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Chapter Text

Calamity Ganon's crushing power resonated throughout the Hyrulean Army, who was frantically trying to put an end to the chaos.  Lesser bokoblins, moblins and the alike, fighting on the frontier as they charged the soldiers and knights who were equipped with metal arms and armor. The sound of cannon fire and gunpowder pierced ears as artillery was launched into the masses of bloodthirsty foes. Forts and towns hunkered down, keeping the monsters at bay while they wished for the best. Meanwhile, Ganon's four blights, a terror of their own, each dueled the vigorous pilots of the titan Divine Beasts, while the harbinger of destruction himself fought with the bearer of the Master Sword one-on-one. 

Frankly, it was not fair. Under the demonic effects of the Blood Moon, Ganon was augmented to a point where he could parallel the immense strength of the Triforce of Power, even beyond. Not even the artifacts of the gods would have anticipated the true might of the ancient sheikah technology incorporated within his unstable body of crimson malice, who's evil power had possessed the hundreds of Guardians who turned on the people of Hyrule. For a mere Hylian to be matched up to the equivalent of a demon, it would seem like the latter would be triumphant. However, the courage within this Hylian exceeded even the expectations of the Calamity itself, although was nowhere matched in terms of strength. With his lone, divine sword and unbreaking shield, he faced this rampant monster with no thought to his own health. No matter how deteriorated his state was, he knew that giving up now would be the same as giving up the future of Hyrule. Even if he didn't defeat this blood-ridden monster, he would at least try to achieve a standstill, where his allies would be able to launch a counterattack when the cards were on the table, but to even imagine such a scenario ever happening would be very costly, but he was more than determined to place his life on the line. That was the nature of Link. The Hylian Champion who was sent to face this horrific ghoul by himself. The only support he received was the brilliant beams of the Divine Beasts, but even they would only scratch Ganon while he blossomed under the scarlet sky. The rest was up to him. He slashed and swiped, his sword breaching the sheikah alloys that made up the skin of Calamity Ganon, before Ganon launched countermeasures right away, springing his claw-like hands onto Link, who rightfully dodged as he continued to pounce on the monster. With a single sweep, Link was sent into the wall like an insect, his ultimate shield taking the brunt of the force. But his arms were red, he could see his veins popping out like they were going to burst. He could not stop. Not now, when the looming threat still stood before him, preparing to launch his next attack. 

Holding one of its many arms up, Ganon charged a guardian cannon as the heart-wrenching red laser churned Link's guts as he watched the dot follow every move he took. With a single move, a burst of energy fired out from the arm cannon, which pierced the surrounding walls in rubble and dust. Link rolled as he circled the beast, who kept its steady watch as the two waited for who would make the following move. Ganon raised his arm yet again, charging another deadly laser at Link, who dodged the incoming beam; or so he thought. 

Link felt an agonising pain as he saw blood splatter everywhere in the corner of his eye. He looked down, his horrific expression glaring at the wound he had just been inflicted upon. His left hip had been grazed by Ganon's sheikah laser, a result of human error. He was exhausted from the countless, nightmarish attacks of Ganon he had to dodge, because any of these attacks were capable of decimating him alone. That was how wide the gap of strength between the two was. 

Link slammed to the ground as he winced, holding his blown off hip which was bleeding profusely. He slowly got up, but was immediately grounded yet again as Ganon's overwhelming strength was being experienced firsthand, his explosive, aggresive strikes not even giving Link a chance to recover. Link helplessly flailed as he was being thrown around like a ragdoll, each impact causing him to break a bone, or fracture his joints. Link's beaten face watched as the blurry vision of Ganon grasped onto him tightly, crushing half of his organs as he gasped for air. Link strained his voice as he yelled, veins erupting from his neck as he was able to break free with one final push. As he forcefully slammed to the ground, he kneeled as litres of blood had already been lost, even more as Link coughed his own blood as it splattered against the ruined floor. Link struggled to stand, but when he finally did, he saw the nightmare of Ganon before him, not even his courage could spare him of fear this time. 

His arms and legs trembled as he felt his heart drop. His eyes showed a sense of vulnerability as Link struggled to even breathe. Even since the start of the fateful battle, Ganon seemed ghastly to the boy, having a deformed face and an unproportionate body of the likes he had never seen before, though only now the emotions of fear had caught up to him. Was it because he was on the verge of dying? Had his everlasting courage finally died out, or perhaps, abandoned him? All he could process in that moment was the glowing, death-lurking eyes and the sinister, jagged mouth that knew it had won. Link slowly backed away, his breathing now irregular as he could see Ganon approaching every step he took back. Link felt the hard thump of the wall as his back was cornered, but Ganon continued in. The piercing pain he felt all over his body was starting to get intense, his hip now crying out as his previously royally blue tunic was now entirely covered in red, his own blood. And for the cherry on top of the cake, he watched as a red laser was yet again aimed at the center of his chest.

Looking up, Ganon's cannon had again been raised, and now having neither the strength or room to counter it, Link, prayed to the Goddess as he held his shield up, unsure if he could pull off such a move in a tight pinch like this. 

As Ganon's fatal laser materialised, in that single moment, Link mustered up every single drop of strength he still had within as he manifested a surge of courage that overwhelmed his fear for the crimson Calamity. As the laser traveled towards Link at mach speed, he finally activated his trump card, his ability; Time Perception. 

Time slowed to a point where Link could clearly see the laser inch towards him, as he waited for the beam to arrive just an arms length away from impact. With his shield arm, Link swung his arm outwards, successfully parrying the laser as it deflected back towards the perplexed beast at a straight 180 degrees angle. 

The laser struck Ganon's precious face as it screeched, giving Link less than a seconds worth of opening. But that was just all he needed, as with one swift motion, Link threw his sword directly at Ganon's exposed head, piercing the flesh and skin as the monstrosity let out a blood curdling scream. Unknown liquid spewed out from Ganon's forehead as he struggled to pull out the sword from his head. With enough tussling, he finally did as he stumbled in agony as the Master Sword dropped to the ground, glowing brightly as it reacted to the surrounding malice. Having such a deep wound, Ganon had no choice but to retreat, as his body slowly melted into blue matter as it manifested a trail that flew out of the arena, out of Hyrule Castle and into the unknown. As he did, the hellish clouds that overlooked the kingdom began to lose its colors, as the effects of the Blood Moon began to fade, majorly weakening the monsters and completely shutting down the Guardians who had already caused so much destruction. Everyone looked in confusion as their surroundings, the lesser monsters, were almost instantly killed off as they had lost their main source of bloodlust and strength. Without it, they were no match for the combined allied force of the Hylian, Gerudo, Zora, Rito, and Goron armies. Almost all who were there glanced upon the walls of Hyrule Castle, which had been cleansed of the dark maelstrom which had been swirling around the castle like a whirlpool. Zelda, who was celebrating amongst everyone else, suddenly felt a change within the triforce. It was an imbalance. Her gut wrenched as she realised. 

Chapter Text

The sky loomed across the land of Hyrule like a warm, cozy blanket, spreading peace and tranquility throughout the people who inhabited the vast Kingdom. However, the sky was yet a simple, deceptive illusion as below on the grass of Hyrule, thousands grieved as families cried for their loved ones lost in the war. The two opposing factions, those with a righteous heart and those who desired calamity and destruction, both suffered a great deal of casualties. Although it seemed the people of Hyrule had claimed victory, it came with so much bloodshed and sacrifice that one could not call this a win. The months following the Great Calamity were harsh; Towns were forced to expand their cemeteries, refugees lived in poverty and the destruction caused was so major that even the children and elderly had to assist in rebuilding the cities to their former glories. Despite this nonetheless, there were still many who were willing to fight, mainly those who were the cornerstones in pushing back Ganon himself. 

"Keep working hard, everybody!" A man wearing the signature Hylian Soldier's armor and gear shouted. He stood in the middle of a ruined castle town, watching over the residents who were all helping in repairing the damages. Most of them had dirt all over their bodies, groaning and expressing exhausted faces as most of them had not experienced labour of this magnitude before. Soldiers also assisted in the efforts, assisting those who were near passing out from the blazing rays of the sun gleaming down on their heavy backs. Meanwhile, the castle itself was also undergoing maintenance, having many rooms of the castle being completely shut off from rubble and debris. The Great Hall, throne room and library were the only major rooms having been spared from destruction, along with the bedrooms of the Royal Family members which had stood intact. 

"How are the repairs going?" A man asked in a raspy tone, having a long, white beard and a bulky physique. He wore a blue, regal coat, and had visible wrinkles around his refined features. He wore a golden, royal crown on top of his noggin, displaying his dignified personality and proper etiquette. It was none other than Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, the present King of Hyrule. 

"Yes, Your Majesty. Diligent work is currently being put in by the soldiers and residents of Castle Town, and the Castle itself is steadily being restored," A soldier told Rhoam as he faithfully kneeled, the blue plume on his helmet identifying his status as a messenger. 

"Very well. Keep at it then," Rhoam told the soldier as he dismissed him, although he did not feel satisfied at all. To watch his own people suffer caused a great deal of pain inside the King, who had no other choice because of the shortage of resources and workers. Rhoam sighed, releasing his inner distress as he hastily walked down one of the hallways, before halting before a peculiar door. 

Rhoam silently cupped his fingers as he placed his ear onto the door, as he could hear the distant voices of two women on the other side. 

Zelda cried tears as her mother softly caressed her head, in which the young girl quickly went in to embrace her. 

"I'm sorry.. I was so.. Useless.." Zelda weeped as she planted her head into her mother's chest. 

"Who told you that?" A woman with long, brunette hair asked Zelda who looked up, sniffing.

Zelda's mother wore decorative, golden pauldrons along with her elegant dress, with the upper torso made of pink fabric, contrast to the lower white. She also wore slim, white gloves which reached up to her upper arms and a crown with a decently sized blue gem engraved into the center of the headpiece.

"I couldn't unlock it. My power.. It was my fault that.. So many died.." Zelda shakingly sobbed before completely breaking down as her mother yet again hugged her. 

"It must be tough. Your father… he prioritized your duty with complete disregard to your feelings, didn't he?" Upon hearing this, Zelda completely froze as she stared at her mother in disbelief, before nodding as she returned to her sombre expression. 

"Laila…" Rhoam whispered, disheartened as he slowly retreated from the door. It was only now that Rhoam had realised what the seeds he had sown into Zelda ever since she was a child truly meant, but it was too late now, as the thought of his own child now despising him made him distraught and weary.

"I'm sorry, Zelda." Rhoam told himself, vulnerability discernible in his voice as he began to walk away. 

A few minutes passed as Laila continued to comfort Zelda, who was slowly opening up more as she sat upright on her bed. However, just as a single, loathing thought entered her mind, it caused the Princess to immediately wash over in sorrow as she bawled her eyes out, startling even her mother who froze for a fleeting second. 

"It's because of me, he… he's… dead." Zelda coldly stated as she planted her face into her hands, tears visible as they seeped through the crevices between her fingers. Laila helplessly watched, unable to think of anything in the moment. 

"Link…" Zelda whispered under her breath as she rolled over to her side, hands still in her face as she laid on the bed. 

"I think it's best if I give you some time to yourself." Laila told Zelda who nodded as she left, slowly closing the door to a point where there were no audible creaks. 

"I'm so sorry. I had the power, yet I let you die. Please.. Please forgive me." Zelda whimpered as she sobbed, a distinguishable tremor in her voice.

As Zelda tried to cry herself to sleep, flashbacks of the day of the Calamity abruptly appeared no matter how hard she tried to stop thinking about it, but it was futile. She could still clearly hear her deafening shrieks that day, the moisture of the tears running down her cheek and her arms stretched out in front of her, as she caught a glimpse of a body being pulled on a stretcher by multiple Sheikah shinobi with downcast expressions, made even worse when they glanced at the Princess. It was like the ninja were deliberately hindering Zelda from viewing the body, but that did not stop her from catching a glimpse of the body, but that small peek was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. 

Blonde hair with long sideburns, pointy ears, and a face she knew all too well. Along with the multiple wounds that dug to the bone, and the stains of the fresh, crimson blood which had stained the previously glorious Champion's Tunic. The deafening shriek of pure terror she released at that moment still echoed through Zelda's mind as she tightly clutched her head, groaning as she tried to escape the memories of that nightmarish day. It was never the same after that. It felt like she had lost a chunk of her own self, unable to express the feelings of joy she was capable of before. 

Mipha stared up at Vah Ruto, with a sombre expression as the visage of her childhood friend was all she had on her exhausted mind. She clutched her hands near her chest as she closed her eyes, tilting her head down, her elegant jewellery jingling as she did. As a Princess, she had to remain resilient for her people to follow, but she could not help but break down when she was alone with Ruto every night. 

"Ruto.. It feels lonely without him, don't you think? It's like.. I feel numb so often now." Mipha said, venting all her inner emotions as she tried to cope with the aftermath. The calming, flowing blue glow of Ruto seemed to put Mipha into a state of tranquility, distracting her from her many duties as a Princess, and her emotions whole. 

Mipha quietly strode along the bridge of the beautifully luminescent Zora's Domain, at a time at night where hardly anyone was out. She silently walked up the spiral-like stairs onto the upper floor, before she slowly approached an angelic-like stone statue, it's underside covered in moss as she knelt down and shut her eyes. She had never prayed before, not to Hylia, deity of the Hylians. But Mipha was desperate, and willing to do anything just to increase the chances even by a small percentile. As she finished, Mipha stood up, albeit with a dull face. There was nothing much she could do, but hope. Hope that some holy miracle would suddenly occur and fulfill her wish. Mipha's wish; The return of her beloved Link. 

"Wha-.. What is this.. Sensation?" An old, yet wise and powerful voice asked as his words boomed across for all around him to hear. Trees rustled and leaves fell, as not long after, many small, playful forest spirits appeared, peeking their tiny masked heads outward as they stared at the huge, gigantic tree, his voice seeming like a calling for them. It was like the whole forest had reacted to his voice. Soon, the humongous tree seemed to quiet down for a few moments, before speaking again, his voice startling the koroks who stumbled just from the sound waves of his eloquent words.

"I have.. Felt this before. It is reassuring, yet powerful; uncontained. Whatever this mysterious force is… it will no doubt arrive here.." The tree's thunderous voice echoed throughout as he glanced down, at a shimmering sword which seemed to attract the rays of the sun. Meanwhile, something strange was taking place on the Great Plateau, an elevated region of land completely abandoned by the people of Hyrule and left to dust. In a small, unsuspecting cave, a small chamber containing a strange device suddenly began to glow, as it's long passed vessel suddenly began to quiver, life finally breathed back into his body. 

Chapter Text

Silence conquered the dull room, filled with pitch black darkness. Only a slight, whirring noise could be heard as it quietly broke the eerie stillness. Suddenly, the lights in the ominous room began to light up one by one. It was a blue, mesmerising glow which seemed to have a curved design that flowed throughout the room. The middle of the room seemed to exhibit an open casket in the center, with a giant, monster-like sheikah contraption that was directly above it. Despite being inoperative for an unknown length, this dormant sheikah machine seemed to be in pristine condition, it harbored no scratches nor had any flaws; It was perfect. 

The titanic contraption above the casket suddenly began to produce a bright light, as it shone straight downwards, into the casket which contained some sort of unconscious figure. The figure had smooth skin, flowing hair and a very toned body, except he had multiple scars on his chest, arms, and face. 

"Get him to the Shrine of Resurrection, NOW!" Zelda screamed as tears flew off her face, as the multiple Sheikah agents nodded before taking off, carrying the body of an unconscious Link who was quickly bleeding out. 

Zelda wiped the tears off her eyes, before she heard the sound of familiar footsteps behind her. They were agile and muffled, and harboured a sense of protection with them. It was Impa, who approached Zelda who smiled on sight. 

"Princess, please follow me. There are still hundreds of monsters roaming about," Impa told the Princess, who silently nodded as she stretched her arm out. Impa grasped Zelda's hand, just tight enough so Zelda would not feel any pain. She led Zelda to a temporary relief shelter on Hyrule Field a few kilometers away, one of the many scattered across the Kingdom to provide support for all the exhausted and wounded soldiers. As the two hastily arrived at the homely shelter, they were immediately greeted by the few Royal Guardsmen who were stationed at that specific shelter. 

"Your Highness! Are you hurt?" One guard asked upon approaching the Princess, who nodded as Impa stepped up.

"Please stand down. I'll look after the Princess," Impa proclaimed as she walked in front of Zelda, the Royal Guard's dumbfounded at her exclamation. 

"Yes, Lady Impa!" The men shouted in unison, before breaking off into the slums of the shelter. Impa looked back at Zelda, who gave a determined nod. 

Rain lashed down onto the murky field as the sky above was fogged in grey, hazy clouds. Puddles of mud were visible even through the many meters of unpleasant mist, while the sound of water splashing against the fabric of the tents was all that could be heard. Impa sighed as she rested herself onto the ground, but seemed wary of Zelda's state, as she did not seem to be relaxed at all. Impa saw that look of agitation and unease within Zelda's expression as she was so deep in thought, she did not seem to notice Impa creeping up behind her. 

"Uh, Princess?" Impa asked as her breath sent a chill down Zelda's spine. She yelled in shock as she gazed upon the figure of Impa who was now in tears.

"I-Impa.." Zelda muttered as she blushed, as Impa recomposed herself as she leaned into Zelda's face. 

"You should learn to relax, princess." Impa told the girl as she pointed straight at her face. 

"I know, it's just… there's so much on my mind I can't.." Zelda trailed off as Impa wrapped her arm around Zelda who gazed in shock. 

"Link, right?" Impa asked Zelda who turned her head away, flustered. 

"Yes… I don't know whether he'll be fine or not," Zelda softly told Impa who thought for a brief moment about her next words. 

"Not even I can reassure you of his safety. But all we can do is pray that he can hold out long enough, and that the Shrine is able to recover him to his former health," Impa explained to Zelda, who somehow felt at ease by her words. 

"Impa… you always make me feel safe, no matter how dire the situation. T-thank you, for sticking with me all this time." Zelda said, on the verge of tears. Impa softly smiled as Zelda swiftly leaned in to embrace her, tears now flowing out of her eyes. Impa felt fuzzy within her chest, as she kept her arms wrapped around the fragile Princess. 

As Link's body laid, frozen in time, the light shining down upon him continued to gradually brighten, which looked to have no limit. However, Despite his body having been hollow and scarce, Link still held on to a speck of life, not enough for him to regain consciousness, but just enough so that being saved from the brink of eternal slumber was still a possibility, albeit very unlikely. Within that morsel of existence, something appeared. It seemed very strange, exhibiting many magical properties. But for Link, he could see this mysterious force. He was conscious, but unaware of what was happening. All he saw and knew was a series of differentiating flashbacks that began to replay in his mind like an old school movie.

The first was set in the sky, as he saw himself riding on some sort of giant bird with an island in the distance. He could feel the fluffy feathers of the bird, and the cold, yet calming breeze carried by the wind. As Link turned his head, he saw even more birds, flying around as he could perceive people riding them, just like he was. A few more seconds of idleness passed, before reality suddenly crumbled before Link, who helplessly watched as he saw jolts of light pass him at mach speed, before they materialised into another memory. 

A forest. Link could feel the warmth from the lush greenery as he saw multiple humanoid figures playing around, who seemed to have small, glowing winged spheres which flew around them. Link also figured out that he was a child, as his palms and hands were very short and not matured yet. Link basked in the serenity of the moment, it felt like he was somehow home.

In his back pocket, Link found an ocarina, an instrument widely used by many Hylian bards. Though he had no prior experience, it felt like he was already a virtuoso at the ocarina, and could play anything he desired the longer he stared at the small instrument. However that sensation was cut short, as he watched the dimension created before him instantly collapse again, as more light aimlessly passed, and before he could comprehend anything, it had already morphed into the next setting. 

Link saw himself on a horse, the stallion galloping at an extremely rapid pace. He was on a narrow bridge, as he squinted at the far exit that had been blocked off. Link saw one more thing of interest, a monster with two protruding horns who charged towards him on an armored boar, as he held a weapon that he pointed forward at Link. Instinctively, he did the same, pulling out his blade which he didn't even realise was there. Link prepared to joust with this orcish monster, as the two both rushed in at full force, the sunset shining behind them. As he collided with the opposing force, he heard the sound of metal as the heavily armored orc yelled in pain. Link reached the end of the bridge and sharply turned back, as he quickly galloped back towards the monster who was also doing the same action. As the two met eyes yet again, Link felt his blade pierce the rough skin of the orcish brute as it roared before falling off it's horned boar, crashing downwards into the void below. As he felt a burst of pride and confidence, Link became numb again, his body becoming liquid as it warped through time itself. 

His final destination was a great, vast sea. The water was sparkly blue and Link could gaze upon many islands off in the distance. Link inspected the boat he was riding on, it was colored red as the front of the boat seemed to have a lion-like head with two yellow horns. Link also looked at the sail, which majestically blew in the harsh wind that flowed in the direction Link was facing. It was quite tranquilising, the sounds of glistening water splashing against the sturdy sides of the sailboat. Though it was short-lived, Link cherished his experience within these 4 vastly different eras, as the light slowly metamorphosed into nothingness for the last time. But instead, Link was greeted by an uncomfortable, bright light which broke the eternal darkness within his mind. It blinded Link as he struggled to do anything, whilst he slowly felt his senses activating one by one. First, the feel on the tips of his fingers, then the muscles in his legs, and finally the ends of his toes. 

Though his vision still fogged by the light, Link could feel everything slowly returning. His hearing, to his smell, and his strength, as Link noticed his former hefty fatigue slowly fading away, instead replaced by vigor and stamina. Was he truly… was he really experiencing this? Maybe it was a dream; a delusion. But it felt too true. The fact that he could experience everything first hand was nothing like how it was within a dream. This was reality, He was coming back to life. The Shrine of Resurrection had finally fulfilled its purpose as the uncomfortable light finally began to slowly dim, having poured most of its regenerative energy into Link. 

The shallow layer of water inside the tub began to drain, as Link was finally able to open his eyes, as he grasped the edge of the tub and sluggishly climbed out. 

As his heels felt the cold, glossy floor of the chamber, Link could feel the wintry air on his shiny skin, as he was only wearing a thin pair of boxers. He glanced at his chest, which had a giant, diagonal scar that was extremely deep, but didn't hurt even a bit no matter how hard Link pounded on his chest. He glanced at his arms which showed muscle definition, and his hands were rough and coarse. He glanced around the room, which was just a box containing the device which had somehow saved his life. In front, was a sealed door and a glowing pedestal which softly hummed as Link cautiously approached it.

As he did, Link suddenly felt his heart convulse, as he quickly backed away from the menacing structure, which had reacted to his presence by producing a bright, blue light as Link could hear a phasing voice coming from the pedestal. He slowly creeped towards the pedestal, but this time did not sense any irregularities coming from the machine. But the voice he had heard was still discernible. 

"To whomever hears this, I have information of utmost priority I must tell you," The voice said, as Link stared at the light, astonished as he stood frozen. 

"Seeing as you are in this secret room, you must have lost to the beast, haven't you?" The voice asked as Link glared, his mouth gaping open. The "beast" this voice was referring to, Link knew it was none other than Calamity Ganon. But how did this mysterious voice know about Ganon? And who was the person in question? Hundreds of questions swirled around inside Link's mind as he could not even fathom a single theory to what was happening before his eyes. So for now, Link silently listened to the voice which hadn't finished talking yet. 

"This Shrine of Resurrection was created for only you, in hopes of reviving you should you have died. It was constructed in a place unknown to the Calamity, so it would not be able to disrupt your slumber. If you defeated the Calamity or not, you ended up here, on your own accord," The voice explained as Link pondered if there was a deeper meaning behind the statement. 

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Who am I?... I am the Hero. The one who sealed Calamity Ganon away, and a warrior of the Zonai tribe," The voice informed Link who audibly gasped. 

The Hero from 10,000 years ago? The one who was on the tapestry in Impa's house? It was all starting to make sense to Link. This voice he was hearing was a voice recording of the previous hero, who was already long deceased. But since he had enough foresight to even create this recording in the first place, Link wondered if the previous hero had known that Calamity Ganon would eventually break free from his divine seal. 

"My time is short; even this advanced technology of the sheikah cannot hold out for long. If Hyrule is still standing, then there will be at least a few archives detailing the bloody past of this Kingdom. Locate them, then this vast knowledge will become yours. Remember well: this will be vital to know if the Calamity ever returns. Good luck on your quest, and don't fail again-" the voice abruptly cut out as the pedestal produced sizzling sounds as sparks flew out, before the blue light slowly dimmed, eventually going out. However, the closed door before Link suddenly began to rumble, as the broad stone wall was slowly raised, revealing a linear cave with light shining out of the exit. Link held his arm out in front of his eyes to hinder the burning sunlight glaring upon him. 

Though as agonisingly bright as it was, Link could still make out a beautiful blue sky which lowered the intensity of the sun, like it was taunting Link to come and collect his freedom. 

Chapter Text

Link gazed at the distant horizons, the grand view of Hyrule Castle within his sight. The snowy peaks of the Hebra and the grimy rocks of the Gerudo Wasteland were also in view as he watched from his vantage point in astoundment. After a brief moment, Link stepped back from the edge of the cliff, pebbles falling off the edge as he began to trek down a descending, grassy path as a cave with a mossy top that blended in with the environment could be seen. Link approached the cave, a brittle cooking pot and a rotten apple present on inspection. It was nothing worth stopping for, so Link continued down, but stopped in his tracks as he glanced upon a silver woodcutting axe that was stuck in a tree stump. Using both hands, Link grunted as he pulled on the handle of the axe as he exerted his strength upon the tool, the blade of the axe being pulled out of the stump as splinters of wood flew outwards. He sighed as he sheathed the axe onto his back, the added weight causing distraught upon himself as he stumbled around. Link squinted as he watched a group of tightly packed trees and within them, he could discern a red, pulpy "thing" that dwelled between the pillars of wood in secrecy. 

Suddenly, the crimson object in question abruptly began to move, as Link watched in horror as a pair of bloodthirsty eyes and a slobbish mouth were plastered on the monster that let out a wild, brutish snort as it frantically charged towards a wary Link who unsheathed his axe as he held it at his side. With impeccable timing, he grunted as he fiercely swung his axe in a horizontal motion, catching the incoming bokoblin who hadn't even reached him yet. The barbaric swine screeched as it crashed into the ground, slamming against the hard dirt multiple times before finally hitting a stop as dust flew everywhere. Link focused as he watched the monster slowly get up, but the bokoblin seemed to not waver, contrary to Link's foresight. Instead, it savagely bolted once again towards Link, but performed a surprising leap as it was within striking distance. 

Link panicked as he had not foretold the incoming behemoth, who was rapidly closing in on him. Hastily, he impulsively backflipped as the imminent bokoblin smacked the floor, somehow stunned by the shockwaves as it landed. Link quickly took this brief moment as an opening, running with his axe in tow towards the bokoblin who was unable to counterattack. 

Link raised his axe high above his head, before slicing it downwards, cutting into the bokoblin as in one smooth, clean motion, the axe had chopped the monster in half as purple bokoblin guts and brains splattered everywhere, the lime grass being stained by the unknown bodily fluids leaking out of the mutilated remains. Link was repulsed by the ghastly sight as he leaned away in disgust.

As he smothered the edge of his axe on some clean blades of grass, Link watched around cautiously, unsure if there were any other sinister enemies waiting to snare him. For now, Link decided it would be best to evade combat, as he was in no shape to face anything with that feeble axe he held. Link leaned downwards as he covertly continued down the path marked by uneven stone, however the sight of a huge, ruined building seemed to catch him off guard. Most of the structure was intact, and looked to be some sort of church or chapel by the intricate, unique designs the building possessed. Link slowly creeped up the stairs, passing multiple badly rusted guardians whom were half buried within the muddy terrain. As he reached the top of the symmetrical set of stairs, the undesirable sight of another red bokoblin caused Link to grimace, however the monster seemed to be unaware of his presence, continuing to idly stand conveniently in front of the entrance to the temple. After a fleeting second of planning, Link pounced, dashing straight towards the bokoblin who was able to anticipate his ambush as it raised it's shabby, wooden club in front of it. Link swung his axe at full power, his axe crushing the wooden club as it broke it in half, the fragments of wood stabbing the bokoblin who shrieked, followed by a cumbersome axe blade into its face. Link tried to show a morsel of mercy towards the poor monster, who was already a part of the floor as it's flattened, deflated body painted the ground, along with the horrible stench of bokoblin insides that caused Link to gag. 

Removing his focus from the bloody entrails, Link glanced inside the overgrown temple as a titanic, stone statue illustrating an angel with wings could be seen as rays of sunlight shone through the window. Fascinated, Link slowly walked towards the statue, his head and arms in a fixed position as droplets of purple blood dripped from the axe. 

As the spellbound Link continued to robotically move forward, an unknown voice resonated throughout him, causing him to snap out of his delusion. 

"Come hither… you must come closer…" It was a woman's voice that reverberated in Link, who had no other choice but to faithfully comply as he stepped closer, now just a few meters away from the base of the divine statue. 

"I am Goddess Hylia, deity of the Hylians and guardian of the Triforce. This fading moment I can speak freely with you won't last. I bequeath upon thee: the Ocarina of Time," Hylia's voice boomed as Link was physically shaken by her presence. Although he never heard anymore from the Goddess, Link glanced upwards as a peculiar, blue object appeared at the face of the statue as it slowly sunk down, until Link could grasp it with his hands. 

Upon closer inspection, the object seemed to be a regular ocarina, except it was blue and had the triforce engraved on the mouthpiece. Having no use for the instrument, Link carelessly stuffed it into his pouch as he began to inspect the statue for any further information, although it was to no avail. 

As he exited the temple, Link staggered as he felt the ground around him begin to shake. Dust began to appear as cracks formed in the ground. Soon, a giant crevice had opened up beneath Link, who fell downwards as he yelled, spinning in random directions as he continued to fall. As Link was diving head first, he could see the bottom getting closer, which caused Link to scream as he flailed in terror. As he was inches from the cold, hard floor, Link glued his eyes shut as he braced for the incoming impact, which never happened. Instead, something strange occurred at that moment, which Link nor anything else could've anticipated. 

"Hero of Winds! Updraft!" A childish voice reverberated in Link as suddenly, tendrils of white wind formed as Link felt his entire body being carried by the strong breeze, his clothing fiercely flapping about as his hair was lifted up. Without control, Link rose from the crevice, the wind carrying him up until he was back at surface level, even beyond. To Link's surprise, a whole portion of the Plateau had been hit by an earthquake, with varying sizes of cracks and dust still being visible as fauna and ruins were entirely engulfed by the quake. 

"Hero of Winds! Wind's Requiem!" The voice shouted again as another force of wind slammed into Link with brunt force, hurling him sideways as he passed the stone edge of the Plateau, now shooting through the boundless air of Hyrule. Link shouted in terror, although his screams were muffled by the speed he was traveling at as he crashed into a lake, causing a nuclear splash as unnatural amounts of water was sprayed everywhere as a result of the impact. 

After a few tense seconds, a familiar head popped out of the surface of the water as he gasped with an exasperated expression. With his chest slowly rising and sinking with every breath, Link swam back to the nearby shore as he helplessly flung himself onto the sand, out of breath. With one last motion, Link tossed himself onto his back, his arms and legs spread out as he closed his eyes in exhaustion. 

"That was fun, wasn't it?" The same voice asked Link who quickly opened his eyes in shock. He sat up, then swiftly turned his head in every direction, however nobody could be seen. 

"You were too harsh on him, Wind," A entirely different voice, which was more masculine and deep could be heard, causing Link to spiral around in confusion. 

"Wha.. Who are you..?" Link muttered in a weak, soft tone. A couple seconds of silence followed, but Link was determined to figure out this phenomenon currently developing within him. 

"Who are we? Well, I'm the Hero of Winds, and my buddy here is the Hero of Twilight!" The child said in a jovial tone as it giggled. 

"B-buddy? Don't lump me in with you." The deeper voice Link had heard before began to babble. Link silently listened to the two as they bickered to each other endlessly. 

"STOP! You guys are driving me crazy!" Link begged as he leaned forward, planting his face into the soft, crispy sand as he crossed his legs. 

"Don't look at me. It's all that child's fault. How did he even become a hero anyway?" 

"Child? Look at you, acting high and mighty because you're a few years older than me. I'm still wholly capable as you!" 

"Nice joke. I-" 

"SHUT UP!" Link desperately yelled as he pleaded with the two to stop rattling on. Link cooled down as the two voices stopped chattering, giving Link a moment of deserved peace. He laid down as he rested his arms on his eyes and sighed. A few minutes passed as Link had nearly fallen asleep, however he was kept awake by the flickering voice of a man. 

"We-we're sorry for our commotion earlier. I'll just explain it to you. I'm Twilight and the child is Wind. Just call us that for name's sake." Twilight asked as Link thought for a moment. 

"Twilight and Wind?" Link asked, his arms still on his face as he took a deep breath. 

"Yup! Those are our names. Oh yeah, open your eyes! We want to show you something," Wind asked as Link slowly placed his arms by his side as he opened his eyes and sat up. To his surprise, in front of him were two fairies, which danced in front of him like a spectacle. 

"Hah, you amazed?" Wind asked as he flew around Link who was too astonished to reply. 

"Our physical forms are fairies, but we still remain the same spiritually. However, we are bound to you and can only follow where you go," Twilight explained as he hovered in front of Link who smiled in relief. 

"That's… quite cute. Thanks Twilight, for giving me a run down on everything." Link said as he paid no attention to Wind, who was now up in his face. 

"Hey! C'mon, give me a chance! Trust me, I'll be informative and helpful starting… now!" Wind exclaimed as silence followed after as Link expectantly stared at the fairy of Wind who floated in utter tranquility. 

"Anyway… if you guys are just going to be with me all the time, then why not guide me where to go?" Link asked but Twilight sighed. 

"It's not as simple as that," Twilight told Link who seemed puzzled. 

"You see… we're spirits of you, meaning we lived in eras long ago. The Hyrule you know now is completely unknown to us." Wind explained as Link slowly nodded in disappointment. 

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure I know a guy who is good with directions." Twilight told Link as to his surprise, Twilight disappeared as his fairy vanished from sight. 

"Uhh.. Twilight?" Link warily asked as he gazed around, but nothing answered. However, a few seconds later, two fairies materialised in front of him, both different colors. 

"Here he is. Say hi to Sky, Link." Twilight told Link who looked at the third fairy in bewilderment. 

"What did you want me to do Twilight?" Sky asked as Twilight buzzed around Sky. 

"We need your help assisting the Hero here," Twilight told Sky who flew in close to Link's face, who's eyes crossed as he stared at the fairy, perplexed. 

"I see. I would start off with going around any nearby settlements or travelers and ask for insight." Sky told Link who had explained the whole situation. Link approvingly nodded as he stood up, checking his pouch to make sure everything was still inside. Despite being pitched through the sky at terminal velocity, everything, including the ocarina was still inside, albeit jumbled. 

"Alright, let's head out." Link told the three which tailed behind him as they floated. Link was still dumbfounded by the events that had unfolded, but he had no time to think it through as he trudged through the rocky path. His first location was the stable that could be barely seen by Link. Hoping he could gather information, he set out with three distinct fairies by his side.

Chapter Text

Warm air surrounded Link as he approached the festive stable. Those present were enjoying themselves as they sang and danced with jolly, while others sat down and focused on the aromatic food on the plates in front of them as they dug in.
"Hey, who's that?" Wind asked Link as he hovered in the direction of a blue figure standing outside the stable. He bore decorative feathers on his eyes, and his proportionately large hands held an accordion as he periodically changed the positions of his fingers to play new notes. The man seemed to be reveling in his own music as he bobbed up and down with an expression of delight.
"A Rito?" Link asked as he eyed the peculiar bird who had noticed Link gawking at him. The bird stopped playing as it raised one arm and waved like they were acquainted.
"Heyyy!!!" Link heard the bird call out as his arm was still high in the sky. Quickly, Link began to pace over to the warbler who was eagerly awaiting his arrival.
As he approached the songbird, Link greeted him with a simple nod, the bard returning the gesture as it bowed with elegance.
"Good day to you. The name’s Kass." Kass told Link who nodded.
"Yeah, I'm Link. Nice to meet you too," Link said as Kass lightly chuckled.
"What brings you out here to the fields of Hyrule?" Kass asked as he stared at the boy who looked up as he pondered.
"Hmm.. Nothing really. I'm just traveling around," Link replied as he thought it was a satisfactory answer. Kass nodded in approval as he adjusted his hands to get a firm grip on his accordion.
"Would you care to listen to one of my songs? You need not worry about fees." The bard asked Link as he glanced down at the large accordion, which was the likes he had never seen before.
"Tell me.. How does that instrument work?" He asked as the Rito giggled in excitement, showing no attempts to cover it up.
"You press or expand the bellows in the middle, whilst playing the buttons and keys on the side," Kass proclaimed like he was waiting for this moment for his entire life.
"I see. You seem very… excited," Link slowly spurt out as he tried to think of a word suiting the situation.
"Ah, do I? I apologize. It is just that not many care about my music, let alone the accordion. For a Hylian to ask me about my profession is just something I cannot resist," Kass explained as Link conveyed emotions of sympathy towards the bird.
“Anyway, to the song!” Kass shockingly yelled as he raised his accordion and immediately began to play his accordion before Link had a chance to react. He watched the accordion expand and shrink, as the fingers of the bard danced on the keys like a show. Astounded, Link watched in silence as Kass continued to play, as Kass closed his eyes, basking in the notes he was creating.
As the melody came to a close. Kass gracefully ended the piece as Link stood flabbergasted.
“Wow, I’m… speechless,” Link said as the bard did nothing but chuckle.
“I get that reaction a lot, probably because I’m a Rito.” Kass told Link who tilted his head.
“Then where’d you learn to play?” Link asked as Kass took a deep breath.
“My teacher… He is a Sheikah poet for the Royal Family. I am his student and cannot return until I finish my assignment,” Kass explained as Link thought for a moment.
“Assignment?” Link asked with curiosity.
“I’m afraid I cannot go into detail too much, I apologize.” Kass claimed as Link nodded in acknowledgement.
“Then I’m off. It was nice meeting you, Kass,” Link said as he poked his hand out, Kass smiling as he shook his hand.
“You too, Link.”
As the boy began to walk towards the stable, he did not notice the change in elevation as he caught the tip of his feet on the side, causing him to trip as he slammed into the hard wood of the stable. Kass hurriedly rushed to his side, but as he was about to lend his hand, he saw something in the corner of his eye which caused him to gasp.
“That’s!...”

“Ow… Thanks,” Link groaned as he clinged onto Kass’s arm for support as he lifted him up. He turned around as he saw everything in his pouch spilt onto the ground like litter. Link bent down as he proceeded to place everything back into his bag, however felt a soft touch on his shoulders as he turned back.
“That ocarina.. May I look at it?” Kass asked as Link stared at the blue instrument for a few seconds.
“Sure, why not.” Link nonchalantly exclaimed as he passed the ocarina over like a worthless item. Kass could feel sweat running down his cheeks just by handling the ocarina.
“This has to be it!” Kass thought as he inspected the item. It looked exactly like how it was depicted in the many books Kass read, given to him by his teacher.
“The lost heirloom of the Royal Family.. No, this must be a replica. The real one was lost thousands of years ago,” Kass murmured as Link had overheard his mumbling, however did not hear the contents of what he said.
“Is everything okay? Link asked as Kass jolted upwards as he glared at Link, causing distress within the boy.
“Where did you get this?” Kass asked in a demanding tone, as Link slightly leaned back in surprise.
“Uhm, somebody gave it to me.” Link told Kass who showed an expression of astonishment.
“Oh, forgive me. This ocarina is extremely rare, even if it is just a mere replica,” Kass explained as he handed the ocarina back to Link.
“Replica?” Link asked as Kass gasped in panic.
“UHH… Nevermind, just make sure you don’t lose it, alright?” Kass asked Link who stared at the instrument with total confusion, unaware of the instrument’s true significance and value.

Link stared at the parchment given to him by the stablemaster, it was a contract he had to sign before he could ride.
“We are not liable for any accidents made while riding?” Link murmured as he read through the contents of the contract.
“Yeah, so many travelers these days claim to know how to ride, but fall off and injure themselves as soon as we give them a horse. Generations these days.. Hmpf,” The stablemaster told Link. He was a middle aged man with a long, scruffy beard with thick eyebrows. Link signed the contract as he handed back the feather and piece of paper to the stablemaster, who withdrew from the counter and led him to the side of the stables.
“Choose one,” The man said in a rough tone as Link walked past each horse, examining them with care. Suddenly, Twilight appeared in front of the fairy boy as he hovered over a peculiar horse, which was brown but with a snow-white mane.
“Use this one. It is the best.” Twilight acknowledged the horse as Link watched, dumbfounded. Trusting his friend, Link pointed towards the white maned stallion, the stablemaster nodding as he gestured to one of the stable employees to lead the horse out.
“You know how to ride, right?” The employee asked as Link nodded. She handed him a lead and nodded when Link asked if he could get on. Though he was short, Link was somehow able to mount the mare with ease, shocking the stable workers and the stablemaster as with a single whip, Link was off as he proficiently turned onto the dirt road that stretched kilometers.
“Hmpf, he really does know how to ride.” The stablemaster murmured as he watched Link race away on his horse.
“Well, time to leave,” Kass told himself as he strapped his accordion onto himself and crouched down. With a single flap, he zoomed into the air as dust surrounded the ground where he lifted off. He flew at a low altitude, heading eastbound towards the Necluda region, where Link was proceeding to as well.
“Where are we going, Link?” Wind asked as Link struggled to speak with the heavy wind slamming against his face.
“Ha-Hateno-Vil-” Link gasped for air as he looked downwards away from the wind, still maintaining a very fast pace on his horse. Actually, he had lost full control as his hands were not even on the lead.
“This horse is a keeper. Trust me,” Twilight proclaimed as Link nodded, struggling to even face the front as he helplessly watched his horse gallop along the path, showing no signs of wavering.