A/N: Sooo…. I'm rewriting this….again….yay (?)
Ok so, I'm going to be completely and utterly serious here. Over the past few months I've been thinking, and I realized that I rushed the previous 2 versions, a lot, just to post them, and over the past months, I had a lot of time to think, mainly that the direction I was going to take the story to made no fucking sense so, I've spent the last month or so just racking brain thinking what I could do with the story and how to keep a consistent schedule.
Therefore, I came up with a strict monthly upload schedule. I'll be posting a new chapter the 1st of every month, so that I have plenty of time to read through each chapter several times and make as many edits as needed (which, by the way, I did not in the previous versions, I just posted whatever initial draft I wrote). Mainly to avoid burnout and me forgetting to post chapters (which happened several times with the first two versions). And, in case people don't like reading long ass author's notes, I'll be writing the date in which I'll post another entry at the end of each chapter.
To speak a little about the fic, instead of world hopping (which I kinda dislike tbh) I've really just meshed the world's in which Hyrule and Fodlan are, essentially they're both continents in the same planet. I've tried my best to interlock both worlds together as best I could, but this meant that I had to take some liberties regarding canon.
As I mentioned earlier, I realized that what I was going to write wouldn't make any sense at all, so for the past month, me and my buddy Backpack Bandit (more on him in a bit) have been coming up with ideas for this version. The route I'm going to take now is completely different from the one I was originally going to take, what the route is and who Link will end up with will be kept a surprise. :)
I'd also like to add that this version of Link will have gone through everything BotW has to offer. All shrines, Champion's Ballads, Trial of the Sword, everything. The Sheikah Slate also acts as an obscenely large storage system, and Link has a gathered a stupid amount of items of all sorts during his travels through Hyrule. He, for all intents and purposes, has every item in the entirety of Breath of the Wild. Not only that, but he's a lot more familiar and proficient with each of the champion's abilities, allowing him to use them in very different ways that are strictly impossible in Breath of the Wild itself.
Oh and one more thing, you might begin to notice many similarities between this and previous versions and Backpack Bandit's Legend of Zelda: Twin Blades. I want to be very clear with this, I'm not stealing ideas and neither is he, he and I have been discussing a Botw/3H crossover for months, nearly a year or so, in discord. We've come up with such a ridiculous amount of ideas for both our fanfics, that we mostly don't remember who came up with what (and neither of us can be asked to actually look that up in our chat history), so you will most probably find many similarities between our works. This work is, essentially, a collaboration between him and I, although I do most of the writing (he helps me write some parts since I'm still a very inexperienced writer), like 80% of the ideas come from him. And do check his story out, the first chapter went out yesterday, the man's an incredibly talented writer and honestly, his fanfic will be insane.
Anyway, with the boring shit out of the way, I hope you enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: I take no credit for the Fire Emblem and Legend of Zelda universes or any of their characters, all rights and credits go to their original authors.
Prologue
Shit. I shouldn't have commented on the weather.
Link's eyes squinted, staring out through the pouring rain, holding onto the ropes of his boat (or what was left of it, anyway) as best he could while it rose and ducked and smashed against rocks. Planks flew around him, smashing holes in the hull, whipped around by the storm. The bowsprit had been torn from the boat, sent flying without his notice. He turned around to see the sails starting to shred. He frowned.
Just a little bit longer, I think it's starting to clear-
A crack, he felt blinding pain in the back of his head, then the world turned dark.
He woke up in a panic, slick with sweat and gasping for air. The morning sun cast a golden hue across the horizon. He quickly adjusted his eyes and looked around the wreckage.
Fortunately, both the Master Sword and the Sheikah Slate were nearby. In a flash of blue light, a new set of dry clothes appeared in his hand, and red tunic with a chainmail underneath, along with a dark blue hood and a standard pair of trousers.
Having changed, he noticed that the boat had been torn to shreds by the storm, so he had little choice but to continue inland. After strapping the Master Sword to his back and the Sheikah Slate to his hip, he ventured into the forest.
"Stop resisting, girly, we were paid good coin for capturing you alive, so don't do anything that'll make me want to kill you."
That same night, deep within the forest, a rough man carrying a young, white haired girl was running away from a distant mansion. The man was wearing cheap, torn clothing, indicating his status as a bandit. The girl, however, was wearing a white dress with golden silk embroidered into it. However, the dress was mostly ruined due to all the mud that stuck it while they were dragging her away after her kidnapping. She had been gagged and bound, so she could do little more than thrash around and scream.
"Stop that shit, will you? Damn, feisty little bitch." The bandit took out a knife that was strapped to hip. "Listen girly, your struggling and yapping is really starting to get on my nerves, so either you shut the fuck up or I'll cut out that damn tongue of yours, got that? We were told to get you alive, damn bastards never said anything about having to be in one piece."
The girl, now looking terrified as the situation set in, nodded shakily.
"Good, now let's get back to the group. Boss must be pissed that I'm taking so long."
Lysithea was having a bad day.
It started out well enough, she was reveling in the fact that those goddess damned monsters posing as mages had finally seen it fit to leave her and her family alone earlier that month, but then this low-life somehow managed to get past the guards in her family's mansion and kidnapped her when she was sneaking out for some late-night sweets.
Worse, she couldn't even fight back at all. The blood magic that was performed on her left her in an extremely weakened state, so she couldn't even cast correctly as she was taken.
She tried to struggle free, but her kidnapper only shrugged and threatened her, then said something about having orders to capture her alive, whatever that meant.
This would not end well for her, that's for sure.
After an entire day of wandering the forest, Link saw a distant campfire lighting up the forest's darkness, the sounds of several dozen men roaring and cheering for reasons unbeknownst to him.
Link decided to approach the men to get a sense of where in Hylia's name he was. Right as he was approaching, his ears perked up at one particular conversation.
"Hey, boss! That girl seems to have quieted down, looks like she finally figured out struggling is useless," A voice said as it burst into laughter.
"About godess-damned time, the brat was startin' to get on my nerves back there with all that kickin' and shit."
Link didn't bother hearing the rest of the conversation, tuning it out. Just his luck to run into a kidnapping only hours after getting here.
Summoning a royal bow from his Sheikah Slate, he climbed a nearby tree. He wanted to find out more about this masked person who employed these people.
Getting to higher ground, he saw the ashen-haired girl locked in some sort of cage, dirt and mud covering most of her trembling body. Counting roughly forty bandits, Link quickly changed to his sheikah gear, and started placing several travel points with the travel medallion around the camp.
Link sighed when he placed the last of the warp points. Adjusting the map and making sure the arrows were separated. Alright, let's play this sa-
"Well, aren't you a pretty one?" Link's eyes focused on the young girl, still tied down and caged, staring wide-eyed as a drunken bandit approached her while unbuckling his belt. "I know we 'sposed to bring you back unin'nred and all, but what do you say you and I have some fun?"
So much for being cautious. Link grabbed a heavier arrow, and drew his bow as the mechanism in the tip activated.
It was a joyous night for the bandits at first. The plan went as well as it could've, just a few bodies for the Ordelias to find come morning. They had their daughter, and the ransom the masked bastard offered was enough for them to live comfortably for several years.
Then John exploded into a flash of blue light.
At first, everyone stared dumbfounded at their comrade, who just disappeared.
Then all hell broke loose.
A barrel of water near the food exploded as if someone had cast some fire magic, evaporating the water into steam which permeated their clothes. This turned to be deadly, when several arcs of electricity started burning through a good chunk of the bandits.
Albeit unorganized, they started scrambling for their weapons, only for their tents to go up in flames.
The bandits could see the arrows now, lit up by the fires roaring into the sky as it tore through their dried food and bedding. A coherent few realized the arrows were coming from every direction. They were surrounded.
One by one, they fell. Sometimes, one would explode into blue light like John. This mystical phenomenon only served to increase the bandit's terror, dulling their sense of clear thought.
"Come on men! Grab your weapons and fight ba-" William's words were cut off, an arrow jutting from their second-in-command's throat.
"Shit! They have us surrounded! We hafta-FUCK!" Edith, the boss's wife, got an arrow through her heart.
"What the fuck is all your-" The bossman himself, Maurice, stepped out from his tent, only to find his friends getting picked off one by one, his wife's lifeless body laying there, motionless. He felt a blow to the back of his head. The last thing he saw was a figure dressed in purple and white, his blonde hair tied in a bun, holding a golden bow. This… was all of this done by one man?
He watched, gulping, as the figure disappeared into blue light, and the arrows resumed.
_
Link stored his bow back into the Slate, surveying the bandits (or what was left of them, anyway). No guards, no scouts. They were amateurs, practically begging to get ambushed.
He turned his attention to the girl, who was staring in abject terror at the burning camp. Right, better make sure she's okay.
The girl scrambled back, breathing heavily. Without a word, he cut her bindings and gag, much to her surprise. He turned his attention back to the unconscious leader, but before he could do anything, a ball of flame flew past him, incinerating the man and leaving nothing behind.
Swallowing his disappointment (and his shock at whatever she just did), he turned around and saw the girl panting in a mixture of anger and fear.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Uh...yes, I'm fine...they didn't really do anything to me other than put me in that cage. Well...not until you and your group saved me."
"Group?"
"Yes, there were arrows shooting all over the place. There has to be someone with you, right?"
"No, it's just me." He shrugged, and the girl tensed in shock, but before she could ask any more questions, she seemingly remembered something.
"Oh, but where are my manners? My name is Lysithea von Ordelia, and I can't begin to express my gratitude for saving me. I shudder to think of what would've happened had you not been there."
Seeing Link stayed quiet, the girl started fidgeting with her dress for a few awkward seconds.
"Um...may I ask your name?"
"The name's Link." He shrugged. "Is your home nearby? Don't really want to leave you alone at night, I can walk you there."
The girl's eyes brightened. Surely if she stayed with this skilled warrior, no ghost or spirit would dare appear in front of her.
"Yes! My family's mansion is not far away from here, I can lead you there. I'm sure my father will give you a generous reward for your kindness." She beamed.
"I didn't do it for a reward. So long as you're safe, that's enough."
"No! That simply won't do, I must do something for you, I can't have the man who just saved my life walk away with empty hands!" But all she got in reply was a single shrug. "A-Anyway, let's go, my parents must be worried sick." A touch of sadness appeared in the girl's eyes, but it disappeared quickly.
However, after barely taking a single step, Lysithea collapsed.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He said as he rushed to her side.
"Ye-Yes, like I said, they didn't really do anything to me, but due to some...issues I've had recently, my body is extremely enervated right now, all my struggling after getting kidnapped must have been far more than I could handle."
"If you'd allow me, I can carry you home."
"N-No!" She shouted, red in the face. "I'm not some child that needs-"
Her words were cut off by a distant sound, which Link thought was some kind of wolf. Looking down, he noticed Lysithea was paler than he thought humanly possible, and was shaking like a newborn fawn.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes...al-although I might take you up on your earlier offer." She said, and Link discovered that it's possible for someone to blush and pale at the same time.
Shaking his head to dispel those thoughts, he held onto Lysithea's hand and helped her stand.
"So...where to?"
_
Link was an enigma, Lysithea thought.
First, there were his pointed ears. Never in her entire life had she seen someone with ears like that. There was also the fact that he seemingly took out a group of around forty bandits all by himself. Lysithea first believed that he must be accompanied by a group, for how else could arrows have started flying from almost every direction? However, he claimed to be alone, and no one else showed up after the incident was over.
But what intrigued her the most, was the way he acted. Throughout their entire conversation, not a single shred of emotion showed in his face, and his voice was also so...callous. Even when he said that her wellbeing is enough, this didn't change at all.
However, Lysithea decided not to dwell in these things anymore. No matter how cold he is, the man did just save her life. She had to show proper respect.
Also she had to admit that, as he carried her, it felt...comforting. After what those mages did, chaining her up in that dungeon, doing all those experiments that took her younger sister's life….those memories terrified her still. She could barely sleep at night, and when she did, her sleep was plagued by nightmares of what those monsters did to her family.
Soon, they arrived at her family's mansion. She noticed the guards at the front gate frantically heading to report to her father that she had returned. She also noticed how exhausted she was, and how much it saddened her that she could barely even walk a few steps without collapsing. Knowing that she was safe, she drifted into sleep.
For the first time in months, her dreams did not torture her.
_
Link noticed two middle-aged guards guarding the entrance to Lysithea's mansion. One of them hastily entered, probably to report that she was back, and the other cautiously approached him.
"And who might you be, good sir?"
"Link."
He noticed the guard looking at him strangely. "I chanced upon a group of bandits holding her hostage. After I got rid of them, she could barely move, so she allowed me to carry her while she guided me here. Looks like she fell asleep."
The guard carefully looked at her, surprised at seeing her sleep so peacefully. He was familiar with the nightmares that plagued his lady's nights, oftentimes he could hear her crying and screaming inside her room. His gaze softened as he looked at Link.
"I...I must thank you, Sir Link. Cound Ordelia has been worried out of his mind since we discovered the little lady was missing." He bowed. "Please, follow me, the Count has been notified of your arrival and is expecting you."
Link nodded as he followed. Walking through the mansion, he noticed the servants whispering among themselves. Focusing on their conversations, he was glad to hear that they were merely relieved that he had brought Lysithea home safely.
They first brought him to her room, where Link laid her down in her bed, and left as a maid covered her with the quilts. They continued to walk in silence until the guard stopped next to a room. By the surroundings, Link guessed it must be some sort of study.
"The Count is expecting you inside, Sir Link," He bowed and opened the door. "Please".
Link stepped inside and saw a man sitting in front of a desk. He had bags under his eyes, and overall, he didn't look all that well.
Guess his daughter's kidnapping greatly affected him.
"You must be Sir Link," The man bowed, "I am Count Richard von Ordelia, and I can't express how grateful I am that you brought my daughter back home safe."
His voice was shaky and his hands were trembling. Link felt pity for the distressed father.
"My name is Link, but you already knew that." Link returned the bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Count Ordelia."
"Please, there is no need for such formalities." Count Ordelia hurriedly waved his hands. "Although I'm fully aware that things such as gold would make for a rather unfit reward for what you've done for us, I'm afraid it's all I can offer. My family has seen some rather difficult times lately." He bowed again.
"As I've told your daughter, there is no need for a reward. Hearing of your family's unfavorable position, it convinces me even more that I can't accept such a thing from you." He paused. "Although, if you don't mind, I do have a few questions I hope you have answers for."
"What kind of questions? If it's within my knowledge, I'll answer them."
"My ship capsized during a storm. I lost consciousness and woke up on a coast nearby. I'm afraid that I don't know where exactly I am."
"I thought you were a foreigner, I've never seen anyone in Fodlan with ears such as yours." He chuckled. "As I mentioned, we are in a land known as Fodlan. I'll spare you the geography lesson, but we are currently in House Ordelia's territory in the Leicester Alliance."
Link's face remained impassive, while he started scratching his chin.
"Is something the matter?"
"No it's just… If I'm in an entirely different continent, then how come we speak the same language?"
"A different continent?"
"I'm sorry. I come from a different land called Hyrule, and I've never heard of Fodlan or the Leicester Alliance before."
"Most intriguing...I can say the same, really. Never in all my years have heard of a land by the name of Hyrule." He murmured, but then his face lit up, as if he remembered something. "However, Sir Link, does that mean you don't have a place to stay?"
"Just Link is fine. And I'm afraid you're correct."
"Then, If you don't wish for any reward, then surely you'd at least allow my family to accomodate you during this time. It's the least we can do."
"I...Thank you." Link bowed in genuine gratitude, he wasn't looking forward to having to sleep in the open air.
"Marvelous." He then called the same guard who guided Link here. "Samuel, please escort our guest to his room, and make sure he receives the best hospitality we can offer."