The sky to the West was a pretty pink and purple hue, the last rays of sunlight just visible on the horizon. Darkness was quickly spreading from the East, the outline of a crescent moon already apparent in the evening sky. Spotting Falnor's place just up ahead, I ran up the last few steps, ready to get this dinner over with. I heard Link's footsteps behind me, trying to keep up with me. As I came upon the entrance, I slowed my pace, my eyes falling on the two Rito inside. One was all too familiar, his green, orange, and red plumage a comforting sight, while the other one I had never seen before. His feathers were navy except for a few white feathers on his head and a few yellow just above his eyes. He wore typical Rito attire, cream colored pants, with a tan hip protector along with a chest plate that was cream and mahogany. He had tan pauldrons as well and what looked like several braids coming from the back of his skull.
So this is Revali.
Once I was done studying, my eyes found his face, locking with his sharp amber orbs. We stared at each other a moment, both of us taking stock of the other. Then his eyes slid past me and I also turned to see Link by my side.
"Excellent." Falnor said, clearly not noticing the tension that had suddenly saturated the atmosphere. "Everyone is here. I've prepared one of my favorite dishes, salmon meuniere." I grimaced, recalling my long weeks of training, where all we would eat was fish... smoked fish, dried fish, boiled fish, sauteed fish, and if I was cooking, burnt fish.
"So this is your other student?" Revali spoke, his voice sharp and carefree. He stood up and walked over to me, stopping when he was only two paces away. Our eyes locked and then he scoffed, "I was expecting much more from someone that's supposed to be your second best student. The gap between us must be wide."
My eyes opened in shock, surprised by his flippant remark. But the surprise quickly passed, changing to rage. I clenched my fists and took a step forward, my shoulders back and head high. "Excuse me?" I replied, a warning in my voice. "From what I recall, I was Master's best student. Which would mean..." I brought a finger to my chin and looked to the side, "You're his second best student." My eyes came back to Revali, a challenge in them.
"Why you..." Revali muttered, folding his winged hands, clearly not expecting my retaliation. The two of us stared each other down, the tension thickening around us. Sensing the war waging between us, the other two occupants of the room quickly broke us apart.
"Revali. Zelda." Falnor's stern voice sounded, just as Link's hand grabbed my shoulder. Revali and I stepped away from each other, and I glanced at Link who had an 'I told you' look in his eyes. I glowered at him and then walked past him, joining Revali and Falnor around the table, sitting on the cushion that was farthest from Revali. Link quickly sat next to me, directly across from Revali.
Revali's eyes widened, as if he just noticed Link, "Well look who it is. Back for more lessons?"
Link sighed, clearly used to Revali's jibes. "He is Princess Zelda's knight. He has made quite a name for himself in the Royal Guard." Falnor informed Revali. "Quite impressive. And he is the wielder of the Sword the seals the Darkness."
Revali huffed, turning his head up, "So he's a mindless zombie that follows the Princesses whims and was lucky enough to stumble upon a legendary blade. I doubt he can properly use it though."
"Revali." Falnor shook his head, "I told you to mind your manners while our guests were here."
"Guests?" Revali let out a sarcastic laugh. "They are only here because they want something from us."
Falnor let out a long exhale, a winged hand coming to his head. Before he could say anything, I jumped to my feet, wrath seething through me. "I would never ask for the help of someone like you!" I shouted, pointing a finger at him. "And how dare you insult my knight. He has proven himself a worthy warrior, something which you most certainly have not."
"Zelda." Falnor's voice cut through the air, his voice serious. "Please sit. I do not need the two of you acting like children."
I bit my lip, my eyes gliding back to Falnor. Mustering all the control I had, I sat back down, crossing my arms as I did so.
An awkward silence filled the room as Falnor dished everyone some of his salmon dish. We started to eat in silence, the tension in the air, palpable. Finally, Falnor spoke, "As I mentioned earlier Revali, Zelda and Link are on a journey to search for champions to fight against Calamity Ganon. The Elder recommended you. I know you haven't had a lot of time to think about it, but I do think you'd be the best choice."
"And help these asinine Hylians?" Revali waved a wing at us dismissively.
Falnor sighed, "Link is an old friend of yours. And Zelda is the heir to the throne of Hyrule. Surely you'd want to help them out."
Revali huffed. "There is nothing remotely special about that Hylian." Revali pointed to Link. "And as for that one..." He turned a condescending look to me, "She's just a wannabe archer. Pathetic really."
I clenched my fist around the fork I was holding, the rage inside me bubbling up once more. I had always been quick to anger and never learned how to control that anger. It simply lashed out at whoever was near me, thus trying to hold it in now was painstaking. So focused I was, I tuned out Falnor's reply to Revali, and instead stared down at the pink fish flesh on my plate.
However the anger did not subside and before I realized it, my other hand had slammed down on the tabletop, drawing everyone's attention to me. I snapped my head up, looking directly at Revali. "I challenge you." I gritted out, my eyes leering into his feathered skull.
"What?" Revali said, a frown on his golden beak.
"I, Zelda Hyrule, challenge you to an archery match." I replied, my voice strong and unwavering. "Prove to me that you aren't all just talk; that your skill is anywhere close to mine."
Silence descended on the dinner, all eyes on me. However I did not waver. I held my head high and stared at Revali, waiting for his reply.
Finally a smirk sprouted on his beak, "Yes, I think it's time we proved that I am indeed Master's best student. Let there be no more ambiguity."
"Tomorrow afternoon. At the Flight Range." I added.
"Sounds good." He purred, clearly not bothered by my challenge. "How about our Master decides the task?"
"Agreed." I instantly responded.
However as I did so I heard my Master let out a long sigh. "I'd rather not get involved in a childish squabble."
I turned to Master, giving him a reassuring smile. "It isn't childish. I need to know if he is skilled enough to be the Rito Champion. What better way than seeing how his archery compares to mine?"
Falnor shook his head but in the end he conceded. "Very well. But after tomorrow, there will be no more petty arguments."
"Of course, Master." Both Revali and I replied in unison.
Feeling better and slightly smug, I looked back down at my food, taking a tentative bite. Shockingly it was actually much better than most other fish dishes Master had prepared for me in the past. The four of us continued to eat in silence. Eventually, Falnor asked Link how he had come across the Master Sword, trying to avoid engaging Revali in I in conversation so as to avoid any arguments.
Perhaps we had been acting a little childish, however I could not stand how cocky he had acted, judging me without having seen any of my abilities. I hoped and prayed to Hylia that he was not the Rito Champion. Surely someone so conceited and boisterous would not be the Champion Hylia herself picked out?
"Zelda, is this true?" Master's voice cut through my thoughts and I looked up from my food, eyes wide. I met Master Falnor's gaze, who had an incredulous look on his face.
"I'm sorry?" I replied, not paying attention to what he had asked me.
Falnor shook his head, "Link was telling me how he came to be your knight. He mentioned you didn't care for him much at first."
"O-oh." I stammered, startled by the judgment on Falnor's face and being called out. I shot a look over to Link and he shrugged apologetically. Frowning, I looked back at Master and explained, "Well, yes I did not like having a personal knight at first."
Revali chuckled, "Imagine that, the Princess actually has some sense. Someone else finally sees that this so-called knight actually isn't all that."
I looked over at Revali, not sure if I was offended by what he said or grateful. At least someone understood my initial dislike for the knight. "That's right." Falnor said, looking between Link and Revali, "The two of you always had this feud going on. I can see it has not been resolved."
"It's not a feud." Link and Revali grumbled. I glanced at Link, arching an eyebrow at him. Link looked exasperated, while Revali just looked like he didn't want to be here anymore.
"I am clearly the superior warrior." Revali continued, "Thus there has never been any need for a feud between us."
Falnor laughed, "Is that so? I recall the two of you being pretty evenly matched! Although you clearly had an edge in archery and Link had the edge in swordsmanship."
Revali frowned and turned his head away. I continued eating, almost enjoying the banter now that I wasn't a part of it. "Well I'm already going to upstage the Princess tomorrow, mine as well add you to the fray, Link." Revali challenged. "What do you say, want to have a little sword match."
Link sighed, clearly not interested. "I have other things to attend to tomorrow."
"Like what?" Revali crossed his winged arms.
Putting my fork down, food finished, I answered for Link, "I asked Link to collect supplies tomorrow. We are running low on a few things."
Revali huffed, "Never thought you'd be reduced to an errand dog for the Princess."
I smiled, "Link has many talents." I saw Link turn to me, his expression unreadable from my peripheral though. "And with that, I think my knight and I should be going. I want to make sure Revali has enough time to properly prepare and recuperate for tomorrow." I smiled sweetly, but it did not reach my eyes.
I saw Revali was just about to come back with a remark, however Falnor spoke first, "Well, I appreciate the two of you joining us for dinner. And I shall see you tomorrow, Zelda."
I stood up, gave a polite bow, and then turned to leave, Link following behind me. We walked down the staircase, neither one of us saying anything. Finally we reached the bottom of the staircase and left Rito Village, walking across the first bridge back to our campsite.
"So I'm your errand dog now?" Link finally spoke.
"It seemed like you wanted to get out of having to fight him." I replied, turning to look back at Link. However there was a coy smile on his face, which I had not been expecting at all. "Are you laughing?" I asked.
"No." Link's smile grew.
I narrowed my eyes, "And thanks for telling Master on me."
Now Link did laugh. "I didn't realize I was getting you in trouble."
"Master clearly likes you." I replied, "So he probably would reprimand me for it."
"I can't believe you challenged Revali." Link said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I think most people just try to ignore him."
"Yeah well, I wasn't expecting him to be so conceited. And I didn't appreciate his comments about me." I sulked.
"Well, now you know what Revali is like."
I let out a groan, "And you grew up with him?"
"Yep."
"You can keep your composer much better than I can." I sighed, recalling how I had snapped at dinner.
"I've known Revali for years." Link smirked, "And I've gotten additional practice dealing with you."
I gasped, "I'm not that bad!"
Link let out a full laugh, very amused. I frowned and crossed my arms, not enjoying his jibe at all. Seeing the pout on my face, Link walked over to me and gave me a gentle nudge with his shoulder, "I didn't mean it. Just poking fun a little."
I gave him a side glance and softly smiled, "Well I did imply you were my errand dog at dinner, so I guess I deserve it a little." I stared out at the dark lake and cloudy sky. There was a slight wind, which was rather chilly.
"It is very peaceful here." Link suddenly said, also staring out at our surroundings, barely visible at night. "I sometimes forget how serene it is here."
Link and I stood side by side, gazing out into the night. A calmness overtook me, the quiet of the night filling me. I felt a wave of confidence flow through me, ready for the challenge tomorrow. One thing I was very confident in was my archery skills. Although my father and most of the kingdom deemed it irrelevant it was a critical part of me. It proved to me that I did have discipline and was capable as long as I dedicated myself. Now I could only hope my dedication and hard work at awakening my powers would pay off soon.
From the corner of my eye, I glanced at Link. A part of me wished I could be like him: calm, reliable, able to control his emotions, and kind. It was more apparent to me in that moment than ever before why he had been worthy of the Master Sword. There was no one quite like Link; how skilled he was yet at the same time he cared so much for Hyrule, his family, and his comrades. He would sacrifice everything for what was important to him. He really was a Hero.
My eyes shifted downwards to his hand, so close to mine all I had to do was reach just a little bit... and without fully realizing it, I watched as my hand extended slightly towards Link, who was just a palm's width away. And then my hand was upon his, his skin warm against mine. I felt him tense under my touch and I suddenly froze, fully comprehending what I was doing. I jerked my hand away and looked at my feet, embarrassment and shame coursing through me. I felt Link's eyes on me, but I was too nervous to look at him.
But then to my utter surprise, I felt his hand encircle mine, his fingers wrapping around mine. My head shot up and I stared at Link with wide, terrified eyes. Yet he merely looked outwards, a small smile on his face that sent a wave of reassurance through me. I glanced down at our hands and wrapping mine around his, the warmth coming from him comforting.
The two of us stood hand in hand for a while longer, simply enjoying the night and basking in each other's presence.
I pulled the jacket I was wearing tighter around me as I walked to the flight range. Link walked next to me, insisting on coming with me once he learned the Flight Range was a jaunt away. After what happened in the Gerudo Desert, he wasn't going to take his eyes off me if he could help it. Even me saying that Revali would want to challenge him hadn't wavered his decision and so I gave in and allowed him to escort me.
A part of me also thought he wanted to see the showdown between Revali and I. I could not help but think he was enjoying this little feud between me and the potential Rito Champion.
Eventually the road in front of me forked and I followed the path going northwards, into the rocky canyons. A strong breeze ripped though the canyon, the winds frigid as the came off the icy Hebra region. I was grateful for my Rito-made attire, which didn't let a smidge of cold through, however my face could not vouch for it. My face felt the full icy cold of the breeze and I wished I was a Rito, covered in isolating down and plumage. I was exceedingly grateful I had gloves otherwise my hands were sure to freeze up while Revali and I competed.
As we continued forward, the Flight Range came into view rather quickly, as the canyon was fairly small. In front of me there was a set of wooden stairs along side the cliffside which led to a small wooden hut and deck that overlooked into a giant pit with water at the bottom. But the most intriguing part about the pit was the constant updrafts that were circulating from the bottom of the pit. Due to this phenomenon, it was an excellent place for the Rito to practice their archery skills and flight skills. The pit had several jagged and broken rocks sporadically sticking up out of it, creating potential landing places. Furthermore there were targets placed all throughout the Flight Range, painted red and white. Some targets were normal sized, while others were much smaller, making it hard to hit. The constant winds also made it difficult to aim accurately as the archer had to constantly recalculate for the wind. It was something I had gotten good at after many training sessions at the Flight Range as well as in the storms that frequented Ridgeland.
I made my way up the staircase, already seeing Revali and Falnor's figures on the deck. I looked back at Link, only to find he had stopped to admire the Flight Range. I stopped and called, "It's pretty impressive, isn't it?"
Link nodded, and walked over to me, analyzing the pit before him as he did so. Then his eyes turned to me, a solemn look to them. "Just how exactly do you use this area if you don't have wings?"
I laughed, seeing his concern, "I don't need wings to hit the targets." I pointed at the various targets, drawing Link's eyes to them. "The Rito can practice agile movements while firing arrows, however since I don't have wings, I can fire from the deck." I bit my lip, knowing it wasn't completely the truth. But there was no need to tell him the entire truth if he was just going to worry. Just like I hadn't specified that I climbed a mountain with Urbosa while the two of us had been training. It was something he didn't need to know as he would worry too much over it. Although thinking about it now, I didn't find it annoying anymore; in fact it was kind of sweet that he cared... or at least he seemed to. I was sure his worry was partially due to it being his job to protect me and keep me safe... however another part of me thought he cared about me because I was his friend...his friend...
I glanced at my hand, heat flowing to my cheeks as I recalled how we had held hands last night. Was he just a friend to me? It wasn't like he could be more... was that something I even wanted?
I shook my head, throwing suck thoughts away. Now was not the time to think about such things. And Link... he was my knight! He had certainly become a huge support for me, and I hoped I had become a support to him as well, but we were supposed to help each other out as partners. And that was it. Nothing more.
Stealing myself for the showdown ahead, I entered the hut and walked out onto the deck, joining Revali and Falnor there. Revali's eyes instantly went to me and then to Link, a smug look on his face, "Has the errand dog finished his tasks early?"
"I believe I am your opponent, Revali." I said, my voice direct but still polite. "You should be paying attention to me and not Link."
Revali regarded me coolly, but he did not say anything. Master Falnor sighed and then said, "Well now that the two of you are here, we can begin. Try and keep things civil." He gave a pointed look at Revali, "No snide remarks Revali." And then he looked at me, "And try to keep those emotions under control, Zelda."
"Yes Master." Revali and I replied in a monotone.
"Good." Falnor nodded, "And with that, let's get down to business. As my best students, I had to think of something very challenging. And I think I've come up with something that will satisfy both of you."
Revali and I straightened, anxiously awaiting to see what task our Master would give to us. "Seeing as both of you are very skilled and employ different tactics, I think the best approach to see who is superior would be a demonstration of all of your skills. So although simplistic, the task I implore you with is to hit all the targets that you can. You can use whatever is at your disposal." Falnor paused, allowing us to ask questions.
His proposal made sense. Seeing as Revali and I had very different advantages and disadvantages, most challenges would inevitably favor one of us. Thus a freestyle type challenge like this allowed us to showcase all our techniques and critical thinking skills. "What will it be judged on?" I asked, wanting to know what criteria to focus on.
"Well, how many targets you are able to successfully hit is paramount. But I will also factor in the time it takes to hit all of the targets, how accurate you are, as well as how many misses you accumulate. And any worthwhile strategies or skills you employ will be assessed as well."
"So everything." Revali surmised. "Well this should be a piece of cake."
"Ah, not so fast, Revali." Falnor raised a winged-finger, "There are many stationary targets in the Flight Range, however to make things a little more interesting, I will also be throwing out these practice disks as potential targets." My eyes flitted to the red disks, bright so they were easy to see and thin so they would slice through the gusty air. "These will also be counted in your total, so keep an eye out for them."
"Ha!" Revali dismissed, "Child's play. I will hit all these target and whatever you throw at me, Master."
Falnor sighed while I glanced over at my opponent. While his tone was flippant, there was a serious glint to his eyes, which told me he was taking this challenge seriously. Good, because I was too.
"Are the two of you ready?" Both Revali and I nodded. "Excellent. Now to decide who goes first."
Revali took a step forward, his head high, "I shall go first. That way after the Princess sees me, she can quit before she embarrasses herself."
I bit my lip to stifle a smarting retort, recalling Master's warning to keep my emotions in check. "Very well." Falnor let out an exhale, "But remember what I said about insults."
Revali waved his wing, "It wasn't an insult. In fact it was me being generous." I glared at Revali, but he simply turned away from me and headed to the edge of the deck. "Whenever you're ready." He glanced at Master, and Falnor gave a curt nod, signaling for Revali to begin.
The Rito wasted no time and snapped his wings out, drawing his beautifully crafted Great Eagle bow. And then he stepped off the deck, his wings catching the updrafts which sent him sailing upwards. His dark form soared high above us and then he twisted in the air, his wings closing in, causing him to rapidly descend. He pulled his bow out, the updrafts catching his wings and slowing his fall. He fired three arrows, one right after the other, all three hitting dead center.
From there he stretched his wings and flew upwards, shooting two arrows, both of which found their targets, however one arrow was slightly off-center. It was at this moment, Master stepped towards the edge of the deck, a stack of red disks in his hand. He threw one as Revali turned to the side, aiming at another target. The arrow swooped through the air and landed with a thud. Revali's head suddenly snapped in my direction, his keen eyes spotting the flash of red. Within a second he was aiming at the disk, letting an arrow fly. The arrow struck, shattering the disk.
Revali then twisted and spiraled through the air, like a cyclone, weaving in between the rocks and piers in the Flight Range, firing arrows as he did so, all in a spectacular display of archery and mastery of flight. My eyes followed the Rito as he went along, hitting almost every target with precise aim. Each disk Master threw, Revali saw and adjusted accordingly, missing all but one, which he was able to hit with a second arrow.
His mastery of flight and archery looked like a performance, so smooth and flawless. I knew I would not look that graceful when it was my turn, but that did not diminish my skill. Still, I could not help but see that Revali really was a skilled Rito warrior. I understood now why Master had recommended him to be the Rito Champion. You could not deny his skill.
Finally the stack of red disks in Master's hands had disappeared and every target in the Flight Range had an arrow protruding from it. With that, Revali directed himself back to the deck, landing with poise and a superior look on his face. No one said anything as Revali made his way back to the hut, clearly impressed with his display. I looked at Master, who had a proud smile on his face. Feeling his eyes on me, Falnor turned to me and his grin grew. "I look forward to seeing how much you have grown, Zelda. Please get ready while I collect the arrows."
With that Master Falnor jumped of the deck and began to make his way around the Flight Range, pulling the arrows from the targets so I would be able to keep track of which ones I had hit. Leaving the deck, I walked back into the hut and took off my backpack. My quiver and bow was already prepped and ready to go, now I just needed one final thing. Opening the bag, my eyes immediately found my query, and I pulled it out. I quickly fastened it to my belt, making sure it was easily accessible in the process.
"You ready?" I heard Link's voice call to me.
Looking over at Link, I nodded. "Yes."
Link's eyes flashed over to Revali, "He was really good. A lot better than I remember."
My eyes glanced at Revali, who was now out on the deck talking to Master Falnor who had just landed. "He is good." I agreed, surprising Link.
"Zelda..." A look of concern flashed across Link's face.
I smiled, "Don't worry. I have some tricks up my sleeve. I know I won't be as fast as him, I can't without the ability to fly, but Master Falnor is taking other things into consideration. And that is in my favor."
Link arched an eyebrow. "It is?"
I gave a little chuckle. "Yes! Now, come on. I have a challenge to win." With that I walked back out onto the deck, Link by my side. I joined Falnor and Revali, my head held high.
"Are you ready, Zelda?" Falnor asked.
I nodded resolutely, "Yes."
"This should be good." Revali huffed, a dismissive tone in his voice. I shot the Rito a livid look, however he was ignoring me, so I walked past him, staring out at the giant pit that was the Flight Range. The water below was dark and the surface churning from the constant winds assaulting it.
Lifting my head, my eyes fell on the closest rock, which was at the same height as the deck. Looking past it, they fell on the center column of rock, the top flat so someone could stand on it. If I could reach it I'd have a decent angle on most of the targets. Although any of the rocks would due.
I snapped my head back to Falnor and said, "I'm ready. Give the signal."
Master nodded, his eyes serious. And then he uttered one word: Go!
It was an instant trigger, propelling me into action. I drew my bow with one hand in a fluid motion and with the other, an arrow. Taking aim, I calculated the shot in seconds, the arrow leaving my hand seamlessly. It shot through the air, dead on course, until it landed at the center of the target farthest away from me, a direct shot.
I knew I wasn't as fast a Revali, nor could I close range between my targets and I as effectively as he could. Thus I had to showcase my other skills, and a big one was my analytic skills. Thus while Revali had his chance to impress, I observed him as well as the environs around me. I studied the pit, the targets, the number of rocks to perch on, and especially the wind currents - how many there were, what way they blew, and how fast they were going approximately. Thus with my careful observations, I knew I could correct properly and shoot at any target, even if I did remain on the deck the entire time.
But what fun would that be?
I fired several more arrows, shooting two at a once so I could make up for time by taking two targets out. It also allowed me to demonstrate I had mastered multi-arrow firing, which was a skill I hadn't been very good at last time I had seen my Master. And it was something Revali had not done in his demonstration.
With the easily accessible targets taken care of, I lowered my bow, snapping it onto my belt. Then I grabbed the item I had gathered from my backpack beforehand and pulled it apart as I jumped off the deck.
"Zelda!" I heard Link shout from behind me in alarm, but it was too late, I was already off the deck and the paraglider I now dangled from had caught the wind and I was flying upward. The air currents twisted my hair around my face, and I shook my head to get the strands of hair out of my line of vision.
Leaning to the side, the paraglider turned to right, bringing me closer to one of the rocks. Knowing I wouldn't be able to get the paraglider to lower, I timed when I was over the rock and then folded the paraglider, causing me to fall to the rock. The top wasn't as level as I hoped, thus my landing wasn't very smooth. My feet hit the edge of the rock and slid down the side of the rock. My hands immediately grabbed onto the rock, slowing my fall and I then hoisted myself on top of the rock, balancing precariously on the narrow top.
A hint of red caught my eye, and I spun around, my bow and an arrow already in hand. Deciding to show off a little, my hand had closed around one of my experimental arrows, deciding that my ability to invent things was an asset I could use in this showdown with Revali. Taking aim the arrow spun through the air and collided with the red disk, a shower of flames bursting forth from the collision. I heard surprised gasps, but they were quickly drowned out by the howl of the wind.
In quick succession, I fired several rounds of arrows, easily hitting more targets perfectly. Master threw a few more disks and I easily disposed of them, displaying my ice and electric arrows as well. I refrained from using the bomb arrows as I was pretty sure the blast would either send me flying into the pit or one of the three onlookers.
Knocking out more easily accessible targets, I set my eyes on a rock that was further away, happy to see it's top was far more level than the one I was currently on. I snapped my bow onto my belt, grabbed the paraglider, and leapt of the rock I was on. Again the wind caught me and I was instantly hoisted high into the air. The currents were a little more tumultuous than the ones closer to the deck, thus it took more finesse with the paraglider to get it to go to the correct ledge. But once there, I snapped the paraglider shut and grabbed my bow, firing an arrow just as I landed. I smiled as the arrow made a perfect bullseye.
On this rock I had a perfect view of every target and quickly began to check them off, adding a few fancy moves every now and then to demonstrate my skills as well as show off... at least a little. I wanted more than anything for my Master to see how much I had grown and that I was still worthy of his praise as his best student. And I also wanted to show Revali that I was just as good as him, if not better in some areas.
Catching more red, I turned towards the deck, an arrow at the ready. The disk exploded in a blast of ice, frozen bits showering down into the waters below. Glancing around, I noticed that all the targets had arrows in them except for three; which I had been saving for last on purpose. The three targets were all lined up side by side, so it was the perfect opportunity to attempt a three arrow shot. I carefully positioned the arrows and made a quick calculation. Then I let the arrows go, biting my lip as I did so. The first two arrows sunk into the targets, the first dead center, while the other was just a smidge off center. The final arrow lodged itself into the outermost ring of the third target. The aim wasn't perfect, but I smiled in victory nevertheless. It was a tricky shot to make, especially in such blustery winds.
I spun around back to the deck, making sure that Master didn't have any more red disks to throw at me. Seeing his wings were empty, I smiled and reached for the paraglider. Just as I did so, the rock beneath my feet suddenly cracked. I glanced down in alarm and in seconds, a piece of the ledge had chipped off, sending me falling. I fumbled with my paraglider, but as I slid against the rock, the paraglider fell from my hands and I watched it be swept away by the air currents in horror.
My hands instinctively clawed at the air, trying to catch hold of something as I fell. Suddenly something grabbed at my hand, and I clamped onto it. Then I was rising, the black waters below growing farther away. I looked up and saw a navy figure.
It was Revali.
His taloned feet had grabbed onto my arm, and I felt the dig of his sharp appendages tear into my skin, but I was too grateful to mind. As we flew over the deck, his foot released me, and I let go with my hand, landing on the deck. I stumbled to a halt, and I felt hands on my shoulders that quickly steadied me. Link's face filled my vision and I could see the worry in his eyes.
"Zelda!" He exclaimed, giving me a slight shake. "Are you alright?"
I nodded, "Of course." I gave Link a reassuring smile, but my eyes fell past him and went to Revali, who had landed just behind Link. Ignoring Link, I walked past him, his hands falling from my shoulders. I stopped when I was in front of Revali, our eyes meeting.
"Thank you." I said, sincerely.
Revali shrugged nonchalantly. "Figured we couldn't let talent like that go to waste. You could teach some of our Rito warriors a thing or two."
A smile tugged at my lips at his words. "That one shot you fired was really impressive. How did you manage that angle?" I asked, curiously.
"Ah, yes. Quite the extraordinary accomplishment." Revali gloated, "Not many even realize how impressive it is. But the key is in where you position the arrow along your string."
"Ah, that makes sense!" I cried excitedly.
"Those arrows you have, the ones with elemental effects, where did you get them?" Revali inquired.
"Oh these?" I grabbed a handful of my special effects arrows, their tips each covered in a thin film of coating. "I made them."
"Made them?" Revali's eyes widened, and he bent his head lower to inspect the arrows.
"Yes. By using certain natural components with similar effects, I was able to make a coating that imbued these arrows with effects like fire, electricity, and ice. I even have bomb arrows, however I didn't use those today as they can be dangerous..."
"Interesting." Revali said, his eyes focused on the arrows.
"Why don't you try them out?" I offered, handing him a few of each.
Revali eyed the arrows and then a smirk appeared on his beak. "Yes, I would love to try them out. You know, you could probably sell them to the Rito Military. These would be a great utensil for our warriors to use. Of course I'll be happy to try them out and give them my approval first. I'll show you how I made that shot too."
"Yes, that would be brilliant." I grinned, "And I would love it if my arrows could be useful for others."
"We should talk to Azo after this. He's our Captain. He would definitely be interested in these."
"Yes." I breathed, tantalized by the opportunity. My arrows could really make a difference. My studies of the sciences and countless experimentations had not been a waste like Father had said.
"Here." Revali said, taking an ice arrow. "You see how I am positioning the arrow?"
I nodded, "Yes, it's lower than normal, and angled outward."
"Exactly. It takes some finesse and practice to get it right, but eventually, you'll be able to do this." He let the arrow go and it made a perfect curve, slicing clean through the winds landing in a target to our right. The target instantly froze upon impact.
"You may want to be careful with the fire arrows. They'll light the targets on fire."
Revali smirked, "They need to replace some of these targets anyways."
Link stared out at the two figures, standing on the deck. This was something he hadn't expected. He had foreseen Revali and Zelda getting along as well as them absolutely despising each other... however he had not foreseen them starting off hating each other but then with a flip of a switch becoming... best friends. They had been out on the deck for half an hour now, talking, practicing, and sharing tips as if they had been friends for years. Whereas yesterday they had been at each other's throats.
Link looked over at Falnor, who was working on stringing another bow. "So who exactly won?" Link asked, remembering that the reason they were here was because Revali and Zelda were competing.
Falnor shrugged, his eyes glancing out at Revali and Zelda. "I suppose it doesn't matter anymore."
"Yes, but who do you think won?" Link prodded, curious to see what the renowned archer thought of both their displays.
Falnor smiled, "Well based on the outcome, I think you and I are the winners today, Link."
Link couldn't help but agree.