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Chapter Text

Nine months.

Zelda couldn’t believe it had been that long since Null was eradicated. Since her and Link had helped Tri free their friends.

Sitting on her bed, she stared blankly at the picture frame holding the Tri-rod. Still in her soft silk pajamas that matched her turquoise bed even though it was almost noon. It was so different from a year ago when she was trapped in the dingy dark Deku temple, laying on top of cobwebs for a bed as she frantically tried to make a scale balance so she could finally leave this Hylia damn room! The hunger chasing on her heels reminding her that each second her mind failed her, was the very real threat of dying, was another life fading in the void. The golden spirit of light was the only one that helped her hold onto the last bit of hope. To try when her muddled brain explodes in pain and dizziness. The only one that stayed by her side when her father was taken away, when the whole country was against her.

She had to help mend the rifts. She had to save the hero that the country and her owed so much to. She had to save her kingdom. The tiny light forever lighting her path ahead.

A year and a half later they did it. The hero, the priestess and the spirit of light.

Zelda was glad that she got to say goodbye to the light spirit. Tri happily telling her thank you. Something they learned the meaning of on the journey with the princess.

Everything had gone back to the way it used to be. Even better, the people who once lost something to the rift got them back, whether it was their voice, sight or other senses.

Zelda started living her life at the castle again as if the rifts were all just a dream. She tried to meld back into her old duties, studying, reading, and listening to her father hold court.

 But it wasn’t the same.

She wasn’t the same.

Cream jumped onto the bed. Zelda stroked her from head to toe, scratching her ear on autopilot. Her purring vibration was a grounding source of comfort as Zelda’s thoughts continued running to the past, a never-ending cycle of the same memories playing like a broken record.

It was jarring learning to be alone again when for the last year she had a friend stuck beside her for every second.

There was no soft glow while she slept. No tinkly bells chatting with her. No inquiries into human behavior.

There was also no solution to every problem right at her fingertips. No duty to uphold and no reason to venture out of the castle.

Zelda had been helping Link train his voice back when he drops by the castle from time to time. The hero taking advantage of a rift free world to travel all around Hyrule helping the country rebuild.

Zelda’s feet had dragged, still do, eyebags deep as she smiled gently at the hero as he told her the tales being exchanged all over Hyrule about her quest. He rambled off ecstatically to make up for many years of unwilling silence. His excited voice had petered off as he reassured her that it was only the stress that had finally caught up to her and that it got better with time. The Might Sword gleaming sapphire under the sun behind his back, its power as vibrant as ever just like its owner.

Three months ago, Link disappeared.

An alarming notion for everyone. All the races breathed a sigh of relief as no rifts ripped into their reality as the days went by. But then where had Link gone?

For the first time after half a year, Princess Zelda left the castle. Not with a cloak and a wand, running from imprisonment, but in her royal attire and a dozen royal guards that her father insisted on her bringing.

It was then she realized how inconvenient it was to travel without the power of echo. Luggage was significantly harder to carry when you didn’t have portable tools and food. She didn’t know how ill-prepared she was for the road without a Goddess giving her the power to mimic anything she’d need. Zelda couldn’t fight, couldn’t climb and didn’t know how to scavenge for resources. The priestess of Hyrule reduced to a sheltered girl.

Her face had burned when she admitted to her guard that she didn’t bring a flask of water for the road.

They traced Link’s steps from the people that he helped, traveling all across Hyrule. The final sighting at Seesyde Village with a fisherman saying Link was going to Lake Hylia to see if he could find the fairy.

The fairy said she never saw him.

With the trail lost, they head back to the castle where Princess Zelda barricaded herself in her room as she worried and loathed her incompetence.

Sighing loudly, she laid back down and stared at the ceiling instead.

If only Tri was here. She thought, feeling pathetic that even though so much time had passed, she still wanted to depend on her friend.

Her eyes grew heavy, but her brain was still running rampant. Her body was exhausted but sleep still eludes her. The best she could do nowadays was drifting into a daze like state.

There was a gentle rustling sound of the curtains, but Zelda ignored it, enjoying her rare lack of lucidity. A loud yowl made Zelda crack an eye open, eyesight blurry as she watched Cream hissed at the door, spine arched. A shadowy feather caught her eye as it swiftly disappeared behind the door.

Zelda sprung from her bed, swerving around to survey her bedroom. What were the guards doing? An intruder had entered the princess’s room!

There, on the left of her bed, is the glass door of the picture frame left open by the thief. The glass reflected her shaking blue pupils mockingly. Zelda felt tiny tremors rack her body. How did she not hear anything? Why is it so quiet?

She sped to the door, flung it open shouting “INTRUDER!!!” Glancing down at both sides of the door revealed the reason for the lack of noise. The guards posted outside of the bedroom stirred from their sleep.

Zelda had no time for their lethargy. She crouched down and yanked the spear from the guard’s lax grip. Pulling herself up, she turned towards the throne room, which was the only way out as the hallway had no windows, away from the locked door on the other side of the hall. The whole castle is eerily quiet for a normally bustling noon.

In the silence, Zelda’s slippers tapped loudly against the tiles, as she raced through the archway, head snapping sharply to the main entrance opposite the throne. The double doors which were supposed to be closed after the morning sermon had opened a sliver and there, slipping through the crack, was a hooded figure, golden light spilling around them.

The gentle chime of bell whistles echoed around the room, a familiar haunting sound that scattered her usually organized thoughts. “FATHER? MINISTER LEFTE? GENERAL WRIGHT?” she hollered scampering towards the door.

For months, months! She had waited for any sign that her friend was still able to visit her. As a creation for the Goddesses, surely, they will permit such a small request to visit even when the light spirits weren’t needed anymore. Surely, they still existed. The Goddesses wouldn’t be so cruel to vanish their own creation just because they fulfilled their duty!

Stopping just before the door, Zelda’s heart was beating wildly as she surveyed the light emanating from the door, a chance to get to know her friend was okay, overriding her usually cautious attitude of the unknown. Besides, it looked like the rift entrances that Tri makes in order for her to enter the rifts.

She knows this.

She knows them.

It could be the Goddesses way of letting her visit, Tri. With a shaky breath, she flung herself through the door.

Darkness.

A dizzying torrent of rules and patterns that weave r̵̢̢̹̫̬͇̟͎̼͈̱̳͚͙͐̒̈́e̸̢̡̬͚̟͔̫̜̱̝̰͔͂̏͛͂͘p̸͙̖̲̭͇̫̦̫̋ͅͅẻ̶̲̗̜̼̠̮̊̈́̈͜a̵̡̨̝̰̮̳̼͚̳̺̙̋̄̓͆̏t̷̡̢̢͖̲̬̘̻̜̫̩͔͑̈̋̔̿̔,̸̫̋͒̉͌̿́͘ ̷̨̢̲͍͍̳̠̯̙̬͔̪̻̭̈́̈́̇̈́̋̚r̴̡̛̝͓̰͉̝̓͑̓̉̈́̍e̵̖͕̭̪̙͓͆͛͋͆̅͐̇͐̕͠ͅp̷̡͖̠̳̺͔̫̟̹̫̪̂͋͐̄̈́̿͌̒ͅe̵͍͗͂̌̒̒͆̾̏̑̏̉͒̕͠ạ̵̡̫̮̈́͗̆̎͐̂̽̋͑̚̚͝t̵̛̝͎͖̯̙̱̘̝͇͈͎̝͎̂͒̉͠,̷̙̣̥̦̼̝͓̈́̀ ̸̢̨̡̛̳͇̟͉̩̈́͛̈́͝r̸͇̥̺̦͙̲̞̼̈̿͠e̴̖͐̒̔̀̐͛̈́̿͊͠͝p̷͇͎̪̤̤̰̈́̆̃̐͒͋ͅé̷̛͚͚̖̣̦̤̦̈́̈́̈́̊͊̄̈͜͝ą̴̡̝̹̭͍̳̞́̀̇̀̑̑̉͒t̶̢̛͇̜̖̣͙͊̍͆̐̈,̵̧̖͚̳͇̜̗̮̬̥̞̗́̓̀͛̂̄̽̆͒͠ͅ ̴̰̱̝̹̬̩͓̏̎̄̾͂́͊͒̍̓͘̚͝͝f̸͔̙̺̆̑̌̈̉͝ļ̷͈̼̦̑́́̎̃́̋͜͠ö̵͍̲̦̲w̷̼͎̗̟̦̩̖̾͛̃͛̈́̈́̈̀̍͆̆̾̆̕͠,̶̦̻̪̃͑̑͗̂͂̏̋͆͗͑͘ ̸̟̩͉̭̠̱̻̲̳̮̫̠̮͇̎̿̔̾ṱ̵͚͕͓̭̻̈̈́̑̂̎̂̒̿̎̅̊͜ͅͅȉ̴͖̣̥̝̳͙̞͛̔̾́͆̿͛͘̕m̵̫̞̘͓͔̗̫̺̙̉͐́͗͗̆̈́̅̎̀̎͘͘͜ẻ̷͕̠̹̄̈́,̶͈̯͆̽̎ ̴̰̪͓͔͇̬͇̦̹̗̞̩́̀̌̍̑́͌͠͝s̵̻͎̪̒p̵̢̹͔͈̖͙͈̼̗̯̙̥͖͓̜̄̐͌̆͌̀̃̑̃͠ä̸̡̢̞̫̪̳̤̺͓͈̟̥͕̗̱́͊̉̚͘c̸̡̡͖͍͇̖̣̘̾̒̂̈̏̏̇̌̊͑̀͘̕͜͠ė̷̙͙̪̣̬̅,̷̧̢͕̥̦͓͚͓̺̖̥͆̆̈ ̵̧́̅̿̈́̄͂͌̇͠͝b̵͎̺̹̘̙̓̿̃͜a̴̧̙͎̲̰͕͍̖̟̪̠͇̱̬̎͛̑͒̇̒̾̇̚͝͝͝͝͝ͅc̷̛̹̲̥̜͛̏̓̐̀̈́̌̏̊̕͠ķ̶̡̟͎͙̣͙͈̙͕̘̳̽́̂̀͂̔̓͐͌̈͘͘,̷̺̩͓̣̄̄̌̄̉̕͘͠͠͠ ̸̧̞͈̭̗͙͉̙̱͇̖̘͕̍͑̐̒̈́͛͒͌̇̌̕͠f̸̨̣͕̗̞̰̤̹̼̝͉̝͑͒͛̃͒̃͐́̍̔͛̓̌͘͜ͅȏ̷̧͍̬̘̹͕̙͓̤̫̈̈́̍́́̂̌̀̍̉̈́̾͐͋r̸̢̡̛͉̰̲̯̠̦̦̮̃̊͊̓̂̃̉͊͌͑̒̓̕ͅw̵̧̥̼̗͔̞̏̍̅͑̅̒̔͊̄̀̊͗͝a̸̢̦̮̱͚͖͉̗͗r̶̡̩̲̰̣̜̗̰͑̀͐̅̏̉͊̂͗͗͝ͅḋ̶̡̝͉̰̥̺̪͇̑̅͜,̴̭̦̫͗ ̶̢͚̼̞̼̫͈̭͖͎̼̃̀̂̈́͒͌̅̽̽̈Ḋ̵̨͓͕͓̺̭̖̰̙̣ͅë̸̢͇̲̟̩̰̠͈̰̲͍̱̔̅͋̓̔̊̈́̋͂̅͜͝m̴̧̧̛̤͉̞̳̲͍͑̌̄̾̒̾́̕͠͝i̸̡͈̥̹̥͐͆͠š̶̥̼̋̀̉̄̉͌̓͑̓͛̅͂̕e̵̮͚͎͚̳̭̞̓̿̓̀͂͑̈́͜͝,̶̛͖̖̗̘̭̣̀͋̃̐ ̸̰̹̗̳̣̥͈̪̖̼͚̗͋̉̾̈̎͆ͅH̸̢̧̰̯̗̮̔̂͂͒̊́̔̊̂͜y̸̡͇̹͇̣̭̱͉̜̮̘̹̭͓͋́̽̉̐̃̌͝l̷̰̝̜̳̳̞̣̜͉̬̤͓͖̭̓̄̓͆̆͒͆͛̀̉̆̑͠͠i̵̙͒̅̄͆̕a̵͉̭̖̭͈̺͋̇͐̅͝͝,̵̢̧̨̛̻̗̼͉̌̀͋̐̀̀̃̾͋̽̐͝͠ ̵̧̢̪̤̻̋̊̓̋͛͌͘͝ͅD̴̙̭͇͙̝̥̰̆́̓į̴̭̝͓̻̺̺̪̹̜̮̟̲͂̓̿̀̕̕͝n̵͍̻̤̣̆̄̊̀̎̈͑́̽̒͊͂͝,̴̢̨̙͔̲̲͍͖͕̹̺͎̣̹͑͂͐͐̂̍́̈́͜͝ ̵̮́̄̐͑̃̂̕͠͝F̵͎̮̟̖̖̝̙͓̫͍̱̱̑̓͗̄̏̄̚ͅͅͅa̸̢̛̛̮̯̖̱̙̤̟͐̎̃̓̊͐͗̈͊̕͜ͅr̶̮̖̤̬̥̼͇̫̈̾͛̉̓̈́ǫ̴͇̯̥̘̻̟̬̩̼̰̺̭̜̣̒̃̽̊̈́̎͛̐̿̀̀̐͠r̸̛͚̲̋́̇̄͋̈́̐̿͝e̶̼͈̭̹̤̩̮̯̭̫͇̠͉͛͌,̶͚͑́́̈ ̶̡͉̖̱̞̀̑͐Ň̴̥̖̯͉͇̝̤͚̺̣̐̒́̒̓̐͠͝a̶͍͈̘̣̯̤̓͌͂̇͠ŷ̷̠̺̱̭͎̠͇̞̺͔̘̰̞͂̂́̒̽̕͘͜ͅr̸͉̭̱̥̻̰̹͙̿̈́̐̅̀ͅu̷̦̝͂̀͆́̃̚͜,̶̢̢̡̥̭̭̞̥͚̬̪̮͙̍͋̕͜ͅ ̶̛͙̦̹̪͆̔͘T̷̨͓̼͍̥̲͇͓̤̬̮̣͈͐͂͂͝h̷̡̦̜̩̺̙̙͇͙̤͉̼̦̜̽̂̔̋̕͜ȩ̶͚̰͍͉̝̭̈́̈̿̈́͒̈̄͐̽̚̕͘͝ ̴̟̱̻͓͓̱͖̦͖̝̖͓̜͔̥̎̓̽̊͐̓̏̇̄̒͋̀̕G̶̢̡̖̖̘̼̜̬̫̬̰͓̣͛̊͌̆̚͝ͅǫ̶̞̤̮̪̘̲̦̤͉̰̞̼͎̍̈͆̀̾̈́͗̂͘͘͠l̶̨̧̢̤̘̯̣̘̪̘̻̀̓̅̀̐̄̅̈́̿̑͌̈́̚ͅd̸̺̜͗̓̌ë̷͇͕̹͙̱̥́̓̎̋̊̓n̷̢̢̨͚̰̼̪͈̟͖̫̜͊̂̏͛̐͌͆̏̀̓̔͘ ̶̨̖̣̬͍͕̹͖͉̺̣̐̌̈́̓̏̓́͘͜Ģ̴̠̮͍͔͉̮̲͉̀ͅo̴̜͐̔̿̆d̸̛͔̞̘̹̞̖͍͓̒̅̑͋̑̀̆̓͊͗̅̈́͝͠d̶̡̢̲̯̺̠̙͍͙͔̳̺̻̫͖͗̑̆̇̍̇͊̈ę̷̮̺̣̳̙̗̪̾͜s̵̛̘͙̫̳̘̗̖̣͙͚̎̅́ͅs̸̢̯̥̙̲̰̦̜̰̉̊͐͜ë̴̝̪͓̲͈̱̜̞̻̑̀̋́̒̄̀̓͂̑͌͑̿͠ṣ̸̡̡͙̹̯͚̣̮͍͙̏͌̓̍̋̐̓̍̃͝͠͝,̴͈͙̭̬̗̥̙̪̲͚̦͊̒̈́ ̷̯̗̬̖̮̤͓͚͚̣͆̔̌̀́͂̑̐r̵̛̺̤͆̀͗̀͌́̀̃̄̿̏̓è̷̛̱́̉̍͂̇̏̽̅́p̵̗̜̹̠͔̮̙̬̭͂̿͑̍͑̓͑̋̆͜͠ȩ̸̞̦̫͉̰̞̗̠̝͈̹̦͆̃͋͋̅͝ä̸̡̛͔͙́̈́̓̆̈̆t̶̥̞̭̖̖̪̟̃̍̔́́,̵͙͎͙̮̙̗̬̪͚̟̭̟͐̾͊͐̇̅͊̕ ̶̧͓̲̪̰͇͕̖̆͆̊̊̕͝c̶̡̧͚̼͎͈̈́̿͛͗̀͛́̅́̋̑͝ṳ̷͎̼̩̥̝̙̉͘r̶̡͕̩̜̖̙̖̭͇̭͉̱͍̓̆́͌̇̅͒̊̾͛͌̀s̶̩̜͍̯̬̰͎̤͂͘ę̴̫͎͆̕,̵̢̤̘̬̦̯͔̳̬̝̤͓̗͔͗͂̎͗̒̈́͘ ̶̧̢̧͓̩̗͔̤̲͕̣͖̥͕̋̈́̽̈́̓Z̴̫͖͈̙̐̈́͑̾̈́́͒̉͛̊͜͜e̵̢̧̦͔͖̜͕͚̥̱̤͚̪̿͒̄̃̓̿̈̿̆͌̈́̑̚͝l̵̨̗̞̗̫̈́̿̔͆̾͗̿͊͘͜͠d̸̨̰̠͚̟̼̼̟̙̃́̇̎͘̕͝å̸̢̡̧̟̖̙͈͉͉̹̈́̒́̿̓͑̈́̆̅̄͘͝͝,̵̛̞̯̄̎̊̈́͂͊̈́̆̒͝ ̸̡̰̙͎͎͍̦̹͔̜͂̍̈́͂͂̒̚͜ͅL̴̢̧̻̝̠̻̪̟̜̘͎̱͈͍͓̈́͛͗̏̎í̷͈̮͔͍̱͈̲̗̦̈́̽̂͗̅̉̔͆̏͑ń̴̺̟̯͔͓̘͇̈͋̊͂͒͜k̶̨̢̢͕͓̞͓̺̩̞̩̿̊͑̑͋̈́̀̈́͛̀̉̿,̶̡̨̱̤̙̺͚̤̜͕̓̽̕͜ͅ ̵̡̢̡̛͉̙̞͈͕͔̘̝͜ͅG̴̡̠̰̭̠̯̺̥̱̀͆̿͂̀́̓̎́̔͆͋͘͜͠ͅa̶̡̢̙̘̘͎̞͈̹͎͈̲̅̃́ǹ̷̰̠̲̦̄̏͋͋̾͆̔͝o̷̤͚̍͑̐̀̽̑̓͒̕n̵͔̋̌d̸̝͉͖͖̋͒͌͠ö̴̢͎̦̗̪̱͉͍̝̲͖̰̮͙̬̈́̏͗̇́̏̅͋͌͑̀͝͝ŗ̸̪̝͈̀̆͗́̓́f̵̰͔̪͇͕̜̔̂̄̀̽͆͘͝͝,̸̡̨̡̯̺̤̞̪͙̜̱̱̃͒̀̇̋̕̕͝ͅ ̶͔͖̥̺̜̗̻̳͔̽̏H̶͕̥͉̹̤̬͈̼̗͐̀ë̷̡̮͔͚͔̳̺̭͍̲̟̖̟̈̃̐̓̓͜r̷͍̫͔̻̟̞̦͖̥̟̭͂͑̌̓̓ͅỏ̴̝͕̼͍͉̟̦͇̫̺͛͌̂͆̓̇͘ͅ,̵͔͐̂͐̐͂̎̂͑̈́͒̚ ̴̢͖͓͙͖͚͖̅͛̎̈́̊͛͋̑͜͝͝P̷̛̛̜̝͍̉̈́̎̍͂̐̉̽͒̉̿̐͠r̶̨̟̳̰̖̯͗ĩ̸̛͚̲̭͙͍̩̰͌̍̆̆̈́̐̈̎̋̉̚̕͜ͅe̸̫̝̩̰̖̹͍̘̮̞̼̙͚͊̅̓͋̀̈́͆͂͘̕͜͝ś̶̺̖͕̑͘̚͝t̵̢̡̡̗̝͚̫̖̩͔̝͉̱̖͗e̷̘̫̹̻̩̥͙̲̞̳̮͔̟͗͂͘s̵̫̘͕͎̫͍̜͔͔̬̑̀̆ͅṣ̸̳̪̙̱̙͎̬̥̍̓̽̅̈́̐̽̔͐̽͠͠,̸̪̗̮̖̺̬̲̮̪͕̒̾̈̌̒͛̍̍͗̀̔̒̈́͌͠ ̴̛͔̘̞̪̪̥̙̲̍̽̎́͑̓̈́̓͛C̷͎̦͙̹̺̪̪̭̰̯̖̓͋̒́̑̂̅̓͑́͑̾̀̚͜͝ą̵̝̜̜̫͇̘͕̺̊͜l̷̢̨̛̼̖͔͇̥͓̻̝͌͑̌̒͌̄̊̕͜͝a̸̢̛̱̮͔͕̬̙̳͑̅̈͐̈́̅́̓̐͘͝m̴̧̭͖̏͊̑́̃̕ǐ̶͚̤̻̊͌̂̓͝ţ̵̢̡̞͙̞̞̪̦͙͈͙͕̱̳̅͌̏̓͝y̸̱̲̰͗͆̍̃͊̎͂̀̋͆̾̐͠͝,̶̢̩̗̗̰͖͎̝̝͓̣͉̮̝͕͌͋̿̓͛̐̚̕ ̶̧̛̩͉̹̭̦͙͉̖̉̒̋̈́͠ţ̵̢̱̦̘̰̱̬̈́͛̈͆̈̀̇̆͘͝͠i̶̙̻̞̰̣͙̭̪̘̰̾̈́̿̽̐̐̀͊m̴͙͓̗̲͔͉̀̊̊̾̐͋̂́̅̈́̚͝e̶̢̡̟̦̖͉̹͕̻̹̖͙̾͜͜,̷͈͇̲̙͈̃͜

Zelda struggled to b̸̡͚̼̤͍͍͙͔̜͙̭̰̘͐͒̀̀̋̚̕͝r̴̺͆̊̏̋̌͝e̴͙͓̜͈͔̝̝̻̣͕̳͗̒̿̈́͂̒̈̄͊͂͆̓͂̚͝ͅͅä̴̯̳́t̶̲̻͎͙̭̭̮̽͑̆̌ḧ̴̨͔͇̯̲̙͔̻̞̣̞̼͇͙̊͊̿̐̿̈́̆̽͋̌͑̕ through the p̴̣̞̹͎̔̏̀̽͑͛̀̀̚a̷̢̢̪͙͓̼̽ỉ̶̡̫̻̫̪͔͉̫̝͗͛͑́̆̃̏͠n̶̡̛̩̹̤͚̠̘͕͇͈̲͓͋́̉͋̇̈́̊̅̓̚͘̚͠͝ͅ that was crushing her ṣ̷̺̰̭̥̳̮̉͗͑́̈́̽̕k̶̡̭͔̆̓͆̃̏͘ǘ̶̠̣̐́̽l̶̨̩͉̮̞͛̏̇͒̈́̓l̴͙̘͗̈́̚̕.

She breathed forcefully as oxygen slammed back into her lungs.

Light.

Grey.

Shuffling.

Blue.

Grey patterned squares neatly uniformed.

Muffled “u…oul…eee…e…”

Light.

Then.

 She knew no more.

Chapter Text

Two weeks.

The princess of the rebuilding kingdom appeared on the pathway to the floating castle of Hyrule. Blue tendrils faded away as the emerald-eyed young women trudged towards the rusted gates. Tiny pebbles bounced away as she hurried, the morning rays illuminated her furrowed brows.

Link—no wait, the Links have left for another time. It was a far calmer farewell than the first time Wild left for other times. He had gone missing for a month and from the description of the people who saw him, was in a dire state. Not helping the fact was that he was with eight strangers who looked suspiciously similar to him, and NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN WHY HE WAS GONE AND WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE!!! At least her mind was distracted enough by the possibilities and the statistics that she didn’t go into a downward spiral. She had drilled the need to tell her when something was wrong into the boy’s bull-headed skull when they finally popped back into their world.

Then the calamity would not rest and the pair of them had to go on another adventure to save the kingdom, this time with time travel involved. At least she got to be a dragon instead of being trapped in a suffocating, disgusting cocoon of malice for a hundred years. It’s comforting that Zelda is 99.9% sure that the malice is gone for good. At least for her era, she thought wryly, judging from how many incarnations she has met of her hero, some demonic intervention has to be involved.

Using the magnet rune with practice ease, the gates opened groaning and making tiny clouds of dust. Zelda traced the chipped grey-squared-patterned road under her feet as she hopped, making sure her feet didn’t touch any cracks.

She felt bad for her champion, it hasn’t even been a few days since the calamity was gone that her hero was pulled into another portal. Zelda remembered the first time she saw the golden and black tendrils swirling together into a spiral but never merged with each other. It had a similar feeling to her own powers only on a cosmetic scale. She had observed in astonishment as nine heroes walked out right in front of her tent where she was researching the leftover giant tunnels that lead to the underground.

After her tearful reunion with Wild she had the pleasure to meet the other heroes. You could tell the resemblance to one another, not only in appearance but also in some mannerism. She had watched with growing glee as Wild let Twilight ruffle his hair, allowed Warriors to use him as an elbow rest, and most shocking of all, Time had pulled her aside and inquired about his triggers to light on water at night. Wild had refused to talk about his time in the resurrection shrine until Zelda had finally promised to keep it a secret.

Wild has always been friendly, especially after he lost all his memories and didn’t have the royal guard training ingrained in him anymore, but due to his duty, he was always on the move, mingling with all of Hyrule’s races and running from one place to another. He had a lot of friends but very few could he talk about his insecurities. For all that his new start had freed him of the baggage of his previous life, he was still the hero.

Zelda smiled fondly and a little sadly as she saw him interacting with his brothers, because that’s what they are to him. Eight heroes sharing a soul, who could relate to each other and could be the only ones in the world to know what it was like to carry the heavy burden of saving the world. They still are, with Goddess Hylia sending them wherever they needed to be with only a few days of respite between each battle. At least this time, they have each other.

Zelda was more than a little envious. No one but her mother had the same title and powers as hers and she had died while giving birth to her. It had been hard to learn how to bring out that power not to mention she was the last royalty after the calamity. She was trying her best to be a good ruler, having to learn from a few books that survived the calamity and winging the rest of it from the blurry memories from a hundred years ago. There was no one to guide her and no one who would understand. The invisible crown weighs heavy on her head even without a castle or a throne.

Zelda eyed the spiky pillars, faded blue tiles and the torn muddy banisters. This had once been her home where she hid away from her duties, tinkering with machinery. Her biggest problem was her father disapproving of her hobbies. How different were her days under the rule of her father. She never knew how much it took to run a country until the crown was on her head.

Now, she walks alone on her path towards what was also once her cage. The hundred years of being locked away with only liquefied hatred had allowed her to trace the castle from top to bottom, watching as the stone crumbled or an entire wing collapsing. After the first time Wild and her found the mummified version of their kingdom’s enemy, they had gotten into the habit of patrolling Hyrule castle every two weeks. They both agreed that if nothing was found after half a year, they would tear it all down to rebuild it with stronger materials and new technology.

In those patrols, there were a few places that only Wild would go into, Zelda refusing to set foot into the throne room or her old bedroom. Wild had told her that her room was still intact, though a little messy and her diary from a hundred years ago was still at her table. She had avoided that room like a plague. Today, she was going to have to deal with it.

“Hey!”

Viridian eyes snap towards the sound, hands on the hilt of her knife on her belt. Freezing, she scanned the same grey stones and dusty stairs. No one was supposed to be able to get up here without the shekai slate and Robby and Purah were both busy today.

“Up here!” An energetic, probably female, voice shouted from somewhere around the tower, to the front entrance, where the balcony that Zelda’s father had used to issue a speech to the thousands of troops below to face the crawling machines and hordes of monsters.

Zelda hugged the wall and quietly crept forward towards the corner.

“I know you’re there! Can you please hurry! It’s tiring having to hold off this…weird…black ooz…”

Zelda frowned and gave up on stealth as she rounded the corner with her knife unsheathed.

“Oh, thank Hylia, or myself, or is it myself if it’s me in another time with no recollection? Anyway, hi!” Zelda gawked at the lithe figure glowing with golden light, the entire balcony she was residing on completely bathed in its glow. Her long blonde hair so similar to the golden glow that it almost seems to melt into it. Heavy bangs covered her forehead and brought attention to her warm-blue eyes that zeroed in on her, the color as if the Goddess had used the same dye for the sky to craft her eyes. Two side bangs were twisted with turquoise ribbons in a style Zelda didn’t recognize. Two pointy ears peeking out from her hair. A hylian then. She appeared to be wearing a dark pink dress with a white cloth fastened like a cape.

The stranger had broken into a wide smile so dazzling and warm as if it was trying to rival the sun itself. The yellow glow around her seems to brighten with her making her look like a miniature sun, taking Zelda’s breath away. The familiarity of the power made her want to cry or pray or curse her own incompetence. She had never used that much light and was still able to stand.

“Hello?” the young women blinked owlishly down at her and Zelda finally broke from her stupor.

Relaxing her stance minutely on the surface she gave the stranger a disarming smile back. “Hello, may I ask how you manage to get up here?”

“Oh! Do you mean the balcony? Or the castle? Or both? It doesn’t matter, I was teleported here!” the young women smiled again, perhaps encouraged by her response.

Zelda clutched the knife a little tighter. “Really? I didn’t know you could teleport up here. How did you do it?”

“I didn’t teleport. Someone teleported me. I was just walking to the balcony for some morning reading when a portal ambushed me and then suddenly, I was here!” the stranger glanced back, and her smile strained. “Can you get me down? I’m kind of stuck up here. Is the black malice goo new? That never happened before.”

“Don’t you carry a paraglider?” Zelda asked bemused. There were some places that the malice never touched but almost everyone was warned not to touch the black and reddish goo. “How are you doing the gold light? I thought only the royal family could do that.”

“Paraglider? No, I don’t have that. Oh!” the women hit her head gently with her palm, I was so distracted I forgot about the sailcloth!” She quickly untied the cloth from her shoulders walking a few steps back.

“Wait! I don’t think that’s going to—” Zelda was cut off as the stranger leaped off from the balcony shouting with joy. Right before she hit the ground, the white cloth snapped open into a graceful arch and her feet gently landed on the ground. The golden light that she was emanating faded away.

Now that half of the figure wasn’t obscured by a railing, Zelda can see that the dark pink dress extended to her knees. There was a gold belt and a leather pouch around her waist. A book peeking out from the leather flap. Brown boots with nothing tucked at the sides. Unarmed, Zelda observed as she sheathed her knife, both relieved and concerned. No one should be in the castle without a weapon.

“I can’t believe I forgot! Man, that black goo thing was straining me more than I thought.” The women rambled off excitedly.

I can’t believe that flimsy cloth could hold a person. Zelda thought. “There was a red moon a few days ago, the malice hasn’t been cleaned yet. Where did you get that golden power from?” She asked again.

Quickly tying what she called a sailcloth back to her neck she turned towards Zelda. “Had to go on a pilgrimage to cleanse my body but technically I was born with it. By the way, where are we? Should I ask that? Wait, no that’s a stupid question. Is there a group of heroes going around? Someone called Link? Ah, no Link told me not to ask that, oh well too late, um, what did Warriors say to start a conversation? Oh, right introductions.” The woman shoots off hurriedly. She cleared her throat and gave Zelda a beaming smile. “I’m Zelda!” she winced. “Never mind, forget that name please.” She gave her a nervous smile. “Sun, actually. Yes, that’s my real name. Sun.”

The sage-eyed princess had frozen when her name was shouted back at her, mind going blank as too many thoughts try to let itself be known. Why? How? Now? “Y-You’re Zelda!” she managed to choke out.

“…yeah…” the other girl sighed, her demeaner deflating. “Probably not who you are thinking though. Sorry, it’s just I’m kind of new to all this. I’ve never been to a new t—place before! I’ve never met anyone new until now. Sorry.” Sun smiled sheepishly at the other princess who was scrambling to catch up to the conversation. “I’m supposed to meet up with Sky. Or your hero or princess. Or more specifically anyone called Link or Zelda. Do you mind pointing me in that direction?”

Zelda laughed still in shock then grinned wryly at a confused Sun. Pointing to herself she said “Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. The Hero of the Wilds counterpart.” She gave a formal curtsy without a dress. “Welcome the Princess of the Sky.”

Now it was Sun’s turn to blink in shock. Then she broke out into a grin and curtsied back albeit clumsily. “What good fortune! Princess of Hyrule, it’s an honor to be in your era.” She laughed as she pulled Zelda into a hug. “AHHH! I’m so excited! I’ve heard so much from the boys but it’s not the same as actually being here!”

Zelda startled but gently hugged her back. Sun’s excitement rubbing off on her. “There is so much to show you! How long do you think you’re able to stay?”

“I don’t know! This is the first time this ever happened! At least from what the boys told me.” Sun rubbed her chin, an arm still slung over the others shoulder. “What’s your nickname? Flower?”

“Flora.” Flora smiled gently, a scientific name for the flower in honor of her favorite flower and her passion, as Wild had told her. “The Links or what do they call themselves again?”

“The Chain.” Sun giggled. “I heard it was Wind’s idea. Legend had hated it.”

Flora giggles with her. “Was the chain with you?”

The question seems to have caught Sun in surprise. “No! That’s weird. That’s weird right?” For the first time since she met her, Sun frowned. “Link hasn’t been in our world for a month.”

“Interesting…” Flora contemplated on why Sun suddenly teleported here but came up with nothing. It was hard to guess the whims of a Goddess when they have little to no information.

“Oh, well. Maybe it was a mistake? I make a lot of mistakes.” Sun brightened up, unbothered. “The boys might be here if the portal teleported me here. They’ll probable meet at the castle, which is…here?” Sun asked, looking at Flora hesitantly.

“Yep, this is the castle. You can thank the Calamity for that.” Flora sighed heavily.

“Oh, well. We don’t have a castle at all!” Sun patted her shoulder. “When the Chain is in my Hyrule, Sky will send a letter, and we’ll meet up at the temple.”

“I usually receive a call from Wild on this.” Flora said, waving her slate at her new acquaintance.

“Ooh, I’ve seen Wild use that before! It can store objects, right?” Sun tilted her head to look at the screen better as Flora clicked to her contacts and pressed on an icon that had Wild in his barbarian armor tearing into a meat skewer. Sun’s lips twitched as she read blackhole on the button Flora pressed. There were a few repeats of a song until the call went through.

A string of curses and groans could be heard in the background and a loud “GET OFF ME!”, before the familiar voice of Wild groggily said “Hello?”

“Link! You guys really are here!” Flora exclaimed, eyes curving into crescent moons.

“Zelda?” Flora can picture from Wild’s confused tone that he was looking around at his surroundings. “GUYS! WE’RE AT MY HYRULE!” Sun and Flora moved their heads away. “Good to know!” An irate voice shouted from a distant “But some of us have a killer headache!”

“Not helping!”

“Everyone, quiet down now—”

“Is that Flora!”

“Wind—”

“Hi Flora!” The energetic chirping voice of a boy was heard.

“Hi Wind. Wild don’t shout directly into the mic!” Flora replied.

“Sorry, great timing though! We just got out of the portal. Everything okay?” Wild asked.

“Everything is not okay.” A grumble could be heard from the background.

“Fine. Though there was a surprise at Hyrule castle…” Flora looked over encouragingly at Sun.

“Hi Wild, is Sky there?” Sun experimentally talked at the rectangle.

“Yeah, he’s here, uh, who is this?”

“Right, you can’t see me, it’s Sun.”

“Sun... SUN?! Sky’s Sun! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!” Wild shouted in surprise again.

“Wild!” Flora groaned exasperated.

“Sun?!” Another deeper voice exclaimed blurringly, then there was a thundering of footsteps before the voice of the skyloftian could be heard clearly. “Sun is that you?”

“Sky!” Sun called out her hero’s name sweetly.

Flora opened up a video call before Sun had the urge to snatch the slate from her.

“My Sun it’s really you!” the hero crooned as the face of a man in his 20’s with dirty blonde hair and an identical sailcloth on his shoulders appeared. A teen to his left and a young man with a ponytail to his right. The rest of the heroes are seen trying to get a glimpse of the slate.

“Wow, you’re really here. I thought it was just Sky’s hallucinating.” Legend quipped as he looked over at the two girls critically.

“Sun are you okay? Are you hurt?” Sky ignored Legend.

“I’m good, honey. How are you guys?” Sun crooned back.

“The same after a portal.” Sky answered, glancing at the other heroes. “Four and Hyrule are a little shaky, but it wasn’t as bad this time.”

“How are you here?” Twilight marveled, tone disbelieving.

“I don’t know! I was walking to my balcony when a portal suddenly appeared and teleported me here.”

Warrior’s mouth tightened into a straight line. Flora watched as he threw a worried look at Time who nodded in acknowledgement.

“Nothing is out of the ordinary.” Flora shared comfortingly. “Let’s meet up and we can look for the monsters together.”

“Ooh! Ooh! Maybe I need to use my powers to help and that’s why I’m here!” Sun said excitedly.

“Where are you guys?” Flora asked, eyes directed on Wild.

Wild looked around and said, “I can see the castle. Looks like we’re at Satori Mountain. Yep, the horse runes are just down the path.”

“Got it. We’ll teleport over. Don’t move.” Flora looped her arm around Sun’s arm in preparation.

Just before she pressed on the shrine’s icon there was a buzzing sound. Flora stopped her movements. Lifting her head, she watched as a semi-transparent golden sheet climb up in a circle around the castle. In a second, there was a dome that encased the whole castle.

Flora swallowed as the feeling of dread trickled down her spine. It grew as her suspicions were proven when nothing happened when she pressed the icon. Beside her Sun’s expression turned serious, eyeing the golden dome in contemplation.

“Not an accident after all.” Sun murmured.