Royal Rebel 3 ~ Revali X Reader

Chapter 11: Sword That Seals The Darkness

"How is she?" You asked Rhoam as you met with him in the middle of the hallway, a bowl of Hearty Soup in your hands as you stopped next to him. The poor man was exhausted and out of himself, having stayed up all night caring for any wounded warriors.

But you knew that wasn't the only reason he was up all night.

"Not well I'm afraid." He led you down the other end of the hall, his steps quiet and forced as he walked slightly ahead of you to lead. "Most of the knights are just fine. Any that got harmed with malice," He stopped. "I won't go into any detail before the doctors can explain it better to you first."

"Alright." You sighed as you reached the medical ward, quickly being brought by a doctor to the room belonging to your aunt. "Janelle?" She was hardly half awake as you walked in with your brother-in-law behind you, and you halted in the middle of the room, only for Rhoam to give you a gentle push towards her. "Are you feeling any better? Even a little bit?"

"I'm afraid lying won't help me here, so," She sighed, not moving an inch as you brought her meal to her. "No. Not even a little bit." You mirrored her sigh as you set the soup down on the table, and she gave you a glance.

"I brought you soup." You stood next to the nightstand, and she looked at it with a forlorn smile, only being able to take in it's scent in that moment, as she couldn't move her arms much yet to get it.

"Thank you, dear." Rhoam was still stood by the door, bowing his head to every guard, maid or nurse that wandered in our out. "I must ask- where is my Landon?" She asked, and you looked over to Rhoam hoping he would know the answer. "I want to see my son one just last time."

"You aren't going to die, Janelle." You shot your look back to her quickly, your tone stern even with a lump forming in your throat. "I promise you won't." She raised her eyebrow a bit as a nurse set a little table thing over her lap and brought the soup over to put on it for her.

"Now, don't go making promises you cannot possibly guarantee you'll keep." She managed to lift her arm enough to grab the spoon, blowing a bit on it before bringing the metal item to her lips and humming softly at the taste. "And because I may never leave this room, all I want is for my son to be here with me."

"I-" You were frozen, your eyes being lightly stung with tears. Rhoam placed a hand on your shoulder, wanting to console you. You didn't even know what to say to your aunt. She was accepting whatever fate the gods were to give her. And it made you angry.

"_____, whatever happens, it's going to be fine. If this is truly my fate written in the stars," She sipped at her soup, and you released a quiet, hitched breath, this all being the last of anything you wanted to hear. "Then I'll accept it as it is laid out to me." She was so sure she wouldn't make it through this. So sure and it killed a bit of you.

She noticed your distress, and frowned as she set the bowl back down, wiping her mouth clean before she had the nurse pull the table to the side so she could open her arms for you as much as her strength would let her.

"Don't be upset, dear." You pulled her into an embrace, and she hummed and forced a small smile. "If I can accept whatever happens, then so can you. Trust me." She sounded completely calm. As if she had known from the start that something would happen.

"Master _____." Minken entered the room next to Rhoam, and you pulled away from Janelle to see him. "Link has requested for you to join him at the eastern coliseum." You looked back at your aunt, who motioned for you to go.

"The hero needs you, _____. I'll be fine until you get back." She gave your hand one last squeeze before you nodded and headed off to find Link.

~~~~

"Hm..." The young knight studied the weapon in his hands, having been wide awake working with it ever since the event that went down yesterday. He was one of many that didn't sleep. "How does this... no that can't be right..."

"Link." Quiet as a panther, you had made your way into the coliseum, managing to startle the hero once you arrived. He swiveled his head back to you, lowering the sword in his grip. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good." He answered meekly, gulping as he looked down at the sword. "O-oh, with the training." He walked to the bench and sat down, letting wild golden hair fall into his face. "Not... not good..."

"That's fine." You walked to him, closing the distance between you, and once you were close enough, you grabbed the sword. He watched as you walked out several feet with it, and then you started showing him moves. "You need your stance to look like this. Always be prepared for attacks from any side, any angle." You aimed differently, positioned yourself differently, showing him all of the possible ways that came to the top of your head.

"I'm sorry." He sighed, looking down at his hands. "I know we hardly have a year left at this point, and you guys are all ready while I'm just... new to this." He huffed, his pointed ears turning downwards as he slouched. "Everyone's ready except me."

"Now, that's not true." You held the sword up, admiring it's blue shine with the little bit of light coming in through the walls and open ceiling. "Also sit up. Slouching is an improper behavior for a warrior such as yourself." He straightened his back, and you turned around, back facing him as you held the sword out away from your side, head turning to look at the powerful blue sword.

He straigtened his back, quietly watching as you performed a few practice attacks with it. He was so sure in his mind that you had wielded the weapon before him.

"Link, may I ask you something?" You started, and he nodded eagerly but feeling a little nervous. "How old are you?" You looked back at the boy, arm returning to your side with the sword still aimed outwards.

"I'm sixteen. Seventeen in just three weeks." The seventeenth anniversary of you having saved the sword was in three weeks. Exactly. "Why? Am I the youngest champion?"

"Zelda's the youngest. She's also still sixteen." You set the Master Sword down on the big white blanket Link had spread across one end of the bench, and you grabbed your own broadsword. It felt so much lighter now ever since you started using your new claymore more. "The Champions are still learning with their Divine Beasts, and we still have yet to inaugurate them officially. And Zelda hasn't awoken her powers yet."

"Oh." He looked down at his feet, a bit happy he wasn't the only one not ready, but a bit worried about everyone else not being ready. You held your hand out to him, and while confused, he took it.

"How about a practice duel?" He barely had enough time to agree and grab his broadsword before you pulled him off the bench and started backing up. "Alright. Be steady, and have confidence." He prepared his stance like you showed him, and with a quick turn of your foot, you lunged at him.

"Uh- okay!" He managed to dodge, throwing a hit at you in the meantime. You had hardly enough time to duck before bouncing backwards, bringing it to a flip, and then right back at him you went. He was fast enough to get out of your way, and you continued to chase him.

Soon becoming a whole lap around the coliseum without either of you stopping.

"Come on, Link, you can't run forever." He eventually stopped on a dime, and you used this chance to jump over him, sure he would have tried to swing at you. And that he did, just... not the way you thought.

"Hyah!" He managed to hit you out of the air, and while you almost thought you were going to fall, you landed on your feet. One last lunge towards him, and that would be it, right? Wrong, you thought as he slashed at you once you got close enough, and then you fell, rolling away from his feet. "Ha!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" You smiled as you got up, shaking your head as you pushed the loose strands of your hair out of your face. "Strength, speed and endurance. We'll work on confidence a little more, and then we've got you set."

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*insert ending quote here*