Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Link had a lead. Barely one, but it was all he had. Impa was out of ideas. Purah was out of ideas. All of the sages he had helped were out of ideas. Hell, if he could find anyone who had an idea, he would be dreaming. There had to be a way to get her back. Even if he had to seal himself away in her place, he would do it in a heartbeat. 

He doesn't know what he will do if this lead ends.

Robbie had said that perhaps an ancient being would know. Link only knew a few ancient beings, and he was quickly running out of them.

He went to Korok Forest first. The Koroks had swarmed him once he had freed the forest from the illness that the Deku Tree was impaired with, and this time was no different. As he listened to the Deku Tree give his long talk, the Koroks climbed over him and braided his hair. The tree spirit had suggested pulling the Master Sword, but Link was terrified that that would seal her fate. He gave the forest his best regards, and took on the new requests the young spirits asked of him before leaving.

Next, he went up Mount Lanayru, inspecting the Spring of Wisdom there while he waited for Naydra to float over. No clues were presented in the spring, not like he had expected any. When Naydra flew by, he shot up the tower and onto her back. He asked her if she had any ideas. She said no, and left it at that. He had the sense that she had something biting and rude to say, but she held it back. She was the protector of Wisdom for a reason, it seemed. (She was probably disappointed in him failing to catch Zelda. He doesn’t blame her.)

He asked Yunobo if he had found anything while Link was waiting for Dinraal. Yunobo had said no. (He was getting quite used to that word by now, and it was starting to get on his nerves, even though he knew it shouldn’t.) When Dinraal finally flew over the outskirts of Eldin, Link landed on top of him from his perch on a sky island. The dragon had laughed and said that he liked his new sister, but that if Link found a way to bring her back from a mindless dragon, it would be far more enjoyable then now. He suggested hitting her head hard enough that her brain would reboot, and despite his part of the Triforce, Link does not have the bravery to do that and risk her mind even more. He went on, relieved he was able to take off his fire-proof armor.

He waited for Farosh on the bridge over Lake Hylia. He had to take out a gleeok, but it was fairly simple with the abundance of Keese Eyes he had. He snapped a picture of a whirlpool for a Korok while he waited. When he landed on Farosh, they said that Link should pick off the old horns that had been itching while they descended into the chasm before he could ask anything. When Link had gotten his chance to ask once Farosh said they were no longer itching, they gave a mental shrug, but gave their idea nonetheless. When Link said that he couldn’t use recall on the Light Dragon, or give her enough gloom that it would cancel out the light, Farosh huffed in amusement. 

"Perhaps one of the statues of old will have something," they had suggested.

So he went to the goddess statue in the Forgotten Temple. She said nothing, except that he needed four Lights of Blessings. He gathered two more, but She only gave him that soulless smile when he asked for information. She only offered him Vitality or Endurance. He tried not to resent Her for it, but it was difficult. 

He went to the emergency shelter in Lookout Landing next, and crawled under the small tunnel that led to the Horned Statue. The Statue had laughed at him when he asked for help, and said that if he gathered all the souls of Hyrule so he could eat them, then he would have an inkling of an idea. (Link got the sense that the Statue was just hungry and wanted free souls.) 

As his final hope, he had gone back up to the one expert he knew of the Depths to learn about the Bargainer Statues. 

"Josha." She ignored him, examining the mural with a spyglass. Link frowned. "Josha," he called again. The young researcher moved from one figure to the next. "Hey!" He was starting to think she wouldn't be safe in the Depths alone, with how unaware she was while absorbed in her work.

He came up behind her and tapped her shoulder. Yelping, she turned around. "Ah!" She stared at him. "Erm. You startled me." Link stares back, unperturbed. 

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head. "I need your help." He glanced away. She nodded encouragingly, and motioned for him to continue. "Do the bargainer statues trade information?"

"Hmm..." She walked back to her table of notes, all scattered about. She was awfully similar to Purah, in all the good and bad ways. 

She scanned through them, pushing away the not noteworthy ones, (he imagined whenever she got around to organizing it, it would be a struggle to find them all,) leaving a few in the center of the table. 

The notes listed all the items he had been given from the statues and told her about. “Well, I know that this one here,” she gestured to the statue on the other side of the doorway, “had given you information on where the other statues are. Any more advanced information though, I’m not sure.” A brightly colored drawing on a page caught his eye.

“Poes?” he murmured. Those things on the ground in the depths.. they were lost spirits? From the Calamity, or something else? The notes scribbled down listed various questions and hypothesized answers. 

If they are aware, the souls do not show signs of it. From the ones the Swordsman had brought me, they seem lost. A poorly drawn Daruk and his spirit flames were taped next to the much-better-drawn picture of a Poe spirit. The flames look remarkably similar. Why did the Champions have multiple, while these souls only have one each? Unless one soul is scattered in multiple parts, and that’s why they are found in clusters..

“Yeah! Didn’t you say that’s what the statues called them? I wonder why they’re called that though..”

“The statues said that by giving the Poes to them, they would find peace in the afterlife. If one group was one person, would I be giving only part of them rest?” Link looked at the note again. Josha hummed and looked back at Link from where she had moved to her shelf of items from the Depths.

“Good point. Hmm.. Swordsman, why don’t you go talk to one of the statues yourself? Maybe that big one you told me about under the Great Plateau? I still have a few days before I finally get to go down to the Depths myself.” She pouted at the mention of her wait, but quickly shook it off.  

Link agrees with her request, and teleports down to the Great Abandoned Central Mine. Josha stares at how his form collapses into blue lines, and at this point, it’s a form of entertainment on how Link guesses people will react when he teleports in front of them before his vision is gone.

He passes the constructs that man the mine, waving to the one in the center as his mind flashes back to him fighting Khoga there. It was, looking back on it now, very questionable how two random travelers were down there when the only other people he found in the Depths were Zonai Researchers and Yiga. He walks down the path and drops onto the platform before the stairs leading to the Bargainer Statue. Link walks down the steps, only now noticing how damn tall the statue is. (And how long of a fall it is from the walkway. Thankfully, there are rails.)

He stops in front of the statue, and kneels. 

Young hero. What is it you desire?

“Information. I need help restoring a dragon back to their human form.”

That is rather dangerous. It is not a choice to be made lightly, young one. But I do indeed have knowledge on how it can be done. It will take.. a truly powerful soul, for me to give this information to you.

“Are the many souls I have acquired not enough?”

No. One soul is all it takes, young hero. It cannot be just any other, though. One such as yours would do.

Link’s eyes widened. “If I give you my soul, I cannot use the information you give me.” This statue was his last hope before going into foolish territory.

That is true. 

Link wracked his mind for ideas. “What about only part of my soul? Enough that it will satisfy you, but enough left inside of me that I can function as well as I can now.”

That is a possibility. However, the least amount would only be enough to keep your soul as it is alive. It is possible to heal your soul, with time. I can take parts of your soul and leave enough that you know what to do, and your goals.

“I... I will have to think on this. Thank you for the help. I will come back once I have made a decision.”

Very well.

Link stands up, the presence of the statue in his mind fading. He teleports to Mipha’s Court to think. He walks up the steps, looking at her face, carved eternally into a gentle smile. His legs give out as he reaches the pedestal, the weight of it all reaching him. He leans into it, letting his mind clear as he listens to the waves and the sounds of the fish splashing up to the surface in hopes of being fed. 

Mipha, I hope you have found peace. I’m sorry.

He thinks, from what he knows of Mipha, that she would not approve of this plan. She would have found another way, or make him abandon it altogether. He watches as the moon rises, and he observes the stars. The Warrior of Old stretches across the sky, his sword raised in a thrust position, pointed at The Demon King, their forms reduced to mere points. 

There’s a tingle at the edge of his mind, and he narrows his gaze.

Link held the sword that called to him in nervous hands. His father had rushed him home, urging him to hide it before anyone saw. Link thinks he saw one of the guards looking at him suspiciously from his post outside the Lost Woods. The fabric twists around his fingers as Link set it below the floorboards where his mother guided him. He may not be good at interacting, but he knows she is afraid. He does not know what of, but he empathizes nonetheless. He steps outside into their backyard at his parents’ urging. 

He overhears some words. “...hero… … have to… …no one… …expectations…”

A hero? He thinks back to the bedtime stories his mother tells him as he tucks in, and thinks of the one about the Warrior of Old and the Demon King. He wonders if the Warrior of Old was as talented as Link was with the sword as his father says he is. 

He looks at the two constellations and thinks that the sword that the Warrior of Old uses looks a bit similar to the one that called to him. He wonders if swords calling to warriors is normal. His father says he is just like the Warrior of Old, and that he will oneday face his own enemy just like the Demon King.

Link looks at the two constellations, and longs for when his parents will stop arguing so he can listen to his mother tell the story to him again as he goes to sleep.

He gasps awake, opening his eyes (when had he closed them?) and looking back at the stars. It was nearing midnight now. He stands up and reaches over to the water to wash his face. Link looks up at Mipha, and knows that he has made his decision.

He thinks back to King Rhoam, and how heartbroken he sounded when he asked Link to save Zelda. And though he saved her once already, he cannot just leave her by herself to wander the skies eternally. 

Link had sworn back then, with his broken voice and fractured mind, that he would save whoever this person was that cared enough about him to hold an ultimately destructive force back for a century just for him to wake up again, to put her faith in him. He imagines that Zelda has done that yet again, as much as it hurts his heart.

He walks down into Zora’s Domain picking up the odd plant here and there. (He’s grateful the plants aren’t tainted with the sludge. He imagines that it would be horrible for the environment had it gone on any longer.)

Link steps onto the wet stone of the palace and walks to the inn, placing a red rupee on the desk where the owner lies. He opens the covers, and lies down. The sheets are gentle against his scars, and he slowly lets his body relax. 

Zelda wouldn’t like how self-sacrificing he’s being. Neither would the sages. He dreads how they will react to his decision. Sidon will be angry at him for being so stupid. Riju will be understanding, but still urge him to find another way. Yunobo will be heartbroken. Tulin.. Link doesn’t want them to think he’s dying. He isn’t. His soul will just need time to heal. It’s a price worth paying for Zelda.

It’s the best reason he can come up with. He feels a stray tear slide down his face, and Link falls asleep thinking of how in the world he will tell the sages his plan.

Chapter Text

Link woke up slowly, opening his eyes in the warm room of the Domain. It was a comforting, lukewarm blue to wake up to. (Certainly not like the first blue he had seen.) He gathered his items, stepping out of the room softly. When the innkeeper, Kayden, told him off about paying when he didn’t need to, that Link helping the Zora was already enough payment, he shrugged it off and said he had enough money anyways. The blond padded outside, ignoring Kayden angrily trying to hand the red rupee back. Kodah, the innkeeper’s wife, giggled at the exchange as Link left the inn.

He walked into the throne room, greeting Bazz as he passed by on the way. Reaching the main pedestal, the hero waved to King Dorphean and moved over to Sidon, not-so-subtly dragging him off to the side.

“Yes, my dear friend? What is it?”

“I have a lead on Zelda.” Sidon inhaled sharply. “It.. may or may not involve things that you would be opposed to.” He breathed in deeply. “Let's talk somewhere more… private, I suppose.”

They walked down to the pool room, Sidon sneaking worried glances at Link at least every five seconds.

Sidon turned to Link expectantly when they arrived. “Well. You see,” he rubbed the back of his head “I was asking our local ancient beings - y'know, the dragons and trees and such -” he ignored the surprised look Sidon sent his way. “Anyways, they had nothing but there was one that did- did I ever tell you about the statues I found in the depths?”

Sidon closed his eyes for a long blink. “First off, you can talk to the dragons?” He sighed at the self-assured nod Link gave him. “Shouldn’t expect anything else from you, really.” He dragged a hand down his face. “Secondly, no. You did not tell me about these statues.”

“Oh. Well, they’re basically these statues that give you stuff in exchange for Poes.” Sidon opened his mouth, closing it once Link continued. “They’re lost spirits. They look like a blue flame. Sometimes if there’s multiple, they’ll be pink, a bit like you..” he trailed off.

Sidon sighed. “Okay. So these statues… They can give you something for Zelda?”

Link shrugged. “I think. The one I talked to said that it would give me information on how to get her back. Anyways.” He took a long breath. “It-asked-for-part-of-my-soul-in-return-maybe-perhaps?” he rushed out.

Sidon stared, clearly processing, from what Link could see. “It asked you for your soul .”

“I mean… only part of it?”

“And you’re considering this.”

Link scratched the back of his head, looking at the suddenly very interesting decorations in the open room. 

“Link.”

He ignored it. 

Sidon shoved himself into Link’s view. “You cannot just say that and ignore it! Link! Do you even have any other ideas?”

“I mean. The dragons had some, but they’re pretty stupid. The Deku Tree had one as well.”

Sidon groaned. “Link. Was the Deku Tree’s idea at least any good?”

“It’s more risky than I’d like, but sure, if you want it to be.”

“Link. My dear friend. What was the idea?”

He shrugged.

A hard tone coated the Zora’s words. “Link.” (He forgot just how stubborn nobles had to be to get their way.)

“Pulling the master sword..”

Sidon looked at Link and crouched down. “Why don’t you want to do that?” he said with a soft tone.

He pulled his mouth into a grimace. “I.. I’m worried that the Master Sword is what’s keeping her at least slightly sane.”

He could see the debate in Sidon’s eyes. “I don’t..” he took a breath. “I don’t know if there was much sanity to begin with once she shed her humanity, Link.”

His heart broke, but he knew Sidon was right.  “I’ll try it. Before I do anything more ‘drastic.’ And I’ll tell you before I do anything else.” He smiled hollowly. Link wasn’t quite sad- but he wasn’t content. He just was.

He went to Riju next. He dropped down from the shrine on top of the city, gliding down to the throne room. She sat up from her comfortable lounge on the chair and straightened. He gave her the same run-down as he had given Sidon.

She had given him that disappointing stare (just like Urbosa) and called him an idiot, but that she would make sure he would be okay. She, as well, had suggested pulling the Master Sword before he went down this path.

Link didn’t want to face Yunobo or Tulin with his decision just yet. He dreaded looking at them and seeing their faces crumple.

So. The one choice left was better than the other options, but not one Link was looking forward to.

As he waited in the Gerudo Highlands tower for her (thanks for the map, Deku Tree,) he pondered. How if this didn’t work, he would be back at square one. With one option left. (He was not going to consider the dragons’ offers.) 

And then she arrived. He shot up the tower, letting the sound of the air passing by drown out all the sounds of the land. The wind cut across the beak of the flight mask, rushing down to the lower half of his face and sliding smoothly off the cloth feathers of his back.

Letting a smile spread across his face, he straightened his body into an arrow shape. 

She came up above him, long serpentine body swimming through the sky. The light of the golden sun reflected across her scales, her hair nearly out-shining the sun with how radiantly it shone.

Her horns were a lovely blue-green, not quite Sheikah Blue nor Zonai Green. They were slightly transparent, but vibrant all the same. It reminded him of the color of the spirit flames he had encountered so many times in his journeys. 

As he slowed, Link spread his arms and legs out in a starfish-form. (The starfish from Lurelin were always the best. Sorry, Zora.)

Link tilted his body left and forward, letting the cloth catch the wind in just the way it was designed. He pulled out his paraglider just in time before face-planting into the scales of the dragon. (She used to scold him for that, something about unnecessary dangers and such.)

He landed on her back, just behind her hair. Before stepping up and walking past her horns, he went backwards, picking up the old horn pieces and putting them in the Purah Pad. (Old. To him it was a few months.) When he was finished with that, he gently plucked out the loose scales that were retreating in favor of the young ones. He cleaned her hair of any debris and slowly brushed it, despite the fact that there really wasn't much all the way up here to dirty her hair.

It was sunset by the time he was done. (No, he was not stalling. He wasn’t.) He switched his clothes to the Ember set, disregarding the horns in favor of letting his hair loose, in preparation for the cold night. The sun blanketed the sky in golds and pinks, leaving Link to watch the lands below settle down as lights in towns lit up.

He sat on her head for a while, watching the land underneath pass by as the moon rose and the stars came out of their hiding. He busied his hands by weaving Silent Princesses together with Korok fronds. He draped the crown of flowers and fronds over her horns. 

He could feel a curious prod from Tulin’s sage spirit. He ignored it, gathering his courage. (Why did he have to gather it? Wasn’t having that part of the Triforce enough?) 

Link clenched his hands into fists. If he didn’t do it now, it’s likely he wouldn’t ever do it of his own will. Before he could think anymore about it, he grasped the sword. His hands fit around the hilt naturally.

Before he could lift the sword, it nearly slipped out of his grasp as the Light Dragon reared her head. He just barely managed to keep his hand on the hilt, the wind whipping past him and dragging his body away. He held on, grimacing at the struggle before pulling his other arm up to grasp the pommel.

From her roars, it sounded like whatever he was doing was painful. He steeled his nerves. This was necessary. He promised Riju to exhaust all other options before going to the Statue again.

I’m sorry, Zelda. I must.

He pulled himself up, planting his feet in the fur on her head. The wind, so previously gentle and kind, threw him backwards. He grunted in pain from the tempest slamming into his face and dragging his clothes back. His foot slipped, and he was subject to the mercy of the air.

Link just barely managed to hang onto the sword and pull himself back up to dig his feet back into her head. He narrowed his eyes. He would have pulled the sword up, but he couldn’t spare any strength to do so, too focused on surviving the attack on his body from both the dragon whipping her head around and the wind fighting him each step of the way. 

His hand slipped.

Shit.

She roared, pausing her fighting. She ceased her thrashing onslaught. The breeze was kind once more. He was nearly thrown forwards from the sudden lack of resistance, managing to grasp the guard of the sword before he was thrown. 

She swam upwards, so peacefully compared to her previous state only a few seconds earlier.

He watched, still tense and braced as she entered a gap in the clouds. Distantly, he could see the other dragons straying from their normal routes to join them.

The gap they entered through closed. Various other holes in the area opened to let the other dragons in, and closed on them as well. Clouds surrounded them, a warm rosy color despite the cold night air. The other dragons circled around them, watching. Waiting.

Dinraal, with his eyes narrowed, his ferocious stare focused on Link. Bold flames coated his scales.

Naydra, her head tilted. Her gentle, analytical eyes piercing Link with her gaze.

Farosh, their head held high with a proud gaze and adventurous lightning.

They all circled around Zelda, with her eyes that saw but did not see, and her single-minded light flowing towards the Master Sword.

It felt wrong to disturb the peace.

But he must. He couldn’t drop out at this point.

The dragons stilled, each focusing on Link. He reached forward, and slowly grasped the hilt of the Master Sword with both hands, and pulled.

It was a familiar weight in his hand. 

The hair that had been wrapping around the blade gently fell down, mixing back into the fur of the dragon.

The blade had a golden sheen to it, covering the parts of the metal that had been corroded and broken. He distantly wondered how long it had taken to restore the sword. How long was she stuck, mindless, shattered pieces of herself scattered across the land? 

The gold layer peeled off, each small section peeling off in pieces resembling petals of her favorite flower. The leaflets of gold floated into the ether. They caught the lights of the dragons, shimmering between red, yellow, green, and blue, before being whisked away into nothingness.

The sword looked so much healthier than it had before. There was a clear line between the worn metal, so dull in comparison to the new, blueish material. It was the same color as her horns.

He had a distinct impression of completion and peace from Zelda. That her duty was done. The air was thick with anticipation.

He waited, breath caught. His heart hammered against his chest. Waiting for the scene of the Light Dragon to fall away- for her to come back , for anything at all. 

The world stayed silent, the Light Dragon continuing her slow swim through the air.

Why wouldn’t she awaken? Her job was done- she had played her part –

Naydra turned around, leaving the air cold and hollow.

Farosh passed Link as they left, giving a rumble of comfort.

Dinraal stayed. 

“I am sorry, young hero. Perhaps… perhaps Hylia has forsaken her.”

With that, he turned and left, smoothing the air back to its warm temperature with a flick of his tail.

Zelda descended, swimming through the sky the same way she had minutes before. What little goal she had left was gone. 

Link stood still. He crumpled. He curled himself into a ball, sobbing. The Master Sword let out a comforting chime.

By midnight, Zelda stopped by the Temple of Time on the Great Sky Island and tilted her head down. (Where she first turned into a dragon- what a cruel sense of humor Hylia has.)

He stepped off numbly, having long since cried himself out.

He went to Zora’s domain once more and found Sidon at Mipha’s court, sitting in the water, waving his hands slowly through it.

“My friend! You have the sword strapped to your back once more!” Sidon grinned. “Did it work? Although…” He sighed. “I presume that she’s not here because it didn’t work. I’m sorry, Link.” 

Link nodded. He took a deep breath in. Slowly exhaled out. (Zelda had shown him how to do that.) “I thought it over. I’m going to take the Bargaining Statue up on the offer.” 

Sidon didn’t look surprised. (He wonders if Zelda and him gossiped about how “self-sacrificing” Link was.)

“It is your choice, my friend.” He turned and put both of his hands on Link’s shoulders. “Link. Promise me, swear to me that you will come back to us safe .”

Link shuddered. Zelda had told him to be honest, he would not betray her trust. (There was no her to betray anymore.) “I can’t.”

Sidon narrowed his eyes. “Link.” He looked up. “Zelda was devastated when she understood you had lost all your memory. She’s moved on from that part of you, but not you . You are a separate person from before the Calamity, and if this whole soul-deal works, I don’t think any of us can handle you losing your memory again, nor any part of you.

“I will ask you once more, Link. Tell me that you will not make this deal if you know you won’t be safe.”

Link looked away. “I promise.” 

Sidon gave him a long look, but relented before long. (He was too trusting.) He pulled Link into a hug, holding him tight. “Promise me that you will come back safely, both in body and mind, Link. That the only bad thing to happen will be you needing time to heal.”

“I swear.”

Sidon pulled back and looked Link into the eyes. “Come to us. After you do it. We’ll help, however we can.”

A final hug was given, and then Link was off, watching Sidon frown worriedly as his vision shifted into blue.

He went to Riju next, and asked her for advice. She had gifted Link her favorite sand seal plushie and told him to do what he thought was right. 

Teba had provided Link the comfort he so desperately needed when he went to Rito Village. He had let Link sob into his shoulder and tell him about all the things he had done to try and save her, but they were never enough. How it never seemed to be enough.

Link told Teba about his decision to sacrifice part of his soul for information on how to get Zelda back. Teba asked if he knew the consequences of this, and when told that no, he didn’t, he told Link that he was an idiot. That he was their idiot, and that he better not have anything bad happen to him, that the only negative thing to happen to his soul better be that he needs time to rest. 

He asked Teba how the hell he would tell Tulin and Yunobo. The elder said to blurt it out and deal with the aftermath, as hard as it would be. It would be better than just doing it without any warning.

Teba agreed to his request for him to be there with Tulin when he told him. Tulin only made him swear his oath on coming back safely by giving him a strand of hair. Link assumes that if he were a Rito, it would be a feather. (He doesn’t think Tulin understood the stakes. He’s glad.)

Yunobo came last. He waited for the day off he had from YunoboCo and walked up the volcano with him. Link rubbed the back of his head during a lull in their conversation, and spoke. Yunobo was angry- angry at whom, he did not know, but Yunobo swore that if he still decided to do this idiotic decision, he must have Yunobo’s sage spirit active, so he can protect him if anything goes wrong. Link agreed.

He stopped by Korok forest to talk to the Deku Tree. (He gave that Korok their picture of a whirlpool first.) The Deku Tree was understandably worried, but reluctantly agreed that if he would be safe afterwards, then he had the tree’s permission.

So he teleported down to the Great Abandoned Mine underneath the Great Plateau, and made his way down to the statue once more, picking up Poes along the way, if only just out of habit. Soon enough, he was in place to kneel in prayer.

Welcome back, young hero. What is your decision? 

“I will do it.”

Are you absolutely sure? This is not a light choice to make, young hero.

“Yes.”

Yunobo’s sage spirit stood behind him, fiddling with his hands in clear anxiety.

You are sure?

“Yes.”

Very well.

HERO, MAY YOUR UNDEAD SOUL BE PUT TO REST ONCE MORE.

He collapsed.