"I don't think I can explain it that well... But they're predictions about future events. Sometimes Goddess Hylia reveals a prophecy to a Sage - a special priest. They always come more or less true."

"I don't think we have that."

They wouldn't know to expect something like the Calamity. What a heartening thought.

"Well-" Sidon pauses as the giant mechanical elephant in the middle of the reservoir stirs. It lets out a painfully loud cry and reaches up, the long tusk raised to the sky, before falling back with a great splash and beginning to sink.

"Hey, I think she's done it! Vah Ruta's going underwater!"

"With Link inside? Can she swim?"

"Let's go check the shrine! That Sheikah Slate is some powerful magic, Link told me she'll escape to there with it!"

He runs off enthusiastically.

Valanda follows.

The endless rain has stopped. Zora's Domain is just as pretty in the sunlight.

Link is sitting on the stairs leading down to the shrine, looking contemplative. "Hey. Sidon..." She shakes her head. "I managed it. It's over."

That's not the attitude he would have naively expected from someone who just saved this place and won a fight. Maybe some other part of it didn't go so well.

He waits to see what Sidon makes of it before reacting.

"That's great! I knew you could do it! I guess you're probably really tired, right? Anything I can do to help?"

"Actually... I've got to tell you something. I don't know if you want Val to hear it. Mipha was Vah Ruta's pilot... It's about that..."

"Hm. Whatever you're going to say, I think my father should hear it too, with how serious you're being... Shall we go see him? I think Valanda can listen, whatever it is."

"That would be a good idea, yes. Let's go, then."

He follows.

The king brings a few other people to listen. Priests, it seems. 

"I have just freed the Divine Beast Vah Ruta from Ganon's foul influence. The rain has already stopped. He won't threaten to flood and break the dams again. Zora's domain is safe! That's the good news. But there's a sad moment mixed in, too. I saw the same thing with another Divine Beast, Vah Medoh near Rito Village. The four champions are dead. But their spirits linger. Princess Mipha's spirit was inside Vah Ruta this whole time, powerless against the corrupted fragment of Ganon. I've killed that fragment, now... Mipha spoke to me, Kind Dorephan, Prince Sidon. She... She said she's sorry for failing a hundred years ago. She says she has one last duty, to use Vah Ruta against Ganon when the time is right. And she says she hopes you are well and happy even without her. The champion Revali spoke to me too. I know it's - strange and maybe overwhelming to hear these things, but- I thought you should know."

The king, a Zora even larger than Prince Sidon, lets out a floor-shaking sigh. Sidon puts an arm on Link's shoulder.

"...Thank you for telling us. I still miss her. A lot of us do. My precious Mipha is still alive in a way? Blessed by Hylia with the power to remain dutiful and defiant even after death... It is most distressing and a great relief at the same time."

Now seems like exactly the wrong moment to ask what a spirit is and how someone can talk after death. He tries to look like he feels the same way as everyone else does about it.

"But, yes, Zora's Domain is safe again. The rains have already stopped. The rest of Hyrule is safe from the danger of a flash flood, too."

"Thank you for saving us, Link! We're going to have a huge celebration! But I think we just all need a minute or two to think about this."

The priests are busy discussing whether such a thing is possible.

The king says, "I think she would wish to remain undisturbed. Lingering spirits are not quite alive in the same way. I would ask that you convey to her that we are all well, that we love her, and then I will leave my daughter's spirit in peace..."

"I will do as you ask. I might as well do it now. Be right back."

Link brings out the Sheikah slate. With a slightly dazzling lightshow, she dissolves into a pool of blue and disappears to somewhere else.

And is back in another minute, walking up from the shrine. She nods solemnly.

"Enough doom and gloom. We should all thank Link for saving us! And for saving Mipha's spirit from being trapped in darkness, too. We should have a party!"

The mood of the room shifts with surprising speed. Cheering and most people pushing forward to thank Link, the Great Hero. Even the king cheers up and says some kind words.

Well, it only makes sense that they'd do something nice for Link. Valanda watches them to try to figure out what kind of congratulations he should be offering her once the crowd around her thins.

The crowd migrates to the open plaza in front of the throne room! Food appears and people start cooking! The king gives Link a pretty trident as a gift! Someone has draped long chains of flowers over the statue of Mipha in the square below! People are dancing and laughing and crying tears of joy and a few kiss each other on the sidelines! A few are more unhappy, but the general mood is very positive.

Eventually Link is free again, and smiling. "Hi, Val! Kind of lost you for a while in all the fuss. You doing alright?"

Well, damn, he doesn't have a pretty trident to give her. Or food. Or cooking skills. Or flowers.

"I'm fine. I'm so glad you won! What was the spirit you found? I don't think I've heard of anything like that."

"Ah... Spirits are the minds, the souls of people left over after their body dies. They're very rare. It takes strong will or a holy purpose. Goddess Hylia says everyone else's souls goes to the realm of the dead."

"Souls?"