Link ducked an upward swing before using his low ground to slash at a Footsoldier's gut, knocking him back. At the same time, Mipha swept her trident at another Yiga's feet to trip him, and followed up by piercing him through the side as he fell. She had to leave him for another soldier teleporting in a cloud of smoke and papers, which she evaded through a roll that she ended with a charge and a fatal strike to the enemy's chest.

Link, meanwhile, also managed to take out one foe when she teleported above him; he'd planned accordingly and forced the Yiga to fall right onto his sword. He threw the body off the blade and onto another Footsoldier, before charging at him. In the ensuing tangle, the Footsoldier's sickle ended up caught in the band keeping Link's hair tied back. With a sharp pull, the tie came undone, bringing the hair cascading freely down to his neck.

Mipha had two Yiga ready to charge at her. She lowered her stance and prepared herself. When the first soldier reached her, she leapt up and sprang her feet off of his shoulders, sending him flying back just as she'd done with Link in their sparring session. But it also allowed her to strike and finish off the other charging soldier in midair.

However, she then found herself confronting one of the Blademasters in the group. Certainly more imposing, his reach forced her to dodge an attack from over a foot away, yet still ended up sliding back from the gust of his Windcleaver.

You're no Lynel, however, Mipha thought, recalling her grueling experience days prior.

When she was further away, the Blademaster's fist glowed pink, he brought it to the floor, and a fissure emerged that sent an updraft straight for the Zora. She was about to roll away, but then Link, sidestepping his previous opponent's attack, jumped in with a makeshift shield at his feet and a bow and arrow he swiped off a fallen Yiga. When the shield hit the updraft, it sent him a few feet in the air, where he shot an arrow dead in the center of the Blademaster's head. While the Yiga was stunned, Mipha took the opportunity to toss her trident at his neck, bringing forth the final blow from their combined efforts.

Once Mipha grabbed her weapon again, she found her back against Link's once more, and the two stood surrounded as the remaining six Yiga engaged with them in a tense standoff, each waiting for the other's next move. One of the Yiga took that honor by firing an arrow, which Link blocked with his shield - which was essentially just a large piece of rectangular wood.

Link still had his bow but was short an arrow. Thinking creatively, he reached down to pick up a large shard of the glass from the shattered ceiling, placed it in the bow, and fired it at an unfortunate Yiga. The shout of pain was sharp, and Link was quick to grab another shard and do the same to the Blademaster. This created the opening he needed, and he ran towards the first Yiga he'd hit and slashed through his back. Another horizontal slash finished the job, just as he blocked the Blademaster's blow with his wooden shield, facing off against him one-on-one.

This left Mipha a chance with her own group. They all created their symbols and disappeared, and she had to move continuously to avoid being in their paths when they returned. She took one out just as it re-emerged, but this left her in the middle of a circle of three furious Footsoldiers.

After a tense back-and-forth, Link had performed enough counterstrikes to weaken his Blademaster, culminating with a perfect block that stunned the Yiga for a finishing strike.

But he then turned to see the Zora surrounded. "Mipha!" he cried.

She, however, appeared not too worried. Instead, she took a deep breath, concentrated, and wound herself up. Then, she spun herself around in a powerful fashion, her trident moving alongside her as it plowed through all three Footsoldiers. Two of them were offed by the move, while the third was flown into Link, who timed a swing to finish the job, killing the Yiga before it hit the ground.

Link recognized what Mipha had done; it was his own Spin Attack, the very same one that he'd demonstrated for her upon request. As she finished with a huff and looked over at the Hylian, he could help but beam with pride and awe. The Zora rubbed the back of her neck with her hand at the praising look.

Both Champions then dropped their weapons, hearing them clang on the floor, as they sprinted over to each other and embraced as tightly as possible. Mipha felt her legs leave the ground as Link lifted her up, and both of them buried their faces in the other's necks, staining them with tears of relief. After everything they had been through, finally having this long-awaited reunion, free together, on top of having made clear how they truly feel for each other, reduced them to heaving messes.

Link tightened his loving hold on her. "Th-they told me you were dead."

Mipha ran her fingers through Link's loosened hair as she whimpered, "I had a promise to keep."

Link let out a brief huff of tearful laughter. "Me too."

The Hylian spun his love around gleefully. He wished he never had to let go of her, wanting this beautiful moment to last the remainder of his life. With the grace of Hylia, however, in some ways it might. Truly understanding just how precious this girl was to him, Link wasn't about to let his own doubts and what-ifs hold him back from her any longer.

He was hers, and she his. That's all there was to it.

But then the most agonized, horrible scream either of them had ever heard shocked the duo out of their hug.

They separated swiftly, and turned to see a dreadfully familiar Yiga now in their presence.

Jora was standing over the body of her now-dead adoptive father, hands over her mask as her body shook and legs ultimately collapsed to the floor. Another wail of distress followed, one so achingly emotional that neither Link nor Mipha could believe it was coming from a Yiga. Nonetheless, they also knew that this would yield another nasty encounter, and so they both reached back for their weapons and readied themselves.

Jora did soon look up, ever slowly, her body still trembling with grief, despair, and unfiltered rage.

"You …" she hissed. "You MURDERERS!!" she screeched. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

It mattered not that the deed was Urbosa's doing. Jora didn't know, and frankly, she likely wouldn't care. Her father was dead; now hell must be paid.

"You call us murderers?" Mipha scolded. "Ha!"

"SILENCE!!" Jora screamed. She reached behind her back and haphazardly withdrew dual sickles. She pointed one at Link and shouted at him. "You … I tried to vouch for you! I saw hope in you, a chance at something greater! W-we tried to give you everything. And now … n-now, you've taken everything!"

"Jora … I-" Link tried to say.

"But I was wrong! You're just like all the rest! Filthy, despicable Hylian SCUM!!"

The screaming Yiga then dashed toward him, swinging in a manner too rapid to counter. Link swung out to fight back, but she either dodged him or completely ignored any hit she received. Mipha jumped in and made to hit her, but the Yiga blocked her by hooking a sickle around the trident. Link went for her next, but she used her other sickle to do the same with his sword. The trio wrestled in their locked position, until Jora kicked Mipha square in the stomach and sent her on her back.

Link let out a grunt of anger and yanked the Yiga towards him, before slashing her across the face. This created a tear in Jora's mask, and as she recovered from the hit, she raised her head to expose a single yellow eye to the Hylian.

Link saw pure darkness in the iris. Something that once held an innocence to the world, but had morphed over years into a blind anger, resentment, and twisted sense of right and wrong.

Jora seemed aware of the newfound vulnerability this exposure provided, but only lingered for a few seconds before she and Link re-engaged in combat.

Mipha had recovered and joined back in the fight. The two Champions worked in sync to keep the Yiga from gaining any ground, but also were struggling to wear her down as well. She was fueled by emotional adrenaline, fatigue appearing foreign to her in the heat of the fight.

However, that changed when Link managed to knock her against the frame he'd been tied to, slamming her into it brutally. In her momentary daze, Link ran, leapt up, and delivered a powerful stab into her heart.

Mipha winced and recoiled at the deafening scream the Yiga let out. She dropped her sickles and collapsed down the frame and to the floor, a sheer mess of blood and sprawled limbs.

Link sheathed his sword, observing one of the key people responsible for his recent suffering quickly fading away. She looked up at him, her exposed eye not letting up on its hatred for him. But it now also revealed a subtle tinge of regret, as she glared at the man she had tried and failed to make an ally, friend, and true savior.

Link kept his composure, not willing to yell at her or stoop to her level despite what she'd put him and, even worse, Mipha through. Instead, he opted to speak softly spoke to the dying female.

"It didn't have to come to this."

Jora's eye widened slightly, but he continued. "Hyrule is imperfect. But," he turned to Mipha as he finished his sentence, "There's always something worth fighting for."

Jora huffed, coughing on her own blood as her body came down to its last few breaths. "Maybe now. But you'll see, Link," she rasped. "The happiness you think you'll have … it won't last … nothing good ever does …"

That was it. Her head lowered to the floor, her eye went blank, and her breathing came to a halt.

Alongside the Yiga's king, its princess was also no more.

Link and Mipha looked at each other somberly. They both saw something in Jora that made her more than just a mindless slave to her father. A fire, a drive to bring justice. But what she saw as justice made her too far gone to save, and thus she was given the grisly fate that she deserved.

But it didn't matter anymore. She was gone, Ohram was gone, and most importantly, they were saved.

Well, almost, Link thought.

They still needed to get out of here.It was a glorious sight to behold Link and Mipha emerge from the Yiga Hideout, alive and well - or as well as Link could be given the circumstances.

Revali and the Gerudos on the outskirts were holding their own against the Yiga, but time had been taking its toll on them as they waited for their forces on the inside to return successful. All were grateful when that moment did come, although behind the two was a horde of Yiga soldiers too numerous for even them to take down. These villains were determined to keep their treasured Hylian, and as soon as those on the outside saw him, they too diverted their focus to him.

It was for this reason that the army didn't wish to stick around any longer. They had their hero rescued and out; their first priority now had to be getting him away from here and back to the safety of their town.

"Spread the word!" Urbosa called out to all soldiers around her. "We have Link, we need to go. Everyone get to their sand seals!"

All obliged, proceeding with the established protocol to make a break for it and making sure no ally was left behind. The Yiga caught wind of this and rushed further to desperately contain their enemies, but it was clearly becoming a losing battle for them.

Link had fought well inside, partially thanks to Mipha's healing, but she couldn't heal sheer exhaustion. He was slowly falling behind in the army's mass escape. However, to his surprise, he found Revali descending down beside him, and bringing himself low to the ground.

"Need a lift, hero?" he asked.

Link was taken aback by the generosity from Revali of all beings, and perhaps even more so by the lack of bitterness or contempt he was used to with the Rito. Rather, the remark seemed made out of a genuine want to aid him.

Nonetheless, he didn't hesitate to hop onto his back. With extra required effort due to the added weight, Revali was able to take off with the Hylian on board, and joined the rest of the army through the canyon and away from this evil domicile.

It was a while into their journey back before everyone felt that they were truly in the clear. They looked behind them and saw no signs of any Yiga in the empty, cool desert. At that point, it was only a matter of waiting for their sanctuary to finally emerge into view, which would signal that their long, challenging mission had not only been a success, but was at its end.

Urbosa made a mental note to honor those who fought so bravely, and especially those whose lives were lost in the process.

From the top of the town, Zelda gasped as she saw them returning, and rushed down to the front entrance. They were quick to arrive, each Champion and Gerudo barreling in. Urbosa ordered Link to be taken to receive treatment at once, and he was aided by Zelda in getting there.

Once he could verify firmly that he was, at long last, safe and among friends and allies, Link allowed himself to fade away into a much-needed sleep. This one not plagued by nightmares or battles against darkness, but blessed with peaceful silence.

Mipha sat by his bedside for over an hour as he slept. She reached to gently place his hand in hers, brushing his knuckles with her thumb and being sure to heal even the tiniest little scrape she saw that she'd missed on previous checks.

The Zora didn't want to admit how tired she was herself, but it couldn't be denied as her yawns became more numerous. Yet at the same time, she really didn't want to leave the sleeping Hylian's side, not after an ordeal that had made her so heavily fear that he would perish.

It was then that she had an idea that would settle both problems at once. One that she'd envisioned doing whenever she went to bed at night, but now was about to experience in reality. Carefully so as not to disturb his rest, the Zora cautiously crawled herself onto the bed next to him. She arranged herself slowly, trying not to lose her nerve.

He feels the same way you do … right? she told herself. He hadn't declared his love for her as she did, but he'd initiated that kiss … that amazing kiss. He surely felt something.

She soon managed to get herself into a comfortable position, her small form nicely fitting into the space not occupied by Link. Feeling both the rush and soothing from being right against him, Mipha took a further step and slid an arm under his torso, and brought her other arm over it. She enclosed them around him, and proceeded to snuggle up to her love like a long, firm pillow, trembling happily as she felt his chest rising up and down with each breath.

It was even better than she'd imagined it.

And when she rested her head on Link's broad shoulder, she felt herself hum softly in contentment, and it was mere minutes before the Zora found herself drifting off as well.The process of waking up was easily the most pleasant it had felt for Link since his capture, and perhaps further back than that. It didn't feel weary or dread-filled, but rather serene. He didn't wish to go back to the land of dreams, but rather embrace his return with the knowledge that he wouldn't be tormented by painful bonds, fear for his friends, or psychotic captors.

But it couldn't compare to what he felt, and then saw, pressed up securely against his side.

The dear Zora girl of his dreams had apparently decided to curl up with him for her own slumber, her face buried into his shoulder, arms wrapped around his frame, and legs intertwined with his. From what little he could see of her face, her bright red lips had been lifted into a peaceful smile. He only then noticed that he had his own arm draped over the slender female, which seemed to have added to her comfort.

Was he actually awake? Because this certainly seemed like a dream.

But he remembered last night. Amidst the horror and violence, beautiful revelations had occurred between them that made such a thing suddenly plausible.

After taking a few minutes to enjoy himself in this newfound position, Link planted a kiss onto the Zora's head, before trying to get out of the bed without waking her. He gently raised her arm off of him and brought it to her side, then put her head on the pillow. He then carefully freed his legs, rolled to the edge of the bed, and steadily rose to his feet.

His hair was still undone in the back, and he made a note to find a tie for it later. For now, he simply walked up to the balcony of their bedroom. The town wasn't visible at this position, but rather he was greeted with a view of the desert. The sun's height told him that it was mid-morning as it coated the sands in a bright yellow hue. The town's aqueduct ran directly below his feet, adding the pleasing sound of running water to the morning visuals.

He soon could hear the rustling of sheets behind him, however, and surely enough Mipha ended up standing next to him.

"Did I wake you?" Link asked.

Mipha shook her head. She was telling the truth; shortly after Link left her side, she felt herself stirring as well.

Link then smiled at her, more brightly than she'd ever seen since he was a child. It flustered her enough to look down for a moment, but she then shot her gaze back up and curled her lips similarly. The Hylian saw her eyes light up, those perfect brown eyes. To think that he could very well now stare into them without any reservations.

"How are you feeling?" Mipha asked.

"Better than I can remember," Link replied deeply, still beaming.

Mipha brought her arms around him, and he did the same to her.

"What I saw of you in that hideout, Link … I-I can't even describe it."

Link sighed. He'd been informed that in addition to that torturous cave in his mind, his physical form had been changing to match the doppelganger he'd been facing. And apparently his transformation had been almost complete when his rescuers arrived. He couldn't bring himself to think about if they had been too late. He'd be as deranged as those Yiga, attacking anyone opposing them. And with Mipha in the same room …

"What did they do to you in there?" Mipha asked. "How could they-"

"Please," Link whispered, unraveling himself to place his hands on her shoulders comfortingly. "I don't want to think about it any longer."

Mipha nodded, but still felt building tears starting to drip down. Link brushed them aside lovingly, but still a bit nervously. The two had little to no experience in the ways of love and romance, meaning there were going to be some hurdles to jump before they became truly used to interacting so intimately. Nonetheless, Mipha's smile returned wider than ever at the gesture.

"I love you," Link uttered.

The lightest of gasps escaped Mipha's lips. She could surmise as much from how he now interacted with her, but to hear the words actually come from him, to have it confirmed, was another thing for her entirely.

They both were in love with one another, and both wanted to be together.

"Really?" Mipha asked, not wanting to be hearing things.

Link didn't confirm it verbally, but rather pressed his lips to hers again, palms cradling her face. Mipha stood on her tiptoes to press herself further into him, running her fingers through his flowing golden locks, while Link's hands slowly made their way down her face and onto her smooth, scaly arms. He didn't think about where they went; it was simply what felt natural. The two angled their heads to further deepen the kiss, lips locked in a passion that had brewed for longer than perhaps either of them realized. They were silhouetted against the sun, as if it were shining a new, radiant light onto their lives.

Their kiss went on for roughly a minute, before the two finally pulled themselves apart, but not releasing their holds on each other.

"When we get back home," Link asked, about to mirror the proposal she'd made to him, "Perhaps we could spend some time together?"

Mipha knowingly, happily replied, "I'd like that."A few minutes prior, Princess Zelda was in the midst of a conversation with Urbosa, reflecting on the events of late.

"This was possible because of you, Princess," Urbosa told Zelda. "You pieced together everything that happened, and what's more, you had the will to act on it."

Zelda's head went between her shoulders as she awkwardly took in the praise. After so much failure and feeling like she was useless, this experience made her feel greatly accomplished. What was more, she did it not by following the rule set out for her, but by defying them. Her father may be upset at her initially, but when he heard of everything that transpired and what was salvaged because of her, she had faith that he would see reason. Perhaps he'd even change his mind in his decision to forbid her from studying their robotic Guardians? Her prospects were looking up.

But she still had unfinished business. Zelda remembered what she told herself she would do once Link was free and safe. And seeing how worn and beaten he'd been, watching as he lay sleeping before turning in herself, she now knew she had to commit herself to that. She would tell him everything; what she truly felt for would finally be known, and if things continued to go the way they'd recently gone for her, she hoped that those feelings would be reciprocated. If so, then there was a chance that she would walk away from this with everything she had been longing for.

She could hardly hide the butterflies in her stomach. And clearly Urbosa caught on to them as well.

"If you want him," she said with a wink, "Go get him."

That was all she needed. Zelda got up without a word and made her way to Link's current room. He could very well not be awake, even if it was well past breakfast - Hylia forbid the gluttonous hero miss a meal - in which case she was willing to wait.

But when she reached the room, she saw an empty bed. Smiling in anticipation, she slowly walked inside, wanting to be mindful of his privacy.

And then she glanced towards the balcony.

The object of her affections was there, but he was not alone. Princess Mipha was with him, and they were exchanging words that Zelda couldn't quite make out.

But that wasn't what made her heart drop to her feet. That occurred when she then saw the two lean in for a clearly passionate kiss.

Zelda couldn't tell for sure if what she was seeing was real. It felt like some sick joke. But as she ducked back behind the wall to avoid being spotted, she couldn't hide behind that delusional notion.

She knew that Link had a history with the Zora and the two were good friends, but … never could she have predicted this! How long had this been happening? Had they been keeping this secret? When did they intend to tell anyone? Did they tell anyone?

As she slowly walked away, the princess felt like she had just been stabbed. She wished she could blame this sense of betrayal on Link, but he surely wasn't aware of her feelings, and she'd learned the foolishness of pinning her frustrations onto him. Mipha was no more complicit, for the same reasons. Plus, few beings were as unwilling to step on people's desires than her.

There was nothing and no one to lay the fault on.

Except herself.

She clearly hadn't been enough for him. As always, she was never good enough.

She didn't even notice herself walking past Urbosa, nor did she register when she was called to.

"Zelda?" Urbosa asked, concerned by the body language of the Hylian. That concern was made worse when Zelda didn't acknowledge her. The chief got up and followed her, wondering what went wrong.

But even she wouldn't be sure how to deal with this.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 May 15, 2020.And so we have the demise of Jora, who I consider the most interesting villain I've created so far. It was great to finally have someone who wasn't just a sadistic kidnapper who torments their captive just for the sake of it ... although trust me, I love those kidnappers as much as almost anyone.

Not too much to say about the final escape, other than it was nice having Revali be the one to carry Link back after talking so poorly of him. It's when the running is over that I really enjoyed, specifically the cementing of Link and Mipha's love, giving them some playfully romantic interaction for the first true time ... and then Zelda. Everyone reading this likely knew this was coming, but I still can't help but feel for anyone in her position, especially as someone who has kind there myself (to a much lesser degree). Pining for someone so deeply, only to have them end up with someone else. It can bring out some insecurities, and the frustration that you can't say someone stole anything from you. It's just a sucky situation.