Chapter Text
If Wild knew what was coming, he would have never walked through that portal.
Call it what you want, fate, destiny, a millennia-old curse on your spirit laid down in an ancient foe's last breath, but whatever you call it, life isn't fair.
Stepping through the portal, Wild was ecstatic. It has been months since he was able to see his Hyrule. But something was off about it.
Pushing the feeling aside for now, Wild took a deep breath in and announced that they had landed in his Hyrule. It was a mixed reaction. The more adventurous members of the chain loved the massive layout of his Hyrule and the endless opportunity to explore, while the others not used to traveling so much by foot hated it. Like usual, the Chain deferred to the Link of the Hyrule, which meant all eyes were on him now.
Looking around, he noticed they had landed near the middle of Hyrule field near where the old Sheikah tower used to sit before the calamity ended.
Not even a week had passed after Ganon before the old Sheikah tech started deactivating. The pillars surrounding the castle disappeared first, slipping back underground overnight. Next was the shrines a month later and the towers quickly followed. Purah and Robbie both panicked when the slate started showing a low battery warning, but nowhere near Wild's reaction.
It had happened during a stopover in his Hyrule with the chain and he nearly lost everything, the only casualty in the deactivation being the majority of his wardrobe. On the bright side, they now have plenty of jerky and fruit leather for travel rations and they weren't running out of potions any time soon.
Nothing really settled back in Hyrule Field after fighting Ganon. Not that there was much left from the cursed flames and upturned earth at first, but eventually grass started growing back. When people realized the field was safe again and could sustain crops, an outpost was established near the Castletown ruins. Last time he was here, they had just finished blueprints and the outer wall was going up. Looking now, it seemed operational.
"Alright guys!" He hollered. "We've got about six hours of daylight left. It looks like they've got Lookout Landing nearly up and running so we're looking at a four-hour walk. The field looks pretty empty still so the only things to look out for are chuchu and a lone boko or moblin."
After taking a few minutes to gather themselves, everyone managed to stand and collect their belongings to begin the trek towards the outpost.
Settling into a comfortable pace, Wild goes back to focusing on that feeling he had first coming through. It almost felt like the morning before a blood moon, but those were all but faded again. The last one was almost two years ago to the day.
"Hey Wild! There's something rising from the ground over there!" Legend shouted, quickly cutting his thoughts off.
“What stuff?” the champion yells back, turning to look at whatever it is.
Wild pales with horror when he finally sees it. 50 yards across the field, something was rising like smoke from the ground. Red-tinged, almost like mal– but that can't be it. Ganon was sealed. He finished his journey. That's why he was with the chain after all. Making a quick decision, Wild calls for a stop.
“Sky, Time, can you come with me for a minute? There's something I need to check out over there.” Wild asks. “ Twilight can lead the others to Lookout. He knows my Hyrule almost as well as I do. We’ll catch up in a minute.”
With the rest of the group moving on, Wild quickly directs his focus to the patch of… something off a ways. Sky mutters under his breath, "Whatever it is, it's not natural." Time nods, wearing a deep frown.
All three approached the smoke and Wild’s fears were confirmed. “Malice,” he whispered. Except it wasn't. For one, it was closer to a liquid where malice was thicker than this and was more purple than the crimson shade that this was laced with.
The grass surrounding the area was withered or gone entirely. Exchanging a look with the other two heroes, Wild fishes out an apple from his slate and carefully drops it into the substance, only for the apple to start decaying rapidly. ‘Well, that's not good, ' he thought.
“We need to find Flora, quickly.” Wild announces. “That's a lot closer to malice than I'm comfortable with and we need to know if it's isolated or not.”
“I agree,” said Sky. “This might be connected to what we are hunting across our eras.”
Wild had a feeling that it was not, but didn’t say anything. He was done. The goddess had taken nearly everything from him on his first adventure. He never even had time to rest before the chain came calling him on this one. All he has left now is Zelda, the new champions, and his brothers.
Time sighs, “We need to catch up with the group.”
……..
Eventually, they reach Lookout and Wild quickly drops the group off over by the bunker entrance to go find Purah.
After the malice had disappeared, most of the castle was deemed structurally unsound and not safe to move into. Since there was nothing left of Castletown, the plans for the Landing were established and Purah had claimed half the site for her new lab. She quickly set up shop as soon as the field was cleared of guardians, not wasting any time trying to salvage anything of value from the castle ruins.
As expected, she was about elbow-deep rummaging through an old supply bin full of Sheikah tech remains. He knocked, remembering to announce his presence after the last time when Zel had broken his nose with a mean right hook. She had apologized but he just laughed and gave her pointers on proper technique for next time. Smiling, he hollered, "I'm back!"
She shot up with a gasp “Linky! Did you bring me more pictures?”
“Of course Purah, but I was coming to check where Zelda was staying. I came across something out in the field and need to talk to her.”
Purah's smile was quickly wiped away. "Zelda is at the castle but was reported to be heading in this direction an hour ago. Now describe what you saw.”
"It was similar to malice, except not sludge or crystalized like it typically is. It also had a crimson hue to it, unlike the pink-to-purple shade malice had. I tossed an apple at it and it started to decay almost instantly and was reduced to nothing in seconds. Time and Sky witnessed it as well, so you can get their assessment of it later as well if you want."
"That's consistent with the reports of it at the castle."
Link whipped around and exclaimed, "Zelda!"
Sweeping her into a hug, he buried his face on her shoulder and took a deep breath.
"It's good to see you too, Link. I missed you greatly these past few months." Zelda breathed.
"Has it really been so long? It was only two months for us."
"Nine months Link. It's been nine months since you were last reported by that stable up in Akkala. Things have been getting dire here."
"I'm sorry it took so long to get back here."
She quickly cut him off. "I don't want your apologies, Link. You cannot control those portals. It is not your fault. Do what I do and blame the goddess."
Link lets out a huff. "There's a novel idea. What would I do without you?" He leans in and rests his forehead on hers. "I lo-"
"Hey Wild! Time needs you, sorry was I interrupting?" Wind asks, barging in the door.
Wild sighs and leans away. "You're all good sailor, what does the old man want now?"
" He said it had to do with what you were checking out earlier. Is everything okay?"
"Everything will be fine, Wind. Come on, let's go see what he wants before he keels over from age."
"I'll go with you Wild, the rest of you need to hear this as well," adds Flora.
Wind bounds out the door and down to the bunker, Wild and Flora half a step behind.
Wild beelines over to Hyrule and Time huddled over a guard's bed. "Good, you're here," said Time.
"I've never seen these kinds of symptoms before. It's like their very life force has been drained. The closest thing I can compare it to is poisoning from my Hyrule," the traveler said quietly.
Flora steps around him to get a better vantage point as she addresses everyone. "We've been calling it gloom sickness," she sighed. "About six months ago, an excavation crew noticed the gloom haze rising from the floor in the lowest levels of the castle. Since then, out of that crew of six, two are dead and the other four had been comatose for a month now. At least until you healed them, Hyrule. Thank you," Flora added, looking sincere. "Since then, the gloom has spread upwards even into the sanctum at the highest point. It's also starting to expand outwards as you noticed on your way here. Isolated patches have cropped up all over Hyrule, leaving concave patches of land in different areas. That all can be dealt with and studied of course, but the real issue is the-"
"QUAKE!" someone shouts.
Not a few seconds after the shout, the chain felt the ground jolt underneath them and then start to roll. Wild, Flora, Legend, and Hyrule ended up under one table while Twilight, Sky, Wind, and Four took the other. Warriors and Time huddled in the nearest door frame, trying to remain standing. As quick as it came, it stopped.
"Sound off!" Called Wars.
Nine calls echoed back, all safe. Not wanting to be underground during potential aftershocks, they scrambled to the ladder, Flora and Wild going first.
Climbing out revealed a different landscape almost. The castle had massive tendrils of gloom smog lazily floating from every crack and crevice. There was also a distinct crack in the foundation that circled the castle and spiderwebbed out and the castle had been raised several feet. It almost looked like it had risen from the ground and dropped.
Wild stared at the castle with a blank expression, gripping Flora's hand tight enough to cut off circulation. Time reaches for him, gripping his shoulder. "We're here for you Wild, whatever we can do to help."
A faint breeze started blowing, the scent of holy magic in the air. The nine heroes turned in unison to look where it came from and a golden portal washed into sight.
"NO!" Wind screamed. "We promised him! We swore we would help!
Wind clings to Wild, tears running down his face. Wild turned to face the others. "I guess this is it then. You have to go."
"Screw that! Wind it right!" Legend growls. "Since when did we leave someone behind!"
"Legend!" snaps Time, then sighs. "You know that none of us would if we had a choice, but this is the Goddess's doing."
"But-" and Legend breaks. He closes the gap between them and buries his face in Wild's shoulder. "Swear to me. Swear it to me Link, that you will survive this. Promise that you will do whatever it takes to live and you will not regret it." Legend sobs. He couldn't lose anyone else.
Wild buries a hand in his hair, then slowly leans away to raise his chin. "Lege, look at me." Tears streaked down Legend's face. "I swear to you Link. There is no force that can keep me down for long. I will find you, I swear this."
Legend takes a step back, pulling Wind with him. "We'll see you around, Wild."
And both step into the portal.
Sky is next. Pulling Wild into a fierce hug, he whispers, "I'm so proud of you Wild. No matter what happens, know that."
He steps through the portal before Wild could respond. Six left.
Hyrule comes after him. "Here. This was supposed to be for everyone, but I have a feeling you need it more. It's a guide to the different monsters of our eras. It's not quite finished yet, but I figured it might help."
Wild smiles softly, "Thank you, Rulie."
The traveler returns the smile. "One last thing. Just because we have to leave doesn't mean there aren't people here willing to help. It's dangerous to go alone. Remember that."
And with that, Hyrule steps through the portal. Five now.
Four gives him a hug, then steps back, eyes swirling with color. "Sorry I never got to make you that unbreakable sword. I swear it'll be the first thing we do when you get back."
Wild lets out a wet laugh. "I'll hold you to it! Promise I'll be more careful in the meantime."
The smithy steps through the portal with a wave. Four left.
Wars clasps his arm. "It's been an honor fighting by your side and I await the day we meet again." He breaks from formality and pulls him into a hug, ruffling his hair. "Stay alive soldier, that's an order."
He steps through. Three.
Twilight stares at him. What could they say to each other? No goodbye could cover everything they've gone through. So Twilight doesn't try. He pulls the champion into a hug and doesn't let go until the pull of the portal gets painful.
Time lays a hand on his shoulder. "Pup, we need to go."
Twilight holds his cub by the shoulders. "I love you cub. Promise me you'll be careful."
Wild, too choked up, just nods and takes a step back.
Twilight steps through the portal. Two now.
Time is different from the others. He doesn't give hugs, or make him swear. He just looks at him and nods. " We'll find a way back Wild, I swear it. You won't be forgotten. We're coming back for you, even if I have to fight Hylia herself to get here."
Time steps through the portal and it closes behind him. One.
Far away, in a different time, the remaining eight huddled together. They stared at the portal as it closed behind them, trapping the last alone as the curse loops once more.