Medoh soars overhead, blue lights glowing over its frame, propellers whirring as it flies. Looking up at it, I stand on the platform used by Rito for take-off and alighting. A strong gust swirls in front of me, staring to form a small wind-devil, a miniature hurricane.

From below, a figure ascends in a flash, spinning like an arrow in flight, before spreading dark wings and coming to a point-perfect roost on the railing. Revali, his blue Champion’s sash looped around his neck like an ascot, balances effortlessly. In his usual sardonic, cocky tone, he speaks.

“Impressive, I know. Very few can achieve a mastery of the sky. Yet I have made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar. It’s considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito.”

He flexes a wing, admiring his own sleek feathers.

“With proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn’t easily dispense with Ganon. Now then…”

He hops off the railing, strutting towards me, puffing his slim chest out like a drill-sergeant.

“My ability to explore the firmament is certainly of note, but let’s not-pardon me for being so blunt-” he throws an apparently-friendly wing over my shoulder, “Let’s not forget that I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito. And yet, despite these truths, it seems that I have been tapped to merely ‘assist’ you.  All because you happen to have that little darkness-sealing sword on your back. I mean, it’s just… asinine.”

He shoots me a sidelong look, as if gauging how easily he could pin me with an arrow from his huge golden greatbow.

“Unless… you think you can prove me wrong?”

Turning to face me, he leans in, eye to eye with me and fluffing his plumage out challengingly. “Maybe we should just settle this one on one? But where…? Oh, I know! How about up there?!”

He throws a wing upward, gesturing to…

Vah Medoh.

Then, he lets out a smug chuckle. “Oh, you MUST pardon me. I forgot, you have no way of making it up to that Divine Beast all on your own!”

The wind billows around him, and, with his back to me, dismissively, he takes off, shooting into the sky. He flips in midair, delivering a final, taunting line- “Good luck sealing the darkness!”- And vanishing up into the shadow of the Divine Beast.

 

The memory fades, and I twitch. The Rito woman is almost shaking me, murmuring, “Descendant! Descendant! Are you alright?!”

I nod. “I just remembered something. I feel I may have been here once before, some time ago.”

She sighs and relaxes. “My apologies… I fear I have said far too much. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask!”

I shake my head, smiling.

“I’ll be going now. I hope I’ll return with good news.”

I head to the Landing, before hurling myself off, deploying my paraglider, angling myself towards the point indicated by the Rito housewife. A short glide and a jog later, and I find the wooden structure of the Flight Range. Climbing the stairs, I spot a Rito male, sitting on the deck, fiddling with a bow, likely applying a new string. Upon noticing my presence, he turns.

“Yeah?”

I swallow, the constant wind here making my lips dry. Luckily, Zel’s cosmetics are very high-quality, so my lips stay the same red.

The Rito turns back to his work.

“I don’t know you. And I’m actually pretty busy here. You should probably go.”

Instead, I step forwards, letting the wind blow through my hair. It’s grown longer since I awoke, now down to my shoulders.

The Rito pauses in his maintenance.

“…Did you need something? I’m busy here.”

“I can help you.  With Vah Medoh…”

He stares at me, sharp eyes fixed on me.

“Let me get this straight. Some random Hylian girl wants to help me bring down Divine Beast Vah Medoh? I’m not buying it. What’s your name, stranger?”

I take a deep breath. “I’m Linka.”

“Linka, huh? Well, Linka. I’m Teba. But you already knew that. I’m guessing the elder asked you to come here and talk some sense into me. Am I right?”

I nod. “That’s right. And so did your wife.”

Teba clicks his beak. “Look- you seem like an alright girl, but let’s make one thing clear. I’m not going anywhere. As a Rito warrior, I can’t rest until my people are safe. There’s only one way I’m going back to Rito Village.”

I tilt my head. “And that is…”

Teba nods. “Once Divine Beast Vah Medoh falls from the sky. If I have to kill Medoh… so be it. Only then will I return to the village.”

I rest a hand on my hip. “Then let’s get started.”

Teba’s neckfeathers fluff out. “Are you serious? HA! Well, far be it from me to talk you off the ledge. But it’s as the elder said: the only way to stop Divine Beast Vah Medoh is to get inside it. Fat chance of that happening. There’s no way we can set foot in Medoh.”

“Actually…”

Teba clicks his beak again. “So, not only are you wingless… you’re brainless, too. Let me fill you in- the only people able to enter the Divine Beasts are the five Champions of old. And unfortunately for us and the rest of Hyrule, they all died a hundred years ago. If it hadn’t been for Ganon… never mind.   Let’s focus on bringing down Medoh… one step at a time. If we approach Medoh recklessly, its cannons will blast us out of the sky before we even get close.”

I nod, my mind already racing as I try to put together some form of attack plan.

Teba slaps his knee. “I’m going to need to test you before I take you with me. We Rito warriors use the updrafts in this ravine to hone our aerial archery skills. The updrafts are so strong, a person could just open up a cloth over their head and float up easily. Now, let’s see what you’re capable of. You’ll have to… manoeuvre through the air and destroy five of the targets set up, in three minutes or less.”

I nod. “I’m ready.” I stride towards the end of the Flight Range’s platform, before leaping off Teba’s shout of “Whoa! What are-!” cut short behind me.

A mere minute and a half later, I alight, five targets shattered, each with a single, well-placed shot. Teba looks down at me, a hint of respect in his eyes.

“You’re… a skilled archer. It was as if time stopped with every arrow you let fly. I’ve got to tell you, Linka. When you first showed up, I thought someone was pulling a prank on me. But, after seeing you handle that bow, I can tell you’re the real deal. You must have seen a battle or two.”

How could I tell him that I’m over a hundred years old and likely a more experienced soldier than anyone in this world? I shrug delicately.

“I’ve seen a few…”

The powerful-looking birdman nods. “I can tell you’re just being modest. But, I feel like I’ve heard a name like yours somewhere before. Anyway, if you really want to help me bring down Medoh, it’s now or never. I’ll get you into position so you can give its cannons all you’ve got.”

He gestures at a chest that wasn’t there when I arrived.

“In there is a bow I’ve modified. Take it, and let me know when you’re ready.”

When I prise open the lid of the chest, I find a beautiful, elegant piece of craftsbirdship. It’s lighter than I expected, but it’s got plenty of draw strength. I give it a couple of tugs, adjusting to its pull, before slinging it over my shoulder.

“Ready, Teba.”

He hands me a bundle. “You won’t be able to put a dent in Medoh with normal arrows. These are a precious commodity, so don’t expect me to do this again, but… take these.”

I look down.  In my hands is a cluster of arrows. They don’t have the standard steel heads, though, but a small bag cinched tight to the end of the arrowshaft.  “What are these?”

Teba grunts in satisfaction. “Bomb arrows. Packed with an explosive powder and an impact detonator. If one of these hits something solid… BOOM. Nice big explosion.”

He gestures at a pot and a dying fire inside the Flight Range’s lodge. “Also, it’ll be cold up there. You want warmer clothing or a warm meal before we go?”

I shake my head. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Teba shrugs. “Alright. But let me ask you something. Why are you doing this? Why risk your life to bring down Medoh?”

I pause. I want to save Zel. I want to help the village, too. Finally, I settle on a simple answer, but truth.

“I can’t just watch…”

Teba tilts his head. “You can’t just sit and watch innocent people be terrorized? Then imagine how I feel as a proud Rito warrior… that’s fair enough, though. Right. Get on.”

He drops to one knee, wings spread, and I climb on, gripping tight enough to hold on without hurting or inconveniencing the Rito. With a steady beat, he rises, launches out into the ravine, and lets the wind catch his wings, bearing the pair of us aloft.

A few minutes of swift flight brings up on a level with the corrupted Divine Beast, then above, as Teba keeps us out of range. He clacks his beak in a warlike manner.

“Alright. It’s showtime. Man, even I feel like I’m going to freeze up here!”

As we look down on the massive god-machine, something happens. A shield of the same malicious magenta energy surrounds the entire Divine Beast. Teba gripes, “of course it has its barrier up again. See those cannons? I’ll draw their fire. While I’m doing that, use your bomb arrows to smash them apart. Got it? If you need to withdraw, just use your cloth and float in the updraft for a while. I’ll take that as a sign to regroup! Don’t bother with the barrier, it’s impenetrable. And whatever you do, DON’T get close enough to touch it. Ready when you are, girl!”

 

 

I adjust my grip, before tapping his shoulder twice. “Ready!”

 

 I let myself fall off the Rito’s back, deploying my paraglider once Teba accelerates, angling myself towards the nearest cannon. Stray laser beams whicker past, some aimed at me, most aiming for the brave birdman. Once I’m within a good range, I allow the paraglider to snap in on itself, drawing my bow and nocking a bomb arrow, drawing and letting fly, the explosive-packed head discharging  with a fierce CRACK, the cannon coming apart in a burst of ruddy light. Then I’m aloft again as I refill my paraglider’s canopy with wind, rushing back into the air as I circle for a better angle on my next target.

The next cannon takes more than one shot, forcing me to break off and reposition a couple of times, feeling waves of searing heat wash over me as I narrowly dodge a spray of beams, the light tearing holes in the clouds as Teba shouts advice and encouragement. I barely hear it, consumed in this dance of wind and sky, hot death flying past me as I feel the rush of life pounding through my veins.

Two left.  Then one. I make the final approach, and, with a double-draw, I loose two arrows at once, their combined power neutralizing the cannon in a single concerted blast. As the shield fails, the cannon mounts explode into fragments of scrap, leaving Vah Medoh vulnerable.

Teba comes around in a looping curve to meet up.

“Well done, Linka! That thing is history!”

 

I scan the exposed wingspan, looking for a good place to land, as Teba lets out a grunt from off to my left.

“Bad news, Linka. I guess I took a pretty bad hit back there…” looking over, I can see the charred feathers and blackened skin. It must hurt like nothing else.

“Get back to the Flight Range, Teba. Thank you! I’ll take it from here!”

He nods, and, with a farewell dip of his wing, I’m alone, gliding down towards the Divine Beast.  I grit my teeth. Alright, Revali, you pompous pheasant. I’m going to show you exactly what this Hylian girl’s capable of!