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Revali pushes his flying abilities to their absolute limit. The torrential downpour buffers his feathers and drag him towards the ground below. Lightning flashes in the clouds above before raucous booms reverberate over the Rito. Every second that passes is another debilitating ache in his heart. His body is exhausted, but he can’t afford to give in just yet.
The sound of a trumpet pierces through all the chaos hovering around the reservoir. Revali allows hope to blossom within him at the sight of Vah Ruta once more turning a comforting blue. The great stone truck rising high into the air as the Divine Beast appears to thrash out the invading threat. However, the blue is quickly snuffed out as an orange color pulses throughout the body.
Revali grits his beak even further. Drawing upon whatever dregs of reserve energy he has left, he beelines it to the Divine Beast. Deep rumbling sounds emanate from the ancient mechanisms within the old Sheikah technology. A flashing red laser locks onto the Rito’s form, spot-on the center of his metal cuirass. Red light refracts over the metal; it almost entirely overwhelms the light blue emitting from the luminous stone, which dangles at one end of his bow. Though it remains on the Rito’s back, the stone’s carved shape of the Rito crest is clear as ever in his mind.
A rapid series of pops from the side of Vah Ruta captures the Champion’s full attention. Barely just managing to dodge the sharp icicles being launched at him; another barrage firing soon after in an attempt to skewer the avian. Weaving through the attacks, Revali is given no opportunity to slow down. With little other choice, the avian prepares himself for a hard landing.
The bitterly cold, wet stone of Vah Ruta’s entrance slam into his side. Bouncing from the impact, the Rito’s body rolls over multiple times as he slides along the platform. Blood begins to spill from newly opened cuts as Revali is utterly dazed from the crash. He can’t help but connect this pain to the pain of his early attempts at flight as a fledgling, but his aching body snaps him back into the present.
He tries to push up with his wing, but it loses traction and slips on the wet stone. Rolling his body over onto his back, he sits himself up this time around. Slowing rising on his talons, the Rito is able to stand up. Clutching his side with one of his wings, the Champion hobbles into the Divine Beast. The large internal cavity dwarfs over the avian as he tries to figure out which way to go. However, the sound of distant fighting reveals the path he must take.
Limping his way up the stairs, almost tripping over himself multiple times, Revali continues down the hallway. A path of blood drops follows dutifully behind every step he takes. Flashes of light from within the room at the hall’s end draws him forward. Guttural growls rise up in the lull of the battle. Revali steels himself as he draws the Great Eagle Bow from his back, the Champion’s scarf and glowing Rito crest blowing in the gusts rushing down the hallway.
A scream infused with pain shoots down the hallway as metal clatters across stone. Picking up his pace, Revali enters the atrium at the end of the room. At the far side of the room, a red miasma hangs in the air around Vah Ruta’s control panel. The gloom streaks up the walls and is splattered across the floor, dripping from a horrendous form. The Rito can barely comprehend the hovering being in his sight. The garishly red hair and slim form—practically just skin and bones—leave no frame of reference for comparison. However, the materialized blue spear in one of the creature’s arms is what the green eyes of the Rito are focused on. More specifically, what the spear is aimed at. For the form of a bloodied Mipha, deprived of her trusty trident, lay unprotected. Her arms raised up in an attempt to shield her face.
Without thought or hesitation, Revali sends a volley of arrows straight at the creature just as it prepares its arm to hurl the spear at the Zora. The arrows strike deep into the monster’s arm, a roar tears itself from the throat of the creature as the arrows dissolve in the malice-infused body. Revali curses his lack of foresight for not bringing anything other than normal arrows, but he fears Mipha may have been caught in the crossfire if he had bomb arrows anyway.
The Rito almost lets out a shudder as the head of the…demon—Revali is now certain that is what it must be—unnaturally twists as it locks onto its new enemy. The beast lets out another roar, Revali struggling to keep his battered body upright against the sheer force of it. Yet, he remains standing. Just for a second, the Rito sees Mipha shift around on the floor. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Revali; her lips move as she appears to say something, but Revali can’t make anything out.
A tinge of relief overcomes the avian knowing Mipha is still alive. However, Revali’s wing tightens its grip on the bow as he sends a snarling glare towards this blight of all things natural—the battle is far from over.
Crouching down, the Rito spreads his wings over the ground. Though his body is pleading to be granted respite from use, his mind has taken complete control and will not allow any dissent from his treasonous body. Vertical gusts of wind build up just under his wings before he is launched into the air. His gale pushes him even higher than the beast. The blight responds in an instant by hurtling the spear in his hand towards the Rito.
Revali manages to dodge to the left as the spear whooshes by him; it shatters against the wall behind him. Revali sends another batch of arrows towards his enemy, but they are deflected as the blight rematerializes the spear in its hand. The two send each other looks of death as their eyes meet over the top of the spear. A realization comes across both combatants: the Champion’s victory can only be found in a short-range engagement. The Rito’s energy reserve is bleeding faster than he can sustain. And Revali’s sorry state is certainly obvious to his enemy. He knows he can’t win a battle of attrition against this demon by merely shooting pot-shots at them.
Revali swoops down, closing the distance with his opponent. He tosses his bow down to his talons and he moves his wing to grab some arrows from his quiver. Just as the tips of his fingers brush against the arrows, he performs a freefall dive. The blight’s spear glows faintly as it swings overhead of Revali where he was just moments before. The Rito ascends before notching arrows in his bow. They are sent straight towards the eye of the monster.
In an instant, the arrows bounce off the stone floor. The blight disappears into thin air just before they struck.
Revali glances frantically around the room. The thunder outside booms within an ever-increasing tempo. A large flash of lightning brightens the room. A glint of reflection on the far wall catches the Rito’s eyes. He once more dodges as the spear comes this time from his blind spot; it embeds itself into the floor. The luminous stone continuously clatters against the wood of his bow. There is no moment of rest as chucks of ice come from the flanks.
The blight charges at the Rito, the malice dripping from its body leaving scars on the stone floor. Revali’s speed is slowing as the battle goes on. He manages to duck as the blight makes a grab at him, but the wet floor causes the Rito to slip. Laying on the floor, the avian quickly rolls to the side as the demon’s fist slams into the floor. Revali lets out hisses of pain as the puddles of malice on the floor leave a burning sensation on him.
Picking up his bow, Revali notches three more arrows. He wraps the tips of his wings along the bowstring, starting to draw it back. Suddenly, the blight’s hand strikes the bow out of his hands. The Great Eagle Bow, along with its arrows, is sent clattering to somewhere on the other side of the room.
This turn of events has barely processed in the mind of the Rito Champion before the blight’s arm strikes his chest with tremendous force. He is sent careening to somewhere else in the room. Dazed on the floor, he feels the cold touch of metal against the back of his body. Rotating his head, Revali is surprised to find Mipha’s trident. A new, polished piece of jade is attached around the weapon’s neck; the flashes of lightning briefly creating glimmers in the gem.
The singes of malice hitting the floor alert the Rito to the blight’s presence. Revali tries to move, but his body won’t comply. He sends another glare at his enemy who almost seems to gutturally laugh at the fallen Champion. The blight rematerializes the spear in their hands. It is raised above the avian. He plunges it—
“Hey!” A voice angrily rings out.
The monster once more twitches their head towards the voice. However, no time is allotted for investigation before an arrow strikes their head, just missing the eye. A roar is let loose as the beast yowls in pain.
Revali, through his blurry vision, spots a small-red form standing across the room. Squinting at the figure, he is shocked. It’s Mipha. Standing up, visibly shaking in effort to stay upright, with the Great Eagle Bow in hand. It sags heavily in her hands as she fumbles to notch another arrow in the string. She is struggling as the blight rushes to intercept her.
Revali taps the last vestige of his energy. Grasping the Lightscale Trident in his wings, he pushes himself up. Shoving the feeling of nausea down, the Rito once more crouches down and spreads his wings out. Heavy pants escape from his open beak. The blight has almost reached the Zora’s location.
The Rito calls upon his gale one last time. He is launched into the air; it is a little rougher ascension than usual, but it will do.
Soaring across the room, Revali raises the trident into position as he bellows out with all his voice can muster, “GET. AWAY. FROM. HER!”
The blight’s head flips on itself, its eye locking onto Revali. The same eye which the Rito Champion plunges the trident into. Bits of malice splattering onto the jade gem. The demon let’s out the loudest roar yet as their hands move to their face. Its body spasms out of control as malice flies everywhere. It plumets into the stone below, its convulsions gradually lessening until it stops completely.
Revali collapses to the ground, clutching his side in pain. He stares at the still body of the blight. In his half-conscious state, he witnesses the blight’s body deteriorate into nothingness. The pools of malice scattered around the room and the miasma around the control panel evaporate.
“Revali!” The fins of Mipha’s feet hitting the floor become clearer as she limps over to the Rito.
He feels her scales brush against his feathers. The Great Eagle Bow appears in front of him as Mipha sets it down.
“Let me heal you!” Mipha tries to summon her healing power as tears roll off her face onto the wet floor. “I can hel—”
Revali slaps away the Zora’s hand. With the last of his energy, he says barely an octave above a whisper, “Control panel.”
“That can wait—” Mipha tries to get out.
“Control power first. Go!” Revali commands.
Revali can hear Mipha rush over to the panel as quick as she can in her state. A ping sounds out before Vah Ruta rumbles back to life. The trumpet of Vah Ruta reverberates through the room as it proclaims its vengeance towards Ganon. The Rito Champion wonders what fate would have awaited him if he went to his beloved Medoh instead. As Mipha pilots the Divine Beast, Revali allows his body to finally rest. Just before he slips into unconsciousness, Revali spots the glow of the Rito crest attached to his bow; and his beak forms a smile at the sight.