dreamdepot - Tumblr blog

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 20: Four Seasons

Previous < First > Next

AO3 Wattpad or below!

Seagulls played in the breeze as you glided over the waves. Link had the helm, or rather the tiller given the size of the boat. “So where are we headed?” You asked, squeezed in on the edge of the boat next to the mast.

“We need to get a ways out to sea first,” the King of Red Lions said.

Once you were in the open sea, you glided to a halt. Link grinned, “You might wanna hang on tight.” He pulled out a silver baton, and the wind fell still. He swung the Legendary Wind Waker in four beats, and the wind swirled into a cyclone. Slowly, you began to spin, until the wind whipped you around, lifting you all out of the water. You clung to the mast as you spun faster and faster. “Woo-HOOOOO!!” Link shouted.

The wind carried you to a sacred pool, isolated from the ocean. The cyclone set you down gently, but you still clung to the mast, hoping the world would stop spinning. “Wh-where are we?”

“Shh,” the King of Red Lions said. “She’s here.”

Before you could ask who, the altar at the center of the pool began to burst with magic, filling the air with energy. Suddenly, a small girl seemingly made of glass appeared. She turned around to look at you with empty eyes. The doll in her hand dangled limply beside her, yet it seemed alive. She giggled, a sound that seemed anything but innocent. “Tee hee, if it isn’t the little boy who controls the wind!”

“O powerful Fairy Queen, we come with a request,” The King of Red Lions explained. “Our friend here has run into a bit of trouble.”

The diminutive queen bore a striking resemblance to Fi, but appearance was where the similarities ended. She looked at you with mischief clear on her face. “Aren’t you a pretty boy?”

“We were hoping that you could help him travel across time,” the King of Red Lions continued.

She pondered that for a moment, holding her doll close. “I suppose so, though as for when…” She clapped her hands together. “I know just the place. Another Great Fairy could use your help when you get there. It appears Ganondorf thinks he can seal our powers as well, but we won’t let him. Step into the water, boy, and I will help you.”

You complied, surprised how warm and soothing the mystic pool was. You looked back at Link and the King of Red Lions. “Link, good luck on your quest. I… I hope we can meet again to talk.”

“Sure! You’ve gotta tell me about all the new monsters you’ve fought, okay?”

“It’s a deal,” you laughed. You then turned to the King of Red Lions. “Thank you, for everything.”

“I wish you calm seas and fair winds, my boy. I know you will bring peace in your time.”

You gave a slight bow, before turning back to the spirit before you. “I’m ready.”

“Hold still now,” the Fairy Queen giggled. She raised her hands, and her doll floated out before her. A magic lotus appeared around you as the doll danced like a puppet. The petals closed around you…

==============================

You stirred from a deep enchanted sleep to the sound of soft voices talking around you. “Wonder how he got here?”

“Do you think he’s supposed to be the other half we’re looking for?”

“Doubt it, he’s a guy, and pretty sure she identifies as a woman. Also, he’s not a Zora.”

“Maybe he has Force Gems for us?”

“Stop being greedy, Blue.”

You stretched and groaned, slowly sitting up. You rubbed your eyes to see… Link!

And Link…

and Link…

and Link.

“I have several questions.”

“Yeah, we get that a lot,” the four answered in unison.

The one in the classic green tunic spoke next. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you said, still wrapping your head around the four Links. You then felt your pack was lighter than expected. “Guys, did you see some weapons anywhere?”

“Nope.”

“Nah.”

“Nothing.”

“Zilch.”

“Great,” you muttered. That Blue Lynel Reaver was not easy to get the parts for. Thankfully, you still had your other supplies, armor, and most importantly, Link’s hair band around your wrist. “Bet they fell out on that damn cyclone. Alright then, next question. My name’s [Y/n], and I’m guessing you’re all ‘Link,’ but what should I call you?”

“We’ve just been going by our colors,” Red said.

“Except Vio,” Blue added. “He’s gotta be different.”

Vio huffed. “I refuse to be called Purple, and Vio sounds so much cooler.”

“Four of you…” You really didn’t expect your journey to turn into one giant history test, but you thought back through your mother’s stories. You also remembered what happened with Sahasrahla and tried to be a bit more careful. “The Four Sword, right? So, you’re fighting… Ganondorf?”

“Ganondorf?” Blue snorted. “He’s a legend. Nah, we’re fighting Vaati.”

Oh, right, the Four Sword was used against him. “Vaati? Dark Mage of Wind Vaati? The Picori guy?”

Vio shrugged. “Dunno what a Picori is, but he’s this evil dude who was sealed away like, forever ago. We were-”

“I was,” Green interrupted.

“We areyou!” Red groaned.

Vio rolled his eyes. “Whatever, he was checking on the seal with Princess Zelda, but Vaati ended up escaping and weakening the Four Sword. And like that, here we are, four of us fighting the big bad dude.”

“Not the first time he’s done this,” Blue added. “One time, I guess he kidnapped one of the old princesses and took her to his Tower of Winds.”

“He’s not super original, he basically did it again,” Red muttered.

At least that helped narrow things down to Hyrule’s Shadow Era. “In that case, think you guys could help me out, I need to find the Fairy Queen.”

“Funny you should mention her,” Green said, motioning to a River Zora, sitting not far from you. “She came to try and help but Vaati split her in two and she turned into… this.”

“I see… in that case, we’d better find her other half!” You said, getting up and stretching. “Do you guys mind if I borrow one of your weapons?”

Red had trouble meeting your eyes, his blush almost as red as his tunic. “Um, you can borrow my Fire Rod… if you want…”

“Red and [Y/n], sittin’ in a tree…”

“SHUT UP VIO!”

You fought to hold back your laugh. “Thanks Red, appreciate you letting me borrow this.” You took the rod in hand. It was much more well-crafted than the cobbled-together ones used by Wizzrobes in your time and looked like it’d never run out of magic. “So, I just point and…” A burst of fire shot out, lighting up Blue. “Oh crap, I’m sorry!”

“Watch it!!” Blue shouted, as Force Gems fell out of his pack, which the others sneakily picked up.

You followed the quartet of squabbling Links as they made their way around the castle, easily reaching the second-floor balcony. Here, a dark figure emerged, taking the shape of the Links. You had heard so many legends of Shadow Link, twisting the hero to face their greatest weaknesses. You could only imagine what he would say to affect this version of Link.

“Oh look, it’s STINK.”

Well, in all fairness, they were kids. Furthermore, it struck a nerve as all four soon had their weapons drawn. “You weaklings are no match for Vaati, I’ll just stop you right now!”

Shadow Link seemed weightless, hopping between walls, just out of reach of the Links’ swords. You, being an adult, had no such problem.

“OW!” Shadow Link cried out. “Did you just hit me with the Fire Rod?”

“What can I say? I’m more used to two-handed weapons.”

Shadow Link stamped his feet. “But you’re supposed to use it for magic!”

“Oh, you mean like this?” You said, a massive ball of fire bursting forward and lighting the shadow’s tunic on fire. Before he could react, you wound up and smacked the shade with a perfect swing, sending him flying into the air and leaving a trail of Force Gems behind. “Maybe I should’ve gone easier on the poor guy?”

“Nah, he’s been annoying us for a while,” Blue said in between shoving Force Gems into his pack. The other Link’s weren’t far behind. “Oh, look he dropped a key!”

“Got it!” Green said, picking it up and running to the locked castle door – much to the annoyance of the others.

Inside, the second Zora awaited. The two River Zora held each other’s hands and in a flash of light, they merged back into the Fairy Queen, who looked almost identical to the one you had just met. “Ah, that’s much better. Thank you for your assistance. Now, let me return the favor.”

She led the way back to the mezzanine. “A rather weak magical barrier for someone as powerful as Vaati. No matter, I’ll take care of it for you.” With a snap of her fingers, a blast of magic lit up the castle, striking Vaati’s forces with the power of Ether.

“Thank you, ma’am!” Green cheered.

Blue drew his sword “Let’s go guys, let’s get Vaati!”

“Are you coming with us, [Y/n]?” Vio asked.

“I’m afraid [Y/n] and I have some business first,” the Fairy Queen said.

“Aww,” Red said, as you handed him back the Fire Rod. Suddenly, his sword – and the others – began to glow. “Guys… what’s going on?” The energy of the four swords merged together into a golden flame, floating in the air. Before any of you could ask what it was, the flame flowed into your chest, filling you with a mystic warmth.

“I-is that okay? You aren’t hurt, are you?” Green blurted out.

You tapped your chest. “Actually no, I’m fine. Doesn’t burn or anything.”

The Fairy Queen floated to your side. “It seems the excess Force Gem energy of the Four Sword has been passed to you. For what reasons I can’t fathom, but a flame is supposed to help temper a sword, isn’t it?”

“Temper a sword?” You thought for a moment. “Oh, wait, do you mean…?”

“I’ll never tell,” she giggled. “I won’t forget your help, kind prince, but I think you are needed elsewhere. Don’t want to run out of time now, do we?”

“Right,” you said, though you weren’t sure how much time you had left. All you wanted was for Link to be safe. “Good luck guys.”

“See ya!”

“Come back and visit, huh?”

“Yeah, we could use you to kick Shadow Link’s butt again!”  

You leaped through the Fairy Queen’s portal, and into the parts unknown.

==============================

Awakening in a bed was an odd but welcome change. It took some time to work up the willpower to get out from under the cozy quilts. You found yourself in what appeared to be a small room, filled to the brim with personal effects. You slid out of bed to find your armor and supplies nearby, but once again you were without any weapons.

The floorboards creaked under you as you washed up. As you did, you realized the room was actually a wagon. The sun was quickly setting outside, and you could hear joyous voices just beyond the door. You took a deep breath, hoping for the best, and opened the door.

Outside, you found a circle of wagons and a variety of people all happily talking and cooking together. “Ah, you’re awake!” said one, a heavy-set woman with a warm smile. “Good to see you up and about, we were worried when we came across you. Seems we’ve been finding a lot of strays these days.”

You figured it best to play it safe. “Sorry, I don’t remember much from before. Who are you, and where are we?”

The cook frowned. “Oh, you poor dear, maybe you should rest a bit more.”

“Oh, I feel fine! I just have a bit of…” You wracked your brain for what Symin called it. “Retrograde amnesia?”

“Oh, I see, well then, I guess we’d better see if we can help jog your memory!” You breathed a silent sigh of relief. “We’re a traveling troupe of performers from Holodrum. One of our other recent additions found you collapsed in the forest and brought you back here. You’re welcome to join our caravan, stranger. There’s always room for another!” the chef said as she stirred the stewpot. “Dinner’s almost ready too! Why don’t you meet the others while I get the plates ready?”

The traveling troupe were a varied bunch, including jugglers and musicians, as well as two guys who seemed to only be there to get drunk. Two, however, stood out more than anyone else. The first was perhaps the most beautiful woman you had ever seen, twirling to the music by the fire. Magic seemed to encircle her with every move, only enhanced by her long red hair that made it look as if the fire was dancing with her. When she saw you, she gave you a wink, and motioned to a log by the fire, beckoning you to sit and watch.

The other made himself known rather quickly. As soon as you sat down, he slid next to you, a little too close. He wore long, flowing purple robes and a black and blue scarf. Most characteristic of the stranger was the giant, purple, buck-toothed rabbit hood that completely covered his face. “Hey there, I’m the one who found you. Passed Out. Alone. Strange, if you ask me.”

The dancer laughed, watching him slide closer to you, but she didn’t comment. “Uh, thanks?” You said, eyeballing the strange little creature that now perched itself on his head. “Been trying not to pass out alone, but it seems to be happening a lot lately on my travels.”

He giggled. “You’re funny. My name’s Ravio, seems like you and I might have something in common. Traveling, not the passing out part. I’m a traveling merchant.” The strange creature squeaked. “Oh, and this is my buddy Sheerow.”

Ravio… the name did ring a bell in your head, though with all of the time-travel it was getting hard to keep the facts of history and the fiction of legends straight.

“Ravio, you’re shameless. Could you let the man rest for at least five minutes?” The dancer chided, forcing herself between the two of you. She turned to you, eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’ll have to forgive him, but you two do have something in common, being not from these parts, if you catch what I mean.”

“Hylian?” You guessed, trying to keep up the façade.

She leaned in, a little too close, and whispered. “From another time, silly. I’m Din by the way.” Your jaw dropped. “Not that one, of course – or am I?”

“Right,” you said, straightening back up as she pulled away. This was turning out to be a very weird era. “How did you know?”

“You’re nearly glowing with time energy. People like me are a bit sensitive to seeing it. Oh, and since Ravio was clearly thinking with something else than his head-”

“I would never, I’m a gentleman!” Ravio pouted, forcing his odd-bunny hooded face forward. “But, you know, if you’re interested…”

Din pushed him back. “As I was saying, what’s your name, traveler?”

You bit back a laugh. Ravio may have confused you for the moment, but Din was much easier to place. “I’m [Y/n], and probably best I just leave it at that. If you know about time energy and you’re a dancer named Din, is it safe to say you’re the Oracle of Seasons?”

“Bingo, though I typically don’t announce it everywhere I go. Helps to hide who you really are sometimes.”

“Believe me, I get it.”

Again, there was that twinkle in her eye. “Oh, I bet you do.”

The look was way too familiar to you: unwavering confidence and a little danger just below the surface. The red hair and Gerudo heritage certainly helped put the rest of the picture together. It wasn’t hard to take a guess whose ancestor you had just found. The words were halfway out of your mouth before you realized it. “Your descendants really take after you.”

“Is that so?” She laughed. “Now you’ve got me all curious.”

“I really shouldn’t say more,” you said, a little embarrassed by the slip-up.

“That’s alright. Anyway, I’m glad we found you,” Din said, ignoring Ravio’s complaints. “This part of Holodrum is rather rugged, and we’re nearly at the Hyrulean Frontier. Who knows what might have happened to you? In fact, just a week ago, I was captured by General Onox – good thing another boy who joined our little group saved me!”

“Holodrum… after Link…” you muttered. Then it clicked. “Dammit! I’m back where I started!” You were back in the same era you had met Sahasrahla in, give or take a month or two.

“Time travel takes some getting used to,” Din soothed. “Kinda part of my job. Not as bad as my sister’s got it, but she gets soooo uptight about time travel, don’t get me started.”

“Dinner’s ready!” The cook shouted.

The stew smelled mouthwatering, but you didn’t have a chance to try it as a small twister appeared, sending the other performers skyward. The twister stopped before you, revealing a massive man wearing golden armor. However, you noticed something else about him – a fiery pink aura around his head and gloom oozing from the armor joints.

“Onox?” The cook gasped. “But that’s impossible, Link defeated him!”

“It’s not really him,” you said, watching the Hollow carefully. You reached for your sword, only to be reminded, you had no weapons. Before you could grab something, anything, Onox raised his gauntlet, creating a pool of gloom under Din. The gloom rose and crystalized around her pulling her farther into the dark forests of the frontier as Onox disappeared.

“Din!” You shouted, but the crystal was whisked away into the night. You turned to the rest of the performers, some with minor gloom burns. “Stay here, and stay in the moonlight, that should help ease the pain.” You then ran into the woods.

For a guy in armor, the Hollow Onox moved blazingly fast. Soon, you lost sight of him and slowed to catch your breath. You scaled a nearby tree, hoping to catch sight of Onox or Din. Instead, you managed to catch a pair of long bunny ears bobbing through the undergrowth. You slid down the tree. “Ravio, what are you doing?”

Ravio wrung his hands. “I… really don’t know. I saw you run off and Sheerow didn’t-OW!” Sheerow pecked him on the head. “Fine, I got worried about you being alone.”

“Thanks, but I’m alright. I’m glad you’re here though, having help against Onox will be great.”

“Cute guy says what?”

You stopped and stared at him. “Ravio, you’re supposed to be a hero, aren’t you? We need to save her!”

Ravio scratched his head. “I mean, of course, but… well…”

The stories of Ravio were coming back to you now. “Isn’t that the whole reason you came to Hyrule? To save your kingdom?”

Despite the eyes being sewn on, his bunny hood sure looked nervous. “Well, I was trying to bravely stop an evil wizard from coming after your Triforce. I was in the middle of a tactical retreat-”

“You ran away.”

“T-tactical retreat! I’m not all that great fighting monsters, so I was trying to find a hero! But when I used my bracelet to jump through the portal, I ended up here instead…”

“I wonder…” You crossed your arms.

“Wonder what, handsome?” Sheerow pecked his head again. “Ow! Whose side are you on?”

Ignoring that, you continued. “Ganondorf isn’t just messing with our past to change the future, he’s weakening the fabric of time itself. You’re not supposed to be in this time’s Hyrule. I don’t want to think about what might happen if it gets any more messed up.” The thought of Ganondorf bringing back all of his old servants to modern Hyrule was bone-chilling. “Alright, first, need to save Din. Second, need to make sure that you get back to your time. We’ve just got to make sure history goes the way it should.”

“Can’t you be the one to just come to Lorule and save us?”

You shook your head. “Nope, there’s another hero already meant to do that.”

“Aww c’mon! A cute guy like you isn’t gonna be the hero that saves little ol’ me? I don’t kiss and tell… it’ll be a secret to everybody.”

“I really can’t take you seriously with that hood of yours,” you muttered.

“Awww, you leave me no choice. Just try not to be overcome by my good looks.” He pulled his hood back, revealing…

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

He bore an uncanny resemblance to your Link, just with black hair and emerald-green eyes. “Pleaaase, pretty please?” He said, giving you his best puppy-dog pout.

You groaned, rubbing your forehead. “Saving Din will help make sure Lorule goes back to normal… I think. Just please behave and do exactly what I say.”

“Typically, I wait until after dinner before I do that.” You shot him a murderous look. “Kidding! Kidding, seriously! Golly, are all hunks as angry as you in your time?”

You rolled your eyes. “Come on, we’ve got a general to defeat.”

Ravio followed after you, sticking to you like glue. “Okay, but you mean you’ve got a general to defeat right? I’m not really much of a fighter.”

“If you don’t want to fight, you can always go back to the troupe.”

“But it’s scary in the forest!” He squirmed a bit. “And… I don’t want you to get hurt.”

You stopped. “Ravio, it’s sweet of you to worry, but I’m kinda already seeing someone.” The poor guy looked devastated, so you quickly changed the topic. “If you don’t want to fight, maybe it’s safer for you to stay back.”

Ravio thought for a moment before looking up at you, fists clenched. “I’m not a fighter, but I can’t leave you alone. I-I-I’ll try to be braver from now on!”

You smiled. “Good, c’mon then.”

“I’d feel braver if I had a kiss…”

“Ravio!”

==============================

The Hollow Onox was in a clearing not far away. The plant life shriveled at his feet as the gloom started to spread. “We’ve got to stop him soon, otherwise he’s going to turn this whole forest into a wasteland.”

“R-right!” Ravio trembled, behind you. He took a step forward, but slipped, faceplanting on the ground. Onox immediately turned to you with a twisted grin, swinging his ball and chain.

“Okay, so much for surprise,” you muttered. You quickly shoved Ravio behind a tree for safety as the ball sailed past you, barely missing your shoulder. You turned, ready to fight. “Wait… shit. No weapons!” Going hand-to-hand with a guy who had a ball and chain was not a great idea. “Ugh, why now?!”

“Here, you can use my hammer!” Ravio pulled a massive mallet from his bag that must have been half the size of his body. At the top, it even had two small purple bunny ears.

You took the borrowed hammer and almost immediately your nose wrinkled in disgust. “What the… why does it smell like that?!”

“Smell like what?”

“Smell like you shoved it up the south end of a northbound Lynel!”

“Hey, you wanna complain or do you wanna beat this guy?”

“Urgghhh…” you muttered but tried to hold your breath as you dodged Hollow Onox’s attack. You swung your new Hammer in a spin attack, knocking the armored general back, before dodge rolling your way out of the path of his ball and chain.  Before you could attack again, he summoned Din’s crystal, using it as a shield as he backed away, winding up for another attack.  

Suddenly, Din’s crystal dipped out of the way as a boomerang clunked against it. The boomerang sailed back into Ravio’s shaky hand. “Thanks!” you shouted before leaping forward and smashing Onox once more. The Hollow general melted into gloom, the pool hissing as mist began to evaporate in the moonlight.

Ravio gleefully bounced over to the remnants of the Hollow. “Let’s see… there’s gotta be something I can sell…”

“Where did Din’s crystal go, though?” It was then that you remembered the rest of the tales of Holodrum. “Wait, Ravio, get away!”

“Eep!” The gloom pile began to tremble as the Hollow Onox shifted into his true form, a massive dragon made of stone. The terrible creature took to the sky and roared.

You studied the dragon carefully. It was a far cry from the dragons of your time, but it did remind you of another monster. The gloom filled crystal on his forehead looked like the weak spot of a Talus. It was just begging to be smashed – the problem was getting up to it.

“Ravio, do you have a bow in that bag of yours?” He threw one to you – also with little bunny ears on it. “Thanks!” You took aim and fired, but your arrow merely bounced off of the gem. “Dammit… you wouldn’t happen to have bomb arrows would you?”

“Fresh out of bombs!”

“Great…” you groaned. You slid out of the way of Onox’s claws, working on a new plan. You needed something with real weight to hit that crystal, and you didn’t exactly have the strength to launch the mallet up there. Onox’s attacks were relentless, but they did have a pattern. As his claws landed next to you, there was a split second where you could crawl on. If you had enough of a head start, you might be able to leap off of them to hit the crystal – but then Onox would need to be distracted long enough for you to do that. “Listen Ravio, one of us needs to distract him while the other attacks. You need to fight!”

“I’m scared!”

“You don’t think I’m scared too?! Courage isn’t being fearless, it’s fighting when everyone else is too scared to!” Your hand instinctively drifted to Link’s hair band. “It’s fighting for the people who need you!”

“B-but I caaaan’t!” The poor guy looked more like a frightened rabbit than ever, knees knocking as he looked up at the stony dragon. Looking like Link’s doppelganger didn’t help either and your heart twisted. You quickly pivoted and ran for him, narrowly missing another slash of Onox’s claws, and tackled Ravio into the underbrush.

Onox growled as he searched for you. “Okay, bought us a couple minutes. C’mon Ravio, snap out of it. Everyone is going to be in danger if we don’t do this. Do you wanna distract him instead?”

“Hell no! Are you kidding?!” Ravio squeaked.

Suddenly, an idea. If you couldn’t motivate him by heroic calls to action… well, there were other options. You grabbed Ravio by the collar and pressed him against a tree trunk. “Ravio, this is what we do. We are the good guys, and we fight to save people who can’t defend themselves.” You swallowed hard and said a silent apology to Link. You leaned in, your voice husky as you shoved the mallet into his hands. “…And I know you want to be a good boy for me, right?”

Ravio’s grip on the mallet tightened. His face turned bright red, only a small squeak coming as a response.

“Good, now, you’re going to go up there, and smash him.”

“Wait!”

You already jumped back into the fray. “Hey, over here!” You shouted, launching arrows at the dragon. Onox turned, determined to squash you and your pesky bow. “Ravio, now!”

“WAAAAAAAH!!” Ravio screamed as he ran onto Onox’s claw. As the distracted dragon lifted him into the air, he wasted no time in leaping and smashing the hammer into Onox’s face, cracking the dark crystal. The entire forest lit up in a purple light as Onox exploded into gloom mist, and Din was freed.

“HEEEELP!” Ravio screeched as the dragon crumbled around him. You ran and with a flying leap, caught him mid-air in your arms – unintentionally in a bridal carry. “My hero!” He cheered, trying to wrap his arms around you.

“Still taken,” you said, but smiled and added, “Great job up there, hero.”

Ravio’s eyes sparkled. “You really think so?”

“For sure.”

Din’s crystal shattered and she emerged, thankfully unscathed. A warm burst of orange light flowed from her, just like with Komali. Again, just like before, it seemed you were the only one able to see it. “Well now, maybe I should have had you around the first time.”

Seeing how happy Ravio was, you decided not to say that the Hollow Onox was probably a lot weaker than the real thing. “Well, couldn’t have done it without Ravio.”

Ravio blushed. “I still don’t think I like fighting a lot, but glad you’re safe Din.”

Din gave you both a peck on the cheek. “Well come on, let’s get back to camp. I’m sure everyone else is waiting.”

“Really?” Ravio asked. “That was a pretty big wind…”

“They’re hardier than they appear,” Din said, with a wink.

As you walked along, something was bothering you. You whispered to the Oracle. “You were never trapped, were you?”

Din scoffed in mock-offense. “Why Prince [Y/n], I can’t believe you’d even suggest I faked getting kidnapped.”

“I didn’t say you faked it.” You stopped. “Wait, I never told you I was a prince either!”

The Oracle of Seasons simply laughed. Ravio, meanwhile, watched you in awe. “You’re a prince?!”

“Uh yeah, didn’t I mention that?”

“No!! Oh man, are you trying to torture me, you couldn’t be any more my type if you tried!”

==============================

The next day, the caravan dropped you off in Kakariko, and soon you found yourself before the elder’s house once again.

“Ah, Prince [Y/n]! I wasn’t expecting you to come visit me again so soon! Have you found what you needed to save your friends?”

“Not quite.” You gave him an awkward smile. “Let’s just say I got turned around on my way and ran into my new friend who’s not in his right time either. Do you still have the Gate?”

“Of course, just a moment,” Sahasrahla said and went back inside his home. He soon returned with the portal, and in no time, you had the gateway open.

“So, this is it, huh?” Ravio said, standing next to the portal. “You sure you don’t need a charming and funny merchant to keep you warm at night on this quest of yours?”

“Ravio.”  

“I know, I know. Can’t blame a guy for trying,” He scratched the back of his head before pulling his hood back up. “Go save your guy, [Y/n], and don’t forget to visit if you’re ever in my era. Oh and he better treat you right!”

“Thanks, Ravio, and remember you’re a hero.” Ravio beamed as you let him through the gate.

Sahasrahla seemed deep in thought. “Strange fellow, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, you could say that again. I wonder what Lorule is like in my time?” You waved your hand, and the gate opened again. “Alright, let’s try this again.”

==============================

You landed with a splash. “I swear to Hylia, I better not be back in the Great Sea,” you muttered, spitting water out of your mouth. Lucky for you, the water wasn’t salty, it was fresh. Less lucky for you, you found yourself in pool in a castle completely foreign to you. The dark architecture was stark and geometric, rather than the artistic, sweeping designs of Hyrule. “Am I in a different kingdom?”

You emerged from the water and walked to the balcony, which seemed to open up over an endless abyss. It was then that you realized just how dark it was here. The sky almost appeared fixed in endless sunset, just surrounded by dark clouds and an unnatural yellow light. The more you thought about it, sunset wasn’t quite the right word.

Your stomach lurched as a rush of nausea hit you. You doubled over, clinging to the balcony railing. A deep throbbing pain rolled down your joints as your bones began to shift. Red hairs grew from your skin, crawling up your arm. Your mouth ached as your teeth shifted and your face pushed out into a muzzle. You gasped, feeling a tail begin to form, tearing through your clothes.

As your body was wracked by the transformation, you heard someone approach. Your vision blurred as you tried to focus while fighting the pain, until all you could see was a bluish shape. The figure knelt next to you as you blacked out.

“What a sneaky little fox,” she giggled. “Such a naughty boy breaking into my Palace of Twilight.”

==============================

A/N: I believe this is the longest chapter so far, and it certainly wasn’t intended to be.

I know you typically don’t have the Fire Rod during the level at Hyrule Castle in Four Swords Adventures, but I couldn’t resist not including such an… infamous, shall we say, item. Also, Ravio was so fun to write in this chapter.

So, you may be asking, why are you/the Prince a fox? A wolf wasn’t a proper fit, since that is already taken by Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time/Hero’s Shade Link, while a bunny (a la Link to the Past) also doesn’t work since that was chosen to reflect that Link’s “purity”. I chose the fox in line with Japanese mythology, like the developers did for the previous examples. The fox is tied to the kitsune, a being able to transform their shape, and since the Prince is the reader-insert and meant to be malleable to you, I thought that would be fitting.

Side note, looking at how the rest of the story is currently mapped out, I’d like to mention that if you have any recommendations/requests for bonus chapters like in the original, I’d like to hear them. No guarantees and probably won’t do too many, but I’d love to chat about ideas.

Next week, we duel an evil even Ganondorf can’t control and get help from a familiar face. Can you stop time from unraveling, or will more and more slip through the cracks like Ravio?

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 19: Winds of Change

Previous < First > Next

Your new quest begins, just not quite in the way you expect as you find yourself a bit farther in the past than expected...

AO3 Wattpad or below!

I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter, sometimes life gets in the way.

“Sahasrahla?!” You gasped. “Wait, the first or the second?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Ah, the first,” you muttered. You were definitely before the Calamity, but by a good few centuries. Landing in the time of the first great scholar named Sahasrahla was definitely a blessing though – the Era of Light and Dark, and an era in which the Triforce was intact. “So, the king… the current ruler would be King Gustaf the Third?”

“Correct,” Sahasrahla said, studying you very carefully. “Well then, if you know so much, and given the Sheikah are not so bold as to wear their symbol proudly these days, who are you?”

You froze, realizing you hadn’t quite planned that far yet. Your tongue felt like it had turned to stone as you searched for words. How much was safe to talk about? If Ganondorf could change history, what if you accidentally changed it for the worse by saying the wrong thing? “I… um… my name is [Y/n].”

“And where are you from, [Y/n]?”

“Labrynna!” You blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Is that so?” Sahasrahla mused. “I suppose that makes sense, the Sheikah were said to move to the deserts.”

“Yes, of course. Easier to hide where there are less people.”

Sahasrahla then paused, a twinkle in his eye. “It’s a shame the deserts are in Holodrum, not Labrynna.” Your blood ran cold. “[Y/n], I suggest you get your story straight before jumping through time.”

“I… how?”

The elder waved his hand. “There’s no need to worry about explaining interworld or time travel. My brother Aginah and Princess Zelda have welcomed strangers from other worlds before, though I must say you seem to be different. Mentioning the ‘first or second’ in relation to my name and knowing the reigning king were dead giveaways. There is no reason to fear, maintaining the history of our realm has always been my passion, and I’d be happy to assist you. Assuming you mean no harm to Hyrule’s people, of course.”

“Of course,” you said, releasing your unintentional death grip on the chair. “Time travel is a bit new to me, if it wasn’t obvious. I didn’t mean to go back this far, but the Gate of Time seemed to have a different plan.”

Sahasrahla topped off your tea. “Perhaps it would be best if you start at the beginning, my new friend.”

==============================

Sahasrahla mused as you finished your story. “Hmm… troubling. Very troubling indeed. To hear the Ganon of my time is merely an avatar of a greater evil somewhere in our kingdom… I’m not sure what to say, let alone do.”

You sipped your tea. “As long as Ganon was stopped in your time, I don’t think there’s much else you can do. Err… your Link did stop Ganon, right?”

“Yes, yes. He is currently carrying out a goodwill mission for Princess Zelda overseas… though he has been gone for quite some time.”

You figured it best to not bring up the legends of Koholint and changed the topic. “Maybe you could help me understand something – the cycle of the hero, the princess, and Ganondorf.”

“Ah, the cycle, it is the core of our history, the single legend, if you will.” The elder got up and picked a heavy tome with a dark green cover off his shelf before returning to you. “Whenever great evil arises, there is always a hero and a princess who will rise to face it. Usually, that evil is an incarnation or servant of Ganon, attempting to spread his influence over Hyrule once more. The legend is oft studied in our religion as well, as each of the key players correspond to the Triforce. The Darkness’ Power, the Princess’ Wisdom, and the Hero’s Courage. Over and over, it repeats through our history, always a new reincarnation of the three, keeping our kingdom, and our world in balance… or at least that’s how it has been understood until now.”

“But, if Ganondorf is telling the truth, he was only reborn once and merely pulled the strings.”

“Perhaps, that’s not what concerns me though.” Sahasrahla turned back through the tome, pages creaking as he carefully flipped through. “If the Demon King Ganondorf has been pulling the strings this entire time, it means his evil has been slowly poisoning Hyrule for centuries. Each incarnation of Zelda and the Hero have been able to stop him, but it would appear that they’ve only weakened him.”

“Weakened him…” you muttered, thinking back to how powerful he was.

“Perhaps, ‘delayed’ would be a better word,” Sahasrahla added, with a hint of embarrassment. “The petrification of your Link and your friends though… that suggests something more. I believe Ganondorf is using his influence throughout time to manipulate your future.”

“Rauru and I thought the same.”

“Good, then you understand what must be done. If you can travel through time and find the sources of these disturbances, you can free your friends – and perhaps incapacitate Ganondorf further. My hypothesis would be that he is attacking key points in each of your friends’ lineage. Remove their ancestor and then they would cease to exist.” He paused for a moment. “There’s one other troubling thought – the Master Sword. You said it turned to stone too, correct?”

“Yes, there wasn’t even a glimmer of magic from it, even after Zelda spent all that time filling it with light.” You slumped back in the chair. “It’s almost ironic, the Sword that Seals the Darkness is sealed itself.”

Sahasrahla went rigid. “I beg your pardon, what did you call it?”

“The Sword that Seals the Darkness?”

The Elder hurried to the bookshelf, grabbing another book and flipping through it. He tossed it aside for another. “Yes… I see.” He shuffled back. “The Master Sword is not meant to merely seal darkness, but rather destroy it entirely! Its true title is the Sword of Evil’s Bane. Now that makes sense… it has been reforged over the years, it’s only logical it would lose some power over time.”

“But Zelda spent millennia recharging it?”

Sahasrahla shook his head. “Filling it with light is one thing, but there must be something missing, something that truly destroys evil.”

You frowned, your hand absently running along your scars. “If only I still had the Triforce… maybe that might have been what we needed.”

“I see now,” Sahasrahla mused. When you looked questioningly at him, he stroked his beard. “I understand how you view the Triforce. Now, how does that make you different from Ganon?”

“Pardon?”

“You used the Triforce as a tool for your own strength, just like Ganon. That is why the Triforce failed to help you. You were no longer worthy.”

“But I’m supposed to defeat Ganondorf! What am I supposed to do? Not use the Triforce?”

“I admit, many in your place would have come to the same conclusion. I, too, would have tried to use the Triforce to stop him, but this is why the goddesses didn’t choose me to fight him.” Sahasrahla said with a chortle. “The Triforce does not understand right or wrong, but it does understand violence. It doesn’t matter if you have good intentions, if it senses that you have violent intent, it shatters. All three elements – power, wisdom, and courage – must be balanced in the heart of the one who wishes to use it. Your anger towards Ganondorf, righteous as it may be, unbalanced your heart. Your anger overtook your wisdom and then your fear overtook your power, thus the Triforce did not see you as worthy.”

He continued. “The important part is that now you know. If you are desperate enough to chance traveling the corridors of time, I assume you are willing to change. The Triforce easily forgives, and I believe you will be worthy again when the time comes to reclaim it from him.”

“But Ganondorf himself has held the Triforce of Power in the past?”

“Yes, but it has always failed him when it matters most, hasn’t it? He certainly has the conviction to be worthy of such strength. Infinite power of a god, yet he is always defeated, even if the hero of that era doesn’t carry their own piece of the Triforce.” The elder winked at you. “I’d say that puts the odds in your favor.”

You let out a sigh of relief. “So Ganondorf won’t be able to use the Triforce at full strength. At least that should contain him until I can reverse whatever he’s done in the past – or present or future I guess?”

“A better question first, how do you plan to travel through time?”

“I have-” You stopped and groaned. The Timeshift Stone was part of the Gate of Time now. “Never mind. I can’t go back the way I came. I’ll need to find something else.”

“I’m sorry that I do not know where the Gate of Time is in this era, but I may have something similar.” He reached into the chest and pulled out a large blue ring with rather familiar symbols.

“That looks just like a smaller Gate of Time.”

“My understanding is that it’s quite similar. A strange witch with blue hair and odd clothes dropped it while passing through. I can say with certainty she was not from our time.” He then frowned and added under his breath, “Good riddance too, she kept stealing my Cuccos.”

Sahasrahla led you back outside to his garden. Part of you wished you could remain in the past just a little longer but knowing that Ganondorf was slowly corrupting everything you knew was more than enough to drive you forward. Sahasrahla handed you the gate, which hummed to life in your hands. “As you travel across the seas of time, I suggest you seek council, young prince. You may find new wisdom on this journey.”

“I plan on it. Anything can help.”

Sahasrahla nodded. “You now inherit a legacy. You stand at the last leg of a relay race, and the torch has been passed to you. I know you and your Link will be the ones to finish this once and for all. There may be little we can do to help but understand that all of Hyrule stands with you.”

You nodded yet felt a little pit growing in your stomach. “It’s… a heavy responsibility.”

“It is, but one you do not bear alone.” Sahasrahla thought for a moment. “I’m afraid I don’t know how to best guide the flow of time, nor do I presume to suggest where you should go, but if I may advise, perhaps speaking with an ancestor of yours may be of help?”  

He was right. Rauru may not be able to help you right now, but your lineage spanned thousands of years and generations of kings and princesses, many of which faced Ganondorf or Ganon before. You pressed your hands to the cold mystic metal of the gate and focused your mind. “Please… please take me to an ancestor who can help me.”

The gate hummed before opening with a swirl of blue light. “Thank you Sahasrahla, I hope we can meet again someday.”

“As do I, your majesty. Good luck.” As the gate closed behind you, Sahasrahla looked down and muttered under his breath. “Blasted ring, I guess it doesn’t travel with him.”

==============================

This time, you awoke to a blustery sea wind. A tempest was brewing, and a squall was on its way. You rubbed your eyes, taking a look at the grassy island around you. Any other day, the island would be quite peaceful, but today the palm trees shook in the growing wind.  All around was the vast ocean, far as the eye could see. The sea would light up with flashes of lightning, illuminating the dark silhouettes of islands in the distance. It was clear you were still in the past, this time in the Era of the Great Sea.

With the miniature gate gone, you were again stranded in another time. That was the least of your worries at the moment, considering you were also marooned on this island. You quickly made sure you still had your pack and ran for any sort of shelter.

The island was shaped oddly. A large cliff face cut the interior off from the beach, which you hoped would help keep some of the wind and rain out. As you ran through a pass to the inside, you quickly discovered the island was mazelike, with many hills and cliffs all around. You grumbled to yourself, wishing you had the Froggy Armor that Traysi had stashed away. There was no way you’d be able to climb the wet rock by yourself. From what you could see, the island had to be inhabited. Paths and stairs cut through some of the rock, and suspension bridges swayed in the wind.

“’Hoy! I say, ‘hoy there! Can you hear me!” Your head snapped up and looked around. You could barely make out the voice above the wind. “Up here!” High above in a wooden lookout tower, you could just make out two figures. “Ah yes! You good sir! As you can see, we’re in a spot of trouble!”

It was hard to see the top of the tower, so you grabbed your Purah Pad and used the scope. A man and a little Rito were trapped in separate cages. The man was – well, scruffy seemed generous, but he was dressed in an impressive sailor coat. The Rito was dressed more traditionally but looked a lot more frightened than the man.

The little Rito called out next. “Help please! Before the monsters come back!”

You waved to them. “I’ll do my best!”

“Be quick about it!” The man barked.

You started to turn down one path, but the Rito shouted, “No, not that way! There’s dangerous slime there!”

Your first thought was a Chu Chu, which was probably the least dangerous slime you could think of, but you soon saw the culprit: gloom. “What… how?” You muttered. Questions for later, first you needed to help the captives, and if there was gloom, there was a chance the monster they worried about wasn’t one you wanted to see.

The island maze was almost as bad as the Lomei Labyrinths. You skidded around another corner, only to find a dead end. Another path ended with a chest that was sadly empty. “Oh, for the Ocean King’s sake!” The man cried out. “Left! LEFT!”

“No, wait!” The Rito shouted, “Our left!”

“Make up your mind!” You yelled back. You slipped and fell into a ditch. You wiped the chilly mud off your face, freezing as you saw a series of red eyes looking at you from a pool of gloom. Slowly, you backed up the hill, but the shapes rose, forming into Hollows.

Once you were back on stable ground, you drew your Blue Lynel Reaver, watching as three hulking masses emerged from the dark ditch. Each wore heavy crimson armor with billowing capes and bore gladiatorial shields. They wielded claymores as easily as simple broadswords, their unwavering glares fixed on your every move. You had heard tales of these monsters, some of the strongest in the Demon King’s army. “Darknuts,” you whispered.

You leaped forward with your reaver, hoping to score a quick victory, but the blade simply glanced off their armor. Quickly, you jumped back to buy yourself more room. Your armor was far too light to hold for long against those swords. Instead, you began to circle, watching and waiting. Lucky for you, the monsters moved sluggishly under the weight of their armor.

You sheathed your sword, swapping out for your bomb flowers, hoping they’d light in the rain. “Really could use Fuse right now,” you muttered. You launched the bomb into the air, quickly drawing your bow. As the bomb fell, you fired, sending it straight into the horned helm of the first Darknut. With that one knocked back and the other two distracted, you slipped around, drawing your reaver and slicing up the back of the second, removing his cuirass. A few quick strikes to his exposed back, and the monster fell.

The first Darknut, now missing a helm and the third, fully intact, turned on you. You heaved the jagged claymore onto your shoulder. “Oh hello, aren’t you a beautiful sword!” With a grunt, you swung it over your head, slowly gaining momentum before launching into a spin attack. With a satisfying crunch, you saw the first Darknut disappear into gloom mist, and the final Darknut’s armor was destroyed.

Before you could swing again, the last Darknut kicked the sword from your hand. “Okay, fine,” you grumbled. You swapped back to your reaver and charged forward, dodging his fists as you slammed your blade into his chest, leaving only a pile of rupees behind.

With the monsters gone, the gloom seemed to melt around you. From there, it was much easier to reach the tower. You heaved one of the giant claymores up the stairs with you. “Both of you should duck!” In a single swing, you sliced off the top of their cages.

You set down the claymore, weighing the options of taking it home with you, before turning to the freed captives. The Rito boy was a bit different from the Rito you knew back home, looking a bit closer to Hylian or Zora than you expected. His big round eyes instantly reminded you of Tulin. “Thank you so much! You were so brave to fight that monster! I was so scared when they appeared and dragged me through that ooze to this island.”

“Quite, those monsters caused quite a problem for me when I tried to rescue this boy.”

The Rito glared at him. “You were not trying to rescue me; you were trying to plunder the island.”

“Semantics,” the man sniffed, dusting off his coat. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to be going. It’s a long way to my next port of call, especially since Jolene’s been sailing in these parts…”

You caught his sleeve. “Wait, you have a ship? Would it be okay if I got a ride with you to port? It’d be helpful to get to the next major town.”

He brushed your hand off and began towards the beach – now a much more direct route with the gloom gone. “I suppose, if you agree to do work on the ship in the meantime. Consider yourself lucky to work for the great Captain Linebeck!”

Several words came to mind at the mention of his name, very few of them positive. You quickly caught up to him – regrettably leaving the claymore behind. “I’d be happy to work off my debt to you, if you can get me to port in one piece.”

“Fine, deck hand, what’s your name?”

“[Y/n],” you said simply.

“I suppose that’s a fine enough name for when I write my memoirs. Yes, you may join me.”

The Rito rolled his eyes. “He’s been like this the whole time. Oh, I’m Komali of Dragon Roost Island, by the way.”

This time, the name certainly meant more to you. “Eld- I mean Prince Komali?” You caught yourself just in time. Komali was considered one of the greatest elders of the Rito, one who would lead them into a golden age and to what would eventually become Rito Village in your time. Seeing the real him so small and young was surreal.

“I’m still working on the bravery thing,” Komali blushed. “My friend Link helped me a lot, but I still have a ways to go, don’t I?”

“I wouldn’t say that, couldn’t have made it to you guys without your guidance. You’ll be a great leader someday, I’m sure!”

“Thanks!” He said. As he smiled, a green glow seemed to flow from his chest, disappearing into the ether – though only you seemed to see it. Part of you wondered if that would be enough to save Tulin in the future. You hoped so, as the winds seemed to calm, and the storm subsided.

Before you could press further, you heard Linebeck gasp next to you. A large pirate ship with a sail emblazoned with crossed swords had appeared, coming fast into dock with some pirates swinging down ropes to land, eager to catch intruders. You groaned. “Something tells me they aren’t going to be happy to see us.”

“Ah, and that’s my cue!” And with that, Linebeck disappeared.

“Hey wait! You said…” Yet Linebeck’s steamship was already pulling away from the island, whisking the cowardly captain to safety.

You, on the other hand, found yourself surrounded by pirates. “Hold it right there,” a voice said. A girl, hardly older than Komali, sized you up. “So, you think you can invade my island and rough up this kid, huh?”

“I’m not a kid, Tetra!” Komali flustered.

“Komali?” The captain lowered her scimitar. “Didn’t recognize you through all the wet feathers.” She then turned back to you with a smirk. “This guy messing with you?”

“No, he saved me from the monsters here! He’s a hero!”

She sized you up, oddly intimidating for a girl half your age. Seemingly content with what she saw, she sheathed her weapon and smiled. “Then I guess I owe you a debt of gratitude too, for taking care of the monsters. This is my island. The name’s Tetra, Captain Tetra to you. You wash up here in the storm?”

“Pleasure to meet you, Captain, and something like that.” It really was a pleasure, considering Tetra was your ancestor on your mother’s side. Your mother was even named after her. There was so much you could ask- but a massive gust of wind caught you off guard.

“Tetraaaaaa!!” A blur of a red boat darted toward the island.

“Ah, figured he’d get here sooner,” Tetra said.

The boat had barely slowed before a boy darted out, dressed in the green tunic you’d come to expect from your dreams. He bolted over and stuck out his hand. “Give it back.”

“Give what?” Tetra said sweetly.

“My chart! I know you stole it from me when we were in Windfall together!”

“I didn’t steal it, I just borrowed it.” She said, fishing it out of her vest. “You can’t blame me for wanting to try finding the Ghost Ship myself.”

The boy snatched it back. “Tetra, this is really important! Besides, the Ghost Ship is dangerous, what if you got hurt?”

A flicker of something more passed behind Tetra’s eyes, but it was gone in a flash. “Pfft. As if I’d get in trouble like that. Aren’t you busy finding sages or something?”

“You’re impossible…” he sighed. He then saw you. “Oh, hi, I’m sorry you had to see that. My name’s Link!”

“It sure is,” you laughed to yourself. It was already strange enough standing before yet another incarnation of your boyfriend, but the awkwardness reached new levels knowing his future. Here was a Link that was only twelve years old, but also your distant ancestor. How do you talk to your great-great-add a few-great grandfather, who’s younger than you are?

“Sorry?”

“Nothing, I’m [Y/n],” you said. The Hero of Wind turned to Komali, who was in full hero-worship mode, talking about how cool both you and Link were. Perhaps he was closer to Tulin than you thought.

“Since you’re a big hero,” Tetra said, nudging you, “you can stay here for tonight. We just got a good haul, so I’m in a generous mood.”

“You’re always generous, boss!”

She groaned. “Niko, learn to keep your trap shut. I’ve got an image to keep up!”

==============================

Soon, the beach was full of song and merriment as fish and meat roasted on the fire. Some of the pirates broke out the instruments as the feast was prepared and sang terribly off-key.

“So, you’re an adventurer, right?” Link asked, as you tossed some driftwood on the fire.

“You can say that. Been doing it for a while with my best friend, though we got separated. Trying to get back to him as soon as I can,” you said. Not the whole truth, but now probably wasn’t the time to bring up the whole story.

“Aww man, I’m sorry.”

“That does sound rather tragic.”

You nearly leapt out of your skin as a new voice came from your side. You turned to see the figurehead of Link’s boat turn to you with glowing eyes. “Um, hi?”

“Hello,” it said in a deeper voice than you expected.

“This is [Y/n],” Link explained. “He saved Komali.”

The head of the boat turned, studying you carefully. “I see, a pleasure to meet you. I am called the King of Red Lions.”

“Nice to meet you too,” You said. At this point you didn’t expect anything to surprise you, but the goddesses apparently had a sense of humor.

“Please, go enjoy the party, I’m sure we’ll have time to talk later.” He turned his head, seemingly starting to doze.

“Do you do a lot of sailing, [Y/n]?” Link asked as the two of you made your way to the feast table.

“Nah, I don’t have the most experience sailing, but fighting now… I’ve got some stories there. I’m sure you don’t wanna hear about that though.”

“No way, you gotta tell me now! Have you ever fought a Darknut?”

“Three of them, at the same time, today,” you said with a grin. “A few days ago, I fought this giant Gohma made of rocks with my friends.”

“No way!” The King of Red Lions laughed as the two of you were soon excitedly trading stories of all the monsters you had fought. Link was blown away by your description of a Lynel, and his own story of the Helmaroc King had you enthralled. Just as Link was about to tell you about the Giant Octos, you were interrupted by a hand slapping the table.

“Okay traveler, we’re gonna see just how tough you are,” Tetra smirked, as the pirates dropped a barrel on the table. She handed you a tin tankard.

“Aren’t you a bit young for beer?”

“Who said anything about beer?” She turned the spigot, which filled her tankard with frothy, ice-cold milk. “What, can’t handle your milk? Loser pays up – 100 rupees.”

All of those drinking competitions with the Gorons and Gerudo were about to pay off, and you did have a pair of purple rupees from fighting the Darknuts. “You’re on, Captain!”

==============================

Hylia be damned, she outdrank you.

With a rather upset stomach and 100 rupees short, you sat on a log, tending the fire as everyone slept. The only sound was the breaking of the waves.

So far, you were fairly sure you had freed Tulin but now you wondered about the rest. Link especially would be difficult, given how many Links there were. On the bright side, you knew that the Link in Sahasrahla’s time had already succeeded. Meanwhile, the Link here was midway through his quest. Part of you did wonder if freeing Linebeck would help, since you knew if Linebeck died here, this Link wouldn’t be able to save the Great Sea from Bellum. That said, the energy didn’t feel the same when you saved Komali. Maybe there was still more to be done to save him? “Ugh, I wish there was something that just told me what time to go to.”

This era’s Link was sound asleep, but you could hardly rest. Your mind raced, still high on the adrenaline of battle and time travel. You poked at the crackling fire, staring into the flames. Your other hand found its way to your wrist strap, and Link’s hair band. “Wish I could’ve brought you here to see the Great Sea,” you muttered. “You’d love sailing across the open waters.”

“Ah, excuse me. [Y/n], was it?”

You turned to the odd boat. “Um, yes?”

“Would you humor an old seafarer?”

You walked over to the King of Red Lions. “Of course, what’s up?”

His gaze drifted down your arm to your hand. With the loose clothes you had on, the scars from where the Triforce once was, were truly visible. “Tell me… did you perhaps come across a… uh… special power? A gold triangle perhaps?”

“Perhaps,” you said, a little wary. He stared at you before his eyes faded, his body turning to dull wood. “Oh no, no, no… are you okay? Please say something!” The last thing you needed was more people – or boats – turning to stone.

“I’m quite fine.” You looked up to see the ghostly image of…

“You’re the King of Hyrule.”

“Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last king of the kingdom chosen by the goddesses,” He said, his voice remaining level, but his eyes revealing his sorrow.

“I… I’m sorry. I just, I heard some people say it, but I didn’t realize the stories were true.” You swallowed hard. If there was someone you could talk to about everything, he would be the one. “King Daphnes, I come from a different time. I am from your future.”

“My future?” The realization slowly dawned on his face. “Do you mean…?”

“My real name is [Y/n] Daltus Hyrule, Prince of Hyrule.”

In a hoarse whisper, he said, “You are… my grandson?”

“A bit farther than that, but yes.” You said.

Before you could react, he embraced you. Unlike Sharpe, his spirit was warm. “I… I never thought I would meet anyone from our family again. I… I thought…” You just nodded. You knew the feeling, almost losing everyone. “But why are you here? I highly doubt one of our family would travel across the seas of time for a social visit.”

“That’s why I have these scars,” you said. “You’re right, they’re from the Triforce. And… I failed to control them, and they fell into the hands of Ganondorf. I’m trying to fix everything that he’s done to alter time so that we can defeat him in the future.”

King Daphnes sat down with you on the sand as you told your story.  “And that’s that. I’m a failure of a royal.”

“No, you are not. Being here now is proof enough.” King Daphnes sighed. “No… I am a failure, because I am a coward.”

“What? No, of course-”

He patted your shoulder. “No please, listen. I am a coward, because I have clung to the past. Before the fall of Hyrule, the darkness rose again, as it always does. And so, I clung to the past, knowing that a hero would arise, just like every time before. All I needed to do was wait for the hero and he would defeat the great evil, just like the Hero of Time, just like Hero of Men, and just like the Hero of the Goddess. And yet, no hero came. I was too afraid to break from tradition and thought that if we just waited a bit longer, the hero would come. I could have sent our armies out or tried to save the kingdom myself, but I was paralyzed by indecision. By the time I chose to change, it was too late.” He looked out at the endless sea. “Even now, I can’t let the old Hyrule go. Someday I will, but not today.”

An age where the cycle failed, and there was no hero… “That’s why you’re helping him, isn’t it?” You said, looking back at the sleeping Hero of Winds. “I know the stories. He’s not descended from the previous heroes. He’s just a boy.” You let out a shaky laugh. “Reminds me of my Link, back before he drew the Master Sword.”

“I failed to make my own path then, I won’t let it happen again,” King Daphnes said. “A king must cultivate his own courage before helping others to find theirs. That I think is why you have been led here, my boy. You must find your own courage, wisdom, and power, if you wish to save your Link and Hyrule. Learn from me and learn from Ganondorf.”

That was a bit surprising. “From Ganondorf?”

The king nodded. “Ganondorf clearly hasn’t learned in your time. In this era, he wishes to bring back the past, to rule a kingdom that is long dead and buried. By the sound of it, he wants the same in your era.”

“Revenge on a king who has been dead for eons, and…” your voice trailed off. “I think he wants the life he lost.”

“Precisely. You must be brave, my boy. Be brave and forge your own path, free of the past. Do not dwell on mistakes like me, forge ahead.”

“As soon as I find a way to help my friends, I will,” you said. “Letting go though, I think that’s going to be a lot easier said than done.”

“It took me many years, but I think you are significantly farther along at this point, given you’ve led your Hyrule through disaster before. Not to mention I certainly wouldn’t have had the bravery to jump across time, bouncing between the ages like a drunk Chu Chu.”

“Believe me, bouncing wasn’t the goal,” you laughed.

King Daphnes laughed too as he watched the waves. “No, I suppose not.”

“The only problem now is I have no way to travel through time. I doubt the Gate of Time is anywhere above water right now,” you groaned. “Even if we sailed to the far islands and found Oshus, the Phantom Hourglass only stops time… unless you know another way?”

“Another way through time…” King Daphnes muttered to himself. “I think I know a way. We’ll leave in the morning.”

==============================

A/N: I always imagined that whenever Lana attacks with her summoning ring in Hyrule Warriors, she just steals Cuccos from the same person over and over.

Next week, we continue onward through time.

[dreamdepot]

Hi all, some things came up and unfortunately there will be no update this week but I’ll be back next week with a new chapter!

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 18: The Prince's Advisor

Previous < First > Next

AO3 Wattpad or below!

You stared at your hand, still not believing it was gone.

“It doesn’t change you,” Link whispered, gentling running his thumb over your knuckles. The group had retreated back to Lookout Landing, where you had been carried to your house and your bed. You were propped up on some pillows. Normally you’d be upset about dirtying the sheets with your sullied armor and wounds, but you couldn’t bring yourself to think about that at the moment. “You were always amazing, Triforce or not. Nothing Ganondorf does can ever change that.”

You nodded, but your eyes settled on Link’s arm. Link had the power of light and the Master Sword. Zelda had the power of the Goddess and, apparently, time. Ganondorf was the source of all evil and held not only a secret stone but most of the Triforce.

Maybe Ganondorf was right. Where did that leave you?

Prince you might be, but what did that matter in a battle of people with the strength of gods? You looked over the other sages, all of them with their own secret stones and abilities.

“Stop,” Link said. “You can’t compare yourself like that.”

“I failed them. I failed everyone. And now I can’t even fight back. What kind of useless royal am I? Can’t even protect my people.”

“Bullshit. You rebuilt most of Hyrule yourself, and you were with me on our assault on the Calamity and you were right there, first to charge in against Ganondorf today.”

“But-”

“No, stop.” Link placed his hands on your cheeks, guiding you to look into his eyes, filled with fierce determination. “No buts. [Y/n], you have been working around the clock to save Hyrule. You haven’t failed anyone. We will find a way to fix this.”

Sidon coughed. “I think we should go and check with the monster control forces in town.”

“Oh okay, Link do you want to come with us?” Tulin asked.

“No, no, honey,” Riju said, patting his head. “Just us.”

“If you, uh, need anything… you know…” Yunobo said, before Sidon yanked him around the corner.

As soon as they were out of sight, Link pulled you into a bear hug, as if he was trying to crush your panic. You felt the tears start to well up. “It’s okay, you can let it out.”

You clung to Link, sniffling. “I’m sorry… I was… I just…”

“It’s okay, we’re going to figure this out.”

“Link, he has two pieces of the Triforce and a secret stone. And he has this all planned out from the start? How do we know he isn’t controlling me or that he doesn’t know exactly what we’re going to do or…”

“[Y/n] stop. He’s getting in your head. Second guessing everything and being afraid is exactly what he wants.”

“But…”

“No,” Link said, cradling your head. “C’mon now, breathe with me. Four, two, six, remember? In… hold… and out… in… hold… and out…good boy.” You could feel the feelings start to recede. “C’mon, let’s get you comfy.”

Link drew a warm bath for you – you had to thank Robbie for using Sheikah tech to make a small water heater for your plumbing. While you cleaned off, you could hear Link busy in the next room. By the time you got out, he pressed a mug of your favorite relaxing tea into your hands. He made sure to get your favorite pillow and blanket, wrapping you up before easing you onto the bed.

“What are we going to do?” You finally asked.

“We are going to rest, and you are going to get some sleep.” You opened your mouth, but Link shushed you. “Please, [Y/n], I’m begging. You need to rest.”

“I…” You sighed. “I don’t want to, but I’ll try. But Link, what about you?” His face grew stony. “People are going to need help. With Ganondorf’s extra power…”

“I know,” he said. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I don’t want you to go either, but…”

“There may not be a kingdom left if I don’t,” Link finished.

You took his hand. “I promise I’ll be fine.”

“Of course you will, you’re my prince,” Link smiled and leaned in to kiss you. “Just please take it slow. I’ll stay until you fall asleep, okay?”

“Thanks,” you sighed as your eyes drifted shut.

==============================

You woke, feeling someone sitting on the bed behind you. “Link…? Is that you?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” said a slightly familiar voice with a little chuckle. That woke you up quickly. You flipped around to see a tall spectral appearance sitting at the edge of the bed. The goatlike man nodded to you in greeting. “I apologize for the intrusion.”

“King Rauru!”

“Please, just Rauru is fine. We are family after all.” He looked over the room, eyes lingering on your photos and trinkets. “A rather humble home for the prince of our kingdom. It’s quite warm and cozy though. Sonia loved collecting little mementos too.”

You carefully shifted up on the bed, propping yourself up on the pillows. “Am I dreaming?”

Rauru laughed. “With all the dreams you’ve had lately, I can understand why you would be skeptical. But, I assure you, I am very much real – or at least as real as a spirit can be.”

“Yeah, you’re not the first spirit I’ve met,” you said slowly, pinching your forearm just to make sure. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy you’re here, but why now?”

“Well, not exactly ‘now’, I’ve been around for quite a while.”

“You have?

“Of course, I have been watching over you and Link. I’ve been with you every step of the way, since Link reunited with you after you first discovered Ganondorf.”

Your mind returned to a certain night in a tent before the failed siege, your face heating. “…every step?”

Rauru crossed his arms. “I have enough class to give you your privacy for more intimate moments, [Y/n]. I’m not so old that I don’t remember being young. My… when I first met Sonia…” His eyes grew faraway for a moment. “Never mind that, I came to see you because you’ve had quite the ordeal.”

“You can say that again,” you muttered, a little mad at how childish your voice came out. “I don’t know what to do next. I don’t have the Triforce, my sword is broken… it feels hopeless.”

“You aren’t giving up, are you?”

“Absolutely not!” You gasped. “I’m not just going to hand my kingdom over to Ganondorf! If I’m still breathing, I’ll fight Ganondorf with a butterknife if I have to. How can you even-” Your voice trailed off as Rauru started to laugh. “What?”

“Determined and a bit hard-headed, aren’t you? That proves more than anything you’re my descendant.”

You moved to the edge of the bed. Rauru sat next to you, placing a ghostly hand on your shoulder. Despite your prior experience with the dead, it felt warm. “So, what do we do? I’ll fight him with a butterknife, but I’d rather go in with something that’ll actually end him.”

“There may be other ways you haven’t considered. Ganondorf prefers head-on assaults and manipulation behind the scenes. You will need to get creative.”

You thought for a moment, feeling like you were being tested. “There’s still the last piece of the Triforce, and Sharpe was adamant about his songs being important. I only know three of the five parts, so maybe Sharpe has something that will give us an edge.” You then frowned, thinking back to the confrontation. “Sharpe asked me to break the cycle. Then, during the fight, Ganondorf said Hyrule was always the story of three, insinuating I had no place in the fight against him…”

“Ganondorf has always been a master of manipulation, so I suggest taking anything he says with a grain of salt – like Link told you?” Rauru said, with a hint of the certain chastising tone only a parent could do. “Besides, he gloated about using you. You were clearly a cornerstone to his plan, as he wouldn’t have been able to get the Triforce without you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Patience. Ganondorf used you to get the Triforce because he knew that he nor Link nor Zelda could. He gloats about using you because he wants you to be despondent, unlikely to fight back. If you were key in his rise, you may also be key in his ultimate downfall.”

That did help a little. “But he forced me – or, err, Sheik – to be reborn, and he said my soul was bound to him. What does that mean?”

“I’m afraid reincarnation and the flow of time is Sonia’s realm of expertise, but I can give you my best guess.” Rauru fell deep in thought for a moment. “You may be the reincarnation of my friend, and his soul may be within you, but you are your own person. Like how every Link and Zelda carry the strength and burdens of their predecessors, so do you carry that of Sheik. But at the end of the day, you are Prince [Y/n], my descendant and the hero that the people of Hyrule are looking to for leadership.”

“So, what do I do? Can you like, give me some kind of Zonai superweapon? Maybe a secret stone?”

“A secret stone won’t help you, not that you need it. Think of all you’ve done without one, even before you came to this time. I am proud of you, my descendant. I know you will find the answer, but you need to think broader than just strength. Think less like Ganondorf and more like you.”

It was nice to hear but not exactly helpful. Worse, it felt like you hadn’t given him the answer he wanted. You laid back staring at the ceiling. “There has to be something I can do, but… ugh, how do I stand up to Ganondorf? He has a secret stone, two pieces of the Triforce, and millennia of preparation.”

“It does look bleak, but people like us don’t take what fate hands us laying down. We are leaders, and we must take responsibility for the wellbeing of all our people.” Rauru thought for a moment. “Ganondorf has been planning this for quite a while. His influence has been poisoning Hyrule for centuries.”

“That’s it!” you gasped. You tumbled out of bed and grabbed your pack, fumbling around inside.

“What do you have there?”

You held out the stone you found. “Not exactly a secret stone, but I know it has to do with time. I don’t fully understand it, but it helps me see the past and even let me step back in time for a bit. Do you know how to use it?” Before Rauru could respond, you started pacing as your mind raced. “If I can use it to step back in time far enough, maybe that will buy us enough time to help us build something to stop him, or maybe to drain his power! Wait no, we can use it to undo his preparations!”

Rauru simply watched you with a small smile. He composed himself when you noticed. “My apologies. Link was right, you do get a certain fiery look in your eyes when you strategize.”

“I’m sorry?”

“[Y/n], that man is obsessed with you. He would not stop talking about you up on the Great Sky Island. I had to meet you myself – though again I apologize it took a little longer than expected.” He gave you a thoughtful look before a smile bright as the sun bloomed on his face. “I may not be your father, but I have to say I approve of Link courting you and vice versa. Hyrule does need a strong symbol of partnership and love these days.”

You felt a blush on your cheeks. “Thank you for your blessing, but back to the topic?”

“Yes, of course. I was going to say I’m surprised,” Rauru said, reaching out and taking the stone from your hand, letting it sparkle in the light. “I haven’t seen one of these in quite a while. What you have is a Timeshift Stone. They were exceedingly rare, even in my time. The largest supply of them disappeared long before I was born, back in the time when Lanayru was still a desert. After the Age of Hylia, the stones mysteriously disappeared, possibly used to build something large. Others were studied by the ancient Sheikah people and used to develop their technology. The few that remained were kept by the Royal Family and used to form a magical treasure.”

“The Ocarina of Time.”

“Precisely. But considering the Ocarina of Time and any other Timeshift Stones disappeared hundreds of years ago… well, I’m certainly surprised. You might call it divine intervention that the stone ended up in your hands.”

You thought back to when you fell into the abyss. “Something like that.” You then stopped. “Wait. You knew all this already, didn’t you?”

“Guilty as charged I’m afraid.” Rauru laughed. “But as your ancestor, I wish to impart wisdom to you by teaching you to find the answer rather than just telling you. I know you will be quite the ruler, far better than many others in our family. You truly are as resourceful and resilient as Zelda said.” He gave you back the Timeshift Stone. “Now, my descendant, please understand I didn’t leave you completely hopeless in this time. This old man still has a few tricks!”

“What do you mean?”

“Ganondorf’s strength is also his greatest weakness. He is too obsessed with the flow of reincarnation and time, that he thinks he sees all the angles. He’s missing the forest for the trees, or in this case, the war for the battles. He acts like he’s been setting everything up, but there are ways to undo his preparation – as you deduced. Sheik and Sonia saw this coming long before I did, and we made our own preparations.”

“The Shadow Temple?”

Rauru gave you a sly smile. “Now how did you know about that? But yes, one of many precautions, though I believe it’s not what you need just yet.”

You thought back. “Breaking the cycle and focusing on the damage Ganondorf has done, right?”

“Yes, exactly.”

You ran back your dream in your head, trying to remember the details. “But… the Shadow Temple is locked. I need a key to get in, so… where’s the key? Or maybe I should be asking, what is the key?”

“Excellent questions. The key is a bit complicated. My sister Mineru helped to ‘design the lock’ so to speak. It’s partly magic and partly mechanical. You’ll need to go to her laboratory in the Depths, if you wish to get inside.” Rauru seemed lost in thought. “Before that though, I think you’ll need to use a different kind of key, since someone went through the trouble to make sure you got it.”

“Lady Din does like to be a bit more hands on.”

Rauru chuckled. “It is an opportunity though. That Timeshift Stone is more special than it appears. It is the key to something that will be of great help to you.”

“Something that helps us defeat Ganondorf?”

“I wouldn’t say it would give you any power against Ganondorf per se, but perhaps something that would give you the edge you need... more time in fact. Under the-” Rauru stopped, his image flickered. He rose his hand, energy glowing, as his third eye opened. “Something’s wrong. Ganondorf, he’s…!”

“Rauru!”

“Link…in trouble,” He said as he faded and flickered. “…look skyward… Great…Island. I believe in you… my…” His body faded away, leaving his words hanging like an axe over you. The words then sunk in, and you bolted out of bed, kicking the door open and running towards town.

==============================

“MOVE!” You barreled through the soldiers towards Purah’s lab; manners were the last thing on your mind.

“Prince! You’re supposed to be-” Josha’s voice trailed off as you shot up the steps. “Resting…”

You nearly tore Purah’s door out of the wall as you skidded to a stop, sending notes and books tumbling everywhere. “Purah! Where’s-” Your words caught in your throat. In the corner, Link and Sidon stood, mid-conversation frozen in time. “No, no! Link please!” Every inch of him, even Rauru’s arm, had completely turned to stone. Even the Master Sword was nothing but rock without even a drop of magic.

Purah slowly descended the stairs. “I’m sorry, I did my best to stop it but…”

“What happened?” You asked hollowly.

“I don’t know. One minute they were talking, and the next...” Purah pulled you into a hug. “It’s okay, I’ll figure out something.”

Just then the door opened again, and Captain Hoz and Scorpis entered. “Lady Purah, we… I see you already know.” Captain Hoz looked over the statues, trying to keep his face steady. “Right then. Scorpis, keep his majesty under guard. We need to figure out what’s going on.”

Your head snapped up. “But-”

“I’m sorry, your majesty. With everything going on…” He looked pained.

It didn’t take a genius like Purah to understand the implication. The words fell out of your mouth. “I’m the only one left, aren’t I?”

He frowned. “Yes sir. All of the sages, and Sir Link…”

“I see.”

“So, the five new champions and the Master Sword itself,” Purah muttered. She looked at you.

You understood the silent question. “Ganondorf wants me alive. For what end? I don’t want to think about it. He just wants me alone.”

“Is it magic? Some kind of gloom curse?” Scorpis asked.

Purah shook her head. “Solid rock. I’ve never seen anything like this. The old stories mention petrification, but that was never something related to the Demon King, more the practice of the Dark Mage Vaati. I’m sure there’s a scientific way to fix it, but it’ll take time.”

Scorpis stood close to you. “Your majesty, you should be resting anyway. Let’s take you back to your bed.”

“Just one moment, please.” The world felt numb as you stood before Link’s stony body. “Link… Please hang on, I promise I’ll save you.” Link’s now rocky hair was loose, and in his hand was his well-worn hair band – the only thing unpetrified. You took his hair band, slipped it on a leather strap, and tied it to your wrist. You leaned in and kissed his cheek, wishing it would bring him back to life like some fairy tale. Sadly, his body remained cold and still. “I’ll be back soon.”

==============================

Night seemed to take forever to come, but with the endless blood moon overhead, it hardly seemed any darker. It was just lucky that Ganondorf seemed to be biding his time, as monsters had yet to swarm you or Lookout Landing. Finally, your opportunity came. You snuck out of the house in the quiet of night, dressed in your Sheikah armor. Sneaking out of the house past Scorpis was the easy part – sneaking over to the Tower was a bit harder. You squeezed past the guards, sticking to the few shadows. With most of the town asleep, it was a little better, but everyone was on edge. The slightest twig snap would likely send your guards into a panic. You hurried across the last bit, nearly to the edge of the tower.

“What do you think you’re doing?” You froze as Purah stood at the entrance. “I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to be under house guard.”

“Please Purah, I’m desperate. I need to get to the Great Sky Island.”

“You think I’m going to let the last hope of our kingdom run off alone? That’s crazy! And you’re not even fully rested yet!”

“I can’t rest if Ganondorf is still alive. I…” You swallowed hard. “I need to save Link.”

Purah stared you deep in the eyes, piercing you. “Alright,” she finally said. “What do you need from me?”

“What?”

“You don’t need to do everything yourself. We’re all here to support you, okay?” She flicked you on the forehead. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell, just please be safe.”

“Thanks Purah.” You looked down at the platform. “Can you pump some more power into this? A little extra height?”

“Say less,” she smirked.

Purah soon had her tools out and got to work making adjustments to the guardian arms. You hid in the shadow of the tower entrance, only visible to her. You passed her a wrench as you looked back up at the blood moon overhead. “Purah, promise me that if things get bad, you’ll evacuate everyone.”

“It won’t come to that-”

“Purah, promise me.”

She looked at you for a moment. “I promise. But promise me something, that you’ll be careful out there. You’re working yourself too hard. You’re no good to us dead.”

“I have to do something.”

“Yes, and you have. I know how it feels to be helpless. Remember, I lived through the Calamity, I had to help keep everyone safe when Ganon burned Hyrule for nights on end.” She fiddled with some of the gears. “I know you feel guilty, but it’s not your fault.”

“I practically handed him the tools to destroy us.”

“You’re saying that to the girl who helped rebuild the Divine Beasts and the Guardians.”

You winced. “I…”

She sat up and patted you on the back. “You may be our prince, but you can’t carry the weight of the world around forever. I trust you to do what you need to do, but don’t forget Hyrule is all of us – not just the prince and his knight. We aren’t going to let any Demon King destroy us without a fight. So, promise me, Prince [Y/n], you’re gonna come home safe – for me, for the kingdom, and most of all, for Link.”

“I promise.”

“Good!” She whacked the gears, and the terminal lit up again. “It’s ready to go.”

You tightened the belts on your armor, making sure you had your light pack secured. “Alright, Purah, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” The guardian arms spooled out, this time handing you a pair of goggles. The platform began to shake.

“You better. Good luck Princey.” She adjusted her glasses. “By the way, you have Link’s map data of the Great Sky Island. You could have just teleported there.”

“Wait, wha-” FOOOOM!

Wind whipped around as you flung skyward, higher and higher and higher. The air grew cold, reminding you of climbing to the Stormwind Ark with Tulin. You popped out your glider looking down at the specks of sky islands around you in the bloody light. If it wasn’t for Ganondorf’s influence, it would have been a beautiful night.

In the distance, Zelda glided through the air above Hateno. “I bet you’re checking in on your students,” you whispered to yourself. “You’ll see them soon, promise. Once I find the Shadow Temple and whatever Rauru wanted, I’m going to fix everything.”

You landed effortlessly at the edge of the Great Sky Island. Like Link had told you, there were Constructs everywhere, but they seemed to be asleep for the night. You checked your pack to make sure nothing had fallen out. You packed light, with clothes, your Royal Guard Armor as a second set, some arrows, a bow, lamp oil, rope, bombs, and some smaller blades to defend yourself. You turned one of the Eightfold Blades over in your hand. Link had fused a Blue Lynel’s horn to it for you, giving it a wicked edge that would make short work of most monsters.

You pulled up the map on your Purah Pad and looked at Link’s notes and travel history, trying to figure out where Rauru might have been thinking of. Then, you remembered the last dream and what Sheik said.

Rauru has secrets he doesn’t realize I know. The Temple of Time only needs the key.

Your eyes fell the Zonai Temple of Time. It was a far cry from the version you knew, but the unnatural swirl of light that rose from it called to you. You could practically feel the gears turning in your head as Rauru’s words came back to you.

Something that would give you the edge you need… more time in fact.

“Rauru… what did you have in mind?”

==============================

It took a bit to safely make your way to the Temple of Time, but soon you found yourself in the main atrium. Unfortunately, without the power of Rewind, climbing to the upper floor with the Goddess Statue took longer than you expected. You looked around but nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first. Then, you realized there had to be upper and lower floors, but no clear way to get to them. Furthermore, there was something causing a glowing light at the top, but when you had glided to the island, there didn’t appear to be anything there.

“Okay Rauru, what did you hide here then?” You pulled the Timeshift Stone from your pack as you wandered out the giant doors. You walked towards the collapsed balcony that Zelda had dropped you off on after Link pulled the Master Sword. You squeezed the stone, trying to summon any kind of vision, but there was nothing. “Would’ve been nice to just jump back in time to see Rauru or Zelda instead,” you grumbled, turning back to the Temple of Time.

As you walked back through the doors, the stone vibrated in your hand, softly starting to glow and pulse. You then heard the splash of footsteps. Below, you saw another echo of the past, but this time it was Sheik, dressed again in his robes reminiscent of Farosh as he strode through the cistern. You leaped down after him, but he disappeared as quickly as he came. Shimmying behind the waterwheel, you squeezed into the damp alcove to find a hidden door. It groaned on its hinges as you forced it open. You walked inside and followed the hidden staircase down into the darkness of the temple’s hidden levels.

It was a short walk to the lowest chamber, lit by a few dim Zonai lamps. The room had a small raised altar with a pillar made almost completely out of pewter. “So, are you the Shadow Temple?” you asked the open air. You wandered the room, not finding any other hints of hidden doors. Tapping the walls with your sword revealed nothing but solid rock. “Don’t suppose there are any torches for me to light either,” you muttered, before turning back to the conspicuous pillar. You climbed the altar, examining the strange object. It was cool to the touch, and lined with runes that were too faded to read in the dim light, even if you knew how to. There was, however, a notch in the center, just below a winged herald.

The Timeshift Stone leaped from your hand, as if magnetized and snapped into the pillar, leaving a smooth surface. For a second, nothing happened, but then all of the runes lit up with a blue light. A hum filled the room before the pillar burst into small blocks. A chill spread up your spine as the gravity suddenly dropped, and the blocks floated all around you. One by one, they spun and fit together into new shapes, slowly forming a giant circle. Then, with a burst of light, the shape smoothed into a giant gear, etched with the symbols of the goddesses and inscriptions that looked like music notes. The Triforce was proudly emblazoned in the center. Portals opened from the ceiling and two more gears dropped down, fitting into place perfectly. With a clunk, the gears began to turn.

An odd energy filled the room, making your skin tingle and your hair float. For a moment, you stared in awe but then it dawned on you. Your mother’s stories described it perfectly, as did some of the books you borrowed from Zelda. “The Gate of Time. Oh Hylia, the Gate of Time is real…”

You paced back and forth, mind racing. “Okay, not the Shadow Temple. Rauru, you weren’t kidding about more time.” You approached the gate, watching as the symbols faded away to reveal an endless tunnel of gears inside. “Yeah, this changes things. I can try to undo what Ganondorf did, but… where do I even go? Where do I start?” You tentatively pushed your hand into the tunnel, feeling the energy tingle. Slowly, you pushed a foot inside and entered the gate.

“Okay – not sure how to direct this exactly.” You wracked your brain. Then, a plan hatched in your mind. If you could ask Purah for help in the past, then Purah would have a hundred years to research a solution! She could unfreeze Link and then you could get Rauru’s help again. You could even ask the Champions for help, or maybe Sharpe could tell you what he meant by his five songs! “Please, take me back to before the Calamity!”

The tunnel pulsed with energy, acknowledging you. You started to run through the seemingly endless hall of gears, the light from the entrance fading, and a new light growing at the other end. Energy of the ages flowed by you, and you couldn’t help running faster and faster. The light grew brighter until it was nearly blinding…

==============================

“Oh, the poor dear, is he okay?”

“Such strange garb, he’s not a thief, is he?”

The voices shook you from your grogginess. You found yourself flat on your back, staring up at a picturesque blue sky.

“Oh, he’s getting up! Give him some space!”

You slowly sat up to see you were surrounded by people on a wide cobblestone street.

Wait, what?

You patted the ground, realizing the last time you saw well maintained cobblestone streets was before the Calamity. All the cobblestone roads left were near Castle Town, and none of them looked brand new like this. At first, you wanted to leap for joy – it worked! You had gone back in time! But then, you realized this town wasn’t like any other you had seen before the Calamity. You looked around the cozy but prosperous village. There was a nice plaza with a weathervane and a marketplace. You rubbed the back of your head. When and where exactly did you land?

“Okay everyone, let’s stop treating the poor man like a spectacle!” A rough voice said. An old man in yellow robes with a carved wooden staff walked up. He stroked his long white beard, looking you over. “Come now, can you stand?”

“I think so,” you said, getting up to your feet a bit shakily.

“Good, come with me.” You followed him up a hill to a large but plain home. He led you inside where an elderly woman was setting out some teacups.

“Please sit,” he said, pouring you a cup. “It’s not every day one falls out of the sky on our village – especially for someone wearing the mark of the Sheikah clan. You seem to have traveled quite a distance.” He set his staff down and sat across from you, removing his cap. “I am pleased to welcome you to Kakariko Village, traveler. My name is Sahasrahla. What is yours?”

[dreamdepot]

I would be over the moon

Reblog this if you would not only accept, but welcome fan art, moodboards, etc. of your fics

All of these used to be so common for people to show their appreciation of different fics and authors, and I think it’s a shame people don’t do it anymore. I love seeing fan work for my fics!!

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 17: Waking Nightmare

Previous < First > Next

With four sages awakened, the time has come to face Ganondorf.

AO3 Wattpad or below!

As you kept climbing the road to the Sanctum, the monsters did not let up. Hordes of dark forces roamed the corridors and courtyards. Yet, it seemed odd. You found yourself fighting Moblins, Horriblins, Lizalfos, and the usual types you had seen on your journeys. Link put the concern to words. “Is it just me, or is this… easy?”

“A little too easy. It’s not like last time. Worst we’ve seen is a Hinox.”

Link frowned as he cleaved a Horroblin in two. “Not even a Lynel… he’s baiting us.”

“Then we spring the trap, keeping our guard up. Ganondorf may have his plan, but we’ve got our own tricks.”

Ganondorf, at least, had the grace to not taunt you with the false Zelda for long. Merely one glance at the gatehouse was all you got before she disappeared, beckoning you to walk farther into his stronghold. Your grip tightened on your sword, knowing you would soon be embroiled in battle with the Demon King.

It wasn’t long before you rounded what remained of the upper gardens, the once beautiful ponds now dry. Your vision flashed for a brief moment, another echo of the past. This time, you watched as a beastly incarnation of Ganondorf drug Link down into an abyss, both falling into a void. A shiver shot down your spine as you snapped back to the present. Link looked you over, scrutinizing your tense stance. “Everything okay?”

You took a deep breath. “It will be. Just nerves.”

“You, uh, wanna slam me against the wall and kiss me again for luck?” Link was joking, but the blush on his cheeks was very real.

“I didn’t slam you against the wall.” You thought back. “Well… not hard at least.”  

“Eh, it was pretty hard. I had to fight the Calamity with a bruise on my shoulder.”

“Baby,” you chided. “I promise, you’ll get all the kisses you want after this battle. I’ll slam you into another wall too, if you’re good.” Link spluttered as you laughed, leading the way up the final staircase.

The Sanctum was not all that different from when Link faced the Calamity. The Calamity’s corrupted heart and the hole to the Sheikah arena were gone, the latter filled with rubble, but the rest remained mostly intact. Your heart twisted, thinking back to the first nightmares, of how the Sanctum once felt so warm and welcoming.

“At last,” the false Zelda said from the throne balcony. “I have been waiting for you to arrive. There’s something I’ve been wanting to show you.” In a ripple of energy, the Sanctum suddenly changed, reverting to its former splendor. It looked exactly how you remembered, as if not a day had passed. The hall was spotlessly clean, and the throne was set up without your father’s place. Instead, two thrones were set out for Zelda and you to hold court, your crown sparkling from the seat.  

“What do you think, [Y/n]? Hyrule Castle, as perfect and glorious as it should be. The perfect spot for us to rule the kingdom from, don’t you think?” Your heart yearned, but your grip tightened on your sword. “And you Link, does it awaken memories? Memories of our time here?”

Zelda disappeared behind a column, replaced by the form of your father. “My son, you deserved far more than this broken land. You were meant to rule a kingdom at its height.”

Your jaw clenched as King Rhoam disappeared, but you froze in place as a different voice joined. “And Link, you were forced to be a hero so young.” You and Link turned to face Mipha, standing uncomfortably close to your boyfriend. “You deserved happiness. We could have started a family together.”

“But you two were too weak!” A gruffer voice came from beside the fireplace. Daruk leveled a disappointed glare at you. “Brothers of the Gorons and yet you were both so easily defeated in the past!”

“Obviously your skills weren’t up to snuff,” said Revali, who sneered down at you from the balcony. “Typical. I always said you two weren’t worth it. Thanks for proving me right.”

“It was your responsibility, and you failed.” The voice you wanted to hear least now came next to you as you looked up at the face of Urbosa. “Your failure is the reason we died. The knight and the prince who lost an entire kingdom to the Calamity, and now they’re going to leave what’s left to burn at the hands of the Demon King.”

Zelda’s voice returned, though you couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. It seemed to be everywhere at once. “Well, really take in every detail,” she said. “Reflect on your past and make peace with yourself.” The room felt like it was spinning, as each of the false visions closed in on you. Zelda appeared in the center of the Sanctum before you, her voice dropping. “After all, this place, will be the last thing you ever see.”

You swung your sword, knocking away the images of the Champions and your father. “How cruel,” Zelda sneered. “You would strike down your friends, your own family? Are you sure that the Demon King is really the monster here?”

“My friends are dead. You made sure of that, Ganondorf.”

The false Zelda smirked and bowed in mockery. In flames seemingly made of gloom, the apparition of Ganondorf appeared before you. “Enough games. The fabled swordsman who endured my corruption and the noble prince who cheats death… I admit the two of you are more resilient than I anticipated. No matter, you will not live to see another sunrise.” The false Zelda collapsed, evaporating into gloom. “Did my puppets entertain you? My Zelda made it so easy to keep you occupied, but such an indirect approach is no longer needed. Come forth, my dark servant, and eliminate this swordsman and bring the prince to me.” The gloom coalesced into another of the Demon King’s saboteurs: Phantom Ganon.

“Oh no, I’m so scared,” you muttered to Link, already feeling the power of the Triforce filling you, strengthening your muscles and heightening your senses. Suddenly, the Phantom duplicated itself into five copies. “Oh… okay that’s actually a bit scary.”

“Don’t worry,” Link said, summoning the avatars of four sages. “They’re not going to stand a chance.”

You tightened your grip on the Sword of the Six Sages, carefully setting your stance. As the Phantom Ganon closest to you slowly formed its weapon, you sprung forward. In a flash of light, you landed the first strike, leaving a glowing scar across the shambling corpse. The Phantom hissed in pain, but you didn’t hesitate to follow through, carrying through another slash. Next to you, Link parried one, launching into a flurry rush that drove the Phantoms back. The aspects of the Sages distracted the others, pushing them to the walls.

Time seemed to move slowly as you could feel every breath, hyper-focused on your strikes. Your sword clashed against the club of one Phantom. You repositioned, swinging low and knocking the monster off-balance. Before you could strike again, another Phantom blocked your sword. “No, you don’t!” You growled, leaping back and away from its gloom-infused claw. You felt the Triforce flow through you, your left arm turning gold with light. “Right, try this!” A sparking ball of light filled your hand, lighting the entire sanctum. With a grunt you launched it at the Phantom. The light fried the Phantom, stunning it in place.

Using your power seemed to catch their attention. Two Phantoms now swarmed you as the other two focused on Link, striking down the sage aspects one by one. With each parry, you found yourself slowly being pushed away and up the stairs. Eventually, you found yourself moved near the thrones. Link tried to get closer, but pools of gloom pushed him back. The Phantoms after you started to spread gloom across the balcony, threatening to trap you. You turned and leaped off the balcony, back down to Link. In a split second, you barely dodged a gloom sword, blocked by Link’s shield. “Be careful!”

Another Phantom approached, club raised. You grunted, filling your sword with the power of the Triforce and slashing it in two and banishing the monster. “Thanks, but you too.” The two of you turned to the remaining four, as a lake of gloom appeared, forcing the two of you to run to opposite ends of the room.

“Never leave an imitation to do the work of a king.” The true Ganondorf rose from the gloom, the lake receding into his body. His cursed, burning stare quickly locked on to you. “Hello Sheik, or rather, [Y/n]. Are you done playing these silly games?”

You didn’t hear Link call out to you to wait as you charged towards the Demon King, filling your sword with every ounce of the Triforce’s light. You swung your sword at him, but suddenly you heard a crack. As if in slow motion, you could only watch in horror as the Sword of the Six Sages shattered against his body. “Did you really think I could be slain by a feeble weapon of eras past? Did you not learn from what I did to the Master Sword?”

You felt your body lock up and slam against the wall. Ganondorf floated towards you. With a wave of his hand, the pieces of your sword rose into the air. Infused with gloom, the shards turned black and melded back into a new form – a black and red claymore with a jagged blade. “There, a weapon worthy of a god king. Thank you for strengthening it against my army for me.”

Every enemy you had slain, every time the gloom had been absorbed into the sword came rushing back. “Those wisps… it was all a plan?!”

“You’ll find I leave nothing to chance.” He tested the weight. “Perfect, far better than that pathetic whelp Ghirahim. Now, you will give me the Triforce of Power.”

You summoned every ounce of strength, yet you were still unable to move. That said, you could feel the energy of the Triforce trickling up your arm. You needed to stall as your power returned. “Power isn’t raw brute strength like you think. It’s willpower, the strength to keep going when everything fails. You forget Ganondorf, I was chosen to hold the Triforce of Power for a reason.”

The decayed king laughed in your face. “An adorable sentiment. Do you really think I, who have been biding my time since this kingdom was born, lack willpower? If anyone lacks strength, it is you, prince. You have held the Triforce of Power for this long, yet you have barely scratched the surface of what is possible. How ironic it is you reincarnated as royalty but lack all of the resolve necessary of a true king.”

Ganondorf beckoned to a Phantom Ganon. Without so much as a word, the Phantom fired a gloom-tipped arrow into your left arm, pinning it to the wall. Searing pain ripped through your body. “Do you think I’m that much of a fool to not realize when someone is trying to use their Triforce? I have fought against heroes far craftier than you for centuries, [Y/n].”

The power of the Triforce counteracted the gloom but was doing little to numb the pain. You grit your teeth, trying to keep your breathing even. You could feel that, as much as the arrow burned, it managed to pass cleanly between the bones of your forearm and into the stone wall. It was going to hurt a lot, but you would heal. Ganondorf’s hold over you wavered just enough for you to reach over with your other arm and break the shaft. You pulled your arm from the wall, clutching it to your chest. Your arm slowly filled with the golden light, sealing the cut.

“Ah, ah, ah, none of that now.” Ganondorf hissed in your face. He grabbed your wrist, the gloom burning your skin. “You used to be so devoted to me, and even now, even when you try to defy me, you bring me exactly what I want.”

You screamed. You tried to pull the power of the Triforce forth, but it refused to listen, instead flashing different colors as it struggled between the two of you. “Prince of the Wild, isn’t that what they call you? Fitting, you were nothing more than a barbarian when I found you in your previous life. Such a shame that such a noble title doesn’t reflect how weak you truly are. I expected more.”

The light glowing from your hand grew to a fever pitch. Suddenly, two glowing triangles were pulled from your hand, hovering and spinning just above you. “No!” You gasped. Pain wracked your body as each tendril of energy intertwined with your body snapped.

“Yes,” Ganondorf purred. “Finally, back in the hands that know how to wield true power!” The pieces of the Triforce were absorbed into his hand. The power and gloom wrapped around his mummified body. The air itself felt like it was burning, and you shut your eyes. “Do not look away, prince,” a deep voice growled. The swirling miasma parted, revealing a massive arm. Bit by bit, the gloom dissipated. You could only watch in horror as the Demon King stretched his massive, revitalized body, dwarfing you. His eyes glared down at you, the same eyes that haunted your dreams, piercing you to your soul. “You witness a king’s revival.”

You struggled, managing to break your hand free, and flung your fist at his face. He caught it effortlessly with a sneer. “Why…” you choked out.

“Foolish boy, don’t you see what is so plainly before you? Every step you’ve taken has been a step back to me. I set you on this path. Did you not think I would use the power I had amassed and the centuries of time to prepare? To see what future Hyrule would have to stop me? If I hadn’t acted, your little knight would have collected his sages and led me to my ultimate defeat. Instead, I simply nudged everything into the right place to lead you here to me, bringing me my piece of the Triforce. And what a surprise, you even managed to find the Triforce of Wisdom as well! Colgera and Gohma were to deliver the pieces they found to me, but you happened to find it and use it to collect the others. I understood what you had found long before you did and arranged my plans to guide you from a distance back here to the castle. Even in this life, you’re ever the faithful servant.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I? Do you really think my influence is that weak? I have been pulling the strings of this kingdom to make sure everything was lined up to change everything. You’d be surprised how little it takes to change history. A Yiga Clan ambush? A loose rock at Tanagar Canyon? My own sword ending up in your hands? I wrote your story before you were even born.”

“[Y/n], I’m coming!” Link shouted, trying to force his way through the Phantoms.

“Your weakling can’t save you, Prince,” Ganondorf sneered. “The secret stone has let me see everything across this vast kingdom. Always a warrior, a princess, and an avatar of darkness, sent by me to ravage this kingdom. I have been the source of it all, playing the long game. What you call legends are merely battles in the grand war of destruction I wage. Even Demise himself, the one who started it all, would pale in my presence.” He clenched his fist, your bones crunching in his grasp as the power grew within him. “Power. Wisdom. Courage… The legend of Hyrule has always been the story of three. Where does that leave you, oh mighty Prince of the Wild? You were nothing more than an errand boy, my servant reincarnated to bring my power back to me.” Ganondorf laughed as you screamed.

You panicked, your heart racing. Ganondorf ran his hand down your cheek. “That fear in your eyes is so delicious. It’s almost as good as the way you used to look up at me from between my legs. I promise I’ll forge you the most beautiful golden shackles, and you can return to your rightful place at my feet.”

There was a flash of light and suddenly Ganondorf was knocked back. Link stood before you, free from the other Phantoms with Master Sword drawn. You had never seen such a murderous rage in his eyes before. “Stay the fuck away from him.”

Ganondorf was only taken aback for half a second before he began to laugh. “No, no, don’t tell me… you and this pathetic excuse for a warrior? [Y/n], where is your pride? I thought even you, my traitorous blossom, had standards.”

“Jealousy is a bad look on you Ganondorf,” you spat. “Link’s twice the man you are.”

“I highly doubt that,” he growled, backhanding Link across the room. “A shrimp that can barely wield his weapon dares to not only oppose me but to lay his hands on what is rightfully mine?”

“I am not a possession or some kind of toy for you!”

“And that’s where you’re wrong, [Y/n], you belong to me.” He snarled, raising his hand and coating your body in binds of gloom. Your Ancient Armor cracked and decayed. It would only hold the deadly gloom back for so long. He flourished his sword, turning to Link. “Come. Fight me if you dare, Hero.”

Link’s face curled into a snarl. “Ganondorf!” The Master Sword glowed with ferocious light as it clashed against his new sword. Ganondorf merely smirked as he met Link blow for blow. Link’s strikes were precise but filled with an almost reckless strength you had never seen. Soon, the Master Sword was a blue blur, yet Ganondorf still parried each strike. In the light of the Master Sword, Link’s eyes almost seemed to glow. For the briefest of moments, the smudges of gloom and blood on his face seemed more like warpaint, fitting his unsettling fury.

“I admit,” Ganondorf muttered, catching the Master Sword against his and forcing Link’s arms down. “This is new. It seems there is more to you than the power Rauru has gifted… but not much more.” Ganondorf knocked Link back and clenched his fist. The remaining Phantoms exploded, reforming into four massive bursts of gloom flying towards Link, just like under the castle.

“Link no!”

In a blur, the gloom was shattered and knocked away. Tulin, Sidon, Riju, and Yunobo stood before Link, weapons drawn. “My apologies for our delay,” Sidon said as he aimed his Lightscale Trident towards Ganondorf.

Ganondorf appraised the newcomers. “So… the Sages of this generation.”

“You must be Ganondorf, traitor of the Gerudo,” Riju said, venom dripping from her words as sparks danced along her blades.

Ganondorf snorted. “You mean the greatest king to ever come from that valley of death.”

Link kept the Master Sword trained on Ganondorf. “Tulin, Yunobo. Free [Y/n]. Now!”

“Right!” Tulin said, flying over to you, with Yunobo not far behind. The power of their secret stones dissipated your toxic bonds, releasing you from the wall.

“Easy now, your majesty, don’t rush, goro,” Yunobo soothed, propping you up on his shoulder.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ganondorf said, watching you but keeping his sword raised towards Link, Riju, and Sidon. “My power will sweep across this land, and [Y/n] will be mine. You simply delay the inevitable.”

Suddenly, a bolt of energy shot up Ganondorf’s arm, a golden chain pulling him to the ground. “You dare rebel against your true master?” He growled. A second golden chain shackled his other arm. Inch by inch, the chain pulled Ganondorf’s arms back, wrestling him to the ground, and back towards the bowels of the castle depths. “Let me go!” He roared.

Link wasted no time, charging in and stabbing the Demon King in the chest. For a moment, time stood still. Your heart fell as Ganondorf coughed up a little blood and smirked. “You think that alone would be enough to kill me?” He groaned as Link pulled the Master Sword free, leaving a deep glowing gash from his chest down his torso. “Consider today a draw, swordsman, but know you won’t keep him safe from me.”

Ganondorf then looked at you with a sneer. “Thank you for the gift. I will see you soon, little prince.” With that the Triforce pulled him into a glowing portal, back to the deepest depths of Hyrule.

As soon as he was gone, Link was by your side. All of your energy seemed to leave you at once as you slumped to the ground. Your vision fought against darkness as the room spun. “No, no, don’t go to sleep!” You heard someone that sounded like Tulin shout, but the voice seemed miles away.

Slowly, the room started to flow back. Sidon grunted next to you, his hands glowing and trying to heal the damage best he could. “He’s back!” Tulin cheered.

“Thank goodness,” Riju said, kneeling next to you. “Drink this slowly.”

Link helped you with sipping the Hearty Elixir. The gloom however had done more damage than you thought, as the normally energizing potion only barely had an effect. Your Ancient Armor had taken the worst of the damage and fell apart into ash and dust, covering your body.

With the pieces of the Triforce missing, you felt incomplete. The familiar tug of energy that had been there for years was gone. You stared down at your hand. The former tattoo was gone, replaced by lightning-like burns that traveled up your arm. Feebly, you flexed your hand, but the power would not – could not – come forth ever again. “I don’t understand, the Triforce is neither good nor evil, how can it rebel against Ganondorf?”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s buying us time to retreat and regroup,” Riju said, trying to steady you. “We need to get out of here and back to Lookout Landing. You need a doctor.”

Before you could protest, Yunobo effortlessly picked you up, cradling you in his arms, while Sidon shifted over to try to treat some of the burns. “Don’t worry, your majesty. We’re gonna keep you safe, goro!”

“I’m sorry my friend, I’m not as skilled as Mipha in healing, but I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you,” you said, your voice hollow. Everything felt cold. “I… I don’t understand.”

“He’s going into shock,” Sidon muttered, “We need to get him out of here now.”

Link squeezed your hand. You could still see the rage smoldering in his eyes, but more than that was his concern. “It’s okay, everything is going to be okay. [Y/n], I need you to take deep breaths for me.”

Your vision blurred as you tried to focus on him. Link smiled at you, despite being bruised and bloody as well. “I’m sorry.” The words tumbled out of your mouth and just wouldn’t stop coming. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“Stop that, it isn’t your fault,” Link said firmly, holding your face. “No one could’ve known Ganondorf had this planned.”

“Guys, look!” Tulin shouted. All of you turned to see the sky grow darker. Despite being the middle of the day, a terrible red glow fell over Hyrule, and the Blood Moon rose. For a moment, the six of you were silent.

“We’ll stop him,” Link said finally. “Everyone, first priority is to get Prince [Y/n] to safety. Tulin, head over to Purah and tell her we need a doctor the moment we land in Lookout Landing.”

“Aye!” Tulin shouted as he shot into the sky, using his gusts to blast through the air to Lookout Landing.

Sidon lifted his glowing hands away, exhausted. “The bleeding is contained, and the gloom is no longer spreading. Does anyone have a blanket?”

“That’s okay, I’ve got this part,” Yunobo said. His secret stone glowed with warmth that spread through your body.

As you warmed up, you felt some soft clothes drape over you. Link and Riju used some of the softer pieces of armor in your pack to bundle you up in a makeshift trauma blanket. “There we go,” Riju soothed. “I think that’s everything. Sidon, is he safe to move?”

The Zora Prince nodded, still recovering from using his ability in such a different way. “The sooner the better.”

“Alright,” Link said, pulling out his Purah Pad. “Everyone stand close, first time we transported this many people at once.” Soon the familiar blue glow surrounded you as you felt your body go weightless. As you teleported away from the castle, your body finally released the tension and let your eyes shut, as you drifted into a fitful but deep sleep.

==============================

You lay weak and feeble on a cot. The Forgotten Temple was alive with the remnants of Rauru’s forces. Around you, the Sages prepared for war. Your eyes fell on a small grave, covered with small Sundelions – the final resting place of Queen Sonia I of Hyrule.

“My friend,” Rauru said quietly, kneeling by your side. “You must get your rest.”

“Oh Rauru, you know this is the end of my life. I am sorry to have failed you.”

“You never failed me, not once. Sheik, please don’t speak like that.”

You took his hand. “We’ll all be reunited soon.”

Rauru looked down, trying to find the words to speak his mind, but he was cut off. “King Rauru!” A soldier called.

“Go,” you said. “I’m not going anywhere yet.” You tried to laugh but it came out as a cough.

“Rest, please,” Rauru said, before standing to leave.

The king was hardly out of earshot before your eyes snapped to another soul who looked rather lost in the chaos. “Lady Zelda, come here please.”

She quickly hurried to your side. You had never seen Zelda look so pale and haunted. “Sheik please, there must be something you can do. King Rauru… he…”

“Zelda, I know Rauru will not survive this battle. Brave and strong as he is, he knows it too.” You paused for a moment. “That isn’t to say we never planned a last resort.”

“A last resort?”

“Rauru told me all about you, coming from our future. About the great knight Link and your brother, the noble prince. Suppose that means I should address you as Princess Zelda.” You coughed, now more of a wheeze as the gloom spread inside your lungs. “I know I will not live through tonight, so please listen carefully. Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, Spirit, and Time… but the King of Light does not have six sages. There is a seventh, one without a stone who hides in the shadow.”

“Shadow…” Zelda gasped. “Of course, I should have known, the Sage of Shadows. There were mentions of seven sages in my research, though I never understood why we could not find proof. When Rauru mentioned six sages here, I figured our history books were incorrect.”

You attempted to laugh. “The Shadow Sage was always to remain unknown, King Rauru’s secret spy and saboteur. I believe we will win, but at great cost tomorrow, which is why I ask you to complete my mission in secrecy. There is something Sonia and I worked hard to protect from the days that your people – the Hylians – still lived in the clouds. You must use your abilities as the new Sage of Time to lock the door until such time that Link and your brother are ready in the future.”

“I’m not sure I follow…”

“Let’s just say I’m following my instinct, and that’s never led me astray before.” You stopped. “Well… save one large mistake, but this is no time to bemoan a broken heart. You must promise me to lock the door.”

“Lock what door though?”

“The door to the Shadow Temple, my princess. No one but Link or your brother must be allowed to enter.” You stopped to cough again. “One more thing… it’s a long shot, but Sonia told you about the power of dreams, did she not? It was her dreams that sent me to investigate in the first place.”

“Yes, and my ancestors were known to receive premonitions, often before great evil befell Hyrule. My mother,” Zelda hesitated. You knew how painful the memories were for both of you. “Mother had the gift as well. She predicted the arrival of the Calamity. She used to say that Hylians had long ears, so as to hear the whispers of the goddesses while they slept. She said that was how she always knew what my brother and I were doing.”

“Then perhaps, it may be best we send a message to your brother, don’t you think? He may not have your powers, but he is of Sonia’s lineage as well. Even if he does not have your powers over time, he should be able to open the door.”

“I agree, he would know what to do.” Zelda frowned. “I just hope he and Link are safe, being stuck with Ganondorf in the future.”

“Between those two, I’m sure they’re both fine. What was his name again? Your brother?”

“[Y/n].”

“[Y/n]… I like that name.” The room felt like it was spinning, and your words were starting to slur together. For a moment the dream wavered before you as your past self’s thoughts echoed in your head. 

Rauru has secrets he doesn’t realize I know, [Y/n]. The Temple of Time only needs the key. I hope you won’t need it… but perhaps in your darkest hour…

“Please you should rest, you’ll get better, and we can do this together!”

You shook your head. “I am fated to die, my princess, but I am also fated to live. Ganondorf’s curse has bound my soul and it… it’s possible he may use me as a tool of Hyrule’s demise. I still have some free will though, and I plan to fight him every step of the way. If he wants to play a game, I’ll happily stack the deck in our favor. That’s why it is critical that you do this.”

Zelda nodded slowly. “I promise, I will do anything to stop Ganondorf, but… I don’t understand something. Where is the Shadow Temple? I’ve been all over Hyrule to meet the other sages, but there’s never been a Shadow Temple anywhere. Not here in the past or in the books of the future – at least not one dating to the Zonai Era.”

You wheezed again, knowing your time was near its end, yet you still grinned at Zelda. “Princess Zelda, it is as I told Ganondorf. Shadows do not speak. The answer is nothing but silence.”

==============================

A/N: Much like the kiss in Prince of the Wild, Ganondorf’s monologue was basically the second thing I wrote for this story. Been waiting quite a while to reveal the rest!

Some of the bigger Zelda games have an A and B arc to their story. For example, Light World and Dark World in Link to the Past, Child and Adult in Ocarina of Time, Fused Shadow and Mirror of Twilight in Twilight Princess. Hell, Skyward Sword has three arcs. Anyway, this is a long way of saying, this concludes the first arc of the story.

Next week, we see what Ganondorf has wrought as you heal from the battle and begin a new journey.

Thank you for continuing to read and support the story. I can’t thank you enough for your comments and likes/kudos!

[dreamdepot]

"I don't want to be an adult!"

[dreamdepot]

I think about the writers who stopped writing because people went after them.

I think about the new reader who got scared off from commenting because they might say the wrong thing.

I think about the artist who was going to dip their toes in, but saw a blacklist posted and debated in the fandom they so recently were excited about.

I think about all the people who would be here with us, writing meta and squeeing and creating and lifting up creators. Who became ghosts, afraid that to speak up is to stick out your neck.

How many stories won't we get to read, how many pieces of art won't take our breath away, how many comments won't be put in notes or on stories that push us through our blocks... because anger and pettiness and jealousy and aggression are so common in fandoms that so many become ghosts before their time, and the ones who stick through it are still healing from their battle scars?

I mourn all the stories I will never see, all the friends I will never make, all the headcanons that will never bring stars to my eyes.

And I hope that all those who went quiet before they could speak will find a place to be safe, so that one day I may hear their voice.

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 16: Dreams of Hope

Previous < First > Next

Retrieve the Master Sword and find the final piece of the Triforce as you prepare to confront Ganondorf.

AO3 Wattpad or below!

Thank you for your patience on this delayed chapter!

Chapter 16 – Dreams of Hope

A/N: Lyrics for Zelda’s Lullaby by twilightstorm1994

==============================

The sun shone over the sparkling water, but the world was silent save the lapping of waves. Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the roar of the Light Dragon as it climbed back into the heavens. You and Link stood at the tip of the spiral Rist Peninsula, staring at the dragon – no, Zelda – rise into the sky. Silent Princesses grew at your feet. Tears rolled down your cheek. The final memory played over and over in your mind.

Link squeezed your hand. “We’ll get her back. We’ll find a way.”

You wiped your eyes. “Yeah.” You felt the piece of the Triforce that had washed up on the beach pulse in your hand. “Yeah, we’ll find a way.”

You stood with Link for a little longer. With one more shuddering breath, you steeled yourself. “First, we need to find a way up to the Li… to Zelda. The Master Sword is waiting for you.” Link nodded. “The question is how.”

“We can try getting up to a sky island and dropping down as she passes, maybe the Sokkala Archipelago? Not sure if our gliders will make it though, and we’re out of wing capsules. We’ll need to- wait, what’s that?”

A low drone filled the air. Both you and Link searched around, expecting to see approaching monsters, but none were nearby.

“Mr. Pri-i-i-nce! Mr. He-e-ero!” Both of you looked up. A rickety biplane buzzed through the air. It was a mix of wood, leaves, and repurposed Zonai parts, just barely held together by ropes. Somehow, it managed a smooth landing on the sand. “Ya-ha-ha! We found you!”

“Captain Hollo?” You said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

The Captain and his companions saluted. “Your majesty, we’re here to help you! We’ve been practicing, and we’ve made our first successful prototype for you!”

You tried not to focus too hard on the word “first”. The biplane, despite being held together by hopes, dreams, and rather thin ropes, was just big enough for both you and Link to ride on. “Do you think it’s strong enough catch up to a dragon?”

“A dragon?!” Captain Hollo followed your eyes up to the sky. “Um… isn’t it dangerous to get close to the dragons?”

“It’s really important,” Link said. “We need to get up there.”

Captain Hollo did his best to look brave, but he and the other Koroks trembled. “Well… if you’re sure. It should make it, just be careful not to fly to fast otherwise it might break the wings…”

“That’s not exactly comforting…” you said, “but thank you. Link, let’s go.”

“Right behind you.” You clambered up onto the aircraft as the Koroks waddled to the propellers. “Wait… these don’t have capsules, how did you get propellers?”

For wearing a leaf mask, it was surprising how easily you could see Captain Hollo blush. “Well… we might have took it from one of the shrines Sir Link’s already finished…”

Link tried to hide his groan. “To be fair, you don’t need them anymore,” you offered, even if it was a bit worrying how seriously the Koroks took their materials.

Instead of focusing on that, you watched the Koroks adjust the leaf flaps and climb on each other’s backs to reach the propeller blades. With a mighty heave, they forced the blades down. “Contact!” The Koroks shouted as the propellers spun to life.

“Good luck!” Captain Hollo said. The Koroks saluted as the aircraft began to roll.

“Thank you!” You shouted back. You and Link carefully leaned back on the wing, getting enough of an angle to lift off, just before the water.

“This might take some getting used to,” Link muttered, as the two of you shifted your weight to keep the wobbly biplane on a steady course.

“Let’s just hope it stays together.” The extended wings made of wood did not look sturdy as they shook with each cycle of the propellers. In spite of that, you steadily gained altitude until you were climbing up over Akkala and into the skies. “Alright, let’s go pay my sister a visit.”

==============================

It was lucky for you that dragons usually don’t fly very fast. Just as the ropes and Zonai devices started to give out, you soon came up to Zelda’s flank. As you followed Link, leaping off of the biplane, its wings snapped off and the wreckage slammed into a floating island before crumbling to the surface below. You and Link landed softly on the glittering scales, safe and sound.

“She’s flying a lot lower now,” you muttered. “Do you think some part of her remembers?”

“I’m sure that deep down, she knows.” Link said, taking your hand. “Come on.”

Together, you climbed up the undulating dragon’s back. Reaching its mane, you paused, subconsciously stroking the hair before continuing your climb forward towards the halo of light just above. There, over the final crest, was the Master Sword, embedded in her head.

You crept down to her snout and gave it a gentle pet. “Hello sister.” You swallowed the lump in your throat and let out an uneasy laugh. “To think I was complaining about my headaches. Can’t imagine that felt very good for the past millennia.”

Zelda gave you a long, slow blink and a short snuff.

Link patted her head, and then turned to the Master Sword. “You might want to brace yourself up here. I have a feeling she’s not going to like this.” You couldn’t argue with that, quickly hunkering down next to Link and gave him a thumbs up. “Sorry Zelda,” he said, before planting his feet and grasping the sword.

Link was right, Zelda did not like it. She roared and began to charge across the sky. “Come… on!” Link grunted, pulling as hard as he could but the sword would not move. “She won’t give it up!”

“Maybe she thinks we’re trying to steal it?” You shouted back over the wind. Zelda soon curled into a nosedive, but the two of you held on. At the last moment before plummeting into Hyrule Field, she curved back up, climbing straight into the sky.

Your hand slipped, and you flung back into empty air. Suddenly, you jolted to a stop. Link strained, hanging on to you with one hand, the Master Sword with the other. Muscles straining, he pulled you back up until you could catch a foothold on the scales as Zelda leveled out.

The wind whipped around you as Zelda bucked and roared. You embraced her, locking your body under her horn and pressing yourself against her ear. “It’s okay Zelda, I’m here, I know it hurts. Your brother’s here. It’s okay, you can let it go.” Link strained to pull the sword as Zelda climbed higher and higher. The air grew thinner, and it was getting harder to breathe. “I know you don’t remember me, but I’ll never leave you!” You pressed your forehead against her cool scales as she thrashed left and right. Something, anything… what could help? Then it struck you; memories of the nights she cried after your mother’s passing.

You sucked in as much air as you could and began to sing.

Go to sleep

Rest upon your bed

May this night bring dreams to your head

Hear my voice

Never let it die

Keep this lullaby

Soon the sun shall set on

Long it will be till dawn

Never from you will I be gone

Carry on

Rid this world of fear

Now the time is near,

Peace will soon reign here…

Zelda’s thrashing tapered off as she rose higher, until she settled into a calm flight. You lifted your head, stroking her scales. “She remembered,” you said softly.

Suddenly it became easier to breathe. Zelda flew miles above the clouds where the sky was filled with golden light. “What… is this place?” you muttered. You turned to Link, seeing that the hairs had released their grip on the Master Sword. Link hesitated for a moment, before taking the sword in hand.

Effortlessly, the sword came free. Petals of light peeled away from the Master Sword as Link lifted it, revealing an almost crystalline core. The new blade pulsed with an almost holy light.

Link…

Link…

Your sister’s voice echoed around you as you were blinded by light. In a shower of sparks, an image of her appeared before Link, seemingly frozen in time.

The Master Sword… She is the key to destroying the Demon King. He defeated her before but her long slumber has healed these wounds. When you two next face the Demon King… you will have my strength to help you, through her. Link you are our final hope. I pray this sword reaches you in the future. Protect Hyrule, and protect [Y/n] from him…

The image soon faded, and Zelda began her descent. Link pressed his hand against the Master Sword. “It’s good to have you back.” The Master Sword pulsed with light in response, as Link sheathed her.

You meanwhile focused on your sister. “I’ll see you soon, Zelda,” you said, hugging her snout again. “We’re gonna bring you home, I promise.”

Zelda dropped the two of you down at the Great Sky Island, before taking flight once again. As she flew into the distance, you swore you could hear her roaring more as singing back to you.

“Where are we going now?” Link asked.

You ran the mental checklist. Each of the Triforce pieces but one had been found. Looking out across the sky and down to Hyrule Field, you soon found what you were looking for. “There,” you said, pointing to a massive stump in a small lake on the western edge of Hyrule Field. “We’re going to the place where it all started. The first dream.”

==============================

Water dripped down the twisted knots of roots. “Is it down there?” Link asked.

“No, but it has to be here somewhere. The first dream was obviously here.” You shimmied down the root, deeper below the Ancient Tree. Every so often, you’d toss a Brightbloom seed to help light up the dim trunk. “I wonder if it was like this for that Link,” you said, more to yourself. Such a little kid having to deal with this awkward climb was not a pretty picture.

That was nothing to say of the monsters that enjoyed making life difficult. The Keese were dealt with easily enough, but the variety of Likes and Horroblins on the narrow roots made the going slow. Each of the smaller caves were empty, and despite not wanting to investigate the pond at the bottom, your options were growing limited.

You sat on a mossy root and closed your eyes. “Okay, come on, you’ve shown me visions the rest of the time, why not now? Something to help?”

Nothing happened.

“Please, anything? I can feel how much time and history is in this tree, there has to be something. A hint from the Era of Twilight? Maybe Hyrule’s Dark Ages?”

Still nothing.

You heard Link shimmy down the vines, landing next to you. “No luck?”

“Nope.” You pulled the other shards out of your pack. “They haven’t so much as sparkled since we’ve gotten here. Hoped we could use them like a dowsing rod or something.” You ignored how the Master Sword seemed to glow a bit brighter at hearing the word “dowsing”.

“Not a bad idea, but maybe they gave us a different hint?”

“How so?”

“Not sure yet,” Link said deep in thought. He knelt next to you and moved some of the pieces. “Three we found by defeating monsters, Colgera, Ghirahim, and Marbled Gohma. Three were given to us, the Mine Construct, Captain Hollo, and Cece. One we found washed up on shore at Malin Bay, and the last one we know is somewhere here.” Link frowned. “Guess that doesn’t help a ton. Maybe we could say the ocean gave us one and the last one we have to beat another monster somewhere here?”

You shrugged. “We’ve slain nearly every monster here already.”

“What about the dream?”

“I mean that Link did have to fight Aquamentus, but when was the last time anyone saw an Aquamentus?”

“When was the last time anyone saw a lot of these monsters?”

“Good point,” you sighed. You stared into the water below, turning one of the shards over in your hand. The light from the Brightblooms bounced off and sparkled across the water. “Too bad we don’t have a map and compass. Treasure hunting was so much easier when we were kids,” you laughed.

Link didn’t laugh, but he looked a bit confused. “Hey, didn’t you say the name of that place was the Bird or something?”

“The Temple of the Eagle. Why?” Link stood quickly and started changing into his Zora armor. “Link, why? What do you see?”

“There!” He said, but instead of pointing he jumped into the water. Without thinking you jumped after him. In the murky, stagnant water, it was hard to see, but Link dove deeper and deeper. You dropped a Brightbloom into the water, letting it light up the bottom. Deep in the water were shattered statues, now home to minnows. Link, however, dove to one statue in particular, an eagle. Link pulled out a stone axe and began to hack away at the statue. As a chunk broke away, he grabbed it and swam to the surface.

“Got it!”

“What?”

Link swam over and held out the piece to you, a chunk of the eagle statue with a sparkling bronze eye. “When you were playing with that one shard, I saw it reflect off something in the water, this bird statue. When you said it was the eagle, I figured it had to be it.”

You hugged him, almost dragging you both underwater. “Link, you’re amazing! Let’s get back up there and get the other shards.” As your hand grazed the piece in the statue, you felt a burst of energy, almost knocking you and Link back.

The remaining pieces in your pack floated down, spinning around the last piece. Faster and faster they spun, the excess stone disintegrating away as they slowly merged together. The depths of the trunk grew brighter and brighter until you had to shield your eyes. Then, all at once, everything fell still.

You opened your eyes to see the room had changed. You and Link were on solid ground, warm and dry. The dirt and roots had been banished away, replaced with dark blue stone. Eerie Zonai-like carvings filled the walls, but with more grotesque gargoyle-like faces. Eight menacing dragons surrounded you, each holding a small triangle in their jaws. A small set of stairs led up to a raised altar and floating just above that was a golden triangle. It lazily spun in the air, slowly flipping point down. The crest of Nayru appeared for a brief moment upon its face.

“What is this place?” Link asked. “Did it teleport us?”

“I think this is the old Temple of the Eagle. And that… that’s the Triforce of Wisdom.”

You stared for a moment at the holy artifact before you. “What are you waiting for?” Link asked.

“Are you sure?”

Link smiled. “If the goddesses were whispering in your ears, then they probably want you to be the one to wield it.”

You nodded, slowly climbing the steps. As you grew closer, you swore you could hear the whispers of rulers past. You reached out your hand, pressing it against the cool surface.

In a burst of light, the Triforce of Wisdom disappeared, leaving your hand in the air. The energy pulsed throughout your body, warm and comforting. You rubbed your hand, nearly your entire arm turning to gold.

Well done, Prince and Swordsman… came an unfamiliar voice. Bring together the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom to rebuild the Light Force. Do this and you shall defeat Ganon…

“Who…” you started, but the voice was already fading away, only with the plucking of the harp echoing around you. Instead, a blue light wrapped around the two of you, whisking you away from the altar and back to the surface in the center of Hyrule Field. A gentle breeze wrapped around you as the power faded. You looked down to your hand to see your tattoo had changed to show two of the triangles were now filled in.

“Do you think two pieces will be enough?” Link asked.

“It was, at least once in the past. Besides it might have to be. None of my other dreams seem to lead anywhere special and we haven’t seen any signs of the Triforce of Courage. Unless you’ve been having weird dreams?”

Link laughed. “No, unless you count the one about that Goron scarecrow, the metal construct, and the weird lion. I don’t think having a bunch of creepy women hitting on me really counts – more of a nightmare honestly.”

“Heh, pretty sure that was just from eating too much of that mushroom pizza I made.” You looked up at Hyrule Castle. “Well… we’ve been everywhere that have been in my dreams so far. The only major place left is up there.” You let out an uneasy laugh. “Where better to hide the Triforce of Courage than the place that scares me the most?”

“It doesn’t make me feel great either.” Link seemed lost in thought.

“It doesn’t matter. We have two pieces of the Triforce, and the power of four sages backing us up. We’ve got this.”

==============================

All too soon, you found yourself at the Lookout Landing Observation Deck, the sun already dipping low in the late afternoon sky. You tightened the straps on your pack, making the final pass on your checklist for battle. Your pack was filled with extra food and elixirs, especially anything that would counteract gloom. Your Ancient Sheikah armor was polished and ready, still perhaps the strongest set of armor you owned. It had protected you well enough during your siege against the Calamity, save when you were cornered by several Guardians. It would have to do now as well.

Your quiver was filled to the brim with arrows, your best bow slung on your back next to your Sword of the Six Sages and several backup weapons Link fused for you.

“Ready?” Link asked, similarly prepared in his Champion’s Leathers. The Master Sword seemed to glow with contentment, now returned to its rightful place with him.

“Ready.”

“Good luck boys,” Purah said, taking a final look through her telescope at the castle. “It looks like you’re expected. One of the fake Zeldas are already waiting for you.” She then turned to you. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for the Sages to get here first?”

You shook your head. “I know they’ll get here soon, but we don’t have time to waste. The Blood Moon is supposed to happen tonight. We can’t give Ganondorf the chance to regroup his forces.”

“Then there’s no time to waste,” Purah said, straightening her glasses. “I’ll send the Sages as soon as they arrive.”

“Any last words of wisdom?” Link asked.

“Princey, Linky,” Purah said solemnly. “Go kick his ass.”

Link barked out a laugh. “Yes ma’am!”

“We’ll be back before you know it,” you said, leading the way to the tower. You almost stepped on the pad before Link pulled you back.

“Don’t even think about it. Boyfriend or not, I’m still your knight. Don’t want you getting ambushed.”

“Fine, you win,” you said, raising your hands in defeat. Link snuck in a quick kiss before getting launched into the sky, with you not far behind him.

As Hyrule Castle loomed in the sky, your mind returned to the very beginning, back in the Depths. Sharpe’s words echoed back to you.

==============================

Landing back at the castle grounds felt like déjà vu. Even so, you felt a pang of sadness at how much further it had degraded. The plants were now ashen, and pools of gloom had spread like a plague across the walls. Moblins and Horriblins had taken up residence and various Likes grew under the balconies. Part of you expected to see the Eyes of the Calamity watching from the malice, but there were none. Despite that, you could still feel Ganondorf watching you from all angles.

If your home felt foreboding and intimidating when you were here to fight the Calamity, now it felt depressing. “It’s never going to be the same, is it?” Link gave you a questioning look. You motioned to the castle. “I know we wanted to try to restore it, but it really is beyond repair now, isn’t it?”

Link put his hand on your back, his touch a small comfort. “Maybe. But maybe that’s a good thing.”

“How?”

“Wiping the slate clean. We get rid of Ganondorf once and for all and Hyrule will be safe. Maybe that means it’s time for us to build a new castle from the ground up.” Link scratched the back of his head. “Think about it. You and Zelda have been haunted by the shadows of Hyrule’s past for your whole life. Hell, even me too! Maybe it’s time we break away. Learn from the past but leave it behind.”

You stared at the ground with a soft smile. “Maybe that’s what Sharpe wanted me to do when he said to break the cycle. Maybe it is time we leave the past in the past for good.” You looked up at the entrance to the Sanctum, high above. Everyone you had met along the way had helped you get to this moment.

There were your brave sages, Tulin, Sidon, Riju, and Yunobo.

There were your friends old and new; Purah, Robbie, Impa, Tauro, Paya, Teba and Saki, Penn, the Stable Trotters, Lady Yona, Captain Hollo, Sophie, Captain Buliara, the people of Tarrey Town, Bludo, everyone who had ever helped to rebuild Hyrule and help you stop the Calamity.

Sharpe… the Champions…

Zelda…

You turned and saw Link, determination in his eyes. All this time, he’s been there by your side, and you knew he always would be.

You grinned. “Alright, let’s go. Let’s end this nightmare. Tomorrow is going to be a new day for Hyrule.”

==============================

A/N: Thank you for your patience on this delayed chapter. As the speedrunners say, we're now in "go mode" so you know what that means. Next week, I hope you’re ready for suavemente... I mean, Ganondorf.

[dreamdepot]

That moment when you open your email to find a bunch of comment notifications

[dreamdepot]

Hey all, minor schedule update. This week’s chapter is going to be a little late due to an impromptu trip, but plan to post as soon as I can.

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 15: Sage of Fire

Previous < First > Next

Ganondorf's meddling forces you to take an unorthodox way to finish the temple, and the past returns in unexpected ways.

AO3 Wattpad or below!

The magma chamber of Death Mountain was – surprise! – HOT. It was the most oppressive heat you had ever felt, making Gerudo Desert feel like the top of Mount Lanayru by comparison. Your body couldn’t even sweat, as it would vaporize the instant it formed. It felt like each breath was sucking the moisture from your body, cooking you slowly. Both you and Link downed extra fireproof elixirs, but they only just made the temperature bearable. Even Yunobo was starting to struggle.

Thankfully, getting farther from the main magma lake was enough to make things a little easier. The ruins of Gorondia were still somewhat intact. While Link used Ascend to climb up to the top of the temple to get a better lay of the land, you and Yunobo started taking a look around the ground floor.

“Um, so, your majesty,” Yunobo said, tapping his fingers together as you repositioned a Zonai hydrant. “You know, we mine a lot of good rocks.”

“Of course, YunoboCo is probably the best source of rocks and minerals in the kingdom.”

“Well, not just rocks, but also gemstones! Really high-quality ones too.”

You leveled a glare at the Goron. “Is this going where I think it’s going?”

He flustered. “I’m just saying we mine some pretty great diamonds, perfect for… wedding… bands…”

“You’re in on the betting pool?”

“Yes sir.”

You groaned. “If anyone asks, I’m not proposing to Link mid-battle!”

“But didn’t you kiss him mid-battle?”

You slammed your head against the rock. “Did Sidon tell everyone?”

“Actually, I heard from Princess Zelda.”

Your scream of anguish was cut off as Link dropped back down. “Guys, we have a problem.”

==============================

The three of you stood before the locked door to the altar. As with the other temples, there were multiple locks. Normally, this was no problem. “So, you’re saying we can’t unlock it?”

Link nodded. “The upper floors of the temple are completely coated in gloom. Even if there was a way for you guys to get up there, we wouldn’t be able to activate the gongs to trigger the locks.”

“No wonder Ganondorf was so confident,” you muttered to yourself. “Okay, so we try to find another way through. Maybe bombing the walls?”

“Not unless you want to blow yourself up,” Link winced. “Bomb flowers will explode from the heat alone.”

You groaned. “What I wouldn’t give for your Shiekah Slate bombs right now. Yunobo, do you think you can crush the wall?”

Yunobo waved his hands. “Oh no! I’m strong, but this is some solid rock. If this was the surface, we’d at least need a powder keg to pop it open.” He then sighed. “It’s too bad you can’t teleport inside like you do with the Purah Pad. These old doors have a special switch that automatically unlocks them. Gorons always build a failsafe in case of mine collapses.”

That gave you an idea. “We… might be able to.”

“What? How?”

“You gotta trust me. I… haven’t tried to force this before but maybe this will work.” You fished the blue stone out of your pack and held it tightly.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Link said, taking your hand. “Are you sure about this?”

“Not completely, but if this weird stuff is happening, we should use it to our advantage.” You took a deep breath, focusing on the stone.

Focusing…

Focusing……

Focusing………

A blast of heat from a lava plume broke your concentration. “Damn, sorry guys, I… oh!” You opened your eyes to see you were in a fire temple, just not the one you were in moments ago. A lake of magma surrounded you and periodic plumes of fire shot up around you. This temple was filled with beautifully tiled architecture and stone carvings of Gorons.  

“Don’t just stand there, get to solid ground!” Someone shouted from across the room. As the platform collapsed below you, you leaped and scrambled onto the edge of the rocky shore. Another Link stood there, rubbing his forehead. Instead of the traditional green these other Links wore, he was clad in a red tunic. “You can’t just… wait, is that really you? [Y/n]?”

You blinked slowly. The Link before you was now a teenager, but had the same blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. “Yeah… are you the same Link I just saw yesterday?”

“Yesterday?! It’s been months! Well, technically seven years and a bunch of months, uh,” The teen Link scratched his head. “How much do you know about time travel?”

You snorted. “More and less than you’d think.”

“Great, we’re about the same then,” he replied with a lopsided smile. He helped you to your feet.

Navi popped out of his hat. “Yikes, how are you not burning up without a Goron Tunic?”

“Fireproof elixirs,” you said, drinking another. “It doesn’t fix all of the heat, but it does the job.”

The two sighed. “That’s good,” Navi said. “Didn’t want to have to rush you out of this place.”

This Link then looked you over. “Wow, you really haven’t aged a day. You really are a time traveler. Just, you’ve come a lot farther than I have, I bet.”

“Several centuries in your future, if my history is correct.”

Link led you to a door. “C’mon, let’s get somewhere safe to talk. I’ve got a lot of questions.” He led you through some of the halls of the temple, only stopping to deal with the occasional Fire Keese. “Ganondorf imprisoned the Gorons and has been feeding them to Volvagia the dragon. I’m trying to free them and find Chief Darunia to help him awaken as the Fire Sage.”

“Oddly similar here,” you said. “In my time, we’re trying to help my friend Yunobo get his secret stone that is stored in this temple and help him awaken as the Sage of Fire.”

Link led you into a quiet hall, that seemed to be the entrance of the temple in this time, but from your perspective, it was about where you were supposed to be. Link took a seat on the stairs, while Navi rested on his cap. You sat next to him. “Speaking of your time, who are you? And why are you popping up in my time?”

Honesty seemed to be the best approach, and lying to Link, even if he wasn’t your Link, was nearly impossible. That night in Rito Village five years ago still haunted you. “My name is Prince [Y/n] Daltus Hyrule, and we’re trying to stop Ganondorf from destroying Hyrule, but my sister Zelda has gone missing in the ancient past. I’ve been getting these dreams and visions of past Hyrule, and I can’t explain exactly why, other than they’re leading us to pieces of the Triforce.”

“Wow,” Link sighed. “Wait, we? So, you and your boyfriend?”

“Right, his name is also Link.” You tried not to laugh as this Link turned nearly as red as his tunic. “As for why I’m showing up in your time, I don’t know.” You held out the stone for him. “It brought me here for some reason.”

“Hmmm,” Link said looking at it. He then pulled something out of his pocket. “It looks like it’s made from the same thing as my ocarina.” Holding the ocarina next to your stone, it was obvious the shades of blue were almost identical.

“Wait, the Ocarina of Time! That’s been lost in my time for-” You froze, biting your tongue. The Ocarina of Time had been lost, but according to history, it was lost purposely by the hero you were now speaking to, likely still in his future. “Dammit, I hate time travel.”

“What about it?”

You winced. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I can, err should, tell you. I should probably go back too…”

“Wait, [Y/n],” he said, grabbing your arm. “I need to know. Do… do I defeat Ganondorf?”

You paused. “That’s… an excellent question that a lot of royal historians would love to debate you on.”

“What?”

You laughed and clasped his hands in yours. “Link, I don’t know a lot about time travel or resurrection or how any of this works. But, what I do know is that your future is going to be what you make of it. You’re carving your own destiny, no matter what Ganondorf does, just like I’m doing in my time. Even if I could tell you, it’s probably for the best not. We don’t know what will happen if I change too much now, right?” You then whispered, “But to be honest, considering I’m the Prince of Hyrule in the future, I think things will be alright.”

He smiled. “Kinda wish I had more to go off of than that, but that does sound pretty good.” You then noticed how beat up he was.

“I gotta be careful with what I do to help, but here, this should be safe.” You pulled an extra Hearty Elixir out of your bag and gave it to him. “Just a small present from the future. Gotta take care of our heroes, right?”

“You’re just giving me the bottle?!”

For a second, you stared at him like he grew a second head before it dawned on you. “Oh yeah, I forgot, glass bottles are a luxury in this time… oh well, yeah. Keep it. Besides, I don’t think you’d be able to return it even if I wanted it back.”

“Wow…” he said, eyes sparkling as he held the bottle.

You started to feel the power wane from the stone, and quickly ran to the center of the room, below where the altar would be in your time. “Goodbye Link, Hyrule is counting on you. Save them all,” You said, feeling your body start to return to your time.

“You too, your majesty. Good luck.”

==============================

The Fire Temple of the past faded away, replaced by the Fire Temple of your time. “Wow you did it!” Yunobo cheered. You rubbed your eyes, realizing you were back on the other side of the stuck gate. “It should be near the right side! Oh wait… my right!”

You pried some cracked rock away, revealing the lever and pulled it back, releasing the door with a heavy clang. Link ran in and grabbed you in a tight hug.

“Link, too hot for hugs,” you groaned. He quickly broke away. “I’m fine, no need to worry. I had another you looking out for me in that time too.”

“Good,” he said, but before he could continue, the ground began to tremble. A rocky creature rose from the arena, roaring as its single corrupted eye locked in on you.

“What the hell is that?” You shouted. You dodged out of the way just in time as it launched a volley of marbled boulders at you.

“It’s a gohma!” Link shouted back, smashing the rock with a fused sledgehammer.

“A Marbled Gohma,” Yunobo corrected. “Hey, it must be responsible for all of the marbled rock roast appearing!”

Link studied the monster. “[Y/n], do you have any rocket capsules?”

“Uh, yeah, here!” You tossed him one and he fused it to his shield, rocketing up onto the Gohma’s mantle and bringing his sledgehammer down on the eye.

The Gohma roared, throwing Link off, and scuttled across the room, crawling up onto the ceiling. Yunobo grabbed your shoulder. “I can knock him off if you help guide me!”

“Can do,” you said, slamming your fists together. In a flash, your Triforce formed the golden gauntlets over your arms once again. “Link, get ready to charge that thing once we get it down.”

“Ready to roll!” Yunobo shouted. As he curled up, you lifted him and took aim, flinging him across the room. The Goron cannonball rocketed around and up to the ceiling, crushing two of the Gohma’s legs in one shot.

“One more!” Link shouted to you. “I’ll keep him busy!”

You grabbed Yunobo again, lining up your shot and firing away, taking out a third leg. The monster fell to the ground again with a whine. Link wasted no time climbing back on. He switched to his Lynel sword and slashed away as the monster screeched. It squirmed, throwing Link off balance as it tried to wriggle away.

“Oh no you don’t!” You shouted. You reached for your Sword of the Six Sages and flung it like a spear. The sword sailed through the air and pierced the Gohma’s eye. The Marbled Gohma screamed as it glowed brighter and brighter, before exploding into gloom just like the others. This time however, the mist was greedily sucked up by your greatsword.

“Are we getting better at this or was that one just easy?” Link asked, as you retrieved your sword. You looked it over with a frown, the weapon was still strangely in perfect condition. That concern was soon wiped away as you found a familiar bronze rock in the rubble next to your sword. “All good?”

“Yeah, sorry. And I think we’re just that good, and things are only looking better,” you said with a grin as you held up the sixth piece of the Triforce. As the secret stone descended to Yunobo, you couldn’t help but feel a burst of pride and hope. The final sage had awakened, and you had retrieved most of the Triforce. The final goal that remained was Ganondorf.

Though, admittedly, you couldn’t help but feel like you were forgetting something about the sages...

==============================

“Great work brothers!” Bludo cheered, clapping both you and Link on the back, nearly making you spill your water. To be honest, the only thing you’d done since returning was drink jug after jug of water. “With that rotten rock roast gone, things ought to get back to normal in no time!”

“I owe you guys a big thank you,” Yunobo said. “I don’t wanna think what could’ve happened if you didn’t come by to save me from myself.”

“Don’t sweat it,” you said, “Ganondorf is beyond anything any of us could have expected. He’s been playing mind games with a lot of us.” You didn’t add how that seemed especially true for you.

“But it’s thanks to you we have President Yunobo back!” Slergo said.

Offrak nodded. “Everything’s gonna be better now!”

Yunobo patted their heads. “Don’t worry little buddies, I’m not going anywhere.” He looked back to you and Link. “I definitely need to clean things up here, but I’ll join you both when I can. What will you do next?”

Link finished his jug of water. “We’ve got a couple things to take care of first, but after that…”

“Ganondorf.” You finished.

“So, this is it then, huh,” Yunobo mumbled. He then looked up at you with as much confidence as he could muster. “I know you two will defeat him. You two are the best! There’s no doubt you’re gonna end this nightmare, goro!”

“Thanks Yunobo,” Link said. “We’ll do our best.”

“Now, enough talking,” Bludo said. “It’s time to feast!”

“Awesome, I’m starved,” you said. “What are we having?” A platter of non-marbled rock roast was set in front of you. “Ah…”

“C’mon, you gotta eat it while it’s still hot,” Link said, eagerly digging in. “Delicious!”

You took a tentative look back at the plate, while Yunobo graciously slid you some seared meat instead. Some days, your boyfriend was still a mystery.

==============================

“Has he talked to you again?” Link asked, as you descended the cliff face. You couldn’t help but marvel at the view. The setting sun painted Hyrule in an orange glow that made it look like a living painting.

“No. I gotta admit, that doesn’t make me feel too good.”

“Me neither. You’d think he’d gloat or boast but… silence?”

“Right,” you groaned as you finally hit solid ground.

Link hopped off to the ground next to you. “Do you think it’s a trap?”

“It’s Ganondorf. Everything is a scheme with him. But we’ve got the sages with their secret stones, you with Rauru’s power, and soon, the Triforce.” You turned to the hill you’d climbed down to. “And hopefully, something else that might help us from the past.”

The glowing geoglyph stretched out over the hills, pulsing with a soft light that was easy to make out in the evening glow. “We need to find the tear that’s filled,” you said, consulting Impa’s notes. “That’s the one with the memory.”

“You mean this one?” Link asked. There was a small but deep puddle of sparkling water that seemed untouched by the heat of the mountain. It stayed perfectly still, despite the wind. “Okay, now what?”

“Not sure, guess this isn’t like your memories, huh?”

“The giant glowing ‘Look Here’ signs would’ve been nice,” Link muttered.

“Speaking of glowing,” you said, pointing to Link’s – or rather Rauru’s – hand. A gold light surrounded his palm.

Link reached out and snapped his fingers. The power of Rewind wrapped around the water as it rippled, forming back into a teardrop and rising from the earth. Wind whipped around you, and the two of you were wrapped in light and sucked into the vision of the past.

==============================

…return Zelda back to her time…

Secret stones amplify the power their owners posess…

As for you, I can sense both…light and time powers…

…a forbidden act called draconification…

To become an immortal dragon is to lose oneself…

==============================

Returning from the memory felt like breaching the surface of a deep lake. You swallowed air by the lungful. “Is that what your memories felt like before?”

Link shook his head. “No, these are different. Not to mention-” A loud cry shook the air, and the Light Dragon descended from the heavens, flying eastward. The air seemed to vibrate as it passed low over you. Its mane of light grew brighter as a new tear formed in the dragon’s eye, falling from heaven to earth. “Looks like we have one more.”

“At least it looks like it’s at Malin Bay. I think that’s where the next Triforce Piece is too.” Your stomach twisted, thinking about what the tear had shown you. “Link… the Zonai researcher, Mineru. You heard what she said. ‘To swallow a secret stone is to become an immortal dragon.’ You don’t think…”

“Don’t make assumptions. We don’t know everything yet.”

“No, but…” You looked up at the sky, at the retreating form of the Light Dragon. Looking at its beautiful golden hair, you could only hope that your fears were unfounded. As the sky darkened, the dragon was a beacon of light above Akkala, shining with near-divine grace. “Let’s make camp and head there in the morning.”

==============================

The break from your dreams was too good to last.

You sprinted down the halls of the castle. “Please, please, please let me be in time!” You were dressed in your Charged armor, the horn of Farosh glowing slightly, as if sensing your urgency.

You skidded around a corner, throwing open the doors. “Queen Sonia!” It was too late, the knife flew across the balcony towards the queen.

And stopped.

With a snap, the knife spun backwards, landing at the feet of the would-be assassin. You wasted no time, driving your own knife through the assailant’s ribs.

“I don’t think that was necessary,” came a kind voice. You looked up to see the Hylian Queen giving you a stern look, though her eyes remained warm.

“I’m sorry, I was almost too late. I can’t take any chances.”

“And your cover?”

“Let’s just say I don’t think I’ll be needing it after tonight. You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“Aside from watching my close friend take a life?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” You then noticed you weren’t alone as Zelda stepped out from behind a pillar. Internally, you wanted to scream, to run to her, to hug her. To tell her you were going to bring her home if it killed you. But sadly, you were in a dream, not actually in the past. Instead, the words that came out of your mouth were “Lady Zelda, my apologies. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person. It must be you who I have to thank for protecting Queen Sonia.”

“It wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t warned King Rauru.” Zelda looked back at the would-be assassin. “Thank you for stopping them from retaliating. My brother is more of the fighter of the two of us, I doubt I would have been able to fight if they decided to strike back.”

“Then I hope you never have to face a day where you are forced to bear arms in battle.” That was something you and your dream self could wholeheartedly agree on, though you couldn’t help but think of what you knew was to come.

Zelda smiled. Even here in the past, it seemed she had made the best of the situation, happy and healthy. “Speaking of my brother, something about you does remind me of him. Oh, I’m sorry, I’m being terribly rude, I never asked your name.”

“Ah yes, I am-”

A terrible crack, followed by a gasp cut you off. Sonia’s body seemed to bend in half backwards, before pitching forward. A massive hand snatched her necklace and secret stone from her neck as she fell to the ground, motionless. “Even when you betray me, you provide the perfect distraction,” Ganondorf sneered at you, his laugh growing into a terrible cackle.

“Your majesty!” Zelda gasped, kneeling beside her. “Oh no! Queen Sonia! No!”

You knelt beside Zelda, taking Sonia’s hand in yours, checking for a pulse. There was none. You took a sharp breath before pulling out your knife again. “Stay behind me Zelda. If you can, try to see if you can undo the damage with your abilities.”

“I…” Zelda’s voice faltered, but immediately set to work, trying her best to Rewind Sonia.

Ganondorf turned to the balcony, squeezing his prize in hand. “Finally… it is mine!” The secret stone turned black, then red, then purple, before pulsating and growing in his hand, corrupted by his demonic powers.

“Ganondorf no, you can’t!” You willed yourself to move but something held you back. The gloom-filled stone etched new runes of ownership as it fused itself to Ganondorf’s head, forming a crown. Malice and gloom swirled around him as the moon turned blood red, the air growing thick and wisps of corruption encircling the castle. In a burst of twisted energy, Ganondorf emerged in a new demented form, as the true Demon King. He turned to face you, his hair moving like tentacles and his skin like scaled armor. With a terrible smirk, he rose his hand, a miasma of gloom rising behind him. The force of the dark energy knocked your knife out of your hand and across the balcony.

“Rise my servants! Sweep over this land. Destroy Hyrule and her allies. Leave no survivors!”

The cloud of darkness erupted in a meteor shower, covering the entire kingdom and giving rise to an unending army of monsters. The blood moon loomed closer than ever, seemingly ready to smash Hyrule to dust at the Demon King’s command.

“Ganondorf,” Your voice cracked. “What have you done?”

“I am claiming my birthright and fulfilling my destiny. I told you I would be the king over all, and now, you witness my coronation.”

“This isn’t right, you can’t do this! Hundreds, no thousands will perish!”

He snorted. “A small price to pay for my ascent to power. All I need now is the last piece and I will become a god.”

You felt a rage building in your belly. “What happened to the man who wanted peace? The man I knew who wanted prosperity and harmony for all people in this land!”

“Who are you to know what I want? You’re nothing but a traitor!” For the briefest of moments, in his rage filled eyes, you thought you might have seen a tear. “I should have known from the start you were nothing but a rat in my midst, Sheik. I know that you know where the last piece I need is hiding. All is forgiven if you tell me where it is.”

You glared back at him. “Ganondorf, you’re a fool if you think it was all a façade. I loved you… perhaps for longer than I should have.” Your gaze faltered for a brief moment. “But I knew we couldn’t be together if this was the path you chose. I tried, I tried so hard to help you, but you chose your way…” In a practiced move, your hand flipped under your sarong and whipped out a hidden blade. “A way that I must stand against you! I’ll never tell!”

You launched yourself at the Demon King, only to be caught by his massive hand. “For the master of shadows, this is pathetic.” Ganondorf sneered. His hand crept up around your throat. You could feel the touch of his gloom-infused body starting to eat away at your skin. “If you won’t be my bride, you are still my servant. Your king commands you, where is it? Rauru’s secret weapon?!”

“I hid it where you will never find it. If you kill me, the answer will be nothing but silence.”

The Demon King growled. “You will obey me and tell me where it is! Where is the divine power?”

“Never, Ganondorf. I will be your slave no longer.” You winced at the pain of the gloom burning your skin. There was no way you could win this battle. “Zelda, you have to run. Go and tell Rauru that I am sorry to have failed him.” Zelda hesitated. “GO!”

Ganondorf threw you against the wall, and your body limply fell to the ground. “Fine then, play your childish game. I am patient, because you will tell me, you can never disobey me. And when you choose to give up your mortal coil…” The secret stone pulsed with energy, sending out a tendril that wrapped around you. “Do not think that death can hide you from me.”

The tentacles of gloom wrapped around your throat as you felt it burn a mark of a collar around you. “You are nothing but my pawn, and you will answer to me. Your soul is forever bound to my will. Even if I have to puppet your corpse, I will find the divine power and become a god!” 

“Sonia!” You had never been so happy to hear Rauru’s voice.

“You’re too late Rauru,” Ganondorf growled, kicking your limp body. “You took for granted the godlike power you had in your hands. Do you now see the potential you squandered?”

Rauru’s ears twitched as rage filled his body, his secret stone beginning to glow. “Ganondorf!!” His third eye bore into the Demon King.

“King Rauru!” Zelda shouted. “We need to retreat, Queen Sonia needs you!” She helped you crawl closer.

Ganondorf smirked, firing a wave of corruption towards Rauru. Rauru bared his fangs, and his power flared, creating a shield to protect the four of you. Despite the strength of the Zonai King, his power began to waver under Ganondorf’s assault. Suddenly you saw your body begin to turn blue before bursting into light as you teleported away from the battle.

You soon landed in the hidden temple in Tanagar Canyon. “Medics, quickly! Help the queen!” Rauru ordered, running for help.

You looked at Zelda; both of you knew it was too late for Queen Sonia. ��We are lucky for your quick thinking to help us escape, Lady Zelda.”

“It wasn’t quick enough,” she said, looking at the burns on your neck.

“It’s out of our hands now,” you coughed, feeling the gloom begin to take its toll.

“You’re a Dragon Priest. There must be something you could do?”

“Dinraal, Naydra, Farosh, forgive me. The Dragons I fear cannot stop death, and the Demon King is likely too much for them now, even with the powers of their secret stones. I’m afraid we need a higher power.” You clasped your hands and bowed your head, though it was hard to say if it was in reverence or resignation. “May Din, Nayru, and Farore watch over us now.”

==============================

A/N: Next chapter, it’s time to ride a dragon and complete the Triforce.

[dreamdepot]

I remember an old writing friend who said they used to write their fics in FF.net directly (pre-AO3). They scare me.

plz reblog for science

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 14: The Tainted Earth

Previous < First > Next

Onward to Death Mountain! While your dreams may give you a reprieve for now, Ganondorf's plots and echoes of the past still stand in your way.

AO3 Wattpad or below!

My apologies for there being a lack of a dream in this chapter. The next scene wasn’t quite ready to be included in this chapter (thanks to a rather unusual work schedule this past week). It worked out for the best though, as I think the sequence would’ve thrown off the pacing. Either way, promise to make up for it in the next one!

…

Okay yes, the original title of the chapter was The Tainted Meat. I couldn’t keep it that way without laughing.

“By the Goddesses,” Impa gasped as you finished recounting your dreams.

“I need a drink,” Purah muttered.

You groaned. “How do you think I feel? So, Impa, do you know anything that might help us with this Dragon Priest? He’s gotta be trying to help us.”

“I’m sure he is, but I’m afraid I don’t have anything useful to share. For generations, our people thought he betrayed us, but it’s good to know that he was acting in the shadows to ensure the safety of Hyrule, much like our other ancestors.”

Purah drummed her fingers on her notebook. “Still, between finding pieces of the Triforce and these dreams… like you said before we don’t know who or why you’re getting these visions of the Dragon Priest’s life. Might be too much to hope for a quick way to stop Ganondorf.” She sighed. “Princey, it’d nice if you made things easier for once.”

“Believe me, I wish I could,” you laughed hollowly. “Maybe these tears are the missing piece of the puzzle though.”

“We can certainly hope.” Impa handed you a small notebook. “This is all we’ve been able to decipher from the tears. If you could, we’d greatly appreciate it if you could stop by the last one on your way back from Death Mountain.”

“Gladly,” you said. “If we have a way of getting Zelda out of the past and back to our time, then we need every clue we can get.”

“In the meantime, we’ll return to Lookout Landing,” Purah said. “Once the last sage is awakened, I’m sure Ganondorf will make a move. You’ll need to be careful, backing him up into a corner like this may make him desperate.”

“We’ll worry about that once we’ve helped the Gorons.” You coughed, the gloom still dissipating.

Impa patted your hand. “Are you sure you shouldn’t rest a bit more?”

“We aren’t leaving today, that’s for sure,” Link said firmly. “In the morning.”

You nodded with a soft smile. “Promise I’ll rest tonight. I have a good doctor looking out for me.”

“And the doctor says it’s time for you to get more rest.” With that Link ushered the others out, giving you a chance to recover.

==============================

The next morning you did feel better, by leaps and bounds. “It’s scary how much these memories line up with the dreams,” you told Link, as you looked over Impa’s notes for the umpteenth time. “The Molduga attack, Ganon’s visit to the castle… this one about Queen Sonia’s death… it seems it is a bit hazy when the Dragon Priest shows up.”

“Seeing the other side’s at least a bit helpful though, right?”

You shut the book and groaned. “Not really. It still doesn’t explain why, or more importantly, what we’re supposed to do with this.”

Link took the book from you and kissed your forehead. “How about you finish packing while I get some extra medicine ready for you. Might clear your head.”

“I’ll try,” you said. “Though I’m really not-” Link gave you a glare. “…gonna talk you out of getting more medicine, huh?”

“That’s right,” he said with a smile before heading down to the kitchen.

As you turned to packing, you felt a presence. The corpse of Ganondorf stared back at you in the window’s reflection. “I should’ve known you’d be bothering me again.”

“And here I thought you would be getting lonely without me, little prince.” The corpse said with a smirk – an impressive feat considering he had no lips.

“One sage to go, we’ve stopped each of your generals at every turn.”

“Perhaps. And yet, you do not walk with confidence, but rather anxiety.”

You scoffed. “Don’t pat yourself too hard on the back, your arm might fall off.” The image of the Demon King glared. “Once we save the Gorons from your influence, you’ll be next. You’ll fall just like every other aspect of evil that has threatened my home.”

Much to your surprise, he laughed. “Ah yes, my former puppets. Do you really think a prince and his swordsman are enough? I do not lie when I say your swordsman is hardly the strongest of his ilk to face me. And without the princess too… what are you to do? You don’t have the power of Hylia. Do you intend to seal me some other way, like Rauru failed to do so?”

“Rauru didn’t fail,” you snapped back. However, as well as you masked it from him, doubt entered your mind. Were you and Link strong enough yet? You weren’t sure whether to call it a bluff or a threat, so instead you changed the subject. “You know, I still don’t understand something. You had everything you could want, and yet that wasn’t enough for you, was it? You were consumed by greed when you could have been happy all those years ago. Rauru meant you no harm! Imagine if you had made peace with him, he may have even willingly shared a secret stone with you!”

Ganondorf snorted. “I suppose your bleeding heart didn’t change, even in a different life.”

“Is that a bad thing?”  

He studied you, his malice-filled eyes surprisingly inquisitive. “That remains to be seen.” For a moment he seemed to hesitate. “No matter, we will see each other soon enough. I would hate for you to miss my rebirth.” With that, he disappeared and the vision with it.

You slumped back onto the bed, releasing a breath you didn’t know you held.

==============================

Lucky for you, Link had already taken a side trip to Death Mountain when he was attempting to enter the Korok Woods, so he already had established some waypoints. The two of you warped to Timawak Shrine, not far from the Bedrock Bistro. As Link stepped aside for a moment to use the facilities, you marveled at how much Death Mountain had changed. It was hard to believe that five years ago it was too hot to climb without elixirs or specialized armor, but now most of the mountain had cooled. In peaceful times, the hot springs had become quite the tourist destination, even if your sister insisted Sturnida was the better stop. The nearby bistro, despite its unusual cuisine, had also become a bit of a landmark of its own for weary travelers.

There was no sign of any attacks on travelers as Scorpis’ reports mentioned, but the Gorons were acting strangely. They were addicted to a purple kind of rock roast, and it seemed those that ate it became lethargic. Yet, when their hunger returned, they often grew aggressive. “Excuse me!” You said, running up to a rather dapper looking Goron. “Could you explain what’s going on here?”

“Ah yes, are you here to try some marbled rock roast?”

“I assume that’s the strange rock?”

“Yes, quite. I am Gomo, the goromand, a connoisseur of the finest mineral cuisine. When I heard about the marbled rock roast, I had to try it. The flavor is said to be truly addictive… though now I’m having second thoughts.”

You looked at some of the other Gorons, with their eyes glazed over as they endlessly consumed the roast. “I can see why. It seems more like a drug than a food.”

“Yes, precisely. As much as I would like to try it for the culinary experience, I’m a bit concerned. I’ve decided to stay here to try and warn off any others.”

“Do you know the source of these rock roasts?”

Gomo thought for a moment. “There’s some in the caves here, but it seems the most come from YunoboCo up the mountain.”

“I see… thank you.” You walked back, looking up the mountain. “Yunobo… please tell me you don’t have something to do with this?”

As you pondered, you felt the air tense. “Oh no, now? Really?” It was too late, your headaches returned, and in a flash, this Death Mountain disappeared, replaced with another, equally calm volcano. For a moment, you could have sworn you heard the Song of Time. The bistro and hot springs were gone, replaced by a rugged path. Loose boulders rumbled down the mountainside. To your surprise, long extinct Tektites hopped about, their glittering carapace shining in the sun. You could even hear the skittering of a Skulltula somewhere in the distance.

“Who are you?” The voice was young, but full of bravery. Poking out behind a rock was a little boy in a green tunic.

“You can see me?”

He cocked his head. “Why wouldn’t I be able to see you?” He stepped out from the boulder, sword and shield at the ready – though calling a glorified dagger and a cute scrap of wood a sword and shield was generous. This boy was another Link, but this one was just a little kid. His hair was blonder and his eyes a deeper blue than your Link was at that age, but he held the same courage and determination. You had to smile. After all the Links you had seen through your dreams, that courage was always present, the one constant familiarity.

“It’s a long story,” you said. “I’m [Y/n] and you, I assume, are Link?”

“How’d you know?” He narrowed his eyes, holding his tiny shield a bit higher. “Do you work for Ganondorf?”

“No, definitely not. You could say I work for the Royal Family.”

“Oh, like Impa? Wait, how do I know you’re not lying?”

“Fair,” you said, surprised the kid would be so skeptical. “Hmmm what’s good proof… oh, I know!” Softly, you sang the song of the royal family.

The little Link smiled brightly. “Okay, I’m sorry, but Princess Zelda told me I should be extra careful.”

You laughed. “That’s alright, with Ganondorf around I can’t blame you. But, why are you climbing Death Mountain all alone? It’s a rugged path, even for adults.” You chose not to add that the sentiment was especially true in this different time.

He grinned, puffing out his chest. “It’s because I’m doing an important mission for Princess Zelda, and she said I need to see the leader of the Gorons.”

“Then, maybe I should join you for a bit,” you said. Letting a kid run off on his own like this seemed pretty harsh.

“Okay!” The two of you started your way up. The Tektites watched from a distance, not keen to fight two humans at once. Little Link’s eyes traveled to your back. “That’s a really cool sword you have, are you a knight?”

You drew your sword and knelt so he could see it. The Sword of the Six Sages seemed to shine brighter than ever in this time. “Not exactly, but I do a lot of fighting for the Princess.” Not a lie, but not the full truth either. Then again, trying to explain time travel to a kid might be a bit awkward – not to mention explaining how you were a prince. “My boyfriend’s a knight though.”

He seemed confused. “Boyfriend? What’s that? A friend who’s a boy?”

“It’s the person you love, silly. Like the person you get married to,” a new voice joined in. A blue fairy popped out of his collar and floated onto the edge of his hat. “Sorry, he’s a bit sheltered.”

“That’s alright,” you said, a bit surprised. Small fairies were rarely chatty in your time. Great Fairies on the other hand…

“Navi, go back to sleep,” Little Link muttered. The fairy simply blew a raspberry at him and remained on his hat. “So, what’s your boyfriend like?”

“Oh, he’s a knight, the best knight in the kingdom. He’s very brave and has saved my life many times. We go on adventures all the time together. Actually, we were on one today before I ended up here.”

Link nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe he’s already at Goron City?”

“Maybe,” you said. “We’re supposed to go find the Fire Temple and-”

“And get a magic rock?” Link asked excitedly.

“How did you know?”

“I’m trying to find one too! Zelda said I need to get the Goron Ruby so that we can keep Ganondorf from getting to the Sacred Realm.”

“Our rock is a little different, but I hope you find it.” You smiled for a moment, before you stopped mid-step. Everything fell into place. “Wait – a little Link, Navi, the Goron Ruby – that means, you’re-”

It was too late, the ground dropped out from under you, and like a rubber band, you snapped back to your time and your Death Mountain.

“Hey, were you going to ditch me?” Link asked.

You studied your surroundings, realizing you had moved quite a fair bit up the mountain, about as far as you had walked with the other Link. “How long was I gone?”

“You were gone? I just caught up to you. What happened?”

You looked around. It was as if no time had passed at all. Checking your pack, the blue stone was completely inert. “I… I’m not sure.”

After explaining, Link frowned. “So, your visions are now getting strong enough to teleport you?”

“I’m not sure if it’s teleporting.” You turned the blue stone over in your hand. “I think it might be more like a door I got stuck in, half of me in our time and half in the past. It looks like moving in that time made me move in this one.”

“Just please be careful, I don’t want to lose my prince in the past.”

“Believe me, I’m not planning on spending more time in the past than I need to.” You laughed.

The two of you made your way up the mountain path, stopping and checking with any Gorons who weren’t acting strangely, along with the Hylian mine workers. “I don’t have to worry about you ogling all of those buff shirtless workers, do I?” Link teased.

“Why look at them when I’ve got my own beefcake all to myself?” You replied, patting his chest. Link suddenly looked a little warmer, and not from the heat of the mountain.

It wasn’t long until you reached the gates of Goron City. Yet, instead of the sounds of industry and people in the marketplace, you came to a quiet scene. Gorons sat around, all hypnotically eating the rock roast.

“Bludo!” Link called to the elder.

“Brother! It’s good to see you, and you too, your majesty!” The elder stomped over, two Goron children in tow. “Not sure if this is a good time or a bad time for you to be visitin’. We’ve got problems, and I hope you can fix ‘em. I’ve been warnin’ these pumice-heads about the marbled rock roast being dangerous, and they’re still pigging out on them!”

“Everyone’s been acting funny ‘cause they keep eating it,” one of the Goron kids said, who you recognized as Offrak. The other was Slergo. Together, the two followed Yunobo around like puppies, hoping to be as cool as their hero.

“President Yunobo keeps minin’ the stuff,” Slergo added.

“What’re you mumblin’ about over there?!” Stomping and swaggering up to you was Yunobo, wearing a rather unique outfit that looked more like it belonged in Bolson’s closet, topped off with a golden mask. “You all talkin’ about marbled rock roast, are ya? There’s nothing to worry about, in my opinion. Now stop flapping yer rock chompers, and get over here, goro!” Offrak and Slergo scurried over to his side. He then appraised you and Link. “What could you two want?”

“We’re here to investigate some reports of attacks on travelers,” you said, trying to keep your voice even. Yunobo used to be such a kind boy, and he used to be so responsible with helping you rebuild Hyrule. His YunoboCo was the source of most minerals in the kingdom.

Yunobo sneered. “Well, maybe if you actually sent some soldiers up to patrol you wouldn’t have that problem. We’re dealing with enough monsters as it is right now.”

The response felt like a slap in the face, but then you remembered that you and Link had barely seen any monsters on the path to Goron City, compared to everywhere else in the kingdom. “Wait-”

“If you ask me,” Yunobo interrupted, “we’ve got better things to do than worry about some useless royal and his pet. I’ve got work to do getting all this marbled rock roast out my people, since I take care of them, unlike someone. So buzz off or pick up a pickaxe and do some real work.” He turned to the other Gorons. “That goes for all of you too. Get back to work, goro!”

As Yunobo started to walk away, you felt your eye twitch. Link put his arm around you. While it looked casual, his firm grip held you in place. “Babe, please don’t beat up our friend.”

“I just want to talk to him.”

“You’re reaching for your sword.”

“I just want to talk to him.”

“Last time you said that, I think you almost killed a man.”

“In all fairness, that guy was pretending that he defeated the Calamity and called you a liar.” Link leveled his most judgmental stare at you. You sighed. “I’m not gonna hurt him. Just struck a nerve. I can take people saying stupid stuff about me, but, I hate it when people act like you’re not the greatest swordsman in the kingdom.”  

Link spun you around and held you by the shoulders. “Listen, as nice as it is of you to defend my honor, there’s no way that’s our Yunobo.”

The Goron elder walked up next to you, leaning a little harder on his hammer than usual. “I’m sorry you had to see all that. Yunobo’s been actin’ strange for a while now. Ever since he said he supposedly saw Princess Zelda, but that can’t be right. She’s been missin’, hasn’t she?”

“Told ya,” Link said simply.

You sighed. “Right, fine. I swear I’m gonna enjoy beating the crap out of Ganondorf for this.”

==============================

The two of you rode on the minecarts from Goron City to YunoboCo, which now took over much of the former northern mines. “Glad to see the Igneo Talus have been more or less cleared out from here,” Link said, as he helped you hop down from the minecart.

“Over here!” Slergo and Offrak called from the main mine entrance.

“Yunobo is in there?” Link asked.

“Yeah, and he’s trying to get more marbled rock roast,” Slergo said.

“He also keeps talking to himself, something about Princess Zelda?” Offrak added.

That was enough for the two of you. Downing some fireproof elixirs, you both ran inside. Sure enough, Yunobo was muttering to himself. “Princess Zelda… more rock roast… makes Gorons strong…”

He quickly snapped out of it when he noticed you enter. “Hey, I thought I told you to beat it!”

“Not a chance,” you said. “Something’s up Yunobo, and we’re here to fix it.”

“Fine, if you can’t take a hint, I’ll toss you out myself!” He snarled, stomping towards you. He smashed his hands together before diving into a lightning-fast roll that nearly flattened you. He hopped back up and glared at you.

“[Y/n], look there!” The lines on the mask glowed with a malice-filled light, reflected in his eyes.

“It’s the mask,” you said. “I should’ve known!”

“What do you think? Arrow?” Link asked, diving out of the way of Yunobo’s roll.

“Not sure if it’ll be strong enough to break it, but we don’t want to hurt him too badly. Maybe…” You looked down at your hand. It was the Triforce of Power, right? “Got it. Get ready, I need you to jump on him!”

“What?!”

“Trust me, I’ve got an idea.” You took a deep breath and stood in the center of the room, power flowing up your arm. You pressed your hands together, a golden light spreading between the two.

“Oh you wanna go, shrimp prince?” The twisted Yunobo shouted.

You took a wide stance. “Give it your best shot!” Yunobu charged, rolling full speed towards you, and you threw your hands forward. The ground shook, but Yunobu stopped still. The golden light formed into golden gauntlets over your hands, holding the massive Goron in place.

Link wasted no time, leaping onto Yunobu’s back, and ripped the mask off his head. The mask seemed to writhe in his hand before melting into a gloom mist as your Goron friend fell to the ground.

Yunobo groaned. “What happened?” He blinked and looked up at the rest of you. “Oh man, Link, [Y/n]. When did you guys get here?”

“A little while ago,” Link said, as you each took one side of the large Goron, helping him to his feet. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Yunobo rubbed his head. “Uh… gosh. I went up to the top of Death Mountain… and Princess Zelda was up there. She gave me a mask and said it was very special…”

You sighed. “It wasn’t Princess Zelda I’m afraid. The Demon King was trying to manipulate you, but I’m glad we have you back.”

“Oh, I didn’t say or do anything bad did I, goro?”

Link snorted. “[Y/n] almost beat you up for calling me his boytoy.”

“Oh no!” Yunobo said, nearly in tears as he grabbed you. “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s alright, we now know it wasn’t really you talking.”

“At least we do now,” Link whispered. You elbowed him.

After catching him up, Yunobo scratched his head. “Wow, you guys have been busy, but it sounds like you’re pretty close to fixing everything. That’s great, goro!”

“Now we just have to find a way to get rid of all these marbled rock roasts, which probably means first finding the Fire Temple,” Link said.

Yunobo laughed. “Yeah, I could try breaking all these rocks, but that’d take forever! But where would the Fire Temple be? We really don’t have anything like that here, and not a whole lot of ruins from back in the day. Van Rudania was kinda the last super-ancient thing we had around. Not a lot of stuff stays together in a volcano, y’know?”

“True,” you said. “That said, the other temples were in places that you’d least expect. Any ideas?”

“Well…” Yunobo thought. “It sounds pretty dumb, but there are legends of the Ancient City of Gorondia, deep in the caldera of Death Mountain, but no one’s ever found it before and- why are you looking at me like that?”

“Gorondia… I think my dream mentioned that,” you said. “Link, wasn’t it something about the Goron Dance Hall?”

“Exactly, so we definitely need to go check that place out. Besides, place of legend that existed in the time of the Zonai, long thought to be lost to history, right Yunobo?” Link asked.

“Yeah, I guess?”

Link crossed his arms. “My rupees are on Gorondia then. We’re three for four so far.”

“To be fair,” you added, “this is the least active Death Mountain has been in centuries. The city is probably lost to time, because there was no safe way down there until now.”

Yunobo nervously tapped his fingers together. “Um, what is the safe way down there?”

The three of you looked up to the top of the volcano, where vapors of Ganondorf’s gloom rose like steam. “Well,” you said, “there’s one way.”

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 13: A Day Off

Previous < First > Next

You have a perfect quiet day for you and Link to be together, complete with a treasure hunt! What could go wrong?

AO3 Wattpad or below!

As a quick note, next week’s chapter will be coming out a little early due to a trip I have planned. Thank you as always for reading!

As you woke up, you couldn’t help but think how funny it is how things can change. Back when you and Link shared a bed for the first time, his heart was racing as you cuddled up next to him. To you, it had been the most restful night’s sleep in your life. Link meanwhile barely slept a wink, too afraid it was all a dream, and he’d never get the chance to be so close to you again. Fast forward to today, and you woke up with your boyfriend laying across your chest with a knee in your face. “At least he’s comfortable,” you murmured.

Since your dream of Koholint, new dreams had stopped for a few days, long enough to get some well-earned rest. Even better, the trip from Gerudo Desert was uneventful, save a couple small skirmishes. Today, you promised Link that the two of you would spend all day together before going to Goron City.

You got up from the comfortable bed at the Tarrey Town Inn. Kapson made it clear he wouldn’t accept your money and made sure to give you and Link the best room in the establishment. You were also thankful to see that Captain Hollo and his Korok engineers hadn’t managed to blow up Tarrey Town, though there was no sign of the little aviators anywhere. After a quick bath (thank the Goddesses for hot water), you came back to see Link watching you with a sleepy smile. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

“Just enjoying the view,” he yawned, slowly sitting up. His hair was an absolute mess. You sat next to him, pulling out a comb.

“You’re not helping,” you laughed, as he kept leaning against you, messing his hair back up as you brushed it down. Finally, you got it to cooperate enough for you to tie his hair back with his favorite well-worn hair band. Link sighed in bliss. “You sure you aren’t part dog or something? Every time I play with your hair you turn into a puppy.”

“I mean, didn’t the Hero of Twilight do that?”

“Wolf, Link. He turned into a wolf.”

“Same difference,” he laughed. He turned to you, blushing a lot like he used to when you first started dating. “I just… It’s one of those things, y’know? Back before the Calamity, I dreamed of going on adventures with you and then, between when you had to do your Prince stuff, we’d hang out in the castle, and you’d do all the stuff royalty does for their knights in the fairy tales.”

You had to laugh a little, knowing how quickly Link flipped between innocent romantic and an innuendo machine. “So, what do royals do for their knights in fairy tales?”

“Stuff like, y’know, flowers, a handkerchief… a kiss?” He said.

You kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t confess sooner.”

“It was both of us,” he said, squeezing your hand. “Even if we don’t have as much time as we’d like… I think it’s better now.”

“Well, I’m keeping my promise no matter what. Today is just you and me, and since we’re feeling nostalgic, I have an idea.”

“I’m listening.”

“I was thinking, since the quakes during the Upheaval opened up a lot of new places, maybe we could take a look inside the Citadel? You found my crown there after Misko hid it, so maybe he hid something else too?”

“That’s perfect!” Link said. “It’s just like the little adventures we always wanted to do as kids! I’ll get the horses!”

==============================

Even as the ruins crumbled, the Citadel was still an imposing sight, dominating the landscape of Akkala. It was designed originally as a garrison but was refitted to be the second safest place when the Calamity arrived. It was also intended to be your residence once Zelda took the throne, though remembering her diary, that seemed more like an “if” rather than “when”. As you and Link explored the outside of the crumbling fortress, you found two entrances. The first was, rather disappointingly, a Horriblin den. The other let you into the actual ruins of the stronghold.

The inside of the former garrison was not in great shape. Years of neglect left much of the wooden floor to rot. Cannons and cannonballs lay in rusting heaps in the corner, buried under rusty halberds and other unsalvageable weaponry.

“You okay?” Link asked, his hand on your shoulder.

“I’ll get over it,” you said. “Maybe some things of the old Hyrule are meant to die.” You ran your hand over the mildew-stained wall. “Still… part of me does wish we could have lived here like I wanted, all those years ago.”

“You wanted to live here? With me?”

You laughed. “I never told you? Wait, me having the Gorons redesign the sanctum to be filled with pictures of your predecessors wasn’t enough of a hint?”

“Hey!” Link grumbled. “To be fair, you didn’t know I was hitting on you every damn day back then!”

“Touché,” you snickered. “C’mon, I wanna see if the library is still intact.”

Much of the way was cut off, but soon enough you found your way through a collapsed wall into a small library with a mud-caked window. You knocked a bit off with your sword hilt. “Huh, did you know there’s a Gleeok out there?”

Link winced. “Maybe we should head out the way we came in then.” You nodded in agreement, turning to the books. Unfortunately, the few that were readable were torn and the ones that were intact were ruined by water. “Sorry, there’s no books to take back.”

“Not actually why we’re here. Don’t know if you remember this… think I only showed you once when you were half asleep,” you muttered, counting the collapsed bookshelves. You leaped over a collapsed one to the wall. You tapped the stone with your sword until you found part that sounded hollow. “Here we are.” You kicked a stone in with your foot then pressed another, and the wall swung open to reveal a small study.

“Secret room for you?”

“Yup, more just for when I needed to get away somewhere quiet. Shame none of the weapons are still good.” There were several royal weapons on the wall, but none of them escaped from the Upheaval’s effects. Instead, you were surprised to find a chest near your desk. “Son of a bitch.”

“Misko was called a ‘Great’ bandit for a reason,” Link said with a wry smile.

You reached down to open the chest, but a glowing hand met yours. You and Link both ran back out of the room as another Gloom Hand emerged from the room.

“What’s the point of a secret room if everyone gets into it,” you muttered, drawing your sword.

“Eh, at least we’ve got these guys down to an art,” Link said, firing a bomb arrow that took out all of the hands at once.

You cracked your neck and tightened your grip. “Okay Phantom Ganon, let’s go!” But this time, the gloom did not become a Phantom Ganon. Instead, the form was smaller, sleeker. The clone’s twisted eyes of searing gloom materialized from the malice as the rest of its features slowly formed. Its eyes glowed with a twisted pink-purple light. As it reformed, closer to your height than Ganondorf’s towering stature, the way that it held its Gloom Sword made your blood boil. “Really Ganondorf?!”

“Is that me?!”  

Before you could answer, the Gloom Link charged you. You dodged and tried to swing, your foot catching on a broken bookcase, giving it the chance to flurry rush you. You skidded back, wincing. “Man, it’s better than the others. Guess that’s what happens when it copies a better swordsman.”

“Now’s not the time to be flirting!” Link shouted, shielding you from another strike.

“I’m not flirting!” You shouted back, blocking another strike. “Though gotta say… what would it be like with two Links…”

“Not now [Y/n]!”

“Oh please, like you weren’t staring at my ass in the Sheikah armor all day,” you muttered under your breath.

How do you like my present, [Y/n]? I call it a Hollow… not my first time using it to play with past heroes.

“How about you just dry up already!” You roared, barely keeping the Hollow Link’s corrupted Master Sword copy from slicing your face.

Suddenly, the Hollow flung to the side as Link tackled it away. He winced as the Gloom stung his body. “Are you okay?”

“I should be asking you! But thanks, he had me on the ropes. He fights just like you, just much more aggressive.” You pulled a jar out of your pack, handing it to Link. “Drink it, it’s some Sundelion-infused soup, should help with the gloom.”

“Thanks,” he said, chugging the soup in seconds. “Alright, so plan?”

“Working on it, the only time I ever beat you was in the nightmare, remember?”

Link studied his doppelganger’s movements, parrying as it swung after him before switching targets back to you.  

As it attacked, you noticed something shift in its eyes, something more malicious. Before you could react, it disarmed you. Before you could hear your sword clatter to the ground, it grabbed you by the throat. You struggled as the gloom burned at your neck, feeling a foreboding sense of deja vu. The familiar face of Link was so twisted by the Hollow, a malicious grin spreading across its face as it pressed its sword against your side, just enough to draw blood.

It’s time you learn your place, boy.

SHHHNK!

The Hollow froze as you both looked down to see a nasty Lynel Horn sword pierced through its chest. “It’s not a perfect copy,” you heard Link growl. “I don’t play dirty and torture my enemies.” He twisted the sword and the monster’s eyes extinguished, the gloom disappearing.

You fell forward into Link’s arms. “[Y/n], are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you said hoarsely. You gave him a half grin. “Thanks for saving the prince, brave knight.”

“You know I’ll always be there for you,” He then frowned. “Hey, do you have more of that soup? You have a pretty bad Gloom burn.”

“No, I’m out.” You coughed. You looked at your reflection in a puddle, seeing the burn on your neck starting to fester, with dark lines starting to spiderweb out.

“We should get you outside.”

“Not yet, we’re right here. Let’s see what Misko’s been hiding.”

Back in your now ruined secret room, you cracked a stone chest open, tension building as you forced the lid open. “Is that…?”

Link stared. “Definitely not what I was expecting. How’d Misko get his hands on this?”

Sitting in the chest was a neatly folded set of pale clothes and silver armor, engraved with celestial symbols. On top of the pile was a mask in war paint and a terrible grimace that bore an unsettling resemblance to your boyfriend. “The Fierce Deity armor… this was supposed to be locked deep in the Royal Vault.”

You were a bit surprised that the mask was just like any other mask, wooden with painted details. Holding it in your hands, it felt like a toy. Closing your eyes, you focused, trying to feel its supposed hidden power, yet there was nothing. “I’m not sure if I should be happy or disappointed. Having some extra firepower against Ganondorf would be nice.”

“Can I?”

“Sure.” You handed the mask to Link, who flinched. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, think you just shocked me or something.”

“Oh oops, sorry.” You coughed into your arm, a much deeper, wheezing cough.

“C’mon, let’s get you outside, you’re not looking so good.” Link propped you up on his shoulder, sliding the spoils of your expedition into his pack.

Neither of you noticed how the mask’s hair seemed to brighten a bit.

==============================

Back at the Tarrey Town Inn, Link forced you into bed. You protested, “I don’t feel sick, just exhausted. I don’t have any energy.” Of course, right as you finished that, you let out a hacking cough.

Link merely tied a handkerchief into a makeshift face mask for you. “Regardless, you should rest.”

“But what about everything we need to do? We’ve gotta get going to Goron City tomorrow. And what about our special day?” You tried to sit up, but Link easily pushed you back down into the bed.

“No, you’re not going to do anyone any good if you’re too tired to even lift your sword. We’ll rest here for a day or two.” Before you could protest any more, Link tucked you into bed under a comfy quilt. You tried to say something, but Link cut you off. “I don’t care if you’re the prince; you’re staying here, and I’m taking care of you.”

You may have been the better cook of the two of you, but Link was by far the better doctor. Sure, you knew battlefield remedies but anyone – Teba especially – would say that you were better for emergency healing, not long-term care. It wasn’t your fault; keeping people alive in an emergency was more important than comfort.

Link, on the other hand, was firm but always thinking steps ahead. After making sure the bed was comfortable as possible and that the light wasn’t too bright for you, he brought you a book from the inn’s small library before disappearing. He was hardly gone for more than fifteen minutes before returning. He set down a tray with warm porridge made with Sundelions and tea with your favorite blend of calming herbs and honey candy for your throat. He gently wiped the sweat from your forehead before placing a compress of White Chu Jelly.

“Maybe I should have told my father I needed you as my personal doctor all those years ago instead,” you said, trying not to cough.

“I’ve only gotten good because the two of us keep beating ourselves up,” Link said. You opened your mouth, but he cut you off. “I know what you’re going to say, and me doing dangerous reckless things is different.”

“I swear if you say it’s because you’re my knight, I will kick your ass.”

“I was going to say because I’m your boyfriend and I say so. And also, because I’m definitely the one who’s better at getting out of dangerous stuff.”

“Dick,” you laughed. “But seriously, thank you. For everything.”

Link softly let his fingers run through your hair. “You should sleep, my prince.”

You had to admit, your eyelids were feeling heavy. “But…”

“I can get you another book if you’d like.”

“It’s not that Link. It’s the dreams.”

Link frowned. “But I thought they stopped for now? Or is this about the ones with Ganondorf again?”

“Yes… those. Kinda. It’s complicated.” You groaned. “It’s said that Hylians have long ears to hear the whispers of the Goddesses, to hear their guidance. Ganondorf also said that he wasn’t the only one trying to mess with my head. I think there’s something bigger than we think going on.”

Link pursed his lips. “I’m not sure I like where this is going.”

“We know that my dreams are leading us to pieces of the Triforce. We also know that my other dreams are about someone in Ganondorf’s past, and that Ganondorf himself seems to enjoy popping in my head now and then. That last bit is obviously him messing with me, but what about the other parts? Who wants us to find the Triforce and who wants me to see this guy in the past?” You took a deep breath. “That’s not all either. You know how you’re the current Hero and that you’re sort of a reincarnation of the previous heroes?”

“That part is debatable depending on who you ask, but yeah?”

“I think that this guy, the former Dragon Priest, is a past life of mine.”

Link was silent for a moment, until a weak laugh squeaked out. “Of course, why not. I’m dating the demon king’s ex.”

“Link…”

“If anyone else told me, I’d say they were crazy. But,” he sighed. “[Y/n], I trust you. I’m not sure what it means, but hopefully it’s something good.”

You snorted. “I don’t see how.”

“Think of it this way, is Ganondorf – Mr. All-Powerful Demon King, a man we know holds grudges for millennia – the type to reminisce and pine over someone?”

You started to speak, but cut yourself off, then frowned. “I’m not sure. Tauro said that he might have been killed by King Rauru, but there’s no proof. And… based off of the last dream, it seems like Ganondorf may have been abusive. Then again, maybe he snapped and went into a rage over a lost lover.”

“I don’t think that’s the case. Remember under the castle, Ganondorf acted as though you were his property, not his long-lost love.”

You thought back to your nightmares before all of this even started and what Ganondorf said. “You’re right… he said, he ‘hasn’t forgotten my treachery.’ That’s definitely not something he’d say if he was in love.”

“Exactly, and even if Ganondorf is completely head over heels for the past version of you, why would he want to show the relationship in its rough spots to you?”

“Then,” you said, your voice dropping. “If it’s not Ganondorf showing me, who is?”

“I’m not sure,” Link said, “but there’s one way to find out – if you have more dreams.”

“Link, I-”

“I know. I’m sorry, but I’m serious. This might be the way we find out how to beat him. If someone is sending you these dreams, it’s for a reason. We need to find out the rest.” He scooted his chair closer. “I promise, I’ll be here the whole time.”

“You’re gonna watch me sleep?”

Link flushed. “Not like that! I mean, if you have a nightmare, I’ll wake you up!”

“I know, I know,” you laughed, squeezing his hand. “Thank you, Link.”

“No matter what I’ll always be with you.” He kissed your hand and drew the curtains. You took a deep breath and shut your eyes.

==============================

You found yourself at Ganondorf’s side, trying to look small and demure as he addressed King Rauru. Unlike usual, you dressed in a more fitting apparel than your rather revealing servant robes. You chose to wear your Frostbite Armor, as it appeared more formal, almost regal. It didn’t hurt that it invoked wisdom, and you certainly needed as much as you could get today.

As was proper for a servant, you kept your head bowed and knelt lower than Ganondorf as he addressed the king. You winced, hearing Ganondorf’s words of supposed fealty, yet there was a noticeable malice underneath. As he continued his plea, your eyes wandered up, and then your heart stopped.

It was Zelda.

For a fleeting moment it felt like you had control over this body and stared in shock at your sister. She was so close but so far, standing there next to Rauru’s throne. It hurt to see her pretending to be the quiet princess again, like she had to when you were young, but something was different. You knew the fire hidden in her eyes; it meant she was planning something big… but what? If only you could get a moment with her alone. Even if this was a dream, if there was even the slightest chance of getting a message to her…

“Forgive my servant,” Ganondorf growled, grabbing your head and pushing it down into a full kowtow to King Rauru. “He must be captivated by your daughter’s beauty.”

“Oh no, Zelda is my family, but not my daughter. A distant relative you could say.” You managed to catch a glimpse of the Zonai King looking at you. Despite his guarded expression towards Ganondorf, his gaze seemed kinder towards you.

The court session lasted for a few more agonizing minutes before you were all allowed to leave. Once outside, Ganondorf turned to you. “What was that? Letting your eyes wander to that wench?”

A fire rose in your chest, but thankfully your dream self was in control. “Did you not notice, my lord?”

“Notice what?”

“Something more than her secret stone. She carries a deep power within her.”

Ganondorf snorted, but you could tell he was intrigued. “Go.”

You bowed deeply, though your dream self was a bit bitter at his words – or rather word. You turned and left down the hall. As your traveling party would be staying the night at the castle, you were to be sent to stay in a different wing while Ganondorf would be in the guest rooms. The ancient castle was, of course, smaller than the future Hyrule Castle, but still quite roomy. Soon you came to a fork in the hallways. While the other servants went down the right hallway, you snuck down the left.

You passed some soldiers who paid you no mind as you wandered deeper and deeper, until you came to a small courtyard. Another guarded doorway stood on the other end. “Halt,” the soldiers ordered. “No outsiders are permitted in this part of the castle.”

“I’m sorry,” you said, with fake meekness. “I just was looking for-”

You felt a hand on your shoulder. You turned to look up into the eyes of King Rauru. The king looked at you with a kind, soft gaze. “Pardon me, but are you perhaps lost?”

“Ah, yes your majesty,” you said with a deep bow. “I am afraid I was not paying attention and seem to have lost my way back to Lord Ganondorf. I am terribly sorry for troubling you.”

“Do not worry, please follow me – I’m sure we can find him.” He signaled to the guards, who let the two of you into the hallway.

For a moment, the two of you walked in silence. You returned to the “good servant” act with your gaze at the floor. However, once you were sure you were alone, you spoke. “I have concerns, Rauru.”

“I would be worried if you didn’t, my friend.”

“Ganondorf is clearly posturing to be close to you. I fear he seeks the power of the secret stones.”

“Then all is as we expected.” Rauru stroked his chin. “Has he made any plans yet?”

“No, only observing. I fear he may attack you, Sonia, or Mineru… or perhaps that new young lady. Ganondorf was right, she really does look like she could be Sonia’s daughter.”

“Ah, you mean Zelda. Quite the interesting story there, though I fear I do not have time to tell you today… unless-”

You held up your hand. “Rauru, I can’t come back now. There is more than a credible threat against the kingdom. My pride as a Dragon Priest and a servant of Hyrule would never allow me to leave now.”

Rauru stopped you and placed his hands on your shoulders. “Your life isn’t worth this.”

“My life doesn’t matter if it means keeping the people of Hyrule safe from him.” You paused, clutching your chest. “And… perhaps…”

Rauru kept his gaze fixed on you, but it was now bitter. “I’m sorry, but… you know he won’t change.”

“No. No, I suppose he won’t.” You took a deep, shuddering breath. “I was never more than a tool for him. I did volunteer for this to get my answers… I didn’t realize how much the truth would sting.”

“Come,” Rauru said, leading you to a door. Inside was a small study that reminded you of your sister’s old laboratory. Part of it opened out to a view of a beautiful lake. Rauru gestured to a soft chair, while a servant construct served you a cup of warm tea. “My friend, it may not have meant to be, but I know you’ll find the right person when the time comes.”

You laughed weakly. “Not in this lifetime.”

The conversation drifted a bit before Rauru said, “Before you go, you should know, Mineru has nearly finished your request. Sonia has also done as you asked – though I must say it’s quite an unusual project.”

 “That’s a relief, and unusual as it is, I feel that we cannot be overprepared. Whatever we do, even if he does get his hands on a secret stone, he must never know about… that. I would sooner kill him or myself before that happens.”

“My friend, the darkness never expects danger from the shadows.” The king laughed hollowly. “Are you sure there is nothing I can do to convince you to come back?”

“I’m sorry, but I must finish my task.” You looked towards Zelda as she walked along the lakeshore. “To give Hyrule a future.”

“Then all I can do is wish you the best and hope you come home safe to us soon.” His third eye opened and focused on you with a calm but piercing stare. You could feel the gaze as if he was not looking at you in the dream, but you as Prince [Y/n], watching the dream from afar…

==============================

You nearly bolted out of bed. “Whoa, take it easy!” Link said, catching you.

“He’s working for Rauru! He’s a spy!”

“Slow down,” Link said, guiding you back. “Also, we have guests…”

“What? Who?” Your eyes shot across the room as you pulled the sheets up to your shoulders.

Link laughed. “Calm down, just some old friends. They have something important for us. Should I let them in?”

You quickly ran your hand through your hair to try and hide any signs of bed-head. “Sure, but-”

“It’s about Zelda.”

That changed everything. “Yeah, go ahead.”

Link disappeared around the corner for a moment, and you heard the inn room door creak open. He spoke in a hushed voice, urging them to let you rest. Instead, he received a scoff, and the visitors made their way around the corner.

“Ah I’m so glad to have found you.” Impa said, shuffling towards your bedside with Cado and Purah in tow. Ever loyal, Cado stood guard at the door. Link offered Impa a chair, but she waved him off. Link sat on the edge of the bed next to you. “Prince [Y/n], you seem to be recuperating.”

“Not quickly enough,” you muttered, leading to her smacking your hand. “Ow, what the hell?”

“Don’t use that tone with me, young man!”

“We’re literally the same age.”

Impa gave you a conniving grin. “I know, I just wanted to say that to you once.”

You let out a bark of a laugh. “You sure decided to relax for once now that you’re retired. I seem to remember someone harping on me for sneaking out of the castle.”

“At least until you paid her off with treats from the bakery,” Purah added.

“Everyone knows sweets keep you young,” Impa said.

Purah smirked, motioning to herself. “Beg to differ.”

“What brings you all here?” You asked, hoping to avert a sibling squabble. “I know you wouldn’t come to visit just because I got a little sick.”

Impa nodded. “Unfortunately yes, there’s another reason I’m here. I’m sure you’re aware of the massive geoglyphs that have appeared across Hyrule since the Upheaval?”

“They’re hard to miss,” Link muttered. “How did they show up anyway?”

“That’s what Cado and I have been investigating, but that led us to an unexpected place. Prince [Y/n], I’m sure you’re more familiar than anyone with the Forgotten Temple near Tabantha?”

How could you forget. “Oh hey, I’ve been wanting to explore down there, it’s been so long since I’ve been to the bottom of Tanagar Canyon.”

Link winced. “Please don’t joke about when you technically died.”

“Oh Link, you have to laugh at death when you get to our age,” Impa said.

“I’m the same age as both of you!”

“He’s no fun,” Impa sighed. “Anyway, the ancient temple there was a former stronghold of Hyrule under King Rauru, though it was ordered to be sealed after his death. What we found was… intriguing. An entire map of Hyrule with the geoglyphs marked on it, all twelve of them. What does that tell you?”

You thought for a moment. “The geoglyphs were there before, or they were planned to be hidden there by someone. Someone wants us to find all of these messages from the past.”

“So, we did,” Impa continued. “Cado and I traveled across the kingdom and were able to investigate almost all of them. Each of them had a pool of water that seemed unaffected by wind or heat.”

Purah referred to her notebook. “I tested the water sample every way I could, and it seems to be some kind of mystic salt water. That does track with our hypothesis… legends say that tears from a dragon never dry and can grant you forbidden knowledge should you drink from them.”

You deadpanned. “You didn’t.”

“Oh please! Give me a little credit!”

Impa smacked Purah’s arm. “Back to the point here, these tears… I can see something within them. They appear to be some visions of the past. It’s difficult to make out the images, especially with my eyes these days.”

“It’d be better if you just wore glasses,” Purah muttered. “Anyway, I was able to create a high-powered magnifying scope to help focus it and we were able to figure out the images, and you won’t believe what we saw.”

“Zelda,” you and Link said together.

“It was Zel-,” Purah frowned. “You two are no fun. How and why?”

You felt your body tense up, but Link rubbed your back. “You should tell them.”

With a sigh, you started to explain your dreams.

[dreamdepot]

'o';;

Art for @cucumber_LZ in Twitter(X).

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 12: Sage of Lightning

Previous < First > Next

The Lightning Temple does not go as planned as you find yourself guided into something more sinister. Will your dreams finally lead you to the truth? And will Link finally open up?

AO3 Wattpad or below!

With this chapter, three temples down and only one to go. We have a quick side quest next week, then time for Fire Temple!

This dream was much more relaxing as you felt a warm sea breeze brushing across your face. It was then you realized that you were a seagull in this dream, lazily spinning circles above a small but picturesque island. After the past few dreams with Ganondorf, this was more than a welcome change. Down below you could see this version of Link walking with a cute girl along a beach. You drifted lower to watch.

“You’d be surprised how much washes up on shore here,” the girl said, carrying a basket. She picked up a seashell. “Is this one of the shells you’re looking for?”

This Link shook his head, pulling out a different shell from his pack.

“Oh, I see, more of a spiral conch kind instead of a cowrie.”

You saw one a little further along the beach and swooped down to pick it up, hopping over to offer it to Link. The swordsman beamed, gently taking the shell from you.

“What a nice little guy!” The girl said. She smiled at you, and you decided to let her pet your head before taking flight again. “If I could have one wish… I’d wish to be a seagull. That way I could fly across the sea and sing for everyone…”

You flew off to a seaside village, picking a particularly comfy looking tree to rest in. The sea view and peaceful life here reminded you of something, though you couldn’t quite recall.

“Well, well, you’re a new one. You oughtn’t be here…” You turned to the sound of the voice, only to find an owl, watching sleepily in the nearby tree. Suddenly, you realized your dream body had transformed back into your normal Hylian form.

“Who said that?”

“Who indeed!” The Owl said, flapping its wings. “My goodness, it is rather rude to intrude on someone else’s dreams you know.”

“Intruding? You’re intruding on mine!”

The Owl blinked. “Perhaps so… it is odd, but I wonder what would cause two to dream about the same thing like this.”

“You’re not making sense.”

“It’s a dream, it really doesn’t have to make sense,” The Owl replied, preening its wings. “Her name is Marin by the way. Some people read it as Malin though. You’d do well to remember that.”

“Um… thanks?”

“You’re welcome. I do wonder though, what brings the Prince of Hyrule here to Koholint even if it is a dream?”

The surprise caught in your throat, but then you realized the pink polka-dotted egg at the top of the mountain certainly did make it seem obvious. “I’m not sure,” you finally said. “These dreams have been popping up more and more. To be honest, I’m starting to have trouble telling what’s real and what’s not.”

“Sometimes the line is a bit blurry, isn’t it?” The Owl seemed to chortle. “But a smart boy like you ought to figure it out in the end.”

“Yeah, but I don’t understand why I’m having these dreams in the first place.”

The Owl flopped over to a closer branch. “Don’t you know the old stories? Don’t you know why Hylians have long ears?”

The question was an odd one, but you remembered your mother’s stories. “They say it was to hear the whispers of the goddesses on the winds.”

“Exactly, whispers of the goddesses – Hyrule may have forgotten the goddesses, but the goddesses did not forget their children. You know that better than anyone, Champion of Din. Don’t you think these could perhaps be messages to help you?”

You rubbed your ear subconsciously. “Would be nice if it was a bit clearer.”

“Perhaps a long walk on the beach will help you to find clarity. You’d be surprised what the sea washes up.” The Owl blinked before plucking a stray feather. “What you should be asking is why the messages aren’t just coming from the goddesses.”

“What?”

“You’ve noticed the difference between the dreams, haven’t you? Think about it.” The world began to fade. “And think quickly, it be the nature of dreams to end.”

==============================

Honestly, being a seagull would’ve been pretty nice right now.

The gaping maw of the pyramid was not exactly a cozy sight as it led into darkness. Only two torches lit the entrance, leading into the cobweb and sand infested temple. Once again, your vision shifted, this time a brief flash of a golden pyramid in a world of darkness before snapping back.

“A once beautiful monument to the great warriors of the Gerudo…”

You were taken aback by how Ganondorf’s voice sounded almost wistful. He had been oddly quiet since you got to Gerudo Town – not that you were complaining. Regardless, you ignored him and ignited your torch, taking the first steps into the darkness.

“So, this is the Lightning Temple,” Riju said, casting the light of her torch over the wall. “They say the Makeela Clan helped to build it many generations ago. To see my ancestors’ legacy…”

“It’s a weird feeling, isn’t it?” You said, knowing it all too well. Riju nodded.

“Seems pretty quiet,” Link said, “especially compared to the others. You’d think the Gibdo would be crawling all over it.”

“Maybe because we fried most of them,” Riju said.

“We should be careful still,” you said. “An old pyramid like this could have traps, but more likely, the stones could be loo-AAHHHHH!” Suddenly the floor gave way, and you slipped down, down, down.

“[Y/n]! Are you okay?” Link called out.

You groaned and sat up. You must have fallen about thirty feet, and there was no good way to climb back up. “I’m fine! Just gonna feel it tomorrow…”

“Hang on, we’ll get a rope,” Riju called. “If we have one…”

“Wait a sec!” Thankfully your torch was still lit. You cast the light over the walls, finding a doorway leading to another hall. The torches lit themselves as if by magic. “There’s something down here. I’ll catch up with you.”

“Are you sure?” Link asked. “It’s not on the map.”

“I’ll be okay. It doesn’t seem like it’s very deep. I’ll teleport back up when I’m done.” You waved as they left for the rest of the temple while you continued onward. The light of your torch flickered on the walls, revealing a mix of Zonai and Gerudo art adorning the hall. The room led to a winding hallway that seemed to run the perimeter of the pyramid.

The air was stale and musty, and you pulled out your Sheikah mask to help with the dust. Even so, it felt as if death hung in the air. You recalled Zelda telling you stories of how pyramids were used to house the dead in distant lands. Perhaps the practice had made it to Hyrule as well, rather than only being used for temples. The strange corridors led much deeper than you expected. Your footsteps echoed down the empty stone halls. Even the Gibdos seemed to be ignoring this part of the temple. You hoped that was not an omen.

The room opened up for a moment, revealing a gold brazier that also lit itself. Here the wall carvings were a bit cruder, reminding you of the ones under the castle. As you stepped forward to examine them, you heard a pebble skitter down the hall. You spun around, brandishing your torch. At first, you saw nothing but dancing shadows.

Then, you saw a man standing at the end of the hallway. He wore an ornate but light costume, decently well-adjusted to the desert. He wore a green sarong and a clasped green shawl around his shoulders. Nothing stood out to you more than a large glowing yellow-green horn headdress that reminded you of Farosh, attached to his forehead. Long waves of white hair cascaded down onto his shoulders, and a white scarf covered his mouth and nose. You then realized you had seen him before, just from his eyes.

“Hey!” You called out. Before you could say any more, he dashed deeper into the pyramid. Your feet moved on their own as you followed, first at a walk but soon at a full run, dropping your torch.

The corridor opened up into a massive hall lined with statues. The farther down the hall, the more the walls narrowed in. Oddly, the statues were all upside down, carved to hang from the ceiling. Each was a Gerudo warrior holding their weapon pointing down – or up from their perspective – towards the bottom of the hall. Then, you realized what this was: the pyramid was actually two, with one inverted.

The stranger stopped at the floor’s edge, looking down to the bottom. “Hey!” You said, running to him. He held up his hand. He was staring at… something. You realized the base of the inverted pyramid was crisscrossed with cables and paper talismans that had seen better days.

At the bottom, bound and surrounded with runic circles was a massive claymore, built for a giant of a warrior. It was black as a stormy night, and while it didn’t hold the same toxic feeling of the gloom, there was something distinctly evil within the blade. A large crack ran up from one edge. Even if one were able to lift the gigantic sword, it wouldn’t be much use in a real battle.

“What is that doing here,” you muttered. You looked up to the stranger. He was hard to read with most of his face covered, but his red eyes were filled with fire. Suddenly, he bolted off again, running down the stairs to the bottom. “Wait a second! Maybe we shouldn’t mess with the obviously evil thing?”

You ran as quickly as you could down the spiral of corridors. Even with your military training, it was almost impossible to keep up with the stranger. It was as if he flew along the ground, fleet as the wind. Finally, he came to a stop at the edge of the bottom floor, leaving you to almost crash into him.

“It’s up to you now, Prince of Hyrule,” he said in a gruff voice that was closer to yours than you expected.

“Wait, are you… me?”

He ignored your question. “Your Trial of the Sword begins,” he said pointing to the weapon. “If you think you can stand against the Demon King, prove yourself.”

“I think I’ve proven I’m no fan of his for quite a while now,” you grumbled, looking to the hunk of metal.

“Don’t worry, you won’t be alone in this fight,” he said.

“What do you mean?” You turned back to him, but he had disappeared, leaving only a small bag behind. You opened it and frowned, only finding salt. You remembered how Impa always used salt to purify objects or to set spirits to rest. “Okay, not reassuring. And you’re really going to say I won’t be alone and then ditch me?”

You took a few steps into the bottom chamber. Having a myriad of statue swords pointing at you was a little unnerving, but not as much as the sword that seemed to emanate evil. The temperature in the room dropped suddenly, and you turned, expecting to see the spirit or perhaps a monster, but instead you saw a friend. “Sharpe!”

Sharpe waved at you, with a small smile. Instead of de-aging to how you remembered him, he only went far enough back to be about the same age as you. “What are you doing here?” He pointed at you and shrugged. “Fair point, but it wasn’t by choice, I fell down here.” Sharpe rolled his eyes, silently laughing. “Oh, come on, you’re the guy who kept tripping over his own feet anytime Zelda walked by.” He stuck out his tongue at you.

You turned your attention to the elephant – or rather sword – in the room. “The giant sword… In my dream, the Hero of Twilight mentioned a giant sword at the Arbiter’s Grounds. If I remember correctly, it was a sword possessed by a malevolent spirit. Maybe he just wants me to put it to rest?” Sharpe trembled beside you. “Oh c’mon, it’s fine. We can totally take this thing down. Question is, how do we wake it up?”

You took another step closer, despite Sharpe’s protests. Careful to avoid scuffing the rune circles or disturb the talismans, you crept up to the side of the weapon. “Oh wow, the poor thing… it must’ve been beautiful back in its heyday. There’s actually a pattern on it, like diamonds.”

Sharpe glared at you, hand resting on a spectral knife. “What? Its – ouch!” Your hand cramped as your Triforce began to glow. The feeling passed as quickly as it came, but that feeling quickly morphed into dread. The screech of metal on stone filled the room, as the sword began to shake.

You leaped back, drawing your weapon beside Sharpe. One by one the cords snapped, and the rune circles began to burn away. You tightened your grip on your weapon, which seemed to glow brighter as the demon sword rose.

Then, Tauro’s words echoed back to you. “Below the heart of Gerudo lies the ancient servant of the Demon King,” you muttered looking at the terrible sword. Tension clung to your body as you realized you were very wrong. “Wait, if it’s his sword…”

You watched carefully as the claymore began to tremble. Sharpe hid behind you as the sword shifted right in front of you. You quickly realized that this was not the dreaded monster, Death Sword. As the sword became more human-shaped, it became clear. “Oh Hylia…”

The spirit of the evil sword was less a demon and more a shambling monster, cracked skin revealing a hollow shell, empty eyes that lacked all of his former wit. His ebony body was tarnished with rust, and his once beautiful diamond crest was cracked and chipped. “You… how dare you…” He wheezed, his voice like a grinder. The glamorous form you’d heard of in stories was a far cry from his true decayed form now.

“Demon Lord Ghirahim,” you said.

“You… you left me to die… trapped for eons…” He snapped his fingers, drawing a black rapier. You barely blinked before he charged you. With a hair’s breath, you dodged him and he smashed into the wall.

A terrible thought crossed your mind. Mistress Fi, the spirit of the Master Sword, was well cared for by generations of heroes. But the defeated spirit of the Demon Sword had been left to decay, forgotten for generations. Ganondorf never used the same sword twice – after all, you held one of his former weapons yourself.

This was not going to be a duel to the death. Killing Ghirahim’s remnants was mercy.

The zombie-like Ghirahim shrieked, and terrible corpses began to rise from the ground. “ReDeads… Hylia dammit…” you groaned. “Sharpe, a little help?” He waved his hands at you, his usual protest of not being a fighter. “Okay yeah, but you’re the royal maestro! Any songs that might help?”

He started to wave again at you, but then stopped and snapped his fingers. He grabbed his ocarina and quickly started to play a high tune with a tremolo: the Song of the Sun. A bright, soothing light filled the tomb and the ReDeads hissed in pain as they began to decay. “Perfect!” you shouted, cleaving the corpses with your sword. Doing so left you open, and the decayed spirit charged again.

“You dare use that… inferior weapon to replace me!” Ghirahim screeched as your swords clashed.

“Replace you? What?”

“You replaced me!” He hissed.

You looked into his eyes, realizing instead of a beautiful pearlescent form, they were dark, clouded, and cracked. “Ghirahim, are you blind?”

“Why would you care?!” He growled, summoning flying knifes to attack you.

You quickly knocked them away, parrying his follow-up blow. “I’m not Ganondorf, or the Demon King, or Demise, or whoever your old master was. I only hold the Triforce of Power.”

For a moment, he stumbled. “Lies!” He said striking again.

“I’m not!” You said again. “I’m, uh, nobody really. But I am trying to stop the Demon King.”

Ghirahim’s strikes grew sloppier, but no less passionate. You waited for the perfect moment, and hit him with a flurry rush, driving your sword home as it pierced the crystal in his chest.

He froze, hilted on your sword, his own weapon falling from his hand with a clatter. “I’m sorry,” you said. “You might be evil, but to be abandoned like that… you must have been so lonely.”

“Left me… to rot… how… how could he!” Ghirahim hissed, tears of molten metal leaking from his eyes. His legs collapsed, beginning to rust.

“I’m sorry he hurt you too, just like so many others.”

“Hurts… it hurts…”

“It’s okay, you can rest now.” You knelt next to him. He reached out his hand and took yours as he grew still. His body grew ashen, before rusting on top of your blade and falling to dust. In your hand sat the fifth piece of the Triforce, pulsing with a calm light. You closed your hand over it and salted the dust that remained. “Rest in peace, spirit of the demon sword.”

You stood and stretched. “You always said you wanted to see what one of my trips was like, though I didn’t expect ever doing it like this,” you teased the still shivering Sharpe. You tried to hug Sharpe, forgetting for a moment he was a ghost. He gave you an awkward shrug as your hands passed through his chilling form. “Right, sorry.”

Slipping the Triforce piece into your pack, you then remembered his songs. “Since you’re here, can you please explain what the heck you meant by the Song of Time?”

Sharpe just gave you a cheeky grin, but the fire in his eyes told you he had some kind of plan. “I wish you could just tell me.” He sighed, sadly shaking his head. He mimicked grabbing you, then a person dying, before pointing back at you with a frown. “Oh… so if you tried grabbing me again like you did before it might…” He nodded. “Yikes okay, yeah. Charades it is then, unless you know a fortune teller?”

He shook his head. Then, with a smile, he tapped his nose. “Okay ready.” He opened his hand. “Five words.” He shook his head then opened his hand again before pointing to his ocarina. “Five… songs?” He nodded fervently. He held up one finger. “Part one, Song of Time.”

He brightened, then held up two fingers, playing a few notes. “Part two, Song of Healing.”

Sharpe was giddy then held up three fingers. This time, Sharpe played a mournful song that wasn’t familiar at all. “I don’t know that one.”

Sharpe frowned but also nodded, pointing to his ear. “Okay, I’ll listen carefully.” He played it again, a slow medley, that made your soul stir. Part of it reminded you of a funeral dirge. You sang it back to him and he flashed you a thumbs up before playing it again, your voice harmonizing with his ocarina. A low rumble filled the pyramid, as the statues sheathed their weapons and the floor of the pyramid rose, folding into the rest as the floors rose to the top. “Powerful song, whatever it is.”

A blue portal of light appeared. Sharpe smiled at you, giving you a little bow. “Wait, what about the other two?” Sharpe looked a bit sad, already fading away. “Alright then, I’ll see you again soon. Promise.” Sharpe nodded, fading away completely. As you stepped into the light, you felt your stomach flip as your body lifted into the air before you teleported away.

You reappeared atop the pyramid, thankfully next to Link and Riju. “You would not believe what was down there,” you said, holding up the piece of the Triforce.

“Sounds like some adventure,” Riju laughed. Link however seemed more stiff.

You gave him a hug. “Promise I was fine, I had some help. What about you guys?”

“See for yourself,” Riju said, revealing her secret stone on a golden earring. You then realized there were chunks of Gibdos everywhere. “I think they were a little mad we killed their queen. You missed all the fun, your majesty.”

“Maybe not all the fun,” you said. “How about we trade stories on the way back to Gerudo Town?”

==============================

There was something so serene about the full moon on the desert sands. That didn’t mean Gerudo Town was quiet, far from it in fact. While the damage from the Gibdos had yet to be repaired, the town was lit with paper lanterns and filled with music and food. Padda had prepared a banquet for the entire town with enough food to feed an army. It didn’t hurt that Furosa also kept the Noble Pursuits flowing like water.

You hummed to yourself as you loaded up a plate with food, balancing two Noble Pursuits with your other hand. “Where did you learn that?” Riju asked.

“Oh, my old friend, he… appeared as a ghost and taught it to me? I know it sounds crazy.”

“Not any crazier than anything else that we’ve seen,” Riju said, grabbing a few slices of hydromelon.

“So, you know it?”

“Yes, it’s an ancient song of our people, called the Requiem of Spirit. Maybe it’s fitting he played it for you as a ghost?”

“Maybe so,” you muttered. The Song of Time, the Song of Healing, and now the Requiem of Spirit. All three clearly had something to do with passing, both in a time and spirit sense, but it wasn’t clear what Sharpe meant by the songs. “Oh, have you seen Link?”

“He said he’d be waiting for you up top,” Riju said. “[Y/n], asking as a friend, is everything okay? Link seems to be… off.”

“That’s what I hope to find out. You don’t mind if we disappear for a bit?”

Riju snorted. “Everyone here is about five minutes away from being too drunk to remember their name. You’re going to be fine. I’ll cover for you if anyone asks.”

For half a second, Riju was replaced by Urbosa, though this vision was more welcome. “Thanks Riju.”

“Of course, now go take care of your swordsman.”

You climbed up to the elevated canals atop the buildings, carefully balancing the plate of food and the two drinks. You ran along the edge. While the party carried on below, it was surprisingly quiet up top. Link sat on the edge of the town wall, facing the sea of sand. “Hey, thought you’d be hungry.” You held the food out to him, but he didn’t move. “Link?”

He suddenly jolted in surprise. “Oh, sorry, I… didn’t hear you.”

You sat beside him and set the food down. “Ooo-kay… is everything alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you?” He didn’t respond, but that perhaps spoke louder than any words he could have said. There was some hidden pain in his eyes; it was heartbreaking to see. Link was always so good at hiding it all behind that mask of bravery he always wore. “Link, please, tell me what’s wrong.”

Your knight looked out across the sands, avoiding your gaze. “I’m… scared, [Y/n].” Finally, a crack in the mask, though not exactly what you expected. “I’m so scared.”

“Of what?” You hated how weak your voice sounded as you tried to be strong for him.

“Of losing you.” Link looked down at the sand. “When we were at the castle, and you fell… I knew deep down you’d be okay, but seeing you fall into an abyss again? Seeing you almost die almost broke me. I can’t… I can’t handle that happening again. I would do anything if it meant I could make sure you’d be safe forever. I… don’t want to lose you.

“Here we are, always having to fix the messes of Hyrule – and I get it. It’s what we’re meant to do. But…” he sighed. “It feels like we never get a chance for just us. When was the last time you and I just got to relax? Don’t get me wrong, I love going on adventures and quests with you – I wouldn’t give it up for all of the treasure in the world! But… why can’t we just have a lazy weekend at home once in a while? Why can’t you and I just – I don’t know, go fishing or work in a garden or maybe watch the auroras? Instead, it’s always going to do something else. It’s always someone else who needs us.”

He paused, and you nodded, encouraging him to keep going. “I know, it sounds pathetic when I say it. It’s all part of you being a prince. You have responsibilities, you have to serve the people and lead our kingdom. I know and accept that; it’s the same as being your knight. But some days, I don’t want to share you.” He groaned, holding his head in his hands. “It’s terrible, it’s greedy, it’s selfish.”

“No, no, not at all,” you said, rubbing his back. “We should’ve talked after we met back up in Lookout before heading out. You’re absolutely not selfish wanting time for just us. Prince and knight or not, we’re supposed to look out for each other, and that absolutely includes time for us to just be together.”

You kept rubbing Link’s back. When he stayed quiet, you decided to continue. “Y’know, growing up, all of Mother’s fairy tales made it sound like being a Prince was supposed to be fun and glamorous. Hey, I acknowledge my privilege, sure, but I wouldn’t call anything in this life being exactly easy either. If I really had the choice, I’d want us to run away. Just run far away together to a little homestead all our own – far from responsibilities and giant monsters… but we can’t do that.” You sighed. “We really haven’t slowed down after the Calamity, have we?”

“No, not really.”

“Peace sure wasn’t peaceful,” you laughed weakly. “I guess it beats dealing with all this though.”

The two of you sat together quietly for a moment. You wrapped an arm around Link, pulling him into you. You let your finger trace little circles on his arm, and you could feel his breathing start to slow.

“Some knight I am… cracking like this.”

“That’s a load of crap,” you said. “You’re the best knight in the world. You destroyed the Calamity and saved my sister – and me multiple times!” You turned his face towards yours. “Link, just because you’re my knight doesn’t mean you have to be “on” all the time. I’m your partner, remember? You can talk to me any time when something’s bothering you.”

His gaze softened. “I know, I just… I feel like it’s getting harder to face these monsters and make sure you’re safe.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I’m not made of glass. I’m going to be by your side no matter what.”

“But I’m your knight! I’m supposed to protect you!” His voice fell off and he stared at his scarred hands. “I… I don’t know if I can protect you from… him.”

There it is. To be honest, you had the same fear, just the other way around. Part of you thought about the dreams again, but, looking at Link, you knew tonight was not the time to talk about them. “Link, this is bigger than anything we’ve ever faced – perhaps more than anything our ancestors faced. The way we get through it is together.”

“I’ve already lost you once… twice… Even with you falling down today and exploring on your own, I was anxious the whole time. If I lost you again… I can’t go through that again, [Y/n], I can’t.”

You guided his face to yours as you pressed a gentle kiss against his lips. By the time you pulled away, you could see a tear rolling down his cheek. You brushed it away. “You won’t lose me. I’ve fought my way back from death itself, just like you did. I don’t think any force on this world or the next can keep you and I apart.”

“But…”

You shushed him, brushing his hair back. “I promise, no matter what happens, I’ll always make time for you. I think the people of Hyrule can understand if we need a break.”

Link smiled weakly, letting his forehead fall onto your shoulder. “We’re almost there. We just need to save the Gorons and then… take care of Ganondorf.”

“Right.” You held him close. “You don’t always have to be the courageous knight, my love. Let me be your courage tonight. How about a quiet night at the spa? Just you and me, no need for us at the celebration.”

“Not yet,” he said. “Let’s stay here, just a little longer.”

And so, you did. As the Gerudo set off their fireworks and the desert was filled with song, the Prince and his Knight sat in quiet harmony.