Chapter Text
“Zelda…? What is that…?”
The rest was a blur. The corpse knew them by name, then shot a winding beam of pure malice at them. Link had jumped in front of Zelda and attempted to block it with the Master Sword. However, the dark, cursed energy shattered the legendary holy weapon and seared Link’s left arm to the bone, rendering the limb useless.
The ground below them began to crumple, Zelda began falling back and Link dove after her, reaching out to her…
Then nothing…
He can’t remember anything beyond that…
He heard a voice… deep, calming, but foreign.
It was unsettling…
Everything hurt…
He felt sick…
And cold…
He hated the cold.
He slowly opened his eyes and saw a ceiling above him structured in stone, dirt, roots and vines. He gasped.
He knew this feeling.
He shouted and sat straight up, finding himself in only his undergarments, his hair draped over his shoulders and back, the Master Sword off to the side, pierced into the ground, the blade melted and corroded.
His heart raced.
How long had he been out?
Where was he?
This was too familiar.
He looked down at his shaking right hand, then glanced over at his left, glowing arm and gasped, shuffling away in a brief moment of panic. “No, no, no…” he looked around and breathed heavily, “Where… where am I…?” He gasped, “Z-Zelda?” He called out, his voice cracking.
He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling on his weak and shaking legs. He blinked and saw the slate flooring and blue lighting of the Shrine of Resurrection, then he blinked and rubbed his eyes, flinching at the unfamiliar texture of the strange new arm. He opened his eyes and saw the white stone flooring of… Goddess knew where he was.
There was a terrified scream in the back of his mind as the image of Zelda falling burned into his vision.
You failed her. You failed to save her…
Link’s breath hitched as he stepped back, his eyes watering, “No, no- I did what I could…” he grabbed his head and dropped to his knees.
You failed her as a husband and her protector…
Link curled in on himself and let out a sob, “No, please…” he whimpered.
Zelda is dead.
“No…” his voice broke as he collapsed to the side, curling in tighter and breaking down, “Zelda, I'm sorry…” he hiccupped, “I'm so sorry…” he sobbed, “I can’t do this again… not without you…” he sniffled. “I don’t…” he shook his head.
After what felt like hours… Link finally forced himself to his hands and knees, his core numb, his eyes burning, and his throat sore. He stared down at the strange new version of his left arm.
Ganondorf was still a threat…
And if he hasn’t completely destroyed Hyrule by now, he’ll have to stop him himself.
How long was he out…?
The last time something like this happened, he was asleep for a hundred years…
He’d have to get outside to see how the world changed without him… again.
How could he do this again? He only got by because of Zelda’s voice before…
But now he feels truly alone…
He picked up the Master Sword, frowning at its decayed state and picked up a piece of cerulean cloth and hesitated, recognizing the leftover material from the tunic Zelda had made him. His eyes watered for a moment, but then he blinked away the tears and picked up a vine, fashioning a makeshift scabbard for the Master Sword- seeing as the old one was lost.
Beside where the Master Sword was stuck into the ground was another cloth of some kind. Ancient, almost appearing weathered, but it was paired with some leggings and had a pair of tall sandals with it. His old clothes were gone, and this seemed to be all that his ‘rescuer’ was able to manage in an attempt to restore whatever dignity he had left.
Once the sword was safely on his back, and he was at least somewhat dressed, he pushed aside the vines blocking the doorway and pressed on.
He found that he was in a temple of some kind. As he entered the next room, he spotted a ring-shaped structure that began glowing, a marking resembling a left hand appearing at its center.
Link tipped his head and hesitated, glancing down at his new, unfamiliar left hand before reaching forward to touch his palm to the panel.
It worked for the Sheikah Slate in the Shrine of Resurrection… perhaps it’ll work here…?
The panel reacted and dissipated. A pair of wheels on the wall to his left began turning.
He heard a bell sound off in the distance and he tensed. The last time he’d heard a bell in Hyrule was before the Great Calamity.
His blood ran cold.
When did any bell towers go up?
Where was he?
Did he sleep for another hundred years?
“I see you finally awaken, I was beginning to worry you’d never wake up…”
Link quickly turned and instinctively reached up for his sword.
But he saw no one.
“I’m sorry if I startled you… No need to be alarmed. Zelda told me a great deal about you…”
Link looked around, “Why can’t I see you?”
Zelda is alive then… possibly saved by the same voice that was speaking to him now.
“I’m afraid I no longer have a physical form… none beyond that left arm I’ve given you… the old one couldn’t be saved due to the severity of the injury- it had to be removed to avoid further damage.”
“This is you?” Link asked, “Wait- you said- I- I have so many questions- where am I? Where is Zelda? How long have I been here?” he asked, stammering and starting to rake his fingers through his hair.
“My goodness… alright… allow me to introduce myself, I am Rauru. This structure you stand within is the Room of Awakening. This is a part of Hyrule as I know it. Zelda awaits inside in the Temple of Time, a little ways outside… I can’t say for sure I know how long you have been here as time has lost all meaning.”
Link put his hand to his head, “Time has lost all meaning- so days, weeks, years, you don’t know?”
“I’m sorry, I’m afraid not…”
Link exhaled sharply, “Okay, how do I get to the Temple of Time?”
“It is outside, you can’t miss it.”
Link nodded and made his way out the door. If it had been another hundred years, at least Zelda would be with him.
At least he wouldn’t be alone.
He hoped Danny was okay. He hoped he took care of the horses for them in their absence.
He saw a ledge that overlooked a small body of water. He frowned, trying to see the bottom of the pool. “Hope that’s not too shallow…” he stepped forward and dropped in. Several feet deep into the pool, Link kicked off the pool floor and sprung back up to the surface.
Just slightly further down the path was another ledge overlooking another pool, however, slightly higher up. And just beyond that was a third, much higher than the last two. Then finally he could see daylight down a decrepit corridor. He wrung the water out of his hair as best as he could as he walked down the corridor, freezing and scrambling back as he saw yet another ledge overlooking what he realized was the sky, above the clouds.
He gasped and took in the view in front of him. Several sky islands hovered scattered about the horizon. Below him was a much larger body within the archipelago he stood on. A pond sat directly below him.
He stepped back and crouched down until he sat, running his hands over his face and through his hair.
‘Hyrule as I know it.’
This was Hyrule?
It couldn’t be…
‘Time has lost all meaning…’
Link took a deep breath through his nose and slowly exhaled from his mouth.
Where was Danny and his ice when he needed it on the verge of a panic attack…?
He’d have to manage on his own…
He took another deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to calm his racing heart and settle the thoughts racing in his head.
His hands were shaking.
The last time he woke up in a dark cave room with no clothes after a severe injury, he had been asleep for a hundred years…
Back then, he had the ghost of a king speaking to him too, guiding him. Telling him not to be alarmed or afraid, and talking about Zelda…
Be rational…
Be rational.
Maybe it isn’t that bad… he might be overthinking it…
He took yet another deep breath and looked up, inching forward to see out at the clouds.
Straight ahead, he could see a mountain with smoke rising from the top.
“That has to be Death Mountain…” he took a deep breath. “So Hyrule isn’t completely destroyed…” he rubbed his face again, “Time had lost all meaning… Hyrule as he knows it…” he drowned, “So obviously, an ancient being who remembers Hyrule much differently than I do… maybe this was part of Hyrule, but hundreds and hundreds and maybe thousands of years ago…” he exhaled slowly, “But Death Mountain has been inactive, so the fact there’s smoke coming out of it means something changed.” He looked back out, “Akkala is over there… so Tabantha is over there…” he took a deep breath, “Which means I’m somewhere above Central…” he deduced. “Or the Great Plateau…” he stood up and dusted off his legs, then he looked back down at the island below him, “That must be the Temple of Time… Rauru said Zelda is there…” he looked down at the pond, “Oh, that’s a high drop…” he breathed. “Not much higher than Shatterback… can’t be much higher than Shatterback Point…” he swallowed and took a few steps back. “The more I tell myself that, the more I have to believe it…” he took a deep breath and ran forward and dove.
This drop was a lot higher than Shatterback Point.
Something caught his eye.
A new dragon, its body was white, the horns like brilliant blue antlers matching the spikes along its back with a golden mane.
He narrowed his eyes.
There are four dragons…?
Farosh, Naydra, Dinraal…
They were the embodiment of goddesses…
Farore, Lanayru, Din…
Was that Hylia…?
He returned his attention directly below him and dove straight into the water. When he surfaced, he swam straight to shore, passing by the giant lily pads and ignoring the fish that darted away from him.
He shuddered and gripped his upper arms and let out a shivering breath as soon as he was on dry land. He then began to move forward, hesitating when he saw something just around the hill, a bright glowing red eye as it looked around the land in front of it, its limbs resembling stone cuffs and seemingly linked together by some sort of cyan energy. He silently knelt and picked up a fallen tree branch, his eyes locked on to construct.
He’s made do with less.
He kept a close eye on the construct and made his way down the path toward what appeared to be another activating ring like he’d encountered inside- not that he was going to look up to see how high he’d jumped from.
The construct turned and spotted him, causing him to stop in his tracks and tense his shoulders. After a quick dodge and a swift strike, he stepped away from the fallen pile of stone-metal parts. As the pieces crumbled, all that remained was what looked like a core and a small blade that could be used as a makeshift knife. He picked up the club-like weapon the construct had wielded and tucked the blade into his belt and straightened up, heading back to the activator ring.
He glanced over as he heard clicking from the small structure beside him. Then he stepped back as a new construct emerged from its dormant and compact form.
This construct was a curious-looking creature, tipping its head as it looked Link over, “Oh… you must be Link…” a soft voice spoke. “Zelda entrusted something with me, and requested that I get it to you as soon as I saw you…” it said, inching forward.
Link narrowed his eyes as it approached, relaxing when it opened a small drawer in its main body and revealing two Purah Pads, one green and one blue- his and Zelda’s. “Zelda gave you these?”
“Yes.” The construct nodded. “She said she’d be off in the Temple of Time.” It turned its head to look at the massive structure to the north.
“Is she okay…?” Link asked, taking the Purah Pads and hooking Zelda’s to his belt. She loved her Purah Pad, if she planned on waiting for him somewhere, she would have held onto it and made sure he had his back. But with both Purah Pads here, he couldn’t call her and check in with her.
“She was in good health last I saw her.”
Link took a deep breath and let it out in relief, “Thank you.” He bowed deeply and trotted to the activator ring, activating it and hesitating when he saw his new left hand. He then shook his head and ran across the bridge that had extended and closed the gap between the ledge he stood on and the next area. He barely paid the next hostile construct any mind and barely got to the bridge before he felt his heart hammering in his chest and he dropped to his hands and knees, completely out of breath. He panted and gasped, his vision blurring for a moment before he began coughing.
“Oh, goodness! Are you alright?” Another identical voice approached.
Link shakily forced himself back to his feet, wobbling, “Why am I so tired…?” He panted, recognizing the base of another helper construct.
“Oh dear… they believe it was the Gloom corruption you suffered from that attack from Ganondorf…” it put a clawed hand to Link’s back, “Please, come sit, catch your breath. I have some baked apples as well, I have no need for them, but I’m sure you do…” it guided him over to a log.
“No- thank you- I’m okay, I just want to get to Zelda, I need to see she’s okay.” Link pulled away.
“Well, if you insist…” the construct said, “Though the stairs have been out and the temple is in a bit of ruin. Please navigate it safely.” It bowed its head.
Link nodded and took a few deep breaths to settle his racing and fatigued heart before treading the water and swimming across to the destroyed stairs. And after one more destroyed hostile construct, he approached the doors to the temple and activated the hand symbol that glowed on the surface. Upon stepping in, he flinched as suddenly his left arm began to glow. A series of symbols flickered on the back of his hand. “What the-”
“Those represent the abilities the arm possesses.”
Link whipped around and stepped back when he heard the voice, then paled when he was met with what he only recognized was a Zonai being. “You're a Zonai…”
“Yes, I am King Rauru. King of Hyrule.”
Link shook his head and stepped back, “Which King? There is no king of Hyrule, not anymore…”
“Ah, yes… Zelda shared that same confusion when we met. I am the king that founded Hyrule. The first king.”
Link exhaled sharply, “Oh…” he blinked and shook his head, then he took a deep breath. “Zelda. Where’s Zelda?” Then he paused, seeing that Rauru had vanished. With a heavy sigh, he started up the stairs, hesitating for a moment when he saw a light image of Zelda standing beside the pedestal at the center of the room. “Zelda…?”
The image turned around to face Link, her hand reaching out to his and prompting him to lift his left hand. She then faded, the light disappearing and forming a new symbol on his hand.
Just as a lump began to form in Link’s throat, Rauru reappeared and spoke again, “Ah… Recall. The ability to reverse the movement of an object through time.” he said, “I could have sworn I just saw Zelda here… it appears that she’s vanished, though…”
“What… what just happened?” Link asked.
“I can’t say I know for sure… Perhaps it was some sort of echo- one that reflects her sheer will-”
Link shook his head, “Echo? Wh-what- like an apparition? Like a gh-” he stopped, his eyes watering.
Rauru’s ears twitched, “Oh… I see…”
“I-I was told that Zelda would be here- I didn’t think-” he shook his head, “I’d hoped…” he fell to his knees, tears falling freely. “That she’d physically be here… that she'd be okay…”
Rauru sank, then lowered himself to his knees and tipped his head to watch Link, “I am truly sorry… I did everything I could for her…” he said solemnly. “And I’m afraid the only condolences I can offer to you… is that she spoke very highly of you and the relationships you have- your friends and your brother…” he began, “She had faith in you. And she wanted to do everything in her power to arrange for help to assist you in defeating Ganondorf.” he said, “And since she’s given you the recall ability, there is no doubt that she believed that you needed it.”
Defeat Ganondorf…
Of course…
Seemingly the only purpose that remains for him.
His wife is gone.
He isn’t even sure if his friends were alive, his home…
Ganondorf was still a threat to Hyrule…
For Hyrule…
“Okay…” Link swallowed and stood.
Rauru rose with him, “I regret to admit that we must part ways here… our time together was brief… I deeply apologize for… everything… I wish you the best of luck.”
Link stood numbly as Rauru vanished. He exhaled sharply once he was alone again. He proceeded through the temple, using the ability the image of Zelda had granted him as needed- the ability coming naturally to him as all spirit-granted abilities had in the past. Recall worked similarly to the Stasis ability the Sheikah Slate used to do. Ascension was just like Danny’s intangibility… for overhead horizontal surfaces.
It was certainly more uncomfortable…
Sluggish like wading through waist-deep mud.
He’d have to figure out what the other abilities do later.
At the end of a long walkway, seemingly overlooking nothing, he found an altar.
Empty.
However, his hand flickered with the yellow-orange Recall symbol. He narrowed his eyes and heard a faint ethereal noise from his back. He drew the damaged Master Sword and saw what remained of the blade barely flickered with light. He took a shaking breath and set it on the altar.
After a moment, the sword hovered in the air and glowed blindingly before vanishing.
Like everything else had.
Almost immediately, he heard a loud bellow as the new dragon dove under the clouds and flew back up, circling around the sky island before continuing on its path. The clouds directly beneath the island dispersed and showed the land below. Much to Link’s surprise, it revealed that Hyrule as he knew it was… not that different from what he remembered it as.
Perhaps his friends are still alive after all.
It was something.
Danny and Purah must’ve been worried sick.
He looked back up at the Light Dragon and knelt. “I’ll fix this…” he said, “Please forgive me for this failure…” he took a deep breath and let it out sharply, “I’ll fix this. Just please take care of her for me…” he said more firmly before standing and moving to the edge of the platform and looking down, his hands beginning to shake. The lake directly below was so far down that his view of it could be obstructed by his own hand. “That’s so far…” he breathed. He took a few steps back, then he ran forward and jumped, diving straight down.
