Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Story One: The Nine Heroes

Part One: It's Dangerous to go Alone

It starts, as so many of these things do, with a dream.

A shared vision between nine, each gathered in a circle, standing in ankle-deep water. Each one looks upon a glowing white light that shrouds a great figure, hiding everything but its weathered horns and its ancient, golden eyes.

And without voice, it speaks to them.

THOUGH THIS IS A DREAM, DO NOT DISMISS IT AS FANTASY

It is like a whisper, yet in the same moment, loud enough to be felt rather than heard. All of those assembled recognize it for what it is- divinity.

A DARKNESS SPREADS, UNTOUCHABLE BY THE HANDS OF THE GODS

EACH ONE OF YOU IS NEEDED

A BEACON SHALL APPEAR, VISIBLE ONLY TO THOSE PRESENT

GO TO IT

How odd, this thing was, to be so straightforward. Did gods and spirits not talk in riddles? Did they not whisper about things unseen? This one spoke plainly. It spoke like a mortal. Yet its voice, if it could be called that, was anything but.

KNIGHT OF SKYLOFT

SOUL OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS

SPIRIT OF THE LOST WOODS

KEEPER OF STORIES

CHILD OF FORESTS

GUARDIAN OF OUTSET

WAR SCHOLAR

DIVINE BEAST

CHAMPION

YOU ARE NEEDED ONCE MORE

NOW…

AWAKEN

AWAKEN 

WAKE UP

Wake up

“Wake up, Link!”

“Aah!”

Link hit the floor hard as he fell from his bed, staring up at the beak of a familiar blue Loftwing. He sighed. “Hi, Zephyr.”

“Link! Get your lazy butt off the floor!”

“Hi, Zelda,” Link greeted cheerfully, even as Zelda shoved her head in the window beside her Loftwing, her fake anger unable to mask her grin. “Wh- what, um-”

“What time is it?”

“Mm.”

“Too damn late!”

“...I had a, um…” Link fumbled over his words, even more so than usual. He could feel Zelda’s gaze boring into him, and he shrunk further into his seat. “...had a dream. L-last night.”

Zelda pulled in a deep breath. “Oh.”

Link chuckled. “Yeah. ‘Oh’.”

“Did you see…?”

“No. He wasn’t- he- nothing about him,” Link assured her, knowing exactly what she referred to. “I was… in a pool, or a- a lake. I could hear a voice, but, um- there wasn’t anyone talking? It- it said that I was… that I was ‘needed once more’.”

Zelda didn’t reply, but Link could see the way her hand shook with anger. Her aura, her magic, felt solid as Sky placed a hand on the golden wings it so often coalesced into, the feathers trembling. “What else?” she eventually demanded.

“A list. Of- of names, or, maybe titles? It called me ‘Knight of Skyloft’.” 

Zelda’s eyes went wide. “Do you remember any of the others?”

“N-no, I don’t.”

“None? None at all?”

Link frowned. “Wh-what’s going on, my sun? Is- do you know…?”

Zelda scowled. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I- ugh! I can’t see! I know this is something important, or, or it reminds me of something important? Agh! This is just-” Zelda yelled to the heavens, her wings flaring as she kicked a random pebble right off the edge of Skyloft. “Oh, shit.”

“C-congrats, you just- you just made the island that much smaller.”

Zelda huffed. “Whatever. Let me be angry.”

Link frowned. “There was, um… something else,” he added nervously. “Th- the voice, it said… it said there was a darkness of- of some kind, that the gods couldn’t touch. Have, have you felt…?”

“Yes,” Zelda replied instantly. “Always out of the corner of my eye. Any time I try to look at it, no matter what eyes I use, I can’t catch it . I know it’s there and I can’t do anything about it.”

“Is- is that why you’ve been so, uh…”

“Cranky? Absolutely. It knows I’m here, it’s trying to hide from me, and I don’t know what it wants.” Zelda sighed, reaching out to stroke the feathers of her Loftwing. Link glanced over at the skies for a glimpse of his own Loftwing, and, sure enough, he could see Aia’s red down peeking through the clouds. “I know I said I wouldn’t let this sort of thing affect me, I know I have limited time here, but…”

“Your duties are important,” Link assured her. “Both- both as Zelda, and as Hylia. D-doing what you must means we’re able to- able- means we can spend more time together. Remember?”

“Not this time,” Zelda murmured. “I can see the beacon too, you know.”

Link faltered. “...ah. The voice- the voice told me that only I could.”

Zelda scoffed. “I’m sure that was the intent,” she said smugly, before falling back down into a frown. “I… I don’t want you to go,” she told him, refusing to meet his eyes as golden wings hugged her sides, soon joined by sky-blue as Zephyr moved to protect her from her own emotions. “I know it’s selfish but I just…”

“You’ll have- you’ll have Groose with you,” Link offered. “And, well, I probably won’t get to bring Aia, so you’ll still have her.”

“It’s not the same.”

“...I know, my sun.”

“Have you told Groose yet? You know he’ll tear down all of Skyloft looking for you otherwise. And then pine away sadly once he realizes you’re gone.”

Link laughed. “N-not yet. I wanted you to know first. And… I, uh…”

“Wanted to know if there was anything I could do?”

“Mm.”

“Looks like we’re both shit outta luck on that end,” Zelda said dryly, making Link laugh again.

“Can, I, uh-” began Link, as soon as the humor dispersed. “I… I want to see you again. All of you . Before I leave.”

Zelda gave a sad smile. “Link…”

“I know it’ll hurt,” he told her. “But the- the pain fades fast. And it’s been months now.”

Zelda paused, then nodded, stepping way from Link, and nodding for Zephyr to move away as well. The sky-colored bird ducked its head under one wing, but Link refused to look away.

And he saw her.

And she Saw him.

“I love you, ” whispered Link.

And without words, for even the quietest whisper could shatter him, Hylia looked back at him, and with her many, many eyes, she told him, I love you.

<>

He’d done his best to prepare for anything.

He wore his nicest clothing, the same he used for diplomatic meetings with the races of the Surface, as well as the clasp he’d found at his bedside- it was one of Zelda’s, wasn’t it? He’d count it as one more reason to get back in one piece. Alongside all that, he carried his whip and beetle, as well as an enchanted bag filled with anything else he might need.

(Anything but a sword. Nothing felt right in his hands anymore. Groose had asked him why- said it was a shame to lose such skill. Link had asked him if he’d be willing to use a different Loftwing, if something ever happened to Pon-pon.)

(Groose had stopped asking after that.)

The four of them had gathered to see him off- Zelda and Zephyr, and Groose and Pon-pon. But it was Aia that was the last to see him, staying by his side until he stepped through the gateway that had been carved into the air itself.

Unfortunately, the other side of the gateway was also high up above the Surface.

Even more unfortunately, Aia had not come through with him.

But wait!, one might think. Link has a Sailcloth, he’ll be fine! And this was true! Link was completely safe from injury due to falling.

He was not safe from injury due to getting tangled in a tree.

Whoops.

Link groaned in annoyance as he again tried to writhe his way out of his predicament without damaging his Sailcloth- Zelda’s Sailcloth. Oh, she would be pissed, wouldn’t she? He leaves for five minutes and manages to break the thing.

Even if he was willing to damage the cloth, he couldn’t even reach his knife! He could reach his whip- sort of- but that wasn’t much help, was it? Maybe the beetle? No, he couldn’t risk it. This was an unknown land, he couldn’t afford to be distracted from his own body. 

(Plus it was incredibly weird, seeing one’s self through the eyes of a machine. Link shuddered at the mental image of himself, staring dead-eyed, barely breathing. Rationally, he knew he was fine, but that didn’t help the ‘creepy’ factor, did it? It was the most useful tool he'd ever gotten, but only so long as he didn't have to look at himself.)

Okay. No-go on the beetle. Whip wouldn’t help. No sword. Can’t damage the Sailcloth. Might be in danger. How-

“Pardon me, sir, but do you need some help getting down?”

Link froze. That- that was a Human voice. A Human voice he didn’t recognize. Were there other survivors? Other Human settlements on the surface apart from Hylia's Rule? He looked around, searching for this unknown savior, and-

Oh goodness, the ears on that man-

An unmistakably Human figure stood on the forest floor, wearing much too fine of clothing to be traipsing around in the wilderness- though the same could be said of Link, really. He had strikingly orange hair, kept short, but not at all tidy, and a strange wire setup, fitted between two unreasonably long ears, which created two circles in front of his eyes. At his side stood a large animal, almost like a giant remlit, but with short ears, shaggy fur, and grey-and-white markings.

“I- er, um- yes please,” stammered Link, still processing what he was seeing. “P-please, um, don’t cut my Sailcloth-  the white cloth I’m, ah. Wrapped in.”

The stranger smiled. “Not an issue, old boy, we’ll have you down in a jiffy.” He nodded to the large beast. “Go on, then, friend, do you think you might assist?” The not-remlit made a sound not unlike a Loftwing’s bark, then bolted off into the undergrowth. “My partner is a bit shy, so my friend there is fetching him,” the stranger explained. 

“Th- thank you,” Link told them sheepishly. “I don’t- I don’t think I could’ve gotten down on my own.”

The stranger hummed. “Odd accent you’ve got there. Where might you be from?”

“Skyloft.”

“Oh? That sounds rather familiar, but I can’t say I’ve ever been there,” the stranger mused. He opened his mouth to continue, but was interrupted by the appearance of another stranger- presumably, their partner. “Ah! There you are!” The two of them briefly embraced, before the newcomer, dressed in a sturdy green and blue dress, clambered up the tree like it was a ladder.

“Hold still,” they told him softly, barely more than a whisper. Link did as he was told, and out of the corner of his eye, watched as the stranger untied every knot and tangle with nigh-imperceptible speed. Link felt his binds loosen, further, and further, and-

Ah. He didn’t think this out, did he?

“Ow. ”

“Oh! Are you alright?” asked the orange-haired stranger, moving to help Link up off the ground. “I probably ought to have tried to catch you… though I’ll admit that that likely wouldn’t’ve done much good.”

“I-it’s fine,” Link assured him with a polite smile. “Thank y- tha- mm. Thank you for your help.”

“Why are ya here?”

Link practically jumped out of his skin as the second stranger appeared behind him as if by magic. “Oh! Uh. That’s- I…” Link grimaced. “It’s complicated.”

The stranger in the blue dress looked ready to continue, but the orange-haired stranger interrupted her (him? The dress was a feminine one, but not so much so that it couldn't be a robe). “Oh, goodness me, we haven’t even introduced ourselves!” he realized. “My name is Shad, and my partner here is Wolf- an old nickname he picked up some years ago.” Was ‘Wolf’ an odd name? And he was a 'he', then. “And you, my dear fellow?”

“L-Link Aiana. Of Skyloft,” he added.

The two strangers- Wolf and Shad- glanced at each other awkwardly. “Your name is Link?” asked Shad warily. “Your- your actual name?”

Link frowned. “Yes? Is- is that- is there something wrong with that?”

“Uh- no, not at all, old boy!” said Shad, just a tiny bit too enthusiastically. “Just, ah- well, it’s not a name you hear much around these parts, you know! Where, uh, where did you say this ‘Skyloft’ place was located?”

“I didn’t.”

“Ah. Yes. Of course.” The conversation trailed off into awkward silence, and Link could hear the chirping of the tiny Loftwings that flitted from branch to branch. (He knew they were called "bjurds", but that was a very silly name for what was obviously a tiny Loftwing.)

“Shad,” whispered Wolf, his eyes suddenly wide. “The pin…”

Shad frowned, glancing between Link and his partner, then he too lit up with realization. “ Oh. That would explain things, wouldn’t it?”

“Wh- what are- explain what things?”

Rather than elaborate aloud, Wolf reached into his side bag, and procured... the exact same clasp Link had found on his bedside. Engraved gold made out the shape of a dot with two crescent shapes encompassing it- the same symbol from the temple in Faron's Woods- all on a verdant green background. Link’s hand went up to the identical adornment he wore, keeping the shaft of Aia’s feather pinned to his hair while the rest of it fell gently at his back. “Ah suppose that makes ya the Knight of Skyloft?” asked Wolf.

Link’s mouth fell open. “Oh. You’re- are you…?”

“The voice called me the ‘Divine Beast’,” Wolf admitted, “though ah’m not really sure why.” Shad frowned at that, but said nothing.

“D-do you know what’s going on?”

“No more than you do. The beacon brought me here, to Faron Woods.” Faron Woods? But where’re all the mushrooms? And since when are there Humans living here? Hylia's Rule hasn’t even been finished yet!

“Are you really from Skyloft?” asked Shad, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Is it true that Hylians once lived in the skies?”

Link balked. “‘Hylians’? Wh- ‘once’? I don’t understand, what…?”

Wolf sighed. “Time travel,” he said flatly.

“Time travel?” asked Shad.

“...time travel,” agreed Link, once he processed what Wolf meant. “Then th- this is the future?”

“Probably.”

“Almost certainly,” argued Shad, fiddling with the wires on his face. “About five thousand years into the future, if I’m correct…”

Link’s ears drooped, the metal jewelry he wore on them clanking against each other. “Five thousand…? ” That was even further than the timeshift stones had taken him, and that had been terrifying enough, but- there weren't any timeshift stones here, were they? Just the portal. Which meant this wasn't a temporary shift, he was really and truly here. Which meant he could be stuck here if things went wrong.

Stuck in a future where Skyloft was long forgotten. Which meant…

Oh Hylia. Groose and Pon-pon were dead. Zephyr was dead. Aia was dead, no, no, no, please no-

“Ser Link? Ser Link!”

Link felt himself drop to his knees as his body simply stopped responding. “I- oh, Hylia, no, that’s- no, please…” He held his hands in front of his face, trying and failing to stop them from shaking. I- this isn’t how the timeshift stones worked, I can’t just turn this off, this is permanent, I can’t- how do I- please, not Aia, not my Aia-

I can’t hear her-

“Link?”

Link startled, pulling away, hand darting to a hilt that wasn’t there anymore.

“It’s okay,” insisted a soothing voice- Wolf, wasn’t it? The man had draped a cloak over Link’s shoulders, and now knelt on the ground, face-to-face with him. “Yer safe. Okay? Yer safe.”

“I’m- I’m safe,” Link repeated.

“Can ya tell me why yer scared?”

“I-” Link felt his throat clog with emotion. “My friends, my Aia, they- they’re all…”

“Your friends are fine,” assured Shad, stepping slightly closer. “I would imagine only you have been transported. Should you find a way to return, I have no doubt you’ll find your, ah, your ‘Aia’, to be safe and well.”

…he was a fool. Not even fifteen minutes unable to hear his Soul and he was acting like a child. Of course she was fine. Better than him, even. She probably wasn’t feeling like she’d fallen into an alien land all over again, feeling too heavy for her own body, feeling her lungs catch at every breath…

Idiot. Stupid, useless child, pretending to be a hero. Always too slow on the uptake, too slow-

Link rubbed at his face. “That’s… you- you’re right,” he mumbled, feeling his face burn red with shame. “I- I’m overreacting, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be-”

“‘s’alright,” Wolf assured him, extending a hand to help him up. “New place, new stuff happenin’. It makes everythin’ feel bigger, don’t it?”

Link nodded, pulling Wolf’s cloak tighter around his shoulders. “Can- can I hold onto this for a bit?”

“Go right ahead. Ah wasn’t using it anyways.”

“Will you need some time to rest?” asked Shad, his hands held awkwardly in front of him. “From what Wolf has told me, this whole quest sounds rather urgent…”

Link frowned. “I don’t know.”

“Let them recover before ya go pushin’ them,” growled Wolf.

“I am! That’s why I asked first!”

Link left the two to their arguing, looking around at the treetops… there! A towering shaft of green light, as verdant as the pin he and Wolf both held, haloed in gold. “I’ll be okay,” he decided, still watching the beacon. “How long will- will- mm. How long will it take us to get there?”

Wolf tilted his head to the side in a way that reminded Link of a Loftwing. “No more than a few hours if’n we have horses.”

“What’s a horses?”

Wolf and Shad glanced at each other. “...ah,” said Shad. “That could be a minor problem.”

<>

Link did not like horses. 

He did not like horses one bit. 

Unfortunately, one of the horses seemed to like him . It seemed to like him a lot, actually.

“Epona seems rather friendly today,” Shad had commented as he’d assisted Wolf in dressing the horses in leather and metal, far more complex than the simple harnesses given to knight Loftwings. It looked a bit like they were tying the creatures up, but Wolf had insisted this wouldn’t hurt them a bit. “It seems she’s rather fond of you, Ser Link!”

The feeling was not mutual.

“Why’d your friend keep calling me ‘ser’?” asked Link, trying to distract himself from the terrifying creature he rode upon. The two of them had long since set off towards the glowing beacon, as Wolf had already packed for a journey and thoroughly armed himself. “I th-thought he said ‘sir’ at first, but he- he didn’t, did he?”

Wolf shrugged. “Ah guess we figured you’d correct us? If ya preferred ‘sir’ or ‘miss’ instead.”

Link blinked hard. “I- I- do I look like a girl?”

“Ah dunno. Ya look like a Hylian. Ah’m not gonna tell ya what ya are.”

“Th-that word again. What does that mean?”

“Hylian? Uh, it’s…” Wolf waved his free hand about vaguely, keeping one hand on the reigns of the dappled blue horse he rode. Link had given the man his cloak back some time ago, but he’d simply stored it away, preferring to stay in the layered dress he wore, along with a sash that looked like the fur of Shad’s giant not-remlit pet. “It’s a type of Human, like Gerudo or Ordonian.”

“Th-there aren’t different ‘types’ of Human,” Link argued. 

“Not where yer from, ah’m guessing. ‘s different here.”

“I… mm. I suppose you’re right. It’s just…” Link looked away. “It’s very to imagine that- that a few houses and wooden structures would turn into… this,” he said, gesturing out at the countryside, and the castle in the far distance. Link knew that if he stared at the grand stone building for too long, if he thought about it for too long, he’d start to panic again.

Wolf frowned. “Ah thought ya said ya lived in the skies?”

“We do! But, there’s not enough room to grow,” Link explained excitedly. “So Zelda and Groose and I, we’re trying to build a separate town on the Surface. No-one lives- lives there just yet.” He grimaced. “No-one believes it’s safe now, and I don’t blame them.”

“Are… hold on,” said Wolf, squinting, “are ya saying yer literally buildin’ the beginning of Hyrule!?”

“I don’t know what a Hyrule is, so probably not.” That sounded like Hylia's Rule, but not. Like how this place looks like Faron's Woods, but not, thought Link.

Wolf stared at him. “…wow. Ah can see why Shad was so excited, now,” he said, before falling quiet once again. 

Link wished he could enjoy the quiet, but… his brain was moving faster than a diving Loftwing, and he needed some kind of distraction lest he start crying again. Wolf was right- everything did feel… bigger . And not in a good way.

“Wh… why did…. why did you think the name Link was odd?” he eventually asked.

“Oh, that. Uh…” Wolf rubbed his neck awkwardly. “Ah mean, ah’m not really in a place to judge? But… well, ‘Link’ ain’t really a name. Just kinda, ‘ah don’t know yer name so ah’m gonna call ya this’. Like ‘kid’ or ‘you there’ or-”

“Or ‘old boy’?”

“Look, ah dunno why he says that either, so don’t ask me-”

Link laughed. “It’s sweet! You two seem very good friends.”

“Uh… yeah,” said Wolf awkwardly. “Friends.”

“I could- I could go by something else, if you’d like?” Link offered. “If it feels odd to call me ‘Link’.”

Wolf hesitated. “Ah wanna say ‘yes’, but ah don’t wanna just be callin’ ya by the wrong name just because ah think it feels odd.”

“I don’t mind,” Link insisted, “really! Zelda and I- we, uh, th-this is a bit sappy, but we call each other ‘my sky’ and ‘my sun’, or just ‘sky’ and ‘sun’, so… you could call me ‘Sky’, I guess?”

“Are ya sure? If’n it ever feels weird, ah don’t wanna force ya…”

“I’ll let you know,” Link- Sky- assured him. 

“Ah guess that makes two of us,” Wolf mused. “Two of us with odd names, ah mean.”

“Is ‘Wolf’ an odd name?”

“...you have no idea what a wolf is, do ya.”

“I did-didn’t know what a horse was until today,” Sky argued.

“Ya know what? Yer making nothin’ but good points here.”

--<>--

KNIGHT OF SKYLOFT

SOUL OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS

SPIRIT OF THE LOST WOODS

KEEPER OF STORIES

CHILD OF FORESTS

GUARDIAN OF OUTSET

WAR SCHOLAR

DIVINE BEAST

CHAMPION

YOU ARE NEEDED ONCE MORE

NOW…

AWAKEN

“Ganon damn it all."

"I doubt he's involved in whatever this is," signed Flora without even looking up from her book. "Though it is possible. He only ever seems to stay dead until the next Age comes around."

"You're sure about all this?" asked Revali, only tangible enough to sit backwards on the chair he'd stolen. "I know you two are exceptions to a lot of shit, but, it could also just be a really weird but not at all magic dream."

Wild shook her head. "I found this next t' me when I woke up," she explained, placing a green pin with the symbol of Farore on it in gold. "Th' being I saw must have been my Lady, I felt it. I'm not about t' disobey her."

"You can't just leave , though!" Revali insisted. "We're kind of busy here!"

"Unfortunately, I have to agree with him-"

"The hell do you mean 'unfortunately'-'

"I just said I agreed with you! Wild, you can't leave, we need you. The negotiations with the Lindori Lizalfos are in three days, the stables are relying on your help, not to mention the issues with the Tabanthan roads-"

"I know," interrupted Wild. "I know. An'... I think I can stay long enough t' meet with th' Lindori, an' let ev'ryone know I'm leavin'. But I have to go, Flora." Wild sighed, looking off to the side as she leant her elbows on the table. "What if this is another Calamity? What if part of th' Good King survived, outside of th' Skylands?"

"Then that's their problem," snarked Revali. "Just tell them to get their own hero. Besides, aren't there a bunch of other people going?"

Wild stared Revali in the eyes. "Yes. There are. An' I have no idea what their intentions are, or how they might treat my people. I need t' at least offer th' chance t' talk instead of fightin'."

"Wild… you said there was a list of titles, didn't you? Can you remember them all?"

Wild paused for a moment, then scrunched up her face. "Maybe? I remember bits an' pieces. One of them was jus' "Champion"-"

"Which could very well be me or one of the others!"

"You're all dead, Revali, what would you even provide?"

"Moral support."

Wild ignored him and continued. "I know one of 'em was "somethin' of Skyloft'', another was, uh, I think there was "Child of th' Lost Woods" an' "Spirit of Forests?" Mighta been th' other way 'round… oh, uh, "War Scholar" was one, that sounded really cool. And "Guardian of Outset", I think? I hope it's not an actual Guardian, that'd be scary."

Flora's eyes lit up. "Wild- "Guardian of Outset" was one of the epithets of the Hero of the Winds!"

Revali perked up as well. "Oh, shit, you're right, aren't you? That guy's kind of a big deal to the Rito despite being Hylian and- wait. No. Flora, are you implying that Wild is going to meet the Hero of the Winds. "

"I am."

"Wild we need to leave immediately, let's go lesbians, time to head out-"

"No you don't," said Flora as she yanked Revali back, her hand glowing white where it touched his ghostly form. "Remember we have to be at Hyrule Ridge in two days? Wild isn't going anywhere just yet and neither are you."

Revali's crest flattened into the Rito equivalent to a pout. "You never let me have nice things," he said in a childish tone, making Wild laugh. "Seriously though, if you don't bring my binding stone with you I'm never gonna forgive you."

"I'll take all five backup stones," Wild assured him. "Just in case somethin' goes wrong." She paused. "Speakin' of, where's Mipha?"

"With Sidon," Flora explained. "They wanted to spend some time together. I don't think they have any plans, but I'm not going to be the one to interrupt them."

Revali grimaced. "How is it she's still the scary one when "Little Sidon" is as tall as a Moblin?"

"Because she's Mipha, that's how."

"You got me there."

<>

The diplomatic meeting came and went, and the Lindori agreed to permit a logging operation in their territory, so long as they were paid a small fee and were allowed to help oversee the project.

 A young naturalist named Ilxanha was elected to take on the role for her lounge, and got on surprisingly well with the Outskirts team once communication was established. Apparently she was fascinated by species behaviors, including both animals and sophonts.

Now that things were wrapped up, though, it wasn't Ilxanha that Wild went looking for.

"Leader? I want to speak with you."

Ruvenva looked over at Wild with a sad smile. "Do so, Vatekru," asked the naharu of the Great Plateau in their shared language of Beh'tebeva, for even after all these years, Common was far too clumsy and complex for the aging Moblin.

Wild sat next to her, still in the form of a Lizalfos. She knew her naharu could recognize her in any form she might take- how could she not? "Do you know what has happened?"

"...yes. I know this thing. A darkness does come, slowly, but always. Is it not the role of the Hero to fight that?"

"I am not their hero," argued Wild.

"But you are still a hero."

"We're done this too many times, leader. Speaking in this way, knowing I will leave."

"I do not fear you leaving," said Ruvenva, placing a long arm around her daughter's scaled shoulders. "I fear you not coming back. That is more frightening than every Blood Moon I have seen."

"I will return, leader," Wild firmly insisted. "Nothing can keep me from my family."

"Not even Hylia herself?" She said it like a joke, but both of them knew better than that.

"I will not die until I allow it, leader. There is no god more powerful than love."

Ruvenva smiled, lips curling softly around her tusks as she moved to wrap her arms fully around Wild. "May the Good King grant you mercy."

"And may the moon shine upon your bones."

<>

Packing for a journey wasn't exactly hard, since Wild was, at all times, prepared to run off into the woods for days or weeks on end. Just in case. 

Letting everyone know she was leaving, though…

<>

"Wow."

"Yeah."

Riju looked impressed, and a bit annoyed, leaning over her stuffed sand seal with one hand propping up her cheek. "Stay safe, I suppose."

"I have zero control o'er that."

"Then die, bitch."

<>

"..."

"..."

Wild shifted uncomfortably under Teba's gaze. "I, uh… I will have t' go at some point-"

Teba huffed in annoyance, folding his wings across his chest. "Once you find one of these companions? Stick with them. There's safety in numbers."

"You're not going t' stop me?"

"Would I be able to?"

"..."

"That's what I thought."

<>

"Y'nobo- Y'nobo please, I have t' go talk with Sidon-"

"You can't leave!" 

"Y've been doin' great on yr own!" Wild insisted. "Y' don't need me-"

"But what if you don't come back? I'll never see you again!"

Wild gave a toothy, crazed grin. "Aw, c'mon, Y'nobo. Since when has anythin' been able t' kill me an' make it stick? "

<>

"So," said Sidon, looking over the railings of his private quarters, out into the ever-expanding Domain.

"So," parroted Wild.

"You're leaving."

Wild looked down at her form, at the orange scales of the Zora body she wore, at the teal-blue scarring that made up her arm. "Yes," she answered quietly. 

"Hmm." Sidon didn't look at her, didn't even shift expressions. "I won't be able to help, stop, or persuade you, I would imagine," he said flatly. "And it's likely you'll be gone for quite a while."

"Yes."

Sidon sighed. "I knew… I knew what I was getting into, you know. I've always known this was a possibility. But… it still hurts, my love. It still hurts."

Wild swam over to Sidon, placing a hand on his shoulders. "What can I do?"

"I don't know."

"...I will come back, y' know. I will always come back."

"Will you?" he wondered. "Will there be someone to pick you up when you fall? To pull you from the fire? To bring you back from the ocean's depths?"

"Yes. There was a list of titles-"

"A list of strangers."

"And one of them was "Divine Beast"."

Sidon spun towards Wild, eyes wide. "Does Flora-?"

"No. An'... she won't, until I find him."

"Is it not better to tell her?"

"I don' wanna get her hopes up if'n I'm wrong."

Sidon hummed. "Do not go unprepared, my love. Ensure you have everything you can bring."

"I already have," Wild assured him. "Ev'ry elemental spear th' Great Bazaar could offer, a plethora of Guardian shields, my trusty boomerang-"

"The Master Sword?"

"No. I will not carry that blade again, no matter what-"

Sidon laughed. "I'm teasing. I am sorry if I went too far."

Wild stuck her tongue out, then paused. "Her". Dammit, was that bugging her- them? Xem? Him? him- already? Really? Right now?

"What's the matter?"

"Gender fuckery. Apparently I'm a "he" now because my brain won't let me be a girl for more than three days I guess."

"What a shame. However shall I live without my beloved wife?"

Wild gave his usual crooked smile, pulled astray by the weave of his scars. "Will a beloved husband do?"

"Why of course! How could I ever say no?"

The two lovers laughed at each other's antics, pulling into a close embrace. "I'll miss ya," whispered Wild. "I'll look at my pictures of ya ev'ry day so I don' forget."

"And I will wait for you," said Sidon, just as quietly. "I will wait for you for a thousand years if I need to. Even if you forget me, I will be here for you."

<>

On Eventide Island, a portal glowed. Only Revali was with him now, tied to the carved jade hidden under Wild's shirt. The warm ocean breeze ruffled the Rito's feathers until he faded into intangibility, looking like the ghost he really was.

"I'm gonna deactivate th' stone for now,'' Wild reminded him, "jus' until I know y'll be safe." Wild had made sure to wear more "proper" clothing than usual, with his Ancient Mask covering the left side of his face. 

"Be careful, then. I won't be able to save you."

"I know," Wild assured him. The jade glowed brightly as Revali took to the skies, leaving the gem to pulse ever so faintly as he faded away.

Wild took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

One step forwards.

Two steps forwards.

Three.

Four.

        and then, 

nothing.

"Oh good, you're not dead."

Wild pulled himself from the grips of unconsciousness, startled by the sound of another voice- scratchy and nearly destroyed, like Flora the last time they'd run out of honey drops for a good month and she’d insisted on talking verbally anyways. When Wild managed to open his eyes, he could see why.

A young man(?) with dark hair framing his face knelt next to him, brown- no, magenta - eyes peering down. A face mask had been pulled low, revealing a petite face absolutely covered with electrical scars. He seemed to notice Wild's curious gaze, scowling and pulling his crimson-red mask back over his lower face. 

"S'rry if I was starin'," Wild grunted as he tried to sit upright. "D'y'know, uh, where we are?"

"No clue," replied the stranger, climbing to his feet, keeping his distance from Wild, eyeing him warily. "But if you happen to be looking for a "Keeper of Stories", well…" In a swift motion, he retrieved a familiar gold-on-green pin.

Wild paused, then laughed. "Well that's good t' know! I was thinkin' I'd be lookin' for y'all on my own." He reached out a hand to greet him, but he stepped back. "I'm, uh… m' name's Wild."

"Talia," replied the stranger. Wasn't that usually a feminine name? 

"Should, I, uh- is "she" alright for ya, or…?"

Talia's eyes squinted into a grin. "Any pronouns are fine. Just as long as you don't tell anyone else. It's fun seeing people who don't bother asking get confused. Call me "Talien" if you want. Either works."

"I'll be sure t' remember," he told him, signaling the Slate to write it down, knowing full well that he'd otherwise forget. He decided to stick with "Talien" instead, as the stranger suggested, for no reason other than ease of remembering.

"And you?"

"He/him right now," said Wild, gesturing to the twin metal hoops he wore on each ear. "The Lady that appeared to us called me "Champion", by th' way. It's an old title I got for dealin' with th' Calamity an' all that."

Talien gave him a curious look. "Calamity?"

...where was he that people didn't know of the Good King? "Th' giant monster thing that was surroundin' Hyrule Castle for a hundred years? That Calamity?"

Talien just scowled. "Great. Apparently we're dealing with time travel now, because I've been to the castle more than a few times and the only giant monsters there have been very rare and very brief."

"Time travel? So… you're from the future?"

"Or past. Lemme see, uh… ever heard of the Fallen Hero?" Talien suggested. "Asshole who died some generations ago and left the place to rot?"

Wild's insides turned to stone. I'm remembered like that? Oh, oh gods, I… I can't let him know… "I have," Wild told her with a carefully measured voice. "The previous Hylian Champion died t' th' Calamity a hundred years ago."

"Hmm. Well now I'm not actually sure that's the same guy," Talien mused, picking up some items off the ground and shoving them into a bottomless cloth sack that he then tied to her waist. "Either way, we can probably guess we're from completely different eras, and…" He squinted at their surroundings- just past the edge of a forest, with a trail leading deeper into it, and a small village not far in the other direction. "I don't recognize where we are… I'd guess southern Hyrule, maybe on the borders to Labrynna or Erivin."

"I've ne'er heard of either of those places an' was actually gonna suggest somewhere to th' north, like Deplia or Akkala, so based on that I'd say we're lost."

"Yeah, lost sounds about right. No idea when we are, either."

"We could ask?" Wild offered, pointing to the little village. 

"Uh-huh. How do you suggest that without sounding like we're crazy and getting kicked out on sight?"

"..."

"That's what I thought," said Talien, a bit of smugness reaching up from behind his scarf. "Besides, what does it matter?"

"I didn't even know time travel was a thing until now!" Wild argued, tailing Talien as she strolled down the forest path. "Think of what we can learn!" He stopped as he was hit by a realization. "Except there's th' whole "save th' world" thing t' think about…"

"Which I would like to say I did not agree with, " grumbled Talien, addressing that last part to the canopy above. At Wild's curious look (once he'd caught up), he huffed in false annoyance- Wild had spent enough time around Revali to know the difference. "I'm not called the Keeper of Stories for nothing. I've been everywhere, seen everything, and have the chronic pain to prove it. I was more than happy to sit back and retire, but…" He sighed, clearly unhappy with herself. "I can't just leave people to get hurt, unfortunately."

"Unfortunately?"

"Did you not hear the "retired" bit."

Wild frowned. "Is there anythin' I can offer t' help? With th' pain, I mean."

Talien seemed surprised, as if he hadn’t realized he’d mentioned that. "I'm not a fucking invalid -"

"I'm offerin' b'cause my friend Flora has the same issues, an' so do I, to an extent," said Wild softly, unhurt by Talien's prickliness. "I've got white chuchu jelly, honey candies, jus' about any kinda herb- though Flora's a better alchemist than I am."

Talien ignored him. "I'm fine. Just don't expect me to be happy about any of this."

"Eh, y' didn't stab me on sight, so y're already doin' pretty well in my book."

"That's… you have worryingly low standards."

"So I've been told!"

<>

“So what d’y’ do?”

“What?”

“Weeell, I mean, if we’re gonna be workin’ t’gether, we might as well get t’ know each other, right?”

“No,” said Talien flatly. Wild waited for him to follow the statement up with something. He did not.

“D’y’know where we’re going?”

“Towards the beacon.”

“Shouldn’t we stop somewhere first?”

“You can if you want to.”

“But- we should stick t’gether!”

“That’s not my problem.”

“Are y’ always this grumpy?”

“Are you always this annoying?”

Wild sighed dramatically. “So I’ve been told.”

Talien actually gave a short laugh at that, which Wild counted as a win. “Look, I just wanna get this shit done and over with. I’m not here for socialization.”

“Fair,” reasoned Wild, “but th’ beacon’s a good ways away, an’ we’ve no idea where it’ll spit us out. Shouldn’t we try an’ find a place t’ rest first, then keep goin’ come ‘morrow?”

Talien paused, looking back at Wild curiously. “Where did you say you were from?”

Wild cocked his head to the side. “Er, no’ really anywhere. Flora says I got a lot of her accent, though, an’ she was from Castletown. Why’d’y ask?”

“I’m usually able to identify accents rather quickly. I’ve never heard yours before.” Talien sighed, fiddling with the bag at his side. “You’re right. We should find shelter, at the very least.” He nodded off to the side. “I think I saw a path leading that way, so there’s probably a town there. You, uh… might make a bit of a scene, though, what with…” He gestured vaguely at the Ancient Mask.

“Y’re th’ one who looks like they’re ‘bout t’ mug someone,” Wild argued, despite knowing full well that Talien was right.

Talien hesitated, then unhooked the red mask from around his ears, once again revealing the bright pink scars that traveled up from his neck, over her cheek and ear, almost reaching his eye. She looked away from Wild, ears flickering at the sounds of the forest. “If you start prying, I’m going to leave,” he said with a challenging scowl, his cleft lip revealing a pair of almost rodent-like incisors.

Wild shrugged. “I mean, not t’ brag, but I kinda have y’ beat,” he told her with a sideways grin. Talien arched an eyebrow at him as he began to undo the various wires and latches that connected the Ancient Mask to the rest of his systems, powering down the now-useless map it’d been displaying. After a sharp tug, it disconnected, and vanished back into his Slate.

Talien stared open-mouthed. “Holy shit. I-” He covered her mouth, ears folding back. “Fuck, I didn’t mean-”

Wild fully just laughed. “‘s’alright! Y’can see why I had it all covered, va? People back home are used t’ Ancient tech, at least nowadays, so I didn’t even think ‘bout it.” 

“Tech?” asked Talien as Wild removed the armor on his right arm and covered his prosthetic with a thick glove. “You mean like wisp circuits?”

“Kinda? Flora’s the expert, I’m jus’ her “test dummy”, as she likes t’ say,” said Wild. 

“Huh.”

“...”

“I, uh- I’ve got enough rupees to cover my own fees,” said Talien awkwardly. “If you need any-”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty!”

Talien’s eyes sparked with interest. “I was going to say you’d be on your own,” he noted.

“Ah. Whoops.”

--<>--

This is getting weird, mused Blue.

We’re hardly ones to judge, noted Vio. 

Yeah, but at least we have an excuse.

Four waved awkwardly.

The stranger waved back.

We’ve found a Hylian-shaped parrot. Amazing.

Blue!

Should we offer them some food? asked Red.

They’re not a- a wild animal, Red!

It might not be a bad idea, actually, said Green thoughtfully. Do we have anything on us?

Just some apples, I think.

That’ll do.

Four reached into his pouch, making the stranger tense up until he stopped. Once the stranger had relaxed, he reached back again, just much more slowly, making sure to telegraph his movements. The stranger watched as he pulled out a single apple.

The stranger’s eyes lit up, and Vio swore their pupils widened like a cat’s.

What do we do now? Fucking, throw it at them? asked Blue, flustered.

Please don’t, said Green, but it was too late, and the apple was on the ground in between Four and the stranger. Slowly, Four raised his hands again, backing up and giving the stranger plenty of room. As soon as they were far enough apart, the stranger bolted.

He didn’t even see them move - one moment they were in the bushes, the next they were in the clearing, then back in the bushes again, looking over the apple like it was rigged to explode. After an agonizingly long time, they finally took a bite.

The stranger- the child- looked like they were about to cry of joy.

So we’re immediately adopting this kid, said Blue, right? That’s not just me?

Red began openly crying, and Four had to fight back tears even as Vio mentally patted his brother on the back in an attempt to console him. Whoever they are, they must’ve been starving… I wonder if someone was keeping them hostage?

What makes you say that? asked Green.

Think about it- they're wearing ragged clothing, they're in the woods without any shoes, and they're distinctly malnourished. That sounds less like a city orphan and more like a runaway, especially with how suspicious they are of us.

We can't take them to a city or town, then, said Red. Someone might be looking for them.

Shouldn't we ask first?

All four of them grimaced, making an effort not to show it on their shared face. They needed more information, but getting it meant…

The stranger was standing directly in front of them.

Four yelped, jumping back in surprise. The stranger stepped back nervously, looking ready to run.

There was a stone in their hand.

Four stared at them.

They gestured for Four to take the rock.

"...pay," they said in a voice that would sound like a whisper even to a Minish. "For… apple."

Four blinked.

They continued to offer up the rock.

It is a very nice rock, Vio noted.

Four accepted it, and the stranger nodded, looking as if they'd just succeed at some formal business transaction. "Faron," they said, pointing at themselves.

Is… is that their name? wondered Red. 

We should probably reply, said Blue reluctantly.

Four took a deep breath.

In, out.

In, out.

"Four," he said, pointing at himself. "My, n-name, is- Four."

It was choppy, mechanical, and the intonation was completely off, yet the stranger- Faron- simply nodded.

Did we just make a friend? wondered Blue.

I thought you wanted to adopt them, mused Vio.

We can still do that.

Faron seemed to realize how close they were standing to Four, and stepped back awkwardly, gangly arms hanging at their side. Now that Four could get a good look at them, “gangly” seemed to be the best adjective for Faron as a whole. They weren’t much taller than Four, which, considering he was about as tall as his name implied, wasn’t saying much. Everything about them seemed a bit… off, really- their fingers were just a bit too long, too spindly, their eyes were just a bit too wide, their teeth just a bit too sharp…

Oh, said Vio in quiet realization. That… oh.

What?

Rather than answer in words, Vio recalled a memory- before they were Four, when they were just “Link”, meeting a child in the woods when they’d gone off looking for Minish. A thin wisp of a girl, clothed in rags, with fairy wings sprouting from her back, staring at them with pitch-black eyes. Turning away for only a moment, then turning back to see nothing. Sitting with Father, being told not to look for that girl again.

“There are creatures out there that are older than you can imagine,” he’d told them, “stranger than you can imagine. That was no child. If you ever want to come home again, don’t talk to her.”

Link’s only thought had been, how lonely must a creature like that be?

Four stared at Faron, at the stranger that never quite met his eyes, who never quite opened their mouth wide enough to show more than the glint of teeth.

I suppose it’s a bit too late for any fae nonsense this kid might have up their sleeve, mused Blue with a crooked grin. Can’t break what’s already broken.

They seem so scared of us…

Wait a second, said Green, forcibly stopping Four’s train(s) of thought. Look at that- there’s something pinned to their sidebag.

Is this really the time to worry about their jewelry?

It’s the same pin! exclaimed Red. The same one we found! I told you guys that dream meant something!

It was true- though scuffed with dirt already, the green and gold pin glowed softly in the autumn sunlight, holding together a few scraps of cloth that took the place of an actual bag. Faron noticed Four’s gaze, and quickly became defensive, clutching tightly at the only obvious thing of value on their body. Four shook his head, moving aside his cloak to show off an identical pin on their tunic underneath.

Faron’s eyes grew wide with understanding as Four pointed to the green beacon that shone in the distance, identical to the one that’d lead him to the portal that had brought him here. “Elements,” said Faron, pointing at Four. “Four Elements.”

Was that what the guy called us?

I think so…

Were none of you paying attention to the obviously important prophetic dream!? exclaimed Vio in reaction to Green and Blue’s vague mutterings.

No, because we knew you would.

…I hate that you’re right.

We should ask them what their title is, right? said Red, only to be met by hemming and hawing from his brothers. Oh, come on, we can’t go this entire trip not talking!

Fucking bet? growled Blue. That was a long list of titles we got- there’s no way this guy’s the only person we’re gonna be stuck with. If we mess up…

They’ll know, said Vio.

Red went silent.

Let’s just go, said Green quietly. It’s a long way to the beacon.

Four moved towards the pathway, beckoning for Faron to follow.

<>

The two of them- five of them?- traveled in what could only be described as a friendly silence.

Despite their initial skittishness, Faron was… excitable, in a word. They’d see something off the trail and just vanish, appearing again with some new find. It varied from flowers, to mushrooms, to bits of junk, to yet more interesting and strange rocks. Vio wondered just how many the kid had, and how many apples would be required to obtain more. Green just reminded him he already had an entire chest filled with rocks and minerals. Vio did not ask again.

Despite their shared a destination, and neither of them knowing the terrain, there was no arguing over which way to go, as Faron quickly proved themself to be a natural survivalist. When one of them got tired, they’d pause for a bit, and the other would wait. When noontime rolled around, Four found a clearing to rest in and offered up some more food to Faron, receiving two more shiny rocks, as well as an old locket that looked to’ve been weathered by an ocean or stream. 

Vio identified the two rocks as an uncut smoky quartz and a piece of banded jasper, and the one they’d received previously as an obsidian stone- all of which were fairly common if you knew where to look, but could be useful as spell components and elemental focuses.

Blue identified him as a nerd.

Despite his silence, Four was burning with questions for the stranger- who were they? Why had they been called? Had they gone on a journey, too? Had it broken them? Had it forced them into their silence? Were they the same as that girl they’d found in the woods all those years ago? What were they? Why did they insist on “paying” for everything? 

He asked none of this, because he knew if he opened his mouth, he’d try to ask all of it, and reveal that he was just a patchwork of a real person.

Again.

Faron stared suspiciously at the banana in their hands, regarding as you might a puzzle. They puzzled it. They puzzled it for quite a while.

They then bit into the end of the banana, skin and all.

“NO!”

<>

It turned out Faron had the survival skills of a seasoned adventurer, could sneak past entire monster camps, could identify whether or not something was poisonous without even knowing what it was-

and had the worldly knowledge of someone raised in a cave.

Thankfully, two full years of trying to function as a singular being was enough to prepare Four for saying individual words without proper intonation, provided he had a few moments to think about it.

…goddesses, he'd set the bar low. 

In a single afternoon, Faron learned the words "banana", "geothermal", "sedimentary", and "durian", which, in all fairness, would be fairly obscure words for someone who lived in the woods and may or may not have been raised by fairies. They did know how to read, though, and absolutely blew Four away by pulling out an entire medical textbook to prove it.

Faron pointed to their hand. "Carpals: scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, hamate," they recited, tapping on different parts of their wrist in turn.

Is that a spell? wondered Vio. It's not one I recognize-

It's the bones of the wrist, drawled Blue.

Vio stopped.

What?

I didn't realize that was something you had any interest in, said Vio, astounded.

Blue shifted in place within their shared mindscape. Yeah, well, it is. The important thing is, I think Faron's trying to prove a point here. This is the most we've ever heard them say at once.

Four briefly scrambled for an appropriate response, before Green took control and gave a thumbs up before Four could do anything too awkward. Faron beamed, though they still didn't show their teeth.

I want to talk to them.

Four froze, not caring that Faron could see.

Red-!

I know, I know! Red insisted. I won't act any different, I promise, I just want to talk to them a bit!

Which will be different from how we've been acting! argued Green. And what happens if we can't resynchronize? 

We can do that at night! It's already the afternoon, it wouldn't be that long.

And if we have to fight? 

Hold on, growled Blue, Red can fight just as well as the rest of us-

I'm not saying he can't! I'm just saying-

You just want to front instead, don't you?

Blue! That is uncalled for!

"Stop," whispered Four as his mind began to fall apart at the seams. "Stop, stop, stop, not here-"

Someone put a doll in his hands.

Four froze, looking slowly up at Faron, who'd just given him what looked to be a plush rendition of the ragged traveler. "Um."

Faron took Four's hands, ever so gently, and wrapped them around the doll. "Hurt?" asked Faron, tapping at their own head.

…Four nodded.

"Helps to squeeze," Faron suggested, using their own spindly fingers to press Four's hands around the doll. "You have your own?" Four shook his head. "This one is mine. But you hold onto it for now. Until you have your own."

"Thank you."

Faron seemed put off by the appreciation, but still nodded. "Town?" they asked, pointing down the road.  Four nodded, but didn't move to get up just yet. Faron seemed to understand, and sat beside him.

Green sighed. Red… this is as good a time as any, I think.

Are you sure?

Yeah. We'll have our turns eventually, and you can hold your own. Go ahead.

Four sighed. This was always the worst part, for him. Coming undone. He knew he still existed when one of the Colors was fronting, but unlike them, he didn't really… go anywhere. There was nothing there for him, no internal retreat.

But it was quiet. It was peaceful . 

Four closed his eyes, and let himself dissolve into a restful void.

Red opened his eyes.

He didn't speak right away, instead making sure to give himself the time he needed… and, maybe a bit more than that. He took a deep breath, savoring the control he held, simply enjoying the literal breath of fresh air.

When he did speak, he simply asked, "Your title?"

Faron frowned, then shrugged. A disappointing answer, but, if they didn't know, they didn't know.

"You… fight?"

Faron nodded, tapping at their baldric. To Red's surprise, the quick taps revealed a shimmer at Faron's back, which coalesced into a scabbard and hilt, the latter of which was wrapped in leather and cloth. Faron looked over at Red, likely about to point to something else, but paused, frowning.

Their wide eyes darted back and forth over Red's form, intently searching for something Red feared they might find. Then, they relaxed.

"Red," they said plainly, making all four fragments panic for a moment- how do they know!?- before Faron tapped on their eyelid. 

Red simply nodded. That seemed to be enough for Faron, who hummed in contentment and closed their eyes, waiting for Four to indicate that it was time to leave.

<>

Faron, it seemed, wasn't good with people.

As in, worse than even Four was.

They'd become even more jittery and alert than usual when the two travelers reached the edge of a tiny fishing village, one that Red didn't recognize at all- and, considering that Four had travelled all over Hyrule alongside Dot, meant they probably weren't in Hyrule anymore.

Once they'd actually wandered into the village, Faron honestly looked like they were walking into a boss room, not a town that couldn't hold more than a couple hundred people. Red managed to lead them over to what looked like a tavern, in the hopes of finding out where they were, but Faron refused to enter, literally shaking with fear, eyes darting every which way. Red didn't fight them. In a way, it was better that he could go in alone, since it meant Faron wouldn't hear him speak.

Remember, guys, do not interrupt Red, said Green sternly. Not unless it is an absolute emergency. No, Vio, whatever you're about to suggest does not count as an emergency. Blue, keep your reactions in check until we're alone.

We know what we're doing, said Vio, but there was no real disagreement behind it. They all knew how many times they'd failed to act… normal.

Red took a deep breath, then approached the barkeep. "Hello there, sir, might I have your ear for a moment?"

The barkeep, a large, bearded man, who had strange, rounded ears not unlike those of a Minish or squirrel in shape, looked over at Red with curiosity. "Huh? I haven't seen you here before. Where's your parents?"

Red sighed, feeling Blue's frustration beginning to seep in. "I'm nineteen years old, sir. Yes, I'm quite aware that I'm short, and no, I am not a child playing pretend."

The man gave a barking laugh. "Guess you must get that a lot. Well, you've got my attention. What can I do for you?"

"My friend and I have been traveling for some time now, and have sorely lost our way," Red explained, letting Vio silently support him as he lied to the man's face. "We were wondering if you might have a map, or could simply tell us where we are?"

The barkeep nodded, gesturing over to a side table, which was covered by a large parchment. Though he couldn’t quite make it out, Red could assume it was a map of the area. “You’re in Deya Village right now, with Hyrule Field to the north and the Ordon Province border to the south.”

Ordon Province? wondered Green quietly enough to not influence Red’s speech. That sounds like Ordona’s Pasture, but I didn’t think anyone lived there, and I’ve never heard it referred to as a province…

Red bowed slightly in thanks. “Most obliged, sir.” As he walked over to the map, his other fragments chattered quietly in the back of his mind. 

There’s definitely settlements marked off there, noted Vio as Red ran a finger over the area marked off as a small province, with only a single major location- the rather on-the-nose “Ordon Village”. This… this doesn’t look anything like Hyrule, but…

But there’s Hyrule Castle, finished Blue. And “Hyrule Castle Town”. That’s a bit of a mouthful. 

Not much better than just “Hyrule Town”, either, grumbled Green. Can no-one come up with decent place names anymore?

“I don’t think it’s the same place,” whispered Red, quiet enough to be only audible to himself and his brothers. “It’s north of Lake Hylia, not west of it…”

Perhaps they rebuilt it? offered Vio. Dot’s mentioned that there were a number of structural problems noticed during repairs.

None of them brought up why it had to be repaired. (No use bringing up old scars, after all.)

Red frowned. “We’ve not even been gone a week, though…?

Green and Vio shared a glance within their shared headspace. …have you two not realized? I thought it was obvious…

Well, clearly, it isn’t, huffed Blue. Maybe you might spell it out instead of just being vague?

Time travel, answered Green. Remember those titles we were given? Remember what the first one was?

Red’s eyes went wide. “Knight of Skyloft.”

Green nodded. If that person really is from Old Skyloft, they’d have to either be hundreds of years old… or from another time. Another time, which could be accessed by something like, say, a portal.

But we aren’t in the past, I don’t think, added Vio. Ordona’s Pasture has never been inhabited before, meaning it must’ve been settled sometime after our own era, and has since become a defined cultural region, enough to be considered separate from Hyrule.

Should we tell Faron? wondered Blue, and while his tone was as casual as ever, he couldn’t hide the worry he felt for their newfound companion.

Red opened his mouth to reply, when another patron of the tavern stepped forth, shoving her way past him to see the map. Disparate cries of indignance fell out of his mouth before he could stop- “Hey- wh- watch- don’t-”

The four fragments shut their mouth with a stifled gasp, earning an odd look from the stranger, but nothing further. Red’s eyes darted around the room to see if anyone else had noticed. They hadn’t. At least, not as far as he could tell.

Gathering what little confidence he still had left, he returned to barkeep and asked for a smaller version of the large map, which the man happily sold to him, as well as the location of the town’s apothecary.

As soon as he had what he needed, he fled.

<>

Faron found Four- Vio- sitting at the base of a tree, curled up into a ball, holding back Red’s tears. It’d only been a tiny slip up, but… they had still failed.

We would never have to deal with this if we weren’t broken , sneered Blue. No-one could quite bring themselves to disagree with him. It was the truth, after all. “Link” had been happy, outgoing, sociable. Not…

Not the shattered mess they’d become.

Vio barely even noticed when Faron sat down across from him, curled up at the base of their own tree, mirroring their actions, but staring at him curiously.

A quarter hour passed.

“Purple,” said Faron, tapping next to their eye.

“...violet,” Vio corrected, ears flushing a deep scarlet.

“You… know magic?”

Vio shook his head.

“...curse?”

Vio hesitated, then… nodded.

Faron frowned, expression furrowing in concern, accentuating their large, pitch-black eyes. No, not quite pitch-black- there was a faint ring of hazel, just at the very corners. “I… help?”

“No,” answered Four. “Please… no.”

Faron looked confused for a moment, then gave that too-wide, closed smile, making them look like a proud remlit. Four smiled in return.

Wait… when did I get here? he wondered, realizing that Vio had been fronting mere moments ago. The only response he got from his four fragments was a resounding shrug. He closed his eyes in thought, musing over the collective memories they’d gained. It was confusing, sometimes, to experience something from four different points of view, and try to reconcile each one, but he’d learned it was much easier to just focus on the memories of one or two of them- in this case, Red and Vio- and let the others pitch in when needed.

“...were one of you gonna tell me we time traveled, or were you just gonna leave me to figure that out myself.”

Sorry, said Vio unrepentantly.

A pause.

OH FUCK I THINK WE SAID THAT OUT LOUD-

Four’s eyes snapped open to see Faron staring at him curiously. “I- ‘s not- I- I-”

Faron just smiled, softly, not saying anything. Had… had they not heard? They must’ve, right? They weren’t that far away from him, and no-one would just, not care, right? Talking to yourself like that wasn’t exactly normal!

… but neither are they, said Red. Maybe… maybe there are fae who are like us. Vio, you said there were Humans like us, too-

Madmen, snapped Vio. Lunatics that get thrown into bedlams and left to rot. 

Do you really think Faron would do that?

We didn’t think Erune would do that either!

That wasn’t her fault! Dot explained it to her!

She still tried!

There was a doll in his hands again.

Four blinked, realizing that Faron was still sitting against a tree. Had… had they really moved that quickly?

The doll in his hands wasn't in Faron's image. It was in his own.

How… how did they make this so quickly? wondered Vio as Red squealed in delight. Four looked the doll over, fingers running through its fabric hair. 

Faron just smiled that same fae smile again before taking a bite of a stolen potato.

…a raw, uncooked potato-

--<>--

After a full day of riding- much longer than anticipated, due to Sky's endless curiosity and Wolf's willingness to bend to the enthusiastic traveler's whims- Wolf and his ally found themselves going through yet another portal, taking them to yet another familiar land.

Wolf had been expecting something else on the other side of the portal. A strange, foreign world, perhaps, strife with danger. A land of Malice and Twilight. A frozen wasteland. A raging sandstorm.

Instead, the two travelers found themselves in a quaint little hamlet that'd popped up on the side of a major road.

Wolf had been willing to just keep moving towards the next beacon, even if their horses had been left behind (Wolf knew his Epona would be just fine, she could more than take care of herself), but Sky had just been so amazed .

It seemed that "Skyloft" was what would one day become the City in the Skies, the home of the Oocca… though Wolf decided not to mention that to his new companion. As such, it was isolated from the rest of the world, and Sky had only recently discovered there was even a surface beneath the clouds. Everything was new to him, even things that Wolf found boring or mundane, like domesticated livestock, or the concept of cheese (though he seemed to at least know of the concept of both, claiming the existence of other flying islands with what he called "hooved remlits" that were probably goats) 

That last one had gone well right until the moment they both figured out that Skyloftians were lactose intolerant… the poor man. 

While Sky was recovering, Wolf had started talking to the settlement's people, asking if there'd been anything strange happening, and if there was anything he could do to help out. They'd not had much information for him- or, rather, nothing useful - but they were at least able to point him to some work: a bounty for a large helmasaur that'd been tearing up crops and breaking fences. Not the most noble or "heroic" of jobs, but it was better than just sitting around doing nothing.

“What is a helmasaur?” asked Sky as Wolf led the way to the beast’s last known location.

“They’re like a dodongo buck that’s got armor on the front.”

A pause.

“...what’s a dodongo?”

“...Ah see. Do ya know what a dynalfos is?”

“I-Is it like a, a b-bigger lizalfos?”

“Not exactly, but close enough. Now imagine one a those cows we just saw, but bigger, and with the teeth and scales of a lizalfos.”

“Oh! I see!” Sky looked oddly excited to learn of the thing they were about to fight- but then again, thought Wolf, I was much the same… well, when I wasn’t actively being attacked.

The two found their target fairly quickly, as it’d left a distinctly visible trail to someone who knew where to look. If Wolf had to guess, it’d left its usual territory after getting chased off by a bigger creature, or was just in search of food. He felt pity for it, really. But he also knew that helmasaurs were stubborn bastards, and wouldn’t be frightened off. If it stayed here, it’d be threatening the lives of everyone relying on the regular harvests.

So, they had a job to do.

“You any good at fightin’?” asked Wolf.

Sky looked befuddled for a moment, then put a gloved hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh. “You could say that.”

The helmasaur grazed peacefully on the sparse ferns growing from the forest floor. It didn’t have the spiked, metallic scales that Wolf was used to, and it was more of a pale, earthy brown than a blighted grey-green. But it was still recognizably a helmasaur.

Sky untied the long, vibrant feather from his hair, attaching it instead behind his white cloak- what’d he called it? A sailcloth? Either way, it didn’t look suitable for a battle… but Sky didn’t seem the type to be overconfident without the skills to back it up. If anything, he seemed to undersell himself. 

“If ah get a good shot, ah can take it down pretty quickly,” said Wolf, equipping his bow and the Hawk's Eye mask. “But ah’ll need a distraction- not yet! This thing’ll charge at ya if it sees ya, and trust me, you do not wanna get hit.”

“I will not get hit,” said Sky.

“Good. Ya ready?”

Sky nodded. As Wolf ran off to the side of the clearing, Sky stood up and whistled for the helmasaur’s attention- and he got it. The lumbering beast lifted its head as much as it could with its thick armor, snorting out a warning. Before it could charge, Sky’s whip lashed out quick as lightning, once, then twice.

The helmasaur roared in anger and pain as its eyes bled red. Sky scampered quickly (if a bit gracelessly) up a tree. Wolf wanted to warn him that the helmasaur was clearly about to charge, but Sky had his eyes on the beast, as if he wanted it to charge at him.

Wolf was too far away to act, nor did he have time to nock his bow, and crying out would either just anger the helmasaur, or send it charging at himself instead. So he simply watched as the beast rammed the tree Sky perched in, knocking it down in a single blow… and he watched as Sky jumped out of the branches at the last minute, using his whip like a grappling hook to pull himself over to yet another tree.

Clever bastard.

With the helmasaur stunned and blinded, it was easy for Wolf to finish it off.

“Ah mean this in the nicest possible way, but, what the hell was that?”

Sky shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “A distraction?”

“Damn. You are good at this.”

A trip back to the town granted them their bounty of a neat two hundred rupees, and, should they stay, a fair cut of the slain helmasaur’s meat. Wolf, seeing Sky’s immediate disgust at the offer, denied it, insisting they continue on their way after a night’s rest at the inn. 

There, Wolf learned that, in Old Skyloft and most of the nearby islands, the idea of eating meat just… didn’t exist. Animals were far too valuable, and after they passed away, they became fertilizer for the crops, almost all of which were either invaluable resources or incredibly nutrient-dense. They had eggs provided by their massive Loftwings, apparently, but bringing that up had Sky gushing about his “Aia” for at least fifteen minutes before he started to get sad about it.

Wolf tried to distract him by asking about other topics, but it seemed Sky just needed time to deal with his… Wolf wasn’t sure if it was loneliness or separation anxiety, and as strange as it seemed to feel so deeply for what was apparently just a very large bird, he couldn’t really say much. He’d felt much the same about Epona before learning just how… odd, she was.

(He’d never look at horses the same way again.)

Come morning, they exchanged the rest of their bounty for a map, a traveller's guide to the area (which just so happened to include the year, location, and information on the current government), and two paper bowls of eggs on rice for the road.

Apparently they were about three hundred years past Wolf's time, and in a country called Calatia. Not that any of that really helped them, since they were on their way to the next beacon. Sky insisted they keep the guide, in case the portals ever brought them back there.

Once again, the journey took far longer than it “should have”, due to Sky’s curiosity. That, and the fact that both of them carried old scars and aches. Wolf’s were centred almost entirely on his arm(s) and torso, but Sky’s own were all over, including a nasty fracture in his left ankle that didn’t heal quite right.

“I know how to, to, um, f-fight and move on it,” he explained, “but it- it makes walking harder. Not harder, um- more tiring. A-and I’ve always kind of had b-bad stamina…”

“No worries. Far as ah can tell, we ain’t gotta rush.”

Only a couple hours away from the beacon, they set up camp, deciding it’d be best to face whatever new challenges might await them in the morning. Sky did his best to take first watch, but when Wolf awoke at witching hour he found the Knight of Skyloft sitting on a log, his upper body slumped lifelessly over. Despite appearances, the man was perfectly fine, just… very deeply asleep. 

Wolf really hoped that they found the rest of these people soon, if only so Sky could sleep through the night.

<>

The next day brought with it the next beacon. The two travellers made joking bets about what might be on the other side, only to find… yet another town.

“...”

“...”

“At least we won’t run ou-out of s-supplies anytime soon?” offered Sky.

Wolf sighed. “Ah want to complain about boredom but ah know that the moment ah do something bad will happen.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Ya know, like- ya say “man ah wish somethin’ interestin’ would happen” an then next thing ya know you’re getting attacked, which is technically something interestin’ but not what ya asked for. Ya know?”

“...”

“...nevermind.”

The pair walked their way into the town, their arrival seemingly unnoticed by anyone. There was a sign at the pathway, greeting them with unfamiliar symbols.

“Can… can ya read that?” asked Wolf desperately, squinting at the carved text.

“I-I can… I think?” said Sky, just as confused. “It’s l-like reading a child’s writ, b-but worse. I th-think it says, ah… sh… z… ee…? No, no, th-that’s not right, ah… that first w-word m- mi- could be ‘welcome’? But even then…”

“That’s better than ah could’ve gotten. Just looks like cuccoscratch to me,” said Wolf as the two meandered meaninglessly through the town, in search of something recognizable. The symbols on the shops all remained largely the same, thankfully, though for some reason the apothecary was painted with green instead of red.

“Cucco scratch?”

“Eh- nonsense, scribbles, might as well a been written by a cucco.”

“Cucco?”

“Devil birds. Feathery lil bastards that’ll tear ya to bits if’n ya even touch ‘em. Some people keep em as livestock though- apparently they’re easier to raise than ducks if’n ya know what you’re doing. Absolutely mad, if ya ask me.”

Sky nodded, fiddling with the strange brass ornament on his right arm- a beetle, maybe? Wolf figured it probably had some kind of personal or symbolic importance. “...Wolf.”

“Yeah?”

“The, ah, the document you were g-g- giv- provided with, at the last town. I couldn’t read th-that at all, but I, ah, figured that was just b- bec- be- due to you knowing a different language. B-but now I don’t know.”

“The only languages ah know fluently are Common and my native Ordonian. The guide’s in Common.”

“Is that what you are sp-speaking now?”

“...ah think ah see what you’re gettin’ at. We shouldn’t be able to understand each other, should we?”

Sky shook his head. “I d-don’t think so. I’m speaking Loftian… as are th-the people here. Ah, well, a ver-version of it. Like the sign, it is… not lazy, I think? B-but corrupted.”

“Languages change over time… and we’ve been hoppin’ through those ‘cause of the portals,” realized Wolf. “Which means somethin’ or someone is lettin’ us communicate.”

“How kind of them!”

“...yeah. Kind,” muttered Wolf. This guy is way too trusting, he thought.

(This man is far too paranoid, thought Sky in the exact same moment)

Just as before, the two travellers went about the town, finding a place to stay should they remain, checking for local bounties, asking about the area they were in. A barmaid confirmed they were still in Hyrule’s borders, though not by much- “Just east a here an you’ll be in Faronai lands,” she said in a strong Calatian accent. “If you gots ta travel t’rough ‘em, be careful at night.”

The bounties were few and far between, at least the useful ones- the ones that didn’t bring them days or even weeks off-course. A bokoblin raiding band, some kind of giant fish-lizard, a runaway cattle rustler… nothing of significant interest on its own. At least, not to Wolf and Sky. Rather than stay and deal with any of it, they trekked to the next portal, stepped through…

And immediately fell in the water.

Wolf’s only warning was Sky’s shout of fear. His ears and nose filled with seawater and his eyes burned, blinding him. His body screamed at him to open his mouth, to breathe, to at least call for help-

His head broke the surface to hear Sky’s frantic voice. “WOLF? Wolf, grab onto me!”

He tried not to flail as he searched for a hand to hold, though he still managed to (lightly) slap Sky in the face in the process. The man just laughed, pulling Wolf closer to him.

“Oh thank the heavens you can swim,” he said breathlessly. Even with his eyes still closed, Wolf could hear the grin. “Can you open your eyes?”

“Gimme a sec,” Wolf groaned, trying not to shake his head to get rid of the heavy water. He kept hold on Sky’s hand as he rapidly blinked the saltwater from his eyes, eventually letting him see… blue.

Endless blue.

Wolf felt

very

small.

“Oh,” he said.

“I know,” whispered Sky.

“Are we dead?”

“I don’t know. Though if we are, so are they, presumably.”

“Heh?”

Wolf twisted around in the water to follow where Sky pointed. Sitting on top of the waves like a toy in a bathtub was a ship. Not a boat, but a ship. Vast and grand and rough and gruesome, its hull a patchwork of planks, repairs, and barnacles. A mast like a screaming dragon loomed over them as it neared, moving far faster than such a thing ought to.

“HEY!” called an angry, petite voice.

“Uh,” said Wolf.

“YOU TWO ASSHOLES IN THE WATER! THE FUCK’RE YOU DOING?”

“Oh dear,” said Sky, blushing. Wolf vaguely wondered if common swears were a lot more vulgar in his time, or if Sky was just like that. 

“SWIMMING, MOSTLY!” Wolf called back, cupping his hands around his mouth.

The voice laughed. “THERE’S A LADDER!” it informed the two waterlogged travellers. “GET UP HERE SO I DON’T GOTTA KEEP SCREECHING!”

Wolf nodded, despite the voice’s owner not being visible, and doggy-paddled to the ladder.

…in his defense, swimming lessons were not common in a land-locked rural village, alright? 

The two of them hauled their way onto the deck, instantly heavier the moment they left the water. Too heavy and too tired to immediately notice that they were surrounded by what looked to be a gang of thieves.

Or rather, though Wolf incredulously, pirates.

An absolute giant of a Man stepped forwards, picking the two travellers up by the necks of their clothing. “We’re a long way from shore, Captain,” he called to the side. “What do you think?”

“I think,” said the petite voice that had called to them, “we’re gonna need some questions answered.”

The massive thugs parted, and Wolf felt himself tense up, as out stepped forth

a pair of children.

“Uh,” he said once again.

“Hi?” offered Sky weakly.

The pair were undeniably in charge here. If the crew’s behavior hadn’t given it away already, their manner of dress would’ve. The taller of the two had a pale blond bun and skin covered , truly covered, in scars like cracks in stone, and wore a crisp, formal jacket, thrown over her shoulders. The boy had similarly pale hair, wore an eyepatch, had a feather tucked by his ear, and was dressed in a blue jacket and ruffled shirt.

Wolf couldn’t’ve thought up more pirate-y pirates if he’d tried. Nevertheless, the two kids looked terrifyingly serious. More significantly, so did the group of incredibly large Men and Rito, one of whom had him by the metaphorical scruff.

The boy’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and the girl surveyed them like cuts of meat at a butcher’s. “We’re at least a day away from the nearest dock,” she informed them sternly. “Even a trained mailbird couldn’t fly someone out this far, meaning you had to have a ship. No debris nearby, so it wasn’t wrecked, so you were dropped off. No debris also means you can't have been out here long without drowning. Someone dropped you off here recently, and we didn’t see them. Which should be impossible.”

“A lot of im- impossible things have happened lately,” sighed Sky. The boy stepped forwards ever so slightly, quiet eyes opening wide.

His face quickly turned into a scowl

"Oh, no you don't!" he exclaimed in a surprisingly loud voice. "I'm not going anywhere, you bastards, and you and your asshole of a deity can fuck right off!"

“ ..what!? ”

The boy snarled, stabbing a finger at Sky’s pin. “Don’t play dumb with me!” he yelled. “I’m done with being their hero, you got that? DONE! I’ve got shit to do!”

The girl- the captain- took the boy’s side instantly, one hand hovering over a hilt. “They don’t look Ritokwati,” she noted. “Think this might be the witch again?”

“No. I- I would know,” the boy stated. “The pin- the symbol - it’s the same as Farore’s Pearl. And if they’re working for the Old Gods…”

“We’re not working for anybody!” insisted Wolf. “We- ugh, could ya at least put me down? ”

The giant dropped the two travellers onto the floorboards. Sky caught himself with ease. Wolf did not.

“I- I mean, we were s-sent here by someone, ” muttered Sky.

“Working for someone implies gettin’ paid by them, and agreeing to whatever they say,” Wolf rebutted. “Ah don’t care what some trussed-up god might tell me to do, ah’m doing this ‘cause we were told people’d be in danger otherwise.”

“...what kind of danger?” asked the captain.

“Tet'ra-!”

“Shut up, Windy Boy. What kind of danger?”

Sky and Wolf glanced at each other. “Ah don’t know,” Wolf admitted. “Something about a spreading darkness.”

Tetra’s eyes narrowed. “A darkness even the gods can’t touch,” she recited. “A list of nine titles.”

Sky stepped forwards. “You were- y- you were called, too?”

Tetra looked away. “Not exactly. But my first mate was.”

“I’m not going. Not again, not without-”

“We already knew this would happen!” exclaimed Tetra, making the boy step back. “You know the kinda consequences we’d be facing! If we fuck up the timeline this badly-”

“I don’t give a shit about the timeline!”

“You oughta, since it’s the one we’re fucking livin’ in!”

“I said,” intoned the boy. “I’m not. GOING!”

Was it him that screamed?

Or the winds themselves?

The boat rocked harshly as a gale whipped itself up behind the boy’s back. Something beneath his eyepatch glowed a crystalline blue, like the waters of an inland sea. The wind vanished as soon as it arrived, but the waves still rocked in memory of it.

The boy looked ashamed.

“...not without telling Grandma about it first,” he conceded.

It sounded like defeat, and nothing else.

Chapter Text

Story One: The Nine Heroes

Part Two: The Captain

“Bullshit.”

“I’m tellin’ th’ truth!”

“Absolutely not,” insisted Legend. He fully believed Wild, but refused to accept what he was saying.

“It’s jus’ like groomin’ a horse, va? Gotta pick out all th’ burrs n’ things-”

“Shooting a dragon with an arrow is NOT the same as GROOMING A HORSE!”

“Can be if y’ ain’t a coward.”

“Horrible,” said Legend. “Absolutely horrible.”

He continued examining the horn shard he’d been offered.

It was five days since their first meeting, and they still hadn’t managed to reach the beacon. They were damn near close, now, not even an hour away, but Wild’s curiosity and Legend’s…

Well, they’d taken a while to get there, alright? Didn’t matter why. A detour or two never killed anyone, probably.

“...hey, Talien?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m a ‘they’ today.”

Legend paused. “Huh?”

“I’m a ‘they’ today,” repeated Wild. Even laying on his- their back, staring up at the sky, they looked determined. “I want you to call me ‘they’ instead of ‘he’.”

Legend blinked. “Yeah alright.”

“That’s what these earrings are for, va? Got, uh- little metal hoops f’r boy days, these opal ones for girl days, an’ some blue ones for nothin’ days.”

“Sure, whatever,” said Legend, tucking the information away and hoping his selective memory decided that was important enough to keep. Always a bit of a gamble, really. “Do you have more of these?”

“What? Dragon parts? Uh, yeah, a few, why?”

‘A few’, they say. ‘A few’. Who in the fuck-

“No reason,” said Legend. Y’know, like a liar. “That uh, thing you’ve got is pretty handy.”

“Thing.”

“Fucking- you know what I mean,” grumbled Legend, pulling up the exact word he was looking for. In Holodese.

“The Slate?” That’s the bitch!

“Yeah, that. How much can it store?”

“It’s mine,” said Wild.

“Cool. How much can it store?”

Wild cocked their head to the side. “Mm. A lot. But certain things have t’ be, uh, put in a certain way? Like clothes an’ weapons an’ all that. Then I can do this!” Before they even seemed to move they had the Slate in their hand, tapping at its screen. A fluttering crystal-blue glow surrounded their head, summoning…

Legend put his hands at his mouth as if in prayer. “I’m going to be kind to myself and not ask you how you have that,” he decided, looking at the slightly tattered replica of Ravio’s beloved rabbit hood.

It was fine, probably. Damn rodent already hopped through worlds on a regular basis, why the hell wouldn’t this happen. It’s fine, Ravio is safe, you’re fine. You’re fine.

Wild giggled- fucking giggled- and put away the hood in the same way they’d summoned it. “Y’re a lot like Flora,” they noted. They’d mentioned that name before, a couple times. They didn’t… quite reach the point of oversharing, but they were very talkative, and had a lot of stories they were willing to tell. “She thinks I’m weird too, in a good way.”

Legend scoffed. “Bold of you to assume I don’t think you’re weird in a bad way.”

“Well if’n y’ did that y’d be a bit of a hypocrite, wouldn’t ya?”

“Entirely debatable. Are we going to stay here lounging around the entire morning or should we actually get going?”

“Ah! Va, eknu wek!”

Legend paused, letting Wild take the charge. That… that was monster speech. How the hell did a Hylian know the language of monsters? Legend himself only knew bits and pieces, and that was only from a mixture of curiosity, experience, and a rather helpful book. He didn’t know enough to understand it well, but he could at least recognize it.

He smirked quietly, keeping the usual distance between himself and his “companion” as they walked. Now this was more like it. Even if he didn’t care for an adventure? At least the gods were kind enough to give him a nice, proper mystery.

<>

The beacon, when they reached it, vanished into motes of light, leaving a golden portal in its wake. After some careful observation, a detection spell, multiple binding circles, and a potted plant on a string, Talien deemed it good enough. Wild asked him if he'd done the same with the portal that'd taken him here. Talien looked offended - of course not! He'd been far more thorough.

On the other side was nothing more than a quaint little town nestled at the base of Death Mountain, with a suspiciously unassuming well in the middle. Neither traveller said anything, but the well was nevertheless given a wide berth.

A bit of selective truth-telling combined with the automatic pity granted to 'children' with gruesome scars got them a room at the inn, and a glance out the window told them the next beacon was in the middle of nowhere.

Talien fell backwards onto his bed with a painted groan. "I'm too old for this shit. We're getting horses tomorrow."

Wild nodded, removing the pillows and blankets from his bed and placing them on the floor. "I can pay," they offered, remembering the glint in Talien's eye at the mention of wealth.

"Uh… what, are you doing?"

"I don' like sleepin' in beds," Wild explained. "Too used to sleeping outside. And don' gimme anything about 'oOh the Hero shouldn't sleep on the floor!' I'll sleep wherever I damn want to, no m-"

"Hero?"

It was almost whispered, uttered in disbelief and… something a little like despair.

Wild stopped. "Yeah," they said flatly, defensively. "I… I'm not - I did my job, okay!?" they insisted, half-turning to face Talien. "I don' care f'r that whole fallen shit, I did my best!"

Talien looked… guilty.

Wild wilted instantly. "Ah- I'm sorry, I didn't mean t'- everyone back home knows my face these days, va? An' not, ah, not all of 'em think that I…"

That I'm a good person. That I saved them.

"There used to be a Hero," said Talien. "Back in my own time."

"Yeah?"

"She died," he said matter-of-factly. "Lost at sea."

"Shit."

"Mm." He paused. Wild found nothing on his face, and nothing behind his eyes. "Hero of Legend, that's what they called her. If you believe the stories, that is."

"Says the Keeper of Stories."

"Ha! You got me there, kid."

"I am older than you."

"Is that so."

"I'm a hundred and twenty-one."

Talien actually looked surprised. "Really?"

"Va. You?"

"I'm -" He faltered a moment. "I'm seventeen."

It was a lie, but it matched the scrawny build, the petite face with just the tiniest bit of baby fat left. If Wild wasn't paying attention they could've accepted it.

Dawn came to them inevitably enough, finding Talien wrapped in his sheets like a corpse, and Wild curled up like a cat, hugging the life out of their pillow. The inn provided a meagre breakfast of wheat pancakes and goat milk, and Wild quietly reassured their companion that they had enough food for the road already. Thus, rather than worry about rations, Talien was able to get the two of them a map and a general idea of their location.

"So we're definitely in the past," he stated, meeting Wild behind an alchemist shop, laying the map out on the wide stone of a flower pot. "Specifically, we're in Kakariko Village, which I remember very clearly as being over here." He jabbed a finger at a spot southwest of the centre. "But this says the village is here-" East-northeast of the centre.

"That sounds right," mused Wild. "Th' second one, I mean. But it shouldn't be this close t' Death Mountain. Th’ Mountain’s north of th’ castle."

Talien hummed. "I remember Kakariko - my Kakariko, I suppose - used to be right here but was abandoned a generation or two into the Gerudo occupation."

"I've ne'er heard of any kinda Gerudo occupation of Hyrule…"

"So you're probably from way before now, or very far into the future."

"Definitely th' latter," said Wild confidently. With the amount of ruins upon ruins within all of the Skylands, they couldn't imagine their world as being anything but ancient.

"I'll take your word for it. More importantly, though, we’ve hit a bit of a roadblock.”

“‘We’? I thought you were doing this alone an’ I jus’ happened t’ be following you?”

“Fine, I’ve hit a bit of a roadblock, which just happens to be affecting you: the beacon’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“Either that or it was never there. I didn’t see it when we got here.”

Wild frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense. We- we’re in a hurry, aren’t we? Why hide where we need t’ go?”

“I don’t know,” said Talien. “Unless we’re already there.”

“I don’ see any darkness untouchable by th’ gods. D’ you?”

Talien started digging through his bag. “Gimme five minutes and I’ll-”

“-in the damn well again!” came a shout from outside the alleyway.

“You’re imagining things, there’s nothing in there, and there hasn’t been for years-”

“Then where the hell did my daughter go!?”

“Found it,” said Wild flatly, pointing towards the town square, where a small group of people had gathered around a shouting match. Talien gave him a look, and for a second Wild thought he was about to be lectured on his lack of apparent concern towards peoples’ lives again.

“I said give me five minutes, I would've found it eventually.”

<>

Daylight was spent asking around the town, both for information about the thing in the well, and information in general. As they did, Wild took full note of the Sheikah woman following them, meaning that she was almost certainly trying to be noticed. She seemed more curious than hostile, so Wild let her be for the moment.

This wasn’t the first time the well had been housed by an unspeakable evil, apparently. In fact, it wasn’t even the second time. The first thing had vanished on its own, while the second had been taken down by a Kokiri child, who the villagers insisted was a mystical seer of some kind that’d wandered the countryside and taking care of problems people didn’t even know existed, before leaving for the castle and ousting some Gerudo king.

<>

“What was his name? Gamelan? Gamondorn? Gam-something, I swear.”

<>

“Ouh, yeah, he was a real pain in the ass- that kid, I mean. Would plant these little toy bombs everywhere? Never hurt anyone ‘cept the cuccos, and, well, they dish out more ‘an they receive, y’know how it is.”

<>

“The kid’s name? Uh, don’t think he had one. That’s just what Kokiri are like, innit? Had a cute little fairy with him, though. Real sweet kids, the both of ‘em.”

<>

“Absolute menace. Broke every piece of pottery in this whole town, but nobody cares because he got rid of the monster in the well. I’d rather have my pots back, thank-you-very-much.”

<>

In the end, they learned very little.

As dusk began to fall, Talien went off on his own, stating that he was going to see if there was an architectural record of the sewer system in the mayor’s office, before quite literally vanishing into thin air. Wild decided that that was the least interesting thing they’d seen that day, and snuck off to do their own vanishing act. As it turned out, while they couldn’t beat the skills of a trained Sheikah assassin, they could get the jump on one, at least briefly.

“Boo!”

Wild giggled as they dodged a knife to the jugular, delighting in the stranger’s momentary panic. Her red eye squinted. “You’ve a dangerous sense of humor, child.” The two of them stood atop a flat-roofed building, out of the way of the townsfolks’ sight. Under the dim moon’s light, only the glinting of leather and armor was visible, accentuated by the blue glow of Wild’s Slate.

“So I’ve heard. What’s in th’ well?”

“...excuse me?”

“Y’ wouldn’t be followin’ us like that if y’ didn’t have any interest in what we were doin’. We’re not th’ only strangers in this town, after all, but we are th’ only ones askin’ questions,” Wild reasoned, sitting down on the roof’s edge and kicking their feet. Being able to sneak up on a trained Sheikah wasn’t the sort of thing you’d expect of someone casual and flippant, something Wild intended to take advantage of. If you’re confused, you’re not worried about keeping secrets, and if you think your opponent is a fool, you’re not worried about getting information from them. “Sooo, y’re interested in what’s in the well. An’ no self-respectin’ Sheikah lets somethin’ happen without knowing about it. So. What’s in the well, Impa?”

And by Ganon was that a gamble. Either Wild was right in singling this woman out as the Sheikah matriarch, or they were wrong and this was about to be very embarrassing for them.

“...my name is Sheik.”

Wait hold on that’s the name of the first Sheikah, did I just fuck up even worse than I thought I could-

“You know a lot about a people that aren’t meant to exist, you know.”

Wild blew a raspberry. “You people are always on th’ brink of extinction, have been for who knows how long. Y’ ain’t fooling anyone.”

“Most people in Hyrule would disagree,” said Sheik, moving further into the light as she(?) sat casually beside Wild. “Why do you want to know about what's in the well?”

Wild thought about it. “Y’ haven’t answered my question.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Mm. Well, I was hopin’ t’ kill it.”

“Green doesn’t suit you well.”

Green? “I’m wearin’ red?”

Sheik hummed, narrowing their red eye. “That you are.”

A pause.

“This is goin’ nowhere. Are y’ gonna answer my question, or-”

“There’s nothing in the well,” said Sheik eventually. “No monsters, at least. Just people.”

“People can be th’ worst kinda monsters, y’know.”

“Indeed. Why are you asking about the child that cleared it out once before?”

“It was relevant. Seems like a big job for a little kid, va?”

“That child was older than any Man in this or any other town.”

“Still a little kid. Still just one person.”

“And you think that two children can do better?”

“You said it y’rself, nothin’ down in th’ well anymore.”

“Nothing save for the monsters- just as you said.”

Wild groaned. “Aaand we’re goin’ in circles.”

Sheik almost laughed. “You’re the one looking for answers from a Sheikah.”

“Eh, y’got me there. Anyways, y’ feel like helping out or do you gotta spend a few more hours brooding in the moonlight yet?”

Sheik paused. “I’m- I’m not brooding-”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m not. And you’ll get all the help you need when you get down there.”

“Mm.”

Behind the Sheikah’s white mask, Wild could see the hints of a smile. “Besides, Champion, since when does the Hero ask a Prince for help?”

…what?

“What does that-”

Sheik was already gone.

Wild blinked.

“Oh, Flora’s gonna be so pissed when she learns I met Prince Song and didn’t ask him what kind of lyre he used.”

“HEY! KID!”

“Stop calling me kid!” replied Wild reflexively, without even looking to see where Talien was. They hopped down off the roof, briefly calling on Revali’s Gale- oh shit I forgot to tell Revali what’s been going on- to soften their landing. “Hey, did you see where that guy went? Th’ one who was right next to me?”

Talien blinked. “There wasn’t anyone with you?”

“Damned Sheikah. Whate’er, it doesn’t matter. Did y’ get what y’ wanted?”

Talien shook his head. “Looks like all that archival stuff is in the castle, because nobody around here understands the importance of making multiple copies.”

“You wouldn’t happen t’ know what form of lyre Prince Song the First used when teaching th’ Hero of Time, would you?” wondered Wild aloud.

“Who the fuck is the Hero of Time? Also, no, I didn’t even know he played the lyre and I don’t care. Let’s go kill a monster or something so we can get out of this place.”

“Don’t you like it here?”

“Oh, yeah, sure, definitely. Have you noticed that none of these people are carrying any weapons?”

Wild paused. “What?”

“None of them ‘cept the guards, and they haven’t even done anything except, well, stand guard.”

“Wh- that’s mad! What about monsters?”

“Haven’t seen any. And nobody sanitizes their water before drinking it!”

“But what about Malice poisoning!?”

“Doesn’t exist! They looked at me funny when I even brought it up!”

Wild just shook their head. “Y’re right, actually. Let’s go in the haunted well already, at least that’ll be normal.”

--<>--

The Rod of Seasons was not, strictly speaking, meant to be used without Din’s explicit permission, as it was her job to prevent its use from completely destroying the surrounding ecosystem. But that was back then. Nowadays, Legend had figured out how to channel its power far more directly, rather than just turning an entire field to winter and letting the people who relied on its crops just deal with it.

Wild watched him work closely and curiously, but didn’t ask any questions for once. Maybe the guy didn’t find the item that interesting, or was too awed by it to think of asking. Or maybe they’d actually figured out how to respect people and leave them be.

…no, probably not that.

The stones of the well cooked in a false summer’s sun, boiling the water within. Rather than leave the well to evaporate, Legend collected the vapor in a vibrant pink Gust Jar. Why was it vibrant pink? Because Hytopia was fucking weird, that’s why. Once the jar was sealed, the path was clear, and the water was stored away in whatever infinite pocket the Jar contained.

“I feel like there was an easier way t’ do that,” mused Wild, “but I can’t for th’ life of me think of one.”

Wild took point, using some sort of wind spell to slowly lower themself down as they jumped from wall to wall like some kind of Hylian gecko. Once they gave the all-clear, Legend followed them, using a hookshot as a rope.

The room just below the well was expectedly dark and musty, as one would imagine a room once filled with water would be. It was well-cleaned, though, implying that it was at the very least maintained. And if it was maintained, it was accessible- presumably through a manner other than Legend’s. A cursory exploration garnered a recently-installed door, with dimly-glowing runes to keep it sealed and watertight.

If the first room was dark and musty, the second room, behind the door, was just disgusting. It was dry, certainly, but was also covered in dirt and mud, as well as, most notably,

“Giant spider,” said Wild weakly.

“Giant spider,” Legend agreed.

Neither of them spoke, but both of them acted in unison, and soon the giant spider was little more than a giant pile of smouldering ashes. The two of them continued on through the hall, which included a rotted, but complete, human skeleton.

“Now that’s just unsanitary,” Legend noted. Wild hummed in agreement and began collecting the bones into their Slate. Legend decided not to stop them. After all, they were cleaning out the well, weren’t they? “There doesn’t seem to be anything else down here, though.”

“Sheik said there’s people down here,” said Wild confidently, as if Legend was supposed to know who the hell Sheik was or why he could be trusted. “An’ people don’ go missing in this small a place. So there’s gotta be more.” They grinned. “D’y’ want me to time ya, or is five minutes still good enough?”

“Make it a race,” Legend decided with a smirk.

Wild grinned and Legend felt like he’d picked the wrong option. The kid’s left hand, once again clad in that strange not-metal gauntlet, twitched as they tilted their head to the side. Their left eye shifted colors, from a green-blue that matched their real eye color, to a wine-red, then a pale green. Legend hadn’t noticed the magic aura that surrounded what was clearly a prosthetic eye until the aura had now begun shifting, settling on some sort of… identification magic? No, it wasn’t strong enough for that, maybe some kind of scanner? With a crystal-blue shimmer, whatever magic was contained in that alien gaze was joined by a pair of earrings- two cat’s-eye gemstones on hammered gold in the shape of upside-down eyes, which clinked softly every time Wild’s ears twitched. Their augmented gaze flicked over the room once, then twice, then without saying a word they walked through one of the walls.

“Huh,” said Legend.

“I shoulda made this a bet,” griped Wild.

<>

“GIANT FLOATING BAT SKULL!”

“Golden Three, is that a fucking bubble, why is it so big-”

“I REFUSE T’ ACCEPT THAT TH’ GIANT SKULL IS CALLED A BUBBLE.”

<>

“...we should probably put the wellwater back.”

“We can put it back when we’re done.”

“Unless we die down here an’ the village dries up like a raisin.”

“Eugh. Fine, I’ll go put it back.”

<>

“Good news! Sewer system works!” greeted Wild cheerfully, their ears now adorned by simple jade hoops rather than those strange, golden eyes. Once Talien had restored the well, the dried-up canals that’d dotted the hidden hallways had refilled with water, which Wild kicked at like a child playing in a puddle.

Talien glowered at the flowing water. “This is just normal water. Thank your gods this isn’t actually a sewer, kid. Looks like whomever’s taken residence here did some remodeling, though,” he noted, poking his sunset-orange blade at a bit of crumbling stonemasonry. The blade’s hilt resembled a simplified version of the… of the sword in the woods, down to the Triforce symbol, but it was a shortsword instead of a bastard sword. “I’ll bet this place was a lot harder to navigate before.”

“I think there’s a few places that got cut off by the water flow, but I can get us through- without stealing an entire town’s worth of water,” Wild noted. “Y’wanna keep looking ‘round this part, or, we keep goin’?”

“We keep going. If we need something from here, we backtrack.”

“Va.” A wave of a hand activated the cryonis rune, freezing the weathered gargoyle on the wall beside them. Talien found their path, and with the watertight door sealed behind them, a closed fist broke the enchanted ice and let the water flow again.

“Impressive.”

“I could hardly let y’ outdo me with that trick earlier, could I?” It probably was wiser, really, for Wild to allow their companion to display his skills, to learn what he was capable of. But Talien, for all his blustering and attempts at staying secretive, clearly didn’t have a secret-keeping bone in his body, and got flustered every time that was pointed out to him. ‘Keeper of Stories’ was starting to make more and more sense- you don’t learn that many legends, true or otherwise, without the itch to share them. Even if they were stories you’d rather keep to yourself.

With the door shut and the water flowing, Wild turned around to see Talien inspecting a familiar-looking pile of ash and spider legs. He picked at them with the same sunset blade, grimacing. “Eugh.”

“Someone else had the same idea. Th’ people hiding out here?”

“Doubt it. This is newer, and there’s bootprints in the ash.”

“So?”

Talien hesitated. “They’re nice boots. Not the kind you get for running around and travelling- and definitely not the kind bandits and kidnappers would have. More like, the kind you get as part of a uniform.”

Wild frowned. “A uniform? Like… a soldier?” Talien nodded. “That’s- that’s good, isn’t it?”

“...I don’t know,” Talien admitted with difficulty. “Let’s just keep going.”

<>

As the two travellers ventured further in, it became very apparent that they were following someone else close behind- and furthermore, there wasn’t anyone else in the well with them.

Legend shuddered as he dispatched a gibdo, with Wild playing as a distraction. They claimed that they were immune to the gibdo’s screams because of the wisp circuits that were clearly wired not just around their body, but within it too, and while they weren’t paralyzed, there was nothing pleasant about a gibdo’s attention. The fresh corpse on the ground proved that without a doubt.

“Th’ guy we’re followin’?”

“No,” said Legend. “No erimav weapons, shabby boots- and he went down like a bitch."

"Erimav - that's fire magic, right?"

"More or less."

"You're a mage, then?"

Legend scoffed. "What, knowing the four basic elements is enough to make me a mage, now?"

Wild looked… uncomfortable, and Legend felt a moment's flash of regret. "Eh, eheh… guess I just don't know much about magic. Any knowledge seems impressive compared to none, nu sasak?”

“Sure,” said Legend weakly, not willing to point out that someone with wisp circuits literally running through their body ought to have at least a child’s understanding of magic. “Either way, we’re pretty close behind whomever we’re following- poor sap here’s barely been dead an hour, if that.”

“I haven’t heard any fightin’ though,” Wild mused.

“We don’t know this person’s on our side.”

“...I think they are,” said Wild with an odd confidence. “But, ah- where do we go to next?”

“Further down. There’s at least one floor below us.”

--<>--

It didn’t take long to find what looked like a well within a well- a rope supported by heavy beams over a worn opening. Muddy footprints and dented stone indicated that it was oft-used, probably by the well’s occupants. A glance into the pit showed what looked to be a living and planning space, and a fortified one at that.

Wild and Talien found themselves a secluded corner to plan in, not wanting to assume the quiet to mean safety. It was fully possible they were walking head-first into a trap, set either by the bandits, or the person who’d come just before them- someone with unknown intentions. Wild, heeding Sheik’s information, trusted that this person was likely to be an ally, but Talien wasn’t quite so willing.

A brief pooling of resources and quick decision-making assigned Talien to taking down as many bandits as he could, garbed in a strange magic he refused to elaborate further on. Wild would follow with ranged support, using their climbing gear to clip themselves onto the sturdy rope so they’d have both hands on their bow.

When they came back, though, the rope was gone.

More specifically, it had been burned away.

“...fuck the plan,” said Talien.

“What? Bobobobobo, we need a new plan-”

“Fuck the plan,” repeated Talien, now holding an ice rod that crackled with sheer, bitter cold. Before Wild could say anything further, he jumped into the pit.

Wild, not used to being the voice of reason in any way shape or form, shrugged and followed him down.

--<>--

There was a soldier in the well.

There was a goddess-damned soldier in the well.

Legend took one from the guards’ book and shot without warning.

The soldier, dressed in blue and white, gasped, barely dodging the magic blast. The ice froze the table beside him, covering over the papers he’d been looking at. His hands went to his chest, not his blade- don’t care, thought Legend briefly as the second blast rang out. It was swept aside by a gleaming teal blade- not standard equipment of any sort.

Legend ducked behind one of the shoddy wooden barriers the bandits had erected before trying to talk. “What’s one of the royal dogs doing down here?” he spat.

“Talien-!”

Wild was down here too, good. “He’s armed, kid, stay behind cover-”

The soldier gave a wordless, annoyed shout, followed by the clanking of metal. Had Wild got a hit in? No- they hadn’t even nocked their bow. What-?

“He’s signing,” said Wild.

What?

A simple mirror showed the soldier’s reflection, and while the image was both too small and reversed, making the signs themselves illegible, Wild was right. Legend huffed. The first time I’m wrong about a Hyrulean soldier and it’s in front of a stranger. Fun. Legend inched out of his hiding space to get a good look at the mute soldier.

“I’m not here to fight you,” claimed the rigid, precise movements.

Legend narrowed his eyes. “Call me paranoid, but I don’t believe you.”

“Okay then, Paranoid, believe what you’d like.”

Wh- was a fucking Hyrulean guard sassing him back? What world was this? “Why are you down here?”

“Someone’s kid went missing. I came down to look for her.”

“Same as us,” said Wild. Legend wanted to call them out for revealing their plans to the enemy, yet… well, he was loath to say it, but… the soldier didn’t seem to be an enemy. If you can imagine that. “And, Talien…”

“What?”

“He’s got the pin.”

…what?

“No.”

“I’m no’ lying-”

“Absolutely not. I’m not doing this fucking quest with some goddamned bootlicker-”

“Hey! I’m right here-”

“I know, that’s why I’m insulting you.” At this point Legend had fully extricated himself from his cover, if only for the sole purpose of being able to gesture to the fullest so that he could bitch to the fullest. “What dumbass god decided that we needed a common soldier, huh? Who do I need to pray to to lodge a complaint?"

Wild scowled, clearly not appreciating the casual blasphemy. "Nahana! Y’ve managed t’ be civil enough this far, Talien, don’ make this whole thing harder than it’s already going t’ be.”

Talien? mouthed the soldier. “You wouldn’t happen to know someone named R-A-V-I-O, would you? About your height, wears a rabbit mask?”

“...what the fuck.” This was just getting stupid. “Why do you know Ravio.”

The soldier shrugged. “It’s a long story. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I’m sure you have.”

“And you, Hero of the Moonlit Wilds.”

“Kasa?” Wild looked surprised to be singled out, let alone called by what appeared to be their title. Was that a trend? Heroes going by their title rather than any actual name? “You know me?”

“I know of you. Mostly I know you as the late Princess Mipha’s brother-in-law. She’s very fond of you,”the soldier added with a soft smile. Legend decided not to question how a late princess was telling stories about her in-laws.

“Alright, who the hell are you and why do you know so much about us?” Legend demanded. “How do you know Ravio? Are you from Lorule or something? You don’t look like a dark magic user.”

The soldier’s ears flattened against his head. “I should hope not,” he said, clearly offended. “No- the being that appeared to us called me War Scholar. I am a soldier, yes, but also a historian. I fought in the War Across the Ages.”

“The War Across the Ages is a fairytale.”

“I lost a lot of friends to that fairytale,” said the soldier. “Trust me, I’m not looking forwards to working with you any more than you are, but the gods have chosen me to help you.”

Legend scoffed. “Fine. What should we call you then, oh scholar chosen by the gods?”

A pause. “Faronnen,” came the eventual answer.

“No rank?”

Another pause, longer this time. “Just ‘Faronnen’ is fine, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, Captain Faronnen,” said Legend, taking great pleasure in the soldier’s scowl.

“Thank you so terribly much, friend rabbit,” replied Faronnen, just as smugly. Legend gave him a look of confusion, before he tapped at his lip- the same spot where Legend’s discarded mask revealed his cleft lip and protruding incisors.

“Aight, settle down you two,” grumbled Wild, clearly not happy being in charge. Legend nodded in agreement, but still kept his gaze on the Captain.

Oh, he was going to have fun with this asshole.

--<>--

Zalle Faronnen, Hero of Warriors, watched her newfound companions as they plotted a route through the rest of the dungeon, using the notes left behind to follow the bandits she hadn’t been able to take care of herself.

…it had been a long time since someone had called her ‘Captain’.

‘Talien’, as he was calling himself, took up the lead, letting the Hero beside him follow along. Zalle felt that, if she let herself, she would see Ravio and Mask at the table, not the merchant’s Light World doppleganger and a Hero from a broken future. She said nothing of this, though- better to let them do the talking, whether literally or metaphorically.

“I’m assuming you have a weapon with fire magic,” said Talien offhandedly, reminding Zalle that she was, in fact, part of the conversation. Zalle nodded, offering her heavily modified Fire Rod as proof. Call her old-fashioned, but she could never stand the unnecessary complexity of the newer designs. Give her something that you could actually look at any day. “Mm. That fancy sword of yours do anything special?”

“No, but I’m very skilled with it, if I do say so myself,” she replied.

“I’ll believe it when I see it. Sure you aren’t just skilled at going through the motions?”

“You’ve a rather nice sword yourself- have any training with it, or do you just hit things and hope they go away?” Zalle bit back. Rather than take it with offense, Talien just smirked.

“Speaking from experience, are you?”

“C’n we please stay on topic,” begged Wild. “Don’ make me th’ responsible one here, I’m no’ built for it.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright. So anyways, if you look at this paper here, it looks like there’s the remnants of a map, yeah? Probably of the local area.”

“Definitely the local area- that symbol there is used to indicate the Royal Family in this era, making that the location of the castle- and putting us right here.”

“Perfect. So if we follow the road indicated here…”

Story One: The Nine Heroes

Part Three: Fairy Boy

Fear and terror and distant music and there’s something chasing me-

“I offer to thou a blessing, Spirit of the Lost Woods-”

everything is too big, and he’s- and he’s- and he’s-

“Though your companion is lost, thou need never fear the curse of death upon thy flesh-”

“You don’t have to leave, Link! You can stay here in the woods with us- with your family-”

“Thou needn’t ever mingle with the world of Man ever again-”

“Link…”

“You’re not happy here, are you?”

“No-!”

Time awoke with a short gasp, the chirping of birds replaced by the crowing of cuccos, the wind in leaves replaced by the creaking of his own bones. It’s just a dream, he assured himself.

…no. Not a dream. A memory. Because when he opened his eyes, he wasn’t in a bed of sticks and leaves, nestled in a treehouse fit for a child. But he wasn’t in a bed of cotton and wool, either, resting after a battle, waiting for the energy to return to long, gangly limbs.

The hammock swayed as he stretched his small, child-like body, yawning as the sunlight crept into the room.

Time lowered himself cautiously to the ground, smiling as he heard Malon sleeping softly on the other side of the room, positioned so they could see each other even in the dead of night. Careful not to wake her, he slunk out of the room to prepare for the day.

<>

“Mornin’, hun.”

“Good morning,” greeted Time as Malon briefly rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Ya been awake long?”

Time frowned, keeping his gaze on his meal rather than on his partner. “A while.”

“Nightmares again?”

“I’m sorry if I woke you up-”

Malon sighed, leaning against the back of the couch he sat on. “Don’t be,” she told him gently. “You know ah don’t mind. Which one was it, this time?”

“...the forest. The- the Great Deku Tree.” A pause. “...Saria.”

“Mm.”

There was a moment of silence between them, neither one knowing what to say. A cucco crowed outside somewhere, and Time stood, adjusting his tunic. “I think I just need to not be here today,” he admitted, glancing back at Malon, reassuring her with the hint of a smile. “I’ll go collect the eggs for now.”

“Don’t get pecked to death again,” Malon said with a grin.

“I’ll never live that down, will I?”

<>

Time did actually manage to have a fairly peaceful morning after that. The daily farm chores were attended to quickly, allowing Time to take Epona out for a ride- it was nice to have that feeling of freedom, now and again.

He visited Crow after that, making sure to send Epona home first, considering the two hadn’t exactly gotten off on the right foot. Crow, of course, greeted Time by trying to drop a dozen centipedes on him. ‘Trying’ being the key word, of course, considering how long the two friends had been at this game.

Time was in much higher spirits when he returned home from his meeting- his play- with the Skull Kid, and, after letting Malon know he’d returned, he decided to get some extra training in before lunch. As such, he already had his sword in hand when… something happened in front of the yard.

It started with some of the goats getting spooked by something, braying and pacing and eventually moving to the far side of their pen. Time could hear someone talking, though he didn’t recognize the voice. Then, quite suddenly, he felt a pressure, one he’d come to associate with magic, especially powerful magic.

Time sighed, jogging his way over towards the front gates where the magic seemed to be concentrated, keeping his weapon unsheathed. He didn’t expect anyone to take an apparent child very seriously, but a child with a sword they just might listen to.

There didn’t seem to be any need though- the people he found looked just as young as he did.

There were two of them there, standing in the grass, looking around with open curiosity. One of them looked Hylian, at least from a distance, and wore a weathered brown travelling cloak and a violet scarf around his neck. The other, though…

Even the Kokiri didn’t see Faechildren that often, but this one was unmistakable, with their too-wide eyes and too-sharp teeth barely hidden under dry, cracked lips, and their unkempt hair failing to hide the curling, lime-gold markings on their dark, freckled cheeks.

Time sheathed his sword. He wasn’t going to fight these people- and besides, if the Faechild wanted a fight, he knew he wouldn’t win.

“Hello there,” he greeted the two travellers politely. “Are you lost?”

They looked surprised to be spoken to, fumbling for a moment, glancing back and forth at each other in a manner that, from an outside perspective, was more comical than anything. Eventually, the Hylian stepped forwards, and nodded. All that deliberation just for a nod? Curious.

“My name is Time, and my friend Malon Lon works this farm here,” he explained, gesturing to the farmhouse. “Are you in need of a place to stay?”

More silent deliberation this time; an argument in the form of gestures and glances.

“Do either of you know sign?” Time offered. “Or I could provide you with pen and paper?”

The Hylian took the lead again, opening his mouth and fumbling over a few syllables before managing to put some words together. “We’ve- we, um- it’s been a while, since… we’ve been around, people,” he admitted awkwardly. Time watched as his eyes, which had begun as a rich, earthy brown, shifted to a vibrant purple, and once they did, it became clear- at least when looking him head-on- that his eyes had no pupils, only a dark violet centre. Nevertheless, he didn’t appear to have any issues seeing, as far as Time could determine. “We… apologize, for our lack of, s-social graces.”

“No apologies needed,” Time assured him. “We’re much too far from the capital to care for things like that. I ask again: are you in need of a place to stay?”

“That, would be… appreciated.” The stranger’s words were stilted and broken, with long pauses between them, but they were kind and polite, which Time considered of far more importance.

Time nodded. “Of course. I’ll head inside and ensure you’re expected.”

--<>--

Four had isolated himself like this before plenty of times. This was the first time he'd, though, that he'd done so with company- company that wasn't in his own head, at least.

For most people, having a habit of running away for a week or two with barely any warning would be incredibly concerning, but he wasn't most people - not by a long shot. He'd been making his own adventures since the day he'd learned to walk, and he meant that literally. Coming back home after a week or two with no company but himself and Zeffa had become commonplace, and even before he'd been shattered it could take a day or so for his ability to talk to people to kick back in.

But travelling with Faron- it was like a breath of fresh air. The fae wanderer was as insatiably curious as Vio, with the enthusiasm of Red. This unfortunately meant that Green was pulling double duty as the voice of reason, even going so far as to ask Blue for help in reigning their other aspects in. Predictably, this lasted up until the moment Blue’s unending need for chaos and violence kicked in, something that Faron was terrifyingly skilled at as well.

Faron could sling spells like a battlemage, could move like a trained acrobat, and fought with the weapons of a spellsword. Four was, in a word, jealous.

And now, a week- had it really only been a week?- later, the two of them found themselves cozied up in a friendly stranger’s living room, sipping warm milk, situated on child-sized chairs that were identical to the other chairs in the room, just sized down. Presumably, they were for the smaller of their two hosts, who was somehow shorter than even Four himself.

“So yer both travellers?” asked their other host, a (relatively) shorter woman with Gerudo-red hair and rosy cheeks, whose dirt-caked nails and calloused hands spoke of years of farm labor, just as much as her sun-baked freckles. She claimed her name was Malon Lon, which had tripped Four up for a moment, as he knew of a young woman around his own age with the same hair and the exact same name. Evidently, ‘Malon Lon’ was not the first of her name- or perhaps, that statement applied to the Malon Lon he himself knew, and this was the ‘original’.

“You’d hardly expect them to be locals with such gear,” called out Time from the other room, who stood on a sturdy wooden stool that placed him at the perfect height to access the counter. The whole house was like that, furnished to accommodate children- or child-sized peoples- without the childproofing you’d expect to come with it.

“Oh, yes, ah suppose you’re right, but ah can hardly be blamed for wanting some small talk,” argued Malon with a smile. “Assumin’ both of ya are up to it? Ah won’t push ya, don’t worry.”

Four nodded in agreement, relieved of the usual pressure that any kind of social interaction entailed. Rather than feel he had to fill an awkward silence, he was given all the time he needed to construct his words. “W-we came looking, for… others. Other travellers. We were told, they would have… one of these,” he explained, offering the green and gold pin that had allowed him and Faron to find each other.

Malon took it with thinly-veiled surprise. “Ah see,” she said. “Time? Did ya…?”

“I did,” Time noted. “But we can worry about that later.”

“Oh! Oh, it’s nearly lunchtime, isn’t it?” said Malon, completely dropping the subject of the pin- not with the rush of someone avoiding the topic, but instead acting as if it simply… wasn’t that important. As if Four and Faron were the most important. “You two wouldn’t mind helping us set the table, would ya?”

Four nodded happily, and beside him, Faron smiled.

--<>--

After a week on the road, there was, without any doubt, nothing better than a warm meal and a place to rest. Time had learned that lesson long ago, and from the looks of contentment on his guests’ faces, it looked like the lesson was a universal one.

“They’re like you, aren’t they?” asked Malon quietly as the two of them washed the dishes side-by-side, the house’s accommodations allowing them to stand and talk with ease despite the differences in height.

“...I’m afraid so,” Time admitted. “For better or for worse.”

“Ah’d say they seem happy enough, but… they’ve been through a lot, haven’t they? And ah still haven’t even asked for their names.”

“The silent one is Faron,” said Time. “The fae know him- xem, rather- and claim xe isn’t of this era.”

“A time traveller?”

“Almost certainly. Same with xir friend. I haven’t been able to get his name, but the Minish haven’t left his side. They have a name for him- I can’t pronounce it, though,” Time added bitterly.

“You’ll get it one day,” Malon reassured him half-heartedly. Out of all the languages, of course it was Minichi that still tripped him up. It didn’t matter that he was Kokiri through and through, he’d still been born with Hylian vocal cords, and that was enough to make the language nigh-impossible. Time was nothing if not stubborn, though.

“They call him The-Four-Who-Are-One, or close enough to that. They won’t explain what it means, but it’s clear he’s someone incredibly important to them- they don’t give names to just anyone.”

“A Faechild and a friend to the Minish,” Malon said, amused. “Ya find the strangest people, hun.”

“I think that might be on you, really,” said Time. “After all, you found me.”

“Ah did do that,” agreed Malon. “Ah did do that. But what now? Ah didn’t see the same dream you and Song did, sure, but ah know just how important all this stuff is. Ya can’t just leave them to their own devices.”

“I’m not planning on it,” Time reassured her. “But I’ve figured something out. The dream spoke of a beacon we would be led to, you remember? I know now why I couldn’t find it- the beacon leads here, to the ranch. It seems that, before anything else, we’re to meet here.”

Malon laughed. “Ah really am a magnet for the bizarre!” she cried out. “Even the gods know!”

“It seems we’ll be needing to set up a few more places at the table, then,” said Time, smiling. “It looks like we’ve yet to receive all our guests.”

--<>--

The noontime sun came and went with a quiet ease.

After lunch, Miss Malon had put the two of them to work on the farm, and Four found that it, too, was adjusted for someone of a smaller stature. He snuck away from the house not long after dinner, having found a Minish portal hidden in a clump of mushrooms. He briefly considered returning to the house to observe their hosts, before remembering all the manmade nooks and crannies and pathways and lofts, all put together with the accurate expectation that they'd soon be occupied by mouse-sized housemates. Clearly, Time could see the Minish as well as any child.

Four was fully certain, though, that Time was most certainly not a child. He looked like one, sure, down to the baby fat on his cheeks and the way his ears were held back by clips, but he acted like an adult. Four had met adults who were exceptionally short due to a genetic mutation, rather than a quirk of magic like himself, but they didn't look like children, just, well, short adults. Time looked like a twelve-year-old.

The construction of the property did at least mean that moving around as a Minish was significantly easier. Even better, the crisp chill of autumn ensured that any true Minish that called the ranch home were cooped up inside, allowing Four to travel uninterrupted. He interrogated the various livestock he'd interacted with earlier, save for the horses.

He'd learned his lesson when it came to horses.

Never again.

The farm, it seemed, was in unanimous agreement that Malon was in fact the best mom, a statement that Four couldn't find himself disagreeing with, despite a lack of knowledge on the topics of both Malon specifically and mothers in general. Other than that, they didn't have much information. The cuccos quite liked Time, but that seemed to be founded in bloodlust more than anything else.

Four made his way back towards the portal, when he ran headlong into a fairy, which glowed a beautiful pink and lime. Four picked himself up off the ground, about to apologize, when-

"...Four!?"

What? said Blue.

Is that Faron!? asked Vio.

Faron! exclaimed Red.

What's going on? demanded Green.

"Whsghfrnnnh!?" said Four intelligently.

Faron blinked. "You're… Minish?" they asked, as if it wasn't obvious. "You…" They paused, deliberating. "Are you, usually Minish?" Four shook his head. "Okay."

A pause.

Four cocked his head to the side. Was… was that it?

Faron stared at him, humming softly. Apparently deciding there was nothing more to glean from the conversation - or lack thereof - they continued on their merry way.

Four stood there for a long, long minute.

"What… the fuck just happened."

--<>--

“So,” began Time come sunup, once he and Malon had set out breakfast for the four of them. “It’s probably high time we addressed the unicorn in the room.” With that, he placed his own green and gold pin at the centre of the table, garnering the surprise of his two guests.

“You…?” asked the Minish’s favored, his mouth moving without sound as if to follow up his question.

Time nodded. “There are very few who would know to call me ‘Spirit of the Lost Woods’, and fewer still that would call upon me for a task like this- whatever this task may be. Drawing from my own experience though… it’s likely that we’ll be asked to fight, and destroy, whatever this unknown darkness is. Have either of you dealt with something like that before?”

Both travellers nodded, looking surprised by each others’ answers before looking back at Time.

“I’d thought as much,” he said sadly. “Whomever’s behind all this seems to have decided on Lon Lon Ranch as a meeting place for ourselves and our yet unknown companions. When they arrive, either they’ll bring information with them, or we’ll be provided with it when we’ve all gathered. But for now…” Time sighed. “For now, I want you to simply rest. I don’t know what you’ve been through, whether on this journey or any other, but as someone who’s gone through their own trials, it’s hard not to see the scars they leave behind… physical or mental.” The Minish’s favored tensed up, as if ready to be scolded, but Malon shook her head.

“Hey. Yer safe here, alright? Yer not in any sort of trouble.”

“Quite the opposite,” said Time. “If there’s anything at all we can offer to make things easier on you, please ask, even if you can’t do so verbally.” He looked over at Faron, making eye contact as he said, “I promise to do whatever I can to help.”

Faron flinched back as if struck, xir eyes wide and curious. “...don’t- you shouldn’t-”

“You’re not the first faerie I’ve made promises to,” said Time, making Malon roll her eyes.

“Ah can back that up. You’d think livin’ among the fae for some three-hundred odd years would put some sense into his head, but you’d be dead wrong.”

“I learn through consequences,” said Time simply. “I am also very good at avoiding consequences.”

Faron truly laughed, xir sharp, needle-like teeth visible in the dawnlight. Malon grinned.

“Y’know, ah don’t think ah ever got your names,” she noted casually. “Ah know there’s that whole thing about ‘true names’ and what have ya, but you've got something people call ya, haven’t you?”

Faron was visibly surprised by Malon’s knowledge, and nodded excitedly. “Faron,” xe replied, pointing at xemself. “Four,” xe added, gesturing to xir friend, who nodded.

“...S-soul of, the… Four Elements,” he elaborated. Faron chose not to add xir own title, but Time was fairly certain as to what the Faechild dressed for wandering a forest might be known as.

“That’s three down, six to go,” Time mused. “I’ve a hunch as to who some of the others may be, but I’ll let them speak for themselves when they arrive. But, that’s a problem for the future.
“For now… well, as I said before. For now, we rest, and we wait.”

Chapter Text

Story One: The Nine Heroes

Part Four: Reunions

Outset Island was not, strictly speaking, similar to Skyloft. One soared above the clouds, while the other was anchored to the ground beneath the waves.

But the similarities were there, and for Link, they were enough.

Listening to the calm repetition of the shifting waves, he watched the open sea. If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend there were clouds instead of water, and that the 'siegals' flying above him were Loftwings, keeping a careful eye on their riders.

They weren’t, of course.

But that was alright.

Despite his heavy work boots, Wolf moved quietly as he walked across the beach, but against the calm of the ocean, he was still loud enough that Link- no, Sky- could hear him coming. It seemed he too had been able to slip away from the landing party. “Betcha haven’t seen the ocean before, huh?” he mused quietly.

“Once,” said Sky. “B-but I didn’t, ah, I didn’t have much time to watch it.”

“We’ve time now.”

“...I suppose so.”

Sky breathed deeply, wondering if the salty air might make breathing on the Surface any easier. It seemed to, so far, but perhaps Sky was just biased. There was something so terribly relaxing about this place, after all.

“Do ya think the kid’ll come with us?” wondered Wolf, sitting down beside Sky. “Ah don’t wanna drag someone with us if they don’t want to, but…”

“I trust in the gods,” said Sky. “If th-they chose him, it’s for a reason.”

“Mm. Can’t say ah feel the same, but ah understand. It’s nice to think there’s someone watching over ya.”

“You don’t th-think that’s the case?”

Wolf shrugged. “Ah wasn’t really raised to believe in the old gods, ah guess? Ordon only really cares much about its own god, the Light Spirit Ordona. Other than that, well- not really our problem.”

Sky laughed. “I’ve never th-thought about it like that!”

“Y’all probably don’t have a lot of gods, do ya?” said Wolf. “You’ve already told me y’all worship Hylia, but ya haven’t mentioned anyone else.”

Sky hummed. “I mean- I was, I was always taught th-that Hylia was the, the queen goddess, and that all the others were her, her children, sort of? Then I met people on the Surface who’d, who’d never even heard of Her Grace. And Hylia w- is a, a distant goddess, so it was weird actually meeting other gods.”

“Ah can't imagine. Ah mean- ah can, ah guess, but ah always knew other gods existed, and ah’d met Ordona before, as a child, but… ah guess ah kinda understand.”

“Mm. I wonder if this place has its own gods?”

“Y’know, considering the gods ah’ve met before… ah’d rather not find out.”

--<>--

Once the ruckus seemed to die down, Wolf and Sky made their way back to the little island village where their new acquaintances had gathered. This ‘Windy Boy’ character was evidently quite popular- though Wolf realized quickly that it wasn’t fame so much as family that made him known. This island, it seemed, was his home.

It made sense, of course, as the boy had demanded he be allowed to return to his family before leaving, saying that he’d been forced to leave without explanation too many times before. It was clear that he didn’t want to leave a all, though.

“We’ve got a lot of shit to deal with around here,” the girl, Captain Tetra, had explained previously. “He wants to see it through. I mean, I’d love to keep him here, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not gonna argue against the gods’ decisions, even if they are fucking stupid ones.” Sky had asked what she meant in terms of the boy's apparent responsibilities, but hadn't been able to get an answer out of her before she'd been summoned to help ensure the ship's safe docking.

Now that the two travellers stepped back into the village proper, though, that question was replaced by concern towards their new ally.

"Master Ajo!" called out a lithe old man with a fishing spear at his back. "Your friends return."

The boy- Ajo- turned to see Wolf and Sky, grinning. "I was wondering where you'd gone to!" he greeted. "All the noise scared you off, aye?"

"Something like that," Wolf agreed. "Guessing ya haven't stopped home in a while?"

Ajo laughed. "How'd you guess?" he asked rhetorically. "Oh! There's Grandma and Aryll' now!" he exclaimed, bouncing in place as he looked over the crowd. Whatever magic was allowing communication wasn't very fond of names, Wolf noted, or at least not ones in whatever language was being spoken now. The translation said the names he heard were Tetra and Aryll and Ajo, yet the actual words sounded more like Teh-too-ra and Ah-ree-ley and Ah-jho. Wolf, knowing very little about either magic or linguistics, decided that was someone else’s problem, and stuck with the pronunciation given by whatever was translating for them.

Turning to look where Ajo had run off to, Wolf spotted two more additions to the crowd- a girl about the same age as Ajo (a twin, maybe?), and an elderly woman. There was something… off, about the old woman, in a way that wasn’t bad, per se, just something Wolf couldn’t quite put his finger on. “Big Brother!” cried the girl, dashing up to smother Ajo in a hug. “You’re back!”

Ajo grinned. “I’m back!” he agreed, though with far less enthusiasm than his sister.

“Not for very long though,” said the old woman in a way that wasn’t quite a statement, but wasn’t a question either. “Isn’t that right?” she added, facing towards Wolf, but not quite meeting his eyes. Actually, now that he thought about it, not a single person had made eye contact with him since they’d landed in this era. Maybe that was just the cultural norm here?

“It depends on what Ajo decides,” said Sky confidently, though he faltered when Aryll laughed at him.

“A-ry-ll’,” whined Ajo. “Don’t-”

“Nobody off this island calls him Ajo!” she told Sky, grinning. “His name’s Windy!”

“A-ry-ll’, please A-ry-ll’,” begged ‘Windy’.

“Oh, don’t you worry,” reassured the old woman, reaching over to pinch the boy’s cheeks. “You’ll always be my little Ajo.”

“This was a mistake,” he bemoaned, making his family laugh at his clearly performative agony. “I’ve never met you two. I am but a tragic orphan.”

“Go perish in some thematically appropriate way,” said Aryll supportively.

Sky and Wolf just smiled at the two kids as their banter continued. “Do ya have any siblings?” Wolf asked his travelling companion.

Sky shook his head. “N-not by blood, but…”

“Lemme guess- raised by the village, so they might as well be?”

“J- jus- exactly that.”

Stepping around the bickering siblings, the old woman joined in the conversation. “I’ve heard you two are on a very important mission,” she began.

Wolf glanced at Sky, who seemed just in the dark as he was. “We are,” he answered, uncertain why he felt so suddenly nervous in the face of this little old lady.

“...take him with you,” she demanded.

“...what?” asked Sky, just as utterly blindsided as Wolf.

“If he says he’s not going? Make him,” she continued. “I’m sure I sound quite black-hearted, though, don’t I? Forcing my grandson to leave against his will.” She chuckled. “Oh, but I’m sure I’m fussing over nothing. Even the Great Sea is too small for my boy, you know. Keeping him from travelling as he pleases would be no different from locking him in his room. He might say he’s had enough of adventuring, but if that were true, well… his return here wouldn’t warrant such a celebration, would it?”

Wolf floundered for words, uncertain how to respond to such a declaration. “Ma’am…”

“Just call me Grandma Outset. Everyone else does,” said the old woman, smiling politely.

“Grandma Outset. Are you really sure…?”

She scoffed. “Am I sure that I know my own grandson better than he knows himself? Damn straight I am.”

“Ma’am-” said Sky, receiving a vague handwave in return.

“Ajo’ll tell you he picked up his language from Queen Tet’ra and her crew, but he’s just too embarrassed to admit this old bag can out-cuss him any day of the week,” said Grandma Outset with a deceptively soft grin. “Wonder what the gods think of that one- a true, Goddess-Chosen Hero that can make a barman blush on a good day.”

Sky’s ears ticked up in sudden curiosity. “Hero…?” he mimicked faintly.

“And everyone on the Great Sea knows it,” Grandma Outset confirmed. “‘Hero of the Winds, they call him. Guardian of Outset.”

One of the nine names, thought Wolf, wondering just what feats such a young child must’ve performed to garner so proud a title.

“I p-promise you we’ll, we’ll keep him safe,” said Sky, but that only made Grandma Outset shake her head.

“Haven’t you been listening, boy?” she accused. “If I wanted him to be safe I’d keep him on this island for the rest of my natural life! I tell you, he won’t even make it a week without breaking a bone or two. Of course he’s not going to be safe, he’s a Hero. All I’m asking is…” Grandma Outset’s tirade faded with her energy, and she once again looked like nothing more than a harmless old grandmother, scared for her little boy.
“Just make sure he comes back to us.”

--<>--

It wasn’t until the next morning that the beacon appeared for them, far enough off the horizon that it seemed to be emitted by the waves themselves. It hadn’t appeared, Ajo told them, until the exact moment he’d made up his mind to travel with them.

“Is that what we should call ya, then?” asked Wolf. “‘Ajo’?”

Their companion gave an exaggerated grimace. “Nah, it really would sound weird coming from anyone off Outset. Just call me ‘Wind’ or ‘Windy’, everyone else does.”

“Except for Tetra,” Wolf noted.

“That’s Captain Tet’ra to you,” said Windy reflexively. “She’s our only ride to Headstone, so you’d better not let her hear you slip up again.”

“Your g-grandmother called her a, a queen,” said Sky curiously. “What did she mean by th-that?”

Windy shrugged. “It’s a long story, but basically the ‘real’ monarchy is such a piece of shit that everyone went ‘fuck it, anarchy time’, aye? Then it turned out that the Cap’n was descended from the old kings, back from before the gods tried to kill everyone-”

“Back before what-”

“-and at that point she was already on her way to becoming the biggest threat this side of Six-Eye so it didn’t take long for her to become the Pirate Queen.” Windy explained this all with such a casual air, such a lack of concern, that he may as well have been explaining preferred farming techniques, or what he’d had for breakfast the other day. “And at that point it’d already been a few years since I’d become known as the Hero, so like, it wasn’t much of a transition.” With that extra tidbit, he waved his hand casually, revealing the divine, golden glow of the literal Triforce of Courage embedded in the back of his left hand, surrounded by painful red scarring, as if the mark had been carved in by a jagged knife.

There was a long, pointed silence.

“That’s the Triforce,” said Sky weakly.

“Sure is,” agreed Windy.

“The- the actual Triforce.”

“Real as anything.”

“How?”

“Got chosen by the Old Gods.”

“Just like that?” joked Wolf.

“Just like that.” Windy shook his head. “Man. You guys really don’t know what you’re doing, do you? At least tell me you know where we’re going.”

“Th-the beacon?” offered Sky.

Windy stared at him.

“Dude. We are so fucked.” Despite his grim assessment, he was grinning wildly. "This is gonna be so much fun."

Wolf was starting to question just what exactly it was the gods wanted them to do, and why it required the assistance of a kid with a death wish.

…again.

--<>--

As far as Official Heroic Adventures went, Windy was tentatively rating this one a four-point-three out of five. Far better than almost jumping off a cliff to chase down a giant bird, but not quite as cool as getting to meet the actual literal Hero of Time (even if he had turned out to be an annoying pain in the ass). This was of course a very temporary rating, liable to be changed based on any stabbings, explosions, kidnappings, curses, giant whales, and morally questionable father figures. So far there’d been absolutely none of those, but these new guys seemed pretty cool, and at least Windy wasn’t stuck with a talking boat with delusions of grandeur.

At least not yet. It was only the first day, after all.

Windy hadn’t needed to explain much of the situation to Tetra once they’d all boarded the Dakovini Sipathi- the Wyrmsblade- , as she’d learned half the story from the two travellers, and the other half from the divine vision that Windy had received and Tetra had eavesdropped on. Perks of being a Child of Hylia, apparently. As such, she was able to see the same beacon as them, even if it was only a vague after-image. She’d already charted a course for Headstone Island before they’d even made land at Outset.

“You two ever sailed?” Windy asked of his new allies, already guessing the answer based on Wolf’s unsteady feet and Sky’s open curiosity.

“Not really,” said Wolf, eyeing the deck cautiously. “Ah trust you and your friend know what you’re doing?”

Had the question come from anyone else, Windy would’ve been offended. “Sure do! Don’t worry, we’ll make landfall before you know it.”

Wolf chuckled nervously. “That obvious, huh?”

Windy just shrugged. “I mean, anyone can tell you’re not Ritokwi, and it’s always a bit of a coinflip whether you Mainlanders can handle the sea.”

“Mainlanders?” asked Sky.

Eugh. He did not wanna deal with the history lessons again. “Humans that aren’t from the Great Sea,” he explained with a vague wave of a hand. “Anyways, I gotta go help the crew- you two can head below deck for now,” he told them, dashing off before they could pose any further questions.

Tetra just laughed at him as he neared. “You gonna tell him that "Hylians" don't even exist anymore, or are we getting into the time travel some other day?”

Windy didn’t even bother wording his reply, landing instead on a vague moan.

“Alright Mr Redead sir, terribly sorry to bother you.”

“No you’re not.”

“You’re right! I’m delighted to bother you!” said Tetra. “Go monkey your way up to the crow’s nest already, the wind’s not in our favor and I don’t want these givima bitching about how long it takes.”

“Aye-aye!” Windy gave a sloppy half-salute before scurrying up the riggings, letting himself relish the burn of the tar-thick ropes, not knowing when he’d next find himself at sea.

--<>--

Wolf and Sky soon found themselves herded into a guestroom below decks by a wiry Rito and yet another teenager, leaving Wolf to briefly wonder just how many kids there were in what was supposedly the ship of this region's queen, or the closest they had to one.

As they'd been told, the trip didn't take long, and Wolf spent most of it explaining to Sky what Rito were and why it was actually rather offensive to call them "bird-men"- they didn't object much to the 'bird' part, Wolf had learned when he himself had first met them, but they weren't overly fond of being compared to Men.

Upon leaving the cabins after being told of their arrival, Wolf was subjected to the absolute terror of seeing a small child launch himself off a two-story-tall mast. He was fine, of course, using the ship's ropes and wires to slide down, but Wolf got to enjoy the unique experience of being the only person concerned about someone seemingly launching themselves to their certain death.

After that, well, all that was left was a few goodbyes. The portal that the beacon created was easily accessible, something Sky was clearly grateful for, as he'd looked rather pale when Windy warned them that the island held an underground temple that may or may not have monsters in it. Growing up above the clouds, apparently, tended to leave people with a good deal of claustrophobia.

"Good luck!" called Captain Tetra just before the three travellers stepped through the swirling divine light. "And bring me back some souvenirs this time! Keep up this time travel shit and we'll make a fortune in antiques!"

--<>--

Wild was not, by any measure, the most responsible of individuals. She was fully aware of this! She'd been forgetful for, quite literally, as long as she could remember, and having a brain that was practically duct-taped together didn't help. She was impulsive to a fault, got distracted by the simplest things… it had become common knowledge back home that, when she agreed to do something that didn't have a strict deadline, it automatically came with the caveat that there was no guarantee exactly when it would happen. 'Five to seven business days' was what the expected timeline was, apparently, though she didn't actually know what made a day a business one or not…

But she honestly hadn't realized just how much worse things could get when stuck with two people with equally abysmal attention spans.

Their intent has been simple enough. Follow the group of bandits, figure out where they'd taken the girl from Kakariko, rescue her, and call it good. Simple!

But then someone had wanted this rare sword as payment for info on the bandits… and the weapon collector wanted a certain potion in order to give up the sword… then the potiommaker needed a specific flower to make the potion… and the town nearby where the flower grew had a bunch of runaway cuccos…

Well. You get the idea. 'Step one' had taken the better part of the day, and only a third of that consisted of things they actually needed to do. When the bandits had been found and their victims returned without demand for random, the beacon had appeared once more, and Talien had looked ready to fall on his knees and weep.

"That was… odd," mused Wild some hours later as they rode along the path to the beacon, having rented a trio of horses for the ride.

"Which part?" asked Faronnen.

Wild hummed. "Well… don' get me wrong, I'm no' unhappy we did what we did, it just… why us?"

Talien looked concerned and almost offended, despite having previously claimed he wasn't going give even a single shit about anything until they were on the other side of the portal. The Captain, however, nodded in understanding. "Why bring us to an entirely new era just to apprehend some kidnappers, you mean?"

Wild nodded. "I mean, I'm not gonna say it's 'below us' or whate'er, but it's still… weird."

"...they weren't just random kids."

"Heh?"

"They were all specifically Hylians," said Talien. "They all had at least the potential for light magic, too. If I had to guess? Someone wanted light magic from people that wouldn't be searched for."

A silence fell on the ground, filled only by the plodding of hooves.

"Y'don' know that," argued Wild.

"It makes sense, though," said Captain Faronnen, a pained expression on his face. "Talien's right, they weren't picked at random. I kept an eye on some of them when they went back to the village; none of them were from well-off homes. Their families would've been unable to hire help, or get the attention of the law."

Wild shivered, clutching at the reins of her mount. "Oh."

Her two companions fell quiet - or at least Talien did, and if Captain Faronnen continued signing, she couldn't hear the movement of cloth and leather that usually accompanied him. She felt a brief flash of guilt for interrupting them, but it faded as she failed to not think about just how broken the world had been before the Good K- before the Calamity. She couldn't risk saying things like that around strangers like these.

"That's some pretty nice gear for a soldier," said Talien eventually, once the silence had gone from awkward to just plain uncomfortable.

Captain Faronnen nodded. "They're gifts I received long before I joined the army," he explained proudly. "Strictly speaking, they aren't anything special, but I've had them for a long time. I had to carry this blade with both hands when I first received it."

Talien whistled. "Military family? Or were you just a precocious child?"

"The latter, certainly. My sister is the same, but she prefers crossbows and magic items over anything else."

"Sister? You didn't mention you had family!" said Talien, the grin on his face hiding the gears that turned in his head as he worked diligently to come up with some scathing comment. "Are they a bunch of bootlickers too, or is that just you?"

Faronnen gave a wheezing sort of laugh, one that'd been terribly concerning to hear the first time, even knowing it was coming from someone who'd quite literally never spoken a word. "Never let Azra hear you say that; she'd sic her cuccos on you."

"Ah, so not bootlickers, but definitely insane."

"I can't even argue that. What about you? Any family?" For some reason, something about the Captain's expression made it seem like he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, a twin sister."

"I feel sorry for her if she has to bear a face like yours."

"You'd be surprised how well I can clean up, pretty boy," grinned Talien. "And what about you, kid? Any family back home? Probably a wolf pack, if I had to guess, or maybe some moblins?"

Wild stared at him, open-mouthed at the accidental accuracy.

Talien paused, then grimaced, ears flicking to the side. "Shit. I went too far, I'm sorry, kid-"

"Nonono, I-" Wild shook her head, realized she couldn't just tell him that he'd managed to guess that spot-on. "It's, it's fine, I just, uh…"

"You don't have to tell me, I know I fucked that up-"

"I can't remember," said Wild.

A long silence.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Captain Faronnen cautiously.

"I, uh…" Might as well tell them and get this one over with, thought Wild. "I have amnesia? I can't… I don' have any memories from more than four or five years ago. It's alright though! It's not - I don' need y' t' pity me."

"Still pretty fucked up," said Talien. "Do you, uh…" He fiddled with his horse's mane, not looking up at Wild. "Is there anyone waiting for you back home?"

"Va! There's my wife, Flora, and my husband, Sidon, and there's Revali, and Mipha, and -"

"The same Mipha that the Captain met?"

"Mm, I was wondering about that, actually," said Wild. "I remember her e'er time travelling? An' clearly y' met her ghost, so…"

"The War drew in a lot of people," signed Captain Faronnen, shrugging. "But the logistics wing did a good job of getting everyone back to their own time, usually only a few days, or even hours, before they left."

"Are we- are we not going to talk about the whole 'ghost' thing?" wondered Talien.

"Bo."

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Gotcha."

--<>--

"Should we try an' bring th' horses through?" wondered Wild aloud as he- no, she was a "she" now, right? That's what the opal studs meant?- watched the newly formed portal with open curiosity.

"I kinda want to see what happens, but that'd probably be mean to the horses."

"Assuming the portal even lets them through," added Zalle. "It might be keyed to us specifically."

"You guys ne'er let me do anythin' fun," pouted Wild.

"Your idea of "fun" predominantly includes arson and unethical thought experiments."

"So?"

"Din save me."

"I already told the stablemaster where to pick these three up," said Zalle, steering the conversation away from… wherever it'd been heading. "Are you two ready to go?"

Her companions both nodded, and, without hesitation, Wild stepped on through the swirling, golden light. Talien followed her, and Zalle soon followed Talien.

These portals were a far, far cry from the dark portals once conjured by Cia. It was like comparing a carwash to a hurricane.

Cia's intent had been to connect everything to the Age of Machines, to turn her use of stolen Power - the very memory of which still made Zalle feel faint and unwell - into an anchor in time. Cause and effect had had no meaning, and the portals embodied that. To step through them was to be, if only for the briefest moment, connected to every time and every place, to everything that'd ever happened and everyone that'd ever existed. Then, as if nothing had happened, you would find yourself snapped into place like a rubber band.

But these portals, these divine gateways… they were clearly built for regular use. They were steady, solid, enclosed against overwhelming eternity. There was still a moment, of course, where you did not exist, and had never existed, open to the empty void of everything, but it was so swift, so fleeting, that the mind couldn't get a firm grasp on it before it'd never actually happened.

The Hero Warriors existed, then didn't, then did again- just in a different place now. Quietly clicking her tongue, she surveyed the battlefield. Talien: accounted for. Wild: accounted for. Toon: accounted - no, hold on a moment -

"Captain!?"

"Toon?"

"Ordona's light, how many nicknames d'ya have-"

"WOLFIE!"

"WILD!?"

--<>--

"I knew you'd be involved in all this!" exclaimed Windy cheerfully, grinning wildly, ears flapping like a songbird's wings as he launched himself at an unexpecting Warriors, who reacted on pure muscle memory as her arms were occupied by his hug. "I told them, didn't I, I said "I've got these friends who're always dealing with time travel, and I'll bet you anything that at least one of 'em's involved"-"

Warriors laughed in her usual broken way, letting go of Windy so she could sign. "Is Ti- Mask here with you?"

"Nah, I haven't seen 'im yet, which is a huge bummer 'cause I'm totally taller than him now -"

"Are you sure? You still look pretty short to me-"

"Liar! Big mean liar! Horrible horrible wo- wait have you told them-"

"Not really."

"Horrible! The worst! Jail for Warriors, jail for ten thousand years!"

"Happy to see you too, Toon-"

"Stop calling me a cartoon!"

--<>--

"It's really you," breathed Wild, ignorant of the ruckus occurring between two of their shared allies.

"It's really me," said Wolf, a crooked grin revealing the sharp canines that resembled his namesake. He watched as his best friend - his cub- took unsteady steps towards him, as if she'd only stepped out of the Shrine mere moments before. "Wild, ah- ah missed you so much -"

"Y're talking again!"

"Wh- oh! Yeah, ah am!" Wolf giggled. "You were right, it’s been a lot easier with Shad and Telma and such- and, and- ah even went and saw Rusl again!”

Wild’s excitement boiled over into wordless glee. “Y’ did!”

“Ah did! And, and he said, he said it’s okay for me to take my time, that ah could spend as long as ah needed, and- Wild, ah actually spent a whole day back in Ordon Village!”

“Wolf!”

Wild just grabbed onto him with all her might, resembling nothing more than an over-eager redead. Wolf just laughed, holding her tight. “Ah’m doing better, Wild,” he promised. “And look at ya!” he continued once they pulled away from each other, holding her at arm’s length. “You’re actually wearing shoes!”

“Our standards are so fucked up!” said Wild, nodding in agreement. “Oh, naharu’va, I can’t believe this is real-”

“It is, Wild, it’s real.”

“In th’ dream- My Lady, she told me, in th’ list- Divine Beast- I didn’t tell Flora or anyone ‘cept Sidon, I, I wanted t’ be certain…” Wild shook her head, flinging some of the tears that flowed freely down her face, or at least the half that wasn’t hidden behind a mask of Sheikah technology. “Did y’- did y’ ever figure out th’ whole name issue?”

Wolf gave an uncertain laugh. “Eh… Shad suggested the name ‘Twilight’, after my, uh, title, but that got pretty confusing after a while, ‘specially considering his research… ah’ve been thinking about th’ name ‘Dusk’? But ah told Sky and Windy just to call me ‘Wolf’ for now, ‘till I figure things out.”

“Good t’ know I didn’t fuck ev’rythin’ up by callin y’ ‘Wolfie’.”

“Ah haven’t actually told them about that yet, though.”

A pause.

“We could be sooo funny about this.”

“Let’s not, actually-”

“There’s so much potential-”

--<>--

Legend stood awkwardly to the side, watching his two companions reunite with two of the newcomers.

“So, um…” started the third, a Man with dark skin and darker freckles, dressed in a mixture of heavy work clothing and elaborate gold jewelry, with a crimson feather hanging off a lock of hair.

“There’s a town just down the way, I think. Wanna go grab a bite to eat and give these yahoos some space?”

“Please.”

--<>--

“Hey, uh, guys?”

“What’s going on, Windy?”

“Sky and that shifty-looking guy are gone.”

”Oh no-”

--<>--

“YOU!”

“Me!”

“WHY DID YOU RUN OFF LIKE THAT!”

“You guys looked busy and I was hungry, fucking deal with it-”

--<>--

“So,” said Wolf, once everything had settled down and the six travellers had seated themselves outside a tavern at the large table this Talien fellow’d had the foresight to claim for them.

”So,” signed Warriors- or was it Captain Faronnen? He wasn’t really sure.

“We should probably do some sorta proper introduction or what have ya.”

“Shouldn’t that wait ‘till we find the other three?” mused Talien. “I don’t feel like repeating myself.”

“I agree with, with both of you,” said Sky quietly, clearly still getting used to the larger group. “I- I’d like to know who all of you are, but, um, we can save th-the ‘real’ explanations for later.”

“He’s got a point,” said Windy. “I mean, who knows how long it’ll take for us to find everyone else? It took like, four or five days after the beacon for Wolf and Sky to show up, and another, uh, what- week and a half? After that? To find you guys.”

Wild nodded. “I had to deal with these two for a whole week!” she exclaimed. “We got nothing done!”

“Incorrect,” said Talien. “We got one whole thing done. Well, a big thing and many little things. But I digress. I’m not gonna do some fucking, mandated icebreaker shit.”

Wolf shuddered. “Light spirits, no, ah’d not force ya through that.”

“Oh? A fellow retail sufferer? Good to know.”

“See! We’re already learning!” said Wild enthusiastically, standing up in her chair. Talien glowered at her, mouth raised into a snarl. Wild sat back down.

“I’ll get it out of the way I guess, and then country boy here can go next,” said Talien. “You can call me Talien, or Talia, or even “Link”, I literally don’t care.” Sky, understandably, looked uncomfortable at this statement. “I don’t want to be here but unfortunately I’ve proven myself useful-” He accentuated this statement with jazz hands- “and the gods won’t let me rest."

“Is he/him alright?” asked Wolf.

“Once again: I literally do not care.”

“He/him it is then. Uh, guess it’s my turn… ah’ve been going by ‘Wolf’ for now, but ah’m kinda… dealing with some identity stuff,” said Wolf awkwardly, trying not to fidget with the bindings at his left wrist. “Ah’ve been thinking about ‘Dusk’ as a name, but… that’s a problem for future-me. Ah’m not much of a fighter myself, ah really am just some country boy. Ah’m honestly not sure why ah’m even here.”

“What’s your title?” asked Windy.

“Heh?”

“We all got fancy titles from the funny dream guy, right? What’s yours?”

“...Divine Beast.”

“Nice name for ‘just some country boy’,” commented Talien, looking like he was doing his best to tamp down his own curiosity.

Wolf just shrugged. “Guess it is.”

There was a long silence as Wolf allowed the others to recognize this wasn’t something they were getting any answers for. Eventually, Wild spoke up next.

“I’m Wild!”

“That’s also her name,” said Talien brightly, making Sky laugh. Talien looked very pleased with himself.

“I’m actually an ambassador,” she explained. “My era figured out a while back that a lot of ‘monster’ races are a lot more intelligent than most people give ‘em credit for, an’ my job is basically making sure the Common Species and the Hidden Species- the ‘monsters’- can co-exist. When I left home, I was workin’ on a treatise between a group of Lizalfos that gave ‘em land rights in th’ Lindori region.”

“That’s so cool!” enthused Windy, making Wild preen.

“Are you gonna mention the other things, or…?” questioned Talien.

“There are so many other things, an’ also probably ‘yes’.”

“Yeah, alright.”

Wild nodded. “I’m also… well, this might sound like a bit much, but- I’m my era’s Hero. Like… the Hero.”

A quiet fell over the table, broken only by Windy.

“Yeah, same.”

Wild stared at him.

He displayed the glowing Triforce of Courage on the back of his hand.

“Neat,” said Wild.

“What the fuck,” said Talien.

“Right!?” exclaimed Wolf. “Thank you!”

"Can I go next?" asked Windy.

"Nobody's stopping you."

"Hell yeah! I'm Windy and I'm the Hero of the Winds! My actual name is A-jo but nobody calls me that and also I'm a pirate! And I have a cool magic Baton that lets me control the weather and stuff!" He pointed at the colorful, striped feather tucked into the hair behind his ear. "I killed a giant bird for this!"

Sky made a sad sound.

"Don't worry, it was a really mean giant bird! It kidnapped my little sister A-ry-ll' and I beat it up! She's okay now, and a lot tougher, too- she could beat it up herself now!"

Nobody was… quite certain how to respond to this.

"How old are you?" asked Wolf, concerned.

"Seventeen! And I was twelve when was… when I learned I was Chosen."

"There's no way you're seventeen," argued Talien. "You look like a fucking infant."

"If we weren't in a public space I would flay you alive!" said Windy cheerfully.

Captain Faronnen audibly sighed. "He's telling the truth. I met him a few years ago, and he looked the exact same, just a bit shorter."

"See! I told you!"

"And who are you, then?" prompted Wolf.

"Captain Zael Faronnen of the Royal Army during the War Across the Ages, which I assure you is a very real event," explained the Captain. "More significantly, I'm a historian, and an expert on the history of the Chosen Hero- and given we have three of those present, that seems rather significant."

Wolf paled. "What do you mean, 'three'?"

The Captain shifted nervously. "I was… I am, the Hero of Warriors," he explained. "It's not something I would like to discuss though."

“Any other Chosen Heroes?” asked Talien sarcastically. “Anyone?”

Sky tentatively raised his hand.

“Motherfucker-”

“I- I’m not really sure?” he stammered. “I mean, I didn’t, I didn’t do anything very heroic, b-but…”

“We’ll list you as a hard “maybe”,” said Talien, clearly unhappy. “Veering close to a “probably not”, I’d say.”

Sky sighed, clearly relieved. “Thank Hylia.”

“Y’re the last one,” noted Wild.

“Oh! I, I am! Um… my name is, Link Aiana? But I’ve been told th-that, uh, that’s not a real name, so I’ve been going by “Sky”, which I, I actually really like! The… the goddess that appeared to us, called me “Knight of Skyloft”, which I am! I am a knight of Skyloft. Apparently I’m from th-the furthest back in, in the timeline? Which makes sense because, um, in my time, nobody lives on the Surface yet, but th-that’s the only place we’ve seen through the, uh, through the portals.”

“Oh, shit,” said Windy, cringing. “Wasn’t the whole thing with Skyloft that like, everyone had a giant bird as their soulmate…?”

“...yes. Th-that’s correct.”

“I am so sorry,” pleaded Windy, “I promise I’ll never hurt your giant bird!”

Sky laughed. “Th-thank you! I don’t th-think, uh, she’d let you, to be fair! My Aia is very strong.”

”That’s your ‘Loftwing’, yes?” asked Captain, clearly pleased by Sky’d nod of agreement. ”I’ve met a few of them myself, they’re truly amazing creatures.”

Sky’s eyes widened. “You mean- there’s still some around?”

”Oh! Ah… no. I’m sorry.”

“Other than Pretty Boy here, has anyone else dealt with time travel before all this?” wondered Talien. “‘cause I know I have, and I’m wondering if that’s the through-line here. Y’know, the reason why we were picked out, specifically.”

“No’ me,” said Wild. “Wolf has, a little bit.”

“I have!” said Windy. “But it was the same thing Warriors was involved with- the War of Ages- and there were a lot of other people there.”

“I have,” said Sky. “Er… sort of? I- I never understood any of it, really.”

Talien scowled. “So we’ve got three heroes- including one soldier-slash-historian, one pirate with weather magic, and one vaguely feral ambassador-”

“Only vaguely feral? I’m insulted.”

“And then we’ve got a farmer, a knight, and myself. The only one of us who hasn’t time-travelled is Wild, but even those of us who have don’t know much about it. Some of us can fight, some can’t. Some of us have gone on adventures, some haven’t.” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Why us? What’s the common thread here?”

“Is th-that really so important?” wondered Sky.

“It is to me!”

“There’s no point in searching for answers just yet, ah think,” said Wolf. “We ought to wait until we find the rest of our group.
“Maybe they’ll know more than we do.”

--<>--

The phrase "two heads are better than one" was created by people who did not account for the diminishing returns of placing multiple people together who all lack a reasonable attention span.

This is not to say, mind you, that our six newly-united companions achieved nothing in the five days after their meeting and before their arrival at the next portal. In fact, they achieved quite a few things!

But one must understand first that the portal was only an hour or two's journey away by foot- not very far at all.

Yet it took the entirety of those five days for the company to actually arrive there.

Five to seven business days indeed.

--<>--

Day One:

"So does anyone know when we are?"

"Don't you mean where we are?"

"No, I don't, Talien, so shut the fuck up," said Windy. "Wars?"

"Pre-Fracture, definitely Age of Light. Probably the Ambassadorial Epoch."

"Ah've no idea what any of that means."

"It's before history got scuffed up by some magic nonsense, but after Hyrule was fully established and populated," explained Captain Faronnen. "This is about the time Hyrule's central rule went from a pure monarchy to a senatorial one- meaning, the Kings and Queens legally had to start listening to the people. Hyrule was heavily isolationist for a while after its founding, but once the people gained more control, they started opening up the doors to other species and cultures than just Men."

"Holy shit, you weren't kidding about the history knowledge," said Talien, clearly impressed. "There really are some braincells rattling around behind those pretty blue eyes!"

--<>--

Day Two:

"Wild?"

"Hi Talien!"

"Wow. I didn't know you could read." A pause. "That sounded better in my head."

Wild laughed. "I actually can't read any of these," they said, gesturing to the massive stack of books. "But my mask can record 'em all so Flora can translate 'em. Have I mentioned Flora? She's so cool. I love her. This one time she accidentally blew me up -"

Talien left the library with Wild still quietly jabbering away.

--<>--

Day Three:

"The beacon's pretty close," mused Windy. "You think we should pack up and go?"

"Nah. There's no rush."

--<>--

Day Four:

"Hey guys! There's a bounty on a buncha moblins that've been scaring people shitless every night, wanna go murder 'em?"

"Ya can't just waltz in and yell things like that, Windy," admonished Wolf.

"Yes I can, I just did."

"Do you have any objections?" asked Faronnen, turning to face Wild.

Wild hummed. "Have they been hurtin' anyone?"

"Uhh…" Windy squinted in recollection. "Oh. No, it looks like they've just been roaming around and scaring people. So I guess you're gonna want to be diplomatic about it?"

Wild grinned, summoning a sturdy blue bow into their hands. "Yup!"

"What's that, then?" asked Talien.

"Diplomatic insurance."

--<>--

Day Five:

"FUCK!"

Sky looked up from his half-carved sculpture of a goose. "Language."

Talien slammed his golden pin down on the table, revealing that it was glowing white-hot. "I FORGOT THAT WE WERE HERE FOR A REASON-"

--<>--

"We're all idiots," moaned Talien, letting Sky pat him on the back comfortingly - the most he'd let anyone touch him, so far.

"We were busy!" defended Windy, with Captain Faronnen nodding in agreement behind him.

Wolf just sighed, praying to the Golden Three that at least one of their remaining teammates could deal with this group. Wolf was capable of handling Wild, sure, but that was practically a full-time job when the cub set his mind to something. He couldn't babysit three others on top of that.

And, he added as an afterthought, no more kids!

--<>--

"MISS MALON!"

"What is it, hon?" called Malon, jogging over to where Four stood behind the front door. Rather than answer verbally, Four just pointed to the door, letting Malon see for herself that there was a man awaiting her attention. Once that was done, he scurried off to a corner to watch.

"Pick up some more forest gremlins?" joked the stranger. "The little one that called for you is new, as is the boy out by the cows!"

Malon smiled and nodded, clearly strained. "Ah, well, ya know how it is," she said, explaining exactly nothing. The stranger accepted it, though. The two of them chatted about this and that, with the stranger mentioning ever so briefly his actual reason for being here- the delivery of cucco feed, which was being dropped off by the pens by yet another stranger.

We don't even live here, said Green, stop getting so defensive. It's Miss Malon's property.

I know, I know, grumbled Blue. I just want to make sure she's fine.

"Thought I oughta let you know there's some folks heading this way," said the stranger eventually, piquing Four's interest. "About six young lads, most of them with swords and travelling gear. You wouldn't happen to be expecting them…?"

"Ah am, as a matter of fact," said Malon, still smiling, but with her manner shifted ever so slightly towards the defensive. "Where'd ya see them?"

"Castle Town" said the stranger, clearly put off. "Does your husband know about this?"

Four frowned. There's no way Time and Malon are married, right? pleaded Vio.

"Ah don't see why that's any of yer business."

"Oh, you know I mean well, Miss Hyrule -"

"Mah name is Malon Lon."

"You still won't take his name? Now that's just-"

"Mr Ranul, you will either see yerself off mah property, or ah will do it mahself. Am ah clear?"

"...as crystal, Miss Lon."

The door closed, and Malon turned her back on it, leaning against it and letting out a long sigh. "Sorry ya had to see that," she muttered, glancing over at Four. "Ah've always had a bit of a… reputation, 'specially as a half-Gerudo this close to Castle Town…" She sighed, crossing her arms, shaking her head, and clicking her tongue. "And now they've decided ah'm not doing a good enough job being the crown prince's consort, as if that was something they had any say in."

Four closed his eyes and nodded, humming in sympathy. Dot had been dealing with much the same ever since… ever since Link was shattered. It didn't serve the princess well to be such close friends with an imbecile, they'd said, even if he had been a hero before.

"But enough about that!" said Miss Malon, clearing away the doom and gloom with a sunny smile. "It sounds like the rest of your friends are on the way here, so let's get everyone inside and do a bit of spring cleaning!"

"'s autumn," pointed out Four.

"That just means it's all the more needed, doesn't it?"

<>

In the three years since Link had pulled the Four Sword and been shattered into people that weren't quite him, recovery had been a painful, uphill battle. When the four Colors placed the Sword back its pedestal, everyone had expected that to be the end. And for a while, that'd seemed to be the case! Link had been happy, walking home hand-in-hand with his best friend, crashing onto the bed as soon as he'd arrived and joking that he was ready to take a decade-long nap.

Then RedGreenVioBlue woke up all at once and all tried to get out of bed, all tried to speak, all tried to exist, and in doing so had practically torn their shared body apart.

It was another two months before Four- not Link anymore, because they were all Link, and because Link had died as soon as he'd pulled the sword- could even take care of himself on his own, could walk and eat and dress himself. If any shred of his pride and arrogance had remained, those two months took care of it.

The entity that called himself "Four" hadn't even been something tangible until at least a year after- a loose mockery of the real Link, a spit on his grave… but necessary if the shared body was to function. The four Colors couldn't simply hand the controls over to one another, not at that point. Even when they did manage it, each one of them was so vastly different from the "original" that simply being Four was just… easier, no matter how much guilt it caused them.

Was he even a separate person from his Colors? There were times where it seemed he was, when he would act against their combined wishes - but in truth, he was only acting on what they felt, not what they said. He couldn't exist if one of them "slept" within their mind, couldn't persist when one of them took the forefront.

Hah, thought Green. Four-front.

Puns aside, though, this last week had been… gods, he didn't even have the words for it.

Dot and Grandfather did their best, they truly did, but they couldn't help unless they understood, and Four simply couldn't verbalize what was in his head. But Time, Faron, Miss Malon… they didn't ask him to explain. They just gave him space, and if he wanted to explain, he could (though he hadn't yet, admittedly). Sometimes he even let himself imagine that Time was like him too, with the way he spoke to the strange wooden mask that seemed to follow the forest child around.

And Time and Faron- they were weird! They were odd, strange, queer, bizarre - weird! They were just as broken as himself, in their own ways! How could Four feel pressured to act normal when he found Time playing pranks on Skull Kids, or listened to Faron explain the Rules of fae magic?

What a blessed feeling, to feel normal not by virtue of hiding your truth, but because those around you refused to hide theirs.

And so, with the other six travellers just down the road, Four was starting to spiral.

He'd almost forgotten why he was allowed to be here in the first place, but now the reality of it was suffocating him.

Or maybe that was just the panic attack.

"Breathe," soothed Faron, xir sing-song words washing over Four like a salve. "Your body demands you must breathe."

"C-can't- I - w- no air-"

"Yes there is. I am speaking. That means there is air."

"L- lungs-"

"Your lungs are responding to a heightened stress response," explained Faron gently. "You are experiencing tachycardia, and your body's adrenaline is causing hyperventilating that feels like dyspnea."

Four had absolutely no clue what any of those words meant- Blue would, he knows medical stuff, why can't I hear him, why can I only hear me- but they soothed him nonetheless, the melodic nonsense keeping him stable as his lungs slowly began to cooperate.

"...thank, you."

Faron shook xir head, reminding Four that, to a fae, an apology or thanks was an indicator of debt. Faron had explained that, once everything got going, xe'd just let xemself collect the debt, but for now it was better to try and keep the favors even.

"As, payment, you… could tell m- tell me-" Four growled in frustration as his Colors subconsciously clamored for the prize of using a singular pronoun - "You could. Explain. How to… thank you."

Faron nodded, humming a verse-less song. "You could say, "I appreciate your help", or… "Your presence was useful"."

Four nodded. "Will try to… remember."

Faron grinned, sharp teeth shining like silver. "I appreciate it," xe said, making Four laugh.

Faron had opened up from xir shell as well, apparently finding comfort in the presence of the Kokiri that hosted them. Four felt mildly offended that he hadn't been enough on his own, but that feeling had been dashed as soon as he'd heard Faron laugh.

"You are scared."

Four nodded. He briefly tried to explain things, but all that came out was a garbled mess that left him the same shade as Red's tunic had been. It took at least a half-dozen more tries before he managed anything resembling words, and Faron sat beside him in patient silence the whole time. "What if, they aren't… like us? What, if… they… see me. Like this. Call me, call us, call us, insane. Evil. Broken. Or- scared of. You. Distrust… all of us."

"You are scared that they will not accept us," said Faron.

Four nodded, tears welling up in brown, lightless eyes.

"...so am I," said Faron quietly.

"What, would… we do?"

"... don't know."

Four sighed softly, understanding that Faron had likely retreated back into simple sentences and single words. "You wouldn't, be alone," he muttered, leaning against Faron's shoulder and letting one hand find its way into xir soft, curling locks. "... that's a promise."

--<>--

"Are the kids alright, then?"

Time nodded, putting the Stone Mask back into his satchel. "They're having a heart-to-heart in the barn's loft," he explained. "They fear the loss of the safety they've found here "

Malon nodded, looking away. "Ah'm glad we could provide them with that safety," she mused.

Time sighed. "They'll be well enough in time, Malon."

"That's not what ah'm worried about. Ya know ah don't like seeing ya leave like this."

Time… faltered. "I know," he said quietly. "I take no joy in it either, save for the excitement of seeing my brother and sister again. I would stay if I could -"

"Please don't lie to me," said Malon softly.

"...I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"This isn't goodbye just yet, you know."

"It could be. They could walk through that door and ah could never see ya again."

"Perhaps. And what if that isn't the case?"

Malon's smile returned, slowly, gently. "Then ah'd better make sure they feel at home."

Chapter Text

Story One: The Nine Heroes

Part Five: Promises

Zalle had seen the beacon soaring over Hyrule Field, and had somehow known exactly where it led.

Talien had complained about ending up somewhere they'd already been, but Zalle had a hunch that, while the years might be similar, this Hyrule was in a completely separate timeline to the one she, Talien, and Wild had explored previously. There wasn't any quick way of proving this- they'd landed in a small Hyrulean town some distance from Kakariko - but Zalle had enough experience to differentiate the minute changes to each timeline's magic, and, faint though it was, the signature of the Forgotten Timeline remained.

Not wanting a repeat of the last five days, the six travellers had started on the path to the beacon as soon as they found it, taking less than two hours to arrive, something that the less travel-hardened of the group - that is, Sky, Windy, and, surprisingly, Talien - highly appreciated.

So now the Hero of Warriors stood at the gates of Lon Lon Ranch, wondering if the ranch truly was the magical focal point so many scholars claimed it to be.

"There's no portal here," observed Wild, jumping up and perching on a fence. "Just a whole lotta cows!"

"Maybe the cows are evil," suggested Windy, only half-jokingly. They'd all seen stranger things, after all.

"The cows probably aren't evil," Zalle assured them, prompting a "what do you mean, probably-" from Talien. "I think this is simply the end of the path- at least the one we've been following."

"You think we'll get some answers here?"

"I don't know, but I certainly hope so."

The door to the ranch house opened up, revealing a stout, curvy woman with Gerudo-red hair, dressed in sturdy but colorful work clothes. "Are y'all gonna just stand there, or are ya gonna come inside?" she hollered out. "Ah've got a pie warming in the oven if that'll help entice ya!"

Talien instantly went on the defensive. "I'm not going to be bribed by-"

"PIE!" yelled Wild, practically falling off of her perch and briefly scrambling on all fours before she practically launched herself into the open house.

Talien sighed. "No officer, I've never met this woman before in my life."

Zalle chuckled to herself even as she strode up to the half-Gerudo she'd heard so many stories about. "You must be Malon Lon."

Malon grinned at her, her crooked teeth and dirt-smeared freckles undeniably beautiful, even without the rose-colored lens of Time's many tales. "Ah'd bet ah can guess who you are, but why don't ya introduce yerself?" An opportunity for Zalle to both confirm her identity and communicate just how much her allies knew of her- clever.

"Captain Zael Faronnen, at your command," she informed her, giving a polite bow that had the added benefit of pissing Talien off.

"Oh, and a gentleman too! Please, do come in- my housemate is out in the barn collecting some friends of his. Friends of yours too, I'm sure."

Zalle nodded. "I'm delighted to have the chance to see him again. We've a lot to catch up on."

"By Din," said Talien, hovering over their conversation. "We can't take you anywhere, ever. This-" He looked over at Malon. "Is he paying you? Is that what's happening? Does he just pay people to pretend to know him?"

Malon laughed, loud and boisterous. "Oh, ah bet it would seem like that! No, the Captain and ah share a close friend. We've never met, but ah'm sure we've heard enough stories that we might as well have known each other for years," she explained. "And ah was told to expect another friend of yours, too, wasn't ah?" She looked over at the assembled group as they filed their way into the living room. "Let's see… now which one of ya is "Toon"?"

"That's me!" exclaimed Windy. "My name isn't "Toon" though, my name is Ajo, but you can call me 'Windy'!"

Wolf stood behind and to the side of Malon, and for a split second the two of them looked practically identical, shaking their heads in fond amusement at Windy's antics. Zalle blinked, and the moment was gone. "Oh, now, ya couldn't possibly be- yer much too tall!"

"I bet I'm even taller than Time now! Right?"

Malon set a hand on Windy's head, giving a thoughtful look. "Hmm, ah dunno… what do you think, dearest?"

"I say those boots must be giving you an unfair advantage."

Zalle looked over at the others with exposed delight as she watched her new companions finally notice her old friend as he walked into the room without a care in the world.

"I think you're just jealous," retorted Windy without missing a beat, ignoring the wide, curious states from Sky, Talien, Wild, and Wolf.

"It must be that," agreed Time flatly. "I'll never experience the 'joy' of growing pains and puberty. Woe is me."

Zalle let the two of them go back and forth as she watched the reactions of the four aforementioned observers. Wild, who had just returned from the kitchen with all the mud she'd accumulated washed off without a trace, seemed curious and surprised, but not shocked. Talien looked annoyed that Time had gotten the drop on him, but nothing more. Sky had the expression of someone trying to formulate complex mathematics in their head, clearly trying to understand why this small child had the personality of a jaded old man. As for Wolf…

"He's just a kid," Zalle heard him mutter from across the room. "This ain't fair… he's just a kid."

Zalle… didn't correct him.

"Are Four and Faron coming?" asked Malon.

Time nodded. "They'll follow when they're ready," he told her, hanging up a light cloak on a hook that'd clearly been placed with him in mind. As he did, Zalle took note of a Minish and a faerie that'd hitched a ride in his sleeve and were now abandoning ship, but she paid them no mind, as this was hardly an uncommon occurrence for Time.

(She did, however briefly, take note of the fairy's worn and ragged clothing, making her hand twitch instinctively towards her sewing pouch.)

"Are you involved in all of this too, then?" asked Talien. He didn't speak to Time as if he were a child, Zalle noted- or maybe he did, and Talien just didn't treat children differently.

Time nodded. "I am. I am the Spirit of the Lost Woods."

Wolf stepped forwards, clearly uncomfortable, but doing his best not to show it. "Do you… do you understand what's been happening?" he asked - not in the manner of someone trying to get information, though. No, Wolf was worried.

Time clearly picked up on the situation, but rather than actually explain anything, the little shit just played along. "I experienced the same dream as all the rest of you, and am aware of the beacons and the connected portals."

"Ah'm gonna trust that ya understand how significant this all is, then." Wolf knelt down- knelt down!- to better look Time in the eye. Windy covered his face as he tried not to laugh, and Malon fully looked away. "Ah know you're probably not gonna listen if ah tell ya this is gonna be dangerous, or say ya might get hurt. Ya probably already know that. Ah just want to know: do ya truly believe you're gonna be able to take care of yourself?"

Windy just screeched and Malon cackled loudly, Zalle herself trying not to wheeze to death. "I can't take it anymore," Windy cried. "Mercy! Mercy!"

Time broke into a smile as well, a childish giggle hiding behind his hand. Wolf, for his part, just looked lost. "Is someone gonna let me in on the joke?" he demanded.

Time held up his hands in a placating surrender. "I apologize. I assume you aren't familiar with the Kokiri?"

Wolf stood back up, one ear twitching in irritation. "Ah've met a few myself, actually, which is why ah'm not trying to send ya back home to your parents," he said flatly.

"I see. Have you ever met any that lived outside of the Lost Woods, without a fairy?"

"I thought that was y'r fairy," said Wild, pointing at the lime-pink glow that hovered by Time's side. It startled upon being called out, and Zalle could faintly make out a figure pointing at itself, as if to say, who, me?

"Just a stray I picked up a while ago," said Time, which was apparently funny enough to make Malon cover her mouth in laughter. "Though I suppose that's an understandable mistake. No, I am… somewhat of an oddity among my own kind, and far more experienced in worldly matters than my siblings."

"Ah'm guessing that's an understatement, based on y'all's reactions?" prompted Wolf, looking over at Zalle for confirmation.

She nodded. "Not only that, but, as his name suggests, the Sprite here knows more about time travel than anyone I've met." She paused. "Well, save for one other person, but she's a bit busy."

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Sky suddenly reminded everyone of his presence. "What, uh… what's a Kokiri?"

"I was wondering that too," added Talien, making Wolf scowl at him.

"Ya saying ya didn't have any qualms about recruiting a child into all this?"

"Have you ever met children? Like we'd be able to convince him otherwise! Rather agree to have him tag along - and thus keep an eye on him - than try to keep him out of trouble when he inevitably tries to follow anyways." Talien paused, then looked over at Time. "No offense."

"None taken- I would've done exactly that when I was younger. If anything, I'm unnerved by your accuracy." Turning to Sky, he explained, "Kokiri are the ageless tree spirits of the Lost Woods, brought to life by an ancient, grand tree, and maintained by faerie magic. Kokiri can live for hundred, even thousands of years, but will always appear- and usually act- like children."

"But not you," surmised Talien. Time didn't argue with him, but he also didn't agree. Just sent Talien that mysterious half-smile of his.

“Can we have pie now?” interrupted Wild, bouncing in place, clearly running out of the patience needed to stand around and talk. “I want pie.”

“Wild,” muttered Wolf.

“May I please have some pie.”

--<>--

Do you think they're all…?

UNDOUBTEDLY.

You're very confident.

…I AM.

Just that good at figuring out our quirks? Or is this something else?

DO NOT MAKE ME LIE TO YOU.

So I did recognize the figure in the light. Should I ask how you know that which hasn't yet occurred for you?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THE SAME ANSWER YOU'VE RECEIVED EACH TIME BEFORE?

No, I suppose not. Have any of them known you?

THE ONE DRESSED IN THE GUISE OF A THIEF. SHE HAS KNOWN MY PRISON, AND KEEPS MY SISTER'S AWAY FROM PRYING HANDS.

Do you think she recognizes you?

IF SHE DOES, SHE CARES NOT.

I suppose that'll have to be enough.

--<>--

--<>--

Wolf thanked Miss Malon as he accepted his slice of fresh apple pie, ignoring Wild’s pleading looks that’d started as soon as she’d finished her own slice. Between the eight of them present, there were barely enough slices to go around just once, let alone twice.

Eight turned into ten when Miss Malon let in the two children - children, it’s always children- from outside, introducing them as Four and Faron. Both of them were positively tiny, with Four being barely taller than Time, and Faron doing their absolute best to blend in with the couch.

Wild pouted. “Oh,” she said quietly. Did she have the same concerns as Wolf? Did she recognize the inherent tragedy of forcing a child to bend to the will of the gods? “They won’t get any pie.”

No. No she did not.

"They had some earlier," said Time, which was enough to appease Wild's sense of food-based justice. Of the new arrivals, he asked, "Are you both alright, then?"

Four's expression shuttered for a moment, before settling on a tired, but open smile, while Faron gave a thumbs-up that turned into a "so-so" gesture.

"That'll have to do, then. We've all got a lot to discuss and I'd rather not repeat myself.”

“First things first, though,” said Talien. “Since some of us are gonna be repeating ourselves anyways… why don’t we get that out of the way now?”

Time first introduced the two newcomers, with their consent.

“This is Faron. Xe is a traveller and survivalist by nature, and an apprenticing mage by trade. Xe’s also an incredibly skilled healer- no, no, you needn’t deny it, you’re one of the best I’ve ever seen- whether it be with magic or the mundane. Ah- Sky, was it? You’re not in school, you don’t need to raise your hand.”

Sky fidgeted in place. “I- I think this might, um, th-this might be one of those language drift things, but… did you say ‘zee’? Not ‘he’?”

“Some people prefer different pronouns other than just ‘he’, ‘she’, or ‘they’,” Time explained. “The concept originated in Faespeech- the language of the fairies and other magic peoples- but is used by practically every species that has gendered language.”

“You can just… do that?”

Talien let out a long breath. “I can already tell this is gonna be an interesting conversation.”

Time continued. “This is Four, a royal blacksmith.”

“‘Four’?” asked Windy curiously, making the one in question shrink further into his chair. “Oh, nonono- it’s not a bad thing! I’m just curious! I mean, everyone here except Talien has some kinda nickname like that, after all!”

“I don’!” said Wild. “‘Wild’ is my actual legal name!”

“And what about the Captain?” added Talien. “‘Faronnen’ seems like a normal enough name.”

“Not ‘Warriors’, though,” argued Wolf. “Taken from your title, ah’m guessing?”

Faronnen nodded. ”If you’d prefer to call me that, I have no real preference.” A pause. ”Just as long as nobody starts calling me ‘Captain Link’ again, that was… frustrating.”

“I was actually named ‘Link’ originally,” mused Time. “My father is not the most… creative of individuals.”

“Your father, who is a tree,” said Talien.

“Exactly. Anyways, while he’s not brought this up to me directly- and I do apologize if I’m overstepping my bounds here- Four has a great deal of difficulty speaking at times. If any of you mock or belittle him for this,” Time warned, “I will not tolerate it.”

From the outside, the situation might’ve looked strange- humorous, even. A ‘child’ staring down six young Men with a hardened glare. But in the moment…

Even Malon shivered at the sharp cold that seemed to fill the room, Time’s crimson eye glowing softly.

“Yessir,” gulped Talien. The others all gave their own agreements, with Sky letting Four know that, though it wasn’t to the same extent, he had his own share of speech issues, and wouldn’t be letting anyone talk over him. Four sunk further into the chair, his face bright red, and his eyes happy.

Time briefly introduced himself again, calling himself an ambassador for the Kokiri, and adding that, while he’d certainly never gone on any sort of grand adventure or fought any ancient evils, his experiences with time travel had allowed him to prevent one from rising in the first place. In a way, he told them, you could call him a hero, but it was more accurate to say that he’d prevented the need for one in the first place.

The other six went back through their previous introductions, adding on what skills they held and were willing to lay claim to. Windy brought up his knowledge of sailing and cartography. Talien displayed some of his magic items, citing an impressive collection of them back home, and explained that he and his roommate, Ravio, had become expert enchanters over the years. Wild mentioned her own survival skills, and boasted that while she always preferred to talk her way out of a fight, she was also skilled with practically every weapon under the sun, including magic ones.

”I believe I’m beginning to understand the apparent ‘randomness’ of our selection,” signed Faronnen. ”Windy, Wild, and Faron are all explorers, with Windy able to chart wherever he’s been, and Wild and Faron able to survive off the land. I have experience leading groups of vastly different people. Time understands the intricacies of time travel like second nature. Talien has personal experience in droves, and the items to prove it...”

Talien nodded. “Plus, having a skilled blacksmith is going to be necessary to deal with all the different weapons, armor, and items between the nine of us.” He paused, frowning. “Wait. What about Wolf and Sky?” The group all turned to look at the two, making them look at each other anxiously.

“Uh… ah don’t actually know why ah’m here,” Wolf admitted. It was true- in the grand scheme of things, ‘can turn into a wolf’ wasn’t that vital of an ability. “Ah’m decent enough with a sword, sure, and ah’m a pretty good tracker, but…”

“I mean, I think it’s pretty obvious,” said Windy flatly. Time raised an eyebrow at him.

“Would you like to enlighten the rest of us?”

Windy just gestured to Wild. “Time, I cannot stress just how many things she’s tried to set on fire in the last five days. And you wanna know who stopped her every time? Wolf.”

The room quieted as they thought about Windy’s suggestion, slowly turning to look at Wild herself as they noticed her perched on top of the couch, with an entire rock in her mouth.

Wild bit down on the rock.

The rock broke.

“What the fuck,” whispered Talien, looking at Wolf pointedly.

He just shrugged. “Ya gotta know when to choose your battles. This ain’t one ah’m gonna win.”

“Wha’s goin’ on?” asked Wild, suddenly realizing people were looking at her. “Oh! Right!” She summoned yet another rock from her Slate, offering it up to the room. “I forgot t’ share. Anyone want one?”

“Know when to choose your battles,” repeated Wolf.

”That, uh… answers that,” said Faronnen, clearly unnerved. “And what about you, Sky?”

Sky thought about it for a moment, but was unable to provide any answers besides a shrug and a vague frown. “I’m… I’m probably gonna be more of a liability than anything else,” he admitted. “I can- I can hold my own in a fight, at least, so, um, you- you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Where’s y’r weapon?” asked Wild, finishing up her… snack. “Y’ got it like, tucked away, or…?”

Sky shook his head, unholstering the whip at his side. Wild frowned.

“Uh… I don’ wanna be weird about it, but like, c’n y’ even fight with that?”

“I can,” said Sky firmly. Wild nodded, accepting the answer, but still blatantly curious.

“Well, that’s out of the way, I guess,” said Talien, looking a bit lighter now that his main query had been answered. “So, uh… now what? We just wait for another dream, or…?”

“Th-that usually works for me,” said Sky.

Wolf opened his mouth to question why nobody was asking Sky why he had experience with god-sent dreams, but decided that could be a later problem.

”We ought to check outside to determine if another beacon has appeared,” decided the Captain. ”If it has, we make our way there tomorrow. Otherwise, we wait. Either way, we should allow ourselves to rest for today. We’ve no idea what’s ahead of us, so… we might as well make the best of the time we’ve got.”

--<>--

The beacon, they found, had vanished- that, or it remained over Lon Lon Ranch, and they simply couldn’t tell, as the lime-gold light was only visible from a certain distance, and none of them felt like riding out a mile or two just to confirm some largely unhelpful information.

Stating that she was going to make the best of the situation- that is, housing eight rambunctious young Men- Malon put the group to work with various farm chores. Talien and the Captain dared each other to go collect eggs from the cucco coop, only to find Sky happily accepting the job and being welcomed into the coop like an old friend. Windy tried to follow him, but only received a coop full of angry, menacing stares for his efforts.

Faron found Talien repairing some of the fences and stuck to him like glue with wide, dark eyes, assisting him in repairing the simple enchantments that kept the monsters out and the cows in. Neither had been exaggerating their skills with magic, it seemed, and the whole ranch was done in an easy hour.

Time introduced Wolf to the horses, and the two of them replaced any worn or damaged horseshoes with new ones that Four had wrought by himself. Windy and the Captain caught each other up on lost time as they helped Malon milk some of the cows- once they’d been shown how, of course. Wild used her Slate to assist her in organizing the storage shed, with the help of Talien and Faron once they finished their own chore.

Night fell quickly with their hands and minds occupied, and soon Malon was heading inside to prepare dinner. Rather than follow her, though, Wild found herself distracted by an earlier question.

“Hey! Sky! Y’done with th’ birds yet?”

Sky laughed, brushing himself off, even removing his white cloak to pick off the feathers that’d accumulated on it. “I th-think so. Wh-what do you need?”

“I wanna see y’ fight,” said Wild plainly.

Sky blinked at her. “Wh- y-you mean, right now?”

Wild shrugged. “Why not? We’re both a bit tired out, sure, but y’ve still got some energy in ya! Then after we c’n eat an’ rest up.”

“I… I dunno,” said Sky nervously. “I’m, um, I’m told I g-get a bit… in- inte- mm. In-tense. When I fight.”

“She can handle it,” Wolf assured him, brushing some of the dirt and grime off his hands as he approached, or at least trying to. “Besides, if ya back down, she’ll just get more curious. I ain’t gonna force you- and neither will she-” he added pointedly, making Wild laugh nervously- “but it’d be a pretty good opportunity to see what you’ve got up your sleeves.”

“Ooh! Are we sparring?” asked Windy excitedly, bounding towards them. Four and the Captain followed, looking on with subdued interest. “I wanna fight whoever wins!”

“Whomever,” muttered Four. Shocked to hear him speak, everyone looked his way, and, while nobody had intended to embarrass him, that was still the clear effect, and he slapped a hand over his mouth.

“That all depends on whether or not Sky’s up for it,” said Wolf, clearing the brief tension that surrounded their silent ally. “And if he isn’t, we will not be pushing him. Ya got that?”

While the statement wasn’t directed only at Wild, it still had the effect of making her face flush as she fiddled with the joins of her prosthetic. “Got it,” she mumbled.

“N-no, I- I'd like to try, I th-think," said Sky with a forced confidence. He placed his white cloak in a small bag at his side, unholstering his whip. "If you'll allow it, I mean."

"Just in case, we need to establish ground rules," said the Captain before Wild could start getting properly excited, the damn buzzkill. "I've witnessed too many injuries from matches where both sides were playing by different rules."

Wild rolled her eyes, but agreed. "First t' disarm th' other?" she suggested. "Or, uh, first blood?"

Sky winced. "Oh, uh…"

"Let's not do first blood," said Wolf tiredly. "Whoev- whomever pins or otherwise prevents the other from fighting wins, but Wild has to stick to just one or two weapons."

"How many do you have?" asked Windy.

Wild pulled up her HUD, flicking through her inventory with a twitch of her fingers. "Uh… twenty-three right now?"

"Gods. Why do you need that many?"

"Don' worry about it."

The group decided on best of three, so that both Sky and Wild would have the best chance to display their skills, and as they did the remaining travellers joined them out of simple curiosity, leaving Malon to only half-jokingly complain about the lack of help in the kitchen. Rupees were passed as bets were made, and Four, Time, and the Captain were decided on as judges-slash-referees- the first two because they hadn't bet anything and were theoretically impartial, and the Captain due to his personal experience.

Time counted down.

"Three… two… one!"

Wild waited for Sky to make a move, and then-

Something yanked at her feet, and she was on the ground, with two sharp blades by her neck.

"Heh?" she croaked out, looking up in confusion as the blades retreated. Ignoring the small crowd's loud excitement, she saw a brilliant blue-and-red whip wrapped around her ankles, leading back to Sky's left hand. His right hand was outstretched, and she saw that the golden beetle she'd thought was just decorative was alive, at least in some matter, and it was the metal bug's stylized pincers that had been wrapped around her jugular. Wild looked up at her opponent, and saw a steel, glowing confidence.

As if a switch was flipped, Sky withdrew into himself again as he processed his own actions- proving that he'd done this all on instinct. "Oh! A-are you alright? I'm so sorry -"

"That was so cool!" Wild enthused. Her reaction appeased Sky's anxiety, which she'd been hoping for - though the enthusiasm was entirely legitimate. "I've never ever seen somebody use a whip like that! An' how's that little robot thing work?"

Sky gave a sideways grin. "I kinda had to- to teach myself how to u-use this," he admitted, holding up the whip's golden handle. "Neither it nor th-the Beetle are, um- th-they're not really supposed to be weapons? B-but I've gotten pretty good with them. I, uh, I don't know how the-the Beetle actually works, though, but it's really amazing. Wh-when I'm wearing this," he explained, gesturing to the gauntlet on his right forearm that'd held the golden robot, "I can see th-through its eyes, and, and control it wh-when it flies."

"Sympathetic magic, then," mused Talien. "I didn't realize Old Skyloft was so advanced."

"It's not! Th-this sort of technology is long gone nowadays. Er- um, not "nowadays", I suppose…"

Talien interrogated Sky a bit further before realizing he wouldn't glean anything further from the poor lad, and soon the next round began.

"Three… two… one!"

Sky lashed out with the whip again, but Wild saw it coming this time and leapt over it. Another lash, and she caught the blunted metal tip in her armored hand. Sky let out a sound of surprise, before Wild took a page out of his book and pulled.

Sky managed to hold his ground, his heavy boots digging into the dirt. Wild heard a mechanical click, and her hand was pushed away as the whip's end went from a blunted sphere to a blade. It changed back as Sky retracted his weapon, and Wild summoned her own. In a swirling blue light appeared a lizal boomerang, the hilt wrapped in embroidered blue cloth. The blade could do quite a bit of damage, but Wild knew how to throw it so that it’d just knock someone about rather than slice them up.

She didn’t even get a chance to do so, though, as Sky lashed out again and again, and she deflected it each time with the boomerang. Then she had an idea- she needed to catch the whip a different way. From her Slate she summoned a wooden shield, painted with soft blue swirls.

“That’s yer second weapon,” warned Wolf.

Again Wild caught the whip in her gauntlet, and again the tip shifted into a blade. This time, though, she stabbed that blade through her shield. Sky tugged and tugged to get his whip back, and after fighting back for a moment, Wild let go of the shield, sending it flying back towards Sky.

It made a very satisfying thunk when it impacted his chest, she noticed.

Taking advantage of his prone stature, Wild rushed up and placed the lizal boomerang at his neck. Time called the match.

“Clever,” praised Sky as Wild helped him up. “Th-those weapons, they- they came from that, uh, screen?”

“Slate,” Wild corrected, “and, va- er, yes. It’s got a few other things it can do, but th’ main one’s storage.”

“How useful!”

The two took their places again.

“Three… two… one!”

Sky lashed out, and Wild dodged. Lashed out again, parried it with the boomerang. Lashed out again, caught it with her gauntlet, stuck it in her shield. Sky, though, learned, and when the shield came flying towards him, he simply caught it in his other hand and used it as his own.

“Ah fuck, I shoulda thought’ve that-”

The two fell back into the same rhythm for a bit, with Sky on the attack and Wild defending, being forced back and back towards the fence. Rather than fight back and avoid it, though, she allowed him to corner her- then backflipped onto the fence.

"I just fixed that!" screeched Talien. "Don't you fucking dare break it!'

Ignoring her companion, Wild used the distraction to throw the boomerang at Sky - only to have it caught in the Beetle's golden jaws. When had it taken off again… oh! The shield! He'd used the shield to prevent her from seeing it! And he was calling her clever? Either way, she was missing both her weapons now…

Sky switched out his whip for a strange metal “glove” that covered his whole hand, tipped by three flat blades. The blades shot out towards Wild, making her yelp as she dodged them, before retracting just as quickly, though not without a bit of recoil. Sky tried again, and this time, Wild reached out for the chain- not with her hand, but with a Rune. Golden chains appeared in the air around her gauntlet for but a split second as she dodged the chain. Sky reached for her again, and she missed- once, twice, thrice- there! The chain and “glove” became solid as stone, suspended perfectly in the air, and while Sky struggled to get his hand out, Wild stalked across the chain like it was a tightrope, easily grabbing her boomerang out of the Beetle’s jaws. The Stasis ran out, and both Sky’s tugging and Wild’s steps caught up to the chain, slamming it down hard on Sky’s foot. As he reeled back, Wild grabbed her shield back, knocked him down with it, and once again placed her boomerang at Sky’s neck.

The two stared at each other for a long moment, before Sky grinned and laughed. The other travellers gave their own cheers and groans, and rupees exchanged hands once again, informing Wild that the bets had been mostly in her favor, with the exception of the Captain, who’d bet a decent bit on Sky’s success, and was now grumbling about it. She didn’t really mind, either way- she looked more travel-ready, and Sky looked more fancy, and that was that. She was also fairly certain Sky’d been going easy on her, but she didn’t blame it- it was hard to balance the line between going easy on someone, and risking serious injury.

Malon eventually called them all inside and forced them to wash off all the muck and grime they’d accumulated through the day, forcing them to either deal with a kitchen sink full of dishes, a bathroom clearly meant for two people, or a garden hose. Wild opted for the garden hose.

Over the small feast that’d been prepared, Windy told Malon of the spar, cementing his place as a born storyteller with the amount of excitement he was able to infuse into such a quick, simple fight. Sky handed the Beetle over to a fascinated Talien, who let Four join him in poking and prodding the little contraption. Four, it seemed, was as curious as he was quiet.

Once Windy finished his tale and finally began eating, the Captain, who’d already finished his plate, took up the mantle, explaining the story behind his own experiences with misfortune spars, ending with the description of a soldier losing a finger and being so offended he didn’t even notice the pain. Time collaborated the story, and the two of them soon went back and forth about their shared experiences.

Soon enough, though, the excitement died down, and the travellers were all dealing with the sleepy aftermath of a large meal. Time brought out pillows and blankets for everyone on top of the bedrolls most of them already had, and it wasn’t long before the living room resembled a pillow fort more than anything else.

Faron had quickly curled up under the window with only a thin blanket- and even that they’d only accepted after Talien’s insistence. Talien himself lay fairly near, his arms wrapped tightly around a pillow, with Sky snoring at his back. The Captain had laid himself out on the couch, using the small blue cloak at his back- which had unwrapped into an excessively long and incredibly soft scarf- as a makeshift blanket, with Windy sprawled out on his stomach like an over-friendly cat. Wild herself found a quiet corner, and Wolf took up the space next to him, shielding her from any potential harm.

With the partial moon gleaming outside the window, Wild fell asleep.

--<>--

Legend woke up, and knew without question that he was dreaming.

But… he wasn’t on the island again. He wasn’t reliving some nightmarish memory. He was in the ranch house, right where he’d been when he’d fallen asleep.

“Uh… this is weird” said Windy, shifting himself off of Warriors as they both 'woke up'.

“Tell me about it,” groused Legend.

Faron looked around the room, frowning. “We are all present,” xe stated.

“Well, yeah?” said Wild. “Nobody’s left-”

“We are all real,” xe elaborated. “We are dreaming the same dream.”

Legend tensed. “That… why should I trust that?” he asked, glaring at Faron. “How do I know you’re not just in my head, claiming that you’re real?”

Faron shrugged. “You don’t?”

“Eugh. Well, I guess that’s better than you insisting you’re real.”

“I mean, we shared a dream before,” Sky pointed out, his stutter nowhere to be seen- well, heard. “The one that brought us all together in the first place.”

“Y’think it’s the same thing this time?” asked Wild.

”I hope so,” signed Warriors, the impossible logic of dreams letting his signs be heard as well as seen. ”I’d like to get some answers”

Then I will provide what I can.

Everyone turned to look at the room’s entryway, only to see… no, no, that couldn’t be-

“Marin?” whispered Legend. “What…?”

“I would ask that you not use that form,” said Time sternly, stepping towards the red-headed woman, making Legend realize that- no, it wasn’t Marin… just Malon.

'Malon' nodded, and her form blurred, like it was out of focus, then, without any flair or drama, she was simply someone else. A young man with blond- pink- brown hair and blue- brown- green- eyes and pale- dark- tan skin, wearing a uniform- a patchwork tunic- sturdy work clothes. The longer Legend stared, the more people he saw, and all of them were in this room. Eventually, the features all coalesced.

The being had tanned, freckled skin, and wide blue-green eyes, partially covered by wavy, pale blond hair. They wore a green tunic embroidered with dark leaves at the top, and green-yellow grass at the bottom. Their cloak showed the clouds in the sky, and the shirt under the tunic was the soft brown of fertile soil. A blue arrow marked their forehead, and green swirls accented their cheeks. That and the pair of glowing, ethereal horns were the only indications this was a divine entity. Everything else in their appearance seemed... bizarrely normal.

Will this do?

Time stared at them with concealed recognition, and nodded. “It will.”

”Who are you?” asked Warriors, stepping towards the figure. ”What do you want with us?”

The figure waved a dismissive hand. The first question is unimportant, nor may I answer it at this time. As for the second, I believe I have already answered that.

“Y’ didn’t give us much t’ work with,” grumbled Wild. “Jus’ that there was a “darkness” that was “untouchable by th’ hands of th’ gods”. So where is it?”

Everywhere. Everywhen. Wherever and whenever it wants. To Warriors, the figure said, The one you think of is not behind this. Even she could not perform on such a scale.

“So there’s ‘something’ and it’s ‘everwhere and everywhen’ and it’s, what, our job to deal with it?” said Windy pointedly. “Why us? Why can’t you fuckers deal with it yourselves?”

The being flared with light, and Sky grabbed Windy by the jacket, pulling him out of the being’s sight. Windy just pushed him off, pulling a dagger from his boot as a warning.

The Spirit of the Ocean Winds speaks his truth, Chosen Knight of Skyloft, said the being. The gods have asked so terribly much of each one of you… we have no right to call upon you once again. And wasn’t that something? To hear a god admit that they’d messed up- that all the nightmares, all the pain, all the sacrifices- they were real.

“But you’re doing it anyways,” said Wolf. “Because ya don’t got a choice.”

Indeed, Shackled Wolf of the Twilight. The being- the monster, that we face is a threat to even the highest gods of this realm. And while we do not stand idly by, or ask you to fight the beast directly… such a fight takes everything from us. And while the war rages on, battles are lost. Battles we cannot win without risking the loss of everything.

“More riddles,” said Wild.

I speak as plainly as I can, Hero of the Moonlit Wilds.

“If the gods are so busy,” asked Legend, “what are you doing here?”

...my best, said the unknown god, getting a short laugh out of Four. I have not the power to wage war on a cosmic scale. I have barely enough to bring you all together and bring you where you must go. They let out a tired sigh. I make no demands of any of you. If you ask to return to your own era, I will bring you there-

“Do it,” said Legend instantly. Four, Windy, and Faron all followed suit.

...I understand. But I must speak of one thing before I send you away. The being stepped towards Legend, their wide eyes boring into his soul. I gave each of you a pin, marked with the symbol of the Goddess of Courage. When you return to the waking world, give it to an ally with whom it resonates. It will transform, then, into… a promise.

“A promise?”

Each of you has lost something as you carried out your destiny. Each of you carries your secrets close to your hearts. If you follow the path I have laid out for you, I will give you the tools to find what you have lost. The item each one of you receives will represent what it is you are searching for. Furthermore, each one will carry an enchantment that will assist you in your task.

“This is a contract, then,” said Faron. “We win the battles you cannot, and in payment, you give us what we lost.”

I can give you nothing. I can only place you where and when you need to be. But… yes, that is an accurate wording, Traveller of Hyrule.

Legend…

relented. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw many of the others do the same, lost in thought. To find what he’d lost… it was too good to be true. And yet, what if… what if it wasn’t? What if this was an honest chance to find her again, and he gave it up?

“...what do you want us to do again?” asked Windy. “Just… hop around through those portals of yours and fight monsters?”

...in essence, yes. More accurately… what we ask of you is to save people. The ones the gods are too high up to see, who slip through the cracks as they try to save as many as they can. The 'acceptable casualties'.

Warriors flinched at that last term, his eyes hard. ”There’s no such thing as an acceptable casualty,” he recited.

And so I have called upon you all to ensure that very same adage.

“...we can’t save ev’ryone,” said Wild. “That- that’s impossible. Even for us.”

That is true. I do not expect perfection, nor do I call upon you to solve every problem this world faces. But this new problem is one from outside of history, outside of what you know as reality. You cannot prevent every sickness, but you can defend against a plague. And that is exactly what is occurring- a plague on existence.

“But what is it?” wondered Time. “You called it a monster, and now it’s a plague. It’s powerful enough to fight gods, but it can be beaten back by a handful of strangers.”

The being looked away, ashamed. I cannot tell you.

“Cannot, or will not?”

The dream was silent, and the being closed their eyes. Do not ask for what you must not know, Three Day God. Now that was a title. Of all those gathered here, you know best just how many secrets are better left untouched.

“I do. I also know the pain those secrets can cause.”

...I will speak no more of this. When you all awaken, another beacon shall be visible. Go through it if you are willing to follow a new path. Remain in this era if you wish to return home, and a second beacon shall appear in due time.

The dream faded, and Legend knew no more.

--<>--

“So, uh… we- we all saw that, right? I’m not just going mad?”

“We saw it,” confirmed Time.

It was the next morning, and Malon had woken them all up with the promise of pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, eggy bread, waffles- the whole nine yards. Wild had apparently woken up earlier than anyone else, and thus everyone present learned that Wild stress-baked.

“Another dream?” prompted Malon, reminding everyone that, oh yeah, Miss Malon isn’t in on this whole thing. Time nodded, and she sighed. “You’d think they’d at least let ya sleep.”

“At least they’re asking this time,” said Talien. “And, at least in theory, we might get something out of it.”

“Should we do that now?” offered Windy. “The guy said we’d be able to tell what we might get if we did some kinda swapperoo with the pins, so, like…”

“I understand about h-half of anything you say,” muttered Sky.

“Haha, yeah, I get that a lot.”

“Why don't y’all eat first before any of that?” suggested a weary Malon. “Ah’d prefer ya leave all that grand destiny nonsense for after yer plates are clean.”

--<>--

“So how are we doing this, then?”

Talien shrugged. “I mean, we could be smart about it, and I could take the time to identify what kind of magic each pin has, then match it up with whomever it goes with, but I also don’t feel like doing that, so maybe just. Slap everyone in the head with each pin and see if it works.”

“Yeah, that works.”

--<>--

Sometimes, Time found, the stupidest solution was actually the smartest one.

Time’s pin went to Faron. In xir hands, it became a snowglobe, depicting Lon Lon Ranch with impossible accuracy. After a test that involved Windy running outside and waving his arms, they found it was actually just a statue, rather than a live image of the ranch, which, once someone pointed out that the cows weren’t moving, seemed rather obvious.

Faron’s pin went to Talien. It briefly stuck to his forehead for a very confusing moment, then moved to behind his ear, where it sprouted into a metal pin wrought in the shape of a tropical flower. Faron looked ready to ask Talien what it meant, but upon seeing the veteran traveller’s awestruck expression, xe relented.

Talien’s pin went to Wolf. It didn’t change when pressed against his forehead, but glowed a pale green, and when he picked it up, it latched onto his left wrist, morphing into a black shackle. It looked fairly uncomfortable, but it clearly meant something to Wolf, based on his wide blue eyes and the tears that streamed down his face.

Wolf’s pin went to Four. The pin remained largely the same shape and size, turning into a dark purple coin with a four-leaf clover engraved on either side, with four cracks running through it, splitting it into equal quarters. Even from across the room, Time could recognize the shadow magic emanating from it. Four looked at it in confusion for a moment, then smiled as his eyes widened in realization.

Four’s pin went to Windy. In the sailor’s hands it became a silver compass, glowing the same crystal blue as his magic. The arrow inside spun around a moment, before facing south, rather than north- the direction of the next beacon.

Windy’s pin went to the Captain, where it became a steel pendant engraved with pointed, triangular markings that Talien identified as a dark magic rune. The Captain claimed she had no idea what it was representing, and while Time fully believed her, he had his own hunch as to what it might be. So far, though, hers was the only symbol not understood by its holder.

The Captain’s pin went to Sky, where it transformed into an earring. His seemed the most complicated symbol, having three different components- a pale gemstone, a miniature hilt, and a feather in white, red, blue, and green. Sky seemed to understand it well enough, though, based on the hopeful grin that spread across his face.

Sky’s pin went to Wild. It didn’t react to her gauntlet, but reacted perfectly to her right hand, shifting into a small vial filled with the most dense, vile Malice that Time had ever seen. Wild hid it quickly in her Slate, telling the others that it was something important to her, but that she’d rather not reveal or explain it just yet. Were it not for the Captain’s own “promise”, Time would’ve been far more suspicious- and Wild clearly knew exactly what it was she’d been given.

As those thoughts ran unbidden through Time’s mind, Wild approached him- he was the only one without a symbol. The pin fell into his open hands, and he watched the magic shift and pull at the seemingly immutable metal. Like wings, the gold opened up into…

Ah. They were wings, then.

In Time’s hands sat a pendant with glass fairy wings reaching out from a piece of bleached white wood, which was itself painted with a blue arrow at the top, and two red stripes on each side. He felt his hand move to his side, to brush against the mask, and he found it was the exact same.

“...I think I get it now,” said Talien quietly.

Nobody else spoke. Even the Captain understood the weight of what they’d just been given.

“I’m going,” said Four, standing up to face the others. “This is… this is worth it. Worth anything.”

“Agreed,” said Talien.

Windy nodded. “Same.”

Faron looked away, sharp teeth toying at xir lip. “I don’t even know what this does,” xe admitted. “But I think that I would like to stay with you all.”

“Let’s get that out of the way, then,” said Talien, gently removing the metal flower from his hair. “Dream bitch told us these would help us in some way, and they’re all definitely enchanted, so…” He held the hairpin up to the light, peering at it closely. “No runes, that’s odd. I’d bet these were built around their magic, then, way before any of us got them.”

“C’n y’ tell what they do?”

“Eh…” Talien waved his hand. “Probably? In the meantime, though, I’d advise not fucking with them- if you’re wearing one, take it off, at least for now.” Time hesitated before removing his necklace, while the Captain didn’t need to be asked twice, and was ready to fling her own promise out the window.

“Uh… what, uh… what if it’s stuck?”

“...what?”

Wolf looked up with a sheepish smile. “It, uh, It kinda wrapped around my wrist, and…”

Talien rolled his eyes, stomping over to investigate. “Oh, wow, uh- holy shit. That thing isn’t going to come off.”

“Well ah kinda guessed that-”

“No, I mean- it literally will not come off. I know those runes- unless we find the exact person they’re keyed to, nobody will ever be able to remove it.”

“What!?” exclaimed Windy. “So, we all get cool trinkets n’ shit, but Wolf gets a literal shackle?”

“It’s alright, Wind,” Wolf assured him. “It don’t hurt or anything, and ah know what it’s representin’. If anything, it… it makes me hopeful.”

“Hopeful or not, it’s stuck-”

Time’s attention was pulled away from the argument as Sky gave a quiet yelp of surprise, blinking his eyes heavily as he removed the earring. “Are you alright?” asked Time.

“Oh! Uh, y-yes, I just…” Sky looked at the earring in awe. “I- I think I know what it does.”

“Oh?”

“It- it made my eyesight b-better,” said Sky, amazed. “I didn’t, um, I didn’t realize it, when I first put it- or, uh, wh-when it put itself on? B-but taking it off…”

“It’s noticeable.”

“Very!”

“-let you walk around with a FUCKING MANACLE!”

“Ah said it’s fine! Don’t worry about it!”

Talien gave out a wordless scream, tugging at his bangs. “Hate you. Hate you.”

“Yeah, that’s fair.”

“If you don’t mind,” interrupted Time, “I’d very much prefer if we could identify these items before we set out.”

“Ugh. Yeah, sure, fine, whatever.”

--<>--

Despite his grumbling, Legend didn’t actually have any issue with identifying the nine items- well, seven, discounting Sky’s earring and whatever Wild had tucked away in her Slate. He already had everything he needed for the necessary rituals, and so as the other travellers continued assisting around the farm, Legend did his work. As he identified each item, he approached his newfound allies one by one, handing them back their items, and informing them of their use.

Four’s weird purple rock was filled with, who’d’ve guessed it, copious amounts of shadow magic- as if that wasn’t clear by the literal black mist that oozed from it every now and then. Weirdly enough, the magic was keyed into a luck enchantment, something Legend had never seen done with shadow magic, only light magic, so that was something. It was also magnetic, with the four shards sticking to each other without falling to bits, but able to be pried apart.

Warriors’ little pendant was exactly what Legend had called it out as earlier- a dark magic rune. More specifically, it was a modifier conduit- something that could absorb and redirect magic while altering the magic’s element and design, essentially reprogramming it into a different use. This one was specifically set up for converting divine magic into dark magic, which was a hell of an enchantment- that kinda conversion wasn’t easy.

Faron’s funky snowglobe thing was actually some kind of temporal anchor, creating a chain between itself and its wielder, allowing them- or rather xem- to find it across time and space, from practically any distance. If Faron were to, say, leave the globe behind, and travel through a portal, xe’d be able to sense its exact time-space coordinates… though why xe’d want to do that was pretty unclear, since xe’d have no way of, y’know, going back and getting it.

Time’s cute little fairy necklace was itself a form of identifier, keyed specifically to spirits. When near one, the paint on the wooden disk moved like ink in water, forming an image of the spirit’s elemental core. Legend actually found that one out on accident, as he’d been ready to bring it back to Time with a grand ol’ “I have no idea what this does but it sure does something” when it started displaying the symbol for silvox- forest magic- overlaid with an hourglass. If that wasn’t a damn clear representation of a time-traveling forest spirit, Legend didn’t know what was.

Wolf's shackle was an identifier as well. It had three different enchantments on it, actually- the first looked to intended for preventing the metal shackle from damaging Wolf's wrist, which was pretty important if it was gonna be stuck on there. The second, of course, prevented it from being removed, and if that wasn't the most fucked up thing ever, Legend didn't know what was. The final enchantment was one Legend determined to be a temporal sensor, connected to a small database. The end result was a shifting engraving in the metal, which currently read "Myths" and "Shattered", according to Wolf. He agreed to let Legend consult Warriors, who informed them that they were currently in the Shattered Epoch of the Age of Myths, which sure was a big fancy name that probably meant something to somebody. It was definitely weird that Wolf got the magic time travel bracelet and not Warriors, but Legend wasn't getting paid enough to care.

Windy’s compass was one of the most stupidly complex items Legend had ever seen. In practice, it was meant to point to wherever its holder was needed the most. Simple, right? Fuck no. This thing had so many enchantments that Legend had never even heard of before, intertwined in a way he didn’t even know was possible. There was some divine magic, some temporal magic, a bit of shadow magic… it was so fucked up. It was so incredibly fucked up. But somehow it worked, and Legend wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He didn’t explain any of the details to Windy, just offered him a cool compass. But he knew. He would always know.

…anyways.

His own “promise”, the… the flower. Held some sort of dream magic. It seemed to exist in equal measure in a pocket dimension as a real, living hibiscus flower. If he were to find himself in a lucid dream, the flower would shed its metal coat and become real- indicating to him that everything else wasn’t. The enchantment was built out of a dreamcatcher spell, and if Legend had read it right, it would help keep away nightmares, though… he wasn’t really sure what criteria it counted “nightmares” over dreams.

Maybe it just kept away dreams in general. He could live with that.

He could live with that for exactly however long it took him to find his Marin again, and if this journey didn’t deliver on that, well…

Legend knew a few whalers he could hire.

Chapter Text

Interlude One: Who Are You, Anyways?

And so our tale begins in earnest, with nine Heroes of Courage- though very few of them know this truth. To the rest of them, they are simply strangers for now, chosen for their unique skills and knowledge. Each one knows of the mark on their own hand, of the truth it reveals, but whether or not they will all see the big picture, well… that remains to be seen.

For now, what they know is that they do share this: loss.

They have all lost something, or someone, because of fate, or destiny, or simply the hands of the gods. But this alone creates the beginning of something between them that cannot be understated:

Trust.

And so when the next dawn rises above the hills and over the eternal moon-kissed leaves of the Lost Woods, they set out, their bags packed with herb-crusted breads marked by preservation runes, courtesy of Malon Lon. All but two carry a blade at their back or side, and the two who do not are just as prepared as the rest, if not more so, for battle.

No monsters come to greet them on their brief trek through the grand fields and farmlands of central Hyrule, and so three by three by three, they step through the lime-gold light of the impossibly intricate gateway, a single step pulling them out of time and space.

And so, of course…

The Chain finds themselves in a forest.

--<>--

--<>--

“Anyone recognize this place?”

Talien scoffed. “You expect us to recognize the middle of nowhere?”

“I would!” said Wild cheerfully.

“We know, Wild,” said Wolf placidly, which seemed to be enough for her.

“And do you?” Talien challenged.

“...No.”

“Then that’s not exactly useful, is it?”

“Sh-she’s trying to- to help, T-Talien,” said Sky, doing his best not to trip over his words. Talien, though, just scoffed, and Wolf looked back at him with those sharp, impossibly blue eyes- eyes he hadn’t truly appreciated until the effects of his earring fully set it. They were like icewater frost and the brunnera flowers of the Surface, with the dark tattoos above and below them only accentuating the striking color.

“‘He’. Not ‘she’,” he growled.

“It’s fine, Wolfie,” said Wild quietly. “Don’ make a big deal o’er it, he’s only jus’ met me-”

“It’s not fine, and he might as well learn now rather than later-”

“Wolf.”

“Um- wh-what did I do wrong?” asked Sky, uncertain. He just knew it, he knew he’d mess this up- he’d just been hoping he’d have a bit longer-

”You’re G-E-N-D-E-R-F-L-U-I-D, right? That's what you said before?" offered Captain Faronnen to Wild, turning around and walking backwards- with surprising ease, Sky noted- in order to ensure her signs were visible to everyone, excluding Time and Ajo, who walked at the front of the group. He spelled out the word- what was it? ‘Gender fluid’?- before spelling ‘gender’ again, followed by a sign Sky didn’t immediately recognize- the movement of one hand behind the other, the fingers flailing, almost resembling the movement of water.

Wild nodded. “Va. Took me a good while t’ figure out, nu’tenu, if only ‘cause I didn’t really know what gender was.”

Time nodded wisely. “Entirely reasonable.”

Sky… wasn’t sure what to say. How- how could someone just not know what gender was? It was like- like Wild was saying she- he?- didn’t know what hands were. And how was she a ‘he’ now? Was it… was it a physical change? He wasn’t going to ask that, obviously. But still… "I don't know what - what that is," Sky admitted.

Captain Faronnen nodded in understanding. "It means that sometimes Wild is a boy, and prefers to be called "he" or "him", and sometimes Wild is a girl, and prefers "she" or "her", and sometimes Wild isn't a boy or a girl at all, and prefers "they" and "them"."

"But you- you can't just choose th-that, can you?" wondered Sky aloud. "I mean, th-then nobody would be anything." Why would anyone want to be a boy or a girl?

There was an odd silence, and Sky felt like he was the butt of a joke that only he couldn't understand.

"Wh-what? What'd I say?"

"Don't worry about it," said Captain Faronnen, accidentally bumping his elbow into Ajo as he signed, something Ajo looked disproportionately annoyed about. "For now just remember that other cultures and eras are going to have different customs and beliefs, some that might seem alien or even immoral to you- not at any fault of your own, so long as you remember to keep an open mind."

"I'll - I'll try."

"That's all anyone can ask of you," said Time, though his expression was not pointed at Sky, but rather Wolf, who stood protectively by Wild's side. "Isn't that right?"

"...yeah, alright," said Wolf, nodding in defeat. "Ah guess this isn't the first thing ya haven't recognized…"

Sky held his hands close to his chest, trying and failing to not pull at the straps of his gloves. "I- I'm sorry…"

"Nothin' to apologize for!" insisted Ajo, turning on his heel and flashing Sky a bright grin filled with strange, wide teeth. "Not knowing stuff just means you get to learn a bunch of things for the first time! Which is really cool!"

Sky grinned. "Yeah. I guess it is!"

--<>--

The group set up shop as soon as they found an appropriate clearing - or, more specifically, once Faron found one. No fires were set, as there was no breeze to chill them, and nobody was hungry enough for a meal. Those who did want food either split some bread (Four and Windy) or found some berries (Faron and Wild). Afterwards, Windy and Wild raced each other up a tree, and reported a lack of any visible beacons.

"Ah'll bet we're not gonna be finding them right away anymore," said Wolf, gnawing on a hard bit of jerky to satiate his need to chew at something. "We should probably expect to be doin' something in every place we end up."

The Captain nodded. "Windy! Is that compass telling you anything?"

Wolf looked over to see Windy slide down a tree trunk and hop over to the main group. Wolf prepared to repeat the Captain's question, but somehow, he didn't need to. "Aye! It's pointing about North 15 degrees East, but I couldn't tell what was out that far."

Wild frowned. "What direction is that?" he asked, prompting Windy to point it out to him. "There was a campfire smoke that direction… how did y' not see it?"

Windy looked confused. "I just didn't? Smoke and dust don't reflect that well, dude, that's not my fault."

"Wh- it's clear daylight an' there was a big black column of smoke!"

"What does that have to- oh. Ah, godsdamnit-" Windy turned to look at the Captain, his hands placed firmly on his hips. "Can you explain all this shit? I'm no good at it and also I don't want to."

The Captain chuffed, shaking his head. "They'll have an easier time understanding spoken words, but if you reeeeaaaally don't want to…"

"It's so stupid! Like, why are Mainlanders so weird, huh? What's up with that?"

Time sighed, stepping forwards. "Are any of you familiar with the name Ritokwati?" he asked the group.

Wild lit up. "Oh! Yeah, I know what that is." Seeing Wolf's confusion, he elaborated, "Remember? Lurelin?"

Lurelin… oh! Of course!

"Ritokwati are a Human species unique to the timeline in which the world was flooded," Time explained, having gotten no other positive replies. "They're highly adapted to life on the sea, just as the Gerudo are adapted to life in the desert. One of those adaptations is the loss of sight in exchange for what you might call echolocation."

Faron looked shocked. "You can't see?" xe asked, eyes wide enough to show a hazel ring around xir eyes.

"I can see just fine," said Windy adamantly. "You guys just have pointlessly overpowered vision. I mean, come on, how many different colors do you need?"

Talien narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Echolocation requires a sound to start with…" He turned on the Captain with fiery eyes. "Don't tell me you're the one making that clicking sound!"

The Captain stared at Talien unblinkingly, then opened his mouth and clicked his tongue.

"I SPENT ALMOST AN HOUR LOOKING FOR THAT NOISE! You piece of shit!"

"In my defense, you never said what you were looking for," signed the Captain smugly. "Anyways -"

"Don't think this is over, pretty boy-"

"ANYWAYS, Windy, Wild, what were you two able to figure out?"

"I definitely heard monster noises," said Windy confidently. "I'll bet my left ass cheek there's at least one miniblin, too. Creepy little buggers."

"It was a camp, for sure," confirmed Wild. "Way too big t' be a normal tribe - this was a raiding party, I’d wager."

Wolf opened his mouth to comment, before noticing someone tug at his skirt. "Eh? Oh! Hey, Four."

Four hummed, offering up a… a horseshoe? A badly dented one, at that, so definitely not one the smithy had made back at the ranch. Four gestured back towards the woods, and after a moment, was able to put together "Road. Big… road."

The Captain sucked in air, his ears flicking. "That must be it, then. We're here to prevent these monsters from ambushing people on the road." He looked to Wild. "You're the monster expert. Do you intend to try and speak with them?"

Wild pursed his lips, shifting his weight back and forth. "I wanna get a better look at th' camp first. If they're not bein' controlled by someone bigger an' badder, then their reasons for attacking 'll be th' same as for anyone else. They could be doin' it outta desperation, or they could be doin' it jus' 'cause they can. Plus, if they got no choice, they'll fight 'till th' last, making things even harder for us. Easier t' jus' give 'em food or rupees than risk gettin' hurt fightin' a cornered animal."

"And if they are doing this 'just because they can'?"

"They know th' risks, don' they?" said Wild with a casual shrug. "I got no qualms setting a few sasabo on fire." With that, he summoned a meteor rod from his Slate, the tangerine glow gleaming off his fanged grin.

Wolf resisted the urge to put his face in his hands. This idiot is going to get killed before the week is out, I swear to Ordona. "Maybe a little less arson in the middle of the woods, Wild."

"Aww, c'mon, Wolfie, a lil controlled burn ne'er hurt anyone!"

"It's the dry season, Wild, the fire would spread too quickly."

Wild pouted, but put the meteor rod away. Success.

"That's a rather curious device," noted Time, watching with curious eyes. In the sun's light, Wolf could see now that the Kokiri's eyes were mismatched- his left eye was a deep blue, but his right eye, a vibrant, almost glowing red. The way the sunshine hit it made Wolf think of his long-dead mentor, who, now that he thought about it, wasn't terribly unlike Time- y'know, if the Shade had been three-foot-eight. "Is that sort of technology commonplace in your era?"

Wild laughed nervously. If it weren't for the gauntlet, the knuckles clutching the precious device would've been white as a dead fish. "No, that, uh- I'm jus' lucky t' have friends who know how to use an' repair some of th' ancient, First Calamity tech. Th-the Slate doesn't work f'r anyone else, though. Just me."

Time nodded, either oblivious to Wild's anxiety, or trying to appease it. "Good. That should be quite useful. I do wonder, though - how exactly do you control it?"

"Wh- huh?"

"That's a good question, actually," said Talien, and Wolf could see the moment his cub went from conversation to cornered. "I haven't seen you do anything to, say, choose what you're summoning, you just… summon it. Is it a somatic component that I'm just not hearing, or…" A light went off behind Talien's eyes. "Or is it a mental link?"

"Sorta!" said Wild with a false cheer that would fool anyone that didn't know him well. "It's through my prosthetics- my eye lets me see th' screen, an' I can control it with my hand," he explained. "It's waaay more complicated than that, but I leave that t' Flora an' Purah."

"You're… wired up to your Slate?" asked the Captain, looking both intrigued and horrified. "Safely?"

"Ehhhh… "safely" is a bit much, but for once that's not my fault," said Wild dismissively. "But hey! I can do this now!" He flicked his wrist to support his claim about movement controlling the Slate, and summoned a plate of cookies into his hand. "Ta-da!"

Time chuckled. "Alright, we'll take the hint - and the bribe."

"You just want cookies, don't you," said Talien.

"Perhaps."

--<>--

"There's clearly a lot we don't know about each other," Zalle noted as the sweets were passed around. "That might be an issue."

"Oh?" said Talien defensively. "And why's that?"

Warriors waved her hands dismissively. "I just mean things that're useful for combat. Since we're going to be fighting together -"

"According to whom? You?"

Warriors ground her teeth together. "According to the being that put us together - though, since I have experience leading, I am trying to put that to good use, if that's what you're asking."

"Experience leading soldiers, you mean. Do you really think -"

"Settle down, you two," interrupted Time. He really had grown up- well, matured, rather. He would've been the one creating internal conflict back during the War, not solving it. "It is a good idea to understand what everyone is able to do, yes, but no-one here has more authority than anyone else - unless you're intending to pull rank, Captain, in which case I imagine you'll find our veteran traveller a bit uncooperative."

"Bet your ass I'd be uncooperative."

Warriors nodded. "That's fair. I'll try not to, ah… boss anyone around."

Talien nodded. "Good. Long as that's out of the way…" He sighed, sitting down on the ground next to Faron and untying his side bag. "You wanted to know how we'll be in a fight, yeah?" Warriors nodded. "Well, I've got a lot of shit, but I guess I'll probably stick with my magic." From his bag, he procured…

Is that what I think it is?

"This is the Rod of Seasons," said Talien, basking in the positive attention the curiosity brought him. "A gift from a Holodese Oracle, at full power it can, as the name implies, change the seasons themselves. Obviously I don't plan on doing that, ever, but as it is it makes a handy all-in-one magic rod." Putting away the priceless artifact that Warriors had only seen in ancient texts, Legend continued by unsheathing his blade. "Then I've got this fancy hunk of junk in case anything lives through the heat of a Death Mountain summer and manages to try and get a hit off. Got a boomerang, too- almost as useful as the Rod sometimes, if I'm honest."

The others chattered a bit, and as they did, Zalle did her best to process the fact that this was clearly the Hero of Legend- practically the archetype for the whole Hero thing. But why would the Hero of Legend, twin sister of Zelda Fabellan Hyrule herself, dressed up like a common thief? But… that was a question for another day.

"I'll probably send you out against…" Warriors paused, reorganizing her words. "When planning, would you allow me to assign you to the outskirts of a battle?"

"Hm. Depends on why."

"Your weapons seem best suited for crowd control, and your knowledge and experience may be vital if we find ourselves up against an enemy we don't know. I can't stop you from fighting on the metaphorical front lines, of course, but…"

"I'll consider it," said the Hero of Legend.

"Anyone else?" Warriors offered. "Sprite, I'm assuming you'll still be going after everyone's ankles -"

"Tried and true method, Captain, though I've got a few extra tricks up my sleeves these days."

"And, Windy, are you -"

"I can confirm I am still the Flip Wizard," said Windy in complete seriousness, giving Warriors a salute.

"... what?" asked Four.

"I haven't gotten an answer yet either," said Time. "I wouldn't hold your breath."

"Faron? Can you fight?"

Faron's ears perked at the sudden attention, and xe shrank back, hiding beside Four. "Um… I would prefer to avoid fighting when possible."

Not a flat denial- xe can fight, but doesn't want to.

"I understand. I won't force you, then, but if push comes to shove, what should I expect?"

"I'm… not actually that good at killing monsters," xe admitted awkwardly. "I'm just good at not dying. But… I usually use my sword and some magic. Fire and lightning, that sort of thing."

Warriors nodded- that was largely what she'd expected of the Hero of Hyrule, the last known Hero of the Downfall Timeline, but it was important to be certain. "Four- I won't ask you to tell me anything, but can you show me what weapons you use?"

Four nodded excitedly, clearly happy to be able to display his skill without being forced to speak. From his bag he procured a warhammer, a lavender bow, and a fire rod. From his side, he unsheathed his sword.

Well… if Zalle had needed any further confirmation whether the smithy was another Hero or not, being shown the literal Four Sword would do it. Unfortunately, that didn't narrow down who this was exactly - everything around the blade's wielder or wielders was blurry and vague, including whether or not there was more than one of them.

"You're a swordsman, then?"

Four nodded. "W-was a. Knight. Before, um…" He gestured vaguely at his head, looking away.

Warriors sighed, not wanting to ask her next question, but knowing it had to be asked. "Four- actually, all of you - is there anything we need to know about during a fight? You're aware now that Windy and I don't see in the same way as the rest of you- specifically, we cannot see most colors, and you're also aware that I cannot speak. I'm not asking this to judge anyone, okay?"

Four looked- well, Four looked pissed, but he still nodded. "I- w- I might. Yell. Sometimes. Talk to… my. Self. Don't, worry. Please."

"We can just, like, ignore anything you say during a fight, then," said Windy simply.

"Unless he needs to call something out," argued Talien- Talia? She had said either one was accurate.

"Y' could call one of us by name?" offered Wild, to which Four agreed. To Warriors, he said, "I told y' before I have, uh… memory problems. Sometimes I get, like, uh, flashbacks, sorta? From th' outside it looks like I'm just zoned out for a bit. It's ne'er happened in a fight before, it's usually only when I'm comfortable, but, I figured I oughta mention it just in case, va?"

"Ah'm pretty sure Sky has asthma," offered Wolf. "And he might have some kinda narcolepsy, too…"

"What makes you say that?"

"Eh, y'know, the fact he fell asleep 'bout twenty minutes ago."

…the clearing fell into an awkward silence as everyone looked to see that, indeed, the Hero of the Skies, First of Hylia's Chosen, was passed out against a pine tree.

"... anyone wanna wake him up?" asked Four, his voice bereft of its usual imperfections.

"I certainly won't," said Time, thankfully ignoring Four's speech- nothing made recovering from a speech impediment worse than pointing it out. The rest of the group seemed to understand that as well, or at least hadn't noticed what was different about Four's statement. "In my own experience, people who sleep that deeply that quickly need to be allowed to wake on their own."

Warriors hummed to herself. "Someone can catch him up when he wakes, then. I've already seen how he and Wild fight, anyways."

"Not quite," said Wolf, smiling proudly. "Wild's also the best archer ah've ever seen in my life."

"Wolfie…" groaned Wild, embarrassed. "I was gonna wait until I could show them in a really dramatic way!" Ah, maybe not embarrassed, actually. "Ugh. Anyways, I actually prefer spears when I gotta fight proper," Wild explained, summoning one from his Slate. The weapon had a broader head than most spears, and had intricate, stylized patterns engraved on it. An icy glow emanated from the base, and when it reached the spear's tip, the whole thing was awash with potent ice magic. “Spears or magic rods, really. Way easier t’ kill somethin’ when it’s frozen solid, va?” And there was that mad grin again. If Zalle wasn’t already used to such company, she would’ve run for the hills by now. Thankfully, the rest of the group seemed just as unphased.

Mentally, she tallied everyone up, plotting out a basic, unspecialized strategy. Put Four, Wolf, Mask, and Windy in the front, and have Wild and Sky as backup. Keep Wild on a ranged attack as long as possible so they don’t get bored and try to blow everything up. Talia and I can play crowd control, and Faron… we could have xem waiting in the wings for when- if someone gets injured. Even if xe isn’t willing to fight, having someone at the back for emergency healing can be a literal life saver…

“Rupee for your thoughts?”

Warriors looked up, blinking. ”Just trying to figure out a plan of attack. Assuming, of course,” she added, nodding to Wild, ”that is what happens. In the meantime- does anyone trust in their ability to scout a monster camp undetected?"

"Wolfie an' can go!" volunteered Wild. "We've done this plenty before!"

Wolf nodded in confirmation. "Half-hour sound good?"

Wild nodded, and Zalle hummed to herself. "If you're not back in forty-five minutes, someone will come rescue you."

"Counting on in. Thanks, Cap'n."

"Just don't die out there, goatherd."

--<>--

When, wondered Wolf, did ah mention that ah used to herd goats…?

--<>--

"So what do we do now?" asked Windy, half curious and half bored, trying to ignore Faron hovering at his side in wide-eyed curiosity. Ritokwati weren't rare, couldn't xe find someone else to investigate? Like, say, Warriors?

"If anyone suggests more "bonding activities", I'm going to set them on fire," warned Talien, loudly stretching his back. The guy's spine popped like a firecracker, which was probably bad, but Windy was just curious if he could do it on command.

Warriors grimaced. "I assure you, I've no intention of prying further than necessary to keep from stepping on your toes in battle." Ooh, she was definitely getting snippy; her sign had gone from the modified Common sign most people used, to that fancy Zoran sign that had waaay more words than necessary. Even without whatever translation spell was running, Windy always interpreted it as sounding all fancy and posh.

"I wouldn't mind a friendly spar, my dear Captain," offered Time with that cocky little half-smile he always liked. "Like I said, I've a few new tricks, and I wouldn't mind seeing if you're still at the top of your game."

"Oh hell yeah," said Talien, suddenly enthusiastic. "Do it, Pretty Boy, I wanna see you get beat up by a toddler."

"... on second thought, perhaps I'll practice on you, first."

--<>--

Wild had been right, to an extent- it wasn’t a normal tebeva’nunu- “monster” tribe- at all. But it wasn’t a raiding party, either. Wild had no idea what it was, and that terrified him.

If he hadn’t already believed the claims of time travel wholeheartedly, this would’ve confirmed it. There were three Moblins, but not like the ones he’d ever known. They were shorter, stouter, with square faces and blunt snouts, carrying long, harpoon-like spears, each one with a gleaming tip. One of them was a small bit taller, with a blue-tinted hide and almost moustache-like whiskers. Beasts like masked birds hopped from tree to tree, revealing that their “masks” were in fact protrusions of their skulls, razor-sharp and serrated. Dancing about like children were horned, ratlike creatures, calling out to each other in high-pitched voices that were quickly getting on Wild’s nerves. They carried boar-hunting spears, slick with blood, evidently the source of the half-burnt carcass tossed haphazardly on a central fire.

He scoffed. Zuwekbo would never have let him get away with something like that. They didn’t even have a fire spit set up, for Ganon’s sake. Absolutely disgraceful.

“Bet those’re th’ ‘miniblins’ Windy was talkin’ about,” whispered Wild, crouched down in the grass, the blood-red of his stealth suit practically invisible despite the color clash. Wolfie crouched beside him in all his lupine glory, clearly happy to be back in his preferred body despite the circumstances. “An’ those big’uns are still mobo, jus’ very old ones. But th’ birds…”

Wolfie stepped back a short ways as dark magic sliced through his back with practiced ease, pixel-like flakes of Twili magic shedding from him like snow. “Guay,” he murmured as soon as he had a mouth to speak with again. “Like more persistent keese, ah guess. Not a big deal unless ya got somethin’ else to focus on.”

Wild nodded. “Like a trio of moblins,” he said as Wolf’s magic surrounded him again and he fell quietly to the ground on four paws. “Shouldn’t be too bad… I c’n snipe them an’ then take out th’ little guys with some bombs, jus’ leave the mobo to deal with.”

Wolfie whined, tugging at Wild’s boot.

“...shit. Right. We gotta go tell the others an’ all that.” Wild frowned, humming. “Or! Or. An’ hear me out here. We take care of th’ birds an’ gebo’beh ourselves, an’ tell everyone else they got nothin’ t’ worry about! Foolproof plan.”

Wolfie paused, eyes narrowing.

“Wolfie. Wolfie. I know what I’m doin’. This is one of th’ few things where I know what I’m doin’. I ain’t tryin’ t’ negotiate with a wizzrobe here, Wolfie.”

Wolfie whined softly.

“Jus’ trust me.”

--<>--

Twenty rupees on Time.

Guys, we all share a wallet-

Vio, why the hell are you betting on the kid, Talien’s totally got this covered.

The ‘kid’ looks to be very experienced, and I personally feel there’s quite a bit he hasn’t shown us. In fairness, that seems to be the case for everyone here, but I think Time is very accurate in his own self-assessment.

Guys!

Alright then egghead, thirty on the veteran!

Goddesses above. Why are you two like this?

You’re just betting on him because I didn’t, aren’t you?

Well yeah, obviously!

Red sighed, rubbing at his temples as his brothers argued. Faron gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, making Red wonder once again just how much the fairy really knew about them. “Headache,” he told xem quietly.

“Curse?” xe asked. Red nodded, and Faron’s hands lost the faint glow he hadn’t even noticed they’d gained. “Doll?”

“N-no. Not…” Not in front of so many people. Red wouldn’t mind, personally, but that wasn’t just his decision to make, even if the strange little effigy would make him feel so, so much better.

The clashing of metal brought his attention back to the fight. Talien had won the first round with relative ease, as Time hadn’t fought back, only taken advantage of his small size to dodge the projectiles cast by Talien’s Rod of Seasons, before the cloaked mage had switched to an area cast and tripped him up with a patch of ice. This round, though, Time had used some kind of bright flare at the start of the battle and switched to the offensive while Talien still recovered from the flash. Whatever he’d used had been fairly localized, thankfully, only affecting Talien.

“He’s s-surprisingly good with th-that blade,” commented Sky, his eyes darting back and forth between the two combatants. “I’ve never th-thought about, um, about fighting someone th-that much smaller one-on-one…”

”It makes it easy to overextend yourself,” confirmed Captain Faronnen. ”Talien doesn’t look to be much of a swordfighter, either…”

“I can see you gossiping over there!” called Talien, not breaking his gaze away from Time, who forced him to lose more and more ground.

”Then you’re not paying enough attention to the fight!”

“I’ll show you who’s not- FUCK!”

Time switched from using both hands on his sword, to bringing one back to pull out another of those flashbangs, which Vio was able to take note of and identify as some kind of seed. Talien saw the attack, though, and closed his eyes before the seeds landed. Unfortunately, that blinded him just as much as the seeds would’ve, and Time got the upper hand.

The Captain laughed, and Talien just flipped him off from where he lay.

“Round two goes to Time!” announced Sky. He looked to Faronnen for confirmation, but-

“Captain?” asked Faron, but he shushed xem.

”Something’s coming,” he explained. ”From the direction Wolf and Wild went. There’s-”

“LOOK OUT!”

Wolf burst forth from the underbrush, followed swiftly by Wild, both of them out of breath. “I FUCKED UP!” exclaimed Wild, his flamespear coated in a black, oily substance. “I FUCKED UP A LOT!”

”What do you-”

“MONSTER!” said Wolf, just as loudly and out of breath. “BIG GUY! FOLLOWING… hh… NOT FAR!”

A moment passed as everyone processed.

The moment ended, and a massive, hairy moblin appeared from the forest, roaring…

and got instantly pelted with arrows, blades, and boomerangs.

--<>--

Legend caught his boomerang as it rebounded, looking around at the group. Windy, Four, Wild, Wolf, and Sky, all held bows, while Time had some kind of hookshot, Faron had a boomerang of xir own, and Warriors had drawn a sword.

Warriors blinked, sheathing his blade to sign, ”Wow. I didn’t even need to do anything.”

The moblin twitched, and six more arrows lined its head, neck, and back. It didn’t move again.

Time looked up at Wild, putting his hookshot away. “You were sent to scout,” he said pointedly, his harsh tone making Wild cringe like a scolded child. “We’ve a team of capable fighters, and the best strategist I’ve ever met sent you out to scout. So why, pray tell, do you look like you’ve been in a fight?”

“Neither of us have been on a team before, okay?” exploded Wolf, who’s growing irritation Red hadn’t noticed. I did, said Blue. Red hadn’t asked. Big guy hasn’t stopped staring at Time since we were introduced.

“That’s hardly an excuse! And you two clearly know how to work together-”

“That’s different! Besides, we had it handled!”

“Handled? Really? Because unless the meaning of that word has drifted in the last few centuries-”

“That thing wasn’t natural, Shade, ah’ve never seen anything survive that kinda attack-”

Shade? wondered Green. Do you think they’ve met?

No, but I bet Wolf thinks they do, said Red. Prompted by his brothers’ confusion, he continued, I think Time reminds him of, I dunno, his dad or something? Or maybe an older brother. They just met and they’re already acting like Blue and Vio.

“Um, guys?” said Windy, pulling Time and Wolf out of their argument. “You might wanna check this out.”

The group gathered around the moblin’s remains, all of them surprisingly unphased by it. Windy removed one of the arrows with a bit of effort, showing it to the group. “Its blood is, like… tainted,” he mused. “I dunno what it looks like to you, but…”

“It’s like- like machine oil,” said Sky. “Or…”

“Black blood,” mused Faron. “Dark magic. Malice.”

Red shivered at the pure contempt in Faron’s voice as xe spoke, looking away from the creature.

Wild hummed. “Someone did this,” he muttered. “This kinda stuff- it’s like drugs t’ these sort of beings- to, uh, t’ monsters. Makes ‘em stronger, but breaks their mind. Makes ‘em… makes ‘em easy t’ control. But for them t’ be so filled with it that it’s in their blood…”

“This is it, then,” mused Legend. “This is what we’re here for.” He scoffed. “Feels weird just dealing with the symptom and not the root, I’ll admit.”

“It’ll be enough, though,” said Wolf. “Wild and ah have been hunting and fighting creatures like this for years, and the fact we couldn’t take it down ourselves…”

The gods really do need us again, it looks like. Even if it is just for cleanup duty.

--<>--

Story Two: Swallowed in the Sea

Part One: Fish

Rather than appear as a beacon, the next portal had simply… appeared, between two of the trees ringing the clearing. The nine travellers had done their best to ignore it, as it’d appeared only about fifteen minutes after the moblin’s demise, but the portal had some sort of… magnetism. Not a physical one, but an almost spiritual one, putting everyone present further on edge until its call was heeded.

Well, everyone but Wild.

“I dunno what you guys are on about,” he said, completely carefree as he poked and prodded the screen of his Slate. “I feel fine.”

“You,” said Wolf pointedly, “are the biggest outlier ah’ve ever met, and should never be considered an indication of the norm.”

“Aww, thanks!”

“My brain has poison ivy,” whined Windy. “Can we go now? Seriously?”

Time watched with quiet amusement as the others reacted to the same constant tug he’d dealt with every time he went near the Temple of Time and heard that damn sword singing to him. It was actually rather funny to watch them squirm, though it was also a terrifying confirmation that he and the Captain had already become the de facto leaders to everyone save for Wild…

“Y’know what, fuck it, let’s.”

…and Talien.

“Race you,” said Four hurriedly, practically jumping in front of Talien to get to the portal, a wide grin on his face as he climbed over a log to get to the raised entrance. The Captain anxiously signed something to the smithy’s back about true sight and magic circles to no avail-

only to freeze as a sharp cry rang out through the shimmering gold.

“...y’alright over there?” called Wolf, tilting his head to and fro as if that would help him see past the rippling vortex.

There was no answer.

“Oh Hylia.”

”Someone grab a rope!” ordered the Captain, quickly reverting to her usual role, looking about with such authority that even Talien moved to obey her. Wolf took the rope from him, tying it to a tree, and Wild was already dressed in belaying gear before anyone even saw him change, his long orange hair pulled back into a tight bun.

“Two tugs, ah pull ya back up with Four,” instructed Wolf. “Three, ah know you’re safe.”

Wild nodded. “Got it.” Rather than step through the portal, he fell into it.

The rope stayed steady.

Steady.

Steady.

Ste-

“He’s alright!”

“Thank the gods,” muttered Windy, sitting down hard. “Shit- we shouldn’t’ve been messing around. I… gods, I honestly forgot how dangerous this was for a second.”

“Four will be fine,” Time assured him. “He and Wild are capable enough, and we know they’re both safe.”

Talien huffed. “I’ll go next,” he offered. “I was the one fucking around, anyways. Might as well.”

“We should go in pairs,” offered Sky cautiously, still looking at the portal with barely concealed worry. “J-just in case.”

“Mm… fine, whatever. Hey, pretty boy, come hold my hand so we can hop on through like merry lovers or something.”

”What was that you said about hopping, friend rabbit?”

“Nothing your keese ears can’t pick up with ease.”

The pair vanished through the golden light as well, as did Windy and Faron, leaving just Time, Wolf, and Sky.

Wolf looked over at Time slowly. “The portal isn’t wide enough for all three of us…” he began.

“No,” said Time, instantly recognizing where this was going.

“It’d just be for a moment-”

“No.”

“Ah don’t see any alternatives-”

…damnit.

“Wh-what’s going on?” asked Sky, uncertain but amused.

Time sighed. “Just get it over with.”

Wolf nodded solemnly, picking Time up with a complete lack of effort, setting the flustered Kokiri on his shoulder. “Sorry.”

Time kicked him.

--<>--

Windy realized the cause for Four’s fear the moment he too appeared on the other side of the portal. He took a step forwards, trying to extricate himself from the swirling infinity, only to find a complete lack of purchase.

A cry fell from his lips, and he fell from the portal, landing with a mighty splash, Faron following beside only a moment later.

Four just laughed at them.

Windy splashed him in retaliation.

Warriors sighed, batting him over the head like a misbehaving child- which, y’know, fair. She tried to sign something to him, but only ended up hitting the water, at which point she ducked under the surface. Windy vaguely wondered what she was doing, until a hand popped up and handed him a pair of boots. Once Warriors had gotten rid of her boots, pauldron, and gorget, Windy followed suit by removing his own boots. All the extra gear was stuffed away in Windy’s spoils bag, which he was at least 80% certain was free from any chu-chu jelly.

And if he was wrong, well, at least Wars wouldn’t get mad if his own boots were gooed up too! Lose-lose situation and all that.

Sky, Wolf, and Time joined the party quickly after, and if anyone had managed to stay dry so far (which they hadn’t), that was quickly remedied when Wolf hit the water like a cannonball. “Everyone alright?” he asked as soon as he surfaced.

“I’m okay!” called Faron. “So is Four!” Four agreed with xem via thumbs-up.

“Just peachy,” said Time, clearly grumpy about something. Windy confirmed his own presence after, vouching for Warriors as well.

“I’ll be okay,” confirmed Sky, removing his own heavy boots. “Um- can- can someone carry these?”

“I got it!” said a fish.

Everyone stopped.

“Um,” said Sky.

Wolf sighed. “Ah can’t get a break,” he grumbled.

The fish gave an awkward smile, painfully stretching the gruesome, green-blue scars that marred the left side of its face. “Right! Sorry. I should’ve mentioned this.”

“...Wild?” tried Windy cautiously.

The fish nodded. “I can shapeshift,” he explained. Not that that was much of an explanation. He didn’t elaborate.

“Wh-what… are you?” wondered Sky, his brown eyes wide and glittering with curiosity before they darted away. “Oh, um, no, th-that was probably rude-”

“A Zora!” said Wild, ignoring Sky’s uncertainty. “My husband got me this magic item so we c’n swim t’gether.”

“Your what-”

“Oh, we’re doing that now?” said Time casually. With a nearly invisible movement, his hand went to his side, procuring one of his strange wooden masks, and in the blink of an eye he went from a tiny Kokiri to a tall, twiggish Zora. “Good to know.”

Another pause.

“Alright,” grumbled Four, “is there anyone else that can turn into a fish or is that it?”

Talien- oh gods we forgot about Talien- suddenly surfaced, his dark hair slick against his face. “I’m not dead, by the way,” he noted flatly.

Four screeched.

“Oh, hi Talien!” said Wild brightly, smiling to reveal a set of shark-like teeth. Talien waved half-heartedly, revealing dark blue webbing between his clawed fingers.

“Are, um, are we gonna talk about that, or-”

“Nope,” said Talien, interrupting Sky. “We sure aren’t.”

“Oh. Okay. Um… can you still take my boots, Wild?”

“Yup!”

Warriors sighed, clearly frustrated by the growing chaos she could do nothing about, her hands occupied as she floated in place. Windy swam closer to her. “Do you want me to talk for you?” he offered. Warriors hesitated, ears twitching nervously towards the rest of the group. “You can just whisper, it’ll be alright.”

“You’re safe, Captain,” Time assured her, his voice the same deep melody it always was with this form. “There’s nobody else here from your era, after all. They’re curious, I’m sure, but not malicious.”

In the background, Four fumbled in the water as he put a pair of blue flippers on, apparently for the sole purpose of chasing Talien to try and get some answers from him. As soon as Talien insisted that this really wasn’t something he was willing to explain, though, Four settled for just bapping him over the head in the same way Warriors had done to Windy. Abandoning his initial quest, he went to pester Wild instead- not about the mechanics of his transformation, though, just the form itself, which Wild was more than happy to show off, letting Four poke and prod at the long, eel-like “tail” on the back of his head.

“...okay,” said Warriors. “I- I’ll. L…let you. H-help.”

And by the gods was her voice so, so broken. It had never been very whole before, certainly, but this was worse. Time and Windy shared a look and a question- just how long had it been, really, since their friend, their sister, had been safe enough to speak with her own voice?

“W-we need to- to-” Warriors coughed, dry and painful. “F-find land, o-or a, a ship. W-Wolf, he- w-we- what era-”

“I’ll ask him,” said Time, ducking under the water so he could swim more efficiently. Windy remained by his sister’s side as they waited, though not for more than a moment. “The shackle reads “Waters, Zephyr”. That’s the sailor’s home era, isn’t it?”

Warriors nodded. “W-Wind, compass.”

Right! Windy fumbled a moment before finding the gleaming object, and a moment more as he ran his fingers over the shifting glass, feeling for where the arrow pointed. A glance at the sun confirmed the heading. “North 70 degrees West.”

“Sky!” barked Time, getting the knight’s attention immediately. “Anything on the horizon out that way?” he asked, pointing in the direction Windy had indicated. Why Sky? wondered Windy, though he trusted Time enough not to bother asking.

Sky nodded. “I-it’s really far, though, um… oh! I th-think… I think it’s getting closer?”

“Oh goody,” mumbled Talien. “We’re saved- y’know assuming it’s not pirates.”

Windy frowned for a moment before remembering that “pirates” meant something wholly different in other eras. “We’ll actually wanna hope it’s pirates,” he told Talien. “If the ship is flying the Royal Crest we might have a problem- what’s left of the monarchy ‘round here isn’t exactly friendly.”

Talien looked pleasantly surprised. “Huh. Whaddya know.”

“Everyone- raise your hand if you’ll need any help swimming or staying afloat after a while,” announced Time, his voice carrying an air of authority Windy had only ever heard from the Captain, who herself looked just as surprised. Four, Sky, Wolf, and Faron all raised their hands. “Sky, stick with me. Wolf, you’re with Wild. Talien-”

“I am not carrying anyone.”

“It’s a bit too late for that. Four and Faron are both small, and you can swim. You made the choice to stay, and right now that means supporting the rest of the group- in this case, literally.”

Windy waited for Talien to bite back with some new argument, but… he didn’t, instead leaning back and crossing his arms, revealing that his usual gloves were gone, his hands instead covered by the long sleeves of his green under-tunic. “Fine. But don’t blame me if I start lagging behind- and you two, don’t fucking touch me unless you’re literally drowning.”

Faron’s eyes narrowed and Windy wondered if xe was about to test that boundary, until Four pulled him back, shaking his head. At least one of those two had a bit of self-preservation.

“S-since when c-can… you lead?” rasped Warriors in jest. Time… didn’t seem to appreciate it.

“...it’s been a long while since I saw you last,” he admitted quietly.

“I- I didn’t-”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Time. “Sky! You and I are going to scout out that ship. As soon as you can see its sails, tell me. We need to know what we’re dealing with as soon as possible.”

Sky nodded, kicking his way over to Time and placing his hands on the Zora’s back.

Warriors watched them leave, and Windy could almost hear the unspoken questions as the two Heroes parted.

--<>--

“Oh! I r- rec- re… I know that ship! Th-that’s the one we, we found Windy on!”

“...how oddly convenient.”

“Hylia must be smiling on us.”

“Hn.”

--<>--

“You haven’t even been gone for a month, Windy Boy.”

“It’s been more than that!” Windy insisted. “Probably. I think.”

Captain Tetra rolled her eyes, directing her attention to the Captain instead. “And of course you’re involved in all this.”

”Of course.”

“I mean, really, what’s a girl gotta do to get a little peace and quiet around here?” continued Captain Tetra, leaning back against the mast even as her crew hauled up the rowboat that contained the rest of the group. Legend, not wanting to reveal his curse to everyone, had instead swum around to the other side of the ship and climbed up the ladder, letting the water and scales wash away as he did. The ache in his arms was a small price to pay, though he wasn’t certain about the lingering itch where his gills had been.

“Not be the only decent authority this era has, apparently?” answered Legend.

Captain Tetra pointed at him. “Stop being right, I’ll have you thrown overboard.”

“Try me, bitch.”

Captain Tetra threw a knife at him with terrifying ease, though it only pinned his hat to the wood behind him- annoying, but better than losing an eye. Legend pulled the dagger out after a few tugs and slipped it into his bag.

His knife now.

"The Dakovini Sipathi isn't big enough for an extra nine passengers," said Captain Tetra casually, "mostly 'cause the cargo hold's full. Few years ago I woulda never thought I'd be hauling luggage like a common freighter, but the pay's good, since someone wanted the best of the best protecting their junk- and with everything that's happened, I don't blame them."

Warriors stepped forwards. "And what is it, exactly, that's happened?"

Captain Tetra eyed him suspiciously, then… sighed. "Follow me once everyone's on deck. You'll want to hear this."

--<>--

"It all started about the same time that beacon showed up - around three weeks ago."

"Three… hold on, that doesn't line up, does it?"

"Time travel, Wild, remember? That seems accurate, though."

"Ohhh... lemme write that down..."

"Hmmph. Well, anyways, a group went out to Greatfish Isle to see about rebuilding what got wrecked during the whole… y'know." Tetura gestured vaguely, not bringing up the fact that it'd been destroyed because of Ganondorf- Ganodoruv' if you didn't feel like trying to get all those fucked up consonants right. Windy didn't mind mentioning the Gerudo king himself, but for Tetura it was a bit of a touchy subject, not that she'd ever admit it.

"They're still not back?" Windy guessed.

Tetura nodded. "Another group was sent out. They were all found dead, the poor bastards, save for one, a Rito hen. She was babbling about caves and ghosts, and apparently claimed that their leader had gone mad and killed everyone else."

A murmur rippled through the group, followed by concerned glances and whispers. "Has this person recovered?" asked Time, no longer wearing Mikau's Mask. Wild and Talien had transformed back as well, though all three of them seemed a bit uncomfortable, rubbing at their necks. Windy didn't know a lot about shapeshifting, but growing gills was probably really uncomfortable, so he figured it was just that.

"Aye, but she's not talking," said Tetura, "and I don't blame her. The second group found those caverns she was talking about, and there's something deeply fucked up with them." She looked to the side. "Since then, nobody's been willing to go anywhere near Greatfish, which is a big damn problem 'cause it's right between Outset and Three-Eye - that is, the biggest food hub on the Sea, and the Pirate's Market. Every illegitimate trader is cut off from a regular food supply, and that's most of them."

"In this era, pirates and the black market really are the closest equivalent to a true government," explained Warriors to the rest of the group. "The monarchy still has enough control that they can't operate normally, but it's an open secret. The monarchy does nothing to help people, and it's only because of pirates and thieves that the descendants of Hyrule survive. I think the postal service is the only thing the monarchy actually supports."

"Not anymore," corrected Tetura. "They pulled funding two months ago. A good quarter of the postbirds resigned 'cause they couldn't afford to continue, but the rest are making do while my crew and I work on finding an alternative support system. The money they have left is dwindling, and Greatfish was our biggest hope - there's a lot of rupees left behind in the wreckage, and it's the Rito getting most of it. Not as important as the whole trade route issue, but definitely the most urgent thing- Three-Eye will be fine for a few weeks, they’ve got the supplies."

"W-would it not- wouldn't that money go back to th-the people who lived there?" asked Sky.

"Uh, no?" said Tetura bluntly. "They left it behind, it's salvage now. They're getting their land back but that's it. Anything left behind is fair game."

"But- it's not their fault th-that the island was destroyed!"

Tetura shrugged. "Sure isn't. That's why they're getting their land back. Look, dude, the Rito need the money, and right now that means salvaging Greatfish. But nobody is gonna be able to go there until whatever caused this whole thing is dealt with."

"You're asking us to deal with this, is that it?" said Talien, eyes narrowed.

Tetura nodded. "Usually I'd just send Windy, but I feel better sending him in with backup so he doesn't come back crying for my help."

"That has never happened once and you know it."

"We can help!" said Wild. "I mean - I dunno if anyone wants to stay behind, or…"

"It's best we travel as a group," said Time. "Safety in numbers."

Sky's ears drooped. "Oh, um… I- I don't really do well with - with caves…"

"I don't trust you enough to put myself in danger for you," said Faron simply. At least xe was being honest about it.

Tetura smirked. "I like you,” she told Faron. “Well, either way, you're not staying on the ship. Windy, how close can you get us to Greatfish Isle?"

"Pretty close."

"Good. The rest of you - figure out what you're doing. We'll make landfall within the hour."

<>

Windy stood abaft upon the Davokini Sipathi, breathing in the ocean air.

"Whenever you're ready," said Tetura gently. "Don't push yourself."

"You almost sound like you care about me," said Windy.

"I care about my most useful crew member not passing out again. Just get us to Greatfish and let the rest of us handle the ship."

Windy nodded, and Tetura left, barking orders to the crew as they readied the Sipathi for diving. Behind him, he heard some of the other travellers talking to each other in confusion - Wild and Wolf, with Four quietly observing.

They want a show, do they? Well let's see if I can't give them one.

"I kalo tu zu, Sikulo!"

The air itself shifted, and the Waker of the Winds knew his voice was heard.

“Ako’o ti rokasi’i o’v ti Zote’n! I kalo tu sa Iro ana Waki! Pemi tithi kalavi, Dakovini Sipathi, save taveli to zu anemo! Taveli tithi kalavi to ti lokatisu i desiri!”

Windy forced himself not to laugh as Wolf, Four, and Wild all watched with gaping jaws. They were joined by the other travellers soon enough as the winds began to howl and the ship began to rock. Even Time and Warriors, who had seen him perform far more amazing feats, looked impressed.

The Hero of Time was impressed by him. He was gonna be riding that high for weeks.

The actual prayer itself was the easy part, especially considering how many times he’d done this since receiving Sikulo’s blessing. The hard part was remembering the very precise gibberish that would lead him where he needed to go. In theory, there were words that could take him to any part of the Great Sea. In practice, there were about five or six he’d memorized and could recite by heart.

“Volumi kesera, viritu sovata! Nikwi, nikwi, volumi esetila! Esalu asapu!”

Lightning crashed, and Windy silently prayed that he got it right, and they wouldn’t come out in front of the Tower of the Gods again.

The winds screamed with the voices of the dead, and Tetura’s commands were drowned out by the storm. The waves crashed and fell, swirling, swirling, swirling.

In front of the ship, a vortex opened.

The Dakovini Sipathi went in.

And everything was silent.

This is always the best part, thought Windy, even as he put all his concentration on the air tunnel that kept the ship safe even as the ocean crashed above them. The winds forced the water back, creating a bubble of breathable air, but only for as long as Windy could maintain it.

Magic, in his experience, felt like… like cold springwater. Crisp and refreshing but impossible to describe the details of- what does water even taste like, after all? It just tastes like water. And magic just feels like magic. It is cold and sharp but it keeps you safe. It’s like the ocean. Full of life, but full of poison, and if you dive too deep you might never find your way out. Water can power vast machines, can support ships the size of islands. All life depends on it. It can kill you without remorse.

His soul felt like a freshwater spring, and the river of his veins carried that crystalline life to the Baton in his hand. Because normal people couldn’t just use magic like that, not without an item. Because normal people couldn’t Sense with the winds, couldn’t command the air itself, couldn’t speak to the gods and expect an answer every time. So instead he carried the Wind Waker’s Baton, the same one every Waker before him has carried.

The winds sang for him.

--<>--

The ship was underwater.

The whole entire ship was underwater.

Legend felt about three steps away from either a meltdown or a panic attack, and he was not about to let a bunch of near-strangers (plus Wild and the Captain) watch him break down under the weight of his own stupid, broken brain.

A pressure appeared at his arm, and he flinched back, nearly slapping it away. But… then he saw Faron, standing there with those impossibly dark eyes of xirs. “What do you want?” he asked. It came out as a sharp, growled demand, and he waited for Faron to get angry at him. But xe didn’t.

“Look,” was all xe said, pointing up. And so Legend looked.

It was beautiful, and horrifying.

The sun was far, far above them, so far that its rays felt like they were stretching out, doing their best to reach for the ship with distant, golden fingers. Strange creatures with twisted, deformed bodies, swam peacefully between decaying stone. Pillars of marble, overgrown with algae. One fish- if Legend could even call it that- poked its head through whatever magic barrier Windy was maintaining. Its eyes were huge, bulging, scarlet. It had three of them- one on the left, and two overlapping growths on the right. It resembled a massive catfish, but only if that catfish had been drawn by someone more accustomed to drawing monsters and demons.

All the fish were like that, warped and twisted and wrong, and Legend had to reach for the Moon Pearl hidden beneath his tunics to reassure himself he hadn’t fallen into the Dark World again, that his hands were still hands and his body was his own.

“The hell kinda ocean is this?” wondered Legend.

Faron hummed. “One that was not healthy for a long time,” xe eventually replied. “I think it is getting better, though.”

“You call this better?”

“It’s alive,” said Faron. “That’s a lot better than a dead ocean.”

Huh. That was… a weird way of looking at it, but xe did have a point. A few of the sailors, no longer at the beck and call of Captain Tetra’s every word, were shouting and laughing as they tried to harpoon some kind of five-headed eel, probably big enough to feed a small family for a week. What had Time called these people? “Ritokwati”? He’d heard of the Rito before, and while a few of the crew definitely fit the bill- or beak, rather- the rest were Human- the same sort of Human as Windy, and apparently Warriors too. Where was the captain, anyways?

Ah, speak of Demise. A shifting of metal alerted Legend to a new presence, and he glanced over to catch the tail end of whatever the captain had been saying. “Repeat that a second?”

”I said, it’s nice to see the Great Sea again,” said Warriors, a nostalgic look on his face. ”There’s nothing that’s quite the same.”

“Yeah, I bet you can’t find horrible monster fish anywhere else, huh. What a shame.”

Warriors laughed his usual hoarse, broken laugh. ”Exactly! It was strange seeing ‘normal’ fish for the first time; it was like someone had taken what I’d consider to be a normal fish and turned it into the fish equivalent of a poodle, then dyed it for good measure. I thought someone was playing a prank on me.”

“Every world I’ve seen with you guys has been like that,” said Faron quietly. “I like this one, though. It doesn’t feel fake.”

Legend suddenly felt the urge to put the strange, feral Faechild in a soft blanket and give xem a mug of hot cider. He took that urge, stuffed it in a bottle, and threw the bottle in a ditch. He was absolutely not going to go soft for this strange little creature, not when he knew that, sooner or later, this little divine quest would inevitably end in tragedy.

Without him noticing, one of his hands rose up to touch the glazed metal of the flower pin keeping the hair out of his eyes. Nothing good ever lasted, not for him.

Though, then again… it would be nice to have some good memories to look back on, at least. And so Legend watched as the strange, twisted monsters in the water swam peacefully through the ancient wreckage.

Chapter Text

Story Two: Swallowed in the Sea

Part Two: Don’t You Know, You Never Split the Party

Zalle Faronnen, Hero of Warriors, prided herself on her knowledge of history.

It was a vital thing to know when dealing with time travel, especially on the scale seen in the War of Ages- a scale that nobody had ever seen before, or ever would again. Knowing why there were people with giant birds to whom they referred to as their souls, or why most of the Gerudo were seconds away from throwing hands with every Hylian they saw, or why the Zora refused to talk to anyone. Learning that some monsters had their own languages and cultures, no matter how much the crown wanted to deny it.

In every history, though, you would inevitably find a Hero. Some of them were hard to find- hidden in footnotes and fairytales- but they were always there, varying constantly in gender, species, and trade. Sometimes they had titles and wielded some magic sword or other, but more often than not they were simply people who enacted change, who saw the evil in the world and did something about it. Furthermore, they were usually well-respected, either by the crown they served, or for the underclass they fought for- rarely ever both, though there were always exceptions.

In fact, in her travels, Warriors had found that the gold symbol on her hand and the voices in her chest got her more knowledge and respect than any title or rank. There was always someone who knew the Hero, who knew some queer stranger with a dozen voices and the blessing of the gods.

This did not include the Great Sea.

This did not include the Great Sea, because Windy was as much of a damn celebrity as Warriors herself, and that meant nobody gave two shits about the Hero, because the Hero was a sassy little boy with a big head and a bigger mouth, who reincarnated along a Royal who wore no crown, but was instead a Pirate Queen.

Warriors sighed as the crew of the Dakovini Sipathi practically threw her and the other Heroes- sorry, completely random travellers with zero connection- into a lifeboat and immediately prepared to set sail again. The ship had docked the previous night, and the group had been grabbed from their beds the moment the sun met the horizon.

“We’ll pick you up some time tomorrow, probably,” said the teenage version of Pirate Queen Tetura casually, picking at her fingernails. “Depends on when it’s convenient. Any rupees or treasure you find here goes back to the postbirds, and if I catch you stealing anything, I’ll steal it right back. So don’t let me catch you.” She hummed, tapping her chin in thought. “Uh… don’t die, or whatever. I think that’s about it. Oh, yeah, and- do your damn jobs.”

With that cheerful pep talk finished, she grabbed a rope and was pulled right back up to the deck. The sails unfurled, the winds blew, and the ship sailed swiftly into the distance.

“Asshole,” muttered Talia.

“I mean, she gave us a boat and supplies,” said Wild. “That’s pretty nice.”

“Wild, your standard for what constitutes ‘nice’ consists of nothing more than whether or not the person actively tried to murder you. I refuse to trust your judgement on these things.”

“Hey, you’re learning!” said Wolf cheerfully. Talia just glared daggers at him.

Sky, actually remembering they needed to do something despite looking half-dead in his state of "forcibly woken up", sat down and began rowing towards the nearby island- or maybe he just wanted to get it all done and over with and go back to sleep. Talia nearly fell off as the boat unexpectedly moved, but she managed to catch herself. Her face was pale under her mask, her dark eyes staring at the water in fear.

“Let’s just get to shore already,” she grumbled, grabbing the other pair of oars. “I wanna get out of this horrible place as soon as possible.”

Zalle watched Windy’s shoulders fall, but held her tongue.

--<>--

“This place is a wreck,” said Four, his eyes flashing a vibrant blue, the same as they so often were when he spoke with clear disdain or frustration.

Faron giggled. “It was wrecked,” xe pointed out. Four nodded in agreement with a 'you got me there' noise.

The rest of the group had spread out on Windy’s orders, searching for the caverns that Captain Tetra had talked about. Sky, who'd already proven his limited stamina earlier in the forest, paired with Wolf, who was massive and buff as hell and could probably bench press a hinox. Time, Windy, and Warriors had gone off together, probably to reminisce again. Wild had stolen away Talien. So… that just left Four and xemself.

Sure, leave two of the smallest members together to fend for themselves. Thanks.

In all honesty, though, Faron wasn't complaining. After the claustrophobia of that strange floating building, xe was ready to get away from the crowd. Unfortunately, that'd also meant leaving the familiar (a dangerous sea full of monsters) for the unknown (a calm, peaceful island). It was rather reassuring to know there really was some dark, unknown danger lurking somewhere. Otherwise xe'd've started getting paranoid.

It really was a stark difference, comparing what Faron knew as Hyrule to what everyone else called Hyrule. Xe'd known the Boar's reign had made things worse, but to actually see what'd been lost…

Was… was xir home really that bad? No, it couldn't be, right? These places they'd seen, they were - they were just outliers- xir home was probably closer to the norm, really. And besides, just because a place looked lush and vibrant didn't mean it was safe- xe'd learned that lesson the hard way.

Yeah. That was it. Xe was just overreacting. When the portals led them all back to xir world it'd all be fine. They'll all know about Achemen and Dairas and they can share stories about what strange things they've eaten to avoid starvation and what sorts of brushes with death they've had and- and -

…oh, who the hell was xe kidding. Xe was just lucky the Hero of Legend wasn't in the group. Xe didn't think xe could deal with the disappointment of xir predecessor.

Faron groaned as xe shuffled through the wreckage, getting the attention of Four. "You okay?" he asked, his blue eyes gaining an amber gleam.

"Yes." The easiest lie, really - "okay" was such a loose concept.

"Mm." The amber glint didn't fade, but Four still went back to searching. Faron wondered if he'd like his doll again. He usually liked having it when his eyes were red, not that Faron had completely sussed out what that meant. It probably had to do with the smithy's aura being split in four, but maybe some people were just like that?

Either way, Faron dug through xir bag for the little doll that Four had insisted xe keep, and wordlessly offered it to Four, tapping it against his shoulder.

Four frowned in what Faron was able to identify as confusion. "Why…?"

Faron just tapped xir zygomatic arch to indicate xir eyes, and Four paled, glancing around in fear. "It is unlikely for anyone else to have noticed," Faron assured him. Unlikely, but still the case- that weirdly familiar Kokiri clearly knew way more than he let on.

Four nodded, but still handed the doll back. Instead of the usual flickering and spinning of colors, his eyes were doused in emerald, almost forcefully.

They both went back to searching.

<>

Some forty minutes later, Wild called them all back, exclaiming that he'd found something. "There's a tunnel below one of th’ houses,” he explained once they’d all reconvened on the shore. “It’s pretty steep, an it goes under th’ water, but there's pitons and rope- someone climbed down there, an' recently.”

Windy nodded. “That’ll be it, then.”

Faron cringed, not at all willing to just go cave diving on behalf of someone xe barely knew. Talien felt the same way, it seemed. “I’ll not be returning to the water. I’ve had enough of that for a week.”

“We don’t all have to go,” said Windy.

Captain Faronnen frowned. ”We shouldn’t split up…”

“I don’t think we’ve a choice,” said Time simply, gesturing to Talien, who nodded.

The Captain scowled and pulled up his hands to sign, before shaking his head, clearly having changed his mind on something. "Alright. Who all is going, then?"

"Well I am, obviously," said Windy. That at least made sense to Faron- Windy was clearly close to Captain Tetra, and both likely owed each other plenty of favors.

And then Wild, Time, and Sky volunteered as well, and Faron was confused again. None of them owed Captain Tetra anything. They didn't owe the people who'd lived here, they didn't owe the two scout groups, they didn't owe the "male birds", whatever that meant… and the only hypothetical reward was the chance that this might be related to this divine quest?

As Captain Faronnen started discussing tactics with the faction of the group following him down, Faron fished out the strange glass orb xe'd been gifted. It didn't show the ranch anymore, strangely, but instead there was a little wooden carving of Greatfish Isle, surrounded by glittering blue liquid.

Strange. And still not an answer. Save for the Captain, everyone had understood what their gifts meant. But Faron didn't. Xe wasn't even sure what their mysterious patron could even offer xem. Safety? Home? Shelter? They would have to change the fundamental nature of either Faron or Hyrule itself, and neither of those were options Faron would accept.

"You guys can keep searching the island," said Windy, pulling Faron out of xir thoughts and back into reality. "Tet'ra said we can't keep any money or treasure, but I'm sure there's other salvage around here!"

"Ah'll see if ah can't tidy up some of the ruined buildings," decided Wolf, stretching his back. "Ah need the workout."

"No you don't," said Talien, scrunching his nose like he'd encountered a bad smell. "You're already built like a brick shithouse."

Wolf grinned. "Yer just jealous 'cause yer a twig," he drawled.

"Excuse me-"

"Leaving now!" announced Wild. "Off t' go explore a scary an' unknown cave!"

Wolf just shooed him away. "Yeah, yeah, don't die," he said, rolling his eyes, his words contradicting the hints of fear and anxiety that curled around him like spices.

Wild laughed. "No promises!"

--<>--

One by one, the team of five left the other four Heroes behind.

Time and Wild entered the cave first, both wearing their Zora forms, thus preventing the possibility of them drowning should a cave-in occur. Wild lit the way with a strange, bulky lantern, its glass illuminated by the pale, glowing stone held inside, which was shaped like a star, or perhaps a sea urchin.

It didn't take long for them to find a path into a hollow cavern, and soon Sky, Windy, and the Captain followed along, the first using a magic item to assist in his swimming, and the latter two just relying on their natural aptitude. The path was tight, though, and both Sky and the Captain had to shed their excess clothing and armor - and, for the second time now, their heavy boots.

The Captain grimaced as she sat on the water's edge, wringing out her scarf. She unravelled it section by section from her back, even as Wild began to explore the cavern- his Zora body discarded and his face covered by that strange mask once again- leaving their light source behind with everyone else.

"Could you not have j-just, put th-that away? So it, um, didn't get wet?" asked Sky, sleepily marvelling at what had been skillfully disguised as nothing more than a small cloak. The Captain, predictably, scowled at him.

"Wars loooves that scarf," said Windy, grinning. "I don't think I've ever seen he- him without it, actually." The Captain nodded in confirmation, looking terribly proud of herself.

Sky nodded. "I understand. I- I'd be th-the same with my Sailcloth if it, um, if it didn't belong to - to my girlfriend."

Windy gasped. "You have a girlfriend?"

The Captain, always eager for drama, pretended to keep her attention on the scarf, despite the way both her ears shifted just to hear Sky. Time held back a laugh, and gave his sister a knowing look.

"Her name is Zelda," said Sky dreamily, piquing everyone's attention. "She's amazing. Sh-she's my, my best friend, other than Aia- m-my Loftwing."

"Y'r best friend is y'r giant bird?" asked Wild.

Oblivious to any possible malice, Sky nodded. "She's th-the best. She, um, she's a Crimson Loftwing, which, everyone th-thought they had died out? Because th-they're really rare. I, I think Aia might be the last one."

Wild frowned. "Oh," he said sadly. "I, um- anyways, I found th' way further in? So if everyone's ready…"

Time gave a quick assessment of the others, letting his red eye See right through them, if only for a moment. He nodded, pulling himself to his feet, Mikau's Mask still firmly in place. "Let's go."

--<>--

"Well that settles it," signed Warriors, glaring at the circular room of unlit wall torches like it'd personally offended him.

Windy groaned, tugging at his ears. "I thought I'd found all of these," he whined, upset either with the room, himself, or both. Time and Sky seemed to agree.

"All of what?" asked Wild. Time looked at him weirdly, but Windy just waved a flippant hand.

"Dungeons," he explained.

"Like… like a prison?"

"No- well, I mean, sometimes," said Windy confusingly. "Y'know, like - big cave or temple or whatever, lots of rooms and monsters and chests and puzzles and then some big thing guarding it at the end?"

"Oh!" said Wild, snapping his fingers. "Like a Shrine!"

"Is that what they're called in your era, then?" asked Time.

Wild nodded. "They fit th' description." Not all Shrines had multiple rooms, mind you, but everything else was the same! Puzzles and chests and a Sheikah monk at the end, and Guardian Scouts to test your combat, or see if you could solve the puzzle even during a battle. "They look pretty different, though - I've ne'er seen a Shrine y' could just walk into like this."

"It's probably been abandoned," explained Warriors. ”This era's King of Monsters is dead, so there's nothing keeping this place under its protection."

"And yet people have died from whatever is down here," Time reminded them.

Warriors frowned, glancing over at Sky. "You're still certain you want to come along?"

Sky nodded, though it was clear his confidence wasn't steadfast. "I do. I- I still don't know what my- what my role is, here, but… I want to find out."

"So this is one of those puzzles, then, y' think?" Wild wondered. "Do y' just gotta light up th' torches, then?"

"We don't have any fire," said Windy.

"I do!" Wild reached for his Slate, pulling a fire arrow from it like it was a quiver. Instead of shooting it, he just broke the arrowhead on one of the torches, igniting it.

Warriors nodded in appreciation. "That'll do quite well."

The ceiling above the torch lit up red as soon as the smoke reached it, and a small panel retreated into the stone. Seawater fell from the hole, dousing the flames.

"Or not."

"They're never that easy," said Windy.

"M-maybe we have to, to light them all at once?" suggested Sky.

"Ooh! Maybe if we took all the torches out of the wall and put 'em in a pile…!"

Time shook his head. "We have to consider that someone else came through this way- people that were equipped for a salvage operation, not a dungeon crawl. And, like the Captain said - nobody maintaining any of this means nobody to reset the traps."

Sky cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy. "Why do people bui… b… con-struct. Places like th-this?"

"To protect something," explained Warriors. "Something dangerous or valuable, usually. Dungeons are like vaults, in a way - if vaults killed you for not knowing the combination. Of course, there has to be a combination, if only so that people can ensure the traps still work, and that's what you can exploit."

"Hey, Windy? What other species mighta been on that team?" asked Wild once Sky seemed to get the picture.

"Uh… mostly Hylians and Rito," he answered. "I mean - Ritokwati Hylians. I don't usually need to specify… Mighta been a Goron with them… wait, no, if there was he wouldn'ta been able to get through the tunnel…"

"Are th' Rito here archers?"

"Archers?"

"Va, it's a big cultural thing for th' ones in my era, so if that's th' same here, I might have an idea."

"I don't think so… I mean, I'm sure some of them are, but…"

"You're sure there wasn't another path you missed?" asked Time.

"Pretty sure."

Time nodded. "In that case, I'd suggest trying what it is you have in mind. Those salvagers got through here before, so there must be a path."

"Gotcha." Wild paused, looking at the positions of each torch. "In that case… could y' all get on th' ground a sec? I don' wanna shoot anyone on accident."

The four of them all agreed, crouching or kneeling to keep out of the way. As soon as their eyes were all off of him, Wild summoned a red and black bow with a scrap of blue fabric on it, pulled back the string, and grabbed.

Time itself slowed to a crawl. Summoning each arrow out of nothingness, Wild fired, again and again and again, adjusting his aim in milliseconds, the air itself being the only thing to slow him down.

The arrows hit their mark, and reality resumed. The air hit his ears like an explosion, and Wild gasped for breath, falling to his knees as the energy drain caught up to him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sky getting up, looking concerned.

"I'm good!" Wild insisted. "Just - hh - doing that takes a lot outta me."

"What- what was that?" said Sky, helping Wild back to his feet.

"Uhhhhhh…" Wild weighed the options in his head- the relief of not worrying about a secret and being able to talk about it to others… versus Wolf's disappointment and the chance of the other travellers being weirded out by him. "My archery teacher was a Rito who'd perfected this sorta, wind magic? Lets me do some cool trickshot kinda stuff." There! Not technically a lie! Revali's Gale really did let him pull off some neat stunts, back when he'd had access to it!

Wait.

Fuck.

He'd still never let Revali know he was okay.

Wild groaned, and Sky just looked more concerned. "Wild…?"

"Don' worry about it. I jus', uh… I'm jus' a bit drained."

Warriors snapped to get their attention. "Whatever you did worked," he signed, jerking his thumb at a newly exposed doorway. "We'll keep going as soon as you're ready."

"Y-yeah… uh, c'n I stay back here f'r like, five minutes? Catch my breath an' all that…"

Understandably, the others looked somewhat hesitant - save for Sky, who was apparently the most innocent and naive ray of sunshine in the world. "Go ahead!"

"We're taking the lamp," said Time in a tone that left little room for questions. "Your slate emits enough light that you'll be able to see."

"Oh, I c'n see in th' dark," Wild assured them, tapping the layer of Sheikah technology that covered his scars. "I'll be just fine."

"If you say so."

As the group continued, he heard Sky ask, "Wait, if you two don't, um, if you use sound to "see", and W-Wild has his… mask, thing… are Time and I th-the only ones who need the lantern?"

"Oh, not at all. I can see just fine in the dark."

"Oh, okay."

--<>--

Back on the surface, Wolf huffed in annoyance as he looked down at Talien, who looked for all the world to be relaxing peacefully in the sunshine.

"Ya could get up and do sumthin' y'know."

"I could," agreed Talien.

He did not elaborate on this.

Wolf just rolled his eyes. "Yer so-called "expertise" hasn't come much in handy so far."

"Other than identifying the magic items we've been given, assisting the Captain and your friend with a rescue operation, keeping said friend safe during half-dozen mad schemes and preventing another half-dozen from ever occurring…"

Damn. That was fair. But at the same time… "Y'know, ah think, every time we haven't all been actively doin' something, ah've seen ya just… lazing around."

Talien stiffened. "I am not -"

"Yer doing it right now!"

There was a brief silence. "I am resting. I don't like boats and I especially don't like islands. If there was an urgent task that absolutely required me, I would offer my services."

"Yer services. Ya sound like a merchant."

"Do I? I suppose they have been rubbing off on me after all."

"They?"

"My roommate. He's a merchant before an enchanter," Talien explained, scowling. "Not by choice, mind you- uh, the roommate part, I mean- but being a record keeper doesn't provide the best salary."

Deciding that he needed a break anyways, Wolf plopped down next to the veteran traveller in the sand. "What kinda records?"

"Mm… historical records, mostly, to be sent back to the Royal Library." Talien's expression softened ever so slightly. "But whenever possible, I do what I can to preserve other things, too. Folktales and traditions, stories and myths. Things passed on between generations, kept intact by oral tradition. Things that wouldn't be written down because everyone knows them."

"Keeper of Stories," recalled Wolf.

"Mm."

The waves crashed softly against the sand, nearly lapping at Talien's boots. As if on cue, his face tensed up again, and he scratched at the sides of his neck.

"Where'd ya get the idea for that?"

Talien froze, and for a second Wolf swore that the waves did too. "...on an island. It… a lot of things got lost because of a disaster, so I wanted to keep that happening to anyone else."

"Huh. That's a much more selfless motivation than ah'da thought."

Talien hummed, and just below his breath, quiet enough that no normal Hylian could've heard it, he said something different.

"No. It's simply repaying for past deeds."

The waves crept up around Talien's boots, and he got up, leaving both the beachside and Wolf, who could only wonder.

--<>--

"Where. The FUCK. Have you BEEN!?"

"The distant past?" offered Wild meekly.

Revali just screeched, and Wild thanked Lady Farore that nobody else could hear him.

(Deeper in the tunnel, Windy rubbed the side of his head. "Anyone hear that?")

("Hear what?")

("Ach, musta been my imagination.")

"I'm sorry!" cried Wild in a hushed whisper. "I forgot t' write it down!"

"It's been weeks, kid! Do you know how many people are ready to fucking storm Hateno and demand Flora tell them where you are!?"

"I know, I know, I'm so so sorry, I - oh Ganon, she must be so worried -"

"We've all been worried, Vatekru," said Revali, softer now as his feathers fell back into place after being puffed up in his frustration. "You could've been at the bottom of the ocean and we'd never have known."

("I- I'm gonna go check on Wild a second.")

("What for?")

("I, uh… I dunno, just a bad feeling.")

"I'm not, thankfully."

Revali scoffed. "Clearly."

"But I also don't really know where I am… or how to get back."

"If course not."

"It's… really complicated," said Wild, staring down at the softly pulsing jade in his hand, carved into the Rito emblem. "I don' even fully understand it yet. When I get some more time I'll explain it to you -"

"Did you get to meet the real actual Guardian of Outset? The Hero?"

"I did!" said Wild excitedly. "He's actually one of th' people I'm kinda hiding from - not in a bad way! They're friends! I just don' wanna explain why I'm talking t' thin air."

"Hmm." Revali's gaze slid to the side, peering at something at Wild's back. "Well you're gonna have to explain it to that toddler over there."

"What -"

"HEY!" yelled Windy indignantly, pointing directly at Revali. "I'm seventeen, you bitch!"

"What is happening right now," asked Wild of nobody in particular.

"Who knows, but it's not my problem," said Revali cheerfully, slowly fading back into the ether.

"VALI! GET BACK HERE AN' FACE TH' CONSEQUENCES OF Y'R ACTIONS!"

"Goodbyee~!"

A pause.

Another pause.

A third pause, just for fun.

"I'm gonna kill him," said Wild flatly, his mechanical "eye" glowing sharply in the darkness. "I'm gonna bring him back t' life an' them I'm gonna strangle 'im like the goose he is."

Windy cocked his head. "Were you planning on mentioning you're being haunted by a dead Rito?"

Wild flinched. "Were y' plannin' on mentionin' you c'n see ghosts?"

"Touché."

--<>--

Zalle perked up as she heard two sets of footsteps approaching the room. "Oh th-thaank the Sspirits," she whispered to herself. It was quiet enough for Sky not to notice, but not quiet enough for Time.

"Getting bored back there?"

Warriors just grunted, making Time smirk, never looking away from his target.

"I th-think that's all of them?" said Sky uncertainty, peering into the dark, vast canyon between the group and the next door. The door was situated on a low ledge, and so Sky had suggested gliding over with his Sailcloth, but that was shot down as he had no way of getting back up. So instead, Time had tried to get across with his hookshot, but unfortunately…

"All of what?" asked Windy as he entered the room, Wild in tow.

"Octoroks," said Time, filling the word with the sort of utter disdain and disgust only reserved for the worst devils of the Dark World. "The canyon here was filled with them. One nearly broke my arm when I tried to get across."

Wild and Windy both shuddered in understanding. "Can we all get across? I know you two have hookshots, and I've got my grappling hook, but…"

"M-my Sailcloth will let me glide," said Sky, lifting up one corner of it.

"I've got a paraglider," said Wild. "Uh, I c'n just fly down there an' check if there's any octos left?" he offered.

"It's too deep," signed Warriors, "and there's a river at the bottom."

"It's alright!" Sky assured them. "W-we got all of th-the ones that were there!"

Everyone waited in the hopes of a comedically timed boulder shot up from the canyon's depths, but sadly, none came.

"We should be safe to try crossing again," signed Warriors.

At the same time, though, Time nodded. "Good enough. Let's try again, then."

There was a brief pause. Time clearly hadn't noticed Zalle's signs, what with his back being turned to her. The other three Heroes glanced back and forth between the two, as if waiting for instruction. Soon enough Wild went across on his own, jumping off with complete faith in his odd contraption of wood and cloth.

Warriors listened to the others each take their turn in reaching the door, but her focus remained on Time.

Had a mere couple of decades changed him so drastically, when he'd already lived for uncountable centuries? What had happened to the Sprite that looked out only for himself, who took weeks to even remember to consider other people in a fight? Was this the Deity's doing?

Zalle sighed. This wasn't the time for answerless quandaries. She had a mission to accomplish and a group of Heroes to observe.

"Sky, you have your sailcloth, Time and I have hookshots, Windy, you've got that grappling hook… so everyone should be good to cross."

"I'll go first!"

"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" Wild jumped up and down, waving his arms frantically from across the canyon. "There's no' as much room o'er here as it seems like! Time or Windy could maybe fit but that's it!"

"Is the door locked?" questioned Windy.

"Nah, jus' stuck! I'm no' strong enough to make it budge!"

Time hummed. "If there's so little room, there's no room for me to use Darmani's Mask. Or the Bomb Mask."

"Why in the name of the Spirits of Good do you still have that thing!?"

Time shrugged unrepentantly. "Useful. Windy wouldn't be able to use his hammer, either…"

"Can Wild get back up?"

Windy yelled out the question for Warriors, and Wild didn't bother responding, just flew back over. With his wings.

Standing before them was a birdfolk with pale blue feathers and braided hair, wearing a simple outfit of leather and thick cloth. The most noticeable thing, though, was not the wings, or the beak, or any of that. No, it was the scars.

Oh, Warriors had seen them earlier, sure, when Wild had turned into a Zora. But she'd been far too distracted to notice. Now she had an opportunity to stare, even if she didn't want to.

Zalle understood now that the burn scars completely covered the left side of Wild's face, head, neck, shoulder- the tunic covered his chest, but it was likely the scars reached down beneath it, perhaps even his waist. The skin, no longer covered by that oddly modern-looking mask, was raw and pulled taut, seeming more like a freshly-healed wound than the old, old scars they must've been. Wild's movement wasn't hindered by them, but his left eyelid drooped over a milky eye, and all the feathers had been either plucked out or burned away.

Time narrowed his eyes. "You can turn into a Watarara."

Wild cocked his head to the side, his feathered crest bobbing along with the movement. "I dunno what that is, but I'm guessin' it's another word for Rito?'

"A really really old word for them," Windy corrected. "What happened to your face?"

Wild flinched back slightly, feeling his face with a feathered hand- but, no, it wasn't feathered, but covered in the same cloth as that paraglider to form a prosthetic of sorts. "O-oh. Right. Forgot my mask don' fit on this face…"

"I-it's fine!" insisted Windy, holding up his hands in surrender. "I shouldn't have asked… you don't have to say anything. I promise."

"...thanks," said Wild, uncharacteristically reserved. "But, um- you guys can go ahead an' do whate'er it is y're plannin' on."

The group went quiet after that. Windy hopped across the canyon with his grappling hook and bashed the doors in with an absolutely massive hammer. The rest all followed him across in their own ways, with Wild using his paraglider instead of keeping his wings.

Odd. Sky seemed to've been fascinated with this new form. It could be the scars, but…

No. That didn't matter. They had a quest to complete.

--<>--

"Hey. Wolf."

"Yeh?"

"Where'd Four and Faron go?"

Wolf froze. "That, is a fantastic question. Ah've no clue."

"Do you think we should be worried?"

"... only if we hear screamin'."

"Wow. You're a terrible parent."

Wolf sputtered in anger as Legend fiddled a rusted wisp circuit he was gonna repair at least two months ago now. "Parent!?"

"Is Wild not your kid?" Legend was at least 95% certain that wasn't possible, but Wolf was so terribly easy to rile up.

"Ah mean- kinda?" Wolf offered, utterly confounded. "Ah helped him get his footing back after he lost 'is memory, but he's older than ah am, not to mention far more experienced."

Now that was interesting. "Yes, the whole "Hero" thing. Do you really believe in that? The Endless Cycle?"

Wolf scoffed. "Hell naw. But ah do believe Wild's done some pretty heroic shit, even if he don't look it."

"He doesn't look… that bad." That was a lie. Every day since their first meeting Wild's thin veneer of normalcy slipped further and further.

"You've only seen him when he's making an effort to look proper, Talien."

"Golden Three."

"Yeah."

Legend stretched, popping at least a half dozen bones, making Wolf look vaguely horrified. An appropriate reaction, honestly. "How's the scavenger hunt going?"

"Eh? Oh, uh, the kids took charge of that."

"The kids?"

Wolf nodded. "Four and Faron."

Legend decided it would be funniest to let Wolf say this in front of the two aforementioned "kids" and see if he came out alive. "Quaint. Whatever have you been busying yourself with in the meantime, then?"

Wolf's posture shifted suddenly, his face falling. "You remember that moblin Wild and I fought? Ah took a sample of some of its blood. Ah was gonna bring it up later but-"

"Are you insane?" This absolute idiot was going to get himself killed, Legend was certain of it. "Do you know how corrosive Malice is!? Even diluted it'll eat through flesh-"

"It's a good thing ah've had lab safety drilled into my head for years," said Wolf bluntly, taking out a wooden box from his bag. Inside was a sturdy vial, kept cushioned in place by… was that cotton soaked in sundew oil? How'd this country bumpkin not only get sundew oil but also know about its magic properties?

Legend took the vial from him, blinking. "Huh."

Wolf grinned, all teeth and fangs. "Ah don't blame ya, don't worry. Ah woulda done the same."

"I didn't think it was worth trying to sample it," Legend admitted. "But I can work with… no, no, I can't," he realized. "I would need a fully enchanted workspace, protective gear… and that's not me being cautious, that's just standard for working with this shit!"

"Really?" said Wolf, looking legitimately surprised. "Ah mean, gloves an' a heavy apron, sure, but ya just gotta make sure you're working under a bright sun and you're fine."

…either Wolf had no sense of self-preservation, or didn't understand the danger. But neither of those seemed terribly likely based on previous evidence. So Legend, unfortunately, was inclined to believe him.

"How's this," Wolf offered, seeing Legend's hesitance. "Given the pattern so far, we'll eventually end up in Wild's home, an' ah can introduce you to Flora. She's practically an expert on Malice, along with- with- along with being something of a tech genius."

That was not how Wolf was going to end that sentence. If Legend had to guess, he'd say the other expert was Wild- the second person to recognize the black blood as Malice, and the one to receive a vial very similar to the one Wolf had offered.

Legend gave him back the vial. "We'll see. But this isn't something I'm willing to play around with. Dark magic is dangerous."

Wolf chuckled. "Ah know. Trust me- ah know."

--<>--

Wild was a Ganon-damned idiot.

First he'd completely let his guard down around a group of complete strangers, then he'd forgotten to let everyone at home know he wasn't dead, and now this? Putting on the Rito Mask? Giving everyone a second chance to get a nice, proper look at his scars? Oh, they didn't react last time, better make sure they see 'em properly!

Wild wanted to scream and yell and possibly snap something's neck but he was allowed to do exactly none of that because it's not civilized. Ugh. At this rate he'd end up getting skewered for forgetting that people don't take kindly to people worshiping Ganon.

And now, because the universe would never be done with him, there was an underwater puzzle. Which meant wearing the Zora Mask again. Which meant showing everyone his scars again. And since the water down here was so clear, and there was no sun reflecting off the surface, everyone would get a full view of the actual extent of those scars! Hooray!

"It's definitely connected to the sea," Windy confirmed, pulling his hand back out of the water. "Bet you this is how that Rito that survived got out- the water's moving fast enough that the exit has to be pretty big, but I can't see it at all. But a Rito could."

"Oh right, didn't Captain Tetra say somethin' about someone goin' mad?" Wild recalled vaguely. "Shouldn't, uh, shouldn't we be worried about that?"

"If any one of us should attempt to attack the others, it'd be a four-on-one battle," Time pointed out. He'd never taken off his own Zora mask, but remained outside of the water yet. Wild assumed he was using masks, since he didn't know of any other kind of magic item that let people shapeshift, not to mention that weirdly familiar wooden mask that was constantly at his hip.

Windy looked up at Time, frowning. "You good, old man? You sound a bit raspy."

Time rubbed at his neck. "The high salinity has been bothering my gills, I think. Either that or something else in the water."

"Oh, fuck."

Everyone turned to stare at Warriors, who had not only spoken, but had decided his first verbal word would be 'fuck'. This very nearly distracted them from the horrified realization on his expression, or that such realization had moved him to speak.

"There are no Zora in the Great Sea," Warriors explained.

Sky frowned. "Why not?"

"... because the water is toxic," Windy realized, his eye blown wide. "FUCK! I didn't even think- it won't kill you if you accidentally drink some, sure, but it corrodes really soft skin, like gills."

Wild got out of the water at record pace.

"That does put a bit of a damper on our exploration efforts," Time observed, as if his external lungs weren't being dissolved or something. "Talien's form had gills as well. Will she be…?"

"So long as she doesn't go back into the water for too long," Warriors reassured. "It's a very slow thing. But you two shouldn't use those forms anymore."

"I, uh…" Wild removed his mask, letting the Slate steal it away and replace it with ancient technology. "I can't… swim."

"At all?"

"Va."

"You can stick with me," offered Warriors. "I'm a fairly strong swimmer."

"Look, this is all fine and dandy," Windy interrupted, "but what about this puzzle? We're gonna have to go underwater just to see all of it! And I still can't make heads or tails of it!"

Sky turned to him slowly. "You… you can't figure it out."

"Yeah, it's just a bunch of pumice rocks and some slots for them to go in. But like , a good two-thirds of the rocks and slots are identical."

"... right," said Sky slowly.

He then hefted up the rock that was dyed an eye-blinding pink, and put it in the hole that was the same color pink. A light lit up above the door.

"It's color-coded, isn't it."

"Yeah."

"Gods damn it all."

Wait a second…

"This whole place is designed for Rito," realized Wild, pulling up his notes on the Slate. Turns out, recording what you're doing almost every minute of every day can be pretty useful sometimes. "The entryway was too big f'r a Goron. Th' water's toxic to Zora. The fire puzzle- I solved it usin' a trick I learned from a Rito."

"What about the octorock canyon, though?" argued Warriors, though he clearly agreed. "Anyone trying to fly across would've been shot down."

Wild shook his head. "Octorock stones are big enough t' be dodged easily if y're in th' air, an' any Rito worth their salt woulda been able to take 'em out with ease. We only had problems 'cause we were trying to gilde or grapple across."

"But… why, though?" wondered Sky. "What- what reason would anyone h-have to make, um, make that kind of thing? C-Captain Faronnen, you said dungeons are b-built to guard or protect something…"

"Maybe the Rito themselves built this place," offered Windy, trying his best to solve the puzzle on his own. He frowned at Time as he removed the green rock from the purple hole Windy had put it in. "Like- there was something they didn't want anyone else to get to, but then they forgot it was there 'cause it was so secret."

"Or, someone built this all as a trap," signed Warriors. "One that's to be sprung only by Rito."

"But- why would anyone want to- to do that? Do these Rito have, um, some kind of, special power?"

"Kinda?" said Windy. "Not really? There's some kinda cultural thing about "receiving their wings" from their patron, Valoo, but I think that's mostly metaphorical."

"Rito can't maintain powered flight without magic," Warriors explained to him. "That's what Valoo gifts them. But it's a very small thing, as divine blessings go."

"It seems that it's much more likely this place was built by the Rito themselves, then," said Time thoughtfully. "In which case, whatever lies at the end is more likely to be a danger than a simple guarded boon. We should expect the worst."

--<>--

"Is that a Yi- uh, a Sheikah eye?"

Windy squinted into the gloom, a trait that had somehow remained long after Hylians stopped relying on sight. "I think it's just an eye. The Sheikah don't exist anymore."

"That's just what they want you to think," Time muttered darkly.

"You have got to stop saying shit like this, old man."

"Th-the Sheikah are still around?" Sky questioned. "I was- I was told th-they were long gone…"

Time gestured emphatically towards Sky, staring directly at Windy and saying nothing.

"There's not even a puzzle in here," Warriors signed. "Unless there's something written on the walls."

"Jus' a repeatin' pattern," reported Wild. "No variation or anythin'. Jus' the eye."

"Go on ahead then."

"Oh, no, I insist, you go."

"Oh I could never."

"Please, take my-"

Windy shot the eye with an arrow before either of them could continue, and led Time and Sky to join him in ditching the other two."

"We've been spendin' too much time wit' Talien," Wild realized flatly.

"No. No, I was already like that," Warriors admitted. "Let's keep moving before they reach the boss."

Wild frowned. "The what?"

Warriors looked at him oddly. "... nevermind. Just follow me."

--<>--

The inner sanctum was… well, rather disappointing.

Sure, it was big, but that was a necessity; the boss usually needs room to maneuver. You might not be able to use all of that space yourself and might instead be blown up repeatedly by beetle larvae that have no right exploding ten seconds after being born-

She was getting off track. The point was, the boss room was a big cave with a pedestal in the middle and not much else. Though, to be fair, the Rito weren't known for their stonework, and anything wooden would've rotten away years ago.

Oh, and there was also a person standing next to the pedestal. Who was trying to claw Time's face off. That was probably pretty important.

"Try not to severely injure him!" Time yelled about the feral-sounding Rito who was three times his size and actively trying to bite his shield into splinters. "We need to find some way to snap him out of it!"

"I got 'im!"

At Zalle's side, Wild held out his gauntlet and let a golden chain launch from his palm, freezing the Rito in place as soon as it hit him. Wild let the chain go, and a dozen more appeared from thin air to help keep the birdfolk in place. As soon as they appeared, though, they started to shatter, one by one.

As soon as they did, Windy's blade carved through the air, its hourglass glowing the same seaside-teal that wisped its way out from beneath his eyepatch. Glowing light marked out an hourglass shape, and the golden chains slowed in their decay.

Time shuffled his way out from beneath the stased Rito, whispering to himself as he did so. As soon as he could stand, his shield lost to the Rito's maw, he released the spell, creating a pale crystalline shield around his opponent, trapping the bird in place.

Warriors herself pulled the Sand Wand from the infinite pocketspace within her satchel, using it to command the shards of scrap metal kept in the same place. With the Wand's magic she constructed a prison cell with bars of jagged shards, fusing the pieces together with glowing sand that froze into glass at her command.

All of this happened within the same three or so seconds, despite Wild's call-out, meaning that the maddened Rito was frozen in stasis, held in a temporal ebby, imprisoned by a force field, and also barred in with metal and glass.

There was a very, very long pause.

"...huh," said Sky awkwardly. "Uh… g-good job?"

Windy facepalmed. "This is gonna happen a lot, isn't it?"

"Until we get used to working within a team again?” said Time, dislodging his shield from the Rito’s grasp. “Almost certainly."

Warriors signed, massaging the bridge of her nose.

“This is all so weird,” Windy muttered. “That pedestal looks like it should have something on it, right? So where's the boss loot? Fuck- where's the boss? This guy barely put up a fight!”

“In his defense,” said Wild, “we kinda ganged up on ‘im. Bit unfair from th’ get-go.”

“Windy's right,” Time agreed. “I would have expected some sort of artifact here controlling him, as well as something in need of protection. Perhaps even that they were one in the same.”

”Maybe there's something inside of it?”

“No, that'd be too obvious.”

--<>--

Link watched as the other chosen travellers all talked together, functioning like a well-oiled machine. Time, Ajo, and Captain Faronnen all clearly knew each other before all this, while the Captain and Wild had travelled together alongside Talien before meeting up with the main group. And, sure, Link had himself travelled with Windy, but that had just been the young sailor working with Wolf to try and introduce Link to everything he'd "missed out on" by virtue of those two being from the distant future.

Apparently everyone was. Apparently Link was 'the first'. Apparently his own name didn't exist anymore. He didn't mind being called 'Sky', of course, he actually really liked it! If you were allowed to choose your own nickname then he'd absolutely choose 'Sky'!

But it was all starting to grate on him. Especially since they'd arrived in this endless ocean. Everything just seemed… wrong. Irritating. Not that he would show it! He was planning on talking to Wolf about it later- maybe- but he wasn't about to let his own sour mood affect anyone else.

…it's such a beautiful blue…

Sky frowned. When did he get so close to the central podium…? Oh, right, he'd been pacing. He hadn't noticed. Idiot. You'll get yourself killed like that, and you don't want to do that to your friends, do you? They'd grieve you because you went and convinced them you were somebody worth caring about -

No. Stop that. Spiraling isn't focusing. Focus on your steps. Focus on the ground. What about that pattern? Does it indicate a trap? Are you missing some important detail? What are you forgetting?

<>Your accelerated heart rate indicates a state of panic despite the circumstances<> Fi's cold voice says from within his memory. <>Please verbalize your cause of distress<>

But he can't. He… he's…

…it's so calming… I… I need to protect it… I need… I need…

Sky takes a step forwards, and his world is flooded with blue.

--<>--

"...Sky? Buddy? You alright over there?"

"It's okay y' couldn't help out wit' this!" Wild added. "No' everyone's suited for every task!"

"Wow, that's really wise, dude."

"Thanks, it's the prolonged periods of isolation!"

"Boys," Time growled, leveling a stare that would terrify the gods themselves if it wasn't coming from a Kokiri.

Warriors went to ask Sky for his status as well before remembering that he wouldn't hear her without Proxi's help. She instead left the immediate discussion to go approach the First Hero. "Sky?" she signed in his periphery. "Have you found so-"

A loud CRACK was the only hint as to what'd hit Warriors so hard in the stomach as to knock her flat on her ass. She shook her head to dissipate the ringing, only for her to realize, once she could ako'o again, that Sky was holding the Lokomo Sword.

The First Hero, the Forger of the Master Sword, the only Master that blade would ever truly recognize, had her fucking SWORD.

HER SWORD!

Warriors, being the living embodiment of Courage that she was, was kinda pissed.

"Oh my god- WARS, MOVE!"

Years of combat training pushed her to move before she even processed the command, leaving her with a nanosecond space between her and her own blade crashing down on her. She briefly cursed at the inevitable sharpening and polishing it'd need after getting slammed into a pile of rocks, but the collision never came. Instead, momentum was redirected into a backswipe that even Zalle couldn't dodge in time, at least not fully. Even at her best, she couldn't stop the sword's point from tearing at her neck.

If it'd been just a bit deeper, just a bit to the side… she would be bleeding out on the floor.

Sky would have killed her.

Her teammate would have-

No! No, no time for that, not now, he's not in control, we expected this, it's not his fault. Zalle got back up as Sky's attack got wedged into Time's shield, and she readied her stance, both hands gripping the Sand Wand. Time tried to keep his grip on his shield even as Sky tried to yank his sword- Zalle's sword- back. Time lost their deadly little tug-of-war as well as his shield, which was cleaved like firewood.

A replacement was tossed his way by Wild, who then screamed like a damn berserker as he charged Sky with the serrated, boomerang-like knife. Sky dodged the hit. Expecting this, Wild lashed out with his left hand, grabbing at Sky with the same chains he'd used on the now-unconscious Rito. But Sky just tossed a piece of stone into the air, letting it take the chains for him. He took advantage of Wild's momentary confusion to steal his blade, too, replacing the whip in his left hand with the curved knife, holding it like a parrying dagger.

"Sky! Dude, chill!" yelled Windy, swapping his own sword out for a shield and the Windwaker's Baton, clearly hoping that Sky wouldn't choose to steal those, as well. "Can you still understand us? Is this a possession thing? Do we gotta talk you out of this? Uh- think about your giant bird! This would make her really sad or something!"

"Glad to see your diplomacy still hasn't improved," snarked Time even as he barely managed to hold his ground against Sky's constant attacks. The new shield was half the size of the Kokiri's entire body, but he held it with ease.

Wild went back on the offensive, using a completely different spear. The ornate yellow prongs sparked with katagida and-

And Sky dodged at the very last second, leaving Wild to nearly skewer Time's face.

Time swore up a storm in Faespeech as the spearhead just about sheared him, only missing because of his height. Wild barely even seemed to notice, swinging the Gerudo scimitars that had appeared in his hands like magic. Sky parried, attacked, and put Wild on the defensive with ease, even as Wild's fighting style morphed to match the blade in his hands, moving and flowing like water across the dunes. It wasn't enough. Sky didn't even know what a Gerudo was, and it wasn't enough.

Warriors tried to use the Sand Wand to form a barrier around Sky, but he knocked each piece of metal away before any could even get near, before knocking Wild off balance just long enough to pull out what Zalle recognized as a Gust Jar, which pulled every single shard into its endless bellows.

As Windy helped Wild up and Time pulled out an entire arsenal of tricks just to try and trip Sky up for a moment, Warriors stepped back to process.

He's clearly being controlled, possessed, or influenced. We knew this would happen, but we barely prepared, just ran in assuming we'd be strong enough… What's doing this? What's making Sky so strong?

Time clearly had the same thought. As soon as Wild resumed his attack, now aided by the battering gales Windy conjured, Time slipped on a porcelain mask that came from nowhere, painted in red and gold, a warped but ever-smiling face. "There's an unknown object encased within that central podium," he called out, eyes scanning the room intently. "Whatever it is, it holds control of Sky. But I do not believe its reach is extensive. Perhaps he will be calmed when removed from it."

Warriors nodded. As good a plan as any, if they can execute it. Perhaps that four-pronged attack from earlier could do it, but they weren't nearly coordinated enough to replicate that, plus Warriors had lost both her good weapons (discounting the Fire Rod and Wrecking Ball, which would only make the situation worse), and Sky had found a counter for Wild's golden chains. Plus Windy wasn't using his sword, and Warriors knew just how much that spell could drain him. Maybe Time's shield spell? No, it wasn't designed to imprison someone like that, and she could sense him using a smaller version repeatedly to cover his shield in a layer of blue crystal every time Wild failed to keep Sky's attention.

Could they get help? No, there wasn't enough time. But she was just standing here, useless… no. No, don't think like that. What would Grandpa do?

Something big and flashy and incredibly silly to let people forget how insanely powerful he was, her mind answered for her. But that would hardly work in this situation, she didn't exactly have the same aura of insanity-

Wait. Sky isn't fighting mindlessly, he's still clearly himself, though far stronger than before, probably due to the unknown influence. He reacted to things like he too was a trained soldier, but then again, he was a knight, and she'd seen how intense he'd gotten in that spar. This was the same.

And that meant that he could still feel fear.

…but… those two are here…

That- that didn't matter, this was- this-

stay focused, stay on the mission, don't get distracted by your personal attachments-

…damnit.

"WILD! WINDY" she yelled, pulling out the Fire Rod. "Go get backup!" Her voice was solid and stern. She'd be paying for that later, certainly, incapable of even a whisper for days, but that was deserved for putting silly things like not wanting her fr- allies to be afraid of her.

Wild, thank the Spirits, ran for the exit. Sky let him, clearly uninterested in anyone not posing a threat to whatever had him in its clutches. Windy frowned, looking over at the Captain. He said nothing, though, following Wild obediently.

Sky stepped back, recalculating before he would inevitably strike again.

If she let him.

Time stared at her, face unreadable underneath that twisted mask. "Don't hide from them."

Don't tell me what to do, snapped the shackled anger in the back of her mind. Anger that she could make use of.

Sky started to run forward, moving swift as an arrow, blade ready to kill, eyes filled with sorrowful rage, and

And the Hero of War did not let him.

--<>--

Back through the water, back through the puzzles, back across the ravine, back through the caves.

Run, run, run, run, run like his life depends on it-

Windy halted suddenly, and Wild very nearly didn't notice. He was panting heavily, hands on his knees as his lungs heaved. "St- stop- hold on-"

"I thought y' were used t' these "dungeons"," Wild practically scolded. "C'mon, we can't stop-"

"The water!" Windy exclaimed between breaths. "The- water- you can't swim-"

Wild snarled, selecting his body from the Slate and letting the blue strings rebuild him as they so often had. "An' now I can."

"But your gills-!"

"I don' care."

A silence stretched on. It stretched on too long, Wild decided, and dove in.

The stinging was back instantly. Wild hadn't even noticed it before, but now he knew it was there, it was the only thing he could feel. A movement in the water behind him signaled that Windy had finally followed-

Oh. Oh that was not Windy.

Wild stared down at the thing in the water, the amorphous shape with a dozen misshapen eyes, each one glowing red in the darkness.

"WHAT IS THAT!?" Wild signed urgently to Windy, who had only just now joined him. Windy's eyes grew wide as he looked down, then gestured frantically to Wild.

"GET OUT OF THE WATER! THAT'S A THREE-TONGUED EEL!"

A what? Wild managed to think, before a trio of thick, muscular ropes grabbed him by the waist.

Oh. Oh.

Well. At least someone would know where to retrieve his body from.

--<>--

Windy was pretty sure he should've been traumatized past the point of functionality years ago.

And yet. And yet, he wasn't.

Somehow.

His therapist had insisted that he was, in fact, quite traumatized, and was simply bottling it all up. Which would have been accurate if not for the fact that, for some time, he had been fucked up by what'd happened to him. By the time he'd met Ceila he'd been completely unable to talk on command, and acted like some kind of automaton. But that wasn't trauma, that was being Chosen by the gods despite not being a Hero and living with the side effects.

No, despite what the therapist had said, he was astoundingly okay. He actually had a theory as to why.

See, bluestone stuff, like his Pirate's Charm, basically worked by asking a lot of really really tiny yes or no questions, but about what was being communicated. Instead of "what's being said?", it asks, "is this the current pitch?", then answers yes or no. If it's a no, then it changes the pitch a bit and tries again. At least, that's how Windy understood it.

There was a bit of a catch to it though. The stones have a limited number of questions they can ask, depending on how big the stone is. And if you try to make a sound that's too high-pitched or too low-pitched… instead of going higher or lower than possible, it loops back around to the other end of the list.

Windy had, in his opinion, been so incredibly fucked up by everything that'd happened to him in such a short span of time, that he'd just looped back around to being normal again.

All of this is to say that a normal person's reaction to seeing someone get eaten by a giant eel while in water that's slowly corroding that person's ability to breathe, would probably be to panic.

Windy just got looped back around to being calm again. After all, Wild was a Hero, like him. He couldn't die, not really.

So instead Windy swam like a madman and put on the appropriate amount of terror and panic as he ran to Wolf and the others and cried and wailed about what'd happened, just to make sure they understood the gravity of the situation.

"WOLF! OH MY GOD, WOLF, YOU GUYS GOTTA HELP!" he screamed. "SKY GOT POSSESSED AND HE'S KICKING OUR ASSES AND WILD GOT EATEN BY A SEA MONSTER ON THE WAY OUT-"

"WHAT!?" growled Wolf- like, literally growled, holy shit- "WHERE IS HE?"

"Follow me, quick!" Windy let himself stumble a bit, just enough to indicate his panic but not so badly that it slowed them down. "It was a three-tongued eel- they don't have any teeth, they just swallow things whole, but we still gotta be quick! The water here, it fucks up anything that isn't adapted to living in it- even if Wild's safe from the eel, the damn water's gonna fuck him up!"

"Alright, everyone get back," commanded Talien. Windy hadn't even realized he'd followed- as had Faron and Four, despite the previous insistence that none of them would be joining. "Fully back. I'll not have anyone complaining about getting burned."

"I've got it," said Faron quietly. Xir lime-gold eyes glittered as xir hands glowed, casting a thin, golden shield, not unlike Time's, but spread out so that it protected everyone, save for Talien.

The weirdly bulbous staff thing he'd shown off before was stabbed into the ground as it began glowing red, filling the area with the heat of a midsummer sun. The water rippled, bubbled, boiled-

"Yer gonna boil him alive!" Wolf screamed, hands up against the barrier, much to Faron's clear annoyance.

"No, I'm going to agitate the giant eel enough that it tries to stop me," Talien explained coolly. "If Wild's inside it, he'll be protected. If not, he'll come to the surface."

"Ya don't know that -!"

The water burst with mottled pink as the eel's eponymous three tongues burst from the water, writhing and reaching for anything they could hold onto. Faron dropped the barrier, letting the remaining heat wash over the group as Four retrieved a lavender bow. At the same time as he started shooting, Windy, Talien, and Wolf all pulled out their respective boomerang, pelting each wriggling appendage in turn.

The movement stopped, and the eel retreated. For a moment.

"Wow, we are all equally perfect and shit at coordinating," Windy chirped. "You guys should get back from the water's edge, by the way."

"Why sh-"

The surface burst once again as the eel's massive head surfaced, coughing and hacking until Wild's very very still and very very goopy body was hrrk'd onto the ground.

Wolf was on him instantly, checking him over in a… in a very strange way. He didn't look for a pulse, or check the status of his gills. It was clear they'd been badly damaged; the gossamer ribbon that circled the eel-like crest on his head looked like it'd been eaten by moths. Wolf sighed in pretend relief. "He's alright," he reported, and Windy realized that Wolf's positioning was preventing the other two from seeing Wild.

They couldn't tell he wasn't breathing.

"Just keep goin', Wolf insisted. "Ah'll stay with him."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Windy boy-"

"Never call me that." Wild's fine, he's the Hero, he can't be dead, it doesn't work like that.

"-you go ahead. I'll get these two across."

Windy nodded. Wolf knows what's going on, he has to, Wild trusts him so much, there's no way he doesn't have a plan. "Got it. Can you three get across a ravine?" A trio of confirmations with varying levels of confidence. That was fine. "Then I'm gonna go right back to the main chamber. Please hurry."

"We're right behind you."

--<>--

Legend let himself fall into the water as soon as Windy was out of sight.

The Mermaid's Curse enveloped him as soon as the water did, and he very belatedly remembered that, not only was the eel still in here, but the water, quote, "fucks up anything that isn't adapted to it". But a glance down showed the eel retreating from the cavern and back into the open ocean, and even Wild, who'd nearly been digested, was still alright, if unconscious.

Four and Faron both had their eyes tightly closed as they carefully lowered themselves into the water, with Four looking particularly uncomfortable as he scrunched up his face and held his nose. Faron looked more comfortable at a glance, but was shaking so hard it was just about enough to keep xem afloat.

Legend wasted no time at all ferrying them swiftly through the water and back into an air-filled cavern… oh. Ah, shit.

Legend groaned as Four and Faron clambered up onto shore. "Can I ask you two to not freak out for a second?" he mumbled.

"Is this about you turning into a mermaid?" Faron giggled, which just pissed Legend off, even if the guy clearly didn't mean it.

"Yeah. I… I gotta get out of the water for it to go away…"

"We can continue on our own," Faron reassured him.

"...good. That's- yeah. Okay."

Four whispered something that made Faron giggle again, though this time it was an honest show of humor and not the odd voice quality all fae had. "Four says you are worse than communicating than he is."

"Say that to me directly and I'll believe you."

Four just flipped him off, his other hand twitching like he wanted to slap himself. Which Legend was starting to recognize as normal behavior for him.

Legend sighed in relief as the two ran ahead, the Smithy's lantern casting light in place of Legend's own waterproof one at his hip. He placed said lantern down on the stone, poured some magic into it, and heaved his cursed form onto the ground as the burning heat removed any water that the curse could use.

Just… very slowly.

…dammit.

--<>--

“They're right behind me, guys! Get ready!”

--<>--

Four entered the final room of the cavern, and every part of him unanimously noticed, oh, hey, a boss room, which was completely unhelpful for dealing with the current situation, which involved Captain Faronnen holding Sky in a smothering “hug” as Windy tried repeatedly to steal his weapons, one of which Four recognized as the Captain’s own. Sky was also screaming.

Wow, thought Blue, loving the complete lack of context here. Vio noted that Windy had, actually, given them context, but Blue ignored him.

“Um,” said Four.

“Oh hey, there you are,” said Windy casually, like Sky wasn't trying to writhe out of the Captain's grasp. “Help me disarm Sky a sec; the De- uh, Time thinks if we can get him out of the cave he might calm down.”

“This all looks very silly,” said Faron from just beside Four.

“Yeah,” agreed Windy, “but when we tried to fight him before he kicked our collective asses. Wars thinks whatever's making him go crazy go stupid is making him stronger and faster, too. I mean, he and Wild were an even match before, but… man, I thought he was gonna kill one of us…”

“The Captain and I got lucky,” Time intoned. “Extremely lucky. I doubt we could do it again, and trying to move him without disarming him first will put the Captain at significant risk.”

Sky cried out again, less of a scream now, far more desperate. Despairing. Four looked away out of… shame? Guilt? …recognition?

“Wolf stayed behind with Wild,” Faron noted, xir head tilted as xe studied Sky. “He is, as far as I am aware, the only other of us with the brute strength required to physically remove Sky from this place. An alternative may be needed.”

“Who else stayed behind?” asked Time.

“Wolf and Wild only. Talien was briefly inconvenienced.”

“I'm here!” came a call from the tunnels. “I'm here, don't count- oh fuck me, this doesn't look great.”

Captain Faronnen, unable to sign with Sky in his arms, levelled Talien with a murderous glare that actually made the man flinch.

“We're well past that already,” Windy joked, “try and keep up, wouldja?”

Talien rolled his eyes. “Whatever happened to the last guy in here? The one we were meant to be rescuing?”

Time wordlessly pointed to a pile of broken glass and metal rammed into the stone, and the absolutely pitiful Rito laying unconscious beside it.

“Yikes. Did he stop being hostile once Sky attacked?”

Windy frowned. “I… I think so? I mean, we were kinda preoccupied, so I'm not sure.”

Talien hummed. “In that case we might be able to try forcing whatever it is that's taken Sky’s mind hostage into taking someone else.”

“But then we'd just have the same problem!”

Talien shook his head. “I could probably pick Four up and get him out of here.”

Wh- “HEY!”

“No, no, he's got a point,” Time grumbled, looking equally displeased at the prospect of being physically picked up. “Sailor. Do you think the Command Melody could work here?”

Windy grimaced, sucking in a breath. “Maybe? I'm scared it'll just make things worse for Sky, and it could fuck me up pretty bad too. I'll try if that's the only option.”

“Could it dispel the control, though?”

“Definitely not,” Windy denied, shaking his head. “Just override it for a bit.”

“Then perhaps-”

A broken scream echoed through the room, and everyone turned to see Sky.

Sky, standing free from Warriors.

Sky, with blood on his mouth.

…that's the thing about fighting puppets, thought Vio in the brief moment before the panic set in. They don't fight like people. They fight like tools.

He almost drew his shield too late.

Sky wasn't a tall person, in the grand scheme of things- none of them were. Even the Captain, the tallest of them, barely made it above average. But Four was small enough that he towered, and all that could be seen was bright blue eyes and bright red teeth as iridescent green met a too-small shield.

The second swing sent Four rolling.

--<>--

Time shook.

All this for nothing, huh?

DO NOT DESPAIR. WE MUST SIMPLY FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION.

Like WHAT? snapped Time as Four tumbled across the stone like a sock puppet. Windy ran over to check for wounds and Faron was forced to defend him from Sky’s attack. Xe refused to fight back, only blocking and parrying until Windy confirmed Four’s consciousness and took xir place.

WE CANNOT REMOVE HIM FROM THE SITUATION. WHAT IS CAUSING THE SITUATION?

I don't know! Whatever's in that fucking pedestal-

Oh. Ohhhh.

“CAPTAIN! YOUR GAUNTLETS!” shouted Time over the din of battle. Talien was trying to steal Sky’s attention with his boomerang, but the offending weapon was cleaved in twain without even lending Windy an opening. Fire danced at Faron’s fingertips as xe tried to corral the fight towards the exit, but Sky used that to his advantage, kicking away Four when he got too near and forcing him towards the blaze.

The Captain looked at Time with a confused panic. “That would kill-!”

“NOT SKY! THE PEDESTAL!”

Time blinked, and

and

and-

and Sky's sword was piercing through the Captain's throat.

Four screamed in rage even as Sky removed the blade with all the gentleness of a butcher. He was back in the battle before the Captain even had the time to fall to her knees. Her tunic was stained red.

“...shit,” she coughed, blood dripping down her chin. “Guess- gkh- guess that's-”

--<>--

--<>--

--<>--

A broken scream echoed through the room, and everyone turned to see Sky.

Sky, standing free from Warriors.

Sky, with blood on his mouth.

Zalle coughed hard as she fell to her knees, her throat screaming in pain as reality stitched itself back together. And here I'd hoped to go a full month without one of these, she grumbled to herself. Could've been a new record. That would've been nice.

There was no reason to grieve the living, though, and Zalle forced herself back on her own two feet. The fight was progressing about the same as before, but better. Four managed to dodge Sky’s attack, leaving Windy open to take the offensive right away. Sky, thankfully, wasn't doing better, and that meant Warriors was safe.

History was a very important subject for a Hero, she'd learned. Because history could tell you about all the silly little trinkets past Heroes had, and where to find them. It also could tell you that despite having one of the most potentially devastating magic items in history, the Hero of Time had only ever used the Golden Gauntlets to push rocks around.

And people had always told her that history had no practical applications! The fools.

Zalle pulled back a fist surrounded by the most powerful strength-boosting enchantment history had ever known, and swung.

--<>--

The world had turned blue, then black, then wrong.

The others, the other travellers- Link remembered them talking about something… he hadn’t been paying attention, as usual, but then there was… something? It must have been important, because everything felt so, so twisted afterwards.

<>You must keep fighting,<> Fi insisted. <>There is a 100% chance of failure if you cannot protect the one you care for.<>

How he felt didn’t matter. What mattered was that Zelda was trapped, frozen in amber, placed upon a pedestal, and there were- things. Horrible, revolting things, doing everything they could to try and kill her.

Link came to, realized this, and attacked the first thing he could see.

His sword was gone- (how can it be gone if Fi is right there? How is she here-) and so he stole one off the monster, testing its grip. It wasn’t the same, but it would do. The monster looked absolutely pissed, though, which would’ve been funny in any other situation. He managed to get a hit in, but it was negligible, just a tiny nick on the neck. He almost lost the stolen sword to the smallest monster there, some kind of- some kind of- (I know him I know him I know him I kn-)

Another monster came rushing in, screaming so loudly that Link was terrified of it before he could even see the thing. He dodged, and it lashed out with golden, metal tentacles. He could remember Fi telling him (when? When!?) what would happen if he got hit, so he improvised, throwing a stray pebble, distracting the beast when it realized it hadn’t actually hit him. When it paused, Link stole its weapon, too.

(You’ve had two swords, you always preferred that, you KNEW THEM BOTH, WHY CAN’T YOU-)

Another monster screeched some kind of gibberish at him as he attacked the smallest one again, hoping to overwhelm it with sheer force. It was scarily tough for its size, but Link had fought worse, (he’d killed worse, he’d killed a GOD, killed it with its own weapon-) and knew how to deal with it. When the screaming monster lunged at him again, a quick dodge sent it hurtling towards its ally.

It wasn’t enough, (it’s never enough, you’re never enough-) and the screaming thing turned on a time, its horrid maw open to show rows and rows of bestial teeth, its face torn away to show bone and muscle. Its spear became blades, curved and deadly, its attacks flowing like a dance. Good.

One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-strike, the fight gained a rhythm and cadence and Link took his place in the melody, adapting and shifting as the song changed and morphed like the Lanayru dunes. Even when the largest monster summoned a storm of metal and glass, forcing Link (SKY, THEY CALLED YOU SKY, THEY KNOW YOU AS THE HEAVENS THEMSELVES-) to try and contain every shard within the Bellows.

The fight raged on, and Link forced himself to stay standing, even as the air itself seemed to fight him, even as the monsters summoned full arsenals of weapons and tricks and terrible, terrible cries of hatred. In and out and in and out, they switched places, no single one of them ever remaining long enough for him to kill it. But he didn’t need to. He just needed to protect Zelda (she is your sun she is your light she is your goddess and you are her knight you are her hero YOU ARE THE GODKILLER YOU ARE THE BLOOD ON HER HANDS YOU ARE WHY SHE CRIES AT NIGHT FOR LIVES YOU’VE NEVER LIVED-)

The monsters began to run, leaving only the tallest. It would be a noble beast- like a dragon on two legs, golden hair billowing over blue wings- were it not for the blood that ran from its mouth and the sunless skin, taut over grey veins. No, no, it wasn’t just that one, the smallest of them stayed, too, a wooden little imp without a face, just a gouged hole where its features should have been. Like a rotting pumpkin clawed open by its own hands, writhing with maggots. The whole body was rotted.

And then Link was somewhere else.

Link wasn’t in a cave, fighting off demons and abominations.

No, he was staring at Demise.

Because what else could it be? What else could instill such a fear in him? Yes, he was a coward, hesitant to fight anything that wasn’t directly in his path- but it was a fear he could overcome. This was not.

This was the bone-crushing realization that he would not come out of this fight the same. In one hand, the gift crafted by Hylia herself, and in the other, a jagged mirror, a mockery of its opposite. The only weapons that could kill a god. No- the last god, because Hylia would die with Zelda, and whatever once rounded out their trio was long shattered. Demise was all that remained.

Either Link would die here, or survive as something unrecognizable.

Leather-covered arms surrounded him as he shook in terror, his eyes wide open but unseeing.

“I fear you’ll stop his heart,” said someone, something, nothing. “Holding him like that-”

“H-he wiiill sur- survive,” said Demise.

“You seem certain of that,” said the dead god that was no more, the sun and the moon, the harvest, the cycle of life and death and (the cycle you set in motion, the endless agony you caused-)

“I-I am,” said Demise. “He’sss li-ike us.”

“Hmm. If that is so, do you think… he is the first?”

“He- he is,” said Demise.

Link stopped moving after that. He stopped moving for a very long time, because he was dead.

When he realized he was still breathing, he started screaming.

When Demise tried to move him, he kept screaming.

When the other monsters returned, flooding the cavern, he kept screaming.

And then he started praying.

“I BEG OF YOU, LADY OF SKIES!” screamed Link, writhing in Demise’s grasp. “I BOW DOWN TO YOUR ETERNITY AND KNOW THAT I AM NOTHING COMPARED TO IT, YET YOUR BOUNDLESS LOVE FINDS ME STILL! IT IS YOUR WORDS THAT BROUGHT US OURS, YOUR LIGHT THAT FINDS OUR DEEPEST SECRETS! ILLUMINATE ME SO THAT I MAY FEEL NO HATRED, SO THAT I MAY KNOW NOTHING BUT YOUR LOVE! PURGE ME OF MY LIFE, OH GODDESS, SO THAT I MAY BECOME NOTHING BUT A VESSEL FOR YOU! LET YOUR RADIANCE BURN AWAY MY HUMANITY!”

Link gasped for breath, and found nothing. Only silence. There was no-one left to pray to, after all. No-one left to see him.

Well.

If there was nothing left, there was nobody to judge him, was there?

The monster’s blood tasted so strangely human.

His hands ached from how tightly he held his blades, but he stood once more, and swung. He would not let her die, not here, not now, not ever, because she was Hylia, and it was her light that separated him and his ilk from the beasts below. She was everything that remained.

The blood dripped down his face, and for just a moment, the monsters’ words were known. No, no, not the words, just the meaning.

The intent.

The target.

The sunless dragon raised its golden claws, and

choked.

on its own blood

blood

blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood-

it’s just a dream, Sky. it never happened.

--<>--

The pedestal shattered, and Sky screamed.

Legend had seen people die. He’d seen it many, many times, seen how fragile every life was, and seen the grief that came with. He knew the exact sound a human made when they watched a loved one die in their arms. It was guttural, animalistic. It made sure any who heard it knew the hurt it caused.

The pedestal shattered, and for a moment, Legend honestly believed someone had died.

Faron and Windy were at Sky's side instantly, even if only because they'd been the nearest. Faron's fingertips glowed gold as xe studied Sky intently, while Windy tried to soothe him.

“It's okay,” said the boy. “It's all over. You're safe, and so is everyone else. Nobody's been hurt. Nobody's been killed.”

…he couldn't be any older than Legend, yet he too knew what that scream meant. Was this a universal trait of the Chosen? To know suffering?

“Zelda,” sobbed Sky, shaking, seemingly unaware of Windy’s hands on his. “She- she- I couldn't sa-a-a-ve her, I-I-I-”

“Zelda's back home on Skyloft,” Windy told him. “You did save her. Remember? You called her your sun. I think that's kinda cheesy, but I bet she loves it. How did you end up meeting her?”

“Sh-she-” Sky’s face softened as the horrors of his mind failed to withstand whatever memories Windy had invoked. “We, um, were ch-childhood friends. Her, um, her dad, he- he helped take c-care of me, when Lady Angale c-c-c-. Mm. Could. Not.”

“Lady Angale? Is that your mom?”

“My mother's Loftwing. Most- most Loftwings don't outlive their Souls. She- she did. For me.” Sky shifted in place, finally seeming to register the truth of reality. “...I attacked you all, didn't I?”

“Yes,” said Time bluntly. “But no-one has been significantly wounded. From what I've been told, Wild is the worst off, and only due to something completely unrelated.”

Sky looked down, face pinched.

“It's not your fault,” said Windy.

“It's… it's still in my head,” said Sky. “Not- not controlling. I can, can fight it, now that I know it's there. But when you br-” He stopped, his breath uneven. “When you snapped me out of it. It didn't- didn't break th-the source.”

Well, damn. Deciding he was the most likely to recognize any sort of intrusive magic, Legend walked over to the pile of rubble, using his sword to poke through it. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Four looked upset about something, but it was probably fine. The stone itself was engraved with incredible detail, and there was definitely something in it still…

Enchanted gloves, already have those. Probably going to need my lenses… ah, and a sealed container. Legend adjusted the clunky set of multicolored lenses so that they sat comfortably upon his face, adjusting them in tandem until the aura surrounding the strange object was visible. Sure enough, a stream of mathematically precise blue tethered Sky to the foreign artifact. Another stream stretched out into the caves, presumably reaching for either Wolf or Wild. Another grasped desperately for Time, but was repelled by something else, something far stronger. As for the final tendril…

“Fuck. Okay.” Legend pushed the lenses up out of his vision as he stepped away from the rubble and carefully took off his gloves. “Whatever's in there is choosy. It only cares about Sky, Time, one of our dear absentees, or myself. Since I don't think anyone would enjoy the prospect of me attempting to set you all on fire…” He held out the gloves and sealed box. “Four or Faron will have to grab it.”

“We keep getting grouped together,” Faron noted. “I have no complaints about it, but it does keep occuring.”

Four gave an agreeing huff of laughter, but took the safety equipment nonetheless.

“Why not me?” wondered Windy.

Legend hummed. “I have a theory about why it's picking who it is. But I'd like to actually see the thing before I say anything.”

Sure enough, just as Legend had expected, the object retrieved was a trio of sapphires laid in gold.

Time recognized it instantly. “The Zora Sapphire. I don't recall it having this sort of capability.”

“No, but the pedestal itself did,” Legend explained, picking up a piece of rubble and showing off the runework. “The Sapphire was just a power source, but one with opinions, clearly.” To Windy, he explained, “I don't know what those opinions are, though. But I assume it would prefer a native to this era over people with completely foreign magic.”

“...you assume?” squeaked Four, handing over the now safely sealed away Sapphire.

“It's a fairly educated assumption. Besides, you're clearly fine, which means I was right.” He paused. “Probably.”

Four quietly screeched at him.

Sky eyed the box warily. “Is it- is it safe in there?”

“Not completely,” Legend admitted. “I'd have to spend some time fine-tuning the enchantment. But the system it was powering is gone. Right now it's little more than an opinionated fuel cell.” He took the offending artifact back from Four alongside his gloves, storing them and his lenses in his bag.

”... let's get out of here,” signed Warriors, looking uncharacteristically nervous. ”Before we forget what fresh air is.”

Time huffed in almost-amusement, taking on the face of a Zora with as much ease as one might slip on a favored jacket. “I'll carry the Rito out. Lead the way, Captain.”

--<>--

When the travellers finally made it back out of the caves, it was well past sunset, and their guiding light was a campfire tended to by Wild and Wolf.

“I've got food for everyone!” Wild greeted them, offering bowls as Wolf stirred the massive wok that held a warm and delightful stew.

“Wild I could fucking kiss you,” said Ajo, practically falling over himself to try and grab a bowl.

“Seein’ as we're technically th’ same person accordin’ t’ multiple schools of philosophy, I can only offer duck noodle.”

“I'll take it!”

“Sky- Wolf said y' don't eat meat, so I've got a veggie broth one too.” Oh thank Hylia.

“Y'all look pretty rough,” Wolf noted, carefully filling each bowl in turn while Wild fished Sky’s out from the Slate. “But ah’m not seeing anything serious, and nobody is actively cryin’, screaming’, and or cursin’ out the gods, so ah’d call that a relative success.”

The various groans of disagreement that echoed through the campsite said otherwise, but no-one actively said anything.

“Should I try and wake th’ new guy?” offered Wild, pointing to the unconscious Rito that Time had gently laid upon the ground before joining the mad dash for food. “He looks badly starved an’ dehydrated.”

“Shit, yeah, probably,” said Ajo, grimacing at the group's collective lack of concern for their rescuee. “Isn't there something specific you gotta do if someone's that bad off?”

“There is, yeah,” said Wild. “I'll take care of it, though.”

The group was quiet throughout the rest of the meal, with Wild’s administrations fading into the background noise. Even with the food, no-one was comfortable.

The bowls were collected afterwards with no fanfare, save for Captain Faronnen’s offer to clean them off in the waves. Time joined him. Talien retrieved the sealed box and his lenses, grabbing what looked like a paint set before sketching out complex designs on a thick notepad. Four and Ajo began setting up bedrolls. That just left Sky, and…

“Hey,” Wolf greeted him softly. “Ah won't, uh… ah won't ask what happened in there. But if you need someone t' talk to about it that wasn't involved…”

“I saw myself killing Faronnen,” Sky blurted out thoughtlessly, cursing himself internally as soon as he did.

Wolf barely reacted. “Damn.”

“I- I don't know if, if it was a hallucination, or a- a premonition, but I saw it,” he insisted. Stop stop STOP, why are you SAYING THIS-

“Ah believe ya.”

Sky flinched. “Okay.” Liar liar liar liar liar, you don't believe you just pity me, stop LYING-

“Ah do, really! Ah’m not fuckin’ with ya.” Wolf hesitated. “Ah won't push it, though, if you don't want me to.”

“...th-thank you.”

“Hmm.” Wolf cocked his head to the side like a remlit that didn't quite understand what it was looking at. “Ah’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that, either you're beatin’ yerself for gettin’ controlled, or you saw a lot more than yer lettin’ on.”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

Wolf nodded. “Okay.”

“Please. I- I know you just want to, to help, but…” Sky blinked. “Oh.”

“Mm.”

“Just- just like that?”

“Yup.”

“Oh.” Sky felt like he was supposed to be disappointed right now. Wasn't that supposed to be a sign someone cared about you? That they forced you to talk about things like this? He didn't actually want to, but…

Huh.

This was nice.

“Like ah said before, it don't look like anyone's badly hurt,” Wolf mused. “Wild's doin’ a lot better too… bastard’ll bounce back from anything, but ‘e’s terrified of drowning. Not that you'd tell by lookin’ at him now,” he added.

“Really? He- he seemed to enjoy being a, uh- a Zora.”

“Zora can't drown,” Wolf explained.

“Ohhhh.”

--<>--

This one should correspond with… what is that, 180° again? I go my whole life seeing mathematically precise elements exactly twice and now there's the divine ideal of pure water sitting in a box…

Legend groaned, cracking his neck. The fight hadn't even been that long and he was already starting to feel his age? He really needed to find an apothecary soon, he wasn't going to last much longer otherwise.

“Shit, where was I…”

“Section A-over-F.”

Legend jumped. “Din’s tits- do NOT sneak up on me like that! This is delicate work!”

Four shuffled back a bit, having clearly sat just at Legend's side for at least ten minutes now. He didn't look the slightest bit repentant, and instead just stared up at Legend with piercing violet eyes.

Legend huffed, turning back to his work. “You said A-over-F, yeah? That's, uh… 40 and 310… shit, I put my notes here somewhere…”

Four offered the exact book required. Huh. Seemed his curiosity wasn't just idle if he could identify spellbooks.

“Thanks.” As Legend flipped through the pages to find the exact runes needed- ideal water, sealing, maybe something to redirect anything it tries to output?- he noticed Four muttering to himself, like he was having a conversation with himself. Weird. Not that Legend could say much without being an utter hypocrite. He did mentally jot it down as yet another mystery to solve; another carrot on a stick the gods were providing him. Not that the potential of finding her again wasn’t enough, but… Legend appreciated it. “I’m guessing you’ve experience with enchanting weapons, then?”

Four nodded, unsheathing his… oddly familiar blade, though the design was one Legend couldn’t quite place. “T-title aft… after. Sword. Four Sword, four elements, four elemental stones. Erimav, Anathos, Pathos, Pagos.”

Huh. “Impressive. Explains how you managed to become the Royal Blacksmith without being able to talk.” Wait, no. That sounds horrible. “That- that came out wrong-”

Four shook his head, clearly amused. “‘s accurate,” he agreed.

“I’m really not trying to be an ass about your speech issues,” Legend tried to assure him. “Really. I just- I know what people can be like about anything that makes you 'weird'.”

“Mm.” A pause. “C-over-F is upside down.”

“What? Ah fuck-”

--<>--

“It happened again,” said Time finally.

He and Zalle had sat by the waves for a while now, soaking in the silence between them, accented by the cries of distant gulls and the crashing of the surf. The diningware was more than clean now, having been scrubbed down in the coarse seawater. Zalle’s idle hands had drifted to her satchel once the plates lay drying on a rock. To Time’s disappointment, her hands found their way to a worn leather journal full of incomprehensible nonsense.

Incomprehensible, that is, to anyone who didn’t know three different languages and a dozen different codes.

”It was going to eventually,” signed the Captain casually. ”Sky is safe, nobody’s irreparably injured, we saved someone’s life, and we’ve safeguarded a powerful artifact. A quick death is more than worth that.”

Time tensed. “I see.”

Zalle sighed. ”Don’t do this, Sprite. I’m fine. It- it hurt. I won’t lie and say it didn’t. It hurt, and it startled the hell out of me. But I went quick and we reset quicker-”

“Windy and I could both see the resets,” Time interrupted.

”Yes? Because you’re both…” Zalle trailed off. ”Ah. That.”

“Yes. ‘That’.”

”I’m sure they’ve had their fair share of their own deaths,” the Captain signed, brushing it off. ”I already admitted to my own role. If they don’t know what the resets are, they’ll think it was a premonition. If they do, it’ll just confirm what they already knew about me.”

“And what about the fact that all of these people that we’re to be building a close bond with just watched you bleed out?” asked Time. “Or the fact that Sky clearly remembers killing you?”

…she didn’t have an answer to that.

Time stood up and took the dishes back to the main campsite, and Zalle tried to convince herself that her death was just an honest mistake, and nothing more.

--<>--

Wolf left Sky’s side as soon as Wild began pulling out a spare bedroll for his Rito patient.

“He still asleep?”

Wild nodded. “Probably gonna need a proper healer. I’ll tell Cap’n Tetra when she gets back.”

“Mm. Alright.” A pause. “You’ve reviewed everything-?”

“Yes, I have,” snapped Wild, before drawing back. “Sorry. Still a bit-” He gestured vaguely towards his head.

“Yer alright. Ah’m probably just paranoid.”

“That does seem t’ be a recurrin’ thing,” Wild mused, pulling out the notes on his Slate. “This says y’ attacked me once ‘cause I was usin’ a Sheikah weapon an’ y’ thought I was an assassin in disguise?”

“That- that was one time.” Wolf paused, thinking about it. “Don’t fact-check that.”

Wild laughed. “Noted. An’ don’t worry, I’ll stay here off t’ the side until I c’n remember everyone’s names consistently. An’, uh, once I stop bein’ so snippish.”

“Ya always act a bit weird after this kinda thing,” Wolf explained. “Flora- that’s yer wife back home-”

“I have a wife!?”

“-she thinks it’s ‘cause whatever you experience right after ya wake up is especially formative until the rest of yer memories trickle back in,” Wolf continued, deciding that Wild could find his own notes on Flora. “This time ya woke up half-drownin’ an’ in a strange place. So ah’m not surprised yer a bit defensive and on edge.”

“Huh,” said Wild. “Kinda fucked up. An’ this happens ev’ry time?”

Wolf shrugged. “More or less. Yer always still you, though. Yer not waking up as a different person or anything. Just a bit disoriented.”

“Mm.” Wild looked over at the main camp, where Talien’s work had attracted Four as well as Faron, now. Windy was already dead asleep in his bedroll, while Sky looked to have passed out halfway through getting into his. Walking back from the shore, Time came to meet them with a pile of plates in his arms.

“These are yours, yes?”

“Probably,” Wild answered honestly. Wolf had to force himself not to clap a hand over his cub’s mouth to keep him from ruining everything. “Y’want me t’ put ‘em away, va?”

“If you would.”

Time waited patiently as Wild took the plates back one by one, placing them back into his Slate via his Gauntlet, allowing whatever he held in his hand to dissolve into strands of energy to be tucked away until they were next needed. Wild didn’t say much through the process, and if Time noticed anything off about him, he didn’t say anything either.

It was an incredibly boring interaction, yet Wolf’s heart pounded with terror. He couldn’t hold back the sigh of relief that came when Time left to join the others. “Ah forgot he was gonna come back with those.”

Wild frowned. “Y’re… really scared,” he said simply.

“...like ah said. Ah’m just a bit paranoid.”

It was clear Wild didn’t believe that. But he didn’t argue it, either.

Wolf eventually returned to the campsite, informing the others that Wild was feeling uncomfortable after the long day, and wanted to spend the night away from the campfire. Nobody even questioned it, making Wolf wonder what the hell had happened down there… but, Windy confirmed there were no monsters to threaten them, and Talien volunteered to keep the campfire going while he finished his work.

The sun fell to twilight and the Wolf fell asleep, still wondering how to keep his cub safe from the people they both dared to call friends.

Chapter Text

Interlude Two: Cleanup

Just as Windy had predicted, the island was safe, and the night passed without incident.

Faron woke up first and took the opportunity to inspect xir allies for injuries while they slept. Time had a couple of splinters that would need to be removed when he woke up, and he, Wild, and Talien all looked to have matching rashes around their necks. The water corrosion, Faron figured. It could still be in their lungs. Depends on what kind of shapeshifting they use. Wild seemed completely healed from the previous day, but… that wasn't difficult to explain. Not with whatever was going on with Wild’s magic- something Faron wouldn't be touching with a ten-foot pole.

Sky was much better off than Faron had expected, considering what a terrifying opponent he'd been, and so recently. He was more exhausted than hurt, with his only real injuries being the bruising around his torso from when Captain Faronnen had held him in place. And speaking of the dear captain…

Faron groaned, massaging xir temples. It seemed that living a life of luxury meant forgetting just how deadly bite wounds could be, especially human bites. Just because humans didn't realize they were functionally venomous didn't stop their bites from spreading some of the most horrifying diseases Faron had ever witnessed. At least the Captain’d had enough sense to wash and bandage the wound before sleeping, but Faron wasn't going to let such a valuable bodyguard lose functionality just because xe wasn't careful enough.

Xe could probably wait until he awoke naturally. But the longer xe stared at the Captain’s high-quality, heavy-duty bedroll, capable of withstanding the harshest of environments, and without a single blemish on it, the angrier xe got. So xe poked him with a stick and dodged away from the dagger thrown at xir chest.

“The face and eyes are a much more effective target,” Faron offered. “A chest wound could take too long to incapacitate an attacker.”

The Captain gave xem a bewildered expression that was only mostly undercut by his unfocused eyes, as if this wasn't a normal response to almost being stabbed, which was ridiculous. That was just an inevitable consequence of waking someone up.

“There is a very good chance your bite wound needs better care,” Faron explained patiently as regular sharp clicks revealed xir ally's surroundings to him.

“Tell me last night, why not?” asked the Captain in simple, choppy sign, the kind that didn't have any real grammar and had more in common with trade languages and hand signals. Good. It was far too early for whatever fancy sign he usually used.

“I was tired,” Faron said simply. The Captain didn't need to know xe had kept up a constant glamour and self-healing spell since the portals led them away from the ranch. Faron trusted Four, and didn't completely distrust Time. The rest of these people would have to prove themselves, and until then, xe wasn't letting xir guard down. “Wild gave us food. It's impolite to refuse gifts.”

The Captain sighed, nodding. “Okay. Okay. Dress wound better how?”

How to word this best, then… “I am able to let my magic search for potential infections,” Faron offered, being careful not to say xe was actually going to do anything. “Let me do what I need to. I can make sure you don't get sick.”

The Captain just… chuckled. “You not only fairy I know.”

Fuck, thought Faron At least he just thinks I'm just a normal fairy with a human guise; he wouldn't be this calm otherwise. “Do you want my help or not?” Faron snapped, not enjoying how little the soldier cared for xir words.

“You not offer help if not plan to help,” he explained, and Faron realized suddenly that the imperfect sign wasn't because of the early morning. It was because it was too imprecise to be used as part of a Contract.

You sneaky bastard.

Faron grumbled. “Fine. Take off your bandages and show me your wound,” xe finally ordered. The Captain complied and the magic in Faron’s head sang in quiet drones, An Order Followed, A Request Completed, The Asker In Debt To The Asked-

On the surface, the wound wasn't bad, not requiring stitches. It hadn't been a real attack, clearly, just something to catch the Captain off guard. A quick pulse of magic, though, revealed the poisons lying in wait just beneath the surface. Nothing too bad, but enough to leave the Captain ill for a few days if unchecked.

Faron pulled xir aura back with a huff before digging through xir bag.

“What's the verdict?” asked the Captain, his signs as precise as usual.

“Give xem a moment.”

Faron jumped, knife in hand, ready to sprint at a moment’s notice. Time reeled back, hands held up in surrender.

“Ah. My apologies, I should have thought better than to startle you.”

Faron hummed, pulling out a jar of chu jelly, followed by a bag of pills. Xe found that humans tended to respond better to here, take this pill than to here, eat this moldy bread, even if they knew the pills had bread mold in them, and knew the bread mold would keep them from getting sick. “Did you wash the wound in clean water?”

“Yes.”

“Hm.”

“Is it infected?” asked Time.

“A little.” Xe doled out the necessary amount of pills. “You will take one of these with each meal until you run out,” xe told the Captain. “You will cover the wound with a thin layer of chu jelly to prevent it from worsening or being reopened.”

“And if I don't?”

Faron smiled. “You should know better; didn't you say you worked with fairies before? If you don't, then it means you've refused a gift. It's impolite to refuse gifts.”

An Order Followed, A Request Completed-

--<>--

On the other side of the camp, Legend shuddered, and reminded himself not to fuck with the healer. He couldn't hear half of what was being said, but the look on the Pretty Boy’s face was plenty.

“Doesn't that itch?” asked Windy as Legend fit the bandana over his face. “Not the cloth, the uh- the scars. Or, both, I guess-?”

Legend scowled. “Fuck off, kid.”

“Dude, chill, I'm just tryna make conversation,” said Windy, adjusting his eyepatch so that it sat over his closed eye. “I've dealt with lightning scars before, y'know- nothing like that, sure, but like…”

Legend ignored him.

“Damn, alright,” Windy muttered to himself. “Be like that I guess.”

The boy continued trying and failing to make small talk and Legend continued to pay no attention. He watched as Faron's ministrations shifted to Time for a while, delicately removing something from the uncovered parts of his hands and bandaging them before xe started silently fretting over Sky, who was still out like a light. The birdbrain had been the last to wake up back at the ranch, too, now that Legend thought about it. Wild had been up the earliest back then, though, yet still slept even as Faron hovered over him with worried eyes and fidgeting hands. Xe didn't stay there for long, unfortunately, and soon made xir way over to Legend.

“You need something?”

Faron didn't reply, even as Windy shot him an annoyed look on xir behalf. Xe didn't seem to care, only interested in checking on Legend's health.

“I'm fine,” Legend assured xem. “I barely did anything yesterday.”

“You were in the water,” Faron nearly whispered, causing Windy to flinch.

“Yeah, uh- I mentioned it briefly when I was catching you guys up? The water here is kinda toxic… at least to anything with soft gills.”

“Shit.” Legend's hand went to his neck, finding three rows of raised, raw skin. “Wh- and why the fuck didn't you think to bring this up before!?”

“I forgot! It's something everyone here knows!”

“Well that's not fucking helpful, now is it!?” Legend snapped back. “We're not from here!”

Windy hissed like some kind of pissed-off goose. “Oh, fuck off. You'll be fine, you pu-”

“There may still be lingering traces in your lungs,” interrupted Faron, putting xir spindly hand over Windy's entire face. “I can use my magic to determine this.”

Legend waved a flippant hand at xem. “Do what you must,” he permitted. Faron nodded, smiling. Was it stupid of him to say such a thing to a fairy? Perhaps, but Legend was confident in his own power, and, failing that, the power of all those that he'd made allies of over the years.

The “checkup” was brief and unintrusive, just a thread of lime-gold magic- not dissimilar from the beacons, Legend noticed- that wove its way from Faron's hands to Legend’s throat, without any physical contact. The thread blossomed into a root-like structure as it illuminated his lungs, curdling black in a few places.

Faron hummed. “That's not enough to cause you any harm. That's good.”

“What about Time?” asked Windy. “And Wild?”

“Time will probably have a sore throat for a couple of days,” Faron shrugged. “Wild is fine.”

Legend frowned. “Warriors got hit so hard it knocked him off his feet. That didn't leave a mark?”

Faron stilled. “...oh?”

“At the start of the fight, when Sky first got possessed,” Windy explained. “He used his whip to knock down the Captain. Hit ‘er right below the ribs.”

Faron's smile turned venomous. “I see.” With that, xe made a complete 180 turn and stomped back over to Warriors, emanating an aura of sheer malice the entire time.

“I can't believe the Captain’s about to fucking die,” Windy deadpanned. “What a tragedy. Truly there is nothing that could have prevented this. I'll miss him.”

“I won't.”

“Bitch-”

--<>--

After the Captain got unceremoniously dragged off behind a shack- for medical privacy, probably- the rest of the group slowly started waking up. Talien had been awake a while before Faron started xir rounds, Windy had been woken by the sound of conversation, and Time hadn't actually fallen asleep in the first place. After that was Wolf and Four, who had ended up next to each other, then Wild, climbing down from a nearby cliff, and finally Sky, who didn't start opening his eyes until Wild was halfway through breakfast.

“...wh-what are you making?”

Wild startled at the new voice, then grinned when he saw where it was coming from. “Oh, y’re up! That's good. I'm makin’ fried, uh, what's th’ word- bluuk, bluuknen… fish! Fried fish f’r th’ rest of us- I wasn't sure if y’d eat fish? Some people that don’ eat red meat are good with fish, so…”

“Not fish from here, surely?” Time questioned. He hadn't seen Wild go fishing, but…

“Bo, ekbo sasak tu’gru vertu bl- I mean, uh- it's jus’ some lake fish I'd stored.”

Sky looked apprehensive. “I- I don't want to impose-”

“Y're not, that's why I'm askin’,” Wild assured him. “Honestly, I'd kinda prefer y’ say no ‘cause that means more leftovers for me an’ I get to use up all these bosh peppers-”

“Wild.”

“I hate ‘em!” Wild insisted passionately. “Only source a’ cold resist on the Plateau that wasn't a big stinky doublet-!”

“Just take the peppers,” Wolf muttered to Sky as Wild continued his tirade against peppers, something that Four seemed in full agreement with. “It'll be over faster.”

“I will PAY YOU to let me cook vegetarian food-”

“I'll take the- the peppers,” Sky conceded. An absolutely gorgeous plate of curry and rice materialized in Wild's hands, and from where Time stood he could smell a nutty mixture of pumpkin, shallots, peppers- was that bamboo?

“I've suddenly remembered I'm vegetarian,” he blurted out before anyone could stop him.

“I've literally seen you eat bugs?” said Four.

“That- that doesn't count.”

Wild just laughed and reported that Sky's was the last portion left, which was absolutely and objectively terrible, in Time’s opinion.

“How's the patient doing?” asked Talia. “The bird man. The, uh…”

“Rito,” Wild supplied. “Better than yesterday. He woke up briefly in a panic… calmed down an’ fell back asleep once he saw th’ night sky. Musta been underground f’r a while.”

“Three weeks,” Windy muttered. “That's what Tetra said, that it was just after the beacon appeared. Three weeks, trapped in that cave.”

A horrified silence fell over the camp for a long, long moment.

“We should finish exploring the island while we wait for the Dakovini Sipathi to return,” Time decided, not wanting to let anyone, including himself, linger on that thought. “That is what was asked of us, after all.”

“Four and I have found most, if not all, of the salvage,” announced Faron as xe returned to the campsite, the Captain in tow. “Talien may be able to identify what is scrap and what is valuable.”

“I can help with that!” offered Windy.

Wolf nodded. “There's still some good stone and lumber left over yet, too. Reckon Four could help with that; you've probably a better eye for these things,” he added.

“Before we start tearing anything down,” interrupted the Captain, “I'd like Wild's help with documenting the ruins. Having some record of the original would make reconstruction easier for the builders. You can use your Slate to take pictures, right?”

Wild looked excited. “I can, va, va!”

“How'd you know that?” asked Wolf, almost defensive.

The Captain shrugged. “Something similar exists in my own time. Nothing that advanced, of course! But I can't imagine they'd get rid of something as simple as a camera function.”

“Oh it is like the bluestone Slates, isn't it,” noted Windy. “You guys should compare tech!”

“Maybe after we're done with the photos,” the Captain agreed excitedly. She continued chatting with Wild and Wolf, but Time’s attention was drawn elsewhere.

“You seem to be doing surprisingly well, all things considered.”

Sky startled, barely stopping himself from knocking his fork onto the ground. “Oh! I- um-” He hesitated, eyes darting about. “I- I don't want to cause any problems,” he explained.

Time nodded. “Would you be willing to talk to me about it? I know I don't look it, but I'd like to think I've a good shoulder to lean on.”

Sky laughed. “Oh, it's alright,” he lied.

Time sighed. “Sky.”

“I'm fine.”

“... there's still blood on your teeth.”

Sky flinched. “What?”

“Zal- Zael’s blood. From when you bit him. There's a bit on your teeth yet.”

“...oh. I th-thought I'd got it all,” said Sky very, very quietly.

“You're allowed to not be okay,” Time told him.

Sky didn't respond.

He doesn't trust me very much. I suppose that's understandable. But it's still frustrating.

BE PATIENT. ALL GOOD THINGS COME IN DUE T-

Not right now, please.

“He’s not- he's not too badly harmed, right?” Sky asked suddenly, one hand moving to his throat, confirming what Time had feared.

“Nothing our dear healer can't fix.”

Sky nodded, hand still in place. He didn't say anything else. That was fine.

(After all, Time knew what it was like to watch someone you'd killed with your own hands get up the next day like it'd never happened.)

--<>--

“This may be an insensitive question,” began Talien before Windy shot him an odd look.

“Since when do you care?”

“Fuck you too. How do you write if you can't see?”

“Huh?”

Talien huffed, pulling out a scroll from his bag and unrolling it, which made a delightful crinkling sound. “Warriors mentioned having a slate or tablet akin to Wild’s, and seafaring begets navigation, thus maps and the like. You were given a compass. But from what I've been told, something like this,” he said, gesturing to the scroll, “is indecipherable to you. So how…?”

Windy squinted at the scroll. “I mean… I'm not completely blind,” he argued, as if that was something he cared about.

“Then what does this say?” Talien challenged.

“Uhh… eh… um…” It didn't help that Talien kept waving it, or that the sun was behind him.

“That's what I thought.”

Windy pouted. “Shut up. How would you like it if everyone around you had magic sense but you didn't, huh? It's not my fault fate decided you needed overpowered eyes-”

Talien waved a hand dismissively, rolling the scroll back up. “That's not even slightly my point. Clearly you can see- or at least sense- things that don't line up with Wars’ descriptions, so how-?”

“We can do more than just hear, you know,” interrupted Zalle as she jogged over, having clearly been summoned by the dulcet tones of someone asking questions she could answer. “Not only that but Ritokwati senses are far more developed than those Mainlanders,” she added smugly, “especially our auras. Anything vibrant or contrasted enough is still plenty visible, too.”

“Is that why you've that massive scarf?”

“In part.”

“Plus it's like he- his favorite thing in the world,” Windy added, getting a kick in return. “Hey!”

Talien looked interested. “You didn't have to look at him to know what he was signing…” he realized. “You can see the compass, then? Or could you simply sense its aura?”

“Uhh- both, I guess?” It wasn't like he was paying much attention.

“As for writing,” Warriors continued, gesturing for Wild to join them, “it's done through carvings, often on wood. It takes up more storage space than paper, though, which is part of what led to the development of - these!” From Wild she took a strange object, the same dimensions as the Slate, but without the decorations, save for a Sheikah Eye on the back. Warriors activated it with a touch, and the front lit up.

On the slab of- stone? Metal? Windy never did ask what those things were made of- a bluestone screen appeared, ringed with the same Interlock Runes that decorated every surface of the Captain's era. With another touch, the flat screen became a three-dimensional mirror, a sculpture made up of hundreds of tiny pillars of varying height. Each one on its own meant nothing, but all together they showed Talien an image of himself, his eyes wide with curiosity.

“...Din, Nayru, and Farore; I can't even begin to fathom how this all works,” he muttered. “No, not- I can, actually, but - to actually accomplish something like this…”

Warriors looked oddly understanding as she handed the slate over. “It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it? Seeing something like this and realizing how far into the future it must come from.”

Wild huffed in amusement, reminding the others of his presence. “Kinda funny, really - f’r me, anything that advanced could only ever be from th’ long forgotten past. It's strange, seein’ something like that in such pristine condition.”

“That's kinda fucked up,” Windy mused. “The idea that all that knowledge is gonna be lost.”

Zalle shrugged. “Hyrule has always existed in a cycle of golden ages and disasters. That we stand on an island instead of a mountaintop is proof.”

“WOULD YOU KIDS LIGHTEN UP ALREADY,” yelled Time from the other side of the beach. Windy and Wild just laughed as Warriors scowled at him and Talien just rolled his eyes.

“Well, either way, that does answer my question,” he mused. “Don't you have a journal or something, though? I've seen you write in it…”

Windy paled, letting the Captain's explanation about specialized ink wash over him like tidal waves. She's still got that thing, then…? No, maybe this is a different one! Maybe-

But how long had it even been for her? How recent were the scars that Windy had long since healed, and Time even longer since? Years? Months?

Days?

Windy could only think of how much he hated time travel, at least until he remembered how many people he would never have met without it. He wondered if Warriors felt the same.

When Windy tuned back into the conversation, Warriors was comparing her slate to Wild’s, clearly enraptured by the latter’s advanced abilities and desperately wanting to take it apart, even as Wild refused to let her even touch it. Safe play, considering Warriors. Talien was organizing the junk that Faron and Sky had presented to him, and Wolf was getting Four’s help with tearing down the ruins that Wars and Wild had already taken pictographs of. Windy sat back down next to Talien.

“Money pile, treasure pile, scrap pile, and shit pile,” Talien instructed, pointing at the circles he'd drawn in the sand. “If I can't identify anything I'll give it to you. If you see anything in the scrap or shit piles that don't belong, inform me so I can identify them.”

“Don't tell me what to do,” said Windy, doing as he was told. Talien laughed. “By the way- you said that both “Talia” and “Talien” are fine, is that, like- feminine and masculine versions of the same name?”

“Indeed.”

“Huh. Neat. Pronouns?”

“Any.”

Windy peered at Talien. “What, like, no preferences at all…? Huh.”

“Don't tell me I have to explain gender to you, too.”

“No! No, it's just a bit odd to me,” Windy mused. “I, uh…” He glanced around briefly to reveal that everyone else had moved on, or was in the process of moving something. “I just don't personally get it. Since it was a bit difficult to get people to stop calling me “she”.”

Talia nodded. “Mistaken identity, or…?”

“...you could call it that.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I don't know,” Windy admitted. “It's… I dunno, it's weirdly easy to talk to you guys. Even you, despite it all.”

Talien gave a croaking laugh, the Sea’s corrosion still affecting his voice, not that said voice had been silk and roses in the first place. Windy wondered what he'd sounded like before the lightning feathers that snaked up his throat. “Is that so. Then hurry up with the sorting- looks like Faron found xir and Four’s jackpot from earlier.”

“On it, boss!”

“Don't call me that.”

“Sorry, boss!”

--<>--

Damn, thought that which did not yet exist, that which was yet to be. Y’all’re getting a bit too chummy.

Let's spice things up a bit.

--<>--

By lunch, the piles had grown significantly, and Wild and the Captain had recorded images of nearly every ruined structure. What was once the main street had been cleared of rubble, and while it was clear that it'd take a full crew to really get anywhere, Wolf was doing his damnedest to try and clear it all out on his own.

Wild laughed as Wolfie plopped down on the sands, letting out an absolutely pathetic whine. “No-one said y’ had t’ rebuild this place o’ernight,” she chided. She'd switched her earrings out a good hour ago- the island sun was a bit too warm for her “normal Hylian person” clothes, and a skirt and near-backless halterneck felt far more comfortable than anything more masculine. She'd made note of it to Sky, and while he seemed barely any less confused than before, he was also a bit… distracted. Understandable, considering… y'know.

Wolfie shed his fur in favor of hands and voice and blunted teeth. (Was he really just shifting like that where anyone could see him? Nobody had, but… it looked like the heat was getting to him.) His sturdy robe followed suit, leaving him in a thin green tunic that fluttered at his feet, at least until he laid back down again. Almost everyone had removed a layer or two by now- Four has ditched the scarf and cloak, Sky’s sailcloth and heavy boots had been put away, the Captain had shed all his armor, and Talia’s over-tunic and gloves had been likewise packed up. The midday heat was oppressive, and only those already lacking armor or layers had survived unscathed.

Wild added another ice chu jelly to the metal bucket that sat half-buried in the surf. The primary meal she'd concocted was roasted duck skewers spiced with cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, fennel, and star anise. It seemed fitting for the island setting. Besides that, though, was a full buffet of chilled fruits, some sliced up and placed on their own skewers.

“You have… most certainly outdone yourself,” praised Time as he walked over, his face pale and sunken.

“You alright?” worried Wolf.

“A bit overheated and dehydrated,” Time admitted, fanning himself with a leaf. The patches of bark that made up some of his skin had thickened and spread, their usual oak tree roughness layering in knots and knobs. As he reached out for one of the chilled hydromelon slices, Wild could see that his hands and fingers were crooked and gnarled- like the branches of an ancient oak. “Kokiri are, after all, animated plants, and as such, our bodies like to overreact to such things. I assure you, I'll be well enough soon.”

Wolf frowned. “If ya say so…”

“I do,” Time confirmed after taking a bite. “See?” He stretched out a hand, and already, the creases and wrinkles were starting to buff themselves out. “Shouldn’t take more than, oh, fifteen minutes for my body to right itself- thirty at most.”

“Freaky!”

“Wild!”

Time chuckled. “It’s quite alright.”

True to his word, he looked just fine by the time everyone else had joined to eat. Wild heard more than a few embarrassing moans of delight over the joy and refreshment of a cold drink after hours of work under the unrelenting sun. When she informed everyone that she had enough for seconds, she could’ve sworn that Four started crying.

“I owe you my life,” sobbed Windy dramatically, despite being much better off than almost everyone else. He and Sky had fared the best, while Talia and Warriors looked ready to melt. Four was redder than a tomato, and Time probably wouldn’t be much better if he was capable of sunburn. As it was, Wild figured he could probably just photosynthesize or something. Could Kokiri do that? She should ask him later.

“What’s been gathered so far?” asked Time in between bites of spiced duck that showed off his sharp, carnivorous teeth.

“Uh, let’s see…” Talia glanced back at where she and Windy had sat, tallying something on one hand while the other held a dripping grapefruit. She’d rolled up her sleeve on her right hand, while the left stayed covered. “Between two and three thousand rupees, easily, and that’s without calculating the valuables. If I wasn’t so terrified of Captain Tetra I’d’ve kept a souvenir or two, but I don’t doubt that she’d kill me over it.”

“So the thief’s guise isn’t just for show?” Warriors half-joked, despite having watched Talia rob a man blind before they and Wild had joined the rest of the group.

“I’d like to consider myself more of an opportunist,” Talia returned. She wiped her mouth of juice and considered her red face mask, before grabbing another fruit instead.

“Don’t that thing itch?” wondered Wolf. “The mask, ah mean.”

“That’s what I said!” agreed Windy.

Talia scowled, putting the fruit back and re-tying her mask. “It’s fine. You don’t see me bothering you over your clothing, do you?”

“Ah mean-” Wolf pointed at his manacle.

“Wh- that’s different!” Talia shook her head. “Look, I simply- I just don’t like having people stare at my face. Wild’s covering his face, too! And Windy!”

“Windy literally has an eyepatch?” said Four.

Time sighed loudly and pointedly. “Let’s not bicker over this,” he decided. “Talia’s business is her own.”

Sky frowned. “I- I thought you were…?” He shook his head. “Oh, n-nevermind.” Oof, nobody had really explained Talia’s whole deal to Sky, huh? Then again, Talia hadn’t explained much herself…

“Ah was just curious!” Wolf defended. “Ah’ve got- ah’ve got somewhat similar scars on mah torso, so ah thought ah could offer some advice, or at least some sympathy.”

“Oh, no shit?” asked Windy. “Like- surgical, or…?”

“Burn scars. Had, uh…” Wolf grimaced. “Let’s just say you can never be too careful with fire safety.”

“Yikes.” Windy paused. He looked at Wild. Then back at Wolf. Then at Wild. “So uh-”

Wh- what was he suggesting!? “Nahana!”

“It’s from before we met,” said Wolf, laughing at Wild’s indignity. “Ah’m sure ah could find something that’s ‘er fault though if’n you’ll give me a moment-”

“Y’re so mean to meeee,” Wild whined dramatically. “Bo wulv! No more meat for you!”

Wolf put a hand to his chest, gasping, eyes wide. “How dare ya? How dare ya do this to me, specifically?”

The group laughed at their antics, and Wild laughed with them. “No meat for you for ten thousand years!”

“Ach! The injustice!”

“I’ll save you, Wolf!” cried Windy, a meat skewer in each hand. “I’ll save you from your sad, meatless fate!”

“H-how terrible,” joked Sky hesitantly. “I-I can’t even i- ima- im- think of a world so s-s-sad as one where you, you can’t eat meat!”

“And no pumpkins, either!” Wild added, fanged teeth grinning under the shining sun. Wolf and Sky both cried out in mock horror.

“No! Anythin’ but that!”

“Not the- not the pumpkins!”

“NO PUMPKINS FOR ANYONE! MWHAHAHA!”

Windy yelped. “Sikulo ne Zeviro, how do you have a better evil laugh than literally Ganodoruv’.”

“Practice, an’ not carin’ if the entire town’s watchin’! Does wonders f’r y’r confidence!”

“Oh you gotta teach me, do you think you could-”

And then,

                   the world shifted.

                                                and the sky f
                                                                        e
                                                                               l
                                                                                      l

Story Three: The Princess, the Rabbit, and the Hero's Spirit

Part One: The Ice Ruins

The world snapped back into place, and the first thing Blue registered was cold.

Move. Move, I need to move- I can’t move- no, no, no- not again! No- MOVE!

Stop freaking out, reprimanded Vio’s quiet monotone. You can’t move because Green is fronting. We’re all here with you.

Even without him in control, Blue could feel their shared heart as it raced, and now slowed. Green breathed for them- in, out. In, out. In, and out.

“Where’s Red?” whispered Green as he tried to take stock of the situation, emerald eyes squinting into the frozen darkness.

There was no response. No Red. Thus, no Four, either. Leaving Green to play the part.

Well, we had a good run, snarked Blue.

“I’ll be fine,” Green whispered, tapping their sword gently against the icy ground as he tried to navigate the dark room, or perhaps it was a corridor? It wasn’t like any of them could tell the difference.

Then why are you talking out loud!?

Stop egging him on, Blue, you’ll only make things worse by engaging without reason. Let us both give him his space.

Blue mentally rolled his eyes, but relented, and Green let out a sigh of relief.

“Hello?” he called out. “Anyone there?”

“F-Four?” replied a ragged, feminine voice Green couldn’t quite place. “Is that-” A hacking cough. “Is that you?”

I don’t recognize them. That’s- I don’t like that.

It must be the Captain, then- we’ve heard him speak on occasion, after all.

Did he sound like this? asked Green. It sounds like a woman. Do you think he’s…?

I’m not certain, Vio replied. I… Red would know.

“Who’s there?” Green barked out.

“Faronnen- I- shit-” Another cough, dry and painful. “Stay where you are! I’ll- I’ll f-find you!”

Better than wandering around and bumping into walls, thought Blue. He’s got his funny echolocation, after all. As if to back him up, Green heard a high-pitched clicking noise, not unlike the click-click-clicking of a River Zora igniting a fireball. A few minutes passed and the clicking got closer, as well as the sound of boots against stone. Green heard a shape get nearer, and while he readied his sword just in case, he lowered it as he heard Warriors’ sigh of relief.

“I h-haven’t- haven’t found anyone else,” he reported. “Glad to s-see you’re-” His voice strangled itself behind a dry, dry cough.

“Stop talking,” Green ordered him, fully aware he- or rather Four- shouldn’t be able to talk either. “You’re hurting yourself.”

The shifting of hair signified Warriors shaking his head. “‘s’fine. D-dealt with- with worse.”

Green grumbled at him. “I have a lantern, you know,” he griped, searching through his bag. The lantern was easily identified, and he set it on the ground as he searched for a match. “Here-” he said once he’d found them, “I trust you with these more than I trust mys-”

Us

Ourselves

Not just you!

Stop!

WE EXIST TOO!

And just like that, his voice is gone.

They… they don’t mean to do it. They never do. But when you know that this is your body, and someone is speaking in your voice as you can do nothing but watch…

The Four Sword is lost to them. They know exactly where it is- but they know that if it were ever pulled again, a terrifying darkness would be unleashed. A darkness they’re not sure they can beat. So they stay as one. They stay as Four.

Red and Blue and Violet clamber and scream to be known, to exist, and Green loses his voice.

The silence in the room was deafening, and when Warriors lit the lantern, its light illuminated Four, grasping at his throat as someone else’s words left him.

Warriors studied him, ears flicking against the dust in the air. “Neither of us will talk, then,” he decided. “You can carry the lantern and I’ll stay by your side so you can see me. Does that sound good?”

Four nodded.

“Okay. Then let’s go and find the others.”

--<>--

“And here I’d thought that the guy running these portals was on our side.”

Wolf scoffed as he offered Windy a hand, Wild’s Star Fragment lantern illuminating him from behind. “Ah try not to assume ah know anything of the gods’ intentions.”

Windy scowled as he brushed himself off, checking his person for any missing items. “Hey, Wild, got any sweaters in that funny box of yours?”

Wild grinned maniacally, the pull of her face forcing some of her scars to peek out from her mask. “Do I ever!” She placed the lantern on the ground and pulled out the Slate, its blue light a stark illumination in the dark. After a couple taps and swipes, a thick, knitted sweater swirled into reality, landing in Windy’s waiting arms. As the boy put it on, it was clear that it was a size too big for him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Ya sure you can fight in that?” worried Wolf as he put his own overclothes back on even as the icy room threatened to turn his lingering sweat into tiny icicles.

“Eh…” Windy stuck an arm out to investigate the long sleeve, before rolling it up and using a bit of twine to keep it in place. “That’ll do,” he decided before doing the same to his other sleeve.

Wild nodded. “Y’ look good! Green’s really y’r color!”

Windy paused, blinked at him, then snorted. “I mean- yeah, I should hope so,” he laughed.

Wild stared at him.

“Oh- uh- in my era, green is pretty heavily associated with the Hero, y’know?” Windy explained awkwardly. “So like- saying someone looks good in green is kinda like saying they’re really heroic. And since I’m, y’know, literally the Hero…”

“Oh!” Wild exclaimed. “That explains a few things! Weird that Wars an’ I don’t wear green, huh?” She laughed. “But then Faron an’ Talia an’ Wolf do.”

Wolf chuckled awkwardly. “Haha, yeah, weird…”

Did she- did she forget I’m my era’s Hero too? Or is she just… no, no, she forgot.

“Wonder where we are,” Windy mused as Wild offered Wolf a sweater of his own, which he declined- he could stay warm enough by moving around. “We’re not on the Great Sea anymore- I dunno how to word it, but, it doesn’t feel the same. So we’ve gotta be somewhere else.”

“If a place like this existed back home, I’d know about it,” Wild said confidently, raising the lantern up to inspect one of the walls, all pale blue bricks- not ice, but definitely infused with ice magic, if Wolf were to guess. “Wolfie?”

He shook his head. “Maybe, but ah doubt it. Like ya said, Windy- jus’ feels wrong.”

“Hmm… I bet it’s another dungeon, though,” said Windy, pulling out a bow and arrow. “Do either of you guys have any items with fire magic?”

Wolf groaned as Wild pulled out a Meteor Rod. “NO. Absolutely not, use somethin’ else.”

“But this is th’ only fire item I have,” Wild argued, her eye wide and pathetic.

“That is a bold-faced lie and ya know it; use yer Flamespear.”

Wild pouted like a child, but complied, letting the spear’s red-orange magic illuminate the room as she clipped it to his back. Windy nodded approvingly.

“Ah’ve not got much anythin’ in the way of magic items,” Wolf admitted. “Ah’ll leave all that to you two.”

“And I’ll leave any non-ice related obstacles to you,” Windy confirmed. “Now let’s get out of this frozen pit!”

--<>--

“Anyone else?”

Time shook his head as Talia pulled herself off the floor and him out of the room. “Not yet. I’ve a feeling Faron will be able to find us, though,” he added, thankful that the Deity’s power let him utilize his many masks without directly wearing them. As useful as it was, he was not explaining the Great Fairy Mask.

Talia huffed. “I don’t doubt it. You fae-folk tend to stick together, after all.”

Time hummed. “You know, then.”

“That xe’s a fairy? Yeah, it’s a bit odd,” Talia admitted, “but maybe fairies are different where xe’s from… hey, uh… you feeling alright?”

“...pardon?”

Talia shifted awkwardly in place, rubbing her arms for warmth. “With the sudden cold, that is. I mean- I don’t know a lot about fae, but I do know a bit about trees…”

“Ah, I see.” Time chuckled. “No, I’ll not be succumbing to the cold anytime soon.”

Talia sighed in relief. “Oh good, I was scared you were gonna explode.”

Time stopped walking.

Talia stopped behind him.

Time, very slowly, turned around to look up at her. “...explode?”

“Um.” Talia blinked. “Yeah. If it gets cold enough for sap to freeze- you know how pipes will burst if they’re overfull in the winter? It’s like that.”

There was a very long silence.

“Did you not know-”

“How the fuck would I know that!?”

“You’re literally a tree!”

“And you’re a human, are you a medical expert!?”

“I FEEL LIKE THIS KIND OF THING WOULD BE COMMON KNOWLEDGE!”

“THE LOST WOODS DOESN’T HAVE WINTER! How cold does it have to be for sap to freeze!?”

“I DON’T KNOW? COLD?”

“THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH-”

(In the doorway, Faron watched in quiet amusement, fully aware that it wasn’t quite cold enough for such a thing, and fully aware that xe wasn’t going to be telling either of them for quite some time. Travelling with others did have its benefits, after all, and entertainment was one of them.)

--<>--

The world snapped back into place, and the first thing Sky registered was cold.

The second thing was tired, and the third was cold again, but this time with feeling.

He sighed loudly and heavily, just for the sake of sighing, before hefting himself up off the icy floor despite his bare feet so he could try and feel his way over to a wall. He was quickly hit with the loss of Fi, both as a companion in this dark loneliness, and as a combination dowsing rod and long, pointy stick, both very useful things for navigating the dark.

“Is any-” A sudden voice, broken by a cough. “Is anyone there?”

Oh joy, I have to talk again already, thought Sky before he mentally smacked himself upside the head. Don’t complain! Besides, this woman is clearly having a worse time, so don’t be thinking things like that! “In here!” Sky called out.

A jumble of noise replied to him, followed by a groan of annoyance from Four before he sorted his words out. “Three people worst at talking, s-stuck- trapped- lost- in a dark dungeon. Figures.”

Sky couldn’t help but laugh as Four and his lantern turned the corner, revealing a scowl on the smithy’s face. “A-aren’t we lucky!”

A second pair of footsteps followed him, and for a moment Sky wondered if Four had found someone here. That wondering turned to confusion as Captain Faronnen was revealed, clearly pleased to have found another of their little group. “Glad you’re unharmed,” he(?) signed.

“Un- unharmed, yes,” Sky agreed. “B-but very- uh, very cold.”

“Your… cloak?” asked Four. “Vest?”

“With Wild,” Sky explained.

“Ah,” said Four. “Same here.” That explained where his scarf and cloak went- both of them thick and sturdy, and well equipped to handling cold temperatures like these.

Faronnen hemmed and hawed to himself for a moment, before unpinning his scarf and giving it to Four, who protested until he explained that “You’re smaller than us, so you’ll lose body heat the fastest. We all need to warm up, but you’re at the highest risk.”

Four narrowed his sapphire eyes, giving the Captain a look of pure spite. “...fine,” he eventually agreed, but the desire for revenge didn’t leave his face.

“Do either of you recognize this place?”

Sky shook his head. “I- I don’t- I tend to avoid caves,” he explained, shifting from one foot to the other and back again in a vain effort to keep from freezing himself to the ground.

“Not cave,” said Four, holding his lantern up to one of the walls. “Structure. Dungeon. Not- don’t recognize. But definitely- brick walls, intentional design- someone built this.”

Sky wilted. “Please, not again.”

Faronnen snorted. “It’s really very unlikely for this place to also have some kind of magic, mind-controlling artifact.”

“Statistically unlikely does not mean impossible,” Sky quoted bitterly. “Er- sorry. Th-that was- mean. Ah- who was it you found?”

Faronnen looked at him oddly. “What do you mean? It’s just you, myself, and Four so far. We’ve not found anyone else.”

“Hm? B-but I- I heard a voice. Who was, um, calling for me?”

“...that was me.”

Sky frowned. “Oh. I- but you’re not-”

He stopped himself. Maybe- maybe this was another of those things he didn’t understand, like with Wild and Talia/Talien. He shouldn’t be assuming anything, right?

“You sound- you sounded like a girl,” said Sky eventually. “I- I don’t- are you a girl?”

Faronnen hesitated, sucking in a breath. He(?) visibly debated his answer for a while, before nodding to himself and making a decision. “Women can’t join the military back home. A few years after the war started, that law was finally revoked, but by then I’d already enlisted under a false name.”

“So even now, if someone found out…”

Faronnen, or whatever her name was, nodded. “I’d be arrested.”

“B-but- you- Hero-”

The Captain shook her head at Four’s jumbled interjection. “A lot of people back home don’t like me. I can’t risk it.” At Sky and Four’s distraught expressions, she added that “All the people I really care about know! I’m not hiding it from anyone important. The only reason I didn’t bring it up sooner is because it wasn’t really relevant, and I didn’t want to risk someone from back home finding out. Plus,” she added with a scowl, “some people think that ‘only men can be real leaders’ or whatever, and I didn’t feel like dealing with that.”

Sky nodded, glad he could actually understand what was going on. “My- my friend Groose used to, uh, used to be like that.” He laughed. “Zelda v-very easily taught him otherwise.”

Four nodded. “F-friend, Dot- Dorothea- powerful light magic- terrifying.”

The Captain smiled, clearly relieved. “Now that that’s out of the way- I heard something this way. Let’s find out if it’s friend or foe.”

“Lead th-the way, Captain.”

--<>--

“I think I may recognize where we are,” said Legend after he'd finished forcibly bundling Time in a white and lavender parka- something from Hytopia, with an enchantment that made it a perfect fit, no matter who wore it. A very expensive enchantment, that one, even if only to prevent it from putting every tailor out of business.

Time picked at the edges of his sleeves and scowled, but made no attempt to remove his new outerwear. “We're in your Hyrule, then?”

“Lorule, actually,” Legend recalled. “A mirror world of sorts- it lies on the other side of the Dark World. Though I suppose if Ganon hasn't wrecked the place in your time, it's still the Sacred Realm that lies between.”

“I've been here before,” said Time, digging through his bag as Faron, who'd apparently been watching them for a good five, ten minutes before xe’d said anything, watched with curious intensity as Time revealed a mask. A wooden mask in the guise of a golden keaton, specifically, with white markings and red eyes. There were no clear eyeholes or straps, but that was fairly common for these sorts of wooden masks. “It's commonplace to wear the mask of a beast here, is it not?”

“Common, but not required.”

“Ah, well- it helps to keep my face warm, at least.” Time put on the mask, and for some reason, Legend felt as if this was more normal, more natural, than seeing him without it. How strange.

“If you're both ready to go then let's head out of here,” Legend decided, looking through his bag. “Ugh… don't really wanna break any of these…”

He'll be pissed off if I even scratch any of the magic rods, and I'd be right there with him. Maybe the boomerang? No way, too useful. Hammer? Pretty sure that thing’s indestructible. Bow? Yes! That could work!

Legend pulled out his bow, and snapped it over his leg.

“Whyyy,” breathed Faron, xir eyes wide.

“Oh dear,” said Time flatly.

“Give it a second,” Legend mused, waiting. Waiting. Wai- aha! A flapping of wings could be heard, and from the corridor came a deceptively adorable creature that one could almost mistake for a bird. It chirped in delight and Legend couldn't help but coo back. “Hi Sheerow, hi lil’ Sheerow- I missed you too, yes- yes you're very cute, please stop eating my hair-”

“Oh that is not a bird,” said Faron.

Time laughed. “Oh I'd forgotten they look like that here. That's a dovot, isn't it? Or a pidgekeet?”

“They're actually one and the same,” said Legend, gently stroking Sheerow’s pseudo-feathers. “A pidgekeet is just a white dovot. And this one happens to belong to a friend of mine.”

“A friend…?” Time tilted his head to the side, then let out a remarkably realistic bird call. Sheerow perked up, and immediately made a beeline for the Kokiri, perching on the snout of his mask and sniffing intently with what could almost be mistaken for a beak. “Haha- yes, yes, it's me. Good to see you again, little mimic.”

Little mimic? But that would mean- “You know Ravio?”

“Certainly. He was one of the best organizers in the war, not that he'd remember without some prompting. All that unprotected time travel makes it hard to remember it even happened unless you were in the thick of it, like Windy, myself, and of course the Captain. He'll probably remember as soon as he sees us, and not even realize he ever forgot.”

Legend grimaced, shuddering in horror even as Sheerow chirped merrily between them. “I can't even imagine that. Forgetting something so big and just moving on like it never happened…”

“It was for the best,” said Time, tearing away from Legend’s gaze. “Sometimes there isn't another way to move on, after all. At least they have that option.”

“You don't know that they'd want th-”

“MISTER HERO!”

“ACK!”

Faron and Time, the bastards, just laughed as Ravio appeared from a portal directly behind Legend, meaning that when that damn rabbit popped out like a jack-in-the-box, he sent both himself and Legend tumbling to the ground.

“Mister Hero, you're back!”

“And you're crushing my fucking spleen!”

“Oh look, and Mister Mask, too! How wonderful!”

“RaVIO!”

“Whoopsies!” Ravio bounced to his feet and brushed himself off quickly as Legend slowly dragged himself off the ground. “Oh, hello there, I haven't met you before!”

Faron, who was hiding behind a pillar, hissed.

“Understandable!”

“I see you're as lively as ever,” Time greeted him flatly. Sheerow chirped, gave Time a final snifsnifsnif, and darted back to Ravio. “How'd you find us?”

“I keep track of all of my merchandise!” Ravio explained. “Especially anything Mister Hero’s rented!”

“I bought this-”

“That way I can know if he's really in danger! So long as he has items from Ravio’s Enchantment Emporium- patent pending- then I know he's safe, and that's a quality guarantee!”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US,” screeched Faron, fire spell in hand.

“Just a small loan of-”

“You're scaring xem.”

Ravio faltered, felt ears drooping. “R-right, sorry, ah-” He cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly. “Got a bit carried away! You- you've been gone for a while, Mister Hero! You… scared us. You scared me. When you went through that portal, it was like you'd vanished completely. Like - like you were gone for good.”

Legend sighed, one hand clutching at Ravio's heavy skirt, the other holding the two halves of the broken bow. “Yeah. It's been… a lot, already. There wasn't really a way to contact anyone. But- hey, I'm here now, and I'm… eh… no less okay than usual.”

“Wow what an outstanding vote of confidence,” Ravio deadpanned.

“Fuck you too. Anyways, there's six other guys stuck in here with us and we need to get everyone together and out of here before someone freezes to death, since I don't know who of us thought to bring winter clothes.”

Ravio nodded with his whole body, Sheerow mimicking him in the air beside his shoulder. “I can help with that! But let's get you three back to the shop first, since it looks like Mister Mask is the only one all bundled up!”

Legend pointed to one of his rings. “Cold resistance.”

Faron poked out a hand that was cupping a fire spell.

“Well alrighty then! Let's go explore a dungeon! I will be charging for my services by the hour, of course-”

--<>--

Four quietly groaned as he leaned back against a pillar, rubbing at his chest. Divine vision or not, Sky’s attack had fucking hurt. He had somehow managed to bruise despite the attack never actually happening, but that was par for the course when it came to these visions. You get to see and experience futures of death and failure without them ever actually occurring, at the cost of bumps and bruises that, from the outside, seemed to come from nowhere. Never anything that lasted or really hindered, but reminders of the cost of prophecy.

Odd, though. The visions had always ended with his own death. Even when separated, the visions wouldn't end until all four parts died. That was the only way they'd been able to fake each other's deaths. But this time- this time it was the Captain.

Was it… was it something to do with her being a Hero? She and the others had treated it like a role, not just a title. Like there was a difference between “a hero” and “the Hero”. Was… was Four a Hero? He'd done some pretty damn heroic things, even before he was ten- something he'd definitely let get to his head before the Four Sword’s curse forcibly beat the humility back into him. It wasn't like he was particularly special outside of that, though. The most interesting thing about him otherwise was a weird birthmark in his hand that kinda looked like the Royal Seal if you squinted. Cool, but not “Hero” material.

Either way, this meant that Warriors had divine visions of failure too, and that Four could see them. If Four had a vision, would she see it? Probably, though Four was not willing to fuck around and find out.

As it was, he was almost wishing he could get a divine vision of success instead, considering how long Sky and the Captain had been inspecting the room for traps.

“You done yet?” drawled Blue. The others didn't even bother stopping him, being just as fed up themselves.

Sky sighed. “I- I think so, it's just…”

”There should be something. Monsters, chests, traps, puzzles-”

Vio offered a suggestion, and the others allowed it. “Maybe somebody else came here first?” He paused. “After all, if we're- if- tr- travel-”

The statement broke down as it was argued that Vio had only proposed the first sentence, and had continued on his own. Would you just let me talk!? he argued back.

No, because you'll go on a tangent and either blow our cover, or get forced to the front, Four reasoned.

“Take your t-t-time,” Sky reassured them.

Finish your statement but make it brief. If you try this again then Green is fronting again.

All of them mentally pulled back at that, enough to make the body flinch. Vio relented, and took over the mouth again. “Time and dimensional travel, it- it took Faron and I-”

US

US

US

Four shook his head, and took over. He knew what Vio wanted to say, after all, as well as Vio did. “Someone might've cleared it out already. Maybe- maybe one of us? Portals keep taking us to each other's homes. Time’s ranch, Windy’s- er, Captain Tetra’s ship… saw a place near Ordon with Faron on the way to meet with you all…”

“Right, th-that’s where Wolf is from,” Sky recalled. “I wonder if- if you two just missed us?”

Warriors shook her head. ”No, you and the goatherd were the first to meet each other, from what you've talked about. You would've been long gone before the smithy and the traveller ever met.”

“Goatherd?” asked Red.

Warriors faltered, looking uncharacteristically panicked for a moment in the dim light. ”Ordon is known almost entirely for its goats and its cheese,” she explained, ”and given Wolf’s strength, I doubt he's a cheesemonger by trade.”

“He does know a lot about cheese,” Sky mused.

”You had barely even heard of cheese before you met him, of course it seems he knows a lot. Either way, we should keep moving. I don't want to be stuck in here overnight without shelter.” A pause. ”Plus, I want my scarf back.”

“You're not the one with bare feet,” grumbled Sky.

Everyone paused.

“Why didn't you SAY something-!” shrieked Four as Warriors immediately began undoing her legwraps.

“I- I thought you'd noticed-!”

”No, we certainly didn't!” signed Warriors after throwing the blue straps of cloth at Sky's face. ”Now wrap your feet already before you start losing toes!”

--<>--

“Monster up ahead,” warned Windy.

Wolf and Wild both nodded. “Sounds like hooves… a Lynel, y’think?”

“What's a Lynel?”

“Like, uh- looks like a horse, but instead of a head there's a human torso, with a lion head.”

“Uh-huh. What's a lion?”

“It's… huh. I dunno.”

“It's like a big cat,” said Wolfie, “the size of a bear, but they hunt in packs.”

“Ooh.”

“Let's head back into that last room,” Wolf decided. “Wild, ya got this handled?”

“Aye.”

“Wait, why are we running away?” asked Windy even as the Wolf led him away. “Aren't we… oh, right! Wild talks to monsters or something! If the Lynel sees us two it might think we're a threat!

“Eh… yeah. Somethin’ like that.”

The hoof steps grew nearer, and Wild could hear the soft chuffs of breath, could smell the lingering musk. Definitely a Lynel. She had to make sure- anything else and this wouldn't work.

The mask, silly as it looked, fit over her head perfectly, and its magic fit her with an ease that nothing else could quite replicate. There was no tangible shift, no changes felt- one moment she was one thing, and the next she was another. Nothing more and nothing less.

The Lynel rounded the corner, and stopped dead in its tracks as it took in the sight of another, notably larger, Lynel.

Huh. Guess they're a lot smaller around here. That's useful.

“What… are you?”

“One who has been given many faces,” Wild replied in beh’teveva, her voice a low growl. In Common, she added “A traveller an’ a collector o’ strange things.”

The Lynel huffed, hoof pawing at the stone. “You speak strange words. Like those of the pig-men.”

“I was raised by beings very similar t’ them.”

“Hmph. At least you know the words of the elf-things. You smell like them, too.”

“My true body is one o’ theirs,” Wild explained, watching the Lynel’s body language carefully, something made more difficult by it's thick, shaggy coat, something Wild was incredibly envious of. “I travel with ‘em as companions, an’ I know their ways.”

“But you are not one of them? How strange. You are a curious thing.” The Lynel softened, approaching Wild to sniff her coat, ears pinned back, tail flicking. “Why are you in my dungeon, pig-elf?”

“T’ seek th’ rest of my companions, an’ search f’r those who are…”

“Who are what?”

“I ‘ave seen pig-men with black blood, so filled with darkness ‘at it makes up their very life-blood.”

The Lynel reared back, teeth bared and hooves kicking wildly. In the corner of her eye, Wild saw Wolf peek out the door, sword in hand, but Wild shooed him back. “THE BLACK BLOOD!” roared the Lynel. “For what reason do you seek it, pig-elf!? Do not lie to me!”

“T’ destroy its source,” Wild explained. “T’ cut out th’ roots.”

The Lynel growled, deep and predatory. “I pray to the Dead God that you tell the truth. That- that infection… it makes one powerful. Powerful as a dragon, or so it feels. But the cost…” The Lynel shook its head, pacing. “One of the disease’s hosts lives in the pit of this dungeon, and my mate took a part of it into herself. She killed dozens of elf-were and elf-wif alike before they could take her down! The Dead God would have known her as a demon!”

“But…” Wild began.

The Lynel stopped, snorting. “But it stole her from me, mind and soul. Body, too, now. But this does not stop others from seeking the disease out like it will save them. All they know is that it will make them strong.”

Wild breathed out, air turning to ice fog in the cold. “...may I know her name?”

“...Stars-In-Winter. Only mate of Stone-Hidden-By-Ice.”

“I am Vatekru, known by th’ elves as Wild, an’ by th’ Lynels I call allies as Wilderness-Under-Moonlight. I swear t’ ya, Stone-Hidden-By-Ice, that th’ disease will be stopped.”

“Thank you. Ah- before you go,” Stone added, “do not waste your time speaking to the infected, not unless they have only taken in the disease within the last day. Otherwise… there is nothing left of them.”

“Y’re certain?”

“As certain as the Dead God’s grave.”

--<>--

“So, to summarize- even the monsters are scared of this shit?”

“Terrified,” said Wild, her wide eyes betraying her own fear. “Lynels- especially ones guarding a territory- would rather fist fight Hylia than admit fear or defeat. This guy didn't even hesitate t’ warn me.”

“Well- you did say Lynels are kinda different here…?” Windy offered, knowing full well he was grasping at straws.

“No’ that different.”

“We already knew this was serious, though,” said Wolf. “Don't this just confirm that?”

Wild hummed. “Kinda. But this means we aren't jus’ saving humans an’ th’ like. I'll be honest, I- I only really came ‘cause I didn't wanna risk a buncha overpowered strangers murderin’ their way through a whole country.”

Well, when she puts it like that… “Now I kinda feel bad for, like, having fought monsters so much…”

“Ah get what yer saying,” agreed Wolf, “but don't feel too bad. They were doin’ some dark ruler’s biddin’ ah’ll bet? Big difference between defendin’ yerself, or fightin’ ta save others, an’ killin’ fer the sake of killin’. Even if yer good at it- even if ya enjoy it.”

Wild nodded. “I've killed more ‘an my fair share o’ monsters too, after all. I just have th’ option of talkin’ it out, that's all. Most people don't. Not y'r fault.”

“Yeah… yeah, okay. That does make me feel better.”

Wild nodded. “Now- make sure t’ bow t’ our new friend o’er there, va? Lynels are a proud people, an’ he was nice enough to tell us th’ way to this “boss room” thing. I don' wanna risk him changing his mind ‘cause we weren't polite enough.”

--<>--

Legend scowled at the map for the third time in as many minutes. “Alright. That's it. We're lost.”

Ravio wilted. “I'm sure that's not true, Mister Hero! Surely we just-” Ravio looked at the map. Looked up to survey the room. Looked back at the map. “Oh dear. Perhaps we are lost.”

“I thought you said you'd been here recently?” asked Time.

“I had! And I cleaned the place out, top to bottom! But apparently, someone's moved back in, and fucking remodeled!” Legend exclaimed. “Walls and doors are in the wrong places, there's no traps, not even the ones I've already sprung, and someone turned this room into a- a- what even is this!?”

The room, a dead end held up by four pillars, had been filled with bones, all laid out in intricate patterns to create a horrifying, yet aesthetically pleasing, floor tile. The walls were painted with soot and viscera, and while Legend thought he recognized the designs from somewhere, he couldn't tell where, or what they were trying to relay. Along the pillars hung garlands of meat and sinew.

“Perhaps a dining room?” suggested Faron. “The fancy decor could be to impress guests, while the meat is drying so it can be served.”

“Who the fuck- no, Faron, I don't think this is a dining room.”

Faron shrugged. “You never know!”

“Let me see the map again,” said Time. It was handed over, and his height made it easy for everyone to keep staring at it over his shoulders. “Maybe it's this room here? The back walls look older, and there could've been turned into pillars…”

“But the gimos-” argued Ravio.

“You said they're like armos, Talia? They could've been relocated easily. They could've just gotten up and left.”

“But we would've seen them somewhere else!”

“Not necessarily, considering we haven't covered much ground.”

Legend sighed. “True. We haven't found anyone.”

“Maybe they all got sent somewhere else?” Faron suggested.

“The three of us were fairly close, though.”

Faron hummed. “Do you think that-”

A scream echoed through the dungeon, followed by a thunderous tremble of stone as all the lights flickered from a shockwave of magic- dark magic. Incredibly concentrated dark magic.

“Dharkstare.”

“What?”

“That's what this dungeon’s boss is called,” Legend explained. “A massive, writhing, one-eyed thing that should be very, very dead right now.”

“That scream-” worried Faron.

“Wolf,” Time instantly identified. “It was Wolf. He doesn't seem the type to frighten easily, meaning that…”

“Damnit,” grumbled Legend even as he unsheathed his blade, the Rod of Seasons appearing in his main hand. “Follow me. If you're right about this room, I know the way. Watch your step, though. This place is treacherous.”

--<>--

“I th-thought you said you've never b-been here before, how would you know the- the right way!?”

”I don't! I'm just following the sound!” signed Warriors rapidly, not faltering in the slightest as she turned around to answer Sky, running backwards just as quickly as she had forwards. A skill Four would be envious of if he could muster up the concentration while also trying to keep his Pegasus Boots under control.

Useful things, certainly, and common if you knew where to look (specifically, postman surplus stores), but hell on your legs and near impossible to control. Four wasn't about to run face-first into a brick wall just because he wasn't paying enough attention.

At the sound of that scream- Wolf’s, if the Captain was right- the trio had started sprinting towards its source. A difficult endeavor in a vast, echoing maze, and one that'd led them down multiple dead ends. Not that this had stopped them in the slightest of course. Sky was already looking worse for wear, sweating worse here in this ice dungeon than he had on the beach, but he hadn't so much as stumbled yet, whip in hand, his golden Beetle zipping through the air beside him. Four had activated his Pegasus Boots without even a moment of indecision, and ahead of all of them ran the Captain, already looking very odd without her scarf, and even more so now in motion.

“We should- we should split up-” argued Sky.

“No!” insisted Green immediately.
“We'll all just get more lost, and just one of us might not be able to help Wolf, or might just end up getting into danger separately!” Four agreed. Sky nodded and kept moving, not even giving a second thought to Four’s sudden verbosity. Strange, but appreciated.

They kept running.

Dead end. Go back to the last turn.

Dead end. Go back even further.

They’ve been here before. Go a different way.

Dead end.

Retrace.

Go back.

Dead end.

Dead end.

Dead en-

“That door.”

They all stopped, looking where Sky did. A narrow walkway with an intricately engraved platform in the middle, and a double door at the end, half ajar, covered in detailed runes of ice and snow, and a massive lock in the centre. On the ground where snow remained, footprints- mostly boots, and a single set of cloven hoofprints.

“That’s gotta be it,” said Four.

”Is everyone ready?”

Sky nodded, whip in hand. Four unsheathed his blade, the Four Sword replica steady in his hands. Warriors weighed a Fire Rod in her hands, striking it against the ground before leading the charge, using the Rod to push the door open.

The thing inside was… wrong.

A squirming mass of black tendrils, each one lashing out at random to leave behind pools of- of- Malice, that’s what they’d called it, the black blood that Four now saw was a deep, deep magenta, hissing and steaming as it evaporated off the ice, leaving behind miasmic clouds of choking fog. The creature, if one could even call it that, floated unnaturally around the ring of ice and stone, pausing in the centre where it hung over a long, long drop, drip-drip-dripping like foam from the mouth of a rabid dog. A single blue eye twitched as the tendrils snapped and flicked, grabbing at whatever prey it could.

Four moved barely a second before it did, and he knew that that was all he was to this. Prey.

“Four! Grab your bow and aim for the eye! Sky, help Wolf distract it! Wars, it’s gonna shield itself with ice! Melt it!”

All three of them moved before processing who was giving orders. Four shattered again as Vio took over the body; it was him that found the bow most comfortable in their hands. Red called upon the fire magic only he had, meagre as it was, to keep them defended should this thing start using its ice to attack. Green recognized the orders as coming from Talien. Blue-

Blue wondered why the fuck Time was carrying around a pink bunny on his shoulders.

Vio stopped in his tracks, arrow missing the monster’s eye by a wide margin. “Wait, what!?”
“There’s a bunny,” Blue answered. “Look, right over there.”
“I can see that, I’m just wondering why it’s there-”

“Don’ worry ‘bout it!” said Wild, her own bow in hand, notched with two arrows at once.

“That is not reassuring!” argued Green even as Vio did as he was told and took aim again. “And where’s Talien!?”

“Uh…” Wild laughed nervously. “Funny story, that!” She did not elaborate further and instead backflipped over an incoming beam of dark energy. “Don’ get hit by those, by th’ way! I’m told it’s excruciatingly painful!”

Just as Talien had predicted, the monster reared back, surrounding itself in thick sheets of ice, but also a thick, shimmering goop that shone dark magenta when the light hit it at an angle. “More Malice, I think,” muttered Vio. “Those beams are probably the same.”

As instructed, Warriors charged forwards with her Fire Rod, letting its magic gather in the form of a winding dragon- always a show-off, huh? Blue that’s not nice- I’m not wrong!- that cracked the ice into pieces and melted each one into a spray of steam and water. The Malice was untouched, though, if not even stronger than before.

“We need light magic!” called out- well, it was definitely Talien’s voice, but now the Colors could see that it was Talien’s voice, coming out of the bunny.

“What the fuck,” said Blue.

“Told y’ it was a funny story,” said Wild awkwardly before letting loose a volley of shock arrows that did absolutely nothing.

“Light! Not lightning, light!”

“I got it!” said Windy, pulling out his own bow and whispering a brief spell that made the arrows in his hand start sparkling gold. Wolf’s shield kept the monster’s tendrils off him as he readied the bow, though for some reason Wolf didn’t seem to be carrying his sword. Maybe the monster grabbed it from him? Not relevant right now- we’ll ask him later- but it could be important!- focus on the fight!

Windy’s arrows found their mark, bursting the shield of Malice like a stuck pig. The monster screamed, and Malice splattered across the battlefield. Everyone else managed to shield themselves, but the Colors could hear Time and Windy yell out as the concentrated darkness fell onto exposed skin. Windy hit the ground instantly, Wolf at his side, while Time knelt over the rabbit that sounded like Talien. Faron ran to Time first- hold on, xe got splashed too!- how’s xe not hurt?- questions later, guys!- and quickly dissolved the liquid Malice off the unmasked parts of his face, xir hands glowing gold. Wild went to Windy, peeling the Malice off like rubber with her gauntleted hand.

Everyone was back on their feet only moments later, and the cycle repeated. The monster guarded itself with ice, this time actively targeting Warriors. The Captain parried a beam of magic- shield’s definitely got some kinda ward on it, we should really take a look- FOCUS- and wielded the Fire Rod like a flamethrower to prevent another attack, some kind of ring of ice, from even charging up. Windy started pelting the ice shield with arrows as she did so, providing enough time for another dragon of fire to take out the ice shield entirely.

Time’s own light arrows took out the next shield of Malice, but this time he called out a warning, and everyone took cover before the bubble burst. Another light arrow got the creature’s attention, providing an opening for Vio, Wild, and Sky to attack its eye without mercy.

Bubbling and boiling, the monster writhed and screamed, before falling to the ground far, far below them. It laid there for a moment, still, before oozing blood and Malice onto the pristine snow.

“...is it dead?” asked Wolf.

Windy loosed another light arrow. The thing didn’t move. “Aye. Dead.”

The rabbit that sounded like Talien breathed a sigh of relief. “Good riddance. Let’s hope it stays that way this time.”

”Agreed,” signed Warriors. ”Now that that’s out of the way- WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?” She pointed at the bunny. ”WHY ARE YOU A RABBIT!”? She pointed at Wolf. ”AND WHERE’S YOUR ARM GONE!?”

The rabbit frowned. “His arm? What’s wrong with his- oh my gods where’s your arm-”

“Ah feel like that’s really the least concerning of the two questions,” argued Wolf, his sleeveless robes doing nothing to hide the fact that his left shoulder ended in a stump- noticeably, in the exact same place where there’d been bandages. The cut looked clean, but the scarring implied it was years old. Somehow, the shackle that'd been chained to the now-missing arm had migrated to the other side- or maybe he'd just put it back on?

“Both of them are very concerning,” said Time, “but both can wait until we’re out of this place. Ravio?”

Ducking out from behind the open door came a man dressed in- well, maybe not the silliest outfit Four had ever seen, but it was definitely up there. A striped blue scarf accented pale blue robes and a purple overcoat, the purple being the same as the massive rabbit hood with stuffed ears that bounced around whenever the man moved, his long black braids trailing out from underneath it. “Here, Mister Mask Sir!”

“You- you can stop calling me that,” said Time, lifting up the keaton mask he wore.

“No can do Mister Mask Sir!” The man- Ravio- giggled, hand over the mouth of his hood, gesturing with it as comfortably as if it were his own face. “Direct orders from Mister Captain Hero Sir!”

Warriors gave a thumbs up, and Time sighed. “That’s fair,” he muttered. “I deserve this. Ravio, can you get us to the surface? More specifically, to somewhere safe?”

“And just for you, I’ll do it free of charge!” A spark of magic arced between Ravio’s hands, which he shaped and twisted until it grew into a massive portal… that was shaped like a bunny.

“I’ve always hated your gimmick,” said Talien flatly, “but now I feel like you’re just mocking me,”

“Aww, Mister Hero Sir,” said Ravio sadly, “you know I make an effort to keep everything on brand.”

“Go die in a hole,” Talien continued before hopping- hopping!- oh he’s so fucking cute- through the portal without even a hint of his usual double and triple checking ‘for safety’. Whoever this was, Talien clearly trusted them implicitly, so Four decided he would too, following shortly behind.

The whole group quickly gathered on the other side, finding themselves at the shore of a dark green river, its banks filled with mud and red sand. The grass at their feet was short and tough, decorated only by thorn bushes and hardy saplings. Four looked behind them, and could see the faint, faint line of magic connecting the two portals, trailing all the way off into tall, icy mountains, backed by- by-

“The moon of the Deeplands has always looked like that,” said Time, mask firmly upon his face once again as he stared up at the distant- weeping- horrifying- grimacing- watchful- face.

“It looks like- like…” Four trailed off, not a single one of his parts able to find the right words.

“It’s normal here,” Time reassured him.

“Yup!” agreed Ravio, his ‘ears’ bobbling just outside of Four’s peripheral vision. “I’m still not used to the Skylands moon, myself! Always feels quite lonely.”

Talien scoffed, unequipping his bag with surprising dexterity. “This the closest you could get us?”

Ravio nodded, rabbit ears bouncing wildly. “Don’t worry, Mister Hero! The river’s fixed now, and there’s a boat that’ll take us to Castletown!”

“No kidding?” The surprise in Talien’s voice sounded oddly hopeful. “No holes at all?”

“None that can’t be avoided!”

“You’re-!” Talien sighed. “Of course. I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. Of course you people are happily using a river that has bottomless pits in it.”

“Well, of course! The rest of the river works just fine!”

“I’m- I’m not even going to ask,” sighed Sky. “But can we please address the rest of…?” He gestured to Talien and Wolf, who both grimaced.

“That monster-”

“Dharkstare,” interrupted Talien.

“Ah’m- Ah’m not callin’ it that,” said Wolf. “That monster attacked usin’ dark magic, yeah? Barely nicked me, but-” He held up his stump, showing that the scars were tattooed with a rune circle, one that flickered briefly with golden light. “Lost mah arm years ago, but my hometown’s patron, th’ Light Spirit Ordona, gifted me with a prosthetic of sorts made o’ her own light magic. Works mostly th’ same as a normal arm- ‘cept in a few key ways- but it can’t stand up t’ the dark magic equivalent of a stiff breeze. Ah was gonna bring it up if it was relevant, but…” He shrugged. “Didn’t really think it ever was.”

“Will you be alright like that?” asked Windy. “I mean- like- are you gonna need help, or are you used to goin’ about with one arm like that?”

“Ah’ll be fine. Ah don’t really wear it unless ah gotta, but ah didn’t wanna risk us gettin’ ambushed or somethin’ and havin’ to fight one-handed, so ah’ve been leaving it on.” Wolf hummed. “Shoulda been taking more breaks, honestly. Ah’ll have to remember to take it off at night unless ah’m on watch…”

”Which just leaves us with the unicorn in the room,” signed Warriors as Wolf continued mumbling to himself.

Talien groaned, tugging at his long ears. “Ugh, fine. I got cursed a long time ago, I fixed it using a Moon Pearl, but the curse never really went away. I had a backup Moon Pearl on me at all times just in case, but Dharkstare’s attack reactivated the curse and broke the Moon Pearl, so now I’ve got to go back to my house to grab another backup.”

“Your house, which is in another dimension,” Time reminded them all, nodding towards the- fucking terrifying- grimacing moon.

“Pretty much.”

Sky raised his hand. “Why’d a curse turn you into-” He gestured vaguely.

“Because I’m the Goddesses' favorite clown.”

Sky nodded like this was a normal and acceptable answer.

Chapter Text

Story Three: The Princess, the Rabbit, and the Hero's Spirit

Part Two: Princess Zelda

Ravio revealed that the ferry to this world’s Castletown arrived every two hours, but would be arriving at this particular spot in less than one. Still, that left a gaggle of bored and curious Heroes waiting around with nothing to do once Wild had returned everyone's gear. Sky, at least, managed to occupy himself with some woodcarving, and Ravio had enraptured Four with a display of some enchanted weapons, while Windy distracted Faron by teaching xem how to play “I Spy”. Deciding to try and avert potential disaster- or at least keep said disaster away from the river- Wolf left with Wild to explore and scout the immediate area. That just left Time, Talia, and Warriors.

“I should have an item for this,” mused Talia, digging through her bag with an impressive amount of dexterity for a rabbit. “The ferry workers might get tetchy about letting a 'wild animal' on board, so… aha!” Tiny paws clutched a wooden ring that was just a bit too big for them. “Hey, Pretty Boy, tie this to a cord or something- unless you wanna carry me around on your shoulder,” Talia added, flexing her thick, sharp claws.

Zalle rolled her eyes in mock annoyance as she tied the cord Talia offered through the ring, making sure not to let it slip onto her finger. She placed the finished necklace over Talia’s neck, and let the magic snap into a place. An illusion appeared around Talia as she backed up, creating a false image of her true self. She grinned, and suddenly her cleft lip and long front teeth seemed less like genetic randomness and more like the aftereffects of a Dark World form.

“Finally! Thumbs! ” 

“That won’t fool anyone who looks for more than a second,” Time pointed out. He was right- the illusion was thin, and while it didn’t give away what was under it, only an idiot would be fooled into thinking it was reality.

Talia shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. This is Lorule, nobody really gives a shit. Everyone’s busy with their own thing, and smart enough not to ask questions. That’s one of the nice things about the environment here- tends to weed out the dumbasses. Natural selection and all that.”

”I’d say that’s a cruel mentality to have, but… well. They let all sorts into the army.”

“I’ll drink to that,” agreed Talia, stretching out her false limbs. “I’m gonna go talk to Ravio, make sure he doesn’t swindle our smithy out of his life savings.”

“Probably for the best,” Time agreed. Talia nodded and left the two alone.

Warriors didn’t say anything for a moment, uncertain of how to begin. So Time did instead.

“She was already quite upset about you knowing Malon already, I can’t imagine she’ll be happy finding out you know Ravio,” he mused with a smile in his voice. “I’ve already told her I knew him from the war, but she doesn’t seem to have put two and two together y-”

“Are you okay? ”

Time hesitated. “You’ll have to be more specific than that.”

”We’re in Lorule. At night. During a full moon.”

“We are,” Time agreed.

Zalle wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

Time sighed. “You… you have to understand. It’s been a very long time for me, now. A lot of things have happened. I’m not… I haven’t been magically cured overnight, even though it must seem that way to you. But I’ve gotten better.”

”Without me.”

“Yes. Without you,” Time agreed. “Because being with you… being with you meant being in the middle of a war. No, don’t say anything- even after the war ended, it didn’t really end. I needed to leave, we both knew I did, even if we didn’t want to admit it. I said my goodbyes. I gave you what closure I could.”

”You could have- no. You could have come back, at least.”

Time sighed. “I could have, yes. And I would’ve stayed. I would’ve stayed for years, and come home a different person, just like every other time. No. I couldn’t do that, not to Malon, not to-” He stopped.

”Not to who, Time?”

“...hn.”

”Sprite.”

“I- I didn’t want to tell you about them,” Time gritted out. “I didn’t want you finding them in a history book.”

”Then I won’t look.”

“No, but I fear that you’ll recognize them.”

”Why would you fear that?”

“Because I don’t want my daughters making history!”

“Your what!? ”

Time growled, hands balled up into fists. “Adopted, obviously,” he mused, looking around to see if anyone had heard him. If they had, they weren’t reacting. “One of them- well. You already know about Hyrule’s interactions with the Gerudo after I made the mistake of trusting an adult.”

”You didn't know what he would do. It's not your fault.”

“I know, I know. I’m still mad, and I’ve every right to be,” Time argued. “But this girl- Sura, named after one of the eight hundred, of course- she’s been through so much, and she’s so young, one of the last children of the Dragmire. The youngest surviving child. She… she came to kill me. Heard of my involvement and dragged herself straight out of the Arbiter’s Grounds to put my head on a pike.”

Warriors raised an eyebrow. ”And did she?”

Time hesitated.

”You fucking hypocrite.”

“I was upset at myself. I still am. I… may have felt that I deserved it,” Time admitted. “I know, I know. I’m still here, aren’t I? Malon practically scooped her up and sat her down at the dinner table before I could properly spiral about it.”

Zalle just laughed at him. ”She tried to kill you, and Malon adopted her about it. The more I hear about this wife of yours the more I like her.”

“She’s not my wife. Any affection I had for her of that sort died with whatever semblance of adulthood I’d tricked myself into,” Time argued. “Despite it all, Sura still sees me as- not quite a father, no, but nothing else really fits.”

”And the others? You said ‘daughters’, plural.”

Time nodded. “Saria found her in the woods. One of the Great Mothers must’ve decided she needed an apprentice, or at least a new toy.”

”A faechild.”

“Indeed. She’s not much younger than Faron- in her fifties, if I had to guess. About seven, by human development. We… I named her Navan,” Time added.

”Navan?”

“Child of Navi.”

Zalle nodded in understanding. It’d taken years, but… Time had told her everything about the fairy he considered family. A wild fae pretending to be a soul anchor, too young to be a mother, but too close to her charge to be anything else. Now gone, without ever explaining why. For Time to have named his daughter after her… those wounds were healing.

Time was healing.

The moon loomed overhead, and the wooden guise of a golden keaton was all Time needed to keep himself grounded.

”I’m proud of you.”

“What?”

”I know it’s cheesy as hell. But it’s true.”

Time said nothing, but Warriors could hear the smile behind his mask. “That means a lot, coming from you.”

They sat in silence until the horn in the distance signaled the arrival of the ferry.

--<>--

The ferry was ahead of schedule, something the group was thankful for as they needed the extra time to track down Wild, who, thanks to Wolf, hadn't gotten that far. As soon as she saw the ferry, she made a beeline for the kitchen with her haul of Lorulean forage, only to be immediately kicked out, probably because she looked a right mess.

After bribing the ferry staff not to announce her presence, Legend found a table on the deck for the onboard café the kitchen connected to. Nothing fancy, obviously, but much nicer than she'd expected. Lorule was rebuilding quickly now that their Triforce was intact again and tucked away inside the Dark World. (Just because it wasn't the Sacred Realm anymore didn't mean that that other world wasn't safer than Lorule, especially with Ravio and Hilda not being considered “worthy enough” to carry Courage and Wisdom. Utter bullshit, if you asked Legend.)

“How c’n a river have holes in it?” wondered Wild, sitting next to Legend despite the rest of the ship being practically empty save for their group of ten.

“The world got hollowed out,” explained Legend. “I don't know how that works either. Things have only recently improved. Can I have my gloves back?”

“Huh? Oh, sure!” Wild pulled the gloves from her Slate and handed them over, making Legend the last of the group to get all their gear back out of Wild’s infinite closet. “Forgot y’ didn't have ‘em, since y'r illusion does. Pretty handy that y’ had that ready!” 

“I like to be prepared for any contingency.”

Wild laughed. “Oh, uh- Time said he, Wolfie, an’ Sky are stoppin’ by th’ healer’s office- ‘cause I guess this boat’s big enough t’ have one of those- t’ make sure nobody's suffering any ill effects from th’ cold. Time an’ Sky were running around barefoot, after all, an’ Wolfie’s gotta make sure his fake arm ain't stuck deactivated.”

“I'll have to ask about those runes,” Legend mused, “the ones sustaining the prosthetic. I've never seen one so realistic.”

Wild nodded vigorously. “Near perfect recreation of th’ real thing, I'm told! Apparently it's th’ specialty of the Light Spirit Ordona, bein’ th’ patron of a farming community. Y’d think that sorta role would better suit fertility an’ nature magic, but Wolfie says Ordon’s no’ really fond of mixin’ magic with their agriculture.”

“How odd,” said Legend, fighting the urge to write down every detail. “Do you know why?”

Wild shrugged. “Y’d have t’ ask Wolfie, I'm sure he'll tell y’ all about it.”

“Tell him all about what?”

“Wolfie!”

Wolf just chuckled at Wild’s enthusiastic greeting, left arm still gone, the sleeve of his new jacket now pinned in place. In his remaining hand he held a tray, which he set down on the table before passing out its contents- custard pudding for Wild, a slice of apple pie for Legend, and a slice of carrot cake for himself. “My arm’s just fine, if you were wondering. Just needs ta recharge, so it's good we're headed back t’ Hyrule anyways. Time just needs warmth an’ a lotta water, but Sky’s gettin’ treated fer minor frostbite- should be right as rain before we even reach Castletown, though. Grabbed some snacks on the way back. The waiter was really insistent ah get you something with apple in it fer some reason.”

“... there's an orchard back home,” Legend decided to divulge. “Not terribly big but it's the best orchard in Hyrule.”

Wolf’s eyebrows shot up, and Wild whistled. “Y’re pretty confident!”

“It- it's my uncle's,” stammered Legend. “It's more a family thing than anything of my own. I maintain it.”

“Still clearly somethin’ ya take pride in, though,” said Wolf after a bite of carrot cake. “You oughta take us there! We still haven't seen the beacon, after all.”

Legend sighed, resigning herself. She’d seen the sheer determination and relentless curiosity they all had, she knew she wasn't getting out of this. Well… she probably could, honestly. The few times someone had properly put their foot down, it had worked. But…

Getting a new Moon Pearl meant going home anyways, and with a group this big that meant getting permission from the Queen, and they needed to warn her about the black blood anyways. Which meant…

Legend groaned, putting her head in her hands- both the illusion and her true body.

“What's wrong?” asked a concerned Wild, her custard already vanished into the ether.

“I… I don't want to go to the castle.”

“Who said anythin’ ‘bout the castle?”

Legend briefly explained her reasoning for talking with Queen Hilda. “And if I'm really unlucky, Princess Zelda will be there.”

“Why's that unlucky?”

“Because the dear princess is a stuck-up gossip with a mean right hook and the inability to listen to anyone but herself,” said Legend. Below her left glove she felt Wisdom pulse as the other side of its binding became vaguely aware she was being insulted in some way. This also made her aware that her soulbound had returned to this world, and a whirlwind of questions was held at bay only by Legend’s promise to answer them in person.

“You've just described yourself,” said Wolf flatly.

Legend froze as the other carrier of Wisdom cackled in his mind like a mad keese. “I- that's- fuck you.” Wild started laughing. “Fuck you both. I don't know you. This is terrible.”

“ Bo, bo, wait- one inaccuracy,” said Wild between wheezes. “Y’r right hook is shit, but I have seen you shatter a tektite with a single kick-” She froze, eyes wide and smile wider. “Is this why y’ can kick so good!? ‘cause y’re a wee lil bunn -”

Legend left the table before Wild could finish.

--<>--

Wolf smacked his protégé upside the head as Talien stormed off, despite knowing this was his own fault for starting it. “Ya didn't even let the man eat his pie.”

“Yay, more pie f’r me!” The remaining half slice dissolved into blue sparks and into the Slate. “Kidding, kidding,” said Wild, “I'll give it to her after she gets that pearl thingy, since I don' think she c'n eat normally like this.”

Wolf sighed. “You'd better. He's been in a worse mood than usual since we got here. Ah’d blame it on that Ravio fella, but it seems more like he's the only thing here Talien doesn't hate.”

Wild nodded. “This whole place is strange,” she mused. “And I'm no’ just talking about that creepy moon.”

“Ugh. Thanks for reminding me; ah'd almost managed to forget about it.”

“The magic here is incredibly dark,” Wild continued. “It's no’ concentrated, there's no real danger to any of y', but- if that one-eyed beastie hadn't hit y’r arm? It wouldn'ta lasted more than a few hours out here. I'd bet it's better in daylight, but…”

Wolf nodded. “The ambient magic is inherently dark.”

“Va .”

 “You've noticed it too, then,” said Time as he walked up to their table. Wolf froze, finally seeing the details of his wooden face.

“Where- where did you get that mask?”

Time cocked his head to the side. “Hm? A friend made it for me. Supposedly it's a reflection of the same “curse” afflicting Talia. A curse,” he added, “that I believe you're quite familiar with, Wolf .”

“Ah dunno what yer talkin' about.”

Time said nothing, but Wolf could just about hear the look he was giving him. Wolf relented.

“It… ah’ve been to a world like this one,” he admitted. “A world of darkness. Someone from that place saved me, and gave me this.” Gently, gently, he removed the cursed shadow from his bag, holding it up by the thread. “This lets me use the body it forced me into as ah please. Not that it's ever been much of a help,” he added darkly. Wild, hearing this, frowned, placing her hand on Wolf’s arm. 

“I'm surprised you haven't brought this up before.”

“Eh, compared to the rest of y'all, turning into an oversized dog don't seem that impressive. And, uh…” Wolf laughed bitterly. “Most people don't like dark magic. Ah think half this group would skewer me on sight should they see me transform-”

“I'm gonna go head inside,” interrupted Wild as she stood suddenly. “It's, um- it's getting cold,” she said lamely, not remembering that she still had her Snowquill gear. Time and Wolf both let her go.

“She don't like the idea of me getting hurt,” Wolf explained, “especially fer somethin’ like this.” He paused, calculating just how much he was willing to say. “She's got quite a few faces of her own. Some of ‘em don't look pleasant to most.”

Time nodded in understanding. “Why were you so curious about mine?”

“Oh, uh…” Wolf fidgeted in place, actively reminding himself not to start chewing on the cutlery. “Ah met someone once who could also turn into a wolf. A golden wolf, with the same markings as that mask.”

“How curious. Well, not only is this particular mask lacking in any transformative magic, it's the face of a keaton, not a wolf,” Time mused.

Wolf nodded, trying desperately to believe him, believe that this kindly, stoic spirit wouldn't end up a tormented ghost, haunted by his own failures. “Probably just a coincidence.”

Time didn't respond. 

The two travellers sat in silence for quite a while, until the blaring of a foghorn cut through the night.

--<>--

As the group of Heroes tiredly shuffled their way off the ferry, Warriors stood on the docks and breathed deeply. 

Ah, the absolutely disgusting smell of city life. Nothing is quite the same. Despite the smell- or perhaps because of it- the nighttime air was invigorating, and Zalle could feel her aches and pains practically wash away like the tides.

“Alright, listen up,” announced Talia, her illusion staying perfectly intact visually, but wobbling at the seams in its physical integrity. “This place is noisy, busy, and full of pickpockets, so anyone who doesn't want to deal with that, go with Ravio and find an inn to stay at. Anyone else can come with me to meet with the Queen.”

Sky immediately announced that he was about fifteen minutes from falling asleep, which Four and Windy both agreed with. Time and Faron wanted out of the crowds, the former voicing his very legitimate fear of getting trampled. That just left Wolf, Wild, and Warriors herself.

Talia looked rather upset at this particular revelation. “Shit. I- fine. Wolf, Wild, you're both coming with me.”

“Thought ya hated us,” joked Wolf lightly.

“I hate you marginally less than I hate the idea of bringing him along,” Talia explained. “Since apparently people know him.”

Warriors shrugged. ”I told you I had experience with time travel. ”

“We are literally in a different dimension,” said Talia. “And yet! Including Ravio, that's three people here that’ve recognized you!”

Only three? Surprising. I probably shouldn't say that, though. Warriors shrugged. ”It's the scarf. It is supposed to make me stand out, after all.”

“Which is exactly what I don't want,” Talia agreed, hands on her hips- a pose, Zalle noticed, that was mirrored by her real body.

She still wasn't completely over the whole rabbit thing, personally. And not just because that damn rabbit sanctuary had given her the lifelong instinct to toss any and all rabbits over her shoulder like a softball. No, it was because she finally had an explanation why the Hero of Legend was constantly associated with and/or represented by pink bunnies. And the leading theories said it was symbolism! The fools! Section S-82 of the Northern Mer Temple clearly showed recurring designs that only ever appeared in reference to the Dark World, which in conjunction with local oral history implied that-

Oh, whoops, things were still happening.

”Could you repeat that? I didn't quite catch it.”

Talia rolled her eyes. “Guess that's the downside of your fancy hearing, huh? Everything else is equally loud… Wild and Wolf are making themselves more presentable, and Ravio's taking the others to find somewhere to sleep. I told Wolf where to go since he wanted to see what the castle guards are like- apparently the ones back home are shit, and his Zelda wanted tips.”

Zalle laughed, remembering the cowardly incompetence of the very early Age of Nightfall soldiers. After the Arbiter's Grounds Massacre, only the very young and very old were left to defend Hyrule’s heart. When the elderly mentors and experts finally passed away, what was left was a generation of overzealous upstarts who'd grown up hearing daddy’s old war stories, all the tales of riches and plunder, with no mention of the murders and... everything else. A whole generation who thought they were entitled to be heroes without ever lifting a finger. ”He’s right. I've had to fight alongside those bastards. There's a reason I don't begrudge you for how we met, and they're part of it. ”

“That bad?”

Warriors nodded. ”Worse… ah, will Ravio be joining us? He has some kind of connection with the Queen, yes?”

“Mm. Officially, no, not anymore. Unofficially…” Talia hesitated, eyes darting back and forth as she searched for anyone who might overhear. “You, uh… you already know about Fable and I, don't you? That we're…”

”Siblings? Yes.”

Talia let out a breath. “Twins, actually,” she agreed. “She's only older by a couple of minutes. To think I was that close to being put on the throne…” She shuddered.

Warriors hesitated. ”Wouldn't that mean you're also named ‘Zelda’-?”

“NEVER call me that,” snapped Talia. “It's weird and I hate it and I will break all of your fingers.” She paused. “And don't tell the others. I'm only talking about this because you already knew.”

Zalle nodded vigorously. Most of Talia's threats were empty noise. Zalle did not believe that to be the case here for a second. 

“...good. Well, since he's in a similar… ish position, Ravio will be catching up with me shortly after I arrive. In the meantime- you don't seem nearly as tired as the rest of us, despite it being-” Talia glanced up. “-a couple hours before dawn. Damn, already? So I figured you could ask around to see if you can find anything out. Since you're such a familiar face around here.”

Warriors hesitated. ”I know more about you than just that, you know, ” she added hesitantly once she made sure that none of the others sounded anywhere nearby. ”I know why you're in this group. Why Ravio calls you “Mister Hero”.”

Talia looked away, hands clenched into fists, shoulders tense, ears pinned back. “Of course you do,” she hissed. “Damn. Of course you do.” She paused. “Everyone else is, too. Aren't they? I thought I recognized Four, at least… dead ringer for the glass portraits.” Oh I know those portraits, thought Warriors excitedly, I've read descriptions of them! Perhaps she'll let me see the real thing!?  “Goddesses, does- does that make Sky…?”

”I'm not sure who Sky is. I thought I did, but he doesn't use a sword, so… ”

Talia huffed. “If you'd made the Master Sword- the true, original Master Sword, with your own two hands- would you be willing to wield anything else?”

Warriors paused. ”I hadn't even thought of that… no wonder he took us all down with such incredible ease… ”

“Oh fuck,” muttered Talia, “I beat up the First Hero.”

Warriors put a comforting hand on her illusory shoulder. ”No, we beat up the First Hero.”

Talia barked out a laugh. “At least I know you're not going to be weird about it all.”

”Why would I?” Warriors tapped at her gloved left hand, letting Courage- and only Courage - glow a faint gold. In turn, Talia’s own fragment shimmered in response- not on her illusion, notably, but on the paw of the Dark World hare underneath. ”I’m the same.”

I'm the same as you. The same soul, a different face. I am you.

The voices tucked deep in her chest mumbled in recognition of themselves, and Warriors realized that there's yet another self she could put a face to. 

“... maybe,” Talia agreed. “I-” She faltered, left hand kept close to her body. “... there's a tavern just east of here full of loose-lipped sailors. If anything strange has occurred, they'll know.”

With that, she left, and Warriors wondered if she'd gone too far.

--<>--

After ensuring that Wild at least vaguely resembled a functional human being, she and Wolf left for the castle. They were barred entry immediately, and when Wolf tried to ask some questions, none of the guards recognized the names “Talien” or “Talia”- yet when the man himself arrived, he was greeted like royalty and the three were ushered into a waiting room, backed by a pair of doors that took up an entire wall.

It wasn't long before the wide double doors finally opened, giving way to the throne room. The rather… mediocre throne room.

In fairness, Talien had explained that Lorule in this era wasn’t exactly well-off, and this room was meant more for meeting with local nobles and peasants rather than foreign dignitaries, so it wasn’t much of a priority to fancy it up. Still, though, after all of Talien’s whining and moaning about having to see the Queen, Wolf had expected something with a bit more grandeur.

He certainly hadn’t expected a completely different woman sitting to the side of an empty throne to greet Talien with a friendly “Legend, my abhorred!”

“Fable! You righteous bitch,” said Talien with equal amity- in fact, he was practically smiling. Talien, smiling! The world had never known such miracles.

“What hot nonsense have you gotten yourself into this time?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Talien immediately argued. “This shit is rarely ever my fault!”

“Holodrum.”

“I happened to be there, that doesn’t make any of that my fault-”

“When you got kidnapped by-”

“That was entirely your fault, you sad excuse for a damsel in distress.”

Wolf cleared his throat awkwardly. “Are we interrupting somethin’...?”

“Kind of,” said the stranger amicably. “Hilda’s getting refreshments right now, but we were in the middle of discussing trade agreements.”

“No you weren't,” Talien immediately rebuffed. “You were gossiping.”

“Lies and slander.”

A loud gasp came from the back of the group, and everyone parted to make way for Ravio as he bounced up to the throne. “Princess Zelda Fable Ma’am, I didn't know you were here already! The diplomats won't be here for another three days!” he exclaimed, hands over the cheeks of his hood, Sheerow upon his shoulder in the same pose.

The woman- Fable- cleared her throat awkwardly. “Ah. You see, um- actually, hold on, why am I being interrogated here!? Legend, you’ve been gone for weeks now!” She stood from the throne to approach Talien, revealing that the two were the same height- and, if you ignored the hair, scars, and everything about how they presented themselves, they didn't look all that dissimilar, having the same ears, the same build, the same hands. “I saw the beacon, I heard what that dream told you, so don't think that letter of yours fooled me!”

“Y’ didn't even tell y’r Zelda?” mused Wild. “Bosh. That's cold. An’ stupid. Mostly stupid, actually-”

“Yes, thank you, Wild-” Talien grumbled before continuing to argue with the Princess. “Nothing contained within the letter was a lie; I was indeed investigating something in the Eastern Ruins, and I was indeed planning to return as soon as I could. Besides, I've no obligation to tell you my every movement.”

“Fable is simply worried for you,” said a new voice. “We all are. You know this.”

Entering from a side door came… another Fable? No, but a woman who could pass for her twin. Her hair was a deep purple, almost black, her skin pale and her eyes blood-red. Other than that, the two women seemed like carbon copies of one another. Their clothing was likewise similar. Both wore simple white dresses of thick fabric, their tabards decorated with all the livery of the royal family (though the new woman's showed an upside-down Triforce framed by what looked more like claws than feathers) accented by gleaming armor and a travelling cloak. Fable had a pink tabard and golden armor, while the newcomer- Hilda, based on the tray of drinks and tiny desserts- wore lavender and steel. Though colder, sharper, her voice was a dead ringer for Ravio's, oddly- at least when he wasn't putting on an act.

Talien huffed, his foot tapping the ground in a manner befitting the truth behind his illusion. “I came here for a reason, you know this. We just need access to the portal.”

“Something you've never needed,” noted Princess Fable. 

“I've never needed to bring anyone with me,” Talien rebutted. “I may return to the castle afterwards if you wish, or return here if that is preferred, just- please let us through already.”

Fable grinned like a predator watching its prey. “Oh? And why might you be in such a hurry?”

Talien scowled. “You know why. There's no need to make me say it.”

Fable just blinked innocently, her wide blue eyes sparkling in the candlelight. Ravio, standing on the other side of Hilda's throne, giggled at them both.

Talien groaned. His illusion of humanity shattered like glass to reveal a pink hare tugging at a necklace with almost human-like paws. Fable laughed at him, her silken voice echoing in the hall as Talien scrabbled over to Wild. 

“Wh- wait, what’re y-” Talien leapt, thick claws latching onto Wild’s baldric. She stayed as still as possible even as Talien pulled at her hair, moving with ease and grace until he was comfortably perched on top of Wild’s head. “Comfy?”

“You're the tallest person here,” Talien informed him with an audible shrug. 

“And here I had thought that all entrances to the Dark World were under control,” said Hilda as she took her throne. 

“They are,” Talien confirmed.

“That's the other reason we came to speak with you, your highnesses,” Wolf interjected, his Ordonian accent forcibly buried under learned manners and mannerisms. “If you saw the dream, then you are aware of the threat we chase.”

“I am,” Fable confirmed, Hilda nodding beside her. “You encountered the enemy, then?”

“No’ exactly,” said Wild, wanting to be part of things. “But we encountered some of th’ effects.”

“We have been travelling by way of portals,” Talien explained. “The one that brought us here was… different. It split us up and deposited us in the Ice Ruins. Most of the place was still cleared, but- not the boss. Back when I first killed it the thing was… irritating, yes, but a relative pushover. This time it took the assistance of all eight of my companions, and it wielded dark magic on top of its usual elemental ice.”

“Forcing you into this form,” Hilda surmised. “I will have to send guards to further investigate the ruins. Many of the dungeons you cleared have been converted into living spaces, after all. There may be clues remaining that warned of the boss’s reappearance that could warn of any future threats.”

“Boss?” wondered Wild.

“What Mister Hero calls the biggest thing that presides over dungeons!” Ravio explained. “The monster that guards the biggest treasure!”

Wolf saw Talien tense up at the name, but say nothing. He really doesn't like being called a hero, huh? I guess I can't judge…

“You need not bother,” Talien told Hilda. “It'll be rather obvious should something attempt to summon any monsters. You have already posted mages in the populated dungeons, yes? Simply do the same for the Ice Ruins.”

Hilda nodded, as if she wasn't a literal queen being bossed around by a commoner, something Wolf knew from his experience with Zelda Nyxia was considered incredibly inappropriate. “Your advice is appreciated as usual, Legend.”

“Hmph. You'll be needing those guards elsewhere, anyways,” Talien mused. “There’ve been other strong monsters popping up beside bosses, always bleeding black blood- condensed dark magic. If your guards find any… they need to treat it as a significant threat. Be it a lynel or a chu, it must be approached with utmost caution. If I need help taking them down…”

“Should we expect something similar in Hyrule?” asked Fable. 

“Without a doubt.”

Fable nodded. “Then let us return there at dawn.”

--<>--

“So what was that all about?” asked Wild as she and Wolf were escorted back to the transport hall by a pair of guards, neither of whom seemed particularly phased by the bright pink rabbit atop Wild’s head.

Talia fidgeted. “... what part.”

“Yeah, Wild, which part- the one where he knows the princess of Hyrule as well as the queen of another world? Or the part where this whole rabbit thing ain't even worth a second glance? Maybe how he started talkin’ all fancy soon as the discussion got goin’? Or maybe the part where they keep callin’ him Legend?”

“Shut up!” snapped Talia. “At least I'm not the one ditching my accent at the drop of a hat!”

Wolf shrugged. “Learnt years ago that the nobles won't give ya the time o’ day if ya don't talk like ‘em. Didn't wanna risk bein' kicked out for being a “bumbling farmhand” again. That still don't answer any of our questions.”

Talia growled. “Fuck this, you assholes can go through the portal yourselves, I'm getting out of here.”

She leapt off Wild’s head, clearly intending to run off and leave them in her dust, but Wild, with her many years of blupee hunting, snatched her out of midair. Talien froze, stunned.

“Holy shit,” muttered one of the guards.

Talia screeched. “PUT ME DOWN!”

“Not until y’ play nice!”

“I WILL BITE YOUR FINGERS OFF!”

“You c'n sure try!” laughed Wild, even as Talia began gnawing at her gauntlet.

Wolf sighed, holding his hand up placatingly. “Ah’m sorry for forcing you into a corner, we shouldn't’a been mockin’ you like that. But we can't help but be a bit curious, y'know.”

Talia wriggled and writhed a bit more before finally calming down. “... fine. But I reserve the right to wait until I'm back in the correct body again, I'm not having a discussion like this! Also, PUT ME DOWN ALREADY!”

--<>--

Wolf and Wild checked into the inn with ease, the innkeeper patiently ignoring the pastel hare on Wild’s shoulder that spoke with the voice of the local Hero. Talia hadn't been kidding when she said that nobody gave two shits in Lorule. Without the scarf, and with her tabard inverted to hide the Royal Crest, nobody had given Warriors a second look, and she'd been able to return to the inn with information.

”The black blooded monsters are everywhere,” she explained once Talia's companions found their rooms. The common room was empty but for a quietly snoring student who'd fallen asleep into a book. Otherwise, there was nobody to see a pink bunny and a time-flung soldier having a conversation. 

“We're too late, then?”

”If this were anywhere else, maybe, but from Lorule's perspective, it's just a bump on the path to rebuilding. The infected monsters are strong, diverse, and spread out, but they're few.”

Talia nodded. Without her illusion, her bright magenta eyes looked panicked and soulless. Her fragile body was tense, coiled, her heartbeat the loudest thing in the room. Would it wake the sleeping scholar? No, not with Mainlander hearing... Despite all this, Talia's voice and demeanor were calm, or as calm as the veteran could get, the prey-terror having always been quietly present behind her eyes. “I'm not surprised. People are smart here. None of our own fights have demanded all that much outside of the toolkit of an average traveller, and even the small town guards here have the wits of a professional by necessity.”

”It's a welcome thing, for sure,” Warriors agreed. ”During the war, it was the people here that managed to save us, not the other way around. Not in battle, but outside of it. Ravio himself put our logistics and command back together, piece by piece… for a price, of course,” Warriors added. ”If any time and place could deal with this infection, it's here and now.”

Talia’s annoyed huff was a fond one, shaking her head as she crossed her arms with far more dexterity than most rabbits could achieve. “We really can't take you anywhere.”

--<>--

The next morning, a letter arrived, opened and read over a breakfast provided by the inn's services. Having been absolutely spoiled by Wild's cooking, many seemed utterly disappointed despite being offered a perfectly good breakfast of eggs and sausages. Sure, maybe they were a bit overcooked, but they were completely edible! And being served meat and eggs just for paying to sleep somewhere? What luxury!

“We can head out as soon as we're done,” reported Talien, his illusion of humanity letting him hold the scroll that was in reality about half the size of his entire body. Faron wondered how he managed to hold the scroll in his illusory hands while chowing down on some kind of blue potato in his true form. “Hilda will see us through the gateway while Fable meets us on the other side. After I grab a Moon Pearl I'm to head back here and deal with some political bullshit but I can do that just fine on my own…”

“Don't worry!” chimed Ravio. “I'll stay with you guys and make sure you're all A-OK!” The unsettling merchant had traded his oversized plush hood for a wooden face mask not unlike Time’s, though this one covered only the top half of his face. A more mundane hood was pinned in place by a pair of rabbit ears on springs, accentuating his erratic and unpredictable movement just as the stuffed ears had. The half-mask, notably, revealed violet streaks marring the left side of Ravio's face - magic scars to match Talien’s lightning scars.

How odd. In Faron's experience, a mirror ought to have shown Talien's left-hand scars on the right. Xir own shadow had done so, at least. Perhaps it was because these were dark magic scars? They looked fresh, but magic scars often did.

Faron frowned as xe peered over Talien's shoulder. Talien tried to bat xem away, but this looked far too interesting to be ignored. “Signed, Crown Princess Zelda Fabellan Hyrule, Heir Apparent, Bearer of Wisdom…” Too quickly to be stopped, xe snatched the paper out of Talien's hands, shocking him into nearly dropping the blue potato- the blue-tato, even- from his leporid paws. “Official correspondence to-” 

 Faron stopped. Talien took the scroll back.

“Like I told those two,” he grumbled, jerking a thumb at Wolf and Wild, “I'll explain this all later . For now, I don't want to hear jack shit from any of you.”

“We said we're sorry,” mumbled Wolf, the tips of his ears flushed bright red. Even Wild seemed at least somewhat ashamed.

“Whatever. Just - hurry up. I'd like to get rid of this damn curse sooner rather than later.”

Faron said nothing, the words on the scroll still burned in xir eyes.

Princess Zelda Talienna Hyrule, Heir Presumptive- 

Hero of Legend.

Hero of Legend.

Hero of-

“Do you not own any shoes?”

“Whuh?”

“Shoes,” repeated Windy as he ran a hand through his hair before pinning the Helmaroc feather in place. “You always wear foot wraps. Isn't that, like, bad for you?”

“Oh, um… only if you don't keep them clean,” said Faron, still dazedly realizing xe and the others were about halfway ready to leave. Xe was in the rented room xe was sharing with Windy and Time, the latter having already gotten prepared. “Otherwise it's fine. And, um, I can't afford shoes.” That plus it was easier to move quickly and quietly without a layer of leather between xemself and the forest floor, and if xe did have shoes, they would need frequent repairs, and that meant going into towns…

Gods. If Talien- if the Hero of Legend ever found out his successor was- was- 

The mob with literal torches and pitchforks stood ready to burn down the inn for the crime of harboring a fugitive. Faron wanted to scream that this wasn't fair, xe hadn't done anything - but xe knew these people were just trying to stay safe. They just wanted their families to survive the night, and that wouldn't happen if the monsters were drawn to xem like moths to a flame. Faron left and never returned. Xe only found out years later that they hadn't lasted long. They should never have lit all those fires, like beacons in the night…

“Mood,” said Windy, like that was a normal and complete sentence. “Bet it's way quieter, too. I should swap out my own boots now that we're staying in a town for a while; I miss being able to sneak up on people. Keeps ‘em from getting complacent.”

“You- you're the Hero of your era,” began Faron as xe fit xir belt over xir loose clothes- xe’d surely grow into them in a decade or two, no reason to buy new ones- and tied xir bag in place. “Are most Heroes as… public about it?”

Windy laughed. “If you're asking if most Heroes are famous, then it depends. Some of us have been, like Warriors. For me, it's only because I'm Tet’ra’s first mate, and ‘cause we both travel so much. Had I just gone back home like I'd once planned then I'd probably not be remembered outside of “that weird kid who said he was gonna storm the Forsaken Fortress”.” A lie. But what part of it? He'd be remembered. What for? Why would he lie? Windy chuckled nervously. “Or as “the kid that broke the auction house”... or “the reason why the giant squid game went out of business”... or- no, no I don't think I'll incriminate myself further; Tet'ra said I shouldn't talk about that, for legal reasons…”

Faron sighed. “Between you and Wild, I'm getting the sense most Heroes tend to be a bit…”

“Insane?”

“I was going to say outlandish.” Though based on xemself as further evidence, neither description seemed inaccurate.

Windy just laughed.

“Have you, ah-” Faron faltered. “Hmm.” Xe pieced xir words together as xe put on xir bracelets and tied an emergency potion to xir belt. The enchanted baldric finished the outfit, and Faron was ready for whatever fights may come, xir Magic Sword an invisible weight against xir back. “If you… if you were to meet the Hero after you… and you saw that all the things you fixed had gotten worse… would you be angry? Or- if you met the Hero responsible for the flooding of your world… would you blame them?”

A long silence forced Faron to look up at Windy, who had frozen stiff halfway through putting on his coat. 

“I- that's probably too much to ask, isn't it-”

“Not at all,” said Windy calmly. “It’s just ironic. I've met them both, you see.”

“Really?” Warriors is the same species as him, so he must be Windy's direct successor. Anyone from before the flood wouldn't be a Ritokwati, right? That's how that works? Wild's the only other Hero, but she's from the far future. So it must be someone else... maybe... maybe Windy's timeline had its own Fallen Hero? Windy, Warriors, Wild, they're all named after their titles. Hero of the Winds. War Scholar. Hero of the Moonlit Wilds. If... if that's the case for the Fallen Hero... could... could Time...?

“Yeah. And… I did blame him. My predecessor, I mean,” Windy explained. “History said he just disappeared one day after saving the world. When the monsters came back, he didn't save us. Just… left us all to drown. I was… I was so angry when I found out… when I was a little girl, I was taught he was such an amazing person, y'know? Everyone wanted to be him. I wanted to be him. And then I grew up and heard everyone else talking about how shit he was, how he was a coward that ran away when the going got tough.”

“And was he?” That can't be the Fallen Hero, then, if he saved the world. That can't be the Hero of Time.

“No,” said Windy as he hung his stone pendant around his neck. “He was just tired. He was long gone when the monsters came back, you see. History had just put him on a pedestal, then demanded he live up to it. All he’d wanted to do was save his dad. He’d never meant to be a Hero.” Windy shrugged. “Seems like a pretty common throughline for us. I just wanted to save my sister. Warriors wanted to help her cousin, Caryatis. I don't know about Wild, but from what I've heard, she was just trying to help her Zelda.” A pause. “What about you?”

“... someone asked me to help,” said Faron. “And I could. So I did.”

Windy smiled. “I don't think anyone could be mad at you for that. That's what us Heroes are here for, isn't it? Helping people, just because we can.”

Windy paused, flipping his gifted compass between his hands.

“Or because they'll pay us. Once I got an entire island deed out of it-”

Chapter Text

Story Three: The Princess, the Rabbit, and the Hero's Spirit

Part Three: The Orchard

The trip through the Lorule-Hyrule portal was uninteresting. Step through, and you're immediately in the same place but different. It is almost too streamlined, making the trip a different sort of disorienting from the usual portals, if only in that you felt as if you'd never travelled, and the world had instead changed around you.

Hyrule's Castletown was a drastic change from Lorule's, with the dawn bringing, instead of the quiet peace of the calm before a storm, the clamor of a city in action. Sky had to clamp his hands over his ears to keep it from being overwhelming, and a glance revealed that most of the others had done the same, including the merchant Ravio, but not Talien or Captain Faronnen. Those two seemed to revel in it all, and after the shock wore off, so did Four. Wolf and Time looked equally uncomfortable with large crowds, young Ajo was clearly putting on a brave face, and Wild and Faron were one scare away from vanishing into the woods, never to be seen again.

“Place we’re headed is that way,” said Talien, pointing southwest. “Look for a house on its own, a bit northeast of Kakariko, with a giant sign on it.”

Wild and Faron were off like a shot, disappearing into the crowd with practiced ease.

“But Mister Hero,” fretted Ravio, “what if they get lost?”

“Then we'll follow the smell of fire and go from there. Worked for Wars and I when we travelled with Wild.”

Wolf nodded sagely. “Fire, blood, explosions, small hordes of terrified monsters…”

“Faron's got a good head on xir shoulders,” Time reassured the group. “I'm sure xe'll balance out Wild’s enthusiasm.”

--<>--

“Hey check it out, there's a whole cave system o’er here!”

“Perhaps there's treasure inside!”

“Shouldn't we wait f’r th’ others? Besides, we don’ have a map.”

“Who needs a map?”

“Y're so right, let's do it- ”

--<>--

“Somehow I feel like we've jinxed ourselves,” said Sky quietly.

“It’s fine ,” said Talien lightly. “They’re someone else’s problem now. If they get too close to my house then the bees will deal with them.”

“Th- the bees?”

“Yeah, you know, the bees.”

Sky did not know and was quite certain he didn’t want to, based on Groose’s horrified descriptions of what bee stings felt like. The Islands had their own insects, of course, but not bees- domestic crops had to be pollinated by hand. An extra task, yes, but also the reason Skyloft could grow incredibly advanced crops no Surface species even dream of- the main source of trade between the two once people started moving down below the clouds.

To think, this was what would become of that tiny farming village, so small they didn’t even need central leadership. Generations in the future, it had become a kingdom, like in the stories of old. Sky… wasn't completely convinced that was a good thing, but every era they'd visited so far seemed to have at least one person who knew what they were doing, whether that be a Princess or a Pirate Queen.

“Legend! You made it!”

Ah, and there she… was? Sun? No, she doesn't look anything like Sun, so why…?

The woman calling out to their group was pale and lithe, her straight blond hair held in place by a simple ribbon- pale blue, to match the simple blue and white dress she wore. Nothing Sky would expect to see on royalty, though they were indeed the sort Sun would wear. The two had the same hair, but Sun was as dark-skinned as anyone else on Skyloft, and had the sturdy build of a knight swordsman. So why had Sky mistaken her for Sun, even if only for a moment?

“Fable,” Talien greeted amicably. “These are Time of the Lost Woods, Captain Zael Faronnen, Sky Aiana, Four Smith, Windy of Outset, and of course Wolf of Ordon. Faron and Wild have just left. I- I don't actually know if either of them have full names.”

“Wild of the Great Plateau,” answered Wolf. "She's the one who was with us the other day."

“Faron hasn't chosen to share xir full name,” said Time, "assuming xe has one."

Fable laughed, and by Hylia, it was the same laugh, the same aura, the same eyes as Sun. Sky fully expected the Light around her to coalesce into golden wings, the same as Sun had learned to do as soon as her memories of Hylia had begun to trickle in. (What a sight that had been, seeing her before the Gate of Time, dressed in white and glimmering opal, blue and gold feathers shining like a mirage...) “You're th-the princess?” asked Sky.

Fable shushed him. “Not so loud! I'm having a day off- the first one in some time, as someone hasn't been assisting me. ”

“I've been busy, ” said Talien.

“P-pardon me for asking," Sky continued awkwardly, "as it's probably an odd question, but, um… how far back does the royal line go?”

Fable frowned. “You don't…? Ah yes, of course, Legend had mentioned each of you having come from different, often distant eras. The Royal Family of Hyrule,” she explained, “traces its lineage back to the country’s founding. Stories tell of Hyrule's first people descending from the clouds, with the first Princess Zelda being Hylia incarnate. The accuracy of all this is of course debatable-”

“Oh,” said Sky. “That's why you sound like her.”

“Like who?”

“Zelda.”

(”Well that answers that,” signed Warriors.)

(“Ha! Should've bet on it; I could be twenty rupees richer right now,” complained Talien.)

Fable’s eyes grew wide, and Sky could feel the group staring at him. 

“I- I'm sorry - I s-said something, someth-thing wrong, didn't I-?”

“You're fine,” Time assured him gently, hand against his glove. “This just confirms where you are on the timeline, that's all. Besides, even if Fable is distantly related to your Zelda, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. It could just mean one of her descendants may be Fable's ancestor.”

“...right,” said Sky. “Th-that makes sense.”

“...let's just get going already,” grumbled Talien. “Unless someone else has some bombshells they'd like to drop?”

“Not particularly,” said Wolf.

“Then let me get rid of this damned curse already.”

Fable complied, leading the group to the nearby stables, where various merchants were unloading crates that were either carted up to the castle, or carried through the Lorule-Hyrule portal. Here she spoke with one of the stable hands, who brought them all over to a large, ornate box on wheels headed by a pair of horses. These two were the same build as the ones Wolf had introduced him to, but the other horses in the stable varied, in shape, size, and color, bringing to mind the muted rainbow of feathers that made up the Aviary's many occupants.

The box, according to Fable, was a carriage, and the opened door revealed a plush interior with comfortable benches. Sky followed some of the others inside and fought back against the claustrophobia that popped up when the door closed behind them. “Is th-this safe?”

“Mm-hm!” confirmed Fable with a nod, sitting beside Four. Across from Four sat Faronnen, who sat next to Sky- the same group that'd found each other in what Talien called the Ice Ruins. Time, Talien, Wolf, and Ajo had taken a second carriage, which Sky could hear departing just a moment before his own vehicle jostled into movement. “The roads are cleared regularly, and there won't be any monsters out in such bright sunshine.”

Captain Faronnen frowned at this. “Did Talia not explain about the black blood?”

“There's been no sign of such a thing in Hyrule just yet,” Fable reasoned, “and a dark magic infection would only increase their vulnerability to sunlight. I'll be discussing changes to nighttime patrols when-”

The Captain shook her head. “They're not just stronger! There have been unfamiliar monsters, scattered through lands where they don't belong- their behaviors and weaknesses won't be what you expect!”

Fable hesitated. “You believe that they'd attack even in broad daylight?”

“I believe there's a chance.”

The Princess nodded. “Understood. If anything happens, I'll rely on you, Hero. But for now-” She turned to Sky. “You spoke of your friend, Zelda, yes? I reminded you of her. What is she like?”

What was she like? Divine, Sky wanted to say. Ancient and unknowable, more vast than the human mind can ever comprehend. But that wasn't an answer Sky could give, nor was it one he expected Fable wanted to hear. So he offered a different truth. “A f-force to be reckoned with,” he said with a smile. “Braver th-than I am, and- more sp- spon- s- hng. Spon-ta-ne-ous. Determined. S-stubborn. She’s a b-better knight than I am.”

“A knight?” asked Four, surprising Fable, who hadn't yet heard him speak.

Sky nodded. “I- I don't know what knights are like in your eras…" he admitted, nodding to Captain Faronnen. "Z-Zelda fits the part, but I'm no, uh, no gallant hero in sh-shining armor. I'm no good on the ground, really. I only joined because of mine and Aia’s f-flight coordination.”

“Aia?” asked Fable.

“M-my Loftwing!”

“Large birds that protect and ferry their riders about the Sky Islands,” explained Faronnen. “The Royal Crest is a stylized depiction of a red Loftwing in flight, though I'd imagine you already knew th-”

THUD

Something slammed into the side of the carriage, pushing everyone to the side. One of the horses screeched. Sky pulled back the curtains on the door windows. A crack ran through one of the panes. Outside, he caught a flash of movement.

“What's out there? Give him a second- shut up!” Four slapped his hands over his mouth before he could say anything further. Sky paid no mind. The window was made of frosted glass. No good. He grabbed the handle of his whip and smashed it against the fractured pane. The sounds outside rushed in- hooves against cobblestone and the war cries of monsters. He saw flashes of red- bokoblins, from Faron Woods back home, riding some kind of beast. Shorter and sturdier than a horse, with a thick neck and sharp tusks.

“A bulbo r-riider,” managed Faronnen. “But I-I've never s-s-seen these, these kinds o-of bokoblin ride a-a-anything.”

Neither had Sky, but that wasn't important. The carriage briefly pulled ahead, nearly knocking Sky off his feet. He gripped his whip, shattering the rest of the glass with it. As soon as the bokoblin was visible, he snatched the sword from its hand, launching it. A scream and a squelch indicated it hit something- another bokoblin, based on the riderless bloodstained bulbo that veered off the road.

Two arrows appeared out of nowhere, striking both the bokoblin and its mount at once. A glance out the window showed Wolf ducking back into his own carriage, bow in hand.

A glance the other way showed the small horde of bulbo riders behind them.

“There's about- I- I don't know, twenty, th-thirty riders?” stuttered Sky as he clenched his hands to stop their trembling. “We're outnumbered!”

Captain Faronnen looked like she was going to laugh. “Your Highnesses, tell the carriage driver to speed up as soon as I'm out. I'll meet up with you at the house.”

Fable nodded, but Sky didn't, processing what the Captain had just said. “W-wait, no-!”

The door opened and Faronnen launched herself out of the carriage, tucking into a roll. Four screamed, and Sky scrambled over to that side of the carriage to get a good look. He couldn't- the door had lodged itself shut on the backswing, and Sky’s gloves were already covered in glass shards. 

“STOP THE CARRIAGE!”

“She told us to speed up!” yelled Four, but the carriage driver had heard the command already. The sudden stop flung the three passengers against the wall and against each other, with Four crying out as Sky collided directly on top of him. He didn't stop. He needed to get out of here, the Captain-!

Sky flung open the right-hand door and stumbled out onto solid ground, his head pounding. The other carriage had stopped too, just ahead of them. When Sky looked back, though -

When Sky looked back he saw Captain Zalle Faronnen standing in a pool of blood, flicking bits of viscera off her blade. Every monster around her was cut cleanly through the stomach, their strewn organs being devoured by their own bulbo. Faronnen looked disgusted.

“I got some on my tunic,” she explained after stabbing her blade into the soft ground by the roadside. “I had just washed it last night back in Lorule, and there's already blood on it!”

Sky turned away and threw up on the cobblestones.

--<>--

“I think you've scared him.”

Warriors wilted, ears flicking towards where Windy was soothing Sky and cleaning the last bits of sick out of the Skyloftian’s tightly curled hair. “I didn't mean to. We were getting attacked. There's civilians here!”

Time sighed. Warriors was right, but that didn't mean she could just wipe out a horde in a couple swings and think there wouldn't be consequences. At least it'd been a small horde. That and the fact that the few remaining bulbo were cleaning the scene at a rapid pace meant it was impossible to tell just how many opponents there had been. 

“Most of these weren't infected,” signed the Captain. “But these ones that were- I actually had to make an effort. If I hadn't finished them off quickly, if they'd gotten a chance to fight back…”

“You have a shield for a reason, you know,” joked Time, but he took the information very seriously. Warriors was a powerful force on the battlefield, but she was also a “glass cannon”, as Artemis had described her once. Indescribably powerful… but liable to shatter at the slightest touch. She didn't have the same speed and agility most Heroes tended to boast, so she made up for it in raw, unbridled power. For a simple bokoblin to not only survive that, but be able to fight back…

“Wild’s gonna kill ya if she finds out ya just slaughtered a buncha uninfected bokos,” said Wolf casually, flicking a piece of some unidentifiable organ off of Wars' tunic.

“They were trying to kill us! ”

“Oh don't get me wrong, ah fully agree,” said Wolf. “Ah’m just warning ya that she won't.”

“I've never seen monsters like this,” said Talia, poking at the quickly vanishing pile of viscera. “Which means even uninfected monsters are being moved through the timelines…”

“They're from Sky’s era,” relayed Windy. “Seems like part of why he's freaking out is because he's always kinda struggled to fight them in groups and you kinda… didn't. That and all the gore.”

“Eh, they don't look that tough- don't say that, that's mean- shut up!- stop talking!” Four gasped, slamming his hands over his mouth as he trembled. Time watched the group collectively decide not to bring it up. Four looked both grateful, and even more anxious.

“Th-they’re not, you're right,” agreed Sky, slowly getting up off his knees, an action that looked particularly painful for him. “I'm just- bad with large groups.”

Zalle grinned. “We'll make a great team- I'm only good with groups.”

“You all might want to see this,” called Talia.

She stood by the puddle of viscera, her human illusion gone. Despite that, she still stood on two feet, a sunset-golden shortsword in her hands- er, paws? There was a faint cloud of smoke around her, emanating from the black blood that soaked into the ground.

“Don't get too close. Especially you, Wolf,” Talia warned. “Not if you'd like your arm back within the week.”

Fable gagged. “Din, Nayru, and Farore. It's been a while since I last encountered such Malice . You'd think one would get used to it, but…” She averted her eyes, the hand over her mouth glowing gold with Wisdom… and… Courage? Fable saw Time’s stare, and the glow vanished. How curious.

The Captain sucked in a gasp as she stepped back, wrist pressed against her nose. “Eugh.”

“It's not affecting me because of the curse,” explained Talia, grabbing a glass vial from her bag with which she scooped up a thick chunk of infected flesh, still dripping blood. “Otherwise this shit would probably be eating me alive.”

“We still haven't seen the beacon,” Windy reminded them, “and my compass hasn't been any help either. It either spins around or points at something for a couple minutes at a time.”

“Could be ‘cause of how we were brought here,” mused Wolf. “This last time was different, yeah? We just got shoved through reality ‘stead of bein’ offered a portal.”

“In that case,” said Time, “it might behoove us to find some way to contact our patron. They've done so previously via dreams, but I can't recall having any last night.” None that weren't just regurgitated memories, at least.

“I may have some leads you can investigate in the meantime,” said Fable through the scarf she'd tied around her face. I'm not sure, with Talia’s illusion gone, but Fable looks a lot like her, doesn't she? And with her carrying Courage… are they…? No matter, this wasn't the time for speculation.

“I'd be happy to take you up on your offer,” signed Warriors. “But first, let's actually get to our destination already.”

“Please,” said Talia, handing the vial of Malice up to Wolf, who stored it in a cotton-filled box next to a vial of similar contents. “I don't want to be tiny anymore.”

“Suffer,” intoned Four.

--<>--

Fable was soon able to find a guard to assist with the cleanup, and sent the group on ahead while she stayed behind, ordering Talien- still a rabbit, now that his illusion was no longer functional- to assist the group instead of returning to the castle, on the condition that he not only check in with at least someone while he remained in this era, but also that the whole group find some way of communicating between worlds. 

Everyone agreed in full with the second condition, all wanting to do so themselves. Some of them were actively needed back home, and all of them missed their own friends and family.

To the surprise of nobody at all, Wild and Faron were nowhere to be seen when the carriages arrived at the small farmhouse. The orchards out back, though, were completely lacking in fire, and the rabbit-faced sign on the front was free of scorch marks. 

“Mister Hero, you're finally here!” greeted Ravio as he burst out the front door. “Oh? Where's everyone else gone?”

“Fable stayed behind,” explained Talien as he hopped out of the carriage and bounded to the door on all fours. “We ran into some monsters on the way here- nothing we couldn't handle, but still concerning. Faron and Wild should've been here by now, what with the delay…”

Wolf sighed. “Ah’ll go find ‘em.” It would give him a chance to stretch his legs; Wild knew his other form better than she knew his human form, and Faron had surely figured it out by now, or would at least recognize him. He wasn't really keeping it a secret- he was going by Wolf, after all. He just didn't want to risk people seeing what he was using to transform, especially now that they knew of the magic that'd transformed Talien.

“I'll come with,” offered Four.

Wolf went to refuse him, then… then remembered something. Their gifts. Four’s was an odd little tchotchke that radiated shadow magic. He hadn't seemed upset about it, or frightened… besides, Four had been seeming a bit off since they got here, and Wolf knew just how difficult a simple request could be when speaking was a struggle. “Sure thing.”

As Talien led the group inside with a warning not to touch anything under penalty of whatever obscure curse might be contained within, Wolf slipped away into the forest, Four close behind. The smithy’s cloak covered his whole body from the neck down, making him look a bit odd when running.

“Before we do anything else,” muttered Wolf once they were out of eyeshot and earshot of Talien's house, “ah need ta know yer thoughts on something.”

Four tilted his head, a silent, go on.

Alright. Here goes. “How… how familiar are you with shadow magic?”

Four froze in place like a startled deer. In the leaf-dappled noonday sun, his eyes seem to shift colors- dull brown became bright violet before shifting to a deep sea blue, then lime green, then fire-red, then all of them at once, shifting and swirling like the iridescence of a beetle. In less than a second, it stopped, and the brilliant tyrian orchid remained.

“Very,” said Four in a Royal accent Wolf was certain he didn't have before. “Why do you ask?”

“Talien’s not the only one with a cursed form. Ah can still access mine, if ah choose. It's… useful. In this case, it could help us find Wild an’ the traveller.”

A spark of understanding lit behind violet eyes. “Of course… should I assume that's where the name originated?”

Wolf chuckled. “Never let Wild name anything.”

Four- or whoever this person was, now- nodded. “Why haven't you brought this up before?”

If Wolf was a kinder person, he would have reconsidered his reply. Unfortunately, for all his softness and gentleness, if something didn't get resolved, he took it upon himself to resolve it. Bluntly. “Why haven't you brought up that yer multiple people?”

Four’s breath hitched as he stepped back, hands spasming as his face paled. “N- no, no- it's not- we- I shouldn't’ve- fuck, fuck, fuck- ”

Damnit, why'd you have to go for the throat like that!? “Ah’m not upset!” Wolf insisted, raising his hands placatingly, keeping them relatively low so as to not make himself look bigger. “Ah’m not upset. Ah’m not gonna freak out, either.”

“Liar!- you don't know- can't trust- have to-! ”

“Please,” said Wolf gently. “Yer right, ya don't have enough of a reason to trust me just yet, but…” He sighed. “Ah won't ask for an explanation or anythin'. If ya don't want to tell me anything at all, that's fine. Ah just wanted y'all to know yer safe.”

Four narrowed his eyes, calculating. His body twitched and pulled for a minute as his eyes- and aura, Wolf realized- swirled and changed. His mouth moved rapidly as he whispered to himself, too quiet for even Wolf to understand. 

“...was it really that obvious?”

Wolf blinked. “What?”

“Was it obvious?” repeated Four. He had a Calatian accent now, and his eyes were green. His jerky movements had stopped, but his whole body looked painfully tense. “That we're… that Four is… broken. ”

“Don't say that,” Wolf replied on instinct, the ingrained response to those exact words. “Never say that.”

“Don't tell me what to do,” snapped Four as his eyes flashed blue, then faded to purple again. “Apologies. That was very impolite. Nevertheless, the adjective is accurate.”

Wolf couldn't quite hold back a growl. “And who the hell told ya that!?”

“Nobody- everybody. Not any one person, but- they make it known. ”

“...they make ya feel like ya don't belong,” Wolf figured. “The world isn't built fer you. Ya can't do the things everyone else can, an’ even if they don't say anything, you can tell they pity you- or worse, they're disappointed.”

Four’s iridescent eyes grew wide. “You…?”

Wolf lifted up the rune-covered stump that was all that remained of his left arm. “It's not the same. But ah get it. Even before that, ah was a weird kid- didn't start talkin' at all ‘till ah was- what'd Uli say? 'bout ten or eleven? Ah couldn't hold a real conversation ‘till ah was at least fourteen or fifteen. Then some shit happened, ah got turned into a wolf, ran away into the woods, met Wild, stayed with him for three years, then spent another three tryna remember how to be a human person again.” 

Four relaxed, at least somewhat. “I- we- sorry. Didn't realize…”

Wolf shrugged. “And ah never brought it up. But look at everyone else here, Four. Sky stutters, Wars can't even talk, least not much. Wild’s got amnesia, plus you've seen her scars. Time ain't even human. Windy's missin’ an eye. Talien’s face is mostly lightning scars. Faron… well ah don't actually know what's goin’ on with xem but there's somethin' up.”

A short huff of laughter. “Xe’s known from the start. Dunno how, but xe’s been trying real hard to make m- us- us- let me talk! ” Four growled at himself, lightly slapping his own face. 

Wolf frowned, but didn't reprimand him. “Y'all seem ta trip up on “I” and “we” and that sorta thing, huh?”

Four nodded. “Personal pronouns- shut up nerd. ”

Wolf barked out a laugh even as Four blushed. “Damn, no hesitation… but yeah, ah was thinkin’ maybe if ya tried plannin’ out yer sentences so they don't use any personal pronouns, maybe that could help? Like sayin’ “the monster’s dead” ‘stead of “Ah killed the monster”. Forces you ta stop and think about what yer sayin', too.”

Four breathed in deep, eyes shining as he nodded. “That- passive voice- why didn't we think of that…? We'll try that! I mean, uh… that could work! ”

Wolf grinned. “So what do I call y'all? Or should I just stick with “Four”?”

Four hesitated. “... don't judge,” he began. “We were literally ten. Er- eleven.”

“Ah’m listening.”

“Green, Vio, Blue, and Red .” With each name, the accent shifted- Calatian, Royal, Common, and Castletown- a mix of the Royal and Common accents. 

“Same as yer eyes,” Wolf realized. “Makes sense. Guessing the name “Four“ is ‘cause there's four of ya?”

“Exactly- it made sense- we didn't want to call ourselves “Link” after- everything that happened… we're here and he's- dead. That was his name- not ours. ”

Wolf probably should have tried to discourage that train of thought, the idea that scars, whether physical or mental, were more important than who you were before them. But he didn't. “Ah used to be called Emikir,” he said instead. “But Emikir is gone now. Ah’m still workin’ on figuring out who it is that remains. That's why Wild named me.”

“Wolf,” agreed Four.

“Ah've been thinking about going by 'Dusk' instead,” Wolf added conversationally. “Love Wild ta bits but as ah said, no good with names. Figure it might be healthy ta think of myself as more than just my other form.”

“Dusk sounds nice,” Four agreed, his eyes slowly losing their shifting hues and fading back to a dull grey-brown, hiding the fact that his pupils were never quite visible. “We could- hmm.” He paused, thinking. “Do you want to be called that sometimes?” He eventually said. “When it's just us two. Er- us five?”

Wolf laughed. “Only on the condition that ah get ta know who ah'm talking to,” he agreed.

“Deal. Now, ah- weren't we looking for Wild and Faron?”

“Oh, shit.” Oh I completely forgot about that. “Uh- one sec.” Wolf backed up a few paces and used his teeth to remove his glove. With his hand now bare, he removed the cursed shadow from his belt. The pointed edges of the crystalized magic were sharp enough to cut, and it took very little pressure to break the skin. Dripping from the tiny pinprick, his blood mixed with the shadow and covered him.

The first time he'd transformed, it had been completely against his will. An evil curse trapping him in the body of a monster before forcing him in chains. It hurt. It hurt like nothing Wolf had experienced in his entire life. He'd felt every muscle twisting and pulling, felt his bones snapping, his organs rearranging themselves inside his body. He never knew if it was the Twilight that'd knocked him out, or the pain.

When the Master Sword lifted the curse from him, it'd been painless. And when the curse returned, it was like greeting an old friend. It still hurt, but less, and each subsequent transformation was easier and easier, and he'd stayed in his wolf form for longer and longer. Then one day, she left, and the boy that used to be Emikir Ordena died and was replaced by the Wolf. 

Six years and a lot of help later, Dusk Ordena stood proudly on four paws, tail wagging behind him.

“...forgot wolves were this big,” said Four as he made direct eye contact without having to look up or down. 

“Whuff.” Most wolves were actually a good bit smaller- only their wolfos relatives ever got this big. Wolfie was just an exception- odd, since he wasn’t that large as a human, but that was hardly the only trait that didn’t quite transfer over

Four hummed. “You’re not speaking like Talien can. You can be understood- no, that doesn’t sound quite right- we can understand you. This passive voice thing is harder than it seems… well, we can understand animals, and I guess that includes you?”

“Boof!” Very useful! Wolfie was a bit out of practice with ‘speaking’ in this form, as it was something he’d only been able to do with Midna’s help, but Four seemed excited and so he was excited too!

Ah, there’s the dog brain kicking in. Good thing it’s Four with me- if there’s anyone in the group who won’t make fun of me, it’s him. Except maybe the part of him that keeps insulting himself.

Four laughed. “Good boy!” he joked, and the dog was immediately overjoyed, and Wolfie couldn’t stop his tail from wagging hard enough to sprain if he went on too long. “Right, then. Let’s get going.”

Wolfie agreed with another boof and started sniffing out his lost companions. It wasn't difficult. Normally, Wild could disguise her scent perfectly if she chose- or forgot to bathe- and instead smelled like a normal Bokoblin or boar, if not the wilds themselves. This wasn't her era, though, and she stuck out like a sore thumb.

(The fact that the Lorule inn had a bath helped. Wild had been pissed, but now smelled of lavender and rosemary instead of soil and fish. Nobody had said anything, but there were multiple grateful looks.)

Wolfie barked to get Four’s attention, and trotted off through the trees. Despite his height, Four had no difficulty keeping pace, even when Wolfie sped up to a light jog. It was actually harder on his joints than running was, but he didn't want to leave the smithy in the dust. 

“This actually explains a lot about Wild,” said the part of Four with a Royal accent. Wolfie couldn't tell which one this was- the eyes seemed to indicate who was in control, but right now, purple looked blue, and red and green looked yellow. “Vaguely feral, calls you 'Wolfie', general lack of manners… between what you two have said, you practically raised her, didn’t you?”

“Confirmation - protect - sibling. ” Almost all animals, especially social ones like wolves, had some level of language. Most of the time, though, there was very little they cared to have ‘words’ for outside of “food here!” or “I’m dangerous!” or “please have sex with me!”. Mostly that last one. (Very often that last one.) As such, the widespread view of ‘talking animals’ was rather inaccurate. Being able to understand an animal didn’t make them any smarter than they already were, after all.

(There were some notable exceptions, mind you- animals that were as smart as humans, with equally complex language. So far, the only ones Wolf had met were cats, crows and ravens, some dogs, and… horses.)

(He didn’t like to think about the horses.)

Four giggled. “You are like siblings, aren’t you?” said the part with a Castletown accent. “We are too, the four of us, or at least I like to think so. I’m Red,” he added. “You can tell us apart because we all speak kinda different! I figured you should be able to put names to voices if we’re gonna be talking to you now! Oh, but I won’t be here very long; everyone else wants a turn, too!”

It’s like talking to a kid, thought Wolfie. Not that he’d start treating Red that way- no more than he already tended to, though not on purpose. In his experience, the most whimsical and ‘childish’ people were also the wisest.

“Vio’s the smart one that talks all fancy, Blue’s the angry one and he can’t interrupt me or else he’ll prove my point, and Green’s the leader!” Red continued. “Oh! That’s my cue. Green’s turn now!”

Four faltered for a moment as he squeezed his eyes shut, hand to his head. “Sorry,” he muttered. “He’s… excitable. ”

“Cute - pup - friendly!”

“Hah, yeah, that’s one way to put it. Oh, you’re stopping- does the scent end here?”

Wolfie shook his head, mentally frowning. They’d arrived at a small cliff face in the middle of the forest, overgrown with moss and ivy. The scent trail was fainter here, and he couldn’t tell where it led. “Uncertain - search?”

Green nodded. “Alright. Watch your back.”

--<>--

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

This wasn’t how things worked.