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Chapter Text

Here it is! The sequel story to my first ever fanfic, the Fierce God Given Life. I'm SUPER happy with how the story turned out, and my head was running with ideas for a possible sequel.  I considered a bunch of stuff, like maybe even a "What If?" style series going into events of the first story, but if they played out differently.  Let me know if anyone would be interested in that.

Warning, this story will not make much sense without having read the first. Regardless, now the sequel is here! I think this beginning is quite nice, and I really hope you all enjoy.
-Joost

New author's note! I really hope that this story does well, as it's probably still my favorite writing yet. It does have problems, but I loved making this. Anyways, have fun reading!

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 1: My Running Around is Through

The rift between worlds had finally been cracked. A gate that opened to other eras stood before its creators. Two sinister cackles resonated around the arena. For a good long minute.

"It's finally working!" One of the figures shouted, raising their arms into the air. Their cohort next to them only scoffed, annoyance lining their voice. They slapped their companion upside the head.

"Don't be so foolish. We need to get serious, now!" The other was quite stern. A lot of magic had been used just to open this gateway. They couldn't mess this up after they had gotten so far.

The former was the first to step into the rift, and they found themselves adrift in time and deep within the embers of twilight for a split second until arriving at their desired destination. The barrier of this great palace was no match for the dark magic the figure held, shattering it like glass in just one strike.

They, alongside their companion, captured the first beast they wanted to unleash with ease. The mighty eagle had its legendary power tampered with, rendered almost dead before it was restored on the other side of the portal. The invulnerability it usually possessed was taken down. The creature comprised of thunder was at their mercy.

Soon, their revenge upon this wretched land would be fulfilled, all because of that boy who somehow knew of their plans. It took nearly five years of research, experimentation and magic to make this portal a reality. The kingdom would be brought to its knees.

The little mouse scurried across the floor of the kitchen, searching for food of any kind. Making its way under the counter by the boiling stove, it stopped all movement when it felt huge footsteps. They were distant at first, however they grew more and more powerful each second. All it could see were some brown boots approaching from the entrance.

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll get it." The person spoke up, dashing towards the cupboard above the counter. They opened the cabinet and rummaged around, searching for something.

"Thank you, honey!" A voice replied nervously, unseen to this little mouse that sat on the floor.

While the person was preoccupied, the rodent dashed back to the wall and climbed up the back of the wooden leg and reached the top of the counter. The little animal could now see a beige tunic, belonging to a tall figure, their face still obscured by a pot hanging from a hook on the cupboard. Slowly making its way into view, it gazed upon a blonde teenager.

"Hm? Oh! Hey, little buddy." The 16-year-old directed his attention to the mouse. "You're probably hungry, huh?"

The young man put down the large object he retrieved and reached across the counter to grab a slice of bread. He tore off a small piece and rolled it up into a little ball the size of a large crumb and then presented it to the mouse. Without a second to lose, the animal snatched it up and held the food protectively. The person before it could only chuckle.

Extending his hand, the boy had earned the mouse's trust, and it climbed on. Guiding his hand towards the little hole below the window, he let the mouse return to where it normally resided.

"Feels good to be back, doesn't it?" The young lad said, smiling wide as the mouse disappeared. He put his hands on his hips for a second as he grinned downwards.

"Link? Are you coming with that pan?" The voice from earlier called for him again. He could tell his mom was getting really desperate for a savior now, and he needed to help out with the problem she faced.

"Sorry, just a moment!" Link said, grabbing the pan he laid on the counter, sprinting back to his mother in Granny's Room. Anju was still keeping off the floor, frozen in fear while hiding atop the desk chair. She took care in staying away from the large spider that scurried along near the fireplace.

"Where is it?" Link burst through the door and held the pan defensively, looking around frantically. Anju pointed to where the spider resided, and Link slowly approached the arachnid.

Before the menace could strike, Link bashed it with the frying pan.

"Hiya!"

After a moment, Link lifted the pan and looked at the remains of the spider with disgust. "I'll clean this up…"

Link left for the kitchen again and Anju finally calmed down. She stepped down from the chair and took a few deep breaths. After a quick shudder, her son came back with a towel to sop up the mess.

"Thank you, honey." Anju said to the teen before leaving the room. Link smiled back and put the dirty towel in the basket to be washed later. Then he went back to his room, his girlfriend waiting for him. This was her only day off from work, and she was determined to spend as much as she could with Link.

"Sorry about that…" Link said nervously, his hand going to the back of his neck by instinct. He walked past old his sword and shield that lay propped up on the wall near the bookcase, not even giving them any thought. A large layer of dust covered them, making it almost impossible to tell that the Mirror Shield had a face on it.

"It's alright, Grasshopper!" Romani replied, extending her arms for a hug. Link didn't hesitate to embrace her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her on the lips.

"So, what did I miss?" Link asked, parting the kiss and peering through the window again. He saw Jim and his new girlfriend, Pamela, still holding hands just outside the inn.

"Not much. Pam did lean her head onto Jim's shoulder though!" Romani explained. The two teens giggled; they knew they shouldn't be spying on Clock Town's newest couple, but after so long of trying to get the two together, they couldn't resist.

Link knew Pamela personally. He did save her father from becoming a Gibdo all those years ago, but he could tell she was… troubled. She needed companionship. Someone to love her enough to help her love herself, in a way her father couldn't. Ikana Canyon wasn't the most populated place. And with Jim's spunky attitude, he and Romani figured they'd be good for each other.

"Hmmm… Do you have any ideas on what they'll do next?" Link asked Romani. She thought for a second until shrugging. Before Link could give his own idea, Romani suddenly had something pop into her head.

"Ooo! Maybe they'll go and play one of the games together!" Romani chirped, pointing towards the Treasure Chest Shop. Link giggled at the idea of the two working together like them. Soon enough, Romani proved to be correct, as Jim whispered something into Pamela's ear and then they took off to the shop.

"Job well done!" Link said, raising his hand in the air and waiting for a high-five. Romani wasted no time giving him what he desired before sitting down onto the bed across from them.

"So… Now what?" Romani asked in a sing-song voice. Link recognized that look in her eyes. She wanted to ride.

"Oh no, not now." Link said, a stutter washing over him.

"Oh come on, Grasshopper! It's been so long!" Romani whined. She was determined to get what she wanted. After a moment of doe eyes from his girlfriend, Link caved in.

The couple left the inn and made their way to North Clock Town. Epona, fitted with a new saddle, was right in her stable where she liked to be. The second she spotted Link and Romani, she neighed with excitement.

"Hey girl! How've you been?" Link rubbed the side of Epona's face, scratching away the itch that usually came around behind her ear.

"Hi Epona!" Romani greeted the horse, stroking her mane tenderly.

Link fed his loyal steed an apple he grabbed from the kitchen before he left, and Romani climbed onto her back. Her boyfriend joined her soon after, making sure the gate was unlocked and open so Epona could leave. Giving her a gentle kick, she trotted out of North Clock Town and into Termina Field.

The spring breeze flew through the hair the horse riders as they went along. The winter snow had completely melted by now, and it was only about a month-and-a-half until the next Carnival of Time, and Link's 17th birthday. While he had never known his real birthday, some convincing from Anju and Kafei persuaded him to consider that fateful day when his new life in Termina really began as his special day.

Link sighed, enjoying the view of the field as they rounded towards the south. Epona grew into a canter and Romani looked out at the road to the Southern Swamp. Everything was as it should be in Termina. There hadn't been any sort of threat ever since the Garo all those years ago. While Jim and Skull Kid still carried their own weapons around just in case, Link hadn't touched his sword, shield, or many of his masks in years. His green tunic was still the size it was when he was twelve.

Epona was galloping by now. Link directed her to the road to the Southern Swamp. He wanted to visit a certain fairy and friends. It had been nearly a month since he last took the time to visit.

Tatl was reading a book. It was propped up against the wall and she had to fly up to the edge of the page to turn it, but she managed. Her concentration was broken when she heard the clopping of hooves near the porch. She knew who it was.

"Link!" Tatl exclaimed, flying right into her friend's arms. Tatl had grown a little bit in the years since the battle against the Garo. However, her personality was still as snarky as ever.

"What brings the great dork and his girlfriend here?" Tatl asked, resting her hands on her hips.

"I just… felt like visiting." Link smiled with modesty. He and Romani disembarked from Epona, and she trotted over to the little pond for a quick drink.

"Is that who I think it is?" A voice came from the door to the hut. When Link saw the mask he had carved during that Carnival all those years ago, his smile grew tenfold. Skull Kid walked to the teenager in beige and gave him a hug.

"Hey, Skull Kid. Sorry I haven't been able to come by lately." Link said as he parted from the little imp. He hadn't grown much but being made out of wood didn't provide much in the way of physical changes. His staff remained almost eternally connected to his grasp, but it hardly mattered.

Finally, the third of the hut trio came outside to see what all the commotion was. Tael's face lit up as soon as he saw the visitors.

"Link, Romani! It's great to see you!" Tael said, rushing over to sit himself atop Link's head and wave to the ranch woman.

"It's good to see you all too!" Romani said, bringing Skull Kid in for a hug and extending her finger for Tatl to shake. "It's been a while!"

Romani's natural vibe brought a smile to everyone's face. Heading inside, Link was astonished how much the living area had changed since he last visited. Skull Kid must've taken a few lessons in carpentry, as there was new furniture all around made from the wood of a few of the trees outside. Of course, he made sure to plant some new saplings.

The entire time Link looked at the new furniture, Skull Kid was beaming with pride. He knew just how to impress his friend. Romani took pleasure in sitting down on the nearest sturdy chair, shifting a bit to get comfortable.

"This is really nice! Romani's butt is perfectly comfy!" Romani's bluntness made Link go red in the cheeks, and the fairy siblings giggled away at his expense. Sitting down next to his girlfriend, Link admired the surprising neatness of the hut.

"So, whatcha think?" Tatl asked the teens, gesturing towards the rest of the room and the furniture dotted across it. A slight sense of eagerness was present in her voice. A lot of planning had gone into how well the room was laid out.

"This… This is great!" Link chuckled, looking around. "It's really well put together! I'm proud of you, Tatl."

Link had gotten used to talking a lot more. Ever since he defeated the Maestro of the Garo, a part of his personality felt like it had been freed, and he could be more open to others than he had before. It was nice. When he spotted the photo of him, Tatl, Tael, and Skull Kid he took during the fall a few years back hanging on the wall, he got up and looked at it closely. A wave of nostalgia washed over him.

"That's my personal favorite part of the room!" Skull Kid piped up, a tray of food in his hands. A bunch of picked berries were on it, and he let Link and Romani have a few. He made sure they weren't the poisonous ones this time. That was quite a bad summer.

Before Romani ate the berries she got from Skull Kid; she inspected one carefully. "These better not be what made Link sick!" She warned. She liked playing the role of a nurse for Link, but it was exhausting. Skull Kid just laughed and assured her these ones were fine by plopping one into his beak.

After an hour catching up with the three, Link decided it was about time to head back to town. Bidding farewell to his friends, the boy in beige rode off on Epona with Romani.

During the ride back, Romani's thoughts wandered to the future between her and Link. As she had her arms wrapped around his torso, she couldn't help but imagine how much he'd work to make sure the two of them would be happy. He'd save up all the rupees he could from his apprenticeship with Mutoh, the leader of the carpenter group and be able to buy a house or something. Or perhaps he could live with her and Cremia on the ranch?

"Grasshopper…?" Romani asked, tilting her head to the side to see Link's face.

"Hm?"

"Romani was wondering… would you want to live on the ranch one day?"

Link was puzzled by her question. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when we get married, we're going to need to be together a lot more often!" Romani stated, resting her chin on her boyfriend's shoulder. She knew that she already saw him almost daily, due to her becoming the first female guard in Clock Town, but she still wanted a bit more.

Link paused for a minute. He'd always dreamed about marrying Romani, but somehow, he never really thought about how they'd continue after that. His next words were almost impossible to hear. "I'm- I'm not sure…"

Now it was Romani's turn to be confused. "Wait, what?"

Link grew more and more embarrassed. "Well, I mean- I never really thought about it… yet."

He thought Romani would be hurt by what he said, but instead she just laughed. As Epona entered Clock Town, her laugh became a light chuckle. "Silly Grasshopper. You need to be more forward thinking!"

"Really?" Link said, his mind still boggled.

"Of course! It's alright if you didn't think about it yet! We still have time before we get married!" Romani's voice was loud, and a few of the people they passed by on the way to Epona's stable gave them weird looks. Link was completely flustered by the time he set his loyal steed back into her stable.

"Link… Romani didn't mean to make you upset…" Romani could notice the expression on Link's face. She didn't even call him by his nickname. Some of the red tint faded from his cheeks as he looked at his best friend.

"I know… I just have been so caught up with… well, living." Link looked at the Terminian sky with a smile. For the first time in years, his mind went back to Hyrule, even if it was just for a moment. "I want to cherish my time here, and with you."

The boy Link once was when he first saved Termina was long gone. He felt more comfortable with how he lived his life, now that he found a purpose beyond fighting. He was able to really feel alive now that he filled that void inside himself.

"Thank you, Grasshopper…" Romani said, giving Link a hug. She did in fact feel a little hurt at Link's confusion earlier, but that feeling had been remedied by his words. Their embrace lasted a while until Link parted from Romani and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes.

"Let's head back to the inn." Link said, taking Romani's hand and starting back home. The two teens opened the door to the Stock Pot Inn, and as soon as Link saw his father, Kafei, at the desk, he wanted to turn right back around.

"There you two are!" Kafei said. He wasted no time in starting his usual routine with his son and his girlfriend. "So, what have you lovebirds been up to?"

"Dad…" Link muttered, looking down.

"Romani and Grasshopper went out on Epona!" Romani replied, leaning on the desk to talk with Kafei. She knew what she was doing to Link, and she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it from time to time.

"Oh, really? Well, I hope Link gave you a good ride." Kafei's smirk made Link even more embarrassed.

"Dad!" Link shouted, frustrated. Both Kafei and Romani burst out into laughter at the teen's reaction. He decided to take Romani's hand and leave the inn, much to the chagrin of Kafei. "Not cool…"

"Kafei!" Anju piped up from upstairs. The purple-haired man froze on the spot. "What did I tell you about teasing him?"

"Sorry, I couldn't help it!" Kafei chuckled lightly before going upstairs.

The purple fog was almost unbearable. The little fairy could hardly see a thing as she made her way through the catacombs. The tunnel seemed to defy all logic as it winded around. Finally making it through the dense fog, she was in Clock Tower. All that went through her mind was the boy she was searching for. He was the only one that could help.

Slowly but surely, she opened the wooden door to exit into South Clock Town. So, this was Termina? It was quite lovely, but she had no time to admire the quaint little town she found herself in. Flying high into the air, she searched around.

Just a few minutes later, she finally spotted who she was looking for. However, it took her a moment to really get a good look at him. He was wearing beige, there was no trace of his sword or shield, and he was holding hands with… Malon?

"Link!" The fairy hollered. The teenager immediately stopped in his tracks right in front of the Shooting Gallery and looked around.

"What is it, Grasshopper?" Romani asked. She knew Link was extremely aware of his surroundings, but he hadn't completely frozen like this in years.

"…Nothing. I just thought I heard something." Link said, his voice quiet. He kept looking around, not thinking to look upwards.

"Link!" The fairy shouted again. This time Link knew he wasn't going crazy. Then, she descended into Link's view. He felt his stomach drop the second he saw her distinct blue hue.

There was a long silence between the two.

"Navi?"

"Hey!" Navi replied. The delivery of her next sentence felt like a dagger to Link. "Hyrule needs you!"

Link didn't say a word. He just started to hyperventilate. Loosening his grip on Romani's hand, he stumbled backwards and nearly tripped. A lot of memories came flooding back to him in an instant, and he took off, right back to the Stock Pot Inn. He didn't greet Kafei as he bolted past him. He simply ran as fast as he could to his bedroom and slammed the door.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2?! So soon? Yeah, I have a LOT done already of the story, and since chapter one and two take place over the course of a day, and cliffhangers aren't really my thing, here it is! I plan on releasing chapter 3 on Tuesday, and THEN slowing things down! Enjoy!
-Joost

Seeing all the comments I made last year before chapters is so funny...

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 2: I Mustn't Return

"Link? Honey, are you ok?" Anju knocked on the door once again. She still hadn't gotten a response after the third attempt.

"I don't know what to do…" Anju admitted defeat and turned back to Romani and Kafei with a shrug. Just by the stairs was the strange blue fairy. Something about her seemed so familiar, but the innkeeper couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Let me try." Romani said, not referring to herself in the third person. She stood right next to Link's door.

"Oh Link? Honey, please let us in. We're worried." Romani again broke her own little tradition by calling Link 'Grasshopper' and used his real name. At least this time she got a response.

"Romani… not now."

Navi was endlessly puzzled. Who were these people that appeared to be so close to Link? This ranch woman looked like Malon, but called herself Romani? This innkeeper was acting like she was Link's mother. Her mind was left boggled at the thought of what the former Hero of Time had been up to after all these years.

There was a ring of the service bell downstairs. Someone was checking in.

"Crap, I got to see to that. Tell me if anything happens!" Kafei started downstairs, hating to be pulled away from something as important as this.

Anju finally got fed up. Fetching a key from the employee's room, she forcefully opened the bedroom door. As soon as she did, she was met with something she hadn't seen in years. Link was sitting on his bed. And he was crying.

"Link…" Anju kneeled by her son's bed. "Please, tell us what's going on."

Link hesitated for a moment. His voice had seemingly left him for a moment. Navi made her way to the frame of the door, but she didn't dare enter the room. The teen couldn't take his eyes off her distinct blue light. "I can't stop thinking about… H-Hyrule…"

Anju stepped back slightly at the last word he said. Link only reacted with a sigh. Now she knew what was making him so unresponsive. Romani couldn't recall much about the land Link hailed from, but she knew it was cause for a lot of emotional baggage. All she felt proper doing was sitting right beside him and picking up his chin to have him meet her gaze.

"Grasshopper, look at me." Link did was he was told. He didn't know what he wanted to do at that moment. "It'll be alright. Romani promises."

Link made up his mind and hugged his girlfriend. Then he started to let out all his emotion. The pair gradually lowered themselves until they were laying down, Link in Romani's arms. His tears never halted throughout the endeavor. The couple cuddled for a while until Link caught his breath at last. Anju had pulled up a chair by now and was sitting right next to the bed. She never wasted the opportunity to caress Link's hair to comfort him.

After a while, Link sat up. This time he made up his mind about something else.

"I need to be alone for a bit…" He spoke. Romani and Anju nodded without a word and turned to leave. Before Navi could join them, Link piped up again. "With her."

All present turned their eyes to the blue fairy, and suddenly she felt small compared to them.

Leaving the two alone, Anju and Romani left. It was just Link and Navi now, all alone in the room. A long bout of silence descended on them for a while until Navi decided to speak up.

"So, seems like a lot has changed…" Navi's words were uncharacteristically slow and quiet. "You… You are not the boy I know, are you?"

"Not anymore." Link said plainly, looking at nothing.

"You… have a family…" Navi was uneasy saying that.

"Yeah." Link replied. He had never felt so uncomfortable talking about something in a long while.

"Tell me, is that Malon?" Navi asked bluntly.

Link whipped his head around and gave the fairy a bewildered look. He hadn't thought about Malon in years. Now that she was mistaken for Romani, he was almost insulted.

"N-No!" Link's voice rose slightly. He looked down at himself again before continuing. "Her name is Romani. She's my… girlfriend."

Now it was Navi's turn to feel a little insulted. She always had some feelings for Link, as did a number of women in Hyrule. Unfortunately, the 11-year-old Link of the time was blissfully unaware of how much he was adored there. The same was true with his now 16-year-old self.

"What?" Link asked.

"Nothing…" Navi responded. She quickly changed the subject. "So, you're not wearing green anymore?"

"Yeah. I kinda grew out of it a few years back." Link shrugged and looked up at the wall, where his old green tunic hung. It was there more for display these days.

Link stood up and looked at the clothing he once wore more closely. It was still the size he was back 4 years ago. It'd need to be modified to fit him again if he wanted to wear it. A few memories came back, this time good ones. He took his hand to feel the small patch that was across the chest area of the tunic. It was where Anju had sewn it back together after his battle with Gomess. A strange sense of nostalgia washed over him, and he chuckled softly.

"The beige looks good on you." Navi said, flying over to him. He didn't look at her. The fairy looked down in disappointment but was suddenly surprised at what her eyes met on the ground.

"Link, is this…?" Navi floated down to the dust-covered sword and shield.

"Oh… Those." Link stared at the reminder of who he once was. He couldn't even tell the mirror shield had a face on it until Navi wiped off some of the dust on the object, letting a portion of it gleam as it did so long ago.

"Navi, you should know that I'm…" Link stuttered. "…w-well, I'm sort of retired from being… you know."

"Wait a minute, b-but you're the Hero of Time! How can you… not be…" Navi's words were almost an attack on Link. He hadn't even heard the phrase 'Hero of Time' in a long, long time. "You're a Hylian!"

"Terminian." Link corrected the fairy. "I'm a Terminian."

"A what?!" Navi was so confused.

"I live here, in Termina. This is my home, not Hyrule. I have friends, loved ones, even a family motto…" Link said as he sat down on his bed. His mind wandered to Hyrule once again and his brow furrowed.

"Link, how-how could you say that?!" Navi was starting to get frustrated. She couldn't comprehend what was so different with Link now compared to nearly five years prior.

"Navi, you have no idea how I felt back in Hyrule, do you?" Link said, cold tones lining his voice. Now he really wanted to talk to her.

"Back there… I never felt like I was in control," Link told Navi. "I never had a choice in what I did."

"What on earth do you mean, Link? You were able to control time!" Navi blurted. She thought this teenager was just being silly.

"No, no, no, it's not that, Navi," Link remained calm, but he didn't know how long that faux attitude would last. "It's about how I was chosen for it all."

"Huh? Link, the Great Deku Tree chose you! It was your responsibility!"

"Yes, I know, but- "Link never got to finish his sentence.

"You could have done anything, but you chose to leave the forest to fulfil your destiny! That was on you!" Navi said. That sent Link over the edge.

"Nonsense!" Link yelled. Navi shut her mouth as he stood from the bed and threw his hands in the air. "Do you really think I wanted to have to fight Ganon?! Do you think I wanted to see my only friend in Kokiri Forest be relegated to the Sacred Realm for all of eternity? Did you actually believe I was alright with seeing my home get destroyed all because I wasn't mature enough to wield that goddess-forsaken sword?!"

Navi was left speechless at Link's outburst. He really had changed. He turned around and crossed his arms. It took her a bit to really process it all.

"I- I'm so sorry, Link… I didn't know." Navi attempted to comfort him but was almost swatted away.

"Of course you didn't know. The moment it was all over, you disappeared without even giving me a reason why," Link muttered. He was still heard by the fairy regardless. Her guilt multiplied tenfold. The teen recounted the time he wasted in Hyrule after warning them of Ganondorf's deceit. "I spent over two months waiting for you to return until I went out searching for you. Then I stumbled my way into Termina."

"I was whisked off into another adventure as soon as I got here. But while I was here, I found out a lot about myself." Link then remembered all he had been through in Termina. Before the moon, and after it. He sat back down, and the sunlight from the window shined down onto his arm, leaving his face in shadow. Only then did he finally smile, albeit weakly. "And I chose to stay because of what I found. I left the world of Hyrule behind."

"I just never thought that- that world would find me here…"

Navi didn't know what she could say. This young man wasn't the hero she once knew. He was more akin to a normal teenage boy. A part of her felt damaged by that reality. Another part felt happy for him. Overall, she was conflicted by it all.

"I'm sorry. But… Hyrule needs help. Something terrible has been awakened and everyone is in danger." Navi admitted. For once Link looked at the fairy with worry. He held some pent-up hostility against his former home, but he knew there were plenty of innocent people that didn't deserve to suffer there in the slightest. Now it was time for him to feel conflicted.

"I don't know, Navi." Link stood up and looked at a picture of himself, Anju, and Kafei that sat on the nightstand just before him. He held it close and then looked at the wall. Two more pictures hung across from him. One of himself, Tatl, Tael, and Skull Kid, another of Romani and Cremia.

"I've managed to find a lot here. I can't just leave it behind." Link still believed the doorway to Termina and Hyrule might only be one-way. Regardless how Navi was here, he didn't want to risk losing it all. All the mystery of how this place existed in relation to the land of Hyrule scared him.

"You don't need to! Link, you know there's a way to and from Hyrule from here that isn't dangerous." Navi explained, a bit of the cheer in her voice returning. In reality, there were a number of doorways from Termina to Hyrule. Some were safer than others.

"Really?" Link almost considered going back at that moment, but he quickly pushed the thought away.

"Yes! Please, Link. I promise I won't ask you to stay in Hyrule, but…" Navi's words slowed down again. "We all need you."

There was a long silence. It felt deafening to the two.

"Just give me some time, alright?" Link asked. Navi just nodded, and then he left the bedroom a second later.

"Grasshopper, are you sure you're alright?" Romani asked. Dusk was starting to fall, and Link was still sitting just outside of West Clock Town. He had placed himself right on the curb, staring at the orange horizon that blanketed Great Bay. For hours now he had been sitting there.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Link repeated. Romani was unbelievably tired of that answer.

"Grasshopper, please tell the truth." Romani sat right beside him, hands in her lap. She decided to use her secret weapon against Link to get him to tell her what was going on. The doe eyes.

"Alright, fine." Link said reluctantly. He hated how adorable she was at times.

"I don't know what to do. I need to go back. T-To Hyrule." Link stared at his palms. He couldn't help but imagine the blood of Ganondorf stained across his hands. "People are in danger. It's my… responsibility to help them. But I want to stay here. I don't want to have to wield that sword again…"

"But it's odd, because a part of me is curious. A twisted part of me wants to go back. It'd be interesting to see if anything is different now that it's been years." Romani knew that sense of curiosity that was eating at her best friend.

All her life Romani was eager to explore and learn more about the world around her. It's why she began to use a bow and had her father train her in using it before he passed away. When Link came along and helped her finish achieving that goal, she was grateful. Now he was in a similar situation, and she could help him. This wasn't like how it was with the Fierce Deity; it was far easier to fulfil that sense of morbid desire he had this time around. The only real question was if it was best for him.

"I'm also afraid about losing you and everyone else." Link said, this time quieter than before.

"What do you mean?" Romani asked.

"Th-That's the thing, I don't know. I just have this feeling that I could lose Termina if I leave." Link held Romani's hand but didn't meet her eyes. A long moment of silence fell upon the pair until the ranch woman said something bold.

"What if we go with you?"

"What?!" Link looked at Romani with extreme surprise.

"We could join you in Hyrule! It'd only be for maybe a few weeks, right?" Romani's mind went wild with the idea in her head. She somewhat liked the prospect of it all. "Anju could have her mom look over the inn. Jim, Skull Kid, Tatl, and Tael could join us. I could even go on vacation from the town guard!"

Link thought about it for a second. It wasn't a bad idea, and it would ease his fears a little bit.

"Although Romani doesn't know if sister or Dina can come."

"What do you mean?" Link looked at his girlfriend again.

"Well, running the ranch is a big deal! Sister can't just leave without a replacement. A-And being Viscen's secretary is a lot for Dina to handle!" She was right. There wasn't anyone who was willing to run the ranch for Cremia or fill in for Dina. It was one of the only things Link didn't like about Termina. Just how unforgiving it could be at times. A few other examples of Termina's lack of mercy where the scars on his arms, but he forced those intruding thoughts away.

"Perhaps…" Link said, hand on his chin. "But we should be sure to visit Cremia and Dina at least once a week! It's the least we could do."

Romani nodded, a big smile across her face. Link's mood had thankfully been risen. However, it lowered ever so slightly when he looked at the horizon again. The darkening sky was a signal that Link had to escort Romani home soon.

"Oh no!" Romani huffed as soon as she noticed Link wasn't looking at her, but the sky. She knew it was that time too. Neither liked how she had such a strict curfew now, but it is how it is.

"Come on, I don't want Cremia getting mad at me again." Link stood up and extended his hand, which Romani took. The two started the walk to Milk Road. The teenage boy was glad he could change the subject. "You know, she keeps on thinking that we're up to something."

"Hm? What do you mean?" Romani asked.

"She always wants to know what we get up to when we're alone. It's almost like she's quizzing me on what we do." Link remembered how unusually curious the old ranch sister was about what he and Romani did together. "Whenever I say that we were hanging out in my room, alone, she gets really nervous…"

"Huh… Romani didn't know sister was so interested in what goes on in there." Romani thought back to when her big sister questioned her about Link's 'shoe size'. It was last year, right after Romani's growth spurt. Her figure had really developed by then, with a bosom size almost comparable to Cremia's.

"Yeah. At first, I didn't mind, but when she started asking me what my favorite thing about you was, I think I know why."

Link remembered the answers he gave when she first asked him that. She had never looked more surprised. He swore he could recall her muttering something about how she expected it to be more about Romani's hips, or something along those lines.

"I think she's just looking out for you." Link said sweetly. Romani's cheeks grew red at his words.

"Aww…" That was all Romani could muster before they made it to the ranch.

"I love you, Romani." Link said as she opened the front door.

"I love you too, Grasshopper." Romani replied, pulling him in for a quick kiss. He always felt flustered when her sizable chest bumped into his. She gave him a playful wink before closing the door. Her emphasis on his nickname she had that time stuck with him.

All the way home, Link thought about a possible nickname for her. So long had she called him 'Grasshopper', but he never had a name for her. His attention waned when the brief flash of a firefly in the distance occurred. Firefly. That might be a good name to call Romani.

Link casually opened the door to the Stock Pot Inn but froze as soon as he saw the three who were sitting in the lobby. Tatl, Tael, and Skull Kid.

"Oh, h-hey guys." Link tried to sound normal, but Tatl's scowl told him it was completely futile.

"Link, we need to talk." Tatl barked, catching the attention of a certain blue fairy upstairs. The entire time the guests were there, Navi felt a little uneasy. Link looked down dejectedly and led the trio upstairs without a word.

"No! Stay!" Tatl held out her finger at Navi the second she moved. She wasn't even going to follow them, but she didn't say a word and just let the group head upstairs.

Link let his friends in, and Tatl sat herself on Link's bed, crossing her arms. Tael and Skull Kid were in less of a foul mood than she was, but they still wanted to talk.

"So, she's back…" Tatl started.

"Yeah. Yeah, Navi's back…" Link said, his words almost a whisper.

"We know what she asked of you." Skull Kid said plainly.

"Alright, but how did you guys find out so fast?" Link needed to at least know how they managed that.

"Anju sent us a letter. She labeled it urgent, so we'd get it before nightfall." Tael explained. Even his usual cheery tone had been squandered by what was on his mind.

"Hyrule…" Skull Kid said. He was afraid to say the name. He had a lot of memories of the mischief he had gotten up to there. Some pranks he pulled were deadlier than others.

"Look, guys… They need me." Link felt helpless to defend himself in this situation. "I need to go."

"Nope!" Tatl said, her snarky tone coming out in full force. "I won't let you!"

"Tatl, please don't be difficult."

"I'm not being difficult, Link! I'm telling you that you aren't going!" Tatl was determined to see that Link stayed in Termina.

"Any why, Tatl? Why should I hide from my responsibility?" Link was starting to get annoyed.

"I'm not saying that! I just- "

"Then what are you saying, Tatl?"

"I just don't want you to get hurt!" Tatl finally blurted out. "Look, I know you need to go. Just… I'm worried again! For four years, you haven't picked up the sword, but now that… girl wants you to go back and fight whatever it is that's causing problems?!"

Tatl held a lot of distains for Navi. When Link told her why he was searching for her in the first place, although she didn't express it, she felt protective of him. She thought Navi was heartless for leaving someone like Link without even an explanation. She didn't dare tell Link how she felt. She simply did what she usually had and held in her emotions. She knew it was wrong, but she hated the feeling of vulnerability that consumed her whenever she expressed herself.

"I don't like her, Link! She left without a word and now she's back, expecting you to fight for a land you don't even consider home anymore." Tatl looked away from the teen in beige and put her hands to her face. Tael flew over to his sister and brought her in for a hug.

"I know, Tatl. I know it's hard to trust her. But this is bigger than me." Link, for the first time in ages, picked up his old shield. He still couldn't bring himself to even touch the Gilded Sword. Not yet. Wiping the rest of the dust off the mirror shield, he gazed into the face printed onto the gleaming sheen.

"I must return." Link said stoically. It had been a while since this feeling had been within his soul. He didn't welcome it in the slightest.

A small sniffle came from Tatl. Link tore his eyes from the mirror shield and went to Tatl. She had cracked, and her emotions trickled down her cheeks.

"I promise I'll be alright." Link reassured his dear friend. "Besides, maybe you guys would feel better if you joined me."

"W-What?" Tatl said between sniffles.

"Romani had the idea that you guys could join me in Hyrule. It'd only be for a few weeks." Link beamed at the fairies. Skull Kid had lit up with a smile. As long as he and his friends were there, he was down to go back. Perhaps he could fix the things he had left broken in the land of Hyrule.

"Really?" Tael looked at Link. He was met with a great big smile, and one finally made its way onto his own face.

"A-Alright, fine!" Tatl squeaked as she wiped her nose. "But if I need to babysit you like I did when we were dealing with that moon, I'm not having it!"

Link could only smile at his friends. He was glad they could come to some kind of understanding, even if it was still a little messy.

"You guys should be getting home soon." Link looked at the clock.

"Yeah, Sis, we gotta go." Tael said. Tatl began to fly again, composing herself.

"I'll walk you guys' home." The fairies smiled at Link's offer and gladly accepted. Link started to turn the knob, and a hidden Navi flew away from the door as fast as she could. She was left in the inn to ponder about Link as he and his friends left.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3! I'm particularly proud of this one. I tried experimenting with a different main character for this one, instead of usually just focusing on Link. I had a bit of fun with it. But don't worry, releases will be slowing down now as my ankle heals. I plan on posting chapter 4 on Friday, then extending the wait to 5 days for each chapter. Hopefully that'll be better! Anyways, enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 3: Kindly Present It To That Buffoon In There

It was the dawn of a new day for Romani Ranch. The oldest sister was still asleep when Romani awoke. She quickly made herself breakfast and prepared to leave for Clock Town. She planned on asking for a set of vacation days so that she could accompany Link to Hyrule.

"Sister…" Romani gently shook Cremia, who only groaned in response. "Romani's going off to Clock Town for work."

"Mmm… alright." Cremia mumbled.

All throughout the walk to town, Romani went over how she'd ask Captain Viscen her request. Overall, she figured she wouldn't have too much of a problem. She had rarely taken any vacation days in the past, only when she was ill, which was surprisingly a rare occurrence for her. Her initial training started when she was thirteen, and she graduated right into the force just a year later. The following years she had been something of a role model for many in Clock Town.

Entering through North Clock Town, her first destination was the Stock Pot Inn, to see Link. It wasn't actually for her own desire, but for the fact he was the one that kept her armor, spear, and such for her.

Romani never liked how poorly the place that housed the guards' materials was set up. It was formerly where Madame Aroma and Kafei lived, before he moved in with Anju and a new home was constructed for the mayor and his wife, right outside of town by the observatory.

The office of Captain Viscen was the final room, the bedroom being split into two areas, the other being for the captain's secretary. Link was actually the one who had helped Mutoh build the very wall that separated them. The very first room that was there was now the armory for all the soldiers, and where Romani kept a few miscellaneous things from her time of being on the force, some from assignments she had been put onto.

Romani arrived at the Inn and immediately went upstairs to Link's room. She knocked and then waited patiently. When he didn't answer at first, she knocked again. It wasn't that early, was it?

"Oh Grasshopper! It's Romani!" It took Link a minute, but he opened the door.

"Hm? Oh, hey…" He drowsily looked at his girlfriend before realizing why she was here. He let her inside and she walked over to the small chest that was on the floor by the bookshelf.

Link made sure to look away as Romani changed from her normal clothes to her guard uniform. Her chainmail rattled a bit as she put it on, and then she put her chest plate over it. She put her metallic boots on next. They were a little uncomfortable, but she had gotten used to them at this point. Then she strapped on her gauntlets and put on her helmet.

"Hey, Grasshopper? Where is my spear?" Romani asked while looking around. It wasn't where it usually was, propped up on the wall next to the chest.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I accidentally knocked it over last night." Link reached where the spear had fallen, conveniently just out of view behind the table.

"Thank you, Grasshopper." Romani gave Link a peck on the cheek. Her next sentence was followed by a frown. "Now, Romani will see you later."

Link waved his girlfriend goodbye. He was always a little worried when she left for the captain's office. Over time, she had been given a lot of dangerous missions, some where she wasn't even accompanied by any backup.

Romani made her way to the mayor's office and scoffed when she noticed the main receptionist was out again. She always thought that woman was lazy. Opening the door opposite of the mayor's, she walked casually through the armory and to the secretary.

"There you are, Romani." The young Gerudo at the desk lit up as soon as she saw her friend. The two ladies exchanged smiles for a moment. Dina, the all-powerful secretary, and Romani's close friend.

Dina was the daughter of a Gerudo pirate but ran away from Great Bay when she was tasked with hunting down an innocent Zora. The ideals of her family never meshed well with her, and she made sure to never follow in their footsteps. Romani was the first to come across her out in Termina Field a few years back, and she, alongside Link and Jim, helped her find a home with a certain couple in Clock Town.

"You got here just in time, sis. He's been fuming all morning over something." Dina gestured towards the oak door that separated them from Captain Viscen's office. "You better go in."

Romani simply nodded and left for the office. She made sure to wipe away her normal, cheery demeanor and become serious. Her way of normally speaking would always change in front of her superior. The captain had his reading lamp lit, illuminating the leather that lay beneath his forearms. He quickly wrote something down and glimpsed up from his paper and noticed Romani.

"Ah, there you are, number seven." Captain Viscen addressed Romani as soon as she entered the office. Her designation was quite easy to understand. She was the seventh guard on the force, and likely the most accomplished.

"Good morning, sir." Romani stated obediently as she saluted her captain.

"I have a new assignment for you. A group of travelers keep reporting some kind of disturbance in the southern swamp. They have witnesses of 'glowing, bottomless holes' all across the area." Viscen looked at the paper in his hand carefully. With everything that he'd seen in the past, what he was telling Romani now was hardly anything special.

"Um… If I may sir-" Romani didn't get to speak.

"I'm sending you, number five, Shiro, and number six, Keo, to join you." Viscen continued, hardly giving Romani a chance to talk.

"Sir, I actually wanted to talk to you about granting-" Romani was once again interrupted.

"I expect this assignment to be a quick one, number seven." The captain looked back down to the documents strewn across his desk. He thought the meeting was over.

"Sir!" Romani rose her voice. Her gauntlet made a slight sound as her fist clenched up. "I was going to request I have a few weeks leave. Something personal has come up, and I-"

"You want leave? At a time like this?! Number seven, I don't think this is hardly the time to take a vacation. People are afraid." Viscen was not the calm fellow he was back when he helped Link face the Garo. He had grown a little short-tempered over the years, always frustrated with the number of problems Termina faced. It's the entire reason why he expanded the guard to handle problems outside of Clock Town.

"Yes, I am aware of the problems, but this is quite on the personal side, sir, and I would like to provide-"

"Number seven, I do not recall this department being concerned with the personal problems of its members. I'm sorry, but that's final." Captain Viscen's voice was suddenly cold and his eyes pierced Romani's soul for a split second. She was the most loyal guard on the force, but also the youngest. He figured she was just being an impulsive teenager.

"Do you understand?"

There was a long pause between breaths and Romani did her best to come up with a response.

"Yes sir. Yes, I do." Romani hid her scowl long enough to get out the door of the office.

"That was a quick conference." Dina remarked as Romani exited and leaned on the door to the office, lost in thought. "Say, you and Link have gone out on dates before, I was wondering if you could help me out with a plan I have for my boyfriend."

"Dina, take a memo for Romani." The ranch woman asked, foreign tones riddled throughout her voice. The Gerudo looked at her surprised for a moment before reaching into the desk and grabbing a pen and paper.

"Alright, go ahead." Dina said, clicking the pen, ready to write down whatever Romani had planned to dictate.

"To Captain Viscen. I now have the honor to request that you will accept…" Romani hesitated for a second. As soon as a certain blonde someone entered her mind she continued without regret. "…my resignation. Effective immediately."

Dina stopped writing as her eyes widened. Surely Romani couldn't mean?

"Resignation from what, exactly?" Dina hid her fear but was afraid to know the answer.

"Clock Town's Guard Force." Romani stated coldly, finally revealing her hidden scowl, plastering it across her face. "And humbly hand it over to that fool in the office across from us."

Dina just looked at the paper she held with shock as Romani stormed out of the room and to the armory, slamming the door behind her. The secretary swapped her gaze from the paper to the door repeatedly, bewildered at what she had just witnessed.

Walking to her cabinet, Romani swung the hinged door open and pulled out her travel case. She angerly set it on the table beside her and removed her helmet and chest plate. She placed them, alongside the metal boots, into her locker and began rummaging through her cubicle to collect her things.

The first item she got was her bow. She looked at it and huffed, tracing her finger across the small inscription that had an 'L' and an 'R' intertwined by an arrow. Link had carved that for her as a birthday present a few years ago. She sighed before tossing it into the suitcase.

Next was a folder filled with Dina's reports of assignments Romani had completed. She didn't bother looking through it and nonchalantly threw it on the table. Then she picked up a torn piece of greenish-brown cloth. She took a second to inspect it and the remembered where it came from. It used to belong to a certain sword creature. A small smirk found its way onto Romani's face, and she carefully put the cloth into the case.

Then Romani found a glowing stone that was in the back of her cubicle. She chuckled softly when she recalled the expedition that led to her coming into possession of this peculiar rock. Again, she took care in putting it into her case. The final item she retrieved was the Lens of Truth. Another fond memory returned when she thought about the summer she was briefly able to use magic. It was a lot of fun, and Link had a blast teaching her the ins and outs of it all.

Romani collected the folder that was next to the case and put it alongside the Lens of Truth into it before she closed it. Taking a seat on one of the many chairs beside the table, she stared at the picture of the mayor, his wife, and captain Viscen that hung on the wall across the room.

"Sorry, sir. Sorry ma'am." Romani said bitterly, almost considering throwing a rude hand gesture to the photo. There wasn't even anyone to see it, but one look at herself in the reflection made her decide against it. She simply sat and fumed.

After a minute, there was a knock on the door, and Dina poked her head out.

"He wants to see you." Dina stated softly. One look at the locker with Romani's uniform in it, the empty cubicle, and the suitcase by ranch woman's feet told her that she was quite serious about her decision to resign.

Romani rolled her eyes and rose from the chair. She walked to the oak door again and went in. Her scowl hid itself and she stood in front of Captain Viscen's desk.

Viscen didn't even look Romani in the eyes as he handed her a sheet of paper.

"Request granted."

Romani did her best to hide her expression of astonishment. Taking the paper, she stormed out of the office and crossed her arms as soon as she got to Dina's side. Standing by desk, the two ladies sighed, albeit for different reasons.

"Not even a hint of reluctance." Romani grumbled. She was about to crumple the paper up and throw it in the bin by the leg of the table.

"Well, what were you expecting?" Dina remarked. She could tell Romani was considering mashing her fists together, paper in the crosshairs. "Why don't you read it at least…?"

Romani scoffed and looked at the sheet, hardly expecting anything noteworthy. As she read what was written, her eyes widened.

"One month leave?!" Romani exclaimed. Dina reacted with a snort.

"I mean, you really didn't want to resign, now did you, hun?" Dina wore a wide smirk and Romani wasted no time with embracing her friend.

"Thank you, Dina. What would Romani ever do without you?"

"Honestly, my only problem is that you never do anything with me." Dina tightened the hug before letting go. She readjusted her glasses and then held her both her palms open, making them tilt like a scale. "It's always work or Link."

"Girl's night! As soon as Romani has the time!" Romani was ecstatic. She couldn't wait to tell Link.

"Now hang on a minute! You mind tellin' me where exactly you're going?" Dina rose her voice to regain Romani's attention just before she could turn the doorknob.

"Oh! Well, it's about Link. Something from his home has come back. We're going to be going back to where he comes from!" Romani's bluntness acted like a wall to Dina, and she was once again confused. What had 'come back' that required one month leave? Why did she have to go? Link wasn't from Termina?

Dina couldn't inquire more, as when she turned back to face Romani, she had already left. Still bewildered, it wasn't long before the door in front of her desk opened, and Captain Viscen made himself known.

"What would I ever do without you, Ms. Dina. Thank you!" The captain said, a chuckle almost making his last two words incoherent. Dina's smirk returned and she directed herself back to the work that was at her fingertips.

Opening the door to the Stock Pot Inn again, Romani was surprised to see Link and Jim on opposite sides of the front desk.

"You know I'm down for anything, but leaving Termina?" Jim said. The boy in the red bandana had grown a lot over the past four years. He was still shorter than Link by quite a bit, but he had still his spunky attitude to accompany him wherever he went. His sword was also always strapped to his back, similar to how Link would've gone around before he decided to 'retire'.

"It's a lot to ask, I know, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable with you with me." Link replied, his voice clearly strained. "I need you with me, or else I may- "

Link finally noticed Romani standing in the doorway, the late morning sun peering through the gaps, giving her a fiery outline that matched her hair. Jim looked over just as he noticed Link's waning attention to their conversation.

"Hey Romani." Jim said, giving a little wave.

"Hey." Romani replied, hating that she interrupted the conversation. She sat down on the bench behind them and stayed completely quiet.

"Um- S-So anyways, Jim." Link turned his head to face Jim again. "This is important to me. Please, I want you to join me."

"I don't know, Link!" Jim looked down at the wooden desk, staring at nothing. In the years since the Battle of Ikana, Jim and Link had grown closer. Often they hung out, just to enjoy the company of each other. However, it was surprising to see them locked in an argument.

"I want to join you, but what would my mom say? What about Pamela? I can't just leave her!" Jim continued, digging his nails into the wooden plank that served as the top of the desk.

"I'm sure I can convince your mother, Jim. Maybe Pamela, too…" Link despised how needy he sounded. All he wanted was to have his friends by his side but having to convince them was a whole other story.

"I'm pretty sure she'll agree, too! She's always wanted me to go out of my comfort zone…" Jim lowered his voice slightly. "But just- just this seems a little…"

"A little what?" Link tilted his head.

"I don't know! I'm nervous, alright?" Jim turned around and sat against the outside of the desk. The sound of the hilt of his sword hitting the wood made Link flinch. "I want to join, trust me, but I have a bad feeling about all this."

"Hey, you shouldn't feel nervous. Romani and I will be right there, alongside Skull Kid!" Link said cheerfully. Jim's expression changed, and a curve of his mouth made Romani smile.

"Skull Kid and Romani will be with us?" Jim asked.

"Yep!" Link said, vaulting over the desk and sitting down beside his friend.

"Oh… fine! I'll think about it." Jim was happy that it wouldn't be just him, Link, his parents, and that mysterious fairy.

"We plan on leaving in three days, right at the start of the week. I'll talk with your mom tomorrow, and Pamela." Link reassured Jim, gently patting his shoulder. A soft chuckle escaped Jim's lips and the boy in beige knew he had fully convinced him.

"Hooray!" Romani chirped, seeing the full smile finally make its way across Jim's face. The two boys laughed, and Link stood back up.

"Mom and dad are already packing, we just have to get things setting with grandmom so she can take over while we're gone." Link said, peering over to the stairs.

"Oh, speaking of the trip, Grasshopper!" Romani rose to her feet and pulled out the paper she had stuffed in her pocket. "Captain gave Romani one month leave!"

"R-Really?!" Link said, shocked that Viscen would actually do that. He was proven otherwise when he took the note Romani had handed to him and read it over.

"Yeah!" Romani jumped at Link, pulling him in for a powerful hug.

"Ooo! Let me in on that hug!" Jim exclaimed, joining the embrace. The three friends didn't let go for a good minute until Navi came downstairs to the lobby.

"Hey guys." Navi said. The three teens immediately parted and looked in Navi's direction. An awkward moment of silence descended on the group until Jim decided to break it.

"So, you're Navi, huh? Pleasure to meet you!" Jim stayed cheery and extended his finger out for the blue fairy to shake, as he did with Tatl and Tael.

"Thank you. You must be Jim." Navi replied. She shook her hand with Jim's finger, and she looked at the rest of the group. Then, her eyes landed on Romani.

"And… y-you must be Romani!" Navi's tone changed to one of nervousness. It was so bizarre, seeing Romani, when all she could think of was Malon. Regardless, she forced herself to look past it and treat the ranch woman as she would anybody else.

"Hello." Romani responded, unsure how to act in front of the fairy.

"Um… Link has told me a lot about you- you both!" Navi just nearly saved her sentence from sounding a little strange.

"Thank you." Jim and Romani said in unison.

A lot of quick glances were exchanged until Link couldn't bear the uncomfortable feeling he had well up inside him. Without even a peep, he walked back up to his bedroom.

"I was just going to go outside for some fresh air." Navi said, pointing to the door and adjusting her dark blue bangs. Jim opened the door for her and bid Romani goodbye.

Romani, for once, decided to not join Link upstairs, but head outside to have a talk to Navi. Walking up to and beside Navi, both enjoyed the light breeze for a while.

"So, you're Navi. Romani doesn't think we've properly met!" Romani turned to the blue fairy and the suddenness of her voice made Navi jump. She held out her finger for Navi to shake.

"Hello…" Navi shook with Romani and stuttered. "…you're Link's girlfriend?"

"Yep!" Romani replied, thinking nothing of the question.

"S-So how long have you two been da-dating?" Navi asked nervously.

"Almost four years now." Romani said, giving a light smile. Her words were almost like a knife to Navi. She always felt a little something toward Link, especially when he was in the body of an 18-year-old.

"Grasshopper and Romani have been together a while now." Romani remarked. This sparked a question from the blue fairy.

"Why do you call him 'Grasshopper'?" Navi asked. How the ranch woman, now guard, referred to her lover by such an odd nickname perplexed her. Not to mention the slight feeling of jealousy.

Romani blushed at the memory that returned to her. When she and Link first met. Back then, things were a lot simpler. She hadn't known life outside of the ranch, and she had been a little lonely. It all changed when the boy in green came running through the archway in the distance.

"When he and Romani first met, he ran around with a little pitter-patter, and the green he wore reminded Romani of a grasshopper."

"I see. Haha, I guess it makes sense." Navi chuckled, and she at last felt a bit more comfortable around Romani.

"How do you know Grasshopper?" Romani asked, looking at Navi. The blue fairy froze and was unsure how to answer.

"W-Well, it's a long story… b-but…" Navi's stutter returned. She wasn't prepared to recount the entire tale of how she knew Link, but with how much Romani already knew, she figured it wouldn't be hard to explain.

"I was sent to help him. On something very important. Back then… he was quiet. He only had one friend." Navi's voice grew ever more quiet. As the people walking around town started to pick up, it was harder and harder to hear what she was saying.

"He had to help a dear friend of mine, but we were too late, and he passed away. Th-Then we had to leave his home to go to Hyrule Castle. All the time, he never said anything. When talking to others, he remained silent. Even when talking to the princess, his mouth never uttered a word." Navi felt like she was retreating into her own shell for the first time. Shame washed over her.

Then Navi's words completely stopped, and she was left flying in the air, silent. While she was looking at the ground, her thoughts were everywhere but the pattern that was painted along the stone below her.

"You don't need to finish." Romani pleaded, recognizing the look in Navi's eyes. The fairy nodded slowly, and her altitude lowered without her even realizing.

"Romani's sorry. She didn't mean to make Navi upset…" Romani whispered; afraid she had done something wrong.

"No, no, no, it's not your fault. Just… a lot of memories came back at once, don't worry." Navi assured the woman that she was alright.

"Romani knows what that feels like. It's like nostalgia… but it's not always the best."

"Yeah, somewhat like that."

Another few minutes of silence passed. When the crowd finally dissipated, Navi felt more at ease.

"I just hope Link doesn't feel too out of place in Hyrule, wh-when he goes back." Navi thought about her old friend. "The world is a bit different than how he left it. It could overwhelm him…"

Romani thought for a second, unsure how to respond. Suddenly, something popped into her head. Almost by complete chance. The words Link lived by. She couldn't remember exactly what they meant, but maybe Navi could find her own meaning in them.

"The world is not enough." Romani said plainly, unknowingly mirroring how Link had said it so many years ago to a certain robed tyrant.

"Huh?" Navi asked.

"It's Grasshopper's family motto. The world is not enough." Romani elaborated.

"Oh." Navi didn't know how to react. When she thought about what it could possibly mean, she chuckled. "Good motto…"

"Yeah." Romani said, smiling.

The pair didn't even realize that almost an hour had passed. Navi, noticing the change in the position of the sun, decided to head back inside. Romani followed, happy that she managed to break the ice between her and the mysterious blue fairy.

"Oh hey guys." Link said as he saw the two come back into the Inn. He was holding a large case. "Romani, could you help me pack?"

"Sure thing, Grasshopper!" Romani said excitedly.

Going upstairs with the teen in beige, they began to pack Link's things. It was mainly the essentials. His items, bag, bow, and masks. All that wasn't touched was his sword and shield. They remained propped against the wall in the corner. He still wasn't ready to pick them up yet. He wanted to wait until the day had arrived. He couldn't even tell he was stalling.

Chapter Text

Hello! I hope you all are doing well today. So! This chapter is a big one! A lot of developments, returns, and more. I'm pretty proud of how this one came out, especially the beginning and end sequences with Link. Fun fact, a certain late part of this chapter was the FIRST thing I wrote for the story, a long while ago. Now, I won't keep you any longer. Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 4: Good to Have You Back

Link was again in the field, the giant tree in the distance. The scenery always reminded him of the inside of the moon, a place he had only been in for a short while, but its image was ingrained into his mind. This time, it was different. He was standing before a mirror image of himself.

"It's time to wake up, Link," His reflection said, words slurred and oddly paced.

"Time to rise and shine." The mirror version of Link said. It was like he was just learning how to talk.

"Not that I'm implying you haven't… earned… your rest. You just have been away for… so long." He said, as Link stood across from him, baffled. "It seems that your hour has- come again."

"Wh-What?" Link replied, confused. He was aware that all this wasn't real, but the feeling, however. The shiver creeping down his spine was very real.

"But, my friend, I… implore you. Take care in how you act when you return. Things are quite- different now." Link's doppelganger said, a devilish smirk growing across his face before everything faded to white.

Link woke up with a start. It was still dark out, but the clock on his wall told him it was morning. Link's eyes darted around the room, making sure everything was as it should be. Those bizarre dreams had been non-stop ever since Navi returned, but he didn't think it was her fault.

Link felt the sweat rolling down his bare chest, so he got out of bed to escape from the heat. Stretching his arms upwards, he turned his eyes to where they often laid now. Right on the sword and shield, still sitting on the floor against the wall. He couldn't help but stare at them, the face of the mirror shield always making him get lost in his own thoughts.

Then, Link made a bold decision. It was time to pick them up. Walking over and kneeling before the items he loathed, his hands first went to the mirror shield. He held it by the wooden lining, letting the face gleam in the moonlight. It was a little nice to see it again.

Link hadn't put on his green tunic yet. Anju had adjusted it to now fit himself, but he refused to put it on. At least not yet.

Strapping the shield to his back, the only other item on the floor was the one he despised the most, regardless of how beautiful it was when swung about. The Gilded Sword.

Link's arm fought against his mind. As he reached for the hilt of the sword, all his instincts were on high alert. He didn't want to pick it up, but he had a responsibility to adhere to. After long minute of fighting with himself, he overcame his own strength.

The hilt of the sword was cold. The dust layering it was thick, and when Link retracted his arm, he exhaled. The musty scent had been scattered everywhere, making the teen cough a bit and wave his other hand to get the cloud to dissipate.

When he could see again, he was met with glimmering light. The moon had illuminated the blade, letting the golden sheen shine. His arm quivered and he stood up, sword in hand. He cast a shadow on the floor as he held up Gilded Sword once again. A part of him had returned.

Link swung the sword, then again, and again. All the training he had, both self-taught, and from the swordsman teacher, came back in an instant. He took care in not slicing apart anything in his room. With that, he sheathed his sword, sighed, and looked around.

Peering at the bookcase, he walked over to it. The sound of his sword and shield clanking slightly on his back made him flinch, but he regained composure and continued to the shelf. Taking a book, he sat down on his bed and began reading. He knew he wouldn't get any more sleep.

Link knew it was time for breakfast as soon as the sun peered into his window. Closing the book he had in his lap, he put on a white shirt and then his beige tunic and left his bedroom to go downstairs. Anju was chopping up fruit and Kafei was frying the eggs. They both heard the approaching footsteps of their son, but neither anticipated to see him with his sword and shield strapped to his back.

Kafei was the first to notice, and the spoon he was using the flip the eggs fell from his grip and clattered into the frying pan. Quickly, he fished it out and tried to overcome the heat it bore.

Anju, who hadn't looked Link's way yet, was confused at why Kafei had dropped the spoon. She gave her husband a look that silently asked what happened. When he tilted his head toward Link, she finally knew when she peered at her son. The knife nearly fell from her palm.

Link hadn't even acknowledged the shock that was riddled across his parents, pulling up a chair and sitting at the kitchen island. Then he looked up and saw them staring at him.

"What?" Link asked.

"N-nothing, honey." Anju replied, quickly turning around to finish with the fruit. A few minutes later, they plated the food and sat down across from Link.

Uncomfortable silence permeated around the kitchen for a while until Link dropped his utensils and finally addressed the elephant in the room.

"Alright, yes, I'm wearing the sword and shield again." Link huffed, placing his left hand to his chin and resting it there. He mused about what his parents were thinking.

"Sorry, Link, we just… didn't expect to see you wearing it." Kafei spoke calmly.

"Are you sure you're comfortable?" Anju asked. She knew how much Link had been avoiding even mentioning the items now on his back over the past three days.

"Yeah, I just… I just wanted to get it over with this morning, so I put them on." Link explained, peeking between his fingers before lowering his hands.

"That's alright, Link. We were only concerned. We're leaving in just a few hours." Kafei said. Link knew the schedule.

"I know." Link responded, picking up his fork again. He stuffed a scrambled egg into his mouth and ate before looking over his shoulder to see the hilt of his sword. "But I promise, I'm fine."

The frowns on Anju and Kafei's faces didn't waver. The tone Link's voice had told them he felt uneasy, and the expression he wore just reinforced that. They did their best to refrain from talking about it again and continued to eat.

Just an hour later, there was a knock on the door. Link had a feeling he knew who it was. When he opened the door, the fiery hair he was met with confirmed his suspicion. Romani was beaming as she walked inside.

"Hello, Grasshopper! Romani's ready for the trip!" Romani exclaimed. She had her guard uniform in a bag just in case she needed it. Her bow was strapped across her chest, quiver on her belt.

"Oh, Grasshopper is wearing the sword and shield again!" Romani noticed the items on Link's back, and she circled around him with her hand on her chin, inspecting how he looked.

"Y-Yeah, what are your thoughts?" Link asked nervously.

"Hmmm… You look good!" Romani finished her inspection and faced Link again. The former hero blushed at her compliment and brought his hand to the back of his neck. "Very handsome."

"Th-Thanks Romani." Link stuttered, the redness across his face growing.

Link was about to kiss his girlfriend when there was another knock at the door. Opening it up, Link was blindsided by Jim, Skull Kid, Tatl, and Tael, all tackling him.

"Hey Link!" Jim was the first to speak up.

"When are we going? I'm so excited!" Skull Kid said next.

"Yeah, Sis and I are hyped!" Tael interjected. Link was a little overwhelmed by the embrace followed by questions.

"Just about an hour." Link said, chuckling lightly. He was finally allowed to stand up when the group got off of him.

"Great!" The three boys exclaimed in unison. Tatl was the only one who hadn't said anything, but her smile was enough for Link to know that she was a little excited too. The entire group, soon to be joined by Anju, Kafei, and even Navi, waited together in the lobby of the Stock Pot Inn, giving it a goodbye.

They weren't saying their last goodbye, but whenever a meeting occurred, a parting is sure to follow, even if it need not last forever. When the time finally came, Link, riding atop of Epona, followed Navi as she led them to where one of the ways back to Hyrule was. Anju, Kafei, Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, and the fairies stayed in a carriage given to them by the mayor.

"Bye Pamela! I promise I'll be back soon!" Jim hollered to his girlfriend as she waved farewell.

"Goodbye, Sister! Goodbye Dina!" Romani waved endlessly to her older sister and the Gerudo secretary. It pained her to leave Cremia all alone, but she had to. "We'll visit every weekend, Romani promises!"

"Make sure you take inventory, mother!" Anju yelled to her mom. She was quite afraid to leave the Inn in the care of one person, but Kafei reassured her that everything would be fine.

Slowly trekking through the Southern Swamp, the sudden, heavy fog told them that they were getting close to crossing over to the land of Hyrule. The chill that Link felt crawl down his spine in his dream came back.

About thirty minutes had passed, and the light blue hue of the Lost Woods had hardly let up. The fog wasn't as dense as it was before, but everything had looked the same. Link wasn't sure if Navi had gotten lost or not.

"We should be almost there!" Navi shouted to the group.

Link's eyes darted over to anything that made the slightest sound. The chirps of birds in the distance, the faint howl of the wind, anything that wasn't the sound of Epona's hooves and the wheels of the carriage behind him.

When there was a break in the fog, Link's stomach lurched. He saw the field he only knew as a child. Hyrule Field. They had made it.

Everything was quiet. The wind had settled, there were no birds to be heard, and all the group could see was a stone mountain, some buildings peeking over them, and a drawbridge far away.

"Here we go…" Link mumbled.

"Alright, so, first things first, we're going to Castle Town!" Navi called to the group, flying back in between Link and the carriage. "I'd like to show you the living arrangements we set up!"

"Awesome!" Skull Kid blurted. He was met with some weird looks from Jim and Romani, but his smile never faded.

Giving Epona a gentle kick, Link guided her towards the drawbridge. While on the way there, he spotted a bush that was not like the others. It was singed, as if it had lit ablaze. The others next to it weren't like that. Then a few meters away was a patch of grass that had been blasted away. The teen shuddered and tore his eyes from the damage.

Link held his breath as they passed over the wooden bridge and into town. He had no clue why he felt so compelled to do hold his breath, but he did. His Terminian self was nervous, and his Hylian self was rusty.

Town was bustling, but not overly crowded. Screams of children playing, people bidding on items being auctioned at booths, and the bark of a dog filled the air. The people sitting in the carriage were in awe at how homely it all felt. Navi led them to a house that had its door blocked off by a pair of guards.

"Wait here." Navi told Link, and by extension, the others. She flew over and spoke to the two guards for a moment and then they stepped aside.

"Okay, this is where you'll be staying!" Navi said as she rejoined the group.

She explained how everything had been worked out. It was a two-floor home, formerly the residence of a strange salesman who had disappeared a few years ago. It had been vacant ever since, and it was quite large, with an open window overlooking the bazaar. Link could remember when he was younger, running around town during the night. There was that one fellow who had the light on up there, always looking out at the town.

"Thank you very much, Navi." Anju said as she and the others disembarked from the carriage. They prepared to bring their luggage in, but the pair of guards that had been blocking the door earlier quickly took their things for them, placing them inside.

"These guys are fast…" Kafei remarked as he and his wife watched the pair take their things for them.

"I like 'em! Maybe they can teach me and Skull Kid a few things!" Jim stated proudly. Skull Kid lifted his wooden mask and smiled at his friend before they ran to talk with the guards. They didn't really get far in terms of conversation, the stone-cold expressions they wore leaving the boys stumped.

"Now Link, you have some business at the castle." Navi told the boy in beige as he hopped off of Epona. He froze on the spot the second she finished her sentence.

"The castle?" Link said, confused.

"Yes! The princess wanted to see you as soon as you returned!" Navi replied, her voice going up in pitch. She was excited to finally have Link back home. So much so that she nearly forgot the talk she had with him a few days ago.

"A-Alright…" Link muttered, his head lowering, letting his bangs cover his eyes. Unfortunately, Navi had no clue what the lowering of the bangs meant in regard to his mental state.

"Come on, Grasshopper!" Romani beckoned to Link. She noticed his hair covering his eyes. Her smile vanished and she walked up to her boyfriend. She patiently waited for him to grow more comfortable and speak up.

"I need to go to… the castle." Link told her, his voice just barely loud enough for her to hear over all the commotion going on around town.

"Okay. Are you going to be alright?" Romani put her hands on Link's shoulders, and he returned the act by placing his hand on hers.

"Y-Yeah, I'll be fine." Link said, coming out of his shell again. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before turning to head towards the road leading to Hyrule Castle.

"I can do this…" Link repeated again and again the entire walk up the hill. He didn't even notice that the gate that gave him so much trouble before was already open. He let his feet guide him and he kept his eyes closed as he walked.

When he got to the front of the Castle, just before the bridge, there were a trio of guards that impeded him. Without a word, Navi flew up to them and explained why they were here. The lead guard nodded and signaled for his comrades to step to the side, getting the teen pass. Giving a wave to the guard on the watchtower above, the drawbridge for Hyrule Castle slowly opened.

Taking a deep breath, Link walked forward and into the castle. The first time he was ever there without needing to sneak it. Rows upon rows of statues clad with armor loomed over him as he went down the corridor that he was instructed to. The knights in shining armor seemed to rub him the wrong way.

"Link, are you sure you're ok?" Navi was puzzled at just how nervous the teen looked.

"I'll be fine. I've got this." Link said without thinking. He didn't think he'd have too much of a problem. He stood by a grand set of doors and waited for them to open. After a second, a large thud of the doors assured him that they were going to let him through.

"I promise I won't lose- "Link's sentence came to a sudden stop as soon as he saw who was on the other side of the next corridor. His breath had been taken away when he gazed at her. Zelda.

"…control." He finished.

The Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, turned to see the young man in the doorway. Her face lit up as soon as she laid her eyes on Link.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed. She ran towards him, picking up her dress so she wouldn't trip. The teen had no clue how to respond. Once Zelda was only a few feet away from Link did she come to a stop.

"Princess." Link said, voice strained. All his social skills flew out the window and he completely forgot how to formally greet someone. Considering a bow, he eventually held out his hand nervously.

"Greetings." Zelda said, unsure on what Link was doing before shaking his hand.

"P-Pleasure to see you again, after so long," The teen said quietly. Zelda just giggled softly before turning back around to walk to the room on the other side of the hall. Link quickly joined her, staying to her right.

"As it is to you, Link." Zelda began. She started to walk down the hall slowly, and Link followed, right beside her.

"It's wonderful to see you return. I'm sure you're wondering why exactly we sent Navi to search for you." Zelda's words were calm, akin to Anju's. "Hyrule is in peril. My father will inform you of the greater details."

The two strolled down the hall and to the King's Chamber in silence. When the doors opened, Link found himself standing before the King. Zelda sat down by her father's side and Navi stayed next to Link.

"You must be the boy we've heard so much about," the king said. His voice was loud and authoritative, but oddly soothing. "Welcome back, Hero of Time."

"Thank you, sir." Link's conscience urged him to correct the king, but he knew for a fact it'd be considered an insult.

"I understand that you have been brought here quite quickly, and without much of an explanation." The king continued. Navi felt a small wave of guilt fill her. "Allow me to explain why I ordered you to be called upon…"

"Our land is under siege by a mysterious creature. We have no record of this beast, and its power is staggering." A slight tone of fear was present in the king's voice. Even the mighty king of Hyrule was afraid of whatever was causing harm. "It appears only at night and seems immune to most of our defenses."

"If I may, what is it, exactly?" Link felt it was improper to interrupt, but his own curiosity begged him to ask.

"One can only describe it as a falcon comprised of lightning." The king explained. Link's imagination went wild for a second, endless pictures of what the creature could look like flashing through his head.

"Please, will you lend us your strength?"

Link thought for a moment. He had already come so far, he couldn't back down now.

"Yes." Link replied. The smile he received from the king and Zelda filled his heart with pride, but something else had to be discussed.

"B-But, I have a request…" Link said, looking down again.

"Whatever it may be, I assure I'll do my best to help." The king responded.

"I plan on returning home, to the land of Termina, once my work is done." Link said, not meeting the gaze of his listeners. Silence purveyed across the king and his daughter.

"Very well…" It took the king a moment to form a response, but he did so regardless.

"Thank you, sir." Link mumbled. His words were hardly audible.

Then, Zelda gestured for her father to lean towards her, and she whispered something into his ear. Link watched with confusion and soon Zelda stood from her seat.

"The princess would like to join you for the rest of the day, to ensure that you are comfortable before tonight." The king stated. Link nodded hesitantly and Zelda joined the teen and Navi as they left the castle.

As Link and Zelda walked into Castle Town, his strong sense of awareness started to work against him. While he walked, his ears picked up the whispers of almost every citizen that saw them together.

"Is that Princess Zelda? Who is she with?" Someone muttered.

"Does the princess have a boyfriend?" Another voice said. Link's hands twitched when he heard that one.

"Why is the princess walking around with that… boy?!"

Link had let his bangs cover his eyes yet again as he walked down the street and to the house that was being occupied by his family. He opened the door for Zelda, and she smiled at how formal he could be.

When he walked inside, he saw Anju, Jim, and Romani sitting by the fireplace. It was the first time Link got a look at the house. The front door led right to the area with the fireplace, some furniture already strewn about. Right across from his friends was a staircase that led upstairs. Beyond that, there was an open kitchen and a door that led to another room. The layout reminded him of the Oceanside Spider House back in Great Bay.

Link was taking so long, admiring the place, he didn't notice his mother, girlfriend, and friend staring at him.

"Oh, um… everyone, this is Princess Zelda." Link introduced Zelda, and she waved to them.

"Hello. It's lovely to finally meet you all." Zelda walked towards Anju first and shook her hand. A stray thought entered her mind, and she could've sworn she had seen Anju before. Pushing the thought away, she followed her gesture by shaking Romani and Jim's hands. "But please, call me Zelda."

"Nice to meet ya!" Jim shook the princess's hand firmly. Zelda was taken aback slightly at Jim's spunky personality; however she welcomed it. The sight of a sword and shield on his back, just like Link, surprised her.

Romani, on the other hand, couldn't stop glaring at the princess of Hyrule. She forced herself to smile when she shook hands with her, but something about Zelda rubbed her the wrong way. Whenever she wasn't looking, Romani was almost scowling at her.

A few footsteps were heard, and Kafei and Skull Kid entered from the stairs. The princess lit up when she saw the imp. She had never seen a Skull Kid before, only ever read about them in books. His outfit, all the colors and such, mesmerized her. His staff was like nothing she'd seen before, shining a brilliant gold.

"Hello. You're the princess, correct?" Kafei said, giving the princess a handshake. He recognized that Zelda was of royalty. He had already indulged in a number of books about Hyrule's history in the short amount of time Link had been away.

"Yes. Pleased to meet you." Zelda smiled.

"Hi!" Skull Kid said, giving a simple wave to the princess.

"You must be a Skull Kid!" Zelda said excitedly. She knelt down to meet the imp's height and looked at him. "What a lovely mask!"

"Thank you!" Skull Kid removed the wooden mask covering his face and smirked.

"Now, Link, don't you think you should get prepared for tonight?" Zelda turned to face the teen in beige. Her poor choice of words made Romani nervous.

"What's going on tonight?" Romani refrained from raising her voice as she stood from her chair.

"Oh, Link has to get ready to help defend us from the Thunderbird!" Zelda explained. Romani was relieved that it wasn't what she thought but chastised herself for having a bit of a dirty mind. Link gave his girlfriend a weird look before realizing what it meant for him.

"Um… mom. I'm going to need my green…" Link started. He couldn't finish his thought, but Anju knew what he meant.

"I put in on your bed upstairs. It's just to the left after the staircase. There's a bathroom you can change in right in your room." Anju smiled lightly. Link gulped and he, Zelda, and Romani made their way upstairs.

Link spotted the tunic immediately. Romani sat down on Link's bed as he walked into the bathroom to change. He didn't bother closing the door, his mind only focusing on the clothing he held. He purposely hid away from the mirror, not wanting to see himself. Sadly that made sure that Romani couldn't have a look at him shirtless, but she hardly cared. All she could stare at was Zelda.

After a few minutes, Link slowly walked into view of the mirror and inspected himself. His green tunic hadn't been worn in years and had to be modified to fit his body again. He sighed and turned sideways to get a different view. He didn't like what he saw. He fiddled with the collar, and then his belt.

Putting his item bag on its hook along his belt, Link couldn't stop staring at the outfit. He looked like how he had when he was 18, just as he was released from the Master Sword's seal, only a little shorter and a little less muscular.

Link adjusted his hair, the signature curtain style it had being a little scruffy as of late. Another sigh escaped his lips as he gazed at his own reflection. Something didn't feel right about being back. Wearing the green tunic and having his weapon strapped to himself again after all this time. He felt so foreign. He felt like the Hero of Time again, but he hardly enjoyed it.

Link was only broken from his trance when Zelda giggled softly, now leaning in the doorway. He looked at her for a moment until turning his head back to the mirror. Romani couldn't take her eyes off of the princess as she left the room.

"How do I look?" Link asked Romani as he exited the bathroom. Romani gasped once she saw him, nostalgia filling her thoughts.

"Welcome back, Grasshopper." Romani snickered. She liked seeing Link in green again. It was always a little odd to call him by his nickname when he was wearing beige.

Link made a weak smile and sat down on the side of the bed, and then he just laid down on his back, legs still hanging from the edge. He gave a heavy sigh and stared at the ceiling.

"Something feels off… wearing this again." Link raised his hands and looked at the brown gauntlets he wore. How his fingers were still left bare never made sense to him, but it was hardly important.

"Romani knows. The way you look compared to before is easy to spot." Romani laid down like Link was and faced him. She twirled a lock of his hair around her index finger.

"It's alright, Grasshopper. We're all right here." Romani looked Link in the eyes. "We aren't going anywhere."

Romani pulled Link in for a cuddle, and the teen's frown faded at last. Curling up on the bed, the two held each other for a while until he figured it was time to put on his hat.

"Just how Romani remembers it." The ranch woman giggled as her friend continuously messed his hat. It had been adjusted to fit his head, but it still felt a little weird no matter how he wore it. Eventually he found the sweet-spot and it felt comfortable.

"Heh, I honestly never thought I'd be wearing all this again." Link chuckled as he gave himself time to get fully accustomed to wearing the old outfit.

"Come on, let's get downstairs to let everyone else see!" Romani jumped from the bed and pulled Link up with her. Her steps out of the room were hard to keep up with.

"Woah!" Jim was the first to see Link in his old clothes. Seeing his friend in green again brought back a lot of fond memories. "I almost didn't recognize you!"

"Really? Is it that weird?" Link looked down at himself and adjusted his belt that was wrapped along his shoulder and down to his waist. Jim just laughed at how nervous he was.

"No, Grasshopper. You look amazing! Everyone! Come and see how Link looks!" Romani shouted to the others in the house. The light thuds of footsteps make Link begin to sweat, but luckily he wasn't met with complete shock from his family and friends.

"Nice to see you back in green." Tatl remarked, making Link smile. The way she managed to compliment him was always a little fun to interpret.

"Thanks, Tatl."

"So how does it feel?" Kafei asked, putting his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Feels… a little strange, but I can get used to it." Link said, his smile growing wider. "Maybe I could get used to it."

"That's great!" Kafei chuckled and he gave Link a hug.

"Where's Zelda?" Link asked as soon as he was let go from Kafei's strong embrace, noticing that the princess was nowhere to be seen.

"She said she would wait to accompany you to Hyrule Field later tonight." Anju told Link, patting him on the head before she started to prep dinner. The teen in green was a little puzzled by that, since it was Zelda's own idea to join him for the rest of the day. He pushed the thought aside for the time being.

"Alright. I guess we're playing the waiting game…" Link said, sitting down on the stool that sat next to the window. He rested his hand on his chin and gazed at Hyrule Field. Now, he finally had some confidence to fill his spirits.

Chapter Text

Ah, the first battle of the story! I've had this chapter completed for a while now, and I'm so eager to send it out into the wild! I hope you all like it. I made sure to keep it intriguing. The mystery of how this specific foe got to Hyrule in the Era of the Hero of Time is a big plot detail for the story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 5: The Bombastic Thunderball

Dusk had finally passed and that was the signal for Link to leave the house to meet Zelda at the bridge. The teen's instilled confidence had waned slightly, all because Jim, Romani and Skull Kid insisted on joining him. They all held their weapons, making the few onlookers who were still wandering around town stare at them with bewilderment.

Although the most uncomfortable detail of their short journey was the fact both Navi and Tatl had elected to stay with Link during the battle. Both ladies hovered through the air in silence, not looking at each other.

Walking down the street, away from the market, the squad approached the princess of Hyrule, who was standing by the Guard House. She was accompanied by a group of five guards, all waiting by the drawbridge.

"Good evening, princess." Link stated obediently as soon as he got to Zelda.

"Hello, Link," Zelda said. She took a look at Romani, Jim, and Skull Kid behind him, noticing their weapons. "I assume your friends are here to assist us?"

Link nodded with a smile. Zelda then grew a smile as well. "Wonderful. Sadly, we were only appointed five soldiers to help us with dealing with the Thunderbird."

"Just great. A terrible burden on this kingdom is only backed up by five measly soldiers…" Tatl grumbled, crossing her arms. Link's only reaction was to roll his eyes.

"Now, we need to form a strategy," Zelda waved her hand to the five across from her, and they marched up to join Link and his cohorts. "From what we have seen of the beast, it attacks with an orb of electricity and can summon a bolt of lightning at will. The way it flies is usually in a wide swooping motion."

"Any kind of weakness?" Jim interjected as soon as Zelda paused. The Hylians thought for a moment.

"It seems to hardly fond of arrows, but they don't seem to truly hurt it. Our own foot soldiers have only been able to strike it with a blade a couple of times, but it appears to be effective." One of the guards told. He had been personally involved with dealing with the lighting beast, and he took great pride in letting Link and his friends know of its vulnerability.

"Arrows… I think if Romani and two of your guards could take places on the turrets of the gate, you can provide some distraction against it while Jim, Skull Kid, your soldiers, and I take it on from the ground." Link said, using his hands to point to the places he wanted Romani and the two to fire from. His strategic mind had been racing, thinking of any and all ways to tackle the Thunderbird.

"Good idea, Grasshopper!" Romani beamed at Link, and he smiled in response. The interaction made Zelda briefly feel something strange, but she brushed off the foreign emotion.

"Alright, let's get started!" Skull Kid chirped, brandishing his staff. Zelda needed to only signal to the guard closest to the drawbridge before a clank thud was heard, and then it slowly began to lower. It'd only be about twenty minutes until they expected their adversary to appear.

The scene was actually quite nice. Hardly any clouds in the sky. The chirps of crickets and grasshoppers filled the air as the group walked out in the field. The stars were dotted across the sky just how Link remembered, and the only light other than the moon were the torches lined along the wall of the gate and the faint speck of light coming from the far-away building in Lon Lon Ranch.

Link, Jim, Skull Kid, and three of Hyrule's finest stood just meters from the drawbridge. Zelda, much to the chagrin of the soldiers and her father, remained on the bridge. She felt the need to be there with them.

Link closed his eyes and made sure to keep his breathing steady. He didn't know how long it'd be for the Thunderbird to appear, but every stray sound caused his hand to twitch. He had to fight the urge to reach for his sword when he realized that the sounds were just the fauna.

Skull Kid and Jim stood side by side, weapons in hand. The image of themselves, Link, and a few guards reminded them of the great battle they fought in Termina just a few years ago. Since then, their skills had increased greatly.

Romani and the Hylian archers had climbed up to the turrets, and one of them noticed the Terminian crest adorned on the metal gauntlets she wore. It was a lot like the Hylian one printed onto their own armor, signifying they were protectors.

"You're a guard?" The man to her right asked.

"Yep! Romani's the first female guard in Termina!" The woman stated cheerfully. The fellow next to her smiled in astonishment.

"It's near…" Sweat started to bead down along the forehead of one of the guards on the ground. Link's eyes shot open, and he turned to meet the other's gaze. The expression on the teen's face was all the guard needed to point towards the sky.

Heavy clouds were rolling in. A low rumbling started in the distance, and the wind picked up. Link's golden hair flowed in the wind, but he stood strong against the breeze. His fists scrunched up into balls and the leather of his gauntlets made a small squeaking sound. There was no more time to laze about. No more stalling.

Reaching over his shoulder, for the first time in what felt like millennia, Link unsheathed his sword and shield and held them together. He thought his hands would be shaking, but when he looked down, they remained still. Some of his instincts had returned.

Then the sky illuminated for a brief moment, and a bolt of golden lightning struck the ground. Then again, and again. The clouds parted, and the Thunderbird was finally visible. Romani and the guards that stood by her readied their bows.

Both Navi and Tatl alerted Link of the beast's presence. Navi shouted her trademark, "Hey!", and Tatl began ringing like a bell. Link preferred the ringing. At times he found Navi's constant yelps to be insufferable.

The image of the Thunderbird was immediately engraved into Link's consciousness. The deep blue color of its sheen glimmered with each strike of electricity that descended upon the ground. The way its feathers were patterned reminded the hero of formal attire. Just above the creatures three eyes was a green jewel, placed on its crest as if it was on a headdress. Its mouth had been concealed by… something. It looked metal, and the coloration of whatever it was clashed with the rest of the beast's appearance. It shined a brilliant yellow compared to the ocean blue of the rest of it.

Link lifted the Gilded Sword into the air and the Thunderbird emitted a deep screech, hardly muffled by what was across its face.

Link and the beast from another realm gazed into each other's eyes, almost sizing the other up. Then the Hero of Termina bolted forward, towards the Thunderbird. The creature wasted no time in soaring down to the ground. Every step Link took was almost in sync with a lightning strike. When the combatants finally met in the middle, Romani fired her bow, soon followed by the others.

A steady stream of arrows sailed through the air and made the Thunderbird look towards the turrets. The beast distracted, Link stopped and let himself go into a slide. The dirt and grass scraped on his boots as he swiped with his sword, cutting one of the mighty eagle's talons.

A loud howl came from the Thunderbird and Jim followed Link's actions, running to the creature, sliding, and swinging his sword. By then, the beast knew it had to gain some height, and one of the guards attempted to take a swing at it. He whiffed the blade and fell face-first in the dirt.

Skull Kid helped the soldier up and was pleasantly surprised to see the man smirking. He drove his weapon into the ground for a moment and cracked his knuckles. The imp felt all too empowered by the confidence in the Hylian warrior.

Meanwhile, the Thunderbird directed the seemingly random lightning towards the wall holding the turrets. Unlike the rest of the energy, this lightning didn't exist for only a fraction of a second before vanishing. Instead, it struck the wall and stayed there. Chunks of brick and stone was blasted off, and the three archers were forced to cease fire and keep steady.

Swooping down towards the ground to launch a volley of plasma at the fighters on the ground. Link was infatuated with the energy. He'd never seen something like it before; it was like an orb of lightning. The low crackle it made caused him to consider the attack more akin to physical thunder. A thunderball. Sadly, his curiosity didn't let him dodge it, and he was sent flying a few meters, tunic singed.

"Link!" Jim hollered as he witnessed Link fly through the air. When the teen landed, he was greeted by a concerned friend just a second later. "Are you alright?"

Link grunted as he got to his feet. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine…" said Link, dusting himself off. The tunic wasn't damaged too badly.

"Why the hell didn't you get out of the way?" Jim berated Link as he helped him to his feet.

"Sorry, just I… never saw anything like it," Link mumbled, staring at the Thunderbird. When it started to launch a pair of thunderballs at the turrets, he knew he had to distract it. Just how though?

"Skull Kid, throw your staff," Link ordered.

"What?!" Skull Kid looked at Link, baffled.

"I said throw your staff! We need to distract it somehow!" Link said. The look in his eyes told the imp that he had to do it. Pulling his hand back, he threw the staff with all his might. It soared through the air and struck the Thunderbird in the back of the head.

When the eagle turned to face the group, Link smiled. Tatl chimed in as soon as she saw they had caught its attention. "It worked!"

Then it charged towards them at blistering speed, dangerously low to the ground. Now Link's smile was gone and Tatl's expression turned to one of horror. "It worked too well!"

Link, Jim, Skull Kid, and the soldiers jumped out of the way. The trail left behind by the Thunderbird filled the air with the smell of burning grass. The smoke rose from the ground and blinded the five warriors, making their eyes water. Thankfully, Tatl's ringing alerted the hero to sprint a few feet and stand defensively with his shield in a certain spot.

A bolt of lightning emerged out of nowhere and it was blocked by the mirror shield. Link's body began skidding backwards at the effort. When the energy finally stopped, the hero looked at his shield. It began pulsing yellow. Of course! He had forgotten the mirror shield could absorb energy! Perhaps a few more hits to the shield by the Thunderbird's power could allow him to deflect it back at it.

The Thunderbird flew high into the air and gazed down at its opponents below. It wrestled with itself and could almost recognize the boy in green. However, Link was the only thing it could recognize. The world it found itself trapped in was completely foreign to the place it hailed from, aside from feeling a little familiar.

Its prolonged thought was broken when a set of six arrows plunged into its side. Roaring in pain, the lighting beast frantically looked for where the arrows came from, as did Link. Romani and the guards on the turret were already reaching for more arrows, all preparing to fire two at a time. He never knew how she did that.

More arrows were fired, and they were swiftly disintegrated by thunderballs. Suddenly, an arrow bringing the power of ice was shot, and caused the rightmost part of the Thunderbird's torso to freeze solid. It didn't stay frozen, the sheer power of the bird's movement causing the ice to shatter. Ice rained down on the ground like glass, and Link fired another ice arrow.

The side of the Thunderbird froze, shattered, froze, and shattered over and over again. When Link shot a fifth arrow, it connected instead with a bolt of lightning, freezing it solid for a moment until it simply vaporized.

Before Link could fire another arrow, Navi moved his arm up that held the mirror shield. The other worldly power hit his shield and then vanished, the pulsing yellow glow of the mirror shield growing in intensity.

"Thanks!" Link said. Navi just smiled.

Growing enraged, the Thunderbird flew ever higher. It wrapped itself in its wings. Link, Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, Zelda, and the Hylian soldiers watched with awe as the beast began to emit a brilliant blue light. A few seconds after, it unleashed a horde of electricity, striking the earth, making grass and dirt go flying, and getting everyone to the ground.

Ducking underneath a nearby rock, Link hid from the endless fury of lightning. His ears were ringing, and his sword and shield fell to the ground as he curled up into a fetal position.

Explosions rocked the earth for a good long minute until it all went silent. Everyone who hit the deck rose to their feet, seeing what could have distracted the great Thunderbird. A blinding light was coming from the drawbridge, and they could all see Zelda, holding back the creature with a mysterious power. Her sealing magic.

Unfortunately, Zelda couldn't hold it for long. As much as Romani and the guards tried, their arrows and Zelda's magic wasn't enough to keep the lightning creature at bay. Link mused how her opponent wasn't the King of Evil. Perhaps her magic could only vanquish something if it was purely evil. Both the princess and the Thunderbird were brought to the ground, Zelda left in a state of extreme exhaustion, the beast in freefall, eventually crashing into the earth, a large cloud of dust being brought up as it landed.

Link ran to Zelda's side and helped her stand.

"I thought… I could dis-distract it." Zelda panted, struggling to catch her breath.

"It's alright, Zelda," Link consoled her, "You did great!"

"But it hardly worked!" Zelda retorted.

"Just have faith. We can stop it," Link smiled warmly.

Zelda gazed into Link's crystal blue eyes. How he still had faith they could win blew her mind away. Before she could say anything in response, he took off, towards the settling dust.

"How… How is he so…" Zelda muttered. Tatl hadn't followed her companion yet. She smirked at the confused face the princess wore. One of almost baffled amusement.

"He's like that. He can be reckless, but…" Tatl paused as she watched her friend run with unwavering determination. "He's a hero at heart."

Then the cloud finally dissipated, a large crater was present. Right in the middle was the Thunderbird. Its eyes had changed, and it fought an unseen force, its head waving around wildly. It was as if it was battling its own mind. But as soon as it saw Link, its eyes turned from white back to red, and it summoned more lightning. Blocking with the mirror shield once more, the sound of crackling sparks hinted to Link that he had to do something with it.

When the Thunderbird began to flap its wings, he wasted no time. Moving his arm back, he threw the mirror shield like a frisbee. It spun through the air at unbelievable speed and decked the Thunderbird in the face, dislodging the covering protecting its mouth. What was under it was surprising.

Instead of a beak, there was a gaping maw. Four sharp fangs were visible, and its snout was more akin to a wolf than anything like a bird.

Then a deafening howl came from the Thunderbird's exposed mouth. It rang throughout Hyrule, audible all the way atop Death Mountain. The ear-shattering sound alerted all of Castle Town and Lon Lon Ranch. Link felt as if his eardrums would burst.

Suddenly, four bolts of lightning wrapped around Link's arms and legs, and he was hoisted up into the air. He was at the complete mercy of his opponent now, but the searing hate in the creature's eyes told him there would be no mercy. Electricity surged through his body, and his groans turned into to yells of agony. His grip on his sword failed him and it clattered to the ground. He fought against his body's urge to faint.

Skull Kid knew Link couldn't handle something like that for much longer. Readying his weapon, he ran towards the Thunderbird and swung his staff as soon as it was in range of its right leg. A loud crack was heard, and it stopped its assault on the hero.

Link, finally released from the lightning, crumpled to the ground. Smoke rose from his body, and he struggled to get up. His smoldering tunic reeked of a campfire, and everyone gasped when they saw him cough up some blood.

"Hang on, Link!" Skull Kid was about to run over to his friend, who was still lying on the ground. However, when the beast above him swatted Skull Kid away with its wing, he was up and back in action in an instant.

The imp could swear he heard something close to him crack as the Thunderbird's wing made contact with him. As soon as he recovered, he got a look at himself, and he started to reconsider being in the fight.

The Thunderbird took to the sky as fast as it could. Link knew he had to follow it up there somehow. It swooped around in a pattern that he took a minute to analyze.

"Jim!" Link yelled to his friend. He turned his head to the rubble that had piled up on the right side of the wall to Castle Town, then back to the boy in the red bandana. He nodded and was received one just a second later.

The boys ran to the pile of stone and Jim gave Link a boost. Climbing up to where Romani stood, he gave her a smirk as he continued, reaching the top of the turret. Unlike the turrets on Hyrule Castle, the roof of the right turret was flat. Without the fear of slipping, he readied himself and took out his hookshot.

He aimed carefully and when the Thunderbird drew closest, he fired. The chain rattled at it flew through the air and dug into the left side of the beast. Link was flung from the turret and began swinging. He pressed the button to retract the chain and he began to soar.

Link was reminded of when he was training in Great Bay all those years ago. Firing the hook again, when he started to ascend, he yanked the handle of the hookshot, and his speed increased. He flew upwards and above the Thunderbird. When his altitude began to drop, he landed right on its back.

Meanwhile, the howl of the beast brought a certain ranch girl outside from her home at Lon Lon Ranch. Sprinting out into Hyrule Field, Malon watched the Thunderbird fly around, mouth wide open in shock. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

Her fiery hair immediately caught Romani's eye, and the Terminian woman lowered her bow and stared at the Hylian. It was like looking in a mirror. An uncanny, impossible mirror.

"What the…?" Romani mumbled, unheard by the archers next to her. When the sound of arrows being loosed broke her out her trance, she could hardly aim at the Thunderbird. Her eyes kept darting back to the woman in the distance.

"Ma'am?" The guard to Romani's right spoke. Romani stuttered and looked at him.

"Everything alright?" He asked. The ranch woman from Termina hesitated before nodding. She didn't really know if she was alright. Forcing herself to stop looking at her counterpart, she watched as Tatl and Navi struggled to keep up with Link, still atop the Thunderbird.

"Come on, you've got this, Grasshopper." Romani said to herself.

In the sky, Link held on for dear life. The hookshot had detached from the Thunderbird's hide, and a slow stream of blood dripped from the gash. The hero swung his sword and sliced into its back, making the creature stumble while in the air.

Link then slammed the hilt of his sword into the creature's neck, unknowingly hitting something. He prepared to stab his blade into the beast, right where he guessed its heart would be. When it turned its head and looked him in the eyes, he was frozen, and all the willpower he had to defeat it washed away.

There was no malice in those eyes now. Just confusion. Link was far too familiar with that look. He slowly lowered his sword and placed his left hand on the back of the Thunderbird, gently caressing its feathers. They didn't even realize they were gradually making their way towards the ground. Both combatants just stared at each other, coming to something close to an understanding of what had been going on.

Link had no clue if the beast could even understand him, but he still followed through speaking to it.

"You're lost… aren't you?" Link asked, his words smooth and calm like Anju's. A soft coo came from the bird's mouth, and it closed its eyes. Moving its head forward, it revealed a small red jewel that had been grafted to its neck. It had been cracked.

Link hesitated for a minute, before bringing his sword upward again. He swung carefully, and chopped the jewel clean off. A wave of red energy enveloped the Thunderbird for a second. Link had never heard anything like the sound it generated. He could only describe what he saw the power as was 'snow'. Red, electrical, snow.

"Look out!" Link shouted, pointing at something unseen to the Thunderbird. It turned its head to see it careening towards the left wall of the Castle Town gate.

The beast flapped its wings hard and brought its talons forward to shield itself. While their speed had diminished, it still slammed right into the wall. Link went flying and landed on the ground nearby.

Sounds of falling debris filled the air and a cloud of dust erupted from the impact. There was no sound from the Thunderbird, and Link began to fear the worst. He ran right to where it landed and began to frantically move rubble out of the way, searching for the creature. Jim, Skull Kid, and the soldiers assisted him, but they only assumed they were making sure it was dead.

Link finally saw feathers. The only difference now was their color. Blood red. He reached out and touched one and sighed with relief when it discovered that the red wasn't a result of blood. Clearing away more of the stone, he was able to see the face of the beast, still breathing.

"Ah! It's still alive!" Jim yelled. He rose his sword in the air, and his strike was stopped by Link. The teen grabbed ahold of Jim's arm and fought against his strength.

"Wait!" Link shouted, making sure none of the others would get any ideas.

"Wait?! What do you mean, wait?!" Tatl screamed. She had been left panting alongside Navi, never having to fly so fast. "It's still alive!"

"I know, I know, but I think it's ok!" Link said. He let go of Jim's arm when he knew he wouldn't try anything.

"I think…" Link said in a huff. "I think I calmed it down."

"Huh?" Navi asked.

Link took a second to collect himself, and slowly turned towards the Thunderbird. "I saw this strange bead on its neck, while I was on top of it. I think it was being controlled…"

One of the soldiers had witnessed the jewel fall from the Thunderbird while it was in the air. "You mean this?" He asked, the jewel in his hand.

"Yeah… T-Take that to the king. See if anyone can find out what it is…" Link said, pointing to it. He was met with a firm nod, and he finally smiled. He gazed at the Thunderbird. It slowly rose to its feet and shook, getting the dust and rubble off itself.

"What happened?" Zelda asked. She was relayed the information Link had gathered by the guard who held the red jewel.

"Grasshopper!" Romani shouted as she ran as fast as she could towards her boyfriend.

"Romani!" Link said just before he got tackled. Again, he landed on the ground, but now he was assaulted with a flurry of kisses to the cheek from Romani.

Zelda froze as she saw Romani peck Link on the cheek repeatedly. Something unknown welled up inside her heart, but she forced it to the back of her mind.

"You did great, Grasshopper!" Romani cheered.

"Thank you… Romani." Link chuckled as he gave his girlfriend a quick kiss on the lips. She didn't even care that she got a bit of his blood on her lips, she was just happy they had won.

The embrace between Link and Romani was put on hold when the Thunderbird rose. It looked at all the people before it carefully as Link got to his feet. Everyone backed away a foot, leaving the hero in green the only one close to it. Keeping his breathing steady, he had no idea what to expect.

The Thunderbird bowed before Link. A small smile made its way onto his face as he gently pet the beast's head. "You're alright now, I promise."

The moment lasted for a while until Link backed away. He had a feeling he had to, and his hunch was proven correct when the red electric snow returned, covering the Thunderbird. The glitch in reality finally mended as the creature slowly disappeared, finally being sent home.

"Safe travels…" Link said solemnly as the essence of the Thunderbird vanished into the sky.

Suddenly, cheers erupted from Castle Town. The citizens who had been observing the battle were at last free. Zelda took it upon herself to take Link's elbow and raise his arm high into the air.

"Everyone, I give you, Link, the Defender of Faith!" Zelda hollered. The applause grew louder and everyone surrounding Link joined in.

Link thought about that title. The Defender of Faith. He kind of liked it.

"Curses!" One of the figures screamed. Their connection to the Thunderbird had been lost, and they could only assume they'd failed. Enraged, she held her wand high and blasted a nearby wall, blowing a layer of it apart. As the chunks of orange stone fell to the floor, she huffed in frustration.

"Sister, come take a look at this." The other beckoned towards her telescope. Her companion peered into the glass and caught a glimpse of the teen who had won.

"That boy…" She hissed.

"Indeed. It seems he's back."

"Is the next window ready to be opened?!" The onlooker barked. Her question was met with a sinister nod, and she smirked devilishly.

"Let us find a more suitable adversary for the hero. Perhaps the one hailing from that ocean world we came across?" The one by the looking glass turned to her friend. She immediately knew what creature the other was suggesting.

"Wonderful idea!" The figure next to her cackled. "A being of a matter most dark…"

She waved her arms in the air, and the pedestal bearing the door to another reality opened on command. The pair dashed towards the portal and disappeared. Just minutes later, they returned to their realm, now in custody of a peculiar dream demon.

"Get another bead! And reinforce it! We can't have it removed off this time!" The eldest ordered.

She held her palm out and waited to be handed the next bead. When it was placed into her hand, she smirked and connected it to the creature's side, just next to its eye.

"Rise, Bellum."

The demon rose to the attention of the one before it. It's eye, normally a sickly yellow, became a deep red. It couldn't move, act, or anything. It's long tentacles, usually always moving, remained stiff.

"We need you to use your power of dream manipulation to lower the… sense of righteousness of a certain boy," she said.

The creature was then allowed to move, and all it could do was nod. For the first time, it was confused. Almost frightened. All it could hear was the terrible cackle of its captors. With a blast of magic, its body was suddenly consumed by darkness. Its physical form was not one to be seen by the eyes anyone, so now, it would only exist in shadow.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6? So soon? Yeah! I have a little plan. It's to release completed chapters closer together IF they take place during the same day, or their events are relatively close. Of course, that wasn't the case with chapter 4 and 5, but 4 was like the 'big return', so I wanted it to have time to breathe. And, this chapter starts including a certain theme I'm proud of, being horror! Enjoy! ;)
-Joost

Author's note, seeing these scenes again just makes my heart ache...

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 6: If No One Can Change You

The front door opened slowly, and Link, Romani, Jim, and Skull Kid slowly walked inside. All four of them slumped on the couch. They hadn't let Zelda, or the soldiers see it, but they were beyond exhausted after their battle against the Thunderbird. Finally letting their guards down, they caught their breath and sat in silence.

Even Navi and Tatl, usually never even going close to each other, leaned against the back of the other, exhausted. Their wings ached, just barely having the energy to get to the house. As soon as they got to a place to sit, they gave out.

For a while, no one said a word. They were finally able to take in what they had to fight, and everything started to become a blur. It had been so long since they last had to fight anything, albeit except for Romani. Missions on the Clock Town guard were plentiful.

"Link!" Anju exclaimed as she came down the stairs. Hearing the front door open, she could only assume they had returned at last. The sudden words made everyone jump.

Link waved with a small grunt, not bothering to turn around to face his mother. After he had taken a moment to think about what he'd just been through, he had gone almost mute. Memories of his fights against Ganon, Majora, and the Garo Master swarmed his mind. He was only broken from his trance when Anju wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

"I'm so glad you're alright. All of you." Anju said sweetly. She received small smiles from the teens in front of her. Then she began to inspect the condition they were all in. Link's soot-ridden tunic, dirty hair, blood dribbling from his mouth, scrapes and bruises made her go into nurse mode.

"What on earth did that thing do to you?" Anju asked as she looked over at Romani, Skull Kid and Jim.

The ranch woman's dress was layered in dust, and small bits of rubble were stuck to her shoulders. Jim's bandana was crooked, and grass covered nearly half of his shirt. Worst of all, Skull Kid's wooden body showed some small gashes. While he didn't feel any pain from them, the idea that his entire body could be chipped away like a plank of wood shook Anju to the core.

"Come on, we need to get you all cleaned up." Anju took Link's hand and helped him stand up and followed suit with the others. Slowly, they all made their way upstairs.

"I'll clean up Romani first. Link, you can fix yourself up in your own bathroom, alright?" Anju stated before leading Romani to the bathroom in the hall. Jim and Skull Kid waited on the floor next to each other as Link walked to his room and into his bathroom.

Finally alone, Link immediately got his sword and shield off his person and threw them to the floor. He panted heavily and couldn't take his eyes off the trace amounts of blood along the blade of the Gilded Sword. For a long time he stared at them, thinking about how he had no choice but to draw blood from the Thunderbird. He flinched when he heard the hallway bathroom's door open and the faint words of Anju, calling for Jim to get fixed up.

Tearing his gaze from his weapon, Link stood in front of the mirror. Going into the loomer pose, gazing at the sink while he still panted; feeling the sweat slowly roll down his cheek. He turned on the faucet and splashed his face with some water to fight the heat his own body made. Then he lifted his eyes to look at his reflection. He closed his eyelids to ward off the memories of all the battles he'd been through.

Cupping his hands, he drank some water and swished it around in his mouth to get rid of the horrid taste of metal that was stuck in it. Spitting the liquid out, he wasn't surprised to see it was now a deep red color. Cupping his hands again, he repeatedly washed his mouth until the water he spat out was clear.

Going closer towards the mirror, he raised his right arm to lean on the wall just beside the glass, the other hand being placed right on his own cheek. He continued to pant as he stared at himself.

"You're ok…" Link told himself through pants, giving a slow and hesitant nod. "You're fine."

Then Link's reflection leaned forward even more, coming out from the mirror and putting his hands on his doppelganger's shoulders. An angry grimace formed along his face as he gazed into his other's eyes.

"I don't think so…" He hissed, venom in his eyes.

"We just had to fight a bird made of electricity." He said, his voice noticeably lower than the real Link's. "We saw it vanish in a wave of red snow. Does that sound… 'fine'?"

Link had no idea what to do, what to say. His mouth became as dry as the Gerudo Desert, and he couldn't find any words, just overcome by shock from being addressed to by his own reflection.

A sickening smirk grew across the face of the mirror man, and he moved his hands to grab ahold of Link's neck. He began to chuckle, slowly, bearing his discolored teeth. Tightening his grip, Link started to choke.

Nearly a minute of strangling went by, and Link's eyes started to go bloodshot. Closing them on instinct, he tried in vain to fight himself. He couldn't overpower his own strength.

When he opened his eyes, he found that it was his own hands that were wrapped around his neck. He had no doppelganger now. All that stood within the mirror was himself, hands on his throat. Releasing himself, Link gasped for air and coughed, almost falling on his own sword. After he recovered, he once again looked at his reflection, hardly knowing what to expect. Tapping the mirror a few times, he stood there cautiously for a while.

Eventually, he deemed everything to be normal, and carefully picked up his sword and shield. Exiting from the bathroom, he threw his sword and shield onto the bed and sat on the edge. Moving his hand towards his neck, he felt the sore parts of his throat where his hands were. He couldn't get the image of himself, wearing a deranged smile, out of his head.

Doing his best to force the thoughts out, he looked at his gear before pushing them off the bed. They landed on the floor with a thud. He didn't care if it was loud, he just wanted to be free from the images flashing in his mind. Laying down, his mind longed to rest.

Meanwhile, Tatl and Navi were actually interacting for once. They sat together on a pillow in the living room, Tael just a few feet away.

"Hold still!" Tatl barked, trying to help massage Navi's aching wings.

"S-Sorry… just I've never had this- AH!" Tatl accidentally pinched Navi's right wing, causing her to jump up off the pillow the two sat on. "…d-done before."

"My bad, my bad…" Tatl apologized. Even when Tael, who had stayed behind with Anju and Kafei, took over for his sister in the relaxation effort, Tatl stayed near Navi.

"So… how was it? First adventure in a while?" Tatl started. She was legitimately interested in how the blue fairy across from her might have adjusted to things.

"Fun… pretty fun." Navi mumbled.

"I know, right!?" Tatl perked up. Tael was a little startled at his sisters' reaction.

"Honestly, I kind of missed going on adventures like this… with Link." Tatl said without thinking. As soon as what came out of her mouth registered in her mind, she blushed.

"Yeah. I did too." Navi replied. At last, her wings felt better. The flapped repeatedly, but she decided against flying up into the air. They were still tired after all.

"Well, hopefully we can go one another one soon," Tatl said, smirking as she looked at her brother. Then she turned her head back to Navi. "You were… pretty good."

"Thanks." Navi didn't look at them. She just sat crisscrossed, hands in her lap. She kept staring at them, thinking about all she had seen. Both in the past, and now.

Tatl and Tael recognized that look. Deep remorse. When they heard a light sniffle come from the blue fairy, they drew a little closer.

"Hey, what is it?" Tatl asked.

"I-I'm sorry, just… I never really had anyone to… y'know." Navi gestured towards Romani's bow and Jim's sword, both propped up against the wall of the staircase to the left of them.

"Share this stuff with…" Tael muttered.

Navi nodded slowly.

"Me and Tael… we've always had each other to talk to about what we've seen. But if you want, you can…" Tatl hesitated. Compared to what she initially thought of Navi and now, she was shocked she was actually offering to lend an ear. "…talk to us."

Navi only smiled. The sibling fairies put their arms around each of Navi's shoulders for a small hug. It lasted a while, and the three eventually dozed off together, all giving each other a shoulder to lean on. In both ways.

After a while of staring at the ceiling, Link saw Skull Kid slowly walk to and sit in the doorway, bandages around his arms. Sadness was ladened in the little imp's eyes.

Sitting up in the bed, Link stayed quiet for a moment before getting out. The floorboard creaked, but Skull Kid didn't move his attention towards the teen. All he could gaze at was what was wrapped around his arms. The tight gauze didn't ease whatever was going on inside his head.

"Everything alright?" Link asked, his voice small. He sat opposite of Skull Kid in the doorway, keeping his legs close to his torso so he wouldn't bump into his friend.

"Nothing, it's just…" Skull Kid paused. He looked at the bandages along his arms.

The two sat in silence for a bit until Link figured it out.

"You didn't want her to worry." Link stated meekly. Looking down at his own arms, he remembered how concerned Anju was for him when she first got a look at his scars. That night when he returned to the Inn in a bloody mess, unconscious atop of Epona.

Skull Kid slowly nodded and unwrapped a part of the bandage on his right arm. He felt it was useless, as wood was quite different from a normal person's skin. It didn't exactly heal, it just morphed to fill in holes. New wood could be added, of course, but it still felt futile.

"Hey, I know how it feels… to have it seem like it's useless to try." Link said softly. He put his hand on Skull Kid's arm and he lifted his gaze to meet Link's.

"But you have people here for you." Link continued, rewrapping the bandage. Then, he couldn't find his own voice. He had an idea of what to say but had no clue how to put it to words. What he had on his mind, felt like it should be a motto.

Link had his own motto now, but it couldn't really apply to a moment like this. What the world could give Skull Kid wasn't what was wrong. It was how he felt others cared for him, and how meaningless it seemed. The teen in green knew that feeling. At last, he found the right way to say it.

"If no one can save you… then nobody loves you." Link said, his voice more defined now. Skull Kid looked at him, slight confusion in his eyes.

"Skull Kid, we care about you. Don't listen to that voice that's telling you it's all pointless. I know that voice well. He's a mean fellow," Link continued.

"I used to think I was too different from everyone else. That I was so flawed I couldn't have a normal life," Link looked down at the floor. "Fear controlled me, but I found out I was wrong."

"I found what I was looking for in everyone I met in Termina. And I know you can find what you're looking for," Link took Skull Kid's hand and looked at his arm. The chips had already sealed up, but at the cost of his arms being slightly thinner. "I thought I was unworthy of love, but you all helped me get past that."

"You all saved me."

Link thought what he said could make a nice motto. Not for himself, but for his friend. If no one could save Skull Kid, then nobody loved him. And his friends loved him dearly. They could help him get through that darkness inside himself.

Link had forgetting about his brief experience in the bathroom entirely by now, his mind only on the little wooden imp before him. When Skull Kid locked eyes with him again, he smiled. At last, a soft chuckle escaped Skull Kid's beak, and he hugged Link.

"You've made a difference in all of our lives, bud." Link said.

It was true. Without Skull Kid, Link would've never found his way into Termina. Never have given Majora and the Fierce Deity solace. Jim might not be here; he was about to taken by surprise by a Garo while they were in Ikana all those years ago. They may have been too late to distract the Thunderbird from Romani and the guards without him.

"Let us make a difference in yours." Link finished, tightening the embrace.

"Thank you, Link." Skull Kid whispered when he parted from his friend. He fought hard to keep the moisture welling up from rolling down his cheek. They shared a smile and then the imp stood.

"I'm feeling a bit better now!" Skull Kid said triumphantly. Link just chuckled.

"Glad to see it. But now, you should get some rest." Link warned.

"I will, I will." Skull Kid said, starting to leave for downstairs. All the way down he muttered the same words over and over again. "If no one can change me, then nobody loves me. But they do…"

Then Link stood up. Going back to his bed, he was finally feeling tired. Flopping down on the mattress, Link slowly fell asleep, his mind not on what he had just been through for once.

Downstairs, Jim met up with Skull Kid, who was sitting on a stood by the stove.

"Hey man." Jim said, pulling up a chair.

"Hey." Skull Kid replied meekly.

"You alright?" Jim asked, recognizing the somber look in the imp's eyes.

"Yeah, I just had a talk with Link," Skull Kid started. "I was feeling pretty down by, y'know…"

When Skull Kid rose his arms to show Jim the bandages, he just nodded. "I'm really thankful for him… but something doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" Jim asked, tilting his head.

"It's about how he's doing. Link… he always helps us… do we- do we ever help him?" Skull Kid's query stuck with the boy in the red bandana. Jim put his hand to his chin and began to think.

"We do… just he keeps a lot to himself." Jim eventually said, defeated. He and Skull Kid just looked at the staircase, their minds on their friend.

"We should make sure he's doing alright from now on!" Skull Kid chirped. "Yeah! Let's do that! Eh-hee-hee!"

Jim smirked as he witnessed Skull Kid's mood improve. Putting his arm over the imp's shoulder, he chuckled alongside his friend before eventually turning in for the night.

Chapter Text

Numbah 7! I think this is where the story gets really juicy! Lots of interesting concepts at play, a little more emotion, and starting up on more creepy elements! I hope you guys like it so far, and please review! The only one there is just a spam review that's advertising another story :(. But I won't focus on that anymore. Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 7: Variants

Link arose slowly, looking around. His mind felt hazy, but he was met with the image of his room. When he sat all the way up, he was blinded by the sun peeking through his window. Getting out of bed, he left the room, his eyes squinted.

Link took a second to situate himself. Something felt wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Finally deciding everything was alright, he left the bedroom and descended down the stairs to get some breakfast.

"Mom? Dad?" Link called out. No response.

"Romani? Jim? Skull Kid?" Link hollered as he walked through the living room. Still nothing.

Then he heard a faint crawling sound. A shiver crawled down his spine and he spun around. Squinting his eyes again, they darted around, searching for whatever made the noise. He heard it again, now closer. He went into a defensive position and considered reaching for something to use as a weapon. His heartbeat started to pound in his ears, but he still couldn't see what was making him go mad.

Finally, the crawling stopped. Relaxing, he lowered his guard, but was suddenly knocked to the ground. He rolled over, and as he did, the room changed. The wall morphed into deep wood, and the floor became covered with webs. Now the horrible sound was above him. Now he recognized where he was.

Inside the Great Deku Tree. In the lair of one of the only creatures he feared. Looking up towards the ceiling, he greeted his old adversary.

"Gohma…" Link said, looking at the spider queen. The creature who killed the only father figure Link had before Kafei then spotted him, and a deafening roar came forth.

Gohma landed on the ground with a thud, and its yellow eye never wandered. Link reached for his sword, but an expression of horror grew when he realized he had no weapon.

The parasitic arachnid charged and swiped at Link, sending him flying. He crashed into the wall and fell to the ground. Slowly getting up, he was slammed right back down again by Gohma's armored appendage. Picking the hero up by his foot, it gazed into his eyes as he dangled about. The queen took one of her free arms and slashed Link's chest, tearing the tunic and his skin.

Gohma threw Link again, and he slid across the ground before finally hitting the wall all the way on the other side of the arena.

The teen clutched his wound and looked at it. The hole in his tunic was now a deep red, and he tried in vain to stand. When Gohma grabbed his torso and lifted him up, an overwhelming feeling of helplessness consumed him.

"D-Damn it!" He yelped.

Facing Gohma again, Link struggled to free at least one arm. Once it came loose, he waited for the creature to bring him a little closer to her face. When he was in range, he punched the spider right in the eye. He didn't fall from her grasp, but the arachnid queen recoiled and slammed her eyelid shut. The teen in green laughed at the beast's pain. It was better than crying out in agony.

However, Link wasn't ready for what happened next. Gohma slowly turned back to the hero and opened her eye. A number of thin tentacles appeared from behind the spider and stabbed into and through the boy's arms. They grew hooks and dug into the opposite sides of his limbs, ensuring they couldn't be removed.

Link was brought even closer to Gohma's eye. Then, the eye itself opened, presenting many rows of teeth. Blood and saliva hung about within its mouth and a low groan came forth.

All Link could do was widen his eyes and scream. He never felt so afraid. As he yelled, a thick strand of hair on the left side of his head started to change. It went white with fear. When it finished, his golden locks were normal from right to left, but abruptly ended. A streak of his hair, about an inch wide, had become entirely silver.

The red, toothy maw snapped shut and reopened over and over again, almost taunting the boy. The expression of pure terror on Link's face never left. He couldn't move, think, act. All he could do was stare.

It all ended when Gohma released Link, and he fell right into her mouth and into the darkness.

Link awoke with another scream. He was covered in sweat, and he looked around frantically. Struggling in the bed, he rolled over the edge and fell to the floor. Once he realized he was right in his room, he calmed down. His heavy pants subsided as his heartbeat went back to normal.

He didn't notice the lanky shadow that strangely lacked a source slowly retract from where he slept. It floated seamlessly along the surface of everything the sun shined on, before escaping.

Link had to shield his eyes from the morning sun just as he did in his dream. He felt an unnerving sense of déjà vu. His vision adjusted and he was able to see again. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. All except for the window. He didn't recall leaving it open the night prior.

Then Link reached up and pulled his hair forward. It was all gold, just as he was used to.

All throughout the morning, Link confined himself to his room. He couldn't shake the feeling that his dream left him with. The image of Gohma, alive, tormenting him. The sight of the mouth she had. The fear he felt. It felt too… real.

He needed to get his mind off it. He forced his thoughts to gravitate to something else, and they landed right on his adversary from the day before. The amazing coloration of its feathers, the way it flew, and how it looked into his soul captivated him.

For a while he sat by a desk that was placed in the leftmost corner, reading through a book. Its pages detailed all the creatures that could be found in Hyrule, and the records of ones long extinct. The teen flipped through the book, trying to find something that could give him some answers on what exactly the Thunderbird was.

He had one hand dedicated to turning the page, the other to writing down what he could find on a sheet of paper. After an hour, he found hardly anything noteworthy. All that was written down was the phrase 'If no one can change you', alongside a crude drawing of Gohma.

Then he heard a knock on his door.

"Grasshopper? It's Romani." The voice on the other side said.

"Come in." Link replied.

Romani opened the door and peered into the room. Link greeted her with a smile, and she walked in. However, his expression diminished when he saw his friend frowning.

"Is everything alright?" Link asked, never used to seeing Romani unhappy. At least not about much.

"Grasshopper… While we were fighting the Thunderbird, I saw… someone." The ranch woman started. Tilting his head, Link didn't know what she was talking about.

"There was this woman who came from that ranch. She looked… just like Romani, only she wore white like how I used to!" Romani gestured towards her blue dress. The robin-egg color always felt more fitting for her, but now she wasn't sure if it was right.

"Do you know who she was, Grasshopper?" Romani asked.

"Malon…" Link said to himself. However, he had been thinking out loud, and Romani repeated what he said.

"Malon?"

Link went red in the cheeks and the chair made an audible scooting sound. He had no idea how to explain who Malon was and how she resembled her so much.

"I'm n-not sure. She j-just looks like… you." Link stuttered, looking down. "She- She's like a version of you… I think."

"A version of Romani?"

"I don't really know…" Link finished. He turned back to his book and didn't look his girlfriend in the eye. "Hyrule and Termina are weird."

Romani chuckled lightly. "Romani knows," she said as she sat down on the edge of Link's bed.

Right then, the pair heard a knock on the front door. After giving each other a look, they rose from where they sat and left the bedroom, heading downstairs. When they reached the bottom, Link was surprised to see Zelda and Anju chatting.

"You don't need to thank me for the work Link did." Anju said humbly. From that comment alone, the two teenagers were able to narrow why exactly the princess was there.

"My apologies, Mrs. Dotour," Zelda was stopped midsentence when Link appeared in her line of sight.

"Oh, Link! I have something to tell you!" The princess said excitedly. She made her way over to the boy in green and showed him the red jewel he found the night before. "We had this looked at. I appears to be a stone that houses hypnotization effects. Infused with magic."

Link just nodded and took a look at the red bead. He inspected it closely. He thought he may have recognized it. Maybe on those Iron Knuckles from the Spirit Temple. As he thought, Zelda turned back to continue talking with Anju.

"Anyways, I was going to say it's just that Link has already done a lot. It's wonderful to finally get to thank the person who brought such a courageous man into the world." Zelda said, smiling.

Anju froze. Her cheeks flushed and Link couldn't fight the instinct he had to look down, retreating back into his shell. The jewel fell from his grip and bounced on the floor, rolling under the table just a few inches away.

"No, no, no, no!" Romani pleaded, knowing what her boyfriend was thinking.

Anju stepped closer to the princess and whispered something into her ear, something unheard to her surrogate son and his friend standing next to him. When she parted from Zelda, the princess's eyes widened, and her own cheeks became red.

"Oh, my goodness! I-I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Zelda stammered, putting her hands to her face. "I didn't mean to offend anyone, I assure you."

"It's fine…" Link said weakly, leaning against the nearby wall, head still down.

Zelda became desperate to change the subject. "U-Um… well, I was wondering, how is Kakariko village been? I-I haven't had much time to visit in some time."

Now Anju was confused. "Pardon?" The innkeeper said.

"You're from Kakariko village, correct?" Zelda said, once again afraid she had said something wrong.

"I'm… not sure where that is." Anju replied, nervously crossing her arms and keeping an eye on Link.

"B-But I know I've seen someone who looks just like you there…" Zelda muttered. Then she spoke louder. "Where exactly are you from?"

"Termina…?" Anju stated, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

For a minute, Zelda was lost in thought. The small squint in her eyes made Link wonder about what she could be thinking of. She darted her eyes from Romani and Anju, almost seeming familiar with them. Then Jim walked out of the other room that was adjacent to the kitchen, hands in his pockets. Soon enough, she made up her mind and spoke again.

"Would you and your family like to make a trip to Kakariko village, Link?" Zelda asked, turning to the teen in the green tunic.

Link just lifted his head and cleared his bangs away from his face. Looking Zelda straight in the eye, he nodded firmly. Even he was a little curious on what they'd find.

Link entered Kakariko Village atop of Epona, with the carriage not far behind. The quaint town hadn't changed much in the years he had been gone. The windmill still served as the biggest stand-out feature of the village.

"This place seems… nice." Jim muttered, looking over his shoulder and into the village.

Link didn't say a word. The entire trip to Kakariko he remained silent. When he disembarked from his loyal steed, he kept his head down, and it stayed like that as he helped his mother and father out of the carriage. He hesitantly watched them take in the feel of the village and dreaded what was to come.

"Link, honey, are you alright?" Anju asked, bringing her son close to her. She received no response from the teen.

"There she is!" Zelda piped up, seeing the cucco lady in the distance.

The princess started making her way towards her, and when she noticed she wasn't being accompanied by Link's mother, she turned around. Gesturing for Anju to join her, the innkeeper still hadn't seen the woman Zelda wanted to introduce.

Finally, Anju spotted the woman. Her entire expression froze, and her arms were almost glued to her sides. Her breathing halted for a moment.

"Mrs. Dotour, this is Gaile. She is cucco caretaker." Zelda told Anju as she caught the attention of the cucco lady.

The woman turned around, holding a glass bottle. Unfortunately, it shattered to the ground once she saw the woman standing right to Zelda. Gaile was the spitting image of Anju, in every possible detail. The dress she wore, how her hair was styled, everything. Kafei's jaw dropped and he nearly fainted.

"P-Princess…" The cucco lady asked, unable to move. "What exactly is going on?"

"You… you two are in no way related?" Zelda asked. She was met with a shake of the head from both women.

Kafei wanted to interject, but he was overcome by shock. Romani and Jim stared with baffled confusion as well. Link, however, was left in a state of shame. He knew they'd go to him for answers, and he had none to give. When he first came to Termina, he had no idea what to think of how people seemed like uncanny versions of people in Hyrule. To this day, he still had no idea.

"Fascinating…" Zelda remarked. How bluntly she put it just instilled more nervousness into the ladies before her.

"Honey?" Kafei finally escaped his trance and walked to his wife. He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her away from her doppelganger. Anju was left wide eyed and unable to speak.

"Anju? Anju!" Kafei reluctantly put both hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. Finally, she snapped out of her shock.

"K-Kafei?" Anju said weakly. The purple-haired man looked his wife in the eyes and hugged her tightly. Whatever happened to her, he never wanted it to happen again.

Meanwhile, Jim, Romani, Skull Kid, and Link stood by the carriage. Neither of them heard the door of a house up on the hill by the gate to Death Mountain open. Out came a boy.

He wore a white shirt, blue pants, and had an orange comma that was his hair atop his head. He paid no mind to the group of teens below, but Jim noticed him. This time, the valiant leader of the Bomber's Secret Society of Justice was left decommissioned. Link, Romani, and Skull Kid heard a thud followed by a clang of metal, and turned to see Jim, unconscious, on the ground, his sword having fell out of its sheath.

"Jim?!" Skull Kid squeaked, immediately going to his friends' aide.

"Jim? Hey, are you alright?"

No response. Skull Kid shook the boy a few times, and then used his hand to pat his cheek, hoping to get him to wake up. Link and Romani knelt down to Jim's side, deeply concerned.

"Jim, come on. You need to get up." Skull Kid pleaded quietly. He still got nothing.

Link looked around, and he found why Jim fainted. The graveyard boy. The one he sold a spooky mask to all those years ago. He was almost a mirror image of the Bomber leader. The only thing different was the lack of bandana and different shirt. He held a wooden stick in his hand, and he didn't even look at him. He just casually strolled downtown and presumably to the graveyard.

"Link, what is going on?!" Romani finally asked.

Link didn't look at Romani. He couldn't bring himself to look at anyone. Not his mother and father, not his best friends, not even his girlfriend. He just walked over to the wall of the old Skulltulla house and sat down. He pulled his legs in and curled up.

"Link? Link!" Kafei waved to the teen as he brough Anju back to the carriage. Zelda wasn't far behind.

"We need help with trying to figure this-" Kafei's words stopped when he saw how his son was sitting. He was shutting himself out like never before.

The man looked at Jim. He could only assume he saw something similar to Anju but regarding him. Kafei helped his wife sit down in the carriage, and he went over to Link. Concern filled his eyes, but Link didn't want to see them.

"Do you…" Kafei stopped. He couldn't figure out how to word what he wanted to say. "Son, what's going on?"

"I don't know…" Link replied. "I was confused too… when I first came to Termina and saw it."

"Wh-What happened?" A voice across from them said. The others looked back to the boy lying by the carriage. Jim had finally woken up. He had his hand to his forehead, a raging headache going on.

"All I remember was… s-seeing myself." He mumbled.

"Same thing happened with Anju…" Kafei said.

Link didn't have to look up to know that everyone had their eyes on him. He hated how much he could tell only by sounds alone, even if it was total silence.

"All I know is… there are versions of you. Some of you." Link explained.

"Not everyone has their own… double. I-I mean, I don't." Link then pointed to his adoptive father. "Dad doesn't have one."

"B-But it's also weird… R-Romani and Cremia share one…" The teen never thought he'd have to explain this. It was something hardly he understood. But he couldn't imagine how it felt for the ones who were asking.

"Malon…" Romani mumbled.

"It doesn't make any sense." Link finished. He completely closed himself off now. All the things he learned about self-doubt and how to get past it had left him. He felt foolish. Unhelpful. Useless.

"This- This was a mistake. I shouldn't have asked you all to come here…" Zelda stated. Everyone aside from Link turned to face the princess.

"I am… so sorry. I didn't know that it could end up like this." Zelda continued. All the distress and confusion she inadvertently caused made her feel sick. "I can't offer any explanation, but all I do know is that Termina… isn't a land that exists on a map."

Link finally looked up.

"All we've been able to find out is… it's a place surrounded by doorways." The sheer remorse in her voice was something that at last put some ease in the Terminian's spirits. "I deeply apologize for this…"

"It's alright." Anju said. She locked eyes with the princess of Hyrule. "It just proves that… there's a lot more to learn about this world."

Jim, Romani, and Kafei nodded in agreement. Zelda finally smiled.

"Thank you. B-But if any of you need time, we understand. Especially you, Link." Zelda looked to the Defender of Faith, as with everyone else. They knew it took a lot out of him to even try to explain what the meaning of all this was.

"Thanks…" Link said, slowly getting up.

The teen was finally starting to feel better, but then he felt like he just got punched in the stomach. He saw light brown horse come from the gate to Kakariko, and a ranch woman was the rider.

"Oh no…"

Of all days Malon had to decide to take a trip to Kakariko, it had to be today. She didn't place much attention on the carriage, but when she saw the group of people standing around it out of the corner of her eye, she brought her horse to a stop.

"Fairy Boy?" Malon said as she got a good look at Link. His breathing gradually grew faster, heartbeat quicker.

Malon hopped off her steed and Zelda backed away. The ranch girl slowly made her way forward. Once she was hardly an inch away from Link's face did she stop. It was silent. Romani's fist slowly clenched. That bizarre feeling returned when she first laid eyes on Zelda.

"Is it really you, Link?" Malon whispered. The hero nodded slightly, and in response, she wrapped her arms around him.

Romani's eyes widened considerably, and she started to reach for Jim's sword that was back in its sheath. It was right in front of her. When her palm wrapped around the hilt, she realized what she was doing. She removed her hand from it and forced herself to stay still.

"It's good to see you again." Malon said as she parted from her embrace with Link. She left without a word, hopping back onto her horse and continuing to wherever she was going. She stopped by the potion shop and went inside.

As soon as Malon was out of sight, Link fell to his knees and started breathing heavily.

"Link?" Jim was the first to see his friend fall. The hero closed his eyes and tried to think of something besides Hyrule.

"Grasshopper!" Romani came to Link's side. He carefully helped him sit next to the wall nearby. She dismissed the thoughts she had of Malon, now only focusing on her boyfriend.

"Grasshopper, please tell us what's wrong." Romani asked hesitantly. She gazed into his crystal blue eyes and smiled. Cupping her hand around Link's cheek, he slowly steadied his breathing.

"I just… stress." A lot had flooded back into his mind in such a short amount of time. It was just like when Navi appeared in Clock Town.

Romani didn't say anything back. She just kissed Link's cheek. A weak smile formed on the boy's face, and he sighed.

"You scared us, Link." Skull Kid said, scooting a bit closer. His mask wasn't even on his head now. It had been dropped on the ground when Link fell to his knees.

"I'm alright, don't worry."

That right there was the only thing Romani, Anju, and Kafei didn't like about the boy in green. His humility and modesty. He thought too low of himself, especially since he was back wearing the sword and shield.

"As long as you're ok, kiddo." Kafei said. The way his voice soothed Link was something he always appreciated.

"I think it'd be in everyone's best interest to head back to Castle Town for now." Zelda said. "It seems like you all need some time to… relax."

Everyone nodded at the same time. Slowly making their way back to the carriage, Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, Anju and Kafei got in, waiting for Link to start their trip back on Epona.

Link climbed onto his loyal steed, but he waited a second. He thought about how much he let get to him. He had to do better in the future. He kept allowing things affect him in ways that made him become weak. He couldn't help but feel like he wasn't done his mission yet, even if the Thunderbird had been dealt with. Giving Epona a gentle kick, the group went back to town.

The whole trip he stayed quiet, always thinking. About all he had been through, and how much people believed in him. He may be just a boy, but he's accomplished a lot.

When he got home, he felt somewhat renewed. His thoughts finally ran to all the people he had there for him. His mom, dad, girlfriend, best friends. They were the reason he kept going. His duty to all the people of Hyrule wasn't finished. He gained some more confidence. Hopefully it'd be here to stay, at least for a little while.

Chapter Text

Hey guys! Happy Valentines Day! I hope you all got a gift! Sorry for the small delay between chapters, I wanted to make sure some special friends got to read before I put out another. Anyways, this is a more 'back to basics' chapter. Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 8: Far More or Far Less

Dusk fell on Hyrule once again, but this time, there was no looming threat of the Thunderbird. Everything was alright for the time being, at least for most. No one was aware of any other creature that challenged the freedom of the kingdom.

A certain Terminian woman, however, didn't feel so at ease. She managed to hide her unsteady breathing from her son for most of the night, but now that he was asleep, her hands wouldn't stop fidgeting. She couldn't shake the image she saw back in Kakariko. It was like looking in a mirror, but the person she saw, she didn't recognize. Not in the slightest.

"Anju?" Kafei asked, standing in the doorway.

"Hmm?" Anju replied, not turning her head. Kafei just sighed. For almost an hour, his wife had been gazing out the window, towards Kakariko Village. He knew exactly what was on her mind.

"Honey, please don't keep thinking about that woman." Kafei pleaded. He sat on the edge of the bed.

"How can I not, Kafei?" Anju's voice rose slightly. "I can't get the feeling out of my head!"

"What do you mean?"

"About… if I'm just…" Anju stopped. She refrained from letting herself choke up in front of her husband. The existentialism she felt was unimaginable. "If I'm just a copy of someone else. If that's all I am."

"Honey, come here." Kafei rose and took Anju's hand. She reluctantly stood from the stool she had placed herself on and followed him back to the bed. "You remember what we taught Link, right? About how your story is about who you choose to be?"

Anju nodded hesitantly. That night Link came home, and she confronted him in the kitchen of the Stock Pot Inn. How could she forget that night? It was when she truly felt like she earned being Link's mother. It always held a special place in her heart, right alongside her husband and her surrogate son.

"It doesn't matter if you're a version of that woman in the village. What does matter is your story." Anju looked into Kafei's eyes, and he got lost in them. Something like that happened often. "You've done so much for a lot of people. It's what you chose to do."

Anju didn't say anything. She just kissed Kafei on the cheek and nuzzled close to him. "Thank you, dear. I'm sorry, it was just so much to think about…"

"At least you don't have to worry about this feeling." Anju smiled weakly.

Kafei chuckled. He didn't want to admit it, but it had been all he thought about for the past few hours. But it wasn't his copy. It was the lack of one. His mood lowered significantly in a matter if moments.

"Well, I don't know. The fact that- I don't have one… makes me feel…" Kafei's words halted and his mind grew clouded.

Anju grew worried immediately.

"Like I don't matter-"

"Oh, Kafei…"

"A-Am… I not worthy? Am I too different?" Kafei started to stare out into space, almost losing his grip on reality for a moment. Luckily, Anju brought him back down to earth.

"Now you look at me." Kafei did as he was told. "Don't you dare go getting me out of a bad mood and then go into one yourself. I think you're just too special to have a version in Hyrule."

Anju's playful smirk brought him fully out of his brief funk. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her.

"Useless!"

Another blast of energy struck Bellum, and it was slammed once again into the wall of the temple. Rubble fell from the ceiling. The one on the ground formed a shield to protect against the falling stone and continued to torture the dream demon. After a while, a groan from above was heard.

"Will you stop?! Your screaming is hard to ignore!" The figure above Bellum barked. She didn't even grant the dream demon a passing glance. For once, it felt afraid. It wanted the hero it knew to put it out of its misery with the Phantom Sword.

"It's hardly my fault that this… thing is so foolish!" The one on the ground zapped Bellum once more with her magic. The darkness that enveloped it receded for a moment, before covering it once more like a parasitic fungus.

"It was only meant to frighten the boy, not give him a clue on what we have planned!"

"Why did you even explain the extent of our plan to it anyways?" The one on the ground grew flustered at the other's question. She purposefully ignored it to keep on complaining.

"Now he may get suspicious!" Magic was cast once again, and Bellum reeled back in pain. The sickening look in its captors' eyes had instilled true fear into the once maniacal demon. It used to yearn for power, now it only yearned for freedom from this bizarre nightmare.

For a long while, the demon continued to be attacked by the figure. Again and again it was brought to the floor, causing the ground to quake. The skin of its tentacles was sliced apart, its eye was stabbed, and soon its entire body was constricted by a lasso made of plasma. Everything sent Bellum's way was only meant to prolong its pain, each second of agony lasting what felt like hours.

Such magic could've only been obtained by hexing rituals, curses, and knowledge of the dark arts. At least it provided some explanation as to why the mysterious captors seemed so eager to destroy and cause pain. Bellum was given some perspective on the pain it itself caused in the era which it was plucked from.

"Perhaps we should resort to our contingency for now until this creature knows its place…" The lower one grumbled, growing tired of casting magic senselessly.

"Those reptilian puppets? Doesn't seem like the greatest idea, as usual." The one above mused out loud.

"S-Silence!"

The only thing heard was a sinister cackle from the platform. Then things went quiet for a minute while she thought of something.

"Let Bellum invade the thoughts of the soldiers in the valley. Maybe there it will learn how to mess with the strong…" She ordered. The one below was about to interject, but it was almost perfect.

"Very well!"

All Bellum heard next was the cackle. It had gotten used to it by now, much to its dismay. Its eye was fully surrounded by darkness, and it became a shadow once more. The yellow became a sinister red and it was unleashed into the desert, and it soon found its way into the minds of the valley residents. Creeping along the ground, the infected the dreams of everyone it could.

There, it got out all its anger at the torture it had to endure, and the result were the most mentally damaging nightmares the Gerudo ever experienced. From that, it would learn how to manipulate dreams to lower morale far more significantly.

The next three days were mostly uneventful for Castle Town. Link hadn't felt like it was time yet to leave Hyrule. Although the weekend was coming up soon, so he would want to make a short visit to Termina. He thought about if anyone had missed him.

Link felt the wind flow through his hair as Epona galloped. Lately he felt the need to go on patrol through Hyrule field. Finishing his third lap around the entire perimeter of the field, Epona was exhausted. She trotted towards Zora River to take a drink, and her rider dismounted.

"Sorry for making you work so hard." Link said sweetly, rubbing Epona's mane. She nickered happily and took another sip.

Link surveyed the area. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and everything seemed calm. For the longest time, the boy thought he'd never see this place again. Now that he was back, his own opinion changed. He actually kind of missed it all.

"Epona?" Link turned to his steed. He had no real idea if she could actually understand him, but he talked to her on occasion.

"Have you missed Hyrule?" Link asked. For a second, Epona just stared into the distance. Trotting over to her rider, Epona gave Link a gentle nudge.

"Yeah, I'm not sure yet either…" Link replied to her, even if she said nothing. He could kind of tell that she had something to say. Actions did speak far louder than words.

Epona started to lick Link's face.

"Oh! Ah! Hey, stop that!" Link said playfully, carefully patting his horse on the cheek. It was mostly fruitless. She just enjoyed the company of her old friend.

"Alright, alright! Stop it! You know that doesn't wash out easily." Link gently stopped Epona from continuing. She just huffed in retaliation and blew air into his face.

All Link could do was smile and he wiped off some of the spit that had gotten onto his tunic. Epona was a serious horse. Experienced and hardworking, but she still had her moments of carefree fun. It was one of the few things Link still appreciated about how life in Hyrule conditioned him and his friend. The teen decided to lean on Epona, staring out into the field, enjoying the scene.

Unfortunately, the tranquility was broken by a familiar screech. Swinging his head around, Link's senses went into overdrive. He knew that call. He first heard it in Dodongo's cavern. Lizalfos.

Surely enough, there was a pack of Lizalfos by a nearby grotto. Five of them. They hadn't seemed to have noticed Link yet. It looked like they were too preoccupied with arguing with each other over something.

Link's mind went into "hero mode" again. He carefully scanned the positions, how much they seemed aware, and the weapons each Lizalfos held. Bows. How on earth did they get bows? He told himself it didn't matter. If they knew how to use them, he'd be in for a bad time.

If he took them on alone, he may not return home in the best of shape. The last thing he wanted as for Anju, Kafei, Romani, or anyone else to worry about him now. Taking the chance to head back to town, Link hopped onto Epona and took off.

Galloping as fast as she could, Epona sped towards the drawbridge. Riding into Castle Town, Link hopped off his steed and barged through the door to the house.

"Guys, we have a problem!" Link shouted. His words caught the attention of Jim, Skull Kid, and Romani. They emerged from the stairs, kitchen, and room adjacent to the kitchen respectively.

"What is it?" Jim asked.

Link explained what he saw in Hyrule Field to his friends, and their concern soon matched his.

"Are you sure you saw five?" Skull Kid asked, thinking about if they all could take them on in such short notice.

"Positive." Link reassured him.

"Well, what are we waiting for? We need to make sure they don't get into town!" Jim's spunky attitude made Link smile.

"Yeah! Those lizards can't be as good with bows as Romani is!" Romani beamed with pride.

The group prepared to leave, but where stopped by Navi and Tatl.

"You mind telling us where you guys are going?" Tatl barked, hands on her hips.

"Link spotted some Lizalfos out in the field. We're going to make sure they are taken care of!" Jim replied happily. The two fairies gave each other a look and turned back to the group.

"And you didn't ask us to go with you?" Navi asked, a stern expression on her face.

"W-Well… would you want to?" Link asked meekly. The second he was done his sentence the two were already at his side. The teens just chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

A minute later, Epona left town, Link and Romani riding, Skull Kid and Jim following close behind. All shared glances of determination as they passed the drawbridge and started searching for the pack of Lizalfos.

"This is where I spotted them." Link said as they neared Zora River. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, no sign of the lizards yet. He did however see the grotto.

"There." Link pointed to the hole in the ground. Bringing Epona by the grotto, he and Romani dismounted, and the group gathered around the spot.

"You sure they'll be in there, Grasshopper?" Romani asked, peering into the hole, unable to see a thing due to the heavy shadow that encompassed it.

"I'm not sure where else they'd be." Link said. He drew his sword, and Jim followed suit with his own. Skull Kid readied his staff and Romani held her bow. "Let's go…"

Jumping down into the grotto, Link was surprised to see it a lot larger than he remembered. Instead of a few patches of grass, a Gossip Stone, and an open chest, it was hollowed out quite a bit more. The Gossip Stone has been dislodged from the ground and laid on its side a few feet away, and all the grass had been torn from the roots. Pieces of wood that were presumably from the old chest were now scattered across the room.

However, all that mattered was their targets. Six Lizalfos stood in a huddle on the other side of the room. They all turned to be met with the group that just made their way inside.

"Six?!" Skull Kid was shocked, but he kept his voice down.

For a second, it was silent. Both factions waited, unsure which one would make the first move. Then, the closest Lizalfos screeched and readied its bow, shooting an arrow at Link.

The teen in green defended with his shield and it clanked on the metal, falling to the ground. Link charged, followed by his friends.

The fight began. More arrows were fired, and Link got closer and closer to the group of lizards. Romani carefully aimed her weapon and shot one Lizalfos in the head, bringing it to the floor. As Link grew even closer, the lead Lizalfos put away its bow and drew its short sword. Both blades met momentarily, and a small flash of sparks emitted from their impact.

Jim wasn't far behind Link. His sword met with another one of the Lizalfos's weapons and both boys engaged in a fight.

Knocking his opponent back, Jim looked over to Skull Kid and gave him a smirk. The imp knew exactly what he was thinking. Jim squatted down and Skull Kid dashed over to him. Carefully stepping onto Jim's back, Skull Kid leaped into the air and brought his staff down onto one of the Lizalfos.

Romani kept loosing arrows at the lizards but didn't notice the sound of feet landing behind her. Suddenly, she was kicked to the ground, and was met with a group of three more Lizalfos.

"Hey!" Link hollered. He slammed his shield into his opponent's stomach and ran to help Romani. Protecting his girlfriend, she got up as the lizards swatted at his shield. When she was up and back in action, he ducked and let her fire an arrow at the head Lizalfos.

"Gotcha!" Romani said triumphantly. Link smirked and swung his leg across the ground, making the other two lizards' trip and fall.

"Link! Jim needs some help!" Tatl yelled from across the room. Link looked back and saw Jim getting nearly overwhelmed by two Lizalfos at once. Skull Kid was too busy slamming his staff into another to help.

Link, without even thinking, hopped into the air and brought his shield to his feet. Somehow, on instinct, he started to surf atop the shield along the small hill of sand, riding right into the duo that were bothering Jim.

"How did you do that?" Jim asked with wonder.

"I have no idea!" Link said with a wide smile, picking up the mirror shield.

"Watch out!" Navi warned Romani. She didn't even know what she was being warned about, but she hit the deck and dodged an arrow that flew in from behind her.

"Thanks Navi!" Romani gave Navi a thumbs up, and the fairy beamed with pride.

Only six Lizalfos were left, but Romani saw three jump up into the light from above, leaving the grotto.

"Grasshopper! They're getting away!" Romani called. Link turned just in time to see the distinct armor of the last enemy going through the hole.

"Go! We can take the last three!" Skull Kid yelped, decommissioning another lizard with a bonk to the head via his staff.

"Are you sure?!" Link yelled.

"Yeah! We've got this! Make sure they don't hurt anyone! People's lives are worth a lot more than ours!" Jim selflessness impacted Link a lot. How little he thought of himself was almost too similar to how Link felt about himself.

"Hey! You guys are a worth a lot to me!" Link shouted. Jim, Romani, Skull Kid, Tatl, and Navi all looked at him.

Link did nothing but smirk. He sheathed his sword and ran to the exit, getting beamed up and out of the grotto. His heart sank when he couldn't find Epona. Hoof marks dotted the grass, and he soon spotted her in the distance bolting back to town. There were scratches on her right side. The sight made Link feel some semblance of rage.

He had faith that his friends would be able to finish off the rest of the Lizalfos. He needed to track down those last three. No creature would hurt his horse and walk free.

The sun was shining all throughout Zora's River. Birds chirped repeatedly as they flew about the sky. The sound of the running river was all that could be heard in the area. All until a stray arrow soared through the sky and hit the ground, causing the birds to scatter.

The trio of Lizalfos wielding bows dashed down the trial to Zora's Domain, and Link wasn't far behind. He couldn't let them get to Zora's Domain. He didn't want to imagine what they'd do if he didn't stop them.

Firing another arrow, Link chased the trio of lizards up the trial, and his worry grew even more when they neared the Sleepless Waterfall. The three stopped and turned to the hero as he approached. The teen stopped a few meters away, waiting for them to make the first move. If he shot another arrow, they'd likely leap through the entrance to get away.

Link waited. The Lizalfos waited. A long stretch of silence was finally broken when one of them hopped through the waterfall and into Zora's Domain.

"No!" Link hollered. He couldn't stop the second Lizalfos from jumping in, so he tackled the third and pinned it down just in the entrance.

The Lizalfos rose to its feet and screeched in Link's face. He wiped the spit from his cheek and decked it, bringing it back to the ground. Taking a bundle of Deku Sticks, Link shoved the creature to the wall and plunged the wooden poles into the stone just around it's limbs, keeping it trapped against the rock.

Link stepped backwards, making sure the thing wouldn't break free. When it finally gave up its effort to escape, the teen pointed at it with a smirk.

"Stick around." Link said coldly, before running into the cavern that housed Zora's Domain.

Entering the Domain, Link stood in horror as he watched the two remaining Lizalfos chase around the Zoras. Arrows flew around as they terrorized the poor residents, and Link drew his bow to carefully anticipate where one would be.

Link knew he had to at least stop one of them, so he took an ice arrow and aimed. Waiting for the lizard to hop again, he loosed it. It hit the beast, and in a flash of blue light, the Lizalfos was incased within ice. The statue of the creature stood just under the waterfall.

Now with only one target to take down, Link looked around. Frantically searching for where the last lizard went, he caught a glimpse of a green tail heading into the Zora Shop. He scowled and ran down the small incline and towards the shop, hoping he wasn't too late.

Link caught the Lizalfos pointing its small sword at the shopkeeper, hissing. Hiding just outside the shop, Link surveyed his options. He couldn't wait much longer. The shopkeeper could be killed. Hardly any time to think, he grabbed his shield and turned the corner, cocking his arm back. He threw the mirror shield and it connected right into the lizard's back, knocking it over.

Drawing the Gilded Sword, Link stood in a defensive position just in the light, waiting for the creature to get up. It snarled as it shakily got to its feet. Turning from the terrified shopkeeper, the lizard looked at the shield on the floor before spotting Link.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave the store." Link told the Lizalfos when it met his gaze.

The Lizalfos responded with a high-pitched roar and jumped at Link. The teen parried with his sword and backed away. Leaving the shop, the pair exchanged blows with their weapons as they ascended up the ramp towards King Zora's chamber, exactly where Link didn't want to be.

The swordfighters kept connecting their blades, the Lizalfos forcing its adversary up the staircase towards the king. When they entered the King's chamber, Link dodged to the swipe and stepped sideways. He kicked the beast down and when it got up, he started to push back.

Slowly making their way down the tunnel to the waterfall, the Lizalfos swung its tail and make Link trip. Pouncing on top of the hero, their weapons clattered to the ground, and they engaged in a fist fight.

While on the ground, Link punched the Lizalfos in the face and brought his boot up to kick it in the stomach. When it recoiled backwards, Link jumped up and prepared to kick it again, but it latched onto his foot. Dragging him right back to the floor, the lizard scrambled to grab the hero. Once it had a grip on the back of the boy's head, it slammed him face first into the right wall.

It brought Link's head back to see the damage. It snickered as blood now dripped from his nose. Taking advantage of the creature's pride, Link headbutted the beast and pushed against the wall, ramming his upper body into the Lizalfos. He then took hold of its arm and brought his back to its chest. Moving forward, he pulled on its arm, and it was thrown into the air, over his head, and right onto the ground with a thud.

It laid there for a moment, the wind escaping its lungs involuntarily. While it was disoriented, Link grabbed his sword.

The hero rose his blade into the air and was about to strike the Lizalfos down, but it leaped up and grabbed his arm. The two struggled for a moment before they realized they were on the edge of the cliff. The rushing water made the traction of Link's boots degrade.

The creature squawked and tried to fight against the way they were moving. Link, seeing only one way to win, moved backwards and off the edge, bringing the lizard with him.

During their brief fall, Link shoved the Lizalfos, and had it break his fall, which happened to be right on the frozen Lizalfos that he had dispatched earlier. The ice shattered and the lizard that had been encased in ice fell into the water, the other quickly recovering from the impact.

Without a second to lose, Link grabbed his bow and prepared to finish his enemy off. Before he could take aim, the item was knocked from his hands via a tail swipe and splashed in the water a few feet away.

Turning back to his attacker, Link tackled the Lizalfos, getting into an all-out brawl in the waist-deep pool. Water was flung about as Link knocked the creature back with his fists. He made sure to pull his punches, however he wasn't immune to getting hit as well. The unruly beast took furious jabs at the hero, and they could only be parried by the leather gauntlets he wore.

He took care in not stepping on his bow that floated in the water. Stomping his foot down, the water flew into the air and blinded his enemy, giving himself some time.

Taking out a Deku Stick, Link slammed it into the Lizalfos's torso and pinned it down by the neck. Now surrounded by just ankle-deep water, he started to strangle it with the pole. Pushing down with all his strength, he had his arm clawed at repeatedly. It struggled for a good minute before it finally stopped breathing, its body going limp.

Breathing heavily, Link slowly stood above the lifeless body of the Lizalfos. He looked down at his hands for a moment, waiting for the shaking to stop. He never had to strangle the life out of an enemy before. He inwardly apologized for what he had to do. Wiping the blood from his nose, his breathing calmed.

For a moment, he thought it was over, but the feeling went away when his ears twitched. They picked up some footsteps in the water across from him. He knew he was being watched, but he didn't know if he had time to act.

Bending down to grab his bow, he held it in his hands and kept the action of pulling out an arrow a secret. He heard the faint sound of a string being pulled behind him, and he knew he was the target of something. Turning ninety degrees, Link faced the left and casually walked forward, peering at his enemy out of the corner of his eye.

The Lizalfos was almost about to fire. It aimed for Link's head and watched as the teen walked. Its eye was trained on him, the only other thing in its line of sight was the bow in front of its face and the waterfall to the left of Link.

It fired but didn't hit its target.

Link turned to face the last Lizalfos and got down on one knee in a flash. The frills of his tunic were flung about from the action, adding a little more flair to his already smooth movement. The arrow flew past his head as he lowered himself, and he quickly fired his own weapon. The image the Lizalfos had of the hero became covered with a slow downpour of blood, only the dark silhouette of him in the position of proposing visible. Then everything for the creature went dark, and it toppled onto the ground.

Now Link had won.

The teen fell to the ground on his behind. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he felt far too exhausted to leave Zora's Domain just yet. Putting one arm on his knee, he leaned back with his other arm holding him up.

"Th-Thank you, hero!" A Zora emerged from hiding and shouted to Link.

The boy turned his gaze to meet the Zora, and he waved, wearing a smile. More Zoras appeared and thanked him, and all he thought about was getting some rest.

"I think I'll definitely be heading back to Termina for the weekend…" Link muttered, thinking about home.

Chapter Text

Hey there. Ok, so, this chapter. I... don't like how this came out. For context, I had a BIG wave of writer's block when doing this chapter, and I think it took a toll on its quality. While I do have some important details in this chapter, it is NOT favorite. I just hope you guys like it! Please enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 9: In Case You Say 'No'

"Home." Romani said out loud.

The outer wall of Clock Town had finally come into view as the group exited the Swamp. The first week in Hyrule had been… intense, to say the least. Her mind was exhausted from everything that made itself apparent. All the town guard wanted was some rest, as did the rest of the Terminians in the carriage.

Link unknowingly refused to look at anything besides Clock Town. He had missed it so much. He felt relieved to finally see it again.

Epona stopped by the south gate, and everyone funneled out of the carriage. They all exchanged smiles and heading into Clock Town together. Walking under the arch, the scene was just as they remembered. A relatively busy town, some chatter here and there, and the tower, always reminding them of the time.

"Alright, I got to get home! Mom is going to be so happy to see me again!" Jim exclaimed, breaking out into a run. Link, Romani, and Skull Kid waved him goodbye as he vanished from sight.

Link, holding Epona's reigns, broke off from the group as they neared the Stock Pot Inn, going to North Clock Town to let Epona be in her little stable as she was before. As he walked, he didn't even notice the rightmost window of the Major's office, open. There, Captain Viscen caught a glimpse of the teen, and the paper he had in his hand fell to the floor.

Link left Viscen's view, and the man was left in shock. The sword and shield were once again on his back after all this time. For a moment he sat, mouth agape, until he grabbed a sheet of paper and started scribbling something down.

"There you go, back home." Link said soothingly as he made sure Epona was in her stable. He rubbed his horse's cheek and bid her farewell for now, eager to get back home. Back to the safety of his room.

Opening the front door, he let out a big yawn and looked at every little thing in the lobby of the Inn. The desk, the seat, the masks on the wall, and the cow bobble-head on the shelf. Anju and Kafei were already unpacking their things and placing them in easy to reach places. They would only be returning for the weekend after all.

"Hello inn. Hello stairs. Hello room." Anju and Kafei could hear the faint greetings Link gave to everything he came across before finally getting back to his room. The couple just gave each other looks and giggled at how the more carefree Link had finally made himself known, now that he was home.

The teen flopped down onto his bed and quickly got comfortable. He missed the feeling of the sheets, the light smell of the soap that still lingered since their last wash. Placing his head on top of a pillow, he relaxed as the cold surface put him at ease. He got his gear off and let it fall to the floor by the fireplace just a moment ago. He didn't want to see them for the rest of the weekend.

Meanwhile, Romani had decided to pay a visit to Dina, and by extension, her captain. She was positive that after a week of not seeing her friend, they'd have a lot to catch up on.

Entering the mayor's office, Romani went straight through the armory and her presence was met with a wide smile from the Gerudo secretary.

"Romani! You're back!" Dina was endlessly pleased. She rose from her chair and gave Romani a strong hug.

"How have things been, Dina?" Romani asked, wrapping her arms around her friend and chuckling.

"Oh, the usual. Not much to report." Dina replied, looking back at her desk.

"Good! Is the captain in?" Romani looked at the oak door that separated them from the officer in question.

"Isn't he always? You better go in, I bet he'd be glad to see you again after what happened before." Romani's smile faded at Dina's reference to her near resignation. She wasn't the proudest of her impulsive decision she made the week prior.

Romani nodded and wiped her cheeky personality away like before and went through the door.

"Number seven!"

Captain Viscen seemed uncharacteristically happy. The normally irritable captain wore a smile on his face. He had his window wide open, letting the sunlight pour into the room allowing the lamp to stay off for once. Everything seemed a little too bright in the office, in more ways than one.

"Good morning, sir." Romani stated obediently, saluting and then placing her hands behind her.

"Oh, no need to be so formal at the moment, Romani. You are still on leave, correct?" Viscen said, folding his hands together and resting them on his desk.

"O-Oh… Yes s- I mean, Viscen." Romani stuttered, hardly used to this bizarre change in mood.

"So, how have things been for you, Romani?"

"G-Good, quite good." Romani didn't know what to do. Her mind remained unsure how to speak. Should she talk as she would when in Viscen's office, or go to how she normally spoke?

"Tell me… how was Link during the entire trip?" Viscen looked back to the open window, thinking about how he saw the teen in question dressed before.

"He was alright." Romani said.

"What exactly did he do while he was away?" Viscen tried to mask his actual question.

"Well, it was about his former home. People needed him to help defend them." Romani thought about how well Link had fought the Thunderbird and the pack of Lizalfos. After all this time, he was still as skilled as ever.

"I see…" Viscen was satisfied. "Well, you can head back home Romani, you don't have any assignments as per our agreement."

Romani beamed from ear to ear. She turned and strolled out of the office, positively jovial. The more she thought about all the free time she had for the weekend, her expression grew stronger and stronger. It'd be nice to wind down.

"I swear, those meetings are getting shorter and shorter." Dina remarked as she heard the door open.

"Hey Dina?" Romani used one arm and leaned on the desk where her friend sat.

"What is it?" The secretary removed her eyes from the papers in front of her and directed her attention to Romani.

"When you're feeling good, what do you do with your boyfriend?" Romani asked, her face turning a little red.

"And where is this coming from?" Dina rose one eyebrow and gave her friend a suggestive look. Romani's blush just intensified.

Link heard a knock on his door. He peered back to the clock on the wall. He hadn't even been home for an hour. Reluctantly rising from the bed, he opened the bedroom door and was blindsided by a hug from his girlfriend.

"Grasshopper!" Romani squealed as she tackled the boy.

"Hey Romani!" Link was happy to see his friend again, even though it had only been about an hour since he last did. Something about her attitude was quite different than it had just a little while before.

"Don't you have to get back to the ranch?" Link asked, thinking about how Cremia would be overjoyed to see her little sister again.

"Yes, but Romani wants to spend a little time with you," she said sweetly. "Romani can head home in a little while, but right now, let's just relax."

Link was puzzled at the noticeable difference in attitude compared to earlier. Romani felt it too was a little strange, but her mind was occupied by more interesting thoughts about the circumstances. She nuzzled her cheek against Link's and then started pushing him backwards. He simply let her do as she pleased, and he fell over and onto the mattress of his bed in a flash.

The teenager didn't protest and just looked at his beautiful girlfriend. She hadn't fallen with him onto the mattress. She stood in between his legs and towered above him. His eyelids lowered without him even realizing and Romani grew a pout-like smirk on her face.

"U-Um… This is new," Link commented, noting the strange but welcoming look of desire in Romani's eyes. The ranch woman chuckled lightly and took hold of the collar of Link's tunic, pulling him up and closer to her face.

"Romani wanted to try something different with Grasshopper. Being back home and all," she said in a sultry voice. She kissed Link on the lips and held onto his torso, letting herself fall with him back onto the bed this time.

"Why?" Link asked. A relatively simple question.

"Dina gave Romani a few ideas."

"Oh, that makes sense," Link said, a little smile appearing on his face. Dina was always one to be quite ambitious when it came to relationships. "So what do you have planned?"

Romani had a devilish glint in her eyes, and she took ahold of Link's hand and then guided it downwards.

Dina walked urgently down the street and towards the Stock Pot Inn. She held a sheet of paper in her hands, her orders clear. It'd been a while since the captain had instructed her to deliver something herself. The Gerudo hardly minded. It was an excuse to get out of the office one in a while.

Opening the front door, Dina greeted Anju and Kafei with a smile followed by a wave and showed the innkeepers the letter she had.

"Of course! I believe Romani and Link are just upstairs," Anju said. She didn't even suspect the two were up to anything. They were usually good kids.

"Thanks, ma'am!" Dina said, delighted.

Making her way up the stairs, Dina kept switching her gaze from the floor to her paper. It'd only been an hour since she saw Romani last, but she hoped to talk about the girl's night she was promised when she had time. She got to the door and turned the doorknob, and the two adult's downstairs could hear yelps, screams, and a large thud.

Dina had walked in on Link and Romani tenderly enjoying each other on the bed. The boy was now on top of his girlfriend, pinning her down and kissing her neck, right hand curiously not by her shoulder like his left, but lower down. The Gerudo couldn't see where his hand was, but Romani seemed to be enjoying whatever he was doing. The off-duty guard looked to the doorway and gasped.

"Link!" Romani exclaimed.

Romani pushed her boyfriend off of her and he lost his balance and tumbled off the bed and landed on the floor. She didn't even pay attention to him and sat up, moving her dress back down to cover up her thigh, which Link had been caressing with his right hand.

"Ah! I'm so sorry! I d-didn't mean to intrude!" Dina's voice was laden with worry and shock. She quickly slammed the door shut and could faintly hear a short commotion between Link and Romani before the door reopened.

Dina carefully looked back into the room and saw Romani before her and Link sitting on the bed, hair disheveled and tunic a little wrinkly. Both had a red tint on their cheeks and neither met her eyes.

"S-Sorry about that." Dina said softly after everything was in the clear. She stepped inside and hesitantly looked at her friends.

"Everything alright up there?" Kafei called from downstairs.

"Y-Yeah, dad!" Link yelled back.

"Alright!"

Romani shut the door and there was an awkward silence between the three teenagers. Eventually, the two noticed the paper in the Gerudo's hands.

"What's that?" Romani asked.

"Oh, well, Captain Viscen wanted to see you," replied Dina. Romani walked a little closer, but Link remained on the bed, looking towards the window. "Wanted to see Link. With his gear…"

That caught Link's attention. Why would the captain want to see him? And with his sword and shield on him. He exchanged a look of confusion with Romani, and he went over to the fireplace to get his sword and shield. About ten minutes later, Link descended down the stairs, Dina right behind him. Romani had been left feeling a little unsatisfied, but whatever the captain wanted to see Link for was all she could think about.

"Where are you two off to?" Anju asked from behind the desk.

"Captain wanted to see him," said Dina. Anju just responded with a small nod, and she waved them goodbye.

With that, the pair left, walking up the street and to the mayor's office. Link kept quiet the whole time. For some odd reason, he loathed heading to see Viscen while with his weapons strapped along his back. Dina opened the main door, and they strolled through the armory and into the secretary's room, which Dina took her seat behind her desk.

"So right through here?" Link pointed to the door.

"Yep," Dina replied. She watched Link open the door and walk through. She silently mouthed the words "good luck."

Link entered Viscen's office, and the image of him doing so was something the captain always wanted to see. The audible sound of his gear shuffling on his back and the vibrant green tunic was astounding.

"Good morning, Link," Viscen had been waiting patiently for Link's arrival. "How are you, my boy?"

"I've been good," Link replied with a smile, looking around the office. It'd been years since he'd actually seen the inside.

"Please, sit down!" Viscen gestured towards the chair where soldiers would usually take in their assignments.

Link didn't say a word as he sat down. He had to adjust his posture to make sure the side of the Gilded Sword wouldn't dig into his back. Once he got comfortable, he waited for the captain to continue.

"So, you are likely wondering why I asked you to come here today, right?" Viscen leaned forward in his chair a little bit and looked at the paper he was writing in earlier. A tilt from Link's head told him to go on.

"I had seen you earlier with your gear on, and it sparked an idea." Viscen paused, giving Link time to react. He didn't. "I was wondering if you could reconsider my proposal I gave you a while back… about joining the force."

Now Link reacted. First it was with shock. Then a little bit of embarrassment.

"Sir, I don't think I'll be able to do that…" Link muttered.

"Link, I implore you! Join us! You'd make such a difference!" Viscen pleaded. To be able to address Link as 'number eight' was an idea the captain thought about occasionally. The image of him clad in the guard uniform would be such a treat.

"I'm sorry, but it's still no." Link crossed his arms and his mouth creased downwards. It wasn't a full frown, but it was getting close.

"Are you even aware of how much good you'd do if you were a part of the service? How much you'll help others?" Viscen's mood started to revert to something more normal. Link just scoffed.

"I am aware, but I was only wearing these because of my duties in Hyrule," Link said with some emotion. He was tired of always needing to explain himself to adults, especially adults who knew what he was going through. At least he hoped Viscen knew.

"And what about any duties here?"

"You already have six capable guards on duty."

"But I want to have eight!" He slammed his fists on the desk. "Termina's Secret Service is not the most varied group of individuals, you know!"

Viscen's reference to the former alliance in Clock Town made during the War of Ikana just cemented how much Link didn't want to be a part of it. It was only formed to keep the peace, something Termina didn't need to worry about anymore ever since the Garo were vanquished.

Link thought he finally escaped from his fleeting thoughts about the Garo. For a while since the defeat of the Garo Master, he had dreams about them. His mind would wander to them from time to time. When Navi came to Termina, they had finally gone away, but he wasn't sure if it was for the reason he had hoped. For now, he had bigger things to think about than foes that had been stopped long ago.

Sure there was still the occasional problem in the land, but they were nothing the guards couldn't stop. And Romani proved herself to be more than capable in stopping them even on her own. Link was proud of her, but it just peeved him that her own captain wouldn't at least try to be the same.

"I don't want to fight, sir." Link said.

"Why not?! You're far too proficient at it to simply throw it away!" Viscen's voice started to become louder. "It's all you seem to be good for!"

Link's train of thought was derailed, and he blinked. Viscen immediately regretted what he said when he saw the damaged expression in Link's eyes. All the boy did was think about that statement. Was it true? He stood from the chair and turned to leave without another word.

"That was fast…" Dina said as she saw Link emerge from the office.

Her comment was completely ignored as the teen stormed out of the room and into the armory. Link just closed to door and stood in the middle of the armory in silence, rubbing his temples.

"He asked you to join the guard, didn't he?" Romani said suddenly. Link turned around to see the ranch woman leaning on the wall just next to the door to the Dina.

Link could only respond with a nod.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Romani took Link's hand and left the building with him by her side.

Link couldn't get his mind off of what was strapped onto his back and how they seemed to be forever connected with his life. The Gilded Sword and the Mirror Shield were almost in more control than he was at times. The image of them decided who he got to talk to, what he got to do, and how he thought. The sword and shield decided how his life played out.

Romani kept swapping her gaze from the street of East Clock Town and Link's face. She could always recognize when Link was lost in his own thoughts. The glazed look in his eyes when he was thinking became a familiar sight for the past week.

"Hey guys!" Jim hollered at the two.

"Hey Jim!" Romani waved. Jim ran over to his friends, Pamela right next to him.

"What's up?" Jim asked, looking between Romani and Link.

"Not much. Romani and Grasshopper are just hanging out!" Romani squeezed Link's hand a bit, hoping to get some sort of response from him.

"Want to play some games with us?!" Jim asked excitedly. How much Pamela seemed to be silently begging for him to not to crazy told Romani than it was mostly his idea.

"Sure!" Romani said, her own voice going up in pitch. Link didn't even react to it all, but he went along with it.

All throughout the group's time together, Link remained on the sidelines. Each took turns loosing bows in the Shooting Gallery besides him. The Treasure Chest shop only went for three rounds. Only three sets of numbers were played in the Lottery shop. Everything felt like it was missing something.

"Could Romani get us some milk?" Pamela asked, pointing towards the Milk Bar. Since her and her sister helped with the bar's supplies, they could enter without problem.

"Wait here." Romani said as she went inside. She'd only get them the normal milk. The memory of Link's first time having a bunch of the Château Romani was not the greatest experience when the hangover started.

Jim and Pamela waited patiently, holding hands, and Link stood by the door to the bar, still thinking. As he contemplated what Viscen said about his offer, he spotted a couple walking down the street. Finally, Link raised his head and kept looking at them. Both the man and woman had a little girl running around them, taking in the sights. When the little scamp nearly tripped, the man hoisted her up and into his arms, making sure she was alright.

Link couldn't hear anything the man said, but when his partner chuckled and brought him closer for a kiss on the cheek, he couldn't stop staring. It was almost with envy. The entire scene lasted only a few seconds, but when the couple and their child escaped his view, it replayed multiple times in his head.

Romani returned with four glasses of milk. Even if Link didn't even say if he wanted anything to drink, she knew what he liked. His milk was always done a certain way. Ice, lightly stirred. She gladly gave two to Jim and Pamela and she began drinking the third. The group began walking again.

"Hey Romani?" Link finally asked as they entered South Clock Town, lowering his lips from the bottle of milk in his hand.

"Yeah, Grasshopper?" Romani replied, looking back at him. She was glad he was finally starting to talk again.

"I want a kid." Link said bluntly.

Romani spat out her drink.

"W-What?!" Romani nearly yelled. Jim and Pamela looked back at them with baffled looks.

"Sorry, just a minute." Romani cleared her throat and took Link aside.

"Could you say that again, Grasshopper?" Romani whispered when they were out of earshot of their friends.

"I-" Link stuttered. "I want a kid."

"What does that mean?" Romani was too shocked to even sound confused.

"T-The captain said that all I was good for was… fighting." Link looked down in shame. A part of him thought it was true. "I want something else to do. I have to find a bigger purpose…"

"I want to take care of something. With you."

Romani couldn't think of what to say for a second. A child? Now? She wasn't anywhere near mature enough to take care of a child, and neither was Link. She wasn't ready for a multitude of reasons.

"Grasshopper, look at me." Romani took Link's hand and held it up. "You are far more than just your sword and shield."

"Really?" Link said, a childlike wonder in his words.

"Of course! Grasshopper helps people! In more than just defending them! Don't let Viscen make you think otherwise." Romani gave Link a look of understanding. If anyone could break Link out of a funk, it was her.

"A-Alright… but one day?" Link asked.

The ranch woman thought about the idea for a moment. It'd be amazing to take care of a child with Link, but just when they'd get down to business was something for another day.

"We'll see." Romani said with a smile. She tugged Link's arm and brought him back to Jim and Pamela. He finally cracked a smile when he had to make an excuse as to why they left them hanging for a little bit.

Finally, Link was able to have some fun during his weekend off. He had a small feeling that he might need it.

Chapter Text

Here we are, chapter 10! I hope you all enjoyed the little break I went on, but I'm back now! This chapter is a little different. A lot more fast-paced, takes place over the course of several days, some more horror elements, and it gets a bit more heavy on the lore of both Link and what he's facing! Also, the first of a few references to two particular stories by friends. Please enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 10: Dreams Are A Fickle Thing

Terror and chaos. That's all that swarmed the Gerudo's mind as she and her cohorts fled from Gerudo Valley. Entering Hyrule Field, she searched around frantically for the right direction. Where Castle Town might lie.

She spotted the drawbridge. The morning light beamed down onto the top of the gate, slowly making its way downward as the sun rose to greet the new day.

"This way!" She screamed to her two friends.

They quickly caught up with her and the three continued to run. The image of the open drawbridge grew closer and closer, but so did the large shadow that was chasing them. They didn't need to see that the shadow had no source to know what it was.

One of the shadow's limbs rose from the ground and appeared as a physical object. From the tip it fired a dark beam of energy at the trio it was pursuing. It struck the ground and set the grass ablaze. It fired again, getting closer to hitting its escapees. After a third time, the rightmost Gerudo had her leg pierced with what it fired.

"Kyojin!" The lead Gerudo heard the yelp of pain her friend made when she was struck.

"I-I'm fine, we need to go!" Kyojin replied, her voice uneasy.

"Ante! Help Kyojin!" The lead barked orders at her companion, and the two helped the third up by supporting her shoulders.

The group was significantly slower now, and the shadow grew ever closer to reaching them. What it'd do if it caught them was unknown, but none wanted to find out.

They were just a couple dozen meters from the drawbridge now. Almost to safety. The sound of warbled energy whizzed past the trio of Gerudo as they hastily ran. The shadow revealed more of itself, albeit lacking a true form. It only appeared as a large mass of darkness, features barely distinguishable. All one could really tell was that it was round. Not the best in terms of helping.

Ante's legs were starting to tire, but she kept on running.

"I don't think this is going to work!" Kyojin said with sorrow. She looked back at stared in horror as the amorphous blob of black suddenly grew an eye.

When the leftmost Gerudo looked at the mass in the eye, her face went pale. The others didn't know what was happening, but what she saw nearly petrified her.

"Almost there! Flavi! See if you can flag anyone down!" Ante pleaded.

Flavi was brought back to reality and looked at the entrance to Castle Town. There wasn't anyone awake, not even the guard who lowered the bridge just a few minutes before. Lousy stiff.

Suddenly, a distant figure came into view. Their green attire stood out from the beige and grey colors of everything else around them. Flavi hollered as loud as she could to get their attention.

Link had just woken up. He wanted to get out of the house for some fresh air. First day back in Hyrule after his weekend in Termina. Yawning and stretching his arms upward, he moseyed around town before seeing something in the distance, just outside the gate.

All it looked like was some small dots. They grew larger and larger, and Link realized they were people. People running. Running away from something unknown, but they seemed to be in a panic.

Link started walking towards them. When a large, dark sphere entered his line of sight, he picked up his pace. Breaking out into a full-on sprint, he inwardly thanked himself deciding to put his gear on earlier in the morning. He met up with the group right in front of the Guard House.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Link asked, helping the Gerudo on the right keep her balance.

"That!" Kyojin screamed, pointing back at the being that was behind them.

Link was able to make out that whatever was chasing the three wasn't their friend.

"Go, go! Get to safety!" Link ordered, getting the trio away from danger and further into town. He unsheathed his sword and stood at the ready.

As the blob neared, he elected to just charge at it now. He didn't know what it was, or where it came from, but he had to distract it long enough for the others to get away and get some kind of backup.

Swinging his blade directly at the body of whatever he was fighting, Link was caught off guard when the Gilded Sword sailed straight through the mass of darkness and didn't have any kind of effect. Falling to the ground, the darkness stopped its pursuit of the Gerudo and turned towards Link. Luckily, Link didn't look at it in the eye. Backing away from the thing, he weighed his options.

At last, the lazy guard on the turret above woke up to all the commotion that was going on. He didn't have time to think, as when he saw the Defender of Faith on the ground, facing something unknown, he called for help.

Link got to his feet and reached for his bow. If Gomess taught him anything, a shadow didn't take too well to the power of light. He retrieved a light arrow and fired without delay.

The light plowed through the darkness and a loud screech was heard, coming from an unseen source. A piece of shadow broke off from the main mass and landed in the grass nearby. The being comprised of chaos retracted into the ground, reverting into its shadow form and fleeing.

Link ran to the grass and searched around for a moment. There, he saw what he was looking for. A slice of darkness no bigger than a snowball. He took out a bottle and scooped it up, closing the lid and keeping it trapped. He turned his head back towards the source and watched as it faded from view. Link considered following it, but he heard the sound of armor rattling and footsteps approaching. He groaned.

Sheathing his sword, Link turned around and looked at the incoming squad of soldiers with a frown. The group stopped once they were just a few feet away from the hero.

"You're a little late," Link said, crossing his arms. He didn't give them any time to respond, and he started to walk back to town, pushing through them.

"You have to believe us! That… thing is not natural! It doesn't belong…" Flavi pleaded to Zelda but couldn't finish her final sentence. The princess agreed to meet the trio of Gerudo after being told what happened, and from what it sounded like, they were desperate.

"I'm not saying I don't believe you, just we don't exactly know what this thing is." Zelda remained calm.

Link stood in the doorway to the King's chamber, musing about the mysterious little thing stuck in a bottle in the bottom of his bag. It reminded him of Black Boe he came across in the Woodfall temple, but it was a bit smaller and lacked any eyes. He didn't have a clue what to do with it. It didn't seem dangerous, at least not at the moment. He lost his train of thought when Zelda addressed him.

"Link!" Zelda repeated.

"Hm? Oh, yeah?" Link blinked once and stood straight.

"Could you escort Flavi back to town and see that her and her cohorts are taken care of?" Zelda looked at Link sternly. He nodded and turned to leave.

He was stopped by the princess.

"Link, I would also like to add…" Zelda began, standing up from her chair. She beckoned the boy to her and he did as he was instructed.

"Kneel, please." Zelda asked politely, not wanting to make her tone sound rude.

Link kneeled, and Zelda stepped down the small set of stairs and stood before the hero. The extended her arm and placed her hand on his shoulders one at a time.

"My father wanted to grant something to you. Full permission to the use of your sword. Our guards reported on how proficiently you handled the thing that was chasing those women." Once Zelda finished Link's 'promotion', she smiled.

Link only did the same and gave a nod of farewell before leaving with Flavi. As soon as the boy turned around, Zelda's smile went away. She hoped she could redeem herself for what she put him through before.

The entire walk back was silent, all except for the vague mutterings coming from Flavi. It was mostly incoherent, but it concerned Link. She seemed to have closed herself off and held her hands by her stomach, like she was too afraid to let her own arms relax.

When the pair got back, Link couldn't get his friends to let him think.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Navi asked again.

"Yes, Navi, I'm fine." Link assured her.

"You better not be lying to us!" Tatl said, arms crossed. The expression on her face told Link that she couldn't be more serious. Those two fairies seemed to be spending a lot more time together.

Every time Link wanted to reach into his bag and fish out the bottle, he was interrupted by another question from his friends. He knew they cared, but a part of him was eternally interested in what exactly the living shadow was.

"You want a snack, honey?" Anju asked from the kitchen. Link shook his head and slumped down on the couch. He didn't even notice Skull Kid taking a seat next to him.

"Everything okay?" Skull Kid said, almost in a whisper.

"Mhm. I'm just thinking." Link was staring off into space. It lasted a while.

"You know if there's anything you need to talk about, we're all here." Skull Kid said, putting his arm around Link's shoulder.

"I know."

For a while they sat there, thinking about separate things. Link's mind wandered to the Gerudo refugees.

"Come on, let's go see those three." Link stood up.

"Huh? Me?" Skull Kid looked around, unsure if his friend was referring to someone else.

"Of course, you. We barely get to do much together." Link smiled and held his hand out for the imp to take.

He reached out and took Link's hand, and they set off. When they got to the house in the back alley where the ladies were being taken care of, they waited patiently after knocking.

"Hello Link." The woman who answered the door looked a little familiar to Link. It was that lady who had lost her poor little dog, Richard, all those years ago.

"And… who is…?" She was taken aback slightly by Skull Kid for a second, but she regained composure and properly addressed them.

"I guess you're here to see how they're doing?"

"Yes ma'am." Link said, giving a small nod. Skull Kid followed his gesture.

The lady let the two in and they saw the Gerudo women. They all rested on whatever they could, their hearts still beating like mad. The teen looked over the three and saw that one of them was wounded.

"You mind I take a look at that?" Link asked.

Kyojin just nodded and extended her leg. Carefully taking it, Link reached into his bag and pulled out the Ocarina of Time. The woman stared with wonder as he adjusted his position and prepared to play something.

Without a word, Link played the Song of Healing. The magic activated, and images of comfort and healing surrounded the boy. Kyojin recoiled slightly when her wound started to seal up. As it finished, Link gently got up and let her rest again.

"Thanks…" she said. The teen just smiled and gave her some space.

"How long have they been like this?" Link whispered to the caretaker as he stood by her side again.

"Ever since they got here…"

Neither noticed how Skull Kid was gazing at the trio. The faces they wore, their eyes, everything was making the imp's inner gears turn in a way that filled him with dread.

"I know that look…" Skull Kid mumbled. Link and the lady turned their heads towards him.

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"The one on the couch," Skull Kid pointed to Flavi. "Her mind is lost."

Link looked back to Flavi. Her face was pale, her hand was to her heart, and she stared at the ceiling with a cloudy glint in her eyes. She was almost completely different compared to how Link saw her just half an hour before. Now just wearing a look that conveyed that she didn't seem to be aware of her surroundings.

"When someone sees into the eye of something magical that they can't understand, they get lost in it. The same…" Skull Kid stopped, and he removed his mask. "…happened with me. When I first looked at Ma-"

Link knew what he was talking about. The imp wouldn't dare invoke the name of that mask. Not after all this time. Even if her soul had been cleansed, Skull Kid never wanted to say her name.

Then Skull Kid got lost for a moment. He thought about when he ambushed the poor salesman. Rummaging around in his belongings until he found that accursed item. How it hypnotized him and took control played in his head. He snapped out of it when Link came into his field of view.

"Hey…" Link said, his words soothing. "Don't worry about that."

"A-Alright…" Skull Kid mumbled.

"Well, be sure to tell us if anything comes up. I think we should leave them be for now." Link said. The pair left, and the woman continued to look after the Gerudo.

"So, what do you think?" Skull Kid asked during the walk back to the house.

"I'm not sure. I've only really felt 'lost' like how you said once before." Such a dirty lie. Link was felt that way many, many times. When he first faced Ganondorf on the bridge as a child, when he witnessed Majora come to life while in her lair, when Gomess reappeared, and more.

That kind of feeling was almost too familiar with the hero, but he forced himself to not think about it for most of the day. Even during dinner, he fought the urge to go up to his room and inspect the glass jar. Such an urge would only grow stronger as the day delved into the night.

Hours later, Link was still awake, sitting atop his bed. He held the bottle containing the orb of shadow in his lap. Not much activity now. He remembered it moved on occasion, but now it was almost lifeless.

Putting the glass onto the desk across from his bed, Link laid down on the mattress and slowly drifted off to sleep.

However, the moment he began to snore, the bottle on the desk shook. It did so once, then again, and again. The matter within pushed against the wall of the bottle, and it eventually teetered off the desk and fell to the floor with a clunk. It didn't crack, thankfully, but it slowly rolled over to the foot of Link's bed.

There, it got started. It wasn't as effective as it could be due to its size, but it could work with that it had.

The first thing Link saw was himself. His sleeves. Black, with fine cuffs just where his hands were. He was wearing a modified tunic. Far more formal than what he was used to.

Walking into the Milk Bar, Link rubbed his chin, the stubble along the bottom making him feel a little self-conscious about his appearance. He wished he taken better time to shave like how Kafei taught him.

Descending down the steps, Link saw the Gerudo woman he was supposed to meet. Her dress was just lovely, but he took care in keeping his musings about her noble. The ring on his left hand reminded him of who he had the honor of being married to.

"Hello. You must be Riju, correct?" Link smiled as he sat down on the stool next to the woman. He extended his hand for her to shake, and she gladly did so. "My name is-"

"Link, Defender of Faith." Riju stated before Link could finish his sentence. Her ditzy, yet snarky smile rubbed Link the wrong way a bit, but his expression didn't waver.

"No need for introductions, Mr. Dotour. I'm already well familiar with you." Riju turned towards Mr. Barten and proved just how right she was.

"For the man, a glass of Chateau Romani, stirred lightly with ice."

Link took her knowledge of him as a challenge. There was a small impulsive sense he had to counter her, and it won out against his usual gentlemanly style.

"And for the lady, a Fairy Tonic, with a hint of Haste Elixir." Link smiled.

"Well done." Riju commented, waiting for their drinks.

Once the drinks arrived, Riju decided to take it one step further.

"Link Dotour. Adopted son of Anju and Kafei Dotour. True parents lost to time." Link flinched at the mention of his 'true parents'. How on earth did she know about that?

"Granted permission to the sword by both the King of Hyrule and the Mayor of Clock Town. Has used this privilege on many occasions." Riju was starting to push it. She took another swing of her tonic but still continued.

"At times a little careless. Seems to have grown slightly reckless when it comes to certain assignments."

Link grew more and more frustrated at the condescending tone of this woman's voice. Her comments on his cavalier attitude towards life were starting to peeve him, alongside the statements about his history that she should have no knowledge of.

"Many, many companions, but only really interacts with a certain group of people. Friend killed by-" Now this woman had taken it a little too far. Link's eyes lowered, and he turned to face her.

"Alright, you've made your point." Link interrupted in an authoritative tone, looking her dead in the eyes.

The foreign look of hate in Link's eyes startled Riju. The usual snarky smirk on her face vanished, and she adjusted her posture to become more serious. She didn't expect to even get a reaction from the man across from her, let alone seemingly getting on his nerves. Not knowing what to say, she formed a slight stutter.

"Y-You're sensitive, Link…"

"About a certain number of things, yes," said Link, putting the glass in his hand down. "And I'd prefer if they'd stay private."

Link stood up and straightened his tunic. He didn't give Riju any time to react to his statement as he prepared to leave. Before he left, he wore a strained smile and leaned a little closer to her.

"You don't mind the bill, do you?"

Link left the bar, not looking back. His faux smile disappeared as soon as he knew he was out of her line of sight, replaced by a tired scowl. He looked at the clock on the wall and narrowed down just how much time he wasted talking to that woman.

"Bitch…" he mumbled under his breath. Then everything became hazy.

Link awoke with a start. He looked around. He was right back in bed.

That dream was… different.

Link inspected himself. Plain white shirt, gear in the corner, still in his bedroom. Dawn was just starting to flood the room. This time he had the window closed so he wouldn't get blinded. Hopping out of bed, he didn't notice the bottle that lay under the frame.

For a while Link sat alone, thinking. That dream was far too real. The drink was just how he preferred Chateau Romani. The tunic was one he recognized. The name 'Riju' felt oddly familiar. What shook him the most is what the woman in his dream seemed to be aware of something that he wasn't. At least not at the present. A chill crept down his spine and he shuddered.

The first few hours of the day were troubling. Link's thoughts were swarmed with the details of his dream. While he was washing up in the bathroom, he thought he could see his reflection looking at him. Each time he gave the mirror attention, it was perfectly normal.

He couldn't get rid of the feeling that eyes were preying upon him. Some memories of the Garo came back.

"Romani." Link asked his girlfriend, who was sitting on a stool by the top window, looking out onto the town.

"Do you ever feel like you're being watched?"

Romani was puzzled. "No, why, Grasshopper?"

"N-Nothing, just I feel like… something's not right." Link's words were quiet, and he kept fiddling with his belt.

After getting only a shrug from Romani, Link went back to his room. The glass bottle was back on the desk. Taking a seat, he stared at the jar for a bit. It just sat normally, the strange blob inside twitching at times. The way it seemed to be aware of itself and its surroundings mystified Link, as when he reached out to tap the glass, it retreated.

Then it lurched. It snapped forward like a viper going after prey. Making the bottle shake, Link backed away, eyes wide. He stared it down for a moment. It only acted once, but the boy waited to see if it would do anything else. It lasted a while until he decided to put it in his item bag and leave the house, bag in hand.

Back at the house where the Gerudo were staying, Link tried to talk to Flavi.

"Could you say that again?" Link asked for the third time. The poor woman was still speaking in mumbles. Her eyes were still glassy and seemed trained on something that wasn't there.

"L-Link, we appreciate the concern, but me and Kyojin have been trying to get through to her for hours. I'm not sure what else can be done." Ante stood next to the teen in green.

Putting his hand to his chin, Link thought about if there was really anything he could do. The only idea he had was the item in his bag. Reaching into the sack, he pulled out the jar containing the bizarre bug.

The moment Flavi saw the bottle, her eyes narrowed, and she started to panic.

"Get that away!" Flavi screamed, leaping from the chair she sat in and ducking behind it.

Kyojin and the woman taking care of the three stood up and shared the same expression Link and Ante did. Pure, unfiltered confusion. It was only a bottle, right?

"F-Flavi?" Kyojin stuttered, not recognizing the look on her friends' face.

"That. That's the thing I warned the princess about!" Flavi barked, bearing her teeth and acting almost feral.

"This?" Link gazed at the bottle.

"Yes!"

Suddenly, the bottle shook violently. The creature went wild, slamming itself onto the walls of the glass. The vibration made Link's hand slip, and he nearly dropped the jar onto the floor. Keep a firm grip on the item, Link looked back at the fearful Gerudo. Her eyes conveyed something he was familiar with.

"What's making you afraid of this?" Link asked.

"I-It's what it showed me…" Flavi said, averting her eyes.

"What did it show you?"

"See for yourself…" Flavi's voice became deep for a second. She shakily pointed to the shadow contained within the jar.

Staring into the bottle, Link didn't know what to expect. The shaking stopped and the darkness sat still.

Then, it grew an eye.

Its entire body morphed from a pitch black to a golden-yellow. Something had changed, and deep within the temple where the source of the matter was being held, it changed too. The darkness creeping along its body was shed and blasted away by its captors, ready to be replaced by a fresh wave of magic in due time.

Meanwhile, for the little piece of mysterious matter that was separated from the rest, it became independent. Its sclera was still dark, but the iris and pupil became a hideous yellow. Fangs surrounded the eyeball, appearing almost like a toothy maw. Small, thin appendages sprouted from its back, and it seemed to be the spitting image of what it came from.

Once its transformation was complete, a shrill ringing emanated from the bottle and Link's ears felt like they were being assaulted. He slammed his eyes shut and reeled back in pain. The thing was sending him a message, something from the depths of the hive its mind occupied.

Everyone else covered their ears except for Flavi. The noise didn't even seem to affect her. Link's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his jaw began to hang open. His grip on the bottle loosened and it shattered on the floor. As soon as the thing was free, it zipped across the room and crashed through the small window and out of town.

Link was still left paralyzed for a second before his eyes returned to normal and his legs gave out.

Flavi came to her senses and helped Link up. He was left panting, somehow out of breath. The others removed their hands from their heads once they realized the sound was over at last.

"Wh-What on earth happened?!" Kyojin bellowed.

"It- sh-showed me…" Link told, unsure how to explain it.

"I saw… its memories." Link said between breaths. His combed his fingers through his hair to get them out of his face, the sweat making it stick. "I saw what it was planning to do."

"It's not the only one."

Ante, Kyojin, and the caretaker drew a little closer to Link, somewhat curious on what exactly happened. Flavi didn't need the explanation. She knew what the boy saw.

"It's entire species…" Link's heart was still beating wildly. The image of hundreds of dark specs flying around in a space in vibrant color and sound was burned into his mind. "…they're like locusts."

"A plague. They invade worlds, going from place to place, consuming happiness and light and then moving on." His face was as pale as Flavi's was.

Link knew why she was nearly comatose now. When he, a person with terrible knowledge of things far bigger than him, had trouble comprehending what he saw, he couldn't imagine how it made her feel. It struck fear into his soul.

"But this one… this one was taken. Someone… brought it here." Link muttered; his words were noticeably quieter than the ones before. "Even it doesn't want to be here."

Link's thoughts went straight to the Thunderbird. The look of confusion it wore, the bead he detached from its neck, its sudden passiveness. Zelda told him that it was identified as a jewel infused with a special kind of magic.

Link finally realized the bottle was no longer in his hands. He looked down and saw the shards of glass scattered along the floor. His eyes went straight for any exits. The broken window was all he needed to see to start running.

Bursting through the door, Link bolted as fast as he could to the drawbridge. No sign of his little friend. Squinting his eyes, he scanned all the scenery. When Kyojin, Flavi, and Ante caught up with him, he was still looking for the creature.

"It's gone." Link felt defeated.

"Well, now what?" Ante asked.

She didn't receive any response. The hero just lowered his head and started to think. The pictures he saw in his head were front and center, revolving around his train of thought endlessly. The dream he had and how it was likely concocted by the thing in the bottle shook him to his core.

"I don't know," Link finally said, turning back to head into town. "But we may need to prepare for something big. I have a feeling it's coming back. Bigger, this time."

Link went back into town, and the three Gerudo were left alone. After a while, they each grew the silent resolve to try their best to help the Defender of Faith. Both for the good of their own people and the people of Hyrule. Whatever it was they were facing, it didn't just pose a threat to only the Gerudo.

All that night, Link didn't get an ounce of sleep. He stood guard out by the gate, gear strapped to him. Even as the fellow atop the turret snored, he was awake. How long he would need to stay awake, he didn't know.

Chapter Text

Hey hey! Here we are, the second grand battle! This is the chapter where I really go ALL IN with the horror aspects, and I even plan on changing one of the genre tags to reflect that. Anyways, brace yourselves and enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 11: When the World Falls Away

Link nearly fell over for the third time. Rubbing the dark bags under his eyes, he yawned heavily and still remained awake.

The guard who usually slept atop the turret was fully alert now, but not because of any sort of duty. Because of Link. For almost three whole days, Link hadn't gotten a drop of sleep. His eyes were almost frighteningly bloodshot, and his hair was a complete mess. Clothes were wrinkled and had a faint odor accompanying them. His condition was worrying, not only for the fellow guard, but everyone he knew. No one had ever seen him like this.

Link fought to stay conscious. Every few minutes another yawn escaped his lips. He had something in his mouth, chewing being the one of the only things keeping him awake and active.

Romani approached, and the guard heard her footsteps. Turning around, she waved and signaled for a report. Again, not on any kind of duties, but on the teenager who hadn't slept for over 60 hours.

"Nothing much different, ma'am. I noticed he drinks a red potion every once in a while…" The guard said, rubbing his neck and looking at the hero. He figured that must be how he's managed to stay up for so long.

"Romani told him to not do that." Romani grumbled, watching Link lean on the wall adjacent to the drawbridge. Such a method could hurt him over time.

For once, Link didn't hear the conversation behind him. He was so exhausted; his own hearing wasn't what it used to be. Sleep would definitely get him back up to his best, but a little voice inside his head told him he wouldn't like what he would see if he did.

Opening his item bag, Link spat out the small bit of food in his mouth and felt around for another bottle. When he grabbed one and pulled it from the bag, it was empty. He tilted his head back and groaned.

He would need to go back to the shop and buy some more. His rupees were running low now, but some lawn work would help him stock up. Turning back and walking past Romani and the guard, he went into town. Each step he took was a little weary. His hands twitched involuntarily, and his stomach growled.

Going through the door of the potion shop, Link rung up the merchant and waited to buy his drinks, setting three bottles on the counter.

"We actually have something new this evening. Milk, straight from R- er, Lon Lon Ranch!" The merchant picked up a large bottle, its label hastily drawn over to resemble the Hylian Ranch.

Link knew right away it wasn't from Lon Lon, but he hardly cared. Reaching into his wallet, he got out the amount of rupees he needed.

"Would you like that stirred with ice?" The merchant asked, looking at a paper a certain redhead left him alongside the milk.

"Does it look like I give a damn?" Link said, his tone making it clear what kind of a mood he was in.

The merchant took a step back, not expecting the profanity to come from the hero's mouth. After an annoyed look from the teen, he simply collected the bottles Link put on the counter and filled them with milk, then giving them to the tired boy.

Link left the shop, drinks in hand, and went home for a second. He walked up the stairs and entered his room, eyes landing on the chest in the corner containing all of the items he didn't need in his bag. He had to find something else to do to drive away his tiredness.

Rummaging around the chest, he found a lot of old memories. His old Fairy Bow, the Iron Boots, even the Stone of Agony. Figuring they would provide some semblance of entertainment as he stood guard, he stuffed them into his bag and left.

"Link, do you want anything to eat?" Anju asked, hoping to persuade him to get some kind of meal. She didn't even get a response.

Link returned to his post. The minutes ticked by, and he inspected the Fairy Bow. It was a little weathered, but it could still be useful. Its string still made a fine tune when pulled back.

After a while, Link's thirst returned. Taking out one of the bottles, he looked at it carefully. He actually smiled for the first time in days and drank a bit. Most of his senses may have been dulled due to his need for rest, but he could still recognize the taste of Romani Ranch milk.

Link drank the milk just as Romani had taught him all those years ago. He put his hand on his hip and took a big gulp, still savoring everything about it. He smiled again when he was done, a nice memory allowing him to feel something besides exhaustion.

Then, a distant hum was heard. Putting the drink away, Link looked to the sky, noticing the moon becoming obscured by inky black clouds. The way they moved was a little unnatural. All his nerves went on high alert, and Romani sprinted back to the house to alert the others.

The humming grew more intense, making Link shudder at the feeling of his insides vibrating. Finally something could be seen in the distance. A single, yellow eye. With everything else around almost pitch black, the illusion made it seemed like the eye was just floating there.

The guard returned to the turret and fired some flaming arrows to the lamps lining the wall. The large gust of wind had blown them out. When the light returned, the rest of the eyeball could be seen.

It was a large sphere of pure shadow, with long, lanky tentacles emerging from its behind. The eye was the only thing that seemed normal, the darkness unable to cover it. The thing drew closer to the bridge, and Link didn't hesitate to fight it.

Drawing his bow, he readied a light arrow and shot it. The item plunged into the body of the dark matter, and it contorted. Stretching like rubber, it took a second for it to return to normal. It spat out the light arrow and it landed on the bridge beside Link. Its eye still hadn't blinked once.

Skull Kid, Jim, Romani, Navi, and Tatl were making their way to the bridge to assist Link, but he hadn't noticed. Unsheathing his sword, he charged. He swung the Gilded blade, and it again sailed right through the creature's body.

Link lost his balance and fell to the ground. Before he could get up, the darkness turned around and faced him, extending its appendages and bringing them closer to the boy. They wrapped around his head and pulled him upwards, making his back arch.

The darkness planned to show Link something, but it didn't get the chance. It felt unruly pain in its behind, and one of its tentacles sprouted an eye to see what happened.

It saw Jim, light arrow in hand, stabbing the darkness with the body of the item, letting the light pierce its body. The boy didn't need magic to use the item, it was still in effect when Link fired.

Releasing its grip from the Defender of Faith, it swung around to face the trio.

"Give Romani the arrow!" Link shouted, knowing the magic wouldn't stay in effect for much longer.

"What!?" Jim replied, baffled.

"Just do it!" Link said.

Jim quickly tore the arrow from the shadow, and it reeled back in pain. Chucking it towards the ranch woman, she caught it and placed it in her bow. She shot it point blank at the darkness, this time striking its eye.

Link scrambled to his feet and met up with his friends.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Jim asked, never taking his eyes off the darkness as it writhed around.

"It's weak to the light arrows!" Link said, taking out a bundle of twenty. He knew it'd cost a lot of magic to activate them all at once, but he held them firmly and closed his eyes.

A blinding light came forth, and all twenty arrows lit up. He dispersed them between himself at the others.

"Do whatever you need with them, just make sure you hit it!" Link ordered.

Romani just put the arrows she received into her quiver, but Jim and Skull Kid were a little more perplexed on what to do with them. Then, the crafty imp got an idea. Taking one arrow, he snapped the wooden body from the tip and stuck it to one of the ends of his staff. He swung it around to make sure it wouldn't fly off, and then did it again for the other end of his weapon.

Jim, broke off the gem of light and placed it on the bottom of the hilt of his sword, infusing it with magic. It wouldn't last forever, but it'd be a nice upgrade for now.

"A-Alright, that works… Give your spares to Romani and me!" Link looked at the three arrows Skull Kid hadn't used, then the four that Jim didn't use.

The boys gave the pair the rest of their arrows, and they turned to see the darkness back up.

"So, do we just follow your lead?" Navi asked Link.

"Yeah, I think it'd be best to-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Skull Kid hollered, staff in the air. He started running.

"Wait, Skull Kid!" Tatl yelled. "What are you doing?!"

The ambitious imp ran, spinning his staff around like the Kakariko windmill and then slamming it into the shadow's side. Romani fired her bow, light soaring through the air and striking the monster. Jim went next, slicing into the mass with the light-infused sword.

Each strike of light make the darkness on the creature's body recede, and when Link fired his own light arrow, it completely went away. Now, Bellum's true form could be seen.

Link froze at the sight. Its body was a golden yellow, all its features being a mirror of the little one that escaped from its container a few days before. Eyeball that was surrounded by teeth, round body adorned with strange patterns, and long, dark tentacles.

"Link, everyone, cover your ears!" Tatl yelped. She had an idea what the monster was about to do next. Luckily, she was right.

A loud shriek came from the eye, and everyone did as Tatl demanded. Just like the Thunderbird before it, its roar could be heard all throughout Hyrule. It sounded like one of the Indigo-Go's instruments being strangled. This time, however, it had a different strategy.

Bellum rose two appendages and swung, swatting Romani, Jim, and Skull Kid away like they were nothing. When they landed, the light arrows dimmed, the magic fading from them. Link would need to use more to get them running again.

"No!" Link yelled when he saw Bellum strike his friends like they were insects. He rose to his feet and pulled out another light arrow, but it fell from his grip just a second later.

Bellum wrapped its tentacles around Link's body, bringing him up and towards its eye. It kept his arms by his sides, knowing what the boy did to the monster it centered its nightmare around over a week prior. The teen kept his eyes closed, but when thinner limbs sprouted from the ones keeping him hostage, they forced his eyelids open.

"Get off of him!" Navi, alongside Tatl, tried to tug on one of Bellum's arms, but then more thin limbs appeared, and they advanced towards the blue one.

They sliced Navi's right wing clean off and nearly tore the left from its nerves. Navi screamed in agony and fainted, dropping out of the air and into the grass.

"NAVI!" Tatl's voice was consumed by fear, and she stopped trying to get Bellum to cease its attack and flew below to the downed fairy.

Romani fought against her own urge to stay down and saw the demon attacking her friend.

"Grasshopper!" Romani squeaked, feeling helpless.

There, Link was sent to the edge of reality, Bellum's eye appearing as a swirling mass of darkness. It started to bring the hero into an illusion, all to show him true fear.

Link was falling. Clouds swirled around him, and he looked around frantically. Creatures unknown started to fly past him, all staring him down akin to rodents inspecting food, regardless of if they actually had eyes.

A demasked Redead covered in red hair whizzed by, hollering a long moan. A skeleton head with spider legs at its base flew past, its call sounding like warbled gargling. A skinned horse with insectoid wings galloped on air, giggling like a child. A mangled Garo with Majora's Mask sewn to its face circled around Link before flying away. Everything the hero saw creeped him out to no end.

Then the abstract monsters stopped appearing, and they were replaced by dark blobs. They were similar to how Bellum looked when covered with darkness, but these had red eyes and stubby, orange pedals on the back. The locusts.

The teen continued to fall, but it all stopped when he got to the center of the clouds. A gravestone with the name obscured hit Link in the face before breaking apart. The pieces sailed about and then reassembled into first an effigy of the Fierce Deity's mask, then a petrified statue of Anju and Kafei. They looked like they were begging for their lives.

"No! I won't let it!" Link screamed, bringing his fist to the stone. It shattered and the rubble disintegrated.

Then the area around Link changed. The floor gave away and a sea of deep red appeared. It wasn't evident it was an ocean of blood until skulls and bones rose to the surface. The boy just floated there, unable to move.

Then something else emerged from the sea. A long spider leg. Two more joined it, then three, then the last two. All stood firm as they hoisted the unseen body of the creature. When the rest of the spider appeared, it looked nothing like Gohma had.

The spider bore two large fangs just next to the first two legs, and then two miniscule pairs of Hylian arms right below the mouth. Four small eyes served as how the beast could see, with a fifth, large yellow eye right on the top of its thorax.

Link remained as stiff as stone, his eyes refusing to look away. The enormous spider roared, taking swipes at the hero with its legs. Then it used its hind legs to stand further up, and on its underside two jaws opened up, bearing endless teeth and multiple tongues flailing around.

Now he could avert his eyes. When Link finally opened his own mouth, he screamed as loud as he could. He never expected to have a fear of spiders, but here he was.

Meanwhile, on the outside, Bellum seemed absolutely ecstatic over what Link was witnessing. Link even screamed on the outside, but what happened next filled the Dream God with confusion.

Link opened his eyes, and both within the illusion and in Bellum's grasp, they rolled into the back of his head. Then his hair started to change. It remained golden from right to left, but at the edge of his head, about an inch of hair began to go a light silver. In tandem with his scream, he gained the distinguishing white streak, coming from the root of his bangs all the way to the back. Just like in the dream.

When it finished, Link was freed, and he landed on the ground in a heap. Bellum's illusion finally ended. His eyes went back to normal, and he blinked twice once he woke up. He didn't even notice the change in hair, the very start of the silver hair hardly visible in the corner of his eye.

The Specter of Evil gazed at Link, unsure how to interpret his new feature. Its entire body tilted, and it didn't even try to stop the hero from grabbing the light arrow from the grass.

Link drew his bow and fired the arrow, but Bellum dodged. Getting to his feet, Link looked at his friends as they struggled to recover, then to Navi and Tatl. The blue fairy was being cradled in Tatl's arms, the disembodied right wing sitting next to her.

An unknown feeling of rage welled up inside him, and he charged once again. The phantom thought the boy was simply being impulsive, and it remained still and waited for Link's sword to pass through its body.

It didn't.

Link's eyes lost their pupils for a minute and started to glow a brilliant white, alongside the white section of his hair. He jumped up into the air and swung his sword, blue particles surrounding the weapon. When it made contact with his opponent, a bright flash occurred, and the Gilded Sword took the form of the Fierce Deity's Sword.

The powerful god had looked down from the heavens upon the hero and smiled. The double helix blade dug into Bellum's body, slicing a piece off. Bellum went sent to the ground, and the part that Link carved away vanished in a burst of sparks.

"A god… to a god." A familiar voice said, audible to only Link. The departed hero still watched over the boy, just from a distance.

Link's eyes returned to normal, hair stopped glowing, and the weapon in his hand reformed to the Gilded Sword once more. He stood still for a second, palm to his forehead. Did that really just happen?

He had no time to think. Jim, Romani, and Skull Kid were rushing towards him. He had no idea if they had seen what he just did, but it didn't matter.

"Are you guys hurt?" Link asked, scanning his friends. He scooped the two fairies and the piece of wing from the grass and into his hands, holding them protectively.

All three of them wanted to say something, but they were taken aback by Link's hair. The way the silver clashed with the gold made their minds go wild.

"What?" Link asked.

"We're fine… B-But we need more magic!" Jim shook his head and the task at hand returned to his thoughts. He showed Link the dulled sword and Skull Kid's staff.

"Oh! Right!" Link took the items and braced for pain.

The gems lit up again, and Link groaned. Needing to empower the arrowheads took a lot out of him. His knees gave out and he collapsed.

"Link!" Skull Kid said, kneeling down to help the teen.

Link just panted, his eyes growing more and more bloodshot. He couldn't keep this up forever. His body was starting to fall asleep on its own. Jim turned and planned to attack the demon, but Link grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Take…" Link winced. "Take Tatl and Navi back to the house… G-Get Tael here…"

Jim was given the fairies and he nodded, running as fast as he could back home.

Skull Kid decided to do his best to distract the monster they faced by swatting it repeatedly with his staff, the light leaving trails of sparks suspended in the air. His assault on the demon was stopped when another tentacle grabbed his staff. It wrapped its lanky form around one of the gems stuck to the end and tightened. It was agonizing, but the sheer pressure made the crystal crack, and then explode, particles flying into the air.

Link, uncoordinated, tried to swing his sword at Bellum, but as before, it phased right through the beast. Backing away, the Gilded Sword was knocked from the boy's hand and then one of the tentacles shot forward, stabbing Link's right arm and pinning him to the ground.

The dust from the light rained down on the Gilded Sword, and it started to glow. Romani, closest to the weapon, decided to grab and throw it right at Bellum, guessing the glow could do something, anything, to their attacker.

Luckily, it did. The light pulsing from the blade acted as a deterrent for the nightmare, falling out of the air and onto the ground.

By now, Jim had returned with Tael by his side, and the purple fairy rushed to Link to give him the edge he needed.

"Link, your sword!" Tael said, pointing to the weapon.

Link, still pinned to the ground, extended his hand to reach for the item. After Romani's throw it had landed right next to him, but then Bellum swung another arm and made it hurdle across the field, landing somewhere in the river. The teen cursed out loud.

Jim, using the last of the light infused within his sword, swiping at the arm Bellum was using to keep Link down. It severed the golden limb, freeing the hero and covering the ground in an orange bodily fluid. Both boys look on with disgust.

The dream demon had enough. Opening its eye all the way, the teeth became elongated. It roared, and the power of its deafening scream killed the foliage surrounding the heroes, making flowers wilt and grass to turn brown. Flying into the air, it started to fire black beams of plasma from its eye, striking the ground and making the dry land catch fire easily.

Rings of fire formed and surrounded the four fighters, rounding them up and slowly closing in on them. Skull Kid was the most afraid of the flames. He was the one made of wood.

"Alright, now what?" Jim asked, huddling around the others and facing the fire.

Link was already assessing the situation. Countless ideas raced through his head until he thought to just a few moments prior. When Bellum destroyed the light gem. If its power still affected things, even when it pieces, maybe another kind of arrow could do the same thing.

The hero in green quickly pulled out some ice arrows and then activated them. Next he kneeled down to see if the bag had another big and heavy to smash them with.

"What are you doing, Link?" Skull Kid asked, hearing the rustling items.

"Searching for… something." Link muttered, not looking at the imp. Then, he found the Stone of Agony. It was old, but it'd do.

Link raised the heavy stone into the air and brought it down on a set of four ice arrows. After repeated hits, they broke, and the boy picked them up and showed them to his friends.

"Throw them at the flames, they'll put them out." Link said, passing everyone a pile of blue gems.

Without a second to lose, they hurled the pieces at the flames, and they fizzled out. Cheering, the group looked back at Bellum, watching as it flew back down and faced them. It made its eye go swirly again, and it put Link, Romani, and Jim under a trance. Peculiarly, it had no effect on Skull Kid.

"Guys? Guys!? What's going on?!" Skull Kid noticed his friends almost go limp, and they were seized by the demon by its tentacles and lifted high into the air. He could only stare in horror as they were each shown their own personal nightmares.

Deep within the depths of Link's mind, he was forced to witness his friends getting brutally offed over and over again. Romani was made to see Them invade her family ranch, abducting the poor cows. Jim had to endure seeing his own parents get tortured by dark figures.

Skull Kid kept trying to hit Bellum with his staff, the last bits of light not lasting much longer. He stopped when he heard voices come from the creature.

"We've won!" One voice called out, sounding like a little girl.

"We've won!" Another repeated, now with the voice of a Goron.

"Victory is ours!" The last voice sounded like a deranged Wolfos that learned how to talk, the last word accompanied by a slight howl. The use of 'ours' mystified the onlooking imp, but he remained composed.

"Not yet!" Skull Kid yelled back, resorting to throwing his staff. The side with the last light gem was pointed at the demon, and it stuck itself right into Bellum's side.

The three teenagers were released from Bellum's trance, and Link was the first to act. He instinctively reached out and opened the palm of his hand. Suddenly, the Gilded Sword rose from the river and flew into his grip, still glowing. There, he cleaved the arm that held him captive in half, and then threw the sword at the other arms, helping the others get free.

Reaching out again, the sword returned to Link's hand, and he leaped up. Pointing the tip of the blade at Bellum's eye, it only took a second for it to make contact with it. Tearing through the lens, the sword plowed through the organ. Bellum fell to the earth, as did the others.

Panting heavily, Link pulled the sword from the beast and jumped off. He and his friends watched as Bellum finally perished, its body shaking before cracks formed, beams of light flooding through. One last roar came from it before it disintegrated. When the smoke cleared, all that was left behind was a single red jewel.

There was a long stretch of silence as Link walked towards where Bellum disappeared from and picked up the red bead. It was just like the one he found on the Thunderbird. He pocketed it and then sat down, roughly.

"Did we do it?" Jim asked, walking behind Link, the others right next to him.

"Yeah…" Link said, looking into the distance. All his power had washed away. The glow from the Gilded Sword had vanished, as did the gem on Skull Kid's staff. "I think we did it…"

"Sweet…" Jim replied.

"Romani thinks we should get some rest." Romani remarked, putting away her bow and smirking.

Jim and Skull Kid smiled with the ranch woman, but their expressions quickly faded when the saw Link fall backwards, slumping onto the ground, fast asleep. His gold and silver hair covered his face, entire body going limp. His exhausted brain demanded he get rest. Just how much he'd get wasn't something it had the energy to think about.

The others slowly sat themselves down as well and rested right next to Link. Even Tael rested on the boy's green hat. None cared if they were lying in the grass, or that it was a muggy night. Their concern for their friend from the past few days could finally be at peace. They were tired too.

Chapter Text

Well, my week has been a little crazy. But, I have the next part of the story ready! Not that much to add, however I think you guys may wanna brace yourselves. Link's unseen opponents don't plan on letting him have much of a break. Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 12: Insomnia

"Unbelievable!" One figure screamed, going through her usual anger routine. They pointed towards the wall and blasted it, more rubble getting sent across the room.

"I knew that big yellow blob wasn't up to snuff." The one above remarked. "The rest of it could be taken down by a pink orb, did we really expect it to be a match for that boy?"

A nerve was touched, and the other looked upwards where her cohort stood. Summoning her broom to her hand, they flew up and landed on the platform right next to her friend. Their face was adorned with a sly smile and her eyes were filled with malice.

"That's the neat thing about it! It was a match for him!" The figure continued, throwing her hands in the air. "It had him and his little friends… right there!"

"Then should we get something sooner? Or wait for that smaller piece to grow?"

The screaming one paused, a terrible idea forming in their mind. They clasped their hands together and hunched over, giggling softly. The one next to her just gave a bewildering stare.

"What? What are you planning now?" She asked.

"Perhaps if he was a little more… afraid." The hunched one hissed, rubbing her old, boney hands against the other. "It's perfect!"

"I… don't follow." The other said in an annoyed tone, crossing their arms.

"He seems to have a fear of spiders… and you know where we came across a horde of spiders, correct?" The hunched figure smiled devilishly.

Her cohort grew the same smile. Now they were on the same page. The portal wouldn't even need the extra power to hop realities. They just needed time. A twin laugh started to echo through the room, bouncing through the halls of the open doorway. Turning around, one of them cast a spell, opening the next portal.

"To the future…" She said, eyes narrowing. They'd be able to get the next subject here much faster and catch their opponent off guard.

Link awoke with a long yawn. Daylight was just starting to peer over the distant mountains, flooding the sky. The teenager was still greatly tired, but his eyes were no longer bloodshot. The hero in green looked around, surprised to be surrounded by his friends. All were snoring lightly, enjoying the peace and quiet of Hyrule Field. Link decided to lower his head and go back to sleep.

Lying in the grass, Link sighed and got comfortable. Minutes passed with nothing more and the sound of crickets chirping in the air. He was at peace. His mind wandered to his friends, Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael, and Navi. They all must be exhausted from the strenuous fight they had hours before. He was glad it was over for now.

Then his eyes shot open. Navi.

Link was never up and running so fast. Skull Kid was leaning on the boy's leg, but his head landed on the grass with a thud, startling him awake.

"Wha-?! What the-?" Skull Kid yelped. He noticed Link running back to town. "Link?"

"Mmmugh… what is it, bud?" Jim asked, his voice groggy.

Skull Kid just pointed to the teen who was sprinting back to town. The leader of the Bomber's just shrugged and laid back down on the grass, tired. The imp, however, kept watching as the boy disappeared from view.

Link bolted down the street as fast as he could. The few citizens up so early were surprised by Link's change in appearance, but the boy didn't pay them any mind. He was thinking about only one thing, more specifically, one fairy. All he could hear was his own heart pounding in his ears.

The front door to the house flung open and Link looked around in a panic. His eyes darted everywhere until he finally found his friend. Navi.

Navi was resting on a pillow, sleeping like an angel. Tatl leaned against the side of said pillow. And right next to her was Navi's right wing. A chill crept down the hero's spine as he slowly approached, eyes never leaving the broken piece.

Tatl picked up on the sound of the creaking floorboards and snorted awake.

"Oh, hey Link…" Tatl used her hands to comb her hair out of her face. "What's uuuhhh…"

Tatl noticed Link's bizarre hair. She tilted her head and then rubbed her eyes, unsure if she was seeing things. Nope, it was still there. He had a prominent silver streak at the left side of his head. His left, that is.

"What? What is it?" Link asked. Before the fairy could answer, a gasp came from the stairs.

"Link?!" Anju said, hand to her mouth. "Wh-What happened to your hair?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Link looked at a lock of his own hair, conveniently one that was normal. The innkeeper just sighed.

Anju walked up to her surrogate son and gently held the part of his hair that was different from the rest. Now Link was able to see it. It was his turn for his eyes to go wide, but nothing came from his mouth. He just stared at his gleaming silver locks for a moment.

"N-Never mind that-" Link tore his attention from himself and turned back to his fairy companions. "A-Are you guys alright?"

Tatl took a second to fully wake up, and then she turned her gaze to where Link's was. The wing. The normally loud fairy didn't make a sound. She looked down in shame, a red tint forming along her cheeks.

"She-" Tatl stuttered, rubbing her arm. "She'll be fine, she just has to see one of the Great Fairies to get fixed up."

"How long will that take?" Link asked.

"A day, maybe more…" Tatl replied, her voice becoming smaller and smaller.

"More than a day?! But we need Navi! Can't I heal her with the Song of Healing?" Link almost shouted. Navi grunted and adjusted herself, still staying asleep. Link hushed himself and still thought about the blue fairy.

"You know that's not how it works, Link." Tatl said, flying up and sitting herself beside Navi on the pillow. "Someone like you can't use magic on one of us. It's only the other way around…"

Link groaned and put his hand to his temples. Someone like him. There were hardly any people like him. "I never understood that…"

"Fairies can't be helped by their companions. We're meant to serve, not be served." Tatl stated, reaching towards and caressing Navi's hair without a second thought.

"Link, honey. If there's nothing you can do, then that's still alright." Anju consoled her son, wrapping her arms around him. Link returned the gesture and hugged his mother.

"The best thing we can do is make sure she gets tended to by the right person." The innkeeper spoke in her trademark voice, soothing the teen's spirits.

"Fine." Link said reluctantly. He lowered his tired eyes, not sure what to do next.

"Just remember, today was when we were supposed to head back home, but you all need to rest." Anju said.

"Wait, so when will we be going back?" Link asked, looking at his mother.

"Day after Navi gets better. Does that sound alright?"

Link slowly nodded, not much of a choice in the matter. He stayed silent for a while, almost falling asleep in Anju's arms.

Then the door opened again. There, Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, and Tael entered. Tael was the first to head towards Navi, and the others were just behind him. He and Tatl exchanged whispers for a moment, and then shared them with everyone else. All that followed was silence.

Eventually, Romani turned around and her eyes widened at the sight of Link. She forgot about the new look he had. The boy still in the arms of his mother felt the eyes upon him. When he found out who was gazing at him, he blushed.

For a while, Link sat in the kitchen, notebook under his arms, pencil in his hand. He didn't even look at what his fingers drew along the paper. The clear image was already in his mind. He remained confused by the illusions he saw, and a little afraid. Finally, he was broken out of it when out of the corner of his eye, the silver lining moved on its own.

Romani sat on a stool right beside him, playing with the streak in his hair. The baffled amusement she had from it was starting to get on Link's nerves.

"Can you please stop messing with it?" Link asked, not moving his head.

"Sorry, Grasshopper. It's just… so odd…" Romani replied, taking her hand off of it. How she seemed to be paying more attention to his hair rather than the injured fairy made him upset.

"I mean, Link, you can't expect us to not be interested in it." Jim piped up from behind Romani, breaking his own silence. The boy in green jumped slightly, not even realizing the Bomber leader was there.

"But can't we focus on Navi?! She's still hurt, and no one is talking about it!" Link put his pencil down and looked at his friends with his tired eyes.

"Grasshopper, if Tatl says that we can't do much about it, then we need to leave it at that." Romani said sternly. "Skull Kid is with her and Tatl at the fountain, she'll be fine."

"I know, just…" Link couldn't figure out what he wanted to say. Accepting he had lost the argument, he continued to draw.

As Link made abstract designs with his hand, his eyes grew ever more exhausted. His sleep earlier helped out, but he was still in need of a good rest. With his mind so cramped with thoughts about his visions, his friend, and how much his hair started to bother him, he couldn't even consider sleeping.

Skull Kid soon returned, now only with Tatl. He didn't even have his mask on now, just his signature hat and staff in hand.

"So, how'd it go?" Jim asked, walking up to the imp.

"Good. The Great Fairy said it'd take some time." Skull Kid said, starting to head up the stairs.

"She'll be alright…" Tatl said solemnly, refusing to look anyone in the eye. Jim knew she needed some cheering up, so he followed Skull Kid up the stairs.

It was only Link and Romani left. The silence resumed, the ranch woman doing her best to refrain from touching her boyfriend's hair again. Deciding to peer down onto the paper, she saw strange sketches of circles, all with smaller bits poking out from the back. All seemed to be aiming towards something, but their objective remained unknown to both the person looking at them and the person drawing them.

Slowly, the sketches in Link's notebook evolved into senseless scribbles. The sound of pencil on paper grew rougher and rougher. Turning another page once the one he was working on got filled, he didn't stop going almost mad with the tool.

Link's eyes narrowed and he tried to focus on something. The page started to tear from all the abuse, with Link's hand never halting. It lasted until the tip of the pencil snapped.

"Romani thinks Grasshopper should get some fresh air…" Romani took Link's hand and guided him to the door. She opened it up and left the house with him, hoping she'd be able to clear his mind.

"Come on! Let's go play a game!" Romani's cheery attitude mystified her lover, but he had nothing better to do.

A giant creature was heaved through the portal, its captors panting as they took a moment to rest. Sweat lined their faces and they gave each other dirty looks as they reluctantly continued to drag the beast through the portal and into their time.

Embers of energy unknown danced about the room, all caused by the presence of the beast alone. It felt almost at home with where it was, not too different from where it came from. The creature on the other hand, not so much.

Once the chore was complete, they dashed back into the portal, returning moments later with their wands out, both casting a spell to encase a group of… something within their own respective bubble. With a flick of the wrist, a large stone cage materialized across the room, and both figures shot the orbs at it. When they made contact with the cage, they popped, dumping the little creatures into the pen and keeping them imprisoned.

"This better work, or else this will have been a huge waste of time…" One of the stout figures grumbled.

"Oh, it will!" The other snapped back, seemingly having prepared that response in advance.

"What even are these things anyway?" The prior asked, walking towards the big one, poking one of its many legs.

"Something we've seen before." The crustier of the two smirked. "Apparently, ancient texts called its species 'gotaaji'…"

The explanation received an annoyed look, and the one who spoke began to stammer. "I don't know what it means, you know how random those old stone tablets can be…"

A scoff was heard and then the two got to work again, crafting a third red jewel and casting a spell, making it glow just how they wanted. Cutting open the thorax of the monster, they ensured it couldn't be removed this time. They wouldn't need to do the same for the little ones. Such simple creatures already proved they only followed the orders of their leader.

There, the behemoth awakened, its large yellow eye on the top of its body becoming red, just at its predecessors. It was released from its bindings by the interlopers, and its mind was consumed by the desires of them.

A beam was shot towards the monster's head, and one of the figures started searching through its thoughts, memories, and the like. Aiming to find out everything she could, she was soon successful.

"A direct descendant of Gohma…" The mind invader whispered; eyes wide.

"All the more perfect, isn't it?" The other snickered, heart filled with glee.

"I must admit… it is." The former said, a hint of reluctance in her voice. "Good work."

"Such an extensive memory… It seems to even have knowledge of its divine purpose…" The invader was astonished.

"Well? What is it?"

"To exterminate the Hero of the Sky… and his lineage…" Some fear could be sensed. A being's entire existence was decreed as the hunter of another. A chilling idea, not to mention being aware of such.

"Ah, quite good. Now, I believe we can let the little ones go…" They brushed off the statement, showing just how much they were actually interested.

The more eager of the two snapped their fingers, and the cage keeping the spawn at bay vanished. Without a second to lose, they surrounded their parent, not paying any mind to the ones in real control.

Both took the scene in. Their adversary was still recovering from the last battle. Unleashing this one straight afterwards would be the perfect way to weaken him further. Perhaps this beast would even be the one to do him in. Soft chuckles came from their mouths, slowly becoming loud cackles.

"Let it loose…"

The sky was a fine orange now. Link and Romani had walked all around Castle Town thrice, but the boy in green still seemed troubled. He realized that he was messing with the streak again and put his free hand down. Even he couldn't get his mind off it, but it was far from the only thing his thoughts occupied.

"Grasshopper, please don't shut me out again." Romani asked, tightening her grip on his other hand.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Link mumbled.

Romani nudged Link's shoulder, but he wouldn't cave yet. Not with so many people around at least. He waited for the heard to thin, still not looking his girlfriend in the eye.

"Grasshopper…" Romani repeated, more serious this time.

"Alright, alright, it's just because I'm-"

Link never finished his thought, his entire body froze when he saw a familiar carriage pull up, and another ranch woman disembark from it. It was Malon.

"It's what? What is-" Romani froze too at the sight of her double.

Malon noticed the pair across the street and wore a smile as she hauled her milk delivery into town.

"Howdy!" Malon chirped, giving a wave.

"Hey…" Link said back, traces of nervousness in his voice.

"How has everything been, fairy boy?" Malon set the two milk canisters down and placed her hands on her hips. She didn't seem to be even fazed by the presence of Romani.

"Good… good." Link replied, averting his eyes to hide the dark bags underneath them.

"That's nice. Also, I like what you did with your hair. It looks… neat." Malon got a good look at Link, smiling.

"Th-Thanks… So how are you?"

"I'm fine, just getting in this months' delivery to the castle." Malon gestured over to the canisters. Link, ever noble, felt the need to assist her.

"Need any help with those?" Link asked meekly.

"Sure! Thank you very much!" Malon beamed from ear to ear and Link walked over to take one of the bottles. The pair, with Romani tagging along, headed through town and to Hyrule Castle.

Zelda happened to be the one waiting by the bridge, a squad of guards right next to her. Just perfect. The princess was startled for a moment to see both Link and Romani accompanying Malon, but she composed herself and acted as normal as she could.

"Hello, thank you for the delivery!" Zelda said to the Hylian ranch woman, shaking her hand.

After Zelda made sure to pay Malon, the trio watched as Link and the guards set the milk where it needed to be. As they worked, all three ladies shared awkward glances, mainly the princess and the Terminian.

"N-Nice to see you again, princess." Romani finally blurted, hating the silence.

"As it is to you, Romani." Zelda said formally.

"Oh, I didn't know you knew each other!" Malon gasped, a little smile forming.

"Small world…" Zelda mumbled.

"So! How did you two come to meet one another?" Malon asked, looking between the Terminian and the princess.

Romani and Zelda didn't speak, only turning their eyes towards the boy in green. The setting sun glistened across his body, making the sweat along his cheeks shine and his hair to almost glow. The sight made Romani blush and Zelda nearly swooned.

"Ah, I see!" Malon said cheerfully, not getting the hint in their expressions that their feelings towards the teen were almost mutual.

Once Link finished up, he joined back with the three. The entire time he was in their presence, he felt nervous. Why, he didn't know, but it was strange. Something inside him begged him to find a way out, but his conscience wouldn't let him.

"Should we get going, Romani?" Link said quietly.

"Sure, Grasshopper…" Romani replied.

She reached out and Link took her hand, and then Malon's smile faded. Looking around, the Hylian decided to follow. Zelda was left all alone, and she stood motionless for a moment, sadness welling up in her heart. Turning back and entering the castle, she couldn't stop thinking about Link.

"Fairy bo- Link!" Malon shouted, catching up to the couple as they got to town.

"Yeah?" Link asked.

"F-Forgive me for asking, but… are you two…?" Malon hesitated to finish.

Furious blushes grew across both Link and Romani's faces, and they looked at each other in surprise. Malon didn't know by now?

"Well, th-th-that's the thing… She's my… well, you know." Link stuttered, his face becoming even more red.

"Oh…" Malon suddenly felt dejected.

"I just thought you were still singl-" Malon stopped. Something caught her eye in the distance. "What is that?"

Link gave a confused look and Malon pointed out towards the drawbridge. There just a dot at first, but when Link let go of Romani's hand to shield his eyes from the sun, he got a better look. A wide mass of something, obscured by the long shadows of the hills. It was moving, slowly getting bigger.

Link's eyes widened it horror when he finally got a clear image of what was in the distance. He started to run, his destination being the house.

"Grasshopper! Where are you going?!" Romani shouted.

"Get inside and get your things! Tell everyone to hide!" Link hollered back. Romani knew if something was making his this afraid, it wasn't good.

"Come on." Romani ordered to Malon, taking her hand.

"Huh? What? What's going on?" Malon protested at first before Romani gave her a stern look. She shut her mouth and followed her variant.

Link emerged from the house in record time, gear on. His ears picked up the commotion of guards by the turrets just realizing what was approaching. Then he heard a shrill roar.

Chapter Text

Next chapter! I told you guys, Link ain't gonna get any form of a break any time soon. Not much else to add, other than I'm proud of a certain special reference around the middle. Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 13: Wash The Spider Out

Link couldn't believe he had to unsheathe his sword again, so soon after the last time. His adrenaline rushed through his veins as he ran down the street to check on the turret guards. Before he could get out the gate, the chains rattled, and the drawbridge slowly began to rise.

"Hey, wait!" Link shouted, but he got no answer.

He heard groans coming from the turret, so he climbed the ladder to see what on earth happened. He looked down in horror to see two guards ensnared on the wall by webbing. Steam and a slight hissing sound came from the webs that made contact with their armor, seemingly burning it away.

Taking the hookshot out and rappelling down the wall, Link clung on firmly as he swiped his sword carefully, releasing the men. He caught both before they fell to the ground and heaved them back onto the turret.

"Are you two alright?" Link asked as he inspected the pair. He only received two weak nods and he guided the wounded into the Guard House to hide.

When Link came back outside and went back to the turret, the creature that attacked finally made it just a few dozen meters from the drawbridge. The boy jumped down and rolled out onto the ground to confront the beast.

It rose its two front legs high into the air, casting a lanky shadow due to the setting sun. Link backed away from where the shadow rested, even though he knew it couldn't hurt him. Looking at the monster, its complexion was hideously familiar. That thing the demon showed him just the night before. It rose from the sea of blood and was responsible for the change in his hair. He took a deep breath and did his best to stay calm.

Link and the beast remained still for a second. The monster stood on only four legs, raising its body upwards. Emitting a roar, it seemed like it was challenging the Defender of Faith. Link didn't do anything, frozen in fear because of what the beast was.

The spider charged, the mass of spawn surrounding its legs overtaking it, being the first to get to the boy. Link attempted to slash them with his sword, but he was quickly overwhelmed. The little arachnids swarmed him and brought him to the ground, jabbing his tunic with their little arms as the big one ran right past him.

A loud crash was heard, and wood splintered everywhere. It smashed through the drawbridge! Grabbing the hookshot again, Link punched through the layer of spiders covering him and shot it blindly. When nothing happened, he adjusted his aim and fired again, this time hitting something. His body was dragged upwards and away from the army, and he got to safety atop the remains of the gate.

Link looked at where the big one was and saw the last of its legs disappear from view, heading deeper into the heart of Castle Town. The little ones started scaling the wall, but the boy got away in time, running as fast as he could into town.

"Sir, please, you need to get to safety!" Jim begged, Romani joining after she pointed to where someone else should hide.

"Leave me be, you deranged hoodlums!" The old man barked, trying to ignore what he thought was just some annoying teenagers.

"This is serious!" Romani shouted, her voice going up in pitch by accident. The man just scoffed and paid her no mind.

Romani considered just forcing the man into the closest shop to hide, but they all heard a bloodcurdling scream. It was followed by many more just seconds later, and even the old fellow turned to see what all the yelling was about. All their eyes filled with terror as they witnessed an enormous spider emerge from the gate street and into the market.

"Everybody get inside!" A voice yelled, and its source soon became visible. Link, in a full sprint, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Please, sir!" Jim begged again, and the old man gave a shaky nod. Getting him into the Bazaar, Jim and Romani looked for anyone else still not inside.

"Link! Over here!" Jim called to Link, and the hero met up with his friends.

"All I know is that it's big and mad." Link said before either of his friends could ask. The teen looked around and saw that there was a noticeable lack of their final teammate.

"Where's Skull Kid?" Link asked.

"Up here!"

Link, Jim, and Romani looked up and saw Skull Kid perched on the awning of one of the betting booths, Tatl and Tael above him.

"What are you doin' up there?" Jim asked.

"Good vantage point!" Skull Kid replied, lifting his mask up and smiling. The others just chuckled, but their happiness was replaced by worry when more screams were heard.

"What do we do, Grasshopper?" Romani asked, holding her bow.

Link thought for a moment. "Get inside and use your bow from the window! It has an eye on the top of its body that could be a good place to hit it."

Romani nodded and ran into the house, soon appearing in the window. Link and Jim ran out further into the street to see where the spider was. However, they were too focused on spotting it, they didn't see the horde of smaller spiders approaching.

"Link, Jim!" Skull Kid shouted, catching their attention. The imp pointed all around them and they finally saw they were surrounded by the army of little pests.

Unsheathing their swords, Link and Jim put their backs against one another and stood defensively. They slowly turned, scanning the ground. The two considered calling out for Skull Kid to help, but a group of spiders were already climbing up the posts supporting the awning he was on.

"Um… you take the ones on the left, I'll take the ones on the right?" Jim said nervously. He looked back to see Skull Kid already swatting spiders away.

"That works." Link responded stoically. He was doing his best to hide his unending fear of the hellspawn. Together, Link and Jim brought their weapons down on the spiders, and the sounds of dying insects filled the air.

Soon Jim got an idea, and he brought his right foot down on one of the little monsters. He immediately regretted his decision. He crushed the spiders' body and its insides splashed onto his boot. Then it started to melt. Jim cried out and held his leg, toppling over.

"Jim!" Link yelped, startled. He swatted a few more spiders away and tended to his friend.

"Hot! Hot!" That was all Jim could get out of his mouth. Link looked at the Bomber leader's foot, the bodily fluids melting away the boot, now burning bits of his skin.

The spiders drew closer, and Link had to think fast. He pulled out a fire arrow and brought the Mirror Shield upwards, then down on the red gem. It cracked, and the teen threw the pieces to the ground, creating a small wall of fire. The flames blocked the pests from getting to him and his friend for now.

"W-What now?" Jim groaned; his speech labored. Link's brow furrowed and his thought about what they'd do once the flames died out.

A spark went off in Link's head, and he reached into his bag. He thanked himself for having the urge to put those old items into his bag the other day. Retrieving the Iron Boots, he put on the left one and showed Jim the right one.

"Put this on." Link told Jim. The boy in the blue bandana didn't get a clear look and wasn't ready for the extreme weight of the item.

"How am I supposed to wear this?!" Jim asked, bewildered. Link gave him a look and he begrudgingly put it on his wounded foot. He winced, then frowned with annoyance as the boot proved to be a little too big for him.

The flames fizzled out and Link brought the Iron Boot he wore down on a spider, crushing it. This time, its acidic insides stood no match for the item. Lifting his foot up and showing it to Jim, the Bomber got the idea.

Together, the boys smashed one spider after another. They almost went into a rhythm until they exterminated all of them.

"Nicely done!" Jim exclaimed, giving Link a high-five. He pumped his fist into the air. "We showed them!"

"Help!" Skull Kid yelled, and the boys turned around. They saw their friend getting his clothes gnawed on by a few little spiders.

Link didn't say a word as he plucked off each of the attackers with his bow, giving the imp a thumbs-up when he was saved. The trio stopped and took some time to breathe, already winded just from dealing with the little ones. Jim gave Link back the Iron Boot, and the hero put them both back into his bag.

"Grasshopper, guys! Romani can't see it!" The ranch woman called from above, unable to see where the big one scuttled off to.

Suddenly, a large yellow beam shot out from behind the back alley into the sky.

"You've got to be kidding me." Jim said in shock.

Link, however, took off towards the alley. When he spotted his foe, he watched as three guards threw their spears at the beast. The weapons impaled it, but it didn't even look bothered. It lowered its abdomen, and it laid a dozen eggs, much to the disgust of Link and the soldiers.

It took no time for the eggs to hatch, and the unruly spawn jumped at the guards, latching onto their heads and attacking with their sharp limbs. Before Link could help, some stones rained down on the spiders, knocking them away.

"Get off them, you little buggers!" Flavi yelled from a nearby window, Ante and Kyojin right beside her. They picked up more rocks collected from beyond the gate and chucked them.

"Yeah, know your place!" Ante added, smirking lightly.

One of the rocks connected with Armogohma's eye, causing it to screech. It jolted forward and spat some webbing at the three Gerudo in retaliation. The ladies got down just in time, the webbing keeping them from throwing anything else.

A guard crawled over to the spider's leg and plunged his spear through it, sending the beast into a frenzy. Reeling back, it turned to the back wall of the Bombchu Bowling Alley and scrambled to climb up.

Roof shingles fell to the street, filling the air with the sound of asphalt breaking apart. Getting up onto its four hind legs, Armogohma looked to the night sky and roared. Its call resonated all throughout the lands, as did the others. Citizens fleeing town shuddered at the view.

Clouds swirled around the grand spider and three small dots appeared, circling it. Cackles could be heard and the three figures flying around the spider descended. They all were only silhouettes, but the eye of a juvenile Bellum was clear as day. It had grown quite a bit since the last time Link saw it.

Then, the demon possessed the spider, making it grow and appear far more menacing.

"Bear witness to the Harbinger of Doom, Hyrule!" A voice resonated, seething with hate.

"See what happens when you ally with the Hero of the Sky!" The other bellowed. That title felt oddly familiar to Link.

Just as soon as they appeared, the two dots vanished, leaving their slave to lay waste to Castle Town. It laid more eggs, which hatched in a pinch, adding to its army. Leaping into the air, Armogohma landed on the central fountain, destroying it. Its eyes darted everywhere, ready to kill whatever moved.

The golden hookshot tip stuck into the wall and hoisted Link up onto the roof of the Bombchu Alley. He stared down at the incarnation of Gohma, the hairs on his neck standing on end.

Link spotted his friends, all in the house now, with Malon cowering in fear right behind Romani. He had to do something before someone got killed.

"So, what are you thinking?" Tatl asked, accidentally sneaking up on Link.

"Ah! Oh, it's you." Link said, nervously laughing to mask his hesitance. "I'm not sure…"

Link watched the house and noticed Romani readying her bow.

"Wait, Romani, no!" Link shouted, but he was too far away. Romani loosed her arrow, and it pierced the eye on the top of the spider's thorax.

Armogohma quickly looked in Romani's direction, seeing her, Jim, Skull Kid, Anju, Kafei, and Malon. It hissed and then started crawling towards them.

"Link?!" Tatl yelled, but he was gone. He was sliding down the roof, ready to jump when he got close enough to the ground. However, his leg got cut by a broken shingle and he fell to the street in an ungraceful manner.

"LINK!" Tatl screamed, flying down, Tael right behind.

"Are you alright?!" Tatl asked, looking Link over. He coughed and held the side of his torso in pain.

"I'm fine…" Link lied, struggling to get to his feet. As he started to walk, the fairies got a good view at the dark bags underneath his eyes and his new limp. It was clear he wasn't fine.

"Link, look here." Tael asked. Link complied, and the purple fairy inspected the teen. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

Link stuttered, unsure how to answer. "…Like 5 hours?"

Tael just sighed, and he knew since he hadn't slept in three days before the battle with the dream demon that it wasn't nearly enough sleep. "I don't think you can do this."

Link looked insulted. "What? B-But I need to!"

"But you're not well! You have barely gotten any sleep, and-" Tael was cut off by a smash of brick courtesy of the spider, and he tried to speed up his sentence. "…you're getting hurt more often!"

"It's my responsibility…" Link said, before defiantly running away from Tael and towards the spider. Blood dripped from his leg, and Tael looked to his sister, sharing the same expression.

"Hey!" Link hollered, waving his arms.

Armogohma had started to climb up on the wall with the window, and the others kept away while inside. The large red eye on the spider's thorax gazed directly at Link, and it started to glow. He made sure to duck and roll.

Another orange beam came forth, this time hitting the ground. The spider didn't know where its target went, so it directed the beam at the next thing it saw, that being the Happy Mask Shop. A large explosion rocked the land, and the shop went up in flames.

As the energy dissipated, Armogohma climbed further up the building and put its abdomen in the window, laying a set of four eggs inside the house.

"What the-?!" Anju closed her eyes in terror when the eggs burst open and the little troopers crawled around the hallway.

The spawn shot their webs around wildly, getting them onto the ceiling. Backing away, the group picked off the creatures. Romani shot two with her bow, Skull Kid smashed one with his staff, and even Kafei got one when he threw a vase at it.

"Is everyone alright?" Kafei asked the others. Each gave nervous nods and the three warriors raced downstairs as soon as the big one hopped off the building and onto the street again.

"Spread out!" Jim said as soon as he, Romani, and Skull Kid got outside. Link needed help, as he was getting forced back towards the wreckage of the Happy Mask Shop, trying to keep his distance from his opponent.

Jim and Romani ran to flank the big spider, but Skull Kid got distracted by a peculiar noise. He lowered his staff and listened carefully.

"Somebody, help me!" A little voice pleaded, unseen to the imp.

"H-Hello?" Skull Kid asked. When he got no response, he cupped his hands around his mouth and asked again, louder.

A small hand waved from behind a wooden crate just to the right of the Bazaar. It was a child! Skull Kid raced over and pushed the box out of the way, revealing a little girl in a light pink dress and white bonnet. Tears lined her cheeks, and she held a small plush in her arms.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm here." Skull Kid imitated Link's soothing voice.

Skull Kid extended his hand, but the little girl backed away. "I-I want my sister!"

"I'll help you find your sister, I promise." Skull Kid assured her, but she wouldn't budge. He noticed she was eyeing his mask, her face showing some reluctance. Even though it was gift from long ago, he removed it and tossed it aside. "I'm just a Skull Kid."

The look of fear on the little girl's face faded, and she scooted a little closer.

"What's your name?" Skull Kid asked.

"Crystal…" The little lady replied. She then moved and held onto Skull Kid's hand.

"Alright Crystal. I'll help you find your sister. What does she look like?" Skull Kid smiled at the girl.

"She wears a dress like mine, just yellow! She always has a Cucco in her arms! He's our pet!" Crystal said, looking up at the imp with worry.

Skull Kid sprinted over to the Potion Shop and opened the door an inch. He got a look at each of the people hiding, but none matched the description of Crystal's sister. He did the same for the Bazaar, and then ran across the street, avoiding one of Romani's stray arrows as she fended off the spider. The imp covered the girl's eyes, not wanted her to see what his friends were doing.

Opening the door to the Treasure Chest shop, the pair finally found who they were looking for. A girl in a yellow dress and white bonnet.

"Amy!" Crystal cried, running to her sisters embrace.

"Crystal! Thank the goddesses!" The older sister said in relief. Skull Kid just smiled and waved Crystal goodbye.

"W-Wait! Who are you?" Amy asked.

"I'm a Skull Kid!" The imp said proudly, before running off to join his friends again. They were going to need it.

Link ducked under Armogohma's arm as it swung down to strike him. He shot another arrow and it stuck onto its body with the others. This wasn't working.

"HIIIYA!" Skull Kid ran in and slammed his staff into one of Gohma's legs.

"Where were you? And where's your mask?" Jim asked, noticing he was missing something.

"Could hardly see with it." Skull Kid made up his excuse and hit the spider again with his weapon. This time the shell of its exoskeleton cracked.

"We need to focus!" Romani snapped at the two. Her face was adorned with an unnatural stern look.

Link stabbed another one of Armogohma's spawn, his muscles aching. He knew there had to be something else they could do. Something that could take this thing down in one fell swoop. Without even thinking, bashed one of the little pests with his shield. There, he got an idea.

"This way!" Link said, keeping his words to a minimum. His enemy couldn't know about his plan. He bolted towards the Temple of Time, Armogohma right on his tail.

"What is he doing now?" Jim asked rhetorically.

"Come on!" Skull Kid said, brushing off Jim's statement. He had faith Link knew what he was doing.

"Wait a second!" Romani said. The two boys paused and turned her way. "You two go ahead, Romani's going back to help anyone else in need!"

"Alright!" Skull Kid responded with a smile, and the trio split up, the imp and the Bomber following the spider, the ranch woman heading back to town.

The descendant of Gohma watched as Link ran into the Temple of Time, and it stopped outside for a second, thinking about how it would get inside. It could squeeze through the door, but it had a better idea.

Meanwhile, Link waited in front of the pedestal that held the three Spiritual Stones. A few cuts on his chest, arm, and leg dripped blood, blending in with the red carpet. He breathed heavily, wondering what was taking so long. He didn't notice the light from the moon getting obscured through the stained-glass window.

Glass shattered, and Link looked to his right. The spider had smashed through the side window and started spitting web around. Link jumped and hid behind one of the marble pillars. Unable to see her opponent, Armogohma slinked inside the temple. It demolished two pillars in its way and then a third across from it, revealing the hero.

Jim and Skull Kid entered through the main passage, seeing the spider slowly get closer to the teen in green.

"The chandelier!" Link pointed up and the two saw what he was talking about.

Without hesitation, Jim threw his sword in the air, and it cut the chain. Then, the object started to plummet down. Link didn't take into account the upper eye of the spider. He was met with surprise when the sound of twisting metal was heard instead of the cries of pain from the monster.

"Oh, you have got to be fu-" Armogohma roared, cutting him off.

The hero escaped another attempt from the spider to swipe at him. Instead it brought down another pillar. He thought frantically on what he could do now. He had no backup plan. He glimpsed at the Door of Time and figured it wouldn't hurt to try something.

Link ran. Luckily the Door of Time was still open thanks to the three stones, but the hero made sure it started to close when he grabbed the Goron Ruby and removed it from its spot. He dived into the closing entrance, making it through. Now he was in the resting place of the Master Sword.

The door quaked, the spider queen ramming its entire body against the marble. The Temple shook and soon enough, the slabs gave way, slamming against the sides of the entrance, exactly where Link hoped they'd go.

"We need to help him!" Jim called to his friend. Together, he and Skull Kid swatted at Gohma's legs, but they were quickly kicked away by the beast.

Armogohma brought down an arm and slammed Link to the ground. Rolling onto his back, he got out the hookshot and aimed it at the face of the spider. It was just about to finish him, and he moved his arm to the right and shot the hook at the dislodged marble.

"See you in hell." Link stated coldly, before yanking on the tool as hard as possible.

Link's arm was surrounded by blue particles, and his gauntlet transformed. Its color was then akin to charcoal, and a red band went around the middle. The large slab of marble that was once half of the Door of Time teetered. Jim and Skull Kid raced to help push the door, and it started to lean forward, falling right on top of the spider. A sickening crunch was heard, followed by a long screech.

When the dust settled, Link got a good look at the corpse of the spider, its legs twitching slightly before dying. For a minute, everything was quiet. The boy panted as stone and brick fell from the ceiling, but finally something broke the silence.

"Hey!" Jim said excitedly, pushing some of the debris blocking him from seeing Link.

"Yee-hee-hee! We did it!" Skull Kid chirped, hands in the air. Link stood up shakily and made his way over to his friends, only to get pushed to the ground by a fierce hug.

"We really did it!" Jim retorted; his joy infecting Link's own mood.

"We won…" Link cracked a smile as he slowly got up. "I think we all deserve a break."

"Yeah, that'd be nice…" Skull Kid remarked, chuckling.

Climbing over the rubble, the three started to leave the temple, exhausted. Jim and Skull Kid paced their arms under Link's shoulders, helping him walk. But they didn't hear the sound of marble getting dislodged from the corpse of their adversary.

The large central eye of the spider came lose, now a golden yellow. Blood splattered along the marble as it cut itself off from its veins. It pushed its way out of the carcass of its armor and fell to the floor. Then it began to shake, and a set of legs forced their way out of its sides, crunching as the exoskeleton formed around them. It had become another spider.

It eyed down Link and his friends as they limped down the stairs and across the carpet, heading towards the exit. Following close behind, it stayed out of sight.

Link's smile faded, and his ears picked up something else. Something was wrong. He stood up straight and removed his friends arms from his shoulders.

"What is it, Link?" Skull Kid asked.

"Yeah, what's wrong, pal?" Jim added.

The eye of Armogohma scurried along the floor, and Link could sense something else with him and his friends. The boy started to walk forward, slowly taking out his bow. The two next to him just looked on in confusion.

The eye hid behind one pillar, then the next, but as it went for the third, as it was directly across from Link, he turned. Like he had against the Lizalfos, Link got down on one knee and fired his bow, killing the eye at last. The final image it saw was the hero getting obscured by a downpour of blood.

"Missed one." Link said plainly, standing back up. Both Bellum and Gohma had finally been completely eradicated from the timeline, even if he didn't know it. He turned and gave his friends a tired smile.

"Alright, now it's time to get out of here…"

Chapter Text

A lot will notice the tonal shift in writing here, and I've got to explain. Recently, I went through something scarily similar to what happens in this chapter, but I swear, it's just a coincidence. I had this idea planned for months now, but it just so happened to line up with my life. There's the short answer, it's private. Anyways, this is actually one of my longest. Fast-paced, but please enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 14: Unsure

"NO!" A scream rang out. "NO, NO, NOO!"

"What can't he ever just DIE?!" The figure picked up her crystal ball and smashed it. Taking out their wand, a blast of energy hit the wall, blowing more pieces away. They struck the wall again and again, making the room crumble.

"Of course, it fails. Who could've seen that coming?" The other said sarcastically, crossing their arms, rolling their eyes, the usual routine.

"SILENCE!" The angry one turned their wand and shot it point blank at the other, sending the snarky one flying across the room.

"What the hell was that for?!" The hurt one bellowed, flying up and firing their own magic back at the other.

"Stop mocking me!"

"It's hardly my fault you're foolish!"

Both figures approached and fused together, becoming their more powerful form. The union was hardly as coordinated as it could be, legs unbalanced and voices far too distinct to spout a coherent sentence.

"Unbelievable!" The tall figure screamed, before splitting in half and becoming the two smaller ones once again.

"GRAAAH!" Both yelled, starting to roll around in the dust, getting into a tussle.

They exchanged repeated punches, rage flowing through every strike. After a while of being evenly matched, they collapsed in exhaustion. All that could be heard were synchronized pants, proving just how much they were similar to each other.

"We need…" The rightmost one began. "…to get him… someplace where it... will hurt!"

"And what would that be?" The left one snapped, sitting up.

"I'm not sure, alright?! Let's put our heads together and think!" The left groaned in response and then stood. Taking each other's hands, they fused again, and sat down.

Keeping their fist to their chin, what felt like an eternity passed as they thought. Dozens of ideas were proposed and dismissed, until something clicked. A wide, impossible smirk grew along the fusion's face, and they began laughing.

"We'll need to go on a little trip…"

Link limped down the street, Jim and Skull Kid helping him make it past all the chunks of stone that were scattered about town. The fire that destroyed the Happy Mask Shop had thankfully been put out by the time they returned from the Temple of Time.

"Hey! Grasshopper! Jim! Skull Kid!" A voice came from the distance, on the other side of the wrecked fountain. The three boys knew who it was.

"What's up?" Jim waved back.

"Romani is going to help with the clean up! You guys want to join?" Romani hollered as a guard raced past her, carrying some wooden planks.

"Yeah! We just need to get Link home!" Jim said, moving his head forward to show Romani her injured boyfriend. It wasn't that bad, but one look at him told her that he would need some time to heal.

"Alright!" Romani turned away to continue helping others get their bearings, and the boys continued.

Opening the front door, Jim and Skull Kid got all of Link's gear off and set him on the couch to rest.

"If you need anything, just let us know!" Skull Kid chirped.

All Link did was mumble, his exhaustion finally catching up with him. All the adrenaline he had flowing through his veins before had completely washed away. Jim and Skull Kid waved their friend goodbye before leaving to help out.

For a while, Link was alone. The only sound in his ears was his own heartbeat, breathing, and the occasional voices coming from outside. He laid sprawled out on the couch for what felt like an eternity, but he eventually forced himself to sit up and actually think.

Some of the bloodshot had returned to his eyes, and the corners of his vision were blurry. Even his own thoughts were slurred, almost incapable of making something sensible.

Then Link heard a door open and some steps coming close. He turned, and all he could make out was a long, lovely mane of red hair. A big smile found its way onto his face.

"R-Romani…" Link grunted, stumbling his way over to her.

"Hm?" She responded.

Link didn't say another word. He just took her by the shoulders and started to kiss her tenderly. His mind was tired, and all he wanted was some kind of love after everything he'd been through over the past several days.

After a few seconds, Link didn't let up. Instead, he tightened his grip on Romani, primal, lustful thoughts entering his brain. He yearned for more from the kiss.

Then the front door opened.

"Alright, Jim will just need to get a hammer from upstairs. Skull Kid, you can-" Romani stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she registered the scene before her.

Link, kissing Malon. Malon, eyes wide. Neither rejecting what was happening. All the color drained from Romani's face. Jim's mouth went agape, and Skull Kid had to shield his eyes with his hat. The staff the imp held fell to the ground, the noise making Link finally open his eyes. His vision adjusted, and he was filled with horror.

Breaking the kiss, Link backed away from Malon as she remained still, frozen by shock. Then he looked to the right and saw Romani, Jim, and Skull Kid, all staring at him like he killed someone. He backed away more and then tripped.

"L-Link?" Malon muttered, unable to process what the boy in question just did.

Link started to hyperventilate, and he wiped his mouth. He shakily got to his feet and could only watch as a few tears dripped from Romani's face. Then she sniffled.

"Romani, wait." Link pleaded. His words fell on deaf ears and his girlfriend turned back and ran off into town.

"Romani! Hang on, please!" Link shouted, trying to run after her. He made it just past the door when he fell again, Jim and Skull Kid making sure to get out of the way.

Link wanted to shout again, but he lost track of Romani. She disappeared into the crowd, hands covering her face. All the others could do was watch with shock.

"What just happened…?" Jim asked, no clue how to even begin assessing the situation. He got no response from Link. The teen just lowered his eyes, then head, and silently began to cry.

Midday. Romani still hadn't spoken a word to Link. Her eyes wouldn't even go near him. Quilt and regret was all that could occupy the mind of the teen in green. He sat face down on his bed, wishing he could smother himself with his pillow.

The entire night, Link was plagued with terrible nightmares. Even without that dream demon to manipulate it, his mind was still troubled. Images of that nameless grave, the monsters that sailed past him, the face of the unruly spider. It was all he could see, and almost every hour he woke up in a cold sweat, and then went back in for more, hoping something would change.

Then there was a knock at the door.

"Come in…" Link mumbled. The turn of the doorknob proved that the person heard him. It was Skull Kid.

"So… you want to join me in heading back to pick up Navi? She's all better now." Skull Kid pointed out the window.

"She's… alright?" Link was a little shocked.

After all the chaos that ensued the night before, he had forgotten about Navi's injured state. He inwardly scolded himself for letting something so important slip his mind. Without a moment to lose, he nodded, almost eagerly.

"Alright! Let's go!" Skull Kid chirped, happy to see some form of a smile on Link's face.

The pair left the bedroom and headed downstairs. Before they could get to the door, Link spotted Romani in the kitchen, helping Anju make something. Her usual curiosity would always have her turn her way towards a new sound, whether it be a door opening, footsteps, anything. This time, she held no reaction. Anju, on the other hand, did, and she smiled weakly at her son.

All Link could do was get overwhelmed by shame. He lowered his gaze and followed Skull Kid outside, and Anju's smile disappeared. She knew what happened, but she knew she couldn't do much about it. She never had to deal with a mishap like the one Link was in.

Outside, Skull Kid noticed Link was a few paces behind, his bangs covering his eyes.

"What is it?" The imp asked, waiting for Link to catch up.

"She-" Link stuttered, his voice unsteady. "She wouldn't even look at me…"

Skull Kid didn't know how to respond. The situation was nothing like he had even been through. But he saw Link was in need, and he was more than willing to help him, just like he would if it were the other way around. It had been the other way around many times before.

"I think she just needs some time. Don't worry, Link. She'll talk when she's ready." Skull Kid thought that how Tatl would act when upset could at least be a little similar to how Romani was.

"A-Alright…" Link muttered. He remained silent for the rest of the walk to the Great Fairy Fountain.

Link followed Skull Kid as they crawled through the small passageway to the fountain. When the water illuminated, they knew things were going well.

A hearty laugh echoed through the room and the Great Fairy appeared. She looked quite casual considering the reason why these two boys stood before her.

"Greetings Hero, and hello again, Skull Kid." The Great Fairy said, her voice soothing the air.

Link and Skull Kid instinctively removed their hats in respect, and the boy in green stepped forward.

"Hello. The other day my friend left the fairy Navi here, because of her injuries." Link stated, making eye contact with the fairy.

"Ah, yes, Navi. She had quite the damage, but I assure you she has been fully healed." The Great Fairy extended her palm and it gave off a faint glow. Then she opened it, revealing a sleeping Navi.

"It's time to wake up, my child." The Great Fairy whispered. In an instant, Navi yawned and sat up.

"Navi!" Link exclaimed, too relieved to see his friend.

"Huh? Oh, hello!" Navi was back to her usual self. She stood and flapped her wings. Her first attempt to fly was short, but she got her bearings and took to the air.

Link put out his own hand and gestured for Navi to rest on his hand.

"Thank you, Link." Navi said, happily sitting on Link's palm. "Now, where's Tatl?"

Link was a little confused. Why would the first thing Navi asked be to know where Tatl was?

"She's back at the house." Link looked toward the Great Fairy again. "Thank you so much for your help."

"It was my pleasure, you two. Good luck on your…" After inspecting Skull Kid for a moment, the Great Fairy's expression changed. "…your journeys. Both of you."

Link, Navi, and Skull Kid just smiled before leaving.

When the front door opened again, Navi immediately took to the air again.

"Tatl?" Navi called out. Her question was answered in an amazingly short amount of time.

"Navi!" Tatl exclaimed from the stairs, flying down as fast as she could. She quickly embraced the blue fairy, and Link gave them both a baffled look.

"Are you ok? How is your wing? You sure you can fly?" Tatl peered over Navi's shoulder and tracked Navi's right wing. Her words flew out of her mouth at record speed.

"Yes, yes, Tatl, I'm fine." Navi gave Tatl a warm smile and they looked at each other in a way that made Link want to ask a million questions.

"Come on, you need some rest." Tatl took Navi's hand and Link never got the chance to ask them anything, as they took off up the stairs. He stood in a shocked silence for a minute.

"Wh-What was that?!" Link asked.

Skull Kid just shrugged and sat down on a nearby stool, gazing out the window and into town. For a while, Link stayed silent. When he went back upstairs himself, he was blindsided by Romani who was going downstairs.

"R-Romani!" Link fumbled with his words and couldn't get anything out before the ranch woman left abruptly, shielding her vision from ever going near Link.

"I-" Link stopped, and he was left alone on the stairs.

Link never finished his sentence, lowering his head once more and going into his room. Sitting down in the bed, his mind was swarmed with cowardly thoughts and terrible things. It was wrong, but he couldn't help it.

After a while, Link sat up and sighed. Looking at his hands, he watched as they shook. He was hungry but didn't care enough to do anything about it. Soon, he gave in and quickly left the room to grab a slice of bread from the kitchen. Scarfing it down in seconds, he went back upstairs and into his bathroom. He looked in the mirror for a while and hated what he saw.

"What do I do?" Link asked to his own reflection. He buried his face in his hands and wanted to sob.

"Forget." A voice said. A familiar voice. Link shot up instantly and was met with his reflection being in a different pose than he was.

"Oh no…" Link mumbled. His mirror image cracked a smile.

"It's me again. Been a little while." The mirror man said.

"What… What is this? What are you?" Link asked, nervously going towards the mirror to get a better look.

"It's not that hard to get. I'm you." The reflection shrugged and leaned forward. Link recoiled, afraid that he'd try to strangle him again.

"Why is this happening to me?" Link looked to the ceiling and asked the ones above, even if he knew it was pointless.

"I told you, just forget about it all." The mirror version stated.

"Why?" Link asked.

"Because all they do is pull you down. Wasn't your first ever interaction with others only hurtful words coming at you through the leaves of that forest?" The image looked deranged.

"What makes these so different?" Link's reflection talked in a wildly different way that how his counterpart did. He had a sick rhythm to his speech, ending certain words with an out of place vigor.

"Because they love me. They're my family." Link said defiantly, his fist scrunching up.

"Think so? What do I recall about mom and dad… Didn't they… adopt us?" A crooked smile formed. Link's fist began to tremble with how hard it was balled up. His muscles wanted to act.

"Stop." Link's nails were starting to dig into the bottom of his palm.

"Didn't they take us in out of… pity?"

"Stop it."

"Isn't why anyone sticks around you because they look down on you? Or because they want to use you? Like the captain?"

"That's not true."

"How do you know?"

"Because it's NOT!" Link brought his fist up and slammed it into the mirror. The glass cracked and the mirror version of Link vanished. Pain enveloped his hand and pieces of the mirror fell from the frame and into the sink.

A faint laugh made Link's ears twitch, and the hairs on his arm to stand on end. He gently took his fist from the remains of the mirror and held it. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped his hand up and left the room, hoping Anju could help with it.

"What happened to your hand?" Anju's nurse side came out in full force as she looked over her son's damaged hand.

"I… I was leaning on the mirror in my bathroom, and it cracked…" Link said, keeping his eyes down.

"Why were you leaning on it?" Anju asked.

"Just… tired, mom. That's all." Link's voice was a small mumble.

"Alright. Hang on, I'll have dad get some bandages." Anju waited for Kafei to come over and they tended to Link. When they were done, he returned to his room.

Link stayed in his bedroom for the rest of the day. So many problems, and he was just one boy. He only came out of the room when it was time for the family to leave to Termina for some rest.

Clock Town was lively, and everyone was glad to be back home. They even elected to extend their stay to four days, just so everyone could get their rest and recharge. All it meant for Link however was that he had more time to try and fix things with Romani.

The whole trip was silent, and Romani hadn't given Link a moment of her time. He didn't blame her, but a desire inside pleaded for him to force her to talk. A selfish, sick desire wanted to just fix things as soon as he could.

"Don't worry, bud. If you need anyone to talk to, I'm here for ya!" Jim put his hand on Link's shoulder and brought him in for a half-hug.

"Thanks…" Link said, looking at the Bomber out of the corner of his eye.

For the first day, Link stayed in Clock Town, knowing he needed to give Romani time. As he strolled through South and into West, he tried not to think about her.

"Hey pal! What can I do for you?" The Man from the Trading Post greeted Link with a wide smile. It'd been a while since they last had a talk.

"Hey… I was thinking I'd just stop by." Link said with a little smile.

"Something on your mind?" The fellow said, stopping to scratch his back before giving Link his undivided attention.

"I guess you could say that. But I'd rather not right now." Link said, eyeing the items on display.

"Understood, understood. So what would you like?" The man turned to see what Link was looking at.

"Maybe some Deku Nuts?" Link got a warm smile.

A few hours later, Link could be found repeatedly throwing Deku Nuts around his room. He had finally got some lawn work done, so he had an entire legion of nuts to use. Each throw he smiled a little. It was a niche distraction.

"Hey kiddo, I was wonde-" Kafei hadn't knocked, and opened the door just as Link threw another nut.

"AAAH!" Kafei yelped as he got blinded by the flash, and he tumbled to the floor.

"Dad!" Link got up from the bed and helped his father stand.

"Wha-" Kafei looked dazed. "What was that?"

"S-Sorry, I was throwing around some Deku Nuts." Link looked back to his bed, the pile of nuts on the corner of the mattress.

"Oh. Well, warn me next time, alright?" Kafei said, rubbing his eyes. "What were you doing with them anyways?"

"I was just… trying to get my mind off things…" Link said. Kafei knew what the boy was referring to.

"I see. Well, would you like some company?"

Link shook his head at first, but a second later he nodded. Kafei patted the teen on the head and entered the room. Sitting down on the bed, he looked to his right side and signaled for Link to sit down next to him.

"So, you accidentally kissed that Malon girl, but you thought she was Romani?" Kafei said, startling Link with how forward he put it.

"At least word it nicer…" Link grumbled.

"Sorry, sorry, thought I'd try to get a laugh out of you. I get it though. You messed up, and now stuff's weird, right?" Kafei had a bit of understanding on what Link was going through. When he was a teenager, he wasn't the best at making the ladies happy.

"You want to talk to her."

"Yeah…" Link was surprised how clear his thought process could be to Kafei, but he was the one who taught him a lot about emotions. Their family motto was the prime example of that.

"Listen, I know it's hard to not listen to that little voice that's telling you to just go and talk to her, but trust me, you got to fight it." Kafei tapped Link on the forehead. "What a boy can say will probably just mess stuff up more."

Link nodded slowly and leaned his head on Kafei's shoulder. The purple-haired man wrapped his arm around his boy and held him close.

"It's all about when she's ready. You might be ready to talk, but she's not you. She's different, just like how I'm different from you." Kafei recalled about how impulsive he used to be, and how much trouble it got him into.

"Ok… I'll try." Link said.

For a bit, it was just father and son. Kafei was glad that he could still have these moments with Link, regardless of if he was almost 17. Link was glad as well, since returning to Hyrule, it felt like he never had time to just relax with his parents.

Then there was a quiet knock. Kafei figured it was from downstairs, probably someone checking in.

"Wait here." Kafei said, standing and leaving the room. He kept the door open.

Link sat on the sit of the bed, and he stretched out. He considered lying down, but when he heard a certain voice from downstairs, his ears went on alert.

"I need to talk to Link." It was Cremia. It only then occurred to Link that it'd been ages since he'd last even seen the older ranch sister, let alone chat with her. He quickly left the room and went to the lobby.

"I'm not sure right now is the best time." Kafei said, rubbing the back of his neck. He was going to continue, but when Cremia started staring daggers at someone unseen, he turned.

Cremia was glaring at Link as he stood motionless by the foot of the stairs. His face was the shade of a tomato.

"Hey…" Link mumbled.

Cremia didn't respond. She pushed Kafei out of her way and walked up to Link. There, she slapped him in the face.

"How could you do that to her?!" Cremia demanded to know why Link had to be like so many other teenagers. Like so many other men.

"Hey!" Kafei yelled and ran up to his friend and son.

Cremia didn't give Link any time to recover from her slap and she pulled him towards her by the collar. The teen was astonished at her strength when he felt his legs dangle when they were lifted off the floor. It wasn't far, since there was not a considerable height difference between him and Cremia like there was years before, but it was still noticeable.

"Come on, tell me now!" Cremia was filled with rage. She removed one hand from Link's tunic and slapped him again.

"Sister, wait!" Romani's voice called from outside, and the younger sister opened the front door in a panic.

"No, neither of you get in my way!" Cremia almost fought back when Kafei and Romani forced her away from Link. Kafei acted as a shield for his son, and Romani made sure to keep her older sister at a distance.

"What on earth is going on?" Anju entered from the stairs and analyzed the scene. Kafei, shielding Link. Link, hand to a red mark on his cheek. Romani, blocking Cremia. Cremia, wearing a face comparable to the moon that once loomed in the sky.

"Did you know about this, Anju?!" Cremia asked, her tone making the innkeeper do a doubletake.

"What is this all about?" Kafei asked. He feared he already knew the answer.

"What do you think?! I don't even want to say it out loud!" Cremia finally gave up on trying to get past her little sister. She simply stood on the other side of the lobby, arms crossed, fuming.

"Fine, that was a stupid question, but that gives you no right to slap my son!" Kafei said. He had known Cremia for a very long time, but he never got a glimpse of this side of her.

Cremia huffed and turned away from the others. Her face was left in shadow, and her scowl was unlike any other.

"Cremia, I think you need to leave." Anju said, arms crossed. Now it was her turn to startle everyone with her tone. "Now."

Romani and her sister shared a look, and Cremia walked out. The door slammed with a force that made the adult innkeepers wince, and part of the wood got scratched. The four waited in silence, but Romani didn't follow right away.

"S-Sorry, Link." Romani said, turning to face Link. She looked him right in the eye, and her face conveyed how much she didn't mean for that to happen.

"I-It's alright." Link replied, having a difficult time focusing on anything else but Romani. She had actually looked at him, talked to him even.

Then, Romani left the inn. It took Kafei a minute to revert to his normal stance and stop being a shield for Link. He was still in the protective parent mode, and the same was true for Anju.

"In what realm does she think that was acceptable?!" Anju berated, not even sure what to think about what happened.

"No, no… I deserved that." Link said.

"What?!" Anju and Kafei said in unison.

"Nonsense, Link. You didn't deserve to get slapped in the face like that." Kafei worried that Link took his advice the wrong way.

"Well, I mean… wouldn't you do the same?" Link stated. Kafei paused.

"Dad, you said that everyone is different. Well, I think that was Cremia's way of handling it." Link was starting to understand. "Romani's never had to deal with something like this before, so Cremia feels protective…"

Kafei thought about it for a moment, and he somewhat agreed. Romani was Cremia's only sister, and Cremia herself had dealt with a number of deceptive men over the course of her life.

"I guess she just never thought you'd be like that." Kafei muttered. Anju turned to her husband; eyes wide when he finished his sentence.

"C-Come on, Link. You need some rest." Anju took Link's hand and went back upstairs to finally get him to sleep. It was late.

"She did WHAT?!" Tatl was enraged when Link finished telling her, Tael, and Skull Kid, the detail of the night prior.

"Sis. Hey, sis, calm down." Tael nudged Tatl's arm, but Skull Kid was afraid the fairy might break something in the hut.

"I- I just-" Tatl formed a brief stutter. "I cannot BELIEVE her!"

"Tatl, look, I th-" Link got cut off when Tatl flew up and put her hand on Link's lips, making him go quiet.

"Don't you 'Tatl' me, mister! I'm going to get her for that!" The fairy cracked her knuckles and looked out at the open door.

"No, Tatl, hang on." Link used his finger to move Tatl's hand and he made sure he continued before she could interrupt.

"I don't blame her for doing that. Romani is her only sister, and she was mad. Aren't you ever protective of Tael?" Link raised his eyebrows and Tatl had a quick flashback to when she did feel that way.

"Remember when Tael got smacked by Skull Kid when he had that mask?" Link said. Skull Kid immediately looked down in shame.

"Sorry…" Link noticed Skull Kid's reaction, but he knew he had to go on. "Well, you always felt protective of him. This was just how Cremia showed it with Romani."

"You're… not still mad about what I did to Tael, are you Tatl?" Skull Kid began to rattle, a telltale sign he was afraid. Moreso nervous than afraid, but it was how he coped with it.

"O-Of course not! That's in the past!" Tatl blurted.

Silence descended on the group for a bit as each thought about the past. All they had been through, all the mistakes they made. The spectre of guilt cast its shadow on them until finally leaving to haunt another day.

"Well, now what?" Tael asked, hoping to get the mood back to something less strenuous.

"I still kind of want to get her back for that…" Tatl said under her breath.

"Sis, you know that's not a good way to think. Besides, what would Navi think?" Tael hadn't watched his mouth, and Tatl's face was emblazoned with a furious blush.

"B-By the way, what exactly is going on with… you and Navi?" Link had wanted to ask for some time now, but never got the chance.

"Nothing." Tatl replied plainly, trying to brush the question off.

Tatl was met with silence and slowly looked at Link. He was giving her his skeptical face, and it made her twice as nervous. She never thought she'd actually feel the way she did towards Navi.

"I said nothing!" Tatl squeaked, her voice cracking.

"I see how it is." Link smirked, knowing how to get Tatl to tell him. He stood from the floor. "I guess I'll just leave."

"Wait! Hang on!" Tatl flew up but stayed behind Link. "Fine, I'll tell you!"

"I think… I may sort of… like… her." Tatl didn't look at Link, but he turned to face her. His eyes were wider than they ever were before.

"Pardon?"

"I said… I kind of have some feelings for… N-Navi…" Tatl reluctantly said it again. She didn't think it'd be true, but it was. Something about the blue fairy fascinated her, and she had fallen for her.

"I…" Link had to take a minute to process it. "I'm so proud of you, Tatl!"

"Wha- Really?" Tatl didn't think Link would be so open to the idea of her and Navi together.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" Link asked.

"I don't know! M-Maybe because Navi used to like you and-" Tatl put her hand to her mouth before she could spout out anything else. She never intended to let that slip.

"Wait, what?" Link's smile went away in a snap.

"No! Wait! I didn't mean to say that! I… w-w-well…" Tatl put her hands to her temples and winced.

"It's true. She even told me." Tael decided to let his sister get a break from needing to explain so much. "She used to like you, a lot. But she sees you as just a friend now."

"Oh…alright." Link didn't know how to react in a way that wasn't strange.

Overall, Link was glad Navi didn't feel that way anymore, but should he feel happy about that? Was it just Tatl who changed her mind, or was it something he did? Was it good that she no longer felt such feelings for him? He was endlessly confused about how relationships, liking someone, and being liked back, all worked. How did Anju and Kafei manage to stay together if it could be this complex?

"It's ok, Tatl. I'm glad that you did actually share that with me." Link decided to let go of his bewilderment and just be here for his friend.

"Well, you did threaten to leave!" Tatl said, a little tinge of anger appearing.

"I wasn't going to leave, you know me." Link smiled and put his hand to his hip. Tatl just gasped.

"Hey! Not cool, Link!" Tatl's light turned red, and she started to ring rapidly. Skull Kid and Link had to cover their ears as Tael calmed his sister down again.

"Sorry!" Link's smile grew, and one look outside told him he actually had to leave. It was getting late.

"I'll see you guys soon, alright?" Link hollered from the nearest tree.

"See ya, Link!" Skull Kid waved goodbye with an eager glee. He was almost too excited to head back to Hyrule in a few days.

Link, however, had different things on his mind. All the walk home, his mind was clouded by everything.

Chapter Text

Not much to add today. Please enjoy!
-Joost

Author's note! To be honest, there is one thing I wanna add. There are a LOT of references to series that I adore throughout my stories, if that wasn't obvious already. This story and its predecessor have a lot of allusions to James Bond, for example. Just somethin' I wanted to say. :) 

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 15: My Heart Just Ain't Gonna Buy It

Link opened the front door to the Stock Pot Inn. He made it with almost an hour of his curfew to spare. However, Anju and Kafei were not like their surrogate son. Hardly night-owls, they had turned in for the night just a little bit before Link got home. He had the entire place to himself for a while.

For what felt like forever, Link wandered around the inn, searching for something to do. He tried his best not to think about Romani, but every now and then his thoughts went to her. He thought about how she was doing, if she was ready to talk, everything. With how Cremia reacted the night before, he wasn't sure she was even close to ready.

At only three hours to midnight, Link was sitting on a stool in the lobby, propping his legs up on the front desk and keeping his hat over his face to act as an eye mask. He waited until it was time to blow out the candles and head to bed.

Then there was a knock at the door. Link checked a few clocks just to make sure none of them were off. Nope. The Inn was closed to clients, or at least it was supposed to be.

Link rose from his seat and went to the door. He was met with the postman, out of breath, holding a letter. The teen only got a quick look at it, but he noted the purple envelope and pink ribbon. It was urgent.

"Late delivery!" The postman piped up, handing Link the letter. He gave a salute and then left, leaving a confused teen at the door.

Link inwardly questioned who could have sent an urgent letter so late at night, but when he turned it over to see who it was from, he froze.

"To Link – Romani" That was all it read.

Link quickly tore open the letter and began to read.

"Dear Link," There was a crossed-out 'G', 'r', and 'a' between the 'dear' and 'Link'. The teen's heart sank at that detail, but he continued to read. There actually wasn't much left in the note.

"Romani thinks she's ready to talk about what happened. Bright and early tomorrow, at the ranch." It ended there.

Link read it twice more, making sure it didn't miss anything. It was for real, she wanted to talk. He smiled lightly and went to bed, letter in hand.

Link made sure to get up before Anju or Kafei. The sun hadn't even fully risen yet and he already made breakfast. He left his gear on his bed and carefully left the inn. It had been a while since he had snuck out, but it was just like how he used to when he was fifteen and feeling a strange desire. To see Romani.

Getting a whiff of the morning air, Link set off for Milk Road and beyond. He didn't want to bring Epona along, as she had earned almost a lifetime of rest after working with him so much in Hyrule and going back to Termina.

Seeing the sights of Termina outside of Clock Town was nice. It'd been eons since he had gone to Romani Ranch. Last time he was ever there was the day Navi appeared, but even then it was only to make sure Romani got home safely.

Endless thoughts occupied Link's mind as he walked through Termina Field and to Milk Road. The Owl Statue was welcoming, and the distant sign advertising the Gorman Brother's was somewhat nice to see.

Link finally got in view of Romani Ranch. It looked lovely. He stopped just before passing the gate and gave himself a brief pep-talk.

"Alright, you've got this. She just wants to talk. You can do this." Link said out loud to himself.

"Romani knows you can do this." Link yelped and turned around to see Romani, leaning on the pole that supported the archway above them. How long had she been there?

"Romani! I- uh!" Link was taken aback. He wasn't prepared to see her so soon. He planned on doing another pep-talk when he got to the front door, but before he would knock.

Romani couldn't help but giggle at how nervous the boy in green was. Her smile didn't last long when she thought about how she would continue what she wanted to say.

"Romani's only worried about how she'll do this…" The ranch woman said, taking a step forward.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Link asked, not sure whether he should back up to give Romani space or just stay put.

"Romani means… maybe she overreacted."

"W-Well, I don't see how else you would have reacted…" Link tried not to sound snarky.

"Just, Romani's willing to put it behind us. You were tired… and you got confused." Romani was still uncomfortable about the scene she saw. She thought about it often.

"I did. I was a fool, and I should have not just thought you were right there." Link hated how he felt about the kiss. He didn't even notice a difference until he saw Romani standing in the doorway. "It was my fault."

"It was, but Romani's going to forgive you. This time." Romani put one finger up and gave Link a stern look. He knew if he messed up again, that'd be it.

"Understood." Link said, unwavering obedience behind his voice. He didn't want to lose the people he grew to love, especially Romani.

Link extended his hand to take Romani's, but she didn't do the same. No words had to be exchanged for him to understand why. They weren't quite back there yet. The teen lowered his hand and kept it at his side. However, there was still something that had to be resolved.

"What about Cremia?" Link looked in the distance, towards the ranch house.

"Sister… Romani's not very sure…" Romani thought back to what happened at the Inn. The insurmountable rage behind Cremia's eyes was another thing entirely.

"I mean, we need to fix this… w-with her." Link looked at the dirt path leading to the house. He wanted to march up to it and talk to the ranch owner then and there.

The pair seemed to share thoughts for a moment. Both wanted the same thing, but they had no clue how to act. How to properly mend things. Link and Romani locked eyes, and it felt like they were twelve all over again. Two friends trying to overcome such staggering odds, even if the current situation was nowhere near as intense as the one they faced in the canyon.

"Have any ideas?" Romani asked.

"No. Not good ones, at least." Link admitted. He hated how brash and forward all the concepts in his head were coming out to be.

"An idea is better than no idea." Romani said, noticing that the sky was starting to change into a bluer color than orange. Cremia would be getting up soon.

"Then I say that we just go and talk to her…" Link scratched his neck, and one look at Romani told him that it was a bad idea. But it was the only idea they had.

"Sister doesn't get up for an hour. What should we do?" Romani didn't turn to face Link, and he didn't either. They just stood side by side, nervous.

Link decided to do something simple. He didn't say a word, and just walked out to the barn. Romani considered following, but a part of her told her not to. She waited for the boy in green to return for what felt like an hour, but it was merely five minutes.

Link appeared over the hill with something metallic in his hands. Actually, it was several things. When he got into earshot of Romani, he held his hands up. "Let's play!"

Romani finally wore a smile. Link was carrying horseshoes and a metal stake. When he got back to the fence, he stamped the stake into the grass and gave his friend two of the four horseshoes he had gotten.

There, the two held a light competition. They threw the horseshoes at the stake, clamoring when they got to their target and laughing when they didn't. Just like old times. A fine set of memories came flooding back for both teenagers and they slowly felt more comfortable in each other's presence.

As the sun rose to better greet the day, Link and Romani were acting as if they were preteens again. They joked, played, and did whatever they liked to pass the time. The two blades of grass were finally able to dance in the wind again.

When the sunlight hit a certain window on the ranch house in the distance, Romani knew Cremia would be starting her day. Link noticed that his friend stopped throwing her horseshoe and he suspected that it was time.

Romani took the lead in walking up to the house, Link right behind. The lady knocked on the door, even though it was her own home, and waited.

Then the door opened.

"Hi sister!" Romani chirped, giving a little wave to her older sister.

"Hey Romani. What are you doing out here?" Cremia asked. She noticed the lack of a redhead in the bed beside hers when she woke up.

"Romani was just… hanging out." Romani fiddled with her hands, and then stepped to the side, revealing Link who was standing right behind her.

Only a second passed before the door slammed shut, followed by the flip of a lock. The teens were left in a stunned silence. Link looked to the ground dejectedly, and Romani decided to not let it just end there.

"Sister! Please, just hear him out." Romani knocked on the door.

"Why is he here?!" Cremia replied from the other side. She was sitting down, back against the door to prevent Romani from opening it up.

"Because I asked him to!" Romani said.

"Why?!" Cremia nearly shouted, confused on why her own sister wouldn't still be mad at the boy.

Romani sighed and sat down, her back also to the door. The sisters unknowingly mirrored each other, and Link was left feeling out of place. The younger of the sisters racked her brain, trying to figure out what to do. She hadn't completely forgiven Link yet, but she at least wanted him and her sister to make up.

"Romani was just… not trying to make a big deal out of it! Link was confused when it happened." Romani was a bit reluctant to admit that she had left out a few details when she first told her older sister about it. Although she was quite distraught when she did tell her.

"What do you mean, 'confused'?" Cremia turned her head towards the door an inch.

"Look, Link had… been through a lot… when it all happened…" Link sat down next to Romani as she explained. He gave her a look of understanding, and she knew that he was alright with her speaking for him.

"He was exhausted, tired, and he thought it was me he was…" Romani still didn't want to finish her sentence, but her sister got the idea.

"How could he have mistaken another girl for you?!" Cremia snapped back, thinking it was a weak excuse.

"W-Well, that's… complicated." Romani still didn't understand how it all worked herself, and it'd be a chore to explain it fully. "B-But the girl looked like Romani!"

Cremia didn't buy it, but the genuineness in her little sisters voice told her that she should take it somewhat seriously. Reluctantly, the ranch owner got up from the floor and unlocked the door. She opened it a crack and Romani stood to avoid falling.

Romani smiled as she walked inside, and Link tried to follow.

"Not. Yet." Cremia held her hand out and stopped the boy. All she had to do was point to the ground, and Link stayed put. The door closed abruptly, and the sisters continued their conversation.

"Alright, tell me the full story." Cremia grumbled, sitting on the edge of the dinner table.

Romani took a deep breath and Cremia was a little concerned.

"Link had to fight a big yellow… thing, and a giant spider. He got back really tired, and thought this other girl was Romani. Romani walked in, saw him, and ran off." Romani searched her mind to see if there was anything she forgot.

Cremia had to process what her little sister said. It sounded like nonsense, but knowing how much Romani had been through, let alone Link, it was likely true. The eldest sister huffed and turned her head to the side, staring at nothing in particular.

"Just… let him explain. Romani promises he won't disappoint." Romani had to bite her tongue. She prayed Link wouldn't disappoint.

"Fine…" Cremia said after a long pause. "Let him in. I want to talk to him myself."

Romani looked at her sister in shock, not expecting her to cave in so quickly. She slowly made her way to the front door and opened it. Peering outside, she sat Link sitting underneath the mini stable and beckoned for him to come inside. He spotted Cremia first and averted his eyes.

"Come here. Now." Cremia said, an eerie calmness accompanying her words.

Link nodded and walked up to Cremia, still keeping his head down. Romani watched in silence, waiting for one of them to act first. The ranch owner scanned Link over, analyzing his expression, posture, everything. She could tell he was nervous, both of possibly needing to explain himself, and what she'd do if he said something wrong. The woman forced herself not to giggle at how he looked.

"Do you want to know why I did that, Link?" Cremia asked.

Link nodded meekly.

"Look, it's because… I was…" Now that he was right in front of her, Cremia finally had the time to think over what was going on in her head, and if Link was even capable of meeting those criteria.

Cremia realized how unfair she was being. To Link, to Romani, and to herself. Of course Link couldn't be like that. It wasn't in his nature. He was far from anything resembling what she had thought. She turned around and away from the teen, leaving him confused.

"Link, I-" Cremia almost didn't know what to do. "I'm so sorry…"

"F-For what?" Link asked.

"Alright… look. It's all because I thought you were going to be like the… other men… that I've had to deal with." Cremia never noticed she was holding her breath until she let it go. "Some cheat, manipulate, and lie, just to satisfy themselves."

Link tilted his head in the adorable fashion as he used to when he was younger. Cremia finally chuckled at his inherent cuteness, even if he was 16 years old.

"I just noticed that… that could never be you. You're nowhere near like that." Cremia put her hands together and held them close to her. She felt somewhat afraid of how he would react.

"That's alright, Ms. Cremia." Link said, raising his head to meet Cremia's eyes. "I was… stupid. I didn't pay attention, and it was my fault it all happened. I'm sorry."

"Just, promise me- No, promise us that you'll watch yourself. Alright?" Cremia looked to her sister and smiled, causing Romani to return the gesture.

"I promise." Link responded, a gentle resolve lining his tone.

"Good." Cremia beamed from ear to ear, and she gave Link a hug. This time, Link didn't get his face smothered by something that made him go red.

Romani suddenly join in on the embrace, and everything seemed to stop for just a moment. It was only them, and they all seemed relatively happy for the first time in a while.

"So, what now?" Romani asked to break the silence.

"W-Well, how long have you two been up?!" Cremia just realized how early it was.

"For like two hours." Link replied, not thinking much of the question.

"Goodness! You two need breakfast!" Cremia released Link and Romani and headed to the stove in record time.

"No, no, Ms. Cremia. You don't need to." Link said. His modesty could be a pain sometimes.

"No, Link. You came all the way out here at the crack of dawn, just to make up with us. We need to repay you somehow." Cremia wanted to at least show her appreciation for the boy in green.

"Oh, alright…" Link said in a slight grumble. He thought the immediate hospitality was a little too much at the moment, but it was Cremia's decision, not his.

"Come on, Grasshopper. Let us be the noble ones for a change." Romani smiled at Link, and hearing her call him by his pet name after so long made his heart swell. The dopiest grin imaginable grew across his face and sat down at the table.

By the time he set off back to Clock Town, he and Romani had already started holding hands again. As the ranch was obscured by the rocks making the pathway to Milk Road, he felt a satisfying sense of comfort.

It took him a minute to understand what he was feeling. Link felt the quantum of solace that had been vacant from his spirit for the past few days. He welcomed it with open arms and relished the rest of his break in Termina.

Chapter Text

Hey! Link's paranoia goes up to eleven here! I had a lot of fun writing this one. And now, things can REALLY start! I hope you're in for a wild next few chapters. Enjoy!
-Joost

Note! Here is gonna be one of the only changes to a story from it's original release version. This will introduce the 'dark determination', something that'll be much more present in Shattering the Stars!

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 16: Spectres

Epona stopped just short of the house. Everyone was back in Hyrule. Seeing Castle Town no longer a mess, carpenters starting work on rebuilding the Happy Mask Shop, repairing the fountain, replacing the shingles on the roof of the Bombchu Bowling Alley, it all filled Link with ambition.

"Everyone get comfy! Link and I have some plans to talk to the princess!" Tatl shouted to the others. Link grew flustered at how much she revealed even though he wanted it to stay private.

"Good luck, Grasshopper." Romani gave Link a quick peck on the cheek, the first one he had received from her.

"Well, I don't know what you're plannin', but you know you can count me in when stuff goes down!" Jim patted Link on the shoulder and wore a hefty grin. Skull Kid, who was helping out Anju and Kafei, smiled and waved him goodbye as he set off for Hyrule Castle.

"So, are you feeling better, Link?" Tatl asked, sitting atop of Link's green hat.

"I… I think so." Link said quietly. He did feel for the most part better, but something was still bothering him. Something he couldn't explain. It was just a feeling looming over him.

Tatl raised an eyebrow, but Link didn't notice. She'd known him for too long to know when he was lying. He was never taught how to lie, so he was far from the best at it.

The boy kept silent for the entire walk to the castle. The distant chirps of birds and buzzing of various insects filled the air. It was getting closer and closer to full-on spring, and Link knew what it meant. His special day.

The duo of guards gave Link knowing nods as he approached the castle drawbridge. They waved to the ones atop the turrets and the bridge lowered for him. Giving the soldiers a smile, the hero walked inside.

The search for Zelda was decently short, since she was waiting for him just down a few of the castle corridors.

"Ah, hello Link!" Zelda rushed over to the hero and gave him a gentle wave.

"Zelda." Link addressed the princess and bowed to her. When he met her gaze again, they smiled. Something felt a little different between him and the princess now. He felt a bit more comfortable around her.

"I trust you had a nice break?" Zelda initiated small talk as she started to stroll down the hall.

"I did." Link hesitated for a moment, but he realized he did have an interesting break. Not the nicest, but it was interesting. Rough, but he learned. "So, anything of note while I was away?"

"Well, that's the thing I wanted to discuss. Ever since the spider attack, nothing has happened. Guards have nothing to report." Zelda herself was astonished at the news, and so was Link.

"Really?" Link and Tatl said at the same time. They got a nod from the princess, and the boy put his hand to his chin. Tatl decided to finish his thought for him. "Well, good!"

Zelda giggled at how the duo seemed relieved at what they were being told. "Everything calmed down after the work to rebuild Castle Town went underway. Our only guess is that whatever it was you fought was the last of them."

Link hoped that was the case. He yearned for this all to be over so he could return to Termina for good. While the new adventure was a breath of fresh air, he did want to put down the sword and shield for now. However, something in the back of his mind told him that it all wasn't over.

"I see." Link thought about how he'd word what he wanted to tell Zelda. "I think me and my family will stay in Hyrule for the next week, just to make sure nothing else comes up."

Zelda wore a shining smile. "Thank you very much, Link. And you too, Tatl. I trust you will use your permission to the sword if the need arrives."

"Thank you very much!" Tatl said, a snarky emphasis on the last two words. Her annoyance with the princess wasn't addressed by the other two, Link just smiling.

As Link made the walk back to Castle Town, his smile never faltered. For once he was at ease with everything. Perhaps he could simply head home and relax for a little while before he went out to patrol on Epona.

Then his ears picked up something foreign. All the chatter of the townsfolk became muffled, and not even Tatl could get through to him. Link looked around, searching for something unknown.

"Link?" Tatl noticed how the boy had stopped. She flew off of his hat and down in front of his face. She waved at him repeatedly, but his eyes were too distracted.

Link couldn't get rid of the chill creeping along his spine. It didn't just slink upwards like usual, but it remained. It teased his muscles in a way that could drive him mad. No sense of fear and awareness had seized him this badly since the Garo. For a moment his mind went to the worst-case scenario. Could they have returned?

"Hey! Link! Speak to me!" Tatl yelled in his face, but all she got were strange looks from people passing by. The pressure made her volume go down.

Link kept still, but in his head, he was twisting and turning all around, trying to find the source of his fear. It thankfully didn't last much longer, as he was let go of the bizarre feeling and snapped back to reality.

"Link!" Tatl shouted again. This time he heard it, and he covered his ear.

"What?!" Link spouted back.

"Uh, I should be the one saying 'what'! Why did you go… still for a second?" Tatl tried to her keep voice low.

"I did what?" Link asked.

"Wow… Alright, fine. Just embarrass me in the middle of town and act like it never happened." Tatl crossed her arms and gave Link the cold shoulder.

"N-No! I didn't mean that… Something… distracted me." Link didn't really know how to interpret what happened. He rushed back to the house, Tatl close behind, so he could explain.

"Hey, what's got you in a rush?" Jim asked when he saw Link enter and then close the door right behind him, barely giving Tatl enough time to make it in.

"W-Well…" Link paused, and Anju entered the living room from the washroom and noticed Link's state.

"Everything alright, honey?" Anju asked.

"Y-Yeah, just…" Link looked to Tatl, but he only got a tired shrug from the fairy. He decided to leave both of them without an answer and go up to his room.

"Alright, spill it. What happened?" Tatl asked when the two got upstairs.

"I… don't know. I felt like…" Link was almost afraid to talk about the spies. Even though they had been gone for so long now, he had a feeling just mentioning them would lead to their return.

"Well?!" Tatl was growing impatient.

"I felt like the Garo were back…" Link didn't see the way Tatl froze. Her heart stopped for a split second. Memories of the battles Link faced all that time ago flashed before her eyes. The scars he got still filled her with worry from time to time.

Everything was silent for a bit, both friends unsure how to even continue.

"W-Why?" Tatl asked.

"I don't know. It just… happened." Link rubbed his arm in defeat.

"Alright… but just… try to fight it if it happens again, you hear me?" Tatl forced the sense of dread away and tried to be casual, and Link just nodded.

"Please?" Jim asked again.

"It was nothing, trust me." Link rejected the offer for him to tell Jim why he acted so strange earlier for the fourth time. He didn't want to rope him into something that could be nothing.

"Didn't really seem like nothing." Jim remarked, sitting down on a nearby stool in a huff.

"Honestly, I'd quite like to know too, Link." Anju said from the stairs. The teen's eyes widened, and he groaned.

"Look, it was just something between me and Tatl." Link knew it was flimsy thing to say. Jim and Anju shared a look.

"Nope. There's nothing to tell." Link defied his own inner desire to tell his loved ones. Something about it didn't feel right, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Jim scowled, and Anju wore her trademark expression of concern. Neither liked when Link hid things from them. Both had a view of Link's side profile, and how he had his brow furrowed and his eyes slightly squinted told them that he was thinking. What exactly, they didn't know.

Link knew well that his lying was becoming a nasty habit. He couldn't help it. If he told the truth, he feared his family would get needlessly worried, angry, or something along those lines. His fear acted as a poison that infected his choices.

"Link, dear." Anju walked up to her son and put her hand on his shoulder. "Are you absolutely sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, mom. I'm just a little… tired from all the stuff recently. I'm fine." Link was glad at least that was true. Even if all the chaos from the week before was behind him, it had a lasting effect on the boy.

"Okay…" Anju said, looking down. She could find the grain of truth behind her son's statement, but something told her that it wasn't the whole picture.

After a while, Link elected to go patrolling on Epona. It would be something to take his mind off everything. However, he did want some company besides Epona.

Link knocked on the bedroom door across from his. "Romani? H-Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to… go patrolling with me."

Romani opened the door and Link perked up at the sight of her usual smile. "Sure, Grasshopper. Romani would love to!"

"Thanks…" Link went a little red in the cheeks.

Epona galloped out of Castle Town, carrying two riders. Link was a little happy that Romani joined him, as he didn't have to carry the map on Hyrule this time. The wind rushed past both teens, and they rode out around the perimeter of Hyrule Field.

"Here's the first spot!" Romani reached forward and held the map in front of Link, pointing to the first place he usually stopped. The boy nodded and brought Epona to a canter as they neared the mark.

Hopping off of Epona, Link and Romani surveyed the area. The teen in green could see where a Peahat used to reside. The view seemed normal so far. Since the air was so lovely, they walked around for a bit.

"Alright, everything seems good!" Link said cheerfully, putting his hands on his hips. Maybe a little bit of time out with Romani was what he needed to relax.

"Race you back to Epona!" Romani giggled and took off, barely giving Link any time to react to her proposition. He bolted, doing his best to catch up to his girlfriend. Then, something caught his eye, and he stopped.

"Ha! Romani wins! That was fun, wasn't it, Grasshopper?" Romani turned to see where Link was, but was surprised to see him a good distance away, standing in place and looking at the ground.

"Grasshopper?" Romani repeated her nickname for Link but got no answer. She started to walk back to him, no clue as to why he was just standing there.

"Grasshopper? Are you alright?" Romani tapped Link on the shoulder, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Romani!" Link yelped, his eyes going wide. Romani just stepped back, a little startled.

"What's wrong?" Romani asked, noticing the goosebumps along Link's arm.

"N-Nothing. Let's go to the next spot." Link abruptly brushed off Romani's question and walked back to his loyal steed.

The pair got onto the horse and set off to the next location marked on the map. However, neither noticed Link's strange lack of a defined shadow. The sun glistened down on him and Romani the exact same way, but while Romani's had a considerable amount of detail, just as the grass, fences, and even Epona, Link's didn't.

"Should be just a little bit to the west." Romani peered down at the map in her hands. Link grunted softly in response.

Epona slowed down yet again, and the two teens disembarked from the saddle. This time they didn't stray too far from their ride. Romani handed Link the map to look over just to ensure they got the right spot.

Then Link felt a tap on his shoulder. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and another chill went down his spine.

"R-Romani? Did you just tap my shoulder?" Link whipped around to see the redhead.

"No, why?" Romani shook her head and gave Link a puzzled look.

Before Link could tell her why, he felt another hand press against his shoulder. That couldn't have been Romani. Link turned around again, just to be met with no one. Just complete silence. He tilted his own head in bewilderment. What on earth was going on?

"Grasshopper, is anything the matter?" Romani asked, taking a step towards her friend. The boy didn't look her in the eye, but instead out into the distance.

"I… I don't know. Just something… feels off." Link mumbled. Romani had to lean a little closer to hear all of what he said.

"Alright… Romani's right here." The ranch woman crept closer to her boyfriend, and decided to give him a proper kiss. For a moment, all his worry melted away. It didn't last long, however. Link didn't want to push it.

"Thanks, Romani." Link gave a weak smile as he gazed into his girlfriend's eyes. The crystal blue color made him feel lost, but in the best way possible.

"Let's head to the last place in the map." Link said, taking Romani's hand. They climbed back onto Epona and took off.

This time, there wasn't any problem. The increased sense of vertigo that held Link's conscience hostage had seemingly lifted. He sighed softly as he guided Epona to the last mark on the map. It was that little edge that oversaw Zora's River, just before it flowed down to the Domain.

Link and Romani decided not to hop off of Epona this time. While they sat on her back, they got a better view of the area than if they had got off.

"That's about it. Everything's normal." Link said, the last of his nervousness leaving his tone.

"Then should we head back?" Romani looked at the drawbridge leading to Castle Town.

"Yeah, let's go." Link turned to smile at Romani, and she reciprocated with her own. Giving Epona a gentle kick, the pair rode back to town.

Slowing back down to little strides, Epona carried Link and Romani across the bridge. The crowd of people that occupied the market earlier had thinned out at last, giving the mare some more room to breathe. When they got back to the house, Link turned once again to Romani.

"You go on ahead. I'll hitch Epona to her regular spot." Link told Romani, and she happily jumped off of the horse. She reached up and gave Link's hand a little squeeze just to show affection, and then gave Epona a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh alright… I see how it is." Link said jokingly, smirking.

"Maybe that is how it is, Grasshopper!" Romani replied playfully before turning to get to the house. Link chuckled for the first time in a while and carefully led Epona to where she would normally stay.

"You did a great job today, Epona. I'm proud of you." Link gave his thanks to his steed and fetched a carrot he had been keeping in his bag. It had some lint on it, so he wiped it off before presenting it to the horse.

After Epona finished her snack, Link turned to go back to the house. When he was only halfway there, he spotted something across the market. It made his blood go to ice for a moment.

A pitch-black figure stood in the middle of the street, barely visible behind the rebuilt fountain. However, it wasn't its presence that spooked Link. It was the outline. Its silhouette appeared like it was wearing robes and it had long sharp objects planted where its arms would presumably be. It was the figure that haunted Link's dreams for the longest time.

Nothing else about the figure could be distinguished. Regardless of if it was out in broad daylight, it looked like it was concealed by shadow. For a second Link considered reaching back to pull out his sword, but when he blinked, the figure disappeared.

Link held his breath and hoped it wouldn't come back. His inner curiosity begged for him to go to where the shadow stood and inspect around, but instead he just ran as fast as he could back to the house.

"Run it by Romani again." Romani could hardly believe what Link had told her. Just an hour ago he seemed completely calm, now he was a nervous mess.

"I think I saw a Garo." Link hushed himself before he spoke.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Romani hoped what Link saw was just an illusion, but then that rose the question of who made him see it.

"I… I'm not sure. Today… I feel on edge and like something is messing with me." Link looked down at the wooden planks that made up the floor with painful shame. "It may just be because I'm tired…"

"Then Grasshopper should get some rest! It'd be the best thing to do to ease your mind!" Romani picked up a few things from when Anju grew worried about her son when he got sick. Rest could be a powerful tool.

One look at the now setting sun made him think about just going to bed right now.

"No… I just need to get my mind off all this." In reality, Link was almost nervous to go to sleep. A part of him thought the dream demon could be the one making him see things, even though he had defeated it.

"Come on, let's at least get some dinner first. Kafei said he was cooking, remember?" Romani took Link's hand and held it close to herself. She hoped the joke about Anju's cooking would ease his spirits, and it somewhat did.

"…Fine." Link said, trying not to crack another smile. He failed the attempt, but he was happy that Romani could always find a way to help him.

"There you guys are!" Skull Kid chirped as he saw Romani dragging Link downstairs by the hand. "Food's almost ready!"

"Yeah! I'm starving!" Jim was eager to dig in. He didn't mind Anju's cooking, but he was interesting in seeing how Kafei's would compare.

Link sat down next to Romani at the table, and they all waited patiently for the man with the purple hair to finish prepping the meal. The entire time, Anju wouldn't take her eyes off her husband.

"Be sure to stir it every few minutes, alright honey?" Anju said, noticing how Kafei seemed to forget about the stew.

"Right, sorry!" Kafei chuckled as he shifted his feet to stand before the pot. He grabbed the wooden spoon and stirred the liquid lightly before bending down to get a whiff of its aroma.

Link took in the scene with some pride. Seeing his family live in the moment was a great thing to think about, and it drove the thoughts about his experiences of the day to the back of his mind.

"It's ready!" Kafei exclaimed, turning to show off his work. He grabbed a set of bowls and poured in some of the stew he made for everyone. They all made a collective 'mmm' sound at the sight and smell if it.

The dead of night was cryptically silent. Link lay in his room wrapped in his blanket, snoring softly. Anju and Kafei cuddled together. Jim slept upside down, a habit he found himself doing for no reason other than he simply liked to. Skull Kid remained in his own bed while Tatl, Tael, and Navi rested on their own pillows atop the nearby nightstand. Lastly, Romani slept on her stomach, clutching her pillow tightly, enjoying its softness.

Everything had an ounce of tranquility over it, and all was calm. All until two figures descended from the sky on the inside of the drawbridge.

"Foolish guard." One of the figures remarked. It was pathetically easy to sneak into town when one could fly.

"Come on, it should be this way." The other kept her mind on the prize. Both sneaked around town, ducking into every alleyway to steer clear of the gaurds who were on patrol in the market.

"Hurry it up!" The shorter of the two snapped, keeping their voice to a whisper.

"I'm working on it!" The other countered, before readying her wand and casting a spell of unbinding.

The front door unlocked, and the pair stepped inside the house. They turned to face each other and gave knowing nods.

They hobbled over to the closest door, just across from the kitchen. All that was in the room was a large metal bucket of sudsy water, an iron sheet, and a pile of clothes.

"Stairs." The one in the doorway said, tilting her head towards the subject of their statement.

Heading up to the second floor, the two opened each door a crack and peered inside.

"Nope, this isn't it. How about the next one?" Both searched for a certain person, and stopped when they found who they were looking for. Slowly tiptoeing inside the bedroom, they stood at the foot of the bed, eyes filled with malice.

"Hm…?" The person heard the light creaks of the floorboards and opened their eyes.

"Hello." The two figures hissed in unison, and then they readied their wands.

Suddenly, everyone else in the house was startled awake by the sound of crackling electricity.

Link shot up out of bed, adrenaline already making its way into his bloodstream. He moved like a flash and grabbed his sword from the corner. He turned the knob on his door and froze in horror when he saw two women crawling out the hallway window. He recognized them.

And they had Romani ensnared in a whip of magic.

"What is going on?" Kafei burst out of the other bedroom and immediately spotted the source of all the commotion.

"Just try and find her!" The lady with the active wand bellowed before two brooms rose into view on the other side of the window. Together, the pair hopped on and took off into the night.

Seconds later, Jim, Anju, Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael, and Navi entered the hallway, just to see a dumbfounded Link standing before the window.

"What just happened?!" Jim demanded.

"They… They took her." Link muttered, looking to the sky.

"Who? Who took her?" Kafei asked, desperation in his voice.

"Koume and Kotake… They took Romani." Link turned to face his father. Kafei didn't recognize the boy at first. All the man saw was a deep, dark determination.

Chapter Text

Here we are. This chapter here is when this story TRULY starts. You'll all get a feel for how this may play out, you might not. It's all about how you interpret all the big implications here. I just hope you all enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 17: The Foreign Side of Desire

The morning sun beamed down on the wooden surface of the table as it rattled again. Link had slammed his fists onto the top for the third time, and Flavi was left even more afraid each time he did.

"Come on, Flavi! You have to help us here. Where could she have been taken?" Link did his best to refrain from raising his voice.

"I don't know, Link! Neither I, or Ante or Kyojin, have been outside of town since we got here!" Flavi tried to counter Link's aggressive tone, but she didn't have it in her to match it. The way Link acted almost frightened her.

Link just groaned and stood from his chair. "Look, we know they have to have taken her to the desert, but there's too much of it to just go out and search without a plan! Think! Where could they have gone?!"

Flavi was left without a voice. She didn't think her morning would consist of constant questions and interrogation. All the pressure could make her crack. Ante and Kyojin were of no help either. They were just as nervous as she was.

"How am I supposed to know that! No one has seen Koume or Kotake since the Gerudo king was found out for his deceit! They've become recluses!" Flavi tried to defend herself, but Link was growing too frustrated. He just got Romani back from an emotional blockage a few days before, now he had literally lost her.

"Flavi! Please, work with me here!" Link said in a strained voice.

"Hey, Link. I think you need to calm down." Jim put his palm on his friends' shoulder, hoping to get him to stop acting so bizarre. He had no clue where this side of the hero was coming from.

"Link, I don't know if we can help you!" Flavi stared the teen in the eye, and that caused something to snap inside his mind.

Link brought his hand upwards and slapped Flavi across the face. She was knocked from the chair and fell to the floor with a grunt. Then he raised his hand in preparation to do it again.

"Alright, Link! Stop!" Jim and Skull Kid held Link's arm back to keep him from striking Flavi again. Now they truly didn't know who they were with.

Flavi looked up at Link and held her cheek. A large red mark formed, sensitive to the touch. When she tapped it with her finger, she winced as the stinging grew in intensity. She whimpered in fear, and her fellow Gerudo kept as far away from Link as they could.

Link, on the other hand, wore an unimaginable scowl. His arm was overpowered by the imp and the Bomber, and then he finally got a look at what he had done. When he got his arm back, he looked at his hand and then at Flavi. He was horrified.

"I-" Link stuttered. The shame that flooded his soul repeatedly cursed him out for doing that. "I'm so sorry…"

Link took a step forward to help Flavi up, but she quickly scooted away. She got up on her own and refused to meet Link's eyes.

"I- I don't know what came over me…" Link's guilt was contagious, and Jim and Skull Kid looked down. They wished they could have stopped him.

Link slowly sat back down, averting his gaze from everyone in the room. He felt disgraced. "I just… I don't…" He couldn't form any semblance of a sentence.

"I'm just afraid… I don't want them to hurt her…" Link mumbled just loud enough to be heard.

"It's… It's alright…" Flavi tried to console the boy. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help you. I really am. But with everything that's happened since that monster chased us… We can hardly think straight."

Link just nodded in agreement.

"M-Maybe you could go to the Temple of Time. Me, Ante, and Kyojin used to go there to just be alone with our thoughts… At least before." Flavi said.

Then a spark went off in Link's head. The word 'temple' resonated with him, and his mind raced. He slowly sat up straight.

"I know where they took her…" Link said, astonished at Flavi's genius. She, Jim, and Skull Kid inched closer.

"Where?" They all said in unison.

Romani gradually woke up. She tried to move her legs, but she only heard the clinging of chains. Her eyes fully adjusted to the dim lighting, and she saw that she was chained against a wall. Her ankles and wrists had cuffs on them, she was left on the wall as if she was standing against it, only that she was three feet off the ground.

"What the-?" Romani thought aloud, trying to get a grip on her surroundings.

"About time you woke up." One voice came from the dark.

"She sure is a heavy sleeper." Another added.

All the guard training Romani had kicked in, and she became authoritative. Her face grimaced and she cleared her throat. "Where is Romani? What is this place?" She demanded.

"Huh… Interesting way to talk…" The second voice said, noting about how Romani addressed herself.

"Answer Romani!" Romani said, raising her volume.

Candles suddenly lit up, and the room she was being held in illuminated. The walls were orange, thin layers of dust coating them. The air smelled of dirt and sand, and the dryness of it made Romani yearn for a drink. But then her eyes landed on her captors. Two very old ladies, with exaggerated noses and grey, wiry hair. They looked like they would turn to dust if a light breeze came about.

"You are in the Spirit Temple. We hope you're ever so comfortable." The first one said, clasping her hands together and talking in a childish tone. Romani took note of the appearance of the woman.

"Who are you?" Romani asked.

"My name is Koume, and this is Kotake." The one with the red jewel explained, gesturing towards her sister. Kotake wore a blue jewel, and Romani noted that detail as well.

"We are your hosts." Koume finished with a tinge of mockery. Romani didn't acknowledge it. All she was doing was taking notes of each sisters' appearance. They looked quite distinct, but their jewelry was colored different, and Kotake had pins to keep her hair up while Koume didn't.

"So… may Romani ask why you're the hosts?" The guard did her best to act casually. She hadn't been captured by an enemy before, but she was trained to stay calm and collected.

"That is simply for us to know and you to find out." Kotake said, caressing her wand. Both sisters glared at Romani, and she just gulped.

Hooves raked along the grass with blistering speed. Epona, with Link and Jim riding on her back, raced through Hyrule Field. Skull Kid, being carried through the air with the help of Tatl, Tael, and Navi, was right behind them.

"Link! Slow down!" Tatl chirped. Even though she and her brother had help carrying the imp, he was still decently heavy for all of them, and his staff didn't help matters.

"Sorry!" Link responded, carefully pulling Epona's reigns to get her to slow down a little.

"So, you are positive that they're keeping her in the… what was it… Spirit Temple?" Jim asked his friend.

"Yep. She has to be there." Link said, not tearing his gaze from what was in front of him. The group entered Gerudo Valley, and the hero thanked the goddesses that the bridge wasn't gone like it was before.

The clops of Epona's hooves grew louder with the change of ground. Each time they landed on the ground, Link grew more and more worried about what the witches were doing to Romani. It was like a ticking clock, but how much time was left was still unknown.

Epona came into view of Gerudo Fortress, and Link brought her to a stop. He stared at the gate that separated them from the Haunted Wasteland. He dreaded how the trip would go, since he only had one pair of hover boots, but he was determined to make it work. He had to.

After a quick talk with the Gerudo standing post atop the turret next to the gate, it opened. Link trusted that Epona wouldn't wander off, and he signaled for Jim to hop off of the mare.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Tael asked as he, his sister, and Navi put Skull Kid onto the ground.

"We have to make our way through there." Link pointed to the wasteland; the constant sandstorm visible even from a distance.

Everyone had their jaws drop. They didn't think they'd be heading straight into a storm. It looked more like a hurricane. They could hear the fierce howls of wind and sand even from so far away.

"Seriously?!" Tatl complained.

"Yes." Link stated rather bluntly, and he took his first step forward.

Romani huffed in annoyance. The silence was starting to get to her. She had been left alone for a little while now, but she had an idea on how to get out. Only problem was that she had no way to execute her idea.

Then the door to her chamber opened. It was Kotake. Romani fixed her posture and kept her eyes on the witch. The old woman glared back at her.

"You know…" Kotake started, getting dangerously close to the ranch woman. Her tone made Romani want to be sick. "You remind me of myself over three centuries ago. I used to look young and lovely."

Romani didn't look Kotake in the eye. Her view rested on something that was on her head. The old hag became insulted at the woman's lack of fear.

"LISTEN to me when you are addressed!" Kotake barked, she readied her wand just to threaten her prisoner, showing a rare glimpse of her more reckless side.

Romani kept silent, not daring to speak a word to the witch. She lowered her eyelids, scowled, and gave an about face. It only caused Kotake's nerves to get even more heated.

"You are going to speak. The entire reason you're here is because of what you have to offer!" Kotake brought her face just millimeters away from Romani's. Still, the ranch woman didn't talk.

"To think… We sent so many creatures after you and your little friends, when we could have just done this right after the Thunderbird!" Romani's eyes widened at that information. They were the ones behind everything.

Kotake just let out a sadistic giggle and kept her face close to Romani's. The ranch girl still didn't talk, much to the witch's chagrin. Instead, she lunged forward and tried to take a bite at the older woman, startling her.

"Ugh! How DARE you?!" Kotake backed away from Romani and made a disgusted face. How could a lady act so animalistic? Then she extended her hand and electrocuted the girl with her wand.

Romani fought against the urge to cry out in pain. When the attack ceased, she went limp in her chains and could smell a foul burning scent.

"If you won't talk, then so be it! We'll see how you act in a few hours!" Kotake stormed out of the cell, using her wand to slam the door behind her. As she walked away, a clump of her hair went slack.

"What in the-" Kotake looked to her side, adjusted her hair, and grumbled to herself. "Ugh, useless pins. Always snapping…"

Romani listened carefully as the footsteps grew fainter and fainter. Then, pursing her lips, she held onto the hairpin she snatched from the witch with her mouth. The lady inwardly admonished how oblivious some could be as she bent sideways to fiddle with the lock using the hairpin. After a few minutes of trial and error, the lock clicked and she was able to slink out of the cuff.

Now with a hand free, the process of unlocking the rest of her restraints was easier by a factor of ten. When the last one came off, she slowly stepped down, taking care not to make any noise.

Romani started planning out a prototype of a strategy. First, figure out where she was. Second, get out. Third, get back home and tell the others. Fourth, return in force to finally take down the hags. Once she had it set in stone, she thanked her captain everything she was taught.

Link shielded his eyes from the storm that flew through the air. He trudged through the ankle-deep sand, his friends not far behind.

Each took turns leaping across the ditch that could swallow one whole if they stood in it for too long. Eventually, they came across the strange stone structure surrounded by flags. It was a unanimous agreement to take a quick break inside.

"What is this place?" Tatl asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"It's a place me and Link came across when we ventured through here before. We… don't really know what it is." Navi explained. She kept close to Tatl as she looked around the room.

"I think it seems kind of nice." Jim said, trying to lighten the mood. Skull Kid lifted up his orange mask and smirked at the boy in the blue bandana.

Link remained stationary by the ladder that led to the surface. He knew the storm had occasional periods of being… less intense. It'd probably only a matter of minutes if they were lucky.

"Is he ok?" Skull Kid asked Jim. He had noticed Link's forced expression. He had his eyes covered by his gold and silver bangs, a telltale sign he wasn't feeling the highest.

"Stress. It gets to the best of us." Jim said. "I mean, I'd be afraid too."

"I… What can we do to help?" Skull Kid looked at both of his friends. "He's like a brother… I can't just… stand here."

"Well… let him know." Jim said. With little confidence, Skull Kid walked over to Link.

"Are you doing alright, Link?"

"Yeah… just thinking about stuff." Link replied, keeping his head down.

Skull Kid decided to put his staff down and give Link a hug. While he wasn't tall enough to reach Link's shoulders anymore, the boy appreciated the gesture greatly.

"We're all here for you, brother." Skull Kid said softly before he let go of his friend. He then looked to Jim with a thumbs up.

That last word startled Link. "Th-Thanks… brother." Then, the sound of the storm, or lack thereof, forced Link's attention away from the imp.

"Hey! The storm is letting up a bit!" Link said excitedly. His shift in tone was almost baffling to the others, but they welcomed it.

They climbed up the ladder, up the winding ramp and to the top of the monument to look around. At least now they didn't need to cover their eyes just to see. Even the flags that were meant to guide travelers around the maze of the desert were visible. It was more than a perfect opportunity to set out again and get to the Spirit Temple.

"Let's go." Link said, waving his hand and turning back around to walk down the ramp. He had a few faint memories of the path they had to take. Sadly he didn't have the Lens of Truth to see any spirits that could guide them, but they wouldn't need it.

The group started their journey once more. The winds were still difficult to see through, but they could manage. Each time they got to the next marker, Link took a minute to look around the area and get his bearings. He thought long and hard about which way they had to go.

At last, they made it out of the Haunted Wasteland. In the distance, obscured by a light cloud of fog, was the Desert Colossus. Surveying the area, Link was almost glad to see all the little landmarks he remembered when he was younger. The palm trees marking where the Great Fairy resided, the oasis, and that large rock smack dab in the middle.

Then Link started to pick up speed.

"Link! Wait for us!" Tael yelled to the boy as he and the rest of the group raced to catch up with the hero.

When Link finally stopped, he was just at the edge of the hill of sand that descended towards the entrance of the Spirit Temple.

"There it is…" Link said stoically as the others caught up. He reached up and grabbed his sword and shield.

Romani looked down the next corridor, eyes filled with apprehension. She felt like she was going in circles and was perplexed by the lack of guards. Surely a place this big would need security of some kind.

She felt like she was going in circles, but she came across a small crawlspace that she could squeeze through. Heading through the next door, then up, she found herself in a dimly lit room, only illuminated by the sun peaking through a gaping hole in the adjacent wall.

Romani tried to keep silent, as she was unsure if her captors were already searching for her. It'd been a little while since she escaped. She cautiously backed towards what she assumed to be a wall but was greeted by a bone chilling noise.

A high pitched shriek made her almost jump out of her skin. Turning around, she saw a cage filled with Lizalfos. There were almost a dozen of them, all locked in this single cell that was flimsily fused to the stone wall. Romani almost felt bad for them, but when they tried in vain to lunge at her, poking their little arms through the bars and swinging their short swords, she redacted those feelings.

Romani was about to look around the cage to see if there was anything of interest, but a deep rumbling make her think twice.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" A cry rang out across the temple, and the ground quaked again.

They knew Romani escaped. Sticking her tongue out towards the imprisoned Lizalfos in a childish manner, she booked it to the door.

Meanwhile, Link and the others could already hear the blasts of magic bouncing off the walls. The heroes picked up the pace and raced down the halls. Thankfully, by some miracle, the large stone that required the golden gauntlets in the future was already taken care of.

"Which way?" Jim wheezed, out of breath. Before them was a branching room with three separate doors. Strangely, the Beamos that used to stand guard was absent.

Link thought hard about the right way to go. His mental map of the temple was far from perfect, but he remembered the annoyance of having to trek through certain parts of the temple several times just because he went the wrong way.

"Middle!" Link said, dashing to the center door.

As soon as Link got into the other room, he froze and looked up. He expected to come face-to-face with a Like Like, but again, it was nowhere to be seen. But he did see the climbable wall on the other side.

Once the hero and his friends reached the top, they weren't impeded by any mysterious hands or a puzzle involving reflecting light. Everything seemed almost too easy. Next, they were taken aback by the rather large statue in the room they entered.

On the exact opposite side of the room, another door opened. There, Romani emerged from the area with the imprisoned Lizalfos. She only had to take a few steps to see the group across the chamber.

"Romani!" Link exclaimed.

"Link!" Romani yelled back. Both teens went as fast as they could to meet each other in the center. When they met, they embraced, and the sight brought smiles to the others.

"Yeah! We found her!" Jim said, pumping his fist up and giving Skull Kid a high-five. He was eager to get out of the temple.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Link held Romani's cheek and inspected her condition. Tatl and Navi blushed at the scene and how it mirrored a certain interaction they shared a few days ago.

"A little, but Romani's alright!" The ranch woman beamed and looked to the others. "You… You brought everyone here?"

"Of course! I wouldn't go this alone." Link consoled Romani, and prepared to continue, but was cut off by another explosion and the entire room shaking. It was closer than the last one.

"It's them! They're the ones who were behind everything!" Romani explained, looking a little fearful. She had no doubt that she, Link, Jim, and Skull Kid could take them, but the fact that she hadn't seen much of the other sister worried her.

"Where?" Link asked.

"Up there is where Romani came out from." Romani pointed a little up and Link spotted the door. Without a second to lose, he bolted, much to everyone's surprise.

"Grasshopper! Wait! Please!"

"Hey, Link! Stop!"

Link's anger drowned everyone else out as he sped towards the upper door. Quickly scaling the wall, he went in.

"What the-" Link was confused at the sight of caged Lizalfos, but didn't have any time to think about it, as something else caught his attention.

A short, stout witch, face emblazoned by pure rage. She huffed and wheezed, staring Link down with the sharpest daggers imaginable.

"You…" She hissed.

"Kotake…" Link muttered.

Kotake acted with haste. She rose her hand and pointed her wand straight at Link. Just a second later, an orange beam of energy shot towards the hero, and he only had a second to jump. Luckily, he did, but what it hit instead wasn't much better. Sounds of twisting metal filled the room.

Before the dust even cleared, Link was nearly trampled by a squad of Lizalfos. They quickly fled the room, and they were followed by six more lizards. The teen in green could hear the commotion caused by his friends being ambushed, and he wished he hadn't been reckless.

"Damn you!" Kotake screamed. She turned to the right and raised her hand high. With a flick of the wrist, a different spell was cast. One that provided a surprising amount of answers.

A low rumbling occurred, and then, all across the temple, even before the eyes of Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, and the fairies, hundreds of small, glimmering portals opened. The guard of Clock Town gasped at the sight.

"Have fun!" Kotake bellowed sarcastically. She then tucked her legs in and hopped through the portal closest to her.

Link was left briefly dumbfounded before he begrudgingly shrugged and drew closer to a portal. He hesitantly dipped his leg in, but when the cackle of the witch echoed through reality, he found new resolve and jumped in.

Only a second of falling lasted before Link shot out of a portal and slammed into a plank of wood, then dropped into a pool of water. The teen had to close his eyes, the sunlight a stark contrast to the lighting that was in the room he was just in.

While Link couldn't see, he could definitely smell. He knew where he was, but he couldn't understand how. When his vision returned, his jaw dropped.

He was in the Southern Swamp.

Link stood in awe. How could he be here? Was Kotake here? Could she travel to Termina whenever she wanted? Was this what Zelda meant by 'a land surrounded by doorways'? The familiar sounds of the fauna brought him back to a simpler time in his life, but only for a moment. He was forced out of it when he heard the laugh again.

Kotake waved with a sinister glee from across the swamp.

"What is this?" That was all that could exit Link's mouth.

"Figured I'd let you know!" Kotake responded, and then she ran off, and the sound of another portal opening followed just after.

Link instinctively rolled his eyes and gave chase. Endless thoughts raced through his head. Was this how the dream demon was brought to Hyrule? The Thunderbird? The spider? When he got to the next portal, he dived in, falling through the warping matter and back to Hyrule. But it wasn't the same Hyrule.

Kotake set foot on old stone, a palace facing her. Link appeared right behind her and tried not to be distracted by the faces on the walls and the statue of a suit of armor. The two exchanged no banter, the hero in green just running after the witch. The old hag got to a lift and took the only way it offered. When she got to the bottom, a thud told her that Link had jumped onto the top. Running out, she twisted her hand and another portal opened.

When Link jumped through again to follow the witch, he found himself in a world he didn't recognize. He was on a beach, faced with an endless ocean. There were a couple houses in the distance, with one middle-aged fellow outside, leaning on a palm tree.

"Oh, hello there, strangers! Welcome to Outse-"

The man was completely ignored as Kotake opened yet another portal, jumping in without delay. Link followed suit, and the gentlemen who happened to witness all of it was left confused and remained so for the rest of his day.

Link landed back in the Spirit Temple again, but this time, all the portals closed before he could even set foot in one. He looked around and realized that he had lost track of Kotake.

Taking in his surroundings, all his senses were on alert. Something was terribly wrong. There was a hole in the nearby wall, and the sound of squawks and rustling sand drew him near. When he gazed outside, he saw the troop of almost a dozen Lizalfos run out into the desert. With his luck, by the time he got out of this mess, they'd be long gone, setting up camps in Hyrule Field like last time.

Link turned around, only to get blindsided by a surge of energy. He collapsed to the floor, and smoke rose from his body as Kotake stepped up to where he lay.

"All too easy." Kotake smirked, holding her wand with pride.

"N-" Link grunted, slowly rising to his feet. "Not quite…"

"Hmmm… We'll see." Kotake said, her smile never leaving her face.

"'We'?" Link gave the witch a puzzled expression, before he was hit by another beam. He was sent flying into the nearby wall, and Koume leaped from an above platform and to the ground.

"Yes. We." Koume snapped, arms crossed.

"You have that infernal concoction?" Kotake asked, walking up and standing beside her sister.

"Right here." Koume reached into one of the pockets that seemed hastily sewn to her robe and pulled out a glass bottle. Inside was a thick, red substance.

"You expect me to share a drink and break bread with you?" Link panted, trying to sound like he wasn't afraid. In truth, he was mortified. He had seen proof that it was these two behind it all, and that they could travel to the land he called home whenever they pleased.

"No, we don't." Kotake scowled and threatened to strike Link with another spell.

"Then… just tell me… Why? Why did you kidnap my friend?" Link had to know. What on earth did these two have planned?

"Because she had the potential to offer us something… fantastical." Koume grew bored with the small talk and used her wand to ensnare Link in a magical bond. He fell to his knees, arms kept to his sides by the searing plasma.

"And…" Link was interrupted by his own groan. He fought through the pain and looked Koume right in the eyes. "And what would that be?"

The sisters turned their heads and looked at each other. They smirked and gave a long, uncomfortable giggle. They turned back towards the hero and stared at him.

"You." They said in unison.

Link's eyes went wide, and then Koume whipped her arm, and he was thrown through the opposite wall. He crashed and rolled along the floor of this new room, surprised by the water that splashed onto his tunic. He didn't have any chance to act, the beam reappearing and wrapping around him.

The sisters hovered above the ground and approached the hero. Kotake handed her sibling the bottle that was in her hands.

"Would you like to do the honors? I think I should go and find those other fools…" Kotake suggested.

"Gladly. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time." Koume snarled, grabbing the bottle and watching her sister summon her broomstick and leave without another word.

"Now… open wide." Koume ordered. Link shook his head in defiance, and she walked up to him and grabbed the boy by the jaw.

"That was not a question." Koume talked through her smile and forced Link's mouth open with just one hand. There, she popped the lid of the bottle with her yellow, crooked teeth.

Link watched in horror as the witch raised the bottle above his mouth and started to tip it.

"This will let you help us. In a way we've never seen before."

Link grunted in desperation, hoping something would save him from whatever he was about to be served. All his prayers would go unanswered as he felt the sticky, gel-like liquid drip into his mouth and down his throat. He was made to swallow, and the beam immediately vanished.

"Bad idea." Link tried to take a swing at Koume, but he fell forward, water splashing against his face.

"Huh… I never noticed the white streak. Did Bellum do that to you?" Koume chuckled at the silver lining in Link's hair, and he grew even more angry.

"B-Bellum? That's what it went b-" Link couldn't get through his sentence, as a terrible feeling encased his heart. He groaned and fell to his knees once again.

"Oh, it's already starting!" Koume snickered with a crazed humor behind her voice. The room suddenly lit up, and the image it took was scarily familiar to a room Link knew. A dull-grey color, with a tree planted on a small island in the middle.

Link couldn't talk. He convulsed on the ground, water getting flung about as the pain intensified. He felt like his chest was getting torn apart, and his soul was getting consumed by encroaching darkness. This lasted the better part of a minute, until his eyes grew cloudy and obscured, as if injected with black ink.

The water rippled, and Link wanted to puke. He retched, and then a shadow started to take form on his chest, growing like a disease all across his torso, legs, and arms. Finally, it covered his head, and he couldn't breathe for a moment.

Suddenly, the shadow gained depth, and it started to separate from Link. Slowly, the boy grew something akin to a cyst, and it detached once it gained enough muscle to support itself. The hero was left in the water, winded, as the other took shape. Bones cracked as they shifted into place and juices squelched as they formed new organs.

Link forced himself to stand and was able to get a view of the final touches on the new figure across from him. It was his mirror image, just comprised of a matter that adhered to the night sky.

Link's shadow was its own being now. Darkness personified.

Chapter Text

Here we are. Fun fact: This story now has more words than the first one! Anyways, this is a very important chapter. I have no clue if it'll be as impactful as I hope, but that's something I've got to just sit and find out. Please enjoy...
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 18: Threshold of Darkness

His red eyes were piercing. Every piece of clothing that was on his body was an exact copy of Link's, the only difference being they were not green, white, or anything. Just pitch black. Even his face was the color of charcoal.

Link own eyes returned to normal, but he didn't know what to do. Being faced with the mirror man nearly put him into shock. But it was the fact that now there was no mirror. This time, there was more than an illusion to fear.

Both boys seemed to copy the others' movements. Finally, they got out of sync and the boy of the dark looked at his hand.

"Wow… It… It worked." He said, his voice being just as strange as it was when he spoke to Link in the mirror.

"This… this can't be real." Link stuttered, stumbling backwards.

"Oh, but I think this is." The incarnation said.

"What are you?"

"Really?" The teen asked rhetorically, smirking. He gestured towards his clothes, the weapons strapped onto his back, and his own face. "It's not that hard to get. I'm you."

That line sent a chill down Link's spine. Then, a memory came back to him, and he knew why he was so afraid. "No… You're that dark copy of me. In the Water Temple… that tree. That room…"

"About time you figured it out!" Koume's voice rang from the distance, and Link turned to see one of the witch sisters.

"That little drink we gave you. Right from the very tree of that old room!" Koume's lips formed a smirk, and she waved her wand to project a shield over herself. She didn't want the hero to try anything.

"You don't seem so sure of yourself." The interloper remarked. "Link… Hero of Termina. Defender of the So-Called 'Faith'."

Link frowned at the mockery of the title given to him by Zelda.

"You… You think yourself as some kind of hero, don't you?" Dark Link was already proving his worth to the witch through his sarcasm alone. Link didn't even make any kind of pithy comeback.

Those words caused him to go on a little bit of an introspection of himself. 'Some kind of hero'? After all that had happened since he returned to Hyrule, was he still a hero? He had hurt a number of people and caused a lot of trouble. He was the entire reason the falcon of lightning, the dream demon, and that horrendous spider were even brought to Hyrule. His own mind was too preoccupied to notice the fist flying towards his face.

"Too easy." Dark Link snickered as he punched his lighter self. Link stumbled and hit the water, his hair getting wet once more.

Instincts took over and Link got back upright and swung. Dark Link stepped back to avoid the blow, and he smirked when his variant flailed around, completely missing every swing he made.

"Link, just stop. This is embarrassing." Link's darker half mocked him, and he ceased his fruitless assault.

"Let me show you how it's done." Dark Link took one step forward and slammed his fist into Link's gut. The hero heaved, the wind getting knocked out of his lungs. Then Dark Link brought his elbow up and rammed it into Link's back. There, he fell to the ground again.

"Tsk, tsk. You're off your game." Dark Link taunted, sarcastically shrugging before kicking Link in the chest, taking his breath away once more.

Link held his stomach. Pain surged through his torso and Koume couldn't hold back her laughter. She was finally able to see the hero at his worst, no longer needing the help of creatures hailing from across the multiverse. Her face was filled with glee as she watched him try and get his bearings again.

"Honestly, I expected better from myself." Dark Link prepared to swing at his counterpart again, but he was halted.

Link caught Dark Link's fist. He may have not seen the first flurry of attacks coming, but he could see where a next one may land. His darker half fought just the same as he did, only less merciful.

"I'm not entirely helpless." Link said, no emotion accompanying his words. He jerked Dark Link's arm down and headbutted him, making him stagger backwards while holding his forehead.

"Ah!" Dark Link grunted as he tried to reorient himself. When his sight went back to normal, he saw Link's own fist extend towards his face. It connected directly with his nose, and he was sent backwards again.

Before Dark Link could recover, Link unsheathed the Gilded Sword and held it steady. When his shadow variant saw it, he did the same. He held an exact replica of the Gilded Sword, only shrouded in darkness. Both boys gave guttural yells as they engaged in a duel.

Link moved his hand up, and so did Dark Link. Sparks flew as the blades connected, sizzling out when they landed in the water. Then the hero tried to attack with a bottom swipe, but it was parried by the one of the dark. Then they both brought their weapons together by their chests, and they stayed locked in place.

The sound of metal scraping against metal made their ears want to bleed, and Link and Dark Link gritted their teeth and grunted, trying to overpower the other. Every time one pushed their sword to try and get an advantage, the other forced them back. They remained in this dance for a while before they both screamed, frustrated about how the battle was going nowhere.

Then, Dark Link had an idea that his counterpart didn't. He brought his boot up and kicked in Link's knee, forcing him to kneel. The shadow dropped his sword and brought his fist to the hero's face.

Link reached up and yanked on Dark Link's belt in retaliation, making him lose balance. There, he tackled him and brought him to the ground, both boys getting into a wrestling match in the water.

Koume laughed at the sight of her enemy fighting himself. She hadn't gotten a kick out of something like this in eons! It almost turned into a personal bet on who would win. She had her rupees on the one that seemed to be more ruthless.

Link reached with his right arm and grabbed onto his variant's left shoulder, and the other did the same. They remained still, unable to break through the strength of their opponent. It seemed like the battle would be at a standstill until an arrow pierced Dark Link's arm.

"Get away from him!" Romani yelled, lowering her bow. Link took the opportunity to shove his shadow aside and look up.

Romani, Jim, Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael, and Navi were at the door across the room. Link thanked the goddesses that Kotake hadn't found them before they arrived.

"WHAT?!" Koume screamed at the sight of the heroes, and she looked at Dark Link with desperation.

"Guys!" Link exclaimed, scrambling to his feet and meeting up with them.

"Link! We found you!" Skull Kid jumped into the air and struck a pose.

"So, what's going on?" Jim didn't have time to be surprised by the presence of Dark Link. His own 'hero mode' was in full effect.

"Dark copy. Fight it." Link said, going into a defensive position with his sword and shield. His friends did the same, and the group prepared to battle evil incarnate.

"What happened while I was gone?!" Kotake burst through an above wall in a spiraling frenzy and yelled. She refused to the believe the group of teenagers had beaten her back to the arena.

"There you are! Get down here!" Koume responded to her sister, pointing beside her.

"Hey! Going to need some help!" Dark Link barked to the witches.

"With pleasure!" Koume called back. She lowered the energy shield and waved her wand again. Kotake didn't waste any time, moving her own wand in the same way. There, a dark beam came forth from both and a storm cloud materialized.

"Now the fun can begin…" Dark Link grinned and lunged towards Link, getting obscured by the cloud's shadow just before he got to him.

Link found himself in a pitch-black arena. Out in the dark was a beckoning candle. Something about this setting felt hauntingly familiar. He was drawn towards the light, and he took one step, then another. When he felt something underneath his boot, he bent down to look at it. It was a shattered Gilded Sword.

"Oh no…" Link muttered. Then something caught his eye. Something barely distinguishable from the rest of the darkness.

It was that figure he saw in Castle Town. Clad in a robe and consumed by shadow. He started to walk towards it but then he was sent to the ground by something from behind. Then a heavy weight landed on his back, metal digging into his shoulder blades.

The weight lifted and Link was able to get up. A low, soft laugh echoed through the chamber, and the hero's hair stood on end again. A laugh that only resided in his mind. The Garo Master.

"I have waited for this day!" The Garo Master screamed, appearing from the shadows and stabbing Link's shoulder.

Link groaned as he was forced into a position he was only once before. The Maestro of the Garo, sword in his shoulder, stood before him. This time around, the Garo's purple robe was in tatters, and he was wearing the modified mask he had during the Battle of Ikana Canyon.

"Welcome to the darkest pits of chaos, oh Hero of Termina!" The Garo Master roared; a murderous glint visible in the slits that were the eye holes.

"How are-? You can't-!" That was all Link could muster.

"Oh, but I am! The mind is a place where many long-awaited dreams can become a reality!" The Garo Master retracted one of his sabers and punched Link with a sadistic glee.

Link didn't wait for another punch to be thrown. He kicked between the Garo's legs and the Master was forced to cover his family jewels. Without a moment to lose, Link stood and tackled the Garo Master. He knew that the mask was where he was weak. The fragile ligaments that connected it to his face always stuck with the boy.

Link grabbed hold of the mask and pulled with all his might. Just like it had years before, it slowly separated from the Garo Master's head. When it was far enough, instead of using his hand, the boy used his bare teeth and tore through the muscles and tendons.

The image of the Garo Master became warped, and the robes slowly disappeared. There, he morphed back into Dark Link before escaping into the abyss. Link, however, didn't care if the vision of his old adversary was just an illusion. Spitting out the bits of flesh from his mouth, he somewhat enjoyed that brief rematch.

"Stay where you belong, Garo…" Link huffed, determination in his eyes. "…In my memories."

Meanwhile, the illusion crafted for Romani was vastly different. Straps appeared from the floor and took her hostage. She grunted, trying to break free. Being held captive was really starting to get on her nerves.

"Hello, Romani." A voice came from the distance.

Romani looked up and saw the visage of Dark Link just across from her. But it seemed to shift. The black tunic morphed to green, then back to black over and over again. His eyes went from red to the normal blue she was used to.

"Grasshopper?" Romani asked. Her mind couldn't process the game her opponent was playing.

"You really are weak minded, aren't you? You shot me with an arrow, yet you still confuse me for the other fellow?" Dark Link raised his arm and an arrow appeared. He took hold of it and ripped out from his skin in a gory fashion.

Pleased with the revolted look on the ranch girls' face, Dark Link knelt close to Romani and did a smolder. He admired the complexion of the ranch girl and spoke in a breathy manner.

"So lovely. Of course, a part of me was always there when Link had you." Romani wanted to throw up.

Romani didn't hesitate to spit in Dark Link's face. The dark teenager reeled back in disgust and then drew his sword.

"Would you do that to your precious little insect?" Dark Link mocked Romani's nickname for his counterpart and wiped the saliva from his face.

"Don't you dare call him an 'insect'!" Romani was always a bit protective of her hero, as he was with her. Such emotion planted an idea on how to get to Romani in the worst way imaginable.

"You know… it wasn't just me who made Link kiss Malon." Dark Link hissed. The color in Romani's faced drained as he moved his hand and slashed at her arm, making several small cuts along her shoulder to her elbow.

"I hope I've made a good impression." Dark Link smirked and then disappeared, leaving Romani disgusted and wounded. The walking terror was ready to go after the pathetic leader of the Bombers.

Jim stood brandishing his sword, ready to attack anything he saw. The bandana across his head fell in front of his face due to the sweat rolling down his forehead. The boy sighed with annoyance and adjusted it.

"Well?! Come on! I'm ready!" Jim hollered out into the darkness.

"Are you?" A voice responded. The red bandana fell into Jim's line of sight once again, and he adjusted it. When he could see again, Dark Link was right in front of him.

Jim was shoved to the ground and he felt a great pressure on his chest. Dark Link slammed his foot down on the teen and he gasped for air. There was no mercy behind the shadow's eyes. Seeing such a normally righteous person in a helpless state just tickled the above teenager pink.

"Look into my eyes." Dark Link demanded. He removed his boot from his enemy and grabbed his collar to pull him upwards.

"W-What do you want?!" Jim asked, trying to hide his fear.

"I just want a look at the world's biggest fool." Dark Link smirked and used all his strength to throw Jim upwards. When he started to fall, the living shadow kicked him, and he was sent flying.

"I-I'm…" Jim held his torso and was almost unable to breathe. "I'm no fool."

"Of course you think that. People don't realize they're being fooled… simply because they are too busy laughing at the fool." Dark Link started to approach Jim, glaring at him.

"No!" Jim cried, and he raised his arms to take a swipe at the darkness. It was easy to dodge for the dark swordsman.

"You… aren't worth my time." Dark Link decided, hurting Jim's pride even more. The teen vanished, leaving the leader of the society of justice alone. Sad and alone.

Skull Kid readied himself, waiting for something to happen. He had an iron grip on his staff, and the metal that reinforced it nearly bent. Then he heard footsteps and turned around in a flash.

"Now for you…" Dark Link started. He prepared to show the imp what happened to the rest of the Skull Kids Link met on his first adventure in Hyrule, but strangely, nothing happened.

"What the-" Dark Link looked puzzled. He moved his arm up and waited for an image to appear, but it never came. Why wasn't the magic working? Skull Kid had an epiphany, and all the fear he had washed away.

"I've been through the whole 'mind control' thing." Skull Kid walked to the edge of the dome of darkness that the witches had cast and used his fingers to part it with ease. "Not a fan."

Then Skull Kid threw his staff. It hit Dark Link square in the face and made all four illusions cease.

"What?! No!" Koume and Kotake screamed at the same time. Without Dark Link focused, the spell wouldn't work. Link, Romani, and Jim were released from the nightmares.

"There they are!" Tatl was too relieved to finally get through the abyss.

"Hey! We lost you in there!" Navi shouted. With Tatl and Tael behind her, all three gathered around Link and helped him get his bearings.

"Romani! Jim! Skull Kid!" Link's first concern was his friends. He raced to tend to Romani.

"W-What did he do to you?!" Link quickly opened his item bag and found a stray cloth. He used it to apply pressure to Romani's arm and stop the bleeding.

"He just cut Romani. I'm fine!" Romani didn't want Link to worry. She looked over to the Bomber. "What about Jim?"

Jim's reply wasn't right away. He had to think about it. "I'm alright!"

"Skull Kid?" Link's eyes went to the last of his friends, and they immediately filled with fear as he watched him prepare to face the darkness.

Skull Kid, without a word, swung his staff directly into Dark Link's stomach. Before the living shadow could react, the imp then made it connect with his face.

"Woah! Yeah, get him!" Jim watched with pride, and Link helped Romani stand. He never removed his hand from his girlfriend's.

"What?! How are you-?!" Dark Link never considered how well Link's cohorts could fight. The sword swing from Jim was filled with emotion, and therefor was easily predictable. This attack wasn't.

"You aren't trained with a staff, remember?" Skull Kid taunted. He went to smack the dark again, but then the teen grabbed the staff.

"Sure I'm not." Dark Link replied, trying his best to smirk.

"Y-Yeah! You aren't!" Skull Kid got an idea. He took off his mask with his free hand and hit Dark Link with it. When the grip on his staff loosened, he twirled it around and built up some speed to whack the shadow with a powerful force.

Dark Link grunted loudly as he was sent up a few inches and then back down, splashing into the water without any grace. The imp panted, never feeling quite as exhausted. He didn't expect that entire routine to work, but he was thankful it did.

The group cheered. Skull Kid, turning back to his friends, had his arms in the air. He never felt so happy to have helped out.

"Yee-hee-hee! Yeah!" Skull Kid hollered with joy. Link's smirk grew more and more, and his grip on Romani's hand tightened. All Jim could do was laugh hysterically, almost doubling over.

Dark Link wiped the blood from his cheek spat out a molar. He glared at the group. Link himself noticed his doppelgangers scowl but thought nothing of it. If anything, he assumed he'd say something about 'this not being over' and make his escape. He didn't much care, he was just happy to have the nightmare be over and get out of the temple.

However, he was incorrect. Dark Link dusted himself off and reached for his corrupted blade. His eyes were cold and calculating. He wanted to do something bold, really mess with his lighter half. Half. That word stuck itself into the interloper's mind, and a devilish smirk grew along his face.

Running towards Skull Kid, Dark Link brandished his sword.

Link was too busy holding Romani close to notice Dark Link.

But everything stopped when he saw a blade slash through Skull Kid's torso, and the teen of darkness appearing behind when the blade halted.

Everyone's eyes went wide, including Koume and Kotake's. Even they were impressed with how far Dark Link was willing to go. No words were spoken.

Skull Kid slowly slid off his own torso. His hips and legs fell to the right, and the rest of him fell to the left. All that was left was silence. Link immediately drew his bow and shot a fire arrow at Dark Link in a rage-induced retaliation, sending the other flying. Once the mirror image of himself was down, he dropped his bow, sword, shield, and everything and raced to the body of his friend.

Romani put her hands over her mouth, fighting to keep herself from crying out in anguish. Jim fell to his knees and only kept himself from collapsing onto the floor with his arms. Navi stopped flying altogether and landed in the water roughly.

Tatl and Tael were already on the ground. They had dropped the moment they saw the sword cut their friend. Tatl had one hand to her mouth, the other propping herself away from the wet floor. Her breathing was heavy, heartbeat going a mile a minute. Tael was curled up into a ball right next to her, trying not to throw up.

Link picked up Skull Kid's torso and looked around frantically. He didn't quite know what he was looking for, so he gave up and cradled the imp. His beak was still left agape, no words able to form. His hat had fallen off his head and landed on the ground. The mask fell from his grip. Everything below felt fuzzy.

"Is…" Skull Kid stuttered, looking down at what was left of himself. "Is this… 'it'?"

"No, no it isn't." Link said, lip starting to quiver. "Don't- Don't you dare say that. You're going to be…"

Link stopped, watching in horror as the wooden surface of Skull Kid's body started to slowly turn a dull grey color. The low droning of creaking wood filled the air. It reminded him of when the Great Deku Tree passed away. The memory filled him with unimaginable dread.

"I-"

"I can't feel my legs…" Skull Kid said, a weak smirk forming on his beak. He chuckled, but it was forced, too clear that he was in pain as he did so.

Moisture started to well up in Link's eyes. He wasn't ready for this. He never imagined he'd be ready for this. Not to his friend. Not to anyone he loved. He was a boy who thought of many things, but the loss of the people closest to him was one idea he always put aside.

Link didn't want to just watch and not try to save his friend. Grabbing Skull Kid's leg, the boy pulled the disembodied waist back to the imp and carefully put it next to where it was meant to connect to the rest of his body. He laid Skull Kid's head down on his knee and pulled out the Ocarina of Time.

Slowly, and poorly, he played the Song of Healing. Each note was warbled and uneasy, but the magic activated, and the feelings of hearts surrounded the pair. He prayed it would work. When the light dissipated, nothing changed.

"No… no, no, no, no." Link pleaded softly. He played the song again. Nothing. And again. Still nothing. He played it over and over again, still being met with the same result.

Link didn't even realize the song had an effect on Dark Link. The evil incarnation clutched his heart and groaned. The soothing nature of the song pained his cursed soul, but he was far enough away from Link to not be effected fully by its magic.

Finally, Link gave up on the song and just held Skull Kid close. His forehead meet the imps', and he softly cried.

"Link…" Skull Kid said, his voice a harsh croak.

Link peered into the eyes of his friend, not bothering to wipe away his own tears.

"Just…" Skull Kid's words grew more labored. He thought about what Link told him when his arms were wrapped in gauze. What the boy taught him about fear. "Just don't let fear… make your… decisions."

The imp shakily rose his hand and pointed to Link's chest, tapping where his heart was. He smiled and then his arm went limp. Then, the flickering orange light that illuminated his eyes faded. The spark that was within his soul was snuffed out, and the grey coloration of the wood fully enveloped his body. He exhaled one final time. At that moment, he was gone.

Link was without words. Tears fell down his cheeks and his entire body trembled. He didn't care about the pain he felt from the sisters' torture, or when Dark Link attacked. All he cared about was right in front of him. But it was gone.

Lowering his head, Link remained silent. His hair drooped in front of his face, the silver part not even catching his eye anymore. The witches and Dark Link were already getting away. Everything in the Illusion Room was still. Finally, something came from Link's mouth.

A long scream of agony. His ears rang, and he didn't even hear it. It drowned out everything else. The sobs of his friends, the sound of his enemies taunting him as they escaped, and his own thoughts. With no clue how to let out his pain, he just continued to cry out as he cradled Skull Kid's lifeless body.

Everyone in the room took a while to recover, but by the time they forced themselves to leave and head back home, Link still hadn't recovered. He wouldn't be able to for a while.

Chapter Text

Yeah... I did that. I killed Skull Kid. Bold, I know, but there was a good amount of foreshadowing actually. The "friend killed" dream, the nameless gravestone, the Great Fairy's expression changing, and the considerable ease it took for the Thunderbird to damage the imp. It's a sick thing to hint towards so many times, but it's what I wanted to do. If everyone could review and give feedback, that'd just be amazing. I wanna be able to impact readers, in ways they might not expect.

So, I'm sure you're wondering, what now? Well, this. The chapter I've had done for so long. About 2 months, this has sat, completed, waiting. I think it's my finest writing... ever. And the longest! Not counting this preamble, it's 5,700 words! Anyways, I just hope you all think it's as great as I do. This chapter shows just how much something can effect our hero. Enjoy.
-Joost

One last thing! This is another chapter that has been slightly changed!

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 19: Off The Deep End

The grotto was dark and musty, as usual. Three Lizalfos were gathered around a small fire, made from the remains of a chest that once held twenty rupees. The smoke filtered out of the hole in the ceiling. None of them knew it was giving away their location.

They gave each other light squawks, conversing about things unknown. None of them noticed a figure descend from the grotto entrance, clad in a green tunic. They landed on the ground softly, taking care to not draw attention to themselves yet. The person slowly inched their way towards the group, eyes filled with a dark determination.

Suddenly, an arrow was shot, and plunged right into the back of the center Lizalfos's skull, killing it instantly. It collapsed onto the fire, and it slowly began to burn. The other two lizards looked around in surprise, shocked from the sudden death of their colleague. The leftmost lizard screeched as soon as it spotted the person across from them, and the one to the right turned their gaze.

Link, lowering his bow, stared the two Lizalfos down. He unsheathed his sword and took an aggressive stance, scowling. The lizards perceived his gesture as a challenge, and they drew their short swords.

Wasting no time, Link charged, swiping the Gilded Sword with all his strength. The attack caused his opponent to stumble, and he brought his sword down on it again and again. The other Lizalfos attempted to attack, but was kicked in the gut by Link, paying the creature no mind.

The Lizalfos winced in pain and watched as the disgraced hero brutally swung his sword, making the other lizard stagger backwards, unable to keep up with his might. Bringing his shield forth, he bashed it right into the Lizalfos's chest and then kicked it in the shin.

The one that had been kicked in the stomach could only stare in horror as Link stopped fighting its cohort and threw his sword into the air. Using his free hands, his fists connected with the lizards' face twice and gave it a headbutt just to keep it from retaliating, before the sword landed back into his palm. Then, he sliced the beasts' neck open.

The Lizalfos crumpled to the ground, but Link wasn't satisfied. Emitting a guttural yell, he pierced the creature's armor. The Gilded Sword, now covered in blood, emerged from the back of the Lizalfos and went straight into the rock behind it. The lizard sputtered, a gargled squeak being the last sound it ever made. It made its final thoughts, silently begging for forgiveness, before perishing.

Link huffed, pulling the sword from the lizard's chest and staring down at its lifeless corpse.

The Lizalfos across from Link made the mistake of uttering a small squawk. Link swung his head around and eyed down the creature.

"You're next." Link said, pointing the stained sword at the creature across from him. Hate laced every word that came out of his mouth.

The Lizalfos made a break for the exit, not wanting to meet the same fate as its comrades. It ran as fast as it could, and Link gave chase.

Jumping from the entrance, the Lizalfos looked around frantically before spotting the wall that connected to the drawbridge to the left. Rounding the trees and hopping across the river, it tried to escape to Castle Town.

Link wasn't far behind. His adrenaline was in full effect now, and it assisted him in his pursuit of the lizard. Energy flowed through his veins, but it was in no way righteous.

The entire time, Link was feeling something unimaginable. He wanted to take his anger at himself out of whatever he could. But he didn't want to just dispatch the creatures like he and his friends had been before. He wanted to make them hurt, just like how his demented mirror image made him hurt.

The Lizalfos swiped its tail at the guard standing post at the drawbridge. It considered killing the man, but it caught a glimpse of Link getting ever closer towards it. Taking out its bow, it fired three arrows, but none landed on the hero, so it jumped away and ran right into town.

"Link? Liiiiink? Where are you?" Navi called out. Tatl and Tael were just behind the blue fairy, searching around Castle Town for their friend.

"Link! Hey, we need you!" Tatl yelled. She only received dirty looks from people walking by.

"Come on, Link! Talk to us!" Tael shouted. It was no use. For over twenty minutes they'd been searching for their friend. They looked everywhere. His bedroom, the shops, even the Temple of Time. He was nowhere to be found.

"I don't think this is working…" Navi admitted, a dejected tone in her voice. Tatl immediately consoled her.

"Hey, don't worry, Nav. We'll find him." Tatl said. She was about to speak again but was interrupted by distant screams.

The trio turned towards the source of the cries and saw people stepping back in horror as a Lizalfos scrambled around the bidding booths. Their jaws dropped. No Lizalfos, or any monster for that matter, would be foolish enough to invade town.

Everyone screamed and ran to hide as the lizard ran around, paying them no mind. The fact it wasn't even attacking told the group of fairies that it wasn't here to fight. It was here to escape.

Soon, their questions were answered. Link appeared, and just how he looked spoke a thousand words. Blood covered his gauntlets, his face was scratched, and a red trail followed him, dripping off of his sword. He vaulted over the small grass platform and kept chasing the Lizalfos.

The creature rounded the corner and dashed into the alley. Link followed right behind. Taking out his hookshot, the teen fired it past the Lizalfos, and the hook stuck itself in the distant wall. Link went flying forward and he let go of the tool as soon as he was in range. He landed on the beast and stomped on its tail, making it reel forward in pain. When the lizard started to rise, the boy grabbed the armor on its back and pushed it back onto the ground.

Link started to hit the Lizalfos repeatedly, never pulling his punches like he used to. Onlookers watched in fear as the Defender of Faith pummeled the creature under him mercilessly.

Having enough of its beating, the lizard pushed its hind legs up and Link was thrown off. He landed on the street with a thud and cursed out loud as the Lizalfos started to get away.

Running towards the wall, following the Lizalfos, he grabbed the hookshot from the ground without even stopping. Aiming his arm, he started to do the swinging routine, taking to the air to catch up with his enemy.

Citizens stared with awe as the hero swung through the air, yanking on the chain every time he started to lose speed. He caught up with the Lizalfos quite easily, and it noticed. Digging it's claws into the side of the building it was closest to, it started to climb.

As it reached the top, a number of Castle Town guards appeared and shouted orders to each other. Noticing the guards, the Lizalfos quickly drew its bow again and fired as many arrows as it could. One pierced the first guards' leg, but none were taken out. It only stopped its attack when it felt a rush of wind fly above its head and saw a blur of green land on the roof just a few feet away.

Link watched, no emotion in his eyes, the Lizalfos screech at him. The boy never felt so done with anything before. It brought its bow forth again and prepared to fire at the boy, but he didn't flinch. When a 'twang' sound was heard, the lizard just looked around in fear before resorting to throwing the bow itself at Link.

Link caught the wooden grip with ease and threw it back at the Lizalfos, hitting it across the head and making it recoil backwards. He kicked the lizard off the roof, and it crashed back down onto the street. When it started to bolt again, he fired the hookshot into the beast's leg.

Bringing it to a stop, Link smirked when the creature started to limp. Detaching the chain and jumping off the roof, he gave the lizard an about face after rolling out onto the ground. Then he simply strolled over to it casually and decked it upside the head.

Recovering from the attack fast, the Lizalfos grabbed Link's shoulders, and Link did the same. The two struggled for a moment before the beast started to gain the upper hand. It swung Link and threw him into the wooden wall that was just adjacent to the stairs of the Bombchu Bowling Alley.

Link crashed through the wall and found himself in the bathroom of a poor Hylian fellow. The man who was inspecting himself in the mirror made a high-pitched scream as soon as he saw the bloodied, armed teenager in his bathroom.

"Sorry! Sorry about that!" Link yelled as the man ran off. The teen frowned at just how sissy people could be. He unknowingly let his guard down and wasn't ready to get slashed in the back by the Lizalfos's tail.

Link groaned and fell to the floor. His back was whipped repeatedly, and he was reminded of his time at the hands of the witch sisters in the Spirit Temple. Anger welled up inside him and he rolled over, grabbing onto the lizard's tail.

Pulling on the tail, the Lizalfos fell to the floor, allowing for Link to get up. He willingly helped the creature to its feet just to hit it again.

Then the Lizalfos drew its small sword. It attempted to charge at Link, sword in the air, but the boy was able to grab its arm and keep it up. The pair struggled, and Link smashed the things' hand into the mirror just to the right of him. The glass shattered and its skin was torn, slicing into nerves. The hand quivered and then the sword finally fell from its grip.

Link grunted and forced them both out of the bathroom. They fell back through the hole in the wall and tumbled out onto the street, pieces of wood splintering on both of their legs as they did.

Scrambling to its feet, the lizard ran as fast as it could. It didn't dare to look back, as it knew Link was most likely right behind it.

Running towards the remains of the Happy Mask Shop, it leaped over the tall drywall that had already been set up by the carpenters. It figured Link would have a hard time getting through all that.

It was wrong.

After a few moments of nothing, the Lizalfos started to relax. All of a sudden, Link plowed through the plaster barrier, not even reacting to the pain he endured just to do so.

The fairies didn't know what to do. They lost sight of Link as he and the Lizalfos fought behind the wall of the shop that was under reconstruction. Some seconds went by before the lizard was thrown through the hole Link made, landing on the ground right in front of the shop.

By now, Link had enough of this. Rage was all he felt, and the memory of his friend was all he thought about. When he saw it trying to stand, he jumped up fired the hookshot at the ground. He was sent towards his enemy at blistering speed, and he used the force to hit the creature as hard as he possibly could, sending it right back to the ground. He was now on top of it. He rose his hands into the air and brought them down onto the Lizalfos's face. He did it over and over again, beating the creature senseless.

Tatl, Tael, and Navi forced themselves to look away. They didn't know who Link was anymore.

The teen grunted and yelled in anger as he punched the lizard again and again. The rough sound of fist meeting face slowly changed, and the hideous sound of a bone cracking was heard. The life faded from the eyes of his enemy, but he wasn't done yet.

Link still kept slamming his fists into the bloody mess that used to be the head of his opponent. Blood was flung into the air as the noise delved into more squishy sounds. No one had ever seen him like this. When he finally stopped, red dripped endlessly from his hands, and it stained the surrounding area where the corpse lay, splattered everywhere in veiny patterns.

Silence descended on everyone who was in view of the scene. Link, arms drenched in blood, stood above the remains of a Lizalfos. It was almost too hard to identify what the creature was, with so little of it left intact.

Link panted. Exhaustion was too evident in his breathing. He took a few steps forward before looking to the fairies that were just across from him. He didn't even register the expression of terror on each of their faces.

"Got 'em…" Link said weakly, smirking. He took another step towards his friends, but they backed away. Then, he fell to his knees and collapsed, passing out, the dark determination that burned passionately in his eyes fading into obscurity.

The only sound now was the wind howling through town. No voices, no screams, nothing.

Soon enough, Jim and Kafei emerged from the house across the street and hoisted Link up. They brought him inside, and Anju started to clean him up. Meanwhile, Romani wouldn't take her eyes off the puddle of mangled flesh that was on the ground.

Looking back at the large orange hat that lay on a chair by the staircase, her memories of the one they all lost brought her down. Small bits of dust started to accumulate atop it. It had been a week since it happened after all. She buried her face in her palms and leaned on the windowsill on the second floor of the building, silently sobbing.

Whoever she witnessed kill that Lizalfos, wasn't the boy she loved. And the person who used to wear the vibrant orange hat wouldn't be proud of what his friend had done.

Dusk was starting to fall on the town, and Link finally opened his eyes. He was in his room, lying in bed. His mother was sitting on a stool just beside him, and his girlfriend was in the corner facing away from him.

"Hey…" Link muttered.

Anju didn't say anything. She just placed a wet cloth on Link's forehead.

"What's wrong?" Link asked.

"What were you thinking?!" Anju asked, the sternness in her voice startling the boy.

"What do you mean?" Link tilted his head.

"What do you think I mean, young man?" Anju was fuming. She didn't even look her son in the eye.

"You saw me… do…" Link paused. He couldn't finish his sentence.

"Yes, I did. So did your father…" Anju removed the cloth and wrung it out, her tone growing in intensity. "…your girlfriend…" She dipped it into a bucket that was by her feet. "…and everyone else in town."

Link looked down with sadness. Most of the event was a blur to him, but he had vivid images of certain moments. The arrow killing the first lizard, the neck slice, throwing the bow, destroying the mirror with the Lizalfos's own hand, and the repeated strikes to the face when he finished it off.

"I- I'm sorry…" Link whispered.

"You better be sorry!" Anju shouted at him, regardless of if he was only six inches away from her.

"The princess even told us that your permission to the sword has been…" Anju paused. "…revoked."

Link's eyes widened. When the Gerudo were saved from Bellum's first chase, the full permission to use his weapon and capture enemies of Hyrule was big deal to him. It made him feel like he was doing things right. But now that it was gone, Link felt like he failed.

Then Kafei appeared in the doorway. His usual smile was long gone. All there was in his face now was disappointment.

"Link Aabiziwim Dotour…" Kafei started, arms crossed. The boy winced at the use of his full name. "Is that what you see as 'justice'?"

Link didn't know how to answer. His mind was clouded by everything. His feelings, responsibilities, and his grief.

"I don't know…" Link mumbled.

"Well, whatever that was wasn't good. Your idea of avenging Skull Kid won't bring him back." Kafei walked slowly towards the bed.

"You didn't get him killed." Link countered, looking at his injured hands.

"And neither did you!" Kafei shouted. For once, he was the one who rose his voice.

"But I did…" Link said to himself. The image of his darker side slicing Skull Kid in half constantly replayed in his mind. He did it. His sickening smile still haunted his dreams, even without Bellum's influence.

Romani kept to herself the entire time Link was asleep. Her own thoughts raced, almost reconsidering her entire relationship with Link. It was wrong to think that, and she knew it. But that side of Link, both the one covered by darkness and the one she saw slay the Lizalfos, wasn't who she knew. It wasn't the righteous boy she helped to defeat the Garo, who thought selflessly, and aimed to help everyone he could.

Everyone sat in silence for the longest time.

"I'm just so… confused." Link weakly confessed. He couldn't tell if what he said was a lie or not.

Skull Kid's last words, how he tried to make a light joke even when he was dying, they shook Link to his core. How little the imp thought of himself scared the teen. And the advice he told. Link's own advice repeated back to him.

Kafei hated to sound even more rude to his son, but his own concern outweighed his love for him. "No, Link… I think you are so consumed by inconsolable rage… that you can't even think straight."

Link lowered his head even more. He slumped back down onto the pillow and closed his eyes. He knew his adoptive father was right. He couldn't be more right. Link wanted to cry but couldn't. He couldn't even retreat into his shell. He already felt like a shell of his former self.

"For four days you shut yourself in your room, then for the past three you disappear for hours on end and return home like you've been through hell." Kafei recounted the events of the past week. They didn't even return to Termina over the weekend this time. "And now… this happens."

"I just feel… lost. I don't know what to do. All I know how to do is…"

Fight. Both of Link's parents thought of that word at the same time.

"All my life it's just been swords and shields." Link looked at his hands. He felt like an Icarus. And he flew too close to the sun. Captain Viscen's words about his only good purpose flooded his mind.

"But it doesn't have to continue being that way." Anju said, putting down the sopping rag in her hands.

"I know. I don't want it to… Just give me some time, please?" Link sat back up and both the adults could see the tears in his eyes.

Silently giving each other confirmation, they left, but not before Anju could give her son a kiss on the forehead. As much as she was cross with him, she knew he was grieving, only in his own way. She was reminded of how different she began to act when Kafei disappeared all those years ago before their wedding, just how solemnly quiet and closed off she became.

When the door closed, Link expected to be alone. But he wasn't. Romani still stood by the door, leaning on the wall. She still hadn't looked at Link. She just stared at the door.

Link considered speaking up. He opened his mouth a number of times, but before he could muster up something to say, he decided against it.

"Romani doesn't even know who you are anymore…" Romani finally said after a long stretch of silence. Still never turning to face her friend, she spoke with a weak but stern tone.

"R-Romani… that wasn't me." Link stated.

"Then who the hell was it, Grasshopper?!" Romani turned at last and Link was taken by surprise. Her eyes were red and watery, hair disheveled, streaks of moisture lined her cheeks, and her hand was over her heart. She couldn't stop feeling it beat, going a mile a minute.

Link didn't get to respond. "B-Because… whoever that was, was not the person who proposed to me when we were twelve! That was not the person who asked me for a child! They were nothing compared to the boy who taught Romani that she could achieve more!"

The constant fluctuation between how Romani talked and referred to herself proved just how badly she'd been handling it all. She hated who she saw Link becoming and hated even more that she felt she couldn't do anything about it. How she thought Link had changed ever since they stepped foot in this goddess-forsaken land made her want it all to stop.

"Is this how the world will finally be enough for you, Link?!" Romani made a reference to the motto Link held so dear. His eyes darkened.

"Don't… Don't you dare invoke those words." Link's voice grew slightly deeper.

"Those are the words I live by, not yours."

"Then tell Romani! Tell me if I'm right! 'The World is Not Enough', isn't that your motto?" Romani grew even more angry. She loomed over Link's desk, staring at his notebook that lay opened.

"They have no meaning to you. You don't know what it's like to be me, so don't go insinuating that all of that is what was going through my mind earlier." Link nearly shouted.

"I may not be you-" Romani slammed her hands on the desk and made everything on it rattle. She turned to face Link again. "- but I'm still a person! Maybe Romani could relate to how you felt with her own words!"

"And what would those be?!" Link yelled.

"The…" Romani lowered her head and scrunched up her fists. A tint of red flushed across her cheeks. This wasn't how she ever expected to be telling him. "The Sun Will Shine on You Again."

Link's scowl went away in a flash. He didn't even need a second to process what those words could mean. All his anger fell away, and he was left with shame. Minutes passed.

"Romani… I-" Link hesitated. The last thing he wanted was to make things worse. He found that if he didn't think about what he said, it just fell apart further. He took a bit to think.

It was almost the perfect thing he needed to hear. All this time, he wasn't given any assurance that things wouldn't get worse. "I'm sorry. S-So much is going on right now. I'm confused, I'm angry, and I don't know what to do."

"And neither does Romani."

"…And I'm just so… tired. Everything that happens is just more and more to think about." It hurt to even try and collect his thoughts on everything that he had to consider. His darker half, the fallout of his stunt in town that day, the witches still being out there, and now his family. "It's happening so fast, and I can hardly keep up. It's like the sky's falling."

"I just w-want rest."

This time Romani didn't say a word. If there was anything she picked up from her time being a guard in Clock Town, was the sense that nothing gave her time. Time was never on her side when on assignments. Like she was hanging on the side of the Clock Tower, fighting to not reach the edge where she'd lose her grip on reality. Everything seemed like it operated on the terms of an hourglass, the sands never giving up their descent.

"I know." Romani said. She slowly walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.

"You remember what I told you at the ranch? That night… when I proposed?" Link asked.

How could Romani ever forget that night. That was the moment she really fell in love with Link, and it was the same for him. He felt he finally found what he needed. What he was searching for, unknowingly, in Saria, Navi, and even Zelda. Romani finally had the person she could confide in.

"I told you about how I used to never know who I was outside of being a hero." Link started. Romani just nodded quietly. "Well, after everything in Ikana, I figured out who I was… b-besides the hero thing."

"I'm a family person. The reason I keep going is because of everyone. You, mom, dad, Jim, Tatl, Tael, and S-"

Both teenagers thought about the last one.

"When he died, a part of what I found died too." Link said in a mumble. "And I went back to what I thought I knew best to do."

"And what now?" Romani asked.

Link gulped. "Your motto. It's what I needed to hear."

"That the sun will shine on you again?" Romani restated the phrase. All those years back, after Link cemented Kafei's motto as the words he lived by, she did a little digging in some on her and her sisters' personal things. The most significant thing she found was collection of letters from her mother, addressed to their father.

All ended with the same set of words. From then on, Romani and Cremia took it as their own motto. Since it was such a personal idea for the two of them, they rarely spoke of it to anyone besides each other. Not even Link. She planned on telling him on their wedding day, whenever that may come to pass. If it even would at this point.

"Yeah." Link assured. "While I was holding him… I felt like I couldn't escape the feeling of uselessness. You've always been able to help me. Even if the sky feels like its falling."

"Thank you, Romani." Link finished. He let his bangs cover his eyes.

Romani decided to do something bold. She slowly turned and slinked towards him. Link had no clue how to react, and he just let do as she pleased. Placing her hand on his chest, she gently pushed him down onto the pillow, and then laid down next to him. No smile on her face yet.

Holding Link protectively, she whispered into his ear, "Let the sky fall."

Romani was met with exactly what she expected. A confused look from her closest friend. A small memory how when Link used to sit on the roof of the house back on the ranch returned. Now she could have that moment of explaining what she meant that Link had.

"Let it all crumble, Link. We'll face it." Romani took ahold of Link's hand and held it tight. "Together."

"Do y-you…" Link was in awe. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes. You know that Romani's always wanted to make sure Grasshopper doesn't face things alone." Romani finally smiled. How the roles had reversed. She and Link shared a chuckle.

The flame that had vanished from Link's eyes for the past week finally relit. It was a faint, but Romani was overjoyed to have at least part of the Link she knew back in front of her. Both teens were tearing up. Half laughing, half sniffling, they hugged fiercely. The warmth they held while together was enough to put the sun to shame.

"I love you, Romani. I love you so much." Link whispered. Romani looked deep into his eyes.

"There's the Grasshopper I know." Romani reached up and moved Link's hair out of the way so she could see all of him. The gold and silver locks were starting to pester her. She started to kiss him right on the lips, and he didn't resist letting her in.

"Hmmm… 'The World is Not Enough', and 'The Sun Will Shine on You Again'…" Link parted from the long session and mused about the family mottos of the pair. "I like it."

"Mr. and Mrs. Link and Romani." Romani cooed, landing a quick peck on Link's lips. "Of Romani Ranch."

"Actually, I was thinking of Clock Town." Link replied playfully, returning the gesture.

"Or the lovely mountain village in Snowhead?" Romani countered, a smirk spreading across her face as she kissed her best friend again.

"Perhaps the next new residents of Ikana Canyon?"

"Maybe just Termina Field?"

Link was about to kiss Romani again but paused. He lifted his head from the pillow and stared off into space. "I wonder how much they're asking for that old house in Great Bay…"

Romani snorted and grabbed a pillow to swat him with. He didn't even resist the hit. When his girlfriend moved the pillow back, he just smiled.

For a little while, they remained in bed and held each other close. Romani occasionally messed with the silver part of his hair. It was growing to be her favorite part of him. It was still relatively new and somewhat fascinating. Then, his smile faded as his mind wandered to another matter.

"I'm going to need to tell them. Everyone. About what I did…" Link thought about the hat atop the chair in the hallway. Skull Kid's voice never left his head, no matter what he and Romani argued about. "This- This has to be addressed."

"Romani knows."

Jim hadn't even talked to Link at all in the past week. He hadn't even seen him at all today, since he was unaware he even helped him inside when he was unconscious. Tatl, he could already tell, was holding in all her grief. Tael, he didn't even know how he was handling it all. At times he swore he could hear the purple fairy crying faintly in the wee hours of the morning since everything happened.

Link felt worthless. Like he had lost control of everything he held dear. Trapped in a world troubled with pain. Ever since he could think, since he could talk. Since he could stand, since he could walk, he wanted to make things better.

"We need to let the sky fall." Link muttered. All his thinking about everything coming down on him at once, he figured he might as well embrace it. Romani liked the way he said it.

"Let the sky fall." Romani repeated. A stray thought popped into her head. It seemed a little inappropriate for the time, but her own curiosity of Link's thoughts on it convinced her to state her mind. "Maybe our child could have that as his own personal saying."

Link was startled at the used of 'his' in regard to their hypothetical child. He felt the small need to correct her. "Daughter."

"Son." Romani replied.

"Mm, no. Daughter. Less of a chance they turn out like me." Link rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. The prospect of having a son kind of scared him. The last thing he ever wanted was to see his kid wearing a sword and shield at the age he was when he started.

"Excuse me, Grasshopper. I want to see a little version of you running around one day. It'd be the cutest thing!" Romani's eyes gravitated down to her own stomach for a second before looking back at Link. The thought of a little Grasshopper warmed her heart.

"I guess we'll see when the time comes." Link said, facing Romani again. "W-When we're both ready, of course."

The ranch woman smiled wide and pulled Link in for another hug.

Hours later in the middle of the night, Link emerged from his bedroom. Placing his footsteps carefully, he planned on doing something, but stopped in the doorway. He looked back at Romani, asleep in the bed, blanket wrapped around her chest. He sighed before gently closing the door.

Link hardly cared he lacked a shirt. Everyone else in the house was long asleep at this hour. He just hoped his tunic had been washed. He needed to ask Zelda to arrange something for him. It was very short notice, but it was worth it to him.

Slowly passing the chair by the staircase, he went down to the washroom and inwardly thanked his mother and father for their dedication to good laundry.

Seconds later, he returned upstairs, clad in clean green. Retrieving his gear, he did his best to clean them off, but he didn't put them on. Regardless of if the town was awake or not, he didn't want to leave the house with his weapons until he made things right.

Taking cleaning supplies outside, he spent the next hour making sure everything was looking as it had, at least to the best of his ability. The drywall and bathroom would need to be fixed later, but he'd ensure the cost would come from his own pocket.

Once he was done, he went home, tired, but he wasn't done yet. Putting the things he collected away, he made it back upstairs for something important. The chair.

Looking at the orange hat that sat motionless on the seat, Link silently begged for redemption. Memories of his friend's smile, his laugh, and how headstrong he was invaded his mind. How the imp dreamed of being better, helping more, and making a difference seemed like they had been wasted away. Sent down the drain along with the desires of all the other souls that had passed on in Link's life. The boy stared at the object for an eternity.

Then he picked up the hat and left the house again, making his way to Hyrule Castle. The entire time he walked, he held the item close to him. He held the memory of his friend close to him.

Chapter Text

Here we are, the next chapter. VERY SHORT, but I hope you all like it!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 20: Dark Shadows Follow Me

"The thousand years of raindrops summoned by my song are my tears. The thunder that strikes the earth is my anger!"

That phrase was all that could course through Link's head as blew the final note. Then the storm came rolling in. Rain pelted the ground like a volley of arrows soaring towards their target. Each drop was filled with sadness, regret, and grief. When the humidity got dense, the boy knew what was about to come next.

A blinding flash of light came forth from the sky and hit the dirt road leading Link from Hyrule Castle back to town. More followed, making the clouds rumble with rage. Each step felt heavy, but the boy in green pressed on back home.

Link was a little happy that he could manage to come to an agreement with the rightfully angry princess of Hyrule, but the conversation he had to make next was the cause for all his dread. The things he would need to confront and explain just made his grip on the hat in his hands tighten. When he realized how firmly he was holding the memento, he cursed himself and unclenched his fists.

The rain didn't last long, as it always did with the Song of Storms. The splash of Link's boot hitting a puddle kept him alert. When he entered Castle Town again, he sighed, thinking about how he'd set everything up.

Pushing some crates around, he managed to get a line of them positioned just beyond the front door. It'd be a good place for them to sit while he explained himself.

Romani woke up just as the sun began to peek through the bedroom window. Slowly sitting up and stretching, she gasped when she saw that all she had covering herself was Link's blanket. Fumbling around the room, she retrieved her dress that was tossed into the floor and slipped back into it.

When she sat back down onto the bed, a small sheet of paper on the nightstand caught her eye. Reaching over and grabbing it, she could tell who it was from by the handwriting alone.

"Meet outside when everyone else is up. -L." That was it.

Romani stared off into space for a moment, thinking about the night before. The reflective conversation she and Link had was still fresh in her mind. All the things they said. Children, mottos, the future. She hoped they weren't just said to buy time.

After some time, Romani reluctantly left the bed and exited the room. She decided to go to Jim and the fairies' bedroom. Spotting another note on the middle nightstand, she knew what it must've said, as she closed the door and made for the kitchen.

Only 10 minutes later, Romani could hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Romani?" Anju asked, rubbing her tired eyes. Kafei was right behind her.

"Hm?" Romani turned to face the innkeeper.

"Where's Link?" Anju held the note she found on her dresser up and Romani mused about how efficient Link was at sneaking around. Three notes all in everyone's respective rooms without waking anyone up? Impressive.

"Romani doesn't know. She found a similar note, too." Romani controlled herself. She had no clue what Link planned, but she didn't want to get anyone else's hopes up.

"So… What did you and Link talk about last night?" Kafei piped up when he got to the stove, just next to Romani.

"About stuff." Romani kept her smile a secret.

"What kind of stuff?" Kafei wasn't in the mood for keeping things unanswered. The events of the day prior made sure he didn't get much sleep. Not because of haunted dreams, but because of what he feared his son was becoming.

Romani thought for a second. "The future."

Kafei concealed his groan and started to prep something to eat for everyone else. Anju sat next to the ranch woman and kept quiet. Hands folded underneath her chin, she propped her head up and remained lost in her own thoughts. She felt she only had herself to blame.

The only sound coming from the kitchen was the sizzling of a frying pan and the occasional clatter of utensils. The sound forced Jim out of his sleep, and the same happened for the fairies. By the time the Bomber got down the stairs, Kafei was already plating the eggs.

"Hey…" Jim mumbled, pulling up a stool and sitting at the table. His presence was acknowledged, but he got no response from the others. Together, they all ate, the words on the papers they found floating through their heads.

Before any plates were cleared, Tatl grew too tired of the unnerving silence.

"Can someone just talk about it! I'm tired of pretending like nothing's wrong!" Tatl's voice made everyone else in the room jolt in their seats.

"Tatl, please calm down." Navi said soothingly, flying a little closer to her.

"Nav- I just… Please, don't. I'm annoyed, let me be annoyed." Tatl's tone wasn't any nicer with the blue fairy.

"Sis, I get it. I'm… annoyed too. But I think someone else has to be here for this if we are going to talk about it." Tael didn't look up at his sister, not wanting to deal with the glare she was probably giving him.

"Fine…" Tatl grumbled, facing away from her brother.

"Grasshopper wants to talk about it, don't worry." Romani said, putting her fork down. She pushed the empty plate away, finished with breakfast.

"Well, when?!" Tatl barked.

"When everyone else got up." Kafei said, collecting his, Anju's and Romani's plates. Jim wasn't quite done yet, but all the bickering made his appetite get lost much like his mood.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't we…?" Tael pointed his thumb towards the front door, and everyone got the message. Almost simultaneously, they all rose from their seats.

The sound of the doorknob turning broke Link out of his trance. He quickly stood up and put the hat down. One look at the crates situated before them and how the boy was standing across from them, they knew what to do. Silently, they all took a seat on the boxes.

Link withdrew a bit as he felt all the eyes focused on him. The plan he had on how to start simply flew out the window, nervousness descending onto him.

"I-I'm sorry…" Link said, just loud enough for the others to hear. He didn't follow it up for a good minute.

"That's it?" Tatl huffed in annoyance. Tael elbowed her and she hushed.

"About… a lot of things." Link continued. "About what I did yesterday, about staying silent for so long, and about what happened to…"

All looked towards the orange hat that sat on the ground between Link and them. A sniffle came from the hero, and he averted his eyes from the rest.

"So much was going on…" Link looked visibly pained when he started speaking again. "I miss him."

Jim looked down with remorse. He had only ever lost a member of the secret society once before, which happened to be Skull Kid, albeit for very different reasons than now. He couldn't stop thinking about how much hate was strung his way just because of that stupid mask.

"I do too…" Jim said meekly, followed by a slow nod from Tatl and Tael.

"I can still hear his voice in my head." Link admitted. He started to choke up on his words. "The… The last thing he said to me. It just won't go away. It was something that I had taught him."

The ones in the dark were drawn in, intrigued.

"'Don't let fear make your decisions.'" Link repeated, and then the feeling of melancholy overcame him. "I told him… after the fight with the Thunderbird, that he shouldn't let his injuries make him feel useless. But now…"

"…He's gone… and it's because of me."

Everyone took what Link said in. In all the time they had known this boy, he had never looked more dejected, vulnerable, tired, and weary than he had before them. His exhausted eyes conveyed more words than any speech ever could. Anju hadn't seen this side of her son since that night in the kitchen. She wished she never had to see it again, but fate was cruel.

"I did what I did yesterday because… I felt adrift in space. A part of me feels like I'm useless without my sword. I feel like I'm nothing, so I ran back to it." Link unsheathed the Gilded Sword and held it out. It still gleamed in the sun, impervious to anything that could taint its luster. Knowing what it was covered with earlier, it nearly made him sick.

"Link…" Kafei thought about what he last said to Link as he spoke up, arms no longer crossed. Everyone turned to face him. "If you're nothing without your sword, then you shouldn't have it at all."

Kafei kept his eyes on the hilt. The way his son's hand wrapped around it so naturally gave him the crutch to get by what he meant. "You have that for a reason, but you're not bound to it. I know you're strong enough to stay above that influence."

"He's right, honey. You… You are so much more than that sword. You've lived your life without it for so long, and you lived it well." Anju thought back to when Link 'retired'. It was odd for him at first, but he quickly stopped giving his weapons brief glances and let the dust on them settle. He seemed so happy.

"Y-Yeah…" Tatl mumbled. "When you visited the hut, there was a-always a smile. Now it's almost rare to see one."

"I just think… Maybe… I should just walk away from it all. All of…" Link gestured towards his sword, item bag, and shield. "…this."

That got the others to visibly react. Some with shock, some with a look akin to disgust, but overall it wasn't very good. It was clear he would have to elaborate if he wanted even a sliver of a chance to get through what he wanted to tell them.

"Doing this… It's not healthy. Every time I have to… do things, I feel like a part of my soul gets taken." Link couldn't fight the images of all the bloodshed from invading his mind. "I need to escape with what little I have left."

"But what about everything else?" Tael asked, parting his hair to meet Link's own gaze. "We still have work to do. There's no good… about a goodbye when there's still things to be done."

"I know, but… A part of me doesn't want to do anything." A unified gasp filled the air.

"This was never my problem in the first place. I don't want to deal with this. I want to go back home and live with you guys… my family. I just don't care anymore. I'm tired… of it all. The fighting, the sadness, the grief." Link had never said 'I' so much in his life. The worst part of being a hero was how much he had to sacrifice. He wanted more than just memories of a life that was somewhat normal.

"I kind of agree." Jim said with shame. "I never thought that this journey would be so… unforgiving."

Navi just retreated into herself. It was her who had ventured to Termina in the first place. She was the one who tore Link away from his life he had started there.

After a long while of silence, Romani decided to ask a question. "Well… what is grief if not just love?"

"W-What?" Link asked.

"I-Isn't the feeling of grief just from love? How much we all loved Skull Kid?" Romani was the first person to say his name out loud during the whole conversation. "Love that grows?"

Link was stunned. His mind raced to process Romani's statement, all the while staring at the orange hat. The rest of the eyes gravitated to it, and they thought about it as well. Tatl and Tael kept themselves from tearing up. Navi hadn't known the imp for long, but he was generous, affable and caring. Her grip of Tatl's hand grew as she let the latter's sadness get to her too.

"But what about… him?" Jim was the only one brave enough to go into the person who struck his friend down. The teenager who proved to be evil incarnate.

"I…" Link stuttered. Anger and rage welled up inside his heart, and his fists tightened. His voice deepened slightly, and his words were uneasy. "I want to kill him. I want to tear him apart."

The look of controlled venom inside Link's eyes startled all in attendance. That part of him was truly foreign. The vengeful, brutal side of the hero was something they never thought existed before yesterday. It was terrifying to see such a normally heroic, noble boy become so consumed with negativity.

"B-But he wouldn't have wanted that. He wouldn't have wanted any of this." Link started to crack. He got on one knee and picked the hat up off the ground and held it protectively. Moisture started to materialize in his eyes, making his vision blurry.

However, he then thought back to his talk with Romani. The sky falling, facing everything together, and the future. The words revolved around him like a windmill during a storm. Or like a kite flying into a hurricane. The winds had already torn off so much of him.

"Haven't you always dreamed of making things better?" Anju and Kafei said together. Link just lifted his head to see them.

"Baby, you've always wanted to let the sky be bluer. If you leave now… then it'll be left in the clouds." Anju stood from the crate and put her hand on her son's shoulder. She removed the green cap from his head and weaved her hands through his hair before sitting down next to him.

"Is that what he would've wanted?" Kafei added, staring at the hat.

"No…" Link mumbled.

"Exactly." Jim said, hopping off of his crate and squatting beside Link. He put his arm around Link's free shoulder and pulled him in for a half-hug. "He cared for you, and you cared for him. None of us can just let that go. We can't… because we're all heroes. Like you."

Link recalled when Skull Kid called him a 'brother'. He didn't show it, but he was never more shocked than he was then. The hero never had any siblings, or anyone really to fit the bill, but when things calmed down after Ikana, a part of that void was filled. By Skull Kid and Jim.

Unshed tears covered Link's eyes as he looked at the leader of the Bombers, but he could see more clearly. Such a valiant person Jim was, and the same extended to Skull Kid. They, alongside Romani, were the only people that were like him. Solace and comfort warmed his broken heart at that overdue realization.

"Romani's always said that Grasshopper shouldn't face things alone. Not ever." Romani joined the group, all gathering around the damaged boy. The only ones not to move from their spots were the fairies.

Tatl shifted positions and turned away from the rest of the group. An exaggerated 'hmpf' wafted through the air and her brother and closest friend gave her unamused looks.

"Sis… I think we should be here for him." Tael crept toward his sister but was shooed away by her right hand.

"Tatl." Navi said in a stern voice.

Tatl gave them both the side eye and tried not to give in. She was fed up with all the words being strewn about. Each time she glanced at her friends, the more the ice melted.

"Ugh… fine!" Tatl said, flying up and over to Link, sitting on his head. Tael and Navi just chuckled and joined her.

Link, Anju, Kafei, Romani, Jim, Tatl, Tael, and Navi embraced. For a while, nothing was said, for nothing needed to be. It was just that moment, seemingly locked in time. The family sat there, only glad to have the company of each other. A large weight that overshadowed Link's heart was gone at last.

"So… What's our plan?" Jim was the first to break the long bout of silence.

"I need… to fix things. With a lot of people." Link muttered as the others let go.

"Are you going to need any help?" Anju asked.

Link paused.

"Yes." Link said, standing up, hat still in hand. A weak, but genuine smile formed on his face. "Yes I will."

Chapter Text

ow we're back into the 'normal' stuff. While trust me, the story ain't gonna be the same going forward, I hope you all like this. This in particular answers a frequently asked question about the ending of The Fierce God Given Life. Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 21: Some Kind of Hero

After that, the Goron left, walking back towards the village. Link was happy that he had reconciled with at least one of the loved ones of the departed. But the next place he needed to visit was one where he was a lot more afraid to see. Link hopped onto Epona, and she trotted away, directly towards the Great Bay.

As soon as he was in view of the sea, he saw her. Lulu. She was standing right by the grave of her lover, a familiar look on her face. He got off from Epona and slowly made his way towards her.

Silence permeated the two as they stood before the guitar. Link wasn't sure how he should begin.

"So… How are you?" The twelve-year-old said.

"Fine." Lulu replied rather matter-of-factly. At least she was talking to him.

That was all there was for a while. Waves gently hit the beach as they stood, giving their respects. Link wasn't concerned on time. As far as Lulu was concerned, he had all the time in the world.

"He taught me a lot… Even though he was only alive for a moment." Link started with a heavy heart.

"And what would that be?" Lulu snapped, accidentally making her tone wittier that she wanted.

"That you can still live on after death… and be a hero when there isn't one around." Link could still see the dedication in Mikau's eyes as he played his final song. It was abstract, sure, but it helped the boy see what the Zora had lived for.

Even on the brink of death, Mikau only had one thing on his mind. His love. Aching pain went along all around his body, but he fought it to sing. When things could have been too dangerous to say, he sang.

"Do you think of yourself as some kind of hero?" Lulu asked.

Link was taken aback by the question. For a while, he never questioned what made him a 'hero'. He just accepted it silently and pressed on. Endless responses swarmed his head.

"Well?" Lulu asked, tired of not getting any kind of answer.

"No…" Link said, and Lulu's eyes widened. He looked down at the beige tunic he wore and noted the lack of sword or shield on his back. "I'm just a person who helps out. Being a hero… means that you're willing to give up a lot for a cause. I'm… not quite there yet."

Anger poisoned Lulu's mind and she finally turned to face Link. Raising her arm up, she wanted to slap the boy just as she did before. But Link didn't falter, didn't try to dodge, didn't attempt to shield himself, anything. He just stood still and closed his eyes, waiting for it to happen.

It never did.

When Link opened his eyes again, Lulu was holding her hand with the other, caressing her palm with her thumb and looking at both solemnly. He instinctively tilted his head, perplexed on what changed.

"You're just like him…" Lulu mumbled, frowning.

Link's heart sank at that notion. The worst thing he could have done was remind someone of who they lost. He felt almost sick to his stomach and grew a little dizzy.

"He would always talk like that… Act noble and at times embarrass himself, just to make sure others would feel… better." Lulu hated admitting how much Link and Mikau were similar. Oddly fitting considering they shared each other's strengths just to get the eggs back.

Link took a step back, afraid if he offended Lulu in a way that couldn't be mended. The Zora singer noticed the look of fear on his face and scoffed. Again, something Mikau would do when he was unsure on how to go about things. There, Lulu finally found something she had lost.

"Thank you…" The ill-concealed compliment changed Link's reaction once more. Before anything else could happen, Link decided to hush up and stay silent.

One look at the grave told him it was likely time to go. Confining Mikau's memory to the beach wasn't the thing he wanted to do on this particular day. He paid his respects again before quietly walking back to Epona, who trotted away just moments later.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lulu watched Link depart. Another silent 'Thank you' escaped her mouth as he disappeared behind the rocks and back to Termina Field.

Link finally set the wooden planks down and stepped back to take a look at his handywork. The wall of the Bombchu Bowling Alley was finally fixed, and the Hylian carpenters gave him a small round of applause for his help.

Reaching into his wallet, he got the amount of rupees he needed to pay off the damage to the bathroom and gave it to the owner of the Bowling Alley. The death stare he got from the fellow wasn't much in the way of a response, but Link didn't want to say anything stupid, so he left after also paying the carpenters for the supplies and supervision.

"Took you long enough." Tatl said, leaning on the front door to the house as Link approached. "Watching you work was boooorrring!"

"Thanks for the moral support." Link said sarcastically, extending his hand so Tatl could fly around and perch on his fingers for a moment.

"So, where are you heading next?" Tatl asked, unable to remember what Link had on his agenda next after the carpentry.

"Kyojin, Flavi, and Ante." Link wore a sudden, somber face. "The apology I owe to Flavi is far overdue… To all of them."

"I know. I heard what happened… I never took you as the slapping type." Tatl teased Link, making him go red and look away in despair. "So bold."

"Alright, you've made your point." Link said, giving the fairy a knowing look. "Come on, I don't want to keep them. They've waited long enough."

Link had a pepped-up demeanor in his stroll to the house where the three Gerudo were staying. Tatl, though she thought it was strange, was nonetheless happy to see him in a bit of a better mood than he had been in for the past few days. She missed the outgoing nature of him that had seemingly vanished for so long.

Underneath his somewhat jovial attitude, Link was aching to mend things. When Romani was first taken, he was blinded by a poison of the mind. He wasn't sure what to think of the newfound 'protectiveness' he had for Romani, but he knew that it was unveiled at the expense of the Gerudo.

Knocking on the door to the house, Link waited patiently. He fiddled with his hands before letting them out, taking note of how much they twitched. He would need something to eat soon.

The door opened, and then abruptly closed.

"Let me handle this." Tatl said, flying up to the door.

"Flavi? Ante? Kyojin? It's me, Tatl." The fairy said in a smooth voice.

Then the door opened again.

"How did you-?" Link was surprised at just how easy it appeared to be for his fairy companion.

"Hey, a girl has gotta make friends in Hyrule. What do you think I was doing for the past week while you were cooped up in your room?" Tatl's know-it-all smirk made the hero scoff as he walked in.

"Alright, don't get mad, but Link isn't here to throw hands again." Tatl did her best to calm the Gerudo trio. All three ladies didn't meet Link's eyes. Understandable, Link thought. It'd been some time since he'd seen them, and it didn't leave off on the best of terms.

Link cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about… what happened. About losing my cool."

It took a moment to process. Flavi, the one who was the most cross with the teen, approached slowly.

"Link… We would appreciate- If you would ease off with your temper." Flavi tucked her arms together in front of her chest, keeping her eyes trained on the floor. "I understand that you were concerned for Romani, but just…"

Flavi looked to her friends and the woman who was taking care of the three. By now, they almost felt like a little family. Sure, a family of three grown women being cared for by a slightly older woman, but they connected with each other.

"… Don't loose sight of your morals. Anger can be hard to control, trust me, but you're a good kid."

"You're absolutely right." Link said calmly, nodding. "I'm sorry that you all had to see that, and even more for the other day."

It had been two days since the entire Lizalfos incident, but it was still quite fresh in everyone's minds. The talk of the town, so to speak. The hero getting his permission revoked, the death of one of the Terminian visitors, and an apparent mental breakdown from the hero was a lot to take in. People still gave him weird, angry, or even disgusted looks as he went around town.

"It's alright- Just don't lose track of what makes you… you know." Kyojin said, taking the words right out of Flavi's mouth.

Link gave a nod and left without another word, Tatl right next to him.

"You better have finished it all, young man!" Anju called from upstairs as Link hopped from the kitchen stool and set down his fork.

"I did, don't worry, mom!" Link hollered up the stairs and he put back on his belt. Picking up the Gilded Sword and the Mirror Shield, he strapped them both back onto his person and went upstairs.

"I'll be back in an hour." Link said, hugging Anju from behind as she folded the blanket on Jim's bed in preparation to give to Kafei to wash.

"Alright, honey. Just be careful. There are still some of those monsters on the loose, remember?" Anju caressed Link's hand as she let go of the side of the sheet for a moment. Her thumb passed over one of the many scars.

"I do." Link said. It pained the innkeeper to feel his hand creep away from her grasp, but it had to happen. She sat alone for a bit, thinking about her son.

Minutes later, Link stepped past the drawbridge and out of town. His direction went straight for where he had found the pack of Lizalfos. The grotto filled with carnage.

Jumping down into the ditch, Link shuddered at the sight of the two remaining corpses. Lying on top of the leftovers of the campfire was the charred remains of the first one he killed. Right across and to the right was the other one, still slumped up against the rock wall. Blood was strewn along its torso, coming from the neck, all dried and flakey.

Link knelt down and looked at the burned body with regret. Even though the lizard was dangerous, it proved that it wasn't going to bother the town. Since they escaped, all the Lizalfos's did was hide. There were no reports of a squad of them attacking any travelers, raiding Kakariko or Zora's Domain, nothing.

They may not had deserved to die, especially in the way Link granted. That notion caused the 16-year-old to reflect on what it was like to do such a thing.

To kill. To end a life. To sever that fragile line that everything held to this world. When Link was eleven, he knew that he had to kill monsters for the sake of Hyrule. When he was twelve, he knew he had to kill for the sake of Termina. Now, with these particular three, it wasn't for the sake of anyone, except for maybe himself.

It would be something that would define Link, and likely haunt him for the rest of his days. He is a killer. Not quite a ferocious, cold-blooded cutthroat, but certainly something less noble than a guard of Hyrule or Clock Town.

Link inched towards the sand and cupped his hands, starting to dig. After about thirty minutes, the hole he dug appeared to be satisfactory. There, he picked up the bodies of the Lizalfos and buried them. Then, when the sand was back where it was meant to be, he used to tinder and wooden splinters of the old campfire and placed two markings at the base of the makeshift grave.

Rising to his feet, Link left the grotto, and the guilt. It felt almost right to leave it there, on that little patch of nothing. Those creatures, even if they were monsters, had souls too. They deserved to be grieved for as much as anyone else who had passed on.

Exiting the ground, Link stood motionless in the field, thinking. This time, it was about the darkness. His opposite number. Dark Link.

Link's fist unknowingly clenched as he stared off into space. He fantasized about what he would do if he saw Dark Link again. He wanted to let nothing back against his demented variant. He wanted to punch in his crooked teeth, to slam his body into the ground, to singe his skin and make his feel all the pain he did.

"That…" Link thought aloud, even if there was no one to hear him. He wanted to call his darker half something that would annoy him, but no other word aside from 'bastard' came to mind.

"Makade!" Link said, making up a word. The unhinged vigor behind his voice sounded strange even to him. Regardless of if the word had no meaning to anyone, 'Makade' would be his name.

Finally, Link realized that his fist was starting to hurt due to his own nails digging into his palm. The boy huffed and started his walk back to Castle Town.

The guard ran hastily down the dirt road towards town, letter in hand. He wheezed slightly as he leaned against the outside wall of the Shooting Gallery. From there, he saw who he was sent to talk to. The boy in green.

"Link! Link!" The guard said, sprinting towards the boy.

Link turned towards the person calling his name. "Yes?" He asked as the man approached earshot.

"Message…" The guard coughed, out of breath. "Message from the princess!"

"Oh. Th-Thank you." Link said politely, taking the letter from the fellow and opening it up. He started to read.

"Link, our captain from Death Mountain has reported that there has been some concerning activity coming from the Lost Woods. Down the tunnel that leads there, sounds of Moblins running ramped has been worrying the Gorons. Could you please check it out? -Zelda"

Link read the letter twice over just to make sure he had all the details, a habit he noticed he had started. More importantly, the seeds of a new idea were planted. Something had disturbed the Moblins, so maybe he could help in a different way.

"Thank you. I'll get on it right away." Link stated, hiding his apprehension.

Link walked out of Castle Town and into Hyrule Field again, this time with Romani and Jim by his side. The two behind the hero in green were concerned.

"Link… A-Are you sure that it'll be alright to not bring any of our weapons?" Jim asked hesitantly. The teenager in green had insisted, almost aggressively, that they not have any equipment during this particular errand.

"Positive." Link said, keeping his eyes forward. Romani and Jim gave each other worried looks as they continued on in silence.

During the walk, Link mused about where they were going. The Lost Woods. Kokiri Forest. For a time, he dreaded the prospect of returning to the forest. He knew he had a lot of memories of his life there, most not favorable. One certain thing he was nervous about was that he may encounter another Skull Kid in the Lost Woods.

Jim had gotten the hang of reading Link's expressions. He, along with Romani, could tell he was thinking about things that would bring him down. The two looked to each other again and came to an agreement.

Romani approached Link's right; Jim approached the left. At the same time, they took hold of his respective hands. The action brought Link back to reality and stiffened. He stole quick glances at his hands and then the faces his friends were giving him.

Both wore smiles, eyes filled with compassion. Link grew less tense after each second, drips of happiness telling him that things were going to be alright. Before they knew it, they were at the entrance to Kokiri Forest.

"So, Grasshopper, what is this place?" Romani asked, still in the dark about why exactly they were all here.

"This…" Link attempted to talk, but repressed emotions threatened to bubble to the surface, and he never finished his sentence. He simply started to walk into the oak tunnel, Romani and Jim right behind him.

Footsteps pressed against the old bridge as the sounds of fauna rang gently through the air. The two outsiders were awestruck, but Link kept the neutral expression plastered in his face.

Seconds later, they got to the village. A few Kokiri children were in the distance, but they hadn't noticed the visitors.

"Woah…" Jim said after he finished gasping. His eyes were relishing the overwhelming amount of colors. The fine brown of the houses, the lush green canopy above, and the golden light peeking through the leaves.

Romani instinctively took off, her curiosity getting the best of her. Jim wasn't as fast, but he started to wander around, taking in the sights. Link, keeping his eyes away from the tunnel leading to the Lost Woods, decided to follow them.

"Grasshopper… this is beautiful!" Romani proclaimed, running her fingers across an oak fence that led to a small crawlspace. An uninterested 'mhm' was all she got as a response, but she didn't mind at all.

Finally, some of the Kokiri residents acknowledged the presence of the visitors. Quickly sprinting over to another child, they whispered into their ear and conversed about the three.

"Psst! Fado!" A ginger haired Kokiri signaled over to the blonde that sat atop a high platform just above the shop.

"Hm?" Fado looked down to her friend.

"Do you know who those people are?" The Kokiri pointed to Link, Romani, and Jim.

"Nope… I don't think so." Fado replied, squinting to get a clearer image of the visitors. One of them did look familiar, but she kept the notion to herself.

"Link, you have got to tell us what this place is…" Jim asked his friend.

Link thought about how he'd even explain. After a moment, he decided to instead show the two what this place was, and why he was so quiet. He started walking towards a certain tree house.

Link paid the carving on the side of the tree no mind as he climbed up the ladder. Waiting for his friends to reach the platform, he reached for the curtain that served as the door.

Pulling the curtain back, dust went flying and sunlight flooded the room for the first time in years. The light above illuminated, and things started to become clear.

Link, Romani, and Jim slowly walked into the cozy little home. Everything was covered in thick layers of dust, showing just how long it'd been since anyone had been in there. The size of the bed, the small boots in the corner, and the miniscule table were already hinting towards something that the two who were unfamiliar were starting to figure out.

Jim noticed a paper attached to a bulletin board adjacent to the bed. Wiping some of the dust off, he read some of the stats that were tallied up across it. The very first line caught him by surprise. 'Link's Records'.

"L-Link? Is this where-" Jim started, but the person he was speaking to already knew how to answer.

"Yeah." Link said, standing before the small bed and staring down at it.

"Grasshopper, you mean this is your…" Romani turned to Link, but she her own words were stopped when she saw his hand trembling. It wasn't intense, but it was notable.

"This was my home." Link said. His friends could only be shocked that he would even show them this.

"However," Link started after a moment of silence. "It's not what we came for."

Link turned around and left the house. As he went down the ladder, Jim and Romani left too, keeping quiet. Once all were back on the ground, a blanket of awkwardness fell onto them.

"So… If that's not why we're here, then what was the point?" Jim asked, breaking the silence.

"You guys were so curious… I thought it'd be best to just… show you now." Link mumbled, trying not to think about it.

"Thank you, Grasshopper. Romani's sure it wasn't easy, but you did it." Romani grabbed Link's hand and held it tight. Some of his confidence returned after she finished, and he smiled weakly.

"Come on." Link said, starting to head towards the Lost Woods.

Little wisps fluttered through the air as they greeted the visitors, twirling around them and flying away. The sounds of joyous music played by whistles and flutes was a pleasant thing to listen to.

It wouldn't last long though. A gruff roar caught the trio off guard. From the shadow of a nearby tunnel, a Moblin charged at them, spear pointed straight at them.

Romani yelped as her training kicked in and she tucked and rolled. Jim didn't have time to scream, his own fight or flight response making him jump out of the way. Link only sidestepped.

"What the-?!" Jim yelled as he got to his feet.

"Grasshopper! What are we supposed to do?!" Romani grabbed Link's collar and shook him, glaring at him. He just kept his eyes on the Moblin, watching as it searched around aimlessly.

"Why didn't we bring our weapons again?!" Jim berated Link for his insistence.

"Don't worry, I have a plan!" Link shouted to Jim. As the Moblin finally spotted the trio again, it charged. This time, the heroes ran.

Link took the lead, knowing the correct path through the forest by heart. Holding Romani and Jim's hands, he guided the team as they raced down the winding tunnels, the Moblin grunting as it tried to keep up.

"Where are we going?!" Romani demanded to know what Link had planned. He didn't answer, just keeping his head forward.

Once the group got to the Sacred Forest Meadow, Link spun around and stood firmly by the entryway to the maze. When the Moblin appeared, Romani and Jim tensed up, but the one in green kept calm.

Taking a few steps, Link slowly grew closer to the armed monster. He held his hand out, trying to convey that he didn't want to hurt the creature. It didn't quite register with the beast, and as soon as the boy was in range, it swiped at his arm with the spear.

A rather large cut coming from Link's thumb to his wrist was made courtesy of the Moblin. The teen recoiled and held his hand. Blood dripped onto the grass, but Link didn't stop.

"Grasshopper! Wait!" Romani's urge to tend to Link's hand almost overpowered her, but deep down, she had faith in him.

"It's alright." Link said, taking off his hat and wrapping it around his injured hand. He still slowly crept towards the beast, determined to resolve this without violence on his end.

The Moblin started to have a change of mind. It lowered the spear carefully and tilted its head, giving Link a perplexed look.

Smiling a little wider, Link extended his other hand and kept it out. He stopped inching closer and let the Moblin do the rest. It started to hold out its own arm, large paw opening up. Romani's jaw went slack a bit, and Jim's eyes went wide. They were astonished at how calmly their friend was handling it.

Finally, Link and the Moblin touched hands. While only for a brief second, they had some sort of understanding between each other. Link, using his soothing voice that he learned from Anju, spoke softly. "It's alright. We aren't going to hurt you."

"Y-Yeah. We're just here to help." Jim squeaked, emerging from behind Romani and puffing his chest out.

"We promise!" Romani chirped, adding to the effort. Something akin to a laugh came from the Moblin's snout, and it stood straight and picked up the spear again. That last bit of assurance was all it needed to become completely calm.

All the fear that was instilled in all three of the heroes drained away, and they received a bow from the Moblin. It even smiled at them.

Suddenly, the sounds of other Moblins rang out from back behind the tunnel. This wasn't the only one. Before Link and his companions could do anything, the pacified creature placed its spear in front of them.

"Wha-?" Jim asked, looking up at the monster.

The Moblin had a faint twinkle in its eyes, a twinkle that filled Link, Romani, and Jim with a friendly ease. Maybe the Moblin was on their side.

Without any other expression, the Moblin walked off, heading towards its cohorts. The group had no idea what it'd do, but they had faith.

"So… Grasshopper… You wanted to calm it down?" Romani asked. While it was pretty obvious now, she just had to make sure that that was her boyfriends' plan all along.

"Yeah. I wanted to take on a… different strategy." Link said, looking back to his friends. They grinned from ear to ear. At last, some of the nobleness they knew Link best for was back.

"Thanks for the help, guys." Link then pulled the two in for a hug. Even if they had only said things to placate the monster, it was helpful. He was glad about that.

Chapter Text

Wow... Now this story is officially longer than my first. While it's had more words for a bit by now, here is where it gains more chapters! Anyways, I hope you guys like this one. I'm pretty proud of how Link is characterized here. Enjoy!
-Joost

Author's note! This chapter has also been changed from it's original release, just slightly.

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 22: From the Fog

The Goron rolled down the hill, as he usually did every morning. Rounding the corner, he knew that he was facing the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern. The hill down towards the feast was well-known to every Goron.

Suddenly, a bomb blew up right in front of the Goron, sending him out of his curled-up state and slamming right into the wall.

"Ooooh… What was that?" The Goron asked aloud, even if he thought there was no one around to hear his question.

There hadn't been something to impede his usual rolling in five years. Then, his question was answered by the gleaming tip of a shadowy sword. Blood-red eyes stared down at him, with a matching scowl just under them.

"Take us to your blacksmith." Dark Link ordered.

"Wh-What?" The Goron asked, startled.

"Did I stutter?" Dark Link barked in response, thrusting his sword forward and pricking the Goron's neck lightly.

"It'd be best to do as the boy says." A voice came from above. The Goron looked up and saw two witches perched atop of floating brooms, holding their wands. "He's hardly afraid to use his weapons."

The Goron was frozen in fear. Never had he gotten his life threatened before. He shakily got to his feet, shuddering as he felt the edge of the dark sword place itself against his back. Taking slow steps at first, he picked up his pace when the blade started to dig into the stones all along his torso.

"Come on, we haven't all day!" Kotake warned, flying lower to the ground.

The Goron whimpered, but complied. He started to take faster steps, refraining from rolling down the hill into Goron City in fear that they would think he was trying to escape.

"Kabetta? What's going on?! Who are these people?!" The Goron who always sat near the tunnel that led to Goron City noticed his friend return with company.

Before Kabetta could say anything, Dark Link pointed his sword towards the other Goron and Koume extended her wand. A quick blast of electricity shot towards the poor fellow and brought him to the ground. Now every other Goron was put on high alert.

"What in the?" One Goron shouted from below.

"Bladon? What happened to Bladon?!" Another Goron who was on the same level as Kabetta and his captors spoke up.

"Should we kill them?" Dark Link asked, turning towards his companions.

"No, no. They are simply rocks. They can do nothing." Koume stated, smirking at the growing amount of Goron's approaching. She knew just how to make sure they were kept at bay.

In no time at all, the group was surrounded by nearly every Goron in the city. All held their fists up and were prepared to fight for their brothers, but none could anticipate what they were getting themselves into. Each started to protest against the invaders. Their words were met by uncaring ears.

"SILENCE!" Koume screamed, flying up and waving her wand. She spun around and sparks went off, causing every Goron to fall to their knees. "You all are animals! Take us to your blacksmith, or be fed to the great dragon, Volvagia!"

All the hollers of protest ceased when the witch brought up the flame serpent. A layer of fear washed over every Goron, and they started to tremble. Even when the spell lifted, the terror still remained. Finally, one young, brave Goron stood.

"A-Alright… Come with me…" He said, slowly backing away from his brothers to let the invaders through. Soon enough, all four were in the presence of Medigoron, the desired blacksmith.

"Give us the greatest sword you can make!" Kotake asked, practically hissing her words.

"Very well, but it will take a little bit of time. This sword has been in the making for… almost five years! It's nearly ready." Medigoron said, eyes filled with worry as he saw just how fearful the Goron who had led the three here seemed.

"Finish it up faster! We need a good blade!" Dark Link said, walking past the Goron in front of him to address Medi. There was reigning authority in his voice. The witch sisters were continuously shocked at how forward the darkness was.

"May I ask why?" Medigoron said, eyes not on the teenager in front of him. Instead, they were on the smaller Goron. He was backing away, very slowly. Medi knew what his friend was planning, he just had to escape.

"It's for a very special plan. One that's not to be shared with the likes of you." Dark Link said, cocking his head back and refraining from laughing.

"I see. Now, I must know… Do you think you will be successful in this plan?" Medi asked, watching as the other Goron finally slipped out of sight.

"Enough questions!" Kotake bellowed, raising her wand and threatening to attack the blacksmith.

"Just. Finish. The sword." Dark Link said. Medigoron decided not to argue and continued to work on the weapon.

The Goron rolled down the hill and towards Kakariko Village as fast as he could. He knew it wouldn't be long before the invaders realized he was gone. There just had to be someone that could help!

When he finally reached ground that wasn't rock, he knew he made it. Uncurling, he looked around frantically.

"Someone! Please, help! There's trouble in Goron City!"

"Hey!" A guard who was conversing with an older woman noticed the distressed Goron just by the open gate that marked the path to Death Mountain. He started to run towards him.

"What's the problem?" The guard asked as he got into earshot.

"It's- It's… w-well its…" The exhausted Goron broke out into a stuttering fit, unable to find the words he needed. His mind was going far too fast to properly form a sentence.

"Hey, hey, calm down, son. It's alright." The guard consoled the poor Goron, helping him sit down and catch his breath.

After a moment, the Goron got his bearings. He pushed away every other fleeting thought and had only one objective.

"I need to get to Hyrule Castle! To see the princess!" The Goron yelped. There was only one person he knew that could help.

"U-Um…" The guard was shocked at such a request. It seemed urgent, but perhaps the Goron wasn't comfortable talking about the problem with just him. "Alright, follow me. It'll be short notice."

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The Goron jumped up and gave the guard a fierce hug. The sound of metal twisting filled both their ears and the guard groaned in pain.

"Oh, sorry, sorry! I- I forget my own strength at times." The Goron let go and apologized profusely.

"It's…" The guard winced in pain, shaking his bent gauntlet. "It's fine. B-But what's your name?"

"Oh! My name is Link!"

The guard looked back with shock.

Link, the hero in green, laid on the couch. Romani, the guard with the bow, was right on top of her boyfriend. Both were enjoying a moment of silence in the house, and some alone time. Anju and Kafei were out getting food, Jim was practicing getting that new bag that was constantly teasing him in the Bombchu Bowling Alley, and the fairies were relaxing at the Great Fairy Fountain, getting some much-needed rest.

"For a girl, maybe Ilia?" Romani said, breaking the long kiss between her and Link and pondering about a certain subject.

"Hmmm… I'm not sure. How about Lana?" Link countered, smiling at his girlfriend.

"What about a boy? What does Grasshopper have in mind?" Romani asked, resting her head on Link's chest and thinking.

"I don't know…" Link's face flushed, and his tone became nervous. He tried not to think about the idea of having a boy. "M-Maybe Teba?"

"That's not bad…" Romani chuckled. "Bah! There's too many names to pick from!"

Link giggled. For a while, the two lovers enjoyed the embrace of each other. On occasion they shared a tender kiss, and on others they simply basked in their combined warmth. Link thought about how he was using his time. For the past several days, he'd been working hard to fix the things he broke. Didn't he deserve a little time to relax?

A knock on the door told him otherwise. The boy just groaned.

"Who's that?" Link said with a slight annoyance. Reluctantly, Romani sat up and let her boyfriend stand so he could get to the door.

Turning the knob and pushing outward, Link was greeted by a guard.

"Mr. Dotour!" The guard nearly shouted, saluting Link.

"Please, just Link." The teen said, waving his hands gently in protest.

"Right, my apologies. Link, there's a bit of a problem. Come to the castle, the princess and a visitor wish to see you." The guard stepped back and waited for Link to leave the house.

The boy turned around and gave a pleading look to Romani. Neither wanted him to leave, but if Zelda needed him, it must be important. Romani gave Link a nod of approval, and he was off.

At the castle, Link and the guard walked through the corridor followed by an awkward silence. The Gilded Sword and Mirror Shield shuffled with each step as they rounded the corner and faced the grand door that led to the throne room.

On the other side of said door was Link the Goron, standing nervously next to the princess. Never in a millennium did he think that he would get to stand before such a regal figure, but here he was. His heart pounded as he waited for the right help to come and save him from this nightmare.

The grand door opened, and one look between the hero and the Goron made the Goron jump in fear.

"WAHH! W-Wait! How is he here?!" The Goron exclaimed, mistaking Link for his darker side.

Both the guard and Link himself were left in shock. The hero stood in a defensive position as the guard remained confused. Even Zelda was baffled, but upon closer inspection of the hero, the Goron calmed his nerves.

"O-Oh… I-I'm terribly sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Link the Goron said, the normally beige-yellow hue on his face becoming a shade of pink. The hero had never seen a Goron blush before.

"I-It's alright…" Link said, letting his guard down once he knew there wasn't going to be any kind of fight. He and the guard went closer to Zelda and her visitor in order to discuss the problem.

"Link," Zelda started. Both the teenager and the Goron turned her way. "…thank you for coming on such short notice. It seems that Death Mountain is facing some kind of problem."

"Y-Yeah! There's bad people in Goron City!" Link the Goron said, accidentally interrupting the princess.

"Correct." Zelda continued, trying not to sound slightly annoyed at being talked over. "It seems they are holding the Goron's captive."

"What do they want?" Link asked, not thinking anything of the minimal description of the invaders. The Gorons had an interesting way of referring to others, but it wasn't at all a problem.

"They want our blacksmith to forge a sword! One that he's been working on for years now! The Giant's Knife!"

Link recognized that name. That was the weapon he bought in the future, during his first ever adventure in Hyrule. One detail about it was that it wasn't the greatest sword in the world. It had a tendency to break after a little while. But if they were able to ask, then it meant it was far more than simply a pack of monsters.

"Who were they? Did they say why they want it?" Link asked.

"They… They never said why. All they said was that if we didn't, they'd feed us to Volvagia!" The Goron's mood went down significantly. The poor boy felt helpless. "But I do know one thing! The people that threatened us… one of them looked like you!" He pointed to Link. "Only darker!"

Link's whole body stiffened, and his breathing became sharp. His fist clenched up and his nails started digging into his palms again. His crystal blue eyes darted around, but they weren't looking at anything in the room. They were lost in thought. The mind of the hero grew cold, and so did his stare. Something inside of him almost snapped, and he wore a look of venom.

"Is anything the matter, Link?" Zelda asked, a little startled at the hindered rage behind Link's eyes.

"No. Everything's fine." Link gritted his teeth beneath his lips and forced out a chuckle. Even to him it sounded strange, but he didn't try to explain it.

"My friends and I will head out to see what we can do." Link said.

"Will you need any assistance from our soldiers?" Zelda asked.

"No, no. That… won't be necessary." Link turned around and left the throne room.

"Should I…?" The Goron pointed to the hero as he left.

"Absolutely. They'll likely need you to help them get to Death Mountain." Zelda said.

Link walked down the dirt path to Castle Town like an automaton. Everything else seemed secondary to what he was currently thinking about.

Makade. Dark Link. Whatever. He was at Death Mountain. For how much longer, the boy didn't know, but he would round up his friends and head to Goron City. There, he'd finally get to have a proper rematch against his variant. He didn't want anything to get in the way of that. If any Hylian soldiers joined them, they'd take Dark Link away and imprison him before he could do anything.

Link then realized he wasn't alone. Walking right beside him was the Goron that had come all this way to plead for help. Feeling a little nervous, the boy tried to act normal as his mind was torn between fantasizing about fighting Dark Link and talking to the Goron.

"So… Your name is Link, too?" The Goron said, half-asking.

"Wait… Your name is Link?" Link said, taken by surprise.

"Yeah! My father, Darunia, named me after this great hero helped him out a few years ago!" Link the Goron said.

Link, the hero, felt humbled. His cheeks flushed and he lost his voice for a moment. Had Darunia really named his own son after him? He recalled that after he beat the King Dodongo, he was referred to as a 'sworn brother.' At the time, Link didn't know what it meant, but he did now.

"Are you… that hero?" The Goron whispered.

"I-" Link thought. He stopped walking and turned to face the Goron, extending his hand. "I guess so. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Good to meet you too!" The Goron said, happily complying with a heavy handshake. When he was done, Link held his palm in pain. Perhaps the Goron's grip was a little too mighty.

"So… this is your first time in Castle Town?" Link said, continuing the walk back to town.

"Yep! It's a lot greyer than I thought it'd be…" Link the Goron replied, noting the bland coloration of the bricks beneath their feet as they entered town. The hero in green didn't react to the light joke.

"Here it is. Wait right here, I'll gather my friends." Link said, opening the front door to the house.

"There you are Grasshopper!" Romani was overjoyed to see Link again. Jim was now leaning on the wall, clearly in a good mood. In his hands was that brand new bomb bag that he was eyeing earlier.

"Hey…" Link mumbled, looking down.

Romani immediately recognized the expression Link wore. Her smile vanished and she got up off the couch and walked over to him. She took his hand and held it.

"What's wrong?" Romani asked, her voice as smooth as chocolate. And like chocolate, Link melted.

"I just… It's…" The hero started, not sure how to explain.

"It's the dark version, isn't it?" Romani said, leaning forward a bit and placing her forehead against Link's. He closed his eyes and spoke in a near whimper.

"It's him." Link admitted, even though it was needless.

"Where?" Romani asked, not moving her head. She knew Link needed some comfort right now.

"The mountain. Death Mountain. Where the Goron's live…" Link explained, putting his hand of Romani's cheek and caressing it softly.

"Hey. What's going on?" Jim finally noticed the couple across from him. Without delay, Link put out his hand and groped the air, signaling for Jim to take it. The Bomber did, and all three friends stood together.

"It's the darkness. He's in the mountains. The Goron's are in danger." Link said, keeping his eyes closed.

Jim was left stunned for a moment. Collecting himself after some time, he drew into his friends, and they all held each other's hands. There was a question that had to be asked and answered.

"What do we do?" Jim was the one who had the courage to ask.

"We…" Link thought about how he would word it. When nothing better came to mind, he continued with a blunt undertone. "We're going to go to Death Mountain… And I'm going to kill him."

"Grasshopper, no! That's not what we're going to do." Romani spoke sternly, taking both of her hands and holding Link's face softly. Her eyes were filled with compassion, but also a demanding authority. "It's not what he would have wanted."

"Well…" Jim began, scratching the back of his neck. "But shouldn't we avenge him? He was a friend to all of us… I-I mean, I'm not saying it's alright to kill… but we lost. We really lost. We need to end this with something for our friend. Right?"

Romani felt defeated. Deep down, she too wanted to get back at Dark Link for what he did to her friend. She lowered her head and sighed, finally relenting. "Fine."

Neither Link nor Jim smiled. They just nodded and all three gathered their things. Feelings of melancholy nearly overwhelmed them until they opened the door, greeted by the Goron that was still standing outside.

"O-Oh! Hello!" Romani instantly perked up. No matter how she was feeling, she was always able to greet new people with a smile.

"Who's this?" Jim asked, his own mood getting infected by Romani's.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot. Guys, this here is… Link." Link said, gesturing towards the Goron. Jim and Romani did double-takes.

"Huh? He has the same name as you?" Jim pointed to his friend while looking at the Goron. The Goron in question smiled meekly and gave Jim and Romani a little wave.

"Yeah. He's an… old friend." Link said, smiling. The Goron blushed again, and his heart warmed.

"Wow! Romani's hardly seen many Gorons! Only one time has she ever met one!" Romani crouched down and shook hands with Link. The comment caused the hero to reminisce on who exactly she had met.

"It's good to meet you!" Link the Goron beamed before looking to the road that led to the drawbridge. "Should we get going?"

The three teens nodded, and they were off. The trip across Hyrule Field was standard, all except for the strange bout of silence that fell on the group. When they were halfway to Kakariko Village, Jim decided to do what he did best and break the silence.

"So… How did you get the name 'Link'?" Jim asked, walking a little closer to the Goron.

"Well, you see, my father was the leader of the Goron's, and a long while ago, a boy named Link helped us with a big problem! A dinosaur that started eating up all of our food! But Link beat it!" The Goron seemed ecstatic to tell the tale of King Dodongo's defeat. Every Goron knew it well by now, but few got to share it with others. "My father decided to name me after Link."

Jim and Romani turned to their friend. Link wore a mad blush now, and he hid his eyes behind his bangs. For once, it wasn't in nervousness or sadness, but in prideful embarrassment. To him, his endeavor to beat King Dodongo was trivial compared to what he had been up against these days, but it made him feel good that the people still remembered it to this day.

Before the group knew it, they were reaching the stone staircase that led right to Kakariko Village. The first thing they saw was the trademark windmill, but none associated it with the taxing mystery that they found themselves foundering in a few weeks before. The strangeness of the variants was something they had mostly put behind them.

"This way!" The Goron turned to the pathway to Death Mountain.

"More stairs?!" Jim complained, shocked at the next staircase that seemed to taunt him. The Bomber never had an affinity for stairs.

Romani giggled at Jim's comment and the four continued, passing the gate after a quick look of acknowledgement was shared between the Hero of Termina and the guard who was standing post.

As the four made their way up the trail, a strange, howling sound made their attention break. Link, Romani, and Jim took defensive positions and left the Goron riddled with confusion.

"What's going on?" Link the Goron asked, shuddering as Jim and the other Link pulled out their swords.

"That howl…" Link said, his eyes narrowing. Most of, if not all, of his senses were going haywire. Something was terribly wrong. Then he noticed a shadow growing in size underneath him.

Looking up, he jumped back in the nick of time, making way for a creature to land with a powerful thud, still on its feet. All three hero's recognized the incredible stature of the monster. A Moblin.

However, this was a horrendously different Moblin. Its skin, normally a deep brown, was now a pitch black, almost like the night sky. Everything about its appearance was dark, excluding its eyes. The eyes were a glistening yellow, the irises obscured. It reminded the trio of Bellum.

Before any words could be exchanged, the Moblin twirled its spear and attempted to swing at the three.

"Get down!" Link yelled on instinct. He and his friends ducked, and the Goron curled up and hid himself amongst the rocks.

The Moblin swung again, this time being blocked by Link's Mirror Shield. The boy in green staggered back from the blow, not suspecting it to be so intense. Before the Moblin could try again, Jim jumped forward and slashed the spear with his own sword, cutting it in half.

"Ha!" Jim exclaimed, thinking the Moblin was left without a weapon. He quickly wished he could take it back, as the piece that was lopped off from the handle floated up and reconnected itself to the other on its own.

Romani was next to act. Taking care not to fire her shot directly at the Moblin's face, she loosed an arrow that grazed its ear, leaving it disoriented. Link ran up and tackled the beast, Mirror Shield still between them. He pushed back, hoping to pin it against the nearby stone wall to let his friends try and fight it.

Link was quickly overpowered by the Moblin's enhanced strength, and he was sent to the ground. The beast rose it's spear in the air and was about to stab the hero, when a mighty punch from behind sent it flying.

Link the Goron, now trembling, lowered his fist once he saw the Moblin make impact with a distant boulder, breaking it into pieces and knocking it out.

"Woah…" Jim said, astonished.

Link the Goron panted, still shaking from all the excitement. He looked to the hero he had saved, then Romani and Jim. All three gave his wide smiles.

"That was amazing! You did great!" Romani proclaimed, congratulating the Goron for his bravery.

"Yeah! I didn't know Goron's were that strong!" Jim added, running up to the savior and giving him a hug.

"Thank you." Link said, standing up and smiling at the Goron who saved him.

Link the Goron was still awestruck at what he did. Even he didn't know he had that in him. He silently thanked his departed father for the strength he was gifted by blood and smiled at the three heroes.

"Y-You're welcome!" The Goron chirped, adrenaline pumping through his body.

After a quick minute of thanks and catching their breath, the group slowly approached the sleeping Moblin to investigate why it might have attacked.

Link nudged the beast's shoulder with the Mirror Shield, just to see if it was feigning unconsciousness. When it didn't react, he grew calm and lowered his guard. All four started looking the Moblin over, seeing if there was anything they could do to help.

"Hmm." Link was the first to see the red bead connected to the Moblin's neck. That bead was all too familiar.

"What is it, Grasshopper?" Romani asked. Link beckoned her over and her heart filled with remorse when she saw the bead. She instantly felt cruel for needing to attack.

"Poor thing." Romani said as Jim took a look.

Giving the others a knowing look, Link gently raised his sword and carefully sliced the bead off from the place it was grafted onto. The four watched in relief as the darkness that covered the monster receded, letting its true appearance reach the sunlight once again.

"They're… resorting to mind controlling them now…" Link said, feeling guilty. His mind could only ponder if that's why they were acting amuck the other day. Perhaps they were merely afraid of seeing their cohorts be consumed.

"We have to stop them." Jim said, finding new resolve.

Before anyone else could speak, a loud, distinct cackle rang through the valley, making all their hairs stand on end. The three knew that laugh.

Link was the first to take off running, Romani, Jim, and their new Goron companion right behind him. As his boots pounded against the stone path that led up the mountain, his head was invaded by thoughts of who could be up there. He hoped who he was aiming for was still there.

Just as the squad rounded the corner that formed to the downhill slope that led to Goron City, they spotted them. On the opposite end of the area, Dark Link, Koume, and Kotake just exited the tunnel that bled into the outside. The darkness was wielding the Giant's Knife.

Link's breathing grew sharp, and he drew his sword. His eyes met with Makade's, and they both stopped in their tracks. Once again, the dark determination flared up in Link's pupils, taking the form of a peculiar set of vines.

Chapter Text

I'm pretty excited for this one. Link and Dark Link's first rematch! I hope it lives up to all the anticipation! Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 23: It Longs to Kill You

Link didn't take his eyes off of his double. He scowled and brandished his sword, prompting Dark Link to do the same.

"Glad you could make it, Link." Dark Link said, smirking. He too held out his weapon, although it was considerably larger than his opponents. The Giant's Knife was not a blade to be meddled with.

"You!" Link the Goron shouted, pointing towards Dark Link. "What have you done to my friends?!"

Dark Link swiftly ignored the Goron's plea, starting to walk forward. The hero in green followed suit, keeping his distance, eyes still glued on his adversary. When they got an acceptable distance from each other, they started pacing around together in a circle. Only a length of about twenty feet separated them, but the heated tension from their silence alone kept the others on edge.

Link glared at the shadowy image of himself. Oh how long had he waited for this moment. The perfect time to get his revenge, compliments of Skull Kid himself. Every fiber of his being wanted to make Dark Link suffer. And a sick, twisted part of himself wanted to relish it.

Romani grew more and more worried for her boyfriend. She'd never, ever seen him so consumed by a single desire. It made him look alien, even more so than those infernal ghosts that used to haunt her family's ranch. She no longer wanted to fight. She just yearned to steal Link away from all the violence and give him the love he needed in order to forget about vengeance.

For Jim, a small part of his heart wanted to join Link in fighting the shadow. His own gaze went uncharacteristically cold as he eyed Dark Link down. He thought about that little dent in the cheek Skull Kid gave the darkness. The imp had left his mark before he was struck down.

"I love that new look in your eye." Dark Link said, bearing his slightly discolored teeth. He examined the glare he got from his lighter side and was almost brought to laughter.

"You… want to kill me." Dark Link spoke in a smooth, calm voice. "Yeah, I can see it. I know what's on your mind."

"Makade… I'm going to suppress my overwhelming urge to kill you and let you speak for a little longer." Link snapped, his grip on the hilt of the Gilded Sword tightening.

"Makade?" Dark Link's lips creased downward into a puzzled expression. "What an interesting name. I can tell you made it up yourself."

Link, true to his word, refrained from lashing out on his mirror image. He simply gritted his teeth and kept quiet. However, it was ill-concealed. Koume and Kotake could tell that the hero was struggling to not take a swipe at their pawn. It filled them with glee knowing they could get so under his skin.

"I'm aware that you've been busy, lately." Dark Link started, taking an idle breath and nonchalantly looking at his own hand. "When you weren't wallowing in your own sadness, you were… hunting. Correct?"

A chill raced down Link's spine. It mystified him of how Dark Link knew about that, but he brushed off the confusion.

"Yes. You were out there… taking your anger out on anything that moved. It hurt to know that our little puppets met such a gruesome fate." Dark Link looked at the sky, thinking about how many monsters Link had killed just to quench his rage.

"Better than the fate you granted my friend." Link countered. "You cut him down and left me to watch as he died. You are… a heartless killer."

"And you aren't?" The teen of the dark smirked. In response, Link stepped back, startled. "You see… That's the amazing part. You and I… are both killers. You used to end lives just to protect the world. Now you end them only to satisfy your lust to end mine. It's truly… petty."

"Link! Don't listen to him!" Jim shouted, knowing what Dark Link was doing. He was proving to be a master of manipulation. Able to get inside one's head before they could even defend it.

"What? No witty remark? Nothing to say for yourself?" The darkness mocked the light, and it finally sent to hero over the edge.

Link swung the Gilded Sword, and it met the Giant's Knife with a blinding flash of sparks. He swiped the blade again and again, each time getting parried by the bigger sword.

As the boys fought, Koume and Kotake decided to show off some of their new puppets to the other heroes.

"We hope you liked our Moblin!" Koume started, waving her wand around.

"What did you do to it?!" Romani shouted back, still worried for that poor creature.

"Gave it some enhancements. A slice of life that we are accustomed to. It really… opened its eyes!" Kotake said, joining her sister in waving her wand. Together, the witches cast a spell that brought forth more corrupted monsters there were hiding deep in the ravine.

A squad of Moblins, six Lizalfos, and even a dozen Tektites now emblazoned with a thick armor served as their minions. All were covered by the encroaching darkness, their eyes that terrible, glistening yellow. The red beads fashioned to their necks shined like a twinkling star, marking that they no longer held any free will.

It now occurred to the warriors that they may be outmatched. With Link already occupied, and the overwhelming amount of muscle the witches had, things started to look bleak. However, it was Link the Goron who looked the most confident of all. He inhaled deeply and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Sworn Brothers!" The Goron hollered.

Just a moment later, the sound of racing footsteps made themselves apparent behind the witches, and a swarm of Goron's emerged from the tunnel. They held their fists at the ready, no longer afraid of the old hags.

Romani and Jim grew great smiles, and their confidence was restored. Without any words needing to be shared, the Goron's and the Terminian's charged at their enemies.

The Gilded Sword met the Giant's Knife again brutally. Each clash was hell on the ears, making an awful scraping sound akin to nails on a chalkboard. Neither swordsman cared. Link held the most bloodlust in his eyes, while Makade had a cavalierly sense of ease in his.

Moving his arms, Link blocked another hit with the Mirror Shield and used his sword to swing against the other side of the Giant's Knife. With it ensnared between the shield and sword, Dark Link was almost defenseless to stop his other half from abruptly headbutting him, making him stagger.

Everything Link wanted to do to his enemy played out in his head. He aimed to slash his leg and keep him from walking, pin him to the ground via his boot, use any means necessary to remove the Giant's Knife from his grasp, and then finally strike him down. It played out perfectly in his mind, but when he acted, it all fell apart.

Dark Link knew where Link was going for next, for all emotional attacks are easier to anticipate. He used his own Hylian Shield to block the attempt on his leg, then thrashed forward and tackled his variant, bringing them both to the ground, now with the shadow on top.

Link felt rushing wind and then his cheek became sore. Dark Link raised his fist again and brought it down on Link's face, continuously bashing it. Having enough already, the hero in green thrusted his legs back and they forced the shadow off. Scrambling to get their respective swords, they were right back to where they started, blades scraping against blades. Endless frustration welled up in both their minds and they hoped that the other would let their guard down, for even just a moment.

Sparks flew again as Link finally noticed his friends below. He hadn't realized that his fight against Dark Link had extended up the hill and away from the others. One look at all the monsters consumed by the darkness made him think of something other than his personal vendetta.

"What-!" Link was cut off by the pointed end of Dark Link's Hylian Shield flying towards him. The evil had sheathed the Giant's Knife and was holding his shield with both hands! Link raised the Mirror Shield just in time to block, and the pair struggled against each other for a moment.

"What are you planning?!" Link finished, bracing for impact as the Hylian Shield bashed against the Mirror again and again. His question was initially answered by another forceful grunt and the scraping of metal.

"Ha… Isn't it obvious?" Dark Link huffed, letting up his attack for a minute to catch his breath. Before he even let Link act, he kicked the base of the Mirror Shield, making the hero fall backwards.

"We're… building up what you destroyed!" Dark Link hissed, spit seething out of his tired mouth as he spoke.

"But why the damn sword?!" Link barked back, slowly standing back up. Both combatants came to a mutual agreement to cease attacking for a bit in order to regain their strength.

"This brittle thing?" Makade reached back and took out the Giant's Knife again. He smirked devilishly and his eyes became focused. "You want to know why?"

Link nodded and was prepared to block with his shield. Luckily, his instincts proved correct, and he hid behind the Mirror Shield as Dark Link swung it at him.

"Why don't I show you…" said the shadow, eyes piercing Link's soul as they gazed at him. "We simply need a small part of you."

Link's tilted his head in confusion, and he used the Gilded Sword to knock the knife away and give himself some space. Before he knew it, his weapon was struck by the Giant's Knife again, and he fought to keep it there.

"What part of me?!" Link demanded to know. Something so vague just ate away at his mind, making him desire an explanation.

Instead of using words, Dark Link used his arms to convey it. With one powerful swing, he knocked the Gilded Sword from Link's grip and then clobbered the hero upside the head with his shield.

Link landed on the ground with a thud, dust and dirt flying. Dazed, it was the perfect moment for Dark Link to delve into the next step on the plan. Just as Link was coming to his senses, a great pressure slammed down on his right arm. He tried to sit up, but he only saw Makade kneeling down towards his pinned limb.

"Need to make sure I get a good amount…" Dark Link said, carefully placing the Giant's Knife along Link's wrist before backing away cautiously. "If it was my other sword, I'd never get the chance. I needed something with a lot more reach to do the job."

Link winced as he felt his arm get sliced at. He watched helplessly as Dark Link pulled out a bottle and put it underneath his hand. There, the hero's blood trickled into the container. After a considerable amount of time, the amount of blood in the bottle seemed like it would suffice.

Standing up, Dark Link stomped on his variant's wounded arm just to add to the torture. Link, slowly sitting up, took off his hat and shakily wrapped it around his wrist to stop the bleeding.

Once the makeshift torniquet was secure, Link got another blow to the chest. Dark Link grabbed the hero by his collar and shoved him against the nearby rock wall.

Link groaned, and Dark Link bent down to whisper in his ear.

"We simply need your blood… to resurrect the demon king…"

Link's eyes widened, an unspeakable sense of horror filling his heart. He felt the need to panic, scream, yell in protest. Ganon. They wanted to resurrect Ganon. The bastards!

Before Link could even act, his darker side kneed him in the gut, taking his breath away. He wheezed and became very lightheaded. His body worked to replace the blood he'd lost and couldn't pursue his shadow as he walked back down the hill and towards the huge fight that was going on.

Jim's side got jabbed by the Moblin's spear again. The Bomber groaned but fought through the pain to slash at its armor.

Romani tried to keep at a distance and pick off things with her arrows, but it was becoming more and more difficult with all the Tektites swarming her. Their shells were too thick to pierce with any arrow, and they kept forcing her to step back as they approached.

"Romani! A little help?" Jim shouted, hoping the ranch woman could try and get the bead off the Moblin's neck with an arrow.

"A bit busy!" Romani replied, punching a Tektite before it could take another bite at her dress. She cursed herself for not dressing more appropriately for a battle like this.

Suddenly, Romani felt sick. A dark hand caressed her waist and she shuddered. She looked to her side and saw Dark Link right next to her, smirking.

"Hello again." Dark Link said, sticking his tongue out. The gesture disgusted Romani, and she slammed her shoulder into the teen, shoving him out of her way.

"Get away from Romani!" Romani shouted, kicking a Tektite away and pointing her bow at Dark Link. The move only made him chuckle.

"You don't have the guts to shoot. All you'll be able to see is your precious little Grasshopper getting the arrow instead!" Dark Link's poisonous words got to the ranch woman. She scowled weakly and grunted, trying to force herself to fire.

"Come on! Do it!" Dark Link screamed, a sadistic look in his eyes. Romani, unwillingly, let go of her arrow, and it sailed right into Dark Link's body. All she saw was it going into her Link's chest, and it nearly brought her to tears.

"Non-vital area." Dark Link remarked, ripping the arrow out of his torso. "Even when you do the tough things, you don't have the will to follow through. Pathetic."

His words stung Romani. They infected her head and made her feel low. For once, her own voice filled with anger. "Go to hell!" She aimed her bow at him again but was cut off.

"GRAAAH!" Jim yelled, jumping in between Romani and Dark Link. A kindhearted Goron helped him decommission the Moblin and now he could provide assistance. From the looks of it, Romani needed some.

Jim wasn't ready for just how strong the Giant's Knife was. His sword was almost torn from his hands when Dark Link struck it with his. Sweat beaded down the Bomber's forehead and the sight made the darkness proud. They were getting tired.

Koume blasted another Goron with her wand, sending him careening towards the fence and knocking him out. A boisterous laugh came from her lips as she zapped the Goron again just for good measure.

"Shall we get out of here? I think our troops can handle themselves." Kotake suggested to her sister.

"Not yet. I want to see them at their weakest…" Koume replied, snarling.

Link slowly crawled across the rocky ground. His arm was in agony, and the Gilded Sword was nowhere to be seen. He got to the edge and witnessed Jim fighting Dark Link one on one. He could already tell that he was exhausted, and Makade's merciless way of fighting filled him with dread.

"You're still as weak as ever!" Dark Link exclaimed as the Giant's Knife clashed with Jim's sword. Jim said nothing and kept focused on the fight. He knew Dark Link was just trying to mess with him.

Jim blocked another attack, but he tried to force Dark Link back. All he accomplished was bringing his own face towards the shadow's.

"Ready to see your friend in heaven?" Dark Link said, a deranged smile forming along his mouth. All the color drained from Jim's face and all he could do was watch as a Lizalfos jumped at him and pinned him down.

"I simply didn't want to waste my sword on the likes of you. I hope you understand." Dark Link mocked the Bomber and turned around, facing Romani. He expected the sweet sound of death to fill the air, but instead he heard an arrow fly from behind him.

Link, readying another fire arrow, had shot the Lizalfos. He carefully aimed, his hands a little shaky.

"What?!" Dark Link screamed, turning back.

"Not… today!" Link called out, reaching for another arrow. When his stash of fire arrows appeared to be gone, he switched to his most powerful arrows. He thought nothing of the use of light arrows.

The light soared through the air and hit the lizard, sending it flying. It rolled along the ground and crashed into the fence, going limp. But then, something else happened. The light grew brighter, almost rivaling the sun. All the power drained from the wooden tool and flowed into the Lizalfos. There, the darkness covering its form vanished, cleansing the beast.

"NO!" Dark Link shouted, shocked that the corruption did have a weakness. Link, Jim, and Romani's eyes went wide as they all shared a smile. They were doing something right after all.

A trio of Goron's curled up together and charged towards two Moblins. Like pins, the monsters tumbled to the ground. The three uncurled and gave each other a high five, proud of themselves.

Link got another light arrow and fired it at Dark Link. The shadow dodged just in time, a scowl plastering itself along his face.

"Hey, hero!" A Goron shouted. Link looked towards him and gave a puzzled look.

"Use the flowers! They're pretty helpful!" The Goron pointed to a bomb flower just across from Link. Without a second to lose, the boy got up and limped over to the flower. Plucking it, he heaved, throwing it at Dark Link.

The flower exploded on contact, flinging Dark Link up into the sky for a second before he plummeted back down to the ground. As he was trying to stand, Link used the opportunity to shoot a light arrow at the darkness.

The light arrow went directly into Dark Link's right leg, making him scream in pain. He quickly tore it from his skin, but not before some of the light drained into his body. He groaned, clutching his heart. Something in Link's head clicked.

One look at his friends gave Link some much needed strength. He stood up and jumped down the edge of the incline he rested on. The impact on the ground hurt, but he'd been through worse. As Dark Link fought to keep the light from encompassing him, Link played the Song of Healing.

Feelings of warmth and comfort filled the air and Dark Link froze. His heart swelled in agony, and the witches could tell he could fall if the song was played again.

"We need to get out of here!" Kotake barked, even if her sister was right next to her. Scornfully, the witches rounded up their minions in a bubble and then Koume pointed her wand in Link's direction.

Magic sizzled through the air and struck the Hero of Termina. He fell to his knees and the witches quickly swooped in and grabbed Dark Link, taking to the sky to make their escape.

"N-No!" Link shouted, trying to get up. He, Jim, Romani, and the Gorons could only watch as the witches disappeared from view, laughing maniacally. The sound echoed through the valley until it vanished.

Everything was silent for a while. The valiant Goron's got some well-deserved rest and the Terminian's did their best to get situated.

"We almost had them…" Link mumbled, silently insulting himself.

"They're probably going back to the Spirit Temple! Grasshopper, we have to follow them!" Romani took Link's hand and looked into his eyes.

Link thought for a moment. His eyes wandered carefully, forming an idea that hopefully the rest of his friends could get behind. He briefly considered just saying nothing, but something had to be said about what they'd do next.

"No… We need to head back home. We… need to think of a plan. A plan to finally finish them off. We can't go after them again, not in the condition we're in now." Link's words were accompanied by a confidence that had been lacking for some time. He smiled back at Romani, and then to Jim.

"Are you sure, Grasshopper?" Romani asked.

"Yes. We have to think of something that'll take them down, for good." Link said, giving Romani a hug.

"Well… I'm in! As long as we get to finish this!" Jim said, his spunky personality made a welcome return. Link opened his mouth to speak again, but instead there was the shouts of happiness coming from the Gorons.

"You did it! Thank you so much for helping my friends!" Link the Goron rolled up to the hero and eagerly shook his hand in thanks. "It truly means the world!"

Link's cheeks went red, and his heart filled with pride. More cheers came from the other Gorons as they congratulated the heroes. It felt good to be thanked for something.

"It was nothing." Link said, not paying any mind to the bloodied hat wrapped around his wrist. He peered up at the sky. "I think it'd be best for us to head home now."

"Oh, well, alright. Take care!" Link the Goron said, smiling his biggest smile yet. The rest of the Goron's took part in saying their goodbyes, all endlessly thankful.

"See ya soon, hopefully!" Jim told the Gorons, waving to them proudly.

"Farewell for now!" Romani added.

With that, Link and his friends left. The goodbye's continued for long after they were out of earshot. For both groups, it was time for some rest. The boy thought that he and his comrades deserved it, as did the Goron's.

Chapter Text

Ooooo boy! We're nearing the final battle! You guys better get excited! I'm pretty happy with how I wrote this chapter. And now the story has over 100,000 words! Woohoo! Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 24: Are You Willing to Die?

After finding the Gilded Sword, Link returned home in a good mood. But, when he rose to greet the new morning, his head was stuck in the clouds. He knew it was about time to form a plan. A plan to finally defeat the witches and their dark pawn.

Entering the bathroom, Link undressed and prepped himself to wash up. All the dirt, sweat, and blood had started to irritate his nose, and the scent spread to his sheets. As he got his tunic off, he stared at the mirror, and back at himself. He had new scars lining his body, some on his chest, some on his arms, some even on his face. After a moment he looked down and sighed, stepping into the tub for a bath.

As he sat, surrounded by the water, he thought. For what seemed like an eternity, he was alone, and he contemplated whether or not it was truly best to continue going down the path he was headed. Over a month ago, it would've been an easy thing to answer. Now, however, the hero and the commoner were split evenly, and both wanted to go separate ways.

Link placed himself at his desk and held his pencil. Beneath his hands was his journal, and in it were lines of possible ideas. Some were scribbled out, some had little notations saying, 'think about more', and some were just there to get the stupid things out of his mind.

At the very bottom of the page was something different. It was to a friend. Link wanted to tear it off and burn it, but his conscience wouldn't let him. In small lettering, it read, 'Forgive me'.

For over an hour the teenager in green sat there in silence, mind struggling to come up with a decently fine plan. All he could think about was their plan. To bring Ganon back. Every time he played with the thought, it sent a chill down his spine.

The only sound that could be heard was the scratching of a pencil on paper. Every few minutes it'd resume, and then stop a few seconds later. Then the chair would creak and there'd be a soft 'hm'. Perhaps boots would shuffle, but other than that, it was unnervingly quiet.

Then there was a knock.

"Come in." Link said, keeping his attention on the journal. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the short, curled, red hair that only belonged to his mother. A smile crept onto the boy's face as he greeted her.

"Honey… I wanted to talk." Anju said, looking to her boy.

"Alright." Link replied softly, not thinking much of the prospect.

Anju opened the door further and slowly walked over to Link's bed. She made a mental note of the faint smell she picked up from it. Adjusting herself on the sheets, she folded her hands together and started to talk.

"Romani told me about yesterday. About how you saw… him. And you two fought." Anju began, averting her eyes. She hadn't a clue why, but she felt the need. Something about how she thought her son would react made her nervous.

"Oh…" Link's mood lessened. His own eyes gravitated to the floor and his voice became a mumble. "What else did she say?"

"Well…" The innkeeper grew more anxious. A little part of her told herself to leave the matter be. It'd solve itself and wouldn't be any kind of problem. But her motherly instincts begged to continue. It felt so familiar.

"She said that you had this- glint in your eyes… That it was almost hard to… r-recognize you." Anju said, her voice a little weary. She didn't want to delve into Link's personal affairs, even though she was his mother. While adoptive, the bond of mother and son had been established years ago, and it still kept strong. To Link, she was his mother, and to Anju, he was her son.

"M-Mom… I-I…" Link tried to explain, but the side that Anju was referring to kept hidden away deep inside his heart. It was a part of him he never thought he had, but it seemed to consume him with every minute he thought about his darker side.

"Baby, it's alright." Anju muttered, scooting a little closer to Link.

"Something… is…" Link didn't know exactly where he was going. "It's- It's the…" He felt helpless to explain himself, even if he knew exactly what he was feeling. "I don't know."

"The thing is, dear… I know that look." Anju admitted. She didn't dare see Link's reaction. She sighed before continuing. "You want revenge."

Link leaned back in the chair and looked at his hands. He didn't answer right away, taking time to collect his response. After a while, he opened his mouth. "I do."

"Link…" Anju started. She gave a stern but loving look to her son's somber eyes. "I know what it's like to feel that way. But you need to know… before you go and set out on revenge… first, you have to dig two graves."

Link refrained from tilting his head like he usually did when he was confused. He just stood from his chair and walked to his bed, sitting himself right next to his mother.

"One for your enemy, and one for yourself." Anju finished, putting her hand on Link's hand. Now he understood. A single tear fell down her cheek. All her thoughts from the past few days finally revealed themselves, and she quietly started crying.

Link, without a word, wrapped his arm around Anju's shoulder. He let her get her emotions out, glad that even he, a teenager, could give her that. For a long while, the innkeeper silently sobbed, overwhelmed with worry for her only son.

After a bit, Anju's sniffles and inhales grew further apart. Her breathing went back to normal, and she wiped her face with her sleeve. Her eyes, still red and watery, looked at her boy with a loving admiration.

"Just… are you ready to make that decision?" Anju finally said, mustering up the courage. Link simply looked at the floor, staring at the circles that lined each wooden board. He slowly nodded.

Anju rested her head on Link's shoulder again, fighting to not break out into more tears. She won the battle, but a part of her heart dropped when she saw her son nod.

"When you can do the things that I can do… but you don't…" Link said with a calm but valiant pride, staring off into space. He thought about his four years without the sword. "The bad things that happen afterwards… they're because of you."

"This mess happened because of me… so I need to end it. Even if it sees me getting my… you know." Link finished. At heart, he didn't like how it sounded. Something so personal was foreign to him, but he wanted to avenge his friend.

"I promise I'll do my best to come home, mom." Link looked Anju in the eyes and smiled weakly.

"Alright…" Anju said, giving Link another long hug.

The afternoon air felt almost blissful. Walking across the grass of Hyrule Field, Link had his eyes set on Death Mountain. He had to get another look at the place where he and Dark Link fought the day prior. Something was on his mind.

Entering Kakariko Village again, he immediately made his way towards the gat leading to the mountain. As soon as the guard standing post by the gate came into view, he smirked lightly.

"Morning." Link said casually. The guard reciprocated the smile and waved.

"Morning to you as well, Link. What brings you all the way here?" The guard put one hand on his hip and raised an eyebrow. The gesture, Link thought, looked amusing.

"Oh, I was just going to check on the Goron's. See if they need anything." Link chuckled as he tilted his head upwards to see the peak of the volcano.

"I see. Well, enjoy yourself." The guard gladly opened the gate, letting the Defender of Faith through and up the trail to Death Mountain. "Oh, and by the way…"

Link turned back to face the guard.

"You know Link the Goron?" The guard asked. The hero just nodded. "Tell him I said hello."

"Will do." Link replied, before turning to start the walk up the mountain trail.

Link's boots raked across the dirt path, the occasional pebble getting kicked out of the way. As he walked, the boy thought about the Spirit Temple. That infernal fortress that used to be a place of worship. Now, it was the dominion of evil, where that maniacal trio was planning his death.

Koume and Kotake. Ever since Link's first adventure in Hyrule came to a close, the witch sisters never crossed his mind. He thought he had vanquished them, but when dealing with time, he guessed that when he warned the kingdom of Ganondorf's deceit, their past selves hadn't been dealt with. The hero wished he hadn't been so careless. Perhaps if he hadn't gone back to his childhood, things would be better.

No! That couldn't be true! Link recalled all the things he'd accomplished after he was sent back by the princess. He'd gone to Termina, saved it from destruction, stopped the Garo Master, and almost settled down. All of that would be lost if he was never sent back. Those unruly thoughts were pushed aside as Link found comfort in Zelda's choice to give him his lost time. Even if the Zelda he knew now had no knowledge of that decision, he wanted to thank her as soon as he got the chance.

Before Link knew it, he was up the trail and at his feet was the descent towards Goron City. He elected to stay outside for now, just to be with his thoughts for a bit longer. Walking down the small decline, he turned and walked to that little alcove that oversaw the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern. The shoddily placed fence held a single bomb flower, which he decided to pluck and throw just for fun.

The bomb flower. That special plant had helped him dispatch Dark Link just before he tried to sooth his soul with the Song of Healing. It occurred to the boy that this plant had helped him quite a lot throughout his life. It was a shame that the plant couldn't be found in Termina.

As Link stood alone, he didn't hear the low rumble of a Goron rolling up. It stopped and was replaced by small footsteps, slowly getting closer to the hero.

"Hey there, Link!" Link the Goron said cheerfully. The sudden voice made the hero jump in surprise.

"Haha, sorry about that. I should have hollered when I first saw you." The Goron apologized and looked up to Link's face. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd stop by. See how everyone was doing." Link said, turning to face the Goron.

"Would you like to come inside? Everyone would be glad to see you!" Link the Goron told his counterpart. The offer sounded nice, so the boy in green agreed.

"Oh, the guard who usually stands post by the gate says 'hi'." Link said, making sure not to forget.

"Tell him I said 'hi' too! He's a kind fellow." The Goron held a high respect for that guard, as he was the first one to help him when he needed it the most. Something like that would never be forgotten.

Entering Goron City, the lively hominess made Link's mood increase. The faint but upbeat drums heard in the distance, the Goron's rolling around on the lower levels without a care in the world, and the smile he was greeted with. All these factors put the hero at ease.

"Has everything been alright since yesterday?" Link asked the Goron beside him.

"Yep! Things have mostly calmed down. Some are still a little on edge, but they're fine." Link the Goron replied, walking over to the staircase across from the entrance.

"Good. Very good." Link said with confidence.

"The perfect amount! You did well." Koume grinned at the bottle of blood Dark Link had extracted from his lighter half. That'd be all she needed to pave the way for the return of the King of Evil.

"You're welcome." Dark Link said indifferently. He simply looked unamused at everything around him, his mind on something he thought would be more fun.

Koume handed the bottle to Kotake, and she took a moment to examine it. The lid was capped tightly, none of the contents had spilled, and the blood itself hadn't separated. Giving it a light shake, she ensured it would stay that way. A part of her was filled with sadistic joy, ecstatic to start work on the ritual that would bring back the chaos. She flew up to a private platform to fetch a certain tome she'd need.

"Is anything the matter, dear?" Koume noticed the bored, expressionless look gleamed along Dark Link's face.

"Yes…" Dark Link muttered, his honesty being a little surprising. "I'm just… thinking about the other one. My other half."

"Oh, don't think about that fool. He'll be overcome with fear when he lays his eyes on Ganon once again." Kotake snapped from across the chamber, her voice echoing for long after her words finished.

"I am aware. It's only that… he truly thinks he's the righteous one. He's so blinded by his quest for revenge, it makes it seem like emotion is all that drives him." Dark Link said, thinking about the glint in the hero's eyes.

"Your point?" Koume asked.

"Well, it makes me wonder if all heroes are driven by emotion." Dark Link looked down at the floor.

"I think they likely are!" Kotake shouted from afar. Dark Link chuckled at her comment.

"Then surely we can use that against him. If he's so driven to avenge that little imp, then I'll be certain I remind him of that. If emotion is an easy tell, it'll be easy to abuse it." Dark Link finished, his neutral face becoming a large smirk. His blood-red eyes glowed slightly as the malicious thoughts filled his head, proving his malice to the sisters. It made them proud.

"I know they'll be coming here soon. In force. With whom, I could care less, but he'll definitely be searching for me." Dark Link predicted with an eerie confidence. He aimed to make sure Link would be unfocused, distraught, during their next confrontation, so a heartless idea slinked into his mind. "Give me a weapon that'll remind him of that imp!"

"Bold, aren't we?" Koume giggled. She pondered what to give the living shadow. There were a lot of choices, but her mind eventually settled on a certain idea. "I think I know a good thing to go with your sword."

"Lovely. What did you have in mind?" Dark Link asked, a little perplexed.

"You shall see, don't worry. Just make sure you've rounded up all of those puppets in the lower cells in order to match whatever forces the hero brings along." Koume asked, without any hint of politeness.

Dark Link nodded and exited the arena, making his way down to the holding chambers. Before he got to the door, he unsheathed the dark Gilded Sword and prepared to wash it after he was done. His way of 'encouraging' others was through more brutalist and demented means. All of which involved weaponry.

Link wondered just how many Gorons there were in Goron City. Every time he thought he introduced himself to the last one, another three would show up to shake his hand. His palm ached, but he didn't have the heart to tell them to ease up on the greetings.

Every Goron held a fine, jolly attitude towards the boy, even if he looked exactly like the one that had threatened their lives just the day before. They were a forgiving people.

Leaning on the railing that faced the large, clay statue of a Goron, Link took a deep breath. Everything about Goron City was nice. The people, the look, the sounds, all of it. It was a mystery as to why Darunia could be so sour all those years ago. The boy looked down to the little stone wall that blocked Darunia's former residence. That little rug that Navi seemed so fascinated in when he first visited, which hinted towards the song that would let him through.

Looking to the side, a strange splash of green color caught his eyes. The two bomb flowers were attached to the walls that provided the doorway to the shop. Strange how they could grow sideways. And to rocks no less.

Taking his mind off the flowers, Link walked down the stairs to go to the shop. He wanted a quick drink.

"Hello there!" The shopkeeper was eager to have a customer.

"Hello, I'll take a red potion, stirred lightly." Link said, giving the keeper one of his empty bottles to fill up. The request was a little odd, but the Goron complied.

"Here you go. Enjoy!" The Goron poured out, stirred, and handed the bottle back to his customer. Taking a long sip, Link enjoyed the taste of the fresh potion.

"Say, you do know that you have explosives right outside your shop, right?" Link asked about the bomb flowers as he lowered the bottle from his lips.

"Yes! Whenever I close up shop for a weekend, they help make sure I can keep everything secure!" The Goron happily explained the arrangement that was in place. The whole thing fascinated Link, who was glad to have something else besides problems on his mind.

"Wonderful things, aren't they?" Link nodded in response to the question. "Yeah… They can grow anywhere where there's rocks! Here, in the volcano, underground, even in the desert if you plant them there!"

The mention of the desert made Link freeze. Not in surprise or nervousness, but instead with curiosity.

"Anywhere?" Link asked, hoping he heard correctly.

"Anywhere with rocks, yeah." The shopkeeper repeated.

Link kept silent for a bit, lost in deep thought. The plan that he'd almost entirely put off popped back into his head, accompanied by a new piece of the puzzle.

"Excuse me. Thank you for the drink." Link dug into his wallet and paid the shopkeeper before leaving.

"Hey Link! What's up?" Link the Goron was happy to see the hero in green again.

"I need to ask you something." Link said with some sternness.

"What is it?" The Goron asked, a little perplexed.

"Is it true that those bomb flowers can grow anywhere where there's rocks and such?" Link pointed to the plants that were on the nearby wall. The Goron before him became a bit more confused.

"Yes, why?"

Link didn't respond right away. The thought was still brewing inside his head. It evolved into an insane idea that could still work. If they got the right amount of seeds and had enough time, it could lead to success. As it developed, it seemed more and more feasible. The boy's ambition broadened, and soon enough, he decided to follow through with it.

"Would you and your people be interested in an offer… to do a lot of good?" Link asked. The question came off as vague.

"What kind of good?" Link the Goron asked.

Link didn't know how to word it. It seemed crazy and reckless, but it bore a stem of possibility.

"Some gardening in the desert." Link said, smirking.

The front door to the house burst open, and Link dashed inside with a hurried look. Startled, Navi, Tatl, Tael, Jim, and Romani looked at their friend in confusion, wondering why he was so quick on his feet.

"Link? What's got you all riled up?" Tatl asked in her normal tone. She narrowed her eyes at her companion, sensing something was up.

"We have to get ready. Tomorrow morning, we're heading to the Spirit Temple." That was Link's response, and it made the concerns of all five listeners multiply tenfold.

"Grasshopper, what's going on?" Romani reached quickly and latched onto Link's hand, refusing to let go. The teen looked at the ranch woman with excitement. The sparks in his eyes were fully ablaze, and it made her smile.

"I have a plan. The Goron's are going to help us." Link said, pulling Romani in to hold both of her hands.

"What kind of plan?!" Jim leaped over the couch in an instant. He could tell the plan was forward and rash, but it was better than just wondering what the plan was. His own bandana became crooked as he dashed over to Link's side.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Navi chirped, with Tatl's ringing going off to ensure they caught the others' attention. Both fairies looked at the group, arms crossed. Noticing her brother wasn't with her, Tatl coughed before flying down and nudging Tael's shoulder.

"What are you planning?" Tatl asked, frowning. She didn't like to be left out of the important things.

Link took a second to fully collect his thoughts. Everything was going so fast, but with the Goron's agreeing to assist in the plan, he was far too excited to speak before now.

"I have a plan to finally beat them. The witches and the darkness. We just need to cause of damage to their hiding place." Link said. There was no better way to put it without overcomplicating things. "Tomorrow."

It was quiet for a moment. They had to process the idea.

"Grasshopper, are you sure?" Romani asked.

"Yeah. I can't do this without you all. I know… it's going to be risky, and dangerous, but we need to do this. For everyone. So… will you join me?" Link answered Romani's question with his own question.

"As long as we get to finish this for good!" Romani said, smiling wide. "They'll never know who's arrows hit them!"

"If I can use my new bomb bag, I'm down." Jim added, reaching into his bag and pulling out another bag. He looked inside carefully, smirking at the contents. "And if that cowardly shadow is there, I'm already pumped!"

Link chuckled. He turned his head to the fairies.

"Anything to keep them from hurting more people!" Tael nearly yelled. Link's excitement was starting to get to the purple fairy. Tatl scoffed, but when Navi spoke up to second Tael's affirmation, she felt helpless to object.

"Alright, let's do it. You'll need our help anyways, you big dork." Tatl flew over to Link's hat and leaned on it, looking cocky. The Hero of Termina and Time smiled the biggest smile.

"Well, then lets gather our things, eat good, rest, and go on a witch hunt." Link said. His voice oozed a sense of heroism, and everything fell into place.

Chapter Text

Here we are! This is it, the final battle. It won't be just ONE chapter, don't you worry. Enjoy!
-Joost

Honestly, Link and Dark Link's battle here is one of my favorites. Just sayin'.

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 25: Siege

The early morning was met with the chirps of birds. As one landed in the grass to peck for insects, it quickly flew away when it sensed something large. A low rumble made the ground shake. Loose dirt and pebbles rattled as the source grew closer and closer.

Epona, flanked by a horde of Gorons, all curled up, raced through the field and towards the desert. Atop of the fine horse was Link, Romani, and Jim, with three fairies orbiting their heads. For most of the trip, the riders kept silent, all thinking about their destination.

Following close behind Epona were another three horses. Emblazoned in royal armor, these steeds helped six royal guards and a special trio of Gerudo also make the trip. Getting their assistance was a little difficult, but it was worth the trouble. The hero wanted to help the Gerudo get justice for their terrible dreams courtesy of Bellum.

One of the white stallions caught up with Epona. Link turned to face the riders. Flavi, Ante, and Kyojin.

"Hey Link! You sure we're going to the right place?!" Ante asked, still a little nervous to be returning to Gerudo Valley after all this time.

"Sure of it!" Link said, staying focused. The Gerudo trio gulped simultaneously and looked back to their horse.

Epona, along with the Gorons, slowed down once they came into view of Gerudo Fortress. Uncurling, Link the Goron approached the loyal steed and looked to her riders.

"So, just beyond the Haunted Wasteland?" Link the Goron shouted.

"Yep! Don't worry, you won't sink in the sands, I promise." Link knew if the Gorons kept rolling, they'd get past the deep sands no problem. And from the looks on the wasteland beyond the giant wooden gate, there wasn't even a sandstorm to impede them.

After a quick talk to the gatekeeper, the group were permitted to pass. Dismounting from their horses, they were beckoned away to go into the care of the Gerudo. Link trusted them with Epona.

"The rest of the trip is on foot. The Gorons will need to take the lead and keep going fast to avoid the sand." As the large group entered the Haunted Wasteland, Link pointed to the first pit of quicksand. The Gorons rolled through with ease and waited for the others to trudge past.

"Psst, hey Romani!" Jim leaned over to the ranch woman.

"Hm?" Romani faced Jim.

"You think if you set your arrows in fire that they'll be able to blow up bombs in mid-air?" Jim reached into his bomb bag and pulled one out. The fuse wasn't lit, thank goodness, but just having one out before the Bomber had to just made the Clock Town guard weary.

"R-Romani thinks so. Just be careful!" Romani held out a finger and gestured for Jim to put the explosive back. Looking glum, the leader of the secret society of justice placed the bomb back into the bag.

"I see it!" Kyojin called out. She was a bit ahead of the rest, and she was the first one to spot the landmark that told them they were close to the Spirit Temple. The two sets of poles just after that mysterious structure. Everyone grew tense as they passed the makeshift marker and came into view of the edge of the vast desert.

Squinting his eyes, Link kept on a look out for the gargantuan statue that stood out from the rest of the rocks. The Desert Colossus. When he finally saw it, his heart skipped a beat.

Everyone paused once they saw it too. At the crest of the dunes, they could see the Spirit Temple in the distance. Jim and the Goron named Bladon approached the hero in green.

"I have the flower seeds!" Bladon said holding two of the many large sacs. Jim followed the statement by opening his bomb bag and taking one out, keeping the fuse unlit.

Link was anxious. Everything was ready. They were right there.

"Jim…" Link said to his friend. The Bomber looked his way. "When it's noon… no matter what happens, you blow it."

Jim was stunned. He wanted to object, so no to that idea. But he knew that Link wasn't going to take no for an answer. It was how it had to be. Without another word, he nodded, and the group started their way down the hill.

Dark Link strode down the halls of the temple, heart filled with merciless anticipation. He readied his sword and fantasized about how much pain those mindless puppets in the prison chambers could endure. He had a good feeling about today, and he wanted to relish in his duties. As he was making his way through the temple, he heard distant voices. Ones all too familiar. His senses peaked and he got down behind a wall to listen carefully.

"Jim, you and the first squad bomb that crawlspace so we can get to that part of the temple!" A voice ordered. That voice couldn't be mistaken. Link.

"Ah… it's time." Dark Link muttered to himself. He flinched at the sound of an explosion and turned around.

More explosions rocked the temple, and before Dark Link even met up with the witches, portals opened. From the tears in reality came the corrupted monsters from the cells. They landed with an untamed vigor, hungry for violence. Their minds, all captive to the magical sisters, had no more free will.

The squawks and grunts by the monsters could barely be heard. By the time they reached distant ears, they sounded so distorted that they were nearly incomprehensible. Racing down the musty halls, Dark Link made it back to the witches.

"Where were you?!" Koume demanded, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Was going to give our captives some more encouragement, but then Link arrived." Dark Link snapped back at the old hag, furious. "Do you have my weapon?!"

"Yes! A replica of the imp's staff!" Kotake flew down from above and handed Dark Link the golden staff. Its luster was just as potent as the real one. The shadow gripped it with malicious intent and then ran back from where he came, ready to lead the monsters against the siege.

Pebbles fell from the ceiling after every rumble. Explosions, most likely. Dark Link wondered what on earth their p;an was. Just blow the temple to hell? That could be it, but something so straightforward was bound to have holes.

A few of the monsters appeared from portals haphazardly located in places far from the enemy. Dark Link, passing by, rounded them up and ordered them to follow. They did so with utmost obedience, unable to protest against it. The darkness was soon followed by a growing army. When the race down the dusty, orange halls stopped, he had found his target.

Link, Romani, Tatl, Ante, Flavi, Kyojin, only half Goron's, and three of the Hylian guards faced Dark Link and his troops. Both factions stood motionless for a second, their leaders eyeing the other. The Defender of Faith spotted the staff Dark Link held. A physical mockery to his friend that the darkness clutched. He scowled.

"Die!" Dark Link screamed, pointing the staff towards the small army. The beasts all hollered their own cries and dashed towards the heroes.

Fighting broke out. Some of the monsters purposely stayed back and waited for some of the Hylians to approach instead. From there, they took the fights down the winding halls. Soon enough, only a few were left in the room they had met in. Link, Romani, Flavi, and four Goron's.

A trio of Moblins emerged from the corridor behind Dark link. He beckoned them over with a wave of his hand and whispered something into their ears. Without the need for more orders, they had a plan of attack.

The hero kicked the Lizalfos in front of him away and was able to parry the first Moblin's spear with his sword. He reached into his bag and picked out a light arrow. Holding it steady with one hand, defending with the other, he activated it.

"Romani!" Link yelled to his girlfriend. She turned to see him, and he chucked the arrow over to her.

"Thanks, Grasshopper!" Romani cheered, before firing the arrow at the Moblin. It struck the beast, and all the darkness fell away. The couple repeated this technique for the monsters attacking Flavi and the Gorons.

"Damn them…" Dark Link mumbled. The other two Moblins had kept their distance, taking care in dodging the light arrows that came sailing their way. Together, they jumped Link, forcing him to keep light on his feet.

The darkness watched Link fight. It was almost admirable. He slammed his shield against the first Moblin, kicked its leg, then swiftly lopped the tip of it's weapon off the handle. His movement was smooth like water, grabbing another arrow, igniting it with light, and throwing it to Romani. The Moblin was then cleansed, much to the darkness's chagrin.

Knowing that he'd be next if he stayed, Dark Link dashed back down the tunnels. His escape didn't go unnoticed. Tatl's brow furrowed, and her light went from a white to a deep red. She started ringing off the hook.

"Ahem! Link!" Tatl alerted her companion.

"No! Makade!" Link shouted. "He's getting away!"

The last Moblin had another one of Romani's arrows fly into its torso, but it didn't care. Its only target was the boy in green. Before it could swipe it's spear at him, Flavi pounced, clinging onto its shoulders and straddling its neck. She bashed her fists on its face and looked to the hero.

"Go! Me and Romani have got this!" Flavi urged Link to pursue the darkness. Giving a knowing nod to the ranch woman, he retrieved another light arrow and lit it. As he ran off, he threw it behind his back, and it landed right in Romani's hand.

"Come on! We need to get these buds planted!" Link the Goron called to his Sworn Brothers. A collective grunt was heard, and they doubled their pace. The young Goron smiled with pride as he planted another bud himself. Luckily, they were taking to the desert rocks just fine.

Jim reached down into his bomb bag and prepped another explosive. All the walls in their way was perfect to test his new toys. He ducked for cover and put his palms to his ears, waiting for the sound.

It came just on time. The ground shook and rocks fell. Jim stood and looked with excitement. Another hole, another room to plant. The Bomber looked to Tael and Navi, who were flying right by his side, and they knew what to do.

"Guys! Hurry it up in there!" Tael flew back and yelled to the Goron's. Link was the first to be seen, and he was followed by the others.

"Jim needs us!" Navi added, urging the Goron's along the right path to the Bomber.

"Where next?" One of the Goron's asked eagerly. Jim and the fairies just chuckled at the notion and observed the room.

They had blown their way through the temple in a bizarre way, having slowly made it upwards. The room itself was strange, holding many spike contraptions and Beamos that were perched around where they entered. Large, silver rupees were scattered around, and a light from the adjacent wall illuminated the room. The torches were out.

"Let's handle the Beamos first, then plant the seeds." Jim said, handing the Goron's some bombs. He was almost out, but he'd be able to take out each Beamos with a bomb and have a few more to spare.

Explosions were followed by explosions, and the Beamos were taken care off in record time. Jim's heart felt strong. An ambition that he'd been chasing for years finally seemed to be fulfilled. He was a hero, just like Link.

"You did amazing!"

"So fast! How'd you do that?"

Jim beamed, but his mind told him to not get lost in the praise. He had a job to do, and he was going to make his friends proud. All of them. He pointed to certain places in the room and the Goron's quickly planted the buds where they had to be.

"How do we get through these bars?" Bladon knew they were impeded by the barrier keeping them from the next room. Jim concentrated and decided to take a different approach.

"Let's light the torches!" Jim said, thinking how Link would. A few Deku sticks later, the torches were ablaze, and the bars lifted. Cheers were shared and the group kept moving.

The next hall was short. Only two buds would be needed, so it was a quick job. However, the next door paved the way for a bigger challenge.

The team was taken aback by an enormous chamber. It held many entrances, by the centerpiece of the whole room was the massive statue of a Gerudo woman in a meditating pose. It was beautiful, but the group had to keep their minds on what mattered.

"This one may take us a while…" Link the Goron muttered, eyes darting around, trying to calculate the best places for buds.

It was a little hard to concentrate with the distant sounds of fighting. Swords clashing, monsters roaring, and yells of pain and victory everywhere. Wherever the monsters had taken their battles with the rest of the Hylians and Gorons must be leading them here.

Suddenly, there was a sight that caught everyone's attention. A distant door opened, and Dark Link emerged in a desperate sprint. Jim froze when he saw the weapon he was carrying. A moment of blind rage seized him, and he pulled out a bomb and threw it as far as he could. It bounced high in the air and landed right at the darkness's feet. He only had a second to react before it exploded, sending him careening into the great statue.

Dark Link fell to the ground, and the staff clattered just a little bit away from him. He scrambled to grab it, but a familiar boot slammed down onto it. Makade looked up in annoyance.

"Why can't you just be a good boy and die…" Dark Link grumbled, staring up at Link.

"You first." Link countered, bringing his arm up and slamming the hilt of his sword into Dark Link's back. The shadow groaned and then the hero picked up the staff and threw it aside.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Link yelled, picking up his darker side by the collar. Jim's eyes widened and he knew that his friend was getting overcome with emotion.

"Link! Don't!" Jim begged his friend not to continue. His plea snapped Link out of his rage for a second, and he turned to look at the Bomber. The gaze they shared proved to be a mistake.

Dark Link sent his fist into Link's gut and then shoved him back. Then he started going crazy. His arms went flying and he unleashed all his hate on the hero in green.

"Get away from my friend!" Tatl swarmed Makade's face and blinded him, ringing in his ears. The darkness thought he was above being pestered by a fairy, so he swatted her away with a blunt force.

"Sis!" Tael yelled as he saw his sister get smacked like a bug. She sailed across the room and stopped when she hit the wall, falling to the ground unconscious.

"TATL! NO!" Navi screamed in horror. Her memory went back to when her wing was cut by Bellum, and fear swelled in her heart. Her mind prayed Tatl was alright.

"I got you!" Link the Goron didn't waste his breath. He curled up and rolled off of the platform he, Jim, and the other Gorons stood on and sped towards the duo.

Dark Link screamed as he went flying again, the Goron having barreled straight into him like a Bombchu in the Bombchu Bowling Alley. He uncurled and helped his friend up, frowning at the blood trickling down Link's cheek and his bruised chin.

"You alright?" Link asked Link, the hero dazed.

"I-I'm alright…" The hero grunted; his mind scrambled from the relentless punches. He needed a second to reorient himself, but he was fully alert when he heard Dark Link cough painfully.

"You NEVER give up, do you?!" Dark Link roared. He stamped his foot down and a portal opened above him almost automatically. A weapon fell through and landed in his palm. The Giant's Knife.

"Get the bastard!" Navi ordered Link, enraged that her lover had been hurt by the shadow.

"Don't worry…" Link said, standing firmly. He unsheathed his Gilded Sword and took long strides towards Dark Link. The shadow followed, and their swords met in the middle, a metallic screech ringing through the air.

Jim and Tael watched as Link and Dark Link's sword fight gravitated through the chamber and neared a certain barred door in the middle. Without any interference, the bars lifted, and the door slid open, allowing the fighters through without hindering their battle.

"Hey, wait! No!" Jim jumped down to the main area and tried to follow the fight. As he got into view of the door, it abruptly closed and became barred off. Clearly whoever was manipulating the temple didn't want anyone to join the hero.

"Ugh! Alright, let's finish setting this up! We still have half of the temple to cover!" Jim begrudgingly turned back to the group of Gorons. They all smirked at his orders and climbed down to survey the massive room.

The sound of another door opening made everyone tense up. Luckily, only Romani, Flavi, an exhausted Kyojin, and a Hylian guard rushed through and onto an above platform.

"Hey! Where've you guys been?" Jim shouted to the group across the room.

"Got into some trouble with Moblins!" Flavi yelled to the boy in the red bandana. The ranch woman searched the group in the distance with a frightful desperation.

"Where's Grasshopper? Last time Romani saw him, he ran off after the darkness!" Romani was the first to jump down and join Jim on the bottom level.

"He and that coward went through there. But the door's blocked. We can't follow." Jim pointed to the barred door dejectedly and stared at the ground in defeat.

Romani narrowed her eyes, but knowing what Link was fighting, she had faith in him. He'd come back alive; she just knew it. Determination filled her heart, and she smiled proudly as she turned back to Jim.

"How many bags of buds are left? Romani can take them through the rest of the temple!" Romani had a decent understanding of the layout of the rest of the temple, having ran through it for what felt like forever just over a week ago.

Jim noticed the look in Romani's eyes and ran to a Goron to grab three more bags, all filled to the brim with bomb flower buds. He handed them to Romani, who in turn, handed one to Flavi and another to Kyojin. "I'm sure you know good places for these."

"Yes… Yes we do." Romani replied, already thinking of some great spots that'd bring a lot down.

Sparks rained in the floor with almost every clash of the blades. Link parried one clash and tried to swing downwards. That attempt was blocked, and then he had to defend his chest from the Giant's Knife. Their fight was like a dance, always being met with a great move to follow into the next. All it caused was more frustration.

The terrain he was walking on was a bit different, so the hero briefly glanced down. A giant, grey stone with the Gerudo symbol etched into it. He remembered that stone, and the corresponding hallway he and Dark Link were within became clear. It was the one that had that elevator leading right to the entrance to the temple. Why would they be fighting here?

The hero in green was caught off guard when he tripped, and his back landed right in the pointed edge of a stair. He quickly rolled sideways to avoid the life-threatening slash of the Giant's Knife. The blade missed and bore into the steps.

"RAAAGH!" Dark Link emitted a guttural yell and tore the sword from the steps and tried to strike again. It missed, his target rolling the other way.

Link raised his boot and kicked Dark Link between the legs. With only seconds to spare, the teen crawled up the stairs and nearly fell down the whole that held the elevator.

Dark Link recovered and chased his opponent once more. He swung with a mad rage, scraping the walls of the cubed room more than actually hitting Link. When he let up to catch his breath, he kicked a protruding stone and suddenly the wall just opposite the stairs started to rumble. It lowered, showing the way higher with the help of a staircase.

"There's a lot about this temple you don't know!" Dark Link said in a crazed manner. His mind seethed with hatred, and he swung the Giant's Knife again. It met the Gilded Sword, and Link did his best to ascend the stairs while fighting the dark swordsman.

The fight on the stairwell was grueling. Link kept in mind the cost of tripping on the steps. If he was careless, it may end with a blood slash across his body. Dark Link would win, and he feared that if he lost, things may go down a darker path.

The blades scratched the claustrophobic walls repeatedly, making rocks chip off and bounce down the steps. Each scrape left a message, conveying how desperate a battle there had been. The Link's eyed each other, focusing as they brought their respective swords against the other. All they could bring their thoughts to was how much they wanted to kill the other. The calmness that used to layer Dark Link's eyes was long gone.

Finally the staircase ended, but it was in a very peculiar fashion. It simply stopped, no final set of stairs to lead to a bigger area. That was until Dark Link pushed another stone. He quickly got out of the way of something only he knew was coming.

A giant blast pushed Link back, and he was surprised to feel the heat and dryness of the desert air on his skin. Before he could move any of the rubble that covered his body, he had his collar grabbed by the darkness. Makade dragged Link from the rocks and threw him up and outside. There, the hero landed on smooth stone, unable to see due to the sun blinding him.

"At last, a proper place to kill you!" Dark Link's voice brought Link back to reality and he closed his eyes and rolled over. Finally able to see, he grabbed his sword that was thrown with him and readied himself.

One look around told him that he and his adversary were now on the roof of the Spirit Temple. How long that staircase was remained a mystery, but he didn't care. Birds squawked in the sky and the humid breeze kept Link's mouth dry. Other than that, it was somewhat nice to see the clouds again.

Link didn't get to admire the beauty of the world for long. His senses went crazy, and he jumped backwards on instinct. The sound of a sword whiffing the air let him focus on his opponent again.

"Always… distracted by the world. Your greatest weakness!" Makade taunted, panting as he bore his teeth and laughed hysterically. Link said nothing in response and just swung his own sword.

The fighters remained in a blade lock for just a moment before Dark Link forced them both to the ground with his own body. Before he could get on top of his lighter side, he tried to bash the hilt of the Giant's Knife into his enemy.

The hilt make a small 'dink' on the stone and the recoil hurt Dark Link's hands. Seeing a great opening, Link swung his Gilded Sword with all the power he could muster.

The blinding flash of sparks was more intense than anything that had come before. But the sound of the Giant's Knife finally shattering was the sweetest of all. The Gilded Sword proved to be the best weapon Link had ever wielded, as it cut through the knife of the Goron's with a swift passion. When the pieces clattered to the ground, Dark Link stuttered in complete disbelief.

"Brittle thing." Link repeated Dark Link's own view of the Giant's Knife, a slight cockiness in his voice. Tatl was rubbing off on him too much. Tatl.

Link's head was fueled by more and more reasons to exact his revenge on Makade. For Skull Kid's demise, the Goron's raid, and Tatl being smacked away like an insect. All the pain was due to his own darker side, and he could hardly resist the thought of vengeance.

Dark Link quickly drew the darker Gilded Sword he'd kept on his back. He knew that the Giant's Knife would fail eventually, but it didn't matter now. This was going to be a fight to the death, and he was determined to survive.

The swords met again and again, clashing continuously. It would've been a spectacle to behold if there were any observers to watch. Unfortunately, it was just Link and his shadow. Their fight wouldn't be seen by another soul, except for the birds flying by. The wind howled and their hair flowed in the wind. The golden locks with the silver portion to the side were drenched in sweat, but it was secondary to the task facing the Hero of Termina and Time.

Both sides of the same person fought for dominance. Their weapons swiped in the same way, either missing in an almost purposeful manner, or coming together equally, the same amount of power flowing through each blade.

Emotion filled the dry air as the boys fought. When Link decided to take a stance that was outside of his normal fighting style, that's when he got the upper hand. For the first time, he held his sword steady and defended carefully, keeping it perpendicular to his body.

Dark Link was expecting another aggressive slash. When he was greeted with nothing, that's when the opposing force came. It knocked the darker sword out of his grip, and it flew off the temple and into the unknown.

Link kicked his darker side down and held his sword outwards. The blade was just millimeters from Makade's neck. They stared into each other's eyes, waiting for one of them to speak.

Link didn't say a word, but Dark Link simply scoffed.

"You… you won't kill me." The shadow said in a snarky tone.

"Want to test that?" Link pushed the tip of the Gilded Sword into the side of Dark Link's neck, showing he was serious.

"You won't… Because I am the only one who knows exactly what is going through your head. You see… we are like brothers… I am the only one who understands you fully." Dark Link's words held a pinch of truth. The person who knew Link the best was himself.

Link thought for a moment. Only one thing came to mind.

"I had a brother." Link said plainly, guilt rising up his throat. "He was a Skull Kid."

Dark Link scowled and tried to deck Link in the face. For once, his own attack was filled with emotion. Standing up, Link blocked the next few swings the shadow tried to take at him. The Gilded Sword dropped to the floor, landing with a rough clang. Then Link himself kicked Dark Link down and he stumbled backwards.

"Wha-?! No!" Dark Link looked behind himself and could only see the edge of the top of the Spirit Temple. He tried in vain to keep his balance, but he teetered off.

Before he could fall, Link caught his boot. There, the two boys locked their eyes again. Time slowed to a stop, and it was just them. Both sides of one boy, facing each other.

"For Skull Kid, Link?" Dark Link snapped mockingly.

He waited for his counterpart to let go and allow him to die. What perplexed him was the fact that he didn't fall. He didn't descend into death, he didn't hear a cry of victory, he didn't even feel a feigned losing of the grip just to instill fear. There was nothing. Link kept the darkness safe and close to him.

"Yeah… and… for me." Link admitted.

At last, he let go.

A long scream came from Dark Link's mouth, slowly getting further away. The second the sound vanished from earshot; a thud followed. It was a satisfying sound to hear. Link scrambled back to the edge, just to make sure it was really done. One look at the ground confirmed his thoughts. Makade was finally dead. His corpse lay battered and bruised in the sand, completely lifeless. His body even started to sink slowly into the wastes. A fitting grave.

"I…" Link panted and looked to the heavens. The sun beamed down on his exhausted body. He huffed heavily, trying to think of something to say to the sky. "I did it."

Something inside Link's heart felt at ease. The evil, even though it had been separated from his physical body, still always clung to him like a disease. Now, he had been freed. All the anger, hatred, and desire for revenge died with the darkness, and the Terminian was at peace.

Link decided to do something that he never thought he would. Standing straight, he got the Ocarina of Time out. Blowing into the instrument, he played the Song of Healing for Dark Link. The soothing power, even if it was far away, eased the remnants of the shadowy soul. The dark figure's body slowly faded away, turning to dust and getting lost in the sands.

But then the broad cackle of the witches invaded his ears. It reminded him that even though his shadow was defeated, it wasn't over yet. He still needed to carve himself a pair of witches.

"We knew that shadow was worthless!" The voice of Koume screamed. It was a filthy lie. Had they no respect for the dead? Everything their plan had rested on was gone, and now it was all falling apart. Still, she remained confident she could kill the boy.

"Come and face us! It won't be too long before an old friend joins the fun!" Kotake's voice added, filled with the same empty confidence that Koume's was.

Grabbing the Gilded Sword from the ground, Link accepted the challenge and ran back to the stairwell that led him to the top of the temple. He was ready to vanquish the ultimate evil of Hyrule.

Chapter Text

Hey all! I'll keep this short, I know you guys are eager to keep reading! Enjoy!
-Joost

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 26: I Am Prepared

Link ran down the stairs in a hurried dash.

Entering the main room holding the massive Gerudo statue, he gasped at the sight of bomb flowers everywhere. A few buds were left to bloom, but a majority had already blossomed, scattered every few meters. All were close enough to set off the next.

"Ready to die, hero?!" The void carried Koume's voice. Link dashed over to the wall and picked up the staff he had thrown out of Dark Link's reach. A fitting weapon to face the sisters with.

A startling clunk was heard from above and the hero looked up. The platform leading right to the entrance to the chamber that used to hold the Iron Knuckle descended before Link. The chains rattled as it lowered, and it seemed to beckon the boy to climb on.

Link, without objection, hopped onto the platform. Slowly, it started to ascend up to the face of the statue. While everything on his body hurt, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Doesn't it excite you? The ascent into the heavens?" Kotake said with an eerie calmness to her statement. "Are you ready to face the danger, hero?"

To Link, he had faced danger dozens of times before. All the foes he'd seen shared a similar look. Gohma, King Dogongo, Barinade, Phantom Ganon, Volvagia, Morpha, Bongo Bongo, Ganon himself, Odolwa, Goht, Gyorg, Twinmold, Majora, Gomess, the Garo Master, the Thunderbird, Bellum, Armogohma, Dark Link, and now the witches. All his past enemies wanted to see him die, but he'd persevered through it all. Sometimes in better shape than others.

All of those times, he stared death in the eyes. He was ready to do it again. His reasoning, he thought, were all the ones that made a difference in his life. Anju, Kafei, Cremia, Jim, Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael, Navi, Zelda, Link the Goron, and most of all, Romani. They longed to see him succeed. To see him live his life happily.

It made him confident. More than anything, he was confident in himself. He took another deep breath as he was lost in his thoughts, all alone. He wasn't alone. Even if he'd face the witches without any help from his friends, he knew he wasn't alone.

"Well?!" The harrowing scream forced him out of his reflection. "Answer us!"

Link said nothing. He just smiled and waited for the lift to finish its journey. Once it did, he faced the statue's emotionless expression. He drew his bow and fired a light arrow at it, clearing the rock away. He leaped from the platform and into the statue, pressing on.

The room that once held the brainwashed Nabooru was empty. The shag, red carpet muffled Link's footsteps as he slowly crept through. A looming dread washed over him, and he gulped. The gold and silver haired boy drew his shield. A door just behind the Iron Knuckle's throne opened, and a scarily silent walk through the short hallway was all Link needed to think about his plan.

The next door slid open, and Link walked into the massive arena. It looked all too familiar, only that there were more platforms, it was in terrible condition, and there were hundreds of chipped stones scattered about. A lot of rage must have gone into making the destruction that surrounded him.

"How rude of us. Here, have some steps so we can meet…" Koume said childishly, still hidden. The rocks around Link vibrated before floating up and forming stairs, leading to the central platform.

Link gladly walked up the stairs, each step he took making his heart race more. This was it. He finally got to the top.

Koume and Kotake appeared from the above platforms, jumping down and landing in the middle of the arena together. Their eyes were bloodshot, violence and terror swirling around within them in a mad dance. They extended their hands and challenged the hero.

"Let's finish this!" Their slithering voices hissed simultaneously, smirking at Link. He took a defensive position and waited.

The sisters clapped their hands together and they spun into each other. There, they began to glow brilliantly, fusing together to join in an unholy union to defeat the Hero of Termina and Time once and for all. When the light dimmed, the boy looked up, gazing upon the fusion of chaos.

Twinrova.

Link's heart pounded. For everyone who had come to harm at the hands of the witches. He'd do his best to be their avenger and stop the sisters from laying waste to any other land. As he looked them in the eye, he recognized the danger. Smiling, he held his shield and blocked the first blast of elemental magic.

"Romani! How many buds are left?!" Jim yelled to his friend from across the throne room. The group was in another Iron Knuckle chamber, on the left-hand side of the temple.

"Almost out! But everything's been laid down good!" Romani gave Jim a thumbs up as she placed the last bud she needed for the room by one of the pillars. The set up was perfect, and she stepped back to admire her work.

Jim ran out of the door and found himself back outside. He searched the sands for the squad of Gorons that Link had told to remain outside. Once he spotted them, he waved and shouted.

"Hey down there!" Jim hollered, catching the Goron's attention. "I got the things you need!"

"Throw 'em down!" One of the Goron's replied happily. Jim complied, grabbing the two Bombchus Link had gifted him and threw them down and into the sands.

The ground welted when the items landed, burying themselves in the arid desert. They were a hassle to dislodge, but the Gorons managed. There, they started to arm the weapons, ready to set them on the temple once everyone was out.

Jim walked back through the door and into the throne room. Romani was gone, so he rushed back to the meeting point where a few more Gorons kept waiting.

"Yeah, everything's set up." Jim had walked into a conversation between Romani, Ante, and a trio of Gorons. They seemed to be just explaining the status of the rest of the temple.

"Is it all ready to blow?" Jim asked, not wasting any time catching up with the others.

"Yep! Kabetta here just came to tell us that everything is good to go. The other Gorons are heading out." Link the Goron explained, pointing his thumb the opposite direction.

"Good. I just gave the Bombchus to the guys outside… When everyone's out, they'll let loose and make contact with the first flowers. Then everything should work, right?" Jim turned to Romani, knowing he had likely forgotten some details of the plan.

"The flowers will go off, making the rest go, and the whole place will collapse." Romani finished, beaming from ear to ear. It was obvious that she was quite proud of the plan.

"It'll be gone." Kabetta added.

Those words made everyone go silent. Everything would be sealed off forever. The Spirit Temple, regardless of the fact that it was a sacred place, had to be destroyed, along with everything in it that was of the witch's making. It was too dangerous to leave anything intact, even if it was minimal. The whole prospect made Ante a little depressed, but it was how things had to be.

"Hey, is Tatl awake?" Jim felt the need to ask.

"Yeah, she's awa-" Ante was about to talk, but a ringing in the distance finished her sentence for her. She chuckled lightly when she saw who it was. "Oh, there she is now."

"Hey!" Navi said, followed by Tatl and Tael. They had just returned from making the final checks on all of the buds.

"Alright, we're all here? Great, let's get outta here!" Jim said excitedly. He broke out into a sprint, the Gorons, Ante, and Romani right beside him. However, he noticed that only Tael was flying by him. He stopped and turned back to see Tatl next to Navi.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Jim asked, walking back to his fairy friends.

"W-Where's Link?" Tatl asked softly, hints of fear in her voice. Tael approached, flying up to his sister and wrapping his arm around her.

"He's… fighting the witches. I think… I'm sure he'll be fine!" Jim tried to keep his hopes up, but a part of him was also laden with fear. Link had told him that even if he didn't join them, once everything was set, blow it all to hell.

"We can't just leave him!" Tatl barked, trying to hide her fear with a false shield of anger.

"He said that by noon, no matter what, we blow it." Jim said, looking down at the floor with deep remorse. He wanted to join his friend in the fight that would rid the world of the evil, but a part of him said that it was Link's fight.

"Well… Then I'm joining him! I don't care what you all say!" Tatl's stubbornness was on full display. She was determined to be with her companion. He faced too much alone.

"Sis… are you completely sure?" Tael tried to talk some sense into his sister, but after getting a quick glance at her expression, he knew there'd be no reasoning with her.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Tatl gave a wide smirk, but then noticed the saddened look on Navi's face. The white fairy flew over to her friend and held her hand.

"Hey…" Tatl started, almost in the exact same tone Navi would say her signature line. "I promise it'll be okay."

Tatl put her hand on Navi's cheek and smiled, looking into her navy-blue eyes. Before either could say a word, she leaned forward and kissed Navi on the lips. It was short, but it was the sweetest thing Navi ever experienced, and she was left with a noticeable blush on her cheeks. Everyone giggled at how speechless the fairy became at the display of affection, and Tatl darted away in search of her friend.

"Come on. Let's get outta here!" Jim's spunky tone helped lighten the mood, and Romani was the first to start sprinting off. What she was hiding, however, was that she too wanted to help.

The ice magic sailed towards the Mirror Shield in a blinding flash. The pressure forced the hero backwards slightly, but the shield did it's job. Absorbing the magic, the sheen began to glow.

"RAAGH! DIE!" Twinrova's shrill voice echoed through infinity, even though she was in the same room as Link. She pointed her elemental staff at the hero and the fire side of her ignited.

The blazing magic flew through the air. Unfortunately, Link forgot about how exactly the Mirror Shield worked with deflecting such power. When the beam hit his defenses, the ice magic within dissipated, being replaced by the fire.

"Damn!" Link cursed himself. It'd been so long since he had battled the witches.

"Eheheheheee!" Twinrova's laughter sent a chill down Link's spine, but he readied the staff in his hands and waited for the witch to drew near. Once she did, he jumped, and was only able to graze her feet with the tip of the weapon.

"You'll have to try harder than that!" Twinrova mocked Link, twirling around playfully. The teen scoffed and kept focused.

Then, the fusion combined their staffs and casted a binding spell. It broke off into several streams of energy, floating down below the arena and surrounding the broken stone. When the tips of the tendrils were visible again, they held dozens, maybe hundreds of rocks, bricks, and rubble. There, they started throwing the ammunition, sending Link into a frenzy just to dodge it all.

Palm-sized stones flew straight into Link's torso, bruising his sides and making him groan. He fought through the pain and kept running about. Huge boulders attempted to squash him like a bug, and small pebbles rained down on him like hail.

When the stones finally let up, Link was hit point-blank in the chest by a surge of darkness. He flew back and sailed through the air for a moment before landing on the edge of the main platform roughly. He coughed and struggled to stand back up. Once he finally did, he got a good look at his chest. His tunic was singed, now a charcoal color and soaked in a bit of red. A terrible memory of his first battle with Gomess came back to him, and he shuddered.

"Link!" A voice came from the dark. The sound of an opening door was heard and then Tatl's light came into view.

"Tatl!" Link was relieved to see his friend. How she found them was a mystery, but knowing that the battle was likely loud, it couldn't have been too hard. "W-What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you, idiot!" Tatl barked, a little insulted by Link's cluelessness. Before she could continue, an ice spell finished charging and made its way towards Link. He had to absorb it with the Mirror Shield.

"A-Anyways, I thought it'd be best to join you for this! I was a part of your first adventure in Termina, after all!" Tatl's explanation was flimsy, but it was clear she simply wanted to be with him because she was worried. Link didn't share his thoughts, needing to focus on the battle.

"Your little friends just don't stop, do they?!" Twinrova roared, scowling at the addition. She powered up another ice blast, and this time, Link smiled.

The frigid magic was absorbed by the Mirror Shield again. It's glow grew in intensity, and it even started to vibrate in Link's arm. Another blast should let it reflect back, if he remembered correctly.

Twinrova, none the wiser, prepared to do the freezing power again. When it emerged from the staff and hit the Mirror Shield, Link started to close the distance between him and the fusion. The Mirror Shield couldn't hold the power any longer, and with an icy scream, it sent the magic back at the castor.

"Link! Now's your chance! Get her!" Tatl could tell Twinrova was stunned. She slumped down on one of the square platforms that circled the main arena, covered in frost.

Link wasted no time in jumping across the gap and swinging the staff in his hands. It beat Twinrova down in a furious passion, making her squeal in pain with every strike.

"Enough!" The fusion screamed, shoving Link aside and flying back up into the air. She struck a pose with her staffs and fired the blazing heat before even charging it. It was weak, but it was still absorbed by Link's shield.

Twinrova, knowing the magic would be deflected this time, decided to unfuse. Koume and Kotake, now separated, sailed around the arena in a dizzying motion, making Link's eyes go crossed.

"Heeya!" Koume yelled, pointing her wand towards Link. The searing beam reminded the boy of Majora's sun ray, and he decided to use the same strategy he had on the demon witch all those years ago.

Pointing the Mirror Shield towards Kotake, the heat pierced her skin and knocked her off her broom. She landed on the central platform, disgraced, and her sister became furious.

"Hey! How dare you?!" Koume shouted. She flew towards one of the boulders and used her wand to through it across straight at Link. He just barely got out of the way but was unable to stop Kotake from waking up and perching herself on her broom once more.

"Let's see how you like this!" Kotake shot an ice beam from her own wand, but purposefully kept it away from directly hitting Link. Instead, it struck the floor right next to the boy, and it sent an icy mass to grow across the floor. The magic froze Link's boots to the platform, and Koume was free to shoot her heat ray at him without problem.

Link's right arm was consumed by agony. Some of his skin burned and he fell over, his own weight making the ice around his boots to crack.

"Link! Are you alright?!" Tatl inspected her friend's wound with great worry, her voice unsteady.

Link grunted and forced his legs up, breaking the cracked ice with ease. He cared not about his wound, standing up and positioning the staff in front of himself as if nothing happened.

"I'm fine…" Link assured, smiling at Tatl. The fairy was a little shocked at how he brushed off the burn, but she didn't let it stop her from focusing back on the opponents.

"Will you please just GIVE UP?!" Kotake bellowed, shooting more ice magic at Link. Before he had a chance to react, he pointed the tip of the staff at the beam and the shiny, metallic surface of the weapon absorbed the blast, much to everyone's amazement.

"This works." Link commented, swinging the staff around and throwing at Koume. When it hit, she was encased in ice, the power draining from the weapon and into her.

"What the-" Kotake's wrath was unmatched. How could this stupid teenager be so clever? She groaned and flew down to her sister, tapping the ice with one finger. On command, it shattered, and Koume fell to the floor in a heap.

"Get up! Now!" Kotake's voice was hysterical, failing to even stay remotely calm.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Koume hissed, pushing her annoying sister away. She shook her head and reoriented herself. The two sisters flew high into the air and stared down at the hero in disgust.

Link and Tatl, just scowled, ready for whatever was coming next.

"It's five past noon! What are you waiting for?" Bladon said to Jim. The boy in the red bandana kept motionless, gazing at the entrance. He didn't even realize he was stalling.

"Jim!" Romani waved her hand in front of Jim's face, and he finally snapped out of his trance.

"What?" Jim asked, confused.

Romani, the Gerudo, the Gorons, and the Hylian soldiers looked up to the sky. Jim's heart sank when he finally realized what time it was. He looked at the two Bombchus in front of him with dismay. Deep down, he wished Link was right there to ease his conscience and let the bombs loose.

"It's time! We have to do it!" Romani shook Jim's shoulder and her eyes pleaded with his. A mask of hesitance hid his face from the others, leaving him with shame. It had to be done.

"Uh…" Jim stuttered, his hands trembling. He knew he had no choice. He yearned for more time.

"…Fine." Jim finally said, covering his eyes with his short bangs. It didn't quite work as well as it did when Link did it, but the message was clear. He flipped the switches on the backs of the Bombchus and their behinds started to pulse red.

The Bombchus were off, scuttling directly towards the entrance of the Spirit Temple. When they disappeared behind the veil of darkness that obscured everyone's view of the inside, they waited.

The ground rumbled, and then it grew. The Bombchus collided with their targets and made the first bomb flower's go off. Then the next ones exploded. Then the next. All went off in a chain reaction and everything quaked.

The walls of the Spirit Temple were blown apart, the sounds of each blast flowing throughout the desert, carried by the wind. Everyone was a safe distance away, and they watched as it crumbled.

"Come on, Link. You've got this." Jim mumbled under his breath.

"I love you, Grasshopper." Romani said, holding her bow tightly. She used her thumb to caress the 'L + R' that was engraved in its side.

Koume was about to fire another beam when she sensed the rumbling. She held her hand out and she and Kotake stopped fighting. Link, confused, looked up to Tatl, bewildered. Then, he knew why.

There were no bomb flowers planted in the arena in which they fought, but the eroded, mangled state the chamber was in only needed the slight vibrations of the distant explosions to start to crumble. Chunks of the ceiling fell, and the sunlight bled through the cracks and onto the fighters.

"We have to fuse! Quickly!" Kotake screamed desperately. She and Koume joined and were covered by a flash of light. Before they could be seen again, Link and Tatl's view of their opponents was obscured by more parts of the chamber being torn down.

"Get under me!" Link yelled to Tatl. She quickly flew underneath Link, and he raised his shield up to protect him and his friend from any falling debris. An enormous pressure forced him to his knees and blocked out the light.

Then everything went silent for a bit.

When the massive dust cloud settled, everyone got a great view of the ruins. Almost every inch of the Spirit Temple was either destroyed, on fire, or just a gargantuan pile of rubble. The statue of the Desert Colossus was no more, only a few structures still intact, like the arm and part of the face.

Romani, Jim, Navi, Tael, and Link the Goron all held their breath. They hoped that they'd see the familiar green of their friend.

"W-Where…" Romani refused to believe the worst. "Where is he?"

Her question was answered in the worst way. From the distant destruction, Twinrova plowed her way out of the pile of stone, an enraged scowl donning her face. She herself was looking around the debris, trying to find something.

"Ah ha!" Twinrova exclaimed, plunging her fist into a dislodged stone and pulling forth the bottle of Link's blood.

Meanwhile, Link slowly moved the boulder off of him. It was an agonizing effort, and it took nearly all of his strength to do so. Tatl was the first to fly out, going high up to try and spot both Twinrova and the others. The first one she saw was Twinrova.

"Ah!" Tatl yelped, avoiding one of the attempts to swat her out of the air.

"I'll squash you!" Twinrova yelled, trying to smash the fairy.

"U-Uhm… Link! I'll be right back! I promise!" Tatl flew off, hoping to find some friendly faces.

"Oh don't tell me…" Twinrova's voice was filled with annoyance. She searched around again, and finally spotted the hero trying to crawl away.

"YOU!" The fusion's voice was filled with unimaginable hatred. As Link grunted weakly, trying in vain to get away, he felt his legs being grabbed by two, sickeningly smooth hands.

Twinrova picked Link up and held him upside down. He dangled, helpless to fight back. His left leg was sprained, and the second degree burn on his arm was starting to catch up with him. He didn't try to take a swing at the witch, too exhausted to do anything.

"You could have had everything…" Twinrova whispered into Link's ear, before throwing him across the ruins with all her might. He was flung straight into a rock, cracking once he made impact.

Link groaned, unable to move. His whole body ached, and his muscles were tired. Still, that urge kept him going. The duty and responsibilities he adhered to. Slowly, and painfully, he sat up and stood from the rocks. Conveniently, the staff was just under a thin slate. Pulling it up and freeing it from the debris, he held it steady. Like many times before, he felt small when facing his enemy.

"They're over here!" Tatl's voice could he heard in the distance. Much of the dust had completely settled by now, letting the desert light shine on everything without hinderance.

"Grasshopper!" Romani cried, finally seeing her lover. Jim's heart was being torn, fighting the urge he had to go and help. However, he wasn't the first to start running towards the hero.

Romani was already a good way away, her goal being to help Link no matter what.

"Romani! Wait!" Jim called to the ranch woman. Reluctantly, she stopped and turned back to her friend. "He ordered us to let him finish it!"

"Stuff his orders!" Romani spat back, going back into her mad dash towards Link. Her words were all the motivation that Jim needed to start running too, prepared to help his best friend.

"Guys!" Link finally spotted his friends running towards him. He tried to wave them away, but he couldn't waste his energy. When they got to his side, he sighed deeply.

"Grasshopper, look at Romani." Romani's voice was as authoritative as ever. Link did as he was told, and for a second, he got lost in Romani's eyes.

"What did Romani tell you? Huh?" Romani held Link's hand tightly. "We face it all together. Whenever the sky begins to fall."

"We all do this. We're a little family, all of us." Jim said confidently, joining with his own hand. The smile he wore made Link want to just melt in his friend's arms, but he knew that it'd need to be saved for a better time.

"Hey! Don't forget us!" Navi and Tael shouted together, meeting up with the Terminians.

"You people disgust us!" Twinrova said, mocking the tender moment. All three teenagers just stared back at her. Seeing all their strong, confident eyes was startling. She floated backwards slightly, almost afraid.

"Isn't that what you've been missing, though?" Link shouted defiantly. "A family to call your own?"

Twinrova's widening eyes showed just how bloodshot they really were. They were deranged, insane, and lacked any morality. All that stormed on within the combined mind of the fusion was killing. They lusted for the moment where they could declare victory.

"It's what I was missing for a while." Link admitted tiredly. He smiled back at his friends and thought about his parents. "It does wonders for your mind."

"DIE!" Twinrova was sick of being read so easily by a foolish teenager and pointed one of her staffs at the group. As it fired, the team split up.

Tatl followed Link, Navi followed Romani, and Tael followed Jim. They remained coordinated, and when Link pulled out an ice arrow, he powered it up and broke the gem off and threw it to Jim.

"Remember last time?" Link was eager to recall when he fought Bellum alongside his friends.

"How could I forget?" Jim said casually, giving a cocky smirk. He stuck the gem right onto the hilt of his own sword and it became infused with the power of ice.

"Romani!" Link waved to his girlfriend. He retrieved a fire arrow and powered it up, throwing it over to her. She grabbed it off the ground and readied her bow. She had a feeling that Link wanted to get a hit in on the witch before she fired.

"GRAAAH!" Twinrova shot her ice magic at Link. He swung the staff at the spell connected right with the gleaming tip of the weapon, absorbing the magic. Before the fusion could do anything, she was struck with the ice.

Romani fired the flaming arrow right after Link hit Twinrova with the staff. The ice blew apart in an explosive manner and boiling heat surrounded the witch. She screamed, trying to put the flames in her hair out. Then, to add more to the attack, Jim slid under her legs and slashed them with his empowered sword, adding more crystalized water to the mix.

"That was great!" Link commended his friends for their synchronization. He truly thought there was nothing better by enacting a move together on an enemy with his friends.

"Watch out!" Tatl, Tael, and Navi chirped all at once, eyeing the boulder that came flying at them. The heroes got out of the way just in time, but Jim's boot got stuck.

"Waah! Link! Help!" Jim yelled.

"Hang on, I got you!" Link dropped his shield and raced over to Jim and held onto his hand, trying to pull him away from where he was trapped. Just as Jim's boot was freed, Link was struck with darkness, falling to the ground.

"Link!" Romani called him by his name, her voice breaking up. When the ranch woman saw the witch start charging the fire attack, one look at the Mirror Shield on the ground gave her an idea.

Romani scooped the shield up and fired an arrow at Twinrova to get her attention. She hid the shield behind her back and did her best to look helpless. With one loud cackle, the witch unleashed the fire. Romani defended with the shield, and it absorbed the magic. Them, she cocked her arm back and hurled the shield right into Twinrova's gut.

The fusion heaved, and the shield fell to the ground. Taking it, Romani ran back to Link and Jim.

"I believe this is yours, darling." Romani said lovingly as she handed him the shield, catching Link off guard. The little statement made him blush, and his heart swelled. He looked down at the item and was ready to absorb more magic as Twinrova came to her senses.

The fusion made sure Link never got the chance. Flying down low, she tackled the boy, dragging him across the ruins and slamming him into any debris that was big enough to truly hurt him.

"Will you ever just DIE?!" Twinrova's voice was difficult to understand. Rage and hatred welled up in her throat and it made her almost unrecognizable to the ears. She found a suitable, sturdy rock and started to smash Link down onto it repeatedly.

"Grasshopper!" Romani cried.

"Link! Hang on!" Jim yelled, as he and Romani raced to help.

Twinrova slammed Link down on the stone one final time and started to use her bare fists and clobber him. Then, without thinking, she pulled out the bottle of Link's blood she had hidden and smashed it over his head. The fusion didn't even care that the plan was ruined, and she grabbed his left leg and exerted so much force that the sprain evolved into a snap. Link yelled in agony as his limb was folded like paper.

Twinrova's face contorted into a gleeful grin. More punches and strikes were laid down on the hero and blood splattered everywhere. He groans became weak sputters as he started to lose the battle. Letting up her flurry, the witch watched as Link pathetically crumpled to the ground and tried to get up again. He whimpered, and seeing him so beaten was amusing to the fusion. Then, a blue light surrounded him, and everything started to change. His broken leg repaired itself, his body broadened, and shining, silver armor formed. A familiar war paint appeared on his face.

However, it was different. The color of the fabric wasn't a pale blue, but a brilliant green, just like his tunic. Link's hair remained gold and silver, and his pupils didn't vanish. The Gilded Sword didn't change, still strapped to his back. No double-helix blade, no moon insignia, nothing. In their places were hearts.

"What…" Twinrova muttered with fear, gazing upon Link in his new, bizarre form. "What are you?"

Link stood, feeling the energy course through his veins. He, by some, divine miracle, was granted absolute, unlimited power. A part of his mind knew it was far from permanent, but he inwardly thanked the Fierce Deity for watching over him, even after all he'd done. He stared at his own hands, astonished at this amazing gift. He promised himself he wouldn't waste it.

Link said nothing. Instead, he extended his hand, and the replica of Skull Kid's staff flew into his grip. His other hand reached back for the Gilded Sword, and together, he swung both weapons.

The power and force split the fusion, and Koume and Kotake went flying. They crashed into the ruins just in front of Romani, Jim, and the fairies, still alive.

"Guys!" Link jumped over to his friends. In just one leap, he landed before them and held the staff. "I'm going to need your help."

"H-Huh?" Romani gasped, still a little shocked at Link's form. A part of her swooned at the sight.

"Trust me, only you guys have the power to help, I know it." Link replied. Their undying love was something he considered powerful. His friends looked at the staff and hesitantly grasped it. They could feel the godly power.

More energy surged, and the three slammed the staff down onto the ground. Everything was covered with a blinding green light, and the energy emitted from the act finally defeated the witches.

Minutes later, everything calmed down. The clouds parted, and the bodies of Koume and Kotake were nowhere to be seen. Link was back to normal, and the horrendous pain of his mortal form followed. He tried to take a step, but his leg wobbled.

"Link! Are you alright?!" Romani caught Link just before he could collapse. He huffed, trying to catch his breath.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine…" Link wheezed, voice weak. He tried not to put pressure on his broken limb.

"WE'RE NOT DONE YET!" A voice shrieked. Startled, the group looked up and saw the spirits of the witches try and lunge at them. They sailed right through.

"No! We can't be dead! We still have so much to do!" Kotake refused to believe what was right before her eyes. Her hands tried to scratch at Jim, but to no avail.

"We'll be back to haunt you!" Koume yelled. Her statement couldn't be more wrong.

Suddenly, the spirits of the damned plowed through the ground. Hands latched onto Koume and Kotake's spirits, dragging them down into the depths. Link, Romani, Jim, and the fairies watched, speechless, as the souls of the witches were brought down into the darkest pits of chaos. The hole in the ground closed just as the screams of the witches faded away into obscurity. The replica of Skull Kid's staff vanished, signaling the end of their magic.

The six friends shared looks. They didn't know what to think of what they just saw, but what they did know was that they were beyond tired.

"Hey! You're alright!" Link the Goron's voice came from the distance. He rolled through the rubble and uncurled when he got in front of the group.

"Y-Yeah… We made it." Link responded, putting his arms around his friends.

"There they are!" A voice called. It was Kyojin! Seconds after the voice was heard, the Gerudo trio ran up and embraced the heroes.

Soon enough, the rest of the Hylian soldiers and Goron's met up with them, and they all began to celebrate. The madness was finally over. They could rest.

Chapter Text

Wow... Chapter 27. I did not think this story would be so extensive, but it's almost to a close! I promise, there is an epilogue chapter, one which I think you all will really love. But for now, please enjoy!
-Joost

I just gotta say, I feel so clever with connecting chapter names while keeping them true to the context of their own contents. Have fun!

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 27: For Wherever Love Takes Me

Four Days Later…

Link arose from bed, happy to be greeted by the morning sun. He smiled at the Hylian sun, and slowly withdrew from the covers and stood from his bed. He carefully placed his leg down and started to limp his way out of his room. It was a little difficult, but he didn't mind. Today was a very special day.

Link got down the stairs easily this time around. The first day dealing with his broken leg was the worst. Having to scoot his way up and down the stairs, needing to stay in bed, the usual. But today was the day he turned 17, and he was eager to spend it with his loved ones, even if he wasn't in Termina for it.

"Link! Sweetie, what are you doing out of bed so early?" Anju was by the stove, frying eggs and pork that was meant to be a surprise birthday breakfast for her son.

"I just wanted to help out." Link said, thinking he was alright. "Just because of my leg and my birthday, doesn't mean I'm not going to be helpful today."

Anju chuckled at Link's suggestion, but remained concerned. She frowned at the prospect of her son, still injured, working on his birthday. But she aimed to stay positive. After all, things were better now that everything had calmed down. It wasn't long before Romani woke up, as she usually did.

"Grasshopper! What are you doing out of bed?" Romani swung around the kitchen and sat herself right in front of Link, arms crossed. Her frown, always forced, just made the teenager smile.

"Just thought I'd hang out. My leg is feeling better." Link smirked and slowly stood from his seat, plopping himself right next to Romani on the table. The couple stared at each other lovingly.

"Hey! What did Kafei say about sitting on the table?" Anju's rare stern voice came out and the two teens blushed profusely. They looked down as they scooted off the table and back into their chairs.

"S-Sorry mom…" Link said, a little embarrassed with himself. Even though it was his birthday, it was no excuse to be inappropriate.

For all the while breakfast was being prepared, the two teens gazed at each other's eyes, thinking about what they may be able to do today. Now that everything had calmed down, a wave of freshness washed over the land.

"Romani, could you go and wake up Jim?" Anju asked the ranch girl, forcing her out of her daydream about her boyfriend.

"Alright!" Romani said happily, sliding off her chair and standing up, walking towards the stairs. She disappeared up the staircase and soon returned with another pair of feet behind her.

"Hey Link!" Jim dashed over to his friend, giving him a hug.

"Hey Jim." Link smiled as Jim sat down beside him and Romani sat back down in her seat. The three friends looked at one another with happiness, and soon, Anju plated their breakfast and served it to them, setting down her own plate and going upstairs to fetch her husband.

"So, what do you have planned, pal?" Jim stuffed his mouth with the fluffy eggs and spoke sloppily, making Link and Romani giggle at his lack of manners.

"Well, I'm not sure…" Link pondered for a moment, setting his fork down. All the things he could do would be fun, but a part of him just wanted to rest more. "Maybe relax, go into town and hang out."

Jim's smile weakened a bit, but he didn't want to complain. Link's leg was still healing, no matter how many potions he had. He was a little disappointed with his friend's overly casual attitude towards his special day, so he thought perhaps he could go out and get him something.

"Hey kiddo!" Kafei's voice came from the stairs before he was even down. Link lit up and an even bigger smile appeared on his face.

"Morning, dad!" Link said, turning to his father. The two hugged and Anju had to drag them apart just to get her husband to sit down to eat. The little family started to eat, enjoy each other's company.

"So, how does 17 feel?" Kafei asked Link.

"Um… We'll see." Link replied. He still hadn't gotten much of a taste of being older yet, all except for his first ever adventure in Hyrule. Where he was thrust into the body of a 17-year-old so abruptly.

"I do know that I need to visit the princess. Just for a little bit." Link started, making everyone a little confused. He didn't elaborate why and just continued to eat his food.

Soon, Tatl, Tael, and Navi joined them downstairs, all with their own plate to share.

"Happy birthday, Link!" Tael greeted the boy in green as he and his sister flew down the stairwell and into the kitchen. Link looked at them with his trademark smile and making them feel warm inside.

"So, how are you feeling today, Link? With the leg and all?" Navi asked. A common question which she asked every day, just with different wording. The boy in question didn't mind, as it just showed she cared.

"Yeah, we got to know if that leg is doing any better." Tatl asked.

"Never better." Link said sweetly, looking at his family. An unfelt confidence layered his words, and everyone shared quick glances before continuing their food.

Like many times before, Link walked down the dirt road towards Hyrule Castle. This time, he felt almost jovial. Ever since the end of the chaos just four days ago, an enormous weight that had been resting on his shoulders finally lifted. While his walk was still somewhat of a limp, it was less pronounced as it had been.

Link thought about why he was visiting the princess. It was for something that was long overdue. Even if she hadn't a clue why he would do it, he wanted to, just to let his conscience be at peace.

"Welcome back." One of the guards said as Link approached. He wore an amazingly gentle smile as the hero waited for the drawbridge to lower.

"Thank you. It… It won't be my last time back here." Link said after a moment, choosing his words carefully. The guard was shocked at the hero's statement, and his smile grew in intensity as the bridge paved the way for the boy to enter the castle.

As Link walked through the halls, he thought about everything that had happened. While a lot in just over a month, it was kind of fun to be back in the habit of carrying the sword around. It wasn't something he wanted to do for long, but the return felt nice.

"Link!" Zelda's voice echoed from across the corridor. Breaking out of his prolonged thought, he looked up and saw the princess.

"Zelda." Link greeted the heir of Hyrule with kindness. He held out his hand and it was eagerly shaken, a breath of wild, yet fresh air coming with it.

"It's a pleasure to see you after your… well, crusade in Gerudo Desert." Zelda chuckled, almost admiring how much Link risked just by going out to the Spirit Temple. While it was a hassle to deal with in terms of Gerudo relations, both parties eventually saw the whole event as necessary.

"Yes… I apologize for the problems. I heard it lead to some trouble." Link looked down meekly, rubbing his arm.

"A little, but it's mostly been resolved." Zelda said with assurance. She beckoned Link over to her side and the two began to leisurely stroll through the castle halls, talking about how life has been.

"Glad to see your leg is better." Zelda commented, pleased with the less pronounced limp in Link's stride. The boy grinned at the compliment, and after a second, it faded.

"Although there is the matter of what to do next…" Link began, stopping in front of a window that surveyed the outside of the Castle and the town. Zelda was puzzled and she walked closer with curiosity.

"I'll… be going back to Termina soon." Link said, thinking about home. It'd been over two weeks since he'd last seen Clock Town. He hadn't returned ever since Skull Kid was struck down. It pained him to think about it.

"Oh, I see." Zelda replied, hiding her disappointment masterfully.

"However…" Link was a little glad to be able to see the princess perk up at that word. "I'm willing to make a deal with you that might make you a little happier."

"What is it?" Zelda's interest was far more difficult for her to hide from the hero. Her voice became a little higher, her ears jolted upwards with excitement, and a smile slowly formed on her face.

"As long as I'm sent a letter describing what needs to be done, I'm willing to lend you my… services whenever possible." Link said professionally. He'd overheard enough conversations during his apprenticeship with Mutoh of the carpenters to know how to talk about making a deal.

"Really?" Zelda asked, her voice echoing again. Link held back the urge to giggle at how enthusiastic he could make such a regal woman and remained composed.

"Yes. I promise. I discovered that… while my life isn't bound to the sword and shield I wear… I shouldn't hide from the responsibility they hold." Link said valiantly. A stray thought entered his head and his smile vanished again. "It took a lot for me to realize that."

"Thank you, very much, Link." Zelda's face gleamed with joy. She did a curtsy and Link bowed.

"Actually, that's another thing I wanted to tell you." Link began again. He took a deep breath, showing some hesitation, before continuing. "Thank you."

"For what, Link?" Zelda asked.

As much as Link wanted to tell her of the decision she made, the sands of time had already slipped through his fingers long ago, taking the meaning with them. He just repeated his words, wearing a big smile. Zelda still didn't know why exactly he was thanking her, but she decided to take it with pride. With one last shake of the hands, Link departed from the castle, back to town.

"Oh Grasshopper!" Romani waved Link down as soon as she saw the splash of vibrant green enter the crowd. Noticing her, the boy weaved his way through the ocean of people and to his girlfriend, who had been joined by his other closest friends.

"There you are, dork! We were just about to go bowling!" Tatl flew over and sat of Link's cap, crossing her arms.

"Bowling?" Link asked.

"Yeah! Bowling!" Jim interjected, holding up his bomb bag. He seemed quite energetic about the idea. "We thought it'd be a fun way to hang out for your birthday!"

"Alright!" Link decided to pump himself up for some fun. He deserved it, right? The group consisting of the ranch woman, the Bomber, the fairy trio, and the hero in green all went into the Bombchu Bowling Alley to compete.

"Hello!" Romani was the first to speak in front of the tired lady who stood at the front desk. She seemed to be dozing off every other minute, eternally bored with her choice of employment.

"Oh, hello there. Are you all together?" The lady examined the group.

"Yep! We'll need three sets of ten Bombchus, please!" Romani told the lady. Before long, the items were rung up to the counter and the three friends took them and walked over to the main bowling area. It was a rather large tunnel that barreled down towards a hole in the middle of the opposite wall, obstacles placed carefully all around the path.

"So which one of us should go first?" Link asked, narrowing his eyes and already trying to figure out the best way to place his set of Bombchus. If he remembered correctly, there were three rounds to the game, each more difficult than the last.

"Me! Me!" Jim said excitedly. Before the others could protest, he stepped up to the beginning of the tunnel and pulled out a Bombchu.

Closing his eyes and focusing hard, Jim made sure the first wall was down in no time. The second wall was a bit more difficult. He let loose three more Bombchus before it finally fell. With the third and final wall, the defending Cucco seemed to be out for Jim, as it constantly blocked his Bombchu's path.

"I swear this game is rigged!" Jim tried to rationalize his failure, but Romani stepped up to the line and held her set of Bombchus. She surveyed her playing area and took three steps back and looked with just one eye before the game began.

Link watched as Romani carefully set her first Bombchu loose. The explosion that followed also brought a ringing of completion, and the wall lowered for the next. The Bombchu Romani set off next was strategically placed so it darted right past the Cucco and straight into the goal hole.

"Woohoo! Second try!" Romani's arm shot into the air in celebration, and the others smirked at her achievement. Quickly turning back around, she readied herself for the final tunnel.

The sounds of explosions were heard four times before the biggest bell was set off. Romani was a little saddened by how many tries it took her for her to finally get the wall, but her prize was far greater. It was a quiver, lined with gold reinforcements and with a carrying capacity of fifty arrows.

Link, Jim, Tatl, Tael, and Navi clapped for Romani's success, and then they all looked at the boy in green with anticipation. His cheeks grew red, and he looked away from his friends.

"C-Come on, guys. I'm all rusty." A thinly veiled excuse. Romani strapped the new quiver along her back and with Jim's help, pushed Link over so that he stood before the line in front of the tunnel.

"Here you go, Grasshopper! Romani knows you'll do great!" Romani gave Link a quick peck on the cheek, her voice filled with encouragement. Jim just nudged the hero's shoulder and gave a thumb's up.

Link sighed and faced the tunnel. The blinking lights, music, and the sound of a Cucco clucking was slowly filtered from his head and he focused on the goal. He reached into his bomb bag and held his first Bombchu steady. He closed his eyes and visualized the tunnel, and purely on instinct, he released the first Bombchu.

It exploded, and the ringing signaled that it made it to the goal. The sliding of stone and more defined clucks of a Cucco told Link that he was facing the next course. He opened his eyes and scanned the course. Even though he had seen it twice already, it wouldn't hurt to check. It was different that the others. Possibly an attempt to not give away any more prizes, but hopefully he could win just to have fun.

When the next Bombchu was sent out, it hit the goal without problem. Link's friends cheered for him as the final course was revealed. Like Jim, Link took a deep breath and let the Bombchu loose. It dodged the two Cuccos but narrowly missed the goal, sliding right to the side and up onto the ceiling before going off.

Link didn't worry. He still had plenty of Bombchus to use. He wouldn't need them. His next try was the most shocking. The Bombchu weaved through the two Cuccos with ease and got to the goal, setting the victory bell off.

"Wa-hey! Congrats, Link!" Jim ran up to the hero and hugged him, proud of how easily Link conquered the challenge, with only one misstep!

"Grasshopper, that was amazing! Great job!" Romani was next to give Link her appraisal. She held both of his hands and smiled, and he quickly got lost in her eyes again.

"Ahem!" The girl at the counter got the teens' attention, and she handed Link his reward. It was a wrist cuff, lined with a sliver almost identical in color to the streak in Link's hair.

"Thank you! What… What is it?" Link gladly took the gift but realized he had no idea what it was.

"It's a bracelet. Crafted from the tip of a Zora spear. It's meant to enhance abilities in water, but I've never seen any changes…" The girl seemed disinterested in the object. Maybe it was a gift she herself got but found it to be useless. It was a little crummy to think that she might just be pawning off unwanted things as prizes, but Link accepted it regardless.

Leaving the Bowling Alley, Link, Romani, Jim, and the fairies moseyed around town for a while, just talking about things. Their prizes, the possible rigging of the game, how their day had been so far, anything they wanted to. Soon, the sky became a light orange as the sun started to set.

Almost by chance, the group gravitated towards the drawbridge that led to Hyrule Field, and they decided to place themselves on the hill just adjacent to Lon Lon Ranch.

The six friends sat and enjoyed the sunset, content with how the day had gone. Especially Link, who thought it as an amazing birthday. And who knew what Anju and Kafei had planned when they returned to the house? However, there was still something on his mind.

"H-Hey guys?" Link asked, turning to his friends. They put their eyes on him, and he was slow to continue his thought.

"I just wanted to talk about… what we plan on doing next. You know, once we get home." Link stuttered, looking at the grass below him.

"Hmmm… Romani hasn't thought about much. I'm just glad all the craziness is over!" Romani stretched out and looked at her boots, turning them opposite directions and then back again so the tips of her footing met with the other.

"I know what I'm gonna do." Jim started, gazing up at the sky. He leaned further back and sprawled out on the grass. "I'm getting rest! Tons of rest!"

"It's going to be a little… hard… going back to the hut without him, though…" Tael said, feeling a little glum. Everyone went silent for a moment, including Navi.

"M-Maybe I could visit every so often… maybe try and fill in the void from time to time?" Navi suggested, wincing just in case she got a glare from Tatl or Tael.

"You just plan on visiting?!" Tatl was instead, shocked. She scooted up closer to the blue fairy. "I was hoping you'd stay with us!"

"T-Tatl!" Navi yelped, her face becoming a crimson color. She was left once again speechless, floored by how forward her girlfriend was being.

Link chuckled, but his mind wandered back to the original point he had in mind. "I was wondering about how we'd go on with this, thought…" He unsheathed his sword and held it. It just occurred to him that he'd been wearing it all day and hadn't even given them a second thought.

"Will we still be… a team?" Link asked.

"Of course we will! What kind of question is that, Grasshopper?" Romani was confused on Link's meaning. He could tell, and he struggled to find the words he wanted to.

"I just… I need you guys to know…" Link inched closer to his friends and held out his hand. Without hesitation, they held it, and he spoke in a soft yet scared voice.

"I'm not going to be able to leave this behind. This part of me. But I do know that whatever…" He sighed, his tone growing more uneasy. "Whatever is left of me… as a person… as a hero… I promise that I won't forget how much you all mean to me."

Romani, Jim, Tatl, Tael, and Navi had no words. Before they could say anything, Link continued. "I… I have a lot of regrets. A lot of mistakes. But I do not regret a single moment of my life that led me to all of you. Even if it's caused a lot of pain for me."

Everyone looked at the hero with loving eyes, and they all surrounded him with a hug. A friendly, compassionate hug, that served as their response to his speech. To Link, these people, alongside his parents, Link the Goron, the Gerudo, and Zelda, were all he had left. He started to cry.

"Hey, Link. It's alright. We aren't going anywhere." Tatl said, one of the few times her voice wasn't accompanied by a snarky tone.

"I-I'm sorry, I just didn't expect to let that much out…" Link chuckled lightly, wiping his eyes.

"Come on, pal. Put that armor back on!" Jim said encouragingly, standing up. Link and Romani followed, but the hero paused before smiling again.

"I… I have no more armor left. You guys got me out of it." Link told his friends, bringing them in for another hug.

"Well good! Armor is the worst! It's uncomfortable, musty, and keeps too much in!" Romani commented, knowing full well what she was saying. She wasn't talking about the armor she wore for her duties as a Clock Town guard.

Link laughed and put his sword back into its sheath. He wore a great big smile as he and his friends walked back to the house, ready for whatever Anju and Kafei had in store for the evening. The hero, along with his loved ones, went to bed that night happy, and only good dreams followed as the boy rested and waited to return home to Termina, eager for whatever was to come.

Chapter Text

So, here we are. The final chapter in probably my most ambitious story yet. I am so happy with how this entire tale turned out, from the horror elements, to the action, emotional beats, everything. And I'm really thankful for everyone who read and gave me their thoughts (especially you, Shadow8Phantom!)! Anyways, I proudly present the final part of this story! Enjoy!
-Joost

I don't know if this or really any of my stories will be successful on AO3, but hey, I'm having fun revisiting these and porting them over. It's bringing back a lot of good memories. Anyways, this is also one of my favorite chapters ever, so enjoy!

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Epilogue: If I Can Dream

Two and a Half Years Later…

"Her royal highness, ladies and gentlemen, the toast is to the bride and groom! Mr. and Mrs. Link and Romani!" Dina raised her glass high up in the air and Link blushed like mad.

"Mr. and Mrs. Link and Romani!" The crowd repeated.

All the other attendants to the wedding cheered as they held their glasses in the air with Dina. Together, they toasted to the newlyweds, and a light applause could be heard all throughout Clock Town. It brought the greatest smile ever seen to Romani's face, and she leaned in to kiss Link on the cheek. When she saw his reaction, she couldn't resist giggling.

The tender, summer air flowed through Clock Town with ease. It was a surprisingly cool day in Termina, just absolutely lovely. The wedding decorations flapped gently in the breeze, and the bell sitting atop the Stock Pot Inn rang repeatedly in celebration.

Link, dressed in a fine, black tunic with white highlights, looked at the ring along his finger. It was the most amazing thing he'd ever hoped for. Romani, right next to him, extended her hand and rested it next to his, letting them both gaze at their wedding bands.

"Hey! Isn't it cake time?" Jim asked from across the table, a little too eager to dig in.

"Come oooonnnn, Link. Let's cut the cake!" Romani playfully held the knife for their wedding cake, and as soon as Link saw it, he quickly rose from his seat and took the sharp object from his wife. She chuckled a little as he held the knife with a firm grip. Romani knew just what to get her husband out of his silly chair.

Everything seemed perfect. It was a miracle that everyone could make it. Zelda, being the 'royal highness' referred to in the toast, was the most surprising person in the crowd. It wasn't her first time in Termina, as she somehow managed to make the trip last year but seeing her again in Clock Town was fascinating. Seeing all of the guests who came all this way just for Link and Romani's wedding was fascinating.

"Ready?" Link asked Romani, as they both held the knife against the cake. The ranch woman gave the former hero a knowing smile and nodded. As the knife slid through the delicious frosting and into the fluffy center, the attendants cheered.

The cake was passed out, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Conversations commenced and the afternoon went on blissfully.

"Oh Romani!" Cremia waved to Romani in a singsong voice. The ranch woman groaned and angerly rose from her seat.

"What, sister!?" Romani put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot repeatedly. The exaggerated display of annoyance just made the older sister chuckle. She walked up to Romani and put her arm around her.

"Alright, you better promise me some things!" Cremia wagged her finger as she used to when Link and Romani were kids. "First, make sure he treats you good, you hear me?"

"Sister…" Romani whined as she nervously peered back at the guests. A few of them were staring at her. "Not in front of everyone…"

"Oh yeah!" Cremia raised her voice so nearly everyone could hear her. All the eyes were focused on them. "And don't go all cowgirl on Link, got it?"

The color of Romani's cheeks matched her hair. She walked away from Cremia, having been defeated, and sat back next to Link. The crowd erupted in laughter and even Link couldn't hold back his giggles. Romani leaned forward and shielded herself with her arms, wishing that the day would go faster.

"Romani cannot wait to be away from sister…" Romani grumbled to herself. A layer of comfort arrived when Link put his arm around her.

"Don't worry. Once we're off to Great Bay, we'll be all alone." The 19-year-old said, smirking. He was glad he had this to take his mind off of what he was thinking previously.

Soon enough, Romani lightened up, and it was time to open the gifts. While admittedly few, the couple were endlessly thankful for everyone who got them presents for the day. The first thing opened was from Tatl. It was a small, handcrafted pacifier made of a soft sponge from Great Bay. When Link first saw it, he shrieked and quickly hid it in the wrapping. When everyone demanded to see what made him so nervous, he showed them.

"Awww, it's so cute!" Dina remarked, absolutely giddy at the idea of being a half-aunt to however many children Link and Romani decided to have. She wasn't Romani's sister, but she sure felt like she was.

"Tatl… why?" That was all Link could muster to his fairy companion. Tatl rolled back with laughter, needing to sit herself on the table in order to not fall out of the air.

"Me and her thought it'd be a good idea…" Navi said, tugging on Tatl's arm to get her to stop laughing.

The next gift was from Anju and Kafei. To Link, it was the most meaningful of all. While their union granted them their own, unique Couple's Mask, the innkeepers decided to gift them their old ceremonial masks as well.

"Mom… Dad… W-We can't accept these." Link held Anju's Moon Mask and Romani held Kafei's Sun Mask.

"Nonsense!" Kafei exclaimed. "Link, long ago, you helped us with our wedding. It's the least we could do for yours."

"Please, honey, we'll survive without them." Anju added, chuckling.

While the boy didn't like how his parents gave up such special items, the memory of him working so hard to help their wedding warmed his heart. He quietly accepted the gifts, smiling knowingly at his wife.

The last gift, and probably the biggest one, was from Zelda herself. She had wrapped it personally, the golden emblems and white, spangled ribbon being proof of it's majesty. Inside the box was a surprisingly hefty tablet. On it was an inscription, depicting Link and his friends first battling the Thunderbird. It was a very nice thing to look at, more fond memories flooding back.

"Thank you, Zelda." Link walked up to the princess of Hyrule and gave her a hug. The gesture surprised her, but she welcomed it. She was glad that the small barrier that remained between her and Link was finally broken. "This means a lot…"

"The pleasure is all mine, Link, I assure you." Zelda said, beaming from ear to ear.

However, that wasn't the last gift left to give out. Link and Romani had something prepared for a very special friend. Link waved to the Bomber who had been his best man. "Hey Jim! Come over here!"

"Huh? Why?" Jim asked as he walked up to his closest friends. His question was answered with a long, narrow box, wrapped with a plain red tissue paper.

"You guys didn't have to get me anything… This is your day!" Jim tried to hand the box back to Link, but the teen just put his arm around his wife and politely refused. His expression gave Jim the convincing he needed to finally open the gift.

It was a new blowdart. Carved out of a fine oak, seemingly by hand. It looked amazing, far better than the dingy old blowdart that Jim used to use when that balloon always bothered him in North Clock Town. That old thing had gotten to old to ever really be used again. This one looked as if it'd last years. What caught Jim's eye was the little lettering on the side of the tool.

"'To Jim~ With love, Link and Romani'." Jim read the message out loud. For a second he was overcome with emotion, and he quickly hugged his friends. His voice was a soft whisper. "Thank you… Thank you guys so much."

"Anything for our friend!" Romani exclaimed, smirking. Link patted Jim on the shoulder and the trio went off to enjoy themselves to the fullest.

As the day delved into the evening, the wedding started to die down. People were heading home, and Zelda was checking in at the Stock Pot Inn, just to be safe and not have to make the journey back to Hyrule at night.

Epona was given a lovely, white saddle to commemorate the wedding, with a bundle of carrots waiting for her when they got to the beach house. As Link gathered his things in preparation to leave with his wife, the Swordsman Master pulled him aside.

"Congratulations, Link. I must say, my boy, while I have found you to be a little… well, how would I say this…" The master snapped his fingers, a telltale sign he was concentrating, until Romani was able to chime in with a good word to match his sentence.

"Reckless?" Romani added playfully, a smirk across her face.

"Yes! That's exactly the word! Thank you!" The swordsman chuckled at the ranch woman and then put his arm around Link's shoulder. "However, today, my student, I cannot complain."

"Thank you, sir…" Link's felt some modesty well up in his heart. His teacher had been a little rough on him during his training all those years ago, but Link was happy he could make it to his special day.

"Now, I think you better be off." The swordsman pointed to Romani, who was already atop of Epona, ready to head to the beach where the new house awaited.

"I wish you luck, my friend." The master held out his hand and waited for Link to shake it. The hero did without needing to be asked.

Link walked to Romani, ready to start this new part of his life. He looked back, a little saddened that he wouldn't see them for a while. But it was worth it, to be with Romani, and just her for a while. Giving a smile and a little wave, they set off.

"Goodbye! Ride carefully, alright?" Cremia shouted as Epona trotted away.

"We love you, honey! Enjoy yourselves!" Anju waved her son goodbye.

"See ya later, Link!" Jim cheered, his grip on Pamela's hand tightening. Romani, remembering the little tradition, told her husband to stop Epona for a moment. She readied her arms and threw her bouquet up and behind her, still smiling at Link.

As luck would have it, Pamela was the lucky woman to catch the flowers. She turned to Jim and gave him the most devilish look conceivable. For the first time in a while, Jim himself grew red in the cheeks, and wasn't prepared to be tackled by his girlfriend.

"Don't mess anything up on your first round, okay, Link?" Tatl shouted, knowing full well what she meant.

"You're the worst!" Navi elbowed Tatl in the gut and chuckled.

Link urged Epona into a canter and the goodbye's faded. As the sun began to set, the hero and the ranch woman eyed each other lovingly when they neared the beach. When they got into view of the house, Romani gasped at the sight. That old spider house, once a decrepit, mangy building, was cleaned up and given a fresh coat of paint. A large bundle of carrots hung, tied to the doorknob, for Epona.

"It looks beautiful!" Romani practically squealed. She hopped off of the mare and gazed at the house. Everything about it screamed 'yes' to her.

"Just wait until you see the inside." Link said happily, jumping off of his loyal steed and walking up and behind his wife. He put his hands on her hips and kissed her neck tenderly.

"Oh. Romani knows she'll love it!" The ranch woman, possibly too excited, scooped Link up into her own arms and held him bridal style. The move was a swift reversal of what Link thought would happen, but he didn't fight it. Romani was the more adventurous of the two.

Kicking open the front door, Romani set Link down and was astonished at the inside. The slippery ramp that once could've only been scaled by the mighty Goron was gone, all dug away to provide space for a new dirt floor. Right by the place were the ramp was, sat a bean sprout, fully grown. Just the idea of flying up and down the bean plant every day filled Romani with excitement. Taking Link's hand, she raced over to the plant and stepped onto it, and the couple were swiftly taken to the main door that led to the body of the house.

Above the couple's heads was the night sky. The ocean scent was wonderful, and the sound of the flora could put them both to sleep. However, there was a newly remodeled house to do that in. No longer was the house a deep descent, but instead just one floor with another above. The nearest door to the entrance held a vast study, and across the hall were two doors and a short staircase.

There was one kitchen and a bathroom, and up the stairs were two bedrooms, made especially for the couple and a possible third or fourth addition for the future. Link, with the help of the Terminian Gorons and the carpenters, were able to make this all a reality.

"D-Do you like it?" Link asked meekly.

"I love it! Oh, it's perfect!" Romani's answer filled Link with pride. With that, he took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom.

Much later in the night, Link slowly sat up in the bed he and Romani shared, something on his mind. For a while, he sat on the mattress, unable to lay back down to go to sleep. Finally, when he noticed the clock turning to three, he got out of bed and walked to the study to think.

"Hm…?" Romani, still drowsy, noticed the lack of Link's arm wrapped around her waist. She quickly woke up and grew upset that her husband wasn't in bed with her.

In the study, Link sat at the desk surrounded by bookshelves. He fished a small, old, weathered piece of paper out of his pocket, having taken it from his personal chest in his old room at the Stock Pot Inn, and put it on the desk. He just stared at it, continuously reading the short little message that was written on it.

"Link? Grasshopper? Is everything alright?" Romani opened the door to the study and spotted Link immediately. How he was hunched over, staring down at the desk told her that something was wrong.

"I-It's nothing, Firefly. I'm sorry if I woke you…" Link mumbled, just barely being heard by his lover. She sighed and opened the door the rest of the way, walking up and behind Link, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Grasshopper didn't. But Romani's worried about you. Today was a great day for us. What's got you down?" Romani leaned forward and rested her chin on Link's head, wondering what the matter could be.

"Don't worry, it's not much. Just something about…" Link never finished his sentence. He was too distracted by a faint memory. Romani was able to get a look at the small slip of paper on the desk, and almost right away she understood.

"It's him, isn't it?" Romani asked.

"R-Romani… I don't know i-if I ever told you this, but… I had a dream. Once. It…" Link didn't want to go into the details. Every time he thought about it, it hurt. It pulled at his heart like nothing else. "It was just like today. Our wedding. It was amazing. But… it had… him. He was there."

"It did?" Romani's mind raced when she thought about what Link had described. A piece of her wanted to let him cry, and she made sure to let him do so.

A single tear fell from Link's eye and onto his cheek. He sniffled, unable to stop thinking about his dream. It felt so real. Like he was really there, talking to his friends. All of them were older, wiser, and there for him on his special day. Now that his special day had arrived, a part of it felt empty. He couldn't do a thing about it, but every fiber of himself wished he could go back in time and stop the tragedy.

"How long has Grasshopper had this paper?" Romani gestured her head towards the slip.

"For over two years now…" Link admitted. The brash side of him, yearning for the quickest solution took over, controlling his tongue as he spoke. "I can get r-rid of it. I… I can put it in a bottle and throw it in the ocean."

Romani sighed and stepped forward, kneeling down to look at Link. Her face conveyed the most compassion he'd ever seen. It was like gazing at an angel, with her fiery hair illuminated in the flickering candlelight.

"But will you be able to rest if you do?" Romani asked Link.

Link quickly nodded, but it became a serious shake opposite. He didn't know what to do with himself or the note. Its words sat on the paper, almost mocking him for his failure.

"Then tomorrow, Romani wants you to go out to the Lost Woods and see him. Alright?" Romani's eyes were stern, but they held hope. However much she hated seeing Link suffer, she knew he needed this last sliver of solace. Otherwise, he may never be able to move on.

Link looked at the paper again. He inwardly hoped there would be another option, but he didn't want to disappoint Romani. She looked up to him and he looked up to her. If he messed with that balance, it wouldn't be pretty. Eventually, he nodded.

"Come on, lets get some sleep." Romani took Link's hand and blew out the candle. As she pulled Link away from the room, she looked back, leaving the paper on the desk.

"I love you!" Link waved Romani goodbye. "I won't be long!"

"No, take all the time you need! Got it?" Romani told him, giving a serious look. "Romani loves you!"

The ranch woman accentuated the word 'love' as Epona trotted off towards the trail leading all the way to the Lost Woods. She held her hand to her heart as Link escaped her view. She quietly prayed that he would be able to find it in himself to do what needed to be done. When she finished, she took a minute to admire the ocean coast before walking back into the house, ready for whatever would come next.

Soon, the heavy, blue fog told Link that he was in the right place. He slowed Epona's canter down and carefully rode through the Lost Woods. Knowing exactly what he was looking for, it was just a matter of when it'd become visible. The one beam of sunlight that shined down on the little landmark.

Link inhaled sharply when he saw it. What he was looking for. The tree stump.

"Alright, girl. Be good and stay here, okay?" Link got off Epona and gently rubbed her cheek, grabbing an apple from his bag and letting her eat. She neighed softly and stood still, chewing on her treat. The teen turned around to face the stump, and he took a deep breath.

Walking towards the remains of the tree, he got a good look at the carving in the bark. He stopped just five feet from the wooden reminder and reached into his pocket and grabbed the old piece of paper. His eyes swapped from the item in his hands to the monument before him. On the stump, there was the etching of himself, Tatl, Tael, the four giants, and a certain imp. This place marked where he had been laid to rest.

Link was speechless for a long time, unsure on what to say. He considered just quietly grieving for a while before he decided to leave. No. That was no way to act in front of his friend. Finally, some words came to mind.

"I miss you." Link said solemnly, staring at the image of Skull Kid.

The gentle breeze flew through the Lost Woods, all the sounds of the fauna growing faint. That strange sense that happened when Link was in deep thought. Where all the other sounds faded away. He didn't know why it happened, but he couldn't ever stop it.

"I know I haven't… ever visited since it happened, but I hope you're doing alright… wherever you are…" Link muttered. An overwhelming sense of nervousness overcame him, and he reconsidered this entire journey. But then he could swear he heard a song in the far distance. A song that reminded him of an old Kokiri friend, but also of Skull Kid. Whether or not it was real or just a part of his imagination, he got the strength to continue.

"I'm sorry. About being so careless. I know it's not all my fault… But I hope that you… I wish…Th-That you could-" Link lost the power to speak, but it wasn't from weakness. All he could do was reach into his pocket again, pull out a chip of the gem of a fire arrow, and stare at it alongside the note. Link read the message on the note one last time.

'Forgive me'

Link closed his eyes and the fragment of the fire arrow ignited. It didn't burn him, but he knew in order to let go, the note had to. He carefully held the paper near the flaming jewel, and the fire slowly spread on it. There, the boy dropped the note into the moist grass at the foot of the stump. The paper slowly burned away, its ashes getting caught in a sudden light breeze. As the leaves and dust danced through the air and out of sight, a weight lifted.

The Hero of Termina and Time felt peace. Complete and utter peace, all throughout his mind. A part of his soul was freed, and it was able to shine in the light of his spirit. Link inhaled deeply, enjoying the forest smell, and exhaled. His nerves relaxed.

Link gave the stump one final look, smiling. As the silence permeated through the Lost Woods, the sun emerged from a gap in the trees and shined down on the grave. Then, he walked away. He returned to Epona, and she galloped off into the fog, back to Termina.

The End.

Link and Romani will return… one day. Whether it be soon, or a long while, this parting will not last forever. I promise.

-Justan

Yeah, don't worry. They'll be back in...
Shattering the Stars