Links Champions: Breath of the Wild

Bonus Story: On Thin Ice

"C'mon Link! We're nearly there!" Zelda Hyrule shouted across the frozen Tama Pond in the Hebra region.

Link had fallen behind a bit, being the more cautious one and testing the ice. Their  Rito friend Fyson had given Zelda a tour of Rito village, which had definitely changed in the hundred years she had been away.

They where on there way to a shrine Link knew about and Zelda had thought it'd been a good shortcut across the lake instead of going over the mountains.

Zela paused and turned, seeing Link make his way cautiously across. "Link! I'm sure the ice is fine; it's freezing up here." She said, growing a bit impairment. Link looked up at her; she couldn't really tell what the emotion was that he gave her, but it slight looked like annoyance.

The princess of Hyrule rolled her eyes and tried to continue making her way across, trying not to be concerned about her appointed Champion. 'He's been doing this longer than me...he should be fine.'

Zelda was getting closer to the other side than Link was getting to the halfway point when it happened.

There was a huge creak sound that echoed through the valley they where in. Zelda gasped, turning toward Link again.

He looked up and she saw the terrified expression on his face. "LINK!" Zelda screamed as he plunged into the freezing cold ice.

                                                                     ....
Link almost passed out from the ice cold water, gasping and feeling the pinpricks of ice crawl up his skin. His eyes fluttered as he tried to reach for the surface but he was slowly losing consciousness.

He couldn't hold his breath any longer.
                                                                     ....

Zelda ran, not caring that she could fall through too. There was a huge whole and spiderwebs of cracks on the ice. She was about to jump in the water when there was suddenly an aqua flash of light shining through the water.

Her eyes widened; she knew what that meant. Link had told her he'd gained the other Champions powers after defeating the Blight Gannon's  that had taken over the Devine Beasts.

She jumped in without any further hesitation. The freezing water hit her like a slap to the face and she knew she only had a few minutes or even seconds before hypothermia took her over.

She saw Link floating in the water, passed out and she wasn't sure if the hypothermia's was already setting in but she could've sworn she saw the spirit of her dear friend Mipha floating away from Link.

She took Link under the arms and pulled him, up, feeling herself go stiff.

                                              .....

Link slowly opened his eyes feeling groggy...but warm. The last thing he remembered was falling through the ice and pinpricks of cold up and down his body.

He blearily looked over, feeling a blanket wrapped around him. He noticed Zelda was gone. He stood suddenly, looking around even though it made him dizzy.

He grabbed his forehead trying to reorient himself and he started shivering. He quickly grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around himself. He looked around, wondering where Zelda had gone off to.

"Link!" A voice said and Link turned, seeing his highness come around a bend. He smiled at her and she dropped the wood she was carrying and hugged him, surprising the Champion.

"Oh, Hylia! I was so worried...you've been sleeping for two days." Link blinked...two days!? How was he not...then he realized: Miphas Grace must have saved him and then Zelda. She looked like she was wearing more layers then he remembered so she must have jumped in after him.

He sat back down on the fallen tree, relieved that Zelda was safe. She tossed the longs in the fire and sat next to him, looking at her lap.

There was an awkward silence between them. He gave her a worried look and she sighed.

"Um..." The Hylian Princess started. "I'm...um....really sorry about the lake...it...I should have been more careful...I'm...really truly sorry." Zelda finished, looking up at him.

He smiled and put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. He notice there where tears in her eyes as she wiped at them. "It's just...I was so terrified that you'd...died...and I think you did..."

Link looked at his lap. "I saw Mipha, Link...she'd revived you...and it was all my fault for being careless." She said, her voice hoarse.

"How many times has Mipha saved you....because of me?" Zelda whispered. Link looked away from her, not wanting her to see his face.

Zeldas Champion shrugged, making the Princess sigh. Link reached over and put his hand on her arm gently, trying to reassure her without words. Zelda looked him in the eye. "Sometimes I regret that you where picked as my Champion; you shouldn't have to deal with...me." She said.

Link was stunned for a minute; he hadn't realized how guilty Zelda had felt. He cautiously wrapped her in a side hug. She returned it with a full hug and they sat like that under the shining stars.