Death opened way to darkness.
Darkness opened way to Light.
A bright light, swimming in my vision, as I awoke to a voice whispering in my ear.
It was soothing, yet urgent, like the rushing water of river rapids.
As the device encasing my body opened, I took a breath of freedom from my prison and lifeline.
Feeling returned to me as I heard the words that began my quest.
"Open your eyes."
Link hummed for a moment, leaning over his desk. He wore a simple cotton shirt and baggy trousers, the Master Sword and Hylian shield propped up on the corner of his bed. His Champion tunic laid out on the bed.
It had been a week since his trip to the Korok Forest, and judging from sparring sessions with Twilight, the Sword's power was increased exponentially, as was his ability to wield it.
Yet his experiences within the sword were, at best, cloudy. As if they might have happened, or they didn't at all.
All he knew was that it hurt...a lot.
Dipping his quill into the inkwell, his hand flew over the parchment, writing with speed.
Ever since Ganon had been defeated, he had attempted to settle down and write a memoir of sorts, of his adventures and mindset.
So, maybe, his own descendants could learn a thing or two.
A knock on his door, accompanied by Zelda's voice brought him from his work.
"Link! May I come in?" She called.
"Yes!" He called back, sliding the sheet away and grabbing another one, continuing to write.
The door clicked and in walked the Princess, in her white dress, in her arms a bundle.
"I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" Zelda said, observing his cluttered desk.
"Not at all." He said hastily, putting the quill away and turning in his chair. "What's up?"
"Well, I wanted to to know what you were going as for the Fall Festival." She sat on the bed. "I was hoping I could get something to match."
"Fall Festival?" He asked, curious. "Do tell."
"You don't remember?" Zelda blinked, surprised. "Are you familiar with Masquerade balls? With the Masks?"
"Yeah, I attended a few as a Guard when I was training."
"It's like that, but a Festival. It's hasn't been celebrated since Calamity Ganon decimated Hyrule, and now that Castle Town is mostly rebuilt, I'd like to continue having it." She smiled. "I'd also like to host a Ball afterwards."
"That sounds like fun!" Link said happily. "So you just wear masks? Or is it a full costume thing?"
"Either-or. You can just cut out a paper mask if you want." She hummed. "But there's a Mask Shop in town that I'd like to browse, if you'd accompany me?"
He smiled. "I'd be happy to, M'lady."
The door opened once more, Twilight stepping in. In his arm was a bundle, his face soft and...forlorn.
"Zelda, can you step out for a moment?" He said, setting the bundle on the bed. "I'd like to speak to Wild."
"Oh, sure." She said quickly, standing up and exiting the room, closing the door behind her.
"Something wrong, Twilight?" Link asked, eyeing the bundle.
"Wild, this past week, you've made me proud." His ancestor said. "You've conquered your inner turmoil and became stronger doing so."
"Well, I can't say I've conquered it..." Link said, scratching his head.
"Well, I say you've done more than enough to count for it." He remarked firmly, motioning towards the bundle. "I spent this past week searching Ordon for this, it's the only thing I could think of that meant...well, anything."
Link stood up and walked over to the bed, grasping the cloth and unwrapping it.
Inside was a green tunic.
Not the Tunic the monks had given him. Not the Green Hylian Tunic he had worn a week earlier.
But Twilight's tunic.
The Real Tunic.
Next to it was a green cap.
Link ran his hand along the fabric, it was soft and comfortable.
"Is this...yours?" He asked, mesmerized.
"Yes, it is. It was mine, and my own Ancestor, the Hero of Time." Twilight mused. "I had buried it behind my house, back in my era. Took me a while to recover it, but thankfully it was preserved."
Link gave him a look. "But you can just give me a copy of your tunic, you don't have to give me the real thing."
"Wild, anything I give you will disappear if I die." Twilight explained. "This is the real deal, it will not disappear, no matter my state. You've grown so much in these past years and I'm truly proud to call you my descendant."
"I call you Wild.." He went quiet for a moment, putting his finger to his chin "...not because it fit your destiny, but because...it was the name of my Son."
Link's eyes widened, intrigued by the revelation.
"You look so much like him, and when he grew up to be a Knight, I was just as proud as I am now." Twilight smiled. "You made me relive one of the happiest moments of my life."
"Really?" Link looked down at the Tunic for a moment, then smiled. "Well, I'm glad I could help, I guess."
"But hey..." Twilight put a hand on his shoulder. "If you want to continue wearing your Champion's Tunic, you are free to. You're still part of the group after all. But when you wear this tunic, wear it with pride. It's our lineage, our history."
"I will, Thank you." Link smiled, which Twilight returned. "You say this like it's goodbye."
Twilight rolled his eyes, chuckling and ruffling his hair. "You aren't that lucky, unfortunately."
"Hmm...Twilight, have you considered moving to the Ordona Kingdom?" Link suggested, folding the Tunic. "You could even go to Ordon Village too."
Twilight cupped his chin. "Hmm...Well, it wouldn't be home necessarily. Besides, I've already got a home here."
Link perked up. "You do?"
"Uh..." Twilight frowned, closing his eyes in thought. "I didn't mean to tell you that, but yes. I own a Tavern now, down the south road in Castle Town."
"'Twilight's Tavern'?" Link mused, setting the Tunic on top of his Dresser. "Has a nice ring to it, but why a Tavern specifically?"
"Well, during my Adventure, I joined up with a group called the Resistance, who's headquarters was a Bar in Castle Town. The Bar owner was a member of the group. It was convenient to say the least."
"Neat." Link said. "You could pick up on rumors and relay it to Zelda and Me."
"Kinda part of my plan, but sure." Twilight whistled. "Hey, Princess! You can come back in!"
Zelda stepped back inside, looking a bit displeased at having to wait so long. Link wasted no time in asking her about the bar.
"Yes, I am aware of it Link." She said passively. "I had to approve it and Twilight has done more than enough to earn a place of his own, and there was a space in the back alleys, close to where the original was."
"Speaking of which, I've gotta go." Twilight said, already beginning to walk out.
"Wait, Twili-" Zelda called after him, surprised. But he was already down the hall. "Meet up with us at the Mask shop in the East Marketplace!"
"Alright!"
She sighed, turning back to Link, and smiled. "Shall we?"
He smiled back, putting on his Champion's tunic and grabbing the Master Sword, he followed her out.
As they walked through the Castle, Zelda began to ramble on about a certain topic of research that really interested him.
"Link, you are familiar with the legend of the Hero of Time, correct?" She asked him as they walked down the stairs into the foyer.
"Yes, he was Twilight's, and by extension, my ancestor." Link said, running his hand along the guard rail. "He warned the Royal Family of Ganondorf's imminent betrayal."
"Indeed, but I recently found an Biography written by the Hero himself." Zelda grinned. "It was buried deep in the royal library, hidden from prying eyes for Millennia. Inside, your ancestor detailed his adventure and included crucial details that nobody knows of, until now."
"Like?"
"Like, the Master Sword, which he had pulled when he was just ten, put him into a magical slumber from which he awoke Seven years later, as an adult and to a dystopian Hyrule ruled by Ganondorf."
"Really? That's actually really interesting."
"The Princes Zelda of that time, in the future, had transported him back to his childhood after they defeated Ganon, to warn her younger self and family about Ganondorf's betrayal, which is common knowledge. But Link, I must propose this to you..."
Link looked at her out of the corner of his eye, interested.
"What do you think happened to the future timeline, without the Hero there?"
"Well, I would have to say it ceased to exist..." He cupped his chin. "But...Maybe it also continued on, as a completely separate, altered timeline, parallel to our own."
"You talk like a scholar." Zelda smiled. "I also must ask you this, what if that timeline branched further? One where your ancestor failed to defeat Ganon?"
"Doubt it, but it's the same principal, the timeline would just be altered even further. A decline timeline."
"You pick up on this well." Zelda took his hand. "We should study it further later."
"And see if Twilight has any input on it."
They continued out of the Castle and down through the gate and into Castle Town, now bustling with activity thanks to reconstruction efforts.
Shops were open, people walked and chattered about, children ran through the streets carefree with Soldiers giving them a smile and ushering them along.
"Armor! Weapons! New from the Forge!"
"Baked Goods! Apple Pie and Fruitcake fresh off the Oven!"
Delicious scents floated through the air, teasing Knight and Princess alike as they walked through the crowds. A few people greeted them, but most just went on with their day.
Streamers and ribbons were tied on lamp posts, with long ropes tied between each one, small flags hanging from them.
Some people were working with the guards to set up Fireworks, moving boxes from place to place. Others already had masks and costumes on.
"Tell me, Zelda." Link said, strolling alongside her. "Are there any special events tied to this festival?"
"Well, it is said that the veil between this world and the next is thinned, which means Spirits can pass over." She said. "It's known as 'Hallow's Eve' in some Kingdoms."
"Spooky." He chuckled, looking around. He stopped in his tracks, forcing Zelda to stop too. "Hey, is that Twilight?"
Zelda glanced over to where he was looking. Sure enough, Twilight was standing just across the road, dressed in his Ordon clothes, talking to two men who appeared to be homeless, wearing nothing but tattered tunics, one standing up and the other sitting down.
He seemed excited as he chatted with them, the men returning the expression. Eventually, he reached down and helped the man on the ground to his feet and they all three walked down a back alley.
"I wonder what he's up to." Link mused, putting his right hand behind his head.
"I'd rather not know..." Zelda muttered, sighing. She yanked on his hand, leading him away.
The Mask shop, named the "Happy Mask Shop", was on the East side of town, near the main fountain, in between a General store and a Guardhouse. The entire front of the building looked like a Theatre mask that were used at Plays, fixed in a happy expression with the door inside the mouth.
"Classy." Zelda elbowed him in the gut. "Oof!"
They entered the building, the interior just as interesting as the exterior. A long red carpet stretched from the door to the counter, with rows of masks on both sides seated on wooden shelves.
The back wall itself was a giant mask, the counter inside the mouth with a sign listing various prices on the left.
The owner sat behind the counter, a giant grin on his face.
"Hello, Princess! Sir Link!" He said, cheerily. "Please, feel free to browse our generous selection!"
"Thank you!" Zelda smiled happily, already glancing over to the shelves.
Link scanned over the masks, a few were rather familiar even though he was sure he had never been in a Mask shop before. One was white with red streaks along it, with a big eye in the middle similiar to the Sheikah symbol.
Another looked like a stone face with a sideways mouth, with two beady black pebbles for eyes.
Another looked sinister, with spikes along the sides and two on the top. A blue body with intricate red shapes on the face, surrounds two giant red eyes with green iris. He already felt unnerved by it's erie glare.
"Hey, what's this one call-"
Link jumped when the Salesman reached out and grabbed the mask clean off the display, tossing it behind him haphazardly.
"That one is not for sale." He said, still smiling, eyes sinister.
"...Okay then." Link turned back to the display, weirded out.
Shuffling through a few more masks, he found one that was shaped like a horse's face, with tribal markings and a tuft of fur on the back. It looked familiar actually.
"Okay, what about this one?" He asked, holding it up.
"Ah, that's the Horse God mask." The Salesman replied, grabbing it. "I once visited Malanya himself and was so enraptured by his face that I had to create a mask based from it. It is uncanny, isn't it?"
Link cocked his head, studying the mask. He had met Malanya before, and the mask did look very similar to it. After a minute, he smirked.
"I'll take it. How much?"
"Oh no no." The salesman shook his head, handing the mask back. "You are merely borrowing the masks, that is how my business works. You can of course return it later, but you can also sell it!"
"Sell it?" Link repeated, distrusting.
"Yes, but of course, you must pay me back the exact price of the mask." He hummed. "That mask is...Oh...60 rupees?"
Link shrugged. "Alright, but I doubt I'll even sell it."
"Like I said, you don't have to." He put his hands together again. "Do what you wish."
"Thanks." Link turned around, almost bumping into Zelda who was trying on several different ones.
"Link, does this one look good?" She turned to him, wearing a mask looked like the face of a Great fairy. He shivered at memories, repressed ones.
"Zelda, we don't have to match." Carefully, he took the mask off and set it back down. "Just, wear what suits you the most."
She frowned, seeming desperate. "Well, what do you think I should wear?"
He hummed for a moment, glancing at the masks. He reached over and grabbed one, it was an entirely white mask with pointed cat ears, with an fancy green pattern on the face that resembled a butterfly and a cat face. A neat optical illusion.
He took the red band and put it around her head, placing the mask perfectly over her face. He stood back and observed the look, nodding with approval.
"Perfect, Meow." He said playfully, earning another smack from Zelda.
She stared at him for a second, face hidden behind the mask, before grabbing his own mask and putting on his face, crossing her arms and standing back like he did.
She chuckled behind her mask. "Perfect, Neigh."
He laughed, wrapping his arms around her, the front of his mask touching her's, forcing him to lean back a bit. "Leave the jokes to me, Princess."
They walked out with their new masks, hand-in-hand. Twilight was outside waiting for them, leaning against the side of the building, still in his Ordon attire with his Sword strapped to his back.
"About time, was wondering if you two were making kissy faces in there or something." He said with fake exasperation. "That poor store owner!"
"Shut up." Link said dismissively. "You've got to get a mask too."
"Nope!" Twilight smirked, unhooking a mask from his belt and holding it up. It was a Wolf face, with patterns similar to his Wolf Form. "Made it myself, woodcarving has it's perks."
"You carve?" Zelda asked, impressed.
"Yep, it's a family skill."
Zelda looked at Link, pushing her mask up to reveal her surprised face. "Wait, You carve?"
"Yeah." He replied, pushing his own up. "Not much though, I find it kinda boring."
"And you call yourself a Link." Twilight said scandalously, walking off.
Link sighed heavily. "It's like he praises me for one second and teases me the next."
"Well, don't let him wear you down." Zelda said encouragingly, squeezing his hand. "Let's go see if they still have fruitcake."
Link chuckled, holding her hand up. "Ah, your infamous sweet tooth."
They both quickly walked off, following after Twilight who had disappeared in the crowd. They went to the Chef selling baked goods and got some apple pie and fruitcake, for free no less.
As they sat on a bench enjoying their treat, Twilight eventually found them again, leaning up against a tree next to them.
"So, who were you talking to earlier?" Link asked, mouth full of pie.
"Hmm?" Twilight hummed, looking up and letting the wind blow through his hair. "Have some manners please..."
"The two guys." Link swallowed the pie. "They were hanging out next to the alley besides the Cafe."
"Oh, those guys. Just someone I met in Ordon, they had moved here and didn't have a place to stay since the Inn's full because of the Festival. So I invited them to stay and work at the Tavern."
"Really? What're their names?"
"The blonde-haired one is Valenzuela, but I call him Val." Twilight said. "And the azure-haired one is Tennessee."
"Azure? I didn't notice that his hair was blue." Zelda remarked. "The only Azure-haired person I have met was Lieutenant Vvillequin."
"Oh yeah, Vvivil." Link mused, using the guard's nickname. "Do you think Tennessee is his descendant?"
"It's possible." Twilight shrugged. "You're more than welcome to come check out the Bar and ask him."
"Wait, you've already set it up?" Link asked bewildered.
"Uh, yeah." Twilight wiggled his fingers, a dark magic shifting through them. "Twilight Magic, kid. We open tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Zelda repeated curiously. "You can't be serious, the Festival is in two days."
"Indeed, so I have to get to work." He grinned. "But, you're more than welcome to come over."
"Sure." Zelda finished her fruitcake and threw it away. "Lead the way."
Twilight kicked off the tree and began to walk down the South road, shopping stands on both sides. Link and Zelda both struggled to keep up with him, but eventually they branched off down a small gap in the buildings, going down some stairs into a large square area with crates stacked everywhere.
Down some steps was a door with a blank sign next to it.
Link snorted.
Opening the Door and ushering them inside, Twilight shut the door behind them.
The tavern had a warm atmosphere, with new rugs spread out on the stone floor. The walls around were pushed out and had ledges with pots and vases atop them.
Ropes tied between the ledges stretched across the room with curtains and old flags hanging from them. Tables and chairs were pushed to right, against the wall with clear space straight towards a backroom hidden behind two curtains, with a lone table and a few chairs.
To the left was the bar proper, with a wooden counter with bottles and jars littered about, with shelves of them behind it.
Of course, the primary thing both Princess and Knight were noticing was the flags hanging from the ropes. They were old and tattered, with a crest not seen for many many centuries.
"Welcome." Twilight pat him on the shoulder. "To the Era of Twilight."
Twilight has been planning this, I know it for a fact. _
It was rather sweet that he gave Link his Tunic though, I originally wanted it to be a freshly-crafted, unique one, but I decided to have a more traditional approach.
Also, a quick announcement, I've decided to do some side stories based on Twilight (Back in his time of course.) The first will focus on his childhood, when he was Nine, and the next one is when he's in his twenties.
So look forward to those.
Chapter Title will both be ironic and symbolic. Keep that in mind. :)