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Chapter Text

Portal changes were never pleasant, and Legend was unimpressed by this one on all accounts. They had previously been fighting, parrying monsters back and slaying black bloods. Wind had been supporting him, the duo lethal and grinning in their fighting. When it opened under their feet, both of them cursed. His magic hadn’t had the time to process, and he’d splashed down into salty water and waves over his head. 

The transformation overtook, and bones broke and snapped into forms and shapes. His clothes disappeared, exposing his chest and locking his items away behind some cursed magical force. Gills slitted into his throat as he drowned in water, and it rushed into his lungs. It burned , the water holding toxins that couldn’t be seen with the eyes. His lungs spasmed, and the edges of his gills already felt inflamed and puffy. Fins sprouted from his ears and elbows, his legs now one large tail that thrashed under the surface. 

He took a second, regained his bearings, and looked up into the sun shining through the water. He saw a blue tunic and tiny ridiculous shoes kicking to keep the Sailor above the water level. While Wind may be able to swim, it was a well-known fact that he wasn’t good at it. He’d spent most of his life above the surface, whether on an island or a boat. 

With a powerful move, he was sailing upward, he tucked his claws into his fists as he tried to gently lift the Sailor a little more above the water, attempting to keep the kid from sucking in poison. 

He heard the shriek, and Wind’s feet started to kick more rapidly. Legend cursed under the water, and popped his head up next to Wind’s wide eyes and panicked breaths. The Sailor stilled suddenly, his face twisting into confusion and then joy. 

“LEGEND?” The Sailor practically shouted, and the Vet pinned his ears back against his head, the fins fanning out a second later in that weird fish-like movement that always happened when he was like this. Wind now clung a little closer to him, his hands sliding off his pink, smooth scales. Legend fought the urge to move away, fought the creeping feeling of awkwardness at the physical contact. Lolia below, he hated being this exposed and longed for his long sleeves and overtunic. At least he still had his jewelry, his medallions hung from around his neck, his rings and earrings still in place. 

“I take it we are in your world, Sailor?” Legend’s voice sang , where it was normally hoarse and uncouth, now it was smoothed out and melodic; another effect of the siren’s curse. As far as he could see, there was nothing but ocean water. His head started to feel light, his eyes not quite focusing right. Whatever the hell Hylia had been thinking, Legend didn’t approve. He dipped back down to get a lungful of water and hissed at the sting and fire that filled his chest. 

“Yeah, it’s mine all right.” Wind replied, his face screwing up in reprove at Legend sinking further into the water. 

“The water’s poisoned, you’re not breathing it, are you?” Wind’s ocean blue eyes locked onto his, and Legend’s face hardened into a glare. 

“No shit, and yeah, not much of a choice.” He tilted his head to expose the slits in his throat. Wind sputtered aghast, his grip tightening on Legend’s shoulders. 

“Well, change back! What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be smart?” Wind chastised him, and Legend felt his lip pull up in a snarl, his sharp teeth on display. The Sailor flinched back for a second, but then hardened in his resolve, and Legend had to force his face back to neutrality. Fucking transformations they always made things more complicated, his emotions more prone to be exposed. More animalistic and unfamiliar. 

His bunny form left him paranoid and frightened, but this siren’s form was a different beast. Part of it may be that he was younger, not fully matured. Urges and thoughts would sneak their way into his mind the longer he stayed transformed. The desire for flesh and singing and deceiving hot in his blood. Legend didn’t often wander into the ocean, let alone transform into a siren. He’d had enough of the sea for a lifetime.  

“If I could, I would.” His voice was low and threatening. And dammit it all. He knew this form had a certain effect on people, and he’d never seen Wind look at him so scared. The Sailor recovered fast, though, and his face dropped in sadness. 

“It's not good for us to be exposed to it for so long. What do you need to turn back?” Wind asked seriously.

Legend needed to be dry to turn back. And the only way that was going to happen was for him to get to some land. He dipped down again and sucked in a burning lungful of water. Already, he could feel it, besides the obvious pain in his chest, his eyes were starting to cloud over. He blinked his third eyelid to try and clear his vision, but it was fruitless. This wasn’t because of an outside source, this was because whatever was in the water was infecting him. 

“We need some land,” he said. Wind started to turn around in his arms, his hand held up to his forehead to lessen the glare of the sun beating down on them, his sharp eyes searching for someplace to go. Wind would know the best place; the kid had a mean sense of direction. 

He heard the sailor curse under his breath, and Legend was sick of holding his breath again, but the thought of further infecting himself grated on him. He slipped under for a brief second, and his mounting symptoms grew worse. There was nothing he could do. He rubbed at his gills testingly, the skin tender and sore already. 

Lolia below Wind was heavy, too. His tail was keeping them afloat, but he started to feel the exhaustion pulling on his muscles. Which had the added effect of him needing more *air*. His head swam, and the horizon dipped from one side to the other. He closed his eyes in an attempt to settle his vision and keep his stomach where it was. Wind tugged on his hair to turn his head towards whatever it was that the Sailor saw from so far away. 

“Let’s go that way.” Wind pointed in a direction, and Legend didn’t question it, didn’t have a reason to anyway. When in another’s world it was always best to take a back seat. He wasn’t sure he was in the best place to offer any advice, either. 

It was so awkward to try and swim and keep hold of the Sailor. Legend felt like his limbs weighed hundreds of pounds, and he kept losing their course. Wind would tap on his shoulder, which sent a small spike of panic through him every time. The Sailor would alter their course, and he’d continue swimming. He wasn’t sure how much time passed, but it felt like an eternity. He couldn’t swim below the surface, and being encumbered by Wind made it more of a chore than the freedom he normally felt while transformed. After the fourth time of losing course, Wind stopped them. 

“Are you doing okay?” Wind’s voice sounded squeaky, and under normal circumstances, he’d tease him about it. As it was, though, Legend could hardly focus past the cloud that clogged his mind. His head was pounding, and every breath dragged in like a wet rag. A spike of irritation shot through him, and his ears pinned to his head, his shoulders tensing. 

“As well as I can be.” He hissed through hoarse lungs. Because in the end, it didn’t matter. There was nothing anyone could do to alleviate the fact that he was growing sicker by the minute. He blinked rapidly, trying to expel the cloud over his eyes. Wind slipped, and he startled, his hand coming up to keep the Sailor above water, his claws sinking into soft flesh.

He gasped and pulled back, Wind falling further into the water.

“Fucking hell,” he cursed vehemently as they finally found a place for the Sailor to rest against him. Wind was looking at him with wide eyes, blood starting to turn the sea around them red. He pulled back slightly, horrified that he’d harmed the Sailor in the first place. He had to dip down to breathe, and the water was tainted in Wind’s blood, and something shifted in him. His magic spanned out rapidly, and a bloodlust overtook him for a second before he regained control of himself. 

“M’sorry, I’m not used to being like this for so long.” He mumbled out, his voice still silky soft even with the fire in his lungs. Wind shrugged off his concern. 

“It’s nothing, we just need to get the hell outta here.” The Sailor announced. Legend couldn’t agree more. This was not good. They needed to get out of this water. Wind was starting to look rather pale, his blonde hair stuck to the sides of his head, his eyes bloodshot. Even just being in the water had an ill effect on anyone, let alone him who was breathing it in. Now he was also dealing with the fact that he was fighting off the urge to bite his brother. 

As if in answer Wind’s face lifted, and he was waving his hands over his head. Purple eyes saw what he saw. A boat, finally. He spurred forward in a last-ditch effort to get out of this cursed sea. Wind clung onto him as he pumped all his energy into sailing them forward. They reached the side of the ship and Wind called up, Legend currently sucking in lungfuls of water to catch his breath. 

A head popped over the side, and then another. Wind conversed with them for a second, and then a rope ladder was thrown overboard. The Sailor scurried up it quickly. Legend wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do; there was no way he could haul himself up that ladder. Between the sickness and the fact that he had no legs, he waited until Wind would come back. He bobbed next to the boat, his head falling further and further into the water. It was calmer down below, his eyes glazed and his chest heaving. Wind never came back. 

Instead, there was a scuffle on board; he heard voices raise in pitch, his finned ears twitching, and he popped above the water once more. He stared wide-eyed up at the deck, unable to glimpse anything, his clawed hand sinking into the side of the boat to keep him in place. Wind’s voice rose above the others. 

“Get away, Ledge!” The sailor screamed from atop the deck. It took a second too long to process in his muddled mind, and as he started to turn to swim away, a net encircled him. His long tail tangled in it, his fins catching in the holes and holding him hostage. He sucked in water as he was being raised, adrenaline coursing through him as he twisted attempting to get loose. It was futile. 

They dropped him to the deck hard, and it expelled what little air he had left in his lungs. He heard taunting and wolf whistles above him. If he wasn’t currently struggling with staying alive, he might have blushed and tried to hide, too exposed sang through him. He was attempting to breathe, his lungs filling with air, his gills spasming. The hot ocean sun was beating down on his pale skin and drying him out. The magic around him swirled, and the transformation started. Pain shot down his legs, he heard his bones snap back out of place. Finally , he’d been a siren for too long; he needed fresh air and his legs back, especially with this new situation they’d found themselves in.

Words met his ears that made him sick to his stomach. 

“Don’t let it change back!” was hollered and then water was splashing onto him. The transformation stilled, the shock abrupt and agonizing. His eyes still glazed over searched around him looking for his brother. He clawed at the wooden planks, stuck between halfway changed and turning back. The bones rebroke, slid back into place, and he keened in pain, stifling it behind sharpened teeth. 

His lungs spasmed, and a shadow fell over him. A boot kicked him roughly to the side, and a large hand grabbed his hair and pulled his throat back. Through a delirious pain-induced fog, he looked up to see a figure stooping over him, a bucket of water being trickled onto his gills. They flared out and sucked in the poison water like a lifeline and his chest grew less tight and his vision cleared ever so slightly. 

“Get it in the tank!” was yelled over him. The man above him was tall and dark, his eyes gleaming wickedly. His body felt so weak, his muscles strained from the swimming and transformations. The poisonous water had been infecting him for the better part of an entire morning. He flapped his tail weakly when the net was lifted off him. Water still splashed around him in intervals to keep him in this form. He tried to find where Wind was, but he wasn’t quite sure what was happening anymore. They had thought they’d been saved, and now they were just stuck in a different hell. 

Rough hands grabbed under his armpits, dragging him across the deck boards. His head lolled to the side, the sun glaring and oppressive in his eyes. The delicate fins on the end of his tail caught and ripped, the sudden pain made him bite down on his lip in reflex to keep any noise inside. He drew blood, the smell of it awakened something inside him again, the metallic tang irresistible. His eyes shot open, and he struggled against his captors. Sharp claws reached out, his voice hissed in warning, terrible and otherworldly. He was dropped harshly to the floor again, his eyes locked onto a figure tall and imposing. He surged forward and sank his claws into the man’s leg. Whatever was happening here wasn’t good. He hadn’t found Wind, he wasn’t okay with being forced to stay this way, and he was angry. 

The man yelped, backing away, but Legend didn’t let him go. His eyes grew fierce, and the sudden urge to bite into the man and rip his flesh away grew inside him. Bereft of any items, and no sword and Legend struck quickly. His teeth sank into the man’s leg, and he heard him howl in pain. Warm blood coated over his tongue, and he tore away a chunk. The siren inside him sang its approval, his mind hazy and half hidden behind the bloodlust of the curse. 

A sharp pain struck him on the side, and he turned rapidly and hissed. He was surrounded, dragging half his body across a boat. Another wave of water splashed on him from a bucket, right in the face. Another strike to his side, his eyes narrowed in, an oar. 

“Pin it down!” Legend felt his blood boil at the words. A crack across his back made him falter, another splash of water, his gills tried desperately to suck in some water. A knee landed on his shoulder blade and forced him down, another joining it a second later. His arms were pinned behind his back, his claws now useless in the stronger man’s hold. His face was pressed down into the rough, wet wood, and he snarled. A large hand gripped his hair and lifted up, then smacked his head against the wood. Pain erupted in the side of his head, and he hissed, closing his eyes. 

The grip on his wrists became bruising, and he thrashed his tail until it too was pinned down with force. Incapacitated and pressed to the floor, he stilled. His lungs burned once more, and he was so sick of this. Another trickle of water met his gills, and he suppressed the whine in his throat. 

“Bring the kid!” Legend thrashed harder, no way was he letting them harm his brother. They had tied a gag over Wind’s mouth, and the Sailor was fuming. Purple eyes watched as they dragged him to the lead guy. 

His hair was gripped again, craning his neck back to force him to look up at the burly man. 

“You’re gonna behave or we are gonna kick the shit out of this kid in front of you, understand?” Legend’s blood ran cold, his eyes widening. They would too, he could feel it in the man’s resolve, in his harsh tone and unrelenting force. 

“Okay.” He gritted out, his lips pulling back over his teeth in a snarl. The grip on his hands loosened, but didn’t relent. He allowed himself to be dragged down into the boat. They tossed him harshly into a tank, and he sucked in a much needed breath. Metal clanged above him, bars covering the top of the tank. It was a tight fit. His hands pressing onto the glass and his tail wedged around him. His pink hair floated around his face as he took in the surroundings. 

Wind was shoved into the bay as well, muffled curses falling from his lips. The kid landed on his knees hard, and Legend glared at their captors. The leader stepped forward and tapped at the glass with a wicked smile. 

“We’ll get a pretty price for you and your friend.” His gold tooth gleamed in the light spilling from above, and Legend hissed on instinct, his mind muddled and feral. The water in the tank burned still, not any purer than the ocean he’d just been soaking in. 

With a final grin, the man sauntered back up the steps and cast them into darkness.

Chapter Text

Their situation went from grim to downright depressing. As Wind struggled to his feet another patter of feet came up behind him. Out of the shadow a little kid stood, dirty and grimy and looking at Legend with awe. 

Then another, and two more appeared behind him. Legend felt his stomach twist, they couldn’t have been older than ten or eleven. They were unbound, but obviously being kept prisoner down here. One stepped forward and helped remove the gag off of Wind. 

The Sailor stifled a curse and thanked the kids. They informed them that their island had been ransacked and they’d been carted off, their homes a few days travel away. Wherever it was they were going it would be awhile before they reached their destination. 

Wind consoled the children and they settled back, staring wide eyed at Legend once more. The Veteran gripped the bars above his head and tried to push. He shook them with all the force he had and they didn’t budge. 

He could stick his head out the top, but not his head and arms at the same time. It didn’t matter, the lock for the bars was hefty . Even with a power bracelet their was no hope of breaking it free. He tried to shove his claw into to wiggle the teeth but it was too sturdy and his movements imprecise. 

He was struggling to focus, to keep his head on his shoulders. He’d get distracted by odd things, the smell of bait, the creak of the boat, the feeling on his scales sliding over top one another. He blinked heavily, his head impossibly heavy. When he sunk back into the tank and drifted to the bottom, the kid was pressing his hand to the glass. 

Legend smiled, tried to hide his teeth, tried to not look like an ass. Wind came up a second later, his face creased in concern. The Sailor crouched down to be eye level with him. Baby blues traced along his form, searching out for symptoms and weaknesses. Legend knew he wasn’t fairing well already. 

The kid smiled back at him. A soft voice fell from the child. 

“What’s your name?” He asked Legend. The Veteran blanked for a second, he curled his arms over his chest, attempting to hide just a little more. He felt so exposed, on display and vulnerable. 

“Legend.” He said after a minute when his nickname came back to his mind. Wind squinted his eyes at him, but he ignored it. 

“Yours?” Legend questioned in return. The kid put his hands on his hips as if confident in the answer he was about to give. 

“Jin, and those are my sisters!” He announced to the three girls sitting on the floor staring openly at him as well. Legend moved his tail to try and fan some of the fins over his torso. He ran a finger over his medallions, but there was no hope in using them. The siren’s magic negated his other items, it was all encompassing and territorial. 

“We are going to get out of this.” Wind announced, and Legend was struck by how grave the Sailor sounded; how even Legend believed him in that moment and his heart lightened to have his brother with him. Wind herded the brother back to the group of kids and sat down with his forehead leaning against Legend’s tank. 

“How’re you doin’?” The Sailor asked, and Legend found the question loaded. His fins flared out and he sucked in more stale poison water. 

“Not great.” He replied dourly. He had decided not to think about the fact that he’d wanted to rip that man’s flesh to shreds on the deck. He didn’t want to worry his brother with the obvious signs of his mental confusion. The magic lay on him thicker and heavier, and he flicked his claws back and forth in contemplation. How long could he hold out being him? How long until it overtook him and he’d be nothing more than a monster? He terminated the thought, it was too depressing. 

Their brief moment of peace didn’t last though. Sudden light blinded him, the children scurrying away into the darkness. Wind stood up and squared his shoulders, chin up as they descended. 

The sailors sneered at him and told him to back away. Wind stood his ground. The captain came and backhanded him across the face sending Wind crashing to the floor, blood oozing from his split lip. 

“ He’s going to pay for that twerp.” The captain said as he pointed towards Legend. Wind’s eyes grew wide at the revelation. Legend tried to shrink back into the tank, reluctant to leave after just getting back to breathing normally again. Better him than the kid though. He could take it, his skin was already etched in scars from previous sessions of pain. His back a menagerie of scars from flogging as a child on his first quest. His torso tore and pierced from monsters and soldiers alike. His arms burned by ropes too tight and his neck was adored with lightning scars. He was no stranger to pain. 

A prod was produced and stuck through the bars. They poked him, and he hissed, so they poked him harder. He twisted trying to get away from the pointed stick. 

“Come up here.” The leader demanded. Legend thought back to his words on the deck. Well kick the shit out of the kid. He glanced over to Wind to see his brother shake his head no. Legend rose to the top of the tank. 

Once again, they snatched him up by his hair and pulled his shoulders taunt against the bars; his gills no longer in the water. 

“What are you?” They demanded and he snarled at them. They held him up til he was gasping and then dunked him back for a split second, water rushed into his lungs and then was gone once more. He gaped like a fish. 

“I asked you a question.” The captain’s voice hard and threatening. Legend may not want them to beat up Wind, but he was still Legend; stubborn to his core. 

“ Fuck you.” His voice dripped with venom, and he pushed his siren magic into it to make it even more potent. The hand in his hair faltered for a second and then grew crushingly tight. He didn’t see the electric rod slip into the tank, only heard blood rushing in his ears and pain igniting his every nerve. He tried to gasp in a breath, but was met with only air. His claws dug into his own hands, cutting his palms open. His fins twitched and his scales extended, the pain familiar, from a simpler time alone on a boat in the middle of a storm. 

They shook his head once the shock was over and his vision tilted dramatically, his muscles still spasming. He tried to suck in a breath but he couldn’t, not being held above the water like this. They dunked him back down and it was too much, all of his neurons were still firing, the pain pulsing through his blood. Water rushed past his gills and he gasped. 

“ What are you?” The lightning rod being held up threatening made something in him snap. A strangled part of his mind lit up in fierce rage, and his magic whirled out out of control. The magic became too consuming, a feral tilt to it that he couldn’t keep a grip on anymore in his pain and turmoil. His lips moved before he could process, his voice took on that otherworldly quality and steeped in magic. He snapped his teeth together as the question was repeated once more.

“A siren.” He answered back sickly sweet and the fingers in his hair relaxed just a bit. His eyes narrowed in on the reaction and his instincts took over. He lifted himself above the water, getting closer to the leader who still held him by his hair. 

“ What else do you want to know?” It was whispered sweet and alluring, and he was pleased to see the guy sinking into his spell. Legend’s mouth watered as he watched the captain’s Adam’s apple bob on his throat. The thought of his teeth sinking into his neck made him almost feverish with excitement. 

His magic pulled taunt and then broke. He was shoved back into the water and the captain stomped away up the steps muttering under his breath, “ I’ll show you, you little shit.” He watched as he disappeared onto the deck. 

Wind came and looked at him, his eyes blown wide. 

“Vet? Are you still there?” Which Legend found to be an odd question. His eyes slitted as he looked at the Sailor. Maybe it wasn’t so odd, half his thoughts were still turned on the feverish desire to taste blood again. His blood was still boiling, slight shocks still ran through his fingers but his heart was finally calming down. He reigned in his magic, put an iron fist grip around it. 

“Yeah.” He breathed out, the smooth quality to his voice still in place. They didn’t exchange any more words before the hatch was opened once more and heavy steps descended. A bottle was held in the captain’s hand, sparkling with magic; a thick green color swirling in the glass. He had a rod in his other hand, two pinchers at the end of it. 

Wind scurried back into the shadows, trying to not insight anymore reproofs from the dark man. Another sailor came and watched over the kids with a beating stick in his hands. Legend could see the Sailor trying to push back, to get closer without insighting punishment for either of them. Baby blue eyes looked at him in worry and Legend looked away, his resolve firming.  

The rod was roughly shoved into the tank and the two arms wrapped around his neck. He thrashed and snarled the claws digging into his already sensitive gills. The top of the cork was popped off by the man’s teeth and then dumped into his tank. Legend watched as it dispersed into the water and felt it sink into his lungs as he breathed. 

The magic was sweet, but wrong . His head swam, and he blinked rapidly. He rubbed a hand over his eyes trying to clear his vision, he saw sparkles in the water now. His tongue loosened in his mouth, and a strange feeling developed under his ribs. A hard rap at the tank caught his attention and he stared back at his captor. 

“What are you?” he asked again. Legend meant to hiss and spit, to keep his secrets but it spilled from his mouth against his consent. 

An average nobody was his first thought, followed by a hero. But this wasn’t what came out of his mouth, what came out was a deep secret that he kept hidden above all else. 

“A prince.” He responded and his gut sank with anxiety. Fuck. What was in that bottle? The world softened further around the edges of his eyes, a light feeling that he couldn’t shake from his mind. The man grinned at him. 

“Why are you like this now?” He questioned. Legend tried to fight it, to deny to keep his mouth shut. 

“It’s a curse.” He responded again. 

“What’s the kid to you?” He pointed at Wind who was glaring daggers at the captain from in front of the other kids. 

“My brother.” And his grin grew even more wicked. The feeling was starting to dissipate, the potion not long lived but Legend was pissed. He didn’t enjoy having his secrets bared, didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t lie or deceive. This would be the last question he decided, he could feel some of his will return, the sparkles thinning out in his vision. His own magic rearing up and fighting over the strange potion coursing through his body. 

“How old are you?” No. Not this, not with Wind right here, not with so many of his secrets already forced from his lips, not the truth about this. He’d been vague for a reason, he didn’t want to be seen as a kid, he didn’t want to give the others pause when he threw himself in battle. He respected the shit out of Wind because he’d been open and honest and had taken the change with the other heroes in stride, Legend did not want that added stress in life. Age was just a number after all. He’d been an old soul for a long time by now. That’s what adventuring did to you. You grew up too fast and learned things far beyond your years. 

He looked at Wind as the word was dragged from his lips. 

“Fifteen.” 

Chapter Text

Wind was stunned. He was also extremely pissed. Not only had they been captured when they thought they’d been saved, but now, his brother was being tortured, children were being trafficked, and secrets had been spilled that never should have been. 

He looked over to the tank, saw how Legend had shrunk into himself so self-conscious and small. The opposite of how the Veteran normally carried himself. It made him sick, it made him want to reach in there and shake the hero himself. 

There was another problem. Legend was losing himself. He could see it in the way the Veteran’s eyes were slitting, the way he moved and reacted. Twitching hands and teeth more displayed, whatever this curse was, it was growing harder for Legend to stop. He’d felt the fear course through him when the Veteran’s claws had sunk into his flesh, when he’d feared for his life in the arms of his brother. That had been before Legend had sunk his teeth into the man on the deck, let alone swallowed the chunk of flesh that had been ripped off. He didn’t bring it up, didn’t want to bestow further anguish into the Veteran’s mind. 

Legend’s eyes were looking worse, bloodshot and tired, his third eyelid would start to creep into his vision, all opaque and sickly looking. His hands were starting to pick at his scales as well. A mucus-like film was developing on his fins and around his ears. 

He thought of the secrets he’d learned. Legend was apparently a prince, which brought so many questions to the Sailor’s mind—had anyone else known? Legend did, but he thought back to the Veteran’s home. Legend lived in a simple house with an apple orchard, he surely wasn’t decked out like a Prince of Hyrule. His eyes studied the rings adorning his hands again, and he saw the ring that had always looked misplaced but that Wind had never questioned. It was a signet ring, the crest of the royal family engraved on it. He almost laughed at how dense they all were not to notice. Wind had seen the Veteran’s notebooks, the elegant writing he used, and the unending knowledge that the hero had. It was all plain before his eyes now.

Now he also knew, he knew that Legend was only a year older than himself. The knowledge stung more than he thought it should. In one regard, he felt a sort of justification, a weird sense of relief. Legend had always treated him fairly, had never babied or fussed over him, and he’d always been grateful. Now it just made a little more sense, he was treating everyone just how he wanted to be treated, like the hero he was. Not the prince, not the kid, but the hero. 

It was strange at the same time, because Legend had been through so much more than Wind. His adventures nearly doubled, and his temperament had been worn thin. Where Wind still found joy in the little things, and in life, it seemed that Legend had lost that sense of wonder. Replaced by a heartache and weariness that pervaded everything the Veteran did. He’d seen glimpses of Legend’s childlike heart, though. He knew the Veteran could loosen up, could joke around, could have fun. He longed to bring that out of his brother now. 

His eyes turned to the tank. Legend had curled around, hiding his face into the dark side of the tank, his fins coming up to conceal himself. Wind checked over the kids in the corner and reassured them. The graphic display of violence that had befallen the magical merman in the tank had left them all a little shaken. 

He stepped up to the tank, turned the corner, and tried to catch the Vet’s eye, but Legend wasn’t having it. He pressed his hand to the glass and waited. Slitted, sickly purple eyes locked onto him, a frown fixed firmly on his face. Wind watched as his gills stuttered, the edges raw and red. At each breath, a little tremor would overcome his brother—the poisoned water. 

He was still under the effects of his own exposure. His skin was raw and itchy, his eyes still stinging, and he’d only been exposed on the surface. He hadn’t breathed any in or exerted himself in the treacherous water. He flexed his hand, happy that the muscle cramps had eased as well. 

“I’m gonna get us out of here.” He said to the Vet, because he had to. He had to be one, Legend was in no place to formulate an escape plan, let alone stage a breakout. But this was Wind's specialty. He was a pirate afterall, and these morons were underestimating him. He’d keep playing scared, he’d keep behaving, and when they least expected it, they’d break out. 

The major problem was that he didn’t want Legend to be thrown from a tank back into the open ocean. What his brother needed was fresh air and his legs again, not more poisoned water. He also had the other children to think of now. A dinghy could work for a while, and if they could fashion a sail, he could set them off in the right direction. He just needed to get his stuff back as well. Legend had to still have all of his own items, but for some reason, the hero had not used anything since he’d turned. 

“Do you have access to your bag, Ledge?” He asked, and it took too long for Legend to process the question. Normally the hero was quick and so damn smart, but he watched as the question took all of his brother’s capacity to process. He flinched when he realized he’d just asked the hero a question, something he hadn’t meant to do since the potion that had forced secrets from him minutes ago. He backpedaled swiftly. 

“Don’t answer that, you don’t have to answer that. Just know I’ve got your back.” He pressed his forehead to the tank and closed his eyes. Legend needed to rest, and so he backed away without an answer, without a true response, his heart heavy with worry. He himself was growing weary, his eyes tired and starting to droop. The sun no longer shone from the barred hole on the hatch, instead, their little dungeon was rapidly falling into darkness.

Except for the tank. Like a beacon of hope, the water sparkled. Legend himself had an odd sort of glow to him, purple at the edges, sparkles of light that would brighten up and then dim danced around him. 

He was about to turn away completely when he stopped. The magic in the room became so dense he wasn’t sure he could leave even if he wanted to. A sweet song filled the air, and his eyes locked onto his brother. Legend was staring at him. His voice rose melancholic and pure, drew him in further, and the words were soaked with longing. He heard the other children shuffle forward as well, drawn into the spell. 

“Stay with me. By my side. Never leave.”  

Wind stumbled forward, his will not his own, and he was pressed against the glass once more. The words left his lips before he could even register them; caught in the spell of the siren.

“I’m not leaving.” He promised. Legend uncurled, his own hand coming up to the glass, and Wind pressed his against it as well. The Veteran smiled at him, a dangerous glint still lying deep in his features, a fierce spark in his eyes. He was still in there, and Wind would take all the help he could get. The children crowded around him, staring as well. They fell asleep in front of the glass to the singing of the siren. 

It was a new day. The hatch up above opened, creaking against its hinges, the locks groaning. Heavy steps descended once more. He scrubbed away the sleep in his eyes, jolting awake. Legend looked exhausted , and dark purple rings were under his eyes. It was a common sight, but now with his eyes red and opaque, it left him looking even worse. The Veteran twitched in the tank, and Wind moved the children back to the corner, his eyes never leaving the man coming down the steps. He hardly glanced at them, and Wind felt his blood boil. 

He went to the tank and peered in, Legend hissing in retaliation. He was looking worse, his pink scales dimming, his fins turning more translucent. Red rimmed around his eyes, and his gills now had red veins tracing out of them and down his neck. Legend hadn’t spoken normally since he’d had that potion dumped into the water. Every word was a song. The man stuck a metal prod in and badgered him, Wind clenched his fists together. 

“Hands.” He demanded, and Legend curled in tighter, hiding his hands under the length of his tail. The guy snarled, spat to the ground, and pulled his rod back out. He wiped something over the end of it, the substance shining in the light. It was shoved back into the tank and jammed right into Legend’s gills. The Veteran jerked, his voice cracking in a way that had Wind wanting to cover his ears. His tail thrashed, and clawed hands gripped the stick. The captain pulled the prod, and Legend held fast to it, his eyes looking behind the man and landing on them in the corner. Resignation filled his face, and Wind was going to be sick. He was doing this for them, he stopped fighting, the self-sacrificial hero giving himself up to what may happen, all to keep them from harm. 

Something changed suddenly, though. Wind felt the shift in magic and saw Legend’s eyes dilate, the purple being swallowed up by his irises. His fins moved weirdly, like in a half-drunk state, and it dawned on the Sailor that he’d been drugged. Whatever the captain had shoved into him was working. 

The guy crooned at him, applauding his cooperation in a sick way that made Wind want to kick him in the nuts. He ground his teeth together, focused on his mission. He’d need keys or something to pick a lock. He looked at the man’s belt, searching for a ring, and found none. He looked over his pockets, trying to find the familiar sag of metal in the fabric, but once again was at a loss. Fuck. He must not carry his keys with him, so Wind would need a lockpick. 

He looked back to where Legend’s hands now lay across the bars of his tank. The hero was staring wide-eyed at the man, his mouth slightly agape. A board was lowered onto the tops of his wrists and tied to the bars of the tank. His hands now immobilized. 

“Our buyer wants you a little less wild, so a little makeover is required.” The captain declared sadistically as he held up a pair of pliers. Wind felt his blood drain, and he hissed at the kids to “Turn around! Don’t look, cover your ears.” His voice held no room for negotiations. Blessedly, they obeyed them. He looked back at what was about to unfold for his brother, not wanting to leave him alone in his suffering.

The pliers gripped Legend’s claw, and he saw the moment Legend’s face turned from confused to scared. His fins flaring up, his shoulders tensing, and his eyes widened further, his brow furrowing together. Black eyes landed on him, and Wind felt his own eyes sting with unshed tears. Legend wasn’t supposed to look like that. He wasn’t supposed to look so defeated already. 

Legend was larger than life most of the time. Sarcastic and snarky, confident in his abilities and he didn’t take any shit. He was one of their best fighters, elegant and ruthless. He was wickedly smart, even if he got confused after sleeping. Legend was keen and observant. To see him reduced to this, to be drugged and tortured for his own sake, for the sake of others burned. 

With a slow, practiced movement, the nail was ripped away from his hand, fibers of his flesh clinging and pulling away slowly from his hand. The sound would forever be ingrained in Wind’s ears. Blood splattered back into the tank. Legend didn’t cry, didn’t make a noise, his teeth sinking into his lips, and more blood dispersed into the tank. 

“Ah, obedient now aren’t we?” The dark man purred, his sole focus on Legend. Now was his chance. He needed to sneak away and get another look at the deck, to inspect the locks on the hatch. Wind slunk down and worked his way up the steps quickly and quietly. He could be extremely stealthy when he needed to be. 

He heard each subsequent rip of flesh being torn from Legend’s nailbeds. He counted them…four. Six left, he popped his head above the hatch and looked around. Five. His eyes narrowed in on a set of ropes to the port side of the deck, those were dinghy lines, he was sure of it. The lock was standard on the hatch, he’d just have to do it blind. He threaded his hand through the barred hole to make sure he could reach and found it successful. Four. He popped back below deck and moved down the steps, his footsteps silent. Three. He was back at the kids now, they were still cowering in fear, their hands over their ears and their eyes shut. Good. 

Ocean blue eyes landed on the tank, and he had to fight the urge to vomit. Wind considered himself to have a strong stomach. Living on the ocean left his stomach like iron; food was limited, and sometimes a moldy orange was better than scurvy. Not to mention that he’d killed a man, his blade pierced through Ganon’s skull. He clenched his hands together, he could still feel the slip of the blade handle through the hard-packed bone even now. But this was sick. 

Legend now had one hand completely free of claws. The tips of his fingers were bleeding and raw. Even through the water, he could see the tear tracks on the Vet’s face. Siren tears were special, sparkling, and full of magic. They fell down his cheeks. His eyes were still wide and black, and he looked so lost. The next claw was ripped away, cast to the floor where a pile of nails was sitting next to the tank, blood seeping into the floorboards. 

The last one was rent free from his hand, and he keened, a pitifully sad sound that made Wind’s heart clench. The urge to protect reared up inside him, and he had to physically stop himself from jumping at the man. The magic in the room left everything sorrowful and muddy. Legend’s hands were released, and he quickly slipped them back into the water. The water had a gross brownish tinge to it now due to his wounds. He watched as Legend struggled to breathe, his gills flaring as he curled over his damaged hands protectively, his face turning away and hidden back into the corner of the tank. Too young. The thought bit at him, they were all so fucking young. 

The captain chuckled to himself as he stooped and picked up the claws. He deposited them into a bag. He whispered something into the tank that the Sailor didn’t catch, something that made Legend flinch once more and bring his hands even closer to his chest. Wind was about to fuck it all and take this man on right here and now. The man was starting to turn away when Wind stepped forward daringly. His eyes glared at him, his mouth sneering. He took a level breath, resisted the urge to edge the man on into a fight. Foul curses died on his lips as he glanced one more time at his brother. 

“Can he get some fresh water at least?” Wind asked, his voice hard and judgmental. It was obvious that the Veteran was struggling, and Wind hoped that somehow fresher water would alleviate some of his pain. The dark man looked at the tainted tank once more and turned and walked away without a word. Wind sat down fuming. He wasn’t used to being responsible for other souls in the thick of trials. Normally, it was him and him alone. He’d had a few companions, but rarely had they ventured into the dungeons with him. He thought of Makar and Medli and how much of a boon those temples had been. It had alleviated some of the pressure, and yet, it had made it worse at the same time. Where he only had to worry about himself, suddenly he was terrified of losing his companions in the same daring things he did with his eyes closed.  

He was vindicated shortly after when two deckhands came down with large buckets of water and filled the tank with it. Some of the old tainted water splashed out the top, and the reddish dinge abated. The men grumbled and returned up the steps.

 Legend looked at him wide-eyed, his gills not struggling so much. A little color returned to his scales as well, and Wind was happy to see his eyes were starting to return to normal. Still sickly and unsure, still so unlike the Hero of Legend, but better. The magic thickened, and Legend looked at him with more awareness. The same haunting tune that the Veteran always hummed came from his lips in the words of a song. 

“Was it real? What we saw? I believe I’m lost in dreams.” His tone was angelic, and Wind was drawn closer to him. He knew what to do! Hyrule or Wild would always hold the Veteran’s hand in times like these, ground the hero that reality was real. 

He scurried up to the tank and jumped, his hands catching on the edge. He pulled himself up and sat on the bars at the top, looking down upon his brother. Legend came forward, a raw hand coming out of the water, and Wind hissed in sympathy. He gently took the abused appendage and held onto the back and palm of his hand. Ever careful of the ragged ends and bleeding tips. He rubbed little circles of comfort into it, whispered that this was real. 

“You’re not dreaming, Ledge. He reassured. “I almost wish you were.” He said with a sad chuckle. The other kids stirred and came to them, their eyes misty, some had tears still streaking down their cheeks. Jin looked up at him, his face growing serious. 

“What can we do to help?” The kid asked, and Wind’s heart swelled. They cared for his brother as well, even if they were all practically strangers. Legend was so musical, especially now. His words soaked in magic and song, and Wind thought maybe they could return some of comfort he’d brought them last night. He would stay awake this day and make sure his brother got some rest. 

“Do you know any songs?” He asked them. He knew a fair share of pirate shanties, but none of the lyrics would hold any depth, anything meaningful to his hurting brother. A little sister stepped forward, her voice high and pure. 

“ A dream is a wish your heart makes,

When you’re fast asleep

In dreams you lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep.” 

Legend’s eyes started to close, his hand falling limp and Wind held on just a little longer before lowering it gently back to the water. Sleep was winning, the magic in the room heavy and sullen. His brother sank to the bottom of the tank and there he lay like a dead thing.

Chapter Text

The Sailor didn’t see any way around it. He’d searched everywhere, thought of every possibility. Every floorboard, every beam, every pocket had been turned over and thoroughly searched. There was nowhere else to look.  

He didn’t have anything that he could turn into a pick. His bag had been confiscated, his items gone. He really needed to sew a pick into his tunic. Maybe Legend could help him if they got out of here. He ruffled his hair in exasperation; when they got out of here. 

They’d all faced worse odds than this. He was so much more experienced now. He remembered his sister being taken, the heartache that had come from that. But he’d been on another adventure since then, with Linebeck to save Zelda once more. He’d fought in a whole War with Warriors. Legend was seven adventures deep and hadn’t ever been conquered. Guilt rushed through him, but this wasn’t Legend’s world. This was Wind’s world, with circumstances that should never have happened. He had to get them out of here, there was no other choice. Surely he could achieve that simple task, he was a hero after all! He glanced at the tank and felt his resolve waver. 

He ran his hands down across another floorboard looking for a loose nail, a splinter, anything. He huffed in defeat when it came back as a loss once more. His blue eyes turned to the tank. His stomach sank at the sight once again. Legend had barely moved. The Veteran didn’t even look alive. 

The weird mucus-like mold that clung to him grew on his fins. His gills were starting to ooze a weird pus that leaked out slowly. His skin was so pale, and the pink coloring on his scales had practically gone, faded to a dull off white. 

His eyes caught once again on the fin on Legend’s ear. The barb was long enough, thick enough for a good pick. Was there any way to get him to understand what he needed to do? The Sailor pulled on his lip in thought, racking his brain for any way to get out of here without harming Legend further. 

His stomach growled in hunger. They hadn’t been given any food since boarding, and he eyed the sleeping children in the corner of the room. Not sickly skinny, not healthy looking either. Blue eyes traced back to his brother in the tank. He couldn’t say the same about Legend. 

Ribs stuck out, hollows in the sides of his hips. He looked worse, like his skin was stretching over only bones at this point. Wind wondered if the curse had something to do with it. Was his metabolism on high while trying to sustain this transformation? Legend had only eaten that single chunk of flesh from the man upstairs. The thought made his stomach churn and fear lace through his being. Sirens were terrifying. He’d heard so many stories about how they lure in folk lost at sea and devour them til nothing is left. Their voices pure, their faces and bodies irresistible. They signified death to all on the sea. How his brother had been cursed with this form Wind didn’t know, but he did know that Legend wasn’t a killer. The Veteran wasn’t a bad guy - a bad kid. He was thoughtful and kind, but it was just hidden under a rather rough attitude and heartache.  

His eyes settled on the barb again. If Legend was coherent , if the Scholar was here and not drowning in his own mind… Wind clenched his fists together. He knows Legend would rip the barb out himself if he weren’t so confused. He could practically hear the Veteran scoff and say that a little pain was nothing to be afraid of. Wind was scared to harm the siren, though. He didn’t know if he could break through the haze of Legend’s mind. His skin crawled at the thought of being eaten. His fingertip traced over his own ear, searching for the best point to break it. He felt the divet at the end, knew if he could just move quickly enough, he could get his pick at the cost of his brother’s bone. 

If he faltered, though, if he was drawn in by the magic… he needed a backup plan. Legend had always been sensitive to magic. Wind wasn’t nearly as aware of it as his brother, or Hyrule, or Wild, for that matter. But he knew what it was, he could feel it around if he focused just right. He took a deep breath and tried to get his own pool of magic to react, to reach out and find Legend’s. He was rewarded a moment later when the Veteran started to stir. 

The world was not the same anymore. Legend wasn’t sure what was going on. Every breath stung, every thought a slog. One thing rang above everything else, though, and that was that he was hungry. His stomach was painful, the desire for flesh so intense that it pervaded every fiber of his being. 

Sleep had left him so confused . Hot, burning need for blood was all he dreamt about. He awoke with his mouth watering and his blood singing for meat. He licked his lips, parched somehow while suspended in water. 

His hands , a wounded noise left him as he cracked his eyes open and looked at them. Sharp pricks of pain shot up his hands with every heartbeat. The claws gone, his nail beds raw and stinging. He brought a finger to his lips and sucked on it, the leftover blood delicious, the feeling of flesh irresistible. Sharp teeth gnawed on the appendage, and the pain of the wound barely registered as his tongue swiped over his own blood, and the curse sang. This is what he needed, this is what he desired above all else right now. 

A sharp rap on the glass had him hissing, his finger left his mouth, and his eyes squinting dangerously. Everything was blurry. His third eyelid blinked rapidly, but it didn’t help; he couldn’t see. He came closer to the source of the noise and squinted more, trying to understand. 

Wind stood before him, his eyes big and sorrowful. A hand pressed to the glass, and Legend reached out in return. He knew this person, he knew his brother. Felt his magic reach out and sweep around his fellow hero, it prodded at him desperately, Legend wasn’t going to last much longer. Soon, he would lose himself completely, his mind a haze. He needed to turn back. The curse bit at him, the magic curling tighter around his soul. How long had he been like this? How long had this poison been infecting him? 

“Legend, we gotta get you out of there.” He knew that voice. Something in him agreed. The words floated around him like a dream. Where was he? 

“I’m… can you come to the top?” Wind asked, and then Legend saw him press on the glass and scurry to the top of wherever he was. He followed, curious and ravenous. His head popped above the water and looked at his brother, his head tilting in curiosity. 

“I need a pick, and there are no other options.” Wind said seriously, looking at him pleadingly. Legend didn’t understand what he wanted, but the warmth of his skin was so alluring, he could smell the Sailor’s blood under his skin. His eyes caught sight of Wind’s bare hand, his mouth watering fiercely. 

“I’m going to need you to not fight me.” The Sailor said. Legend didn’t know what he was talking about. Wind’s hand came forward, and Legend tracked the movement. Two wills clashed within him. He couldn’t hurt his brother. Goddess below, he was so hungry. 

Legend waited; if the kid got closer, he was guaranteed a bite. He couldn’t sing, could barely formulate a thought through the daze of his hunger.  Wind’s hand cupped his ear, the fin twitching against the touch. He felt small fingers search out the bone, the barb of the delicate fin. Legend blinked stupidly, he still didn’t understand. Wind apologized softly. 

A swift pinch and then pain bloomed on the side of his face. The Sailor ripped the delicate fiber off his fin, and Legend’s mind whited out; he lost all control. He lunged. His teeth sank into tender flesh, and ecstasy filled him. 

“Fucking hell!” Wind cursed vehemently, and then his hair was being gripped, and fear shot through him. He froze, waiting for some sort of pain, some sort of drug to course through him without his consent, the last few days of abuse the only things he could coherently remember. The fingers in his hair eased, and ocean blue eyes stared into him. The magic around them deepened, making Legend feel stupefied and guilty. A sweet blue pull sought out his core, and he let it invade him, sinking into its kindness. His mind cleared momentarily, and realization sank in. 

Guilt struck him like a whip. His mouth full of blood and flesh, he tried to stop. He stared into those eyes, his vision still blurry, but he knew that face, knew that soul. With an effort, he relaxed his jaw, and flesh slipped over his mouth. He drew back. The will of the curse lashing out in anger, but he held fast to his decision and released his brother. Words strung together in his brain, and he said them plainly.

“Get away.” He croaked out, half broken. 

“It’s okay, I’m alright.” Wind whispered to him, but it didn’t ease his horror. Tears brimmed in his eyes. What had he done? Hunger still sat in him like a rock, gnawing and needy. Wind slipped off the top of the tank. Quickly, he bandaged the wound with a strip of spare cloth from his pocket. Legend barely felt the wound from his torn fin and didn't have the wherewithal to question why Wind had harmed him in the first place, his mind slipping away once more. His own blood bled into the water and he sucked it into his lungs greedily. The metallic taste overwhelming.

Legend sank down into the tank and hid away. His face buried in ruined hands, his mind rapidly falling away. He didn’t know how much longer he’d last. His stomach, he curled over, it felt like it was eating him from the inside out. The brief taste of blood had made it even more voracious. Why had he felt so guilty? Why was he still hungry? His chest was tight with emotions that he couldn't decipher. Blue magic hung close to him and he took what comfort from it that he could. Anything to not feel the terrible starvation that surrounded him. 

He felt so ill, so weak. Maybe, he could just lie here until the inevitable. No more prodding, no more secrets, no more pain. Just cursed magic and his own confused soul. Suddenly, exhaustion fell on him like a rock, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. What did it matter anymore anyways? There was no escaping this place, this hell he'd found himself lost in. He fell away once more into a mindless sleep filled with pain and hunger.

Chapter Text

Wind was growing desperate now. He needed to get them out. Legend wasn’t the same anymore and he feared that if they lingered any longer he’d lose his brother completely. The crew had cast down some food, and it had splattered onto the floor. He felt like an animal as he scraped it off the floorboards and handed it to the children. He could feel Legend’s eyes on him. A shiver ran down his spine. 

Legend had awoken and something was different. His brother no longer looked at them kindly but predatorily. A hunger in his eyes that had Wind backing away from the tank a little further, that had him whispering to the other kids to not get too close to his fellow hero. 

A few moments later fish came flying down the hatch as well. They flapped on the ground and Wind struggled to pin them down. Another shiver ran down his spine, the magic in the air thick and dangerous. He looked up to the tank and his blood ran cold. 

Legend’s eyes had darkened considerably, his teeth out in display. His posture screamed danger. Wind swallowed thickly, he wasn’t sure if Legend was there anymore. Maybe some food would help him, maybe it would make it worse. He struggled with the decision, saw Legend take in a stuttered breath and his ribs expand. It would be crueler to tease the siren. With shaking legs and hands he threw the fish to the top of the tank and it fell through the bars into the water. 

Wind had never seen something move so fast. Legend struck with a speed so impressive that he stepped back once more. Blood filled the tank and then was gone. The fish was devoured, bones, head and all. The Veteran turned to him expectantly, dark eyes tracking his movements. A thought struck him. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. To have a siren in his debt may just make this whole shit show of a plan work. 

He held the fish up by its tail, his posture confident. He stilled his knees from shaking, set his face into a hard glare. He walked up to the tank and refused to flinch back when Legend slammed into the side of the glass hissing. 

“I’ll give you this,” he started, Legend’s ears perking up and Wind held back the wince at the wound he’d caused on his brother. The fin was dangling oddly, his ear mangled. 

“But I need your word, you won’t harm me or the kids.” Black eyes blinked back at him, and it reminded him of the sharks that lingered under the water. Red veins had stretched up onto his jaw, and curled down under his ribs. Wind noticed with fascination the color returning to his scales already at the food he’d been given. 

Legend stared at him for a long while, til his eyes flickered back to the fish in his hand. A clawless hand touched at his exposed stomach as if weighing the odds. The magic turned sweeter, more friendly.  Finally he nodded. 

“I need your word, your song.” Because Wind couldn’t risk anything now. The last thing he needed was Legend to go completely feral and kill them all down here. Because he had to let him out, and more than likely, people were going to die. Wind faltered again, because this was the best he could come up. He’d pick the lock open on top of the tank and wait for the captain to come down. With the added surprise of Legend being able to get out he was going to use the Veteran’s bloodlust to at least incapacitate the captain. More than likely the man was going to die. 

He knew the Vet’s hand were already blood-soaked, just like his own. They’d killed people to reach the end. Wind had felt life and blood drip out of people by his own sword. Legend had talked briefly about some his own adventures and the sacrifices he’d had to make. The blood that coated their souls. The death that had followed behind them to ensure the safety of their lands.

“ Dream with me, by the sea.” Wind knew the tune, felt the magic swirl around them and the promise sink into his soul. That was good enough for him. He gathered his courage and pulled himself up to the top of the tank. Jin thankfully handed him the fish from below, the boy shaking.

His brother appeared out of the water. Wind could practically feel the tearing of his flesh again in his hand, but Legend didn’t lunge. The Sailor held the fish out to him, his heart beating out of his chest. He took a steadying breath and gently Legend bit the fish from his hand and sank back down, and with more steady hands he got to work on the lock. 

The barb was perfect . He slit it into the lock and fiddled with the tumblers. Every click the sweet sound of freedom. He just needed Legend to wait until the perfect moment. Then after the captain had been dealt with they could hopefully get the hero changed back. He just needed to dry out, and it shouldn’t take too long. The lock popped open in success. Wind had more than enough experience and he felt a rush of pride at how easy it had been. 

The other problem. Blue eyes saw the children meandering about. This was bound to be gruesome and horrific. Legend was practically feral, and sirens weren’t pretty in their slaughter. He walked over to Jin and put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Jin, we are getting out of here. My brother,” he looked to the tank once more and then back to the kid. “He’s not himself. He’s going to act strangely, and I need you guys to not look, okay? Make sure to cover your ears and close your eyes and I’ll come to you when we can leave.” 

Big brown eyes stared at him, and the kid nodded. Wind squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. They were getting out here today. He went back to the tank, and locked eyes with his brother. Legend looked better but not healthy. The mucus still clung to him, his eyes still opaque and too black. His breathing ragged and difficult. Legend did seem to have more energy though, so that was a good sign. He put his palm to the glass.

“When you see the captain,” he saw Legend flinch and bare his teeth at the mention of the dark man. “You fuck him up.” Wind whispered his eyes hard. Legend’s mouth turned into a smile, wonderful and deadly. He swam up to the top and tested the bars, that dangerous glimmer glowing in his eyes. Wind was sure they could take on the rest of the crew, knew that most wouldn’t put up a fight without the captain bearing down on them. They still needed to get away lest a subordinate try to take over and still keep them captive. 

It was only a matter of time now. All they had to do was wait.

Legend was excited. He could feel it thrumming through his veins, the promise of fulfilling his desire. Blood is what he longed for, and now it was almost within his grasp. He’d promised the kind soul he wouldn’t harm them. They’d fed him, given him something to sink his teeth into, and he was grateful. Now the little one had asked him to harm the man that kept him captive. That stole his freedoms and subjected him to pain. Now it was his turn to inflict pain. 

His veins felt hot , his magic tainted with something that made his brain boil. He caught sight of the children through blurry eyes and something shifted in his chest. Those were under his charge now, he’d made a promise with his song. He started to sing softly, the tune happy and light. Ears perked up and came closer, all the children watching him. His heart calmed. 

A curse was heard above, and the door was flung back with a violent force. Loud footsteps descended and the kind one ushered the little ones back into the corner. Legend licked his lips, his heart picked up. It was finally time. He could practically taste the flesh, the warmth of blood sliding down his throat. He could envision his freedom, the screams of the one he was going to devour, and his blood sang. 

A swift wack against his tank had him hissing in reflex. The noise reveberating around him made him grind his teeth. He watched the man put the electric stick to the side, cautious eyes searching. He faked being ill still, barely moved, let exagerated breaths leave his lips. He was not cured, far from it. Everything burned but his one desire locked his will in. He was famished. He poised himself, ready to strike. He just needed the man to get a little closer, to start to unlock his already open tank. He could practically taste his meal. 

Sure enough the man loomed over him, and it took only a second for Legend to react. His large hand reached out for the lock and his eyes widened in surprise, his hand reaching for the electric rod resting against the tank still, but it was too late. Legend shot forward out of the tank and his teeth sunk into the man’s shoulder right by his neck. Hot delicious blood poured into his mouth and his mind snapped. Goddess he was starving. He yanked his head back and a chunk of flesh came with him. His hands grappled to stay connected to the man, his tail twirling around the captain’s waist like a snake. He pinned one of the large arms under his tail and squeezed. He surged forward again and his face met warm wet flesh. He dug in once again. 

Golden Three it was fucking delicious. A filthy moan left his lips as he finally felt something inside him settle. His stomach gurgled as another chunk went down his throat. The man was falling backwards and Legend went with him, undeterred from his feast. He heard curses and felt fingernails ripping into his skin and tearing off scales, but he didn’t care. A fist connected with his face, and pain exploded in his nose. Stunned him for a brief moment, and he looked up. The man’s eyes were wide with fear, blood pouring from the wound next to his neck and Legend’s bloodlust grew. He pushed his hand into the man’s face, a strength he didn’t think he had fueling him. It exposed his neck more, and he bit down on that sweet pulse. Blood splattered down his own neck and face; hot and metallic. He couldn’t breathe, but it didn’t matter. Ravenously he satiated his desire. The man stopped struggling, his voice only gurgles below him. The captain stopped moving, blood soaking into the floorboards, Legend didn’t stop, splashing around in the mess he'd created.

Suddenly he felt that calm blue magic flow over him, and it closed in around him for a moment. With a mouth full of food, blood dripping out of his teeth and down his chin, he looked up. Wind’s eyes were huge, terror swimming in the blue depths. Legend didn’t register why, all he knew was that the curse within him was singing, the hunger that plagued him was abating. His lungs were burning and he could feel the water drying off him. Panic seized him, he didn’t want to turn back, he’d finally come under the grip of being a siren and now it didn’t want to let him go. How long had it been? He wasn’t sure anymore, this form was all he could remember at the moment and now it was disappearing. 

He sucked in air and suffocated. He turned back towards the tank, he needed to get back in. His food could be brought to him later, he’d done what the little one had asked, surely he wouldn’t deny him his victory feast. 

Wind bolted in front of him blocking the way back or the tank. Legend clawed himself forward, the mass of his tail heavy, his movements awkward. He tried to breathe again and felt his muscles seizing up. There was no way he could haul himself back into the tank. The little one wouldn’t help him, he could sense it in the air.  

Magic swirled around him and his bones started to break. Scales slid off him and his skin tore. His damaged hands burned. The gills in his neck were on fire, and he clawed feebly at them. At the last possible second he sucked in a breath of air for the first time in days. 

His stomach convulsed, his lungs spasmed and then water was being spewed from his mouth. The curse of the siren slid off his magic and dissipated. His legs broke back into place, and his mind whited out with the snapping of his bones. He took in another stuttered breath, laying on his side. 

His mind cleared, and the last few days rushed back into him. His eyes were still blurry, the pain of the transformation still coursing through his veins. He felt ill. Hazily he looked around him, and he saw the mess he’d created. The remains of the man that he’d just been eating. His stomach clenched and he moved onto his hands and knees as vomit splashed down underneath him. Gore and viscera fell from his mouth, his tongue tainted in that clinging metallic taste. 

The hunger that had been eating at him for days intensified as another splash of vomit was expelled from him. Lolia below what had he done? Tears ran down his cheeks freely from the force of his expulsion. He panted; bloodied drool dripping off his lips. 

Something touched his shoulder and he flinched away. Hurried apologies met his ears and when they flattened back to catch the noise his ear burst into pain. He was a fucking mess. His arms started to shake, the reality of what he’d done crashing into him. 

He wasn’t guiltless that was for sure, and blood tainted his hands from quests past but this. His voice caught in his throat, a sob building up under his ribs. He’d killed before he tried to reason. Because it was true. But he could still feel the excitement, the bloodlust and hunger under his skin. He’d enjoyed it. He shuddered over the thought. A hero shouldn’t be like this. The thought stung, and despair filled his heart. What had he done? 

Arms wrapped around his shoulders and Wind was pressing into him. He couldn’t catch the words the Sailor was whispering to him but he felt Wind’s magic calm and slide in next to his own. His own magic, untainted and free once more grasped onto his brother’s. He sat backwards and clung to his little brother, burying his face into the blue tunic. More guilt crashed into him. He’d hurt Wind, twice. He’d slipped his claws into his side and in his confusion he’d bit him as well. He tried to pull away, because how could he do such a thing? But Wind held on tighter, refused to let him go and wallow in his own pity and shame. 

Everything ached. His muscles and joints swollen and stiff. Every breath felt like his lungs would stretch and rip. His vision dipped, his head light and painful. He finally caught his brother's words. 

“It’s okay Ledge, it’s okay. You did what you had to do, I’m so sorry.” Wind’s voice cracking on his own tears. Legend wasn’t sure why his brother was apologizing, he hadn’t done anything wrong. His words wouldn’t leave his choked throat. He sank deeper into the hug longing for some comfort. He’d been beaten and drowned, drugged and starved. Their freedom won at the cost of his sanity. His hands clenched into the lobster shirt and stung. More tears welled in his eyes, his poor hands. They were stained with blood, he could feel it drying around his mouth and under his tunic that had reformed over his skin when the curse slipped away. Gore still coated the backs of his teeth and rested on his tongue. He gagged again. Wind’s hand rubbed up and down his back soothingly. 

Legend scraped the pieces of himself back together. The ends of his soul were eviscerated but he couldn’t rest here. They still needed to get out. Panic shot through him, they were not alone. Purple eyes looked over Wind’s shoulder and he saw the kids curled in the corner. Jin’s eyes were wide with fright, and Legend felt some of his resolve crumble further away. His stomach dropped once more, some hero he’d turned out to be. 

Hastily he retreated, already missing Wind’s warmth and reassurance. He turned around, curling into himself. He wiped futilely at his eyes, tried to scrub the blood off his mouth with bloody hands. Wind stood over him, protectively. The Veteran mustered all the courage he had left in him. Legend shoved his turmoil away, focused on the present. He spat onto the floorboards trying to get that taste out of his mouth. A reassuring hand landed on his shoulder once more and he stuttered in a steadying breath. 

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.” He whispered to his brother while standing. The children recoiled as he stood but Jin walked forward, brave and unwavering. He reached out a hand, much like when Legend had been stuck in the tank. The Veteran took the tiny hand in his own mangled one gently. Wind nodded solemnly and they ascended the steps.

Chapter Text

He followed behind Wind, the Sailor’s hand clasped in his own, pulling him forward. Legend’s legs wobbled with every step. The pain from his fingertips was grounding now. His head felt so light that he was worried he was about to pass out. Every step was a chore, every breath a pain. They stepped out onto the deck for the first time in four days. 

The sky was blue and clear, the water darker and turbulent. He shuddered at the thought of having to return to it. White, puffy clouds floated around, and seagulls were circling around the mast of the ship. 

Legend gripped his sword handle with sweaty palms, he was being cast from one hell straight into another. The Veteran couldn’t even process the emotions welling up inside him. Memories of a different boat, a different ocean on the edges of his mind. He shoved them aside, blinking rapidly into the bright morning sky. 

The crew turned towards them, and Wind’s posture turned even more defensive. Legend squared his shoulders as well, faking a confidence that he didn’t currently feel. He squinted into the sun, his vision still slightly off. He kept the children on the steps with a look behind him, the little girls shrinking back. Jin nodded in understanding. 

Wind took the forefront in dealing with the crew. His voice rose above everything else, confident and strong. 

“We’re leaving!” He declared with finality, blue eyes swimming in power. The statement left no room for anyone to object. Legend let his magic spread around them, and it was oppressive. It had been trapped for days underneath the curse and now it was free, he let it go where it wanted. The core of it was feral and dangerous. A scrawny-looking fellow closest to them looked towards Legend. 

His eyes widened when he saw the Veteran standing on legs, Legend’s face gaunt and grave. The man shuffled away, not meeting their eyes anymore. The rest of the crew turned aside as well. Legend felt relief build up in him, he wasn’t sure he was in any real shape to put up a fight. He swayed as he took another step, and Wind grabbed his hand again, keeping him steady. His heart felt so fast, his stomach dropped again, acid shot up his throat. 

He was ushered with the children to the dinghy by his brother. He watched through blurring eyes as Wind undid the ropes and dropped the small boat into the waves. He gasped, his lungs burning, and his stomach emptied itself into the salty water. Blood and bile lay across the top of the waves. He didn’t feel good. 

Wind landed in the boat with a thump and shoved off from the larger boat. They were afloat at sea now. His world rocked, his eyes developed spots. Legend curled onto his side, his back pressed against the side of the little ship. His stomach clenched, and he was helpless to stifle the moan that left his lips. His magic swirled back to him, thick and cloying. He shut his eyes, the sun far too bright, the sudden pain in his head too intense. 

A hand patted at his face, and he heard his name being repeated. His ear hurt so bad, and his hands. His stomach cramped once more. He squinted open one eye and saw Wind’s worried face close to his own. 

“Ledge? What’s going on?” Wind’s voice pierced his ears. Goddess below, when did everything become so intense? His throat was so tight, his chest heavy. Each heartbeat thundered in his aching head. 

“I don’t feel so good, brother.” He replied hoarsely. He curled tighter around his stomach, another cramp overtaking him. He clutched at his tunic. Another heave, and blood was pouring out of his mouth once more. It tasted different, like his own.

“Shit, okay, okay.” He heard Wind fretting above him but could offer no comfort, no guidance. Legend desperately wanted Rulie here suddenly. The sinking feeling of dying, clawing its way into his soul. His magic fanned out, spreading thin across the endless sea around them. He felt it searching, and he knew. He wasn’t going to make it. The poisoned water had leeched into him, his body was shutting down in the aftermath of his feast and adrenaline. The curse that made him lose his mind had been the only thing keeping him alive. 

Tears welled up in his eyes because, at the end of the day, he didn’t want to die. Not here in a foreign world, not with his younger brother trying to glue his soul back together. Legend’s eyes slid shut, and he didn’t open them again. 

Wind was losing his shit. They’d done it, they had escaped, they’d all made it out. Frantically, he played the Wind’s Requiem; they weren’t far from a Great Fairy, and if he could Legend down there, he might just make it. His brother had fallen unconscious, and now foam and blood was spilling out of his mouth as his muscles convulsed. The magic around them was whirling up in terror and defense. 

The wind ripped into the sail and sent them sailing forward. 

“Jin!” He yelled to the kid who was staring at his brother with a look of horror. Scared brown eyes met his.

“Get the rudder! Have your sisters keep us on this heading.” He barked out directions and sailed forward to where Legend was still spasming. He moved the Veteran a little further away from the side of the boat and desperately tried to get him to wake back up. With shaking hands, he pulled the collar of his brother’s tunic down, undoing rows of buttons and saw the red veins now turning black under his skin. They were reaching out to his heart, and Wind felt terror lurch its way into his soul. 

He wished someone else were here to help him, to guide. The Sailor was confident in his own abilities, but this was out of his wheelhouse. He’d heard of people getting poisoned to the point of death on the sea, but he knew not how to cure it. His medical abilities were limited. With blurry eyes, he searched through Legend’s bag haphazardly in hopes of a potion but found none. He knew his own was empty as well.

The Great Fairy was his only hope to keep his brother alive. 

He’d grown used to seeking out Legend’s magic by now, and he reached out once more with concentration. The purple aura grasped onto his, desperate and delirious. He felt it starting to siphon off his own supply, his head growing light. It didn’t matter if his brother needed this to live; he’d freely give it all. 

He looked up to the horizon, his eyes squinting off the sun-encrusted sea. Just ahead, he could make out the silhouette of the island. Blood was staining his hands now, warm and sticky. Legend’s whole front was coated, and it was smearing across his face. He pulled Legend’s tunic back into place, his hand resting on his neck seeking out the Veteran’s pulse. It was too fast , too faint. Wind felt his head swimming, his eyes whiting out. Whatever Legend was taking from him was costing the Sailor. The horizon dipped, and he felt like he’d become drunk. 

The last thing he remembered was a bright, searing spot in their entwined magic, hope. 

“..et him…Auntie!” Consciousness crept into his mind slowly. Something was happening, he wasn’t dead yet. Everything still hurt, and he moaned in agony when he was shifted once more. He heard an apology. He knew that voice, he loved the person behind it. His soul shifted, forest green magic settling into his own that made his breathing easier. Legend’s world came back into focus. He was being dragged, his feet scraping across a wet floor, both arms slung over his saviors. Water splashed onto his legs, and fear seized him, goddess no. He didn’t want to transform again, wasn’t sure he’d live through it. But Wind knew, he felt Legend tense up underneath him and started whispering reassurances. 

“We’ve got you, Ledge, we won’t let you get wet.” The Sailor gripped him a little tighter. 

“Auntie’s gonna fix you up.” That rich voice spoke again. His wish had come true; at the end of all things, Rulie was here with him. How’d his successor get here? It didn’t matter. Hyrule was amazing, he’d found a way to grant his predecessor's dying request. Purple eyes blinked open blearily. He saw a blue tunic, blonde hair, and ocean eyes looking back at him in worry. Next to him was a familiar poof of hair and green eyes cast in gold. His heart thumped heavily, he wished they were all here. Warriors and his dumb face, Wild with his crazy eyes, Sky with his kind smile, Four with his smart brain, Time and his fatherly love, Twilight and his kind hands. His sister was going to kill him for dying. Ravio…he’d leave him all alone in his house just like Link had been left too. His family, tears sprang into his eyes. He didn’t want to die. 

Hope blossomed in his soul, fed by Rulie and Wind’s magic. His eyes settled on what was in front of him. Magic thick in the air, fairies dancing around. Understanding soaked into his abused brain. He wasn’t going to die. He sucked in a harsh breath, agony searing his lungs and chest. Blood dribbled out of his mouth. He let his head hang down again, too tired to keep it up, too exhausted to process anything else. 

He was lain on the pedestal, gasping and half dead. A hand settled on his cheek, a thumb wiped under his eye. He opened his eyes, a Great Fairy staring down at him. He forfeited his soul into her hands, they had saved him on so many occasions throughout his short life. A kiss was pressed to his forehead, and life returned to him. He was revived from the pit of decay. His magic grew stronger, his mind calmer. 

His lungs felt relieved, his chest free and light. All the lingering pain in his hands vanished. His stomach felt normal for the first time in days. He breathed deeply, the enchanted magic sinking into every pore. The poison was washed from his system. He saw clearly above him now. 

He reached out, and hands wrapped around his own. Rulie’s bracers in one and Wind’s smaller hand in the other. He was hefted up, and his head didn’t swim, his heart didn’t stutter out, his lungs worked. Rulie was watching him intently, and Wind’s big eyes were round with unshed tears. The Sailor surged forward and wrapped his arms around his middle. Legend clung back. 

“I’m alright, Sailor, I’m alright.” He whispered into sun-bleached curls. 

“And this fucker, just takes off across the water!” Legend chuckles at Blue’s storytelling. Hyrule had apparently dashed across the sea with his magic boots when the Veteran had been siphoning all of Wind’s magic away in an attempt to reach out to his successor. 

They had made it back to the rest of the group on Windfall Island. The missing children returned to their family. Jin had thanked them both, and Legend had expressed his own gratitude for the young boy. His heart warmed as he watched them be embraced by their parents once more. 

They sat around a small campfire now, Wind pressed into his one side and Hyrule on the other. Legend didn’t miss the fact that everyone was sitting a bit closer to them in general. He saw Warriors tracking his movements, Time’s ever-vigilant eye on the Sailor as well. Wolfie lay down at their feet, his ears perked, and soft fur brushing across their legs. Warriors' scarf was wrapped around the both of them, and Legend hadn’t even protested, the magical fabric a comfort he’d indulge in for tonight. 

Sky picked at his harp while Four continued to recount their own journey, their search for their missing brothers in a land covered by ocean. Legend let himself settle. Cookie handed them dinner with no meat, at the request of the Veteran. His stomach still churned thinking about it, it would be a while before he could chance meat again. The feeling of blood and flesh sliding down his throat still ingrained in his mind. 

He bit at the mushroom skewer, spotted a carrot cooked down the stick, and went for that instead. His fingernails were still missing, and the healed flesh shone in the firelight. The red and black veins were gone, but new scars on his neck had appeared where his gills had been previously; red slits still tender carved into his flesh. 

His first skewer was gone shortly after, and Cookie handed him another one. He devoured that one as well. Warriors' eyes were still tracking him, trying to piece out what exactly had gone down in their time away. Nosy bastard. Legend found he couldn’t actually be mad at the Captain, the man had their best interest at heart, naturally. Maybe he’d tell him one day, maybe he could process what had happened and what he’d become. He slumped further into Rulie, his eyes growing tired. 

Those were all problems for another time, for sleepless nights and endless guilt. He was just grateful to be himself once again, to not be shackled to a curse from adventures ago. For now, he was just happy to be back with his family.