The joyous feeling of finally meeting the Spirit of the Master Sword did not last long. It withered away and was replaced with anxiety and trepidation as the pupilless eyes examined him. Wild might have the Hero's Spirit, but he was his own person. He suddenly felt self-conscious under that emotionless gaze, as if he was under the scrutiny of a superior. It was a curious comparison - perhaps, his body had fully reconnected to the stricter aspects of his knight's training. However, he also found it unpleasant, like an abandoned leash tightening around his neck.

"Hello, Master Link."

The Champion swallowed. His throat felt oddly parched despite lacking the need to drink within this realm. "...Hi."

An awkward silence. The spirit had noticed his troubled expression and clipped response. "Master, this terrain does not fulfill the requirements for a place suitable for conversations. I conclude that a change in scenery is necessary."

The Hero of the Wild blinked at her in confusion. Huh? What…? Before he could ask what she meant, the room began to peel and disintegrate around him. Gone was the endless abyss beneath the floating platform, replaced by a field of lush grass that stretched as far as his Hylian eyes could see. The ceiling opened to a blue sky with fluffy clouds and birds flying in flocks. A gentle breeze swept in the area, ruffling his hair and carrying the scent of fresh earth and wildflowers.

It reminded the scarred hero of his Hyrule. No, this might be it, except this was merely an illusionary world created within the divine weapon.

"Based on the data I have accumulated during our time together, this designation suits your preferences," Fi reported. "Does this satisfy you, Master? Or do you wish for a different environment?"

She made it for…him? Did she want him to be comfortable? It was a touching gesture, especially after he had to go through numerous fights just to reach this point. He missed the real outside world - it was his home court since he woke up. It might be a brutal and harsh place, but it had been caring as a mother did.

Wild tried to find his voice. "I…n-no!" He winced at how squeaky he sounded. He coughed, cheeks red in embarrassment. "No, this is fine. Thank you."

For some reason, the Champion found it odd to be called Master. Sure, a few did - mainly the Sheikah - but this time was different. It was not because of his experiences with the sacred sword but because of…something else. He did not like it - it just did not sound right.

"Understood." Fi nodded dutifully. "I shall remember this information henceforth the next time we speak within this realm."

"Okay…?"

"Your past lives, ones you call Hyrule and Four, had partaken in separate trials from yours. They are safe and shall return shortly to the Korok Forest once their trials have concluded."

"I-I see…."

Wild did not say more, prompting the sword spirit to speak again. "I detect two emotions directed at me. One called hesitation, and the other fear." She tilted her head as she studied him. "Are you afraid of me, Master?"

The Hero of the Wild flinched. His face fell, and his hands balled into fists. Was that even a question? Should she not know that by now? He might have been able to hold her a few times without getting burned, but the searing pain still haunted him. The scars on his palms would never disappear - an eternal reminder of his failure and incompetence as a hero. It was a painful truth, but still, he wanted to hear it from her.

"...Why?" The Champion asked bitterly. "Why did you do that? Was it because I was the only one who failed? Was it because the person I was before was more capable? That the me now is - is -" He bit his lower lip. "Am I...Am I that unworthy of you?"

He was, was he not? There was no way that was not the reason. There was no other explanation than that. Wild had fallen out of Fi's graces after nearly dying before fulfilling his duty. Sun might have recognized him as one of her heroes and a rightful master of the Master Sword, but that was in Sky's era. His was different. There was just no way that -

"That is incorrect."

The scarred hero's head snapped up. His eyes were wide with disbelief at what he had just heard. What…?

"Master, you are worthy." Fi's voice remained steady, yet it was soft, almost fond. "You have always been worthy."

"Then…Then, why…?"

The sword spirit fluttered down to his level but did not close the gap between them. It was as if she was trying to be considerate of him and not upset him further. "Master, you may not remember it, but one of your past lives had seen the timeline splitting into three. Another had witnessed their merging into one again. However, the convergence was sudden, and Master's spirit, who had been divided too, was forced to become whole unprepared."

"Your reincarnations from onwards needed aid, and so, Her Grace crafted a plan and sought help from the people of these lands."

"The people of these lands? Who…?" Wild stilled. Wait. Do not tell him. Did she mean…THEM?

Fi bobbed her head slightly, confirming his suspicions before he could voice them. "Indeed, the ones you call the Champions and the Divine Beasts crafted by the exiled Sheikah were the ones who answered that call."

"Master," The spirit's voice was uncharacteristically kind despite the nearly mechanical tone. It was so kind and full of conviction that it made the Champion's heart ache. "Your spirit is not weak but fragile. Fragmented but not broken."

"It's unstable, she thinks." Wind had told him. It was his sister's message he had refused and ignored. "Like you can't recognize that you are you."

"...Aryll said it won't do that. Not anymore. She said the Master Sword burned you because it didn't recognize your soul. She said it has been trying to get your attention for a while now."

Many emotions swirled inside the Hero of the Wild, leaving him disconcerted. The revelation weighed heavily on him as much as the denial accompanying it. It felt like he was trapped in a bog, trying to breach the surface. However, even the surface was attempting to keep him down. Which was the truth? Was Aryll wrong? Was he wrong? Could he trust Fi's words? Was she only saying that to make him feel better?

"...Then, why did you do that?"

The scarred hero had not meant to, but the words slipped out of his tongue. It was sickeningly bitter, tempered with the fury and resentment he had bottled for so long. Why did she have to burn him? Why did she have to treat him differently from the others? Just why…?

"The emotion called fear…." Fi answered. "It was what I believe I would have felt the day Master had fallen a century ago. On that day…I feared losing you, Master."

Wild felt as if the air sucked out of his lungs. Fi's face remained unchanged, but there was something melancholic about her. Maybe it was how her wing-like sleeves slowed down or the dullness in her colors after so many years of existence. She might be a spirit - immortal and powerful - but she had witnessed things beyond what his mortal mind could remember. She had waited hundreds to thousands of years in every timeline to reunite with her sole master, only to wait again after her eternal duty to a hero reincarnation was fulfilled. Compared to that, the Slumber of Resurrection was….

"It is against the purpose of my creation, and in doing so, I had disobeyed my creator, but Master, I…I did not wish you to continue your quest."

The Champion stared at her. Those words were absolutely ridiculous, but hearing them from the Spirit of the Master Sword herself was beyond comprehension. Fi, who was supposed to be unyielding to her loyalty and duty, said that? The Skyloftian might get a heart attack. Sun might get an aneurysm and doom them all.

The sword spirit seemed to have read his mind. "I believe an explanation is imperative." She clarified. "I only wish for Master to wait until you and I are prepared. It is within my knowledge that you are aware of my state before your Slumber of Restoration. I wished to fully recover to serve you as I did a century ago. That I might no longer doubt myself of failing and losing you."

"Alas, time did not permit waiting. Calamity Ganon was set to break free had it not for Master's intervention. However," Fi paused. She was hesitating. The Spirit of the Master Sword was hesitating. "What my duty dictated, and my will wished for were at odds. I assisted you just as I was created for, but in turn, had harmed Her Grace's chosen."

The scarred hero felt weak in the knees. He felt like he was dumped in cold water. She did that…She unintentionally did that because she was afraid to fail and lose him? Why…? It should be him who was wallowing in self-depreciation. It should be him since he was the one who failed and died. It was not Fi. This was…This was so unfair.

"So… it's not because you don't…recognize me?" Wild murmured, afraid at how fragile those words were. "Not because I failed? That I disgraced the Hero's Spirit?"

Fi's lips slightly curved into a smile. It was neither sarcastic nor patronizing but gentle. It looked forced and unnatural, but he could tell it was genuine.

"I recognize you. I always recognize my only master, Link."

Ah.

The world fell as the Hero of the Wild collapsed on his knees. Hot tears dripped his cheeks and rippled the illusionary grass beneath him. He should not be crying. It should be impossible. He should still be angry - furious for all the shits he had gone through because of her. He should be throwing a tantrum and cursing everything the Master Sword stood for, yet…. He…He…..

Those words… They were words the scarred hero had longed to hear. It was the confirmation he had been desperately chasing. The recognition he needed to feel. Those words…those words were….

Soft fabric draped over Wild like a warm blanket. The sword spirit drew him close, and he clung to her as he wept and wailed his heart out. The pain, hate, and desperation he had harbored for so long had broken out, destroying the facade of a strong warrior. He was battered and bruised - body and soul - yet those words were the needle and thread. The wounds that had festered in his heart would scar, but he would survive and emerge stronger and wiser than before.

"What was broken can be mended." Sun had told him. "What was fragmented can be brought back together. Wounds heal, and scars fade. The Hero's Spirit may have an unbreakable will, but it is not an all-powerful soul. …It can be broken, torn, and ripped to shreds but never destroyed. It can lose sight of itself but will find its way back no matter what."

"Master Link," Fi murmured. "I have caused you undue distress. I wished not to lose you, and in turn, I have caused you pain."

"To express emotions may not be a part of my faculties, but I understand if you will not forgive me. Just know that I shall never abandon you. I shall stay by your side. That, too, is my wish."

The Spirit of the Master Sword held him until the last of his tears fell. She did not let go and waited patiently like she always did for every reincarnation. It felt like an eternity until the Champion found the end of the storm within him - his sobs finally quieted to raspy breaths. He rested his head on her shoulder, still gripping her sleeves like a lost child.

"'M sorry…."

"There's nothing to forgive, Master."

"B-But, I-" The Hero of the Wild sighed. They had just met, but he could tell Fi would not be swayed. "Okay…."

The scarred hero pulled away and rubbed his wet cheeks dry. The sword spirit reached out and patted his head. "Have you calmed down, Master Link?"

"...Yes." Wild looked down at his palms. "I…I…" He sighed. "I forgive you. I finally understand why you did what you did, but I…I can't trust you. Not yet."

"I need time. Lots of it, but…." The Champion bit his bottom lip. "I'm willing to try. I want to start over and give us a second chance. It'll be a long way, and I can be a handful, but I…." He clenched his hands into fists and met her gaze. "I really want to know you. Do you…Do you want to as well?"

Fi nodded. "Yes. I would want that as well, Master."

Her master smiled. "Thank you, Fi. Really. Thank you." He said. "And please, just call me Link. You don't have to call me Master. It's not an order but a request. I did say we start over, but we're now friends and partners. Just Link will do."

A fond smile graced the spirit's lips. "You might not have remembered, but I still do. You said the same thing when a great evil ravaged these lands, and my creator lived among mortals." She bobbed her head. "Very well. I shall heed your request…Link."

Sky said that expressing emotions was not one of Fi's strengths, but now that the scarred hero met her, she was more…expressive. Was the Skyloftian wrong, or was it just his imagination? Was it because of the time she spent with her mortal masters?

"Link," Fi called out. "Our time here is coming to an end. You must return soon. Your past lives are already waiting for you."

…Oh. Wild's ears drooped. Right. He could not stay here - he still had things to accomplish back home. Still, that would mean… "I won't be able to talk like this to you again, right?

"No, neither you nor I can. It is regrettable to admit I have yet to recover fully. Thanks to you, Link, I have regained some of my powers, but I must sometimes withdraw from the battle. I reflect the state of my master. Do not consider this your fault. The blame is not on you, Link."

The Champion shook his head. "No, it's fine." He assured her. "I admit I'm jealous of the others, but it's as you said. You reflect your master."

"That's why I will train and become stronger than I am now and a century ago, so you and I can stand side-by-side someday. So, watch over me, Fi."

A chime, almost like a chuckle, reverberated across the landscape. "I shall. I vow it in the name of Her Grace."

The illusionary world around them began to crumble away, dissolving into pinpricks of divine light that swirled and shone upon them. It was beautiful and heavenly, almost like a fleeting dream. The Hero of the Wild held Fi's unflinching gaze as the time to part had finally come.

"Before I leave, I want to ask you something."

The Spirit of the Master Sword already knew what it was about. "I am aware. I can assist you just this once, but your time is limited."

"That's alright."

It was time.

"I am proud of you, Link. Now and many eras that had come to pass. No matter what form you take or the life you live, I am proud of you."

"We'll see each other again, Fi, no matter what. I promise."

It was goodbye.

"Yes. We shall meet again, Link."

For now.

Wild watched as Fi finally disappeared, and everything became white. The Spirit of the Master Sword was gone, and the Champion was left alone in the blinding nothingness. However, he was unafraid. His surroundings regained took form like colorful paints splashed on a blank canvas. It was neither the same world the sword spirit had shown him nor was the place unfamiliar. A gloomy cell enclosed him, and he knew he had returned to the Lockup under Hyrule Castle.

"Wars." A worried voice, and Wild, no, Warriors turned to its source. Sky was peeking from his prison, his calm face riddled with fear, exhaustion, and concern. "Are you awake? How are you feeling? You suddenly collapsed earlier."

The scarred hero coaxed the other man to look down and flex his fingers. Good. He could move this body. He shakily stood up where he was slumped and stumbled toward the bars. He opened his mouth, but the voice was not the Captain's. "Sky."

Well, that was new. The Champion mused. Did Fi do something? The Skyloftian stared at him with confusion and horror. Before he could say something, the possessed hero spoke up. "It's okay, Sky. Don't be scared. It's me, Wild."

"What…?"

"Look. It's a long story, and I don't have much time, so listen." The Hero of Warriors told him. "Four and Hyrule are with me. We're safe. Dark Link has Time. I…" He paused and took a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. Dark Link was after me, and Time saved me. He told me to run, and I did. I just... I'm sorry…."

Warriors bit his bottom lip and shook his head. He grabbed the jail bars and looked at Sky with determined eyes. "But we'll come for you. We'll get all of you out of this place. I promise that, so please! Please hold on a bit longer."

"I will make Dark Link pay." The Captain gritted his teeth. His knuckles turned bone-white as his grip tightened. "I swear on my title as the Hero of the Wild."

"Champion…" The Chosen Hero murmured. His expression was pained, but there was a hint of relief underneath. "I don't understand what's happening right now, but I'm glad you, Hyrule, and Four are okay."

"Sky, me too. I'm glad you're alive. You, Wind, Legend, Warriors, and Twilight." The Hero of Warriors pressed his forehead against the bars. He blinked quickly to dispel the incoming tears. "I really am happy."

"Link," Fi's voice sounded distant but still rang clearly in his head. "It is almost time."

The Captain swallowed, lifted his head, and searched the prison for one hero he needed to say words to. "Legend!" He called out. "Vet, I know I'm not the right person to say this, but... it's NOT your fault!"

"This isn't you! You aren't someone who will lose to anyone. Even if the world is against you, you don't back down. So, Vet. Link! Fight back. Prove to Dark Link you're stronger than him!"

So, hear him, Hero of Legend! Wild called out to the spirit that bound them. He reached for the part that was the other hero. Do not give up. The fight was not over!

Silence. There was no response from the other end. Even so, the Hero of the Wild prayed he had been heard. He hoped his words would reach the other man before the latter ultimately succumbed to the tragedy haunting him.

"...C-Champion…?" There was a rustle from another cell. Dull, blue eyes wandered from the darkness until they landed on the possessed hero. "You…Huh. What are you? A ghost?"

That got a laugh out of the hero as relief flooded his chest. Not just his, but the Captain too. "Not yet. I'm still alive, thank you very much. Just doing this Hero's Spirit possession thing. You'll be the first to know if I start going through ceilings."

"...Shut up." Legend grumbled. "You're so noisy. I can't keep up with that energy of yours. I just want to take a nap." He closed his eyes, but there was a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Go. You still have things to do, right? Don't make us wait too long. I'll kick your ass to the next era if you do."

"I won't."

The edges of Wild's sight had started to darken. His connection with the Hero of Warriors was already beginning to unravel. He had to let go soon - he would not see them for the next few days until he faced the Shadow.

"Thank you, Champion." The Hero of Legend murmured. It was rare to see the grumpy man smile sincerely. "Thank you for coming for us."

The Captain shook his head. "Thank me once we got you out here."

"Gross. Too sentimental, kid. Still, I'm looking forward to it." Legend sighed and turned to meet his gaze one last time. "Goodbye, Champ, and make sure to raise hell for us."

Warriors' lips curled in a mischievous smirk akin to the Champion's. "I will. Look forward to it."