Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There were cries of anguish through the smoke infested air. The clashing of swords and sheilds rang out as haunting church bells.

Bodies were strewn about. Some dismembered some intact, but they all shared the same stiffness of death. Fires were ablaze clouding the land with smoke and an orange hue of flickering light.

Within the battlefeild a deep war cry was announced. As loud as it was it canceled out the noise of battle for the seconds that it span out.

The man, no being, the very thing that stood out from the rest of the soldiers in the battlefield. His stature and appearance made the impression of he being a god among men.

This fierce being heaved in mighty breaths. It's face as pale as the moon overhead the night sky. Its eyes glew in the darkness, with the shadows of the fire and the moon. The war paint on its face was more pronounced for all to see.

It held a mighty broad sword, which was equivalent to its height. With the shape of a double helix, the soft green and blue of the blade now contrasted with crimson.

The being continued its battle, swinging the sword with ease and precision, focussed on dispatching all enemies.

This being was like no other. The strength true but behind it all, it was a mask.

Many cowered in fear and ran. Others perished by his blade.

For he bore the title of Hero, hero of Hyrule. He was the very symbol of the Kingdom's might.

With every life he took he felt no remorse, for what he killed were rebels. Enemies of the land he swore to protect.

Rebels influenced by the teachings of the late Demon King Ganondorf. Even with the hero's involvement in exposing Ganondorf for the evil that he was.

Yet, Ganondorf's ideals survived the test of time.

People of all races from the land of Hyrule and from foreign alike. Took to the desries of Demise and made it theirs.

Which then bore a vile war, a war already taking five years away from the Hero and soldiers of Hyrule.

Beneath the Hero's rage was locked up sorrow. For he left his once peaceful home and future of a domestic life for the sake of the crown. Though, he knew where his destiny would lead him to a life of battle alone he still despaired over the shattered idea of staying with his family.

His home. Back at Lon Lon Ranch. Where his sweet wife Malon lived alongside their precious child. Before the hero left to take upon the sword once again he left his wife with a babe still in her belly.

A silent promise of the future, of family.

The war tore him away from all that hope. 

As the battle raged on the hero never relented. He was a being of pure strength continuing the ceaceless battle. Alongside him the hyrulian soldiers fought valiantly.

Though their effort seemed fruitless as the the rebels marched on. Their numbers never ending. It was as if they faced a hydra, with each head cut, more heads would sprout from the wound.

Not only did the rebels take on the ideals of the Demon King they also shared his knowledge in dark magic. The magic aided them greatly and many of the rebels were able to summon creatures known as stalfos.

Skeletal warriors, most of them bore a weathered sword or sheild. Where they lacked in skill they had numbers and durabiltity. As soldiers ran their swords through the skeletal bodies the creatures were able to assembles themselves with dark magic.

The fierce deity continued on. He targeted the rebel mages knowing that if they ceased to be so would their demonic creations.

The deity located one of these mages. The mage wore long crimson robes. A mask covered thier face, the mask bearing a simple black triangle at its center. The mage eminated dark energy and malice that curled around their body in thick waves.

This did not deter the deity, as he too emited his own sense of hunger for distruction. In his case the deep hunger in annihilating the mage before him. This did not go unoticed by the mage. The mage becan an ecantation, the words gibberish to the deity's ears.

The grass began to glow beneath the mages feet as three figures began to appear.

Realization struck the deity as the dark figures formed into tendrils and zipped behind him. Only to be met with pained sreams behind him. He glanced behind his back to see some of his fellow comrades being consumed by the tendrils. He grit his teeth in frustration and began to charge forward towards the mage with breakneck speed.

He reared his helix blade up in air, it glinted with the light of the moon. Reared towards the mage, who was still reciting their spell.

Instead of meeting flesh and bone the deitys blade was met with another. The clash of the two swords created a spark of steel agaisnt steel. A simple stalfos parried the deity's strike, preventing any injury towards the mage.

The deity's strike proved too strong for the stalfos it disintegrated at the spot.

This further enraged the deity. Before he could act three figures loomed behind him. Distracted for a slight second more stalfos emerged beneath his feet. Laching onto his boots, the deity struggled against their grip he managed to break one leg free from might alone. But when he turned to face the three figures he was shocked to see three Dark Nuts looming before him.

He was met with a great sword that cut across his right eye towards the sky.

Blood began to spew prefusely from the deity's face his mouth agape in a silent scream.

For the mighty hero, link, the world began to still. Nothing mattered, only the searing pain that now existed within his being.

The bells began to toll.

Blood seeped out of the mask.

The bells began to toll.

Link fell to his knees the power of the deity still pronounced. The Dark Nuts geared for another attack. Before they were able to act the fierce deity mask began to eminate a blinding light.

The bells began to toll.

The battlefield was consumed by the light halting friend and foe alike. Then everything snapped back to normal.

The bells began to toll.

There stood the deity with an expressing of utter madness upon its now bloodied fetures.

The. End. Is. Near.

Echoed the deity in an unearthly voice.

Never had the deity been gravely wounded in battle. In an attempt to protect the hero the fierce deity ceased at being a mask and instead fused with its user. The deity and link as one.

With the fusion of their beings the two reached a sense of peace despite the battle that brewed before them. They both shared an understanding that this would be their last battle.

And so they continued.

Link, the fierce diety, fought. And fought. Unil there was no enemy left all that stood were the remaining hyrulian soldiers. They were all in shock in seeing the mighty power of their hero of time.

Link breathed heavily. Fatigue and pain overcame him. All that he wished for was to lie down. Yet he stood firm his feet rooted to the scarred grasslands.

His vision became blurry the world becoming dark and quiet.

Visions began to rush into his thoughts.
Of a great deku tree.
The soft glow of a blue fairy.
A towering Hyrule castle.
The glint of The Master Sword.
The red eyes of a Sheikah.
The large form of the Demon King.
The serene singing over a pasture.
The laughter of an imp wearing a mask.
The toothy grin of a falling moon.

The crimson hair of his beloved flowing in the wind.

The tell tale sign of farore began to glow within link's left hand. Snapping him out of his reverie. As if compelled by the triforce of courage his hand felt for a familar smooth and the cool feeling of the Ocarina of Time within his pouch.

Once it was discovered he put the instrument onto his lips. Playing a familiar and haunting tune. One he never wished to hear ever again in his life time.

His fingers continued through the motions unconsciously. The solemn melody resonated within his entire being.

The familiar feeling of warping through time filled his senses.

Until there was nothing.

Chapter Text

Hateno Village

Zelda sat over the edge of her new home at Hateno. Below her, she viewed her knight, Link, swimming about on the small lake before her. She quietly observed him, and began to idly braid her long golden hair. The wind blew at her fingertips, the fresh scent of flowers graced her nose.

She sighed deeply as she closed her eyes and smiled, days like these are what make those 100 years worth it, Zelda thought silently.

Before she opened her eyes she was interrupted with a jolt-

BLAM!!!, the sound of the sheikah bomb resonated through the lake.

Zelda quickly looked down the lake only to see Link diving into it once again. The only difference now was that he was collecting the fish he dispatched with the help of the sheikah slate.

She waited patiently until Link collected all the fish and climbed up to meet her.
“Link, what was that?” Zelda asked in a light tone. Link giggled in response as he walked past her to the cooking pot below the tree.

Zelda stood up and followed behind, “Jeez when you said that we were going to have fish for breakfast, I didn’t expect you to use the sheikah slate in that way”, She jabbed good naturedly.

Link shrugged “It’s easier that way.”

“I guess so” Zelda laughed. This lead to Link sparing a small smile at her. Zelda beamed a wide smile back.

They soon reached a comfortable silence. The sizzling of the fish and the delicious smell of spices emanating from the pot made Zelda realize she was hungry.

Link softly hummed while he cooked.

Once their food was hot and ready, Link served Zelda a bowl of fried fish and rice, he then served himself. They ate quietly looking towards the peaking sunrise.

Link put away their dishes into their small home to wash later. He returned soon after, only to find Zelda still gazing at the rising horizon.

"You know..I still can't believe it's almost a year since…" Zelda looked down at her hands "..since Ganon."

She frowned "sometimes I forget that I'm free. That I'm still in hyrule castle, alone. That where I'm at now, is all but a dream." She held her hands close to her chest

She then turned to Link, only to meet his concerned expression. He began to walk closer to her.

"Oh, come here you!", Zelda quickly reached for Link's hand pulling him for a warm embrace.

"I am constantly reassured though, that my thoughts aren't true." She looked at Link, "it's because you're here."

Link heavily blushed. "Also, even if our future has more difficulties to come, I know I'm not alone." She rested her head on the crook of Links shoulder.

Link nodded "I'll always be with you" he tightened his embrace around Zelda.

Zelda hummed in thought.

They sat beneath the shade of the tree, eyes closed, enjoying the soft breeze flowing about.

*ahem*

The duo quickly jumped in surprise.

"Oh, sorry about startling you two".

Both Link and Zelda stood up to meet their sudden visitor.

It was a sheikah male, with notable white hair tied under a bun. He wore sheikah armor, which would explain how he caught us off guard, Zelda thought.

"Hello, my name's Logan, I have been sent by lady Impa as a messenger" he bowed "Princess Zelda and Master Link, Impa has requested your presence."

Both Zelda and Link shared a glance.

Zelda turned her attention back to the sheikah "May I ask why the sudden occasion?"

"It's an important matter that I believe Lady Impa would be most qualified to answer." Logan replied, "I hope my secrecy doesn't offend you, it's just information that we wouldn't want to be spread around."

Zelda nodded "No offense taken, when would be the best time to head to Kakariko?"

Logan hummed "As soon as possible, if the two of you are able."

Zelda looked at Link, fishing for a reaction, "What do you think Link? Do you think we can go today?"

Link looked to be in thought "..I think so, it's not far, we'll just need to pack up some supplies on Epona and Opal".

Logan nodded, "I shall assist you two".

Zelda and Link went into their home and gathered their necessary items fit for travel. Logan helped with securing their items to the two horses, Epona and Opal.

"Now then, we're ready to go" Zelda sighed.
She walked towards her horse and offered an apple which Opal happily munched.

Link did the same, offering his steed swift carrots. He pet her muzzle whispering comforting words to her.

They carefully lead their horses out of Hateno village.

"Logan did you come with a horse to Hateno?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, I left her at a secured spot a little way beyond the Hateno entrance."

As they continued walking, Logan perked up, "There she is!" He walked towards his horse, quickly mounting on her. "I shall lead the way"

With that, Logan turned around and headed towards the path to Kakariko with Zelda at his side and Link trailing behind.

"If we keep a steady pace, we can make it by nightfall." Logan stated.

The journey to Kakariko was relatively calm, the soft clops of hooves were the only major audible noise, which was also accompanied with birdsong.

"So, how have you two been faring for these past couple of months, if I may ask?" Logan asked.

Zelda patted her horse, "It's been well. Link and I have been working about in Purah's tech lab and throughout Hateno."

Logan nodded "I'm glad to know".

The two began to idly chat about random topics whenever they came about.

Meanwhile Link surveyed his surroundings. He was on the alert for any disturbances.

Luckily for the three of them, by nightfall they reached their destination.

The sound of wind chimes ringing in the wind greeted them on the entrance of Kakariko village.

They disembarked from their horses and tied them at a secure corner.

The soft glow of fire from the torches danced in the darkness and lead them to their path. It was quiet since most of the inhabitants retired within their homes for the night.

Fireflies flew idly, only moving away when the trio got too close to them.

They reached their destination and were met with the two guards, Cado and Dorian. They greeted the trio and silently let them pass.

Logan opened the door to Impa's home for Zelda and Link.

The entire building was lit with candles strewn about.

Impa sat at the center and she smiled at the two who entered, the creasing if her wrinkles becoming more pronounced. "Aha there you two are!"

"I apologize for making you two come here on such a short notice" Impa's calm voice stressed "thank you Logan, you are dismissed".

Logan bowed in acknowledgement. And turned to the door closing it quietly as he exited.

Impa began to nod her head in thought "Now now, sit" she beckoned Zelda and Link to sit on the cushions close to her.

They complied in silence, Impa's serious tone taking all of their attention.

"it may be late, but I have some important information that the two of you must know…" she stared at the two of them with her piercing gaze.

The flickering of the candle fire created shadows across Impa's serious face. Her eyes reflected the fire.

Chapter Text

"......."

"...Li…."

".........nk.."

"Link"

An ethereal voice spoke out. One Link never heard before. Deep within his mind he saw golden light streaks. Its beauty swept through his consciousness, but the more he focussed on it the further it receded.

Then as he pulled away from the darkness his senses became apparent. He felt cold stone on where he sat.

He opened his eyes only to be met with intense pain and blinding light. He flinched at the sudden unpleasantness of being awake.

His heart began to pound ge felt the beats through his ears. In the deep recesses of his mind the song of time played quietly. His mind was fuzzy and he was fatigued.

He steeled his nerves and started to regulate his uneven breathing by taking deep breaths in and out.

He repeated the exercise until his heart began to have a steady pace. He slightly opened his left eye, mindful of his right due to it feeling incredibly painful for him to open.

He got up from the floor only to feel regret in that decision as his legs began to tremble from wounds and soreness. He went to a sitting position.

He gazed at the palms of his hands, his vision hindered, he was still able to make out small cuts and old dried blood. He studied them in silence.

A soft breeze passed by him the smell of evergreen present.

He began to survey his surroundings. He was in a building, old and corroded. To his left a huge chunk of the building was missing giving him access to a beautiful view of the land beyond it.

He gazed upon the front of the building, where three statues stand. That gave him a bewildered pause. They were statues of a goddess he presumed. Moss decorated them, the statues eyes were closed and they held a serene smile while having their hands together in prayer.

For some reason beyond his understanding the figures seemed oddly familiar. There seemed to be an aura wafting around the largest of statues as if beckoning him to it.

He stood up slowly and carefully, he still felt discomfort from the action but he still mustered on.

Upon his slow walk toward the statue he was stabbed with a sense of familiarity. The building he was in seemed to be an old chapel. Heavily reminiscent of the Temple of Time.

"!", he stopped in his tracks he began to survey the area more precisely. It is the Temple of Time he thought in awe.

He was soon interrupted from his thoughts when light began to glow through the goddess statue.

"..Hero of Time.." The familiar voice that pulled him out of the darkness echoed out of the largest statue.

Link widened his eye, 'Am I losing my mind?' he thought confused.

The voice continued "..fear not, for I, the goddess Hylia, speaks before you……..A shadow of confusion rests before your heart………know that your presence here is no mistake. A great evil festers within Hyrule,...........seek the princess with the blood of the goddess and the Hero who wields the blade that seals the darkness. There lies your role given by the passage through time….. Please bring peace to Hyrule."

The light began to fade away from the statue, he stared with awe.

The world came back to his senses, the voice of birds heard freely in the air.

He shook off his dazed state and looked at his hands once again, they were trembling. A mixture of fear and pain.

He was somewhere far off in a future, farther than he's ever been. The fact alone brought sadness into his heart. He thought of his wife and his child he never got to meet. Based on this ruins, he surmised, they were long gone from this world.

He cursed under his breath, he turned away from the Hylia statues and began to walk away.

Hylia's words echoed through his mind. He was grateful to receive some semblance of advice but he felt bitter with the fact that it came through a cryptic message.

'..princess with the blood of the goddess..'

He figured she referred to princess Zelda, he knew that every heir to the Hyrule throne would be a daughter gifted with powers from the goddess Hylia.

Though this "Hero" she mentioned, brought him pause. The idea that there was someone out there like him, another person given the title of "hero" saddened him. Though he knew such a title was remarkable, the pain and suffering to gain it, at least for him, was too much to bare.

As he walked down cracked stairs covered with grass, he wondered if this world's hero faced hardships as well, he wondered how it had shaped him.

He noticed amongst the rubble there were these oddly shaped objects. They were large and some seemed to have leg like appendages coming off from the bottom.

He approached one and felt its smooth surface, it was similar yet unlike metal. He was unsure of their purpose.

The aching of his body reminded him that he had wounds to tend to.

He walked to an area that had trees he could use for shade. He sat on an old log and began to undo his armor.

He observed his wounds only to find that they weren't as bad as he thought they would be. He remembered the gruesome and seemingly unending battle. He didn't know how he survived all of that punishment, 'but I didn't, right?' He thought, he only survived because of the fierce deity mask.

He played the song of storms with his ocarina. The soft melody played round and round.

Rain clouds began to manifest in the sky. The pouring of the rain washed away the blood and grime from his body. He stopped playing the song and simply stood in the cool rain until the magic of the songs spell wore off.

He felt lighter, as if the weight of battle was now off his shoulders. He breathed a sigh of relief, even with his current state he no longer had to be on high alert. There was no battle, no war.

He walked back towards the log, where he left his armor and items away from the rain.

He rummaged through his enchanted fairy bag that allowed him to carry all his items throughout his travels. He took out his kokiri tunic, the once bright green of the tunic was now faded, it was worn but well kept.

He reviewed the task that was given to him by Hylia. He needed to look for the princess and the hero, 'but where?'

He hummed in thought, he looked at his surroundings once again. Everything was covered in evergreen, except for the Temple of Time. There seemed to be no man made structures in his peripheral vision.

He walked back to the Temple of Time, in search of high ground. As he walked around the building he noticed a ladder. He smirked at his wild luck and proceeded to climb towards the top of the temple.

He took extra care in each step he took on the roof, keeping the current state of the Temple. Some bricks shifted under his feet but never gave way. He easily climbed up a decayed room on the top of the building.

Soft beams of light flowed down into the room. Beyond the broken glass of the building, there before him, was Hyrule.

He gazed farther, the world seemed so large and overwhelming compared to his Hyrule.

Large towers decorated parts of the land, they let out a soft blue light. He saw the dark clouds created by death mountain, but most notably he saw Hyrule Castle.

Just like the Temple of Time the Castle seemed to be in a withering state. His gut clenched, a strong sense of fear made it obvious in his mind, 'what could have caused this?'

Flashes of the Hyrule Castle from his memory clashed with the Hyrule Castle that he viewed now. The once beautiful castle was now weathered and broken. He was at a loss for words. Only questions began to stir in his mind.

He quickly noted that heading towards Hyrule Castle wouldn't be the best place to go to for information. He thought of the next best thing, Kakariko village.

The sun was beginning to set in the horizon. The world was becoming dimmer with each passing minute. As the night began to ebb closer into the sky, Link held onto a small sense of hope in the form of Kakariko village, 'if it's still standing' he thought silently.

Chapter Text

Fire danced and shaped Impas grim face. She held a solid gaze towards her two guests.

"..there has been some concerning activity regarding the Yiga clan". She paused, waiting for Zelda and Links reaction.

Link steeled his gaze betraying no emotion, while Zelda narrowed her eyes. "What does this mean for us, Impa?" She paused. "What would they want, Ganon is no more."

Impa shook her head, "That is true, but the clan still has a grudge, a grudge so everlasting that not even a hundred years would wash it away."

She lifted her hand, "I have received information that the Yiga are somehow capable of reactivating the guardians. Which could very well be a huge concern for all of Hyrule. I believe they have a new leader, one more formidable than the former."

Zelda balled her hands into fists, "The guardians?! Of all things….. " she began to remember that fateful day when Ganon emerged from Hyrule castle. The complete annihilation of Hyrule Castle and Castle Town. The haunting blights corrupting the divine beasts and the champions who piloted them. The awful bell like sound from corrupted guardians rang in her ears. The smell of fire and blood. The final light fading away from strong blue eyes. She began to shake profusely, the world seemed darker, more suffocating-

Until a strong and warm hand tugged on her shoulder gently. Zelda blinked in surprise only to find she was in the arms of her appointed knight.

He held her in a comforting manner, she visibly relaxed from his reassuring gesture.

'He's here, alive, there is still hope, Ganon is no more' Zelda thought.

Impa sat watching the whole ordeal unfold, "I am sorry Zelda, I didn't mean to bring you so much pain." Impa's eye's were glossed in sorrow a single tear fell from her eye. "Oh the ordeals that the two of you have had to go through, but there is still hope, you two are no longer alone, and Ganon, as you said princess, is no more."

Impa formed a determined smile "We must go in search of allies, and luckily there are many from all of Hyrule that we can rely on."

"Link.." Impa called out to in a finalized tone.

Link straightened up his posture, still holding Zelda in his arms.

"..Go in search of the people you have made close bonds with during your mission to defeat the calamity and have them join the cause of snuffing the Yiga Clan out once again."

Link nodded in absolute conviction.

"Oh and another thing, it appears that the Yiga have also relocated their hide out somewhere in the Akkala region. Though we aren't entirely sure where exactly in Akkala, I do apologize for this."

Zelda nodded, composing herself she peeled away from Link's embrace, sharing a silent 'thank you' through a look into his eyes.

Zelda cleared her throat, "No, thank you for informing us. No matter how miniscule the detail, I appreciate it Impa."

The fire from the candle light slowly began to fade away, most of the candles were almost completely melted.

Impa nodded, "It's quite late, we can talk about the details tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I recommend you two rest at the inn, free of charge of course."

Zelda began to nod but was soon interrupted with a strong yawn. "Oh.. I guess it is time to sleep".

Link wordlessly got up, waiting for Zelda to follow suit.

"Goodnight you two, may Hylia bless your dreams" Impa stated softly.

The two responded in unison "Goodnight".

Zelda walked out while Link followed behind and closed the old wooden doors of Impas home softly shut.

The light of a full moon greeted them, offering a pleasant amount of light for them to see around.

The sound of distant wind chimes played in the background as the cool night wind blew about.

They quietly entered the inn with little to no difficulty. The innkeeper knowingly gave them a key to a room without saying a word. It was silent, save for the light sounds of their boots as they walked towards their room for the night.

Link unlocked the door. The room was small with a wooden cabinet at the left corner, a large bed at its center. A simple window covered with blinds overlooked a small table, moonlight passed through the blinds. Small streaks of light were splashed through the room.

The two silently changed to light clothing for the night.

Zelda was first to lay on the soft cushion of the bed then came Link. They stared at each other bright blue met with bright green eyes.

"We'll be okay" Link murmured softly. Zelda nodded, she then pulled him to a warm hug and before she knew it her body yielded to the sensation of deep sleep.

….
……….
Zelda opened her eyes. Laying on her back her vision was met with beautiful stars from the heavens. The ambiance of wildlife met her ears. She looked at her surroundings and realized she was in a forest. One very familiar she thought, 'the lost woods?'.

After that realization a soft tune from some flute-like instrument played silently beyond from where she was lying down.

Zelda got up and began to follow the tune, for some unexplained reason, the song sounded familiar to her. She felt deep in her soul as if it were something she should have known.

The more she walked the clearer the song began to play. It was a soft and upbeat tune. A song that circled around the heart and left the image of leaves dancing in the wind.

The trees began to lessen as she walked, beyond there was a small clearing where a small figure sat on a wood stump. She narrowed her eyes but couldn't make out the figures features.

The figure held an instrument in their arms. They were the source of the song. They played with practiced ease. Zelda tried to get closer to see the figure, but the closer she got fog began to cover the clearing.

The fog increased and increased until she wasn't able to see anything beyond her hand. She held no panic in her heart, for she knew what she was experiencing was nothing but a dream. She only felt frustrated as her curiosity got the best of her.

She wanted to know who was that mysterious figure that was playing that odd song. She knew judging from its size, the figure belonged to a child. That was all she was able to make out until the fog came closing in.

The song was playing as if it came from every direction. Then unexpectedly it shifted in tone, the new song being played was slow and melodic.

She began to see images in her mind, of stained glass, the royal family crest, the master sword embedded in a pedestal, a blue ocarina.

The images flashed so quickly she was almost unable to make out what exactly she was seeing.

A blue light began to form around her feet. The song still continued to play, just like the last one it sounded awfully familiar. Though she knew that it was a song that she had never heard before, the familiarity of it seemed ancient.

The blue light formed around her, circulating until she was teleported away.
………
….

Zelda snapped her eyes open. Sun rays bled through the blinds. The sound of a cuccos call echoed. Soft snores were heard to her right and she turned to glance at a still asleep Link. His features were relaxed, his long hair draped around his face.

'He's beautiful' Zelda thought. She shook her head and cleared her thoughts. She got up from her bed reading herself for a new day.

She turned to wake up Link, shaking his shoulder gently to wake him. The odd and slow song of her dream played in her head.

She was met with soft drowsy eyes staring back at her.

The two returned to Impa, they were in the process of forming their next course of action.

"Now, Zelda, Link, I advise you to head to Zoras Domain as it's the closest place to look for aid"

Zelda nodded, "I'm sure that the Zora are sure to help us, very well. I guess it's time for us to take our leave."

Impa raised her hand to pause Zelda, "Wait one moment, as a precaution I'd like for Logan to accompany you to Zoras Domain."

Impa looked at Link, "I'm not doubting your strength Link, I only wish to make your journey to the domain safer for both of you and to make it easier on you, Link."

"You may be a champion, but you are just one person" Impa chuckled good naturedly.

Link nodded in understanding.

Both Zelda and Link began to gather supplies for the long trip before them. Once they went to fetch their horses they were met with the sheikah warrior, Logan.

He gave a short bow towards the two of them, "By Impa's orders I am here to aid you on your journey."

Zelda smiled, "I appreciate the loyalty."

Logan nodded and they continued towards the stable to where their horses were held.

Zelda paused on her heels, she remembered her dream. She wanted to tell Impa about what she saw but the very notion flew past her when they began to discuss Zoras Domain.

Link and Logan stopped on their tracks as well, Link gaving Zelda a questioning glance, while Logan verbally expressed his confusion "What's wrong Princess?"

Zelda stared at the two, "I forgot something, but…." Zelda shook her head "...No, never mind it doesn't matter."

She walked past them.

Logan looked at Link in search of an answer, all he was given was a bewildered shrug from the champion. They both brushed the matter away from their minds and followed after the princess.

The familiar, yet unfamiliar song played in the back of Zelda's mind ever present but never overbearing.

Chapter Text

Link stared off into the distance for what felt like the hundredth time. From his location he had a perfect view of Hyrule.

A Hyrule that was starkly different than the one he knew from his time. For starters, he knew that the location of the Temple of Time differed in his Hyrule.

He stood at the edge of a large cliff. This Hyrule seemed more barren. As if Farore's creations were reclaiming the land. Greenery ruled the land.

He gazed around noting that the cliff seemed to circulate around the odd plateau he found himself on. Link needed to find Kakariko, that was his only chance of contacting the people he was tasked to meet.

The bottom of the cliff was quite a ways down. Judging from the distance, Link knew he wouldn't have been able to survive the fall. He leaned over the edge. Loose rocks from his foothold budged and fell, descending to darkness.

He hummed in thought and it dawned on him, what if he were lighter?

He spared a small smile, then rummaged through his pack looking for a familiar wooden mask.

He pulled out a well kept mask that depicted the face a deku scrub. It held a constant sense of melancholy with its amber downcast eyes.

Nostalgia hit him like droplets of rain. When was the last time I wore this mask, he mused. Shrugging away his thoughts Link turned the mask and put it on.

The familiar feeling of transforming disoriented him. The memories and thoughts of the deku scrubs soul forcibly mixed with his own. He was alerted that his body was beginning to change by the immense pain that came with it.

He grit his teeth and then suddenly all he saw was white for a split second. Before he knew it he was now a deku scrub.

Link felt his face it seemed that his scarred eye also transferred to this transformation. Gratefully he felt no pain from the gesture.

With his wooden body he grew a pink flower from the palm of his hand. The flower towered over his small frame the pedals shielded him from the rising sun.

Without any hesitation he ran towards the edge of the cliff. He was greeted with a gust of wind, taking the flower with it. The flower on the palm of his hand helped him to glide freely in the air.

He slowly descended to the floor. The feeling of gliding gave him a sense of weightlessness, it was somewhat comforting. His small feet landed on rock floor softly. Link sighed in relief, he was glad that he made it down safely.

He took off his mask in favor of his normal form.
Normal, he thought while putting the mask back into his pack, he donned many masks. He pondered if they dulled the distinction of what his "normal" truly was.

He shook his head, it was odd, he forgot how it felt like to be alone with his thoughts, ever since… Malon. He wasn't alone.

A bitter thought slipped into his mind, but now things are different. Link frowned, he began to aimlessly walk to nowhere in particular. The clacking of rocks under his feet soon changed to the crunching of grass.

He turned back, he made a good amount of distance from the cliff he left.

He continued walking in the same direction for about 2 hours when he spotted a walking trail. Then soon after, he saw a small figure in the distance to what he assumed was a Hylian.

As he walked closer, he was able to make out more features. They wore a large backpack that held many supplies. They walked at a leisurely pace.

Link cleared his throat, "Excuse me, by any chance are you Hylian?" His voice sounded much deeper than he was accustomed to, similar to the fierce deity's. That made him pause for a few seconds but he was soon snapped out of his thoughts when the person turned around in a quick motion.

It was a Hylian woman, she had short hair that was tied in a small ponytail. Her eyes were green and she wore clothing of an experienced traveler. She had a shortsword tied at her hip.

"Uh...Hello", Link continued.

The woman's eyes began to widen she stepped back, her legs shook.

That stopped Link from further approaching her. He lifted his hands in a pacifying manner. Which only resulted in the woman letting out a loud shriek. "Kyaaaa!!!! A DEMON!!", she let out before running away at an incredible speed.

"Huhh!???" Link was so bewildered he stood there dumbstruck.

He stared at the running traveler as she ran across a bridge and soon became a small dot on the horizon.

He walked in the same direction she ran. Before the bridge there was a rushing river. The sound of the water greeted his ears.

He went closer to the river and bent down to look at himself. The water reflected an image of white hair, a scarred eye, a face marred with markings, and an empty white eye looking back at him.

He was unsure if the currents of the water further distorted his image or if it simply showed the horrifying truth of what that traveler saw.

What he saw before him did not frighten him, amongst all the transformation masks, the fierce deity's mask, was one he relied on the most. He alongside the soul of the mask reached a sense of harmony, which they achieved by working together to protect those in need.

The image he adopts from it never scared him because it provided him safety and strength.

Though what did scare him was that through all the masks he's worn, his true sense of self seemed to ever so slightly fade away.

Now, he narrowed his eye, it seemed he was robbed of his appearance and voice too.

He touched the cool water and cupped it in his hands, he drank from it and then proceeded to wash his face.

He stood back up, with a cool head. He thought back to the earlier incident. He needed information and at his current state he doubted he would get anything from anyone soon.

He rummaged through his pack once more revealing another mask to the sunlight. It was circular and depicted the image of a goron. It's empty eyes stared back at link.

"Hello Darmani" in a quiet tone.

He mentally prepared himself before he put on the mask. The sense of intense regret and melancholy swept through his mind as an intense river. The change of form felt ice cold like the last sense that the mighty goron felt before his passing.

He breathed in and out, and went back to look at his reflection through the river. He was a goron all right. The features of Darmani, the Fierce Deity, and his own mixed together in a somewhat pleasant manner.

He had a scar over his left eye, the other not blank but instead the common black of a goron's. His hair was still white, seeming more akin to the ghostly Darmani of his memories. He was more rugged but not entirely intimidating. The bead necklace was still around his neck, another quality of Darmani.

"Alright!" He declared to no one in particular. He smiled broadly "this will do!" his thundering voice declared.

Link almost forgot the strong personality that the soul had within the mask. Even during the goron's last moments of shame, it would always be replaced with an unwavering will once Link transformed.

Link straightened up and continued on his trek in search of others. The sun was slowly rising to the sky in an arch. The feeling of the sun over his rocklike body was welcomed.

Then he heard a soft toon coming from a flute, it was indistinguishable at his distance. But it piqued his interest.

Over the distance he saw an odd structure. It looked like a large tent and atop it seemed to resemble a figure of a horse.

The music became more clear to his ears which made his heart skip a beat and a wave of confusion and hope swirled at his belly.

The song was horrifyingly familiar, how would anyone else know it beside it's maker and himself?

It was a song he could practically play in his sleep and one he believed was only reserved for his most trusted steed.

Epona's song.

He walked in a faster pace towards the odd structure. There was a hylian sitting on top of a log next to a stone cooking pot.

They held a flute to their lips as he moved his fingers from different holes in practiced motions. The beautiful tune swept through the land.

Link stood there staring at the young man. Who wore interesting clothing with a cap. He was focussed on playing, eyes closed. Link said nothing, did nothing, just watched.

He was confused, wasn't he in the future? How did this song survive the trials of time? Many questions swirled in his mind. He simply stared at the young man, for what he was sure was too long to the point of being rude, he didn't care.

The song slowly lolled into silence. The hylian looked up at Link, his grey eyes gazed up curiously. He lowered his flute gently from his face, "hello there". His voice was warm and inviting a small smile formed on his lips.

Link flinched from his thoughts, Link returned the smile with one of his own. "Hello" he paused "that was beautiful" He said honestly with no shame.

The man smiled even wider "Thanks" he laughed "the song I was playing is called Epona's song, incase you were wondering"

Link nodded, "Where did you learn such a song" he inquired.

The man shrugged, "it's a really common song, it's origin is mainly a mystery, but there is a legend stating that it was first played by an ancient hero of Hyrule". He gestured behind himself with his thumb, "I mainly play this song here at the stable, cuz the horses seem to adore the song."

Now that he mentioned it, Link thought, there were a lot of horses and the buildings motif was an obvious indicator of its purpose. He hummed as a response.

"I don't want to be rude but what brings a goron all the way to these parts of Hyrule?" the man questioned.

Link shrugged "I love traveling, but it seems that I have traveled too far, it's my first time being away from Death Mountain for this long."

Link inwardly held his breath, 'please still be called death mountain'.

The man nodded, leaving no trait of confusion, "You seem like a cool guy" he gestured towards Link, "Can I ask what's your name", the man paused-"oh my name is Luis by the way".

Link considered the question, siding with caution he simply stated "Darmani".

Luis held out his hand "Nice to meet you Darmani, I'm the stable owner's son"

Link shook his hand. "Is there any chance I can stay here and rest?"

Luis tilted his head but smiled anyway "of course, stay as long as you like"

Link's stomach began to growl loudly he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Oh" Luis laughed good naturedly "if your hungry I can cook up something for you-, wait do gorons only eat rocks?"

Link shook his head, "anything's fine, thank you"

Luis went towards a crate and procured some herbs and fish. "Is this good?"

Link nodded he was silent. Luis noticed this while putting the food to a simmer. "Ah, I'm guessing that your wondering why I'm doing this, huh?"

"Yes" Link expressed.

"Well there's nothing wrong in helping a weary traveler. My pops and I try to make this place a safe haven for anyone" he flipped the fish with a wooden spoon, "it's been a year since the calamity was defeated, but it doesn't mean that Hyrule is entirely safe."

Calamity?, Link was at a loss to what Luis was referring to.

"Thank you" Link replied.

There was a small lull in the conversation, it was calm with the sizzling of fish between them.

Luis broke the silence, "So uh Darmani, is there any place your planning to go to, considering you're a traveler" he said shyly, not trying to make it sound as if he were prying.

"Yes actually" Darmani beamed "I was wondering if you could help me with some directions."

Luis hummed, "where to?"

Darmani, Link, looked at Luis with hope,"To Kakariko."

"Oh I know the place, it's a couple days away from here, I can give you a map if you want." Luis moved his hands as he spoke. Not knowing of the other's inner turmoil.

Link breathed a sigh of relief, he nodded in response, 'so it still does exist'.

A sense of excitement began to glow within his heart. He got his answer.