Champions of a Fallen Age

A Brief Respite

Link sat by himself, staring deep into the fire in front of him. After they had freed Naydra, Hylia had teleported them back down to the gate on East Lanayru road. Link had immediately made a small campfire and settled down in front of it. He had tuned everyone out, for once trying to focus on what he was feeling. He tried turning inward, but it was like he was adrift on endless waves above his emotions. No matter how he tried to pierce through, he just couldn't connect.

"Link are you all right?" Mipha asked as she sat across the fire from him.

"" He considered not answering. He didn't want to burden her with his troubles and uncertainties, but he remembered what Hylia had told him during their conversation. She had reminded him that no matter how difficult his interior life was, there were still those who needed him. And a part of providing for their needs was letting those close to him in. " I don't know," he finally answered. "I thought I would feel better after what happened with Naydra, but" He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked back down at the fire as he became lost in his thoughts again.

When he had first decided to visit Naydra as a child, he was determined to find an answer as to why she had done nothing to help his village. He had known deep down that the action was foolish, but the drive had kept him going those first months until he became overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. He could have, should have, done something to help. Instead, he had hidden away as everyone, except his best friend, had been slaughtered. Even though his memories were still fragmented, he knew that he had been carrying that guilt for years.

And then he had finally met Naydra.

Seeing the Guardian Spirit so helpless had brought something to the forefront of his mind that he had never considered. Even someone as powerful as Naydra was at times as helpless as he had been as a child. It was cathartic to know that there truly was nothing that he could have done, like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

Even with the guilt largely gone, he still wasn't out of the woods yet.

"Did I ever tell you about my mother?"

"I remember that you mentioned her a few times, but you never said much."

"Before you came to the Domain, she was my only friend. When she died, I lost almost everything," she murmured shakily. "I shut myself away for far too long, wallowing in my own misery. When I finally accepted her death, I am not sure what I felt. It was like it was like there was this invisible wall that separated one part of me from the rest. Is that how you feel?" she asked as her liquid amber eyes stared at him sadly.

Link nodded. "How did you get through it?"

"I am not sure, but it started when I met you."

"That sucks," he sighed.

"What?"

"Well, I can't exactly meet myself," Link replied with a weak smile.

"No, I suppose not," Mipha giggled quietly. "I suppose there is always one thing that helped cheer you up."

Link raised a brow.

"I caught these earlier," Mipha answered as she held up some fish. "I remember how much you like to eat."

"Fish" he muttered with a dissatisfied frown. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he felt like teasing her if only a little.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't like fish."

"Link," she said slowly, "I remember a story Owen told me in which you ate a rocka rock, Link."