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Chapter Text

The wind blew through Revali’s feathers as he sped towards Vah Medoh’s distant shape. Of course, Calamity Ganon would choose now of all times to reappear. It couldn’t conveniently manifest when the Champions were near their divine beasts. Or when the Princess had awakened her power. It had to appear when they were near Kakariko village. Stupid blasted pig. Revali grounded his beak and launched a gale behind him.

He had the farthest to travel, but his path was a straight line to his divine beast. The others had to travel by foot and the terrain hindered them. In theory, Mipha should reach her divine beast first, since she had the shortest route. Revali predicted that Link and Princess Zelda would reach the castle next. He would reach his divine beast third, Daruk would reach his fourth, then Urbosa would reach hers last. It was unfortunate that the Champions couldn’t arrive at their divine beasts at the same time to wreak havoc on the Calamity.

When Revali passed near Castle Town, the guardians were rotating out of five massive pillars that had risen from the ground around Hyrule Castle. He was relieved that the Sheikah had somehow managed to make them move fluidly in time for the Calamity. It was a small grace, though they were tinged pink instead of blue. Maybe it was their fighting mode. He didn’t pay too much attention to what they were doing as he’d increased his speed towards Vah Medoh.

Several hours passed before he caught sight of his home town, Rito Village. His wings strained from flying for so long and he released one last gale and shot towards Medoh. Revali frowned as he approached, seeing pink veins running through the mechanical bird. He landed on the divine beast with less grace then he wished. Irritated, he stubbornly shook out his wings like he could shake out his soreness.

“I must have beat the others. I’ve never used so many Revali gales before. It’d be no wonder if I did beat them, I am a genius after all. And they made Link the Champion to fight the Calamity. Humph.” Revali sniffed as he made his way across the divine beast.
Abruptly he halted. Vah Medoh wasn’t responding to him. He frowned as he knelt, placing a wing on the divine beast to try and reach Medoh. He didn’t succeed. Frown deepening, he crossed the back of the divine beast to the main control unit. Something didn’t feel right. He’d come to know Vah Medoh better than he knew anyone else and right now it felt wrong. There was a malicious air surrounding the main control unit as it pulsed with bright orange light.

A swirl of black fog with a pink mix rose out of the control unit when he walked closer. Blue ribbons of light flew past him and condensed into a monstrosity. Its skin burned with the Calamity’s malice and Sheikah tech strapped to its right arm, bottom, and head. A mane of red hair fluttered in the wind as an eye, resembling a guardian’s eye, locked on to him. It let out an ear-shattering screech, making Revali cover his ears and close his eyes against the pain.

He opened his eyes and scrambled back as the monster released a mini-tornado from its left hand. The tornado caught him and tossed him to the side, making him skid painfully on the rough surface of Medoh. Growling, Revali dodged another tornado and shot to the sky, using adrenaline to fuel Revali’s gale.

“I am a master of the sky. You cannot defeat me in a battle dealing with the wind!” Revali snarled as he pivoted and shot an arrow towards the monster. He clucked in surprise when the monster disintegrated into blue light before the arrow hit. When it materialized on the opposite end of the divine beast, it lifted its arm and shot pure blue light at Revali. He folded his wings together and dove, dodging the light. His eyes widened as one of the blasts nailed the stone sticking out of the divine beast and shattered it.

“Good to know. Using anything for cover won’t help.” He glanced back at the monster and cursed, not seeing it anywhere. He twisted in midair but a tornado hit him in his blindside. It spun him in circles and a blast of blue light threw him from the raging wind. His breath shot out of him as his back hit a stone wall. Forcing in a gulp of air, he coughed and made it to his knees. He grasped his bow and shot an arrow to the monster’s eye. Never let it be said that he wasn’t the best archer that ever existed. The monster screeched in pain as it clutched its smoking eye. Revali stumbled to his feet and put the bow behind him, once more taking to the sky.

Ragged breaths escaped him as he forced his back muscles to work despite the pain. He dodged the beam blast sent his way but something hit him from behind. Cursing, he turned after he regained his balance and saw four small, narrow objects, clearly Sheikah technology surrounding him. They hovered several feet away and matched his movements. He dodged another tornado the monster released and the beam it shot. He turned and saw one of the missiles catch the beam and send it in his direction. He flung himself to the side, but another missile caught it and sent it towards him. Revali screamed in pain as the blast hit his chest and he fell.

“I can’t lose now. I am the greatest warrior that was born among the Rito. The others depend on me to unleash Medoh’s power on Ganon. I refuse to bow down to any servant of the despicable overgrown pig!” A sharp screech escaped Revali as he caught the wind and avoided face planting with the ground. He compelled his aching muscles to listen to him and skimmed a tornado thrown at him. He dodged the laser beam and swiftly flew behind the wretched monster. When the laser beam ricocheted back, it hit the mechanical arm. Another shriek of pain emitted from the monster as several of Revali’s arrows buried into its back. Revali flung himself in the air and released one more arrow, hitting it in the eye. Before he could draw any more, one of the missiles nailed him in the back, digging into his burnt skin. He didn’t have time to scream in pain as the monster released one more laser blast and hit him in his left-wing. He spun through the air and crashed to the ground, his arm pulsing with pain.

“I can’t lose. What will happen to the others? I can’t fail. I have to get up.” He looked at his wing and cringed. There was no way he would fly straight if he could fly at all. The blast had ripped most of his feathers off and a nasty burn covering his arm from his wrist to his elbow. “Not good. I need help. But who can help me? I can’t die now. I haven’t helped the Princess.” He used his good arm and pushed himself up. It wasn’t looking like he could get out of this so if he died, he’d go down standing tall as a proud Rito. He held his head high as he notched another arrow and let it fly. His hands shook as death loomed over him, but it didn’t mean he’d show his enemy his fear. “I will be remembered and even if I die, Link will defeat the Calamity. He has to. I hope the others are faring better than I have. I’m not going to go down easy, you twisted creation.”

He bolted away from the tornadoes and the laser blasts. He released three arrows and watched them hit their mark. The monster shrieked in fury and pain as it dissolved into blue ribbons of light. Revali tensed as he saw it form above him. He managed to roll under the monstrosity as it destroyed the area where he was standing a second ago. The breath escaped from his lungs as its left hand whipped around and grabbed him. He screamed in pain, the malice burning his body where it touched him. A gloating air oozed off the monster, its wounds leaking malice as it gripped Revali harder. His feathers shriveled and his skin was on fire.

“I’m going to die. I am going to die. I don’t want to die. Someone, please help me. Please. HELP ME!” Revali screamed out the last two words as he struggled against the grip. The monster’s eye glowered at him as he struggled with all his might. He didn't know why he yelled those words. There was no one up here to hear him and if they were close enough, he wouldn’t want them to help, for their own safety.

Terror gripped him as he heard a familiar noise over the wind howling, the monster's unnatural grinding, and his screams. The beating of a bird’s wing. Seemingly a Rito’s wing beat. Has someone from the village come to investigate? He needed help, but he didn’t want to endanger anyone. He was the best fighter among them and he couldn’t stand the idea of watching a Rito get torn apart trying to rescue him. He wanted to plead for them to escape. The monster wouldn’t attack the village, it did not need to. It was there to kill him and take over the beast.

“Get away.” He thought frantically, “Get AWAY!” A shaft of wood buried itself in the creature's eye, causing it to release him. Revali tumbled through the air, unable to right himself because of his left wing. He braced himself for the harsh impact of the ground. He never made it as a streak of crimson bolted beneath him and he collided with it. He gripped it and when he could focus, he saw he was on top of a giant, crimson bird.

“What?” He gawked, not believing that he was looking at a bird bigger than himself. The monster released another screech of pain as Revali heard a slight whistle. The bird curved sharply and raked its talons across the monster's back. The bird looped and snagged one of the missiles in its claws and shattered it. As it stooped to the left, Revali saw a Hylian figure running to one of the giant fans propelling air upwards. The Hylian jumped in the wind and released white fabric that launched him upwards, narrowly avoiding the blasts of blue light. The crimson bird flew under the Hylian as he let go of the sail. The boy released one arrow at the monster before landing neatly on the bird's back.

“Now I know it’s your battle and you may not want me to help, but please forgive me for interfering,” The Hylian spoke over the monster's scream, “I want to help because I can recognize a demonic blight when I see one.” He released one more arrow that shattered another missile before turning towards Revali. Revali sucked in a breath at seeing a familiar face.

“Link?”

The wind blew through Link’s hair as he guided his Loftwing towards the pillar of light leading to the Surface. With the goddess sword fully transformed into the Master Sword, he was on his way to the Sealed Temple to see the old lady. Hopefully, this would be the last detour so he could see Zelda again. Why was it so hard to catch up with Zelda? He knew she were traveling faster than he was with whatever magic Impa had, but he always seemed one step behind. And now Zelda was in the past, in a place he was wondering if he’d ever be able to visit. His Loftwing curved eastward, snapping Link from his thoughts.

“Crimson?” Link questioned, noticing the bird was taking him away from the Sealed Temple. He blinked as he saw Crimson heading towards a shimmering blue...space of some sort. It reminded him of the gateway into the Silent Realm, but without having to play the song.

“Fi, what is that?” A tingling sound accompanied her as Fi sprung from the Master Sword.

“Judging by its appearance, there is a 64% probability that it is a portal. To where and how it came to be, I do not know.”

“It’s not a part of Hylia’s plan?” Link asked.

“No.” At Link’s nod, she vanished back into the sword.

“Okay, Crimson, let’s avoid it for now. It may be another one of Ghirahim’s traps.” Link attempted to steer the bird away, but Crimson refused to listen with a squawk of protest.

“What are you doing?” He tugged once more, making Crimson release an odd snort as he turned to glare at Link. Befuddled, Link could only brace himself as his loftwing didn’t listen to him and flew through the portal.

His jaw dropped as the scenery transformed into a world vastly different from what he knew. White-capped alps looming to the right of him as the fiery mountains in the distance spat arcs of lava. Rivers and bodies of water crisscrossed through the land, promoting the growth of luscious grass and healthy trees. Was he on a different part of the Surface?

A shadow blocked the sun’s rays and as he glanced upwards, several explosions sounded on a gigantic bird, about the size of Skyloft, that didn’t flap its wings. What was happening? Was this a part of the ancient technology from the Surface? If so, was he transported back in time? But he didn’t use a Timeshift Stone. Another round of explosions prompted him to guide Crimson higher so he could see the top of the mechanical beast. He saw a creature of nightmares dissolve into blue light and manifest over a dark Loftwing. Link’s heart leaped in his throat, “How did Groose’s Loftwing get here?” The bird dove underneath the monster, and for a brief second, before the creature whipped around and grabbed it, Link knew it wasn’t a Loftwing. It ran with the posture of a human, its back straight up, and carried a bow. Was it a race similar to the Loftwing, but more humanoid? An agonized scream filled the air as the not-Loftwing squirmed in the grip of the monster.

Link leaned forward and urged Crimson to dive. Crimson landed for a second to let Link jump off before he shot in the air. An aching scream of “HELP ME!” startled Link, making his eyes widen. The bird could speak. When Crimson was close enough, Link grabbed his bow, notched an arrow, and let it fly. Satisfaction crept a smile on his face when the arrow buried into the monster's eye. Experience taught him to keep moving and to not assume one shot would kill the creature. Sure enough, the monster turned towards him as it screeched in pain. He noticed Crimson caught the bird and four missiles-like structures flying around. Notching one more arrow, he shot one down, surprised when one arrow took it down. He bolted, putting his hands to his lips and releasing a whistle. The monster held up one arm and seemed to have a beamos attached instead of a hand. He saw Crimson rake his claws against the monster and tear another missile apart. The distraction gave Link enough time to reach one of the giant fans, jump on it, and unfurled Zelda’s sailcloth. The gust blew him upwards as the monster shot beams of light, missing him by a foot. He frowned when he saw the light almost disintegrate one of the pieces of stone. Crimson trilled, letting Link know he was under him. Link pulled the sailcloth in and shot one more arrow at the monster to distract it before he landed on his bird.

“Now I know it’s your battle and you may not want me to help, but please forgive me for interfering,” Link watched as the monster roared in pain, “I want to help because I can recognize a demonic blight when I see one.” Seeing another one of the missiles flying towards them, he drew an arrow and shot it. Three down, one to go. He turned to examine the bird, repressing a wince at the tattered arm and the burn marks covering his body. He’s going to need several heart potions to heal his wounds. The ruby red potion could only do so much, but it’d be a start.

“Link?” The bird gawked at him, eyes wide. Link blinked in surprise.

“How do you know my name?” He asked, curious. Maybe news of him had spread further than he thought.

“Why aren’t you at Hyrule Castle? Did you abandon the Princess? What are you doing here?” The bird growled. Link’s eyebrows shot up at the sound.

“I do not know what Hyrule Castle or a princess is and I don’t know what I am doing here. I was flying with my Loftwing and he took me through a portal.” As the bird sputtered, Link rummaged through his bag and held out one ruby potion to the bird. “Now drink this, it’ll help heal you.”

“Elixirs won’t help me.” The bird scowled. Link frowned in confusion.

“Elixirs? This is a potion. It increases your healing speed and with your wounds, it’ll make you itchy until you heal. Now drink it. Our friend is getting a little testy at being ignored.” As Link finished his statement, Crimson dove to avoid a beam of light.
“Potions won’t help me either. Those nasty concoctions work for Hylian’s, but will not work on me.” The bird growled.

Confused, but not willing to argue, Link said, “Fair enough.”, replaced the potion with a bottled fairy, placed it in the bird’s hands, and leaped off Crimson. The monster screeched as he unfurled his sail cloth, directing its attention towards Link.
Once he landed, he pulled out his whip and swung it at the remaining missile. It latched on and he lurched it into one of the beams shot at him, destroying the missile. He replaced the whip with his bow and risked a glance at the wounded bird. A fairy danced around the bird as Crimson evaded tornadoes the monster released. Focusing back on the monster, he dove to the side as a beam of light passed a hair’s breadth away from him. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran from the monster. No matter how many battles he fought, he would never get used to the adrenaline rush. He frowned when the monster shined a harmless red light on him from its injured eye. What was it going to do now? The red light flashed rapidly as the blue-white light built in its eye. Link’s eyes widened as it released a thundering blast. The blast threw Link off his feet and he tumbled to the ground, scrapes accumulating on his body.

Grunting, Link pushed himself to his feet. Dread trickled down his spine when the monster locked onto him with the red light. He bolted towards one of the giant fans, but whipped out his shield when the monster let loose another blast. When the blast hit the shield, it ricocheted as Link was flung backwards. How interesting.

Revali released the fairy and let her circle around his body, making his aches fade as his burns stitched into healthy skin. The healing caused his wing to itch the worst and he refrained from scratching it even as the temptation grew stronger. He watched the battle as the red bird avoided tornadoes and Link dodged laser beams. The fairy vanished, exhausting her abilities and enabling Revali to move his body without excruciating pain.

Revali’s eyes widened as he saw the red light focus on Link and blink rapidly. “Dodge that! It’s dangerous!” Revali’s shouts didn’t reach Link and a burst of blue light struck close to him and threw him off his feet, “You stupid boy. Loftwing, take me to him!” To his surprise, the bird understood his command and flew towards Link as another guardian beam hit Link’s shield. The bird was fast, but he wasn’t going to make it as the red light focused a third time on Link. Revali gritted his teeth as he stood up and angled his wings. This was going to hurt, even with the fairy healing him. He launched off the bird and released Revali’s gale, making him speed towards Link. He managed to collide with the boy and threw them both out of harm's way when the blast struck where they used to stand.

“What were you thinking, standing there like an idiot?” Revali snapped as the Loftwing slashed across the monster’s arm, distracting it.

“I need to hit the laser back,” Link climbed back on his feet and shoved Revali behind a stone wall to hide him from the monster, “Stay here. You’re still recovering from your wounds. The fairy works well, but she won’t heal everything.”

“What are you-” Revali cut off as Link centered himself and placed the shield in front of him, blocking the red light. Revali didn’t get to finish as the monster unleashed a massive blue-white beam aimed at Link. Before Revali could scream at him to move, the blast hit Link’s shield. The boy skidded a couple of feet as he parried the burst of light back into the creature’s face. The monster screamed in pain as it dissolved into blue light. Link stood his ground, waiting for another blast. It never came. The monster settled on its malice form and curled in on itself. Without warning, it flung its arms away and gave a screech. Black liquid spurt from its body like oil, a grimace forming on Revali’s face. Pinkish-purple light started streaming out of random points of its form. With one last screech, a halo of light engulfed it and exploded. The Loftwing was flung away from Vah Medoh by the blast and Link tumbled backward. Revali watched from his safe point behind a stone wall as Link slipped straight off the edge.

“No!” He screamed, knowing the bird was flung in the opposite direction and may not reach him in time. Ignoring his pain, he cast himself into the blast and let it carry him off the edge. He dove as soon as he could, his arms plastered to his side to gain the most momentum. He could see Link falling and whistling, looking around for his bird. Revali glanced to the side and saw the bird flying as fast as he could to reach Link. He’d be too late. Revali could slow Link’s descent until the bird caught up. With his wounds, there was no way he could fly with Link on his back. He passed Link and felt the boy grip on him. He flung his arms out and struggled not to spin in the air. His wounds burned as several of the burns cracked open to leak blood. He hissed in pain as he flapped his wings once, twice, and shot Revali’s gale below him. The wind rushed up to meet him and he felt his left wing tear a muscle. Agony shot through his arm and he struggled to keep it extended. How long would that blasted bird take to reach them?
His prayers were answered as a flash of red moved underneath him. He collapsed on the bird, tucking his wounded arm close to his body as Link reached around him and held onto the bird. The Loftwing tilted down at an angle before using its momentum to tilt up, narrowly avoiding hitting the rock. Link gave a breathless laugh as his bird climbed higher in the sky.

“I don’t think I’ve ever come that close to death before. It was terrifying.” Link’s eyes were wide and bright as he shook from the adrenaline coursing through him, “Is that your village down there? I’ll take you to it.”

“No. Take me back to Medoh.” Revali grounded out.

“You need medical treatment.” Link frowned down at him.

“I must fulfill my duty. Medical treatment can wait. I did not defeat that monster so it could put me out of commission and prevent me from firing at the Calamity. Though I would not object to another fairy if you have one.” Link pursed his lips, but guided the giant bird to fly to Vah Medoh. Medoh had moved while Revali rescued Link to perch on the stone rising above the Rito village. Revali stepped on to the Divine Beast and let out a relieved breath when the machine responded to his will. Vah Medoh was his again. He sat near the head and crossed his legs, closing his eyes. Minutes passed as he waited for the call to fire. The Divine Beast would know when the Calamity rose to its dark form and signal Revali to fire. He felt a glass bottle being placed in his hands and cracked his eye open to see another bottled fairy sitting in his lap. Revali glanced at Link and saw him digging into his pack. Scratches still covered his face from when he’d been blasted off the edge. Link caught Revali’s glance and raised an eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“What are you looking for?”

“Bandages. I wish I’d brought more fairies for you, but I only had two. I’ve found the healing continues about an hour after the fairy leaves. For now, we’ll wrap your arm to keep out any infection. The healing works faster if you put salve on it. Ah-ha! Found it.” He triumphantly held up another bottle filled with clear gel in one hand and white bandages in the other, “These things work super well.” Link sat down on Revali’s left side and motioned for him to uncork the fairy.

“Why don’t you use it?” Revali sneered. Link blinked at him.

“Because I’m not the one that’s bleeding everywhere with nasty burn marks covering my body.” Revali grimaced but released the fairy, letting her work her magic. Link smiled at him and pulled Revali’s left arm towards his lap. Revali bit back a scathing response, knowing he couldn’t move the arm without suffering agonizing pain shooting through his body. Link worked with the speed of a trained medic. He rubbed the gel on the wounds and wrapped it with a clean bandage in a matter of minutes. The fairy helped take the edge off the pain as the burns around his body itch as they knitted back together. Link stood up when he finished bandaging Revali’s arm. He walked towards the bird as he spoke,

“Crimson, could you go get us food to eat? I have one bottle of pumpkin soup, but I don’t think that’ll be enough for us.” The bird rested its giant beak on Link’s head when Revali spoke up.

“If you have any paper, I can write a note to the village below us to make preparations for us. They’d be willing to buy us food.” Link blinked in his direction before smiling.

“That’s kind of you.” He walked back to his bag and pulled out a small notebook. He looked at Revali’s hand, causing him to glare.

“I can write with my right hand.”

“But of course.” Link nodded as he hid a smile and placed the paper by Revali’s right side and gave the pen to him. Revali scribbled a note and handed it back to Link. Link stood and gave the note to Crimson. Link touched his forehead to the Loftwing’s beak before it flew off.

“How do you know the bird is going to do what you ask it to?” Revali asked.

“He’s smart. Much smarter than most people give them credit for.” A fond smile stayed on Link’s lips as he rejoined Revali.

“You said your bird is a Loftwing, correct?”

“He is. One of the smartest creatures you’ll find.” Link grinned.

“I’ve never seen this creature before.”

“That’s not too surprising. They live above the clouds with my people.” Revali gave Link a puzzled look.

“Nobody lives in the sky. Everyone lives on the ground. We Rito would know.” Link stared at him.

“How can that be? I live in the sky with my people. We don’t know much about the Surface because there’s a cloud barrier preventing us from descending. Well, I’ve been to the Surface, but that’s because the goddess Hylia has sent me there to get rid of the Imprisoned.” Revali blinked slowly at him, his brain not computing the information.

“That sounds ridiculous,” Was his elegant response, “I have been all over Hyrule, flying higher than any other Rito and have never come across anyone living in the sky.”

“It’s true. I just finished purifying the goddess sword into the Master Sword and-”

“Master Sword? You’re saying you have the Master Sword?! That’s not a replica?” Revali interrupted. Link shot him a weird look.

“Yeah.” Link said, patting the handle on his back with a small smile, “How do you know about the Master Sword?”

“The Master Sword. Also, known as the Blade of Evil’s Bane? The one to seal the darkness? Only one of two things that can stop the Calamity and seal it? Everyone who has a smidgen of intelligence knows about it.”

“I don’t know about all those other names, but it is the Master Sword. I’ve been meaning to ask, but what is the Calamity? You’ve mentioned it several times now and I’m clueless about what that means.” Revali stared at him in disbelief.

“Where were you for the past 10,000 years?”

“Hmmmm, I most likely haven’t been born yet,” Revali’s incredulous face brought a small grin to Link’s face, “Seriously. You said that everyone lives on the ground and there is a threat named the Calamity. Based on what I’ve seen, I’m inclined to assume the portal I went through was a time jump. This beast we ride looks similar to the ancient civilization that died out thousands of years ago. And the great chasm hasn’t split the land causing Hylia to lift Skyloft into the clouds. Or,” Link paused, “I’m in the future and have been dead for a very long time. You don’t recognize my Loftwing while claiming no one lives in the sky. Your Master Sword has a plethora of names. We don’t know.”

Revali squinted at him, unsure how to take his claims. Reluctantly, he started speaking,“The Calamity is always reborn. The Sheikah built the divine beasts along with machines called guardians to fight against it. You can tell when it’s coming back because prophets have foretold it since the beginning. The Calamity rose 10,000 years ago and the divine beasts with the hero and the princess sealed it away. Right now, Princess Zelda and the Hero Link are traveling to fight the beast and seal it away once more.”

“Princess Zelda? There’s a princess named Zelda?”

“Watch your tongue and treat the princess with respect! The princess has the power to seal the Calamity. But the hero and the four champions need to weaken it so she can seal it away.”

“That’s too weird. Princess Zelda. And the hero’s name is my name. How wild.” A chime sounded from his blade as Fi flipped out and landed beside Link.

“Master, I have some information I wish to provide you with,” Revali jerked back at Fi’s sudden arrival.

“You shouldn’t do that Fi. You tend to freak people out when you appear out of nowhere.”

“Noted. There is a 73% chance you are in the future.” Link tilted his head.

“What’s your reasoning?”

“During our journey on the Surface, we have encountered species, but none of them have been like this. I have analyzed this bird and your Loftwing and concluded that there’s a 76% probability that by evolving, the Loftwings could turn into creatures similar to him. Presumably, after the humans made it to the Surface.”

“Are you insinuating that my race, the Ritos, are related to those birds the Hylians use to get around? We're a proud race of majestic flyers, born to traverse the skies.” Revali sputtered. The arrival of Crimson interrupted anything Link and Fi would have said. The bird landed with the grace of a natural flier and gently placed the bag of food in Link’s lap.

“Thank you Crimson,” Link stroked the bird’s long beak before opening the bag, “Do you know how to get back to our time, Fi?”

“I do not.” She waited for Link to nod before she vanished back into the sword.

“Not good, but Impa and Zelda are in the past so hopefully this little detour won’t affect anything.” Link’s leg started to twitch, as if he had too much energy, “I guess I'll stay here for a little while. Here, eat the rest. Fairies work best when you’re fed.” Revali stiffly accepted the bag and started eating.

‘At least this Link isn’t as obnoxiously stiff as the Chosen One.’ Revali thought, eyeing the boy. Link made odd movements, similar to his own nervous ticks when he wanted to fly and couldn’t.

“What are Hylians? You referred to me as that, but I don’t recognize the name.”

“Hylians are your race. Pointed ears, short, and citizens of Hyrule, hence your name.”

“We must have started calling ourselves that when we reached the surface in honor of the goddess Hylia.” Link’s movements calmed as he talked, prompting Revali to ask his next question.

“What is the Imprisoned?”

“A demonic blight that wants to cause destruction wherever he goes. He’s sealed in the Sealed Temple, but the seal on him weakened so I have to find the Triforce to grant my wish to destroy him. Only a person whose heart is balanced can make a wish without the Triforce scattering into three pieces.”

“And you are pure of heart? That sounds rather haughty to me.” Revali huffed. Link laughed.

“Not pure of heart. They have to have a balanced heart. A balance of Power, Courage, and Wisdom. I’m not sure what would happen if someone with an unbalanced heart touched it, but my guess is they’d get the part they have more of. But no one has touched the Triforce so who knows. We’ll see when I wish on the Triforce.” A moment of quiet spread between them as they focused on eating. Link’s head shot up and he looked at Revali, startling the Rito.

“My apologies, but I realized I don’t know your name. I try to make a habit of remembering the people who help me.” Revali recovered from his shock, sending Link an exasperated look. As Link sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, Revali responded,
“My name is Revali. Remember it because I will go down in history as the master of the wind and bow. Rito will praise my name and remember my genius of creating an updraft so I can soar.”

An amused expression crossed Link’s face as he responded, “Nice to meet you Revali, my name’s Link and my Loftwing is named Crimson. If you don’t mind, we could stay here until you finish with your duty and take you back to the village below us. That wing doesn’t look like it could support any weight.” Revali nodded at them both in thanks before setting aside the bag of food. His wing throbbed, despite the fairy, and he had no idea how he’d get off if Link left him. He appreciated Link’s quiet strength and refused to admit it reminded him of the Chosen One’s dedicated resolve. Both were similar and Revali fought to stay irritated at them, burrowing the thought that he may have judged the Chosen One wrong.

Revali laid a hand on Medoh and focused on listening to the divine beast. No signal yet. Maybe that was a good thing. Revali had much to think about while he waited for the Chosen One to confront the Calamity.

Chapter Text

“If I may,” Mipha stepped forward, drawing Princess Zelda’s eyes to her, “I thought you,- Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words. I’m actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind. It helps when I think-when I think about-” An explosion cut her off as the ground shook, making everyone in their group stumble. Revali took to the skies, using one of his powerful gales to launch him like an arrow upwards. Mipha saw him gasp as a thunderous roar echoed across Hyrule.

“It’s here.” Urbosa pursed her lips as Revali landed next to her.

“This is it, then.” Daruk rumbled as his fists clenched.

“Are you sure?” Mipha questioned, her hand held to her heart.

“Positive,” Revali confirmed tersely.

“It’s awake, Ganon.” Zelda’s voice trembled as they watched a haze of malice reach through the sky.

“Let’s stop wasting time,” Daruk commanded as the princess stepped back, fear written on her face, “We’re going to need everything we got to take that thing down. Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head-on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault. Little Guy! You get to Hyrule Castle.” Revali scoffed and rolled his eyes, displeasure radiating from his body, “You can count on us for support. But it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion.” Urbosa walked over to Princess Zelda and placed her arms on her shoulders.

“Come. We should go. We need to get you someplace safe.” Urbosa urged.

“No. I am not a child anymore. I may not be much use on the battlefield, but there must… there must be something I can do to help!” Mipha shared uncomfortable looks with the other Champions. How could they say no to the Princess of Hyrule?

“Princess, what could you do to help?” Urbosa asked softly.

“It’s a knight's duty to protect the princess so she’d be the safest with Link. Provided he can protect her that is.” Revali drawled.

“I’m sure there is something I can do. Maybe I’ll be able to awaken the sealing power when I have to. I know I will not be able to awaken it if I stay behind and let myself be locked away like a helpless maiden. Please let me go.” Zelda pleaded. At Link’s nod, the Champions consented, though several of them couldn’t keep the worry off their face.

“Everyone, be safe,” Urbosa said.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Everyone to their Divine Beasts!” At Daruk’s final clap of his hands, everyone scattered. Revali shot into the air, flying northwest where Vah Medoh circled above the Rito village. Daruk curled into a ball and rolled down the Lanayru Road, gaining speed as he spun faster. 

“Come, Mipha.” Urbosa urged as Link and Zelda ran towards their horses, “You’ll ride with me. I’ll head towards Telta Lake since it’s on my way.” Mipha nodded and followed the taller woman.

“Everyone, please stay alive so I can heal you,” Mipha whispered, holding onto Urbosa as the Gerudo urged the horse into a gallop.

Mipha leaped from the water and landed on one of Vah Ruta’s platforms. She furrowed her brow at the pink lines running through the Divine Beast instead of the cool blue. She kept her guard up as she walked inside the beast. Vah Ruta wasn’t responding to her like it normally did. Mipha knelt to place a hand on the ground, hoping the contact would revive their connection. It didn’t. 

She looked towards the main control unit and every cell in her body screamed at her to walk away. A foreign presence saturated the enclosed room, almost dripping with malice. It wasn’t there before the Calamity woke up. Why would it be there now? Unless the presence had to do with the Calamity. Mipha held onto her spear as she entered the room, eyes narrowed and darting to each corner, looking for the enemy. There was no enemy that she could see. Was it invisible? Frowning, she set her sights on the control panel and when she was a foot away from it, it erupted in pink-tinted black fog. Blue ribbons of light swirled past her and condensed into a revolting creature. It had a strange mask for a face and a wave of red hair cascading down its misshapen back. Sheikah tech covered its body and a giant spear extended from one hand.

Its screech almost brought her to her knees as she clasped her hands over her ears. An unnatural gurgling noise made her look up in time to dodge the spear it threw at her. Coming out of a roll, Mipha grabbed one of her tridents as the shining blue spear vanished and reformed in the monster's hands.

Mipha mentally ran through her weapons. Three spears, a bow, and ten arrows. The odds were not in her favor. “But I have to win.” Lowering herself, she ran forward and leapt over the glowing spear as the monster swept it in a broad stroke. With a slash, she cut across the creature’s thin stomach, rewarded with a screech of pain. When Mipha landed and made to run at it again, the monster slammed the end of its spear on the ground, the blast knocking her backward. The trident fell out of her hands and went spinning to the other side of the room. She didn’t have enough time to retrieve it as the monster flung another glowing spear where she lay. Mipha rolled, the spear lodging itself a hair's-breadth away from her head fin. Heart in her throat, she rose to her feet, pulled out her bow, and notched an arrow as she ran. With accuracy that would have made Revali proud, she released the arrow and it burrowed into the monster’s eye. As it screamed in pain, she used the distraction to circle the monstrosity and buried one of her spears in its back, close to where she thought the heart rested. 

The monster spun in a quick circle, dislodging her spear and making her skid several feet away. It growled as it vanished into blue ribbons, forming a ball and traveling to the other side of Ruta.

The unnatural abilities of the monster held her in momentary shock. What kind of ability was that? The monster capitalized on her distraction, rushing forward and sweeping its spear to cleave her in half. Mipha’s brain barely kickstarted in time to place her spear between herself and the weapon. The momentum threw her to the side and she hit the wall, her vision black for a second. She crashed to the ground, blinking away the stars that swarmed her vision and struggling to grasp for air as her eyes watered from the pain. Mipha realized the blow shattered her spear before she looked up and saw the monster fling its spear at her. She rolled out of the way, placing one hand on her head and another on her lung administering healing to those areas. The monster screeched at her as her head cleared and her lungs drew in the sweet air. She grunted as the monster grazed her arm with its ridiculously long spear. Mipha pulled out her bow and shot an arrow into its chest. It growled as it vanished, the arrow clattering in the shallow water. Mipha ran towards the arrow, wishing she had longer Hylian legs to move faster. When she reached it, she saw the malice body had burnt off the first half of the arrow, leaving the feathered half behind. Instinct had her dropping to the floor as the blue spear hurled overhead and embedded itself into the floor a foot from her head. 

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she shot up and jumped over the next swing the creature made. The spear clipped her foot and sent her tumbling through the air. Her breath gusted out of her lungs as she collided with the floor. She reached for her foot and managed to dull the pain before she had to roll out of the way of a spear strike.

“Oh please give me time to breathe.” She gasped as she stood up and the pain in her foot almost made her fall back down. Mipha held her bow up as the creature moved closer and shot it under its mask. Its swing went wide and knocked off her headpiece, cutting through the top of the bow and making it useless. 

“No!” She backpedaled to dodge the next sweep but was unable to get away fast enough. A deep gash cut across her chest, tearing through the Champion scarf and making it flutter to the ground. Mipha screamed in pain as she was thrown off balance and crashed into the wall. She gasped as unwanted tears clouded her vision and pain raked her body. She placed a hand on her chest to heal the wound and attempted to scoot away from the monster. Pain flared from her foot, reminding her she hadn’t healed it completely. Her chest wound itched as it healed to a manageable pain level, but an unnatural gurgling sound had her blinking through the tears to see the blue weapon flung towards her. The spear pierced through her thigh, tearing through muscle and glancing off the bone. She screamed as the spear disappeared, reforming in the monster's hand. 

Mipha focused her healing powers on her thigh but was forced to roll out of the way as it threw another spear. Hot pain shook her body, protesting her actions as she forced herself to move. The monster gurgled as it moved closer and slashed one of Mipha’s arms. She cradled it close as she shuffled away. There were too many areas to heal.

“I’m going to die. Who’s going to heal the other Champions if I die here? I can’t heal fast enough. Someone, please help!” Her heart pounded in her throat as she crawled along the wall, blood tainting the water red. The monster stalked her and lifted its arm back, ready to deliver the killing blow. Her wounded legs bled and failed to support her when she attempted to stand. The monster released a victorious screech as it swung forward. Mipha closed her eyes, tense as she waited for the spear to pierce her heart. A deafening crash that sprayed bits of metal on her face had her opening her eyes to see the spear dug into the Divine Beast’s wall, inches above her head.

“Wow, you couldn’t move any faster? You had to save her just before she was impaled. And with a fishing pole no less?” A snarky female voice rang through the room.

“It was the first thing I grabbed. I thought I had grabbed my bow.” Accompanying a familiar male voice was a hissing sound. The monster whirled around, ignoring its wounded prey and received a bomb arrow to the face. As it clutched its face, howling in pain, Mipha saw her saviors. An imp with strange gray and black markings floated in the air, her large orange hair swaying behind her. A Zora stood next to the imp, clad in strange armor, and holding a bow in one hand. The Zora was unlike anyone she’d ever seen, having no fins on his arms and his face had no mouth. How did he talk? The male Zora nodded to the monster when he looked at the imp. She sighed as she nodded back and her hair turned into a giant, orange hand. The imp caught the spear as the monster swept it towards them, still clutching its face. The Zora ran to Mipha and, as he got closer, she saw that a mask covered the lower part of his face and... that sword on his back! It meant this newcomer was not a Zora and only one man had the privilege of pulling that sword. The man tugged down his mask and Mipha started in surprise at the familiar face underneath. 

“It is Link! He came to save me! But how?” She couldn’t speak past her shock as Link dug through his pouch.

“I have a fairy in here somewhere that can help heal your wounds.” Mipha’s left hand shook as she went to her leg and her right went to her chest as they glowed blue. Link blinked several times as he stopped midway from pulling a bottled fairy out of his bag. 

“Do you need a fairy’s help?”

Distractedly she thought, “It’d help to heal me so I don’t waste all my energy on healing.” She gave a jerky nod, her mind focused on the armor, “Something’s not right. I didn’t make that armor, so who did? Could it have been Kodah? Would she go as far as that? And his eyes and voice are different. And a strange imp follows him around. Who is she?” Finding her voice, she asked,

“Wh-who gave you Zora armor, Link?”

“How do you-” He cut off as the imp called for him, “Nevermind. If you need to know, it was the Zora Queen. I’ll be right back.” As he ran off, shock coursed through her veins.

“Mother? How did mother-? Did she mean to betroth him to me? Or...what’s going on??”

As the Zora attendant swam up the waterfall, Link clung tightly on his back, ever thankful the Zora armor let him breathe the water. Though it would have been nice if the armor would let him swim up waterfalls too. 

The attendant dropped him off and said, “Anytime you need help getting up here, let me know okay?” before letting the current take him back over the falls. Midna zipped from his shadow and placed an arm on his shoulder.

“Those Zoras have to be packed with muscle to swim up a waterfall. To push against the current of the water and fight gravity? I’m impressed.” Midna noted.

“Maybe the Zora will create armor that allows Hylians to do that. I mean, they created this armor to let me breathe underwater. Swimming up waterfalls shouldn’t be too far behind.” Link said, walking towards the entryway to the palace.

“That would be something. To be able to swim up waterfalls and dive to the bottom of the ocean.” Midna mused as she vanished in his shadow. Link stepped into the chamber where the prince, soon to be king, held court. He startled as several Zora’s rushed past him, terror causing them to yell nonsense. Unsheathing his sword, Link sprinted forward, passing Zora’s who hugged the wall telling him to be as far away from the water as possible. Skidding to a stop in the main cavern, he took in a powerful whirlpool with Prince Ralis struggling against the current. He pulled out his clawshot and hesitated as his finger hovered over the trigger to release the weapon. He’d likely injure the prince if he shot it directly at the Zora.

“Prince Ralis! Grab the chain!” Link released his clawshot and watched as the prince grabbed the chain. Once Ralis had a hold, Link slowly pulled the prince in until he was at the edge of the pool. 

“Get over here and help me!” Link grunted as he strained to keep Ralis from washing away. Two brave Zora’s hustled forward and grabbed the prince by his arms. They hoisted him up and Link put his clawshot away.

“Thank you, Link. I owe you another debt.” Ralis gasped from the ground.

“I’m glad I was able to help.” Link said. Ralis breathed in deeply before he stood, shaking.

“Nonetheless, please tell me if I am able to help you in-” Ralis never finished as one of the Zoras who’d helped him slipped, falling towards the water, eyes wide. Link lurched forward and grabbed their hand, jerking them back to solid ground.

“You idiot!” Midna hissed from his shadow as his momentum caused him to tumble into the whirlpool. Thank goodness he’d had the Zora armor on. He could breathe, but couldn’t swim as the current tossed him around and pulled him under. Link fought against the current unsuccessfully as it dragged him downwards. 

Midna’s shadow form rose to float by his head, “There’s a portal down at the bottom where you’re headed. At least, I think it’s a portal.” Link chanced a glance down and frowned at the unusual sight.

“It looks similar to one of the portals in the sky. Did you create it?”

“No. It feels off, but the whirlpool is dragging you in the direction.” Her eye narrowed, “I don’t like that.” Her hair materialized and she grabbed onto him, “I don’t think we should go in there.” When she started tugging him out, the current increased in ferocity, dragging them further down. “What the-?” Midna growled. As they edged closer, she looked at him with a grimace, “I don’t think you have a choice on whether you want to go or not.”

Link kicked several more times, going nowhere before he stopped fighting the current and allowed it to push him towards the portal, “Maybe we’re meant to go wherever it leads us.”

Midna huffed and concealed her concern by faded back into his shadow and murmuring, “I swear if it leads us somewhere dangerous…”. Link’s feet touched the portal and the familiar feeling of disintegrating washed over him. He could feel himself come back together and opened his eyes. He had a split-second to realize he was a foot in the air before gravity took over and he had to catch himself. He was no longer in water, even though the ground had an inch or two of liquid. Midna appeared in her solid form and they looked to be in a temple of some sort. 

“Of course it would lead us somewhere dangerous.” Midna complained, gesturing towards a giant monster, covered in pink-black skin, who was raising a glowing spear towards an unarmed Zora. Reaching into his pouch blindly, he grabbed his bow to distract the monster. He blinked when his fishing rod came out instead. Acting with it, he flung the line at the monster as it was lunging towards the hurt Zora. The hook caught the back of the monster’s strange armor and Link pulled with all his might. The line was not strong enough for that kind of weight and broke but he’d succeeded in protecting the Zora as the spear struck the wall inches above her head. He placed the rod back into his pouch, thankful he’d replaced Ralis’ earring with Colin’s hook a couple of days ago. Still, he’d have to get Colin to shape another one when he got back.

“Wow, you couldn’t move any faster? You had to save her just before she was impaled. And with a fishing pole no less?” Midna snarked, making a show of examining her hand.

“It was the first thing I grabbed. I thought I had grabbed my bow.” Link grumbled, succeeding in pulling out his bow. He grabbed his bomb arrows and lifted one up as the monster spun and released it. The monster’s shrieks were deafening as it held its burnt face. Link looked at Midna and nodded towards the creature. Midna raised an eyebrow as she sighed, but nodded, forming her hair into a giant hand. She blocked the spear the monster was haphazardly whipping around.

Link ran towards the Zora and noticed she was bleeding heavily from her leg. There was a nasty gash on her arm and she had bruises covering her body. Link pulled down his mask as he approached and started digging through his pouch.

“I have a fairy in here somewhere that can help heal your wounds.” The Zora’s hand went to her leg as she stared at Link in shock and her hand glowed blue. Link blinked as her wounds started to stitch up. Though she was a healer and could heal her own wounds, she may want added help. 

“Do you need a fairy’s help?”

 Link watched as she nodded and the haze of pain faded from her eyes as the Zora moved to her chest wound. He uncorked the bottle and smiled as the fairy immediately swarmed around the Zora. Her voice wavered as her hands shook with unspoken torment.

“Wh-who gave you Zora armor, Link?” He looked at her bewildered.

“How do you-?” He paused as Midna yelled for him, “Nevermind. If you need to know, it was the Zora Queen. I’ll be right back.” He rose and hurried off, but not without noticing the shocked look on the young Zora’s face.

“Oh right, Queen Rutela’s dead. That probably confused her.” Putting his thoughts aside, Link notched another bomb arrow. Midna saw him and flew out of reach, her brilliant orange hair singed black at the tips. He released one arrow then pulled out his boomerang and flung it towards the monster. The wind whipped up water and surrounded the beast, spraying its burnt skin with liquid. It screeched in pain as the wind drove it into the wall. The boomerang returned to him, causing the monster to collapse to the ground.

“About time.” Midna huffed, hands on her hips as she landed next to him.

“What happened to your hair?” He asked, watching as the creature lashed out blindly with its spear. 

“Don’t touch its skin. It will burn you. You’re welcome.”

“Thank you for figuring that out. It’s useful to know.” Midna snorted at his answer. Link frowned as the monster transformed into blue ribbons of light and flew to the middle of the room. It screeched and lifted its hand, causing the platform Link was on to rise with the water level. The monster flipped upside down and its half-blinded rage-filled eye locked onto Link.

“I don’t think it appreciated the bomb arrows to the face,” Midna commented as she ducked in his shadow.

“I don’t think it did.” Link agreed, diving into the water to avoid a wide sweep of the monster's spear. His bomb arrows were useless in the water so he swam to one of the four pillars in the water. He peeked out at the monster and gaped at the five large squares of ice that hovered near it. The monster flung its arm out and one by one, the ice moved towards him. He dove underwater, but the cubes followed him. They crashed against the pillars or the floor as he maneuvered through the water. Link rose when the last cube shattered and growled when the monster raised five more cubes. He pulled out his bow and shot as best he could while staying above water. The shot nailed the monster in the shoulder, enraging it. Link dove as the cubes followed him. He managed to avoid them again, but the cubes were gaining speed. As he broke through the surface, he couldn’t see the monster. Link looked around wildly but the creature snatched him from the water as it hovered above him, its masked face glaring at him.

“This would be painful if it was touching my skin.” Link struggled, but the monster gripped him tighter. Midna whipped out of his shadow, her hair already in the form of a giant fist as she brought it down on its mask. The monster screeched in pain and released Link. He swam to one of the landings and climbed onto it as Midna grabbed the creature's spear to distract it. Link notched an arrow and noticed the Zora swimming much faster than he could in the water. He released the bomb arrow as Midna moved out of the way, causing it to fall into the water with a scream. The Zora leaped out of the water, a silver trident in hand as she flung it into the creature’s eye, shattering its mask.

The monster screeched as it turned into the blue ribbons of light. It reformed in the middle of the room as Link notched another arrow. It screamed and floundered in the air like a fish out of water. It hung upside down as it curled in on itself and convulsed. Black liquid gushed out of its body as it gave a final screech. Pink light streamed from its body before the light enveloped it. Link dove in the water behind one of the platforms as the light exploded. He blinked, looking around the room to determine if the monster was gone for good. It was.

Mipha trod the water as the platforms lowered and the water washed into the room. Jolts of pain shot down her leg as the water reached the top of the Divine Beast. She’d healed her other wounds with the fairy’s help, but had not healed her foot in the hurry to help Link. Mipha knew the beast was traveling underwater to reach the best place to shoot at the Calamity. She watched Link and the imp converse before the imp disappeared in the boy’s shadow and Link swam over to her. She closed her eyes as she felt her connection with the Divine Beast strengthen. It didn’t take long for the water to recede as Ruta stopped moving. The Divine Beast lifted its trunk, exposing the weapon underneath. Mipha turned towards Link, bending down to heal her foot.

“Thank you for helping me. I deeply appreciate it.” 

Link nodded. “You’re welcome. Thank you for your help.”

“Were you injured? Please let me heal you.” Mipha stood up, testing her foot before walking forward.

“Not too badly. Just bruising on my arm from where he was grabbing me.” He let her heal his wounds.

“If I may be so bold, could you please tell me more about how you received the armor?” She questioned, her confusion swirling in her mind.

“Sure. The armor was crafted by the Zora King for the chosen hero to give them the abilities of the Zoras. The queen’s ghost led me to it after I helped her son to Kakariko Village.”

“That-that doesn’t make sense.” Mipha whispered in shock as she absorbed it all.

“Why would Link need to help Sidon get to Kakariko Village? Father never told me about a suit of armor he made for the hero. And why would mother’s spirit be the one to lead him to it?”

“The story does sound strange. I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me.” Link continued, oblivious to Mipha’s struggle, “The ghost of a queen appearing to request help for her son? It sounds crazy when I say it out loud. He’d fallen ill after an attack-” Mipha interrupted him, panicked.

“Ill? Where is he? Please, you must lead me to him! I can heal him.”

“He’s alright. Like I’ve said, I got him to Kakariko Village where Renado could help him heal.”

“Oh, thank you for helping him, Link. I am forever grateful.”

“So Sidon’s fine and he’s receiving help. But why would he need to go to Kakariko Village? Was it because they didn’t know when I’d be back and he was in need of serious help?”

“I did it because no one else would. I’m just glad he made it. After that the Zora Queen wished to aid me and lead me to where the armor was kept, behind Kakariko Village.” Link said as he worked on unfastening the helm, “I’m still not sure how I feel about taking the armor from the King’s grave.” 

Mipha gasped loudly. Had her father passed away? Before she could say anything, Link finally removed the helmet and shook free his dark blond hair...clearly different from the golden locks she was so dearly familiar with.

 “Forgive me for forgetting my manners. I’m Link, from Ordon Village. Though you seem to know that. Will you give me your name?” Mipha stepped back in surprise as he offered a small bow. 

“This confirms my suspicions. He is not my Link. But-” Gathering herself, she straightened her shoulders and smiled at him “-that means, father is hopefully alright.”

“My name is Princess Mipha of the Zoras. I have been chosen to pilot the Divine Beast Vah Ruta. My role is to aid the Chosen Hero and the princess in defeating the Calamity.”

“Huh, I didn’t know Prince Ralis had a sister?” Link furrowed his eyebrows, “A divine beast? I didn’t know there were different types of divine beasts. Midna? Do you know anything about it?” Link waited as confusion crossed Mipha’s face. An imp zipped out of his shadow and settled on Link’s shoulder, smirking at the startled look in Mipha’s eyes.

“Don’t ask me, you’re the only sacred beast I know. You were the only one I found that didn’t change into a spirit. It wasn’t like I had all the time in the world to see who changed into a spirit versus a beast. Plus I think you’re not that bad of a choice.” Midna’s grin sharpened as she ruffled Link’s bangs.

“I have to say that I’ve never seen someone like your companion before. If I may ask, where are you from?”

“Don’t make assumptions because of this ugly form I’m forced to wear. I am Midna. My original body is more beautiful than this cursed form.” 

Mipha stared at Midna, “Forgive me if what I’m about to say causes insult, but I have never seen your race before. Are… are you perhaps one of the fabled Zonai?

Midna squinted her eyes at Mipha, “What’s a Zonai?”

Mipha bit her lip as she stared at the imp, “I’m sure I’ve seen your helmet before. If it’s not with the Zonai… then, could you perhaps be… from the Twilight Realm?”

Midna tensed and bared her teeth, “How did you know that!?”

The Zora princess backed away from the enraged imp, eyes wide, “It was a guess! Hyrule used to have a relic of the Princess of Twilight and it looked exactly like your head piece with the bright orange hair.”

Midna growled, her hair swishing around like an agitated cat. 

“Considering there’s no such thing where we are,” Link spoke cautiously, “Maybe the portal didn’t take us to some other place, but some other time.”

Midna turned to him, uncertainty dancing in her eye, “The portals don’t work like that.”

“You did say the portal looked different and felt weird, not like normal.”

Midna’s lips pursed as she digested the new information.

“If it helps,” Mipha interjected, “We have legends of the Twilight Realm and the invasion of Twilight, but nothing concrete. Just stories of a hero who saved the world from the encroaching Twilight with the help of the Princess of Twilight.”

Midna swayed gently, “Hmm, maybe we are in the future.” At Link’s raised eyebrow, she elaborated, “If this was a ploy of Zant’s, it’d be much more elaborate. Mipha has talked about things we've kept a secret as legends, as if they happened long ago. She mentioned divine beasts, a legend from my own people, but I can’t see or sense any Twilight around, so why would they need divine beasts? That and this beast she mentioned has a name that sounds similar to Queen Rutela’s. Besides, the monster we defeated was unlike anything I’ve seen before. Her logic stands.”

“Time travel doesn’t seem too far from what we’ve experienced. I mean, I got trained by someone who’s been long dead and we’ve seen ghosts before.” 

Mipha sighed in relief, “So he really wasn’t talking about Sidon or father. That’s a relief. Though if he is the Hero of Twilight…”  

“I’ve... always been curious. Where is the beast that was said to travel with the hero? The legends were never specific, but it’s theorized that the hero had a beast that assisted him.” Mipha’s eyes shone with excitement. A sharp smile formed on Midna’s lips as she turned to Link. “Let’s not disappoint our dear friend. We should show her who the beast is.” Link glared mildly at her but didn’t resist when she pulled out the Shard of Twilight. She touched him with it and Link crumbled to the ground, black smoke swirling around him and entering his skin. He took the form of a wolf and shook his coat when he finished transforming. Mipha gasped, gazing at his markings. Midna dropped on his back, earning a snarl from Link. 

“You’re the beast? He’s so beautiful.” She whispered before she could catch herself.

“You can pet him if you want. His fur is surprisingly soft.” Midna demonstrated by rubbing his neck.

“Oh, I don’t know if I should.” Mipha’s eyes betrayed her as she looked at him.

“He doesn’t mind. Do you Link?” Midna asked. Link shook his head back and forth, prompting Mipha to reach out and caress his head, between his ears.

“He is soft.” A gentle smile settled on Mipha’s face as she rubbed his ear. She pulled back shortly and said, “Thank you.” 

“No problem.” Midna jumped off Link’s back as he turned back into a Hylian.

“You mentioned a Divine Beast of your own. Where is that?” Link questioned as he rose from the ground.

“We’re inside.” She gestured to the space around her with a wave of her hand, “The Divine Beasts are giant machines created by the Sheikah Clan 10,000 years ago. Their purpose is to help the Champion and the Princess to defeat Calamity Ganon when he rises again.” Mipha explained.

“Wait, did you say Calamity...Ganon?” Midna turned to look at her companion.

“I imagine you would be familiar with it, being a hero from Hyrule’s history. That monster you helped me defeat must have been a spawn of his sent to get rid of me so I couldn’t assist the Hero and Princess Zelda. Without your help, I would have perished and who knows how the fight would have gone. The other Champions may be fighting monsters similar to the one I fought. I pray that they are alright.”

“Nothing you can do about the other Champions, is there? So do you wait for the signal or how does the Divine Beast work?” Midna inquired.

“Vah Ruta, the Divine Beast, will know when to fire. I wait here until the hero is in position to fight the Calamity, then I help weaken Ganon so Link can defeat him more easily.”

“So the name of this era’s Hero is Link also. I’m assuming he looks like me and you confused me for him.” Link asked, smiling.

“You do look similar. I was stunned to see you in Zora armor. Usually, the Zora princess makes and gives the armor to the one she wants to marry. If they accept, they marry.” A faint blush stained Mipha’s cheeks.

“No wonder it shocked you.” Midna smirked, “Well then, you may be glad to know, Link here is not promised to anyone. Right, Link?” She used her hair to playfully push him closer to the Zora. She may have winked, but with one eye hidden, it was hard to tell. 

Link stumbled forward a step and Mipha’s blush grew stronger.

“I! That is-I’m sorry but-” 

Link raised a hand. “Please, ignore her.”

“Oh-h, okay.” Mipha knelt down and pressed a hand to the ground to cover her blush. 

Vah Ruta assured her it wasn’t time to fire. She sat on the ground and stretched out her legs, testing to see if she healed her thigh wound completely. She took a deep breath, satisfied and finally calm. If she was honest with herself, there was a good reason why Midna’s jest had embarrassed her so much. She may have known, deep inside, this wasn’t her Link, but when she’d seen him swimming around the pillars in his Zora armor…

“Oh dear.” Mipha fought the blush that threatened to return. She hadn’t seen him for more than a moment, but it was enough to admire how elegant and graceful a Hylian could move in the water. If her Link moved even half as graceful-

“Now is NOT the time to be thinking that! Focus, you have a mission!” She startled a little as Link sat down next to her. The Twilight Princess hovered to his side as she examined the inside of Vah Ruta.

“Don’t you have to return? To your time?” Mipha questioned, attempting to distract herself from her thoughts.

“We would if we knew how. Don’t worry, if the way home hasn’t appeared yet, it means we’re still needed here for one reason or another.” Link said. The Zora princess noted the way Midna harrumphed at his comment before making a show of getting comfortable.

“Look at you using your head. Maybe we’ll be able to see some of this Hyrule before we have to return.” Midna’s foot twitched as she spoke.

“We’ll get back to our time. No use worrying about things that may not happen.” Link added softly.

“As if I was worried. The portal hasn’t appeared so there’s currently no way to go back. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were worried.” Mipha watched as they bantered back and forth, the Twilight Princess’s foot easing in its twitching. She admired the natural way they interacted with each other. They cared for each other and Mipha smiled, listening to their witty comebacks. She hoped, after all this was over, that she could become that close again to her own Link, as well. This wasn’t a bad way to pass the time, waiting for her Link to get in position so she could fire on Calamity Ganon.

Chapter Text

“Finally!” Daruk thought as the gate to Goron City came in view, his tough hide sore from a day and night of hasty traveling.

“Get ready to defend our city!” Daruk bellowed as he came into the city. It was in a state of chaos, his people running around as giant boulders crashed down from the erupting volcano. The Goron’s looked at him, surprised by his sudden appearance. 

“Don’t just stand there! Hyrule Castle is under attack! Didn’t you feel the earthquake?”

“Champion Daruk, we’ve sent some people to help them, but Vah Rudania is acting strange. We’ve been trying to investigate, but Rudania walked on the mountain, not letting us get close.” One of the warriors told him, rushing forward.

“Walking on its own? That’s… strange,” Daruk frowned at the mountain.

“We were surprised as well. We knew you weren’t here, so seeing it move gave us a shock.”

“I’ll check it out. Either way, get the little ones to safety and knock down any guardians that dare to come up here.” Daruk glanced around, watching as the younger Goron’s tried to crowd him.

“Guardians? What do you mean by that?” More of the warriors gathered around him, some of them leading the younger ones away.

“I ran into some of them on my way here. They attacked me as I was passing through. I was lucky there were only a couple of them. I thought they were coming to help me, but something has changed in them. I’ll go see what is going on with Vah Rudania. Where is it now?”

“It disappeared a while ago, we think it’s in the volcano,” One of them said.

“Thank you, my friend. Now get ready for battle!” Daruk yelled as he raised Boulder Breaker. His fellow warriors echoed his yell with their weapons raised in response.

“We’ll be waiting for you, Daruk!” They called out, tucking into balls and rolling away. Daruk curled up and sped through Goron City. He had a mission and it involved getting to Vah Rudania as quickly as he could. His people could hold out until he helped crush the swirly swine back into the hole he crawled out of. After that, he could celebrate and eat all the rock roast he wanted. 

Daruk sped across Eldin Bridge and halted as Vah Rudania let out a mechanical scream. “Something’s not right,” He muttered as he watched the lava spew out of the mountain. Another mechanical scream sounded, prompting Daruk to curl up and speed as fast as he dared to the top of the volcano. He bulldozed through monsters and crashed through rocks blocking his way, wincing as his rock skin felt closer to worn leather. Before the last stretch, he heard a third painful scream and activated his shield as fiery boulders, twice the size of himself, rolled down the mountain. He grit his teeth when he felt hairline fractures split across his shield from the boulders. Exhaustion from traveling pulled at his limbs and strength, annoying the warrior.

“That won’t do.” Daruk rumbled as he launched himself upwards and uncurled at the top of the volcano, looking in. The Divine Beast was in the volcano’s center, standing in the lava like it was a lake. He looked down at it, upset that he couldn’t feel his connection with it and wondered how it moved without his help. After all the time he spent taming the beast, it decided now it was going to rebel? Not on his watch. He gauged the distance before curling into a ball and getting a rolling start as he hurled off the mountain and towards the machine, landing with a resounding ‘SMACK’ on its back. 

Daruk frowned as he looked at the main control unit. Something was different. Walking towards it from behind enabled him to see when the monster responsible for the beast’s odd behavior materialized. A hideous creature held fire in its left hand and a massive blade in its right. It had an unusual mask covering its face and a copious mane of shocking red hair billowing behind it. 

Daruk grunted as the monster released an ear-piercing screech. He slammed his hands together, forming his shield as the monster threw a secession of fireballs at him. As they bounced off the shield, the monster moved in closer and struck his shield with its sword. The power of the strike caused him to skid back. Releasing his Boulder Breaker, he swung it with ease, slamming it into the side of the monster and flinging it off the side of the divine beast. The monster righted itself in midair and screeched at him. Daruk roared back. The monster stayed out of range, floating above the lava and sending small fireballs at him. 

“Come on, you monster! There’s no way you can harm my shield with that puny attack! You have a pathetic control of fire and you’ve changed Rudania. I’m gonna call you Fireblight.” Daruk prodded. He blinked as the monster shrieked and rushed at him. The creature was slower than the firelizards that scuttled around. He dodged another set of fireballs and ended up underneath the floating monstrosity. Shouting in triumph, he nailed the creature with two wide blows, sending it flying into one of the pillars. He rolled towards the monster, launching himself up and swung his weapon at its masked head. The force of his strike caused the pillar to crumble and sent the monster skidding towards the edge. Daruk landed and ran towards the malice infected being, his two-handed weapon raised above his head. The creature lashed out with its sword, recovering quicker than Daruk thought. He hastily put up his shield and felt it crack as the sword collided with it. As the monster scrambled up, he swung his weapon, clipping the underside of the monster. It screeched as it tumbled through the air. The monster righted itself out of reach and placed its left hand on its sword. The sword glowed a bright orange before it flung its hands out, creating a replica of his shield.

“How in the world did you manage that?” Daruk grounded out. The monster raised its other hand and sucked in air, a large circular ball of fire growing at the end of it. Daruk’s massive body struggled against the vacuum it created, drawing in the fire from the lava. The wind stopped when the circular ball of fire was as big as Daruk.

Daruk glanced around for shelter, knowing the explosion when that thing touched Vah Rudania was going to be massive. The monster screeched as it released the fiery sphere and moved further out in the lava. Daruk scrambled behind one of the pillars as the sphere ignited off of the Divine Beast’s back. The explosion rocked the beast, sending tremors running through the machine.

“Stop blowing holes in Rudania!” Daruk bellowed as he peeked out from behind the pillar. The monster was nowhere to be found. The wind started sucking from above him and Daruk looked up, seeing the floating menace above him. The monster screeched in triumph as it followed him when he attempted to escape it. The monster raised its hand, gathering the deadly fire sphere as it grew massive. Daruk clasped his hands together and grimaced when his shield flickered around him before disappearing. He kept trying to put it up anyway, feeling mentally drained as the shield refused to appear. 

“I may survive this bomb, but if it just keeps doing this, I won’t make it. I need help. I need to get to Goron City to-” He cut off, gritting his teeth as he remembered Vah Rudania wasn’t responding to him, helplessness making his arms shake, “I can’t get help. This is not how I wanted to go. Blast this flaming monster!” He screamed the last part, watching the creature starting to throw its hand forward. The monster never completed the swing. Daruk watched, stunned as a small child in green clothes fell from the sky. The little boy pulled out an enormous skull-shaped hammer, twice the size of the child. The Hylian glowed a mysterious purple as he swung the hammer on the top of the monster's shield, shattering the orange protection. The monster screeched as the hammer completed its swing and hit it in the face. The monster lost control of the fire sphere and it dropped on the monster and the Hylian. The explosion shook the air as Daruk rolled in the path that the Hylian would fly, catching the small body.

“Are you alright, Tiny Guy?” Daruk instinctively asked as he put up his back to the explosion, blocking them from the flying debris and not looking at the body. The likelihood of the child being charred beyond recognition was high and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to look upon his saviors' blackened body. Daruk himself wouldn't have survived a blast like that without his shield. He grunted as a particularly jagged rock slammed into his side.

“I’m fine. I didn’t think it was holding a bomb. I’ve never seen one like that before.” Daruk’s surprised eyes snapped to the Hylian. He didn’t have a burn mark on him and he was still encased in that purple shield.

“How’d you survive that?” Daruk asked.

“Magic Armor. Can’t you tell by looking at it?” The boy hopped off Daruk’s large hand and shook himself off.

“Another one who has supernatural protection like myself. Well, this one I’m pleased to see!” Daruk’s thoughts, watching as the child examined the smoke.

Link scowled as he crawled out of the hole on Diamond Steppe Island. Why did all the islands across the Great Sea have to involve a maze? At least he finally found the treasure map that would allow him access to the Ghost Ship housing the last triforce piece. He heaved himself up, welcoming the bright moonlight after traversing through the endless cave. He jumped down and greeted the King of Red Lions.

“Well done, Link. Now we need to find the Ghost Ship and recover the last part of the Triforce.” The ship turned around as Link waded through the water and climbed up.

“I’m worried that the Ghost Ship is haunted. We’ve run into it a couple of times, but it looks like it’d curse me if I boarded it.” Link shuttered.

“With the map and the Master Sword, you should be fine. Where does it say the ship is located?” Link pulled out the map and unfurled it. His ship turned its head and they studied it for a little bit. 

“Link, is the ship moving on the paper?” The King of Hyrule asked.

“It is.” Link confirmed.

“And I’m not seeing things when I say the upper right moon is pulsing with blue color?”

“You’re not.” They stared at the paper in the moonlight before looking up at the waxing moon.

“It seems that the Ghost Ship is going to appear tonight.”

“I think whoever created this map must have been a magician.” Link declared.

“I have to agree. It looks like there are islands drawn on it. Which one is the closest island?”

“This one.” They looked at each other as the clouds covered the sky and lightning struck around them. An eerie sound came from the right and they looked over to see the Ghost Ship in the distance.

“It seems we are fortunate in our quest to find the map and the ship alike,” The king said.

“Thank goodness for that. We’ve spent so much time trying to find the map. It was starting to drive me crazy that we couldn’t find a clue about it.” Link steered the boat towards the Ghost Ship and played the song to change the wind. The Ghost Ship was closer than it appeared and it took them a couple of minutes to reach it. 

“Be careful, Link.”

“I’ll be in and out as soon as I can be. Hopefully, this doesn't involve a maze.” Link promised as he grabbed one of the built-in ladders on the side of the ship. He climbed up and balked at the similarity to Tetra’s ship

“Is this ship from Hyrule as well? It looks much older than Tetra’s ship... maybe it’s a ship from when Hyrule was first flooded. And the sailors were entrusted with keeping the Triforce Shard safe.” Link mumbled to himself as he entered the cabin, “Sailors that clearly aren’t alive anymore.” Creepy purple mist covered the ground with horrific translucent faces appearing and disappearing. There was nothing in sight, but Link knew from experience that it didn’t mean there weren’t monsters. Two lanterns shook, indicating there was a Poe attached to them. A small stream of moonlight fell from a hole in the ceiling. 

“This is going to be fun.” Link sighed as he grabbed his mirror shield and sword before jumping to the ground. As he landed, the high pitched laughter of a Wizrobe echoed through the ship's interior. The bird-like creature twirled as it waved its wand around. Link strapped his shield and sword to his back and pulled out his arrows. The monster managed to summon a Redead before Link shot it with an ice arrow. The creature vanished from sight before appearing to his left. He shot a fire arrow at it and it screeched as it burned. Link gave the Redead a wide girth before he jumped and hacked at it from behind. The monster jerked with every strike before releasing a high pitched scream as it collapsed, dying again. 

Link released a terrified breath before rolling out of the way of the Poe. He ran to the moonlight and grabbed his shield, letting the light hit the Poe’s so they were tangible. Lunging forward, he wasted no time in cutting them down, releasing their souls. He waited for a second to see if there were any more enemies, but none showed up. A clack of wood on wood had him turning to see the ladder had fallen. 

“That was easier than I thought it’d be.” Link grinned as he strode forward and climbed up the ladder. He almost jumped out of his skin when he saw the terrifying mask on the wall behind the treasure chest. It was grinning maliciously at him and its eyes were crescent moons as it showed off its rows of sharp teeth. Link stepped forward, sword in hand, and with each step he took, the mask changed to a neutral face. Unnerved by the creepy artifact, Link opened the chest and grabbed the chart. He looked up and around to see if there were any enemies. This place was shady and he wanted to be done with it. He put the chart in his bag as a high pitched scream released from the mask, startling Link. He yelped as the floor disappeared from under him and he fell. 

As he continued to plummet, he pulled out the Deku Leaf, grunting as the wind caught his leaf and squinted as daylight assaulted his sensitive eyes. He’s been spending too much time in dark dungeons and dimly lit mazes. A wave of intense heat washed over him making he blinked several times before he could look around in disbelief. The Ghost Ship had transported him into a volcano. Molten rock surrounded him and the heat was near unbearable as his body started to sweat. It was somehow hotter in this volcano than it was in Fire Mountain when he had to retrieve the Power Bracelets! Granted he’d cooled it down with an ice arrow and… there was no way he’d be able to cool this giant volcano.

“Link! Be careful! I don’t know what happened, but you’re not near Diamond Steppe Island anymore.” Link started, almost letting go of the Deku Leaf in surprise. He glanced down and saw the Pirate Charm he kept around his neck glowing blue.

“I gathered as much. I don’t think I’m in Fire Mountain either, it looks too different.”

“You need to be careful. I don’t like that the Ghost Ship dropped you off somewhere else. I thought for sure you’d be able to get off it near me. When you get the chance, find out where you are and how you can get back to me-” The King of Red Lions cut off as an explosion detonated from below, sending up a violent, hot updraft. Link glanced down to see a large creature, like a lizard, but many times larger, standing in the volcano’s center. It had four legs to support itself and a triangular head. It didn’t look like it was alive and that it was more of a stone machine. Movement on the machine’s back drew his attention. A hideous creature covered in strange armor had its hand raised and was pulling fire towards the palm. Link spotted another creature, one that looked like a living rock, scampering across the machine and the creature followed it. Link took a fortifying breath as he readied himself for what he was about to do. He’d have to be quick, but he loathed getting closer to the lava, knowing it would be hotter below him. 

“Think about this carefully. Are we sure the Goron needs- Link!” Link released the Leaf and started falling as he pulled out the Magic Armor. It encased him in a purple shield where no attack could harm him. 

“What are you doing?? You’re falling at absurd speed and into the middle of a VOLCANO! Will your Magic Armor protect you from gravity? Or the boiling heat?” The king sputtered.

“I’ll be fine. The Magic Armor has protected me before. I’ll think about it as I go.” As Link plummeted to the ground, he pulled out his Skull Hammer. The monster screeched as it moved to throw the fire forward. The rush of wind roared in his ears as his arms shook when his hammer connected with the monster's protection. The shield shattered like glass and Link completed the swing to nail the monster in the head. His eyes widened as the spherical fire collided with the monster's head and exploded. Link didn’t feel pain from the explosion as his body was flung from the monster. Not knowing if the Magic Armor would protect him from lava, panic flooded him as he sped towards the side of the machine. 

“This is why I said to be careful!” The King screamed.

Link grunted as he collided with a rock hard surface. He was more thankful than ever to Zunari for giving him the armor and whatever prevented him from landing in the lava.

“Are you alright, Tiny Guy?” Link watched as debris flew around him. He looked up and saw the, what had the king said? Goron? Observing the destruction. 

“I”m fine. I didn’t think it was holding a bomb. I’ve never seen one like that before.” Link chided himself for being so careless. He should have taken time to observe more as the king suggested, but if he had, the Goron would likely be dead. He couldn’t see through the smoke and wondered if the monster had perished with the bomb.

“We need to fix this recklessness of yours.” The king muttered, so only Link could hear him. He frowned at the necklace but was interrupted before he could respond.

“How’d you survive that?” The Goron’s incredulous voice had Link blinking at him.

“Magic Armor. Can’t you tell by looking at it?” Link stood up, slightly annoyed that the Goron could hold him in one hand. When would he hit his growth spurt? “Wait, I got the Magic Armor from the salesman and I didn’t know what it was when he first gave it to me. Should I explain?” 

The king grumbled under his breath, as if he’d heard Link’s thoughts, “Ah, yes. Let’s tell someone we just met about Magic Armor. It’s not like there is anything special about it.” Link tilted his head, examining the smoke, before shaking it slightly and looking up at the Goron.

“I think the bomb did that creature in. Oh, right! Do you have anything to trade with this?” Link scrambled through his bag and pulled out a brightly colored pinwheel, looking at the rock creature expectantly. 

“Uh? Why would I?” The Goron blinked several times as he scratched the back of his head.

Link faltered, his face furrowed in confusion, “But you look like a merchant. I mean, you don’t have the hat, but… Was I wrong?” He slowly placed the pinwheel back in his bag as the Goron’s frown deepened.

“A merchant? Me?” An unearthly scream interrupted their conversation, startling the two warriors. They whipped towards the sound, but the smoke still covered the monster from their sight.

“So it’s not dead?” He turned towards the Goron, “Would you mind telling me what we’re fighting? Cuz it’s not like anything I’ve seen before. And I’ve seen plenty of weird things.” He couldn’t help the look of disgust that crossed his face. Between the Ghost Ship, Tingle, and the King of Red Lions being a past king of Hyrule, he’d had his fair share of unusual moments.

“I’m not sure. I’ve been calling it a Fireblight in my head and I’m positive it came from Calamity Ganon. He’s trying to stop me from helping Link and Zelda out. Cursed monster.” The Goron growled.

“Ganon created that? How? I know Ganondorf can control monsters, but this looks completely different from the others we’ve faced.”

“That’s nice,” Link panted, responding to both with sweat pouring from his pores as he righted himself, pulling on the neck of his tunic, “It’s too hot to be fighting. It’s too hot to be moving. Actually, it’s too hot to even be in this place! Curse this stupid outfit the hero wore and the tradition his people followed. It was bad enough when I’m sailing under the hot sun but in a volcano? No matter what I wear or don’t wear, it will be too hot. Do I have anything that can help against this heat? Ice Arrows! Sometimes I am an idiot!” Since he was busy pulling out several of the arrows and strapping them on his belt, it took a couple of seconds for the Goron’s words to register, “Wait, I would like you to take a couple of steps backward because there were several things in that statement that did not make sense.” Link held out his hand in a ‘stop’ motion, the Ice Arrows cooling the temperature enough to recede the fog that clouded his mind, but not enough to keep him from sweating like a pig.

“Why do I have to take steps backward?”

“I meant mentally, not physically.” An enraged shriek interrupted Link, “It sounds like our fiery friend is not happy we’re ignoring it.” As the smoke dissipated, it revealed that the Fireblight was worse off than it sounded. The explosion had ripped off half its mask and the top part of its sword was missing. Deep gashes littered its body as it wavered unsteadily. It shrieked one more time before it backed up to hover above the lava. Link watched it as his vision wavered from the heat. Sweat drenched his body as he struggled to stay standing.

“It’s going to stay out of range now. Blast it!” The Goron clenched his mighty hands before he looked at Link, “Hey, Tiny Guy, you’re not looking too good. Did you drink a Fireproof Elixir before you climbed Death Mountain? Or have the effects already worn off?”

“No time to think about that,” Link sluggishly slapped his forehead trying to figure out how to fight a monster that was out of reach. Movement on his shoulder caught his eyes and when he looked, it took longer than it should have to realize that his clothes were catching on fire. He yelped as the fire burned through his clothes and scorched his skin. Before he could freak out more, a large, rocky hand slapped at his back, almost making him fall on his face.

“Your clothes are starting to burn. Don’t worry, I always carry some of these for when situations like this happen.” The Goron chuckled, scooping him up in one hand and hurrying behind a pillar, blocking them from the view of the monster. He pulled out a vial with an ash-gray liquid in it and handed it to Link. Link didn’t hesitate as he popped the cork off and downed the liquid in two gulps.

“Was it wise to trust someone I just met and drink what they gave me? Probably not but WOW I feel so much better!” Link sighed in relief.

“Well, you’re certainly lucky that this mysterious concoction from a stranger, who has a completely different physiology than yours, didn’t kill you, aren't you?” The King quipped.

“There! Now your clothes aren’t burning anymore!” The Goron laughed. Link frowned at his clothes.

“But if I only drank the liquid, why would it affect my clothes?” They stared at each other for a couple of seconds.

“You know... I’d never thought to ask myself that..” The Goron scratched his beard.

“One of life's many mysteries I guess. Do you mind if I keep this bottle? I only have four.” He looked at the Goron with impossibly wide eyes, clutching the bottle in both hands.

“Sure. I don’t need it anymore.”

Link whopped loudly and shoved the bottle in his bag before the Goron could change his mind, ignoring his confused look, “Thank you! Now, as for how to deal with your FireBlight, I have an idea. Get your weapon ready. I’m going to fling the monster at you.” Link hurried away before the Goron could protest. 

“Please tell me you do actually have a plan.” The king questioned, sounding long-suffering. Link grunted non-committedly as he shifted through his bag, slipped on the power bracelets, and pulled out the iron boots. He dodged the miniature fireballs the monster spewed at him and when he was at the edge, he put on the boots. Trusting his Magic Armor to keep him safe, kinda surprised the explosion hadn’t depleted it, he grabbed and swung the grappling hook. The metal hook caught on the bottom armored part of the monster and Link heaved. The creature jerked forward, the fireballs it held in its hand going wide. A red targeting light settled on Link as the monster struggled to break free. Link swung the creature in a circle, throwing off its aim before releasing it at the Goron.

“NOW!!” Link yelled.

“I know this isn’t going to end well. There is no way that this is going to end in our favor.”

“Eat dirt, you filthy creature!” As the Goron’s weapon hit the monster it released a laser beam. The beam struck Link, breaking his purple shield, and sent him over the edge with a yelp.

“DRAT! I KNEW IT! LINK!”

“TINY GUY!! You’re going to pay for that!” Daruk growled as the monster crashed into a pillar. The monster convulsed when it got up. Black liquid-like substance erupted from its wounds as pink light emanated from its body. It gave one final screech before it blew up in a flash of pink light. Daruk waited a few more seconds to see if it was coming back before rushing to the edge of Rudania. The Hylian was swinging from the rope a few feet above the lava, climbing upwards. He spied the grappling hook snagged on the side of the Divine Beast and grabbed it. He effortlessly pulled on the rope and soon the tiny guy sprawled out on Rudania

“You scared me, Tiny Guy. I thought Fireblight had killed you.” The Hylian groaned as he flopped on his back.

“It’s so hot! It’s not as bad as it was before, but is there any way to leave this place? How are you not boiling to death?” The child groaned.

“This is a little on the warm side. But it’s not as bad as it could have been.”

“Right. Because there’s something hotter than being in the middle of a volcano.” Daruk’s laugh was drowned out as Rudania released a scream that rattled its frame. The Hylian shot up only to lose his balance when the Divine Beast moved and started to climb up the mountain. Daruk grabbed him before he could go flying off the edge and stood on one of the pillars as Rudania climbed out of the volcano. The air was cooler when Rudania settled at the top of the mountain and opened its face to reveal a weapon, aimed at Hyrule Castle. The kid remained sitting as he looked around with wide eyes. Daruk didn’t blame him because the view was breathtaking and his mouth watered when he saw the delectable rocks sprinkled all over the mountain. They would be mighty tasty after the battle he’d just fought.

“What the-? Is that Hyrule? But we’re on top of a mountain! Where’s the Great Sea?” The Hylian asked, causing Daruk to frown at him.

“Of course it’s Hyrule. The ocean is that way but I’ve never heard it called the Great Sea.”

The boy shaded his eyes with his hand as he squinted, “Is that castle burning over there?” Daruk tilted his head as the tiny guy pointed in the distance.

“That’s Hyrule Castle. It-” He cut off as the boy leaped to his feet.

“Hyrule Castle?? How can that be? It’s supposed to be underwater. WHY is it burning??”

“It doesn’t look like the Hyrule I know.” A voice muttered.

“Why would Hyrule Castle be underwater?” Daruk asked, looking around for the second voice, wondering if he’d imagined it.

“Because the goddesses flooded Hyrule so Ganon could be sealed there. That didn’t work as well as they planned because he’s the guy I have to defeat. And I just finished putting together the Triforce of Courage. I am so confused.” The Hylian sighed before he sat down, “Granted I’m usually confused but this is a new level up from confusion.”

“Don’t worry about it, Tiny Guy! Once we defeat the Calamity, there will be time to sort it all out.”

“You’ve mentioned the Calamity Ganon before as well as helping out people called Zelda and Link. Can I get more information on them?”

“Sure. The Calamity Ganon is a scourge that last appeared 10,000 years ago and resurfaced a little while ago. Princess Zelda and her buddy, Link, are going to fight it at Hyrule Castle. Me and the other three Champions are waiting to fire at the Calamity.”

“So another Link is on his way to fight Ganon with Zelda. Something tells me it’s not the same Zelda either,” the kid mumbled to himself, “How are you going to fire if you are so far away from it?”

“Divine Beast Vah Rudania will do the firing, not me. He’ll tell me when it is time to fire and then we’ll do it together.”

“Is there a button you press or a switch to flip? How does Vah Rudania know when to fire?”

“Er, there’s no button or switch. Vah Rudania knows because he knows.” The tiny guy stared at him with his head tilted.

“So he’s like an advanced version of the King of Red Lions. Is there a spirit that gives this Divine Beast awareness named Rudania?” Daruk blinked at him.

“A-advanced?” The same voice sputtered, “I take offense to that!”

“Do you hear that voice? I’ve heard it several times now, but I don’t know where they are hiding.” Daruk raised his arm and placed a hand on his weapon.

“Don’t worry, I know who it is. I’ll explain it after you answer my question.” The kid put his hand in a placating gesture. Daruk looked at him with squinted eyes before responding.

“I do not know of anyone named Rudania, but the princess has an idea that the Divine Beasts were named after sages. There was a mighty Goron in the ancient past named Darunia, but I don’t know if he was a sage. The Divine Beasts were built by the Sheikah so who knows what they did to each Divine Beast.”

“Hmmm, so it could be the spirit of Darunia powers the Divine Beast, but they can’t move without someone to help them. Very similar to the King of Red Lions. Speaking of him, his voice is the one you keep hearing. It is coming from this,” the tiny guy held up a necklace with a blue stone tied in it, “He’s speaking from where I was before I was dropped here.”

“Curious. How does he speak through a stone?”

“Umm, something about an enhanced version of an ancient Gossip Stone, whatever that is.”

“I’ll have you know that it took years to develop the charm. It’s not something anyone can do! I had to research for months on end and I can not tell you how many failures I suffered before I succeeded. It involved-” Daruk tilted his head in confusion as the charm pulsed with a blue light and the voice speaking used fancy terms he wasn't familiar with.

“Is it tasty?” He asked, interrupting the monologue. 

The king paused before asking, “Tasty?”  

“Yeah, tasty! Would it be tasty to eat? I mean, it looks like the ore that tastes disgusting, but could I have a bite to test it?” The tiny guy grinned and covered his mouth, blocking his laughter as the king sputtered incoherently for a few seconds.

“NO! Don’t eat it! Weren’t you listening to me? There are only a few of them in existence! Do. Not. Eat. IT!” Daruk pouted, causing the tiny guy to laugh out loud, ignoring the stone's chiding voice. When the kid could breathe again, he asked, in an obvious attempt to change the topic,

“What are the names of the other Divine Beasts?” The tiny guy’s eyes shone as he struggled to gather himself.

“Their names were weird, give me a moment to remember,” Daruk settled down next to the Hylian, “They were Divine Beasts Vah Naboris, Vah Ruta, and Vah Medoh.”

“Medoh?” The boy smiled, “It sounds similar to the Sage of Earth, Medli.”

“I’ve not heard of the Sage of Earth.”

“Not surprising since she herself didn’t know she was a Sage until a couple of weeks ago.”

“I helped her not too long ago. She contributed to restoring power to the Master Sword with her prayers.”

“That’s not possible! Link has the Master Sword and he’s using it to defeat the Calamity right now.”

“That’s the thing, my name is Link as well and I do have the Master Sword. Look.” The tiny guy, Link, pulled out the sword from his back.

“Well, most swords look similar to me. Honestly, I can’t tell the differences between your Hylian weapons. Don’t tell the other Goron’s about that,” the Goron raised a finger to his lips, winking, “They’d be scandalized that one of their own isn’t an accomplished swordsmith.” Little Link looked at him, head tilted.

“I suspect that the portal may have led us into a different time period.” The king said thoughtfully.

"That’s… a possibility! Your land isn't covered by the Great Sea with only the tops of the mountains being above water and there's another Link, wielding another Master Sword, probably assisting another Zelda in fighting another Ganon." Daruk could almost feel the tension that arose in the air from the charm.

"Uh, I don't know about that one. The Calamity Ganon has returned to attack Hyrule many times throughout history. But would you be from the past or the future?" Link blinked at Daruk as he thought his question over. The light from the Pirate’s Charm faded to a dull blue, still pulsing slightly.

"I don't know! Maybe this is the era of the Hero of Time, maybe it's not. Gah, I don't know what to think anymore."

"Then don't."

"But I have to. Like how is the King of Red Lions boat-body doing without me? He can’t move on his own. Princess Zelda is waiting in the castle. I don't think Ganondorf would do anything yet, but he's kinda a psychopath so who knows? He could be hiding anywhere! And now on top of that, I have to figure out a way back home." Link groaned as he covered his face with his hands.

"Let me tell you something, Tiny Guy. I had the hardest time getting this Divine Beast to respond to me. The tiny princess tried to help, wracking that big brain of hers, but nothing was working. Then my sworn brother, Link, suggested that I just calm down, forget about all the pressure and spend some time getting familiar with my circumstances, that is to say, the Divine Beast. And what do you know, I'm now a master at controlling this thing." He lifted one of his palms up as if to illustrate his point, "So... what I'm trying to say is, no matter how much you worry, that alone won't change the fact that you're here now. But if you let some steam off, perhaps you'll find the solution you're looking for. And the best thing to do when you're worrying too much is to get someone to distract you! Since we're in position to fire at the Calamity and there's not much to do, let's trade stories. I'll go first."

Link peeked at him from in between his fingers. He released a gusty sigh before dropping his hands and reluctantly smiling, “You’re right. It’s easier said than done to stop worrying, but it’ll help if we talk about something else. Oh! Before you start, I’d like to know your name.”

“Of course. My name is Daruk and I am the Champion of the Goron’s. Nice to meet you.” Daruk clapped him on the back, making Link jerk forward.

“Nice to meet you, Daruk,” he coughed, “I know I’ve said this, but my name is Link and I’m on a mission to save those on the Great Sea from Ganondorf’s evil scheme.”

“Nice to meet you! Now where to start? Oh, I can tell you stories about the other Link. He loves food as much as I do and there was one time I fed him my favorite food, the Deliciously Grilled Rock Roast. You should have seen his face. He loved it so much he was speechless.” Daruk laughed as he recalled the memory. He smiled, enjoying the way Little Link leaned close and soaked in every word he said. It seemed Little Link and Link were similar in their worries, but he strove to change that. He couldn’t wait to introduce them.

King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the ruler of the flooded Hyrule, floated several feet above Link and the talkative Goron, Daruk. He didn’t know why, but Link couldn’t see him in his ghost form unless he was in his own Hyrule Castle. Whenever Link went anywhere his boat couldn’t follow, King Daphnes followed in his ghost form, unable to communicate with him unless he was speaking through the Pirate’s Charm. He pursed his lips as he thought about the conversation they just had. So he was correct in thinking that Hyrule was the cause of endless conflicts. If the Goron was right and that was Hyrule Castle burning, then it solidified his plan for his own Hyrule.

He looked down at Link, a soft smile forming on his lips as the child laughed at one of Daruk’s stories. He wanted to explore this Hyrule for a while longer and felt confident enough to leave the kid here for now.

“I’ll be back, Link.” He promised as he rose and headed to Hyrule Castle, curious to see how different it looked from his own. Considering it looked like it was on fire, he may not be able to see it as well as he wanted, but it didn’t stop him from going to see anyway.

Chapter Text

Urbosa gritted her teeth as she urged her gigantic horse faster. She had ridden with Mipha, Link, and Zelda as far as she could and loathed separating from each of them. She put up a strong front for their sake, but she couldn’t help worrying she'd never see them again. The journey to Vah Naboris would take the longest out of all the champions. She hated pushing her horse as much as she did, but she had no choice if she wanted to reach the Divine Beast in time to help Link and Zelda. Thankfully, she was nearing the scaffolding that would raise her to Vah Naboris. There, her horse would be left in good hands. When she got within a dozen feet of the platform, Urbosa leaped off the horse and spared a few seconds to rub Telma’s head.

“Thank you, my dear girl. I appreciate how fast you brought me here.” The guard at the bottom of the scaffold saluted her.

“Don’t worry Chief. She’ll be well taken care of.”

“See that she is.” Urbosa stepped onto the platform and the guard yelled to the woman managing the lift. There was a jolt, then Urbosa was swiftly carried up. She’d have to run the rest of the way to her Divine Beast as anxiety plagued her. What if she wasn’t fast enough to help Zelda? She had promised herself that she’d watch over the little bird after her dear friend, Zelda’s mother, passed away and it was never as important that she kept her promise as this very moment. She had to reach Vah Naboris in time. The platform stopped and she ran to the end of the scaffolding, ignoring the guard’s salute. There was another platform that would take her higher and give her a straight shot to Naboris. Another guard pulled the lever that lifted her up and soon she was running across the Gerudo Highlands. She prayed she wasn’t too late reaching the Divine Beast, urgency hastening her steps.

Urbosa crept into the cylindrical room, her scimitar and her shield gripped in her hands. 

When she had run to the divine beast, she’d narrowed her eyes at the change of color. Her instincts screamed at her to be cautious as she entered Vah Naboris. The ancient machine had started moving the moment she’d entered, unresponsive to her will. They were already on the highlands, so she had to stop it before it could climb down to the desert, her home. She navigated her way to the main control unit, peeking over every corner. The air thickened with a malicious presence as the hairs on Urbosa’s arm rose with goosebumps. There was no visible enemy that she could see, but the heavy air suggested otherwise. She climbed up the ramp that led to the main control unit as she attempted to reach Naboris one more time. The divine beast did not answer.

“I can not fail now. Zelda and Link depend on me.” Urbosa scowled as she straightened, annoyed as tension gripped her.

“Show yourself, foul creature,” Urbosa demanded as she shifted into a defensive stance. A whoosh of air behind her was her only warning. She dove forward, rolled, and whipped around in record speed. A creature covered in the malice Ganon had released screeched at her. It held a mockery of her weapons, a guardian’s scimitar and shield. A mask covered its face with a thick mane falling over its shoulder and its back. The blue eye, resembling a guardian’s eye, glared at her as it shifted in the air, gently bobbing back and forth. 

It slumped forward before blurring out of sight. The shadowy form of the monster appeared and disappeared in many different locations all over Naboris. 

Urbosa gasped as the monster slammed its sword into her shield, knocking it aside. She ducked as the creature swung its sword again and managed to nick it before it vanished again. 

Three yellow balls of electricity flew towards her. She stepped out of the way, glaring at the ugly monstrosity. The monster growled as it shot towards her. She anticipated the strike and managed to ricochet it back as it swung. She grinned as the monster staggered backward and slashed at its exposed side. 

Urbosa did not expect it to recover a few seconds after she blocked the sword swing. She grunted as the monster swung a second behind her strike. Urbosa leaped back, receiving a gash on her stomach before she could pull far enough away.

“This stupid, infuriating monstrosity.” She growled in pain. Urbosa straightened as the monster mockingly swayed back and forth. She lifted her fingers and snapped, the full force of her fury temporarily paralyzing her foe. She rushed forward and swung twice, dancing out of the way as the monster recovered and swung at her. It zipped away and lifted its sword in the air, lightning appearing out of nowhere and striking its sword. Urbosa’s eyes widened in surprise and anger.

“It-it also can control lightning? You epigone! I don’t have time for this!” The monster blurred out of sight and Urbosa raised her shield in time to block the sword. Lightning ran through her shield and shocked her, causing her to drop it. She gasped when the monster struck again and threw her off the raised platform, her momentum making her roll on the cylindrical floor. 

“So this is what it feels like.” She groaned as the monster screeched, following her. There was no way she could get her shield back without somehow dazing the monster. Her lightning didn’t paralyze it for long and she couldn’t knock the monster's shield or sword away. The creature raised its sword and giant metal spikes materialized above it. She grimaced as the spears fell to strike the Divine Beast. Urbosa ran under one of the raised walkways and as far away as she could be from the metal spikes. The creature released the lightning from its sword with a scream. The charge in the air made her hair stand up as the electricity crashed into the stakes. “Those metal poles attract lightning so as long as he’s near those, my Fury will be of no use.”

 Distracted, she turned only to see three electric spheres inches from her stomach. 

The monster screeched in triumph as the projectiles struck Urbosa. Her muscles spasm, causing her to involuntarily drop her sword. Her body refused to move as the monster appeared in front of her and bashed her away with its shield. She tumbled to the side, skidding across the Vah Naboris as her limbs shook. The monster screeched as it glided closer to her, moving slow enough so Urbosa could see its approach. The cursed monster was taunting her Urbosa grunted as she jerked her heavy limbs, unable to move with her usual grace. 

"I was born in the harsh sands. I never begged for anything and I won't now, not for myself. But for my little Zelda, I call upon the strength given to the seven heroines! Help me defeat this evil creature!" She growled as Death raised its sword and swung it down. The blade was inches from her skin when a mass of tan skin and green clothes bulldozed into the creature. The force sent it flying into the opposite wall. Urbosa looked up, the electricity dissipating as her movements slowly returned to normal.

“That was close. Thank goodness I already had the mask on.” The creature turned to her and Urbosa couldn’t keep the confusion from her expression. How did a Goron, a strangely dressed, slightly smaller Goron, get inside of Vah Naboris?

“Wow, you’re tall. You must be the tallest Gerudo that I’ve ever seen. Well, except for- Wait, you’re Gerudo. Are you in league with the pirates?” 

“Pirates? How did you get in here?”

“Ah, Darmi!” The Goron’s Elder’s son exclaimed, “Now that it’s nice and warm out, I’m much, much better. Even if my daddy isn’t right beside me, I won’t be selfish and cry. So...now that spring has come, the Goron Races should be starting soon.” Despite what he’d just claimed, the little Goron started sniffling, “But this rock is in the way, so I can’t get in to see the race...And spring’s just started too...I was so excited...but there’s nothing I can do...I hate it! I hate it! I wanna see it! I wanna see it! I wanna see the race!”

Tatl flew out of his cap, “Wait, don’t tell me you actually forgot the boulder was blocking the entrance? Don’t you remember that everything reverts when we go back in time?”

“I guess I forgot. But if you remembered, why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Link responded as he rolled down the hill and raced across the two bridges leading to the Goron town. 

The fairy huffed in annoyance, purposefully ignoring his question, “We wouldn’t even be here if you’d won the race last time!” Before Link could defend himself, she continued on, “You’re too nice! You need to ram the other racers out of your way. You’ll never win otherwise!” 

“Well, look at it this way, now we have two and a half days to succeed.” Spring had come as soon as he’d (once again) defeated the monster terrorizing the village with perpetual snow. The cave where the big Goron’s cave sold Powder Kegs was located in the mountain side, next to the Goron village. Link weaved through the village, entered the cave, and skidded to a stop in front of the huge Goron. 

“Hey there! Will you buy a Powder Keg for 20 rupees?” The giant Goron asked. When Link nodded, he handed him a Powder Keg.

“Thank you.” Link put the keg in his satchel, watching with renewed appreciation as it vanished in the sack without its size changing at all. The Kokiri magic that was woven in his bag was amazing. 

“Powder Kegs are very volatile, so you can only carry one at a time. If you shoot them with an arrow, they’ll explode as soon as they’re hit, so be careful.” Link nodded, “What’s that?” The Goron frowned as something behind Link. He turned and tilted his head in confusion. The space leading out of the cave was shimmering with a substance that reminded him of the Great Fairy’s Fountain.

“I wonder what that is.” Link took a step forward.

“What are you doing?” Tatl whipped out of his hat and floated in front of him.

“It’s like a fairy fountain. Plus we have to leave that way to exit the cave. It’ll be fun.” Link grinned at her.

“You must not have gotten enough sleep if you think running into possible danger is fun.” Tatl huffed, but moved to the side, allowing Link to step into the shimmering space. Link and Tatl blinked at how different the cave looked on the other side. Turning back, the shimmering light had disappeared. They were in a cylindrical room with wide glassless windows that showed a vast desert. A glowing orange structure was behind them and a narrow walkway stretched in front of them. The room had glowing lines running through it and the floor shook, making Link wobble. Tatl glared at Link.

“Do you have any idea where we are?” She seethed.

“Not in the slightest. Let’s explore and find out.” Before he could take a single step, metal spears slammed into the ground seven feet away from them. They didn’t have to wait long to see what would happen as lightning appeared from below them and struck the metal.

“We were lucky we weren’t near there.” Tatl shuttered. A piercing, unnatural scream reverberated through the chamber, rattling Link’s eardrums. He rushed to the side and peered down below. A monstrosity hovered right below him, a sword welded to its arm and a shield held in its hand. A Gerudo lay several yards away, a wound on her stomach and her body shaking. Link sprang into motion as he jumped off the raised platform, curling into a ball as he fell. He spun as soon as he hit the ground and rammed into the creature as it attempted to tear the Gerudo in half. The monster screeched as it flew across the room and slammed into the wall.

“That was close. Thank goodness I already had the mask on.” Link huffed out a breath as he uncurled and turned towards the Gerudo still on the floor, “Wow you’re tall. You must be the tallest Gerudo that I’ve ever seen. Well, except for- Wait, you’re Gerudo. Are you in league with the pirates?” 

“Pirates? How did you get in here?” The red-haired woman demanded.

“I don’t think she’s a pirate. I haven’t seen her before when we visited the Gerudo Fortress.” Tatl rose out of Link’s hat.

“Well, either way, that monster was hurting you so I felt we needed to help.” Link helped the Gerudo up, “I wouldn’t recommend touching that thing’s skin. It burns.”

Before the Gerudo could comment, the monster screeched as it shook itself off. 

“It controls lightning and is unnaturally fast.” The Gerudo warned.

“Let’s see what we’re dealing with, OH! IT IS FAST!” Link’s fist shot out on instinct and nailed the creature in the mask as it appeared in front of him, “It’s faster than when I have the bunny hood on. It’s as fast as when I’m rolling at top speed.” Link came alive as the adrenaline shot through his veins at the unexpected speed. The Gerudo growled as she snapped her fingers. Lightning shot down and struck the creature, paralyzing it for a few seconds. Link whirled around to face his new companion.

“How did you do that? Wait, now is not the time to answer that. How many times can you do that?” Link questioned. The Gerudo narrowed her eyes.

“At least one more time. Maybe two.” 

“Less than ideal but…  How far away can you be and still hit your target? I have a plan. I’d like you to take cover on the platform above us so that you’re not exposed but can see below. Give me some time to figure out the details, then when I tell you to, hit the monster with your lightning.”

Urbosa frowned, “The details? Listen, I appreciate the help, but it’s my responsibility to this Divine Beast. And you want me to hide myself and wait?”

Tatl flew in front of her, “You don’t look like you can put up much of a fight right now. And hey, if we fail, that at least gives you a few moments to rest and study this monster.” Urbosa’s frown turned into a scowl, but she couldn’t argue with the fairy’s logic.

“Sorry, she’s blunt, but she makes a good point, right? Leave it to us!” Link said with enthusiasm, “Of course if you could generate more lightning- Wait!” Link slapped his forehead, “Maybe I can fix that, and your injuries as well. Let me give you a potion first-” Link cut off as a sword struck him on the side. Electrocuted, the bottle flew out of his hand, disappearing from sight and he was thrown in the opposite direction and grunting hard as he landed. Thank goodness for the Goron’s tough hide or else he’d be in pieces. He heard the monster screech after him and rose fast enough to nail it in the stomach. “Darn it! That was my only blue potion. I guess we’ll have to make due with what we have. Carry on as we said!” He shouted out, and saw the Gerudo move towards the ramp.

He gritted his teeth. He’d have to distract the monster long enough to let the woman find a favorable spot. After that, he’d have to get the monster in a favorable spot and then keep it there as he escaped so she could fire the lightning without hitting him. And it had to work on the first try because without the potion they may not have another chance. He reached into his bag as he dodged the small projectiles the monster threw at him, “Electricity, uh?” and pulled out his Deku mask.

“I need time to come up with a plan,” He thought, replacing the Goron mask, and screaming as he changed into his Deku Scrub form, “Too bad I can’t use the Goron form. It’s fast, but the rolling will prevent me from observing how this monster fights. Even if wood is non-conductive, I should be wary of getting hit by his electricity, considering what lightning does to trees.” 

Urbosa climbed up the ramp as the strange Goron fought the monster. She wanted to keep track of the battle, but couldn’t as she tried to keep the monster’s focus off herself. She needed to hurry so the Goron wouldn’t take too much damage. Normally, she’d run up the ramp and on the platform, but her stomach wound protested her hurried movement.

 Urbosa stayed on her hands and knees when she got on the platform so the creature couldn’t see her. She heard an alarming scream, one that did not resemble the sounds the monster made when struck. It was deeper and sounded more human. Was her new helper way in over his head and had already suffered a major injury? She looked down and could easily see a child moving around wildly. “What?” She shook her head, but the scene remained the same, “What the-? Is that a little KID?!” The Goron was nowhere in sight and his fairy companion was twirling around the malice-infected creature.

She readied herself to leap off the platform, a second away from abandoning the plan when the strangest thing thus far happened. The supposed child (the little thing couldn’t be taller than her calf), after dodging the monster’s spheres of electricity with an unexpected, long, graceful spin, turned towards it and shot a... large bubble at the monster. Urbosa couldn’t believe her eyes as the bubble, easily as large as the kid, smacked into the monster. She focused back on the kid and would have taken a step back if she’d been standing. The child was made entirely of wood with a big snout and large, soulful orange eyes that gave of a weak luminescence.

“What IS that?” Urbosa pursed her lips, wondering if she would have recognized the creature had she not spent most of her life in the desert. It wasn’t like she could afford to go off and explore the world when her people needed her. “But still, where did it come from? And where did that Goron go?” Thinking back, she remembered he said to leave it to them. She’d thought he meant him and the fairy, but perhaps they weren’t alone. If that was the case, where was this… strange being hiding?

Link squawked as he spun a little too late and received a scrape on his arm. The wound creaked with the slight sensation of pain, as did most of his wounds in his Deku Scrub form. He’d been slow to evade the hit, but it was good to know that even though the fiend’s electric sword had hurt and gave him a jolt, it wasn’t nearly as bad as he expected. Unfortunately, his bubble attack proved as ineffective as it usually did and there wasn't anything resembling a Deku Flower in this room. Still, he was glad he used it because he had time to think of a plan that may work, but he’d need the Zoras mask on.

Just as he grabbed the mask, he looked up and saw more electric spheres bouncing towards him. Yelping, he hid under his half-nutshell shield, letting it absorb the attack harmlessly, “Whew, it worked. I better get some distance between us first.”

He spun away and under the scaffolding, pulling off the Deku mask and slipping it into his bag while placing the Zora mask on his face. With a scream, Link transformed and immediately did several back-flips to avoid the monster's attack. He flung his fins at the creature, remembering too late about the corrosive quality of its skin.

“Not good.” He grunted as the monster evaded one fin, only to get struck with the other, stunning it. His fins reattached, pain radiating from the injured one. This would have been a good moment to follow through with his plan, but the Gerudo couldn’t see them in order to target their enemy. He would have to stun it again. An idea occurred to him. It was risky, but it could work.

Urbosa couldn’t bite back her frustration. The two contenders had moved under the scaffoldings she was kneeling on. She couldn’t see what was happening, but worry pierced her when she heard the strange scream again. Did the wooden creature make that sound?

Finally, the monster appeared where she could see it, screaming as it swayed side to side. Urbosa choked on air when of all possible things, a Zora followed it, arms raised in a fighting stance. A Zora, in the middle of the desert in a fight against an electric monster!

“Get away from here! Run, Zora! That thing fights with electricity!” She shouted at the top of her lungs.

The Zora didn’t even turn around and, to her confusion, yelled back in a weird, gurgling voice, “Don’t attract attention to yourself and stick to the plan!”

“So the Goron did have help,” Urbosa thought as she jumped off the platform, “Screw the plan, I’m not sitting here and watching you get killed!” As she fell, the monster briefly took notice of her, before snapping to stand right in front of the Zora and proceeding to swing its electrified blade. She screamed as she landed, jostling her wounds and witnessing as the Zora tried to dodge, but moved too slowly as electricity enveloped him. She’d jumped too late.

Urbosa’s mind froze when she saw what had happened, unable to make sense of it. The Zora, by all logic, should be a charred corpse on the ground. Instead, the Zora stood proudly as the monster thrashed in pain.

It should have been immediately clear, but what she’d known her whole life prevented her from reaching comprehension in a timely manner: the sword had missed and it was the Zora that was producing electricity.

“How’d you like a taste of your own medicine, hmm?” The gurgling voice laughed at the stunned monstrosity’s expense. He backed away from the twitching monster and turned, taking a deep breath as he cupped his hands around his lips. He paused when he saw Urbosa standing a foot away.

“How did you-? You’re supposed to be up there. Did you JUMP with those injuries?? It would have been a perfect opportun-” He cut off as the monster roared, shaking like a wet dog to rid itself of the remaining electricity. Urbosa reacted on instinct as she stepped in front of the Zora as the monster zipped forward. She kicked the monster’s sword hand as it swung the blade, causing it to jerk off balance. She grit her teeth as pain laced from her abdomen and swung her sword in a flurry of strikes before the monster beat a hasty retreat. The Zora whistled in amazement, “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now. Alright, we can still pull this plan off. Fall back, I’ll keep him busy while you get back into position. And please don’t jump down again.” The Zora ordered. Quite daring for a Zora that seemed to be in his teenage years. He looked a little miffed as the monster moved out of range and released electrical spheres from a safe distance away.

Urbosa hurried back, as fast as she could without aggravating her wound, muttering her dissatisfaction, “An electric Zora. What’s going to be next? A Goron who can swim? At this rate, I’m going to start feeling mundane.”

 She shoved down the feeling of inadequacy that threatened to overwhelm her. Now was not the time to feel pity for herself. As she climbed, she looked around, trying to spot the other fighters, but was unable to see them. Were they hiding, waiting for their turn to strike? 

She slumped onto the floor as she reached the main control unit, her wounds taking her breath away. She really should have kept an elixir on her, considering they knew the Calamity was going to rise. But never would she have assumed that Ganon would corrupt the Divine Beast. The Calamity wasn’t supposed to be intelligent, only compressed hatred.

As she got her breathing under control, she leaned out to look underneath. For a second, she thought the little wooden creature had come back but that was not the case.

“This time I know that’s a kid!” She thought to herself as she saw… “This can’t be real.”

A young Hylian boy wearing what had to be plush bunny ears onto a green cap was skirmishing with the monster that almost killed her using nothing but a simple branch. Successfully, as he dodged and returned each ridiculously fast attack with one of his own, often breaking the branch with every hit. She groaned, “This is beginning to be truly humiliating,” as she watched him whip out another branch and smack the creature in its eye.

She wanted to get down there and help, unwilling to let a kid fight for her, but the boy definitely did not seem to need her help and she’d agreed to the plan. So she’d honor her part in it. Plus, the child had the help of the Zora, Goron, and the small wooden creature.

Link broke his last Deku Stick on the creature’s skull. He had not expected the wooden branches to be as effective and he’d even gotten his hopes up to no avail that they might not need to pull off his plan after all. He’d noticed while helping the postman with his training regimen that the Bunny Hood greatly increased his perception of him and thus made dodging easier. He would have continued with his sword, but the monster could meet it with its electrified weapon and he’d rather not take the chance. If only he still had his Deku Shield.

He saw the monster prepare another long-distance attack. Nodding his head, he whipped around and pulled the mirror shield from his back, reflecting the small electric spheres the creature had thrown back at it. Unfortunately, it evaded its repelled attack with ease and raised its hand to release more lightning as metal poles dropped all around Link.

“Yikes!” Link experienced a brief moment of panic as his eyes whipped around. He had no time to dodge to the side, surrounded by the poles in all directions. His eyes landed on the monster, hovering outside the poles and pulled out his hookshot as the monster screamed in triumph, tilting its head up. He released the trigger and felt the hook sink into the creature's stomach and propelled him to safety as the lightning arched and slammed into the metal poles. He pulled the hookshot free and watched as the creature whipped around, unable to find him since he was directly beneath it.

“Wait a second. It’s looking for me. I thought it had a wider range of view. In that case,” Link, looking up, found the Gerudo woman and motioned for her to cover her eyes. She didn’t immediately understand, forcing him to repeat the gesture as the monster found him, making him dodge its sword. Once she did as instructed, Link rolled across the floor and positioned himself where he wanted their target to be. As it rushed him, he threw a Deku Nut at the ground right in front of the fiend.

Link shielded his eyes as the flash blinded the creature. Without losing a beat, he pulled off the bunny hood and placed the Goron mask back on his face. He grabbed the Powder Keg from his bag and hefted it above his head before heaving the keg towards the twitching monster. He yelled when it bounced near it,

“Now!” Tatl rushed back to him, targeting no longer necessary as he curled into a ball and rolled away while the lightning ignited the keg. The blast from the explosion rammed into him and lifted him, slamming him into the wall. The roar diminished as Link curled up to protect his face from the flying bits of metal and stone. He waited for the debris to stop hitting his rocky back before sitting back up. The monster was still alive. 

“Seriously?” Link groaned. He blinked in surprise as black liquid and pink light escaped the creature. It gave one final screech before the light enveloped it. There was one more explosion that succeeded in knocking Link on his back once more. He blinked as his vision returned to him and groaned as he forced himself to sit up. Why couldn’t the monster have been blown to pieces by the first explosion? 

“You are an idiot,” Tatl commented dryly.

“Are you okay?” A tall figure stood over him and it took him a few seconds to realize it was the Gerudo.

“I’ll be fine. I need a little rest and a bit of magic potion, but I’ll recover.”

Above the battlefield, next to the main control unit, Urbosa covered her eyes in her elbow with no small amount of irritation as she waited for his signal. Even with her eyes shielded, she could tell there had been a flash. She heard the Goron’s voice yell, “Now!”

“So he’s still here, huh?”   and looked down to see the enemy stunned, a barrel sitting next to it. With a gratified smirk she snapped her fingers and held onto the main control unit as the resulting explosion rocked the Divine Beast. The blast was more powerful than she thought possible. Gasping as the explosion finished, she hurried to the edge and saw the Goron on the other side of the room, curled in a ball. She growled as the monster stood back up. How could that thing still be alive after experiencing that explosion upfront? It screeched as it dissolved in light, floating up to where she was. The explosion drove her off the raised platform. She grunted as the landing shot pain through her middle and caused her to roll down the side of Naboris. The Goron groaned as he sat up, blinking repeatedly. Urbosa stood up, refusing to allow her pain to keep her from her savior. 

“Are you okay?” She asked as she stood over him, glancing around the Divine Beast.

“I’ll be fine. I need a little rest and a bit of magic potion, but I’ll recover.” The Goron waved her concerns off.

“Indeed. Please don’t think me ungrateful, I am exceedingly thankful you came when you did, but I have some questions. Where did the rest of your friends go? And how were you able to enter Vah Naboris?” Urbosa said.

“Nabooru? You know Nabooru?” The Goron looked up at her in time to see her surprised expression.

“She didn’t say Nabooru. She said Naboris. There’s a difference.” The talkative fairy showed up, appearing unruffled.

“They sound similar.” The Goron grumbled as he shakily stood. Urbosa watched as the Goron reached up and TORE HIS FACE OFF???

“What in the name of Hylia!?!?!” Urbosa, a hardened chief and warrior, yelped as she leaped back in surprise. The Goron’s face came off and in his place stood the young Hylian boy in forest green clothes.

“That’s better.” The Hylian puffed, placing the mask back into his satchel.

“I don’t think you should do that in front of people, Link.” The fairy chided as she glided around his head.

“But Tatl, you don’t know how stuffy it is. I feel like I’m trapped in someone else’s body... which is actually the case, but that’s besides the point. After a while, I feel like I’ll go crazy if I keep the mask on for too long.” The boy pouted as he crossed his arms. Urbosa stifled a gasp when she saw the young Hylian’s face. 

“Link?” The boy turned his head at her in surprise, allowing her to take a better look at him. “But how can you be Link? You’re too young.” Urbosa had to lean down, practically in half because the boy’s height reached to her thigh. Link tilted his head at her.

“Too young? Is that going to be a theme for the rest of my life? I find it kinda funny that a sword agrees with you,” He said cryptically to himself, “Wait, when is this? Did something important happen seven years ago?”

The Gerudo chief wasn’t even going to try and make sense of his answer, she had something more pressing on her mind, “So this means the Goron was actually you? Wait, was it always you? The Zora and the strange wooden creature? This entire time I was fighting alongside a kid who wears bunny ears??”

The boy chuckled, scratching the back of his head, “Ah, yeah, that’s correct. Though I didn’t have this on through all the fight.” He said, digging out the Bunny Hood and placing it on his head.

This whole time. She’d let a kid fight her own battle. Though he was evidently far from an ordinary child. She sighed trying to nurse her bruised ego, then took one more look at him and couldn’t help a smile despite herself, “This child, he looks impossibly adorable.”

“You know what, this is probably a misunderstanding. Let’s start over. This is Tatl,” He said, gesturing to the fairy, who chimed like a tiny bell, “And as you heard from her, my name is Link. Pleased to meet you! What is your name?” He asked, eyes shining up at her as he placed the Bunny Hood away.

She blinked and straightened herself, “Urbosa. I am the chief of the Gerudo.”

“Are you the chief of the pirates? I mean, Aveil should be the leader of the pirates unless you’re a leader of another faction. Or did I somehow end up back home? No, that’s not possible, the Gerudos there don’t have a ‘chief’. Wait, did I get transported to another realm? Or did I somehow time warp?” As he was talking, Link wandered around the room, head bowed as he looked from side to side. 

‘Please tell me we’re still in Termina!” Tatl gasped, trailing after Link, “We can’t afford to be in another realm right now. You can go realm hopping once we’ve stopped Skull Kid!”

“I assure you that you are not in... Termina, you are in Hyrule,” Urbosa followed the kid a few steps behind, curious as to what he was looking for. She burned to question them about their odd statements, but shoved it aside, leaving it for later, “I was not aware of any Gerudo pirates, but if there are any, I need to know where. It is imperative I ensure they are not causing trouble for my people or anyone else.”

“Oh, I don’t think- ah, there it is!” From a divot in the floor, Link produced the bottle of blue liquid he’d dropped earlier, “I’m glad it didn’t shatter. Here you go! This will take care of your injuries.”

Urbosa took the bottle and eyed it with suspicion, hesitant.

Meanwhile, Link grimaced as he held his side, “I did not enjoy getting hit around by that creature.” He dug into his satchel and pulled out a bottle filled with a red potion. “Sorry I didn’t offer this to you sooner, I was saving it in case we found ourselves in a pinch.” He said before uncorking his own and drinking it in three large gulps. Urbosa followed his lead and sighed with relief as her stomach wound started healing. She watched as parts of her bruises faded to an ugly yellow. What’s more, she became re-invigorated beyond anything she’s ever felt before.

“Thank you, I feel like I could rain my Fury down a half dozen times now!” Urbosa laughed and in her enthusiasm, threw the bottle behind her.

“Hey now!” Link protested, diving after the bottle and catching it before it hit the ground, “This is made of glass and if you throw it too many times, it’ll break! Plus I don’t want to have to look for it again!”

“...sorry?” The Gerudo questioned, unsure why the kid cared so much about a single bottle.

He huffed as he carefully stored both bottles back into his bag, “Anyway, to answer your question from earlier, the Gerudo pirates are located on the sea about a mile away from Zora’s Domain.” 

Urbosa blinked at his statement, “That’s not possible. Zora’s Domain is surrounded by mountains.” 

“Not the one in Termina. Wait, that was actually called Zora hall. My mistake.” Link said, frowning.

“You’ve mentioned Termina before. Where is it located in relation to Hyrule? I have a map of the land and the countries surrounding it, but none of them feature one named Termina.” She stared intensely at him, trying to assess if he was lying.

“That doesn’t surprise me, the people in Termina are creepily similar to those I knew in Hyrule, so I came to suspect that it might be another dimension.” He turned away, seemingly lost in thought, “Unless maybe it is another timeline that has a different history that split way, way back, possibly before the Kingdom of Hyrule came to be. So I guess, technically, I could have time traveled yet again. Though the geography doesn’t quite match. Where Hyrule has a desert, Termina has a sea.” He muttered, mostly to himself.

Urbosa’s eyebrow raised, “What? Time traveled?”

“Yeah. When I pulled the Master Sword for the first time it brought me to the Sacred Realm for seven years. I had to stay until I was old enough to wield it. I defeated Ganon in the future and returned to the past to tell the king of his plan, foiling it. After that, I went into the Lost Woods and ended up in Termina. Now, until I can stop the Skull Kid, I have to rewind time every three days or the moon will crash into Clock Town and destroy the world.”

“The Master Sword? Defeating Ganon?! The moon could destroy the world?!?!” The Gerudo Chief didn’t know whether his statement elicited awe, disbelief, or a migraine. A bigger one, that is, “That was a wild sentence from start to finish, kid. Are you making this up?” Link shook his head.

“I don’t blame you for not believing me. Now that I’ve said it out loud, I don’t think I’d believe it myself if I hadn’t been there to experience it.”

“Termina is real! Skull Kid, Tael, and I have been playing in those woods and towns for years before he found Majora’s mask.” Tatl huffed. Link’s face morphed into a peaceful, agreeing expression prompting Urbosa to think they’ve had a similar conversation before.

“Either way, I want to thank you for helping me earlier. Normally I’d think you were a phony and a liar, but I’ve seen what you can do, so I suppose I shouldn’t doubt your sincerity.” Urbosa chuckled to herself. She liked this kid, she decided, “I am curious as to how you were able to change into other races.”

“I have masks that are tied to someone who’s died with strong regrets and lived on in spirit, unable to pass on. By appeasing those regrets, masks are left behind. When I put those masks on, I turn into that person with a few changes.”

“Unbelievable. Yet, I have no choice but to believe it because I saw you pull a Goron’s mask off.”

“Yeah, Darmani. His story is kinda sad because he didn’t die fighting for his tribe. He stepped off a mountain ledge in a snowstorm trying to find the monster plaguing his tribe. But I was able to do it for him because he let me take on the Goron form. So in a way, he did defeat the monster.” 

“What about the one made of wood? What was that?” Urbosa asked, eager to satisfy her curiosity.

Link blinked, “Uh? It was a Deku Scrub. Have you never seen one before? I guess in Hyrule, they’re more enemies that hide underground until you get too close.”

“Deku Scrub. I think I might have read about those at some point. I’ve certainly never encountered any. One of the few downsides of being a Gerudo is we rarely leave the desert." She mused.

Link chuckled, “Right. Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask, but what building are we in? It was moving until a little while ago, but it’s not like any that I’ve been in.”

“You are inside Vah Naboris, a Divine Beast created by the Sheikah to help defeat Calamity Ganon.” She saw him straighten at that and continued, looking outside, “A beast that rises, again and again, and attempts to take over Hyrule. It appeared 10,000 years ago and right now Princess Zelda and the Champion Link are on their way to meet it head-on. It is my duty as Champion of Vah Naboris to wait for their signal and fire at the Calamity. Vah Naboris has stopped moving because we’re at the perfect spot to fire on Ganon and are now awaiting the call.”

Link had crouched to the ground as she spoke and placed one hand over his eyes, blocking them from view, “10,000 years… how can someone live for that long? I mean, I don’t know which future this is, but it may be either or neither of the two I know. But it's been at least 10,000 years and this is still not over. I… how?” His voice cracked and his teeth clenched, one tear drop splashing on the floor.

Urbosa wanted to comfort the kid, but she didn’t know how. She could whip soldiers into shape and manipulate council meetings into her favor, but an upset kid was outside her range of expertise. She wanted to ask questions but held her silence, not wishing to agitate him further. 

He shook his head, sighing as he stood up, “Maybe it’s not him. If there’s another Link riding up into battle as the hero, then maybe this is not the Ganondorf I knew. Yes, hopefully, the king of thieves is long dead and buried.” He looked at her, returning to the present, “How will you know what the signal is?”

“Vah Naboris will alert me.” Urbosa said automatically as she processed the information, ”Kid, you said something about Ganon...dorf. Called him the king of thieves. And earlier on you were asking me if I was a thief due to being Chief of the Gerudo.” She watched as Link slowly turned to her, his eyes cautious, no doubt hearing the ire lurking underneath her voice.

“I did ask that.” He agreed.

“Who… who is this Ganondorf?” She asked, wanting confirmation of her theory. She wouldn’t admit to being slightly unnerved at his searching gaze. She, intimidated by a child. He must have found what he was looking for because he nodded and spoke,

“In my time, your people lived off banditry and were ruled by a man, the one man born among you. He would eventually become the Demon King, Ganondorf.”

“The Demon King… a Gerudo man. So that demonic blight did stem from the Gerudos? How… unfortunate.”

“You say ‘unfortunate’ like it doesn’t affect you much, but your expression could scare Skull Kid into giving us Majora’s mask in two seconds.” Tatl chimed in.

“It is said in legends that the Calamity, Ganon, once bore the form of a Gerudo. I never wanted to believe it. But-! That will make this victory all the more satisfying. I like that. Now I can take this personally.”

“So it really is him. I don’t know how I came to be here, but this is probably the future I left behind. After all these centuries. This...this is my fault.” Link could not stop repeating, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“What’s eating at you?” Tatl asked with her usual discretion.

“I failed. We tried to stop him, twice, we really did, but he’s still here.” He turned to Urbosa, “I’m sorry, I know it doesn’t change anything for you and all those who had to fight him through the years, the millennia, but I’m sorry. We failed you.” 

Urbosa took a long breath, ready to do her best in comforting a child she barely knows. She couldn’t have him apologizing for something outside his control. She leaned down again and put her hands on his shoulders, “Kid, I hardly know you and can barely make sense of half the things you say. Honestly, I’m still trying to process that you claim to be from over 10,000 years ago. But after seeing you fight that thing, of this much I’m sure: you put your everything into what you do. If you didn’t stop him, then I don’t think you could. There’s no shame in that. I mean, you’re certainly not the only one who tried, you know?”

Link looked back at Urbosa straight into her eyes, “I suppose not, but we don’t have any history of a Ganon or Ganondorf, so he must have been born in my time. He was only a man at that point.”

“Aren’t we all?” The Chief paused, “I mean, aren’t we all mortal? Obviously I’m not a man. I hope you can tell.”

“True, that’s a good point,” Link chuckled and sniffled as he nodded in gratitude, “So, what happens now?”

“We’ve established a lock on that thing so now it’s up to the Champion Link and Princess Zelda to confront Ganon, then we unleash our strike.”

“Sounds like something I’d love to see right now.  Do you mind if we stay and watch?”

“Link! We have to get back to Termina to rescue my brother and stop Skull Kid.” Tatl reminded him.

“I know. But I don’t see the portal that brought us here so I guess we’ll have to stay here until it appears.” Link shifted his attention to Urbosa.

“Oh, that’s fine. I guess we’ll stay here, not doing something useful like looking for the portal to take us back. There’s no chance that if we dawdle here, we’re going to get back to a giant, lifeless crater full of boiling magma!!” Tatl huffed as her golden form pulsed with anger. Link paused before looking at her seriously,

“Tatl. I assure you that I’ve been keeping an eye out for the portal ever since it disappeared behind us. I've … had to learn that sometimes we can only follow along with the flow where life takes us. I believe we were brought here to help Urbosa out and that we aren't done yet. Once we've finished what we're needed for, whoever or whatever created that portal will likely bring us back to where and when we left. But if it'll appease you, we can search around the Divine Beast for the portal." Urbosa watched as the fairy seemed to deflate.

“Thank you, Link. I don’t like the idea of standing still while the portal may be in the next room.” Tatl admitted. Link nodded, smiling gently.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. I hope you don’t mind, Urbosa.”

“Not in the slightest. I’ll show you around so you won’t get lost.” She couldn’t suppress her own smile when Tatl visibly relaxed.

“Thank you,” Tatl whispered to her before she flew off, a reddish tint to her golden color.

“She tries to be so tough and doesn’t know how to handle someone’s kindness.” Link explained, a sad smile complementing the far-away look.

“She’s lucky to have someone like you watching out for her.” Urbosa ruffled the top of his head, knocking askew his hat.

“Hey!” He sputtered, dramatically fixing his unusual cap.

“Are we going to get going or are you going to stand here for the rest of the day?” Tatl huffed, again, returning to his side.

“We’re right behind you.” Link grinned as he looked at Urbosa.

“We can start by exploring this room one more time. If it’s not in here, then we’ll try the other rooms and leave the outside for last. If you’ll follow me.” She gestured as she led the way up the ramp to the main control unit.

“That was how I got Epona to listen to me. It was as simple as playing a song she loved. So when I returned to the past, my present time, I did it again and Malon let me borrow her to search for Navi.” Link finished as Urbosa led him up the ramp through one of the glassless windows and onto the last part of the Divine Beast they hadn’t searched yet, the balcony.

“With everything life’s thrown at you, I don’t believe you have anything to blame yourself for. After what you’ve told me, I know for a fact now that you clearly put your everything into what you do.” Urbosa said, letting Link walk around the open space, searching for the portal. Tatl zipped above as she searched every nook and cranny she could find, “You’ve certainly had quite the adventure.”

“I have. And I was in the middle of another one, but it doesn’t look like the portal is here. Sorry Tatl.” Link looked up at his fairy, watching as her wings drooped.

“I didn’t really expect to see the portal in here, but it still kinda hurts that we couldn’t find it. Thank you for searching anyway.” Link nudged her with his shoulder and in response she sat down on it, folding her wings to rest.

“No problem. We got to explore a giant mechanical monster and as a bonus, it wasn’t trying to kill us! I count it as a win.” Tatl’s wings picked up slightly as he pulled a small laugh from her.

“Of course. You see everything as an adventure.” She said, doing a horrible job of masking her joy that he was in a better mood again.

“I have to or else I’d go crazy, right?” Link turned and looked expectantly at the Gerudo Chief, “Now, I’ve told you about my world, but I want to know about yours.” 

Urbosa grinned before beckoning him to follow as she walked to the edge of the walkway, “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to talk. And I still have to properly thank you for earlier. I would have died without your help, so I’m in your debt.” She sat down, her legs dangling, “What do you want to know?” And saying so, she picked him up as he was sitting down, grin growing at his startled squawk,

“H-Hey!” The boy exclaimed in surprise.

Urbosa snickered as she set the little Hylian in her lap, “What? The little hero doesn’t like hugs?”

“...I didn’t say that I just wasn’t expecting it.” Link said blushing a little, “And I’m not that little.”

“Oh? I thought I’d take you to the bazaar and buy you some treats, but if that’s so, then should I be worried about my teenage sisters?” She asked teasingly.

The redness quickly intensified, “W-what? No! What are you saying?”

Urbosa couldn’t hold back her vigorous laughter. The smile that crept up young Link’s face warmed her heart as he started to ask questions about her Hyrule. This young Link reminded her of Zelda. They shared a hard life and the tasks given to them were not something they chose. But after everything he’s been through, he still maintained his innocence. She wondered if their Link was the same under his self imposed silence. Urbosa knew how hard it was to stay positive in the face of overwhelming adversity. She’d encourage this young boy to take his mind off of the worries he possessed by indulging his curiosity. Even if she could only distract him for a little while from his hero duties, she’d do it. To keep that smile on his face and to keep him from becoming the disheartened soul Zelda had almost embraced.

Chapter Text

King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule loathed leaving his castle in the hands of his enemy. When he’d abandoned the charred rubble of Castle Town and Hyrule Castle, he’d refused to look back. Several dozens of troops followed him up the stairs to the Great Plateau. He urged his horse faster, knowing that several dozens of guardians swarmed behind them. Those mechanical machines were supposed to help them against the Calamity. But instead, Ganon corrupted and used them against the people they were made to protect.

  “Get ready to block the stairway!” He shouted as he made it onto the Great Plateau’s soil. Several guards surrounded the opening, waiting as most of the soldiers ran panting and huffing through the gateway. Bombs sat in a crate next to the guards. They'd been taken from one of the soldier barracks they’d set up at the discovery of the Shrine of Resurrection. He didn’t want to blow up the only pathway leading back to Hyrule Castle, but it was a sacrifice he’d have to make to slow down those mechanical creatures. Rhoam wasn’t naive enough to assume that blocking the tunnel to the Great Plateau would stop the ancient machines, but he hoped it would give them enough time to come up with a plan to defeat those dreadful creatures.

  He slowed his horse and watched as the pitiful number of his remaining guards emerged from the tunnel. Rhoam couldn’t blame them for being red-faced and panic-driven. They were lucky, considering that a majority of the guardians went east towards Akkala Citadel or through the Dueling Peaks, likely headed towards Fort Hateno. He gritted his teeth as his men lit the bombs and tossed them down the tunnel. They ran away as the bombs tumbled down the stairs. He didn’t flinch, unlike his men, as the bombs exploded, causing a cave in and dust to rise from the tunnel. The king knew they would dig out the tunnel later, that is if there was anyone left after the guardians appeared.

  “We’re headed towards the Sacred Temple! Help those who are injured and get ready to fight as you’ve never fought before. Have the civilians been relocated?” He asked as his men saluted him.

“With as little time as we had, we were only able to get them off the Plateau and urge them to break for Fort Hateno, your Majesty.”

“That’ll have to suffice. Soldiers! Take the wounded to the Eastern Abbey! Make sure that they can recover there and we’ll draw their fire to the Sacred Temple!” He masked his helplessness as he urged his horse forward. He couldn’t look too deeply in his soldiers' eyes, or their despair may overwhelm him. He knew what they were thinking. They were trapped on a plateau with their only way out blocked. If they looked north, they could see a small cloud of dust in the horizon, guardians glowing with the corrupted colors of the Calamity advancing. His men followed him regardless because what else could they do?

  If only he’d been wiser and foresaw the Calamity’s plan to take over the guardians. If only he’d spent more time with his beloved daughter. He was planning to, whether she’d unlocked her powers or not at the Spring of Wisdom. All that he had done had pushed her away. He always knew this. But only too late, he came to realize that maybe, just maybe, he was the reason she couldn't unlock her powers.

 His scoldings caused her stress, he could see it in her eyes. He pressured her to unlock her sealing power and he may have come off like he thought it was her fault she couldn’t do it. It wasn’t his intention at all. His dear daughter lost her mother at the tender age of six. For the next ten years, she had to struggle to figure out her powers, without the help of her mother or any books. He was useless in offering advice considering he’d married into the royal family from being a humble duke and only learned the basics.

  “Your Majesty! They’re getting closer!” The breathless, panicked voice of one of his soldiers drew him out of his musings and he looked to see the Temple in front of him. He blinked as he looked up at his soldier on the roof of the Temple of Time and saw him pointing north. Rhoam turned his horse around and surveyed his men that had followed him. Every single one of them has been loyal to him for years and he knew many of them by name.

  “My friends,” He stated, seeing many of them straighten at his tone, “You have been with me through good times and bad and I have appreciated all that you have done for me. There has never been a braver or more well-trained group of soldiers I have been prouder to lead. We will stand in the Temple of Time and defend it to our last breath. Now! Hold your ground against these fearsome foes, proud men of Hyrule! My brothers! I see in your eyes, the same fear that threatens to shake my heart! But we will stand tall and hold on to our bonds of fellowship! Today we fight! By all that you hold dear, on this good land, I bid you stand! Soldiers of Hyrule!” A roar of agreement swept through his men as they raised their weapons, a new light shining through their eyes, “We are going to defend this sacred place from the traitorous guardians and our battle will go down in history!” Rhoam shouted, his men echoing his cry.

  He knew it was unlikely they’d survive this attack after the guardians made it to the Plateau, but that didn’t mean they’d fight in vain. Even if between all of them, they only killed a few guardians, that would be less guardians for his daughter and the Champion Link to worry about. If they could keep the machines occupied long enough, Zelda may unlock her sealing power if she hasn’t already.

  Despair threatened to crush him as he refused to think that his only child had died in the attack. For all he knew, his daughter unlocked her sealing power and was on her way to confront the Calamity. Not knowing the fate of his beloved Zelda and the five Champions hovered at the back of his mind. He was a king, first and foremost, but the cloud of anxiety would not retract its claws.

  “My dear daughter. I wanted to make things right when you returned from the Spring of Wisdom. I have placed a truly heavy burden on your young shoulders and didn’t allow you to escape, even for a couple of hours, to follow your passion, your heart, to find your own way. I was frightened you’d fail and only pushed you because I thought it would help your powers come sooner so you’d have time to train before the Calamity arose. I didn’t know how to awaken your powers. I didn’t know if there was a specific reason why it didn’t show up. I didn’t know if I was a help to you or a hindrance. I didn’t know anything and that frightened me. Please forgive me!” None of his thoughts showed up on his face as he dismounted and ushered his men into the Sacred Temple. This temple had stood for generations and had the largest Hylia statue in the land. Hopefully, the generous goddess of their humble land would protect us in our time of need. He gathered his men in the large hall, shouting orders and telling them to get the bomb arrows ready.

  “My king! The guardians haven’t slowed at all. They’re climbing up the plateau walls like spiders as we speak!” A soldier called, running up to him.

  “Drat! I thought I’d have more time to think of a plan.” The king’s mind sped through his options and came to one hopeless conclusion. Unless his daughter unleashed her powers on the Calamity and sealed him away, they would not escape from this place alive. Even though most of the guardians had split off to go attack the other fortresses in Hyrule, with the small number of soldiers he had, they were doomed. His soldiers were well trained and brave to the core, but there were only a few people who could take on the guardians and none of them were currently in the Temple of Time.

  “Get ready for battle! Archers! Get ready to shoot as many as you can! Aim for the eyes! Everyone, I want you to have a spear and a sword on you! Use the spear to aim for these monsters' eyes! We stand together, my faithful friends! We will not let these malice infested machines get the last laugh! Everyone to your stations!” Rhoam commanded as his pitiful army moved to do his bidding. He wanted them to have courage, even in the face of death. He’d set the example as their king and show no fear. He and the others already knew they were fighting a losing battle, but as long as they thought there was a sliver of hope, they would not give in to despair. He would lead them as long as he could.

  “As well I can, considering I’m a step away from despairing.” Rhoam tried to shove his emotions deep down but struggled to break free from them. He’d spend most of the time since his wonderful wife died suppressing his emotions.

  He had to be strong. He had to lead his people. He had to give them hope even though it had dried up when the Calamity controlled the guardians. What if he didn’t want to be strong anymore? “My dear wife, give me strength.” He climbed the ladder to one of the spires and arrived as the first guardian climbed over the wall.

  He watched in slow motion as it targeted the Sacred Temple and unleashed a fiery blast. The king followed its path, frozen at the terrifying creature. He didn't hear the screams to get ready from his men, or the panicked release of bomb arrows. As the beam struck the building, it shuttered, snapping the king from his daze. Suddenly there were three guardians, then ten, then twenty. More guardians than he thought poured onto the Great Plateau. “How can this be? Were there more guardians than we realized? How- Why are there so many?” The guardians fired on from afar as they ran closer, like a spider slinking after its prey.

  “Everyone get ready!” The king shouted, grabbing a bow and arrow himself and firing at the advancing monsters. He was surprised when he managed to land one on the eye and it immediately swerved, crashing into several other guardians, causing a tangled heap. It didn’t matter much as the other guardians climbed over them and continued on their way. Arrows rained on their tough exterior and before long, they reached the Temple of Time. 

Suddenly the King heard multiple explosions coming from the Eastern Abbey on his right. Fire rose from behind the building as more guardians climbed onto the plateau next to it. “No! No!! Our injured men, I sent them into a death trap.” With terrible guilt and fury the King notched another arrow as he saw one of the walls blow open, a guardian charging through. Rhoam fired arrow after useless arrow onto the rampaging metal monsters. He clenched his teeth and collided with the wall as several of the guardians blasted the side of the temple. The sacred place shook violently as the windows shattered and plaster flew through the air. With a final blast, the wall exploded, caving in and hurling bricks at the soldiers inside who screamed in pain and fear.

The king cursed as he fell backwards and landed on the sloped roof of the temple, dropping his Royal Bow from the impact. He slid down the roof, thankfully on the side opposite to the one the Guardians had blown open. His hands barely managed to grab on the edge for dear life as his crown fell to the ground below. His pulse raced as the crown clanged on the stone and he struggled to lift himself up.

There was little cause for relief. Immediately, he realized a large red dot of light was shining right into his face. He would never be able to pull himself up in time.

"My liege! Let yourself fall, we will catch you!" The King looked down, two of his men were right beneath him. Knowing he could not afford to ponder this choice, he let go, just as the beam of light shattered the shingles he had been gripping.

"Oof!" All three men let out pained sounds as they crumbled to the ground. The King was tall and not lightweight. But between both soldiers, his fall had no lasting consequences.

They barely had the time to straighten themselves when a guardian appeared from around the corner of the building, its mechanical head swirling to target them. They'd already gotten up to the Temple's Entrance. The two soldiers looked at each other, communicating their intents without need of words, and the one closer to the guardian charged at the hulking machine.

The other one summoned all his audacity and firmly gripped the King's forearm, "We can't hold this position your majesty, you have to run, there's no sense in losing your life here. We will give you cover as best we can.”

King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule wanted to reject those words. He wanted to hold true to his speech, to stand firm. But he was weaponless, not knowing where his bow landed, and he did not want to die without seeing his daughter one more time. He didn’t feel like a righteous king at the moment and, to compensate, he wanted to offer some words of gratitude to these selfless brave men. But once again, there was no time, the first soldier lay face up on the cold stone, his right side burnt and smoking, eyes unseeing.

So King Rhoam did the one thing he loathed to do, he swallowed his dignity and without another word, he turned around and ran.

He ran along the Temple of time, followed by the soldier that swore to protect him. Before they could make it to the gentle hill that went up behind the small pond by the temple's side, the red targeting light was on him again.

"Your Majesty! Maintain a straight line." The nameless soldier shouted as he made his best to run behind the king, so to obstruct the red light with his body. Rhoam glanced behind him and his stomach twisted at the determination in the warrior’s eyes and the knowledge behind them that the soldier knew he wouldn’t live. That awful sound was heard again as the king looked forward, then that of an explosion, a scream, and the king's steps now echoed alone.

Up the hill he found shelter among the trees, but he knew that it couldn't be enough, that it wouldn't last. He gasped for breath as he contemplated making a dash through the arch leading to the river, but that way lay certain death, if not from the guardians then from the cold.

The king made his way to the edge of the hill he was on as he remembered something from his last visit. Beneath, after just a small drop was the path leading to the Shrine of Resurrection and under his very feet...

He dropped down and yes, behind him was a small alcove. A good hiding spot, hopefully enough to let him gather his thoughts and decide what to do next. He couldn't keep running without a plan.

“We need help!” He thought desperately, “We are completely alone with no help in sight!”

That's as far as his thoughts made it, for just then the legs of a guardian appeared on the edge of the path climbing up from the forest below. No, not one, several, there were at least three of them, widespread enough to cut off any possible escape. 

He froze, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t notice him. His hope was in vain as their blue eyes landed on him and multiple red dots of light appeared on his body, “Goddess Hylia! If you hear me now, please send aid! If not for me, for my soldiers! They have done nothing wrong! PLEASE HELP!”

One of the machines gave off the sound of completing its charge-up and-

A multitude of lightning bolts rained down from the sky, striking all three Guardians and ravaging their mechanical innards, exploding their eyes from the inside. Pink and black smoke lifted from their colorless bodies and it was evident they would never move again.

“U-Urbosa? But how? We bombed the entrance... and she's meant to be supporting Zelda!” Before Rhoam could make sense of the situation, a green-clad figure brandishing an elaborate sword, jogged into his field of view, descending the path that led up to the shrine of resurrection. He stopped when he noticed Rhoam, blinking at him before giving the king a crooked smile.

"Has no one told you, old man? It's dangerous to go alone!"

Link sighed with relief as he exited Old Kasuto. He'd decided to try and visit the old man living in the abandoned town again, the one who gave him directions to the new settlement, and he was thankful he did because the wise man showed him how to use the magic of Thunder. He couldn’t complain about trekking over Hyrule again, but those stupid eyeball ghosts, Moas, were as plentiful as ever. It seemed that every time he returned to the town, there were the same amount of enemies, no matter how many he defeated prior. His life was a battle after battle and it seemed like the monsters grew like grass, abundant and uncountable.

  All he wanted to do was wake the princess. He’d already defeated Ganon and rescued Princess Zelda when he was ten and had naively thought that was the end of his adventure. He was proven wrong in the form of monsters attacking him for the next six years. And, of course, Impa, who told him about a sleeping princess, also named Zelda, go figure. And of course, he was the only one who could read from the scroll left behind from the past king of Hyrule. He was glad to be of help, but after fighting through the six palaces and traveling through the Great Palace only he got his behind handed to him by a giant bird that simply wouldn't die. A little humiliating. To top it off, one of those nasty, bird-like knights that patrolled the palace had chased him most of the way out. 

  “Evil birds in palaces and nasty fish on bridges.” Link muttered as he made his way towards the aforementioned bridge. He groaned as he looked at the seemingly innocent bridge. Deadly Bago-Bago’s lurked in the water below, waiting for unsuspecting travelers to cross the bridge. The skeletal fish would jump out of the stream to try and take a bite out of you or spit rocks to bruise your skin. What did they do? Eat rocks on the river floor for the sole purpose of throwing them at travelers? The Bago-Bago’s weren’t the only monster to look out for. Link squinted as he shaded his eyes from the overhead sun. Yep, it looked like one of the river monsters was lying in the middle of the bridge. Horrid amphibian-like creatures with the head of a fish and scaly skin that shot fireballs at its opponents. It wasn’t fair for a water animal to be able to spit fire. The sickly blue colored Zora walked on all fours but could stand on its back legs to attack. And, ironically, fire happened to be their weakness.

  “Onward, to defeat these creatures.” He slapped his palms together, “Let’s send them back to their watery graves! Heh.” A grin spread across his face as he set foot on the bridge. He lifted up his shield and sword as he started jogging across the wooden structure. Sure enough, a skeletal Bago-Bago shot from the water and spat a rock at him as he passed. He deflected it and swung at the monster, killing it instantly. Not waiting for the other monsters to jump at him, he burst into a run, leaping over the areas where the wooden planks have rotted away. The Zora got up as it felt his footsteps, hissing as he approached.

  “I’ve got something special for you today, you ugly creature! No magic, just brute force!” It shot fire at him in reply and his shield disbursed it. Multiple Bago-Bago’s lunged out of the river, some releasing rocks at him and others jumping to take a bite out of him. Link spun his sword, cutting the creatures up and jumping to dodge the rock. The Zora stepped towards him and Link swung at it in rapid succession, causing it to screech in pain as it stepped backward, closer to the rotted section of wood. There was a reason Link despised these creatures. It shook off the attacks like water, scales dented in several areas, and glared at him with its beady eyes.

  “Hey now, that wasn’t my fault that you couldn’t dodge an attack in front of you.” Link quipped, dodging a flying rock and scrambling out of the way as the Zora spat fire at him. Link spun, knocking down the Bago-Bago’s and used his sword to deflect one of the rocks. He flung his shield out, clipping the Zora and frowning when it didn’t fall off the edge. He didn’t want to waste his fire magic on it, not knowing when he’d get a red jar to replenish it and simply wanted to knock it off the bridge so he could continue on his way.

 The Zora hissed in pain as he slashed at it, backing it up further. It stood on its hindlegs as it raised it’s forearms to scratch at him. Seeing an opportunity, as Zora’s were unstable on their back legs, Link rushed forward and jabbed at the creature, completing a spin attack and jumping back. He landed in a crouch as the Zora screeched when it fell off the edge of the rotted wood. Link’s resulting grin vanished as a Bago-Bago bit onto his shoulder from behind, propelling him off the bridge.

  “Hold on! I can’t SWIM!” He thought in panic as he ripped the fish from his shoulder and flung it away. 

He looked down long enough to see the Zora get swallowed by the river and to notice the unusual tint of the water. In most rivers, he could usually see the bottom and the water was clear. This one was a mix of deep blue and light blue with no bottom visible. “Not good! If I can't see the bottom, that means it's really deep!” Flailing around to right himself, he plunged into the blue before he could try and use any magic.

His knees knocked painfully against the solid ground as his momentum flattened him, driving the air from his lungs. Not one to waste his time wondering how he could touch the bottom of the river without feeling at all wet, he placed his hands to the ground and pushed himself up. He was not at the bottom of the river. He couldn't even see any river anywhere and he was perfectly dry, never having touched any water.

"Where...?" He had no time to take in his surroundings as the Zora sprung on him and sank its razor-sharp teeth in his arm. Yelling in pain, he punched the creature in the eyes and stumbled back as it released him. "Oh, of course you've tagged along! Alright, you asked for it!" He growled and unleashed his Fire magic, scorching the monster and causing it to poof out of existence, leaving behind a red jar.

"It would be a waste to drink that now..." Grumbling, he poked and prodded his arm, determining if he could still move it and how damaged it was. Thankfully, it only looked bad, but in reality, it was shallow, no urgent need for healing.

He looked around and froze. He didn't recognize where he was. Granted, he tried to make a habit of not being tossed off bridges, but there was no bridge above him. He was standing on a cliff just outside of a cave and in front him- "Woah."

The view was majestic. It seemed like the kingdom his first adventure took place in but... different. He felt a sense of déjà vu. Yes, this reminded him of when-

His thoughts abruptly stopped as he recognized the sounds of shouting voices and battle. Turning his head towards the noises, he gaped as he beheld large hard-shelled creatures, with many legs like Octoroks, tearing into the only building he could see. He watched, dumbfounded, as light shot out of the monsters, slamming into the structure. Not only that, three of these machines were climbing up the cliff side not too far from where he stood and the figure of a man, hidden within an alcove in the rocky wall, cowered before them. Link sprung into action.

He ran down the path and as soon as he was close enough, with no hesitation knowing it could make the difference between life and death for the man, unleashed his most powerful magic: Thunder.

His magic left him in a flurry and lightning rained down from above. He watched in satisfaction as it struck the hard-shelled creatures. They jerked about before ceasing to move, smoke coming out of them.

"Look at that. This magic is so useful, even against hard shells. Good, maybe with this I can actually defeat that giant red bird." Link grunted contemplative even as he gripped his hat as he remembered the hardest battle he'd ever had to fight, before taking a deep breath and releasing it in a gust. He needed to stop talking to himself, it might make people think he's crazy. If only there was someone to accompany him on his journeys. Adventuring was a lonely occupation, he supposed.

He made his way toward the person in the alcove who had not yet noticed him, wholly focused on the remains of the monsters and upon seeing him better, unbidden, he experienced another déjà vu that made him chuckle.

"Has no one told you, old man? It's dangerous to go alone!" Grinning at the shocked reaction he was rewarded with, Link considered his options. The battle was a small distance away. He'd better go back and chug down the potion inside that red jar.

Link hurried back to where he'd slain the Zora and before doing just that, cast his Life and Jump magic, just in case. Refreshed, he ran back to the old man but, just as the dumbfounded fellow opened his mouth to talk, without pause, Link leaped onto the hill the alcove was made out of and hurried on towards the battlefield. More lives were at stake.

“I need a higher vantage point.” Link thought, realizing this altitude was still not enough. He transformed into a small fairy and flew above the battle, surveying it from above. These hard-shelled creatures were terrifyingly efficient at swarming and damaging the building. He could see archers raining arrows from up above and, through the windows, soldiers rushing around inside. He startled as an arrow zipped down and exploded in the creature's eye, making it swerve and cause a tangled heap on the ground, “So their weak point is their eye. Not too surprising.” He observed the battle for a few seconds more, trying to get a grip on the situation before giving up. This called for action, not observation. He flew up to the roof just as his magic wore out and he transformed back into his human form.

His eyes flickered across the war zone, "I've never seen enemies like these before, but anything that attacks men is an enemy of mine. On to another part of the never-ending battle I suppose." Gathering his strength he cast his Shield magic, which surrounded his body with an almost skin-tight layer of light that made his green clothes appear red, then followed suit by casting his Jump magic anew and leapt off the roof.

Yelling wordlessly, his jump took him much farther than should be possible, and he landed in the middle of a group of guardians.

He dodged between the hard shells and for the first time, got a close look at them. The hardened shell on the outside seemed to be more armor, but the more he fought, the less he was convinced they were made with flesh and bone. He’d fought plenty of monsters that wore armor, but these creatures reminded him of Armos. No matter how much he targeted the space between the joints, there was no blood or screaming. The creatures responded by swirling unnaturally and releasing a light blast at him, cementing his thought about them being similar to Armos. 

Grunting, he placed Reflect on his shield after his second close call. His sword was doing next to no damage and he wasn’t exactly tall enough to pierce their eye without jumping. When one of the monster’s shot the light at him, his shield reflected it. The creature crumbled and pink smoke rose from it, making a clunking sound as it stopped moving. Not having enough time to celebrate his success, he rolled underneath another monster. He raised his sword and scraped it along the bottom of the monster, doing no damage. Growling in irritation, Link leaped off the ground and stabbed one of the monsters in the eye before jumping to another and repeating. He was mildly surprised as they vibrated before emitting the same pink smoke and fell to the ground.

  As he was about to jump to another, a monster ten feet from him crumbled as an… explosion rocked its face. He whipped around, rolling to dodge a blast from a monster. Link looked up and saw several archers peeking out from the top of the building and releasing arrows on the monsters around him. “I hope that they have good aim and don’t accidentally hit me.” Other soldiers rushed out of the building and joined him in battle, several soldiers on one monster. He blinked, shocked that there were men out here willing to help him. He normally fought his battles alone because everyone was hiding in caves or houses from the monsters. He tipped his head to them in respect. Knowing there were people out there who were brave enough to fight was heartwarming.

  Ten of the creatures remained, swarming around him with their red light targeting him. There had been five earlier, how did they double? Did they come from another direction? He dodged as they shot light at him, scorching the ground. He grunted in pain as the monsters recharged and blasted him at him again. One of the beams clipped his shoulder and another grazed his thigh. Link growled as he flipped around and reflected the last three blasts at the monsters. All three of them stopped moving, but Link was unable to avoid the next two blasts. They hit him in his back, making him stumble forward, cursing as pain raked his back. His Shield magic was wonderful in that it halved the amount of damage he took. However that didn't make him invincible and if he kept taking hits, it would come to a point where the magic would make no difference any more.

  “Sir!” One of the soldiers called out to him as an arrow struck one of the remaining five monsters. The soldiers must have defeated two when he wasn’t looking. Link grunted as he rolled, risking a glance upwards and seeing the old man ready another arrow. He sprung to his feet, jumping at the nearest creature, and unleashed his wrath on it. The monster collided with another one and he swiped at both their eyes, causing them to stop functioning. He leaped off them and while he was in the air, reflected one of the light lasers at the monster. The blast sent him flying through the air and he tumbled backward when he landed. The ground vanished beneath him, sending tremors of panic spiking through him as he free-fell for a few heartstopping seconds. He couldn’t stop a gasp from escaping him when he landed in the pond of water.

“REALLY? Right into water again?!” As his back hit the pond's bottom, he couldn't stop himself from gasping in water from the pain. He was already inches from death due to his wounds, but there was not time to worry about that now, not when drowning was much more imminent.

Choking from the water, he struggled to get his feet under him. He managed to kick-off and broke through the surface gasping in air and coughing out water. He flailed his weakened limbs around and tried to spot land close to him. He glimpsed it as he sank again, not having time to suck in enough air. Link panicked when his vision swarmed with black as he sank slower than he wanted.

He needed the ground to kick off of and his feet slashed at the water. “Stupid darned selective winged boots! Am I going to die by drowning instead of in the many battles I've fought? That's NOT FUNNY!” He couldn't hold his breath much longer and had to suck in water as his feet touched the ground. He did his best to push off, but he didn't have enough strength to break through the surface.

The black spots in his vision grew as a strong hand gripped his arm and hauled him upwards. He broke through the water and coughed, trying to expel the water while breathing in air. It was as painful as knives stabbing his lungs while tears blurred his vision. He was being supported by someone as they pulled him along to shore. Once his feet touched the blessed ground, he keeled over and hacked his lungs out, the blackness slowly retreating as he gasped for air.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner. I shouldn't have assumed you could swim." A wizened voice said as a hand patted his back as he heaved. Great, an old man has rescued him (the one from before, it seemed, so at least they were even), apparently better at swimming than he was. That's it, when he had the time, he was going to learn how to swim. It was pathetic for a hero to not know how to do something as basic as tread water.

  With no small amount of fatigue (particularly in getting himself back up on the hill above the alcove he hid in), and at a much slower, cautious pace, King Rhoam had followed his rescuer back to the Temple of Time. He'd lost him along the way, but did not doubt the young man would show himself again soon. He spotted his Royal Bow, that he'd previously dropped, laying on the ground and rejoined his men in a relatively safe position, resuming his efforts to rain arrows down on the guardians.

And then, with a battle cry, there he was again, the lad descended on the guardians from the sky (presumably, the King figured, from the temple's roof), not unlike a ferocious bird of prey. This and the impossible leap he'd witnessed before, brought to mind the Champion Revali with his unmatched (or so it was believed) ability to shoot straight up into the sky. But that was not all. 

The young man's clothes had now turned red. Upon more careful observation, the King couldn't hide his surprise when he realized a thin layer of light had enveloped him, making him think back to yet another champion. It was astounding how well the green-clad swordsman-mage fought and evaded the guardians. He moved with the speed of a practiced warrior and adapted well to the situation. But above all that, he had one more edge that made the difference in this fight: somehow his shield could now unfailingly reflect the guardians’ beams, no matter what angle he was shot from.

The King snapped out of his trance and raised his bow, aiding the small hero and taking care not to release the arrow too close to the fighting men. He'd managed to shoot down one in the time it took the warrior to bring down three.

  Two beams hit the warrior on the back as the archer next to him managed to land a lucky hit on another guardian. Only four more remained as several of his soldiers managed to stop another one, pinkish smoke erupting from the downed guardians. Rhoam gritted his teeth, knowing how deadly being hit by one of those beams could be. He couldn’t swallow his surprise when the warrior appeared, jumping on two guardians with the back of his clothes smoking and felled them in a single hit. The warrior looked like how the Champion Link looked when he fought guardians.

  King Rhoam didn’t wait to see what the outcome would be, trusting the last two guardians to be defeated by the time he descended. When he reached the ground, he ran out of the Temple of Time. He saw several of his soldiers defeating the last guardian and some pointing to the pond, the warrior nowhere to be seen. He was the closest so he rushed to the edge in time to see the warrior struggle and sink to the bottom. The king waited to see if he would rise, but as the seconds ticked by and the warrior didn’t appear, he threw his weapon aside and dove into the pond, much to the distress of his men.

  As the water enveloped him he had a striking realization, “I’m not as young as I used to be. It would have been much better if one of my younger soldiers had done this. But they are wearing armor, so maybe not. I only hope that I’m strong enough to bring us both up.” He reached the panicked younger man and, grabbing him, kicked off the pond’s floor, thankful it wasn’t too deep. Rhoam gasped as he struggled to keep them both afloat and swam with one arm to the shore. The younger man coughed violently, thankful still awake. He released the man, realizing that he couldn’t be much older than the Champion Link himself. What was it with children fighting battles grown-ups should be responsible for?

"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner. I shouldn't have assumed you could swim." He said, patting the boy's back as he heaved, "We should return to the temple and heal your wounds. You've taken hits by two of the guardians, I'm surprised you've managed to survive that." Despite his young age, the boy had definitely earned his respect.

The lad made a dismissive gesture with his hand, "No need. I can heal myself and don't want to take away your resources when I do not need them."

King Rhoam watched his scrapes fade and his breathing ease. His shoulder and back wound still seeped with a little blood, but were nowhere near critical anymore. “Healing as well. That makes it all four.”

"Are you a Wise Man? Do you have any new magic for me? I'd appreciate something to better deal with water."

"Water… magic?" Rhoam asked dumbly.

"Drat. If you're saying it as a question that means no. I was so hopeful too. If this day is anything to go by, I'll end up drowning before I get to wake up Princess Zelda." The boy sighed, "I want to see what her eyes are like. I bet she'll look even more beautiful when they're open."

"Excuse me?!?" The King asked in a mix of confusion and outrage.

"Ah, did I say that out loud? Sorry, I really need to spend less time by myself." The youth rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Explain yourself! What was that about the Princess?" Rhoam demanded.

The youth held out a hand, conciliatory, "I can understand why you'd be confused, I'm not talking about the present-day Princess Zelda everybody knows about. We are close but... it wasn't working out between us, so we’re just friends now. Wait, I wasn't supposed to say that either. Must not feed gossip."

The King's eye twitched dangerously at what this upstart commoner seemed to be so casually implying. But he let the young man continue, wanting to see how deep he'd dig his grave.

"But no, I'm talking about an ancestor of hers, with the same name. She's been cursed into eternal sleep and I've been tasked to break that curse."

"Another Princess Zelda...?" The King asked, his ire put aside as a faint memory trickled into the back of his mind.

But just then, the king's men rushed to join him, "Your Majesty! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," The king said, watching the lad's eyes widen and mouth 'your Majesty?', "Are the guardians dealt with? Have all of them been defeated?"

"Yes, my king!" One of his soldiers saluted, "As we speak, the others are making sure the guardians won't move again and are spreading out to see if there are any more of those foul machines approaching."

"Excellent! Now, the rest of you go tend to the wounded and remove the rubble from the Sacred Temple. We'll use it as a make-shift hospital. I don't want my soldiers to be suffering in the sun."

"Yes, your Majesty!" His soldiers ran off to do his bidding as Rhoam turned back to the young man. He caught the end of his whisperings.

"-so is he the Great King? But that would mean- No, no. I don't know that for sure." He trailed off, realizing he had the King's attention again.

"Apologies for neglecting you. Whatever the circumstances may be, you have my thanks for helping out in our time of need. What is your name, brave soldier?" The boy shuddered as he took a breath and looked at the king, making his eyes widen. “He actually looks like-”

"I'm Link," The boy replied, meeting the King's surprise with a tired look that seemed to say “Yes, yes, you heard right, it's really me.”

Before he could ask any questions the youth, Link, continued, "You were saying I got hit by guardians? Are these guardians the monsters I was fighting? I've never seen them before."

The king sighed, "You are not at fault for that. We have excavated several of them, but they were kept for the most part at Hyrule Castle. We never thought that they would turn against us."

"But they're monsters," Link's brow furrowed, "Of course they're going to turn against you. Monsters have been swarming Hyrule and threatening the people for the past six years. I'm surprised I haven't come across this type before."

"Monsters have become more prolific in recent times, leading up to Ganon's return, yes but-,"

"Ganon's returned?! But how? His minions managed to somehow revive him without killing me?" The boy shot up as he whipped his head around as if he thought the Calamity would be right next to him.

"What are you talking about? No one needs to be killed for the Calamity Ganon to return. He appeared 10,000 years ago and has done so again. Those guardians that you helped fight off had been corrupted by his malice,” The king clenched his fist as he glared at the ground, surrendering to his turbulent emotions for the moment, “How dare that swine decide to take over those machines that were supposed to help us!" 

"...You know, this isn't making sense. It shouldn't have been possible for Ganon to have been revived unless his monsters spilled my blood, but you claim that the Calamity... that Ganon has already arisen. You also say that the guardians have been taken over by Ganon. But I've never seen a guardian before and I've visited every place in Hyrule at least three times. What's next? You're going to tell me that the Princess Zelda I rescued after slaying Ganon years ago was an impostor?" Link paced as his mind raced, trying to unravel the mystery.

Rhoam stared at the boy in shock, "Slaying... Ganon?"

"So I fell in the water and when I looked up, I was in a vastly different place. I don't quite recognize the landscape, it doesn't look like the Hyrule I've traveled." Link spun on his heel as his hand came up to tap his head, "Think, Link, think. There's a king in front of you that looks like the mural of the king of Hyrule you saw before. Could I be in the past? Not impossible. Say, your Highness, you wouldn't have, by chance, made a scroll that only the wielder of the Triforce of Courage could read, did you?"

The king blinked at him as he processed this question, "No, no I haven't. What is this about?"

Link blinked back, "Okay, nevermind." Link resumed his pacing, "Could he be the Prince from that legend? No, he would have known about her... Rats. Maybe I'm not in the past." He muttered before turning back to the king, "Your Majesty, do you know where I can find Impa, the old nursemaid to Princess Zelda? I need her help."

"I wouldn't call Impa old, she's only a couple years older than yourself and she is a Sheikah warrior, not a nursemaid," The king frowned, going back to his previous string of thought, "You say that Princess Zelda has been put under eternal sleep and you are the one to awaken her?"

"That's what I'm supposed to do, yes. I need the Triforce of Courage for that and I was SO close!" Link gripped his hair as he clenched his teeth, "SO close, only to be beaten back by a giant red bird of all things! And, get this, apparently after I do wake her up, prophecy suggests I might become king. I don't know if I'm willing to believe that one. I mean she's gorgeous, but me? King? I'm only sixteen with a humble background. I've been doing nothing but fighting for years, I don't know the first thing about how to run a kingdom. Why would anyone want me as their king?"

  King Rhoam startled back, very unkingly, but at the moment he didn’t care, “Holy Hylia, I know exactly who you are! You’re the Great King! The king that woke the slumbering Princess Zelda and led our kingdom to prosperity!”

  “G-Great King? I’m sure you’re exaggerating.” Link’s eyes flickered as he held his hands up.

  “No, I am sure of it. You went through perilous trials to prove your bravery and awaken the princess. You were crowned king and there has never been a more successful time for Hyrule!” The king froze as red dusted the boy’s cheek and he scuffled his shoes, “Ahem. My apologies. I only meant that I have looked up to you ever since I was a child. It was my dream to enter into the royal family and become a king that could rival the Great King. But, alas, I fear I will go down in history as the king that failed to protect his people from the Calamity.”

Link’s face grew warm at the excited, childish expression on the wizened king’s face. He knew he was destined to be a king, but if this man was right, he succeeded in ruling as a benevolent king. It was uplifting to hear. Doubts had been plaguing him ever since Impa had told him about it since he knew next to nothing about how to rule a kingdom. Still, having the king gush to him how amazing he thought he ruled was enough to make him squirm, not used to being praised so genuinely. He’s always done what he thought needed to be done and was expected of him.

His embarrassment faded as he watched the king regain control of himself. He briefly showed a hint of despair before placing an invisible mask over his face. He frowned as the king clasped his hands behind his back, straightened his shoulders, and lifted his chin, becoming a formal king once again.

  “I apologize for my behavior. There are more things to worry about than my reputation. You may have saved us who are on the Great Plateau, however, Ganon still lurks in the castle and it is up to the Champions and my daughter, Princess Zelda, to defeat him.”

  Link frowned deeper as the king turned around and started walking towards the temple.

  “Are kings not allowed to express emotions or something? That doesn’t sound very healthy. I didn't know Princess Zelda could defeat Ganon.” Link walked with him, “You know, I heard your soldiers call you ‘your Majesty and I know you’re a king, but I don’t know your name.”

  “Forgive my lack of foresight. My name is King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.” King Rhoam nodded to Link.

“Nice to meet you. Now, since you’re a king and I’m going to be a king, is it okay if I ask you some questions? I’ll be honest, I have no idea what I am going to be doing once I get back to my time after I awaken Princess Zelda. Impa kinda dropped it on me, but never gave me any advice on it because I had to go to the palaces as soon as possible. And I- I’m sure you’re a much more competent king than I can be.”

  The king huffed in disagreement as they entered the temple, “It has been at least over 10,000 years since you’ve ruled. Despite that immensely vast amount of time, the memory of your reign has survived as a shining example. I doubt it will be the same for me tens of millennia from now. But no matter. What are some questions you want me to answer?” 

Link automatically helped move rubble out of the way as he thought, "Anything that, in your experience, I ought to know before I am to rule. Like, how should I deal with the court? How would I know if my people were upset with how I rule or not? And-”

  Before Link could finish his questions, one of the king’s soldiers ran up to him to report the damage.

  “Your Highness, the casualties are much lower than we were expecting. There are many wounded, but we’re making great progress in clearing away the debris in the temple so we can let them lay and rest. All the guardians are defeated and it doesn’t look like there are any more coming, but we’ll keep several guards on watch just in case.”

  “Excellent. That’s wonderful to hear.” The king sighed in relief, “Focus on healing the wounded. I don’t want the casualties to increase by one soldier. After everyone is treated, I want you to direct all the able-bodied men that can be spared to the tunnel and start digging it out. We’re going to need to return to Hyrule Castle eventually.”

  “Yes, your Highness! What should we do about the guardians surrounding the temple?”

“Leave them for now. The malice has left them and we don’t have enough men to move them, considering how heavy they are. We’ll focus on the more important tasks for now and when the Calamity is defeated, we’ll figure out how to deal with these monstrosities.”

  “Yes, your Highness!” With a salute, the soldier left.

  The king rubbed his forehead before walking further into the temple, “I apologize, Master Link,” he continued, ignoring Link’s sputter, “I can answer your questions as long as you don’t mind me helping out my soldiers. We’re going to need all the help we can get.” Link watched as the king picked his way across the rubble and knelt to a wounded soldier, talking softly to the man.

  “I think,” Link said, grabbing the king’s attention for a second, “That our conversation can wait. I’ll help remove more rubble and then tend to the wounded after that.” Link waited long enough to see the king give a surprised nod before turning around and helping the other soldiers. This King Rhoam was compassionate, kind, concerned for his people, and yet, he thought so lowly of himself. The king didn’t realize how much Link could learn from simply watching the man tend his wounded soldiers. Before he returned home (whenever that may be, since he had no idea how to get back!), he was going to try and convince King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule that he was a king worth following.

Chapter Text

Link gasped for breath as another guardian fell limpless, blackened pink smoke erupting from the creature dissipated into the air. There was no end to these lifeless creatures and the strain of fighting them was starting to take its toll on him. Regardless, he had to muster enough stamina to get Princess Zelda to Kakariko Village. 

The hidden Sheikah village was a fair distance away and with every guardian they came across, his hope that they’d reach it decreased. The heavy presence of a corrupted blood red moon hung in the night like an eye of a hinox, watching their every move.

“The Calamity must have done something to the moon. It was never red or this large before.” Link gritted his teeth as he reached for Zelda’s hand and guided her around the guardian husk to continue their journey, “I should have traveled up the Sahasra Slope since the guardians are following a more populated path. But that presents its own kind of danger because it’s uphill and there really is nowhere we’d be able to hide.”

He glanced back at the princess and frowned as her disheartened expression flickering across the land. The groove of trees after the Dueling Peaks crawled with the malice-filled machines, fires scarring the land and smoke clogging the air as they released their deadly lasers. He heard the sound of moving guardians and hurried behind a fallen husk, an arrow lodged in it’s dull eye.

“This isn’t good.” Link glanced down at his trembling left hand, “I’ve lost too much blood and there are still so many guardians to fight. How do I get her to where there is less danger? Do I go out and distract the machines, giving her enough time to escape? No,” Her hand tightened in his, “I won’t leave her.”

“Link, we-” Princess Zelda cut off as a group of the machines stomped by, the red light of the moon casting an eerie glow on them. Without waiting for the guardians to notice them, Link nudged Zelda back and leaped into action, severing the leg of one before they could even see him. He stabbed it in the eye as it rotated to face him, making it crumble to the ground. Jumping in the air, he sliced away at two of them, making them spaz and collapse to the ground. One shot a beam at him, clipping his shoulder as the other circled around him. Link grunted as he collapsed on the grass, using his momentum to roll and stand up. Running forward, he dodged another beam and cut through two of a guardians legs. He didn’t have time to end it as the other guardian shot at him. Growling and trying to finish the battle before more guardians saw them, he ran and slashed through the other guardians legs. Dodging a beam of light by a hair, he jumped and jammed his sword through one’s eye. Pulling it out, he rolled forward and cut through the last guardian.

Panting harshly, he turned and ran back to Zelda, “We have to go.” His gaze softened as she schooled her expression and nodded, taking his hand and following him as he ran behind pillars and defeated guardians.

He heard her mumbling to herself as they ran, “There has to be something I’m missing. Why hasn’t my power surfaced yet? Was losing my friends and family not enough? Why won’t it awaken?” He moved faster as multiple red lights landed on him. How did they keep finding him? He froze as Zelda tripped and fell to the ground, causing her hand to slip from his.

“Princess!” He ducked as the beams of light shot over his head, grunting as the resulting explosions almost threw him to the ground. He stood beside her as she shakily knelt, wiping the mud off her hands, “Get ready to run, princess.” 

Multiple guardians approached them from different directions. “Not good. Only one chance.” He instructed Zelda to stay a short distance behind him, and to move so his back was facing her, then calmed his breathing. Link pinpointed which guardian was the closest to firing and faced it, mentally noting how much longer the others would likely take. And when the moment came, his parry reflected the beam back at the guardian. Without a second to spare he twisted towards then next and did the same, then again. Again. Again. Each Guardian had to have their beams reflected twice before they would go down. Again. Again. By some miracle he managed to parry all of their shots... except the final one. The beam, that if parried would have taken out the last guardian standing, hit true and he flew into one of the downed guardians, Zelda's cry of fear and concern almost unheard over the sound of the blast. Gasping for breath, as soon as he gained his feet, he leaped forward and cut down the remaining guardian as it stalked towards him, “'I'm going to need help! Goddess Hylia, if you are listening I ask that you hear my plea and send aid! I won't be able to take the Princess to safety like this!'

He grasped Zelda’s hand and hoisted her to her feet. She was trembling from the narrow escape from death, but her hardened expression showed she wasn’t ready to give up yet. The blood moon reached its peak as Link started to move away from the guardian shells. Dread shot down his spine as the guardians he’d cut down started to vibrate and glow with malice, “No. NO! This can’t be happening! Ganon is able to bring them back to life? There’d be no end to our enemies. How are we supposed to defeat this? I can't do this on my own! Please Goddess, help me protect the Princess!'” His grip on the hand of the Princess tightened as he prepared to make a run for it while the husks were not yet fully revived.

"My domain shall not be usurped by a demon again." Link startled as the red tint that’d covered the land thanks to the moon vanished. The guardian’s pinkish light faded and it clanked back to the cold ground. Link released his grip on the princess, unsure what happened and who had spoken. A glance at the moon revealed that it glowed like liquid silver and seemed to have grown in size, more prominent than an average full moon. 

“You are in need of assistance.” Time froze. Link blinked as his pain vanished. He turned to talk to Zelda, but she was frozen as well, her back to him as she was tentatively examining the defeated guardians. The smoke that had been curling menacingly seemed to be suspended in the air, unmoving. Link looked around and was unable to determine from where the masculine voice came. 

“If you continue on as you are, you will soon be on the brink of death and fail in the duty assigned to you.” Through the smoke emerged a shadowy, humanoid figure that grew clearer as they moved forward. Link blinked as a giant stepped out of the smoke, almost twice as tall as him with a double helix sword strapped to his back. Red markings marred the giant’s face as white hair fell in front of his face. Most unsettling was not the armor he wore, his thick muscles, or his towering frame. It was the giant’s eyes that shone with white light, and his heavy gaze locked onto Link.

”I have seen what awaits you in the future. You’ll live, but the cost will be devastating to those you care for.” Silence fell as the scenery changed. Link had to squint at the bright morning light. Flickering his eyes around revealed that he was in a lush meadow with a mature tree standing slightly elevated, atop a small hill. Everyone except the two of them vanished. Link waited for the thrill of panic as being in an unfamiliar place to overwhelm him, but it never came. 

“Is there any way to prevent that?” He asked, looking around. Link’s gaze snapped back to the giant as the white-haired man raised his arm and pulled his sword free. He didn’t move as the sharp blade stopped inches from his chest. He knew instinctively that this being in front of him was many times more powerful than himself, but no malicious intent emanated from him.

“There is, but only if you are worthy enough to deserve it. Prove your courage.”  

Link couldn’t stop the words escaping from his mouth, mentally exhausted, “And I haven’t proved that by defeating countless guardians the Calamity corrupted?” 

“No time will pass while you are in this place.” Link held back a sigh when the giant continued on as if his question had not been spoken. He took out his blade and crossed it with the double-helix sword as his answer. “Should you succeed, the Champions too will be given a chance to survive. Let us begin.”

Link barely pulled his sword away before he had to leap aside, narrowly dodging an earth shattering sword strike from the white-haired giant. How had he swung so swiftly and with incredible power? Link flipped backwards as the giant stepped into his next attack with a horizontal swipe. He swore the giant had cut the very air itself with that swing. Running backwards after he landed, he had hardly a moment to think, “What have I gotten myself into?” before he was forced to block the monstrous double-helix blade, almost buckling beneath the power behind it. It was going to be a hard fight.

Link fell to the ground, the air rushing out of his lungs as a heavy boot landed on his spine, pinning him down. The Master Sword skidded a couple of inches outside his grasp as he struggled against his opponent. His body froze as a sword rested against his neck, enough pressure for him to know it’s there without drawing blood. He was impressed. There was something otherworldly about his white-eyed opponent, and he hasn’t had someone who rivaled him in a one-on-one duel in years. Still, he’d lost the fight.

“I give.” He huffed out bruised, battered, and out of breath. There was no telling how long they’d fought, but it seemed as long as the time Princess Zelda and himself had run from the Calamity.

"So you do. This is the manner in which you face failure." Even though the giant hadn't phrased it as a question, Link knew it was a test, but not for what.

"There is no way to turn this in my favor without my head rolling. Men aren't always strong enough to defend what they need to.”

"You are no ordinary man."

"No, I'm not. I happened to be strong enough to protect Princess Zelda from most of the guardians, but even I have my limit. The princess… The princess has many people that are willing to protect her. I only have to stay strong enough until another can take over. What happens to me after that shouldn't matter. The sword can choose someone else, but the princess is the only one with the sacred sealing power." His answer was met with silence, long enough to make him wonder if he'd said the right thing. Not that it mattered because those were his honest feelings about the situation.

For the first time, the giant showed emotion. Rage. And it was a terrifying spectacle. The very air around him appeared to vibrate, ready to burst into flame from his fury, "You understand nothing! The Spirit of the Hero is not something you can replace or relay along with a sword!"

Link was left speechless. His courage held, but he had never witnessed anger of such intensity. The giant seemed to understand that it was not fear which stilled Link’s tongue and returned to his former stoic self.

"Decide your fate."

Link felt his own anger flaring up, the frustration he'd accumulated during the time he upheld his perfect knight persona coming to a peak, "What is there for me to decide? What do you want from me? You have told me you would aid the champions if I succeeded, but I have failed, have I not? You seem to be telling me that I must live, but you already told me I would, so that's not it either. Or are you saying I gambled that and lost? That you're going to kill me now? Do you expect me to beg? That would have been of no use against a guardian and I doubt it would sway you any more than one of them! Forget it!"

The giant's frame tensed and this time Link could swear he was truly surrounded by impossible dark blue fire, "Then your choice is made!"  

Holding desperately onto his courage, Link did his best to make himself heard over the giant's loud echoing voice, "But for my friends! For Hyrule! I don't care what happens to me, I've done everything I could, the goddess as my witness I did, now and before I met you, I have no regrets but to leave this world having failed those that depended on me. You say I have to live, that I can't just hand the sword over to another. I will live if I must, if you let me. But if you don't, please protect this world. Don't let them all die too."

Link closed his eyes, awaiting the end... and found himself breathing more easily as the giant removed his boot and sheathed his sword. "Stand."  

He would have wanted to scream “That's it? That's what you wanted?!” but held his silence. He stood up, and picked up his sword, wiping it off and checking it for chips. The sword had returned to normal when the time had frozen, unmarred by malice. He placed it back in its sheath before turning around and meeting the giant’s gaze. He couldn’t read the white-haired man’s body language. He waited for the giant to speak. The silence stretched on, but Link waited patiently. 

“He said no time would pass in this place. So I don’t have to worry.” Even as he thought this, he shoved his nervousness and anxiety down, “There’s no use worrying.” He repeated the mantra, even if it didn’t help.

“If you go back, the princess will not awaken her power as she would have. Her powers would have awakened if you return without aid.” The pupilless eyes stared into his soul, “You still have a choice to make. Do you return with the strength to protect the princess but risk her sealing powers staying dormant, or do you return as you were, a man walking towards death's doorstep, so her sealing powers can be unlocked?”  

Link froze at the offer, “The princess won’t awaken her sealing powers if I accept his help? And she would if I returned without his help and died? That’s not even a choice. Of course, I’d rather have her receive her sealing powers… Wait. He said earlier that I’d live regardless, but those I care for would suffer. Is the princess included in those who’d suffer? And she was able to awaken her power. So there is a way.”

“You said the princess would have awoken her powers if I go back without accepting your help, correct.”

“Indeed.”

“So she is capable of using her sealing power. Will you tell me what caused the trigger?” 

The white-haired man’s expression didn’t change, “I already have.”

Link frowned at his answer, "I didn't catch it. Would you tell me again?”

"No."

Link pursed his lips, "You said that if I succeeded, you'd help the Champions. Did I?"

"The Champions shall be given a chance. Their fate will rest within their hands."

"Does that include the princess?"

This time, the man's facial expression shifted slightly, "By helping you, I am helping her. You do not understand this yet." Once again, it was not a question.

"Then enlighten me!"

"I am."

Link frowned as he pondered the giant's words, “The princess and the hero are needed to seal the Calamity. I know she'll awaken her powers if I don't receive his help, but he did say I was but a dead man. Will it take me days, weeks to heal? The princess has been trying to tap into her sealing powers, unsuccessfully as of yet. But I have to believe in her.”

“I accept your offer. Please lend the other Champions and me the help we need to defeat the Calamity.”

“Defend the princess with your life. Do not allow her to fall into the pit of despair. Aid will be sent to the Champions. Do not waste this chance.”  

“I won’t. Thank you.” It never hurt to be courteous, even if he didn’t feel it. The clearing faded from view as darkness crept across his vision. Link struggled to see the giant through the haze of black but swore he caught a genuine smile from the white-haired man.

Link blinked as his vision was restored and his hearing sharpened. He grunted as an uncomfortable sensation washed over him as his body grew taller and broader. In a second, he was left standing twice as tall, level with the guardians. He looked at his transformed body and couldn’t stop the awe from surging through him at the power he’d gained.

“Why would they move so suddenly only to fall still? Is it another trick of the Calamity?” Zelda clenched her teeth as Link looked up and behind him, seeing her touch a dead guardian. “That cursed Ganon! He plays tricks like these and takes away those most dear to us. I- I am useless and because of my inadequacy the Champions… I’ve left them all to die.” Link knew she was holding back tears as her voice quieted.

“They're not defeated yet, Princess. The Champions will be given a chance. And so will we.”

Princess Zelda turned to him, blinking away the tears, “How do you know that?” She sniffed, before her eyes went wide with disbelief and she took a step back, “Who are you? Where is Link?” Her gaze flickered around them.

“Fear not princess. It is only the outwards appearance that has changed, but I am still the Champion Link.” He brought his hands level to his chest, frowning as he clenched them. His appearance must have changed dramatically if she was blinking at him in shock, “I’ll prove who I am with the Master Sword.” Reaching to his back, he blinked as he pulled the sword off his back and startled to see how small the Master Sword had shrunk. “No, it didn’t shrink, I grew. Now the handle is too small.” He frowned as the sacred blade pulsed a light blue, faint annoyance that wasn’t his own brushing against his mind before fading. Shaking his head, he eyed the blade that wasn’t glowing anymore. There was no way he’d be able to wield it properly while in this form.

“The Master Sword.” Zelda gasped, stepping to the side as she looked behind him, “Link isn’t behind you so you must be him. How…?” She trailed off, looking at him expectantly.

Link hesitated, not knowing what to tell her, “I don’t understand it myself. Time had frozen around me and I met… someone. I’m not sure who or what. He put me through a trial and said he'd offer us and the champions aid if I passed. I did, it seems.” He sheathed the Master Sword as he looked for the double-helix sword that the giant used. It wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

"I wonder who it could have been. I've studied the lore and history of Hyrule until I was ready to burst, but I don't remember anyone that fits your appearance. Who could be strong enough to freeze time and make you change so drastically? Could this moon symbol on your chest be a clue?" She reached up and gently brushed the symbol. At that moment, Link could hear the old, curious Zelda from before she was forbidden to occupy herself with anything but awakening her power. He struggled not to smile like a deluded fool until her next comment had his heart falling to his feet, "Does that include me? Will I receive help?"

He closed his eyes, hating how he’d have trampled on her hopeful voice, “I'm not sure. I asked but... He was very vague about this.” Silence met his statement and he longed to look up at her and read her facial expression.

“I see.” Never had he heard two words sound so despairing. 

“Princess!” He lifted his head and reached for her, kneeling so he wasn’t towering over her, “Princess, he said you were going to awaken your power if I hadn’t accepted his help. So there is hope! I know the power lies within you. So please don’t despair.” He placed his other hand on her shoulder, trying to get past her defenses. She looked amazed when he touched her and he knew that she was likely not used to getting this sort of attention.

Her brow furrowed when his words sank in, “What do you mean I would have awakened my power?”

“I’m not sure. I only know what the giant told me.”

“A giant that freezes time and knows about the future... considering everything that's happened, I guess I shouldn't be all too shocked." She mumbled, unconsciously leaning into his touch, "I've read about more otherworldly things in legends from the distant past. Please, tell me what had exactly happened. Maybe I can glean something from your encounter with the giant.”

“I’ll tell you everything, but we need to travel to Kakariko Village. The Sheikah will-” Link startled as her head snapped up.

“The Sheikah will what?” She pulled away from him and stared him down as best she could, “The Sheikah will take care of me? The Sheikah will keep me safe? The Sheikah will hide me away while you go and face Ganon all by yourself? I already told you that there must be something I can do to help!”

“Princess, that’s not what I meant. The Sheikah-”

“And why wouldn’t I be safe with you?” She demanded, hands clenched.

Link looked at her helplessly, “I never said you wouldn’t be safe with me. We need to go to the village to see if we can get you a horse for transportation as well as a bit of a respite. We’ve been fleeing for hours and if they have any food to spare, it would help tremendously. I didn’t mean to imply that I would face Ganon alone…” He trailed off, confused as Princess Zelda’s features hardened and her back straightened as she spoke, 

“Don’t think that you can drop me off at Kakariko Village, Champion Link. We will go there, acquire a horse if we are able to, rest, and WE will go back to Hyrule Castle.” As she turned, leading the way to Kakariko Village, he followed behind, remembering to keep an eye out for any enemies.

“What is going on with the princess?”

“What is going on with me?” Zelda bit back a groan, “Why did I automatically assume that Link would leave me at Kakariko Village? I already knew I hadn’t awakened my sealing ability, but is it such a sore spot for me that I’d lash out when Link is blessed with more power? Am I that insecure?” She glanced at Link as he took the lead, his armor glinting faintly in the moonlight. She gritted her teeth, “Apparently.”  

She visibly shook her head to rid her thoughts of their negativity. There was no use dwelling on what had happened, she had to think about the future. She would have awoken her sealing abilities if things had continued and Link hadn't received the power. Why would that have been? What had caused the trigger? And is it possible for it to happen still?

Her thoughts consumed her, preventing her from noticing how the cacophony of battle ahead of them was steadily increasing in volume. Until they turned the corner and introspection was quickly forgotten. They now had a clear view of Blatchery Plain. And it was a vision out of nightmares.

Guardians were crawling everywhere, wide and far as the eye could see, flames all around them as their beams lit the field ablaze. They weren't doing it without reason as evidenced by the chaotic chorus of screams that could reach their ears. Anyone who, like them, thought they could find shelter here, away from central Hyrule, had been sorely mistaken. There was only death here to be found.

It startled the princess to realize that not all the screams were coming from far ahead. Her Champion, her stoic knight… he had let out a long scream of raw primal fury, as if to challenge the machines responsible for the carnage they beheld.

And the challenge was accepted. Two of the closest guardians swiveled their domes and set their sight on him, rapidly approaching as they began to charge their beams.

"Link! Link!! We have to run! You don't have an adequate sword!" The Princess pulled with all her strength, but it was like trying to move a mountain and her words had the same effect as if she'd spoken to one. Her Champion just stared the Guardians down, barely controlled rage evident on his face. The Princess closed her eyes as she heard the charge complete.

…and she felt a strong, large hand move her like she was but a kitten. She opened her eyes only to realize she was now behind Link, then quickly closed them again as light blinded her and noise threatened to deafen her.

When she did open her eyes again, moments later, she saw fire. And beyond it Link, between two guardians that had been cut to shreds. In his hand was a huge sword formed by two blades that flowed into a double-helix.

"Where did you-?" Before she could finish her question, the sword vanished and Link ran back to her.

He knelt down, "The other guardians will be in range soon." It was true, the fight hadn't gone unnoticed, "Get on my back."

"E-eh??" Zelda exclaimed, flustered.

"There's no time, hurry!" Again, that large, but so gentle, hand pushed her behind him and the princess did as she was told, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Link stood, and Zelda was suddenly far removed from the ground beneath her, “He's ridiculously huge now!" She held on as best she could and marveled at the ease with which he moved while carrying her, "Now is NOT the time to be thinking about this! Focus.”

"Use your legs, you have to hold on tight."

The poor girl tried to stutter a response, gave up and complied, barely able to link her toes together. Before she even fully understood what was happening, Link had climbed halfway up one of the Dueling Peaks rocky cliffs. She let out a startled yelp, but that was all she got out before Link knelt again on a plateau area, waiting for her to let go. He hadn't taken her all the way to the top, but high enough to have a clear view of the entirety of the plain.

As soon as she noticed that, she let go and contemplated the true extent of the destruction... and the Guardians' objective, "They are attacking Fort Hateno!"

"Princess." She turned back to him, "I apologize for my behavior. I think this form I'm in now makes me more prone to... well…"

"Anger?" The Princess supplied.

Link nodded, "Yes. It feels like... like all the anger of the people of Hyrule is being channeled through me." The Princess's eyes widened at the notion and Link smiled, embarrassed, a strange sight to behold, with his war markings and glowing eyes, "At least, that's how I would describe it."

He walked over to the edge of the small plateau they were on, looked down and stepped back towards her. He spoke quickly, "It should be well out of range, but if they target you, hide behind those trees over there. I promise you none of them will get up here."

And, having said that, he leapt off the mountain!

Zelda shrieked and ran to the edge. To her relief Link wasn't a stain on the distant ground. He wasn't even all that distant yet, still descending with his feet planted onto a guardian, the double-helix sword again in his hands and firmly embedded into the machine. She let out a shaky breath, realizing Link had seen the guardian climbing up to them and successfully used it as a means to rapidly get back down before it made it to them.

Immediately, he was confronted with another guardian and Zelda held her breath as her Champion was fired upon. Link used his sword like it was a shield and harmlessly blocked the beam, “Is that how we survived earlier?” The Princess thought, still peeking over the edge despite Link’s warning.

The hero hopped aside to dodge another beam from a different guardian, then retaliated by swinging his sword. He was far too distant, yet a blue wave, like a crescent moon, shot out of the blade and towards the guardian. Link's new weapon could shoot beams, just like the Master Sword. However, this beam, upon connecting with the guardian, seemingly stunned it like it had been a bolt of electricity.

With a single jump, the Champion was upon the first guardian, still busy recharging its beam. His massive sword cleaved it in half like it was made of paper.

The princess looked on, amazed at the ease with which he cut it down. Considering he was near their height and had a longer reaching sword than before, the guardians couldn't even give him a workout. What was the reason this mysterious giant gave Link more power? What was the purpose of granting him new abilities, but not giving her a hint of her power? Would this power alone be enough against Ganon? Or was she missing something?

The other guardians had realized that a significant threat was behind them and they diverted their attention from Fort Hateno to march back towards Dueling Peaks.

Link didn't wait for them. He disposed of the stunned guardian and ran towards the others, straight into the middle of the burning, open field. His speed and agility, vastly increased by his greater stature, allowed him to get there in a very short time and to easily dodge the beams fired at him.

Though he now seemed small to the princess due to their distance, she could still see everything quite clearly from her vantage point (that is, whenever a steady wind blew the smoke out of the way, which was often).

Again and again, Link would approach a guardian, cleave it open, and continue on to the next. Sometimes, if one was about to fire, rather than dodge its beam he'd unleash one of his own and stop the guardian in its tracks. Even though devastation filled the plain below her, Link's speed and elegance, leaving blown up husks and dissolving clouds of malice behind him. "It's... beautiful." Zelda said despite herself.

The princess gripped the edge of the plateau with concern as Link, seemingly blindly, finally ran straight into the middle of the guardians. Had anger gotten the best of his judgment? But no! Link started spinning on himself with his sword outstretched. This would have been a suicidal tactic for anyone when surrounded by Guardians, but his sword didn't just sever their legs, it cut into the guardians themselves and either sliced them open or sent them toppling.

Fire was once again spreading in the field, but this time it was not caused by the guardians' beams, rather their own explosions.

The battle wasn't over yet though, more guardians surrounded the Champion, this time keeping out of reach of his sword.

The princess held her breath, but Link simply sprinted in between them, moving a little faster than the mechanical beasts. He slashed at those around him as he ran, then once he was out of the mass of guardians, he quickly got behind the one that stood most distant, which he had made a bee-line for all along. The champion hopped onto the base of the guardian, grabbed its swiveling head by one of the metal swirls on top… and forced it to turn away from him and towards the other guardians.

He hit the machine with the pommel of his sword, Zelda could tell solely by the way the massive blade moved up and down while pointed upwards, and she almost smiled despite everything, thinking back to one time when she told him that guardians were designed to abort targeting and fire away when hit with enough force. “He always listened, didn't he? Even when I was treating him so poorly, he committed my ramblings to memory.”

Beam upon beam was unleashed by the unfortunate guardian upon its kin, until they charged up enough to fire back. Link leapt to the side, unscathed, while the hapless guardian he left behind was hit and burst into flames.

By this point, the guardians still standing were less than you could count on two hands. Link once more ran into their midst to make short work of them.

With surprise, Zelda realized how quickly the guardians had come to no longer inspire the heavy fear they did only minutes ago. Link's ability to cut them down in one stroke had seen to that. There was no need to worry about him.

"I don't understand." She mumbled, drawing into herself as Link finished off the last few, ignoring the distant sound of metal scraping against metal. Seeing Link fight was awe inspiring, but it also brought questions. Was there something she was supposed to figure out or solve before she was granted her power? She forced herself to think rationally about how things may have played out without the Giant's intervention. They had been running from the guardians for hours, the Master Sword was worn down and blackened in places by cutting through malice and hitting metal, the Champions were presumed dead, and Link had been struggling to continue. Would something have happened that'd give her the insight she required? Would she have heard the voice of the goddess when she most needed it? Would her power have suddenly been granted to her in her most desperate hour?

"Princess, let's move on. We are close to Kakariko Village." Zelda flinched at his sudden appearance, looking no worse for wear after going through that massive battle and climbing up the mountain again, without her noticing.

"He could travel much faster if he didn't have to look after me." The unbidden thought entered her mind, making her stare up at him with wide eyes. Nodding silently, she climbed on his back and held on as he made his way down the steep cliffs.

Back on the road to Kakariko, now with little cause for worry, Zelda resumed her introspection. “If Link returned a man walking towards death, so that I would awaken my powers? What does that mean? Link would have died if he hadn't accepted the man's help? But he said he'd live. What is going on? What does any of that have to do with awakening my sealing power?” Her thoughts swirled and tumbled, trying to figure out a puzzle to which  she had no answer. Zelda bit her lip as Link stopped walking.

The gates of Kakariko Village loomed over her before she knew it and a voice echoed around them,

“Halt. Who are you?” They couldn’t see anyone, but that didn’t mean the Sheikah weren’t watching them. Zelda tapped Link’s shoulder and when he’d set her down, stepped up from behind Link and instantaneously, there was a young, sharp-eyed Sheikah woman in front of them, “Forgive me, princess, for not recognizing you.”

“Impa.” Zelda slumped with relief at seeing the shorter, stocker woman, “We need accommodations to be prepared for us.”

“Of course, your highness.” Impa stood, but tilted her head as she glanced at Link, “Who… is this?”

“He’s the Champion Link.” Zelda gestured to him, making Link half bow at the warrior. Impa stared at him, looking him over, and frowning, “Impa?”

“He looks like… nevermind. Please follow me princess.” Zelda followed behind, exchanging a curious glance with Link. Impa led them into the village and every person was dressed for battle, with their choice weapons by their side.

“I’ll get food and clothes ready for you princess. I would lend you a horse, but we have none at the moment. All our scouts are out and surveying the battlefields and we don’t know when they will return.” Impa bowed her head in apology.

“That’s quite alright. We appreciate what you can provide us considering we came here without prior notice.” Zelda said as one of the Sheikah called to Link. Link moved away, apparently confident that the princess was safe in the village full of deadly warriors, and Zelda caught Impa staring at him as he left, “Do you know who he is?”

Impa blinked at her as she led her to the chief’s house for food, “You said he was the champion Link.”

“Not that. I know he took on the form of another and it looks like you know who.” Even though she didn’t say it like a question, Impa answered,

“I don’t know for sure, but he looks like a mighty warrior that our legends talk about. A demon or god in the shape of man with moon-white hair and white eyes. We do have scrolls recorded from a hero of the distant past that tell of a warrior who was taller than even the Gerudo with glowing eyes and was so powerful, nothing could stop him, not even the moon. His name was lost in time and we only know him as the Fierce Deity because he fought with such ferocious power.”

“The Fierce Deity,” Zelda repeated, gazing at her knight. It seemed to match. Link fought with the strength of a hundred men and cut through the guardians as if they were made of paper. They climbed the stairs and as Impa opened the door, tantalizing aromas of spicy food wafted out, making Zelda’s mouth water, “How did you prepare this so fast?”

“We have lookouts and knew you were making your way here.” Impa admitted as she settled down at the table and prompted Zelda to do the same.

“Then why did you ask who we were?” 

“I didn’t see you right away, Champion Link was blocking you.” Impa’s sharp eyes landed on the princess, “What’s bothering you? You’re weighed down by something.”

Zelda jerked back in surprise, “H-how did you know?”

“Sheikah know to look underneath the surface. Does this have to do with Link and the abilities granted to him?”

“I- Sort of.” Zelda admitted, “I want to know why he’s gifted these powers, but nothing is given to me, no matter how much I pray and beg. I want to travel with him to the castle and do my part, because my powers should awaken when they’re most needed, right? But I may only be a liability for Link to worry about and he would travel much faster to fight Ganon if he’s not saddled with me. And what if my powers don’t awaken?”

“Do you really believe that your sealing abilities will not awaken?” Impa cut in, gesturing for her to start eating. 

Zelda blinked at her, mindlessly picking up her utensil and cutting into her meal, “What do you mean?” 

“Do you believe that your abilities will awaken when you need them too? Don’t talk yet, I want you to think about your answer and finish your meal.” Impa turned her head from her and Zelda blinked, shocked at the young Sheikah's question. Lifting her utensil, she started eating as she pondered.

Did she believe that her powers would awaken when she needed them? Brief flashes of memory containing desperate situations since the rise of the Calamity raced in her mind. When the champions were attacked, when they saw Hyrule Town burning, when the guardians were relentlessly chasing them, when Link looked ready to collapse, but he refused to back down to protect her. But, they’d always managed to get away. They were still alive, after all the hardships they faced and they’d made it to Kakariko Village. She’d needed her powers, but she hadn’t desperately needed them. She wasn’t too sure she wanted to get to the point where she was desperate for her sealing abilities.

She ate the last morsel of her food and looked up to find Impa staring at her, "I... I believe that when I desperately need my sealing ability, it will awaken. It must." She looked away, “Or at least, I hope so.” 

Impa smiled at her, “Then go with him and be confident that your abilities will come to you when you need them. Now, let’s get you changed into more comfortable clothes.”

Link watched as Princess Zelda walked towards him, freshly washed and in new clothing, talking with Impa. She wore a traveling cloak over her form fitting Sheikah outfit sans the mask. Her countenance seemed brighter and it looked like a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

“I wish we had a horse you could ride.” Impa said, guiding Zelda to where Link stood at the exit of the village, leading towards Sahasra Slope.

“It’s not something you can change. Thank you for everything you have done so far. It’s helped.” Zelda grinned at Impa as she nodded back, a knowing glint in her eyes.

“Take care of her, Link and defend her with your life.” Impa narrowed her eyes at his giant form.

“Always.”

His response garnered a smirk from the Sheikah, “Good answer. May the goddess watch over you.”

“And you as well.” With a small bow, they left the village. As soon as they exited the rock cliffs, the downward slope revealed hundreds of guardians swarming all over Hyrule.

“They’re everywhere.” Zelda murmured, hand raising to her lips. 

Link almost didn’t hear her as unadulterated rage flowed through his veins, “How DARE those lifeless machines trample over helpless people and kill without a thought! How DARE they cause so much misery and despair! I won’t allow them to exist any longer.”

“-nk. Link!” Zelda’s voice pushed the rage back and he blinked before looking at her.

“Yes, princess?”

“Are-Are you alright? You were showing a terrifying expression just now.” She gazed at him with concern, but there was a hint of wariness in her eyes, “Is it… the anger?”

He grimaced, nodding. The sound of guardians drew his attention and he stepped in front of Zelda, watching as several dozen advanced towards them. Link summoned the double-helix sword with one hand, before hesitating, “How can I protect the princess the best?”

“There are so many of them. How can we get through them all?” Zelda asked.

“Princess, I-” He cut off as a faint whinny caught his ear, “Hide!” Charging forward, he bound across the slope in seconds before the guardians could charge their first attack. Swinging his sword in a wide sweep, the first two guardians were beheaded, blackened pink smoke erupting from the husk. Spinning to dodge a laser blast, he cleaved down horizontally, cutting one straight down the middle. He watched as a beam of light followed his swing, stunning the guardians behind. Grinning furiously, he jumped and landed in the middle of the swarming guardians. Gripping the sword handle in both hands, he twisted, performing his signature spin attack. He cut through the guardians like they were made of air.

A panicked neigh drew his attention and he focused on the direction of the horse. His eyes widened as he felt a gentle pull at his heart when he saw a beautiful chestnut mare, rearing up as the guardians surrounded her. Snarling, he launched himself forward, cutting through the metal monsters and tossing them like rag dolls. He leaped in front of the mare as one of the guardians released a laser blast. With no time to dodge, and not willing to because the horse was behind him, he hit the blast with his blade, letting it ricochet off and collided with the monster. Taking no time to celebrate his success, Link danced around the horse, taking care not to harm her as he cut down the guardians. A small mountain surrounded them with only a few guardians remaining from the original surge.

As he cut down the remaining five mindless creatures, he noticed three guardians assaulting a lone building, close to where the princess was hiding. Before he could make his way towards them, an explosion shook the air, making him stumble, shoving his blade into the eye of a dead guardian. When he yanked his blade out and looked up, the small building was no more, smoke rising to the sky as the three guardians released the corrupted malice, clanking to the ground. Had that place been a bomb shop? Where was the princess? She was near enough that she could have gotten hit by a piece of debris.

“Princess?” He whispered before running towards her hiding place, “Princess! Are you safe? Princess?!”

“I’m here,” Her voice cracked as she coughed, rising from behind a boulder, “I didn’t expect the building to explode.”

“Princess, you’re alright.” He couldn’t stop the relief from bleeding into his voice.

“I am.” She looked beyond him and gasped, “You defeated so many guardians in such a short time! And, is that a horse?” 

Link looked behind him and saw the chestnut stop several feet away from them, shaking her head and snorting.

“She is,” Link affirmed, a gentle smile gracing his lips unbidden.

“She’s gorgeous. Do you think she’d let me ride her? She seems quite calm and she did approach us first.”

Link watched as Zelda wondered out loud if she should walk up to the horse, frowning slightly, “There should be no animals around here. The guardians would have scared them off.”

“She is a friend, a faithful companion of the hero of courage.”

“Epona.” Link whispered, surprised when the horse pricked her ears and trot towards him, neighing softly.

“How did you know her name?” Zelda gasped, tentatively raising a hand and stroking Epona’s neck.

“I… don’t know. It came to me.” He raised a hand and ran it through her mane, surprised that he was taller than the horse. He’d been too focused in battle to notice the size difference, “Well princess, it looks like we found a horse for you to ride on. I should be able to keep up with you on foot as long as you don’t have her cantering.” Without waiting for Zelda’s approval, he hoisted her up and set her on Epona’s back, freezing after he did so. Zelda’s wide eyes blinked at him as she tried to process how she’d gotten from the ground to on the horse, “S-Sorry. I should have offered to help you up instead of just grabbing you. I don’t know what came over me. Umm, have you ridden bareback before?” He asked, flustered at his brazen action.

“I haven’t.” She whispered, clutching Epona’s mane as Link slowly let her go. As he told her the easiest way to ride bareback, he struggled to maintain his composure. He admired her determined look as she tried the new experience and pride made him smile when she grasped the concept quicker than he thought she would, "I've gotten much better at learning how to listen to a horse. All thanks to you, Link." Her sweet smile was stunningly beautiful, “Now, let’s get to Hyrule Castle. We need to deal with Ganon.”

Link blew out a breath as two of the flying guardians crashed to the ground with a resounding thud. His physical prowess seemed unmatched and it was only after hours of fighting that small gasps of air escaped his lips. Epona nickered by his side, her rider looking up at him.

“Are you alright, Link?” Zelda questioned.

“Yes, princess. We’re near the castle and I suspect there will be numerous guardians and monsters roaming there. Ganon attracts the unsavory. Make sure to stay by my side at all times. I can’t protect you if you aren’t near me.” Zelda nodded at his advice and Link started to move forward, keeping a wary eye out from more enemies.

As they neared the entrance of Castle Town, a roar shook the ground, the sound of an angry Hinox. Panicked shrieks followed after, making Link and Zelda bolt forward. The mechanical sounds of the guardians charging up their blast had Link swinging his sword, cutting down the monstrosities before they had a chance to attack. Link ran ahead to the trees scattered in front of Castle Town as he saw the massive monster rip a tree from the ground. 

“How did a Hinox get so close to the castle? They tend to stay in the wilderness.” Growling, Link charged forward and leaped, beheading the creature in a single swipe. The Hinox fell to the ground in a thud, before vanishing in a burst of purple smoke.

“Are you alright?” Link questioned, turning to see a mother with two kids hiding in a shallow cave. 

“Y-Yes sir! Thank you!” The mother’s voice cracked from fear.

“Head towards Kakariko Village. The Sheikah there will help you get to Fort Hateno safely." Link moved to leave.

"Wait!" A raspy voice called. Link looked back to see the woman holding out her hand to stop him, "Where is Kakariko Village? I've only lived in Castle Town."

"You can go up Sahasra Slope, it should be clear now, and reach Kakariko village. If it's not, then go south through the Dueling Peaks and head to Fort Hateno," Link gestured towards the split mountain, "there shouldn't be guardians there."

“Thank you!” One of the little kids yelled, voice hoarse from smoke as they stood shakily and stumbled in the direction he pointed. He raised his hand in a wave as the princess caught up.

“We’re close to Castle Town. That place will be swarming with guardians. With luck, the Calamity will come to us so we don’t have to fight our way to him.” A loud, unearthly scream caused Epona to rear, her eyes wide with fear. Link watched, ready to catch her, as Zelda managed to stay on the horse and soothed her, gently stroking her neck. They looked up to see a giant black fog shaped like a boar rise above Hyrule Castle and snake towards them. Link snarled, watching from the corner of his eye as Zelda guided Epona away, recognizing the rage in his face.

He growled as he hefted up his giant sword and with a mighty heave, released a blade of light at the ghastly monster. He couldn’t stop the shock from coursing through him as the attack phased through the Calamity. “No damage? How is that possible?” Narrowing his eyes, he slashed at the monster as it descended on him. “Wait, it's not made of flesh, it’s made of condensed fog!” He braced himself as the fog washed over him. Yelling in pain, the malice burned his exposed skin. Trails of it got into his mouth and burned down his esophagus. Coughing harshly, more of the fog condensed around him, not enough to suffocate him, but enough to oppress him. He swung his sword in an arch, but it only gave him a moment of reprieve before the malice encased him. He tried swinging again, but the fog was unyielding. It was like breathing in heavy smoke.

Link could hear Zelda yelling his name before she cut off with a scream and a panicked neigh. Whipping around, his eyes widened as he saw the malice continue on towards the princess. She’d been thrown from Epona and scrambled backwards, through the mud and the muck. He tried to run back to the princess, growling when the malice held onto him, slowing him down until it was like he was walking underwater. Fiendish delight saturated the malice, gloating at him that he’d be unable to protect the princess in time. In a dizzying moment, all the fog rushed away from him and formed a dark cloud above. He tried shaking his head to clear it, the malice that remained inside his body burning with each gasp. He saw it rear its ugly head and, after a deafening roar, it swooped down, intending to envelope Princess Zelda. Link stumbled forward, his breath still not quite back to normal. He pushed himself harder, breaking into a run. He made eye contact with the terrified princess. They clearly both knew there was no way he'd make it in time to try and shield her.

“NO! PRINCESS!!”

Chapter Text

Zelda froze in terror, her limbs unresponsive and fear locked her body in place as a giant cloud of malice enveloped Link. Epona danced underneath her, whining and shaking her mane as the evil presence saturated the area. 

“I have to help.” She thought, gripping the reins tighter, “Can the sword he’s wielding do any damage to something that’s intangible?” A blade of light shot from the fog, giving her a glimpse of the hero. Seeing him unlocked her limbs as she snapped to awareness.

“LINK!” She screamed, urging Epona backwards, eyeing the burning storm, “LINK! Are you alright?!” As the horse pranced around the malice, as anxious as her rider, Zelda scanned the fog, looking for her knight, “LI-” She cut off with a scream as the malice pulsed and expanded suddenly, causing Epona to rear, throwing Zelda on the ground into a puddle. She grunted as pain shot through her lower back and mud splattered across her clothes. The malice moved closer as she scrambled away, a hiss escaping her as her tail bone protested the sudden movement. In a vacuum-like swirl, it rose, uncovering Link and forming a dark cloud above her head. With a deafening roar, it rushed towards her. 

Her frightened eyes caught the fierce gaze of Link as he sprinted towards her, his eyes opened wide with panic, “NO! PRINCESS!!”

"He won't reach me in time. What will happen to Link if I die?" The question startled her. She could feel the air burning with malice already, as Ganon rapidly approached, "I can't die. Not yet. I need help! Hylia, please help me! WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER ME?!"

"Verily, the consequences would be dire if you were to perish now." Time stopped after the unknown woman’s voice spoke. Ringing silence covered the plain with only the sound of Zelda’s scared breathing filling the air. The malice stopped moving, suspended in the air like a deadly painting. Even Epona froze, her mane that had been wildly whipping in the wind as still as ice.

“What?” Zelda breathed out in shock.

"You may consider your prayers answered." The same unfamiliar voice spoke, making Zelda whip around. The pain from her injury faded as her eyes widened when she saw a tall, stately, brown-haired woman standing behind her. The woman smiled, “Hello, Princess Zelda. Let’s talk.” Zelda stood up, feeling a strangely familiar aura from the woman like they were old friends.

“Talk? I- I need more than to just talk. I need to unlock my powers. That thing is after me. Wh-Who are you?” Regardless of her words, Zelda stepped up to the woman and followed her as she set a slow pace. She blinked as the world faded away, unnatural blue mist rising and permeating the air, preventing her from seeing in the distance.

“My name is also Princess Zelda and I hail from the era of Twilight. Please, call me Dusk." She said, folding her hands in front of her, looking every inch the princess Zelda wasn't, "Now then, let's see, what do you believe is preventing you from unlocking your powers?"

“I don’t know! If I knew that, I would have unlocked them already! I can’t seem to do anything right! I’ve tried! I have tried for as long as I can remember to unlock my stubborn powers,” Zelda whispered the last few words, overwhelmed, “and I can’t.”

“So something is blocking you from reaching it.” The woman raised her gloved hand to rest it on her chin, head tilted slightly, “What have you done to try and unlock it?”

Zelda didn’t know why, but the words spilled out of her mouth, “I’ve prayed for hours- DAYS to the goddess statues and in the Springs of Power and Courage. I’ve read through books of the ancient princesses who shared my power multiple times,” She mumbled the next sentence, “I think you might be one of them,” At Dusk’s amused expression, Zelda coughed before continuing, “I’ve reached deep inside myself and wasn’t rewarded with even a spark of power. I’ve begged and pleaded with the goddesses for help and haven’t received an answer. Right after I visited the frozen Spring of Wisdom, the Calamity arose. Still, my power remains dormant,”  As she told her story, Zelda swore she saw shadowed shapes surrounding her, listening, but every time she tried to focus on them, they vanished like the mist that surrounded them, “I don’t know what more I can do.” Zelda slumped, crushed by her despair. The shadowed shapes dissipated after she stopped speaking. Dusk eyed her and stayed silent, brows furrowed in thought.

“What if, rather than doing, it is a matter of not doing?”

“Pardon?” Zelda rubbed her eyes, willing her tears to not fall.

The woman spread her arms and explained, “A princess must know when to fight for the good of her people and when to wait patiently, no matter how sorrowful it might be.”

Zelda looked at her in disbelief, “I have considered the good of my people! All of my time was spent training and praying. Everything I did to learn more about the Calamity, studying for hours upon hours in the library. I almost drowned in one of the Springs. I’ve waited years for my powers to awaken. What haven’t I done for them?”

Dusk smiled gently at her, “Yes, you have sacrificed much. But have you taken time for yourself? To realize that you’re stressed and to put effort into releasing the stress?”

“The Calamity will ravage the land if I don’t unlock my powers! How can I take time for myself if there will be no people to go back to? Especially towards the end??”

The brunette looked unfazed by her exasperated statement, “Stress for long periods leads to unorganized thought, which leads to mistakes, which lead to disasters. With so much on your mind, were you actually taking the time to listen for your powers, or were you so focused on how you could awaken them that you missed its calling?”

Zelda jerked back, stunned, “I- But- I had to awaken my power! I didn’t know how!”

“All the expectations have blinded you and the small nudging of your power may have been overlooked in favor of what you thought you were supposed to feel. Your power has been a part of you this whole time and so it was familiar. It’s like the blood that runs through your veins. You know it’s there because it’s been with you your whole life, so you don’t feel it flowing through your body. You’ve been searching for an unfamiliar, powerful feeling that doesn’t exist.”

Zelda stopped on their little walk, eyes wide in disbelief, “So I had the power in me the whole time and that’s why I couldn’t find it?” She looked at the other princess, “But, how can that be possible? Why wouldn’t I have used it against the Calamity when Link and I went to face it?”

“Perhaps because you were wavering and lost hope in your abilities.” A voice spoke, but Dusk’s lips didn’t move. Zelda’s counterpart smiled as she turned to her right where two shadowed shapes formed, growing more clear as she faded into mist. Dusk disappeared, leaving two pink dressed, crown-wearing women in her stead.

“Hello, Princess Zelda. We are both Zelda as well, but it’d be confusing if you referred to us both as such. I’ll be called Aurora for now.” The strawberry blonde smiled at her.

“Oh, I didn’t think of that.” The other, more burnet tilted her head, “You can call me Zel.”

“H-Hello.” Zelda nodded, very confused, “What did you mean by your earlier statement?”

"You are clearly very shaken. Terrified, understandably. Please, take no offense, but is it possible you wavered on whether you would be able to contain Ganon, even if you had your sealing powers? Your belief that you could defeat the Calamity was shaken, and you let this consume you?" Aurora questioned.

"Have you lost hope that you would be able to access your power?" Zel asked her, and continued on when Hyrule's latest princess jerked back, "If you don't believe it will come, then it won't. Witnessing the destruction Ganon caused made you stop trusting in your knight's strength and your Champions valor to overcome the menace."

"What was I to think?” Zelda refuted sharply, “The Divine Beasts were overtaken by Ganon's malice. They turned back and left. It was only logical to assume the Champions did not make it. And Link and I, we had to flee from the guardians. What chance did we stand if we couldn't even get close to Ganon?" The two women looked at each other, unspoken words passing between them.

“When a situation seems hopeless, it doesn’t mean hope is gone.” Aurora said, turning back to Zelda, “I stood firm against my brother and an evil wizard, uncompromising with the secrets I was entrusted to, in the face of temptation and threats. I paid a great price for my loyalty, but in the end, greater things came of it.”

Zelda withheld a growl as a rush of anger flowed through her veins, “So what? Are you saying that it’ll be okay even if Link and I die? That Ganon won’t completely decimate everything in sight for the simple pleasure of destroying everything good and beautiful if we don’t succeed? Are you saying I’m useless?”

“Catastrophes often blind those closest to them.” Zel spoke, "When I was still a little girl, Ganon conquered my kingdom. All I could do before I was captured by him, was to prepare the way for a hero, one that hadn't appeared yet. I learned never to lose hope, even when confronted with cataclysmic events, because without hope I would have had nothing left.”

Zel’s words flared the fire of pride in her heart, “Hope? What good is hope when my powers never manifested? What good is hope when guardians are rampaging and killing innocent people? What good is hope when I know the Champions and my father are likely dead? What good is hope when you know the outcome of your failure?” Her voice cracked and tears overflowed.

“Failure?” Zel asked, eyes wide.

“Well, it certainly sounded like you dainty, precious princesses were telling her it doesn’t matter if she fails or not.” A snarky voice cut in.

“Oh dear. That’s not what we meant at all.” Aurora sighed, shaking her head lightly, “We simply meant to impart that you should stand your ground and, even in a dismal situation, not give up hope. To have faith.” Zel and Aurora faded out of sight as another figure became more evident. 

"Seriously, I don't think they realize that not everyone can be so steadfastly optimistic." A tanned, blonde haired teenager shook her head, "Before you ask, yes, I also have been known as Princess Zelda, but I much prefer my title of Captain and the name I've gone by my whole life, Tetra." She smirked as she looked Zelda up and down, “Geez girl, it looked like you took a swim in the mud. I’ve heard of mud baths before, but I thought you were supposed to clean up afterward.”

"I was thrown from a horse!" Zelda snapped, wiping her eyes, knowing she was smearing the mud worse. She felt vulnerable and bare after Zel and Aurora disappeared.

"There you go, that's more like it! Just speak your mind and stop checking how you speak all the time.” Tetra stretched her hands above her head, "It’s not healthy.”

“It comes with being raised as a princess.”

“Well, thank the goddess I was raised by pirates.”

"Are you sure you're a princess?" 

"As it turns out, yes." Tetra shrugged.

"Then you should know that a part of a princess's job is to be a figure that her people can look up to and be an inspiration for her subjects." Zelda huffed, looking down at herself. "Not that I was ever good at that. I've had people talking behind my back about my shortcomings for years now."

"Is that what you were taught growing up? To be a pretty face and mind your posture? I despise it when someone tells me who or what I'm supposed to be like. I was told by the King of Hyrule to wait in what was essentially a prison, while he and the hero went on an adventure. I did, and what happened? I got kidnapped by Ganon! I would have been better off going with the hero and helping him, but no. I had to wait behind like a useless, pretty, little princess. It was only when, in the end, we fought the scoundrel side by side that we were able to prevail. I say take destiny by your own hands, be who you're meant to be, and don't let others push their own rules and expectations on you."

Zelda sighed as the fight left her body,  "You don't need to tell me that. I disobeyed my father on many occasions, choosing to spend my time researching Sheikah technology when he wanted me occupied with unlocking my power. And what good did it do? My power is still dormant and our machines became tools for Ganon." She tried to smile, "How do you know who you're meant to be? How do you know if you're becoming that person?"

Tetra snorted, "How should I know that? Everyone's different and has to find the answer themselves. Just don't get stuck on one thing. And remember, you can admit to having your flaws and weaknesses, but don't neglect your strengths as well. You are much stronger than you think. Your research clearly bore fruit, even if Ganon took them from you. You've proven your smarts also by selecting capable people to help you in this battle. Now you only need to apply your best qualities to your own cause."

"I... really don't think that's her problem." A voice whispered to Tetra's left, "If there's a quality she doesn't seem to lack it is being headstrong."

"Oh, take a swim. The girl needs her self-esteem. Don't let her or anyone talk it out of you, ya hear?" Tetra winked at Zelda as she faded with the swirl of the blue mist and another took her place. A beautiful blonde with knowing blue eyes.

"Greetings, I am the princess who sent the hero through time. My name was, at one point, Sheik."

“I’ve heard that name before.” Zelda welcomed the awe that penetrated her spiraling thoughts, “You and Princess Ruta- I mean, Ruto were friends and fellow Sages.”. Sheik smiled at her.

“Yes, I am that Princess Zelda. And I know that you’re struggling right now,” Sheik sighed, losing her posture to gently slump forward, “Let me tell you this, you’re not the first Zelda to feel like you’ve failed.” 

“You think you failed?” Zelda asked in surprise, “But you defeated Ganon and sealed him away. We still have legends and books about your deeds and how capable you were.”

Sheik gave her a grim smile, “Let me tell you a story. There was once a little princess who had terrifying dreams about a dark, horrible storm. She knew who the storm was about and that he’d ruin her kingdom, so she was willing to do whatever it took to keep him from succeeding. She also dreamed about a boy in green clothes that would come and be the hero. She met him and sent him on a quest to collect the Spiritual Stones from the three races of Hyrule. When he completed this act, she sent him to the Temple of Time to get the Master Sword. Because she did this, that storm, that monster, was able to enter the Sacred Realm and from it received power none in the Kingdom could stand against. The Princess didn't succeed in keeping the storm away. She aided it instead, and had to reap the consequences of it.”

Zelda stared at her with wide eyes, “I-Is that what really happened?”

Sheik gave a solemn nod, “It is. When our enemy broke into the Sacred Realm, I truly thought all hope was lost. For seven years, the hero was gone, unable to intervene. The castle was taken, my father was killed, and the Evil King's malice spread everywhere. There were only a few select, relatively safe places left in Hyrule.”

“How did you find the will to fight back?” 

“I would have despaired if it hadn’t been for my guard, Impa. She encouraged me to believe in the hero and that he’d return. She taught me how to defend myself and gave me the skills to disguise who I was. I fondly remember a time where she trained and pushed me so hard that I couldn’t think about anything except how to defend myself from her. She showed me beautiful places in the world, untouched by the evil king’s malice, to restore my hope,” Sheik paused to look Zelda in the eyes, “You have those around you who you can trust. Accept their help. Don’t rely solely on yourself, because after a while, your doubts will consume you. Will you be able to snap yourself out of your self-degrading thoughts?”

Zelda looked away, the truth of Sheik’s words ripping at her, “But I didn’t have anyone that would help me unlock my powers. My mother died before she could teach me and there was no one else in the kingdom that had powers like mine.”

“True, you were alone on that journey. But did you seek help from other sources that had similar powers?”

Zelda’s head lowered further, “No.” She whispered, thinking of Mipha, Daruk, Revali, and Urbosa. She hadn’t felt that they would understand her power, even though they had unworldly powers themselves. She hadn’t gone to ask for help, even when Link had suggested it. She’d been caught up in accessing her sealing powers and thinking it was too different from the others to swallow her pride and ask for help, “I didn’t think they were similar enough to help.” She admitted.

“It's easy to be blinded by our convictions, persuading ourselves that we know best, that our way is the right way, the only way. Only to be proven so terribly wrong. Sometimes we may think we know ourselves and our place in the world, when we really do not. That's why I'd suggest listening to others' advice. And know that you are not alone. Everyone makes mistakes, even princesses that go down in history as legends.” Sheik’s smile lit up her face, making Zelda stand a bit taller.

“I agree that a princess should never be alone.” A soothing voice said. Sheik’s smile widened as she bowed her head slightly to Zelda and vanished, leaving another in her wake. An expressive, beautiful blonde who wore a dress similar to Zelda’s white ceremonial robes. The newcomer had the gentlest eyes Zelda had ever seen with a hint of mischief behind them, “And you, my dear, are far from alone.”

“Are you a princess named Zelda as well?” Zelda smiled, feeling lighter after Sheik’s encouragement. The newcomer laughed and the joy behind it made Zelda relax.

“I am not a princess. I was around before Hyrule and the establishment of the monarchy. I founded what would become in time the kingdom of Hyrule with my knight and I suppose I’m part of the reason most of the princesses are named Zelda. But you can call me Celeste,” Celeste gently smiled, “I am here to help you awaken your sealing powers.” 

A jolt, similar to what she assumed getting hit with Urbosa’s lighting would feel like shot through Zelda’s body, “What did you say? You know how to awaken my power?”

“I believe I do. I will give you some advice, but it is up to you whether you can awaken it or not. After all, every person struggles and we are here to help awaken and maintain your powers. I want you to go over what the other Zelda’s have said to you. Think deeply about what they have said and you may find the answer.”

“I-” Zelda looked around at the blue fog, frowning slightly, “I will, but before that, may I hear what you have to say to me? So I can have your advice as well?”

“Are you alone?”

Zelda furrowed her brows, confused by the unexpected question, “Alone? No, you’re right here with me.”

Celeste smiled softly at her, “Are you alone, your highness? Do you have someone whom you can confide in? Do you have someone watching out for you?”

“Of course.” Zelda tilted her head in confusion.

“Who are they?” 

Zelda spoke after a couple of seconds, “My father.”

"You don't seem so sure," Celeste stated, with a sad, compassionate smile.

Zelda faltered, “I can't tell my father anything without the fear of his disappointment. It's been years since I've been able to have a tension-free conversation with him.”

"My father does care for me. He only wishes to help. I've just... my situation has made things difficult between us. And... and I think he may be dead." She whispered.

"Don't be so quick to assume the worst." The girl who wasn't a princess in title only said, as she reached out to gently hold Zelda's arm comfortingly, "Does anyone else come to mind?"

“Urbosa, she’s always stood strong next to me and has been like a mother to me. She cares deeply for me and would constantly be at my side if she were allowed to be. She wants the best for me,” Zelda slumped as she continued, “But because she’s the leader of her people, we don’t see each other often. I talk with her when I can, but she’s usually visiting for official business and leaves as soon as it’s done because of her responsibilities. With everything going on, I may see her once or twice a year.”

“And the other Champions?”

Zelda's mind immediately jumped to Link, “They’re my friends as well.” She looked away.

“Is there a certain Champion that you favor among the others?” Zelda’s eyes jerked to Celeste’s bright eyes.

“What do you mean by that?” She snapped, more harshly than she intended.

“I mean, was there anyone that followed you constantly and always had your back? Was there one to listen to you while you vented your frustrations whenever you needed? Did they unceasingly protect you from danger?”

“That’s because he had to.”

“Did he?”

Zelda dodged the question, “I treated him horribly simply because he had talent and seemed to succeed in everything he did.”

“And he still stayed by your side without complaint to protect you.”

Zelda hid her face in her hands, a small blush staining her cheeks, “What’s your point?”

“What is your purpose for unlocking your powers?”

Zelda lowered her hands to look at her, bewildered, “You keep jumping around in conversation. Does this random questioning have a point?”

“What is your purpose for unlocking your powers?” Celeste insisted.

Zelda held back a groan, “I’m attempting to unlock my powers so I can seal away the Calamity. Everyone knows that.”

“You’re unlocking your powers to seal away the Calamity,” Celeste repeated, her face growing more serious.

“Yes! That’s what the sacred power is for.” Zelda shifted, uncomfortable with Celeste’s change in mood.

“Is that all it’s for?”

“Yes? I don’t know. I need it to defeat the Calamity.” Zelda fidgeted as the silence stretched. Celeste stared at her, her face gentle, but her eyes intense.

“So then, are you not unlocking your powers to protect those you care about? People like your father, Urbosa, and Link?” Something in Celeste’s eyes prevented Zelda from blurting out an ‘of course I am!’. She bit her lip as she lapsed into silence.

“In trying to awaken my power, have I only been focusing on defeating the Calamity? I sought help at the Springs regarding this power that has been handed down over time. I've prayed that my power would awaken, to seal Ganon away, like I'd been told all my life. I… I do care for my people and my friends, but helping them wasn't my main purpose in attempting to obtain these powers. Have-have I been focused on the wrong goal?”

“You can only go so far, focused on yourself regarding your powers. Yes, defeating the Calamity would help protect those around you, but that’s not what you were thinking every time you offered up a prayer, is it? I want you to do something for me. Dusk was right when she said that your powers are familiar to you, hence why you can’t sense it. It’s not a feeling. It’s the faith of knowing it’s there and the need to use it.” Celeste paused, studying her, “Ah, your mind is clearing finally. Look, over there, at the battle taking place."

The blue mist was rapidly fading away, revealing the scene they'd left behind. Zelda obeyed and quickly cringed. She did not like the look of the gaping boar's maw of malice headed directly at her. She could see Link’s wide-eyes, hands outstretched like he could help her regardless of how far away he was.

“He’s special to you, isn’t he?”

Zelda blushed as she sputtered nonsensical words, “He’s- That’s- Why would you think that??”

Celeste laughed without abandon as Zelda covered her face with her hands, “You’ve grown fond of him as you’ve traveled together. He’s been faithfully by your side and is willing to die for you. He shares your burden of being one of the chosen ones and you recognized it. Do you want him to face that monstrosity alone?”

“NO!” She whipped around, wide-eyed, having a moment of déjà vu of the question.

Celeste beamed at her answer, “Then don’t let him. You have the power within your grasp.”

“But,” Zelda reached out as Celeste started to fade away, “what if I can’t use it?”

“Think of those you want to protect. I know you’re fearful, but wisdom acknowledges the fear and courage gives you the power to push through regardless. I believe in you.” Celeste’s gentle face faded away and Zelda took a deep breath, fortifying herself as she focused on the wisdom her predecessors gave her.

“This isn’t just for me. This power is for my father, my friends, and my people. They need the power within me. The power I’ve always had. The power I would have unlocked if Link hadn’t been transformed. It’s in me.” Silencing her thoughts, she breathed, closing her eyes and attempting to release the tension inside of her. Slowly opening her eyes, she steeled herself, “Confidence and courage. It’s familiar.” She held down her fear of failure and raised her hand, grinning in euphoria as golden light shone forth. With an unrestrained yell, she threw her hand forward and released the light as time started moving again. It expanded and covered the entire plain, repelling the malice that had been headed towards her. Ganon shrieked as the golden light pushed it further and further away, making a hasty retreat towards the castle. In an instant, the light disappeared, leaving Zelda grinning, “I did it!” 

Harsh coughs and a whinny had her focusing back to the present and she ran to Link. He was no longer in Fierce Deity form, he was once again in the blue Champion's outfit she had crafted for him.

"-rin-" Link struggled to regain his breath, coughing deeply.

"It's alright. Take your time to get your breath back." She waited for Link to catch his breath, "He was yelling just fine a minute ago. Why is he coughing like that?" she thought, filled to the brim with conflicting emotions: concerned with Link's well being and his newfound power's disappearance, yet almost vibrating in excitement at her own success.

"Malice- breathed in..." Link squeezed out between coughs.

"Oh? Hold on, perhaps I can..." She placed a hand on his chest and a gentle light emanated from it. Soon enough, his coughs lessened in severity until he could breathe normally again. She scanned the battlefield as he stood up and smiled as Epona trotted towards her and nudged her shoulder.

"It seems we're safe for now," Turning around, she frowned, "You were surrounded by malice and it looked like your sword had no effect. Is that why you are back to normal now?"

Link coughed, "I'm... not sure. He said we are no longer in need of his help, that we can make it on our own from here onward."

Zelda blinked at his statement. Was Link granted power to keep them alive until she would finally awaken her own?

"And yes, he also said the power of the Master Sword to repel evil will serve me better in the fight that is to come."

"Well, then it's a good thing that you've returned to your usual state so you can wield it. Now, that black fog of malice was a part of the Calamity, but the rest of it is hidden somewhere. I feel evil energy somewhat hidden towards the top of the castle. We need to head there with the utmost haste."

Link nodded in agreement, “Do you want me to help you onto Epona so we can make our way to the castle faster?”

“I’d appreciate that.” With a nod, he locked his fingers together and let her step in them. Hoisting her up, he waited for her to settle herself, keeping his hands up in the event she fell. At her nod, he jumped up and settled behind her before snaking his arms around her, grabbing the reins, and urging Epona forward.

As they passed the ruined gate of Castle Town, the grizzled sight caused them to falter. Black smoke had blocked their view of the town and Zelda had to stifle the sob that choked her throat. Most of the buildings had caved in, the wooden beams still smoldering from the fire. Everyone had tried to flee from the town, but most people didn’t make it into Hyrule Field. Zelda’s horrified eyes gazed upon a mother lying on the ground, a terrified expression frozen on her face. She cradled a little child in her arms, unseeing eyes staring into the malice filled sky. A small, sooty, stuffed bear lay a couple of inches from the child’s hands.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered brokenly to the corpse, catching Link looking at her from the corner of her eye. One muddy hand wrapped around her stomach, below Link’s arm, while the other covered her mouth. Seeing the devastation of the town made guilt boil in her gut. Why had she taken so long to awaken her power?

"Let's move on." Link whispered, he could no longer feel the anger and resentment of the entire land, but that didn't mean he had none of his own, "By defeating the Calamity, we'll stop events like this."

"I was too late," Zelda sobbed, "I could have helped them much sooner if only I had unlocked my sealing powers-"

"Princess! Not now... Please." His cracked plea stemmed her train of thought, "We have to keep moving. We cannot help those that have already passed on. But we can help those that still live. It- it helps if you think about that."

Zelda’s despair did not disappear, but she sat straighter as her fiery will took over, “You’re right. We’ll- we’ll deal with this later,” her voice cracked, “We have a mission to finish and more lives to save. Let’s go, Link.” She grabbed the reins from Link and spurred Epona on, avoiding Link’s gaze on the back of her head as she avoided looking at her fallen people. Zelda’s heart clenched as she saw guardians husks, dried blood painting Castle Town, and her fallen people strewn awkwardly on the ground. 

Link pointed towards the castle grounds, patrolled by flying machines, pulling Zelda's attention to the danger she had been unaware of, "We'll have to watch out for the flying guardians and those turret-like ones."

Zelda narrowed her eyes at the guardians, tapping Epona’s side to make her go faster.

"Please slow down Princess, let me take them out before getting too close." Link said. Zelda however showed no sign of stopping. As two of the flying guardians noticed them and targeted them with their red light, she leaned into Link, preventing him from attacking them.

“I’ll take care of these. We don’t know how strong Ganon is so you should reserve your strength as much as you can. Defeating these guardians is the least I can do.” Before Link could comment, she raised her hand just before the guardians released their beams and her golden light swallowed them. Mentally expanding her powers, the light grew until it covered a third of the castle. In a flash, the light returned to her, making the malice explode out of the guardians and rendering them useless. Mighty crashes reverberated as the flying machines fell to the ground, causing them to malfunction and detonate on themselves. 

A noise of awe had her looking up at Link, his eyes wide in appreciation and a small smile on his lips, “Impressive.”

She flushed at his praise, unsure what to do with such straightforwardness, “I-It’ll make getting to the top of the castle much easier. Now let’s go. Ganon is waiting for us.”

Malice erupted from the two guardians as one fell from the air and crashed into the moat below, the other exploding with blackish-pink malice from a turret. Link sheathed his sword and looked towards the sky. Dawn had broken, bathing the world in an eerie twilight.

“I could have handled it,” Zelda said to him, avoiding looking at the blood splatters and the disfigured soldiers. She guided Epona to the stairs of the throne room before they dismounted.

“I don’t doubt it. Are you ready for this fight?” 

“I am. I am sick of this disgusting malice clinging to everything. Ganon will not escape the consequences of his crimes.”

“I’ll go first, princess. Please wait for me to scout out where he is.” Link didn’t give Zelda enough time to answer. He knew she’d argue with him. He climbed the steps and stepped into the throne room, wincing as she huffed behind him. A heart-shaped mass was hanging from the ceiling.

“Link! Look out!” Zelda shouted as the mass pulsed before blue laser light pierced through it and destroyed the room, cutting through the floor. Link dodged the laser and pulled out his sword. The light vanished as a mass shuddered and steam erupted from it. It broke apart in a burst of malice and a creature fell from the ceiling. Link had no chance to see what it looked like when it collided with the throne room’s floor and a cloud of dust erupted from the broken floor. Link shielded his face from the flying debris as the floor shifted, but held. A decent-sized spider-like creature had crashed to the ground and writhed through the dirt as it found its feet. Its body was made up haphazardly of guardian parts that were fused with malice and encased in guardian weapons. Several of the mechanical arms twitched and jerked, like the beast couldn’t control it. Link shifted as the dust cleared and faced the monstrosity. 

“Please be careful, Link! We don’t know what it can do!” Link jerked as he looked behind him, Zelda’s words sounding like she was next to him, but she was hiding behind a pillar, “Be careful!” Link focused back on the monster. It turned towards him and released an enraged screech, twice as tall as himself.

"You seem angry. Just you wait. We will seal you away... for another 10,000 years!" Link growled as he shifted his stance, lifting his sword, “You’ve caused the death of so many people. You’ve hurt the innocent and have caused Zelda too much grief. Prepare yourself.”

Chapter Text

Zelda flitted from pillar to pillar, attempting to get to the second floor so she wouldn't gain Ganon's attention, "Of course Ganon would put up a barrier so that I can't get outside and let Link fight as he wishes... I should have listened to him. But I will not get in his way!" She grounded out. She had followed Link in, meaning to seal Ganon right away, but when the monster appeared before them she somehow knew instinctively that she would not be able to do it until her hero weakened the fiend.

The Princess almost tripped over thin air when the Sheikah slate vibrated on her hip. Cursing loudly, sparing a brief thought to how horrified her father would be if he heard her, she scrambled behind a pillar as her heart pounded in her chest.

"Of all the cursed-" She cut off as she pulled out her Sheikah slate. A message was displayed on the screen. 

"Calamity Ganon located. Relaying coordinates to the Divine Beasts in 56 seconds. Abort?" The last word was inscribed in a rectangle.

Zelda blinked seeing the seconds tick away. She shut out the sounds of battle, she had to think fast. She certainly wanted the Divine Beasts to aid in the fight, yet would she and Link be caught in the blast? 38 seconds .

But what if she didn’t get another prompt from the slate? This could be the only chance. 32 seconds .

She risked a peek around the pillar to look at their surroundings and the monster. It was big. Too big to hide anywhere in the sanctum. 21 seconds .

Taking a deep breath, she stumbled up the stairs two at a time and dove behind a large banister. She checked the screen again: 12 seconds .

She didn't want to give Ganon too much time to thwart the incoming attack (if it could), or get to her, but she couldn't risk Link's safety. She poked her head out of her hiding spot. "Link! Find shelter! Now!!" Both Link and their enemy turned towards her. It wasn't hard for her to guess that Link would be more concerned about Ganon spotting her than about his own safety, "You have to trust me! Please!"

She knew without looking at the Slate's screen that the signal had been sent. She ducked her head, praying that for once Link would not put her safety over her instructions. Light blinded her vision and the ground shook violently.

"I should have moved further away." She groaned, curling into the fetal position as chunks of rock and wind buffed against her.

“Now my moment has finally come,” Revali ignored Link’s protests when he rose as Medoh’s own excitement coursed through him, “Brace yourself, Ganon, for the devastating attack of Revali, Champion of the Rito!” He flung out a burnt wing and Vah Medoh answered, a giant beam erupting from its beak, headed towards Hyrule Castle in a blaze of glory. Three other laser beams shot towards the castle at the same time.

“Those are the other Champions. It’s good to know they survived.” Revali said. He puffed out his chest, looking on smugly as a great sense of accomplishment and pride rushed through him. He thought no matter what would happen, nothing could rob him of this moment.

"Neat."

Turns out he was wrong. "Neat?" Revali whirled around to face his human guest, "Neat?!"

Link made a perplexed face, "No? Uhm... pretty darn cool, then?"

The rito put his face into one of his wings making a sound of frustrated outrage, "You've just witnessed an event of incredible historical importance; a gigantic, venerable machine unleashing a tremendous amount of energy to deal a crippling blow to the enemy of all life... and that's all you've got to say??"

"Well, I suppose, if we look at it that way..."

Revali waited for Link to go on as the hylian’s lip twitched suspiciously, but it seemed he was not going to add anything more to that. "If we look at it that way." He repeated incredulously, "You make it sound like I'm trying to overemphasize something mundane that you see every day."

"Now that you mention it, I've seen similar beams of light penetrate the cloud barrier, every time I recovered a part of the ancient stone map... so I guess I am kind of used to this sort of thing, yeah." Link answered, then politely lifted a hand as he coughed, making Revali’s eyes narrow.

All of Revali's dismay and indignation must have been plain as day on his face, for his guest finally burst into helpless fits of laughter.

The rito blinked twice before realizing he'd been played like a fiddle. Venomously he spat, "Oh, you…"

Link put up his hands in a placating gesture, "Sorry, sorry, couldn't resist! If you could have seen the look on your face."

Revali scoffed, "You're lucky we saved each other's lives, or I'd throw you off."

"If it’d make you feel better. Zelda has done it multiple times." Link said as his chuckling died down, "But seriously, it was an amazing, breathtaking spectacle. I don't think the Calamity could stand any chance against this. So… what now?"

"We wait. Medoh is recharging and if the fight drags on with Ganon, we'll blast it again.” Revali said, slightly placated that Medoh’s eminence wasn’t belittled

"How long will it take to recharge?" Link questioned, tilting his head.

Revali opened his beak before snapping it shut, a thoughtful expression crossing his face, "I… don't know. These beasts are quite the mystery. It's a shame that we've lost most of the Sheikah information on them. I've had to figure out how it worked on my own and bond with it." It still seemed strange how a mechanical beast could respond to him like Medoh did.

"A mechanical, sentient beast huh? It's not too far from the ancient machines I've encountered in my journey. I still don't know how they work or how they all have a different personality. It's mind blowing to see the foregone inventions of a time long past." Link sighed, wistfully gazing at the castle.

Revali followed his gaze, nodding at his statement as he took note of the crimson bird flying around them. Refusing to glance at his burnt wings he kept his stare on the castle, muttering under his breath, "You better not let the Calamity get the best of you, Champion Link."

“This will be our best opportunity,” Mipha clasped her hands together, “We will not fail!” She extended her arms and a bright light exploded from Vah Ruta, hitting Hyrule Castle at the same time as three other lasers.

She turned around and was met with the awed look on Link's face, "Incredible. Truly breathtaking."

Mipha blushed at his remarks, having to tell herself that he was surely talking about the power of the Divine Beast, not her little speech or piloting.It was hard to stay convinced of it though when those blue eyes focused on her and he followed that up by saying, "Congrats on successfully fulfilling your duty."

"T-thank you, I'm flattered." She smiled at him, sincerely, but then her face fell in contemplation.

Her frown, of course, did not go unnoticed by Link, "What's wrong, Princess Mipha."

"It's actually not over yet. I would like to go right now to aid Link... I mean, Champion Link. And Princess Zelda, of course. But I must stay here in case I need to fire on Ganon once more. Vah Ruta is charging up again."

“Why not just automatically set this beast to fire when it’s all charged up?” Midna asked, crossing her arms.

Mipha’s wide-eyed look almost caused Midna to question whether she should have asked, “Umm. I don’t think I can. There has to be someone on the divine beast for it to function… I think.”

“So this creature is a mystery to you.” Midna stated, glancing around the enormous machine.

“Ah, yes. It seems that the more we discover, the less we know.”

Link nodded, “That seems to be the same for every ‘ancient power’. Long before my time, Hylians had advanced technology they received from the People of the Sky, called Oocca. I actually managed to reach their City in the Sky. It was falling apart and I suspect they don't know how to fix it. And don't get me started on how difficult it was to get their gadgets to work so I could progress in my quest.” 

“It’s obnoxious.” Midna sighed, “Why do these things get forgotten and lost? It’s so inconvenient.”

“Yeah,” Link nodded, a mischievous gleam in his eye, “How dare there be fires that burn up libraries, or the passage of time ruining the pages of books.” He dodged to the side as Midna’s orange hair swiped at him, her hands on her hips.

“Don’t get smart with me, little wolf. I don’t need you to answer rhetorical questions.”

“But we have time while we’re waiting for Vah Ruta to recharge. You know that I’m used to being in constant motion. It feels weird to simply stand around, literally doing nothing but talking.”

Mipha smiled gently as Midna leaned closer to Link, glaring him down, “Don’t give me that. You’d happily waste away a day fishing if I let you.”

“Fishing and doing nothing are two different things.” Link stressed.

“Not really.” Midna turned gracefully in the air, her hair whacking Link in the face as she addressed the zora princess, “So you’re saying we’re stuck here until the battle with Ganon is done, correct?”

“Yes.” Mipha said as Link sputtered, wiping at his face, “Although, you don’t have to stay, if you want to continue searching for a way back to your time.”

Midna hesitated, torn on what to do, “We know little to nothing about this world and should stick by someone who does. It’d be reckless to go searching by ourselves.”

“Then I guess we’re staying here.” Link nodded.

Mipha smiled at the two, “Thank you for keeping me company.”

"We're happy to." Link said with a winning smile that made the red scaled princess flustered again.

With a sigh and a curt “Excuse us,” Midna pulled him away, but not so far that Mipha's zora hearing couldn't pick up what she whispered to him, "As fun as it was at first, do you realize in that goat herding head of yours that you come off as if you're flirting with her?"

Which was met by a much louder "Uh?!" on his part.

“Seriously?! You’re as dense as Coro!”

As the two continued to bicker, Mipha stifled a giggle before looking to the castle, "Everyone, please be safe."

“Here we go, Little Guy!” Daruk knocked his fist together before punching the air, “Now! Open up wide, Ganon!” Link watched, eyes sparkling, as the laser spewed out of Rudania’s mouth and collided with the castle.

“That’s so awesome!” Link gushed, bouncing in place, “You’re awesome!”

Daruk pumped up a fist, "That's right! Ha! Thanks Tiny Guy! And the swine will have another one coming if Little Guy isn't done with him by the time Rudania is ready to fire again."

Link coughed as the goron pounded his back in appreciation. He managed to splutter out, "So does the divine beast charge up by itself or do you need to give it something? I have to drink magic potions to refill my magic." Link watched as Daruk's face scrunched up, one hand going to rub at his chin.

“Good question. Let’s find out!” Apparently ‘finding out’ meant Daruk splaying one hand on Rudania’s back and not talking. Link waited as the goron stayed still, wiping away a bead of sweat from his forehead. 

“Alright!” Daruk announced suddenly, making the blond jump in surprise, “Rudania will charge himself just fine and we’ll fire if need be!”

“That’s-That’s great.” Link stuttered out, his hand on his chest. He still couldn’t get used to the random loud spurts of emotion the goron showed, "I guess it's like the machines in the Tower of the Gods. Those too did not seem in need of a recharge despite having been around for who knows how long."

"A Divine Beast inside a tower? How would it fit in there?" Daruk asked with puzzlement.

"Oh, nothing near this big... though the one at the top was by no means small." It had started to get warmer, despite being further away from the volcano and sweat dripped down his face.

“Hey Tiny Guy, you’re sweating up a storm. Oh! The elixir must be wearing off! This is bad, I was so focused on being ready for the Calamity that I forgot about that! Don't worry, I’ll be right back!” Before Link could say anything, Daruk vaulted off the divine beast and curled, hitting the ground harshly and spinning off the trail. 

“Wait!” Link gasped, “Did he leave me at the top of this mountain with no path down? Ugh.” Link gasped as the heat became more intense and each breath brought no relief, "I could use a distraction right now." He said holding the Pirate's Charm right in front of his face, "Hello!? Anybody?" The stone remained dull and unresponsive. Panting, he considered trying to use the Deku Leaf like a fan, but thought it lucky enough it resisted the descent from before without burning to a crisp, so growling, he instead pulled out several ice arrows and held them near his mouth so he could breath in slightly cool air. Nothing to do and no one to talk to as he waited for Daruk to return, “Stupid heat, stupid clothes, stupid-” He cut himself off as sweat rolled off his body and he almost collapsed to the ground. 

The only reason he didn’t fall to the ground was because his clothes had caught on fire.  He yelped in pain, trying to put out the flames with his hands and when that didn’t work, he rolled around on the floor, but to no avail. Thankfully just then Daruk arrived and quickly handed a bottle to him. As soon as he swallowed the liquid, the temperature eased up and with the goron's help the fires were snuffed off his now somehow fire-resistant clothes. 

“Sorry Tiny Guy. I usually carry more than one bottle, but hadn’t this time. Here, I got you some of this as well.”

Glorious water. Link jumped up, yelling his thanks as he snatched the water and let the warm liquid ease his parched throat. It would have been better if it was ice cold, but he couldn’t afford to be picky now.

“Whew, that was a close one. Thanks for getting this for me!” Link grinned up at the goron. 

“No problem Tiny Guy! And don’t worry, I brought plenty of extra!” Daruk beamed as he revealed three more bottles of the fireproof elixir.

“Wow. Thanks Daruk! I do NOT want to go through that heat again.” Link emphasized the point by taking off his hat and pouring some of the water on his head.

“You hylians and your weird bodies. Having a body of rock seems much more convenient.” Daruk shook his head.

“Wouldn't be much good to me where I live. Unless you mean to tell me you're an unexpectedly good swimmer.” Link harrumphed. 

Daruk laughed as he sat down, prompting Link to do the same, “It may take a while for the Little Guy and Tiny Princess to defeat Ganon. This isn’t such a bad way to spend my time.”

“Hear me Ganon! I, Champion Urbosa, Chief of the Gerudo, in the name of my people once more reject you! Be gone from this world!” Urbosa snapped her fingers, releasing a powerful white-blue blast towards Hyrule Castle.

Link hummed as four beams hit the castle. "This is one impressive Beamos we're standing on. Wouldn't want to be hit by one of these, let alone four."

"A what?" Urbosa asked as she ruffled his hair, having returned to sit next to him on the ledge.

"It's a machine that shoots beams. Like this but small and not mobile." Link's face scrounged up, but didn't swat her hand away. He imagined that this is what his mother would do to him if she were still alive.

"Oh. So like a guardian without the legs." She considered.

"I think Ganondorf placed them around in dungeons. In Hyrule, that is, dunno about Termina, maybe the pirates." Link thought aloud.

"Why's that?" The champion questioned.

"They all have this huge nose, just like he does and-" He stopped mid-sentence, but already too late.

With a scowl Urbosa leaned down in Link's face, making it hard for him not to look straight at her nose, "You were about to say something awfully indelicate, weren't you?"

"I- Ah!" He didn't get a chance to defend himself before she started tickling him.

Eventually, once he'd managed to get an apology out in-between uncontrolled laughter, she stopped, allowing him to calm down. Link noticed the Gerudo somberly looking in the distance, at Hyrule Castle.

“What’s wrong, Urbosa?” He questioned.

She gave him a sad smile and put an arm around his shoulders,“I know that the princess and Link are at the castle, and it is taking everything in me to not rush over there this instant. I have to wait for Vah Naboris to recharge and see if I can fire again to help them out, but waiting is always the most painful part.” 

Link didn’t say anything as they lapsed into silence, “Waiting… waiting is horrible. But running out of time is equally terrifying.” Link frowned as he started to trace a circular pattern on one of Urbosa’s arms, “Never knowing if you’re going to make it in time to help others or if your enemy is going to cut your time short and continue on with their evil plan. I don’t know which one I’d prefer.”

“Neither if it was up to me.” Urbosa commented, “Like you said, both are horrible.”

“I think,” Tatl spoke up, her voice small, “That it’s worse seeing a friend slowly descend into madness and there’s nothing you can do to help them. When you’re waiting, at least you know that you’ll be able to do something in the future. And with running out of time, you’re doing something. But a friend that does not listen to reason, there’s nothing you can do, but watch them descend on their chosen path.” Once again, silence descended on the trio.

“No use dwelling on things you can’t change.” The harsh reality of Urbosa’s statement was soothed by her gently cupping Tatl into her palm, “It’s hard, but why focus on things you can’t change rather than what you can do for them?”

“It’s not like I want to be consumed by anxiety and worry.” Tatl huffed, sinking into Urbosa’s hand and holding onto her thumb, “If I could, I’d knock these feelings out of me.” 

“Wouldn’t we all.” Urbosa mused, “But that’s part of life. We have to accept the good and the bad, whatever comes our way. We’d never learn or grow if bad things didn’t happen. We’d be stuck. And I think that is the scariest thing.”

“I have learned many things from my adventures and I have to agree with you. But too much bad can be more devastating in the long run.” Link argued.

“Okay ENOUGH!” Tatl’s shrill voice startled the two as she zipped from Urbosa’s palm to fly in front them. Both looked at her wide-eyed, Urbosa unconsciously holding Link closer against her, “We are finished talking about this topic! It serves us no good, except to bring our spirits down! Since we can’t find any portal, we’ll still have to wait and while we wait, we might as well talk about something more uplifting.” They couldn’t refute her as her color’s changed, daring them to contradict her. 

“What would be a more uplifting topic?” Link questioned.

“Something that doesn’t involve waiting, running out of time, or not being able to help a friend! You grew up hearing stories from the Deku tree, correct?” At Link’s nod, she continued, “Why don’t you tell us one of your favorite stories that he told.” As Link tilted his head in thought, Urbosa glanced once more at the castle, allowing one more somber thought before focusing on Link's story, “Be strong, Little Bird. We’re almost there.”

“Now there’s something I had yet to see.” Link whistled as four giant beams tore through the air and hit the castle. Rhoam looked up from where they were taking their break before leaping to his feet.

“They’re alive. And if they’re targeting the castle, that means Link and Zelda are alive. Thank Hylia!” Heavy relief flooded his veins, making his legs weak and he collapsed back on the rock he had been sitting on. 

“Whoa, your majesty! Are you alright?” At the king’s shaky nod, he asked, “Would you clarify on what those beams of light mean?” 

“It means hope! It means the Champions are not dead! It means my daughter is alive and they are battling the Calamity as we speak! She’s fighting for Hyrule.” Dread replaced his relief, “It means she’s fighting for her life and she still might now make it out alive. I have to go to her!” King Rhoam stood up and barked, “Captain!”

The captain of the guard stumbled over a small piece of rubble in his haste to reach the king's side, “Yes, your majesty?”

“How is the tunnel excavation progressing?”

“Slowly my king. There are many wounded soldiers and we need to split those who can work into two groups. Those that care for the wounded and those that are removing the rubble from the stairway. We only have a few dozen men that we can work with.” The captain hesitated before adding, “I await your command, your majesty.”

Link watched as conflicting emotions warred on the king’s face. King Rhoam had to choose between his daughter and his wounded men. Not an easy decision.

“Keep everything as is. I trust your judgment in where you placed my soldiers.” Rhoam spoke eloquently, slipping into his kingly persona as the captain nodded in relief and returned to wrapping a bandage around a soldier's arm.

“From an outsider's perspective, it seemed like an easy choice to make, but for you, it wasn’t.” Link observed as the king sat back down on his chosen rock. 

Rhoam chuckled wearily, “I know that people often envy kings and queens, thinking that they get whatever they want whenever they want. It couldn’t be further from the truth. For the most part, even before a prince becomes king, they have to make personal sacrifice after sacrifice. They can’t afford to think selfishly because that could cause the kingdom to collapse. They are watched all the time, to make sure that they are acting as expected of them. Everyday, they have to worry about whether their food is poisoned or if an assassin is going to attack them at night, or if an adviser will stab them in the back. You have to stay strong for the people because if the king is confident, the people will be confident.” A long sigh escaped the king as he rubbed his eyes. Link blinked in surprise at the king who seemed to age a decade in the span of seconds, “I apologize, that’s a heavy topic.”

“Not at all. I mean it is a heavy topic, but I’m glad you brought it up. I wouldn’t want to become king without knowing exactly what I am getting into. Your honesty is refreshing. Now, there has to be rewarding aspects of being king, or else why would anyone want to be one? Could you tell me about that as well?” Link asked earnestly.

Rhoam glanced at Link before chuckling, “Of course there are merits to being king. Every job has its ups and downs. Being able to help my people in a direct way by influencing the laws and maintaining peace is one of the benefits.” Rhoam cast a glance at Hyrule Castle, praying that his dear daughter was safe.

Then he heard Link gasp, “Your majesty…!”

Ganon swayed as it reared back to attack. 

“Link! Find shelter! Now!!” Link looked up at his princess, as did the monster in front of him. His brow furrowed, he didn't know why he was ordered to take refuge, but he couldn't do that now that Ganon knew where she was.

The princess must have realized his thoughts as she pleaded with him, "You have to trust me! Please!"

He hesitated, but the conviction in her voice persuaded him to do as she asked. He scrambled away, following Zelda’s advice and gripped the edge of a pillar just as a violent onslaught of blue light filled the room, sending him to the ground. The stone pillar kept him from taking too much damage, but a particularly nasty rock hit his left eye, making his scream mingle with Ganon’s. He raised his hands to protect his face, berating himself for not doing it soon as tears spilled from both eyes. The light continued to cascade like rain, striking the monstrosity, making it collapse to the floor. It screeched in pain as its flesh burned.

“The Champions must be alive! They have aided us to the best of their abilities and now it is up to us to defeat him once and for all!” The deadly hail of light finished and hearing Zelda's voice, Link stepped from behind the pillar. He looked up to see that she was speaking to him from outside one of the windows upstairs. The Divine Beasts's beams must have momentarily undone the barrier Ganon had put up, but judging by the magenta veil in front of her, it had been raised again. Not to worry. He wasn't trapped with Ganon. Ganon was trapped with him. The Calamity shook itself off and glowered at him as he drew his sword and took a step forward. 

Ganon didn’t hesitate to swing one of it’s swords at him. Link threw himself into a backflip, frowning as the weapon of sheikah technology jerked against where it was fused with the malice. Clearly the monster did not have full control of it’s weapons. He swiped his own sword, light releasing from it, spinning forward in a circle until tearing into the monstrosity's shoulder. Ganon reared back and slammed into the ground, creating a shock wave that swept Link’s feet out from under him. Link twisted as he fell, rolling as he hit the ground and was up in a second, running towards the monster. The Calamity screeched at him and swung a blade. Link’s sword clashed against it, but the momentum of the beast’s swing caused him to skid sideways. 

He grunted as Ganon swung its glowing orange sword and trails of fire shot out from it. Link rolled to the side and as he stood up, he saw a red light aimed at him and blinking. So it had a guardian laser too. Impossibly fast, the beam shot towards Link.

And it was parried back at the monster, opening a gash in Ganon's side, making it scream in anger. As guilty as Link felt for taking the Royal Shield next to a guard’s body on the way to the Sanctum, he was extremely glad that he did.  Felt callous at the time, but after fighting all those Guardians before receiving the Fierce Deity's aid, he would never again deliberately go into a fight without a shield.

Still, the impact left him a little dizzy. He shook his head in time to see Ganon swing its orange sword in a vertical chop, a wave of fire surging towards him. He raised his shield in front of him too late and yelped when the fire still washed over him. He heard Zelda scream her worry and ran, patting out the small fires on his clothes. When he heard Zelda’s startled gasp a second time, he looked up to see Ganon crawling on the wall up the stairs and straight toward the window the princess was observing the fight from, the Calamity's spider-like abdomen making it seem like the creature had gorged itself on food.

"Don't you dare!!" With a snarl, Link pulled out a bow he had also collected on the way to the castle's throne room along with bomb arrows. Drawing back the string, he made sure Ganon would not ignore him one moment longer. The Calamity screamed as it was engulfed by explosions, then Link's eyes widened as Ganon released two gigantic whirlwinds, but he still glanced to note that Zelda had moved away from that window, "Good." 

Sprinting, he dodged the tornadoes, his clothes whipping around from the wind, then moved in to attack the Calamity. The creature raised one of its arms, wind swirling around the blue eye at the center and released it, blasting him. Link collided with the wall, the breath forced out of his lungs from the impact. As he fell to the ground, four light pellets struck him, shooting pain throughout his body. He groaned as he fell to the floor.

“Link! Are you alright?” Zelda’s voice startled him enough to make him gasp in the air. He rolled on the floor and shot up, recovering quicker than he thought possible.

“Yeah. This thing is obnoxious.” His eyes widened as, out of thin air, metal poles slammed down and planted themselves into the ground, "What is this now?" He didn't have to wait long to find the answer as lightning started striking down the rods one by one. Fortunately, he was able to get to a safe distance before any would hit close to him, "Tornadoes and lightning?” Link grounded his teeth.

Realizing his limited options, Link resumed his slow but steady barrage of bomb arrows. Ganon dropped from the wall with a scream, destroying what was left of the suspended gallery after it had smashed its way above it. As Link readied another arrow, Ganon screeched much louder than before, evidently furious, and it flung its sword out, a brilliant orange shield surrounding it, before encasing the creature like bright armor. Link released his arrow, only for it to detonate harmlessly against the shield, causing a small scratch to form.

"How do you have that?! That's Daruk's Protection!" The Calamity backed away and climbed up the wall once more. Had Daruk fallen after commanding Vah Rudania to fire? Was his power taken from his dead body? But the Calamity had also used wind and lightning... no it couldn't have been like that with all three of them, could it? He glanced at Zelda, looking in on the scene from a different window and saw his thoughts reflected on her face. "If you've hurt the Champions... then I will be the one to avenge them!" Link shot another arrow which Ganon didn't bother to dodge. "No good. I hope it doesn't have the ability to heal itself as well."

Ganon gripped its orange sword and flung it forward. Link tensed, waiting for the fire wave and frowned as a small sphere of fire floated towards him. As it got closer, his instincts screamed at him and he bolted. The sphere touched the ground and exploded, the fire licking at Link’s back as he ran. Ganon screeched and its spear arm reared back before throwing forward. Link blinked as the spear clattered to the ground, yards away from his position. Did it not have full control of its body? Was it because after being sealed for 10,000 years, it was like a newborn? Or did it release most of its malice to corrupt the guardians, waiting while it festered here and grew?

“Link! It stops glowing for half a second as it’s attacking.” Zelda said, her voice echoing across the sanctum. Link blinked, focusing on Ganon as it shot at him with its energy bolts. Sure enough, the five times it attacked him, for a split second, its glow darkened.

“Just because it seems like a newborn, doesn’t mean I should forget that I’m dealing with an ageless evil. Finding the timing to attack is going to be difficult.” Link dove out of the way as Ganon leaped off the wall and collided with the ground, releasing shock waves, “ESPECIALLY if he does THAT!” He dodged as Ganon swept its orange sword, setting the place on fire. Link spun and swung his sword, cursing when it glanced off the glowing shield. He’d attacked too late. Never would he have expected he'd find himself despising a shield resembling Daruk’s protection.

Ganon raised its laser weapon and the red blinking light settled on Link. Link backed up and as the beam of light traveled towards him, Link hit it back to Ganon, striking it when its shield was down.

“Finally!” He dashed forward and before Ganon could recover and escape out of reach, he attacked in a flurry. Ganon screeched as the Master Sword pierced its flesh, cutting out large chunks. The monster swung its short blade and nailed Link in the side, flinging him across the room as it scrambled back up the wall. Link heard Zelda scream his name and grunted as he rolled across the floor, the cut was not too bad, though his ribs were definitely bruised.

“The sword does considerable damage. I thought it’d be fine to attack it from a distance so it wouldn't use that shock-wave attack, but it may be better to knock it down and attack directly with the sword.” Mind made up, Link danced between the fiery attacks and the beams of lights, waiting for his chance. 

He took it when one of Ganon’s arms raised above its head, collecting fire into a small sphere. With extremely precise timing, he shot a bomb arrow that reached its target just as Ganon was releasing the fire orb, hitting the fiend in the fraction of a second its barrier was down and making it fall to the ground, stunned. Running like there were wings on his feet, he jumped and brought his sword down on the monster. He slashed with the fury of a Lynel and backflipped to dodge a wild short sword strike. 

The orange shield dulled from its original brilliance. “Almost there. He has to be getting weaker.” Link took a step back in preparation as Ganon changed tactics and moved closer. Three tail-like appendages rose above Ganon’s head, one having a short sword, another scissors, and the middle a claw-like hand. Link watched them, backing up and moving to the side to not get trapped. The scissors cut forward and Link dodged, the edge of the blade drawing blood on his face. Link threw his hand up and chopped off the appendage. He gasped as the claw grabbed onto his neck and lifted him in the air. 

“No! Put him down you monster!” The princess shouted from outside.

Just as Link swung his sword, separating the claw from Ganon’s body, the short sword jerked, before burying itself in his shoulder. It would have pierced his heart if Ganon had full control of its weapons. Screaming in pain, he swung his sword, cutting the appendage and launching forward to slash at Ganon’s face in rapid succession. The shield dulled further, more opaque.

Ganon rose in the air in pain, slamming down for a shock-wave and knocking Link back, making him grunt as white-hot pain shot from his wound. As the monster climbed up the wall, Link heaved himself up. He groaned as the monster shot down a sphere of fire, moving too quickly for Link to shoot an arrow. He broke into a run, gritting his teeth at his wound that slowly dulled as he grew accustomed to it. The fiery explosion almost made him fall flat on his face, but he straightened with a warrior’s experience. 

A targeting light focused on his body and he fell into a stance, holding his shield. As the beam of light sped towards him, he threw his strength into his arm and shoulder, whipping the attack back at Ganon. The monster fell and Link was there to meet it, attacking it with his sword as his shoulder twanged in pain. The shield shattered ( finally! ) and Link drove the Master Sword in the creature’s malformed head.

The Calamity collapsed and Link pulled out his sword, taking a couple of steps back, wiping the sweat from his brow. Ganon moved jerkily, malice randomly spurting out of its body. It turned to him, deep gash spewing and took a step forward but the unsteady fused guardian parts malfunctioned, making it fall to the ground in a heap. Ganon screamed as dark pink light shone from its abdomen before the light formed a ball and exploded from the inside. Malice fog filled the air, stinging Link as some of it washed over him. The dark pink/black fume hovered in the middle of the room, circling. It condensed into a cloud and rose, out of the battle field.

Zelda ran to Link’s side, the barrier had evidently been dispelled with Ganon’s exit, “He’s headed to Hyrule Field. I can get us there.” Golden light surrounded them. In a flash, his surroundings changed to a field, the world bathed in twilight as the sun hadn’t shown itself yet. Malice fog swirled in a thick cloud in front of him and more was still flying in from the castle. A whinny made him turn around and he saw Zelda was riding on Epona, just next to him. 

“Ganon was born out of a dark past. It is the pure embodiment of the ancient evil that is reborn time and time again,” Massive hooves attached to limbs emerged from the fog as Zelda spoke, “It has given up on reincarnating into a new body and has assumed its true, enraged form, gathering all the malice it previously released to the guardians. If set free upon our world, the destruction will be unlike anything ever seen before.” A giant boar roared out of the mist as it dispersed, “We need to deal with this monstrosity. This time, I will put up a barrier, to prevent Ganon from escaping this fight. Link, quickly, climb onto Epona. I’ll be steering and need you to attack it with the Light arrows from this Bow of Light.” As she spoke, she lifted her hands, light flowing from them and condensing into a shape, quickly turning into a physical object, “I can force gaps into the malice that coats the body, creating weak points and will need you to fire upon them when I mark them.”

“Be cautious, princess. I’ll make sure to hit the target, but please keep as far away as possible from Ganon.” Link said as he effortlessly jumped onto Epona’s back and took the weapons. Link gripped the horse with his thighs and rolled his injured shoulder. It still stung, but was manageable and he needed this shoulder if he wanted to strike at the Dark Beast Ganon. With a sharp cry, Zelda tapped the mare and prompted a burst of speed from the horse, charging into battle.

Princess Zelda couldn’t keep the bubble of worry from gnawing at her as the beast roared and slammed one of its hooves on the ground, spraying dirt in the air. Once again, she wished she could use her sealing powers now to get rid of the dreadful monster, but it still wasn’t nearly weak enough to truly be sealed. 

Steeling her nerves, she urged Epona into a gallop, realizing a little too late that she didn’t know if Link would be able to shoot a bow while riding a horse without a saddle. What if he fell off? What if she swerved and he missed a critical shot? What if-

“Princess, I don’t see any weak spots. Am I failing to notice them? Or are they not there yet?” Link’s murmur brought her back to the present with a jolt and she glanced back to see him gripping the bow and his eyes flickering from Ganon to her.

“No, not yet.” She cleared her throat as she examined Dark Ganon’s body when Epona ran parallel from it, a safe distance away. She watched as the beast built up dark pink light in its mouth and released it, carving a ditch in the ground, glad it apparently hadn’t spotted them yet.

 Casting her power on its body, she could see the flow of malice more clearly. It swirled as the beast moved, she wouldn’t be able to force a gap in it wherever and whenever she wished. Preparing herself, she nudged the mare into the direction she wanted her to go and raised one hand towards the monster, her power making a spot on one of the legs glow. She knew Link saw it as an arrow flew from behind her and buried itself in the glowing mark on its hind leg. Ganon screamed as its leg buckled, but held, quivering slightly.

“Good shot.” Zelda praised, “It’s difficult to ride and reveal the weak spots. Can I only do one at a time?” She jerked out of her thoughts as Epona reared suddenly, a large hoof digging into the ground a few feet in front of them as Ganon turned to face them. She gripped Epona’s mane, but almost lost her hold as one of Link’s arms snaked around her stomach in his attempt to stay on the horse. Grunting with the unexpected pull, she yanked the reins so they’d go under the beast as she marked a bright spot on Ganon’s stomach. Link let go of his grip on her and flawlessly released another arrow to embed on the monster’s stomach. “How is he so good at this? There should be a limit to how skilled one person is!” A brief flash of Link breathing heavily while fighting the guardians before the Fierce Deity granted him powers crossed her mind, “Nevermind, I don’t ever want to see him at his limit again.” 

She pulled on Epona’s reins, mentally apologizing to the horse for treating her so roughly. The mare responded beautifully, it was as if she already knew what to do. Ganon roared in anger as another blast built up in its mouth.

“I don’t think that Dark Beast Ganon is intelligent. It seemed smarter when I was fighting it in the castle. Could it be too consumed by rage to think clearly?” Link’s question had Zelda blinking rapidly.

“You mean because it seems to be moving without thought and not targeting us, even as we attack it from the side?” Her statement was cemented as Ganon released the blast when they were by its side, targeting its opposite hind leg. Link’s arrow flew true, making Ganon’s stance weaken.

“You’re right, it’s moving like a mindless beast. We can use that to our advantage.” Zelda grinned, “We don’t have to rush our shots and can stay pretty far away until we need to close in for you to shoot.” However, before they could get far, the beast moved and dirt sprayed in the air, hitting Epona in the eyes. Epona whinnied in pain as she jerked back, throwing Link and Zelda from her back. Link wrapped his arms around Zelda and twisted so he took the brunt of the fall. Nonetheless, Zelda got the breath knocked out of her. 

“Get up!” Link pushed her up and gripped her hand, pulling her away from Ganon and whistling for Epona. Zelda managed to glance back at the horse, but Epona didn’t seem to hear them as she ran from Ganon. Link and Zelda blinked when Ganon turned around, away from them, roaring at nothing.

“Is this thing so far gone that it has no idea where its enemies are?” Zelda sputtered in disbelief.

“It is to our advantage.” Link said, whistling once more for Epona, this time, the mare heard him and galloped over to him.

“Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.” Zelda grounded out as Epona stopped by them, “This is the beast that has caused us countless pain and endless worry. It’s nothing more than a stupid animal.” She turned to Epona and brushed her neck, cooing, “You, on the other hand, are the sweetest and most intelligent animal I’ve met.” 

Link helped Zelda on the saddle and jumped up himself as Ganon released its scorching laser in the opposite direction. He sighed audibly, “This creature is making us look foolish.”

“I agree.” Zelda growled before she leaned forward on Epona, “Sweet girl, I’m going to rely on you to take the lead after we get close. I know you’re smart enough, given that you were a gift from the Fierce Deity.” Epona shook her mane and answered by trotting forward, towards the beast.

“Princess?” Link inquired, his unspoken questions hanging in the air.

“I need to focus on giving you more targets. I know you’re good with the bow, so it should be relatively easy for you to shoot two targets in a row. Trying to maneuver the horse and push back the malice is difficult for me. I’ll have to trust Epona to guide us.” Zelda turned her head to look upon Ganon as it turned around, still not facing them. She closed her eyes and concentrated, holding up her hands to make Ganon’s shoulder and midriff glow brightly with golden light. Epona sped up and moved towards the beast, allowing Link an easier time to pull back the string and release one, than two arrows. Epona galloped away as the second arrow met its mark, making Ganon roar in anger as liquid malice poured from its body.

But then as the boar's giant head turned in their direction and its eye glared down at them, Zelda couldn't stop a shudder. Untold rage and hatred swam in its black beady eye, but the longer she looked, the more clear it seemed to become.

“Oh no. Epona, RUN!” Zelda grabbed the reins and kicked the mare’s side making Link hastily wrap a hand around her waist. She couldn’t prevent an uneasy feeling from trickling down her spine as Ganon turned around without firing its laser.

“Princess? What’s going on?” 

"I think Ganon has finally figured out where the power that's making it vulnerable is coming from, me. It's mind is now focused on me and not completely consumed by rage anymore. Worse still, from what I can see, I won't be able to push back the malice on this side of its body again. But I don't think we're going to have an easy time getting around this beast."  To prove her point, Ganon released a laser and turned its head, missing them by a scant few feet.

Link growled under his breath as he drew back his bow and released several arrows in succession.

“What was that? The Calamity doesn’t have any more weak spots on this side-” Zelda cut off as Ganon roared in irritation when the light of the arrows shining right into its eyes momentarily blinded it, "Clever. Do we dare try that again while charging towards it, so we can get to the other side? Will it work a second time?"

"Only one way to find out, isn't there?" Link said, readying his bow, but Zelda's soft inhaled breath stayed his hand.

"What in Hylia…?"

Link followed her gaze. Ganon seemed to be looking off, away from them once again. Good. However, he noticed after a second, its attention seemed to be taken by something specific. Something that was hovering right in front of the beast's face. He faltered as he registered what he was seeing, "Is that… a spirit? Wait, on his head… it can't be." 

Link was not unaccustomed to hearing pain in Zelda's voice. But this time he really worried she might truly break, "Father?!"

Without fear (for what is there for a ghost to fear?) the crowned man floated before the embodiment of malice, himself filled with feelings of hate, disgust and a certain amount of sorrow.

"I can't convince myself that this is what it's come down to." He sighed, "A monster that unfailingly returns to threaten Hyrule. I knew this would be the case, but I didn't think you would cling to that role so stubbornly, not through the centuries, but through tens of millennia, enough to reduce yourself to… this."

King Daphne Nohansen Hyrule lifted his head in disdain, "Look at yourself. You don't even have a human mind anymore. Nothing more than a beast coated in darkness and evil, drowning in it. You are pathetic."

Ganon roared. The air and sound going through the King harmlessly, "Yet, even if you don't know why anymore, you still wreak destruction and death. Again and again. If this land cannot be saved from you… yes, there is only one solution for me to end this once and for all." The ghost vanished just as the monster unleashed one of its deadly beams where he had been. Maybe it would have had no effect, maybe not. The King certainly had no desire to find out.

Zelda lowered the Sheikah slate, "It's not him!"

Link was inclined to believe he'd never seen her so relieved, not even when her powers finally awakened, "Then who, a past king?"

"It doesn't matter now, we need to use this opportunity." She clicked at Epona and the horse bolted, running around, and then under the beast. Link held onto Zelda as they warily watched one of the boar's legs slam into the ground dozens of feet from them. Plenty far away, but still too close for comfort. Zelda clenched the reins, letting out a relieved breath when they made it to the other side. Just as Ganon breathed out pure malice at a non-existent target, Zelda flung out one of her hands and focused, bringing up two glowing targets for Link. Golden-whitish arrows flew from the Bow of Light, meeting their mark with deadly accuracy.

"Yes! I can tell that it is almost defeated, it's growing desperate! But attacking the body any further will get us nowhere." Zelda steered Epona in a wide circle, returning to the front of their enemy. "You will have to hit his weak point, which is… Oh. Oh no…"

"What's wrong, princess?" Link asked immediately, brows furrowed in concern.

"Look at Ganon's forehead. Do you see the glow that emanates from that crease above and between the eyes? It's a third eye. That's the beast's fulcrum. But the fiend is keeping it firmly shut! This is nothing like forcing the malice off spots on its body, I can't do anything about this." She explained, hands shaking in distress.

Link’s growl belied his frustration "So he can just keep it closed and there's nothing we can do?! Well, that's just convenient for the monster, isn't it?" 

As if on cue, Ganon's attention returned to them. The beast charged towards them, head low and all eyes closed almost in a mockery of their dilemma.

The princess spurred Epona and they were barely able to get themselves out of the monster's trajectory, "There has to be something we can do. I've seen the eye open earlier when it was looking at the ghost. It was only a moment, probably before you turned to look." Link could see the gears spin in her head, "I think… Yes, I think if we were to get higher than its head, Ganon would open the third eye instinctively. I'm convinced of it!"

"Alright, I believe you. But how do we do that? My paraglider broke from a guardian blast and yours was left with your other outfit. And even if I jump from atop Epona, I would be nowhere close that high." Link said, warily eyeing Ganon as it turned around and prepared to attack with its beam, "I wouldn't be able to make such a leap even if I still had the form of the Fierce Deity-" He cut off as, again, Epona maneuvered them to safety. 

"Aaaarrghh. We have been blessed with the powers of gods, and we are being foiled by altitude!" Zelda gritted her teeth.

"If we survive this battle, Revali won't ever let me live this down." Link groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Maybe the Divine Beasts will come to our aid again. I don't know how much longer it'll take them to recharge after the previous attack, but if we can hold out…"

"Princess… Epona, can't keep this up forever." Link said somberly.

She looked more carefully at the horse's face. Even with her limited familiarity with equines she could tell, running around and away from a gigantic monster, the poor dear was approaching her limit.

"We need to think of something qui-" Zelda cut off as Epona, despite her tiredness, bolted. She dug her fingers in the horse's mane frantically as they dodged in the nick of time being flattened by one of Ganon's hoofs, Zelda grit her teeth as Epona gracefully dodged everything the boar threw at them, making sure to stay out of range.

"Wait, what if you used your power and made me appear up above the head so I could shoot at it?" Link asked.

Zelda almost snarled back at him, "You would never survive that fall! And before you suggest a heroic sacrifice, which I'm ruling out on principle, what if my theory was incorrect and Ganon didn't open its third eye? What then?" She was having a hard time focusing her thoughts, "Could you climb a tree?"

"I don't think there's a tall enough tree. Plus I imagine Ganon would figure out what we were up to and incinerate me." Link grumbled, frowning as he noticed a large shadow overtaking them.

Zelda evidently did too, "It's almost onto us!"

"No, that shape-" Link said, starting to turn around but quickly stopped and returned his attention to Zelda when she let out a loud yelp, "Princess! Are you alright?"

"I'm not hurt, just surprised, something hit my barrier, something-" she finished speaking as she turned around, "-very big."

In the distance, behind the giant boar chasing them, up in the sky, something collided with the barrier. It must have been, they figured, the source of the shadow, but it was engulfed in light as it touched the barrier, making it impossible to tell what it was. 

"Is it Vah Medoh?" Link squinted, asking himself if his earlier remark about Revali would end up more on the mark than he imagined.

"It'd make no sense, Vah Medoh was stationed north-west." Zelda refuted as she guided Epona in dodging another beam. Ganon seemingly had yet to notice what was happening behind its back.

"Let it in." Link said laconically.

"But we don't know-"

"Even if it's not here to help us, I think the chances that whatever it is will collaborate with a mindless furious demon king are low."

Zelda blinked at him, "When did you become the analytical one?" She said in a huff and let the barrier drop.

Immediately they were able to tell it was not Vah Medoh.

"What IS that?" Link wondered.

"Could there have been a fifth Divine Beast?" Zelda chewed her lip, tilting her head in contemplation.

If it was, it did not fit the mold. Though it was clearly made of the same material, it was not as big as Medoh and it had a simple circular shape. Unobstructed, the object moved on towards them.

"It's not doing anything." Zelda said, with evident disappointment.

"Hopefully once it enters Ganon's field of view it'll make the swine's third eye op-"

Link didn't get to finish that sentence because the boar in question suddenly turned around, having finally taken notice of the new arrival.

"Oh no, the eye's probably open now but he's turned away from us!" Zelda gripped her hair, tempted to pull it out. Instead she glared daggers at Ganon and whipped the reins in the distant hope that they would be able to circle Ganon in time. Not taking any chances, she restored her barrier.

However, any expectations they had that the maybe Divine Beast would attack Ganon like the others did were dashed when the demon king hammered it with one of its beams. "No!" Zelda exclaimed, fearing they may have squandered their one best chance.

The flying disc lost its balance and gained speed as it succumbed to gravity. Both of Epona's riders were able to tell that thankfully it would fly over them before crashing and they did not slow their run towards Ganon.

Then, Link heard an unusual sound from above, growing steadily closer.

"YaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Link tugged on Zelda's arm, drawing her attention away from Ganon.

"What is it, Link? We need to figure out how to…" She trailed off as she saw what had caught his attention.

A figure was falling from the sky, presumably dropping off the strange disc. It was.. vaguely horse shaped? But screaming like a hylian. Even Ganon stopped following the trajectory of the disc to look at the smaller object. Unfortunately the third eye still remained obscured from Link and Zelda's point of view.

From the mysterious figure several small fireballs were shot towards Ganon's face, making the beast roar in annoyance, having been momentarily blinded again, just like how Link previously managed with the light arrows.

With a pained shout of whooshed breath (that sounded remarkably like someone lamenting harm to their nether regions), the strange figure finally hit the ground a few feet away from them. As it turned out, it was a person riding a horse shaped device with strange wheels.

"Give a guy a little more of a warning before sending him off to drop FIFTY FEET IN THE AIR, you crazy gibdo!" The stranger shouted, shaking his fist at the sky.

He turned to them, the distance diminishing as their very different steeds brought them closer, and Zelda had to stifle a gasp at how similar he looked to her knight. He greeted them with a smile, "Princess Zelda and the Champion Link I presume?"

"Umm, yes, and you are-" Link cut off as the brunet continued.

"Excellent, I am here to deliver something for you. A gift to aid you in your fight." The dramatic young man wearing unusual green clothes, pulled out a paraglider and offered it to Link,

"That's my father's!" Zelda exclaimed, casting a glance at Ganon and seeing its attention was not yet on them again, "Who are you? What was that disc you came down from? And what is this machine you are riding? They are clearly both Sheikah technology and-"

"Woah, woah. Is she always like this?" He asked Link, but did not wait for an answer (which the stoic knight would not have provided), "Look your highness, I'm probably more confused than you are, I mean, I was just chatting with the King when this portal decided to open under our feet and next thing we know, a dirt-old monk tells me Hylia wants me to be a delivery boy. I believe this beauty was supposed to be yours-" He said, turning to Link and pointing at the horse-like machine. If he was going to add anything more, Ganon's roar changed everyone's mind about holding a conversation. He outright pushed the paraglider into Link's arms, "And time's up. Now grab this thing and go do what you need to do."

Link nodded and gently kicked Epona into a gallop as the stranger rode away towards the fallen Sheikah platform.

"I… I'm not sure how to react to that." Zelda admitted, wondering why a man she's never seen before was talking so familiarly about her father. It even took a moment for it to sink in that this seemed to imply her father was alive and well.

“But he did give us a priceless gift.” Link grinned, waving the paraglider around.

“And how are we going to use it? We don’t have any high cliffs for you to jump off of.”

“Fire creates updrafts.” Link explained as he strapped the bow to his back, “And that beam Ganon keeps releasing is making the grass catch on fire.”

“That is extremely dangerous. What if Ganon figures us out and readies another beam? What if you miss? You’ll be a sitting duck.” Zelda chewed her lip, biting harder as they tauntingly rode across Ganon’s field of view.

“It’ll work. It has too. But please, make sure to light his forehead up so I know where to aim.” Link grinned down at her as Epona steered back for another passage. 

Ganon bellowed at them, but the situation no longer seemed helpless, even though Zelda’s nerves almost got the best of her as the beast sent a magenta blast towards them. For this to work, they had to be far enough away to stay out of danger, while close enough for Link to use the updraft. She was thankful that it took Ganon a little while to recharge his beam. 

The heat from the beam was intense as it passed by them, but Zelda guided Epona closer to the fire regardless. She couldn’t stop her heart jumping into her throat as Link leaped from the horse and snapped open his paraglider. The wind caught the small sail and Link shot upwards. Zelda growled lowly in her throat as Epona moved away, her attention broken as Ganon roared and violently shook its head.

“Please, please let him aim true and end this battle! And you, open that cursed eye of yours!" And open it did, horrendous like a pustule, but aglow with light. Glancing up at Link, unsure whether she should stay close or move further away, her eyes widened as he folded the paraglider and in one smooth motion, stung the arrow, released it, and pulled the paraglider out before he’d fallen more than five feet.

A change came over Ganon in that moment when the arrow hit true. The beast roared as it collapsed to the ground, its numerous wounds making it bleed malice.

“He did it! He hit its weak spot and it’s finally weak enough to seal.” A breathless giggle escaped from her as she climbed off Epona. She stopped as the dark beast struggled in front of her, gnashing its teeth in rage. Clasping her hands together, she closed her eyes briefly and when she opened them, waves of her sacred power ebbed out, washing over Ganon. It growled in anger and fear as she shone like a star before it disintegrated into it’s fog form, “Oh no you don’t.” She held out her hand, a golden sphere of light erupting from her hands and engulfing the struggling swine. Zelda’s eyes narrowed as the boar tried to escape her sealing power. Her sphere grew until it swallowed up the Calamity Ganon whole before vanishing.

“It’s over.” She breathed, hand still outstretched, trembling, “I can’t believe it. It’s finally over.” Tears of relief pooled in her eyes as she brought her hand down, gripping Epona’s mane as the horse walked next to her, “All the tense waiting, all the hours of prayer, the unbearable pressure, it’s gone.” She gasped roughly as tears trailed down her face.

“Princess?! Are you hurt?” Link’s panicked voice brought her back to the present. His eyes were wide and hands raised in front of him, like he wanted to hold her. When had he returned? 

“I’m fine.” She hiccuped, “I’m more than fine. I’m so relieved. It’s over.” Her tears turned into a stream as she reached forward, pulling Link close, wrapping her arms around him. She couldn’t contain her happiness at the ordeal being over and as the adrenaline from the battle slowed down, her thoughts turned sluggish. Link supported her exhausted body so she didn’t collapse and eventually stroked her back. Zelda sniffled as her eyes slowly closed and her body became like lead. “Oh right, I haven’t slept in days. But I can’t sleep now, Link’s wounds should be treated, I have to wait for the Champions, and…” Her mind didn’t listen and it only took a few seconds for her to slip into unconsciousness.

Link panicked as she slumped against him, boneless, “Princess? Princess are you alright?” When he didn’t receive an answer, he tilted her head up and checked her breathing. It was slow and steady. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the tear tracks off her face. 

“Sleep well princess, nothing’s going to harm you.” He scooped the princess up and held onto her, smiling at her peaceful face. It was over and the princess didn’t have to stress about awakening her powers any longer. Turning around, he saw that Epona had followed suit and was sound asleep. Link grunted as he placed Zelda on the ground making sure she was comfortable.

Then he heard the sound of the stranger's weird contraption approaching, "Is she alright??"

He turned around a finger on his lips in a universal sign demanding silence and the other man promptly dismounted the now quiet mechanical horse.

"Figures," The stranger began in a hushed voice, "Another sleeping princess. Anyway, I guess I should now-" only for Link to shush him again.

"…Really?" He asked, receiving only a stern glare in response, "Alright, then. I'll keep a look out, you make sure to do something for those wounds."

As he stepped away, Link heard him mutter, "Probably for the best, I bet the princess would have made me repeat everything I was to say and then some." And a small grin stole across Link’s face, knowing the stranger was absolutely right.

Chapter Text

When Zelda awakened, it was because the world was shaking and a tremendously loud noise reverberated through the air. She sat up, gripped by panic, her sleep-addled mind wondering if the Calamity had somehow come back. As her mind caught up with her eyes she spotted her knight and, at a considerable distance in the direction he was turned to, the source of the disturbance.

Divine Beast Vah Medoh had just perched itself onto Mount Daphnes.

She smiled and attempted to shake the lingering anxiety and sleepiness out of her. Easier said than done, but she wanted to at least try and make herself presentable as she ran her fingers through her hair. She didn’t need the most boisterous Champion swooping down to them and making a comment about her ruffled state.

She was in the middle of doing so when she heard an unfamiliar voice exclaiming, "What the…?"

Right, that mysterious young man who bore a curious resemblance to her knight. He was still here. She looked up to see that Revali was flying towards them. But he was not alone. Following him was a considerably larger red avian. An older rito, maybe? No, the shape didn't seem right.

As Revali closed in, she heard the young man curse, "Unbelievable, has he really followed me all the way to here? I thought they stayed in the Palaces." He drew his sword and stepped forward, turning only a moment towards Link, "You can sit this one out, I'll handle it."

Link tensed, always a man of few words, he was probably considering tackling their seemingly misguided ally. Zelda tried to speak reassurance that the one approaching was not an enemy but the stranger's voice easily covered hers, "Alright feather-hide! I'm not budging another step, if it's a fight you want, I'm more than ready for you now!"

Revali, who had just landed as these words were spoken, seemed to be in a mix of confusion and outrage. It would have been amusing if not for the possibility that a fight may be about to break out. "What manner of fool are you? I don't know what it is you're thinking, but do you realize who you are challenging? I am-"

"About to become Cucco roast!" The stranger raised his sword and Zelda saw Link take steps towards him but he suddenly halted and she did not have to wonder long what stopped him. Another young man dropped down, seemingly out of thin air, between Revali and his would be assailant, shield raised up. He, too, somewhat resembled Link, wore clothes similar to the green attire of the other and… was that another Master Sword on his back?? It had to be a replica… 

"Stop! There is no need to fight."

"Where'd you… are you aware of what's standing behind you?!" The brunet shouted back at the newcomer.

"Yes," he responded, "A friend."

Everybody seemed somewhat taken aback at this, including Revali. He probably was not used to people openly referring to him as such, Zelda mused.

After some hesitation, both men lowered their weapons and shields, "Well, your friend does not seem about to stab you in the back… so I guess he's tamed."

"Tamed?!" Revali all but shrieked.

The man that dropped from the sky seemed to fight back a smirk, but he spoke up before Revali could express all of his vexation, "I think we should try to quickly clear up the situation." He nodded his head toward Zelda and her knight, "I believe we are in the presence of princess Zelda and the hero who assisted her in defeating the Calamity, isn't that so?"

Link nodded and Zelda, still very confused at everything that was happening, lamely responded, "Yes, it is."

The newcomer nodded in return and brought his attention back to the brunet, "And I assume you, like me, are a hero from another era, aren't you?"

Heroes from other eras? This was news to Zelda and she leaned forward, eager to learn more about the ongoing situation. Unbelievable as it seemed, it could explain how the newcomer also seemed to carry the Master Sword.

"I am. I was not aware there would be others. I figured you to be one of the four Champions."

The other laughed, "No, that would be my friend Revali." He said motioning towards the rito who, seemingly automatically, puffed out his chest.

"THAT is the Champion? Well, I suppose if his kind could be entrusted with guarding the Great Palace… I'm glad at least he's the type that wears clothes."

Revali would have no more of that, "MY KIND, the Rito, shall not be talked down by the likes of you. I'll have you know my qualifications as pilot of the Divine Beast were never before put in doubt and that we are not savages who go around naked."

Zelda sent a silent thank you to the goddesses that no gorons or zoras, especially Mipha and Daruk, were here to hear that remark.

As he spoke, Revali marched up to the one who insulted him so; gesticulating wildly, until his wing was suddenly caught by the brunet, intently studying it, much to the rito's displeasure who promptly shook free of his hold, "Unhand me immediately, you uncouth imbecile!"

The young man remained unperturbed, "I could swear only females had wings… I'm starting to think you're not the same species as those cursed birds that almost killed me more times than I care to count."

"Oh really? Figured that out all on your own, genius?" Revali sneered.

"I'm not entirely convinced, actually, so I'll be keeping an eye on you."

Revali's retort was cut off as he too, along with everyone else became aware of the thumping sounds growing steadily louder. They all had been so taken with the verbal scuffle that they'd failed to notice the other Divine Beasts appearing above and from behind the surrounding hills and mountains. Even though some of them were quite familiar with the machines, the sight of three of them quickly converging on their position was still awe inspiring.

The first one to arrive was Vah Naboris with its long legs. Urbosa practically leaped off the boarding platform, followed by a young boy… also wearing green clothes and the same odd long cap.

"Little Bird, are you alright?!" Urbosa hastened to her and pulled her into a hug, "You don't know how worried about you I've been."

"I am mostly uninjured… and I'm very happy to see you are well too, Urbosa." Zelda answered, reciprocating the tight hold she was in.

"That's a relief. And how are you feeling?" Urbosa questioned softly as she loosened the hug so she could look Zelda in the eyes.

"As good as can be expected after everything that's happened." Zelda responded, her arms starting to shake now that it all was catching up to her.

"You've been incredibly brave and I am so proud of you, as I'm sure is your mother, watching over you from beyond." Urbosa stated, causing Zelda's eyes to veil over with unshed tears.

She was rubbing those out when Mipha's voice, uncharacteristically loud, reached the group "Link! Princess Zelda! Everyone! Are you alright? Is anybody injured?"

Revali and Urbosa quickly assured they were none too hurt, despite the partially healed burn marks on Revali and the blistering wound Urbosa covered with one arm on her stomach. Zelda was about to tell her Link needed healing, but she was once again stopped by the voice of the brown haired young man, who had his shield up, “Why aren’t you guys on guard? A man-eating zora appears and you guys do nothing?”

Even those that were present during the quarrel between him and Revali were quite shocked at the brazen words directed towards Mipha. It was hard to imagine anyone reacting so negatively to her unfailingly soothing presence, not to mention her status as royalty.

And that was probably why these words managed to halt her in her tracks; the surprise, openly shown on her face, momentarily overcoming her concern for those who were injured. Surely she was not unfamiliar with the concept of bad blood between different races, the history books were saturated with various wars fought against each other. Even her own teacher, Muzu, was known to have a dislike for Hylians ever since Mipha started piloting Vah Ruta. But this was probably the first time she'd ever found herself on the receiving end of it.

Link, evidently not at all happy with this judging by the sparks flying from his eyes, closed the distance between himself and Mipha, standing between her and the offender. As did yet another, fiercer, look-alike that had followed Mipha out of Vah Ruta clothed in green and had the Master Sword's handle peeking over his back too! Epona neighed but none paid heed to her.

If Mipha was temporarily speechless, Revali was more than eager to resume their verbal spar, "Oh, so now you've got a problem with the zora too? Do tell, are you on good terms only with people that resemble you?"

"Look, I might have been wrong about you being one of those bird creatures I fought in the Great Palace. But those were at least put there to guard the place by the king. Zora are in the ranks of Ganon's monsters, and I'm expected to take this in stride?"

Everybody gasped, the prior insults paled in comparison to this open accusation. 

"I… Monsters? Ganon's…" Mipha uttered. She had a searching look in her eyes. Always the understanding one, she was searching for the root of why this stranger had labeled her as such.

“In my experience, monsters have always attacked first, but do you see Mipha doing that? Please stop saying such rude accusations.” The sharp-eyed man spoke softly, his eyes dark.

"Does she sound like a monster to you?" Link growled, voice laced with vitriol.

"I've had conversations with moblins, goriyas, a demonic bat and a ball of goop, the ability to speak did not change what they were. And let me tell you, I've been on the receiving end of too many fireballs spat at me by zoras, and I know they can dish it out but can't take it so-," His eyes went to Mipha again, "-be advised: I know fire magic. If I so much as see a flicker of a spark out of your mouth-"

"You had better take all of that back right now!" Daruk's voice boomed from where he'd joined them in the middle of this mess, followed by another young boy in green, seemingly carrying yet another Master Sword. "I don't know who you are, but no one can accuse one of my fellow Champions of being a monster!"

The brunet, for once, seemed at a loss of words, his eyes wide. Zelda feared he was about to insult the goron as well and was about to speak up, but once again someone else did.

"Listen up, everybody!" The young boy that had arrived with Urbosa shouted to attract everyone's attention, "I think I understand what is going on here. Before anyone says anything else, please keep in mind, as crazy as it sounds, that time travel is at work here! From what I’ve gathered, it’s been more than 10,000 years since my time and probably most of us in green tunics. What he's claiming about zora’s may be shocking and outrageous in this era but, dreadful as it might seem, it could be true in the time he's from."

Zelda decided she'd been quiet long enough, "Be that as it may, Champion Mipha, is the Princess of the Zora people, valued friends and allies to the Kingdom of Hyrule. As are the Rito." She amended quickly, not wanting Revali to get the mistaken impression that she valued them any less. "You would do well to cease your disrespect."

The young man blinked, took a deep breath and sighed, "If the princess of Hyrule says as much, then I have to believe it. And if it is true… then I suppose I should apologize for my outbursts." He said looking at Revali first, who humphed, then Mipha, "I hope you can understand: every time I've come across one of your ancestors in my journeys, they've immediately attacked me, unprovoked."

The zora princess had collected herself during his apology, taking a step forward, past the two men in front of her, “There is more than one race of zora, and the ones you speak of… I believe I've read of them. They are not present in the land of Hyrule in this time, they were driven out with no small amount of effort. So be assured we have no fondness for them either. I'd never heard anyone refer to them as monsters, though they did apparently consort with them and they do have quite a monstrous appearance."

The young man brought a hand to the back of his head, looking away, "Yeah, they are not at all pretty. I guess that should have been my first clue, but you can only be pelted by their fire-spit so many times before your mind jots down 'fish person equals bad'. My apologies again."

Mipha blinked, evidently not expecting to be complimented on her beauty right after being called a monster, "It is understandable, I accept your apology. Now I should get back to healing everyone though." With that said she stepped up to the knight and the two began to talk in hushed tones.

"The zora I know are friendly and look like Mipha." The dark blond, sharp eyed man that arrived with her contributed, still eyeing the brunet.

"Same with me, except for a few differences." The preteen with a fairy circling his head said.

"The only intelligent water race I know of are called parella and they look nothing like her." The man who dropped from the sky, a gentle blond, shrugged.

Mipha stepped up to Zelda but, before she could say anything, she heard something unexpected.

"There aren't any zora anymore where I come from." There was a pause as everyone looked at the small bright blond that had followed Daruk, "Oh! I didn't mean they all died or anything like that, don't worry."

Mipha took an exasperated breath, clearly wishing to focus on her task, and turned back to Zelda, "Princess Zelda, if I may…"

Zelda's eyes went between her and the hero, then back, "I am mostly uninjured- Have you already healed Link? That was fast."

"Link said his wounds are of small consequence and insisted I heal the others first." Mipha murmured as she kept her eyes down, healing a few scrapes on the hylian princess.

"Link! You were stabbed through the shoulder!" Zelda waved her hands at the zora princess, "I have bruises at most, Mipha. Please, I insist you focus on Link so he doesn't get an infection because of his stubbornness. He has received much more damage than me considering he fought Ganon face to face." Zelda emphasized her words by pushing the zora princess towards her knight. Apparently a bit too hard, because Mipha stumbled from the unexpected push and landed into Link's chest and arms. "Ah! I didn't mean to push so strongly."

Squeaking, Mipha scrambled out of Link's grasp and placed a hand on her blushing cheek. "T-terribly sorry, Link. I should have been more careful, especially since you are injured. Please now, no more selfless recklessness, let me help you." Mipha lay her hands on Link's injured shoulder after he gave her a smile and a nod.

"Wait a second, is that…" Everyone turned to look at the sharp-eyed man, "It is! Epona!" The horse neighed and approached him, "What are you doing here, girl?"

"Is she yours? She was sent to aid us in the fight." Link said with a small smile, "She was invaluable."

The other man reciprocated, rubbing the horse's snout affectionately, "That she is."

"She looks a lot like my horse." The boy next to Urbosa piped in, "Same coat, same mane… they even share the same name."

The moment of silence was broken as the gerudo coughed loudly to attract everyone's attention, "I believe each of us has received help from a hero hailing from a different time, is that not the case?" Nods of assent were shared by everyone, "Well then, quite a few introductions are in order, and this seems like a good time to proceed with them. So I shall begin," with a smirk, she gestured towards the boy with a fairy, "This is Link-"

From the other champions and temporally displaced heroes there was a chorus of "Another one?" and "You too?!"

"So… it seems we have five different Links from various points in time." Urbosa deduced.

The most surprised were, of course, Zelda and the present day Link. "What?" She blinked and looked to each hero in turn, forcing Mipha, who had returned to healing her after she was done with Link, to awkwardly follow her movements.

"A half dozen Links…" Revali shook his head in dismay, "Well, that's not going to make things confusing at all."

"Then we should come up with nicknames!" Daruk laughed, slapping one of the shortest Links on the back, making him cough.

"Nicknames?" Zelda repeated, her brain trying to compute the amount of information that's been thrown at her since she woke up. Mipha finished healing her scrapes and moved on to Urbosa, frowning when the gerudo gave a sheepish look when she uncovered her blistering stomach wound.

"Seems like a good idea," The Gerudo chief looked away from the zora princess and gave the preteen next to her a pointed look, "What could we call you, mh?"

The boy cleared his throat in embarrassment, and looked at the others gathered in the field, "Hello, as said my name is Link, but you can call me… Oak." He bowed his head, several of the others responding in kind.

"Oak?" Urbosa laughed unabashedly, "You're far too short for that name to fit. Are you sure you didn't mean Shrub?"

"Urbosa!" The boy sputtered before reconsidering, "On a second thought… I guess you have a point. Maybe Woods would be a better nickname. It's where I've lived most of my life."

"I agree." The gerudo nodded, and went to stand behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders as she looked at all the others, "Woods here may be short but you should not underestimate him. He was the first to save Hyrule from Ganon with help from the Seven Sages. Some of our Divine Beasts were named after them." She looked at Zelda with a smile, "And the Princess Zelda of their time was the leader."

"Yeah, right. So this… Woods, with his small stature would be able to lift the Master Sword and wield it?" Revali asked, disbelief radiating from his face.

Urbosa glared him down, "That may have been why upon drawing the sword, he was made to sleep for seven years, so that he would be ready for that fight. You see him as he is now because after the battle the princess Zelda of that era sent him back in time so he could regain the years he had lost."

"You're the Hero of Time! We have legends about you!" The other young boy in the group slapped a hand over his mouth as he mumbled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Urbosa chuckled, "No worries. Anyway, he informed the royal family of the events that led to Ganon's conquest of Hyrule in order to prevent it. He was in the middle of a second adventure that this fairy, Tatl,-" She turned briefly to said fairy, who was sitting on her shoulder "-involved him in, when he was brought here. He's fighting to save a whole other world from total annihilation, courtesy of the moon itself threatening to fall and forcing him to rewind time and relive the same three days over and over." Met with everyone's incredulous faces, she smiled down at the young Link and he looked up, smiling back, "He doesn't sweat the small stuff. And when he got here, he saved me from a ridiculously fast monstrosity that had invaded Vah Naboris."

"We took him out together." The young Link pointed out, looking back at the others.

Finished with Urbosa, Mipha crouched down in front of Woods, "What an adorable smile. It's good to see you haven't lost it despite such hardships unfairly placed on the shoulders of a boy so young. You really remind me of my Link-" Blush, "I-I mean, the Link from my era, you remind me of him when he was your age."

Woods' smile turned into a boyish frown, "The zora princess, right? Look, I'm going to be honest with you, I've already been engaged to a zora princess before and I really am not interested in going through that again."

Urbosa burst into uncontrolled laughter and Mipha eep-ed, falling on her rear, "N-no, I didn't mean…"

Everyone's surprise at this development increased tenfold when something emerged from the shadow of the man that had arrived along with Mipha. An impish-shaped figure joined in Urbosa's laughter, "Oh, I like this one!"

Before any questions could be asked (Zelda heard the young man who'd brought them the paraglider mutter to himself, "I'm not even going to say anything anymore.") the man from whose shadow she had appeared spoke, "Are you trying to give everyone a heart attack? You were never so inclined to come out and be seen back home."

"Hush you. There's not much point to secrecy here, and it's good to stretch a little bit. Your shadow is cozy but rather cramped." The imp girl retorted, then turned to Mipha who still sat on the ground, "This would probably be a good time to introduce us to everyone, wouldn't you say?"

"Y-yes, it would be best, to avoid any further confusion." Mipha stood up, brushing off the dirt, and gestured to the imp, "This is Midna, princess of the Twilight Realm, ally and companion of… what should your nickname be?" She asked of the sharp eyed man.

The dark blond sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "I guess I'll be called Sha-"

"You can call him Wolfie." Midna announced, giving him a playful push with… her hair?

The newly dubbed 'Wolfie' closed his eyes and brought one hand up to rub his forehead, "Really Midna? Wolfie?"

"Yes. It's because you're such a good boy." She laughed, patting the top of his head. He opened his eyes to glare at her, unimpressed. Her smirk had him shaking his head, a reluctant small grin growing on his face.

"So, she's Midna and I'm Wolf," His quick warning glance only had Midna smiling.

"A pleasure, I'm sure." She cackled.

"A Princess, uh? Is this a normal look for her people?" Revali asked, eyeing her.

"No, it is not! I've been cursed into this form. You would be speechless if you saw my real appearance." Midna was quick to respond.

"Oh, words evade me as it is, to be sure." Revali muttered as he turned away, missing Midna’s narrowed eyes.

"In their era, the Twilight realm was taken over by an usurper, who then launched an invasion of Hyrule." Mipha explained quickly to save Revali from Midna’s quips, "The children from Link, I mean, Wolf's village were kidnapped, so he embarked on a journey to save them and… that's when he and Midna met. They started working together to defeat the usurper and they did, also saving those children along the way, thankfully. But that was not the end, as they discovered that the usurper had been a puppet placed in that position by someone not from the Twilight Realm, Ganondorf."

"Ganon… dorf?" Zelda tentatively asked.

Urbosa sighed, "Regretfully, it turns out that the old legends stating Ganon originated from us gerudo were in fact true. Ganondorf was the name he was born with, before he became Ganon."

"I see." Zelda said, then after a pause added, "Don't let this get to you Urbosa. You just contributed to sealing that monster up again. You have nothing to blame yourself for."

The chief gave her a sad smile and a whispered thank you, before Zelda turned back to Mipha, "So, I assume Ganondorf was then dealt with?"

Mipha shook her head, "Not yet, they were about to go confront him and hopefully rescue the princess Zelda of their time when they were taken here. They arrived just in time. I was almost killed by the lance wielding creature that appeared in Vah Ruta." Ever the quiet one, Link said nothing in response to Mipha's words, but Wolf had no difficulty recognizing the depth of gratitude in his eyes as they regarded each other judging by the slight smile sent his way.

Revali grunted, "Impressive tales, if true. However, my friend here has one no less outstanding." Mipha gasped as she saw Revali’s burns and scurried over to his side, quickly starting to heal him.

"Should we really make this into a competition?" Said the Link that accompanied him.

Revali gave him a frown, "Worry about coming up with a name for yourself."

"Well, since we're doing introductions…" He whistled and after just a moment a sudden flurry of wind had everyone bracing themselves. Zelda gasped as a giant red bird, the one she had seen earlier and mistaken for a rito, descended from the sky.

"This is Crimson." The bird's master stepped forward and stroked its large beak.

"He is magnificent!" Zelda walked over to it. The champion Link followed behind, making sure to stay by her side.

"Thank you. He's my companion that's been with me for years. Where I am from everybody gets their own Loftwing."

"A loftwing. How beautiful." Zelda cooed, running a hand through the red bird's feathers.

"So then, my nickname will be… Loft." Loft smiled at Crimson's startled squawk to this nickname, "Oh, come on Crimson, why wouldn't I name myself after you? If Wolf can have an animal name, so can I."

"Not to mention, it is also where you come from, Skyloft, your hometown afloat in the sky." Revali started, intending to tell his story.

Zelda, however, jumped in, "In the sky? I remember reading legends about a city in the sky."

Revali frowned at the interruption and all the more when Wolf also added, "We've been to one, Midna and I."

"It's not your turn anymore." The rito hissed, frowning as he resumed the story, "Loft comes from an era in which humans live in the sky. He was unaware the surface even existed, blocked off by a cloud barrier, until his childhood friend, Zelda fell down to it due to a mysterious tornado, setting them both off on a quest against the embodiment of death itself, sealed away in times long past by the Goddess Hylia and now threatening to break free. Loft's role in this was to keep his friend safe, and to bathe the sword of Goddess Hylia in sacred flames, so that it would become that blade he carries on his back."

"Wait," Zelda interrupted again, "That's the Master Sword. Are you saying he essentially forged the Master Sword?! Is that what you meant by 'bathing the goddess blade in sacred fire'?"

"A little more impressive than picking it up from the middle of a forest, isn't it?" Revali remarked.

"Fi did say that it's called the Master Sword now, but it changed three times, so I still mix up the name every now and again." Loft smiled sheepishly.

"Who is Fi?" Asked Zelda, curious to know who gave the sword it’s legendary name.

Loft's eyes went wide, "Oh right, can't believe I called down Crimson and left her out of this! Guess it's because I'm used to keeping everything under wraps back home. Fi, would you show yourself?"

A chime answered his question as the cerulean spirit materialized out of the sword's handle and hovered by Loft, causing several people to inhale sharply, "Certainly Master Link."

"Are you… are you the voice within the Master Sword that the legends talk about?" Zelda blurted out in barely contained excitement.

"I am the spirit of the Master Sword, therefore I estimate there is a 99% chance that this is correct, your grace."

"But why are you only known as a voice? I haven't found any mention of a… physical manifestation." Urbosa's fond chuckle made Zelda jump and blush as she realized everyone was looking at her.

Fi's expression did not change but she still somehow managed to project a somewhat apologetic aura, "It is regrettable, but I do not posses enough information to answer your question, your grace. However, I calculate a 58% chance that it may be related to the amount of time that passed between the era Master Link and I are from and the one you live in."

"And I thought my Little Bird had too analytical a mind…"

"Urbosa!" Zelda pouted at her mother-figure.

"Wait… the Queen of Fairies was the Master Sword?" The eyes of the young boy that arrived with Daruk had widened until they seemed to pop out of his skull, "But- That can't be- She lives in a fairy fountain , not the sword!"

"Wait, what?" Loft looked at Fi questioningly.

"The answer to the young master's question is no, I am not the Queen of Fairies." Fi stated.

The boy squinted at her suspiciously, making an obvious effort not to start circling her. He nodded slowly after a few seconds, muttering incoherently under his breath.

"So… I'm assuming the role played by the Zelda of his time had something to do with the seal, right?" The hylian princess asked.

Revali was more than glad to draw the tale to conclusion, "That's right, her task is to maintain the seal on the personification of Demise while Loft searches for and retrieves the power of the gods, coveted by the demon king. But before she could do that, she had to awaken her memories of her previous life as, in truth, she was the mortal reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia."

"What?! Seriously?" Zelda quickly turned from Revali to Loft then to Fi for confirmation.

"I can attest that this information is correct, your grace." Fi said with her usual calm.

"So she was…" Zelda looked off into the distance deep in thought.

Loft arched an eyebrow at that but before he could ask any questions, Revali resumed speaking "And that's his tale up to the point when he was taken to our time, when we joined forces to take down the airborne fiend that attacked me. Quite the tale, wouldn't you say?" He asked, looking at the Link of the present as Wolf looked off in the distance, head tilted.

"Oh for the love of…" Urbosa interjected any possible response from him, "Feather-brain, are you seriously still competing with him, even after we all successfully did our part in sealing away the calamity, Link most certainly included."

Revali harrumphed, "I'm just extolling the deeds of my friend Loft. I don't in any way mean to deny that our knight here deserves his share of credit for the battle we all won today." Fi quietly retreated within the sword as Revali folded his arms, raising a challenging eyebrow at the gerudo.

Urbosa sighed, turning away from her stubborn friend to say, "Well Daruk, will you and your new sidekick be next?"

Daruk laughed while said sidekick made a disgruntled face "Hey, why is it me who's the-"

"Someone's coming." Wolf announced.

There was, in fact, a horse galloping towards them.All the champions and various Links shifted instinctively into a stance, their hands near the hilt of their weapons. As the horse came closer, the champions relaxed, recognizing the rider’s stern face.

"Father!" The hylian princess choked in relief at seeing him safe and sound, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Zelda!" King Rhoam dismounted before his horse had stopped and enveloped her in a hug as soon as he reached her, "Are you hurt? You don’t look like you have any wounds. Princess Mipha! Have you healed her yet?"

"I'm fine, father. Mipha already looked me over." Zelda assured, giggling as she was smooshed against his chest.

"Wonderful. Ah, Champion Link! How are you? Did you sustain any serious injuries from fighting the Calamity?" Rhoam asked, turning to face Link, Zelda still pressed against his chest. She was elated to see her father giving her such open affection and nestled into his embrace.

"Yes, your majesty, but princess Mipha has done an excellent job in healing me." Link knelt and bowed his head.

"Good, good." Rhoam glanced around, really noticing for the first time that, besides the champions, there were not one but five boys in green, some carrying a familiar sword on their backs, as well a strange impish figure and one really large bird. "Oh my."

"Does this mean we have to start this whole introduction thing all over again from the beginning?" Woods groaned, eliciting more than a few chuckles from those gathered.

Once again, Urbosa took matters into her own hands, "If it pleases his majesty, I would just quickly summarize what has been said and decided so far, so that we may continue on. Then, I am sure there will be ample time to share more detailed information later."

The king gave a strong nod, "By all means, Chief Urbosa. After all, my daughter was here, I trust her to have dutifully absorbed every detail." Said daughter blushed under his praise.

"Very well, as your majesty can see, we each have received help from many heroes that came here from different time periods. As it so happens, they all bear the name Link. Therefore, to avoid confusion, while making introductions we've also been establishing nicknames for them. This here is Woods, with his fairy companion Tatl." The young hero bowed his head, his flying partner made a short nosedive. "Mipha? If you would."

"Ah yes, these your majesty are Wolf and princess Midna of the Twilight Realm." Mipha said as the two made, respectively, a much more pronounced bow and a noncommittal wave of one impish hand.

"And this hero will be going by the name Loft." Revali motioned with his wing towards his friend.

"You forgot to introduce my companions." Loft protested.

Revali rolled his eyes, "Your sword spirit has taken her leave and I doubt his majesty has much interest in your mount's name."

“Mount’s name-?” Loft sputtered.

Urbosa cut in before any more arguing could happen, "And that's as far as we'd gotten. Daruk?"

"Right!" He gestured to the Link next to him "This is Tiny Guy!"

Once again, suppressed chuckling was heard from several people, as well as a groan from the tiny guy in question, "No, no I would rather choose a name myself like the others… so, hello everyone! You can call me… Umm… I'm not good with nicknames. Let's say Sea. Short for seagull, my sister's favorite animal."

"Another bird? Real original." Said Midna sarcastically, earning a mild reproaching look from Wolf.

"Well, I figured since there's already two heroes that picked animals… and the Sea is where I live. The King of the Red Lions probably wouldn't like it much though because seagulls sometimes perch on his head and he has to shake them off so they don't uh, leave their droppings on him."

"Who is this King of Red Lions? Your companion?" Zelda asked.

"He is, but… he's acting weird right now." Sea frowned as he looked at King Rhoam, then lifted the pirate's charm, "Normally he'd contact me through this stone and it'd start to glow, but it hasn't done that since before I left Death Mountain. I don't know why. My companion is a ghost that can control a boat. Now that I said it out loud it does sound weird, but it's true." He returned an inquisitive gaze upon King Rhoam.

"Is something the matter?" The king asked.

"Sorry, it's just that you look extremely similar to him." Sea pursed his lips.

The air shimmered next to Sea as a voice spoke, "That may be due to us being, in all likelihood, related." An audible gasp ran through the group as King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule appeared in his hylian form, making Sea jump in surprise.

"By the goddess." Rhoam whispered.

Zelda gasped, "Link! Link! That's the person we saw hovering around Ganon that I feared, for a moment, could be my father."

Link's eyes darted from Daphnes to Rhoam, nodding in agreement.

"So that's where you've been," Sea said, "How do you figure you're related?"

"Our physical features and the fact that noble blood tends to circle around over the generations due to arranged marriages. Certainly, there is a bloodline connecting me to the princess since my daughter too held within her the same sacred power." Daphnes explained.

"Huh." Daruk's grunt drew everyone's attention to see him examining king Daphnes, "So this is what you look like. Nice to have a face to a voice. If you don't have to speak through the stone anymore, would it be okay if I took a bite of it?"

"NO! I already told you that it is not something for you to eat! You know there are very few in existence and I will not let you eat it to satisfy your curiosity! It took me years to create it!" The King of Red Lions huffed as he visibly restrained from wacking the goron.

"Maybe Daruk should tell us more about the hero that assisted him?" Princess Zelda said diplomatically.

"Right, uh, I'm not sure if I'm going to do a good job telling his story but here I go. Tiny Guy here was just minding his business when a giant bird kidnapped his sister. So he went after it with his newly made pirate friends, and met King Lion over there, but he was a boat at the time."

Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule fought very hard the impulse to face-palm. It would not have been very kingly.

Daruk carried on, "So, mh, he passed a trial in a tower that came out of the water and it turned out that the Great Sea he calls home was actually suspended above a deserted Hyrule! …but I don't know if I remember the details as to why."

While most of those gathered bugged out their eyes at the notion of an underwater Hyrule, Sea nearly fell over, "It's not complicated! Hyrule was sealed under the sea to keep Ganondorf trapped. It had to be done because the hero… ah, actually we can skip over this part, it was before my… before my era, yeah."

Zelda frowned, her curiosity always forefront, "Is it really that difficult to explain?"

Daphnes mouth twitched, but he elaborated, "It was because the Hero of Time did not save us." 

"Wh-what?!" Woods stammered, shocked by that assertion.

"Before my time as king, Ganondorf was sealed away by the Hero of Time. During my reign, Ganondorf broke free of his prison in the Evil Realm."

"But… but we had changed that! I'd warned the Princess and we were listened to. None of that was supposed to happen, not again…" Woods, half shouted, half mumbled.

As he spoke, the king repeatedly glanced at Woods, displeasure forcing its way into his tone, "The people, we all, were certain that the Hero of Time would return to us. However, though he had departed through the mists of time at the end of his quest, he never returned to us. No hero appeared to save my people. We resisted the onslaught of the demon king's army as best as we could, but it was a hopeless struggle. All that we had left was to pray to the gods for help. Their answer was for my people to flee to the mountaintops, while Ganondorf and his army would remain frozen in time beneath a layer of rainwater which would become known to those above it as the Great Sea. I was assigned a task, to continue to look for the hero past my death. Hundreds of years went by and the people forgot about Hyrule's existence altogether. That is the world we hail from."

"I-" Woods held his head between his hands, "Oh gods, it's so much worse than I ever thought!"

"Are you not ashamed of yourself?"

Woods turned to look at Urbosa but found her scowl was directed to king Daphnes, "You evidently heard this boy's story. You know what he's been through, the manner of fate he's been handed at such a young age, and you have the gall to come and lay accusations at his feet? You should be thankful he was able to seal Ganondorf once, and allow you to be king, no, to be born in the first place!"

"Believe it or not, gerudo," the word was pronounced with evident distaste, "I don't seek any manner of retribution, I was merely hoping to get some answers." Daphnes' eyes returned to Woods, "But it's becoming increasingly clear that this boy cannot give me those either." The fire left his eyes, replaced by a great sadness, "Rather, seeing you here today and hearing your tale, I recognize that I have been unjustly angry towards you. I don't fully understand what happened, but I believe you had no choice in the matter of returning to us or not.”  He sighed heavily.

“N-No!” Woods shook his head, “I should have been more diligent! I knew that Ganondorf was sly, but I thought… I thought what we did was enough.”

Daphnes opened his eyes, examining the earnest regret on the young boy's face, "Frankly, I'm starting to think that whatever we do will never be enough. It is not your fault that we created legends which mislead us into thinking ourselves safe." The king seemed to deflate, the lines on his face deepening as he glanced briefly at Urbosa before looking at Woods, "I do believe I owe you an apology for this unwarranted accusation. I may not have been after retribution, but I should have chosen my words better. They did come off rather harshly. I hope you will forgive this bitter old man."

“Of course I’d forgive you. With everything you’ve gone though, I can’t begin to imagine.” Woods said, eyes distant as his words seemed to automatically come out of his mouth, without realizing he spoke them,

The king nodded in thanks, still looking as old as he claimed to be.

Woods' legs gave away and he fell backwards into Urbosa's legs, her arms quickly securing him from slipping down. She crouched down, "Are you going to be alright?" She asked softly.

"I… need to know the rest." He looked at Sea and the goron, "Please, continue."

Sea gulped and Daruk, deciding to step in, patted him on the back, "In the underwater Hyrule, he obtained the Master Sword needed to confront Ganondorf, unfortunately taking it also unfroze Ganondorf's demon army that hadn't escaped to the world above with him." It was clear to everyone that the goron was taking his task much more seriously now, "What's worse, when he went to confront him, it was revealed that over the centuries the sword had lost its evil repelling powers. Fortunately Sea was rescued by the leader of the pirates who, unbeknownst to her, was the last descendant of the royal family of Hyrule. As for the sword's power, prayers to the gods were necessary to restore it, so Sea went to find the descendants of the Sages from the past that Ganondorf had killed."

"He did it," Woods muttered, "He exterminated them, like he said he would." Urbosa held him tighter.

"I found them and restored the sword's power. That is where the story ends for now since I've been dropped here." Sea said looking straight into the eyes of his predecessor, "But I promise you, I will do everything I can to defeat him. He will not win."

There was a pause no one was inclined to break. Until Daruk spoke again, "That is a promise I would put faith in. After seeing him take on a huge fiery monster that had me all but beaten, I have the greatest confidence in this Tiny Guy!"

"Then… I suppose I will believe in him as well." Woods said at last.

"…but how is it possible?"

Every pair of eyes turned to Mipha who, realizing this, shrunk into herself a little, "Ah, I'm sorry it's just… I can't imagine when this may have happened. If there is one thing my people take pride in, it is having prevented any floods to befall our land. We would have kept a record of a deluge that covered all of Hyrule. Although… if I may ask Sea, what is it you meant when you said there are no zora in your era?"

Sea was happy to answer, "Oh, that? After everyone fled to the mountaintops, the zora became the rito."

"Say what? Now that is the most ridiculous notion I have ever heard." Revali commented in a mix of indignation and amusement.

"But it's true..." 

"Truly preposterous is what it is. My kind is one unto itself, not some sort of offshoot."

"Do you always have to be like this?" Urbosa groaned, "You'd think if someone would be upset at Sea's statement it would be Mipha with her kind supposedly ceasing to exist."

"She's probably contemplating how much better life would be if she could fly like we rito do." Revali waved her off.

"Not really, no." Mipha said with decently masked irritation, "But this makes even less sense. Here we are, a rito and a zora co-existing in Hyrule. How can this be, if your story claims we are one and the same?"

Sea shrugged, "I don't know. But I'm not making it up. The blood descendant of the zora sage who I helped take on the role is Medli, a rito."

"Ha, there's the basis for the name of the one Divine Beast not paying homage to the Sages of Woods' era. A rito sage, fitting." Urbosa pointed out.

Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule cleared his throat, "If I may shed some light on this… I can confirm what Sea has said, after the flood, the zora were entrusted by their guardian deity to another one, the dragon Valoo. Under his protection, the zora changed into the rito, so that they could not swim down to the sealed Hyrule."

Revali shook his head, "I don't care what anyone says, I am not believing any of this. Besides, that still doesn't explain how the zora are still here with us."

"It's not the only thing that doesn't add up." Wolf said, attracting attention to himself, "Based on the stories of Woods and Sea, the events that led to the flooding of Hyrule should have occurred right after Ganondorf was sealed by him, for the first time, isn't that right?"

"It is." King Daphnes confirmed.

"From what I've learned in my journey, Ganondorf has escaped his first banishment and sealing. And I'm certainly not from your era, you are not there." He concluded, studying the ghost.

Suddenly, much to King Rhoam's surprise, Fi appeared out of Loft's Master Sword, "Master, I have relevant information to relay."

"Then please, go ahead, Fi." Loft said with a smile.

"It cannot be determined with absolutely certainty, but based on the data everyone has shared, I calculate a 94% probability that upon sending back in time the young master who has adopted the moniker Woods, her grace, the Princess Zelda of his era, has caused time to split into multiple paths."

Silence.

"Am I the only one who didn't understand that?" Asked Daruk, embarrassedly. He wasn't.

"I shall elaborate further as to clarify the concept. If this theory is correct, when young master Link, moniker Woods, was sent back in time, the future he left behind continued on the path it was set on, without him. The time that he returned to, in which he prevented Ganon's conquest of Hyrule by warning the royal family of the looming threat, progressed on a different diverging path."

Wolf nodded, "I can see how that would lead to the history I'm familiar with, Ganondorf being captured and banished before he could conquer Hyrule."

"You managed to deduce all of that so quickly? You're incredible!" Zelda said in awe.

"That's Fi!" Loft commented with a grin.

"Thank you, your grace, master Link, however I am merely performing the task I was created for." Fi responded, slowly spinning to face them both.

"Who knew the Spirit of the Master Sword was genius… we need to get you out of that blade like this again," Zelda pointed at the sword on her knight's back, "You would be such a great help with our research. But wait, even then, how do we have both rito and zora if only one of these people is supposed to exist depending on the path time took?"

"For the love of the goddess, can't we move on to other things? Is it just my head that feels like it's about to explode?" The last remaining temporally displaced Link whose story was not yet told shouted in exasperation, breathing a sigh of relief when Fi vanished.

King Rhoam laughed, contrary to his daughter who turned on a dime with a scowl saying, "Maybe you have no interest in our history and natural sciences, but there's people who actually very much value expanding their knowledge and culture."

Rhoam gave a cough, "Zelda, please, your manners. Remember your station, you were raised to be more respectful. Besides, I agree that for the time being those answers shall be sufficient, you may investigate more later."

The princess pouted again, "Respect? I'm the one that needed to be more respectful?"

Her father sighed, "Given your education and whom you were addressing, yes." He then noticed how everybody was eyeing him and the still mysterious Link. "Ah, am I to understand introductions for my friend have not been made yet?"

“Friend?” Zelda thought, surprised, and not the only one judging by everyone's face as the king was informed that no, they hadn't gotten to him yet.

With gusto, Rhoam made a sweeping motion of his arm in the brunet's direction, "Well then, it is my pleasure then to present to you all His Majesty, King Link."

Everyone's jaws slacked in shock, staring wide-eyed at the brunet.

The brown haired Link sputtered as he cut in, waving his hands frantically in front of him, "Whoa! Hold on, I'm not king yet! ...I mean, with all due respect, your majesty."

Rhoam chuckled, "I suppose that is true."

"King… Link??" Princess Mipha and Zelda muttered.

“It has… a very nice ring to it.” Zelda thought, blushing.

Not everyone thought so as Revali squawked, "A King? Him??"

"I can understand this might seem surprising… what is the matter, Chief Urbosa?" Rhoam said, turning to the gerudo who was trying to contain her laughter with only partial success.

"My apologies, your majesty, it's just that… King Link here may or may not have threatened to pelt the zora princess with fireballs."

"And before that, he nearly attacked me, the rito champion." Revali added with a scoff.

Urbosa regarded him pensively, "He did? I missed out on that. Of course, I would say that's a very understandable behavior when it comes to you." She concluded to Revali's further indignation.

It was now Rhoam's turn to go wide-eyed at the situation he'd found in his hands.

"I apologized! We cleared up the misunderstanding and I said I was sorry!" The brown haired Link ventured in his defense.

"Princess Mipha, Champion Revali," Rhoam began, though his eyes were mostly on the zora, "Given the circumstances, I believe a formal apology from the Kingdom of Hyrule is in order. I hope this will not create any tensions between our people, it would be a terrible shame, especially at the end of a day in which we triumphantly stood united against the greatest threat to us all."

Mipha smiled reassuringly, "Speaking for myself, I already consider the incident closed. As said, it was merely a misunderstanding, we were mistaken for some of the fiends he has encountered in his travels, in my case a different, and genuinely maligned, breed of zora. So if anything I feel like I should apologize to him on behalf of my species."

"Oh no, no need, if I held you responsible for their actions I would be making the same mistake all over again. I'll be glad to just leave this behind us." Said an embarrassed hero.

"I think I'll look back to it as a fun memory to laugh about." Mipha nodded.

Revali was not so easily placated, "Well, I am not amused."

"Oh, give that beak some rest already, you've received the apologies of two kings." Urbosa said tiredly.

"I'm still not ready to believe he can possibly be a king," The rito said, pointing to the brown haired young man, "and I haven't heard any apologies from you for your disrespect."

"And that's the beauty of it: you never will." She smirked.

While the rito and gerudo went on bickering, Zelda pressed for answers (she very much wanted to know how a hero could end up being king), "So, if he's not a king yet, how do we know he becomes one? I'm very curious to hear the story of… right we still don't have a nickname for him, unless we continue to refer to him as King Link?"

The brunet Link scratched his cheek, "That would make me sound so pompous. I mean, I am still a commoner at this point in my life. It could create more unnecessary tensions." Rhoam nodded his agreement, allowing him to carry on, "So… could we go with Wanderer? I feel like I've been wandering around Hyrule for most of my life."

"An exceedingly humble name, but it has a nobility to it. Very well, now that it's settled," Rhoam cleared his throat, "Wanderer arrived in Hyrule as a young boy, at a time in which Ganon and his monsters had all but conquered it. He ran into the nursemaid of the princess Zelda of his time and took it upon himself to slay the demon king and rescue the princess. For years after that he kept on fighting the minions Ganon left behind to protect the land of Hyrule, until on his sixteenth birthday a mark appeared on him that designated Wanderer as the one chosen to awaken from a cursed, endless sleep a princess Zelda from a time long past."

"So there would be two Zeldas living in the same era?" Loft considered, bewildered.

Zelda exclaimed, "I remember that tale! But I don't recall the one that awakened the princess to have previously fought Ganon… and I don't think his name was recorded in the texts that survived to our time."

"Yes, much has been lost." Rhoam confirmed, "But we do know the one who awakened her went on to become one of the greatest kings in this country's history, leading Hyrule into a golden age."

Once again there was widespread astonishment among those gathered, much to Wanderer's increasing embarrassment.

"Quite impressive credentials, wouldn't you say?" Urbosa winked at Revali, who simply grumbled.

"Fortunately, in the middle of this later quest, Wanderer was taken to our time. Had it not been for him, I doubt I would be standing here now. In fleeing from the castle I'd led a contingent of soldiers to take shelter on the Great Plateau. A large number of guardians followed us there and we had no choice but to engage them in battle."

"What are these guardians?" Sea asked, not having been taught how bad an idea it normally was to interrupt a king.

"Machines that were meant to assist against the Calamity, however they were corrupted and turned against us. Wanderer appeared and saved my life at the last second, then turned around the tide of the conflict with his magic."

"Magic?" Sea asked like the excitable child he was.

Rhoam smiled at him, "Indeed! The thunder he called down disabled multiple guardians in the blink of an eye and his shield effortlessly reflected their deadly beams back at them like it was a mirror. He made unbelievable leaps through the air, protected by a skin-tight shield of light and though he did not come out of the battle unscathed, his magic healed his wounds right before my eyes!"

Zelda couldn't believe how excited her father sounded. He really seemed like someone that's met their childhood hero and did not end up disappointed.  

"Oh…! Shield magic, I've got that too! So does Daruk. I also have a mirror shield. I don't know if it's magical, but it works. But this is so cool!" Sea said, quickly walking over to Wanderer, "Can you show us something?"

"I'd love to, but the fighting has really drained me of my magic energy." The older hero said, making the other pout.

"Yet another who can call down thunder. This has been a great day but also rather sobering for me." Urbosa said enigmatically, "At least this time it's not just me."

"It seems he's got magic to match all of our abilities." Mipha said, very much impressed.

"A long leap is not flying." Revali retorted, evidently insulted by the comparison.

"I can fly with magic, but I can't fight while doing it." Wanderer ventured.

"Then there is no usefulness next to a champion's ability like mine." The rito gloated.

"Can't fight? Why not?" Zelda asked him.

"It's… the magic that allows me to temporarily turn into a fairy."

"Eh?!" Tatl exclaimed, then floated in front of Woods' widened eyes, "That's one you're still missing." The boy rolled his eyes and shrugged.

Revali laughed out loud, evidently thinking such a transformation ridiculous. But when he next made to speak, all other Links (minus the one from present time) were talking over each other as to how useful that sounded like it would be for dungeon exploration.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I've occasionally used it to fly through keyholes." Wanderer confirmed.

"Oooh! That's borderline cheating!" Sea called out in envy.

"Well, what do you know," Urbosa chuckled, "We found someone that can get under Revali's feathers more than our own Link."

"But that's not the whole story, is it? How did he end up here to give us your paraglider, father?" Zelda asked the king. "What about the giant circular flying contraption? I almost mistook it for a divine beast. Where has such a device been hiding all these years? Underground?"

Rhoam and Wanderer looked at each other before the former attempted to answer, "Perhaps so, I'm not sure. After the battle, a portal that Wanderer tells me was similar to the one that brought him to our time, took us into what looked like the inside of a divine beast. That place did seem to be underground. There we met a sheikah monk that somehow vegetated in there since the time of the last battle against the Calamity."

"But-but that was ten thousand years ago!" Zelda shouted.

"That it was. The monk told us that through the sight gifted to him by the Goddess, he knew you two would need my paraglider to put an end to the fight and that the hero from another time should bring it to you. I handed it to him and then the most frightful thing happened: I looked down, alerted by a blue glow only to realize it was coming from me, and I saw my body gradually disappear into thin strands of light. Next thing I knew, I was back atop the Great Plateau."

"You were teleported! I've read about this in my research!" Zelda explained with evident excitement.

"Teleported. I see…" Rhoam pondered, "Well then, my friend, would you tell us what happened next?"

Wandered continued on, "I too was… teleported? And found myself up in the sky on that metal disc with the monk. I thought it would just take us to you, but then the weirdo attacked me!"

"What? Why??" Zelda asked incredulously.

"I don't know! He said it was a trial. I have no idea what point there could have been to do that." He answered with evident exasperation, "I mean, suppose I failed, then what? You don't get the item you need, Ganon wins, the end? I think he had lost his mind over all the time he spent locked in there."

"I know how you feel." Loft muttered.

Wanderer continued on, "Regardless, I won, he gave me that mechanical horse describing it as the fifth Divine Beast intended for the hero. After that, when the disc started falling I dropped off to deliver you the paraglider." He turned towards Zelda’s knight, " I'd highly recommend not using that thing like I did, to fall from that distance, because it's a rather… harsh landing."

"Ouch." Mipha winced, "Are you in need of healing?"

Wanderer's legs instinctively closed up as he recalled how Mipha’s healing came from her hands, "No, no. It was a while ago and it wasn't that bad."

"So… where is that machine now?" Zelda's eyes swept Hyrule Field, but there was no horse shaped machine that she could see.

"Well, after I went to inspect the debris of that metal disc to check on that old monk, nowhere to be seen alive or dead, I came back to find you sleeping away the fight's fatigue. I turned the machine off to stop the noise it made, dismounted, walked a few steps and the thing teleported who knows where."

Urbosa chuckled at Zelda's dejected sigh, "Don't worry Little Bird. I'm sure there has to be some way to make it appear again. Perhaps you could find clues on the Sheikah Slate?"

Zelda bit her lip as she pulled the slate up and tapped on the screen several times. They waited as Zelda's frown deepened, her tapping not bringing forward the mysterious machine, "Maybe if I was able to go wherever father and Wanderer were sent… or perhaps by investigating the remains of that platform."

After a moment she lowered the slate, "But that can wait. I wish to give you my personal thanks, Wanderer, for saving my father's life." She looked in turn at those around her, "All of you, those of this time and those of other eras alike, thank you all so much for helping us in our moment of greatest need." The Princess closed her eyes and bowed, immediately joined by her knight. Her father followed. A moment of silence fell among the gathered group.

Zelda opened her eyes upon hearing a shuffling sound to find that all those gathered were now bowing as well.

"I believe I speak on behalf of everyone here when I say that yours was no doubt the hardest part in this ordeal, and the one most necessary to ensure this reprieve we have won." King Daphnes Nohansen spoke, "So please, stand princess and hero, out of all of us here, you are the last who should be bowing."

As they stood, Zelda's eyes filled with tears, "Everyone… Once again, thank you!" 

Link didn't want to interrupt the moment, but he thought back to what the Fierce Deity had told him before he'd withdrawn his help. It made much more sense now.

Link cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention, shifting his feet when they looked at him, "As the princess said, we deeply appreciate everyone's help. And now, I believe those that have been brought here from other eras surely wish to know what to expect next. I was told to say this to the warriors that would appear and their companions: 'You will be returned to your own time at the exact moment from which you were taken. Not a second will have passed since you left. You have done well in assisting those in need and are thus granted the opportunity to rest and recover here.'" They stared at him, stunned. Even Zelda tilted her head in confusion.

"And what if we don't want to stay here, uh?" Midna questioned, floating above everyone's head as several others nodded. Link blinked as he frowned.

"I… don't know. From what he said, it does not seem like you have a choice in the matter." Link trailed off as several people frowned.

"We have to go back to stop the moon and save my brother! Who's this 'he' you speak of?" Tatl questioned, her color slowly darkening in her displeasure.

"We believe him to be the Fierce Deity, spoken of in obscure, ancient legends." Zelda explained, "Just like each of the Champions received help, so did we, except rather than someone coming to our aid, Link was allowed to borrow the deity's power. You should have seen him, father." The princess spoke with unconcealed admiration, "He grew more than twice his size and was so strong that none of the guardians could touch him. He cut through them with an enormous sword, like a hot knife through goat's butter!"

"A deity huh?" Loft sighed, "Well, in my experience their plans are best not to deviate from."

"It is what it is. And since not even a second is passing in our time, we might as well enjoy it." Wolf said, to Midna's silent irritation.

"There's nothing we can do about this, so let's make the most of it." Woods nodded.

"It'd be fun to explore Hyrule and see how different it's become from when I've known it." Wanderer agreed.

"Explore land instead of water? And no time will pass back where I'm from? Oooh, that'll be fun!" Sea cheered. "But hey, now that we've all shared stories, there's something that's been bugging me." He looked pointedly at the Link of this era, "How come you get to wear those clothes?"

"I wasn't going to say anything, but I am curious about that too." Wolf joined in.

Link just looked at them in puzzlement, evidently not sure what they were getting at, so Zelda answered for him, "He's wearing the Champion's tunic, woven by me in the colors of the royal family. If anything, I'd like to know why you are all wearing those strange green clothes."

Sea gesticulated wildly, "I was forced to! These are the hero's clothes!"

"The what?" Woods asked, surprised.

Sea turned to him "The hero's clothes! Your clothes!" He repeated, "Every boy on my island is made to wear them upon turning twelve, the age on which the Hero of Time embarked on his quest."

Woods shook his head, "Alright, first off, being an orphan I don't even know my age for certain. Secondly those are just the clothes normally worn in Kokiri village."

"Well, it wasn't just Sea's people that considered them as such." Wolf informed them, "These clothes were presented to me by one of the Light Spirits as the Hero's Garb. When I arrived in Castle Town, there were those who thought me a poser for wearing them."

"Loft, your era is presumably before any of us… what's your reason for wearing them?" Woods asked.

"This is the uniform of the knights of Skyloft. It's issued in a different color each year, I just happened to get green. I'd assumed you all were knights also." He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Finally everyone turned towards Wanderer, "Don't look at me, these are just ordinary clothes where I'm from. I just happen to like the color green. I didn't know there was any significance behind them!" 

"I guess over the course of time, the meaning that was once attributed to them faded from memory. Still, I can't help but wonder if there isn't a set of clothes like those in Link's size, hidden somewhere and waiting for him to find them." Zelda pondered, causing the others to chuckle. She joined in, "I guess it is a silly thought."

“Oh! There's something I'd forgotten to tell you all!" Link suddenly said.

"What? What is it Link?" Zelda asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

"You won't be able to take anything from this era back with you." He answered.

Zelda sighed in relief, "Ah, you had me worried there for a second-"

"NO! I refuse!" Sea shouted, making everyone look at him and what he was holding, "Daruk gave me this empty bottle! It's mine now!"

Link blinked, “Of all the things-”

He could not finish that thought, as all other Links except for Wanderer gathered around Sea trying to comfort him.

"It's hard, but you'll have to let go." Woods whispered.

"You will manage without it, I know you will." Loft encouraged.

"You'll find more bottles, that's just how it works." Nodded Wolf.

Link and Wanderer looked at each other. The latter shrugged.

"Daruk was very generous." Wolf patted Sea's back as he offered the bottle back to a confused goron.

"Would you believe Urbosa almost tossed one of mine away?" Woods complained, making the others turn to her in shock.

"...sorry?" Urbosa tentatively apologized again, genuinely not sure what to make of this.

"I'm glad Revali was not so careless, he understands." Loft smiled.

"Well of course I didn't throw that bottle away. We were flying, it could have killed someone if it fell on their head." Loft's smile died on his lips, blinking at the rito in betrayal.

With everyone's curiosity finally satisfied, and the king properly filled in on what he'd missed, smaller groups of people started to form as they waited for Rhoam's men to come reach him.

Wanderer, the king to be, found himself in one with the two actual kings, Rhoam and Daphnes.

"I must say, I never would have imagined that in my lifetime I would meet not one but two previous rulers of my country." Rhoam said, jovially.

"It certainly was unexpected." Daphnes replied, his face stern.

Rhoam nodded, "Our young friend here, has some understandable anxiety about his oncoming reign, due to his lack of experience. I've been giving him advice to the best of my ability. Perhaps you would like to offer your own?"

Daphnes raised an eyebrow, "Advice? I'm not even sure I remember much of my rule before the war. I am a ghost long forgotten by his own people, the last king of Hyrule. It has been eons since I’ve last held court or given orders to my soldiers."

His words left Rhoam slack jawed, "Forgive my thoughtless words. I have come close to losing everything as well and had feared that I could have found myself in your same position, a ghost wandering through a ruined kingdom, looking for some way to set things right. I may not know what you went through, but I know I was minutes away from experiencing it."

"Good. Don't ever forget how fortunate you are. Gods and deities are indeed fickle." The ghost said with resentment, eyes lost in a time long past.

Wanderer winced, unable to fully empathize.

"There's one thing to keep your spirits up, though, you have a living descendant in Sea's era." Rhoam tried going for a more positive angle, "Surely, once Ganondorf is defeated she will restore Hyrule, therefore, you will be its last king no longer."

"…Surely." Daphnes said, his face clearing of emotion.

"You’ve been able to visit another time and Link told me that they named one of their mountains after you. That's some cause for optimism, right?" Wanderer tried contributing.

Daphnes looked at him, "Being brought to this era has certainly been enlightening. For long, I was convinced that Hyrule would always attract covetous conquerors. What I've seen has validated that belief, though I never expected it would still be him, after tens of millennia." His scowl deepened, "Nothing will ever keep him away from this land, it seems."

"Yes, the only reason we had ten thousand years of peace was because Sheikah technology was used in an attempt to end this cycle once and for all." Rhoam, confirmed.

"And from what I understand, it almost did, by nearly letting him win." Daphnes shook his head, "And now he is, once again, sealed. Until the next time he breaks free." A deep sigh left his lips, “Forgive my sobering words. When one has to spend ages by themselves, they tend to lose their positivity. Not all is lost.”

"No, no, it’s not. Ah, your majesties, if I may take my leave, there's something I wish to discuss with Woods." Wanderer said, eager to get himself out of the most depressing conversation he'd ever been part of.

"Of course, my friend, and by all means, you may not be king yet but consider yourself among equals with us." Said Rhoam, seeing him off.

He trotted off, looking around and heading for Woods, who was sitting on a rock nearby, with Urbosa.

On his way there, Wanderer found Mipha observing Woods from a distance. Stopping next to her for a second, he caught her mumble, "He looks so glum. I wish I could do something."

"We can try.” He smiled at her small jump of surprise, “If me becoming friends with a zora is possible, then surely on this day of wonders anything can happen." Mipha giggled at his words and followed him to the younger hero.

"Hey kid, how are you holding up?" The brown haired Link asked.

Woods looked up at him, "All things considered? Well enough, I suppose, lad."

Wanderer chuckled and sat next to him, "I've been doing some thinking and there's something I wanted to talk to you about. We've more or less established that time split up and that, nonetheless, in this strange, distant era we have divine beasts named after some of your sages and one from a separate timeline."

"Yes, the gerudo sage Nabooru, the goron sage Darunia and the zora sage Ruto." Woods confirmed, "Along with the one from Sea's era, Medli the rito."

"Right, and the names of the other sages were…?" The older hero prodded.

Woods frowned, "Have I not said this already? Rauru, Saria, Impa and Zelda."

"Mhm. Now I don't know how my own era may have been affected by the timeline's separation, but I can surely tell you there was no great flood in my history. If I were to guess, I would imagine I'm in the same branch as Wolf, the one you ended up in, though I could be wrong. Maybe there's a third one, who knows." He shrugged theatrically, "But anyway, it seems the path that leads to the flood is not the only one in which your sage friends made a name for themselves."

That piqued Woods' interest, "What do you mean?"

"Simple, with the exception of Impa and Zelda, each of those names has been given to a town in my Hyrule."

"Uh. Well, that's neat." Woods remarked simply. Then he smiled a little, "I wonder what Saria will say when I tell her. That one's certainly the most unexpected."

"It's odd though… I didn't expect Sea to provide the missing name for the Vah Medoh. I thought for sure that too would match up with one of the towns in my era." Wanderer said pensively.

"And what town is that?" Woods asked, lips in a half smile.

Promptly, Wanderer answered, "Mido town."

"Wait, what?!"

"…should I assume this is someone you know?" Wanderer asked, taken aback.

"How did he of all people get a town named after him??" Woods couldn't seem to wrap his head around it.

"Who is this Mido?" Urbosa questioned.

"A dumb bully. Not an irredeemable person." Link was quick to add, "I mean, I think we were friends, in a way… but I can't imagine what he could do to get a town named after him. He wasn't a sage or anything, just the self appointed boss of the Kokiri."

"That seems pretty important." Wanderer ventured.

"Nobody took him seriously. And we're talking about children that never grow up nor leave the forest they live in." Woods retorted.

"Ahhh…" Wanderer was at a loss

"Urgh… I can't believe this." 

It seemed the attempt to cheer up Woods had backfired. Maybe. He was kind of hard to read at the moment, "I don't suppose you know a Kasuto?" Woods didn't.

"Not for the first time, I wish my powers could help people feel better not just from physical injury." Mipha said forlornly.

"You want them to improve people's mood? That's what special milk is for." Woods sighed, "I could really go for a hit of that stuff right now …what?" He asked upon noticing the shocked faces everyone regarded him with, "It greatly boosts my magic energy!"

"Iiiinteresting." Wanderer said, his eyes gleaming.

"Forget it, it only comes from one ranch in another dimension, there's no recipe I can give you."

"Bummer." The brunet deflated.

Mipha giggled, "You really do remind me of Link, the one from this time, when he was younger. He was such a reckless child, his friends often involved him in the most elaborate pranks." She sighed wistfully.

"A prankster, uh? …You really like this guy a lot, don't you princess? And not just because he's the hero."

Predictably Mipha blushed, "I-! He's certainly someone I care much for, but… I mean to say…"

"Oh, do yourself a favor already princess and drop the act." Urbosa gave the zora a playful shove.

"You… you knew?" Mipha asked in shock.

"Is the desert full of sand? Yes, yes I knew. You weren't exactly subtle when we took that picture."

Meanwhile, Tatl flew up in front of Woods' face, "You're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you?"

"I am. It's a terrible idea." He told her.

"Yeah, it's the best terrible idea!" She cackled.

Woods sighed with a strange smile, "Well alright, here goes nothing. Princess?" He motioned for her to come close.

When she did, he whispered something to her, Tatl bouncing up and down around them.

"Eh? A-alright I… suppose. But what is it you're talking about?" Mipha asked, confused.

"You'll see, come along." And with that Woods stood up and walked away, Mipha in tow.

Wanderer and Urbosa looked at each other and quickly followed.

Woods made his way to Link and Zelda, Mipha stopping short a few paces away, clearly unsure as to what was going on and suddenly very nervous, perhaps worried that Woods was going to oust her feelings.

"Hey, Mr. Knight!" Woods called out.

Link turned around giving him his full attention.

"Get down here for a second, I think there's something stuck on your face."

Woods stepped closer as Link crouched down, giving him a puzzled look, "So? What is it?"

"This." Woods said and slapped something to his face.

Link stood up abruptly, his hands to his face, or rather the object on it, covering it from view. Everyone gasped as what sounded like a distorted scream of agony was heard from him. Before anyone could do anything a bright flash originated from his position… and when they could see again, a completely different being was standing in Link's place, although he was the same height. It seemed a zora but not quite like any those present had seen before. His skin was mostly one color, sky blue, except for his fins, much fewer and simpler than those of a present day zora, which were a royal blue but for his head-fin which was yellow. Unlike most zora, he was wearing shorts, boots and bracers. Especially unsettling were his eyes, entirely pitch black, if not for a white gleam due to how reflective they were.

The mysterious zora gurgled out a moan, "What was that? My everything hurts!"

"Oh, don't be a baby, you're fine." Woods dismissed.

"I can't- there's water in my throat!" Every word out of the zora's mouth had a strange reverb to it.

"I don't know how to sound normal when speaking either, but it's nothing to worry about. Unless you have to sing." The younger hero informed, unable to hide a smirk forming on his face.

Link finally looked down at himself, "What…?! What did you do to me?!?"

"L-Link? Is that you??" A face-blanched Zelda was finally able to bring herself to speak.

Wanderer was vaguely aware that next to him Urbosa was dissolving into uncontrolled laughter, barely able to stand.

"I just gave you the chance to observe life from a different perspective. I'd guide you through it, but unfortunately there's only one zora mask. You should get a zora to do it, I'm sure you can find a volunteer. Go have a swim, enjoy, you can thank me later."

"Why you, little-!" Link reached out for his smaller counterpart, but the latter zoomed away at impossible speed, leaving even Tatl behind.

When he stopped everyone could see he had a pair of bunny ears on his head, "Yeah, good luck with that, webbed feet!"

Link gave chase nonetheless, with Woods easily keeping his distance, mocking him by running in place when he was far enough.

At one point, he let Link get so close that it looked like he was going to catch him, only to dart away at the last second. However, something unexpected happened, as he reached forward with his arms to try and grab Woods, his fins flew off!

They spun in the air and converged painfully on Woods, who fell to the ground, before returning to their owner.

"Link!" Urbosa shouted, it was impossible to tell if she was shouting at the zora or for the one sprawled on the ground.

"I- I didn't mean to do that! How did I do that? How was that possible??" Link said looking at his arms with a horrified expression.

Urbosa ran to the fallen hero, who mumbled out, "'m fine, just a good whack …probably deserved that."

Meanwhile Wolf called out to the zora princess, "Mipha… Mipha! We need your healing powers!"

He received no response, Mipha was frozen in place, her mouth gaping and face redder than any expert on zora physiology would have deemed possible, eyes glued to Link in his zora form.

Midna waved her hair-hand in front of her, to no effect, "I think he broke her."

Tatl, in the midst of all this, had decided to perch on Wanderer's shoulder.

"What did he tell her? When he whispered to her, what did he say?" The brunet asked the fairy.

"This is not permanent, it'll be a one time thing. Make the best of it."

Sea, who had been close enough to hear, let out a laugh as he dashed to stand in front of the shocked Mipha, "Well then, you heard Woods: Link needs a zora to show him the ropes. You're up for that right? Hello? Princess!"

She gasped as he pulled on her hands, dragging her out of her stupor, "Eh, wh-what?"

The boy groaned, “Grown-ups…” , he thought to himself, "Are you going to teach our new zora friend how to swim or what?"

"Swim? Link-" Mipha immediately looked back up at the scene, 'zora Link' was crouched next to Woods who was rubbing his back, eyes squinted shut, "Oh dear!"

"It's nothing serious." Urbosa told her as she approached, "But you may want to give him a look anyway. If you can tear your eyes away from our knight long enough, that is." She concluded with a grin, watching as the red zora’s eyes widened.

"Hey!" Sea chased after a flustered Mipha as she hurried over to the two.

Wanderer blinked, "Well... that was sure something."

"Swimming, pah. I can understand the zora, they are practically fish, but why would anyone else want to do that when we have perfectly good ground to tread upon?" Daruk asked, scratching his head.

"Swimming can be fun," Urbosa smirked as she leaned closer to the goron, "Don't tell me, Daruk, could it be that besides canines, you have an unreasonable fear of water too?"

"There's nothing unreasonable about that!" Daruk protested.

"Oh? Now this is interesting." Midna said, moving closer with an impish smile on her face as a black and orange stone materialized in her hand.

"I've never seen a rock like that." Daruk noted, moving closer to examine it, "Can I taste it?"

"Wait! Midna, don't you da-" Wolf never finished his sentence as Midna swiftly touched him with the stone and released him. Black substance enveloped the sharp-eyed man as he sunk to the ground on all fours. Before the small crowd could approach him in concern, his animal form was revealed.

Midna landed on his back and propped a hand under her chin, "Don't they say one of the best ways to get over your fears is to confront them?" she asked, grinning at Daruk as the champion froze at Wolf's changed appearance.

"Whoa! That's kind of like my transformation into a fairy. I-" Wanderer cut off as Daruk scrambled back. He blinked as the goron hastily threw up his shield and curled into a ball, whimpering about long-fanged, fur-covered monsters.

"Princess," Urbosa managed to tell Midna, between bouts of laughter, "I believe if you didn't have to go back to your era, we would become excellent friends."

Zelda weaved through the crowd to be by herself for a moment. She had little interest in the impromptu arm wrestling match between Daruk and 'Darmani'. Although she was curious to know why Daruk flinched when Wolf walked up to him, almost making him lose, she had more pressing matters on her mind.

Link, after the situation had been cleared up and it was made known he could return to his normal self by simply pulling off the ‘zora mask’, had been given her father's blessing to go experience swimming like a zora does. Apparently this was a childhood dream of his. Zelda never knew.

She also didn't know the zora princess had interest in her knight beyond that of a simple friend, but after what just transpired and her reaction to it, only a blind person would still be unaware of this.

The notion that Mipha was merely struck with fancy by Link's handsome zora form she dismissed immediately. Mipha wasn't like that. There clearly was something to this that ran much deeper.

Zelda sighed, she supposed it should have been obvious that she wouldn't be the only one chasing after Link's heart. Most maidens probably dreamed of a dashing hero. Princess Mipha wasn't most maidens though. Link had practically grown up in her presence. Whether this would give the zora princess an edge or a disadvantage, she couldn't say for sure.

Either way, Mipha was the most sweet, caring and compassionate soul Zelda knew… with Link himself right next to her, ironically enough. They would make a good match. She was going to be tough competition.

…is that what this was? A competition? In a way, yes, she figured, yes it was.

And that was fine, she decided. She didn't own Link's life and freedom (…that is to say, she could, as princess of the royal family he swore to serve, but she wasn't going to twist that oath into something so… selfishly cruel) and Mipha had no less right than she did to try and win him over.

She resolved then and there to never use Link's position as her personal guard to gain an unfair advantage (…or at least, she would not do it deliberately). She would keep this competition of theirs fair. 

“Well then… may the best princess win!” She thought to herself, "That is, if Link hasn't already chosen. And if he doesn't choose someone else entirely." Shaking her head, she decided not to dwell on it.

Right now, it was Mipha's moment. Zelda wasn't going to hover around them by the water's edge, like some bird of prey. She was fairly sure being like that would only hurt her chances with her knight.

It was regrettable though that beyond just leaving those two alone ( “fair competition'' she reminded herself already), Link's zora form made for a unique specimen very different from the zora of the present. His ability to throw his fins like boomerang, or use them like a shield, was due to the zora whose form he borrowed having been part of the long extinct warrior caste. Much to everyone's shock, especially Mipha's (thankfully not in a literal sense), Woods revealed he could also generate electricity. Link was adorably concerned he might do it by mistake if he went to swim with the zora princess, so Woods helped him practice to make sure he had control over it. Mipha noted the old zora that taught her spearman-ship had an unusually high resistance to electricity making Zelda immediately speculate he must have had some blood from the warrior caste still coursing through him. This was so interesting! If only she could study Link's unique zora biology.

…zora biology. Mipha wasn't going to try and convince Link to elope with her and have zora children while he still had the mask, was she? No, she was a princess, Mipha would never do that. Would she?

She had to stop thinking about this before she had a panic attack. Fortunately a distraction arrived at just that moment.

"My daughter." King Rhoam called out, having followed her, "Might I talk to you for a bit?"

"Of course, father." Zelda nodded, and they continued to walk a little further away.

"How are you feeling?"

" Like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders." Zelda responded. No more looming threat of the world ending if she failed.

King Rhoam took a deep breath before starting, "I wish to apologize to you. I know I put extreme expectations on you all your life. I don't know if it was also thanks to my choices or not that all turned out for the best… but even if it was, I can't help asking myself if I had to push you so hard, if I shouldn't have shown you more parental support, especially in these last few months. I know, still, that I had to put the kingdom first, but… I believe I could have spared a few moments to show you my love rather than my fears. Will you ever forgive me?"

Zelda shook as she nodded, failing to keep the tears from falling as she rushed into her father's embrace once again. Because she buried her face in his chest, she didn't see the approving smile Urbosa sent them or Wanderer's encouraging thumbs up behind her.

"Of course father. I understand how concerned and stressed you were, especially after mom died. I'm sorry I couldn't awaken my power sooner. But nothing I did would awaken it." Zelda gasped out as her tears soaked into Rhoam's clothes.

"Nothing I hold you at fault for, my dear. Your powers came when you needed them most and now that part of our life is over. Let's start over in this new era."

"Yes." Zelda agreed, hugging tighter and crying her tears dry. With a congested sniff, she pulled away and smiled at her father, wiping the tear marks from her face "Yes, let us."

Chapter Text

King Rhoam

King Rhoam blew out a breath, taking a second to rest as the soldier rushed away to carry out his orders.

“I did not know that so much went into running a kingdom. Well, I did know, but seeing it in action is something else entirely.” Wanderer whistled, watching men labor to make a walkway in one of the castle rooms.

Rhoam chuckled, “Yes, royal duties seem to never cease but-”

“My king! We are low on manpower to clear out under the castle where the food storage is.” One of his captains ran up to him, giving his report.

“There should be more soldiers coming from the plateau eventually. For now, ignore trying to rebuild some of the bridges and clearing out unimportant rooms. Send a sizable group to get the food. We have hungry survivors to feed.”

“Sire!” Another soldier spoke up as the captain went to do his bidding, “How are we supposed to help the survivors? Most of the homes have been destroyed, and we’ve been cleaning out these rooms for them.”

“There are other areas they can camp out at. We need to keep them fed and provide shelter in the meantime. Find volunteers from the survivors if you can.” Rhoam narrowed his eyes in thought as the soldier saluted to him.

“We need food and we don’t know how much of the food was buried or if it’s edible anymore. What do you suggest we do, Wanderer?” 

“Wha- me? What would I do??” Wanderer sputtered, waving his hands in the air, “I don’t think I’m qualified to be giving you any advice, your majesty.”

Rhoam laughed, smiling gently at him, “I’m simply asking for your opinion, not for you to decide in my place. I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Even kings need outside ideas every now and again.”

“Well,” Wanderer started out slowly, “I suspect there's not much food inside the castle at this moment, is there? So for a quick solution, have only a few soldiers digging to unbury the food and send others on a hunt in the forests. It’s been a while since Ganon was sealed, so the animals should have returned to their normal hunting grounds. If there are any people among the survivors that know the different plants that are edible, they can go to pick wild plants, vegetables, and fruit. Umm,” Wanderer faltered, looking at Rhoam.

“Keep going, lad. I know you have more to say.” Rhoam nodded encouragingly. 

“I could lead a hunt, if you wanted me to. I’m used to searching for food by myself. Besides that... maybe we could ask support from the other tribes that weren't hit as hard and who are close enough to help quickly."

"Ah, but if we simply asked for their help, that would put us in their debt." Rhoam noted, keeping his eyes on Wanderer, making clear that he expected a response.

"True. I suppose solidarity and governing don't necessarily go hand in hand." The young man trailed off, thinking, "If it was possible, it would be best to write contracts for their assistance; it would certainly be preferable for the kingdom's finances compared to repaying any debts at a later date, with interest. Hmm, although I don't know how many rupees you have in the treasury. But even if there wasn't enough, should it come between choosing to indebt the kingdom or let people die, I would choose the former. Especially when the populace is already exhausted and left in tatters after the horrific disaster that befell them." He looked at Rhoam, resisting the urge to rub the back of his neck.

“Excellent deduction, Wanderer.” King Rhoam beamed at him, “I was thinking that would be the best course of action as well. The royal coffers should be enough to pay for all the supplies. As for hunting, we wouldn't want to completely deplete the forests of the animals, so we will need to call for help and sort out rations as well.”

“That’s what I was thinking as well. Where do hunters go to acquire meat? Do you think we can start there and broaden our search until we get the supplies from the others?” Wanderer asked, relieved that Rhoam took his answer well.

“Of course. There are two places they generally visit to hunt. One area is the Water Reservoir or the Giant’s Forest. Since the Water Reservoir is closer, I’d recommend starting there.” Rhoam placed a hand on Wanderer’s shoulder, “I am impressed at your answer, whether it was more wisdom or instinct, you’re already showing the qualities of a great ruler. You’ve got the making of greatness in you.”

“T-Thank you, your majesty.” Wanderer stuttered, finally giving in to the temptation to rub his neck.

“You’re welcome. I-”

“Your majesty, we’re running out of rebuilding materials since the main gate was crushed and the stairs are crumbling. It’s not safe with how unstable everything is.” A soldier saluted King Rhoam as he spoke.

Rhoam grit his teeth, “We will have to relocate to Castle Town.”

“But, sir!” The soldier sputtered, “Castle Town is in ruins and there’ll be no shelter from the elements-”

“I know that!” Rhoam snapped, glaring the soldier back into submission, “But I can not endanger my people in an unsteady castle. You’re dismissed.”

“Your majesty. I have arrived with reinforcements.” A feminine voice sounded behind him, causing instant relief and gratitude to flow through the king.

“Impa, my faithful advisor.” King Rhoam grinned as he saw the long-haired sheikah woman behind him, “You are a sight for sore eyes.” He glanced at the team of sheikah warriors behind her, feeling a burden fall from his shoulders, “We are in need of your skills and resources.”

“We can help build sturdy dwellings in Castle Town for your people.” Impa suggested, “We brought supplies for those who will stay here and help clean. More members of my tribe are on their way to provide help. They have already directed many people to safe villages and have asked for assistance from able-bodied men. They will be arriving in the next couple of days.” 

“You are a blessing.” Rhoam rubbed his forehead, “Thank Hylia you’re here. Prepare to send messengers to the other four tribes. We will be negotiating their assistance to provide for the needs of the survivors. We’re going to need all the help we can get. Also, assign several sheikah to examine the divine beasts. They were damaged when the champion’s fought off the monsters created by the Calamity, so the champions agreed to leave them in Hyrule Field, where you could more easily access them."

“Of course, your majesty.” Impa signaled to her people and they vanished, gone to accomplish their mission. When they were alone, Impa frowned and moved closer to the king, speaking so only he and Wanderer could hear her, “I’ve heard disturbing rumors that the Yiga Clan is furious that you ended the Calamity and will be seeking their revenge. I know that, with the castle being rebuilt, you let your daughter explore Hyrule for a little bit, your majesty, but if the Yiga Clan strikes in earnest, I don’t know if one man will be able to hold them off, even if he is the hylian champion. They are traitorous assassins from the Sheikah Clan.” 

King Rhoam pursed his lips at this new information, “The Yiga Clan…” He trailed off.

“I would be honored to go and help guard the princess. If you command it, your majesty.” Impa bowed.

“I do command it. Do you know why, Wanderer?” Rhoam turned to the time-traveler, eyebrow raised.

Wanderer smiled at the king, "We now have multiple sheikah here that can protect you and, not to boast, but I'm here as well. I bet that this Yiga Clan is less likely to attack the castle swarming with sheikah warriors, than the princess with one very skillful knight." He frowned slightly, "And I imagine that Princess Zelda would like someone familiar with her. Is there anyone you'd take with you?"

“Why don’t you find my daughter and take her to see Robbie and Purah?” Rhoam suggested, “They have many similar interests, which could distract her if the Yiga did decide to attack.”

Impa blinked at him, before shifting her eyes to Wanderer, her question clear on her face.

“This is Link, from another time. We’re calling him Wanderer because there have been several Links from several times here to aid our champions. If you go to Zelda, I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to tell you all about it.” Rhoam explained briefly as Wanderer waved when he was introduced.

“I will do as you instruct. Pade!” A sheikah appeared out of smoke and knelt next to her leader, “Your primary duty will be to protect the king. I have somewhere else to be.”

“Understood.” Pade gave a nod as she stood.

Impa turned to look at the king, “Forgive my abrupt departure, but I would like to catch up to the princess and the champion as soon as possible.”

“Of course. May the goddess watch over you.” Rhoam nodded.

“And you as well, my king.” With a flourished bow, Impa turned and ran out of the building, disappearing without a sound. 

Wanderer let out a whistle, “Man, these sheikah are intense. The way they move makes me assume that they are skilled warriors. Do you think they’d teach me some of their techniques?”

Rhoam chuckled, "The sheikah are very proud of their skills. I don't know if they'd be willing to share them with anyone who comes asking. There's a reason they're called the Shadow Folk. Still, I am ever grateful for the loyalty of their clan, despite the mistrust they've been shown and how my people will likely view them after this fiasco."

"I wonder if my kingdom also has sheikah working in the shadows. I've never heard anything about that, but it’s just strange, because we have someone named Impa as a nursemaid to the princess, as I told you before, but she was much… older and frail. Not quite warrior material.” Wanderer admitted. 

“Or she was and that was her disguise.” Rhoam suggested. 

Wanderer looked at him with raised eyebrows, “Nahh... though it would explain how she made it as far as she did when we met. Anyway, do I still need to go on the hunt, or are the sheikah taking care of that?”

“The sheikah can handle it. I would like for you to be one of my body guards, now that I know there’s a possibility of the Yiga Clan attacking. Plus you can still observe how I run my kingdom.”

“Alright. Who are the Yiga Clan?” Wanderer asked, falling into step beside the king.

“A dreadful group of traitors from the Sheikah Clan sought to revive the Calamity. Now come, we have more to see to.” Rhoam smiled, Nonverbally reassuring him he would tell him later, but he had orders to give his soldiers and needed to help out the wounded. They could talk about the yiga in time.

Zelda/Link

“I am glad we decided to go visit Purah.” Zelda mused as she held the Sheikah Slate up, gripping her white horse, Storm, with her thighs, "She and I have been researching the Sheikah Slate together before the Calamity transpired and I think something happened when we brought it into the sanctum, besides it signaling Ganon's location to the Divine Beasts; some new functions seem to have been unlocked. Now that the threat is no longer looming over us, I can finally dedicate myself to scientific research!"

“Purah  wasn’t in Sheikah Village last time we were there.” Link said, guiding Epona next to the princess. Wolf had been reluctant to leave his mare, but agreed to let Link ride her when Mipha told him the path to Zora Domain was ill suited for horses.

“True, but she may have been helping those that were attacked by the Calamity.”

“Mmmhm.” Link agreed, brow furrowed when he caught sight of someone standing at the end of Kakariko Bridge.

“There she is! She must be there to tell the survivors where to go. Hello, Purah!”

“Princess Zelda! Champion Link!” They came closer and saw Purah standing there with a kodachi at her hip, watching them ride up, “What are the princess of Hyrule and her champion doing back here? I’m sorry I missed you the first time you arrived, but I was-” She cut herself off, looking past them, “You know what? Why don’t you go into Kakariko village and stop by Impa’s house. She isn’t here right now, but as soon as someone comes to relieve me, I’ll join you. You’re going to see Robbie near the entrance and can you tell him that I think I spotted a red lily? It’s a little joke we have going on.” 

“Of course, Purah.” Zelda frowned, no doubt wondering why Purah was acting so strange. Link narrowed his eyes, but led the way up, his keen eyes catching glimpses of hidden Sheikah on the mountain surrounding the village.

“That was odd.” Zelda muttered, pursing her lips, “I thought for sure she was going to ask me about the slate. Well, maybe she figured we’d have plenty of time later on and she saw a couple of survivors heading this way.”

“Princess, Link.” Robbie’s familiar voice at the entrance of Kakariko Village brought a smile to Zelda’s face, “You came all this way just to see me? I’m honored.”

“Hello, Robbie. Purah asked us to tell you that she spotted a red lily.” Robbie’s instant straightening had Link on guard, “She said it was a little joke between you.”

“Of course, of course. Thank you for telling me. Did Purah say, by any chance, for you to head to Impa’s house?” At her nod, he continued, “Perfect. I’ll be right behind you!” The eccentric genius grinned at her, dramatically gesturing towards the house.

“Thank you, Robbie.” Zelda nodded at him, “I have so much to tell you and Purah, I don’t know where to begin.”

“The first step you can take is towards Impa’s house.” He winked at her in jest before focusing back on the entrance, an unusual serious expression falling on his face.

Epona trotted into the village, past the people walking in the street and stopped in front of the biggest house with a giant waterfall in the back.

“It seems so long ago since the last time we were here, even though it's been less than two days.” Zelda murmured as she slid off Epona and started ascending the stairs, Link a step behind her. When Zelda moved to open the door at the top, Link stopped her, getting in front of her, “What is it?”

“Hold on, princess. Let me go first.” He said, pulling his sword out of its sheath, eyes narrowed.

Recognizing his battle stance, she moved to the side, away from the door so he’d be able to fight without her in the way. She frowned as he silently counted down with his fingers before kicking the slightly open door into the wall, pulling out his shield to block the barrage of kunais thrown at him.

“Impa! I am here to interrogate you!” A yiga member with an impressive belly appeared from smoke, landing in a crouch. He rolled his shoulder as it cracked, before faltering, “You’re not Impa. What the heck?! I had a perfect monologue prepared for that traitorous woman and not for YOU!”

“Link, please be careful.” Zelda whispered, peeking in from the doorway.

“Wait a minute!” The yiga rubbed an arm over his mask and leaning forward, making Link look at him incredulously, “IT’S YOU! You’re that guy with the glowing sword who dared defeat the exalted Ganon! I've been looking for you! And do I spy the princess behind you? What luck! I came here to get information on you from Impa, but you’ve come on your own!” He laughed before straightening, “Oh, excuse me. I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am the leader… of the Yiga Clan!”

“The leader?” Zelda frowned, unable to stop her bewilderment as the leader continued talking.

He pointed to the right with hands clasped together, “The strong!”  He pointed to the left, “The burly!!” Kohga spun around before pointing upwards, “The one!! The only!!!” Twirling once more and striking a pose, he announced, “MASTER KOHGA!!!”

Link and Zelda blinked at him, unsure on how to respond. As the seconds ticked by without a reaction, Master Kohga cleared his throat, vanishing in a stream of smoke, “Now, prepare yourself!” Link gripped his weapon as the yiga leader appeared next to him, only to spin away and somehow form some kind of energy shield. The champion’s eyes narrowed before blinking in confusion as a spherical rock with the yiga symbol and several talismans on it, the same height as him, appeared above Kohga and the blue shield disappeared. “How will you manage to defeat this?” Kohga crowed. Link swiftly pulled out his bow and shot an arrow at the leader as Kohga made to launch the sphere at him. Kohga squealed (for lack of a better term) and the massive rock landed on him, pinning him to the ground. The rock disappeared in a puff of smoke and Kohga got up, stamping his foot in anger.

“NO! That’s not what was supposed to happen! You have some nasty tricks!” Kohga hissed, the menace he had in his voice offset by his childish stomping. He pulled out a vicious looking Demon Carver and pointed it at Link, “I am here to take revenge on the behalf of the Calamity. Perish, you blue clothed eyesore!” With an unrestrained yell, he jumped in the air, vanishing. Link dove out of the way as he appeared above him and fell to the floor, “Stop dodging! Let me just get one good fatal hit!”

“You can’t be serious?” A female voice spoke from the door and rushed forward, clashing with the leader.

“Impa!” Yiga’s leader spun away from the deadly sheikah, his mask somehow betraying his confusion, “What are you doing here?”

“This is my house. Or did you forget that little tidbit?” Impa raised her weapon along with her eyebrow.

“That- That’s not the point! I found who I was looking for, so I have no more need for you! I command you to vanish!” When she simply blinked at him, he shook his head, “Wait, how did you get past my warriors that were surrounding the village?”

“They were already mostly defeated by the time I got here.” Impa stated.

“That's not possible! The Sheikah Tribe has grown weak and spineless in their misguided servitude of the royal family!" Kohga gasped, leaning back with his hands in the air.

"Sorry to disappoint but no, most sheikah still know how to fight, whether we pursue that path or not. You've deluded yourself and by attacking our village, you've signed up for a nasty surprise." Impa replied, hand on hip.

“Then I’ll have to take your life along with theirs! For I am the great Kohga and no feat is too insurmountable for me!!” He waved his weapon around, stopping when Robbie and Purah rushed in to help Link barricade the princess.

“Didn’t expect us did’cha?” Robbie grinned, doing his signature pose, making Kohga harumph.

“You need to train the traitors,” Purah sniffed, “They’re no match for us. Kinda pathetic really.” She grinned maliciously, “Since you all would love for the Calamity to be resurrected, we’ve given them the same fate Ganon suffered. We’ve locked them all up!”

“No feat is too insurmountable for me!” The leader of the yiga repeated, ignoring his own quivering legs, “And retreating is not cowardly, it’s a legitimate strategy! This isn’t over yet! This was but a fraction of the Yiga clan you faced today! I will not rest until I get revenge for the Calam-” Before anyone could blink, Link was behind Kohga and slammed the hilt of his sword against the back of the traitor's neck.

Without a sound, Kohga collapsed to the ground, motionless.

Zelda blinked several times from the door, looking from Link to Kohga to Impa, “Well… that just happened. What do we do now?”

“Teria!” Impa’s command had another sheikah by her side in an instant, “Take the traitor away and tell me when he wakes up.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Teria hefted the man like he weighed nothing (which was impressive) and disappeared. Impa blew out a breath.

“You’re not looking too good, sis.” Purah stated, easing her fighting stance.

“Can you blame her? She went all the way to Hyrule Castle, only to journey back here right away and fight through a mob of yiga traitors. Not the best welcoming committee for anyone.” Robbie huffed a laugh.

“Hey, smart aleck, I don’t need you giving me that level of sass over my concern for my sister.” Purah raised her chin, daring Robbie to say something.

He raised his hands in surrender, “Not my intention.”

“Uh-huh-”

“Please stop.” Impa interjected, making everyone look at her, “Both of you are still high off adrenaline from the battle. Take a seat, all of you. I’m going to prepare some tea.” She walked away before they could object.

“But… were there wounded?” Zelda asked.

“A few. They’re being taken care of by the other warriors. Since the yiga weren’t expecting so much resistance, they were caught off guard and it was relatively easy to fight them off with minor wounds.” Purah reassured her, taking a seat as her sister ordered, “Now, Robbie tells me that you had much to tell us.”

"Ah Purah, I brought the Sheikah Slate. There's a new rune now. Maybe it'll help us figure out how to unlock its other functionalities." Zelda pushed the slate near a ravenous looking Purah as Link sat next to her.

"Oh, what's this? A new rune? Now that's what I call a promising start to a day of research. Leave me with the slate for a little bit and I'm sure I can figure it out in a snap!"

Robbie plopped in the seat next to Purah and examined the screen with her. "It has an interesting shape." He noted, leaning closer.

Purah glanced at him, "Yeah, well, don't crowd me while I work. Are there no guardians for you to tinker with?"

Robbie frowned, "I only meant to help."

"That's nice, but this isn't something that'll get resolved with a wrench."

"Purah." Impa's voice had her sister freezing like a little child as she walked into the room, carrying five cups of tea, "I certainly wasn't hearing you be insulting, was I?"

"No. I was simply stating facts" Purah shugged.

Impa didn't say anything else, her raised eyebrow saying all she wanted as she sat down and passed out the tea.

"At any rate, this rune's symbol makes me think of an autonomous mechanism, like the guardians or the divine beasts." Robbie said, taking a hold of the slate from a grumpy Purah and sliding it in front of Impa.

"It... looks like a horse?" She observed.

"I was about to tell you, the new rune is connected to the Master Cycle Zero!" Zelda beamed, "It appears to be a miniature divine beast. It's the size and shape of a horse and able to move on its own. It was splendid seeing it in action! Robbie, I think this machine would be something you'd be very interested in. It's fascinating!"

"Astounding!" Robbie leaned forward, "So it would be like a guardian but intended for someone to ride?"

"Give me that." Purah grabbed the slate from Impa's hands, ignoring her younger sister's glare, "A fifth divine beast... hard to believe we'd known nothing of this. But you say appearance-wise it was no bigger than a horse? A furnace would never fit into that. I wonder if it runs using a miniaturized power core."

As the two eccentric geniuses talked about their interests, Impa turned to Zelda, “I heard interesting news while I was at the castle. Something about warriors from across time coming to help the champions. I’ve met Wanderer.” There was no judgement in Impa’s gaze, only curiosity.

“Warriors from across time?” Purah asked, glancing over.

“Warriors named Link.” Impa confirmed, making Robbie cut off in his excited ramblings.

“Named like our champion.” Robbie mused, glancing at Link.

“Indeed. Would you mind telling us the story, princess? King Rhoam said that you’d be more than happy to.” Impa smiled as Zelda lit up.

“It’s such a fantastic tale! All of them are living in completely different times from each other and us! It’ll take awhile for me to tell you everything. Link! Let me know whenever I omit something, alright?” 

“Of course princess.” Link smiled as she immediately launched into the strange explanation, accompanied by wild gesturing and the widest grin he’s ever seen from her.

Daruk

"-so essentially what I'm saying is, no matter what, be on your guard, they could approach us at any moment as we walk down this road. They are known to do so. They will appear to you in one guise, to try and win your trust, but you must look beyond that and see them for what they really are. In reality, they are just waiting for the right occasion to attack you, they'll do it the moment your back is turned and tear into you without hesitation." Daruk shuddered, glancing around warily.

"That sounds terrible. Thank goodness we don't have to deal with anything like this in my era." Sea matched Daruk’s movements.

"I'm glad you understand how dangerous they can be. We are getting close to a stable and, naturally, they tend to amble in the vicinity to prey on unwary travelers."

"Can nothing be done about it? I mean, now that the crisis with the calamity is over, surely there will be more than enough soldiers to-"

"No, no, I'm afraid it's not a simple matter of having enough manpower. Have you ever heard the saying where there is a will, there is a way? That's what is lacking here. The resolve to deal with this problem with a firm hand." Daruk’s eyes narrowed.

"I see. But still, I'm sure that will change now. What should we do if we run into one of them? Are there any combat strategies you would recommend?" Sea glanced up at his companion.

"A good question, that's the spirit Sea! But as for a strategy well… I mean you've seen me fight, I tend to just charge into the enemy and overwhelm them with my raw power. Of course, when it comes to an enemy as vile and cunning as this, that approach could easily get you into a really bad situation. So… to be completely honest, what I usually do-" A loud noise that Sea was unfamiliar to interrupted Daruk mid-sentence, startling the Goron, "Oh, no! It's one of them!"

"What do we do?!" Sea asked, quickly turning around, sword and shield in hand, to face the threat.

Behind him, Daruk answered him with a deafening, "Retreat!!"

Sea glanced behind him to see the goron rolling away, encased in the glow of his protection. That was unexpected. He returned his attention to the enemy, he wasn't going to run before even engaging. The fiend was approaching pretty fast to be sure, but wasn't so intimidating. Still appearances can be deceiving. Small as the opponent was, Sea did not miss the evident similarity with one of his most deadly recurring problems: a Darknut. Except this one had no armor… or anything at all, not even a weapon besides its fangs and was moving on all four, clearly choosing to emphasize speed over weaponry. If this could get a champion to flee, it was best not to be careless. "King! I need your guidance!"

The Pirate's Charm started glowing, "Link? What is it?" asked the voice of king Daphnes.

"Do you have any familiarity with this monster?" It was a long shot, but maybe they existed in the Hyrule before the flood.

"…Link, that is a dog." The king stated after an incredulous pause.

"So you know about them! How do I fight it?" Sea tensed, noticing the dog start wagging its tail faster, clearly preparing to attack.

"How do-" A sigh reverberated out of the stone, "You don't, it's not something you fight."

"I'm not going to just run, not without trying!" Sea insisted, but started wondering if he was getting in waters too deep when two people with more experience told him not to fight.

"You don't have to do that either. Just put away the sword, calm down and-"

"And what? Let the monster maul me?" Sea asked, not believing his ears.

"It's not a monster. Just a normal animal. Seems friendly too, probably-"

"Probably a trap! Daruk warned me about these creatures, they lull you into trusting them, then they strike. I take it you haven't been listening."

"…I want to believe this is a misunderstanding, but somehow I don't think so. At any rate, no, I was occupied. Now please disregard everything Daruk has told you about dogs."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one that's confronting the beast."

"Heeey, Dasha!" Someone called from a distance. The supposedly-not-monster turned and immediately ran that way.

"Oh no! It's found someone else to prey on!" Sea didn't lose a moment and gave chase.

"Link, for the love of all that is holy, please stop. Or at the very least, do not attack the dog!" The pirate charm echoed uselessly.

Link couldn't keep up with the quadruped and watched helplessly as the totally-not-a-monster leaped at a poor innocent victim.

"Hang in there, I'm coming to help, you'll be…" he slowed down as he heard the dog's victim laugh, saw her sit up and ruffle the dog's fur, "...fine."

"My, you are in a playful mood today aren't you?" The 'victim', a girl in her late teens, said to the beast, then took notice of him, "Oh hello, are you a traveler? If so, you're in luck: you've almost arrived at our stable, a must stop for anyone planning on venturing on to death mountain and in need of some fireproof elixir… or for any weary travelers." More than a greeting, it sounded like a rehearsed sales pitch.

"No I- I mean yes but…" Sea hesitated, not sure what to think or say, "Are you… friends with that creature?"

The girl's smile turned to a frown, "That creature? My dog isn't some creature, kid. Are you the spoiled type? Is Dasha's breed below your standards?"

Sea's confusion only increased, "No, I mean… isn't it dangerous? Aren't you worried about what it might do? Those are some pretty impressive fangs it's got."

From irritation she went to a mix of stupor and… sympathy? "Oh… have you never seen a dog before? Do you come from an isolated region, maybe a small island?"

Sea blinked, "Yes actually, I do…"

"Ah, well then we have to fix that right now!" She exclaimed her smile returning as she beckoned him to come closer with her hand, then motioning to the dog, "This is Dasha, my beloved pet and companion."

"So is it… friendly?" Sea questioned.

"She, not it. And yes, she's one of the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet. Aren't'cha honey?" The girl cooed as she bent down and rubbed Dasha's face. Sea watched warily as the dog let itself be manhandled and attempted to lick the face of its… owner? It admittedly didn't seem to be the creature Daruk described to him. Maybe there were different versions of them?

"Does she bite? Or attack?"

"She hasn't since she was a puppy. Her brother and her play and it looks like they're attacking each other, but it's their version of having fun." Dasha's owner smiled at him, "Would you like to pet her?"

Sea gulped when the dog shook her coat and stared at him. Daruk was evidently right on one thing, for an animal, dogs seemed to be quite intelligent. "Could I?"

Seeing his hesitation, the girl offered some instructions, "Of course. She's friendly. Just let her sniff you first."

Sea stepped forward and was surprised when Dasha didn't move, but tilted her head at him. "The pigs would have squealed and ran if I'd approached them like this." He raised his hand and let the animal sniff him. Gingerly, he petted her head and grinned as Dasha first wagged her tail, then grunted when he rubbed her ears.

"Aww, she likes you." The girl cooed, petting the animal on the head. Sea threaded his hand through Dasha's fur.

"She's much softer than the pigs we have at home. Certainly does not seem like a monster." Sea said with unmasked surprise.

"A monster?" The girl said incredulously, "I understand being intimidated by her fangs, but the only one who would think-"

A very recognizable scream of terror had Sea bolting up, "Daruk!" Pulling his sword and shield from his back he raced back to where they had first encountered the dog. He stopped, unsure how to act when he saw Daruk curled up in his orange protection and a dog very similar to Dasha sniffing him.

"Hunter! Here boy!" The girl had followed him and whistled for the dog. When Hunter heard his name, his ears pricked up and he looked at her. Once he saw his owner, he bounced towards her, barking. Sea flinched back and gave them a wide breadth, still cautious of an unfamiliar animal running at him.

"Is… Is that Dasha's brother?" Sea questioned, standing his ground when Dasha trotted up to him and sat next down at his feet, looking at him with a pleading expression. Slowly, he placed his shield and sword on his back and petted her.

The girl nodded then, with a scowl, returned her eyes to the quivering goron, "I should have known he'd be the one behind this."

She walked up to him and shouted "Daruk!"

The champion uncurled and his protection dissipated, "Oh… it's you." He said with evident embarrassment.

"Who else would it be? I swear, it's bad enough you always have to act like that around my dogs, now you're even trying to convince an innocent boy that dogs are monsters? Were you going to train him to fight them?" She accused, hands on her hips.

Daruk flinched, "Monsters? No, I didn't say- I mean, I was getting around to telling him that we can't just deal with these animals like we ordinarily would with monsters, because they're not, and because other people-"

"Enough! You're lucky my father thinks it would be bad business to kick out the goron champion, but once this becomes my stable you'll have to change your tune or you'll be banned! For now though, all I can do is go back to fixing the damage you've done." With a shake of her head, she turned around, marched up to Sea, took his hand in hers and continued on, "Hunter, Dasha, come along, we're going back to the stable."

Confusedly glancing back to his mortified goron friend, Sea allowed himself to be pulled along.

"Uh… are you angry?" He asked tentatively.

"Not with you dear, don't worry." She answered reassuringly, "That goron just… ugh."

The boy glanced back one more time. At some point, he would definitely have to talk to him about his… persuasion that dogs were a threat that needed to be addressed in some manner. Even if there seemed to have been a misunderstanding and Daruk never meant to suggest they should be dealt with the same way they would with monsters. Still, "I don't think he can help it. I mean, I've seen him stare down a giant monster and stand firm in the face of death. So he's certainly not lacking courage. It's just… this is the way he is."

"Well he should get over it. Dogs are wonderful companions, his attitude is completely uncalled for. I realize they can be a little scary to those who don't know them." She said looking pointedly at him, "But all you have to do is give them a chance."

"I can do that. But I don't think you should expect Daruk to. It simply may not be for him."

The girl sighed, "Forget about him. What matters now is he hasn't gotten you to become like that."

Sea wanted to insist that no good would come from antagonizing the goron like this. But he couldn't think of anything else to say that could change her mind, so he just let himself be quietly led to the stable.

He blinked upon seeing it, surprised he hadn't noticed the semi-hidden, giant, strangely shaped building.

At the side of the stable he saw large creatures he was not familiar with. They looked similar to the shape of the building, but smaller and muscular, although they were still twice as tall as him. One of them nickered and shook its mane, staring at him with intelligent eyes. "Epona was one of these creatures and they're called… horses if I'm remembering correctly." Sea crept closer, making sure to keep a safe distance and grateful for the gate keeping them in.

"Aren't they beautiful?" The girl smiled at him as she placed hay in the slots in front of the gates.

"Very. But why are they barricaded?" Sea asked, pointing at the horse, "Are they dangerous?"

She laughed at his question, "It's so they stay here. We rent them out for people to ride and if we let them roam, we wouldn't be able to do business."

The boy stepped around the horses, observing them, wondering if he should perhaps try riding one before returning to his time. Then he noticed Daruk had also made his way to the stable and was looking quite glum, "I should go back to my friend now."

The girl followed his gaze, "I don't know if you should. I just… I don't think someone who dislikes dogs can be a good person."

Sea frowned, almost a scowl, "That seems excessive."

She looked scandalized, "He's the one that's excessive for hating such wonderful creatures!"

"I don't think he hates them, he just gets scared of them." He objected.

"Same thing!"

Sea sighed, he had enough, "Please excuse me ma'am." He gave Dasha one more pat before walking away. He knew that some people could get very attached to animals, his sister certainly did. But the amount of hostility the girl with the dogs had at Daruk seemed uncalled for.

"Hey. Did you manage to get the fireproof elixirs anyways?" He asked upon reaching the goron

"I got two elixir. It should give us enough time to get to Goron City without any problems." Daruk shuddered, still glancing over his shoulder, "So… I take it you like dogs now, don't you?"

Once again, Sea sighed, "I kind of do, yeah, sorry to say."

"It's alright." Daruk responded quickly, "It was nice to have someone seeing eye to eye with me on this, just for a little while. Everyone thinks I'm ridiculous."

The boy shook his head, "Actually, I see where you're coming from. They resemble some of the strongest monsters I fought, so I can see how they can be intimidating."

"Dog monsters?" Daruk asked with an evident note of fear.

"Well, they have the heads of dogs over the body of a man, wearing thick armor and carrying huge swords."

It might have been just a trick of the light, but Sea could have sworn Daruk blanched (could gorons do that?) "…I think I'm going to have nightmares."

"Uh… that's the same thing Revali said when I described to him what the rito from my time look like. Anyway, the bottom line is, I may not get the willy-nillys from them like you do, but I can understand." He said as he gently patted the goron's arm.

"That… I appreciate it, thank you." Daruk answered, managing a smile, "Well, let's hurry away. I don't want the dogs chasing after us."

Sea dutifully followed behind, frowning as he remembered the past several minutes. A scared Daruk was not something he enjoyed witnessing so it was a relief to see the goron more upbeat the further they walked away from the stable.

Revali

Revali tapped his talons, his eyes narrowed as he watched the crowd of ritos surround Loft and Crimson. They’d arrived the day before and the novelty of having a loftwing in their presence has not diminished. The young rito clung to Loft’s legs as the adults fired questions at the young man. A glance at Loft’s face showed that he was getting a little overwhelmed with the constant attention, but was too nice to leave. Crimson’s feathers were slightly fluffed as a few of the chicks chattered at him. The only time they’d have a rest was when they’d gone to sleep yesterday.

“Alright, break it up!” Revali snapped, making his fellow ritos part for him. He grabbed Loft’s arm and hoisted him up on Crimson, “I’m taking Loft somewhere, do not follow. Let’s go, Loft!” 

Ignoring everyone’s protests, he led the way out of the gaggle and stomped a safe distance away. He shot up in the air, using one of his gales and glanced down to see Crimson jumping in his gale and flap after him.

“But Revali! I wasn’t done asking him about…” His clansmen’s voices faded the higher they flew until the only sound was the wind rushing past their ears.

Loft’s relieved sigh caught Revali’s attention.

“What?” Revali smirked, “You didn’t like your fanclub?”

Loft chuckled at him, “No, not really. I’ve never been one for a ton of attention. In Skyloft there’s not a ton of people and everyone knows everyone. Here is… different.” 

“Hopefully not a bad different.” 

“Not at all. It’s just weird not seeing any other loftwings around. You know that loftwings are a huge part of my life and when I want to relax, I lie on the grass and watch them soar in the sky.” Loft smiled.

“Until you fall asleep?”

Loft laughed at him, “Yes, until I fall asleep. Crimson or Zelda’s loftwing are always around to wake me in time for lunch or dinner though, so I never miss a meal.” 

“You didn’t practice your knight-in-training duties when you had the time?”

An emotion in Revali’s tone had Loft side-eyeing him, “There were regulated times to fly with Crimson and other times to learn in the classroom. Most of my free time was spent sleeping or flying with Crimson.”

“If that’s the case, how did you manage to become so proficient with a variety of weapons?” Revali turned his head to face Loft.

“Necessity.”

“Huh?” Revali’s baffled look had Loft smiling sadly at him.

“Necessity. I was taught how to be a knight at my school, but they didn’t teach me most of the skills I know. I had to learn them to survive against the monsters I fought on the Surface. We did get monsters at night on Skyloft, but they are nothing compared to those on the Surface.”

“You didn’t tell me that.” Revali looked forward, but not before Loft saw a complex expression on his face.

“The Surface is completely wild. One clumsy mistake could lead to my death, so I had to get good at fighting or I’d perish. Real life battles have a way of honing your skills differently from practicing.” Loft waved his hands frantically at Revali’s eyebrow raise, “Not that I’m saying practice is useless! It definitely gave me the edge I needed when I first fell down there but-”

“You say ‘good at fighting’, and your skills with the bow are not bad, but they can be improved.”  Revali interrupted, angling down as he slowed his pace. “We can't have you outshined by your present day counterpart. Lucky for you, you've got the best archer of this era to practice with.” Before Loft could respond, Revali dived down and landed on a platform in a snowy part of the mountain.

“What’s this?” Loft asked when Crimson landed.

“The Flight Range. Rito come here to practice their skills in flying and shooting. As you can see, there are constant updrafts to help us.” Revali grinned as he looked back at Loft, "I was thinking about what you were told just before we left to travel home. That you can't bring anything from this era back with you. I say we shall prove that wrong. You'll take back with you something: experience." He puffed out his chest at Loft’s surprised look, “Let’s play a game.”

Loft narrowed his eyes at him, “What game?”

“These,” Revali held up an arrow with a blunt end and a container, “are practice arrows. And I obtained dye’s from a shop in Hateno Village a while back. What we’re going to do is before we shoot, we dip the arrow in the dye and then release it. We’ll know if it hits or not because it’ll leave a stain behind. This way we can practice by shooting at moving targets without hurting them and it’ll hone our skills even more. What do you say?”

Loft smiled, “Sounds like fun. As long as we don’t aim for the face, we should be good.”

“Naturally. Here is your container and there’s a quiver of arrows inside. I’ll show you where.” Revali led the way into the open building and gave Loft his gear, “Now let’s get to it!” 

Revali walked out with a grin as he strapped the quiver to his back and took to the sky.

“He seems excited.” Loft thought as he climbed onto Crimson.

“First one to nail the other ten times wins. You can hit however many times you want in a row, as long as you don’t hit the face. Is this agreeable?” Revali questioned, hovering in the air.

"But Crimson is a really big, colorful target, that puts you at an advantage."

"Oh?" Revali tilted his head, "Is that what you'd say to monsters trying to shoot you down? To kindly not take advantage of your big colorful friend?"

"Fair point. Alright, then." Loft nodded, adjusting his legs to grip Crimson's sides firmer, "Ready when you are."

“Let’s begin.” Revali shot in the air after his statement and Loft flew behind a giant pillar in the middle of the training ground, narrowly dodging a yellow tipped arrow.

“All right Crimson, let’s show Revali how it’s done.” Crimson trilled as Loft let him take over the flying and grabbed his bow. A sharp thud against his arm had him dipping the arrow in green paint and whipping around, releasing the arrow in one smooth motion, catching Revali on his side.

“What’s this? You get hit once and instantly know where your enemy is? You’re sharp.”

“Not as sharp as the smile you have on your face.” Loft huffed, feeling a similar smile grace his lips. He ducked Revali’s next shot as they sped around the contained space, weaving around each other and the rock formation. 

“Finally a chance to go all out that doesn’t involve fighting for my life! This is exhilarating! Revali is extremely skilled.” So ecstatic at the rare chance he’d been given, Loft focused all he had on the mock-battle, returning every shot Revali threw at him.

“One more hit and I believe it will be my victory!” Revali crowed, some of his feathers stained green.

“One more hit and it’s MY victory.” Loft called back, “And I-” He cut off as a screech of “REVALI!!” rose above the rush of wind. Revali and Loft immediately stopped and whipped in the direction of the voice. A green feathered young rito was flapping frantically towards them, his eyes wide with panic.

“Help! Sathe fell! I can’t get her out!”

“Gebe, where did she fall?” Revali questioned, eyes almost narrowed into slits.

“On the way here. In a hole. She hurt her wing and I’m not strong enough to lift her out!” Gebe sobbed, tears falling from his eyes.

“Lead the way, little one. We’ll get her out.” Revali said. Gebe nodded harshly before leading them back in the direction of the village. Quiet hiccups escaped Gebe, but he flew determinedly forward as they flew down towards Totori Lake. He landed on one of the few dry spots and pointed to a widened crack in the ground. Revali and Loft ran up to it and peered down, seeing a yellow feathered young rito crying several feet down as she held her arm.

“Sathe, don’t worry, we’re here.” Revali’s voice made her jerk her head up and cry even more.

“M-My arm hu-hurts!” She wailed, curling in on herself.

“Yes sweetie, we’re here to get you out so your arm can stop hurting.” Loft called down. He turned to Revali, “There’s no way you can fly down there, but I do have some rope we can use.” As he spoke, he pulled out his whip.

“That’s a weird looking rope.” Revali frowned.

“It’s technically a whip, but it can double as a rope here. I’ll climb down and hold on to this just in case I need your help.”

Revali frowned, “Yes, you are small enough to fit through the opening.”

“Don’t worry sis. I brought Revali and Loft to save you. Crimson’s here as well! Don’t you want to talk to him?” Gebe called down, on his hands and knees near the hole. Crimson moved to the edge to peer down, cooing at the young rito.

“A-And they’re going to sa-save me?” Sathe gasped.

“Yep!” Gebe affirmed.

“Now we can’t let them down.” Loft smiled, handing one end of the whip to Revali before starting to climb down the hole. Thankfully the walls stayed within two feet of each other, enabling Loft to shimmy his way down.

“Hey, Sathe.” Loft cooed as he reached the bottom and crouched next to her, “You’re doing so well sweetie. Now all you have to do is let me pick you up so we can get you back to the village. They’ll be able to take care of your arm there. Will you let me hold you?”

Sathe sniffed as she nodded, reaching out her uninjured arm so he could pull her in his arms.

“Beautiful. Now I want you to stare straight ahead or look up until we reach the top, okay? Can you do that for me?” Loft asked. Sathe gave him another nod and showed she was listening by looking upwards.

“Perfect. Revali! I’m going to climb back up, but I’ll need you to help me. Sathe is in one of my arms and my other hand is holding the whip. I need you to propel me up slowly so I can climb with my feet.” 

“Got it.” Revali called down and the whip was pulled taut before he started lifting into the air. Loft climbed with his feet so he didn’t smash against the rock wall and in a minute, was at the top of the hole. He grinned when he saw Crimson holding the handle of the whip in his beak while Revali pulled from further in front.

“What? I work smarter, not harder.” Revali huffed as he took Sathe from Loft’s arms so he could climb out without injuring himself, “We need to get you some care, my little chicklet.”

“You guys were so amazing!” Gebe gushed, giddy now that his sister was no longer in danger.

“Why, thank you.” Loft smiled as he took his whip and stored it in his bag, “Now, should Sathe ride with me on Crimson? Would that be the easiest way to get her to Rito Village?”

"It is. Let's get her taken care of." Revali nodded, handing Sathe back to Link, who gently placed her onto Crimson's back.

"We never finished our match, so let's say that I won. I was going to shoot you right before Gebe showed up." Loft called after him, clearly doing his best to conceal a smirk. Gebe went wide-eyed at hearing this, but Revali raised an eyebrow.

"In your dreams. I would have won, obviously." He turned away, not trusting himself to hide his own amused expression... and felt something poke him on the shoulder. Immediately looking at it, he found his feathers stained with ink, and past that, Loft with a dull, painted arrow in his hand. "Really?" He said with a look of mock exasperation as Gebe laughed innocently at the whole situation.

"Had to settle it somehow, right?" The other chuckled, "Don't worry, we'll say you went easy on me. I reckon it's probably true anyway, right?"

"Perhaps I did, but don't sell yourself short. It's rare that I find someone that's almost as good as me in aerial fights." Revali offered a rare compliment.

"Almost as good?" Loft threw him a cheeky grin, shouting the rest of his response as they both took off and into the skies, "I'm flattered you think so highly of me."

Revali rolled his eyes at him, but smiled as he faced forward, keeping Gebe in his sight. This, he assumed, must be what friendship was all about. He'd never much cared to seek it before but now, he was willing to admit, he understood he'd been missing out on something worth cherishing.

Revali tried to forget that Loft’s stay here was temporary, because he finally found someone he considered his equal. He didn’t want this to end.

Mipha

“I appreciate you letting me come with you back to Zora’s Domain. Prince Ralis is struggling to lead his people and this opportunity came to me, so why wouldn’t I take advantage of getting advice for him?” Wolf said as he followed Mipha across the first bridge leading to the Domain.

“Of course, I’m sure that my father will be able to give you useful advice. It’s a bit of a trek to the domain if you’re going by foot, do you want to swim up instead of walking?” Mipha questioned, startled when Midna laughed.

“Oh, princess. He can’t swim as well as a zora. And he’d certainly never be able to climb up those waterfalls. Buuuuut,” Midna’s grin grew sharper at Wolf’s narrowed eyes, “If he was to hold onto you, then I’m sure you could get to the Domain in record time.”

The blush that stained Mipha’s features only had Wolf sigh exasperatedly. Why was Midna being like this? It seemed to be her goal since they got here to embarrass him as much as possible. But then, it wouldn't really be Midna if she didn't have her spunk, would she? The corner of his lips curved up at the thought. He wondered if things would change between them once she regained her true form. Hopefully she wouldn't become stiff and formal like the Princess Zelda of their own time. Besides…

"She has a point." At Mipha’s startled squeak, Wolf elaborated, hastily bringing up his hands, “About getting to the Domain faster! If you’re uncomfortable with it, I can hike up the path. I just don’t know how long I’m going to be allowed in this Hyrule and the Domain did seem exceedingly beautiful from far away.”

“No. It would be faster.” Mipha said, causing Midna to give them one last laugh as she dove into Wolf’s shadow. 

"Oh, let me change first." Wolf said, digging through his bag.

"Change?" Mipha tilted her head.

"Yeah. Swimming in my hero's garb gets difficult because it soaks up the water."

Mipha nodded in understanding then, thinking it over, she mumbled out, "But if you do-" She stopped abruptly as she looked up to see Wolf half-naked, "Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't realize-!"

Wolf blinked as the zora spun the other way, "Oh. I didn't think it would bother you, I figured zora don't wear much clothes, so..."

"It's... you're not mistaken I'm just... I guess I'm a bit more prudish than the average zora when it comes to people that are usually clothed."

With a shiver, she thought secretly, "Or more specifically, around a certain handsome hylian man and one of his look-alikes." Out loud she said, "It's silly, I know." She dared a peek over her shoulders to find that Wolf had draped his clothes onto himself for her sake.

"Not at all, don't worry about it." He shook his head and pointed to a bush, "I'll change behind there."

He started towards it and Mipha looked at his retreating naked back feeling ridiculous and relieved at the same time. That's when she noticed Midna emerging from his shadow and mouthing something to her, ‘Your loss!’.

"Wait," Mipha thought as the imp winked and returned into Wolf's shade, "Midna is aware of her surroundings when she's in his shadow..."

Before she had much time to contemplate that revelation, Wolf reappeared from behind the bush, "Alright, shall we go?" 

He waded into the river after Mipha and held onto her as she gracefully swam up the river. Thankfully, it wasn’t as awkward as he feared and soon, they were climbing up the waterfall that led to the Domain. 

Mipha flipped in the air and Wolf let her go, not willing to smash her with his weight when they landed. Rolling upon landing, he skid to a stop and shook off the excess water that clung to him.

Wolf looked up, awed by the beauty and momentarily distracted from the attention they garnered from their unexpected appearance. Even though the sun was hidden, the luminated stone still shone brilliantly and his eyes were drawn upwards to the large fish-shaped dome sparkled like blue ice.

“Amazing.” Wolf whispered, moving to one of the pillars to examine it closer, “What kind of stone is this? The Zora’s Domain that I know is mostly carved out of rock so it has its own beauty, but this is something else.”

"Princess Mipha! You have returned safe and sound." A voice spoke out, pulling Wolf’s attention from the architecture and onto a small group of ridiculously tall zoras approaching them. Leading them were a black scaled, long-faced zora and a wide-headed green one, the latter was the one speaking, "It eases my heart to know that you have survived and with your return, I hope it is not wrong to assume that the foul creature known as Ganon has been defeated. Please come with us, your father awaits you."

"Oh, yes, Ganon is defeated. Muzu-" Mipha cut off as the green zora, Muzu, turned and gasped loudly, wide eyes locked onto Wolf.

"Th-the hylian... wearing that armor?! W-why... that-" The other zoras in the group barely managed to catch his dead weight as he fell backwards, fainted, each equally stunned themselves.

"O-oh no!" Mipha hurried to check on him.

Meanwhile, overcoming his stupor, the black scaled zora stomped his way to the surprised hero, towering over him, "Link. I'm not going to hide my reservations about this. Still, it is not my place to question the princess's choice. But I should hope you realize the seriousness of the situation you're in and the responsibilities that come with it. As well as the possible consequences if you were not to."

"Hold on, you've gotten it wrong...!" Wolf held his hands out in surprise at the zora, bewildered by his hostility.

"THAT is exactly the kind of answer I was hoping not to get out of you." The black zora leaned down, glaring at him, fists clenching.

"Seggin, wait! It's not what you think!" Having determined that Muzu had just passed out, Mipha hurriedly pushed herself in between the two men, separating them.

“Sister!” A young joyous voice called out, oblivious to the tension in the air as a small body launched himself at Mipha.

“Sidon. Please give me a moment. Seggin, I’ll explain everything when we go see my father. I assure you that it is definitely not what you’re thinking it is.”

“Hmm,” Seggin backed off, narrowed eyes still on Wolf.

“Mipha, did you finish the armor and present it to Link already? About time!” Sidon giggled as he wiggled out of her hold and ran up to Wolf, “You accepted it! That means we’re brothers!”

Wolf grunted as Sidon jumped up at him, wrapping his small arms around the hylian’s neck, almost smacking him in the face with his long head fin, “Uhh…” “I should have braved the weather and came in my normal clothes.” Wolf heard Midna’s distinct mocking laughter, even though she didn’t come out of his shadow.

“Anyway! Let’s go to the throne room!” Mipha grabbed Wolf’s arm and rushed him through the gathering crowd. Wolf held onto Sidon as Seggin marched behind.

On the way many zoras looked on with mixed reactions, awe, surprise, confusion... one zora in particular stood out to Wolf, a girl the same age and color as Mipha who, upon seeing them, burst into tears and ran away. What was that about?

Going up the stairs and into a massive open-air room, if Wolf had been surprised and somewhat intimidated by the height of the average zora adult in this era, he was floored upon beholding the largest zora he had ever seen. "Had he come along, Wanderer would have had a heart attack."

“Father!” Sidon struggled in Wolf’s arms, making the hero place him on the floor. Sidon ran up to the large zora, gesturing excitedly to Wolf, “Look, look! Mipha gave Link the armor already! That means we’re family!” 

“SIDON!” Mipha’s horrified squeak reverberated through the room, making the whale zora laugh loudly, while Seggin went even more rigid, if that was possible.

“My dear daughter, Mipha. It is wonderful to see you uninjured and in high spirits.” The large zora leaned down, prompting Mipha to move closer to him.

“Thank you, father. It’s good to be back.” She smiled at him, both hands gripping one of his.

“Your majesty, King Dorephan. It is delightful that Mipha has returned to us safe and sound, but Mipha told me that this situation isn’t what it seems like and I would like very much to know what is going on.” Seggin huffed, crossing his arms.

“Indeed? Daughter, would you mind explaining?” King Dorephan picked Sidon up as the young zora clamored for his attention.

“I... it’s a little difficult to explain, but this is not the Champion Link. He is from the era of Twilight, the phantom hero we don’t know much about. His name is also Link, but to prevent confusion, he has decided on the name Wolf during his stay here.” Mipha explained as Seggin and Dorephan blinked at her in succession. 

“...I see.” Dorephan said slowly.

“I’m confused!” Sidon chirped.

“....” Seggin stared closer at Wolf, eyes widening slightly in realization.

“I know it seems strange, but without Wolf’s help, I would have perished, slain on Vah Ruta by a parasite from the Calamity. We’re not exactly sure why he ended up here but I owe him my life and all he’s asking for is to talk to you, father.” Mipha elaborated. 

“Talk to me? What do you need to talk to me for, hero?” Dorephan asked.

“In my time, the queen of the zora was killed by an evil fiend and now her son rules in her stead.” Wolf explained, “He’s still very young and I know all of his people are extremely supportive of him, but he’s unsure how to rule. I was hoping to get some insight from a king who has experience ruling the zoras for many years.”

“Of course I’d help you out. You saved my daughter. But I have to ask, does the prince have a sister?” Dorephan asked.

Wolf furrowed his brows, “Not that I know of. Oh! You want to know about the zora armor. That’s… that’s a story in itself. I can tell you, but you should know it may sound like a made-up tale and appear fairly outlandish. When I think about what I’ve experienced these past couple of months, even I find it hard to believe I lived through it.” Wolf chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“There isn’t much in our records from the Twilight era, so I suppose we’ll have to take the word of someone who’s lived through it.” Dorephan smiled at him.

"We have no way of verifying your story, so we wouldn’t know if you’re exaggerating or not." Seggin sniffed.

“Humph!” Midna materialized out of Wolf’s shadow, crossing her arms and legs and tilting her head at the ornery zora, “Such a doubtful person. If Link does anything, he’d downplay what a huge role he’s played in everything so far.”

Wolf blinked at Midna, not expecting her to come out of his shadow.

“Oh, this is Princess Midna of the Twilight Realm.” Mipha rushed out, glancing at Seggin’s stunned face, “She also helped battle the enemy on Ruta.”

“How curious. And Seggin, please watch what you say. I know you were shaken by seeing zora armor on a hylian, but that is no excuse for your rude behavior.” Dorephan’s light rebuke quieted the stubborn zora as he bowed to his king.

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“Dad! She came out of his shadow! How did she do that? Do you think I’d be able to do that one day?” Sidon bounced in his father’s palm, almost falling over the edge several times. 

Midna laughed at Sidon and warped so she was right in front of the energetic zora, “You wouldn’t be able to. It’s a Twili secret.” She put her finger to her lips and winked at Sidon, causing him to gasp and giggle.

“Seggin, would you mind getting food for us? I have a feeling we’re going to be here for quite some time.” Dorephan asked.

“Yes, your majesty.” Seggin grounded out, walking out of the throne room, visibly tensing at Midna’s snickering. Wolf sighed at his partner’s actions, looking at Mipha when she touched his arm.

“The questions you wanted to ask?” She prompted, her hand dropping when she had his attention.

“Ah yes, I am intrigued about your journey, but before that, do you have any questions specific to me? I’ll answer as satisfactorily as I can.” Dorephan shuffled in his seat, getting comfortable and placing Sidon on his lap, looking at Wolf expectantly. 

“Of course. I was curious about how zora royalty is different from hylian royalty. And-”

"I'm fine, I said! Let me be!" Everyone turned to look at the room's entrance as one familiar green zora stepped through.

"Apologies your majesty, all this worrying has gotten to me and I've just had the strangest hallucina-" Muzu stopped mid-sentence as his eyes landed on Wolf. Before Mipha could say a single word, he was out cold again.

Urbosa

“Why isn’t there a clear, marked path to the bazaar? What is it with deserts being so confusing?” Woods grumbled as his sand seal serfed after Urbosa.

"There is a path but how would we keep it visible with the sand constantly being blown around by the wind? You have to use a map or have it memorized, like myself." Urbosa smirked, making sure her seal was going slow enough so he could keep up.

“Wait, a map? ...So,” Woods began slowly, “You’re telling me that this desert, that I am standing on right now, is not magical or haunted?”

“What kind of deserts have you been in?” Tatl’s input had Woods resisting an uncalled for blush.

“Some say that it has a mystic quality to it, but no, it is not magical or haunted.” Urbosa shaded her eyes, seeing what she knew was the bazaar through the mirage. They’d reach it soon.

“A simple desert? Thank goodness. I was thinking that we’d have to chase a ghost to get to your village.”

Urbosa looked at him, perplexed, "What? How do you even chase a ghost? Aren't they only visible when they wish to be seen?" 

“That's usually the case, but-” Woods cut off as a lizalfos erupted from the sand in front of them, a wicked looking Lizal Spear in its grasp. Without missing a beat Urbosa and Woods maneuvered out of the way, drew their weapons, and cut the creature in half, continuing on without looking back, “-There are a few tricks and items that can help with that.” Changing the topic, he said, “Anyway, so if you go the wrong way in the desert, you do not suddenly end up back at the entrance?”

"No. Although you do have to watch for sudden sandstorms. Sandstorms can make you go in circles until you collapse from dehydration if you don't die from suffocation first. Quite dangerous."

He shivered at the thought, "That… actually seems a lot worse. Maybe magical deserts aren't so bad after all."

Urbosa saw in the distance the guard stationed at the perimeter of the bazaar as they rapidly drew closer. She pulled the reins on her seal to bring it to a halt, imitated by her young friend, "Alright, Woods. There's something I need to tell you," She sent him a sharp smile, making his eyes narrow at her in suspicion, "The reason we are stopping by the bazaar is voes, that is to say males, are not allowed inside Gerudo Town."

"Wouldn't the Chief of the Gerudo be able to do something about that?" Woods questioned, genuinely perplexed.

"Unfortunately no, sorry." Urbosa's cunning smile didn't look sorry in the slightest, "There are limits to what I can do. This law was set in place by our venerable ancestors an untold number of ages ago. Even as Chief, it isn't one I can just erase on a whim. Or make exceptions too." She clapped her hands, "But not to worry, I have a solution: dressing you up as an adorable little vai! That's why we're stopping here, so I can procure a disguise for you."

“Wait. Vai mean… girl, doesn’t it?” Woods narrowed his eyes at Urbosa.

“You catch on quickly for a voe.” She winked down at him.

"You'd dress him up as a girl?" Tatl asked, moving her eyes between Urbosa and the young hylian, "Yeah, he'd be able to pull it off." She concluded with a giggle earning the stink eye from said hylian.

"Now then, it would be suspicious for the gerudo Chief to be seen around with a young, blond hylian voe and later the same day with a young blonde hylian vai, so wait for me here while I go buy you some cute clothes." With that said she turned and made to walk towards the bazaar.

“Wait!” Woods desperately clung onto her arm and ground his feet, as much as he could in a desert, "I get it that generally men, voe, are not allowed in the town, but surely that's not the case for gerudo men, right?"

The chief studied him, "Don't tell me… you have a mask to turn into a gerudo too?" She tried imagining Woods as a male gerudo, possibly a teenage or fully grown one, seeing as that was the case for his zora and goron forms respectively. She wasn't sure how comfortable she'd feel about it.

The boy shook his head, "No, no. No transformations." He brought a closed first to his chest, "I'm a member of the gerudo tribe."

She paused, "Normally I'd laugh at such a statement, but it's you so… go on."

"Here." Woods reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Urbosa. She eyed it incredulously as he went on to explain, "I told you in my first adventure I had to go through the desert. To get there, I needed to get past the gerudo fortress. I found that they were keeping captive a group of carpenters that had asked to join, so I set about freeing them. I had to sneak around the place so as to not get captured by any groups of guards and also fight one on one to obtain the keys to the cells. When I set free the last of them, a high ranking gerudo caught me off guard, but she said, in doing all of that, I had demonstrated my worth and she made me an honorary member of the tribe, allowed to come and go freely."

Urbosa's eyes flicked repeatedly between the certificate and Woods as he told his story, "As far as I know, I was the only one at that time. Anyway, once I went back to the past for good, I knew now that the gerudo weren't all enemies and that if I impressed them I could get to go in the fortress, make use of the horseback archery range and go to the training grounds. It was just a matter of getting in… oh, and making sure Ganondorf wasn't currently there. Back then, before he'd conquered Hyrule surveillance at the entrance was higher, so what I did is I got a few bombs and a cucco and then I-"

"Alright, alright, I get it. You managed to impress them and be made an honorary member… twice." Urbosa said, trusting Woods to be sincere. Still, her gaze returned to the certificate, as if mesmerized.

Woods watched, ready to fight to the death over wearing girl's clothes. He blinked in surprise when a smile stole across the gerudo's face, spreading until any of her past grins looked like an expression of mild amusement in comparison, "This is going to be SO good."

"What is going to be good?" Woods asked.

Urbosa grinned down at him as she ruffled his hair, “As I said, there are no voes allowed in Gerudo town. It’s an iron clad rule that our ancestors enforced for millennia. However, there are records of times in the distant past where such certifications as the one you have were given out. I never thought I’d see one with my own eyes… but I’m quite certain they were never revoked.”

“Alright, that is good." He raised an eyebrow as she laughed with gusto at his response.

"No, you don't understand… I have never been quite happy with that rule. It's caused a lot of trouble. My dear Zelda almost got herself killed when she took advantage of it to give her knight the slip. And it was very-" The Chief straightened, breaking eye contact for a moment, "I mean, it can be very frustrating for young gerudo girls who are not yet able to leave town. We live in a desert so to some gerudo mothers even going to the bazaar is something that requires supervision. Some will sneak out, but obviously it's not something that can be managed as frequently as they'd like. And even if they find a young voe they fancy, they can't bring him to town, nor can he come visit them. So this, walking a voe in, right in front of the guards, with no subterfuge… it's going to be vindication for all gerudo who argued uselessly at the gate only to be told that no matter what or who, no voe could ever be let in."

"You're trying really hard to make it sound like this isn't personal, huh?" Tatl voiced as Woods nodded.

Urbosa ignored her completely, tapping the certificate with the back of her hand, "And let them try and stop you, I will be delighted to inform them of how that would be 'disrespecting the will of our honored ancestors'. Ha! I can't believe I may get to turn those same insufferable words back on them!"

"Yeah, not personal in the slightest." The fairy mumbled.

"But how are your people going to take it? Won't it be a bit outrageous?" Woods questioned, following her as she made her way back to her sand seal.

“Oh, it will be. It will be glorious and I bet there’s going to be many happy gerudos.” Urbosa eagerly grabbed the reins and almost threw her shield on the ground in her excitement.

“So they won’t be upset that a male has entered the town?” Woods followed suit and they clicked at the animals, prompting them towards Gerudo Town.

"Some undoubtedly will, but they can't object to a man that has been certified by our ancestors, can they? Besides, men occasionally sneak into our town dressed as women and it's always fun picking out who's a voe or vai whenever a hylian comes to visit. It's not something we can openly speak about mind you, but many in town are in on it."

"So the girl clothes weren't a ploy you had come up with on the spot? So much for iron-clad rules."

Urbosa’s grin looked childish as she led the way, “I’ve been wanting to do this since I was in my teen years. I can’t wait!” She said to herself, wholly ignoring him. 

“She’s really happy about this.” Tatl whispered to Woods, watching as Urbosa hummed to herself, gracefully maneuvering her seal through the sand.

Urbosa shaded her eyes, watching the walls of her city grow closer, “We’re almost there. I should warn you that you’re going to get a lot of attention from all the vais, but especially the younger ones around your age. They have never seen a voe, not knowingly anyway, so it’s going to be a novel experience for them. Everyone’s going to want to talk to you.”

Woods pursed his lips at the teasing smile she sent his way, hearing a giggle from Tatl. Urbosa was having too much fun with this, “All things considered, maybe it would be best for me to stay at the bazaar. I wouldn’t want to upset your laws and-”

“Nonsense. We’re only a few minutes away and it’d be a waste for you to go back. Besides…” Tatl chimed in, her more mischievous side appearing, “You’re being granted a once in a lifetime opportunity and honor. It would be rude to turn it down.”

“You traitorous firefly, I thought you were on my side!” Woods hissed with exaggerated outrage.

“We’re here.” Urbosa said in a sing-song voice, stepping off her shield and handing the reins to the guard in charge of the sand seals. She grabbed Woods firmly by the wrist and led him forward, grinning as the two stiff guards at the entrance looked uncomfortably at each other. He shook his head, but complied, a small smile making its way onto his face.

“Hello, Oteki, Kobor. I’d like to introduce you to Link,” She savored the look of confusion on their faces, “Yes, he happens to share the same name as the Hylian Champion. So to avoid misunderstandings he's going by the name Woods. Would you like to say hello, Woods?”

“Sav’aaq, Oteki, Kobor.” Woods raised his hand and dipped his head slightly.

“S-sav’aaq. Lady Urbosa, we-” Oteki started to protest, but stopped as her leader held up her hand.

“I know what you’re going to say, but it is not I alone who has approved of this youngster,” She ignored Woods’s small noise of protest. He seemed to be doing that quite frequently, “For our ancestors have seen fit to give him a Membership Certification. I forgot to mention that he is not from our time, but from the distant past.”

Dutifully, as all eyes went to him, Woods pulled out the certificate and held it up for the guards to inspect. Oteki did, but Kobor stared at Urbosa in disbelief. Not that Woods blamed her. Urbosa seemed to thrive on confusing people in the most bizarre way possible.

“Lady Urbosa… do you really believe that this is authentic?” Oteki said slowly, eyes drifting back to her leader.

“Absolutely! I have had unquestionable proof of Woods' journey through time and I trust him completely. I owe this young one my life.” Urbosa planted her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised in challenge. Woods watched as their devotion to their leader warred with the responsibility of keeping the law. Making a decision, they stepped aside, glancing at each other as Woods and Urbosa walked in.

“I’m pretty sure that this is a bad idea.” Woods stated as Urbosa walked confidently forward, pulling everyone’s eyes in the plaza on them.

Tatl responded as shocked gasps rang out, “We’ll see, won’t we?”

“Lady Urbosa is… is that a voe??” Woods decided that he did not like the gleam in Urbosa’s eye as she spun around, grinning widely,

“Why yes, yes he is~!”