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paellaplease · 3 months

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12. liberosis - the desire to care less about things.

pairing: revali x reader part: 5 of 6 summary: on the night of calamity ganon’s attack, you find yourself thrown back a week into the past, waking up outside the door of an unusual rito with deep blue feathers.

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It was pitch black the moment you awoke not for the first time that night. With a cool draft hitting your back, you rolled over in discomfort. The blankets had been stolen, again.

You tried to free the heavy knitted layer, but just like the previous time it was completely cocooned around him. Grumbling, you released the blanket and opted to press a knuckle into your temple. A horrid pain was beating at the back of your head, rattling your already sleep-addled thoughts.

The pulse at your wrist was racing, and accompanied by your shallow breaths you knew you were having another episode.

Even before this recent development, waking up like this was not uncommon. Though your body was reborn and made anew, the mind continued to retain memories from past lives.

Night terrors were familiar territory for the company you kept. Though the subject matter was something different entirely, and something you wisely chose to keep to yourself. No matter how much effort you dedicated in repressing them, it wasn’t enough to expunge the pain completely. After all, even the hardest of metals lose strength over time.

And so it led to events like these. Where your body was already panicking, anticipating a fight even after the restful void of sleep.

There was an annoying ringing in your ear. Great, that’s new. You thought to yourself in frustration. As if sleeping wasn’t difficult enough.

It took a bit of tugging to pull the blanket closer, but eventually you had it wrapped around you again. Like clockwork, your breaths fell into the rhythm of an old exercise. You had done it so many times that you had forgotten where you had learned it. It was well worn, like an old coat that had sheltered you from many a storm.

Inhale, one, two, three, four. Hold, one, two, three, four. Exhale, one, two, three, four. Hold, one, two, three, four.

It had helped somewhat. The pain had lessened, though the dull ringing was still heard in your ear. Growing louder and louder. Some other tones began to join along with it, forming a noise that began to sound suspiciously like…conversation.

Perhaps I am going mad.

As you tossed and turned, the voices echoed. They were a choir of the old and young, the weak and the strong, stone-hardened and soft as meadow grass; ordering you to get up and run. Run? Your chest ached at the thought. Run where?

Your bed partner then rolled to face you, throwing a wing over your waist.

Oh.

Okay.

You were perfectly safe in this hammock. Though the frigid breezes from Hebra blew through the cloth coverings of the window, you were warmer than you had ever been. It was like sleeping next to a breathing pillow. Needy as it was. And despite your little fits, he did not even stir.

You looked at him properly then, discerning his form in the darkened room.

This was not the first time you had seen Revali asleep. You had both camped in the wilderness together and taken alternating shifts on watch when the moon had sat high in the heavens.

Even on the field he slept like a perfect soldier, back straight and beak shut to a thin line. He was so silent you often wondered if he had been unconscious at all. Any noise deemed suspicious would wake him, his bow never far from reach in case of an ambush.

Now…his eyes were closed, with not a wrinkle lingering on his brow. His beak hung slightly open, a little snore escaping from it as he drifted off in a deep sleep.

There was no other way to react than in quiet disbelief. You ran a careful hand over his head, watching as a sea of feathers moved against your outstretched palm. Though soft, you could tell which were newly grown. A delicate patch revealing a history of previous injuries. Some were at his wings but most grew at the front of his chest, indicating they were sustained facing an enemy head on.

You sighed, shaking your head and placing a light kiss over where his heart would be. “Fool,” you whispered fondly.

As you pulled away you found that in the shadow of the night it was similar to viewing the inky void of a dark ocean. The feathers under your hand were blue. Soft as every suspiciously plush pillow in this village, and blue. Blue as the ink on your fingers. As Rigel in the constellation Orion.

And you supposed he too was a dying star, with a core long since fated to destruction before you even met. But in this moment he was far enough that you could still see the light that rolled off him, resplendent. And not for the first time did you wonder if the stars knew of your own selfish thoughts. To hold on to the rattling hum of a shade as the supernova burned behind you, unforgiving and insurmountable.

If you could keep him for yourself, you would. If the goddesses allowed it, more you would ask. More than his memory. More than one fragile plume which remained in your coat’s pocket like a constant companion.

Never fraying, never destroyed.

You leaned forward to press a kiss to his shoulder, but in that instance every restless spirit screamed out.

You. Must. Go.

The pain behind your head flared again, as if you were struck dead on by a blunt object.

Coughing, you carefully extricated yourself from his hold. The tremble in your arms nearly sent you tumbling out of the hammock, the banister acting as your only support. It’s by some miracle that you latched on with ease, climbing your way back down without waking him and landing with a thud.

The noise echoed, loud enough to rouse any sleeper. Dizzy, you forced yourself to remain quiet, watching nervously for any sign of movement from the hammock.

A minute passed, then another. The voices raged in your head until you were nauseous. Sure that he was fast asleep, you turned back to the entrance and slipped on your shoes and coat. The voices followed you like angry echoes, urging you to move faster, waging war against your own wishes.

Don’t look back. Weakness. Forward. Onward. Soles to dirt as wood is to ash.

Before stepping over the threshold, a small noise rose over the cacophony in your head. It was quiet. So much so that it could have easily been mistaken as sleep addled murmurs or the creaking of a nearby tree.

You were frozen still at the doorway when Revali called out your name.

It was whispered, as if in question into the darkness of his home. A shaky breath escaped you as your hands trembled by your sides.

Both of you knew you were about to do something unforgivable.

Just as well. It was always you disappointing him. In what world did you even deserve a fraction of his affections? You won’t…you couldn’t acknowledge it. Doing so would break you completely.

Forward. Onward.

You lurched to the side, slamming a hand on to the doorframe to steady yourself. The voices sang through your blood, picking at your fraying ends like the burnt off end of a cord. If you weren’t careful, you were going to be sick.

He called out to you again, and despite your better judgment, you stopped and listened.

“…please. Stay.”

A flood of shame and guilt gripped at your already aching chest. There were no words that could fix this.

“Go back to sleep. Don’t follow me, Revali.”

The breeze which whispered from the doorway felt somewhat colder. You stood and listened, waiting for him to protest. To fight you. And you were ready to argue back through any means possible.

But ultimately, in the stillness of his home, there came no reply.

Good, you thought. Yet you remained standing at the door, stupidly hoping to hear something from him, anything.

Just as you thought you saw the movement of blankets—Go. The voices commanded.

And so you complied. The dim wooden ceiling of the hut became the infinite yawning expanse of the night sky. Finally outside, you clutched at your chest as if in deep pain, clouds of air leaving your lips as you tried and failed to breathe. But there was no time to mourn anything. Above you, the stars acted as silent witnesses, watching as you turned away from Revali’s home, listening to the voices and running into the night.

The cold of the outside slammed into you full force, chilling you to the bone. It had begun to snow and even with your heavy coat you knew it would be an abysmal and chilly ride.

Eimhin complained as you spurred her forward. You didn’t know where you were going, letting the chorus of voices lead you, becoming so loud that it rivaled even the howling of the Tabantha winds.

Sun up, then sundown. You did not sleep. You did not eat. A supernatural force seemed to keep Eimhin going as well. Though you knew such things were unsustainable—the need to arrive at this unknown location eclipsed everything else.

Finally, a building of darkened stone drew closer. It sat upon a hill, with the early dawn shining behind it like a beacon. Stained glass windows decorated every level like jewels on a crown. The heavy doors were wide open, with the combined smell of incense and burning candles wafting out into the open air and making your eyes water.

The pain in your head grew worse. Not even the breathing exercise could temper it.

With shaking legs you stepped off your horse. You made a break for the church’s spire entrance, climbing the steps by two at a time.

At the top of the stairwell you stopped to catch your breath, shoulders heaving as the adrenaline from the past few days began to drain. The headache remained, days of enduring and finally it was lessened to a dull beating. You realised that you were afflicted by a fever as well, the violent sweats and shakes threatening to fold your legs from underneath you.

Approaching an open window, you knelt beside it, resting your head on the ledge. A beautiful view of Hyrule Castle gleamed from the outside but you were too damn tired to enjoy any of it.

Sleep. The voices urged you.

“Now that,” you said to the empty tower. “I can do.”

Planets and stars spun above you. The ceiling was but a vast, never ending canvas that stretched beyond your comprehension into the depths of gloom where dark blue faded into black.

“—this is wholly inappropriate and a breach of the terms of our experiment. It is not within your rights to interfere.”

“Be silent. Sibling. You gamble with time.”

“I created time.”

As the two goddesses argued, a warm breeze combed the hair away from your face, creating little waves in the water surrounding your supine body.

‘Stand up, little sprout!’ Though no voice was heard, you could understand the command well enough. Your nose was filled with the smell of honey and jasmine, and like strings around a maypole untwirling, you felt the tension in your muscles be forcibly plucked up and released.

You stood up, shivering and slightly disturbed.

“Take me back,” you said.

Though you could not see them, you felt all three godly presences suddenly turn to you. It took a lot of strength not to cringe under the weight of their collective judgment. Annoying as it was, you were practically a flea dancing under a magnifying glass, the concentrated point of holy light threatening to burn you into a crisp.

“Behold. What your coddling has achieved. Sibling.”

“I don’t appreciate your tone. You pulled them away once things were finally becoming interesting. It was their best run yet and you had to stick your meaty mittens into the stew!”

“A sharpened sword. Wasted.”

The water underneath your feet rippled. You felt something wet land on your head. Little drops of rain fell from the literal heavens above, hitting the pseudo-sea in gentle pitter patters. It reminded you uncannily of the sweetened notes of laughter.

“Excuse me. It’s rude to carry a conversation about someone who is right here. Take me back. Now.” You said again, trying to add as much venom as you could to your voice though your exhaustion was evident. The headache had disappeared as soon as you awoke in this in-between world, but if you were to spend any more time listening to these deities argue, you were sure it would rear its ugly head back to torment you.

“Be still my petulant spark, the adults are talking.”

“I see anger. Vexation.” That other voice said, seeming to finally pay attention to you.

“Of course I am angry,” You said, crossing your arms and scowling at the sky. “Why did you bring me here? I deserve an explanation—”

“Acceptable.” Was all you received in reply. There was a sound of protest from the other godly being, before the ocean gave way and you found yourself falling into the abyss.

X—

The skin of your knees tore as you landed hard on the muddy ground. You caught your breath, shaking away the vertigo of being wrenched from your previous surroundings so abruptly. There were sounds of metal clashing and shields being bashed. It was difficult to discern where you were, let alone hear your own thoughts as you were plunged into the din.

Groaning, you placed a hand to your face, surprised to feel the familiar surface of standard issue military metal. Your helmet.

Before you had left the barracks, Revali had made you abandon it, arguing that it would be an eye-sore at Rito Village. In hindsight you knew he just wanted to see your face better. That very fact he had revealed to you the previous night, much to your delight and annoyance.

Your heart clenched painfully.

Now is not the time!

Bottom line, you were wearing it now. And it was dented and wet, a line of liquid sliding down the side of it. You swiped a hand over the area, pulling back and realizing that the pads of your fingers were stained with the frank redness of fresh blood.

A sword swung above you, and by instinct you heaved the Greatsword in your hands, blocking the blow easily. You kicked at your assailant’s knee, feeling the crack of bone under your boot as they went down.

There was a whistling sound coming from behind your shoulder. You had a second to turn. The dagger sliced a line over the gap in your armor, barely missing your jugular. Pressing a hand to your neck, you felt the cut begin to bleed, dripping down to the collar of your tunic.

Another whistling noise, another dagger cut through the air. Your heavy sword was lifted a moment too late as the sharp metal knocked back forcefully against your chest plate, staggering you backwards.

The attacker was upon you immediately, light on their feet and quick with their daggers which were so fast they appeared as if from thin air. Digging your boots into the muddy ground, you held yourself like a strong pillar. You had fought quick opponents before, with the memory of graceful feathers followed by a volley of arrows coming to you unbidden.

You exhaled a grunt of pain when a dagger cut through your side, followed by a swift kick to the injury. It would be easy to wince and double over, but the fire within you kept your eyes open. Your fist tightened over the handle of the Greatsword, and you saw it, there. A flash of white, and you feint as if to swing at them.

They dodged to the side accordingly. You let one hand drop from the handle, using it to grab onto the enemy’s white hair. There is a burning feeling in your mind, as if something out there could read your thoughts. Whatever it was, they were pleased.

Their cry of pain is lost in the chaos around you. The world you were pulled into had given in to bedlam as you slammed them into the ground.

Before their head was severed, you saw their red eyes stare back at you. There was no fear. Only a blank acceptance of defeat. And in the reflection of the sword in your hands as you brought it down, you realized your eyes held the same emotion.

“Power. It befits you.”

“A most cliche line, if I ever heard one.” You griped. Another enemy of similar appearance came running to you, enraged at the sight of their fallen comrade. You let the daggers glance over your arm, ignoring the stinging cut so as to allow yourself an opening to slip your sword between their ribcage.

You could hear Revali chastising you for such a reckless maneuver. Survival isn’t as estranged from winning as you think, Stranger.

The earth rumbled beneath your feet, and turning around you were given a split second to blink before you and many other soldiers from both sides were being flung through the air. The ground practically explodes as blood, muck and mud is flung.

Landing hard on your side, you feel the muscles in your shoulder pull. Your hand was still wrapped around the hilt of your heavy sword. Clutching it in a death grip, you forced yourself to your feet, shielding your eyes from the debris which was kicked up, trying to peer at the giant thing in the distance.

“Not all songs are sung. Some. Forgotten.”

For a moment there is silence. The royal soldiers stand like fresh game, frozen by the sound which reminded you of all those terrible stories. Of prisoners being burned to death in the hollow of a bronze casket. Their screams reverberating; mingling into the metal.

Terror lanced through your heart when the dust cleared, revealing a giant metal animal on four legs. The sky crackled in brilliant white. Lightning.

“Shame. Perish they did. Quietly. In glorious battle.”

Someone knocked into your back, and you yelled out in anger and frustration. As your swords met, lightning flashed once more, revealing the tattooed eye on her unwrinkled forehead. The woman opened her mouth and said something to you in a language you had never heard before as she parried your strikes with her longblade. The sword swung through the air, leaving trails of blue light like the tail of a falling star. “Where the fuck am I?” You swore back.

“The King ordered them. Buried. Their treasures and children.”

The beast roared again, lightning striking the earth a short distance away. The ground was dug up again as horses, soldiers and limbs sailed through the air. You looked on in horror before you focused on the woman in front of you again. Her mouth was covered by a dark cloth. Her frame was smaller than yours, but you could see the precision in her stance, the fearlessness in the way she struck against you.

“The Sheikah. Proud. A stone yields not willingly.”

The beast roared again. You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck standing. The air felt almost electric. There was warmth again, singing through your skin and providing you with inhuman strength as you wielded your Greatsword, cutting down the woman, then the next Sheikah beside you.

“I can. Immortalize you. In fire. Blood.”

The battle continued for what felt like hours. Yet you showed no signs of tiring. Your mind was slowly losing itself to the haze of this neverending skirmish.

“Good. I understand your plaything now. Sibling.”

“Stop this at once, Din! Look at what you’ve done! Another year of this nonsense and their feeble mind will become mush!”

“Never. Relinquish them. To me.”

Water began to fall from the sky, hitting the dry and cracking earth. It washed the blood from your skin, drenching your hair and wetting your parched lips. You had forgotten what it was like to feel thirsty. To hunger. To yearn for sleep.

While the two voices clashed, a soft breeze was felt against your skin, like cold fingers brushing against your back. Such gentleness felt foreign, and immediately you spun around to retaliate. With eyes wide and teeth bared, you lifted your Greatsword against your assailant.

It confused you to find that no one was there.

The breeze swept past your cheek, making you shiver.

‘I can help you, little sprout!’

‘Simply, turn the sword against you.’

‘Quickly now! Before the other two notice.’

‘There we go, like pulling a splinter. One, two, three—’

You could feel yourself bleeding against it. Blood spurted from the wound with each squeeze of your heart. You heard your knees hit the ground as the world began to spin. A darkness was bordering your vision, creating a tunnel which gradually began to narrow.

Looking down, you saw yourself reflected in the sword. The reflection blinked, though your own eyes remained open. Its mouth curled, whilst yours remained in a tight line. It opened its mouth, cheeks stretching and baring teeth like it had read what a smile was but had never seen a human execute it.

And in your mind, you heard them. Speaking through your own voice.

“Let us leave this dour spot for greener pastures…”

X—

There is no sudden collapse of ground beneath you, no starlight which steals you away. Instead you blink, and that was that. Black void, without even a shadow. Darkness and solemn quiet.

Exhaling, the echoing sound of your breath brought a semblance of comfort. It confirmed that this wasn’t some crushing box but at the very least a vast cavern. You held your hands out, unable to judge the distance in front of you let alone where you were.

You stamped your feet and felt the dirt shift underneath your shoe. Curious, you thought to yourself. Bending down, you brushed what felt like the cool touch of several leaves, dew dripping from the ends of them. Tugging on a few blades easily yielded a bunch which fell from the gaps between your fingers. Grass.

“Ack!” The bones of your spine straightened, making you stand to attention like a soldier. Your mouth opened without you meaning to, words falling from your lips.

“Step forward. You can walk and sprint, jump even! Let all your fears melt away, little sprout.” You said, your voice sounding stiff and monotone, odd inflections being added at the end of your sentences.

Tendons pulled like puppet strings, moving your legs forward in an unnatural gait. The darkness continued as you were forced to move deeper into this space. Several times your arms had bumped roughly into a broken column, or you had stubbed a toe against a pillar. But though it ached your body continued to move forward, refusing to acknowledge the pain.

Then, you were deposited in front of a rock. Shaking hands were forced to feel around it, with your palm falling down the smooth downward slope of a curled wing, the other grasping on to the point of a beak. It was a statue of a bird.

A crackling noise resounded, and the air stung as if electrified. Then, there was light.

There was the roar of the wind, then the statue, a torch holder, erupted into flames before your eyes. A ring of similar bonfires came alive in a wide arc, eventually joining until they made a circle.

There in the middle was a dense fog. Within it played a scene, like a twisted tableau.

The world spun, a cyclone of memories. You were in the hammock again. The festivities of the village outside drifted like sweet music, a cold breeze rustling the tapestry coverings of the windows.

“You’re beautiful, you know that right?”

Turning in the mess of patterned sheets, you buried your face further into the crook of his neck, the smell of pine and violets making you smile. “Handsome, lovely, and now beautiful? Are you still dreaming or do you really say this to every stranger you meet?”

Curling a wing around your waist, he sleepily pulled you closer. “Just stating facts. While I’m at it let’s add exasperating to that list,” he sighed. “And you’re far from a stranger now.”

Lifting your head, you found that both his green eyes were open and looking at you. You grinned, watching his whole face soften as he smiled back. “Exasperating? That sounds more like it. I’m surprisingly good at that.”

His eyes slipped closed as you moved to place a quick kiss on his beak, blue feathers shuddering when you sank deeper into his embrace. “Well then, you’re my moon and stars, Revali. Every constellation in the sky pales in comparison.”

“This isn’t a competition.”

“I know,” your hands found his wing under the covers, fingers moving to entwine with his own, holding tight. Resting your head against his chest, you could hear his heartbeat under your ear, thrumming and alive. ”But if it was, I'd have already won.”

Please, stay.

You kept your eyes shut, trying to focus on the steady inhale and exhale of his lungs. Listening closely, it sounded more labored, as if he was choking.

Go back to sleep.

A sticky substance spilled down your cheek, swiping a finger, you inspected it in the lamplight to be red and thick. Blood.

Don’t follow me, Revali.

Any attempts to lift your head were futile, blood began to pool into your lips, tasting like copper.

You would have been long gone by now.

You were trapped as the warm body underneath you began to grow cold. His chest stilled, heartbeat drumming slow until to your horror, it stopped completely.

So be it.

The air shifted again, and you found yourself suddenly able to lift your head, a sickly ribbon of thick red following you. Lifting your hands proved to be difficult, and as you struggled to stand, you found yourself slipping in a puddle of congealed fat and bone.

The moblin stood before you, Aryll in its grasp. Rot, decay and death; that trio of horrid stench was more familiar to you than ever, and it reeked of it.

You’re late.

You were held by invisible chains to the ground, covered in gore. Seeing the terror in Aryll’s eyes made you fight desperately against your restraints, even as your arm began to pull from its socket.

Don’t go.

“This can’t be right. It never went like this!” The words were said helplessly as Aryll called out to you, her cries unintelligible as they mixed with her gasping need to breathe.

I won’t get hurt.

You began to sob at the sound of her bones snapping. Her diaphragm crushed to dust like the wings of a little bird.

Plenty to last me a lifetime.

The cyclone receded and took the fog along with it. In its absence, the dark forest was clear to you once more. Ancient statues alight like funeral pyres, circling a dark mass at its center.

If your body was your own, you would have jumped back in surprise. Every nerve screamed to do so as the hulking form of that thing, revealed itself in the light of the fires.

Divine Beast.

This was the first time you’d seen it confined to the earth. Its fuschia glowing eyes were dimmed. Yet, even though it was grounded, your heart quivered in fear at the mere sight of the leviathan.

Then, you saw someone familiar, cowering before it. Their clothes were plain, a basic winter coat to ward away the elements, barely keeping their weak form warm. Around them, star charts littered the floor.

The glowing eyes flashed, coming alive.

Why are they standing still? You thought in a panic.

The air began to sizzle in an all too familiar way. Your eyes refused to blink as the person stood there, frozen dumb.

The puppet strings were released.

The muscles in your shoulders suddenly dropped, and you leaned to the side as you greedily inhaled a gulp of air. “Holy hell.” You gasped, your voice your own again. Immediately you dragged your feet forward, pushing past the static numbness and using all your strength to propel you forward.

Your boots crunched against the precious scrolls and maps, adorned lovingly with constellations and measurements that you once spent hours committing to memory.

The empty sound before the blast stole your breath as you barreled into your past self, grabbing them and rolling away just as the beam eviscerated the grass where you both once stood.

Grabbing their shoulders, you roughly slammed them into the ground. “Are you stupid!” You yelled into their face. Your words came back to you in that same instant, repeated like a twisted echo.

Their eyes were wide as they looked up at you, the fires reflected in them. Utterly terrified, their mouth moved in a mirror to yours.

“You just stood there! Fucking coward! It took her! He—he’s going to die.” “You just stood there! Fucking coward! It took her! He—he’s going to die.”

“And it’s all your goddesses-damned fault.” “And it’s all your goddesses-damned fault.”

You sent a fist at your own self, wanting to cave in the face that you wore in another time. It wasn’t fair, how they lived life so blissfully, how they took everything for granted, how they existed without having known anything.

But as your knuckles connected with skin, you felt no satisfaction from the act.

Tears began to build in your eyes as you stood up, hastily wiping them from your cheeks. The past version of you did the same to their own, their gaze still trained on you in fear as their face began to bruise.

Stumbling away, you fell backwards into the grass. The ruins around you burned and the heat began to singe your skin as a warm breeze, like oven fire, fanned the flames.

Your past self sat up, massaging their jaw and stared at you unblinking. Bloodshot and beady-eyed, like a doll. Their hands stiffly pulled at their burning skin in unnatural angles, almost like they wished to rip the charred layer off completely.

Then. Without your own mouth moving, they spoke in a voice that wasn’t yours.

“And what, little sprout, have we learnt?”

Your mouth tasted like rust. “Just send me to hell! What are you waiting for?”

“Always choosing the option to run, to cower and hide.” They lifted their arms as the skin there began to flake and blacken, revealing bone. “You care for no one but yourself.”

“That’s not—I cared for them. I loved—

“You abandoned them. Need I remind you of all the times you chose death over facing the full round.” The smog made by the fires partially obscured their grinning smile. You didn’t even know your own lips could peel that far. “However, I am benevolent.”

They reached into their coat, pulling out the blue feather which had followed you through all these lives. “I can end this for you. Grant what my sibling cannot. I’ll take it all away.”

Your eyes never left that feather, watching as it delicately waved in the oppressive heat, embers so close to singeing it. “Give that back.”

Gleefully, they crushed it into their hand. “Let it burn with me. And I will restore you to your time. Your star charts, your neighbors farm, your sanity. Like all this had never happened. Is that not what you want?”

Clenching your fist, you felt the deep ache of every scar that was carved into you. Every night spent without peace, with the anxiety of living wrapped tightly around your neck like a noose.

The sins which plagued you until you walked this world in a haze of your former self. Aryll’s pain. Revali’s death. The knowledge of these events occurring. This goddess could take that all away.

Yet, your eyes never left that feather. It’s familiar blue stubbornly showing itself in the cracks of their melting hand.

“You know what I want?”

The broken mirror tilted their head, an eye sliding to the side as if no longer sitting correctly in their skull. “Hm?”

“I want you,” shakily standing up, you made your way towards them. “And your siblings,” with arms trembling in anger, you embraced their burning form, prying the feather from their fists. “To fuck off.”

The goddess laughed in the prison of your arms, their voice sounding the closest to a human than it ever had in this entire twisted exchange. The flames climbed on to your clothes, excruciating. But it did not matter, you have burned before.

“Noted, little sprout.”

X—

The grain of the kitchen table swirled and dipped underneath the pads of your fingers. You focused on the indentations, tracing the marks until you found the chip. Aryll had hit her head there, playing tag with her older brother. It was almost a perfect copy.

“Take a seat,” a woman said, her golden hair in a braided bun. “Tea will be ready soon.” She wore Medilia’s armor, the crest of the Royal Guard displayed proudly on her back.

“And which one are you?” Sliding the chair out, you roughly deposited yourself on your side of the table. You noticed it was the place where you always sat whenever you were invited to dinner. “Is this house going to catch fire too? Because you might want to spare me the pyrotechnics. I’ve already seen that happen.”

The woman shook her head ruefully, her face still obscured as she set down two cups of tea. It was Medilia’s favorite set too, the one her husband had gifted her after their quiet son was recruited to serve the King.

You took a sip. “Who are you?”

“A bystander to history,” she said, folding her delicate hands. The accent was regal, not unlike a voice you remembered from other lives ago, panicking over your broken form in the grass. “But that is irrelevant. I am here to grant you guidance”.

“I’ve had enough of higher powers telling me what to do.”

The woman’s shoulders shook in quiet laughter. “Apologies.” She said, “you just reminded me of someone.” It was then that she lifted her head, revealing a plain face. Pretty, but fairly unremarkable. “I want to help you.”

Your hands tightened around the cup, close enough to shatter it if you weren’t careful. “Then tell me how I can save them.”

“The world will end, that is already known. But take comfort in the knowledge that it will be reborn in a hundred years.”

“Lady, it has been a long day. Day? Year. Hylia’s third toe, I don’t know anymore.” The woman’s head tilted in amusement as you swore. “If you’re going to tell me to give up, then I’m going to stop listening right about now.”

“You still think you can save him.”

“I will.” Slamming your hand made the old table shudder, the cups rattling on their saucers. “I swear it. I swear myself to it. Now are we done here?”

“Mortals always fail to focus on the bigger tapestry.” She sighed, her golden hair shimmering in the afternoon light. Past the windows behind her, the fields leading to Castle Town waved, green and healthy in the late summer sun. “Much sorrow and pain will come to pass, but is it not enough that all this sacrifice will be paid back more than a hundred times in the future?"

“Excuse my mortal sentiments, but I don’t hold individual souls in such little regard.”

She raised a brow. “And what of your own?”

You frowned. "Touché. But I’m…working on it.”

Taking a sip of her tea, she smiled as if in memory. “I haven’t had an informal conversation like this in a while. I must say, it’s quite refreshing.”

You shook your head. “That’s great and all, but can we please get back to the point. Return me to the start. I have a lot of explaining to do for someone.” Draining your cup, you saw the Silent Princess at the bottom, its blue core and white lined petals in full bloom. “I can’t do this alone anymore.”

The woman beamed, and her serene smile reminded you of the statues hidden in quiet alcoves, decorated in offerings and warmed by lit incense.

Before you could connect the dots, she stood from the table, taking the pot from the stove and refilled your cup. “That’s wonderful to hear.” She said in relief, sounding like a mother proud that her child had added one and one to get two. “Such revelations should be rewarded.”

“What.”

“Drink that please. Waste not a single drop.” At the sudden intensity in her order, you did as you were told.

You set the empty cup on the table. Looking at your hands, you flexed them to see that nothing happened.

“Okay, let’s cut the crap Hylia. What is my purpose in all thi—

X—

Starlight stole you away.

#revali x reader #revali #revali botw #breath of the wild #botw #loz botw

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paellaplease · 2 years

Text

12. liberosis - the desire to care less about things.

pairing: revali x reader part: 4 of 6 summary: on the night of calamity ganon’s attack, you find yourself thrown back a week into the past, waking up outside the door of an unusual rito with deep blue feathers.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 5

*trigger tw: suicide*

to skip this scene, i have marked the beginning and end with an asterisk.

Before you, an endless midnight sea stretched for miles.

There was no wind nor waves, the water remaining calm and undisturbed like a thin sheet of dark parchment on solid ground. It was shallow enough that your feet remained relatively dry, though it was close to impossible to catch any changes in depth in such gloom.

A freezing chill touched the shell of your ear, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on edge.

Plunging your hands into the water, your fingers returned wrapped in a flowing ribbon of dark liquid. It smelled of burning copper and was punctured with the light of several glittering stars.

You eyed the tiny sparkling jewels in confusion, bringing them closer to your face to see if you could catch a glimpse of the interstellar gas licking at its undefined corners.

As you did so, a cold and slender hand emerged from the surface of the sea.

Like a snake, it wrapped itself around your ankle, startling you. One moment you were staring at the pale and ghost-like fingers in confusion, the next you were being dragged into the water.

A loud crack was heard above, like thunder rattling over an ocean. Your breath caught.

No longer a void, the sky was split asunder. Planets, stars and moons; they hissed and spun sluggishly, all glistening above you in perfect, impossible clarity.

Then, you went under.

The ground gave way to your sinking body. Bubbles escaped from your mouth as water began to fill your lungs.

“Once more, with feeling this time!” A piercing voice echoed in your ears. It was horrible. It was beautiful. Godly and lilting, a voice disturbing but not at all unkind as was the toll of a funeral bell.

Water burned your throat as you struggled, unable to tell what was up or down in a prison that was dark as night. “Oh don’t be such a child, you petulant spark! Give us a real show.”

Like puppet strings, you felt an unseen energy beckon your hand to move. With shaking fingers, you plucked the royal blue feather from your pocket. It was warm in every way this black sea wasn’t.

The invisible energy ordered you to release it, but despite your best efforts you refused to open your hand and let go. You squeezed your eyes shut, tears mixing into the endless abyss.

“You cannot rest now, little Hylian.” That rebarbative voice again, seeping into your head like water into a worn sponge. Its laugh was as jarring as crashing cymbals and soft as silence, compelling and full of authority.

“Wake up! We must show my sisters that Wisdom triumphs above all.”

VII

Facing the sky, you gasped loudly, startling the Rito before he could speak.

Rolling over, you sprinted on all fours to the end of the decking. You barely had the sense to pull your hair away before emptying your stomach over the edge.

The acidic taste sat uncomfortably on your tongue as you roughly wiped your mouth with the sleeve of your jacket. Gripping your head, you screamed into the floor, tears spilling from your eyes as phantom pains gripped your sides, squeezing until you were breathless.

Unthinking, you lurched overboard.

Two strong wings wrapped around you. “Good Goddesses!” Revali gasped, frantically spinning you around to face the safety of solid ground. “Do you have a death wish?!”

It felt like your body was far away, as if left behind in your last life and still having the life squeezed out of it. You were screaming, you knew you were. Your hand still ached from how tight your neighbour had held it, her small fingers crushing your own in a silent plea not to leave her.

Guilt clawed at you like a rabid animal. She was surely dead. You abandoned her there to die. It was all your fault.

Revali whispered a quiet shhh, his wings holding you cautiously as you choked back a sob. Even then, tears began to spill down your face, body shaking violently. “You’re safe. Whatever is chasing you isn’t here. You must calm down.”

Distantly, you could hear him calling for help. You heard the sound of talons scratching against wood. Another Rito was frozen in shock at the top of the staircase.

The rush of memories paralysed you, previous lives twisting and bleeding into each other like mangled roots.

The look of suspicion on his face when you explained the truth.

The cuts you got on your knees when you were dragged forcibly from his home for further questioning.

The feeling of utter helplessness watching him from chains as the Beast he piloted turned everything into dust.

They won’t trust you! They’ll think you’re crazy. They’ll lock you up and he will die.

“Not again.” Revali looked at you in confusion. Your eyes began to glaze over. There was a sound of rustling wind and a shock of green appearing over the steps. “I can’t do it again.”

With a grunt, you forced your legs to move, swaying left and right as you stubbornly wrestled under Revali’s grasp. Getting to your feet, he hooked a wing under your arm, supporting you even when you stumbled into him. In one quick motion you reached into his armor, pulling out the hunting knife you knew he kept hidden.

The sharp blade gleamed under the morning light.

His green eyes stared at you in mute astonishment. Though the surprise eventually broke apart and hardened like the cold surface of shined sea glass, a part of you felt strangely proud for getting such a response out of him.

“Master Revali!” One of the Rito cried, reaching for his bow. But Revali raised an open wing into the air, putting a stop to the action.

“Stand down, Mido.” He ordered, taking a slow step back. And then to you, “put the knife down, stranger.” he said coldly.

Heart racing, you studied him. Though he appeared to retreat, his talons never faced away from you. Under his calculating gaze you felt self-conscious, imagining the cogs turning in his brain as his stare pinned you down like a shiny beetle on a board.

The silence was oppressing. Your heartbeat filled your ears as your sweat soaked hand which gripped the knife began to shake.

Revali’s shoulders tensed. Under his feathers was muscle imbued with strength built from years of hard-work and difficult training. As he took another step back, you could see his knees begin to bend like a sprinter prepared to launch himself forward.

A sliver of doubt wrapped around the steel wall of your resolve.

This was the same Rito that threaded his feathers along your fingers as he taught you how to harvest flowers. Who trusted you with the knowledge of his most treasured technique— one that would undoubtedly become his legacy.

He held the fractured shards of your sanity in his arms.

He was your friend.

You were determined to end the cycle right now. But if there was anyone that could talk you down, it was him.

That won’t do.

There was no time to think. With heavy hands you swiftly brought the edge of the hunting knife to your throat.

“No!“

A pinprick of pain.

The softness of feathers against your skin.

Then, darkness and the sound of waves.

VIII

And so it went.

Again.

And once more.

Your surroundings cracked and shattered, melting in time as your tired heart galloped and eventually fell. Behind closed eyes, you saw starlight dance and splinter, merrily welcoming you into the next life.

The void of the midnight sea greeted you.

“That was not very wise.” The both youthful and ancient voice chided as you kicked the not-ocean, its not-water soaking your socks.

Hylia, this dark, starry in between realm sucked.

“Is this hell?” You said aloud, ignoring the godly huff you got in reply. “I was expecting more fire and less, I don’t know…”

“Celestial wonderment brought to you in the form of the endless cosmos at your fingertips?”

“I was going to say ‘boring’ but yeah. Sure.” You side eyed a perfect recreation of the cloudy Andromeda Galaxy and tried not to get too excited.

“Such deflections are futile and childish.”

A statement like that from an otherworldly figure would have brought any other mortal to their knees while sobbing for forgiveness. You weren’t doing that. You abandoned your manners four lives ago.

You threw both your arms in the air, jabbing your finger at the constellation Taurus, imagining the voice to be just as bullheaded. “Send me back then! I dare you! We both know what will happen the moment I wake up at his door. I’ve had enough.”

In the quiet pause, you imagined the godlike figure steepling their fingers. They were probably plotting, considering whatever punishment seemed fit for a lowly Hylian as disobedient as yourself.

What you did not expect them to say was, “you have a point.”

You pressed your knuckles into your temples. “Elaborate.”

“Perhaps sending you back to the same moment each time is not the answer. It lacks innovation, there is little perspective.”

They sounded disappointed, like you were some sad hamster in need of enrichment.

“Very well,” an earth-shattering snap echoed, waves beginning to rise from the once calm non-sea. Pale hands emerged from the waters below again, grasping at your shins and pulling you down.

You patted one of the hands wound around your calf. “Oh no. Nope. Hey, there’s no need to send me back.” The hands only tightened their grip when you fought to peel their creepy wet fingers off your leg. “I’m sure there are more worthy champions out there willing to participate in whatever fucked up experiment you got going on.”

“Hah!” They scoffed, beautiful and sonorous. “You are as much my Champion as a common serpent is a dragon.”

You were sinking quickly, the water now up to your neck.

“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not even part of the main story, not even close. Let that fact wash over and comfort you.”

“Bitch,” you gurgled, eventually slipping completely under the surface.

XII

Castle Town was burning.

Dizzily adjusting to your surroundings, you stood frozen in fear as a red haze rose over the ivory city. Above you was a familiar blood-red sky, the rouge circle of the full moon confirming that you had been sent to the worst place at the worst time possible.

A grotesque, colossal leviathan emerged from the castle. Immediately, you were hit with the stench of rot and decay, a miasma of hopelessness settling over you as Calamity surged up, releasing a pulse of crushing energy.

The force of the explosion had blown the city gates wide open, throwing you and several others out onto the dirt path outside. Rolling onto your side, you mindlessly clutched at a piece of debris, vision swimming in a haze of pinks, reds and greens.

Hands coming away red, you registered belatedly that there was something lodged into your stomach. Groaning in horror, you began to violently shudder.

A heavy palm was placed over your own. “Don’t remove it”. It was a man with snow white hair, his cream robes bloodied and torn. A part of his shoulder was burned raw. One of his ears was missing.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered shakily, tasting salt and copper on your tongue. Though it would have made no sense to him, he squeezed your hand comfortingly anyway, making you cry harder. “I’ll try again. I promise.”

Another blast rattled the earth underneath you, this time followed by heavy footsteps. It was rhythmic. Inhuman.

Next to you the man anxiously brushed at his temples, trying to adjust glasses that weren’t there. “Din have mercy,” he hissed, looking equal parts hopeless and furious. “That monster took our Guardians.”

There was a metallic tic-tic-tic coming from the direction of the rubble. It was quick, like an animal scrambling to its feet.

A machine emerged from the crumbled stone wall.

The giant metal spider crawled effortlessly over the debris and wreckage, the metal plates of its appendages rippling as it came to a stop. Its pulsing blue eye lolled in its socket, stilling when it caught sight of you.

Then it chirped. A peculiar high-pitched noise.

In an instant, you were pulled away, head crushed into a solid chest. You came face to face with a pendant hanging from the man’s neck. A bronze eye stared back at you, shining like the final embers of a beacon long thought to have gone out.

Time quickened then slowed, and it was all lost to you in a flicker of brilliant starlight.

XIII

"I need you to stay awake!" A soft voice was pleading with you. Her hands covered in black riding gloves were clasped secure over your own, squeezing so tightly you winced in discomfort.

You tried to shift, and found with great concern that you couldn't wiggle your toes. A croak of panic escaped your lips. Frantically, your weak fingers tried to massage the numbness away from your legs— but there was nothing, like you were dead from the waist down.

Fighting back tears, you could barely register the cacophony of arguing voices around you.

"...telling ya...suddenly fell...sky!"

"...spy...Ganon…another distraction..."

"...unlikely...have a heart...dying..."

"Mipha, there has to be a way." The young woman spoke again, her blonde hair blocked your ability to see what was going on past your chest. Judging by the glowing ball of light that was pulsing erratically behind her, it was probably for the better.

"I’m sorry, Princess. The damage is too extensive. I want to keep trying, truly. But even if my healing were to force them into a coma now, there is only so much I can do with the supplies we have on our backs. It would only prolong their suffering. They’ve already lost so much blood..."

Your eyes were closing again. Everything was getting heavy. A nap would be great right about now.

"Five more minutes," you mumbled.

There was a sad, crackling whimper.

"Of course. Take all the time you need." The blonde lady’s accent rang high and familiar. It was formal, very polite but not at all mean. She sounded noble and steadfast, even when you could tell she was holding back tears.

Why was she crying? You were just going to sleep. Silly.

There was a shift of fabric. Someone was laying a gentle hand on your head.

"May Nayru watch over you in the next life."

“Thank you,” you whispered, drifting off.

The world felt so far away now, a warmth enveloping you in a haze of stars. Slowly this time, like your very being was being pulled apart on a molecular level and forming together somewhere else. Bit by bit. Raindrops racing down a windowpane to form a puddle.

XIV

Opening your eyes, you were greeted by the rope bridge to Rito Village. You took one step back, then another. Seeing that no lightning had come to strike you down, you turned tail and numbly walked back to the stables.

Emptying your pockets secured you a strong horse and an hour of riding lessons. Once the ostler had taught you the basics, you tossed him a gold coin— the last of the money you had— in exchange for letting you leave without fuss.

You had just learned the difference between a canter and a gallop, and could understand why he would be reluctant for you to depart on their best horse with such little riding ability. But safety was the last thing on your mind.

The muscles in your lower back screamed out in pain as you urged the horse to move faster. There was no time to waste.

Heading straight for their home, you arrived at your neighbours in record time to warn them of the coming danger. Ignoring their questioning glances, you handed the reins to your neighbour’s father as you assisted her mother onto the horse.

“What’s her name?” the little girl asked, patting its black mane.

“Eimhin,” you said, nervously watching the sun begin to set.

“Swift,” her mother smiled. “A fine title. May she deliver us safely.”

You spent your final hours guiding them through the forest, ears sensitive to the crunch of moblin’s feet against dirt ground.

Reaching the edge of the woods, you volunteered to stay behind and distract the horde of monsters as the family escaped past the trees. Looking out to the north, past the sprawling plains and grasslands, you could see the peak of a tall tower. A fuschia coloured energy, similar to what you saw in the eyes of Vah Medoh, obscured the blue of the spire almost completely.

Your leg bounced nervously as precious minutes passed. If you listened closely, you could almost hear it. The echoing death knell of the city’s final bell.

Disappointingly, the fight was shorter this time around. With nothing left to defend, your body felt the full brunt of fear and horror which was once shielded by your adrenaline in the last cycle. Arms shaking, it didn’t take long for the sharp stick to be knocked out of your hands, the world suddenly blurring as you were lifted into the air.

The ivory moblin’s fingers tightened themselves around your weary frame. There were no witty comebacks, or snide remarks left.

Squeezing your eyes shut, you took a deep breath and braced yourself for the morning.

He said once. “You looked lost. What kind of Rito would I be to leave you in such a pitiful state?” The heavens shined so bright that night, you swore you could see the glint of stardust on his brow.

XVI

The wooden sword weighed heavy in your hand, foreign to you as any object of war would be. You were never athletically gifted, and preferred instead the cream pages of a worn book and the fragile intricacies of the telescope you built at home.

The late afternoon sun was warm against your neck. Around you the land was lush with the glistening fruits and vegetables of springtime, ready to be picked and sold in the busy markets of Castle Town.

The white spire of the palace peaked above the wall of trees to the east, though it was still several hours away by horseback. As such, the busy city felt like another world. Your farm and the land of your neighbour’s felt secluded and protected from the bustle of life outside.

Another practice sword clashed with your own, and your weak arms quivered at the impact.

“Strengthen your stance,” barked Medilia.

Though dressed in simple farmer’s clothes, she held the air of an experienced soldier. Her previous vocation as a knight of Hyrule was a difficult memory to shake away, even with a bad leg.

In a graceful arc, she swung her sword again. This time, the force of your two mock blades meeting caused your back knee to give way. Your arms cartwheeled as you stumbled clumsily to the side.

Laughter was heard behind you, distracting you from Medilia’s disappointed tutting.

Whirring around, you harrumphed at your audience of two. Medilia’s daughter and her loyal hound, Captain, were seated on a hay bale. You stuck a tongue out, to which your golden-haired neighbour did the same. Captain seemed to follow suit, his tongue lolling out as his grey tail wagged excitedly.

“You suck!” The little devil jeered.

You rolled your eyes. “Well I’m sorry kiddo, not all of us can be gifted like your brother!”

“I can hold a sword better than you, and I’m eight. You can use the practice!”

“Hey!”

“There’s truth in that, kiddo.” Medilia said. (“that’s right!” her little one piped. “Hush.” her mother scolded.)

The ex-knight leaned down to adjust her leg brace, tightening her jaw at the pain that had plagued her for nearly a decade. “How do you expect to survive in the wider world if you continue staring at the sky instead of the path in front of you?” She continued. “Monsters do not yield to dreamers.”

You shrugged, bashfully drawing patterns into the dirt ground with the edge of your boot. “I don’t know,” you admitted lamely. “But I’m no soldier, Medilia. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate you teaching me how to protect myself, but I don’t think I’m going to be a skilled warrior anytime soon. Please don’t think yourself responsible for my safety. If I get hurt out there, then it will be entirely my fault.”

Soft paws padded towards you, a furry head butting into your leg. Captain let out a low ‘wuff’, requesting pats, to which you happily obliged. The scraggly fur of the old wolfhound calmed you somewhat, a quiet smile settling on your lips.

Your neighbour quietly joined you, taking your wooden sword away and replacing it with her small hand. “You’re bad at fighting,” she started, making you sigh in annoyance. “But…I really don’t want you to get hurt. Ever.”

“I won’t get hurt,” you lied smoothly.

“You will!” The little girl tugged at your hand, urging you to pay attention. “Don’t go,” she frowned. “What’s so good about those shooting stars anyway? We have enough here! There’s so much above us already! Too much! Captain and I saw one fall from the sky yesterday and it wasn’t that impressive.”

You arched a brow. “How about more than a hundred stars? A thousand every hour, even. Like a rain of glittering, white lights.”

“Okay that’s pretty cool,” she admitted grumpily, head bowing as she pouted. “But you still shouldn’t go.” Medilia chuckled quietly, amused by her sulking child’s stubborn heart.

The child’s blue eyes looked at you in worry, and for a second you were reminded of the day her older brother left for Castle Town. She had wriggled herself away from her mother’s tight hold, running after the carriage until her father caught up and scooped her from the ground.

She had cried for days after, keeping the lantern at their door lit in the event that he would return. But it was a wish not even the Goddesses could grant. For it was his duty to them that urged her brother to leave in the first place.

The sun had finally left its cloudy hiding spot, casting a delicious, orange warmth against your face. You wanted to stay in this spring forever. Spend the days picking fruit and the nights mapping the stars over your head. To leave the farm was to die an early death, away from the few people who cared about you. It meant to allow yourself to be hurt in the worst ways possible.

And frankly, you were tired of letting people down.

Medilia observed as you nodded to yourself, watching as you settled a quiet war in your brain.

“Okay,” you smiled at all three of them. “Guess that means I’m postponing my trip indefinitely.”

“What?!” Your neighbour shrieked, making you wince. “You’re…you’re not leaving?”

“Though the choice is yours,” Medilia frowned, “Please don’t let my daughter’s begging take precedence over your own goals.”

You shrugged. “Nah, I mean, she has a point. I have enough stars here already. Plenty to last me a lifetime.”

With a flourish, you spread out your arms like wings by your side, wrapping both the little girl and her giant slobbery dog in an embrace. Your neighbour complained as you ruffled her hair, messing up her golden strands which stood up in sections like bolts of lightning.

“Hey! That took me an hour!”

“You can use the practice!” You mocked back, just in time before Captain knocked you both to the ground, his wagging tail kicking up dust and dirt. Medilia was quick to intervene, though she would have been faster if she didn’t stop every other second to laugh at your predicament.

“Well,” she said, fetching the wooden sword before Captain could trod on it, something you honestly wouldn’t mind. “If you’re staying then that means more time to perfect your swordsmanship.”

“Ughhhhh…”

“Don’t worry,” your neighbour piped cheerily, “I’ll give you some pointers! Fight me, Mom!”

“Now, Aryll. Remember, we think and assess first. Don’t try to rush—”

“RRRrrrraaaagh!”

“Oh dear. Perhaps—hey! Captain, no! Stay! I’m not the enemy!”

You cheered as Captain leaped gloriously through the air, laughing into the blue sky when Medilia dropped her sword and barely caught the heavy dog in her strong arms. She made a face as she tried to dodge his slobbery kisses, easily hoisting the hound up as if he was one of her children. And you supposed he was.

It was a beautiful day.

Looking up, you smiled. Back then, the shadow of a bird of prey soared over the four of you, its vibrant blue wings shielding your eyes from the hot sun.

Oh, how you wished to return to it. Deep in your heart you knew that to stay was utter folly. The wheels of fate would continue to turn. Calamity would come to pass, sweeping through the countryside of Hyrule until everything was covered in flames.

The smoke wafting up from the ruins of your home tickled your nose. It was an easy distraction to create while your neighbours made for the guard tower past the forest edge.

Medilia wouldn’t leave until you promised to follow after them. Lying was always easier the second time.

You were alone now. Under the blood moon and this close to Castle Town, very few stars could be seen. Wringing your fingers, you tried to imagine the meteor shower in Hebra, the icy wind of the mountain seeping into your clothes and chilling you to the bone.

By this time would he still be piloting that thing? Is he even alive?

The sound of a horn interrupted your thoughts. A hoard of monsters were approaching the hill.

Giving the practice sword a few experimental swings, you knew that no amount of training would help you survive what was to come. At worst you would be a momentary nuisance. An annoying fly to buy the people fleeing some time.

Their footsteps were getting louder now. Your face was deeply flushed, chest tightening in fear. Goddesses, you were screwed. But if it was a show that otherworldly being wanted, then a show they will get.

A familiar pale skinned moblin crested the top of the hill. You signalled it by jumping up and down like an overexcitable hare, just raring to be caught and skinned for dinner.

“Hylia damnit. Finally!” You shouted, waving your sword in the air. “You’re late.”

As it raised its spear in its approach, you felt that rush of adrenaline finally jolt up your spine. Under the blood moon, and in the face of certain death, you couldn’t help it.

You tilted your head back, and howled.

XVII

Acting quickly, you tackled the strange man to the side. An ear-ringing explosion punched a hole through the city walls, Guardians streaming out in droves.

Standing quickly, you forced the man to his feet and dragged him away from the burning city.

Blood dripped from your ears as you limped across the countryside, ducking behind walls at the sight of anything glowing and fuschia. It was like someone had pressed two rito feathered pillows over your ears, with even the howls of nearby monsters reaching you no louder than distant chatter.

Guiding him through the rubble, it soon became apparent that your escape was most likely going to end in futility. The more ground you both covered, the worse his breaths became. Your balance had taken a hit and with every stumble you saw the blood patch on his tunic growing in size. His gait soon worsened, forcing you both to rest behind the ruins of an old stone building.

Sitting across from him, you finally took a look at his wound.

“A little forward are we?” He croaked, joking lightly as you lifted the edge of his shirt. His voice, though direct, was muffled in your ringing ears. You shook your head, wrinkling your nose at the smell and site of destroyed tissue. Civilization was being razed to the ground as you spoke, with barely any help in sight. If the bloodloss didn’t kill him, then the infection surely will.

You tried to give him your best poker face. “I’m not a doctor, but your guts are trying to escape.”

He snorted. “Well I am, though not the kind we need unfortunately, and in my opinion that sounds pretty dismal.”

The strange man with white hair leaned against the stone wall. He tilted his head to the blood moon, with laboured breaths escaping his dry lips in a deathly rattle. As his keen eyes strayed to you, they seemed to look right through you, assessing something you couldn’t see.

Finally, he settled back to watch the sky. “How lucky am I?” he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “In the presence of one blessed by Nayru herself.”

The statement made you pause in thought, but instead of following through you crossed your legs and sat down beside him. A warm breeze swept through the land, rustling through the leaves of the fallen trees around you. If you closed your eyes and focused, you could almost hear it, the fading sounds of a distant skirmish coming from the south.

If you were honest with yourself, you were unsure as to what to do next. Finding any sort of help was unlikely. The army was either dead or en route to protect the final bastions standing between Hyrule and Ganon’s army.

No one was coming for you. But that didn’t mean your work was finished.

The man reached for the eyes shaped talisman hanging from his neck, somberly wiping the dirt away from it with his thumb. “So, what can this dying scientist do for you?

“I have questions.”

He shrugged half-heartedly and offered a defeated grin. “Figures.”

Facing the direction of the castle, a diseased flush of maddening red exploded across the horizon. Closing your eyes to it, you took a shuddering breath, feeling the earth shake underneath your fingertips. “Tell me all you know of the Divine Beast Vah Medoh.”

XVIII

It was always the slow ending that you hated the most. The ones where you could physically tell the final exhale was upon you. With the hairs atop your arms standing on end like weeds in the sunlight.

XIX

A chaotic gust of wind came out of nowhere and slammed into your chest, pushing you backwards. Tripping on air you fell back onto a cold metal surface, scraping your arms and jarring your shoulder.

Relaxing your aching head, you expected more of the cold floor to brush the ends of your hair. Instead, your head hyperextended, finding nothing but empty space.

The ground had ended at your neck.

Scrambling away from the ledge you realised that you were on a floating metal contraption. Under your fingers the cracks in the floors flashed a bright fuchsia, spreading outwards like haemorrhaging veins.

There was a muffled screech behind you, accompanied by the acrid stench of burning metal. Another gust of wind collided into your back. You began to slide across the floor.

One volley followed after another, pushing you back towards the edge. Your nails broke as they tried to claw at the floor for something to hold on to, your breaths coming out in shuddering gasps.

Despite your efforts, you were overboard.

As you fell, your fluttering eyes caught a bronze figure twinkling in the beyond. Its one brilliant blue eye followed your descent dispassionately, until the darkness caught you like a net. There was that sensation again. Atoms were knocked down like dominoes.

You fell into an endless ocean of stars,

XXI

Its gaping maw swallowing you up until there was nothing.

X---

“A blight,” you spat. A sickness was what corrupted the Beast. It crept and lodged itself into the inner-workings of the machine, quickly turning a steadfast ally into a monster.

One of the wolves lunged for your neck, and you dodged it carelessly, swinging the sword to connect with its leg. Another one jumped to maul your face off, but you intercepted it happily, bending your knees and slashing the blade across as it passed overhead. Blood splattered your leather armour.

“Fuck off! I’m thinking here!”

You’ve lost count of how many times you’ve lived and died. Echoes of past lives fought tooth and nail with the final vestiges of sanity you tried to protect. Reaching the limit of what you could recall, they existed in an unclear space, like hazy fossils encased in amber.

Though restarting cured your physical wounds, the scars in your psyche remained and multiplied.

You cared not anymore for what point in this never ending nightmare you’ve been released into. All you remember was running and running until you couldn’t breathe. The small town you found yourself in was friendly enough. Especially when they discovered you were handy with a sword (“trial and error” you said, no one understanding the joke but you.)

They were fast in recruiting you for the guard. The military training camp became your new place of rest. Day in and day out, they attempted to knock out bad habits in your form. Your stance, your swordsmanship, they were unpolished, heavy-handed, and wild.

Under the watch of the captain, you remained silent. Speaking only when asked to, attempting to blend as much as you could into the four walls. Menial tasks and repetition were the only means of living with the collection of memories and thoughts that wormed through your brain. There was no escape, not even sleep could grant you solace.

For in your dreams, in seas of blue, you saw him.

Months pass and as the leaves change in colour, so do you. You were in no way a skilled duelist. You were messy, a brute with a broadsword. Though by now many of your superiors hardly cared. You stuck to orders and got the job done. It did not matter if you returned covered in blood.

Under the crescent moon, the final wolf was finished off, your sword coming down to sever it in two. The town’s shepherds can rest in peace now. Perhaps this will teach future packs a lesson.

White clouds of air formed in front of you as you inhaled and exhaled. Only a few cuts and bruises littered your arms. The muscles in your shoulders were sore from the weight of the sword, and as the adrenaline came down you realised just how sweaty you were.

Straightening up quickly was a bad idea. Stamina well and truly depleted, your shaking legs gave out. Dropping your sword like an idiot, you stumbled backwards.

At the mercy of gravity. Two wings reached out to catch you.

(The terrifying thought that you had fallen upon your own sword and the universe had rewound the clock crosses your mind for a second.)

You immediately spun around, coming face to face with the last person you wanted to see.

Revali looked just the same as he did the last time you saw him. If not, younger perhaps? Or less tired. The scarf around his neck was of a cream white instead of his usual blue.

He slowly tilted his head, the way he always did when he was curious, wings still around your waist.

In your quiet deliberation of each other, the more you noticed that the blue feathers surrounding his face were windswept and ruffled. Bits of snow still covered him. He must have returned from one of his morning flights around the village.

Training himself to exhaustion no doubt. Carefully, you brushed the stray feathers to the side, not fully recognising at the time that he just allowed you to touch him so casually.

“Have we met before?”

The sudden question broke the spell, making you take a cautious step back. Your change in demeanour woke Revali from his thoughts as well. He released his wing from its hold around you, pulling it away as if burnt.

You shook your head, bending to swipe your discarded sword from the ground.

Grimacing at the dead wolves scattered around the forest, you sullenly removed your gauntlets and got to work skinning them and harvesting the meat.

Revali watched you work. “Are you the one they call the Butcher of Rauru?”

“No, I’m just a knight in training.”

“They say you’re more aggressive than a Grizzlemaw Bear.”

You snapped a rib and reached in. “My methods? That’s their problem.”

The Rito sighed, increasing the volume of his voice instead of lowering himself to your level as you continued to gut the wolf in silence. “I am Revali of the Rito Village. As part of my warrior training, I’ve been given the task of guiding a foreign soldier from one of the allied towns.” He said as if rehearsing a speech. “You’ve been recommended to me by the Knight Captain—”

“No.”

His professional smile faltered, and for a second you saw he was just as annoyed with this as you were. “With strict discipline, you could be a decent fighter—”

You abruptly slammed down the knife and pointed to him with bloodied fingers. “Look, I don’t give a blupee’s ass over the thought of becoming the perfect soldier for the King’s army.”

Revali bristled at your lack of enthusiasm. From the corner of your eye you saw him cross his wings, firmly planting his talons on the ground. “There is no room for argument. This is simply a courtesy call. The Captain has been…adamant in his recommendation. Your meagre belongings have already been collected and your post reassigned to another. There is nothing left for you here.”

The tips of your sharp ears grew warm as you glared daggers at the snow covered floor, determined not to let this conversation devolve into a screaming match.

There were several forces at work here. You knew your days at Rauru were numbered. The forces above had been watching you silently for the past couple of years, and they had finally grown impatient.

A winter chill blew through your threadbare coat, making you wince. The Knight Captain was a pious man. One who swore often that his dreams were prophetic. It would take just a single act of the Goddesses to wrench you from your unassuming life in this little unknown village and throw you back into the wilderness.

Gritting your teeth, you schooled your tone into one more subdued, doing your best not to betray your anger. “Very well. I don’t want to waste breath arguing over an order that has been decided for me. The Knight Captain is a stubborn man, and I have a feeling you are too.”

“Don’t compare me to your spineless Hylian commander,” he spat. “Unlike him, I do not suffer fools gladly.”

You shrugged, “Figures.” Immediately your stomach turned, an odd sliver of pain prodded at the back of your head.

Taking the knife back, you stripped the pelt skillfully from the carcass. “I’ll go with you, under two conditions.” Glancing up, you startled at how his face was closer than you expected.

Revali looked somewhat insulted at your twisted expression. He took a step back, not wanting to get wolf blood on his pretty silver anklets. “Alright, go on. The sunlight is waning.”

“Your job is to train me, and nothing else.” The headache was getting worse, but massaging it away meant more blood on your face. “That means no questions about me, no inquiries whatsoever into my life. We will not, nor ever be friends.”

“Good.” His beak curved into that smirk you—your previous selves, seemed to adore so much. “I had no intentions of getting to know a pea-brained brute anyway.”

You rolled your eyes, ignoring the previous jab. “Two, we are passing Tabantha Stable on the way there.”

“Why?”

“I need to pick up a horse.”

And so began the most unusual year of your life.

Settling into Rito Village, not as a tourist but as a temporary shadow of their group of warriors, was a difficult change of pace. Training in Hebra was arduous and unforgiving. High-altitudes tired you out faster, the air being thinner where the mountains stood.

At the beginning, most of Revali’s training focused on acclimating your “weak Hylian body” to such conditions. He would take you and Eimhin up into the thick of Hebra’s forests, training you until you were bundled up next to your horse at camp—half frozen.

Your diet was strategically adjusted to one higher in iron, and you’d never paid more attention to how much water you were drinking until now. Suffering was to be anticipated, and suffer you did, having trouble remaining upright in the first few days of rigorous training among the peaks.

There was never a chance to be bored. Your Rito teacher was relentless. After tackling one challenge, another always presented itself. Endurance testing, advanced swordsmanship, even archery (he had doubled over laughing the first time you fired an arrow, your nervous grip nearly splitting the lightbow in two).

In this unhinged crash course of Rito training, it became difficult to devote any brain space to anything else. Revali, for all his flaws, was a vigilant mentor.

When your mind wandered, he was quick to catch on, throwing you a sword and ordering you to spar.

When your anxious thoughts burned, he took your rough hands in his own, plunging them into the snow and shocking your brain with nothing but the cold.

He introduced you to the other warriors. Around him you found faces you’ve seen before. You could not help but compare them to your previous memories, noticing that their beaks sported less scars.

Though you were a stranger, you never felt unwelcome.

You were thankful that the hospitality of the Rito was as steadfast as their upfront honesty. To fight alongside them was an honour given your inexperience. So in an effort to lighten the burden of your presence, you spared them the attitude you reserved for your reluctant teacher.

In the light of the campfire, the Rito warriors would share stories of their children, their husbands and wives. Their dreams and the loved ones that were long gone. In Rito Village, history wasn’t always written. A lot of the time they were woven, and plenty of times they were sung.

And how you loved to listen to the warriors sing, their voices sombre and beautiful in tones no other Hylian could ever try to recreate.

Soon with every phase of the moon your title shifts, from stranger to young knight, to comrade and even to friend.

It was back breakingly difficult. Your hair was the shortest it has ever been and your muscles ached to hell every day.

But waking up at dawn, setting up targets, smashing out hundreds of push-ups, trading harmless barbs with Revali at lunch, and getting your unpolished skills humbled by one of his comrades after dinner--a dangerous pattern began to emerge.

You were beginning to enjoy it.

Once on a night when the full moon’s light made it difficult to rest, you took a chance and ventured out onto the frigid outdoor deck of the Flight Range, finding that he was still awake.

Quietly, you watched him approach the edge, pausing before the drop as if in a moment to collect himself. Stepping forward, you froze at the sudden change of atmosphere.

Everything felt…lighter somehow.

You exhaled sharply, a puff of white forming outside your lips. There was a tenuous shift in energy that you had not sensed before in your previous lives. It prickled on the back of your neck, pulling the hairs up and dancing along the ghost of your spine.

The rope in your chest twisted, and in an instant you saw it.

Eyes wide, you could see the threads of life binding each and every life and element to the world. They writhed and settled, like an ocean of needle-thin blue light which had no end and no beginning.

The entirety of Hyrule could fit into a teaspoon. You had been plunged into this ocean, finding it impossible to even comprehend its enormity!

And somehow, all it took was Revali to reach out. You blinked, and suddenly his very spirit had a thread of magic in its grasp.

In an instant he was enveloped in a haze. The air around him shifted and spun, syphoned and commanded to dance around him like twisting ribbons around a maypole. The light around you surged, unhappy to be schooled into listening by mortal hands.

He outstretched his wings, ascending up and up.

You felt silly for not seeing it for what it was, all those lives ago.

This Rito had no royal blood, no connection to the Goddesses and no claim to holy priesthood. He was brought to this world as an ordinary soul meant to live and die under the canopy of the heavens.

Yet, despite all this, by his own merit he had cultivated his soul to command the wind. In a split second he had a thread of the world in his grasp.

And when he asked it to kneel—it did.

Rapidly, he climbed in a flurry of wind.

It was night and the sky was red.

The blue light swirled around him, bending to his will.

Heat tickled the small hairs on your arm. The air was getting harder to breathe.

Around you the stars continued to fall.

A loud crack echoed through the Flight Range, making you jump up in alarm.

On the edge of the Flight Deck, Revali caught his breath, having been roughly struck down before reaching even half the height of his intended goal.

Balling your fists, you resisted the urge to run to him, hating yourself as you watched him shakily cough as he got back on his feet.

In determined frustration, Revali stretched his wings once more.

He would repeat the motion. Again and again. Until orange rays of sun peeked over the shadowed dolomite cliffs, and you had no choice but to scurry off, running away before the light of the new day touched your face.

Another morning of training passed in its usual grueling slowness. Neither you nor Revali spoke about the previous night’s events.

Regardless, it was difficult to bring up anything when you were running until your legs fell off. The endless drills at high altitude dehydrated you. Your lips were always cracked though you drank enough water you swore could fill a Gerudo camel.

Catching your breath after hours of running, you caught sight of a natural wind tunnel spinning gaily just over the snowy hill. Blinking tiredly, you slowly approached it.

And there it was again.

Threads of blue branching. Like standing in a river at twilight.

Another blink, and it was gone.

Sleep since then would evade you frequently. Every evening you would wake like clockwork, walking quietly in your coat to the Flight Deck to watch Revali train amongst the invisible blue threads.

One night became two, and two became many.

In the mornings you never dared mention sneaking out. Though you would swear to the holy Three he knew exactly what you were doing.

The end of winter brought forth delicate purple blooms which sprung from the cliff side still speckled in snow. Reaching out calloused fingers, you dusted it away, easily snapping the stems and placing the flowers into your bag.

With a satisfied grunt, you wiped the sweat from your eyes. Under the early rising sun, you felt the heat of the new spring warming you as you clambered up the rock wall.

Bird song echoed through the Tabantha Frontier, a wood warbler calling to its mate. With a satisfied smile you continued onwards, the muscles in your back flexing as you propelled yourself to another perch.

Later that day, your hands were full of herbs and swift violets, plants which you had collected in earnest for the village apothecary. An electric energy glanced under your fingers as you stretched out on the grass. It was odd, but you found yourself in better spirits than most days.

Cuho Mountain was special, you supposed. It relaxed you, the peaceful scenery of the village loosening your lips.

“You will reach it,” you sighed, addressing the blue Rito who sat next to you, oiling his bow with a rag that smelled of linseed.

Hearing your statement, Revali’s neck gave an audible crack, his billowing scarf nearly smacking into your face when he turned to you.

“Reach what, exactly?” He asked carefully, immediately on the defensive.

Unsure as to what possessed you to do it, you reached for a violet and softly tucked it into the lip of his chest plate. Revali’s face scrunched as he watched you smooth out the flowers so they sat just right, their purple petals splayed out like a small sun. His beak fell open by a sliver as you did that, making him look more confused than irritated.

“Everything you want.” You nodded, mouth smoothing into a line for you were completely serious. “Be it greatness or recognition, or anything you set your heart to.”

At his perplexed silence, which was so totally unlike him, you allowed your lips to curve upwards just a twitch. “Have I rendered the great Revali speechless?”

His eyes narrowed and your smile widened into a teasing grin. “No. I’m trying to parse out if you’d hit your head on the way up here.”

“I mean it. If there’s anyone I would bet on, it would be you.”

“Yes...” He continued to assess you, checking your pupils for irregularities (which was a little offensive.) “Your jolly mood worries me. Have you perchance snuck a dead hare into my pack while I wasn’t looking?”

You scoffed, standing up abruptly and swiping the dirt from your trousers. “That was one time, and I needed the space! Never mind, you over sized cuckoo--”

“Now that sounds more like the barbaric novice I know.” He returned to cleaning his bow. “But please, stranger. Continue showering me with your deep affections. I do enjoy hearing the obvious from time to time.”

He gracefully dodged the basket hurled in his direction, grumbling when a collection of flowers and herbs rained down prettily over his head.

In the summer heat, Eimhin watched you spar with the other warriors from underneath the shade of a tree. Though horses made him uncomfortable, Revali offered her an apple in this trying time and patted her flank awkwardly.

From afar, you squinted in the daylight, wiping the sweat from your brow. You bit back a laugh. He had settled next to her!

It was a day for sparring. As aerial fighters, the Rito’s hand to hand combat needed work and you needed the practice. After a few minutes exchanging blows, your opponent had you in a headlock.

"Yield, little knight!"

Using your superior strength, a well timed strike to his gut bought you a second to slip out of his grasp and sweep his leg. Dancing around him, you used the momentum of his fall to flip your positions, pinning him to the dirt and bending his wing in an odd angle.

“Nicely done.” Revali called from afar. You froze.

Oh, he definitely had notes for you to review that very evening in the hut. But a compliment was a compliment, and it disturbed you when your heart stuttered. Maybe getting checked by the Healer later wasn’t a bad idea…

Shit! Your knee was still digging into your opponent’s spine!

“I’m sorry!” You gasped, dropping his wing immediately as the old Rito groaned and rolled onto his back.

Worriedly, you bowed low and apologised profusely. Old man Saraya batted your hand away as he got back on his feet. His laugh boomed through the mountain, snow shaking from the trees. Some other warriors nearby shook their heads fondly at the sound.

He was always laughing, and it took you many days in his presence to reconcile his jovial grin with the Rito who interrogated you so harshly and left you to die.

“A well fought match,” he nodded, slapping your back playfully with a strength that would have knocked the breath out of you two years ago.

You allow yourself a little smile. “Th-thank you.”

“Fight me next!”

Both of you turned to see that it was Revali’s newest shadow: a green feathered Rito too fast for his own good.

He was naive, full of youthful energy and enough enthusiasm to power a small army. The respect he held for Revali was immense, bordering on hero worship.

He would do anything to prove himself. That included challenging you, thinking that it would earn him the opportunity to usurp you as Revali’s ‘apprentice’.

It was oddly endearing, even when you had corrected him many times. Revali never admired you. He wasn’t even your friend.

He was a formidable opponent and a skilled teacher. Nothing more.

You looked out to the trees to see he had Eimhin’s brush in his wing. The horse was behaving well for once, bending down her long neck so that he could get to the knots without any trouble. Even from where you stood, you could hear him fussing. A smile pulled at your lips.

Sometimes, he surprised you. Between the barked orders and constant criticism, a word or two of praise would slip through the cracks of his arrogant professionalism. For Revali, they were a sweet and gentle change. Like a flower through the frost.

Mido cleared his throat, waking you from your musings. He was getting nervous. His hero was surely still watching and this was his chance. “Come on, stranger! One round!”

You nodded. “Sure.”

And have him pinned in less than a minute.

Worn boots crunched over orange leaves littering the forest floor as you swung your greatsword into another bokoblin. With a hiss, you felt the muscles in your shoulder pull as you pushed back on the monster’s chest with your boot to dislodge it.

Another autumn meant another harvest. And another another autumn meant the ever dreaded scarecrow shift.

You had learned that this time of the year, local Hylian farmers often sought aid from the Rito to protect their crop from opportunistic monsters.

Many of them had unlucky farms situated close to monster camps, making them easy targets for raids. The beasts would attack in groups, swinging their clubs and killing livestock.

It wasn’t war, but it was important. You remembered your neighbours—your own farm—and your heart ached.

And so when the time came to take point, you did not hold back.

Sword drawn, you stood before the field and did your best fighting from the ground whilst Revali circled from the air. It was a large group this time, making it a challenge to keep track of your opponents when many of them rushed you at random.

Hoisting up the large sword and preparing to swing in a wide arc, a small barrel rolled to your feet.

You stood still, unsure of what to do. There was a hissing noise as you sniffed the air. It smelled of the same powder the Rito would stuff into their bomb arrows.

Those seconds of confusion costed you. For in the next breath, it exploded.

No starlight raced to meet you.

Opening your eyes, you found that everything was obscured by blue. It was like the bottom of your stomach had fallen out.

“Hold on to me, now!” Revali yelled.

Gusts of wind surrounded you, cutting into your cheeks as if you were in the eye of a tornado. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, gripping on for dear life as you were propelled upwards. The blue sky raced to meet you. The wind tunnel disappeared.

And in a blink, you had reached the pinnacle of the gale.

Revali tensed.

You watched in awe as he stretched his neck, completely unfurled his feathers, and in every definition of the word, began to fly.

Pushing through the shock, your eyes greedily scanned the battlefield from your new vantage point. Inspiration struck you like lightning.

You poked the back of Revali’s neck, eliciting an annoyed grunt. “The barrels! Fire arrow!”

All the warning you got was a nod, and suddenly you were upside-down.

Biting back a scream, you held on for dear life as Revali somersaulted in the air. With you still hanging on, he unlatched his bow and caught it in his feet—loading and firing it in one graceful motion.

The remaining barrels detonated in a blinding flash. With relief you watched as it sent the last of the monsters careening across camp.

When the stragglers had retreated, he set you down gently.

Roughly turning you around, you were faced with a very worried looking Rito.

“I can't believe you! Have you not seen an explosive barrel before? Goddesses, are you hurt? Did it get you?”

You leapt towards him, dragging him into a hug. “That was amazing!” You squeezed him tight, heart soaring. “Your Gale! It was perfect.”

Revali stiffened. He looked at you with wide eyes, mouth agape like you had grown a second head.

Tentatively, his wings hovered over your shoulders, eventually wrapping around you to return the embrace. “Why of course.”

Rather than heard, the smile that came from him was felt on the side of your neck. You felt his warm breath when he leaned towards your ear, voice softer as if whispering a secret. “You said it yourself. I’m going to reach everything I want.”

The heat of battle was replaced by a different kind, one that worried you. So you cast the feeling away and elected to dig your face deeper into his neck and laugh.

He squawked— squawked in surprise when you put your muscles to good use, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed as light as you felt.

Excited chatter erupted amongst the feathered crowd when the bonfire was finally lit. The cold dusk was teeming with gossip, so you closed your eyes and listened.

“Well it seems the foundling had made a name for himself after all. He’s a perfect mate for my youngest.”

“Not unless I arrange a match with my daughter before the next spring!”

“Do you reckon the Chief will take him under his wing?”

“Well he is the greatest archer in generations.”

You snorted, covering the sound with a cough. Now that was an idea. The rito always loathed politics, preferring to strike out independently and finish things on his own terms.

Imagining him having to concede his own strong opinion in favour of appeasing the old farts on the village council made you chuckle.

A hush fell over the crowd when the bird himself finally approached the raised platform. He was dressed in a colourful cape weaved from fine wool, delicate and intricately embroidered with the symbol of the Rito on its back.

Bundling deeper into your coat, you watched the sacred ceremony from a distance. It slowly began to sink in that this young warrior who you had called an ‘uncooked roast on legs’ an hour ago now had the authority to command a small army.

In their language, the Chief began a reverent prayer to Valoo, to Hylia, and to the Three who had created the world. You picked out a few words you could understand, but beyond that were at a complete loss to what was being said.

To stave off boredom, you took the chance to observe your so-called mentor. He stood tall and proud, obviously preening under the attention of everyone. His dark hair was free from their usual braids, not a strand out of place even when the wind blew past the open field. Under the orange light of the fire, his blue feathers shone perfectly, clean and healthy. It was a fact that among his people that he was undoubtedly handsome.

And his eyes; they wandered until they found yours.

His face remained blank when you offered him a reassuring thumbs up, and soon he had turned away again to take his oaths. The light of the setting sun eventually met the heart shaped hollow in the ancient rock, and to your surprise—the platform he and the chief stood upon began to glow.

It was all very dramatic. More words were spoken, and the tower of offerings to Valoo were lit as jade rings were woven into Revali’s hair.

It was then that it started to snow.

Revali searched the gathered people before him, and before your gazes could meet again, the crowd surged and jumped, erupting in cheers for the new Pride of the Rito. More torches were lit, music filled the air, and in true Rito spirit; the party began in full force.

Later, sitting on the edge of an empty landing deck, you reached into your coat. Brushing past the blue feather, you dug your pocket for a white envelope that had bebothering you since that morning.

The letter was stamped with the seal of the military offices at Rauru.

With a deep breath you tore the envelope open. In your hands sat a message declaring news that you had gravely anticipated.

The Knight Commander had written directly to you— congratulating you for reaching the end of your training. The Order of the Knights in Hyrule had recognised the formal completion of your agreement to Rito Village. You were being ordered to return home.

You were...

You felt...

You should be overjoyed.

The letter in your hand blurred. Droplets of water hit the parchment, with the ink of its letters running down the page.

“Thought I would find you here.”

You swiped an arm over your face and forced a smile. “Well, aren’t I lucky? A private audience with the bird of the hour.”

Revali rolled his eyes and moved to sit beside you. His posture was calm, completely at ease, until he spotted what you held in your hands. “Is that…”

You nodded, your back stiff as you stared into the night. The rich sound of an accordion drifted from the fields below and up the spire, singing out the melody of a popular folk song.

Folding the letter carefully, you slipped it back into your coat. “You should return to your party, Revali. There are many who wish to speak to you.”

“Will you be joining me?”

Shaking your head, you looked up to see that he had shed his colourful garments and changed back to his usual armour. You took in the intricate embossing on the chest plate. “I’m sorry but I need to be alone,” you said. At the word alone your voice wobbled, and you cursed yourself for being so damn obvious.

Revali stared at you critically, thinking for a few moments before huffing once and walking away.

Tensing your jaw, you returned to staring out into the abyss. The snow fell even harder, chilling you through your coat and making the end of your nose sting. You clasped your hands tightly and attempted to breathe.

What were you thinking? These are going to be the happiest years of his life, and here you were, interfering! There was nothing to be gained here. You were being selfish—what right did you have to demand the attention of someone you could never save? You had nothing to give him, not even a future.

Somewhere behind you, a door opened.

“Hey, stranger!”

Behind you was a familiar porch.

Shaking your head in disbelief, you took in the shells hanging by the window and the chipped paint on the door. All at once, a voice from another life called out:

“You shouldn’t be sleeping here”

How had you not noticed it before?

Revali leaned against his doorway and clicked his tongue impatiently. “Are you coming in or what? You’re going to catch your death if you sit there any longer.”

The door was wide open, no doubt letting the cold air invade the warm living room his fire had worked so hard to heat up. He would be cold if he continued to wait for you like this. Then he was going to catch the flu, and you would have played a direct part in shortening an already short life span.

So for the benefit of his health, you stood up and acquiesced.

The soul had a habit of speaking up at the most inopportune times. In searching for a safe place, your body had numbly led you to his home. Stepping through the door, a collection of hazy memories from another life returned and sank their teeth into the wrinkles of your brain. They knocked heads with your current memories, fighting for space in a room that couldn’t accommodate more than one of them in the first place.

Looking around, a collection of violets sat by the kitchen window, lovingly placed in a small vase.

Without much effort, you spotted his kettle. “Tea?” You said aloud.

Revali blinked. “Sure. But as my guest, shouldn’t I be the one asking that?”

“I don’t mind.”

You worked, as you usually did, in comfortable silence. Finding the herbs, your fingers gripped the end of a mint leaf and pulled. Gathering the leaves in one hand, you slapped your opposite over it to release the aromatics. Dropping the leaves into the pot and filling it with water, you felt bemused at how at ease you felt navigating his house.

“Well bless my feathers and consider me surprised,” he said, watching as you found your way around his hut with ease. From the corner of your eye you could see him twist his head to get a better view as you stretched to the highest shelf and dug around a mountain of jars filled with various spices, finding the honey on the first go.

His eyes remained on you as you managed to light his temperamental fireplace. Hanging the pot to boil, you stared at the flames for a few minutes, basking in its warmth as it worked to unfreeze your cold fingers.

“Problem?” you called out, feeling oddly embarrassed at his staring.

All you got in reply was an amused huff, and the quiet whisper of something that made you stop in your tracks. Not Stranger. Not any kind of formal title or teasing remark.

Your name.

Your real name.

“How…” Everyone in the village had called you Stranger or Knight, or a variation of either.

You bit your lip and thought better of it. The Knight Captain would have told him, surely. They had your description on record, how else would he have found you in the forest? It was the first time he had used it is all. No need to freak out.

Taking the mittens hanging from the kitchen counter, you unhooked the kettle from above the fire.

Why did he have to say it like that? The way his voice wrapped around the syllables, careful and concise, it confused you. He said your name like it meant something to him. Like you mattered.

It was a foolish sentiment. One that you ached to crush under the heel of your boot.

You needed to be rid of it immediately. Had all these lives not taught you better? You had a desire to turn around and march back to where he was sitting, to tell him to stop playing these stupid games, to ask him to say it again, to press your mouth into his neck until it was all he was capable of saying—

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot!

Taking a breath, you fished out his usual mug and poured. There. Just how he liked it; four sugars with a dash of milk. Absolutely sweet and disgusting.

Revali strode over to you as you worked to fix your own cup, glancing at the box of sweet biscuits you had swiped from his pantry. ”Am I really that predictable?”

Taking a bite from a biscuit, you swallowed roughly. A deep ache bloomed at the back of your head at the delicious taste. All the while a clock standing in the corner seemed to tick louder and louder.

Looking down into the cup, the murky liquid shuddered, making your vision swim.

A blue wing tapped your shoulder, and the world slammed back into focus. You blinked, remembering where you were.

Shit.

“Apologies, my mind was elsewhere.” Trying to appear unaffected, you presented the tea to him with an exaggerated flourish. “Here, your elixir of grossness milord.”

Revali arched an eyebrow and you couldn’t blame him. You were being weird.

He eyed the bright yellow mug in his wings with suspicion. “My favourite cup as well. Creepy but I’m flattered. Say, have you been following me all this time?”

“I’m sorry.” You said immediately.

He blinked. “Sorry? For what?”

“I…” you kneaded a thumb into your temple. “I have no idea. I’m going mad.”

Revali sighed theatrically, propping his head up with one of his wings. “And here I was thinking you already were…”

“Oh how the Pride of the Rito wounds me,” you ran a shaking hand over your scalp. “I’m fine, really.”

The other feathered brow lifted. “I never asked if you were.”

“It was the fan club,” you tried to redirect, preparing your own drink in record time and spilling some as you dragged a chair across from him. “Oops—you know, those ladies and gents are always watching you practice in the forest. Perhaps they are watching us right now…”

You wiggled your fingers for effect. “Spooky!”

Revali quietly waited for you to finish your spiel, taking a sip of his drink. He looked at you patiently, almost fondly.

Farore’s breath, you were going crazy.

The Rito tilted his head to the side, his braids cascading down his shoulder quite disarmingly. “This is the most animated I’ve seen you in a while. How much sugar have you had?” He asked playfully.

You scowled. “Not as much as you. That much sweetness should be made illegal. It’s barely tea.”

“Are you sure?” The chair creaked as he leaned forward. Your body went immediately still.

With bated breath, you watched him reach out a wing, nearly jumping out of your skin as the soft brush of feathers settled on the swell of your cheek.

Casting your eyes dutifully to the ground, you tried to calm your racing heart which stuttered pitifully in your chest.

The temperature in the room had become uncomfortably warm. Revali followed an imaginary line, slow and gentle in the way his feathers traveled down the map of your skin. Your breath caught when he briefly paused at the corner of your mouth, lingering there for a moment before continuing on.

“For someone so observant, you are awfully blind to a lot of things…” White-tipped feathers settled under your chin. Slowly, so as not to shock you, he tilted your face up.

Green eyes. Almach in andromeda. The emerald glow of a trinary of dying stars. You hadn’t thought of the stars in years and doing so now just felt like twisting the knife you had kept buried in your memories long ago.

About to back away, you froze when he spoke.

Your name, said in that way again. Softly, like it was the most precious gift. The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end, face going warm in the stupid way it did when your heart was beating faster than a hummingbird’s wings.

“There,” he muttered, allowing his feathered finger to brush your lips once, before pulling his wing away completely.

Revali crossed them on his lap and sat up, clearing his throat as you struggled to reassemble the pieces of your broken brain back together. “You…,” he coughed, turning away. “You had some biscuit crumbs on your mouth.”

“I…” you regarded him with wide eyes, mouth opening and closing as words broke down and scattered as soon as they were formed. “I’m…ah—”

“You’re speechless, I understand.” He created some space between you, sipping his tea and coughing at how hot it still was. “Now! There’s no rush in thanking me. It wouldn’t do to have an untidy face in the presence of someone as distinguished as myself.”

Revali glanced at you and just as quickly returned his vibrant eyes to his tea. It was a major change from the unsubtle staring from before.

Something about it annoyed you to no end. What even happened just then? Him being unable to look at you felt worse than uncomfortable. It felt wrong. You were furious. How dare he!

Fuck it.

The chair screeched and toppled over when you suddenly stood up. The infuriating Rito faced you, eyes wide as you walked around the table and bent down until you were level.

“Our agreement is over.” You could feel yourself getting angry. “You are no longer my mentor, I have learned all I can from you. There is nothing binding me to this village anymore.”

His eyes narrowed, no longer shy. Good. “Is that so? The warriors here respect you, and I have shared with you numerous secrets and techniques well beyond what you needed to know. Your lack of gratitude is disappointing.”

“Gratitude? The nerve—”

He scoffed and your glare became all the more incensed. “Tell me, dear stranger. What’s the point of your presence? I invited you into my home, yes, but I wanted to hear what you had to say. When I found you in that forest you wanted nothing to do with me or this village. What changed?"

A myriad of emotions struck.

The smart thing for the both of you was to put aside your foolish ambitions to rest and get away. If you grabbed Eimhin and left now you could make it to Tabantha in a night. Maybe ride out all the way to Lanayru and spend the rest of your life fighting lizalfos until one runs you through with a lightning spear.

Not a muscle in your body made a move to retreat.

His wings lifted up to lightly cup your face, ensuring you had nowhere else to look but into his own. “It can’t be…that you have possibly grown fond of me?”

Red filled your vision when the snow melted. “And what if I did?” You seethed.

The feathered fingers at your cheek drifted up and into your hair, carding through the strands in gentle passes. “You’ve proven capable of using that mind up there. Try connecting the dots for once.”

Wings outstretched, the bright fuchsia light of its eyes seemed to pierce right into your soul. “Then I am a fool doomed to never have them reciprocated.”

Revali laughed, the rueful sound carrying no joy. “And if it wasn’t so beyond the realm of possibility? That those feelings could be returned?" He looked at you, challenging you again like he always did. “What then, stranger?

Damn the world and damn the gods.

Finding your courage, you reached out and planted both hands on the armrests of his chair. The wood complained with a squeaking creak as you grasped the edges in a white-knuckled grip. Though you were effectively caging him in, the bird made no noise of complaint. He remained seated with an inscrutable expression, watching you with a quiet intensity as you fought every instinct not to turn tail and run.

“You are so damn confusing." My soul has chosen to anchor itself to you.

"I have been nothing but honest and forthright with you from the moment we met. You on the other hand have always had this haunted look in your eyes whenever you see me. How curious. Does my presence repel you?"

"No!"

Revali scowled. "Then what is it?"

"I...," you ran a shaking hand through your hair. "It's not something I can easily explain."

"Now, who is being the confusing one?"

"Damn it all, Revali! What do you want from me?"

"If you truly felt that there was nothing left for you," he continued urgently, "then you would have been long gone by now.”

It was then that a cord in your resolve snapped.

I am so tired.

Did you even deserve to rest? Time and time again you had watched the world cave in, the people you cared about perishing like the autumn leaves of a grand oak tree. You wanted to care less--you wished you could care less.

You unwrapped your hands from the chair, bringing them back to you so you could entwine them with the leather straps of his armor.

Revali offered no resistance as you pulled him towards you. The realness and warmth of his closeness made it difficult to think of anything else. Both of you waltzed into each other's gravity as easy as breathing. As natural as falling asleep.

His wings found their way into your hair, tightening into a vice grip as you slammed your eyes shut. The stars outside could be falling, their dying light heralding the end of the world.

“So be it.” You said, leaning in and throwing all caution to the wind.

#revali x reader #revali botw #revali #botw #to be continued #time travelling #time loop #hello everyone #long time no see #:)

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