#and Wind looking like he's about to start cursing Hylia and the spirits and the weather

[amanitacurses]

[adrift-in-thyme]

@uncleskyrule happy belated birthday!!! Thank you so much for your patience while I wrote this! I hope it's worth the wait!

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Four knows what sleep deprivation looks like. 

He’s seen it spelled out on his grandfather’s face when long days turn his usual joviality to melancholy exhaustion and draws the shadows of half moons beneath his eyes.

He’s seen it painted across Dot’s beautiful features after an arduous night when the memories resurface, memories of a leering crimson eye, of claims to possession hanging heavy over her, of cages and darkness and smothering magic. 

He’s seen it shadowed across his own face too, when the battles within and without grow to be too much, darkening his features, drawing them thin, sucking the youthful fat from his cheeks, the light from his eyes.

And he’s seen it…on the faces of his brothers.

On Time’s when the moon is full. On Twilight’s when a quiet twilight falls and skeletal trees whisper in tongues known only to some. On Wild’s when the amnesia recedes, Warriors’ when phantom lips press across his cheek, Wind’s after he awakens screaming his sister’s name. On Hyrule’s when he gives too much, Legend’s when the adventures he never speaks of tell their tale in his petrified cries at night…

And now on, Sky’s.

Some may find it strange for a man who can drift off practically anywhere to suffer from fatigue. Add to that uncanny ability, Sky’s penchant for seeming one of the most mature of their little group, the most…put together.

But Four is well acquainted with the deceptions someone can tell through demeanor alone. He himself has been dubbed mature, put together, responsible. And while, yes, those labels are true (Four would certainly be cross if people decided to start dubbing him childish or, Hylia forbid, a disaster as they call some more unruly children in his Hyrule), the lie rests in the assumptions they bring about.

Beliefs of invincibility and impervious spirit. Beliefs that there is no need to be gentle or kind, no need to offer respite or lighten the load.

It is the same fate their leader suffers so often, the same Warriors and Twilight sometimes crumble beneath. Suffering silently, yet always strong. So strong.

And Sky…

Sky hides it better than anyone.

Four is uncertain whether or not he is the only one who notices his distress. Perhaps, he is. 

It doesn’t matter though. In fact, if he is the only one who has taken note of it then it is all the more important that he do something before Sky’s inevitable collapse.

But life never makes things simple. And in the end, he’s too late.

It has happened too many times now — a portal that separates the heroes into mismatched groups. Four thinks that perhaps, after his near defeat at the combined hands of the champion and the rancher the Shadow is attempting to be more careful. 

More conniving. More vicious.

Attack first and you won’t be defeated. Such is the attitude of wild animals and beasts. More than likely, the Shadow shares it too.

This would explain why in addition to splitting the heroes up, this portal also dumps them right onto a battlefield.

Or at least, it does for Sky, Legend, and himself. Four can’t be sure what the others are facing. But he can only pray it isn’t a sand-drenched dungeon packed with redeads and stalfos.

The unearthly screeches of the emaciated corpses fill his ears as he fights, teeth gritted, heart pounding. It’s all the three heroes can do to stay out of reach of their paralyzing cries.

Back up to escape one beast and you nearly collide with the mad swing of a stalfos’ claymore. 

Four winces as the very tip of a blade slices across his left arm and leaves an angry gash in its wake.

That’s going to need a bit of potion to remedy.

Beside him, Legend growls what sounds like a curse as he plunges his hand into his pouch and retrieves a fire rod. He brings it in a sweeping horizontal arc. In a blaze of blistering heat, a group of the monsters fall.

“Well done,” Four says with a breathless smirk. He plunges his sword into the gaping chest cavity of one of the stalfos still struggling for survival on the darkened floorboards. With a raspy exhale, it dissolves into ash. “I think you just turned the battle in our favor.”

“I’d better have,” Legend huffs. “The sooner we get rid of these things, the sooner we can get out of here.” He screws up his face in a grimace. More monsters crumple beneath his skilled hands. “It smells like death.”

It does, indeed, Four thinks as, finally, the last of the monsters fall. The stench of it hangs heavy, permeating the thick darkness that surrounds them, wafting from the thin threads of light carrying from faltering torches. 

But now that the battle is over they can focus on escape. Hopefully, to a place where it proves easier to breathe.

He sheathes his sword, glances around. The gash on his arm throbs and the various bruises and smaller cuts he earned join in its stomach-churning beat. Still, it could have gone far worse. 

“We all okay?” Legend asks, bangs falling into his face as he replaces his fire rod. 

“Yes,” Four says. “How about you…Sky?”

His voice pitches an octave higher as he catches sight of the Skyloftian, turning the question almost into an exclamation. 

The knight lies crumpled where he had stood mere moments before. The Master Sword lies fallen beside him, his cape flows over him like a blanket of snow. His breath comes in shuddering gasps that grate upon Four’s ears as he races to his side. 

“Sky!” 

He shakes him, slightly, and hazy blue orbs flutter open. Sky groans. 

“What happened?” Legend drops down beside him, panic in his voice and a half-empty potion bottle in his hand. “Did a monster get him?”

Four shakes his head. “I don’t think so.” A quick inspection provides no sign of blood or other injury. But Sky’s face is ashen and he shudders as though in the throes of fever. “Sky, are you hurt?”

“N-not hurt.” Sky curls his fingers into a fist, as though attempting to gather strength. “J-just…just…” He swallows, tries to drag himself up, and nearly collapses again. It’s only Four and Legend’s quick movement that keeps him upright. “‘M fine.”

“Like hell you are!” Legend’s eyes are blazing with emotion now. “Sky, what happened?”

Sky shudders again. He glances down at the trembling hands he has folded into one, white-knuckled fist. There is a certain helplessness in the look.

“I dunno,” he croaks. “Was fighting and the room start-started swirling.” He curls in on himself further, and Four wonders if the next shaky exhale brings tears with it. His voice is very small. “I just-just fell.”

“And you didn’t have the strength to get back up,” Four says, solemnly. An idea is already forming in his head, a confirmation of what he has witnessed these past few hellish weeks. 

I should’ve acted sooner.

But there had been fights both in and out of the group, and injuries and secrets unveiled. There had been discussions long overdue, restorations to be made in the face of pain and sorrow. And he, he had been in the midst of it all. 

Between explaining the Four Sword and its powers and making up with Wild, he just hadn’t found the time…

“You haven’t been sleeping, Sky…have you?”

Now, Sky raises his head, glazed eyes focusing unsteadily on Four. Slowly, he shakes his head.

Legend blows out a sigh. He sits down beside Four and brings a dusty hand over his sweaty brow. 

“Sleep deprivation? Yeah, that’ll do it. How long haven’t you been sleeping?” 

Sky swallows. A beat passes, then another. The oppressive feel of death begins to crowd in on Four again. He struggles to breathe beneath it.

Then, “Since Twilight,” Sky whispers, and Four’s heart plummets to the depths of his stomach.

Legend’s hand falls to his lap with more viciousness than defeat. His face screws up in an expression that toes the line between sorrowful and intensely irritated. “I knew something was up! I knew it! I should’ve — ”

“Couldn’t have done anything,” Sky croaks, leaning further into Four’s touch. A small smile quirks his lips. “Was me that should-should’ve d-done something in the…in the first place.”

Legend’s eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”

Sky looks back down at his hands.

Another theory is beginning to form in Four’s mind now, joining with the previous one, enlarging it, and embellishing it until things start to make sense. A theory born out of something Sky has said before, a snippet he had overheard and tossed aside in favor of giving his full attention to fighting the Yiga that had taken Wild captive.

“I’m sorry, champion,” the Skyloftian had said as he had helped Warriors tend to the boy’s wounds. “I was late…again. I’m sorry.”

“You blame yourself.” Four measures the words carefully, speaking each one with intricate precision. Lest he step in the wrong place and cause them all to plummet. “You blame yourself for what happened to Twilight.”

Sky lifts his bloodshot eyes. A tear wells in one of them then spills over to slither gracefully down his cheek. 

“Why would you blame yourself?” Legend asks, even as comprehension burns in his violet irises. “It’s not your fault the rancher got hit. You weren’t even near him when it happened!”

“I was near enough.” Sky’s voice is quieter than ever now, more like a whisper than anything else. “I know the skyward strike. I could’ve hit that…that thing if I’d been…b-been faster.” His breath hitches. But to Four it sounds defeated more than panicked. “I was late and he paid for it. I’m a-always…”

He curls in on himself, weighed down by exhaustion, shuddering with pain and sorrow. Legend looks at Four and Four looks at Legend. Then, slowly, together they reach out and draw Sky into their arms.

It’s strange. Four hadn’t taken Legend for someone willing to show physical affection freely. But he embraces the Skyloftian as though it is no price to pay. As though he has done so before.

Long nights. A shuddering sob. Soft feet dressed in boots with wings adorning their sides. Whispers in the dark that exhaustion muddles before Four can make them out. Amethyst eyes staring from over a hazy cloud of silken white. Sliding shut as a larger form huddles deeper into an embrace.

Sky shivers again and Legend holds him tighter.

“It’s not your fault,” Four murmurs, pouring every ounce of confidence he possesses into those words and praying that it is enough. “It’s not your fault, Sky. You did everything you could do for him. There’s nothing else you could have done.”

Sky doesn’t reply. 

They hold him, whispering assurances, as his tears wet their tunics and his fatigued body quakes beneath the burden he forces it to carry. They hold him until, at last, in the murky darkness, surrounded by carcasses of monsters and piles of resting sand, he drifts off.

In the arms of his brothers.

[glowingmin]

analyzing the adjuration ravio board

ALRIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS SIT DOWN SHUT UP WE'RE GOING OFF 4 CUPS OF WATER AND A MIGRAINE BUT WE ARE GOING TO COPE

i unfortunately have an abysmal zoom so i've Enhanced the writing for bits I couldn't quite read but anyways LETS GET INTO IT. WITNESS THE ANALYSIS FROM AN IDIOT WHO BASICALLY ONLY KNOWS THE LORE OF FOUR SWORDS.

@not-freyja hi i hope you like this insane loveletter to adjuration (idk how else to. share it. yay)

alright starting off with the timeline and all the looping fuckeries (motherfucker got more arrows than an ikea checkout lane)

time is scratched out and replaced with sapling. because of the war of eras? nickname yipee?

the music notes linking time to wind must refer to how the song of time sent time back and left that timeline w/o the hero's spirit

the triforce linking legend to time has to mean something but my minimal zelda lore knowledge is leaving me to die. ik its the downfall timeline, so is it a reference to how the triforce got Fucked Up by pig man? did it get messed up??? never actually played cards meaning to learn /reference

there's so many scribblies around hyrule (i love the hearts on the 'i's its adorable). hyrule found the book and thats why he gets loops?

[ hi revision glowmin here. had a thought: what if there's multiple timelines that branch out from when rulie first used the book. what if the first visit wasn't legend. how many fractured timelines could that one event have caused ]

from chapter 49: “So this entire situation is Rulie’s fault?” Twilight’s side moves as he talks and Hyrule leans away from him, falling into Wind instead." haha no don't dump all the fault on hyrule you're so sexy aha /reference

'dink does something fucky' has me cackling. is wild's existence caused by dink? three question marks, 3 parts of the triforce, mmmm that is cooking?? or could just be irony

that line also points to rulie again so i Think this has something to do with. the blood curse. that i only know about from fanfiction.

ALSO THE LINE CONNECTING RULIE TO WARS!! IS SCRATCHED OUT!! (also from chapter 49: "Dead, lightning bug,” Ravio soothes. “He’s dead, you killed him.”)

who's dink is it anyways

the line about four's shadow has me. okay listen i don't remember the chapter but i KNOW there was a line abt the yiga talking about a small town forge. is that four's home from minish cap.

bc back when they met ravio the first (? i forgor) time, ravio told four to remind him about some dark magic (??) book. i thought this would be to revive shadow. is it. is it to revive red instead??

i am not okay abt red death

okay back to the flowchart: shit they haven't been to skyloft yet. i did not realize that until now

'palace' you mean the fucking TONGS FOUR SWORD PALACE??

the line drawn to the underlined dark link beneath time: 'hylia said "mouth of the river". i think this could either be time or sky. time bc he breaks the timeline into 3, sky bc he literally got cursed for being too cool

rulie: i am going to fucking SCREAM. the line from cia to rulie has 'why' written next to it and that's what i wanna know!! 'not safe' is in a fucking box!! underlined question marks!! ravio bbg please.

oh and 3 x's but idk if thats more triforce analogy or just. there to be There

recycled ganon had me cackle. inconsistent dates tho,,, is that like. linking up to why they're going in reverse in wild's time? bc twilight is the direct predecessor iirc???

wind: i cannot read what it says next to dead. looks like,,, 'masko' maybe? evidence of there being a dark: i have not beaten wind waker yet but I HAVE got the master sword. is the time lock shenanigan at the bottom of the ocean dink's fault or the master sword's fault.

i know like 2 things from hyrule warriors: traitors are cringe and cia apparently is creepy. thats probs why talking about dark versions of him is 'personal'. i wonder what 'safe' means in this context; safe to visit? safe to rule out? shaking ravio like a paper bag.

wild drives ravio to apple juice alcoholism more at 11. it is personal is underlined. is it wild's dark? rulie's dark? why are they going backwards? are they going to show up in wild's hyrule for when he DIES because they're going backwards? bro what is up with kyle.

the visits lets fucking go

WHY IS 8 VISIT BLANK. HOLUP

revision glowmin again. We’re not at visit 9. I have no clue why I thought we were there. Migraines are shit.

visits 2 and 3 being about shadow and red. dont look at me i'm crying | visits 2 and 3 are in the same order both for ravio and the links. hmmmmm that's Odd

RAVIO LEARNING WHO RED IS AND THEN NEXT VISIT HE'S FUCKING DEAD. HE GOES TO WAR AND THEN HE'S FUCKING DEADDDDD

visit 6 'got em' what did you get ravio. huh?? you silly merchant man what did you get??? it certainly wasn't bitches

this is the part of the lore board that i actually fucking. bro the circles this is running me through is insane. like how do i even analyze this its making my headache die so we're just gonna spitball.

it. kind of goes in reverse? not really but kinda?? visit 9 is first for all the links, but last for ravio. is this linked to wild's visits being in reverse?

if it ends at 9 i'm gonna throw a sock at my wall

for visit 5 on ravio's side it looks like it says pregnant. ik it doesn't but i cannot make out what it is

[ revision glowmin here again. its research. why did i think it said pregnant. that has literally nothing to do with the fic. ]

crying begins because i can barely ready any of this so bear with me here (BEAR WITH ME!!)

the first like. act of the fic summarized in 1 easy (/s /lh) flowchart. they see the what? rooms? runes? ruins? rains? god i'm illiterate

starting panic for the Dark. singular. i forgor how/if they figured out it was just one.

ravio crossing out where wild should be in the timeline is sending me. i think he's got shit from all 3 timelines in his hyrule (yadda yadda A GAME THEORY) so that would explain why they all just cross each other out.

'wind said shit' that's a good observation. is this as in he said STUFF or as in he cursed and actually said the shit word. important distinction. maybe Wind says something in the war of eras??

the question mark between cia and rulie. is that dink. whats up with the question marks after hyrule. does that imply that it fucking disappears at some point?? or do they just not know

the part where i think ravio's mental state went wewewewewewewwoowowwowow

'evil god hylia?' the Potential though. i don't think its gonna happen but man that'd be a twist. how do you stop the reincarnation of your lover's soul: fucking kill all of them

'evil blink' is that. vaati?? nvm it says evil link i'm illiterate again oopsies!! now we know how ravio came up with dink. cooked

'inconsistent travel more than one person in control' yeah fucking kohga is in on this. drag him ravio

'resurrected monsters by blood curse/blessing' is this related to hyrule's blood curse. i don't think dink wants to revive ganon so what does he need the blood for. is he wanting to ascend to godhood?? vague sputtering sounds

one timeline makes sense when we hear abt why ravio didn't tell everyone about red's death. still sad but that line paired with 'so we keep going forward [...] no counting on do-overs [...] one step at a time [...] together [...] or not at all' really hits home.

this took 3 hours but yeah i'm Normal about this

[three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat]

I love Wind having master sword burns so so much, please give deets :D

*taps mic* I wrote that fic like, nearly a year ago, so I don't remember much, but I can provide a few details (most about the fic itself, as the whole "MS burns" thing is pretty simple

You can't wield the Master Sword if you do not have the hero's spirit. Zelda, however, as the descendant of Hylia, can wield it (which doesn't make sense to me but whatever)

This was actually before I hopped on the train of Four being Zelda’s cousin, I think, so really I was going for the descendant of someone with the hero's spirit also being able to hold it (to a lesser degree)

I've always visualized Wind's scars to cover his entire hand (hands?), like he laid it evenly on a sheet of hot metal, as opposed to like, just where the hilt touched him. No unblemished skin.

I started another fic about Wind without the hero's spirit (entitled as "ANGST HAMMER" in my docs, whereupon he used the Master Sword to kill Dark Link, and thus died himself) but never got more than a few lines (enclosed below, because I will probably never finish it unless a sudden bout of inspiration strikes. Be warned, it's quite old)

A detail only in that fic- Wind also has scars on his shoulder from where the hilt of the Master Sword rested

(Fun side note- those two are the only fics where my hc of "Blue becomes Edward Elric when his height is mentioned" is present)

This fic was intended to be a looooot angstier but somehow it ended up as a comedy. Writing Wind is just very fun and it's somewhat hard to take everything seriously from his pov

I looked up whether or not WW Link wore gloves to base the placement and extent of his scars on

The burns never got past, like, second degree. Most of the pain was like, a magical thing (the divine curse mentioned by Sun)

There's a running gag in my fics of a Link meeting another Link and calling them "Other Link", and here Sun does it as well (she and Sky are dumbass4dumbass)

This isnt relevant at all but someone made art of the scene where Groose picks up Wind and looking at it now, I just realized Sky is standing in the "you know I had to do it to em" (I think anyway) pose and I'd be upset but that's just so funny

Wind has always known he doesn't have long.

Ever since he pulled the Master Sword, he's held his lifespan in his hands, grains of sand spilling between burned fingers.

Was it not enough? To fight Ganondorf, blood from broken blisters slickening the Master Sword? To live every day in pain, sometimes not even able to do the most basic of tasks?

(He already knows the answer, has known it since the first day he drew the Goddess's blade.

It never will be.)

-

"Good thing the old man is here, right?" Wild says, nudging Wind's side and sending a jolt of pain through him.

Today has been a bad day; he'd woken up unable to curl his fingers in all the way, and his shoulder has been burning, only worsened by the hilt of his sword rubbing against the scars there.

"Yeah." He agrees, tuning back into the conversation. Sky had been demonstrating how his beetle worked, only to wedge it in between two branches out of arm's reach.

"Is it just a hero's spirit thing to be short?" Legend asks. "Time is the only tall one here."

"I don't know." Time says, ruffling Wind's hair. He tries not to wince at the jolt it sends through his already frayed nerves. "The sailor might still get taller than me."

Wind tries not to laugh at that; if Legend is right, then he really might be able to get taller than all of them, if the curse doesn't kill him first.

"I could still get taller." Four rolls their eyes.

"Yeah, right." Warriors scoffs. "You're even more of a shrimp than Wind."

"I'm not a shrimp! This is a perfectly normal height!"

"For a ten year old, maybe."

"I don't know." Legend says. "I think it's more like an eight year old."

-

-

-

He twists the blade into the Dark Link's chest, fire burning through him. It howls, clawing at him.

"Wind, no!" He hears Time yell.

He looks back, smiling. "It's what heroes do, right?"

[science-lings]

The Idiots of the Wind

Prompt:  Revali, the Master of Air, and the Hero of Wind torturing Wild on his hang glider both physically and verbally. 

suggested by @yusuke96universe

(requests for lu and botw drabbles are open)

Wind could see ghosts. It was one of the many secrets that had come out during the Links time together. In fact it seemed like one of the least consecuencial secrets to be revealed among them. He told them about the spirits that lingered with each Link and how he would talk to them. They were mostly there to watch over them and other wholesome nonsense, but Wild’s spirits were a little more... involved than that. 

Due to their literal spiritual link to the Champion in the form of their blessings, Wild’s ghosts tended to do more than just stick around and watch from a distance. Usually, Wild was free from their commentary unless he used their power recently but for some reason, they really liked to talk to Wind. 

Urbosa would mother him and cheer him on during battle, but mostly tended to sit by Time and poke holes in his plans that Wind would immediately repeat and take credit for. Daruk seemed happy to just chat to someone a little more talkative than Wild tended to be and Wind was very happy to oblige him. Mipha was generally quiet but would hound both him and Wild if they were hiding injuries, tormenting them until they dealt with it. She also tended to glare at anyone else doing the same even though there wasn’t much she could do about it. 

Most of this was all fine and good until Wild realized that Wind and Revali were becoming friends. Not normal friends, but friends like how Warriors and Legend were friends. They threw creative insults at each other constantly and seemed to have started a war over who was the true master of the winds. 

Wild was the only one that could hear all of it. He tried his best to ignore the fact that they were obviously planning something and all the dread that came with that but he could only do so much.

It all came to a head when they ended up surrounded by a natural maze of rocks surrounded by steep cliffs. Wild had made the stupid decision to offer to climb up to the top of the closest spire and scout out the area. He was the best climber out of all of them and with the help of Revali’s Gale, he could scale the tower of stone easily. 

He was even stupid enough to let Wind ride on his back like a very talkative backpack. Wind could glide back down on his korok leaf and he generally used it as an opportunity to do something fun after hours of walking in a forest. Wild should’ve thought harder about the mischievous look in his little brothers eyes. 

It was fine climbing up, it wasn’t too unpleasant to have someone to talk to even with the extra weight. It was fine when they got to the top and Wind excitedly made a map of the path that the canyons took, seeing which ones led to dead ends. It was fine until they were to glide down. 

The worse and last mistake Wild made that led to this mess was simply going first. He leapt off of the edge and whipped out his paraglider with practiced ease. For a moment he enjoyed the breeze flowing through his hair and drying his eyes. Then, his moment of euphoria was immediately and violently disturbed.

Instead of the slow peaceful decent he had planned, the air around him seemed to have something else in mind. A strong unexplained gust of wind blasted him upwards, even higher than the original rock spire which currently held a grinning Hero of the Winds with a suspicious white wand in his hand. 

A flash of a familiar teal glow caught his eye and he was met with a sight that he truly dreaded. At his side in the middle of the air was the dreaded face of the Revali, the one champion that couldn’t manage to not be an assole to his living counterpart. 

“What in the Hylia’s name-” Wild cursed before he spotted Wind waving his swirly white wand like a conductor. Wild instinctively gripped his paraglider as hard as he could as the chaos began. 

“Your move first runt!” Revali called to the smug little sailor below them. The updraft carrying Wild was suddenly replaced by a violent blast of air that sent him tumbling sideways, struggling to regain control of his flight. He didn’t notice if he screamed or not. 

Revali flew in front of him, leading the trail of wind with ease, making sharp turns and sudden gales that left Wild holding on to his paraglider for dear life as there was no way he could fight the duo’s control. 

“Make him do a flip! or are you too much of a cucco?” Wind taunted with a evil little grin. 

Wild yelped as Revali forced the wind to make him flip around uncontrollably. At this point, Wild’s eyes were shut as forcefully as he could manage and his knuckles were white and straining against the paragliders wooden handles. 

“Some hero of the wind you are! You can only change its general direction!” Revali laughed, taking a little too much joy out of the fear in Wild’s face. 

Their taunts became muffled as Wild was taken by wind funnels and sudden direction changes. His stomach has long been left behind in the storm and Wild found that he was really starting to miss solid ground and the mere idea of stillness. 

After one too many nonconsensual loopdeloops, Wild was ready for his torture to end. He was sick of just playing along and fighting against the forces of nature that he was currently stuck with. He opened his eyes and folded his paraglider back into it’s normal place in the Sheikah Slate. 

Then, he was falling. He was much more used to falling. Their wind wasn’t strong enough to change his course and he finally was back in control. He barely even heard the cries from his other companions. 

Moments before he hit the ground, he pulled out the paraglider again. and after a brief stumble he was finally, finally back on solid ground. He leaned his weight heavily on the sturdy rock wall closest to him. For a while all he could hear was his heart echoing throughout his skull. He struggled to stay steady as the vertigo hit but quickly there was someone at his side, keeping him from collapsing to the ground.  

“You okay?” Twilight asked as Wild tried to catch his breath. 

“Yeah, I just need a second...” He groaned and let his recently scrambled brain start to balance everything out. 

“What in Din’s name were you thinking!” Time’s voice almost harmonized with Urbosa’s as they spoke in unison. For a moment Wild thought they were talking to him and he automatically flinched. It was only after he opened his eyes did he realize that Wind was floating down on his oversized leaf and at least had the foresight to look ashamed. Revali looked a little disgruntled at being caught but both culprits looked highly concerned about the duo currently staring them down. 

“Are you crazy? You could’ve killed him!” Urbosa growled.

“In what world was that a good idea? Wild could’ve gotten hurt!” Time scolded and both masters of the wind seemed to wilt with their words. Wild would hate to be on the other side of that tag team. He began to grin as his justice was being served. 

To be fair, Wild didn’t think that Wind had fully thought out the idea of playing with the wind while someone was actively in the air, but he could totally see Revali doing it in bad faith. But despite the intentions, Wild had still been rattled pretty badly and it might be a little while before he takes to the air again.

Hours later, once everyone had settled down and they had made camp miles away from where the incident happened, Wind finally approached Wild. He was making dinner while everyone else settled down as the sun set. 

“Uh, I’m sorry for messing with you up there, I thought it was going to be more fun than scary but I guess I didn’t realize how it would feel from your perspective.” Wind apologized. 

“I guess it would’ve been fun if I had any control over it. Or if you guys had told me what was going on.” Wild shrugged. The fear he had felt during the Incident had long since faded and he had a feeling that it wasn’t going to happen again. At least not in the presence of Time or Urbosa. 

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay, just try not to kill me in the future. I mostly blame Revali to be honest, he was the one making me spin around until I felt like vomiting.” Wild grinned. 

“The old man said I have to make it up to you so, can I help you make dinner or something?” The sailor suggested. 

“Sure. Do you want me to show you how to gut a fish?” 

“I am now regretting my offer.” 

[queenof-literature]

Could you maybe do a story when Wild experiences a flashback near the other links?

Thank you for the request @dawn-wild-star !!!

To those who saw my WIP game tag, this isn’t the same fic I’m sorry this one just got done first.

This turned out with more Time & Twilight & Wild fluff and angst than I intended.

TW: Panic Attack

Blank

Time watched the various groups of Links from his place leaning against a tree. He was often the one who would need to keep the group moving, not that it was hard with no many antsy Spirits of Courage, but they had some leeway to camp early today. Time continued to play soft melodies through the ocarina at his lips. He couldn’t name the tune, he simply played whatever came to mind. 

The Links had arrived somewhere on the surface of Sky's Hyrule, the young man hoped to make it to Skyloft in two days to see his Zelda once again. Time truly hoped whatever force opened the portals let Sky have time at his home with his Zelda and his friends. Hylia knows the young man deserves it, all the boys do.

Four, Hyrule, Sky and Wind were all sparring before it turned into an odd game of tag. Time didn’t really understand the rules, but he didn’t think the boys playing did either.

Twilight and Warriors were down by a small stream the group had found, washing Epona and chatting idly.

Legend sat near Wild as the younger flipped the variety of vegetables and rice within the simple pot on the campfire. Wild said he couldn’t do much without a larger pot found in his Hyrule, but even what he could do in his portable pot was always amazing.

Time didn’t know what the two were talking about, choosing not to eavesdrop, but the two looked content to just chat while Wild cooked. Time had to admit, he was always excited for dinner now that Wild was around. Not only was the hero amazing at cooking, it was a hobby he enjoyed as well.

Time took the lull in action to simply relax and observe the world around him.

“Uhhh… Time?” Legend called out, and it wasn’t the boy’s calling out that worried him, it was the hesitance hidden in his voice. “I think that… thing is happening again.” He gestured to Wild. Looking closer Time noticed Wild was staring at something. Glancing over, he could see the Master Sword, leaned carefully against a mossy rock. 

“Wild?” Legend questioned. “You gonna keep staring and burn our food?” Legend hesitantly reached up to Wild’s shoulder and shook gently. Time quickly walked over to check on their cook, expecting Wild to flinch out of zoning out as he often did with a touch or shake.

For a moment, nothing happened. Time and Legend were so focused on the lack of response, they didn’t notice Wild’s right hand slip, right onto the edge of the pot. It only took a few seconds for them to notice, but those few seconds allowed for the side of Wild’s hand to smoulder and burn.

“Shit!” Legend cursed, swiftly pulling Wild’s hand away from the fire. The burn was already starting to blister. “I… I didn’t know moving him would…” Legend trailed off in an unusual sign of surprise and guilt.

“It’s not your fault.” Time assured as he gently took Wild’s hand. The boy hadn’t even flinched, still staring off. Time couldn’t see a hint of life in the boy’s eyes. Time didn’t want to admit how hard it was looking at Wild’s normally expressive face, now completely blank. “I didn’t notice either.” Time glanced up from Wild’s hurt hand, and into Legend’s icy eyes, not liking the guilt he saw swirling in them. “Legend, I’m serious.” Time stared into Legend’s eyes. 

“Stop looking at me and take care of him.” Legend scoffed, and Time sighed.

“Pup!” Time called loud enough for the young man to hear from the creek. Carefully Time dragged Wild away slightly from the fire, making sure no stray limbs touched the flames.

Time heard rustling and fast approaching steps.

“Time?” Twilight called out, rushing over at Time’s urgent tone. Time assumed Warriors would bring back Epona. Time simply gestured to Wild, Twilight knew more about this. “Cub?” Twilight asked, kneeling down besides him. At first he thought the boy was upset or hurt, but this reaction, or lack thereof, spoke otherwise. “How long has he not been responding?” Twilight asked Time, eyes falling on Wild’s injured hand. “And did he burn himself?” Legend looked away at this.

“It was an accident.” Time replied, refusing to blame Legend when he had no malintent. “He hasn’t been responding for a few minutes now.”

“Is everything okay?” Four called as his group rushed in from the woods.

“Everything is fine.” Time called, loud enough for Warriors to hear down near the creek. “We think Wild is having another memory.” Time ended with a small question, receiving a nod from Twilight. The four Links all crowded around Wild to see for themselves. 

“Don’t crowd him too much.” Twilight warned. “He could wake up anytime, and we don’t want him panicking.” The others backed up slightly, murmuring small apologies.

“What happened to his hand?” Hyrule asked, noticing the bright red skin that Time was cradling in his hands. 

“It got burned, I was just about to ask you boys to get bandages and water.” Time gently held out Wild’s hand for Hyrule to look at.

“I got it!” Sky called as he ran off to their pile of supplies. Hyrule began healing Wild’s hand without any prompting, allowing a small amount of Life to filter itself into Wild. Twilight heard more rustling, and turned to see Warriors and a newly rinsed Epona coming up from the creek. 

“Thanks for finishing washing her.” Twilight called as Warriors hitched Epona, giving her plenty of leeway to move around.

“No problem. What’s going on?” He asked the group gathered around their cook.

“Memory.” Legend grunted out. 

“Rice is burning.” Warriors called out. As worried as he was for Wild, Warriors felt it his job to make sure everything else was alright so the others could tend to him. Carefully removing the rice from the fire, Warriors scrunched his nose. “There’s no saving that.” The captain said as he set the rice aside to cool. 

“Wild’s gonna be pissed.” Wind joked, looking worriedly at Wild.

“He’ll be okay, we just need to treat the burn.” Twilight assured, noticing Warriors shift at the mention of a burn. Just then, Sky returned with the requested supplies, handing them to Time. Time opened the container of water, preparing to pour it and clean Wild’s burn.

“Heat up the water first.” Warriors snatched up the container, bringing it over to the fire.

“Won’t that hurt?” Wind tilted his head.

“It’ll take the sting out.” Warriors explained. “I won’t boil it or anything. Trust me, I’ve got plenty of burns.” Warriors held up his arm with his Volga burn scar and winked. The others looked at Hyrule.

“It’s not open or extreme, so we should be fine.” Hyrule shrugged, trusting the captain's knowledge.

“Try to hurry, I don’t really want him to snap out of it at the same time we’re pouring hot water on him.” Twilight spoke while placing his hand on Wild’s other shoulder. 

“Do we know how long this will last?” Four asked Twilight, who shook his head.

“No, it could last from a few minutes to a few hours. I just hope it’s a pleasant one.” Twilight murmured that last part mostly to himself, but the others had heard. It set the group on edge that they truly had no idea what was going through Wild’s head, no matter what, his face remained blank.

Hyrule finished healing Wild’s hand as much as he could and put one finger under Wild’s nose.

“His breathing is completely normal.” Hyrule marveled, expecting some sort of stutter, or quickness, any sort of irregularity. But his breathing suggested he was merely asleep.

“The best way to describe it is he’s dreaming.” Twilight suggested, not quite sure how to explain what Wild was going through. 

“More like a coma sitting up.” Hyrule mused.

“So… he can’t feel anything?” Legend asked, and Twilight noticed the careful hope in his voice.

“He’ll feel it when he wakes up.” Twilight looked down at Wild’s burn. “Which is why I want to hurry and treat it.

“Calm down cowboy, it’s almost hot enough.” Warriors rolled his eyes from where he was heating up the container of water by the fire. Although he too hoped Wild wouldn’t ‘wake up’ before they finished treating his burns. 

Whatever Wild was going through, it scared Warriors, not that he would say it out loud. There was no reason to panic the others. He had seen his soldiers, his brothers in arms, have flashbacks similar to these, but they never lasted this long. They also had some sort of trigger, something that brought back memories. Sometimes they were loud noises, sometimes they were the sight of blood or a wound, sometimes a yell or a panicked order, but they always showed it.  Their breath would quicken, they would panic, something. They could also feel what was going on around them to some extent. Wild though, Wild was just… gone. What triggered whatever Wild was going through? It was as if he wasn’t in his body. Perhaps he wasn’t.

Warriors lifted the bottle from the fire, feeling the side. Perfect. Hot, but not scalding.

“It’s ready.” Warriors called lowly, turning around to the group loosely surrounding Wild. “Can I see his hand?” Warriors asked Hyrule, who still held Wild’s partially healed burn. Hyrule nodded and gently passed it over. 

“This will hurt.” Warriors looked over to Twilight, silently asking permission to continue. Warriors knew that in reality, he probably didn’t have to ask Twilight’s permission to do what would make WIld feel better in the long run, but it felt right. Especially when Twilight knew far more about the state Wild was in than the rest of them. Twilight nodded at him.

Carefully, Warriors poured a small amount of water on the burn. Really it would be better to do it all at once and get it over with, but he had to check. Could Wild even feel it? His thoughts were confirmed when Wild didn’t even twitch.

“Damn he’s really out of it.” Warriors mumbled, continuing to pour the hot water. The stunned silence he was met with confirmed his statement. After the water was poured, Sky handed him a cloth to dry it. Warriors gently padded the burn, just because Wild couldn’t feel it didn’t mean Warriors was going to be careless. Besides, what if he could feel it and he just couldn’t express it? Warriors steered his mind away from that.

“Bandage?” Warriors reached a hand out. Before Sky could place the bandage in his hand, Legend stopped him. 

“Here.” Legend took the bandage, taking a potion out of his smaller bag. He poured a small amount of potion onto the bandage before handing it to Warriors, who nodded in thanks. 

“There.” Warriors said as he finished carefully bandaging Wild’s hand. “It’ll be good as new in no time.” 

“What do… What do we do now?” Wind glanced at Wild’s expressionless face. He looked so closed off, and yet so open at the same time. Usually the group would be thankful at Wild not hiding his expressions behind a hood or a placed emotion, but this was different. This was just wrong.

“We wait.” Twilight sighed. The rest of the Links deflated, none of them enjoying the idea of not doing anything to help. “But we should probably move him.” Twilight said, glancing towards the fire.

“Is that a good idea?” Four questioned, and Twilight nodded.

“I’ve gotten him to sit down before and it was alright.” Twilight stated, easily bending down and scooping up Wild. Still there was no reaction from the prone figure, still head rolling onto Twilight’s shoulder. 

“He’d kill you if he knew you did that.” Warriors smirked.

“That’s why no one’s going to tell him.” Twilight threatened with a glare. He walked over to a log further from the fire. This really was the perfect camping place, logs spread everywhere and carefully placed trees. 

Twilight slowly knelt down and leaned Wild against the log, ignoring the shuffling Links in the background who didn’t know what to do with themselves. To be honest, Twilight was grateful to have something to do for the time being. After adjusting Wild to stay against the log, Twilight adjusted the boy’s limbs, straightening his legs slightly so he wouldn’t be sore later. He had no idea how long this would last, but he had a feeling they would be in it for the long haul. He felt a presence behind him, glancing up he saw it was Time. 

“Is there anything else we can do?” Time asked softly, trying not to look into Wild’s empty eyes. Twilight shook his head sadly.

“Not that I know of. Just be here when he comes back.”

“We can do that.” Time clapped his hand on Twilight’s back, sitting on another log a short distance away. 

“There’s no saving dinner.” Legend glanced in disgust at the burnt meal. 

“We can stick with rations tonight.” Time stated, hearing no complaints. Sure they were all used to great food on the road, but as long as WIld was alright they would go back to rations in an instant.

~

“He’s… really vulnerable.” Hyrule observed awkwardly, glancing at the prone form of his friend, still not even a twitch as afternoon began to turn to early evening.

“I was thinking that too.” Sky agreed.

“What if a Yiga, or a monster, or something just carried him off while he was like this. In his Hyrule how did he survive this?” Wind asked.

“There’s no point in focusing on what ifs.” Time chided. “He’s here now and that’s what’s important.” 

“Well yeah. But what if he wanders off a trail and this happens?” Legend crossed his arms. “And some monster comes by and just gobbles him up-”

“Legend!” Sky interrupted.

“What? I’m not the only one thinking of it.” Legend defended. 

“Now is not the time for this conversation.” Twilight spoke up. “Let’s get through this one first, it’s only fair for Wild to be aware of this conversation.”

“Shouldn’t he have been up by now?” Four too glanced at Wild, still not moving a muscle next to Twilight. 

“Yeah, but I don’t know what else to do.” Twilight sighed.

“What happens when he comes back?” Warriors asked Twilight.

“He just kinda slowly comes to. He sometimes seems a little tired but that’s all.” Twilight answered all of their questions the best he could, although he himself didn’t know all the answers. 

“So he doesn’t… panic?” Warriors asked again, and Twilight wondered what the captain was thinking about. 

“Not usually, he sometimes seems sad.” The reason Wild was sad didn’t need to be explained. The others could imagine remembering your life from 100 years ago, a life you would never have again, would be painful. With no more questions the group fell into idle conversation once more. There were no grand stories or competitions or comparisons, just small exchanged words as they waited for Wild to wake up.

About 15 minutes later, their waiting ended. 

With a heaving breath, as if escaping from the claws of a monster, Wild awoke.

“Wild? You back with us?” Twilight turned around to meet panicked blue eyes. Wild curled in on himself, bringing his knees up to his chest in self comfort, hands reaching to clutch his hair. His panic obviously overshadowed the pain he would feel in his hand. 

“Wild, Link, it’s okay.” Twilight sprung up and placed himself in front of Wild. “Your name is Link, we call you Wild.” Twilight reminded gently. “You’re safe, you’re just sitting near a campfire.” Wild’s breaths began to slow.

“Twi…” Wild’s voice spoke up, rougher than it had been for a long time.

“Yeah Cub. You okay?” Twilight looked into Wild’s panicked eyes, and the answer was apparent.

“I-the M-Master Sword it chose me I-”, the entire group looked on, sadness in their eyes as Wild panicked.

“Cub, just breath for a minute. Don’t think about anything else, just focus on me.” Twilight told the boy gently, slowing down his breathing so Wild could copy. Whatever he had seen, they could sort it out in a minute. Right now he just needed to calm down. Twilight had never seen him so panicked after a memory.   

“H-He… I don’t understand…” Wild breathed out heavily. 

“Cub, shh, it’s okay.” Twilight leaned closer, carefully placing a hand on Wild’s shoulder, frowning and pulling his hand back when he shrunk away. 

“I-I didn’t… w-want it… I don’t know why…” Wild was mostly mumbling to himself at this point, and none of the other Links knew what to do.

“Wild, please just breathe.” Twilight practically begged, glancing around for help no one knew how to give. Wild continued to mumble, hands tightening their grip in his hair despite the bandaging, desperate to ground to one of the realities he was currently between. 

“Cub.” Twilight called softly, placing a hand on Wild’s shoulder again, hoping to help ground his protege. Wild tensed once again, but Twilight didn’t let go. “You’re here with me and the other Links. We’re in Sky’s Hyrule on the surface, it’s the evening and we’re sitting and talking.”

“Daytime…” Wild mumbled, confused.

“It was daytime.” Twilight confirmed. “But it’s evening now.” A shaky bandaged hand released strands of hair and gripped Twilight’s hand on his shoulder. 

“Real?” Wild murmured, mostly to himself but Twilight answered.

“We’re real. That was just a memory, Cub.” Twilight soothed, scooting to sit beside Wild once again, letting the younger take in his surroundings. Wild looked at all the different Links faces, studying them closely. The rest of the Links tried to wipe their horrified expressions off their faces, Sky going as far as to awkwardly wave when Wild’s eyes met his. Twilight noticed Wild’s confused glance at the bandages on his right hand.

“You got burned, it was an accident. You’ll feel better soon.” Twilight promised. Wild only nodded slightly, putting all his trust in Twilight’s words.

“They took me away. I pulled the sword and-and they didn’t even give me a chance to say goodbye.” Wild whispered shakily, eyes still far off, flashes of fighting against knights as they pulled him away. Twilight wrapped his arm fully around Wild, loose as to not trap him. After some silence, Wild latched onto Twilight, throwing one arm across the older’s back, and the other gripping his pelt. Both hands held on desperately, wanting more than anything to anchor himself. Wild felt Twilight’s body wrap around him, the familiar warmth and smell of pine grounding him further.

“Careful of your hand.” Twilight warned softly, but WIld either didn’t hear him or didn’t care. 

“Zelda. In a memory she said my father was a knight. Was he there? Why would he let them… There was someone, someone important I never saw again. Why did they take me away?” Wild shivered. Later he would be embarrassed at how thoroughly shaken he was, but right now he was scared and confused and barely knew where he was. His world was crashing down on him and it felt like Twilight was the only one keeping him from tumbling down.

“Keep breathing, Cub. I’m here.” Twilight soothed again, looking up as Time approached carefully, obviously not sure if he should interject.

"Time?" Wild looked up slightly from Twilight's shoulder.

"Yeah Cub, we're all here. You're safe now."

"Why did he let them take me? Do fathers do that?” Wild sounded so lost, and Time froze. He wanted to say he didn’t know, he never had a father. But he saw Malon and Talon, and really him and Talon had grown closer over the years. If Malon was being taken away to a castle to ultimately save the world? Would Talon let them take her? Would he be able to fight off an entire army that would just keep coming? No, but he would try. The truth was, Time didn’t know Wild’s father… but neither did Wild.

“Wild.” Time softly gained the boy’s attention. “What happened to you wasn’t fair and I’m sorry. Even if the world needed saving, they shouldn't have sacrificed the wellbeing of a child to do it. None of it was your fault, and it shouldn't have happened." Wild buried his head into Twilight's neck once more.

"I didn't think I'd really pull it." Wild whispered. "I thought I could try it and go home. I never went home, Twi." Twilight felt his neck grow wet with tears, Wild wasn't outright sobbing, yet his tears ran freely. Twilight doubted he was entirely coherent after a memory like that.

"I'm sorry Wild." Twilight whispered, looking at the other Links, all clearly upset that they had nothing to do to help. Twilight hesitated, before speaking. "You're home now. It's not the same I know but you'll always have a home with us." The other Links nodded determinedly.

"Home…" Wild spoke from his neck.

"Yeah, Cub."  Twilight finally felt Wild's grip lessen, he glanced up at Time, looking for confirmation.

"Yeah he's asleep." Time stated.

"He didn't fall asleep. He passed out." Legend pointed out.

"Hopefully he’ll be more aware when he wakes.” Time told the group.

“I knew you all were young when you pulled the sword but…” Twilight trailed off, not knowing what to say.

“We all were too young, no one is denying that.” Warriors spoke softly. 

“They just… took him away? Forever?” Sky spoke in disbelief.

“Sounds like it.” Four nodded, eyes dazed and lost in thought.

“It’s too late to change the past.” Time spoke, voice rough and full of regret. “But Twilight is right. We have each other now.” The other Links looked a little comforted, but they still dwelled on what they just saw. 

“Will he be like that again when he wakes up again?” Wind asked, sad at the thought of seeing his friend like that once more.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so, I’m hoping some time asleep will help his mind reset.” Twilight said as he shifted Wild to be more comfortable for the both of them.

“Should we set up his bed roll?” Warriors offered.

“I don’t think he should wake up alone.” Twilight told him, trying to look down at the boy curled into him. Wild wouldn’t really be waking up alone per say, being surrounded by other heros and all, but Twilight didn’t want him to wake in a panic without Twilight knowing right away. 

“I don’t think he’s gonna let go anyways.” Legend smirked, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I know you all probably aren’t tired, but we should decide watches and think about getting to bed soon, or at least settle in.” Time made sure to look pointedly at Twilight.

“If he doesn’t feel up to travel, we shouldn’t make him.” Sky spoke up. WHile he was eager to get to his home, it wasn’t worth it if Wild would be miserable. 

“We’ll have to see how he is tomorrow before we make plans.” Time agreed, before turning to Twilight. “You need help getting him settled?” Time offered.

“Nah, I got him.” Twilight told him, attempting to get up. But between Wild’s octorak limbs, the unsteady terrain, and the odd position, he barely got off the ground before plopping back down.

“Uhh maybe a little.”

~

By the time they got Twilight’s bedroll down, Wild was still clinging to him in his deep slumber.

“He really isn’t gonna let you go.” Four joked with a strained smile.

“When you don’t know what’s real, you look for something to cling to.” Legend spoke with an obvious air of experience, eyes distant. 

“I just hope he’s alright.” Sky’s concerned frown hadn’t lifted.

“He will be. Perhaps a bit of misplaced embarrassment and guilt, but we can sort through everything in the morning.” Warriors stated confidently.

With Warriors as the first watch, and the sun long past set, the group settled in. Not many tried to sleep right away, some turned to their quieter hobbies like writing or carving. Many glancing at Wild often to ensure he was still alright. Time helped Twilight and Wild settle into the older’s bedroll. 

“Do you need anything, Pup?” Time asked, covering both boys with a blanket and ignoring Twilight’s protests to ‘stop babying him’. 

“I think we’re fine.” Twilight said back.

“I asked if you needed something.” Time squinted his eye.

“I’m okay, Time, really. Just worried.” Twilight replied, more convincing this time around.

“I know, Pup, but if Wild isn;t alone, you aren’t either. This isn’t all on you.” Time looked into Twilight’s eyes, seeing a mess of emotions swirling in his dark blue eyes. 

“Thanks, Time.” This round the message got through better, and time was grateful. 

“Anytime.” Instead of moving away, Time settled on a nearby log, keeping all the boys clear in his sight.

“Time?” Twilight called.

“Yes, Pup?” Time checked over the two once again.

“The same goes for you.” Twilight told him, referring to their previous conversation. “‘This isn’t all on you.’” Twilight smirked as he threw Time’s words back at him. 

“Thanks, Pup.” Time smirked at Twilight’s sass.

He wondered where Twilight got that from. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

Time: Wow. I finally have the chance to relax!

The Universe: Lol sike.

I know Wild being taken away doesn’t quite match with BOTW canon/AoC canon, but I thought it was an interesting idea to explore. 

I enjoy how this turned out, so this may be a part of my Hero of Wild series one day, but this is pretty far ahead of where that series is right now.

I’m also probably going to have to rearrange my timeline and rewrite some stuff to make sense, but that will come later :)

Also I’m not saying to pour hot water on burns, that's just something my old fashioned cowboy family says, and something a lot of people in ye olden days did. It helps with sunburns and minor burns, not so much major burns.

[mars-janka]

Bluebirds

Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Ship: Revalink (Revali x Link)

Word count: 4684

A/N: This piece is a work for the Revalink Valentine’s Exchange 2021 @revalinkexchange! Happy Valentine’s Day to my dear giftee @spacesephora! Thank you for providing the prompt and inspiring me; I do wish you enjoy reading my take on it!

Read on AO3

Vah Medoh was lonely.

Before the Calamity, Revali never really understood how the mechanical beast thrown under his wing worked. He was told countless times that it held a soul, but then again, he questioned himself when he was alone almost as many times as he’s heard of it, how could a stone machine be ever capable of having one? And yet despite those doubts it was one of the few things he kept to himself and never dared to speak up about it; it wasn’t like he possessed any more knowledge about ancient Sheikah technology than Purah, Robbie or even princess Zelda.

With those thoughts repressed deep inside him, Revali continued to listen to more of the scientist’s advice and theories and utilizing them later when within the divine beast. He had never once felt a presence surrounding him, making him doubt all the efforts he made to “connect” with Medoh, but nevertheless never stopped trying. It was surprising when he heard of Daruk having problems with taming Rudania. It made Revali almost paranoid, now looking over his shoulder at the slightest sound and faint feeling of something sneaking up his spine. Yet despite that, a part of him still seemed to be wary of the idea of Medoh being alive.

It changed when his own life came to a tragic end.

He no longer had any doubts. He no longer had any body, he turned into merely a presence, one that he once didn’t believe to be real. As the consciousness left his mortal, limp body, Revali felt his soul intertwine with another one, one that could only be Medoh. They became one and the same, a wicked, infested part of her threatening to infuse his mind.

He despised it; he spent his first months silent, lost in thought not bothering to speak to Medoh despite her malicious cries. Their roles switched, now he was a beast that needed taming. He isolated himself, wallowing over his lost life, cursing Hylia and pitying Hyrule’s fate all in the one of many corners of the divine beast. After a few years, his mindset changed, however. Revali realized that his soul was bound to Medoh’s forever, whether pure or cruel, and there was nothing he could do about it; he could not escape, he could not defeat her nor could he take his own life as he was already dead.

With a heavy heart he submitted to his fate and day by day, night by night the pain started to lessen.

He let himself let out everything; his fears, burdens, memories, passions. Even if Medoh was swallowed by a dark force, he still felt as if an old part of her was still there, understanding him and his emotions, something he hadn’t been graced by in a very long time. At times, he wondered if that was meant to be from the beginning; two lonely souls finding each other. Revali smiled feeling her presence, he felt content with that.

That was until Link came back from the dead.

The sheer sight of him made Revali feel a strange sensation inside of him. Watching him was strange. He had not changed, not one bit, his youthful features apparent with movements mirroring those which Revali remembered from a century ago. Despite that something felt off. He brushed it off, too interested (and too excited) in observing Link’s struggles with overcoming the difficulties he was faced with to care.

What he couldn’t ignore however was the feeling that loomed over him after he and Link had parted. The loneliness that Revali hid deep inside himself was threatening to tear trough again, its power strengthened. Medoh’s company wasn’t enough, he realized with pain. He became quieter than he was in the beginning, not daring to let his thoughts slip. Hiding from Medoh wasn’t as difficult as it used to be with his newly acquired body (he was still but a mere spirit, yet it was still much more than he could’ve ever imagined). What was, though, was hurting her.

It felt terrible yet he couldn’t make himself open up to her, straying away as far as he could. He remained distant and cold ignoring her cries, longing to see the world once again, if only for a second.

Revali was absorbed in his thoughts, looking out at Rito Village through the humongous round windows when it happened. Out of the blue, he felt some divine being wrap him in their hands and suddenly he found himself in a place, beside somebody that he expected the least to see.

It was raining terribly, and Link looked almost as shocked as he did, clinging tightly to his cloth paraglider as Revali’s spirit circled around him, wings spreading in a graceful manner, summoning an updraft that lifted them both up in only a matter of seconds. It was as if the same force as before was controlling all his movements. Revali was overwhelmed by what was happening around him, by what was happening to him. He could feel everything; the wind grazing his feathers, the rain coating them, the almost suffocating air that he breathed, the lingering smell of the ocean. It all seemed too good to be true. And for the first time in a hundred years, he felt alive, no matter how ironic that was, considering he was still very much everything but that.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Link’s, raw emotions shining through them (as though the knight could feel). He wasn’t sure if it was the force that made it impossible or if there really was something truly captivating, mesmerizing about them. He couldn’t give it another thought, however, as he felt that same bizarre, divine hands take him into their care. Panicking, he opened his beak to shout. Before any words had a change to form, his vision became blurry and in a blink of an eye he was once again reunited with the cold, indifferent interior of his divine beast.

“No!” he cried as the words found a way to escape, his wing instinctively reaching forward to grab what was left of this beautiful dream he had, only to be met with hard glass preventing him from falling down, in a moment where he wanted to fall the most, feel the wind graze his feathers once more. “No…” he said again with head pressing painfully against the window as he gradually slid down to his knees. His gaze locked at the very sight he was looking at before, his home, Rito Village. Revali felt a lump form in his throat, choking a sob. “Please,” he said, pleading to whoever who listened, voice shaking. “Please, let me out of here.”

His wish couldn’t be fulfilled, not if he was not called for by this divine force.

Which wasn’t something he expected to happen as weeks flew by. What did, however, happen was that he was left completely alone as Medoh wouldn’t be bothered by his behavior anymore. Revali couldn’t hear her cries and thoughts; she shut him off just like he wanted and yet he still found himself missing them. He would never admit that of course, whatever was left of his pride making him bottle it up inside, quietly hoping that one day the silence would break.

And finally, that day came. It was unexpected and sudden and… peculiar. The presence that Revali felt, and assumed to be Medoh, was very much unlike anything he remembered. Something about it was off, as if it couldn’t possibly be her but then again perhaps, she has changed and in doing so did the feeling of her presence as it had been a while since she has too isolated herself. Revali though was too distracted by the sheer joy that he felt in this very moment, calling Medoh’s name in his thoughts, hoping that she’d hear him and rushing through the insides of the divine beast searching for the place where he’d sense her the most.

“I’m sorry,” the thoughts echoed in his mind, as he couldn’t bear to speak, knowing that Medoh preferred them to hearing his voice. “I’m sorry I was so selfish, Medoh please forgive me.” They were running almost as fast as he was. “Give me a sign that you’re there!”

Revali was slowly but surely getting tired of participating in this cat and mouse styled game. Just as he was about to call out her name with his voice, he had felt her presence right next to him. Abruptly, he turned his head to face her and it wasn’t Medoh, oh no. For the third time in the past few months, he saw none other than Link.

He wasn’t sure whether to feel surprised, disappointed, annoyed or relieved even. He simply sighed and let his shoulders slouch back. “What are you doing here, knight?” he asked, voice harsh. “Don’t you have a world to save?” Revali was staring right into Link’s eyes intensely, nearly burning holes in them. For a short while, everything else disappeared, the world was shut out. It was only him and Link, looking, trying to solve the hidden meanings behind their mannerisms, expressions, eyes. Revali didn’t mind the sensation that it gave him, he longed for anything that helped him get his mind off his terrible afterlife.

Suddenly the wind howled, breaking the tense silence surrounding them. The sound reminded Revali of Medoh. He grunted and looked away a bit embarrassed. “A hundred years and you still hadn’t got back your tongue,” he said regaining his stance.

He was ready to dismiss the whole situation and go back to Medoh to try and search for comfort, but much to his surprise, he heard a voice, making his plan temporarily impossible. “I-,” It came out as a rasp. Revali’s eyes widened as he realized that this voice belongs to Link. “I thought that you could use some company.”

“You what?” he choked, not believing what he just heard. The feathers on his body ruffled uncontrollably, standing up from every side. He wasn’t sure whether it was because of the raspy, probably from unuse, serious tone, because of the message that the words passed, or perhaps the combination of both. The fact that he was trying his hardest to hide it, getting annoyed in the process wasn’t of any help. “What made you think so?”

For an unknown reason, some part of him expected Link to shrug and laugh in his face, saying that it was but a mere joke and yet none of that happened. He stood there, seemingly tall and proud of what he said. This time it was Revali that felt the gaze staring right into the inside of his soul. He on the other hand couldn’t bring himself to look at the knight’s face. “I know you’re lonely,” Link said, his voice now softer.

Revali let out a short awkward laugh. “I don’t know what-,” he tried to argue but was quickly (and efficiently) cut off.

“Don’t try to deny that,” his serious tone came back and Revali couldn’t help but to look at him. His gaze was as stern as his posture, both hands by his sides, curled up in fists. “I’ve seen it in your eyes, it’s written all over your face,” he started with passion, confident with his words spread only the truth. “The first time we met, when I… I don’t even know saw your… spirit?” he stumbled, probably too many thoughts flooding his little head yet still remained as passionate. “A-And now, too,” he added quickly. “You can’t hide it.”

Revali stood before him, stunned. His beak was opened slightly before it formed into a frown. “Unbelievable,” he scoffed, and more feathers ruffled on his back. “You,” he angrily pointed one finger at Link. “Have a lot of nerve coming here,” he was gesticulating wildly. “To my home, out of the blue, completely uninvited and tell me about my personal problems whilst not having resolved your own!” he huffed and took a deep breath. “Completely ridiculous.”

Link took every word that he spit at him with patience. He had closed his eyes and didn’t bother to respond. This angered Revali more, but he had no more energy to waste. “Oh, so now you won’t answer?” he waited a little while longer before realizing that it’s in vain. He turned on his foot, ready to hide in the shadows of Vah Medoh. “Classic.”

“I need your company!”

Revali stopped walking. This sentence alone sparked his interest enough to stay and listen to what Link had to say. The Hylian seemed to get the cue. “I-I am lonely too,” his voice was much quieter than only seconds ago; it was obvious that he hadn’t planned to bring this subject up and yet he still kept going. “You don’t owe me anything but,” Link sighed deeply, preparing for whatever he was about to say. “You’re the only one who understands what it’s like to truly be alone, what it’s like to be the one left behind.”

Revali could feel Link looking at him expectantly. “You’re wrong,” he heard Link take a breath. “Not that I expected anything else, but…” he turned to face him and yet didn’t look at his face, focusing on everything but him. “I am not lonely,” he stated, putting the most pressure on the third word. “And I do owe you something. My soul. And for that I-,” Revali’s eyes caught Link’s and only now he noticed the brilliant blush on his cheeks that he’s not seen before. It distracted him but he quickly shook out of it and he chose to ignore it, grunting and glancing away. “I suppose I can give the company that you crave so much.”

And ever since then, he had kept his word, as every time Link visited him, he’d embrace him with open arms. Revali had become reliant on his visits, firstly only craving any form on intimacy since Medoh was no longer an option. At times he’d even compare the divine beast to a desert since it was so desolate, empty and vacant only until Link showed up, momentarily replacing the feeling of being alone with joy upon meeting another person. Link was Revali’s escape, nothing more.

“I plan to battle with Ganon in a short time.”

Or so he had thought a while ago.

Somehow that sentence that was whispered to him made him fear more than ever. A cold shiver ran down Revali’s spine as his fingers curled up in Link’s hair stopped their movements. He felt the blonde shift on his lap, later a hand touching his face. “Is something wrong?” Link had asked, his voice concerned and soft.

Revali didn’t look at him. His heart screamed yes and yet he said “No, everything’s fine.” To assure Link, or himself really, he continued stroking his hair. He felt his heart leap, sink, do cartwheels and everything in between. He was far from being okay. He swallowed audibly. “Just… try your best to dodge his attacks.”

Link laughed and turned to face him as Revali with a smirk on his face playfully ruffled his hair. “All this time,” he said dramatically. “And you’re still doubting my abilities?”

“Never hurts to be simply remind.”

They parted soon after. They didn’t say goodbye, never did. It seemed all too serious, and all too sad. A simple wave would cut it as Link each time left Medoh in the beautiful colors of dawn. Watching him was serene, calming even despite his heart aching, begging him not to leave and the knowledge that he was about to fight the worst of nightmares, one that was a brink away from consuming the world. As Link disappeared completely from Revali’s line of sight, he took a deep breath and murmured, “I really hope you get back.” With that, he turned to hide in Medoh.

The next thing he remembered was that, for the first time in a hundred years, he woke up. His body was terribly aching, muscles sore as if all he had been doing those years were murderous exercises. He opened his eyes with a groan; though he quickly closed them when the light of the morning sun started to burn them. He couldn’t as much stand up, he couldn’t move his wings nor his legs; it was as if he was pinned to the ground, groaning from pain. It was Link who had found him, a couple days after. The knight panicked but immediately went back to the village to get help. The Rito were more than confused when they saw Revali, but they agreed to help, not knowing that the very man that they’re nursing back to health is their beloved Champion from a century prior.

The recovery was taking months and Revali slowly but surely was getting better. “I remember being alive differently than this,” he said later followed by a cough. Link smiled and leaned back in his chair looking out at the sunset. He was trying his best to visit Revali at all times, but it was not always the easiest now with princess Zelda needing his help with rebuilding the ruined kingdom.

“I’m pretty sure that the others feel the same way you do,” Link said lightheartedly to which Revali scoffed. He wasn’t the only one who was resurrected. Mipha, Urbosa and Daruk have been all reported to be very much alive as well. He had yet to see them though, but with his (and others) current, bleak state it was simply impossible. “When you’re all be looking…” Link trailed off into thought, trying to find the perfect word as Revali was glancing at him, awaiting. “…a bit better!” he finished enthusiastically. “I will invite you to visit my house in Hateno Village.”

“Now, that’s an idea,” Revali said, both intrigued and prejudiced. He thought out loud. “I wonder if the six of us will fit.”

“I’m sure we’ll manage.” And when the time came, though not without struggle, they really did. Beds, hammocks, sleeping bags and everything in between were now littering the entirety of the house’s first floor. There were also some baggage laying around, since when the guest where to put things, Link simply shrugged with a smile saying, “Throw it wherever.” From the décor Revali thought that it was clear that the knight never really got to spend much time just to sit and think, and if he did it certainly wasn’t the place.

“Sorry for the emptiness,” said shyly princess Zelda even though nobody seemed to mind (how could they when they spent the past century living in a mechanical beast?). “I’ve been trying to get more furniture but it’s hard these days.” She has been temporarily living with Link ever since the defeat of Ganon, so she must’ve felt at least partially responsible for the guests too, Revali figured.

Being in one room with so many people felt… to say the least strange. Everyone, though trying not to show, has changed in some way but that was certainly to be expected. What stayed the same however was their unique, unbreakable bond. It was clear that each and every one of them was grateful for the way the things turned out.

Silence lingered between the six, until Link decided to speak up, scratching the back of his head. “So…” he started, now getting everyone’s attention. “Does anyone fancy a quick spiced meat and mushroom skewer?” No one (with the exception of Daruk who was granted a prime rock roast) could turn down such an offer. The Champions and Zelda were very much aware of Link’s magnificent cooking skills that could turn a simple dish like this to a culinary masterpiece as when they were all recovering, he never failed to spoil them with their favorite foods.

“You’re too good to us, Link,” said Urbosa as she finished another one of the skewers. Everyone either laughed or nodded in approval. It was slowly getting darker and they sat peacefully, warmed by a fire right in front of Link’s house. The atmosphere got more relaxed with enthusiastic conversations and jokes replaced by a comfortable silence, sometimes interrupted by a yawn. The Champions started leaving the fire one by one, muttering a ‘goodnight’ in order to go to sleep.

Revali answered lazily every single one of the goodnight’s whilst being completely invested in watching the fire burn. He was very much sure that he was the only one left until he felt a warm body quickly sit right next to him. Not expecting that he was startled very much to which Link laughed. “You want to put a man who came back from the dead back to his place?”

“Not in a million years,” Link replied a sly smile playing on his lips. Revali sighed and moved a to the side slightly, giving him space to settle. He then fidgeted for quite a bit before finding the perfect spot. Revali couldn’t be bothered anymore however as he still stared into the calming flames. Link decided to join him. “Don’t you want to sleep?” he asked, nuzzling faintly into his feathers.

“Not really, no,” it took a second for him to respond. He wrapped his wing around the smaller frame of Link, something that made the knight very happy.

Link hummed happily, putting his head on Revali’s chest. “May I make a suggestion?” As an answer, Revali put his beak at the top of his head. Link stuttered at first, clearly nervous with what he was about to say. “I was-,” he took a deep breath and stopped for a moment as if to formulate the words. “There’s this, um, place that I-I’d like to show you.”

Revali quirked his brows. “Well, go on, I’m listening.”

“The thing is,” Link shifted away from him and started gesticulating. “It’s not that far away, really, but it’s far enough that we’d have to fly there and-,” he couldn’t go on as he got caught off.

“Wait, wait,” Revali took Link’s hands into his and the blonde looked at him curiously. “Did you say… fly?” Link, stunned, only nodded in response. Revali could see that he was trying his best to figure out what was wrong with flying, as to visit him in Hateno, the Champion flew straight from Rito Village. “You’re aware that the Rito have terribly bad eyesight in the dark, right?” Link’s eyes widened and Revali couldn’t help but smile at his cluelessness. “Oh my, who would’ve thought that the mighty knight needed some school time.”

Link blushed and turned away, but soon his laugh joined Revali’s. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “In that case, we can just go some other-”

“No!” Revali burst out suddenly. Realizing this, he grunted and thought of a way to explain this. “I mean- um, a little bit of adrenaline is always much appreciated in life, especially after only getting it back, right?”

Link looked at him, puzzled and skeptical. “…Right,” with the newly acquired knowledge, he wasn’t quite sure that the situation he was putting himself in was exactly safe but decided not to argue against it. “It’s only fair to fulfill a dying man’s last wish,” he said playfully to which Revali smacked his head from the back.

“I wonder who the dying man could be…” Before Link could reply with a snarkier remark, Revali got up and motioned for him to get on his back. “Come on, knight, I have a million things do to.” With that Link quickly complied and in no time Revali summoned his famous gale as they set off with the hero shouting Revali the directions and being his overall guide for the next hour or so.

It must’ve been truly tiring since the first thing Link did when they landed on the soft sandy shore of Lurelin Village was lie down, burying his face in the sand. Revali, being much less unacquainted with its texture, took time to adapt and stretch his wings after the flight. One of the first things that he noticed was that “It’s hot.”

Link lifted his face up from the sand, half of it staying on his skin. “It’s great now,” he said as he tried to get rid of the sticky sand. “It’s much worse during the day, trust me on this one.”

Revali however didn’t manage to catch the last words that Link spoken, as he had noticed something much more interesting than his voice or the temperature. His breath caught in his chest as he spoke. “It’s beautiful,” he said, completely absorbed in thought. Link, not understanding what he was on about turned his head to face him. The expression on his face was unlike whatever he’s seen before, gaze stern and focused on what was before him and Link couldn’t help but follow his gaze. The calming sound of the waves crashing against each other filled his ears as he stood up and moved to stand next to Revali.

“It really is,” admitted Link, his fingers reaching to brush against Revali’s. Despite being completely mesmerized by the sheer sight of the ocean, he reciprocated the touch. “It actually reminds me of you…”

“How come?” Revali���s eyes never left the water, whilst Link’s trailed to look at his face.

He swallowed audibly. “W-Well,” he started and Revali turned his head to face him to which in response Link panicked, shying away. “It’s really n-not that far away from where I first used your gale,” he could feel his eyes watching him intently. “The color helps too,” he quickly added and Revali chuckled.

A comfortable silence fell between the two, their hands still touching as they both went back to watching the ocean unfold before their very eyes. Revali had never felt this calm before, not even Medoh could bring him such peace, though their souls were once one and the same. But Link and Medoh were not the same. What he felt for him was different, strong and… real. And he’s come to accept it. His mind was a hurricane filled with various thoughts in that moment and yet the sudden sound of Link’s voice didn’t fail to stop them. “It’s actually my favorite place to be,” he said squeezing his hand. “I stumbled here after seeing you to process it and… it has become a habit of mine.” Revali could tell he was speaking from the bottom of his heart, and suddenly his own started to ache. “It’s become a place I visit just to… think and feel less… alone.”

Revali felt as if he was frozen even though he could tell that Link was expecting some sort of response. And yet he couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. It was only when he felt his grip loosening and breathing quicken that he managed to as much hold his hand tighter. He could feel Link first tense, then relax; perhaps it was enough for him. But certainly not for Revali.

He turned to face him and cupped his face. “Link I-,” Revali started but his wide, blue eyes, looking at him as if he was the most important thing in this world, made him lower his gaze for a moment. He swallowed audibly and looked at him again, this time truly confident.

“I love you.”

The words hanged in the air and for a brink of a moment Revali’s whole life flashed before his eyes as he regretted saying those words, knowing that it would never be possible for someone like Link to love him. He panicked and wanted to run away but before he could as much as turn, Link’s voice echoed in his mind.

“I love you too,” he admitted with tears in his eyes and suddenly Revali noticed his own water. Link couldn’t take it anymore as he buried his face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Revali instinctively wrapped his wings around him, pulling him closer and letting his own tears fall.

It really was beautiful; two lonely people finding happiness in each other as the sun rose behind them.

Another A/N: Thank you so much for reading, I hope you have the best of days!

[abizarreyodelingincident]

LU: The Sacred Beast (for a farmer)

The Sacred Beast (for a farmer)

His skin was burning.

Black particles floated up from the ground, toward a sky an unnatural shade of dusk. Spots danced before his eyes. He couldn’t… 

Illia. The kids. He… he had to stand. 

His bones shifted. 

Link blinked away tears. 

His groans of pain echoed through the air and in his head. Where was the monster? He… he had to get away from the monster before he passed out. 

The back of his hand flared, and set the rest of him on fire. Pain took over his mind, blinding him to everything but itself. He knew that something had changed in him, but as his suffering receded, so did his strength. 

Darkness claimed him, leaving him only with the knowledge of his body changed by the magic of the monsters. The last sensation he registered was that of his nails -- hard, split -- hitting a mount of dirt in the path. 

***

“Get that beast out of here!”

It took six guards pushing with all their mights, but they managed to throw Link off his hooves. The poor adventurer headbutted the stone rails leading to the South gates. He shook his head, more annoyed than hurt by the impact. On the other hand, the stone rail had crumbled. When he narrowed his eyes back at the guards, they clearly gulped.

Now, if only they'd just let him through already.

Not for the first time, Link really wished he would have been cursed into a more intimidating form. Maybe a big dog or a wolf would have been better. He certainly wouldn't have been dragged out of town by the horns, at least. Link entertained the image of those damned guards cowering before a mighty wolf before shaking his head. Daydreams wouldn’t get him anywhere. 

***

Link tilted his head as he pushed an ear against the singing stone. Some animal instinct of his couldn't help notice the otherworldly cold around it, nor the faint voices whispering through its ritualistic structure. Notes, howled to a moonless day. And fainter still, an invitation. Suddenly, he knew what he was meant to do. That didn’t help much. 

How in Farore's name was he meant to play those melodies in this form?!

Oh boy...

Link glanced around for a bit, partly out of heroism, partly out of embarrassment. He couldn't let anyone lose their hearing from what would happen next. Maybe that skull kid would, and he guessed that'd be punishment enough for the puppetry attacks. Seemed a fair trade in retrospect.

“Well?” Midna asked, scratching her vibrant flame-red hair. “Any clues, farm boy?”

He shot her a grim look, then cleared his throat. It came out shaky, and off-key.

Her shadowed form went still. “Oh no, farm boy. You are not braying that. I can't block my ears in this form. I'm not even corporal!”

Link resolutely ignored the ghostly jab in his ribs. Alright. Alright, the notes. He had to hit the right notes, correct?

Seconds later, the skull kid fled the Lost Woods, dozens of horrified critters running past him with their ears covered in whatever way they could manage.

***

The realm of the dead shifted to accommodate two beasts, sacred, a chasm away and yet less than a stride apart. Below, Hyrule Castle was witness to the impossible meeting between ancestor and descendant, proud chosen of the Goddesses and legends of grand tales.

The last notes faded away, a sense of serenity cloaking the world as both lowered their heads.

The Golden Wolf did a double take.

“... Why are you... Shouldn't you be a wolf?”

Link pawed at the ground and aimed his horns.

The Golden Wolf cringed. “Huh, right, right, sorry. I suppose I expected my descendant to be a wolf too… not that it's wrong to be something else! At all! It's just that the goddesses spoke of the Sacred Beast, and then my spirit took this form and… you know what? Let's just get to sword training, son.”

***

“A Sacred Beast to counter a Dark Beast. Giddy up, Link. We're in need of your horns again,” Midna said from his shadow.

Link didn't groan.

He had long since learned to channel his rage into rearing hindlegs and a skullbash strong enough to decapitate a bulblin. He let the shadows engulf him, took in the comforting weight of Midna on his back, then pawed in challenge before the glowing glyphs.

Beast Ganon was very surprised, a moment later, when his mad rampaging got cut short when he slammed himself face first into a snarling goat that didn't move an inch.

His tusk broke though. 

***

Link jumped at the sound of skittering pebbles. Ever since the old king had told him he was destined to save Hyrule from the Calamity, he'd been fearing failing a second time. It felt like the second he would relax, the whole world would collapse on top of him. Anything and everything that could threaten his mission would.

He'd startled himself awake every night since the revelation. Berated himself for resting, for letting himself be vulnerable in the open where any random monster, or even ill-intentioned traveler could kill him without a fight.

He couldn't fail.

He stumbled as his foot hit a root on the path, his body suddenly heavy and his sight blurry. He straightened up against the rocky side of the cliff. No. He had to stay alert. He couldn't let down his guard. Even if his eyelids weighed more than a talus.

The noise came from above him.

Link scrambled out of the way.

The creature that trotted down the slopes of the cliffside stood about as tall as a horse, and the pair of long, linked horns only added to the height. It also had hooves, but... broken or something. Link wasn't intimidated – he'd dealt with scarier – but he kept his arrow notched just in case it turned out territorial. The last horned animal he'd gone too close to had chased him up a tree. Stupid horned thing!

This one though... it brayed softly, almost comfortingly. Link blinked. Did wild beasts do that? Without thinking, he put his bow away and reached very slowly.

It did not snap teeth at him.

Did not startle away, fleeing like they could see all his failures.

His hand met warm coarse fur, and his breath hitched.

The animal nipped his sleeves, not hard enough to even dent the fabric, and knelt. Then tilted its head.

“You… want… climb?” he pushed out, struggling to find the proper words. “Me... on you?”

It nodded. Could it understand the hylian language? Maybe his hand gestures? Every other animal so far had fled from him the second they heard him coming. The only ones that didn't were the little four legged ones that barked when he got close to a stable. Tame. Right, that was the word.

He stared some more at the animal. It reminded him of... Gasping, he pulled out his Sheikah slate and swiped through the compendium. Goat! That was it. This animal looked a bit like a goat. Bulkier, and its horns weren't right, but the fur and the body was way too similar for it not to be a goat too.

Link grinned at the animal. “Goatie. You're a Goatie.”

It did the face some Hylians made when he was proud of remembering something they said was obvious. Wild almost cringed, but a burst of noise stole his attention, and he whirled around, rusty sword in hand.

“Haha, die, Hero!” some Yiga assassin crooned as it appeared in a blast of red magic and paper talismans. “Ganon's takeover will not be sto-GAH!”

The goat had rammed straight into the assassin's chest and sent them flying. As circumstances or Hylia had willed it, it just so happened that the Yiga had laid their ambush between a cliff and a hill. Whilst the goat hadn't hit them past the cliff's edge, it had indeed thrown the assassin down the hill, where they started to roll. Cursing. Hitting trees, bushes and unfortunate foxes all the way down to a small stream. Where a handful of lizalfos nested. Yikes. That looked painful.

The goat snorted, then turned up its nose at the poor Yiga.

With vivid blue eyes the same shade as his, the goat gestured for Link to get on its back. This time, he did not hesitate.

Horses were fun, Wild decided right there and then, but Goatie was so much better.

***

“Whoa! What's that thing?” Sky jumped to his feet, nervously eying the horned beast that had calmly trotted out of the bushes.

Amongst those that had drawn their swords, only Wind and Hyrule didn't sheath them back immediately upon recognition.

“Sky,” Legend deadpanned, “that's a goat. A farm animal. Not a bloodthirsty predator.”

Blushing faintly, Sky apologized, putting his sword away. “Right. I... I never saw one of these before.”

Time quickly pat him on the back, never letting the goat out of his sight. “Better be more cautious than not. Especially since farm animals can be quite dangerous in their own right. A well-placed kick from a cow or a horse will send you to the healer just as quickly as a bite from a wolfos. That goat's horns are... larger than I'm used to.”

“Yeah, I admit, I've never met that breed before. Anyone?” Legend swept the camp with his gaze.

Most shook their heads, but Warriors put a hand to his chin. “I swear I've seen one like this before.”

Even the goat looked nonplussed at that.

“Really?” Wind asked, glancing between the animal and his big brother. “You know how to tame one.”

The goat pawed the ground.

“No, no, it was during the War of Eras, and I had to jump through timelines a lot during that time period. It's not native to my Hyrule, but it's from one of yours.”

Hyrule piped up. “Maybe it's from Twilight's world? Too bad he's gone scouting.”

Wild finally blinked himself out of his daze. “That's… that's my friend. Helped me save Hyrule and everything.”

Four stared. “A goat helped you defeat Ganon?”

Wild scratched his cheek, willing himself not to remember the loneliness, the void opening up inside him as he realized his friend couldn't accompany him to the very end. The solemn look, that last nuzzle before he had to face his destiny inside the ruins of Hyrule's old heart. The tearing sound of black particles as they shot toward the sky, and nothing was left behind him...

Wild gulped. “Okay, not specifically Ganon, but I'm not sure I would have survived on my own without his help.” With a shaking smile, he knelt by Goatie and ran a hand behind his ears. His old friend gently nipped his fringe. “I can't tell you how many Yiga imposters this big fella headbutted straight off a cliff.”

Hyrule's hands stopped just inches away from the goat's fur. His legs tensed up, as if he was getting ready to dodge when he was a threat. The goat only turned placid blue eyes at him, as if to tell him 'you see a cliff somewhere?'

Hyrule's own gaze replied with 'I see your horns' which was fair enough, really.

***

Four froze on top of the stump. Wow. He thought he was observant, but that one had blindsided him. No wonder Wild and Twilight were so close. That explained a whole lot, including many things he now realized were quite humorous.

“... Alright, Twi, this'll be our little secret, but... can I just say that your eyes still freak me out? Especially from this far below?”

“Why do you think I stare at the Pretty Boy so often?”

“... Think you can teach me this power?”

***

“I swear, if this animal tries to munch on my clothes, I won't be held responsible for what happens next.”

The passive, square pupils would haunt Warriors' next nightmare.

They also involved cliffs.

***

“No wonder he doesn’t want to tell the others. Can you imagine the Captain’s reaction?”

“It’s not just that.”

“It’s a factor though,” Wild said. 

Time gave them both flat looks. “More importantly, he’s worried about their reaction to the magic he’s using.”

Four raised an eyebrow. “Why? What magic is he using?”

Time’s reply was suspiciously fast. “No clue, but that’s his secret to tell. Remember that.”

He was quick to leave, a bit too quick. Four might need to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime though, he showed Wild a smirk. 

“... I still think he’s a bit shy about his beast form.”

Wild snorted. 

***

“So, you've noticed how the old man is always calling Twilight 'kid', right?”

Wild raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Yeah, and? Time's an old man. We're all green boys to him, that's all.”

“-except,” Legend jumped in, sharp, “he only calls Twilight 'kid'. Not you, or the little pirate or our resident smithy or, heaven forbids, me. Only our farmhand, who is coincidentally the second oldest with Warriors here.”

Wild discreetly looked for an exit, and to his despair, found none.

Warriors placed a hand over Wild's shoulder. “Look, it's obvious those two have a close bond. He's taking Twilight under his wing, showing him the ropes, having secret meetings. Not to mention the way Malon always had a soft look for him at the ranch.”

Okay, he didn't know what was going on there, but he also had a feeling he was going to hate everything that would come out of Legend's and Warriors' mouths. Tension was locking his muscles into places even as he tried to figure out an escape plan before he was subjected to an interrogation that would end up with Twilight's secret being revealed. He really didn't want to see Twilight's reaction to being betrayed so.

“Here's what we figured out. Time is Twilight's father. They just don't want to admit it so that our teamwork is not affected.”

Wild screamed on the inside.

“And you might be thinking that Twilight's too old to be his son, but consider this: time travel. Twilight is Time's kid from his future and they're both aware of it, so it's why Twilight looks up to him so much, even if they were a bit hesitant at first.”

Mental-Wild screamed louder.

“You... ”

“Don't even try. Twilight grew up on a ranch. He told us his dad taught him swordplay, and you can't ignore how similar their technique with a blade is.”

… Alright, that last one was a pretty good question. If Twilight was separated from Time by a good few generations, how in the world did they have this kind of technique? “He told me he's adopted.”

Warriors rolled his eyes and became instantly more punchable. “A weak deflection, Wild. The evidence doesn't lie.”

Legend stared a few seconds longer, then smirked. “No, no, Warriors, it's okay. I get it. Twilight and him are pretty close too. I'm sure they share a few secrets too. It's only natural. Wild can't deny or confirm anything, right?”

“No, I'm telling you he's not-”

Legend patted him on the shoulder, and was lucky Wild didn't smack him. “We understand.” Legend smugly ruffled his hair.

Seriously, Twilight better appreciate how much effort it was to keep this secret from the others!

***

Warriors threw his hands in the air. “Okay, there's no way Goatie following us is a coincidence. We're in the middle of the desert! There's no food to graze here!”

“I'm telling you,” Wild groaned. “He's the Sacred Beast, sent by the goddesses in Hyrule's time of need.”

Hyrule looked away from the ruins' carving he was trying to decipher. “Huh?”

“The Kingdom!”

“Wild, your pet goat is great and all... ” Legend carefully slid behind Time and away from the large farm animal, eyes wary. “But you don't have to pretend it's a goddesses-given gift just to keep him around. Nayru knows I've had my share of non-divine, regular animal companions too. And they talked.”

Hyrule and Wind perked up. “Oh, really?” the little pirate asked.

Legend launched himself into a succinct if entertaining description of the time he snuggled inside a kangaroo's pouch in order to jump over ravines and hidden caves. Goatie watched from the other side of the campfire, poking Warriors whenever the soldier seemed to doze off.

***

“Twilight!” Wild shouted, scrambling through his slate to summon up a bow and arrow.

Stupid world hopping. Stupid sunny day. They'd landed in one of Akkala's grassy fields, and it had seemed safe. He'd catalogued the location of the worst of Ganon's minions all over the slate, and there really shouldn't have been anything out of the ordinary here of all places. He'd told the others as much. They hadn't completely relaxed, but they hadn't been prepared either for a lynel straight up rampaging into their camp.

Nor for the small horde of lesser creatures flanking it.

At some point, the lynel had managed to corner his big brother alone by the edge of a cliff, the remaining creatures forming a wall between them. Then a club swing had ripped the Ordon Sword out of Twilight's grip, and Wild's heart had sunken lower than his stomach.

He had to save him!

Wild weaved between a pair of lizalfos that Sky and Warriors ran through the next second, ducked under a moblin's foot that was burned to a crisp right after and slid with his bow at the ready. The lynel had picked up Twilight in one of its enormous paws and lifted him off the ground as if he didn't weigh thrice as much as Four.

Heat and light flared at the back of the lynel's throat.

He wouldn't make it.

“No!”

Twilight grabbed the sides of the lynel's head with both hands.

Even the monster paused, too surprised to react.

Wild winced preemptively.

Twilight slammed his forehead against the lynel's skull.

The impact rang like a bell. 

The lynel collapsed.

Twilight landed with a dull thud on top of the beast's massive arms, and they could only rush forward in an attempt to help him away before it stood back up. Other monsters scampered, horrified at their leader being downed in one blow. Yet, as the Links were but a few body lengths away, the lynel's eyes flickered open, fangs glimmering with the flames licking the back of its throat.

With a barely human howl, Twilight grabbed the sides of the lynel's head again. It whimpered. 

The Links all stopped right in their tracks to cringe preemptively. Someone, likely Wind, muttered “Oh shit.”

The resounding crack of bones sent a shiver down their spines.

The lynel's chin dug three inches into solid ground. Its eyes rolled back into its skull, and its tongue lolled out onto its beard. It wasn't getting up again.

Twilight staggered away, glaring a storm at the retreating monsters. “And fracking stay the goshesses away from my herd!” he slurred at them with a shaky fist.

“So,” Legend began, as shell shocked as a pale Warriors, “remember when you described Twi as having a head as hard as a goron's teeth?”

Warriors mutely nodded.

“Turns out that was an understatement.”

***

Legend subtly put his magic mirror to the side, pretending he hadn't seen a pretty interesting reflection moments earlier. With faux nonchalance, he picked up Twilight's hawk mask. The effect on his sight was worth experimenting, but it was the appearance it gave that Legend sought.

“You know, this kind of reminds me,” he started, watching his fellow hero for his reactions. “In a faraway kingdom, it is traditional to don masks in the likeness of beasts to honor the survival of those that became one in the dark world.”

Twilight, to his credit, appeared entirely guileless. “Huh, and here I heard you became a phantom, unable to interact with anyone else, never to realize you've become lost.”

Well, he had the 'helpless' part right. But Legend wouldn't let that little game distract him. So, Twilight didn't want to come out and say it outright?

“What kind of beast would you want to be?”

Twilight didn't even hesitate. “A wolf, obviously.”

Four choked on his saliva.

Awkward silence fell on top of the clearing as three out of the four heroes exchanged baffled looks, before two of that same number decided that Twilight, apparently, couldn't lie to save his life.

“OBVIOUSLY!” Wild screeched.

Beads of nervous sweat rolled on the sides of Four's face as he nodded. “Y-yeah, I mean, it's kind of the logical choice for Twilight. I can't believe you don't see it.”

Wild frantically rushed to Twilight's side and gestured to his pelt and hood. “He's so wolf-like! With his... goat pelt... and goat head hood.”

“Preys!” Four jumped to his feet, struck by frankly divine inspiration. “Preys he took down like a wolf!”

Cool as a cucumber, Twilight grabbed his little brother by the shoulder and pulled him closer. There was something in his expression, something sharper, and perhaps even a bit feral. It glinted in the flash of teeth he showed, before the grin softened. “See? They agree with me.”

Legend stared, his neutral expression hiding the surge of disgust that had flowed through him at the idea that they considered this a convincing argument. The sheer insult that they thought he bought that. At least, their reactions pretty much gave away that they knew about Twilight's caprine form.

His smile intact, Twilight extricated himself from the other two's grip, ruffling their hair as he went. “Well, that was a fun thought, but I think I ought to scout for a bit, lest we get ambushed by monsters in our downtime.”

And with that, he left, shameless. Legend felt a vein pulse on his forehead as he noticed the goat emblem painted on Twilight's shield. His mind became torn between a massive groan of exasperation and crippling shame that he hadn't made the connection before. Had anyone else ever met a goat just like Goatie?

Four and Wild eyed him nervously. But the second Legend tried to hold their gaze, they decided that they really, really needed to get back to brainstorming the forging of a weapon for Wild. Good luck with that, he thought, idiots.

Mere moments later, Legend found Twilight leaning against a tree, shaking all over from silent laughter. He was clutching his ribs, whimpering as he bit down on his knuckles not to explode.

Oh.

Teary eyed, with a massive grin on his face, Twilight breathed out a long sigh of relief. “Did you see their faces?”

Legend blinked. Apparently, Twilight couldn't lie to save his life, but he could play others around him like cheap grass whistles.

Despite himself, Legend said: “I'm impressed.”

“I really shouldn't... ” Twilight admitted with a sly grin. “But you don't know joy until you've forced Wild to try and cover up for you. Even though he constantly needs someone to do it for him, he's just so bad at it.”

Legend smirked. “And here I thought you were a stick in the mud. Turns out under that exterior of a solemn, serious young man hides a troublemaker with a good poker face. What would our dear leader say?”

For a second, Twilight eyed him as if he had sprouted a second head and started dancing. Then, he snorted and patted his shoulder. “Veteran, you should see what the Old Man's capable of.”

Mildly disturbed, Legend found himself grateful when one of Wind's bokoblin jumped out of the foliage and attempted to assassinate them. It was a welcome distraction from a much scarier prospect. The short-lived attack also led him to discover the source of Twilight's shapeshifting.

The cursed stone lit up with orange lines, inches away from Twilight's eyes. “Yep, that's how I do it. During my adventures, I needed a bit of help, but now I can control it myself. Still pretty dangerous for someone else though.”

“So, you use dark magic... to turn into a goat.”

“Pretty much. What about it?”

“Nothing. I just needed to say it out loud.”

Twilight pondered, then shrugged. “I suppose that's fair. Now, I really do need to scout our surroundings if there are bokoblins lying in wait like this. You're coming?”

With a nod, Legend followed in his footsteps. He hadn't thought he shared too many points in common with Twilight, but apparently, his companion was full of surprises. It made him wonder what else there might be under that plain, good country boy façade... Eh, he supposed he would find out eventually.

“By the way, dark magic turns me into a pink bunny.”

“No way.”

BONUS

Ordon saw the serenity of its pre-harvest morning suddenly destroyed by high-pitched screaming.

“I told you he's not Time's time-traveling son from the future! See? This looks nothing like Lon Lon Ranch! It's not even in the right spot on the map!”

Legend shrugged, leaning against the goats' enclosure. One of said animals trotted a bit closer, and Legend briefly pondered if Twilight would use cursed artefacts for the sole purpose of getting the jump on one of them. In the end, it was seeing said farmer, in all his inglorious bumpkin garments that actually convinced him that the goat sniffing at his sleeves was just a goat.

“There were a lot of correlating details. Twilight being Time's son would have explained a lot.”

Twilight's subsequent pause and shrug were entirely too innocent. “Well, I am adopted and no one knows who my blood parents are, so I guess it's possible...”

“OH COME ON!”

[doesrevali]

yes hi im here to make a fanfic based off of 'panic room' bc im quirky like that

Pairing: Revalink (Revali x Link)

Warnings: Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, etc.

Summary:

Link has always fought his way through everything. Who says it'll be any different this time?

It's around noon when Link and Zelda are walking to survey damage. The buildings and the fields don't affect Link as much as it does Zelda, who saw it all before with no memory loss.

She's on the verge of tears the whole time, sniffing and walking with her posture stiff. Link has half the mind to say something about it, but he doesn't. He resides to her side, as he used to before the Calamity. He supposes it was an unconscious habit, even if he hadn't had the pleasure of doing it for some time.

Link had stopped paying attention to his surroundings quite a while ago, having seen it before. It was no surprise to him anyway. What's the point in mourning what he's been around for months?

"Goddess, Link. I wonder how you deal with seeing this."

All he does is grunt, not having the heart to tell her that he didn't care.

"Link, didn't you say that you had completed all the shrines?" It's only then that he looks up, mostly in confusion. Why would that be worth asking? He gets his answer only a second later, after following the princess's gaze to that familiar pattern strewn on familiar stone.

He almost curses out loud. Why, why did I always have to deal with this? He catches that thought, and wonders. When had he ever hoped to be done with his job? He doesn't remember that.

Zelda runs over to the stone, hands shaky over where the Shekiah Slate goes. "Link, you wouldn't happen to have-" He gives the slate over to her without a second thought.

"Thank you, although I don't know if it would work for me-"

Link shakes his head, gesturing for her to try it.

Sighing, Zelda hesitates for a moment. She eventually holds it above the terminal, eyes closed and murmuring prayers. When it accepts the slate, her eyes open with the closest thing to genuine glee Link has ever seen from her. "I did it, Link! I did it! I wonder if it's because of my powers... Do you think so? Maybe- Oh, whatever! Let's go, I've only heard stories of what's inside from you and.." Link zones out, not thinking as he steps onto the platform. He wonders if he even has control anymore, watching himself.

Zelda gasps, the feeling of the platform lowering likely surprising her. Link doesn't blame her, distantly remembering the first time he did it. Everything was.. blurry?

When they get down into the shrine, there are two doors. Looking to the sides, there are chests. He walks over to them, grabbing the keys from inside. Going to the door (with Zelda hot on his heels), he tries to open it.

The door doesn't budge, and Link stops for a moment. Zelda hums, grabbing one of the keys from his hands (noticeably sweaty, although she doesn't comment on it. Why were they sweaty anyway?)

"I wonder if we have to open the doors together! Possibly.. Although I wonder how they would work like that, what's the technology behind it? Ah, Link! Stay at that door, and open it when I open that one over there, at the same time! We can see if that works!"

Nodding, Link waits for her to get to the door.

"Three, two, one!"

They both insert the keys, and dull thudding comes only a moment after. Both the doors open, and Link has to stop himself from rushing to the Princess's side, anxious about the harm behind her own door. When Zelda only looks inside, though, he calms down.

"I think we're supposed to enter them.. I'll go inside here, you go there," Link takes a step forward, about to protest, "I'll be fine. You don't worry, I have this scythe. I can handle myself enough. This is for the shrine."

He pauses before nodding. He supposes he's taught her enough moves. Zelda walks inside, and Link feels anxiety bubbling up in his chest. He waits, then walks inside his own door.

Right as both his feet step beyond the doorway, it shuts. He almost yells out, feeling his own voice die quickly in his throat. He doesn't stop himself from banging on it, though, in some hopes that Zelda had escaped and was on the other side.

Not hearing a response, he stills himself and takes a breath. It's fine, he thinks. She's okay. He turns, peering down a corridor. Walking forward, there appears another chest. He kicks it lightly, watching it pop open. A floating green orb wafts out, looking eerily similar to something Link didn't want to remember.

"I suppose I never get a break. Never with you! How many times must I be at your beck and call?"

No.

"No? Tell me, since when have either of us had a choice?"

Link breathes in, willing himself to not think.

"Ignoring me now, I assume. Nothing new."

His body appears, slowly but surely. Something Link wishes never happened. Time stops when Revali fully appears, and it only starts again when Revali waves a hand in front of Link's face.

"I don't remember you being so zoned out.. I suppose you've finally realized that you're talking to the great Revali? About time!"

Link nods absentmindedly, turning his gaze farther along the hallway.

"Ah, yes, we should figure out what this is. I'm not completely sure as to why I'm here, but you wouldn't be able to tell me." The words sound accusing, and Link has to stop himself from flinching away. The truth in those words was a little too obvious. He walks away, ignoring Revali's squawk and the sound of running footsteps. Why could he hear the spirit's footsteps?

They walk a little farther before Link starts noticing the walls closing in. Whether it's his mind or not, Revali doesn't say anything about it, so he assumes it's just himself. Why would he be having these problems now? It's never happened before.

When are we going to get there?

"I assume it will be soon. There can't be much more left."

Jumping, Link rounds on the spirit. Apparently, the taller understands and begins to explain. "I can't hear you, so no need to worry. But it just appears in my mind. I know what you say, even if I don't hear it. Trust me, it's not like I want this either." Revali huffs.

Link turns back, trying to calm himself before continuing. Soon enough, another door shows up. There's no lock to be wary of, so with no hesitation the blond opens the door. There's a familiar room, one of which looks eerily similar to the 'Minor Test of Strength' in a shrine he can remember being hell. Not that it was hard in terms of how strong he was; the bot just had some new moves that confused him to no end.

A shiver runs up his spine (something he doesn't remember ever feeling beforehand). It only takes a few steps more before the floor in the middle of the room lifts to reveal a guardian bot. Link is driven by instincts, running forward and unsheathing the Master Sword from off his back.

His mind was drowned out, and he couldn't hear anything. This wasn't a surprise, it happened every time, and he didn't have anything against it. It was just sorta hard when there was somebody else trying to work with him.

"Link, Link! Can you hear me? Goddesses' sake, are you deaf now too? There's another one! Link, there's ANOTHER ONE!"

When Revali yelled, Link whirled around, facing another bot. He back flips out of the way just in time, and momentarily sees the Rito in the air with a look of relief strewn across his face. "Thank Hylia, I never thought you would hear me!"

Link finishes off the two bots easily, obviously, but is still left winded. He has to stop himself from collapsing. He briefly wonders why he's acting like this before he remembers that Revali would know. Straightening up, he trudges over to a chest that had been at the other side of the room. Opening it, Link finds another key.

"There's no door here, which leaves the assumption that this is going to take a lot longer than we thought."

Yeah, I know that, Link thinks bitterly.

Revali's wide eyes say enough as the blond turns and storms down the corridor.

———

Time passes slowly as Link fights off more monsters, and Revali ignores him. The shock seemed to get the the bird, seeing as he wouldn't look at the fight even once. Unfortunately for the Hylian, this meant that there was no warning when it came to the boblikin sneaking up behind him.

It's only when Link lets out a pained yell that Revali's eye snap back to the fight. The smaller is holding the Master Sword in one hand, while the other is holding his injured shoulder. Revali curses himself for not noticing sooner, and feels himself panicking as the black colored monsters corner Link.

"Be careful, and focus!"

It turns out that it wasn't the right thing to do, as only a second later Link's eyes widen in surprise and he trips over his own feet. He lands on the floor with a thud, the sword in his loose hand thrown to the other side of the room.

"Get UP! Get up now! Goddess, I never knew that Hylia's Champion would be such a wimp-"

"Shut up! I'm trying!"

There's a moment of silence that seeps between the two before Link gets back up on unsteady footing. It's the first time Revali has ever seen Link use his fists, but it turns out that there was no reason to be worried. By the end, Link's shoulder and knuckles are bruised and bloody.

Link fixes Revali with a stare he doesn't think he'll ever forget.

Just don't say anything.

"Don't say anything?! The first words I hear from you are telling me to shut up!"

And what do you think your first words to me were?

The words hit harder than the Rito thought they would. The brat wasn't wrong. So all Revali does is watch and follow as Link takes a sharp turn down the corridor.

———

Breathing is hard, Link concludes. He's not sure what his problem is today; all he knows is that he's two more shallow breaths away from running back to the entrance.

He takes a quick look at his sword's grip, feeling a pit in his stomach when he realizes his hands are shaking. Not a good sign.

He looks away, bot wanting his lovely companion to notice. They had been walking down a simple hall the entire time, so when another doorway appears, Link is rushing to get it done. He touches the door, and feels himself stop as a wave of whatever the fuck this is waves over him. He clutches his chest, a choked gasp coming out. His gaze latches onto Revali, who doesn't seem to be paying attention. He dimly realizes his entire body is shaking. He tries to take a step forward, and has to lean on the door so that his legs don't buckle from under him. He sucks it all up and throws open the door, his breath leaving him completely as he falls through the doorway, landing on the floor. He props himself up on his elbows, bringing in knees under him and leaning on his hands.

The room is suddenly leaving, and his mind wanders through a different one. An empty one, full of something that he can't see. His throat is closing up as he takes hoarse breaths, gripping the cold floor. The things he can't see close in, and he feels himself be wrapped up in what he can't understand. Soon enough, what he can't understand takes home in his own body, and he can't hold himself on his hands anymore. His head hits the ground, and his fingers dig into his hair, pulling.

He feels the wetness at his cheeks and he claws at his face, wondering what the fuck is happening to me?

What's happening? Where am I? Why? Where? How? Fuck- why?

How long have I been here? How long have I been on the floor? Where's Revali?

A cold seeps into his head, and he gains his control again, exhaustion hitting him like a train. His hands fall next to his head, and his eyes fall shut. He's left the empty room, and he can hear Revali.

"Link! Listen, please! What happened? Shit-"

Link thinks about his answer, thinks of all the question the Rito is throwing at him. He knows what to respond, but he can't think. His head feels heavy, and his mouth is partly open, deciding that he just doesn't want to answer.

He's stuck in sludge, and as much as he wants to at least lift a finger to his mouth, tell Revali to be quiet, he doesn't. Even so, Revali seems to understand that he won't get anything from the blond, and shuts his beak with a clack.

They stay there for a while (a few minutes? a few seconds? hours?), until Link pushes himself up, willing himself to not throw up. Standing on unsteady feet, he leans against a wall. Eyes downcast, mouth still open, he stays stuck in time for about 10 seconds, before fixing his hair and continuing.

"Link! How could you- Do you- What the fuck? Link, why won't you just speak?!"

The Hylian only nods, then shrugs, trudging along.

He doesn't know what happens next, just knows that he pulled in an embrace. He feels feathers, and smells the open sky. Eyebrows shooting up, Link's hands shoot up to the bird's shoulders, pulling away to see Revali's shocked face.

You could- You could touch me this entire time?

"I didn't- I wasn't aware, no."

You...

"What is it?"

If you can...

Revali tilts his head, something that reminds Link of the dogs he's met at the stables. It's.. endearing.

Revali clicks his beak, looking to the side. "Would you stop looking like that? It's weird-"

Link pulls forward, wrapping his arms around the Rito's waist. Sqwaking, Revali almost pushes the small Hylian off- but he quickly thinks better of it. He's quite lucky he has feathers covering him, or else he'd be in some trouble.

He can feel Link's breaths, and when the Hylian nuzzles into him he has to calm down.

Boy is he lucky, he thinks. Without the feathers on his face, he'd be screwed.

———

They keep going on, the moment before forgotten. Link's surprised to see that there are no monsters, and Revali's relieved. He doesn't think he can watch Link like that again.

He doesn't remember feeling so scared- not since windblight, anyway.

Revali watches Link closely the rest of the way. There's no signs of him falling again. Sure, he still shaking, but that's to be expected. When they climb a ton of stairs, Revali doesn't think twice about it. He's looking at Link so much that he doesn't even realize that they had reached yet another door. When Link goes to grab the handle, Revali takes a step forward. The blond looks back at him, raising an eyebrow. It becomes clear that he understands, though, because Link nods, and starts opening it slowly.

Light floods through. Not just generic light. It's natural. He hears a gasp from the Hylian; something that reminded him a little too much of the.. problem earlier.

"Revali- We're outside!"

The smaller's voice eases the Rito's mind, and he has to stop himself from smiling.

"Yes, I see that."

The both of them step out into the light, and Revali feels a weight off his shoulders.

"Link! I was afraid you would never come out! I had some time to think, and I think the shrine was us having to face our fears-"

He watches as Link runs towards Zelda, the man immediately checking her for injuries.

"Link, I'm fine! You look a little worn though, are you okay?"

He smiles, holding up a sign which Revali assumes means okay.

"I suppose it is my time to leave. I believe I will see you again."

Zelda startles, eyes whipping to the Champion. "You had a champion with you too?! I had Mipha, I had thought that it was just because she could help me through my fears but- wait, did Revali help you?"

"Zelda, If you could give us room to think, it would be great."

He looks back to the Hylian, stuttering when he sees Link's eyes cloud with unshed tears.

"I'm sure you'll be fine without me." He huffs.

Link shakes his head, going to hug him again. Zelda doesn't say anything; something that Revali is endlessly grateful for.

He hears Links sigh, and freezes at his next words.

"Thank you, Revali."

It's only then that Revali smiles, nodding his head. "You'll be fine."

Link nods, then lets go. Revali vanishes into the air.

"I'll watch over you from now on. You'll be fine."

[jinmukangwrites]

(Don’t) Remember

Prompt

Summary: Wild was completely content going the rest of his life not remembering the past.

-o-o-o-o-

The first time Link has ever gained a memory, he vowed it would be the last. He climbed up to the base of Mount Lanayru and oh so innocently opened his Sheikah Slate to look at the picture, the memory. He remembers being excited. He had nothing back then, nothing but the few days he had gained since waking up at the shrine. There was a odd feeling that took over him as he compared the scenery to the picture, then he blinked and he found himself one hundred years in the past.

The memory was only a minute or two, but the moment he was back to reality, back in his own body, he kneeled over the vomited. He remembers feeling useless and terrified. He was that hero? He was supposed to stop that evil? It made him sick to his stomach, it made him tremble and shake and sob into the the cool dirt beneath him. He panicked and cried and stayed there for a very long time, trying to get ahold of himself. It was by luck the Lynel on the other side of the wall didn't hear him. He wouldn't have been able to defend himself.

He went back to Kakariko when he had finally gotten himself under some sort of control. He marched into Impa's house and told her he will save the princess, he will destroy ganon, but he does not need his memories to do so. Impa looked surprised, shocked even, that Link would refuse to remember any of the past, though she probably knew that there would be no changing his mind, so she simply nodded and told him to go free the Divine Beasts.

That too became difficult for Link to do. He remembers standing at a Zora girls stature and falling unwillingly into a memory about her healing him, about the hope she had that Calamity Ganon would be a simple story to tell to the future generations. Link tumbled back into his body and panicked right there in front of Sidon and that Muzu. He doesn't know if he lost respect that day, but he still was able to go to Vah Ruta and free it.

Then he was looking at a beautiful helmet sitting on the head of Riju and he could feel the memory coming. He couldn't prepare himself for when it smashed into him. He was forced inside the memory, forced to watch Urbosa and Zelda bond as he, the unwanted soldier, stood by. Urbosa had faith in him. She shouldn't have. He was just barely able to control himself when he returned to the present. After agreeing with Riju that they should head over to free Vah Naboris as soon as possible, he stumbled over to a quiet alleyway and let out the contents of his stomach and stayed there a long time, dry heaving and just barely managing to hold back tears.

And it was the same when he went to the Gorons and he saw that statue of Daruk. The same when he visited the Rito and looked at the landing pad. He was dragged into memories and he came out terrified and trembling and wishing he could forget. The memories were all too painful. They weren't worth it. He could swing a sword, the Master Sword even, just fine without them. He avoided the spots where his other memories laid and he continued his journey, his quest to get stronger, and finally he went to defeat Ganon.

He did it just fine without his memories.

"Tell me, do you really remember me?" She asked, and Link replied no, he didn't.

She seemed sad at that, but Link tried to comfort her to the best of his abilities. The old hero from a hundred years ago was dead, but Link now is alive and he would like to get to know her on his own terms.

And he did, and he never regretted it.

But, little did he know, there was another surprise memory waiting to be stumbled upon. The worst one.

The one of how he died.

-o-o-o-o-

They are at the Dueling Peaks Stable. After traveling for so long, the simple stable seems like such a blessing. Wild certainly is relieved to see it. Everyone are in low moods from the large amount of traveling they have just suffered through, most of them are starting to get snappy and full of complaint. Thankfully, just a few minutes of sitting and resting at the stable improves the spirits of the group dramatically.

Wild sits down at the campfire and happily begins to set up for dinner. Wind, Sky, and Hyrule follow after the stable master where he shows them how to care for the sheep. Four is laying in the grass, smiling joyfully as his eyes close contently. Warrior and Legend are enjoying a passive aggressive game of cards. Twilight and Time are inside the stable, setting it up with the second stable master of how to arrange beds and blankets with the sudden amount of guests, or more like trying to discuss how to pay for that. They're being demanded to pay more money because of their excessive amount of numbers. The stable isn't even relenting to Wild being there.

"Did you think you'd get a discount just because you have Link with you! Hah!"

Wild isn't surprised by it at all, in fact, he expected that to happen. Hyrule now is ran by survivors, if they see an opportunity to make a quick rupee, they'll take it. Time and the others aren't used to that. They're used to order, to something having a set value, and Wild will admit that even though they are going to get cheated, he still finds it amusing how much the dirty methods of his Hyrule throw everyone off.

The day passes lazily, yet no one complains about it. Soon enough, Wild has finished a rather large batch of smoked Hyrule bass for everyone in the stable (except for the stable masters of course, they'll have to give them a fair price if they want food). Since there are not enough tables for everyone, Twilight, Time, and Warrior all dragged large pieces of firewood out into the field and set them up around a campfire. The group sat in a circle together as a cool breeze began to blow across the land, as the blue sky began to turn darker and the first stars dare to show.

Wild stuffed a bite of fish in his mouth and sighed in content. It's hard being the cook because you get to smell the food while it's cooking and not get to eat it.

"So, Hyrule and I were walking around," Sky says suddenly and everyone looks up to him except for Hyrule himself; he's a bit busy taking large bites of his fish, so he just nods, "and we saw a herd of wild horses."

"There's a lot of them here," Wild replies. "They're rather tame here too, easy to catch."

"That's why Hyrule and I were thinking we try to catch a few, it would make traveling quicker."

"And easier," Wind mumbled and took a bite of his meal.

"That's a good idea," Time says as he wipes his mouth of the miniscule amount of grease that got on his lip.

"It's going to cost us some more rupees," Wild points out, "the stable can harness the ones we catch."

"We can afford it, you're fish saved us a lot of rupees," Twilight says, grinning. Wild grins back and looks back at the stable where the two stable masters are begrudgingly eating their own meals inside with the rest of the stable dwellers.

They talk a bit more about their plans for the next day and how much time they will need to capture nine horses, Wild says he can catch one per minute and no one believes him. They decide to head to Kakariko Village, it is the closest bit of civilization to them and Kakariko is something most of them have in common. The sun is completely gone now and the moon is beginning to rise as they chat.

They call it a night and gather into the stable. The stable masters have pulled out extra mattresses and every blanket they had so they could make enough sleeping spaces for everyone. Wild lets the stable dwellers get the beds and the group of heroes fall asleep, content, on the absurd amount of blankets on the floor. Well, except Warrior and Wind, they were hoping for beds. Time also is a bit grumbly about it, but that's just because he played the price for nine beds, not nine blanket nests.

-o-o-o-o-

"HYLIA, CURSE IT!" Legend screams as a beautiful blue and white stallion notices him sneaking up on it before running away.

Wild chuckles as he pets the nose of the black mare he had just tamed. In under a minute even. Twilight also managed to tame a horse, though his method was a bit barbaric. He wasn't expecting Twilight to full on wrestle with a horse while wearing iron boots. The mad man. Time at least had the decency to tame his horse normally.

"This place is creepy," Twilight says as he looks around the field around them. His newly captured brown and white spotted horse flicks its ear and he pats it's shoulder.

Wild hums in agreement and glances at their surroundings as well. The field itself is beautiful, it is large and filled with lovely and healthy green grass and hundreds of colorful wildflowers. What made it creepy is the maybe hundreds of lifeless guardian corpses that littered the land. They have no explanation, none of the stable dwellers know how they got there or what has killed them all. Wild didn't really care about it, whatever happened occurred a hundred years ago. Before his time.

The sound of Legend's cursing breaks through the air as Warrior gallops past on a beautiful white steed. He's grinning smugly, as if he's already planning how to rub it in Legend's face that he caught a horse first. Another Horse gallops up and Wild can see Hyrule riding on it with Wind sitting behind him. Wild hopes that their plan to get Wind a horse wasn't to launch Wind off the back of a running one, but judging by their determined looks as they got ever closer to a horse innocently munching on some wild flowers... It is clear that that is their plan exactly.

Four walks up to Wild and sits down next to him breathing hard. "I'm too small," he says, panting. Sky joins them, chest heaving as well.

"They're.… Too fast…." He says between breaths.

Wild rolls his eyes. "You guys aren't doing it right." He walks his horse over to where Time is grooming out the tangles of his horses mane. "I'll show you how it's done," he says.

Time agrees to watch Wild's horse as Wild takes off towards where a beautiful cream colored horse was nipping at the grass. Sky and Four follow along.

Legend swears again and the mare he's been chasing for the past hour streaks further away. "Legend!" Four calls out, "Wild's going to help us! You should come too!"

Legend shoots a glare over to Four and Four wears a satisfied smirk. Wild scoffs at the banter and tries not to laugh.

"Go!" Time calls out, smirking just a little.

Legend looks like he's about to refuse, but then he looks back at his runaway horse and his shoulders sink. Just like that Legend, Four, and Sky are following Wild over to the next hose.

Wild stops a small distance from the horse and crouches down ever so slightly. "Okay, first you have to make sure the horse isn't facing you."

Four elbows Legend in the stomach playfully and Legend mumbles curses under his breath. "Make sure you remember that," Four snarks.

Legend looks like he's about to argue, but then Wild hushes him with a raised eyebrow. Once it was quiet, Wild continues.

"Now, you would sneak slowly up to them, and when you're close enough you jump on. Then, comfort it so it doesn't buck you off. It's easy. Watch-"

He begins to move slowly and silently through the grass, but the horse snaps its neck behind it when Sky accidentally steps on a twig. The horse makes a distressed neigh and sprints off in the opposite direction.

"Sorry," Sky mumbles.

Wild smiles and stands up. "C'mon, let's go find it."

He runs off over to where the horse disappeared to. With the others following behind, he runs over a hill and is about to run down it when he sees the horse still again as it sniffs the flowers, but… something suddenly feels off about the area. More off than normal.

He looks down to where two guardian husks are innocently enough lying toppled on the ground and he finds himself breaking off from the others.

"Wild, the horse is that way," Legend grumbles but Wild is now ignoring them. Something… something was off. Very, very off.

He stops at the bottom of the small hill and looks at the two guardians and his mind starts to go blank. He panics when he realizes what's happening. How has he stumbled upon a memory? He has pictures of them all, and they're all places he had found so he can purposely avoid running into them. This one isn't in there.

He wants out. He wants to scream and scramble backwards because he doesn't want to know what happened here. He doesn't want to know what happened one hundred years ago. He doesn't want to know but his body is stuck, his eyes are staring at the husks and grass is tickling at his shins and Four is asking if he's alright. He would cry no, he's far from okay, if he could find his tongue. The edges of his vision is turning white and he has one final thought of terror before he's plunged into a world of fire.

-o-o-o-o-

He aches. That's the plainest way to say it. His whole body just aches. It aches as he deflects another Guardian from hitting Zelda behind him. It aches as his shield shatters. It aches as a deadly laser explodes along his side and sends him tumbling to the ground.

"Link!" Zelda screams. He can't... He can't fail her now. Not after all they have worked for. "Link, run! Get away from here, I'll be fine…"

He coughs blood into the ground but forces himself to his feet once again with his sword held out. The fire licks at his legs and his whole left side is burning like it's on fire. He can't feel his left ear. He vaguely realizes that it's been melted off.

"Link," Zelda says again, probably through tears, but he can't turn and look because there's another Guardian climbing on top of two dead ones and it's glaring it them.

He can feel his heart jump to his throat and he desperately tries to blink blood out from his eyes as the Guardian rears up and activates it's laser. Link will take this, he will take this blow for Zelda so she can run. She's too important, so important. So, so very important.

The guardian is about to fire and Link is about to close his eyes to accept his fate, but Zelda pushes him out of the way, screaming. The world tips below him and he desperately tries to find his footing. Everything explodes into beautiful golden and Link stares wide eyes at Zelda who has a glowing mark on her hand, who is killing every guardian with each pulse of golden light that erupts from her palm. He sees the guardian flicker sadly before it collapses. Zelda relaxes her posture and looks at her hand like she's surprised.

Link has just a second to think how proud of her he is, how he's not surprised, before he collapses too.

"Link? Link!"

He can feel his body being shaken and it takes all of his strength to keep his eyes open long enough to see her face, begging him not to go. To stay. To help her. "You're going to be okay, Link, we'll get help, we'll-"

Link can only smile a fraction at her before his consciousness is ripped away from him with the sound of her horrified gasp. Everything goes black.

-o-o-o-o-

"Wild?"

He's forced back into the present and he can feel every last scar on his body burn. He stumbles back, looking at the fallen Guardians in a new light that he did not want.

A hand touches his shoulder and he flinches back violently as the realization of what has happened hits him. He's just remembered something, he remembers his death. He bends over and pukes.

"Woah! Wild?!"

He tries to take a deep breath but he can't. His scars are on fire, he can feel each tendril of scarred tissue along his whole body painfully clear. He forgets to stand, and he falls to his knees and bends forward so he's leaning on his elbows, his forehead touching the ground. He's heaving for breaths and everything is so quiet but so loud at the same time.

For a second, he thinks it's like the first time, but then his stomach rebels again and a whimper is forced from his throat as his whole body twinges in agony. The air is too thick, he can't take any in, but he's desperately trying to. He hacks acid from his throat, his breakfast already out of his stomach, and he's about to continue to dry heave until he feels something touch his shoulder.

He flinches. Danger. There's danger. He has to fight- he's always fighting-

He scrambles onto his feet and pulls out his sword, facing the blurry figures in from of him. He blinks and they're Guardians, he blinks again and it's Calamity Ganon, then is Bokoblins and with each breath the enemy shifts and Wild... Link is terrified.

He swings his sword when a figure gets to close, but his weapon is instantly blocked. He can hear yelling through the ringing in his ears and he continues to fight. He has to fight. Protect Zelda. Don't die don't die don't die.

Arms wrap his arms and chest from behind and he's forced to drop his sword. He's locked against the chest of the surprise attacker and it sends his fear through the roof. He screams and kicks his legs back desperately but the restraining hold doesn't relent, it just gets tighter.

Everything is spinning and his body feels so heavy. He unwillingly slumps against his captor. He tries and fails to keep tears at bay. He can feel himself losing consciousness and he wants to fight it, he really does, but… the blackness sounds more comforting than reality.

-o-o-o-o-

Wild wakes up slowly, likes he's trying to swim through mud. Everything hurts, his chest, his head, his arms, and he almost wants to give back into sleep, but there's someone holding onto his hand.

"Wild? Are you awake, cub?"

Wild opens his eyes and blinks at the stable ceiling. He doesn't recall falling asleep here. He groans and lifts his hands to his eyes, rubbing at them until he could see clearly.

"Wild?"

"Hmm?"

He turns his head and sees Twilight sitting at the side of the bed, worry pulling his eyebrows together.

"What happened?" Wild asks. He holds back a hiss of pain as he begins to pull himself up so he's sitting.

"You tell me," Twilight says through a half-hearted chuckle. Wild gives him a look and Twilight clears his throat, sadness overtaking his features. "You… were attacking Legend, Sky, and Wind."

"W-what."

Twilight sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Wild… do you remember what happened at all?"

Wild remains silent for a few seconds, wracking his brain, until he does remember.

He remembers everything.

"Oh," he chokes. "Oh."

"No- cub, don't cry-"

But Wild is. He can feel the tears running down his cheeks as he his whole body loses strength. He slumps back down so he's lying and he brings his hands to his face. He silently let's his tears fall.

"Cub, it's okay, you're okay-" Twilight's hand goes down gently on Wild's shoulder but Wild flinches. He hates that he flinches, especially to a touch from Twilight, but the thought of touch sends nausea bubbling into his stomach. Twilight's hand whips back like he's been burned. Wild doesn't know why that hurts him so much.

"What happened?" Twilight whispers.

Wild shakes his head against the back of the pillow.

"I'm sorry."

[spliinkles]

Overzealous

Kind of a continuation from yesterdays fic?

Context- I'm using the headcannon that Wild can be possessed by the other Champion's when he's either under too much stress or unconscious. Another headcannon I made with someone on the discord to add to this is that when activating the Champion's power, not only is the power enhanced, but also a projection of the user of the power can be seen over Wild's body (as you'll see below ;)) aGAIN ANOTHER SELF INDULGENT FIC WOOHOO

Au belongs to Jojo | linkeduniverse

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"What did you do?!" Legend seethed at Warriors who in return coughed, looking away with a look of guilt. He stared ahead, ignoring the pointed glare that was facing him until Legend repeated the question, punching Warrior's arm as if to keep his attention.

Warriors looked down with a grimace, "I don't know, ok? I was practicing with my bow with Wild and I asked him for pointers- long story short, that bird-thing- Rito I think? Whoever is possessing him has kept up his speech for the last six minutes and he doesn't look to be stopping." Legend cursed at the words, "Of course it was you who did it." Warriors scoffed, offended, yet Legend turned, watching the scene unfold.

Before them stood Wild, or, what appears to be Wild with a lack of his, per say, spirit, where the embodiment of 'annoying' now possessed.

From what the others knew, the spirits name was Revali- the apparent official 'greatest archer of all of Hyrule' and everyone's collective unofficial 'pain in the head'. He was, in the least, a proud, flamboyant and 'sophisticated' individual with a love for archery- and a seemingly obvious dislike for Wild.

The two watched the Hylian, who stood straight and proud, something so unlike Wild.

"And honestly, if I knew you Hylian's were open to critique as you oh so generously asked, I would've showed up much sooner, trust me."

That's right, Legend thought, This is the first time this spirit has shown up. Legend mulled over that thought for a second, before narrowing his eyes. He decided that he didn't like this character inhabiting Wild.

Besides Legend, both Twilight and Time -all three in which had just arrived back from gathering items for that night's dinner- stood several metres from the overzealous Hylian, indescribable expression plastered on their faces.

Everyone except Revali was still.

Revali was quick to notice, rolling Wild's eyes with a disgusted groan, "Please, you all know about us, it was only a matter of time before my presence graced you." He took a second to snatch the Sheikah Slate from Wild's belt, albeit a little sloppily as he cursed out at Hylian's anatomy.

Everyone watched as he swiped through it.

Twilight stepped forward frowning, "Hey, what-" he didn't get any further however as the knights bow in wild's hand disintegrated in a fine, glowing blue light before being replaced by a bow much more intricately crafted- Wild's mouth tilted into one of satisfaction, and a handful of those watching couldn't help but to think how un-natural the look was on him.

Revali re-latched the slate, using both hands to hold the well-made bow. He took a couple moments to fiddle with it, checking over finer details of the weapon. By now, Four and Wind had taken this opportunity to approach Wild, unnoticed by the spirit inhabiting the Hylian. They peered over his shoulder, marvelling at the bow, "Do you like this bow a lot?" A sound only descried a squawk left Wild's throat, the spirit jumping slightly as he whipped around, bow nearly smashing into Wind's face had it not been for Time's quick reflexes to drag the boy back. Revali glared at the boy, "Insufferable as Link and twice as small- just my luck." he stated, bringing the bow closer to him, "And this? Of course I like this bow, I was the one to wield it before Link- better yet," he smirked, "I was the one to create it."

Silence.

"Oh, ok." Wind shrugged.

Revali blinked.

"'Oh, ok?' That's it?" several people peered at each other before Four spoke up, "Well, I mean it isn't that special, I smithed most of my weapons myself." several others piped up, confirming this. Revali stilled, owlishly blinked once more, "No." he then stated.

Time could immediately feel a sense of dread travel down his back- he paused, watching Revali's movements, however small they are before tightening his mouth, "It isn't that big of a deal-" "OH please, save your breath." Wild's eyes rolled once more, "to smith a sword is nothing but child's play, now, a bow? This is where skill takes place." Four narrowed his eyes, letting out a scoff of offense, "Are you saying my skills are nothing but rubbish?" Wild eyes glanced at Four, shrugging, "Not saying they're anything spectacular." Four threw his arms up, "Nope! Not doing this today guys." he marched away, Wind quickly following.

"Hm, for a supposed hero he sure has a quick temper." Revali stated, ignoring the pointed glares meeting his figure, "anyway," he turned to Warriors, the man letting an 'oh god' whisper out, much to Legend's amusement, "you wish to learn proper techniques, yes?" Warriors shook his head, "No, I think I-" "Perfect! I'm glad you agree, I've been watching you all through Link and quite frankly, there's much room for improvement for…" Revali paused, glancing around at the others before humming, "well, let's say practice would make for much better improvements, you see?" "Twenty rupees and I'll punch him." Legend whispered. Immediately, Warriors choked on his breath, a hand landing on Legend's shoulders as he tried to contain his laughter. Legend glanced at Warriors, before looking back at the Hylian, "You're right, I'll do it for free." before attempting his attack however, Time stepped forward, "Look… wait what's your name?" Revali repeated his title, just as proud as the first time, "Revali, as much as we would… appreciate the help, we would rather Wild if anything, considering…" Revali sneered, "Considering I'm dead?"

Words died out of Time's throat as everything fell silent.

"Oh god no," Legend then started snapping everyone's attention to him, "Look, if your annoying personality can stick after a century, I'm sure your skills with archery are still there- just because you're dead, it won't change anything. Time's only saying this because we're more comfortable around Wild." Wild's face sneered at Legend, yet he kept quiet, mulling over the words. He then narrowed his eyes, "But I am him- just with more poise." he gestured to his posture with a smile, waving Legend's look of disbelief off, "none of that, I came to teach and teach I shall! Where are your arrows?!" he started to scour the area as others denied, "We don't have that many left!" "Then this will be worth the loss of some extra rupees." Revali merely replied with, finding his targeted ammunition within one of Wild's pouches. He heaved the pouch over his shoulders with ease.

"This is a waste of arrows- we might need those!" Twilight stated, walking to Wild with a stern glare, "look, bird brains, I'm usually all for some fun, but not with supplies that are already low." Revali rolled his eyes, "don't worry, Link's thinking of taking you to his house," confused looks met his, "What, he hasn't told you? Ugh, of course not, the imbecilic. Don't worry, your supplies will be filled soon enough." He nocked an arrow, testing the string before drawing the arrow out. "Hold up, wait, this is going way too fast-" "Good." "No, not good! Wait what are you-"

A gust so powerful it ripped through the entire camp- bed rolls went flying, as well as personal belongings and the newly acquired food. Yet all eyes were on Wild.

Or on Revali, more specifically.

Wild's body had lit up in a spectacular green, yet his body wasn't the main focus, no, the main focus was solely on the green outline of a Rito that engulfed around Wild, as if he was a projection. Green flames littered around them, dancing in the wind that had everyone holding their ground to stop from being blown away themselves.

The view was ineffable.

Even Revali was surprised, looking down at his feathers that moved alongside Wild's arms. The bow itself now lodged between Revali's outline, rather than the Hylian's hands. A twist in his gut, a jolt of realisation- whatever had happened let him interact with his bow- let him feel the object once more, just has he once had. Revali blinked, eyes adjusting upwards, into the oblivion that was the sky.

He had a plan.

The wind died down barely, enough for Revali's voice to be picked up, "Prepare to see a show of a life time!" Then, he shot upwards, into the heavens.

Hearts jumped into their throats watching the projection of Revali from Wild's body soar above them, the wind tormenting the plains around them once more as a gust even stronger than last time shot through them- Wind and Four, although several feet further away, both fell.

The elegance of the way Revali moved in the air almost had everyone in awe, yet Twilight was the first to notice it.

"Wild doesn’t have his paraglider on him!" eyes wide, mouth agape, they watched Revali twist and turn, flying himself higher and higher- until the inevitable fall. Twilight felt his stomach drop, "Oh god no." And then they fell.

Down and down, they fell further; then even faster. The momentum dragging their very beings towards the ever-growing ground. Mere seconds seemed to drag onto minutes for those watching, tormenting them- in the blink of an eye, Revali raised his wings, praying to Hylia- to anyone who'd listen that this would work.

Then, Revali flew.

He felt the wind through his wings, the updraft curving his decent until he himself soared high.

The others on the ground collectively sighed in relief.

Deep within Revali's mind, he could feel the excitement pouring from Wild- Revali laughed, twisting and turning in the sky, feeling as alive as a dead spirit could be, "I have MISSED this!" he exclaimed, diving once more. Then, he saw it- the targets.

And judging by the fire burning from within, he knew Wild did too.

Revali smirked

He had a performance to do.

He dove once more, yet with no intent to stop. His wings tucked in, body lowering as far as it could until the momentum built up enough for him to feel the frigid cold air wisp by like a dream.

"…Ti… e it… " Revali paused for a second, yet still descending, "time it!" Wild yelled again, clearer; the excitement gushing out of him and Revali did so, whipping out his bow and watched wide eyed as a power so strong and so pure engulfed him.

Everything stilled.

No, he thought, watching his descension drift further down ever so slowly, not frozen, yet-

From within, he felt Wild laugh.

"Oh."

He could've laughed, yet instead he aimed his bow, all five arrows nocked.

He shot.

"So this is how you managed to nearly best me, you twerp!"

To the others, they watched in awe as Revali, in a mere second shot the targets, all five, with no effort, hitting each one simultaneously without missing a beat; all bulls-eyes.

Seconds later Revali landed, the outline dissipating quick enough.

Twilight, Sky and Warriors swarmed Wild, who now blinked owlishly- Wild was back. "Hey- are you ok?" Twilight asked, putting a hand on his shoulders. Wild blinked back, before a large smile grew on his face, a small bubbly laugh leaving him. "Holy shit, he's lost it." Legend exclaimed. Sky looked between the two in confusion.

Abruptly, Wild stopped laughing, the smile falling.

Everyone watched him.

His face, once a healthy tone turned pale- Twilight knew exactly what was about to happen. "To the bush!" He shouted, pushing Wild as the Hylian heaved. Quick enough, just as they reached the bush, Wild vomited.

Warriors made a disgusted sound, yet Legend merely elbowed him.

Time's eyes met Twilight's and the elder only rubbed his temples before leaving to go pick up everything that had flew away, passing Hyrule as he helped Four and Wind up from the ground.

Twilight himself just rubbing Wild's back, wondering how he's still alive with Wild's antics.

[dipshitcoyote]

Breath of the Wild Daemon!AU

Ok so! I’m working on an actual fic using these concepts and this version of the BotW world, but I thought that maybe some of you might be interested in my ideas so here! I’m putting pretty much everything under a readmore, because this is copypasted from my planning document, which got very long and doesn’t even have anything to do with the plot of what I’m writing ^^’

Enjoy!

Link’s daemon is a Hyrule Field Mouse (lol get it) named Firielore (fih-REE-ehl-ohr), Firi for short. From Fi, Ciela, and Farore. They settled early, when Link first drew the Master Sword. Historically, the Hero most often settles as a wolf, but other forms are not unheard of and he isn’t the first Hero to settle as something more unassuming.

Pre-Calamity, most people, even other knights, thought that Link and Firi’s behavior was odd. Neither of them ever spoke (Link is mute, but Firi can speak and just doesn’t), and Firi was just as stoic and inexpressive as her human. As a mouse daemon, she was always on his person, usually on his left shoulder as was uniform for smaller daemons of knights and soldiers, but was rarely seen out of that position except for when she would turn to increase their field of view or leave him briefly to scout stealthily around corners/over boulders and the like.

Relating to the issues that make him canonically selectively mute, Link’s lack of self preservation re: his Duty translated to Firi as well. Things like stretching their bond too far for too long for the sake of getting the scope of a situation or enemy, but not letting the pain show externally where someone else might be brought to their knees with it. Other things like Firi using herself as a distraction, running from Link’s arm to the Moblin’s to divide its attention and leaving them both exposed to give Link a chance to strike. The monsters don’t know the difference between hitting a daemon vs. its Hylian, and that makes the contact less bad, but not insignificant. There were rumors throughout the castle that Link and Firi had been separated traumatically or that the Master Sword allowed them the distance, but both are untrue- their bond was no different than any other Hylian, they just pushed it further in the name of duty.

Link and Firi’s character development (in the memories) is subtle just like in canon. Through the Yiga attack she is always on Link’s left shoulder, even when they and Zelda are just traveling. On the hill with the Silent Princess is the first time she’s not there- she hops off his shoulder when he crawls forward to look at the flower and she moves closer to it. After Zelda’s failure at the Spring of Power, Firi touches Zelda’s daemon to comfort him, just for a moment.

Firi had and has (Impa gave it to them with the Champion’s Tunic) a small set of custom armor for protection, but rarely wore/wears it; she’s fast enough that any attack that would possibly hit her in battle would probably kill Link as well. On the battlefield she would either deftly scurry around Link and warn him silently about attacks from behind, or slip into a small armored pouch that existed to protect her in one-on-one combat unless an opportunity to assist presented itself. In the present, she doesn’t participate in battle the same way she would 100 years ago (with the aggressive distraction and the like), moreso providing Link extra ears and eyes in a fight.

Post-Calamity, she is considerably more physically active, but she still doesn’t speak out loud- except very occasionally to Link himself. I.e when they first wake up in the Shrine of Resurrection, Link hears Zelda’s voice first and opens his eyes to Firi sitting on his chest, also saying his name. However, she’s still a very quiet daemon, especially considering that Link communicates via signing and it would be considered acceptable for her to talk for him. In Post-Calamity Hyrule she’s more outgoing towards other daemons and will greet them physically if appropriate.

Zelda’s daemon, Hylayrune (hih-LAE-roon), Layrune or Rune for short, is unsettled until the moment she awakens her power, when he settles as a Snowcoat Fox (Real life equivalent: Arctic Fox). His name comes from Hylia (all Zeldas daemons’ names start with ‘Hy’), (La)Nayru, Hyrule, and rune/ruin. Before he settled, he took atypical forms for the sacred princess’ daemon that were more representative of Zelda’s scientific pursuits, such as bugs (usually a bee), frogs, and lizards. Almost always, the Princess settles as a bird of prey (often owl, occasionally eagle or loftwing), or in some cases a small dragon (as the three dragons Dinraal, Farosh, and Naydra are said to be the daemons of the three Goddesses, with Hylia’s being most often depicted as a golden dragon or occasionally a huge, golden Loftwing).

Rune’s late settling, and his preferred forms before settling, were a huge cause of anxiety for him, Zelda, and their father. This is all tied into their self-doubt about awakening their sealing power and being able to fulfill her duty as the sacred princess, but it’s also personal for the King. His daemon is a Mountain Crow, which though known to be clever and resourceful are seen as a bad omen, even a curse, within Hyrule. It puts stress on his regime, and the idea that his daughter prefers frogs and lizards over forms that have become symbolic of the royal family and the sealing power is deeply troubling. Rune takes “appropriate” forms only at official appearances and ceremonies, and even then, usually a more wild hawk over an owl, eagle, or dragon.

Other characters:

The Old Man/King: Mountain Crow (real life equivalent: Raven)

Urbosa: Islander Hawk (with kind of a more desert coloration. real life equivalent: Harris Hawk)

Riju: Unsettled, usually a Sand Seal bc they love them

Impa: Blue-Winged Heron (real life equivalent: Great/Little Blue Heron).

Beedle: Hylian Retriever (A golden one, fight me)

Other random stuff/past Links:

- The Princess traditionally settles when she first unlocks/uses her powers, and the Hero traditionally settles when he draws the Master Sword. There are some exceptions, like the Hero of Twilight being old enough to have already been settled, and the Links in games without the Master Sword settling in other ways.

-Hero of Time and Twilight both had Wolf daemons. Their wolf forms are kind of a combination of them and their daemons’ appearances. Time had a lighter colored wolf and Twilight had a darker colored wolf.

    - BUT Hero of Time’s daemon is usually a mouse as a child, when he’s unsettled, alluding to past and future heroes.

    - The mouse thing (here and for the Hero of the Wild) comes less from personality and more from the feeling of facing an enormous dungeon boss as Link, like a mouse about to fight a lion.

-Both the Hero of Wind and Four Swords/Minish Cap Link also had mouse daemons.

    - For Wind this is because of the mobility he needed re: moving on a ship (also kind of like a ship rat? Disclaimer: I’ve never played WW)

    - For Four Swords/Minish this is because he shrinks down and is pretty much the same size as his daemon (she’d have to shrink a little bit too but not as much) and I just think that’d be really cute

-I’m not sure what Skyward Sword!Link’s daemon would be. Not a loftwing because it isn’t possible for anyone but a Goddess or a sacred princess (with Goddess blood) to settle as one, but I’ve never played SS so I can’t really say. It would have to be small enough to ride on a loftwing with him, or a bird of some sort- probably all of the people in Skyloft settled like that, now that I think about it. Maybe a beetle?

-Link from the original games probably has a wolf daemon, as well as LttP/LBW Link.

- Spirit Tracks!Link has a white dove daemon and she rides on his head like the birds in the game and its adorable

-Ganondorf always has a boar daemon in any iteration. When he transforms into Ganon they merge, similar to Wolf Link, but grotesquely instead of dissolving together in Twilight.

-Only the Hylians, Sheikah, and Gerudo have daemons

    -The Sheikah have mostly same-sex daemons, with opposite-sex daemons being about as rare as same-sex daemons among the Hylians and Gerudo. No one’s quite sure why.

    -The Zora have sort of a connection to their jewelry and weapons, but not necessarily a physical one. More of a literal “put your soul into your craft” type thing, which is why Zora armor is the way it is and most of the Zora have specialized livelihoods like sculpting and smithing.

    -The Gorons don’t have a physical Thing, they have a special brotherhood with other Gorons. It’s why you rarely see Gorons traveling too far from Goron City, and almost never alone. They can be alone, like a Zora can be without their craft and affects, but it negatively effects them after a while.

    -The Rito have their songs; though not all of them are musically inclined, its a cultural thing and not a physical requirement. Kass would be considered very spiritually aware and expressive, whereas Revali would not, but a non-musician Rito doesn’t suffer for it. There would only be an issue if there were no bards among the entire Rito race, and the songs faded from memory.

[clumsydarknut]

The Spirit of the Hero - Chapter 3

My take on the AU by @jojo56830 over at @linkeduniverse . Still lots of introductory stuff and character creation, but at least it’s good, right? I hope? Anyway. Enjoy.

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               The soft frost coating the forest began to harden into ice as the sun started to dip. Link and his fellows had been on the road for the better part of the day and made good time. His companions were surprisingly adept at foot travel; none had requested a stop, and all kept a brisk pace easily despite the chill. Even so, their speed wasn’t enough to beat the swift autumn sunset and the shadows of the tall pines.

               “This looks like a good place to make camp,” the eldest man suggested from his place at the head of the group. “The road widens here but then narrows into a curve, leaving this clearing on the right here mostly unseen from either direction.”

               “Seems well enough,” the man in red yawned. “Shorty, you seem handy. Help me get a fire started.”

               The headbanded boy raised an eyebrow but followed into the brush. The walk had been mostly silent, but when there had been talking it was done by the man in red. He deemed it necessary to curse at the wind every time it chilled him or swear at a bug every time he was bitten. One could argue the only conversation was a faceplant followed by a shout of “Damn pine roots!” and some raucous laughter by the wild boy in blue. Link guessed it wasn’t so much actual discomfort that caused the complaints; more likely this was the man’s method of keeping himself sane. A relatable sentiment.

               “I’ll hunt,” the boy in blue said.

               “I’ll come with you,” Link put in, “I’m pretty good at tracking.” That was true, though not his primary reason for volunteering. He was fairly certain the boy would get himself into trouble and end up hurt or dead if he went alone. That wasn’t something Link wanted to see, even if they were strangers. Even she was a stranger to me once.

               A twang of sadness pinched in his chest as he and the other boy set off. An image of auburn hair and pink silk cascading over the side of a stone platform lingered in the back of his mind. I woke her up for the kingdom. Because it was the right thing. Even if it hadn’t worked, it would have been worth it. He put a hand to the square-shaped lump in his wallet. I hope she’s okay.

               “We ought to gather herbs as well,” the wild boy hummed, plucking a thistle from the ground and interrupting Link’s somber thoughts. “Especially these ones. Reddish thistles like this go excellently with venison.”

               Link cocked his head. “You sound pretty certain about finding a deer out here.”

               “Well, I mean, it goes well with boar and poultry, too,” he shrugged. “Carp as well, though other fish not so much.”

               Link laughed and joined in collecting the red plants. The boy in blue pointed out a few other ‘tasty’ types of foliage as they searched the darkening woods for signs of game. They had a good bag full of herbs, nuts, and berries when finally they found something.

“Over here,” the boy in blue whispered, crouching in the brush. “Fresh deer droppings.”

               “Very fresh,” Link replied, “Probably very close by.” The two scoured the surrounding earth. The frozen ground didn’t lend itself to holding tracks, but several bent tufts of underbrush gave them a direction. The boy in blue removed his bow from his back.

               A few minutes of swift, careful creeping through the trees, and Link spotted it. A doe, eating purplish berries off of a spindly bush not 30 yards away. He beckoned to the other boy, who had an arrow knocked. The boy in blue spotted what Link was pointing at settled into a low crouch, lifting his bow and drawing the string back. The calmness in his stature as he took aim impressed Link; archery had never been a strong suit of his, but this boy’s eyes said he intended – and expected – to hit his mark.

               The boy released the arrow with a fwip. Instantly, Link could tell something was wrong. Branches cracked and the thud he was expecting when the arrow landed was replaced by a cry of pain and a curse. The doe leapt off into the shadows without a trace. Link and the boy exchanged shocked looks and rushed to where it had been.

               “Are you alright?” an unfamiliar voice called.

               “Peachy,” another replied. Link began digging out a potion when he saw the figure it belonged to. Kneeling on one knee and clutching his left arm was a young man in a heavy green tunic. A wolf pelt lining his collar, light mail beneath, and a shield strapped to his back, he was obviously well-traveled. Sunk deep into his shoulder was the arrow.

               “How…? Where…?” the boy in blue stammered. Link heard two sets of footsteps stumble out of the brush but didn’t look up from the wound.

               “Not your fault,” the injured man grunted, “I jumped in front of it.”

               “Miracle it didn’t hit your head,” one of the strangers breathed.

               Link uncorked his potion and offered it to the man. Strikingly blue eyes met his. Between them a jagged spiral of gray ink crawled its way up onto the man’s forehead before falling down along his nose, and feathery stripes crinkled in suspicion above his eyebrows and along his cheekbones. “It’s only a red potion.”

               The man eyed it again but took it, yanking the arrow from his shoulder before downing it in one gulp. The skin immediately began to knit itself. “Thanks. All I’ve got on me is lantern oil.”

               “Why did you block my kill?” the boy in blue asked, “That was our party’s food for the night.”

               “That doe was pregnant,” the man sighed. “It’s hard to tell from looks, but their scat smells a little different.”

               “Does that matter?” the wild boy huffed, “Pretty sure they taste the same pregnant or not. And you could have died!” The young man glared fiercely but didn’t reply.

               “We’ll share our catch if that makes up for it. We got a good-sized buck and a wild boar not long ago.” Link finally looked up to the two strangers. The one who spoke was young, perhaps two years older than himself, with sandy brown hair and fair skin. He wore a light green tunic, thin chainmail, and a deep red wrap belted over both. Over his shoulders was tied a white cloak bearing a large blue bird. The other man was older, likely in his mid-twenties. Dressed in lush, finely woven green cotton and shiny silver mail, he carried himself with an air of authority and poise. His vibrantly blonde hair framed a handsome face and contrasted starkly with the royal blue scarf draped over his shoulders; the glow of twilight glinted off his polished silver arm braces.

               “We were stocking up in case we were lost for much longer,” the blonde man added, “but if you fellows know where the road is, then we won’t have much other use for so much meat.”

               Link helped the fur-clad man to his feet. “I suppose we can add a few more strangers to our party,” he chuckled. “Which way are you headed?”

               The three newcomers exchanged glances before the blonde man replied, “That depends on where we’re at, though probably Castle Town for me.”

               “Castle Town?” the boy in blue puzzled, “Strange, that’s where our party is headed.”

               “Strange indeed,” the fur-clad man hummed. He stretched his shoulder with a wince. “Looks like my arm’s a little tender. Lend a hand with the buck? It’s a bit large for just one.”

               The boy in blue nodded, and they followed the strangers into the brush to where their kills lay waiting. The buck was indeed quite large, and the boar equally impressive. Link helped the blonde man and the boy in blue heft the deer onto their shoulders while the man in the white cloak took the boar.

               “This is going to be delicious,” the boy in blue smirked as they set off for camp.

               “Who shot these?” Link asked. He couldn’t help but admire the precision – each had been dispatched right in the eye.

               “I did,” the white-cloaked man answered.

               “I’m impressed,” Link conceded, “I’m not much of an archer myself.” The white-cloaked man blushed slightly and hefted the boar higher on his shoulders.

               The rest of the walk passed in silence. Though the three newcomers had been together, Link got the impression that they were also strangers. No one mentioned names. Both the blonde man and the one in fur had weapons equipped and readily accessible. The man in white appeared to have a sword and shield as well, but both were covered by his cloak. He also had a look of deep confusion. I guess it’s not impossible that they were stranded by the storm, but to also be going to Castle Town? There is definitely something strange happening.

               They reached the camp just as the light drained from the sky. The others had a strong fire burning in the middle of the clearing, tossing shadows up against the trees.

               “Praise Hylia! We’ve found the road!” The blonde man ducked out from under the deer he carried and sprinted to the dirt path, leaving the wild boy to stumble about under the unbalanced weight with a disgruntled shout. The headbanded boy and the man in red got to their feet, putting hands to their weapons.

               “Just some more lost travelers,” Link said, “also headed to Castle Town. They agreed to share their catch.” The white-cloaked man laid down the boar next to the fire and offered them a small nod.

               “We’ll have to redistribute blankets, then.” The eldest man had just entered the clearing from the far side, carrying a bundle of wood and no longer wearing his armor. He turned to the pile of woolen bundles near the fire and picked up the largest, then tossed it to the fur-clad man. “We bought ten from the inn in Beaverville – the closest town. I have my cloak, so I’ll only need one.”

               The fur-clad man took a moment to respond, stuttering a quick thank you. The wild boy followed suit and tossed one of his own rolls to the blonde man, who nodded in gratitude.

               “Well I’ll be keeping both of mine,” the man in red announced. “I don’t have a cloak, and I don’t want to freeze during the night.”

               “You can take mine,” the shortest boy said, handing a roll to the man in white. “I’m small enough that one will be plenty, and I have my cloak as well.”

               “It is greatly appreciated,” he smiled. “My cloak isn’t big enough to make a good blanket.”

               “Perhaps take my spare as well then,” Link put in. He was quite accustomed to sleeping in the cold and wouldn’t mind sacrificing a layer.

               “Better not,” the man in red cut in. “What would we do if another lost stranger showed up? Then I’d have to give up my spare.”

               Laughs passed around the camp, but they were quickly replaced by a silent tension. There are quite a few of us. Who are these strangers, exactly?

               The eight men unrolled their beds in silence, casting suspicious glances at their fellows. The fur-clad man in particular was especially nervous. Each time Link looked at him, he was watching the eldest man intently. I doubt he’s taken his eyes off of him. Does he realize?

               The wild boy took less than a minute to lay out his bedroll and jumped right into butchering the buck. Link was awed at his skill; every cut careful but quick, every slice clean and precise. When he had finished with his own bed the boy had naught but a carcass left and was already working on the boar.

               “I’d love to get more of this frozen,” he mumbled, working off a portion of hide. “Beautiful kills, really. It’s a shame most of it has to go for jerky. What I wouldn’t give for some ice arrows.”

                “Ice arrows?” The eldest man raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty rare item, wouldn’t you say?”

               “Not really. I saw a bundle of fifty or so at the market last week and I really wish I had bought them.”

               Link shared confused glances with the others seated around the fire. Ice arrows?

               The eldest man stroked his chin. “A bundle? That’s new. Though I haven’t been to a proper market in quite some time.”

               “Is there another way they come?” the wild boy asked, glancing up from the boar.

               “Well, I have my spell stone for them. I’d offer to use it, but I’m a bit low on magic.”

               That made more sense to Link. He was well acquainted with casting spells, and he supposed creating arrows with the power to freeze things could very likely be a spell he wasn’t acquainted with. The others still looked puzzled, however, and this time the wild boy joined their ranks.

               “I’ve got something that’ll work,” the man in red announced, having just finished with his bedroll. Link gave a start. From his things the man removed a shiny silver scepter tipped with a large blue crystal. It was short and looked fairly lightweight. The man in red tossed it back and forth from hand to hand and swung it like a baton with ease. A magic rod? I thought mine was the only one.

               “Whoa, an ice rod!” the boy in blue grinned. “I haven’t seen one of those in ages!”

               “Mhmm. And lucky for you, I’m full on magic.” The two set to arranging the excess meat on a tarp, Link and the other five men watching curiously. The boy in blue took a step back, his face plastered with an eager smile.

               The man in red took a deep breath, closing his eyes and holding the rod in front of his face. Link felt the familiar tingle of magic before he saw it. The man took on a slight glimmer, his hair waving slightly as if brushed by a breeze and the rod beginning to glow. The man opened his eyes and swung the jewel down at the meat with a grunt. From the crystal burst a cloud of snowflakes and bluish energy. Link heard several of the other men gasp, and his own lips parted in surprise. The nebula of ice collided with the tarp and instantly covered their catch in thick frost before dissipating with a puff.

               “There, that should keep it unspoiled for a while,” the man remarked with a smirk.

               “Impressive,” the eldest man said, “May I see?”

               The man in red shrugged and tossed it to him while the boy in blue began wrapping up the frozen morsels. The group expected the grizzled traveler to say something as he examined the treasure, but he didn’t look up from the glittering scepter. After a moment the man gave a start, as if remembering there were other people there, and tossed the rod back to its owner.

               “Beautiful craftmanship,” he coughed. “Shall we get started on food?”

               The wild boy was an exceptionally good cook, Link discovered, though it wasn’t a surprise based on his skillful butchering and extensive knowledge of herbs. With little aid the boy threw together delicious meat skewers seasoned with a pinkish flower they had gathered on the hunt. Each bite of the kebab filled Link’s belly with warmth as well as curbing his hunger, and the pops of fresh rock salt – the boy’s “personal supply” – were a pleasantly tasty addition. When everyone had had their fill, they each retreated to their bedrolls, leaving only the boy in blue to tend the fire and the deer jerky he had smoking.

               As Link crawled into his bedroll, he once again became uneasy. I don’t know any of these people. How did I end up here? How did they end up here? This can’t be coincidence… or can it? Can I trust them not to kill me in my sleep? He glanced around at the other blanketed lumps. They had agreed that two people would take watch at a time, the first watch being the wild boy and the man in white. The second would be the eldest of them and the blonde man with the scarf, followed by the wolf-pelt boy and the man in red, followed by the shortest traveler and himself. It gave him some comfort to know he shared the watch with the same person he had shared a room with the night before, but it wasn’t enough to invite a comfortable sleep.

               Perhaps counting the stars will help, he thought. He shifted onto his back and peered up through the needle-laced canopy. Small, twinkling lights peeked through between thick pine branches and the dancing shadows of the dim fire. Link took a breath. The wild never really changes, I suppose. He watched the stars vanish and reignite as the clouds passed overhead in a peaceful dance, his eyelids slowly getting heavier and heavier. Even if I can’t trust them, I can trust the wild. His eyes locked onto a particularly bright star as his mind began to fog. The pinprick disappeared behind a cloud and in his half-asleep haze he waited for it to reappear. It sure is taking a while. The thought floated through his brain like a potato in pumpkin stew. Must be a pretty big cloud this time. He glanced at surrounding pinpricks, and his stomach dropped. That’s not a cloud.

               “There’s someone out there!” the boy in blue shouted. In seconds all eight men were on their feet, searching the darkness with their backs to the fire.

               “Where? What did you see?” the blonde man barked, weapon in hand.

               “Didn’t see, heard,” the boy hissed, nocking an arrow. “No idea where it came from. Sounded like it was right on top of us.”

               “Footsteps? Voices?” The man in red demanded. The eldest man drew his claymore and the fur-clad man his sword.

               “Neither,” the man in white growled. He held his cloak-wrapped weapon tightly by the sheath, other hand clenching the hilt. “I heard it too. Rustling of branches. Methodical. Too rhythmic for an animal.”

               Link held his shield firmly, frantically searching the branches above for what he had seen. Where is it?! Where did it go?! The headbanded boy took notice and turned his eyes upward.

               “It’s in the trees!” he yelled. The boy in blue turned his bow to the sky while the man in red lit a torch.

               “Show yourself!” the eldest bellowed.

               The men tensed as a branch broke with a crack.

               “WhooaaaaAAAAHHHnngDJAH!”

               Now in the middle of their camp, having fallen out of a tree, was a teenage boy. He was rather lanky, wearing a bright sky-blue tunic bearing an imprint of a lobster and sandals quite unsuited to the cold weather. His wild, poofy yellow hair framed a young face, which grimaced in pain at the hard landing. His black eyes and dark thick eyebrows told Link he wasn’t from Hyrule, but the pointed ears said he definitely was. Link would have thought he was harmless if he hadn’t been equipped to the nines with weaponry.

               “Hands!” the wild boy growled, pulling his bowstring back. “Don’t even think about your sword!”

               The newcomer winced and lifted his hands slowly. “Geez, I just fell out of a tree, you think I’m capable of killing you all?”

               “Quiet!” the man in red ordered. He looked to the boy in blue. “See, I told you showing off that trinket would bring us trouble!”

               “Didn’t stop you from showing off that ice rod…” the boy mumbled back. The man in red didn’t notice.

               “What are you doing in our camp?” the eldest man spoke sternly.

               “Falling out of a tree, obviously.” The eldest glared and the newcomer gulped. “Alright alright! I saw the smoke and figured maybe I could get warm here! That’s it! Honest!”

               “Why climb a tree, then?” the blonde man snarled. “Sounds like a scout to me! Are there more of you?”

               “No! No, I’m alone! Just… I, uh…” The boy glanced around sheepishly. “I… wanted to smell the jerky better. I haven’t eaten in days.”

               Almost on cue the boy’s stomach growled loudly. The men exchanged glances. After a minute the man in white stepped forward.

               “Take off your weapons, and we’ll talk. I’ll put down mine first.” The man crouched and laid his sword in front of the blonde boy. His dark eyebrows crinkled in distrust as he searched the man’s face, but slowly began unhooking his shield. After a few more tense moments, the boy was weapon free and they collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Link sheathed his sword and the others followed suit.

               “Sorry,” the boy offered timidly. “I’ve been hopelessly lost all last night and all of today and I’m really not dressed for the weather. Probably shouldn’t have snuck up on you, though.”

               “Definitely not,” the man in red scoffed.

               “Hey,” the fur-clad man snapped, “It’s not like he could have yelled, ‘Hello! Strangers! I’m lost and all by myself! Can I get directions?!’ That’s just as dangerous.” He turned back to the newcomer. “You’re welcome to some of our food – we have plenty.”

               “Thank you very much,” the boy replied. “Though I probably could have yelled that and avoided bruising myself falling out of a tree.” The group chuckled.

               “I suppose that means I should redo my bedroll?” Link put in. He crouched next to his spot and pulled one of the blankets off, tossing it to the newcomer.

               “Oh wow,” the newcomer breathed, “Thank Hylia for meeting strangers in the woods. My toes… they can’t do another night in the cold.”

               “Why sandals?” the man with the scarf asked.

               “Oh, I’m not from around here,” the boy said casually, brushing some dirt off the wool blanket. “I live on an island. Much warmer there. I’ve never seen a forest this big or this cold.”

               The group passed around puzzled looks. Island? The ocean is nowhere near this forest. Twice the distance to Hyrule Castle and then some. And he’s lost here? What is going on?

               “Say, what’s your name, son?” the eldest man asked.

               “My name?” The boy ran a hand through his hair. “It’s Link.”

[umbracado-blog]

MAJORA | GOLDEN GODDESS

Throughout the Zelda series, the three GOLDEN GODDESSES who created the world of HYRULE and the TRIFORCE (DIN, NAYRU, and FARORE) are repeatedly mentioned and are shown to be both real and extremely powerful, albeit usually hands-off concerning their creations. That said, there are a few other entities in the Zelda canon that are comparable, at least in terms of raw power or significance. Examples include Oshus from Phantom Hourglass and DEMISE of Skyward Sword fame, but this theory will be focusing on the big players in TERMINA.

The FOUR GIANTS of Termina seem to have a role parallel to that of the three Golden Goddesses. Though they are never explicitly said to forge the world of Termina from scratch, Locals say they were responsible for creating the four distinct areas surrounding Clock Town, which make up a majority of the game’s world. The fact that four of them working together can stop a flying celestial object shot at the world by a vengeful deity also speaks volumes about their power.

In fact, three of the Four Giants’ regions can be seen as reflections of Din, Nayru, and Farore.

Din, whose essence is in the TRIFORCE OF POWER, is also associated with fire and theGORON people, who tend to eat rocks and live around volcanos. SNOWHEAD in northern Termina is where the region’s Gorons live, the local Temple rewards Link withFire Arrows, and the Temple also requires Link to use his physical Power in his Goron form to break obstacles to complete the temple.

Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, is also associated with Water, Magic, and the ZORApeople. The GREAT BAY in Western Termina is home to the region’s Zora population, has obvious associations with water, rewards Link with Ice Arrows (Ice and Water overlap sometimes in Zelda) in its Dungeon, and contains a Research Laboratory. The Lab’s location and its being associated with Wisdom could be a stretch, but note that LAKE HYLIA, a location in Ocarina of Time associated with Nayru and the Zora, also has a Lakeside Laboratory. Plus, the GREAT FAIRY of Great Bay Temple grants Link a Defense upgrade, similar to the Spirit of Wisdom in Phantom Hourglass.

Farore, the Goddess of Courage, is the relative oddball of the trio, being associated with Wind, Life (especially Woods and Plants in Particular), Green, and races such as theKOKIRI and DEKU.family of creatures. The SOUTHERN SWAMP in Termina is dominated by the DEKU SCRUBS, who are not only plants but also capable of limited flight, using Deku Flowers to launch into the air. The basic bow and arrows that are unlocked in Woodfall Temple have no special magical characteristics, but note that even basic arrows are just flying pieces of wood.

This leaves one giant’s location, IKANA CANYON, unaccounted for. Ikana Canyon’s recurring motifs are the presence of death and the contrast between light and darkness. Death examples are easy to come by, such as the graveyard and presence of undead GIBDOS andREDEADS. Though this is the only region without a corresponding transformation mask, the Song of Healing can be used to obtain the GIBDO MASK, which tricks the undead into thinking Link is one of them. The infamous Elegy of Emptiness (elegies are laments for the dead) creates husks of Link’s current form that are necessary for completing Stone Tower Temple. TWINMOLD, the big boss fight in this area, resembles a worm or maggot, animals typically associated with death and decay. As for Light and Darkness, the Mirror Shield is obtained here, and STONE TEMPLE TOWER features the Light Arrows. Also note that the Tower itself is light-based despite being surrounded by darkness and death, and actually doesn’t include the Gibdos and Redeads found elsewhere.

So, why do three of the Four Giants match one of the three Golden Goddesses so easily, leaving only one exception? Maybe there is something else in Hyrule that corresponds to the last Giant, associated with the themes of Death of Light. For the sake of both the canon timeline and real life release dates, let’s mostly focus on Ocarina of Time’s incarnation of Hyrule.

Ocarina of Time largely focuses on other motifs until later in the game, using settings such as trees, caves, and really big fish for its dungeons. The two last regular dungeons in the game though (excluding Ganon’s Tower of DOOM) are almost exact matches. Also note that either one can be completed first and that both require more time traveling than any other dungeon.

The SHADOW TEMPLE (plus the Well) near KAKARIKO VILLAGE is based around the themes of Death, Darkness, and Deceit. They are packed with undead enemies, including the same variety of Redeads and Gibdos that haunt Ikana Canyon, STALFOS, DEAD HAND,BONGO BONGO, and those flying magic skull things (you know the ones… with the things).

The most useful treasure found here is the Lens of Truth, which sees through illusions. The temple is also loaded with various references to death and darkness, my personal favorite being the boat that is a “ferry to the other side,” almost certainly an allusion to Charon the ferryman from Greek Legend.

The SPIRIT TEMPLE, which is on the exact opposite side of the world, focuses mostly onLight. This temple requires playing as both a child and adult. Child Link needs to collect theSilver Gauntlets and Requiem of Spirit to complete the temple as an adult. Note the oddity of a Requiem (prayer for departing souls) being used to reach the Light Dungeon. As an adult, Link collects a Mirror Shield to solve Light-based puzzles. He also fights three IRON KNUCKLE enemies, which are also found in Ikana Canyon in Termina.

If we look for connections between Ikana Canyon and the fourth entity in Hyrule, we can guess that they were likely associated with either the GERUDO or SHEIKAH, much like how other races were associated with other goddesses. Their color of choice is likely purple, based on the purple color of the Shadow Medallion. Purple is another recurring color in Zelda, ranging from Player 4’s color in the Four Swords games, the Element of Earth in Minish Cap, and MAJORA from Majora’s Mask.

Yes, we finally got to Majora.

Let’s review what we know about Majora and its Mask. A long time ago (“ancient tribe” is a bit ambiguous), this mask was used by a now extinct group for magical rituals, but any more details in-universe are largely guesswork. Even the HAPPY MASK SALESMAN doesn’t seem to know that much about it, other than hinting that the mask was the home of a dangerous spirit rather than being an evil costume piece. Majora is also unbelievably powerful, seemingly far more so than Ganon ever was at any point in the series. Even the likes of Demise probably couldn’t destroy the world in a three-day weekend while still technically being bound within the mask.

And although the mask is too alien to easily empathize with or rationalize, it is obviously a conscious being, based on some of the game’s latter scenes and dialogue. It is also aware of what’s happening around it, as seen with the four children wearing boss-based masks on the moon indicate.

One thing that’s often overlooked, however, is that Majora likely came from Hyrule. That’s where the SKULL KID and Mask Salesman were found in Ocarina of Time, a short while before Majora’s Mask took place. The Mask Salesman also seems to have had Majora’s Mask for a while, but he can easily be found in CASTLE TOWN throughout Ocarina of Time, suggesting that he at least had it with him in Hyrule for a while. The game actually begins in Hyrule, when Link is ambushed looking for his lost friend. And even though Skull Kid and Majora curse a bunch of people, these all happen a relatively short time before Majora’s Mask begins, suggesting that Skull Kid only started using the mask very recently.

Last, let’s see what Majora itself had to say, both in person and via the Moon and moon children.

I wonder, if you do the right thing, does it really make everyone happy?

Your friends… What kind of… people are they? I wonder… Do these people… think of you… as a friend?

When a body is used by another, it can be called nothing but a puppet.

OK, let’s play good guys and bad guys… I’ll be the good guy, and you be the bad guy, and when you’re the bad guy, you just run.

Everyone has gone away, haven’t they?

That’s surprisingly insecure for a destroyer of worlds. And considering how Skull Kid has been left behind by the end of the game, it seems that this can not all be the thoughts of the Skull Kid still echoing in Majora. It’s as if Majora itself has some deep-seated issues involving trust. It questions the morality of its actions, worries about being used by others, and seems very concerned with how others view it.

THE THEORY IS THIS:

The Golden Goddesses once included four members: Din, Nayru, Farore, and Majora. Each played a valuable role in its creation and complemented another member of the four. Din and Nayru balanced one another, with Fire meeting Water, Power meeting Wisdom, and Creation meeting Order. Likewise, Farore and Majora balanced each other out. Farore would bring Wind, Life, and Courage while Majora would offer Earth, Death, and Peace (themes seen in Ikana Canyon).

The four of them created the world of Hyrule and its many peoples. Perhaps Majora’s favorite people were the predecessors of HYLIANS. Though a variety of humans exist in the Zelda universe, it should be noted that the ones with pointed ears (Hylians, Sheikah, and Gerudo) are most closely associated with many of Majora’s favorite points, as seen in OoT’s Spirit and Shadow Temples.

It is also likely that the four goddesses spent a while living in the world they made, much like the Giants of Termina. This would be a bit of a weird dynamic for common people, especially concerning Majora. Gods associated with accepting one’s fate and returning to the Earth are not always going to be popular.

The thing is, if there’s one thing the Zelda series is consistent about, it’s powerful beings able to be defeated by much weaker ones. Link defeating Ganon a bunch is the most obvious example, but even benevolent deities like the WIND FISH and Four Giants are shown to be vulnerable to something they should be able to take on. So it’s possible that the peoples of early Hyrule could defeat Majora with a well thought out plan and the element of surprise. This plan: trapping her in a mask, which would only be used for exploiting her power.

The remaining trio could react in a number of ways. they would almost certainly be upset, both because of personal safety concerns and the outrage at Majora being imprisoned by the world she helped create. Rescuing Majora would be a high priority, but being very powerful doesn’t necessarily grant omniscience. A mask is very easy to hide, and they wouldn’t even necessarily know to look for a mask in the first place. That said, it would be an utter waste to destroy the peoples they created. Not all of them were necessarily guilty. Nevertheless, Hyrule was no longer safe for its creators.

So the Golden Trio departed from the world, leaving only a portion of their powers behind to create the Triforce.

Thing is, without the Golden Goddesses, the world would soon be attacked by outside threats like Demise. This was bad enough, but worse was the fact that Majora could not contribute her efforts into maintaining the world’s balance. Thus, the nature of Hyrule changed forever. Without an entity that could manage death and ultimate peace, undead creatures would begin to plague the world. Worse, monsters like Ganon were literally unstoppable, since they were powerful enough to overcome any force that would make them face a proper death or ending.

And so, by trapping the Goddess associated with Death, the people of Hyrule allowed the greatest killer in their history to go largely unopposed. After all, even when a hero rises, he can not always stop Ganon immediately. The Downfall timeline is based on the good guys simply failing.

Majora didn’t see most of this. She was in a mask most of the time, wondering why her three sisters had not saved her. Did they know about this? Had they taken part? Why would they betray her?

So ages later, when little Skull Kid allowed Majora to see her surroundings for the first time in at least a few centuries, likely much longer, she was neither entirely rational or calm. When she saw Termina, she saw something resembling what the world she made might look like after X many years. So bringing the moon down? That was revenge.

Theory by u/salnax

[melancholicwriteaholic]

Legend of Welp! #32

This one was getting depressing so I added that little joke at the end.

Original Link: Yeah, of course mankind had enemies, even back in Hylia’s rule. Wizards, wars, monsters, all kinds of enemies. I mean, I were a knight. If there are knights, there are enemies. Logic.

Twilight: ?

Original Link: Before Demise came up from the earth with his great army I was mainly a trouble making vigilante. I loved to travel and often took jobs that involved lots of moving about. I don’t like to brag, but my swordsmanship was nothing to sneeze at. I roamed the earth and became so famous and simultaneously infamous that the first time I met Hylia she had already known about me.

Twilight: *eyes perch up*

Original Link: Yeah, Hylia. Zelda’s first incarnation. I think I fell in love with her before she did for me, but who knows. It was a long time ago. I still love her to this day. *sigh* But... sometimes I think it was a mistake.

Twilight: *taken aback*

Original Link: A mortal should never fall in love with a Goddess. Don’t get me wrong. I love Hylia and she loved me too, and I would go through anything for her. But she was immortal and I wasn’t. But that wasn’t the worst of it. It never is that simple when fate and deities are involved.

Original Link: If I had died and that was the end she would be sad, but she would have recovered, eventually. But in order to defeat Demise, she had a plan that involved us reincarnating. Just once, mind you, not over and over again. She would abandon her immortal identity as a God in order to take the Triforce and my spirit inhabiting a new human would rescue her from her sleep. That was her plan.

Original Link: But you know what happened after that, don’t you? Demise placed a curse: a new hero and a new Zelda would always come forth bearing our spirits to fight his incarnation over and over again. Because Demise, despite his awe inspiring power, was just a pissbaby sore loser to the end. Heh.

Original Link: What does this have to do with Hylia? Well, even though we call it “reincarnation,” it’s really not even that. While my spirit inhabits your body, your own soul and identity is truly your own. Same thing with Zelda and Hylia. You, Link, are not me. That’s why it’s possible for two Links and two Zeldas to live at the same time. That’s why the Hero’s Shade could train you and you will be able to, if you will, train the next hero after you die.

Original Link: But let me ask you this: Demise made it so that a new Hero would come about to fight him over and over again. But why is that hero always male? Why does he always have the same body type? Why are you never, say, a female? A gerudo? A goron? Why are you never fat, or short, or skinny, or anything else? Why, in all incarnations of the hero, are you always a human male who looks almost identical to me?

Twilight:  *slowly realizes what OL’s getting at*

Original Link: You look like me, Twilight, because Hylia wants you to look like me. I give her the benefit of the doubt, of course. I think it’s subconscious, or she doesn’t notice herself doing it, but she will not let Demise’s chosen opponent be anybody else but me. She won’t let me go. She also won’t let herself go. Demise promised a Link and Zelda, but it’s Hylia who decided that Link and Zelda will be me and her.

Original Link: You are here for now because of Demise. But I am here forever because of Hylia. 

Twilight: . . . 

Original Link: . . . *sigh* Rest easy, Hero of Twilight. Your soul is free from the mess of a life mine has become. When you pass on you will meet Ilia, and Midna, and your Zelda, and all of your other friends on the other side. You’ll be with the hero of time, the hero of the four sword, the hero of Wind and all other heroes from all other timelines. You, Link, will be free to do as you will after death. It’s best if you forget what I said.

Twilight: . . . no.

Original Link: What?

Twilight: I’ll pass on, but you will too one day.

Original Link: Wouldn’t that be ideal. But-

Twilight: You, Hylia, Fi, and even Demise. I want to see you all on that other side one day, alright? Find a way... even if you have to hook shot yourself towards that distant nebula and beg the Golden Goddesses in person... you had better find a way. Like a hero should.

Original Link: Kid, settle down. 

Twilight: Oh! I’ll help you! *runs off*

Original Link: Link? LINK? Where are you- uh oh. Maybe telling a professional “hero” my sob story wasn’t a good idea...

Twilight: . . . and I also barfed all over a kitten while petting it once. It was super gross. 

Zelda: That is nasty, Link. Why are you telling me all of this?

Twilight: To be unattractive. Very unattractive.

Zelda: Well, it’s working.

Twilight: *fist pump* Yes! Oh! Also I’m thinking of asking Ilia to marry me.

Zelda: Oh, that’s wonderful! When are you-

Twilight: We’re gonna have children and everything! I’m also thinking of teaching my children to NEVER MARRY ROYALTY EVER. As a tradition I hope that will pass down my family for generations.

Zelda: Um.. okay then, so when is the wed-

Twilight: You should really start looking for someone yourself. Preferably someone who’s better than me. Which shouldn’t be hard since I, along with every other Link in history and the future, am just so damned awful. Bye! *runs away, shoving and breaking a vase on his way out*

Original Link: *face palming* Dear Goddesses, I’ve ruined his life, haven’t I?