Chapter Text
She was too quick for him. One quick sharp punch to the ribs, caused the bones to crack, followed up with a blow to the side of the jaw, was enough to send Legend hurtling to the ground.
He tried putting his hands up to slow the brunt of his fall, but he couldn't quite get there as he crumpled into a heap on the floor. Flecks of dirt and debris flying towards his face, partially obscuring his vision and slicing his lip.
After a few seconds that felt like an eternity he threw his hands to the ground, the cold hard earth sent a brief shiver through his body as he got to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth, his vision blurred.
“Is that all you got?” he spluttered, clearly out of his depths and winded, but not wanting to give up so easily.
The stout, short haired, well suited opponent watched intently as Legend got to his feet, weighing up her options on how she wanted to disable him, with minimal effort but with enough force to train him into learning how to block blows and fight back. She waited for him to make the first move, baiting out your target is always key in getting the upper hand.
And sure enough, after a couple of seconds, Legend lunged forward with a jab to the upper mid-section, very predictable, which she lazily blocked and countered, knocking him once more to the ground. Legend swore loudly.
“Honestly, I don't even get the point of fighting like cavemen. I'm perfectly capable of using weapons, and I know never to let my enemies get close enough to me where this would even matter.” He groaned, gradually and surely returning to his feet once more.
“And what if you were unaware, asleep, or worse?” She growled at him, her eyes narrowing.
“Do you honestly expect your opponent to wait for you to retrieve your weapons?” Legend grimaced, watched her movement, his mind calculating what he could do to make sure he didn't get countered, he didn't get tossed to the floor.
He waited patiently, his opponent growing closer, he reached out with his left arm which was about to be countered, until he pulled his arm back and followed up with a strike with his right.
Success!
It connected with her side, the shock to her system caused her to stumble ever so slightly. The veteran wasted no time in capitalising on his opponent's temporary downfall.
He kicked out his leg in a sort of sweeping movement, it managed to just reach the back of his opponent's knee, he moved his leg back and watched as she half staggered to the side dropping to one knee, her arms flew out and caught purchase with the ground enough to stop her face-planting the floor as he had done only moments earlier.
He stood up, regaining composure, a sense of pride washed through his body and his heart fluttered.
Trying to keep his breath under control, he briefly looked around, the sun hung high in the sky perfectly illuminating his surroundings, on this island, high up on the clifftops he could see pretty much everything. He stood in astonishment trying to soak it all in, sure he'd been living here a while, but he never stopped to truly appreciate everything.
The towering mountain range in the distance, the top of it hiding within the fluffy clouds, to the deep blue ocean surrounding the island where he recalled he washed up what now seems like an eternity ago. He blinked it all in, until his brain returned to reality and swore under his breath again as he'd spent too long studying his surroundings to realise he was supposed to be amidst a fight. It was too late.
Crack!
Legend's fierce opponent had got to her feet, and not even paused for a beat before driving her fist directly into the side of the veteran's temple, with perhaps a bit too much force.
She was feeling a little bitter that she'd allowed herself to get staggered. Legend wasn't ready for such a brutal punch.
His vision went completely dark, as if someone had removed all the light that ever existed in the world, and left behind nothing but an inky black void. He felt his body once more hit the dirt, it bounced for a brief moment, and the last thing he remembered was something cold and hard pressed up against his spine.
His eyes flickered open, to an intense heat, more than the one that he was used to on this island. He was still atop the cliffside, but far below, the air was full of flames dancing and flickering on the night sky.
Without hesitation, he ran as fast as he could all the way down towards the village, holding his breath as a stitch erupted in his side, passing by countless helpless people trying fruitlessly to stop the raging flames from consuming their entire existences. Legend's eyes widened.
How did this all happen?
How long was he unconscious for?
Where did this fire come from?
A small boy came running up to him, his white vest top stained an ashen grey, along with soot smattering on his face and adorning his fingertips. He recognised him as one of the identical looking quadruplets, Legend always had trouble trying to remember which one was which but in the current situation, he didn't suppose it was of utmost importance right now.
“Linklinklinklinklinklink” the boy blurted out, and before the veteran could respond, he flubbered out a follow-up request.
“Comequicklyoneofmybrothersishurt.” Legend tried his hardest to hide his stunned expression, last thing he needed was this boy to doubt his skill set.
“Lead the way.” He said nodding.
And as best as he could, he kept up with the boy who was dodging and weaving through the falling debris, and burning buildings. His hand shot straight to his side where his pain from earlier twinged annoyingly. He couldn't stop, lives were in danger and these few seconds could be the very difference between someone living and dying.
They passed the familiar sight of Madam MeowMeow, she looked absolutely distraught, her house ablaze, holding one of her leashes.
“Oh Link, my dear... have you... seen... my precious Ciaociao?” she said spluttering in between very chesty coughs, clouds of dust and smoke billowing from her house.
The usual small doghouse attached to her dwelling, was completely caved in.
“I'm... afraid... something very... awful may have... happened.”
Legend's stomach gave a painful twinge, and he felt like throwing up. No-one deserves to lose a pet, and if it was any other circumstance he would have been more than happy to help, but he didn't have time, if he didn't leave right now a child could die. He tried to give the kind old lady a sympathetic look, but through the haze of his surroundings he wasn't sure if it came across.
“I'll be right back.” He said, trying his best not to swallow mouthfuls of ash.
And before he could hear a response, he'd moved on, ducking under a falling rafter and dashing down a side alley.
Legend paused for but a brief moment to try and catch his breath before tackling whatever task was ahead of him. But nothing could prepare him for the sound he heard next. The small boy that he had been following let out an almost ear-piercing shriek, Legend looked up to see him kneeling by a similarly clothed figure that lay motionless before him.
A beam pressed against his chest. Legend ran directly to the two children, and began lifting the heavy piece of wood upwards, the flames licking at the sides of his body, almost becoming unbearable, but he'd faced more dangerous tasks, he just needed to retain his composure.
He took a deep breath, which proved to be a foolish idea as a cloud of smoke and ash immediately began filling his lungs, he coughed and spluttered, almost dropping the beam where he stood which would have all but sealed the fate of the small child that lay before him.
He kept lifting, his muscles tearing and his body begging him to stop, clenching his teeth he eventually hoisted it far enough off that he could move it a side, and the white vested quadruplet dragged his sibling out of the way.
Tears streamed down the young one's face and splashed pointlessly onto the ashen covered floor and the body of his brother.
Legend stood up and grabbed ahold of both the boys and moved them away from the fire to the safety of the bottom of the nearby hilltop, placing them both down softly onto the grassy bank. He leant down, his ear hovering above the corpse of one of the siblings.
Except it wasn't a corpse, he had to double-check, but yes, there was the unmistakable breath of the prone child in front of him. With the air so intense with heat, he was surprised that the child's exhalation was anything but.
“He's alive.” Legend said firmly, the boy, still clutching the body of his brother in his arms, looked up, his face soaked with his own sorrow.
“Wha-what?” he asked, looking up at the veteran.
“He's still breathing, I expect with the weight of the beam and the heat, he was just knocked unconscious.” There was a small smile that crept across the face of the boy as he looked between both Legend and his sleeping sibling.
“Th-thanks.” The boy said quietly. Legend's eyes and mind wandered for a moment trying to think how all of this happened, until a fireball erupted in a nearby building, causing the veteran to indistinctively shield the two children. Flying shards of glass slicing up the small of his back, where they found purchase within his skin, a deep crimson dripped onto the grass below.
“Get him to the top of the hill, I'm going to help Madam MeowMeow find her damn dogs.”
The veteran got to his feet, running down the grassy banks, the sounds of screams and cries filling the area, as he quickly and nimbly ran to the streets once more with his destination clear in his mind he started to make his way back to the pet owner's abode.
“Link!” A familiar voice shouted behind him. Legend stopped in his tracks, and heel turned around to see who running up the street towards him, it was the unmistakable shape of Tarin.
The man before him definitely looked like he had seen better days, half of his moustache had burnt clean off. Legend could see parts of his body covered in burns, and like the small boy before him, his face was also covered in tears.
“Link... Marin... she-” he was panting trying to get out what he needed to say, his voice hoarse and each word sounded like it was causing him an immense pain.
“What, what's happened? Where's Marin? Is she okay?” Legend said, a lump forming in his throat, his eyes darting to Tarin and behind him, trying to see if he could spot a glimpse of Marin. “She... she didn't make it.”
Legend didn't want to believe what he just heard. The sounds of the villagers suddenly sounded all distorted, his voice blurred, and he could only sway on the spot. Tarin launched forward to stop the veteran from collapsing.
“What do you mean she didn't make it?” the veteran said, and the words felt like venom pouring from his lips as he choked back his feelings, still in denial. And before Tarin could open his mouth to say anything, Legend tore up the street past him, almost knocking over a few people desperately trying to put the fire out, an albeit futile attempt.
His mind racing, thoughts and visions flooding his mind as he took alleyway after alleyway. His throat burning, his muscles screaming along with his mind to stop, to take it easy, to rest. But he knew it would all be over if he stopped now, he didn't to push through to fight his body urges and to see her once again.
The veteran eventually reached the edge of the village, the familiar house where he spent his first ever day on the island torn to shreds, the fire whilst almost out had certainly caused a lot of irreversible damage.
And there, amidst all the destruction, was Marin. Her body hoisted on a singular metal pole that held the very foundations of the house. The pole penetrating her midsection. Her eyes open and blankly staring at the wall, and a small steady stream of blood pouring from her open mouth.
This was it, this felt like the end, the was nothing left any more. Legend had given up all hope, he didn't want to be a hero if it meant losing those who he cared immensely for.
He dropped to his knees as if all of his remained strength and energy had been forcibly removed from his body. He opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out, he was breathing in so much of the fire's toxic cloud that he didn't care any more.
His tear ducts had almost been seared shut from the flames that he couldn't cry even if he wanted to.
His mind went to all the times that he and Marin had spent together. How she told him how she wished she had the ability to turn into a seagull, which made Legend chuckle, but he could see just how serious she was, and that she wanted to leave this island behind.
He remembered the time she used to sing to him, her melodies used to soothe the veteran anytime he felt emotional or sick. There was nothing that remained on her emotionless face.
Legend slammed his fist onto the ground, a great pain leapt up his arm causing his body to spasm. He didn't care, he just stared at her face once more before slowly bowing his head and burying it on the ground between his knees.
He closed his eyes one final time.
He took a deep breath praying to whoever happened to be watching over him.
Din.
Farore.
Nayru.
Anyone.
He wanted it to be all over.
Then a voice from earlier called to him, instructing him once more.
“Get up!”
“Get up!”
The voice cried out again, Legend murmured. The intense heat had gone, and the sunlight once again burned through his eyelids. Legend's eyes sprung open again. With a swift kick to his side, the woman from before shouted at him again.
What had happened?
Where was the fire?
What was going on?
Why was he back on the clifftop?
Was Marin okay?
And why was he being kicked in the side?
Before he could think of the answers to any of these, a foot connected with his side once more, he felt the cold metal that had pressed against his spine earlier. Legend instinctively grabbed it and without thinking aimed his Magic Rod at the woman that was causing him damage. A small burst of flames erupted from the tip and shot in the direction he pointed. His opponent barely had time to react, almost getting a face full of intense heat, and she manoeuvred away, it merely singed her side.
“Enough!” she spat. Brushing herself off as she watched, Legend get to his feet.
“Uh-uh...” he stammered. “S-sorry, I panicked.” He looked at her apologetically as she scowled at him.
“I thought we agreed on no weapons?” She asked, brushing the charred parts of her clothes and muttering to herself.
“Sorry, I got distracted.” Legend said, still rubbing the pains from his wounds. He leaned forward to take her hand as she pulled him to his feet. Wincing slightly, the veteran stumbled to a nearby bench and practically threw himself at it, sighing and trying to process what in the name of Hylia actually happened.
“Here take this.” The woman said, handing Legend a small bottle full of red liquid. He took it gratefully, unstoppered the cork and drain its entire contents in one gulp. A red potion, one of the few things in his life he could count on to make him feel better. The familiar taste of durian and apples, that leaves a strange aftertaste in your mouth that you can never get used to, no matter how many times you use one.
“Care to tell me what distracted you?” The woman had perched herself on the edge of the seat that Legend had laid on, he curled his legs up and slowly returned himself to an upright position.
“I'll pay for your clothes to be repaired.” He said, reaching for his wallet and withdrawing a few dozen rupees, completely avoiding her question. She shook her head at him.
“With the amount of damage, I inflicted on you today, I'd say we're about even.” She chuckled, watching him as he nursed his ribs, even with the potion working its magic, he knew that there would be bruises. She rephrased her question.
“What got you so spooked?” She asked, with a softer, calmer tone.
Legend narrowed his eyes gazing upon his surroundings, feeling the sea breeze in his hair, looking down at the village below him, everyone was going about their day-to-day business as if they were just affected by a rampaging firestorm. The veteran paused to think, he swallowed, opened his mouth to speak, closed it again and the opened it once more.
“You're going to think I'm crazy, but I think I had a vision of the future-”
He stopped, even though he wasn't looking at his mentor, he could feel her eyes boring into the side of skull as if trying to pierce into his soul. They both sat in silence for a few moments, before she could muster enough energy to respond.
“What makes you so certain it was a vision of the future and not just a dream?” She spoke quieter than even before.
“I don't know how to explain it.” Legend replied, just as quietly.
“I've had dreams before, and they've never been like this before, this felt different, it felt real.” For the first time since she sat down next to him, his eyes moved from the landscape to meet hers.
“And what was this vision of?” She asked, this was probably the most timid Legend had ever witnessed.
“Well, it was of here.” He paused, before beginning to explain everything to her.
“The whole island was ablaze, there was a firestorm that swept through from the skies. The whole village was lit up, and I rushed in to save everyone, but I couldn't save everyone, I couldn't save...”
Legend's voice trailed off for a moment, while he thought about everything, the lump in his throat returning as he struggled to say the last word.
“Her.”