I'll preface this saying it's 4:45am where I am right now. When I get on a roll with work I really can't stop but this definitely can't be healthy. With that in mind realise my editing might be even worse than normal.

My final exam is this Friday, so after that I'm free (at least for the Summer)! Which of course will mean more regular updates.

Regression from the Norm

A dark figure sat firmly on their horse. The wind whistled softly through the night air and made the trees either side rustle softly.

"The boy has become too powerful there is no way we can capture him now. Your plan failed." The voice emerged from the darkness, approaching the figure like a creeping vine.

"As I remember it was your insolence and your assassins who failed to hold a small boy. And to blame me after all I have provided for the Yiga? Pitiful..." the figure remained firmly still not even turning towards the bushes behind him.

"With your position it may still be possible."

"Plans change. Link not being captured played perfectly into our hands in the end. He is more prepared than ever for his purpose, soon he will be ready."

"And the princess?"

The figure scoffed. "Leave her, her support and standing within the royal court dwindles by each day. I am more certain than ever that she will not be capable of unlocking the power. With fewer allies all we have to do is wait."

"And the Knight?"

"Bryne is old. People still believe the hero in green to be him and I think he feels he can take up the sword himself. He and the boy are slowly drifting apart and his support for the princess is driving a wedge in his relationship with the King. We should strike as soon as possible, place the boy firmly on his path."

"It will be done… You've done well, far better than most the fools we have around here."

The figure finally turned towards the direction of the voice, face gleaming out underneath a ray of sunlight. "Did you prepare what I asked?"

"It was no small feat but the shrine is ready, though I have no idea why you would need such a device."

"Sit tight, Kohga the road to Gerudo is long and the Calamity is fast approaching." With a crack of the reigns the horse turned on its heel and rushed down the road, disappearing into the shadow of Hyrule Castle.

"Impressive stuff, but now for the real fine cuisine."

Link groaned. He had gladly eaten the steamed fish, meats and vegetables, stuffing as much in as he could possibly take. Now Link stared down at the lumps of blackened rock before him apprehensively.

"C'mon eat up little guy this course is the best bit!" Daruk urged swallowing down a larger clump with a big crunch.

Zelda had been hurriedly scribbling in her notebook all morning, quietly murmuring to herself as Link chowed down on Daruk's cooking. Now though she was watching from the corner of the room, trying to control a bemused smile that was tugging at her face.

Link grabbed the chunk, squinting at it with one eye. He could swear there was some flint gleaming out at him. Daruk's face though, Link could not let that blind optimism down.

As he threw it into his mouth Zelda gasped. She hadn't expected him to actually do it.

Link moved the rock in his mouth. It tasted even more of incinerated food than the elixir did and as such was twice as rancid. He finally gulped it down looking up at Daruk's face, which was wide and eager to hear what Link thought.

Link troubled to keep his body under control, the food seemed to churn up inside him, like the rapids of a river. His eyes must've been coming out of their sockets. Zelda's muffled chuckling could be heard coming from the corned, as she covered her mouth, trying to stop laughing.

"Wow…" Daruk said turning to Zelda in amazement. "He's speechless at how good it is."

Zelda now fully lost it and Daruk smiled at her strangely, perplexed by the laughter. "What is it princess? Do you want some too? I'm sure I can cook up some more."

"No, no, it's quite alright Daruk, I've erm…eaten," she blurted out quickly.

"Really? I didn't see-"

"I just don't eat as much as you two, so I'm guessing you didn't notice,"

Daruk scratched his head. "Yeah…I guess that makes sense. So when will you both be off?"

Zelda stood up as Link began to recover. She walked behind him and placed a gentle hand on Link's back sending a little tingle down his spine.

"Actually Daruk I think it best we be off now, I was just waiting for Link to finish his meal," she smiled at the Goron fondly.

"Really? So soon? We haven't even thrown rocks at the boss yet…" Daruk said, sounding slightly more like a disobeying child than a giant rock beast.

"I'm afraid so, we must get back to Impa as quickly as possible and my work here is done," Zelda moved over to Daruk and hugged him tightly. "It's been great seeing you Daruk, it really has."

"My door is open anytime little one…" Daruk withdrew smiling at her.

Link stood to say his goodbyes. "Daruk…" he held a hand out respectfully.

The Goron just grinned at him, took his arm and dragged him into a crushing hug.

Link let out a groan. "I'm not sure what I prefer more a back breaking pat, or a suffocating hug." He stumbled back as the Goron released him.

"You're a proper brother now Link!" Daruk grinned. "I'm letting all Goron-kind know."

Link smiled back.

"See you around Daruk."

It was within a few seconds of leaving the city that Zelda had already began to chat, rambling aimlessly about the wonders within the divine beast. Both he and Daruk had just stood talking on the top of Rudania at the time but, Zelda had been down in the beast for hours.

It's just like old times

Link hadn't changed his mind about before but that vision, it had to mean something. It felt so palpably real. He just needed to figure it out before he could get back on track with his training.

Plus his mind hadn't been as wild as he was expecting. He thought that to go back to how things were, would mean a torrent of memories from the past clouding everything. It wasn't that way at all, he felt oddly calm, curiously so.

"It's just amazing how all the parts move fluidly together, like they were part of an actual animal. It's also, like there's a personality to the beast too, etched into its very surface, it's so much more than a machine…"

Link had to be honest a lot of it was going over his head, he was hardly a scholar. Still he couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"You know…you look nice when you smile," Zelda said. Link suddenly realised she was staring at him.

Link felt a little strange. It wasn't normal for him to get compliments about anything other than his fighting. Often people did he got a dizzying feeling, or he just felt a little awkward. But this was something else.

Just ignore it, move on you need to get this over and done with

"Erm thanks?" Link awkwardly ruffled up the hair that billowed from his nape. "We should concentrate on getting to Impa though."

"Of course…" Zelda said, shooting a sly sideways grin.

She knew exactly what she was doing and despite Link's best intentions, it was beginning to work. Link could already feel himself warming up to her or maybe that was just the heat of the mountain.

They continued to walk in silence for what felt like but a few seconds before Zelda spoke again.

"Why don't you wear any armour like the other Knights?" she asked.

Link looked over his simple clothes. He wore a red Hylian tunic along with a dark blue cloak.

"I like to move around and I don't like people to be able to hear me doing so," still he refused to meet her curious eyes.

"Oh…"

They walked in silence for a while longer.

"Link…?" she pushed.

"What…" Link put every ounce of frustration into his voice, even if he knew it wouldn't deter her. He could feel her eyes on him, exploring him. Link was feeling really dizzy now, though that was probably just the heat again, after all the elixir had probably run out by now.

"Did you ever get scared? When you were on the road for those two years," she asked.

"A knight cannot allow themselves to show their enemies fear," Link quoted his father's words that had practically been drilled into his head.

Silence resumed as they continued to walk. They would soon be out of the unbearable heat and on the road to the inn at the base of Death Mountain, where Lake Intenoch lay. Link couldn't wait to relax in its cool waters. Just one night up in Goron City made that prospect irresistible.

He would also have more time there in silence, to mull over the visions he'd been having. Link was almost desperate to spend some time alone with his thoughts. There was much for him to sort out.

"You know, you didn't answer my question…"

Link turned to the side in surprise, almost forgetting how to actually talk. All he could manage was a quick, "Huh?"

"I asked you if you ever got scared and then you said a knight isn't allowed to be scared...but that doesn't answer my question," she was raising her eyebrows at him, like she was scoring points in some game.

Link thought for a second uncomfortably, ruffling one of his long sideburns. "Of course I do. Everyone feels fear, maybe at different levels but no one can escape it."

The princess looked a little shocked at the frankness of his words, likely just expecting to have been denied an answer altogether.

How's that for points?

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but how well we deal with it," Link smiled to himself gently as his mother's words flowed over him, as softly as her singing in those long summer days in Hateno. "And courage need not be remembered…because it is never forgotten."

Link was lost there again, in that room of the house, lying on the carpet. The gentle rocking of wood against wood could be heart in the corner and the sound of the figure in the chair singing reverberated around the room.

Then suddenly the gleaming room was exploded with screaming and darkness, as the blood painted itself on the walls. And the anger, that burning hating anger, flowed into every cell of Link's being.

"Link?"

Link realised the smile on his face had turned into a scowl, as he finally opened his eyes to the real world. His fists had clenched, knuckles pure white.

He could tell her now. It would be all too easy. He desperately wanted someone to listen to the bombardment of thoughts he had been getting recently. But if he let open that gate, Link didn't know if he'd ever be able to close it.

Zelda was looking at him in wonder as they approached the door of the inn.

"Erm…any chance you could explain the whole thing to my escort?" Zelda asked him, giving him those big round green eyes.

"Oh no," Link replied folding his arms firmly. "There is no way you are pulling that one over me, this is your mess."

Zelda grinned evilly at him. "Careful that's your future queen you're talking to…"

Link sat up in the wooden chair waiting uncomfortably, he had dosed off again. If it was his father in this situation he'd be relaxing, knowing him probably smoking too. But Link's mind refused to focus. The images of that huge beast, those dead eyes and more than anything the sword, they seemed to dominate his thoughts.

The princess had already told Impa and he was now waiting for the monk to arrive. She was the head of the Shieka scholars, who the King had researching all calamity related matters. Link had never met her before but she had a fierce reputation, especially among the guards and knights. They were all completely and utterly terrified of her.

Zelda had gone off to share her field research with some of the other scholars. Well the correct way of putting it would be skipped off. Her excitement around the subject was endearing. Whilst Link knew the trip would be a onetime exception, and that he'd return to his training soon after, he still found himself missing her warm presence.

Link tapped his foot impatiently on the floor. He hadn't even unpacked his bags before he had been whisked off to Impa. He desperately needed a wash and a change of clothes.

"Come in."

Link turned to see a rather tall woman standing in the corner. Her voice was like steel, eyes even more so. They were stern and yet held much wisdom behind them. She was tall about a head or so taller than Link, though that wasn't too difficult.

It was clear she had the body of a warrior, with her arms and legs well-toned. Most distinguishable was her snow white hair which was gathered up in a high ponytail. She was only in her twenties according to the other guards but she looked far more mature than possible for that age.

"You know it's rude to stare…" she said, facial expression unmoving.

"Impa?" Link asked.

As she nodded Link got up off his chair and entered the door. The room felt separate to the feel of the whole castle, warm deep woods lined the walls and floors, as opposed to stone. Tapestries lay all around the walls depicting the ancient tales told again and again through time.

On the far wall was the hero Skyward bound atop his red Loftwing. To the side was the Hero of Time, depicted as both a man and a child fighting a terrible evil atop a great tower. Each tapestry depicted a different boy, holding a blue sword and a princess by his side. All were dressed in green save for one, the hero from 10,000 years ago.

"It took me many years to collect these works," Impa was continuing to stare at Link, it was all rather unnerving. "Many of these stories are lost in time. The exact order of Hyrule's history lays a mystery as all the stories seem to blend into one."

Link moved a hand over the hero depicted in the final tapestry. The hero was fighting a dragon-like serpentine creature, much like the one from his dreams. It looked wilder, more inhuman than the others.

"However, one thing is always consistent… A boy and a girl must fight an unspeakable evil, reincarnated, over and over again."

"Sounds exhausting…" Link said looking over them in consideration.

"Perhaps..." Impa said. "But such is the natural way of things, just like life itself, the kingdom must rise only to fall and be reborn again."

She pointed to two pillows in the centre of the room. "Please, sit."

Link sat down awkwardly. It was all too much to learn the royal customs, let alone the Shieka ones.

Just like meditating right?

"Let's not sit here fickle like little old ladies, I've heard your story…" Impa said face straight as the edge of a blade. "If what you've seen is true, then there is no doubt in my mind, you are the one chose by the sword…"

Link's heart leapt into his throat. The one chosen by the sword? But that was his father not Link, it had to be. His father was far beyond Link's skills there was no way Link could even hope to match him in skill. Sure Link had beaten the trial by himself but he had the guidance of two of the most famed knights in the land.

The weight of such a burden seemed impossible. Often he was unsure how his father coped with such a position. The Knight just seemed to always be at ease with the world. Link wish he knew how.

He couldn't speak, his throat seemed to be closing up.

Impa looked him over in surprise. "Surely you must've known. We believed it to be you ever since you fully entered into the academy. Why else would we have given you the extra lessons, excluded you from the other children, why else would the Yiga target you?"

"I don't understand…my father?" Link stumbled, words deserting him.

"Your father is a great Knight but he is past his prime and the sword is exact in its decisions, it always has been. After all the goddess has always preferred the young to take up the battle, even though times have changed. Tradition is not what it used to be," Impa poured Link some tea and took her own cup into her hands.

"Drink, I believe this will be no easy revelation for you. People look up to the Heroes of Legend but they know little of how difficult it is to carry such a mantle," Impa took a sip of the tea, eyes unmoving.

Link stared down at the cup. Steam rose, billowing into his face and leaving a wet residue on his forehead. He felt…disorientated, like the room he was in seemed to morph and change before him.

"That attack on Hateno…that was for me?" The cup beneath him seemed to swirl and flicker like the flames those two years ago.

"What happened with your mother was regrettable. We had a plan but the Yiga were one step ahead. Much of the responsibility I put on myself, the Yiga are my curse, much like this role will be yours."

The words seemed to flow over him. First he couldn't defend his mother, that had been heart wrenching enough. But the attack had been for him not his father.

He looked up directly at Impa, her expression stirring at his sudden attention. "The Yiga want the Calamity to succeed, they want Hyrule to fall." The Shieka's eyebrow perked up at his words. "So why didn't they just kill me straight away in that house? They were trying to take me."

The Shieka stood and walked over to the final panel, depicting the events 10,000 years ago, with a gentle sigh. "That question has plagued me to this day. The only thing for certain is there is something else at play here, something far more sinister."

"What is there for me to do now?" Link asked peering up at the monk.

"For now we must continue to play the waiting game," Impa said. Her eyes were fixed on the depiction of Ganon, the hideous monster that reared up into the sky. "You are not ready for the sword, you are brash, overemotional and understand little of what it means to be a warrior."

Link narrowed his eyes. "You know where the sword is don't you?"

"That may be the case," Impa replied, as she turned back to resume her fierce stare. "But you are not ready regardless."

Link scowled. "I'm not a child anymore I know what to do."

"No... No you don't," Impa said, eyes narrowing so sharply that it was clear she was not inviting a response. "I have one last task for you, a favour actually. My lab partner Purah asked for the help of someone physically able and I think you are well up to the task."

At least Link would have something to do other than standing around talking or thinking for once. It seemed the goddess was finally on his side, though according to Impa she always was, and a whole deal closer than Link had expected.

"Where is it?" Link asked, gaining a rare grin from the monk.

"Down the hall and to the right," the Shieka sneered. "Oh and Link…"

"Yeah?

"Good luck."

When Link entered the room he was immediately illuminated by a blue flame in the centre. It was strange to see a flame with such a colour. It was so alike of the one he lay awake watching at night in those two years in the wild. Yet despite its strange sea blue colour, it burned in greater intensity than any fire he had seen in his life.

Charts and diagrams lay strewn about the walls. Various strange creatures lay plastered to the walls. There was a spider like creature with a single, Hinox like eye; a giant mechanical bird flying high above the Hybra mountains; a camel from Gerudo roaming the desert. Then there were two drawing he recognised, the giant machine like Lizard they had visited just a day or so ago and then there was the great beast he had seen when he was just four years of age.

Each diagram was covered with symbols and words, most he didn't recognise. There were various benches containing screws and cores for the ancient sites. Link had been to several. His father had said it was essential to gather some of the ancient tech on their journey.

From the celling various wires and valves tangled around each other, branching and curling, some dangling down from the celling in a chaotic fashion.

Soft snoring filled the room, and sure enough over in the far side was a Shieka fast asleep. His white hair laid strewn among a mess of papers and drawings. Link moved over to him and let loose a cough trying to gain some further form of life from the snoring monk.

"Watch out!"

Link ducked away just in time as a figure came hurtling down to the ground with a loud crash from above.

She was dangling down wires wrapped around her feet and she shot Link a sheepish grin.

"Sorry about that…" she said. The woman was in her twenties but her voice was oddly high pitched for her age. If Link was blind he'd of guessed she was a child. Still she was quite pretty, white hair flowing down and going well with her large rounded red glasses, which hung off slightly.

"I'm Purah by the way, nice to meet ya!" she extended a hand to Link, still hanging upside-down from the ceiling, still smiling.

He took the hand and shook it firmly. "Erm…Link," he said, in a tone a little less confident then he was happy with. Confident people freaked him out a little.

"Link…" she said thoughtfully scrunching her face before returning to a wide smile. "Link, Linky Linkle Link. I like it, it's cute."

She showed no awareness that she was hanging down like a Keese and acted like the situation they were in was perfectly normal.

"Robbie! Get up," she screamed at the sleeping figure. It seemed like the other researcher jumped almost as high as Link at the sheer volume of Purah's words.

"Wa, what? Did I miss something," Robbie stumbled, ruffling through the papers frantically. There was a pair of goggles perched high on his head. He seemed the same age as Purah and matched her with his white hair. Paradoxically, his voice was gravelly and rough, making him seem far older then he looked.

Purah glared backwards at him. "If you don't say hi to our guest right now, I will shove those goggles up your-"

"Okay, Okay!" Robbie rushed forwards, pushing the goggles down onto his eyes. They were a bronze colour and two teal coloured lenses looked Link over frantically.

"She's beautiful…" Robbie breathed causing Link to step back a little uncomfortably.

"'She' is a he you complete imbecile, Linky is that new Knight, the one everyone's been talking about," she spat at him.

Robbie wandered back to his desk with a shrug. "He does have rather feminine features. He'd make a fine woman I'm sure," he grumbled returning to his desk.

To be fair Link had gotten that a lot since he was back. It was probably the long hair more than anything. Most people would call him "pretty boy". He was hardly the image of a masculine, muscular hero everyone seemed to want. That was more in his father's favour.

"Impa sent you right?" Purah asked, enthusiasm flowing almost unbearably through her voice. "I asked for a knight but I didn't expect you…"

Link sighed. "I can go get another if you want…I'm sure there's someone you'll be more comfortable with."

Purah began to laugh as she circled around in the air, leg still tangled. Her skin was beginning to turn quite red and Link was fairly sure he could see a vein expanding on her forehead.

"First a cute name and then this cute insecurity, I see why the princess likes you," she said, and pointed towards a glowing blue cylinder, just barely the size of a scroll. "I need you to take that and fix it to the control box on the roof, it's basically like a contained version of the ancient flame, though I won't explain, I know I can get carried away with it sometimes."

Purah had known who Link was this whole time and Zelda had thought enough of him to tell her about him. More importantly though, despite him being cut off since his return, she liked him? Link's mind began to whir quickly like the various dials and machines that lay about the room.

"Linky?" Purah had a mischievous grin spread about her face, as she watched Link's face return from its contorted state.

He walked over and grabbed the battery.

"Right got it."

"Erm Linky?" Purah asked. Link could only smile as with a swift motion he cut the woman from her vine and turned towards the door.

"Hey, thanks!"

Purah had forgotten to mention the fact there was no ladder, as well as the fact there were live wires circling around the tower upwards. These Shieka technologies sure were weird. Link had heard a lot about them, it was said that by simply touching an uncovered wire you could die almost instantaneously. It was similar to lightning or, those electrical beasts and weapons.

Link didn't really fancy to die today, but it seemed his fate wasn't really in his hands anyway. He gripped the stones of the tower.

I sure have missed this

Link had not gone climbing for a while. He had to take being a knight seriously, especially with the more recent revelation. All activities would be restricted simply to gaining strength. Still duty did call to him in this moment.

He began his ascent. The bricks on this tower seemed different, almost as if they'd been covered in rain. As such Link found himself slipping and sliding on his climb, arms and legs crying out for him to stop his movements.

As Link moved his hand out at the next brick a wire close by hissed out at it, a blue spark arching out towards it.

Alright not that close then

Soon he was at the summit and sure enough a control panel was there attached to the peak of the spire. Link opened the hatch and saw several cylinders similar to the one he was holding. One of them was no longer blue, presumably empty. With a sharp tug Link took the empty out and replaced it with the new. Something inside seemed to enjoy it and whirred happily at Link.

He glanced down over the walls and spires of the Castle below. Whilst getting up was fun, it was getting down which was almost always the best. That is of course if you're not struck by a demon horse thing, which shoots arrows harnessing lightning at you… Actually never mind that was pretty damn fun too.

Link unfurled his modified sail cloth and glided down to the door at the bottom.

"It worked! It worked!" Purah cheered, Robbie nodding enthusiastically along. "We now have power again, thank you Linky."

Link couldn't hold in his curiocities anymore. "What was it powering? Ancient weapons? Some mechanical animal? Some cool gadget?"

There was a sharp ping from the corner as Purah looked at Link sheepishly. She stood straight with her hands behind her back, her eyes turning towards the machine in the corner.

"Thank you so much Linky..."

Robbie turned towards him, deadly serious. "It powers a machine that makes perfectly…steamed rice."

"Rice?" Link could hardly believe his ears, all that effort, the risk of death for some rice?

"Thank you so much Linky..." Impa repeated.

Link slapped a hand to his head. "I better get going. Enjoy your…urm…rice."

"We sure will young lady!" Robbie bellowed, despite Link being but two meters away from him.

Link made his way towards the door. It was time to find something that wasn't a complete waste of time. For once food didn't interest him, not today.

He opened it knocking all the books out of her hands, as she fell forwards into the room.

"I'm so sorry!" Link yelped picking up the charts and books in a manic fashion. As he looked up to pass them he was met by those accursed green eyes.

"A little bump and now you're scrambling for words" she leered. "Maybe I should run into you more often."

Link stood up with a jolt, opposite to the Princess's slow and graceful accent. Her eyes did not leave him.

"How did it go?" she asked, concern moving over her look.

A sneeze from the side forced Link out of the moment and he turned to see Purah and Robbie staring at them, like they were watching a drama play out. Purah shot Robbie a glare and slapped him on the back of the head, for alerting Link and Zelda of their presence. The two scholars sighed and moved to the other side, far out of earshot.

"Well? Don't keep me waiting…" Zelda pushed.

Just tell her! She'd understand exactly how you'd feel, it's easy, just do it.

Link hesitated. "It seems it's nothing out of the ordinary," he looked down hoping his face wasn't betraying the lie. "Just a bad dream."

"I see," she whispered, eyes looking down in sorrow. "I guess our journey is at an abrupt end, I'm sure you will be glad to be rid of me again."

Zelda moved away from him.

"Zelda!" Link called out prompting her to freeze and Link paused not sure what to say next. "That's not true, I'm sad to see it end…"

That was the best you could manage?!

Zelda turned towards him smiling sincerely. "I like that…"

"Huh?" Link blinked.

"When you call me by my name, it's nice," she turned away and walked over to her desk plumping down the books with a loud crash.

As Link left the room he remembered how to breathe again, letting the breaths out in quick succession. For a moment it felt like he was back there when they had first met, feasting with a fish king. Talking about his mother-

Link's fists clenched again, as he felt the warm sensation of blood slip through his fingers once again and the unbearable guilt burning up inside him.