Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Link looked back on this dumpster fire of a situation, he’d be grateful it took place relatively close to his house.

That was about all he’d be grateful for, but it was something at least.

Zelda was always telling him to find the bright side of things.

Link was currently tailing a group of four heavily armed men through the forest. 3 of them walked like knights, and the fourth practically radiated magic.

He had been in the village near his house, stocking up on supplies, when the shopkeeper had warned him of a group of suspicious strangers asking for him. He had promised the shopkeeper he’d be careful and stay away, and she’d let him leave. And here he was tailing them.

“Where do you think we’ll find this link?” The shortest one asked. He was wearing a multicoloured tunic, and his sword looked oddly familiar.

Link stiffened at the reminder they were looking for him. That never meant good things.

“Well the people of that town were certainly unhelpful,” the oldest sighed.

“And paranoid,” another grumbled.

Link was pretty sure he was the leader. He carried himself like a high ranking knight, and his voice held an authoritative edge.

It made link smile a little that the townspeople had refused to tell the men anything. His people really were loyal to a fault.

“But they had clearly heard of him, even if they refused to tell us anything, so we must be on the right track,” shorty mused.

Damn it, link thought, they were smart.

He needed to get to his house so he could prepare properly, it was only a matter of time until someone ratted him out.

But he couldn’t leave them unmonitored.

Link searched through his small pouch for something he could use. Stifling a groan, he pulled his hand out. This is what he got for leaving his adventuring pouch at home.

He hit his head against the tree he was hiding behind in frustration.

“Did anyone else hear that?” One of the men asked. It was the one who was yet to speak, capey, link mentally dubbed him.

3 pairs of eyes, and one singular one shot to his hiding place.

Well shit.

The oldest one stalked towards links hiding place, sword drawn.

Well two could play at that game. Link unsheathed his sword.

There was a chiming sound from just behind capey, and the man sucked in a breath.

“Time, wait,” he called out.

Link frowned, was that some kind of spell he was unfamiliar with?

But then the one eyed man stopped, turning towards capey.

“What is it sky?” He asked.

So Time was a name, as well as sky. Weird names, but link didn’t have time to question it.

He started to move backwards, sword still raised.

“Link, wait!” Capey, no Sky, called out.

Oh he was so screwed. Link sheathed his sword, and ran. By some stroke of good fortune, he had his Pegasus boots on. He poured magic into the boots, slightly more than he intended if he was being honest, and sprinted.

There were cries of alarm from the men behind him, but link ignored them. He just kept running, as fast as he could. His house wasn't too far from here, he could make it.

Link allowed himself to fall into the motions, tuning out of his surroundings, he knew the way like the back of his hand.

He needed to plan. Hopefully he’d have enough time to set up the traps in his house. He had protocols in place for situations like this, it would be ok. He would be ok.

Link slammed face first into a tree. Tears formed in his eyes at the impact, and he peeled himself off the trunk.

He had missed his house by mere feet, instead he had slammed into the old oak tree he used to climb as a kid.

Link shook himself off, and ran to his front door the mundane way.

He slammed open the door.

“Mr hero! What happened to your face!” Ravio asked, standing up from where he was sitting by the fire.

“It’s not important,” Link waved him off. He reached for the box of supplies he kept for emergencies hidden under the stairs.

Seeing what he was doing, Ravio moved to help him.

“We’re going to have company?” The merchant asked, seriousness slipping into his tone.

Link nodded.

“Four men, looking for me by name, heavily armed,” he told him, leaning over to set up the tripwire by the front door.

Ravio sighed.

“I thought your father had stopped sending assassins after you.”

Link snorted dryly. As if.

“Three of them stand like soldiers, ones a magic user,” Link reported, reaching into the box for his spare fire rod.

Him and Ravio danced around each other with practised ease.

“I’m going to set up the stuff outside,” Link said, standing up from where he was crouched on the floor.

He was met with a sudden head rush, and Ravio rushed to steady him.

“Did you already fight them?” The rabbit asked, studying the grazes on links face.

Link shook his head.

“Had an incident with the Pegasus boots,” he muttered.

Ravio snorted slightly, leading link over to the couch.

“I’ll handle the stuff outside, you should have a red potion.”

Link rolled his eyes, aware there was no use fighting his partner on this.

A red potion was pushed into his hands, as well as a purple vial.

He glared at Ravio as he sipped on the red potion.

“Oh don’t look at me like that link, you know the Pegasus boots are hard on your joints.”

Link didn’t have a chance to respond before Ravio left the room.

He glared down at the purple vial. Whilst he knew Ravios potion would help immensely, he liked to save them for emergencies. However, he could already feel his body stiffening up, and that wouldn’t be good for a fight.

He downed the potion in one gulp, grimacing at the taste.

He looked up as ravio reentered the house, carefully avoiding the traps.

“I’ve sent Sheerow out to scout, he’ll let us know when they get close.”

Link nodded, watching as Ravio sat down beside him.

It was time for the worst part of the preparation, the waiting.

“When they get here, I want you to hide in the back room,” link whispered, sinking into his partners side.

“Don’t worry, I’ll leave all the heroing to you,” Ravio reassured him.

“Shouldn’t sir Pipit be with you?”

Link shrugged.

“I gave him the day off.”

In reality, Link had given him the slip not long before he had ran into the potential assassins. He would never hear the end of that.

“You have an assigned knight for these exact scenarios Mr hero,” Ravio scolded him, proving links thoughts.

And link knew that Zelda had assigned him a knight for good reasons, but he hated the thought of someone having to babysit him.

Plus he wasn’t exactly sure what an ordinary knight could do that the literal hero of legend couldn't.

Before Ravio could lecture him any further, Sheerow flew in through the window, squawking his head off.

Link immediately jumped to his feet, ready for action.

He locked eyes with Ravio, neither speaking incase they were heard. Ravio squeezed links hand, before slipping into the back room.

Link hovered near the front door, sword in hand. He smirked slightly as he heard the crackling of electricity and various yelps of pain from outside.

A lot of potential intruders gave up at that point, but a stubborn percentage of them continued onto the front door.

It seemed like these assassins were included in that group.

Link tensed as the door handle turned, getting into position.

The scarfed one opened the door, before charging in. He immediately tripped the trip wire, causing the spare fire rod to give off a wall of fire.

“What in Hylias name-” the assassin yelled.

Link was pleased to see the man looking significantly worse for wear. He had soot all over his face, and his blue scarf was singed around the edges.

“Ok this is a little excessive,” the soldier groaned.

Link raised an eyebrow.

“You’re literally breaking into my house and you’re criticising my choice of defences?”

“We're not breaking in! We just want to talk to you!” He protested.

Yeah, link had heard that one before. He raised his sword, more to show what he thought of that statement then for any real threat.

“Sky, a little help here?” The intruder called.

Link tensed slightly, but wasn’t overly worried. They could call for all the help they wanted, but unless they wanted to get burnt to a crisp, they couldn’t reach him.

And on the off chance they had flame resistant gear, Link had set up an ice rod as well.

He was nothing if not thorough.

Sky came to aid the intruder, wincing at the wall of fire.

“Ah, I see the problem.”

Link actually snorted at that, sword still raised.

“I’m going to show you something, ok link?” Sky asked. He was eyeing link like he was a cornered animal, which link found a little insulting. He wasn’t the one trapped behind a wall of fire. He was in complete control of the situation damn it!

Skys hand moved to the sheathe on his back, unsheathing a sword.

Link wasn’t really sure how they thought a sword would help them against a wall of fire, but a threat was a threat.

He bared his teeth.

But then he saw the blade. The very familiar blade.

A hysterical laugh tore from his throat.

“Well that’s a new one!” He cackled.

Sky looked at him like he was deeply concerned for Links mental health, which was a bit rich considering he was currently trying to kill him.

“You guys win for most creative assassination attempt, I’ll give you that.”

Sky’s concerned frown deepened even further, and the scarfed one mouthed “assassination attempt,” to himself.

“We're not assassins link, we just want to talk to you,” scarfy said exasperatedly.

Link sighed in disappointment.

“You were doing so well with the fake master sword, and then you just had to ruin it by falling back on cliches.”

Sure, maybe sassing people who were trying to kill him wasn’t the smartest idea, but they made it too easy.

“She’s real link,” Sky said. There was something in his tone that was so earnest that Link hesitated slightly, before shaking his head. It couldn’t be real, because the alternative was just too painful.

Legend felt his sword arm wavering, and he adjusted his stance.

But then the fake master sword chimed, and he dropped his sword completely.

“No.” He was both surprised and impressed at how steady and confident his voice sounded. He felt anything but.

He couldn’t do this again, couldn’t go on another quest.

Distantly, he thinks he would’ve preferred another assasination attempt. The thought shocks a laugh out of him, and he bends over cackling. He’s aware it comes out hysterically, but at this point he doesn’t really care.

“Link? Are you ok?” Sky asks, and link can only shake his head, still wheezing from laughter.

“Mr hero?” Ravio calls from the backroom.

That sobers link slightly and he pauses. If these intruders truly were there on quest business, they wouldn't harm ravio.

“You can come out,” he calls hesitantly, not sure if he believes it.

Ravio cautiously comes out of the room, eyes widening when he sees the people at the entryway.

“Mr captain hero?”

Warriors gasps, looking at Links partner.

“Ravio?”

Ok what the actual fuck was going on.

“Um, sorry but is there any chance we could get rid of the wall of fire?”

Three heads shot to sky, and Ravio nodded sheepishly.

The merchant pulled on the string connected to the fire rod, disabling the magic.

“Follow me to the couch,” Ravio said, playing host when it was clear link wouldn’t.

“Do you mind if we call in the rest of our companions?” Warriors asked stiffly.

Yes, link did mind, but he nodded anyway.

“Why don’t we go get them,” sky asked, glancing betweeen Link and ravio.

Warriors eyed sky, before nodding, following the other man out.

“How do you know him,” Link asked quickly, aware their time was limited.

“He was the hero I aided with the war.”

Link sighed, that was what he was afraid of. He tried very hard not to think about Ravios time in a war hundreds of years in the future. Whilst it had only been a few days for link, Ravio had been there for over a year. Who knows what could’ve happened in that time.

“Ok so that means there’s time travel involved,” he sighed, rubbing his hands through his hair. If he had to deal with this situation, and he still wasn’t convinced about that, he needed all the information he could get.

If warriors was a hero, there was a good chance the others were too. Sky could wield the master sword, something only the heroes could do in theory.

The short one in the multicoloured tunic, he was familiar. If only link could figure out where from.

The answer came to him suddenly, flashes of four identical foes, wielding that sword. The four sword.

“You know what this means?” Link whispered to ravio, leaving his head on his partners chest. He could feel the merchant tense as he put an arm around link.

“Oh bunny, I thought you were done.”

Link thought he was too.

“Uh if we walk through the door will it trigger the fire again?” Sky called from outside.

Legend pulled away from Ravio, slipping into the cool calm demeanor he used in the palace.

“No!” Ravio reassured them. The door swung open and the four men trailed in.

Ravio guided them to the couch, and link followed.

Once they were all sitting around the small fire place in links living room, sky began to talk.

“Link, we have something to tell you, and I need you to hear us out until we’re done.”

And here comes the “we need your help to save hyrule speach link was so familiar with. He held up a hand to stop sky.

“Let me guess, you’re all the chosen heroes from across time and you need my help to save hytule from sort of evil.”

Sky just blinked at him.

“I'm assuming there’s also some time travel involved,” he added on absentmindedly.

The four heroes stared at him blankly, before the hero of the four sword chuckled lightly.

“Yeah, that about sums it up.”

Link tried his hardest not to look him in the eyes as he nodded. He didn’t need to see the hero he had killed alive in front of him.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you figure that out?” Time asked, studying link. Link resisted the urge to bury himself in the couch cushions under the weight of the man’s gaze.

“Well, warriors is apparently the hero Ravio helped,” he forced out, gesturing to the man.

“Sky can wield the master sword, and I recognise your sword.”

He wouldn’t say where he recognised it from.

“If you carry the Foursword, I assume you’re the hero of the four sword.”

Plus there was the fact that link had come face to face with him previously. They didn't need to know that.

“You,” he turned to Time, “I don't actually know anything about, but if the other three are heroes, I assume you are too.”

Time nodded slowly, processing what Link said.

“You are correct, I am the hero of Time. Sky is the chosen hero, and Warriors is the hero of Warriors.”

There was so much to unpack in that statement that link didn’t know where to start. Frankly, the fact that the hero of Time was alive and sitting in his living room was a bit much for link to process, so he pushed that aside for now.

The stupid names were starting to make a little more sense if they were using their hero titles. He was vaguely curious about what his would be, but he shook it off. It didn’t matter, cause he wasn’t going on this quest.

“Well since you’ve already figured out who we are, this will be one of the easier recruitments.” Sky smiled at him softly.

Link stiffened at the mention of recruitment.

“We’ll figure out your hero title, and then fill you in on the other details of the quest.”

Link almost snorted. Yeah, that wasn’t happening.

“Oh I’m not joining you, sorry if you somehow got the impression I would.”

He wasn’t sorry. Not at all.

The other heroes stared at him.

“You don’t have a lot of say in it,” Time said dryly.

Legend stiffened as he registered the threat, hand reaching for his sword.

Warriors elbowed Time in the ribs.

“What he means” the captain began pointedly, “is that the portals we travel through force you through if you resist.”

Time glared at Warriors, but nodded.

“I’m retired,” Link growled. Portals or no, he wouldn’t be going with them.

Time just looked at him sadly.

“I was too.”

“I’m sorry Link, but you have to come with us.”

To skys credit, he said it gently, but the words still sent a wave of ice cold terror through link.

“No,” he near shouted.

“Hyrule is in danger,” Warriors stared him down.

Link pressed himself into the couch cushion, feeling cornered.

“It’s always in danger.” Even to him, the argument sounded weak.

Ravio put his hand on links leg gently.

“I think you’ve got to do it,” he whispered gently.

Tears prickled at the back of links eyes and he stood up suddenly.

“Fine.” He muttered, walking quickly out of the room before anyone could stop him.

Chapter Text

Link gripped the kitchen counter as if it could save him from what was happening.

Another quest.

He barely survived the last one, and, at the time, he wished he hadn’t. His first five had taken his health, the sixth had taken her, what more did he have to give.

His body shook as he fought to regain his composure. This was not the time to break down, not when there were still so many unknown variables.

“I’m so sorry bunny,” Ravio said gently as he entered the kitchen.

Link just shook his head as he pushed himself off the counter.

“I need to pack,” he sighed.

Ravio began to protest, but link just ignored him.

He stalked back into the living room, arms crossed tightly.

“Tell me what I need to know.”

Link listened to what they were saying as he packed. An unknown enemy was concerning, as was the fact that they’d be constantly switching between time periods.

He packed for all possible circumstances, and then for some impossible ones. Link let himself fall into the motions.

If he focused on organising his bottomless bag, he could ignore the way his chest tightened and his eyes filled with tears.

He stopped suddenly when he realised there was no more to put in his bag. The other heroes had stoped talking a few minutes ago, and he wasn’t quite sure what to do now. Not that he’d ever admit to it.

“So how do you figure out your hero title,” he said gruffly, jumping to the next problem.

Time and sky seemed to have a silent conversation, before sky stood and approached him.

He held out the master sword towards link.

“She tells us,” he said softly.

Link went to grab the blade, hesitating at the last minute.

There would be no going back after this.

There had been no going back since he had found his uncle bleeding out that fateful night.

Shaking his head, link gripped the hilt.

“Welcome, hero of Legend,” a womans voice chimed.

Link was sure he would’ve found his heroes title amusing if he wasn’t internally freaking out as much as he was.

Zelda would find it hilarious.

Links thoughts came to a shuddering halt. Zelda. She’d need to be told.

“I have to go tell my sister,” he said, already halfway the door.

“Ravio, watch them.”

Link slammed the door shut behind him as he ran towards hyrule castle.

Tears burned in his eyes and he was breathing too quickly to be explained by his running alone.

He barely registered his surroundings as he crashed through the forest.

Logically, he knew that running from his house wouldn’t allow him to escape the problem, but the movement helped slightly anyway.

He was about halfway to castle town when he ran into something.

Link didn’t bother stopping his fall, and he tumbled to the ground.

“Your highness, I was just looking for you,” the thing he ran into said.

Or rather the person he ran into.

“Not now Pipit,” he forced out, making no attempt to stand. His heartbeat was too loud in his ears.

He heard his appointed knight draw his sword.

“What happened?”

Link just shook his head, trying to hold it together.

Evidently, he didn’t succeed, as the fear he’d been holding back since he first found the heroes in the forest surged through him.

His chest tightened and he doubled over himself, gasping for breath. Not again. He couldn’t do this again.

Sir pipit kneeled down beside him, gently placing his hands on links shoulders.

“Are you hurt?” The knight asked, frantically checking him for injuries. Link just shook his head. He wasn’t hurt, not physically at least. Not yet. The forest around him suddenly seemed so small, the trees unable to hide him.

Hot tears fell onto his lap and he gripped the bottom of his tunic.

For a second he was sixteen again, desperately clinging to a piece of driftwood. She wasn’t real. It wasn’t real. None of it was real.

He couldn't do it again. Not again. His gasps for breath quickened, becoming more frantic.

“Ok, it’s ok,” Pipit said. His hands were still on links shoulders, and they tightened slightly.

“What’s your name?” He asked.

“Link.”

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” his voice cracked on the word.

“Where are you?”

Link studied his surroundings.

“Some forest somewhere.”

Pipit laughed slightly.

“Yeah, that's right. You’re safe, you’re here. You’re real.”

They continued this back and forth until Links breathing settled into something a little more normal.

“What’s happening link?” Sir pipit asked, gently but firmly.

Link just shook his head.

“I need to tell Zelda first.”

His voice sounded hoarse and desperate, but he didn't really care.

Pipit pulled him to his feet.

“We can go in the back way, just this once,” he reassured him gently, and link didn’t have it in himself to protest.

Zelda had scolded him the last time he was caught using the service entrance. She had told him that now he was officially the prince of Hyrule, he had to act like it, lest his father have any more ammunition against him.

He didn’t feel very princely right now.

He continued on to the castle, slower this time, and with Sir Pipit beside him.

Protocol stated he was meant to be behind, but at this point link didn’t give a flying fuck about protocol.

He walked through castle town in a daze, instinctively sticking to the back alleys.

The few people they passed gave him odd looks, but none approached him. He wasn’t sure what he’d say if they did.

Link hesitated outside the door to the servants entrance. The castle had never seemed welcoming, but now there was an air of safety that he could only attribute to his sister being inside.

Pipit pushed the door open for him, and he stepped in.

He knew these passages like an old friend, and he slipped through them slowly.

His breathing quickened slightly, and pipit squeezed his shoulder.

They made it to the antechamber of the room Zelda used to hold court before link could break down again.

He knew he should wait for one of the guards at the door to open it and announce him, but he pushed the double doors open anyway, stumbling in.

“Zel, I need to talk to you.” There was something to be said for muscle memory and the way Links voice automatically shifted to his court voice.

“I’m a little busy,” Zelda started.

But then she looked up, and saw him.

Link was sure he looked pathetic. His travelling tunic was covered in dirt, and he could feel leaves and twigs in his hair from his two sprints through the forest. He was certain his eyes were red and puffy.

Zelda stood up.

“We will reconvene this meeting later. Everyone out.”

The second her council had left the room, she ran forward, pulling Link into a hug.

“What’s wrong, are you hurt?” Link just shook his head into her shoulder, crying beginning anew.

“I have to go again zel,” he whimpered.

If he was slightly less tired and scared, he would’ve called himself pathetic, but he just didn’t have it in him.

Zelda’s arms tightened around him.

“No. No I won’t allow it.”

Despite himself, Link laughed. It wasn’t that simple.

It was never that simple.

—————————————————————

“I just want to make it very clear that I did not sign up for this,” link said as he barged back into his house.

Time looked up from where he was sitting in the lounge room.

“Noted.”

He was infuriatingly calm, and link wanted to slap him.

On the couch in front of the fire, Ravio and Warriors were locked in some kind of glare off, and based on the waver in Warriors expression, Ravio was winning.

His hood lay abandoned at his feet and Link resisted the urge to slowly back away.

As timid as he seemed, his partner could be scary when he was mad.

“That's been going on the entire time you were gone, if you were wondering,” Time said serenely.

Links hand twitched.

“Ravio, can I have a word?” He gestured to the kitchen, and walked in. The footsteps behind him signaled the merchant following him.

Once they were alone, he allowed himself to relax out of the stiff posture he had adopted.

“I spoke to Zel,” he started. Ravio nodded sympathetically.

“How’d she take it?”

Link winced.

“She threatened to behead me if I don’t come home safe.”

Ravio grabbed his hand.

“Well then you had better come home safe,” the merchant said. His tone was joking, but his expression was serious.

Link swallowed back the emotion in his throat and pushed on.

“She mentioned something else.” Ravio nodded for him to continue.

“It’s probably not a good idea for these heroes to know about my,” he hesitated, “heritage.”

Zelda had pointed out to him that most of these heroes had come from a time where princes were very much frowned upon.

Ravio stilled, clearly coming to the same conclusion.

Link pulled his hand away, running it through his hair.

“How much does the Hero of Warriors know about me already?” Link asked.

Ravio had served under the man for months. As secretive as the merchant could be, no one could go that long without getting close to someone. It made sense that some information may have slipped out.

“Nothing incriminating,” Ravio promised him.

Link hadn’t really expected otherwise, his partner was as secretive as he was. But he needed to check.

“What do you think of him? Warriors.” If he was going to be travelling with the man, he needed all the information he could get, and there was no one’s opinion he trusted more.

Ravio hummed.

“He’s a good man,” he settled on.

“And yet you were attempting to kill him with your eyes alone?” Link raised an eyebrow.

“He can be a bit too… calculating,” the merchant grumbled. The hesitation in his voice implied he was hiding something, but link couldn't figure out what.

“What are your thoughts on the other three?”

Ravio paused again, considering his answers.

“The hero of the Four Sword is hiding something, but I don’t think it’s for bad reasons.”

Link could hardly judge him for that. At least, not without being a hypocrite.

“I think the hero of the skies is as genuine as he seems, but I wouldn’t underestimate him.” He wasn’t planning on underestimating any of them.

“The hero of Time is impossible to get a read on,” Ravio grumbled.

That didn’t surprise Link in the slightest. It annoyed him, but didn’t surprise him.

“You are going to have to go back in there eventually, you know that right?” Ravio said gently.

Link did know that. He very much did not need it pointed out.

“Go on, I’ll finish getting your stuff together.” The merchant gently pushed link towards the door.

Reluctantly, he returned to the living room, choosing to sit as far away from the other heroes as possible.

“So what do we actually need to do?” He asked.

It was Warriors who answered him, and Link felt himself bristle at the commanding tone.

“We normally go to see the resident Zelda in case she’s heard anything.”

Well that was an immediate no.

“The castle is off limits.” For so many reasons. Ignoring the fact that Zelda would have them arrested if she found out they were the ones taking him away again, the second they stepped foot in the castle they’d figure out who he was.

“Can I ask why?” Warriors asked.

Link pretended to consider it.

“No you can not.”

Warriors smiled at him, but link could tell it was forced.

“Well then Legend, how do you suggest we find out where the black blooded monsters are?”

Legend, right, that was his hero title. And Lolia didn’t that sound pompous.

Luckily, he had asked about unusual monsters while he was with Zelda, so he could answer the question without further incriminating himself.

“There have been complaints of a pack of unusually strong monsters near suthorn village.”

Time raised his eyebrow.

“That does seem to be what we're looking for.”

Ok yeah he was definitely smiling like that to mess with link.

“I suppose we should head out to the village then, how far away is it?” Sky interrupted, clearly seeing the brewing tension.

Link shrugged, thinking it over.

“If we leave within the hour and stop to camp overnight, we could probably make it there by midday tomorrow,” he said, mentally plotting out a route.

He'd need to make sure they missed the knights patrol through Hyrule field.

“What defences does the village already have?” Warriors asked.

link paused, wondering if it would be suspicious for him to know that kind of thing. It could easily be a trick question to get him to slip up. However, it was also information they needed. If it raised questions about how he knew it, he’d make something up.

“It’s one of the outlying villages so the knights don’t patrol there, but they have a small squadron of guards. Mainly farmers with basic weapon training.”

Whilst they could defend themselves against a stray moblin or swarm of keese, an entire pack of monsters is a significant threat to the village.

Warriors must have realised that much, as he nodded grimly.

“I suppose there’s no time to waste.”

Time opened his mouth to say something, but was elbowed in the ribs by Warriors.

Legend stood before he could be dragged into whatever argument was about to occur, and went up the stairs.

He walked down the hall to his and Ravios room, pausing in the entrance when he heard his partner humming inside.

“Hey bunny,” Ravio said softly, looking up from what he was doing.

“It looks like we’ll be leaving soon,” legend sighed, leaning against the doorway.

Ravio nodded, smiling sadly.

“You’ll come home safe.” The merchant said.

“You know I can’t promise that.”

Ravio walked up to him, taking his hands.

“You can’t, but I can, ok? You're going to come home safe.”

And for a moment, legend let himself believe it.

He stood there for a moment, just taking it in before he pulled away.

He couldn’t aford to think that way.

“I finished packing your bag,” Ravio sighed, gesturing to the open bag on the bed.

“I’m choosing to believe you didn’t pack your medications because you forgot rather than for any other stupid reason,” the merchant said, not believing it at all.

Link chuckled slightly, wiping his eyes.

“Sure, lets go with that.”

Ravio stared him down as he headed back down the hallway.

Link returned to living room, bag slung over his shoulder.

“Are we going?”

Sky looked up at him from the doorway, staring at him.

The other three heroes were nowhere to be seen, and Link tensed.

“They’re waiting for us outside,” Sky said, answering Links silent question.

That was unnerving. Link prided himself on being unable to be read by others, but Sky had been able to tell what he was thinking on a glance.

Link clutched the strap of his bag and walked towards the door. He paused at the precipice, and gestured for sky to go first. On the off chance he was wrong and they really were assassins, he wouldn't give them any opportunity to stab him in the back.

Figuratively or Literally.

“We will be back here,” Sky told him softly.

When Link didn’t respond, he elaborated.

“We’ve all been given opportunities to go back to our homes every so often.”

That didn’t bring Link as much comfort as Sky clearly expected it too. As much as he cared about his home and all the people there, it was too risky.

He could not allow himself to think about home on a quest.

Legend walked away from his house, and towards the other heroes.

Chapter Text

Legend was one minor inconvenience away from defecting and joining Ganon. Well maybe a major inconvenience, but he was definitely near the edge.

Legend had led the other heroes through the forest to Suthorn village, carefully avoiding any routes where there would be guards. That had added an extra couple of hours to their journey, but Legend had weighed it verse the risks and decided it would be worth it.

Until of course he was faced with having to camp with the others.

Whilst legend knew that he would have to do it eventually, it didn’t mean he wanted to deal with it right now.

They could be in the village right now for Lolia’s sake. He could’ve rented an inn, and surreptitiously posted guards to watch them. Whilst it would’ve only postponed the situation to the next night, it would have allowed Legend to monitor them for a little longer to discover any relevant weaknesses.

Call him paranoid, no one's managed to kill him yet. Despite their best efforts.

He hovered at the edge of camp whilst the others set up their bedrolls, trying to find the least dangerous position.

Anywhere near the hero of time was out. The hero of the four sword wasn’t much better.

Ravio trusted the hero of warriors, but legend just couldn't.

Everytime he looked at him, all he could see was the knights and soldiers who had hunted him since he was eleven.

He could only see the man that made Ravio become a soldier.

So that left the hero of the sky. Ravio had said he seemed genuine, and so far legend had no reason to doubt that. No reason other than his lingering paranoia at least.

Still, it was the best option legend had. It was kind of depressing how often in his life he had to go with best options.

He brought out his bedroll, and positioned it so that he was closest to sky, but still fairly far away. Everyone else had positioned their bedrolls close to the fire, which legend was envious of. The lingering heat would do wonders for his joints and muscles, who would not appreciate sleeping on the ground.

He estimated he had maybe ten days of sleeping on the ground and constant traveling before the pain started to get bad enough that it would be a problem. He’d have to find a way around that.

“We’ll have to put you in the chore rotation at some point, but you can have tonight off,” Warriors told him, approaching his set up.

A chore rotation? What are they, 10?

“I can pull my own weight.” Legend said, a slight bite to his words. He didn’t need their pitty.

Warriors raised an eyebrow.

“I have no doubt you can, this is just a courtesy thing for each new member.”

He seemed earnest enough, and there was no real reason for him to lie to legend, but still, backing down felt like admitting he couldn’t contribute.

“What is there to do?” He asked.

Warriors examined him for a moment before shrugging.

“Dishes, laundry and mending, and collecting firewood,” he listed off.

All fairly common camping tasks.

“Now that there’s five of us we can do three shifts of watch instead of two like we’ve doing,” warriors continued.

Watch shifts, legend could work with that.

“I’ll take first watch.”

There was no chance he was trusting any of them with his safety enough to actually fall asleep, and first watch would make it easier to fake sleep since no one would need to wake him.

Warriors paused at his quick response.

“I can also look after mending, I’m decent at sewing.”

He was great at sewing actually. Zelda had taught him after the Koholint mess as a way to ground himself. The repetitive motions of the needle soothed him.

“Well we don’t have anything that needs mending right now, but we’ll keep that in mind,” Warriors said.

“Speak for yourself!” Four said, walking over and pushing a bundle of fabric into legends arms.

He did his best not to flinch as Fours hands brushed against his arm. He still could see the four shadow heroes every time he looked in the smiths eyes.

Warriors glared at four.

“Hey, it’s my best jacket, and it was his was his front yard of death that ruined it.”

Legend examined the jacket. It was earth toned and clearly well looked after. There was a large horizontal slash down the back of it, and some singe marks along the bottom.

He felt a faint twinge of guilt at the damage that clearly occurred because of his booby traps, but pushed it down.

“You shouldn’t have followed me,” he grumbled, but reached into his bag for the sewing kit he kept on hand.

Four nodded, smiling slightly, and turned away.

Warriors opened his mouth like he was going to say something further, but closed his mouth shaking his head.

Legend lowered his head, threading a needle.

He expected warriors to leave him alone at the obvious dismissal, but the captain just sat down.

“How long have you known ravio?” He asked casually.

Legend couldn’t be sure if the captain was attempting to find out something specific, or worse, making small talk.

“A little over three years,” Legend said.

After he’d saved lorule, Ravio had stayed in his house, despite legends many objections. He would never admit it, but eventually his constant presence had become comforting.

He hadn't truly let him in until a year later, when he’d desperately needed someone after his last adventure.

“He’s a good guy,” Warriors said.

Legend felt like that was a bit of an understatement, not that he’d ever admit it out loud.

“You have a sister too, right?” Warriors asked.

Shit. Legend did say that. He probably couldn’t deny it now.

Warriors continued, clearly oblivious to Legends panicking.

“I have a sister as well, a twin.”

Huh, maybe Legend wasn’t the only one with Zelda as their twin. But surely ravio would’ve mentioned it if Warriors was in the same position he was in.

“Her names Linkle. Our parents were really creative.”

And just like that, legends small hopes were crushed. Seems about right.

It took a moment for him to process what Warriors had actually said, and when he did, he snorted slightly.

“Link and Linkle? Seriously?” His tone was laced with judgment, and in any other circumstance he may have even felt guilty about it. But as it was, Warriors was putting him on edge, and he wanted the man as far away from him as possible.

“Well what’s your sisters name then?” Warriors asked, with what legend could only assume was a teasing lilt in his voice. It was the kind of reply he would expect from Ravio or fable, but from warriors it set him on edge.

He couldn’t tell him that Zelda was his sister. But not telling him her name would be suspicious.

He could make something up, but then what if they wanted to meet her.

Warriors looked at him curiously, and legend realised he’d hesitated too long.

He said the first thing that came to mind, inwardly wincing.

“Irene.” The word had a certain amount of bite to it that he hoped would signify the conversation was over. Hopefully if they ever ran into Irene he could convince her to play along. She did owe him.

Warriors stared at him, and legends heart dropped.

He’d been caught.

He focused on keeping his breathing even as he stared down at fours jacket in his his hands and the needle in thread.

Breathe in, the needle goes in. Exhale, the needle comes out. He could do this.

Eventually, Warriors spoke.

“Do you not get along with her?” He asked softly.

Legend didn’t know how to respond to that. He certainly didn’t get along with Irene, but Zelda? His actual sister? He’s not sure what he’d do without her.

So legend shrugged, tilting his body away from warriors and closer to the fire.

Needle in, needle out. Breathe in, breathe out.

“So how old are you?” Warriors asked.

Legend slammed his hand down into his lap.

“What is this, an interrogation?” He snapped.

Warriors actually recoiled slightly. Legend tried to take some joy in that, but he just felt tired.

Legend picked the needle back up, breathing out deeply. It wouldn't be smart to anger the knight he was forced to travel with.

“I should get started on dinner,” Warriors sighed, standing up.

Legend nodded, turning back to his sewing.

He expected to feel some sort of relief when the captain walked away, but none came.

Mending Fours jacket was soothing, stopping him from panicking every time he saw someone move from the corner of his eye.

All too soon, the rip was fixed, and he had nothing more to do.

Legend searched the rest of the jacket, praying there was more damage for him to tend to.

He winced at the scorch marks on the bottom of the jacket. There wasn't a lot he could actually do about that, and it made him feel slightly guilty.

Unless…

Surely some decoration would be better than scorch marks.

Be searched through his pack, grinning slightly when he realised Ravio had in fact packed his embroidery thread. It was going to be a bit difficult to do without a hoop, but definitely possible.

Legend glanced at the other heroes, before getting to work.

The sun had just risen beyond the horizon when legend was forced to pause work on the jacket.

He had worked on it all night, using the glow of the firelight to help him see.

The back of the jacket was now covered in the beginnings of trees, and forest imagery. A lake flowed around to the bottom of the front, and there was even the outline of a deer. Legend was pretty proud of the deer if he was being honest.

He groaned as he stretched. Sitting in the one position for as long as he had had not been his best idea. His knees ached, and he focused on bending and unbending them until the sharp pain eased slightly.

Luckily his hands weren’t too bad, otherwise holding a sword would be a bad idea. It probably helped that his rings acted like splints and provided some compression.

“Why are you still on watch?” Time asked, appearing behind legend.

“Fucking hell,” legend hissed, nearly jumping out of his seat.

If he thought his muscles could move that quickly, he might have.

“Language,” Time said mildly. Legend hoped his glare was as unimpressed as he felt.

Time continued to stare at him, waiting on an answer for his first question.

“I guess I just lost track of time,” he lied.

In reality, he was perfectly aware of when he should’ve woken Four, but he was too far into his project to abandon it.

If there was someone else on watch, they wouldn't have allowed him to continue. And it’s not like he was planning on sleeping anyway.

So he took fours watch. And then warriors.

It had the added bonus of allowing him to be responsible for his own safety instead of relying on others.

Time just stared at him, an eyebrow raised.

“If you’re going to lie, at least put some effort into it.”

Legend couldn’t be bothered to put effort into it if he was being honest. He didn’t give a shit what they thought of him.

He wasn’t going to get attached. And he wasn’t going to let his guard down.

Time gestured to the log beside legend.

“May I sit,” he asked.

Legend was pretty sure he couldn’t say no to that, it was a log in the middle of a forest. It wasn’t like he owned it.

Well with the whole prince thing he technically did, but he didn’t want time to know that.

When legend didn’t respond, Time sat down.

“We have three watch shifts for a reason,” he started.

He sounded so goddessdamned condescending that Legend had to scoff.

Times eye narrowed, but he continued on, tone even.

“Not only is it unhealthy-”

Legend scoffed again. Going on quests was unhealthy, yet here he was.

“But it also tells the others you don’t trust them.” Times voice was significantly more frustrated.

“I don’t trust them,” he said lowly. There was no point hiding that, it would be blatantly obvious the longer he was forced to travel with them.

Time inhaled slowly, clearly trying to stay calm.

Legend really wished his fingers weren’t too stiff to continue with Fours jacket. Having something to do with his hands would be very comforting. He refused to fidget in front of the hero of time.

He was saying something else, but legend didn’t hear the individual words. The tone was far too familiar, along with the way time was looming over him.

Light reflected off of his armour and Legend sucked in a breath.

He wasn’t 11 anymore. They couldn’t do anything to him. Despite that, a familiar feeling of ice trickled down his spine.

“Are you even listening to me?” Time asked.

“Are you listening kid?” The knight sneered as he raised his sword.

Legends chest seized.

“Oh fuck this,” he snapped. Time recoiled, and that time legend did feel satisfaction.

They couldn’t corner him anymore. He was stronger.

He rises to his feet, and stomped towards the forest.

“What are you doing?” Time asked.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The dim light in the alley reflected off the guards armor.

“I’m going to go scout,” he growled.

Time said some protests about it being dangerous to go alone, but legend was too far into the treeline to respond.

He unsheathed his sword, the familiar weight easing his anxiety slightly. His muscles screamed at him for using them so much after a period of sitting still, but he ignored the pain.

It’s not like there was really anything he could do to get rid of it.

Apart from the obvious action of taking his pain medication. But legend had never been one to do the obvious.

He lost track of time as he stalked through the forest surrounding the campfire. There were no monsters to be found, but he kept looking.

Better the monsters than the people at the fire.

A twig snapped behind legend, and he jumped.

Drawing his sword, he turned, pointing it up to meet his attacker.

It was just the hero of warriors. Legend untensed slightly, but didn’t lower his sword. Just in case.

He was alone in a forest with a knight after all.

“Generally, when you see it's your ally, you lower your sword,” Warriors said, eyes on legends blade.

Generally you don’t sneak up on people in the forest. Especially people who have made it pretty clear they don’t want to be followed.

“I have no proof you’re my ally,” he said instead.

Warriors sighed.

“Fair point,” he conceded.

That was such a polar opposite reaction to Time’s upon seeing legends distrust, that he wavered slightly.

“Would you believe me if told you you can lower your sword?” Warriors asked.

Legend shook his head, but lowered the blade anyway.

“What do you want?” Legend cut to the chase.

If it turned out Warriors had followed him just to talk to him, legend may just stab him.

Non-lethally, but still.

“Breakfast is ready. And I’m assuming you want to get to where we’re going at some point today?”

Ok, that was a valid enough reason.

Legend nodded, and walked back to the camp, not sparing Warriors a second glance.

The walk back was spent in silence. Legend could hear warriors behind him, and every so often his breathing would change, as if he was about to say something. But he never did, and Legend was grateful. There was no telling how he’d respond. His heart was still beating too fast in his chest, and every sound made him twitch slightly.

They reached the others relatively quickly, much to Legends annoyance.

Both time and sky looked up as they entered, different expressions on their face.

Time looked mad, where sky just seemed concerned.

Legend wasn’t sure which one annoyed him more.

Four completely ignored them, focusing instead on sharpening the four sword.

If it weren’t for the whole Trauma thing, he might be legends new favourite for that.

Warriors walked in front of him, gesturing to the pot over the fire.

“Help yourself to breakfast,” he said, before sitting next to time.

Time continued to stare at legend, but the glare lessened slightly.

He walked over to the pot, examining its contents. His stomach rolled uncomfortably at the thought of eating anything with actual substance, so he was disappointed to find it filled with heavy porridge.

He turned away from the pot. He’d eat something later, when his body got with the program.

“Not going to eat anything?” Sky asked from his place by the fire.

Legend shook his head.

“Not hungry,” he said plainly, hoping it would satisfy the other heroes. No one protested, so he sat under a tree at the edge of camp.

There was a headache forming behind his eyes. Clearly his all nighter had not been appreciated.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, and shut his eyes.

Footsteps approached him, and he resisted the urge to grab his sword.

“You really should eat something,” Sky said gently from above him.

Legend snapped his eyes open.

“Lolia’s sake, do you people not realise what “not hungry” means!”

Sky just smiled gently, and held out an apple.

Legend paused upon seeing the fruit.

Apples were always a comfort food for him. Despite living on an orchard, he never seemed to get sick of them. He always ate them on quests. The taste reminded him of simpler times with his uncle, before he was the hero, when he was just link.

After Koholint they reminded him of being home with Ravio.

“Thanks,” he said gruffly, taking the fruit from Sky.

The chosen heroes smile softened somehow, and he went back to sit by the fire.

Not in his original spot, but closer to Legend.

The vet found he didn’t mind that.

Chapter Text

Warriors was trying really hard to cut Legend some slack. He had been travelling with them for less then a day after all, and based on his reaction to the thought of a new quest, he was clearly traumatised.

Ravio had mentioned him sometimes during the war, and frankly, warriors was shocked that legend was the same person.

Ravio always described the mysterious “Mr Hero,” as withdrawn but kind. Someone who would always jump in to defend the innocent. Someone who had given ravio, a perfect stranger, a place to stay when in need.

Warriors would’ve been lying if he said he hadn't wondered if he’d meet “Mr hero,” on this quest. He knew Time had been wondering the same thing.

So when he'd seen Ravio back at Legends house, Warriors realised this was his chance.

But then Legend outright refused to have anything to do with them, only agreeing to go with them when it was clear he had no say in the matter. Legend was the opposite of what Warriors was expecting, and when he’d said so to Ravio, the merchant had snapped at him, an anger in his eyes that Warriors had never seen out of battle.

So warriors had apologised, and promised to look out for him.

Which was incredibly difficult when the man in question practically bit your head off every time you tried to speak with him.

But warriors recognised the look in Legends eyes. It wasn't aggression, as his tone would suggest, it was fear.

When they’d followed him to his house, he had reacted like a cornered animal. And when he had stormed off after Times lecture, he had the same look in his eyes. Warriors figured it would be best to let him go long enough to blow off some steam.

So Warriors could excuse the booby traps, and snark. He could excuse being held at sword point.

It was harder to excuse legend snapping at Sky when he was just trying to help.

The chosen hero had clearly been worried about Legend refusing food.

If warriors had been paying any less attention to Legends face, he would’ve been too. But he could tell that Legend had been truthful when he had said that he wasn’t hungry.

So when sky turned to him pleadingly, Warriors mind flashed back to the war.

It had been an easy afternoon, and Warriors had walked in on Ravio in the camp kitchen. He had been making his famous apple fritters.

“Any special occaison?” Warriors had asked.

Radio had looked up and shrugged.

“Just a homesick I guess, apples are Mr heroes favourite food.”

Warriors remembered he’d had some apples in his back from the last time they were in a town, so he’d given one to sky to offer to legend.

Legend had taken it, but not before yelling at Sky.

They’d been walking for close to two hours now, and he still hadn’t apologised. Sky didn’t seem to bothered by it, he was hanging at the back of the group chatting with four. Time and Warriors appeared to be the ones most upset about Legends behaviour, with Time being equal parts angry and concerned.

Warriors had a sneaking feeling that they hadn’t seen the worst of Legends attitude yet.

Just as he thought that, the newest member stopped suddenly, drawing his sword.

“What are-” Time started to say, but got cut off by a pink blur flying into the group.

Four cried out as it passed his shoulder, leaving a thin trail of blood.

Legend rushed forward as it made to dive again.

He intercepted it midair with his sword. It fell to the ground, and warriors could see it clearly now it was stationary. It was a pink, parrot looking bird, with a large beak. The beak seemed to shine in the light, and it was speckled in blood.

The monster let out an ear splitting screech, before vanishing in smoke.

“What was that?” Warriors asked legend, who was glaring down at where the monster was.

Legend shushed him, raising his sword again.

“Legend-” Four started but legend interrupted.

“Shut up, that scream will have drawn every monster in the forest to this exact spot,” he whispered.

They all tensed at that, drawing their swords and forming a loose circle.

Sure enough, they were soon surrounded by monsters from sides.

Warriors was locked in combat with three bokoblins, all three stronger than they probably should be. The conditions were worse than he would like, ground uneven, and the trees ensuring they were in close quarters. But the visibility was fine, so it was ok. This was his element.

He jumped out of the way of a blade, using the newfound distance to cast his eye over the battlefield.

Time was in a similar position to him, fending off multiple enemies at once with practised ease.

Sky was doing ok as well, but clearly couldn't keep it up forever. He wasn’t as used to fighting multiple enemies at once as Time and warriors, despite being the best swordsman.

Four honestly looked more annoyed than anything else. His eyes flashed blue as he completed a spin attack, taking down a moblin and two bokoblins.

And legend… Legend was moving as if it were a dance. He ducked and weaved to an unheard rhythm, completely in tune with his surroundings. If they weren’t in the middle of a battle, Warriors would've stopped and analysed every movement. As it was, he only had a split second to observe the man before he had to return his attention to his own fight.

Eventually, the fight was over. Warriors pulled his sword out of the last bokobkin, wincing at the dark blood staining the blade. That would take some time to get off.

“Sound off, anyone injured?” Time called.

Warriors took a moment to mentally search through his body now that the adrenaline was wearing off. There was a knawing ache in his arm, but it was hard to tell whether that was just the old nerve damage, or an actual injury.

Further examination showed the beginnings of a bruise, but nothing serious. His right leg pulsed tenderly from when it was hit by a club, but he doubted it was broken.

“Some nasty bruises, but nothing serious,” he called out.

Time nodded.

“Same here.”

“My shoulder hurts like hell, but apart from that I’m good,” Four called out, glaring down at the wound.

“You should really disinfect that, there’s no telling what was on that beak,” Legend called out.

He walked towards the group, sword slung over his shoulder.

“I’m good too!” Sky said. He sounded a little out of breath, but Warriors trusted that he’d say something if it was an issue.

Legend walked over to four, fishing through his bag.

He pulled out a jar of rubbing alcohol out of his bag, and thrust it at four.

“Can you handle it, or is that your dominant arm?” He asked curtly.

Warriors knew that was Fours dominant hand, but the smithy took the rubbing alcohol anyway.

Warriors swore legend looked relieved.

He turned away from Four, and began to walk away, hang on, was he limping?

“Is your leg ok legend?” Sky asked, clearly noticing the same thing.

Legend hesitated, before shrugging.

“Arrow grazed it, its fine.”

Warriors and sky shared a long suffering look. Brushing off injuries was clearly a thing the holders of the heroes spirit all had in common.

“Can I have a look?” Warriors asked. As far as he knew, he was the only one present with any actual medical training, and an arrow wound was no joke.

“Must you?” Legend sighed.

Warriors nodded, and Legend rolled his eyes, turning so that his injured leg was in front of Warriors.

Warriors was surprised at the easy acceptance, until he actually saw the injury.

“Hylia Legend, sit down!” He yelled. Warriors wasn’t entirely sure how legend was still standing. The arrow was literally still in his leg, tearing a hole into the skin.

“Calm down pretty boy, I’m fine,” Legend snarked.

Warriors was both surprised an impressed at the lack of distress in Legends voice. Sure the holders of the heroes spirit had an impressive pain tolerance and the ability to fight on no matter what, but the fight was over. An arrow literally sticking out of your leg was enough to at least rattle any of them.

Except legend apparently.

“Legend, there’s an arrow in your leg,” Sky said cautiously.

That caused both time and four to look up, concern dawning on their faces.

Legend looked down, eyebrows raising slightly like he was surprised at what he saw.

Ok, to not react to an arrow was one thing, but to seemingly not notice it in the first place was another entirely.

“Well that's not ideal,” Legend said, leaning down to grab the arrow.

Warriors realised what he was about to do with a jolt of horror. He reached down to intercept legends hands, only realising what a bad idea that was when the other hero violently flinched.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” he growled.

Warriors sighed, he really should've expected that.

“You can’t just pull an arrow out, it’ll just cause more damage.”

Legend stiffened.

“I can handle myself.”

Warriors could feel himself loosing his temper.

“Clearly you can’t,” he retorted harshly.

Legends eyes narrowed.

Warriors then did what he would admit was a dirty trick. Sometimes the only way to get stubborn heroes to accept help was to make it clear they had no other option.

So, warriors shoved legend just enough that he would need to put his weight on the injured limb.

Legend winced, but his leg didn’t buckle the way Warriors had expected it to.

“You need to have this looked at by someone with medical training, in this group that’s me or Sky.”

Warriors would really rather it be him, Skys training at the academy had been far less expansive than Warriors, who was certified as a field medic.

But for some reason, Legend seemed slightly less scared of Sky than the others, so it was a compromise he was willing to make.

Legends eyes flickered between Warriors and sky frantically, before he sighed slightly.

“Sky,” he said softly. Warriors could hear the defeat in his voice, and in any other situation would’ve relented.

Sky smiled gently as he approached Legend. Legend glared as he slowly sat down, but there was less heat in it than before. A valiant effort at remaining his composure, but Warriors could see through it.

“I’m assuming you don’t need to be told to hold still?” Sky asked, a hint of humour in his voice.

Legend scoffed, and a little more of the tension drained from him.

Warriors turned away, trusting that sky had the situation handled.

Instead he approached Time, who was glaring at Legend from the sidelines.

“Ease up on the death stare sprite,” he drawled.

Times frown deepened.

“I’m not death staring him.”

Warriors chuckled at his little-despite-being-technically-older-brother.

“Maybe not on purpose,” he breathed.

Time had a habit of showing concern through aggression, sometimes without realising it. In this particular situation, it would do far more harm than good. Legend was on edge, and Warriors didn’t want to see how he’d react to a perceived threat.

He’d already had one sword pointed at his neck today thanks.

“He had an arrow in his leg wars,” he said.

Warriors sighed.

“And he didn’t think it was safe enough to tell us.”

As experienced as Time was, sometimes warriors couldn’t help but see his little brother.

Despite the horrors he had been through, he could still be so naive. And while Warriors would never wish the kind of betrayal he had gone through on his little brother, sometimes it got kind of lonely seeing that he couldn’t fully relate to any of the other heroes.

“It’s only been a day sprite, give it time.”

Time just grumbled slightly.

“And besides, I genuinely don’t think he noticed it until sky pointed it out.”

Time pinched the bridge of his nose.

“That’s worse!”

—————————————————————

In legends defence, he genuinely thought the arrow had just grazed him.

Sure it hurt more than a simple graze should’ve, but he figured it was just his body being a little bitch again and overreacting. Again, it would’ve been a larger overreaction than he’d expected by now, but he'd figured his little all nighter had caused it.

So his completely justified momentary surprise at finding a literal arrow sticking out of his leg had thrown him enough to get him into his current situation.

“Ok, I’m going to cut off the shaft then push it through,” Sky told him, taking out a small knife.

Legend huffed and crossed his arms, he knew the process of taking out an arrow, even if he rarely followed it.

Yanking it out was just so much more effective. And really, how much more damage could he do to his body.

“Okay, on three,” Sky said slowly.

Legend really hated when they gave a warning. His muscles instinctively tensed at the thought of the upcoming pain, and he forced them to relax. The tension would only make it worse after all.

“Just get it over with,” he forced out through gritted teeth.

Sky’s eyes flickered up to him, before he nodded. Suddenly, the arrow was pushed out of his leg.

He hissed at the surge in pain, but showed no other outward sign of discomfort.

In the grand scheme of things, an arrow removal really wasn’t that bad.

Sky winced sympathetically, and handed him a red potion. Legend eyed it warily, poisoning a red potion would be harder than teaching a lynel to dance, but it could be done. However, the incredibly slim chance of it being poisoned did not outweigh the likelihood of him bleeding out from an arrow wound.

Still, he took the first sip slowly, pausing to make sure it tasted right.

When he was satisfied, he drank the rest.

“Do we think that’s the pack that was tormenting the village, or is there more?” Time asked as he approached. His glare had eased slightly from the last time legend had seen it, but it was definitely still present.

“I’d say that was it, the village is only about ten minutes from here.”

Unless there were two seperate monster packs, but he was pretty sure someone at the village would’ve reported that.

The people of his hyrule had lived through enough disasters to properly report attacks.

Time nodded, seeming slightly relieved. Legend couldn’t really blame him, he wasn’t thrilled at the idea of another fight.

“We should rest here for a bit, then continue on to the village to stock up on supplies.”

Legend fought the urge to protest at the order, it was a sensible suggestion.

Apparently, the universe disagreed with the sensibility of that suggestion, as at the next minute Legend felt something unfamiliar tug on his magic.

He shot to his feet, hands on his sword.

“What is it?” Warriors asked, drawing his own sword.

“I'm not sure,” he murmered, scanning the surrounding forest. The tugging on his magic got more and more insistent, untill he could pinpoint the source.

He spun to his right, sword raised.

The tugging curled in on itself, spiralling till it became something visible.

“It’s a portal,” Four sighed.

Legend faced the portal, sword still drawn.

“You guys know what that is?”

Someone nodded in his peripheral vision.

“It’s how we travel through eras, it’s safe.” Sky said.

There was a pause, and then-

“Mostly.”

Well that was reassuring.

“What do you mean, ‘mostly?’”

He had his guesses, traveling through time was a complicated and unstable magic, especially without a stable anchor point.

“There are some side effects, nothing extreme,” Time said coolly.

Four muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “not for you maybe,” but was promptly ignored.

“The first ones always the worst, so make sure to travel through with someone.” Warriors said, sheathing his sword.

Legend glared at him, more on reflex than for any real reason. The thought that he needed someone to help him through the portal was mildly insulting, but you could never tell with unfamiliar magic.

“Also in case we get separated, if you go through in groups, that means you won’t be alone.”

That was mildly concerning. If the portals could seperate them, it meant the anchor point wasn’t stationary.

Who the hell was insane enough to be making these portals.

“I’ll go through with you,” sky volunteered.

That was probably for the best. The other three unnerved him, and Lolia knows what he would do if they got separated and he had to work with them one on one.

Sky was the most logical option, so he huffed in agreement.

“Fine, but you’re going first,” he gestured to the other three with his still drawn sword. A little dramatic, but it got his point across.

Time looked like he was about to say something, but warriors interrupted.

“Ok, we’ll see you on the other side.”

He pulled time and four forward through the portal, leaving him and sky alone on the forest.

He took a moment to look back on his surroundings. Legend wasn’t sentimental, but he felt a pang of… something at the thought of leaving his home time.

Its not the first time his adventures have taken him far from home, he knows that, but somehow this feels different. More.

A small chirp sounded, and something fluttered towards him.

Sheerow flew in front of his face, giving him a comforting trill.

Legend laughed softly.

“He sent you to look after me huh?”

Sheerow cheeped in confirmation.

Tears formed behind his eyes, and he brushed them away. Now was not the time.

“Tell him I’ll be ok, ok?” He asked softly.

Sheerow chirped again, before flying to a nearby tree.

“We’ll be back here,” Sky repeated his words from the previous day.

Legend nodded, clearing his throat.

Sky took his arm, and they ventured into the portal.

Chapter Text

Legend was drowning. The world was swimming around him and something was roaring in his ears. Magic surged all around him, threatening to pull him under.

Every breath was a struggle, the air feeling thick and heavy in his lungs.

As soon as it started, it was over.

Legend was on his knees in a small field.

He gasped, trying to regain his breath.

He had so many questions. Where the hell was he? Who thought those portals were a good idea? Why the hell did he willingly walk through that? Why was this his life?

“Are you ok?” Sky asked kneeling beside him.

Legend nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

“Just- just give me a minute,” he panted.

Sky nodded sympathetically.

Time and warriors were standing off to the side. Four was lying on his back, an arm thrown across his eyes.

Sky was looking around, a smile gradually blooming on his face.

“We’re in my Hyrule!” He called out.

Four lifted his arm long enough to glare at Sky, before dropping it again.

“Sorry,” sky whispered, before going back to looking around.

“I’d say we’re about a half an hours flight away from skyloft.”

Legend paused. Flight?

Slowly, he stood up on shaking legs, and looked around. He immediately regretted it as he pared over the edge of the small island they were on. An island that appeared to be in the sky.

Now, legend wasn’t exactly a stranger to high places. He wasn’t exactly a stranger to anything really.

He just liked to be aware he was in an aforementioned high place before he peered over the edge of it.

“Well the name sky makes more sense now,” he said as he scrambled away from the edge, trying to regain his composure.

Sky chuckled lightly. The sound carried through the air arround them, spinning through the wind.

Legend took a minute to examine the world around him. As far as he could see there were only small islands similar to the one he was on. In the distance, he could faintly make out what looked like a larger island. Was that the “skyloft” sky was referring to?

But there was a more pressing concern than their destination, how the hell they were going to get there? There was nothing on the island that could be used to carry them, no mysterious floating platforms, no docks, nothing.

Legend supposed sky could have an item, but he couldn’t think of any that would be able to transport five people.

“Care to clue me in on how we’re getting out of here?” He asked. Sky grinned, before moving over to four.

“Cover your ears,” he whispered to the hero, who nodded, doing it without question.

Legend frowned, generally when someone was telling you to cover your ears, it wasn’t a good thing.

Before he could do anything, sky whistled, loud and short.

It pierced through legends brain, and he wished he’d covered his ears. He wasn’t exactly sure how much it would help, but it was worth a shot.

“Golden three, warn someone will you?” He asked as he raised his hand to his now aching head.

Skys smile seemed perfectly innocent, but legend could see the mischief in his eyes.

“I did, I warned four.”

The only thing that stopped legend from shoving sky was the fact that they were standing an unknown height above the ground, and given he couldn’t even see the ground it must be pretty high.

He was pretty sure killing someone from the past was frowned upon by the gods, but considering the time bullshit he pulled in some of his previous journeys, let alone whatever the hell was going on currently, he could probably get away with it. But he probably shouldn't murder the only person in the group who didn’t make him want to scream every time they spoke to him.

Before he could ponder the realities of time travel and murder any further, he spotted a red blur approaching Sky from behind.

At this rate, he would find out the repercussions of time travelers dying without him having to do anything.

“Sky watch out,” he yelled, drawing his sword. To legends surprise, sky laughed.

“It’s ok legend,” the chosen hero called out as he turned around to greet the red blur. The red blur that was rapidly beginning to take shape.

Sky laughed as he was tackled by a giant red bird. Legend went to attack, but something told him to wait. Sky didn’t seem bothered, if anything he was happy. The whistle he had made seemed like the one he would use to call an animal or horse.

They did need a way off this island. Why not a giant bird?

Surely it couldn’t be worse than catching a ride from Ricky, his kangaroo friend. Granted, his joints weren’t as bad back when he had last seen rocky.

Lolia he hated riding.

To confirm legends thoughts of what was happening, three more birds approached with people on their backs. He could see a green, navy, and blue bird. They weren’t close enough for him to properly make out the figures on his back. But even from this distance, he could feel the power radiating from the figure on the blue bird. Normally, that level of power would’ve made legend wary, but something about it was almost comforting.

“Legend, this is Crimson, my loftwing,” Sky introduced.

Legend hadn’t encountered a loftwing before, but it seemed vaguely familiar. He faintly recalled a story his uncle used to tell him about the goddess given companions of ancient Hylians. The details were fuzzy, but he was pretty sure that he was talking about loftwings.

They must be really far back in time. The thought made him feel oddly small, but he pushed it back. He was the hero of legend for Lolias sake. A little time travel was nothing.

Realising he hadn’t responded to sky, he nodded, before going back to observe his surrounding.

Crimson eyed him curiously, tilting his head like a dog. The hair on the back of legends neck stood up from the scrutiny. Crimson stared at him. Legend stared back. Before he could react, the bird kept forward.

He tensed, expecting to be shoved off the island, but crimson just nuzzled him gently.

“Um sky?” He said dumbly. Sky smiled. Legend was starting to wonder if that was all the chosen hero did. How did his cheeks not hurt?

“Someone likes you.”

The nuzzling got more insistent, forcing legend to take a step back.

“Can you control your bird?” He grunted. Despite the irritation in his tone, he reached down and scratched the insistent birds neck.

Crimson trilled, leaning into the touch.

“That’s odd,” a female voice said.

Legend looked up. The three other birds had landed, their riders with them.

He made eye contact with the rider of the blue bird, the one who had spoken.

Pure power shot at him, and he almost collapsed under it for a moment. But then it embraced him, swirling in and giving his magic a boost.

Legend studied the rider. She had long golden hair and piercing blue eyes. There was something both familiar and foreign about her at the same time.

“Zelda!” Sky called out, running up to hug her.

It hit legend who she was. She was Zelda yes, but not just Zelda.

He was standing before Hylias mortal reincarnation.

That would mean sky was…

Sky leaned in to kiss Zelda.

“You’re that chosen hero.”

Sky looked up at him. Sky his great great great however long it went grandfather.

“You’ve heard of me then?” He asked.

Of course legend had heard of him. He was the first fucking king of hyrule.

“You could say that,” he answered, already mentally deciding to take this to his grave. Beyond the grave even. He’d fistfight the goddess in the afterlife if he had to.

Perhaps a little dramatic, but legend was freaking out. He’d been through a lot of questionable things in his life, but this was officially too weird.

Zelda examined him.

“Hero of Legend,” she greeted. Legend forced of the sense of safety and warmth that came from her voice. Instead, he gave her the strongest glare he could muster, which was pretty goddamn strong.

The other heroes stiffened at his slight of the goddess. Sky looked the angriest legend had ever seen him.

Zelda laughed, light and airily.

“It’s alright, he doesn’t mean it.”

That seemed to be enough for sky, who relaxed.

“I can assure you, I do,” he snapped.

Zelda looked at him, but it wasn’t just Zelda anymore. The air felt thick with power.

“You’ve been through too much little hero,” she sighed.

Legend was pretty sure he’d rather be anywhere but here thanks. Literally anywhere but here. Even the dark world would be preferable at this point.

“Uh, not to interrupt goddess shit, but can we get back to skyloft before you start whatever this is?” A man behind Zelda said. He had the single most ridiculous hairstyle legend had ever seen, and considering his stint in hytopia, that was saying something.

But that man was currently his favourite person because at his question the tension faded from the air, and the attention was taken from legend.

Sky rolled his eyes, playfully shoving the man. Due to the fact he was about double skys size, it didn’t have much effect, apart from the red head reaching over to ruffle skys hair.

“Right, it’s two to a loftwing, I can take Four since I’m the most experienced rider.” Sky called out.

The red head muttered something along the lines of “debatable.”

Lolia legend hoped he’d be partnered with him. Quite frankly, he didn’t think he’d get through a flight with Hylia without pushing her off the bird.

Hang on, wasn’t there three birds and riders?

He cursed himself for losing track of a potential threat. That portal must have affected him more than he thought.

He slowly scanned the island, turning as he looked.

Warriors wasn’t standing with time anymore. Legend felt his breathing pick up. He couldn’t afford to get distracted like this. He rested a hand on his sword, ready for anything.

A shuffle on the grass behind him was all the warning he needed before he whipped around, drawing his sword.

Once again, it was Warriors at the end of his blade, a new man beside him.

“Again?” he sighed.

Legend just shrugged, sheathing his sword.

“Stop standing behind me.”

The new man beside warriors looked between them bemusedly. There was something incredibly familiar about him, but legend just couldn’t put his finger on it. Not until he oppened his mouth to speak.

“Is this a regular occurence?”

It hit legend then why he was familiar, he was the spitting image of pippit.

“I hope not. I’m going to start charging you a ruppee everytime that happens,” Warriors grumbled. It took legend a moment to remember what they were talking about, still hung up on the Pippit doppleganger in front of him.

Right, holding warriors at swordpoint.

“Stop sneaking up one me, and we’ll see.”

“You can fly with me,” not-pippet said to the captain.

If Four was with Sky, and Warriors was with not pippet, that left legend with either the red head or Hylia.

Please let it be the red head.

“I’ll take the hero of legend,” Hylia said.

Legend seriousy debated just jumping of the island then and there. With some creative application of the tornado rod he could probably make it to the ground safely. He could start a new life down there. He’d have to find a way to contact Ravio of course, but he’s skilled.

He edged closer to the end of the small island and was met with four different glares. One from Hylia, one from Warriors, one from time, and one from sky.

Warriors and Time he could ignore easily. Hylia’s was a little harder, but he was well practised in ignoring her ire.

Surprisingly, it was Skys glare that stopped him in his tracks. It lacked the anger of the other three, just purely disappointed.

He groaned loudly, but stalked over to the blue bird.

Worst case scenario, he could always jump of the back of the bird.

—————————————————————

The flight had thankfully passed without much incident. Zelda was Zelda once again, and seemed to respect Legends need for space.

Now, Legend was sitting by the small pond he had found in Skyloft. Sky had claimed that there was no need for a watch, as no monsters could inhabit it thanks to Hylias blessing. Legend had raised an eyebrow and the redhead, groose apparently, had made a so-so gesture.

“We used to have keese and chuchus and the like, but link over here did some hero bullshit and poof, no more monsters.”

Yeah, Legend liked Groose.

Everyone else had long since gone to bed, but Legend refused to sleep in an unguarded place. Not when he didn’t have Ravio or Fable to wake him if he got trapped in dreams again.

After Koholint, he had found that he could only sleep so long before he became trapped, unable to wake from whatever dreams plagued him without outside intervention. The first time it had happened had terrified him so badly that he refused to sleep for days.

Ravio had gotten so fed up he locked him in their room until he had finally fallen asleep.

He couldn’t risk that happening on the road. On nights he could take a watch shift it would be alright, he wouldn’t be asleep for long enough for it to be an issue, and on nights he didn’t he just wouldn’t sleep.

See, problem solved.

Legend dangled his legs in the water. The cool sensation both soothed his aching legs and kept him awake. Thankfully he had brought the pendant Ravio had enchanted for him to prevent the mermaid curse, otherwise he’d have to be a bit more careful about not falling in than he was being.

He stiffened as he heard soft footsteps on the grass behind him. Something he couldn’t name prevented him from drawing his sword. Perhaps it was his lingering tiredness, or maybe it was the air of safety and home that encompassed all of skyloft. Whatever it was, he did nothing as someone sat down next to him.

“Not a fan of Hylia then,” Skys zelda, sun as they were calling her, said.

This wasn’t where legend anticipated the conversation going. Normally someone would skirt around the topic of his disdain of the goddess, but sun was direct, to the point.

“She’s asked too much of me,” he sighed. He wasn’t going to get out of this conversation, so he may as well get it over with.

“She has,” Sun agreed, something knowing in her voice.

“She hates it.”

Legend laughed dryly. She wasn’t the only one.

“Aren’t you her?” Legend asked, knowing as he said it that he wasnt quite right. There was a distinctly different essence to Sun then there was to Hylia. Hylia felt like pure sunlight, warm, but harsh. Something that mortals couldn’t tolerate for long. Something that was both necessary and detrimental to their world.

Sun on the other hand felt like a campfire, like his sister. Warm, inviting, still capable of great harm, but something that chooses to be kind instead.

Sun scrunched up her nose.

“Yes and no. We are connected. She is me, but I am not Her.”

That made enough sense for legend to leave it at that. He’d never been the philosophical sort, choosing to leave that to his sister and Ravio. Thinking about his life and religion too much just tended to make him depressed. Or well, more depressed.

“Why are you here?” he asked sun.
She gave him a tired smile.

“I came to apologise.” He raised an eyebrow. There were so many potential responses to that, ranging from an eloquent “fuck off,” to all out sobbing.

He was leaning more towards the fuck off.

“Not as Hylia,” she added quickly, seeing the face he was no doubt making.

“As the first Zelda. And, as your ancestor.”

An emotion legend couldn’t quite place filled him. It was almost greif for himself. For the life he never had, for the childhood he was forced to give up. The pain he was forced to go through, with no regards for his wishes.

“Oh,” he said lamely, not knowing how else to respond.

“Yeah,” she agreed, equally lost.

Emotions were hard.

“You should get some rest, you’ve got a long journey ahead of you,” Sun said after a moment of awkward silence.

Honestly, sleeping sounded really good right now. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. But that didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t risk it.

“I can’t,” he sighed. Sun studied him for a moment, eyes glinting gold. She stood, reaching a hand down to him.

“I’ll wake you. Every three hours, right?”

Legend wasn’t even going to question how she knew that. It had taken him and Ravio weeks of trial and error to figure out how long he could safely sleep without getting trapped.

“Yeah,” he agreed, reaching up to take her hand.

For some reason he didn’t know he trusted Sun.

Chapter Text

Legend was only half listening to the reports of unusual monster activity, if he was being honest. Whilst yes, he liked to be prepared before going into battle, it wasn’t like the place names meant anything to him.

And monsters were monsters, no matter where or when you were. If you stab them enough, eventually they will die.

Sure there was different strategies involved in how you went about stabbing them, but that wasn’t the kind of thing that you could debrief on before hand.

You needed to be able to see the monsters to properly assess them, anything else would lead to miscommunication and mistakes.

So when Groose offered to show him his workshop, he agreed readily.

“This is meant to be an alarm system for incoming monster attacks,” Groose said, slapping an odd amalgamation of parts.

Legend raised an eyebrow, glancing at the contraption. It didn’t seem anywhere close to functional.

“Haven't quite figured out how to set up a tripwire without getting a bunch of false alarms,” groose admitted sheepishly.

Legend hummed, examining it further.

Indeed a lot of the mess seemed to come from attaching too many different sensors, as well as ways to mitigate them in cases of emergency.

“Have you tried using warding?” He asked.

There was a reason Hylians had long ago created spells and enchantments to guard objects, they were far more precise than machinery alone.

If he could hook up some kind of sensing enchantment to the machine, they could do away with the need for physical sensors altogether.

“That kind of magics long been lost. Zellies looking into it, but she hasn’t made much progress.”

Well that simply wouldn’t do. If the citizens of skyloft were to move down to the surface like they were planning, they’d need better defences.

Legend rolled up the sleeves on his tunic.

“Lucky for you, I’m considered something of an expert in it where I’m from.”

Groose blinked at him, before snorting.

“Uh huh, sure. And they tell me I’m up myself.” Groose turned away, still laughing to himself.

Legend, admittedly, was a bit annoyed. He had worked hard to gain mastery over enchantments. The only person more qualified in his Hyrule was potentially Ravio, and that’s purely because he had more time to donate to it than legend.

However, if he heard a random stranger say what he just did, he’d probably be disbelieving as well. He’d probably react worse than Groose had, so he decided to cut him some slack.

Instead, he walked over to the workbench and picked up a simple metal wrench.

Examining it closely, he grinned. The metal was perfectly smithed, leaving no imperfections that would make it more difficult to tether to, and there was no other non-natural magic that legend would need to undo.

He could probably set up a simple ward in about ten minutes.

Checking to make sure Grooses attention was elsewhere, he began.

It would be so much easier if he could actually see what he was doing, but he was in too precarious a position to tap into that particular magic, so he’d have to settle with doing it the old fashioned way.

Weaving with invisible string was endlessly frustrating, but it wasn’t worth the magic he would waste by making them visible.

He was almost done when groose looked up at him.

“Didn’t realise that particular wrench was so interesting,” he remarked, a clear question in his tone.

Legend held a finger up as he tied the final knot. He felt the magic shift as the pattern was completed, settling into place as a loose net over the wrench.

“Catch,” he called out, tossing it to groose.

Groose instinctively went to catch it, only to stop in surprise as his fingers refused to close around it. It fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

“What the fuck,” the redhead muttered as he lent down to pick it up.

Legend just smirked as he watched him try and fail to pick up the wrench. It was like there was an invisible barrier between his hand in the tool.

It was the simplest of the warding enchantments, and the easiest to undo, but groose didn’t know that.

“Huh.” He muttered, looking up at legend.

Legend just continued smirking, he was good at it after all.

“So, if we set up sensors around the edge of the settlement, we’ll need something as an anchor point,” legend explained, leaning over some blueprints. Groose nodded along, clearly not fully understanding the magical aspect, but knowing enough to follow.

“And that would connect it to the alarm in the centre of the village through a matching anchor?” Groose confirmed.

“Exactly!”

It was too large a project to be completed in the time he’d be spending there currently, but if what Sky was saying was true, he’d be back to help continue.

“So I think I’ll be able to set up at least some of the anchor points while I’m here, but the connecting will have to wait till next time.”

Of course that relied on them being able to find suitable material for the anchor points. Back in his hyrule they used metal weather vanes, but he doubted there'd be enough in Skyloft.

He was about to ask groose about sources of metal, the most stable for warding enchantments, when someone cleared their throat.

Both he and Groose looked up. The light streaming in through the open door to the workshop stung his eyes, and he blinked it away, glaring at sky in the process.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the chosen hero started sheepishly.

Groose waved him off.

“No worries, we were probably going to take a break soon anyway.”

Both Groose and legend knew that they had no intention of stopping anytime soon, so an interruption was probably for the best before they spent the entire day in the cramped room.

“What do you need?” Groose asked, pushing the blueprints aside.

“We were about to leave for the surface.”

Legend cursed, he’d completely forgotten about that.

Monster fighting, the entire reason he was here. Some days it felt like the entire reason he existed.

“Are you coming with us?” Sky asked groose whilst legend grabbed his pack.

“I think I’m going to stay here and work on this a little longer,” he replied, head already back in the blueprints.

Sky tilted his head, but didn’t otherwise question it.

Legend headed to the doorway, before pausing.

“Can you look into sources of metal for the anchor points. Preferably not iron.”

Groose gave a mock salute before turning back to his work. Sky looked between them, before clearly deciding not to ask, and walked out. Probably for the best, there was a good chance that if he got Legend and Groose going again they wouldn’t shut up.

Legend walked behind him, wincing as his body protested. Maybe sitting hunched over on a desk for the last however long it had been wasn’t the best idea.

His hip and back ached intensely as he moved, and he debated taking some of the potion Ravio had made for his joints. It would be best to be at his best for a fight in unknown territory. However, he could only take so much in a week, and taking some now might mean he couldn’t in the future when he needed it more.

“So what were you two working on?” Sky asked.

Legend hadn’t noticed in his thinking, but sky had slowed his pace to accomodate Legends semi shuffle.

“We were looking at a way to integrate warding into the alarm system,” Legend explained, speeding up. He had to grit his teeth against the increased strain, but it was worth it to not seem weak.

“I thought Groose had given up on that,” Sky mused.

Legend just shrugged. He didn’t have the energy to explain his experience in the subject again. And rejection from Sky would hurt more than it did from Groose, as stupid as that was. So what Sky was technically Legends great great whatever grandfather, legend was not getting attatched.

He would not allow himself to get hurt again.

“The monsters are down on the surface.”

Legend had assumed as much. If Skyloft was as safe as they said, there’s no way a swarm of black blooded monsters warranting hero intervention would be up here.

“How do we get down there then?” He asked warily. If he had to fly on another Loftwing, he'd definetly need to take something for his joints. And perhaps scream into the void a little.

Sky smiled cryptically.

“How are you with heights?”

Legend needed to find a convienent void to scream in. Apparently, to get down to the surface you had to not only ride on a loftwing, but also drop off its back, trusting on a flimsy price of fabric to halt your fall.

No thank you.

Contrary to popular belief, legend did indeed have self preservation instincts. They were skewed well past a normal persons, and often involved running towards instead of away threats, but they were present.

And they were screaming out at legend right now.

“Remember, open it right before you hit the ground,” Sky instructed, handing a cloth into legends hands.

Legend remembered that just fine, he’d like to not remember it, because then he wouldn’t be in this insane position.

“I’ll be right beside you in case anything goes wrong.”

Oh now that was just asking for trouble. You just don’t tempt fate like that.

“Any questions?” Sky asks, a carefree smile on his face like he didn’t just tell legend to go into free fall.

“Uh yeah, just one. Are you insane?”

Sky laughed openly.

“Probably not, but you never can tell.”

Reassuring.

But then Sky did something Legend never would’ve expected from the previously kind and levelheaded hero, and pushed legend off the bird.

Legend let out a string of curses as he was plunged into free fall. The wind whipped past his face, stinging his cheeks and eyes. He flailed about like a headless cuccoo. If you threw a headless cuccoo off a cliff that is.

He was forced to stop his scathing report on Skys character as a bug came dangerously close to flying into his mouth. That was all the incentive he needed to snap out of his shock at the sudden plunge, and focus on his situation. The cloth was still firmly clutched in his hand, so he had that going for him at least.

Lolia, the situations he found himself in.

Laughter sounded from beside him, and he turned his head to find sky falling beside him.

The chosen hero gave him a sunny grin, and legend flipped him off. It was harder to do in mid air, but legend managed.

Sky just laughed again. Stupid sky.

The air around them changed, becoming heavier as the plunged through the layer of clouds.

At least legend could see the ground now. The rapidly approaching ground.

Hmm. Maybe that wasn’t a good thing.

Legend fought off a wave of panic as he struggled to remember what he was meant to be doing. Ravio would kill him if he allowed himself to become a pancake on the ground.

“Legend!” Sky called out. The sound was softer than it should’ve been, considering sky was right next to them, buffeted by the wind. Legend refocused his attention on the sadistic hero. He was yelling something legend couldn't quite make out, gesturing first to himself, then to legend.

Ah, he wants legend to copy him. He could probably do that.

Sky rotated so that if he were on the ground, he’d be on his stomach, and splayed his arms and legs out beside him.

Legend copied the movement far less gracefully.

The ground was rushing to meet them rapidly, but if he wasn’t mistaking, the new position slowed his decent slightly.

Dear goddesses this was a long fall. But, like everything, it had to end eventually.

Legend waited till the last minute as he was instructed, before opening the fabric above his head.

It caught in the wind immediately, turning his freefall into a controlled descent. The sudden impact on his shoulders made him curse as pain shot through his arms.

Yeah, he’d be taking that purple potion when he landed.

His feet hit the ground, and he stumbled forward. If he thought the impact in his arms was bad, the jolt sent through his legs was worse.

The momentum carried him forward, and he was unable to stop himself before he collided with Warriors.

“Shit, he cursed, as warriors reached up an arm to steady him.

The second he regained his footing, he shoved Warriors off him, turning to where sky shouldve landed.

His knees ached, and he wasn’t convinced he could bend them, which was mildly problematic.

Sky, of course, had landed perfectly gracefully, and was smiling kindly at legend like he didn’t just push him off the loftwing.

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you?” Legend growled, rolling the stiffness out of his shoulders.

Sky looked perfectly innocent as he replied,

“Didn’t want you to chicken out.”

Legend glared at him, unonvinced by the innocent act.

Time glanced between the two of them, an eyebrow raised.

“Do I want to know?”

“That fucker pushed me!” Legend was aware it sounded childish but he felt it was a valid complaint.

Time smiled bemusedly.

“I can’t see sky doing that.”

Oh for Lolia’s sake.

“Legend just needed a little encouragement to get off the bird.”

Legends face flushed.

“No I didn’t!” They were making it sound like he was scared.

Time seemed unconvinced. Four was clearly trying not to laugh.

“This is hardly the strangest thing i’ve dealt with, I was fine,” he protested.

Fours smile turned sharp as his eyes flashed purple.

“Then why are you so rattled.”

Oh that little demon. Legend was feeling significantly less guilty about ruining his jacket and kind of killing him sometime in the future.

He opened his mouth to protest, but couldn’t find the words, so he settled for raising his hands in a strangling motion.

A hand slapped him in the back and if it weren’t for the way his knees were locked off he would’ve jumped forward. As it was, he awkwardly stumbled away from it.

“Relax vet,” warriors, the apparent owner of the arm said.

“He did it to me too my first time.”

Legend glared at him, feeling cornered.

They were only joking around, but it felt a bit too similar to the ways some of the guards would taunt him when he was longer.

Thankfully, Warriors seemed to have gotten the hint, and had removed his hand swiftly.

Unconsciously, his hand drifted towards his sword.

“Where are these monsters we’re looking for sky?” Warriors asked, changing the subject from legend.

“East from here, maybe ten minutes?”

Warriors nodded, and traded some kind of look with time.

“We should head out then,” Time said, gesturing in the direction Sky had said.

Crap. Legend still needed to have the potion before he would be able to walk any significant length. Let alone fight. He’d just do it then, but it wasn’t something he necessarily wanted the other heroes to see. That would only lead to questions. Questions legend didn’t necessarily want to answer.

“Uh, I need a minute,” he said, gesturing in the opposite direction to the monsters.

Time turned towards him, frowning slightly.

“You shouldn’t go off on your own, especially in unknown territory.”

Yeah legend really didn’t need the lecture thanks.

“Literally just a minute.”

Time didn’t seem ready to budge, so legend threw his arms up in frustration. This is why he hated working in groups.

“Look. If a monster manages to kill me in one minute, I probably deserved it.”

Time glared at him. Legend glared back.

He could do this all day. Apart from the ever increasing pain in his legs and arms.

Finally, time looked away.

“Sixty seconds.”

Legend immediately walked away, not willing to waste any precious time asking when the sixty seconds started.

That is exactly what Time would want him to do.

He made it into the trees without stumbling through pure spite.

Leaning against a sturdy looking tree, he riffled about in his bag for the medication he knew Ravio had packed.

His hand closed around the small vial and he pulled it out, dufumbling with the lid.

“Thirty seconds!” Time called out from somewhere behind him.

Once again, legend was forced to consider the consequences of murder and time travel as he swallowed the bitter liquid.

He dropped his arm and took a deep breath as Ravios potion took effect.

Whilst it wouldn’t actually do a lot for the pain, it would reduce the inflammation and allow him his full range of movement, which would be essential in a fight.

“Fifteen seconds!”

“Din’s fucking tits, I’m coming!”

“Ok, what the actual hell are those?”

Legend was staring at a small army of the most disturbing bokoblins he’d ever seen. Their skin was literally rotting off their bodies.

Sky grimaced.

“Cursed Bokoblins. They shouldn't be here.”

Legend was pretty sure they shouldn’t exist period.

“Yeah I gathered that thanks. How do we kill them?”

Time hummed.

“Is it technically killing them if they’re not really alive?”

“Well, not in a literal sense I suppose, but it’s a similar effect,” four chimed in, unsheathing his sword.

“Not the time guys,” warriors sighed.

“What other times are there? As far as i’m aware, i’m the only me.”

Well if legend's suspicions about how time was alive and standing before them were correct, that may not be strictly true. Time probably didn’t need to know that though.

“Is there anything we need to know about these particular bokoblins?” Warriors asked sky, ignoring Time.

“They will try to bite you, don’t let them. It’ll curse you so you're unable to use your sword or any other items.”

Golden three, the bokoblins bite here? That’s both disgusting and horrifying.

Equally concerning was the curse. Legend really hated curses. They led to some interesting fighting techniques to say the least.

“Ok, we should guard each others backs then. Form two groups, one will attack from the north, and one from the south. Time, you’re with me, we’ll attack from behind. Legend Sky and four, you’ll take the frontal assault.” Warriors instructed, surveying the soon to be battlefield.

Legend bristled slightly at the command, but it was a sensible enough strategy.

They exchanged nods, and they were off.

Legend, sky, and four formed a loose triangle as they were surrounded by the monsters. Legend fell into a rythym of stab, duck, block, stab as he fought. Due to the triangular formation he didn’t need to worry as much about being attacked from behind, so he focused his energy on the monsters in front of him.

They just kept on coming.

“How many of these fuckers are there?” He called out to sky, breathing heavily.

“Too many,” sky replied.

Helpful.

Before Legend could voice that thought, a cry sounded out from the other side of the battle field.

Legend kicked out at the bokoblin in front of him, giving him enough time to look over to the source of the noise.

To his left, maybe ten metres away, warriors was standing over a fallen time.

Times skin had a slight purple tint over it, and his hands were shaking slightly.

Damn it, the old man had gone and gotten himself cursed.

“Times been cursed!” He called out.

Sky swore.

“Do you think you can make it over there?”

Legend pulled out his fire rod, flipping it in his hand.

“Cover me while I disengage.”

Sky nodded, moving over to take the bokoblin legend was fighting.

Once it was clear, legend pulled away, turning further into the battlefield. He swung the fire rod, clearing a path. Screams met his ears, as well as the sound of metal on metal. It was unpleasant, but not as bad as the stench of burning flesh.

Legend made it over to warriors side with one final burst of flames. He quickly locked in combat at the knights side, blocking a blow from a cursed bokoblin.

“Alright there?” He called out.

Warriors gave a sharp laugh as he ducked under a blow.

“Never better!”

There wasn’t time for much else as they fought.

Warriors was surprisingly tolerable to fight beside. He gave legend enough room to pull off some of his more risky moves, whilst still covering his back.

He was just coming out of a spin attack when a bokoblin got in a luck hit, striking him across the face.

He stumbled backwards, falling to his knees.

A gnarled hand wrapped around his throat, squeezing it tightly. Pain shot through him as he fought for breath. Already the oxygen deprivation was getting to him. Dark spots danced at the edge of his vision as he fumbled to pick up his sword up from where he dropped it. Just as his hands closed around the hilt, the pressure ceased, as a sword was plunged through the bokoblins chest.

He sucked in a breath, glaring at Warriors as he offered him a hand.

“You're welcome,” the soldier grumbled. Legend was about to respond when he suddenly spotted something behind warriors shoulder.

He held up the fire rod, shooting a blast of fire at the bokoblin approaching warriors.

Warriors blinked, glancing at the corpse of the monster.

“You’re welcome,” legend snarked. His voice was rough from the attempted strangling, but the effect was the same.

Warriors laughed, halling him to his feet as the battle continued.

It went on like that for a while, before finally, the last bokoblin fell, and the field was still.

Chapter Text

Legend glared down at the black blood on his blade. That would take forever to get off, and he prided himself on keeping all of his equipment in good shape, no matter the crazy circumstances he put it into.

It really was quite sad that infected zombie bokoins didn’t even rank on legends list of batshit situations.

The side of his face stung where a monster clawed at it, and he could feel an itch around his magic. The barest hint of the curse was trying to attach itself to him, but didn’t have enough of an entrance to get any leeway.

Time on the other hand, was not so lucky.

The older hero was leaning against a tree, eyes heavy lidded.

“I thought you said the curse just made you unable to use your sword?” Warriors asked, examining time closely.

“It does, it also makes you exhausted, but never to this level.”

Legend was glad at least that sky didn’t have to deal with that during his journey. A curse like this would mean death in combat without allies.

It was concerning however that the effects of the curse had been ramped up now.

“It must be because of the black blood,” four muttered, also examining his blade.

Warriors already concerned expression deepened.

“How do we break it?”

And wasn’t that always the million rupee question when it came to curses. After being a victim of so many, Legend had relentlessly studied ways to break them. Whilst he could do it without the aid of holy or fairy magic, it took forever and wasn’t possible during battle.

“Normally it wears off by itself but with the added effects?” Sky shrugged.

Yeah, that sounded about right.

Legend resigned himself to the headache coming his way, and opened his mouth. His throat ached where he was strangled, but he pushed through it.

“I might be able to help, but first we should check if the master sword has any effect.”

Three sets of eyes shot to legend, and he straightened his back instead of shrinking self consciously like he wanted to.

He had good reason to have pride in his abilities, he worked hard on them and it payed off.

“Why would the master sword do anything?” Four asked, purple eyes studying him.

Legend hoped sky or warriors would explain for him, that was an amount of speaking he really didn’t want to do with the state his throat was in.

Of course, he had no such luck.

Legend resisted the urge to sigh purely because he knew it would make his throat hurt worse.

“The master sword is blessed with sacred light, which can counteract pure dark magic by reinstating the balance.” The balance between light and dark magic was a delicate thing, and easily disrupted if you knew what to do.

If a curse was purely dark magic, instead of intricate twists and turns of natural magic like most enchantments and spells, it would only take the use of strong enough light magic to counteract it.

“It may not work depending on the type of curse, but we should still give it a try.”

His throat was getting dangerously sore, and he felt his breaths coming harder. He should really do something about that at some point.

Luckily, he didn’t need to speak anymore, as Sky seemed to have gotten the point. He gently placed the hilt of the master sword in Times lax hand.

Time sat up straighter, blinking rapidly. He was still pale, and still seemed a bit dazed, but he was aware at least, which was a definite improvement.

“Ugh, what happened?” He groaned, dragging a hand down his head.

“You went and got yourself cursed is what happened sprite.”

Legend almost laughed at the chastised look on Times face.

The old man shifted slightly, frowning down at the hand holding the master sword.

“Why am I holding it” he asked, venom lacing his tone.

Warriors sighed, and Sky bristled.

Before either one of them could say something, Time rose to his feet, leaving the master sword in the dirt.

“Apparently she broke the curse,” Warriors told time.

Legend opened his mouth to disagree, but was cut off by a dry cough.

“It’s not broken fully, is it legend?” Four asked, eyes sharp.

Legend studied time closely. He still seemed tired and spacey, but that could just be lingering effects.

There was only one way to know for sure.

“Time, draw your sword,” his voice came out scratchy and hoarse, but he could still breathe so it was fine for now.

Time raised an eyebrow, but complied. He raised his hand to the hilt of his sword, fingers closing around it as he raised it.

It immediately fell to the floor as time slumped forward.

Warriors ruched forward to catch him, holding him upright.

“Well shit,” the captain muttered.

Time was now in the exact same condition he was before the master swords intervention.

Legend felt the headache he would get from this situation increase exponentially. Whoever had created this curse knew what they were doing.

Warriors turned to him, expression calm but eyes slightly panicked.

“What next?”

Legend ran the symptoms of the curse through his mind. Exhaustion and an inability to use any weapons or items. Fairly standard, even if the severity was intense. The fact that it could be lightened but re-triggered added a layer of difficulty that may prove difficult. Nothing he couldn’t handle of course, but still.

“I-” he was cut off by a sharp cough, hands coming up to his throat as he fought to regain his breath.

“Dammit legend, why didn’t you say something,” warriors scolded as sky helped support legend.

Legend just glared up at him. There wasn’t really any time to mention it before, they had other things to worry about. Plus, it wasn’t legends first time being strangled, and he doubted it would be the last. He knew what he was doing.

A red potion was pressed to his lips as he continued coughing, leaning heavily against sky. He opened his mouth, forcing the bitter liquid down.

The ache in his throat lessened, and suddenly he could breath again.

“You’ve really got to stop hiding injuries, or else we’re going to have to check you over after every battle,” sky chided slightly.

Lolia’s sake that was excessive. They’d only known each other for a few days and Sky was already mother-cuccooing him. He mentally shuddered at how bad it would be if Sky knew the connection between them. He could never tell him.

“It’s hardly hiding an injury when Warriors saw it happen,” he grumbled instead of voicing any of his thoughts.

Sky rounded on warriors, glaring slightly.

Warriors gulped, eyes wide.

“And you didn’t think to mention it?” Sky asked sickeningly sweetly.

“I had other things to worry about!” Warriors said, nodding his head to Time, who was slumped heavily against him.

Sky raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

“And I presume legends an adult! He’s perfectly capable of taking a red potion when injured without us holding his hand.”

Legend was standing right there thanks.

“Like I was saying,” he interrupted pointedly.

“I can probably break the curse, but it would be better to do it somewhere safe.”

It would take far too much time and concentration to be able to safely do it in the open like this, not to mention the cost on his magic.

“Right. Sky, how long will it take to get back to skyloft?” Warriors asked.

“Fifteen minute walk, half an hour flight under usual circumstances. With one of us out of commission, I’m not sure.”

Warriors nodded grimly, before turning to legend.

“Will lessening the curse again make it harder to break?”

Legend shook his head. He’ll probably have to retrigger it again to properly break it, but that was easy enough to do.

“Shouldn’t do,” he sighed, accepting that the next several hours of his life would be taken up by this crisis.

“We should get moving then.”

—————————————————————

“What do you need to do this?” Warriors asked once they were back at skyloft.

Their party had been met by Sun, Groose and pipit as soon as they touched down, and had since been ushered back to the academy.

Time, whilst being mostly coherent, was still exhausted and leaning heavily on Warriors for support.

Legend considered the situation, running through the supplies he had in his head compared to what he would need.

“Is there a place to get magic replenishment potions here?”

He only had two in his bag, far less than he’d like for an adventure, but all he and Ravio had had. For curse breaking, he’d need at least three, preferably more.

“Ere’s 'ome in my bag,” Time slurred, and Wars nodded, reaching down to check.

“Will three be enough?”

Five in total then, he could work with that.

“I’ll also need somewhere private and as quiet as possible. That should be all.”

Sun nodded, gesturing for everyone to follow her. She lead them to an uninhabited room.

It was small, with one bed pressed against a wall, a desk perpendicular to it. A small window let the afternoon sunlight stream into the room, angled directly on the bed. That would be annoying in the mornings.

“This will work.”

Legend gestured to the bed.

“Lay him down there. I'm going to need to trigger the curse to properly break it.”

Warriors guided Time to the bed, as legend dragged the chair from the desk to sit next to it.

Everyone hovered around the bed. It was almost comical how crowded the small room was, and legend would've made several comments, if he didn’t need to focus.

“Everyone out, I need to concentrate, and I can’t do that feeling like a tin of sardines.”

That was enough for groose, Pipit, and Four, who obediently filed out.

Sky hesitated slightly, before something in his eyes flickered, and he nodded.

That left Sun and Warriors.

Sun legend wasn’t too upset about. Her presence wasn’t overly obtrusive, and he trusted her enough to watch his back while he worked.

Warriors continued presence was a bit more annoying.

“What part of everyone out, is too hard for you to understand?” He asked, turning towards the captain.

Warriors was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

“I’m not leaving him. And I have to admit, I’m curious about how exactly you're going to do this.”

Legend forced himself to take a deep breathe. If someone asked him to leave someone he cared about in the hands of an unknown whilst cursed, he wouldn’t either.

Doesn’t mean he was happy about it.

“If you distract me, I will chop off your hair why you sleep.”

Warriors paled slightly, but nodded. So the hair was a good thing to threaten, legend would keep that in mind.

“Is there anything else you need?” Sun asked, placing a hand on the back of Legends chair.

Yeah, Ravio preferably. Whenever legend had had to break a curse previously, he had Ravio to support and assist him. It wasn’t something you could easily do alone, at least not without equipment specific to that curse.

Since legend had neither Ravio or curse specific equipment, he eas probably going to need some help.

He’d rather die than ask a knight for help, and he’d end up dead in that situation anyway, but Sun was an option.

“Do you have any plans for the next couple of hours?” He asked begrudgingly.

Sun shook her head.

Well, he was officially doing this. Fuck his life.

“I’m going to need some help,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Sun bit her lip, but nodded.

“I'm not sure how much help I’ll be, I only know the basics about magic.”

Legend waved her off.

“I don’t need you to do any magic, wait, do you know how to push your light magic through someone?”

If he could redirect her light magic instead of relying on the master sword, it would allow for a lot more finesse.

She nodded again, pulling another chair to sit next to legends.

“Ok, good. That’ll make this significantly easier. When I say so, send a pulse through me, I’ll take it from there. Apart from that, I need you to watch my back. Hold a green potion up to my lips every time my hands start shaking, and don't break my concentration unless it’s an actual emergency.”

Lolia legend hated curse breaking.

“Are you sure this is safe?” Warriors asked, openly frowning.

Legend gestured towards the sleeping Time.

“He’ll be fine, now wake him up so he can draw his sword. He can go back to sleep afterwards, but I need him to set the curse off.”

Warriors raised an eyebrow, but did what he was told.

Hmm, maybe he was smarter than he looked.

The second Times hand was on his sword, legend reached into his magic. He found the golden thread holding the enchantment he needed, and poured magic into it.

His senses fizzled, and then jolted like he was struck by lightning, as the magic enveloped him. He floated for a second, before everything snapped back into focus.

Colours flashed before him as he adjusted to the new sense. In front of him where the different threads of magic making up the world around them. His own magic pulsed unpleasantly as he pushed in into the spell, but he ignored it.

It wouldn’t be the first time he had pushed himself far past what he should, and it wouldn’t be the last.

He focused in on Times magic, and the dark threads surrounding it. The curse was expertly woven, artfully gliding in and out of Times own magic.

It was pressed down with a net of pure dark magic, amplifying its effects.

What would happen if he just-

He nudged the darkness, prodding at it with his own magic. It shriveled up, jolting to the side before it caught.

So that was how they did it. The dark magic was woven into the curse, so that when it was dispelled it was still attached. All the curse needed to do was pull, and it would come back.

He’d need to unravel this in sections then.

He picked a part, and got to work.

—————————————————————

Warriors watched in concern as Legend raised his hands.

When he’d asked about the safety of the task, he was more talking about legends health than Times.

He was concerned about his little brother, of course, but he’d seen one curse breaking before, and it had been rough on the sorcerer.

It was during the war, he’d managed to get himself cursed to only tell the truth, which was a big liability.

Normally they would've gotten Lana to deal with it, but she was on a scouting mission, and it was too urgent to wait. At first it had seemed like he would have to be kept inside until she got back, but then Ravio had stepped forward.

It had been a truly boring three hours, but by the end of it he could lie again.

Ravio, however wasn’t doing very well. The second it was over he had collapsed, pale and shaking.

Ravio had stayed awake long enough to assure them it was normal, before passing out.

From the little Warriors understood about magic, this curse was far more complex than the one on him.

But legend seemed like he knew what he was doing, so Warriors wouldn't intervene.

Warriors was pulled out of his thoughts by Sun gasping.

He looked up to find legend slumped over in the chair, Sun shaking him slightly.

“No don’t!”

Sun looked up at him incredulously.

“This is meant to happen,” he assured her.

“Just give it a minute.”

Sure enough, after a few seconds, legend straightened up.

It had been a shock when Warriors had seen it happen to Ravio, but the merchant had assured him it was just the body getting temporarily overwhelmed by the new sense. It meant the spell was working.

Legend stared off into nothing, eyes tinged with gold.

Well, looks like they would be here for a while.

“Got any embarrassing stories about sky?”

Sun grinned.

“Did he ever tell you about the chandelier incident?”

About one hour and three stories of skys childhood later, legends hands began to shake. Sun held up a bottle of potion to his lips, and Legend slowly drank. He was already looking a little pale, in contrast to Time, who was getting his colour back little by little.

“Now,” Legend whispered, voice hoarse. Sun frowned, placing a hand on legends back. She closed her eyes, and the room suddenly got warmer.

The gold in legends eyes intensified, before subsiding.

About half an hour later, he asked again. Sun complied.

Legends hands began shaking again, worse this time.

Once again, sun held up the potion.

This time, the unsteadiness stayed slightly.

He and sun were silent from then on.

Three potions later, and Times eyes flew open.

He sat straight up, looking around wildly.

“What-”

Warriors held up placating hands.

“You were cursed, legend broke it.”

Time nodded, looking over at legend with a furrowed brow.

“Like Ravio?”

Right, Time had been there for the aftermath of that too.

Times breathing was picking up, and warriors cursed, grabbing his pocket watch.

“Here.”

Time smiled at him gratefully.

“Six hours and 17 minutes?”

Warriors honestly had not been paying that much attention, but that sounded about right.

“Sure,” he agreed.

“Is legend okay?” Time asked, gesturing towards the still vacant legend.

His eyes still had the faint gold tint to them, so he must still have the spell up.

“I guess he’s not quite finished.”

Warriors caught Time up on everything he'd missed, not much. He was describing the curse breaking process when legend groaned, slumping.

“Fuck that was complicated.”

Time reached a hand out to steady legend, which was weakly swatted away.

“Are you ok?” Sun asked, as the only person present who could do so.

Legend grimaced.

“I will be, just need to get away from these lolia damned knights.”

Warriors and Time shared a look. This was the most forthcoming legend had been since they’d known him, and whilst it wasn’t necessarily a surprise that Legend was uncomfortable around them, it was a bit more confusing that he was specifying knights.

Legend rose to his feet on shaky legs, but immediately dropped back down to the chair.

“Hmm,” he muttered, eyebrows furrowed, a far off expression in his eyes.

“Do you need some help?” Time asked, not getting the memo that Legend would not accept any help from them.

“Fuck’ff,” legend groaned, eyes rapidly closing.

“Hey!” Sun said sharply, tapping him on his cheek.

Legend looked up, eyes confused and foggy.

He looked a lot younger now, warriors thought. At first he had assumed Legend was around the same age as Sky, but now he wasn’t so sure.

It made Warriors uneasy for reasons he couldn’t quite place. Mask and Tune had been far younger after their journeys, he knew that. But something about legend just seemed so old, tired. He had jokingly called him a vet earlier that day, but now he was just hoping he was wrong.

Well, there was an easy enough way to find out.

He felt a bit guilty taking advantage of his vulnerable state, Legend clearly wasn’t in his right mind, but he doubted he’d get a straight answer any other time.

“Hey lege?” He asked gently.

Legend turned to face him, expression vaguely suspicious.

“How- how many adventures have you been on?”

Sun glared at him, aware what he was doing.

But legend answered before she could stop him.

“Six.” The word was mumbled, but clear enough for Warriors to hear.

Time sucked in a breath, and Warriors felt his heart drop.

“That’s enough!” Sun snapped, glaring at him.

Fair enough, he certainly deserved it.

Sun pulled legend to his feet, slinging his arm around her shoulders.

“Let’s get you to bed.”

Legend hummed in acknowledgment, head drooping forward.

Warriors heard her whispering as they walked down the hall.

“Do you still need my to wake you?”

Legends reply was indistinguishable, which was probably for the best, Warriors had invaded his privacy enough for one day.

“Six adventures huh?” Time muttered, clear anger in his tone.

Warriors could only shake his head, barely able to comprehend it himself.

They sat there in silence, before sun stormed back in.

“Now, do you want to explain yourself?”

Warriors gulped.

Chapter Text

Legend screamed as he was dragged under the waves. The action just caused water to fill his mouth and lungs, further sealing his fate.

The current whipped him back and forth and he found himself powerless against it. Above him, lightning flashed across the dark sky, illuminating his face.

This is a dream, he told himself, it isn’t real.

But when had that ever been a comfort? He was still trapped in situation out of his control, his senses not his own. All it being a dream meant is that he couldn’t even trust his own mind.

A particularly vicious wave pushed his head under, and he found himself marvelling at how lifelike it all felt. A dream shouldn’t perfectly replicate the sensation of drowning. His lungs burned and he started to wonder if he had been tricked again. If everything after he had escaped from Koholint was a lie, and he was once again stranded in the middle of the sea.

The lightning flashed again, and legend cursed. He couldn’t afford to think that way. This was all a dream until proven otherwise.

Legend pushed his consciousness up, pressing with all his might against sleep.

For a moment he thought he heard something, a conversation happening above him, but he was slammed back down by an invisible barrier into the depths of his subconscious.

He was swept under, both metaphorically and literally, and he closed his eyes.

When he next opened them, it was to a familiar face.

“Ravio,” he wheezed gratefully. He had come for him. He’d woken him up.

“How do you know my name?”

Legends heart stopped. Quickly, he took in his surroundings, finding himself on a familiar sandy beach.

No.

“You washed up on the island after a big storm, I thought you were dead!”

No no no no no.

Legend fought against his mind harder, desperate to escape from this hell.

It had to be a dream. Legend wouldn’t accept any alternatives.

But wasn’t someone meant to wake him up? His memories of the waking world were fuzzy, but he remembered long blond hair and the promise to get him.

Zelda. Zelda wouldn’t let this happen to him.

Radios smile turned sharp in front of him.

“Oh Mr hero, shouldn’t you know by now?”

Legend tried to move, but was rooted to the spot.

“You deserve this, you know?”

This had to be a dream, Ravio would never talk to him this way. Even if it was true.

“How long do you think it’ll be before you kill me too?”

And then he faded away before legends eyes.

Legend tried to scream, to cry, to beg forgiveness, to do anything, but he couldn’t move.

He was pulled back under the waves, and he let them take him.

—————————————————————

Sky shot up with a strangled gasp. He couldn’t remember dreaming, which was a rare blessing.

There had to be some reason be had woken, but he didn’t know what.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as he looked around. He was in his and suns room in the academy. They had considered getting a house, but decided against it. There was no point settling down when they were just going to move down to the surface.

The bed beside him was empty.

That shouldn't unnerve him as much as it did, sun did tell him she had something to do.

But something felt off. The same something that had woken him.

Sky knew by now to trust his feelings.

He got up and grabbed his boots, shaking off the lingering haze of sleep.

When he was done, he grabbed Fi and walked out of the room.

“Any idea which way I’m meant to go?” He asked his sword.

Fi gave a week chime, the left side of her blade feeling oddly heavy.

Left then. Sky walked down the hallway, stopping in front of the stairs.

“Up?” Fi chimed again.

Sky had a funny feeling he knew where he was being led.

“Fi, are you taking me to legends room?”

A particularly sharp chime, conveying a sense of impatience.

That’s a yes then. And whatever was wrong was bad enough to make normally impassive Fi worried.

He quickened his pace, almost running towards the room legend was staying in. He remembered earlier in the night when he’d helped sun get the barely concious hero into bed.

Whatever he’d done had really taken it out of him.

Sky rounded the corner to the sound of raised voices.

He recognised those voices. If Time and sun were yelling, it must be something serious.

“I swear to the golden three Time, if you don’t let me through I will smite you.”

Shit, sun was mad. She was very mad. Well, it was nice knowing Time. The old man had had a good run.

“He needs to sleep, you don’t know how dangerous magical exhaustion can be.”

“You don’t know how dangerous I can be.”

Sky froze, unsure of what to do. He didn’t really understand the situation. Did Sun want to wake legend for whatever reason? But why?

He clearly needed the rest, but Sun seemed to know something he and time didn't.

A small, bitter part at the back of his mind whispered that she always did, but he pushed it back. That wasn’t fair and he knew it.

Fi chimed again, insistent.

Time and suns heads snapped towards sky.

“What’s going on?”

They eyed each other warily, and Sky was worried they were about to start pointing and talking over each other like children. It was far too late for this nonsense.

Sun sighed, and spoke first.

“I need to wake legend, and the hero of Time isn’t letting me.”

Sky raised an eyebrow, turning towards Time.

“What legend did was very energy intensive, he needs to sleep.”

Sky glanced between the two of them.

“Let her through,” the words left his mouth without him consciously thinking them. They felt right in ways he couldn't explain, but he knew they were true.

Time opened his mouth to protest, but Sky cut him off.

“I have a feeling.”

Times face paled and he instantly stepped aside. Not wasting another second, sun stepped forward and slammed the door open. Sky and Time trailed into the room behind her.

“Shit,” sun cursed, rushing over to the bed.

Legend was thrashing around, pale and shaking. There were tears streaming down his face.

Sun sat beside him, gently pulling him into her lap.

“Come on little hero, wake up.”

Legends eyelids fluttered as he groaned.

Sky suddenly felt like he was intruding on something. Something legend wouldn’t want them to see.

“Come on,” he whispered to Time, gesturing to the doorway. Time looked conflicted, but a glare from sun sent him out the door.

Sky followed after him, pausing in the doorway.

Legend was awake now, but sky wasn’t sure how aware he was. He was shaking like a leaf, eyes darting around wildly, as if he wasn’t sure where he was. Sun looked out of her depth as she rubbed his back.

“Anything I can do?” Sky found himself asking.

Sun looked up at him, smiling softly.

“Could you maybe get some tea? The one you use?”

Sky frowned but nodded. If they needed that particular tea it must be serious.

After Skys journey, his nightmares had become increasingly frequent, to the point where he couldn’t tell what was a vision and what wasn’t. It had gotten to the point where he was only sleeping about an hour a night.

It had taken a lot of trial and error, but eventually Bertie had come up with a blend of tea that helped a little. A large enough dose could knock out a Hylian entirely, but a small scoop could aid in a dreamless sleep.

Thankfully sky didn’t need it very often anymore, but he kept a supply in the academy kitchen.

Time stopped him as he walked out of the room.

“Is the feeling gone?”

Sky paused, before nodding. Whatever crisis he had felt was stopped.

Time sighed in relief, no doubt remembering the last time Sky had a feeling. His leg had ached for a week.

“You should go to bed old man, you need your sleep,” sky urged gently.

“I spent a good portion of today sleeping, trust me I’m wide awake.”

Sky started walking back towards the stairwell, trusting that Time would follow him.

“You’ll screw up your sleep schedule,” he warned, causing time to scoff.

“You need the sleep more than I do,” Time said lowly, elbowing skys side.

“And as soon as I get Legend this tea, I’m going back to bed.”

Probably at least. As long as they didn’t need anything else.

They reached the kitchen and Sky walked over to the tallest cabinet.

“Groose always puts it just out of my reach,” he grumbled, standing on his tiptoes to try and reach it.

Time chuckled, before reaching up to grab the small jar for him. Sky smiled at him gratefully, instead of sticking out his tongue like he would've if it had been groose.

“Can you grab me a mug out of that cupboard over there?” He nodded towards the cupboard whilst grabbing the kettle.

Yawning, he walked over to the tap and began filling the kettle with water.

“What time is it anyway?”

“Twelve thirty seven.”

Sky hummed, setting a fire to heat the water over.

As tired as he was, he was grateful he was awake and able to help. Legend had seemed truly distressed, and Sky already felt a sense of connection to him.

That wasn’t entirely unusual, Sky was known for getting attached easily. Grosse still teases him for when he tried to keep a remlit in his dorm when they were ten.

But there was something more with legend. Something inside sky telling him that legend was safe. Part of his family even.

“Do you have any idea what that was?” Time asked, bringing a mug and spoon over.

Sky sighed, shaking his head.

“Not really. It wasn’t any ordinary nightmare, but i’m guessing you could tell that much.”

Time nodded in confirmation.

“Do you think it was a vision?”

Sky was wondering that himself. Hylia knows sun has had to comfort him like that after particularly bad visions before. Hylia in fact does know.

“It could be,” he said slowly, thinking it over.

The kettle was boiled, so sky picked it up and began pouring the water, purposefully ignoring the way time was looking at him.

He measured out the right amount of herbs before adding them to the tea.

“I should go take this to legend,” he said, picking up the mug.

“It would probably be best if I stay down here, Sun doesn’t seem overly happy with me.”

Time sounded so genuinely frightened that sky laughed.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from growing up with Sun is that you don’t try and stop her when she’s got her mind set on something. Just give her time to cool down, it’ll be fine.”

Time smiled softly, nodding in acknowledgment.

Sky paused before leaving.

“Time?”

He took a deep breath and then said what had been on his mind since he had seen legend wake up.

“I hope it's not visions. For his sake.”

He left before he could see times response.

Sky was about halfway up the stairs when he ran into groose.

“Rough night?” He asks, gesturing to the tea in skys hand. His tone was joking, but sky could see the concern in his eyes. His eyes kept studying Sky’s face for any sign of distress.

“It’s not actually for me this time.”

Groose relaxed slightly at that.

“For the new hero then?”

Sky nodded, knowing by now not to question Grooses observations.

“He reminds me of you, y'know.”

Sky paused, that was not the what he was expecting to hear.

Legend seemed smart and witty, all things Sky wasn’t. He was also very… prickly, which Sky tried his hardest not to be.

“Really?” He asked, resuming his ascent up the stairs.

“He scrunches his face the same way you do when you’re concentrating.”

Sky hummed in acknowledgment, not knowing how else to respond to that. Thankfully, they reached Grooses room before he had to reply.

“You sure you’re okay Link?” Groose asked before he could leave.

Sky sighed, he was really hoping to get through his time at home without this kind of conversation.

“Just tired. You know spending so much time on the surface doesn’t agree with me.”

Grouse frowned, studying sky closely. Eventually he sighed, pulling him in for a half hug.

“You’d better not be lying to me.”

With that, he retreated back into his room, leaving sky to finish his delivery.

He knocked on legends door before he went in.

“Come in,” Sun said softly.

Sky pushed the door open and entered.

Legend was sitting on the bed with his knees curled up to his chest. He was staring at the wall like it had personally offended him. He seemed more aware than he was earlier, but there was still something wrong.

Sky gently handed him, the tea, and he took it without acknowledging him. Normally that would’ve been rude, but Sky could see the slightly vacant look in his eyes and the way his hands shook as he took the mug.

“I think I’m going to stay here for the night,” Sun said, looking between Sky and Legend.

Sky was honestly expecting that, so he just nodded, reaching out to take her hand.

“You don’t have to,” Legend whispered, staring at the floor.

Sun smiled softly, squeezing Skys hand.

“Will you go back to sleep if I leave?” She asked legend.

Legend scowled, shrinking in on himself.

“It's not safe,” he muttered. Sky raised his eyebrows, but Sun shook her head. Instead of questioning it, Sky just gestured to the mug.

“This tea prevents you from dreaming, if jt’s nightmares that are the issues.”

Legend looked down at the tea in renewed interest, something close to hope flashing in his face.

Sun turned to Sky when she saw legend begin to drink the tea.

“Will you be okay on your own?”

Sky smiled, pushing down the flicker of uneasiness at the prospect.

“I’ll be fine. Worst case scenario I can always bother Groose.”

Not that he would. He hated being a burden to his friends.

Legend looked up at him, eyes clearer than they’d been all day.

“You can stay too,” he mumbled, face flushing.

“If you want anyway.”

An unexplained warmth surged through Sky, and he found himself agreeing.

Somehow, he Sun, and Legend all managed to squeeze into the bed, with him and Sun on one side and Legend in the middle.

As Sky drifted off, he couldn’t help but think it felt right.

—————————————————————

Legend poured over Grooses blueprints for the anchor points. He probably shouldn’t actually do any enchanting for a few days, but he could help with the design.

Plus it gave him an excuse to avoid the other Links.

Sun had told him about what Warriors had done, and while he didn’t really care about the information that got out, it was the principle of the thing. He couldn’t really say it was a breach of his trust as he didn’t trust them in the first place, but still. It was an invasion of his privacy.

Legend already had all of his control over the situation taken from him, he at least should be able to control who knew his secrets.

Time he couldn't really fault for not stepping in, he had been cursed for a majority of the day, but he still didn’t really want to see him.

And Sky-

Legend didn’t really want to think about Sky right now, so obviously it was all his brain would think about.

Legend had woken up that morning with Skys arms around him and Sun at his back. It had taken him a moment to realise where he was, his brain still foggy from whatever was in that tea Sky had given him the night before.

He felt safe there though, and had almost drifted back off to sleep before reality slammed back down on him.

Legend couldn’t afford to get attached. Not in his line of work. He had made that mistake before, and while with Ravio and his sister it was worth it, for many others it was not.

So he had slipped out of the room as quietly as possible, and found Groose.

He’d been in the workshop ever since, and he was starting to feel it.

His joints where all locked up, and he was still feeling the fatigue of the previous day.

“You should really take a break, you’re not looking so good,” groose said as if he was reading Legends thoughts.

A break would be good, yes, but a break would also mean leaving the relative safety of the workshop, which was not a trade off he was willing to make.

“I’ll be fine for a little while longer,” he said, waving Groose off.

“And I thought dealing with one link was bad enough,” Groose mumbled, turning back to his work.

At least he dropped the topic.

Or he did, until fifteen minutes later when Legeneds hand cramped, and he dropped the pencil.

He cursed as he went to pick it up, before hissing in pain as his back seized.

“Yeah that’s it, you’re taking a break,” groose said as he helped legend back into an upright position.

Legend shook his head, but Groose started physically pushing him towards the door.

“I’m-”

“Nope. You’re taking a break or I will push you off Skyloft.”

“Sky already did that,” he grumbled.

Groose scoffed.

“Good on him.”

And then legend was pushed past the threshold of the workshop door, which was promptly slammed behind him.

Legend massaged the muscles in his hand as he accepted his fate. It was around lunchtime, so surely everyone would be inside. A walk would probably be a good idea.

Legend meandered around the small island, no real destination in mind. As he suspected, there weren’t really many people about.

One small child ran across his path on their way home for lunch, but that was about it.

Despite everything, legend found himself smiling.

The small village reminded him so much of Mabe village that it almost stung.

He could picture he and Marin running through the streets and Tarin having a stall in the Bazaar.

Without consciously directing his feet, he arrived in front of the water.

He could practically hear the ballad of the Wind fish in the air around him.

Instead of feeling saddened by the similarities, he felt at peace.

He stood there for a while, just breathing.

A footstep behind him stirred him from his thoughts.

It was too heavy to be made by a citizen from the sky, and it was steady in the way only a knights could be.

He reached for his sword as he swung around.

“Will you stop sneaking up on me,” he growled when he recognised who it was.

“You know, I probably deserve that,” Warriors said as he sheathed his sword.

“Yeah, you do,” legend agreed.

Guilt creeped onto warriors face, but legend turned away before he could be sucked into a conversation.

“Look. I’m sorry for last night.”

And there goes legends peace. He ran his hand through his hair as Warriors moved to stand next to him.

“What I did was immoral and an invasion of your privacy and I am deeply sorry,” he said stiffly.

Legend rolled his eyes.

“I understand if you don’t trust me after this, but I need to ensure that we will be able fight together as a team.”

Legend scoffed at that and Warriors bristled.

“I understand that reaction-”

“If you're going to apologise, at least mean it,” legend interrupted him.

Warriors didn’t respond, and legend scoffed again.

“Yeah, thats about what I expected from a knight.”

He turned away, surely he’d been gone long enough for groose to let him back in.

“Wait!” Warriors called out.

Legend kept walking. He didn’t owe warriors anything.

“You’re right!”

Now that got legend to stop.

“I’m listening,” he said.

Warriors sighed but kept walking.

“When I was younger, I joined the knights to help Hyrule. But when I became the hero I saw the flaws in the system. I saw the way they hurt innocent people, and I swore to be better, to fix the system somehow.”

Legend crossed his arms, he remembered when he still had faith the system could be fixed. Even a position as high up as prince of Hyrule couldn’t make a difference it seemed.

“Last night I acted no better then the knights of Hyrule. I let my paranoia get the better of me, and I am sorry.”

Legend sighed. That was something he could relate to at least.

He started walking away again, and this time warriors let him.

Before he rounded the corner he paused.

Legend opened his pouch, before flicking a single rupee at warriors.

Warriors caught it, a small smile on his face.

Chapter Text

“May I have a word with you before you leave, hero of legend?” It was suns voice that spoke to him, but legend knew it wasn’t sun he was speaking to.

“I suppose I don’t have a lot of say in the matter, do I?” He sighed, resigning himself to his fate.

A sad expression flashed across Hylias face momentarily, before being replaced by a serene smile.

Legend got more comfortable where he was sitting, aware he would be there for a while.

He looked out at the water in front of him. Somehow, he always ended up back here whenever he went on a walk.

In the week they had been there on skyloft, Legend had mostly succeeded in avoiding the other heroes. He was practically living in Grooses workshop, only heading outside when he knew there wouldn’t be many people around.

Sun had stopped by of course, popping in every couple of hours to make sure that he and Groose weren’t working too hard.

Legend had found himself growing closer to Hylias incarnate than he ever expected to.

And with Sun came Sky. The chosen hero had well and truly wormed his way into Legends time on Skyloft.

He was always popping into the workshop, making sure that he and groose had eaten and drunk water and slowly driving Legend insane.

The constant proximity had led to Legend getting to know the other hero.

He knew skys favourite colour (an oddly specific blue that Legend was pretty sure was the colour of suns eyes,) his favourite food, (pumpkin soup,) and where sky had hidden Grooses favourite hammer (on top of the windmill.)

Through the endless conversations, legend found himself opening up a bit.

Not much granted, but more than he could remember opening up to someone in a long time.

It was always a smart idea to have an ally with you on your journey, legend supposed. Someone you weren’t exactly close to, but could trust to watch your back or patch you up when you were injured. It made sense for legend to have someone of that description on this quest to.

It was only practical really. Especially when he couldn’t fully trust the hero of warriors. Especially when every time he looked at the hero of the four sword he could only see the shades at the palace of the four sword. Especially when the hero of time was meant to be dead.

So sky was the most logical option. That’s all there was to it. No legend was not lying to himself.

And sky had had plenty of opportunity to hurt him over the past week.

After the… incident that second night, Sun had insisted on legend sleeping in the same room as her and Sky, so that she’d be right there if something happened.

Legend hated to admit it, but it was the best he’d ever slept while on a quest.

Legend sucked in a breath as Hylia sat down beside him.

“What do you want?” It came out less annoyed and more tired than legend would like, but it would have to do.

“I just have a question little bunny.”

Legend glared at the goddess with a good portion of the anger he felt about, well, his entire life.

“Do not call me that.”

That nickname was for Ravio and Zelda only. And he did allow Pipit one free pass to use it a month for putting up with his bullshit. And Impa and Sahasrala and his wife did also use it, but they were all old, so it was fine.

The point was, Legend did not want Hylia using that nickname.

“Alright then, young hero,” she paused, waiting for legend to protest. When he didn’t, she asked her question.

“Tell me this, you despise me so, and yet you praise my sister?”

There was surprisingly no judgement in her words, just curiosity. Legend didn’t trust it.

“Lolia didn’t force Ravio to fight for her,” he bit out, glaring at the water in front of him.

It was true, Lolia had placed no burdens on his counterparts shoulders that the world didn’t first, and for that Legend would be incredibly grateful. No one should go through what he went through. No one should end up like him.

This cursed quest was proof of that.

“And yet, you were still forced to save Lorule.”

Legend sighed, massaging his forehead. He was too sleep deprived for this level of stupidity.

“No, I wasn’t. Once I had Zelda and we got the triforce back there was nothing stopping me from fucking off and letting Lorule deal with its own problems.”

Nothing except his own concience of course.

“But you never would have,” Hylia said softly.

Legend scoffed.

“Obviously not. But that’s not the point. The point is I had a choice.”

He hadn’t had that choice in so many of his adventures. Hadn’t had a choice in hearing Zelda’s voice calling out to him that night. Hadn’t had a choice before being sent off to fight evil in Labrynna and Holodrum. Hadn't had a choice in being split into dopples during what was meant to be a relaxing vacation in Hytopia.

Hadn’t had a choice in waking up on the beaches of Koholint.

Legend tucked his knees into his chest, breathing deeply to get his emotions in check.

“But you had no choice in saving Zelda from Yuga,” Hylia pressed.

Legend groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. She just wasn’t getting it.

“That was the actions of people. Not gods.”

Most of his previous adventures had been caused by people yes, but his involvement was nothing less than divine intervention.

In Labrynna and Holodrum, the triforce had literally sent him there to aid oracles of the goddesses. His very first adventure, it had been the magic of Hylia that had drawn him to Zelda. He still wasn’t entirely sure what had happened with Hytopia, but he did know there was a prophecy involved.

And don't get him started on the fucking Wind fish.

With his latest adventure, it had been a simple case of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and being too nosy to not get involved.

“I’m not sure I understand your logic there, but I will respect it,” Hylia allowed gracefully.

Self entitled Cuccoo.

“But I will ask you this young hero. Is it better that Lolia let her people suffer as she did rather than intervene?”

Legend stopped short. He’d never really considered that, but still.

Lorule had been… bad before Legend had fixed it. But there had to have been ways the goddess could intervene without screwing over the life of the princess and heroes.

Ravio was okay. Better than legend at least.

It took a minute for legend to pull his thoughts on the matter together. And even then, his thoughts on the matter mainly consisted of variations of “huh.”

Hylia sighed.

“I don’t expect an answer right now. Take some time to think on it.”

Oh legend would definitely think on it, but that didn't mean he’d give Her an answer.

“You said we’re leaving soon?” He asked instead, changing the subject.

“A portal will be coming to collect you at noon,” She confirmed.

Legend glanced at the sky. The sun was well past the horizon, but not quite at the zenith.

“That only gives us a little over an hour,” he complained.

“Be grateful you're getting warning at all.”

The fact that Legend actually quite liked Sun and didn’t want to hurt her was the only thing stopping him from reaching out and strangling Hylia.

“You should release Sun. She deserves to be able to say goodbye to sky.”

Hylia didn’t respond, but the oppressive weight of power in the air eased.

“Hey Sun,” he said, after a moment passed.

Sun sighed.

“Hey Legend.”

—————————————————————

Legend rifled through his bottomless bag for the hundredth time while he waited for Sky to arrive at the portal.

At first it was genuinely making sure he had everything, but it swiftly desolved into him just trying to seem busy so the other heroes didn’t try and talk to him.

Curse Sky for leaving him alone with the three other heroes.

He had done such a good job avoiding them the previous week, Hylia better not make him lose that now.

It'd be a little harder to avoid them when he was actively travelling with them, but Legend was nothing if not creative.

Time had been purposefully avoiding his eyes for the past five minutes, and if Legend wasn’t doing the same he’d call him out on it. Warriors on the other hand kept opening and closing his mouth, like he was going to say something then thought better of it.

Well, at least it was promising evidence the captain could think. Previous events had lead Legend to question otherwise.

Four was cementing his place as his second favourite in the group by showing no interest in Legend, and instead staring at the portal like it had personally offended him.

Legend felt that. He really did.

If he didn’t know that doing so would be an incredibly dumb idea, he would’ve kicked the portal in frustration. His magic had finally recovered to a point where he felt he could safely begin to enchant the anchors for the alarm system, and now he didn’t have a chance.

The portal next to Legend pulsed threateningly, and he felt its hold on his magic tighten.

“The portals getting impatient.”

Warriors looked up at him.

“What do you mean the portals getting impatient. It’s a portal?”

Legend sighed as the tugging increased.

“I mean the magic inside it is starting to curl in on itself, and if we don’t move soon it’ll take us by force.”

Already he could feel his magic tingling, weaving into itself to form a barrier that wouldn’t last long.

“I’ll go hunt down Sky,” Four said, eager to get away from a potentially unstable portal. Legend wished he could go with him, but he could feel the grips of the portal on him, rooting him to the spot.

Four had no such issues, and quickly left the area, leaving legend alone with Time and Warriors. Great.

Legend went back to searching through his bag, ignoring the looks both Time and Warriors sent his way. Lolia he hoped they got the message that he didn’t want to talk.

Apparently, he didn’t hope hard enough, as Time spoke.

“You know a lot about magic.”

Legend sighed, accepting the fact that he was being dragged into a conversation.

“I do,” he agreed warily. There was no point trying to be humble, it was a simple statement of fact.

“What you did with the curse was very impressive. I don’t know many people capable of pulling it off. Especially not your age.”

Legend hummed, not giving a concrete response one way or the other. It was like dealing with Zelda’s old advisors all over again.

If Time said Legend was too young to be that skilled, Legend could not be held responsible for whatever came out of his mouth.

“The only other person I know with that level of skill at such a young age would be Ravio.”

Legend nodded, acknowledging his point. Again, Ravio was probably better at it than Legend, he understood the patterns of magic more than him. Legend just had a healthy disregard for both the laws of magic and his own limits. It evened each other out.

Time just continued looking at him, waiting for an answer, or even just a reaction in general.

“That would be because we learnt together,” Legend said, hoping that would be enough.

“And where was it that you learnt it?”

For Lolias sake. Legend just shrugged, trying to signal to Time to leave it at that. Apparently the Hero of Time was quite dense, as he pressed further.

“On one of your adventures?”

Legend turned away from them, crossing his arms.

“Sprite” Warriors said from behind him, a clear warning on his tone.

Legend opened his mouth to say something, what he wasn’t sure, when the soft tugging on his magic suddenly turned violent.

He grunted as he was forced backwards towards the portal. Looking up, he saw Time and Warriors in the same position as he was.

The force intensified, and Legend fought to retain his footing. His foot slid backwards, and caught on a small rock. Legend threw his hands up, trying to stop the innevitable decent.

His foot slipped out from under him, and he fell backwards into the portal.

—————————————————————

Time tightly squeezed his eyes shut as he was thrown out of the portal. He threw his hands up to prevent himself from fully face planting into the ground.

He was only partially successful, as while his skull didn’t make direct contact with the ground, it slammed into his forearm with impressive force.

There was a sharp pain in his mouth, and he realised as he tasted blood that he must have bit his tongue.

“All right there sprite?” Warriors asked from somewhere beside him.

Time just groaned in annoyance as he pushed himself up to a sitting position.

“I vote,” Time said through gritted teeth, “that next time Legend warns us about the portal, we listen.”

Warriors chuckled dryly.

Time took a moment to look around, making sure the area was secure.

The small clearing they had landed in was devoid of any other people or monsters.

The only other sign of life was a startled fox at the very edge of the clearing.

Time pushed through the message of safe, connecting to the animal in the way the Kokiri had taught him.

The fox relaxed, slinking over to sit behind time.

There was something about the small clearing that didn’t sit right with Time.

“Where is Legend anyway?” Warriors asked.

And that was it. That’s what had been bugging time. Legend had fallen through the portal at the same time as them, so theoretically he should be here.

Theoretically at least.

Golden Three Time was really starting to hate these portals.

Warriors was on his feet, sword drawn.

“We need to find him.”

Time sighed, slowly rising to his feet.

“I’m sure he’s fine, he clearly knows what he’s doing,” Time grumbled slightly.

He was trying really hard not to be angry at himself over the fact that Legend, who seemed to be younger than even Four, had to step in to save him the other day.

He was meant to be the oldest in the group, the strong one.

It had stung even more when he learnt just how much Legend has been through.

Six adventures.

Time wasn’t an idiot, okay, despite what some may say.

He saw the way Legend reacted when he said his hero title.

He recognised the title “Hero of Time.”
And it wasn’t a good recognition.

Did Time come before Legend? Was he somehow the reason Legend had to suffer so much?

“I don’t care how experienced he is, he’s alone in an unfamiliar territory, potentially injured, with black blooded monsters on the loose.”

Time winced. Warriors had a point. He drew his own sword, slowly turning in a circle.

Help? The fox sent through to Time.

It would be beneficial to get the help of a local.

Friend lost. Seen?

The little fox tilted its head, before nodding.

“This guy knows where Legend is.”

Warriors looked up, staring at Time.

“The fox.”

Time nodded.

“Why do I even question it anymore. Fine. Lead the way.”

Where? Time asked.

The fox tilted its head to the left, before trotting off.

Time took the message to follow it.

After a few minutes, he heard the tell tale footsteps of his older brother trailing behind him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Warriors spoke.

“Why did you push him back there Sprite?”

Time hung his head, knowing what he was referring to.

“I was hoping to see if he learnt about magic because he wanted to or because he had to.”

That kind of skill didn’t come without serious time and effort, and wasn’t the kind of thing someone learnt for no reason.

Time just wanted, no needed to know how much of Legends skills were by choice or because he had to.

He wasn’t sure how that information would help with the puzzle in his mind, but still. He needed to know.

“You’re fixating again aren’t you?” Warriors asked gently.

Time hunched his shoulders slightly, all the answer warriors needed.

Warriors was no stranger to Times obsessions. He certainly had enough in the war for the captain to notice. He knew the signs of when Time would get so engrossed in a particular thought or worry to the point where it would consume his mind.

Every little thing would point to his suspicions being correct. Every thought would be about the problem.

That’s when Warriors would step in, distracting Time.

He's drag him out of his head, forcing him to think of something else, be it a strategy for an upcoming battle, or learning a new skill.

His obsessions happened far less frequently these days, but we’re still just as intense.

Logically he knew that having the answers to his questions wouldn’t help, and could possibly just make it worse, but still. He needed to know.

“When we set up camp let's see how rusty your calatian is.”

Time nodded, smiling gratefully.

Friend here!

Time paused, holding up a hand.

“Apparently Legend is close,” Time said.

Warriors walked up beside him. He nodded, and they walked through the trees together.

Legend was indeed there, leaning against a tree.

He scowled when they approached, but didn’t move.

There was something about the way he was standing that was just off.

“Are you alright?” Warriors asked, stepping closer, but still giving Legend his space.

The vet nodded, a small grimace on his face.

Friend hurt! The fox sent out.

Both Time and Legends heads snapped to the fox.

“Snitch,” Legend muttered.

Warriors looked from the fox to Legend and Time, before rolling his eyes.

“Great. Another one.”

Time ignored his brothers complaint, staring at Legend.

“Where are you hurt.”

This time Legend outright flinched.

“I’m not,” legend muttered, looking away.

He was still leaning heavily against the tree, like it was the only thing keeping him upright.

“He’s hurt?” Warriors asked.

Hylia Captain, keep up.

“Yes he is,” Time answered at the same time Legend said

“No I’m not.”

These kids were going to make him grey before he was 35, he just knew it.

Warriors opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, there was a rustling from the forest beside him.

Time and Warriors instantly moved to a defensive position, swords raised.

Legend also raised his sword, but notedly didn’t move from his place on the tree.

The rustling intensified, and two figures stepped out of the tree.

“There you guys are!” Sky said, sheathing the master sword.

Time signed in relief.

“Are you two okay? The portal was rather rough this time.”

Sky nodded, smiling softly.

Four glared, rubbing his temple.

“Fucking portal wasn’t bad enough in the first place. Now they have a fucking timer,” he muttered, eyes flashing blue.

“They all have timers, it’s a side effect of, ironically enough, time travel.”

Sky looked over to Legend, scanning him.

“Are you okay?”

Legend nodded, actually smiling at sky.

Sky glared at Legend, and even Time suddenly felt the urge to spill all his secrets to the Skyloftian.

That was an impressive glare.

Legend sighed.

“I landed on my ankle wrong when I landed, aggravating an old injury,” he admitted.

Sky tutted, threatening aura immediately disappearing and being replaced by an overwhelming feeling of safety.

“Come one, let me look at it.”

Legend slowly sat down, stretching his leg out in front of him.

Sky kneeled down to examine the foot.

“Well, at least we know he’ll listen to one of us,” Warriors whispered in times ear.

Time elbowed him in the stomach, keeping his face impassive despite the amusement he felt.

“Legend,” Sky said sternly.

“I thought you said it was just an aggravation of an old injury.”

Time looked over to where Legend was sitting.

His ankle was purple and swollen, foot twitching slightly.

“It is!” Legend said, a frustrated note to his voice.

“Old injuries shouldn’t look like that legend,” Sky said gently.

Legend leaned back against the tree, head thumping against the trunk.

“That one does.”

There was an air of defeat to his tone that sounded completely out of place on the veteran.

Except it wasn’t, because it was the exact same tone he had used the other night when asked how many adventures he had been on.

Something in Skys kind expression twisted.

“How about we make camp somewhere and talk about this there,” Time suggested.

Legend glared up at him, but Sky shot him a grateful look.

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Chapter Text

Legend honestly should’ve expected something like this would happen. As skilled as he was at deception, it wasn’t possible to completely conceal his struggle with his shitty body from people he was traveling with.

Some would even say it was unwise to do so, especially considering he would need to fight beside them. Well, some would also say that you couldn’t use a firerod to dry your clothes. Legend long ago decided not to listen to what some would say.

It did however leave him in a bit of a predicament as Sky examined his ankle. They had made camp in the small clearing Time and Warriors had landed in, after Four had deemed it safe. Because they were in Fours era, apparently. It felt distinctly weird to be in the time of his childhood stories, but Legend ignored it. He hadn’t been a child for a long time afterall.

“Does it hurt when I do this?” Sky asked, gently poking the side of his foot. A sharp pain surged from the impact, but Sky didn’t need to know that. It may be unavoidable that he reveal his… condition, but they didn’t need to know the extent. Frankly, it was none of their business.

Legend shook his head. Sky looked at him distinctly unimpressed.

“Sure,” he said, before poking harder.

Legend hissed as the pain intensified. Sky just nodded, and moved to the next area. Every time legend was about to lie and say it didn’t hurt, Sky glared at him, and he shut up.

He could really see the resemblance between Sky and his sister in that glare. It was remarkably good at making him shut up and listen to them.

That could be an issue.

Eventually, sky leaned back onto his knees, clasping his hands.

“I don’t think you should be walking on this for a few days at the very least.”

Yeah no. That wasn’t happening. Maybe if he was at home with Ravio he’d take it easy, but he didn’t have that luxury on a quest. At most he’d rest it for the night, before sucking it up in the morning. It would be fine, he’s travelled on far worse.

“It’ll be fine tomorrow,” he said, rotating his foot experimentally. He still had a full range of movement, so really, it was just a matter of getting the swelling down.

“I’m sorry, I think I misspoke. You wont be walking on this for a few days,” Sky was smiling but his tone was dead serious.

Legend sighed. Right, here it goes.

“Sky, thats not necessary. Like I said before it’s an old injury. It just swells up sometimes. I’ll rest it tonight and it’ll be fine in the morning.”

Well, as fine as anything in his body is.

Sky looked skeptical.

“What kind of injury causes this?”

Many over a short period of time. Legend didn’t say that however. Instead, he thought of the worse one he could remember,

“Hynox stepped on it.” Sky winced, exactly the reaction legend was hoping for. It sounded worse than it was in all honesty, Legend had barely noticed until after the fight was over. He wasn’t telling Sky that though.

Sky pursed his lips, staring down at his ankle. Eventually, he sighed.

“Stay off it tonight and I’ll reassess in the morning.”

Legend could work with that. He nodded his agreement, and Sky smiled at him.

Now that that was sorted, legend went to get up. Sky immediately placed a hand on his leg, stopping him.

“I thought we just agreed that you would be staying off that foot?” Despite the way it was phrased, Legend knew it wasn’t a question.

But because apparently Legend was an idiot, he answered anyway.

“Well yeah, but I can’t sit here all night.”

If he wanted the rest of his body to be somewhat functional tomorrow, he couldn’t spend all night on the ground. He’d at least need to set up his bedroll, and it would probably be a good idea to be closer to the fire, even if that meant being closer to the other heroes.

He was fairly certain they weren’t going to stab him after all.

Sky looked at him with an expression Legend couldn’t quite decipher, but it made him anxious.

“Where do you want to go?”

Legend blinked.

“What?”

“You said you can’t sit there all night, so where do you want to go?”

Legend could see no reason not to tell him, so he did.

“Closer to the fire, and I still need to set up my bedroll.”

Sky nodded, smiling in a way that made legend nervous.

Before he could do anything, Sky reached down and picked him up.

Legend was so stunned that it took him a moment to react. By the time he processed what happened, Sky had fully picked him up, and was carrying him.

“What the fuck? Let me go!” He protested, squirming in Skys grip. His attempts at escape did not phase Sky in the slightest, as he just laughed at him. Not unkindly, but still.

Legends face flushed as Sky walked over to the fire where the others were sitting. Warriors looked up, before quickly looking back down, biting his lip to keep from laughing.

You know what? Maybe it would be okay if one of them stabbed him. He’d had a good run after all.

Sky gently set him down beside the fire, before bringing him his bag.

“Give my your bedroll,” he instructed.

Legend just stared at him.

“I can do it myself.”

“And I can go into your bag and get it out myself.”

Sky was still smiling down at him. Legend glared back up at him. It was a stalemate of sorts, one legend was destined to lose.

Sky tilted his head, smile widening. Before legend could stop him, he moved towards legends bag.

Legend threw his hands up.

“Fine! Whatever, just don’t touch my stuff.”

He dug through his bag, ignoring whatever look sky was making. He pulled it out, and it was immediately taken from his hands.

Sky set it out beside legend, placing it with more care than Legend had ever used.

When he was done, Legend shuffled over into it, vaguely wishing the camp would be attacked by monsters or something else that would take the attention off him.

Of course, he had no suck luck. When Sky was satisfied Legend would stay put, he went and got his own stuff.

Sky set up beside legend, humming softly.

Legend honestly felt like he’d scream if anyone else spoke to him, so he pulled out Fours jacket and his embroidery needle.

Maybe if he looked like he was busy no one would bother him.

And it worked, to some extent. Everyone kind of left him to his own devices until dinner.

Legend got to just sit and listen to Four and Time plotting their route for the next day while he worked on the jacket.

The repetitive motions were soothing, and Legend found himself feeling less like he was dying as he gradually made progress on the design. In a spark of inspiartion, he added little minish along the hem of the jacket, remembering how the hero of the four sword was said to gone on an adventure involving them.

He was so engrossed in his work, he almost didn’t notice a bowl being set down beside him. He glanced over, finding it filled with a soup of some description.

“Thanks,” he muttered, finishing off the leaf he was on. When that was done, he put his work aside, picking up the soup.

It wasn’t the best thing he’d ever had, not by a long shot, but he was fairly certain it wouldn’t kill him, so he ate it.

When he was finished, he went straight back to work. With any luck, he’d be finished by the end of the night.

Of course then he’d need to find a new project, but he’d burn that bridge when he got to it. He could always make Ravio a new scarf.

“I’ll take first watch, it should still be light enough for me to see,” Time said from across the fire.

This was legends chance.

“I’ll take second.”

Something sharp hit him in the ribs.

Legend turned to see Sky, looking perfectly innocent with his elbow in legends ribs.

Oh for Lolias sake.

“It’s a sore ankle, it’s not like my foot’s been chopped off. I can take a watch shift.”

Time and Warriors looked at each other, and then towards sky.

“You’ll heal faster with proper rest,” Sky said, gently, but firmly.

Legend rolled his eyes.

“Are you forgetting I’ve been on several adventures by myself, six to be precise.” He shot a look to Warriors, just to be petty. He will admit, he was slightly vindicated when he winced.

“I have kept watch in far worse condition.” And it was true. In comparison to some of his more intense injuries, this was practically a mosquito bite.

Sky sighed, smile morphing into something sad.

“You don't have to anymore.”

He then turned to Time.

“I'll take second. I’d like to do some watches while I’m still feeling good from being home.”

Time studied sky before nodding.

“If you’re sure. Although I'd feel more comfortable if you did third watch. Captain, are you up for second?”

Legend turned back to his work, angrily muttering under his breath. Yes it was petty, but he felt it was warranted.

Conversation continued on around him, but he tuned it out. This was going to be a long night. If there was no reliable way for him to be woken up, like if he was on watch, it would simply be too risky to go to sleep.

So he wouldn’t. Problem solved. He would sit there by the fire all night, working on the jacket.

And that did work for a while. It worked past when Sky and Four went to sleep. Soon it was just Legend, Warriors, and Time by the fire.

Warriors and Time were sitting close together, speaking softly about someone named Tune? It sounded like he was another hero, they were wondering if he’d be joining them on the journey.

If he thought hero of legend was bad as a name, the hero of Tune sounded worse.

He may not be Hylias most hated hero after all.

Eventually, Warriors turned in for the night, leaving just Legend and Time.

This would be where it gets difficult. It was easier to pretend he just wasn’t planning on going to sleep yet when there were others up, but when it was just you and the one on watch, there was an impression that eventually, you would go to sleep. Legends current strategy was to just keep his head down and hope Time didn’t notice him. Not his best strategy ever, but he was tired and sore, so it was what he was going with.

And it worked. For about an hour anyway. Time looked like he was about to say something several times, but thought better of it.

Smart man.

Legends streak of good luck couldn’t last forever however, and eventually Time spoke.

“You should go to sleep.”

Legend just continued stitching. He was quite skilled at ignoring people, and Time would have to give up eventually.

Time waited for him to respond. When it was clear he wasn’t going to, Time sighed.

“Legend.”

Legend smirked slightly, before saying

“You sound tired, want me to take over your watch?”

Another long sigh.

He could annoy Time into giving up. Many people had told him he was incredibly annoying, and he did live with Ravio. He’s picked up some things.

“Its getting late,” Time added pointedly.

“Astute observation.”

Time closed his eyes, tilting his head back and taking a deep breath.

“Your foot won’t heal properly if you don’t rest.”

Legend gestured to where his ankle was propped up at the bottom of his sleeping roll.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Legend did know that. That just made it all the more fun.

“Mmmm do I?”

Time dropped his head in his hands, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like

“Hylia why me.”

“You’re very obstinate, aren’t you?”

“Yep,” Legend said, popping the p for the hell of it.

“We’re not going to stab you while you sleep legend.”

That wasn’t really what legend was worried about, but he was happy to let Time think it was.

“Best not to give you the opportunity.”

Time examined him, eye narrow. Legend felt distinctly uncomfortable under his gaze, and he resisted the urge to either fidget or look away. Instead, he straightened his posture and stared straight back.

Hours of etiquette training and time spent in court had taught him well. He knew how to win a state off.

Eventually Time looked away.

“That’s not it, is it?”

Now legend was just confused. It must have shown on his face, because Time elaborated.

“You're not scared of us attacking you while you sleep, it’s something else.”

Shit. Here he was hoping Time was as dense as he looked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he lied.

Time just stared at him unimpressed.

“Look kid.”

Legend bristled.

“I’m not a kid.”

“Look Legend, if you truly don’t want to go to sleep, don’t. But at least pretend. If you’re still awake when I have to get Sky for watch, I’d like some level of plausible deniability.”

That… was fair honestly. Sky had been a little scary that afternoon.

Legend exhaled slowly.

“Fine. Only because I don't want to deal with Sky.”

Time chuckled slightly.

“Goodnight legend,” he said as Legend adjusted positions so he was laying down on his side, facing away from the fire.

Legend reached his hand up to flip him off. Time just laughed again.

Legend just lied there for a while, listening to the sounds of the forest around him.

The wind whistled through the trees in time with the croaking of frogs and chirping of crickets. It was almost musical, the world beating along to some unheard rythym.

Then a new kind of music joined. The gentle sounds of the Ocarina joined the song, weaving into it seemlesy.

Legend tensed at the sound, almost shooting straight up, but something inside him settled at the sound.

The music flowed around him, calming and soothing.

It reminded him of his sister, the amount of time she had spent sitting with him after Koholint while he struggled to sleep, humming. It reminded him of his uncle on nights when he had a nightmare, back when all he had to fear were the monsters on his bed.

It reminded him of a time he couldn’t remember, not really anyway. Of soft hands and a softer voice.

Against his will, Legends eyes closed and he drifted off.

—————————————————————

Time smiled softly as he put the ocarina down.

Halfway through the song Legends breathing had evened out to that’s of someone asleep.

He had no idea what the kids objections to sleeping was, (because he was a kid, no matter what he said,) but it wasn't sustainable.

He would know.

Time stood up to do a lap around the camp, keeping an eye out for monsters. He had an hour and thirty six minutes before he had to wake Warriors after all, he may as well do a perimeter check.

The other three heroes were all sleeping peacefully.

Sky was curled into a tight ball, face pressed into his pillow. His blanket had fallen to the side, and Time picked it up, placing it over him.

Four was next. The smithy had the disturbing habit of sleeping on his back with his eyes open. The only way you could tell he was asleep was by the fact that his eyes were grey, instead of one of the colours they fluctuated between. It was always a little disconcerting seeing him lie there, almost completely still, with open unfocused eyes. It had taken some getting use to, that was for sure.

Four seemed to be sleeping peacefully, although he appeared to have forgotten to take his headband off before going to bed, as it was lying tangled at the end of his hair.

Carefully so as not to wake him, Time removed the headband, placing it in Fours pack.

He moved over to warriors, rolling his eyes fondly as he examined his older brother. Warriors was sleeping on his back, alms by his side like the soldier he was. His scarf was draped over him, and Time moved the edge of it lying in the dirt onto the sleeping roll.

That just left Legend. In the seven minutes Time had spent checking on the others, Legend had shuffled closer to Sky. He was on his other side now, facing the fire. The glow illuminated the slight grimace on his face, and Time resisted the urge to reach down and do something to comfort him.

Legend probably wouldn’t appreciate that. He seemed to be doing everything in his power to put as much distance between himself and the rest of them as possible. And as long as it didn’t hurt him, Time would respect that. Even if it stung.

Legend looked younger in the firelight. It made Time wonder just how much he had been through to put those walls up, and if he was right about his theories, how much of it was Times fault.

He stopped himself from going down that mental path, aware it would do more harm then good.

Still, for the rest of his shift his gaze kept drifting over to Legend.

Eventually it was time for him to wake warriors. He walked over before nudging him with his foot. Warriors eyes shot open immediately, and he reached for a weapon before seeing Time.

“Watch?” He asked, yawning.

Time nodded, offering a hand and pulling him up.

“I think I’m going to stay up a little longer,” he said as they sat by the fire.

Warriors sent him a disapproving look, and Time had to resist the urge to laugh, thinking back to earlier in the night when he had been in Warriors place, just with legend.

It was kind of amusing seeing legend attempt to get him to give up through sarcastic and otherwise annoying comments. He didn’t know that Time had been exactly the same to Warriors in the war, and was far better at it.

Legend was never going to win that battle.

“Just another hour. I need to give my thoughts time to settle.”

There would be no point trying to go to sleep when his brain was still very awake and flipping from theory to theory. It would just end with Time screaming into his pillow at three am.

Warriors must have realised this too, as he didn’t protest, just lifted his arm so Time could lean against his side.

48 minutes later, Sky gasped, shooting straight up in his bedroll.

Time immediately reached for a weapon, while warriors shot to his side.

“Sky, what’s wrong?”

Sky shook his head, swallowing.

“I need to wake up Legend.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Warriors asked, grabbing skys arm.

“I'm not sure, I just know I need to wake him.”

Time thought back to the effort he had to put into getting Legend to sleep in the first place. He seemed tired, surely it wasn’t worth it to wake him?

But then he thought back to the night at the academy when Sun had been saying the same thing. He still didn’t understand what had happened that night, but he did know that waking him had be for the best.

Warriors however did not.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Warriors said, glancing over to the sleeping veteran.

Now that Time was looking at him, it was clear there was something wrong. His eyes were scrunched up and there were silent tears streaming down his face.

“Captain, let him,” he said.

Warriors looked at him strangely, but let Sky go.

Sky immediately turned over to legend, grabbing his shoulders and shaking them.

Legend shot up, eyes wide and frantic. He curled in on himself, clutching his side and sobbing.

Sky leapt to action. He pulled Legend into a hug, running his fingers through his hair.

“Captain, go back on watch, Time, do you remember how to brew that tea I showed you?”

Warriors hesitated, before heading back to his post. Time nodded, remembering the conversation they’d had in the academy’s kitchen.

“Good. In my bag in the inside pocket there’s the blend. I think maybe a double dose is a good idea.”

Instructionss given out, he turned back to comforting Legend, who seemed moments away from hyperventilating.

Time grabbed a pot, filling it with water from his waterskin before setting it over the fire. While he waited for it to boil, he went over to Skys bag. The dark was pressing against his eyes too much for him to see, so he had to rely on touch to find the tea, as well as a little measuring spoon. Eventually, he managed it. He put two spoonfuls of the tea into the mug before pouring in some water.

He brought it over to Sky, who smiled up at him gratefully.

He took the tea, before whispering something to legend. Legend uncurled just enough to take the mug.

“Need anything else?” He whispered.

Sky shook his head, still focused on Legend.

Time retreated back to the fire to give them some space. He stared into the flame, feeling kind of useless.

Warriors ruffled his hair.

“Maybe brew some of the tea Malon gave yoy for your insomnia with the leftover water,” he murmured.

Time nodded, still staring into the fire. His mind was racing, yet oddly quiet. By all accounts it was just a nightmare that had legend react like that, but something about the situation seemed off.

What kind of a nightmare was bad enough that Skys visions would wake him up to stop it?

Time was so wrapped up in thought he didn’t notice Warriors leaving from his side.

He jolted back to reality as something warm was pressed into his hands. He looked down to sea a mug of tea being handed to him by warriors.

He sent the captains weak smile before taking a sip. He slowly drank the tea, ignoring the poor taste. When he was done, he placed the mug on the ground beside them.

“Get some sleep sprite,” Warriors said, nudging Time towards his bedroll. Time complied, laying down without much fuss.

He looked over to where Sky and Legend were sitting, but the dwindling fire didn’t provide enough light for him to see by.

All he could think about as the tea slowly took effect was the possibility that this was all his fault.

Chapter Text

Legend woke up to a pounding headache. This wasn’t altogether unusual for Legend, it was rare he woke up in the morning without something hurting.

What was a little unusual was the fog in his head and the dampened feeling of terror. Normally when legend woke up with a feeling of terror, it was very present, not buried under false peace.

He took a moment to take stock of his surroundings. He appeared to be wrapped in something soft, but not his blanket. It was too smooth.

His back and legs ached from the curled up position he was in, but hopefully that would ease up with some stretching. The throb in his ankle was expected, but it felt good enough to hopefully get Sky of his back.

There was a pang of something in his heart when he thought about Sky. Legend mentally frowned, that wasn’t there yesterday.

He pushed against the fog, grateful when it dissipated. But without the fog, the terror surged forwards.

Legend jolted up into a sitting position, eyes wide. He fought to get his breathing under control as he frantically searched the camp.

At the fire in front of him were Warriors and Time. Warriors was watching him warily, and legend fought the urge to flip him off. Actually, why not? The potential repercussions were so small there was no point taking them into account.

Legend flipped Warriors off. A flicker of relief crossed Warriors face, before being replaced with the expected annoyance.

Interesting. Clearly something happened between him accidentally going to sleep last night, and him waking up this morning.

It doesn’t feel like he’s been asleep long enough for it to be anything other than the next morning, so nothing too bad could've happened.

Time looks up from the fire. His eye stays on Legend just a second too long, like he’s searching for something, before turning back to the fire.

Okay fuck this. Legend slowly rises to his feet, getting caught in something on the way up. He stumbled forward, looking down at whatever was tangled in his legs. Skys sail cloth. That must be the soft thing he was wrapped in, but why?

“Should you be walking on that leg?” Sky asked from the edge of the camp.

He walked over to the fire, handing Time the firewood he was holding, before making his way over to legend.

Legends heart sped up as Sky approached him.

“It’s fine,” he said, hoping the others would blame the tightness of his voice on the fact he’d just woken up.

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

Legend made a show of rolling his eyes as he sat down. Sky kneeled by his foot, smiling gently at him.

That's when it hit legend. He’d gotten trapped again. He searched through the memories of hyperventilating in Skys arms, and drinking the bitter tea.

He wasn’t thrilled about everyone seeing him like that, but it was too early in the morning to dwell on it.

Despite knowing it was a bad idea, Legend pushed into the memories of the dream. He’d reacted worse than usual, and he wanted to know what caused it.

He had been been in the sewers below Hyrule castle in his current adventuring gear, although it was oddly big on him.

He fought various low level monsters on his adventure through the sewers, but nothing that would’ve cause that level of panic upon waking.

But then he saw the hunched figure in the distance.

His uncle.

It wasn’t the first time Legend had dreamed about his uncles death, and he doubted it would be the last.

He knelt down, desperately trying to stop the bleeding, even as he knew it would be in vain.

His uncle ran a hand through his hair, wet and sticky with blood.

Legend looked up, tears in his eyes, but it wasn’t his Uncles face looking back at him. It was Skys.

He’d pressed the Master Sword into Legends hands, before going limp. The second Skys hands had fallen off the hilt, the blade lit up with holy fire, burning legends hands and telling him what he already knew, he wasn’t worthy.

Legends breath hitched as he realised what had worked him up so much.

Sky gently poked legends ankle, before looking up at him. Legend could practically still see the blood trickling out of his mouth.

He froze. Sky looked at him in concern, but Legend was too busy getting his panic under control.

He was getting attached. He couldn’t allow that to happen.

Time dropped another log into the fire, sending sparks up into the air.

“Legend, are you okay?” Sky asked.

Legend recoiled backwards, ripping his leg away from Sky.

“My ankles fine,” he snapped.

He needed to run damage control. People he was close to get hurt, he couldn’t allow that to happen to Sky. And if Sky kept up the way he was going, Legend was going to get attatched.

Sky frowned.

“The swelling has gone down, but it still seems tender, you should probably still be taking it easy.”

Legend was going to have to find a way to get Sky to leave him alone.

“Well I don’t have that option do I? We’re on a quest, we can’t just be taking it easy whenever we feel like it.” Legend was aware it was a bit of a low blow. He had learned from Groose about Skys issues with stamina, and while in reality he understands that it’s something out of Skys control and would probably yell at anyone who suggested otherwise, he needed Sky to leave him alone.

Being a gigantic prick could work. Legend was skilled at that.

Sky didn’t even blink, but he could see Warriors expression in the background. He looked pissed.

“Since Four hasn’t woken up yet, and he is our guide, we have plenty of time to rest.” Sky said gently.

Legend scoffed, pushing himself up.

“I’m going to to do a perimeter check.”

He stormed out of camp before anyone could protest.

—————————————————————

Sky knew something was up with Legend. It didn’t take a genius to figure that out from the sudden change of compliant to asshole.

The flicker of fear in his eyes before he’d snapped told Sky all he needed to know really, as well as the slight hesitation before saying anything truly mean.

The others however couldn’t see Legends expressions as he’d spoke.

“Are you okay Sky?” The captain asked.

Sky rolled his eyes, he’d heard far worse.

“I’m fine Warriors.”

Warriors nodded, a small frown on his face.

“Good. Now what the hell was that about?”

Sky sighed, picking up his sailcloth from where Legend had left it in the dirt and placing it across his lap.

“He can’t speak to you like that,” Warriors continued.

“I don’t mind captain.” And he really didn’t. He’s been friends with Groose long enough to know when someone was being rude as a defence mechanism. He does wish he knew what he did to set legend off, but he had a feeling it may be more complicated than him accidentally overstepping a boundary.

“You should care Sky, you don’t deserve that.”

Sky mentally face palmed. He really didn’t need one of Warriors well meaning but often unnecessary self worth pep talks.

It’s not that he doesn’t care because he thinks he deserves the insult, but because he knows Legend doesn’t mean them. He was just lashing out because he was scared.

“Did Four say how far away we are from his village before he went to sleep last night?” Sky asked. He knew that Four had, because he’d heard him, but a change of subject sounded great right now.

The look Time shot him said that he knew exactly what Sky was doing, but would allow it.

“A half day at a slow walk.”

Sky nodded, glancing up at the Sky. He couldn’t quite make out the position of the sun through the trees, but he knew it was relatively late in the morning.

“How much longer do you think we can camp?”

Time hummed.

“Two and a half hours or so? We’ll have a late breakfast then set off.”

Sky nodded.

“I might go back to sleep then, can you wake me for breakfast?”

Sleeping would have the dual purpose of helping him recover from his watch and getting Warriors off his back about his self worth. Plus it may make Legend more likely to return to camp if he didn’t have to interact with him.

Time smiled at him and nodded in confirmation.

Sky laid down in his bedroll, leaving his sailcloth with Legends stuff to prove he wasn’t mad at him, and closed his eyes.

—————————————————————

Legend sighed as he fiddled with his rings. The stump he was sitting on was a decent distance away from camp, and so he let his walls drop slightly.

He curled up so his head was resting on his hands and just breathed. The forest around him was bustling with activity, from birds singing in the trees to little mice playing in the grass. He listened to the sounds around him, his eyes clothed and breathing deeply. The wind whistled through the trees, gently ruffling his hair.

If he pretended, he could almost believe he was back in his orchard. Ravio would be inside, baking something, or scamming some poor person out of his rupees. Legend would have gone outside to collect the apples for harvest, and would be taking a small break the way Ravio encouraged him to do. He could almost smell the apples in the breeze, and hear his partners whispering.

He missed his home. It had only been a week, and he already wanted nothing more than to curl up in his living room with a cup of tea and Ravio beside him.

He missed his sister. Zelda would hold him after a nightmare, singing a lullaby supposedly handed down throughout the royal family and ensure he was safe.

Which is almost exactly what Sky had done.

A pang of guilt and sadness came from Legends heart. It had hurt to have to push Sky away by saying what he did, but it had to happen.

He couldn’t allow Sky to get killed because Legend cared for him.

And Legend couldn’t afford to leave one more person behind at the end of this quest.

What he was doing was for the best. If only Legend could convince his aching heart of that.

He couldn't sulk in the woods forever. He had to seem unaffected by what he had said, and disappearing for ages afterwards would not send that message.

He sighed as he rose to his feet, wincing at the pain that accompanied the motion.

Looks like it was going to be that kind of day.

Legend walked back to the camp, schooling his expression into one of vague annoyance.

“Find anything?” Time asked.

Legend shook his head, stalking over to his stuff.

He passed Sky, asleep in his bedroll, and had to push down the pang of guilt.

He had to do this.

“We’re staying here for another two hours while we wait for breakfast to cook, and then we’ll get going after we eat,” Time informed him.

Legend just nodded, resisting the urge to comment on what kind of breakfast took two hours to cook.

He may as well do something useful while he waited. Fours jacket was almost done, but it just needed some finishing touches. If he focused, he could get it done before breakfast.

He threaded a needle, and began to work.

While he stitched, he tried his hardest to ignore Warriors glaring at him. After he stabbed his thumb from under the jacket because he was so focused on the eyes on him, he snapped.

“Paint a portrait, it’ll last longer.”

Not very original, but it got his point across.

He could hear Warriors footsteps on the grass as he approached him, but refused to give him the satisfaction of looking up. A tall shadow fell over him, and he resisted the urge to shiver. Instead, he put on the cool uninterested persona he used with the knights loyal to his father, and kept stitching.

“Did you want something?” He asked pointedly.

“You shouldn’t have said that to Sky.”

“When I want the opinion of a knight,” he practically spat the last word, putting all the venom in the sentence he could muster, which was an impressive amount.

“Then I’ll ask.”

Warriors shadow got closer, more imposing. Legend fought to keep his breathing steady as his mind filled with memories of being cornered in alleyways.

“Look, I know you’re a self centered jerk, but Sky actually likes you for some reason. You shouldn’t treat him like that.”

Legend closed his eyes for a moment, dealing with the flood of guilt, before opening them again and going back to stitching.

“Because you know all about how to treat people, don’t you captain.”

Warriors seemed taken aback by that, and Legend used the brief reprieve to take a deep breath. He could do this.

It didn’t matter what the other Heroes thought of him, as long as they all made it through this quest alive.

“Ravio spoke so highly of you,” Warriors said.

Legends hand faltered slightly, but he gave no other response.

“I was excited to meet the hero he was talking about, but now I wonder if you’re even worthy of the title.”

Him and legend both. With that, Warriors stalked back over to the campfire.

Legend allowed a single tear to fall.

—————————————————————

Legend was officially convinced the universe, or more specifically Hylia, was conspiring against him. He’d come to this conclusion several times over his life, but this one was really sticking with him.

He held up a hand over his eyes, trying to stop the heavy raindrops from falling into his eyes. It’s gotten past the point where every raindrop felt like ice on his skin, he’s so thoroughly soaked that he barely noticed when the rain increased.

“We may have to find somewhere to shelter,” Four called out from the front of the group. Legend sighed, running his hand through his hair.

Great, being stuck in an inclosed space with Sky and Warriors when he was trying to avoid him.

Now normally Legend wasn’t quite self centred enough to think the weather revolved around making his life harder, but this was just a little too coincidental.

“There should be a cave just up ahead!”

Legend sighed, accepting his fate.

They trudged through the wet forest. The mud seemed to stick to legends Pegasus boots, and the extra resistance was causing an uncomfortable pressure in his knees.

He shivered, glaring at the frog happily croaking in a puddle beside him.

After ten minutes of their miserable walk, the cave Four mentioned came into view. They collectively abandoned their dignity and ran the last few metres, eager to get out of the rain.

Legend made his way to the back of the small cave, eager to be as far away from the others as possible.

It was really a pathetic cave, more of an opening in the cliffside. It didn’t even have any eerie stalactites hanging from the ceiling. But it was dry, so Legend was ready to sing its praises.

He placed his bag at his feet, searching through it for a dry outer tunic. When he found one, he stripped out of his wet outer layers before replacing them. He then pulled out his fire rod and a blanket, wrapping the rod in the fabric so it would warm it up.

After a moment of thought, he pulled out Fours jacket and added it too. He’d finished it that morning, and this seemed like a good time to give it back to him.

Four was shivering more than the rest of them, which made sense given his smaller stature.

Time and Warriors were setting up a small fire at the mouth of the cave, and legend was incredibly grateful.

The cold had seeped into his joints, and he kind of wanted someone to come along and rearrange every bone in his body. He could probably find a benevolent Wizzrobe who would get a kick out of that, and even if they messed it up there’s a good chance it would hurt less than the deep seated ache radiating down his limbs.

“Do you think it’ll storm?” Sky asked from the mouth of the cave. His voice wavered slightly, but legend couldn’t judge him, not with the spike of fear in his heart at the prospect of a storm.

Four looked up at the sky.

“I don’t think so, the clouds aren’t dark enough.”

Sky nodded, but his eyes didn’t leave the dark sky.

Legend recognised the anxiety on Skys face, he was feeling it himself. He wanted to go over an commiserate with the chosen hero, but knew it wouldn't be welcome.

He had to remind himself that that’s what he wanted.

Instead, he picked up fours jacket and walked over to him.

“Here, I repaired the damage,” he said, handing him the jacket.

Four gingerly took the jacket, turning it over in his hands. Legend watched his face soften as he took in all the embroidery. He gently ran his hands along the minish on the hem of the jacket.

“You did all this?” He asked softly, eyes shining red.

Legend hummed, uncomfortable with Fours attention on him.

“There was some pretty bad singeing on the edges. I figured since it’s technically my fault it’s there in the first place, I should probably do something about it. Although I still stand by the fact that you shouldn't have broken into my house.”

Four grinned as he slipped the jacket on.

“It's warm.”

“Jackets tend to be, yeah.” Legend refused to admit he heated it up. He was still trying to keep his distance from the others.

Although given the way he had plunged his sword through Future Fours chest, maybe he’d done all the damage he could there.

“Thank you legend,” Four said genuinely.

Legend just grunted, turning away.

“Don’t damage it again.”

Chapter Text

Legend tossed and turned in his bedroll, trying in vain to get conformable. He had no intention of falling asleep, not after last nights debacle, but he really didn’t want to deal with the others trying to force him to sleep. Or completely ignoring him after stunt he’d pulled that day.

He would absolutely deserve it. But it would still hurt. Even if it’s exactly what he wanted.

Unfortunately, Legends body wasn't listening to the whole “pretending to be asleep” memo. Every joint in his body ached, and then some. He felt kind of like someone had taken every second bone out of his skeleton, and put it back just that little bit to the left.

Lolia did it hurt.

Now, don’t get Legend wrong, he was used to pain. You didn’t go on six adventures completely avoiding injuries. Legend could walk off practically anything that didn’t kill him in one hit. But lying down with no real escape from the pain was not his favourite passtime.

He rolled over again in a futile attempt to ease the burning pressure in his hip. To no one’s surprise, it didn’t help.

Legend huffed in annoyance as he threw his blanket off.

He’d already taken one of Ravios purple potions and a milder pain potion, but they weren’t doing nearly enough.

If he was home, Ravio would make him take a strong pain potion. He knew Ravio had packed some with the rest of his medical supplies. But it was too risky to take something that could leave him disoriented in the event of an attack. Or when he was in a cave filled with pissed off heroes.

So, Legend had to resort to more unconventional methods of pain relief.

Wouldn’t be the first time after all.

Four glanced at him from his position on watch, but clearly decided it wasn’t any of his business. After the incident with Sky, Four was definetly his favourite Link. Screw the whole having to fight his possessed dead body At the age of eleven thing, Four had the pretty much made up for that by not getting himself involved in Legends business. Legend still couldn’t really look Four in the eyes without being plagued by fear and guilt, but with this group, he’d take what he could get.

Shelving that train of thought for later, legend reached for his bag. One thing he’d found to always help his pain was heat. And while he hadn’t had the forethought to pack any of his heat packs, he did carry around a constant form of heat. And fire, but that was beside the point.

Legend pulled his spare fire rod out of his bag, and set it down in his bedroll.

Four raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment.

Lolia, Legend loved four.

Legend lied back down, positioning the fire rod so it was pressed against the right side of his body where the pain was the worst. The metal detailing on the handle dug into his hip, but he’d take it over the slightly receding ache that was radiating down his leg.

The warmth slowly increased to the perfect level, enveloping legend, easing the worst of his pain. He pulled the blanket over himself, further trapping the heat.

Legend curled into himself, one hand on the fire rod.

—————————————————————

Link was running. The alleys around him seems to be closing in, narrowing to a point in the distance link couldn’t see. His heart pounded in time with the clanking footsteps of the soldiers behind him.

He had to run, he had to get away.

If they caught him-

Flashes of dark cells. Rats scuttling across bloodstained stone. Unanswered screams for help, and a sharp pain down his back.

The scenes floated away, leaving Link on his knees in the alleyway. His palms stung where they met the gravel beneath him.

Shouts echoed out from behind him, as the soldiers got closer and closer.

Link scrambled to his feet, legs shaking beneath him. He darted forward just as the first of the soldiers hit his heels. Leaning to the left, he narrowly avoided a sword cutting clean through the back of his calf. As it was, he only got a thin cut, that was barely distinguishable from the ache of his burning muscles.

Link activated his Pegasus boots, trying to gain some ground. They worked for a second, sending Link bolting forward, before suddenly stopping.

The change of momentum almost made Link tumble over, but he caught himself. He tried running, but it felt as if he were moving through water, or some kind of spell. He fought against it, but couldn’t seem to move.

The soldiers were getting closer now. Any minute they'd be upon him, and he’d be dragged back into the dungeons.

Link didn’t think he could escape them again. There were only so many times he could use the gaps in guard changes and weaknesses in the cells before they were fixed.

He struggled harder, until he pitched forward, the ground beneath him disappearing.

He brought his hands up to stop his fall, and his already stinging palms met coarse sand.

No.

A familiar song drifted through the air, a woman’s voice mingling with the wind.

No. No.

Link looked back towards where he fell from. The alley was gone. Link was surrounded by sand and sea from all sides. The soldiers were still chasing him, advancing ever closer.

Link looked in front of him. There was a straight shot down the beach to the ocean. If he could make it to the ocean, he could activate the mermaid curse and swim away. They wouldn’t be able to catch him in the deep water. His mind made up, he pushed himself up, ready to make his escape.

Before he could act on his plan however, She entered his path. Her red hair flew in the wind, sennding a shot of fear through links heart.

Marin.

Link was trapped. The soldiers were behind him, Marin in front. He had nowhere he could run.

The soldiers had reached him now. They were close enough that Link could see the pure hatred on their faces.

He wasn’t going down easy.

The first soldier grabbed his arm, pulling it roughly. He pulled back, reaching for a weapon.

“-egend, Legend, Link!”

The soldier wasn’t letting go, he just kept pulling on Links arm.

Links hand closed around a fire rod. He held it out in front of him, and fired.

—————————————————————

Warriors groaned as Four kicked him awake for his watch shift.

“Must you kick me every time?” He complained into his pillow.

Four just kicked him again.

Warriors rolled over onto his back, glaring up at the smithy.

Four grinned down at him, eyes a dark blue.

“I’ve been punched enough times from waking you with any other method.”

That was a fair point, Warriors conceded. But still.

“Does it have to be in the stomach?”

Four just rolled his purple eyes.

“I’m going to bed, wake me if any monsters attack. Y’know, as your job on watch.”

This time it was Warriors turn to roll his eyes.

“Anything happen on your shift?”

Four hesitated, eyes flashing between purple and red in the firelight.

“…No,” he eventually settled on.

Warriors raised an eyebrow. Four was normally better at hiding things when he wanted to be.

“You don’t sound sure.”

Four waved him off. He stomped over to his bedroll before flopping face down.

Always so dramatic.

Warriors made his way over to the fire at the mouth of the cave. It was still a little chilly from the earlier rain, so the warmth of the fire was welcome. He carefully stepped over Time, before sitting next to him. His brother had curled up closest to the fire, and Warriors knew it was both to give him extra light to see by, and warmth.

Mask always did get cold easy.

The night air blew in through the cave’s mouth gently blowing through his hair. It was a pleasant contrast to the heat of the fire.

Not everyone felt that way apparently. A rustling from beside him alerted Warriors to the fact that Time was shivering. Warriors rolled his eyes at the sight of his blanket discarded beside him. He must of kicked it off in his sleep.

He picked up the blanket, shaking it out a few times the way he knew sprite liked, before placing it over him.

“Keep it on this time,” he whispered fondly.

Time immediately started moving around, dislodging the blanket again.

Warriors sighed. He unwrapped his scarf from around his neck, before positioning it over his little brother.

“I swear to Hylia if I get sick because of this,” he grumbled half heartedly.

Times moving settled down as he buried his face into the scarf.

Some things never changed.

Warriors did a cursory scan of the rest of the cave. Four seemed to have fallen asleep already. Face straight up towards the roof of the cave. Warriors swore he slept like that on purpose to freak people out. Sky was curled up in his sail cloth, sleeping deeply as ever. His breathing was a little more shallow than normal, and Warriors made a mental note to keep an eye on that to make sure it wouldn’t get any worse.

Legend was at the very back of the cave, where he'd been the entire time they’d been there. He appeared to be asleep, but Warriors wouldn't put it past him to be faking.

Warriors wasn’t sure he’d put anything past him after that morning. He understood why Legend had an issue with him, he clearly had some trauma with knights, and Warriors could respect that, relate to it even. There was some obvious distance between him an Four, but that seemed more wary than antagonistic, so Warriors couldn’t begrudge him that. And Hylia knows that the tension between Legend and Time was due to mutual weirdness.

But snapping at Sky? Sweet Sky who had been nothing but kind and accomodating to Legend. That Warriors could not excuse.

He finally thought they were making progress with Legend yesterday. He had been less antagonistic to Warriors ever since he apologised, and Legend was actually letting Sky help him. Not that he’d had much say in the matter, but still.

And then Legend had turned around and spouted off words clearly designed to hurt Sky.

Warriors accepted that six adventures couldn’t have been easy, but that didn’t give legend the excuse to be an asshole.

Even if Warriors may have been slightly too harsh in his response.

He looked back over the others one more time, intending to go back to his watch when he was done.

Instead, he saw Legend tossing and turning, a pained expression on his face.

Warriors had half a mind to leave him. Sky had been the one to deal with… whatever had happened last night, and Legend had made it pretty clear he wanted nothing to do with him.

The tossing and turning shifted to something closer to writhing, and Warriors thought he could see tears streaming down his face.

If Warriors left Legend to suffer like this, would he really be any better than him?

His mind made up, Warriors rose to his feet. He slowly made his way over to the back of the cave, only dragging his feet a little.

No one else was around to see it, so he let himself frown. Probably closer to a pout if he was being honest.

The captain knelt down beside Legend. He looked no less distressed. He was definitely crying, and now that Warriors was close enough, he could hear the way he was struggling to breathe.

Warriors reached down and put a hand on Legends arm. Legend jolted at the contact, but didn’t wake. Trying again, Warriors shook his arm.

Legend was full on hyperventilating now.

“Legend. Legend, come on, wake up.”

Legend scrunched his face up, pulling away from warriors. A sound of pure fear came out of him, and Warriors winced.

“Legend. Legend! Link!”

Something in Legends expression changed.

Before warriors could react, Legends arm shot out towards him. Instead of the dull pain of a punch, or the sharp sting of a stab wound, a rush of heat flew at him. A tunnel of flames surged towards him, missing his face by inches. Instead, Warriors just got a tingling face and the smell of burnt hair.

He snapped out of his shock, hands flying up to his hair. He screamed as his fingers made contact with burning flames.

The other links immediately woke up, searching for what was wrong.

Time saw him first, eyes locking on the captains beautiful, flaming hair.

Warriors waited for Time to respond, to be as outraged as he felt.

Time opened his mouth, and started laughing. He doubled over, actually slapping his knee.

Four joined him, silently snickering.

It was Sky who eventually took pity on him, handing him a waterskin. Warriors took it gratefully, immediately pouring it on his singed locks.

He reeled on Legend. The vet was sitting, bashed pressed against the wall. A fire rod was held tightly in his hand. If Warriors was paying more attention, he might have seen the way his hands were shaking, and the way his eyes were blown wide with fear. As it was, Warriors was too shaken to focus on details like that.

“Who the fuck sleeps with a fire rod?” He screeched.

Legend shrunk back into the wall slightly, but bared his teeth.

“What is wrong with you?”

“Captain-” Time called out, but Legend cut him off.

“You're going to need to be a bit more specific.”

“What?” The captain asked incredulously.

“There's quite a lot wrong with me, so you’re going to need to specify what exactly you mean.”

Warriors blinked, dumbfounded.

“Mentally? Physically? I would suggest spiritually but it may be too late in the night to open that can of worms.”

Warriors exhaled harshly through his teeth. He flung his arms up in the air in frustration.

“I don’t know what you expect us to do with you Legend! You seem to take such joy in acting like an obnoxious prick.”

Warriors stepped forward hands raised. He wasn't sure exactly what he was planning to do, just that he was so Hylia damned frustrated with Legend.

A hand was on his shoulder at the same time Legend violently flinched back.

“Captain, that's enough,” Time said sternly. Warriors glared at him, but stepped back.

He glared at Legend, who glared right back him. But this time, warriors didn't miss how heavy Legend was breathing, or how tightly he gripped the fire rod.

A wave of guilt flooded through him, but one look up at his singed hair, and he was able to push it down easy enough.

Sky tutted, moving to sit beside Legend.

Legend recoiled away from him, turning his head.

Time tugged on Warriors arm.

“Why don’t you go cool off?” He suggested, a small smirk on his face.

Warriors glowered at him. He would think the pun was accidental, if it weren’t for the smug expression on Times face. And the fact that he knew his little brother far too well.

Still. Time was right. Warriors needed to get out of the situation and take a breath.

He allowed Time to pull him out of the cave, and towards fresh air.

Chapter Text

Legend was about ready to curl up into a ball, and scream. And then not stop screaming for quite a long period of time. Unfortunately, if Legend wanted to preserve the already questionable state of his dignity, that was not an option.

Also Legend was currently hoping that if he didn’t draw attention to himself, the others would leave him alone. Given the fact that he'd just set Warriors hair on fire, that seemed incredibly unlikely, but legend did like to be optimistic every once in a while. He was pretty sure that this is not a time his optimism would be rewarded.

He inched another bit backwards against the cave wall, drawing his knees up to his chest. He was still breathing quite heavily, but not all out hyperventilating, so he’d call it a win. The feeling of being trapped and hunted lingered from his nightmare, but Legend knew it was exacerbated by the fact that he was kind of trapped in the cave. Time was standing by the cave entrance, and the captain would be close by.

Four, mercifully, had gone back to bed, claiming ‘it was too late for this shit.’

Legend agreed, but he doubted his still racing heart would be conducive to sleeping.

Sky was still sitting next to him, absentmindedly fiddling with his sailcloth as he stared at the flickering fire. Legend was pretty sure he was waiting for him to make the first move, and if that really were the case, he would be waiting a long time. Legends throat was far too tight for speaking, and he was still half debating just making a run for it.

Sky must have realised that, as he sighed softly, before speaking.

“Don’t worry about the captain, he’ll simmer down eventually.”

Legend blinked as the pub registered in his brain, before huffing, side eyeing Sky. His innocently baffled expression may fool others, but Legend could see right through it.

“I’m guessing you’re not planning to go back to sleep tonight?” Sky asked.

In lieu of answering, Legend turned his head away from Sky, pressing his chin into his knees.

There was another sigh from Skys direction, and the sound of someone getting up. Legend pushed down a pang of sadness at his leaving. It’s what he wanted after all. Or, maybe not wanted, but needed.

But then there was something soft placed around legends shoulders. Legend tensed instinctively, before recognising it as Skys sail cloth. His body relaxed without his consent, leaning into the comfort that the fabric provided.

Legend turned to look at Sky.

He was sitting there, hands open on his lap, smiling softly, like legend was an injured forest animal he was trying to coax forward.

He was still there, despite Legends attempts to push him away.

“Leave me alone,” he whispered. It sounded pathetic and weak even to Legend.

Skys shoulders fell slightly, but his smile didn’t waver.

“That’s not what you really want though, is it?”

Legend broke. He curled into himself even as the first tear fell. He choked back whatever sound was about to come out, but couldn’t stifle it completely. A pitiful whine escaped him.

Barely a second passed before arms were being wrapped around him. He was gently pulled away from the wall and into something safe and warm. A hand was gently rubbing circles onto his back, and instead of it being irritating like it often was, it was comforting.

Maybe if legend wasn’t so exhausted, and still shaken from his nightmare, he would pull away. As it was, Legend sunk into the hug, burying his face into Sky’s shoulder.

“Hey Link, you're okay. You’re in a cave in Fours Hyrule. It's just you, me, Four, and Time in here, the captains left,” Sky reassured him.

Legend attempted to nod, but it was a little hard when his whole body was shaking.

“I can get Time to leave if you want, but I think Fours already asleep, and he tends to get cranky when woken up.”

Legend flinched at the inadvertent reminder of what he had done when woken up, and Warriors subsequent anger.

“Maybe I should go check on the captain,” Time said.

Legend jumped at the sudden words, pressing his head further into Sky to hide from everything.

The hand on his back lifted, and the flutter of air indicated Sky was making some sort of gesture, perhaps a shooing motion. The hand returned alongside the sound of footsteps leaving the cave.

“It's just us now, let it all out.”

And Legend did. He cried out all the frustration that had been building since he’d first heard of the strangers looking for him. All the grief for the childhood he’d lost that had been stirred up by yet another adventure. All the fear about new companions and the potential to lose them.

Time passed without legend measuring it, and eventually his sobs slowed to tears, which eventually slowed to a stop.

When he regained some semblance of composure, he pushed away from Sky, rubbing the palm of his hand against his face. He had enough sense not to apologise, but Sky could clearly see the look on his face.

“It’s okay. I think, well I know you can’t go through the kind of things we've gone through without breaking down every once in a while. And that’s okay, well not okay, but you know what I mean.”

Legend chuckled wetly.

“That being said, and you don’t have to, but maybe it would be a good idea to talk about it?”

Something about the combined factor of the earnestness in Skys voice and the exhaustion in Legends soul made him speak.

“I’m getting attached,” he sighed.

Sky nodded, biting his lip in thought.

“And this is a bad thing?”

Legend sighed for what seemed to be the millionth time that day, running a hand through his hair.

“Everyone I get attatched to gets hurt.” There was no over exaggeration, no dramatics, just complete and utter resignation.

It happened to them all. The nice old priest at the sanctuary had been murdered by Ganons minions. Sir Raven had almost been executed because Legend couldn’t leave well enough alone. Ralph had almost died. Multiple times. Din had been kidnapped. Marin and all of koholint had been murdered by Legends own hand. Zelda had been put in danger time and time again.

Even Ravio hadn’t come out unscathed. Legend heard the way he cried when he thought he was asleep. He hadn't left yet, but Legend knew it was only a matter of time.

Sky studied legend, a sad look of understanding forming.

“And you think if you let yourself care about me, something bad will happen to me.”

Legends face flushed. When he put it like that it sounded childish and paranoid.

“You know, when my adventure finished, every time I couldn’t see actually seen Sun, I was terrified that something horrible would happen to her. Logically I knew that that was unlikely, but I couldn’t let go of the fear.”

“Let me guess,” Legend said tiredly.

“You realised it was irrational and got over it.”

He’d heard it before.

“No. I wish it was that easy. Eventually, I had to do things where she wasn’t right beside me. And every time we reunited, she was okay. But the fear stayed.”

Legend opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.

“How did you get over it?” He asked quietly.

Sky sighed.

“I didn’t. Not fully. But with every time we were separated, it got a little easier every time to trust that she could take care of herself. And these days it’s mostly only a vague sense of dread at the back of my mind. Some days are harder, much harder, but I trust her, and by now, I know better than to doubt her.”

Legend pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs.

“And on the days trust isn’t enough?”

Sky smiled sadly.

“Then all we have is hope.”

—————————————————————

Four clutched his mug of coffee between his hands, using the warmth of the drink to warm up his cold fingers.

The chill of the cave had only been exacerbated by the frost between Legend and Warriors. A fact that Blue was finding quite amusing.

“Maybe Legend isn’t so bad after all.”

Vio scoffed, taking a sip of their coffee. The combination of the caffeine and the green potion they had spiked it with helped fight pack the lingering headache from the portal. It hadn’t developed into a full blown migraine, but it still sucked.

“I’ll admit, it was amusing to watch the captains hair going up in flames,” Vio said. “But can he do it either later in the morning or earlier in the night next time?”

Four took another sip of his coffee, glaring at the fire in front of him. Beside him, Warriors was tugging on his charred locks, muttering something about heat damage and split ends. Time was patting his back consolingly, smirking when he thought Warriors wasn’t watching.

Four was a little less subtle with his amusement.

Or well, Vio and Blues amusement. Green was doing the thing where he pretended to be above stuff he found immature, and Red was just concerned, both about Warriors and Legend.

He had seen the look in Legends eyes when Warriors wasn't yelling at him. It was the same look Blue got when it was too cold, or Vio around broken glass.

Four hadn’t been in a position to see the captains face, but Red was pretty sure it’d be similar.

Wars grumbled something about a ‘waste of good hair products’ and Four nearly choked on his coffee.

“It’s not about the hair, not really,” Red said.

“It’s the fact that he was attacked by someone who was meant to have his back. He’s rattled.”

Vio hummed consideringly, while Blue rolled his eyes.

“Do you have to do that emotional maturity thing and ruin our fun?”

“Yes.”

Green took another sip of his coffee, tuning out whatever argument was occurring.

“-four?” Time said. It was clear he’d asked a question, but Four had no idea what.

“Mmm?”

Time chuckled lowly, before restating the question.

“Do you think we’ll be able to make it to your village today?”

Four took another sip of his coffee, thinking it over.

Normally it would be a pretty straight shot to the village, half a days trip at most. But the heavy rain last night may have made the downhill paths slippery, and that was only if they got that far.

The river at the edge of the forest was prone to flooding, and blocks the only path to the village. If the bridge was flooded, they’d have to wait for it to recede.

“Depends on if the rivers up. It’s about half an hour into our journey and crosses the only path forward. We’d get there and have to turn right back around.”

Time nodded, taking the information in.

“Can you go down with someone and check? We’ll wait until you get back to pack up camp.”

“As long as I can finish my coffee first.”

Time chuckled again, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll go with him,” Legend said abruptly.

Four paused his coffee drinking to raise an eyebrow.

“Pardon?” Time asked.

“You said Four and someone else will go down, can I go with him?”

Time turned to Four, waiting for his input.

“There must be some motive for him to want to come with us,” Vio mused.

Red rolled his eyes.

“He probably wants some space from the captain. Last night was… tense.”

Blue scoffed.

“That’s one word for it.”

“He can come,” Green told Time, stopping that argument before it could begin in earnest.

Red offered Legend a smile, and got a small one in return.

Chapter Text

“So who wants to be the one to tell Legend that the rivers flooded and we’ll have to stay in the cave over night?” Green asked.

“He has eyes, i’m sure he can tell,” Vio pointed out.

Collectively, Four sighed, turning away from the flooded river.

The mud from the ground stuck to their boots, squelching as they stepped.

“Fine, I’ll do it cowards.”

Before anyone could stop him, Blue spoke.

“Yep. Bridge is flooded.”

Vio winced at the brusque way it was phrased. They normally tried to speak similarly enough that it wouldn't attract unwanted attention, but sometimes things slipped through the cracks.

Legend snorted.

“Astute observation.”

Blue bristled at what he perceived challenge, but Vio held up a mental hand. He could handle it.

“One of us had to make it, and I didn’t hear you doing it.”

Legend rolled his eyes, picking up a rock and throwing it into the river.

“So how long until it recedes enough for us to cross?”

Four hummed.

“Red, you know the forest best, what do you think?” Green asked.

Four knelt down, picking up a stick and dipping it in the edge of the water, testing how deep it was.

“It should only take a day for the buildup to clear into the river surrounding the castle. We can set off late tomorrow morning at be at castletown by dinner.”

Legend sighed, kicking a rock into the river.

“Another night in that fucking cave. Great.”

Red winced. It wasn’t surprising that Legend wasn’t thrilled about going back to the cave. The animosity between him and Warriors had festered in the tight quarters. Another night would be awkward at least.

“I’m sure-” Four started, but was cut off by a loud sigh from Leged.

“Just. Just don’t.”

Blue grumbled at the words, but Red mentally nudged him.

Legends frustration wasn’t directed at Four, merely the situation.

Four tilted his head up towards the treetops. Red watched the birds flying above them, almost gasping when he saw the baby birds in a nest.

One titled its head towards them, making eye contact with Red. It chirped, puffing up its feathers.

Red cooed softly, wishing they could shrink down to minish size and meet the hatchlings in a less intimidating form.

Legend raised an eyebrow, before turning towards where Four was looking.

“Huh. Seems to be some sort of Jay. I can’t tell exactly what breed though,” Legend murmured.

Four hummed, tilting his head to the side.

“They're cute,” Red said.

Legend looked at Four, studying them for a moment.

“They are,” Legend agreed.

One of the chicks chirped, before fluttering its wings. It awkwardly flew through the air, before landing on Legends head.

“Seriously?” Legend sighed, but there was a fond smile on his face.

He reached a hand up to his hair, turning his palm upwards. The chick poked it with its beak, before hopping on.

Legend slowly lowered his hand back down, bringing the chick up to his face.

“If you poop on me, you’re dead.”

The bird chirped in response, hopping once.

“Mmm, I’m sure.”

Vio was suddenly reminded of the interaction after the portal. Legend had seemed to be talking to the fox.

“You can talk to animals?” Four asked. It was a common skill among the Minish, but more rare for Hylians.

Legend bristled slightly, but nodded. He raised a finger, bringing it up to scratch the birds head.

“Do you want to pet her?” Legend asked after a moment of awkward silence.

Red perked up.

“Can I?”

Legend nodded.

“Just be gentle, only pat the head.”

Four nodded. He gently stroked the top of the birds head, gasping as he realised how soft it is.

They stood there for a few minutes, Four gently stroking the birds back.

“We have to get back soon,” Vio said softly.

“They’ll start to worry.”

Legend seemed to realise the same thing, as he sighed, raising his hand back up to the nest.

“Back in you go.”

The chick chirped, before hopping off his hand and into the nest.

“Shall we?” Legend asked tiredly.

Four nodded, and started walking back in the direction of the cave.

They walked in almost amiable silence. Legends eyes darted back and forth, taking in the forest around them. The leaves of the trees were still wet with rain, and every so often droplets of water would fall down on them.

They were about ten minutes out from the cave, when legend stopped abruptly.

He held up a hand, ears twitching.

“Portal?” Four asked.

Legend shook his head.

“Monsters.”

He drew his sword, circling slowly.

Four did the same, moving to stand behind Legend and cover his back. The veteran jumped slightly, but recovered.

Seconds later, a moblin burst through the trees. It ran forward, swinging a club at Four.

He ducked, grateful of his short stature, plunging the four sword upwards into its stomach. He pulled his blade out, groaning at the colour of the blood staining it.

“It’s infected.”

Legend groaned, dodging out of the way of a second moblin.

“Of fucking course it is.”

Four parried, jumping out of reach.

It was an inconvenience, but even if they were black blooded, Green was confident they could manage two moblins between the two of them.

Seconds after he finished the thought, 5 Lizalfos entered the fray.

Well shit.

Vio made a mental note to seperate just to hit Green later.

The Moblin lunged forward, clipping Fours side. They grunted, stumbling back. The fours sword glinted in the light as it arced through the air, slicing through the moblins torso. The monster stumbled backwards, and Four took that opportunity to jump upward and stab the sword down in the moblins neck.

It collapsed into black smoke, and Four whirled around to face the Lizalfos.

Before he could raise his blade, the Lizalfos swung its own sword forward. Just as it was about to hit Four, it was blocked by a metal rod.

Four turned his head to the side to see Legend blocking the sword with his fire rod.

Legend narrowed his eyes, and the rod suddenly lit up. The monsters sword became red hot, and it was forced to drop it. The second it did, Four lunged forward, skewering the monster through its stomach.

“Thanks,” Four called.

Legend mock soluted him, before turning into a spin attack. It forced the Lizalfos back, but caused them no real harm.

They were advancing quickly, the black blood strengthening them.

A couple of bokoblins appeared, and legend cursed, whipping his head around.

Four agreed with the sentiment. He was surrounded by Lizalfos on all sides, and they were slowly gaining ground.

Legend yelped as as a stray Lizalfos lashed its tail out. It knocked his leg out from under him.

He tried to catch himself, but fell on his wrist. Four heard the crack, but was unable to do anything about it, pinned in as they were.

Legend quickly scrambled to his feet, switching his sword to his uninjured arm. His face was pale, and he was breathing heavily, but he fought on.

Fours momentary distraction allowed a monster to get a hit in. It struck his leg with a sword, leaving a large cut.

They were surrounded on all sides, both injured. The others were too far away to hear them if they called.

In other words, they were screwed.

“Oh Fuck this,” Blue growled, raising his sword up to the sky.

A flash of light enveloped the battlefield, as Four split.

—————————————————————

Legends heart stopped as the four figures leapt into the fight.

It was them, it was really them. He had secretly hoped that he was just imagining Fours resemblance to the shadow figures. He had hoped that the fact that four wielded the Four sword was a coincidence, that the way his eyes flashed the colours of the four shadows was just a trick of the light, that someone else had ended up corrupted and sealed in that temple, that he hadn’t killed his new traveling companion-

The Lizalfos in front of him lashed out with its tongue, striking him on the side of his face.

As painful as it was, it was a welcome distraction from the little mental spiral he had slipped into.

The battle field was no place for a nervous breakdown after all.

He sliced up at the Lizalfos, cutting it right through the neck. The blood spurted out, coating Legends sword.

He adjusted his grip on his sword. He wasn’t as good with his right hand, but he was still far better than anyone else in his time. And far better than a pack of Lizalfos.

He swung forward, purposefully ignoring the red Four doppelgänger that came to stand in the side of his injured arm.

He could deal with that after the battle, for now, he had monsters to kill.

The rest of the battle passed in a haze of blood and pain. Legend blocked out everything but the monster in front of him, hacking and slashing untill it fell.

He spun and stabbed and blocked and parried until everything else fell from his mind.

The bokoblin in front of him collapsed in a puff of smoke, and Legend whirled around, looking for the next monster to kill.

There were no more Lizalfos, and no moblins.

He spun in a circle, breathing heavily.

“Link,” someone called out. He spun to face them.

The four shadow links from the palace of the Four sword stood in front of him.

No, it was Four, Four who was his teammate, Four who he’d killed, who’d tried to kill him-

He raised his sword, almost gasping for air.

The red shadow Four came forward, hands raised.

“Link, it’s okay, the battle is over.”

He slowly walked towards Link, telegraphing his movements.

Link slipped into a defensive stance, sword hand shaking.

“Please,” he whispered hoarsely. He didn't know what he was asking for. Not to have to fight anymore? Not to have to kill his friend again.

He walked backwards, stopping when he hit a tree. He held his hand out to steady himself, gasping as his injured wrist made contact with the tree.

“Link, we’re not going to hurt you,” the green shadow four said.

Link shook his head, gripping his sword so tightly it hurt.

“I can’t,” he whispered. “Not again, please.”

The red shadow Four crept closer, approaching Link like he was an injured animal.

“You don’t have to fight us. We’re not going to fight you. We’re just going to talk.”

Link was frozen as the possessed Four approached him.

He couldn’t stop him as he took his sword, placing it on the ground beside them.

“It’s okay Link. It’s me Four. Sort of.”

Link looked into his face, studying his eyes. They were grey, not the red of the dark links he knew. They were full of life and expression, instead of the cold emptiness he’d seen at the palace of the four swords.

Legends legs buckled beneath him as the realisation that they were alive and themselves. That he would be the one to kill them.

The red Four grabbed his arm, guiding him to the ground gently.

“Okay Link, can you tell me where you are.”

Legend sucked in a breath, looking around.

“A forest. Your Hyrule.”

The red Four nodded.

“Yeah, good job. I would ask you what day it is, but with all the Time travel involved that probably wouldn’t be very helpful.”

Legend snorted slightly, a small hysterical laugh escaping him.

Fucking Time travel.

“Would it help if I explained what happened?”

Legend blinked. Did Four know something about what would happen to him in the future? Did he know the source of the corruption? Hesitantly, he nodded.

“Vio’s better at explaining this, but the Four Swords name is a lot more literal than people think. When Link drew it, it split his soul into Four pieces.”

Legends heart dropped. Of course that’s what they would think he was freaking out over. They didn’t know. They didn’t know how he’d killed them.

Legend dropped his head, chucking dryly. Of course.

“Legend?” Red Link asked carefully.

“You don’t know.”

Red four tensed beside him, placing a hesitant hand on his shoulder.

“Know what?”

Legend took a deep breath, before releasing it.

“How I killed you.”

Chapter Text

“What the fuck do you mean “I killed you?” Blue yelled.

Vio mentally sighed at the outburst. His brother really needed to learn to examine the circumstances before jumping in head first. It was clear there was far more to the situation than Legend was saying, from a number of factors.

For one thing, Legend and the colours were at least hundreds of years apart in the timeline. Neither of them should meet again past this quest. Hylia may have little regard for the timeline, but Vio severely doubted even she would let it get messed up to that extent.

Red knelt down next to Legend, who was staring off into the distance, trying to suppress sobs and gasps in equal measure.

Blue stepped forward, hands on his sword, and Vio sighed out loud this time.

Legend violently flinched away, slamming his back into the tree.

“Blue, calm down,” Green huffed.

“He just threatened us!”

“No,” Vio breathed deeply, trying to keep his cool, “he stated a fact, although I’m sure there’s more still he hasn’t told us.”

It just wouldn’t make sense otherwise, and Vio had found that no matter how strange a phenomenon may be, it always made sense. There would be a logical explanation.

“But-”

“Blue, put your sword away,” Red interrupted.

Legend had his hand on his own sword, and was raising it higher.

The situation was too tense, and Blue was only making it worse in his concern. Green must have realised the same thing, as he interjected.

“Blue, can you do a perimeter check? We don’t want any monsters catching us unaware.”

Blue looked between the colours and Legend, before huffing.

“Fine, I’ll be within earshot if there’s any issues,” he said the last part while looking pointedly at Legend, like he was actually a threat.

Between his broken hand and the fact that he was on the brink of a panic attack, Vio doubted that Legend would put up much of a fight.

Blue looked at them one last time before stomping away.

“Legend,” Red said softly, “what did you mean?”

Legend brought his knees up to his chest and placed his head down. Vio was about to give up on getting any information until Legend calmed down a bit when Legend sighed long and deeply.

“On my first quest, there was a dungeon called the Palace of the Four Sword. It was attached to the Pyramid of Power, the dark world equivalent of Hyrule Castle. I, uh, though the whole Four sword part was a monument to, well, you.”

Vio caught onto the past tense in the sentence. He had a bad feeling about where this was going.

“But it wasn’t, was it?”

Legend laughed darkly.

“No. It was a tomb. Your tomb to be precise. Or is it tombs? There were four of you at the end, can one tomb hold multiple people? You'd think with the frequency of which I end up in tombs I’d know more about them.”

Legend was spiralling slightly, from the pain or stress Vio wasn’t sure, but either way, now wasn’t the time.

He cleared his throat, and Legend shook his head.

“Right, anyway. Like I said, it was a dungeon, made up of five sections. The first four were open, the fifth was behind a magical barrier.”

“Typical dungeon stuff,” Green said in what Vio assumed he thought was a helpful manner.

Legend snorted.

“Yep. Typical dungeon stuff. Each of the unlocked sections had a sword at the end, those swords I’m assuming. It was a fucking complicated dungeon, but I got all the swords, and they formed back into the four sword, which opened the barrier. Again, typical dungeon stuff.”

The shake in Legends tone betrayed that it was not typical dungeon stuff, but Vio didn’t call him out on it.

“But then I got to the last room, the boss room.”

Vio had put enough together to know who the boss was.

“It was us, wasn’t it?”

Red stifled a gasp, and Green just nodded slowly, pushing the information away to deal with later.

Legend nodded, face set into a stony mask.

“Four dark links, or possessed ones. I had to-” Legends voice hitched.

“I had to kill you. All four of you, to clear the temple. There wasn’t even a reason to do that temple, it wasn’t part of the quest, there was no item, I just felt like I had to, and now…”

Red placed a hand on Legends shoulder, but he flinched away.

Vio slowly nodded, taking in the information. Something didn’t feel right.

“When you fought us, how did we fight?”

Legend raised his head, staring at Vio strangely.

“First it was the green one, he was pretty easy, it felt more like a spar really. Then red, a little harder because there was a new move and the timing was a bitch to get, but I beat him in the end. Then blue, with that one fucking attack.”

Legend clenched his fist.

“Then uh, you. You were the hardest.”

Vio scoffed. He should hope so. But there were more pressing matters.

“But we attacked one at a time?” They hadn’t fought alone while seperated in years. There would be no reason to.

Legend nodded.

“These Shadow Links, what did they look like?”

Green shot him a look, but Vio waved him off.

He had a theory.

Back before, he and Shadow had once thought up a defence mechanism for their future home. A dark reflection of the Four Sword, designed to create puppet figures to fight potential intruders.

Shadow was dead, and yet, Legend had fought something that sounded exactly like what they'd planned.

“Uh grey skin, red eyes, identical to you lot, normal possession-and-or-dark link stuff?”

Vio didn’t want to hope, but the evidence was too great to ignore.

“Legend, I don’t think that was us.”

Legend looked up at him, a flicker of hope in his eyes that was quickly snuffed out.

“What do you mean Vio?” Red asked, not trying to hide his hope.

“A friend and I, years ago, thought up a defence mechanism for important places. It would be an inverted Four Sword, capable of creating puppet links to defend, well whatever needs defending. I don’t understand quite how it got made, or ended up in the sacred realm, but it’s too similar for me to dismiss the possibility.”

Legends face flickered through a variety of emotions. Vio couldn’t read them all, he was sure Red could. But it was clear Legend needed further convincing.

“We never fight alone if we have the option. Never. We’re a team. Death wouldn’t change that.”

It was a somewhat sappy sentiment, but true.

Vio knew he would be hearing about that statement from Red later, but it was true.

“Plus,” Blue said as he reemerged from where he obviously was eavesdropping.

“I would’ve kicked your ass way harder than Violet over here.”

It was a factually incorrect claim, but it was a peace offering to Legend, and so Vio didn’t correct him.

Correct him much anyway.

“It’s Vio you prick.”

Legend snorted, which turned into laughter. Massively hysterical laughter, but laughter all the same.

When it has settled down, Red spoke.

“Legend, even if it was us in that temple, you didn’t kill us, not really. We’d have been dead for a long time up until that point, so if anything, you freed us to rest in peace. I’m only sorry it was you who had to.”

Legend nodded, before dropping his head back onto his knees. He took a long, deep breath, before raising his head back up.

Vio pretended not to notice the way his eyes were red.

“We should get back, they’ll be wondering what happened.”

Vio sighed but nodded. They’d probably had enough heavy conversation for one day, and Legend had had far more than the colours.

“You should get your wrist seen to as well, that’s got to hurt,” Red said.

Legend scoffed.

“I had actually forgotten about it.”

—————————————————————

“What the hell happened to you two?”

Legend sighed at Warriors question. He really didn’t have the energy to deal with the captain right now. His talk with Four had left him drained, if a bit more light.

It was somewhat relieving to know he hadn’t become a murderer at the tender age of eleven. Even if he was still a murderer, that child didn’t have to be.

“Black blooded monster ambush on the way back, at least twenty,” Four answered for him.

Legend would have to make an effort to get to know all of the colours. It must be lonely pretending to be someone you’re not.

Legend could relate, if only in a different sense.

Sky was on his feet in an instant, rushing over to them.

“Any injuries?”

Once again, Four answered for Legend.

“I’ve got a bad cut on my leg, and Legends wrist is badly broken.”

Sky was immediately on Legend, holding his hands out to inspect the wrist.

Legend sighed, but presented it without protest.

Sky frowned deeply.

“That’s got to hurt.”

Legend gave a half hearted shrug. It did, but it wasn’t the worst he’d had. After the events of the day he felt kind of numb if he was being honest.

“Warriors, do we have anything for pain while I reset it?”

“I don’t need anything,” Legend protested.

Sky raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t recall asking you.”

Time came over and handed a small vial to Sky.

“This is all we have. It’s not very strong, but it should take the edge off.”

Sky smiled in thanks, before uncapping the vial and handing it to Legend.

He begrudgingly took the glass, bringing it up to his face.

The amber coloured liquid inside smelled vaguely earthy and bitter. Legend recognised it. It was a simple tincture, made of a few different herbs known to help pain. His physicians had had him on it daily after his third quest. He quickly built up a tolerance.

Knowing that it would have no real effect on him, Legend took the medicine to keep Sky happy. He expertly used the little dropper to measure out the recommended dose, before dropping it under his tongue.

It tasted as bad as he remembered.

Sky raised an eyebrow at the familiarity with which Legend took the medication, but didn’t question it, which was good, as Legend didn’t have it in him to deflect any questions right now.

“Can you sit down? It might make it easier.”

Easier on Legend, not Sky, but he wouldn’t call him out. As it was, he wasn’t sure how much longer his legs would hold him up, so he quietly followed Sky over to his bedroll.

“Okay, on three.”

Legend sighed. People really needed to work on just getting on with it.

“Three, two, one.”

The bone was forced back into place. The grinding feeling under his skin was almost worse than the pain, and Legend let out a short hiss.

“Sorry, just let me wrap it.”

“It’s fine.”

Sky gave him a look, but let it go. He gently, but expertly wrapped the wrist, before securing it with a barbed metal clip.

Sky smiled, rubbing his thumb over the bandages for a moment, before standing.

Legend closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the cave wall. It had been a long day, and he was half considering pretending the pain killer made him drowsy so he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone else. Footsteps sounded from beside him, before something soft and warm was placed on him. He cracked one eye open to see Sky adjusting a blanket around his shoulders.

“I’m not a child you know,” he grumbled.

“And? We all deserve to be taken care of sometimes.”

Legend huffed, but said no more. He didn’t have the energy to get into that debate.

Sky sat down beside him, close enough for legend to lean on him if he wished, but still far enough that Legend had his space.

They sat in silence for a moment, before Sky whispered softly.

“Legend, how much pain are you in?”

Legend sighed. He knew what Sky was getting at, and he really didn’t want to deal with that right now. Or ever, but he was never that lucky.

“The expected amount with a broken wrist?” He tried tiredly.

“You know thats not what I mean.”

Lolia’s sake, why did they all want to have heavy conversations in the one day.

“Sky, can we not? Not now.”

“Okay,” Sky said softly.

Legend let his eyes fall closed again.

He didn’t react when a moment later he felt Four sit on his other side. If Four was content to leave the conversation from earlier alone, so was he.

Before Legend knew it, he was slipping into a light doze, the exhaustion of the day finally getting to him.

Chapter Text

“Hey Legend,” Sky said softly as the last embers of the fire began to burn out. It wasn’t too late in the night, but Warriors didn’t seem keen on going anywhere near the fire, and Time seemed content to let it burn out, despite the chilly air. That was all well and good for Time, who had stolen Warriors scarf somehow and wrapped himself up in it, occasionally sending smug glances to the captain, who just sent fond, if exasperated looks in return.

Sky didn’t really understand their dynamic, and didn’t try to. He’d learnt long ago that somethings just weren't for him to understand.

Whatever was going on with Legend, however, was not one of those things.

Legend tensed slightly beside him, but hummed in acknowledgment.

Sky knew he had to approach this conversation gently, but he couldn't put it off any longer. Not after the night before. He had put off the conversation about the pain Legend so often seemed to be in because it appeared that he had a handle on it. He didn’t appear to have a handle on this however.

“Now, I doubt you’re going to like this conversation, but please hear me out,” he started, wincing at how bad it sounded.

Legend raised an eyebrow, trying to appear intrigued instead of the concern that was still seeping through.

“That’s comforting.”

Sky let out a sound that was half a sigh, and half an anxious laugh. This was already going worse than he’d hoped.

“Legend, I need to know about whatever the issue it is you have with sleeping, I can tell that it's not just regular nightmares.”

Legend inched backwards, hackles raised.

Sky rushed to continue, not wanting to give Legend the impression that this was an interrogation.

“You don't have to tell me exactly what it is! Or even why you have them. I just need to know how I can help you with it because Legend, you clearly need help.”

The last part came out harsher than he intended, and Sky inwardly winced. This was so not going well.

Legends eyes darted backwards and forwards the way they did when he was feeling trapped, before settling on Sky.

Sky did his best to seem open and just like he was there to help, which wasn’t hard because that’s exactly what he was.

“Legend, I just want to help you. This isn’t sustainable.”

Legend stared him down, but it was clear he wasn’t viewing Sky as a threat anymore, which was good.

Eventually he sighed, sagging forward.

“Fine.”

Sky smiled in relief. Legend didn’t say anything immediately, and Sky didn’t push. He knew that once Legend agreed to something, he would do it.

“It’s a side effect of my last adventure. I-” he sighed heavily.

“I’m not going to get into the specifics, and don’t ask me to, or I will set your hair on fire too.”

Sky chuckled softly at the obviously empty threat, but understood the feelings behind them. Legends last quest was clearly a trigger for him, understandably so as it would have to have been fairly recent.

“It involved a lot of dream magic. Powerful dream magic. I was, for lack of a better word, steeped in it for the duration of my quest. And this,” he tiredly raised a hand to gesture at the air, “is the result.”

Sky wasn’t really aware that dream magic was a thing until this conversation, so he wasn’t really sure what the side effects would be. Sun might know, probably did know if the way she seemed to monitor Legend at night during their week at Skyloft.

“Is it dangerous?” Sky asked.

Legend shook his head, exhaling shakily.

“No, just really fucking annoying.”

He inhaled again, slower this time.

“I get stuck. In nightmares. I’m aware that they’re not real, but I am physically unable to wake up without outside intervention. It's ridiculous.”

Sky hummed as he took in the information, trying not to outwardly show his concern, aware that might spook Legend. It sounded horrifying, especially to those in their line of work, who had gathered more than enough material for their nightmares. Skys visions were horrible, but at least they were short and had a foreseeable end.

“How do I help?

Legend sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“You don’t have to, I’m handling it.”

Sky raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“And setting Warriors hair on fire was handling it?”

Legend rolled his eyes, holding up his hands in surrender.

“I'll admit, sleeping with a fire rod was a bad idea.”

From a few feet behind Legend, Four snorted.

“You think?”

Legend slowly turned around, an air of incredulity mixed with tired resignation to the action.

“How long have you been eavesdropping exactly?” he asked, with less bite than Sky expected.

Four smiled, eyes glinting purple off the low firelight.

“Depends on who you ask.”

That answer made no sense to Sky, but apparently did to Legend, as he snorted, rolling his eyes.

“And what would the longest answer be?”

“The entire time, of course.”

Legend sighed, smiling slightly despite himself.

“Of course.”

Sky was surprised by Legends easy acceptance of Fours listening in. Legend had shown himself to be very secretive, and for good reason, so to have his trust violated by someone should be a big deal.

Unless he already trusted Four. Whatever talk they must have had earlier that day must have been some talk indeed.

“If you're going to shamelessly listen in, you may as well just join the conversation.”

Four jumped up and came over, not even bothering to hide his interest.

“Now you can stop using me as a way to avoid the question. How do we help?”

Legend sighed again, much more irritably.

“I don’t need your help.”

Sky was about to respond to that, but Four got there first.

“Tough shit, you’re getting it.”

Legend crossed his arms, not saying anything else. It was a bit childish, but it was an emotionally taxing conversation, so Sky figured some childishness could be expected from anyone, even Legend.

“We want to help you Legend,” Sky said softly, reaching over to place a hand on Legends shoulder. Legend leaned into the touch slightly, so Sky took it as permission to wrap his arm around Legends shoulder. Four scooted closer to Legends side, but didn’t make a move to touch him.

Now that Legend was pressed against his side rather than in front of him, Sky anticipated the conversation to be a bit easier. Legend seemed to deal better with hard conversations when he didn’t have to look at the person he was talking to.

“Let us help you,” Sky said softly.

Legend sagged against him as his resolve crumbled.

“I can only have three hours of uninterrupted sleep safely. Any longer than that… well, y’know. Back at home, Ravio used to wake me. He’s a light sleeper, so he notices when they start, I don’t know exactly how, I guess my breathing changes or something. But, he’s not here so…” There was an air of sadness to Legends words, especially when he mentioned Ravio. Sky gently squeezed his arm in comfort.

“Well, there’s an easy solution to that,” Four said.

Both Sky and Legend raised their heads towards him in question.

“You said uninterrupted sleep, so once you hit that three hour mark, if you are briefly woken up, it’s reset, correct?”

Legend nodded from his place beside Sky.

“Watch shifts are three hours. Well just have the person on watch wake you up when it’s time for your shift, and have you on the middle shift when it's your turn.”

That was an incredibly simple but also genius solution. Sky sighed in relief.

“One small flaw in that plan,” Legend said.

“And what would that be?” Four asked skeptically.

“We saw what happened last night when someone woke me.”

That was a good point, or at least Sky thought so. Based on the way Four rolled his purple eyes, he disagreed.

“Okay, but that was Warriors. You said yourself that Ravio could wake you, and Sky has done so several times without incident.”

Legend mumbled something incoherent.

“What was that?” Four asked, sounding a little smug.

“Because I trust them.”

Skys heart swelled slightly at the confirmation that Legend trusted him, even if he’d already suspected as much.

“Okay. Do you trust me?”

Legend hesitated, before nodding.

“But that's only two people out of a group of five.”

Four shrugged.

“It’ll take some creative scheduling but it should be possible for a little while. Eventually the group will grow, and you’ll trust some of them, even if you refuse to trust the captain. I'm sure Time will grow on you as well, he’s not as moody as he appears, he’s just bad at feelings.”

Legend made a noise that was a cross between a snort and a scoff.

“I can’t imagine Time growing on me.”

“Time creeps up on us all,” Four said, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips.

Sky laughed at the pun, while Legend swatted Four on the arm.

“Anyway, for tonight it’s you, Sky, and Time on watch. We’ll schedule it so that Skys up first, you’re in the middle, and Times last. That way you’ve got three hours on each side, Sky wakes you, and you can wake Time. Tomorrow night is you, me, and warriors if theres no portal and we’re not in an inn. Now we can’t have you on middle watch then, because we want to put as much space between you and Warriors as possible. You can be on first watch, I’ll be on second. Then I can wake you before I wake warriors for third. The night after that we will certainly either be in and inn by the village or will have gone through a portal, so we will reasses then.”

Sky slowly exhaled. It was a little scary how quickly Four could put together a plan like that, but he was grateful.

“And what about when we are at an inn? There’s no watch schedules then.”

Four waved a hand.

“We tend to double up on beds to save money, most of us are light sleepers if we're not injured or exhausted. You can share with Sky most times, and if he’s injured or sleeping heavily for whatever reason, you can share with me.”

Four really had thought about everything.

“You make it sound so simple,” Legend sighed.

“Because it can be.”

Sky gently pulled Legend in closer.

“It's simpler because we can help you.”

Legend lied against him for a total of two seconds, before sitting up to look him straight in the face. He looked distinctly unimpressed.

“That is the cheesiest shit I have ever heard,” he said, before flopping back down.

“I am known for my cheesy statements. But it’s also true.”

Legend sighed long and deeply.

“We’ll probably need to tell Time, he gets huffy when secrets that effect someone’s health are kept from him.”

Legend groaned, placing his face into Skys side.

“Fine. But I’m not talking to him.”

Sky rolled his eyes fondly.

“I’ll handle it, you can mope in peace.”

“I don’t mope.”

“You are quite literally the definition of moping right now,” Four said.

Legend moved from beside Sky to hit Four again. Sky took advantage of the movement to stand up.

“I’ll go speak to Time,” he said, then walked away before Legend could protest.

Time and Warriors were talking lowly about something, but it didn’t seem to be anything important, so Sky felt like it was okay to interrupt.

“Time, can I speak with you for a moment?”

Time nodded, a flicker of concern crossing his face.

“It's nothing urgent, I just thought you might like to know,” Sky reassured him quickly.

Times expression eased back into its normal level of grumpiness.

They walked a few paces away from the fire for privacy.

“Is everything okay?”

Sky nodded, a small reassuring smile on his face.

“It’s about Legend.”

Time furrowed his brow.

“Really?”

“I spoke with him about his issues sleeping. While it is supernatural in nature, it’s not visions.”

Time exhaled slowly.

“Well that’s a relief.”

Skys not sure what expression his face made, but it clearly wasn’t good, as Time frowned.

“Isn’t it?”

Sky shook his head.

“I honestly think it’s worse. He gets stuck in his nightmares, unable to wake up unless someone wakes him up. And as someone with six adventures worth of nightmare material, I can only imagine how bad they are.”

Time sucked in a breath.

“How do we help?” Times tone was full of concern, his only focus helping Legend.

Sky didn’t want to admit it in front of Legend, but he had been a little worried. Time had been acting weirder than normal ever since Legend joined them, and Sky honestly wasn’t sure how he’d react to this conversation.

“He needs to be woken by someone he trusts every three hours, which at the moment is only me and Four, and I’m not sure how even we managed that.”

Time nodded.

“Fours created a schedule for the next two nights of watch that will work, and he said he should be able to work with it for a while.”

Times eye twitched slightly at the idea of Four creating the watch schedule, but didn’t say anything, so Sky didn’t either.

“What is the watch schedule for tonight then?” Time asked.

“I’m on first watch, Legends on second, and you are on third.”

Time nodded.

Sky risked a glance back at Legend and Four, finding them talking animatedly about something.

Sky turned back to Time, finding him looking unsure.

“Is everything okay?”

“How,” he paused, “how do I get Legend to trust me?”

Sky sighed. He knew Time was emotionally incompetent, but he had hoped the wife he spoke of so often had helped at least a little, for her sake.

“You need to figure that out yourself.”

That conversation had gone markedly better than Legend had expected. There were no demands for further explanation of the cause, no claims he was exaggerating, no condescending suggestions that he try solutions he’s already tried hundreds of times before. Just honest and sincere offers of support.

And Four being a little intense about scheduling. Or part of Four anyway.

Legend really needed to get a proper introduction, as well as find out their preferences for being addressed while in one body.

Well, Legend supposed, now was a good as time as any.

“So, can I ask how all this works when you’re all in one body?”

Four turned to look at him, eyes flickering between all four colours. Legend had assumed somewhat incorrectly that the different eye colours reflected Fours mood. Now he wondered if they were instead indicative of which of the four parts was in control.

“We're all present, more or less. Our own thoughts are private, but we can choose to share them with each other, as well as images. Four is all of us, in a sort of synchronicity that we worked hard to achieve,” Four answered, eyes green, with flickers of purple every so often.

Synchronicity with other parts of yourself was something Legend could sort of relate to after his adventures in Hytopia, but his Dopples had vanished at the end of the quest, leaving Legend somewhat lonely.

“How do you prefer to be addressed when you’re together, as Four? Or individually.”

This time, Fours eyes were red when he answered.

“Generally together, but occasionally one of us may want to just talk one on one, in which case we’ll let you know.”

Legend nodded, smiling slightly.

“And, last question sorry, I caught Blue and Vio, but what are the rest of your names? And do you all use male pronouns?”

Four blinked, before smiling.

“My names green, I wear, well green. And then there’s Red, who as you can guess, wears Red.”

Legend couldn’t hold back the snort. He’d guessed that the other names were also colour based, but he’d hoped that they were a bit less on the nose, like Vio.

“You try renaming yourself when you’re twelve, after having just watched your father die and Zelda been kidnapped, then having your entire being split into four pieces. There wasn't much time to devote to it!” Blue said.

Legend nodded his head in acknowledgment.

“Fair.”

“We all use he and they pronouns, blue and I prefer he over they, Vio and Red the other way around. As Four we prefer they, but haven’t really gotten around to saying anything. How about you? I just realised we haven’t asked.”

Legend shrugged.

“I use he him, but I’m not overly attatched to it. I’m open to all really.”

“How do you think Skys conversation with Time is going?” Legend asked, anxious over, well most things to do with the hero of Time? Let alone him hearing of Legends weaknesses. That might be a bit paranoid of a viewpoint for Legend to have, but that’s how he’d survived as long as he had, by being moderately paranoid.

Four rolled his purple eyes.

“Times not good at emotions, but he does genuinely care. I trust him to be somewhat sensible about it.”

Legend raised an eyebrow.

“That's not the highest vote of confidence.”

“From Vio? Trust me, it is.”

Chapter Text

The portal the next day was an expected annoyance. They had just bought enough supplies to last them for a week or so, when the swirling black vortex opened directly in front of the store entrance.

“Someones impatient” Legend muttered.

The portal flared with magic in response.

“Okay, Warriors and I will go together. Four, Sky, and Legend, are you happy to all go through together?” Time asked.

Four and Sky nodded, and Legend shrugged. He liked Four and Sky, as much as he could in this position.

Theoretically, Legends involvement in their lives couldn't fuck it up too much for them. Sky had to go on to be the first king of Hyrule, and Four… well that situation was still a bit of a mess, but it should work itself out.

His lack of respect for Hylia not withstanding, he was fairly certain she wouldn’t allow the timeline to get that fucked up.

Even if his theories about how Time is alive are correct.

They stepped through the portal together, and Legend was proud that he managed to escape with only a slight stumble.

Immediately, he picked up on the shadow magic in the air. It clung to his skin like humidity on a hot day.

He slowly turned around, checking their surroundings as he drew his sword.

Four was on the ground, eyes squeezed shut tightly. Sky had taken a similar defensive position beside him.

“Do you recognise anything?” Legend asked Sky, who shook his head. They knew it wasn’t Fours world, so maybe it was Times or Warriors.

The other group stepped through the portal, noticing Sky and Legend in a defensive position and joining them.

“Either of you recognise this place?” Sky asked quietly.

Time shook his head.

“Must be a new Hyrule.”

Great, another hero dragged into this mess.

“What’s the plan?”

Legend hadn’t been in this particular situation before, so for once he was at a loss. Thankfully, Time took charge.

“Sky, how’s Four?”

Sky winced.

“You know how he gets the first time in a new Hyrule.”

Time pursed his lips.

“Sky, Warriors, go search for a town or potential shelter in opposite directions. Only go as far as one thousand steps, and don’t engage with any monsters you see. Legend and I will guard Four until you get back.”

Warriors and Sky nodded, having a quiet conversation over who would go in what direction.

Sky sent Legend a meaningful look before leaving, that Legend couldn’t quite interpret.

Legend lasted all of two minutes practically alone with Time before he couldn't deal with the tense silence.

“I’m going to do a quick perimeter check.”

He was expecting Time to argue, but the man just nodded. “Don’t go too far, call out if you run into anything.”

Legend stalked out into the forest. The combination of the unknown surroundings and the heavy shadow magic in the air was setting his teeth on edge. Every rustle of the leaves or movement in the branches was an unseen threat.

Legend kept his route to a loose circle around the spot where Time and Four were. Close enough that he could get back swiftly if they needed help, but far enough to get an accurate grasp on their immediate surroundings.

For all intents and purposes, it was an ordinary forest. The trees were all growing normally, average height and no abnormally twisting of the trunks that would signify the Lost woods, which was for the best. If the Goddess had been cruel enough to drop them in the middle of the lost woods for her own sadistic entertainment, Legend could not be held responsible for what he would do.

There seemed to be slightly more animals than Legend would’ve expected considering the dark air of the forest, but if anything that was a good sign. Animals, especially forest creatures like these tended to avoid dark magic. Whatever the magic in the air was, it wasn’t malicious, but that didn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t dangerous.

He’d just finished the circle and was about to return to Time when a twig snapped behind him.

Legend whirled around, sword raised to come face to face with a wolf.

He jumped backwards a little, the small part of him that was changed by his time as a bunny freaking out, but he forced himself to take a deep breath. It was just a wolf, not a monster.

Legend lowered his sword slightly, it was still dangerous, but hopefully if he didn’t bother it, it wouldn’t bother him.

The wolf tilted his head towards him, making a low keening sound that sounded almost confused. Its eyes were strangely intelligent for an animal, and it had strange markings on his head.

Legend had the hunch that this wasn't an ordinary wolf.

Of course not. Why could anything be simple.

“Look. I don't really want to deal with whatever this is right now, so if you leave me alone, I’ll leave you alone. Sound good?”

The wolf tilted his head again, before padding forward slowly. Legend tightened his grip on his sword, but didn’t otherwise move.

The wolf was right in front of him now. It leaned close, and head butted his sword hand.

Legend let out a huff of breath.

“I don’t have time for this,” he muttered, before sheathing his sword and walking back the way he came.

It may have been foolish to turn his back on the wolf, but Legend was seventy percent certain it wouldn’t attack him, and those were good enough odds for him.

He heard the soft footsteps of the Wolf behind him, but decided it was not his problem.

He reached Time and Four quickly. Time looked up as he approached, eye narrowing as he saw the wolf behind Legend.

“You led it right too us.”

Legend sighed.

“It didn’t give me a whole lot of choice, unless I wanted to kill an innocent animal for being nosy.”

Never mind the fact that this wolf was far too intelligent to be a regular wolf.

“Scare it off,” Time told him.

Legend rolled his eyes, grabbing a fire rod. He sent off a column of flames in the wolfs direction, making sure they fell short right in front of the Wolfs face. When the flame cleared, it was still there, looking distinctly unimpressed.

Time sighed deeply.

“Why is your first solution to all problems fire?”

Legend grinned.

“When in doubt, almost everything is flammable.”

The wolf snorted in a way that could be considered a laugh. Great. It could understand human speech. Time seemed to have picked up on it himself, as he glared at the wolf, before turning to Legend.

“Find anything?”

“All in all it’s an average forest. No plants or animals that shouldn’t be here, and nothing missing that should be.”

Ignoring the weird magic, but pointing that out would be useless. Time had noticed it too.

Before either of them could say anything else, Sky retured.

“Anything?”

“There’s a dirt road not far from here, it has to lead to lead to somewhere.”

Roads meant people, people meant towns, towns meant supplies and beds. And more importantly, information.

“Has the sword said anything about the hero?” Time asked, an edge of bitterness in his voice. Interesting.

“She has a name,” Legend grumbled. Fi had been the only constant in his quests. At first he resented the master sword, until he realised she was just as much Hylia’s tool as he was.

It didn’t look like Time had come to that same conclusion.

Sky looked at Legend with a small smile.

“He’s close. That’s all I know.”

The wolf startled, looking at the master sword with wide eyes.

“The hero is close hey”, Legend mused, staring intently at the wolf.

It shrunk back, ears pressing against its head.

The shadow magic in the air suddenly made a lot more sense. At least he wasn’t the ony hero who had to deal with that bullshit.

He eyed the wolf in a way that he hoped said ‘I’m on to you.’ The sheepish bark he got in response all but confirmed his suspicions.

Glancing around, Legend saw that Time and Sky were having a tense discussion, Four was incapacitated, and Warriors had yet to return. Legend used that oppurtunity to get more information.

“Blink once if you’re choosing to be in this form, and twice if you’re stuck.”

Why anyone would choose to be in their dark world form any longer than necessary was beyond Legend, but you never know.

The wolf blinked once.

Right.

“Are you the hero of this era, or just a companion?” The wolf tilted his head and Legend mentally cursed himself. Right, no way to verbally respond. Unless the hero had been stuck as a wolf consistently for years, he wouldn’t have yet learnt how to speak the language of animals.

“Blink once for hero, twice for companion.”

The wolf studied him for a moment, before blinking twice slowly.
Legend didn’t believe that for a second. But, he wasn’t going to call the Wolf’s bluff. It was only polite.

“Great. Fantastic, do you want to tell the others that you know where to find the hero is so that we don’t have to go on a wild wolf chase?”

The wolf, most likely Link, bared its teeth and shook it’s head.

Okay, that’s a little problematic. Clearly the wolf didn’t want others to find the hero, or didn’t want them to make any connection between him and the wolf. If it was the first option, he was fresh out of luck because Hylia was a stubborn bitch, and if Legend couldn’t get out of this bullshit, neither could wolf boy.

“Unfortunately, the heroes getting roped into this whether he wants to be or not. Believe me, I’m not happy about it either, but I would appreciate you going and getting him so that we don’t have to go traipsing around the woods and potentially stumble upon him at an inconvenient time.” He put that last part in to signify that they may end up putting two and two together about the wolf with the help of the master sword. Of course, Legend was still keeping his plausible deniability about the wolf’s true identity intact. Not his circus, not his monkey, or Wolf as it were.

The wolf sighed the most put apon sigh Legend had ever heard an animal make, before leaving.

“Great. That’s one problem solved.”

Time turned to Legend.

“Where did the wolf go?” he asked suspiciously.

Legend debated his answer before shrugging.

“How should I know?”

Time gave him a look that very clearly said ‘I have literally seen you speaking to animals before,” but didn’t push it, which was a very good thing because Legend was thouroughly fed up with people. What he wouldn’t give for a heatpack and a warm drink right about now.

Time eyed him suspisciously, but spoke to the whole group.

“We’ll wait for the captain to get back, then head to the road Sky found.”

“Can’t we leave him?” Legend muttered under his breath. Based on the glare Time sent his way, he’d definitely heard him. Legend found he didn’t really care.

Before Time could say anything, Warriors stomped back into camp.

“Nothing of note,” he reported. “Although there was a strange wolf hanging around.”

Legend snorted, and the captain turned to glare at him.

“Something funny?”

“Many things. None of which you’d understand.”

Warriors sneered at him and Legend just gave him the most shit eating grin he could muster.

“I found a road,” Sky interrupted before either Legend or Warriors could make the situaton worse. Warriors unwittingly, Legend very much on purpose. He was so done. With Warriors especially.

Warriors glared at Legend, but nodded. It really wasn’t a good glare. Legend gave it a 4/10.

“A road means eventually there will be a town.”

Legend resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Good job captain for reaching the same conclusion as everyone else. His mother must be so proud.

A new voice entered the clearing.

“You folks lost?”

Legend turned towards the source of the voice, and resisted the urge to face palm. Wolf boy was back, as a Hylian this time. He was also wearing a wolf pelt. Subtle.

Time raised a long suffering eyebrow at the newcomer, most likely putting the pieces together.

“Yes. We would appreciate directions to the nearest town. My companions and I are unfamiliar with these parts.”

“Rigggghht,” Wolf boy said, sounding dubious.

“Well, you’re about halway between Castle Town and Ordon village. Its about two days between here and both, so pick which one you want to go to.”

Time and Warriors shared a look. A silent conversation occured, at the end of which Warriors nodded at time.

“Castle town,” Time said, without bothering to discuss with either Sky or Legend.

A flicker of something dark flashed across Wolf Boys face, and Legend understood. They had made the wrong choice.

“Actually, Ordon sounds more promising,” Legend interjected. He glared Time down, daring him to disagree. Fortunately, he didn’t, just studied Legend.

“Great, I’m heading that way myself, I can take ya with me.”

He turned and walked through the trees, and Legend followed.

Warriors grabbed his arm. It was only through the sacrifice of the last of Legends patience that he didn’t punch him.

“What are you doing? We don’t know anything about this person,” He hissed.

Legend rolled his eyes.

“I’m Link, by the way,” Wolf boy called out from ahead of them.

Legend raised his eyebrows at Warriors in a ‘See?’ gesture. Warriors sighed, but let go of Legends arm.

Everyone turned towards Sky for confirmation, who nodded.

“It’s him.”

“Great, can we go now? It’s too exposed here.”

He turned to follow Link, unsurprised when the others followed him.

Chapter Text

The newly dubbed Twilight was honestly exactly what Legend was expecting from a guy who walked around in a wolf pelt. That honestly sounded a lot worse than it was. Legend sort of respected his whole ‘kind hearted farm boy who could potentially kill you’ thing. At least he wasn’t another Lolia forsaken knight.

He’d actually scoffed when Warriors introduced himself as a knight of Hyrule, which had immediately earned him a place in Legends good books.

They had only known the new hero for a day, and Legend had already decided he liked him more than he liked Warriors, and potentially Time. Granted, that was a pretty low bar, but still. One thing that did get on his nerves slightly was the way he kept trying to subtly find out if Legend knew he was the wolf.

He wasn’t very good at subtle.

“Hey, Warriors says you’re the veteran of the group,” Twilight said, sliding up beside Legend as they walked.

Legend hummed in confirmation, absently massaging his stiff hands.

“I bet you’ve seen a lot of stuff. You’re probably very perceptive. Did ya’ happen to notice anything about me? Just curious of course.”

Legend sighed inwardly. If he admitted to knowing Twilights secret he’d therefore be involved. And it would be an uneven playing feild, Twilight may resent him for keeping his own secrets, or actively try and find something to hold over him. It was best to remain oblivious. Not his circus, not his monkey, Or, well, wolf as it was.

But it would be equally suspiscous if Legend hadn’t noticed anything. He had to walk a fine line of noticing just enough to be in line with his intelligence without revealing that he knew.

“Well you’ve got a wolf companion, and the animals in this forest don’t startle when you walk near them, so clearly animals like you, which is pretty standard for the hero business, but not a requirement. You didn’t like it when we wanted to go to castle town over Ordon, so I’m guessing you’ve got some connection to Ordon that anyone who’s looking for Link instead of the ideal of the hero should know of. You’re pretty good at deflecting questions about yourself by talking about others without people noticing. The crystal on your necklace is shadow magic, but not dark magic. I haven’t quite figured out what it does but I’m guessing some form of protection against dark shadow magic that your quest probably involved based on the markings on your forehead.”

There. That should be good enough.

Twilight grabbed his necklace, noteably touching the cord rather than the crystal.

“Yeah, my friend made it for me on my journey,” he said softly, a sad smile on his face.

Legend recognised that smile, had seen in in the mirror enough times. That friend hadn’t made it to the end of the journey.

In theory, this is the moment where Legend offers his condolences and awkwardly pats him on the back or something. In practise, Legend had far too much respect for both himself and Twilight to go through with that, so he just nodded.

They continued walking in silence. Legend used this oppurtunity to ground himself as much as he could. He focused on the way the breeze felt on his face instead of his growing sense of dread or the ache in his knees. Every step felt like there was a rock lodged between his knee cap and leg bones that shifted with each movement. While it was painful, it hadn’t quite reached excruciating level, so he grit his teeth and kept moving forward. He kept the beat of a common folk song in his head, making sure to step on every beat.

Legend was so caught up in his own head that he almost didn’t notice the soft grunt and sound of sticks being crushed by something heavy.

Almost.

Legend stopped, drawing his sword. The others, sans Twilight, were more or less accustomed to Legends tendency to seemingly randomly stop and draw a weapon, and knew by now that he was almost always right.

Time, Sky, and Warriors all drew their own weapons, Sky gently placing Four on the floor first.

“Wha-” Twilight asked, but Legend shushed him.

The trees in front of them rustled and everyone tensed.

A single bokoblin rushed out of the trees. Warriors stepped forward, cutting it down in a single blow.

“A single bokoblin, and it wasn’t even infected” Warriors snorted.

Legend chose not to tell him it was running from something.

Warriors, Twilight, and Sky relaxed, lowering their weapons. Time, seeing Legend hadn’t moved from his stance kept his guard up.

Well at least one of them was observant.

Warriors turned away, about to say something when loud, thundering footsteps sounded around them.

Legends ears twitched as he focused on the sound. Once it registered in his memories, he grabbed his pack, searching through it for his hook shot. He pulled it out with a grim smile.

Bring it on.

Four sat up from where they were lying on the ground, glaring at the trees in pained annoyance. They pulled a opaque potion bottle from a small section of his pouch and uncapped it. Immediately, a pungent, bitter smell hit Legend. Four downed what had to be half the bottle in one gulp, shuddering slightly. Their expression cleared, and he rose to his feet.

Legend wasn’t sure what was in that potion, but he was sure he probably didnt want to know.

The thundering footsteps were getting closer, and Four brought out his own hook shot.

“Let’s get this over with,” he sighed, eyes a dark blue.

Legend couldn’t help but agree.

A large grey blur sped out from the treeline, colliding with Warriors.

The captain stood his ground well for a direct attack, only stumbling backwards a few steps.

“What the bloody hell is this?” He grunted.

“Helmasaur. You have to pull its shell off with a hook or claw shot before you can attack it,” Legend replied curtly as two more of the monsters ran out from the forest.

Sky, Twilight, and Time all pulled out their own hook shots.

“Pair up, captain, you’re with me, Twilight join Sky, Legend and Four as well,” Time called out.

Legend grunted his agreement, moving to join Four against the left helmasaur.

“How's your aim?” He asked Four.

“Decent.”

Exactly what Legend was hoping for. Four may be able to fight currently, but they still weren't at the top of their game.

“You take out the shell, I’ll get in close.”

Not waiting for a response, Legend ran into the monsters blindside. It stomped its massive foot, almost hitting Legends leg.

Legend bit back a curse as the horrible scrape of mettle on bone signalled that Four had done their job. He surged forward, putting more strength into each of his swings then with most monsters. Despite the monsters hard shell, the skin underneath was tough and leathery.

Legend finally pierced the skin, sighing as black blood squirted out. Of course. He went to strike again, only to have his sword rebound, sending sharp pains up his arms. He stumbled back, looking up to see that the Helmasaur had regrown its shell.

“Since when could they do that?” Four called out, readying their hookshot for another strike.

“Since they got infected,” Legend called, moving back in to strike.

They fought with this rythym for a while, Four removing the shell and legend stabbing at the beasts hide. Just when Legend was pretty sure his arms were about to fall off, the beast collapsed into a puff of black smoke.

He glanced around the clearing, checking on the others. Sky and Twilight seemed just about finished, but Time and Warriors were struggling. The captain was moving stiffly, protecting his middle where the monster had struck him.

Legend knew he should go help them, he really did, but his limbs felt like they were made of molten metal, unstable and burning him from the inside out. His joints were stiff, not moving as they should.

He took a step forward, only for one knee to buckle and the other to not move at all.

All Legend thought as he fell to the ground was, ‘well, this may as well happen.’

He let out a muted groan as his face collided with the ground.

“Legend! Are you alright?” Sky called out.

“Uh huh,” he replied, not making any effort to get up. His current position was really doing wonders for his spine.

Something dull collided with his leg. He tilted his head to the side to glare at Four, who had kicked him.

“You good?”

Legend just flipped him off. Or attempted to, his fingers weren't quite bending at the moment.

Four rolled their purple eyes.

“Do you need help sitting up?”

Probably, but would Legend admit that? Nope.

He shook his head, and Four gave him a look that clearly said he didn’t believe him, but wasn’t going to call him out on it.

Legend sighed, and rolled so he was on his back. His body screamed as it adjusted to the new position.

Four was standing over him, an impressively judgmental expression on their face.

Legend flipped them off successfully this time.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Sky and Twilights Helmasaur collapse.

“You go help Time and Warriors, I’ll check on Legend,” Sky said to Twilight before making his way to Legend.

Great. Just what he needed. The mother of all mother Cucoos.

“I’m fine,” he said.

Sky just rolled his eyes, kneeling beside him.

“Your definition of fine is wildly different to mine.”

Four snickered, and Legend glared at them.

“What do you need? A potion?” Sky grabbed his bag.

“One of those purple vials, right?” Four asked like they knew the answer.

Legend stilled, he didn't think any of them had noticed those. But of course, Four had. He was pretty sure Four noticed everything.

“I’ve seen you have them sometimes when you’re moving oddly,” Four explained.

Sky raised an eyebrow.

“Oh really?”

Legend sighed, he wasn’t getting out of this then.

“They're in the inner pocket of my bag.”

Four nodded, taking that as the permission that it was to go through Legends bag.

If Legend had one of those potions now he wouldn't be able to have another for a week, but considering he couldn’t move a good percentage of his body, he figured it was worth it.

Sky placed a gentle hand on his arm, and Legend allowed him to help him sit up. His back and elbows cracked impressively, and Sky winced sympathetically.

“Now do you want to tell me what’s going on?” He half asked half demanded.

Legend didn’t, but Legend was also aware he didn’t have a lot of say in the matter.

“There’s not a lot to say really, six adventures take a toll on the body.”

Something that almost looked like guilt flashed across Skys face.

“And what has it done to yours?”

Legend gave a half hearted shrug.

“My joints stiffen and swell up. The purple potion gets rid of most of the swelling, but I can’t take it very often or it will mess up my stomach.”

Legend waited for the pity to come, but Sky just smiled sadly in understanding.

“Does it hurt?”

Legend laughed dryly.

“Well yeah, but it's fine. It is what it is.”

Four tossed purple vial at him.

He went to uncap it, but his fingers couldn’t quite grip the stopper.

Sky held out a hand in a silent offer, and Legend slumped as he passed the bottle over.

Sky opened it, then gave it back to him without comment.

They sat for a few minutes as Legend gave the potion time to work.

He untensed as the pain lessened slightly with the return of his range of movement.

“What helps the pain?” Sky asked softly.

Legend shrugged again, properly this time.

“Heat. I have some painkillers but I don't like using them when I’m not at home, makes it harder to think.”

Realisation dawned on Fours face.

“So that's why you were sleeping with the fire rod!”

Legend groaned, running a hand down his face.

“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

Chapter Text

Sky was starting to get a little worried about Legend. Well, a little more worried than normal, which probably averaged out to a medium level of worry.

It had been two days since their talk about legends pain, and he was only moving stiffer and stiffer. From what Sky understood, he could only take the anti inflammatory potion a few times a week, and had already reached his limit.

The chain had taken a detour away from Ordon village, hunting rumours of a pack of monsters not far from them.

Where Twilight had found those rumours Sky wasn’t sure. Last night he’d walked off into the forest, and come back an hour later with news of a small pack of Moblins to the east.

Warriors had questioned where he got the knowledge, but time and legend seemed to take his word, which was out of character for them both, so clearly they knew something the rest of them didn’t. Or, Warriors and Sky didn’t. Sky had long since accepted the fact that Four knows everything.

Sky could tell Warriors was a bit stressed not having all the information, he wasn’t exactly subtle in glaring at Twilight when he thought no one was looking.

Sky probably would’ve also been a bit annoyed if he wasn’t well used to people not telling him things.

If Time and Legend thought it was fine, it was probably fine.

They were both suitably paranoid to make up for the rest of them.

Sky was drawn out of his thoughts by Legend cursing softly behind him. He stopped his walking, allowing legend to catch up. When he did, Sky started walking again, not mentioning anything.

Not mentioning anything, that is, until Legend stumbled.

“You alright?” He murmured low enough for only Legend to hear.

Legend grunted in a way that was probably meant to be an affirmative. Sky sighed. Honestly, what did he expect.

“Let’s try that again. What’s wrong.”

This time Legend sighed.

“My knees locked up, that’s all.” It sounded like it pained him to admit it, although that could just be the pain of the injury.

Glancing down, Sky could see that Legend was indeed walking strangely. His nose was twitching the way it did when he was in pain but didnt want others to notice. Sky was fairly certain he didn’t know about that particular tic of his, and he definitely wasn’t going to be the one to tell him.

Sky pursed his lips. Legend should probably take a break if he was struggling to walk, but he was also a stubborn bastard with no self preservation instincts, so he wouldn’t.

They’d been walking for hours, so they were definitely due for a break. Sky could probably even swing a lunch break that would last about an hour if he was smart. If everyone was resting, Legend would have to join.

“Hey Time? Can we stop soon? I think I need a break,” he called out to the front of the group. Legend glared at him, but Sky ignored it. He had no proof that Sky wasn’t asking for himself.

Tim glanced back at them, before nodding.

“Twilight, is this a safe spot to take a lunch break?”

The rancher spun in a slow circle, observing the woods around them.

“It’s as good a place as any.”

That was good enough for Sky, as he immediately walked over to a tree and sat down beneath it. Now that he was sitting, he noticed that it was slightly harder to breathe than normal. Not quite to the point where he needed medication, but a rest would certainly be a good idea.

Well that was convenient timing.

Legend glared at him, but sat beside him. Sky had to resist the urge to wince as he watched the vet slowly sink to the ground, looking like every movement pained him.

A break was definitely the right idea.

“You’re not sneaky,” Legend muttered, grabbing an apple out of his bag.

Sky hummed.

“It didn’t need to be sneaky, it needed to work. And it did.”

Legend huffed, but Sky could tell he was at least a little amused.

He pulled his own food out of his bag, and began eating.

Four joined them a moment later, sitting on Legends other side. He didn’t say anything, just started sharpening his sword.

They sat there for a while, Four running weapons maintenance, Legend observing the other three, and Sky just taking the break that was offered to him.

It was a beautiful day, the sun warm but not too hot, and a gentle breeze blowing through the trees. It kind of sucked that they were going to a monster camp, Sky would’ve much preferred to just exist.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

“We should get moving if we want to be able to get to the camp before dark,” Twilight said, interrupting their peace.

Sky sighed softly, but stood up. The work of a hero was never finished after all.

He shifted his body so he was between Legend and the others as the vet stood up, providing him cover to allow him to stand up in the least painful way possible.

Seeing what he was doing, Four moved to stand beside Sky, pretending to engage him in conversation.

Once Legend was standing and didn’t look like he was about to start swearing, they walked over to the others.

“By all accounts this should be a relatively small group, but that doesn’t mean we can be complacent. Watch each others backs, if you think you’re in over your head, call out,” Time said.

There were various murmurs of assent, some more sincere than others, and then they got moving.

They walking for about another twenty minutes, before Twilight stopped them.

“The camp should be just beyond those trees.”

Everyone drew their weapons, shifting their stances slightly to be more prepared to fight.

Time held up his hand, counting down from three with his fingers, when he hit one, they charged.

The camp was exactly as the rumours had described it. Five Moblins surrounding a fire.

The Moblins were frankly quite disturbing to look at. Sky didn’t have any in his own world, but he’d encountered them in some of the others times, and none of them looked quite as eerie to look at. The were simultaneously bulky and skeletal, with sinister smiles.

Sky was already looking forward to when the first one fell, if only so he wouldn’t have to look at it.

He jumped into the fight with Legend by his side. They cut one of the monsters off from the group, moving in sync to bring it down.

Fighting with Legend felt more natural than with the others. With them, there was still the awkward adjustment period of learning their fighting styles and moving to compensate, but with Legend it was almost instinctual. He’d move, knowing that the other would follow.

It wasn’t long before the monster fell into a pile of black smoke.

Sky took a moment to grin at Legend, before they went in search for the next monster. Time and Twilight had already finished off another monster, and the one Four and Warriors were facing was almost down.

That left two. They surged forward together, targeting the Moblin closest to them. The fight went in a similar manner to the first one, with the monster falling quickly. By the time they were finished, the last monster was well handled between Time and Warriors.

Sky walked over to stand beside Legend, examining him for injuries.

There wasn’t anything obvious, but Sky knew not to trust Legends self preservation instincts.

“Any injuries?”

Legend shook his head.

“It didn’t land a hit. You?”

Sky smiled at him.

“A club grazed my arm, but it’s bruised at most. Maybe a couple of splinters.”

All in all, pretty good for a monster camp.

Then again, they weren’t even black blooded. Every one of the Links could've taken them alone, albeit not without injuries.

Time and Warriors finished off, walking over to Legend and Sky.

“You two alright?” Time asked, scanning them up and down.

Sky nodded, smiling at him.

“I have an impressive bruise on my arm, and probably some splinters, but apart from that fine.”

Time nodded, looking slightly less tense, before turning to Legend.

“I got a club to the knee. I don’t think it needs a potion, but it’s a little swollen.”

Sky raised an eyebrow. Legend had said he hadn’t been hit. Then again, it was his knee that was playing up earlier, so he was probably offering up an excuse for why he would be walking weird.

Sky didn't necessarily approve, but he’d back Legend up.

“I’ve looked at it, it'll be alright with some rest.”

Legend glanced at him gratefully, and Time smiled tightly, before moving to the other group.

“Thanks for covering for me,” Legend said, leaning down to massage his leg.

“Oh don’t worry, you’ll be making it up to me.”

Legend turned his head towards him, a wary expression on his face.

“How?”

“By taking painkillers and resting tonight.”

—————————————————————

At some point, Sky would have to question why there were so many convenient caves for them to camp in. As it was, he was currently too tired to question it.

As beautiful as the surface was, sometimes it was just exhausting. He simply wasn’t built to walk this much.

Legend clearly felt the same, as the second they reached the cave, he put his stuff down and dramatically collapsed on the bedroll. Sky would’ve laughed if he wasn’t actively considering doing the same.

He took out his own bedroll before sitting down much more sensibly.

You had to wonder how Legend managed to sit down like that without causing himself more pain.

Although, Sky thought, knowing Legend, it was entirely possible it did cause him more pain, it was just also the most efficient way to get down. This was the same person who had to be physically stopped from just yanking an arrow out of his leg after all.

“The Hylian body is a cosmic prank from Hylia herself,” Legend groaned.

Sky snorted, turning his head towards him.

“You do realise she got reincarnated into one of those bodies, right?”

“Serves her right.”

Sky rolled his eyes fondly.

Legend started massaging his legs again, and Sky took that as his cue to remind him of his earlier conditions.

“Alright, I think it’s time you take your painkillers,” Sky said.

Legend groaned, throwing his head back in protest.

“Do I have to?”

Sky stifled a chuckle at his petulant behaviour. Legend liked to act like an adult, but moments like this made it clear he was still young.

“Yes.”

Dramatically, Legend grabbed his bag, rifling through one of the pockets.

“If I get stabbed and die because my guards down, it will be your fault.”

“Noted,” Sky said, not even bothering to disguise his amusement.

Legend pulled out a small white vial, similar to the purple vials, and drank it, wincing at the taste.

“Satisfied?” He asked.

Sky grinned.

“Yep.”

Soon after, Four came over with dinner, some form of stew.

Warriors must be on cooking duty tonight, as it was edible, but more or less tasteless. Better than some of Time and Fours attempts, so he wouldn't complain.

They ate in companiable silence, Four and Legend occasionally sharing looks. They were most likely listening in on the conversation the others were having, nosy buggers.

Legend quieted down over the course of the meal, gradually untensing. By the end of it, he was almost half asleep.

Sky leant over to take his bowl, passing it along to Twilight and Time who were on dish duty.

He then shuffled closer to Legend, strategically placing the sail cloth so that if Legend wanted to lean on him it could be wrapped around his shoulders. Surprisingly, Legend took him up on his silent offer, and relaxed against Skys side. Sky wrapped an arm around him, surrounding him in the sail cloth to keep him warm.

Legend stared into the fire, tracking the smoke. For once, his scrutiny didn’t seem intense, more meditative.

Sky could understand why he didn’t take any medication while fighting, but he had Sky and Four, and the others to watch his back now. They wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

Sky pretended to ignore the way Warriors was staring at them from across the fire. That could be dealt with in the morning.