Autumn in Akkala

Ch. 49 North Gate: Sidon

"Witness the flood of Vah Ruta's wrath!"

Both the top and bottom rows of the Zora Prince's stiletto-shaped teeth were proudly on display as he let out a depraved cackle. With a quick flick of his wrist, the central control lever for Vah Ruta was snapped backward, and the divine beast's mechanical trunk whipped upward, releasing a furious dam of water.

The Zora noble's behavioral shift toward destruction was a stark contrast to the royal, whom you had witnessed sipping tea from dainty porcelain. After flushing away a mob of guardians as if they were ants down a drain, he settled into his normal jovial demeanor.

"Well, now, where are we, Y/N? That had to be a solid 100 there, don't you think?"

"Uh, Sidon..." You weren't sure how he expected you to continue tallying the number of demolished guardians beneath Vah Ruta's vengeful tsunami that was swallowing the surrounding fields.

He turned to you and frowned. "You lost count?"

In that moment, you knew two things resolutely. You were in love with Link. Which, duh. And the second scrap of your infinite wisdom was that you were not in love with seeing Sidon's frown. The sight of it aimed in your direction made you feel as if you had received an F on a test, leaving you only with disappointment within yourself. "I may be off, but, uh, maybe 101 guardians?" You lied through gritted teeth.

He redirected Vah Ruta close to the moat, stamping on some rogue guardians that were scampering around the mechanized elephant's pads.

Strategically speaking, Sidon was in charge of protecting the north part of the castle, which also served as an advantage for Vah Ruta, as access to the moat was easiest from the castle's front gate. He had been able to bend the water to his every whim like a true champion. Refilling when necessary and sending lethal currents to drown out the onslaught of guardians trying to break through the northern barriers.

An uncomfortable silence settled between you both, along with a tinge of something unfamiliar in Sidon's faraway gaze. His oblong pupils were blurred by a slight mist of dormant tears.

Just as quick as they appeared, they vanished thanks to a swift blink of his eyes. "Sidon?"

He looked at you.

"Mipha would be proud, you know?"

"Y/N, thank you. That means more than you would know. I was only a mere pup when she met her untimely demise by the evil known as "Waterblight Ganon" that possessed Vah Ruta. I spent years following in her fins, hoping to be even a fraction of the pilot she was."

"Well, I would say you aren't a fraction of a pilot. You're a whole pilot. A well-deserved successor and champion. I could never do what you're doing now." You said every word with as much sincerity as you could muster. Which wasn't hard after watching the Zora in action on the battlefield. You knew Link's choice was more than just because Sidon was his friend; it was because he was also, in many ways, like Link himself, an emotionally ravaged soldier trying his best to make everyone proud of him.

But most importantly, he was trying to be proud of himself.

"Well, you are quite charming. It is not hard to see why Link has set his sights on you. And of course, you are lovely for a Hylian." Sidon laughed out loud; the sound of it erased the unalloyed essence of his compliment.

He took his fin, as he had when you were in Zora's domain with him and coddled you closer behind the control panel. "S-Sidon, what are you-"

"I'm going to teach you how to be a divine beast pilot."