Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Link was starting to get frustrated. First, he gets launched out of a massive catapult into the sky, landing in a large lake and getting thoroughly soaked. Then, some Oocca shouts something about a dragon and ran off, leaving Link to chase after them. He was led into an obnoxiously bright shop, and now he’s ended up with Ooccoo as a tag-along who refuses to help him find his way around the City in the Sky, instead leaving him to wander and hope he doesn’t slip off the edge.

The City in the Sky was beautiful, but obnoxiously large and full of confusing, dangerous, and partially broken pathways that would send him plummeting to the ground below if he wasn’t careful. Add in the strong gusts of wind, and Link is left cold, frustrated, and very quickly losing his patience with it all. To top it all off, Midna keeps nagging him; telling him to hurry up, to move faster, to “keep going, we don’t have time to rest!”

He sighs, shooting Midna a scathing look as she slips into his shadow while he trudges carefully along the narrow path. The end of the first pathway leads him into a large room with an open floor, with another Oocca wandering around near the door. There are a few large pillars for his clawshots to latch onto, Link finds, but they look to be mostly crumbled and he doesn’t particularly trust them to hold his weight, so he turns to the other Oocca. “Hey, do ‘ya know how I can get across the room?”

The Oocca stares at him for a minute before its odd voice warbles into the air. “If you hold onto me, I can fly you across.”

Link raises an eyebrow and looks between himself and the Oocca in question, valiantly ignoring Midna’s snickering in the background. “Are ‘ya sure?” The Oocca looks offended by the question, its chest puffing out and its wings stretching to their full length. “Of course I am! What do you take me for, a liar?”

Link just shrugs off the offended squawk and scoops the Oocca up, holding it above his head and running towards the ledge. The Oocca’s wings snap out and they glide across the open sky below them, and Link moves towards the second gap before he loses his nerve. Fortunately, they pass over this gap without problem as well, and Link sets the Oocca down gently with a word of thanks.

Link pulls himself up onto a large staircase and comes face to face with a Helmasaur. It’s a small four-legged animal, it’s entire front half covered by iron armor, with its back end left exposed. As it runs at him Link throws himself into a roll, dodging the iron horn. The Helmasaur skids to a stop at the edge of the step and turns as Link pulls out his sword, and he sidesteps as the monster comes running at him again. While its unarmored back is facing him, Link sweeps his sword out and catches the monster's flank, and it disappears in a cloud of black smoke. He re-sheaths his sword and pulls himself up the last step, (which seems entirely too large for a Hylian, or any other human, Link thinks) moving to the doorway and crouching down to pull open the door.

The large slab of stone and iron finally lifts and Link slides through the doorway, coming face-to-face with a Helmasaurus this time, a larger version of the Helmasaur with a much larger horn. It doesn’t seem to notice him until the door slams down. It looks up at Link and snarls as it begins to charge towards him. Unfortunately for it, it’s a heavy creature and it can’t turn well once it begins running, so Link steps to the side and hits it with a strong spin attack. It lets out a shriek as it dissolves into black smoke, and Link sighs again as he exchanges his sword for his clawshots.

There’s an Oocca pacing behind a locked door at the other end of the room, but Link ignores it for now. His attention is drawn to the broken window above him as the wind blows in and catches his hair. He aims carefully and fires the clawshot, letting himself be dragged to the broken window and climbing carefully out and down the vines that grow down the wall. The intense winds buffet him continuously as he climbs carefully down, and Link glances around as his feet hit the ground.

Part of the floor is broken, exposing large gears under the stonework, and there’s a conveniently shaped mark in the floor, so Link heads that way, pulls out the spinner, and carefully fits it into place. He slides his feet into the straps and taps his foot repeatedly on the button that starts the spinner moving, and keeps pressing it until the ground rumbles. A stone bridge slides out from the wall over to Link’s right, and it connects with the nearest floating island with a small crash, but it stays in place.

Link gathers his spinner and digs out his clawshots once more when he catches sight of the dense vines growing on the side of one of the islands. “Oh, for Hylia’s sake, are ‘ya tryin’ to kill me?” Link’s exasperated question is answered only by a strong gust of wind, so he fires his clawshot and hopes for the best.

Thankfully, the clawshot catches securely and the vines hold, and Link is once again pulled across open air. He climbs up the vines onto a small ledge and hesitates. A Kargarok is circling the bridge, flying low enough that its claws could be a serious problem. As Link thinks, Midna slips out of his shadow and rests her elbows on his shoulder. “What’s the holdup, hero?”

Her sarcasm causes Link to roll his eyes, and he gestures at the large, winged monster in front of him. “If ‘ya can’t see that, then I don’t know how to help ‘ya.”

His snark draws a laugh from Midna, whose eyes flick up to the Kargarok and back to Link. “Aw, is the little monster too big for the baby hero?” She drawls, her hands moving to rest on her hips. “I didn’t think this little thing would be such a challenge!” Her lips are twisted into a mocking smile, and Link just rolls his eyes at her in response.

“Well, I hate to break it to ya’, but if it’s claws get me and I fall, it’s game over for you an’ your mirror pieces, princess.” His comment earns him a smack across the back of the head, Midna’s hair striking him before he realizes what’s happening. He whirls to face her, the self-satisfied smirk on her face melting off as she catches his expression.

“Alright, I’ve about had it with this. You want my help? Fine. But if ya’ hit me again, you’ll have to find someone else, ya’ hear? I’m done puttin’ up with it.” His piece said, Link turns back to the bridge and breaks out into a sprint, managing to slip past the Kargarok while it’s turned away. He skids to a stop in front of another iron and stone door and drops to his knees, wedging his fingers under the edge and yanking it up. Behind him, he can hear the Kargarok’s screech as it catches sight of him and feel the wind from its wings as it grows closer, and as the door slams shut behind him, he feels it shudder with the force of the Kargarok running into it.

Link steps into a long rectangular room and his eyes catch on a couple of grates on the ceiling. He fires his clawshot, dropping down onto the small platform to grab a small key from a chest before he heads back to the doorway. As he steps back out onto the bridge, he sees the Kargarok circling the area once more, and he makes another run for it. Once he reaches the other side of the bridge, a roar splits the air and a much larger armored monster dive-bombs the bridge, shattering the center of it. Link presses himself back against the door as the monster roars again and takes off, leaving behind clouds of dust and dirt that are quickly swept away in the wind.

Shaken, Link continues to wander his way through the city, Ooccoo silent and unhelpful on his back. His iron boots and clawshot turn out to be lifesavers with the strong winds and steep drops he faces, and he catches himself on the edge of falling more than once. Midna is silent in his shadow once more after his outburst on the bridge, but Link can’t say that he’s upset about it, the silence a welcome reprieve from the snark and sass.

Eventually, Link finds a way to open the door and free the trapped Oocca from earlier, which turns out to be three instead of just one, and accepts the offer to help him move around the city using the focused bursts of winds. As he uses the winds to continue moving around the city, he ends up facing off against an Aeralfos and earns himself another clawshot, meaning that he now owns a set of dual clawshots.

After opening the chest, Link slides down to the ground, his back pressed against the wall. His eyes closed, he tilts his head back and rests it against the wall, his elbows propped up on his knees, which are tucked up by his chest. A soft warping noise alerts him to Midna’s presence, and he cracks an eye open, but doesn’t acknowledge her.

“I won’t do it again.” She’s trying to not look ruffled or embarrassed, and for the most part, it works. What gives her away is how she’s hovering in the air, bobbing up and down like she can’t keep still. Her hands are on her hips in her typical snarky manner, but she’s not as loud as she usually is, either. Link lets the silence stand for a minute before he responds.

“Thank you.” He opens his eyes fully now, and tilts his head to look at her. “I don’t mind helping you, truly, but I won’t put up with the hittin’. Tha’s the line, ya’ hear?” His tone is deadly serious, and Midna nods, for once devoid of sass and snark. “Good.” Link and Midna sit in silence for another couple of minutes before Link pushes himself up with a groan.

Midna quickly falls back into her sassy commentary, but her tone is more teasing than insulting when she speaks. “What, are your old bones sore?”

Link just laughs at her as he fires his clawshot at the ceiling, letting himself be yanked off the floor as Midna chases after him with a shout. The next few minutes are filled with an odd game of tag as Link leverages himself out of the large circular building he has found himself in as he works to avoid Midna and her hair. They pause their odd game for a moment as Link fishes a compass out of a chest, but their game end for real once the pair finds themselves outside on a dilapidated walkway. Link clawshots his was across carefully, using the clawshots to knock down a couple of Deku Babas that have grown out of the cracks in the stone. Midna slips silently back into his shadow before he crosses the open air and enters another building. He makes his way around the area quickly, finding another chest with a bundle of arrows about halfway through.

At the end of this building, Link uses one clawshot to lower himself down, hovering over a large break in the floor as he aims the other at a small diamond trigger that opens a gate for him to pass through. His arms shaking from the strain, he finally gets the clawshot to fire at the correct spot and latch on securely, climbing through the gate and weaving his way around the other clawshot latches.

A tile worm almost knocks him off the edge as he jumps across some of the smaller gaps, and soon he’s pushing open a door that opens up into a large, partially open room with a Deku Like in the middle. He knocks it back and throws a bomb into its open mouth before he climbs up some vines on the side of the wall and balances his way across the thin walkways higher up in the room.

Once he makes it outside, Link pauses and pulls out his waterskin, leaning against one of the sturdier walls as he drinks. Midna slips out of his shadow once more as he does, but a sound carries through the wind before she can speak.

“Link…”

He stops drinking abruptly, turning to face the direction the call came from, one hand coming up to block the sun from his eyes. “Did’ya hear that?”

Midna looks at him blankly, her expression starting to twist into annoyance. “Hear what, wolf boy?”

Link listens intently, but the only thing he hears is the wind. He turns back to Midna with a shrug and brushes it off. “…Never mind.”

He tucks his waterskin back into his pack and makes it to the end of the bridge before he hears his name again, louder this time.

“Link.”

Midna jumps, startled, then scowls as she turns to face him. “Now you’ve got me hearing things, look what you’ve done!” She crosses her arms with a huff, and Link stifles a laugh. Was she pouting?

“Link!”

“Alright, we’ve both heard it now, so you can’t tell me tha’ I’m just hearing things. I’m goin’ to go see what it is.” Link turns towards a small break in the barrier, peeking over the side to see a small ledge with vines leading down and around the curve of the building. He steps out onto the ledge carefully and begins to climb down, Midna throwing a fit behind him.

“Are you serious? You’re gonna go off and find some- some- thing up in the sky that somehow knows your name? Just leave it alone and hurry up so we can find the pieces of the mirror! Are you even listening to me? Don’t walk away from me! Don’t leave me here!” She’s shrieking at him, her arms waving wildly, but Link ignores her and continues moving. Now that he’d started making his way towards the call, it was like something was pulling him closer. Like there was something he needed to find.

Down he went, swiftly climbing the vines and moving across ledges until he came to a small platform with a door. The building in front of him was lower than everything else in the City in the Sky, tucked into the center of a cluster of buildings. It was still well above the cloud barrier, and it seemed to have two separate rooms. There was a large, circular room directly through the door, and a smaller doorway at the other end of the room, though he had to strain to catch a glimpse of it. His hesitation allows Midna to catch up, still yelling at him.

“Idiot, what are you doing? This is a bad idea, I’m telling you!” She reaches over and pulls on his tunic in an attempt to gain his attention, but Link shakes her off. “Listen, if this turns out bad, then ‘ya can rub it in later, ‘kay? I think this is important, and I’m gonna keep goin’. You don’ have to come with if it bothers ‘ya that much.”

Midna gapes at him for a moment before scoffing again. “Yeah, okay, tough guy. I’m coming with, only so I can laugh in your face when this goes wrong!” She hovers grumpily behind him, arms crossed as he pushes open the door and steps inside.

Link’s initial guess seemed to be correct so far, as there seemed to be two separate rooms in this building. The one they were in now was indeed large and circular, and the roof was almost completely open, with only a small area on the right side of the room covered, protecting it from the elements. There was a thick layer of hay on the floor and a trough that was full to the top, with a surprisingly large lump of red curled up under the small section of the roof. Whatever it was seemed to be breathing, but it didn’t move as the door thunked shut behind them.

The room was well-lit by the afternoon sun, and the air was pleasantly warm and surprisingly still, considering how forceful the winds had been everywhere else (and the open roof), but there was an aura to the room that Link just couldn’t pin down. It was quiet, even quieter than the rest of City in the Sky, and there were no birds, and no monsters. There didn’t seem to be anything moving inside the room besides the lump of red in the far corner, and Link and Midna themselves.

Link moves quietly across the room, but stops when he bumps into something just before the cover begins. There’s a shimmering barrier in his way, so faint that he had missed it completely. “What in the name ‘ah Ordon…?” He brings a hand up and presses it against the barrier warily, but nothing happens. The barrier itself is cool to the touch, but not cold, but it sends goosebumps running up his arms regardless.

He shakes his arm out as his expression twists, and Midna floats up behind him as he steps away from the shimmering barrier. “Are you sure you want to keep going? This place is all kinds of odd.” The Twili was surprisingly calm now, her expression curious. Link stifled another laugh.

“Oh please, ‘ya know ‘ya want to figure this out as much as I do now. If we leave, we’ll never let it go.” Midna huffed again as she turned up her nose and turned away from him, but Link knew that was just her way of saying he was right without having to actually admit it. He laughs softly and moves towards the door at the other end of the room, Midna following closely behind him.

Something on the wall glinted in the light of the room, catching his attention. “What’s…” He reached out to run his finger along the inscription but found he couldn’t recognize any of the lettering. He studied it for a moment longer before he shook his head and put his hand on the door, pushing it open.

It swung open quietly and with no resistance. Unlike the previous room, this one was much smaller; only housing a raised dais. Said dais had a large, amber crystal floating over it, and as Link began to move closer, he noticed that the crystal was hovering over a hole in the floor. He climbs the small dais, coming to a stop in front of the crystal. It was mostly opaque, but there was a definite shadow inside of it. It wasn’t moving, and Link really couldn’t tell what it was.

“What is that thing? Why is it up here?” Midna’s voice comes from directly behind his ear, and he jumps in surprise, wobbling as he reaches out to steady himself. “Don’t do that! One of these days, I’m going to-!”

Link didn’t finish his sentence. When he had reached out to steady himself, his hand had landed on the crystal, and his world exploded into color.

Link sees flashes that send him reeling. They seem like memories, but at the same time, they’re so different that he doesn’t know whose they would be. He sees people that don’t look like anyone he’s ever seen, their clothes and surroundings so vastly different from his own. A boy in green pants and a tan shirt, a girl in a pink dress, two more boys, one in a yellow uniform, the other with bright red hair in a ridiculous updo. There were dozens more people that flashed through his head, but the flashes only slowed occasionally. The first flash that slowed showed the boy in the tan shirt, now wearing green and falling through the air. A flash of red and a truly massive bird caught him before they flew past Link and faded into a swirl of color on the wind.

The second flash showed the same boy in green from before, standing before a giant monster, all black scales, massive teeth, large white toes, and a pedestal sticking out of the top of his head. As Link watched, the boy beat the monster back, sealing it in the center of a large clearing. Was that the Master Sword in his hand?

More and more flashes went by, some slowing to let him watch, others whirling by quickly. There were a couple that slowed drastically, and Link watched those intently, eventually seeing the boy in green, a figure in white, red, and black, and a girl dressed in white, the girl unconscious.

The scene shifted, and the boy in green was alone with another giant. This one had flames for hair and wielded a massive sword. The monster called down lightning to strike the boy, who eventually was able to channel it back through his sword. On and on the fighting went, until the boy struck what seemed to be the final blow. The giant fell to one knee, reaching out and clenching a massive fist and the boy froze, his eyes darting around in panic. His chest was heaving, like he couldn’t get enough air, and the giant laughed.

Link startles, having heard the sound this time instead of just seeing it. He hadn’t heard any of the other flashes, so why this one? His question was quickly answered when the giant spoke. His voice was painfully loud, and Link reached up to cover his ears, to no avail.

“My hate... never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again. Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero… They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!”

The voice echoed in Link’s head, and he grimaced. In the flash of memory, the boy in green sagged in relief as a giant’s hold over him dropped, and he moved forward to strike him one final time. The scene melted away, and a couple more flashed by in quick succession. Another one slowed, this time showing the boy in green and the girl in the pink dress. Surprisingly, Link could hear this one too, and he listened intently, surprised when only one of them spoke.

'Zel, it’s my fault that we got cursed. If there’s any way that I can help the heroes who come after us, I want to be there for them. It doesn’t have to be now, but please, Zelda. I can’t stand the thought that I’ve doomed them to the same fate we hold.'

The girl, Zelda, reached forward and cupped the boy’s cheek in her hand. “Oh, you know it’s not your fault. He was a god, and it was never supposed to happen while we were this young. We were supposed to have time, to grow, and learn, and prepare. This is not your fault, okay?” Her voice was soft, but firm, like they’d had this conversation before.

The boy sighed and tears welled up in his eyes, though he didn’t let them fall. 'How can I believe that Zelda, when I was the only one there who could’ve stopped him? I wasn’t strong enough, I couldn’t do anything, I was weak!' The tears began to fall, and Zelda brushed her thumb under his eyes, wiping away a few tears. She pulled him into a tight embrace and held him as he cried.

“Hey, listen! There was nothing you could’ve done. You couldn’t move, he was a god, and he made it so that you couldn’t stop him. Don’t let him win by thinking badly of yourself!! You hear me, mister?” She pulled him upright again and poked him on the end of the nose. “You’re the strongest person I know!”

The boy lets out a watery laugh between shuddering breaths, taking Zelda’s hand in his own and squeezing it before pulling his hands away to continue signing. 'I can’t promise anything, but I can try, okay?'

The memories faded after that, and Link found himself back in the room in City in the Sky, on his hands and knees in front of the large crystal, his head spinning. Midna was shaking his shoulder, yelling at him, but a voice echoed throughout the room, cutting her off.

“Hero.” Link’s head snapped up, the room spinning around him. “He will wake. He is here to help, to assist as only he can. Soon, he will walk among you. Soon…”

The goddess’ voice fades away, and the crystal glows softly. Once the glow fades, Link can see into the crystal, can see the boy from the flashes asleep inside. Link exchanged a look with Midna. “What the heck was that? You touched that thing and collapsed, and then the goddess starts talking to you? Tell me what’s going on, right now!”

Link sighed, sitting down in front of the crystal and explaining everything he had just seen. “The monsters looked so different, an’ that man…god…thing at the end looked like it woulda’ killed me in one hit. An’ this kid wanted to blame himself? For facin’ a god? And winnin’?” Link gestured with his hands as he spoke, getting more and more worked up as he thought about it all. “Well, sure, he got cursed, and yeah, maybe being affected by it sucks, but he fought a god! He came out alive, and made it back to his friends, his family, his home…”

Link’s voice trailed off, and his hands dropped to his lap. “I just wish I could talk to the kid, knock some sense into him, make him realize that he did more than enough.” He ran his hands through his hair roughly. “I know that I don’t blame him for this. How do I know that Ordon wouldn’t have been affected anyway? I still probably would’ve been dragged into this by some crazy imp looking for some shattered mirror.” Link sighed in mock annoyance, shooting a grin towards Midna.

She snarled at him but didn’t comment on what he said. In fact, she ignored it completely and started in on something else. “What was it that goddess said? ‘He will wake soon’? How soon is soon? We have to keep moving, we can’t just sit here and wait for him to wake up!”

Link grumbled in response as he got to his feet. “Yeah, yeah, I know, no restin’, no stoppin’.” He moved towards the doorframe, pausing to turn and look at the boy in the crystal once more. “I’ll just have to come back and see ‘im once we get this all figured out, won’t I?”

--------

Midna was gone. She had left him behind, shattered the mirror so he couldn’t follow, and she was gone. Link was numb, and uncertain of what to do now that his companion had left him behind so completely.

She was gone, she was gone, she was gone, shewasgonegonegonegone-

“Hero?”

The hesitant call broke through the haze, and he turned. Princess Zelda stood behind him, her bow still in hand, gazing towards him with thinly veiled concern. “…yes, your Highness?”

His answer was slow and quieter than he had intended it to be, and she softened a little, her bow slipping from her hand as she focused on him.

“I know what it feels like, to lose a companion so suddenly. I know I am not her, and we do not know each other, but I would like to change that and get to know the person she spoke so highly of. Is that…acceptable to you?” The Princess seemed sincere, and it took Link by surprise. The Princess of Hyrule wanted to be friends with him? The ranch hand turned hero? Really?

Link hesitated, thinking. Would she be offended if he said no? Did he want to get to know the Princess? The thought crossed his mind, and he laughed inwardly at himself. Of course he did. Midna had spoken so highly of her the few times she had opened up, he was curious.

“I would be honored, your Highness.” He was surprised at the genuine smile that crossed her face, but he was completely blindsided by the next words she said. “In that case, Link, I think a fitting act for two new friends who both just lost a dear companion would be to provide comfort, if you are comfortable in doing so.” Her voice had wobbled suspiciously as she neared the end of her sentence, and Link took a small step forward, his breath catching in his throat. Princess Zelda wiped a tear from her eye, and Link sniffled, making a valiant effort to hold back the tears that had sprung to his eyes at the reminder.

They both lost the fight at the same moment, and Link opened his arms in invitation. The Princess threw herself forward with a quiet sob, holding tight to him. He could feel her hands bunching the back of his tunic, and he hugged her tightly as they both cried, mourning the loss of a friend who was still alive, but now completely unreachable.

After some time, Princess Zelda released her grip on his tunic and stepped back. “I…” She seemed uncharacteristically unsure of herself but offered him another small smile. “Thank you, hero.”

Link grinned in return, chuckling softly. “Not a problem, your Highness. I think we both needed that.”

She nodded and moved to pick her bow back up off the ground. “Please, hero, call me Zelda. I see little need for formalities when we have cried in each other’s arms like babes.” Link let out a loud laugh at that, moving towards Epona to check her over. “Well, I can understand that, Prince- ah. Zelda. Sorry.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Please, call me Link.”

They continued to talk with each other as Link checked over Epona, and eventually, they were both back in the saddle, moving slowly towards Hyrule Castle. They were reaching the edge of the Gerudo Desert when Zelda stiffened behind him and pointed at something in the sky.

“Is that a person?” Her voice was sharp, and Link snapped his attention to the heavens, searching frantically for what she was seeing. “Epona, go! Quickly please!” As he spurred Epona into a run, he berated himself for forgetting about the boy in the crystal. “Oh, I’m so stupid, how could I forget? She told me that he was going to wake up soon, and what did I do? Went off and left him in the sky, all by his lonesome. Good goin’, Link!” Zelda’s voice was loud, right by his ear, and he startled but kept Epona moving. “What’s going on? Who is that?”

“I’m not sure who he is, but the Goddess said that he was here to help! With what, I dunno, but I got ta’ catch him!” While he was shouting his explanation over his shoulder, they had been racing across the ground, drawing closer and closer to where the boy was falling. He seemed to be completely unconscious as he fell through the air, gaining speed.

“How are we going to catch him? He’s falling too fast! The impact could kill all three of us!” Zelda raised a good point. How in the world was Link supposed to help him from down here? There was no way he could get up to him and slow his fall.

“I don’t-!” Link’s response was cut off by a loud, piercing caw echoing through the air. Something else had just broken the cloud barrier, and it was gaining quickly on the boy. The bundle of red that Link had seen earlier was…falling? No, it was flying! It was a massive bird, tucked into a sharp dive, and it seemed to be aiming directly for the boy.

Link and Zelda finally reached Lake Hylia, moving to the larger patch of land on the edge of the lake that held the large catapult, and dismounted Epona. Link dug through his bag frantically, looking for something- anything to help the boy, but came up empty-handed.

“No, no no no! I don’t have anything that’ll help here, what am I supposed to do?” He turned away from Epona, moving to stand next to Zelda as her face twisted with determination. She raised her hand, her palm beginning to glow with her Divine Power. It seemed to be unnecessary, in the end, as the massive bird had caught up to the boy, putting on an extra burst of speed before grabbing him in his massive claws, only about two dozen feet above the ground.

“Oh-!” Zelda’s hands rose to cover her mouth, the glow fading rapidly. Link stepped away again, drawing his sword and yelling to gain the bird’s attention. “Down here, bring him down here!” The bird swiveled towards him, flying in wide circles as it slowly descended towards the Hylians. Down and down the bird came, until it was only just above the ground, still holding the boy tightly, but carefully, in his claws. It cawed loudly, and Link stepped in front of the Princess, holding his sword at the ready.

The bird paused its descent, and it seemed to zero in on the sword, its eyes wide in surprise. Could a bird be surprised? This one certainly looked to be. Link shook his head slightly to clear it. Not the time, Link!

The bird seemed to nod at Link and Zelda before finally laying the boy gently on the ground, curling up a few feet behind him. The boy was limp, his back facing them, curled in on himself where the bird had gently set him down. What really caught Link's attention, though, was the sword strapped to his back. It was-

“The Master Sword?” Zelda breathed the question from beside him, moving forward to kneel next to the boy. She lifted his head carefully onto her knees and smoothed the hair away from his forehead. “But…how? You have it right here.”

“I…I don’t know. I don’ think he’s gonna cause any problems though.” Link had kneeled by the boy’s chest and adjusted him gently so that he was lying on his back. He was holding the boy’s wrist now, checking his pulse. It was strong, and Link could see the boy’s chest rising and falling steadily. “The Goddess seemed insistent that he was here ta’ help with somethin’.”

“Well, I suppose if the Goddess has vouched for him…” Zelda trailed off, looking up to study Link as he checked over the boy, but her attention was pulled back to the boy in her lap as he stirred. His eyes fluttered, then slowly opened, glassy with sleep. It took a minute for his eyes to clear, but when they did, he startled, badly. He tried to push himself up and away from them, but his arms gave out and he dropped back down.

“What-where am I?” His voice was scratchy, but strong, despite the visible fear on his face and the shudders running through his body. “Who are you? What’s…” He trailed off as he looked around, taking in the environment.

“Hey, you’re okay, I promise. I’m Link, and this is Princess Zelda. Ya’ just fell from a buildin’ up in the sky, give yourself a minute, please. Ah’ promise we won’t hurt you!” Link spoke quickly, noticing how the boy seemed to freeze when he said their names. He glanced back at Zelda, finding that she had noticed it as well.

“Please, we only wish to help. We wanted to make sure you were not injured in the fall. You fell quite a ways before this lovely bird caught you.” Zelda spoke calmly, and the boy’s eyes snapped to hers when she mentioned the bird.

“Pheonix? Pheonix is here? Where- Pheonix!” The boy had renewed his efforts to get upright, looking around frantically. Before he could get too far, the bird stood, moving to tower over them from behind, leaning its head down to rest on top of the boys. The boy froze, one hand bracing himself, keeping him upright, and the other rose to rest on the bird's beak. The bird nuzzled into his hand, crooning softly, and the boy tilted his head back to look up at the bird.

“Oh, Pheonix, you big, dumb bird, thank you for catching me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” The boy’s arm shook more and more the longer he held it up, and eventually he removed his hand from Pheonix’s beak, dropping it back down to rest in his lap. The bird crooned again, sitting down behind the boy, acting as another support to keep him upright.

“May we get your name?” Zelda spoke up again, startling the boy on the ground.

“Oh! Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve been so rude, what would Pipit say to me now?” The boy laughed and shifted against the bird's side, causing the bird to chirp warningly and lean down to nudge his hands with its beak. “My name is Link. It’s very nice to meet you both.”

Link and Zelda both blinked in surprise, looking at each other incredulously. Another Link? Curious.

“Well, this is certainly unexpected.” Zelda seemed hesitant to let the other Link out of reach but didn’t move to pull him closer. “Do you know what brought you here?”

The other Link winced, looking at his hands and pulling at the edge of his tunic. “I…I’m not sure. I’m fairly certain I did this on purpose, not falling, but staying in the crystal. My memory is kind of fuzzy right now.” The other Link looked up at them through his bangs, giving them an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. As soon as I remember, though, I promise I will.”

“Well, then we’ll just have to wait it out. Sound alright?” Link spoke confidently. “We can get you checked out by the medics, an’ then figure out what to do from there.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, Link.” Zelda stood carefully, brushing her dress off. There were bright green stains from the grass on the fabric now, but Zelda didn’t seem to notice. If she did, she certainly didn’t seem to care. As she stands, she extends a hand to Link and pulls him up swiftly, her muscles flexing with the effort. He blinked in surprise, cheeks red and momentarily stunned into stillness as she reaches down once more for the other Link.

Link shakes himself out of his surprise and steps forward to help. Link and Zelda each pull one of the other Link’s arms over their shoulders and allow him to regain his balance.

“Alright, do you think you can stand for a minute, so we can get you up on Epona here? You and the Princess here can ride, and I’ll walk beside you.” Link glances over to the other Link, surprised to see a sheepish grin on his face.

“Thank you, but I, uh, don’t think Phoenix will let me ride anyone but him. He’s very overprotective.” The last part of his statement is directed towards the crimson bird, who stares back at him with wide eyes. Phoenix huffs and shakes out his feathers as he stands, moving to stand next to the other Link, who just chuckles fondly. “I appreciate the offer, though.”

Link looks between the boy and his bird with a grin. “Well, I don’t see a problem with it, long as y’all are careful.” The other Link nods, and Link and Zelda hold him steady as Phoenix sinks to his knees, allowing the other boy to climb carefully onto his back. When the giant bird stood back up, he moved over to help Zelda onto Epona’s back, then swung on himself.

“Oh! Actually, kid, is there another name you would be comfortable going by? I don’ know if we should advertise that there’s another person named Link wanderin’ around right now.” Link and Zelda both twisted to look at the boy and his bird, catching the look of thought on his face.

When he spoke again, his voice was a little stronger, and he seemed sure of his decision. “I could go by Sky? That’s where I come from, and it seems only fitting because I fell from the sky in your world as well.” Pheonix let out a loud caw, seemingly in agreement with the boy on his back.

“Sounds good to me! Prin-Zelda? What do you think?” Link tossed a glance over his shoulder, only to pause when he sees the expression on her face. Her expression was a mixture of awe and disbelief, and it threw Link for a loop. “Zelda?”

She blinked, and the expression cleared. “Yes, yes I think the name fits you quite well, actually.” She smiled over at Sky again, and it was one of the softest expressions Link had seen cross her face. He pushed the thought from his mind, and turned back to take the reins.

“Alright then, back to the castle!”

--------

Sky had only been with them for two weeks, but he and Colin had been getting along wonderfully. Actually, Sky had gotten along with everyone in the village, but Colin had been following him around for the last week, always just a step behind the other boy. That’s not to say that the rest of the kids hadn’t been following him around just as much, but the two had rarely separated. Colin had spent more than one night up in Link’s treehouse with the two of them, chattering with Sky until he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

Colin had followed Sky again this morning, and Link has to admit, he enjoyed seeing Colin open up so much. As Link hefted a sack of goat feed over his right shoulder with a laugh, he cast a look to the other end of the pen. Sky was working on fixing the gate while Colin was focused on the sticks and twine in his hands, doing his best to copy the knots Sky was tying. He was having various levels of success, and Link watched fondly as Sky untied the knot he had just completed, retying it slowly so that Colin could do the same. Colin cheered as he managed to replicate the knot, and Sky applauded his success, a grin on his face.

A hand landed on his left shoulder and Link jumped, spinning around. “Gah! Rusl, ya startled me!” Rusl chuckled, not looking sorry in the slightest. “Sorry Link, I didn’t mean ta’.” He glanced over to Sky and Colin for a moment, before looking at Link again. “He’s real good with him, huh?”

Link smiled fondly. “Yeah. Makes me wonder if he had any siblings, or if he’s jus’ that good with kids.” They started moving towards the trough, still talking about the two in the pen with them. “I haven’t seen him this happy before.” Rusl glanced at him, his brow furrowed in confusion. “I thought you met him on your journey?” He nudged a goat gently out of the way, clearing the way for Link to start emptying the bag of feed into the trough.

“Yeah, I did. Met ‘im near the end, he fell outta the sky, the Goddess was involved, so was the Princess. It was a whole thing. I thought I told you and Uli already?” Link tilted his head, shaking the last of the feed out of the bag and balling it up. Rusl looked lost, and Link huffed out a laugh. “I guess not. Sky and I can tell y’all later, after Colin and Shay go to sleep, if ‘ya want?”

“Yeah, that’ll work. He’s been staying with you for the last couple weeks, and I didn’t want to push, but we’ve been a little confused.” Rusl clapped him on the shoulder, casting another fond look at the boys before he turns back towards the house. “I think I’m about done for the day. Why don’t you round those two up when they’re done, and we’ll head back to Uli for some food?” Link nodded, and Rusl leaves while Link moved to cross the pen. As he drew closer, he heard that Sky and Colin had moved on from knots to animals, and Sky was telling him about remlits.

“-really sweet during the day, but if you come up to one at night, they’re absolutely feral. More likely to scratch your face off then let ya’ walk by.” Sky’s voice was fond, and Colin was listening intently. His eyes were wide with awe, and he was laying on his back next to Sky, staring at him as he finished up with the gate. “Really? But if they’re so dangerous at night, why do you guys keep them around?”

Sky laughed. “Well, my friend Groose accidentally startled one so bad that it jumped off the edge of the island, but they’ve got these massive ears an’ can use them to fly, so we couldn’t get rid of them even if we wanted to. We don’t really have another place to put them, now that I think about it. And honestly, they’re just too darn cute to run off.” He turned to face Colin, catching sight of Link coming behind him, his eyes glittering with mischief. “They use their big eyes and just look at you, all innocent like, and when they’ve got you hooked, bam!” Link jumped forwards, grabbing Colin and rolling. Colin let out a screech of surprise, then burst into laughter. “Oh no, it’s got me! It’s got me! Sky, get him off!”

Sky sat back and laughed before pushing himself into a crouch. “Never fear Colin, I’ll save you from the big bad remlit!” He gave Link a mischievous look, and launched himself towards the two, tackling Link off of Colin. “Oof!” Sky knocked the breath out of him, and Colin followed quickly behind, scrambling upright and running over to sit on top of him. With Sky pinning his feet and Colin sitting on his chest, Link was stuck. Well, almost.

“Talo, Malo, Beth!” Link hollered loudly. “Avenge me!” Three little head popped out of their houses, and came running towards the goat pen with shrieks of glee. However, instead of helping Link, they jumped on top of him as well, helping Sky and Colin pin him down. “Traitors!” Link wheezed out the accusation as they piled on top of him. Once the kids had settled themselves comfortable on top of him, Sky flopped over them gently, making them all laugh. They all laid there in the evening sun for a few minutes, until a shadow came to rest over them.

“Well, what’s all this? What did Link do this time?” Ilia stood over them, her hands on her hips and a wide grin on her face. “I dunno! It just looked fun, so I jumped on him!” Beth’s answer was enthusiastic, and Malo and Talo both nodded in agreement. Colin grinned up at her as Sky sat up with a sheepish grin. “He tackled Colin, so we had to get him back somehow.”

“Hey! You started it! You were tellin’ ‘im about the remlits and you had that look on your face, don’t you blame this on me!” Links voice was jokingly stern, and Sky smirked at him before turning to Ilia, his eyes wide with innocence. “I didn’t tell him to tackle Colin.” Ilia tried to stand her ground, but quickly lost the battle in the face of Sky’s pouting. “Oh, don’t you worry, I know full well who started this.” She turned towards Link with a teasing grin. “And if the troublemaker doesn’t get Colin home for dinner soon, Uli’ll come after ya. Y’all might wanna get going.”

Link shot upright, shaking all of the kids off of him as they laughed. “I forgot! Colin, Sky, we gotta go! C’mon!” Link scrambled to his feet, reaching down to pull the other two up. Once he was standing, Sky leaned down to pull Malo and Talo to their feet, and Ilia helped Beth up. “Aww, do you have to take Sky? We’re all having fun.” Talo whined, clinging to Sky’s hand as Malo and Beth nodded. “Now, don’t y’all start. It’s probably dinner time for y’all as well, so get goin’. You’ll see him tomorrow.” Link was firm, and the kids pouted, stomping away.

Ilia waved to the three of them and followed the other kids as Link, Colin, and Sky set off for Uli and Rusl’s house. The walk was quiet, and Colin held one hand from both Link and Sky, swinging their arms back and forth as they went. Soon enough they reached the house and when Link pushed the door open, and they were greeted by Shay’s enthusiastic attempt at their names. “Win! Ink! ‘Sy!” Little baby Shay was in her play area on the floor, and Colin dropped both boy’s hands to run her way and pick her up. The two of them stayed in the living room while Sky and Link headed towards the kitchen, calling out greetings as they did.

“Hello, Ms. Uli, Mr. Rusl!” Sky entered the kitchen first, heading towards the sink to wash his hands, then moved to help Uli finish dinner. “’Lo, Uli, Rusl!” Link was close behind him, washing his hands then moving to help Rusl set the table. “Welcome back boys. And Sky, what have I said about that Mr. and Mrs. nonsense?” Uli’s voice carried across the kitchen, and Sky flushed. “Well, you’ve said I don’t have to, but ya’ never said not to. Besides, it’s polite!”

Uli laughed, bumping Sky’s shoulder with hers. He grinned back, and Link and Rusl watched the exchange fondly from the table. “You boys have a good evening?”

It’s Link’s turn to flush brightly, and he grumbles under his breath as Sky laughed loudly. “Oh yes, we had such a great time, didn’t we, Link?” Link just grumbled more, and Sky laughed harder. “Care to share?” Rusl looked between the two of them curiously, and Colin popped into the doorway, Shay in his arms. “We all jumped on Link! Knocked him clean over, dad!” He gave Sky a big grin, and Uli and Rusl joined in the laughter, teasing Link thought dinner.

--------

“So,” Uli moved quietly down the stairs, coming to sit on the couch next to her husband. “I hear the two of you have a story for us?” Link and Sky were seated on the loveseat across from them, sheepish expressions on their faces.

Sky rubbed the back of his head with a grin, and Link chuckled softly. “Yeah. Rusl reminded me that we never really told you anything, we just kinda showed up on ‘ya. We meant to tell y’all, I guess it just slipped our minds.”

The four of them settled in, and Link explained how he and Midna had found Sky, his voice faltering as he tried to explain his traveling companion. Sky pressed their shoulders together, and Link forced the words out.

She’s…gone now. And I know I didn’t say anything, but I’ve been struggling with it. She was there for so much of it, and now she’s just gone. And I know that we’ve talked with the Princess, and I know you’re remembering why you’re here, but there’s only so much that you guys can help with.”

Sky presses his shoulder into Link’s silently in an attempt to offer support, and Link shoots him a strained smile, his shoulders tense. After another moment of hesitation, Link continues to tell his story, detailing how Sky had fallen from the City in the Sky, and how Phoenix had saved him. “We all went to the castle infirmary after that, and we came here after.” Link shrugs, seemingly done with his story, but Sky jumps in, his voice soft.

“Princess Zelda took us aside after we finished, and told us that she had a dream where the Goddess told her that the sky would help heal. She didn’t say what, exactly, the sky would help heal, but she, uh. She thinks that the sky is me because that’s the name I chose.” Sky’s gaze was fixed on his lap. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to do that when I can’t even help my own people, let alone you all.”

Link reached up and tugged Sky’s ear, causing the other boy to turn to face him with a pout. “You’re doin’ fine, Sky. You’ve helped Colin a lot in the past couple weeks just bein’ here, and honestly, you’re helpin’ me too.” Link ruffled Sky’s hair, much to Sky’s dismay. “Hey!” Link laughed, but let him go. “You’re helpin’ me learn how to be at home again, how to move on from Midna.” He smiled, but Sky just looked sad. “Sky?”

“…I don’t think I’ll be able to stay.” The words were whispered, like he didn’t want them to be true. “I-I don’t want to leave, but I don’t know how much time I’ll have here with you all. The crystal will call me back home, and I’m going to end up doing the same thing that Midna did. I’m a horrible friend. I’m so, so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”

Sky curled in on himself, his hands settling in his hair and tugging harshly at the dark blonde strands. Uli and Rusl both moved to crouch before him, and Link pulled Sky towards him, throwing an arm over Sky’s shoulders. “Oh, baby…” Uli’s voice was soft, and she was doing her best to gently pull Sky’s hands out of his hair. “Son…” Rusl started, then trailed off, clearly not knowing what to say.

“Sky.” Link’s voice was firm. “Sky. Look at me.” Sky stayed hunched over, his hands still tightly fisted in his hair, and Link sighed. “Link. Look at me, please.” Sky’s hands stilled, his head still bowed, but Link reached over and put his hands on either side of Sky’s face, turning his head so he was looking at him. Rusl and Uli both blinked in surprise, sharing a confused look, before brushing it aside and each taking one of his hands.

“Listen. This is not the same thing.” Sky opened his mouth to argue, but Link shook his head at him. “Ah, no. You’re listening for a minute, m’kay?” Sky nodded reluctantly, and Link continued. “They’re not the same. You’re givin’ me a warning. You’re givin’ me time to process, to come to terms with it. And I don’t think ya plan to shatter the crystal after you leave, so it’s not like you’re cutting me off intentionally. We both know neither of us can deny the Goddess. I think we both know that you’d stay here if you could, and I can’t tell if I should be worried about that or not. It’s not the same thing. It’s okay.”

The tears slid down Sky’s face, and he leaned over into Link’s shoulder with a quiet sob. “I don’t want to leave you guys. You’re all so nice, and everyone’s so accepting and pleasant to be around. No one here is hard to get along with, even your Princess is nice, and it’s all so different! I’d miss Zelda, but no one would miss me, and I know I’ll miss you all so much. I love you all so much and I can actually say it here, and I just…” Sky sniffled. “I’m attached. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, baby, come here.” Uli stood, pulling Sky up and into a hug. Rusl and Link joined in, and after a moment Rusl called up towards the stairs. “C’mon son, you might as well join us.” Link only manages to move to the side a few inches before Colin slams into them, wrapping his arms around Sky’s waist. “I love you too Sky.” The words are muffled, but Colin doesn’t hesitate to say them. Sky gives a watery laugh, pulling back from Uli long enough to scoop Colin up before returning to the hug. “You’re all so amazing.” His voice is soft, and filled with love.

After a couple minutes, Rusl speaks. “I know the treehouse ain’t far, but why dont’cha boys stay here tonight? You can all bed down here, and I’ll even throw in the baby, just for tonight?” Link agrees, and he and Rusl move about grabbing blankets and pillows to cover the floor with. Sky and Colin disappear upstairs briefly, returning with Colin’s bed blankets and pillows. As they all settle in for the night, Link and Colin on either side of Sky, Uli moves carefully down the stairs, holding Shay. She moves to the boys on the floor, and deposits Shay gently onto Sky’s chest, where she curls up with a content sigh.

“You boys sleep well. We love you all. See you in the mornin’, okay?” Uli and Rusl move quietly up to their room, shutting the door behind them.

“Oh, Rusl, I don’t want to let him go.” Uli sighs and sit on the edge of the bed, Rusl dropping down next to her. “I know, love. But I don’t think we have much of a choice if the Goddess is involved. We just have to make sure he knows how loved he is before he leaves.” Uli nods determinedly, resolving to make Sky’s time with them the best she can. Anything for her boys.

--------

The next day was quiet, and Sky spent most of the morning indulging the children and introducing them to Phoenix. They had crowded around him almost as soon as he had stepped outside, and had asked him questions until Sky had given in and led them over to the Loftwing, who had settled next to Epona at the base of Link’s treehouse. Phoenix seemed to love the attention, showing off for the kids, as Sky watched them all carefully.

“Sky, can we go flying?” Colin’s question sparks a round of excited agreements, and Sky hesitates. “Well, we’d have to ask your parents, but I don’t see why not.” His response is met with screaming cheers as the kids all scatter, running to go find their parents, and Sky scrambles after them so he can make sure that they’re explaining everything. Link, Uli, and Rusl watch fondly from where they stand at the base of the large oak tree.

Once Sky had disappeared into the village after the kids, Rusl turned to Link. “So, last night you called him Link. What’s that all about, son?” He seems more curious than anything, and Link grins sheepishly, rubbing his arm.

“I, uh, I didn’t say?” Link glances between Rusl and Uli, and relents when he sees their unimpressed looks. “Alright, alright, relax. His real name is Link. I know I told you that he’s the Hero of the Skies, but he was the original Hero, the one the rest of us have been named for. We hold his spirit.”

Uli and Rusl are silent, heads swiveling between Link and where Sky had just disappeared, chasing after the children. Rusl’s mouth opens and closes a couple of times, but Uli finds her words first.

“Link Wyllt, you mean to tall me that Sky, our sweet, kind, gentle boy, was the original hero? The one from the Legend of the First Hero?” Uli’s voice has begun to rise. “The Godslayer?!” Link winces, and that’s all the answer that Uli needs. “Oh, my poor boy, I can’t even begin to imagine how awful that musta’ been!” She’s pacing now, wringing her hands as she walks, and Link tries in vain to get her attention.

“Uli. Uli. Uli. Ma!” Link’s last call snaps her out of her panic, and she marches up to him, taking his hands in her own. “Oh, baby, why didn’t you say somethin’?” Link sighs heavily, leaning down to rest his forehead on Uli’s shoulder. “He…he doesn’t know that I know, Ma.” He feels her shoulders tense under him, and he hurries to finish his sentence. “I told y’all how I found him, but when I touched his crystal, Ma, I saw parts of his journey. I was what he had to fight, I saw the end of that fight, and I just…I couldn’t bring that back up. It was awful, Ma, and I won’t be the reason he has to talk about it again.”

His voice is muffled by Uli’s shoulder, but she and Rusl hear him all the same. Uli sighs and drops his hands, reaching up to take Link by his upper arms to pull him upright as Rusl steps closer and drops a hand on Link’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, son.” Link smiles wetly at his parents as they pull him in for a tight hug. Rusl’s praise wasn’t rare, per say, but it was definitely something that would make you feel better about yourself. Link basked in the feeling and in his parents embrace until the sounds of the children began to echo through the trees. He stepped back reluctantly, and all three of them brushed themselves off as the children came crashing back into the clearing, Sky following behind them at a much more relaxed pace.

“Alrighty guys, what did I tell you to do first?” Sky glanced over at Link as he asked the question, but turned back to the kids when he was waved off. Link watched as Sky walked the kids through greeting the Loftwing, leaning up against the oak tree once more. It took a couple minutes for the kids to calm down enough for Phoenix to let them come near, and Colin was the first to manage it. Link wasn’t surprised. Colin was usually the calmest of the Ordon kids, excluding Ilia, but she was only a year younger than Link himself, so he’d never really considered her one of the kids.

As Link watched, Phoenix knelt down and allowed Colin to climb up onto his back with Sky’s help. The Loftwing stood and began walking around the clearing as Sky ushered the rest of the kids over to Link. “Hey, Link, would you mind helpin’ to watch the rest of the group when I have one in the air?”

Link agreed with a smile, and Sky called Phoenix over with a quiet whistle. “Thanks Link. We’ll be back in a couple of minutes, okay?” The last part of his statement was directed at the kids, who nodded eagerly. Sky swung himself onto the Loftwing’s back in front of Colin easily, and then they were gone, rising into the air as Colin’s whoop of excitement split the air.

--------

“Okay, here we go!”

Sky double checked that Colin was holding onto him tightly before he tapped Phoenix’s side gently with his foot. The Loftwing responded with a loud cry and increased his speed, cutting through the air with ease. As they banked to the left, Colin’s arms tightened around his stomach and Sky reached down to settle one hand over Colin’s in reassurance. He squeezed the younger boy’s hand gently and received a much harder squeeze in return, so Sky turned carefully to check on him, shouting loudly to be heard over the roaring of the wind. “You alright?”

Colin nodded eagerly, his eyes bright with excitement. “This is so cool!” The wind ripped the words from his mouth as soon as he spoke them, and Sky grinned back. He turned to face the front again and they flew gently for another minute before Sky turned around once more. “Are you good if we do a couple of tricks?”

Colin thought for a moment but nodded again. Sky smiled reassuringly at him and turned back to Phoenix, leaning forward to speak to him. “Phoenix, kid tricks! Have some fun!”

The Loftwing let out another loud caw and dropped into a small dive. As their speed increases, Colin lets out a cry of joy, which turns into a yelp of surprise as Phoenix snaps his wings open and they’re jolted out of the dive. They fly around for another couple of minutes before Sky directs them back to the ground. Phoenix lands in front of Link and the kids carefully, and Colin slides off of his back with a wide grin.

“Link, that was so cool! We were like whoosh, and he did a dive, and we went so fast!” Colin’s arms flailed around as he tried to explain the experience to Link. Malo and Talo have to dodge out of the way, and Link catches Colin’s hands with a chuckle, crouching down to talk with him as Sky gets the next kid onto Phoenix’s back.

He takes the rest of the kids up, and Phoenix does the same tricks they had done for Colin. By the time everyone has had a chance to fly, it’s after midday, and the only one who hasn’t flown is Link. When the kids realize this they crowd around him, clamoring for him to try flying, and he shoots Sky a pleading look. Sky takes a second to think things over and grins at Link from across the clearing. “Whaddya say, Link? Want to go for a fly?”

Next to Sky, Phoenix shakes out his feathers and looks directly at Link, his beady eyes staring him down. Link hesitates as the Loftwing grins - grins! – at him from across the clearing, Sky’s tilted head asking the silent question, ‘Are you up for this?’ Link glances down at the kids, their excitement clear, and heaves a sigh. Colin lets out a cheer, recognizing that they’ve won, and Link is jostled and pushed over to Sky and Phoenix. Sky swings himself up onto the Loftwing’s back and holds out a hand for Link to climb on, which Link does reluctantly.

Once both boys are situated and the kids have backed far enough away, Phoenix takes off. He rises steadily through the air and moves well out of the kid's views before he levels off, his pace relaxing. Sky shifts, swinging his body around so that he’s facing Link, his expression apologetic. “Hey, are you sure you’re good to do this? I didn’t mean to let the kids harass ya’ into it. And I know firsthand how unsettling Phoenix can get when he’s excited. If you don’t want to do this, we can find somewhere to land and head back after a couple minutes.”

Sky’s speaking loudly, but Link’s only partially paying attention. He’s entranced by the world below them and seems to be enjoying himself despite his initial reluctance. He answers Sky after a moment, his voice bright with excitement. “I’m good to stay up here, jus’ nothin’ crazy, okay?” Sky nods, and they spend the next couple of minutes soaring through the air. When they land, the kids crowd around and demand to know what the Loftwing did for them, and Link answers honestly. “We just flew, kiddos. Nothin’ fancy.”

A collective groan rose from the children, and Link grinned. “If y’all want to see fancy flyin’, I think we should let Sky go up alone.” Sky jolts in surprise, not expecting the attention to be directed back at him so quickly. “Wha…?”

“You and that bird o’ yours want to show off a bit?”

A look of excitement slowly spreads across Sky’s face and Link knows he’s made a good call. Sky turns to Phoenix and ruffles his feathers as he asks, “You up for a show, buddy?”

The Loftwing preens, his feathers puffing up with pride, and Sky swings himself smoothly back up onto the bird's back, and then they’re gone. In just seconds they’re nothing more than a speck in the sky, and the kids all let out awed gasps. They come streaking back down in a blur of red before Phoenix pulls up sharply. They level out and when Sky flings himself off of the Loftwing’s back, time seems to freeze. Sky’s freefalling, rolling and twisting through the air gracefully as Phoenix flies around him, not close enough to hinder his movements but never more than an arm’s length away.

They’re coming closer and closer to the ground now, and they’re less than a hundred feet away when Sky lets out an ear-splitting whistle and Phoenix swoops under him, catching the Skyloftian and soaring back up into the endless blue sky. The children let out loud cheers as the boy and his bird began to circle back towards the ground, coming in for a slow landing. As the children crowd around Sky after he dismounts Link hangs back, stepping closer to Phoenix.

“Thank you for looking after him, you crazy bird.” Link says to the Loftwing. Phoenix just stares at him, his beady eyes unblinking as Link moves closer. Once he’s close enough, Phoenix leans over and bumps Link gently with his head before he sits down, curling up and closing his eyes. Link turns back to the group behind him with a laugh as the kids all jump on Sky and drag him to the ground.

“Link, help!” The cry is sarcastic, not that the children notice, and Link smirks as he moves closer to the group.

“Oh, I’ll help alright.” Link flops down on top of the kids like Sky had done to him days prior, and Sky lets out a dramatic groan. Link laughed as the kids started to yell at him, ignoring their complaints as he pinned them all down.

--------

Link and Sky had made numerous trips to the castle in the weeks that Sky had been with them, and they had quickly become more friendly visits than official ones. Sky could see the spark between Link and Princess Zelda, but he was also aware of the spark between Link and Ilia, so he’d kept his opinions to himself. Their latest visit was sparked by Sky’s memories becoming clearer, and surprisingly enough, Princess Zelda had returned to Ordon Village with them. She had expressed interest in where Link had grown up, and neither of them had been able to refuse her, so off they went.

Their arrival had sparked some concern and curiosity, as Princess Zelda didn’t often leave the castle, but she had quickly waved them all away.

“I must admit, I’m curious. I’ve not been out this far, and wished to see where our Hero had grown up.” Her eyes flickered over to Link, and Sky noticed gleefully that Link was blushing brightly, the tips of his ears bright red. He elbowed the other boy in the ribs as Zelda continued to talk with Mayor Bo, earning himself a flick to the forehead. He pouted in response, his eyes wide and innocent as he stared up at Link, who was visibly fighting the urge to give in. Unfortunately for Sky, their attention was pulled away as Zelda called for them. They moved to her sides, teasing forgotten, and continued to show her around the village.

Later that night, the three of them sat at Link’s kitchen table with warm mugs of tea in hand. Zelda was the first to break the silence, her voice gentle in the silence of the early night. “I’ve had another dream.”

Link sets his mug back down on the table with a thunk, his ears twitching as he does. His content expression has hardened into something more worried, and Sky straightens in his seat as Zelda’s gaze turns to him, pinning him in place with its intensity. Sky freezes, his hands curling into fists at the bottom of his tunic as worry pools in his gut. Link stiffens as well, his eyes flicking from Zelda to Sky and back again. “Zelda?” Link prompts softly.

Zelda hesitates, her eyes losing some of their intensity as she finally speaks. “I fear…I fear that your time with us is coming to a close, Sky.” She speaks softer than before, her words kind, but filled with grief and regret. One of her hands stretches out towards him and Sky uncurls his fists, one hand coming up to take the Princesses offered one. She holds onto his hand tightly, and Link reaches out to take his other one, his free hand reaching out for Zelda’s other hand. Sky takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, his chest tight with emotion as he responds.

“I know.”

Link’s hold on his hands tightens, and Zelda’s expression falls. “I…I’m tired. Beyond the normal, and everything’s been tinted amber for…a while now. It’s like I’m looking through the crystal again, but it's not as intense, not yet.” He swallows thickly. “I knew it was coming, but I didn’t know how to say anything.” Sky stiffens, then, and turns to face Link, panic creeping across his face. “I would’ve told you, I promise! I wouldn’t have left without saying anything! I would never do that to you! Not…not after…” He trails off, unable to finish his sentence. Link is silent next to him, and Sky’s anxiety grows. It twists in his chest, his lungs growing tighter and tighter and tighter-

A gentle hand reaches up and cups his cheek, breaking him out of his panic. Sky drags his eyes up to find that Link has dropped Zelda’s hand and leaned closer to him. Sky’s energy abandons him completely, and he droops into Link’s hand with a soft exhale. “Oh, kiddo,” Link says softly, “I know. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that you wouldn’t. It’s okay, Sky.”

Sky allows his eyes to fall closed for a moment, pressing into Link’s hand and soaking up the comfort. When he drags his eyes back open, Link and Zelda are staring intently at each other, having a silent conversation, and Sky is content to watch them. It’s a beautiful thing, Sky thinks, to know someone well enough to speak silently, to trust that they know what you mean. The Skyloftian blinks slowly, peering fondly at his pseudo-brother and his not-quite girlfriend, and thinks to himself, ‘This is what it feels like, to have a family.'

He hums contentedly as Link and Zelda seem to finish their conversation and turn to look at him. They’re both smiling fondly and Sky’s speaking before he realizes it, the words slipping out softly. “Y’all are so in love that I can’t think right.”

Faster than Sky can blink, Link and Zelda have jumped apart, both flushing brightly. In his attempt to put some space between himself and Princess Zelda, however, Link inadvertently rips his hand out from under Sky’s cheek and the younger boy goes down, his chin hitting the table with a loud thunk as he loses his balance and goes crashing to the floor. There's silence for a moment before Zelda bursts into uncontrollable laughter. She leans over and braces herself on the table with one hand, the other wrapped around her stomach as she struggles to keep herself upright, her laughter threatening to send her down to the floor with Sky. Zelda’s laughter sends Link into a fit of laughter as well, and Sky blinks dumbly up at them from his spot on the floor.

After another moment, Sky laughs as well. He uses the edge of the table to pull himself up again, sliding carefully back into his seat as he massages his chin, his laughter calming quickly. The other two manage to get themselves under control as they settle back into their seats as well. Sky grins over at them, his voice dry as he says, “Well, that certainly seemed like karma to me.”

Link chuckles again, a hand coming up to wipe his eyes. “I won’t argue with you. Maybe now you’ll keep it to yourself, huh?”

Sly just scoffs, smiling cheekily at Link’s expectant grin, mentally cheering as the other boy’s expressions falters slightly. Link opens his mouth to say something, but he’s interrupted by Zelda, who seems the most put together after the events of the past couple of minutes. “So, boys, not to dampen the mood, but do we know how long Sky has left?”

Link tenses and Sky sighs. “I’m not sure, unfortunately. My best guess is a couple of days, but that's just a feeling.” The room goes quiet again, the only sound coming from the crickets outside. Sky opens his mouth, but hesitates, unsure of himself. If he tells them now, who knows how long he’ll have to deal with the fallout. If he doesn’t tell them now and goes home before he works up the courage, then they’ll never know. It’s the last thought that helps him make up his mind, and Sky tucks his hands in his lap to ignore the shaking and begins to talk.

“There’s something about my journey that I haven’t told you.” Link and Zelda both look over at him, but he forges on. “I feel like I should tell you because it directly affects both of you and any descendants of yours as well.” Sky takes a deep, shuddering breath as the words register with the others, continuing before they can respond. “I was cursed. That’s why the two of you have been dragged into all of this. I told you that I fought Demise and that he was a God. He was the God of Evil, and Hatred, and Malice, and he was so, so strong. I…I did everything I could, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.” Sky’s hands curl into fists once more, his nails digging into his palm as he talks. “He held me there, made me listen as he cursed the Spirit of the Hero and the Blood of the Goddess. The cycle will never end, and I am so, so sorry.”

Sky bows his head after he finishes talking, ready to listen to their anger and judgment. As the seconds tick by, his worry grows, and finally Link breaks the silence. “I already knew.”

Sky’s head turns to face him, his expression one of horror. Link rushes to explain, his hands raised to placate the younger boy. “The Goddess showed me. I saw how he stopped you, and I heard what he said. You couldn’t move, ya couldn’t’ve done anything against him. In fact,” Here, Link leans forward, staring intently at Sky from across the table. “You held out longer than I could’ve. I wouldn’t have won that fight, Sky.”

Sky shook his head, but Link kept talking. “I struggled against Ganondorf here, and he was a mortal. Yeah, he held the power of the Triforce, but he didn’t have the power of a God. I would’ve died in that fight. You did amazing.”

Sky shakes his head vehemently in denial, but Link and Zelda both ignore him.

“We would never blame you for that, Sky. Our Ganondorf was powerful, and he was nowhere near what you had to fight. I cannot imagine what fighting a God must have been like.” Zelda was smiling at him again. Sky smiled back softly, then felt hands drop onto his shoulders before they spun his chair around, the legs screeching loudly on the wooden floor. Link pulled him up and into a hug, and before long, Sky felt Zelda joining them. “You guys are amazing,” Sky mumbled into Link’s shirt, earning a laugh from the slightly older boy. A hand ruffled his hair, and he was let go. He looked at the two of them, smiling softly as he stepped back. “You two are some of the best people I’ve ever met. I will never forget how kind you’ve been to me.”

Zelda and Link smile brightly at him, their hands intertwined. They all share one last embrace before they settle in for the night, and Zelda leaves for the castle the next morning, her kind smile a fond memory in Sky’s head.

--------

The evening after Zelda leaves, Link and Sky sit at the edge of the water in Ordon Spring, the evening breeze carrying the cool evening towards them. They’ve both got their feet in the water, their shoes kicked off somewhere behind them on the sandy shoreline. They sit in comfortable silence for a while, only broken by the crickets and the sound of the water. The evening light casts shadows around the Spring, but Link and Sky sit in the warmth of the sinking sun.

“Hey, Link?” Sky asks quietly.

Link hums in acknowledgment, turning to look at the younger boy beside him. Sky’s head rests on his knees, which are tucked up by his chest. His arms are hooked around his legs as well, and he’s staring up into the sunset, the sun's fading glow making the faint scars on his face light up in contrast to the rest of his tan skin. The scars are thin and fern-like, climbing up Sky’s cheek from below the collar of his shirt. They’re faint, enough that Link doesn’t think that he would have noticed them if not for the angle of the setting sun, but he doesn’t say anything, instead listening to Sky.

“Do you think I’ll get to see you again? After She calls me home?” He’s even quieter now, like he doesn’t want to voice the question. He tilts his head to face Link, his cheek squished against his knee. He’s glowing in the evening light, curled up next to Link, and it makes him look otherworldly. He truly looks like someone who had descended from the Heavens, Link thinks. He commits the image to memory as he ponders his answer, choosing his words carefully.

“I don’t know. I’d like to think you will, and I’d sure love for Shay to grow up and be able to meetcha’, but you know how it is.” Link leans back, resting his weight on his forearms as he looks up into the sky.

“Yeah.” Sky breathes out. “Yeah, I know.”

They fall back into silence after that, sitting together as the dusk turns to night. The stars decorate the sky and eventually, they make their way back to Link’s treehouse, climbing the ladder carefully and settling down into their beds.

When Link wakes up the next morning, it’s to an empty house and an empty clearing. Sky and Phoenix are gone.

In their place, a large amber crystal floats gently in the wind at the top of Ordon Spring, nestled carefully between the rocks on the ledge.

Chapter Text

Sky goes to sleep surrounded by love and warmth, and Link wakes cold and alone, on the floor of the Temple, lying on the dais that previously held the crystal. He stays there as he waits for his head to stop spinning, curled in on himself to keep the chill away. The door creaks open slowly, bathing the room with light, and a strong presence enters the room, hesitating by the door. The presence creeps through the room, coming ever closer.

Link cracks an eye open and is met with radiating warmth. His Zelda is hovering over him, her mouth moving, speaking words that he cannot hear. The dizziness has progressed and become a ringing in his ears. The world blurs in and out of focus. He shivers, and his Zelda pulls him into her arms, resting his chest and head on her shoulders, sharing her warmth and love. They are still alone.

His Zelda taps out a message on his chest, and he hums, his hands coming up to sign a reply that his throat will not allow. 'Safe. People were kind. Can’t remember who…' His hands stop and fall back into his lap as his strength falters. His Zelda smooths his hair away from his eyes, and he smiles up at her as the world blurs and goes black.

--------

Link goes to sleep on the cold floor, only him and his Zelda. He wakes again, warm, tucked in between his Zelda, his Pipit, and his Groose. They are in his room, and they are all talking lowly. Zelda’s hand rests in his right one, her body pressed against his right side, between him and the wall. Pipit’s hand rests on his ankle while Groose’s hand holds his other wrist, fingers resting against his pulse point. From what little he can see, the window is pulled almost completely closed, and the lamp on his desk dimmed down to almost nothing. He shifts, drawing their attention as he does, and suddenly they’re all moving, adjusting to pull themselves impossibly closer.

“Link!” Zelda is breathless with glee, leaning over him to kiss his forehead. Pipit and Groose lean in, and Link basks in the warmth of his friends with a fond smile. “We came as soon as we could get away. I’m sorry we took so long, inkspot.” Pipit smiled down at him gently. “Are you feeling better?”

Link shifts with a small smile, gently pulling his hands loose. ‘So much better.’ He sits up reluctantly, unwilling to leave the cocoon of warmth, and is immediately pulled under Groose’s arm and tucked under a blanket. ‘How long was I out?’

The mood in the room dims, and his friends exchange glances. There's a minute of silence, and Link wrings his hands together until Zelda answers him softly. “You’ve been out for three days, Link.”

His hands stutter in their wringing, and Link blinks slowly. Three days? He tucks his hands close to his chest and pulls his legs up, curling in on himself. Three days. That was it? He’d only been gone for three days, but it had been weeks. He’d been with the other Hero for nearly a whole month, and he’d only been gone for three days?

A hand lands on his shoulder and he is startled out of his thoughts. Zelda is inches from his face, looking at him intently. “You don’t have to keep doing this, Link. It’s alright if you want to stop.”

Frantically, he shakes his head and signs his response. ‘No! No, I want to keep doing this, I want to help who I can! I just…I didn’t realize how messed up the time would seem.’ His hands pause again, and his friends wait for him to gather his thoughts, their expressions curious. ‘I was with the other Hero for almost a month. I don’t remember all of it. I – I can't remember names, or places or how many people were there. Their faces are fading so fast, but I remember their voices, how kind they were to me, and how much they let me help. I remember how much they helped me. I can’t…I can’t sit back and do nothing if I have the chance to help.'

Link could feel himself getting worked up, and brought his hands to his hair to tug lightly on the sleep-messy curls. Pipit’s hands caught his own, and Zelda ran a hand gently through his hair as Groose wiggled around until he was sitting behind Link, trapping him in a bear hug, pulled against his chest. When he spoke, Link could feel the vibrations from where he was pressed against the other boy's chest. “We’re proud of you, Link. We won’t stop you.” The bear hug tightened, and Link finally crumbled.

His shoulders tremble as the tears slip down his face. Pipit opens his arms in an invitation and when Groose pushes him gently forward, Link falls into his big brother's arms with a desperate hug, latching his arms around Pipit’s chest and squeezing, burying his face in his brother’s shoulder. Pipit holds him close as he cries silently, and Zelda and Groose tuck in beside the two tightly, pressed up against them in an offer of support. It takes a couple of minutes for Link to calm down, but once he does he pulls away from his friends with one last sniffle.

He pushes himself up and off the bed, striding towards his closet determinedly as Zelda climbs off of the bed after him, calling his name. “Link?”

Link glances back at her as he flings his closet door open and begins rummaging around. He digs through his collection of clothes until he reaches the back of the closet, pulling out a small, detailed journal with a small hum of satisfaction. He nudges the closet door closed with his hip as he opens the journal. The pages are crisp and clean, stiff from lack of use. The only page with anything on it was the very first one, holding the last of his parent’s handwriting. He makes his way to the desk and drops into the chair, grabbing a pencil and carefully laying the book flat on the desk as Groose, Pipit, and Zelda all come to stand behind him.

He hears Pipit’s breath catch but doesn’t stop his sketching, the pencil moving gently across the page as he does his best to recreate the Hero’s face. Longer dark blonde hair, facial tattoos, and kind eyes take shape on the page as he works silently. Once he finishes with the Hero’s picture, he flips carefully to the next page and draws a young woman, followed by a small family of four on the page after her.

Finally, Link drops the pencil down and sits back, his eyes staring at the small leatherbound journal on his desk. A warm hand settles gently on his shoulder and squeezes.

“I think they’d be proud of you, Inkspot.” Pipit’s words reassure Link, and he glances up at his friends, a soft smile across his face. As he looks back to the journal, he makes a promise to himself and is determined to keep it.

No matter how much he forgets, he won't forget how much they loved him, and how much he loved them in return.

Chapter Text

Listen, Link just wants to talk with whoever built this massive fucking castle. All of the stupidly long hallways, massive empty rooms, and the goddessdamn stairs. So many damn stairs.

It seemed like he had been wandering for hours, but Link knew it hadn’t really been that long. With only the sound of his boots on the floor for company, the castle seemed to go on forever, and Link felt like he was no closer to finding whatever the King of Red Lions had sent him in here to find. The boat hadn’t even told him what he was looking for!

The King had huffed a laugh. “You will see very soon, child. Patience.”

Link turned away, mocking his statement under his breath. “Patience, child. I’m gonna be mysterious in the meantime, not gonna tell you shit!”

“I heard that, child.”

“Heard what? I didn’t say anything.” Link had snarked back at him. “Maybe you’re losing your hearing in your old boat age.”

Granted, the teasing had been good-natured, but again, it still hadn’t told him what he was looking for. As Link continued to wander through the (absurdly large and empty) castle, he finally came to a stop in front of a large, ornate set of doors. His heartbeat was loud in his ears compared to the silence around him, and he hesitated to push the doors open. The King had said to be careful. What was on the other side of the doors?

He waited only a moment longer before he pushed the doors open, walking through and coming face to face with a snarling Moblin. He jumped backward with a cry that echoed through the room, bringing his sword up. “AH!”

The Moblin didn’t move. His heart pounding, Link inched closer, reaching out with his sword and poking the Moblin. It still didn’t move. He poked it again, harder this time, and it wobbled before falling and shattering. Link scrambled away from it in surprise, bumping into another monster as he did. “Fuck!” More statues toppled over like dominos, hitting the ground and shattering. “Shit!”

He froze, waiting for the remaining monsters to come alive and attack, but they never did. His chest heaving, he looked around the large room as he finally took notice of where he was. Directly in front of him, there was a large statue of the Hero of Time. The walls held portraits of the Royal Family, some individual paintings, and some different groups of people. There were other, smaller portraits and statues around the room as well, depicting other Heroes from times past. There was a plaque in from of each one, presumably holding their names, titles, and information about them.

Link ignored all of this for the most part, choosing to focus on the monsters around the room. There were several Moblins scattered around the first floor, and there were Darknuts spaced around the second floor. Every single monster in the room was frozen.

Link crept through the room, still cautious. He came to the base of the statue of the Hero of Time. It was the largest statue in the room, and in front of it, there was an imprint of the Triforce on the floor, with three large triangle-shaped blocks sitting around it. He stepped onto the floor in front of the statue, and a woman’s voice called his name.

“Link.”

He swung around, startled, holding his sword at the ready again. His breathing stuttered, and his eyes moved frantically around the room, searching, but finding nothing. “Don’t fucking do that!” He yelled into the silence. His sword arm drooped, and he sighed. “Scared the shit outta me, for fucks sake.”

The voice came again, but it was quieter now, and almost sounded apologetic.

“Link…”

When the woman called his name again, Link felt a tug in his chest. It wasn’t painful, but it was a little unsettling. He ignored it and turned around to move towards the large statue again when the tugging increased, trying to pull him in the opposite direction.

“Follow…”

“This is so fucking weird, what the shit.” Link whirled around with a snarl, stomping towards a small staircase at the end of the room. He followed the pull upwards, moving up the never-ending spiral staircase fairly quickly. It was a good thing that the staircase wasn’t actually never-ending, because just as he started to get dizzy, it came to an end. There was a short bridge, leading to a tower that had been built off to the side, separate from the main castle. The tugging grew more insistent as he crept closer, and Link pushed open the door. It creaked, opening slowly to allow him entry.

Link stopped just past the doorway, staring in surprise at the large, amber-colored crystal in the middle of the room. It was vaguely see-through, and Link could just make out the shape of a person inside of it. “Woah!” He rushed forward, letting the door slowly creak closed behind him. He circled the crystal a couple of times before reaching forward to lay his hand against it.

The world dissolved into swirls of color, and suddenly, Link was floating. Looking down, he saw the clouds far beneath his feet and heard a cry of excitement split the air. He turned, seeing that there were other Hylians up there with him, sitting on the backs of massive birds. He blinked, and the scene changed again, leaving him on a large island that was floating in the sky. Behind him stood a village, connected by narrow bridges and paths, while in front of him, there was a young boy and one of the large birds. The bird, while still obviously young, was still very much larger than any bird Link had ever seen besides the Helmaroc King, and it towered over the young Hylian as it leaned down into his space.

Link cried out in alarm, diving forward to pull the kid out of the way as his memories of the Helmaroc King grabbing Aryll sprung to the front of his mind. However, the kid let out a bubbly laugh, reaching up to the bird and hugging it around its neck. Link stopped in his tracks, watching in confusion as the crimson bird curled carefully around the toddler. The kid let out another happy laugh as the wind blew through them, and they dissolved.

“Wait!” Link called out to the empty air, looking for the boy and the bird. “I-I don’t understand, what's going on?” The wind curled around him affectionately, and another younger bird burst into existence, swooping over his head. Link yelped, ducking and covering his head with his arms, but the blueish-purple bird landed behind him, this time in front of a small Hylian girl with golden hair.

Link peaked out of his arms, watching as the little girl climbed onto the bird. She sat for a moment then wobbled dangerously, and Link lunged towards them again with a cry, trying to catch her. Before he could get close, the bird shifted, moving so that the girl was centered on its back, and sinking to the ground as he did so. Was the bird looking out for the toddler? He stopped short, looking around frantically as they too dissolved in the wind.

More and more flashes of the two kids flew by, and all of them included the birds. Link realized that the Hylians and the birds were both growing through the scenes and forming an immense trust as the Hylians threw themselves off of the islands, trusting their birds to catch them. Eventually, the flashes slowed, and Link saw the two Hylians sitting together in the grass, caring for their birds. After a few seconds, the wind blew through the Hylians on the ground, and they dissolved into the wind once more.

“What is this? What’s going on?” Link yelled into the sky. His hands curled into fists by his sides and the wind blew sharply through his bangs before it gentled, ruffling his tunic in a gesture that seemed almost affectionate. The response to Link’s questions was a loud Caw! from behind him.

He whirled around, searching for the bird that had made the sound. There! The blueish-purple bird carried the girl on its back, and the crimson bird carried the boy. They were flying slowly, a little ways away from the island, but still well within view. Link watched for a minute as they drifted peacefully through the air and yelped in surprise as a massive tornado swirled into existence almost directly on top of them.

The girl and her bird wobbled dangerously and then were thrown in separate directions. The bird managed to right itself fairly easily, but the girl fell, her mouth open in a scream that Link couldn’t hear. Link saw the boy let out a cry and direct his bird into a dive, reaching out a hand to grab her. He moved closer and closer, but the tornado was faster. It turned, slamming directly into the boy and the crimson bird, and they were thrown apart, much like the girl and her bird had been moments before. The boy went flying, slamming into one of the small floating rocks that were scattered around the sky. Unconscious, the boy began to drop through the open air and the girl screamed again, but this time, Link heard her.

“NO!” She continued to fall; the horror clear on her face as the boy continued to drop. She whistled loudly, spurring the blueish-purple bird into flying faster as the crimson one struggled to right itself in the winds. The bird gave a powerful flap of its wings, but it was too late. The tornado had flung the crimson bird in the opposite direction and was moving towards the girl again. She whistled again, but she was swallowed by the tornado.

The birds both screeched loudly, and there was an answering call from closer to the island as more birds rose into the air and beelined towards the commotion. The crimson bird finally managed to right itself once more, and together, the two birds dove towards the boy. The crimson bird caught him gently in his claws, and the image dissolved into the next gust of wind.

“No! No, please, what happened? You can’t stop there! Are they okay? Please, please!” Link’s voice cracked as he yelled. He turned in place wildly, looking all around him for a glimpse of what had happened after. He caught a shimmer out of the corner of his eye and turned towards it desperately. “Please, please, please, please…” He muttered under his breath as the scene faded into existence.

The boy and the girl were sitting in front of a fire, now dressed in different clothes. The girl's right ankle and wrist were bandaged, while the boy’s forearms were both wrapped, and he had a bandage wrapped around his head, peeking out from under his bangs. There was some kind of mark creeping up the right side of his neck and onto his cheek, but Link wasn’t close enough to see what it was. Link heaved a sigh of relief, but stiffened again when he realized that he could hear them again.

'I don’t know what you want me to say, Zelda. I got us cursed, and it’ll affect everyone who comes after us. Add in the fact that I let you get hurt…' The boy's hands slowed to a stop, and the girl-Zelda- spoke sharply. “Absolutely not. You didn’t get me hurt. You didn’t ask for the Hero’s spirit to be cursed, and you didn’t ask for the blood of the Goddess to be cursed either.”

The boy lifted his hands to argue, but Zelda pressed a hand over his own. “Shhh. No. This wasn’t your fault. He was a God. You were not. Sure, you might have a portion of his powers now, but you’re still mortal, and that’s why they affect you so much.” She looked at him, smiling. “And even beyond that, I know full well that you have no plans to use them. Maybe with these powers, you could’ve changed something, but you didn’t have them when you fought him. He held you there, made you watch. This is exactly what he wanted.”

The boy's shoulders shook, and Zelda leaned over, resting her head against his. “Don’t let the adults twist what you know happened down there. They weren’t there, and they didn’t fight him. They didn’t save me. They didn’t protect Groose, or Impa, or any of the living beings down here. They sat up in the sky and made you do it all. They’re full of shit, and you know that.”

The boy gave a silent, tearful laugh and swung an arm around Zelda’s shoulders. 'What would I do without you?' Zelda grinned at him and said, “Let’s not find out, hmm?”

The scene faded, and Link was back in front of the crystal. He stumbled to the side, pressing his hands against his eyes to ward away the pounding in his head, looking up just in time to see the amber crystal flash brightly. “Gah!” He crashed down to his knees, pressing his hands into his eyes as hard as he dared. Another flash had Link gritting his teeth and turning away, fully sitting down on the floor. His hands were digging into his eyes painfully, and Link was startled when a voice rang through the room.

“Oh!” The voice was smooth and kind, and Link could hear soft footsteps moving across the room toward him as the person spoke.

“Can I help, please? Can I touch your hands?” The voice was soft, and Link let out a pained noise of consent. Two warm hands layered over his own, drowning out a little more of the light in the room. The voice spoke again, and this time it seemed oddly familiar. “Let up on the pressure, just a little bit at a time. Let yourself get used to the light of the room, alright?”

Link hummed in agreement, and did as asked. Gradually, he pulled his hands away from his eyes, and soon the only hands covering his eyes were the other boys. “Okay, I’m going to move my hands now. Let me know if it still hurts please.” Link blinked slowly as the hands pulled away, then blinked rapidly a couple of times as he took in the person in front of him.

Was that…? It was! It was the boy from the crystal! “Wow!” Link breathed out in excitement, reaching out to poke the boy's arm, his headache forgotten. “You’re the guy from all the stuff that Crystal showed me. You’re so cool! What were those big birds? Whose Zelda? What did she mean by you having a god's powers? How did you even get down here? Where did you come from?” Link paused after the last question, seeing that the other boy had gotten alarmingly pale. “Hey, are you okay?”

The boy nodded shakily and sat down on the floor in front of him. “I… How do you know any of that?” He brought a hand up to tug on his hair as he asked, and Link shrugged. “I, uh, I touched that big crystal that was in here. I saw a whole bunch of these really big birds, and you and uh, Zelda? Yeah, the two of you as kids, and then as you grew up.” Link scooted closer, and the other boy’s ears drooped. “Do you want me to tell you everything I saw?”

“Please. I’m just confused.” The boy had regained some color as Link talked, so he kept going. “There was this big ass tornado, and it swallowed Zelda and you got thrown and hit your head pretty hard on some rocks.” Here, the boy let out a noise of surprise. “Is that what happened? Hmmm…” Link hesitated, then continued. “The last thing I saw was you two around a fire, and Zelda was saying that something wasn’t your fault. And something about powers?”

The other boy tugged harder on his hair as Link finished talking, so he scooted even closer and grabbed the boy's hands, pulling them from his hair carefully. His hands were shaking, and he exhaled sharply. “I…”

“It’s okay! You don’t gotta tell me! I shoulda’ known not to ask you about some of it. It’s not my business.” Link held the boy’s hands gently but firmly, keeping him from tugging his hair again. It was quiet for a minute before he spoke. “Thank you. I probably should tell you, but right now everything is a bit muddled, and I don’t really know where to start.”

Link nodded rapidly, practically vibrating in place. “That’s fine!” He stood up, reaching down to pull the other boy up as well. “Actually, what should I call you?”

The boy chuckled, stepping over to where the crystal had been. “Well, I’m not sure you’ll believe me, but my name is Link. I’m from a number of years in your past, from an island in the sky called Skyloft.” He turned around, swinging a pretty sword onto his back. “You can call me Sky though.”

Link stopped bouncing abruptly, staring at the other boy in confusion. “The fuck did you just say?”

Sky laughed brightly, his eyes crinkling at the edges, and now Link could see and hear the resemblance to the toddler he had seen earlier. A bright smile with a bubbly laugh, and Link was pretty much convinced.

Sky opened his mouth to say something, but Link cut him off. “That’s so cool! What are you doing here though? This place has to have been underwater for a while now.” Sky paused at the information, visibly confused. “Underwater?”

Link grinned, moving over to the window and beckoning Sky to join him. “Yeah. We’re in some castle that way under the Great Sea. I live on an island too, actually, Outset Island! It’s the best.” Sky looked out the window, looking up to see the expanse of water around them. “Woah…” Link grinned at the awed expression on his face. “I can show you all of the islands when we go back up if 'ya want. You’re coming with us, right?”

“Us?” Sky questioned.

“Yeah, me and the King of Red Lions! He’s a talking boat! We’re down here to – oh shit!” Link spun around and moved quickly towards the door. “He sent me in here to get something, but wouldn’t tell me what it was. I think it’s in the main room though!”

Sky laughed again, taking a moment to grab a bag and the shield that were sitting where the crystal had been, and followed Link down the long spiral staircase. They moved through the hallways again, and Link slowed to a stop outside a small archway to look back at Sky. “There's a lot of frozen monsters in this room. It’s kinda creepy.” Sky nodded, and the two quickly moved into the room, dodging the statues. Link shuddered at the snarls frozen on the monster's faces, but continued around them to the floor in front of the statue of the Hero of Time.

They solved the puzzle fairly quickly, pushing the large triangle blocks into the shape of the Triforce and looking away as the marks on the floor began to glow. The statue of the Hero of Time shook as it slid out of the way, revealing a descending staircase. They moved silently, cautiously, uncertain about what they would find at the bottom.

They came into a room with a small platform in the middle, just passed the end of the main stairs and down another small staircase. Sky gasped quietly, and Link whirled around, reaching for his sword. “What?” Sky looked towards the center of the room and looked at his own sword, curiosity written on his face. “That’s…that’s the Master Sword. That’s got to be what we’re here for.” He took a deep breath, looking at Link. “I think you’ve got to pull the sword.”

Link’s eyes flick back and forth between the sword in Sky’s hand, and the one embedded in the pedestal, finding the similarities. Finally, he nodded, descending the rest of the stairs and moving to the sword. He gripped the hilt of the sword and pulled, staggering back when the weapon came smoothly out of the pedestal. The knight statues around him all dipped their swords towards the middle of the island, creating a small ring over his head, and a burst of power rippled through the air. Almost immediately after, the grunts and cries of the monsters upstairs floated down the stairway.

“Why did he send me down here for this?” Link inspected the sword quickly, then sheathed it. Sky shook his head. “I don’t have his answer. We can go find him if you think you’re done?” Link cast a glance around the room, nodding when he found nothing else of interest.

Link and Sky made their way upstairs, fighting their way out of the castle. There was one close call when Link had gotten distracted by Sky’s talent with his sword, but Sky had taken care of the Moblin behind him with a well-aimed beam of light from his sword. “That was so cool! What was that? Can I do it too? Can you teach me?” Link was leaning over the railing of the second floor, yelling down to Sky, who gestured for him to back away from the railing. “It’s called a Skyward Strike, and I don’t know, actually. I can try, but I think your Master Sword might be a little different than mine.”

Link slid down the railing on the stairs, sliding off and falling into step with Sky as they left the castle. Link chattered as they walked, but stopped when they finally made it outside, running over to the King of Red Lions. “Oh! Sky, this is the King of Red Lions. King, this is Sky! Also, I got the sword! That’s what we were here for, right?” Link was grinning ear to ear, but the King remained silent, staring strangely at Sky.

Eventually, he spoke. “The Hero of the Skies. We bid you welcome to our era, though it will undoubtedly be different than yours.” He bowed his head, and Sky shifted uncomfortably. “Thank you for the welcome, but you don’t have to bow. You haven’t seen a large crimson bird by any chance, have you?” The King shook his head, then turned to address Link. “You’ve done well to retrieve the sword, Link.”

The King kept talking, but Link was only half listening. He kept one eye on Sky as he wandered the area, moving back over to his side as soon as the King was done talking. As he walked, he caught the frustration that crossed the King’s face, but he chalked it up to Link not paying much attention, and put it out of his mind. As he came up behind Sky, Link reached out and snagged his wrist, startling the older boy out of his thoughts. Sky flinched away before he turned, an eyebrow raised in question.

“We’re about to leave. Come on!” Link hesitates for a moment, his head tilting to the side. “You…do still want to come with, right?” Sky smiles down at him, slinging an arm around his shoulders as he directs them towards the boat. “Yes, of course, if you’ll have me. I think I’d get rather lonely down here by myself.” Link just grins and clambers into the boat, tucking his bag out of the way to clear up some space.

As soon as they’re settled the boat begins to rise, and Sky and Link both forgo conversation to look around at the vast ocean around them. Link scoots over to sit next to Sky, crossing his arms and resting them on the edge of the boat, mimicking Sky’s position. As they rose through the water, Link caught sight of a truly massive shadow off in the distance. The biggest thing he’d ever seen, even bigger than the Big Octo, it had two little wings on its back, and two long fins hanging down from the front half of its body. He nudged Sky, who looked over and gasped.

“Oh wow! It’s huge! Are those wings on its back?” Link shrugged, just as confused as Sky was. There was no way something that big would be able to fly with those teeny-tiny wings on its back. Eventually, they broke through the surface of the water and Link pulled out his map to chart their course.

Link pulled out the Wind Waker and directed the breeze northwest, much to Sky’s awe, and then they set sail for the Forsaken Fortress. The King of Red Lions had informed them that it was time to go and rescue Link's little sister Aryll, saying that the Master Sword was the last piece Link needed to fight the Helmaroc King. The trip would take them almost four days, so Link and Sky settled in to wait.

--------

“So, can I ask about the big birds?” Link was hesitant to ask at first, but relaxed when Sky brightened considerably. “Oh, you mean our Loftwings!” Sky was sitting at the far end of the boat, his legs stretched out and crossed in front of him, his hands hooked behind his head to cushion his neck. Link had set up at the other end of the boat, and was lying on his stomach, his head propped up by his hands.

“So, every person on Skyloft has a partner, a Loftwing. They’re essentially our other half, our life partners. We meet each other when we’re both very young, and we grow together and learn to trust each other. We take care of them, and they take care of us in return. We fly with them, and they help us keep each other safe.” Sky spoke fondly of the massive birds, but Link was still unsure. “Have there ever been issues with them? Has one attacked anybody?”

Sky looked startled at the question. “Well, I’ve only seen a Loftwing lash out once, and that’s when it was being treated very, very poorly. Even then, I don’t think he hurt anybody, he was just trying to get someone to help him. Besides that, I’ve never seen or heard of any problems.” Sky looked over at Link and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Link hesitated before he answered. He spoke slowly, gazing past Sky, out into the horizon. “The Helmaroc King… He’s a giant bird. Even bigger than your Loftwings, and real’ fuckin’ nasty. That’s what took my sister. I guess I’m just…scared.” His voice dropped to a whisper at the end of his sentence, and Sky winced. He thought for a minute and said, “You know, I’m often scared as well.”

Link's eyes snapped back to Sky’s, a startled expression on his face. “Really?”

Sky nodded. “I had no idea what I was doing, most of my journey. I was always one step behind, always late, and I was always so scared of everything around me.” He tilted his head back to rest on the side of the boat, his eyes closing, and Link wriggled silently into an upright position. “I…” Sky sighed. “I told you I lived in the Sky, right?” Link hummed in agreement, freezing in place as Sky shifted, but didn’t raise his head. Once he began to talk, Link began to inch across the small boat.

“You said that you saw how Zelda was taken. She was taken down to the Surface, and no one had been there and ever come back. Anyone who went down there was just…gone. And when I woke up, I was told that she had fallen through the barrier. Link, I was terrified. I thought my best friend was gone forever because I hadn’t been able to catch her.” Sky’s voice was thick with emotion, and Link moved the last couple of inches, tucking himself under Sky’s right arm. The older hero tensed momentarily then relaxed and tugged him in closer. Link stayed silent, and Sky spoke again.

“I waited about two hours before I got up to go try and find her. Her father found me almost immediately, as I was following a spirit, and followed me in turn. He gave me my knights uniform, and sent me down to the surface the next morning.”

Link pulled away slightly, looking up at Sky with a frown. “But I thought you said that people who fall through the barrier were gone. Wasn’t that…oh. He didn’t expect you to come back, did he.” It was more of a statement than a question, and Link watched as Sky’s face twisted.

“No, I don’t think he did. That scared me too, that he was so willing to send me down, not knowing if I’d ever come back. Part of me thinks that it was his punishment, for not catching Zelda.” Sky was trembling, and Link pressed himself back under his arm. “I was lucky though. I had found Fi, the spirit of the Goddess sword, and she was able to open a gate of sorts, and it allowed me safe passage. Of course, Gaepora didn’t know that when he sent me down.”

“But she’s okay now, right? You found her?” Link was curious. He’d seen the two of them in the crystal, but he didn’t know anything about what had happened. Sky hummed. “I did find her. It took a while, and I was two steps behind her almost the whole time, but I brought her home.” Finally, he raised his head and looked down at Link. “My point is, being scared is okay. I was scared out of my mind for most of my journey, and I’m sure something will scare me again in the future. To tell you the truth, I can think of something that I’m scared of right now, and I know I’ll have to face it, eventually.” He tugged Link closer to him, wrapping him in a hug before speaking. “You’re doing good. I’m proud to call you a hero.”

Link grinned and buried his face in Sky’s shoulder. “Thanks, Sky.”

--------

On the second day, they stopped at Windfall Island long enough to grab some food and set off again. They sailed through the day, and Link took the time to teach Sky a little about sailing. They went over the parts of a boat, and how to maneuver one this small. Midday slipped peacefully into late afternoon, and when Link tried to teach Sky how to read the sun, Sky chuckled. “Kiddo. I live on an island in the sky. If I didn’t know how to read the sun, I’d be dead by now.” “Oh.” Link rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, and Sky chuckled again. “And hey! I’m not a kid!” Sky’s words registered after a minute, and Sky burst into laughter at the offended look on Link’s face.

“Oh, you should’ve seen the look on your face!” Sky was bent double, clutching his stomach as he laughed. Link blushed furiously and kicked the back of Sky’s knees, sending him crumpling to the floor, which set them both into a fit of laughter. Eventually, they calmed down, and Sky addressed him again, still lying flat on his back on the floor of the boat. “I didn’t mean anything by calling you kiddo, honest. I know you’ve accomplished several things, and I won’t do it again if you don’t want me to.” He spoke sincerely, and Link grinned over at him, moving to stand back up. Link turned to face the water ahead of them, his back to Sky.

“I’ll put up with it as long as I find something to call you!” He hummed in thought. “How about airhead?” Behind him, Sky made a sound of outrage, but Link could hear the laughter in the noise. “Okay, okay, what about…birdie?” Link barely waited a moment before discarding that idea. “What am I thinking, that’s terrible. How about Cloudy?” He hears Sky moving behind him and ignores it, still brainstorming. “No, no, that’s lame. What about – hey!”

Sky grabs him from behind, pinning him against his chest with an arm across his shoulders and ruffling his hair. “How about we stop with the names and call it even, huh? I mean, I’m already going by a nickname.” Link kicks and flails, but it doesn’t work. Sky’s hold on him is strong as steel, and Link goes limp with an exaggerated huff. “Fine.” He grumps.

Sky lets go of him with a laugh, and Link slides down to sit on the floor with a pout. “Take all of my fun, why don’t you?” He graciously ignores the large grin on Sky’s face and flops down dramatically, so he doesn’t have to look at him. There’s silence for a minute before Sky’s shadow falls over him. Link cracks an eye open, staring up at the older boy.

“I could tell you about the Surface if you want?” Sky looks hesitant, like he thinks Link won’t want to hear his stories and Link shoots up, pouting forgotten. “Yes, yes, yes! I wanna know all of it!”

Sky remains standing, but leans back against the mast as he talks. “So, Faron Woods was huge, and it had more trees than I’d ever seen in my whole life. The forest is inhabited by a race called Kikwis, and they’re like, little plant-animal hybrids. They don’t have any teeth and they’re peaceful, so the first time I met one was…”

--------

The third day was uneventful and passed with minimal issues. They encountered a couple of peahats, a handful of octoroks, and a small swarm of gyorgs. They were all disposed of quickly, and once again evening slipped into place as the two heroes settled down. Link had begun to grow anxious throughout the day, finally reaching the point where he’d been pacing the length of the small boat for several hours, despite Sky’s attempts to distract him. Finally, the pacing beginning to drive him insane, Sky stepped in front of the sun-bleached blonde.

“Would you like to hear about the Hero of Twilight?” Sky’s question made Link vibrate with excitement. “Yes!” Sky took him by the shoulders and steered him over to the stern, gently pushing Link down to sit. The younger hero crossed his legs and leaned forward, eager to hear about another hero as Sky settled in front of him.

“Well, he has some awesome face tattoos. I have no idea where he got them, and he’s the only one in his village to have them.” Sky leaned over and ran a finger across Link’s face as he spoke, presumably tracing where the other hero’s marks were. “He’s a farmer and has a little brother and a baby sister.”

The evening stretched into night as Sky told Link everything he remembered about the other hero. “Honestly, I’ve started calling him Twilight in my head. It gets kinda weird to call my own name.” Link laughed quietly. “What would you call me then? Besides kiddo.” Sky thought for a moment, then ruffled Link’s hair. “I’m not sure yet, kiddo. I’ll let you know when I figure it out, yeah?” Link huffed, crossing his arms with a pout. “I guess.”

Link ran a finger across his face in the pattern that Sky had traced when he started talking. “So, what do you mean, the Hero of Twilight? Like, is that a title? Or the name of his village?” Sky thought for a minute. “Ok, there’s only so much I can say about this before I start getting too personal, but I’ll tell you what I can.” Link nodded eagerly, and Sky continued. “There was another Kingdom, beside Hyrule, the Kingdom of the Twili. There was an usurper king, one that invaded Hyrule, and surrounded the castle in, uh, an endless twilight, I guess. From what I’ve heard, that Ganon used the usurper king, Zant, and stole his power so he could return.”

Sky rested a hand on his Master Sword, his expression fond. “Fi told me that his title was the Hero of Twilight, for the people he helped, and it just kind of stuck with me. For a time, he worked closely with the Princess of Twili. There were…other events that happened, but they’re not mine to tell, so I’ll have to end the story here, kiddo.” Link hummed, glancing towards Sky’s weapon, lying on the deck of the ship, next to the Skyloftian. “So…the sword will tell you my hero title? Weird.” Link made a face, and Sky snorted. “I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything, and she didn’t tell me Twilight’s title until right before I left. I didn’t get the chance to tell him.”

Link’s head snapped back towards Sky, his eyes wide. “Right before you left? You mean you’re gonna leave?” Link’s eyes watered, and Sky’s ears drooped, his eyes growing sad. “I…yeah, eventually.” He reached up, mindlessly tugging on his hair as Link stared at him in shock. “But – but why?” Link was upset, and had risen to his feet to pace the small boat once more. “But what if – what if I need you again? I can’t – what if I can’t do this on my own?” Link whirled around to face Sky, his eyes brimming with tears, and Sky got to his feet.

“Oh, kiddo, c’mere.” Link barreled into him, and Sky stumbled backward before he planted his feet, ensuring that they stayed in the boat. Link buried his face in Sky’s tunic, squeezing him tightly. Sky ran a hand through Link’s hair soothingly. “Link, if I had any say in it, I would stay. I need you to know that. If I could, I’d stay with you.” Link pulled back slightly, peering up at him with red eyes. “Who makes you go back?” Sky sighs and continues to run his hand through Link’s hair. “The Goddess Hylia herself. When she calls, I must respond.”

Link pulls back fully now, his hands drawn into fists as he rages. “But why? Why is she so mean? She put you here, then rips you away? How is that okay? I don’t see why she has to be so – so cruel!”

Sky steps forward, closing the distance between them, cupping Link’s face in his hands. “Link, please, just listen for a moment. Hylia is not cruel.” Link’s face twists and he opens his mouth to disagree, but Sky shushes him. “No, let me finish. Hylia isn’t cruel. At least, the one from my time, she’s kind and loving, and she cares so, so much about all of us. She’s made it possible for me to be here. I – I begged her for the chance to fix things, to help the heroes that would be affected by my failure, and she gave me this. Even if none of that mattered, she’s my best friend and she gave me this chance to help, and I can never fault her for calling me back home.” Sky was crying. The tears ran down his cheeks, and Link looked shell-shocked, tears trailing down his face as well.

“But – but she’s still taking you away.” Link’s voice was impossibly small, and his hands came up to grip Sky’s wrists tightly. “She’s making me lose someone else, Sky.” He sniffed, and Sky’s tears began anew. “I know, kiddo, believe me. I know. Please believe me when I say that I would stay if I could.” He leaned down, bumping Link’s forehead with his own, then pulled back. “But if I stay, if I don’t go back, the timeline will warp, and I don’t know what would happen to you. I’d rather – I’d rather live knowing that you’re okay and out of reach than stay here and watch something happen to you.”

Link let go of Sky’s wrists, stepping away. He crossed his arms and turned away, and Sky’s heart broke. “Link -” The younger hero shook his head, and Sky drew back, his heart breaking. The silence stretched, so Sky moved to the far end of the ship, resolving to give Link some space. He settled quietly, drawing his woodcarving tools out of his bag and working mindlessly for some time, occasionally looking up to check on Link.

The younger boy was leaning on the side of the boat, staring out at the open waters. The silence had not been broken for some time, and Sky relaxed his grip on the carving tool in his hand, tucking them away with a silent sigh. Sky closed his eyes, dropping his head back silently and taking in the ocean air, only opening his eyes when Link’s voice broke the silence.

“You said something about the heroes after you being affected by your failure.” Link's voice was waspish and Sky tensed, speaking carefully to keep the unease out of his voice. “I did.” Link’s voice carried through the air, and Sky began to dread the approaching conversation. “What kind of failure are we talking about?”

Sky spoke quietly, losing himself in the memories as he told the story, his eyes closing once more. “On my journey, I fought the God of Evil. His name was Demise. He was…ridiculously powerful, and honestly? I didn’t stand a chance against him. By all rights, I should have died in that fight.” With his eyes screwed shut, and he missed the way Link whirled in place, horror in his eyes. “We were both off our feet and once I got back up, I couldn’t move. He held me there, made me listen as he cursed my spirit, cursed the Goddesses’ blood into an unending cycle.”

Sky’s voice was flat, his eyes still closed tightly. “When I killed him, the power needed a place to go. I was the only option, apparently, and so it hit me, burning the mark of the Triforce into my skin and transferring his powers to me. Now, I carry two curses. One is my own, and the other is the power of a God, power that hurts, and twists and burns.” Link stood silently, bracing himself against the railing of the ship as Sky continued. “I don’t ever plan to use it. I’d rather die than use the power that hurt us, the powers that ruined Zelda’s life, ruined my life, and ruined the lives of everyone after us.”

There was silence before Link finally spoke. “Well, I know for a fact that you had nothing to do with me getting involved.”

Sky’s eyes flew open, and he turned towards Link. “What?” Link grinned at him, holding up his hands. They were blank. There was no Triforce. “I forced the Goddesses to acknowledge me. They didn’t choose me. I chose this. I threw myself into this, and I’m determined to see it through to the end. This?” Link gestured around them at the open waters, grinning at Sky. “This is on me, not on you.” His eyes meet Sky’s. “I chose this.”

Sky bends his head with a shuddering exhale, and Link repeats himself. “I chose this, Sky. You didn’t curse me.” He moves to kneel in front of Sky, reaching out and taking the Skyloftian's hands. “I understand. I might not like it, but I can understand her decision. I’m sorry I was such an ass about it.”

Sky sniffed, leaning over to drop his head on Link’s shoulder. “If it helps,” he murmurs, “I get a warning. I won’t just…disappear one day. I’ll tell you before it happens.” Link still looked unsatisfied, but he nodded, dropping onto the deck next to Sky and curling up. “Okay,” he gripes, “I guess that works.”

--------

The fourth day passed slowly, Link’s anxiety and energy skyrocketing. It gets to the point where Sky sits them down and continues telling Link about his home.

“I have to admit, I’ve never seen this much water before.” Sky’s admission shocks Link into silence, and Sky chuckles. “I had the Lanayru Sand Sea, but I didn’t get to see it turn fully back into the sea. I only had the part around my boat change back.” Link blinks a couple of times and finally finds his words. “Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean, turn back?”

Sky pulls his bag toward him, digging through it as he explains. “I used these things called Time-Shift Stones. When you hit them, it changes the area around it back to how it used to be.” He makes a noise of triumph and pulls out a small purple stone. It had small white lines etched into it in circular designs, and it was small enough to fit in the palm of Sky’s hand. “We had one built into the boat, and it changed the sand around us to water, so that we could sail through and find the Sandship.” Sky hands the stone gently over to Link. “Don’t hit it here, though. I don’t want to see what it’ll do. We’ll see if we can experiment with it later.”

--------

That evening, they arrived at the Forsaken Fortress. Dusk was falling around them, shadows stretching along the walls, searchlights glowing strong from atop the Fortress.

Link turned to Sky as then approached, a serious expression on his face. “I want to do this alone.”

Sky hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. “I can respect that. You just have to come back in one piece, understand?” Link nodded and turned to exit the boat, but he paused before he climbed up the stairs. After a few moments, he turned back and launched himself at Sky, hugging him tightly. He let go quickly, turning and running up the stairs that led into the center of the Fortress, taking them two at a time. Sky laughed and called after him. “If you’re not back by sunup, I’m coming in after you!” A vague noise of consent drifted down the stairs, and Link was gone.

Sky was alone with the King of Red Lions.

They sat quietly for a little while, listening to the sounds of fighting drifting down from above. The sounds faded eventually, and an eerie silence settled over them. Sky broke it first.

“So.” He tugged at his bangs as he spoke. “I know there are things you're not telling him. Speaking from experience, you really shouldn’t wait until everything explodes in your face to tell him.”

He heard the King of Red Lions sigh. “I know.” The boat's head turned to face him. “He is too young to bear such a burden, so I have tried to limit some of the details. I know now that he will not be lucky enough to escape this fate.”

As he and the King had been talking, the massive searchlights had stopped and were all facing skyward now. Sky could only assume that it was Link’s work. Sky thought for a moment, then removed his boots and socks, stepping out of the boat. He sat on the edge of the stone platform and dropped his legs in the water from the knees down. He and the King were face to face now. “I think he’ll be okay,” Sky said decisively. “He has a good heart and a strong will.”

“There is only so much that those can do. That is what I am concerned about.” The boat eyed him dryly. “Even if he chose to get involved, there are certain aspects of what he may have to do that a child his age should never have to do.”

Sky lowered his head. “I know. But I am here now, and I will help. He will not be forced to finish this.”

The King opened his mouth to respond, but a massive shadow rippled over the ground, noticeable even in the dim lighting of the night. Sky looked up and caught sight of a massive bird, much, much larger than any Loftwing, as it descended towards the highest point of the Fortress. “Oh,” Sky said faintly. “That must be why he was afraid of the Loftwings.”

Sky wanted desperately to go after Link, but he had made a promise, and it wasn’t yet sunup. He stood and began to pace. The bird's loud screeches soon filled the air, as did the faint sound of Link’s voice, shouting obscenities at the massive monster.

“You wanna fuckin go? C’mon, you ugly ass bird! Die!”

Sky chuckled against his will. Link sure had a way with words. He returned to pacing as he listened to the sounds of battle, and stopped after the sounds tapered off. There was silence, then a loud screech from the massive bird as it died, and Sky let out a cheer. “Yeah! Well done, Link!”

As silence descended over the Fortress, Sky heard a very faint sound. More wings? Something with very large wings, from the sound of it. Looking upwards once again, he caught sight of three things flying towards them. “Hey, what’re those?”

The King shook his head. “Possibly Rito, for the two smaller ones. The larger one I would guess is Valoo, the great dragon, but he has not left his island in years.”

Sky cursed internally. “Well, if that is him, then this can’t be good.” The two watch in silence as the three shadows in the sky move to the shipwreck at the top of the Fortress. The smaller two shadows dart inside, then reemerge, each carrying a person. The larger shadow proves the King correct, and he breathes out a column of fire, and the shipwreck is engulfed in flames.

A loud laugh echoes over the Forsaken Fortress as the three shadows fly away, and Sky launches himself back into the boat. “After them!”
As they sail away from the burning Fortress, Sky shudders. The laugh sounded eerily like Demise.

--------

They catch up with Link back at the Tower of the Gods, days later. When the Rito gently drops him into the boat, Sky is on him immediately, checking him for injuries. “Link! Oh Goddesses, are you hurt? What happened to you?”

The right side of his face was lightly bruised, and it looked painful. Link grimaced. “Ganondorf smacked me across the face, like an ass,” He grinned up at Sky, then wrapped his arms around the older boy’s waist. “It hurts like a bitch.” Sky let out a relieved laugh, running a hand through Link’s hair. “Well, if you’re still cursing, you must be fine.” He looked down to Link. “I’m really glad you’re okay though.”

Link grinned again, then turned to where the girl had been placed. “Sky, this is Tetra. That creep called her Princess Zelda, but I don’t know what he’s talking about.” Here, Link addresses the King. “What’s going on?”

The King sighed, and Sky could hear the annoyance in it. “I will explain once we are safe.” He looks back towards Valoo and the Rito, calling his thanks. “Thank you for your assistance. It was much appreciated.” The Rito nodded, and Valoo let out a roar. They said their goodbyes and flew away as the King turned back to Link and Sky. “We must return to the world under the sea. I will explain there.”

Link grumbled, but didn’t say anything as they sailed into the portal. They sank through the water in silence, and Link started asking questions as soon as they stopped moving.

“What is going on? Why did Ganondorf call Tetra Princess Zelda? Why was she so concerned about the sword? And don’t you dare lie to me!” Link spoke sharply, and had climbed out of the boat to talk with the King face-to-face. As soon as he jumped out, however, Tetra’s eyes snapped open. Her gaze landed on Link first, and she visibly relaxed. She sat up, caught sight of Sky, and stiffened again. “Who the hell are you?”

“Tetra!” Link barreled into her, knocking them both into the water as he hugged her.

“What the-? Get off!” She pushed at Link, wiggling herself free. “Seriously though, who is this guy?”

Link laughed. “This is the Hero of the Skies, from hundreds and hundreds of years ago, but you can call him Sky.” Sky waved awkwardly, and Tetra gaped at him. “Holy shit.” She stared for a minute, then scoffed. “Sure, whatever. Where are we? What’s going on?”

Link started to turn towards the King again, but a voice echoed out from his pocket, beckoning him and Tetra to the room where Link had pulled the Master Sword. The three Hylians exchanged glances, and Tetra made a decision.

“C’mon Link. Let’s go.” She hopped out of the boat and into the water, looking back at Link expectantly. Link, however, was looking at Sky. “Will you come with?”
Tetra scoffed again. “Really? We don’t need some-”

Sky cut her off. “Do you want me to? I can stay out here.” Link shook his head, uncertainty swimming in his eyes. “I’d like you to come with me.” Sky nodded, and the two climbed out of the boat, and Link led the way into the castle. They moved through the halls quickly, descending the stairs to the underground room, and they found a man waiting for them. Sky stood behind the two younger Hylians in an attempt to fade into the background.

“Are you him? Are you the one who was speaking through my stone without my permission? Answer me!” Tetra snapped.

The man was facing away from them. “That stone is an enchanted version of the gossip stones long spoken of in the legends of the Hyrulean Royal Family. I am the one who made it.”

“You made it?” Tetra sneered. “The royal family’s gossip stone? I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her hands were on her hips, but Link was startled. This man had made the royal families gossip stones? That would mean…

“Have neither of you heard the tales? Tales of the kingdom spoken of in the legend of the great hero… The place where the power of the gods lies hidden… This place, where the two of you now stand, is that kingdom. This is Hyrule…” The man finally turned to face them. “And I am its king: Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule.”

Now, he addressed Link. “Link, do you not recognize my voice?” Sky couldn’t see Link’s face, but the King smiled. “Indeed, I am the one who guided you here. I am the King of Red Lions. There was no need for me to reveal my true identity to you so long as that blade, the Master Sword, could defeat Ganon… But now, both of you must listen to me.”

The King told them how Hyrule had come to be below the sea. As he spoke, Sky noticed Link’s hand curl into fists, and he stepped forward, placing a hand on Link’s shoulder.

King Daphnes beckoned Tetra forward and held out a hand. When she stopped in front of him, her necklace glowed, disappearing in a flash and reappearing in his hand. “This necklace you wear is part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule. Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it… and to guard it with your life. Am I not correct?” Tetra didn’t answer him, so he continued to talk.

“The Triforce of Wisdom is none other than the sacred power of the gods that we have kept from Ganon’s clutches for so many long years. The gods placed upon your ancestors the task of protecting it from evil’s grasp. You, too, must abide by the laws of the past… and so the time has come for me to teach you the fate into which you were born-the very reason that you live. “The King held out his other hand, and the centerpiece of Tetra’s necklace appeared with another flash. The pieces connected with a glow, and when the light faded, Tetra was wearing a dress, showing her status as Princess of Hyrule.

She turned, looking down at her hand, where the symbol of the Triforce glowed. “My…fate?”

The King’s voice rang through the room once more. “You are the true heir of the royal family of Hyrule…the last link in the bloodline. You are Princess Zelda.”
The King and Tetra continued to speak, but Sky was focused on Link. His hands were still curled into fists, and he was shaking. Sky leaned down. “Kiddo?”
Link shook his head, and Sky straightened back up but kept a hand on his shoulder.

As the King explained that Ganon would be searching for Zelda, he asked Link to accompany him back to the world above the waves and told Zelda to remain in Hyrule castle.

Sky could see the anger rising on both Link and Zelda’s faces. This was not going to go over well. “Wait.” He stepped forward, standing next to Zelda in front of the King. “You're going to leave a child here, alone, and hope that Ganon doesn’t find a way to kidnap her? All because this room is supposedly blocked from his knowledge? And you’re supposed to be a king?” He stared the king in the eye. “I am ashamed of Hyrule’s legacy if this is how her Kings will act. I know this is important, but there is another option.”

He turns to Zelda, dropping to crouch in front of her. “Tetra.” She looked confused and a little scared, and Sky didn’t blame her. “Would it be all right if I stayed here with you?”

She hesitated, looking towards Link for help. Sky looked towards Link as well, asking, “Is it all right with you if I stay here with her, Link?”

“I trust him, Tetra. If you’re comfortable with him staying…” Link trailed off, making eye contact with Sky. “Part of me wants you to come with me, but…I don’t want to leave Tetra here by herself.”

Sky smiled at him. “I understand. Whatever you both are comfortable with is fine with me. I can stay with Tetra, or I can go with Link.” Tetra started to say something, but was interrupted. “I -”

“No! The princess must stay here, where she is safe. I would not leave her in the hands of a stranger!” The King was visibly upset now, his voice rising in agitation. “Why should I trust her with you?”

Sky stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“I am the King of this land. The princess will stay here, alone. That is final.” The King had drawn himself up in an attempt to make himself look intimidating, but Sky wasn’t fazed. Sky stands slowly, turning to face the King, his sword drawn. He begins to move towards the King.

“You know, I think it’s very interesting how much your attitude has changed in the time we’ve been down here. Just days ago, you told me how concerned you were, how much you worried over the fate of these children.” Sky took another step closer. “Or does that just extend to Link?” Sky spoke sharply, keeping himself between the King and Link and Tetra.

The King hesitated, then shook his head. “No. I just don’t believe that I should trust the Princess of Hyrule with a stranger.” Sky scoffed. “Really? Because the way I see it, you want to leave the Princess of a forgotten kingdom by herself, without a way out, and with no way to defend herself. It truly seems that you need her by herself. Is there even food down here for her?”

The King sighed. “Of course, there is food. I will concede here.” The King faded out of view and reappeared at the bottom of the stairs. “Come, Link. We must go.”

Link ignored him and turned to Sky. “Do you really think he wants something to happen to Tetra?”

Sky shrugged. “I don’t know kiddo, but I don’t feel okay with leaving her down here by herself, especially not when her whole life has just been turned on its head.” Sky places one hand on Link’s shoulder, and the other on Tetra’s. “You two have the final say here.”

Tetra glanced at Link, then turned to face Sky. “I want you to stay here.” Her voice softened. “Please.”

Sky nodded. Link looked crestfallen, but nodded as well. “Okay.” He glared up at Sky. “But when I come back, you both better be in one piece, okay?” Sky grinned down at him, then ruffled his hair. “Okay. You better come back in one piece too, Link.” Link hugged them both, then turned to leave the room with the King. At the doorway, he turned and waved one more time, and then disappeared out the door.

--------

The silence was awkward.

Sky had settled on one side of the room, and Tetra had settled on the other. Neither had spoken since Link had left them. Eventually, Tetra broke the silence. “Why did you offer to stay with me?”

Sky flopped backward, staring at the ceiling. “Well, to start, the King seemed insistent that you stay here alone, which, one, would be lonely and kinda creepy considering there’s no one else here, and two, a little suspicious because if I hadn’t shown up at all, it would’ve worked.” He turned his head to look at Tetra. “I also know how it feels to have your whole life change in one day. You shouldn’t have to deal with it on your own.”

They lapsed back into silence for a little while after that. Sky eventually sat back up and dug through his bag, taking out a partially carved chunk of wood and his carving tools, which caught Tetra’s attention.

“What’re those?” Her voice floated across the room, and Sky looked up to see her gazing curiously at him from across the room.

“Wood carving tools. I always have a set with me.” He shifted, moving his bag to clear a spot next to him. “Would you like to watch?” Tetra rose quietly, padding across the room and dropping down across from him. “What’re you carving?”

“Honestly? I’m not a hundred percent sure yet. It’s going to be a gift for Link, but I’m just letting my hands take over. I guess we’ll all be surprised when it’s finished.” He grinned brightly at her, and she grinned hesitantly back. “Do you have any extras?” The question caught him by surprise, and he paused, thinking. “Um…” When he didn’t answer, Tetra’s expression shuttered, and she scoffed. “Whatever. I don’t wanna try your stupid carving thing anyway.”

“Oh, no, Tetra, it’s fine! I was just surprised, is all! Not many people are interested in, where I’m from. I’ll gladly let you work on something.” Sky turned and dug through his bag, coming out with a decently sized chunk of wood and another tool. “Do you want a rundown on the basics?” Tetra turned back to face him, her face pink. Sky didn’t say anything. “Yeah.”

“Okay, so…” Sky scooted a little closer and walked Tetra through the basics, making sure that she wouldn’t hurt herself before turning back to his carving. They worked in a comfortable silence until the sun began to set. Sky looked up and placed his carving down, standing and stretching. “I’m gonna go find some food, do you want to stay here?” Tetra looked up sharply, abandoning the tools on the ground and scrambling to her feet. “Not a chance. I’m coming with you!” Sky nodded and they left the room, moving cautiously up the stairs. They trekked through the castle, making their way to the kitchen. They found a couple of large baskets and filled them with food, then made their way back down into the hidden room.

They ate in silence, then continued to work on their respective carvings, occasionally making small conversations. The world outside darkened, and Sky stood once more. “I’m going to check the castle. Stay here for me?” Tetra scowled but agreed to stay in the room while Sky went to secure the castle. She stayed against the wall, focusing on the carving in her hands to keep her nerves from taking control. The minutes stretched on, and she stiffened as there was a noise on the staircase. She stood, hurrying over to Link’s old sword that had been discarded on the floor. Tetra tucked herself into a corner by the entrance, lunging forward to bring the sword down on the intruder.

Sky’s sword snapped up to block hers, and he let out a shout. “Whoa, hey! It’s just me, Tetra!” She drew back sharply, her chest heaving from the adrenaline, and then dropped the sword. “Sorry, I guess. I thought you were a monster.” She grimaced, but Sky just chuckled. “Honestly, I don’t blame you. The dress seems a little hard to fight in though…” Tetra scowled down at the dress, nodding in agreement. “Stupid dress is going to get in the way, I can tell.” She grumbled.

Sky hesitated for a moment, then moved back into the center of the room. “If you want, tomorrow I can show you how my friend adjusts her dress when she has to fight in it.” Tetra’s eyes brighten, and she nods. “Hell yes!” Sky grins, then drops back down in his spot against the wall. “Well, I don’t know about you, but right now I’m ready to sleep.”

Tetra shrugs, but plops down next to him anyways, picking her carving back up. “I’m not super tired yet, but I’ll go to sleep soon.” Sky picks his own carving up again as well, looking at her kindly. “I think I’ll stay up for a little longer, then.”

--------

The next two weeks pass similarly.

There’s very little to do around the castle, so they make do with woodcarving and storytelling. They have learned a great deal about each other in the two weeks they’ve been down here. So far, Tetra knows about the Hero of Twilight and knows more of the finer details of Sky’s journey than Link does. In return, Sky has learned about some of Tetra’s well-executed plans and learned how Link had snuck onto the ship to get to the Forsaken Fortress. He also was told how Link was launched out of a cannon in a barrel.

“You should have seen his face!” Tetra laughed. “His eyes got all wide when he realized what was gonna happen, and he yelled like you wouldn’t believe.” Sky laughed. “Oh, I can’t even say anything! When I was younger, I used to jump off Skyloft just so I could be on a loftwing!” Tetra choked on a laugh, and Sky laughed harder. “Listen! Listen, eventually, I just started to ask some of the older kids, but still, I was just as bad as you are!”

They calmed down slowly, and Tetra began another story. “Link told you about the Big Octo, right? So, the last time we ran into him, it was the -”

Sky’s ear twitched and he stiffened, bringing up a hand and motioning for her to be quiet. Tetra went still next to him, stiffening as well. “What is it?” She breathed out the question, tucking herself close to his side.

Sky spoke quietly. “Somethings in the castle. It sounds like a large group, and they’re headed this way.” He unsheathes his sword and turns to Tetra. “You need to hide.” She opens her mouth to argue, but Sky holds up his other hand. “Tetra.” Her mouth snaps shut with an audible click. “Please. They have no way of knowing that I’m here, so they’ve got to be here for you. I’m going to do everything that I can to keep you safe, but I need you to hide. I can’t keep you safe if I’m focused on finding you.”

Tetra looks torn, and her eyes flick between Sky and the doorway. Grunts and snarls had begun to echo down the stairwell that led to the room, and she looked back to Sky. “…okay.” She darted forward to hug him, and Sky held her tightly for a moment. When they separated, Sky turned away as Tetra scrambled to a hiding spot, deliberately not watching where she was going as he readjusted his sword and supplies. When he could no longer hear the sound of her shoes on the floor, he turned to face the door, squaring his shoulder and readying his sword.

The room was silent for a couple of moments, and then it erupted into sound as the monsters burst down the stairs and through the doorway. Sky surged forward to meet the monsters at the edge of the platform, cutting down as many as he could. How long the fighting went on, Sky didn’t know, but eventually, he ended up back in the center of the room, his back to the doorway. He brought his sword down, disintegrating the monster in front of him, and the air behind him shifted. He turned, bringing his sword up to block the sword crashing down towards him, and was instead met with a backhand to the face that knocked him off his feet.

The remaining monsters followed him down, and within seconds, he was out of the fight. His hands were twisted roughly behind him and held there tightly. He was dragged up to his knees by a large hand in his hair, and his head was yanked backward to expose his throat. Sky had expected a monster, but the thing standing over him was not what he’d thought it was. Ganon stood behind him, one hand buried in his hair painfully, the other holding a comically large sword to his throat.

Ganon cackled. “Come out, dear princess, and maybe I will have mercy on your bodyguard.” He sneered the words, and Sky choked out a laugh. “She’s- she’s not here.” In response to his statement, the pressure on his throat increased and something dripped down the side of his neck. The hand in his hair tightened, and Sky bit back a groan.

“If she is not here” Ganon hissed above him, “then this will be my entertainment!”

The sword against his throat moved quickly, and something warm gushed down the front of his neck. Above him, Ganon laughed cruelly, and the last thing Sky saw before his vision went dark was Tetra’s horrified face, peering down at him from the rafters.

--------

Link stepped into Hyrule castle for the third time with a sigh. It had been almost two weeks since he had left Tetra and Sky, and he was excited to see them both again. He raced quickly through the castle halls, bursting through the doors and into the main room, stopping in horror.

The room was trashed. The statue of the Hero of Time was in pieces on the floor, and the smaller statues that had been scattered around the room were broken as well. His breath caught in his throat and he broke into a run, moving down the stairs and into the room where he had left Zelda and Sky.

He burst through the doorway and sighed in relief when he saw Tetra standing in the middle of the room. “Tetra!” He moved forward with a shout but stumbled to a stop when she vanished with a bright flash of light. “What?” Link turned in place, looking around, his terror growing as he took in the details. There was a large puddle of something red in the center of the room, just behind where Tetra had been. There were slashes in the carpet, and Sky’s sword was lying on the ground, tucked almost out of sight by one of the crumbled knight statues.

“No, no, no!” Link crashed to his knees next to Sky’s sword, pulling the sheathed sword to his chest. “Sky! Tetra!”

The only response to his frantic call was an evil cackle that floated through the room. “You have deceived yourself…”

Link’s head snapped up, looking around the room furiously as the voice continued to speak. “Did you think you’d be safe inside the castle? Foolish… Now that my power has been restored, there is no safe haven for you!” Link stayed on the ground, clutching Sky’s sword tighter to his chest. “I have taken your precious Zelda. And here, you shall fall into eternal slumber!”

Flames erupted around the platform, and the ground shook as two massive darknuts fell into the room with him. Link stood, slipping the sheath for Sky’s Master Sword on his back with his own, holding Sky’s sword in one hand, and his own in the other as he fell into a defensive stance. He backflipped out of the way as they both lunged towards him, lunging at the one as soon as its sword hit the ground.

The fight didn’t take long, and soon their bodies dissolved, the fire dying down. Link took one last look around the room and made his way back upstairs. When he emerged into the main room, the wall to his right shimmered and faded, leaving another doorway leading outside. Link, seething with rage, stalks through the doorway and quickly makes his way through the castle gardens, heading for the large, ominous tower in the distance.

As he moves, he cuts down the monsters in his way and grapples across the breaks in the bridges. He draws ever closer to the tower, and the fury in his chest only increases with every step he takes. He walks into the tower and is met with five large rope bridges, four of them leading to large doors. The fifth one leads him straight ahead to a locked door, and Link screams in frustration.

“Listen here, you motherfucker! I’m gonna get you, and I’ll gut you like the cowardly fish that you are, ya hear me? Yer a fuckin’ bilge rat, I’ll fuckin’ treat ya like one!” He bangs on the door a couple of times to get his point across and whirls around to move to one of the four doors. He marched up to one that had a stone carving of Ghoma on it, and his heart sank. “Aw, fuck.”

--------

Four dungeon boss battles later, the fifth door finally opens. He moves through, angrier than he was before, and is led into a large room with a couple of doors around the sides. The door to the right has four sets of torches that are lit, and Link takes note of them. The room on the left has lights, and he takes his boomerang, hitting the lights in the same order that the torches were lit in the other room. A dark purple portal appears in the center of the room, but Link ignores it.

He moves back to the other room, pulling out his Deku leaf and jumping into the large abyss in the center. He drops for a little while, pulling his Deku leaf over his head once the floor comes into view. As his feet touch the ground, another phantom Ganon puffs into existence, and Link fights his as quickly as he can. He uses a fairy halfway through and earns himself a nasty cut along his back, but the fight doesn’t take long.

This pattern repeats for several rooms, and Link finally realizes that he needs to exit through the door that the phantom's sword points towards. He berates himself through the next couple of fights, letting off some steam. “Good goin’, Link. Let’s not follow the massive fuckin’ sword that points at a specific doorway, sounds like a great idea! Instead, let’s just get hopelessly fucking lost in this massive ass tower, while Sky and Tetra are gone, and Sky doesn’t have his sword! Sounds like a great fucking plan!”

Link slumps with a sigh, resting his hands on his knees as the phantom’s sword falls towards another door. He stays that way for a minute before straightening, reaching a hand over his shoulder to brush both of the swords there. Ganon said he had taken Tetra. He hadn’t said anything about Sky. His determination renewed, he marched through the doorway and ended up back in the first room. He fights another phantom, killing it with a Light arrow, then lobs a bomb at the brick wall at the far end of the room. The wall crumbles and reveals a stairwell, the end out of sight and Link groans again.

“Why are there so many fucking stairs?”

Up and up he goes, dispatching the monsters on each landing with ease. The stairs look like they will go on forever, but eventually, he comes to the top and is faced with two moblins and a comically large door. Once the monsters are gone, he waits.

Link takes a deep breath, rolling his shoulders back and steadying himself before moving into the next room. The room is large and circular, and there is a large bed in the center of it. Tetra is unconscious in the bed, and Ganon stands on the other side of it, staring at Link. Ganon opens his mouth to speak, but Link cuts him off. “What did you do to her? And where’s Sky?”

His voice breaks through the strange silence of the room, and Ganon smirks. “The girl merely sleeps. She dreams of ocean, as far as the eye can see.” He continues speaking for a minute, but Link grows impatient. As Ganon says something about the Gods killing Hyrule when they flooded it, Link cuts him off again. “You only answered one of my questions! Where’s Sky?”

Ganon snarls at the interruption. “Insolent whelp. The other boy has been… disposed of.” He reaches a hand out in front of him, grasping the air, and Sky fades into existence, suspended in the air. He’s limp and pale, his head tilted downwards, and there’s blood soaked into the front of his tunic. Link can’t tell if he’s breathing or not. He steps forward with a cry, and Ganon snarls again. “I will admit, he made a valiant effort, doomed as it was.” He flicks his hand and Sky is gone, faded from existence. “Will you share his fate, boy?”

Link feels the anger bubbling in his chest, and he snarls back at Ganon. “I will not. You’ve taken everyone from me! First my sister, then Tetra, and now my brother!” He draws both swords from his back, slipping into a defensive position. “You’ll die today!”

Ganon throws his head back and laughs. “You can try, child.” He spits the last word, and smoke billows from his form, covering him completely. Inside the smoke, Ganon’s vague shadow twists and warps, growing and changing. Link stays on guard and the smoke slowly clears, revealing a tall form that towers over him, a puppet controlled by a long rope attached to its back. The bed that holds Tetra has disappeared alongside the smoke, and Link charges forward with a cry, both blades at the ready.

--------

Three puppets later, Link fights to get his breathing under control as Ganon’s voice echoes through the room again. “Yes. Surely you are the Hero of Time reborn. Your time has come…come now! Stand before me!”

Ganon was standing far above him, in the rafters of the massive room they stood in. Tetra was tucked under his arm, still unconscious, and he smiled nastily down at Link. “Although,” the man snapped his fingers, causing a ball of glowing light to form. It hovered next to Ganon for a moment, then dropped towards Link. “You may need more…encouragement.” Ganon rose through the air, disappearing into the darkness of the rafters above him, and Link let out a frustrated yell.

“Fuck you, you creepy old man!”

He readied his sword again, turning back towards the light that had settled in the middle of the room. It grew brighter and brighter, before dying suddenly, leaving something in a heap on the floor. Link hesitated, staring intently over at whatever it was, then let out another cry. “Sky!”

He ran over and crashed to his knees next to the other hero, dropping both of the swords next to him. His hands hover over Sky’s side for a minute before he gently rolls the older boy onto his back. A gasp escapes Link and tears well up in his eyes. “No!”

Sky’s throat is slit. A decent-sized gash runs diagonally down his throat, and it seems to have just missed the jugular. It’s still weeping blood, adding to the ever-growing puddle soaked into Sky’s tunic. Frantically, Link presses a hand against the wound, rummaging through his bag for a fairy. For a single, awful moment, he can’t find any, then his hands land on a bottle. He yanks it out of his bag, revealing a red potion instead of a fairy, and Link lets out a wordless cry of frustration. He yanks the cork out of the bottle with his teeth and leans over Sky, prepared to pour the potion across the wound when Sky’s eyes flutter open.

“…Link?” His voice is scratchy, and he’s confused, but he’s alive. Link looks between the red potion and Sky for a moment, then sets the bottle down with a thunk and leans over to rest his forehead against Sky’s chest. His energy is gone, and the tears fall. “I thought you were dead,” he sniffs. “You-you can't die.”

Sky’s hand comes up to rest on his head. “I’m so sorry, kiddo. I don’t…” Sky trailed off, then attempted to move. Link shoots upright, dislodging Sky’s hand and grabbing the potion again, shaking his head. “No! Before you do anything, you’re drinking this. Please.” His voice is wobbly, and Sky doesn’t fight him, taking the potion and drinking half. The cut on his throat scabs over but doesn’t heal fully, and it’s sure to leave a scar. Link gestures at the rest of the bottle, but Sky shakes his head. “This fight isn’t over, Link. You might need this later.” Link deflated with a grudging nod, corking the bottle and tucking it back into his bag. Sky sits up slowly, reaching up to his throat to run a finger across the scab that sits there. It’s smaller than it was before but still noticeable, and Sky grimaces. “Oh, Zel’s gonna get me for this.”

Link lets out a watery laugh, then dissolves into tears. Sky blinks in surprise, then draws Link into another hug. “It’s all right, Link. Tell me what’s going on.”
Link runs through everything that’s happened in the last two weeks, his tears drying out as he speaks. They sit for a moment after he finishes explaining, and Sky huffs. “Ganon really doesn’t know when to go away, does he?” Link snorts, and pushes himself back to his feet. “Fuckin’ understatement of the year.” He leans down to grab both swords off the ground and offers Sky his sword back. He takes it, and Link looks up at him intently. “Don’t you think I’ve let this go. When we get Tetra back, I’m checking you over, got it?”

Sky smiles. “Of course. I’ll be doing the same to you.”

Link nods, and they turn to face the long rope dangling from the center of the room. They climb in silence, making their way across the small platforms quickly, using their hookshots and grappling hook, or whip in Sky’s case, to pull themselves further up. They make it to the top of the room and up to the doorway before they speak again.

“Do you want me out there with you? The door might seal shut.” Sky’s question was soft, and he glanced over to Link, who hesitated. “I think…I think you should be out there, but I need to fight him. You can jump in if it looks bad, but this is my fight.” Sky nods. “All right, kiddo. You ready for this?”

Link gives him a dirty look, and Sky just laughs. “Yeah, yeah. C’mon kid, let’s get Tetra back.”

They move through the doorway and a barrier flickers into place behind them. A short hallway leads them to a ladder, and as they climb, Link calls down to Sky. “Hey, I think that Ganon thinks you’re dead! You should stay out of sight for a while!” Sky calls back an acknowledgment, and Link climbs onto the roof of the building while Sky holds tight to the ladder.

--------

As Link climbs over onto the roof, he’s met with Ganon, standing on the other side, Tetra unconscious at his feet. Ganon’s facing away from him, but his voice carries towards Link clearly.

“My country lay within a vast desert. When the sun rose into the sky, a burning wind punished my lands, searing the world. And when the moon rose into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierced our homes. No matter when it came, the wind carried the same thing…Death.” The man turns, facing to the side. “But the winds that blew across the green fields of Hyrule brought something other than suffering and ruin. I coveted that wind, I suppose. It can only be called fate…that here I would again gather the three with the crests…That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder…That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down…The power of the gods…the Triforce! He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted!”

He looks down at Tetra. “Already, the crest of wisdom is mine…” His eyes side to Link. “All that remains…”

He turns fully now, facing Link, and lunges. Caught off guard, Link brings his sword up to block, but Ganon smacks it from his hands, and it flies, impaling the ground only inches from Tetra’s head. He backhands Link, sending him flying back, disoriented. As his vision swims, Link sees Ganon moving closer. When he speaks, his voice cuts through the ringing in his ears. “Do not fear. I will not kill you…I merely have need of the power that dwells within you.” He reaches down and grabs Link by the arm, hoisting him up and holding him there. The pain is awful, his shoulder pulling awkwardly, and his head lolls to the side.

“Now! Let us put an end to that which binds us together!” An odd ringing settles over the courtyard, and something begins to glow. Link hangs limply, dizzy and in pain, as the sound gets louder. Ganon cackles and begins to move, dropping Link to the ground. “Gods! Hear that which I desire!” Link can hear Ganon moving but can’t bring himself to get up. His head spins, and his ears are ringing, his body shaking.

“Expose this land to the rays of the sun once more! Let them burn forth! Give Hyrule to me!”

“No!” Sky’s voice cuts through Link’s daze, and he looks up blearily. Sky has climbed onto the roof and has placed himself between Ganon and what Link assumes is the Triforce. Ganon falters momentarily. “How? I killed you?”

“Yeah, well, it didn’t stick. Kill me better next time.” Sky’s face is dark, his expression frightening. The air tingles and small tendrils of lightning are running up and down his arms, arcing over the Master Sword. He plants his feet defiantly. “You will never use the Triforce. Not while I still breathe.”

“That can be arranged!” Ganon lunges forward with a snarl, and Sky meets him halfway. Lightning sparks when their swords collide, and Link shakes his head to clear it, pushing himself to his hands and knees. The sound of metal-on-metal rings out across the roof and Ganon lets out a snarl of pain. He brings his sword down on Sky’s, but it’s pushed away. Sky keeps them circling the Triforce, not allowing Ganon to slip past and lay his hand on it. As they continue to fight, Link pushes himself upright, fighting against dizziness as the world spins around him. Movement catches his eye again and Link looks over to watch as Sky raises his sword skyward. Link had been expecting a beam of light like the one Sky had thrown weeks ago, but lightning stuck the sword, making it glow ominously.

“You stay away from those kids!” Sky brings the sword down in a slash, and the lightning shoots across the roof, slamming into Ganon and bringing him to a knee. Sky stands strong, his eyes bright with power even as the glow of his sword fades. Ganon snarls wordlessly and goes to stand but stops, a dangerous look crossing his face.

“He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted…That is what you said, is it not, Ganondorf?” The King's voice echoes in the sudden absence of metal clashing. Link looks over and finds that King Daphnes has a hand pressed against the Triforce, staring at Ganon. “Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire!” King Daphnes looks towards Tetra first, before his gaze lands on Link.

“Hope! I desire hope for these children! Give them a future! Wash away this ancient land of Hyrule! Let a ray of hope shine onto the future of the world!”
There is silence for a moment, and nothing happens. Ganon rises to his feet, opening his mouth to speak, and the Triforce glows brightly, sending out pulsing waves of power. “And let our destinies finally be fulfilled…Ganondorf! May you drown with Hyrule!”

The Triforce splits, the three pieces floating apart, rising to the bubble that surrounded Hyrule. They passed through, tearing holes in the protective bubble, and water began to gush in as Ganon threw his head back and laughed madly.

Link struggles to his feet, throwing Sky a thankful look, and Sky nods, his eyes still glowing. Link holds his right arm, massaging his shoulder as Ganon speaks again. “This is foolishness…A future…for you?”

Tetra’s voice comes from behind him, and Link lets out a sigh of relief. “What are you laughing at, Ganondorf? You’re insane!” She’s holding Link’s Master Sword, and she throws him a teasing glance. “Link! I’m sorry! I overslept!” He glances at her incredulously, and she grins widely. She glances around, her gaze stopping on Sky. “He’s alive! I thought he was- never mind.” She shakes her head and turns back to Link. “I think it’s time for us to say goodbye to this place. We must return to the world above! Back to our ocean!” Link nods, taking the sword back as she holds it out to him.

In front of them, Ganon raises his hand. “Very well, then…Allow me to show you…Your future…” His swords materialize in his hands. “Yes…allow me to show you…Just what hope you have…See how much your precious Triforce is worth!” He spins to face them, a nasty grin on his face. He starts to move towards them and Link throws a glance at Sky, who tilts his head in askance. Link shakes his head, and Sky nods, backing away to the edge of the room, allowing Link to fight, but offering assistance if it’s needed.

Ganon jumps towards them, sword out, and Tetra pulls Link’s bow out of his bag, taking aim. “I’ll use this bow to cover you! Attack him as best you can!”
The water gushes down around the top of the tower, splattering the edges and making it slippery and dangerous. The world around them slowly drowns as they settle into a solid rhythm. Tetra shoots Ganon with light arrows to knock him down and Link attacks with his sword when he drops. Eventually, Ganon turns towards Tetra, backhanding her once again, rendering her unconscious. Link snarls in anger, but gestures for Sky to stay where he was. As Ganon stalks towards him, Link waits for the right moment to lunge to the side, rolling and coming up behind him to strike. This continued for a minute, and soon Tetra was rising from the ground, thoroughly soaked and now angry.

She stays behind Ganon, and they settle back into the rhythm that they started with. After a couple of minutes, Ganon is stuck with a light arrow and stiffens, and Link sees an opportunity. He lunges to the side, then jumps, bringing the Master Sword down. It pierces through Ganon's head and both Ganon and Link freeze. Link jumps back in horror, staring down at his hands, backing away as Ganon speaks his last. “Ughnn…Heh heh…The wind…It is blowing…”

He shudders, turning to stone before their eyes, and Link's energy disappears. He stumbles, his hand coming to hold his right arm again, and Tetra rushes to his side. “Link!” His legs give out and she grabs him, struggling to hold him up. She stands there for a minute, and a shadow falls over them, making her look up. King Daphnes stands before them, and Sky is approaching quickly.

“My children, listen to me.” The King speaks quickly. “I have lived regretting the past. And I have faced those regrets. If only I could do things over again…Not a day of my life has gone by without my thoughts turning to my kingdom of old. I have lived bound to Hyrule. In that sense, I was the same as Ganondorf.” He glances over to the stone statue beside them. “But you…” He looks back over as Link pushes himself back to his feet, wobbling dangerously. “I want you to live for the future. There may be nothing left for you…But despite that, you must look forward and walk a path of hope, trusting that it will sustain you when darkness comes.”

The water had swallowed the edges of the tower and was now creeping toward their feet. Sky had come to stand behind them, the glow in his eyes finally fading, and he rested a hand on both Tetra and Link’s shoulders. As the water grew closer, King Daphnes spoke again. “I am sorry, children, for the way I treated you in Hyrule castle, and how I went about all of this. I could think of no other way to rid you of Ganondorf, and I can only hope for your forgiveness.” He steps back, looking up. “Farewell…This is the only world that your ancestors were able to leave you. Please…forgive us.”

Tetra clasps her hands together in front of her, deep in thought. Her eyes light up, and she calls out, “W-wait! You could…You could come with us!” Link nods furiously as she continues. “Yes, of course…We have a ship! We can find it. We WILL find it! That land will be the next Hyrule! So…” She looks up at him imploringly.

King Daphnes’ expression softens, and a sad smile crosses his face. “Ah, but child…That land will not be Hyrule. It will be YOUR land!”

Water gushes down from above, blinding Link. When his vision clears, he, Sky, and Tetra are all surrounded by bubbles, protecting them, and supplying them with air. Tetra is already being pulled to the surface, and as Link and Sky start to rise, Link panics. “What about the Master Sword?” He throws a panicked look at Sky, whose face is twisted. “Sky?”

“Leave her. She’ll rest easy knowing that she protected you. It’s okay.” Sky’s face was twisted with pain, even as he spoke. His own sword was sheathed on his back, and he rested one hand on the handle as he was lifted through the water. “But-but she’s your friend! I can’t just leave her here!” Link tried to stay on the roof, but his feet began to rise up. “Sky!”

Sky’s eyes were swimming with sorrow, but he shook his head, reaching down to take Link’s hand. “It’s alright. I promise. I’ll never be upset with you for this.”
The two of them are dragged through the water, and Link’s feet rose above his head, flipping him over. He looked down once more, reaching out a hand for King Daphnes. The King reached up, waving farewell, and Link began to rise to the surface, leaving the King of Hyrule to drown in his forgotten kingdom.

--------

Sky broke the surface of the water and looked around, searching for Link and Tetra. There! They bobbed gently a couple of feet away, and he swam towards them, making sure that their faces stayed above water. They were both unconscious, and he poked at them gently.

“Link, Tetra! Hey, wake up!” Link’s eyes flickered open, and he gasped, righting himself and beginning to tread water. Tetra’s eyes flickered open shortly after, and she did the same. “You both alright? All in one piece?” They both snapped their heads toward Sky with identical gasps as they swam towards him. “You’re alive!” Tetra reached him first, reaching out and punching him on the shoulder. “I thought he had killed you!” Link pulled up next to him, punching him in the other shoulder. “You don’t get to do that ever again, you ass!”

Sky laughed brightly, flicking water at both of them. “I know, guys, I thought he had killed me too, honestly. And I don’t plan to do that again, I swear. But neither of you answered me. Are you alright?” They both nodded, but all three of them jumped in surprise as a Rito swooped down in front of them. He hovered for a moment, looking at them, then smiled. “You’re okay!”

“P-prince Komali?” Link spluttered over the water in his mouth, but grinned up at his friend. “It’s good to see you!” Tetra turned around, then nudged Link. “Look!”

Link and Sky both turned. Tetra’s ship was behind them, and Aryll was waving at them from the crow's nest. “Big brother!” She called down to him, and Link yelled back. “Aryll!” He started swimming towards the ship, calling back to Sky. “C’mon!”

They were pulled up the side, and Aryll crashed into Link as soon as he was on the boat. “Big brother! You’re okay!” Link picked her up and swung her around, hugging her tightly. “I’m so glad you’re safe, Aryll.” They stood like that for a minute before he put her back down, turning to Tetra and Sky with a wide grin. He waved Sky over, and Aryll peered up at him curiously. “Aryll, this is Sky. I’ve adopted him. He’s ours now!” Link grinned as Sky choked on a laugh. “What do you think? Should we bring him home to Grandma?”

Aryll inspected him for a moment, then nodded seriously. “Grandma needs to feed him.” The crew exploded into laughter, Tetra doubling over at the look on Sky’s face. She was back in her pirate outfit, her hair pulled back away from her face once more. Her sword was hooked onto her belt, and she stood confidently.

Looking around, Link noticed Medli and Makar peeking out of one of the doorways. He rushed over to them pulling them both into hugs. “You’re both okay!” They nodded but backed off as Tetra called for Link’s attention.

“All right, hero boy, where to?”

Link looked around at the ship holding his friend and family and grinned back at her.

“We’re all going home. Set course for Outset Island, Captain.”

Chapter Text

Their return to Outset Island had been a whirlwind of reunions, introductions, storytelling, and medical attention. Link and Aryll had dragged Sky over to meet their Grandma, who had looked him over and loudly announced the need for bandages.

"Sue-Belle, dear, we're going to need you over here!" Her voice was strong, despite her fragile appearance, and Link had laughed when she took Sky by the hand, pulling him away from the majority of the crowd. Regardless, Sky could feel most of their eyes following him, and he shrank into himself. Link's Grandma pushed him down onto the edge of a deck, and she - and a woman that Sky assumes is Sue-Belle - set to work on his throat.

The injury had long since scabbed over, but they spread some salve over it and bandaged it carefully as if one wrong move would set it bleeding again. Sky's thoughts drift as the ladies work, and he's jolted back to reality by a hand landing gently on his shoulder. "Sky, dearie, we're finished."

Sky flinches back, barely enough movement to notice, and Sue-Belle and Link's Grandma exchange looks over Sky's head. He stands, turning to them with a smile. "Thank you, Ms. Sue-Belle, Mrs. Aalto." Both of them smile back, and Sue-Belle shakes her head at him. "Oh, Sky, there's no need to call either of us Ms. I think we're well past that, considering all you've done for Link and Aryll." Sky begins to disagree, but Link's Grandma cuts him off. "Oh, dearie, my grandchildren have already all but adopted you. Just call me Grandma." She pats his cheek with a smile, then turns to make her way back over to the crowd. Sky and Sue-Belle stay by the deck of the house for a minute longer, the silence settling around them.

"May I ask how you injured your throat?" Sue-Belle's voice startles him, and Sky turns to look at her, his face already flushing. "Well, I was just trying to protect Tetra-"

Sky's interrupted once again, this time by Link and Aryll barreling into him, Tetra, Grandma, and the rest of the village following behind them much more calmly. "Sky, Sky, Sky, do you feel better now?" Aryll peers up at him from where she had latched onto his waist, and Sky crumbles. "Yeah, kiddo, your Grandma and Ms. Sue-Belle fixed me right up." Sky smiles down at Aryll and hears Sue-Belle's exasperated sigh as he continues. "Did you get checked over too?" Aryll nods vigorously, so Sky turns to Link and Tetra, who have planted themselves just to his left. "And you two?"

Tetra smirks at him, but Link has the decency to look sheepish, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck. "We, uh, not yet?" Sky raises an eyebrow at him, and Link flushes and Tetra begins to look mildly embarrassed. They shuffle their feet, and Sky relents. "At least let them look over you by the end of the day?" He gets two nods in response, so he doesn't push the issue, instead leaning down and scooping Aryll off the ground, throwing her into the air gently before catching her.

Her bright laugh rings through the air, and he tosses her one more time before swinging her under his arm, holding her like a sack of flour. She giggles wildly, and Sky feels some of the tension leave the air, the Islanders relaxing now that their missing children have been returned. They all jump when someone claps, turning towards the noise. Grandma's face is covered by a blinding smile, and she looks around. "I believe," she says happily, "That a celebration is in order, now that we are all safe and home." A resounding cheer follows her words, and Link sidles up to Sky's side, pressing close. Sky curls an arm around his shoulders and reaches out, snagging the back of Tetra's tunic and pulling her into the group, laughing quietly as she glares at him. "Does the day after tomorrow work for everyone?" Grandma nods in satisfaction as the plan comes together, and people begin to split away from the group, soft conversations about preparations filling the afternoon air.

Sky finally releases the back of Tetra's tunic, and gently drops Aryll back onto the ground. "So, what can I do to help?" Grandma gives him a look, and he shrinks into himself slightly. Her gaze softens and she reaches out, taking his hands in her own, holding them firmly. "You have done plenty for my family, Sky. Please, let us do this for you. And just call me Grandma, dear."

"Mrs. Aalto, I-" Her eyebrow raises, and Sky stumbles over his words. "Mrs.- Gran- Grandma, I just want to help with something. If doesn't have to be anything big, I just..." Sky trails off, shrinking into himself more and more as she looks him over. She smiles softly, reassuringly. "Dear, if you feel that strongly about it, I won't stop you. You and Link can help fix up some of the decorations. But!" Her grip on his hands tightens, and Sky stills. "I would like you to keep this in mind. All of you." Her voice rises, and Sky can hear Link, Aryll, and Tetra fall still behind him.

"Your value, to your community, or anything else, will never be lessened by how much work you do or don't do. Do you understand this?" There are three soft confirmations from behind Sky, and Grandma stares at him. Sky hesitates but nods slowly. She keeps hold of his hands, her gaze searching, but releases him after a moment, sighing softly.

"You don't, but you will." Ignoring Sky's questioning look, she begins to delegate tasks, sending Aryll inside, Tetra to assist one of the other Islanders, and Link and Sky to collect stray palm fronds and pieces of wood.

--------

The next day dawns dark and cloudy, a fierce storm blowing in. Link, Tetra, Aryll, Grandma, and Sky are all stuck inside of the little house, doing their best to continue with the preparations for the party.

Aryll, Grandma, and surprisingly, Tetra, are all in the kitchen, working on food and drinks, while Link and Sky have set up in the loft, braiding palm fronds and carving decorations. Eventually, Tetra climbs up the ladder to join them, Sky's spare set of carving tools clutched in her hand. She settles down on Sky's right and the three work in comfortable silence until Sky's head snaps towards the door.

Link and Tetra go still. Sky's ear twitches and he puts his tools down, standing and moving to the ladder. The sound comes again, and this time it's loud, loud enough to alert Grandma and Aryll in the kitchen. Sky jumps from the loft, hitting the ground silently, and snags his sword from its resting spot by the door. He inches forward, sword in hand, and cracks the door open.

There's nothing outside.

Sky steps out onto the deck, not far enough to be drenched by the storm, and looks around, his eyes cataloging everything. Nothing seems to be wrong, but Sky can see Orca on his deck, looking around the same way he is. They make eye contact and the elderly man shrugs, Sky returning the gesture. They remain outside for a minute longer, then Sky returns inside.

Link and Tetra have migrated to the kitchen, standing between the door and Grandma and Aryll. Shy shakes his head and Link slumps. "We all heard that, right? Like, it was a loud noise." Link's eyes were wide, and Tetra nodded in agreement. "Whatever it was, it seems to be gone now. We're alright." Grandma's comment soothed them all, and Sky gently placed his sword back by the door.

He pauses for a second, looking up at the loft. He climbs halfway up the ladder, snags the bundle of supplies that they’d left behind, and drops back down, settling himself in the center of the main room, in front of the door. Almost immediately, Aryll is tucking herself under his arm and looking up at him with wide eyes. “Will you tell us a story, Sky?”

Her question is echoed by Link and Tetra, and Sky pulls Aryll closer as he thinks. “Uh, sure. What do you want to hear about?” “Ooh, tell us about your journey! Please, please, please!” Aryll is bouncing in excitement and Sky thinks through his journey, looking for one of the less terrifying events that he could talk about. “Hm, how about I tell you about the Sandship?” Both Link and Tetra perk up, and Grandma pokes her head back into the room, clearly curious. The elderly woman moves over to a large chair at the entry to the kitchen and settles in, Link and Tetra sitting between her and Sky as he begins to talk.

“So the Sandship is a huge pirate ship. Skipper, the pirate captain I was helping, told me that his ship had been overrun and his crew captured, and I couldn’t say no. So, we get on his boat and head out to look for the ship.” Sky runs a hand through his hair with a huff of laughter. “The best part? The ship could turn invisible.”

“No!” Link gasps, sitting up straight. “Really? Do you know how cool that would be?” He turns to Tetra, whose eyes are shining with awe. “Do you know how fast we could move if we were invisible?” Link demands.

“Hey, hold on, that was the whole problem! It took us hours to find the ship, and even longer to figure out how to damage it enough that it would become visible again.” Sky’s laughing, one arm still hooked over Aryll’s shoulders. “And we had a limited amount of sea, guys. What would happen if you lost track of your ship out on the Great Sea?” Link deflates with a huff, crossing his arms petulantly. He grumbled something under his breath and Tetra huffs as well, but Sky can tell that they hadn’t given up on the idea.

“So, we’re looking around the sand sea, and Fi was a huge help. She was able to point us in the right direction-”

--------

Yesterday's storm had made a mess of the beach, so Sky, Link, Tetra, and Abe had been tasked with cleaning it up while everyone else began to set up tables and bring the food out.

Aryll, Joel, and Zill had been given free rein of the decorations and were making good use of their freedom. The beach was an explosion of color, with braided palm fronds and wooden carvings scattered around. The tables were covered by colorful cloths, and blankets and towels had been spread across the sand to provide seating.

Once everything had been placed, someone had pulled out a wooden flute, and an upbeat melody filled the air. Link and Aryll were dancing, kicking up clouds of sand as they did. It turned out that Mesa and Sue-Belle were the ones playing the instruments, with Sue-Belle playing her flute and Mesa using his drums. Abe and Rose watched over Joel and Zill, who were playing down by the water's edge, and Grandma, Orca, and Sturgeon were over by the food tables, speaking quietly amongst themselves.

The party was peaceful, and Sky soaked it in. He was lying on one of the towels that had been spread over the sand, the sun's rays warm on his face. He could hear Tetra next to him, carving something with her borrowed tools, and he could also hear Link and Aryll goofing off in the sand nearby. It was nice.

The bird's cry startles everyone, and Sky sits up quickly as the beach goes silent, one hand bracing himself and the other coming up to shade his eyes as he searches the sky. The call was loud, and Sky could tell that it had unsettled the islanders greatly. He stands carefully, turning to look at the Link, Aryll, and Tetra. “Head over to Grandma, please.” All three of them look like they want to argue, but the look on his face must convince them otherwise. They move quickly, and Sky turns his gaze toward Joel, Zill, Abe, and Rose. “It’s alright, why don't you all come back away from the water?” Abe and Rose look relieved that someone has taken control of the situation, and Sky spares a moment of sympathy for the Islanders. Their only experience with large birds has been traumatic for all of them, and Sky wishes that they had had better experiences.

Regardless, Sky treats this the same as he would have had he been on Skyloft, dealing with a stray Skytail. Once everyone had bunched together to discourage the bird from going after stragglers, Sky began to usher everyone back towards the houses. He’s standing a few feet away from the group and speaking calmly so that he doesn’t give anyone else a reason to freak out. “Alright, we’re going to need to move to cov- gah!”

Something slams into him, knocking him down and into the sand roughly. He hears the exclamations from the villagers, Link’s voice rising above them all. “Sky!” He rolls on impact, his arms coming up to protect his face, but nothing happens. He stays on the ground, curled into a ball, for another moment before he peeks out – and he’s glad he does. “Oh, Phoenix!” He uncurls, rising to his knees and throwing his arms around the Loftwing with a watery laugh, only mildly surprised when tears spring to his eyes. “Oh, you loveable, stupid bird, where have you been? Do you know how long it’s been? Why in Hylia’s name did you feel the need to tackle me into the sand?” The last question is asked with a little more force than strictly necessary, but Phoenix has the decency to look sheepish, his head ducking down.

Sky sighs, taking the bird's face in his hands and squishing it gently, earning himself an affectionate knock on the head. “Oh, never mind, you goofball. You’ve scared everyone anyways, so just, calm down for me?” Phoenix gives him a look, conveying the feelings of ‘Me? Calm? Ha.’ in the back of Sky’s mind as he stands. The Islanders are watching him with wide, nervous eyes and Sky rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I, uh, I’m okay. In my defense, I didn’t know he would do that, or that it was him anyway, but he’s harmless. He’s very sorry he startled you all so badly.” Sky nudges Pheonix’s presence in the back of his mind, and the Loftwing gives them all a guilty stare, and most of the adults relax. Link begins to creep forward, a hand reaching out and latching onto Sky’s arm when he gets close enough. “Is – is that your Loftwing?” The question is so soft that Sky almost doesn’t hear it, but he nods, choosing his words carefully. “Link, this is Phoenix, my partner in flight. He was just very excited to find me again, but I promise that he’s harmless. Would you like to pet him?”

Link hesitates, clearly still anxious around the large bird, and Sky opens his mouth to tell him that he doesn’t have to when Link’s expression hardens and he says, “Yeah, I think I do.” Sky smiles down at him proudly, ruffling his hair. “I’m proud of you, kiddo.” Link gives him a shaky grin in return, and together, they move closer. Pheonix’s head perks up towards them, and Link falters, his grip on Sky’s arm tightening. Sky pauses with him, waiting until Link is comfortable before they move again.

They stop just in front of the Loftwing, who slowly stretches out his neck in greeting, pressing up against Link’s outstretched hand gently. The Loftwing gives a loud grumble and Link giggles, looking over at Sky with a bright grin. Phoenix nudges the younger boy’s hand and when Link scratches the top of his head, the Loftwing flops down into the sound with a loud whuff!

Sky rolls his eyes as Link jumps back. “Oh, for Hylia’s sake, Phoenix, you spend entirely too much time with Groose and King. There’s no need to be so dramatic.” The crimson Loftwing stares up at him. Sky stares blankly back. Pheonix lifts his head off the ground just enough to hiss mockingly at him, and Sky sticks his tongue out in return, one hand coming up by his face, his thumb resting on the end of his nose and his fingers wiggling teasingly. Link laughs at the exchange, still scratching the bird’s head, and calls out to his sister. “Hey, Aryll, come over here!”

Aryll, followed by Tetra, Joel, and Zill, slows to a stop next to her brother, all of them still visibly cautious. As Link begins to talk with the small group, Sky makes his way over to the adults, intent on placating them. “Ok, so I know that he didn’t give off a good first impression, but I promise that he would never hurt anyone.” Sky can see that his words are beginning to help ease the adult's concerns, so he continues. “Pheonix is my Loftwing, my partner in flight and my other half, given to us by the Goddess. He’ll only get upset if someone mistreats him, or if something happens to me, and I trust him with my life.”

As the last of the tension leaves the adults, Sky can see that most of them have questions, so he invites them to ask. As the exchange wears on, everyone on the island has a chance to meet the Loftwing, and soon enough the party is back in full swing. Much like before, Sky ends up stretched out on one of the towels covering the sand, but this time Pheonix is curled around him, providing a steady and comforting presence. Sky drifts off to sleep listening to the waves crashing against the shore and the steady hum of conversation behind him.

--------

The party had lasted most of the day, only interrupted by Phoenix’s arrival well after noon, and evening was now creeping upon Outset Island. Link and Tetra had finally gone to get plates of food, and Link had grabbed one for Sky as well. Aryll was playing in the water with Joel and Zill, with Rose and Abe once again watching over them. Content that Aryll was being supervised, Link cast a glance over the rest of the party in search of Sky. When he didn’t see him, he asked Tetra.

“Hey, when was the last time you saw Sky? I haven’t seen him in hours!” Tetra thought for a minute, then shrugged. “I haven’t seen him either. Come to think of it,” Her gaze sharpened, and her voice tightened. “I haven’t seen his bird, either. Do you think…?” Link’s eyes widened, and he inhaled sharply. “No…no, no, he wouldn’t! He promised that he would tell me before he left!”

Tetra looks grim. “Unless he didn’t have time to tell us.”

Her words kicked Link into gear, and he took off down the beach. The plates of food were still clutched in his hands, and Tetra shot after him, yelling at him to not drop the food with a cry of, “Not everyone is used to eating sand, Link!” His reply is lost to the wind as it swirls around him and pushes him towards the dock. He heads in that direction, stopping abruptly as he gets close and heaves a sigh of relief. Tetra comes to a stop behind him, echoing the sentiment as they finally find Sky.

They move closer, coming up behind the boy and his bird, and Link sees that Sky is asleep, curled up on one of the towels, Phoenix acting as a barrier between the boy and everything else. Sky’s breathing is deep and even, and Link plops down next to him to start in on his food. Tetra reaches over and steals his roll, taking a bite out of it before he can stop her, and Link grumbles quietly under his breath.

They stay like this until evening turns to night and the party officially ends. Sky has stayed asleep the entire time, even when Link and Tetra devolved into a wrestling match next to him, and Link’s starting to get concerned. “Is he supposed to sleep this much? I know he didn’t sleep well on your ship, but still, it seems weird.”

Tetra just shrugs, but Link can see the worry in her eyes. “Who knows. Either way, I’m gonna wake him up.” She reaches over and shakes Sky, who shoots upright with a gasp. He flails, pushing himself back into Phoenix, who curls around him with a soft squawk. Sky stills, blinking, and catches sight of Link and Tetra. “Uh, hi?”

Tetra’s laughing, and Link’s grinning at him. “You slept through the rest of the party, Sky. Are you ready to go back to the house?” Sky nods, yawning again as he stands. As they all make their way to Link’s house, Phoenix takes flight, landing gently on Aryll’s lookout, and settling in for the night. The three Hylians continue into the house, helping with the last of the cleanup, then settling in for the night as well.

--------

Link wakes suddenly, his eyes flying open and his mouth open in a silent scream. He throws the covers off, stumbling to the door as quietly as he can, heading outside. The cool night air is startling against his flushed skin and Link keeps moving, stumbling down the ramp and running towards the surf. He crashes to his knees in the sand, the ocean roaring in his ears and the wind curling around him as he shakes. His arms are wrapped around himself tightly, both in an attempt to ward off the chill and comfort himself.

He closes his eyes, tilting his face up into the wind, but all he can see is Ganon, a sword through his head, driven there by Links's own hand. The boy swallows thickly and fights back the tears that threaten to fall, and he flinches violently when someone’s hand lands on his shoulder. His eyes fly back open, and he leans away with a choked cry, but it’s only Sky. “Kiddo?”

Sky’s voice is soft, and kind, and it sends Link over the edge. The tears pour down his face and he lets out a sob, his hands moving from his forearms to his face as he wipes futilely at his eyes. Sky sinks down next to him with a soft, “Oh, Link.”, and Link throws himself into the older boy’s open arms, desperate for some kind of comfort. “Oh, buddy, what’s wrong?”

The words come out between sobs, and Link can feel Sky stiffen next to him as he says them. “I – I killed him! He was awful and mean and terrible, and he took Aryll, but I didn’t mean to kill him!” He looks up at Sky, his eyes wild and desperate. “I’m only 14, and I’ve killed someone and I’m terrible just like he was and I – I –” Sky shushes him gently, pulling the younger boy closer and holding him tightly as words fail him. “Link, you’re nothing like him. Ganon was mad with power, willing to kill children to get more of it.” Link’s eyes shoot back to Sky’s, and he opens his mouth to argue, but Sky doesn’t give him the time to. “He was centuries old, Link, and he’d lost sight of himself, and everything else. You are nothing like him.”

Sky pulled away from the hug and took Link’s face in his hands, gently tilting Link’s head to look him in the eyes. “You are good. You are kind and loving and selfless, and everything that he was not. You’re strong, courageous, and wonderful, and I am so, so proud of you, Link.” Link sniffles, devolving into tears once more. “But – but I left Fi. I left her there and now she’s alone, and I know how much she meant to you.”

Sky sighs, releasing Link’s face and instead pulling him into another hug, resting his chin on Link’s head. He’s silent for a minute, then two, and then he speaks. “I want you to know that I will never blame you for choosing your life over a sword. Fi wouldn’t either.” Link hears Sky sniff, but stays quiet. “Fi was…she was my closest companion on my adventure. She was the best friend I’ve ever had, besides Zelda. Honestly, sometimes I feel like she was an even better friend, simply because there was never a chance for her to sugarcoat things, or stretch the truth.” Sky inhales, and it’s a shuddering breath. “I miss her, more than I’ve ever missed anyone in my life, but I know how she would have felt if she were awake. She would want you to live, Link. She was brave, braver than I could ever be, and so much stronger, and she wouldn’t have even given it a second thought.”

Link pulls away from the hug and looks up at Sky, catching sight of a tear rolling down his cheek. “As much as I hate it, as much as I will always hate it, her first priority will always be us. To make sure that we will live, even at the cost of herself. It’s not even because of the hero’s spirit. It’s because she loves us, will always love us, no matter when, or where we are.”

Sky looks down to meet Link’s eyes. They’re both crying, tears slipping silently down their faces as they sit together in the moonlight, the wind curling around them gently. “I will always regret the fact that I didn’t get more time with her, Link, but I will never resent you for choosing yourself.”

Link tightens his arms around Sky’s middle, burrowing back into the hug, and the two of them sit on the beach until the sun breaks over the horizon.

--------

A week after their conversation on the beach, Sky wakes and the world is tinted amber. It’s the exact color of the crystal, and Sky rolls over to press his face into the pillow, muffling a frustrated groan. He gives himself another minute, then rolls out of bed and dresses for the day before setting off to find his companions.

His news is not well received, the conversation ending with Aryll in tears, Link stomping away angrily, and Tetra refusing to speak to him.

Their anger lasts through the day, so Sky spends his time helping out, mending fences, and minding Joel and Zill for their parents. He eats lunch with Grandma, who has picked up on the tension between them all. She pats his hand gently and leans down to kiss his forehead with a soft reassurance. “He won’t be mad for too long, dear. He just needs to process, and Aryll will always follow his example. Just give them a little longer.”

As the day draws to a close, Link, Aryll, and Tetra corner him on the dock, Tetra leading the charge. “You have to go, don’t you.” It’s more of a statement than a question, but Sky nods anyway. “I do. I have people waiting for me, and I don’t know what would happen if I stayed. I don’t know if I can, to be honest.”

Link sighs loudly, and drops down to sit on the end of the dock, his feet brushing the top of the water. Sky sits next to him, Aryll in his lap, and Tetra on the other side. “Tell us about Skyloft?” The quiet request comes from Tetra, and Sky is happy to oblige.

“It’s a beautiful island. The days are hot, and the nights are cold, and we always have to be careful about sun exposure, because we’re above the clouds.” The four spend the rest of the evening on the dock, talking about Skyloft and the surface, and how the Skyloftians were working on settling. The conversation draws to a close when Aryll begins yawning, and Sky stands, Aryll cradled in his arms carefully. Link and Tetra follow him, and they make their way back to the house, where Grandma waits for them. She directs Sky to settle Aryll into bed, and he joins them out of the deck once he’s done.

“You know, Sky, I knew what was going on the moment I saw you.” Grandma’s voice cuts through the stillness of the night air, and Sky turns to her in surprise. “You’re from a different time.” Sky chokes on his next inhale, waving away everyone’s concern as he fights to stop coughing. Once he’s recovered, Grandma grins at them. “Please, did you boys think that I wouldn’t recognize you? I’ve had my share of adventures, met my own Link, and lost him too. He spoke highly of a sister he almost didn’t know he had and a great-grandfather who descended from the heavens and established a wonderful kingdom.” Grandma looks out across the sea, her voice wistful.

“He told such wonderful stories; I could hardly believe them. He liked to go into detail, and for a long time, I was convinced he was just trying to impress me, telling a few tall tales. He’s proved me wrong, now.” She turns to Sky with a smile. “You would be proud of him, Link.”

Sky smiles and moves to stand beside Grandma, wrapping an arm gently around her shoulders. “You know, I get the feeling that I am.”

--------

The next two weeks are a blur of chaos and fun. Tetra had demanded to go flying only days after the Loftwing had shown up and had eventually harassed Link into giving it a try. Sky walked them through the basics before taking them into the air one at a time, and it had become a daily event after the initial flight.

Link had been surprised by how much he had enjoyed flying, and had said so to Sky. Sky had just smiled brightly at him and ruffled his hair. “I told you kiddo, no one can resist Phoenix’s charm.” Link had stared blankly at him for a minute before shaking his head, an exasperated smile on his face as he’d moved back to the Loftwing. Later that same day, Aryll had come up to Sky by herself and asked if she could spend time with Phoenix, and Sky had obliged but stayed close.

Aryll had curled up under the bird's feathers, her small hands brushing through them gently as she talked to Phoenix. “You’re not as scary as the other big bird. You’re nicer. Prettier too.” She was speaking softly, staring down at her sandals. “I think you’re a better birdie. Sky likes you a lot, but I’m scared Mr. Bird.” Her voice turned watery, and Sky stepped closer, kneeling next to her. “I don’t want to go flying again right now. But I like you, and so does Big Brother, and I want to fly.” She sniffed, and Sky rested a hand on her shoulder. She turned and buried her face in his chest.

“You don’t have to fly, darling. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Sky soothes. “But I want to! It was fun but I’m scared!” Aryll’s voice rises, and Sky thinks for a minute, his head tilted to the side. “What if…what if you just ride around on his back? No flying, just walking around the island?” Aryll considered it before nodding eagerly. She climbed onto Phoenix’s back and held tightly to him as they wandered around the island.

--------

Link had decided that Sky needed to know how to sail, and that took up a solid six days. By the end of it, however, Sky was as confident in a boat as he was on a Loftwing. Similarly, Link was now mostly alright with Phoenix, having flown slowly around the island by himself more than once. He wasn’t anywhere near Skyloftian levels of flight, but Sky figured that was okay.

On the seventh day, Sky and Tetra had ended up in the Forest of Fairies. Tetra had been quiet for most of the morning but had finally asked Sky the question that had been bothering her. “What if…what if I’m not a good Zelda? Hyrule doesn’t exist anymore, and I have no idea how to be a princess. How am I supposed to help Link if my supposed Kingdom doesn't even exist anymore?” She’s standing at the edge of the river, staring across it and into the shadows of the woods. Her arms are crossed and she’s standing straight, but Sky can tell that she’s uncertain and worried.

She sounded scared, and that's what drew Sky’s attention the most. He stands beside her, taking her hands in his own. “You don’t need a kingdom to be yourself, Tetra. There’s no rulebook to being Zelda, just like there’s no rulebook for being Link.” He squeezes her hands, then lets go. “With or without a kingdom, you are enough.” Tetra meets his eyes, and she nods determinedly. “I like Tetra better, anyways. But hey, didn’t King Daphnes say something about the two of you founding your own Hyrule?” She brightens, the determined look returning to her eyes. “Yeah, he did, didn’t he?” She spins, turning to face the exit, calling over her shoulder. “When we find the new Hyrule, and we will, we’re going to name something after you.”

Sky shakes his head, but Tetra looks over her shoulder at him, a wide grin on her face. “You can’t stop us, so don’t bother trying.” She begins to move, and Sky takes off after her. “Tetra, don’t you dare. Tetra!”

--------

On the ninth day, two days after the conversation in the woods, Sky, Link, and Tetra sit down on the shoreline and Sky pulls out the Timeshift Stone, holding it carefully. Link wiggles excitedly as he scoots closer, Tetra following closely behind him despite the confusion on her face.

“Are we gonna use the stone?” Link asks excitedly. He lets out a cheer when Sky nods, settling himself just within arm’s reach. Sky digs out a small crater in the sand between them and nestles the Timeshift stone carefully in the center, packing the sand around it to keep it firmly in place.

“Now, this one’s small, so it’s not going to affect the whole island. It should just affect the area around us, so don’t be surprised if things don’t look too different. If nothing changes at all, we’ll move around with it, but I’m going to carry it. Sound good?” Sky glances up and catches Tetra’s confused look. “Oh! Sorry Tetra, I don’t think I ever explained these to you.” Sky ran through the basics, making sure that Tetra knew what was going to happen before he pulled out a small carving knife. He leaned forward and flicked the blade against the stone, and it turned blue, glowing brightly.

The area around them only changed a little. The grass seemed to be closer to the shore, and the sand extended past the waves in the area inside their little bubble. Link let out a soft sound of awe, and Sky leaned forward to carefully scoop the crystal out of the sand. The three moved slowly along the shoreline, watching the ground change around them. There wasn’t much difference, but both Link and Tetra seemed content to simply watch the ground change under their feet.

After a little while, Sky flicked the crystal and shut it down, returning the area around them to normal as Link chattered about how cool it had been. Sky and Tetra exchanged fond glances as they followed Link back toward Grandma’s house where Aryll was waiting for them on the deck.

--------
On the 11th day, Sky takes Link down to the shoreline and pulls out his Master Sword.

“You asked me, back in the castle, if I could teach you to throw a Skyward Strike.” Sky is grinning, and Link feels a smile stretch across his face to match. He nodded and moved back a few feet when Sky gestured for him to do so, watching intently as Sky raised his sword skyward.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, light began to collect on the tip of the blade, dripping down the sides like water off the mast of a ship, and the blade began to glow. It was dull, at first, but it grew in intensity the longer the sword was held skyward. As the light dripped down the sword and hit the hilt it spilled over the guard and dripped down onto Sky’s hand, still glowing brightly.

Eventually, the whole blade was glowing brightly, and Sky looked over at him with a grin. “You ready?”

Link nodded eagerly, hands curled into fists in excitement, and Sky slashed downward. The beam of light exploded out of the sword and flew across the sand, hitting the ocean with a spray of mist, and Link saw something glint in the sunlight as it was thrown. The light dissipated a dozen or more feet out over the water, and Link turned to Sky, his eyes bright. “That was so cool! Can I try? Please, please, please?” He bounced on the balls of his feet as he asked, his hand now clasped in front of him as he stared up at Sky.

The Skyloftian just laughed, handing the sword to him carefully and coaching him through the steps. “Alright, now, plant your feet firmly on the ground, ‘cause this’ll knock ‘ya over if you're not steady. Yeah, good. Now raise the sword skyward and hold it steady as the power builds.”

Link does as he told, setting his feet firmly in the sand, about shoulder-width apart. The blade is heavy in his hand but it’s not enough to throw him off, so he brings the sword up, raising it skyward. His hand tingles as the power begins to build, and after a few moments, his hand is so numb that he drops the sword.

He blinks down at it in shock, looking up to meet Sky’s confused expression. “Is it supposed to tingle like that?” Link shakes out his hand as Sky moves forward, shaking his head.

“I don’t think so?” It sounds more like a question than an answer, and Sky picks the sword up before coming over to inspect Link’s hand. “You said it was tingling?”

Link nods. “Like my hand had fallen asleep or something.”

Sky hums, stepping away and raising the sword skyward once more. This time the power collects much faster than it did before, and Sky is throwing it out of the sword within a couple of seconds. Once again, Link sees something go flying from the area the light impacted, and this time, he goes after it. Reaching down into the sand, he comes out with two pieces of glass, both shaped like feathers, funnily enough. The sides were oddly smooth, considering they’d been formed by immense power striking the sand, and Link found that he knew exactly what to do with them. He slipped them into his pockets and stepped back over to Sky, wanting to try again.

It took several tries, but he did eventually throw a skyward strike. It was small, much smaller than Sky’s had been, and it didn’t seem to have the sheer power that the Skyloftian’s had, but it was there.

“Fuck yeah!” Link shouted, his fist thrown into the air with excitement. He turned to Sky next. “Did you see that? Sky, I did it!”

Sky was next to him in an instant, grabbing him in a hug and swinging him around. “You did it, Link! That was amazing!”

Once they’d calmed, Link did it again, and again, and again. Each skyward strike grew in size and power, and Link could throw one consistently now. As he threw them one final strike out over the water, he turned to Sky once more. “Thank you.”

Sly just nodded, his eyes filled with pride as he watched Link.

--------

That same night, Link darted over to Orca’s house and got several thin strips of leather cord and a few small pieces of even thinner wire. He sat in the center of Orca’s main room while the man worked on something off to the side. He braided three strips of cord together and carefully wound the wire around the glass feathers, then wrapped the wire tightly and securely around the braided leather before he tied it all off. He repeated the process once more and came out of it with two identical necklaces. He held them up proudly, inspecting them carefully, and brought them to Orca to get a second opinion.

The older man gave his approval and off Link went, searching for Sky. It took a few minutes of searching, but he found the Skyloftian up in Aryll’s lookout, staring out over the water quietly.

“Sky?”

Link’s question pulled him out of his thoughts, and he turned with a small smile. “Hey, kiddo. What’s up?”

Link pulled himself onto the platform and pulled out the necklaces silently, holding them out to Sky sheepishly. “This is for you.”

Sky took one of the necklaces gently, staring down at it in awe. “Link, did you make this?” He sounds surprised and Link flushes, rushing to explain himself.
“I saw the charms go flying when you showed me how to throw the skyward strike and I thought they were cool and I wanted to give you something and so I turned them into necklaces and I really hope you like them.” Link spat the words out quickly, his eyes squeezed shut in anticipation. There was silence for a minute, so Link cracked an eye open to see Sky’s watery smile, directed at the necklace in his lap.

“I love it, kiddo.” Sky’s voice wobbled when he said it, but he pulled Link close and hugged him tightly. Once they separated, he helped Link don his necklace, then asked Link to help him with his own. Once the necklaces were knotted securely, Sky pulled him back under his arm and they sat quietly, enjoying each other's company as they watched the ocean.

--------

On the 14th day, Sky sweeps the Link, Aryll, and Tetra up in a big hug. He does this throughout the day and pulls Link aside that night.

“You asked me what I would call you, besides kid.” His voice is soft, barely audible over the crashing of the waves. Regardless, Link perks up, leaning over into Sky’s space. “Did you figure it out?”

Sky chuckles. “Yeah, I think I did. I think I’d call you Wind. You can’t tell me that you haven’t noticed how it acts around you.” As if it was listening, the wind swirls around them, ruffling their hair. The boys both laugh, but quickly settle back into a peaceful quiet.

“So, Wind?” Link digs for more information, curious about Sky’s decision.

“Yeah. Like I said, the wind likes you. And, uh, Fi was able to tell me that your hero title was the Hero of the Winds. I think it’s fitting.” Sky is still speaking softly, looking out over the water. Link watches him for a minute before Sky glances over and catches him. “What?”

Link shrugs. “You’re quiet. And not like, tired quiet, like, something wrong quiet.” They’re silent for another couple minutes and Link speaks again. “You’re leaving soon, aren't you?”

Sky nods silently, and Link clenches his hands into fists. His temper flares, but Link squashes it down, determined not to spend the rest of the time they have in a bad mood. He scoots closer to Sky, tucking himself under the other boy’s arm. They spend the rest of the night in silence.

--------

The next morning Link wakes up alone, back in his bed. A glance to the side tells him that Sky’s items are gone and Link shoots out of bed, sprinting to the door and throwing it open. He skids down the ramp and onto the sand, sending the grains flying as he runs.

As he moves, he can see the other islanders poking their heads out of their doorways, watching him. He ignores them, following the wind across the stone bridge and up the mountain path. He’s pushed insistently across the bridge, the wind urging him onwards. He enters the Forest of Fairies, and his heart shatters.

The large amber crystal floats gently in the wind, colored crystal dark enough that Link can barely see Sky on the other side. The feather necklace hangs securely around his neck, and he looks peaceful like he’s sleeping, but Link knows better.

His brother is gone.

Chapter Text

The Forest Spring is quiet, and the water laps at Link’s feet as he sits in silence. Around him the rest of the world carries on: the birds chirping, the wind blowing, the flowers blooming, but he pays those no mind, staring out over the water. Specifically, Link is staring at the small ledge at the top of the small waterfall, where Sky’s crystal had floated gently for weeks. Now, it was gone.

Link breathes deeply, his head dropping forward to rest on his knees. Lost in thought as he is, Link doesn’t notice the footsteps behind him until a hand rests on his shoulder, startling him out of his head. “Shit!”

His head shoots up as he turns, making eye contact with – “Princess?”

Princess Zelda smiles kindly down at him, and Link scrambles to his feet. “Did I forget about a meeting? I…I don’t think I did?” His voice lilts upward at the end, trailing off in question as he runs a hand through his hair. Zelda laughs softly, but not unkindly, and reaches out to take his hand in her own. “No, Link, you didn’t miss anything. I’ve had… another dream, and I felt it necessary to inform you.”

Link’s heart drops. “What?” Another quest? He’d just finished his original quest, and just lost Sky, what else could he possibly need to do? His breathing begins to speed up, but his mind stills when Zelda’s other hand lands on his cheek. “Link,” She says slowly, carefully. “I have reason to believe that you will find him again.”

The world stops moving. Link forgets to breathe. His eyes wide, he steps closer to Zelda, desperate to confirm his thoughts. “Sky? You mean that I’ll see him again?”

Zelda’s smile is blinding, and both of her hands are now cradling his face, her thumb gently brushing away a tear he hadn’t noticed falling. She nods, and Link breaks from her hold with a shout of elation. His arms circle her waist, and he lifts her, twirling them both in place in his excitement. Zelda’s dress flares out behind her in the air, and it brushes against his ankles as he sets her back down, stepping back in embarrassment as he realizes what he’s just done.

“I, uh, I didn’t mean…” He trails off, his cheeks pink, as he rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. He keeps his gaze fixed on the ground and misses how Zelda’s face flushes as well. He does, however, hear her say, “Oh, for Hylia’s sake,” before she grabs him by the collar of his shirt and crashes their lips together.

Link stiffens in surprise, then relaxes into the kiss, pulling Zelda closer. Link doesn’t know how long they stay that way, but when they split apart, Zelda’s forehead comes to rest on his own. They stand in silence for a moment before Zelda speaks. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She’s teasing him and he knows it, but Link can’t help but take the bait. “You know, I’m not sure. I think it could’ve been better –”

She interrupts him with another searing kiss, and he grins up at her when they break apart. “Well, now that I think about it, it wasn’t too bad.” She rolls her eyes at him, stepping out of his personal space and smoothing out her dress. Link laughs softly, a hand coming up to card through his hair as Zelda resettles herself. “As… entertaining as that was, I did have something else to tell you.” Zelda’s voice is distinctly amused, but Link cuts in again. “But we will talk about this, right? Cause I’m thoroughly confused, to tell you the truth.” Zelda rolls her eyes fondly but nods. Yes, we’ll talk about this extensively, trust me. But in the meantime, I feel it’s important for you to know that what I saw was odd.” She pauses, and Link waits as she gathers her thoughts.

“You were traveling in a group. I’m not certain of how many, but Sky was there. He was dressed differently, as were you, but the troubling part is that he didn’t seem to recognize you.”

Link blinks, his thoughts screeching to a halt. “What?”

Her expression has dropped into something grim. “He didn’t recognize you, Link, but there were others that did. There was a younger boy, much younger than Sky and yourself, and he spoke like he knew you, or at least knew of you.”

Link begins to pace, one arm tucked across his chest while the other comes up to worry his lip. His bare feet splashed in the edge of the Spring as he moved, and Zelda stands a few feet away, continuing her explanation.

“I’m beginning to realize just what kind of deal Sky struck with his Goddess. I think there are others he’ll visit, but you were the first. And Link…” Zelda hesitates, her already grim expression twisting into something more concerned. “Given how adamant he was that he would stay if he could, and that he wouldn’t forget us, I’m beginning to think that something’s wrong.”

Link’s expression hardens and he stops pacing, turning to face Zelda.

“Well, I’ll just have to figure out what, won’t I?”

Chapter Text

The sky islands were ginormous. Every time Link thought he had explored all of them, he found another, and another, and another. Each of them held a little surprise, sometimes a chest, sometimes an old map, and on some notable occasions, a ridiculous monster of some sort. There was a draw to some of them, a pull, like something was calling him, but Link could never seem to find what was at the end of it. He had been following the draw for a couple of days now, needing to be out in the open, needing to be moving, needing to be doing something -anything- besides sitting in the half-finished castle listening to the people yell at each other.

Zelda had pulled him aside around four days ago and asked him what was going on. He had explained it as best he could, but he couldn’t seem to find the right words.

“It’s like a pull. Like someone’s tied a rope around my wrist, and they’re trying to lead me to something. The longer I ignore it, the stronger it gets, and it’s driving me insane!” He had gestured wildly, whirling around to face Zelda again as he finished his sentence. She looked amused, her arms crossed and a smile on her face. “It's trying to pull me up, but Zel, I’ve gone as far up as I can! I don’t see anywhere else that I could go.” He had deflated, his frustration weighing him down until Zelda, lovely, wonderful Zelda, had pulled him back up again with a gentle hand under his chin.

“Did you think I would stop you from looking for it?” Link could hear the laughter in her voice, and he grinned back at her despite his annoyance with the situation. “Nah, I knew you wouldn’t. I just didn’t want to leave you here to deal with all the crazies on your own.” Zelda had simply laughed and told him to go figure it out. He’d packed his bag and hooked his Purah Pad securely onto his hip that same day, and now he was here.

‘Here’ was back up on the Great Sky Island, standing on the top of the cave that he had woken up in. The pull had decreased, which meant he was almost in the right spot, but it was still tugging him upward and diagonal, in the direction of Lookout Landing. Link sighed, dropping down to sit for a moment, watching the setting sun cast the sky in gold. Moments later he was up again, pacing along the edge of the cliff before he dropped back down to sit again.

“This is getting me nowhere! There's only a couple of other places that could get me higher than this and I’ve already tried those, and you still want me to go higher?” Before he knew it, Link was yelling, face turned towards the sky as if Hylia could hear him. “I don’t know what you want from me! I’ve tried, I just don’t understand!” He huffed and flopped backward to lay on his back, watching the clouds drift lazily above him in the dimming light. His eyes drifted closed, and he lay there for a minute or two, thinking it over once more.

The sky. The pull taking him higher. What was higher than he was, higher than almost every other island he’d been to? The only thing above him was… clouds. Clouds. The clouds! That was it! Link shot back to his feet, pulling the Purah Pad from the clip on his belt and opening the map as he began to pace the edge of the island once more. He zoomed in, focusing on one of the flower-shaped islands, the ones that had held the messages from long ago, the ones that Wortsworth had been so obsessed over. Counting the ones he had marked on his map, a victorious grin slowly spread across his face. He’d only marked 11 of them, which meant that there was still one left! He zoomed back out on the map, switching onto the map of the sky, searching for the last island. He had seen it before, where was it now?

There!

Directly above Lookout Landing. Link looked up from the Pad, turning in place until he was facing toward Hyrule Castle, and aimed the zoom feature on the Pad up into the clouds. He looked up, farther and farther until-

“Yes!” He punched the air, grinning from ear to ear. There, the farthest he had ever seen one of the sky islands, was the last flower-shaped island. But the problem now was how to get there. The tower was out of the question, it didn’t launch him far enough up to get there. Maybe one of the dragons? No, none of them had ever flown near it. He needed to get as close as he could and build something to get himself there.

Link took a running start and launched himself off the edge, pulling out his paraglider and drifting toward the Temple of Time. Once he reached the building he climbed up to the roof to stand once more on the edge, facing Central Hyrule. He swiped through the Pad again, pulling out rockets, a steering stick, some fans, and a glider. Link hesitated before taking out one of the gliders. It could be risky, they never seemed to stay for too long, and he didn’t really want another lecture on falling from the sky if Zelda was keeping an eye on him. After a moment more, he pulled out the glider and a couple more rockets and fans, doubling what he had grabbed before.

He fused the items together, grinning when the makeshift fan flier came together. It looked absolutely ridiculous, and he loved it. He clipped the Purah Pad back into place and stepped on, taking hold of the steering stick and launching the glider, laughing at the sudden jump in speed. Slowly, he increased his height, growing closer and closer to the last island. Almost there, almost there…

The glider flashed green, beeping at him, and Link cursed. “Damn it! Not now, just a little further!” The flashing increased in frequency, and Link cursed again. “Hylia damn it! Come on, go up, go up!” He pulled sharply on the steering stick, and the little fan glider tipped upwards. As the flashing continued to increase in frequency, he pulled ever so slowly upwards coming just level with the little island just as the glider blinked out of existence below him.

Link jumped, grabbing onto the side of the island, and dragging himself over, flopping dramatically onto his back, and exhaling. “Oh, I really hope Zelda didn’t see that.” He took a minute to catch his breath and then rolled over, pushing himself up to his knees. He sat there for another minute, trying to see if the pull was still there, and felt nothing. It was finally gone. “Now then, let’s see what all of this was about-” He had turned on his knee, moving to face the center of the little island, only to stop, completely blindsided. “What in the world?”

There was an amber colored crystal, hovering over the hole in the middle of the little island. And it looked like there was a person inside of it.

“Holy Hylia, is that a person?” Link moved forward, wanting desperately to reach out and touch it, but he held himself back. If he touched it and sent them on another crazy journey, Zelda would be furious. Despite not touching the crystal, Link could feel the power radiating off of it. What power, Link couldn’t tell, but he knew it was strong. He stepped back and pulled out the Purah Pad to open the camera function. As he held it up, however, there was no name for the picture, only a series of question marks. Link shrugged to himself and took a couple of pictures anyway, resolving to show Zelda as soon as he was done here. He circled the crystal a couple of times, trying to make out details about the person inside with little success. Link could only make out the pointed ears of a Hylian, nothing more. He stepped away from the crystal and scrolled through the Purah Pad again. He came to a stop at the last page, selecting his last travel medallion, and dropping in safely in the middle of one of the petals of the island.

He cast one last glance at the floating crystal and clipped the Purah Pad to his belt before he stepped up the edge and spread his arms, letting himself tip backward into the open air. As he fell through the air, Tulin’s Sage Spirit materialized next to him, his wings spread to match Link’s outstretched arms. Link glances over at the Sage Spirit and smirks before pulling his arms to his sides and bringing his legs together. He’s flying through the air now, counting in his head as he falls, barreling toward Lookout Landing. The ground is coming up to meet him now, growing closer with every second and Link snaps out his paraglider at the last possible second, the fabric snapping open and catching him moments before his feet touch the ground.

The people around Lookout Landing continue with their day, unphased by his antics, and Link grins. Moving through the walkways quickly, he calls out greetings and smiles at the different people he sees, aiming for the gates that lead to Hyrule Castle. Even unfinished it’s a striking sight, and it looks much brighter and more welcoming than Link can ever remember it being. His recovered memories had cast it in an unpleasant light, and his post-calamity memories hadn’t changed that.

Before the restoration had begun, Link could only see echoes of the malice that had sunk into the castle, red wisps rising from the stonework in the corner of his eyes. Zelda had struggled with the castle as well, he knew this for a fact. They had both planned on working with the villages, restoring the settlements that had been lost over time before they so much as thought about the castle, but that wasn’t to be. The people of Hyrule had come together and made their first decision as a whole. They wanted their castle back. Hyrule’s symbol of prosperity and protection, a central ground for Hylians, Zora, Gerudo, Rito, and Gorons alike to come together.

The different races of Hyrule had all come to the decision on their own and brought them to Zelda and Link in Hateno Village. They had arrived within hours of each other, to Zelda’s surprise, each bearing news of their leader's decision and promise of respect. Eventually, they had settled all of the details and sent each representative on their way with a message detailing the day's events, and things had only improved from there.

Shortly after, Riju, Sidon, Yunobo, Teba, and Tulin all met Link and Zelda in Hyrule Field and Zelda had come up with a system. Each Sage would remain in command over their respective races. Zelda had been unyielding in that respect, as she had not wanted to take any more power than was necessary to protect their vast kingdom. She decided to create a council, including the Sages, herself, Link, and the Village heads from around the land. Zelda wanted to be sure that there was no ill-will between the people of Hyrule, and that they were all able to come together and work coherently if there was ever a need.

There had been no objections, and construction had begun only days later. The gates and defenses were the first to undergo work, and they had been completed by the Hudson Construction Company in record time. They had moved quickly onto the Castle itself, starting at the bottom and working up. They replaced walls, reinforced supports, and rebuilt entire sections even, when they had needed to. The construction was moving quickly, but they were only three-quarters finished with the castle currently, but it still brought a smile to Link’s face.

Making his way up the path, he relished in the feeling of rightness it brought. To be able to move around the castle freely, without worry of monsters or malice around every corner, was freeing. The newly hired castle staff brought the life back to the castle as well, and everyone seemed happier for it. He waved and smiled at the staff as he went, calling out greetings to those he knew well, but continued without pause until he reached the doors to the Sanctum. He slowed to a stop outside as he heard the echoing of raised voices escaping through the windows and cast a curious look at the guards. They shook their heads and Link rolled his eyes fondly, knowing that Zelda had told them to remain outside unless they were called for. The Royal Guard hadn’t been happy about that at all, but they had eventually relented in the face of Zelda’s certainty. The guards threw Link exasperated smiles and pulled open the doors slightly, and Link slipped quietly inside.

One of the older townsfolk from Hateno was in the middle of the room, yelling about something while Zelda was sitting up on the throne, Link’s throne empty at her side. In all honesty, he hadn’t wanted a throne at all, but like before, the people of Hyrule had overruled him. He had dealt with the jesting from the Sages with goodwill, but he still wasn’t thrilled about it. Once she’d noticed he was in the room, Zelda made eye contact with him over the townsman’s shoulder and raised an eyebrow when he wasn’t looking. Link grinned back, rolling his eyes dramatically in return, but the grin quickly slipped off his face when he made out what the man was yelling about.

“-and you sit up here all day, in your fancy castle, while the people in the towns are dealing with monsters! And that hero of yours, no one has seen him for days! I thought he was supposed to be helping us! He’s probably slacking off too!” The man was red in the face, spittle flying from his mouth as he raged. The townspeople around him, both from his village and others, looked horrified at how he was speaking to Zelda, tensing even further when they caught sight of Link coming up behind him. They relaxed when Link smiled at them, their worries soothed at his good nature and lack of temper.

The corners of Zelda’s mouth twitched, and she gave a subtle nod, so small that Link would have missed it if he hadn’t been looking for it. Permission granted, he came up directly behind the man and dropped his hands on his shoulders. “Now, that’s no way to speak to her. I’ve been busy, following orders, if it matters that much to you. Was there anything else you needed? No? Good. You can leave now, bye.” Link spoke quickly, not giving the man a chance to defend himself before he pushed him gently towards the doors. Link didn’t wait to see if the man left or not, turning to the other people in the Sanctum. “Do you all mind if I take just a couple of minutes here?"

The people along the walls all shook their heads, smiling at him, some giving small waves or calling out greetings. He called out his thanks, and moved to the floor just in front of the throne, dropping to a knee and bowing his head. “Your majesty.” He kept his head bowed, waiting for Zelda’s response when her hand cupped his chin and pulled his head up. She stood directly before him, her face and tone exasperated. “I have told you before, and I’ll tell you again. You’ve no need to bow to me, Link.” He simply grinned at her, suddenly breathless with excitement. “Zel,” he breathed, “I found it!”

Zelda jerked upright with surprise. “What? You found it?” Link nodded rapidly, standing and pulling out the Purah Pad to show her the pictures he had taken. “I did! It’s the farthest up I think we can go, above the cloud barrier! It was pulling me towards one of those flower-shaped islands, you know, the ones Wortsworth was so obsessed over?” Zelda nodded, moving to stand next to him so that she could see the pictures on the Pad. She gasped, one hand coming up to cover her mouth, the other moving to rest on Link’s arm. “Oh, goddess! What is it?”

Link looked over at her, shrugging. “I don’t know. But look closely at the crystal, do you see it?” He handed the Pad over to Zelda and watched as she zoomed in. Seconds passed, and she let out a sound of shock. “A person?! There’s a person inside of it?!”

A murmur rippled around the room at her exclamation, but neither Zelda nor Link seemed to notice. Their voices carried throughout the room, and all conversation had died down beside theirs. “Yes! And Zelda, they look like us. Like a Hylian!” Zelda’s eyes shone with excitement, and she was visibly curious. “It doesn’t seem dangerous, either. The whole island just felt…safe.” Link’s voice softened at the end of his sentence and Zelda looked up at him, meeting his eyes. “It felt like home.”

“Like home? How curious.” She looked away from him and caught sight of the people in the background, her cheeks going pink in embarrassment. “Oh! Oh, my apologies, everyone. Would you all mind if we took a short break? We’ll be back with you all very soon!”

The group split and Link and Zelda moved outside to one of the walkways. “Where did you say this was?” Zelda still held the Purah Pad, but now held Link’s hand as well. They moved slowly, and Link pointed up toward the sky with his free hand. “Way above us. I don’t think you can see it from here honestly, I had to fly there from the Great Sky Island.” Zelda turned to give him a look, and Link winced. “I was safe, I swear. Nothing dangerous happened.” He turned to lean against the railing, Zelda standing in front of him, dropping his hand to cross her arms, her expression disbelieving. “Well aside from having to jump to the island at the very end, but I was right next to it, and nothing happened.” As he had talked, Zelda’s expression had changed, disbelief morphing into curiosity, then into terror. Her eyes were wide and her arms, now uncrossed, shook faintly. “Zelda?” he demanded, straightening up. “What’s wrong?”

When she spoke, her voice was strangled and shaking. “How long does it take you to teleport?” Link tilted his head in confusion. “Roughly 20 seconds, why?”

“Because there’s someone falling from the sky! Go!” Her voice was filled with panic and Link spun around, looking up and squinting against the sun. Far up in the sky, something was falling limply through the air, right around the area Link had just seen the Hylian in the crystal. “Shit!” He grabbed the Purah Pad back and tapped frantically until the map opened up. He hit the travel medallion for the flower-island and dissolved into light as the panicked screams started to split the air.

--------

Link materialized on the small island and immediately threw himself off of it. His arms tucked to his sides and feet pulled together, he rocketed through the air for the second time that day, quickly gaining on the Hylian that was falling below him. As he grew closer, he realized that the Hylian was falling with their limbs spread, slowing their descent from freefall to something more controlled.

Pulling level next to them, Link was surprised when the Hylian turned to look at him, a bright smile on his face as he called out a greeting. “Hello!”

“Hi,” Link called back, baffled. “You alright there?”

The other Hylian laughed and nodded. “Oh, yes! This is normal where I come from, I’m very used to it. I have to ask though, how are you with large birds?”

They fall in silence for a moment as Link processes. “…large birds? I guess I’m alright. Why do you ask?”

The new Hylian smiles at him again, but it’s got an edge of something wild in it this time. “Do you trust me?”

Link wants to say that he’d taken a moment to consider it, but the pull in his chest has returned, and this time he can see it. It’s a strong, solid connection, like the ones he has with the Sage Spirits, and it connects directly to this Hylian’s chest. It’s the color of the sky, intertwined with gold, and the answer comes naturally and without hesitation. “I do.”

Letting out a whoop, the Hylian brings his fingers to his mouth and lets out a piercing whistle. It’s answered almost immediately by a loud caw! and something comes barreling towards them from above. It’s crimson red, its large wings snapping out to push itself under them by just a hair, and then they’re flying.

For a moment, Link’s breath is ripped away from him as they soar through the air above his kingdom. He can see everything from up here. From the Hebra Mountains to East Necluda, the Gerudo Desert to Akkala. Death Mountain smokes in the distance, and Hyrule Castle sits under them, unfinished in all its glory, and it’s a mess, but it's home.

Getting over his surprise, Link wraps one arm around the new Hylian’s chest and flings the other one outward, the wind rushing through his hair and stealing his thoughts. He lets out a cry of excitement as they fall into a shallow dive, his attention grabbed only when the Hylian taps on the back of his hand. “Where should I bring us down?”

Link points to Hyrule Castle without hesitation, and the Hylian nods, leaning forward to whisper to the bird, who falls into a controlled dive with a cry. Link answers the cry with another shout of joy, and when the wind steals his breath again he’s content to cling to the Hylian in front of him and watch his kingdom come up to meet them.

Down below, Link sees that Zelda, among many others, has moved into the castle courtyard. Their waving hands and frantic calls give the new Hylian more of a direction and he gently steers the bird towards them. The beating of the bird's wings slows, and they fall into a glide, drifting gently in wide circles toward the ground. Link finds that he doesn’t want the flight to end, but he also knows how frantic Zelda and the Royal Guard must be, so he’s the first one off the bird when they land carefully on the ground.

Looking around at the assembled group, Link is relieved to find that there have been no weapons drawn. Granted, many of the present Royal Guard look to be only moments away from drawing their swords, but Link waves them down with a distracted look as Zelda moves quickly toward him and the mysterious Hylian behind him.

Link braces himself as Zelda flings herself into his arms, and he holds her tightly, whispering reassurances to her. She pulls away quickly and intertwines her hand with his own, and together they turn to face the Hylian from the sky. He’s watching them fondly, having dismounted and pressed up against the large bird that had caught them, and smiles kindly at them when he catches their eyes.

“Hi.”

The Hylian’s voice is strong but stays where he is, obviously aware of the tension in the courtyard. Zelda steps forward, tugging Link with her as the Royal Guards melt out of the way.

“Hello. I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule, and it appears you’ve met Link, our Champion.” Link flicks a look of surprise towards Zelda when she uses his old title, but nods at the Hylian regardless. “May I ask your name?”

The Hylian smiles, but it's strained now, and he presses further back into the large crimson bird before he speaks. “My name is Link. I’m from the past, when Hylians lived in the sky, put there by the Goddess Hylia. I’ve been going by the name Sky.”

The courtyard goes silent. Link is surprised, but finds that he believes Sky, and a glance at Zelda shows that she believes him as well. She’s nearly vibrating in excitement, her curiosity bubbling up to the surface as her grip on his hand tightens. Her questions pour out, startling Sky and sending him flinching back and Link laughs as he tethers her in place, not letting go of her hand.

“Goodness, that’s amazing! However did you end up here? What is that lovely bird behind you? You said you lived in the sky, how does that work? Are you-?” She cuts herself off, flushing as she takes in Sky’s startled expression. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I suppose the most important thing right now is to know if you are alright. Are you injured?” Her hold on Link’s hand relaxes, and Link feels better about letting her move closer, confident that she won’t overwhelm the new arrival.

“Uh, no?” Sky’s answer comes out more like a question, and Link can see Zelda preparing to drag him to the infirmary, so he cuts in.

“If it's alright with you, we’d like to get you checked over anyway. It won’t take very long at all, and we can find your bird a nice place to rest, if you’d like.” His offer is met with a hesitant smile as Sky relaxes a bit. He glances behind him at the bird and his brow furrows, but he looks away before too long, seemingly satisfied with what he found.

“That would be alright with us. He won’t give you any trouble, he’s really very sweet.” Sky runs an affectionate hand down the bird's feathers. “He’s a Loftwing. They’re our Goddess-given companions, so he really only acts up if I’m in danger.” One hand moves to rub at his neck, and a flush settles across his cheeks. “I think that was one of your questions, your Highness. I can tell you about them as we walk?”

Zelda brightens considerably at the offer. “Oh, I would love that! And please, don’t feel obligated to use any titles with me. I am not one to fuss about them.” Link laughs loudly at her comment, his sentiment echoed by most of the crowd around them. Zelda turns to look at them in mock betrayal, one hand coming up to her forehead dramatically as she steps out of Link’s reach. “Look at this, betrayed by my own people! Whatever shall I do? Sky, will you stand by my side in this trying time?”

Link reaches out again with a laugh, only for Zelda to duck away from him and move toward Sky, who is laughing brightly at the dramatics. “Of course, your Highness.” He bows with a wink before he straightens, allowing himself to be swept away by Zelda as she links their arms and begins marching them up into the castle.

--------

Link falls into step on Sky’s other side as they walk through the castle to the infirmary, listening intently as Sky talks about Loftwings.

“They’re gentle birds. They’re essentially our other halves, and we rely on them just as much as they rely on us.” Zelda’s arm is still linked with Sky’s, but he doesn’t seem to notice, focused on explaining. “They help us move around and travel between islands. Phoenix is one of my best friends, despite the dramatics, and we love each other fiercely.” His expression is fond, his gaze distant, so Zelda speaks up softly.

“Islands, you said?”

Sky nods enthusiastically, his smile growing. “Yes. We live on islands in the sky, placed there by the Goddess to protect us. When Demise and his army brought ruin to the surface, she sent us above the clouds and gave us Loftwings.” His mood dulls, his eyes losing some of their sparkle. “My home is called Skyloft. We have an academy, a temple, a marketplace, and many more amazing things.” His gaze clears, and he blinks rapidly. “But I’ve been talking a lot about myself, I’m sorry.”

They’ve entered one of the narrower hallways that signal they’re very close to the infirmary, and Link falls a step behind the other two, content to listen as they continue to talk as he waves Sky off. “It’s fine. We’re both curious, honestly, and it’s good to hear about Hyrule’s history. Though, I have to say, I’m confused. Is there a Hyrule in your time?”

Sky slows to a stop, his free hand coming up to rub at his eyes. “Not at the moment, though I have been informed that I am apparently the one to found it.”

Link stops in his tracks, his mouth falling open in shock. Zelda is in a similar state, and her arm falls from Sky’s in her surprise. “You- you founded Hyrule?” She’s closer, suddenly, their faces only inches apart as she stares Sky down. “You’re the first King of Hyrule?”

Sky flinches back again, his back hitting the wall. “I think so?” He looks uncertain as he answers. “That’s what I’ve been told. I was shown a history book by…by a friend, and he said that I was at the very least part of the founding group.”

Link and Zelda turn to face each other in astonishment before they descend into a flurry of movement. They each take one of Sky’s arms, one in front and one behind, and begin to move faster, pulling him gently through the remaining corridors at a much faster pace than before. Sky stumbles for a moment before he rights himself, keeping pace with them easily. They move through the halls in silence, the only sound of their shoes on the carpet until they finally reach the infirmary doors and Link throws them open, startling the staff inside.

“We need a full check, please!” His words send the staff into motion as Zelda guides Sky towards one of the beds, nudging him gently into sitting down. He protests quietly, and Link catches the tail end of them as he and one of the healers step into hearing range.

“Your Highness, please, this is unnecessary. We don’t even know if it’s true, this is too much, I’m not worth all the fuss.” Sky is speaking gently, but Link can see Zelda’s eyes flash with defiance and knows that Sky is fighting a losing battle.

“First King of Hyrule or not, you will be getting checked over. You very well could be the First King, and I’d like to ask a couple more questions, if that’s alright?” Zelda’s no-nonsense tone is met with Sky’s reluctant gaze, but ultimately, Zelda wins. The head healer is giving Link a wide-eyed look, clearly having heard what Zelda had said, and Link shrugs helplessly. The healer busied herself with gathering supplies and directing Sky to remove his tunic as Zelda began her questioning.

“You speak often of the Goddess Hylia. Is she well known in your time?” Zelda has pulled parchment and ink out of seemingly nowhere, and has taken a seat on the neighboring bed, still angled toward Sky as she uses the bedside table to write.

Sky laughs as he pulls off his tunic. “You could say that. She’s very well known, considering one of my partners turned out to be Hylia reincarnated. She’s very involved with my people and I.”

The flurried movement of the infirmary grinds to a halt, and Zelda looks up sharply. By this time, Sky has removed all of his layers, and the head healer is frozen behind him, staring at his back with open concern, and Zelda’s eyes are drawn to the scars across Sky’s chest for a moment before she refocuses. “I’m sorry, I must have heard you wrong. I believe you said that one of your partners, as in romantic partners, was the Goddess Hylia reborn?”

“Yes, though we didn’t know it at first.” Sky’s hands are drawn into fists in his lap, his gaze directed down to the floor as he shifts uncomfortably, aware of the eyes on him. “That fact was the whole reason we got dragged into our journey.”

He explains more about his journey as the healers resume their motion, allowing them to look and move him as they need. The sun has sunk low in the sky by the time they finish, and Sky and Zelda are cast in its orange glow as Link moves to sit next to Zelda. As he moves, he catches sight of something across the right side of Sky’s face. Faint scars, unnoticeable except for the setting sun, crawl up his neck and up onto his cheek, ending just below his eye. Link catches a spread of similar scars on his right hand as well, the scars crawling up his arm, presumably the same scars that Link can see on his face. He also notices the thick scar across the others throat, but doesn’t feel as if he has the right to mention it, given how skittish Sky has been thus far.

However, the scars that crawl across Sky’s face feel so overwhelmingly familiar to him, and it takes Link a minute to realize why. When he does, a soft sound of surprise escapes him and draws Zelda and Sky’s attention. They turn to look at him, but he’s distracted, one hand coming to rest on the scars that climb up his own cheek as he stares at Sky.

“We match.” It comes out softly, and Sky’s answering smile is small but genuine.

“Well, it wouldn’t be my first choice for matching, but I can’t think of anyone I’d rather share the marks with.” Sky is looking at him fondly, and Link grins broadly over at him, ignoring Zelda’s amused smile beside him.

--------

After the healers complete their check, Link and Zelda see Sky safely to a guest room, then retreat to their joined rooms shortly after. Link throws himself back onto the bed with a deep sigh, staring up at the ceiling as Zelda settles at the small vanity opposite the bed. “You know, I fully believe that Sky is the First King.”

Zelda laughs lightly, unpinning her crown and settling it carefully on the edge of the vanity. She continues to unpin the braids in her short hair as she replies, the pins clinking together softly as they’re dropped into their bin. “Yes, I find that I believe that as well. He just seems so-so genuine, I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t be.”

Link rolls onto his stomach, half his face smushed into the bedding as he looks over at Zelda. “You know how I said that the crystal felt like home?” At Zelda’s answering hum, he continues. “Sky feels the same way. It feels right to be around him, to interact with him. I don’t know what it is, but it just makes sense. Oh!” Link pushes himself up on his elbows, catching Zelda’s eyes as she turns, startled by his sudden exclamation. “You remember the pull I felt? I could see it earlier when we were falling!”

Zelda’s hands still at the zipper of her dress. “Pardon?”

Link nods as he climbs off of the bed, moving to help her remove the heavy gown. “Yeah! It’s sky blue and gold, and they’re mixed together. It’s like the Sage Spirit bonds. I don’t know what it does, but we’re connected somehow.” The dark blue fabric ends up draped over his arm, leaving Zelda in her undershorts and shirt. She ducks around the divider as she changes, emerging in her nightclothes and placing the folded bundle of clothing in her hands in a basket by the door.

“How curious.” She drops onto the bed softly, patting the space next to her in invitation. Link takes it, dropping the dress in the basket before settling next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Sky said he was here to help. I can’t help but wonder what the Goddess believes we need help with?”

Link shrugs, his head dropping to the side to rest on top of Zelda’s. “I dunno. But I don’t think it’s anything bad. Who knows, maybe we can get him to tell us some of Hyrule’s early history? Right from the source?”

The tension that had crept into Zelda’s shoulders dissipates quickly as her excitement ramps back up. Sufficiently distracted from her worries, she launches into a list of the questions she wants to ask, and the knowledge she wants to regain. Smiling fondly, Link takes a moment to change into his nightclothes before he lays back as she goes digging for parchment, letting himself drift into sleep as Zelda moves around the room.

--------

Several days had passed since Sky had joined them, and Zelda had asked him question after question. Sky had answered them all patiently, but Link could see the way he glanced out the windows and stepped in, dragging Zelda with him. “Hey, Sky? Could we go see your Loftwing?”

Sky perks up immediately, his energy returning. “Oh, sure! I’ve been meaning to check on him anyway.” Satisfied, Link leads the trio through the castle and out into the courtyard. Pheonix meets them almost directly outside the doors, running into Sky with a squawk and a nudge that sends the Skyloftian tumbling to the ground.

“Hey, hey, hey, didn’t we talk about this?” Sky gently pushes Phoenix’s beak away from his face with a laugh as he stands, ruffling the Loftwing’s feathers good-naturedly. “That was better than tackling me, but really, Phoenix, you know I’m okay.” The Loftwing dips his head and makes a low noise. Sky rolls his eyes. “No, come on, don’t start with that. You would know if I wasn’t. Don’t whine.”

Link and Zelda exchange incredulous looks as Sky holds a conversation with his Loftwing. Could they understand each other? Sky turns back sheepishly and catches their look, his smile dimming slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Zelda hurries to reassure him. “Oh, nothing. We’re just curious, can you understand each other?”

Sky nods slowly. “Yes? It’s more a general sense of what the other is feeling, but that’s how we communicate.” Link sees the light go off behind Zelda’s eyes. She’s moving before he has the chance to warn Sky, and then she’s standing before the Loftwing, peering at him curiously.

“Goddess, you are magnificent! What beautiful feathers! And such large wings, too. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a more gorgeous bird.” She’s cooing at Phoenix and the Loftwing preens under the attention, throwing Sky a content look that makes the Skyloftian laugh brightly. The two heroes watch as Zelda flits around the Loftwing, taking notes and complimenting the crimson bird alternatively. This lasts for some time, and eventually Link and Sky find themselves off to the side, leaning against the side of the castle’s stables.

They’ve made small conversation, but when Link mentions Ganon, Sky goes rigid. Link pauses, his confusion evident, before he asks.

“Are you…okay?”

Sky laughs, but it's watery and shaky. He shakes his head as he curls in on himself, his knees coming up to his chest as he presses back against the wall. “No, but it’s something I was planning to tell you both anyway.”

Link calls Zelda over and they listen to Sky’s explanation, their horror growing with every word. Fighting a God at 18? No outside help, no divine powers, no sage spirits or divine beasts to help knock the God down. Nothing.

Just a boy and his sword.

As if that wasn’t enough, Sky reluctantly told them how he’d forged to sword when they asked, and eventually, Zelda couldn’t keep it in.

“I think I would be dead, if I had to do that.” Sky looks up, his eyes shining with unshed tears, but Zelda barrels on. “I relied on my powers for 100 years to suppress Ganon, and it nearly wasn’t enough. I was completely dependent on powers that I couldn’t control, and a hero who had just died. We did the best with what we had, but Link had help, Sky. Link had champions and their divine beasts to help bring that monster down, and we still struggled.”

“She’s right. I think Hyrule would have been wiped out completely if we hadn’t had help.” Link chimes in, but Sky cuts him off.

“Don’t you get it? This is my fault! The state of your kingdom, your death, the destruction, all of it! I wasn’t fast enough or strong enough, and I’ve cursed all of us. How can you sit there and defend me, knowing what I did to you?!” Sky’s curled impossibly small, but his words wash over them with enough force to shock them from their spots. Link and Zelda both move forward, sitting on each side of the Skyloftian and pressing against him.

“Because we know it isn’t true. You were a kid against a God, and you came out on top. I’d say that’s good enough for me.” Link says it flippantly, in an effort to pull some of the tension from Sky’s shoulders, and it seems to work. Sky begins to untense as they tag-team pointing out the flaws in his logic, and they sit like that, pressed against the wall of the stable, well into the afternoon.

--------

In the aftermath of the emotional conversation by the stables, Zelda and Link hadn’t seen any sort of insecurity in Sky. Instead, he’d begun acting almost like an older sibling, gently teasing and teaching them about anything they asked. Interestingly enough, he didn’t talk much about the people of Skyloft much at all, though he went into depth when he spoke of Skyloft itself, and when he spoke of the Surface.

This was the first indicator that something was wrong.

--------

Sky finds the Depths interesting, even though they’re the exact opposite of everything he’s ever known.

Standing in the Ancient Lanayru Mine, Sky is hit by a wave of sadness, his arms curling around his stomach in a mockery of a hug. He can’t see any resemblance to his Laynaru Mining Facility. It burns in his chest the knowledge that his era, his world had been forgotten so thoroughly that even the remnants of the underground were gone, faded with time.

The Lanayru Mining Facility had survived who knows how long buried under the shifting sand of the Lanayru Sand Sea. They had survived when the Demon King’s forces had overwhelmed the Surface, survived when the Ancient Robots had stopped working and maintaining them. They had survived even when Ghirahim had blown up the entry to the Temple of Time.

But they hadn’t survived this.

Sky blinks harshly, pushing away the sadness and homesickness as much as he could, focusing on Link as he dug two potions out of his Pad. The potions were shimmering gold, flickering like bottled sunlight inside the glass. Link held one out to Sky with a small smile. “Here, it’s a gloom-resistant potion. Made from Sundelions, golden apples, and Fairy magic. It’ll help keep the effects of the gloom lower, and it won't burn if it touches you,” Link grins dryly. “Though, I’d still try to avoid touching it.”

Sky nods, and they both uncork the bottles and down the potion. It has a pleasant taste, but one that Sky can’t put a name to. It’s familiar and new at the same time, and it leaves a warmth in his chest. Handing the bottle back to Link, he thinks out loud as the other tucks the bottles back into the Pad. “You know, that tastes like sunshine, almost. If it had a flavor, I mean.”

Link’s incredulous look makes him laugh. “No, don’t look at me like that. You can’t tell me I’m wrong.” He grins at the expressions flitting across Link’s face, holding his laughter back.

“No, that’s exactly what I told Zel! She didn’t believe me!” Link does a little victory dance in place. “Now she’ll have to hear me out. If the Hylian who lives in the literal sky thinks something tastes like sunshine, it’s gotta be true!”

“Now, hang on a minute,” Sky starts as they begin to walk. “What does she think it tastes like?” Beside him, Link shrugs. “Zel said it tasted like cinnamon.”
Sky stops, his head tilted in confusion. “What’s cinnamon?”

“What?!” Link demands, whirling around to face him. “You don’t know what cinnamon is? How can you not know what cinnamon is? Do you live in a cave or something?”

Sky raises an eyebrow and waits, but Link just looks at him expectantly. After a moment of silence, Sky says flatly, “I live in the sky, Link.”

The situation devolves from there, with Link harassing Sky about the foods they eat and what they had to work with on Skyloft. Of course, Sky goes on about the pumpkin soup for a while, and by the end of his rant, Link looks like he’s one word away from finding a way to go back in time to Skyloft and get some for himself. Sky just laughs and makes grabby hands at the Pad on his hip. Link hands it over without complaint and watches as Sky looks through the ingredients.

“Do you have somewhere I can cook this?” Sky glances up from the Pad, catching the wide grin that spreads across Link’s face. Within seconds, a portable cooking pit has been pulled from the Pad and set up on the ground. Sky gets to work selecting ingredients as Link takes a look around the immediate area, and by the time the other Hylian returns, Sky has a rough imitation of his favorite food cooking in the pot before him. They let the soup simmer for a little while as they talk, but when Sky begins to separate it into bowls, Link goes quiet.

Sky hands over one of the bowls, sipping slowly at the soup as he watches Link try it. It’s almost comedic, seeing how the other’s face lights up, and the soup doesn’t last much longer. Sky laughs as Wild devolves into quiet mutterings as he flips through the slate, trying to pick out the ingredients Sky had used. Finally, he looks up, his eyes bright. “Sky, I have to have this recipe. Please, please, please!” He drags out the last word as long as he can, and it sends Sky into another fit of laughter.

Once he’s calmed himself, Sky sends Link a teasing glance. “I don’t give out this recipe easily. How about we make a deal?” Link’s interest fully caught, Sky continues. “If you can guess the ingredients I used, and why, I’ll give you the measurements.”

Link pumps a fist in the air in victory, cheering. “Yes! I’m going to figure this out so fast, you won’t even believe it.” He descends into soft murmurs again, pouring over the slate as Sky smiles fondly. Of course, Link didn’t know that Sky would give him the recipe anyway, a bid to both keep part of his home and culture alive and leave Link and Zelda with something to remember him by.

Sky is startled from his thoughts when the empty bowl in his hands dissolves, disappearing into tendrils of blue light that sink back into the slate. Link smirks at the look on his face before he stands, reaching out to pull Sky back to his feet as well. “I have another place I’d like to show you, but we have to teleport again.”

Sky nods, and Link keeps hold of his hand as he taps at the slate. As they dissolve into blue light, Sky can’t help but be excited to see where they’ll end up next.

--------

They rematerialize on the outskirts of a stable. They’re at the top of one of the footpaths, looking down over Akkala, the northeastern region of Hyrule. From here, Sky can see a ginormous volcano, minus the lava, surprisingly. Looking down toward the stable, Sky is happy to see a decent amount of Hylians roaming around, their laughter echoing up through the air.

Link pulls him toward the stable with a cheery, “This way!”, and they end up racing down the path. Link ends up winning when Sky’s lungs tighten too much for him to finish the race, but it doesn’t get worse than that, thank Hylia. On the bright side, they’re met with cheerful greetings and happy children when they reach the stable. Link introduces him to nearly everyone, and the kids distract them both for a while. When they’re finally able to get away, Link leads them to the slope of another hill and turns to face Sky, a mischievous smile on his face.

“Have you ever been shield surfing before, Sky?”

Sky shakes his head, unknowingly sealing his fate. Link pulls out two shields, and demonstrates how to stand safely on one, then takes off down the hill, Sky rushing to follow him. He gets the hang of it quickly, catching up to Link with no problem. It reminds him of flying, in a way, with the wind loud in his ears and the breeze on his face. It’s over all too soon as they slow to a stop at the edge of a small spring that looks entirely too familiar to Sky.

Shaking himself from his shock, Sky breaks out into a run and jumps down into the ruins of the Skyview Spring, catching himself with his sailcloth at the last second. His feet splash into the water and he keeps moving, circling the Goddess Statue and climbing onto the crumbling platform in front of it.

“Sky?”

Link’s soft call of his name doesn’t catch his attention. Instead, Sky is focused on the statue and the faint glow surrounding it, nearly oblivious to everything else around him. Because of that, it’s Link that notices when the water under Sky begins to glow as well, pulsing in time with the glow around the Goddess Statue.

The water that’s puddling under Sky’s boots is where it starts, and it creeps up his legs slowly in swirling designs. It crawls up Sky’s shirt, but it doesn’t end at the collar. The swirling designs continue up the Sky’s neck, crawling up and onto his right cheek, blooming out into a pattern that resembles a flower.

Sky gave no notice that he felt the glow spreading over him.

“Uh, Sky?”

“Hm?” The Skyloftian finally responded as he tilted his head. The glowing pattern spread across the bridge of his nose and to his other cheek, this time continuing in the patternless swirls that cover the rest of his skin. The glow was not overwhelmingly bright, more of a subtle undertone on Sky’s tan skin, but Link was still concerned.

“You’ve got, uh, wait, hold still a second.” Link gave up trying to explain, bringing out the Purah Pad to take a picture instead. He jokingly told Sky to smile, earning himself a bright smile from the Skyloftian, and turned the Pad over so Sky could see. Link stepped closer, closing the gap between them as he held the Pad out, his concern not diminishing as Sky brought a hand up to brush across his cheek.

“What in Hylia’s name…that’s the…I-what?” Sky couldn’t seem to find the words to express his confusion. He pulled his sleeve over his hand and began to scrub harshly at one of his cheeks, turning it bright red. Dumbfounded, Link stood frozen for a few moments before he reached out and snagged Sky’s hand, sliding the Pad onto the holder on his hip as he did.

“Hey, stop that! Sky!” He pulled Sky’s hand away from his face, halting Sky’s hurried movements. “Talk to me, what is it?”

Sky shook his head, both of his hands held securely in Links. “That’s - that’s the same patterning as the Silent Realms. I don’t - I don’t understand. They’re gone, they don’t exist in my time, and they certainly shouldn’t exist now.” Sky looked more confused than panicked now, but Link was still reluctant to release his hands. “I just don’t understand.”

Link bit his lip, glancing down at their intertwined hands. “If I let go, are you going to…”

“Oh! No, no, I was just trying to see if they would wipe off.” Sky shrugged, attempting to come across nonchalantly and not succeeding in the slightest. “I’m good.”

“Uh-huh.” Link agreed skeptically, but Sky held true to his word and didn’t try to scrub at his face again. He pulled out the Purah Pad again, swiping over to the new feature that Purah had added. “We can ask Zelda?” His question was met with a nod, and Link tapped on the icon. He only had to wait a few seconds before Zelda’s voice warbled out from the Pad.

“Link? What is it?”

“Zel, hi! Some weird markings just showed up on Sky’s face, did you feel anything?” Link got right into it, and Zelda’s noise of realization was his response.
“I did, yes. It was sort of like a surge in divine power. Is he all right?” Zelda sounded concerned, and Sky chimed in, leaning over to rest his chin on Link’s shoulder.

“I’m alright! Just super confused.” Sky says. She seems surprised by the markings on his face and peers intently at him for a moment before relenting, but Sky feels his attention drifting almost immediately after, drawn back toward the Goddess Statue.

Faintly, he hears Zelda continue. “What are the two of you doing?”

As Link explains, Sky finds himself stepping into the waters of the spring. The glow that surrounds him and the Goddess Statue bleeds into the water around him, and it pulses in time with his footsteps. The very air around the Spring grows heavy, and begins to tick like the hands on a clock, also pulsing in time with his footsteps. The glow seems to intensify the closer he gets to the statue, and there's a startled exclamation behind him when he reaches the base of the statue.

“Woah, Sky, what’re you doing?” Link sounds both confused and concerned, but Sky can’t bring himself to answer. His voice won’t work. His lack of response seems to concern Link more, and the other hero steps into the water, making his way toward him with another concerned call. “Sky?”

The call of his same is the last thing Sky hears.

--------

By the time Sky turns around, Link knows something isn’t right.

His friend’s eyes are glowing now, along with the rest of the markings across his skin. He’s looking at Link blankly, like he doesn’t recognize him, but Link knows that can’t be true. Sky had been here with them for nearly half a year now and knew many of the people of this Hyrule very well. Link knows for a fact that Sky knew him the best, besides Zelda.

His point was, whoever was looking at him right now wasn’t Sky.

As if to prove his point, Sky’s voice spoke, but it lacked the warmth and familiarity that it always held, though it wasn’t unkind.

“Hero of the Wilds. Your past is lost. Your future is unclear. Your home and people are dependent on you. Will you take this chance and bring them some of the knowledge of the time before your own?” The intensity of the glow in Sky’s eyes is startling, but Link doesn’t hesitate.

“I will. What do I need to do?” On the Pad, now hooked to his hip with the screen facing outward so she could see, Zelda makes a noise of disagreement, but Link doesn’t stop. “And will Sky be okay?”

His question brings a smile to Sky’s face. “My chosen will be all right. I would never harm him, even all these years later.”

Link feels his mouth drop open in surprise. Was Hylia the one doing this to Sky? She continued before Link could ask, so he pulled his mouth closed and listened.

“My Chosen, your Princess, and yourself will all be able to see the events of times past. Use the gateway my Chosen will create and learn. Revive practices from Kingdoms long gone, and bring home the knowledge of those before you. Above all,” The glow in Sky’s eyes begins to fade, and he wavers where he stands. “Bring the Legacy of Hyrule to its peak once more, and keep our people alive.”

The glow fades fully and Sky sinks to his knees in the water as Link lunges forward to support him. As his hand lands on Sky’s arm, the glowing patterns begin to drip off of him, collecting in the water. As the last drop falls, it expands outward into a much larger copy of the swirling petals that had adorned Sky’s cheek moments before. The pattern flares brightly, and Sky’s head shoots up as he gasps. His hand shoots out and he pulls Link behind him, shielding him bodily as the world around them goes white.

When the light fades, Zelda is standing next to them, and the Spring is oddly still. The water grass growing around the main platform is frozen in the breeze, and the ripples are frozen in the water. The birdsong is gone, and there’s no wind blowing through the area. Time is frozen.

Sky breaks the silence first, spinning in place and looking Link over. “Are you hurt? What just happened? Who – Princess?” He cuts himself off as he notices Zelda standing beside them and then stumbles backward as she throws herself at him.

“Don’t you dare do that again!” She sounds furious, but Link can see how tightly her hands are fisted in Sky’s shirt. “You scared me. And Link. Please, don’t do that again.”

Sky hugs her back after a moment of surprise, but he sends Link a bewildered look. “I…can’t do that until I know what happened.”

Zelda pulls back, finally releasing her hold on Sky’s shirt. “You…”

She trails off, and Link picks up for her. “You were possessed, I think. By Hylia.” Sky’s eyes widen in surprise, but Link doesn’t let him panic. “She told us that we’re going to get to see Hyrule of old, and that we’re supposed to bring back knowledge. It was pretty cool, to be honest.” Zelda reaches out and smacks him gently on the shoulder, but Link just laughs. “I’m assuming this is the gateway she was talking about?”

Glancing down, Sky grimaced and nodded. “Yep, that’ll be it. You two might want to back up so I can activate it if you’re ready to go?” He glances up at them, nodding when he sees their looks of excitement. He unsheathes the Master Sword and positions it, tip down, over the center of the flowered pattern. Taking a deep breath, he raises the sword and drives it into the ground. The sword embeds itself far enough down that Sky ends up kneeling, his head bowed in front of the sword’s hilt as the world around them twists and spins before it goes black.

--------

As they step out of the portal and back into Link and Zelda’s Hyrule, Sky swings his shield off of his back and holds it out to Zelda with a smile. The purple metal glints in the sunlight as the spring around them unfreezes, and Zelda’s breath catches audibly in her throat.

“I’d like you two to keep this for me. Consider it a donation towards your history.”

Zelda takes the shield reverently and hugs it to her chest, her eyes shining brightly as she gazes at Sky. “Oh, thank you!”

In her excitement, she turns to Link and starts talking, rapid-fire ideas for the historical monument that she wants to talk to the council about, and she and Link both miss how Sky blinks fiercely, rubbing at his eyes before sighing quietly.

It looked like his time here was drawing to a close.

--------

--------
Link glanced over at Sky before focusing on the rising sun as he steadied himself. “Hey, Sky?”

Sky gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, his head tilting over towards Link as his eyes stayed locked on the sun. Link continued. “I don’t know how to be what they want me to be.” He admits this softly, ashamed, and startled when Sky’s hand rests gently on top of his own.

“You want to know something, Link?” Sky’s hand tightened over his momentarily before he relaxed his grip and spoke again. “All you need to be is yourself. That’s the version of you that these people love and trust. That’s the version that they want to protect, and follow, and listen to.” Sky takes a deep breath, holding it for a moment before he exhales. “They want you to lead them, Link, not the version of you that tries to be someone he’s not. They see you and they see kindness, they see bravery, they see courage, honor, determination, love. Most of all,” Here, Sky shifts and turns to face Link, catching his chin with his other hand to lock their gazes. “They see Link. That’s who they want. They want the crazy, fun, caring, wild man that saved them, listened to them, and helped them rebuild their lives.”

Sky smiles softly at him. “All they want you to be is you.”

Link throws himself into Sky with a choked-off sob, wrapping his arms around the older boy and squeezing like his life depended on it. Sky didn’t falter, just opened his arms and caught him securely, squeezing him back just as tightly. They stayed tangled together until the sun rose fully over the horizon.
They separated as Zelda walked up beside them and dropped down on Sky’s right side, leaning her head on his shoulder with a quiet sigh. “You’re leaving soon.”

Sky nods, humming softly. “I am.”

“Can’t you stay here?”

“Why don’t you just stay?”

Link and Zelda both ask him their questions at the same time, and Sky laughs softly as they both blush furiously. He hooks one arm around Zelda’s shoulders and gently tugs her closer as he reaches up and ruffles Link’s hair with his other hand. “You both know I’d love to stay, but I can’t. Like I told you when I talked about Wind, I don’t know what kind of effect it would have.” Zelda shifts discontentedly as he continues. “I’d like to know that you’re safe, if only for a little while. I’d like you both to stay safe, but we all know how likely that is.”

Sky nudges Link jokingly as finishes talking, but droops when neither of the younger Hylians laughs. He sighs again, running a hand through his hair before he curls it around Link’s shoulder, tugging him closer.

“I can’t stay. I’d love nothing more, but I can’t deny Her.”

“But you’re not happy when you’re there.” Link says it softly, but Sky hears it anyway. Taking a deep breath, he exhales and steels himself.

“No, I’m not.” He admits. “But that’s not something you should have to worry about.” He shakes his head as both of them open their mouths. “No. I’m serious. This isn’t something you need to concern yourself with. I appreciate it, I truly do, but you can’t do anything. So please, just let it go.”

The younger Hylians deflate, and the three of them sit in silence for a while longer. It hasn’t been long since the sun rose fully, but as the warmth seeps into his skin, Sky knows that it’s time.

“I love you both. So, so very much.” Sky stands carefully, taking a few steps back as Link and Zelda scramble to their feet. “Stay safe for me, will you?”

His next steps back take him up into the air, and Link and Zelda’s watery smiles are the last thing he sees before his eyes close.

--------

Link and Zelda can only watch as the amber crystal forms around Sky, taking him away from them. Zelda’s only consolation is that he seems peaceful.

She moves forward, reaching out to touch the amber with one hand as she leans forward, resting her forehead on the cold crystal. She takes a deep, shuddering breath, then turns to Link, determination clear on her face.

“I’m not letting this go. I will see him again, timeline be damned!”

Link nods vehemently, reaching out to take her hand as they teleport back to Hyrule Castle, intend on Finding Purah and Impa.

They were going to see Sky again, mark their words.

Chapter Text

To say that Zelda had been upset was an understatement.

When Link had stepped out of the crystal with a new scar across his throat, he had seen the fury flash through her eyes, though she had quickly put it aside. She helped him over to the cot and sat with him as he slept so that he wasn’t alone when he woke again.

Once he had woken up, though, she’d let him have it.

“What do you mean, it’s not a big deal? Link, that’s not something people can come back from! You could’ve died! You can’t die on me, not like this.” She scoots closer and drops her forehead onto his chest as his arms come to hold her close. He was leaning against the Temple wall, and shifted so that one of his legs was propped up and Zelda rested against it. “You’re not allowed to die so far from us.” She sniffed.

Link felt awful. He knew that it was a big deal, knew that this type of injury wasn't something to brush off, but he’d still tried, and only upset Zelda in the process. He raised his hands to sign at her, but she kept her head down. Sighing, Link lets his hands fall to rest on her back, tracing small patterns wherever he could reach. Zelda continues to sniffle for a few minutes, but eventually raises her head, dislodging Link’s hands.

“Please don’t do this again.” She whispers at him tearfully.

Exhaling shakily, Link nods, signing an apology. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen, but they were children, and I couldn’t let her die.” Zelda softens, her hands coming up to cup his cheeks gently. For a moment, they sit in silence as she leans her forehead against his, then presses a soft kiss to his lips.

“I love you. I know you didn’t mean for this to happen, but I need you to understand, Link. If this happens again, we’re done. No more going back. I won’t loose you, not when I can have you here, safe and by my side, where I can protect you the way you protected me.” Her eyes are determined, and Link knows there is no winning this battle. He nods, biting his lip. Zelda reaches up and gently brushes her thumb on his jaw, and he stops, taking a shuddering breath.

The door bursts open before either of them can say anything else, and Groose, Pipit, and Karane tumble in, their excitement radiating from them. Pipit catches on first, his eyes landing on Link and Zelda, how they’re curled together on the floor, Zelda curled around Link as much as she can be, and he droops. “Oh, no. What happened?”

Groose doesn’t wait for an explanation. He crosses the room and drops down next to them in long strides, then gathers both of them in his arms, pulling them close.

Zelda bursts into tears.

“Zel!”

“What-?”

Pipit and Karane are across the room before Link even realizes they’re moving, but when he looks up at them, they both suck in a sharp breath. “Link, what…”

Link just shook his head. Looking away, he pushes further into Groose’s embrace as they move closer to join the hug. Closing his eyes, Link lets himself drift off, reassured by his friends comforting presences. Around him, his friends shift into more comfortable positions, and link feels himself being pulled into someone’s lap, a soothing hand running through his hair. Around him, the world goes quiet, and Link sleeps.

--------

Once she’s certain that Link’s asleep again, Zelda explains what happened. Groose’s hold on Link doesn’t falter, and Pipit looks heartbroken. Karane, on the other hand, looked furious. She stands abruptly and begins to pace, and Zelda scrambles up after her. “Karane!”

Karane whirls around, her eyes filled with tears. “Why? Why does it have to be him? Why can’t someone else be the hero for once? Why can’t he just rest?!” Zelda doesn’t flinch. Instead, she gets in Karane’s face, her temper getting the better of her.

“You think I want this? You think I want to let him keep doing this, keep hurting himself where we can’t help him?” Zelda curls her hands into fists, her nails biting into her palms. “I don’t! I desperately want him to stop, to stay here where we can keep him safe, but you know as well as I do that he’s not much safer here! You know how they treat him, how they talk about him! I want him to be safe and – and–” She cuts herself off, muffling her scream of rage into her hands. “I’ve already told him,” She starts again slowly, “That if something like this happens again, we’re done.”

Zelda looks up again, meeting Pipit’s eyes, then Groose’s, then finally looking at Karane again. “I refuse to send him anywhere else if he’s going to come back hurt.”

Pipit speaks before anyone else has the chance to respond. “Thank you.” It’s a breathless statement, but he continues. “Thank you, Zelda. Please, don’t be hard on yourself for this. It’s for the best. I know he’ll understand that, too.” Karane stays silent, one hand coming up to scrub her face, and Groose finally speaks.

“You’re making the right choice.” The redhead is looking down at Link, a soft expression on his face. He has one hand running through Link’s hair, and the other cradling Link’s head as he sleeps. “He’s not going to stop unless we ask him too. We all know that.” He looks up suddenly, his eyes steely with resolve. “I refuse to loose him. We almost did, when you first fell, Zelda. You didn’t see him, and I wasn’t…the greatest to him, but we could all see it. He was killing himself to try and find you. Your dad wasn’t helping either.”

Zelda took a step closer, her voice shaking. “What do you mean?”

“He didn’t hesitate to send Link below the barrier.” Groose looks back down at Link, then continued. “He just-told Link to go. Didn’t try to help him find a way through, didn’t offer any protection besides the Knight’s Uniform, didn’t stop to take a breath between blaming him for you falling and telling him to go.”

Zelda choked on a sob, sinking to the ground as her legs gave out on her. Her hand pulled to her chest, she curls into herself on the ground, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. “He…he wouldn’t. Would he?” She sniffles again. “I knew it was bad but…I asked him. I asked him, and he lied to me! He said Link was prepared, said that he offered to go! How could he?”

Pipit sinks down next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulders as she cries. Karane growls and starts for the door, but Groose calls her back. “Karane, don’t.”

“And why not?!” The girl doesn’t turn to face them, one hand on the door. “He would deserve it.”

“He would,” Groose acknowledges. “But Feathers doesn’t know I heard that conversation. He doesn’t like us fighting his battles, you know that. Besides, Gaepora won’t listen to us.”

Karane sighs, her hand falling from the door. “Damn you, Groose. I liked it better when you didn’t make good points. When did you become the voice of reason?”

“When I pulled my head out of my ass.” Groose sounds amused. “And when the three of you go overboard in protecting him.” Groose, Pipit, and Karane all laugh, but it tapers off when Zelda speaks again.

“I’ll never forgive him for this.” She looks up, her eyes red rimmed from crying. “Never.” She repeats. “They made me the leader of this settlement, and it would do well for them to get a reminder. Besides,” She looks around the room. “I think it’s time for a full Council discussion.”

Chapter Text

When the portals had first opened up, Link, Sheik, Impa, and Lana had debated on who would go where. It wasn’t long before Lana had laid claim to the strange world covered in twisting, suffocating shadows. Almost immediately after, Impa claimed the portal that let out at the base of a volcano, with Sheik deciding to travel with Impa. She looked distinctly unhappy at the declaration but didn’t object. These events left Link with the portal that seemed to lead into the sky. The portal was a shifting blur, and Link had no what may be waiting for them on the other side. As he tried to peer into the portal, quiet footsteps moved closer and Link shifted in acknowledgment as they slowed to a stop, but remained facing the portal.

“I have faith in your abilities, as did Princess Zelda.” Impa’s voice wavered ever-so-slightly as she mentioned their missing Princess, but she audibly steeled herself as she continued. “I would like to say that this will be a relatively calm test, but unfortunately, I can’t promise that. What I can say, Link, is that I expect you and your men back here in one piece, understood?”

Link finally shifted to face Impa, his eyes uncertain and his body tense. ‘You have my word,’ He signed. ‘I don’t plan on losing anyone to this nutjob of a sorceress.’ Impa smirks at his sass before her expression shifts, her mirth melting into something more solemn. “They’re going to give you trouble, you know. Many of them won’t want to listen to you.” Lin shifts to face the portal, his arms crossed over his chest as he considers Impa’s words. Impa steps up beside him and turns to face the portal as well, and the pair stand in silence for a minute, their shoulders nearly brushing.

His gaze firmly on the portal, Link signs his response. ‘I know. I hope I can head most of that off, but I suppose that’s just another obstacle, isn’t it?’ Impa hums in agreement, and they stand in comfortable silence for another minute, looking into the shifting portal.

Eventually, Impa shifts and knocks her shoulder into Link’s. “All right, Hero, it’s time to go prepare. Get a move on.” Link scowls mockingly at her and rubs his shoulder exaggeratedly as Proxi dives down towards him and settles on his right ear, chiming a greeting to Impa. She nods back as Link falls into step with her, and the two make their way toward the main camp to prepare.

--------

Once his troops are gathered, Link takes a drink of water and gets up in front of them all, the rare sound of his voice silencing all other conversations.

“As all of you can see, we’ve been assigned to the portal into the sky. We have no idea what could be on the other side, and we will proceed with caution. Am I understood?” His question is answered with overlapping shouts of confirmation, and Link nods sharply. “Good. I will not tolerate any losses because anyone gets too close to the edge. You all know better than that, so don’t make someone have to get after you because you’re too curious for your own good.” Link sends pointed looks to a handful of soldiers, and they all chuckle sheepishly even as they all acknowledge his statement. Link continues to outline the mission and the soldier’s objectives, and soon the gathering is coming to an end.

“Before I dismiss you all, I’d like to address one last thing.” Link pauses here as the crows of soldiers shift, quiet mutterings rippling through the crowd. “I know that my promotion was sudden, and I understand that it will take some getting used to. I also know that many of you believe that I shouldn’t be up here. Quite frankly,” Link shifts his weight and brings a hand up to brush his bangs from his eyes, suddenly feeling small in front of thousands of soldiers. “Quite frankly,” he begins again, “I agree with you.”

The crowd devolves into conversations as the soldiers all voice their opinions. Link gives them a minute to get it out of their systems before he whistles loudly, drawing everyone's attention back to himself. “That being said, if you have a problem with how I’m leading this fight, you will bring it to me and we will figure it out, understand? I will not tolerate anyone going off on their own and getting themselves killed because you didn’t want to talk to me. We are fighting the same fight, and I expect you all to treat me the same. I am not any different than the man you’ve trained with before, and I never will be. I will still fight beside you.”

Link scans the crowd, his expression hard. “Am I understood?”

To Link’s surprise, a resounding cheer greets his words as the soldiers all grinning up at him and nodding vigorously. Link feels a grin stretch across his face, and he wraps up the meeting. “Good. We march in an hour. Go get ready!”

As the soldiers disperse, Link turns to face the portal once again and a hand comes up to rub his throat while the other moves to check on Proxi. The fairy was still nestled behind his right ear, and she had been silent during his speech. Now, however, the fairy’s high-pitched voice was loud in his ear before she shifted to perch on his hand. “That was an amazing speech, Link! I can tell that some of them were really inspired!” Link tilts his head in consideration as someone comes up behind him, their footsteps crunching in the loose gravel of the path. Link turns and catches sight of Will and Oliver, both sporting wide grins.

Link shakes his hand gently, dislodging Proxi as he signs to his friends. ‘Was that too much? Not enough?’ They both shake their heads, but Oliver is the one who speaks. “That was impressive, Link. I think that’s the most I’ve heard you talk in years!” The playful ribbing made him smile, and he shoved gently at Oliver’s shoulder even though the other man was probably correct. Link had known Oliver and Will since they were all very young, and they had been around when Link had first stopped talking and had stayed by his side ever since.

“He thinks you’re being silly, but he doesn’t want to say it to your face.” Proxi’s voice floats through the air between the three of them and Oliver and Will startle, moving back in surprise. “What was that?”

Link grins at them and holds a hand out in front of him. Proxi flies down, landing in his palm gently. She starts talking immediately, and Link watches with poorly hidden glee as Will and Oliver make comical expressions in their surprise. “I’m Proxi! I met Link earlier when he saved me from some monsters, and I’ve bonded with him so now I’ve decided to be his voice! He lets me hang around and ride on his ear and sometimes he lets me talk in his head so it’s easier for him and he’s so cool!”

Their expressions soon prove to be too much for Link, and he breaks into laughter, a hand coming up to cover his face as he tries to get himself under control. Dislodged once more by the movement, Proxi shoots into the air above the group and Oliver and Will advance on Link, who is still fighting to stop laughing. Oliver throws himself forward and tackles Link, who hits the ground and rolls, rising back to his feet just in time to dodge Will’s attempt to knock him over as well.

The commotion has drawn the attention of some of the nearby soldiers, and a small group of the younger ones have all drifted closer, obviously curious. Link sees their eyes go wide when they catch sight of Proxi, and the fairy notices as well. She streaks over to the small group as Link, Will, and Oliver get themselves under control. Will comes up to Link and drapes himself over his right shoulder, dropping all of his weight on Link, snickering as he staggers.

“Look at you, Link, got your own translator and everything! Why didn’t you say something?” Will’s side-eying him mockingly, but grunts and lets himself be pushed off of Link when Oliver elbows him in the ribs. “What?” Oliver is staring at him incredulously. “You can’t just ask the guy why he didn’t say anything, what’s wrong with you?”

Will stares at Oliver for a second, eyes blank and expression twisted in confusion. After a moment, his expression lights up with understanding and he turns to Link sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Aw, c’mon man, Link gave up this years ago, he knows I don’t mean anything by it.” Will laughs awkwardly as Link waves his apology away with a grin. Oliver just sighs, shaking his head at Will in exasperation. “Link, I’ll never understand why you won’t just…” Oliver mimes smacking Will on the back of the head, and Link just shrugs, unconcerned.

Proxi returns before they can continue, her high voice drawing Link’s attention as she screeches to a stop in front of his face. “Link, Link, Link!” She sounds excited about something, and Link can’t help but grin. He tilts his head in question, and Proxi continues.

“One of the boys wants to know if I can meet his sister! He says she’s a big fan of fairies, but none live by their village, and I think it’s a good idea! Can I? Please, please, please?” Proxi has gotten closer and closer to Link as she talks, and soon she’s close enough to land on his nose, so Link scoops Proxi out of the air gently.

The fairy pouts, her arms crossed as she settles into Link’s palms, but she quickly perks back up when Link grins at her, speaking softly. “I think it’s a good idea! As long as you’re okay with it, I don’t see a reason to say no.” Proxi nearly explodes with excitement, rising from Link's palms to circle him while she chimes. She’s talking too quickly to make sense of the words, and Link shares an amused grin with Oliver and Will as the fairy works out her excitement.

“Captain Link?”

The young voice draws Link’s attention away from his fairy friend, and he looks over to see that the group of young soldiers has crept closer, now standing a couple of feet away. Only one of them steps forward. His hair is sun-bleached blonde, and his skin is sun-tanned with a smear of freckles across his nose. He moves confidently, but the rest of his group seems much less sure of themselves and hangs back.

“Can I introduce Ms. Proxi to my sister, Captain? She’s a huge fan of fairies, but none live near our village and Ms. Proxi said that she didn’t mind.” The boy’s face is bright and eager, his eyes wide as he stares at Link. His courage impresses Link, as none of the younger soldiers had dared to approach him even before he had been made Captain, so Link smiled down at the younger boy, ignoring Oliver and Will shuffling around and whispering behind him. He clears his throat in an attempt to hold off the coughs he can feel rising and addresses the kid. “I don’t see why not. How old is she if you don’t mind me asking?”

“She’s eight, sir!” The kid chirps. “She got a book about fairies for her birthday a couple of years ago and she’s been obsessed with them ever since.” As he talks about his sister, he’s grinning widely. “She won’t hurt Ms. Proxi, she just has a lot of questions. I think she’s made a couple of outfits, too. Shirts, pants, dresses, those kinds of things.” Proxi lets out a loud squeal and darts over to hover in front of the young blonde. “Really? Did she really?” Proxi turns back to Link, glowing with excitement. “Link, Link, did you hear? She made dresses!”

Link laughs. “Yeah, Prox, I heard! I guess we’ll have to take a trip after this whole event, yeah?” Proxi launches herself at Link with another squeal, colliding with his cheek as she tries to hug him. Link brings a hand up to hold her gently, moving his hand once she starts to pull away. “Thank you, Link!”

She’s moving away before he can respond, so Link turns back to the kid and his friends, who have finally moved closer. “Can I get everyone’s n-” Link’s voice gives out and he stops, the words refusing to emerge. He tries again, then turns to Oliver, gesturing at his throat in frustration. Oliver sighs and steps forward, bumping Link’s shoulder with his own playfully as Link begins to sign.

“He says sorry about that, but he’ll make sure to take the time to introduce your sister to Proxi as soon as we can. Can we get your names, so we know who to look for?” Oliver seems to startle the boys, and they all trade looks before the bleach-blonde huffs and steps forward. “I’m Tides. That’s Mask, he’s Vet, and that one's Wolf.” Tides gestures with his thumb as he introduces the other boys and Link studies them.

Mask has dirty blonde hair and is not wearing a mask, despite his name. The boy when he notices Link looking at him and salutes sarcastically. Link returns the salute with even more sass, and notices how Mask seems to brighten at the exchange. Vet has lighter blonde hair, and when he turns, the sun’s rays almost turn it pink. He’s scowling at Wave, who grins back unrepentantly, and his scowl lessons only slightly when he catches Link’s gaze. Link nods in acknowledgment and moves one to Wolf, but he still notices how Vet seems to lose more of his scowl when Tides bumps his shoulder.

Wolf seems…chaotic. He’s got a gleam in his eyes that speaks of mischief, and he has dirt or mud smeared across his face. Link can’t tell which it is. Wolf’s hair is blonde as well, though his is much darker than the others. Wolf grins at Link and it’s got a feral edge to it, so Link bares his teeth in a grin back, enjoying how Wolf’s grin grows as he recognizes the edge of chaos in his Captain.

Link signs to Oliver again, and his friend dismisses the boys. “Alright, get lost, boys. You’ve got things to do!”

“Yes, sir!” The blondes all salute before they turn and sprint away, shoving each other as they do. Link huffs a laugh as he watches them go as hands land on his shoulders and spin him around. Will’s the culprit, and his face is creased in worry as he looks at Link. Oliver hovers right behind him, and his concern is clear on his face as well. “Alright, why did you do that?”

Link tilts his head in confusion at Will’s statement. What was Will talking about? He signs as much to his friends as they stare him down.

“Talk so much! You know that your speech was pushing it, either one of us would have been willing to talk for you, Link. You don’t need to push yourself so much. Everyone here knows about how little you talk, and no one is going to hold it against you. Please don’t do that again.” Will speaks kindly, but his face is stern, and Link can’t argue. He nods in agreement and Will finally releases his shoulders.

Link brings his hands up, looking Will and Oliver in the eyes as he signs. ‘I’ll be more careful. I do have something to ask, though. What if I left a small group here to watch the base camp? Specifically,’ Link’s eyes flick towards the small group of blondes, preparing their bags off to the side. ‘Specifically the younger members of our group, with a few others?”

A grin slowly stretches across Oliver’s face, and Link can see Will grinning as well. “I think that’s a great plan, Captain.”

--------

An hour later, the majority of the battalion steps through the portal, with the youngest members of the group, a few of the more experienced fighters, and a (very) reluctant Oliver, staying behind to keep an eye on the base camp. They exit the portal into a large plaza at the base of a ruined tower, and things devolve from there.

Will gives him a look as things begin to get chaotic, and Link knows that he’ll have a shadow for the rest of this. Despite his concern, he can’t find it in himself to be annoyed by his friend's protectiveness. It turns out to be helpful just a few minutes into the battle when something calls his name, startling him enough to send his strike wide. The melodical voice rings over the battlefield and the monsters take advantage of his distraction, pressing forward. One of them gets a lucky hit before Link cuts it down, and he steps away from the monster as it dissolves into smoke, pressing the edge of his tunic to the cut on his cheek.

“Link, did you hear that?” Will comes running up to him quickly, reaching out to wipe the blood he’d missed off of his cheek. “Someone’s calling you. Are we gonna go check it out? Or do you want to send someone else?”

‘We’re going. Come on.’ Link pauses long enough for Will to call a couple of soldiers to join them then takes off towards the Goddess Statue at the back of the island. Above him, Proxi is hovering high enough that she can see most of the field, and is giving him updates through their connection, her voice loud in his head. They have to cut more monsters out of the way to make their way around to the back of the Goddess Statue, but it doesn’t take them very long. Once they enter the small room, they’re met with a handful of Skyloftian soldiers, a smaller group of bokoblins, and…a comically large pumpkin that is apparently full of soup.

Link and Will exchange dry looks, and Link steps forward. When he does, the sword embedded in the pedestal in the center of the room pulses with light, and a figure gracefully tumbles out. When it speaks, its voice is oddly musical and otherworldly at the same time.

“My name is Fi. I was waiting for you.” The woman bobs gently in the air before him, and Link hesitates. “You are not the Master, but I can consider you a Master. My mission is to serve you.” Her blue and purple cloak flares at her sides, and her eyes stare into his. Link tilts his head in confusion and suddenly, she is in front of him. “My assistance is necessary for your success.” Link can hear Will bristle behind him, but he waves him off. While the woman is odd, Link doesn’t feel like she is a threat. At least not to them.

“Shall I accompany you?” Link nods, and the woman backs away. She bows her head, then turns abruptly to the large pumpkin of soup. “I will transport the soup.”

Link blinks, shaking his head as the Skyloftian Captain mentions something about troops needing assistance. He shakes off the last of his confusion and refocuses himself, turning back to the battle.

--------

They had managed to push Volga back momentarily, but there was no time to rest.

“Ghirahim is heading towards the Allied Base, you can’t let him reach you!” Proxi swoops back down to settle behind Link’s ear, and he gives a determined nod, readjusting his grip on his sword. To his right, Will does the same, and they take off running, hoping to beat the Demon Lord back to their base. Fortunately, they do manage to beat him, but unfortunately, only by a couple of minutes. As the two of them skid to a stop, Link is already barking out orders, uncaring of how the words scrape at his throat.

“Prepare yourselves! We’ve got a ‘Demon Lord’ incoming, and I will not accept any losses in this fight. If you need to fall back, you fall back. Understood?” His voice is sharp, and a collective affirmative is shouted in response, and then the Demon Lord is on them.

He bursts through the front gate in a flurry of diamonds, brandishing two long, sharp swords. He grins – a cold, nasty smile – and Link surges forward to meet him, his soldiers half a step behind him. For a moment, it works, but then the Demon sheaths his swords and brings his hands together, a shockwave radiating out from the impact. Link is pushed backward, but Will goes flying, as do the rest of the men. As they all get back to their feet, the Demon snaps his fingers, and a barrier of diamonds erupts around Link and the Demon.

Link is alone.

He falls back to the edge of the barrier and reassesses as his men crowd the barrier, trying their best to break it. Will is shouting, but Link can't hear him, only seeing his mouth moving through the flickering barrier. The Demon smirks, and Link lunges. They dance around each other with fast, deadly movements that alternate pushing the other back, and Link takes a slice across the back of his arm as he spins out of the way, gritting his teeth against the pain. Ghirahim smirks again, falling back and they circle each other for a minute.

“You know,” Ghirahim starts, “You haven’t been as entertaining as my last hero. He was so much more…fun.” The Demon brings one of his blades up to his mouth, his tongue flicking out and licking Link’s blood off of the steel. Ice trickles down Link’s spine as he registers the Demon’s words, his thoughts racing. “Your last hero?”

Ghirahim laughs. “Oh, yes, the Hero of the Skies. What a specimen! He was so clearly unsuited to the surface, having lived on this miserable rock until I stole Her Majesty. Regardless, he got in my way, and do you know how I felt?” Link doesn’t respond, so Ghirahim continues. “I was furious! Sick with anger! Outraged, even! Do you know how I handled it, hero?” The Demon sneered the last word, baring his teeth. Link remained silent.

“I told him that I would deafen him with the shrill sounds of his own screams. That I would tear him apart, and make Her Majesty watch as I did.” Ghirahim’s face twists. “I never did get the chance. Now, though, I can follow through with you!” The Demon lunges again, but this time, Link’s ready. He catches the two swords between his own and his shield, twisting them sharply to the side and kicking, dragging the Demon down.

He snarled at the Demon and kept moving, landing as many hits as he was able to until the Demon disappeared in a flash of diamonds. “This isn’t the last you’ll see of me, hero!” Ghirahim’s voice echoed around the base even after he disappeared, and Link sagged as the barrier dropped. Will rushes forward, the rest of the men right behind him, and Link doesn’t see the potion in Will’s hands until it’s uncorked. “That – that thing is sick.” Will’s expression is darker than Link’s ever seen it. “I’m glad that the Hero of the Skies never got caught.” One of the soldiers nods solemnly as Will yanks Link’s sleeve up, standing behind him and pouring the potion directly on the wound. Link flinches away from it with a hiss, and the soldier whispers an apology as he holds him steady.

Once the wound has closed, Link yanks his sleeve back down and stands, Proxi emerging from his hair. “Link wants to know if anyone needs help.” Her voice is shaky, and Will opens his mouth when a roar shakes the island. Everyone in the Allied Base turns, and a thick column of fire shoots into the air.

Volga was back.

--------

With the Great Fairy’s assistance, Volga finally went down, for good this time, and Skyloft was safe. The Skyloftian captains gave them spots to rest and recover, and so Link and his soldiers set up camp. Now that the sounds of battle had faded, Link was able to look around and see just how unsettlingly empty the island was. There were no civilians anywhere on the island, and Link hadn’t seen any trace of the fabled Loftwings that were supposed to be living in the sky.

He wandered, Will with him. They passed by a large building shaped like a pumpkin, but the small island that it sat on was listing to the side, and the building was beginning to crumble as well. As the three soldiers continued to explore the island, they found more and more decaying islands and crumbling structures. The tower behind their Allied Base was half destroyed, with jagged edges on the top. Near the back of the island, there looked to be a carnival island, but it was splintering and faded.

“What happened here?” Will broke the horrified silence. “There’s…there’s no people, the buildings are falling apart, and the islands are breaking. Is this just the effect of time? Or were they chased out before they were ready?”

Link fought down a shudder, the implications of Will’s thoughts concerning him greatly. “Link’s hopeful that it’s just the effect of time. He doesn’t really want to think about the other option.” Proxi chimed in, and Will sighed. “Yeah, I don’t really want to know.” The three of them stood at the base of the Goddess Statue in silence, looking around at the island. Eventually, Link shook himself out of his somber mood, turning and signing at his friends. ‘Let’s head back to the camp. I want to talk to Fi.’

They made their way back to their camp, passing groups of soldiers as they walked. Thankfully they hadn’t lost anyone in the fight, but there were a number of injuries that needed attention, but only a few that were bad enough to send back to base camp. Link and Will took the time to escort the badly wounded back to the portal and sent them through, waiting to make sure that everyone made it before they managed to make their way to base camp.

As they walked into the crumbling keep, Link glanced around at the soldiers. Many of them were bunched into small groups, but everyone seemed to be in decent spirits, so Link didn’t stop. He paused ling enough to find the flicker of blue and purple floating near the fire, then made a beeline towards her.

“Hey, Fi?” Link called out to the woman, who turned and floated towards them. Her voice rang through the air, but her mouth didn’t move. “Yes, Master?”
Link hesitated, unsure how to word his question, but Oliver had no such reservation. “What are you? And what’s up with this so-called ‘Demon Lord’?” Link dragged a hand down his face at his friend's blunt questions, but Fi didn’t seem to be offended or upset. She paused for a moment. “I am a sword spirit. Specifically, I am the spirit of the Master Sword that my Master, Link, used to seal away Demise.” The sword spirit bobs in the air gently as she speaks. “Ghirahim is also a sword spirit, but that of Demise’s sword. He has been warped and changed from what he once was. Now, he is obsessed with bringing his master back to the mortal plain, at any cost necessary.” Fi’s head tilts to the side now, and she turns to look over Skyloft.

“I do not know why either of us are here. This does not seem to be my Master’s homeland. It is odd.” Fi turns back to Link and Will, staring at them intently. “The last I was aware of, Master, Ghirahim’s sword had been shattered, and his master is dead, by my Master’s hand. I have been sleeping since. How are you here?”

Link sighs, dropping down to sit by the fire. “It’s a long story.”

--------

The next morning, Fi led Link and the soldiers down to the Sealed Grounds, and they were greeted by another army of bokoblins. They were scattered across the area, the air filled with grunts and snarls as the monsters noticed them. A horn sounded in the air, and they began to advance on the Hylian soldiers. Link turned, trusting Will to watch his back as he addressed the troops.

“I want all of you back here when this is over, you hear me? Every single one of you! Our goal is to get to Ghirahim and close the Gate of Souls, but I will not have you all taking unnecessary risks. Split off into your groups and take as many keeps as you can get your hands on. Am I understood?” A resounding cheer greets his words and Link smirks. “For Hyrule!”

“For Hyrule!”

Link turns back to face the approaching monsters and lunges forward as his men fan out behind him. Will is by his side, and Fi is just beyond them, having declared herself their guide. “We need to get those doors open, Link! What’s our plan?” Will shouts over the clashing of metal, and Proxi responds for him. “We’ve got to get close enough, and Link says that we’ll break down the doors if we have to!”

One of the leaders nods but Will lets out a cry of alarm, lunging toward Link with his sword outstretched. Link twists out of the way, confused, and turns just in time to see Will intercept a blow from a Hylian soldier that would have cut his back wide open.

Will’s question comes out as a snarl and Link sees the soldier flinch back, terror on his face as he attempts to hold steady. “What are you doing?”

“L-Lord Ghirahim co-omands us-s!” The soldier's movements are jerky and uncoordinated, his expression flickering between desperation, terror, regret, and a blank mask. His sword comes crashing down again, but Will easily twists his own, knocking the sword out of the soldier's hand and pulling him closer, holding him in place as he struggles. “What do you mean, ‘Lord Ghirahim’? What’s your name, soldier?”

The soldier’s expression flickers again, and he gasps out, “Jack, sir!”, before his expression goes blank again. Jack renews his struggle, but it's weak. Will tightens his grip on the soldier while gesturing for Link to stay back, but he ignores his friend, stepping closer and into Jack’s line of sight. Jack stills momentarily, zeroing in on Link, and then he tries to throw himself away from the Captain even as his hands try to reach for his discarded sword. All around them, Link vaguely registers that other soldiers are turning on their comrades as well, and he knows that he has to figure this out, now.

“Report!” Link barks out, and Jack stiffens, his expression flickering yet again.

“He’s in my head, sir!” Jack gasps out, his eyes locked onto Links. “Who, Ghirahim?” Will’s voice is harsh, but Jack nods desperately. “I had to – to warn you! I don’t want to be a traitor, but I can’t –”

His eyes roll into the back of his head, and he crumples, one of the other captains lowering his sword behind him. “Ok, so it’s a subdue order, not a kill order, right?” Link nods, and glances at Proxi before he throws himself back into the fight. “Link says we need to find the leader of the ones who are being controlled! We take them out, and hopefully, the others will either retreat or come to their senses. Worst case, they don’t fall out of it until we get Ghirahim, but all the more reason to get him quickly.”

As they make their way through the keeps, the controlled soldiers retreat faction by faction once their respective leader is taken out of the picture. Link has just knocked out one of the few remaining faction leaders when Proxi drops out of the air toward him, yelling frantically. “Link, the Allied base needs help! They’re going to fall if they don’t get help right now! Come on, we’ve got to go!” Link throws a glance at the keep leader, who nods back, and then he’s off. Will had split away from him reluctantly a little while ago, finding faction leaders who weren’t being controlled and letting everyone know what was happening. As Link moved toward the Allied base he caught sight of Fi, fighting gracefully toward the Allied base as well. He puts on an extra burst of speed, sliding to a stop behind her as he brings his shield up to block a heavy blow aimed at her back. They stay back-to-back for a couple of minutes as they cut through the bokoblins and knock out the Hylian soldiers, the singing of steel-on-steel echoing through the area.

Finally, the stream of Bokoblins ends, and Link motions toward the Allied base as Proxi speaks. “Could you help us clear out the Allied base, Fi?” The sword spirit nods, and they both take off, skidding into the Allied base, coming face to face with the leader of all of the controlled forces. Ghirahim’s dark magic is dripping off of him, and Link can see that the man is fighting it, just as Jack was, but not having nearly as much luck. “Captain! P-please!”

Link tightens his grip on his sword, lunging forward to meet Arthur’s blow. Link catches the man’s blade on the edge of his own, letting it slide for a moment before he twists, forcing Arthur’s sword down, and twisting it in his grip. Link jerks it upward sharply, and Arthur’s sword goes flying, landing tip-down in the dirt a ways away. The tip of Link’s sword comes to rest at Arthur’s throat. “Do you yield?”

Proxi’s voice startles the man on the ground, and he nods as the other soldiers descend on him, restraining his hands and pulling him to the side as the dark magic continues to drip off of him. Link sags, his energy gone, and some of the other soldiers swarm him as well. “Captain, are you all right? Are you injured?” Link shakes his head silently, a hand coming up to push his bangs out of his eyes. “He’s not injured! He’s just low on energy, he’s been running all over the place!” Link shoots Proxi a look, but she keeps going. “He could probably use a potion if anyone has an extra.”

Several bottles are suddenly shoved in his face, and Link stumbles backward, startled. He sees some of the soldiers in front of him flush in embarrassment and back away a few steps, but they don’t rescind their offer. Link turns to Proxi, hand on his hips as he stares her down, but she just hums unrepentantly. After a moment, Link sighs and reaches for one of the green potions when a call of his name has him spinning in place.

“Link!”

Will is sprinting into the Allied base, worry clear on his face as he draws closer. “Link, what happened?” He slams into Link, grabbing him by the shoulders and checking over. Link rolls his eyes and begins signing to his friend.

‘Will. Will. Will. WILL!’ Will goes still, his hands still on Link’s shoulders. ‘I’m fine, just tired. Proxi decided to announce that I was tired, like I’m the only one who has been busy, and so they’re all probably frustrated that they’re having to give up their potions, and –’

His hands are grabbed gently, Will holding them still as he looks at him in concern. “Link, you know full well –”

Will was interrupted when the world began to shake, Ghirahim’s voice ringing loudly over the battlefield. “The Gate of Souls has revived my true Master! Tremble all who oppose him!” The demon cackles, and an ear-splitting roar cuts through the air. Link turns, breaking into a run and heading towards the center of the Sealed Grounds, Will only steps behind him. A swirling mass of darkness had erupted from the center of the Sealed Grounds, and it only increased in size.

As the beast emerged, Link’s terror made itself known, curling around his chest and squeezing. The beast was massive, covered from head to toe in pitch-black scales. The pedestal from the center of the pit was embedded in its head, and it had four odd, white toes on each massive foot. It threw back its head and roared, a sound that covered every other sound on the battlefield. The ground shook violently with every step it took.

Ghirahim’s cackling can still be heard when the beast's roar ends. The demon’s laughter is high-pitched and crazed, and it only adds to Link’s terror. His chest heaving, Link turns and faces the men behind him, their orders certain. “Defeat is not allowed! If any of you die, I’ll bring you back and make you run laps for the next several years! Am I understood?” The answering cheer is noticeably subdued, and Link nods grimly as he turns back to the beast.

Fi materializes next to him. “Master, the beast’s weakness is its toes. If you damage them, it will fall, and then you can hit the pedestal.” Link nods again, and lunges forward with a cry of determination. As his men follow behind him, he quickly realizes that they have to plan this carefully, or they’ll all be crushed. He signals Will, signing quickly, and Will calls out the orders for him. “Archers, fall back! Hit it as best you can, and aim for its eyes!”

Once the archers fall back, the crowd has thinned, but not nearly enough. “Mages! Fall back as well, use what you can without hitting our own!” Will’s next orders have yet another chunk of soldiers splitting off, and the crowd has finally thinned enough for them to do some damage. “Swords, forward!”

The group advances, swarming the monster. For a couple of minutes, it seems like the tide of the battle is turning, and eventually the beast falls, crashing to the ground and writhing as the Hylian forces keep up their attack. When the moment ends, Link has a split second to react, and he uses it to their advantage.
“BACK!” The yell tears from his throat, and all of his soldiers throw themselves away from the beast as it rises, and its toes regrow. Unfortunately, it stays in the air, and Proxi yells in Link’s ear. “There’s something in that keep that can help us bring it down! Go, go, go!” Link takes off towards the East Cannon Keep, ignoring the cries of the men behind him. “Captain, what’re you doing? Come back!”

Link skids into the Keep, his chest heaving as he scans the area. Nothing, nothing…there! A large cannon against the far wall, and a convenient pile of ammunition next to it. He moves toward it quickly, dodging around the soldiers who are driving the bokoblins out of the keep. Once he reaches it, he quickly loads it and fires the cannon, knocking the beast out of the sky. It drops back to the ground with an earth-rattling thud, and Link tears back out of the keep, intent on finishing the fight as soon as he can. As he bursts out of the keep, Will comes sprinting around the corner and barrels into him. “Oof!”

They go down in a tangle of limbs, and Link pushes Will off of him on instinct. They lay in stunned silence for only a moment before Will’s head pops up and he pins Link with a glare. “What the hell was that?”

Link stares at him blankly, and Will rolls his eyes as he gets off the ground. “Buddy, I really need you to start telling me where you’re going.” He reaches down to pull Link to his feet, and Link groans dramatically as he’s pulled off the ground. “Oh, shut it. Oliver’ll kill me if something happens to you, so deal with it.” Link just grins at Will, and takes off running, heading back toward the beast he had just knocked out of the air, Will chasing after him with a frustrated yell.

“Come back here, asshole!”

--------

Once the beast had been killed, Ghirahim’s fury increased greatly, washing over the battlefield as he shouted. “You pathetic worms will not defeat me! I expected a fight, not a-!” The demon’s voice cuts off mid-sentence, and Link pauses, listening carefully while also taking the chance to scan the area, looking for Fi and Will, who had gotten separated from him in the chaos. The rest of the battlefield has paused as well, curious as to what could have grabbed Ghirahim’s attention when he was so furious.

When he speaks again, his voice is filled with satisfaction, and it drips from his words like poison. “Well, well, well…what’s this, then? Could it be…?” The demon cackles, and it sends a shiver down Link’s spine. “It must be my lucky day! Oh, I will enjoy this.” His voice cuts off as something shatters and the battlefield resumes, the monster’s morale rising at the sound of their leader's supposed good fortune.

Link feels his frustration rising and doubles his attacks, cutting his way through the bokoblins and making his way to the temple doors. Once he steps inside the temple, his eyes catch on a puddle of blood, and the drops that form a path leading further into the temple. He follows the disturbing trail as quickly as he can, and it finally leads him to a massive stone door. It’s cracked and hanging off its hinges. Link can hear the sounds of steel-on-steel inside, and he pushes his way through.

As soon as Link bursts through the doors, his focus lands first on Will, who lies crumpled on the floor just beyond the threshold, and secondly on the fierce battle taking place further back in the room. The demon is loud as he fights, throwing out comments that make Link's skin crawl, but his opponent seems unbothered, though Link can't see their face to be certain.

"-before that I would deafen you with your screams," The Demon is snarling, his expression twisted into a cruel smile. "I intend to follow through!" He lunges forward in a blur of motion, but his opponent shifts minutely and the demon skids past. With a howl of rage, Ghirahim dissolves into a shower of red and black diamonds, his maniacal laughter echoing around the room.

For a minute, the only sound in the room is the crunch of the other person's shoes in the shattered amber glass beneath their feet. The crunching echoes loudly throughout the room as the other swordsman moves warily, still facing away from Link, who has dropped to his knees next to Will's crumpled form. There's a sluggishly bleeding wound on Will's head, but Link bypasses that to check his friend's pulse, exhaling quietly in relief when he finds a steady rhythm. When Link looks back up, he finds that the other swordsman has finally turned, and to his surprise, Link recognizes him.

It's the legendary Hero of the Skies.

The Hero of the Skies is standing before him, the Master Sword and Goddess Shield in hand, looking just as fierce as the stories had said. His eyes were bright with determination, almost glowing with it, and he was focused as he scanned the room in search of the demon. His gaze hesitates momentarily when it lands on Link and Will, but he doesn't stop moving, doesn’t let his guard down. He's moving closer, Link realizes, making his way carefully around the room as Ghirahim's awful laughter picks back up.

The Hero of the Skies slows to a stop a couple of feet in front of Link, who has his sword held loosely in one hand and his other on Will's wrist. He glances back at the duo on the ground but doesn’t let his gaze linger even as he speaks. "Are you two all right?"

Link takes a moment to gather himself, trying desperately to not show how confused and shaken he was. "I can't speak for Will, but I'm okay."

The Hero of the Skies nods once before his eyes widen and he lunges toward them, the Master Sword flashing up and glinting in the air between them. It slams into Ghirahim's blade with a screech as the Hero of the Skies shoves Link behind him with his other hand, placing himself firmly between the demon and the heroes on the ground. Link moves into a crouch, ready to defend Will if it becomes necessary.

"Now, that was rude. Why do you insist on ruining my fun?" Ghirahim snarls the question as he continues his assault, his sword slamming repeatedly down onto the Goddess Shield. The shield lets out an ominous crack as the barrage finally lets up, but the Hero of the Skies is moving before Ghirahim can take advantage of it.

The Legendary Hero unleashes his own barrage of strikes faster than Link can blink, his sword shining brightly in the darkness of the room. "I find ruining your plans amusing, actually. That's why I do it." Link can hear the smirk in the Hero's voice as he pushes the demon back. Ghirahim’s bleeding from multiple wounds, his gaze so full of hatred that Link can feel it across the room, and it's not even directed at him. With a strong kick, The Hero sends the Demon flying backward, and he skids across the floor towards the ominous purple portal. He follows, forcing the Demon closer and closer to the Gate of Souls until, with one frighteningly strong strike with his sword, Ghirahim is forced through.

"I won't forget this, Skychild!"

The furious screech echoes out of the portal and the Hero flinches backward before he raises his sword skyward. It shines with otherworldly light, glowing brighter, brighter, brighter-

The Hero brings the Master Sword down in a sharp slash, sending a beam of light directly at the portal. The light sends fractures across its surface, and it collapses in on itself, finally closing and plunging the room into silence.

Certain that the Demon is gone, at least for now, Link gives in to his concern for Will and drops back down beside him, sheathing his sword as he does. He gathers his friend into his arms, shaking him carefully in an attempt to rouse him. It partially works, and Will stirs, groaning, but he doesn't fully open his eyes. Link continues to try and wake his friend, and hears the Hero come up beside him where he pauses, hovering. He glances up at him, torn between curiosity and concern.

"Thank you for protecting him." Link's voice is rough, but he forces the words out. The Hero looks surprised at the thanks and shakes his head, smiling kindly down at him.

"It was no trouble. Ghirahim is not someone I would let anyone face alone. Are you still okay?" The Hero's accent is familiar somehow, but Link can't place it. As he nods, he thinks it over and tries to place it but comes up blank, so he puts it out of his mind.

"I'm okay, just confused. How...how are you here? I didn't know you were still alive, pardon my bluntness." Link knows how rude he must be coming across, but at this point, he can't stop himself. Princess Zelda is missing, he was promoted and now leading part of the army, Hyrule is in danger, and now one of the Legendary Heroes is standing before him, having just likely saved his life. He's a little stressed, thank you very much.

The Hero of the Skies laughs, his expression friendly and open, a stark contrast to the fury and determination from earlier, and Link can't help but join in. His laughter is a little more strained, but he laughs along, nonetheless.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but the short answer is time travel, to be honest. I made a deal with the Goddess, but I'm here to help." The Hero rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, his cheeks turning pink as he explains.

Link just stares at him, completely lost. "You...made a deal?" He says slowly. "With the Goddess Hylia? How...?" He shakes his head and stares at the Hero. "You mean you can talk with her?!"

The Hero nods sheepishly, his already pink cheeks darkening. “Yes? It’s different where I come from. She’s not exactly absent.” Link’s mouth opens and closes repeatedly in confusion, his words failing him. As the silence stretches on the Hero’s expression turns to concern, and he crouches down and puts a hand on Link’s shoulder. The touch startles Link out of his thoughts, and he just shakes his head in disbelief. Gently, he lays Will down and brings his hands up, hoping that the Hero knew how to sign.

‘What do you mean, she’s not absent? She’s a Goddess, it’s not like she’s walking around with you guys!’ His hands move quickly, and for a moment, the Hero looks lost. Link’s shoulders slump in frustration when he doesn’t respond, but the Hero answers him before his frustration grows too much.

“That’s…exactly what happened, actually. She’s my childhood friend, one of my partners now. I think that would be a little hard if she wasn’t around, ‘ya know?” Link flings his arms up in defeat and the Hero laughs brightly. “No, I’m serious! I’m dating her, I’m telling the truth!”

Link shakes his head stubbornly, reaching out to poke the Hero in the shoulder. He lets it push him off balance and he falls back with a huff and lays there as Link laughs. Eventually his laughter dies down, and they remain in silence for only a moment before the door bursts open.

Fi is the first one in, followed by some of the commanders. Their weapons are all out and ready, but they all stop once they catch sight of the group on the floor. Link figures they must make an odd sight, one captain, one commander and a Legendary Hero all sprawled on the floor, surrounded by shattered amber glass. One of the commanders steps forward first, but Link doesn't pay attention to them yet, too focused on Fi's reaction.

The Sword Spirit had frozen, her face blank and stony, even by her standards. She was staring at the Hero, but he hadn't seen her yet, still lying on his back. Link stuck his leg out and nudged the Hero with his foot, making him sit up, and it had the added benefit of allowing Link to see the Hero's reaction.

When he catches sight of Fi, he goes rigid. Link heard his breath catch, saw his eyes widen. The room is silent as everyone around them notices their reactions, and Link finds himself holding his breath.

"Fi?"

The call of her name is shaky, and Link can hear the waver in the Hero's voice. Suddenly, he’s on his feet and moving toward Fi. The Sword Spirit is moving as well, and they meet in the middle in an intense embrace, the Hero's hands curling around the Sword Spirit tightly as he shakes.

"Master Link."

Fi's voice was impossibly soft, her fondness for her hero shining through as she held him. She hugs him back just as intensely, to everyone's surprise, and she seems disinclined to let him go. When they finally do separate, Link is not at all surprised to see the blinding smile across the Hero's face, his love for his friend clear for the room to see.

"You’re-you’re awake! You’re okay, you’re here, how did that happen?” The Hero holds her gently by the shoulders, and her ‘hands’ come up to rest on his in return. “Master Link, you are injured.” The announcement surprises the Hero and he falters, his head tilting to the side in confusion. “Huh?”

“You are injured.” Fi insists. Her ‘hands’ move from the Hero’s and down to his side where his shirt is rapidly turning red, blood staining the fabric. It’s spreading quickly and the Hero looks down and pales, his tanned skin losing most of its color as he manages a faint, “Oh,” before his eyes roll back into his head and he drops.

Several of the commanders lurch forward to catch him, but Fi’s already done so, lowering him gently to the ground, resting his shoulders and head on her folded knees. One ‘hand’ smooths the hair away from his eyes. “I require bandages.”

Link digs through a pouch on his belt and tosses her a roll as some of the commanders kneel by their sides to help. The remaining commanders move to him and Will, and they get to work checking his friend over. It doesn’t take them long to bandage any wounds and rouse both Will and the Hero of the Skies, but it does take a few minutes to get everyone on the same page.

Will in particular seems starstruck, and seemingly has a thousand questions that the Legendary Hero seems excited to answer. They keep up their idle chit-chat as they make their way outside the Temple. As Link steps through the doors, Will’s arm slung over his shoulder, the soldiers outside explode into cheers. Everyone is on their feet, and the soldiers who had been controlled earlier are back in their right minds, their eyes clear.

Link stops momentarily, surprised by the sudden sheering, but he and Will exchange grins and each pump a fist into the air, which restarts the cheering. Fi and the Legendary Hero have paused behind them in the doorway, and Link sends them a smirk over his shoulder before he turns back to the soldiers.

“Soldiers! You’ve fought well. We wouldn’t have won this battle without everyone’s help. To the soldiers who had their control taken from them, there will be no punishment, no lecture, nothing. You did not choose to turn against us, and we know that.” Half of the crowd sighed in relief, and Link smiled again as he cleared his throat. “However!” His call caught everyone’s attention again and they settled, curious about what he would say.

“We have come out of this fight with another ally. Would you like to know their name?” Link fights back a laugh as the crowd explodes into cheers. Behind him, he sees the Hero straighten up, seeming catching onto what he was doing. Biting back another laugh, Link and Will step to the side as Link announces him. “Men, I’d like to present to you the Legendary Hero of the Skies!”

Sky and Fi stand together as the Hero waves to the awed soldiers. “He’s traveled through time with the Goddess Hylia’s blessing to assist us in our fight. What do we think?”

This round of cheering was deafening. Link grinned in satisfaction as the Hero flushed, the tips of his ears turning red as Link, Will, Fi, the Hero, and the rest of the commanders led the way back to base.

--------

“So, I’ve been calling you the Legendary Hero in my head, capital letters and all.” Will grinned. “Is there a name you’d prefer to go by? I’m assuming your name is Link as well, though that could get confusing.”

The Hero chuckled, his cheeks flushing red. “Yes, I can imagine it would. I’ve been going by Sky, but really, as long as y’all don’t call me by some fancy title, I’m okay with just about anything.”

Will hums, and Link shoots him a glance as they walk. They’re heading back to the portal to return to base camp, but he can’t deny that he’s curious. “What about Skies? A mix of your name and your title.”

“Oh, I like that!” Skies grins. “Reminds me of home.”

Skies had been surprisingly energetic on the way to the portal, which had moved to the Allied Base in the Sealed Grounds. Fi trailed close behind him, though he turned frequently to ensure that she was still there. Link though it was endearing.

Soon enough, they reached the portal and Link and Will stepped through first. He was greeted immediately by Oliver and the faction that he’d left to guard camp, and as more and more of the soldiers emerged from the portal, the longer the cheering went on. The younger soldiers were standing at the front of the Home Base forces, and Proxi had already flown over to them to exchange stories.

To Link’s surprise, Skies and Fi were the last two to come through, and the portal swirled shut behind them. Oliver looked confused, but Link saw Will pull him aside and start filling him in. Unconcerned, Link marches over and snagged Skies by the wrist and began pulling him through the camp. Catching Will and Oliver’s eyes, Link tilted his head at the returned soldiers, then looked pointedly as the Med tent. Thankfully, they got the hint and started to herd everyone after Link and Skies.

As Link tried to push Skies into a chair to look him over, Skies placed a steady hand on Link’s arm. “I’m alright. I’d like to help treat the soldiers first, if you don’t mind.” Link paused, considering the Hylian in front of him, then finally nodded. The soldiers started to spill into the tent, and then they were lost in the work of checking the soldiers over and treating wounds.

--------

It seems like hours had passed before another cheer went up outside the medical tent. Startled, Link dropped the roll of bandages in his hand and straightened up, and Skies jumped, bumping his head on the top of the chest he was digging through. “Ah!”

Stifling a laugh, Link motioned to the soldier that he was good to go, and then it was just him and Skies. Offering the other a hand, Link pulled Skies back to his feet and then led the way out of the tent. Lana’s exhausted, but victorious smile met them at the edge of camp, and her soldiers were celebrating around her. Similarly to Link, she returned home with more people than she had left with, and Link saw Skies making an odd face, but brushed it off.

Unfortunately the Twili, Midna, as Link would come to learn, didn’t. “You got a problem, buddy?” She floated up to get in Skies’ face, and Link was surprised when the other hero scowled at her.

“If I’m being honest, yes.” Skies crossed his arms, not backing down. “You broke his heart, leaving the way you did. He loves you, despite that, but I don’t know if I can find myself to be that understanding.” The Twili flinched back, then scowled.

“And who are you to know anything about that?” She demanded loudly.

The commotion around them began to slow as people took notice, but Link waved them off. Skies uncrossed his arms and took a step closer to Midna, his normally kind face blank. “I’m the one who had to help put him back together. I’m the one who worked with his Zelda to return his confidence to him, to reassure him that he is worth staying for, that he’s not someone’s pet to be used and thrown away, when it suits her. That’s who I am.” Skies took a couple steps back, the tenseness of his shoulders falling.

“Just, stay away from me. Please. You hurt him, and I refuse to have any part in that.” Skies turned to leave, but paused when Midna’s voice rang out again.
“I didn’t want to. Leave him, that is. But he wouldn’t have been happy, if he’d come with me, and I couldn’t have stayed.” She speaks quietly, with none of the brashness of before. “I wish it hadn’t ended like that.”

“Yeah, well,” Skies glanced at her. “You’ll have to be the one to tell him. I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance.” He began walking away, only pausing slightly when he passed Link. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to be so upset with her. I’m…going back to the medical tent.” Link nodded as the other Hylian walked away, then turned his gaze on Midna.

‘Impressive.’ He signed. ‘Already irritating one of the most protective heroes in history. Seems like we’re off to a good start.’

Midna scoffed at him, then turned and floated away. Lana looked between Link and the retreating Skies with a concerned expression, and Link tilted his head, inviting Lana to walk with him. As they walked, Link explained what had happened through his portal, and Lana made a noise of understanding.

“I could tell she wasn’t the nicest or the easiest to get along with, but I really hope it doesn’t cause any problems.” Lana fretted. “We’ll need everyone who comes back.”

Link sighed, but heard another cheer rise from the edge of the camp, likely signaling Impa and Shiek’s return. Only this time, the cheering never stopped, only continued to increase. Sharing a hopeful look, Link and Lana quickly made their way back to the remaining portal, and were met with Impa and Zelda’s triumphant faces.

“Princess!”

“Princess Zelda!”

Link rushed forward to meet them, catching himself at the last minute. “Your Highness, it’s good to see you safe. What happened?” He glanced around. “Where’s Shiek?”

Zelda and Impa traded glances, and Impa grabbed Link by the wrist. “We’ll tell you in Medical.”

“Ah, before we go in, there’s something you should know-” Link tried to speak up, but Impa dragged him into the tent before he could, Zelda following close behind. They were met with Sky’s startled expression as he finished wrapping a bandage for one of the soldiers, and Impa faltered, he hand straying toward her sword.

“Who are you?”

Skies gave them a small smile, exhaustion lining his face. “I’m Sky, or Skies. Um, long story short, I’m from a different time period, and I’m the Hero of the Skies. I’m here to help.”

--------

Things seem to happen rather quickly now that Sky and Link have rendezvoused with Impa, Zelda, and Lana. The introductions had not taken very long, and Impa had reluctantly put aside her suspicion of the Hero of the Skies so that they could move forward and continue defending Hyrule. Nevertheless, she had pulled Link aside in the evening and spoken to him.

“Are you certain that this isn’t a trick?” Her brow is furrowed, and she seem intent to find something wrong with the situation, but Link shakes his head.

‘He’s real. Even if Fi hadn’t been so shocked, they way he and Ghirahim were interacting was…even worse than the stories. Impa, the way that demon looked at him-’ Link’s hands stuttered in his signing, and Link faintly noticed that his hands were trembling. As he tried to find the words to express himself, Impa took him gently by the shoulder, silently offering her support. ‘Impa, it was worse than the way Cia looks at me. So much worse. You can’t fake that.’

Impa was silent for a moment before she sighed. “Alright. If you trust him, then I guess I will too. Just…be cautious, okay?”

In the aftermath of their conversation, Impa hadn’t been cold, but she hadn’t been overly welcoming either. Regardless, Sky took it in stride and did his best to prove himself, even though Link had told him that he didn’t need to. Sky had shrugged it off with a smile, and stepped away to help a group of soldiers prep their bags and tents. Link had watched him go, his arms crossed, until Princess Zelda had stepped up beside him.

“You seem frustrated.” Her voice cut through his thoughts, and he turned, catching her tired smile. “Is everything alright?”

Link huffed dramatically, motioning between Skies and Impa before throwing his hands into the air in exasperation. Zelda just laughed. “Oh, Link, you know Impa. She means well, and she doesn’t want anything happening. To either of us.” The last bit of her statement was pointed, and Link sighed, nodding.

‘I know, but it’s upsetting to watch Skies push himself so hard when he doesn’t need to! His side is barely healed, and I know he’s in pain, but he keeps helping with a lot of the heavy lifting! Besides that, he’s made friends with just about everyone here, especially the groups of younger boys, and I haven’t seen him make any time for himself. Hell, even we’ve taken some time for ourselves.’ Link just sighs, his hands falling still as he glances back over at Zelda, only to still when he catches sight of her expression. ‘Princess?’

Her eyes are narrowed, her arms are crossed, and she’s staring at Skies intently. She doesn’t seem worried or angry, but she’s completely focused on the other hero. After a minute or so of watching, she finally turns back to Link, her voice sharp. “You said he’s injured?”

Link nods. ‘I was there when it happened, I watched Fi treat it. I brought him to the med-tent the night we got back, but he said he had it under control.’

Zelda raises an eyebrow, looking at him dryly. “Considering I’ve been in the med-tent every night this past week, I should think that I would have seen him there, getting the bandages changed at the very least.” Judging by her tone and the look on her face, she had not, in fact, seen him in the med-tent. Link buried his face in his hands to muffle a very soft and very raspy noise of aggravation. He stayed that way for a few moments, both hands covering his face, before he straightened back up and offered his arm to the Princess with a pointed look at Skies. She nodded and took his arm, and together they made their way over to the Legendary Hero.

“-not a problem!” Sky was saying when they walked up. “Just let me know if you need anything else, okay?” The soldiers he was helping were nodding in thanks but fell still as they caught sight of Link and the Princess coming up to them. Skies turned in confusion, the smile on his face dimming as he took in their expressions. “Is something wrong?” He asked worriedly.

“If by wrong, you mean working so much when you’re injured, then yes, something’s wrong, dear Hero.” Zelda’s words seem to concern the soldiers and they all shift nervously, a quiet murmur starting up between them. Sky tilts his head in confusion before understanding dawns on his face, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Oh, that. I’m okay! I’ve been taking care of it, honest, and Fi’s been helping me. It’s already almost healed!” His smile picks back up and Link feels Zelda tense next to him. Gently, he pulls his arm free and begins to sign, drawing Sky’s attention.

‘You haven’t been to the med-tent, though. How have you been taking care of it?’ Already aware of Zelda’s tenseness, Link easily picks up on Sky’s sudden uptick of stress, his shoulders tensing as he seems to struggle to explain himself. The area is silent for a moment before Zelda comes to a decision, and extends a hand to Sky.

“Come, Hero. We can discuss this privately if you wish.” Her expression is kind, and it seems that was all Sky needed. He nods almost frantically, taking Zelda’s offered hand carefully and allowing the Princess to lead him across the camp to her tent. Link followed them, catching Impa’s eye and waving away her silent concern.

The trio steps into Zelda’s tent quickly, and Sky is unceremoniously pushed into one of the chairs surrounding the table as Link and Zelda move around the tent, collecting supplies. Sky sat quietly at the table, his head pillowed on his arms as he watched the move around. As Link is digging through one of the medical bags gathering the last of the supplies he needs, the tent flaps open just enough for Impa to slip inside, her expression curious.

Impa’s entrance causes Sky to slump into himself more, and Link knows that everyone saw it, their movements slowing momentarily as he approaches the table. Once he deposits his bundle of bandages and potions he looks to Sky, gesturing for him to remove his tunic. Sky does so slowly, his movements careful and deliberate. Eventually, the tunic, chainmail, and undershirt come off, revealing a swath of bandages wrapped around his stomach and chest, stained very faintly pink.

Link sighs softly, reaching forward to assist Sky as he begins to unwind the bandages. It only takes a minute for them to come off completely. The wound underneath is red and mostly scabbed over, and while it still looks painful, it seems to be in no danger of infection. Nevertheless, Link motions for Sky to prop his arm up on the back of the chair and sets about cleaning the area and rewrapping the would as Sky sits silently, his head now resting on the back of the chair, his eyes shut.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Impa’s voice breaks the silence, startling Sky and making him flinch away from Link’s hands. Link pauses, still holding steadily to the bandages as Sky composed himself, then continues to wrap the wound as Sky answers quietly.

“I didn’t want to make a fuss. I needed to feel useful, be useful, and I couldn’t do that if I was sent to the healers. Besides, this isn’t the worst wound I’ve ever had, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I can work through it.” Sky’s head is still leaning back, resting against the chair. “Either way, some of the people here don’t trust me, and I’m not going to change that by sitting around and being useless. So, I figured I’d just keep quiet, let Fi help me, and keep going.” Sky’s words make Impa flinch, and Zelda gives her a pointed look.

Link finishes wrapping the wound and straightens, but his eyes catch on a thick scar running across Sky’s neck. He stops, his hand frozen halfway to reaching out and checking the scar, but its placement is so concerning, and Link can’t bring himself to say anything. Zelda and Impa notice his sudden freeze and Zelda steps forward, calling his name. “Link?”

When he doesn’t answer immediately, Sky’s eyes crack open and catch his horrified expression. Concerned, he sits up, his confusion only growing as Link suddenly moves again, his hands coming to hover over his shoulders. “Link, what’s wrong?”

Link motions frantically at his own throat before looking down to Sky’s, and the Skyloftian’s eyes widen in understanding, a hand coming up to brush against the scar. “…oh.”

Link finds his voice and explodes, concern, distress, and anger practically radiating off of him in waves. “Oh? OH? That’s all you have to say? What is-how-that’s-what happened?!” His outburst sends Sky shrinking back, and sends Impa and Zelda moving forward, coming to peer over his shoulders at Sky. The Legendary Hero still has one hand curled protectively over his throat and looks moments away from bolting from the tent. His fear makes him look painfully young and Link deflates, his anger over the situation dissipating and leaving him drained.

Sky’s eyes are wild as Link steps back, drawing Zelda and Impa with him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled, but I’m concerned. That’s not typically a wound that you can get up and walk away from.” Twin exclamations of horror behind him announce that Zelda and Impa have figured out what he’d seen. Before them, Sky has untensed just enough that he doesn’t look like he’s going to run anymore, so Link moves carefully, crouching in front of him and taking his free hand. “What happened, Skies?”

It takes a moment, but Sky slumps forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he pulls his hand from Link’s hold. He winces as he moves, but doesn’t shift out of the undoubtedly painful position. He whispers out an answer that no one hears, and Link leans forward with a quiet, encouraging hum.

“They were so young.” Skies has tears in his eyes when he looks back up at them. “They were just kids, and I couldn’t let them die. So I did my best to protect them, to defend her, but I couldn’t… I couldn’t do enough.” He sniffs, wiping roughly at his eyes. “He got to her anyway, and even though they were both alright in the end, I still wasn’t enough.”

Next to him, Impa looks horrified, and one of Zelda’s hands is curled into the skirt of her dress, creasing the fabric. Her eyes are stormy, and Link can feel then tension radiating from her. “Who got to them? Skies, what happened?” Despite her visible fury, she sounds heartbroken. It’s the final straw for Skies, who stands abruptly and begins to pace, his arms wrapped around himself tightly.

As he tells the story of the Hero of the Winds and his Zelda, the pirate-turned-princess, Link feels his chest tighten. How many heroes had Skies had to help? How many times had he been pulled from his home, his family, his partners? What caused this?

“And the worst part?” Skies takes a deep, shuddering breath, back turned to them. “I could’ve stopped it from happening in the first place if I had just been fast enough.”

That statement prompted another round of concerned questions, and another equally horrifying tale spilled out. One boy against the God of Evil, his spirit cursed to reincarnate time and time again, never resting, never knowing peace. Skies seems tormented by it, his expression haunted and his body tense as he speaks.

It’s too much for Link to handle.

He steps forward and catches Skies by the shoulder, spinning the other Hylian around and holding him gently in place. “This is not your fault.” Skies opens his mouth to argue, but Link doesn’t let him. “Nope. Not your fault. I won’t hear anything else about it. Understand me?” Skies give him an unconvincing nod, and Link shakes his head. “No, I’m serious, Link. Listen, please.”

Caught off guard by the use of his real name, Sky is pliant in Link’s hands as moves the younger hero back to the chair as he speaks. “You are not responsible for the words of a madman. Demise sounds like a terrible being, and I know you agree with that. That aside, he had enough power to force his will onto the universe, and trap you in this loop. Whether or not you were able to do anything about it, which you couldn’t at the time, this should not have been done to you, and you are not at fault. Do you hear me?” Link had been inspecting the scar on his throat, but now he stops, holding Sky’s head gently as he made eye contact, speaking forcefully. “This. Is. Not. Your. Fault.”

Skies nods once, and Link believes that he understands now. Taking one last searching look, Link exhales and releases Sky’s face. He steps away from the chair, and Skies stands, his posture a little more open that it had been before. “…thank you.” It’s softly said, and Link smiles.

Skies was going to be okay.

--------

Several more battles took place before Zelda had a chance to speak with Skies one-on-one again. These battles took place over several weeks, and while Link and Skies commanded together, taking the opportunity to grow closer, Zelda and Impa had not had that same chance. They were the other options for leaders when the army had to divide, so when the chance came, Zelda took it without hesitation.

“Skies, would you accompany me this time?” Her question startles him, and he flinches before he realizes who had asked. Recovering himself, he turns to her with a smile, and nods.

“Of course, your Highness.”

Link makes a disappointed noise behind Skies, and Zelda laughs loudly at the exaggerated pout that dons his face. “Skies, you’re abandoning me? How could you, brother?” Link clutches his chest dramatically, stumbling backward into Will and Oliver, who rolled their eyes and let him fall. He hits the dirt with a thud and a yelp and Skies cracks, his laughter bubbling over and escaping him. It doesn’t take long for the rest of them to devolve into laughter, and Zelda catches sight of Link’s satisfied smirk. It soothes something in her that she hadn’t realized had a rough edge, and she feels better about requesting Sky’s presence.
Once the camp is packed up, Zelda and Sky take the lead of the middle battalion. They walk in comfortable silence for several hours, but eventually Skies breaks the silence. “Not that I dislike your company, your Highness, but was there any reason in particular you asked me to tag along?” His head is tilted to the side, and it strikes Zelda again how young he truly is.

The legends had always depicted a strong, mature hero, and while they weren’t exactly wrong, they weren’t completely accurate, either. This had to have been several years after Sky’s quest, but he still looked no older than 21. He had an impressive mischievous streak that he and Link used to cause harmless trouble, but he was also able to snap back into being focused and disciplined at the snap of her fingers. He held himself with the posture and wariness of a man who had seen hundreds of battles, but his cheeks still clung stubbornly onto the last bits of baby fat they could. His skin was tanned and soft, but his hands had scars that told dozens of stories, and Zelda was sure that there were plenty more that she would never see. He holds a childlike wonder for nearly everything they come across and would sleep the day away given the chance, but he will also pull himself back on task without reminders and is the first one to wake and the last one to sleep when the situation calls for it.

All of these are things that Zelda has learned through observation and gossip, but she couldn’t tell Impa when his birthday was, what his favorite color was, how old he way, or even his favorite food, got Hylia’s sake.

Zelda doesn’t know a goddess-damned thing about the boy beside her, and it was driving her crazy.

“It has come to my attention,” She begins cautiously. “That I know very little about you, Sky.” She holds up a hand when Sky begins to look a little frantic. “No, that came out wrong.” She sighs, then starts again. “I don’t want to be formal with you anymore. I’d like for us to speak freely, as friends, and get the chance to learn about each other.” Her footfalls begin to land heavier on the beaten path, and Zelda centers herself with a deep breath. “I don’t know your birthday, or your age, or your favorite foods, colors, songs, or treats. Small things that keep us sane, keep us human within all the fighting and traveling. I would change that, if you’ll let me.”

Skies stops abruptly next to her, and Zelda stops as well, her concern rising. “Skies?”

Suddenly, her arms are full of the younger hero, his arms curling around her shoulders. “Oh, Skies.” She murmurs. She runs a hand through his hair as the soldiers pause behind them, and waves off the concern from the troop leaders at the front. “What’s wrong, darling?”

Skies pulls back, and his eyes are shining with unshed tears. “You’re the first person in a long time to ask about things like that. Besides Link, I mean. It’s just…it’s nice.” He looks lost, and Zelda pulls back to take his hand in her own, holding on as she begins to walk again. Zelda speaks first, Sky’s hand held firmly in hers the entire time. “Lets see…my favorite color is blue, and gold is a close second. My birthday is the twenty first day of the second month, and I turned 23 this year.” She pauses to think for a moment. “I enjoy baked goods, and the palace cooks always keep pumpkin cookies on hand. I must confess, I don’t think I’ve gone a day without eating one in a very long time.” She flushes lightly, but Skies smiles widely at her.

“You like pumpkin too?” He asks excitedly. When she nods, his smile grows. “Pumpkins are very common on Skyloft. I enjoy nearly everything that you can make with pumpkins, but don’t try to flavor medicine or potions with it.” He shudders theatrically, making an exaggeratedly disgusted face. “All it does is ruin the taste of pumpkin. Turns it bitter.”

Zelda laughs. “I will keep that in mind. Do you have a favorite item to cook?”

Skies hums. “My partners say that I make really good pumpkin soup, though I feel like they’re just being nice. I enjoy baking more, but I’ve had less time lately, even before waking up here, to dedicate time to anything. Pumpkin Pie is probably my favorite thing to bake.” Skies begins to swing their joined hands gently, and Zelda finds herself smiling fondly. She hums encouragingly, and he continues. “Groose says that cakes and cookies are the best things he’s ever tasted, but my Zelda thinks that it’s the Pumpkin Pie and the breakfast rolls.” He shrugs. “I don’t eat much of what I make, so I really couldn’t tell you what tastes the best.”

“Well,” Zelda says lightly. “Next time we have access to a kitchen, we’ll have to see what we can do, no?” Skies meets her eyes with a bright smile and nods eagerly.

Their conversation continues this way for the next several hours, and by the days end, Zelda feels that she knows Skies much better than she did before. As the army calls a halt for the night, Link and Impa rejoin them in the center of the camp.

‘How was the walk?’ Link signs. ‘Learn anything new?’

“Oh, yes.” Zelda says. “Truth be told, I learned quite a bit about Skies, including the fact that he is nearly two years out junior, Link.” She giggles at Link’s dumbfounded look, and the giggles turn to outright laughs as he turns to Skies and signs quickly.

‘Wait, I’m older than you? How did I not know that? I could have sworn I asked you, didn’t I?’ He pauses, then smacks himself on the forehead. ‘No, I asked when your birthday was, then got distracted. C’mere, kid!’

Skies dances out of reach as Link makes a grab for him, laughter bubbling from his as they begin a game of chase. Skies doesn’t run, but he makes good use of his surroundings and ducks away from Link at the last possible second. Granted, Link is enjoying himself, and neither of them are taking this seriously, but eventually Skies slows enough for Link to snag him by the back of the tunic. They go down in a tangle of limbs, Skies flailing dramatically as Zelda, Impa, Will, and Oliver watch on, amused.

The younger soldiers look to Zelda for permission, and jump into the fray with cries of glee when she nods. They surprise both of the heroes, but Skies recovers quicker, calling out to the boys and turning them against Link. “Help me pin him!”

Zelda turns away from the tussling. “Impa, do you think we could stop at a town or an Inn for a night? Skies mentioned that he enjoys baking, and I believe some of us could benefit from a good night’s rest.” She’s thinking primarily of the wounded soldiers, but the exhausted faces of her men sit heavily in her stomach, and she knows that they are all running on empty.

Impa looks thoughtful. “I believe that can be arranged, Princess.” She smiles, and Zelda feels some of the tension bleed from her shoulders. “Not everyone will fit, unless the people are willing to allow us to borrow beds, or supplies at the least.”

Zelda shakes her head. “I will not ask the people to give up their beds.” Behind them, the boys are still flailing about on the ground, and she hears Skies let out a victorious shout as the younger ones laugh loudly. “If we scatter around in smaller groups, they will be able to get a good nights rest, and hopefully, that will be enough for now.” She stares at the horizon, watching the sky bleed as the sun sets. “This won’t go on for much longer, now. I can feel it.”

--------

As it turns out, the people in the next town they see won’t take no for an answer, and most of the army gets to spend the night in a bed.

The town’s children are more than thrilled to spend the night outside in piles, and their parents seem excited for a break in routine as well. Zelda, Link, Impa, Sky, and a few others opt to settle into the Inn, and the wounded spend the night in the Village Head’s house. Once everyone is settled in, Zelda goes to seek out the Village Head, Jack, and requests baking ingredients.

“Good evening!” She says brightly. “Would it be too much trouble to request baking ingredients? One of out group enjoys baking, and I though it may lift spirits.”

Jack nods. “Of course, Princess. Although, I don’t know if we’ll have enough to feed everyone…” He trails off, apologetic, but Zelda brushes it off.

“Not to worry,” She reassures. “I knew that would be a large ask. I am only looking for enough to supply the wounded, and the youngest of the army. That should only total around 200. Is that more doable?”

The Village Head looks much more excited now. “Oh, yes! I will get the supplies to you by tomorrow morning. Please, feel free to stay a few days if you are able!” Zelda thanks him and leaves, satisfied. As she exits his house she runs into Impa and Link, who greet her with smiles. Together, they make their way back to the Inn. Inside, they fins Skies dozing in a chair by the fire, his carving tools held loosely in his hands.

Link steps forward and tucks the tools into Sky’s open bag carefully, placing the chunk of wood on top and passing the bag off to Impa. Carefully, he lifts Skies into his arms and heads toward the stairs. “We’ll see you ladies in the morning.” He whispers cheerily over his shoulder, and Zelda bites back a laugh. Skies is dead to the world in Link’s arms, and Goddess, what a sight the two of them make. They disappear up the stairs, Impa and Zelda following soon after.

--------

When Skies exits his room the next afternoon, Zelda takes him by the hand and leads him into the kitchen. He walks alongside her, still half asleep, and rubs at his eyes with his free hand. “’Mis?”

Zelda pauses. “’Mis’?” She asks curiously.

Suddenly wide awake, Skies flushes. The tips of his ears burn red and tilt upward as he pulls his hand from hers to cover his face. “It’s nothing!” He squeaks out. Unrelenting, Zelda asks again, pulling his hands away from his face. His eyes are squeezed shut, but his embarrassment burns brightly across his cheeks. “Really, it’s – it’s nothing!”

“Oh, Skies, you can tell me,” She cajoles. His hands still held tightly in hers, he can’t cover his face, and he cracks one eye open reluctantly to look at her. It take a minute, but he finally speaks.

“I’ve been calling you Artemis in my head,” He mutters, embarrassed. “Like the legends. It was getting confusing referring to you and to my Zelda, so I just…” He trails off. “I didn’t mean for you to find out.”

Zelda coos at him, causing his fading blush to burn brighter than before. “You’re adorable. Just like a baby.” She teases. She resumes their journey to the kitchen, his hand held in her own again, and ignores the spluttering behind her. As soon as they step into the kitchen, she spins, pushing Skies toward the counter where the baking supplies have been laid out. He screeches to a halt, head looking between her and the supplies, a small smile growing on his face.

“Is this -”

“For you!” She announces excitedly. “You said you enjoyed baking but haven’t gotten to do this in a long time, so I figured that we should take the opportunity.” Skies launches himself at her in a hug, but he’s gone again before she can respond in kind. Laughing to herself, Zelda settles herself in kitchen chair and watches him move around the room. It doesn’t take long for his to whip up some kind of batter, and she realizes what it is as he’s scooping it onto an oven sheet. “Oh, cookies?” She questions excitedly.

“Yep!” Skies pops the ‘p’. “Pumpkin cookies, and I’ll make something else as well, if we have the time.”

They fall back into relative silence, the only exception being Skies’ soft humming. Link eventually pops his head in, Proxi sitting on his ear, and Will and Oliver follow him in. They all settle at the table making small talk as Impa joins them, lured by the small of the cookies in the oven.

--------

“GET DOWN!”

Impa drops to the dusty ground of the battlefield, pressing herself into the dirt as something sails overhead. As soon as it’s gone she rolls to the side, rising back to her feet just in time to catch the downward swing of a Moblin’s blade on her Biggoron’s Sword. Pushing against the monster’s strength, Impa slides her sword up the opposing blade and shoves, unbalances her opponent. Taking advantage of the split second she has, she swings her sword and cuts the monster in half, wiping dirt from her eyes as it explodes into dust and dissolves into the breeze.

She moves onto the next monster as someone drops into place behind her, guarding her back. She doesn’t waste time looking to see who it is. She lashes out in a wide slice with the Biggoron Sword, taking out two more monsters, then takes a step backward, ending up back-to-back with whoever is behind her as a new wave of monsters close in around them.

“Well,” Impa breathes. “This ought to be interesting.”

“Ha! Interesting is an understatement.” Sky’s voice surprises her, but she doesn’t falter. “How do we want to do this?”

The monsters surrounding them charge in before she has the chance to answer, and she dodges with a snarl. Behind her, she hears Sky’s sword connect with another weapon, but she puts it out of her mind and focuses on the monsters in front of her. She takes them down one-by-one, but falters when something strikes her from the side. She lets out a pained gasp and yanks her sword back up, but Sky slides in front of her. His blade comes up to deflect the bokoblin’s sword with learned ease, and the monster goes down with a squeal.

Belatedly, Impa notices that they’ve been backed against the canyon wall. A dozen more monsters are closing in, she’s injured, and the closest backup is also swamped with monsters. She doesn’t see a clear path out of this. Taking a steadying breath, Impa straightens, hefting her sword. Her side twinges painfully but she ignores it and steps up beside Sky, intent on going down fighting.

“No, no, step back!” Sky sounds panicked, and Impa freezes. When she turns to look, he’s faced away from her, but his hands are sparking, as is the blade of his Master Sword. As she watches, the sparking from his hands slowly creeps up his arms, highlighting the lightning scars that sprawl up his skin. Concerned, she takes a step back, and he shakes his head. “Further, please!” His voice is strained now, and she does as she was asked. Pressed against the wall of the canyon once more, Impa watches as the light crawls up his neck and onto his face, highlighting even more scars.

Before her, Sky is tense, his hands curled painfully tight around the hilt of the Master Sword. He finally looks up, and she sucks in a sharp breath. His eyes were bleeding lightning at the sides, the power trailing off into jagged edges of lightning, snapping and sparking at the edges of his face. She can feel the power rolling off of him now, and so can the monsters, if their hesitation is any indication. Sky takes a step forward, thunder rumbling in the distance, and swings his blade. Lightning arches from the tip, striking half of the monsters cornering them and disintegrating them in a single blow. He takes another step, thunder still rumbling in the background, and lightning strikes the remining monsters before them.

Around the battlefield, carefully placed strikes of lightning begin to rain down, taking out the largest groups and throwing sand into the air. The air fills briefly with the shrieks of the monsters, then does down as the monsters are picked off. The remaining monsters retreat with snarls and hisses, and the battlefield explodes into cheers.

Impa pushes off the wall in amazement, taking a step forward to thank Sky. As she reaches for his shoulder he flinches back, a small choked off cry escaping him before he muffles it with one hand. Impa pauses, pulling her hand away from the Skyloftian. “Sky?”

The young hero takes a step away from her, his arms curling around himself as he wavers. She tries to follow him, only to be met with another whimper and a shake of his head. His hands are sparking dangerously, but all of the residual lightning is landing on his arms. He looks pale, and scared, and young, and Impa softens her stance. “Sky?” She gets no response, so she tries again. “Link?”

His given name startles him, and he looks up to meet her eyes. “Link, how do I help you?” He shakes his head again as the sparks grow in intensity. As she takes another step forward he flings out his hands, trying to get her to stay away.

His hands are shaking. Violently.

“Oh,” She breathes out. “Oh, the lightning, it’s too much, isn’t it? It needs somewhere to go, right?” He nods, but Impa can see that he’s struggling with the sparks now. Thinking quickly, she says, “Wait right here!”, then takes off. Moving quickly, but not quite running, she stops behind Lana, Link, and Zelda, and snags Lana by the hand. She drags her briskly back over to Sky. As they move, she explains what’s going on, and Lana makes a noise of understanding.
“So ne needs a focal point!” She exclaims. Impa nods, and Link and Zelda finally catch up to them.

“Impa, what in the Goddesses name is going on?” Zelda snaps. “Wait, Skies?”

For once, Impa ignores Zelda and focuses on Sky. His chest is heaving as the lightning sparks brightly, and Lana is flipping frantically through her book. Finally, she stops with a loud, “Ha! Got it!”

The Mage grabs Sky’s hand and holds it up into the air, lightning curling around their hands. Curiously, Lana doesn’t react. Instead, she reaches into a pocket and grabs something, then throws it as far as she can from the army. Pushing it along with a whispered wind spell, the lightning explodes from Sky’s fingertips as soon as it’s far enough away, colliding directly with whatever Lana had thrown, and then he drops.

“Skies!” Impa lunges forward to catch him immediately, cradling his head as the others crowd around. “Skies, kid, wake up!” His head lolls to the side, and his eyes stay firmly closed. Pressing two fingers to his throat, Impa breathes a sigh of relief as she feels a steady pulse. She looks up at Zelda, Link, and Lana, nods once, then scoops Skies into her arms as she stands. He’s light, concerningly so, and she follows the trio out of the battleground as the Hyrulian Army makes its way back to the camp.

--------
It takes several hours for Skies to wake, and Impa, Zelda, and Link alternate sitting with him. Link seems almost frantic, Proxi flitting around him and Skies, and he has to be pulled away by Oliver the first time Zelda takes his place.

Impa sighs as she sits back down at his bedside. Leaning over him, she smooths his hair off of his forehead, her hand lingering for just a moment before she pulls it away. “What’re we going to do with you, Skies?” She murmurs to herself. A soft groan is her response, and she stands abruptly, the chair crashing to its side as it’s knocked off balance. “Skies?”

He moans again and turns his head, his eyes scrunching. He brings one hand up to his face, but the effort seems to drain him, and it drops down to rest on his stomach. His eyes crack open, and he says, “Impa?”

She leans over him again. “Yeah, kid. It’s me.”

“Glad you’re…okay.” He says tiredly. He pushes himself upright, and Impa jumps forward to help him. Once he’s somewhat stable, she sits next to him on the bed and his head drops down to rest on her shoulder. “How long’s’it been?” He yawns out.

As Impa starts to fill him in, the flap of the tent is pushed open and Link steps inside. He makes eye contact with Skie and freezes, blinking once, twice, three times, All od a sudden he’s at the edge of the bed, one hand cradling Skies’ cheek and the other running through his hair. “You,” Link says lowly, “are never allowed to scare me like that again, you hear me?” Sky huff out a breathless laugh. “No, no, I’m serious!” Link insists. “If you scare me like that I’m going to sic the kids on you, and you’ll have to stay here with them.”

Skies grins tiredly. “’s not much of a threat, Link. I like the babies.”

Link just huffs and shakes his head fondly. “Fine, then I’ll tie you to the tent. Trust me, I’ll find something.” The tent flap opens again, and Zelda and Fi slip through. The scene doesn’t seem to phase them, but Zelda lets out a sigh of relief as Fi tumbles onto the bed and leans against Skies’ back.

“It’s good to see you awake, Skies.” Zelda says warmly. “Are you feeling alright?”

Skies nods sheepishly. “I am, thank you. The lightning just takes a lot out of me, and I wasn’t expecting to use it, honestly. It was kind of a panic reaction.” He grins up at them, unapologetic, and Zelda just laughs. She turns to Link, one eyebrow raised.

“Well, he certainly is a Hero of Courage.” She pats Link one the shoulder, leans down to run her fingers through Sky’s hair, then straightens and makes to leaves the tent. “Have fun with that!” She tosses over her shoulder.

--------

As the shadowy doubles begin to pop up around him, Link knows he’s made a mistake. With Proxi in his ear cheering him on, and a long streak of victorious fights behind him, he’d gotten overconfident and rushed to take out Cia as soon as he’d seen the chance. Now, he was surrounded by shadows that knew his every move, and he couldn’t see a path where this ended well.

Cia’s parting shot had been something snarky and creepy, but Link hadn’t paid enough attention to remember the words, too busy dodging strikes from four shadowed Master Swords. Now, they’d managed to back him into a corner of the room and were slowly advancing, unharmed and eager to kill him.

Link took a deep breath as one of them lunged at him, his shield coming up to try and block the heavy hit, but it never connected. Instead, steel-on-steel rang through the room as the doors slammed shut, and Link pulled the shield away from his face to see Skies in front of him, blade locked with one of the shadows.
He threw the shadow's blade back and started to yell at Link, who turned to cover the other hero’s back as they tried to fight their way out of the mess.

“What in the name of Hylia is wrong with you? Why didn’t you wait?!” Skies hadn’t raised his voice before. He’d gotten frustrated and upset, sure, but he’d never raised his voice the way he was now, and it threw Link off. “This is exactly what she wanted to happen, and you just waltzed right in?” Skies blade cut cleanly through one of the shadows, and it dissolved into smoke as he lunged for a second one. “What the hell, Link?”

“I-” Link didn’t have the words to defend himself as Skies cut through a second, then a third shadow. He went silent as they both turned on the final shadow and remained silent until it was gone, dissolved into smoke like the others. As the doors to the Sorceress’ Room opened once again, Link was grabbed and yanked into a tight hug. Skies drops his forehead onto Link’s shoulder and says quietly, “You can’t scare us like that. We can’t lose you, Link. Please don’t do that again.”

It's all Link can do to nod, returning the tight embrace as the rest of their group sprints into the room, gazes panicked and eyes worried. When they see that they’re both unharmed, Zelda is the first to join the hug, pulling both boys into her arms as Fi comes up behind Skies and latches onto his arm. The rest of the group joins for a few moments before pulling back, and Skies pushes Link toward Impa, who cuffs him across the back of the head before pulling him into yet another brief hug.

“You,” She says sternly as she pulls away, “Are not allowed to do that again. Understand me?”

Link flushes, nodding, as the rest of the group checks in with their commanders and different units. They allow him to reorient himself before they scatter again, but Link notices that someone is always nearby, never farther away than the next hallway. Skies sticks the closest, but Impa is hovering as well, and they both think Link doesn’t notice the looks they exchange, but he does.

When Ganondorf makes an appearance, Link doesn’t run headlong into it the way he had with Cia earlier. He waits for reinforcements, which turn out to be Skies and Zelda, and the three of them make their way across the battleground to face the ancient enemy. The battle ends quickly with the three of them working together. Link watches as Ganondorf and his forces retreat, but his voice is grim when he speaks. “This isn’t anywhere near over, you know.”

Zelda nods. “I know. He’s going to come back stronger, and we’ll have to do the same. Are you both ready?”

Link nods determinedly, and he and Zelda turn to face Skies. He looks hesitant. “I…I’m ready. I just don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay.”

“That’s alright,” Zelda soothes. She places a hand on Skies’ shoulder and squeezes gently, and Link does the same with his other shoulder. “You will be with us as long as you are able, and that will be enough.”

--------

The battlefield is blanketed in smoke, the shrieks and cries of Ganondorf’s army ringing loudly over the sound of metal on metal. As Link’s blade shrieks off of a moblin’s sword, he risks a glance at the area around him. The Hyrulian army had just taken back the Castle Keep, which meant that Hyrule Castle was theirs once more. Their victory had cost Ganondorf’s army a decent bit of morale, and they weren’t fighting quite as well as they had been earlier. Dodging a moblin’s strike, Link brings the Master Sword up sharply and cuts the monster in half.

“He’s getting weaker, Link!” Proxi chimes in his head. She was hovering above the battlefield, far enough to be out of harms way, and reporting important information to Link as she saw it. “And Zelda’s moving in!”

Muttering a curse under his breath, Link lashes out once, twice, three times, and clears out a decent chuck of the monsters in the keep. Readjusting his grip on his sword, he takes off and makes his way toward Zelda and Ganondorf. Proxi is giving him directions as he goes, but Link turns the corner and stops dead in his tracks, horror pinning him in place.

“NO!”

Link is screaming before he’s fully registered what’s happening, the sound ripping from his throat and leaving him tasting blood as the tip of Ganondorf’s sword emerges from Sky’s chest. The world around him narrows, until the only thing Link can see is Sky. Slowly, Sky’s horrified gaze comes up to meet his, and as he watches, the Skyloftian’s expression turns into something almost apologetic. A trickle of blood falls from the corner of Sky’s lips and he gives a harsh, wet cough. Link can see the spray of blood in the air.

Sky’s eyes flutter closed as Link unfreezes and breaks back into a sprint, but he’s too late. Sky’s skin crystalizes, amber crystal spiderwebbing its way across his skin from his chest where Ganondorf’s sword had impaled him, and it covers his entire body within seconds. The world shakes and Sky’s body shatters, the pieces glinting in the sun’s dying light as they drop into a pile on the ground where the Skyloftian had been standing only seconds before.

Link’s ears ring. He can’t make sense of what just happened. Sky can’t be gone. He…he can’t. Not like this. Cut down fighting a battle that he didn’t need to fight, decades away from his people, his home, his partners. Link lets out another yell of rage and launches himself at Ganondorf, putting every ounce of strength he has left behind the hits, not stopping until Ganondorf is on the ground, defeated.

Ganondorf’s piece of the Triforce glows brightly, and he changes. His body grows and he warps, changing into a massive, disgusting monster, and his distorted voice echoes over the battlefield. “Surrender now, and your deaths will be swift.”

Link lifts his head with a snarl, his grief and his fury burning brightly in his chest, and spits his response.

“Never!”

Ganondorf’s warped expression twists, and he laughs darkly. “So determined. You saw what happened to the foolish child that defied me. Surrender, or you will all suffer the same fate!”

When the fighting begins again, Link leads them away from the shattered amber pieces on the ground. Link and his friends are fueled by the rage of losing Skies, and it pushes them through to the end, giving them the strength they need to defeat Ganondorf once and for all.

--------

Link inhales sharply as he spins in place, his heart skipping a beat when he doesn’t see the shattered amber on the ground. He breaks out into a run, ignoring the calls behind him, and skids to a stop where Skies had gone down.

There’s nothing there.

Link lets out a cry of frustration, falling to his knees. He feels the tears fall down his face, one after the other after the other, and he doesn’t move when Zelda kneels next to him. She takes his hand and draws him close, holding him as he shakes. It only takes a moment for footsteps to interrupt them, and Link feels Zelda shift as she looks up. “Can it wait?”

“I have him!” The soldier above them blurts out, and Link’s head snaps up. “I grabbed the pieces so they wouldn’t be crushed, and – and I wanted to give them to you. I just wanted to keep him safe.” It’s Tides, the young blonde boy from before. The one Link and Skies had accompanied home to see his sister, and get Proxi a new dress.

Once his words register with Link, he surges to his feet and takes the small bag carefully, cradling it close to his chest. He peers into the canvas then drops a hand on the younger boys head carefully. “Thank you.” Link pushes all the gratitude he can onto the two words, and the kid nods solemnly before he backs away.

Around them, silence falls in waves, rippling out from where Link, Zelda and Impa are standing. Unbothered by the stares, Link just cradles the bag of amber pieces carefully, holding it securely against his chest. Zelda tilts his head up gently, and Link shakes his head. “I don’t – I don’t think that we can fix this, Zel.” He croaks out. His voice is thick with unshed tears, and he can see Zelda’s eyes watering as well.

“I don’t think we can either.” She says, defeated. She looks down for a moment, then stands tall. “We’ll build a memorial. One fit for the first hero, for the one who help defend out home and our people.”

Link takes a deep, shuddering breath, and nods. “He wouldn’t want anything fancy. It needs to be simple, and bright. Happy, the way he was.”
Impa nods. “It will be. We’ll make sure of it.”

“For Skies.”

Chapter Text

The moment Zelda feels Link’s tether in her chest snap, she’s on her feet and running. Behind her, the rest of the council splutters and exclaims, calling after her, but she ignores them. She sprints through the settlement, dodging around small crowds of people and ignoring the frantic whispering behind her, until she reaches the edge of Faron Woods. She pauses for only a second, turning onto the path toward the Sacred Grounds, before she continues. Her chest begins to scream, tight with exertion, but she pushes herself harder.

Something was wrong with Link.

Finally, she reaches the Sealed Temple. She throws the main doors open and they hit the wall with a bang. As the birds behind her launch themselves into the air in fright, Zelda finally slows her pace. What would she find on the other side of the doors? What was wrong with her Link?

She squashes the momentary panic, then shoves the doors open.

With a sharp curse, Zelda is next to Link before she’s realized that she had moved. The crystal had shattered, dropping Link to the floor and showering him with the sharp edges. She kicks them out of the way, but they had left scratches along his arms, and a small cut down his cheek. Unfortunately, she had a bigger problem to deal with.

There was a large, seeping wound on Link’s chest. The edges are oddly speckled with pieces of the amber crystal, and Zelda moves to gently brush them away. They crumble into dust under her hand, and she blows gently to direct it away from the wound. She takes one hand away from the wound and rummages through her pockets, grabbing a roll of bandages and shaking them loose. Taking the end and pressing it firmly to the wound, Link lets out a groan and shifts under her hands.

“Shh, Link,” She soothes. “It’s alright, it’s me, it’s Zelda.” He shifts again, but settles as she continues to soothe him as she works. Distractedly, she hears the doors fling open again behind her, and Groose is at her side within seconds.

“What happened to him?” He demands. He’s helping her, despite his question, and Zelda shrugs helplessly.

“I don’t know. The tether snapped, and I came here and found him like this. The crystal was shattered, and he was hurt.” She blinks furiously as tears begin to prick her eyes. “I can’t let him do this anymore, Groose. I can’t do this again.” He says nothing, but presses their shoulders together as they continue to treat Link’s wound.

Finally, once the wound is treated with a potion, cleaned, and wrapped, Zelda watches as Groose shifts their third, settling his head gently in his lap. Running his hand gently through Link’s hair, Groose looks up and meets her eyes. “I think you’re right, Zel.”

She sniffs, still blinking back tears. “I don’t want to force him to stay here, but I can’t let this happen again. He’s come back with new scars four out of six times now, and two of those times he never even got to help!” Pushing herself to her feel, Zelda flicks an absentminded hand at the mess of shards on the floor. Several small golden tendrils curl up from the floor and scoop the shards together. The glow dully for a moment, before the crystal is whole before them once again. “I mean, I know he’s helping the future heroes, but there comes a point where it’s hurting him to much to let this go on.” Crossing her arms, she watches as the crystal floats gently above the dais once more. “Groose…”

She trails off, turning to face her boyfriends. Groose meets her conflicted expression with one of his own. “He’s got to stop, Zelda. It’ll kill him.”

Her mind finally made up, Zelda nods decisively. Her attention is pulled back to Link as he shifts uncomfortably, curling in on himself with a grimace. Sighing, she walks over and kneels next to his head, her hands coming to cup his face gently. She leans down and presses a kiss gently on his forehead then sits back. “I love you, Link, which is why we can’t let you do this anymore. Please, don’t be mad.”

Link doesn’t wake to answer her. Instead, he stays unconscious as Groose stands, Link in his arms, and they trio makes their way toward their shared house.

--------

Link blinks awake to a crack of thunder. Rain is beating on the windows, and the lantern casts oddly shaped shadows on the wall in between flashes of lightning.

He’s back in his room, tucked into his bed. There’s someone on either side of him, warming him all the way through, and he has to fight to keep his eyes open. The warmth threatens to drag him back under, and the only thing that stops it is the twinges of pain in his chest when he shifts.

He hisses as the pain spikes, and it makes the warmth around him shift and move away. He whines, and it’s met with Zelda’s quiet giggles and Groose’s deep chuckles. Link shoots upright with a gasp, one hand coming up to press against his chest as the other serves to prop him up. “What happened?”

Zelda’s soft smile grows strained, and Groose shifts until he’s sitting behind Link. He pulls the smaller boy back to rest against his broader chest, and Link lets it all happen. Once they’re both settled, Zelda speaks. “You were almost dead, Link.” She won’t look at him, staring at the wall just above his head. “You almost died, and I wasn’t there. I can’t do this anymore.”

“She’s right.” Groose says. The vibrations from his words press against Link’s back, and he begins to panic.

“No, wait, we can talk about this, please don’t leave!” He sits forward enough to grab Zelda’s hand, unwilling to pull away from Groose, but also unwilling to leave Zelda out of the contact. “Please, don’t leave me.” He can’t bring himself to speak louder than a whisper, but they both hear him regardless. Zelda’s eyes snap down to his, wide with shock. Behind him, Groose lets out a wounded noise, and snakes his arms around Link’s stomach, holding him tightly.

“Link, no, that’s not what we meant!” He rushes out. “We meant the traveling, not leaving you.”

Zelda nods, her grip on Link’s hand tight enough to bruise, but he doesn’t care. “Oh, Link, no, we would never. We love you, and that won’t change. I’m so sorry we scared you. I worded that very poorly.” She leans in now, resting her forehead on Link’s as her other hand cups his cheek, her thumb brushing gently along his cheekbone. After a moment she leans back, he hand falling from his face. “Groose is right. We can’t watch you do this to yourself. You’ve come out of every travel wounded, or with new scars, and we haven’t been there to help you. Please, don’t make us watch this happen again.”

His heartrate settling, Link exhales shakily. “I…okay.” He whispers. “Okay. I’m done. Promise.”

Zelda falls into the embrace with a sob of relief, and Link feels her shudder in his arms. They sit in silence until he nods off once again, safe and secure in their arms.

Chapter Text

There were a lot of things that Sky knew how to do.

This doesn’t come as a surprise to the rest of the group, given their own unique skillsets, but there were things that Sky couldn’t explain. For example, Sky could sail a boat nearly as well as Wind could, but didn’t know where he learned. “There are no boats on Skyloft,” He’d said, “And the only other time I’ve been on a boat it was captained by a robot pirate.” Another example was when he knew how to handle some of the wildlife they’d found in the woods when they camped out. Sky could wrangle a wild goat just the same as Twilight could, but once again, he didn’t know where he’d learned this.

There were more and more instances like this the longer the group travels together, and it only made Sky more confused the longer it went on. Eventually, these strange events seemed to bleed over into other members of the group. Wind was able to use Sky’s Master Sword in a moment of desperation and unleashed a Skyward Strike that took out a decent chunk of the enemies that they had been facing at the time. Sky had stared at their youngest member, shock, confusion, and pride across his face, as Wind had sheepishly handed the blade back. Sky had squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, opened them, and then reached out to ruffle Wind’s hair. “How’d you do that, kid?”

Wind had looked both indignant and curiously enough, fond, as Sky called him that. “I like to watch when you train,” He’d said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I’ve read about it, your Skyward Strike, and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

Sky had chuckled, retracting his hand and sheathing his blade. “Huh. You did good, Wind. Go get cleaned up, yeah?” As Wind had bounced away, Twilight had been able to catch Sky’s expression as he glanced curiously – and a little blankly – between his own hands and Wind’s retreating figure.

That had been the end of that, and no one had brought it up since. The rest of their travels had been normal, by their standards, until today.

“Wars, behind you!”

Warriors turned, raising his blade to block the axe that was crashing toward his head. “Thanks, Sky!” He grunted out.

Sky didn’t bother with a response, knowing that it could cause more of a distraction than anyone could deal with currently. He brings his shield up to block the weapon that the bokoblin was wielding, feeling faint jolts of electricity running through the shield and up his arm as it made contact. “Goddess,” He hissed out through gritted teeth as he raised his voice. “Some of them have electric weapons!”

Various calls of confirmation echoed around the circle of combat, the rest of the heroes scattered along the path that they’d been attacked on. It wasn’t a large-scale attack, not by any means, but there were enough to split everyone up and pose a challenge. As Sky waited for the bokoblin’s club to short itself out, he took a step backwards to keep a safe distance between them. His step takes him backward into a large boulder that had been sitting alongside the path, and Sky exhales. In the few moments he had to wait, the bokoblin had raised its weapon once again, but luck seemed to be on Sky’s side this time. The weapon sparked violently once, then shorted out as it began to cut through the air. Sky lunged forward, swiping his shield out to the side and thrusting the Master Sword through the monster’s stomach. Following the motions, Sky rolls to the side as the bokoblin decays and dissolves into whisps of dark smoke, tumbling once over his shoulder and rising back to his feet. His sword is moving before he realizes what he’s doing, and the lizalfos that had run up on his left met a swift end.

Briefly, Sky locks eyes with Four across the clearing. The smithy is going strong, and flicks his gaze briefly over to Hyrule, who is being backed into a corner by three lizalfos. Sky is across the clearing in a heartbeat, his lungs protesting all the while, and slides behind Hyrule with his shield raised with just enough time to pull the younger under it, shielding them both from a heavy strike.

Unfortunately, this weapon was electrified as well, and seemingly more so than the previous weapon Sky had encountered. The current shocks him, this time, and Hyrule keeps them moving, turning and rolling them both carefully out of the way of the second strike. “Sky, what’s wrong?”

Sky grits his teeth as his lungs rebel from the electricity. “Electric,” He gasps out as his breathing stutters. “L-lungs-”

Hyrule curses softly, risking a glance around the clearing. The rest of the fighting seems to be clearing up, so he calls out. “Twi, help!”

As the rancher turns to look, Sky brings an arm up as best as he can to deflect another strike. This one hits his shield at an angle and screeches down the metal with a blood-curdling sound, and it seems to draw the attention of the rest of the group.

Now, Sky is aware of the concerning picture that they paint. He and Hyrule are nearly holding each other up as two lizalfos bear down on them, and he’s obviously struggling. Still, the near frantic response from Twilight, Wind, Wild, and Warriors is surprising, though he’ll never say anything to them about it.

Twilight and Warriors both snarl, while Wild’s bow dissolves as he pulls out a different weapon. Wind, eyes wide and bright, lunges forward with his blade to follow Twilight and Warriors as they move across the clearing. As a third strike rains down on them, it glances off the very edge of the shield and catches Sky in the arm as his lungs fully close up, and he crumples. Hyrule goes down with him, his own sword coming up as the second lizalfos readies itself to strike again, only to screech in pain as a blade pierces it all the way through, the tip poking out of its chest. With another snarl, Twilight yanks his blade from the monster as it falls, already dissolving, and turns to take on the remaining monster with Warriors. An arrow sprouts from the lizalfos arm, and Sky blearily traces it back to Wild, perched in a tree, his eyes fixed on the monster.

Wind skids to a stop next to them as Hyrule gently lowers the Skyloftian to the ground. “Sky, what do I do? Sky?!”

Despite his best efforts, Sky isn’t able to keep his eyes open. The lack of oxygen is taking a toll on him, and he can faintly feel hands on his face. “Oi, wake up!” Wind orders sharply. “You can’t sleep yet, open your eyes!”

Sky can hear more people gathering around as he struggles for breath, and eventually, a hand runs gently through his hair as someone presses a vial to his lips. Trying desperately to open his eyes, Sky feels someone gently pulling his bottom lip down enough to begin dripping the potion into his mouth. Eyelids fluttering, he feels the potion slip down his throat, and suddenly, his lungs open up.

He gasps, his eyes flying open as he sits up and inhales fully. His breath catches again, and he begins to cough, curling over himself as they wrack his body. There’s hands on his back, his shoulders, and in his hair as he tries to breathe around the coughing.

“Just breathe, Skies, you’re alright,” Warriors says softly. Twilight is next to him, and Time is standing behind him, concern written in his eye.

“You alrigh’?” Twilight asks.

Sky nods as the coughing finally subsides. “Y-yeah. The electricity shocked my lungs and they just – closed up. I couldn’t breathe.”

The clearing now silent, Sky takes a moment to catch his breath as the others begin to relax and disperse around the area. Hyrule is still next to him on the ground, and Sky glances over as the younger places a faintly glowing hand on his chest. Hyrule’s expression is a mixture of frustration and disappointment, and Sky brings one hand up to gently rest on Hyrule’s. “You know you can’t fix this, ‘Rulie.”

The soft glow fades, and Hyrule meets his eyes. “It can’t hurt to try, Sky.”

“Oh, c’mere,” Sky says, throwing a hand around the younger hero’s shoulders and tugging him close. Hyrule falls into his side willingly, tucking his head into the spot between Sky’s neck and shoulder. “I appreciate it, Hyrule. Thank you.” His only response is a low hum, and Sky lets it go.

Eventually, Twilight makes his way back over to them, crouching down to speak to the quietly. “D’you think you’re up for movin’ some more today? I think we’re all itchin’ to put a little more distance between us and that town.”

The town is question had been unwelcoming, and had tried to kill Wind over some perceived slight to their mayor. Wind had been shaken, but ultimately unharmed, and had quickly become very, very angry that they’d tried to kill him. They’d had to fight their way out, and hadn’t stopped moving until they’d been ambushed.

Sky tilts his head, resting it against Hyrule’s as he thinks. “I should be alright after another minute or so, as long as Hyrule is okay with that.” His hands tremble faintly from the residual electricity that had coursed through his body, and he sees Twilight’s eyes narrow as he sits back.

“Ah’ think ah’ll get Warriors to check you over as well, ‘fore we go anywhere,” Twilight says as he stands, not giving Sky any time to argue. He sighs as the ranch hand walks away, his free hand coming up to brush through his hair. It didn’t take long at all for Wars to check him over, and soon enough they were back on the road.

--------

They travelled well into the evening, eventually settling down just out of sight of the main road, setting up rotations for the watch, as well as a small fire for Wild to make dinner. Sky and Warriors were the first pair for watch, so once everyone settled in for the night, they made their way to the edge of the camp. The night was silent for quite some time, until Sky could hold it back no longer. “You don’t have to treat me like glass, you know,” He says softly, but not unkindly. “I’ve dealt with this my whole life, and today it just caught me off guard. I appreciate the concern from you all, but…”

Warriors sighs, shifting from where he was leaning against a tree trunk. His arms were crossed, and one leg was bent at the knee, his foot pressed against the trunk. “We don’t think you’re made of glass, Skies. It’s just…” He trails off, then takes a deep breath, starting again. “I had a brother, or at the very least someone who meant as much to me as one.” Sky sits up straighter from his spot at the base of another tree. “He was my little brother, and I lost him. And you remind me so much of him that it’s hard for me to separate the two of you, sometimes. He had similar health issues, even, and seeing you like that just – it scared me, Link.”

The use of the shared name throws Sky off balance, and he shifts, looking up at Wars, who stares off into the distance, eyes glassy. “He was my whole world, for a while. And then he was ripped away from me, and for the longest time, I didn’t know what happened. I thought he was dead. Then I find out that he’s alive, but I probably won’t ever get to see him again, and sometimes, when I look at you, I see him.” Warriors’ voice is thick with tears, and Sky rises from his spot on the ground. “It’s not fair to you, Sky, and I’m sorry for that.”

Closing the distance between then, Sky pulls the older hero into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around the other’s shoulders. “It’s alright,” He says softly. “It’s alright. I understand.” When they part, Sky leaves a hand on Wars’ shoulder, squeezing firmly before letting it fall away. “You’re a good man, Captain.”

--------

The next day, Time sits them all down after breakfast.

“Does anyone recognize the land?” He asks. “We have no direction here, and there seems to be something we’re missing.”

It takes a moment, but eventually someone speaks up. “I didn’t have time to look around yesterday, but I think we’re in my Hyrule,” Legend says. He digs through his bag as he speaks, and eventually comes up with a small bell, which he holds up triumphantly. “I can try to call Irene, and see if anything weird has happened lately.”

Time nods, so Legend rings the bell, letting it echo in the otherwise silent air around them. After a moment, the air in front of them ripples, and something – or someone – begins to take shape in the distortion. Eventually, a young girl on a broomstick comes into view as the distortion clears, and she opens her eyes, zeroing in on Legend. “You!”

She’s standing in front of him in a heartbeat, her broom clutched tightly in her hands as she scolds Legend, who has an offended look on his face. “Do you know how much panic you caused when you disappeared?! Do you?” Legend opens his mouth, but she holds up a hand and continues. “Princess Zelda was beside herself! She has some terrible dream, and then you’re gone when she wakes up! Do you know how stressed she’s been? Where have you been? Where did you go? Why didn’t you say something?!”

Finally, Irene stops yelling, her arms crossed, broomstick still held tightly in her hand. “Well?”

Legend just sighs. “Hell, woman, you’ve not gotten any quieter, that’s for sure. Listen, you and Zelda of all people should know that I had no choice in the matter, okay? If I’d had a choice, I wouldn’t have left in the first place, but again, couldn’t stop the Goddess.” He sighs again, the gestures to the rest of the group. “I’ve been travelling with different heroes from different timelines, and now we’ve ended up here, so I can only assume that something’s happening, right?”

Irene huffs. “Well, of course, something’s happening! All of these crazy monsters showed up a few days ago, and they’ve been wreaking havoc ever since. Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

“For Hylia’s sake, yes, of course I am!” Legend snarks at her. “We’ve just got to get out of this damn forest, first. Look, these are the guys I’ve been travelling with.” Irene finally turns around, smiling at the group as Legend introduced them all. “That’s Time, Warriors, Twilight, Four, Wind, Wild, Hyrule, and Sky.”

Irene’s sharp gaze scans across them all, but she freezes when she looks at Sky. The Skyloftian tensed under the weight of her gaze, and she takes a step toward him, head tilted to the side. “Well, isn’t that interesting?” The witch murmurs. She takes another step closer, and Sky find himself rooted to the spot as she reaches out to cup his cheek, the pad of her middle finger pressing against the skin behind his right ear.

The moment her fingers make contact, his body seizes up. His vision tunnels as his mind goes blank. His legs give out from under him, and he goes down for the second time in two days. He’s trembling all over, and Twilight and Warriors both lunge to catch him before his head can hit the ground. Irene lets him slip from her grip, seemingly frozen in place until Legend takes her by the shoulders and shakes her slightly.

“What the hell was that? What did you do?!” He demands.

She blinks several times, one hand coming up to her head as she shifts out of his grip. “I – I don’t know. There’s some sort of residue on him, all around his head, and I just – I don’t know what that was.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Time’s voice is sharp, his eye narrowed dangerously. “Whatever you did just hurt one of mine, so I’d suggest you figure it out. Quickly.”

Irene glances between Legend and Time, but the former is still staring blankly at Sky, cradled by both Twilight and Warriors. She swallows, then nods, and kneels down by Sky’s side, ignoring the eyes that track her every move. She reaches out again, pressing the pad of her finger to Sky’s right temple. There’s a soft glow, and her eyes cloud over as it increases. Legend, shaken from his spot by Hyrule’s hand on his arm, steps up to stand behind her, hands dropping down to rest on her shoulders.

The group is silent for several tense minutes. Finally, Irene blinks once, then again, and her hand drops from Sky’s head. The Skyloftian sighs, untensing, his head drooping to the side into Warriors’ waiting arms. Shaking off Legend’s steadying hands, Irene leans forward and gently smooths out the last lines of pain from Sky’s brow, then sits back.

“Okay,” She breathes out. “He’s okay. The residue is still there, I can’t remove it, but it shouldn’t act up for a while.” She looks up at Time as Legend drops down next to her, pressing their shoulders together as his hand silently seeks out Sky’s ankle. “You all need to be careful with magic around him. So, so very careful. Whatever this is…” She trails off, her expression darkening as she continues. “Whatever this is, and whoever put it there, have messed with some of the darkest parts of magic. I don’t know what it’s doing, and again, I can’t remove it, but – but he’s okay.”

Time sighs, his expression sliding from something dangerous to something calmer. “Understood. Are we able to move him?” Irene nods, and Time begins to collect Sky’s items from where they’d fallen. “Are you able to travel now, or do you need a moment?”

Under Legend’s intense look, Irene shakes her head. “We can go now. Zelda already knows that this one is back,” She gestures at Legend, who makes a face at being called ‘this one’, “and doesn’t want to wait longer than she has too. I’ve already held us up enough.”

Decision made, the group is on the move again within minutes. Twilight cradles Sky carefully, taking care not to jostle the Skyloftian more that he absolutely had to. They make their way quickly towards Hyrule Castle, and soon enough, they can see the spires of the castle on the horizon. Legend finds himself with more energy in his step, and the others seem to notice, the pace increasing. Making their way through Castle Town and into the gardens, they reach the steps to the castle just as the sun begins to set, and the doors fly open with a bang.

“Link!” Zelda nearly shrieks down the stairs. “Where in the Goddesses name have you been?” Lifting her skirts slightly, she begins to descend the stairs as Legend crosses his arms.

“You know, if I could answer that, I would.” He snarks.

Zelda’s expression darkens, and the clicking of her heels on the stone suddenly sounds like a threat. “Oh, really?” She says, sugary sweet as she advances on him. “Well, then maybe, you’ll be able to explain yourself once I drag you into the palace and beat you upside the head with something, you ridiculous, aggravating, stressful, child of a brother!”

Behind the apparent siblings, the rest of the group exchanges incredulous looks. ‘Brother?’ Warriors mouths at Twilight. Twilight just shrugs the shoulder that Sky’s not resting against, and shakes his head.

Reaching out, Zelda grabs Legend by the ear and yanks him closer, her other hand still fisted tightly into her skirts. “Do you have any idea how worried the staff was? How worried I was?!” Her voice is shrill now, and Legend begins to lose some of his attitude. “I woke up, and you were gone! I thought that someone had made off with you, or – or poisoned you and left you somewhere, or – goddess forbid – killed you outright and left your body somewhere for me to find later!” Legend looks sheepish, and Zelda finally releases his ear, wiping her eyes before her hands drop to her sides.

Taking her hands, Legend squeezes them, then casts his gaze over toward Sky. “I’m sorry. I’ll tell you everything, but first, Sky needs help.” Zelda follows his gaze, her demeanor changing when she finds Sky, still unconscious in Twilight’s hold. In a whirlwind of motion, the group is suddenly being led through the castle. The moment that they reach the medical wing, Sky is whisked away from them, and Twilight is left standing in the center of the walkway, his arms still outstretched from how he had been holding Sky.

Time sighs. “I know that the two of you need to talk,” He says, glancing over at Legend and Zelda, “but I feel that now would be a good time for the four of you to explain what the hell is going on between you all and Sky.” He sends a pointed look at Wind, Wild, Warriors, and Twilight.

Twilight’s arms drop, and Warriors sighs. “It’s not a pretty story,” He warns, his voice dark. “Not a short one, either. From any of us.”

Time in unrelenting. “Someone had better get started, then.”

Twilight lets out a deep sigh, dragging his hands roughly down his face. “I guess I’m up first, then.”

--------

Four stories and an hour and a half later, the rest of the heroes, plus Legend’s Zelda, sat in silence, attempting to come to terms with what they had just learned. Four is the one to break the silence. “Well, I guess that explains some things.” Looking around their group, he smiles wryly. “Though, it also raises several more questions.”

Wind shrugs. “Yeah, well, none of us really know much more, so you’re outta luck, buddy.”

Rolling his eyes at the younger’s flippant response, Warriors leans forward. “Crass as that was, he’s right. I fully thought he was dead until we stumbled upon him again. I know only what I’ve told you.”

“My Zel’ said that there was somethin’ wrong,” Twilight chimes in quietly. The other’s fall silent. “Said that she had a dream, and saw tha’ somethin’ was going to happen with whatever’s affectin’ him, but couldn’t tell me what or when.” His hands are curled into fists, resting on his knees. Perched on the edge of a medical bed as he is, he makes for a very tense sight.

Hyrule opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by one of the nurses calling them all over. “Highnesses? You can see him now.”

Twilight and Warriors are the first on their feet, though Wind and Wild aren’t far behind them. Time, Legend, Hyrule, Four and Zelda follow quickly, and when everyone rounds the privacy curtain, Sky is blinking up at them, blue eyes still foggy and clouded.

“Guys?” He manages. He sounds disoriented, and one hand rises shakily into the air, reaching for someone. Wind shoves to the front of the group and slips his hand into Sky’s, leaning over the Skyloftian.

“Hi, Sky. How’re you feeling?” Wind tones his normal excitement down, and Sky smiles at him.

“’m…fuzzy. What happened?”

Legend steps in now, moving closer to the bed to explain. “Some magic bullshit. Knocked you out pretty solidly, but didn’t hurt you or anything.”

Sky huffs, shifting on the bed. “Why th’ fu’k am I so fuzzy, then?” Everyone’s eyes widen, and Sky’s slaps a hand over his mouth, eyes wide with surprise. “’m sorry, I don’ know where tha’ came from, ‘m sorry!”

Time steps up to the other side of the bed, one hand coming to rest on Sky’s forehead, smoothing his bangs back. “It’s alright, Sky. No one’s upset, it was just a slip of the tongue. Why don’t you rest a little more?”

Sky sags back into the pillow, curling onto his side, his back facing them. Time lets his hand rest on Sky’s head for another long moment, then sighs softly, tilting his head toward the exit. “You all go and get some sleep. I’ll stay here with him.” His tone told them that there would be no arguing, and so the remaining seven heroes reluctantly filed out of the area, but Zelda lingered behind.

“Is everything alright?” She questions softly.

Time looks conflicted. “We have reason to believe that it’s not, your Highness. But we’re going to do our best to fix it.” Zelda nods, then turns to leave. As the privacy curtain flutters closed behind her, Time rests a hand on Sky’s shoulder, his thumb rubbing soothing circles back and forth. “Oh, kid, what are we going to do?”

--------
Sky was up and moving the morning after all of the magically induced chaos, and seemed to be free of side effects, which meant that the group was safe to set out and take care of the monster issue that Zelda and Irene had mentioned.

They departed from the castle early in the afternoon, heading for one of the town on the western side of the kingdom. It took roughly two days of travel to get there, but the battle ended quickly, the monsters not having enough of a presence to cause the nine heroes much trouble.

“So, tell me again what exactly knocked me out like that.” Sky said to Wild. “I’ve gotten half answers from Twi and Wars, so if you do the same, I’ll just go to Time,” He adds blithely.

Wild’s mouth closes, and he looks at Sky sheepishly. “Sorry. I don’t mean to not answer you, but it was just…weird to see.” The Champion rubs the back of his head and glances away from the Skyloftian. “You should probably just talk to Time.”

Sky takes a deep breath. “Alright. Thanks.”

Truth be told, Sky really didn’t feel that grateful, but he wasn’t angry at Wild. He wasn’t really angry with anyone, really, but ever since he’d woken up in the infirmary, the others had been treating him strangely, more so than before. While he’d finally figured out why Warriors treated him so delicately, he’d not gotten that luxury with the others, and now it was all coming to a boiling point.

That said, Sky knows that he had issues with his temper. Hylia knows that he and Groose had gotten into enough issues because of it, because Groose knew all of the right buttons to push to get the reactions he wanted. Hell, even Zelda had pointed it out on a couple of occasions, though thankfully it had never gotten to a point where any of Skyloft’s residents had seen him lose it completely. He’d always managed to get away from everyone before that happened, but he didn’t know if he’d be that lucky this time.

Sky falls back to walk next to Time, and the elder lets his gather his thoughts when he doesn’t speak right away.

“I’d like to know the truth about what happened the other day,” Sky starts carefully. “I know I’ve not gotten the full story from any of you, and I have to say, I don’t appreciate it, especially from you. If I – or anyone else, for that matter – intentionally withheld information from you, we’d have a whole lecture on honesty and the importance of sharing important information.” Sky turns to look Time in they eye as the walk. “So, I’ll ask a final time. What happened?”

Time sighs, and gestures for Sky to fall further back with him, so that they can talk without the others chiming in. At Twilight’s curious look, Time waved him on, then turned back to Sky. “Alright, that’s fair. That’s also much firmer than I’ve ever heard you, and I don’t particularly feel like testing Hylia’s Chosen just yet.” Time cracks a small smile, but Sky can’t bring himself to reciprocate. Time sighs. “After we left that town…”

It doesn’t take long for Time to explain, but by the end of it, Sky’s more frustrated than he was before. “That’s all well and good, Time, but I don’t understand why that was so hard for anyone else to explain. I shouldn’t have had to come to you and point out the face that you were all keeping something from me.”

“I don’t have an answer you’ll like, unfortunately.” Time admits. “But you’re right. I was keeping information from you, and I shouldn’t have. I truly am sorry about that.”

Sky nods, murmuring, “Yeah. Thanks, Time,” before he speeds up and levels off next to Wind, throwing an arm over the smaller hero’s shoulder and tugging him close.

Time sighs, dragging his hand down his face. Why was he making mistakes like this?

--------

Several days later, they had successfully cleared out the corrupted monsters that had been plaguing Legend’s Hyrule. The portal had swirled open in front of them, and Legend had bid Irene and Zelda a fond farewell, the rest of the group adding their goodbyes as well. The portal swirled open before them in a mesmerizing mixture of purple and black, and two by two, save for the last hero, stepped through.

Twilight and Wild were the first to step through, emerging into a vibrant forest. The area that they stepped into was a large clearing, a large area of packed dirt in the center. Red, yellow, and blue flowers grew on the perimeter, with small birds scattered around, chirping softly.

“Woah,” Wild breathes out, spinning slowly in a circle, his eyes taking everything in. “It’s so bright here!”

Twilight stifled a laugh as he nodded in agreement. “I wonder whose Hyrule this is?”

Wild just shrugged as he stuck an arm back into the portal to give the others a thumbs up. Yanking his arm back out, he begins to wander, though he heeds Twilight’s call and doesn’t go too far.

Time and Four are the next pair to step through, followed closely by Legend and Hyrule. Hyrule took off toward Wild as soon as he’d gotten his bearings, but Four sat slowly on the ground, cradling his head. Twilight crouched down next to him, a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. “Headache again?” Four mumbled his agreement, and Twilight squeezes his shoulder gently. “You know the drill, smithy. If it doesn’t ease up soon, let someone know.”

The Rancher stands, casting a glance at the portal where Wind and Warriors had just stepped though. As they step out of the way for Sky to come through, Warriors’ face scrunches up, and he peers intently at the surroundings.

“This your time, Captain?” Twilight says, coming up next to him and bumping their shoulders together. Wars shakes his head, and the two of them watch Wind run up behind Wild and jump on his back before he speaks.

“There’s something…familiar about this place,” Wars says slowly, “But it’s not my time.” Crossing his arms, he continues. “I feel as though I’ve been here before, though if I have, it certainly didn’t look this vibrant.”

Twilight looks around. To their left sits the stump of a giant tree, with a small crawl space carved into the bottom. Straight ahead of them is a small uphill path, and Twilight can just make out an arch at the end of the path. To their right is a drop off of the clearing their standing in, and behind them, there’s a break in the ground, but a vine dangling between the clearing and the rest of the path. There’s something – or someone, given how it’s standing upright – on the path across the vine, but there’s nothing around that screams ‘danger’. Turning back to Wars, Twilight sees Time approaching them, and shifts to the side to allow the other room.

“Everything alright, boys?” Time asks lowly.

Twilight and Warriors both nod, but the Captain still has an odd look on his face. Time looks at him, but doesn’t push. Then, his focus slides past the Captain, and Twilight turns to see Sky exit the portal, and it swirls closed behind them. Their Skyloftian stumbles, but rights himself, shaking his head.

Twilight tries to bite back the worry. Sky was not immune to the occasional portal disorientation, and it would likely pass quickly. Still, Twilight couldn’t shake his concern. Time’s voice draws him back to the conversation. “What are your thoughts?”

“I think we should check the area, see if anyone knows it,” Warriors says quickly. He repeats what he’d said to Twilight, and Time’s expression shifts into something thoughtful. “Like I said, it’s not my time, but somehow, I know this place. I just don’t know from what.”

Anything else that would have been said is cut off by a muffled thump behind them, and Twilight whirls around, his heart in his throat. Sky was on the ground, trying to push himself upright once more, but he’s unsuccessful. “Sky!”

Twilight surges forward, but Sky flinches back. He stops, hurt and concern warring in his chest, but when Sky looks up, his eyes are blank, like he doesn’t recognize him. “Sky?” There’s no response to his question, save for Sky’s unsteady breathing. “Link, what’s happening?”

Sky’s eyes widen. ‘How do you know my name?’ He signs shakily. Twilights kneels down in front of him and extends his hand, but Sky shrinks back again. ‘Who are you?’

Twilight’s heart sinks. What was happening? Why doesn’t Sky know him anymore? Why wasn’t he talking?

Suddenly, Sky curls over with a gasp, clutching at his head. A pained whine escapes him, and the clearing goes silent, all eyes now on Sky. His hands are curled into his hair, and he’s tugging on the strands, and Twilight reaches out to stop him from hurting himself. “Sky, stop it, your hurting yourself!”

When his hands touch Sky’s the younger’s eyes roll back into his head and he drops. Twilight scrambles to catch him with a muffled curse, and the clearing explodes with noise.

“What happened?”

“Sky!”

“What the fuck?!”

“Let me through!”

The last call comes from Hyrule, who shoves his way past everyone else and drops down next to Sky and Twilight. He holds his hands over Sky as they begin to glow, but it dies as quickly as it starts. “What?” Hyrule holds his hands out again, but the same thing happens, and his healing magic doesn’t even manage to touch Sky before it’s gone. “What’s happening?!”

Twilight jumps when Warriors kneels down next to him. The Captain is deathly pale, and Twilight can see the panic in his eyes. “He’s bleeding.” Wars says shortly. Looking down, there’s blood trickling from Sky’s nose, and it just keeps flowing. Hyrule abandoned his attempts to use his magic and begins to dig through his bag for something to stem it.

“Link?”

Everyone freezes at the call of their shared name, glancing at each other to see if anyone recognizes it.

“LINK!”

Turning as much as he can without shifting Sky, Twilight sees a small plantlike thing sprinting toward them, and he can’t help but stare. The plant crashes into Sky’s side, but the younger doesn’t move, even when the plant puts it’s tiny hands (paws? Leaves?) on his shoulder and shakes him, squeaking his name again.
“Link!”

“Do you know him?” Wind asks, startling it.

It shrieks and burrows into the ground, then pops it’s head out after a moment. “Of course I do! He saved me! What’s wrong with him?”

“We don’t know,” Hyrule says, looking up from where he was holding a cloth to Sky’s nose. “He just dropped. Is there somewhere we can get him help?”

The plant nods rapidly, and the whole group sighs in relief. “Can you lead us there?”

“Follow me, follow me!” The plant squeaks. It takes off running, and Twilight rises to his feet and sets off after it. Luckily, it wasn’t very fast, so he didn’t’ have to worry about jostling Sky very much. He could hear the others speaking quietly behind him, but he didn’t pay any attention to them until Wars falls into step next to him.

“Let me take him,” Wars says softly. “Please.”

Twilight opens his mouth to disagree, but then he catches sight of Warriors face, and closes it with a snap. Warriors looked wrecked, his face still pasty and his eyes full of fear and concern. “Please,” He repeats. “The last time, I couldn’t save him. Please let me help him.”

Wordlessly, Twilight slows enough to shift Sky into the other’s arms. They pick up the pace once they’ve moved Sky, and soon, the plant leads them up to a makeshift path made from stones.

“Is this it?” Time questions.

“Mhm!” The plant nods. “They’ll help! Zelda will help!”

Zelda’s name sends a ripple of relief through the group, and Warriors’ shoulders lose some of their tension. “Zelda’s here? Where can we find her?”

Wars’ question gets no response, because the plant is gone. Taking a deep breath, Time and Twilight lead the group down the path, winding their way through buildings and crop fields. The path leads them to the center of the settlement, where it looks like everyone has gathered. A blonde girl is pacing back and forth on a raised platform, several other teens standing behind her. None of them look happy. As they draw closer, the group ushers Warriors and Sky into the center, and then they’re close enough to hear some of what’s being said.

“-and you want me to believe that you had nothing to do with it?!” The blonde demands. “I know that it wasn’t Hylia, and it certainly wasn’t me! It wouldn’t be the first time that you’ve decided to whisk him away somewhere without telling me, so don’t act like I’m saying this without a good reason!” As she turns, the blonde catches sight of the group standing behind the crown, and her stance tenses.

“And who are all of you?”

Time steps forward, Wind at his side. “We’re travelers. One of our own needs medical attention, and we were told that you may be able to help him.”

Her shoulders drop, and she exhales. “Oh, yes, of course. I’ll take you to the infirmary, if you’ll just follow me.” Turning back to the crowd, her tone sharpens again. “I am not done talking about his. You all will figure out what happened to him, or so help me Hylia, you won’t like me.” She turns and stalks off the platform, then gestures for Time, Wind, and the others to follow her.

She leads them to the other side of the settlement before she stops in her tracks, then spins to face them, her hands on her hips. “Alright, here’s the thing. I know that you’re not from here, because there’s nowhere to travel from. Are you going to tell me the truth?”

Time blinks at her, and Twilight chuckles. “Well, we weren’t lyin’, miss.” Twilight starts. “We really are travelers, but you’re rig’, we’re not from around here. We’re from different points in time. The Goddess pulled all ‘a us t’gether, and here we are.”

She peers at them intently, then nods. “Thank you for telling me the truth. Now, heroes, let us get your brother to the infirmary.”

“Actually,” Warriors says quietly, “would you happen to know him?”

The rest of the group parts, and she turns around. “How in Hylia’s name would I know – Link!” She’s at his side in a heartbeat, taking his limp hand in her own, her eyes wide. “How – what happened?!” She demanded.

“We don’t know,” Warriors says grimly. “We stepped into this timeline, and he just dropped. Hasn’t moved since. I’m assuming you’re his Zelda?”

She doesn’t let go of Sky’s hand, but she pulls them through the settlement faster as she nods. “What do you mean, dropped?”

“Exactly that. He stepped though, dropped, didn’t recognize us, and then passed out. His nose was bleeding too.” Hyrule chimes in. “I couldn’t heal him, my magic wouldn’t even get close. It’s never done that before.”

Zelda cast a sharp glance over her shoulder at Hyrule’s statement, but she doesn’t stop. She doesn’t pause when they reach the infirmary either, just throws the door open and call out, “Luv, Bertie, Link needs help!”

There’s a crash from the back, and then the door on the far wall is flung open. “You found him?” A woman with brown hair bursts through the doorway, followed closely by a brunet man with a baby carrier on his back. “He’s home?”

“I didn’t find him,” Zelda shook her head as she directed Warriors to a bed. “His group end up here, and he needs help. Luv, I think my father did something! One of them said that his magic wouldn’t go near him, but that it only happened here. Do you think-?”

“Oh, he didn’t,” Luv says darkly, turning and disappearing into the back room. She emerges a moment later with a large, leather-bound book, and she begins to flip through the pages until she finds the one she needs. Once she’s found it, she slaps the book down onto the table and frowns. “If that man did what I think he did, Zelda, your father will no longer be able to hold any position. Ever.”

“Hold on,” Warriors interjects from Sky’s side, “What exactly is going on? What did her father do?”

Luv and Bertie share a look, then Bertie sighs. “Listen, son, Zelda’s father has never been Link’s biggest fan. It’s entirely possible that he tried to use magic to do something.”

Zelda’s eyes widen. “Oh! Link disappeared for a week when we were younger, and when he came back, he didn’t dream anymore. That’s when he stopped talking, too. Do you think that’s when my father did something?”

“Wait,” Hyrule says darkly from the table. He held Luv’s book tightly, his hands clenching it so tightly that his knuckles were white. “You don’t think that he used magic to mess with Sky’s head, do you?” His question is met with silence from Luv and Bertie, and Hyrule’s expression darkens even more. “Oh, that’s exactly what you think. That’s what Irene meant by dark magic. That’s why she couldn’t undo it,” He realized. “That’s why my magic couldn’t do anything. Because somehow, whatever was done to him is blocking his mind from recognizing and interacting with thing from outside his time. That’s what the dreams were, weren’t they?”

Zelda nods. “He would wake up screaming, terrified that something was about to happen. He would know that someone would die before it happened, and when he tried to tell someone, they brushed him off.” There’s tears welling in her eyes. “He would call out for people that don’t exist, or speak of the Goddess. My father didn’t like that.”

“But to close off his mind…” Hyrule trails off. “You said he stopped talking? Why would he- no. No, absolutely not. I don’t even want to consider it. There’s no way that anyone would-!” Hyrule cuts himself off and takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly. “Is there a change,” He says slowly, deliberately, “That Sky would know things? Know what someone would say before they said it, or know things that you never told him?”

Zelda nods, though she looks confused. “Like I said, Link would know people were going to die, or-”

“No, Hyrule interrupts, eyes blazing with fury. “How much did he know?” He stressed the last work, and Zelda’s face drained of color.

“No,” She whispers, clutching the edge of Sky’s bed as she wavered. “No, he wouldn’t. He couldn’t have – please tell me he wouldn’t.” She looks at Luv and Bertie, her tears spilling over and dripping down her face. “Luv, Bertie, he wouldn’t, would he?”

“Then I’m right.” Hyrule says, so quietly that it’s almost a whisper. “He knew.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Twilight demands, stepping forward. “Do you know what they did to him?!”

Hyrule turns to face the rest of the group, and Twilight takes a step back, surprised by the raw fury on his face. “Twi, they…” Hyrule sniffs, scrubbing at his eyes as the fury drains from him and is replaced with grief. Twilight moves toward him and draws the smaller hero into a hug, and Hyrule continues. “Twi, they cut his connection to the Goddess. They did something to block it, or cut it, or – or something, and since we’re all connected through the Goddess that why he doesn’t know us, and why he struggled so much to protect his Zelda or – or – or –”

Hyrule’s trembling enough that he can’t finish his sentence, but Twilight thinks that everyone here can understand, now. Sky had been forcefully cut off from the Goddess, and it was hurting him. Someone was hurting him on purpose. Twilight wasn’t going to let this continue. From the looks of it, the others wouldn’t either. Luv and Bertie both looked furious, and Zelda…

Zelda looked like she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to murder someone or wanted to cry. Twilight figured she was probably considering both, honestly. He wouldn’t blame her.

Zelda, now sitting on the edge of Sky’s head, still holding his hand tightly, looks at Luv and Bertie imploringly. “Tell me that you can fix this,” She begs. “Tell me what to do.”

Luv tilts her head. “One of you boys has magic, yes?” At Hyrule’s answering nod, she smiles sharply. “Good. We’ll need your help, if we’re to remove this block. And you, dear, we’ll need your help as well.”

Zelda nods determinedly. “Anything.”

Luv smiles, but it’s softer this time. “The rest of you, I’ll need two people by Link, and the rest of you to stand back.”

As one, the other five of the boys step back, leaving Warriors and Twilight next to Sky’s bed. They look at the others, surprised at the unspoken decision, but don’t fight it. They move so that one of them is on either side of the bed. Luv directs Zelda to stand at the head of the bed, and then pulls Hyrule over to her small stove. “Now, dear, if you could just direct your magic - cleansing magic, or healing magic specifically - into the pot, that should be all I’ll need from you.”

Hyrule nods, then raises his hands and concentrates. He cups his hands together and they begin to glow, brighter than they usually do when he’s healed someone before, and he squeezes his eyes shut as the clow continues to brighten. Finally, once it’s almost blinding, Hyrule curls his hands into fists, and there’s a sound like shattering glass before he opens his hands and tilts them, letting the magic fall from his hands into the contents of the pot. Whatever Luv had put into the pot prior sparkled, fizzed, and then changed color as it let off steam. Once it stopped steaming, Bertie stepped forward with a jar and a ladle, and filled the jar before passing it off to Luv.

She holds it up to the skylight in the roof, inspecting it, then turns to Hyrule with a smile. “Perfect, dear. Thank you.” Hyrule nods, then steps out of the way as Luv and Bertie make their way over to Sky’s bed. “Alright, Zelda, now it’s your turn. Once you get him to drink this, I’ll need you to focus. This should help us identify whatever’s this, and then I need you to burn it out.”

“Burn it out?” Zelda repeats. “Will it hurt him?”

Bertie answers her this time. “It may, but there’s always a chance that he won’t feel anything. But regardless, he won’t get better until this…block is gone.”

Zelda looks conflicted, but ultimately agrees. She sits at the head of the bed after Luv passes her the bottle, then leans closer to Sky. “Hey, sleepyhead. I don’t know if you can hear me, but we’re going to help you, alright? I need you to drink this for me, so that we can start to fix this.” There’s no answer, but then again, she hadn’t really expected one. She leans even closer, pressing their foreheads together, then pressing a soft kiss on each of his eyelids before she pulls back and uncorks the bottle. Bringing it to his mouth, she tips in a small amount, then runs her finger down Sky’s throat as he swallows.

This goes on until the bottle is empty, and Zelda sets it aside with a deep breath. “Alright, Link, let’s wake you up.”

She presses her pointer and middle fingers against Sky’s temples and closes her eyes as her hands begin to glow, similar to Hyrule’s. However, instead of a white glow, hers is golden, and somehow, Twilight just knows it’s vastly different from the other hero’s.

It only takes a moment for Sky to twitch, but the longer Zelda hold her hands to his head, the more it happens. Her face scrunches, and Sky flinches away as the glow brightens. All at once, the spot behind his right ear begins to glow, and Zelda’s eyes fly open as Sky begins to seize.

Chapter Text

Link was not a troublesome child. He never had been. He was quiet, but friendly. Cautious, but loyal. He was quiet where Zelda was loud and shy where Groose was confident. He behaved well and listened to instructions, following them as best he could.

Despite all this, the adults had never liked him very much. They ignored him, or scolded him for playing with the other kids. Their whispers would follow him around, hushed words of 'strange' and 'cursed' or 'different'. His parents had sheltered him from as much of this as they could, but once they'd fallen, Link heard it everywhere.

He'd moved in with Pipit and his mom, and Pipit had just about adopted him, caring for him when his mother didn't. After that, Link had begun to see Pipit as a brother, and Pipit felt much the same. When Groose had begun to harass Link, Pipit would step in where the adults wouldn't. He comforted Link after nightmares, bandaged his wounds, and cared for him after his strange dreams.

The dreams were likely the biggest reasons that the adults didn't like him. Link had always had strange dreams, and he woke from them panicked and upset. On several occasions, he’d known what would happen to someone before it actually happened.

The adults didn’t like this.

There were whispers, one night, as the adults gathered in the Bazaar after the children had been put to bed. Pipit’s mother told them how she would wake to Link’s cries, how he had always been different from her Pipit, how Link would speak with such certainty that something would happen. She called it unnatural.
Gaepora agreed. He declared that something must be done, and the adults began to plan. Well, most of them, anyway.
Luv and Bertie exchanged looks of displeasure as the other adults tossed around ideas about how to ‘fix’ Link.

Taking her husband’s hand, Luv and Bertie move carefully out of the Bazaar and then to Pipit’s home. Knocking until the boy answers the door, Luv pulls him outside. “Pipit, dear, listen carefully. The others are unhappy with Link’s dreams. They believe he needs to be ‘fixed’.” She draws quotations in the air as she speaks, Pipit’s eyes widening with fear. “I have something to ask of you, dear, and I’m sorry to put such a burden on your shoulders. Link mustn’t be left alone, now while the others are willing to do something to him. We will watch over him when we are able, but you are in a better spot to be around him more often. Are you willing to watch over him?”

Pipit agreed readily. “Of course I will! Link’s my brother now. I won’t let anything hurt him. I know Zelda will help, too.”

Luv sighs in relief, then leans down to press a kiss to Pipit’s forehead. “Thank you, Pipit. You’re a good boy. Now, we have to go before they finish. Sleep well, dear.”

They hurry off into the shadows of Skyloft as Pipit slips back inside. Making his way to Link’s bed instead of his own, he slips under the covers and curls around Link. “Don’t worry, Inkspot. I won’t let them do anything to you.”

--------

Pipit held true to his promise for several years. He and Zelda were always by Link’s side, but eventually, Pipit’s Knight training drew him away.

Unfortunately, that was the beginning of the end.

As Pipit’s Loftwing touches down on Skyloft, Zelda is waiting for him, tear tracks on her face. “Pipit!” She cries as he dismounts. “Pipit, they took him!”
Pipit whirls around, terror worming it’s way into his heart. “What? When?”

Zelda seizes his hand and tugs him along as she explains. “They came in and took him out of class! I couldn’t go with him, they wouldn’t let me, and they haven’t given him back! Pipit, what are they going to do to him?”

Pipit just shakes his head grimly. Truthfully, he didn’t know what they would do to Link. He didn’t want to ever have to find out, but it looks like he wouldn’t get that wish, either. Nevertheless, they burst into the Knight’s Academy and make their way to Gaepora’s office, where Zelda throws the door open with a bang.

“Father!” She shouts as the man jumps. “What did you do to Link? Give him back!”

Gaepora looks at them disapprovingly. “Now, Zelda, see here –”

“No, you see here!” Zelda interrupts. “He’s my friend, and he’s done nothing wrong. Why would you pull him out like that? What have you done?!”

Pipit steps up next to her, his arms crossed. “She’s right, Headmaster. Link’s a child, same as your daughter. What reason could you have possibly had to pull him out of class with no warning?”

Gaepora gapes at them for a moment. “I will not sit here and be lectured by you two. You will leave immediately. Link is not your concern.”

Pipit scoffs. “I beg to differ, Headmaster. He’s been my concern since the day his parents fell. He’s been my concern since the adults here refused to care for him. He’s been my concern since the day you all began to plan to ‘fix’ him!” Pipit meets Gaepora’s eyes cooly, his anger evident. “Now, I will only ask one more time. Where is my brother?”

Gaepora finally gave in and directed them to the infirmary. “You’ll not be given this pass a second time,” He’d warned them on their way out. “If you ever speak to me this way again…”

“If you ever do anything to Link again,” Zelda cut him off once more, “Then you will no longer have a daughter. Stay away from him.”

Zelda dragged him out and down the halls until they reached the infirmary, tucked behind the staircase. She throws open the door, startling the rest of the instructors inside. “Get out, before I make you.”

Now, it is worth noting that Zelda rarely gets truly angry. Yes, she gets annoyed, and yes, she will snap at people, but she very rarely will become angry enough to be feared. This time, she was angry enough that the instructors did not question her, and they scattered from the room, leaving it empty within seconds.

Link lay on one of the beds along the back wall, his face lax in unconsciousness. Making her way over, Zelda sits cautiously on the edge of the bed, calling to him softly. “Link?”

There is no response as Pipit makes his way over as well, after closing and locking the door. She tries again, desperation clearly in her voice. “Link, please wake up.” She reaches out and takes his hand, clutching it to her chest. “Please, Link. Please wake up. You have to wake up.”

She dissolves into tears when Link doesn’t so much as flinch, and Pipit pulls her into a hug, Link’s hand still clutched in her own.
“Oh, Zel, he’ll be okay.” He whispers. “He has to be.”

--------

They wait until Zelda has calmed before they move Link. Pipit scoops him up gently as Zelda leads the way back to his house, unwilling to leave Link in their hands for even a moment longer.

No one they pass will meet their eyes.
‘Good’, Pipit thinks vindictively. ‘Let them be ashamed of what they have done.’

When they finally arrive at his house, Pipit can hear his mother humming inside, and he sighs. “Let’s get this over with,” He says wearily. Zelda pushed the door open, unlocked as always, and the humming stops as soon as Pipit steps over the threshold, Link cradled in his arms.

“Pipit?” His mother asks. “What are you doing here?”

He ignores her, bringing Link over to his bed and laying him down gently. Zelda crawls in next to him, and Pipit pulls the covers over them both before turning to his mother. “If you knew about this, get out.”

His mother steps back, shocked. “What?”

“If you knew what they were planning to do to him,” Pipit repeats, his fists clenched, “Then get out. Now. I don’t care that you’re my mother. I don’t care about anything you’ll say. I’m the one who has paid for this house for the last several years. I’m the one who has taken care of him. And I’m the one who will continue to care for him, because all of the adults here are poor excuses for caretakers. If you knew, leave.”

His mother turns and leaves without another word, and Pipit collapses into a chair and cries.

--------

When Link wakes, it feels like something’s missing. He drags his eyes open slowly and is met with the sight of Zelda curled up next to him. Letting his head fall to the side, Link finds that Pipit is there as well, asleep in a chair next to the bed. He tries to call out to his brother, but the words don’t come. Confused, he tries again. Still nothing.

Growing frantic, Link tries desperately to form any word, make any sound, but the only noise he can make is a desperate whine. He clutches at his throat, tears springing to his eyes, and flinches back when someone touches him. Link throws himself against the wall, curling in on himself, and waits for the hit.

It never comes.

Risking a glance up, Link finds Zelda and Pipit looking at him, heartbroken, and he can’t hold back the tears anymore. They begin to roll down his face as he cries silently, and he reaches out for them. As they wrap him in a hug, Link buries his face in his brother's shoulder, holding tightly to Zelda’s hand.

He doesn’t make a single sound.

--------

It doesn’t take long for Pipit to notice that something else had changed. Link slept through the night, now, never startling awake, never crying, never panicking. While Pipit was relieved that his little brother wasn’t tormented by nightmares and dreams anymore, he couldn’t help but be suspicious of the timing.

The adults take Link away, and he comes back mute and dreamless.

There was no way that was a coincidence.

Unfortunately for Pipit, no one had answers for him. Not a single adult on Skyloft was able – or willing – to tell him what they’d done to Link, and slowly, Pipit stopped asking. He could see the effect that all of this was having on Link, and he couldn’t bring himself to keep causing his brother distress.

So, the years go by, and Link, Zelda, and Pipit create a language of their own, another way for Link to be able to speak with them. The language quickly spreads throughout the rest of the academy’s students, and the rest of the Knights, but they’re careful to never let the adults know what they are saying. None of the kids on Skyloft trust the adults enough to tell them.
Eventually, Zelda comes up with a name for the language. She calls it ‘sign’, having found that Link’s motions when writing in class looked incredibly similar to some of the way he ‘speaks’. Link had been excited to have a name for the language, and had thrown himself into it with more enthusiasm than Pipit had seen from him in years.

Then Zelda had fallen.

Zelda was gone, fallen into the clouds below, and Link’s Loftwing, Phoenix, had delivered the boy back to the academy, unconscious. Pipit had stayed by his side as long as he was able, eventually being dragged out of the room by another student so that he could rest. By the time Pipit had returned the next morning, Link was gone.

Gaepora had seemed satisfied, so Pipit had gone and questioned the man, only to come out with no answers. He threw himself into searching every inch of Skyloft, but there was no sign of Link. It was like he had never been there. Pipit was beside himself with stress, and had snapped at everyone who had approached him. It was all made significantly worse when his mother approached him.

“Pipit?” She called out. He stopped in his tracks, keeping his back toward her as she continued. “Pipit, I think it's time for you to stop throwing your tantrum. I’ll be moving back in this evening, now that there’s no reason for me not to.”

“No reason?” Pipit repeats softly, finally tuning to face her. The expression on his face had her taking several steps backward. “No reason?! There is very much a reason for you not to come back, actually, and that is the fact that Link is gone, again.” Pipit takes a step toward his mother, sending her back several more steps. “Until my brother is home, I promise that none of you will know peace, do you hear me? None of you! He’s just a boy! A child! A child who has never done anything except be a child! How dare you all treat him differently? How dare you take him from us?” Pipit snarls. “So what if he is Goddess touched? You had to have known that his dreams, his nightmares couldn’t have been anything else! Being Goddess touched is the best thing for a Skyloftian to be.” Pipit takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly.

“You will never be welcome in that house again. You were never his mother, and you stopped being mine years ago. I don’t know you anymore.”

Without another word, Pipit leaves the woman behind, slamming the door and locking it behind him. Finally letting himself feel, he leans back against the door, then slides down it, his head in his hands. The tears begin to fall as Pipit mourns for Zelda, for Link, and for everything his little brother had lost over the years.

--------

Pipit wakes with the sun, sitting up and stretching with a yawn. Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, he stands, padding across the small house to the stove. He fills the teapot with water and sets it to boil, then turns to make his way back to the wardrobe next to his and Link’s beds.

He stops in his tracks and nearly screams.
Link is asleep in his bed, curled into a ball, as he has always slept. Even from across their little home, Pipit can see the blood and bruises on his face, and the paleness to his sun-kissed skin. His little brother’s hands look as though someone has struck them repeatedly, his knuckles purple and blue, and there’s a fragileness to Link that Pipit has never seen before.

Finally shaking himself from his shock, Pipit rushes to Link’s side, shaking the younger gently and calling his name. “Link? Oh Goddess, Link, what happened to you? C’mon, Inkspot, wake up for me now, that’s it!” Slowly, Link’s eyes flicker open, and Pipit nearly sobs with relief. “Hey, buddy.”

Sitting up, Link keeps a firm grip on Pipit’s hand, then yanks his brother in the moment he’s fully upright. Pipit curls his arms around Link, feeling his brother tremble against his shoulder. “Hey, now, you’re alright, Link. Just let it out, baby. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

They stay in the embrace for what seems like forever, his shoulder growing more and more damp until a knock at the door interrupts them. Opening his eyes again – when had he closed them? – Pipit debates telling whoever it was to go away. The knocking comes again, and he sighs.

“Who is it?”

“Just me,” Karane calls back, the lock turning. “I’m coming in.” Pipit doesn’t bother responding. She slips inside and locks the door behind her, then turns toward them and freezes. “Is that -?”
Pipit nods, his voice breaking when he responds. “It is. I have no idea what in Hylia’s name happened to him, but I’m not letting him out of my sight again.” Karane nods, moving to sit on the edge of the bed and resting a hand on Link’s back.

“Goddess, just look at him. What happened to you, baby?”

Still pressed against his shoulder, Link shakes his head. Taking the hint, Pipit holds him tighter, and the three of them sit in silence until Link pulls back. Karane gasps when she sees his face. Cuts and bruises mark Links skin, a particularly nasty one across his forehead. She rises from the bed and Pipit adjusts his hold on his brother, and returns with a bowl of warm water and a clean cloth. “Oh, Link. What happened?”

‘Surface,’ He signs.

Pipit tenses. “What?”

‘Sent to surface to find Zee,’ Link repeats.

‘Sent me to die.’

“Who sent you to die?” Pipit asks, his voice frantic.

‘Headmaster.’

--------

One long round of explanations later, Link had told Pipit and Karane everything that had happened since he’d seen them last. How he’d been just behind Zelda, the fight with the awful demon, Ghirahim, and finding the next tablet to descend into Eldin Volcano.

“Absolutely not,” Pipit says firmly. “You’re not going back down there. I refuse to lose you again.”

‘But what about Zee?’ Link signs, his movements harsh. ‘Something’s after her. She needs help!’

“You’re a child!” Pipit snaps back. “You shouldn’t have to be the one to do this!”

‘But who else will?’ Link demands.

Silence fills the room until Link snaps to grab his attention. ‘If I don’t go, she’ll die. I can’t let that happen, Pip. I can’t be the reason she never comes home.’

Pipit sighs. “You’re the most frustrating person I know, you realize that?” He drops back onto the bed next to Link. “If I let you go back down there, you have to swear to come back. If you don’t…”

Link reaches over and covers Pipit’s hand with his own, then pulls it away. ‘I will. I’ll come back, I swear. I’ll bring her home.’
Pipit worries his lip. “…fine. But! You’re going to tell me what you need, and stay here and rest while I go to the Bazar. Karane is gonna stay here with you.”

‘Okay,’ Link signs, laughing silently. As he scribbles down a list of everything he needs, Pipit puts on his uniform and shoes. List in hand, Pipit leaves his house and locks the door behind him. The trip to the Bazar takes around 15 minutes, and he returns home to find Link and Karane snuggled together on the bed, sleeping soundly. Pipit spends the rest of the day inside with them.

The next morning, Link is gone.

--------

The next time his brother reappears, Pipit is still awake. He’s reading by the fire when the lock clicks in the door, and Pipit startles, dropping his book. The door slowly creaks open and Link pokes his head through. “Link!”

Rushing forward, Pipit yanks his brother into the house and locks the door, then whirls to face him. His tunic is singed in several places, and there’s a nasty burn along his arm. “Good Goddess, Link, come here!” Link stumbles as Pipit drags him further into the house, so Pipit slows his movements, pushing Link down into one of the chairs. “Talk to me, Inkspot, what’s wrong?”

When Link lifts his hands, they’re trembling. ‘Ghirahim,’ he spells out slowly, shakily. ‘and lava.’ Pipit tilts his head as he works, running a damp washcloth over the burns as gently as he can.

“Lava?”

‘Liquid fire,’ Link signs back up at him, eyes dull. He continues before Pipit has the chance to freak out. ‘And Impa’, he fingerspells, ‘rude lady, but keeping Zee safe. Fire breathing lizard things in the temple, more lava. Ow.’

Pipit yanks the washcloth away from the larger burn on Link’s arm at the signed word of pain, and Link shakes his head. He continues to explain everything that had happened, growing visibly frustrated when he reaches the part where he should’ve found Zelda. ‘She wasn’t there, Pip,’ Link signs, frustrated. ‘She was gone again, and now there’s another place for me to go, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to catch up with her. I don’t know how they’re moving this fast.’

Pipit sighs. “Well it sounds like this Impa lady is helping her move around, so she probably has some way of travelling quickly. It’s good, because they’re staying ahead of whatever’s chasing them, but it’s bad because they’re moving significantly faster than you, simply because you don’t have access to whatever they’re using.” Dropping the washcloth into the bowl of now warm water, Pipit shakes his hands dry and then runs them through Link’s hair in an attempt to soothe the younger. “You’ll find her, Link,” Pipit says seriously, gently tipping Link’s head back to meet his eyes. “You’ll find her, and you’ll bring her home.”

Link closes his eyes, pressing into the hand in his hair. He exhales slowly, then nods. ‘First, sleep.’ He signs, eyes still firmly shut. Pipit just hums in agreement, then leans down and scoops Link into his arms. Eyes flying open, Link flails for a moment before his arms settle around Pipit’s shoulders. Link taps aggressively on the back of his shoulder, but Pipit isn’t deterred. He continues over to the bed, then drops Link unceremoniously onto it with a laugh.

‘I can walk, you know.’ Link signs, pouting.

“I know!” Pipit says cheerily, ignoring the pout. “But you’re in bed now, so stop being grumpy, and go to sleep. I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”

Lin nods, and Pipit steps away to go change into his nightclothes and wash his face. He steps back into the main room a few minutes later, and Link is already asleep, curled into a ball on the bed. Pipit smiles down at him fondly, then slides under his own covers, blowing out the candle on the bedside table, darkening the room. The moonlight streaming in through the winds casts shadows on the wall, and for a moment, there’s a shadow over Link, still curled up on the bed.

Pipit pushes himself up onto his elbow, watching the shadow as it seems to brush a hand across Link’s hair, but never makes contact. In the next breath it’s gone again, and Pipit wonders if he was seeing things. Lying back down, he pulls the covers up and closes his eyes, letting the call of sleep pull him under.

Link is gone again the next morning.

--------

Pipit spends the next several days in a terrible mood, snapping at nearly everyone who comes to speak with him. Karane is the most notable exception, followed only by Fledge, who had done nothing to earn Pipit’s ire. The adults are wisely avoiding him, as they have been since Link had first disappeared, but they seem to know that any attempt at interaction today will end very, very poorly.

It’s been four days since Link had disappeared again, and currently, Pipit is dragging himself into the Bazaar in search of something to take his mind off of his younger brother. He’s only managed to take about 10 steps into the tent when his name is called, and his head snaps to the culprit, his gaze sharp. “Oh, Luv, it’s just you. Sorry. What can I do for you?”

She beckons him over, her eyes flitting around the Bazaar. “I’ve got that potion for you. Come back here with me a moment.”

“But I –”

Luv doesn’t let him protest, seizing him by the hand and pulling him into her storeroom. Bertie is standing back there as well, cradling the baby, and Pipit softens when the baby reaches out for him. Glancing at Bertie for permission, he takes the baby gently and rocks her as he waits for Luv to tell him why she’d pulled him back here.

“Pipit, Link was here the other morning,” Luv says quietly. “He came in as I was preparing for the day. I’m usually here before everyone else is, and he was here before I even noticed. Pipit, he asked for air potions.”

Pipit’s eyes narrow, his gaze locking sharply with Luvs. “What?”

“I wasn’t going to deny him, obviously, but I felt that you needed to know,” Luv twisted her hands together. “I’m concerned that his lungs are getting worse, wherever he’s been.”

Pipit rolls his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment, glancing at the door to the stockroom. “If you guys will come over for dinner tonight, I’ll tell you everything I know. Because honestly? He may need something stronger than a normal air potion by the time all of this is over.”

They all part ways after that, worry sitting heavy in Pipit’s chest. He runs through the rest of the day on autopilot, then returns home at the end of the night to begin making dinner for himself, Luv, Bertie, and the baby. It doesn’t take him long, and he’s just pulled the pot of pumpkin soup off of the fire when there’s a knock at the door.

Wiping his hands on a towel, Pipit pulls the door open and ushers the small family into the house, closing the door and locking it behind them. He didn’t used to keep the door locked, but in the weeks since Link had disappeared, his mother had been attempting to push her way back into his life, and Pipit wasn’t having any of it.

Turning back to the kitchen, Pipit encourages them to sit, swooping in and picking up the baby so that Bertie could relax. She giggled in his hold, blowing raspberries at him, then looking up and squeaking, “Ink!”

The room falls silent, and Luv clasps a hand over her mouth, teary eyed. “Did she?”

“Ink!” She squeaks again, looking around the room, growing visibly upset when she doesn’t see him. “Ink, Ink, Ink!”

Luv steps in and gently pulls her from Pipit’s stunned arms, holding her close and whispering something that Pipit can’t make out. Turning to Bertie, he stumbles over his question. “How did she – does she – what?”

“I don’t know,” Bertie says, equally shocked. “She must have heard us talking about him lately.”

Pipit sinks heavily into the remaining chair, burying his face in his hands, breathing deeply. He didn’t know how to do this. How was he supposed to explain to a baby that Link wasn’t here? That he didn’t know when he’d be back? That Pipit didn’t know if he’d ever come back? Pipit is proud of his brother, and he trusts Link and his abilities, but deep down, Pipit is terrified that something’s going to happen. He’s terrified that something will take his little brother from him, and he’ll never really know what happened to him, only that he didn’t make it back to Skyloft, like he’d promised.

A hand rests on his shoulder, and Pipit raises his head, looking up at Bertie with red rimmed eyes. “What’s going on, Pipit?”

Pipit cracks. The story spills out of him like water from Skyloft’s waterfall, and once he’s started, he can’t stop. He tells them about Headmaster Gaepora sending Link to the surface, about Ghirahim, about the lava, and everything else that Link had been through. Once he’s done, the room is silent for several long minutes.

“I can’t believe how much he’s had to do alone,” Luv finally whispers, her voice wobbling. “He should have never had to deal with any of this.”

Pipit nods, but his focus has slipped from the conversation, instead straying to the front door, where the handle is shifting. Motioning for the others to be quiet, Pipit pads over to the door, then clicks the lock and throws it open. He freezes in the doorway when he finds Link on the other side, the key falling from a trembling, bandaged hand, and hitting the dirt with a thunk.

“Ok, kid,” Pipit sniffles, yanking the younger into a crushing hug and using his foot to slide Link’s key into the house. It connects with something inside, but Pipit doesn’t turn to look, instead shuffling himself and Link through the doorway then shoving it closed with his foot without letting Link out of the hug. There’s muffled exclamations of surprise when Luv and Bertie catch sight of them, and the baby lets out another squeak.

“Ink!” Pipit laughs wetly, finally releasing Link and shoving him gently toward the baby, who is reaching for him with a wide, toothless grin. “Ink! Ink!”

Link leans down to pick her up, but loses his balance before he comes anywhere near her. He drops to his knees, shuddering, and Pipit’s mirth dies as he drops down next to him. “Link?!” When Link finally looks up at him, his eyes are hazy and unfocused. Link blinks slowly, and then his eyes slip shut as he lists to the side, falling into Bertie’s outstretched arms. “Link? Link, c’mon, wake up!”

“Don’t shake him,” Bertie scolds gently, adjusting Link in his hold. “We don’t know if that’ll make it worse.” He stands, lifting Link easily. “Can you pull the covers up on the bed? We’ll need to get him out of these clothes and cleaned up a bit.”

Pipit blinks hard, the looks Link over again. Now that Bertie had mentioned it, Pipit could see all of the little cuts and scrapes that littered Link’s body, with small bloodstains on his clothes. “I – yeah, of course.” He hurries over to the bed while Luv soothes the baby behind them, pulling up the covers on Link’s bed and smoothing out the pillows. Bertie lays him down only moments later, and then he turns back to Pipit.

“Alright, Pip, I’ll need your help with this. We need to get his layers off, and the chainmail needs to go, but we need to do it without hurting him more.” Bertie looks at him intently. “Can you do this?” Pipit nods, and Bertie waits a moment before nodding as well. “Okay. I’m going to lift him up, and I need you to start with the outer shirt.”

Bertie counts to three, then lifts Link’s torso carefully as Pipit begins to work the outer shirt off of him. He quickly removes the undershirt as well, then trades places with Bertie as the man sets to work on the chainmail. Pipit leans Link back against his own chest as Bertie works his arms from the sleeves, letting his brother’s head fall back to rest on his shoulder, carding a hand through his hair. When Bertie motions for him to lift Link more, Pipit obliges, and the chainmail is gone soon after.

“Okay,” Bertie sighs. “Now we just need to get the last shirt off, and then we’re good to start treating him.”

Back at the kitchen table, the baby lets out a wail, and Pipit casts a glance between Link and the baby. “I…I can’t do this, Bertie.” He stumbles back from the bed, his chest heaving as his breaths quicken. “I – I can’t –”

“Hey, hey, breathe, Pip,” Bertie soothes, hands out like he’s approaching a spooked Loftwing. “Just breathe, kid, Luv and I will handle it, it’s alright.” Guiding Pipit to the table, he pushed him gently into a chair, then takes the baby from Luv’s arms and plops her in Pipit’s lap. “You and Sparrow just hang out here, alright? We’ll take care of him.”

Holding Sparrow close, Pipit takes several deep breaths. “I know you will,” He croaks out eventually. “I just…every time he’s come home, the injuries have been worse and worse, and now…” he sucks in a breath, eyes fixed on Sparrow. “Now I don’t think I can do it alone, anymore.”

“You don’t have to, love,” Luv offers gently. “We’re here to help.”

Pipit watches as they move toward the bed, working to get the last shirt off of Link. From his spot at the table, he can’t see all of the wounds clearly, but he does see how many bandages they use, the empty rolls piling up on the floor. Finally, Luv reaches down to unwind the bandage from around Link’s hand, and Pipit catches a glimpse of raised marks across Link’s palm. He’s on his feet before he realizes, Sparrow’s face tucked securely into his shoulder, and he moves to stand over the bed, hovering at Luv’s side.

“What happened?” He breathes out, lost.
The raised marks spread across Link’s hand like fire, twisting and curling and feathered at the edges. They’re an angry red, and every time something brushes against it, Link flinches, even in sleep. Luv looks over them with a critical eye, while Bertie rummages through his bag of potions. “We’re not sure. I’ve never seen a wound like this before. If I had to guess, though…” he trails off, his eyes flicking to the window and back before meeting Pipits. “If I had to guess,” he repeats, “it looks like a lightning wound.”

A lightning wound? Pipit’s face twists, his expression curdling into something much darker than usual. “If I find out that that Goddess damned demon had something to do with this, he’s going to wish he’d never laid a hand on my baby brother!” Whirling around, Pipit begins to pace, Sparrow’s small puffs of breath against his neck reminding him of his passenger.
Luv and Bertie finish rewrapping Link’s hand with a potion soaked bandage, then move back toward the kitchen table.

Pausing, Pipit realizes that Sparrow is asleep, and he takes a deep breath then carefully shifts her from his shoulder and nestles her in the crook of Link’s arm. She sighs contentedly as he steps away. He collapses into his chair at the table for the umpteenth time that night, his head hitting the wood with a thunk. “Gaepora’s lucky I don’t send him down there to figure all this out instead,” he grumbles. Luv and Bertie both laugh.

Pipit turns his head to the side. “I don’t want to let him leave again,” he admits softly. “But I know I wont be able to stop him. I want him and Zelda home safe, but…”

“But you don’t want him to kill himself trying to make that happen.” Bertie finishes. Pipit just nods, not trusting himself to speak much more. “He’s a tough kid, Pip,” Bertie says quietly, his fingers laced together under his chin. “He can do this.”

Pipit just sighed. He knew Link could do this. He knew that his brother was strong, and resilient, and brave beyond his years, but there was only so much that Link could take.

Pipit didn’t want to see him break.

--------

Link is up and moving again the next morning, despite Pipit’s insistence that he should stay in bed, resting. Every time Pipit turns his back for more than half a second, Link is swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, pushing himself to stand on shaky legs. By the fifth occurrence, Pipit has all but given up, fighting the intense urge to shake Link by the shoulders to try and knock some sense into him. “For the love of Hylia, would you lay back down and rest?!” He finally snaps.

Link narrows his eyes, his hands rising. ‘How can you expect me to rest when I don't know what's happening to her?’ His movements are sharp, much less fluid and graceful than normal. ‘I have to keep moving and find information about this - Triforce thing, and the Headmaster is the only person who would know!’

“I know, Link!” Pipit shouts, his frustration boiling over. “But he's the one who hurt you in the first place, and I need to know that he's not going to hurt you again!”

Link rears back, startled. His hands rise, then falter, and for a moment he looks completely and utterly lost. Pipit sighs. “I'm sorry, kiddo. I'm not upset with you. I just…” he trails off, closer into a chair at the table. “I just can't watch you get hurt again. I can’t-”

He buries his face in his hands, letting his shoulders slump as the anger drains from his chest. Link's footsteps thump softly across the floor, almost inaudible, and then he's sitting down next to Pipit.

‘He can't hurt me,’ Link signs. ‘Not if he wants his daughter back.’

“I know, but-”

Link lays a hand on Pipit’s shoulder, silencing him. ‘It’ll be okay. But you can come with me, if it'll make you feel better.’

Pipit snorts. “When did you grow up so much?” He shakes his head as he pushes himself to his feet. “Of course im going with you.”

‘Great, let's go now.’ Link is nearly out the door before Pipit catches him, and they play a strange version of tag through the streets of Skyloft as they make their way to the Academy. People stop and stare as they sprint by, the other knights and students cheering at the sight of Link back on Skyloft.

“Don't let him catch you, Link!” Karane hollers out as they run past, a cheeky grin on her face. “You've always been faster than him!”

Pipit sees Link throw a wink at her over his shoulder before he takes an abrupt left turn. He uses his momentum to scramble up the side of two stacked crates as Pipit gapes up at him. “Cheater!”

Link just sticks his tongue out at him before his face disappears over the ledge. With a huff, Pipit climbs up the crates behind him, and vates up to Link at the doors, where he's waiting impatiently. As soon as he's next to him, Link pushes the door open and steps inside, beelining for the Headmaster's room while Pipit moves determinedly behind him.

Link doesn't bother knocking before he throws the door open, startling Gaepora enough that the man drops his book. “I beg your pardon!”

“Then beg,” Pipit says flatly, “because neither of us respect you enough to show any more courtesy. Link has questions. You're going to answer them.”

When Pipit glances back over, Link is glaring at Gaepora, his eyes dark. He shoves a small piece of paper toward him, and Pipit takes it carefully, smoothing out the creases. “What is the Triforce?”

“Why do you need to know?” Gaepora demands, shutting his book harshly. “There is no reason for you to need this information.”

Link tilts his head dangerously, his hands curled tightly into fists at his sides. Pipit raises an eyebrow. “Do you want your daughter back? Because if Link is supposed to save her, then you'll answer his questions. Otherwise, she's never coming home.”

Gaepora stares at them, open mouthed, before he finally speaks. “The Triforce is a gift from the Goddess,” he says reluctantly. “Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Three parts that, when united, can grant the user one wish. It is incredibly powerful. And I know nothing more about it.”

Link jabs another question on the paper, and Pipit reads it out. “What about the words of the ceremony song? Don’t sing. Just tell me the words.”

Gaepora narrows his eyes. “Why?”

“Because he asked for it, that’s why,” Pipit spits out. “Now tell him. I’m sick of you questioning the information he needs to save your daughter.”

The Headmaster’s expression sours, but he rattles off the words to the song regardless. He kicks them out of his office as soon as he’s done. When the door slams behind them, Link turns and signs something at the door, but Pipit can’t see his hands well enough to make it out. Then, he turns and storms out of the Academy, heading toward one of the two windmills that sits around the edge of Skyloft.

Pulling something from his bag, Link aims it at the small pinwheel on the back of the windmill and activates it, turning the pinwheel, and simultaneously, the windmill. The structure rotates slowly, then grinds to a stop and begins to glow as Link tucks the item away, then stalks off toward the other windmill. Pipit follows him curiously, but winces when he sees that the other windmill has no pinwheel. A snarl on his lips, Link turns to Pipit, gesturing furiously at the missing pinwheel.

“Yes, Link, I can see that it’s gone. I don’t know what you want me to do about it.”

One hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose, Link makes a vague sign for ‘investigate’, and Pipit blinks. “Oh. Right. That would probably help.”

They spend the next several minutes trying to figure out where the pinwheel went, but eventually Jakamar comes up to Pipit, ignoring Link as though he isn’t even there. “Are you having some trouble, Pipit?”

Pipit doesn’t waste time beating around the bush. “What happened to the pinwheel that used to be here?”

“Aw, that old thing?” Jakamar scratches his head. “That thing fell ages ago. Somewhere beneath the clouds. It’s as good as gone, now. Don’t bother with it.” He turns and wanders off as Pipit stares at his back, anger bubbling just below the surface.

A tap on his shoulder brings him back to focus on the task at hand, where Link is now speaking with a faintly glowing blue and purple woman that appeared from literally nowhere. Pipit, startled by her sudden appearance, jumps, then grabs Link’s shoulder. “Kid, who is that?!”

‘Fi!’ He gestures proudly. ‘Sword spirit. My friend. She’s finding which region the pinwheel fell into, and I’ll go back down and get it. While I do that, I need you to go bother Gondo until he gives you his old robot. Just give him this. Be back soon!’ Link shoves an odd looking flower into his hands, then throws himself off of the landing pad. A piercing whistle echoes up seconds later, and Pipit wants to scream.

“Hylia, give me patience,” he mutters, heading back toward the Bazaar. “Because if you give me strength, that kid will never jump off this island again.”

By the time Pipit has gotten the robot from Gondo and made his way back to the second windmill, Link has returned and is waiting for him at the base. ‘Found it. Fi will ask him to go down and grab it.’

As if called by Link's sign of her name, the sword spirit tumbles gracefully from the blade. Pipit can't understand a word she says, but Link nods, then sighs something else and points at the robot. There's an exchange between robot and spirit before the robot flatly ground the clouds, and Link turns back to him. “His name is Scrapper. Thanks for getting him for me.”

Pipit rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You're lucky. Gondo was in an awful mood because I distracted him from his precious work, and nearly didn't give him to me.”

Link just grins at him. ‘That's why I sent you.’

Pipit wants to strangle him, sometimes, but he restrains himself. “Hylia, kid. One of these days…”

Lucky for Link, he's interrupted by Scrappers return. The little robot chatters loudly as it reinstalls the pinwheel, largely ignoring the two Skyloftians and speaking to Fi. “Will that be all, Mistress Fi, bzzz?”

Fi looks to Link, who nods. Whatever she says to the robot sends him soaring away, and Link just shakes his head. ‘What a little shit.’

Piptk barks out a laugh. ‘You two should get along great, then!’

Link shoots him a dirty look, then turns away and pulls out the same item from before and aims it at the pinwheel. The windmill rotates, and then something rises out from the top. After he tucks the item away, Link begins to climb up the ladder on the side. Pipit scrambles up after him, and as he climbs over the edge, his jaw drops in awe.

Link stands in the center of the newly raised dais, Zelda's golden harp in his hands. Hylia's crest glows on the floor under his feet, and the wind cards through his hair in a gentle breeze. Running his fingers along the strings, the crest glows brighter and Fi re-emerges from the sword, taking up her spot across from Link.

The glow on the floor sweeps inward, then outward, creating a steady rhythm that Link follows. The music from the harp rings out clearly in the air, and Fi sings along, the two sound cautiously a beautiful melody. The sound grows and grows, and when it reaches its crescendo, the platform rumbles and turns under Pipit’s feet. He wobbles as he regains his balance, watching with sharp eyes as the sun shines through the opening in the roof, lining up perfectly with the raised, round glass on the far edge of the platform.

The glow collects slowly, turning the glass into a bright pool of sunlight before a beam shoots from its center. It flies through the air and collides with the barrier of clouds in the distance, and Pipit watches as a hole is formed. Link turns to him with a satisfied smile. ‘You coming with?’

“Of course I am!”

Once they're back at the base of the windmill, they sprint to the edge and throw themselves off, whistling for their birds in unison. It takes less than five seconds for the birds to catch them and then Link and Phoenix put on a burst of speed as they lead the way. Pipit and Fern follow.

When they fly through the clouds, it begins to rain in full force, the icy droplets pelting their skin as they fly. Skytails cut through the air above, screeching loudly when they catch sight of them. Link and Phoenix dive sharply to avoid the claws from one, and Pipit and Fern bank to the left to avoid another.

It takes them several minutes to make their way to the large tower on the other side of the barrier, but finally, they touch down safely. There's some sort of puzzle laid out before them, and Link immediately sets to work trying to figure it out. After a minute or so, Pipit jumps in a well, together, they manage to solve the puzzle fairly quickly. Once the bridge is aligned, the cross, then drop down and crawl through the small tunnel entrance.

They emerge into a long hallway. They trudge down to the end, water dripping from them as they go, until it opens up into a large platform, and Link turns to Pipit. ‘Stay here.’

“What? No!”

‘Stay. Here.’ Link signs again, his signs harsher this time. ‘There's nothing in here that will hurt us.’

“You can't know that,” Pipit argues in return, his voice rising. “Why can't I come with you?”

Link stares at him, an eyebrow raised. ‘You sound like a child. Also, because this is my quest, not yours. Now stay here.’ He turns and leaves, making his way determinedly onto the platform and Pipit doesn't follow.

“Stupid, reckless younger brothers,” he mutters to himself, his arms crossed.

Once he reaches the end, Link shifts his stance and raises his sword skyward. Light collects on the tip then travels down the blade until it shines brightly in the darkness of the room. When Link slices downward, a beam of light streaks from the sword and strikes the floating goddess crest. The room shakes.

From the vast, empty space before them, a goddess statue emerges, its mouth moving as it sings. Fi emerges once more from the sword, her melodious voice echoing through the cavern as Link pulls out Zelda’s harp. His fingers dance across the strings as Fi sings again, a breeze emerging from nowhere to run through the tower.

When the phenomenon ends, Link turns and makes his way back to Pipit. He motions for them to head outside, but doesn't waste any time once they get there. He guides them back to Skyloft, makes sure Pipit lands safely, then takes off for one of the colored beams in the clouds.

—-----

Link doesn't return for days, this time. Sure, Pipit will see Phoenix streaking toward the colored beams, or flying to the large cloud barrier, but Link doesn't step foot on Skyloft for around four days.

In that time, Groose disappears. It sends Strich and Cawlin into a frenzied spiral, and they end up banging on Pipit’s door. It takes forever to calm them down, and when they finally leave, Pipit can't help but heave a sigh of relief. Honestly, he didn't know what had happened to Groose, but he wasn't going to tell the boys that.

Link shows up later that evening, looking shell shocked and numb. His eyes skip over Pipit as he walks unsteadily toward the house, and Pipit hovers behind him uncertainly until they're both safely inside. Once the door is locked, Pipit guides Link to the table and pushes him gently into a chair, carefully tugging the sword, shield, and chainmail off of him. “Link? Kiddo, can you hear me?”

Link looks up at him numbly, his face blank. His hands tremble as they rise from his lap. ‘She's Hylia, Pipit.’

“Huh?”

‘She's Hylia. Zelda is Hylia. She planned this. I…’ Link's hands shake badly enough that Pipit has a hard time reading the signs. ‘She knew what was going to happen.’

Pipit couldn't believe it. “What?” He shakes his head in disbelief. “No, she couldn't have. She wouldn't do this to you.”

‘Her memories came back after she fell,’ comes the slow response. ‘Hylia made a plan eons ago.’ Abruptly, Link stops signing, his hands pressed flat on the table. On the back of his right hand are three glowing triangles. They pulse faintly, almost like a heartbeat, and Link stares at them with barely concealed anger. ‘She needed me to get these,’ his hands spit out once Link pulls them from the table. ‘She needed me to be strong enough for this. All the fighting. All the trials, Ghirahim-’

Link's head falls, connecting with the table loudly. Reaching over, Pipit runs a hand up and down his spine. “It'll be okay, Ink. I promise.”

‘But it's not over.’ Link signs, his eyes filled with tears. ‘It's still not over. And I don't know how long until it is.’

—-----
Link disappears again, and everything is quiet for several hours. Maybe Pipit is overthinking things, but it seems like the island is frozen in a state of anticipation. The air feels heavy. People talk in hushed voices, casting curious glances at the sky above them. Pipit is standing in the Plaza, talking quietly with Karane when the island shakes.

“What was that?” Karane gasps, one hand shooting out to grasp his shoulder. “What's happening?!”

“I don't know,” Pipit responds, his eyes darting around the island. Everyone had stopped, terror on their faces as the shaking died down. “C'mon.” Carefully, he tugs Karane deeper into the island, heading towards where the shaking seemed to originate from. They round the corner, and Pipit stops dead in his tracks. “Holy Hylia…”

Part of the island had fallen away, revealing a tiered stone structure where dirt and grass used to be. There's no sign of Link, but Pipit is sure that this had something to do with him.

“What in Hylia’s name is going on here?” Karane stares, open-mouthed. Pipit has no answer for her, still stunned into silence by the events he'd just seen. The island seems unnaturally still, now, its inhabitants holding their breath to see what would happen next. Several minutes pass like this, and Pipit almost thinks that it's over when the island shakes again.

The spiraled stone structure that's attached to the bottom of the statue of the goddess shakes, dust and small stones falling from it as it begins to fall. Shouts and screams rise around the island as everyone watches their beloved statue fall into the cloud below.

As it falls, Pipit catches a flash of green standing tall on the statue's platform, and his breath catches in his throat. “You've got this, kiddo. Come home soon.”

—-----
When Link, Zelda, and Groose reappear, Pipit truly thinks that Link is dead.

He hangs limply in between the other two teens, one arm slung over each of their shoulders as they run through the Plaza. Pipit sprints after them, his heart pounding in his ears as he screams for Luv and Bertie. When they burst into Pipit’s house, he pushes past them and swipes an arm across the table, clearing it instantly. Dishes clatter to the ground as Luv grabs a blanket and spreads it across the wood, the sound finally stirring Link, who lifts his head as much as he’s able. “P-Pip?”

“Hey, Ink,” Pipit whispers as they lay him on the blanket. “You’re gonna be okay, kiddo. Just hang on for me. What happened?!” His question is aimed at Zelda and Groose, but Zelda shakes her head.

“I - I don’t know, I wasn’t-”

“He fought Demise,” Groose interrupts, his hair falling limply around his face. His usual pompadour was gone, but he didn’t seem to care. “He fought through a horde of monsters, then fought that stupid demon again, and then disappeared with Demise and showed back up looking like this. He didn’t drop until the Master Sword was back in it’s pedestal. He just went down.” Groose worries his lip, looking down at Link. “I have no idea what happened. He disappeared, then Zelda finally woke up, and then he showed back up and just…dropped.”

On the table, Link’s eyes roll back into his head and he passes out. Pipit doesn’t know if he should be grateful or terrified. The flurry of motion around him is dizzying, and Pipit reaches out to pull the other two teens back a few steps so that Luv and Bertie have room to work. As he passes, Bertie carefully presses Sparrow into Pipit’s arms. He holds onto her as a small hand curls around one finger. “Ink?”

Behind them, Luv cursed, ignoring Sparrow's call for Link. “More lightning, that’s for sure,” she bit out. At her side, Bertie was wrapping bandages up and down Link’s arms, then moving to wrap one around his head where blood had slowly trickled down into Link’s eyes. “I don’t even want to imagine what his lungs will be like now.”

Pipit shakes his head. He couldn’t think about that now. Turning to Zelda and Groose, he plants his free hand on his hip. “OK. You two, out. Don’t argue!” He holds up a hand, and their mouths snap shut. “I’m leaving too. I’ve just got to grab our things. Is the Surface safe now?”

Zelda nods. “Yes. We would’ve stayed down there and sent back for you all, but we couldn’t help him there. The green portal is the safest.”

“Good. Grab your things, and go. I want you out of Gaepora’s reach. As soon as Link can be moved, I’m coming down there with him. I don’t know what everyone else will do, but I need you two to find a safe space where Link will have time to recover, without all of them getting in the way. Can you do that?”

They nod, and Pipit shoos them out the door. Turning to Luv and Bertie, he deflates. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Not now,” Luv shoots him a sympathetic smile. “We just need time to work. Gather your things, and go find out where the other two are planning to set up. Make sure that it’s alright. We’ll be down with him as soon as we can. Don’t worry about Sparrow’s things. We’ll get them.”

Reluctantly, Pipit does as he’s asked, drifting around the house and gathering items. He sends one last concerned look back at Link before he leaves, and he doesn’t speak to anyone else as he stalks through the Island, Sparrow still nestled securely in his arms. Several of the adults try to stop him, try to speak with him, but he doesn’t let them. The only ones he speaks to are the other teens, and they all seem in agreement about heading down to the surface with them. By the time he’s reached the Plaza Landing, Groose and Zelda are waiting for him.

“We’ll have more people coming down with us,” Pipit informs them. “One of you needs to stay here and tell them where to go.”

Groose jumps at the offer, so Zelda and Pipit jump from the Plaza and let their Loftwings dive with them through the green portal. Sparrow shrieks with glee as they fly, the stress of Link’s return and poor condition brushed from her mind, and Pipit feels the ghost of a smile curl across his lips. At least one of them was doing alright.

It doesn’t take them long to set back down on the ground, their Loftwings roaming about curiously. Zelda takes the front, leading them through the trees - more trees than Pipit had ever seen before - and up to an old, marble building. She pushes through the doors, her soft sigh echoing in the large room. “We can set up here, for now,” she says, dropping her bag to the ground. “We’ll have to build some more permanent houses, but we'll be safe here.”

Pipit sighs. “Alright. Since Groose stayed up on Skyloft, I’ll need your help setting up a spot for Link.”

Zelda nods. Before they begin, though, she calls out to the Loftwings. “Don’t let her go too far, please.” The birds coo in response, and then they begin. Making their way into the room off the left of the building, they clear away sticks and twigs that have fallen from the large tree. Then, they collect the fallen leaves, shaping them into a pallet to act as a sort of cushion so that Pipit can lay a blanket over it. Once the makeshift cot is completed, they turn their attention to the rest of the area around the tree. The remaining leaves, sticks, and twigs are removed from the area and tossed into a pile out of the back doors of the temple. Once the temple is cleared, they set up their small piles of belongings in the same area as Link’s cot. After that, there's nothing to do but wait.

They don’t have to wait long, thankfully. The other teens begin to trickle in after only a few minutes,and within the hour, Link, Luv, and Bertie are with them as well. The two adults come in slowly, Link cradled carefully in Bertie’s arms as Luv holds the door open. There’s several loud gasps from the group of teenagers when Link is once again laid out on his cot. Pipit’s not surprised. Link looks bad. The bandage around his head is stained red where the cut still bleeds. His arms are more bandage than skin. Link’s right hand has been completely wrapped in bandages, including his fingers. Lightning wounds wrap their way up part of Link’s neck, and his top layers have been cut off, leaving Link’s bandaged chest covered only by the blanket that Bertie pulls over him.

“We’ve done all that we can,” Luv says, smoothing Link’s hair away from his face. “The rest is up to him.”

—-----
It takes four days for Link to wake.

Four days of waiting, four days of uncertainty, four days of utter terror that Pipit never wants to feel again. Zelda has barely left Link’s side, and Pipit can’t blame her. He doesn't want to leave Link either, but sitting and watching him doesn’t seem to help him the way it does Zelda. He’s with Groose lying the frame for one of the several houses they’ve all planned out when Fledge tears toward them, an enormous grin on his face.

“He’s awake!”

The log falls from Pipit’s hands, sending up a cloud of dirt when it hits the ground. For a moment, he’s frozen. Then Fledge yells again, and time unfreezes, and Pipit takes off at a run. Behind him, he can hear the commotion from Groose, Fledge and the others. But Pipit doesn’t turn back. He sprints through the trees, across the green, and bursts into the Temple with a shout. “Link!”

True to Fledge’s word, Link’s awake. Zelda sits at his side, clutching one of his hands. Bertie sits behind Link, helping to support him and keep him upright as Luv rewinds bandages around his arm. He’s by Link’s side within seconds, bumping Zelda gently out of the way and throwing his arms around Link. “You absolute asshole!” Pipit sobs out against Link’s shoulder. “If you ever do that to me again, I swear to Hylia-”

Link’s hands come up to clutch the back of his shirt, and Pipit stops. His grip is almost painful, blunt fingernails digging into the skin of his back through his spare shirt. “Link?” There’s a sudden heave against his shoulder, and then Link is sobbing, violent, chest heaving sobs, even though he never makes a sound. “Oh, kiddo.”

Pipit pulls him closer, curling around Link as much as he can in an attempt to shield him from anything and everything around them. They stay like this for longer than Pipit cares to keep track of, only separating when Link’s tears have dried up and his grip eases. “Better?”

Link nods, his eyes cast toward the blanket that pools in his lap. ‘Thought I was never going to see you again,’ he signs shakily. ‘Thought I was never going to come home.’

Zelda chokes back a sob behind them, but Pipit just reaches out and rests a hand over Link’s trembling, bandaged ones. “You’re not leaving my sight for the next year,” he says, deathly serious. “You’re staying where we can see you. You’re always going to come home, okay? At the end of every day, you’ll see me, and Zelda, and Groose, and everyone else who loves and cares about you.”

“That’s right,” Groose says from behind them as he makes his way toward the bed. “Good luck getting away from us now, Link.”

Link smiles, small and uncertain. Pipit decides to play his best card. “But hey,” he shrugs, motioning for Luv to bring Sparrow closer. “If you’re not convinced, then good luck getting away from this one. You’re her new favorite person.”

As if she’d understood him, Sparrow squeals at the sight of Link, her small, chubby hands reaching out and grabbing for him. Link doesn’t fight it, and she toddles up to him, turns around, and parks herself firmly in her lap. “Ink!”

Things are going to be okay.

Of course, they never stay that way for long.