#warrior link

This is for the Linked Universe discord. The prompt this week was Warriors so I thought, what the hell. Credit goes to @linkeduniverse for the characters and such.

Warriors has been hiding something. What happens when that secret is ripped into the open?

Summary: Wild never considered himself to be a hero. He didn’t look like one and from what she’s seen, he doesn’t act like one either. Even after he defeated Ganon, he never truly felt like a hero. Maybe eight other heroes can change that while they figure out why they weare all brought together.

Note: This fic is heavily inspired by both the LinkedUniverse au by @LinkedUniverse on Tumblr as well as the Sheikah Au by @breath-of-the-ship. I highly recommend you check both artists out since they’re amazing and very creative. All credit goes to them.

The deer paid little attention to its surroundings as it grazed upon the lush green grass around it. The occasional flick of the ear or shift of the hoof was the only movement the deer bothered with as it ate. A quiet shift in the trees escaped the animal as it raised its head to move to another patch of grass when an arrow suddenly cut through the air and hit its mark on the deer's neck. The animal let out a small cry before falling over on its side, dying a quick death.

Link jumped down from the tree after re-equipping his bow on his back with his sword and shield. He landed soundlessly on the soft dirt before standing and walking over to his kill, beginning to examine it. It was a young buck, not a fawn anymore but still hadn’t fully grown his antlers.

He nods to himself in satisfaction before taking back his arrow and cleaning it on his black cloak, careful not to get any of the blood on his bandages that wrapped around his left arm. He had just rewrapped them that morning and didn’t feel like wasting them so soon. Link placed the arrow back into his quiver before grabbing the buck and lifting it over his head so he could carry it across his neck and shoulders. Once he was comfortable he began making his way back to his camp.

It’s been about two months since his defeat of Ganon. Zelda has been slowly rebuilding not only the castle and Castle Town, but all of the ruined towns across Hyrule. He wanted to help, he truly did, but it was getting difficult to stay around everyone when they kept bringing up his “title” and how heroic he was. If only they knew the truth. Of how he let Hyrule burn because he was too weak.

He sighs and shakes his head as he approaches his camp. He lays the deer down before grabbing a dagger he’s become fond of carrying around. He kneels down next to the animal and begins to field dress the buck, removing its entrails with expert precision. As disgusting as others thought the process was, it helps with cooling and preserving the meat. Something he has picked up during his journey. Once he was done he found a shady spot and hung the deer from a high yet sturdy branch so it would stay cool and ready to cook.

He sits down and quickly makes a fire, something that comes as easy to him as fighting. He gazes around the scenery around him and smiles softly. This was what he was meant to do. Not becoming the Queen’s personal knight, not be some stuffy advisor. He was a survivor. He was meant to be out here in nature. This is all he’s ever known and ever will know. The soft soil, gentle breeze, the chirping of birds and the splashes of fish. All the things that make up the wild run through his veins. And he wouldn’t wanna have it any other way. Well maybe.

He rubs his face as his mind approaches the topic of his memories. He’s gotten over the worst of the sting. It still hurts but he’s come accept that he’ll never fully remember his friends and family. That also added to the list of reasons as to why he left. Everytime he looks at Zelda, he can see the pain in her eyes. The longing for a friend who’s just out of reach.

He shakes his head and looks up again, watching the sun begin to set with his sapphire blue eye, his other eye hidden by a bandage that covered it as well as his burn scars. He was already the supposed hero of Hyrule, he didn’t wish to be called the freak of the kingdom as well.

Part one

Time sucked in a sharp breath as he awoke so suddenly. He took deep, shaky breaths, trying to calm himself from his night terror without waking the others. It’s been about a week since he turned into a child. He’s returned to his normal mentality, acting as if nothing was amiss but..it’s been getting more difficult to keep that mask in place.

As much as he doesn’t want to admit, handling his traumas and memories as a child was proving to be much more difficult than usual. Perhaps it was because he was in the body of a ten year old, perhaps it was because everything hurt so much more because of the same reason. He sighs through his nose and slowly sits up, brushing his hair out of his eyes. The distant memory of Navi comforting him during nightmares came to his mind but he quickly pushed it aside. No. He would not give in to his grief any more. He had grieved long enough.

He looks around and feels a small bit of relief settle in his chest when he saw that everyone else was accounted for and asleep, all except Legend who had taken the middle shift. He rubs his eyes tiredly and yawns before looking up and freezing. The moon. It looked so full and so close. He felt his breathing begin to quicken as he stared up at the moon with terrified blue eyes.

He could see it as if it was happening. The moon, with its anguished expression, coming down without mercy. Being pulled out of the sky as if it were an apple being picked from a tree. He could almost feel the earth rumble in protest. The rumbles growing more powerful and more frequent the closer the moon got. He could hear the laughter of the Skull Kid. Of Majora. Laughing at his failures. Laughing at how he let everyone die. Laughing about how he had taken Darmani’s identity. How he had been too late to save Mikau, no matter how fast he had gotten to the shore. He had always been too late.

Finally, he could hear the Happy Mask Salesman. Could hear his usual greeting when he had been too late. When he had let the moon fall. The man would look at him with that same empty look and utter the same words every time. “You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you.” The one man who knew what he was going through. The one man who could have offered him someone to lean on, some sort of help, would simply brush him off because all he cared about was that damn mask.

Time whimpers as he wipes his eyes. No. He would not cry. He’s cried enough. He’s mourned for more than half of his life. All he can remember doing as a child is mourning. Mourning the loss of his friends, his family. Mourning the Great Deku Tree. Mourning his lost childhood. Mourning the loss of his freedom. Mourning the loss of an entire world. Mourning the loss of his most precious friend. It seemed all he was good for was sacrificing his life and mourning for those he’s loved.

He sniffs before freezing when he sees something in his peripheral vision. Upon turning around, he lets out a shaky breath of relief when he realizes it was just Legend settling down against a stone just outside the camp. He shook his head and ran his hands through his head. He needed to get a grip. He wasn’t a baby. He could handle his emotions.

He carefully tugs on his boots but doesn’t secure them, letting them fall a little as he stands. He picks at his fingers as he makes his way towards Legend, his too big boots making his presence known. Once he gets to Legend, he hesitates before sitting down. He crosses his legs and plays with his tunic as they sit in shared silence. Occasionally, they would hear an owl hoot or the soft buzzing of bugs. A gentle breeze blew by, the scent of nature in it. Time breaths it in and sighs, relaxing ever so slightly.

“Never took you as the type to have night terrors.” Legend spoke after a few more moments of silence.

“How did you know it was a night terror?” Quizzed the smaller, avoiding eye contact with Legend.

“You don’t have a shift tonight and you aren’t the type to just wake up for no reason. If there were monsters, we would currently be defending the sleeping beauties behind us.” The traveller drawls, the hint of a smirk on his face.

Time cracked a small smile oh amusement at what Legend had said before sighing and leaning back against the stone, gazing up at the night sky. “Yes..I did have a night terror.” He confirms as he gently makes his booted feet touch.

—

Legend hums in acknowledgment but doesn’t request an elaboration. He knew that Time should talk about his childhood traumas, he himself has faced things he would rather not remember. But keeping things bottled up will only lead to something more dangerous. Bottled up grief and anger will lead to drastic and dangerous actions and thoughts.

As he was about to suggest that Time get a drink of water then go back to bed, a soft voice began to fill the void of silence. Not just a voice, a song filth the air, soft and melodic. His surprise grew when he discovered that it was Time who was singing. He relaxed and listened, letting the melody was over him.

“Day to night, dark to light,

Fall the sands of time.

Let the years like the gears

Of a clock unwind” Sang the child, his voice was light but it also held a sorrow and heaviness.

This tune sounded familiar to him but it didn’t know why. He hesitates before opening his pouch and pulling out his Ocarina. He closed his eyes and listened to the lyrics, trying to map out the melody in his mind.

“In your mind walk through time

Back to better days.

Memories, like a dream,

Wash your tears away.”

Legend took a breath before beginning to play his Ocarina along to Time’s singing. He heard the boy falter and was about to stop when the singing continued. He may not be the best with feelings, but he could tell that this song meant something to the other. He didn’t know what, but he could feel it.

“Like a star in the sky,

Darkness can’t reach you.

Light the night, joy is light,

Till the new dawn.”

As the song continued on, he felt as though he were lighter. That his soul felt soothed and relaxed for once, something he hasn’t felt since he was a child. This must have been one of the magic songs Malon had told them of. The songs that haunted Time from one of his journeys when he was young. But this song did not feel menacing nor malevolent. It felt calming.. felt as though it were healing.

“Cast away your old face,

Let go your spite.

With this mask I’ll ask,

To borrow your light.”

They continued like this, for how long? Neither of them know. They had both succumbed to the peaceful verses of the song and had allowed it to guide them through the melody. It felt as though they were in their own world, their own bubble that was separated from the rest of the world around them. Nothing mattered in this moment. Not the Goddesses, not the Triforce, not the spirit that binds them together, not even the shadows that seemed to watch their every move. The only thing that mattered was the flow of the melody and their feelings.

“Darkness is fading now,

It’s not too late.

Three days is all you have,

To change your faith.”

The song soon came to its end. Legend held the note on his Ocarina for an extra beat before letting that fade as well and they were left in silence once more. They both took their time to catch their breaths. Legend looked at his Ocarina before putting it back in his pouch. He cracked his knuckles before looking over at the child.

“What was that song?” He asks curiously yet keeping his tone quiet, not wanting to calm atmosphere to leave.

“The song of healing..I learned it during my journey to Termina..” The child answered after a few moments. His tone hinting that he did not wish to discuss what or where Termina was.

Legend nods, satisfied with the answer. He hesitates before speaking. “I know I’ve been...colder to you. That I’ve been holding resentment towards you for what happened to me.” He winces. He was never good with feelings. “What I’m trying to say is that..I’m always here. I may not be the best with feelings but..I’m a decent listener.” He finishes, shifting.

He doesn’t see it, but Time smiles a bit brighter, his posture relaxing. The smaller sets a hand on Legends knee and gives it a gentle squeeze. A silent thank you as well as a silent invitation of the same offer. Time understood how difficult it could be for some to share their feelings or traumas. He would never pressure any of them to share their experiences but he would always be open to helping them if they needed it.

Legend feels himself relax as well and watches the landscape before them. He holds back a yawn, a subtle reminder at his late it actually was. He sets a hand on Times shoulder as he looks down at him and gestures towards his bedroll with a nod.

“Head back to bed, it’s getting late and you’ll need all the energy you can get tomorrow. I don’t wanna be stuck with carrying you on my back.”

—

Time snorted at that and rolled his eyes before nodding. “Alright. Good night, Legend.” He hums. He hesitates before hugging the other tighter. He felt Legend tense before slowly relaxing and wrapping his left arm around him.

“You’re welcome, kid..” The hero mumbles and gives Time a gentle squeeze before pushing him away jokingly. “Now go to bed, brat or I’ll take ya to your bedroll myself.” He threatens with a relaxed grin.

Time laughs softly and nods before standing and going back to his bedroll, yawning softly as he did. He sat back down on it and slowly took off his boots, his eyes growing heavy with sleep.

He felt grateful that Legend didn’t push him away nor call him over emotional. He had never expected Legend out of all of them to comfort him as he did. His mind wondered why Legend could play the Song of Healing but he didn’t wish to dwell on it. Perhaps it was passed down or perhaps the other had a skill of picking up melodies.

He curls up on his bedroll and brings the blanket over himself, clutching his blanket tightly as he watched the small fire dance lazily. Even though he didn’t talk about his night terror nor of his experience in Termina, he felt better. Felt lighter. The memories were still there, they still plagued his mind like an itch that won’t go away. But..they were distant now. Quieter. Easier to push aside for the time being. He would tell them one day. One day he’ll explain everything.

As his eyes fell closed, the melody of Healing echoed in his mind, becoming a soothing lullaby that lulled him to sleep. A melody that he once loathed because it would mean death. A melody that usually meant an end of a life now had the potential to be something more. To perhaps be the start of a new era. An era peace. An era of healing. Not just for him, but for everyone else.

Here is the 3rd Warrior Ganondorf Gameplay in Hyrule Warriors. The battle is called “Warrior Ganondorf Does Battle Of The Warrior Tri-Force!”.

Here is the 1st Warrior Link Gameplay in Hyrule Warriors. The battle is called “Warrior Ghirahim And Warrior Volga Boss Battle:  Land In The Sky (Skyloft) With Fire Rod”.