#skylinkeduniverse

And yes, the last one is absolutely Sky being Fi

- - -

Twilight was not okay.

Try as he might to hide that fact, he knew that Sky could see the exertion starting to pull at his features. His skin was slick with sweat (it was drafty down here), his pace had slown (they’d just rested), and his posture was starting to fall (a ranch hand always stood tall). Any attempt at conversation was met with curt replies as Twilight tried to keep his breath even. He could feel Sky’s eyes constantly moving back toward him.

Through all of this, however, Twilight was grateful that the Skyloftian had yet to comment on his condition. He seemed to understand the desire and pride needed for Twilight to continue carrying himself along, especially after all that time of practically being babied after his injury. He had fought those monsters and was still standing to tell the tale- Short as that tale would be at the moment.

All of this was only because one of those monsters had gotten an unlucky hit.

This dungeon was not helping things, either. After their tussle with the monsters earlier, they had come across several rooms that were more akin to obstacle courses than the dungeons Twilight was used to. Please, he would take any kind of puzzle room over what they kept encountering today. And now, they were in a hallway that went on forever, slowly going deeper and deeper underground. The strange symbols decorated on the wall were the only true indication that this was, in fact, the same long dungeon.

A loose stone shifted under Twilight’s weight as he stepped down, forcing him to twist and catch himself to avoid hitting the ground. That of course, only jostled his side, causing it to burn with a fresh intensity. He forced himself to keep walking forward.

Sky, Hylia bless him, barely spared him more than a glance. A few minutes later, he slowed with a huff, “Twi, I think I might need another quick break.” He grinned kindly, “Sorry about all my stopping.”

‘Hylia bless Sky and his whole generation.’ Twilight could only nod and breathe out a ‘no worries’ before they both sat against the wall. Sky leaned his head back and closed his eyes, looking content. And there they quietly sat, just breathing.

Until a faint sound caught the edge of his hearing. Sky did not react to it.

Twilight waved it off, perhaps imagining things or- there it was again. It was definitely faint, to the point where he was unable to even categorize what it could be. Footsteps from monsters? The sound of the stones further along the path settling? However, it was definitely something.

Figuring that he had caught his breath well enough, he pushed himself back onto his feet, lantern in hand. The hallway wasn’t going to get any shorter from his sitting around now, would it? Once again without comment, Sky followed his lead, rising to his feet with a yawn and a big stretch akin to a cat.

The noise had stopped.

Yet, they continued on. Swirling down, down, down with the slight decline of the floor. Sky began his prattling once more, talking for the purpose of filling the silence that Twilight didn’t have enough extra energy to break.

Twilight let his mind drift as they walked, thinking of everything, yet focusing on nothing. Sky’s voice made it hard to let his thoughts run loudly in his own head. One foot in front of the other. Don’t think about the ache in his side. Perhaps he should shed his pelt in an attempt to cool himself down?

“Twilight?” Sky had paused, glancing behind them, “I hate to say it, but perhaps we should head back to the central room and see if any of the others have found anything? Maybe wasting our time is all…” He trailed off as the hallway in front of them finally led into some kind of room. They strode in carefully, alert and ready. Well, Sky moreso, but Twilight wouldn’t sit back if a fight came.

A quick search revealed that the huge round room was a dead-end. Unfinished or closed off archways blocked any further exploration. Empty sconces sat on each side of the walls. There was little else to note about the room. Other than perhaps, the circle on the ground.

The symbols or images that had decorated the hallway now lined the inside of the floor, mapping out a circle. The ground itself was worn, but unkept- It was obvious that no one had been down here in ages.

“Do any of these look familiar to you?” Sky squatted down to get a closer look.

Although he had seen them several times over on the way down, Twilight took the time to double-check them. They all looked the same as they did earlier. Including the one that reminded him vaguely of a goat. So he shook his head, “No.”

“Hmm.” He mumbled in return, brows furrowed as he studied them.

“You see anything?”

Clearing the dirt, Sky brushed off one of the markings. “Well, not really. But this one is almost a ‘D’ in my Hylian. And that one kind of looks like your tattoo.”

Twilight lowered his lantern, squinting at the latter image the other was pointing out. He leaned forward as far as he could before the pain in his side told him to stop. If he tilted his head the right way, he could maybe see what Sky meant. While not necessarily his, it could certainly pass for a Twili marking.

“It kind of does, doesn’t it?”

Sky ‘hmm’ed again, moving to sit on his haunches. “I suppose we should rest for a minute before heading back.” Then he leaned back until he ended up laying on the ground.

With a hint of amusement, Twilight settled beside him, instead of near the wall. He kept himself upright, worried that he might drift off if he followed the other’s lead. The walk back would be a pain, the slope of the floor now making an incline rather than letting gravity help propel him forward.

In the meantime, however, he continued looking around the room, disappointment settling over him. All that time was spent for nothing. He hoped that their brothers’ exploration had proven more fruitful.

His eyes dropped again to the markings, unsure of their purpose other than decoration. They had not been carved or etched into the cobblestones, nor could it have been painted, rather, it seemed like they were simply part of the stone. Which made no sense.

Once again leaning forward, he moved to brush his hand over the mark nearest to him.

It began to glow softly the moment his hand made contact.

Twilight pulled away, wincing as it jostled his injury again. He straightened up. It didn’t stop the sharp pain like it should’ve.

“Rancher?”

The remaining markings began to light up in succession, until the whole circle sang with a sunset-orange hue.

He blinked and he was standing; his side burned. Sky was pushing himself onto his own feet.

Twilight stared down at the circle, now morbidly curious. The sudden sound of grinding gears wouldn’t even steal his attention. He stepped forward.

Sky was suddenly at his side. He tugged on his arm. “Twi I don’t think we should touch it anymore.”

But couldn’t Sky feel the allure? The tug of something?

Another blink and Twilight was jerking away from the knight. The circle sang. Somehow he knew that it could ease the pain that was steadily growing. He just had to-

“Twi!”

Sky made to grab him again, saying something else that he couldn’t quite understand.

Twilight grabbed him first and threw him to the ground. Hard.

Bewildered eyes met his.

He turned back to the circle and stepped inside.

- - -

Unfamiliar eyes broke away from him.

Sky lay stunned.

The sudden fall to the ground knocked his breath from him. He couldn’t scramble up fast enough. He couldn’t call out without breath.

Darkness began to fill the room. Like a hazy kind of smoke, though it lacked the smell of fire. Twilight’s shape began to change. A horrid sound of snapping followed. Sky knew, in a sense, that this was wrong.

Sky had only witnessed Twilight’s transformation twice, but he knew it wasn’t supposed to break him.

The markings, which had been glowing an abnormal orange color, went dark. As did the rest of the room. Where had the Rancher’s lantern gone?

Finally, Sky had enough sense (and breath) to stumble back to his feet. He unsheathed the Master Sword, unsure of what was coming next. It’s soft azure glow did little to fend off the darkness. “Twilight?”

A low animalistic growl responded. He tightened his grip on Fi- There would be no reasoning with him.

“Twi?”

Should he try to go get the others? It was obvious something was terribly wrong, Sky was clueless on how to help. Surely the Master Sword could change him back, but would it purify the darkness that had overtaken him?

Perhaps he should run down the new corridors that had appeared? The once-blocked off arches had opened up when Twilight had first lit up the symbols. Would they lead the others here? Or maybe lead him back to the others?

Was the whole point of this temple to trap them?

It was then that Wolfie sprang toward him.

Sky side-stepped, holding Fi in defense. He decided that of course he would not hurt his brother. Even as Wolfie lunged again with a snarl.

He snapped at his feet before darting away. It was hard to keep track of the wolf, the haze still present in the room. Fi’s glow just wasn’t enough.

He held her out anyway as he tried to move along the wall. He had to leave. One of the others would know enough to properly handle -whatever the heck this was.

If his theory was correct, one of the new passages would take him there. And if he was wrong…

Well, he couldn’t be wrong.

The sound of metal scrapping against the stones came from his left. He turned toward it, stepping backwards now. That must’ve been the chain around Wolfie’s leg. It went silent again.

He finally drew close to the nearest archway. He breathed a sigh.

A ‘huff’ was the only indication of the next attack.

Spikes dug into his sword arm, past his leather braces, followed by a heavy weight that pulled him down. He cried out- Wolfie bit him!?

He fought to stay on his feet, trying to hold Fi firmly through the pain. He failed the former; the beast dragged him to the ground.

Somehow he ended up at such an angle that he couldn’t get Fi close to Wolfie. Not even a tap that might help change him back. He tried to punch the wolf with his left hand instead, maybe a hard bop on the nose? It was weak, and he only got a firmer bite for the trouble. Sky didn’t know what to do.

Then he did.

He curled up and turned- Planting a kick square in the other’s muzzle. Both whimpered: Wolfie due to the blow, and Sky as the wolf’s teeth scraped down his arm, taking with it his brace, before letting go.

The Master Sword was yanked from Sky’s hand. Her light went out. Wolfie growled at him before he disappeared into the haze.

Did he- Did Wolfie just take the Master Sword!? That meant… this darkness was greater than even Her.

Sky held his arm close to his chest. Slick with blood and saliva. Pain stabbed with each heartbeat. A chill seeped into his bones. His breath caught in his lungs. He was now defenseless. He was now alone.

Orange glow returned to the markings, lighting up both the circle and now the symbols that had lined the walls. The haze only intensified their daunting light, rather than smothering it.

He was scared.

Unable to see another option, Sky ran. Down the new corridor. Into the unknown.

As the oh-too familiar smell of ozone caught Sky’s attention, his step faltered, nearly letting the Gibdo creature grab him. He righted himself, then jab at the hand reaching for him. The monster shrieked as it recoiled back into two other Gibdos and nearly lost its own footing.

Sky shook his head, imploring himself to stay focused on the fight- His enemy was long dead and gone, he couldn’t let himself falter again. There were a dozen Gibdos all around him, a handful of Wild’s bokoblins (they were kinda cute?) and seven of his own hovered behind Time’s horrifying monsters, as if seeking protection. Sky had already slain most of the bokoblins, as well as a few lizalfos and a like-like. There were still just so many, even after he had seemingly cut down their numbers, and he could tell he was starting to slow.

The others were somewhere on the crest of the hill he’d been knocked down earlier in the battle. He sure hoped they weren’t struggling up there, although he could still hear their distant shouts and the cacophony of battle.

A flying rock hit his elbow, once again pulling him back out of his thoughts. The culprit, a bokoblin, danced back and forth mockingly with squeals of delight.

Both Sky and the Bokoblin froze as the scent of ozone sharped and a tingle ran straight through his spine. No. No. He looked up at his namesake to see only a handful of clouds, nowhere near anything that could be considered a storm. Where would the electricity be coming from?

Logic told him that it was just Wild’s world, strange and unpredictable, which should be nothing to worry about. It also told him that maybe it was Hyrule readying that spell of his. However, it never took this long to cast it, nor would he be feeling it as strongly as he was from the distance of the caster. It told him that whatever this was, it couldn’t be the Demon King.

His breath caught as static electricity crackled through the air.

Sky nearly had the sense to drop the Master Sword, just to not attract the lightning that was surely coming. That sense was changed as a lizalfos dropped its camouflage and lunged for him. Instinct rejoiced as he swiftly cut it down. Logic would later tell him that he should’ve let go.

A burning light stole his vision, and his body lit up as fire filled his veins. For a split second, everything hurt. His head was bound to burst. His heart skipped a beat. His body was… on the ground?

He forced his eyes back open, meeting blackened grass and violet plumes of smoke all around him. Glancing down at his body confirmed that he had definitely not been spared the attack. His body was shaking with lightning, convulsing as the extra energy his body had been hit with tried to run back out somehow. Angry red lines covered his skin. Nothing new there. His breathing was coming in quick, shaky gasps, however, his lungs weren’t rattling like they usually did. The clothes he could see were half burnt, smoking from the heat, and damaged beyond likely repair. Luckily(?), he couldn’t really feel the pain anymore.

After a few minutes, his convulsions slowed down, and then stopped, leaving his body to twitch instead. His breath had also slowed down, but not by much- As to be expected. Giving his body a few more moments to recover, Sky tried to lift his head off the ground. It was shaky at first, getting easier each time he lifted his head again. All the monsters were gone, leaving only blackened weapons behind. Fi lay a foot and a half from his head, a layer of dark dust on her usual shiny surface. He tried to reach for her, but his arm started to seize right after it left the ground. He cried out in pain. Or, at least, he thought he did.

He tried to make a noise, a moan even, but heard nothing. Had his voice been damaged by the lightning? He tried again to no avail. With another silent gasp, he slammed a fist into the ground with his non-dominant arm, even with a sharp stab of pain from his nerves, and paused. He hit the ground again. No sound. It was his ears. They’d likely been shot from the blast.

Sky knew he would be fine. He just had to wait for Hyrule and the others, right? He turned his head to look up at the crest of the hill and also realized that the battle had gone quiet. If there was even still a battle now, that is.

…Maybe he would just wait here for a little bit longer. He lay his head back down on the grass. He’d wait for the others… Resting his eyes couldn’t hurt… Right?

⋟❋⋞

Sky bolted awake as hands grabbed at his half-burnt skin. It was possible that he cried out, since the hands lessened for a moment, but they returned to grab him as they turned him onto his back. Everything ached again. All of his skin burned, especially where he had been touched, as if he was trying to traverse an active volcano without any protection. His very bones were weary, his head was full of cotton, and he still couldn’t hear anything.

The hands came back on him a moment later, lighter than before. He felt them undoing the belt around his torso that held his kikoi in place. Another landed on the leather strap of his scabbard, and a third pair of hands started untying his bracers. It was then that he forced himself to open his oh-so-heavy eyelids.

It took a moment for his vision to clear after he did, and he wasn’t surprised to see four of his teammates fusing over him. The forth was Hyrule, sitting next to his head, looking like he was trying to assess the situation. When they met each other’s gaze, Hyrule leaned forwards, his mouth moving once again with silent words. His face scrunched up when Sky didn’t react. So Hyrule switched tactics. Instead, he lifted a finger and moved his mouth again, slowly sliding it back and then forth a few inches from his eyes. Sky followed his finger to the Traveler’s seemingly minute relief.

The hands on him finally ceased, having unfastened and removed his outer garments and accessories. A turquoise-y light started to flood his vision, and with it, the fire on his skin began to lessen to a prickly feeling, more uncomfortable than painful. Any of his reserved energy dwindled as the light faded and Sky breathed a silent sigh of relief. Hyrule leaned over and was trying to talk to him again. Sky let his eyes slide close- only to open them back when hands grabbed both sides of his head.

“Wake up, little one.” A voice. A motherly voice. She speaks with a soft tone, prodding gently enough to wake her son, but not enough to startle him. She smiled as his baby-blue eyes blink open.

“There you are, Link.”

He hums sleepily in response, mirroring his mother’s smile.

She sits on the edge of his bed, a set of folded clothes in her lap. “Remember what today is?”

Link furrowes his brows. It’s too early to figure it out. He shakes his head.

Without wavering in her own excitement, his mother pats the clothes on her lap. “It’s loftwing day.”

Those three words do the trick. Link jumps out of bed. “It’s loftwing day! It’s loftwing day!” He chants, beginning to run around in the small space of his room. “Mama! It’s loftwing day!”

He could finally get a friend.

———

“Wake up, brat.”

Link is immediately awake and shoots up to show it.

His father stands in the doorway, leaning heavily against the doorframe. “Hurry up and get dressed.” Then he’s gone before Link can even get the covers off.

He doesn’t want to get out of bed. Not now. Maybe not ever. He certainly doesn’t want to get up right now, because once he does- He’ll have to face the fact that his mother is dead.

Her life celebration would be before breakfast, leaving no time to slack-off or pretend to fall back asleep.

He has to get up and go now, before his father comes back. He has to do it- He has to admit the fact that she’s gone.

And she’s never coming back.

———

“Wake up, young man.”

Link stirs with a sigh, scrunching his eyes together before letting them open. “…Hm?”

Instructor Horwell is standing over him.

Why is Instructor Horwell in his room?

Only, Link isn’t in his room. He’s at his desk, in the classroom- And fell asleep during the lesson. Again.

He bolted upright. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Instructor. I really didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

Horwell waved him off, “Now, now, it’s quite alright, but do try to stay coherent enough to make it until lunch?”

Link nodded miserably, trying to wake himself back up.

She was out sick today, and she usually kept him from drifting during lessons, let alone falling asleep.

As Instructor Horwell made his way back to the front, he heard Groose cough from across the room, and swore he heard the word ‘looser.’ His friends quietly snicker throughout the class.

It’s only been a few hours, but he missed her.

———

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

As always, Zelda had found a way into his room. And also as always, she would never tell him how.

He saw that bright, smiling face and almost relented. But- It was funner to draw it out and see how she would get him out of bed today.

So, Link simply pulled the blanket over his head and turned the other way.

“No, wake up,” She began, grabbing hold of the comforter and pulling it off him and onto the floor. “Remember, the Ceremony’s tomorrow, and you said you’d help me practice.”

Link opened one eye. Honestly, he forgot about that- It was just a little too early for thoughts in the first place. With an exaggerated huff, he turned his head back towards her, and her smile seemed to light up the room.

“There you are- Now come on, I think I have the outro right!”

He would love to hear her outro.

———

“Wake up, Master.”

Link heard the familiar, hazy voice and sighed. She couldn’t let him have just one nap, could she?

“You must continue on. We have almost reached the end of this dungeon.” Fi droned, standing near his head and looking down at him with a blank expression.

He must’ve only fallen asleep for a moment, unfortunately. Link started to push himself up, “I know, I know…” He gave himself a moment to catch his breath before pushing himself off the ground. “You said we were almost there?”

“That is correct, Master. You have a sixty-three percent chance of completing the rest of this dungeon unharmed.”

Sixty-three percent? That wasn’t half-bad, actually.

“Alright, thank you Fi.”

“You are welcome, Master.”

Oh, but what he would do for a nap right about now.

———

“Wake up, Skychild,”

Link glared at Ghirahim as he stood just out of reach, taunting him with every movement he made and every word he said.

“-You’ll never save her. And your own doom is just as inevitable.”

But, Link had already beaten him once, and he’d love to see just how annoying the guy could be after losing again.

All he could do was ignore the words- Since when had he let them hurt him, overtake him? Since when had he started listening to the lies?

Link unsheathed the Master Sword. “Enough talk.”

He would relish this victory.

———

“Wake up, human. You have lost.” Demise growled.

No, no, no. It couldn’t be true. He didn’t come all this way just to lose. Zelda needed him. Groose was waiting for him. He had to get back up.

He had to.

Either through some kind of second wind or maybe sheer-force, Link’s elbow held strong as he pushed himself off the ground.

His enemy merely watched as he got to his feet. He hardly blinked as Link reclaimed the Master Sword.

“I’m not done… yet… Demise.” It was anything but a threat- Coming from a boy who could barely stand and one who’s breathing was hardly more than wheezy gasps.

But somehow- He would overcome, and win the day.

———

“Wake up, bird-brain.”

It was hardly an insult, Link knew, even though it was coming from Legend. It was a simple, supposedly well-earned nickname that he didn’t really mind.

Now drawn out of his dreams, Link forced himself to sit up, then he squinted at the light of the fire, trying to let his eyes adjust to the light.

“You up?” Legend asked, standing from his kneeled position.

Link nodded.

“You have the second watch, Four has the third, got it?”

“I’m second, Four’s third.” He mumbled back to him.

Verbal confirmation was usually what the veteran looked for when waking others up, so he seemed content and turned away.

Second watch was usually the most hated, and for good reason.

But it was the best time to watch the stars.

———

“Wake up, Sky, please.”

They say hearing is the last thing to go and, Link thinks, they don’t seem to be wrong.

Though his eyes are still somewhat open, his vision was blurry and he could hardly make out the shapes.

He felt someone’s grip on his hand, though he couldn’t tell who’s they were. His touch was not really registering much right now.

Then there was the spear protruding from his abdomen- Even the pain seemed to be fading.

But his ears heard each and every sound.

Wind was pleading for him to wake up, to not close his eyes, to stay with him. He could hear Warriors yelling at Time, who in turn, wasn’t making a sound. Beyond them, he heard the sound of battle still raging on, steel on steel and shouts from both Hylian and monster.

He couldn’t help but close his eyes. The world went dark- Then hearing went too.

- +1 -

“Wake up, Link.”

His eyes fluttered open as he blearily turned his head to the voice. “What’s wrong?” He slurred, still-half asleep.

It was dark and quiet, and next to lay his wife, although he could hardly see her form curled up beside him.

“Link…”

It wasn’t quite ‘worry,’ but he couldn’t make out exactly her tone of voice. “Yes, honey?”

Her hand gently grabbed his own, and she squeezed it gently. Now, as he woke up a little more, he could hear her slightly labored breaths- Then it hit him.

Zelda whispered quietly, “…I think the baby’s coming.”

He was finally going to be a dad.

- - -