"Don't tell me that you're jealous… because I know all too well about that emotion too. You feel it more that you like to admit and, by the way. You really fucked you, didn't you. That kiss? You fucking moron... how could you fuck that up? You had your chance, and it was when you had Zelda alone in her study! She had been crying, true, but she was vulnerable, her defences were down, and that was your chance! Why didn't you fucking kiss her? Gah! You're such a fucking loser." Dark Link turned his gaze to the arm that was piercing Link's belly and he spoke softly, "But that all doesn't really matter now. It's nearly complete. Soon your soul will be trapped in the Dark Realm and I shall take your place on this plane. Zelda will be mine, I shall show her my love and fill her with my seed and then…"
Dark Link's voice faded from Link's hearing as the hero's eyes were beginning to close. His strength was failing, he lay in a pool of his own blood and he felt himself starting to fall into darkness. He was vulnerable, powerless, and he knew that no one would rescue him. Even if someone were to stumble on this bloody scene, what could they do? Link was not a quitter but even he knew that he faced defeat, he had let his guard down, and his moment of weakness with Zelda had given Dark Link the opportunity to ambush him alone.
Little did the waning hero know was that he wasn't alone, not really.
The Hero Chosen by the Gods had been watched as he wandered through the Faron Province. His attack by Dark Link had been seen and help was on its way in a big hurry to save the hero from a fate worse than death. However, his help was taking longer than expected and Link was losing his fight to stay in the light… Dark Link was indeed winning.
What Dark Link was doing, besides bleeding Link like a stuck pig, was that he was actually pumping his dark essence into Link's body. Slowly he was corrupting the hero and threatening to entrap his soul of light permanently in the the Dark Realm, leaving only a bloody but empty body. His plan? Trap Hyrule's beloved hero in a realm of eternal torment and literally take over his life. Dark Link hadn't lied, he was like Link in every way. Genetically speaking, he was Link but he just had the added benefit of being able to manipulate his form using dark shadow magic.
In his mind, his plan was foolproof. There had been no witnesses, he made sure of that, and he was also sure that no one would find that oil-seller's body anytime soon. Killing the dumb bastard had been some fun. The only problem Dark Link could have foreseen had been if Link had been able to draw the Master Sword. That was the only true difference between the green-clad hero and his dark doppelgänger: the Blade of Evil's Bane did not agree with Dark Link's current, dark magic-made form. If Dark Link was even near the blade unsheathed, it wouldn't be pleasant for him. This was why he needed Link's un-souled body, for him to slip inside like his own Hylian hero suit, in order to be able to wield the blade and meld into the hero's life seamlessly.
A malicious grimace of satisfaction spread across Dark Link's face as he watched Link's eyes close. The hero's body went limp and the dark being chuckled. He was nearly there, it was nearly done! Sliding his eyes down to the hero's fingertips, he could see that the Hylian's skin was turning grey. Clearly his body was almost fully consumed by the darkness that Dark Link was injecting into his gut via his blade-like hand. Licking his lips before slowly sucking in a breath, the monochromatic-villain allowed himself a moment to fantasize about his beloved queen. Zelda… oh how he longed for her, needed her, desired her… Simply watching from afar had been far from insufficient to his needs, Dark Link needed to feel her, touch her, and show her how much she meant to him.
In every way possible.
All in due time. His plan was practically complete and there was nothing or no one that could stop him.
The air was suddenly filled with the great cry of a bird. It was so deafening that Dark Link flinched in his concentration, his eyes snapping open with instant wrath and he snapped his head around towards the source. The sound was coupled with the shrill, terrified whinny of Epona when a bright light momentarily filled the grove, blinding them all. Dark Link raised his unoccupied hand to shield his eyes, grunting in pain and frustration. After a second or two the light dimmed and focused to a wide circle in the air: a hovering gateway. From the portal a lone figure dropped, bathed in his own shroud of light. The light-figure was quick when he landed on the surface, wasting no time to sprint over to the distracted Dark Link. There was no time for the dark-being to react when the mysterious figure roughly grabbed the villain's shoulders. Dark Link was forcibly wretched off of the fallen hero, his blade-hand ripping out of Link's gut with a spray of blackened blood, and was impressively thrown a good ten feet away to the other side of the trail. Growling, Dark Link rolled when he hit the ground before shifting into a kneeling stance, red eyes narrowed and dangerous; his blade-hand lengthened into an even deadlier weapon, blood dripping from the blade.
Momentarily Dark Link's eyes widened in surprise, or perhaps even fear, before he roared with fury. To a great blow to his ego he saw that the figure from the portal wasn't paying him even the slightest of attention. "You? How the fuck are you here? This is bullshit! How dare you interfere! He's mine! Fuck off!"
Dark Link never received an answer to any of his questions... or even any further acknowledgment that he existed. Just as his body tensed to strike this interfering newcomer down, another loud call from the bird filled the air. A huge, red, feathered beast suddenly descended down from the portal of light and landed on the ground with a loud thud. With a grunt of alarm, Dark Link had to roll away lest he be crushed by the giant bird. The Crimson Loftwing spread his wings in a display of brilliance and intimidation and the entire bird seemed to shine with a light, as if it was also covered by a layer of light similar to that of the portal. Dark Link growled in fury and averted his eyes from the light of the bird and of the portal. His gaze fell toward the figure who was kneeling next to his former, bloody quarry and he glared menacingly.
Dark Link knew who the mysterious man from the portal was and seeing him beside Link filled him with a hot rage along with a sliver of fear. Between this new opponent and the Loftwing that was snapping its huge beak towards him, there was no way that Dark Link was going to be able to get near Link's body now. The only option for him was to retreat, as much as it enraged him.
"This isn't the end, Fairy Boy!" Dark Link yelled before his form began to waver. He then disintegrated into an oily, shadow-like substance that fell to the ground before disappearing into the shadow of a tree. With Dark Link seemingly gone, the shadow tendrils holding down Link's limbs and entrapping Epona melted into the ground as well. The mare, terrified and hide covered with sweat and foam, reared in fear before bolting down the path towards Ordon Village.
The Hero of Time paid his successor's dark counterpart's departure no mind at all as he continued to assess Link's current state. The legendary hero could see that the Hylian's light was barely visible with the amount of darkness that Dark Link had managed to infect his body with. There was so much blood on the ground… it was a true miracle that Link was even barely alive. Still, simple death by impalement was not what the ancient hero was concerned about. The Hero of Time knew he had to act fast as it had taken more time than he had originally thought to cross over between realms, even riding upon the Crimson Loftwing. The hero's eyes searched Link's motionless, ashen, greying face and he knew that he possibly only had seconds to save Link's soul from falling into the Dark Realm.
If that happened, there would be not a second rescue from the Hero of Time. If he failed now, Link's soul would be eternally doomed in a realm of torment and the hero's bloodline could possibly be severed forever, the cycle of reincarnation broken.
"Goddesses, please lend me your aid," the Hero of Time whispered before he began to mutter either an ancient prayer or some sort of verse under his breath, gripping Link's left hand. The longer the ancient hero spoke and focused his thoughts upon the powers of the Goddesses and on Link's hand, the more he began to feel warmth rise from the hero's skin. The Hero's Shade opened his eyes to be met with the shine of the Triforce residing in Link's hand, activated by his words. Taking a breath, the Hero of Time steeled himself and prayed that his efforts would work before he grunted and heaved back, pulling hard on the knight's hand and trusting in the Triforce.
The Hero of Time was pulling with all of his strength, yet Link's arm remained by his side, as if it weighed a tonne. For a moment it seemed to the ancient hero that his plan had failed and fear gripped his heart that he was already too late. The Hero of Time's gaze glanced up towards the portal of light and saw that it was beginning to close. He was quickly running out of time both to save Link and to return to his own realm.
For a moment, the Hero of Time feared that he might have to leave his successor behind, having failed in his rescue mission.
"Hear me, Hylia! Help me save your hero! Please! Do not forsake us!"
Time stilled and silence filled the grove. The Hero of Time felt as if he was pulling the weight of Death Mountain itself. If he could sweat then it'd be dripping from his face and he opened his mouth to roar with his effort. Just when he thought that he was out of time, the hero felt the weight at which he was pulling at give in the slightest before finally releasing. He hauled Link back and over, tossing the hero to the ground behind him before turning to look upon the hero now behind him. Link was unmoving but the Hero of Time knew that he was all right. However, they couldn't stay there for much longer.
The Hero of Time knew that there was more that could be done if Link was to be truly saved. He still had time, perhaps just enough. The ancient hero turned away from the Link that lay unmoving behind him to the bloody mess of a body he still knelt beside: a dying body now separated from its soul.
A twinkling-like sound suddenly caught the Hero's Shade's attention and he glanced to Link's shoulder and he saw the hilt of the Master Sword. Even after being dead for over a century and a half and no longer the active hero of Hyrule, the Hero of Time slightly smiled when he heard the voice of the Master Sword calling to him.
"Quick, Link, my Master From Another Time… use me to seal away the darkness. Save the body of my Master…"
The Hero of Time stared at the sword, which was shining blue within its sheath. He hesitated for the briefest of moments for he understood the gravity of what the sword was asking him to do. With a final shake of his head, the Hero of Time reached over and drew the sword from behind Link's back. The sword's blade revealed its brilliant blue light that shone brightly and the sword seemed to vibrate in the Hero of Time's grasp. He knew what to do and without delay or change in his determination to save Link, the Hero of Time expertly plunged the tip of the Master Sword directly into the wound in Link's gut where Dark Link had previously occupied. The Hero's Shade impaled his successor until he felt the tip of the legendary sword break through the fallen hero's back before he released his grip.
"Sleep, Master," the Hero of Time heard the Master Sword whisper and he puffed out the breath he'd been holding.
Link, Hero Chosen by the Gods, was now the new pedestal of his own sword. The Master Sword continued to shine and its blue glow quickly bathed its master's body with its light. Colour noticeably returned to the hero's skin as the light erased away the infecting darkness. The Hero of Time watched the blue light encase Link in a protective cocoon, cleansing his body of the taint of darkness and sealing his inevitable death from blood loss with time.
The Hero of Time was nothing more than a spirit in this realm after all, so he knew all too well that he couldn't remain on this plane for not much longer. The same went for Link's fragile soul, which was still laying on the ground behind him: unconscious and vulnerable.
The Hero's Shade whistled and the Crimson Loftwing turned its great head before squawking and hurrying over. The Hero of Time quickly got to his feet and ran over to pick Link's soul off the ground as the Loftwing came to his side. Forgoing finesse, the Hero's Shade stowed Link's soul over the great, red bird's back like a sack of potatoes before mounting up behind him.
"Quick! The portal!" Link, the Hero of Time, called and the Crimson Lofting brandished his great wings before taking off into the air and dived upwards into the closing portal, disappearing within mere seconds before it closed behind his tail feathers.
Up and up they flew, ethereal winds battering the Loftwing and his riders as they flew through the connecting pathway between the realm of the living and the next. All around them swirled what looked like threads and wisps of light and mist, twisting around them in a sort of funnel, like the gentle interior of a tornado. Flashes of light and colour shone out from the shifting walls of the funnel: shades of purples, blues and greens. There was no air in the funnel, for this was no longer the Light World. The Loftwing's destination was the Spirit Realm, or at least a branch of it, but the movement of the swirling mists and light made it difficult to discern that the great bird was moving forward at all.
The Hero of Time gritted his teeth and kept his head down, hugging Link's unconscious self close to him, less to protect him from the turbulence but more to ensure that he did not fall from the Loftwing's back. Falling into the funnel would mean being lost in the space between realms for all eternity, forever falling through the fabrics of various realms and planes. Through narrowed eyes Link looked down at his motionless successor and worried for a moment if he had managed to completely save the younger hero's soul. Dark Link had assaulted his soul with a heavy dose of shadow magic and the soul could be quite delicate.
The Hero of Time prayed that whatever darkness that had been threatening Link's soul had been left behind in his body, now sealed by the purifying power of the Master Sword.
Time was not as stable here as it was in the Light World, hence it was impossible to truly judge how long the Crimson Loftwing flew what they perceived as upwards. All the Hero of Time could do was wait, knowing that the Loftwing, a beast sacred to the Goddess Hylia herself as well as the Hero of Time's own ancient predecessor, would deliver them safely to the other side. After what seemed like an hour, though it might as been as short as a few minutes, the Hero's Shade opened his eyes when his mount let out a long call. Lifting his head to see over the bird's red feathers, the hero saw beyond them a circle of light, the end of the passageway, and it was quickly becoming larger as they grew close.
The Lofting tucked in his wings to dive into the portal and the Hero of Time shut his eyes tight as they were engulfed in light. Just as they had dived upwards to enter into the portal from the Light World, the Crimson Loftwing emerged on the other side of the second portal diving straight down. The bird quickly opened his wings and steeply pulled up as the ground was mere feet below them. Evening out, the Loftwing flapped his wings and gained some altitude as his riders adjusted to their new environment. Link, the Hero of Time, blinked and sat up, familiar with this plane. All around them were the thick branches of gigantic trees, each limb easily the width of the Great Bridge of Hylia back in Hyrule. Thick fog and mists filled the distance, making it impossible to see the whole of the trees or even how far each branch extended. Light filled the area, its source was inconclusive, and shadows seemed to shift and move within the mists; the Loftwing was careful to steer clear of these.
The entire realm seemed to be deserted the further the Loftwing flew, past more giant branches and swirling mists. Link payed the scenery little attention as he kept his eyes forward, his hands firmly on his successor's soul which he had pulled up to sit slumped over in front of him. Even though they were safely away from the grips of Dark Link, the realm in which they were was in no way safe. This was, after all, a realm of spirits and spirits were not all good. Some, in fact, were older than the concepts of good and evil, so both the Hero of Time and the Crimson Loftwing were being careful not to announce their presence.
Especially considering the fact that they harboured with them a fragile, Hylian soul who just so happened to possess a piece of the Triforce. Such power would entice even the most neutral spirit to come closer out of curiosity. This realm of mist and giant tree branches was similar to the Ghostly Ether, where the Hero of Time would meet with Link to train him. Both realms were conduits, planes of meeting or travelling, and weren't whole Spirit Realms by themselves. Think of them as waiting rooms or lobbies, tiny rooms attached to great chambers that dwarfed them in every sense. The Loftwing and his former-Kokiri rider were looking for a specific branch, or rather three branches, that crossed and intersected to form a triangle.
"Hmm… ugh".
The Hero of Time slightly jumped and looked down at his slumped over reincarnation, quickly slapping his hand over Link's mouth.
"Silence, son, we're almost there".
Link's eyes fluttered and his vision was heavily blurred. His memory was as thick as the fog in the distance and his entire body felt as though he was floating in water, barely tangible. It was… odd, it felt as though he should feel pain and soreness but it was as if he had forgotten what those feelings and sensations felt like. He just sort of felt like… nothing. The one thing that his groggy mind was able to register was that he was sitting against something, or someone, and that someone had spoken to him… and were also covering his mouth. Blinking a few more times, Link's eyes slowly registered the red feathers in front of him, each of them shifting in wind.
Well that was… odd. Everything was just so odd and strange... yet weirdly familiar, like this wasn't the first time he had woken up like this.
Turning his gaze to the side of the red feathers, Link blankly watched a huge tree branch go by them and then another… and then another. White fog filled in the background behind the many branches and that was about it. This place was just peculiar… wherever he was.
Wait, where was he is? Wasn't he supposed to be…
A montage of images suddenly assaulted Link's senses and he flinched and doubled over, a strong arm instantly encircled his stomach and held him close. With his eyes tightly shut he saw Hyrule Castle, the desert, the Norduidians, Mahila, red eyes, Prince Vahlymor, Nabila, Lake Hylia, Hyrule Field, Faron Woods, red eyes, Faron Spring, the bridge to Ordon, Epona terrified, red eyes, Dark Link smirking above him...
"Zelda!" Link suddenly called, his voice muffled against the hand that was still tightly clamped over his mouth and he instantly started to fight against whoever was holding him.
"Be still, Link! I will explain shortly! You're safe now, but you must remain silent!"
Turning his head to the side t the urgent, masculine whisper. Link's eyes widened when he was met with a familiar face, one that he never thought he'd see again in his lifetime. Caught up in his surprise, tears welled up in his eyes. The Hero of Time met his gaze and a small smile breached his lips, making his eyes shine. Link dared not to blink for a few moments before he was truly sure that it was the Hero's Shade who he was seeing. Once he was sure that it wasn't an illusion or something, he turned his head back forward, the Hero of Time slowly releasing his mouth. The red feathers on which he sat upon him suddenly made sense as the knight looked up to see the back of the crest of the Loftwing. Realization slowly began to set in and what could been described as dread settled into Link's chest.
Slowly the Hylian reached his hand to feel his gut but his fingers simply came to brush against his mentor's arm, which still held him. The Hero's Shade, possibly sensing that his former pupil was coming to grips with what had happened to him, gave Link a squeeze before he whispered in his ear. "Look, we're there".
Link wearily lifted his gaze, tears spilling out from the sides of his eyes, and saw that the Loftwing was flying towards a trio of branches that formed a triangular space between them. On light wings the Crimson Loftwing landed on one of the branches before bowing his head to allow his passengers to quietly disembark. The Hero of Time was first to dismount and he offered a supportive arm to help the Hero of Twilight off of the great bird. Link kept his head down and didn't hesitate to accept his mentor's offered help, he was too disorientated and feeling like he was going to float away to decline. With his boots touching solid ground again, the knight was able to properly look at himself and he realized that he still wore all his clothes that he'd been wearing in Hyrule: his Hero's Clothes, his knight's cape and his Gerudo spaulder. Patting his gut, there was not wound or no blood, no evidence at all of Dark Link's attack. Looking up at his predecessor, Link saw that the Hero of Time still wore his ancient knight's armour and looked as timeless and noble as the last time he had seen him.
Seeing him looking, the Hero of Time gave his younger reincarnation another small smile and gestured that they continue forward towards the three criss-crossing branches. Link kept his hand on his predecessor's arm as they made their way silently forward. His mind was swimming with questions, but at the same time he also didn't care. All he did care about was that Zelda was in danger and he was… wherever he was. It didn't take a genius to connect his attack from Dark Link with him being in this realm now, which could only mean that he had lost and was probably dead.
Link was dead and he had left Zelda behind all alone in Hyrule with a psychotic clone of himself.
The Crimson Loftwing settled down to watch the surrounding area as the two heroes approached the edge of the branch-triangle. Link peeked over the side of the branch that they stood on but all he saw was more branches and more fog. The Hero of Time, meanwhile, was focused on the triangular space the overlapping branches made, though his eyes were keen on their surroundings.
After a moment or two more, the Hero of Time leaned towards Link and said lowly, "Okay, we should be all right here. It's safe to talk just… keep your voice down".
Link sniffled a bit and rubbed his face across the back of his sleeve before sighing. "Didn't think I'd been seeing you so soon," he said dryly. How many times had he thought about his ancient mentor and wished he could talk to him? Now, here they were face-to-face, but the circumstances were less than ideal.
"Yes… it is good to see you, son," the older Link replied, a sad expression beneath his blonde bangs. The older knight crossed his arms and looked thoughtfully at the empty space off the side of the branch, sighing softly. "I'm sure… that you have questions and I shall do my best to answer-"
"Am I really dead?"
The Hero of Time slowly closed his mouth, his one good eye looking aside. "Not… in the traditional sense…."
"What the hell does that mean?" Link asked, clearly confused.
His mentor raised his hands in defence before running his fingers through his hair. "Just… please, take a seat. I have a lot of explain and I'll try to do so in a manner that it's as clear as I can make it".
Link stared at his predecessor and sighed, not caring anymore. Slowly he sat down on the branch, his feet towards the edge, and he stared out at the strange world he'd found himself in as the Hero of Time came to sit beside him.
Settling down, the Hero of Time remained silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "I saved you, Link, though… I was almost too late," the ancient hero said finally, interlocking his fingers and stared ahead.
"You've been saving me a lot it seems," Link replied with a slight frown. "Thanks," Link said after a moment, albeit a bit quieter.
"Yes, well… when what threatens you puts your very soul at risk, anyone could use a helping hand. The dark being that had attacked you nearly succeeded in his mission to trap your soul in the Dark Realm. It seems that whoever was behind your first attack with the arrow is quite keen with doing more than simply killing you".
"But… it couldn't have been Dark Link who was behind the arrow. He even told me that he was created from when the Gerudo burned the poison that had been in me from the arrow. Something about my blood being mixed with the poison… I don't know, it's all kind of a blur," Link admitted, a sad tone in his voice.
"Yes… that may be, but clearly someone was behind the creation of that poison... umm, Atishokull? Yes, someone had to create it who had both Gerudo knowledge and dark magic knowledge. Whoever this magician is has access to a substantial amount of power if they were able to summon Dark Link to the Light World".
"How do you know all of this?" Link asked, turning towards his mentor.
"I do try and keep myself up to date with what's happening with you," the Hero of Time explained, "especially after I saved you from the Dark Realm. It was clear that someone had some sort of vendetta against you or something so… I've been watching you and inquiring with my predecessors for their opinions".
Neither knights said anything for a few moments before the Hero of Twilight slowly narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to his mentor. "You've… been spying on me?"
"Well… I wouldn't say spying…"
"What have you seen?"
Instantly Link thought about his kiss with Zelda and then his sex with Mahila, but the Hero of Time was already shaking his head and held up his hand to stop Link right there. "Now, now. I think we're getting a bit off topic. Point is, I wanted to make sure you were safe. I saw Dark Link attack you and it's fortunate that I was watching or else you'd be worse than dead right now".
"Okay… so, I am dead, is that what you're saying? You still need to explain that and… also, where exactly the hell are we are we, anyway?"
The Hero of Time frowned slightly and sighed, trying his best to think of the easiest way to explain their situation. "So… if you define being "dead" as being out of your physical body, then yes, sure, you're dead, but at the same time you aren't. As to where we are, we're in the Spirit Realm, or at least one of its facets. You currently are a form of a spirit, a soul separated from his body, while I am a true spirit as I have died naturally and have been granted privilege to join my Chosen Hero kinsmen since I completed my mission with training you. You see, this particular plane, this realm, think of it as a sort of crossroads. These branches connect with various other spheres of realms and this realm is mainly used for travelling, like a very big hallway that's connected to much bigger rooms". The Hero of Time paused when he caught Link's expression and he continued more slowly. "Is this making any sense at all to you?"
Link just continued stared at his mentor and it was clear to the older knight that he wasn't explaining himself properly. Sighing he said, "Allow me to start from the beginning. But, before I do... how much do you recall from your attack?"
"Everything, I think," Link replied, rubbing his hands together before subconsciously rubbing his gut. "Dark Link… he tackled me off of Epona as I was riding to Ordon. He pinned me down, ran me through with his hand and…" The Hylian's eyes narrowed darkly as he recalled Dark Link's words and his hands tightened into fists.
When Link didn't continue speaking, the Hero of Time nodded understandingly. "Well, Dark Link wasn't just draining you of your blood, for he was actually pumping shadow magic into your body, the same used to make the Atishokull. If I hadn't shown up when I had your soul would've been trapped in the Dark Realm and I wouldn't have been able to save you from there this time".
"I get that but… how did we get here?" Link interjected, losing patience, and he gestured to the scene before them of giant tree branches and dense, white fog.
"After I arrived to the forest," the Hero of Time continued, ignoring his pupil's impatience, "I separated Dark Link from you and knew that I had to act fast. My main priority was saving your soul and I called upon the Goddesses for their aid. I was able to activate your piece of the Triforce and managed to pull free your soul from your body, saving it from the darkness within your blood. When I saw that your body was technically still clinging to life, I was instructed by the Master Sword itself to-"
"The Master Sword spoke to you?" Link interrupted, true surprise written on his face.
The Hero of Time slowly turned towards his successor and his expression clearly showed his growing annoyance with his younger reincarnation. "Yes. In great times of need the sword will choose to reveal its voice, but these are exceedingly rare. The sword has a spirit, a will of its own, but I am sure that you were already aware of this. It is through this spirit that the sword chooses who is worthy to wield it, mainly by the Chosen Hero of the Goddess or those closely associated with the goddess. Once the spirit even had a name, which my predecessor has revealed to me as being Fi. It was Fi who instructed me of what course of action I should take next in order to save your body".
"What did the sword tell you to do?"
The Hero of Time averted his eye from Link's and looked forward, taking a moment before saying, "I took up the sword and impaled your gut with it".
"You what?" Link asked, incredulous. "You… stabbed me… with the Master Sword? The Master Sword itself told you to stab… me?"
"Yes," the elder knight replied simply, turning back to his reincarnation. "In order to seal away the darkness infesting your body, I plunged the sword into your flesh. The power of the Blade of Evil's Bane purified your body while simultaneously saving your life, or well the life of your body. If you recall my story that I told you years ago, the Master Sword has access to powers of time and it was through this power that the sword froze your body, in a way. It stopped your body from dying by freezing it in time and your body will continue to remain as such, alive, until the sword is removed".
"But-" Link began before stopping, not knowing which question he should ask first. This was a lot to take in. Removing his hat, the knight ran his hands through his hair until he came to his ponytail. A hand came to sit upon his shoulder and his mentor gave it a small squeeze.
"I know that this a lot to understand," the Hero of Time said softly, a sad note in his voice. "I… tried to reach you sooner but crossing realms is not something that can be done in an instant. Here time flows differently. I am just thankful to all of the goddesses that I reached you when I did".
"Yes, but now," Link began, looking up at his predecessor, eyes wide with fear. "I'm stuck here, practically dead, my body is time-frozen by the Master Sword, and Zelda is back in Hyrule with a me-look-alike psycho coming after her. This… that's more than just hard to understand. How… how did all of this even happen? Why now?"
"I know that you are worried for your queen and know that her safety and well-being has not left my mind," the elder hero replied, his expression hard. "Even as a spirit I consider myself a Hyrulean Knight and I still align my loyalty with the Royal Family. We will do everything we can to warn Her Majesty of Dark Link's existence and it is for that very reason, Dark Link being alive, which is why I had to impale your body with the Master Sword".
"Why?" Link asked, his hands pulling at his hat in his lap. "And... why do I get the feeling like you've met Dark Link before?"
"Simple. Dark Link, I believe, told you himself. With your soul separated from your body he could take it over, possess it. With what little time I had left, I couldn't just wait for your body to die, nor could I have just have left it there. Not while that creature might have still been nearby. The Master Sword, ever-wise, had been correct with its judgement. The sword is protecting your body in addition to keeping it alive".
"So there's a chance that I can return to my body?"
The Hero of Time crossed his arms, his expression was grim, and was slow to answer enough to Link's question. "That… is a complicated question with an even more complicated answer".
"But why-? Okay, fine," Link conceded, dryly chuckling before taking a breath. "You still haven't answered me with whether or not you know Dark Link or not".
"To know such a creature would be more than a lie," the ancient hero replied, his words blunt and harsh. "To be perfectly honest, I was surprised that the being even recognized me, as we met in an alternate timeline, the same which that I averted by informing my princess of Ganondorf's plans of usurping the throne. Still… he is a dark spirit, created by pure shadow magic and, as I said, time within the Spirit Realm is not as clear and linear as in the Light World. He might very well be the same entity whom I fought in the Water Temple in that alternate timeline. That would not be out of the realm of possibility".
"Well… that's not confusing at all…" Link replied, his sarcasm not at all dripping from his words. The knight groaned and slowly laid back upon the branch, staring up at the sky, if you can call it a sky. Really it was just more branches and fog and being able to tell what was up from down in this realm was a very thin line. His eyes glanced upwards when the Loftwing turned his head, as if he heard something. "Also I've been meaning to ask you since you rescued me from the Dark Realm but what's with the bird?" Link tilted his head and blinked when he was met with the upside down, huge head of the Loftwing peering down at him. The bird tenderly pecked at a few wisps of his hair, clearly curious and affectionate towards him.
"Ah, yes, the Crimson Lofting. Loftwings, also known as Guardian Birds, were a species sacred to the ancestral citizens of Hyrule. They have long gone extinct but live on in the Hylian Crest and the Wingcrest of the Royal Family. The Crimson Loftwing has always been rare, even during the Sky Era when they were prominent, but this breed in particular was scared to the Goddess Hylia and to the Chosen Hero. This Loftwing belongs to our ancient predecessor, the second Chosen Hero, who helped found all of Hyrule, and it was only through his help that I was able to save you".
"The second Chosen Hero?" Link asked, intrigued, but frowning when he saw the Hero of Time shake his head.
"Link, I do not believe that now is the time to delve in our heroic bloodline's history. Nothing concerning spirits is black and white, I'm afraid, and the same goes with our history. Try not to concern yourself with understanding the many details as there will be time in the future for that. There is still the matter of your body frozen in suspension that we must address and how we will warn Her Majesty".
"Oh, right," Link replied, shaking his head, guilt instantly settling into his expression and he slowing sat up. "For a moment there… I completely forget what we had just been talking about. I mean completely forgot".
The Hero's Shade only nodded before saying, "Do not blame yourself, son. You are a soul who does not belong here as your body still lives. You will find your memory and thoughts will wonder more freely here and keeping focus can be difficult".
"No kidding," Link replied dismally, hating himself for forgetting about Zelda and Dark Link and everything back in Hyrule. For a moment there, he had been completely fine with just laying there listening to tales of old. Sighing and dropping his head to his chest, the Hylian knight glared out at the fog and said, "Right, my body. How to I get back to it? What happens next?"
"That's why we're here," the older knight replied, standing and going over to the interlocking, triangular branches. Link stood and followed him, standing beside his predecessor, and staring into the triangular space and seeing, well... nothing: just the fog far below.
"What's so special about it?" Link asked, looking over to the Hero of Time and realizing just then that he was the same height as the legendary hero now, whereas before he'd been a few inches shorter.
"This isn't just a bunch of branches," the elder knight explained, "it's a sort of portal in itself. They're called Peering Gates and we're waiting for this one to activate, which shouldn't be too much longer. There are a few of these sites around this realm and they're used for…" The Hero of Time paused, as if to think of the correct term, before he sighed and slightly shrugged a little. "Communication is the best way to describe it".
"Communicating with who?" Link asked, before looking back at the branches and his eyes got wide. "With Zelda? Are you saying we can talk with her, warn her, with this gate?"
"I might be able to," the Hero of Time admitted, staring adamantly into the space between the branches.
"You? Well, shouldn't I be the one to speak with her?" Link asked, the tone in his voice mirroring the slight narrowing of his eyes.
"It has nothing to do about preference. True, yes, you and the queen share a strong bond but you are also nothing more than a Hylian soul, very weak and very vulnerable. I don't want to risk your safety by allowing you to enter the gate when there could potentially be danger lurking from the shadows. These gates are not secure to travel through and there are some spirits who fancy themselves as eavesdroppers from the sidelines. Myself, on the other hand, am a true spirit with the divine privilege of being of the Chosen Hero line, thus making my journey through the gate safer and a better chance of success".
"All right, I get it," Link conceded, though there might have been a slight pout in his expression. "So, what? You jump in there and just have a chat with Zelda and tell her that I'm mostly dead and that there's an evil-me running around who is obsessed with her?"
"You're sarcasm is incorrect," the armoured-Link replied, sighing and crossing his arms. "It won't be as easy as you say. These Peering Gates are not meant as actual portals like the one we used to arrive here. They connect spirit realms for communication, nothing more".
"But Zelda isn't in a spirit realm," Link replied with a groan, losing heart, "she's in the Light World".
"Correct, but did you know that dreams are connected to the Spirit Realm?"
"Dreams?"
"Yes. When you sleep, your mind is released and your soul is able to expand and venture into the Spirit Realm, to the very edge at least. Each and every living being has a soul, which means that everything is connected spiritually. When you dream what you are really seeing is, in a sense, your own personal room in a sphere of the Spirit Realm. Dreams are usually safe but can be seized and manipulated with enough shadow magic or power".
"So, what you're saying," Link replied slowly, hope beginning to brighten his expression, "is that we, or you, can talk to Zelda if she's asleep? And-". Link was about to expand his thoughts but paused when he registered what the Hero of Time just said. Dreams could be corrupted by shadow magic and his mind instantly recalled what Zelda had told him about her dreams recently.
"The key word is if". The hero of legend sighed, staring into the uneventful Peering Gate and ignorant of the growing concern across his reincarnation face. "If I are able to make contact with Her Majesty we must tread carefully. My presence could entice darker entities to visit her dream-realm".
"To warn Zelda of danger… we'd have to put her in danger," Link mumbled, narrowing his eyes. Turning from the gate to his mentor, his expression serious, the Hylian stepped closer to him and said, "Link… you still haven't told me how we're going to return my soul to my body. We warn Zelda of Dark Link, yes, but I'm still stuck here".
The Hero of Time actually chuckled and looked aside as the Hero of Twilight, his brow perked. "I think… that that is the first time you have ever addressed me by my real name".
"Yes, well… I still think that it's pretty weird that we not only look alike but have the same name," Link replied with the ghost of a smile but it soon faded back into seriousness. "What is your plan to return me to my body? The Master Sword is keeping it alive so, how do we remove the sword and have me not just die for real?"
The Hero of Time sighed and rubbed his hand over his face, his fingers momentarily trailing the scar where his right eye used to be. "I'm afraid... that there is only a very small chance that we will be able to both return your soul and save your body, Link, and it is not a chance that I would advise. Souls are not meant to be separated from their bodies, but I knew that it was the only option to save you from the Dark Realm. Since your body still lives, your soul yearns for it. If your soul is not returned to your body soon then it will begin to fade". The ancient hero looked aside at his successor and in a solemn but even tone he continued, "The objective with making contact with Her Majesty is to instruct her how to save your immortal soul, Link, and that is the most important thing that you shouldn't forget. Understand that I only prolonged the death of your body to save it from the possession of Dark Link. However, ironically it is your body's death which will save your soul. With your body dead then your soul will be able to ascend and become a true spirit. Unfortunately, this decision ultimately lies with... your queen. Only she is able to wield the Master Sword aside from you. Only she is able to draw the sword from your body. When she does, your body will most certainly die shortly thereafter from being mortally wounded but it will be protected from Dark Link by the nearby presence of the Master Sword. I am sorry, Link, but the survival of your soul is of the utmost importance".
Link just stared at the Hero of Time speechless and slowly he wet his lips, blinking, before saying, "Zelda… has to allow my body to die to save me. But…" Tears began to well up in Link's eyes but it wasn't for himself. Just the thought of Zelda having to make that choice broke his heart for he knew that it would ruin her. Angrily swiping his arm across his face, Link narrowed his eyes and said in horse voice, "What about Dark Link? If my body is dead and I become a spirit, that doesn't get rid of him. He'll still be there and Zelda will still be in danger. Link, I need to save her, I need to protect her, whatever it takes".
"But at what cost?" The Hero of Time replied solemnly, sympathy within his expression as he watched the pain spread across his younger counterpart's features.
"Any cost!" Link said louder, only to scoff when his mentor gestured for him to keep his voice down. "You said... you said that there was a chance that we could return my soul and my body not die. What chance? What do we have to do?"
The Hero of Time sadly shook his head and looked aside. "Link… that really isn't-"
"What is it?" Link repeated, his voice harder and his expression daring his mentor to tell him the truth.
The ancient knight returned his reincarnation's gaze and held it for a long moment, silence spreading between them. His one bright blue eye seemed to search for something in the Hero of Twilight's and after a long moment, he sighed. "I will always tell you the truth, Link, so trust me when I say that I know that it is a chance that you will not wish to take. As I said before, the decision to save you lies with your queen for she is the only one who can remove the Master Sword from your body. But, to return your soul to your body and save it would put Her Majesty in great danger and it will be her choice alone. You and I both know that you would not wish her to put herself in danger for your sake. Dark Link will only continue to pursue her as long as your body survives, for you two are connected. The risk is just too great".
Link's expression darkened and he dropped his gaze, his determination seemingly exhausted from his body. He felt defeated to the extent that he didn't even want to ask his mentor what the older knight meant when he said something about Dark Link and Link's body surviving and them being connected. Soundlessly he dropped to his knees and blankly stared down at the branch beneath him, eyes narrowed from injustice. He wanted to protect Zelda, but to do so would mean that she would have to put herself at great risk for his sake. His mentor was right, he would never ask that of Zelda. Even if it was her choice, Link did not want her to choose him.
In the end this all meant that… he had lost her and… wasn't even able to say goodbye or tell her the truth.
The Hero of Time knelt down to look his successor in the face and heartache struck him to see the pain and defeat in Link's empty expression. Reaching forward the elder knight took up Link's limp left hand and instantly the Triforce began to shine. Both heroes stared at the shining triangles before they disappeared and it was the Hero of Time who spoke first. "I will speak the truth to Her Majesty, she deserves to know her options, but I will advocate that she let you go".
"And… if she doesn't? If she wants to save me?" Link asked dryly, raising his eyes to meet his predecessor's eye, unfair tears spilling down his cheeks although his face was expressionless. "What will you tell her?"
"The truth".
"Which is?" Link asked. "How exactly do you save a soul and a dying body?"
"Your soul was nearly consumed by shadow magic, yet it is through shadow magic that you might become whole once more," the Hero of Time replied, before he began to explain to his heavy-hearted successor.
