#(link getting stronger by going thru the shrines and collecting the spirit orbs bc he's slowly gathering his courage and strength again)

[windsofcourage]

||. 2am link thoughts bc there's something in the idea of a hero whose duty goes unfulfilled . the restlessness of that . the way it sits there , hot and heavy as an undeniable burden . it's how link kept himself silent because he didn't want to burden anyone else with the idea of a hero who had troubles of his own . it's how he bottled it all up and dealt with it all alone and kept his chin held high and let things pass through or around him because faltering isn't an option . it's about how that wasn't enough .

it's about how he's never really lost a battle in all of his incarnations ( save a singular branch of OoT anyways and even then //gestures at training TP!link. ) . it's about how the most ancient parts of link simply can't comprehend that . refuses to accept it . WILL NOT . it's about how he has to anyways . it's about losing . it's about the vengeance of it , at a point . the storming the front gates of the castle because SCREW YOU . it's about the ghosts he constantly interacts with in the king , the champions , the gravesites , the malice , the eventual poes and gloom .

it's about how he fell to the guardians anyways by no fault of his own , or really ANYONE'S fault besides calamity ganon himself , but how link won't ever really see it that way . maybe he will logically . but emotionally ? that's a harder sell .

it's about how they were blindsided and he wasn't ready . it's about the 100 years lost . it's about all of the lives lost . it's about the time zelda spends bridling the calamity in the castle by herself when link knows damn well he's been quite literally born to be at her side during this exact battle . it's about how it goes past that , though . it's personal . that's his best friend and confidante . that's his princess too . it's about how he's lost too much and he's most certainly not losing her . not again . not ever . certainly not after losing everybody else too .

it's about fear holding back instinct and stifling courage when that fear is left unreleased and yet , despite that , fear is exactly the fire to light beneath one's feet to be courageous enough to not repeat the past . it's about how courage isn't being fearless it's about what you do to rise about the fear . it's about how link is oh-so human . he's a teenage boy . it's about the terror and grief and guilt . it's about the courage and love and ( eventual ) acceptance .