Chapter Text
When they knelt at the goddess statue on the little island in the babbling brook that drifts through Kakariko they did not expect to hear anything anymore. They didn't even kneel there to pray, it was just that the sliver of divinity they could feel warmed them in a way that the sun did not. Link knew both they and Zelda did this, sit and commune with the goddess statues with no purpose in mind. The malice scars on both of the chosen's souls and bodies would ache less in the following days, goddess light lingering within. Sometimes it would serve as a journal, sometimes as a way to talk things over with themself.
Today was not what they had assumed, though. As they knelt down they could feel that prevalent light blooming through their being, but for the first time in a while there was a voice. There had been humming and gentle music occasionally, but they had not heard that gilded voice since the end of their quest. "Link," she echoed. "I hope you may find it in your being to forgive me, but your work is not done."
No.
No, no, no.
They were done, their quest was over, they saved Zelda, lived in a little house on a hill with Paya, and had set Fi to sleep in Korok Forest.
"I tried my hardest to avoid calling for you, Hero of the Wild. You have done too much already- it was all I could do to wait this long. They will not be able to succeed without your strength."
Curse Hylia as much or as little as they might, it would not change this. A sigh, quiet acceptance burning. "You still have some time, Link, prepare for your journey and allow your loved ones to send you off, little one."
Their forehead collided with one of the offerings at their knees, the sake bottle clinking against the cup left for the goddess. The sound jarred link from their stillness and they drew up in a languid stretch, savoring the ache in their left shoulder and the pull of muscles in their arm. The Sheikah steel of their prosthetic dug into the soft moss and clover of the island as they stood and turned away from the goddess statue, walking over the little bridge with silent steps. They had things to do and letters to send, it seemed.
Letters had been written, Impa had been told- she huffed and pulled Link down by their earlobe to ruffle their hair- and the Sheikah Slate had been organized. Their traditional Sheikah outfit had since been swapped out for something more travel ready- and less noticeable. The teal Champion's Tunic was of course bright, but the tan pants and navy hood dull the color to something less bright feeling. Their pair of leather gloves makes their hands identical and the cloth mask hides the scars reach up far past their neckline.
Prosthetic limbs charged and focus set on raiding their weapon stash, they almost startled when Paya sighed from behind them. "I suppose I won't see you for a while, Link?"
She drapes her form over their back, letting an arm trail down their chest. "You better come back alive, Link."
They sigh and knock their head against her chin. Paya pokes their sternum playfully, this is an interaction they've had many times before, though maybe not with these words. Letting the Great Flameblade rest back against the wall, Link turns into Paya's torso, burying their face in her neck. They've both always been quiet and now is not an exception. There's scarcely a word exchanged in the time they stand there, locked to the other's form. Something has to break the moment, however; and that something comes in the form of a great swirling rift, like space and time have failed locally. The edge of the wound bleeds purple fog that is sucked away and Link feels a pull in their gut- this is something that could not ever be ignored.
"Yeah Linky, love you too."
Another sigh as they pull themself away, then grab a sledgehammer as long as they're tall from next to the flameblade. "Just go already, Link. The pull can't be comfortable."
She's right, it's not. They wait a moment longer anyways, then sigh and bump shoulders with Paya so hard both of them stumble and grin. "Shoo, you idiot!" she laughs, twisting and shoving them towards the rift.
Red eyes meet eerie teal for one last moment before Link steps into unreality. They're smiling under their mask like a fool, and a lovesick one at that. The rift is a soul-deep gut punch that knocks the wind out of them, sending them stumbling for what feels like an eternity and less than a second at the same time. They barely catch themself from slipping down a stony staircase before whatever holds their soul in place snaps back into action.
As they regain their bearings they curiously look around, recognizing this place as a... a very new looking Hyrule Castle, actually. It's certainly not the Hyrule Castle of their time, or even that of a century ago. This is one is smaller, less grand. It also has guards at the top of the stairs gawking at Link, who realizes that they look incredibly suspicious, what with the hood and mask and nondescript clothing. "Hey!" calls the guard on the left, leveling their halberd at Link. "You're under arrest for trespassing in the castle!"
The guard on the right takes a moment to register his ally's action, but catches up soon enough. "Y-yeah! Drop the hammer!"
Link pauses, staring at them with a baffled expression. The gently set the sledgehammer on the tile, then awkwardly raise their hands.
"What's your name, mister 'i can trespass on castle grounds whenever I want'?"
They sigh, fingerspelling 'L-I-N-K.'
"Nice try kid, you're not Link. He's two heads taller than you, at least! Now, tell me your real name or you're getting thrown in the dungeons!"
"We were gonna do that anyways, man," mumbles the other guard, leveling his halberd as well.
Well, this is a situation. They repeat themself, signing 'My name is L-I-N-K,' again, but a little more pointed.
"Well, you've made your decision! Off to the dungeons for you, kid," grumbles the left guard, gesturing in a way that is probably supposed to be threatening with his polearm.
Well, Link thinks as they're led through a corridor and down a staircase. That could have gone better.
As the guards are locking Link into their new cell, an eclectic group of Hylians start their walk from Castle Town to Hyrule Castle. A handful wear plate and mail, but most wear sturdy tunics over their armor if they have any. Most wear some shade of green, though shades of red and blue are also worn- one of them even wears a patchwork tunic in red, green, blue and purple!
They're chattering among themselves as the two guards return to their post, though one of them sets the huge hammer against one of the nearby pillars. "Sir Link!" greets the guard on the left. "Here to talk with the queen, I assume? And what a traveling party you have as well!"
This 'Sir Link' just nods with a smile, ushering the group of eight through the grand doors of the sanctum. The queen sits on her throne, looking regally bored as ever, if thankful for her friend's interruption of the monotony. They have a quick verbal battle, dotted with inside jokes and longstanding friendship. Eventually, though, she invites them to her office so that they might talk more. Specifically, she invites them in with this sentence- "Now, I think all you Links and I should talk more in my study, I can certainly give you all more information with the resources I have there."
"Wait, Links?" murmurs one of the guards, having moved to the inside of the door to keep an eye on the newcomers talking to the queen. "That guy said 'ey were named Link, right?"
"Yeah, actually," replies the other, a bit louder than he needed to.
That, of course, sets every eye in the traveling party on the guards, as well as the queen's. "Is there something either of you would like to say, men?" asks Queen Zelda.
Both guards flush red, the second one elbowing the first nervously. "Well, uh, your majesty, this guy-"
"Real suspicious lookin!"
"Yeah, this real suspicious guy showed up in the entry hall with a giant hammer-"
"Tall as 'e was, I swear!"
"Yeah, and 'e said his name was Link!"
"'s fine though, we put'im in the dungeon," finishes the second guard, looking proud at first but quickly wilting the the combined weight of nine stares.
"Would you two gentlemen," starts the queen, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Care to bring this Link up to my study?"
"Yes, your majesty!" they chorus, standing at attention.
"Now."
"A-ah, of course!" squeaks the first one, pulling the second out of the doors after him.
Link sits up from where they were leaning against the stone wall as they hear footsteps coming down the stairwell. Thump, thump, thump, thump. Soon enough that same pair of guards arrive at their cell, grumbling to each other. One makes eye contact with Link and startles, "Hylia's tits- 'is fucking eyes!"
They grin, not that the guards could see it through their mask. Even Paya gets startled by their glowing teal irises and these guards have only just met them. "Shut up," grumbles the one carrying the torch. "You're coming with us, the queen wants you in her study."
Link stands, stretches, and exits their cell- but not before getting manhandled into a pair of iron manacles. "All right, follow him, I'll be behind you- so no funny business, gotcha?"
With a sigh they acquiesce and are lead along with a chain. Up the stairs from the dungeons to the main floor, through a series of halls and up another stairway- guarded- and to a large door. The three wait there for a moment, then the one in front opens the door and steps aside so they might shove and jostle Link into the study. A few moments later the guards have managed to wrangle Link into kneeling on the carpet, hands bound and dungeon dirt caked on their clothes. The hood's still up but the latter guard pulls it back roughly. The blonde woman who can only be Queen Zelda sits at her large desk, golden hair and blue eyes shining. Across the desk from her are eight Hylians who are clearly adventurers, all of whom are heavily armed and similarly staring at Link. They miss their hammer.
The fact that they can summon other weapons to their hand in an instant is irreverent, they still miss the hammer.
She turns her gaze to the guards incredulously and they take it as a signal to be more rude to Link, one of them kicking their good leg and grumbling "Go on, bow."
"Gentlemen," she speaks, quietly and firmly. "Show yourselves out, kindly."
The two guards leave quietly and close the door behind them. Their mind flits between every detail in the room- expectant stares, long silence, heavy iron on their wrists. The room is silent for a moment, then the shifting of chains speaks for Link as they bow as best they can, given they're kneeling on the floor. At least three of the adventurers take a sharp breath at their action and the queen herself starts. "Oh, no, please don't bow. I dare say you've been treated horribly by my knights and they will be punished as such."
They try to find it in themself to relax but don't quite manage it. Tension winds in their chest, murky memories of castle life swirling and threatening to pull them below. Nonetheless, they straighten their back even though they remain kneeling. "I'm guessing that your name is Link, correct?" murmurs the queen.
They nod. They haven't blinked since they entered this room. "And I assume you have done your part in saving your kingdom or another, correct?"
Another nod. Zelda has been telling them that they had saved Hyrule, no matter what their own thoughts say- and besides, it was a vague enough question that they don't feel that gnawing in their chest. The adventurers off to Link's side share a quiet glance, murmuring things like 'but it's been so long since someone new joined us!' and 'what an introduction to this mess...'
Eventually, the silence is broken by the youngest of the adventurers, a teen with sun-bleached blonde hair and an oddly familiar blue lobster tunic. "Wow, another Hero!"
Link waves quietly at the kid and tilts their head. 'Your name?' they sign, chains shifting with the movement.
The teen's accent is more noticeable this time, his words spilling like one of the sailors that occasionally drift by Lurelin. "Aye well, we're all named Link so we jus' use nicknames! I'm Wind!"
Link blinks and shakes their head, staring at the eight heroes before them. The eight heroes who aren't walking monuments to a past failure, the eight heroes who still have all their limbs. The eight heroes who did their job right the first time. They speak for the first time today as they turn to the group, incidentally showing off their missing ear. "What," murmurs Link, voice quiet and rough.
The hero in plate armor and a fanciful blue scarf sighs quietly to himself- though Link still hears it- "Okay, look" he begins. "We are all Links from different eras, brought together by who knows what on a quest that we have no details about. We've been traveling between eras for a couple months to kill off black-blooded monsters."
"Before your... sudden arrival, the hero of Legend-" he jabs his thumb back at a disgruntled looking blonde in a red tunic and a teal hat- "was the latest to join us... and that was two months ago."
The scarf-flaunting hero continues to talk, something about having to adjust to teamwork and the like but it is all Link can do to not get dragged into a memory. Their sense of touch flutters in an unreachable place, somewhere between memories of harsh drill sergeants and the King's cold arrogance. "Warriors," murmurs the other hero clad in plate armor and mail, though his is much more ornate. One eye is shut and careful lines of red and blue mark his face like a festival mask. "Calm down."
Link shifts in their spot on the floor absently as people talk, cataloging the weapons and magic in the room to try and keep their focus off how trappedtrappedtrappedstuckchaineddown they feel. Queen Zelda has her golden light, of course, but holds herself like a Sheikah- Link would know, they do the same. They've just begun to pick out all the places she has hidden blades when Warriors snaps his fingers to grab their attention. Their one ear flicks in his direction, then they slowly make eye contact. "Come on, pay attention."
They have to strangle a growl and the urge to bare their teeth, it's best not to be antagonistic. The adventurers have the numbers advantage, after all. "There aren't any reports of black-bloods in the area, so we're going to Time's ranch. His wife runs a farm."
Warriors waits for a moment, then another. Link belatedly realizes he wants conformation of understanding and Link nods once, smoothly. "Good," grunts Warriors.
The scarf-wearing knight stands and begins to make for the door, but gets stopped by one-eye's hand on his shoulder. One-eye speaks, voice steady and firm. "Before we get moving, were you given a title? As in 'hero of so-and-so.' We've been basing nicknames on those."
Link nods and raises their heavy hands, signing 'light-goddess named me as hero of-'
Their movements are cut short, literally, as the links of the manacles pull tight with Link's motion. Link had forgotten about their chains, almost. They attempt the sign again, but the chains pull tight again. "Oh goodness, I can't believe I forgot you had those manacles on-" starts the queen, her ears flushing a little pink in embarrassment.
She darts around the desk, swiping a pair of pins from her desk as she goes, and kneels gingerly next to Link to begin picking the cuffs. They find their voice eventually, rasping "Wild," as the first cuff pops free.
"Sorry?" ask both one-eye and Wind.
Link manages "Hero of the Wild" before their voice leaves them again, getting a nod from one-eye and a grin from wind.
"Nice tah' meet'ya, Wild!" cheers Wind as the second manacle pops off.
On the walk out of the castle Link- or Wild, they suppose- manages to pick their hammer back up, slinging it over their back with a braided rope. They get a handful of one-off odd looks for it, fair enough, they suppose; everyone else has a sword. They do as well, of course, but still. Hanging towards the back of the party, Wind chatters constantly. Some things are about the rest of the group, but they don't know the names. Other things are things from the little sailor's past adventure, did this Tetra actually shoot the little blonde from a canon? Other things still are of no particular consequence. All of it is a bit soothing, like listening to waves break on a beach.
There's a brunette- one of the only in the group- off to the side a little ahead, who feels similar enough to them. Anxious and quiet, soaked with magic; however different they both are. Their sword is enchanted silver, rubies adorning the guard. Magic drips off of it like it does the brunette, simmering and ethereal. Wild- still weird, ugh- can taste the air around a fairy fountain if they focus close enough, eyes drifting closed and "Oh, that's Hyrule!"
Wind grins up at them, undeterred by their inattention. They still feel kinda guilty, though. "They're really nice and have really powerful magic!" continues Wind, breezing past any sort of mistake they might've made.
The newly named Hyrule slows their rhythm and drops back in the group, walking opposite to Wind. They wave shyly at Wild, smiling softly with their whole face. "It's nice to meet you."
Their voice is a little higher than Link- er, Wild- expected, and it rings gently in the air. "Sorry for not really speaking out on your behalf earlier. I was... drifting, I guess."
They did look a little unfocused. 'Nice to meet you too,' they sign, smiling with their eyes.
The hood is down, mostly for comfort. Nobody really likes having their ears pinned to the side of their head. Though, when the group steps through an arching passageway into what Wild realizes is castle town- a whole and unbroken, cheering and alive castle town that hits them like a stone talus- they flip their hood up. It's loud, merchants hawking goods and children playing with dogs. A couple twirl around each other by the central fountain, paying nothing but one another any mind. Someone, or maybe a couple people, are playing a twangy, cheery tune. One-eye bobs his head to the music as he leads the group.
Link stumbles as a memory crashes over them, though it's nothing big. Just the barest imprint of their own version of this. The town is too different to stir anything more that was locked away by their failure. It still hurts, though. They can taste the fresh baked bread with too-salty butter that they used to burn their tongue on with the first bite during knighthood. Why couldn't they have been better, been stronger, saved those thousands of lost lives. Why, why, why couldn't they do anything right WHY- "Hey, Wild," murmurs Hyrule, tugging them from their mind with a pull on their sleeve. "I know it's a lot, I don't have anything like this either. You get used to it quickly enough though, I think."
Shaky breath in, shaky breath out. Absently, they're grateful that their cloth mask is soaking up the trails of tears running down their face. They wish memories didn't do that, it just makes it hurt more. Wind is still at their side and bumps his hip against... well, against their thigh. They're short but not That Short. Tapping their chin and bringing the hand down and out, palm up, they sign 'thank you.'
"Course," is the quiet response, but the nature-sweet-fairy-blood-life magic swirling around Wild feels like a hug nonetheless.
Wild bumps their good shoulder into Hyrule's, letting a bit of their own, ah, spirited magic swirl at the brunette. They smile wider and Wild can see curiosity sparkle in their hazel eyes. They follow the rest of the group for a while longer, eventually walking out into the wide open stretches of Hyrule Field. Purely on instinct they knock their hood back down, scanning for any dangers nearby.
Nothing, not a bokoblin or a chuchu. No telltale marks of a guardian's patrol, gouged into the ground. It's distinctly eerie, oddly enough. As the group treks along the winding path towards what Link can only assume is the previously mentioned farm, they can't help but notice the lack of trees. Their Hyrule Field has similar stretches of meadow, but is, as a whole, more consistently a savannah. Or so Zelda tells them, at least.
Maybe an hour's walk and some quiet conversation later, Wild has been introduced to Legend properly. The veteran, as Wind called him, is a gruff, witty, bastard and Link- not again- and Wild is fond of him instantly. Both Hyrule and Wind have teased him about his hoarding tendencies and the countless (usually) magic items he keeps on hand for any situation- a kindred spirit! Maybe fifteen minutes ago Wind had started flagging behind, so he now pesters Legend and talks at the two other hylians from atop Wild's shoulders. Peering around the rest of the group ahead of them, Legend grins. "Nearly there, it'll be-"
Of course, the little pirate takes the opportunity to cheer "Ranch ho!"
He even has a spyglass held up to his face and all. Wild nods sagely as Legend sighs and rolls his eyes, making aggrieved eye contact with Hyrule for a moment. The brunette shrugs as they wander past a lone tree and around a bend and...
...
Oh. The ranch ruins.
Wild's thoughts twist around their throat, images of the ruined ranch of their time stark in their mind. Their feet are frozen to the ground, memories of the guardian stalker patrolling the fenced in area where horses now roam. They can so easily imagine the farm being overtaken the same way their castle town was, civilians screaming and running, roofs collapsing and guardian stalkers crawling over rubble and townhouses alike, hunting, hunting, hunting huntinghuntinghuntfirepain-
Wind misses the horror-pain-fear blooming on Wild's face, but Hyrule and Legend don't. "Hey," murmurs Hyrule while Legend squeezes their (prosthetic) arm. (The gesture is appreciated, but still does nothing.)
When Wild stays frozen Wind notices, looking down at an awkward angle to see stricken eyes and a pale face. His heels thump against Wild's ribcage, the left and then the right, and the teen murmurs their new nickname. They are still lost in their head regardless, that horrible klaxon screaming out. Legend punches their shoulder and only manages to make his knuckles a little sore as the veteran murmurs "Hey, Wild. You, uh, there?"
The rest of the heroes move on ahead, either not noticing or assuming that they want to hang back for a moment. Wild cannot move, stuck in a waking dream of the siren wailing, a stalker's eye focusing endlessly on the blonde, charging a laser beam that would surely kill them again. A choked whine escapes their throat, distress building until Hyrule snaps their magic like a whip. That actually gets a response from them, a gasp as the hell in their mind flickers for a moment.
While Wind lacks enough magic to truly help, Legend does not- "On three," he says, voice firm.
"One," counts Hyrule, twisting his green and brown and blue magic like a spring.
"Two," counts Legend, doing the same with his pink and orange and purple magic.
"Three," finishes Wind, legs tight around their neck and hands in their soft hair.
There's no audible sound as the two magical signatures snap Wild out of their mind, but the surprised squeak Wind makes and the simultaneous noises of pain that escape Hyrule and Legend as Wild's right foot and left arm kick and punch the brunette and the vet respectively; the magical shock disrupted Wild's prosthetics, after all. All four end up on the shaded grass just off the path, Legend catching his breath and Hyrule massaging their knee. Wild is breathing heavy and Wind is... completely fine, actually. "Ow," mumbles the brunette, pushing up into a sitting position.
The most colorful of the four wheezes, grumbling "What the hell are you made out of, steel?"
Wild snorts at Legend, chokes on nothing for a moment, then groans from where they're splayed out in the grass. "Sorry."
Wind doesn't say anything for a while, but eventually extracts himself from Wild's hair and head. "Come on, I bet Miss Malon's food will make yeh feel better quick, Wild!"
Hyrule huffs at the teen, smiling softly. Legend waves him off, asking the sailor to go on ahead. "That happen often, Wild?"
Threading their good arm under their head, they make a middling noise and wobble their hand band and forth. 'So-so.'
There's a long pause and a breeze rolls over them like a sigh. "Anything either of us can do to help?"
A shrug, then they raise their hands to sign for a moment, then decide not. "Usually jus' wait."
"Then I guess we'll wait with you," assures Hyrule.
It's quiet for a while longer, then Legend get up, groaning theatrically. "Well, if we don't move on soon they're gonna eat all of Malon's cooking."
"Can't have that," says the brunette, taking the offered hand and then extending one to Wild. "Want a hand?"
They snort quietly, reaching out to accept the gesture. Upon being pulled up to their feet they bump shoulders with Hyrule and then Legend, eyes crinkling with humor as they rasp "Most Days."