Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Every day, Link followed a routine. This, unfortunately, was not one of those days.

It started off normal. He awoke at six o’clock on the dot, cleaned and dressed himself, ate breakfast, started up the Spirit Train, and set off for Castle Town. There, at seven o’clock, he checked in for work, sorted through the mail and packages, planned out which route would get every little thing delivered on time and in perfect condition, and spent the next several hours driving across every single Realm in New Hyrule to drop off anything between Sweetie’s Breakup Letter to construction materials. And, if things had decided to stay on track, he’d check up on the Tower of Spirits for a few hours, return home, eat dinner, and crash for the night with no incidents.

But then, at two twenty-six, less than three hours before he could clock out, the air, the earth, the very essence of life around him pulsed with something unnatural. Something otherworldly.

“Ya alright there, lad?”

The sudden voice shook Link from his thoughts, a feeling not dissimilar to being pulled out from a frozen lake. Ah, yes, he’d been in the middle of delivering lumber for a new village in the Ocean Realm.

In other instances, he would grit his teeth at being dubbed a ‘lad’ (even though he could feel the goodness radiating from the Goron’s spirit, it still stung to be viewed as some helpless kid), but there were far more important things to worry about now. He let out a quiet exhale, thankful he’d been facing away from the construction worker. “Of course, sir. My apologies.”

What was that?

The feeling wasn’t strong, not by any means. In fact, it was gone as soon as it arrived. And yet…

The construction worker- a younger Goron (Link offhandedly wondered if the warm ocean breeze felt cold to him)- chuckled as Link finished unloading the rest of the lumber from the freight car. “No need to apologize! Everybody gets lost in thought sometimes. I would be bored out of my mind with a job like this, personally.” The man paused suddenly as Link hopped back into place at the head of the Spirit Train. “Say…”

Link begrudgingly ignored the little version of him screaming about wasting time talking to the man when he needed to get back to work and, with a flick of his ears, he glanced back.

“Be careful on those tracks, will ya? The other day, one of the monsters around here tried starting something with me and the other guys. It was real vicious about it, too… took all five of us to take it down, and- get this- even that wasn’t enough! Ever since then, it seems every Spirits-damned monster ‘round here decided they were gonna get in on the action too. Been a real pain. They just don’t know how to give up.” He huffed, scratching at the side of his face. “Would hate to see a kid like you get hurt. Take care.”

I’m not a- “Thank you,” Link muttered, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

And then he was back on track.

By eight o’clock at night, he’d long since forgotten about the little pulse of energy and found himself rounding the halls of the Tower of Spirits when it happened again. Except, this time, the energy of the pulse sent a chill up his spine.

Now that it was stronger, he could make out more of its properties. It felt… divine, somewhat, but not the same kind of energy as the Spirits of Good. Above all else, though, it was familiar. It took only a couple seconds longer for him to place why.

The Warp Gates.

“SO YOU FEEL IT TOO?”

Link couldn’t hold back the squawk of alarm as his neck just about snapped in the direction of the Phantom.

“THE AIR HAS BEEN PULSING. BALANCE HAS SHIFTED. SOMETHING IS HAPPENING SOON.”

One, two, three, Alfonzo’s voice grumbled in the back of Link’s head. See? We’re all good.

“What’s happening?” Link spoke with a low tone. “Is it-?”

“A PORTAL,” the Phantom spoke in a series of low, flute-like hums.

“What could possibly cause a portal to show up,” Link grimaced, “if not the Spirits of Good?”

The Phantom didn’t answer. Link sighed.

“Either way, it’s trying to connect to here. We’ll be ready. If the Spirits of Good command it, I’ll dispose of any threats myself.”

An hour ticked by and he was sitting at his bedside table, rubbing his eyes and rolling his wrist with a pen in hand.

Hopefully he could finish by morning. The sooner Zelda knew, the better.

The next day passed without interruption, as did the one after that. Aside from the harsh increase in monster sightings (Link clicked his tongue when remembering how the bulblin pack nearly scraped the side of the Spirit Train during a delivery run. Thankfully, their stupidity knew no bounds and he was able to take them all out with a well placed cannonball to the skull. In his defense, they shouldn’t have touched his train), the days that passed were mundane and completely portal-less. He’d slipped back into his comfortable role, delivering packages and acting as though he’d found his passengers’ jokes funny, all with one ear pricked. If Alfonzo or the folks of Aboda Village- old and new- noticed the tenseness of his shoulders or the way his stare seemed to gaze ever further away, they didn’t say a word.

Meanwhile, Zelda had taken to dispatching more of the Royal Knights on patrols. They had been the ones doing most of the monster slaying… when they weren’t slacking off.

(Rookies, Link snickered under the shriek of the train’s whistle. The patrol that had been idly shuffling by damn-near fell over themselves in surprise.

It was undeniably unprofessional and childish to pull a prank on the job, and he knew he would scold himself later.

In the moment, though- and he’d never admit this to anyone, not like it truly mattered anyways- it was nice to let loose, even for a little bit).

The third day after-the-fact, he awoke at six o’clock sharp, rolled out of bed with a groan, and prayed to the Spirits Above that he would not have to carry any unruly, loud, or disobedient passengers that day.

By twelve, the grip he had on his elbows left his knuckles a stark white.

“Ma’am, I understand-”

“No, you don’t!” The older Hylian lady pouted. A little bit of him- the one that smirked when the Castle Guards stood drenched in ice-cold water with the help of a well-placed bucket- giggled at her jutting lower lip. She looks like a bulblin! Little-Him whispered. Cut it out, we’re working. Adult-Him replied.

“I have to be at work by one o’clock! I can’t wait for the next train! Can’t you just stop at my station first? It’ll be quick. I’ll be the only one getting off, anyways. You can do that, right? Nobody will mind.”

The entire world doesn’t revolve around you, ma’am, it’s not my fault you didn’t bother to wake up on time for the first train. “I’m really, truly sorry ma’am, but I can’t do that to the other people on the train.” He offered up a sweet smile to the woman, whose face only seemed to turn redder. It only served to make her look more like the belching volcano looming far, far behind her.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Tekar, his assistant for the afternoon, shuffle forward. With a slight raise of his head, Link continued. “They, too, have places they need to be, and it’s my job to get them there on time. You standing here and arguing with me is only cutting into their time. Please wait for the next train, as they should be stopping by Castle Town at around three thirty-five. Once again, I am truly sorry for your situation, but I must get going.” With a nod, he turned and left the woman to fume.

As he strode towards the Spirit Train (Five minutes off. He noted with a grimace. That conversation cost too much time), Tekar waddled up behind him nervously. He was much older- early twenties most likely, as students of the Academy tended to be-, but his hands weren’t quite so rough and stained with oil as Link’s. Yet, of course. He was still a rookie.

“Spirits, I thought she would just never stop talking, eh?” He gave a weak chuckle, eyeing Link with a certain look to his eyes. Link didn’t need to feel Tekar’s soul in order to understand how the man felt about being bossed around by someone much younger than him.

“Make sure everything is ready for our departure.” Link clicked his tongue, his eyes passing over the state of the Spirit Train. His ear flicked softly as Tekar walked off with a sigh and a grumble.

It had definitely seen some upgrades in the three years since it came under his care, and thank the Spirits for that, because he could not bear the idea of wasting so much time and fuel traveling back and forth to pick up every single passenger. His eyes fell to the singular cut in the side of the engine. Though most of the scarring from his adventure mission had been healed over with enough renovations (Link would never stop sending Alfonzo his blessings), there was still some evidence of the rough treatment it’d received.

(Of course, he was only twelve then and still kicked the ground and blushed at the sight of pretty girls, so coming face-to-helm with a pirate ship left his mind panicked and blank for three seconds longer than it should have. He broke that habit quickly).

Kneeling, Link inspected the wheels of the Spirit Train when-

A pulse.

It knocked the wind out of him, and he could barely register the feeling of the heat in the air around him and in the earth below him.

Another pulse.

It was… stronger, much stronger this time. Did that mean-

The air seemed to vibrate, and sweat rolled down his forehead.

It was overpowering.

A faint mumble buzzed around him and his brain only noticed it was someone- Tekar, yes, it was Tekar- speaking when he realized he was now laying on his back, staring at the calm, ash-filled sky. Someone was gripping his shoulder and standing in front of the sky now. The mumbled buzzing grew more sporadic- panic, he thought.

The vibrations crescendoed, then stopped. Then, Link saw, heard, knew, and felt nothing.

Chapter Text

Link was suddenly aware. He was aware of his body, resting in something that was too distant to identify. Everything was hazy; he was aware of a noise, a light, and a sensation, but it was all far too distant for him to reach. Something was poking at the back of his mind, but attempting to grab it left it trickling through his fingers.

Eventually, the fog in his mind had cleared enough for him to reach out further and gain understanding .

Faint shuffling, a soft light, and warm blankets.

Ah, he thought. I was asleep.

He found himself shifting, seeking the comfort of the bed. It enveloped him like a sweet, loving hug, and he heard himself exhale a quiet hum in relief.

Was it morning already? It felt like he hadn’t slept at all. Regardless, he needed to get ready. He only had so much time before he would be late. Though he wouldn’t lie, the bed was making a convincing argument for his stay. But, he had work to do.

He suddenly stopped in the process of rubbing his eyes free of any lingering bleariness. Wait.

Work.

Work.

Work…

The tugging in his head that eluded him before suddenly yanked and freed a flood of memories.

The pulsing.

Link’s eyes flew open as he shot up,  a quiet gasp falling from his dried lips. The action rewarded him with one, two surprised shudders of his heart, and he took in the sight of the room surrounding him. Blue pots, paper cutouts hung on the wall-

He was in his house.

By the Spirits, what was he doing here?!  

What happened to his passengers? They needed to get to their destinations! It was his duty as a Royal Engineer! He did not spend those years in the Academy to just laze around and do nothing -

“Wo-oah, chill out, Link,” came a grumble to his left. “I know you have a thing for overworking yourself but it’s a little soon to do that, don’t you think?”

Link turned and was greeted by the sight of a tall, dark-skinned man. He stared down at Link, face screwed with thinly-veiled mirth and a hint of frustration. The familiar deep ocean blue of his spirit muttered concerns.

Link’s ears twitched, betraying the- admittedly, shoddily put-together- mask of calm he wore. “Alfonzo, why am I here ? What happened? I’m supposed to be at work. You’re supposed to be at work. How long have I been out? How did I get here? Did Tekar drive me here? He didn’t damage the Spirit Train, did he?! If I see a scratch , so help me-”

“Link.” Alfonzo groaned, rubbing his eyes. Link’s ears pinned to the sides of his head, and his gaze shifted from the man to the blankets. To anyone else- except Zelda, of course- he would silently admonish himself for the display of such behavior. Not with Alfonzo, though. He didn’t need to prove anything.

Without warning, a heavy hand grasped Link by the shoulder and shook him- lightly, as to not hurt him, but just enough to shock his senses.

“Okay, let’s go through one thing at a time. You’re here because you suddenly collapsed during your shift. Thanks, by the way. You really know how to scare the shit out of a guy. Second of all, you would be at work, if you didn’t suddenly take a dive onto volcanic rock. You’re off duty until you’re cleared-”

“ What ?” Link’s ears flicked up in alarm. “But I-”

Alfonzo pinned Link with a glare. “ No buts,” he grunted. “As for me, I’m still on duty. I was using my break to make sure you were okay. The others in Aboda Village have also been checking in on you.”

A cold pit of dread swelled in his gut. “It was twelve when I was working,” he muttered. “You don’t get on break until two .”

“And there’s the answer to your other question.”

Link dropped his head in his hands and groaned.

“And no , Tekar did not take you here. I did.” Alfonzo leaned back, against the wall, arms crossed. “Tekar and some bystanders thought you had a heat stroke or something, so they were looking after you until you could be picked up. Word ended up getting out to me, and I came to your rescue- I know what you’re about to say, yes , I took the Spirit Train, don’t worry. I hitched a ride with the person taking the rest of your shift. I know you don’t like other people laying a hand on the Spirit Train, but I figured you could make an exception.”

“…I suppose.”

A smirk briefly showed itself on Alfonzo’s face, before a sudden wave of tension and familiar concern emanated from the deep blue. Alfonzo must have caught Link’s studying eyes, because he let out a sigh, uncrossed his arms, and stared into nothing.

Link felt his gut coil.

He already knew where this was going.

“Link,” Alfonzo said. “We need to talk.”

Link grit his teeth, turning to stare Alfonzo dead-on. Hopefully, he could derail this conversation before- “I didn’t overwork myself. That’s not why I passed out.”

He was met with a skeptical look. He didn’t even have time to retort when Alfonzo spoke again. “Even if that’s true, you have to understand why it’s hard for me to believe that. In the three years you’ve been a Royal Engineer, Link, you haven’t taken a day off. Not one . And don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

Link’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Noticed what?”

Alfonzo’s eyes softened a bit. “You’ve taken up more shifts lately. You’re tired more often, the bags under your eyes have gotten worse- Link, if what I’ve heard is correct, you don’t even take breaks anymore, do you?” A moment passed before he continued. “You’ve always been a hard worker, but this…”

Discomfort stabbed at Link. He could say he didn’t realize, but Alfonzo was one of the few people who could read him like a book. So, he said nothing.

The lines in Alfonzo’s face deepened.

“Link…” He muttered. Alfonzo’s voice, which had been stern (but not mean, never mean), had softened to a considerable degree. “Is this because of Niko?”

Deep breaths , he thought to himself. 

Silence dominated the air. 

(What once was filled with the soundless giggling and cries of adventure from the paper cutouts was an emptiness he had grown to uncomfortably live with. 

How could something so lively suddenly grow so silent ?)

Link responded with a carefully crafted expression of calmness, “I passed out due to a strong wave of divine energy, not from overworking, nor from heat stroke. The energy indicates that a portal may be attempting to form over New Hyrule, which could be dangerous depending on what caused it and what may come out of it.” He shifted out from under the covers and stood, his back to Alfonzo. “So, I will be leaving soon to update the Princess. This way, we can be prepared for the worst case scenario.”

Link approached the nightstand and looked over his reflection in the mirror.

He was disheveled; his blond hair- which had previously been tied back for safety measures- stood on all ends. You look like a skulltula , the younger part of him snickered.

A low exhale came from behind him. Link didn’t look at the face in the reflection. He could feel the deep blue disappointment and pity flowing out in waves.

Link’s ears, which had been still for so long, flicked ever so slightly. “And I’m fine. Everyone dies eventually, you and I both know that. It was only a matter of time before he did too.”

The next couple of minutes that passed were filled with soft shuffling as Link fiddled with his hair and clothes. It would be rude to stand before a Princess looking the way he did.

(He knew she wouldn’t mind, and frankly, he didn’t mind much, either.

But if it was an excuse to avoid the eyes in the mirror, he would take it.)

He was brushing through a knot when Alfonzo spoke again.

“I’m always here whenever you need me.” He said, framed by the light peeking through the opened door. “If not me, then the Princess, or anyone else. I’ll see you later, Link. I should get back to work.”

And then, it was just him, the knots in his hair, and the paper cutouts hung on the wall.