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My main is @uniquevoidflowers
Here's my little corner where I reblog all the things I write :)
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This blog is a collection of all my writing. My main is @uniquevoidflowers!
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I write for the Legend of Zelda, Linked Universe, and I take requests! As long as there's nothing NSFW, and it's for LOZ or LU, feel free to put a request in my askbox.
Anything that is not a fic will be tagged: #not a fic
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A lot of people have requested a second part to this chapter of my Whumptober Collection so here it is :) <3
âThat was weird,â Wars kept walking, map in hand. âThe Princess acted like she knew us but...we donât know her?â
âSomethingâs off for sure,â The smithy spoke up.
âI think I see the house!â Wind called.
It was a small quaint house, with a couple signs in unreadable writing on it, one having a bunny symbol. They all looked at each other until Sky went and knocked, rolling his eyes at their hesitance. A comedic sounding crash rattled the wooden door, and then the door swung open, nearly taking out the poor Knight of Skyloft. Ravio! Wait, Ravio? The purple hooded merchant nodded as if expecting a large group at his door. âAh yes, come in, come in.â
âUm, sir, weââ
âDrop the formality, will you? Youâre customers, yes, but very welcome customers!â Ravio grinned underneath the shadow of his hood and ushered them inside.
âApologies, but we arenât here to buy anything,â Time said in his no-nonsense tone.
âOh? Not even a magic rod? I promise everything in here is worth every rupee! You can even rent something if youâre unsure, or your walletâs a little more empty than usual~! But youâre esteemed guests, of course so donât tell Mr. Hero, but I think a discount might be in order.â
âRavio,â Warriors cut in, and the others blinked at the name, confused. âIs âMr. Heroâ here?â
âOf course not! That would be far too easy. Look if youâre enacting some mischief, I commend you. But I also cannot betray my most close and faithful customer without compensation! Sky, last time you were asking about your cape, I think I brewed up something nice! It wonât easily tearâmind you, it doesnât guarantee a complete protectionâbut I really outdid myself this time.â
Sky mouthed a help to the captain, furrowing his eyebrows, but Wars, though knowing the merchant from the past didnât know why Ravio knew the skyloftianâs name nor why he was talking about this false past interaction. âOh, donât look at me like that! I wouldnât ruin your precious cape, no, no, that would be astoundingly new for me. Alright it should come to about 200 rupees? Mind you I was considering a thousand but I like you so...â
âIâve never met you,â Sky replied bluntly. âAlso, itâs a sailcloth.â
Ravio stilled, setting down the glass of solution on the table. âAh, I see. So it is true. Does Ravio, ring a bell?â
Time raised his hand. The merchant nodded absently. âMask, yes, hello. And I know of the Captain. But anyone else?â
The silence was deafening.
Ravio deflated. âWell, perhaps I might be persuaded to give you Linkâs location. Or at least, where I think he might be. But that does demand compensation. I will need 300 rupees.â
âWhat.â Four blinked.
âDid you not hear, good sir? Actually, no, Iâll bring it down to 200 rupees, just for you.â
Wars fished out the rupees, surprised the merchant didnât ask for more. âHere you go. Just, tell us please.â
âCucco Ranch is where he frequents,â He said cheerfully. âOr Lake Hylia! Oooh, or he might be off travelling.â
âThatâs...not very helpful,â Wind frowned.
âWell, it is what I know.â
âThank you, Ravio,â Warriors shook his head but smiled at him, and ushered the others back out.
What was going on??
____________________________
A mer sat waiting in the waters, licking blood off his teeth from the prey he had caught earlier. There was a sort of haze in his head, something dampening his thoughts and pressing on his emotions. He wondered his name briefly and the thought almost tapered off but...he kept hearing Link in his ears so he accepted that as his name.
You serve Lord Ganon, and only him.
The voice almost sounded like his own. He looked around but no one else was there to speak. He swam up slowly, hearing footsteps.
Armoured figures walked nearby, confused voices almost mixing in with each other. Link observed them. They looked...vaguely...
They want to hurt you. But they donât notice you yet. Kill them.
They...want to hurt him?
But why?
He wanted to observe for a little longer.
He allowed himself to breach the waterâs surface for a little bit. They all looked confused and concerned, but not at him. âWhy...here? Thereâs no shelter or anything,â A boy with fluffy brown hair looked around. âI donât get it.â
âUnfortunately, no amount of mulling over it will give us the answers we need,â A tall one-eyed man replied back.
The group sat in uncomfortable silence for a little bit. âHe was definitely scamming us,â The short one with the green headband grumbled.
You serve Lord Ganon, Link.
He clutched his head for a moment as the voices yelled into his ears, causing his head to ring with the statement. He bit back any noise though and followed the group. They were talking about something...could they be wanting to hurt him.
Do not disobey.
He didnât like this voice. He was about to swim away, when the pain in head doubled tenfold. He cried out and flinched when the group whirled around to look at him. Kill them, his head whispered.
âItâs a mer!â A boy with sandy curls exclaimed.
âIt looks like itâs hurt,â The short boy from before murmured.
âWait, the Hero of Legend was said to have taken many different forms. Is it a stretch to say this could be one of them?â
âIâm willing to try anything at this point.â
âLink?â The one-eyed man crouched to meet his eyes.
How...how did they know his name? He bared his teeth but put a hand up to his head when it still throbbed.
âWe mean no harm, we jist wanna talk,â A man with dusky grey markings on his face held up his hands.
The pain will go away if you kill them.
He shook his head at them, moving to swim away. âWait! We wonât hurt you!â
âWell, it might not be Link, traveller.â
âWhat if it is?â
The voice resumed in his head, chanting until the pain and the volume coalesced and he felt a hand grab his wrist as he began to sink, the world fading around him.
______________________________
The mer opened his eyes once more. A fire was nearby, the group from before sitting around it. He was still in the lake, just...in a different location. They hadnât noticed he was awake. Fear curled tightly around his gut.
âLetter sent?â A man with a blue scarf gripped the log beneath him tightly.
âYup,â The dusky grey markings guy drawled. âYouâs gotta stop worryinâ, or yer gonna give yerself a headache. If heâs a hero, donât ya think he can look after âimself jist as well?â
âWell, thatâs not what Iâm worrying about. I just...this princess and Ravio was so sure that we knew them well. And they knew our names. What if we...have...forgotten them somehow?â
âCamp does feel...quieter than usual,â The one they called traveller said, averting his eyes and finding Link staring at them. âOh, Link, youâre awake!â
He hissed at the attention and then dove under the comforting waters.
He couldnât let go of the pain, the insistence he served this Lord Ganon, and that he needed to kill these folk.
They didnât chase after him though. They let him stay there and resumed their serious conversation, but nothing was said that interested him. The night dragged on. For some reason, his heart refused him leaving. He didnât want the voice to return either.
He was forgetting something.
This group...they...
Will betray you.
He wasnât certain they would...after all, they shouldâve killed him or hurt him when he was asleep then, but he was unharmed.
Get out of my head.
Hah. No. You will learn to serve.
âIâm here,â A woman with bright blue eyes and a familiar determined expression arrived, accompanied by knights.
Oh. Did they call the guards to take care of him then?
âThank you so much, Your Highness,â One of them bowed.
âAgain, youâre welcome to call me Fable. In fact, please do,â Fable told them exasperatedly. âNow, you said you found...Link as a mer?â
âWe think so,â The blue-scarf Hylian said stiffly.
âWell, yes, Link can take the form of a mer, he shouldâve by now come out and greeted you properly,â Fable frowned and then found him there. âLink?â
He glared at her reflection in the waters. She rushed over, dropping to her knees on the grass and she looked...concerned. There was something warm in deep blue eyes. âLink, youâre alright. You can come out now.â
Come out? Was she crazy?
He just glared at her, hoping she would get the message.
âThis isnât funny, love,â She tried. âEven I know when a joke goes too far and too long.â
He tilted his head at her. So many things about that sentence confused him. And that confusion melded slowly into some sort of twisted anger, he thought was slightly unfoundedâthough this could be a commander hoping to slaughter him or sell him for rupees!âNo, this rage wasnât his. But he felt it sting his eyes, grip his heart. And without thinking he lunged at her, wrapping his clawed fingers around her neck. Cries of âFableâ rang throughout the area and the guards surged, tearing him off and pinning him to the ground before he could do anything else. Fable looked at him, eyes wide, as one of them raised a weapon. âNo! Stop!â
âYour Highness, heâs a threat,â One of the guards said calmly and a spear poked at the merâs neck.
He struggled, gasping for air though it wasnât coming to him. âI order you to stop,â Fable demanded. âHeâs not in his right mind. Your job is to protect me, not to kill him.â
Kill kill kill killâ
He bit into one of the soldierâs hands and felt satisfaction at the yelp it caused, crimson spraying the grass below them.
âSometimes protecting meansââ
âYou have orders, soldiers,â A steely voice cut through the clearingâblue scarfâs.
They let him go, some fearful, some baffled and immediately stepped in front of Fable to guard her. He was fine with that. He crawled his way back towards the waters, wheezing.
âLink,â She said sadly. âI know you donât recognize me now. But...Iâm Zelda? Your princess?â
Once again he felt like there were gaps in his memory. The name sounds so close...
A beat.
âZ..elda?â A melody sung from his throat, shaping her name and it sounded like...like...
He was shoved deeper into the waters. He wrestled with the perpetrator, only to see blood seeping into the waters and a long spear hilt drove into his shoulder. Pain laced every breath, every movement.
The Hyrulian crest was engraved into the blade he realized with nausea was sticking out behind him.
He heard a muffled scream from above and he reached but the darkness soon smothered him.
He moved the fabric, surprisingly dry, tossing it aside.
Linkâno he was the veteran now, right?--sat up slowly, wearily, feeling as if he had been ran over by a horse or something. A hand was gently carding through his hair and stopped when he was halfway up.
âAre you with me?â
Zelda was there, bags under her eyes, concern etched into her expression.
âYeah,â He told her, and uncertainly continued, âI remember...Ghirahim...and I remember trying to hide from the others?â
âThey truly have forgotten you, and I, and Ravio,â She murmured.
âOh.â
There was some sort of mark on her neck, a bruise and he asked, âWhat...? Are you okay, Zel?â
âThis?â She seemed to know what he was talking about. âYeah. You had become a mer and attacked me. Why you were lost in that form, I donât know.â
Shame flooded his veins. He attacked her. âIâm--â
âIf youâre about to apologize I will smack you.â
He laughed and then wheezed. His shoulder burned.
âTry not to strain yourself,â Zelda told him. âOne of my soldiersâwhom has just been put in the dungeons and stripped of his careerâstabbed you against my orders.â
âIdiots, the lot of them,â The vet said but averted his gaze.
âIncompetent some of them may be but we need them,â The princess sighed. âThough, if any one of them hurts you again, I will punish them more severely.â
âThey still have Agahnimâs whispers in their minds, donât they?â Legend murmured.
âI donât know for certain,â Zelda closed her eyes and breathed.
Legendâs stomach churned. Was...was there a way for all of them to remember him again? What even happened in order for them to do so?
âListen...Now, they know you mean them no harm. They know youâre like them. I know it must be hard but can you continue with them here, until we can figure something out?â
âI can stay with them but Zel, thereâs a powerful enemy out there. Heâs the one who made me forget everything. I donât know if fighting like this is a good idea.â
âI trust you,â The princess nodded.
He left the infirmary as soon as he could to go confront his brothers who now called him a stranger.
âSo, youâre saying, weâve met before. In fact, you were there this whole time but weâve somehow forgotten you?â Time asked, tone and expression unreadable.
Legend curled his fists around his tunic. âYes...we agreed upon calling me the veteran of sorts and Legend.â
Sky frowned. âIâm sorry...â
Wild had his hood up, and he was tapping his foot restlessly. The vetâs heart clenched. It was no secret the other had past experiences with amnesia. âNah, donât apologize,â The vet dismissed. âIâm just glad you havenât tried to kick me out of the group again.â
Hyrule winced. The vet shrugged. âChampion, you have your slate, right?â
Wild flinched. âOh, uh, yeah, why?â
âThere should be pictures of me in there somewhere, regardless of memories.â
The champion perked up and unhooked the Sheikah Slate off his waist. He peered at an image and back at the vet and then frowned. âYou couldnât have magically put a picture in the slate but...I canât...I still canât seem to remember you...Iâm so sorry.â
âFigures. Well, thanks for trying.â
Legend wanted to scream. Instead he swallowed thickly. âI need toâ....Iâll be back soon.â
Skyâs confused expression twisted into concern. âHey I couldnât imagine what this would be like for you but weâll try our best to figure this out, yeah?â
The vet turned around, trying to hide the frustrated tears at his eyes. âYeah...â
He closed the door behind him a little too harshly and left.
âThis helm is a cultural treasure. To earn it, you must gain the trust of our people. I want you to address their concerns and bring a resolute peace to our town. We already know that you are powerful. But you canât solve all of my peopleâs problems with power alone.â
_________________
The Links explore Gerudo Town in the quest for the Thunder Helm.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: Linked Universe - jojo56830 (Webcomic)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Legend & Warriors (Linked Universe)
Characters: Legend (Linked Universe), Warriors (Linked Universe), Farore (Legend of Zelda), Original Characters, Time (Linked Universe), Sky (Linked Universe), Wild (Linked Universe), Mipha (Legend of Zelda), for a little bit anyway - Character
Additional Tags: Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Warriors (Linked Universe)-centric, POV Warriors (Linked Universe), Good Older Sibling Warriors (Linked Universe), Legend (Linked Universe)-centric, Legend (Linked Universe) Needs a Hug, he gets one dw, Legend (Linked Universe) Has a Bad Time, Warriors (Linked Universe) Has a Bad Time, Warriors (Linked Universe) has Issues, Temporary Character Death, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, ah what else, Legend & Warriors (Linked Universe) Bonding
Series: Part 2 of Never Dead For Long
Summary:
Their banter, as warm and comforting as it felt, served a purpose neither knew of at the time. Crimson eyes were hidden, raucous syllables drowned out by chatter.
It would turn out that there were much worse enemies than the biting cold.
________________________
Warriors & Legend are separated from their group and a mysterious enemy shows up to sow a single seed of doubt, and a million more of pain.
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Blue seems off today, Red notices. Wiping his eyes when he thinks no one's looking, not really into whatever bantering he's found himself in with Vio. He usually finds indirect ways to help at first; absently pushing a glass of water in his direction and walking away before there's time to protest. Taking a portion of his chores off his plate--ensuring he puts away and folds stuff neatly. He slips the other's journal into a pocket, because despite how seemingly easier to anger Blue is, he has ways to reign control of that temper. Writing about his feelings often helps him the most.
But today, he goes to put clean clothes into his brother's room and he finds that same journal tossed aside on the floor. A glass of water sits untouched in the kitchen. He walks over to Blue and he doesn't even have the chance to open his mouth before he snaps, "I don't need your help, Red."
He doesn't take the bait like he knows Vio does, and just sits down. "We lean on each other all the time, bluebird. But right now I just wanted to ask, how is your sparring going?"
A blink of surprise. "I haven't sparred yet today. Also, what did I tell you about the nicknames?"
Red takes note of that with concern, and the fact that his first statement wasn't acknowledged. "Green said he was out to spar."
Blue averts his eyes, crystal ice melting and swimming with feelings unreadable. "I turned him down."
The admission told Red more than enough. "Why?"
"Stop interrogating me!" A lashing out like a tendril of flame being snuffed out, cornered.
And instead of snuffing it out, Red simply says, "I'm going to go for a walk--the house feels a little too small today. Would you like to join me?"
Blue briefly looks out the window, conflicted, and then he gives an aggrieved sigh. "Yeah. Just so you don't do anything stupid and get hurt."
"Awww, I knew you cared about me!" Red grins and runs out the door before he has a chance to face the other's wrath.
He hears a strangled noise behind him as he turns to see Green practicing his archery instead of sparring. He calls, "We're going for a walk, emerald! Bye!"
"What--"
And Red is tackled to the dirt path. Red giggles and shoves Blue off. "Okay, okay!"
They tussle for a moment before Red wheezes and gets up, still grinning. Blue nurses his arm with a scowl. "Why do you always scratch?"
The red link shrugs as they push branches out of their way, onto a clear, beautiful forest path. "Hey, I want you to know something, Link."
Blue startles at being called who they are at their core. He opens his mouth than closes it, wariness written in his expression that looks like furrowed brows. Red forms the words in his head than tells him, "I want you to know what you mean to me--and all of us. You have always been an anchor--a constant in everything we do. You might not really notice, but instead of bringing Vio down--you lift him up."
A scoff. "Red, just because you're nice to all the others doesn't mean you have to suck up to me. I know I bring everyone down and I know my temper gets the best of me and I'm just a dark cloud that won't go away--" Blue gasps, and for a fraction of a second, pain makes his mask crack.
Red can feel the tears welling up in his eyes, warm and stinging. He swallows thickly. "Blue! Don't say that about yourself, please. Sure, your temper does get the best of you sometimes. But there's so much more to you! Sometimes all I feel like is the crybaby. A pathetic, emotional mess--who feels things all too much. But I've come to learn there's more to me than something so, so simple. Link is complex. And so are all the parts that makes him who he is."
There's a beat of silence.
Red hugs his brother and is surprised when the other just lets him. It gives him the strength to continue talking, "You're brash, and really stubborn sometimes. But you're also passionate, and tough, and I know when it comes down to it, I can trust you with anything. You have the strength to move when no one else does. You have the strength to be unwavering in your beliefs, and you are kind--just on the surface maybe it's harder to see."
"Does that all really matter? Does that outweigh the bad? Red, I've only made you cry more than you do already. I've caused you pain 'cause of the things I've said."
"It does outweigh the bad," Red affirmed and Blue hesitantly returned the hug. "As people, we are intricate and sometimes that's hard to remember. But there's something beautiful in the complexity--the different features of who we are. We've all hurt each other--unintentionally or not. But when I think of you, bluebird, I don't think of those times. I think of how strong you are to push through whatever comes your way. I think of how unique your love is and how it's filled with a fire that burns so bright it practically outshines the sun. Blue, please. I couldn't trade you for the world."
Blueâs breath hitches, stutters and the other holds tighter, beginning to shake. Red wonders with a sudden heartbreak just how long heâs held on to these lies heâs told himself. And of course as soon as Blue finally lets himself show a bit of vulnerability, thereâs monsters in sight, getting closer. Red, eyes widening shoves the other off with an apology and pulls out his sword. âThere hasnât been monsters sinceâŚâ
Blue wipes his face quickly, brows writ with anger. âAll the more reason to get rid of them. You take the ones coming from that side, Iâll take the other. If you need help you better let me know.â
âOf course.â
So Red waits for a scaly one to bring down its two-handed weapon and easily dodges. He retaliates by slashing its neck. A stream of crimson bubbles up but the monster doesnât immediately die, screeching wildly in pain. Blue finishes it off with a huff. âBet you I can take more of âem down than you.â
âUnderestimate me, and you practically give me the win,â Red laughs, as he ducks beneath an arrow coated with poison, and plunges his blade into the perpetrator. âBut sure.â
So the battle becomes more of a game except still with the threat of death making it all the more thrilling. Adrenaline pours into his veins as another arrow just barely misses his ear. Thereâs more coming, marching on the horizon. Red gasps, and steps back but some have managed to surround him. Blue isnât, yet, and fends off another one. The red link fights his best but they come closer and heâs feeling trapped. âBlue!â He screams.
The other comes closer, trying to reach for his hand, knowing taking them all on isnât a good idea. Their hands almost touch but suddenly, thereâs a sickening sound right in his ear. He looks down and thereâs a sword buried in his chest, his tunic blossoming with darker red. He whimpers as the sword is retrieved and thereâs no stopping him collapsing to the ground. Tears flow freely down his cheeks as the pain rips through his senses. He chokes on a sob and something else.
Itâs fuzzy but eventually he sees Blueâs frantic and angry face above him, cheek dripping with monster blood. âWhatââ Red looks tearfully around for the monsters.
Blue puts his weight on the wound with both his hands. âSave your strength, idiot! Iâm going to bring you back.â
Red coughs harshly, vision marked with darker spots as Blue presses against his chest in an attempt to stem the bleeding. âRememberâŚâ As his eyes start to close, him feeling oddly sapped of energy. âWhat I told you.â
âWhat?â Blue breathes.
âI wouldnât trade you for the world. Even ifâŚeven if it means I donât get to live. Whatever happens, it isnât your fault.â
âYouâre not going to die, damnit.â
Hah, Red thinks, as he slips into unconsciousness. Never change, Blue. NeverâŚ
__________________
Somewhere along the way home he sees Redâs eyes slip closed and he frantically feels for a pulse. Itâs there, fading rapidly, but there. And so he runs. Whatever monsters are left can be dealt with a full team.
Vio is lost in his own world, as Blue would say. He turns a page in his book, feeling as if he were the characters inside. Then the illusion shatters. âHEY!!!! VIO!!!!!â
Vio wouldâve gotten angry or just ignored him if it wasnât for the frantic note in the shout. He looks up and pales. Blue is carrying Red, whose chest is covered in blood. Thereâs blood coating Blueâs hands and his tunic, and thereâs blood starting to dry on Redâs face. He drops everything, and he runs faster than heâs ever gone before. âWhat happened?â
âWe were ambushed by monsters,â Blue pants wearily, and thereâs tears beading at his eyes. âWhere the hell is Green.â
âSet him down inside, Iâll get Green for you,â Vio says and does exactly that.
Once Green hears, his bow is left forgotten on the grass. But once they come back in, Red lying in the couch Vio freezes.
Blue is sobbing.
âBlue?â Green asks, potions and bandages in his hands.
Blue looks up and then back at their brother. âIâŚâ
Vio rushes and fights the urge to vomit at how limp Redâs hand is as he searches for a pulse. âNo. No, no, noâŚâ
Blue grabs a vase and throws it into the hallway. Green flinches when it shatters loudly. Then the blue link sinks to his knees. Vio knows he should do something but he just stands there, looking at their fallen Red with a creeping numbness that overwhelms the pain.
Blue says, âItâs all my fault. RedâRed said it wasnât but if I hadnât let him go on that walkâŚâ
Then Vio goes up to the blue link and doesnât say anything. He just hugs his brother as tightly as he can. And Blue clings onto him with a choked sob. Thereâs no telling how long they stayed there. But Vio knows they would never be the same again.
Often, Wind has heard stories of love. Heâs experienced it before too, but on this adventure he learns just how differently each person gives it. He learns more of what love looks like.
Love looks like Sky, when they had held tight to each other, exhausted but comforted in the warm glow of a fire, lighting up sleeping faces during a night where the clouds hid the stars from view. When the sailor braided the chosen heroâs hair and basked in the simplicity of what they were doing. Despite the vivid images in Windâs mind they merely basked in the small, nice things of this heroic life for once. And when Wind slipped back into his bedroll, he was at peace.
Love looks like Four, when he shares something from his ever-racing mind. A book, a theory, advice, or stories of his own. When he shares extra portions of food, or items on the battlefield, or a pair of clothes when the sailor tears a hole or dirties his own. It looks like wordlessly sharing a smile, even when things feel impossible.
Love looks like Time, a hand ripping him away from danger, and guiding him towards safety the next. A calloused, scarred hand outstretched to his multiple times for multiple reasons with the weight of multiple instances. But a single word is why that hand keeps reaching. Love. And so Wind holds fast and for once doesnât mind how much smaller his hand feels in the old manâs hands.
Love looks like Legend, a subtle motion in how the vet takes care of each of them without ever needing to say what heâs doing. Telling Wind a story to divert his attention from blood-stained bandages. Handing a glass of apple cider to him when he wakes up in a puddle of tears. Sitting with him in front of rippling ocean waves and listening to Wind speak. Mending a blue tunic and polishing a magical blade when he thinks no oneâs looking. The sailor sees right through a facade and sees the purest love heâs ever seen.
Love looks like Hyrule, resilient and humble. The traveller ushering him into the forest without a map, treating him like nothing other than a brother and a hero. When the sailor thought for a moment there was no hope, the hero of Hyrule stood tall, gold flecks in his eyes as he shined that hope, and inspired Wind to draw his sword once again. A powerful symbol beneath white gloves, yet a wielder who relies on his own courage to get him by.
Love looks like Twilight, a wolf herding its pack with fierce protection. The rancher sees flaws and impurities and unconventional aspects of the sailorâs life and looks beyond that. He cradles the shadows that do no harm, and mourns any creature that falls to natureâs cycle. He bares fangs, ripping apart anyone or anything that hurts without purpose and his eyes continue to glow blue as he pulls Wind close, teeth dripping crimson. Messy but true in his intentions.
Love looks like Warriors, an anchor in a sea of horrors. Fighting when Wind canât. Understanding when Wind canât. Loving when Wind canât. Bringing him up, a beacon of light in the impossible. It looks the captain wrapping a scarf around the sailorâs neck when it feels cold. A gentleness in tending to injuries and still there even when leading with commands that feel angry and icy.
Love looks like Wild, the smell of fresh food wafting through the campsite. It looks like the raw vulnerability he offers when his scars snaking across his body hurt him. An ancient look to his eyes, swimming in an ocean of azure eyes. And despite everything, the will to move. Taking risks. Doing a favour each and every day by causing smiles and laughter, and bringing out the beauty in a land ruined ages ago. Rebuilding roots that were cut no matter how hard it gets. Telling Wind he can find a new place to call home. A new Hyrule. Mourn the one sunk into the ocean but build up from there into something beautiful.
All that love is what he sees when iron and salt floods his mouth. Thereâs a searing pain, a burning sensation as he wills himself to stay awake. Timeâs hand is holding his. Sky is hugging him, pressing against the wound desperately. Warriors gives his scarf away for the sailor to hold to, eyes clouded with grief. Legend is telling him something but the words blend together and Wind wishes he could make out the distraction the veteran is trying to provide. Wild is brewing an elixir, the smell of fruit in the air. Hyruleâs hands glow with a spell. Twilight braids the sailorâs hair. Four has an extra, folded pair of clothes at the ready.
âSâraining,â Wind notes and everything stops.
âYeah, buddy,â Wars says after a moment. âYou with us?â
The sailor nods and then shudders as his body is wracked with coughs, causing waves of agony to crash harshly. âTell Aryll Iâm sorry? Tetra to still find a new land...Grandma, Iâll see her soon?â
âHey, no, youâre not dying on us,â The rancher soothes.
The sailor relaxes a little. Four asks, âHow is the elixir going?â
Wild makes a distraught noise. âI-I donât have a bug. How donât I have bugs?â
Twilight stops braiding and rummages quickly through his bag. Someone has their bug net out and despite everything Wind laughs, and continues laughing even though it hurts. The captain smiles fondly, even though it doesnât quite reach his eyes. âWhatâs so funny?â
The sailor replies tearfully, âI...â
The world tilts and the tears start to overflow. He canât hold it in anymore. âI canât remember.â
âStay with me!â Wars barks out, eyes wide and frantic.
âMâhere,â He says after a moment, trying to keep his eyes open for his family.
Hyrule looks deathly calm, still keeping his magic flowing but the sailor doesnât feel its warmth. Doesnât taste itâs otherworldly, fizzy taste. Wind canât remember why it wouldnât work. He doesnât want to die. Not after everything heâd done, everything heâd hoped for the future.
âWeâre losing him,â Four sounds oddly emotional.
âNo, weâre not,â Twilight snarls and dumps the contents of his bag out to search that way.
The stars look beautiful, Wind thinks. Another display of hope from the Goddesses. But the sailor wasnât their chosen, just a boy who wanted to save his sister. He doesnât think theyâll favour him, give him another chance like the stories say heroes get. He hasnât told his brothers yet, has he? He thinks he knows what his love looks like. Stories shared amidst a campfire, a grin so bright as he braves anything in his way. He smiles for them. So that when the air feels unnaturally dim and tense, he can give them reprieve. He fights for them, to see them live. If him dying means something, he hopes it means they get to go home.
Home.
He wishes he could see home again.
âI gave all my bugs to Agatha,â Twilight cursed under his breath.
Memory after memory flashes in his eyes as the pain steadily grows in size, threatening to take him over soon but he holds on tightly to Timeâs hand anyway. This is cruelty at its finest, how it takes everything inside him to stay alive, and yet heâs slipping anyway. He wonât ever get to see Aryll grow up alongside him. âIâI want you to know,â He murmurs and everybody is listening, even as they still try their best to make that elixir. âIâm...Iâm not of the heroâs spirit, but I feel like I belong with you guys anyway. Thank you.â
He catches one last glimpse of their love. Twilightâs fierceness in his eyes as he starts braiding again. Skyâs warm presence as he hugs him tighter. Fourâs unity as he gives Wind his telescope to hold on to. Timeâs steadiness as he squeezes his hand in comfort. Legendâs compassion in the form of tears that he wipes furiously. Hyruleâs resilience as he stops pouring magic, whispering reassurances to him. Warriorsâ devotion as he promises theyâll see each other again. Wild's spirit as a very familiar soup wafts through the air, replacing the metallic scent of blood.
When everything shifts into darkness, a thick blanket suffocating him, he reaches for them and finds nothing but the feeling of warmth when everything cuts out.
Tags: Sickfic Delirium Grief/Mourning Angst Good Older Sibling Twilight (Linked Universe) Legend (Linked Universe)-centric POV Legend (Linked Universe) Sky (Linked Universe) Has a Bad Time Sky (Linked Universe) Whump Whumptober ailess whumptober
Summary:
Legend and Sky are separated abruptly from the others while Sky has a fever and is too out of it to move. They stay in a cave until monsters find them at the worst time.
Legend suffers the blood of his loved ones on his hands once more.
Sand flew but Riju stood, hand on her hip, watching their temporary victory. Link came rushing over as she took the helm off, her eyes shining, her lips pulled into a hopeful smile. âUnfortunately, I cannot appease Naboris on my own. I have no choice but to entrust the rest to you.â
He took off, giving her a reassuring nod. Just as Link got on the platform the red light returned, and Naboris began to stand once more. Link fell, unable to take the shaking, but clung to the platform and hurried inside. âDonât let us down, Link,â Riju murmured and watched the Divine Beast storm off.
âWhere are we?â The boy asked, distrust clear in his eyes. Something red was smeared next to them.
Legend answered half-heartedly. âCastletown of Hyrule, on the private praying spring.â
âPrivate? Are we going to get arrested if we get seen here?â The princess murmured, and gripped the hand she was holding tighter.
âUsually, yes, but Iâll help you out.â
âWait, arenât you curious who we are?â The girl asked, relieved but unsure.
No, the crown, the dress and the mark on her hand were simple, casual clothing. He opted not to say that though, and shrugged. âYou can tell me if you want. Here, weâll go through this passage.â
âWho are you?â The boy inquired as the prince watched for guards.
Legend considered giving his identity away right then and there...but he remembered the records he had read not too long ago. He told them, âIâll need to know at least your names before I answer that...and Iâll know if youâre lying.â
He wouldnât, but they didnât need to know that. The princess gripped the boyâs hand tighter. âIâm Phantom.â
âIâm Spirit.â
Legend laughed incredulously. The goddesses had answered his prayers then, because there was definitely an ancient Hero of Spirits. âWell, Spirit, Princess Phantom, Iâm the crown prince of Hyrule. My name is Legend.â
âOh,â She looked down at the ground. âAny chance youâll still let us leave?â
He bit his lip. He couldnât let a hero just leave. âThereâs something I need you to do first. I promise you wonât get arrested.â
Spirit shared a glance with the princess beside him and then shook his head. âWeâll run, or you help us.â
Legend stopped, his heart thundering. âDonât you dare. Look, I understand it seems like Iâm lying, but Iâm not. Have you heard of the Servants of Demise?â
Phantom stiffened. âWhat do they have to do with this?â
âIâm one of the fated heroes to drive them down, and stop them from destroying Hyrule. Spirit might be one of them.â
âHow do you know?â
âHave you heard of the Hero of Spirits?â Legend answered him.
âWhatâthat doesnât necessarily meanââ
âWeâll come with you,â Phantom decided. âTry anything and youâll make an enemy of New Hyrule.â
âI know.â
He led them to the Room of Swords, and there was one blade left, hung up on the wall. Engraved on it was the name. âLokomo Sword,â Spirit murmured as he grabbed the blade with ease. âI wonder what that means.â
âOur legends say that the Lokomo were protectors of New Hyrule, but it was always considered myth by those who knew,â Phantom recalled.
âYouâre a hero,â Legend declared but instead of feeling relief, his gut simmered with a feeling.
This all felt too easy...like things were sliding into place too conveniently. Spirit blinked. âWhy me?â
âNo one but the chosen wielder of that sword, can wield it,â Fi answered, stepping into that room. âIf anyone else tries the blade will light up in powerful flames and burn until itâs dropped. Now, you have all the pieces needed to fulfill destiny, Your Highness.â
âWait, but IâI canât leave Phantom,â Spirit interrupted. âAnd Iâm just an engineer. Iâm notâI donât know how to wield a weapon.â
âItâs okay. I can look after myself.â The princess let go of his hand.
âIâll arrange for you both to get rooms at the castle, but for now, we must reconvene with my father and figure out how to proceed.â
Legend missed his mother, and his hair remained braided, although it was incredibly knotted and messy. Fi escorted them away, to the Kingâs office and then with a nod, left. âWait, Fi,â Dad called. âYour knowledge has aided us greatly. I would like for you to stay.â
The royal advisor bowed her head. âThank you, Your Majesty...however I have a meeting I have to attend to as you have requested. My greatest apologies. I have told you most of what I know.â
âMeeting?â
Legend furrowed his eyebrows. âYou never go to meetings on your own, Fi.â
âI was requested earlier by His Majesty that I attend a meeting on his behalf.â
Dad was frowning but he sighed. âI donât remember doing that, but I trust your memory. Go ahead.â
Fi obeyed and left, and Legend caught her lips quirked upward as soon as she was at the door. Soon every hero was gathered here, except for Warrior. The sky was different hues from the sunset, and light rain drops settled on the window. âOur first objective is to find Queen Sun, and I would like to check where they had last kidnapped you, Legend,â Dad started.
He flinched. âWhere?â
âKoholint.â
Hazel eyes meeting his, warm and horrified. Gloved fingers holding his trembling hand. A blush spreading on freckled cheeks.
Marin. The last time heâd seen her was at the ball. Hyrule blinked. âUh, where exactly in Koholint?â
Blue nudged him with a scowl, most likely for being casual with royalty. Dad didnât seem to care though. âDeep in the Mysterious Woods...itâs similar to the thick pathways of the Lost Woods.â
Vioâs eyes widened, and he likely knew from his reading what exactly the Mysterious Woods was. Dad hummed. âWeâll head out tomorrow afternoon then andââ
The ground shook, throwing everyone off balance. A booming sound reverberated, deafening, and Legend clutched his ringing ears. Dadâs breath caught, and he ran out of the door, stumbling with the unsteady floors.
The calm outside the window had shattered. Smoke filled a once beautiful sky.
Time said, âLetâs follow! Stay close together, and alert!â
They hurried and another boomechoed nearby. Legend ran past a large open window, and saw everything that was happening. He could hear distant screaming. Each house, each building was lit up in flame, and collapsed in rubble. âWeâve got to go!â Hyrule tugged on his sleeve, frantically. âWhere is Warrior?â
âWarrior,â Legend gasped, and didnât even think before he ran to the infirmary.
There was no way he was leaving him in the castle, when the world seemed so shaky and so unsafe. He reached the room but there was the sound of metal being drawn and suddenly, there was a blade at his throat and he was pinned against the wall. He froze, and then his blood turned to ice. âFi?â
âYour Highness,â She monotoned.
âThis doesnât make sense,â He whispered and winced when the cold dagger touched his neck. âWhy?â
Fi grinned with blue lips, completely unlike her. âJust as naĂŻve as the rest of them. Iâm surprised my good old friend didnât realize sooner.â
His eyes widened, when he remembered his best friend. He glanced at Warrior and he didnât seem to be further harmed. She noticed his worry and rolled her eyes. âI was just about to finish the job before you showed up. Iâm not an idiot.â
He glanced at her hand, now that it was closer to his eyes. Fi had a tattoo on it, that she had gotten to swear loyalty to the goddesses.
There was no tattoo.
This wasnât truly Fi. Legend narrowed his eyes. âYouâre not her.â
âMy, how observant. While you piece this together, your kingdom outside is burning,â The unfamiliar woman hummed. âWhat are you going to do, little prince? Cry, like youâve done before?â
He glared at her and considered his options. He could try and fight itâbut that was a sure way to get his throat slit. His hands were free. He could try and get the dagger away from his neck, but was that too risky? âWhy havenât you killed me yet?â
He knew the answer to that but he was stalling desperately. The woman laughed. âOh, that oneâs easy. The next blood moon is very soon, and on that night your blood will be spilt...but only on that night.â
âWhy?â
âIâll let you figure the rest out on your own. Now, say your goodbyes to that bodyguard of yours. He was annoyingâfought quite wellâbut he wasnât strong enough.â
âNo,â He breathed.
A piercing, yell, âLet go of my son!â
Dad came, his blue eyes ablaze as he lunged at the woman. The prince moved away towards Warrior and shook his shoulders urgently. âWar, please. Wake up.â
The other heroes soon rushed in and Time slung the guard over his shoulders. âWeâve got to go.â
Dad continued to fight, blades whirling and clashing. âSheâs not Fi!â Legend yelled and waited at the doorstep. âCâmon, Dad!â
âYeah câmon, Sky! Flee like a coward, and see what happens!â
âMom needs us!â Legendâs voice cracked.
Dadâs face crumpled and he stopped, taking off with them. The woman watched them go with a smile, but didnât move for some reason. Legend saw what happened to the usual guards and knights patrolling the palace. They were are all collapsed...no blood, but still nonetheless. The prince couldnât help but wonder why no one had noticed Fiâs suspicious behaviour...why he had let this happen. Legend thought that they were more prepared and safe than this. If they were destined heroes...why had Castletown crumbled in seconds?
Legend touched his neck, remembered the dagger there. He felt tears well up in his eyes, his heart racing a mile a minute.
He wasnât enough.
Iâm so sorry, Mom.
Hyrule was there, clutching his hand tightly. âWeâre going to evacuate as many people as we can.â
âTo where?â
His voice came out broken. His friendâs eyes reflected worry. âTo Kakariko, is what your father said. Hey, itâll be okay, Ledge.â
âI donât know, âRulie.â
Hyrule just squeezed his hand tighter and pulled him towards the suffocating smell of smoke and the ruin around them.
âSky,â A woman with a black cloak, and blonde, braided hair greeted. There was a strange marking on her head, an eye with a teardrop. A large hat rattled on her head, its rim painted a bloody crimson.
âImpaââ
âWhere is she?â The woman snapped, interrupting Dad.
âSunâs...They took her...â
Impa clenched her fists, fury filling up her eyes. âYou were too late again. Youâve failed her. Again.â
The King wiped his eyes and didnât respond for a moment. âLet me introduce you to the other nine heroes. Everyone, this is Impa, the chief of Kakariko Village.â
Her furious eyes looked around until they stopped at Legend. The prince met her gaze, a little bit angry on his fatherâs behalf. For some reason, her eyes softened a bit and she sighed. âWell then, a meeting is in order. In five minutes every single hero sees me at my place.â
She stepped towards Dad. Metal shook. âNot a second lateâdo you understand me? Count by seconds if you must.â
âThis isnât his fault,â Legend spoke up, irked. âHe did all he could.â
Impa looked at him, her expression stoic before she disappeared into the shadows. Twilight asked, âSo, what do we do now?â
Wildâs gaze was glossy, somewhat distant. The prince wondered when he had been hereâif thatâs why he was in that state. Dad ran a hand through his hair, guilt prominent in his eyes. âWeâre going to need to get to Koholint after we talk to the chief. We can go through Skyloft probably.â
âHow far is that?â Wind piped up.
âA week on foot, not counting stops to sleep and eat.â
We canâtânot enough time!
Vio suggested, âWhat if we buy a few horses?â
Dad nodded. âYes, thatâs probably our best option at the moment.â
Legendâs eyes drifted to Warrior, still unconscious in Timeâs arms. Time and Twilight both were silent, looking worried and then the prince remembered Malon. âWho is Impa?â Legend settled on.
His father looked like he didnât want to answer but he did anyway. âSun was captured during the war, but as soon as Impa found out she was able to help the escape...however, she couldnât get to you in time. Sun eventually was recaptured and rescued by others.â
There was more to that story, there had to be, but Legend didnât dare press. Suddenly Wild came out of his memory and Wind asked, âAre you okay?â
The scarred knight walked over to the King, tense. âI will be, thank you. What have I missed Your Majesty?â
âOur plan after speaking with the chief, Impa, is to get horses and ride to Skyloft,â Dad filled him in and then ushered them towards a path.
A staircase, guarded by two men led to a large abode, not unlike the other homes here. The two guards looked at them and connected their weapons, halting them. âState your names,â The one with the grey beard demanded.
Dad sighed and obliged before the two guards dropped to their knees and let them up. A young woman closely resembling the chief dipped her head. âMy mother said you had injured.â
âHeâs recovering from an injury,â Time corrected. âHe hasnât woken up yet.â
âPaya?â Wild breathed.
Paya, the young womanâs eyes widened. âY-yes thatâs me. We can certainly take him in, um, and uh, I shouldnât keep you.â
Legend, pushing down his curiosity nodded. âThank you.â
Time followed Paya and the rest of them faced the chief of Kakariko Village. âYes, I do know of Castletown, and yes, the survivors may stay here to avoid harm,â Impa started, but instead of the harsh anger he had expected, there was just a tired resignation to her tone.
âThank you, Impa. Once we have control, rest assured your hospitality wonât go unnoticed,â Dad replied. âOur goal from here is to ride horses to Skyloft. From there we can take a boat to Koholint and see if the Queen has been taken there once more.â
âThis is all assuming they are dull-witted enough to stay in the same place. What are you going to do if she isnât there?â
âI will search wherever I must, but first is ruling out that place,â Dad answered sharply. âIf you have a better idea, tell me, but saving my kingdom requires Sun. If they have her, they have leverage.â
âTheyâre also after this young prince, arenât they?â Impa gestured to Legend, eyes narrowed.
âIâm a hero. Iâve been trained by an immortal being, and I wonât stay on the sidelines,â He snapped.
The chief sighed and then nodded. âVery well. My suggestion is that you wait for your injured to be healed and then continue out with your plan. Half of you go to Koholintâthe other half stay here. My reasoning is that some of these heroes can protect the people and there have to be more of them still in Castletown.â
Dad nodded, resigned. âAlright. Thank you once more, Impa.â
The cold, amber eyes of the chief disappeared beneath her hat as she inclined her head. âIt is my duty to serve the royal family. The Goddess chose you all as Her choice of agents. Let her be right.â
They discussed who would go where as they left the warmth of the home. They saw kind villagers leading in scared people from Castletown and Time ran when a red-haired lady was visible in the distance. They embraced, hugging each other tightly but Legend didnât catch their conversation. Dad turned away, as soon as he saw the sight, longing in his eyes andâoh. âLegend,â His father called, blinking rapidly, breathing deeply. âWhere would you like to be?â
The question stunned him. He wasnât expecting a choice, but he was a little grateful for it. He could go to Koholint and search or stay here and protect the people. Wavy, fiery hair and hazel shimmering brightly with ease flashed in his mind...and then loving ocean blue eyes and calloused hands running through his hair, snowy sleeves hiding a hand-crafted bracelet.
But his friendsâ home was burning. His kingdom was falling apart at its seams, and the thought of someone like Malon buried in a puddle of bloodâ
âLedge,â A soft voice brought him back to the present.
He hadnât heard that nickname from his father in so long. He looked up and made his decision, âIâm going to Koholint.â
An inhale. Exhale. âI will stay here then. The others may choose as they please but Iâd like Time to go with you.â
After some discussion, Legend was going with Time, Hyrule, Warrior, Wind, Green and Blue. Dad was staying here with the rest. Princess Phantom had insisted she was going to stick by Spiritâs side, no matter what, despite the kidâs distress at the thought.
He expected to go back to Warrior, and see eyes shut closed but as soon as he found his guard, the man was sitting upright, eyes wide open and alarmed as Paya quietly recounted events. Legendâs eyes filled up with tears and he hesitated. âWar?â
Warrior immediately turned towards him and let out a breath. âIâm sorryââ
âShut up,â The prince hissed, voice muffled by a bloodied tunic as he hugged his guardânoâhis brother.
âHow didâhe wasnât waking up for so long,â Legend asked Paya, not letting go yet of Warrior.
âA fairy.â
The answer was curt, and barely audible. He wouldâve maybe questioned it more but his brother spoke up, âThank you. For the healing.â
The Sheikah girl squeaked a little and ducked her head. âItâs nothing, sir.â
âNo, itâs not nothing. WarâI-I thought...I thought you wouldnât wake up.â
Warrior pulled him closer. âI did. Iâm here, and Iâm alive. Iâm okay.â
âYou better be.â
After a bit more explaining, War was already asking when they were leaving. Paya narrowed her eyes. âYou just recovered from a stab wound, sir. I would say at the earliest, tomorrow morning...but it isnât me whoâll make that call.â
âThen who?â
âHer name is Navi.â
Legend reluctantly let go and went to go ask for him, despite his brotherâs protests. He quickly found a woman with bright blue hair and matching eyes tending to a villagerâs broken leg. âIâm busy,â She called, eyes flashing with irritation. âYou can wait your turn.â
âI donât need healing, but I donât want to interrupt you.â
The woman glanced at him briefly and then did a double take but did not stop the magic flowing from her fingers. âWhatâs wrong, Your Highness?â
The irritation did not fade from her expression, but her tone was worried and polite. He shook his head. âAs you said, I can wait my turn. I wasnât aware you were busy, but I should have been.â
He turned to exit but she said, âListen, Iâm almost done. Itâd be easier for you just to wait inside.â
He obliged, watching the magic put the injured at ease, and then she stopped. âTake it easy, alright?â
âOkay. Thank you.â Was the mumbled response from the villager.
Paya was right. Warrior was allowed to leave in the morning, though Navi made sure they had at least one more fairy and a couple potions with them. She cautioned him to only strain himself if absolutely necessary. As the guard said his thanks Legend asked, âWait who stabbed you, War? How?â
âI was told you already knew she was a traitor, but the Kingâs advisor did. She caught me off guard,â He admitted, and he looked guilty. âI should be better than this though. She shouldnât have been able to catch me off guard let alone get away with it.â
âIâm just happy youâre okay,â The prince whispered.
His brotherâs gaze softened. âYouâll be a great ruler someday, Legend. Just as great as your father.â
Legend didnât recognize the deflection and huffed, âThanks.â
The next morning farewells were said, Legend hugging his father tightly, and promising to return safely, and with Mom beside him. Dad had pressed a gentle kiss to his head, and nodded but he wiped his eyes and averted his gaze.
Legend was getting sick of this. He was going to make sure that everything would be okay again. He felt his blade hum in agreement where it was laying firmly in its sheath. He ignored the burn of Impaâs eyes staring into the back of his head as he got onto a horse named Epona, helping Hyrule up as well. As soon as he had everyone, they set off as fast as they could, hooves pounding against the path.
Skyloftâs heart was like paradise, surrounded by glistening waters. This was where the King had grown up, and the stories he had been told did not serve the island justice. The horses slowed down as soon as they entered and Time dismounted the horse he was riding on. They all followed suit and Wind gasped, face in awe. âIâve never been here before. Green! After this is over we have got to come here again!â
Green ruffled the boyâs hair. âWeâll see.â
Legend caught sight of the docks in the distance and started over. Hyrule was studying him, concerned and the prince tried his best not to show his exhaustion or worry. His best friend then sighed. âHow are you doing, Ledge? Honestly.â
â...Well, Castletown might be in ruins, my motherâs still missing, and Iâve got people after my head. Absolutely fucking peachy,â He snapped and then immediately felt guilty. âSorry. IâIâm just stressed, you know how it is âRulie. Iâll be fine.â
A hand grabbed his and held it tightly. âItâs okay if youâre not, you know. Around us, or even just around one of us.â
âThanks, but...I canât afford to not be fine right now. Thereâs too much that needs to be fixed.â
Hyrule squeezed his hand as they drew near to the boats. âItâs impossible to ask you to be completely okay all the time right now, with everything going on. Itâs impossible to expect that of yourself, Ledge. Promise me, youâll take one moment, even if itâs only a couple minutes, to let it out.â
A beat of silence. Legend nodded. âI...Iâll try.â
âNo,â His best friendâs eyes hardened. âPromise me.â
âOkay, I promise.â
âThank you.â
The breeze was cool and nice as Time handed rupees to a man in a blue coat and a suspicious smirk. âAlright. All aboard the SS Linebeck.â
Legend breathed as he stepped on the peculiar looking boat, and examined the cannon attached to it. Wind eyed the man, not with suspicion but with confusion. âDo I know you?â
The man lost his smirk instantly. His sunken, silver eyes widened a fraction but he turned away sharply. âNo. Get on kid, or Iâm leaving you behind.â
A lie, Legend was sure, but Wind winced and obliged. Once everyone was on, they set off and Hyrule held tightly to his arm, almost painfully. Linebeck initiated conversation, drawling, âSo, am I allowed to know why I have the prince and a whole bunch of other soldiers in my boat?â
Legend shook his head, not yet knowing if this information was to be trusted with strangers. There was so much he wanted to know, so many questions that he kept down, because he wasnât sure if heâd get an answer. What did Warrior know of the war? Where had the original Fi gone, and when had she been replaced? Why was Spirit, seemingly not even a knight so close with a princess, and why had Princess Phantom gone into Hyrule without any guards?
Was Mom even alive?
He shook that last question off, burying it as far as he could in the depths of his mind. The ride to Koholint felt way too long, but it was nice all things considered. Linebeck didnât try anything, just did his job, occasionally prattling about useless things when the silence stretched too long. Wind kept looking at the sailor with furrowed eyebrows, trying to piece something together. The ocean of course, was beautiful.
Then when Legend got off, he felt his stomach lurch. They were on a beach, the sun blazing and a cool breeze flowing through the air. Linebeck and Time were talking about something that Legend didnât hear; he was enraptured by the paradise this island seemed to be. Wind blinked. âThis kind of looks like Outset...but way bigger.â
The kid had been raised in a very small part of Lurelin, called Outset Island. It had been so small that he had known everyone there, but his guardian had passed and no one took him and his sister in so he was sent into Castletown with whatever his guardian had left him. Wind had shared those details but was tight-lipped about the rest of it. Legend started, âWeâve still got daylight, letâs try to find the woodsâand preferably a map.â
Warrior was by his side as they followed the path and saw distant outlines of buildings, and more palm trees and vividly green grass. When they reached civilization, it was bustling, thriving with so many families. A castle was not far away so Legend assumed theyâd reached Mabe Village, the capital of this bright kingdom. That didnât take as long as he expected, but he certainly wasnât complaining. A lady picked up a small boy and stared warily at them as they looked around. âMaâam, weâre looking for a map, do you happen to know where we could find one?â Green asked another person with silver hair and a broom in her calloused hands.
âIâll be right back, boy, stay right here!â
Green watched, a little bemused as she dropped her broom and rushed inside her house. There was some clatter, a yell and then she was back outside, a map in her hands. Blue ended up taking it, and the lady smiled. âToodles, boys. Yahoo!!!â
Legend didnât even have time to process that interaction before the map was shoved into his arms. He looked at it and Mabe Village was just below the centre of the country. The Mysterious Woods was left of here, and on the map it was just a bunch of dark trees and mist. âIs it just me or this place really weird,â Blue muttered.
Warrior shook his head but smiled a little bit. âItâs probably just us. Are we heading out now, Legend?â
âYes,â He said immediately. âLetâs stick together all throughout, okay? No one wanders off.â
Time nodded in agreement. Unlike the sunny, bright side of the kingdom, the Mysterious Forest was dark and brimming with something sinister. Hyrule stopped abruptly. âWe need light.â
âDoes anyone have a torch?â Warrior asked.
âNo. We need light,â His best friend repeated, face unreadable. âLight magic.â
Legend questioned him with a look, but Hyrule didnât respond. Time asked, âCan you elaborate, please? Our blades should be enough to cut down anything in this forest.â
âIâI just know that this place is malicious. It would make me feel...better if we had a source of lighter magic.â
Legend frowned at the choice of words but he trusted âRule so he sighed and said, âDoes anybody have light magic?â
Warriorâs eyes flashed with recognition, and then swam with a million emotions. âWe do have a source of light magic with us. Weâll be fine, so letâs just go in already.â
âWhat do you mean?â Time asked.
âAs long as we stick together, weâll be okay.â
The prince looked at Warrior and Hyrule both with growing confusion. They both were hiding something, for sure. Nonetheless he led the way through. Instead of the Lost Woodsâ suffocating fog, the mist in this woods wasnât thick enough to do damage, but it curled around him curiously. He shivered but kept moving until the mist seemed to press against his head and he clutched it with a wince. âLedge?â Hyruleâs voice grew frantic. âWhatâs going on?â
There was fear in Warriorâs eyes, a trickle of doubt but it became hard to focus on even that. He grabbed onto the princeâs arms, pulling them away from his hair that he hadnât even realized heâd been tugging on. âFocus on me, bud. Youâre okay.â
âHurts,â He mumbled as the pressure increased tenfold.
âI know, I know. Youâll be okayââ
There was more words that flew past his head and then his vision darkened. He panicked for a moment before he heard a voice. âDonât worry, buddy, itâs just my scarf. Are you with me?â
He nodded, and the pain in his head dulled a little bit. âThere you go,â Warrior breathed. âShould I lift my scarf?â
âYeah,â He affirmed and he could see again.
To his surprise the pressure didnât come back. The mist had settled to curl at his feet, thin and barely even there. The haze cleared and he asked, âWhat happened?â
âI canât say anything in here. Too risky. Letâs find the Queen and get out of here quickly, Highness.â
âLegend,â He corrected but didnât pry any further.
Hyrule didnât seem to share that trust. âWhat do you mean itâs too risky? What happened to him?â
Green put a hand on the princeâs shoulder, concerned. âAre you okay?â
âYeah, much better now,â He assured his friend.
Warriorâs eyes darted all around them, not fearful but determined. âIâm sorry, but safety is more important than answers at the moment. I will explain when the forest isnât listening.â
âThe hell you mean listening? Are we in a forest that is alive?â Blue demanded.
âEnough!â Time rumbled and there was silence. âAll we can do now is move forward. We have a mission, and as much as Iâd love to know all these things, it can wait.â
The silence draped over them, thick with tension but the prince tried his best to ignore it. His mother could be in here for Hyliaâs sake. They reached a crossroad and chose a path. Unfortunately, they came up at the same crossroad only a few minutes later.
Run away, princeling, run as far as you can.
That voice pulsed in his head, unlike the swordâs voice. He glared up at the trees. No. I will find her, no matter what.
Anyone who has entered this place is now a pile of bones and rotting flesh. Run before it takes you too.
âNo!â
Eyes fell onto him. Legend felt heat rise up to his face. âSorry, talking to myself. Itâs nothing.â
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TW: Major Character Death, Blood, Suicidal Thoughts
Green tries reason, and Vio lets Shadow weave a tale with a grin full of jagged teeth. A tale of his brothers holding him back. He doesnât let Redâs teary eyes, Blueâs fuming expression or Greenâs hurt affect him, because if it does, his act will be up. His plan will have failed. He had hoped to get away with no fighting but Green draws his Four Sword, hurt replaced by righteous steel as he stops Blue from rushing head on in anger.
âIf you truly want to be evil, I have no choice but to take you down.â
Vio keeps his facade as Shadowâs eyes widen in surprise and delight. âInteresting! What will you do Vio, to these people who have only ever suffocated you?â
Not true, He thinks but stands up, unsheathing his own blade. âWell, Green, I suppose youâre about to learn just who the weaker Link is.â
Red pleads desperately in the background for no fighting but nobody listens. Vio exchanges a few more words, remembering the way Green spars against Blue in their downtime and readies himself. The first swing is easily dodged and a fight is born of lies and betrayal. He needs an opening, because this isnât with the friendliness of a spar (though he wants to properly spar with everyone after).Theyâre fighting to the deathâor at least Green thinks so. Vio doesnât intend to die, and he doesnât intend to kill either. Vio brings an onslaught of strikes as Green meets them steadily with his blade, frustration and worthy anger writ in his features. His brother makes a heavy swing that Vio ducks under andâthere! An opportunity. He pushes with the hilt of his blade and a scream rings through the arena.
Wait, thatâs wrong.
He watches in horror as Greenâs legs buckle, his weapon clattering onto the ground and thereâs a puddle of blood underneath the fallen hero where there shouldnât be. Vio canât breathe, canât blink. His bladeâs slick with red and he wants to throw up, he hadnât used the hilt of the sword--
âWell done, Vio,â Shadow purrs, but he doesnât even acknowledge his plan that seems so stupid now, so foolish.
Red and Blue hurry over, the blue link pressing against the wound, carving red into calloused palms. A fairy flutters and makes an alarmingly high-pitched chime as it tries to do what it can. âStay awake, Green,â Red sobs.
âIâm sorry,â The green link whimpers, his voice wobbly without the strength of his body. âIâIââ
âSave your strength. Itâs okay, you did your best.â
Vio wants to run over but heâs frozen, not even registering falling to his knees. Shadow is cackling loudly. âCâmon Vio, letâs ditch these idiots and go celebrate our victory.â
He watches numbly as Green chokes on his blood, emerald clouded with pain that Vio had put thereâthat Vio had caused.
âDo something!â Blue snaps at the fairy. âDo something!â
âWhat are you doing? Letâs go.â
A hand curls around his shoulder, tight and he whirls around to see an impatient Shadow. He abandons his plan the moment he remembers the blood and shoves it off. âUgh. I thought you were over them. Iâll wait for you out there I guess.â
Thereâs a tinge of distrust in there, a bit of bitterness but Vio doesnât care. Green looks over at Vio and coughs weakly, pale from the blood seeping through Blueâs fingers. âV-Vi?â
I didnât mean to!
He canât form words in his mouth, his throat is stubbornly remaining dry and uncooperative. He thinks his brother sees something though and he gasps out, âI hopeâthat...that you see...the light again.â
I never forgot it. I didnât fucking mean toâ
Itâs too late. The damage is done. Green murmurs something and then breathes his last, pupils stilling and dulling into a different shade of green that isnât vibrant, isnât alive. Red lets out a guttural scream of Greenâs name, Blueâs eyes brim with tears, shocked. Bile rises up his throat and heâs blinking back tears of his own.
The noise is overwhelming, in his head, in the arena. Thoughts race and stutter like his heart does, a torture in its own because this is the result of his failure. This is his fault, and thatâs all he can think of. Blue rises, crimson dripping from his hands, tears gushing down his cheeks. A burning, anguished fire is in his eyes and it stares at Vio with a heat so hot he can feel it from all the way over where heâs standing. âAre you happy?â Blue yells, voice raucous. âIs this what you wanted?â
Vio raises his blade to block Blue with a will that is slowly dissipating. This time Red doesnât protest, doesnât cry out. Heâs holding a limp body, his eyes squeezed close. Vio knows what he has done. He has killed Green, he has killed Link, he has betrayed Zelda and Father and the kingdom he had vowed to protect. It doesnât matter that he it was unintentional, it doesnât matter that he regrets his actions, because the reality of it is that he has stained his soul with Greenâs blood and he has become one of the monsters that he has sworn to fight against.
A blade slices into his cheek in his moment of distraction and the sting burns. He lets his own sword clatter to the ground. Green, ever so kind, ever so courageous had turned towards him and only wished the best for him. Then he had stopped moving--
âWhy?!â Blue howls. âWhy did you kill him?â
The words said out loud is a like a blow in its own, and it steals all the air from his lungs.
âStand up and fight dammit!â
Vio stands and picks up his sword but he never tries to attack Blue. The blue link grinds metal against metal and then lands a punch in his jaw. âHow could you do this? How could you act all high and mighty, and above us, and then stab Green?â
His heart is thundering so loud he can barely hear Blue. Thereâs the cold sting of a blade on his head and his arm. Thereâs another a fist colliding with his nose but not once does Vio swing his blade. This is what he deserves. Itâs the same ruthlessness a murderer, a traitor, a monster, deserves for taking an innocent life.
And he had just taken a heroâs.
âAnswer me!â Blue roars and the fire in his eyes is scalding, much like the cut that has just sliced open Vioâs leg. âWhy arenât you answering me? Why didnât you answer Green?â
Vio drops his blade for the last time. Heâs ready to face the same fate he had given to his brother. Heâs ready for this overwhelming pain and guilt to stop, for his beating heart to stop, for his tunic to blossom with crimson and get rid of the violet that once was.
Red is staring coldly in his direction with red-rimmed eyes. An apology seems so small now, so useless. But he desperately wants them to know that he is ashamed. He is so, so sorry...and that he knows what must be done now.
âLook at what youâve done, Vio!â Blueâs voice cracks with the raw emotion heâs experiencing. âHow could you live with yourself?â
Look at what youâve done blares in his mind and heâs glancing at a limp body laying in a pool of liquid. His breathing impossibly quickens, more than it already has and heâs on his knees again.
âIâll kill you! My face will be the last thing youâll ever see!â Blue raises his Four Sword and Vio holds his gaze. âYouâre a traitor, Vio!â
He canât stop his tears anymore. They cascade down his face like the blood from the cuts he had earned. This is what he deserves so what is that fear he is feeling right now? As he watches Blue swing, he musters out what he can, because heâs not letting his last words be false. âIâm sorry,â The words tear through his throat, aching and nearly inaudible.
And then Blue stops. His hand is shaking, as the blade stops, inches away from Vioâs chest. The blue link does not make good on his vow to kill him. He instead sheathes his sword and says brokenly, âI canât do it.â
Maybe he should feel relief but he doesnât. His blood runs cold.
Where he could not find words then, he finds them now. âI killed Green! I betrayed you, I betrayed Red, I betrayed Zeldaââ A gasp in between the words, breathing so difficult. âI donât deserve to live!â
Blueâs eyes widen. Thereâs a horrible beat of silence, only the bubbling of lava and a sniffle. And then Blue asks, âWhy did you do it?â
The admission bubbles up and heâs clutching his hair, closing his eyes as white hot pain ripples through him. âI didnât mean toâ I thought I was being smart trying to trick the enemy and I was going to come back to you guys with information and a plan. And then Green wanted to fight and I was so stupidâI was going to use the hilt! Why did I not use the hilt?â
Thereâs something gently pulling his hands down from where theyâre clutching strands of golden hair. He doesnât dare to open his eyes, until Blueâs voice is unnaturally soft, âYou seriously didnât want to kill him?â
âNo,â Vio sobs and thereâs a flinch from someone else. âBut it doesnât matter. I did itâwhy arenât you finishing me off?â
Thereâs an arm wrapped around him and he cracks open his eyes to see Red holding him silently and Blueâs hands covering his face. âI donât want to lose another,â The red link is telling him gently. âAnd youâre already suffering enough.â
Vio is trembling when Red grabs his hand where there is a scratch and bandages it up tearfully. Blue says, âShit, Vioâwhy didnât you say anything before?â
âI donât know.â
Red murmurs, âI need something to stitch up his leg.â
The blue link averts his gaze and gets out a sewing kit. Vio doesnât know why they havenât driven a blade through his chest yet. He doesnât know why heâs being so gently patched up and cared for. He thinks for a moment about grabbing his own blade and doing it for them, but maybe Blue notices his eyes on the blade and takes it. He can tell Blue doesnât like having it. Greenâs blood has started to dry by now. He hisses involuntarily as Red stitches up the wound and wonders briefly how on earth theyâre going to continue their quest and defeat Shadow and Vaati.
Vio deserves to die. Anything else...is unthinkable. How could he carry through with his life when it had ended as soon as he had plunged his blade into Greenâs chest?
âWhat does killing you accomplish?â Blue snaps as soon as Vio opens his mouth to share his thoughts.
Red finishes the stitching after a tense silence reigns for a bit. He bandages it, and moves to his arm with an apology. Vio knew the only fairy they had was the one floating around them, having been completely and utterly quiet for so long. They also didnât restock on potions because they had been separated for so long.
Blue continues, âVio, we still fucking care about you or you would have died already. And as far as I know, you arenât planning to kill us. So let me repeat myself; what does killing you accomplish?!â
Vio whispers, âI donât know.â
Red says, âNothing. It accomplishes nothing.â
âIsnât that what heroes do? Kill the monsters?â
âYouâre not a monster,â Red tells him, sorrowful. âYouâre a Hylian. The same as us.â
He canât believe Redâs kind words, not when thereâs a corpse behind him. He doesnât say anything. Heâs taken enough from his brothers. Heâs done enough. So he lets Red hug him tightly and Blue mutter curses as he also hugs him.
The three cling to each other, because anything else seems impossible.
Legend (Linked Universe)-centric Minor Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe) Malon-centric (Legend of Zelda) Temporary Character Death Major Illness Sick Character Blood POV Malon (Legend of Zelda) Legend (Linked Universe) Has a Bad Time Gerudo Malon (Legend of Zelda) Malon Has a Bad Time (Legend of Zelda) Parental Malon (Legend of Zelda) Parental Time (Linked Universe) Soft Time (Linked Universe)
Summary:
A whisper in the night, a revelation shared and a constellation glowing.
A chipper morning, bright laughter, warm smiles.
Then everything turns upside down.
__________
Malon & Time bond with their new descendant, until an illness befalls him, and it's a race against the clock to save him from death.
They all split up and Malon noticed the vet rummaging through his bag and pull out an ocarina. She stiffened and approached him. Sheâd hate to think it held the same weight as the one in her husbandâs bag. Legendâs ears twitched at her arrival and he shoved it quickly back into his bag. Malon asked gently, âWhat does it do...your ocarina?â
Legend (Linked Universe)-centric Minor Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe) Malon-centric (Legend of Zelda) Temporary Character Death Major Illness Sick Character Blood POV Malon (Legend of Zelda) Legend (Linked Universe) Has a Bad Time Gerudo Malon (Legend of Zelda) Malon Has a Bad Time (Legend of Zelda) Parental Malon (Legend of Zelda) Parental Time (Linked Universe) Soft Time (Linked Universe)
Summary:
A whisper in the night, a revelation shared and a constellation glowing.
A chipper morning, bright laughter, warm smiles.
Then everything turns upside down.
__________
Malon & Time bond with their new descendant, until an illness befalls him, and it's a race against the clock to save him from death.
For @rileymorph based off of this art piece of theirs:
TW: Major Character Death
Fingers marred by old memories pointed at a soaked map. âAs Zelda said, all weâre here to do is look around. Donât go after something by yourself.â
Blue adjusted his hat as the rain poured endlessly. It was cold and miserable with mud squelching at each footstep, but heâd rather not leave anything here to fester. That was if there was anything at all. If the reports were correct, they might just be exploring an empty village. âI have a bad feeling about this,â Red fidgeted with his crimson sleeve, voice quiet like when he was uncertain of himself. âA village just doesnâtâŚvanish in a day like this.â
âYouâre probably just being affected by the weather. Youâve got your fire rod, right?â Vio asked, his voice a bit softer, but still disbelieving.
Red flinched and went silent, staring at the shadows, eyes swimming with thoughts Blue couldnât hear. He scoffed. ââSorry princess, the forest went down in flames so thereâs no village anymore.â Great plan, Vio.â
That didnât get a reaction out of the red link, but it did out of Vio. âShut up. Thereâs such a thing as a controlled fire.â
âFamous last words.â
âDammit Blue, if anyone was going to start a forest fire it would be you.â
âI havenât even touched the fire rodââ
Vio raised his eyebrow infuriatingly. âSo, that one time we were fighting theââ
âYouâre making that up!â
Their banter wouldâve continued, as it often did, but Red thundered, âSTOP!â
Red never raised his voice. Not even when they were loud and annoying each other. Not even when he was angry. A furious Red was silent, tearful and he would often avoid anyone. âSorry,â Vio muttered, though he sounded quite confused.
Something was off, and Blue felt his gut twist unnervingly, a feeling pooling in his stomach that was hard to ignore. But he wasnât just going to run away like a coward. Everything would be fine, despite Redâs odd mood. Green tried to lighten whatever tension had arisen and asked, âI thought maybe after weâre done with this report, we could go out of the country. All of us this time.â
Vio scowled. âIâm fine right here.â
âYeah, just hole yourself up in your room again,â Blue rolled his eyes.
âCâmon, Vio, itâll be fun. You can bring books with you,â Green shoved the map into his bag half-heartedly.
âWhere would we even go?â
âI heard Holodrumâs known for its various troupes. Dancing, acting, music,â Green listed. âOr thereâs Labrynna, which has a lot of history on display and thereâs also tournaments and pretty scenery.â
âYouâve been thinking about this for a while, havenât you? Fine,â Vio sighed. âIâll consider it.â
âConsider it? Just answer the question, idiot.â
âA decision like this takes thought, Blue.â
âNot that much thought.â
âWeâre here,â Red announced, unsheathing his blade, red ribbon brought up by the wind and flattened by the downpour.
There wasnât anything they could see just by looking from a distance so they ventured in. They split up a little bit and Blue knocked on a door. When he received no answer he opened the door and blade at the ready, he went inside. Everything was dark and after thoroughly checking, there was no one there. There werenât any signs of struggle, or mess or anythingâŚjust an empty, normal house. Somehow, that was worse.
He entered the rain again, huffing and raised a hand to shield his face as he headed for another home. He didnât find any new results and when they reconvened, everyone had the same conclusion. âWhy would everyone leave, without a trace? Thereâs not a single thing out of place except for that itâsâŚabandoned,â Green asked, frustrated.
âWe could go search the forest around us. Maybe they fled from something and didnât take anything with them?â Red suggested, though he seemed doubtful.
âWait,â Vio gasped and hurried back into one of the houses, the others close behind.
âThe hell are you on about thereâs nothing here,â Blue huffed, though the reprieve from the cold was nice. He trusted Vio, and often when he noticed something, it was important, so his words were devoid of any venom.
âLook, thereâsâŚa shadow that shouldnât be there.â
There was a shadow of a person on the ground, in front of them. Greenâs eyes widened. âCould they be in the Dark World?â
âThatâs plausible, yes, but there has to be something behind it. In that case, where did the monster go?â
The ground shook, nearly throwing all of them off balance and a roar rumbled, violent and harsh. âYou just had to say something,â Blue muttered and swung open the door.
Instead of one, large monster, there were many swarming the place. Blue blocked a blow with his sword and pulled out his hammer, grinning sharply. âFinally, a fight.â
âDonât leave the village without alerting someone, and be on the lookout for a source,â Green shouted over the snarls and clashing of blades.
Blue danced, smashing heads with his hammer and cutting down monster after monster. His moves were quick, unpredictable sometimes, but devastating. His brothers had their own fighting styles, besides them being Link in their core. Red didnât attack until his opponent did, in which he defended himself and then retaliated with a spin of his sword. Green fought trained, like all the knights did back at the castle. He worked with everyone, he had everyoneâs back and his technique was formulaic, but still quite powerful. Then there was Vio, each move calculated, each move careful and precise. He was clever and cunning, finding some way to trick a foe and cut them down when they least expected it.
Blue ended a monster and breathed, getting tired of the constant arrival of new enemies. But there was no way he was letting them live. He looked around at his brothers once more after he was sure he cleared his area of monsters, and noticed a spear Moblin about to stab into Vio, who was busy with a ball and chain soldier. âWatch out!â Green cried.
Blue didnât even think. Didnât even breathe. He shoved his brother aside and watched as the spear drove into his chest, and he was knocked to the ground. He felt numb for a moment, maybe because of the adrenaline running through his veins, maybe because he was in shock. Eventually the pain came, searing and piercing. He tried to hide how much it hurt, he knew someone was going to be at his side, but scalding tears poured down his cheeks like a river. Every breath he took shot white hot pain through his chest; sitting up or standing seemed impossible.
âBLUE!â
Metal grinding against metal flooded his ears and he felt them droop, aching from the loudness of it all. Then he was shifted and he cried out. âYou moron! Why would you do that!â Vioâs voice came, uncharacteristically scared.
He could feel himself slipping as he tried to say his brotherâs name. âVâŚViâŚâ
A desperate, shaky exhale. He couldnât even finish Vioâs name, could he?
Vioâs tunic was slick with red, his eyes wide and his expression written with an anger that Blue had never seen. Not even when Shadow had felt the light and vanished. Not even when Blue touched a nerve when they were arguing. âBLUE! No, no, noâcâmon, stay with me,â Vioâs voice cracked harshly as he stared at Blue with tearful eyes.
As he wheezed and he tasted something metallic on his tongue, felt blood dribble down his chin, he felt regret course through him. Heâd always take his death over any of the others but here, drenched in rain and blood, seeing the unbridled fear in Vioâs eyesâŚhe found himself wanting to live against the odds, to stay as his brother was pleading. The pain seemed so close yet so far away, and his eyes slipped closed. He canât string together his thoughts but thereâs a burning sorrow in his fading heart. And thenâŚ
VâŚ
                                 ViâŚ
                                                                  oâŚ
Vio can feel the blood on hands, seeping into his palms. He can feel the rain, pounding around them, droplets on his face amidst tears he canât help but let free. Blue is dying in his arms because of him. Blue is crying in pain because of him. Blue took a hit for him, and now lost his voice, trying to say his name, trying to say his last words and failing. He begged his brother to stay, because even as he ran to get help, he knew Blue was slipping in his grasp, that the blood loss would take its tollâthat the fucking stab wound in his chest that shouldâve been Vioâs would take its toll. He tightened his hold, and he felt like his world had been thrown off balance. Blue coughed up blood and Vio knew it was over but he still tried, he still ran as fast as he could. âYouâre such an idiot!â His voice was wavering. âP-please!â
Blue didnât even breathe.
âDammit!â Vio squeezed his eyes shut, and fell to his knees. âWhy canât you just use your brain for once? Fuckâyou go in without a thought for your life! This isnât fair!â
He wasnât really angry with Blue. He hugged Blue close, and felt his wrist, his pulse there for a moment and then gone. A sob wracked his body. âDammit. I shouldâve had a fairy on meâI know youâre reckless, I know you do stupid things like this. I shouldâve healed you. I shouldâve protected you.â
But he was weak. He didnât see the Moblin behind him. He didnât protect Blue.
He didnât get help in time.
The rain was so loud in his ears, as a deep pain flooded his senses. âBlue,â He said thickly. âIâm sorry.â
In this broken moment, Vio wiped away still tears on his brotherâs face, and didnât even hear the others beside him. He didnât hear Red scream, he didnât see Green drop to the ground, pale and shocked.
There was silence for the first time in Link's life. A calm, gentle silence. When his legs gave out, and his back met a tall tree, it didn't feel rough or cold.
Does the forest finally recognize me, I wonder?
He was still the boy without a fairy. He was aged, and he was on the cusp of something the real children of the forest couldn't ever do. Link breathed as much precious air as he could but all it did was shoot pain through his chest.
"You'll never be one of us!"
A gentle, gloved hand cupping his face. "I'll always love you, Link."
He tasted something metallic in his mouth and his limbs felt like deadweight. He wished that the mauve fabric was real, and her arms would hold him close and make the pain fade away like a cloud on the fresh morning horizon. All he'd ever wished for after he'd wiped the moon of it's malicious face was to never be alone again.
Then he'd came back to Zelda, wondering if she'd send him back out with the ocarina, or be upset at him for leaving. As soon as he felt the blazing sun shine on Hyrule Field, she'd ran towards him and embraced him. There were no words between them, just a feeling of relief and yearning as they held each other tightly. His regret, his lonelinessâhis pain, melted away, a bad dream beneath red-rimmed eyes.
A cough seized him, bringing him out of his reverie. The metallic liquid was all he could taste and when he opened his mouth to draw in air it spilled. It was just as warm as the tears that threatened to spill too.
A memory spread over his blurry vision like paint and he could almost feel the tears he had cried as he looked upon a sunset of orange and pink hues. Zelda had been there too, sapphire eyes full of a love he had never felt before. She ran her hands through his hair, and they weren't covered by satin cloth this. They didn't need words, as always. He had already said enough, his messy life laid bare for her to see.
She was the same princess whose steps caused the ground of the sacred realm to ripple like water. She was the same princess who put the ocarina to her mouth, her guilt so palpable he could see it. She was the same princess who had waited seven years for him in a world bathed in blood and destruction.
Yet, she also wasn't. One thing would never change, though. She loved him, and he loved her.
Link's body flared with agony and he closed his eyes, sorely hoping he would succumb soon. His thoughts stung worse than any wound he could ever suffer. Then the serene silence stopped and he heard frantic footsteps. He heard a voice he had never thought he'd hear again.
"Link!"
He summoned the strength to open his eyes and saw Zelda in front of him. "Zel?"
"You're dying," She knelt down on the dirt, regal dress folding. "What happened?"
Link felt a tug, a ginger pull. He stared into her eyes. "I'm sorry."
He wasn't alone as she pulled him carefully into her embrace for the last time. Zelda breathed, "You have nothing to apologize for. Don't close your eyes yet, I'm here."
At the panicked shift in her tone, he opened his eyes. He hadn't realized they had fallen shut. "'kay."
She looked back at the pathway behind her. "Do you think you can make it to the castle?"
Link couldn't even move his limbs. His voice thick he repeated, "I'm sorry."
Zelda held him tighter, tears streaming down her face. "You can't die now. We haven't even gotten to grow old together, like you said we would. I'm going to be alone."
A sob wracked the hero's broken body. It hurt in more ways than one. They were leaving each other again. How many times would they have to part?
"I don't want to."
He didn't like seeing her so anguished and fearful. There wasn't anything he could do about it as long as blood continued to sluggishly pour out of his side and dribble out of his mouth. "Smile for me? One last time?"
He felt the selfishness of it but Zelda smiled tearfully. He wasn't expecting it to be genuine but it was. She pressed a tender kiss to his head and began to sing softly.
"Bear up my ancient lullaby,
May sweet dreams find your head tonight.
Close your eyes 'neath the velvet skies,
'Til we meet again."
He caught one last glimpse of her, spilt one last tear before the world went dark.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Zelda put her signature on a scroll and placed it in a pile beside her. There was still more to do, and knowing that only made her eyes feel heavier. She glanced at the window in her room, the ornate frame paling in comparison to the vivid, blue sky. If her hero was here, he would've opened that window and extended his hand to hers.
She sighed, dipping her quill in ink. He wasn't here, and so she couldn't leave until all these papers were dealt with. Zelda noticed a letter from weeks ago, sitting on the shelf, and took it gently into her hands. She reread every word.
I don't know when I'll be back, the letter informed her and she could hear his voice from all the way here. There was ice in her stomach as she knew that there was a chance he might not be back anytime soon. She remembered finding his limp, ashen body, just barely clinging on to life. She remembered a broken raft and the feeling of seeing him so hurt after two months of not seeing him at all and waiting for his return.
She swallowed back her fear and rubbed her eyes. She needed him, and he needed her. Surely, he would walk right in here and help her carefully out the window, before guiding her through his orchard once again. She would listen to his grand tales and his simple updates again, or kiss him softly under the shade of his vibrant apple trees.
A knock sounded and she stilled. There were still tears on her lashes. She cleared her throat, "You may come in."
A servant let herself in, hazel eyes meeting hers with warmth and...something else. "His Majesty requests you to come down to the throne room at once."
"Oh, well, did he tell you the occasion?"
"I apologize if I am overstepping Your Highness, but I think you need to see this yourself. Let me escort you there."
Zelda felt suspicion brew in her gut but she nodded slowly. "You are alright. Let us go, then."
The servant led her silently down the steps blanketed in velvet carpet, though her smile had dimmed long ago. The anticipation was beginning to unsettle her but they reached the throne room. The servant dropped to her knees and the princess saw eight unusual warriors. "Father, you have called for me?" She inquired but her gaze was on the group, searching for a head of strawberry blonde hair.
"Yes. These are the Heroes of Hyrule from the past and future. They are briefly visiting before continuing another quest," The King answered, but his face was shadowed.
Zelda's heart began to race as she didn't see him among the group. "Where's Link? His letter said he'd be travelling with them."
Father's eyes softened, almost imperceptibly. "He has been sent to the infirmary. He arrived in an unstable state, but our healers are doing all they can right now."
Her breath caught, and for a moment there was silence. Father never said what exactly happened to Link. He had never said anything like this before. "Your duties have been dismissed today," The King assured. "Go and see him, Zelda."
Something was very wrong.
She thanked him and took off. Her breath came out shallow as all she could think about was him on that raft.
"Goddesses."
Nightmarish burns wrapped around pale skin. Violet eyes were closed, swelled and red from tear-streaks. His clothing was tattered, and he was thinner than before.
However, when she arrived at his bedside, there wasn't any surface wounds she could immediately see. He was unconscious, face a sheet of white. Purple hyacinths sat in a vase next to him. "I'm here Link, I'm here," She breathed.
Her words went unheard and she sat down, hugging her knees. Her heart didn't calm but her breathing did. She called for him through his mind but he didn't reply, for the second time in their lives. "I've missed you, but you know that. I was going to send you a letter because there's a ball very soon and I know how much you like dancing. The Lorulean royal family is attending, which means Queen Hilda will be there...and probably Ravio too."
The silence was deafening.
"Your Highness? A nurse came in. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am. What--what has happened to him?"
The nurse took off the blankets with a roll of bandages clutched in her hand. "He's got a stab wound but that's unfortunately not the worst of it. He's developed an illness we call Dinnayru."
Fire and ice? Where had she heard that before? "What is that?"
"It's a deadly illness that causes delirium, vomiting blood, and in worst cases, seizures. I don't know if you recall, but the late Queen fell to it."
"Oh," She pressed her mouth into a thin line, blood turned to ice in her veins. "Will--will he be okay?"
"We'll do our best and see what we can do," The nurse tried to reassure.
Zelda blinked back tears and pulled up a chair, it's wooden exterior cold against her back. The light that was once spilling loftily into the room and illuminating the flowers was gone. The room became dim from dark clouds and the warm torchlight fell onto his still face.
"Your Highness?"
She startled and saw a man with dusky markings on his face. She recognized him as a hero from before. "Yes?"
"Our traveller's Life Spell hasn't done a thing for him, so we were thinking of taking him to a Great Fairy."
"That should heal his stab wound," She nodded.
"His illness too, right?" He pressed.
"They tried everything to save my mother but she's gone."
The man's face twisted in sympathy. "I'm sorry for your loss but don't you think it's worth a try?"
"It most certainly is, but we could lose him at any moment..."
"It won't come to that, princess. We'll find a way."
Something about the fire in the man's blue eyes made her rise. "You're right."
"We're at your side, Highness. The ve--er--Link is our brother."
She was ready to leave, until a sudden coughing filled the air. She looked over and Link whimpered, body trembling as he gagged. Zelda rushed over, eyes wide. "Link, say something!"
"Zel..da," He croaked and then blood spilled out of his mouth and nose in a vicious amount.
The red liquid pooled at her feet and she felt horror before her consciousness slipped away from her.
Legend hadnât left this bedside for hours. The air was stuffy, his eyes stung from tears long shed.
The infirmary room smelled of blood and vomit.
With every waking moment that Warrior was not awake, he worried. Yet, he refused to look at him, unwilling to bear the pain of a pale and still face where blue eyes once darted everywhere. âLegend,â A familiar voice spoke softly.
Dad was there, honey-coloured hair unkempt and his eyes dimmer than ever. The prince drew in a breath. âHello, Father.â
âHe will be okay. Warrior has survived much worse than this, and I doubt heâd leave you for very long.â
There was silence for a moment, and the prince refused to break it. Eventually Dad hugged him, and Legend froze. When was the last time his parents had hugged him? âI have no right to ask this of you...but the Servants of Demise are taking action. Ordon was ransackedâthere are tons of reports of missing children, and wounded civilians. Hatenoâs labs have been destroyed, some of the researchers dead or gravely wounded...Iâm afraid that weâre starting to run out of time.â
Legend didnât want to leave Warrior here, but he knew what his father was about to say.
âWill you continue to find the chosen heroes?â
âItâs not my choice,â Legend answered. âItâs my duty, to my people, to help them in their time of need.â
âI will send word once heâs recovered,â Dad promised.
âWhatâs being done in Ordon and Hateno? Are there any measures being taken?â
âOf course. Weâve positioned more knights in both places, and sent our condolences through rupees. Thereâs been warnings of the Servants of Demise now I think...Iâm worried itâll sent people into a panic.â
âBecause of the last war,â Legend said quietly.
Dadâs gaze turned fierce, and angry. âThere will never be something like that again. We will find Sun, we will defeat those servants, and we will not let our people down. Enough of this.â
Legend could only watch as his father stalked out of the room. He wondered what exactly happened during the war. It was never disclosed to him, and heâd only ever dared to ask once. All he saw was his mother flinch and cup his face, âThe event has been recorded down, and you may read it when youâre much older, okay? Itâs still something your father and I are recovering from.â
The prince had never even considered going to check for those records. Even though Dad had said there wouldnât be another war...Legend would have to check later. For now, there was the matter of finding the rest of the heroes.
For some reason, the voiceâs earlier words kept coming back to him.
âThere are approximately eight more to find. Worry not, all but one are right within your grasp.â
That had to mean that he knew some of them...but who in particular? âIâm sorry, War, Iâm going to leave you again,â Legend whispered. âIâve got to go to the library again.â
He hurried out of the room, and it was like a breath of fresh air. He saw a servant looking at him, a little bit concerned as he continued to rush away. He eventually got there and found Vio there, sitting in a pile of books. âEr, Vio?â
His friend jumped a little and then shrugged. âI asked where the nearest library was and ended up here.â
Why was he even surprised? Legend just offered a slight smile and searched through the books, looking for anything about the war. As he read every golden title and summary, Vio asked, âHowâs your friend doing? Warrior, was it?â
The princeâs hands fell to his sides. âHeâll be fine.â
He has to be.
The air turned tense and Legend hated it, but Vio just said softly, âAlright.â
After a bit more digging, the prince couldnât find records of it here. They mustâve really not wanted him to see it...but where else would it be? Guilt was overcome by his determination and he offered a quick farewell before he walked towards his fatherâs office. Nobody answered so he let himself in, beads of sweat beginning to form as he stepped inside without permission. He closed the door behind him and found journals and papers near Dadâs desk. He found a book titled, the War of the Prince.
Legendâs throat went dry.
âAccount of the Kingâ
To understand a grand war like this, one must have an understanding of the Servants of Demise. The Servants of Demise are followers of a fabled Demon King. Their goal is to eradicate the royal family, and resurrect the Demon King with the ancient Triforce. The Royal Family has long since sworn off using its power, and its location has become unknown. However, there was a prophet who came to my father, and warned of the Demon Kingâs revival. They also spoke of heroes that would strike him down.
And then my beautiful baby son was born.
The Servants of Demise came without warning, and they came after the infant prince. They had managed to convince many people that the prince of Hyrule was destined to destroy them all. They sowed fear in people and soon, it was countries taking sides. The Twili Region, New Hyrule, and Calatia sided with Hyrule. The rest didnât (with the exception of the Lost Woods).
Legend didnât want to skip through all this new information but he needed to be quick.
âand though all seemed lost, I was able to do it. With the aid of Warrior, we struck down their leader, and rescued the Queen, and the prince. The majority of the Servants of Demise lay unmoving on the battlefield. We were declared heroes by our kingdom, though I barely felt like one.
And then it was clear to Legend. His father was one of the heroes.
âI implore you, do not forget of what lies unseen by your eyes.â
He wondered briefly, what that meant but then the door jostled and Dad walked in. â...Link?â
Legend was rarely ever called that. He took a risk, and said, âYouâre one of the heroes, father.â
Dad flinched, but he didnât seem overly surprised. âI could be...however, why are you in my office?â
He considered telling the whole truth, but he couldnât. It was so unusual for Dad to get super angry at him, and he didnât want to face that fury. He simply said, âI was looking for you so we could confirm it. Iâm sorry, I shouldâve left when I didnât hear you answer.â
His father softened. âItâs alright, Legend. Let us go to the Room of Swords.â
The hand put on his shoulder then felt like it was burning. He never lied to his father. Now, as he felt a bitter taste on his tongue, he understood why.
__________________________________________
âYour Majesty,â Fi glanced at the glowing blade the King held firmly in his hands, with not a hint of expression. âThereâs been a new report that must be addressed this moment.â
âGo on.â
âNew Hyrule is requesting military aid. Their capital, Spirit Town, has been severely devastated.â
Did that mean the Servants of Demise were going to attack the people who sided with Hyrule in the war? Dadâs face darkened as he sheathed his weapon. âWe will send military aid. Tell the General of this, and bring reports if there are any further details.â
âYes, Your Majesty.â
Suddenly, Time walked in with Twilight. âForgive me for interrupting, but I think I might have an idea of how we could find the rest of the heroes.â
âLegend, you are to discuss this, I must leave now,â Dad nodded and left with the royal advisor.
âThis may seem a little too on the nose but you know the heroes of legend, right?â Twilight pressed.
âYes, Iâve read about them.â
Twilightâs ears tinged red and Time took over, saying, âI believe itâs as simple as finding names. Your name is Legend, and...there was a Hero of Legend. Iâm named after the Hero of Time. Do you follow?â
At first he felt skeptical but he realized they were right...and his commoner friends...
Hero of Winds.
Hero of Hyrule.
Green, Vio, Red, Blue, part of the Hero of the Four Sword.
Bile rose in his throat, but he cleared his throat and said, âI see. That would make sense.â
Sure enough, when he called his friends there, they were each able to wield a sword. âThat explains why we were targeted,â Vio mused, holding a copy of his brothersâ sword, a purple ribbon attached to the golden hilt.
An apology was on the princeâs tongue but he merely nodded, grateful that they could at least find the heroes so quickly. Saving his mother didnât seem so impossible anymore. âThereâs one more we have to find.â
One thing he was certain of, was that it wouldnât be so easy as the last seven. âMaster, you will not hear another word from me but do not fret, for you have acquired much. I apologize for leaving you without more of what I have done for you so far.â
What? Why are you leaving?
But the voice was gone, and his head was emptier than it used to be. He hadnât realized it, but he had grown to feel the voiceâs presence and it felt so utterly wrong with it gone. This was the first time heâd heard a hint of emotion and it was the last time heâd ever hear it. The thought unsettled him deeply, that guidance like this could be taken away so easily. Suddenly, he got the feeling that this was coming together all too easily.
âLedge?â Hyrule asked, clutching a blade with a ruby hilt.
âYes?â The prince was startled out of his distressing thoughts.
âNone of us know how to use a sword,â Blue pointed out. âDid you?â
âNot really, but I received training. I guess while I go and find the last of us, you can train in the Kokiri Province.â
âWait, thatâs in the Lost Woods,â Vio blinked. âWeâre well unprepared to go in such a wild place.â
He was right, unfortunately. âTime and Twilight, can go with you, right?â
Time nodded and his expression was oddly soft. âOf course we can. Weâll depart now, if thatâs alright with you.â
Legend nodded, tearing his eyes away from the group. He had a farfetched idea but after all the information heâd gathered, it was his best hope. He found the King and asked, âMay I go to New Hyrule with the military aid?â
Dad stiffened, but then gave a long sigh. âWhy?â
âWell, so far it doesnât really make sense why the Servants of Demise would specifically attack New Hyrule unless...thereâs a hero there.â
His father fell silent for a moment, his eyes swimming with something unreadable. âNo.â
âWhy not?â
âItâs too risky. You are the crown prince and a hero.â
Legend pressed, âYeah, Iâm a hero. I can handle my own now, and if Iâm attacked, I can save myself.â
âAs I said, itâs too risky,â Dad said, in his âdrop itâ tone.
The prince knew that his father was right in worrying...but he also knew that he might be right. This mightâve been what the voice had said about one hero being out of his grasp. He left, heart pounding, and anger coursed through him. The records were checked thoroughly but there was no âSpiritâ or anything similar living in Hyrule. A groan of frustration left him and he went back to Warrior, slipping in the room quietly. Hours had passed in a stretch of eternity but moments like this were fleeting, when he wasnât busy with some task. âYou better wake up soon. You always have good ideas when Iâm stuck.â
An arrow flew with precision but missed its mark entirely, landing in the grass. The sunlight was on the target, illuminating the spot he needed to hit. This was his thirteenth arrow, and it missed the target entirely this time. âIâm doing everything Iâm supposed to! Why isnât this working?!â
Warrior came over. âMay I assist you, Your Highness?â
âLegend,â The prince reminded. âAnd no, Iâve just been warming up. Iâll surely get it this try.â
His next arrow hit the bottom of the target, nowhere near the spot. Warm, calloused hands set on his arms and moved them. âNow, relax. Youâre too tense.â
Legend obliged, taking a deep breath. His guard smiled, encouraging, âNow, release the arrow. You will succeed this time.â
Reminding himself to relax, he loosed the arrow and hit just beside the target. Warrior let go, still grinning like an idiot, and the next arrow drove into the painted spot almost perfectly. Legend felt a burst of pride and emotion but all he did was say, âYou do it by yourself, War.â
Warrior took the bow and with all the confidence in the world he let an arrow fly. It flew over the target. Legend barked out a laugh but the guard hit the target square in the next attempt. âFirst try! Isnât that impressive Your Highness?â
âHey! You did not do that in the first try!â Legend squawked.
âLies and slander,â The guard sniffed.
The prince grinned and a hand ruffled his strawberry blonde hair. He turned up to a content Warrior and asked, âYou moved my arms earlier. How was my aim off?â
Warrior answered, âYou were aiming a bit low, but you were pretty close. Iâm here the next time you train, if you need any more tips.â
âCause he could always go to his guard when an obstacle was blocking his path. He didnât say that though, of course. Instead he huffed. âSays the guard who has to lie about his talents.â
âI donât know what youâre talking about, Highness.â
Tears spilled down the princeâs face. âWhy havenât you woken up yet, War? Havenât they given you fairies and potions? Youâre stronger than this.â
He could imagine royal blue eyes opening, and a familiar smile at the sight of him, but neither of those things happened. So, Legend went outside, back to pray to the Goddesses. He stepped into freezing cold waters and words spilled off his tongue like a waterfall. This was where the Goddesses revealed a heroâs whereabouts. Perhaps they could reveal another oneâs? When he was finished though, all was still, and nothing had occurred.
Or at least...thatâs what it seemed until a boat docked and a boy with golden hair and scruffy clothes came hand in hand with a princess.