This may or may not be the worst decision of my life, but hey. I'm already here, so I might as well.
Disclaimers:
I do not own The Legend of Zelda or Fire Emblem, nor do I claim to.
No money was made from the production of this story.
No animals or people were harmed during the making of this story. Except for the author's emotional wellbeing.
The author does not necessarily endorse any actions taken in this story, nor does the author share the views expressed in this story.
This story is rated T for occasional swearing, gratuitous depictions of violence, and PTSD.
The author has not actually played Three Houses and does not own a Nintendo Switch, much to their intense displeasure. This story was written primarily because the author does not believe that Link and Dimitri are not the same character. Should the plot and characterization be horribly butchered, that– in conjunction with the author's own incompetence– is probably why.
By continuing to read these disclaimers, the reader is hereby required to leave a review with constructive criticism.
Chapter I
Cobalt.
My lips were cobalt.
The stinging winds were all-encompassing. The noxious cold enveloped me, the pallid white snow obfuscating any hope for me to actually see where the hell I was going. The blizzard had struck quickly, and while the ground only had a dusting of frozen rain upon it right now, it would swiftly rise. Worse, I was not equipped for such low temperatures. Sweltering heat, I could deal with– Darmani III had me covered on that front. Nobody could swim much better than a Zora, so I was fully equipped for a flood. War-torn hellscape? I had a literal God. The Deku Scrub… I guess if I ever had to hide in a forest or play horns, I'd be all set. But the cold? Sure, my Kokiri tunic was plenty insulating, but it only meaningfully covered my torso and thighs. My shins and arms were completely exposed.
I was glad I hadn't made Epona trudge through this sort of weather. Shortly after everything that had happened in Termina, I returned to Hyrule to bring my trusty steed back to Lon Lon Ranch, and the Ocarina of Time back to Zelda. I couldn't bring myself to stay. In truth, I didn't feel that I belonged there. Every sight, every face, every voice was a stabbing reminder of everything I had lost. Termina was no better, with the added terror of the moon's leery gaze from high above. Sure, it wasn't there anymore, but the mere expectation of looking up to see its grimace was enough to keep me in a cold sweat.
I couldn't– wouldn't– return to Hyrule or Termina for as long as I lived. There was nothing left for me there. I had said as much to Malon and Zelda when I had given them back their belongings. I hadn't been looking forward to explaining myself, but they deserved to know why I wasn't coming back. I tried to be vague, not explaining the decayed future or the time loop in Termina. Fortunately, they chose not to pry, which was a huge relief. They probably assumed I was still searching for Navi.
Navi…
I feverishly rubbed my uncovered hands together in an effort to generate a touch of heat. I missed Navi horribly, that much hadn't changed. But… At the same time, I couldn't bring myself to continue searching for her. She had left without a word, sure, but she had chosen to leave. As far as I was aware, I had not dismissed her. Why would I? She was the only person who understood, the only one who knew I was more than some homeless Kokiri-clothes-wearing delinquent with issues and a sword. If Navi had chosen to leave… she must have had a reason. Like how the Giants had a reason to leave Skull Kid all that time ago. She was much more logical than me. Maybe I wasn't worthy of her. Maybe I had done something to offend her. Maybe she forgot all about me, like everyone else had. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she had been promoted to a Great Fairy, I don't know, and I had no way of finding out at this point. It could have easily been something else far beyond my less than limited understanding.
Regardless of what had become of her, she wouldn't be happy knowing I was spending my every waking moment searching for her. And if I could heal Darmani and Mikau and the Deku Scrub– people who were so similar to me– surely, I could heal myself with or without Navi by my side. I would not let my insecurities, my loneliness, my fear become a selfish obsession. It was high time I let go.
But at the same time, I couldn't bear to stay long in Hyrule, and Termina was absolutely off the table. There was only one option left to me.
Wander. And if I found Navi by chance on the way… well, I would certainly be fine with that.
I had traveled due east, further than any Kokiri had ever gone. I walked for months, stopping only to eat and sleep. I didn't do very much of that, either– oftentimes, I ate while I walked, and sleep heralded nightmares of abandonment and despair, so I tried to only sleep when I was too tired to move. It had been a day like any other just that morning. But at exactly six forty-five in the evening… I left the forest. I hadn't even realized that that was possible.
And then I immediately got assaulted by a full-blown blizzard.
I had tried to double back to a more familiar clime, but… somehow the entire forest had just disappeared. There was still a sizable wooded area, sure, but there was none of the magical obfuscating effect of the Lost Woods proper. Had I pulled a Termina and accidentally stumbled into a Perpendicularity? Again? That would certainly explain the drastic, unheralded change in weather. If the sun had grown a face this time, I was going to lose it .
There was still some magic in the air, but it was different. More controlled. It was a far cry from the wild and untamed natural magical energies of the Kokiri Forest that I was used to, to be sure. Fortunately, it wasn't immediately malicious like Ganondorf's or Majora's had been. It was just… not quite like anything I had sensed before. I guess I had fallen into another Perpendicularity– a point where dimension hopping was possible, where one could move perpendicular to every other spatial direction simultaneously. I had coined that name myself, and to be quite frank, I was very proud of it.
When the woods had proven barren of any markings of civilization, I spent another hour retracing my steps to the point of egress from the Lost Woods and wasted twice as long trying to find the Perpendicularity so I could get out of this snowstorm. I didn't want to end up like the Goron who had given me Don Gero's Mask. I would have become an ice cube a long time ago had I not blown all my magic on making Fire Arrows for use as makeshift torches. But now I was out of magic, which meant it was officially panic mode.
That is, if I hadn't already been in panic mode for the last couple of hours.
At long last, I broke out of the forest– or, at least, broke into a gap in the forest. A clearing was carved into the woods west to east in a straight line– too straight of a line. That couldn't be natural… I pawed at the ground through the rapidly accumulating snow, and lo, it was made of stone. I had found a road! And a road meant people! I just had to follow the path, and I would find someone that could take me in. Maybe a nice fire…
At random, I started heading east. Hopefully I would find a building before I succumbed to hypothermia. I most likely had a long way to walk. Probably. This was a huge gamble, but did I have any other choice? It was certainly better than wandering aimlessly for another sign of life. A sign that I knew would never come.
The metaphorical clock struck ten. The visibility was so bad I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. Not only was it dark, but the snow blanketed the surroundings in a ubiquitous gray. I only knew the direction I was going from my internal compass and the vague tree line that marked the sides of the highway.
I was swiftly losing all feeling in my lower body, the numbness snaking up my torso and scrabbling with frigid fingers towards my chest and arms. I had been walking for what felt like forever, each second dragging into an icy infinity. I had to be getting closer now. I had to. I had to. I had to .
Wait.
There, in the gloom, I could just barely make out a light. Several lights, in fact. It couldn't be far now. I had to keep moving. Hopefully whatever was out there wouldn't kill me, or at the very least, give me a chance to heat up first.
Blessed warmth began to trickle into my system as I approached. On closer inspection, the lights were the dying embers of great braziers, still exuding some muted heat. Strangely enough, the snow was greatly reduced, and the stench of magic was thick in the air. Perhaps whoever had set up all these tents had layered an enchantment to reduce the snowfall. It was still wicked cold, but the precipitation was reduced. Whatever it was, I wasn't complaining.
I didn't know if I was in danger in this place. The people or monsters in this encampment could be hostile. But I needed to not turn into an icicle. Worst case scenario, I could just fight them off. No big deal. Hopefully.
I outstretched my hands, ears eternally cocked in case someone approached. What I wouldn't give for the Stone Mask right now… alas, I had traded it, along with all my other non-transformation masks, for the Fierce Deity's Mask. It had made fighting Majora a cakewalk, but I still missed the utility of my other veneers. Plus, the Fierce Deity scared me. More than I was comfortable admitting.
I could feel the numbness of the cold beginning to retreat, the embers enveloping me in its embrace. Good to know that I wasn't going to freeze to death just yet. Hopefully this snowstorm would have run its course by the morning. I would hate to be–
"Prince Dimitri, sire, should you not be–"
"That's not Prince Dimitri–"
Shoot.
I whirled to locate the origin of the words. They were coming from a different brazier, a few dozen meters or so to the left. They seemed to be structured in a circular arrangement, surrounded by tents on all sides. It was very organized; the placements had clearly been no accident. From the other firepit, I could make out three silhouettes– adults, adults with weapons at their hips and some sort of military garb adorning their bodies.
I had stumbled into an entire army.
This could not possibly end well.
I watched the trio, every muscle primed against the cold. I couldn't risk being captured. I would most likely have to fight my way out. Unfortunate, but necessary.
My right hand drifted to my pouch, fingers trembling as they curled around a Deku Nut. Take another step , I thought. I dare you.
They took another step.
I threw the Deku Nut with a loud bang and a blinding flash. The three soldiers were equally caught off-guard by the blast, and threw a hand up in front of their faces to block the brilliance. I took the opportunity to dart away, my breathing slow and shallow, exhaustion coiling around my muscles. I nearly tripped twice, my body unusually sluggish and unresponsive. I was shivering something fierce, too, which was probably my own fault for not thinking to invest in more cold protection. The Lost Woods didn't really have seasons– it was more or less temperate year-round– so how the hell was I supposed to know I would be tossed directly into a snowstorm?
Someone started raising an alarm. I dashed deeper into the maze, trying to stay out of sight as much as possible and evading the sudden swarming of soldiers out of every giant tent in the oversized camp. In hindsight, maybe throwing a flashbang in the middle of the night wasn't the best idea if I wanted to be stealthy.
It simply wouldn't do to die in a snowstorm, but I couldn't get close to the fires without blowing my cover. And the big tents were vomiting troops far too quickly…
There. A smaller tent. Ringed by a number of the big tents, it was unassuming enough, and it had the gentle glow of candlelight emanating from within. It must have been empty, since there was nobody coming out of it. I trudged through the ankle-deep snow, although it felt as though it were up to my knees. I weakly stepped up to the tent and located the entrance, and staggered inside.
Immediately, something cold and sharp was being pressed gently into the junction between my neck and jaw. An axe, I realized numbly. I guess my gamble hadn't paid off after all.
"Take a step back," a low, stern voice demanded calmly. The voice belonged to a man who looked even younger than I had been after my seven-year nap– at oldest, seventeen or so. That being said, this person was much taller than I had ever been– not quite the same height as Fierce Deity, but easily tall enough to see eye to eye with Darmani or Mikau. His hands held the weapon currently at my throat. Not to be outdone, I withdrew the Great Fairy's Sword from my pouch as swiftly as I could and brandished it at the tanned man.
"I could ask the same of you," I replied. It was supposed to be threatening, but perhaps the combination of my childish voice, the strange slurring of my speech, and the uncontrollable chattering of my teeth took away from that to an immense degree. If he was surprised, he did an excellent job of hiding it. We were at a standstill, each of us an errant twitch from divorcing head from body.
A third voice cut through the silence, lighter than the white-haired man's but still undeniably male. "Dedue, is–"
I panicked. I refrained from attacking immediately– that would make noise, and I didn't want the entire army on me right now. Instead, I swept the Great Fairy's Sword backwards, batting away the axe from its place. I slid back a half-step, eyes locked onto the new arrival. He was wearing blue, and his hair was a mess of blonde strands. He couldn't have been older than sixteen. Remarkably, he looked almost exactly like I had once appeared, although his hair was neater and his skin was a bit more fair. A lance was in his hands, but he wasn't pointing it at me yet. The youth was appraising me, something simmering deep below the surface. "Who is our guest?"
"Perhaps the cause for alarm," 'Dedue' explained. "He is not one of ours."
"I agree, his garb is… unusual. Hardly suited for a Faerghus winter," Not Me commented. I glared, the cold starting to addle my thoughts. "Where are you–"
I tightened my grip, still shivering fiercely. My vision was starting to flicker. The axe wielder had moved to interpose himself between me and the other boy. I may have been in no condition to fight, but the Great Fairy's Sword was enormous and imposing. Hopefully I could intimidate these two into letting me go.
"Blue lips," Dedue noted.
"Ah. Hypothermia," the other commented. Hypo-what now? "We can question this individual in the morning. Until then, keep him warm."
"And if his intentions are malicious?"
"Dedue, I appreciate your concern, but he can't be older than ten." Anger coursed through my ungodly cold brain. I was biologically eleven, thank you very much! And I had spent at least twelve of those years conscious!
"As you wish."
There was nowhere to go but through. Escaping the tent would just lead me back into the frigid night. I lunged, sword swinging—
And I remembered no more.
There you go. I hope I'm not butchering everything so far. In the interest of being forthcoming about upload schedule- as of posting, I have already complete ten chapters out of God knows how many, and I do intend on finishing this story. In order to not make myself want to die, I'm going to highly stagger the release of new chapters so that I have plenty of time to actually write. I intend to upload the next chapter sometime in early December, which will give me plenty of time to write yet more chapters. Once all chapters are completed, I will start uploading them with a cadence of about once a week.
It is currently winter of 1178, by the way.
Review please!
Link stats and stuff for nerds
Gender: M
Height: 151 cm pre-timeskip, 180 cm post-timeskip. (I scaled him up a little to make him less of a manlet. (Bro's canonically shorter than Babygard. That ain't happening.) Now pre-timeskip, he's the same height as Flayn and post-timeskip he's the same height as Ferdinand. With the Fierce Deity, Link's height jumps to 225cm.)
Class: Commoner
Affiliation: ?
Stats (Base, Growth, Cap)
Moderate HP (21, 40, 75)
High STR (6, 45, 72)
Solid MAG (6, 45, 63)
Titanic DEX (10, 50, 74)
Strong SPD (8, 40, 80)
Abysmal LUCK (2, 15, 37)
Adequate DEF (4, 35, 53)
Tolerable RES (4, 40, 50)
Good CHARM (7, 40, 66)
Proficiency with Swords, Bows, Riding.
Weaknesses in Flying, Lances.
Budding Talent in Faith. Budding Talent: Seal Dex.
White Magic: Heal, Silence, Rescue, Seraphim. Din's Fire, Nayru's Love, and Farore's Wind count as Faith. Din's Fire– 5 uses, 3-tile AOE centered around Link. Friendly fire not active. Has 6 Mt, 115 Hit, and 10 Crit. Nayru's Love– 1 use, can only be targeted on self. Reduces Crit by 100 and Mt by 10, but all incoming damage is reduced to 1 for 4 Phases. Farore's Wind– 2 use. Creates 2 warp points, one at Link's location, and the other at a selectable point in a radius equal to Link's Mag / 4. Warp points last 2 rounds. Allies can move through the warp point to the other warp point. Din's Fire, Nayru's Love, and Farore's Wind are not affected by White Magic Uses +.
Black Magic: Miasma Δ, Death Γ, Quake Σ, Bohr X.
Crest: None?– Occasionally allows the user to take another full turn after defeating an enemy during Player Phase (limit once per phase). Trigger rate of approximately 40%.
Personal: Celerity. Upon defeating an enemy, this unit gains +5 Hit, +3 Might, and +3 Crit until they take damage or until victory is achieved.