WOAH this week was busy af. Really sorry, I'm dealing with toothachesand headaches and work and I... really have no excuse, so have a double chapter. I'm sorry.
They explained it on the way.
The timeline, Tessen explained, was less a line and more like an ocean, or a sea. It was incomprehensibly huge, endless, without beginning or end, and housed the events of the world even before people recorded them. It flowed constantly, at every second. History was debatable depending on where in the time space people were discussing it. Past was present and future was past, and present was constant. Time is an illusion, Tessen had said. The problem lay in the fact that whatever happened to the moon would affect whatever came after, no matter when it happened.
Link had had some trouble adjusting to that. Saval had left her conversation with Sahasrahla, now on horseback on the way to Hateno, to explain it.
"Let's say the moon falling is in the middle of the time stream," she'd said. "And . . . the Era of the Wild is after it. If the world is destroyed by Moonfall, then the Era of the Wild cannot come to be. Whatever may have come after without Moonfall is gone. And since we, right now, are in an era that comes after it, we will be destroyed without fail. Unless we stop it."
Link had taken the requisite time to process that, while the rest rode hard for Hateno. Tessen had snagged the Slate while Link tried to understand it all, tinkering with it until he found the map and then following the roads illuminated on the screen.
As for the goal, it had shifted. No longer could they take their time figuring out what was happening. If the mask from Link's inventory and the mask that chased them were one and the same, then there was only one thing to do.
They had to stop it, and kill it.
But it wasn't that simple.
They had no idea if killing the mask in any other time but their own would still negatively affect the rest of the time space, and the mask itself was still an enigma. If it was the harbinger of destruction in another time, then what was it doing here? Why was it chasing them if it had a world to ruin? And what about that world? Had it already been destroyed? Had it stopped because the mask had left, or was it continuing regardless of the mask's presence?
And there was another problem, minorly less pressing than the imminent obliteration of everything. They still didn't know if the two masks were even the same. Granted, it wasn't as important as what they dealt with currently, but it was a variable. And right now, they had way too many variables.
They reached Hateno in the dead of night. They'd seemed to arrive in Wild Hyrule, as Sahasrahla had dubbed it, in the early morning. It actually fit their preferences better; with the night, there were less people to ask questions. Link took the lead as they approached the gate-frame--"Seriously, does nobody have actual gates?" Tessen groused--and nodded to the guard posted. Hyrule was secure with the threat of Ganon gone, but now it faced an entirely new threat. A much bigger one.
Ther guard let them pass, because it was Link, but watched the new arrivals closely. They might have the Hero's blessing, but that didn't mean they were safe.
Hazen could see the guard's distrust and skepticism as clearly as if the man had spoken them aloud, and had to hold in a tired scoff. If only he knew.
It seemed that with the revelations of the afternoon, the mask's possible appearances were even more imminent than before. Irene kept close to Hazen, nudging her horse--a sweet dope, Link had called her with a smile--close to his own, scanning the dark trees. Link noticed and murmured, "Don't worry. We're in a village."
"That hasn't stopped it before," Irene muttered, shivering. Link grimaced, remembering their story about Kakariko, and vowed to keep stupid comments to himself from then on. They reached his house in a matter of minutes after that, finding the lights on--beacons in the darkness.
Hazen tried to keep his anxiety to himself, but when his friends pressed closer, he knew he hadn't quite succeeded. They reached the house and dismounted, just as the door opened and a blond woman stepped out.
"Link?"
The hero smiled and approached her. "I'm home early."
The woman raised a brow. "Clearly. And you've brought friends."
Even Hazen and his friends, who had never met this woman, heard the note in her voice. And despite their circumstances, they all exchanged a glance and suppressed a snigger. Link cleared his throat. "I'll explain, but I need you to keep an open mind. And . . . start practicing your sword skills again."
The woman's lips parted. Her green eyes scanned the group, who now withstood her gaze as wayward children might fidget under their mother's stern watch. Her lips tightened.
"Have they eaten?"
"Hours ago," Link said quickly, as if sensing her acquiescence. The woman indeed sighed, and stepped aside. "Bring them inside."
They filed into the squat home, finding it small but cozy. A fire was blazing in the hearth, heating a pot of divine smelling soup, and the walls were covered in weapon cases. With a gasp, Tessen and Hazen flocked to the cases, completely forgetting the mask--and their manners.
"Oh my goddesses, it's the Scimitar of the Seven," Tessen groaned. "It's perfect."
"What about this?" Hazen pointed at a truly massive hammer. "It's the Boulder Breaker," he whispered, eyes positively shining.
Tessen gasped at something across the room, and they both rushed over to coo over the Lightscale Trident. Hazen sucked in a lovestruck breath. "I might cry."
"I already am," Tessen admitted, staring at the Great Eagle Bow. Indeed, his eyes were brighter than usual. He raised a hand to touch it, then dropped it. "I just . . . wow."
Link and the woman had been observing with amusement, while Saval rolled her eyes and leaned against the table. Irene just stared at the boys, watching the firelight play off Hazen's golden hair. He turned to say something to Tessen, and his smile made Irene shift slightly on her feet.
Link's voice broke her out of her stupor. "I take it those are rather famous where you're from?"
"Unbelievably," Hazen said, turning to Link and the woman. "Sorry, I just--we only heard stories about these, and they're on display at the museum, but only for people with special passes, and I've never--"
Link raised a brow. "You're the prince. How do you not have a special pass?"
Tessen shook his head sadly while Saval answered. "You have to be really special. We were supposed to get passes this year because our parents are friends with the curator, but . . ."
She trailed off, leaving the conversation to turn down more morbid paths. But the woman had apparently had enough. "Link, who exactly have you brought here?"
Link fidgeted. "Remember what I said about having an open mind?"
The woman nodded, and Link took a breath. "Well, here we go. Guys, this is Princess Zelda of Hyrule, and my wife."
"Zelda, this is Irene, Sahasrahla, Lord Tessen, Princess Saval of the Twilight, and Prince Hazen of the Hylian Empire."
There was a moment of silence as Zelda processed that, and as the group took in the fact that they were standing in front of Princess Zelda, and that she and Link were married. Then Zelda slowly sat at the table, her eyes unfocused, and said, "Explain."
It took the rest of the night. Dawn was creeping through the windows as Link finished the story. As his voice faded, Hazen's elbow slipped off the table and left his head to droop suddenly. He jerked awake with a snort, and nudged Tessen. His best friend twitched, and he raised his head from where it hung over the back of the table chair. He'd slouched down almost all the way down the chair, and he pulled himself upright under Zelda's sharp green gaze.
Her eyes swept over the rest of them. Irene had fallen fully asleep, having nothing really to contribute to the tale, and she leaned on Saval's dozing form. Sahasrahla had curled up on the small futon Link was banished to when Zelda was frustrated with him, and the two boys were blinking blearily as dawn light filtered through the windows.
Link was watching her. She fiddled with the table runner before deciding. "How do we know this mask won't come after us, too?" she fretted.
"I won't let it," Link said softly, standing and coming to her. He rested a hand on her belly, still flat. "I'll keep you safe."
Zelda knew he wasn't just talking about her. "We still have a bit before they wake up," she said. "What will we do about them then?"
"We're not letting them out of our sight, that's for sure," Link said firmly, noticing the raised brow on his wife's face. "They've nowhere to go, Zel. They're lost and scared. I can't leave them."
"You've always taken your hero duties seriously," Zelda muttered, but allowed Link to tip her chin up. He kissed her softly. "You've always known that. Besides," he added, glancing at their sleeping guests. "Let us cross that bridge when we come to it. I have a few ideas on how to keep the mask away."
"Oh?" Zelda leaned back. "Do tell."
Link hmmed. "How is your sealing power?"
"Here and there." Zelda waved a hand. "I cleared the last of the Malice from the Coliseum a few days ago."
"Where was I?"
"Tarrey Town," Zelda answered, gathering dishes from the kitchen. Link hummed again. "That's right. Fyson needed funds."
Zelda chuckled, bringing out the breakfast supplies. "He wouldn't if he priced his arrows so average travelers could afford them."
"He raised them specifically because I'm the most wealthy one out there, I know he did," Link grumbled. He handed her a Gerudo Scimitar, which she used to skin the apples.
"Oh, the trials of the rich man," Zelda deadpanned, earning a back hug from Link. she giggled like a teenager when he nuzzled her neck. "What a dreadful life it is."
Zelda squirmed as his lips made their way over her ear, down her neck, and she struggled to keep her laugh contained when he planted a big raspberry right above her collarbone.
"Link," she warned, trying and failing not to keep the smile from her voice. Link heard it despite her efforts and laughed, pulling away to grab his Hylian tunic. "Fine, fine. I'm out to gather firewood."
Zelda leaned back to inspect the fireplace. "They were certainly hungry. The pot is cleaned out."
Link gave a nonverbal answer, slipping out the door to the back of the house. Zelda continued to make breakfast, listening to the sounds of their guests begin to awaken, Link chopping firewood out back, the birds in the trees.
It was another twenty minutes by Zelda's clock before Saval groaned. Zelda loved that clock. Link had picked it up on his travels and brought it home as one's puppy might bring back a bone to its owner. It was crooked and bent in some places, and the glass was cracked, but it was Zelda's favorite thing in the house.
It ticked a new minute when the quiet splash of fish from the pond sounded. In the six months since Ganon's defeat, Link kept Zelda in the sleepy Hateno Village while she got used to living again. And recently, he'd contracted Bolson to build a second floor to their house. Where there once was a wall, now there was a set of rooms and a staircase, leading to their future child's room above and their own suite on the ground floor. The loft was now a space for relaxing, though in recent weeks, it had been used for more . . . personal activities.
Zelda kept preparing as Saval stood, seemingly the only one of them awake, and came to the counter where Zelda stood. She picked up the cutting board with the apples, skinned and diced, and added them to the salad Zelda was preparing.
Neither of them spoke, simply working in companionable silence until the food was nearly ready. Zelda bade Saval to rest with a quiet word, and the girl returned to have a seat at the table. By the time the rest of her group had awoken, breakfast was waiting on the table and a pot of tea was brewing. Link and Zelda spoke quietly at the counter.
Hazen spared them a glance before taking a seat at the table. Saval was resting her head on Tessen's shoulder, but Tessen himself was alert, as always. He met Hazen's look and offered a simple smile that said much. Too much.
"What now?" he asked quietly.
What now, indeed. Hazen took a breath before answering. "A lot. Where do I even begin?"
Tessen was quiet, watching Zelda and Link speak. As he did, Link sent a glance over at them. "We need to figure out what the mask is," he murmured, his smile gone. "We can't go further if we don't know our enemy."
"And then?" Saval asked. "How do we do that?"
"Them."
Hazen followed his best friend's gaze and looked at their hosts. Both were now watching the table, and after a moment they took the plates on the counter and placed them before the group.
"Eat," Zelda commanded. "I know that look--you're planning something. Well, you can do it after you've eaten."
"We weren't--" Saval tried, but Zelda wasn't having it. "Eat. And don't try to fool me--I've seen that look on my husband's face plenty enough."
Link chuckled, scooting his chair in. "She may be 118, but she's still the princess. Best to do what she says."
Zelda smacked him with a spoon before taking her seat, lips curled in a smile. It faded, however, when she noticed the four teenagers at her table. Link watched her lips part, a light enter her eyes, and felt something stir. A shadow of a memory, with only a blurry image to go by and the woman in front of him.
"How long has it been since they ate their fill?" Zelda murmured, her own fork stilling on the plate. "In peace?"
If Link hadn't been watching them, he might have missed the hesitation in Hazen's hand. It was so faint, barely a split second, but the boy's eyes cast downward and he ate slower. The others seemed not to have noticed, engrossed in the food and warmth from the windows.
"Let them eat," Link murmured to Zelda. "Let them have this peace."
Zelda took in a breath that shook only a bit, but she didn't speak any more. By the time the kids were done, the food was gone. "Not even crumbs," Link muttered, his lips twitching.
Saval wiped her mouth and smiled apologetically. "Thank you for the food," she said. "It was delicious."
Zelda returned her smile. "I think I may have underprovided. You eat as much as my husband."
Hazen snorted, fiddling with something in his lap. Link felt an awkward silence descend after no one spoke further, and decided it was time to start planning.
"Now that we know your story, I feel we should begin preparing," he said, and immediately regretted it. A pall seemed to fall over the four of them, and the witch--Irene--looked as if she might burst into tears.
"I know it's frightening," Link soothed, and as one, their eyes snapped to his. "But lack of preparation is what's hurting you the most. We must be ready to face the mask--and Zelda and I will help in whatever way we can."
It seemed to help. Hazen swallowed and nodded, and the four gained some level of confidence. According to their story, they knew he was the hero without him even telling them; they must have found courage in his presence alone.
Link fought back a smile as Zelda began clearing the table. "All this time, the mask has had the advantage in knowledge. It knows you. It scares you. It hunts you. Before we ask why, or how, we must know the mask first."
"Know thy enemy," Hazen muttered.
"I might have an idea," Saval added. "Where we are from, our Hyrule is at the end of a long timeline. Before our father came along as the newest Hero, you were the last. The Hero of the Wild. And before you . . . came every other incarnation of the Hero. So I think that wherever this thing came from, it came from an era of Hyrule before this one, but after Irene's Hyrule."
"How do you figure that?" Link asked.
"That Hyrule had a Hero, we know this for sure," Sahasrahla said, surprising everyone. He stood at the table, a large book in hand. "There was a villain named Yuga. He had turned Princess Zelda into a painting and kidnapped her."
"I remember that," Tessen said quickly. "That was the Era of New Hyrule. It was before the Wild Era."
"And no one knew about a mask," Irene added. "So does that mean it came after my era?"
"It must, since Link has a mask just like it," Hazen said. Link pulled out his Slate, casting Zelda a look.
"The Slate says it was 'an eerie mask passed down from ancient times'," Link said, scrolling to find it. He leaned back. "Ugh. Every time I see it, it gets creepier."
"Oh, no," Zelda muttered, leaning forward to see it. "That is monstrous."
"It is," Saval said. "And with everything we've found out, I'm convinced it's in Hyrule's timestream, somewhere between now and Irene's time."
"And it must have faded after this era, because it was nothing more than a bedtime story to us," Hazen added.
"Okay, so how do we figure out where, or when, it came from?" Link asked, putting the Slate away.
"Well, that's the problem," Tessen sighed. "We can't figure that out. The only thing we have to go off of is the Doors of Time."
"It looks like the mask is using the Doors to chase us," Irene said.
"But the Doors are holy objects," Saval argued. "And the mask . . . isn't."
"You can say that again," Tessen muttered. "But somehow, it's using them."
"Again, the question is less how, and more why," Link reminded them, and there was an audible sigh from the four of them. Saval turned to the other historian present. "Sahasrahla, are there any records of a mask anywhere in Hyrule's history?"
"Wait," Tessen said suddenly. "Sahasrahla, you said before there was one account by the Hero of Time--"
"Do you think he dealt with this thing once before?" Saval said, going to stand, but Zelda waved her back down.
"Perhaps," the old man said, "but the accounts from previous heroes were scarce at best, and if our recorded history is correct, then those accounts are from Old Hyrule."
"Old Hyrule?" Irene asked.
Hazen was thinking hard. "Old Hyrule--the original Hyrule. After the Great Flood, the Hero of Winds took Princess Zelda on a search for a new Hyrule--across the Great Sea. They founded New Hyrule leagues from where the previous land had been buried beneath the ocean--leagues from the Hyrule of the Hero of Time."
"And countless centuries from any of his accounts," Saval sighed, sitting back.
"Would there be any salvaging of the records?" Irene tried, but Tessen shook his head.
"Not unless we dove thousands of miles beneath the ocean--and that's if we could even locate where Old Hyrule is buried."
"Which is impossible," Link finished. He turned to Zelda. "Do you think the castle might . . . ?"
Zelda shook her head. "The Calamity laid waste to the library," she said sadly. "After the Malice, and a century of neglect on top of that, we wouldn't find anything helpful."
"Could we at least look?" Saval asked, almost desperately.
Link didn't like it. He shared a glance with Zelda and found his opinion of the request mirrored on her face. "The castle is in the middle of repairs," she said gently. "If any of you were to go, you would be stopped immediately--"
"Then Link can go," Hazen interrupted. "He's the Hero, or you--you're the princess. They have to let you in, don't they?"
It was clear they wouldn't let it go. Link sighed. "All right. I'll take a look. But I won't promise anything, so don't get your hopes up, all right?"
"We won't," Hazen said firmly, as the three of them relaxed, but it was clear to Link and Zelda that it was already too late.
Review replies.
To Queen Emily the Diligent: EYYY HAHA I was so excited to write that! Hahaha this fic is such a joy to writesimply because of the family dynamics :) I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Oh and in response to an old review by StJames1. You asked how Sahasrahla knew about the separate timelines and I've figured it out-cough cough- got your answer! It's in the next chapter. So go read ya hoe. 3
Okay next chapter should be up in around 10 minutes, enjoy! I'm sorry I'm late again!! Thank you guys for reviewing and favoriting/following!