This can't be. Apollo was killed. He fell off the cliffs of Rito Village into the freezing river below. He couldn't have survived.

Zelda continued to hold onto Link's tunic desperately, trying to keep herself under control. If she made any noise, her and her friends would be discovered.

They captured Mipha to bring Apollo back... They used the help of Kohga to kidnap her and force her to bring Apollo back...!

Link held onto Zelda as they continued to listen.

"Brother!" Apollo's deep voice called. "I seem to be well enough to walk the halls of this fine castle, which will soon be ours."

"Mine," Phillip corrected with a growl. "You'll be head of the Royal Guard."

Link clenched his teeth, while Urbosa rolled her fingers into fists.

"Anyway," Apollo said, "why are we in the library? This seems rather boring."

"We're looking for something," Delian chimed in.

"For what?" Apollo asked.

"The King's private study."

Zelda's eyes widened.

"What for?" Apollo wondered aloud. His footsteps were coming closer to the study, and Zelda's heartbeat quickened.

"The King must have kept track of his daughter's progress in her power. She bears one of Hyrule's greatest treasures." Philip paused, as his footsteps could be heard walking back downstairs to greet Apollo. "You know the tale of the three Golden Goddesses, do you not?"

Apollo huffed. "Of course I do. Every kingdom knows of Hyrule's history."

Philip laughed. "Well, my friend, one of those treasures—a piece of the sacred Triforce—is right under our noses. My wife is the one who bears it."

Delian gasped. "Wait, I thought someone else—"

"I was wrong," Philip interrupted. "There's no way that fool could be apart of Hyrule's prophecy."

Zelda's heart hammered against her chest. The pounding in her ears became deafening. The voices of Apollo, Philip, and Delian, began to drown. She began breathing incredibly softly, still holding onto Link's tunic.

"She's so immature, so unworthy of such a legendary treasure," Philip declared. "She whines about love and protecting her kingdom. And she just turned eighteen! How childish."

"She grew up without a mother and has been taught to rule with grace ever since she was young," Delian seemed to counter. "You should take things easy on her."

"Easy?!" Philip growled. "Whose side are you on?" Philip sighed. "After I extract the Triforce from her, I will discard her. She will have no power, no reign, nothing. She and that boy she cares so much for can run away for all I care."

Zelda's heartbeat slowed. Her fear began to diminish. Anger rose up within her, from the soles of her feet, to the top of her head. Her hands released Link's tunic as she stood. She inhaled.

Link's eyes widened as she disappeared, right before his eyes.

~~~

Zelda felt her feet land on a damp surface. She began breathing heavily. "I just..." she began aloud. She shook her head, scanning the dungeon.

Her feet stepped into small puddles. She shivered. "Mipha," she whispered. "Mipha! Please, answer me!"

The castle dungeon was extensive. There were many cells, many twists and turns. Finding Mipha would pose as a challenge.

"Nothing I can't handle," Zelda mumbled to herself aloud.

"Please, no more! I'll heal anyone you ask, just, please, don't hurt my friends!"

Zelda listened to the soft cry. Mipha was close by.

"You've done your job well, Zora. Rot in this cell."

Footsteps echoed down a dark hallway. A figure disappeared to the staircase south of the dungeon. And to the left, after turning a corner, was a cell that reeked of blood.

"Zelda?"

Mipha's body was limp. She was kneeling on the stone floor, her fins scarred and red. Not her usual coral red, but a crimson color.

Zelda fell in front of her cell. "My goddesses, who did this to you?!"

Mipha limped to the cell bars, sticking her small webbed hand through the cracks. "I don't know. They forced me to heal some man that plunged deep beneath the cold Rito waters. They threatened to hurt me, and I did not care. I knew what they were doing was evil, so I let them." Mipha looked down at her body, which was covered with scars. "I let them hurt me. I would not comply."

"Until..." Zelda pressed onward, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mipha's head fell in her hands. "They threatened to kill Revali."

Zelda's eyes widened. "Revali? They kidnapped him?"

Mipha nodded, her head still in her hands. "I'm sorry, Zelda. I could not let them hurt him."

Zelda reached through the bars, taking Mipha's hands in hers. "Lady Mipha, all will be well in the end. I will ensure your safety, as well as Revali's."

Mipha shook her head. "Zelda, please, you must be careful. Philip—he made a deal with Kohga, the leader of the Yiga Clan. They're going to take over Hyrule and let the Yiga Clan members do what they wish to all of Hyrule's citizens."

Zelda squeezed Mipha's hands. "I will not let that happen. I promise."

Zelda retracted her hands, wrapping them around the freezing bars. She closed her eyes, wincing as she crushed the bars in her hands. Small traces of blood began to drip from her palms. She was pushing her magical power more than ever before.

The cell bars collapsed, clanking against the stone floor. Zelda's hands covered her mouth as she trapped a gasp. Mipha stood, limping quickly out of the cell.

Zelda grabbed Mipha, almost hoisting her off of the floor. "Come on! Before someone hears us."

Mipha nodded. She raised her arm, hovering over her wounds. She closed her eyes, focusing her healing magic on her own body.

"Sometimes this does not work for me..." she forced through uneven breaths. "But I refuse to be useless..." She groaned, waving her hand across the wounds that had been inflicted upon her. A few cuts and scars were lifted from her body.

"You're amazing, Mipha!" Zelda said, astonished. "You're even able to heal yourself."

"I think my adrenaline is what pushed me to be able to," Mipha said, shaking her head. "I wouldn't be able to do this otherwise, I'm sure."

Zelda held her hands. "Link and Urbosa are waiting in the castle library, where my father's private study is. Do you mind going there with me?"

Mipha nodded with a calming smile. "Of course, Zelda. I'll follow you wherever you need me to go."

Zelda sighed, closing her eyes. She squeezed Mipha's hands gently. "It's going to feel weird when I do this, okay?"

Mipha closed her eyes. "Ready whenever you are, your highness."

Preparing herself once again, Zelda focused on her magic. Her breathing slowed, and she could feel her feet lift from the cell floor. She pictured her father's private study, with Link and Urbosa inside.

Then, she thought of Philip.

How much she despised him. How much she wanted to rid Hyrule of him and his terrible friends. How, when all of this was over, she would never have to worry about him, ever again.

"What the—"

"Where the hell did you come from?!"

"Zelda...?"

Zelda's eyes opened.

She was holding Mipha's hands. She stood atop the library's second floor, across from Philip, Delian, and recovering Apollo. They took stances as if they were ready to attack.

Zelda shook her head. What?! she screamed in her head. How did I get here instead of my father's study?!