A/N: This chapter was revised as of 4/5/2018 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed, enhanced by readers' criticisms.

This chapter was revised as of 5/17/2019 - Polished, bits re-worded.


When Heroes Fall

By: Selphie Kinneas 175

Chapter 7: The Stranger

.:.

The night went by slowly, much more slowly than Ren had anticipated it to.

He knew his excitement would be the culprit in forcing time to crawl agonizingly by, but it really crept by. He tossed and turned all night, wishing the sun would rise just a tad bit sooner. When he did manage to fall asleep, he dreamt of a pretty dress worn by an even prettier girl. He dreamt of wide, open fields, and he dreamt of exploring them with a father he'd never had. In his dreams, they were smiling – everything was alright in the world and his relationship with his father was so strong it was as if he'd known him his whole life.

Then he woke up.

The morning bitterly reminded him that he had not been in reality, and his goal was to make those happy dreams come true today.

Ren leapt from the enormous bed as soon as he caught sight of the tiniest sparkle of sunlight in the corner of the window. He ran around the bed to the sofa at the front. He yanked the warm covers off his uncle and yelled his name at the top of his lungs.

"Uncle Colin! Get up! Let's go!"

The older Ordonian shivered, reaching for the blankets but coming up empty handed.

"Let's go! Let's go! Come on!" Ren grabbed his uncle's fresh clothes from his bag and threw them on top of him.

"Ugh," Colin groaned, lifting his head up and squinting at the window, "The sun's barely even up, Ren."

"But the sun is up," the boy stated matter-of-factly as he tightened the Ordon-fashioned band around his waist, "So that means we can go."

Colin sighed as he reluctantly sat up, "Alright, fine. I don't know where you get all this energy from."

"I'm finally gonna meet my dad today," Ren answered without a second of thought, strapping on his shoes with intense determination.

Colin stared at him wistfully. What if they didn't find Link? What if they searched and searched and were never able to? The desert was a huge place, after all. But at the same time, what if they did find Link, but he was past the point of saving? What if they found him and there was just nothing left of him? Colin was distraught with worry over the endless possibilities.

"I hope you're right," he muttered.

Ren paid his pessimism no mind, hustling out of the door in a flash without even waiting for him to be ready. Colin called for him to stop, stumbling after him as he threw his shirt on over his head, but he didn't slow down. That was, until he came to a crossroad in the hallway and couldn't remember how to get out.

Colin smirked when he finally caught up to him, "See, you can't leave me behind – you need me," he ruffled his hair and pointed down the hall to their left, "It's that way."

Ren chuckled, and the pair made their way out of the castle with little interruption. It was a winding maze, to be sure, and Colin had steered them wrong a couple times, but they made it out nonetheless. They passed several butlers and handmaidens up bright and early, preparing meals, washing linens, dusting the tallest corners and mopping the already pristine floors. It took a lot to keep a castle running, Ren supposed.

Once outside, the sun had risen just a bit more, and the streets were already busy and bustling. They passed by the central fountain, and a boisterous voice on the air caught Colin's attention.

"Big sales! Come see the hero of discounts! Buy one! Get one! Always BIG sales!"

He turned to see a lanky, exuberantly dressed man standing in front of a peculiar store. He was waving his arms about wildly, his extravagant hairdo bouncing as he did so. Behind the perky salesman and plastered all over the storefront, however, was a face Colin hadn't seen in years.

"Malo...?" he whispered.

"What?" Ren stepped closer to him, "Did you say Uncle Malo?" he asked eagerly, eyeballing the dozens of passersby around him.

The younger man followed his uncle's line of sight to a store covered in posters of a portly man's plain face.

"Is that his shop?" Ren questioned, looking back at Colin, "Do you think he's in there?"

Colin simply shrugged, "I have no idea."

"Let's go find out!" the hero's son exclaimed fervently, darting over to the door.

Colin sighed, unsure of what kind of a meeting this would be. He wanted to see his little brother just as much, so he followed.

"Welcome! Welcome!" the attendant greeted with an over-the-top bow, "The hero of discounts, Malo Mart, is the legend of Castle Town! Come on in! Take a look at our wares!"

Ren was trying his hardest not to laugh at the exaggerated display. The strange man extended an arm towards the newcomers, and the two entered to blaring music and blinding colors. The room was packed with patrons, all bumping and bouncing to the beat of the garish drums.

"You'll buy it now, if you're smart, at MAAAA-LOOOO MART!" the man behind the counter sang and danced as he rang up customers.

"Uh..." Ren stammered, glancing around the flamboyant room and then back at his confused uncle.

Colin could only shrug, "I... don't know. Let's just see if Malo's here, say hi, and be on our way."

Ren nodded, proceeding to push his way up to the counter.

"Excuse me young ma-"

"Is Malo here?" Ren inquired, yelling to be heard over the loud music.

The man behind the counter laughed, "'Is Malo here?'" he mocked, "Not just anyone can stroll in here and demand to see the hero of discounts himself!"

Ren opened his mouth to speak, but the man continued, "Would you like twenty percent off? THIRTY percent off? Of course! Why not? We look out for you!"

"Don't bother with them," a deep, booming voice suddenly sounded from beside them, "They won't buy anything – they're a bunch of cheapskates."

Colin turned to see Malo with a cheeky grin and his arms outstretched in welcoming. He was a grown man now that had managed to put on quite a decent amount of weight in the years since they'd seen each other. He had a mustache and short, slicked down hair. He was dressed luxuriously, and he gave off the appearance from head to toe that he was just swimming in rupees.

Colin extended his arms out for a hug, but Malo only offered him his hand. He stared down at it, realizing he'd forgotten how callous his youngest brother had always been when it came to showing any sort of friendship or affection. He knew he shouldn't have expected any different; he'd just hoped the years had changed him in more ways than just making him loud and obnoxious.

Colin forced a sad smile as he took his hand and Malo shook firmly, "It's good to see you, Malo. It's been a long time."

"Yeah, yeah..." Malo said under his breath, shrugging off his attempt at bonding. "I've been doing great business here, as you can see," he motioned around them, "Life has been good to me."

"Do you have a family here?" Ren blurted rather bluntly.

Malo furrowed his brow at the boy, honestly not even realizing who on earth he was at first. He studied him long and hard before a very obvious light went off in his head.

"Link's kid, right?"

"Ren, yes."

"Ah... Yeah, well," he muttered as if he didn't know what to say before clapping him on the shoulder, "Well, no. Nothing like that. No need for stuff like that."

"What about friends or... anything? There's gotta be a reason you've never come home to visit. You must get lonely," Ren went on, receiving a bit of a downtrodden look from Colin in return, making him feel like maybe he shouldn't have asked.

Malo took on a more serious expression then, "I don't need that stuff. Family, friends, they just slow you down from the real prize," he outstretched his arms again, "Can you buy a home with family and friends as the currency? A horse? A lavish lifestyle of luxury and comfort?" he laughed, "No, you can't. I have everything I could ever want here! I go home at night to a mansion that is cleaned for me, I sleep on a plush mattress that is made for me, and I wake up to breakfast that is cooked for me. Tell me, kid, is that not the life?"

He wore the cheesiest grin Ren had ever seen. He looked to Colin for help, but he seemed unsurprised.

"It just sounds lonely to me," the boy murmured.

Malo let out an unflattering chortle, grasping at his belly as he threw his head back in hysterics.

He turned to Colin, "This kid, am I right?"

Colin looked at him rather dismayed, "Well, you do have parents that miss you, and a couple of nieces that would like to have an uncle."

"Pff," he snorted, "They've got you, right? I'm sure you're a much better uncle than I could ever be. Never really liked kids..." he mumbled under his breath, "And my folks will be fine. I'll go see them sometime," he waved his hand, dismissing it.

Colin was disappointed. Malo had always been the boy that took pride in being entirely independent and struggled to show love, but he just thought time may have helped him grow out of it. It seemed the years only strengthened those feelings, and he knew he shouldn't be shocked. He'd lived alone the latter half of his life caring only for monetary things - nothing that could keep him warm or love him in return. It was a depressing life, whether he realized he was living it or not, and at that Colin felt sad for his brother.

Colin nodded, bringing himself from his thoughts, "Alright, well, I guess we'll go then."

Malo appeared briefly upset, but hid it well, "What? Already? Where do you have to get to in such a hurry? You haven't been to Castle Town in ages! Let me show you-"

"We're going to find Link, Malo," Colin replied flatly, "We're searching the desert so we want to leave before the sun is too high."

Malo's eyes went wide in shock, "Wh-… But you just got here! Here," he stuttered, wobbling over to the counter and grabbing two ostentatiously ornamented canteens, "Take these!"

Colin smiled and grabbed the proffered items, genuinely surprised that he would offer them something from his store, "Wow, thanks Ma-"

"Only one hundred rupees for family! ...Each."

The man behind the counter gasped, "The hero of discounts is at it again, folks!"

Colin and Ren exchanged glances, and the older of the two handed the items back with a sigh, "No, thanks."

Malo waved his arms frantically as they were turning to leave, "Okay, fine. Fifty rupees each!"

Colin shook his head as he grabbed the door handle, "I was hoping you'd changed at least a little in all these years."

Malo closed the gap between them hastily, leaning in close and whispering, "I can't just hand you something for free... Imagine how all these people would react! They would be demanding the same treatment!"

"Maybe they'd just think you were a good person helping out family?" Colin monotonously replied.

Malo huffed, quietly yet visibly debating within himself for quite some time before finally exclaiming, "Alright! I will give these two my extravagant, red rupee encrusted canteens with the special edition hidden pocket that holds even MORE water, with a value of over TWO HUNDRED RUPEES A PIECE..." he paused to add suspense, "FOR FREE!"

The store patrons roared in applause, and the man behind the counter blasted the music even louder as he danced and cheered, "THE HERO OF DISCOUNTS EVERYONE!"

This was where the little boy from the forest village got his satisfaction. This was where he found whatever demented form of affection he could to get by. This was what gave his empty life meaning.

Malo handed his brother and nephew one each, saying under his breath, "I'll only charge ten rupees a month plus thirty percent interest."

Colin shook his head in disbelief but took the water jug anyway. He looked to Ren who appeared just as disheartened, and they made for the exit.

"Have a super splendid Malo Mart day!" was the last they heard from the man behind the counter along with the booming music as they shut the door behind them.

Malo stood for a while as he watched his family leave. He smiled to his patrons and workers and bumped to the music right along with them, but his frown as the door shut was evident to anyone that might have seen it. Perhaps the hero of discounts was lonely after all.

"Well, that was... something," Colin began with a chuckle, trying to break the awkwardness, but Ren was clearly bothered.

"Hey, don't let him upset you, he's always been that way. Literally ever since he was the tiniest little kid his mind has always been on money over anything else," Colin clarified, "I know deep down that he does care about his friends and family, his ego is just much too big for him to ever show it."

Ren nodded once slowly, looking over the gaudy canteen in his hands, "Well, at least we can use this as a signal if we get lost in the desert."

Colin laughed wholeheartedly, "Yeah, we could."

They filled their canteens to the brim with water and proceeded to the stables with haste. The sun was ever on the rise, and Colin was worried about their trek through the wasteland. Gerudo Desert was a hellish place, or at least he'd heard stories. The heat during the day was enough to reduce a man to ashes, and the bitter cold at night was enough to turn a man to ice right where he stood. There was the risk of sandstorms, of getting lost, of dehydrating or starving - the negative possibilities were endless. The positive ones... not so much. Colin wanted to find Link just as much as his nephew did, but the closer they got to actually doing the searching he grew more and more nervous. He knew that Ren wanted to hunt without pause until they located Link and brought him home, and fear was probably the farthest thing from his mind. He was still young and naïve, Colin knew, but he also admired his fortitude.

They didn't waste any more time with random visits or even idle chatter - they'd talked about all there was to talk about, after all. They grabbed their mounts and headed in the direction they were told they would find the desert, to the east past Lake Hylia. The horses galloped over dirt, grass, and eventually sand. The heat was already extreme, and the sun had not yet reached its zenith, but it was close.

"Wow... hot," Ren whispered.

Colin could only nod as his anxiety started gripping him tighter. He didn't even know how they were supposed to search this place. It was a massive, wide open expanse of nothingness – how were they going to keep themselves from getting lost? There was just no way, he thought. He was frightened beyond belief, but he kept it together for Ren's sake.

Ren was excited, and the adrenaline of finding his father was pumping through his veins with such intensity that he had hardly a care in the world. The possibilities of losing their way, scorching under the sun, encountering monsters or never finding his father were not at all on his mind. He only knew one outcome, and that was successfully finding his dad and bringing him home safe and sound with no bumps or hiccups along the way.

Bumps and hiccups, however, ended up being their two closest friends.

The wind whipped across the ever-moving dunes, blowing sand all around them in blinding flurries. They were separated twice by the windstorms, but luckily did not stray far enough so that their voices did not carry. The times when everything was still, the sun beat down on them unforgivingly, burning their skin a deep red color. They were going through their water supply quicker than they had anticipated, and the few pieces of food they'd brought were proving to be minimal. The horses were tiring out and growing restless, and the first sun set that evening only to make way for a bitter night.

They had managed to locate an outcropping of rock to sleep on, but neither of them were able to find a decent respite. The horses were far from calm, and Ren found himself worrying that Mila might run away in her disquiet, so he was unable to really rest. The rumors about the vicious temperature almost weren't exaggerated enough – it was undeniably freezing. Colin was too afraid to fall asleep should they drift too far – he kept picturing them turning to ice during the night, the harsh cold lulling them off to a slumber never woken up from. So, he, too, got little to no rest.

They were up and moving the next morning the second even the most microscopic speck of sunlight just barely peeked over the distant horizon. That day, however, went no different from the last, and neither did that night. The following morning was just the same, as was the next, and the next. That day was when they really started to lose hope.

"I don't know about this anymore, Ren," Colin huffed, wiping the sweat from his forehead as the sun beat punitively down upon them.

Ren sighed, beginning to agree but not wanting to admit it, "We can't give up now..."

Colin shook his head, slowing his mount to a halt, "We have to be realistic. We're going to kill ourselves if we stay out here much longer."

Ren followed suit, "But we've come so far. We have to be close to finding him, we just have to!"

"We might be, but we won't be able to find him if we're unconscious or dead, Ren."

Ren whirled his mare around to face his uncle with a look of disbelief, "Please don't give up on me... I thought you wanted to find my dad just as much as I do."

Colin exhaled and lowered his head, "I'm not giving up on you and I want to find your dad more than anything, but we also have to be rational. Your dad could probably survive here, but we aren't him. We at least have to leave to stock up on water and food or we aren't going to make it much longer. We can come back and try again another day."

Ren looked around absentmindedly, squinting to see the building in the far distance beyond the twirling wind and rising heat.

He lifted his arm and pointed, "What about there? We could maybe rest or find provisions there?"

Colin followed his gaze and immediately shook his head with a wide-eyed look of fear, "No. I've heard stories about that place. That's not somewhere we want to go."

Ren's brow tensed as he gaped at the tall spires that seemed to touch the clouds far overhead. As he looked at it, he could almost feel the evil energy permeating off it, could almost see it like a black shroud enveloping it. He got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach just before something soared at him at top speed, sending him off of his horse in a blur.

"Ren!" Colin yelled as his nephew hit the sand squirming.

He wriggled and grunted, trying desperately to get whatever was gnawing at him off.

Colin hopped down from the saddle with his sword at the ready. The blade was heavy in both of his hands, and he didn't exactly know what to do, but he followed his instincts. He swiped at the small creature clutched ferociously to Ren's arm, and with a wounded squeal, it fell off.

The boy sat up and scurried away from the dead thing, now able to see that it was a worm-looking fiend with three hefty teeth. Ren grasped his bicep with his other hand painfully. He panted something awful as he watched nervously to make sure the little devil moved no more.

Colin knelt down beside him, "Are you alright?"

Ren nodded, still breathing rapidly.

All at once, dozens of the same larva monsters dove up from the sand like dolphins from the sea. They all scampered rapidly towards the two Ordonians, but before they could scuttle to their feet to run away, a threatening rumble shook the earth and the vermin ducked back under the sand.

They stared unnervingly before Colin at last sighed and said, "We really should just head ba-"

Just then, a gigantic worm suddenly erupted from the ground, a tidal wave of sand following in its wake. It bellowed loudly as it soared up high into the air, showing off its monumental size. Its long, thick body was covered in rock-hard scales, and its gaping mouth was filled to the brim with razor sharp teeth. Colin and Ren were dumbfounded – they had no idea what to do. They were paralyzed with eyes wide and jaws hung open until the demon dove back into the sand like a fish into water. They hurried to their feet, hearts pounding harder and harder against their chests in terror as they heard the sand rustling behind them.

When they turned to flee, however, the horses were already long gone. They were far up ahead and running with every ounce of speed they could muster, kicking up sand with their galloping hooves as they bolted away in sheer fright.

"Damn!" Colin screamed.

"Just run!" Ren yelled as he stumbled to his feet and took off.

He pumped his legs hard, moving them faster than he'd ever had to before. He could hear his uncle panting just the same at his side, and he could hear the beast growling and drawing ever nearer behind him. What were they going to do? He was sure they couldn't outrun it for longer than the next few seconds, and neither of them could... kill it.

Fear impaled his core excruciatingly, and his weak leg ached and throbbed in rhythm with his skittish heart. He hadn't put this much stress on his legs ever, let alone after he'd almost lost his left one. He was beginning to feel it giving out on him, and before he could think of something to do, he tumbled down to the sand with an agonizing buckle of his knee.

He groaned out loud in pain and grasped at his throbbing leg as Colin skidded to a halt and extended a hand to him.

"Hurry, get up! We have to keep moving!"

He took his hand and tried with all his might, but he crumbled back down.

"I can't, Uncle Colin, I'm sorry," Ren grunted, staring straight ahead at the wave in the sand steadily approaching, but his leg was just done.

Colin stooped down to try and help him up, but their pursuer was much too close. Ren slammed his eyes shut and lifted his arms to shield himself, fearfully accepting his end. The sound that reached his ears, however, was one of steel cutting flesh followed by the monster emitting a high-pitched wail.

Ren dropped his hands, watching in bewilderment as the creature writhed temporarily before bobbing back into the sand. The boy looked around frantically, and far to the right he spotted a horse and rider making a wide circle, as if they had just passed and were preparing to come back around. He squinted his eyes to try and better make out the figure through the heat waves, but was unable to discern much.

The earth grumbled again, and the ripples in the sand near his feet made Ren's heart jump out of his chest. He scampered backward, Colin once again kneeling beside him. Neither one said a word, both watching apprehensively to see what would happen.

The embodied horror emerged again in an intimidating whirlwind of sand, and Ren would have been mesmerized in terror were it not for the mysterious rider drawing his attention. The horse galloped majestically across the dunes, the strong gust of wind created by the villain it circled ruffling its long mane. Ren squinted, trying his hardest to make out the person and what it was he was doing. He appeared to be readying a weapon of some sort, but the distance mixed with the overwhelming heat in the air made distinguishing much else near impossible.

The enigmatic duo circled around behind the massive worm, its body still held high in the air as it gazed menacingly down at its prey. The sound of an arrow piercing its flesh greeted Ren's ears, and a loud cry from the brute came soon after. It twitched for only a moment, the small projectile not doing much considering its size, but it was enough to irritate it.

The aggressive fiend turned to face its assailant, the horse having stopped running in order for its master to greet the beast just the same. It leaned in toward the annoying speck, opened its mouth wide and let out an ear-piercing screech, saliva dripping and flinging from its many teeth as it did so.

The rider looked no more or less any particular emotion. His straight face stared the creature down as it screamed at him from only an arm's length away. The strange man took his sword and jammed it through the roof of the monstrosity's gaping maw, and with a powerful grunt he pulled it back out.

The giant instantly withdrew, the shriek that emanated from it putting all those previous to shame. With its head pointed to the sky in agony, the figure withdrew a bow and knocked an arrow on the string. He let a projectile soar, and another, and another, each one piercing his target's jugular. It yowled, and Ren could've sworn he saw smoke billowing from the top of its head as it began raging in anger.

It thrashed at its miniscule attacker, but the horse picked up speed, out-smarting the behemoth's every move. It swung hard, they dodged, and it missed. It swung harder, they dodged smarter, and it missed further. Infuriated, the beast dove back underground, a flurry of sand rushing into the air upon impact.

All was still, and the two bystanders sighed almost unanimously in relief. Just as Colin was reaching out his hand to help Ren get to his feet, a sound unlike anything they had ever heard drew them back to the battle they thought had concluded.

There had been nothing to give warning save for a low rumbling only milliseconds before the strike, but the wanderer knew exactly what was happening, and was prepared. Millions of grains of sand flew through the air in a single instant as the giant worm dove straight out of the dunes under where the horse and rider stood only seconds ago. The steed had leapt just to the side, and its companion backflipped out of the saddle, soared through the air like something out of a children's storybook with sword at the ready, and sliced vertically down the entirety of the beast. As it soared and soared upward, he cut and cut downward, until the monster was in two.

There wasn't even a shriek from the demon that time to fill the silence, only the sound of sand and blood returning to the earth, followed by two halves of now-dead flesh. Ren sat, eyes wide as saucers, staring bewildered at this mysterious person. He watched as the figure turned to his horse and rubbed her neck affectionately before looking back at him and Colin. Ren gulped down fear as he approached them, sword still gripped firmly in his hand. Colin moved to stand protectively in front of his nephew, but as the shadowed man drew nearer, he began to wonder...

The stranger came closer and Colin's heart beat faster, his eyes narrowed tighter, and his fists clenched at his sides. His mind was entertaining an idea the rest of him couldn't believe. The horse and rider were merely feet away now, and there was no denying what his eyes were seeing.

The cryptic duo stopped still in front of them, the man staring the visitors down.

"What are two people like you doing in the desert?" he asked, his voice deep and a bit gruff.

Neither said a word. Colin was in shock, and Ren could only perplexedly glance between the two.

"And what are you doing on the ground? You're a sitting duck for the Moldorms," he stated bluntly, gazing down at the boy.

Ren watched nervously as the man wiped his dirty blade on the hem of his tunic, adding a fresh red to mingle with what appeared to be years upon years of old blood stains. He sheathed his sword and squinted down at the boy with a scrutinizing look, clearly contemplating something for the briefest of instances.

He shook his head, grabbed his horse's reins and as he set his foot in the stirrup he said, "Get yourselves back to town, it isn't safe out here."

Just as the man was about to hoist himself up into the saddle, Colin's sudden voice stopped him.

"Wait."

He didn't yell or even so much as exclaim it, he simply said it firmly. The rider paused and was silent, refusing to look at him.

"Link," Colin stated plainly.

The man flinched. His hood covered most of his face, not allowing what little emotion he had to show.

He didn't make a move, he simply muttered under his breath, "Where did you hear that name?"

Colin chuckled gently, "You think I wouldn't recognize my big brother?"

He peeked out from under his cloak then, gazing formidably into Colin's blue irises. The stranger narrowed his shaded eyes, and Colin could tell he was confused.

"Don't tell me you don't recognize me?"

The secretive man turned to face them head on, reaching up and lowering his hood gradually as he did so.

"Colin?" he whispered.

The blond man sighed in relief, "I knew it was you. You have no idea how happy I am that we found you."

He cleared the gap between them and took his big brother in for a hug that the hero was hesitant to reciprocate. Colin held him tight, but Link lifted his arms up to return the embrace very slowly, only resting his hands on his sibling's back a mere second before releasing with a quick pat.

Colin stepped back to get a good look at the brother he hadn't seen in so long. He was still dressed in the green tunic he remembered him wearing ever since he became the hero, but the once-vibrant color was now very faded and there were several tears and the ends were frayed with age and wear. His signature cap was missing as he wore a black, hooded cloak that was previously concealing his identity that tied around his neck and hung to just above the backs of his knees. His hair was shaggy and dirty and had much more length now than Colin recalled. The bulk of it was tied back, and the ends were choppy and uneven as they had clearly been cut by himself over the years.

His skin was quite tan, likely due to extended time under the scorching sun, and his cheeks were flushed from the heat. If it weren't for that, Colin was sure he would have been pale as a ghost, for he had lost a significant amount of weight. He was still just as muscular as the young man remembered, but there was no meat on his bones. He had the slightest stubble across his jawline, which had also clearly been trimmed by his own blade. He looked weary and tired, and it was written clear as day across his face that ages of searching aimlessly with no reward had taken its toll on him.

He looked to the hero's four-legged companion. Epona had, undoubtedly, lost weight as well, but overall she still looked happy. Her beautiful red coat had lost a minimal amount of luster, but she retained that twinkle in her eyes. Colin reached over and pat her snout lovingly to which she responded with a gleeful whinny.

"Link..." Colin sighed, noticing that he was taking no such initiative to speak, "I don't even know what to say," he chuckled awkwardly, "How have you been? Are you alright? Are those stupid questions to ask?"

Link's gaze didn't falter, and he didn't even so much as crack a smile as Colin had expected him to.

"How long has it been?" he asked blankly.

"U-Uh..." Colin paused to think.

"Fifteen years," Ren spoke up.

Both of them turned to look at the boy still seated on the ground at once. He gulped hard, the direct eye contact with the hero sending a shiver down his spine.

"And how would you know that?" Link quizzed sternly, his brow tight, "Who are you?"

He glanced at Colin who had a look of unbridled apprehension on his face, then back to Link.

"I know because that's how old I am," he replied with all the confidence he could muster, stumbling a bit as he got to his feet, "And... I'm your son."

Link froze. He thoroughly, and completely, froze. Now, had this been anyone else, surely they would question a strange boy declaring his lineage to them, but Link could feel it in his gut. There was a pain in his stomach, implanted deep, deep down so far that he could not uproot it. He stared into the boy's eyes, a stranger's eyes, but they were somehow so familiar. It felt as if he was looking into a mirror or gazing into the past at himself when he was just a boy. His cerulean eyes were as deep as Lake Hylia; years of confusion and questioning his self-worth were evident, but just below the surface he saw a fierce determination for answers, a fiery resolve to pursue them, and above all a temperament that rivaled that of a once-beloved childhood friend that Link thought of often.

Ren, however, was petrified. The unending gaze between father and son did not falter on either end, and neither one so much as glanced away for even a second. He wasn't sure if this man would even believe him, if he would disown him, or if he would accept him on the spot and they would ride happily home to Ordon together. He couldn't read his weary eyes, couldn't detect an expression on his pallid face. Even despite now having a physical form, he was no less mysterious in this moment than he had been all the years he grew up simply imagining what he was like.

Colin didn't know what to do. He felt out of place, like a third wheel, or like he was intruding on something that should be private. He observed each in turn, both of which he cared for dearly and wanted nothing more than for them to acknowledge one another. His heart was thumping hard as he noticed Link appearing more and more withdrawn. He hadn't expected Link to greet this boy claiming to be his son immediately with open arms, but he had expected him to at least be loving and understanding – he had always been that way with him when he was just a kid. Now he was just stone. He was unmoving, unwavering... uncaring.

This wasn't the Link he remembered.

Ren nervously fiddled with the contents in his pocket, and Link subtly took notice, but remained emotionless. Several heartbeats passed that none of the men could count, and without so much as a word or a look, Link returned to his mount and hoisted himself up into the saddle.

"Link?" Colin called.

He situated himself atop Epona, raised his hood to once again cover his eyes, and said flatly, "You both need to get back to town. It isn't safe out here."

Colin looked at him in disbelief, "Link, I-I don't understand. We finally found you after all this time. Don't you want to see your family back home? They've all been so wor-"

"A sandstorm is fast approaching, and you will not survive if you do not leave now."

Ren and Colin stood still in shock. Neither one knew what to say, and even if they had, they couldn't find their voice. Ren's heart physically ached – all he wanted all his life was to find his father, and now, here he was right in front of him, wanting nothing to do with him.

"That's it?" Ren said at last.

"Go," Link replied, "Your steeds are waiting for you just up ahead."

With that, he clicked his tongue, spurring Epona in the opposite direction. The two watched him go in silence for some time, his horse galloping towards the massive cloud of sand in the distance. Colin turned to look at Ren, the expression on his face one of sheer devastation.

"Ren..." he spoke up, "I'm sorry."

Ren still glared straight ahead, watching his father grow smaller and smaller, "I can't believe I met him... and he just left."

"Ren," he turned to him, "You have to understand, your dad isn't usually- hey! Wait!"

The boy spun around and darted for his young mare in the direction of Castle Town. Mila and Ilari had run away from the monster earlier and stopped some yards in the distance, and luckily the height of the castle in the far, far distance pointed them the right way. Colin dashed after him as fast as he could, but Ren's anger was fueling him and he was running at a breakneck pace despite the pain of his weak leg.

He wanted to scream. More than anything he just wanted to throw his head back and scream at the top of his lungs. He was just so... mad. Maybe this was just part of that short fuse he got from his mother that everyone constantly reminded him of all his life. But, no, he had just cause to be angry. All this time building up to meeting his father felt like it was for nothing.

He pumped his legs, his left throbbing something awful, until he finally reached his steed. She appeared frazzled as he jumped hastily into the saddle, but with a soothing pat on the neck she charged forward as he commanded.

Colin wasn't too far behind. He hopped on his horse just the same and he galloped as fast as he could to keep up with his nephew. They ran through the remainder of Gerudo Desert, Lake Hylia, and finally Hyrule Field at a pace they had yet to force their mounts to take. Ilari struggled a bit, but he was a sweet horse and was happy to oblige his master. Because they were running so fast, it only took that night and into the early afternoon of the next day for them to reach their destination, Colin just barely at his heels the whole way.

Ren finally stopped just outside Castle Town, dismounting Mila and storming across the drawbridge. He truthfully didn't know where to go, but the only thing he could think to do was to go speak to the queen.

Colin leapt out of the saddle before Ilari had even come to a complete halt, "Ren, wait!" he yelled, chasing after him still.

"Why!" Ren screamed back, not even casting a glance over his shoulder as he made his way into the crowded town.

"Because we should talk about what happened!"

"What's the point?"

"Ren, you're being childish! Stop!" Colin shouted, pushing his way through throngs of people as Ren simply plowed through the horde toward the castle.

The hero's son scoffed, "Oh, I'm being childish."

"You are! You don't understand what your dad has been through! He ju-"

Ren suddenly stopped and spun around on his heel, "I don't understand what he's been through?" he narrowed his eyes furiously, "Maybe not. But does that excuse him from just completely ignoring me after I tell him I'm his son?"

Colin halted in his tracks and caught his breath for a moment. They ended up in the central square by the fountain just outside the castle. There were people all around, and several stopped to gawk at the two arguing quite loudly. Colin glanced around nervously, not wanting to draw attention.

He took a deep breath, looking at his nephew and seeing nothing short of sheer disappointment and failure on his trembling face.

"You have to understand, Ren..." Colin began, having calmed his tone down drastically in hopes that Ren would reciprocate, "Your dad..." he sighed, "He was already really messed up after everything he went through all those years ago, and now we find out he's spent the last fifteen years secluded, living and somehow surviving in the desert of all goddess-forsaken places by himself. I won't lie and say I'm not hurt by how he reacted, but I'm not entirely surprised."

Ren didn't visibly respond in any way, his mouth still shut tight.

"Listen..." he stepped closer, "All I'm trying to say is... Your dad is the best guy I know – that guy we just met isn't him. Don't let it discourage you and don't take it personally. He'll come around."

Ren couldn't help but shake his head, but he still said nothing. He turned around and continued making his way to the castle. He wanted nothing more than to plop down on that soft, cushy bed right now.

Colin sighed in defeat and followed him up to an entourage of guards standing before the entrance. They didn't budge or even so much as twitch a finger.

"Excuse me," Ren cleared his throat, "The queen is allowing us to stay here."

The guards said and did nothing.

Ren huffed agitatedly, going for the doorknob. The closest guard jammed his shield into the boy's chest and shoved him to the ground where he tumbled down a few stairs before Colin grabbed him. He grunted in discomfort and they both glared up at the intimidating man, the whole group now pointing their weapons at them.

"The king has demanded no visitors! No entry into the castle is permitted by anyone!"

"But the queen-" Ren tried as he got to his feet.

The guards inched their weapons closer.

"The king has demanded no visitors! No entry into the castle is permitted by anyone!"

"Alright, alright," Colin said, his hands raised in defense as he stood in front of his nephew, "We heard you. We'll leave."

He grabbed Ren by the wrist and pulled him away despite his meager protest. They stood once again in front of the elaborate fountain, busy townsfolk coming and going without a worry in the world. None of them even cared that their hero had been missing and wandering the desert alone for over a decade. He doubted any of them even knew he had been gone.

"Maybe we should just go back home, Ren," Colin admitted defeatedly, "Give him some time now that he knows about you and try again in a little while."

Ren simply shook his head, "No. I want to go back to him now. I have so much I want to say."

"It's not safe right now, you saw the sandstorm."

"If it's not safe for us it's not safe for him. How is he supposed to survive if he told us we couldn't?"

"The last half of his life has been about surviving there, the first half was about surviving anywhere. I'm sure he knows how to handle himself."

Ren sighed, but found nothing worth saying.

"I know you're hungry and tired anyway. Why don't we just take the rest of the day and the night to rest and see what you think in the morning?" Colin offered, trying his best to always be the level-headed one.

"Where can we even stay? We can't get into the castle."

Colin paused for a moment before it came to him, "Shad and Ashei. I'm sure they'll let us stay the night."

Ren gave in with a nod and a deep exhale, the idea of warm food and a good night's sleep enticing him enough not to fight it.

Colin smiled, but found that saying anything more would be too much.

Shad, Ashei, and their little girl Aveil welcomed them in with open arms. They had attempted to get information out of their guests, but it proved fruitless. Both of the young Ordonians seemed deeply affected by whatever had happened, and neither of the hosts felt right prying it out of them, so they let it go - for now.

Shad was as hysterically over the top as usual, and Ashei was as sarcastically bitter as usual. Aveil was excited to have company around her age, and they all crowded in around the small table to enjoy dinner together, albeit rather quietly. Shad had whipped up a delicious vegetable pottage, filled with tender mushrooms and succulent vegetables, and it just perfectly hit the spot. Ren almost fell asleep at the table, meaning it was clearly time to hit the hay.

Living in a small home, the family didn't exactly have an extra bedroom to spare. Colin and Ren each took a couch in the living room that night, and that was more than fine – considering for several nights in a row they had slept on hard rock in the middle of the desert, this was a million times better.

Just as the bitter darkness of night clutched the entirety of Hyrule, a certain forlorn queen took to her private balcony. It was quite telling that both her and her daughter found such solace in standing alone in the night where no one could bother them. No one was around to grovel, to criticize, or to question her. There were no sounds up this high, at least, none of the unpleasant ones. She closed her eyes as the gentle breeze caressed her long hair. She breathed in deep through her nose, taking in the familiar scent of the crisp, night air. She held that breath for what seemed like an eternity, and as she opened her eyes she released it very slowly.

The queen gazed down upon her kingdom, wondering if her citizens felt her same hardship, wondering if they were privy to her discontent. The lights were dim as the night grew shorter and more and more people tucked away into their homes to sleep. She hoped that she could still remedy the mess her king had made. Even though no one saw it as a mess save for her. Her people loved him, the kingdom adored his leadership and the changes he had made, but she knew that those changes didn't come without consequences. She felt so powerless, and she just found herself wishing more and more that her hero was still around.

She tensed her brow as that thought entered her head. It had been several days since she sent the two boys from Ordon blindly to the desert, and she worried over them greatly. The desert was not a place to simply take a leisurely stroll; it was a dangerous place for anyone. She cursed herself inwardly for ever giving them the idea to go there – she should have kept that to herself. But... what if they did find Link?

She felt a warmth then that she hadn't felt in what seemed like eons. She closed her eyes in bliss, drinking in the feeling. It was in that moment that she could place it.

"Link..." she whispered.

There was silence for only a second before a soothing voice at her side lit a fire in her heart.

"It's good to see you, princess."

She turned to see him standing in the shadows in the corner of the balcony. She smiled and made her way over to him, disregarding elegance in that moment as she wrapped her arms around him.

He smiled just the same and reciprocated the gesture fondly. Her spirit almost burst with joy, and she could feel her pulse quicken from the excitement of seeing her hero again. She pulled back and gazed at him. Just one corner of his mouth was tugged up into a miniature grin, and most of his face was obscured by his hood, but she could tell that he was tired, aged, and worn down; she could feel it radiating off of him.

She reached up and pulled down the cloth that was covering his handsome face with a smile, "You know, hero, you really should not keep calling me that as I am no longer the princess."

"Well, I am no longer the hero," he replied.

She furrowed her brow a bit sadly, "Link, you will always be the hero. It is a title you will carry long after you and I are long gone from this world and the next."

He looked down at her wearily, "With all due respect, Your Highness, I had forsaken any claim I had to that title many years ago."

"And what makes you say that?"

Link sighed, "I abandoned my family. I made it my mission to search for something unsearchable. I wasted fifteen years of my life scouring the desert trying to fill an unfillable void the twilight left in my spirit."

She went to stand at the railing, better allowing the cool breeze to reach their tired minds, motioning for him to do the same. He took notice and followed suit while continuing his response.

"I was convinced I could do anything," he gazed out over the quiet town, recalling it all with ease, "I was just so sure that, because of everything I had been able to accomplish up to that point, that nothing could stand in my way. She..." he paused, a pain in his chest, "She believed in me and sent me off. I failed everyone, threw what life I had away, and caused them all to worry for no good reason."

Zelda remained a strong presence at his side, feeling him more so than anything else.

"They found you," she noted.

Link nodded, still facing straight ahead, "They found me."

"You met him, then."

Link breathed deep, "Yes."

His vagueness was clearly purposeful and planned, but she could read his every nuance - his every twinge and twitch, his every breath and beat, his everything, just as she always could.

"It didn't go well."

Link couldn't help but chuckle, "You just always see right through me."

"And you me," she smiled, "Tell me what happened."

He sighed, "Not much to say, I'm afraid. He told me he was my son, and I..." he hesitated, looking for an appropriate word, "I just froze. I was paralyzed. I felt embarrassed and ashamed... I couldn't face it, I still don't think I can."

"You sent them away."

He nodded, "I did. I... have too much guilt to face it."

Zelda said nothing for several minutes, for she recognized that he had more he needed to say. Link knew the silence was there because she was giving him the space to continue, and - having a lot to get off his chest - he took it gladly once he was ready.

"I haven't spoken to anyone in over a decade, I'm not entirely sure I remember how," he said flatly, not a hint of humor in his tone as his words might have otherwise implied.

She looked to him, but was still quiet.

"It's just been a lot of... yelling at myself, yelling at the goddesses, talking to Epona when she wasn't sick of hearing my voice," he chuckled dryly, turning to face the queen.

All was noiseless as they did naught but stare for some passage of time that was lost to them. Much of their interaction was mental and emotional, feeling the bond between them without words as they always did. Link could feel her profound discomfort in her situation, and Zelda could feel his immeasurable disdain he harbored for himself.

"I have a son," he finally burst out with a sad smile, "I'm a father."

Zelda half-heartedly grinned as well.

His smile quickly retreated, being substituted for a grimace, "I let him grow up fatherless all these years," he hung his head, "I let Ilia go it alone. I should go see her, tell her I'm sorry for everything."

Zelda wore a despairing expression as she placed her gloved hands atop his which rested upon the railing, "How much do you know?"

Link looked confused, "Nothing at all."

Zelda averted his gaze, "I see..."

Link furrowed his brow, studying her for a moment. There was something he needed to know, something she knew that she didn't want to utter aloud. He rested his free hand on top of hers, grabbing tightly.

"Tell me," he pleaded delicately.

She looked up at him, sadness a thick blanket that clouded her beautiful eyes. She didn't want to say it, but she knew he deserved to know.

"Your son and my daughter spoke the night before he left to search for you," she began, not wanting to draw it out, "He mentioned to her that his mother..." she pursed her lips painfully, squeezing his hands that sandwiched hers, "Passed away."

He stared at her with a look she had never witnessed before. There was hurt there, but the majority of it was absolute confusion. She understood it – everything he thought he knew about his life was suddenly and completely flipped upside down in the matter of one day. He went from living in pure solitude, only concerned with survival and locating something he may have never found, to learning a woman he'd once loved had raised his child he never knew he had only to die before he could see her again.

He turned away then, removing his hands from the queen's and resting his elbows atop the parapet. He interlaced his fingers and held his hands in front of his face, gazing out over the whole of Hyrule. His features were tense, his eyes were narrowed to slits, and he breathed heavily as he watched the stars come and go behind the dark, night clouds.

His heart felt like it had snapped in half, a dull throbbing in his chest as he thought of her touch. His stomach was doing somersaults, a deeply rooted nausea in his gut as he imagined her voice. His brain was a jumbled mess of criss-crossing thoughts and disjointed processes, a splitting migraine taking hold as he pictured her face in his mind's eye.

He let out a deep breath, "I saw her when I looked at him."

Zelda's eyes were downcast as she listened, his despondency weighing on her heavily.

"I didn't even ask him his name."

"Ren," Zelda whispered.

"Ren?" he parroted, glancing at her.

She nodded.

He looked back, "Ren," he mumbled to himself.

He shut his eyes and dropped his forehead to his hands. He let out a nearly inaudible laugh then, the kind that was somber, yet ironic, "Ren," he said again.

He shook his head to himself – she had known all along. She asked him for a name before he'd even left, and she still sent him on his way. He couldn't believe he couldn't see how selfless and compassionate she was. She loved him unconditionally through and through, even when he was unlovable. The hardships she must have gone through, the pain and uncertainty. It caused a deep agony in the pit of his chest, like a weight sitting on top of him that he couldn't lift no matter his strength.

He wanted to cry. In fact, he should have cried, but he refrained. The tears sat at his lashes, not permitted to go any farther. More than anything he was just overwhelmed, wholly and devastatingly overwhelmed. More than cry or scream or throw a tantrum, he just wanted to go back to the desert. It was lonely, but it was easy. Keeping himself alive was easy. Purely surviving with no other interests was easy. Having feelings and loved ones and people you cared about? That was hard. It complicated everything. Simply caring for someone was what drove him to waste most of his life combing a hellish part of the earth just to find a way back to her. It had been so long, he couldn't even be sure she still remembered him. But... he could always hope.

He composed himself, standing up straight again and returning his eyes to that of the wide-open land before him.

"He has the twilight crystal," he uttered.

Zelda stood tall beside him, her hands clasped before her, "I thought I felt it as well, but I was not sure."

"It's all I need to get back to her."

"Yes... So it is."

"Do you think he'll feel used if I ask him for it?" he questioned, "I... didn't treat him well upon our meeting, and I fear he won't be so understanding if next time we see each other I ask him for something he has."

"Well, he is your son; he may be understanding."

"Yes, but, he's also Ilia's," he huffed at the memories of her infamous temper that all at once flooded his mind, "So he may just not be so understanding."

Zelda giggled softly, looking to her hero as his playful expression soon faded to a melancholy one.

"How did she die?" he asked abruptly and candidly.

The woman placed a comforting hand on his arm as she replied sympathetically, "Let that be a conversation you have with your son."

He sighed deeply, but gave in. There was silence between them for quite some time, the cold, night air being the only vocal company amongst them. His overall attitude towards everything troubled the queen more than she would dare admit to him. She knew he was more comfortable with her than with anyone else that remained within the world of the light and the living, which attributed to him keeping it together in her presence, but she knew he was broken and not himself. His every reaction was dulled, and despite everything he knew flipping upside down on him, his main goal was still just obtaining the missing piece to his own personal agenda. He still had the object from the light that Zelda bestowed upon him, so the object from the twilight was the last thing he required, and more so than cultivating a meaningful relationship with his son, he wanted that crystal shard. He needed it – or, at least, he thought he did.

She knew his insatiable lust for rebuilding the portal to the twilight would not be patient. She knew he would see to it as soon as he was able and that it would hurt those who were trying to reach out to him.

Her very soul cried out at her hero's misplaced obligations and overlooked affections.

"Where do you supposed they settled down for the night?"

She thought on it a moment, "My best estimation would be with your old resistance friends, Shad and Ashei. They had already spoken to the two of them before seeking me out."

"Alright," he said at last, standing upright, repositioning his hood over his head, and adjusting his effects, "I'll see you later then, princess."

In one fluid motion, he gave the queen a peck on the cheek, hopped up onto the banister, and dove off the balcony.

"I am not the- LINK!" she screamed, reaching her hand out and leaning over the edge towards him.

Through the thick blanket of night, she was able to barely spot him falling. Just when she was convinced he was going to join the golden goddesses, she saw a chain shoot out from his hand and latch into a nearby wall, swinging him safely out of the castle courtyard and casually into the heart of town. She heaved a heavy sigh of relief, clutching her hand to her pounding heart.

She watched him go, and though the recent events should have been mostly pleasant, she couldn't shake a deep feeling of dread that planted itself in her spirit. Something was going to happen, but she simply couldn't place it.

She prayed Viscen wouldn't do anything she couldn't fix.

She prayed Emeline wouldn't grow up to be like him.

She prayed Ren would be understanding of his father.

But more than anything, she prayed Link would be the hero she knew he was. For she had the feeling Hyrule would be in need of one again.


A stranger can become a loved one just as easily as a loved one can become a stranger.


A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!

SonadowKokoro100, Chloe Rose, Debora, Lotus Eater, Ivalee, Lee Glerum, Gabby-J

You guys are amazing!