#the twili. i miss them.

[scrawnytreedemon]

happy new year!! I started the year off right (thinking of zant / the twili / the interloper war and getting mad again that we were robbed)

IT NEVER ENDS! 😭😭😭

Nintendo,,, pleace... we already have [culture]s at home! Why are you getting more???

Happy New Year, Marshie <3

[waywardsalt]

refused to let myself rest until i finished making this

[ashleyleygraves]

If I were to make the next Zelda game, what would I change?

Bring back underwater traversal and real Water Temples.

If you were to think about any iconic Zelda item that isn't a weapon, you'd most likely think about the hook/clawshot. I like that we can climb, but I miss the claw/hookshot. Personally, I'd have the Skyward Sword climbing mechanics where you can climb a little bit but not much, but make it so that the hook/clawshot can go on any surface. Even better is a double claw/hookshot so you can swing around like Spider-Man

Linkle. That's right, from the original Hyrule Warriors spin-off game. It would be cool if we got to choose to play as Link or Linkle at the beginning of the game. Make it so that Link can't get into Gerudo Town without a disguise like in Breath of the Wild, but also make it so Linkle can't get into Goron City without a disguise, that way it's even and there's no major advantage.

If Linkle can't be an option, I'd have Link be a different race than Hylian. Tears of the Kingdom already teased us with this concept with the Ancient Hero. Before TotK, the closest we got was Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask Link who thought he was a Kokiri but found out that he was in fact Hylian and also had ghost masks to shapeshift into other races. (Or you could also add Linkle as this race too. But I think that's a bit much)

20 hearts OR harder enemies. With BotW, Link had 30 hearts. In literally every other Zelda game he had 20. With 30 hearts, it was a decent change in normal mode, but in Master Mode, it made it essential. Enemies did more damage and evolved from their normal mode counterparts. In TotK, Link has 40 hearts and no Master Mode. The enemies do basically the same damage as in BotW's normal mode and sometimes even far less with the decayed-unfused weapons. So I would make the series go back to 20 hearts or have Master Mode as the default difficulty.

A new fast travel system. Look, shrines were a good idea. Especially for a fast travel system, but if we're getting rid of the 10-20 extra hearts how I would do it, we need something else. For this, let's turn to Skyrim for just a second. The fast travel system there is broken because every cave, tower, dungeon, etc. is a fast travel point, but let's look at the towns/cities and important landmarks: they're fast travel points once we discover them. So let's turn those things into fast travel points in this hypothetical Zelda game. Now, what about the less significant parts of the map? Well, a few train stations around the map with a train. I mean, trains are in the Zelda universe. Spirit Tracks literally is about that, so it wouldn't be a big deal. I had this idea back in 2021, and now even fucking Fortnite has a train around a map with a few train stations in random spots.

This one will make a bit more sense if you read my "If I were to make a Zelda game, what would I keep?" post. Heart Pieces/Stamina pieces. You could go the normal route with 4 pieces makes a full thing or go Twilight Princess style with 5 pieces makes a full thing. These would probably be given as quest rewards in quests that are Side Adventures rather than Main Quests or Side Quests. Side quests would give you rupees or a rare item and Main Quests will give you more story progression.

Bring back the "one-and-done" races like the Kokiri, Twili, Minish, Zonai, Lokomo, etc.

[layraket]

Day 30 - Recovery

Character(s): Four and Twilight (LU)

Words: 750

Summary: They never thought that they will share the “I lost a special someone who was a shadow being” thing

Whump scale: 1 (see the full scale here)

Warning: Assumed character death, it's not explicitily established, but its there

Part 1 in Day 26

-

Twilight and Four have been hanging out together more lately, chatting and just spending time in the same place.

Since that night, the rancher found something on the smith that was surprisingly familiar; a sadness, longing for past times and things that would never be able to happen again.

It wasn’t the most positive thing to bond over, but that was what they got. Eh.

Four called him to talk alone, the rest deciding to not ask questions and let them be. They walked away from camp to have some privacy.

“Wha’ do ya need?” Twilight asked, stopping in front of the smaller hero with his arms crossed.

There was a nervous feeling surrounding him, like if this was a confession of something. “Well, I’m not sure if you exactly remember… that night…” His purple eyes looked down, like if admitting what happened that time made him embarrassed.

So Four knew that it was him, obviously. “Sure, wha’ happen with it?” If this was to ask him to stay silent—although, he had been already doing it— then he will respect his wish.

“I’ve been thinking, and… You once mentioned something about a mirror…” Twilight knew instantly what was he referring to.

He had a feeling why was he asking this, and he didn’t like how the reaction will be when he gets the answer.

“’t’s broken, there’ no way to fix it” He tried a long time ago, the only shard that he saved didn’t work at all, the magic left wasn’t enough to go through the barrier between the Twili realm and this one.

Maybe he was right about this answer shattering any hope from the smithy’s eyes, a soft “oh” being his only response.

“Thanks, I… I needed to be sure.” This seemed like the end of the conversation, but Twilight had his own questions.

“Why, tho?” He knew how curious was usually Four, but the fact that he needed privacy to ask this tells him something else.

After a minute without answer, Four sighed “A mirror with enough magic could be able to bring something back to life depending of the type of energy that is needed. What you mentioned is that the mirror used dark magic.”

So… If he’s understanding the clues, this was about a dark being. Cool, he didn’t though that they would get this as something in common.

“Yeah, it worked like tha’, but t’s shattered and I doubt only a shard could be enough” It remained at his home in Ordon, hidden in his basement to keep it as a memory or a symbol of false hope, so he wouldn’t be able to show it to Four until they arrived his era. “S’rry for askin’, but who was the one…”

“A friend, or I hope that we ended up in those terms. Last time I saw him he didn’t explain anything.” The smith reserved himself the complete history, Twilight knew this, but he will not try to push it.

“If ya miss him so much, I guess ye’re his friend.” Maybe this someone wasn’t a twili, maybe nothing closer to that, but something that he learned from them it was that if a shadow being called you their friend, they meant it.

“If you say so…” Purple eyes turned to look everywhere but Twilight, evading his gaze as much as he could.

“Ya know, it also used to hurt for me, like th’ kick of a goat” He wasn’t exaggerating. “Ya miss them, wishin’ to see them one more time, gettin’ trapped on that mindset, forgettin’ everyone else.”

He remembers how much he ignored Colin and the kids when he came back Ordon, Ilia doing her best to make him get out of his home, Rusl asking him to talk with him and tell him what’s wrong, Uli offering her food knowing well that he hadn’t eaten that day. All because he couldn’t let go of someone, and he still can’t.

“The thin’ ’m tryin’ to say,” He sighed “is that it will hurt, maybe makin’ life a hell to live. You can survive out of it, if there’ are people to keep goin’, why stop?”

Silence fell between them, a comfortable one that nobody wanted to break.

“Thank you” These words were filled with something else than just mere politeness, genuine gratitude surrounding them.

“Ye’re welcome”

They both shared something, and they both will heal from it. How long will it take? Doesn’t matter, as long as they had people.

[smilesrobotlover]

Love at Twilight. Got anything to say about it? Any behind the scenes things you’d be willing to share? Thoughts on Kori? His physiology? Any hints on upcoming plot or chapters? 👀

Hmmmm

So the very first draft of this story was widely different than how it was now. Originally it was a story about a circus that tried to get Kori there, but I really didn’t know what to do with everyone else. The plot didn’t motivate me and the final chapter I wrote out was terrible. I couldn’t fit in the resistance and generally I didn’t like it.

Until I thought of a mutated shadow beast, and then I completely changed the plot. There was no more lame ring leaders or weird and uncomfy scenarios in the circus. Like lemme tell you, the story wrote itself when I changed the main villain. It rocks

But it’s interesting at how the two stories kinda parallel? Originally Link didn’t let Kori leave Ordon out of fear for his safety, but for his birthday, they go to castle town. Some old man freaks out at Kori when he gets distracted by cats and it’s this huge deal. They’re able to run away but the ring leader finds out about “a little devil” and wants to find him for his circus. So he tracks Kori down in Ordon and attacks Uli in the middle of the night to find him.

In the actual story, they go to Kakariko for Kori’s birthday, some lady freaks out about him, and while I couldn’t show this in the fic itself, I imagined a comic form of this part. When Link and Rusl are done investigating the missing Goron, there’s a hint that the Twili beast is watching them. So it follows them back to Ordon when the fam leaves and attacks Rusl.

So much fun stuff! Rip Uli and Rusl, one of y’all had to suffer in each story 😔

Idk what else to say about the old story but it’s fun to talk about because it changed SO much. Everything about it is different. The rest of the story won’t parallel the old one (the old one was barely written out anyways) but it’s cool to see similarities!

Originally I played with Edmund being a villain with Twili beast, and he probably would’ve kidnapped Colin for some reason, but I decided against it. It would’ve been too much to deal with and I find Edmund a more enjoyable character now than how he was before. I’ve noticed that tp Zelda always gets an abusive husband, and while I don’t hate that, I wanted to give her something different. They’re not super in love but some sparks were actually flying in chapter 7 so… 👀 (that’s actually why I asked if oc x canon was cringe cuz I kinda like them hdbsbsjsbsk). But yeah! I found Edmund being a villain extremely boring. It’s kinda fun not having any person as a villain, and instead it be some monster or something. Man vs nature you know?

And some hints ;) the Twili beast isn’t eating people, but it is “eating” something from people. I wonder if y’all can guess :3c and also for next chapter… it’s actively hunting someone down now. But I wonder who 🤔 or is it multiple people?? Guess you’ll find out at some point.

And Kori is my baby I love him <3 since he’s half Twili, he’ll stop sleeping so much as he gets older. He’ll still need sleep, but not as much as before. Which is nice cuz he struggles to sleep with the light anyways (he’ll also begin to struggle with sleep for a lot of different reasons 😬)

And this was a complete accident, but sometimes characters write themselves haha. Kori loves fashion and clothes! I worded this weirdly in the chapter, but Kori hates the men’s skirts of ordon, and is interested in other types of clothing. I want him to be a tailor or something when he’s older cuz he finds clothes so fascinating! I mean, I did have him interested in the dress up dolls! That’s something he’d absolutely love to do :))

[yiga-hellhole]

twili headcanons 🫵

you sly dog. i'll have you know i am actually working on a lore doc RIGHT NOW . but let me whip some up anyhow!!

twili are the mixed and shuffled descendants of basically all of hyrule's peoples. though most of the population has gotten kind of a "standardized" appearance, noble families with pickier marriages will resemble their ancestral equivalents more

zant's family is primarily zora descendant, while midna's is gerudo/sheikah

the glowing markings on their body can be from birth to signify clan lineages, attained through life stages (appear on the skin when entering puberty, coming of age, pregnancy, etc), or with a careful hand can be tattooed. the royal house's tattoo is on twili midna's upper right thigh. on zant, this same mark (though missing the squiggle that signifies a ruling monarch) is on his back

that being said, i've talked about this before, but the black markings on twili bodies are like membranes that cover their sanitary areas. that's how they can walk around nude and you see nut'n at all.

on that same note, clothing is purely a way to signify status or personal taste. clergy, royalty, and palatial staff all wear some sort of head covering in humility though. high clergy is the most thoroughly covered, being the only ones clad head to toe

many twili are obligate carnivores. a lot of light world foods make them sick, too

having been cast aside by the light world, there's a cultural shunning of hyrule's deities, as well. instead, they've developed somewhat of their own pantheon, of which the sols are the conduits.

as i said, there's no day/night cycle, nor a seasonal one, so people tend to go to sleep and rise at their own schedules. there's always *somebody* bound to be awake to attend to some duty or other. that is to say, nobody's really in quite a rush most of the time.

all twili have an inherent knack for magic, but mostly in the sense of little charms and telekinesis. noble houses, the clergy, and scholarship are most actively involved with magic, leading to the creation of complex spells and structuring of magitech contraptions that rival, if not scarily succeed, sheikah traditions.

the throne isn't inherited per se, as the reigning monarch's children are electable candidates for the throne. from each noble house, the most talented caster is chosen as a candidate, and upon the perishing of the monarch, the most suitable candidate is elected.

the twili palace is just one of the locations in the realm - normally it's on a cliff, but zant lifted the whole shit into the sky to avoid beef with every other noble house in the realm. it kind of resembles the dark world/lorule in that it is similar to hyrule, but a lot more barren. oceans are uninhabitable, a lot of it is desert, and with the lack of a sun, dense vegetation only clusters around where Sols are being maintained. with the lack of inhabitable water the zora descendant twili are pissed off to all hell 24/7

hair length is correlated to marriage candidacy for adults. twili of marrying age will either have a full head of hair that they refuse to cut, or at least a strand or two of considerable length. bangles are the most common engagement gift, which are meant to be tied at the end of a braid at the proposal. after a couple years, if the husband(s) (usually, but wives can too) of the pair so choose, it become socially acceptable to cut the hair and wear the bangle elsewhere on the body, like on jewelry

other than that, twili are excessively laid-back, no-strings-attached, and a touch frivolous. having many flings before marriage is commonplace, as it takes a good bit for emotional attachment to kick in. (this isn't the case for zant, specifically, whatsoever)

[intergalactic-garbage]

mlp x chb crossover

no u don't need an explanation. pinkie pie is cabin 12, dionysus cabin. dionysus is the god of parties and being craaaazy (ok it's actually madness but close enough). she's a party planner through and through

rainbow dash. you'd think something like ares or hermes but no. it's actually cabin 17 - nike. my mans is obsessed with winning and yeah she's fast, but she cares about winning more ithink <3 (i do think making her a child of iris could be funny as well)

applejack is cabin 4 - demeter. next question

fluttershy you'd think is demeter but what the fuck bro. no. the best estimation i'd have to say is a satyr. and yes i know satyrs are technically biologically exclusively males, and that their biologically female equivalent would be nymphs. but 1. nymphs are still about fucking flowers and 2. more power to transfem!fluttershy innit

rarity is. if we're not calling her a roman and child of minerva (which we can't, because minerva doesn't have children in rick's canon), the best i can do is really putting her in aphrodite's cabin 10 edit: oh fuck she could be a child of pluto and summon gems im so sorry miss please don't step on me

okay okay i know what you're thinking, twilight could be a child of hecate, but then again, she's giving major athena kid vibes. well, i think this is so fucked up because i truly can't decide if i prefer her being a cabin 20 kid who yes, learns magic, but generally just learns friendliness and all the other shit too, and then later down the line when starlight joins, she'd be wayy more powerful than twily, despite her being an athena kid (whos probably a hecate legacy imo), OR yeah just leave them as athena!twilight and hecate!starlight bc she is such a powerful sorceress naturally. there'd also be like interesting potential in making twi and star hecate siblings, because we get to see the duality of cabin 20

fuck you i'm still going bc i love these bitches octavia is definitely a child of apollo and vinyl is a child of one of the muses. *checks notes* calliope.

i think trixie could plausibly be a child of hermes, as her magic is mostly.. heh.. tricks

sunburst is a child of athena. trust me bro

obvsly mfs like carrot top, strawberry sunrise or bonbon would be demeter kids

i think it would be really funny to genuinely have maud as pinkie's cabin 12 sibling

do i shallowly think sunset shimmer would be a child of apollo? yes im sorry apollo just fucks a lot

zephyr breeze? definite satyr.

[turbofanatic]

Any fun twists on Midna herself or the Twili. How...Into his missing goth GF is Fuzzbutt?

@badlydressedwriter

Poor Fuzzbutt is extremely infatuated... and it's probably not healthy. He'd never gone far from Ordon and suddenly got thrown into an emotionally charged situation where she was the only person he could rely on. And then she turns out to be hot? He did not have a chance and I think she's savvy enough to realize it. I get the feeling Midna has a bad habit of toying with people's emotions, though she clearly matures by the end of the game.

Since she's now more aware of this she decides to cut ties, but the real reason she breaks the mirror is that Hyrule Kingdom was DUMPING MONSTERS INTO HER REALM, even if she wanted to stay with Fuzzbutt she's got to destroy that gateway.

Could they meet again later in a healthier situation and figure out their relationship properly? Yeah, and they may not end up together. Life's like that sometimes.

Ilia is out of the question for romance with Fuzzbutt in Bad Moon because she likes girls. They're good friends though and they try to help each other out with their trauma from the whole ordeal. But it's been a few years and Fuzzbutt is still wandering around deeply unmoored and fighting monsters (I'm making Link's Crossbow Training part of this).

Midna does show up again in the War of Eras, AKA, I Take Hyrule Warriors Too Seriously. She becomes friends with Ravio and Tiny, and the three of them make a dark magic "good guy" trio. She also is very frustrated and has no respect for time paradoxes so she's more than happy to tell Tiny everything, including the fact that Ganondorf's not actually dead which sets into motion Tiny's paranoid attempts to prep the next hero... yay time travel!

My ideas for the Twili aren't super unique but here they are. They're formerly related to the Gerudo and built both Majora's mask and the Fused Shadow to break into the sacred realm (the eye designs and backstory of the dark interlopers and ancient tribe are very similar, there's also Gerudo patterns on Zant's clothes even before he meets Ganondorf but one could argue that's just a flashback and maybe not accurate). Also it's concerning how hard the light spirits came down on them!

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Malice (Dad Squad)

Fair warning, this does have TotK content but none of it is spoilers. It's all literally stuff from the trailer. But anyway, I had fun writing it. :)

The lurch was absolutely nauseating.

Rusl shivered on his hands and knees, dizzy and disoriented and so unbelievably ill. He'd never been pulled in so many directions at once at such an unimaginable speed. He could barely make out his surroundings, having been torn from the jungle where they'd been wandering.

Taking steadying breaths, Rusl kept his eyes squeezed shut to reorient and not throw up. He remained stiff, not daring to move until the wave of nausea had passed. As his mind slowly stopped spinning,

The grass beneath him was damp, littered with little stones, which was the first thing he noticed. The stones felt... unnaturally shaped. Running a finger along it, he felt the curved edges, the too straight lines framing it.

Cobblestone. Cobblestone with grass growing through it, so withered and worn it was barely there anymore.

More ruins?

Exhaling, Rusl slowly opened his eyes. It was a dismally dark day, wherever they were. Storm clouds brooded overhead, he could tell by the lighting and the damp. Beside him, Abel was laying on the ground staring up at the sky, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. The Fierce Deity was crouched just a pace away from the pair, apparently reorienting faster.

Rusl wasn't surprised.

The Ordonian leaned back on his knees and feet, a trembling hand reaching for Abel's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Headache," Abel muttered before sitting up. "I'll be fine. But..."

The Fierce Deity rose to his full height, helping Rusl to his feet. The blacksmith stumbled a little, dizzy at the speed at which the deity lifted him up.

Rusl's companion opened his eyes, glancing around before gasping. "This is--this is just outside of Castle Town! How did--did that item bring us here?"

This was Castle Town?

Rusl looked around again, horrified to see the ruined remains of what should have been a sprawling city. He'd seen pieces of ruins, leftover outposts, a destroyed wagon here and there, but nothing of this magnitude.

Spirits above. He swallowed, suddenly thankful that the Twili invasion hadn't reached this level of destruction.

"But how did we--?" Abel cut himself off abruptly, and Rusl was about to ask what was wrong when he noticed it too.

What was that aura? Why was there ominous mist emitting from all around them, oozing out of the ground like steam from a boiling lake?

The Fierce Deity hissed, collapsing to the ground, a hand clutched to his face.

"Fierce...?" both men made their way to him, hands hovering over him uncertainly.

The deity was trembling, in obvious pain with his sharp teeth bared and eyes glaring into the earth. His hand on his face slid up to his hair, fingers curling around it in a desperate attempt to alleviate whatever was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Abel asked.

Fierce curled in farther, shriveling from their attempts to touch him. "It's the mask."

"What mask?" Rusl questioned.

As the Ordonian tried to figure out what in the blazes was happening, Abel's eyes roamed forward towards the city, and beyond it, to the castle.

"This mist..." he muttered. "It's the same as..."

Rusl looked between Abel and the Fierce Deity, wondering what in the world was happening and how they could fix this. "We need to get him out of here."

"Kill him." Fierce suddenly snarled, pulling away when Rusl tried to reach for his shoulder. "I'll be fine. Get him."

"Who? Who are you talking about?" Rusl asked, growing far more nervous than he cared to feel. He was usually fairly adaptable and had seen so many things that had little explanation in his life, but seeing a war god writhing in pain was beyond unsettling, particularly since he was his friend.

Abel rose, eyes dark. "It can't be..."

Rusl was clearly missing something, a connection that both of his companions had made. Nevertheless, the priority was to help the Fierce Deity, not worry about whoever they were talking about.

Abel clearly didn't seem to understand that, gripping his sword with enough ferocity to make his knuckles white. He marched ahead.

"Abel, what are you doing?" Rusl called. "We have to get Fierce out of here!"

When he got no response from the world weary traveler, he looked back at the deity, who insisted through gritted teeth, "Go with him. I'll be fine."

He looked distinctly not fine, but watching Abel walk into a heavier dark mist made Rusl equally unsettled. The Ordonian sighed. "Get away from here. Find somewhere safe to lay low. I can help you--"

"No," Fierce hissed. "I do not require help. Abel does."

"Fierce--"

"I will retreat as instructed," the deity acquiesced shakily. "But help him."

Abel had almost vanished into the darkness. Rusl bit his tongue, standing stiffly, filled with dread and annoyance. "Fine."

Drawing his blade, he hurried after the former knight, feeling cold dread sink into his bones the closer to the castle he got.

Abel's world was a desolate place, filled with mausoleums for villages, but this place had to be the pinnacle of it all. Rusl didn't want to get any closer. Had those guardian creatures really caused such destruction?

Despite his misgivings, the Ordonian did manage to catch up to Abel, who was slowly descending a stairway into the damp depths beneath the castle.

"I don't understand," Abel said softly as Rusl approached. "There are no guardians here. There's... no sign of anything."

"I'd say this mist is a pretty clear sign," Rusl pointed out, grabbing Abel by the wrist. "As is our friend's ailment. We should go back to him. There's something wrong about this place."

Abel pulled out of Rusl's grip sharply. "I know. It..."

The two men stared at the dark abyss below. Abel's face glowed with equal parts determination and dread. He was just as scared as Rusl, but rather than listening to his gut instinct, he ventured forward.

Rusl sighed. This man was beginning to remind him of Link.

Rusl had been to many a place that gave unnerving auras, but that had always been milder sensations. A feeling of being watched, an innate sense of danger to the area that would linger near dungeons. This... this was something entirely different.

This, for lack of a better word, felt demonic.

Pulling out a lantern, Rusl lit the wick and glanced at his companion. "If you're insistent, we should at least have a means of seeing where we're going."

Abel nodded in thanks before continuing. Rusl sighed and followed him down the stairs.

The farther they went, the sicker Rusl felt. He broke into a cold sweat, shivers racking his body. He'd never had such a visceral reaction to anything - even the Twili barriers that infected his world, despite their wrongness, hadn't made him physically ill. They'd felt more like the sensation of being in the dark, an overbearing heaviness and fear of the unknown, whereas this felt like a violation of body, mind, and soul.

He honestly didn't know how Abel wasn't at least reacting to it. Even the Fierce Deity had been affected. It had crippled him.

Spirits. It had crippled a war god. What were they doing down here?!

"Abel," Rusl tried again. "We should go back."

"What happened to your cheer for exploration?" Abel asked in a monotone, not really asking so much as distractedly challenging. He was far more focused on what was ahead than his companion behind him.

"I have a sense of self preservation," Rusl replied. "We don't know what we're walking into."

"It's like the Calamity," Abel muttered, more to himself than to Rusl. "But it's... I don't understand."

"The Calamity?" Rusl repeated. "The destruction of your land?"

"The Calamity isn't just an event, it's a monster," Abel explained, walking ahead despite his ominous words.

"So... we're walking towards the monster that destroyed the entirety of Hyrule," Rusl supposed with a raised eyebrow, continuing to follow his friend.

Abel huffed, stepping hesitantly as they seemed to reach the bottom of the stairway. "I don't hear any guardians yet."

"Those aren't the Calamity?"

"No. The Calamity used the guardians."

Rusl looked around warily, lantern raised. "So we're potentially looking for a beast that is stronger than guardians. And a single guardian can annihilate both of us."

Abel's shoulders stiffened, and he shook his head. "Dammit, Rusl, I don't know. This... this mist surrounded the capital on the eve of the Calamity. But... then the Calamity happened. Nothing is happening here, except that our companion is falling ill because of it."

"We should be trying to help him," Rusl reasoned.

Abel turned sharply. "This is me helping. He... he said..."

"He said kill him," Rusl repeated, a little disturbed at the words.

Abel grew very still and silent.

"Do you really think we can defeat something that is incapacitating a war god?" Rusl asked solemnly, trying to get through to the knight. "I had an entire resistance to assist me in my journey to save Hyrule, and inevitably it was Link who did the most work."

"Yes. Link. A child." Abel hissed. "We left the fate of our nation in the hands of children and expected them to--"

There was the sound of a foot scuffing on a rock and both men immediately froze. It came from somewhere ahead, vague and distant and bouncing in the chilly air, steadily making its path to them. It moved rhythmically, steps on stone, growing ever quieter.

Someone else was down here.

Someone else was down here and they were walking further into the abyss.

Abel stepped forward, sword at the ready. Rusl followed, armed and on edge.

Who else was down here? Had they heard the two men arguing? Was it just Rusl, or was the mist getting thicker?

The pair walked through some unusual corridors, and though Rusl's lamplight wasn't the best, he could make out odd shapes and figures in the stone. Abel glanced at it in passing, noting it and moving ahead. Neither man spoke at this point, ears peeled for any indication that they had caught up to whoever else was down here.

For such a foreboding place, there was certainly a strange lack of monsters. Rusl didn't know if he should find that reassuring or not.

Finally, the two men descended further and emerged into a large underground cavern of sorts. A strange light shone ahead, dulling Rusl's lamplight to that of a mere stub of a candle. The pair paused, uncertain and leery. Rusl's eyes settled on a strange swirling pattern of light that emitted from a... severed arm? The arm was perched on a half rotted corpse, almost as if it were pushing the corpse to the ground.

As if this place couldn't get any creepier.

Notably, though, Rusl's eyes caught movement. Up by the mummified body were two other figures, their voices lost in the echoes of the large space. All he could make out was that one was a female and one was a male. The male had a sword with an uncomfortably familiar shape to its hilt.

Rusl squinted in the darkness. It was hard to tell from here, but something about the swordsman's blade... he tried to focus more on it but couldn't, not at that distance with the dim light. The Ordonian turned to his companion and saw Abel transfixed at the sight.

"Is... this the Calamity?" he whispered. Was the foe already defeated? Was it trying to recuperate its strength? Who were the two in front of it?

Abel didn't answer. Voices grew louder, a strange sound emitted from ahead of them, and Rusl jumped, turning to look at the scene ahead of him to find that the corpse was moving.

There was a flash of light and the entire room shook. Rusl grabbed on to Abel's arm, pushing both of them against the wall to brace themselves as the entire place seemed to crumble in a flash of red, hellish light.

Abel dove forward, and Rusl yelped, pulling him back and trying to fight his vicious energy.

Abel was frantic; he didn't even seem to notice Rusl was there anymore. Instead, a scream tore out of his throat, desperate and pleading and terrified.

"LINK!"

The ceiling collapsed, and they were sealed into darkness.

[cutebutalsostabby]

I'm thinking about Twilight's twili crystal shard thing, and I'd like to know what is it made of? Is there a reason why he's a wolf? Why is the Hero's Shade also a wolf? Why is Legend a bunny instead of a wolf? Does the twili magic have anything to do with the dark world from ALttP? Do you think the rest of the chain would also be wolves?

Oops, sorry! I saw this previously but missed responding at the time!

The in-game story behind Twilight's crystal shard is basically this:

People in the Twilight Realm are minding their business until one day, the guy (Zant) who really wanted to be king but wasn't chosen turns up with a whole bunch of new magic powers and uses them to take over the throne. We later find out that those powers come from Ganondorf.

Zant then proceeds to take over patches of the Light World as well. When he does, those patches turn into echoes of the Twilight Realm. Normal human turn to spirits in that environment, but Link turns into a wolf. According to the Light Spirits, this is proof that he's the legendary hero.

Link goes around dispelling patches of Twilight in various provinces, and completes the first three dungeons along the way. Then he runs into Zant, and Zant lays a curse on him that forces him to turn into a wolf even in the Light World. In this cutscene, you see a crystal embed itself in Link's forehead. This is the curse, in a physical form.

Link and Midna go off and find the Master Sword in order to turn him back. The Master Sword is a blade that can dispell evil, and when he approaches it, Zant's weird little crystal curse thing is driven out of his body.

Midna hangs onto the little curse thing. She seemingly has some kind of magical storage space where she can swap out the curse and the Master Sword, so you can change to a wolf whenever you want.

In-game, Link CANNOT turn into a wolf without Midna's help. For this to work in an AU, there's probably some offscreen moment where Midna teaches him a little bit of Twili magic and/or equips him with some sort of item that lets him safely store the sword and curse and to swap them out as needed.

As to what that crystal is and whether it has any connection to ALTTP: although TP's Twilight Realm and ALTTP's Dark World are technically two very separate things, they operate very similarly. And remember that Zant's power is based on Twili magic BUT is supercharged by Ganon's own magic. So it makes sense that certain elements of how the Dark World works would carry over! Maybe that's why our hero turns into a wolf.

Within ALttP, EVERYONE within the Dark World transforms in some way, rather than just becoming a spirit. Your transformation is supposed to reflect your true nature, so bullies turn into monsters while most others turn into animals, and our sweet lil hero who just tumbled out of bed in his pajamas, then went and watched his uncle die and then went off to save the world at like... 15 years old at most(?), turns into a little pink bun bun.

There are a few ways of reading that, and the rabbit does have some different inferences in Japan vs the Western world. But to me, it's like... he's trying so hard to be brave, but secretly he feels small, helpless and scared. Oof :(

Also did you know that hares are trans in Medieval lore? Now you do.

TP!Link is a bit of a different character. He is fiercely protective and loyal, and he also seems to be a bit older and more sure of himself. Wolf form makes sense for him, even going off ALttP's logic about how your transformation is determined. The Hero's Shade, aka OoT!Link, is the only other non-monster character in TP who has a transformation like that, and the fact that it's also a wolf shows the connection between the two of them.

I don't think the others would be wolves. I think they'd be whatever form matches their own hearts. I probably have a few headcanons, but that's for another day :)

Hope that helps!

[bokettochild]

so what was wind, twilight, and hyrule's reaction to meeting again after the timeline's merged?

Well, at that point all of them were important figures already in their countries, Hyrule was a king, Wind was the Minister of Trade and Commerce and Twilight was... well, I like to reference @/thesacredtwink and say Twilight became the next leader of the Gerudo (or y'know, since he's Midna's husband in TBBU he would be King of the Twili too).

The merging happened sort of all of a sudden, so Hyrule and Wind, both on their way to different parts of their different castles in their different eras, were suddenly headed opposing ways down the same corridor in the same castle in the now-merged era and... yeah they totally collided. Wind looked up from his spilled over scrolls and Hyrule from his mess of robes and finery (he hates it but it's required), locked eyes, and Wind took no time at all to scoop up his brother and swing him around like a doll (reminder that Wind is like 6'5' as an adult and Rule is still like 5'8")

Once they'd sorted themselves out (and missed their respective meetings, but that's fine since the whole castle was in chaos at that point) they sat down with their princesses, and Dusk who was also in the Castle (she ended up falling on top of Tetra, to the shock of both) they sorted out some political matters, had some months long of meetings and fuss, and the moment they had settling things over, the both of them rode down towards the desert to go hunt down Twilight.

Twilight of course also knew about the merging (they all knew it would happen one day, just weren't expecting it when it dd) and was busy handling things in Gerudo Town (and getting fawned over by two era's worth of Gerudo women who've never seen a man of their race). He settled things a lot easier than those Hyrule side, of course, since he had no competitors for the throne and Midna needed no help in her Realm (the Twili settled who should rule by a battle of magic and she far surpassed her competitors, thus preserving her rule). He didn't head Hyrule side immediately, since things were still settling down, but he was overjoyed to see his little brothers again!

The three are already in their thirties/forties when the merging occurs, but that means their children are the perfect age to make friends with each other (Hyrule's and Twilight's anyway) and all three men were quite eager to establish official meet up times with each other. They worked together to help settle things after The Merging, and even helped ride the kingdom together, much like their days on the path with the rest of their brothers, to make sure there were no hangups or issues in the further out places of their now altered world.

As for the instant reactions to seeing each other again? Wind did a lot of picking people up and hugging them. Wind also did a lot of teasing the other two about their heights, because he's taller than them now :)

[rrainydaydreams]

@violet27writes I had to make a post because I had some ideas (I love the au concept!) but rambled too much to comment on your community post! Hope this is ok, sorry that I go on and on ^u^

So first of all, I have some questions!

Are you having characters like Four and Hyrule as their ‘typical’ swaps that the fandom know of? As in Four being Minish and Hyrule being a Fae? Or are the species swap specific to them or random?

Because Wind could be a Zora because of his connection to water, but he also doesn’t have them in his time I believe. But it would also be fun to see him as something like a korok because then there could be the problem of only a few of them being able to see him.

Do you know the cause of how they ended up like this?

Have they come across some sort of magic item in their own eras which transformed them and also brought them together?

Have they fallen through the portals and then been transformed?

Or is it intentional? Maybe the villain (dark link or someone else) has changed them to try and make them more vunerable?

Genre?

Is it crack, fluff, ect? Is the fic going to be for laughs or is the transformations an actually problem that stops the heroes from doing something such as fighting?

What kind of species are they limited to?

Are they just going to be transformed into species that you would interact with in-game, or might some of them also change into monster species?

Ok, sorry that’s a lot. But now some other thoughts on what they might turn into!

Sky: probably something with wings? Like a rito or even a loftwing

Four: If he turned into a Minish he would definitely have some experience, but maybe he can’t get to a Minish portal to turn back. Four would probably be the character who could provide jabber nuts incase if communication barriers

Time: again, if Time turned into a deku scrub he would already have some experience. Other options could also be a fairy or koroki

Wind: like I said before, a Zora would connect him to the water but it would also be fun to see him as something small and chaotic!

Twilight: well there’s already the option of his wolf form (maybe a missing shadow crystal prevents him from turning back, like in alternatemind’s dog days au on ao3) or possibly a twili?

Legend: Like twilight, legend could get stuck in his bunny form! I’m not sure what else beyond that so I’ll have to have a think…

Hyrule as a fae/fairy as one idea, but I’ll have to come back to you again for something else

Wild could be many things, especially a nature-related creature, but there’s also a lot of transformation fics out there involving him that you could get inspiration from

Warriors: Again, I’m not quite sure for warriors. I think @/crazylittlejester mentioned something a while ago about a cat form for him but then again that’s not exactly what you’re looking for, is it? It would always be interesting to see him as something like a Goron

Other thoughts:

Them learning how to navigate their new bodies would be something fun to see

You mentioned how they think that they are the only Hylian in the group, which means that reveal could be hilarious

If they’ve been transformed for a reason, are they going to be attracted when they’re most vulnerable? Some of them might not even be able to wield weapons properly

I love the name of the au as well!

That’s all for now, apologies again for it being so long.

[tnc-n3cl]

The Tale of the Realm Walker

Behold, the first (chronologically speaking) arc of my LoZ fanfic saga, The Realm Walker! The Tale of the Realm Walker is set 20 years after the events of Wind Waker, and is a crossover of sorts with Twilight Princess. It's been brought up before in my other fics, "The Ballad of Kass", and "Shifting Tides of Fate" mostly. But know I'm letting you finally see the madness in my head! Here's a summary!

Kass stands in the clearing at the center of Korok Forest, the dappled sunlight shining off his nearly sky-blue plumage as he unfastens the strap holding his accordion to his back.  He unfolds his cherished instrument and moves to stand in front of the sleeping Great Deku Tree.  He plays a few notes to warm up before speaking… “The Rito have kept this story to ourselves since we lived on a lonely island upon a Great Sea; however, given recent events, I believe now is the time to share it with you, as it is my firm belief that this story is the missing piece of the puzzle that is Hyrule’s long and complicated history.” He takes a deep breath before continuing, “Now, before I begin, I have but one request.  I humbly ask all of you to save all questions and comments until after I have finished this tale as it is quite long and I’d rather not be away from my wife and daughters for longer than I need to be.”   His crest collapses in anguish as he looks down for but a moment before looking back at his audience, “I’ve… been away from them for too long already…” After a moment, Kass begins playing his accordion.  It’s a more upbeat and faster paced variation of the music he plays with his daughters back home.  An ancient version of the song, played by the Rito in days long since passed…

Okay maybe that doesn't tell you much... Basically Kass is telling everybody this some time after the Divine Beasts are free. Yes, he's playing appropriate music for each section of the story (staring with the Dragon Roost Island theme). Lets see... Rated M for Mature (for safety in case I get carried away with the violence), Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (I will post specific warnings in each chapter.) Post canon, AU, Blood and Violence, Profanity, may have Suggestive Themes.

Characters: Lots of OC's! Twili OC's! Rito OC's! Midna, Medli, Komali, even Valoo!

Check out this spear I did for the main character!

I've retconed the Rito for this story. BotW style full birb, except they can change their wings into arms like in WW (scaly birb arms, no feathers after the elbow, claws on fingers), and WW style clothes.

You want a more descriptive summary? Okay! 20 Years after Wind Waker, the Great Sea lies mostly abandoned. Most of the human population has left for a new land. The Rito stayed behind because Valoo could not or would not leave Dragon Roost Island, the Koroks didn't want to leave the Great Deku Tree alone. Now, a mysterious stranger from another realm arrives on Dragon Roost Island....

(That's it, that's all your getting. Wanna know more, read the fic!)

[smallestapplin]

Hear me out hear me out-

@onestepbackwards (my sweet darling beloved) and I talked about this a long while ago, but forgot to say anything. And I’m hyper fixating again. (There is also another loz au we were gushing about, but that’s for the next ask-)

Twilight princess au, with submas taking the place of Midna.

(Sfw for rn. But speaks of injuries.)

-

-

The two cursed and banished princes, finding you in wolf form chained and jailed.

Emmet is the one who sasses you, the Twili prince only focusing on getting his and his brother’s true forms back.

Ingo is firm and distance, they need your help, so he isn’t as sassy as Emmet, but he is strict and having a full schedule and plan on what you need to help them do.

Ingo doesn’t want to form a friendship, only a partnership (at first-)

Emmet doesn’t much care, his distaste for those in the light is much more evident.

Emmet is the one who shifts into your friends, whom at the time you thought were dead. And was surprised at how viciously you snapped at him, body jolting like you were holding yourself back.

Ingo just sighs and calls Emmet rude, as that was unnecessary. Though the two won’t say it, seeing you get so angry, especially at them was unnerving.

They quickly become your companions.

While they do most of the talking, mainly Ingo, their banter is always funny, until they drag you into it and asking you who’s right.

“Growl once for me, and twice for me!”

“Emmet that’s not how this works!”

Once you got your human form back, they slowly started warming up to you, talking to you more as this time you could actually respond.

Like in twilight princess, only you can see them when in your human form. They stay hidden in your shadow, helping you along the way.

Emmet shadow hops to learn more information, and the town gossip.

Reporting back with whatever he can find.

They slowly want up you, while being wary of everyone else, aside from the princess.

Until Zant attacks, which you and Zelda take great care to ensure their safety.

Emmet does a complete 180. He becomes so affectionate and clingy to you, always tugging at your tunic and staying close to you.

Ingo becomes much softer, thanking you over and over, then at random times for your kindness. He talks to you, specifically you, a lot more and a lot longer, both of you having full conversations about the dungeon or people.

Or even just about what you like to do, or his world.

Emmet sulks when Ingo has most of your attention.

The closer you three get to completing the mirror of twilight, the more they hesitate, the more they start trying to delay it.

They want to save their people and the twilight realm, but they will also miss you.

It’s then the two Twili realize they have fallen so deeply for you, your strength, your kindness, your selflessness, everything about you is perfect to them.

You slowly become aware of how protective the two have gotten, Emmet tears up while Ingo weeps anytime you get hurt.

They give you your healing potions or fairies during battles, or if you’re hurt, panicking and fretting over you.

They don’t confess to you, they never planned on it, thoroughly believing they would take it as a secret to their graves.

Until the final fight with Zant.

He wasn’t strong, but what he lacked in strength he made up for in speed at the end, keeping you on your toes.

You ended up with many cuts around your arms and back, from his spinning attacks.

All you did was simply kneel, panting, trying to catch your breath before getting to your potion.

Only for the two to pop out from the shadows, crying loudly. The two hold you so tenderly, shushing you quietly as you groan.

Your body shaking, only making them cry harder as they try to give you a potion. But they are just as shaky as you, nearly dropping it.

The spike in their anxiety had them blurting it out.

“We love you, please don’t die!”

“W-we can’t- we need you! Please!”

Emmet managed to get the bottle to your lips, which you greedily gulp down its contents. While the princes cry into your chest, holding you tightly as if you’d vanish.

But oh are they embarrassed afterwards.

More so when you laugh as hell then you feel the same.

[hanayori89]

A Game of Politics

*The Palace of Twilight*

Link's lips were puckered against the back of your hand. The gentle sound of his kisses trailing up your arm made you come alive in a way you had never experienced before.

Is this what it feels like to be alive? To have every breath within you finally make sense?

He stopped kissing you for a moment. His blue eyes were darkened by the shadows of your room. But even the darkest of shadows couldn't cocoon the desire brewing in his gaze.

He continued diligently kissing your skin until he hit your shoulder. He murmured something against your flesh as he gently slid his fingertip down the entrance to the labyrinth of Twili markings that embellished your skin.

"Link, I feel..." Your voice was unrecognizable amongst yourself. There were traces of yearning within it. Yearning you have never portrayed before. Was this...pleasure? Was this what the interlopers stole from you?

Now Link was here. And he was going to reward you with it.

He was going to reward you with what it meant to live within the light.

Link took your face in between his hands, and with a faint whisper into your lips, he demanded. "Tell me how you feel."

"I feel..." You didn't dare close your eyes. You latched your gaze into his. His lips lingered above yours.

"What do you feel?"

Your eyes shot open as you saw the curiously hard eyes of Midna. Your heart rate was still elevated from the steamy dream of Link.

"Midna..." You couldn't meet her eyes. You could feel yourself squirm around in the bed you were in. The sheets and quilt were not as comfortable as Link's, which you've grown oddly accustomed to.

Midna gave you a reserved smirk. Her voice was a sardonic shell of itself. "Welcome home."

She began her familiar pacing, as she did during her lectures. You recalled Zelda doing it at Hyrule Castle. How similar they both were, even in the most circumstantial ways.

"Well, I suppose the goal is for this to not really be your home anymore, is it? This saddens me, Y/N. You're very special to me. Whether you realize it or not."

"Midna," you began, excited to speak in normal Twili once again. "How did I get back here? I tried to talk to you the other night and-"

"I summoned you." Midna's voice was sharp in the overbearing silence of the room you were in. Silence dominated much of the Realm of Twilight. When you first made it to the light, you found the constant chatter vexing. Now the familiar silence you were beginning to miss was uncomfortable. Foreign. As if you never really resided within it.

"Y/N, I am worried about your disillusionment with the light. You are beginning to remind me of... " Midna's voice drifted away in thought.

"Who? Midna, what is going on? Why did you tell me there was only one shard from the Mirror of Twilight? When did you know Princess Zelda had one? Why did you lie to me?" You stood, your bare feet touching the cold palace floor.

"Now you summon me back, claiming I am disillusioned. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Link!" When you said Link's name, you heard your voice waver. You felt the same burning within your eyes that had happened at Lake Hylia. Only now have you understood the emotion attached to it. You were going to cry.

Midna sauntered up to you, taking you cautiously within her arms. Much like a mother would console an upset child. Midna was, after all, the only mother figure you had ever known. She could be rigid at times, but only because she kept your best interests at heart. Now that you've returned from the light, you've decided it's much deeper than interests. Her rigidity was also a form of protection. These demons, known as emotions, kept their realm at bay. She patted your back as you felt the tears dribble down your face.

You wished Link was here to wipe them away.

Except he was busy kissing Ilia. The memory of the kiss between them was now prevalent in your mind. You began to cry harder.

"Midna, what's wrong with me? Why is the light doing this to me?" You wept in her arms.

"I meant it when I said we could never be part of their realm. For good reason. I too felt this sensation when I had to leave. "

"What sensation?"

Her response was reluctant. "The breaking of my heart."

You held your breath for a moment. Did Midna know she was in love with the hero of Twilight? How could you have fallen for the same trap?

"Then why don't you use your shard to visit Link?"

Midna let out an almost grating laugh. "Who said anything about the hero?"

Your tears were cut short by relief. "You're not in love with the hero of Twilight?" You asked with astonishment.

"I regard the hero dearly. He is also very special to me as a human. I meant..." her face dense with emotion, "Zelda."

"I don't follow..."

"Zelda is like my sister. My love and admiration for her run deep. She made me the ruler I never thought I could be. Teaching me diplomacy and unconditional love for my people. For her. That is why she carries the other shard. So that we may always be connected. " Midna paused for a moment before continuing her clarification. "I do not travel to the Realm of Light because it is too risky. It leaves room for a negative entity to travel within the realms. We both agreed to not do this because of the risk it would pose. The love of our kingdoms must always come before our love."

"Then why let me go?" You asked in outrage. "Why let me welcome such a threat to both realms?"

"Because your conversion is essential to what could save our realms."

"Midna! I'm tired of the secrets! What are you trying to say?" You demanded with an aggressive stomp from your foot. "You didn't even know I left with the intention of conversion. Which, I apologize for my deceit. I was afraid if I had asked to convert, you'd never have let me go. "

Midna let out a defeated sigh. She knew she could keep things a secret no more. Especially if what she suspected was at stake. Midna held the shard that was still looped around Y/N's neck. Zelda. You must tell Link.

You watched Midna hold the shard and keep her head bowed in concentration. You knew she was saying something to Zelda.

Midna began to walk, disappearing before your eyes. You knew she was going to her study. You quickly followed suit, transporting yourself in the same manner. You appeared in Midna's study. Midna was already seated on her iron throne in wait. She held her hand out, inviting you to take a seat.

"Y/N... sit down. There's something you need to know."

*Hyrule Castle*

Link stormed through Hyrule Castle. Val and Fabian were nipping closely at his heels.

"M-Master Link, Zelda has a council coming up with-"

"Zelda!" Link howled as he pushed open the doors to her study.

Zelda stood picturesquely by her bookcase of Hylian scripture. Link growled," Zelda, where is she?"

"Who?" Zelda asked, feigning curiosity. Her eyes never left the book she held open.

"You know damn well who!"

"Link you really must control your outbursts. It is not befitting of a hero." Zelda slammed the book she was reading shut with a sigh. "Y/N is safe. You can take comfort in that."

"Where is safe?"

"The Realm of Twilight." Zelda's unconcerned behavior was starting to infuriate Link. Zelda casually strode past Link to the doors of her study. She shut them, turning to Link with a critical expression. "Midna has requested that I speak with you."

"Is she alright? Will she be coming back? We haven't even gone to the Arbiter's Grounds yet to begin her conversion. I saw her." His voice was overflowing with self-deprecation. "I saw her fall, and I couldn't go to her. "Link's fists shook at his sides. The overwhelming disgust he felt with himself could not be contained.

"I didn't protect her. I failed her." Link slammed one of his fists into the wall in fury. The impact of his knuckles on the castle wall didn't even make him flinch. "Now Ilia and Mayor Bo are pushing this wedding up around his election to secure his win. It feels like everything is going wrong."

Zelda remained stoic in the heat of Link's tantrum. She strolled past Link to a specific bookshelf. Link watched her eyes scour the shelves for a specific title. Once she found it, she gently tapped it with her index finger before retrieving it from the shelf. She walked up to where Link stood by her desk. She plopped the book down amongst her piles of unread documents. A dust bomb erupted from the sudden drop of the book. Link looked at the title, which read, A Game of Politics.

"Let me explain something to you as a politician. The masses are either with us or against us. Since the tragedy that befell Ordon during the Ganondorf invasion, it seems Mayor Bo's popularity has fallen. It isn't a secret that this betrothal is a calculated maneuver to regain the confidence of the villagers. At least, not to a politician's eye."

Politics is where Zelda really seemed to shine in the eyes of Hyrule. She was able to display a genteel nature even through the most abominable of debates. Her intuition also lent her a helping hand when it came to seeing through the facades of many politicians. In short, there was a reason she was the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom.

She continued her peroration.

She clasped her hands behind her back as she started to pace. "It also isn't a secret that our groom-to-be does not want this wedding. But let me just say, Link, they won't let this go without a fight. So, I can't help but wonder, if you created a smokescreen, would that relieve you of your marital contract? I know just the scenario."

"Hold on, Zelda. I appreciate the political standpoint but what about the fact that Ilia is in love with me? I'm not trying to hurt her. "Link knew she was proposing an angle. He just wasn't sure what, and would she ever answer him about Y/N?

"Duty is always above love. Surely, Ilia understands this with the mayor as her father. However, you may wish to revisit what you think you knew about Ilia. Why do you think Aryn was released from his current incarceration?"

Link tried not to let the shock show on his face. "That creep! What do you know about him? Are you saying Ilia bailed Aryn out? Why would she bail out someone like that?"

An amused crinkle pulled at Zelda's eye. "You're so worried about not hurting Ilia that you haven't noticed the ways she's been hurting you."

Y/N. Ilia did this to rattle Y/N. To keep her away from me. Doesn't Ilia know what Aryn would have...would have...

"I can't believe Ilia to be so nefarious. I won't!" Link spat in revulsion. Zelda goaded Link on. "You think Mayor Bo was the one to push your wedding up? Do you not understand the mayoral position is also as good as hers if something were to happen to him?"

Zelda picked up the book and handed it to Link. "Read this. I think it will make some things clear about what has been going on in Ordon. As for Y/N..."

Link stood, transfixed on Zelda, as soon as he heard Y/N's name. "She is the perfect smokescreen for your wedding escape. You do understand she poses a risk of Ganondorf breaking the seal if she continuously comes to our realm."

"Midna would never allow her to go through with this if it posed such a risk. Nor would you. Speaking of the seal, the Mirror of Twilight, was I imagining it when Midna destroyed it? Or is there another behind-the-scenes trick with that also?"

Zelda shook her head. "There are only two shards. The shard I possess, and the shard Midna possesses, or at the moment, Y/N." Zelda braced herself for her next statement, for she knew it would be heavy for Link to bear. Especially considering he was obviously smitten with Y/N.

"Midna agreed to let Y/N come because her conversion to Hylian is paramount to saving both our realms. By completing the trials of conversion, we could erase the shadow within her."

A horrific feeling flooded Link as Zelda said the word "shadow."

"Zelda, what are you trying to tell me?" Link wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Zelda placed a hand on Link's shoulder, steadying him beneath her grip. "Zant..." Zelda whispered, losing her poise momentarily. Link's blood ran cold just hearing Zant's name come from Zelda's mouth.

"Link. Y/N... she is Zant's daughter."

The room began to spin. It all made sense to Link. The reason she was so good at bringing his shadows into the light...was because she herself was a shadow trying to invade the light.

A/N: Edited 12/17/22

With one answer comes more questions. How does the current revelation of your origin line up with your current mission? There is a shadow within you that is begging to be released. The question is: will you succumb to the shadow in the same way your father Zant did, or will you learn how to fuse it with your inner light?

Meanwhile, at Hyrule Castle, Link is learning how to combat the sinister shadows of a corrupt election with his own light. Can he do this while sparing the feelings of his friend? Or will he have to spare the feelings that are his own?

Check out my other OOT Zelda work- No Woman Beyond

[beardedhandstoadshark]

Random Stuff I noticed in Twilight Princess (Wii), Hyrule Castle Edition

The designs on the doors feature a Triforce on top, but under them you can find an angular pattern that’s a lot closer to Twili stylistics. It’s lowkey giving "showing off their victory over the losers“, which would fit into the whole deal of the Interloper War.

In The Triforce wind puzzle in the left courtyard, two of the triangles are filled with grass, the ones standing for power and wisdom. (Since the Wii version is flipped, that’s the right Triforce here instead of left). Coincidentally, those are also the two Triforce wielders currently in the castle.

Unlike the rest of outside, the hidden graveyard only has very few bulbin structures, all in the front half, no monsters, and only their heads. The front half is also where all the broken or shifted graves and walls are, while the back half of the yard is perfectly intact and you’re greeted by lots of tiny skeletons in the middle. This suggests they clashed in the middle and were defeated by the Undead.

Based on the puzzle in the same area, it’s safe to assume Hyrule Castle utilizes magically induced rain as a defense mechanism.

Despite most of their stated lore being connected to the oocca, the owl statues are explicitly referred to as the "statues of time“ on the grave right next to the one that tells you about the cursed swordsman.

Hyrule castle‘s front door is a fake gate lmao, what are they compensating for. Probably just a design vs gameplay thing but it kinda adds to this somewhat egoistical grandness that this particular Hyrule has going on.

Iirc this and the temple of time are the only two dungeons where you get to shoot the classic "make stuff happen“ crystals, and also the floor buttons are the same in both dungeons, what with the light sage symbol on them, so there’s a neat connection

The left and right side of the castle are color coded! Left‘s got red carpets and wall decor while right got blue

The further you go up the castle, the more the music not only kicks in/becomes louder, but also gets more and more taken over by Ganon‘s theme

In the lower floors that’re still perfectly intact, you can find swords in ridges on the walls as decorations. Starting from floor 3 however, the castle becomes a lot more broken down, and the swords in the ridges are missing. The first room with this change is the one full of ghosts, leading to the thought that they were used by those soldiers as a means to defend themselves (to no avail).

The throne is surrounded by a bunch of tinier thrones (slabs? Idk what they are) with the sages symbols on each one

During the puppet Zelda fight, you can sometimes hear the beginnings of Zelda’s Lullaby sung in the background and melody before it gets drowned out by Ganon again

While Link can‘t interact with the rubble on the round, Beast Ganon can

The key you get from the graveyard is actually optional and lets you either skip the blue side of the castle…or rob Ganondorf‘s treasury empty :)