#unique!!

From one @minotaur-asterion!

I don't know why, but their character designs to me feel tall. Like very tall.

The old man heard the rustle of bushes and a slight sob and quirked a brow. He thought for a moment before narrowing his eye. “I’ll be back.”

He got hums of acknowledgment as a response. He crept slowly into the bushes, eyes darting around to see where the distant sobs were coming from. He stumbled into an open field and looked to see a familiar black tunic, worn by a figure hugging their knees to themself. His first instinct was to draw his sword. After all, if that tunic belonged to who he thought it belonged to, it would make sense. Also, if this was a disguised Yiga, one of the assassins the champion warned about, his actions would be justified.

However, his heart pushed his way through logic and instead he spoke. “Is everything okay?”

The figure jumped and looked back, and sure enough, the old man saw gleaming red eyes and the face of his younger self staring at him. The only thing new was that Dark Link now had tears trailing down his cheeks.

Odd. Is this some sort of trick?

Yet the dark being merely rubbed the tears away and let out a shuddery sigh. “Leave me alone. If you want to kill me, at least wait until I’m not cr—er—unprepared.”

“You haven’t provoked me yet,” The old man murmured, running through his memory of Dark Link in his head. “Also, you haven’t answered me yet. Is everything okay?”

“Why would you care. Plus, does it look like I’m okay? Because I’m fucking not right now.”

And, well, Time would be lying if he said that hearing that didn’t make him feel something. He offered a hand, not to touch, but to help his once opponent up. Dark Link looked at him incredulously. “Why do you suddenly want to help me?! I’m evil.”

“Are you sure about that? You haven’t tried to kill me yet.”

“I told you I’m not okay right now. But I’ll get over it like I always do, and I’ve been summoned once more, not to sit idly by where there are still heroes to be tested.”

Time decided to sit down next to his Shade, and sighed. “What’s making you ‘not okay’ right now, if I may ask? Avoiding these things never help. They always just come right back.”

“Like I’d spit out these useless feelings to a hero! Who’s killed me nonetheless! How humiliating.”

“I’m here if you need to speak though. It’s not humiliating to speak about your feelings if they’re weighing you down.”

Dark Link growled, pulling out a dagger and stabbed Time in the chest. It hurt and the old man fought his instincts to fight back. He could show the Shade that they didn’t need to fight. He just choked slightly. “You could’ve just told me you’d needed an output for your anger. I would’ve given you a pillow or something.”

“Shut up. I’ve stabbed you, and you’re going to die shamefully knowing that your downfall will be your fault.”

“…Do you really want to go down this path, Link?” Time uttered softly, grabbing a red potion and holding it in his hands behind him. “You were sobbing earlier, you hesitated to fight me, and told me you were not okay. If you don’t want to do this, it’s okay.”

“I-It doesn’t matter what I want, I was created to obey, to kill not have these stupid feelings and emotions. I have to go down this path if I want to exist.”

There it is.

And well, it made his heart ache with sympathy. “I’m sure there’s a way we can solve this more effectively without fighting. Us heroes have a way of fixing things even in the impossible circumstances. All you need to do is take my hand and trust me enough to help you. Then you can stop killing if that’s what you truly desire.”

Dark Link’s red eyes glimmered with tears again and they became wide and shaky. Wordlessly, he took Time’s waiting hand with his own trembling one, and they stood up. The old man winced, and pulled the dagger out of his chest with a barely muffled grunt before slipping a potion into his mouth. The pain was soothed almost instantly and he sighed, wiping the remnants away from his mouth.

“Wait, don’t lead me back to your group,” Dark Link wrenched his hand away once Time started walking. “They’ll kill me. I’ve faced them before.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

Dark Link gave no reply but followed the old man through the bushes and back to the camp. “Old man, watch out!” Warriors yelped.

“Don’t be concerned. I just brought another Link,” Time assured.

“I’m not…” Dark Link bristled but the old man waved a hand dismissively.

“Sprite, that’s a Shadow, a being of dark magic that’s meant to kill us,” Warriors tried to reason. “You should be concerned.”

“I know what he is but that doesn’t matter. He needs help. Now, what would you like to be called?” Time asked, turning to Dark Link.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Dark? Dink?”

“If you call me fucking Dink I’m going to throw someone out of a window.”

“So it does matter.”

“Shut up.”

WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH/POS