#hyrule archer

[boysofhyrule]

Randall the Hyrule soldier AU pt4: meeting the Ex

Randall minding his own business not noticing the hero of time approaching

Time: “so your Ruto new fiancé?”

Randall: “HOLY HYAAA! Don’t sneak up on people like that…wait what did you say”

Time: “Ruto, she can be-

Randall: “look I know what you’re about to say. she can be really annoying, and impulsive, sometimes very rude, often…

This one went on for a little bit

Randall:…and yes, when she snores it loud BUT it’s also adorable! But none the less, you even think about badmouthing her you’ll have to deal with me!

He then storms off meetings up with the Hyrule archer

Randall: “who even is that guy, Hmpf”

Hyrule archer: “he’s the hero of time”

Randall: “oh…

Randall: …OH FUC-”

○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●Bonus○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

Time: “Lana who is that?”

Lana: oh that’s Randall, he’s kinda, well he’s Randall

Time: “I wonder why Ruto picked him”

Lana: “well for whatever reason it works. after all, he ran into Ganon by himself to save her”

Time: “yeah…wait what??”

[binkus-likes-things]

GAGAGGAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAGAGAGAGGAGAGAHAHAGGAGAHAHAGGAGAHAHAGGAGAGAGAHAGAGGAGAGAGAG

September Art

[l1ve-l4ugh-lov3craft]

HI, CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT THE AKKALA CITADEL?????

Yes? Wonderful. Come, friend, have a seat. I have...a lot to say lol

Eight years later and I am STILL not over how absolutely genius this fortress is, like are you kidding me????? Everything from location to design to its inside defenses is just *chef's kiss* PHENOMINAL, and so because I have no filter, I am going to barf all my thoughts I've had on it in the past many many years.

Before we begin, shoutout to the WONDERFUL video by Zeltik that touches on this a bit and gave me a wonderful basis for my brainrot in the first place. Definitely go and watch it it's fabulous NOW! Let's get into the madness shall we? First let's talk about the location cos OHHHH MY GOSH. This was, hands down, THE best place they could have possibly put a fortress of this magnitude in Hyrule and I am going to tell you why. First of all, allllllll along the northern and northwestern border of Hyrule, there's those massive canyons

Passing over that in a way that would be effective military-wise is kind of impossible, so it provides a natural defense from invaders from those directions.

If you were to come from the South, you would hit the Gerudo desert and not only have to face the might of the Gerudo military, but also cross this EXPANSIVE, scorching desert before you can even make it to Hyrule field, and by that time, the royal leader could have very easily sent an army to intercept anyone trying to attack, so that's right out.

Which leaves coming from the Faron region next which is okay??? I guess??? but that's a LOT of swamp and forest you have to cross through, AND you go right past the Great Plateau where any army would have been seen and intercepted eventually. This takes us closer to the eastern coast of Hyrule, and you would be hard pressed to try and travel through Necluda, cos just l o o k at all these mountains you'd have to cross:

Horrible. And you probably don't want to go through Zora's Domain cos that's yet another heavily fortified and well prepared city in and of itself (please ask me about this one too I beg of you I love talking about Zora's Domain)

Any military leader with a brain isn't going to go through Death Mountain for obvious reasons, so really, all that leaves is this tiiiiiinnnyyy vulnerable spot in Akkala

And where did they put the citadel??? Right at the heart of that vulnerable spot >:D Like a boss.

AND SO! if invaders came in from that coastline, they have three options: They can take the path through the Akkala Highlands, they can go through the Torin Wetlands and up to the pass it connects to, or they can take the trail up to the Sokkala Bridges. All of these are TERRIBLE OPTIONS Akkala Highlands path: If they come up this way at the start

this will work allll the way until they get about here:

once they get here though, you are now not only bottlenecking an entire army meant to invade a kingdom (so probably roughly 1,000-1,300 people), but you're also directly under the shadow of the Akkala Citadel. There are archers there to fire on you, and they had a canon post on that side to potentially fire either at the incoming soldiers or fire at the opposite canyon wall to rain debris and rocks on them.

TERRIBLE for the other army.

And even if some did manage to survive, it would be painfully easy for the infantry at Akkala Citadel to send foot soldiers down below to cut them off.

SO THERE GOES THAT OPTION (and admittedly, I think it's probably the worst of the three)

Next option is to go through the Torin Wetlands and up into that same pass by the Citadel

this is ALSO a bad idea because the Torin Wetlands are a DELIGHTFUL tactical advantage for Hyrule. Once you get to that pass, you have the same problems as option one, but now you first have to pass through this wide marshland to get there. This will immediately slow down your army, and if that wasn't bad enough it's also in clear freakin view of the citadel and so they would be able to send their entire militia of archers and potentially even cannoneers to fire on the advancing army and take a bunch of them out before they could even make it to that pass.

So a smart general may say the best option is to go around the long way.

now this eliminates the pass and also slowing down at the marsh, and you could even make it almost all the way to the citadel without hardly any losses probably BUT! The first hurdle is those bridges. Wonderful for Hyrule, terrible for the opposing army. The three Sokkala bridges are SMALL, even smaller than the pass an army would have to go through with the other two options. This military leader would basically have to send their soldiers single file unless they have a way to expand the bridges to make them wider (which, admittedly, could be possible with a bit of foresight, but for now for simplicity's sake let's just assume they didn't think that far ahead).

This brings in an EXTREMELY slowly advancing army right to the heart of the Akkala Citadel's battery.

There are three locations with canons we see in BOTW that cover pretty much the entire open area the opposing army would come in on. And when you look at the amount of space each post covered

There is not a SINGLE spot in that valley a cannoneer couldn't easily reach. And, of course they would continue to have archers to pick off individual soldiers as well.

And if SOMEHOW

BY SOME MIRACLE

enough soldiers make it through that hell to be enough of a problem, there are plenty more soldiers in the citadel to cut them off as they come up the hill AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH! there was this:

by the time we get to botw, it has been destroyed, but that is ANOTHER smaller stronghold that was probably pretty well manned in and of itself.

AND WHAT'S MORE

There's even this long cliff road with very little room to operate, so it would be extremely easy for the citadel to send over some soldiers to post up there and cut off anyone who tried to make it past. And with so little room to operate, it would not go well.

Ain't NOTHING getting past the Akkala Citadel, guys.

And that isn't even touching on the fact that the whole thing is build of solid stone??? And carved into a mountain??? The entire reason it fell in the first place was because the Guardians had enough of fire power to destroy the citadel that they had never seen before (also they could climb walls but that's a side note). This implies that no one in Hyrule or the neighbouring kingdoms had even CLOSE to that level of destructive power, so to try and raze it to the ground would have been impossible.

AND!! it was the most heavily fortified fortress in Hyrule second to the castle itself, and to most likely their military personnel would have been equal too, if not slightly more than even Hyrule Castle. That's A LOT of people!! With most likely endless support and resources from the castle and villages nearby as well.

It was placed geniously, it had impenetrable defense, it had a potentially endless supply of resources and people to use said resources, it was just

argjfbdkjgbks You guys don't understand how much I THINK about this place aghhhhhhhhhh

[legendofzoodles]

LU September art things I noticed:

Main archer Wild getting the focus he deserves. Oh, and flexing on us mortals by preparing to dish out three arrows

Nice detail of all the lefties holding their bows one way, while right handed Sky and Wild hold it the other

Some like Hyrule hold their bow with a fist, others like Legend stick out a finger. To help with checking the trajectory?

I love that Time, Warriors, Twilight and Wild's bows look kinda similar

What enemy could prompt such an assault? Look at their faces!

Except Sky; I've never seen him look so calm and almost smug. Might this be an enemy from his world he knows how to deal with...?

I think either Time or Sky would make the call on when to let the arrows loose: "Ready? Aim! FIRE!"

[yandereunsolved]

✧ Yandere Legend ✧

"You could have died!"

"Legend, it's just a bruise from a Bokoblin. It isn't the end of the world."

"Don't start giving me that sass. I'm taking you to see Hyrule right now. You could've gotten a concussion, or worse. You could have internal bleeding!"

"Fine. I'll go see Hyrule if you stop worrying so much."

"You're my entire world. I would die for you."

"What?"

"What? I said you're just a loser. I wouldn't die for you."

"Sorry, the Bokoblin must have hit me over the head harder than I thought."

"See? I was right. Next time let me go with you. We can't lose our best archer."

"I'm technically your only archer."

"That still makes you the best one we have."

"Well, thank you. I am pretty good at this."

"Just do one more thing for me before we get you healed by Hyrule, okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah, what is it?"

"J-Just wear this ring for me. It's enchanted, so you'll be safe."

It'll mean we're married. None of the others will even be able to get close to you. You didn't need to know that. It's only a temporary thing. I'll get you a better and more protective one when we start dating. I can't scare you off quite yet.

[legendofmorons]

I’ve had this idea in my head all day, could I get a scenario or headcanons or something about the chain not knowing that twilight and the reader (gender neutral if possible please) are married? Like the reader is from Ordon village and ended up sneaking through the portal with Twilight. I just want to see everyone else have that “wait a minute” moment after like idk months of traveling and now suddenly someone notices that Twi and the reader have matching rings

Definitely Married, not just besties (Twilight)

Of course! I'm super excited to do this!!!

Pairing: Twilight x reader

Rating: G

Summary: The chain manages to miss that you and your husband are married, you, Twi, and Time enjoy the realization.

Warnings: Vauge injury (no details)

Other: If I missed anything, please let me know.

You'll admit that maybe your husband wasn't thrilled that you followed him through a mysterious and possibly dangerous portal. But he hasn't been too mad, mostly just worried.

Which is fair. It's not been boring on this trip.

The other heroes are fond of you, your skills helpful in many ways. From patching them up, to getting discounts, and even to keeping Twilight from absolutely raging when he finds hurt kids.

It would suffice to say that you fit right in.

-------

You lay in the bedroll you share with your husband, stars above you bright as the others all whisper about plans you can't come to care about.

Unfortunately, Wolfie dosen’t seem to care that you're tryingto sleep, the pesky wolf form of your husband flopping over your torso.

"Wolfie." You warn lowly.

"Oh- (Y/n)! Hey!" Sky smiles from a few feet away.

"Hello, Sky."

"Something wrong, (Y/n)?"

"I'm just tired." You say, pushing Wolfie to lay on your legs as you sit up, "Anyone seen Twi?"

Twilight, in true wolf form fashion, gives a soft bark and noses at your hand. You don't have to ignore him!

"He said he went on a walk. Why?"

"Just wondering, he has a penchant for finding trouble. "

Time laughs at that, "Yeah. He does. We're just talking about our next plan of attack. Any thoughts?"

"We should probably split into groups. Archers and sword fighters." You add with a sigh, reaching to scratch behind Wolfie's ear.

This earns you a happy sound and some tail wagging.

"Smart." Legend says as he works on cleaning out from under his nails with a dagger. All aware of safety and such.

"I think so." You smile.

"How'd you and Twilight even meet?" Wind asks, obviously done with all plans and interested in gossip now.

They others must have been at the strategy for a while if the way everyone immediately tunes in is any indication.

"Oh, well we grew up in Oradon together. We met real young, you know? I hardly even remember a before him."

"You should tell him you like him." Hyrule pipes up, "It's really sweet."

"What?" You ask.

"Tell Twilight you like him!"

You laugh, realizing the others have no idea you're married to your beloved husband. "I'll think about it."

(How do they not know? You two are almost always near each other. There's no shortage of affection. You share a bed roll!)

If later, when Twi is back to human form, you jokingly tell him you have a crush he just laughs and wraps you in his arms and says, "Good."

You fall asleep in Twilight's arms, one hand clutching your ring on the chain it's been on for months now- since the startof the journey. Your other hand rests on his chest.

-------

You sit in your underclothes and pout at Twilight.

Twilight sits across from you as he patches you up while the others wither patch up or help someone else. His gaze is soft, but he's obviously a little upset you took his hits to save him.

"I didn't know you had a ring on a chain." Wind says from where he's wiping off monster gunk a few feet away.

"Oh- yeah. I've had it for a few years now." You say, smiling at Twilight gently instead of looking to the Sailor.

"Kinda looks like the ring the rancher wears around his neck."

"That's on purpose. "Twilight says, adjusting the gauze under the bandage he's finished placid around your bicep.

Time can bee seen behind Twilight, looking smug and amused. The tall gremlin probably has known for a while but he seems as amused as you and Twi to watch the others miss the whole point.

"Why would you have matching rings? Are you super duper best friends or some shit?" Legend huffs.

"Or something." You say, biting back a giggle.

"That's like a married people thing." Hyrule says helpfully.

"Almost like we're married." You say evenly.

This earns a swat at your shoulder from Twilight. "Hey now." He says with a smile.

"Oh my hylia." Time mutters.

"You're married!" Wind declares.

"Yep!"

"To Twilight?" He demands, sounding shocked as can be.

"Unless you know someone else named Link from my home town?"

"Don't tease them, sweetheart." Twilight says, " 's not their fault their dense."

"You're married to eachother?" Sky asks, tone going soft like it does when he talks about his Zelda.

"Have been for a few years, actually." Twilight answers, pressing a kiss to your cheek. "Why?"

"Just surprised." Sky says, "I thought you two were pining."

"We all did." Hyrule adds helpfully.

"I didn't. "Time pipes in, "I've known since the second day."

"Show off." Legend mumbles.

"Awww, it's okay guys! We didn't exactly tell you." You say, trying to make them feel better.

"We didn't hide it either." Twilight says.

"You are telling us everything. "Wind says firmly, "The wedding, the proposal, your getting together, all of it."

You laugh, "Sounds good kid."

"Yeah... That sounds good." Twi echoes, and he's so star-struck just remembering the mentioned points of your relationship. He's whipped.

To this day, the chain likes to ignore the several months they missed the whole 'you and Twilight being married thing.

[hero-of-the-wolf]

This is for the lovely @la-sera , based on this comic here. I really admire your art, and you're such a kind person, so I wanted to write a little something for you :) I hope you like it!!!

Hyrule wasn’t a squeamish person. He couldn’t afford to be with his line of work, but even before he’d taken up sword and shield to fight for his beloved land he’d never been one to shy away from the reality of death. He’d do all in his power to spare the people of Hyrule from it, whether they appreciated it or not, and in turn administered it to every fell beast and monster that plagued his home. That was simply what heroes did.

And so battle after battle, with his eight new brothers in arms, he strove to help in every way he could. He knew that he wasn’t the strongest fighter, but he could hold his own in a fight well enough, and he had spells that the others didn’t know. Hyrule pulled on his magic now, jumping up over a moblin to slash at its head. It roared in outrage, clumsily swiping at him, trying to snatch him out of the air. But Hyrule was faster. He landed and, using his momentum, spun around to thrust his sword through the monster’s back. With a dying gurgle it collapsed at his feet and exploded into black smoke.

This particular battle had been especially brutal. They’d already been low on healing supplies when they’d gotten ambushed, and it’d only gotten worse from there. With no more red potions or fairies, it was all down to Hyrule and his magic.

He rushed to Wind and Four’s sides next. He couldn’t linger for too long trying to catch his breath; the others needed his help. The little pirate had been shot, felled by an archer’s arrow. Already Wind had tears shining in his eyes but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

“I can’t move my left leg,” he rasped, his voice shaking from the force of the surpressed emotion. “Does my leg have to be amputated? Like a pirate—”

“You’re already a pirate, Wind,” Four chastised gently.

Hyrule looked over the wound. The arrow was still firmly embedded into the sailor’s calf, blood slowly oozing out and dripping down his leg.

It could have been much worse.

“No, your leg doesn’t need to be amputated.” Hyrule held out a spare rag. “Here, bite this.”

“I’ll draw this arrow on the count of three,” Four added. “Ready?”

Wind nodded, a traitorous tear finally leaking free.

“One.”

Hyrule leaned forwards, waiting for his cue.

“Two!”

Four swifty pulled the arrow free. Wind flinched back, a startled cry tearing from his lips. Hyrule wasted no time, placing his hands against the puncture wound and summoning his life spell.

It didn’t take much magic to heal. When he was done Wind smiled at him gratefully, the color already returning to his face. Then he shot a glare at Four. “You could have waited till three.”

Certain that Wind was okay, Hyrule tuned out their conversation and turned his attention back to the battle around them. Four could handle it from here, the traveler’s help was needed elsewhere. The others weren’t faring much better, either.

He caught sight of Warriors next, sitting on the ground and clutching at his shoulder. As he drew closer he realized that the captain was bleeding heavily. He had his scarf pressed tightly against the wound, trying to stem the blood all by himself.

He looked up as Hyrule knelt at his side, his gaze glassy and unfocused. “You don’t… need to heal me, Rule.”

“I want to help you,” Hyrule insisted, reaching out to gently pull the sullied blue cloth away. That would be a hard stain to get out, he knew from experience.

“ ‘s too much… blood….”

Hyrule gently shooed away the captain’s resisting hands. “I don’t mind. Now let me see and heal your shoulder, before you lose more blood!”

Warriors finally relented, letting his hands fall limply into his lap and closing his eyes. Hyrule placed his own hands against the wound as gently as he could, closing his eyes as well and summoning his magic again.

There was so much blood. Hyrule wondered how long the captain had been bleeding, unwilling to call out for help. He resolved to be more observant in the future. None of his brothers would suffer needlessly, not if he could help it.

He’d barely even mended the wound back together when he heard a pained cry ring out across the field. His head snapped up, searching the chaos until he found the source of the noise. The champion had fallen, his body a reddish heap on the ground. Legend stood over him, not letting any monster get too close.

Warriors saw it, too. He squeezed the traveler’s arm in thanks. “Thank you. You’ve done enough.”

Hyrule nodded, squeezing his arm in return, before rushing over. Legend turned at his approach, relief washing over his face. He kneeled down with Hyrule, pulling Wild up into his arms.

“What happened?” Hyrule asked, assessing the damage. He could feel that familiar exhaustion already pulling at him, a clear indication that he was quickly running out of magic. He ignored it.

“Wolfos,” Legend panted. “Can you heal him?”

“Of course.”

Hyrule reached for the wound, summoning his magic yet again. Slowly, the flesh knit back together. Hyrule poured in every last drop. The wounds were deep, but he had enough to do the job. He had to.

Once he was satisfied that it was fully healed the traveler leaned back, his head swimming.

Legend noticed immediately. He reached into his bag, pulling out a bottle. “I have a green potion for your magic.”

Another scream. The sound of it sent Hyrule’s heart racing, every hair standing on end, before it abruptly cut off. Then there was the muffled thud of a body hitting the ground.

This battle wasn’t going well for them at all.

Hyrule accepted the potion gratefully, tipping it back and drinking the whole thing in one go. Then he rushed over to where the sound had come from to find Twilight cradling Time’s body. Hyrule’s breath caught at the sight.

“Time, why did you protect me?” Twilight was crying. He placed his hand at the back of Time’s head, pulling him closer. Blood ran down the side of the old man’s face, nearly obscuring it with crimson red. “No, Time! Open your eyes! Please, do-don’t leave me….”

It was hard to tell from a distance whether he was even still alive or not. That wasn’t going to stop Hyrule from doing what he could.

“I’m ready,” Hyrule panted, sliding to their sides. Twilight’s head snapped up at his sudden appearance, looking almost comically surprised. He reluctantly pulled back, letting Hyrule lean in to assess the damage.

Hyrule pressed his fingers against Time’s neck, ignoring a nearby clash of steel against steel that was far too close for comfort. The old man’s pulse was sluggish, but still strong. He turned his attention to the wound next. Head wounds were always tricky, but he knew that he could help.

He could feel Twilight’s eyes on him as he worked, watching with bated breath. The rancher always worried so much, but he seemed to especially lose his composure whenever Time was the one that was injured. It was hard not to wonder why.

By the time he’d finished healing their appointed leader and finally pulled back the battle around them had fallen silent. Hyrule got up, looking around once again. He spotted the chosen hero standing a ways away from the group, still heaving for breath. His tunic was steadily growing red, but either he didn’t notice or he didn’t care.

Hyrule marched over to the knight. “Sky! Let me heal your wound!”

Sky held his hands up placatingly, giving Hyrule a reassuring smile. “Oh, no need, Hyrule. I’m fine, it’s just a scratch.”

Ignoring his words, Hyrule reached out to poke around the wound, trying to gauge how bad it was. Sky immediately collapsed into a heap on the ground, gasping in pain.

Hyrule went down with him, placing a steadying hand on his back and frowning in concern. “Your wounds are deep. This can be dangerous if not treated immediately.”

Resigned to his fate, Sky didn’t resist as Hyrule finished off his magic, mending the wound back together. He gave him a grateful smile when he was done, one that the traveler gladly returned.

The battle over and everyone taken care of, Hyrule stepped away and let himself sit down roughly on the ground. His brothers were all okay.

He needed a nap.

The others set up camp around him, chatting quietly, the sound a pleasant hum washing over him. One by one each of the others came over, leaving gifts. Twilight’s pelt, Sky’s sailcloth, potions and milk and even an entire apple.

Hyrule got to work cutting the apple up into smaller pieces, struggling to stay awake, his eyes nearly crossing from the effort of keeping them open. He lifted his head from where it'd started to droop and resolved to himself to go to sleep after he finished eating the gifted fruit.

“Ouch!”

A sharp prick immediately brought him back to his senses. He stared down at his finger uncomprehendingly, nicked by his own knife.

Bleeding.

He was bleeding.

He yelled, drawing on the very last of his magic to heal the meager cut. Too close. That was far too close.

He felt eyes staring at him. Hyrule flushed, turning around to see the rest of the chain’s attention fully on him.

“You… okay, Rule?”

“Yeah. Yep.” He pulled the cloaks hanging off his shoulders tighter around him. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” Legend waved him off.

One by one, they went back to their conversation. The traveler looked back down at his apple, his ears bright red.

Hyrule wasn't a squeamish person. With his line of work he couldn't afford to be. But the sight of his own blood… the sight of his own blood had always made him feel sick. And knowing now that it was cursed too….

It was best not to leave his cuts unhealed, no matter how small they were.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

DAD SQUAD DAD SQUAD

(for the prompt event)

Abel swore as he ran.

That soldier, that Hero, that idiot child had wandered off, distrusting as he was, or scared or petulant or arrogant, he didn’t even know - all he knew was the Fierce Deity’s other Hero had sauntered off and the Yiga had him.

But it had just happened. Abel was not letting them get away with this.

The Yiga were too far to reach quickly, but close enough to still be seen as they hauled their prize away. The blonde Hero of Hyrule, wrapped in his green and armor and blue scarf, was bleeding from the head, carried easily on the shoulders of one of the Yiga’s massive commanders.

Rusl was hot in his trail, already trying to prepare a weapon of his, but there was no way they were in range for anything. Abel tore across the open field as quickly as he could, adrenaline and rage bringing heat to his body, fueling his legs to move at breakneck speed.

As Abel ran, he caught sight of a traveler atop a horse, and an idea immediately came to his mind. Nocking an arrow, he let it loose, aiming low. When the arrow sank into the unsuspecting traveler’s leg, he let out a yell of pain, falling off his horse.

Abel immediately took advantage of the situation, making a beeline for the steed and leaping atop its saddle, ignoring the animals’ anxious protest, and directed it to run straight for his quarry.

“Abel, what the hell are you doing!” Rusl shouted from a short distance away.

“Get him a potion!” Abel ordered sharply, not wasting another moment, tearing after the Yiga.

Rusl stumbled, breathless, kneeling down beside the poor traveler and searching hastily through his bag. “I’m so sorry, he’s—my friend’s insane.”

As the Ordonian watched his Hylian companion make chase, he pulled out a little whistle, blowing into it while the traveler choked down the potion he’d offered. A hawk cried out in reply, swooping down to land on Rusl’s arm. With a brief, whispered command, the hawk took flight once more, soaring overhead and tearing after Abel.

The Yiga were growing ever closer as Abel urged the horse to move faster. As he rode, he heard a cry from overhead, glancing up to see a brown hawk, talons hovering a short distance above his head, gliding effortlessly before it flapped its wings to speed ahead. Abel’s eyes followed it until he saw that the Yiga were getting close to the wooded area at the edge of the clearing. If they got in there, he’d lose them.

He was close enough. This would do.

With a grunt, Abel moved one of his feet out of the stirrups, planting it on the saddle so he could rise above to get a better shot and more distance. He readied an ice arrow, gritting his teeth and glaring as he let it loose.

They were not getting away this time. He would make sure of it.

The arrow didn’t hit any particular target, but the magic that it spread from the impact managed to reach the majority of the Yiga, including the one carrying this newer Link. The hawk swooped down, pecking at the Yiga as Abel finally caught up to them, leaping off the horse with his sword at the ready. He sank the blade into an unsuspected enemy as he landed, digging his foot into the Yiga’s chest to pull the blade out and swinging it across another foe. He pulled out his shield just as another Yiga tired to fire some arrows at him, protecting him while the commander rose and readied his enormous blade.

Abel managed to move just in time as the Yiga commander’s blade crashed downward, sending a powerful strike his way. The hawk swooped down once more, distracting the archer behind Abel as he charged forward, sliding to one knee as he held his shield overhead, the impact from the massive blademaster’s attack making his shoulder scream in protest. He braced with his other arm, letting out a yell and pushing himself to stand, throwing the Yiga off balance.

It gave him just enough time, and he directed his sword diagonally upward, cutting across the man’s chest. When the Yiga fell to his knees, making him and Abel nearly at eye level, it gave the former knight all the time he needed to finish the job.

The Yiga archer yelled as the hawk pecked at him again, and then he realized the fight was over as his commander’s head rolled to his feet. He vanished in a puff of magic and light, and Abel stood over the bodies a moment, catching his breath.

Link watched him, eyes wide, leaning against a tree, his arm partly frozen from the blast of the arrow, hands bound, face gagged with a cloth.

“I told you,” Abel finally said as he approached him, pulling the gag off first. “Don’t wander off.”

Link seemed like he was trying to maintain some semblance of dignity, or he was just being defensive. He let out a breath through his nose in what was probably supposed to be a huff of defiance. “The last thing I remember was being attacked by people, and then I wake up weak and ill and you’re there talking about traitors to the crown trying to kidnap the Hero. You can’t possibly expect me to trust you instantly.”

“No,” Abel supposed mildly as he cut through the boy’s bonds. “But you currently can’t defend yourself, either. You should know better. Now on your feet, soldier, and this time, listen to orders.”

Link watched him a moment longer and then obeyed, seeming to give in, looking almost ashamed. When he stumbled a bit, Abel caught him easily, pulling him a little closer, finally letting some sympathy bleed through his exhaustion and worry. The boy couldn’t be much older than his own son, and he was going through a lot.

Sighing, Abel let him sink to the ground once more, sitting beside him and letting the boy lean against him. “Link… you have to trust me, okay? I feel it’s fairly obvious who the actual threat is now. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

As he spoke, his hands worked gently away at the ice melting off the boy’s arm. He felt a slight twinge of guilt that he’d hurt him a little, but if he hadn’t he would’ve lost him, which was far worse.

Link swallowed, saying nothing, but he relaxed a little in his hold. When Abel had picked off as much of the ice as he could, he tried to help the boy stand once more. Link was more stable on his feet, clearly trying hard to pull his own weight. Abel directed him towards the horse, helping him mount, and he took the reins away from the Hero so he could direct the mount from the ground.

The pair made their way back across the field, and Rusl finally caught up to them. “Are you two alright?”

“Link will need some looking after,” Abel noted. “I’m fine.”

Link ran a hand through his hair, the streak of white glistening in the sunlight, and then he sighed. “I take it those Yiga have been attacking you two?”

“They’ve been attacking Heroes,” Rusl answered as he walked alongside the horse. “We’ve been trying to get our sons back.”

Link blinked. “Your—you—”

Abel was somewhat exasperated that Rusl just admitted that, but he supposed there was little point in hiding it. It was a natural habit, though, so he didn’t comment, letting Rusl be he personable man that he was. It eased what little tension was left in the young soldier’s posture, and when they returned to camp, the boy was listening to the Ordonian tell stories about his boy. A realization of some sort was slowly dawning across the teenager’s face, though he kept whatever epiphany he had to himself.

He still didn’t entirely trust them, perhaps. Abel wasn’t too bothered by it. He knew the boy would at least listen to him now.

As the sun set, Abel cleaned the blood of his blade, satisfied that he’d managed to eliminate some Yiga and relieved that he’d at least fulfilled his duty in protecting one Hero. With another victory against the Yiga under his belt, he was almost starting to feel…

Well. He wouldn’t say it. He hadn’t been one to hold on to such sentiment since the Calamity.

But perhaps things were finally starting to look up for them. And… perhaps… his son…

Abel sighed, putting his sword down as Rusl and Link laughed over some story or another.

[gothic-soda]

BoTW Theory: The Champions were unarmed when the Blights attacked

Losing my mind I just realised this detail in BoTW and I had to share it. Maybe this has already been pointed out, but I wanted to dive into it. In Memory 15 “Return of Calamity Ganon,” none of the champions are shown with their weapons, except for Link.

See, no weapons.

And when Revali flies up to get a better look at the Calamity, we can see he doesn’t have his Great Eagle Bow.

The only one with a visible weapon is Link, who has the Master Sword.

We can assume that the champions headed straight to their divine beasts while Link and Zelda headed to the castle. Daruk clearly orders all of the champions to immediately head towards their Divine Beasts.

And really, if you think about it, the original plan was for the champions to strike Ganon with their Divine Beasts, they’d have no reason to think they’d need their weapons, because the Champions themselves were never meant to face off with Ganon directly.

Then there is also the fact that each Champion’s respective villages has kept their Champion’s weapons in a chest for 100 years after the Calamity. This is even though no one had set foot on any of the Divine Beasts in 100 years, so if the champions DID have their weapons on them during the battle, how would it be possible for each champion’s race to have their weapons in their possession? And they couldn’t have been retrieved after Link freed the Divine Beast, because Teba makes a comment that he is not strong enough to use the Great Eagle Bow without it slowing down his flight. I don’t exactly buy the idea that Teba, while injured, would have immediately tried the Great Eagle Bow the second Vah Medoh was freed. He most likely did so at some point before freeing the Divine Beast with Link.

We know from BoTW that each divine beasts has chests containing weapons that the champions could have potentially used to defend themselves, but they are all spread out throughout the divine beasts, so it certainly would have been difficult for them to get their hands on any weapons even when they did realise they were under attack.

The only weapons onboard each divine beast were:

Vah Medoh

5x Bomb Arrows

10x Ice Arrows

1x Knights Bow

Even the best archer in Hyrule (which Revali canonically was) would not be able to defeat Windblight with that.

Vah Naboris

1x Knights Bow

1x Knights Shield

The only thing Urbosa would be able to use here would be the shield, she’d still have her fury, sure, but that’s hardly a fair fight. And even if she knew how to use a bow (which there is no canonical basis that she does) there weren’t any arrows aboard Vah Naboris anyway.

Vah Ruta

10x Fire Arrows

10x Ice Arrows

1x Knights Halberd

The only weapon Mipha could even use here is the Knights Halberd. She’d have no use for arrows without a bow, and same thing with Urbosa, we have no idea if Mipha knows how to use a bow anyway. I should also mention that the halberd is in quite a difficult place to get to, right at the top of the Divine Beast. So this really wasn’t a fair fight for poor Mipha.

Vah Rudania

1x DragonBone Boko Club

2x Knights Bows

10x Arrows (in two separate chests, so 2 chests each with 5 arrows)

5x Ice Arrows

Nothing here would be particularly useful for Daruk. The Boko club is made out of wood, so it would catch on fire. And I don’t think Daruk would even be able to hold the Knights Bow, it would be too small for him even if he knew how to use a bow (which again, who knows if he does or doesn’t). Daruk seems to have to worst luck out of everyone.

And yeah maybe there were other weapons on the divine beasts that the champions did use, but my point is to illustrate that most of the weapons they had available to them were not ideal.

The sad part is that these chests were all unopened, so the champions likely didn’t even get a chance to defend themselves, they were taken completely by surprise.

It also puts into context that most of the champions make some kind of comment about their opponent fighting dirty, it literally wasn’t a fair fight.

[breannasfluff]

Not single word but would kindly request cuddly comfort three sentence fic for a post totk wIld reuniting with the chain Main word Reunion?

Hyrule tucks himself under Legend’s arm, feet dragging. The group is exhausted after another fight without a backup archer. They head back to camp for another miserable dinner; too bland or burnt beyond recognition.

Silence lays heavy over the group; no cheerful banter and crazy ideas to break it up. No hand slips into Hyrule’s for a comforting squeeze.

In short, there’s no Wild.

The hero is still missing, called away for another adventure because the Goddesses have no mercy, sometimes. The Chain is left picking up the pieces and trying to patch themselves into a shape that no longer fits.

It’s Four who notices first. “Do you guys smell…cooking?”

There is the scent of a campfire in the air. Hyrule sniffs deeper, but the greenery covers anything further.

Twilight looks around, nose sharper. “It is cooking. From the direction of our camp.”

“Think someone found our stuff?”

“Or is using our fire pit.”

Time, up at the head, just continues plodding with slumped shoulders. “Let’s go get our stuff back. Play nice; maybe they need help.”

“Maybe we need help,” Legend grumbles to Hyrule. He can’t help but agree.

They clump together as they enter the clearing, hands subtly reaching for weapons before they freeze.

Wild gives the skillet a final stir and looks up with a smile. “Hungry?”

It takes a long time for them to calm down and for halting stories to be shared. No one leaves for watch, too intent on staying close.

Hyrule finds himself curled into Wild’s side as the other talks, Legend leaning against his legs. Twilight is on Wild’s other said, clutching a free hand. The rest of the group nestle around the champion. Time is running fingers through Wild’s long hair and the weight on his shoulders has finally lifted. Warriors lounges against Time with a soft smile as he watches.

Wind is swiping at the Purah pad while Wild explains photos. No one misses how his eyes dart to the champion every few seconds, like he might vanish before their eyes. Sky is almost asleep on Wild’s legs, and Four has been captured for cuddles.

When Wild puts his hand down from the most recent story, Hyrule can’t help but grab it and squeeze. The answering pressure is strong and firm.

Alive, alive, alive, it says.

Hyrule tucks it in his heart like a promise. Wild is back and they won’t let him go again. With a gentle sigh, the traveler settles further into his friend’s side and closes his eyes.

[boysofhyrule]

Randall the Hyrule soldier pt3

Randall: “so how where you engaged to the hero of time?”

Ruta: “simple, I was eaten by the great Jabu-Jabu”

Randall: “wait- eaten? Why where you-“

Ruta: “Not important!…anyway he saved me and carried me out, so I gave him the Zora sapphire as a engagement present”

Randall: “did you get it back since he’s your ex-fiancé?”

Ruta: “of course I…wait a minute…LINK(Time)!”

Ruta then storms off to the group of links

Randall: “I never got a engagement gem and I carry her around all the time”

Hyrule archer: “did you want one, I thought she annoyed you?”

Randall: “OF COURSE NOT! Why would I??”

Randall says blushing

Hyrule archer: “but you just said-

Randall: “I KNOW WHAT I SAID, WHY DONT YOU GO BACK TO BEING USLESS AND FORGOTTEN”

Randall then storms off after Ruta

[arecaceae175]

LU Links Playing Clash Royale

Wind

He’s so into it

Leader of their clan, called the Chain

Got everyone else into the game

Three of his decks are those annoying low-cost ones that just cycle through buildings and well placed skeletons or ice golems

He wins with well placed royal pigs near the end of the game

He does tournaments and wins

Wild

Goes through phases of playing really hardcore for 2-6 months, then forgets about it for a year

Really likes the events. His favorite is draft battles

Makes Flora build his decks bc she gets really into the statistics of all the cards

Time

Claims not to know how to use the game, but still beats Wind most times they battle

This infuriates Wind

Time will never admit it because he loved to cause problems on purpose, but he loved watching YouTubers play and he used all their winning strategies to beat Wind

He really likes the weird forest creatures

Favorite cards are suspicious bush and dart goblin

Warriors

Knows Time is full of shit but let’s it happen because it’s funny

His deck centers around the Knight. Sue him.

His most used cards include: knight, archers, princess, royal delivery, Prince, mega knight, and fireball

Flat out refuses to play with the dark prince

Sky

Uses the dark prince against Warriors because he’s a little shit (/affectionate)

Otherwise, fliers

His absolute favorite is the Phoenix, to absolutely no one’s surprise

Plays religiously. Sometimes the others make him delete the app for a week bc he gets too emotional about it

Legend

Likes the spell cards and the witches

Gets really into clan wars and makes sure everyone participates

He and Warriors strategize about the wars

Hyrule

Buildings. Buildings.

Uses a bunch of spawners and plays defensively

Eventually gets so many spawners out that the enemy can’t do anything

Four

Loves troops that are multiple troops

He has very well rounded decks, but all of them just include many many troops

Good mix of buildings, spells, and ground troops

Favorite cards include: skeleton army, royal recruits, bats, barbarians, tesla

Twilight

His favorite card is Ram Rider. All his decks center around her

Or sometimes Hog Rider

Likes all the ungulate cards

Also makes good use of rage spell

Malon, Linkle, Ravio, Groose, and most of the Zelda’s also join the clan :D

[ghosthoard]

If Wild dies

*ahem* so i'm writing a fic right now where Wild just straight up perishes, dead as a doorknob, literally a corpse. and as I write Warriors's POV (the guy that he is) he realizes: "huh we're kinda fucked" bc we're in Wild's era without Wild which means how are we going to know where we're going especially since his slate doesn't open to anybody else but him (which is different in different fics but for mine it won't open unless it's keyed to someone by purah).

here are a list of problems if Wild were to die:

no food! at all! it was all in that ding dang slate

no cook! can these boys cook to save their lives? just barely sure, they can make simple things, like fish on a stick, meat on a stick, vegetables on a stick with a sprinkle of salt maybe even pepper if they're feeling adventurous. porridge? some berries in the wilderness they'd have to test if they're poisonous or not. also no variety anymore. they don't have the time or resources to learn to cook other things. warriors is grateful it's still better than the rations they had during the war

less time! they gotta hunt and forage for. every. single. meal now, and then figure out what to cook. wild and his slate saved them so much time on getting the ingredients, figuring out what to cook in the first place, a skilled cook can also prepare and finish cooking in less time than an amateur.

morale! their brother is dead, but also every time they're struggling to get food and eating something they've scrounged together and doesn't taste good at all, they're reminded of that same dead brother, who woulda suspected that would happen. and something Warriors points out is that having good warm food was amazing for their morale. now it's gone

lost! without the era's native link and that damn slate, how are they going to figure out where to go. they're in the middle of nowhere! they'd eventually find a road but before that they could very well run into a lynel or a field of guardians maybe or wander into an area with lightning storms without preparation, they'd probably forget about the blood moon until it's too late too.

big! Wild's era is huge. they're lost, they have to think of how to feed themselves which again means less time, they're not getting anywhere quick enough anymore. if they land in wild's era it'd take more time finding out why they were sent there, more time finding out how to get to where they need to be, less time to save the people of Wild's era

their only potion brewer! i don't see this being a big thing in most LU fics, but Wild can make elixirs! things to make people faster, hit harder, more defense, more stamina, heal! he'd be a huge help to Hyrule in both healing and to recuperate his magic

their best archer! Wild is their eye in the sky, their long range support, they're used to an arrow taking down threats they didn't notice were there, or trusting Wild to take down foes as they fight. what happens when that's suddenly gone? fatal mistakes. none of the others are that exceptional with archery to replace him and the only one i can think of is twilight with his mask but twilight is such a heavy hitter they need him on the frontlines. how would their strategies be redrawn to make up for Wild's gaping absence

which all got me thinking: what other eras would be a nightmare for them if the native Link died?

I think for sure, top of the list, the winner, is Wind. they'd be absolutely in a pickle if Wind wasn't there with them. legend would probably take over in sailing, but boy he'd sure hate that if you know what i mean (everyone knows what I mean). losing their youngest would be a huge blow as well

but also, in a completely different, opposite pain, they would have a significantly easier time in Hyrule's era if he were to be dead bc the monsters wouldn't be chasing them. again, legend would hate that whole situation. also imagine losing their only healer.

i think the others' eras are relatively familiar to other links (unlike wild's) or not as different of a landscape (unlike wind's) and not as hostile (unlike hyrule's) to affect them too much.

( i completely forgot about Sky's era! but honestly i can't see him dying in general since he has to be king of hyrule and all that? but if he did yea i think it'd be pretty difficult for the others in his era)

also I've never played the games (except BOTW) and all my knowledge is from fandom so forgive me if I'm wrong about some things! let me know if there's a detail I don't know that would change stuff, i'm curious! but also any other thoughts would be interesting to read too!

also also if anyone is interested in the fic that started this thought process here's a link

[scenicphoenix]

A Legend of Zelda AU where Link ends up being in the Royal Family and Zelda a small farm family throughout the time line.

A boy raised by royalty, raised knowing his role in the great legend of their kingdom. He’s a born knight, a fighter and protector. He has eyes on him at all times, expectations of him to become the bearer of the sword. The thing is, females are still expected to become the main ruler of Hyrule. So if a Link doesn’t get married, their sister. Link doesn’t care. He wants to find someone who will care about him for him, not because of his status. And many Links do find them. Find her.

Zelda grows up in a farming community, always hearing rumors and legends of the one connected to the goddess often is born in there small village. Zelda does find the legends interesting, being a big fan of old tales, legends, and ancient history. Many Zelda’s become librarians at the royal castle due to their knowledge and experience. Many Zelda’s become archaeologists and go exploring for the history they adore, sometimes to the risk of their safety. They always end up running into the Prince called Link, who similarly has an interesting in history and exploring in general.

I think Zelda would obviously be the main character and be the one often saving Link. It’s a swap after all. She’s still the reincarnation of the goddess, and Link the chosen knight. I like the idea of things flipping around though and Link needing to be the one who gets rescued. Zelda I can see being more of an archer and magic user. So the bow of light and master sword can kinda switch places as well!

Maybe in the past instead of a knight Hylia met, it was a Prince or King? A goddess pretending to be a commoner and meets and falls in love with royalty. That Prince/king giving his life to save her, and then Skyward Sword happens.

I like the idea of their roles swapping, and the master sword and bow of light and master sword roles switching. But Zelda is still the reincarnation of Hylia and Link her chosen. Fi in the bow of light? The master sword more being a very ancient and powerful weapon that’s passed down in the royal family that only Hylias chosen can wield. Sword of the goddess/light and the master/champions bow? Maybe less protected by the royal family and only can be summoned by Hylias chosen? Like how canon Zelda can summon the bow of light.

[dragongirlie56]

02-Suitors

This one’s a lot longer than my first Zelink oneshot! Hope you enjoy!

Happy Halloween everyone :)

Here’s the link to my other oneshots ——> Zelink masterlist

Ship: Zelink

Warnings? None!

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Link was a hair away from smacking the stuck up prince with the pommel of his sword. How he has kept his cool through countless suitors he didn't know. (That's a lie. He's been counting, and it's been twelve suitors.)

Prince Curo, with his brown hair and blue eyes, droned on and on for so long Link counted seven times since Zelda had zoned out completely disinterested with what the prince had to say. She normally never did that, she loved to listen to people as much as she loved talking. But the prince didn't even give her any space to get in a word. He didn't once ask about what she liked to do or where she went in her free time or what her favorite dessert was?

She glanced over her shoulder and met Link's gaze with knitted brows. He gave her a smile of pity that probably looked more like a grimace. He could tell she was hating this just as much as he was. No, definitely more than he was. He didn't have to talk to the guy.

"Does he have to follow us? You're perfectly safe with me. See we have guards stationed everywhere." The prince turned halfway to frown at the blonde hero. 

Link kept his expression level as the prince stared. He seriously considered jumping him. That would be truly reckless. Though he thought Zelda might be happy if he did and they could make their grand escape.

"But you know, there's a fine line between courage and recklessness! As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal." Link chuckled inwardly at the memory of him and Zelda—of course there was a difference between facing multiple lynels, lizafos, and bokoblins compared to one prince but he thought it would've been worth it. Though he would upset an entire kingdom and the King of Hyrule.

"Yes," she replied, glancing at a picture on the wall. "Link is always by my side."

"I didn't ask for his name, Zelda." Caro shook his head.

Zelda's eyebrows rose and she turned her head towards him. "You will respect my knight who is, in fact, the Hero of Hyrule. Without him and I, the calamity would've taken over your kingdom as well," she replied, her tone firm. "And we aren't on a first name basis. So that is Princess to you."

Link bit his cheek. He noticed it has been a lot harder to hide his emotions (especially smiles) ever since he'd grown closer with the blonde haired girl. 

Caro matched her raised brows, obviously not expecting a retort to put him in his place. The prince waved his hand and continued through the gardens. Link noticed Zelda's clenched fists and her apparent frown.

He flicked his eyes back to the prince and watched him walk down the hall. The brunette prince reminded him of a moblin: tall and stupid. Resembling the royal to a snout-nosed blue monster was being generous. Extremely generous. 

"You'll see here is my favorite part of the hall." Carl steeped his arm in an arc.

Of course it would be. Trophies were individually displayed in glass cases, many engraved with a bow and quiver of arrows. He only found one that said the prince's name, and it read, 'Participation award.'

Hylia, spare me. Link looked momentarily towards the ceiling.

"I'm an incredible archer so as you can see here I've won many, many contests." His smug smile almost made Link roll his eyes. Almost, Link wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

I could beat him, Link found himself thinking. Was it a bit prideful? Yes. But it was also humble because he said 'could' which gave the prince a slight chance against him. Link thought he was doing okay at balancing his jealousy.

Zelda, much to Link's delight, didn't really react much except for a "Very nice."

"Why thank you." The prince put a hand to his chest and continued on.

"Do you have a library?" Zelda asked, glancing down a neighboring hall.

"... yeah I think so?" Carole's eyebrows furrowed.

"You think?" One of Zelda's golden brows quirked upwards.

"Why would you want to go to one anyways?"

Zelda let out a light sigh as she gestured forward with her hand. "Nevermind. Please continue, Prince Caro."

—————————————————

Orange and pink tinted clouds ribboned the tiring sky. Link and Zelda stood side by side as they took in the beauty of the setting sun. It has been a good hour since their agonizing tour with the trivial prince.

Link's blue eyes flicked to Zelda and he watched the way the fading golden rays framed her face. She was absolutely breathtaking. If Link had paint and an easel he could only dream of capturing her essence in this moment. 

He quickly noticed the shift in her eyes, an underlying thought she's held back.

"Link."

He hummed in acknowledgment and tilted his head.

"What would you do in my situation?"

Link cast his eyes toward the horizon. That was a difficult question considering he had an unspoken irritation regarding the princess meeting with suitors who could be potential husbands for her. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth and opened a new door to a fear of his. He didn't want to stop being her knight. He didn't trust another man to protect her like he would—-like he does.

Instead of voicing any of his internal thoughts, naturally, he replied with, "I don't know." Because really what could she do? Deny the King's orders, her father, and run away? Abandon her duties as the future queen of Hyrule? He didn't know what he would do if he was forced into this situation of an arranged marriage.

Zelda nodded. "I don't know either. But I can't... I can't do this... None of them care about me. Or desire to get to know me. The feeling is mutual, don't get me wrong, but... I don't want to have to marry a... a ... mindless buffoon who only cares about his looks and the union for power. He'll take control over my kingdom and I will have no say in it. I'm sure he would forbid me from pursuing my studies."

I wouldn't. I would let you talk about them all day long. Link imagined them in Hyrule Field—like that one day where she showed him the Silent Princess—laying in the grass as she told him everything new she's read and discovered. Her green eyes would light up like they always did. He would be completely content hearing her voice from the waking hours of dawn to the darkening hours of the twilight.

His heart stuttered when she met his eyes. "Can you take me back, Link? Please? I- I can't stay here anymore. My father can't force me to love him or any of them. Not when I..."

Link's heart now pounded frantically against his chest, he was seriously going to have a heart attack someday because of her.

She didn't finish, much to Link's disappointment. "You don't have to-"

"Whatever you wish, I'll abide Z-" His pointy ears twitched as he heard footsteps against stone. "Princess."

Zelda raised an eyebrow but followed his gaze towards the cobblestone path. She let out a sigh and turned to greet the prince.

"Princess. It saddens me to say but this won't work out." The prince shook his head.

Link didn't miss the way the side of Zelda's lip twitched as she fought a smile.

"I must apologize for such a heartbreaking rejection but it had to be done." The prince put a hand to his head.

"I'll forgive you someday." Zelda sighed and started to walk away.

"Should I walk you...?" He trailed off, clearly uncomfortable and reluctant to do so. 

"I'm alright. I have Link," she replied simply.

"Right... you said that before. Anyways, farewell. I had a...lovely? Yes lovely... tour with you in the garden."

"Ah... yes... lovely." She gave him a small smile.

The pair watched him walk away until he disappeared around the corner.

"I would've taken you back either way, Zel." Link glanced at her sideways.

"I know. Thank you." 

"Always."

They sat in comfortable silence, watching as the last traces of golden light sank into the horizon.

"I'm going to talk to my father," Zelda announced and Link glanced at her.

"About stopping this." She gestured behind her towards the looming castle. "Stopping all of it."

"I'm with you." Link nodded once.

Zelda's eyes softened. "Thank you Link. Your support means more than you know."

He gave her a light smile and held out his hand. "Shall we head home?"

"We shall." Zelda nodded and accepted his hand with a smile that reached her eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Link noticed the way Zelda's arms trembled as she stared solemnly at the oak door of her fathers study. She inhaled shakily.

"You can do it, Princess." The blonde knight laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Zelda tore her gaze from the looming door and met his gaze. He could see the fear in her eyes.

"He'll be furious."

"You don't have to do this."

"No." Her eyes flashed with determination. "I have to." She raised her hand and knocked.

"Enter." The King's voice carried through the wooden oak.

Zelda took a deep breath. With one last glance at Link she turned the handle.

He followed in behind her and bowed before the King. Rhoam stood from his chair and walked around his desk that was filled with documents and empty ink bottles.

"Rise Link."

Link did.

"Leave us please. I must speak to my daughter alone. I'll send her for you once we are finished." 

Link briefly looked at Zelda, watching the way her face fell slightly. Zelda turned towards him and they shared a look.

He gave the King a curt nod and with one last glance at his princess, he exited the study.

——————————————-

Rhoam stayed silent until Link shut the door. His eyes flitted to Zelda and he raised his eyebrows. "Why is it that I've just heard of how difficult you were with Prince Caro? There's no chance of union between us and the Wiln Kingdom."

Difficult?

"I don't care." Zelda's words came out before her brain could process their meaning. Though she didn't regret them.

"Pardon?"

"I said I don't care," she repeated.

"Zelda," her father started, his tone stern. "I know you are having a hard time with this suitor situation. But it is my duty as King and your duty as princess to do what's best for the kingdom of Hyrule. Which is why I have promised you to the Prince Elok of Lon." 

Zelda's stomach dropped. "Promised? How could you?" Her voice broke. "What about your duty as a father? As my father? Do you not want your only daughter to marry for love? To be married to someone she trusts fully? Why do you want to marry me off to some random prince who doesn't care about me?!" She shouted with tears burning the edges of her eyes like wildfires. "I did what you asked. I trained relentlessly. You already took my childhood away from me... you can't take this away too. It should be my choice. I'm who I decide to marry."

"You are a princess-"

"Who sealed the calamity away! Don't I get points for that? I don't want to marry if it isn't for love!"

The king scoffed and shook his head. "What do you know of love, Zelda? You're eighteen years old."

"I'm in it! I'm in love with someone! Not with any of the suitors and I certainly won't be with this new one. Someone who wouldn't suppress my interests and who I am!"

"Who could you possibly-"

"Link."

Rhoam stared at her, stunned. 

"...Link? I thought you despised him."

Zelda's ears burned as she reminisced about her childish actions. Link and her did have a rocky start, much to her accusations and misunderstandings. But she apologized and they ended up growing closer. 

She wanted to say, 'If you had paid any attention at all then you would've realized I don't hate him.'

But instead she said, "No."

"Why didn't you come and talk to me about this?"

Zelda's hands shook at her sides. "You never gave me the space or safety to do so. All you do is lecture me."

"I-" Rhoam's hand covered his mouth as he stared out the window. He was silent for a long time.

Zelda's eyes fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was so harsh on you."

In time she would find it in herself to forgive him. She knew that. But now, it wasn't the right time.

"I know it was what you believed was best for me," she replied instead.

"Yes, but I should've thought of you. You're my daughter and I didn't protect you."

She didn't disagree with that. 

They were both quiet for a while.

"How did your powers awaken?" Her father broke the heavy silence.

Zelda's mind flashed back to the rush of guardians, the gleaming fires, the harsh rain, and the anxiety that grew in her chest.

But none of that mattered when the guardian aimed at Link. Her stomach dropped to the floor and she felt this overwhelming urge to save him without any fear for her own life. She couldn't let him die, not when she...

Not when she loved him.

She remembered thinking of every moment she shared with her blonde haired knight. Every smile, conversation, and burden they shared.

When she pushed him back to stand in front of him, her hand grew warm and a blinding light erupted from her palm.

"I let Link in," Zelda paused. "...and there wasn't anything more important in that moment than saving him."

Rhoam nodded. "I see... You have my blessing."

Zelda's eyes snapped to him. "What?" she found herself blurting, unsure if she heard her fathers words right.

"No more suitors. If you want to marry Link and if he accepts, I shall accept your wishes. I'll discard the letter I've started for giving your hand to Prince Elok."

She couldn't help the happy tears that sprung to her eyes and the glowing smile that overtook her lips.

"Thank you, Father."

He smiled and shooed her. "Go to him."

Zelda didn't need to be told twice. She threw the doors open and ran down the corridor. She rounded the corner and nearly ran into one of the maids.

"Princess?!" The maid exclaimed, holding her white bandana in place.

"So sorry Ronda!"

Zelda's only thought was to get to her knight. 

——————————————

Link's ears twitched at the rapidly approaching steps. He tensed as he reached for the handle of his sword and whipped his head towards the possible threat. 

His eyes locked onto golden hair and he lowered his hand slowly as he realized it was Zelda. He scanned her expression and his shoulders relaxed when he realized she wasn't in danger.

Though his brain did short circuit when she ran into his arms and hugged him around the waist. The tips of his ears turned pink and his face went slack. She's hugging me. She's hugging me?

He tentatively wrapped his arms around her shoulders. His heart thundered in his chest and he wondered if she could hear it.

She pulled away—much to Link's dismay—and stood in front of him with a bright smile, one that could light the night sky—-his favorite smile of hers. 

Though he was very confused, she never came back from a talk with the King in good spirits. She always sulked and not even her research could pull her out of it.

"Link, you won't believe it!" 

He raised his brows as he waited for her to continue, praying his face wasn't as red as it felt.

"No more suitors! No more awful tours!"

"Wh-what made him change his mind?" Link found himself asking.

"Well..." Zelda's eyes shied away from him. He was surprised he was waiting for her to look at him rather than the other way around.

"I told him I was in love with another. And if it wasn't him I would marry. I didn't want it."

"Oh... who?" A small sliver of hope shone through the doubts crushing his stomach. 

Zelda took in a breath and released it before meeting his gaze. "You Link. I'm in love with you."

The world seemed to tilt beneath the blonde hero's feet as he stared at her with his mouth slightly agape. He was surprised he didn't pass out or wake up from this insane dream. Because it had to be a dream, right?

"B-but don't feel the need to reciprocate my feelings because I'm a princess. Rejection is a part of life. The last thing I would want is to pressure you especially when you don't feel the same way. What I'm trying to say is you don't have to accept my- my proposal. I know the duty alone would be a huge step and a life change, naturally, but-"

"I- Can you say that again?" Link fell deaf to the rest of her ramble, his brain zeroing in on the fact she declared her love. For him. A mere knight.

"What?" Her hands fell to her side.

"What you said before- are you really in... love with..." His eyes flitted from the side to her. "Me?"

Zelda's eyes softened. "I am in love with you, Link."

He definitely wasn't dreaming.

"I'm in love with you, Zelda. I always have been." He felt like a weight had been lifted off of his chest. 

"Really?"

"Really." He held out his arm. When she carefully placed her hand in his, he boldly kissed the back of it. A sly smile twitched at the corner of his mouth.

"You missed." Mirth twinkled in her emerald eyes.

"Did I?" He raised a brow at her.

"Mhm." A chuckle escaped her chest. Sliding her other hand behind his neck, she gently placed her lips on his.

He kissed her back and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

"I love you." Zelda said once they broke away and she started to cry. 

Link tucked a stray piece of hair behind her pointed ears. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs before pulling her in for a hug. "And I love you."

[skyward-floored]

Whumptober Day 29: "What happened to me?"

Continuation to day 22 and 25 :)

Day 22

Day 25

Read on ao3

Warnings: mostly the same as the other ones, blood, injury, some violence, possession, a little creepy vibes

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Warriors is not one to hesitate.

As Time leaps forward to attack the demon (the boy?) and tentacles of pure darkness shoot out from the mask, Warriors is instantly in full battle mode, and begins shouting out orders.

The others snap out of their horrified dazes and go to help Time, dodging shadowy tentacles as thunder booms nearby. The rain begins to come down harder, and visibility grows more difficult, the only truly clear sights Warriors gets of the battle happening when lightning scatters across the sky.

But he doesn’t let it stop him, and Warriors finally locates his first target, grabbing Legend’s shoulder to catch his attention.

“You need to go see if you can find Ravio,” he says a bit breathlessly, dodging a tentacle that comes their way. “He must still be inside, Sheerow wouldn’t have led us here otherwise.”

Legend scowls. “Captain, I’m not going to leave—”

“He may be in trouble, and we don’t know if he has time for us to finish this battle,” Warriors says grimly. “Go find him, Vet. We can handle things for now.”

Legend hesitates, then nods, Sheerow appearing at his shoulder like he’d heard them talking. Legend turns and runs off, and Warriors watches him until he disappears with the little bird into the Eastern Palace.

Then he turns back to the battle, and joins the others in fighting the mask.

Time is fighting the body itself, and while the rest of them are trying to help him, the mask is surprisingly good at multitasking. It picked up a sword somewhere, and while it swings viciously at Time, dark tentacles sweep at the rest of them, keeping them away from the fight.

Time is in no condition to be fighting a demon, Warriors knows that for certain. Between the sleepless nights that have sapped him of energy, and the nightmares and revelations he’s had dropped on him, it’s a wonder he’s even standing.

But there’s strength in desperation. Warriors knows that well.

Wild jumps back from the fight and along with Four, begins firing arrows into the fray. Warriors is glad for the the cover as he dodges another attack. They’re starting to figure out the movements of the battle now, the different attacks up their enemy’s sleeve, and with the archers’ support, begin closing in on Time and the demon.

An arrow flies past Warriors’ shoulder, and someone suddenly screams, piercing and familiar. Warriors is already looking around for who got struck, but when he finally sees where the arrow landed, his brow furrows in confusion.

It’s sprouting from the shoulder of their enemy, but he could have sworn the voice that had screamed was—

“Don’t hurts the person behind the mask!”

At Twilight’s frantic cry, everything Warriors had been wondering and suspected falls neatly into place, and he stares at the body that’s wearing the mask, a cold feeling in his chest. The figure is taller then what he remembers, but the outfit is familiar, even through all the blood and shadows covering it.

Somehow, impossibly, there’s a version of Time under that mask.

The demon seems to have recovered quickly from the arrow in its arm, and it rips it out with a small cry. Then it cackles as it thrusts a tentacle of darkness at Time, nearly throwing him to the ground before he scrambles to dodge it.

“How are we supposed to fight him but not hit him?!” Wild shouts, and Twilight’s reply is drowned out by another roll of thunder.

“How do we know if he’s even alive under there?” Hyrule asks worriedly, swinging at a tentacle nearby, and Warriors looks back at Majora, a tight feeling in his chest.

How indeed.

“We need to get the mask off,” he says as he dodges an attack, “then we’ll... we’ll know. In the meantime, try not to hurt him.”

“Easier said then done,” Sky grunts nearby. “I don’t think he has the same qualms.”

Majora must hear them, for after they have the exchange it grows harder to fight, tentacles lashing, cries ringing out as several of them are knocked to the ground. It begins tearing up bricks from the ground and throwing them as well, and between the projectiles and their reluctance to hit him, the battle begins to turn back in the demon’s favor.

A tentacle lashes forward, and a cry rings out, Warriors turning just in time to see Hyrule hit the ground, hard.

He hears several cries, but can’t get to the traveler through all of the tentacles and projectiles thrown his way. Someone does finally get to Hyrule’s side, Warriors unable to tell who through the rain, and he slices at another tentacle as another shout rings out.

It’s Time’s voice again, but this time it’s not Majora who’s hurt.

Warriors watches as Time grabs at his side, a flash of red visible through the rain as he reels backwards. His heart speeds up, and he tries to fight over to Time’s side, slipping on puddles and avoiding tentacles. Someone else cries out yet again, and Warriors feels ice begin to freeze up his chest.

They’re losing this fight.

He’s still much too far to be of any use to Time, and as he tries desperately to reach him and help, Majora dodging and leaping around, Warriors sees Time’s face harden into a look he knows well.

His heart shoots up into his throat as Time’s hand slips into his pouch, and a white mask is pulled out.

“Sprite don’t!” Warriors shouts across the battlefield, but Time either doesn’t hear him or ignores the words entirely as he slams the mask onto his face.

A tentacle tries to knock Warriors to the ground while he’s distracted, nearly doing the same to him as had been done to Hyrule. And by the time he’s dealt with it and turns back, Time is no longer there, a god fighting in his place.

A high-pitched laugh rings around the area, and Majora leaps around the Fierce Deity’s attacks, moving so fast it’s hard to watch. Lightning flashes, but it’s nothing compared to the way the Deity’s eyes flash as he fights Majora.

Warriors finally makes it within striking distance of the two, but they’re moving so fast he can’t help at all. He waits for an opening, wiping rain out of his eyes and nervously twirling his sword, and as he watches, Majora dodges just the slightest bit too slow.

The Fierce Deity doesn’t hesitate.

He swings his huge sword, glowing an almost electric blue, and strikes the mask right off the boy’s face.

A horrible scream rings around the area, a mixture of the mask and the one who’d been wearing it, and the body topples to the ground, bloody and broken. Majora’s mask flies into the air, bleeding darkness as it turns to the Fierce Deity with its tentacles lashing, and it roars in outrage.

“YOU NEVER PLAY FAIR!” the mask screams, and the fight resumes, the two attacking each other with an increased ferocity.

Warriors doesn’t hesitate in sprinting towards the fallen body, shadows and blood seeping off of him in nearly equal amounts. He drags him away (he’s so light) as far as he can from where the Deity is now fighting the mask with no holds barred, and Warriors carefully flips the boy over, a quiet hitching sound coming from him.

He realizes it’s crying at the same time his eyes settle on the boy’s face.

The features that have been freed look so similar to Mask’s that Warriors startles, nearly forgetting what he’s doing. The face is older, though not by a whole lot, and the blood and injuries and tentacle marks all over him certainly change things. But the shape is there, a mix between the man Warriors knows now and the boy he met during the war, and he feels like he’s been gutted.

He can’t be older then Wild.

The rain puddled beneath the younger Time begin to turn red, and the hitching noises turn to gurgles as the shadows holding him together fade. Warriors shoves his scrambled thoughts aside, and shushes the boy as he pulls out a fairy.

“Hold on kid, hold on,” he murmurs, and the fairy dances over the boy’s rapidly stilling form. Sparkles mix with the rain, and Warriors watches in silence as the most grievous of the boy’s injuries are healed.

Twilight and Wind run up to his side as the fairy finishes, and the hitching sound starts up again, Wind staring at the body in horror.

“Merciful Ordona,” Twilight breathes, and carefully lifts the boy partially onto his lap, shushing him when he makes a noise. “Shh, you’re alright, you’re safe.”

The boy shudders where he’s laying, and Twilight pulls him into a tighter hold, rubbing small circles onto his back. His injuries are by no means completely healed, but they can’t do much for him here, rain pouring on their heads, screams still ringing out.

Screams?

Warriors turns, and sees the Fierce Deity with a foot on Majora’s mask, angry screams and jabbering coming from the demon. The Deity doesn’t hesitate, and plunges his glowing sword through the mask, one final scream ringing out.

Any tentacles left grow still, then fade away, darkness puddling on the ground much like the rain.

A louder hitching sound catches Warriors’ attention, and he turns back to the boy, his eyes flickering as Twilight holds him. He’s looking around with a terrified look in his eyes, tears smearing the blood on his face, and suddenly the Fierce Deity is kneeling beside him, a hand outstretched.

Warriors stiffens, a hand reaching for his sword.

But the Deity’s hand merely rests on the boy’s cheek, notably gently compared to the way he’d been fighting earlier. The younger Time whimpers, and turns into the hold, and Warriors releases his sword, though he keeps it in reach.

“Rest, little one,” the Deity says, surprisingly soft as a finger brushes some blood away. “Your part of this fight is done.”

The boy’s breath hitches again, but his eyes slip closed, and he stills as the Deity gently holds his cheek. Warriors frowns, but Twilight waves him off, gesturing to the boy’s chest going up and down. He’s merely unconscious.

The Deity waits a moment, still looking at the younger Time, then removes his hand and turns to face the three heroes around him.

“The demon is gone,” he says, rain pattering on his armor. “And the one who brought him back is not present. The danger has been eliminated.”

“Are you going to release Time now?” Warriors asks in a voice that’s more of a demand then a question.

The Deity tilts his head, then blinks, looking like he’s studying Warriors’ face.

“My role is finished. You need not worry for your leader.” His hand raises, but he pauses just before taking the mask off, and stares at Warriors with an intense gaze. “Watch out for him and the boy. The upcoming days will not be easy.”

Warriors blinks, but before he can reply, the Deity lifts off his face, and Time kneels where he once did.

He immediately flounders, and Warriors is there with an arm under his shoulder as he lowers him carefully to the ground. Time’s hand goes to his side, blood on his fingers, and Wind scoots over and hands him a potion.

The rain is steady, but the thunder is mostly past, rumbles coming from in the distance. The others slowly converge on where the rest of them kneel, Wild helping Hyrule walk over. One by one they turn to look at the bloodied teenager in Twilight’s lap, and Warriors looks uneasily at Time, the older hero rubbing his forehead.

He looks exhausted, even having drunk a potion, but his face is oddly emotionless as he looks at the younger version of himself. Warriors can feel him shaking where his arm is still slung over his shoulder, and he holds him a little tighter, just like he has been for the past month after he’d woken up screaming.

It was his death he was seeing after all, Warriors thinks as the rock in his stomach shifts. An alternate version, but...

“Is... is that really Time?” Wind asks him quietly, and Warriors looks at the older hero again.

Time doesn’t say anything, rain dripping off his hair.

“In a way,” Warriors says a bit uncertainly. “Do you remember what Legend was saying about Times nightmares, and the Fallen Hero?”

Wind looks confused, and then he pales, a quiet oh escaping his lips as he looks at the young Time again.

“This is him?” Hyrule says a little shakily, and Warriors swallows, nodding without a word. What can he even say?

Wind suddenly perks up, and looks behind them all, some of the light coming back to his eyes.

“Hey look, it’s Ravio!”

Warriors turns and sees Legend exiting the palace with Ravio’s arm slung over his shoulder, the merchant barely able to walk even with his assistance. Wind runs over to help, and Warriors worriedly takes in Ravio’s battered appearance as they approach, though the merchant gives them all a bleary smile.

“Can always count on Mr. Hero,” he says in a shaking voice. “N-never let me down yet.”

“You certainly don’t make it easy,” Legend mutters, though there’s a fondness in his voice. His eyes seem red as well, but nobody mentions it as they look back at the boy in Twilight’s arms.

Legend takes in the sight of him, an unreadable look in his eyes, and then he looks around at the rest of them, soaking wet, exhausted and injured.

He sighs.

“Come on. Let’s head back to my house.”

(...)

It’s more then two days before he wakes up.

They all head back to Legend’s house, wounded in tow, and once they arrive, everyone is properly fussed over. Potions are handed out, bandages wrapped, wet clothes peeled off and set to dry by the fire Legend gets going.

The younger Time is placed in his bed once they heal and bandage him as much as they can, and they carefully coax the story of what happened from Ravio, the merchant still shaky and pale.

He recounts the exact events of Time’s longer dream, Legend sitting beside him the entire time, and when he finishes, Time stands up and leaves the room.

Warriors doesn’t follow. Time needs time to process everything.

Warriors knows he does.

After they’ve all sufficiently rested from... everything, and while they wait for the younger Time to wake, they help Legend clean up his house. It’s something to do, but it doesn’t dispel the strange mood over them all.

There’s relief, that Ravio and everyone else is okay and that Time finally has an uninterrupted night’s sleep, but worry too, since barely anyone got out of the fight without at least a few scratches, and the implications of the enemy they’d fought, and the boy they saved that still hasn’t woken up.

Warriors watches him that first night, his bangs partially obscuring the marks they’d discovered after cleaning him up. They’re from Majora of course, but Warriors hopes they’ll fade, for the boy’s sake at least.

He deserves to not have a reminder of what happened on his face.

He isn’t the only one in the room after another day of cleaning, on the second night they’re there. Though most of the Links are asleep, either on the floor or in chairs, snores drifting across the room. Not everyone is asleep though, and Warriors tries not to stare at where Time is seated by the bed, not quite within arm’s reach.

Twilight is beside him, much closer to the bed, and they keep watch over the sleeping boy, still as ever.

The younger Time suddenly whimpers in his sleep, and before Warriors can move, Twilight runs a hand along his hair, carefully avoiding the bandages by his cheek. The boy stills, and Twilight leans back again, looking at his ancestor with an aching look in his eyes.

“Time,” he asks quietly, the words loud in the silence of the room. “How old is he?”

Time is silent for a long time, and Warriors almost wonders if he’s not going to answer the question.

“Physically... around sixteen,” he says finally, voice not more than a rasp. “Maybe seventeen. I’ve never known exactly how old I was.”

“...mentally?” Twilight asks.

Time closes his eye, and Warriors sees him swallow

“About nine,” he whispers.

Warriors feels like he’s been kicked in the chest, and Twilight looks the same, both of them turning to stare back at the boy lying on bed.

Nine.

Nine.

The boy lying next to them, that had fought Ganon and been killed, setting off Legend and Hyrule’s entire timeline, and then been brought back to life and possessed by Majora and nearly died again due to the Shadow’s meddling was nine years old.

Mask had been eleven.

“Nine?” Twilight chokes out, and Time looks away, shaking his head.

Neither of them know what to say, but Warriors sees how Time’s shoulders curl in, how his eyebrows lower, that same haunted look coming back into his eye. Warriors stands up, making them both look over, then walks over to Time and pulls him into his arms.

He’s not usually one to initiate hugs of all things, but it’s all he feels like he can do.

“I’m so sorry,” Warriors says in his shoulder, and Time seems like he doesn’t know what to do, arms held rigidly at his sides.

“It’s hardly your fault,” he says in a strained voice, and Warriors holds him tighter.

“I know. But I have a feeling you never got an apology.”

Time stares, and then he crumples in Warriors’ arms.

A shaking breath escapes him, and Twilight leans over to put an arm around him as well, Warriors sitting to better out his arms around him.

They hold him in silence as he begins to cry, then sob, and if any of the others wake up from the noise, they don’t say a word.

(...)

The younger Time finally wakes up the next day, when it’s just Warriors, Wind, and Legend in the room.

They’d brought a pile of maps in to sort out and reorganize, figure out which are still useable. One minute Warriors is wondering exactly how many dungeons Legend has gone through, and the next, Wind jumps, staring over at the bed.

Two blue eyes are staring at the three of them, wide and confused-looking.

“He’s awake!” Wind gasps, but Legend puts a hand on his arm, stopping him from running over.

Warriors calmly gets to his feet and goes to his bedside, the blue eyes following him the entire way. He sits down, and gives the boy a careful smile.

“Good morning, Link. We weren’t sure quite when you were going to wake up,” he says kindly.

Link stares at him still, and Warriors grabs the cup of water they’ve kept at the bedside table for this very moment.

“I’m sure you’re thirsty, would you like some water?” he asks gently, and Link nods, zeroing in on the cup with a hungry look. Legend and Wind finally come over, and they help him sit up, the borrowed tunic slipping over one of his shoulders.

Warriors hands him the cup, and though it takes him a few tries, Link manages to hold the cup and drink by himself, eagerly draining the entire thing.

“We’ll get Wild to make you some food too, I’m sure you’re hungry,” Wind says with a smile, and Link swallows, finishing the water.

“Where... what happened?” he asks, looking down at himself, eyes going wide at the bandages, and Warriors and Legend exchange looks.

“...Maybe you’d better see for yourself,” Legend says, and grabs a hand mirror from a table nearby. Warriors raises an eyebrow, and Legend rolls his eyes. “It’s not magic, it’s a regular mirror.”

That hadn’t been what Warriors was raising his brow at, though the assurance is nice.

Legend hands it over to Link, and he stares, taking in the bandages and pale color of his face, and especially the markings that are still visible on his skin. He raises a hand, and stares at that as well, looking at the bandages wrapped over his wrist.

“Wh... what happened to me?” he asks in a small voice, running a shaky hand along the lines on his face.

Something flashes across his face, and he sets down the mirror, pulling up his tunic with a shaking hand. Link stares at the bandages covering the worst of the injuries across his middle, and places a hand on his stomach.

He suddenly freezes, eyes going even wider, and Warriors immediately recognizes the look of someone remembering.

“I died,” he says in a small voice, and Warriors breathes out, then nods.

“You did,” he agrees quietly. “But you’re not dead anymore, Link. You’re safe.”

“I... I wasn’t,” Link continues, and puts his hand back on the marks on his face with a shaken look. “There was... was something in my head. I remember, I was fighting, I fought really hard but it wouldn’t let me go, and it hurt and I wanted to be dead again but...”

He looks at Warriors, face pale and eyes watering.

“Y-you all saved me.”

“We did,” Wind says confidently, and pats Link’s hand with a smile. “We got rid of Majora. Time split the mask in two while pieces, there’s no coming back from that.”

Link lets out a strange noise, his breathing speeding up, and Warriors takes his hands in his. He holds them steady, feeling the way they’re shaking, and waits until Link looks up and meets his eyes.

“He’s gone, Link. You’re safe, and you’re alive,” Warriors says softly.

Link’s lip trembles, and suddenly his face is pressed against Warriors’ shoulder, quiet cries coming from him. Warriors puts his arms around him, and runs a hand through his hair, suddenly seeing so many similarities to Mask and Time that it makes his heart feel like it’s going to break in two.

“Thank you,” Link chokes out, and Warriors holds him a little tighter as his breath hitches. “Th-thank you, I—”

His words break off into a hiccup, and Wind can’t take it anymore and jumps up to hug him as well. Legend puts a bracing hand on his shoulder, something heavy in his gaze, and Warriors realizes that the others have come into the room, likely brought by the sounds of Link’s cries.

They don’t intrude on the hug, but they stay close, and Warriors meets Time’s eye for a split second before he looks away.

“Shh, you’re okay Sprite,” Warriors says softly, and despite the fact that the boy he’s holding can’t have heard the nickname before, he relaxes slightly at it. “You’re safe.”

He holds him a little tighter, and doesn’t direct his next words solely at the boy in his arms, but rather the one he knows is also trying not to cry only a few feet away.

“It’ll be okay.”