Link's presence in Zora's Domain had ushered in good fortune that could be felt throughout the valley from the moment he left. No one in the Domain could've expected the sun to look as beautiful as it did the first time it rose after the fateful night of Vah Ruta's appeasement. Its wonderful radiance had cast rays across the sky that following morning, bringing with it a degree of warmth and security that hadn't existed in the valley for nearly a month. The Zoras had awoken bright and early to greet its arrival the moment it broke through the horizon, despite them having attended the late-night ceremony just hours before. The mood was especially quick to strike the triplets, naturally. Noelani, while known to be a heavy sleeper, was among the first of her people to jump to her feet and go see the sun that morning.

The gusto with which the Zoras regularly went about their day had taken no time to settle back in as well. While the Domain shone brightly under the sun's nourishment, so too did the happy energy emitted by its people. They walked faster, they talked louder, and most importantly, they smiled more. More social interactions occurred, and ultimately, the morale throughout the population experienced a dramatic improvement. The Domain once again looked, and felt, as it had a hundred years ago.

In this state, the weeks went by quickly. Days and nights could actually be discerned from each other under the clear skies. Dinners were enjoyed by happy couples to pristine, glowing sunsets. Occasional treks were made to the Eastern Reservoir to observe and admire the Divine Beast in all its former glory from its new perch on the adjacent mountaintop. Aspiring Zoras departed from the Domain to travel to other places and meet nomadic Hylians. Gatherings were held in the plaza to mingle and talk recreation. Each day in this life was a new experience for Mira, Noelani, and Murdoch. It was as if Vah Ruta's freedom…and Mipha's freedom within…orchestrated the freedom of the entire Zora tribe. The uplifting nature of it all was nothing short of a constant blessing.

True to his word, in celebration of the big victory, Murdoch had granted the Zora Guard an entire month of time off, effective immediately after the ceremony. There had been a slight bit of concern from Prince Sidon about his nephew's choice, particularly with unexpected threats, but Murdoch was adamant on his decision. His subordinates on the team needed some time to enjoy the Domain's new, budding era of peace, and he himself needed some time to catch up with his sisters. It was in everyone's best interest, he had reasoned, and the two of them were able to agree on his decision under the condition that his subordinates kept their weapons handy at all times during their vacation. In the wake of his decree, he spent the entirety of his free time accompanying his siblings.

The three of them got along like peas in a pod. Thanks to Murdoch's natural, keen sense, Muzu was never worried about their whereabouts as long as he was with them with a spear in tow. Almost every day, whenever they had the energy to do so, they would venture out from the Domain together to spend time alone and introduce Noelani to the sights she had always missed during their childhood. Sometimes they'd be gone for a couple hours, and sometimes they wouldn't be seen for the entire day. It mostly depended on where they were headed…and how much Noelani was enjoying the views. They certainly never had a curfew.

Among the curious Zora's favorite destinations were Crenel Peak, the Eastern Reservoir, and the summit of Ploymus Mountain. She had already seen the Reservoir upon first gaining her sight, while their mother was still speaking to them in spirit form the night of the appeasement. Regardless, she found the sparkling waters of the lake and the elegant architecture of the awning to be beautiful, irreplaceable features of her childhood home, even after visiting it several times. She doubted she'd ever grow tired of the image.

Crenel Peak had been a long trek to make a second time, but when they had done it, she had the special benefit of traversing the Zora River without the help of her sis. For once, she actually found the slick, agile style of swimming associated with being a Zora to be seamless and fun, since she could finally feel independent while doing it. It was a deeply rewarding and satisfying trip, made ever more memorable by the sight of her birthplace within the peak. She was basically filling the role of her father from the time they had shown him the peak, only for her, the images held a type of significance that could never be explained. She knew she would sooner forget her own name before losing the sight of the pond in which she hatched.

Ploymus Mountain, on the other hand, was another story entirely. She hadn't remembered going there as a youngling more than once or twice, so she didn't know what to expect at all. They had chosen to ascend the mountain by waterfall, since the cliffsides had a series of waterfalls leading all the way to the top. She found there to be a certain rush to ascending waterfalls with working vision…a powerful, tantalizing sensation unlike anything she had ever felt in her life. She had actually led her siblings up the falls, controlling her movements with a level of meditated precision that had not been possible before. She even discovered that she could twirl through the air at the apex of her climbs, just like the rest of her family of royals, landing every time with the grace and beauty of her mother. And above it all, the experience had only been the precursor to a sight beyond anything comparable in the entire kingdom of Hyrule. With Mira and Murdoch by her side, she witnessed a vantage point that provided a view of, in essence, the entire world, stretching all the way from the Domain below to the ominous, bird-like Divine Beast on the distant horizon, behind the fields, the deserts, and the haunted Hyrule Castle that sat in between. It took her a great deal of time to comprehend the size of it all, and even more time to fathom the fact that her father was out there somewhere, tackling it all in the name of enduring peace. Needless to say, it was the trip that had kept the three of them away from the Domain the longest.

Tonight, Mira, Noelani, and Murdoch were once again absent from the Domain. Instead of settling into the sleeping pools with their neighbors for the night, they laid in the grass together beside the pond at the base of Veiled Falls, staring up at the heavens. The night carried a slight chill, but it was subtle enough to fly under their radar. Tonight was different from the other nights, in that they were not planning to return to the Domain until the next morning. The gentle grass and hum of the water crashing into the pond would be their company for the night. Here, they were truly children again.

"Sis, do you know why Nayru made the stars?" Noelani asked innocently, hugging Mira's arm more tightly than before. "They're very…hypnotizing."

Mira took a moment to answer her question. She also found herself getting lost in the expanses of the great beyond, and therefore, her mind was prone to wandering. "I guess…just because…they're very pretty. Without the sun's light to see the amazing features of the world around us, something has to step in to give the night beauty, am I right?"

Murdoch chuckled. He stretched for a moment, pushing his spear to the side to give him more space to relax. "That's a clever way to put it, I'd say."

Noelani smiled a bit, but with a subtlety that went unnoticed. She had had the extent of the past few weeks to see and observe the stars at night, and she always seemed different while doing so. Something about them got her head churning, as if she were spending every night beneath them trying to analyze their purpose. Mira and Murdoch never paid it any mind, since their nights were reserved for deep, relaxing exchanges as it was, and they didn't find anything out of place with their sister's pensive tendencies. Perhaps this was the night she'd put the pieces of her thoughts together, weaving her internal musings into a picture of reality, culminated over a mere month's worth of working sight.

"They mean something to me." She whispered. Mira turned her head in the grass to face her sister as she seemed to speak out of the silence again. "Out of all the amazing things I've gotten to see around here…there's something about the sky that just…stands out to me."

"Hmm…I see. Do you…know much about Nayru?" Mira queried. She gained some interest in the direction of Lani's thoughts.

Noelani inhaled deeply and slowly, keeping her eyes fixated on the constellations above. It was evident she wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon, since her mind seemed to be running very actively. She sighed and replied dreamily. "All I know is that she's the Goddess of Wisdom. Beyond that…it's mostly just stuff that I feel. Ever since Mom gave me my vision a while back, I've been reminded of Nayru whenever I look at the stars. I sort of feel…almost like…they're a part of me, in a way."

Murdoch turned his entire body to face his sister. He brought his elbow beneath him to help him sit up a bit as he listened to her words. Mira could tell from looking at him that he was also gaining a great deal of interest in Lani's ramblings. Although Lani could hear the grass rustling from his movements beside her, she did not face him. The night sky continued to hold her undivided attention.

It seemed almost like he had had similar thoughts before, judging by the way he absorbed her explanations. Something was resurfacing in his own mind that sucked him more deeply into the subject. He cleared his throat for a brief moment.

"Legends have told that Nayru's wisdom played a powerful role in the shaping of the very world around us." He murmured, looking directly at his captivated sister. "What exactly do the stars…mean to you?"

Unlike with Mira's question, Noelani did not stop to breathe before answering Murdoch. The moment the question rolled off his tongue, she responded, leaving no sort of gap for reflection. She clearly had been settled on her answer for a bit longer than he anticipated. "Order."

The two of them took a moment to think over that answer. It had almost caught them off guard, thanks to being quickly delivered, and rather…to-the-point. Unlike her, they had had the privilege to see the stars every night for their entire lives, and they had never been so quick to describe their symbolism with a single word like that. Noelani, though…only needed a month, it seemed, which, to them…was kind of astounding.

Murdoch smiled as he laid back down in the grass. Decades away from his sisters had left him in desperate need of a heart-to-heart, exactly like the one they were having now. They had had deep talks before, but only recently after the Great Calamity, and more often than not, they had been about mundane topics that were always forgotten the next morning. Tonight had been the first of its kind in countless years, he realized, and with it, a fantastic revelation had occurred within him. He wondered if Mira and Lani felt it too. To iterate his feelings, and to ensure they shared them as well, he spoke again.

"You know, Lani, of all things, it's interesting that you were so quick to attach to the cosmos after gaining your sight." He turned to look at her at the same time she looked at him, and the two of them locked eyes. "I don't know if you've ever looked into the ancient legends, but…they say it was Nayru who created the skies. The heavens, along with the celestial bodies contained within, were made by her in junction with the laws that governed existence." Neither of them blinked as they continued to stare into each other. "Hav…Haven't you ever heard that before?"

Noelani took a moment to ponder, but she wound up shaking her head. She knew that Nayru created the stars, though…she hadn't heard of the legend's details regarding "governing laws." However, they seemed remarkably in line with how she had just unknowingly described them. Murdoch turned his gaze to Mira, who, to his surprise, also shook her head. He thought, almost for sure, that she'd know what he was getting at, but apparently, she also hadn't bridged the gap and looked into the history of the goddesses. They were quite a fascinating topic, after all.

He kept his gaze on Mira as he continued, an action which, by curiosity, forced her attention to remain on him. "Likewise, the legends say that Farore, the Goddess of Courage, created life in the world to uphold the law set forth by Nayru. And Din, the Goddess of Power, well…" He let out a scoff as he reflected on the grandeur of it all. He noticed his sisters begin to grin as well. "…she created the land and the sea. The canvas onto which everything was laid. The mountains…the valleys…the oceans. It is said that these three goddesses each granted a song to the first chosen hero to help him forge the Master Sword."

Mira turned back toward the sky, where she and her sister had been staring for the majority of the night. Her smile remained on her face as she reminisced on the facts her brother had just shared with them. As Zoras, they had always lived a life centered around the Goddess of Wisdom, but rarely had they ever even heard of the other two deities. Now that Murdoch had introduced them to such secrets, she found that they shared more in common with them than they ever could've realized. There was a level of symbolism to the elements of the universe that her, Lani's, and Murdoch's humble selves would never fully understand.

"I wonder how much Dad knows about this stuff." Mira pondered aloud. "Since he's the current chosen hero, and he can wield the Master Sword…it makes me imagine the possibility of him hiding memories from his past lives."

"Also…that gets me wondering something else." Noelani chimed, reaching out with her other hand to pull Murdoch a little closer to herself and Mira. "What if…perhaps…"

Suddenly, the sound of an earthshattering explosion tore across the valley, cutting their timid sister off before she could share her thought. They each jumped completely out of their skin at both the spontaneity and the volume of the noise. It sounded like it had come from the horizon on their right, where the Divine Beast had been perched for the last several weeks.

The sound was also accompanied by a blinding flash of bluish light that remained present after the initial blast. The light overpowered the stars and the moon and lit up the entire Domain like the sun itself at midday. Almost all the Zoras back in the chambers, they figured, had to be awake by now.

When the initial shock of the event dissipated in the trio, they held up their hands toward the light and glanced in its direction to observe the disruptive spectacle. To their amazement, they saw what appeared to be a massive, city-sized laser ejecting from Vah Ruta's tusks, aimed away from the Domain in the direction of the Hyrulean plains. The sheer size and luminosity of the mighty blast made it look as though it had the power to level an entire mountain range. They had been around that Divine Beast their entire lives, and they never knew it was capable of such a feat.

"Oh my…" Mira whispered. "…Mom…"

"Incredible…" Murdoch added with a stunned breath.

A moment occurred within them where all thoughts and feelings just…stopped. The brilliant, blue light of the plasma beam that was firing out of their mother's Divine Beast grabbed hold of their souls and held them in its angelic grasp. It was like Mipha's entire legacy was pointed towards this very moment, evidenced by the riveting magnificence of the event. It sung to them as a powerful, melancholic display of…finality.

"Is…Is it…what I think it is?" Noelani quivered.

Mira nodded her head hypnotically, though she knew Noelani couldn't see the gesture from behind her. None of them could pull their eyes away from Vah Ruta. "It is. Mom and Dad…they're…they're fighting Calamity Ganon together. It's…It's really happening."

They wanted to feel, but they couldn't. Something about the event as it played out caused their hearts and minds to go completely numb. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Noelani watched with the same awestruck wonder as her siblings, scanning the incomprehensibly bright phenomenon without so much as a blink of emotion. It felt kind of like she was feeling everything at once, and as a result, she couldn't really feel anything at all. Right before her very eyes, her parents were finally taking control of their destiny. Ultimately, the satisfaction and relief of that fact were all she needed to feel in the moment, but…she found it difficult to settle on those emotions. They were too specific.

She continued to watch the light as, following a total of about thirty seconds, it began to quickly fade away. The strength of the laser faltered a bit for a second, and an instant later, it fizzled into nothing, returning the night sky to its previous, starry state. The triplets needed some time for their eyes to readjust to the darkness after their worlds had been rocked by the shine of their mother's ferocity. It was going to take a bit of time before they fully grasped the gravity of what they had witnessed.

Noelani stared at the Divine Beast, which was now silent, for another couple seconds or so before slumping back into the grass. She closed her eyes for a moment and took another deep, loaded breath. She could only hope that…in the moment that just flew by, her mother had accomplished what she wanted. It upset her that her mind worked too slowly to understand and think on what had happened until it was already over. It was a moment belonging to legends…and it had just passed her by in less than a minute.

She was getting tired of thinking. With her head laid back in the tall grass, she flicked her eyes back open to push the events of that evening to tomorrow and resume her position among the heavens. When she did, however…the stars of said heaven…were gone. There were no sparkly dots. No glittery trails. No luminescent moon. There was nothing. Nothing at all.

Her heart skipped a beat. She blinked a few times in disbelief, but with each one, the image…or lack thereof…did not change. The sky had gone dark.

She sat up quickly when this happened, continuing to blink several more times. To her dismay, everything…the sky, the grass, the Domain, the lakes, the mountains beyond, and even her siblings right in front of her…was completely and utterly gone. She held her hands out in front of her to inspect her fingers and her palms…but even they eluded her.

"S…Sis? Sis!" She trembled.

Mira quickly turned to face her sister after hearing her distressed call. Murdoch turned suddenly as well. "What is it?"

Noelani's hands were still held out in front of her, though they began to shake rather intensely. Her fingers curled inwards. "Sis, I…I…I can't see anything! My vision!"

Mira's face fell, and her heart sank. "Oh no…Lani…"

As she scooted herself over to grab and embrace her loved one, Murdoch looked down at the ground. He idly traced his finger through the blades of grass nearest him, unsure of how to go about witnessing what they had known to be inevitable. "So…the time has come. Too soon…too soon."

Noelani could not tell that Mira had begun to inch toward her until she felt her hands on her shoulders. When the physical contact was made, she jumped…albeit ever so slightly. She knew her siblings cared for her, and Mira…well, she owed a lot to Mira. As Mira's hands settled on her shoulders, she clawed desperately at the air with her own hands until she felt Mira's gills, at which point she extended her arms around her, yanked her sister inwards, and held her as tightly as she could. They were both major huggers, and have therefore hugged thousands of times in their lives, and yet…Mira never felt her sister squeeze so hard.

Her mom had returned that one night to give her the most significant gift possible, which was her sight. The same mom that did such a thing…had been the mom that stood by her with special love, care, and protection…since her first days as a hatchling in a jar. She held her almost constantly, keeping her safe from her rambunctious siblings and the frightening elements of the unknown around them. She protected her from strangers. Knowing of the fragility caused by her blindness, she dedicated a major piece of herself to keeping her daughter safe against all odds.

That same mom had promised her one last comfort-providing gesture that night, even from beyond the reaches of death. It was the ultimate extension of her power as a spirit, and she had reserved it just for her, so that she may be like the rest of her family and have confidence and stability on her own…at the cost of being a mere demo. They knew, even at the time, that her vision would not last forever. Though…that didn't change the fact that she never wanted it to go.

That same mom was now gone. Her purpose as a spirit, to guide Vah Ruta and aid her husband in the destruction of Calamity Ganon, had now been fulfilled, and although Link's fate within Hyrule Castle was not yet determined, she had done all she could. With that, she had certainly moved on, and with her final passing, Lani's sight had faded away as well. She was now as blind as she had been before her father's return.

Despite being past thinking for the night, she no longer had a choice. Without the starry sky nor the expansive horizon to get lost in, the only thing she could do was go back to thinking. Her mind raced through the glorious things she had seen during the last month, and how they were now locked in her head as mere memories. It raced through the experiences she had had with her sight, including the amazing bonding time she had with her brother. It raced through the memories of her mother, and…how she gave so much to allow her daughter to lead the best life possible in spite of the apocalyptic nightmare that had frightened her every day. She thought about these things, and, very quickly…for the first time ever…she began to cry.

Mira could feel it happening over her shoulder. First, there were small, individual tears, streaming down her sister's cheeks and gently striking the middle of her back. Before long, though, those tears were joined by sounds of deep, passionate sobbing. Mira and Murdoch were utterly silenced by the haunting nature of the sound. They had never heard Noelani cry before. Not once. She was known for battling a constant storm of emotions, but every time, she'd absorb them flawlessly and move on with the current. Her capacity in the face of adversity just seemed bottomless throughout the years. However, like the Eastern Reservoir trying to absorb the Divine Beast's downpour, it seemed she had finally hit her limit, and the effects were somewhat explosive.

It started to seem like she would never calm down. The seconds turned into minutes as Mira's back channeled an ongoing stream of tears into the grass below. Likewise, the blind Zora's grieving sobs had escalated into powerful wails, punctuated by occasional episodes of sporadic, shallow breathing. Her cries rang out into the night, echoing off the cliffsides around Veiled Falls. They carried with them the condensed essence of a hundred years without a mother to protect her…a hundred years of disguising her vulnerability. It truly broke her siblings' hearts.

Mira patted her lamenting sister's back with one hand, while she used the other to stroke her long, silky tailfin. She tried whatever she could to help ease Lani's pain, despite lacking the experience. It was the first time she ever needed to try.

"Shh…shh…it's going to be okay. We're always here for you. Shhh…" She cooed quietly. She wasn't entirely sure she could be heard over the maelstrom.

Murdoch, crushed by the sounds of her pain, decided to slide himself over to her and Mira in the grass. He scooched around to her other side, leaned forward, and joined Mira in grasping Noelani around her waist. The three of them were a single unit, both now, and always.

"Dad's coming home, Lani. Dad's coming home." He whispered.

"That's right, little lovebug." Mira sighed. "Dad's coming home."

THE END

Author's Note: This epilogue was inspired by "Nayru's Wisdom," from my all-time favorite Zelda game, Skyward Sword. I encourage all who are reading this to head to YouTube and give it a quick listen.

That is officially all for "Offspring." I can't properly express my gratitude to all of you for sticking with me during its development. I'm at a very active point in my life where projects like this often fall into the backseat, and seeing how popular this has gotten, it's caused me a bit of stress at times. I'm deeply, genuinely glad this one gave you all so much joy, though. Your responses will always inspire me. ;)

Another special thanks to those who donated to the cause, especially the ones who paid for a printed copy! By the time you read this, I'll either have finished ordering the books, or I'll actively be in the process. I'll have to wait for them to be made and shipped to me, and then I'll have to prepare the packages and mail them out myself, so if you ordered one, don't be alarmed if you haven't received anything in a couple weeks. Check out my Tumblr blog (mikeanthony321) for updates, because I intend to send out a post the moment I get those suckers shipped! It's also a good idea to check out my Tumblr in general, since…well…there's some news there regarding my next project. :)

Lastly, if you'd like to donate, head to mikeanthony321 on Ko-Fi! Not sure how (or if) I'd go about printing more books in the future, but I figure I might be able to place additional orders down the line if I amass enough requests. I doubt it'll happen, but I'll stay vigilant anyway. :P