mi-amor-me-ha-dejado

[mi-amor-me-ha-dejado]

For You.

Mi Amor Me Ha Dejado, Y Me Hace Llorar

It was the dead of night. You were exhausted, but you had waited until even Vah Medoh was just a tad slower in its circles above Rito Village. You strapped a bag to your chest and flapped your wings quietly, just enough to stir the stale air around you.

You missed when you were able to fly above Rito Village— when the air surrounding Lake Tottori was full of life, full of wind. But with Vah Medoh’s reawakening, the air had fallen quiet— no, not quiet. It had grown dangerous. Everyone who flew just a smidgen above Rito Spire was shot down, their feathers charred and blackened by Vah Medoh’s cannons… you shuddered to think what Harth’s wings looked like after trying to fight the Beast.

You flapped your wings again, though rather absently, as you pondered what you would do once you were out of Rito Village. I could become a wandering traveler, like that one guy… Kaz, I think his name was? He makes a nice living off of music. Or perhaps I could set up shop in Gerudo Town, if that even exists… I hardly hear of it, but I know that there must be something in the desert. But deep down, you knew that neither of those options were good enough for you. You knew what you wanted to do.

You recalled your younger years, when you were drawn to water like the ducks that rode its surface. You remembered how your father would laugh every time you dove beak-first into Lake Tottori’s chilly waters— you were always “his little penguin.”

I’m not so little now.

With one great heave of your wings, you were just able to lift your talons off the ground.

“Albatross?”

Damn it.

You paused, dropping dully to the landing again, and turned. As soon as you saw who was confronting you, you gave an awkward smile, trying to smooth over the situation. “Yes?”

The other Rito girl stepped closer to you, her sleek lavender feathers illuminated by the pale moonlight. “Where are you going? And so late, too?”

“I, um…” You spread your wings open to her, dropping your shoulders. “Look, I know this looks bad, but—”

“Oh, Hylia!” Saki’s wings flew to her face, a sudden look of understanding and shock washing over her. “Don’t tell me you’re leaving Rito Village!”

“Er… unfortunately, you’ve got it.” You chuckled, the nervous sound falling flat on the night air. You grew serious again, finally saying the words you had longed to say for weeks— or had it been months? You couldn’t remember. “I’m tired of life here, Saki. Can’t you see how it’s gotten boring? Vah Medoh has us held hostage here. We can’t even fly without worrying about ending up like Harth.”

“But someone will stop Vah Medoh soon!” Saki insisted. “Soon, a Champion will come and turn Vah Medoh to our side again. I just know it!”

“Well, that Champion hasn’t come in time to keep me. I’ve made up my mind.”

“But— won’t you miss Rito Village? Rito Village will miss you. You’ve always been a big help to us, Albatross. Won’t you miss Drake?” “Do not bring Drake into this,” you said coolly, as your younger brother’s face flashed briefly into your mind. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to do this, and not even he can tether me here. If Vah Medoh cannot, then neither can he.”

Saki sighed, her shoulders rising and falling gently. “It seems you’ve made up your mind…”

“I’ve debated this ever since Vah Medoh reawakened.” You turned your gaze to Lake Tottori again. “I have to go now. This never happened. You don’t know where I’ve gone.”

Saki hesitated, her expression uncertain. “Albatross…”

“Don’t make me say it again.” Saki, I know I can trust you. Please, just trust me, too.

Saki scrunched her eyes shut, then took one final look at you. “This never happened,” she recited. Each word sounded as though it were another chunk taken out of her beak. “I don’t know where you are or where you’re going.”

“Good. Goodbye, Saki.”

With that, you turned back to the still-rising sun. Once, twice, you flapped your wings, as hard as your shoulders would allow— whorls of wind stung your eyes and ruffled the crest of feathers on your head, but you were undeterred. You could feel yourself growing lighter with each stroke of your wings. Three times, now, four— finally! Your talons left the wooden planks you stood on, finally allowing you to be fully airborne.

You tilted your wings to dive towards Lake Tottori, soaring upwards at the very last moment. As you swung your head over your shoulder to take one last look at Rito Village, you saw Vah Medoh, its wings illuminated by golden light. It let out a great screech as the sun rose over Hyrule Field, as though it knew you were leaving.

Undeterred, you set your sights forward, past Tanagar Canyon, beyond Hyrule Ridge. You knew where you were going.

Goodbye, Saki.

Goodbye, Rito Village.

This is my world now.

— — ❀ — —

The first half of the day had been easy enough travel. There were the occasional close calls— you still cringed to think what could have happened if that Guardian’s blast came any closer to you— but other than that, the skies were carefree and forgiving. When you got tired, you would stop at the strange towers that had spawned throughout Hyrule, high enough to keep you safe from harm. The strange thing was that some were illuminated with blue light, and some with orange. You couldn’t figure out the pattern of why which one was what color.

But, as time went, it quickly turned from noon to mid-afternoon to early evening. Before you knew it, the crescent moon that had illuminated your departure now shone her light on your journey.  You gritted your jaw, knowing the danger that lurked in the woods below you. At such a low altitude, it wasn’t hard to hear the guttural sounds of Lizalfos camps celebrating their kills. If you succumbed to your weariness now, you surely wouldn’t again.

It seemed that each flap of your wings brought you closer to the ground, despite your best efforts to stay in flight. No—no, no, no! Vah Medoh has kept me prisoner to the ground for too long. I’m not leaving the sky so easily. A strange feeling welled up in your chest as you saw wildlife on the ground growing closer— something that made you want to crush Hyrule into a ball and cast it over your shoulder.

Is this what they call anger?

You sighed, though out of relief or frustration, you couldn’t tell. You thought you saw firelight ahead, but you didn’t think you’d be able to fly for another flap of your wings. “How disappointing,” you muttered to yourself as your talons touched the dirt path you had been following. I hope that that’s not a monster camp up ahead.

Sure enough, the firelight was too consistent and bright to be a measly Bokoblin camp. A strange patchwork sculpture of a horse’s head peered across the field it inhabited; the stables teemed with life, from both stablehands and the horses themselves. You peered around and saw all sorts of livestock, from herding dogs to things you thought were sheep. They looked like the mountain goats you often saw in the Hebra Mountains, but fluffier, and a lot whiter.

“Great snakes, gal, where you been!?” Came a shocked cry. “Ya look like you ain’t rested in days!”

You swung your head around, trying to find the source of the voice.

“Over here, gal!”

As he spoke again, you caught sight of the man at the counter of the stables. He wore strange garb, and he looked nothing like anyone you had ever seen. He had smooth, dark flesh, not feathery and bright like the Rito you had always known.

“Don’t talk, eh? Where ya from, where ya goin’? Never seen a Rito like you before, except that one who comes through with the music every now and again. What’s yer name, gal?”

“I talk,” you replied simply. “Where is this and who are you?”

“Well, well!” The man crowed, a joyful laugh entering the air. “She speaks!” His joy was cut short by your quelling glare, at which he coughed awkwardly, trying to cover the sound of his laughter. “Well, to answer your questions, welcome to Wetland Stable, the greatest stable in all of Lanayru! I’m Lawdon, the owner of this here place. We host horses of all kinds here. You got one to register? Doesn’t seem you do, but I’ll ask anyway.”

“We Rito have no need for horses.” You were beginning to dislike this man— Lawdon, he had said his name was. He was too energetic and peppy for your liking.

“Well, you’re in luck! We also double as an inn!” Lawdon swept a hand behind him, gesturing to the inside of the stable. “You can pay 20 rupees to sleep here. Or,” he added, lowering his voice, “the soft beds are twice as expensive, but they’re twice as good.”

“What’s a rupee?”

Lawdon froze at your question, a strangled sound coming from his throat. “Wh— what? Everyone knows what rupees are…”

“I’m joking,” you said flatly, struggling to maintain a neutral expression at the look on his face.

“Er, um— right! Yes, I thought so… So, will you be staying here for the night?”

“I suppose I am. Where are your soft beds?” You dug into the bag you’d brought with you, searching for a small satchel that contained all the rupees you had. Clink-clink— two red rupees glinted in the firelight around you, each one worth a night’s stay at this stable.

“They’re right this way! If you’ll just follow me—”

“Not yet. I have questions.”

“5 rupees a pop,” Lawdon said, sticking his open palm out to you.

“That’s a ridiculous rate for questions. They’re worth two each, at most.”

“I was joking,” Lawdon mumbled, quiet for the first time since you’d met him.

“So was I.” You paused. “Lanayru, huh? Zora's Domain is east of here, is it not?”

“Yes, it is! But you don’t want to go there. I hear they have a horrible problem with their own Divine Beast.”

“They have a Divine Beast bothering them, too?” If I could figure out their Divine Beast, then perhaps I could figure out Vah Medoh… no, don’t think that. I’ve left Vah Medoh and Rito Village behind. “What kind of ‘problem’ are they having?”

“They say their Divine Beast has flooded their entire domain,” Lawdon replied, as though this were common knowledge. “You're a Rito, ain’t ya? Ya got your own Beast to deal with? I hear tell of a giant bird that’ll kill ya if ya get close.”

“I will neither confirm nor deny that,” you said, trying to bury the image of Harth that you saw every time you thought of Vah Medoh. “I’ll take one of your soft beds.” As you abruptly changed the topic, you handed off the red rupees to Lawdon.

“All righty, one soft bed, coming right up! Right this way.” Lawdon stepped away from the counter, beckoning for you to enter the stables.

Shortly after, you were left alone again, and you had an impossibly soft bed to lay on. For the first time in ages, you felt safe. There’s people around to alert me if Vah Medoh comes to hunt me down— people who seem competent and not in denial about the state of things, like Saki. And I’m on my way to Zora's Domain. I’ve made it almost all the way there in just one day.

This journey is off to a good start.

— — ❀ — —

You woke the next morning with a start from a strange dream. Though, the more you tried to recall it, the further it faded from you…

You groaned and set your talons on the wooden floor, rolling your shoulders as you sat up. Skies above, I am so sore… I can’t think about that today, though. I’m almost to Zora's Domain.

“Hope you slept good!” Came a familiar voice. Lawdon poked his head around the counter, looking you over as you woke. “How you feelin’ today?”

“Not bad.” You stood and grabbed your bag, fastening it across your chest once again. “Goodbye.”

“What? Yer leaving, just like that?” Lawdon’s expression was that of amused confusion, as though he couldn’t believe that you were about to leave. “Not even breakfast to start ya on yer travels?”

“I’m not hungry.” As though on cue, your stomach growled loudly, completely contradicting your words.

“Ah, there’s the tell of a liar, gal!” Lawdon laughed, as though this were the funniest thing in the world.

You gazed at him again, trying to keep from snapping at him. “Food will weigh me down on my flight to Zora's Domain.”

“Oh, right! I keep forgetting Rito can fly. Well, if you want something to eat, I think there’s someone who can sell you food. His name’s Beet or Beetle or something like that.”

“I’ll take my chances on an empty stomach,” you replied curtly. You walked around the side of the stable and hoisted yourself onto the thatch roof, climbing the patchwork horse head that topped the building.

You flapped your wings again, though now, it came with a twinge of pain. Soreness from yesterday’s flight, you remembered, but that isn’t a concern. I’ll rest more thoroughly once I get to Zora's Domain. Once, twice, you flapped your wings again, stirring a breeze that traveled down the side of the stable. With one final heave of your wings, you lifted off of the horse’s head and leapt into the sky, quickly catching a strong breeze blowing east. Perfect, you thought, a small smirk crossing your face. Now I don’t even have to work to get there.

Zora’s Domain, here I come.