I was reorganizing my fics and stumbled upon this wip. This baby has seriously been on the backburner for a while, so apologies to everyone for the wait. Ooof.
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A quiver full of ice arrows against a Lynel. Well. Revali had fought with worse.
The rain poured down, loud and steady, icy pellets against Revali’s wings. All around, there was only endless grey, the rain seeming to drown the world.
Two weeks, Mipha said. Revali scowled and flew higher, into the endless rain and dark. Flying through this mess made everything seem more urgent… or maybe it was just the memory of Link fading.
No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape that asshole. Revali pushed himself harder, ignoring the burn in his wings. He had fought Lynels before, multiple times before Link had ever stepped into his life. The mountains around his home teemed with them, after all. It wasn’t particularly surprising that he had fought the last several Lynels with Link. And --
And he had a fight to worry about and a time limit. A battle cry built in his throat and it hurt to swallow it back. Revali had to find this damned Lynel and find those damned arrows before Princess Zelda had the bright idea to charge after him.
Trapped worry transformed into rage, warming him against the icy rain. Inwardly, he screamed, again and again, echoed in the flap of his wings. None of this was supposed to go this way. Nothing! Nothing regarding the Calamity or the Divine Beasts or Link.
Link, fading behind the white light.
Mipha, staring at Revali like he could solve some thrice-damned mystery of hers.
Zelda, unprepared for anything in the wild.
And now Revali found himself in the icy rain, heavy in a way not found in his mountains, on his way to a Lynel’s territory. When he next saw Link, he was going to… going to…
A scream built and built and built in his throat but Revali had no choice to choke it back. If the Lynel heard him, it would shoot him out of the air. If he did this correctly, he could be in and out. All he needed were the arrows.
Somewhere, the Lynel roared, its howls carrying through the rain and winds. It took everything in Revali to bite back his own battle cry. Damn them all, he would claim his own destiny through this mess by talon and wing.
But first… this Lynel and these damned arrows.
Another roar and the rain was beginning to clear. That was Revali’s cue to dip down. He knew he should. He could be quick and stealthy and have the shock arrows before the Lynel could start its first assault.
Except through the mountains and mist and rain, Revali could feel Link’s eyes on him still. He swore he could hear Link’s faint whispers calling his name.
Revali opened his beak and screamed.
xoxoxox
It was a Red Lynel.
Revali expected more.
Its territory was above Vah Ruta’s storm, but Revali carried it with him, icy droplets dripping from his wings. The moisture still carried upward and shrouded the mountaintop with fog. That meant nothing to Revali’s sharp eyes or the Lynel’s aim. When Revali screamed his battle cry, the Lynel responded with a roar which had the very air shaking around him.
Without a single fuck to give, Revali shrieked again, less a battlecry and more a curse, and began firing his damned useless ice arrows.
xoxoxox
The Rito didn’t believe in letting rage control them. Their emotions no more controlled them than the air controlled their feathers. Strong emotions gave strength to their wings as the wind gave lift. Offered them the passion to translate word into deed.
Hidden in Revali’s private nook in the mountains, Revali had tried -- foolishly, he knew -- to explain this to Link, even as he kicked at Link’s feet with his talons and straightened Link’s back with his wings. The Elder always lectured Revali about his pride, and briefly, Revali considered he might be right. What was more insane: lecturing a Hylian about the importance of deed over word or lecturing Link about the importance of using passion as a strength?
But still, he tried, and Link seemed attentive enough, staring at him with wide, solemn, too blue eyes.
“I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” Revali huffed, pacing around Link again. Really, his form was atrocious. Link was a Knight. Surely he knew the importance of standing correctly? “You’ve probably never lost your temper a day in your life. But if I’m going to be your tutor in all things archery, I’m going to do it right.”
Days later, Revali swore he saw a hint of expression then. A twitch of an eyebrow, a small tilt to Link’s lips. Then it was gone, and Link was still and solemn again.
Revali sighed. “For an archer, control is essential…”
xoxoxox
Lightning sizzled in the air around Revali: precious shock arrows going to waste. Fortunately, from the look of the Lynel’s quiver and the arrows scattered throughout the small territory, it seemed like there was plenty to spare. Revali had no choice but to empty his quiver for them all, and the Lynel’s face seemed a perfect place to stock them.
The Lynel roared and Revali shrieked, and through it all, he swore he could hear Link’s voice whispering his name.
xoxoxox
Revali felt Link’s eyes on him.
He wanted to shoot them out, except he feared if he tried, Mipha would gut him.
It was just a friendly spar! Link knew it was a spar, a chance to try Revali’s archery against Link’s legendary sword. Bow versus blade. Two warriors testing their mettle against each other, even if Link still had quite far to go. Revali had even, to his absolute shock, enjoyed himself.
So what if Link had a tiny cut on his arm! That happened in spars, and Link hadn’t seemed to mind. Really, Revali swore he caught a flush to Link’s cheeks, a sparkle in his eyes. If Link was anyone else, Revali would even dare to say that Link enjoyed himself, too.
Except Mipha saw the blood and was apparently convinced it was a true fight, not a spar, and now Revali was checking his bow (not his ego, no matter what Urbosa said) while Mipha healed a minute scratch on Link’s arm.
All right, it was a long gash from elbow to bicep, but Link hadn’t even flinched. If Link had seemed hurt, then of course Revali would have halted the spar. Couldn’t hurt the precious wielder of the ancient chunk of steel, now could he?
Mipha hadn’t agreed. Mipha had been quietly furious and dragged Link away, and Revali…
He had better things to do than humor the others, anyway. As a master archer, he knew the importance of making sure his bow was in proper shape, as well as gathering up his lost arrows. No need for waste, after all.
Through it all, he swore Link was watching him. Revali peeked once and yes: there were Link’s eyes, unblinking on him, even as Mipha healed his arm. Revali couldn’t make out his expression.
Revali didn’t waste time looking at him again.
xoxoxox
Swooping down, Revali fired straight at the Lynel’s ugly face even as he scooped up stray arrows with his talons. The Lynel roared, sounding more angry than wounded, and fired back. Revali dodged the assault with ease, the arrows not even singing his feathers.
The beast was slowing. The battle would be done soon. Revali waited for the feeling of satisfaction, of triumph, for conquering an enemy so feared by the Zora, but he felt… he felt…
With a shriek, Revali attacked. And attacked. Ice flared and the monster’s blood dripped into the dirt.
xoxoxox
From far below, Link watched him. His sky-blue eyes were wide, and despite the fact that the Calamity was awakening in the distance and Princess Zelda stood with him, powers dormant and useless, Link still stared at Revali like he was the only thing in the world.
xoxoxox
The dead Lynel’s quiver emptied into his own, Revali stared into the distance, in the direction of the castle and the Calamity. Up here, Vah Ruta’s cry was distant, a pained echo.
“You know I don’t hate you, don’t you, Link?” Revali asked quietly. “You’re not the sharpest arrow in the quiver, but I hope you at least caught onto that.”
Nothing from Link. Only Vah Ruta and the wind.
“We’re on our way, you idiot. We’ll have our grand battle with the Calamity, and then you owe me a spar. Hopefully this time we can finish it instead of getting distracted by some small scratch.”
Silence but it was like before. He swore he could feel Link’s sky-blue eyes on him.
With a small huff and a shake of his head, Revali took to the air again. He was going as insane as the Hylians. Too much exposure, he supposed, and too much time away from home. Ah, well. It wasn’t like there were actually any witnesses.
If Mipha was half as clever as Revali had always given her credit for, she would be waiting for him at Vah Ruta. It was time to reclaim the Divine Beast.