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Chapter Text

This wasn’t the first time he’d been locked up. And part of him felt like it wouldn’t be his last. It wasn’t hard to break out last time, maybe this time would be easier.

But then again, he’s not nearly as nimble as he used to be. Time sighed and rubbed his temple to soothe his incoming migraine.

He remembered having to prove himself to the Gerudo so many years ago in a prison. It was, weirdly, a fonder memory. Time hummed, trying to see only hours instead of years into the past.

He was playing card games with Wind when the first drop of rain fell. It seeped through his three of diamonds. Wind was quick to put his deck away, muttering about how easily they could get ruined.

That was when the fire went out. Sounds of discontent echoed through the camp. He’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t a part of those sounds.

Wars had told everyone to bundle up as best as they could to avoid sickness, but they weren’t armed correctly for rainy nights. Time wanted to mention finding a cave just in case the rain lasts all night.

But then the portal came, it’s purple and black swirling almost putting him in a trance. For something that could be so cruel, created by something horrid, it looked to be god sent.

They packed up their things and got into pairs. While pairing, Wild came to Time with a question about Lon Lon Milk, which he was happy to answer. They paired with each other and were the first ones to step through the portal.

Then, black. And now he was here, behind bars.

Was it just him? Was it just him and the Champion? Or were all of his boys locked up in this prison?

Well, it didn’t matter. He was going to get out of here soon and reunite his boys. Then they were going to kill whatever thing decided to rig the portal.

And that was when the clicks started. The acute taps of those pointed shoes that his Zelda had to wear even though it mentally pained her. Heels.

Her humming soon followed the clicks of her heels until she came to an abrupt stop at the other side of his bars. She turned to face him, her gaze as sharp as a cat’s.

They met eyes for only a second before one of her pale eyebrows raised. “Are you that little guy?” Her head turned along with her stupid looking hat that appeared to be like dog ears. Except that it had a mask that mimicked a hawk’s face. “Those marks look far too familiar to be a coincidence.”

Her tanned skin clashed with her white hair. The purples and reds of her clothes complemented her skin rather than her hair, yet the tattoos that ran down her leg fought against her skin in favor of her hair. Her entire appearance was at war with one another.

“Cia,” her name left a metallic taste in his mouth. Memories of grass and pavement covered in crimson. Memories of white glowing eyes that stamped their mark on his face shined behind his eyes.

Her smile didn't ease his senses. “It is you, small fry.”

“You should be dead.”

“Higher powers are at play here boy,” She hummed. “They seemed to have taken a liking to me.” She twirled, motioning to the rest of the hall that Time couldn’t see. “To give me such a beautiful abode, there must be some favoritism there, don’t you think?”

Time stood only to realize that his wrists were chained. They let him reach the bars before they truly restrained him.

His face stood inches from her own, his blind eye open as he gave her the worst glare he could muster. She looked him up and down with a hum.

“You know, I thought the other one was you at first.” Cia looked away. “But I just couldn’t start to imagine you with long hair!” She faked a gag.

Long hair?

“What a cute little thing he is,” she tapped her chin. “But those scars are nasty.” She shook her head and leaned on the bars.

Time gritted his teeth, his mind buzzing.

The Champion is here. She has the Champion.

Fury rushed through his bones as he stared at her smirk. A smirk he thought he had forgotten, dragged to the front of his mind.

She sent him one last look before she walked the way she came, her heels echoing softer and softer as seconds passed.

He let out a long sigh that sounded more like a groan. He went back to the wall his chains were connected to and slid down the wall.

His plan had to start now.

And it did. He waited and he watched without a wink of sleep. Who was on patrol at what time? What patrolled? What weapon did it have? All of this smushed into his brain until he knew what would give him a more certain success.

He waited for his “dinner”, the lizalfos unlocked his cell with a key Time eyed intently. Then it set down his food. As it turned its back to him, he pounced.

He closed his hand over the monster’s muzzle and snapped its neck in a second. He rushed for the keys, trying every single one until his chains let out a small clink. Time took the dagger it hid behind its back then set the chains down steadily and shed his white overtunic. He wiggled the monster into his shirt and closed the chains around its wrists before he bolted out of the cell, closing it behind him.

He pulled his discarded hair tie from his pocket and closed the keys around each other tightly so as to make as little noise as possible.

The Champion.

He looked around every corner, and heard every step. He even thought of shedding his boots, but he couldn’t leave them just lying around. He’d get caught faster.

He knew his blind eye was open, he felt it move in its socket in time with his good eye.

He took to snapping necks. It was a silent killer. The dagger was the last resort, and, so far, he didn’t have to use it. He hoped that it never came to that.

He retreated as he got a glimpse of something around the corner. I speck of bright blue. He put his hand on his dagger and slightly leaned around the corner once more.

The lizal guard that was there seconds ago was on the ground. Laying it on the ground was the bright blue he had seen. A tunic so familiar.

Relief shuttered down his spine and he rounded the corner. Eyes that nearly glowed blue snapped up to his figure with an intensity he’d never seen the Champion have. Not even when he was raining arrows on the battlefield.

The Champion’s eyes switched almost immediately. The boy’s eyes softened as he sighed. Time saw the tension unwind from his shoulders.

Time chuckled lowly, jogging up to the Champion who was slowly rising from the ground. “Come,” he whispered.

This corridor seemed to be shaped in a J formation. Wild came from the hook, Time came from the right top line and needed to cross to the left.

The second the two heroes rounded the next corner, a loud blare shouted throughout the hideout.

“Aw shit,” Wild whispered. Time grabbed Wild’s hand and started sprinting. Wild was able to keep up but it was still more like Time was dragging him. “Old Man, we can’t panic!”

“I’m not.” Yes, his heart was beating way faster than it should be, but he wasn’t acting on his panic. That, he knew. “Do you know where the closest guard was that was behind you?”

“He should’ve been ten minutes away, but it hasn’t been that long!” Wild spoke through gritted teeth.

“We need to find our stuff. After that, we’re really on crunch time. If we-“ Time slowed his motions to speed walking. Talking was echoing down the corridor, the noise coming from the brightest lit room Time had seen this entire time. Most likely lit by lamps, not torches.

They stopped at the opening to the room. “-boy has caused me enough trouble all of those years ago. For one, I think Ghirahim’s idea is perfect for this!” Time could recognize her voice until the day he died. “Find them, and bring them to me.” Cia stomped the heel of her shoe down “Now.”

Whoever she was talking to skittered away. Seconds ticked by before the alarm abruptly stopped with an irritated groan and the clicking of heels grew distant, leaving in the same direction the monster soldier did.

Time let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding before peeking around the corner.

The glare of his armor was the first thing to catch his eye. Then his sword.

“Our stuff…?” Wild voiced Time’s thoughts.

“It feels like a trap,” Time groaned.

Wild hummed. “Like bananas.”

Time knew Wild couldn’t see his confused face, but Time didn’t ask.

“What do we do?” Wild whispered.

From what Time could see, there was no one and nothing in the room. But on the other end of the room, no doubt where Cia stormed off to, was another hall that turned, making this a C like hall. They were cornered no matter where they went.

How did they know that some wolfos weren’t following their smell down the halls? They couldn’t turn around. But how would they know if Cia herself hadn’t stopped short of that corner, waiting for them to take the bait. What if she knew that they were behind this corner now?

“We get our weapons and your slate, leave extra things then we see how bad the fight will be. We have little choice. Champion.” Time turned back to Wild, trying his best to muster up a smile. “Maybe we’ll be lucky and we’re somewhere in your Hyrule. With that, we could just teleport out of here. Hold hope.” Though, his hope was slowly digging into the ground.

Wild nodded with his own small smile. “Well, even if Hylia does prove that she hates us,” Time huffed a quick laugh, “at least I won’t die alone.”

“I’d rather you not die at all. The Rancher’s gonna want his rascal back.” Time ruffled Wild’s already messy hair.

“And the Rancher’s gonna want his grandpa back.” Wild put his hands on his hips though his smile showed his crooked teeth.

Time hung his head down, shaking his head with a smile. Thinking about the situation at hand, his smile straightened. “Let’s go.” Wild’s own smile dropped and he sprinted into the room, rummaging through the items. Time was thankful that he didn’t have to tell the boy to be quick but quiet.

Time hefted his sword, the weight a comfort to his unrest soul. His eyes scanned the room, waiting for the cursed sorceress to waltz around the corner. “Champion?” Time asked.

“She hates us,” Wild responded, angrily tapping at his slate.

Time’s heart dropped. “Put the rest of my stuff in the slate. We need to move quickly.” Time got a hum in reply. Soon, Wild was beside Time, a glowing blue bladed sword in his hand and a long shield with a dark version of the Hylian crest embedded into its design.

The two rounded the corner and weaved through a few more halls, slicing down monsters quickly.

With one more round corner, they were face-to-face with crimson eyes and pale white hair. Her eyes were wide as she let out a squeak. “You-!” She waved her hand out.

With another step, the two were falling.

Chapter Text

Wild swung the bright blue blade with a new fury. The red of their bodysuits were starting to match the red of their blood. Their sickles littered the floor, wielded only by corpses now.

Wild tried not to think of the hardcore washing his tunic would need. Not to mention the Old Man’s white tunic, already stained with the dirt and grime of the prison-fortress that Cia had them stuck in.

He chopped another head off, dodged another sickle, and blocked another arrow. He found himself pushed against the Old Man’s back again, his grunt the only indication that it was him. He didn’t have time to put on his armor before the onslaught happened. He was as bare as he could be now. That armor was his shield. With a claymore like the biggoron sword, there is no way to have both a shield and the sword out.

“You still doing alright over there?” Wild yelled over the chaos.

“What, you still think I’m too old for this?” Wild could hear the grin in his voice.

“No! It must feel weird fighting without your armor!” Wild sliced another Yiga’s chest open, their intestines peaked through the cut.

“I actually feel a lot lighter without it.” Time sliced a Yiga clean in half, their torso disconnected from their lower half. “Duck.” Wild obeyed without question, squatting to the ground. Time threw himself into a spin attack, chopping down everything and everyone in a five foot radius.

Wild sprung back up and used his blade to deflect an arrow ready to embed itself into Time’s back. Wild let out a battle cry as he skewered a Yiga. His blade burst into blinding blue shards.

Wild cursed and bashed an oncoming Yiga with his shield. The next one got an elbow to their kidney, they fell to their knees and another stomped on their head. Wild let a brief laugh escape him as he watched the fate of his enemy.

In his periphery, Wild saw a Yiga disappear and was quick to jump to the side. The Yiga reappeared above him, but descended slowly. Wild felt a grin pull at his face.

He took out his slate and swiped until he reached his weapon tab. A knight’s claymore, a soldier’s halbert, a guardian axe, a royal claymore, and a royal broadsword. He tapped on his royal broadsword and got to cutting.

Time soon continued regularly. More slashing and more blood. Time’s grunts became louder and the Yiga kept coming. As easy as these pests were easy to cut down, they were still getting tired. Their limbs were working against them and straining against the hilt of their blades.

“Old Man!” Wild felt the panic begin to set in. There was no end in sight. How long had he been hacking recklessly? How long did he have left? Had the adrenaline worn off?

“I know!” Time’s voice came out as a sort of growl, his teeth definitely bared.

The tip of a sickle had just barely caught Wild’s side, but the gash was far worse than it needed to be. Wild grit his teeth together and chopped the Yiga down.

“Shit!” Wild dropped his shield and used his hand to try and put pressure on his wound. He felt tears prickle in his eyes. He didn’t know if it was because of the pain or because he knew how this fight would inevitably end.

It would end in two bodies wasted on some unknown ground in some unknown place. His brothers would never know what happened to him, he’d never see Zelda or Sidon or Purah or Robbie or Teba or Riju or Yunobo or Tulin or Hudson or-

“You are all useless! What the heck guys!” Wild knew that voice. “I have others to deal with and Lord Ghirahim just wanted this one thing from us! I just-”

“That is enough, you waste of space!” He didn’t know that voice though. The Yiga stepped back and Wild was actually able to see the carnage the two had created. Bodies laid upon bodies upon bodies, the blood running like rivers down a mountain. He couldn’t help but try to step away. He had bumped against Time once more.

“Get them out! I’ll just do it myself.” Just like that, the Yiga disappeared. Not even Kohga stayed behind.

Time shoved Wild back and Wild fell on his butt. Time stood in front of Wild with his claymore pointed out. Wild could hear the other man’s breathing. It was just as rapid as his own. Wild fought his body to stand up once more but was met with resistance. When he finally stood, their new opponent spawned a sword out of nowhere.

“Truely, how am I to be whimsical when working with someone as incompetent as he?” The gray man shook his head and flipped his hair. Wild knew his hair was far more majestic than this want-to-be’s.

“What was it again? Gary or something?” Wild saw Gary’s eye twitch at Time’s words. “You were in the War of Eras, right?”

“Fuck kinda villain name is Gary?” Wild tried to hold in his laugh. Time chuckled, his eyes never left their new opponent.

Gary groaned in frustration. “My name is not Gary, you absolute imbecile!” Gary spawned what looked to be knives. “My name is Ghirahim, and you’d think you’d be kinder to me considering you’re at my mercy!” Ghirahim lunged forward and Time blocked it swiftly.

“Champion, offense!” Time blocked another assault. Wild quickly tapped at his slate. His royal bow materialized into his hand and his arrows filled his quiver.

Time grunted as he swung his blade down. Ghirahim jumped back to dodge the blow. He pointed to Time and his small daggers raced at the man.

Wild backflipped and drew his bow. Time slowed once more and Wild shot all twelve of the daggers. Wild’s feet touched the ground and Time charged forward, Ghirahim met him half way. Wild’s bow stayed drawn, waiting for a time to release the bow’s tension.

Ghirahim spawned more daggers. One by one, they flew at Time. Time met each dagger with his blade in a spin attack. At the end, Wild could see the fatigue in Time’s eyes. Ghirahim must’ve seen it too. The demon dashed forward, a tight grin on his face.

Time fell to one knee, the biggoron sword keeping him from laying himself out.

Wild let his arrows fly as he moved to Time. Ghirahim knocked his arrows away like it was nothing. He would get to Time first.

The Rancher’s gonna want his rascal back, the words echoed in his mind even as an explosion blasted him backwards. Wild felt fire lick at his body when he landed. Wild coughed and patted out any flames that still tried to destroy his already torn clothes. He made the mistake of patting his side. Wild let out a strangled yelp, the gash making itself known once more.

“Old Man?” Wild felt his tears finally fall. “Link!”

“I’m here!” Wild jerked his hand away before Time even emerged from the smoke. “It’s just me. We’ll be ok.”

“What…” Wild looked over to the burning bodies of Yiga soldiers.

“It’s called Din’s Fire, I can explain it later! I still have a little magic left, we need to go now!” Time pulled Wild to his feet. Wild leaned against Time. Time brought his hand closer to his face. “You’re…damn it all!”

Time’s hand began to glow green.

“No you don’t!” Ghirahim broke from the smoke, daggers shooting through behind him. Wild heard Time gasp. Just as quickly as the explosion happened, Time’s hand turned blue and a sapphire crystal surrounded the two as Time held Wild close. “You coward!” The tings of Ghirahim’s blades hitting the crystal grew frantic.

“Champion?” Time’s voice was hoarse. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” He combed his fingers through Wild’s hair. “My magic is depleting quickly. I’ll hold it for as long as I can but I’ll likely pass out in the end.”

The Champion embraced Time tightly, feeling his own eyes start to close. Wild nodded against Time’s chest and let his eyes close.

“I love you, Link.”

The assault on the crystal had stopped long before the two passed out.

Chapter Text

The first sense that recovered was his hearing. The chittering was coming from all directions, like cicadas singing in the grass of his yard. The chittering soon became comprehensible words to Time. Words of “information” and “glory to Master Kohga” and “bananas.” Though, Time only acknowledged the first few words about information and what they wanted.

The second sense that joined the party was his touch. His wrists and ankles were freezing. He was so uncomfortable hanging by his limbs. He fought the urge to try and readjust his body. He knew he’d alert the ninja of his consciousness.

He was upright, his back against a wall. Unfortunately, that likely meant something was going to happen soon if he didn’t get the two of them out of there soon.

But where was the Champion? Was he also here?

Time couldn’t feel the younger hero on his chains, nor could he hear the boy’s breathing. Though, maybe that was because the ninja were laughing way too loudly.

The last thing that seemed to come back was his ability to see. Though, to still look passed out, Time opened his eyes just enough to see out of them. The light’s flash made him want to cover his eyes, but he fought to keep his wrists above his head and not fight the chains.

From what he could see while keeping his head still, he was indeed against a wall. The mumbling ninjas had their stuff on a table along with some other stuff.

Knives, whips, brands.

Torture devices, Time knew. It was like he had swallowed a rock and it plummeted to his stomach.

Where is the Champion?

A groan ran in Time’s ears, coming from beside him. The conversation the Yiga were having died down immediately.

“The hero is awake!”

“What is it the Master wanted us to ask?”

“You two are incredibly stupid,” the bigger one, a blademaster, scoffed. “The Master said to ask about the princesses.”

Time felt his fingers twitch.

“Tell your master to fuck off. He should know by now that I won’t say a damn word.” Wild’s voice was hoarse. Time winced, thinking that his throat was likely dry from all of the smoke.

“Well then,” the blademaster reached over on the table and picked up the brand. He shoved it into an iron barrel and then picked up a knife that had ridges like a bread knife. It made his skin crawl.

“I’ll ask you anyway, call it mercy if you want.” The blademaster kneeled down to Wild.

Wild scoffed, followed by a sucking in sound. Then a splat rang in Time’s ears.

“He did not just do that!” One of the foot soldiers laughed.

“Me personally, I would never let someone spit on me!” The second joined in the cackling.

The blademaster wiped the spit from his mask wordlessly. He raised the knife into the air. Time’s breath caught in his throat.

“Wait-“ Time’s shout was cut off by a startled scream tearing out his throat. A blazing pain rattled his right thigh.

The blademaster extracted the knife from Time’s thigh. “I’m hurt that you don’t remember me, Sticks.”

Wild stared wide-eyed at the blood streaming down the Old Man’s leg. “You motherfucker,” Wild spat through his teeth.

“Yeah, yeah.” The blademaster grunted while he rose to his feet. “That’s what they all say.”

The blademaster cleared his throat. “Now that you understand, honestly any of you can answer, Lord Vaati said that the princess’s power can be extracted, though left us no instruction. How do we do it?”

Time glared at the man. “You must forget who you’re talking to.” The Hero’s Spirit, a being laced with stubbornness and an inhuman pain tolerance.

Time had been stabbed many times before, cut even more than that. But Time had never been tortured.

The man seemed to be done for the day, leaving through some big door and turning the room pitch black behind him.

Time’s wheezing was not silent. It was far from it.

Time had been foolish enough to touch the burning magma of Dodongo’s cavern when he was a child. It was barely a touch, but it felt like the ends of the earth, a star beaming down on his finger, hoping to melt it off his hand. It took the soft ridges on the pad of his finger before he could yank his hand back.

But the red hot metal might have been worse. Time felt it even now, the blisters on his thighs pulsed.

“Old man?” Wild whimpered, Time could hear the way his lips quivered.

“It’s ok. We’ll be ok.” A cut in Time’s side pulsed and he grunted. “Stay strong.”

“The Rancher’s gonna want his grandpa back, right?” Time’s heart dropped. He bit his bottom lip, knowing the Champion wouldn’t see.

“He’ll get his grandpa back.” Time forced a chuckle. “I’m not gonna croak anytime soon. I still got a wife that’s gonna braid my hair when I get back.” Time turned his head to Wild. “And you still got a swimming race you’re gonna win, right?”

Wild had proposed a swimming race between the boys some time ago. It wasn’t much of a match, only Twilight’s Zora armor stood even a slight change against Wild’s. Wild had won then called it “practice.”

“Sidon…” Wild muttered, a sniff following. “Yeah, I do.”

“We know they’ll give it all to me, alright? You just keep your mouth closed, we don’t endanger our friends.”

“Right.”

Your rebellion to reasoning is fairly annoying, Sheik had once told him. But maybe heroes were molded to be the pinnacle of stubbornness.

The next morning had gone fairly the same except this time, they brought a long slender tail of leather.

Time couldn’t stop his laugh that bubbled in his throat. “That’s a little unwarranted, don’t you think?” He had said in the midst of his hysteric cackling.

The blademaster tilted his head. “What?”

“That’s kinky!” The blademaster jolted at Wild’s laugh. “Didn’t know you swung that way!”

The blademaster seemed to growl before flicking the tool, silencing the two, but their smiles remained, but not for long.

“Reverting back to childish jokes, are we?” Time could hear the roll of the man’s eyes. “It matters not. I’ve got new orders.”

“-does!” A voice yelled from the other side of the door.

“Then why do you have it! I want to hold it!” A separate once shouted back.

“Too bad! The boss gave it to me!”

“Enough! Bring it, now!”

“OK, OK!” There were more foot soldiers, seven this time. Then put something in the man’s hand, all Time could see was true white.

The door shut behind the henchmen and Time steeled his expression, trying not to think of the way his thigh still pulsed.

“Stand around.” The man waved to the foot soldiers. The seven formed a semicircle around him and the Champion wordlessly with the blademaster at the center..

“Hero of Time,” the name sounded like a curse. Maybe it was. “We’ve taken some liberties or snooping in your bag.” Time felt his injured eye twitch. “Upon such, the master, glory to Master Kohga-“ the seven repeated his last statement, “had taken a mild interest in your collection of masks.”

Oh, Hylia truly hated him, didn’t she.

But wait. Maybe she did have some sympathy toward him! Maybe they’d had Mikau’s or Darmani’s or the Butler’s son’s mask! If changed, he could break out of these stupid chains and Wild would be-

“Specifically this one.” The blademaster showed him the mask, the paleness he saw earlier coming from its skin. Or maybe its bleached white hair. Its eyes were hollowed out, dipping into the wood like the depression of a volcano. The marks, goddess he’d know those marks anywhere, swept on both cheeks of its face like claws ripping skin. The blue paint on its forehead forming a spearpoint, the tip ending between its eyebrows.

Time pushed his lips in a thin line to stop his smile.

If Hylia gave even a single shit about him, that mask would end up on his face.

“What is this mask? Our scholars have yet to dig anything up from your time. Even your old residence was marked as collateral damage of the Calamity.”

Huh?

“What is it? What would happen if I put it on right now?”

That is the mask of my ancestor and he will murder you from the inside if you put that mask on.

A boyish laugh wanted to break through Time’s façade. Gods, was this how the Wild felt when Wolfie saved him that one time? Or how Legend felt when Sky felled the moblin that held the boy by his neck? Time remembered seeing a smile on the Veteran’s face seconds before Sky put the holy blade in that bastard’s forehead.

“Fine then.” And the torture began, that naïve hope vanishing within the hour.

Three hours, forty-seven minutes, and twenty-two seconds later, another blademaster cracked open the door.

“Sorry to bother, but the master requests you,” the new blademaster said.

Time’s torturer sighed, putting the mask in a subordinate's hand. “Don’t do anything stupid.” The foot soldier saluted. The blademaster stared. “Wrong hand.” The foot soldier sputtered before tucking the mask in his armpit and saluting properly. The blademaster huffed and left, slamming the door behind him.

Silence lasted for only ten seconds.

“I have an idea,” said a soldier next to the guy with the mask in his hand.

“What is it?” Said the guy with the mask in his hand.

“What if we found out what the mask did ourselves! Then, the master would recognize our expertise and make us the torturers!” Said the guy next to the guy with the mask in his hand.

Time saw movement where Wild was and slowly turned his head. Wild didn’t meet Time’s eyes, his focus stayed on his, now bare, legs that were torn with cuts and brands and lashed. Maybe that guy really was kinky. Not one cut bled above his waist. Time cringed.

“Let’s do it!” Time’s attention was back on the foot soldiers.

The guy holding his mask waltzed up to him. “Hey,” the guy said, lowering his voice to probably sound more intimidating. Though, it sounded like a child trying to mock their fathers voice. Plus, he couldn’t imagine someone as scrawny as this guy could ever have a voice that deep. “I’m gonna put this on you.”

“What?” Time had never thought he could overestimate someone’s intelligence before, but here he was.

The mask inched closer to his face, the wood on the inside just as pale as the mock skin on the outside.

“Old ma-“ the mask connected to his skin and he let out a laugh. But as he laughed, it mixed with the scream of the snapping and reforming and elongation of his bones. As his skin stretched and pulled across the growing muscle. He’d never miss the pain of a transformation, but this one he’d been grateful for.

The chains tore from the wall.

All he saw was hazy red dancing across his vision. A relief like no other washed over him.

“Stop!” A squeal caught the deity’s ears. It turned slowly, its empty hands stained red. Its eyes widened. “You can’t-“ the last soldier huffed, his sickle’s blade nearly touching the Champion’s stomach. “If you move even an inch-“

It moved far more than an inch, grabbing the tiny thing’s head between its hand and squeezing it until globs of pink dropped to the floor.

Wheezing. There was wheezing? Why was there-

The deity looked down and tilted its head. His crimson stained hand grabbed the Champion’s hair and lifted it up.

Time screamed in his own mind, but nothing came out of the god’s lips. The god, instead, took off its shirt and pressed it to the gaping wound on the small boy’s abdomen.

Wild bucked and screamed, tears running down his cheeks.

“I know it hurts, but please survive. He begs you to.” Its voice a low grumble despite its words. “He said, “The Rancher’s gonna want his rascal back,” to stay awake for him.” It tore the chains that bound Wild’s limbs. “That he loves you.”

Between the blood and gunk on the deity and the seeping blood from the Champion’s wound, the fabric would get far too soaked to actually help. It frowned.

The deity stood up, eyeing the door. It knelt back down to Wild and was about to lift him when the door opened. Its head turned faster than an arrow soaring through the sky.

It would have attacked if not for the familiar royal scarf. The deity’s eyes widened. “Captain?” A smile grew at the realization. “Holy Hylia, so much has happened!” It moved away from Wild to grip Warriors’s shoulders.

The Captain’s skin was pale, his cheeks rosy pink, his eyes droopy. Something was wrong.

“I woke up in chains! And he was here too!” It pointed to Wild as he laid on his side, blood starting to pool under him. Someone darted away from behind Warriors, his tunic obscured by a white cloth, its blue design making it look like a bird flying over clouds. It turned its attention back to the Captain.

“These red men were trying to hurt us, so I…” Fierce motioned to the blood and spandex littering the floor. “yeah…when I was doing my thing, they threatened to hurt the guy! I killed that one too, but he got a…hit in.” There was lingering shame in the god’s words.

It opened its mouth to speak again before- “What do you say! You’ve reached your last boss room and therefore, the end of this mighty dungeon! All you have to do, is defeat this last mighty boss, the great Fierce Deity! Win and I give you three potions to save you and the others!”

“Hey!” A voice whispered in the god’s mind. It closed their eyes and let the abyss take them.

“I take it you heard?” The god asked. Time pulled his hands down his face. “What should we do? The owner of that voice is not around. Not even close.”

“Wild needs help.”

“I know.”

“So…?”

“So?” The god tilted his head. Time sighed, a laugh at the tip of his tongue, the boyish giddiness somehow still floating in his shared head.

“We have to comply.”

“But you’ll-“

“Wild is young. So young. He shouldn’t have been chained at the beginning.” Time grabbed his ancestor’s hands in his own like Malon would grab his when she’d have to comfort him after a nightmare. “Please?”

The god stared down at Time’s hands on its own. Hands that dwarfed theirs by more than they thought. Mortals have such small hands. But his used to be so much smaller. The Hero of Time was no longer a boy, and that hurt the god more than the man’s willingness to lose his life.

Wordlessly, Fierce nodded and closed its eyes.

“His blood is on my hands, isn’t it?” Fierce shoved Warriors to the ground and turned to the one Time called “skyloftian.” The two met eyes and all Fierce found within those ocean blue eyes was a storm of fury and rage.

The small one stood to his feet. Fierce’s eyebrows furrowed as it saw the boy smile. A smile it only thought they could muster in the heat of a battle they knew they could win, no matter how outnumbered.

“Sky wa-” the Captain wheezed and coughed. The Skyloftian sucked in a breath as he looked passed the god. Fierce saw the boy’s hands grip the hilt of his blade ever tighter. Then the boy met his eyes again, that stew of anger twirling inside of his irises.

“He said to do it.” The statement was meant for the Captain. He hoped the Skyloftian wouldn’t catch on.

“Sky, don’t!” The Captain had always been stubborn.

“I’ll only be turned back into a mask. He’ll be fine.” Fierce stretched its arms out, telling the boy to take the shot.

The boy stumbled forward and shook his head. Though, with the way he shook it, it was like there were flies buzzing around his head.

“Bullshit!” It found itself grimacing. “Sprite has your scars!” Warriors’s coughing took him once again.

The Skyloftian’s eyes juggled between it and the Captain. He unclipped the white fabric around his shoulders and stepped forward. He stumbled let out a startled yelp before dropping down to Wilds side and pressed the delicate fabric to the dark blood that looked like it had stopped.

It was running out of time quickly.

“Knight of Skyloft,” the phrase vibrated in its mind. The mentioned boy’s ears clicked in response. “You must, to same him and yourselves.”

“Sky, I swear to Hylia!” The Captain was begging. He was desperate.

Why was he ready to sacrifice the small one for someone already willing to lose their life? A boy for a man? Weren’t they supposed to put the young ones first?

“Sky” shook his head and took an audible breath. Without another word, Sky’s foot shifted and he sprinted to the god, his sword following him like a guard dog in his hands.

Its breath caught in its throat and he dodged the initial swing. “Are you sure?!” It felt its chest tighten.
They could’ve sworn that they were ok with this.

But how could it?

It was here to protect, not to be vulnerable. Not to get their boy killed.

The hum in its head made its heart drop. “I-” The blade cut from his armpit to his waist. It had been a while since the war god saw their own blood. Back then, it was still gold and his body wasn’t borrowed. The blood was still gold but it had a ruby tint to it, like the crimson of his descendant's blood was mixed in it. It likely was exactly that.

“Aw shit-” and it couldn’t tell you the last time it used Hylian curses. Neither could they tell you the last time it screamed. The knight had twisted his body and plunged his blade into their abdomen. The blade burned like Volga’s breath, flickering the inside of his body, spreading like lava through his veins.

They were losing itself, but the mask wasn’t off. Was it ripping itself off? No! It can’t happen again! Their descendant already winced when he looked at his injured eye. What would she take next!

The deity writhed in a mix of agony and shame as his limbs contorted.

Fierce shut his eyes, and Time opened his.