It was late evening by the time Faron and Zelda arrived at the spring, the sun having already set. Zelda asked for some privacy before changing out of her travel clothes and into her ceremonial gown. Then she waded into the spring, the water nearly coming up to her waist. Faron was half worried she might trip on something in the dark, hit her head and drown, so she made sure to keep one eye on the princess at all times.

Zelda stood before the goddess statue, bowed her head, and started to explain her plight. Faron only half listened, the words not much more than an uninteresting drone in the background.

"Prayer will awaken my power..."

Faron's eyes scanned their surroundings, keeping alert.

"Or so I've been told all my life."

Faron paused, glancing back at Zelda.

"And yet...Grandmother heard them—the voices from the spirit realm. And Mother said her own power would develop within me. But I don't hear or feel anything!"

Faron contemplated moving further away to give the princess more privacy in this obviously trying moment, but she couldn't risk doing so in case a threat appeared. So she stayed and listened.

"Father has told me time and time again," Zelda continued, "He always says 'Quit wasting your time playing at being a scholar!'"

Faron felt her chest tighten. Zelda slammed her fists against the water, muttering a curse.

"I've spent every day of my life dedicated to praying! I've pleaded to the spirits tied to the ancient gods, and still the holy powers have proven deaf to my devotion."

She wrapped her arms around herself, her head hanging low.

"Please just tell me," she murmured, forcing Faron to strain in order to hear her, "What is it?" Suddenly, her voice rose to a near shriek, sounding on the verge of tears. "What's wrong with me?!"

Faron couldn't help but stare. A part of her felt the princess' rage and anguish as if it were her own.

Perhaps it may as well have been. After all, she was no stranger to the crushing weight of impossible expectations, whether they came from her father...or herself.

"Nothing's wrong with you," she said quietly.

Zelda turned to her in surprise. Faron looked away.

"People just...ask too much of you."

Zelda's gaze fell. It was clear she didn't believe the Champion's words.

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Faron sighed, "I had a strict father too."

Zelda's eyes snapped back onto Faron, a mixture of shock and pain in those green orbs. Then an overwhelming sadness started to bleed through her expression, and she dropped her head once more.

"I must confess," she said suddenly, "I was...envious of you. We've each tried so hard, but your efforts were rewarded while mine—" She hesitated. "Perhaps you're simply better than I am."

"I don't feel 'better'," Faron answered, a note of bitterness creeping into her voice.

Silence stretched between them. The Champion faced away again.

"What does your father know?" she said scornfully, "It's your power, not his. Perhaps something other than prayer will unlock it."

"That's not what I've been told..." the princess murmured.

"Forget what you've been told!" Faron snapped, rounding on Zelda, "Find your own strength!"

She stopped dead, suddenly finding herself staring at a younger Faron. Then the figment was gone and Zelda had resumed its place. Faron shook herself, running a hand over her face.

"I'm sorry..." she said.

"If prayer isn't what unlocks my power—" The royal paused abruptly. Faron thought she saw her lower lip tremble. "I hope for everyone's sake," Zelda said, her voice surprisingly steady, "That you're wrong."

With that, she returned to her ritual prayer. Faron understood her worries well enough, even without their being spoken.

If father's kind of strength is not enough, she thought, her gaze falling to the Master Sword, Will mine be?

The princess remained in the spring for nearly half the night, finally dragging herself out and falling into an exhausted heap without bothering to change out of her ceremonial gown. They started back down the mountain sometime after dawn.

The other Champions had already cleared out the previous night's resting spot by the time they reached it and were waiting on the road at the foot of the mountain. As they approached, Faron sensed a heavy silence hanging over them.

They were awaiting the news.

Daruk was the first to disrupt the quiet.

"Well?" he asked tensely, stepping forward, "Don't keep us in suspense! How'd everything go up there on the mountain?"

Zelda simply gave a sad shake of her head. Daruk seemed to deflate, with the other Champions quietly reflecting his dismay.

"So you didn't feel anything?" Revali asked with surprising gentleness, "No power at all?"

"I'm sorry, no," Zelda murmured.

There was a pause.

"Then let's move on," Urbosa said, "You've done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won't be of any help. After all, it's not like your last shot was up there on Mount Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that...thing."

"That's kind of you. Thank you," Zelda said, but her words were hollow.

Faron suppressed a sigh, knowing the Gerudo's words had fallen on deaf ears, just as hers had.

There's nothing we can do to change how she sees herself. She has to make that change on her own.

"If I may," Mipha said, "I thought you...well, I'm not sure how to put this into words. I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I'm healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind."

Faron watched the Zora with interest. Even Zelda appeared to have momentarily abandoned her glum attitude to pay closer attention.

"It helps when I think—" Mipha hesitated, trying again. "When I think about—"

For a split second, her eyes met Faron's. There was something in them, something Faron could swear she almost recognized.

It was all-encompassing, quietly powerful.

It was—

The ground heaved underfoot, throwing everyone off balance. They all struggled to regain their footing as the earth continued to quake, with Revali quickly taking to the sky. He stopped high overhead, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. Faron could soon see it too. It was a dark cloud, growing at an exponential rate.

And they all knew exactly what it meant.

The Calamity, Faron thought, her gut twisting with dread, It's come.