Couple of the Wild (ZeLink)

Chapter 64: A Vortex of Fire

"Link! Slow down a moment!" Mipha called out as Link quickly advanced towards Ploymus Mountain. He turned and began heading across one of the domain's bridges at a quick pace, with the Zora Princess desperately attempting to keep pace with him. "Please, slow down! My legs aren't as long as yours anymore! You know I'm quite short!"

Despite her calls, Link continued at his pace across the bridge and up the mountain trail with Mipha following at almost a jogging pace. The princess eventually stopped calling out his name due to her fatigue now taking over with her breaths becoming slightly heavier than before. It wasn't until the two grew close to the top of Ploymus Mountain did she once again try calling out to him between her breaths.

"Link! Please listen!" she gasped. Finally, as if just now taking note of the Zora following behind him, Link turned to see Mipha hurrying her way towards him before stopping in front of him to catch her breath. After a few deep breaths, she composed herself before sternly looking up into his eyes. "Why are you going to fight the Lynel? I'm sure the two of us can defeat it, but you said you had something to talk to me about."

"I do have things to talk to you about, but this is more important," Link said as he looked up the path that led towards the mountain's top. "And not the two of us; just me."

"Just you?" Mipha said. "Link, that's reckless! You can't just go fight that thing alone! I am coming with you."

"No, you are not," Link said as he returned her stern glare. "You said the beast uses shock arrows. What will happen if you get hurt?"

"Link, I have healing magic," Mipha argued. "If I get hurt, I will simply heal myself; the same way that if you get hurt I will immediately heal you. I... I refuse to let you fight alone."

"I'm not going to get hurt, and if I do then I'll just come right to you," he retaliated. "Mipha, you need to go back. I can't allow you to get hurt or worse."

"Or worse?" Mipha said in a hurt tone as she brought her hands to her chest. "You sound as if you have little faith in me. Link, I am deemed to be a champion just as you; we're supposed to be a team, just as we have been for years. We used to fight side by side before. I'm a warrior too."

"You are a warrior, a great one, but things are different now, Mipha," Link said in a slightly pained voice. "This is my responsibility."

"It is your responsibility just as much as it is mine. I'm the princess of the Zora, and the future Zora Champion," Mipha said. "You don't have to do everything alone! What's happened to you? What's changed? You've been different ever since you got that sword on your back. Is it that; the sword?"

"You don't understand the position I'm in," Link said, brushing back his bangs in frustration. "Yes, we're both soon to be champions, but this sword means more than just being a champion; the position of hero, means more than being a champion, Mipha."

"And does it mean more than being a friend?" she asked sadly. "Link, you are my best friend. It hurts to see you push me away like this. This is the first you've come to visit, and yet you're already trying to leave me behind. I thought we were supposed to stand by each other's sides..."

"Mipha, you are my best friend," Link said. "You're the closest friend I've ever had and that's another reason why I need you to go back to the domain."

"No, it's why I need to fight alongside you," Mipha said stubbornly. "Why can't you see that?"

"I can't afford to see that, Mipha," Link said with a rising temper.

"Why not," Mipha asked immediately. "It's as if you're refusing to see that!"

"Because if you get hurt, then that's on me!" Link said loudly. "If anyone gets hurt when I'm around, because of my responsibility, it's going to be on me!"