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Art by prim_a_vera_2 on Twitter

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Link and I traveled down the snowy mountainside, discussing our journeys as we made our way to Rito Village. "So (y/n).... how did you heal so quickly?" He asked curiously. I stepped over a drift of snow before answering. "I found help. There was a healer nearby. Apparently, my wounds weren't so bad." I was only half lying. I didn't want to make Link feel any guiltier than he needed to, so I didn't mention the scar on my side. 'It's better if he finds out later...' I thought as the snow beneath us finally melted away, revealing the soft, green grass below. I'd also neglected to mention the many brushes with death I'd encountered on my trip.

He cocked an eyebrow. "That's it huh...?" His query was met with silence. He took the hint and continued. "Anything strange happen along the way?" My eyes widened as I remembered my journey. I saw myself scaling the vast mountainsides of Zora's domain, clinging to the back of a stone beast, encountering the Great Fairy, and running for dear life from the Guardians, next to the Yiga boy. "Nope!" I exclaimed.

He seemed a bit baffled by my secrecy. "Nothing I should worry about?" I sighed. "Well, there happens to be a clan of highly trained assassins hunting you down. That's about it." He stopped in his tracks, his mouth gaping. I took a few steps and turned. "Come on. We've got a Divine Beast to reclaim." He gulped and hurried after me. I smiled gently at his nervous behavior. "What about you, kid?" I asked teasingly, using the nickname I'd given him when we'd first met. He didn't seem to mind.

"W-Well... I've gained a bit of power from Vah Ruta, but not much else." He said, staring off into the distance. He grabbed my arm and led me to a series of winding bridges. We stepped onto the swinging structures and stared over the edge. Rito Village was surrounded on all sides by a cavernous ravine. Spiraling land masses rose from within gorge, providing some sort of landings for the many bridges. Tiny windmills lined the walls of the chasm and spun whenever a current of air passed by. I stared down unhappily. I hadn't expected this place to be so high up. I searched for any sign of the ground and gasped as a lost memory flooded my mind.

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I was seated at the edge of Rito Village, dangling my feet off the side of the landmass. Link had fallen asleep next to me, his head cushioned by my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair lovingly, making sure to brush every blonde strand from his eyes. I yawned and stretched a bit, readjusting the feathery accessory that I'd placed in my (h/c) hair. I heard the familiar sound of flapping wings as Revali, the Rito Champion, drifted down to my side.

"Ah, still mothering the Hylian 'hero' I see?" He began in a condescending tone. "I don't know what I expected. You were assigned to be his babysitter after all." He chuckled lowly and moved his wings behind his back, circling me and Link with a sort of mocking disapproval. "You know, you'd be much more useful at my side than his. I just cannot fathom why we waste our time on that child..." He shook his head and reached out as though to touch Link. I pushed him away. "He's stronger than you know." I spoke, returning my hand to his hair. "He must be."

Revali sighed irritably, seemingly frustrated with my response. "Are you sure about that (y/n)? I mean honestly... they chose to have you fight for him rather than me." He turned and began pacing, speaking more to himself than me. "I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito... and the greatest flyer. What could he possibly have that I do not?" He mused. "Modesty, for one thing."

His eyes widened as he stared at me over his shoulder. "You..." He scoffed and walked forward, stealing the feathered pin that I'd put in my hair. I reached out to take it from the Rito. He held it just out of my reach as he taunted me. "You're not so special either. You couldn't get this back from me if you tried." He jeered, tossing the pin up and catching it. Revali stepped back and launched himself into the air using a technique he'd created. I narrowed my eyes and pushed Link from my lap, seizing my glider from nearby. Revali was already flying away casually as I jumped from the edge of the cliff.

I used the gale left behind by the Rito to propel myself into the air. I landed atop a pillar of stone and ran along the edge of it. I caught sight of Revali and leapt forward, gliding just above him. I closed my glider and fell downwards. Revali turned just quickly enough to see me collide with him.

He screamed and tried to regain his flight. I wrapped one arm around his neck and reached out for my pin with the other. Eventually, I was repositioned so that he could carry me on his back without falling from the sky. His breathing was shallow and quick. "What the hell is wrong with you, you psychopath?" I smiled brightly and reattached my pin. "Nothing. Put me down." He glared at me. "Are you serious? You nearly gave me a heart attack. I laughed. "Whatever." I looked down at Link and waved, only angering the Rito further. "Put me down now." Revali sighed. "No."

"What're yo-" Revali stopped flying and allowed us to fall several feet, before sharply turning and flying straight up in a cyclone of wind. I screamed and held on tightly as he performed trick after trick. He finally stopped and his flight pattern mellowed out. "What did you think? Pretty impressive if I do say so myself." I closed my eyes and leaned away. "I'm gonna be sick..." He groaned and flew back towards Rito Village. "Disgusting..."

He set me down at the edge of the village. I sat down and caught my breath. He watched, clearly annoyed. "Are you sure you're fit to protect the 'hero'? That idiot is going to need a lot of help if he ever hopes to defeat Calamity Ganon." I nodded without hesitation. "I believe in him. He's proven himself worthy of my protection. I will fight by his side, or wherever he may need me." I responded. "Promise me you'll do the same." He shook his head. "I'll do what I can. Not because of you, of course!" He added quickly. "I am here for my people. And by Hylia, don't look so pleased with yourself." I smiled as he agreed, once again, to save Hyrule. "Glad to have you on the team." He rolled his eyes and took off. "Naturally. You're going to need all the help you can get."

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My mind cleared as I returned to reality. I took a shaky step and distanced myself from the edge of the bridge. Link had already reached the first landing. He looked back at me curiously. "You alright?" Link called out. I nodded and hurried to his side. He placed a hand on my back comfortingly. "We're almost there." I sent him a reassuring smile. "Alright."

"What did you see?" He asked as we traversed the series of bridges. I stopped next to a small pond littered with bits of grass. "Revali. Apparently he's the Rito champion... He didn't like you very much." Link raised an eyebrow, but didn't push me any further. "I bet you'll remember him sometime soon. Any time now your memory might be triggered." He shrugged and kept walking, scaring a few deer as he left. They scampered away quickly as we crossed the final bridge, arriving at Rito Village.

As soon as we set foot on the main landmass, the ground began to shake. We stared up as the Rito's Divine Beast cried out. It was soaring just above the Village. 'It must make flying quite the challenge...' I thought to myself as we admired the machine. Link gulped and pointed upwards. "I don't know how we're going to make it up there..."

"I guess we'll find out. C'mon." I walked ahead of him as we entered the village.

The village was quite beautiful. It was entirely composed of wood decorated with bright paints. It wasn't as grand or impressive as Zora's Domain, but it had a homey feel that I couldn't help but enjoy. Soft grass and tiny flower buds grew around the base of the village and brightened it considerably. I sent Link a smile. "Adorable."

A Rito guard paced around the entrance of the village. He stopped us as we approached. "Woah, what're you two Hylians doing here?" Link glanced up and pointed to the Divine Beast. "Vah Medoh? Ah, yes. It's been causing a lot of trouble for us as of late." He sighed, shifting his weight. "The little ones can't even learn to fly with the Divine Beast in the state it's in. But what would you two do about it?" I cleared my throat. "We'd like to speak to your leader. We believe we can help you reclaim Vah Medoh." He laughed as though I was joking. "O-Oh. You're serious. I really don't think there's anything you two can d-" Link cut him off. "Please. Let us at least speak to him?" The guard eyed each of us in turn carefully. "I suppose it won't hurt to speak to him. Very well." He stepped aside and waved a wing, allowing us to pass. I thanked him and started up the winding wooden staircases that lined Rito Village.

We passed many other Rito, receiving strange looks along the way. We must've looked rather out of place, seeing as we were covered in weapons and jogging through their town. I looked back at Link so make sure he was still following me. His cheeks were a bright red and I could hear his teeth chattering. I frowned and grabbed his hand, glancing around for something to help him out. Luckily, there was a clothing shop a few steps ahead. I went inside and spoke to the Rito at the counter.

There was warm clothing on sale inside. Each piece seemed to be made by hand with soft Rito feathers. I asked for the price. "The entire set? That'll cost you about 2,150 rupees." I checked my wallet and sighed. I was about 500 rupees short. "Link, think you could pitch in?" He nodded and offered me the money. We took the clothes graciously and set off as soon as Link was changed.

We found the Elder asleep in the highest point of the village. Link stepped forward and tapped him gently, unsure of how he would respond. He yawned and opened his eyes slowly. "Huh? Hylians? Forgive me, I seem to have forgotten my manners." He narrowed his eyes and stared down at Link. "Is that a Sheikah Slate?" Link nodded, much to the Elder's delight. "Aha! So you must be a descendant of the Champions!" He turned and offered me what I could only assume was a smile. "And what about this young lady? Does she have the blood of the Champions as well?" I wasn't sure how to answer. Should I reveal our identities, or just go along with what he says? I decided to simply nod.

He chuckled, happy with my response. "I'm quite lucky to have met not one, but TWO descendants of the Champions! Now that I know that their blood runs through you, I must ask a favor. You see, the Divine Beast Vah Medoh has been wreaking havoc on our people. Only those with the blood of a Champion can board the beast and restore it once more." He sighed and shook his head. "I tried explaining this to the Rito warriors Teba and Harth, but they wouldn't listen. They went ahead and confronted Vah Medoh, but to no avail. They narrowly avoided serious injury." Link and I frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that..."

He waved my comment away. "It's no fault of yours. They were unharmed, but Harth seemed to have a change of heart after returning home and confronting his daughter, Molli. She was quite terrified for him. He finally agreed to abstain from the fight until we found a real solution. Despite this, I fear Teba may try to finish what he started. I can't imagine how that may go, seeing as he'll be alone." His eyes focused on us once more. "If you wish to help us, you must first find Teba." I tilted my head. "Do you know where we may find him?"

"No, I'm afraid not. But, his wife Saki lives nearby. Perhaps she'll know of his whereabouts." We thanked him and hurried across the wooden threshold to great Saki, a young, pinkish Rito who was staring out her window longingly. She gasped when she saw us enter and greeted us forlornly. "Sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the Elder. I appreciate you trying to aid my husband. I'm sorry to say that I can't do much to help you, but I can tell you where he went." I smiled. "That would help us plenty."

"Well, he went to a place known as the Flight Range. The area is often used as a training ground for Rito warriors." She leaned on her windowsill and pointed outward. "It should be just there, in Dronoc's pass at the base of the Herba mountains. If you take off from Revali's landing, you should be able to glide straight down there." Link joined us at the windowsill and narrowed his eyes, staring down at the landing critically. He gasped suddenly and stepped back, reverting to a state of semi-consciousness that I was all too familiar with.

Saki seemed rather alarmed as Link's blue eyes glazed over. I placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, it'll pass." She glanced at me, evidently confused as Link awoke from his memories. He panted, trying to slow his heartbeat. "You alright?" Link nodded and took my hand. "Let's get going." I waved goodbye to Saki and followed him down to the landing.

"So, you remembered him?" I asked as we stared down from the landing. "Yeah."

"And?"

"What an asshole."

"I know, right?"

I pat Link on the back with a smile. "You two did not get along. No matter though, we've got work to do." I took a few steps back to allow myself a running start, then leapt from the edge. Link followed close behind me as we drifted down into the snowy Herba mountainside.

Eventually we reached a small, wooden structure built into the side of the mountain. The air surrounding it was propelled upwards in a constant current. We used this to our advantage as we touched down on the landing just outside the place. A white Rito sat outside, pulling at the string of a bow, seeming rather upset. He glanced up at us threateningly. "What're you kids doing here?" I was at a loss for words. I felt Link edge behind me a bit and lace his fingers through mine. Teba noticed and rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't know you guys and I'm pretty busy. How about you run along?"

I shook my head and took a step forward. "We're here to help you." He scoffed. "You? Help me? With what?" Teba placed his bow down to listen to me. "Vah Medoh." Link cut in. Teba gave a low, humorless laugh. "So, two absolute strangers felt the need to appear and try to bring down Vah Medoh? Funny. What're your names, kids?" I clicked my tongue, unhappy to be called a kid. Typically, that nickname was reserved for Link.

"My name is Link. And this is (Y/n)." Link said, placing a hand on my waist. I gave him a harsh look and he stepped away. Teba narrowed his eyes. Truly, our childish behavior was not improving our image. "Well, I'm Teba. I'm sure the Elder already told you that. He sent you here, did he not?" I nodded. "Yes, though it doesn't matter. We came to your village to help, and we won't leave until Vah Medoh is on our side once more."

"And what makes you think you two are suited for the job?" Link shrugged. "Well, we did just reclaim Vah Ruta." I stepped on his foot. "Your sass isn't helping!" I hissed quietly. Link balanced himself on one foot as he held the other. "Ow!" Teba looked at us as though he'd completely resigned. "Yeah, I doubt it." He stood up and grabbed his bow, readying himself to leave. "Wait!" I cried. "Isn't there something we can do to prove ourselves?" He watched us for a moment out of the corner of his eye and sighed heavily. "You're serious?" Link and I nodded. "Well then, that's unfortunate. Only the champions of old can enter Vah Medoh, so there's no way we'll be reclaiming it now." Link smirked. "That's where you're wrong."

"You two truly believe yourself to be champions? You've got to be kidding... Whatever. If you truly want to prove yourselves, then I have a challenge in mind. You see, Vah Medoh could easily shoot us from the sky if we approach recklessly. I need to test your aerial skills before I let you help me. If you can each shoot down five targets whilst in the air, then I'll take you along." We agreed and each seized a bow, readying ourselves at the edge of the landing. Teba stood behind us and signaled for us to begin.

I jumped first, flying past Link and taking out my first target easily. He scoffed and leapt forward, stealing my second one away from me. "Hey! I had that one!"

"Shame you're not as fast as I am."

"Is that why you've never had a woman?" I jeered. He glided for a moment, his eyes wide. "That was low." He yelled, pulling back the string of his bow. I released my own arrow with a sharp twang, shattering the target before he could. I flew by Teba. He seemed rather unimpressed by our attitudes. Link soared behind me. "Careful, love!" He yelled, shooting an arrow just above my head. "Love?" I scoffed, diving low for another target. He remained silent as he took another point down. The updraft carried me skyward once more and allowed me to take out my fourth target. I saw Link aiming for his final target and smirked, stealing it away with ease. He glared at me as he took out his parasail. I simply waved, a cheeky smile still plastered onto my face. Finally, Link secured his last target and landed next to me and Teba.

Teba held his wing to his head, as though he was struck with a major headache. "Alright, you've made your point. You're better at this than I'd expected... it's as though time slows down whenever you loose an arrow." I smiled brightly. "Don't be too proud of yourself. You were simply better than I'd expected. If you'd still like to help me bring down Vah Medoh, then you're going to need to restock your arrows. I can get you guys into position and draw Medoh's cannon fire... We're going to need Harth's help though. The rest is up to you." Link lifted a few arrows from the table inside and inspected them, handing a few to me as he went. Teba remained outside, waiting patiently for us to finish. "Thank you." I smiled gently as he helped me refill my quiver. "H-hey (Y/n)?" I glanced up. "Hmm?"