she started with uncertainty, "How has your work with Vah Medoh been coming along?"
Revali turned his head to her, seeming surprised by the question. But with a more upbeat tone than he'd carried before, he answered, "Oh, well quite splendidly, actually. Not that it was any trouble to begin with, mind you. I've proven quite capable of becoming one with the beast early on," he boasted. "But there's of course always room for improvement."
Zelda nodded. "It seems you all have gotten a handle on your duties." How I wish I could say the same for myself.
"Indeed. My own gale technique has been perfected as well. I'd like to see these other Champions reach the heights I now can."
"Hmm ..." Zelda grumbled. This bird truly could be grating at times, and it certainly wasn't helping with her current stress. She thus couldn't help but poke him a bit. "We all have our own strengths that we bring. I'd like to see you come close to matching Mipha's speed in the water. Your value is high, but that does not diminish the value of those around you."
" … No, it doesn't …" Revali nearly growled slowly. "But you must admit, I would be quite a match for this Calamity Ganon, no?"
Zelda's grip on the reins tightened, with her trying to keep her head steady. "It is irrelevant," she said. "You were not chosen by the sword."
"Yes, yes, I'm quite aware," the Rito was now close to seething. "But all I'm saying is that if our Chosen One truly does perish ... as I said, there's always room for improvement.
That was it. Zelda pulled on the reigns as her way of commanding Jacklyn to stop. The horse did so, and the two passengers were jerked forward at the abrupt halt. They weren't going to continue, the princess decided, until she gave this arrogant avian a piece of her mind.
"Why are we-" Revali asked, but was cut off by Zelda.
"Can you put aside your petty rivalry for one day?!" she shouted. "I understand you envy him. Believe me, you know I've been there. But to wish death upon him simply because some sword called to him instead of you? I dare call that heartless!"
"I didn't wish death on-"
"You might as well have," Zelda cut him off again. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, not wanting to create a situation where the two couldn't even work together properly.
"Link and Mipha are more than just pieces to a predestined plan, you know," she scolded. "They're people, just the same as us. With or without these frivolous roles we all have to play, we should feel obliged to help and protect them simply because it's right."
Revali scoffed. "Hah, you're certainly one to talk, Princess. I recall you feeling not too differently than me towards the Hylian. You recognized the lunacy of it all. Tell me, what changed there?"
Zelda looked down and sighed, knowing that she wasn't that much in the right to point fingers at him. Nor would it do any good to try and shame him. They needed to be unified, one team against whatever threatened their peace.
"You're right. I did look down on him. And really, Revali, I do understand your frustration." She looked back up at her feathered ally. "But then I actually got to know him better and understand him. And I saw so much more than what I thought was there. Maybe if you did the same, things would change between you two."
"You think I didn't try to?" Revali barked. "I attempted to acquaint myself with him. In spite of my own ambitions, I wanted to approach him as a friend. But he clearly had no such interest. So aloof, so uncaring towards those who mean well to him! It was clear by just the emotionless glance he gave me that he didn't want such a relationship, so why should it be my responsibility to show such care back? You know that he barely talks to anyone. I refuse to reward that!"
Another pause ensued, with the princess unsure how to answer. She knew what Revali meant; Link did give off a very cold, distant, even dismissive demeanor. But she now knew the truth behind it, and that it only hid the many layers of emotion, thought, and dare she say tenderness that all deserved to see ... layers that made her feel more strongly towards him than she could remember feeling towards almost anyone … just the thought of it caused her heart to start pounding.
"Zelda," Revali continued. His voice was no longer as harsh and cold. He seemed genuinely curious as he asked, "What has you suddenly defending him so?"
Snapped out of her reverie, Zelda turned back to the winged Champion. Choosing her words carefully, she simply said, "He's ... not all that he appears to be. I've seen it firsthand. I can talk to him about this. Perhaps … perhaps giving him a second chance could change things."
That was all she wanted to say at the moment. Little did anyone know how deeply her feelings for the hero went, and she didn't want to risk exposing them now.
Revali didn't add anything else. Dozens of thoughts were now swirling around in his head, evident by the conflicted look in his eyes. He just looked away contemplatively, practically signaling that the conversation was over for now.
So with that, Zelda started up Jacklyn, and the trio were moving once more.
One last thought came to her mind, though. "Oh, and giving him food will certainly help," she grinned.
Not much of note occurred since that argument. A few words here and there, but the remainder of their time heading for the desert passed in lingering silence. And both of them felt that was fine for now.
They could tell they were getting closer from the gradual temperature change, the air getting a little hotter by the minute. As they passed in between Mount Nabooru and Mount Hylia, they knew that a swerving canyon would be their last sight before they saw the vast, barren fields of hot, tan sand that was Gerudo Desert. And surely enough, after reaching the Gerudo Canyon Stable, that sight greeted them at last.
The two of them purchased cooling potions from a merchant at the stable, and fed Jacklyn a Chillshroom that would hopefully last her long enough to reach Gerudo Town. As they exited the canyon and started on the desert path, Jacklyn hesitated slightly, taking slow, deliberate steps further out into the open.
"Come on Jacklyn, just a bit further," Zelda cooed, gently slapping the reins.
At their destination dwelt not only the Gerudo people, but Lady Urbosa, Gerudo chief and Champion of the Divine Beast Vah Naboris. She would surely be of help in their quest to unravel this mystery and find their two missing Champions. Maybe she'd even utilize the help of her soldiers, for the all-female Gerudo army were well respected for their battle prowess.
But additionally, Zelda was just excited to see Urbosa again. The Gerudo was a dear friend of Zelda's mother, and so when she passed away, she proceeded to act as a sort of second maternal figure for the princess. She understood Zelda so much and never hesitated to express how proud she was of her, even through her failures. It all served to make the chief one of the people Zelda cherished the most in this world, and she couldn't help but smile at the prospect of being in her presence again.
Jacklyn, however, still did not seem so happy. She picked up her pace upon Zelda' request, but her head was twisting back and forth at an unusual rate. Zelda could feel the horse's body continuously tensing up, and none of the attempts at comfort from the princess or even a half-hearted Revali were helping.
Then at one point, Jacklyn just froze in her tracks, unprompted. She became twice as tense as before and lifted a leg up, head spinning around.
"Jackie? What is it, girl?" Zelda asked gently.
Revali gasped and, without warning, wrapped his wings around Zelda. He tossed them both off the horse, crashing into the sand. Zelda coughed in fury as the substance slipped into her mouth, and was about to ask what the meaning of this was. But then three sharp arrows suddenly landed inches from her face, piercing the sand and causing her to shriek.
The two scrambled up to their hands and knees, but were given no more time before seven clouds of red smoke suddenly surrounded them. Jacklyn was going into a fit, neighing loudly and kicking her hooves aimlessly.
Zelda's heartbeat accelerated when she saw the clouds. She knew what they meant, and could only look on in wide-eyed terror at her confirmed fear as the clouds faded away to reveal seven Yiga Footsoldiers, sharpened weapons and polished bows in hand.
Revali suddenly sprang up onto his feet, wings outspread and stance low, instantly ready for combat.
"Yiga," he growled. "To what do we owe this fine pleasure?"
Laughter ensued from two of the soldiers, while a third answered him. "What do you think, birdie? Two highly important figures like you just wandering through? Ripe for the picking. And we have others who would love for you to join them."
Revali flapped his way out of the range of a charging soldier's slash. He then quickly got out his famed Great Eagle Bow and fired at the Yiga's back. He was satisfied with the resulting scream of pain, but couldn't drink it in as he saw another Yiga advancing on Zelda. He ignored another enemy making a move for him as he flew towards the Hylian princess, knocking the soldier back with his feet and landing deftly after. Another Yiga prepared to fire an arrow at the two, but Revali was able to shoot one at her head first while barely looking in her direction. Her now-lifeless body collapsed.
Being preoccupied, unfortunately, left the Rito open to a Yiga teleporting above him and knocking him down to the ground. The impact knocked the bow out of Revali's wings, and he collapsed down with a grunt. As the Yiga then went up to finish him off point-blank, he thought quickly and swept his feet out to trip the soldier down, rolling to avoid the arrow that was subsequently released right at his chest.
But unfortunately, the rest of the ambush had since collected themselves and now surrounded the duo. Jacklyn tried to charge at them and kick out with her hooves, but a soldier slashed her in the flank. The injured horse whinnied horribly and slid down into the sand, thankfully on her unwounded side.
"JACKLYN!!" Zelda screamed.
Revali got back up onto his feet. He couldn't break his way through the surrounding enemies, and trying to fly up above them would make him an easy target to shoot down with their arrows. His options were looking slim, but he kept himself ready to spring back into action, as the Yiga slowly closed in on him and Zelda.
That was when the lightning struck.
Out of nowhere, a miniature storm seemed to form around the ambush, bright flashes of lightning crashing down on the fight. Only two Footsoldiers were struck down, killed instantly, but it was more than enough to scatter the rest of them. They looked around, wondering what in the world just happened.
And then they saw a tall, bulky Gerudo woman standing proudly and confidently, a devious smile on her face. She had a hand raised, her fingers looking to have just finished snapping. In her other hand was a large, powerful scimitar, and on her back was a gorgeous, elaborately decorated shield.
Urbosa! Zelda's mind shouted with joy.
"Seems I wasn't invited to the party," Urbosa quipped, her voice smooth and level. She strode casually forward, and the Yiga respectively slowly backed away from the approaching Champion.
One of the others ran towards the tall woman, but she simply raised her weapon and slashed it through the attacker's torso, sending him to the ground lifeless. She herself then sprinted gracefully towards another, using her shield to block his arrows until she was close enough to smash his head with it, sending him flying. Revali was pleased to retrieve his sacred bow and fire an arrow perfectly to hit the airborne Yiga, finishing him off.
The remaining two turned to the Gerudo chief and warily raised their weapons. But Urbosa, in a sequence not dissimilar in appearance to a seasoned dancer, then proceeded to parry and strike the duo with ease, a combination of her scimitar and shield dealing swift, deadly blows to them both before they could even counter. Within seconds, they joined their fallen members on the hot sand, never to breathe again.
Leaving only Zelda and Revali standing in awe of their rescuer, whose figure stood triumphant amidst the airborne dusts of sand. Revali had never seen her in action before, but his moment alone showed why she had been chosen as a Champion.
"Urbosa!" Zelda shouted. She ran forward and embraced the Gerudo in a tight hug, which she was quick to reciprocate.
Through a light chuckle, Urbosa commented, "Always in danger when you come to my side of Hyrule, aren't you?"
Zelda internally rolled her eyes, but did make note that maybe she'd need some extra training when venturing to this dangerous desert in the future.
When the two separated, Urbosa then looked over Zelda's shoulder to address the Rito accompanying her. "Revali. Always a pleasure to see you as well."
Not sure whether she was being sarcastic or not, Revali just nodded pointedly. "The pleasure is mutual, my Lady."
With a light smile, Urbosa turned back to Zelda. "As glad as I am to have you here, my little bird, I'm curious what the occasion is. And where that dear bodyguard of yours is," she asked, knowingly winking at the princess.
Revali scoffed lightly enough to not be heard, and while Zelda would usually be rendered a tad flustered at the suggestive wink, her expression became instantly somber as she recalled what brought them here to begin with.
Even more, she thought back to what that one Yiga said: "We have others who would love for you to join them."
She took out the little stone she'd found at the Woodland Stable. It, her logic, and that deep-seeded feeling inside of her that she couldn't quite place had led her here. As she connected this final piece of the puzzle, that feeling came back to her, confirming that she now had the answer to the biggest question that had haunted her all day.
The Yiga Clan had Link and Mipha.
Lifting her head back to face Urbosa, she shakily said, "We have a serious problem."
The Legend of Zelda franchise, the image used, and all characters and settings portrayed (except named Yiga members), all belong to Nintendo.
Originally uploaded on March 30, 2020.
It was admittedly a bit difficult to get my brain back into a writing mindset, having written this after a bit of time off, which may or may not show in the work. It was also harder to write the rest of the story because of how the rest of my semester had me working from my home. Which you'd think would be a positive, but when I have to stare at this computer screen for so much longer for lectures, notes, and projects, and then on top of that spend hours writing stories on it ... it's a bit maddening at points, to be honest.
It's getting closer! Our band of Champions is slowly but surely assembling with our princess, and now they can begin planning their attempted rescue! What's more, I decided to give some time to the relationship between Zelda and Revali, which I feel would have several progressing layers to it. Add in another little fight scene to show Urbosa's power and some extra character building, and I'm overall happy with this for my first full chapter in weeks at the time.
Anyway, in the next part, we see both perspectives, and the big climax draws even closer.
Thank you for all your support, feedback, and just reading this story.
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