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Chapter Text

Time's sword clashed against another as he shielded a smaller, cloaked figure who seemed frozen in place. Without hesitation, Time moved to shield the figure, using his sword to block the incoming attacks. His movements were swift and precise, his focus solely on protecting the figure from harm. As Twilight rushed over to assist his mentor, the cloaked figure was pushed into his chest with a single word: "Protect."

As Time battled their opponent with great determination, Twilight quickly understood what the older meant. He held onto the cloaked figure tightly, determined to keep them safe despite the chaos and danger surrounding them. The rancher attempted to move both of them away from the battlefront and towards the trees at the forest's border.

The drizzle that had been falling steadily for some time suddenly turned into a heavy downpour. Twilight quickly took cover behind a tree with the stranger held close to his chest. They were both drenched within seconds. Twilight's heart pounded in his chest as the battle raged on around them. Albeit the little cover offered by the tree, an arrow flew past Twilight, barely missing his cheek. The rancher felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized how close he had come to getting hit.

"Sorry!" a voice yelled, but Twilight couldn't place it amidst the battle, rain, and adrenaline rushing through his ears. The rancher held the smaller one firmly, his rough hands gripping the fragile body protectively. He leaned down to steal a glimpse at the still figure, their eyes appearing dull and unfocused as they stared vacantly into the distance. They looked young, too young to have that vacant look, let alone the extensive scarring along the side of their face. The rancher chuckled dryly and leaned back against the tree, but held onto the smaller person tightly.

To think today started well for the group as they were dropped into a warm forest through the portal. Although none of them recognized this land as their own Hyrule, they were fortunate enough to land safely on solid ground without being separated or dropped into a monster camp.

---(Earlier)---

Hyrule struggled to stand up, his legs feeling weak and unsteady beneath him. He reached out for Sky's arm, grateful for the support that kept him upright. "There's magic in the air," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Sky looked at him in concern, "From the portal?" he asked, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. "No, it feels different," Hyrule tried to explain, struggling to put his thoughts into words. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to identify the source of the unusual energy that seemed to flow through the breeze. It wasn't the typical sensation he experienced when they went through a portal. This was something else entirely. The air crackled with otherworldly energy.

"Don't" Twilight grumbled as he grabbed the back of the younger boy's shirt and prevented Wind from climbing the massive tree stump the size of a two-story house. "Let me go! I just want to get a better view of the area, is all!" cried Wind as he attempted to grab at the rancher's hand that was tightly gripping his shirt and lifting him off the ground. "Instead of climbing the massive stump, let's take the path that leads up the cliff over here we should be able to get the layout of the area at least," suggested Time, who was standing next to Legend who was helping Four up.

Warriors brushed the dust off his scarf and looked around at his companions "Is everyone sure that this isn't their Hyrule?" he asked, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar landscape that surrounded them. The Chain was quiet for a moment before the Skyloftian, spoke up. He pulled the Master Sword off his back, the legendary weapon glinting in the sunlight. "Fi?" he asked, directing his question towards the spirit that resided within the sword. The group waited patiently for her response, hoping for some guidance on their journey.

Sky felt the need for some privacy and walked away from the group after a brief moment of silence. Legend sarcastically remarked, "What? so we're just supposed to wait around after getting tossed around on a goddess's whim" Meanwhile, Four rubbed his eyes and then stood up on his own after quietly thanking the vet. Time turned to the rest of the group and spoke up, "It won't take long, I'm sure." His tone was reassuring, and it seemed to calm everyone's restlessness slightly. With a glance around the group, he continued, "For now why don't we take a breather before Sky comes back? Once he's done, we can head towards the path up the cliff south of here." The group nodded in agreement, grateful for the chance to refuel and recharge before they travelled on.

Twilight placed Wind on the ground and ordered him not to climb the stump. The younger hero let out an irritated huff in response, clearly annoyed at the instruction. Sky, who had been watching the whole exchange, couldn't resist a chuckle at the sight of their childish behaviour. Twilight shook his head at his companions, but as the breeze picked up again, the rancher noticed the smell of smoke in the air. He wondered if it was from a recently extinguished campfire. Absentmindedly, he started to follow the scent but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Time?" Twilight asked but kept his eyes trained on a spot deeper in the forest, eyes scanning the dense trees for any sign of movement. Suddenly, his mentor broke the silence. "Is there something out there?" Twilight paused for a moment, considering the question. He had a feeling that something was amiss, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Possibly," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want to check something out."

"Four," Time said as he motioned towards Twilight, "go with him to scout the area." "Uh, sure," Four replied as he walked over to them. "If you find anything of interest, report back. Don't take too long," Time instructed as the pair walked deeper into the forest. "I don't mind coming along with you, but don't you usually scout the area alone? Hey, where are you going?" Four asked as he jogged to keep up with the taller man.

"Time thinks I'm going to be unreasonable. I smelled some lingering smoke and wanted to check it out," Twilight told him. "Do you think there's someone around here? Oh, look, a building!" Four pointed above the trees to the top of a building that peeked over the treetops. The rancher hummed but didn't say anything as he spotted a ruined arch that still somehow stood. Behind it was a campfire, He crouched down to find the campfire still warm, Twilight muttered under his breath, "recently put out," as he scanned the surroundings, searching for any signs of movement. His gaze came to a halt on a solitary figure, draped in a cloak, standing motionless in the middle of the path with their back facing the duo. Twilight figured that the path must lead to the building that Four had spotted earlier.

"Hey!" Twilight called out to them but the cloaked figure made no move to acknowledge them, "What are you doing? Time said to report back if we find anything," Four whispered loudly as he tugged on the rancher's sleeve. "And when we get back he might be gone by then, so if you want to go be my guest I'm staying here," Twilight told Four as he made his way over to the cloaked figure. Four grumbled but turned and ran back to the group to tell the others, leaving Twilight with the stranger.

"Excuse me, hey kid, I appear to be a bit lost at the moment. Could you point me in the direction of an inn or lodging of some sort?" Twilight politely asked as he approached a stranger. However, the cloaked figure stood motionless in the middle of the path, giving no response to Twilight's inquiry. The confused Twilight waved his hand in front of the figure's face but still received no reaction.

The rancher walked slowly around the stranger, completing a full circle before stopping in front of them. He hesitantly reached out and poked the stranger's shoulder, expecting a reaction. To his surprise, the stranger remained unmoving. Twilight let out a sigh and said, "Ha ha, funny joke you got me. Now come on, kid." However, the stranger still didn't move. The situation was eerie and unsettling, with the stranger's calm and steady breathing being the only indication that they were alive.

Twilight quickly turned his head, certain he had heard movement to his left. Without warning, a masked figure on his right yelled, "For Master Kogha!" and charged towards the cloaked figure, brandishing a sword. Before Twilight could even react, his mentor stepped in out of nowhere and deflected the sword with his own. The rancher stood frozen momentarily, then quickly drew his sword to help his mentor. Suddenly, Time pushed the frozen stranger into his chest and said, "Protect".

Chapter Text

"Are you okay pup?" Time asked, placing a hand on Twilight's shoulder. Twilight, the rancher, asked in response while adjusting the smaller man against him as he sat up properly, no longer leaning against the tree. "Yeah... is everyone else okay?" he inquired. "Nothing we can't fix," Sky chimed in as he came to stand next to Time. "You, on the other hand, seem out of it. Are you sure you're alright?".

"I'm fine," Twilight said as he stood with the stranger he found seemingly passed out in his arms, "It's nothing, just thinking," he reasoned. "Four mentioned seeing a building over the treetops earlier. It shouldn't be too far from here, right?" Sky suggested in the awkward silence. "It's a good start. If we do find someone there, they might know more about our new friend here," Time agreed as he turned to walk toward the rest of the group.

"Fucker chipped my sword" Legend cursed as he looked at his sword, "Fuck!" came the enthusiastic yell of the young sailor from somewhere behind him. "Language," Time said as he walked over with Sky and Twilight following him. "Who's this supposed to be?" Warriors asked, poking at the shoulder of the caped figure that the rancher was holding. "Is that why you weren't fighting?" Wind asked as he bounded over to Twilight. "Is he alright?" Hyrule asked skeptically, "Unconscious, but okay," Twilight informed Hyrule, much to the healer's relief, as the group began to follow the trail.

"What's his name?" Wind asked as he walked beside the rancher with Four. "I don't know. He was unresponsive before the attack, so I didn't get a chance to talk to him," Twilight replied, eliciting a disappointed sigh from Wind. "I apologise for running off earlier," Four said on Twilight's other side. Twilight shook his head. "It's a good thing you did. I didn't even see those assassins coming."

"Assassins!" Wind exclaimed in excitement. "Assassins? What makes you think that?" the blacksmith asked. "Just a gut feeling," muttered Twilight as he caught Time's eye, causing Twilight to look away quickly. "Time said it'd be best to follow this path," Twilight recounted to the pair as the group started to follow the path in no immediate hurry, "There might be someone ahead who can tell us more about him."

"Oh! Do you think he has a cool name? I bet he does" Wind rambled on as he gave the mysterious Hylian a dramatic backstory and name, Twilight huffed a laugh at the younger as Legend joined the little group forming at the back of the chain. "Forest Man?" Legend said incredulously, "Really? That's the best you could come up with sailor?" the veteran poked the centre of Wind's forehead only to get a huff as his hand was slapped away by the younger.

"It's in the works still!" Wind groaned elbowing Four as he tried to join in teasing him, "Ow! Hey, he's not wrong" the blacksmith retorted shoving back just before Twilight came up between them effectively breaking up their shoving match "ok, ok break it up", "no more fighting until we either find a lead or leave this Hyrule" Warriors called back at them stifling a laugh himself.

"You never let us have any fun" Wind huffed crossing his arms obviously for the dramatics, "Don't be like that sailor" Time chuckled from the front of the group next to Hyrule, "Come tell us more about this 'Forest Man'". Wind beamed and quickly made his way to Time and Warriors to explain his backstory and motive to Time, "Malon will be pleased to know Time would make a great dad" Four laughed as the trio watched the sailor and Time interact.

Four started a quiet conversation with Legend as the rancher found himself looking back at the Hylian in his arms, the kid's eyes were closed now almost seemed like he was sleeping peacefully if not for the twitches he'd have every few minutes. "I don't know champion seems like a better fit," Twilight thought to himself as the rest of the chain blurred out as he thought, the group halting in the middle of the path is what brought him back out of his head.

"Is that?..." Time muttered as the chain looked up at building Four saw back in the forest, "Huh" Sky stood dumbfounded at the ruins, "The Temple of Time..." Twilight breathed out. "I doubt we're going to find anyone in there," remarked Legend, only to get elbowed by Warriors. "What! I'm right," snapped Legend as he shoved Warriors back. "Doesn't mean you say it," Warriors retorted.

Legend rolled his eyes before turning to the rest of the group and asked, "Does anyone recognize this pile of rubble, other than the obvious?" "Nope!" Wind chirped before nudging Sky and adding, "Looks kinda like your fancy temple though right?". "Is that smoke?" Hyrule interrupted as the rest of the chain turned to look uphill and by a huge rock the smoke, most likely from a campfire, looked to be burning strong.

"New plan?" Legend suggested and with a nod from the impromptu leader the group made their way towards where the smoke was coming from, but when the chain stopped at a makeshift campsite there was no smoke and no fire. "What?" Warriors muttered as Four examined a torch that was leaning on the stone wall of the alcove, "It's cold, this camp hasn't been used in ages" Hyrule told the group as he stood up from the campfire.

"But that doesn't make sense," Sky said as he tossed something at Time, it was a baked apple, "Warm still" he trailed off as he looked out at the area around them. "Do you think this is Forest Man's camp?" Wind asked excitedly, "Doubt it, we already passed the one he used last night" Twilight spoke up. "A ghost then!" the sailor declared but was brushed off by most of the chain.

"We'll set up camp here for tonight and scout out the surrounding area for any signs of other people and monsters before it gets dark," Time told the chain, everyone got on their usual task chatting and theorising as they went, "Pup" The old man called as Twilight placed the cloaked kid down. The pair walked just out of earshot of the chain before Time stopped and turned to his descendant looking over him, nothing seemed to be wrong physically.

"Time?" Twilight asked after a minute of silence, "Are you alright? What's happening? You're hiding something again" Time declared looking firm but worried it surprised the rancher. "Time I-", "And don't lie" Time tagged on cutting Twilight off, "I'm fine as I told you lot earlier, I just got this nagging feeling about me," the brunette told him. "Nagging feeling? of what?" Time interrogated, "Not anythin' bad" Twilight rushed out.

"I don't know, jus' feels like I've been here before" Twilight admitted scratching the back of his neck "Feels familiar, I can't tell you why, this isn't my Hyrule and no one else seems to recognise it", Time looked over his shoulder back towards the chain, Twilight following his gaze to their new forest friend, "What are you thinking?" the rancher asked suspiciously as he turned back to his mentor.

"Just a theory for now, don't worry about it pup" Time reassured as he started back down the path only to have the rancher grab his arm "Time-" Twilight sputtered but stopped himself and dropped his mentor's arm, "sorry" the rancher mumbled but Time just turned and ruffled the youngers hair as he said, "you're alright, I know how you're feeling right now, I'll let you know if anything comes up".

"Are you feeling up to scout downhill? I'll get two of the other boys to go uphill" the older told him as Twilight glanced at their forest friend before turning back to the chains impromptu leader giving him a nod before heading off in quick strides. Time turned back to the campsite where Four and Warriors were trying to start a fire and then to Legend who was throwing sticks at Wind, much to the sailor's annoyance.

"Legend, Wind do me a favour and scout out uphill, look out for monsters and or signs of other people" Time commanded as Legend gave a huff but ultimately dropped his arsenal of sticks, "aye aye, We'll be back soon!" Wind shouted as he jogged to catch up with Legend due to his head start. "Wait up" the sailor called to the veteran as he managed to match his pace with the older.

"Time?" Hyrule asked suddenly appearing next to him "Do you think we're getting another hero?" the healer asked, "I don't know" Time admitted glancing at the cloaked figure. "We haven't had a new hero in little over a month, are you sure?" the captain asked not looking over as he managed to cause a small spark that ignited into a suitable campfire, "There's already eight of us, is another hero needed?" Four questioned taking a step away from the fire.

"Why'd Hylia wait so long then, if that is the case" Hyrule asked looking to each of the remaining members of the chain, "I don't know, perhaps a required break?" Warriors offered but Four shook his head "We don't even get 'required breaks' Wars I doubt the goddess is giving out freebies". "We don't even know if there is going to be another hero" Time tried but Sky who appeared out of nowhere, probably off talking to Fi again, placed his hand on Time's arm "Fi's not giving me much but I wouldn't take it off the table yet".

"You saw the Temple, how aged it's become, I agree with you that we don't know for sure but we won't learn much until our new friend wakes," Sky told them as he went to sit by the fire, sun setting in the distance. "At this point, it's just a waiting game," Four huffed, flopping himself back against a log. "Don't jinx it," Warriors said as he settled by the fire, laughing.

---Legend and Wind---

"Do you think this Hyrule will have an ocean?" asked Wind, glancing over the land below them as they trudged up the slope. The question hung in the air as they continued onward, the only sound of their footsteps crunching on the rocky path. Legend pondered the question with a thoughtful hum, "Do you miss your Hyrule?" he asked. "Do you think we'll be getting another hero?" Wind asked suddenly, changing the topic, Legend sighed before shrugging "Can only guess so, I mean why else would we be in a new Hyrule".

"I hope the new hero is younger than me" the younger grinned, tucking his hands behind his head as he walked. "I wouldn't count on it, it's bad enough that you're as young as you are," Legend said, Wind huffed crossing his arms.

"End of the road." the veteran said as he looked over the landscape spotting what must be Hyrule castle in the distance "This is going to take forever, fuck" Legend grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair. "Woah, Hey, look at this" Wind called out, Legend turned to see Wind sticking his head into an entrance to what looked like a tunnel.

"We should go check to make sure there are no monsters. It could be a dungeon," Wind said as he stepped forward, only to be stopped by the vet grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him back. "Hey-", "That's exactly why we shouldn't go in" Legend grumbled. "Besides, it looks more like a tomb than anything," he muttered as he turned and walked away.

"We should head back before it's dark, you're welcome to try and convince Time," Legend said with one last glance over the area before the pair made their way back to camp with Wind sulking.