A/N: How is everyone doing today? I hope you're all doing well. I know that I probably should be working on my other sixhundred stories (not really) that I haven't finished, but oh well. Anyways, I do have a few things to say about this fanfiction though. Don't have high expectations of me finishing this. I usually rarely ever finish my stories. The main reason I post them to sites like is because I want feedback to see how I'm doing with my writing style, and hopefully some constructive criticism (which is greatly appreciated!). So, again, this probably won't be finished and I apologize for that. If it is, well, then, yay me I guess. Anyways, onto the story!
Summary- Hyrule is in danger as darkness is just inches of falling over the Realm of Light once more, as well as the Realm of Twilight. It's only mere seconds that can change everything as their future unravels.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Zelda, nor do I own the characters. I only own my OC's which contribute to a fan story.
WARNING: THIS FIC CONTAINS RAPE, POSSIBLE SELF HARM, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, INTENSE INJURIES, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN! I AM SORRY TO THOSE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS SO I WILL TRY TO PUT WARNINGS TO MAJOR SCENES.
Chapter 1: Everything's Changed
The sky is a dull gray as he stars out the window of his quiet house. He can hear the quiet sounds from Epona as she peacefully grazes in her spot below next to the base of the tree here his house has been build upon.
He had returned home not too long ago. A week, at the least. He had been hoping for everything to return to normal; to how it used to be before all the chaos had ensued. But it didn't. And it probably never will, much to Link's disappointment.
Too many people had been hurt in the long time that Zant and Gannondorf had ruled. Colin had grown up and now carries a wooden sword on his back in hopes of protecting those he loves from the horrors of the world around him. Ilia jumps at the slightest of sounds and is unsettled around bows and arrows, unlike before where she would most likely scold the person for the weapon being "dangerous". Even Talo has grown up a little, searching the perimeter of the village and even asking the mayor to set up a watch tower (to which the mayor turned down).
All the adults are wary of anything entering and exiting the village now, even if it is just a squirrel. Rusl is even on the defensive, often going out to patrol Faron Woods to make sure that no more monsters are lurking there. Uli has tried to stop him on multiple occasions, but Rusl just promises he'll be home in an hour or two. It's honestly quite sad, watching Uli try to hold back tears as her husband leaves to keep the village safe.
Link doesn't blame them. He himself has changed drastically over the long span of his adventures. He's grown stronger and more tougher, almost immune to things that can hurt him. He has grown more wary of who he can trust. He finds himself longing to be left in the familiar darkness that he often found himself in, wishing that a familiar imp will come to cheer him up like she usually does.
But she doesn't. She isn't even there anymore and the fact that he will never see her again weighs heavy in his heart. The weight of the world feels like its crashing down on his shoulders, too heavy to carry alone anymore. He just wants to see her face, one last time.
The soft breeze of cool air blowing in through the open window makes the tears on his cheeks feel cold, and yet he almost feels content. He has always liked the rain, which is why he hopes that it does rain soon so he can calm his mind from the horrors that haunt his dreams late at night.
A deep hunger gnaws at the pit of his stomach. He finds himself longing to turn back into a wolf. To just get up and run free on four legs without a care in the world, because he can. And he almost does, except for a tiny thread holding him close to Ordon Village, forcing him to stay despite the fact that he obviously doesn't feel happy anymore.
Midna had left him the stone that turns him into the blue eyed beast. He would be fine as long as it doesn't touch his skin, and even if it does it wouldn't do anything unless hanging from around his neck. And if that happens then all he has to do is slip the rope off that holds the stone in order to turn back into a human.
Even in this deep of thought, he still manages to catch movement down below with his sharp eyes. This sends him on the defensive as his muscles instinctively tense. He reaches back with his left hand for a sword that doesn't exist on his back anymore. He freezes when he doesn't feel the hilt of his trustworthy blade, his heart sinking into his stomach with a familiar longing to fight and defend; to protect those he loves. An instinct that will never go away.
"Hey Link!" A familiar voice calls from down below, a few feet away from the ladder leading up to his house.
Link slightly jumps at the voice, not expecting the "movement" he had seen to talk. He had been too distracted with his thoughts to realize that the "movement" had been Ilia instead of some random Bokoblin.
Cursing to himself he leans forwardsa nd looks out the window, down at Ilia who waves up at him with a bright smile.
"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to come fishing with us?" She asks, lowering her arm though the smile still stays on her face. "The other kids are all headed to fish beside the water mill. Besides, it'll do you good to come outside."
"Um, sure." Link replies slowly, as if testing his own words. He hadn't talked much to the village folk ever since the day he got back, and with his drastic change of clothing-seeing as he now wears the Hero's Tunic-and the fact that he hadn't been there for a while, he felt awkward and left out. Like he doesn't belong anymore.
He still feels that way.
"I'll be down here waiting. You better hurry up! Talo gets impatient!" Ilia calls up once more as Link pulls away from his window. He can't help but smile slightly as he climbs the ladders down to his main floor. It sounds like the same old Talo.
He frowns once more with a heavy sigh as he gets to the main floor, a cold chill running throughout his body. Even if it sounds like the same old Talo, he knows that Talo is far from it.
The air feels more warmer on the outside than it does inside his house, despite the air still being chilly and crisp. Signs that winter will be there soon, seeing as everyone is starting to stalk up on food. You can't grow crops in the winter.
"Would you get down here already before I have to drag you down myself?" Ilia jokes with a soft smile, catching Link's attention one more. He looks down at Ilia, slightly raising an eyebrow as a sadness tugs on his heart.
"Sorry," he mutters quietly as he shuts the door behind him. He walks towards the end of the ledge and looks down at the ladder. Without any warning he quickly jumps and he can't help but smirk when he hears Ilia's exclamation of alarm as he lands perfectly on two feet, knees bent.
"Link!" Ilia shouts as Link stands upright once more, turning his head in Ilia's direction. "Why would you do that? You scared me! I thought you would have broken something! Please, don't do that to me again."
He frowns and stares wordlessly at Ilia's flustered face, her cheeks slightly pink from yelling at him for so long. He suddenly feels guilty as he looks in the direction of the village, resisting the urge to turn around and take Epona up to the spring. 'Of course she would react that way idiot, she can't trust anything now.' He thinks to himself.
"I'm sorry." He says after realizing he hadn't replied to Ilia's scared rant. He glances over at her to see that her face had softened, a sad look crossing her green eyes as she moves to stand beside him.
"It's okay, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." She says as she hooks her arm around his, almost as if she's hugging his arm. "I know...I know that what you've been through can't possibly compare to what anyone in the village has been through. I guess we just need to learn how to get used to all the change."
"Yeah," Link says stiffly as he pulls his arm away from Ilia. "We should get to the kids, we don't want to keep them waiting."
Ilia doesn't say anything, only nods. Link catches the disappointment that crosses her face as they head down the short path to Ordon Village. They don't say anything to one another for the longest time as they just walk.
The village is quite, as everyone is most likely inside storing their food and clothes for the winter. Something Link could care less to do, he could always hunt in the forest for food as a wolf.
"What's been going on with you lately?" Ilia finally asks as they enter the quiet village. Link glances at her to see Ilia staring down at the ground, a frown on her face. "You haven't come down to the village in almost a week. All we've seen of you is that one day you returned and that's all. You haven't even helped Fado with the farm."
"I've...been busy." Link replies simply as he looks away, catching sight of the kids who are eagerly waiting at the half bridge. He feels another pull at his heart when he sees the wooden sword on Colin's back as he scolds Talo for something reckless.
"That's not an answer." Ilia almost snaps as she looks up at Link, obviously frustrated with him. "Everyone's worried about you. Rusl said that he's tried multiple times to talk to you but you never answer your door."
"I've got a lot of stuff going on, okay? Stop bothering me about the little things." Link snaps as he glares at Ilia, his blue eyes burning with annoyance at Ilia's pestering.
A fearful look crosses her face and she seems to lose some color in her cheeks. She takes a few steps away from him, as if she's afraid that he's going to murder her right then and there.
"I guess some of us have changed for the worse." Ilia snaps as she speeds up. Link sighs as he watches her go, the lonely hole in his heart growing bigger. Ever since Midna had left he's felt so alone without her, like a piece of him is missing. He's grown to rely on Midna throughout his adventures, it's weird not having someone to boss him around anymore.
He enjoys the little quiet he has before he makes it to where the kids are. Ilia refuses to look at him as the other kids run over to him before he even makes it to the half bridge, their excitement radiating like the sun on a hot summer's day.
"Link!" Talo shouts as he reaches Link, the others not too far behind. "It feels like ages since we've seen you! Where have you been? Did you go on another adventure? Have you been sleeping? Why are you still wearing that? Do you have any new tricks to show us?"
"Talo, give Link some room to breathe," Beth scolds as she places her hands on her hips. She narrows her eyes at the young boy, as if she's trying to scare him off.
"Oh, by the way," Talo says as a mischievous glint crosses his eyes. "Beth has been really worried about you. She'd whine all day about how you're probably hurt and need a 'real woman' to look after you."
"I did not!" Beth shouts as she hits Talo over the head, her face turning red. "I didn't say any of that! And I wasn't worried! I knew Link could handle himself. It's Colin who was worried, asking his dad everyday if he had any luck on talking to Link."
"Weren't any of you worried?" Colin asks, looking at Talo, then Malo, and then Beth. "We didn't know if he had gotten hurt or not. We didn't even know if he was still there."
"Oh stop being a baby," Talo sighs as he rolls his eyes, Malo nodding in agreement. Beth only shakes her head while Ilia glances over her shoulder to see what's going on.
"Guys, stop bothering Colin about worrying," Link says as he ruffles Colin's hair, a forced smile on his lips as he kneels down in front of the four. "It's nice that he worried about me. It shows that he cares, and deep down I know that deep down, you three probably worried as well."
"As if!" Beth shouts as she crosses her arms and glares at Link. "I knew that you were okay, these idiots were just overreacting."
"I was not!" Talo shouts as he gets up in Beth's face, their noses pressing against each other.
"Calm down, you'll scare the fish away," Malo says nonchalantly as he stares at Talo and Beth, emotionlessly.
"Malo's right guys, let's start fishing instead of arguing all day." Link says as he stands up once more, a smile still plastered on his face. "It'll start raining by the time you stop arguing."
"Talo started it," Beth mutters under her breath as the four follow Link to the little half bridge where a stool is sitting next to a bucket and a fishing rod.
"My dad let us borrow his fishing rod," Colin says with a shy smile as he holds it up to Link. "He didn't have any bait left though."
"That's fine, tell him I said thanks," Link replies with a smile as he sits down on the stool. He glances up at Ilia who instantly looks away, sticking her nose up in the air with her arms crossed.
"What's her problem?" Beth whispers to Talo as Link tosses the hook into the water. "She's ignoring Link."
"It's trouble between the lovebirds," Talo replies with a snicker, a hand covering his mouth to hold back laughter.
"Link's playin' heard to get so Ilia got mad."
Link discretely glances over at the two, an amused look in his blue eyes. Ever since he had turned into his wolf form the first time, his senses seemed to have increased. They still aren't as sharp as they would be in his wolf form, but he could still easily catch the hushed words shared between the two children.
"Would you two quit it? There's nothing like that going on," Colin says as he glares at the two.
"Would you wake up already Colin? Can't you see? Ilia totally has something for Link," Beth says with a smirk.
"Can't you see it? It's clear as day. I'm sure that even Link knows about it."
"Is this really what you talk about in your spare time?" Malo asks as he glares at the three. "Whatever, I'm just here to catch some fish so shut up."
The rest of the fishing was spent relatively quiet, except for the occasional hushed arguments between the kids which Malo would stop shortly after, which amused Ilia. She still refused to talk to Link though.
It started raining after about an hour, in which Link had caught five fish. He had grown quite skilled at catching fish, seeing as it was one of the main food sources he had on his journey. Even Midna seemed to enjoy it, though not as much as she would other foods from the Light Realm.
"You all should probably head back to your houses now," Link says as he stands up, picking the bucket up by the handle. He glances over at Ilia who glares for a few seconds before looking away, focusing on something else entirely. "It's gonna start raining pretty hard soon."
"How do you know?" Talo asks skeptically as he narrows his eyes at Link.
Link only smiles and ruffles Talo's hair, chuckling at the protest he gets in return. "I just know. Call it somewhat of a sixth sense."
"What about the fish?" Malo asks, frowning slightly as he looks into the bucket.
"Each of you get one," Link replies as he hands the bucket to Ilia. Taken by surprise Ilia almost drops the bucket but quickly catches herself, glaring at Link afterwards. "I gotta get home and do some things. I'll see you all later."
Link turns and walks in the direction of his house, the sound of the rain calming his stressed mind. He breathes in deeply, taking in the nice smell of wet grass and mud. It's something that Midna seemed to like about the Like Realm.
"Hey Link!" Colin shouts, catching Link's attention. He turns around and sees Colin take a few running steps towards him, only to stop. A determined look is in his baby blue eyes as he stares at Link directly in his eyes.
"When...when will we see you again?"
"I don't know, but you will." Link replies, an air of seriousness around him as he makes eye contact with Colin. Link's eyes are an intense blue, almost forcing Colin to look away from the intensity. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
Colin nods, a smile brightening his face. "Okay, I'll try not to worry."
"Colin, come on!" Ilia calls, getting their attention. "The rain is gonna start getting worse soon! You'll wanna get home before that."
"See ya later Colin," Link says with a smile as he turns and stars walking away, a soft smile on his face. 'Maybe I can heal.' He thinks to himself as he glances over his shoulder at the kids.
Little did he know that fresh wounds will be cut deeper and deeper until they can't go any deeper.
A/N: So sort of a little introduction there. How do you all like that little cliffy eh? I'm sorry. I should probably restrain from doing those, seeing as I most likely won't finish this story. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!
Please favorite, review, follow this story! It means a lot (even though I probably won't finish the story).