Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“What is that ?” Wild cried, raising his sword to guard.

“A poe,” Time answered gruffly.

The champion stalled, his brow knotting in confusion. “There’s no way!” he balked. “They’re not—they don’t move !”

Time grunted, blocking a swipe of a lantern with his shield. “I’m glad they’re peaceful in your time, but we can talk about this later.”

Wild yelped, ducking as another lantern swept towards him. The monsters changed throughout their eras, much like the landscapes and the people themselves did, but they were at least similar . Wild could hardly believe that his poes—the little wisps in the dark—could be so animated. So violent .

Wind rolled out of the way of a poe in yellow, coming up to slice its back with his sword. Legend and Hyrule faced another of their own, trying to pin it between them with attacks. All the red-robed poe did was giggle and rattle, bouncing in the air before it turned invisible.

Warriors pressed his back to Twilight, the two men forming a defense against a green poe. Four and Sky held their own against one in blue.

“Rancher,” Warriors barked, “do you know these?”

Twilight nodded. “Tricky things,” he replied. “Don’t focus too hard on ‘em, else they jus’ vanish. Wait ‘til it get close!”

Four cried in surprise as the green poe descended upon him and Sky. It swung it’s lantern violently, licks of the fire inside burning the air. Four ducked, wincing as the Master Sword swung over head. The sword smashed into the lantern, Sky’s eyes bright with a sort of focus he only had in battle. The lantern cracked and shattered, the poe vanished. A robe was left on the ground.

“The lantern!” Sky yelled to the rest.

Wind was a step ahead of them—they were, after all, his poes. The sailor had waited until the very moment the ghost flickered from sight to shove his sword through its form, piercing the lantern on the other side.

Legend and Hyrule turned their backs on their own, waiting until they heard its laugh become clear. Whirling on their heels, both heroes sent a burst of magic at it. Legend used the ice rod, freezing the lantern though the light still danced within. Hyrule’s thunder spelled coursed through the air, latching onto the lantern and then with a brilliant light, it shattered.

Twilight used his clawshot to snag the lantern, throwing himself to his knee roughly. He jerked the poe downwards with him on the tether and as Twilight ducked, Warriors was right behind him with his sword. The lantern broke beneath the captain’s blade.

“One left!” Warriors shouted to the rest.

If there was one among them who was the worst at teamwork, it was Wild. He did his best to match everyone else’s pace, but the champion struggled to find a tempo with the others. He couldn’t keep up with the likes of Twilight or Sky, and Warriors’ tactics were too regimented for him while Legend toed the line between defense and offense too much for Wild’s liking. Wind was cautious, Four was smart. Wild was, well, wild .

The bomb went off before Wind had a chance to stop them. Stunned, the poe dropped its lantern. The glass didn’t break, but the light inside flickered out. Wild was pleased with himself, eager to have proved himself to Time just then.

“Troublesome,” Warriors spat, sheathing his sword.

“...ₜᵣₒᵤbₗₑₛₒₘₑ…” a cold voice mimicked.

Warriors paused, turning on Twilight. The rancher had a hand to his face, slowly rolling upright as if waking from the grave. Over his face, there was a mask—one of the poe’s masks. The mask was thick, a mouth stretching from one side to the other, carved with a jagged line of teeth and a sloping nose. Painted in the shallow dips on either side of the nose were deranged eyes and curled eyebrows. From beneath the mask, a lilted laugh escaped Twilight.

“Rancher—” Warriors started.

The captain rolled out of the way, dodging as the Ordon blade swung towards him with reckless abandon. The rancher’s movements were sluggish, his head tipped to his shoulder. Despite the heaviness with which he stood, his swordarm was strong and direct.

“ᵣₐₙcₕₑᵣ,” Twilight parroted. “ᵣₐₙcₕₑᵣ…”

“What’s happening?” Sky demanded, Fi thrumming in his hand.

“He’s possessed,” Wind said shortly.

Twilight’s weight lurched forward, his blade stabbing towards Four. He moved without direction, limbs clearly puppeted as he did. Four raised his shield, eyes widening as the tip of the Ordon blade pierced through the wood.

“Keep him busy!” Wind ordered the others.

The heroes nodded, yanked back from their stupor by the sailor’s demand. They surrounded Twilight, easily baiting him into taking swipes and stabs. They blocked for one another, ducked and rolled.

Wind pulled out his mirror shield, narrowing his eyes as he adjusted its angle. He caught the sinking sun on its face, an orange glare nearly blinding him as he did. Wind screwed his eyes shut, opening one before the other as he cranked the reflection down, down, down.

“Make a hole!” Warriors ordered, seeing Wind’s plan.

The heroes split, exposing Twilight to the reflection. The light latched onto the rancher, his body going rigid. The mask shivered beneath the light before it cracked lengthwise and then across. After a second, it broke.

Twilight crumpled to the ground. Time darted to catch him, scooping the rancher up in his arms. Twilight was out like a light, but the possession was over. The robes scattering the ground disappeared. Left behind was the dark lantern, which Wind humorlessly crushed beneath his heel.

“I’ve never seen them do that,” Legend said.

Wind frowned, sweeping a scowl towards Wild. “It happens if they drop their light. It usually doesn’t last long, but I bet they’re infected.”

Wild blanched, realizing he’d made it worse. “I-I didn’t know,” he covered.

Warriors clapped his hand on Wild’s shoulder. “Of course you didn’t,” he agreed, “though perhaps bombing right away was not one of your better ideas.”

Wild frowned, nodding sheepishly. The others perked up as Twilight came to with a soft groan. The rancher’s eyes swam, unfocused as they drifted over Time’s face.

“Pup,” Time pressed, patting Twilight’s cheek harshly. “Are you with us?”

Twilight gathered his face. “Dunno,” he mumbled.

“It takes a minute to shake it off,” Wind said.

Warriors turned on the sailor. “You mean to tell us you’ve been possessed?”

Wind shrugged. “Well sure—gotta learn somehow.”

“Sailor,” Warriors huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Like I said,” Wind defended, holding his hands up in truce, “it’s usually not that bad.”

Time hovered as Twilight managed to drag himself upright. The rancher slouched, hands fumbling across his face sluggishly. He lifted his eyes towards the trees as if waiting for something to come out of the shadows.

“Twilight,” Time urged, squeezing the rancher’s shoulder.

Twilight glanced down at Time’s hand first, his eyes floating up the man’s arm to settle on his face. The rancher seemed surprised to see Time just then.

“...hi,” Twilight said softly.

“Hi,” Time said back, tone curt. “Are you alright?”

Twilight hummed, tipping his weight into Time’s chest. He closed his eyes for a moment and finally, replied with a faint nod.

Chapter Text

Time frowned, setting a stern gaze on Warriors. The captain could pretend it didn’t bother him, that he knew better, but it was clear the possession had rattled him. He was still awake well past his own shift on watch, perched at the fire. Despite the captain’s effort at looking relaxed, it was clear he was far from it.

“It’s late,” Time said, sitting down beside Warriors.

The captain glanced up, a dry smile on his face. “And yet you’re up.”

Time paused, shrugging. “I can’t sleep,” he admitted. “Not until…”

Both men looked towards Twilight. The rancher had been nothing but confused, finally sinking into sleep around dinnertime. Since then, he’d yet to stir. Wild obsessed over him, the champion tucking himself under Twilight’s arm and curling close. Sky was against Twilight’s back, one arm draped over the rancher as he slept soundly.

“He’s alright,” Warriors said.

Time raised a brow. “Who are you trying to convince?”

The captain paused, face falling into a frustrated scowl. “You know who.”

Time nodded, folding his arms loosely. “Are you alright?”

Warriors hummed, contemplating the question with a tip of his head. “No,” he said after a minute. “I suppose I’m not.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I’m scared,” Warriors confessed in a long sigh. “I know it wasn’t Twilight who attacked, but that it was him at all…let’s just say I have a healthy fear of traitors.”

“He didn’t betray us.”

“No,” Warriors agreed, “he didn’t.”

Time nodded, planting his hand on Warriors’ head. “I understand,” he said simply.

The captain was a paranoid man, after all. He didn’t like when the others whispered amongst themselves, he didn’t like when they clearly kept secrets. He was nosy if only to comfort himself, and he made everyone’s business his business. If one of them acted out of turn, if one of them did something which broke Warriors’ definition of them, it set him on edge.

Warriors buried his fear, hiding it behind a veneer of understanding. He could say that he knew he was being ridiculous, that he was aware it was unfounded to think one of the others would suddenly become an enemy. But even as he said those things, his actions spoke for him. The captain’s trust was more or less only a facade, some shallow validation to the rest.

“I doubt he’ll remember any of it,” Time said, breaking their long silence.

Warriors glanced up. “Think so?”

“Wind told me as much. He said it’s fuzzy afterwards.”

Warriors sighed, dropping his head. “I wish I knew less about his adventures.”

Time laughed. “No you don’t,” he countered. “You would go mad.”

Warriors bunched his frown, swatting at Time. “Let a man worry.”

“Of course, of course.” Time sighed warmly, drawing Warriors under his arm. “But there’s a difference between worry and obsession.”

“I’m not obsessed.”

“Then go to bed.”

“You first.”

Time nodded, throwing his weight over Warriors. The captain squawked, folding in half under Time’s mass. Warriors clawed at Time uselessly, trying to shove him off.

“Sprite,” Warriors wheezed. “You’re crushing me .”

Using his heel, Time pushed more of himself over Warriors back until he was draped over the captain. The eldest closed his eyes with a smile, clasping his hands over his stomach.

“Wow,” Time sang, “a magic talking bed.”

Warriors forced his weight upwards, forcing Time to roll off his back. The captain scowled, blowing his hair from his face.

“Sleep on the ground,” the captain huffed.

“It’s cold,” Time said.

Warriors tugged his scarf from his neck, throwing it on top of Time. “There.”

“The ground’s hard.”

The captain set his hands on his hips, standing over Time. “Then go to bed.”

“Only if you come with.”

“Well someone has to be on watch.”

“Then tell me a story.”

The captain sighed, exasperated. “Fine, but just one.”

“Two.”

“ One .”

Time frowned, but nodded. The eldest got up with a groan, stretching out his back. Under Warriors’ sharp eye, he dragged his bed next to Wild’s just to be close to Twilight. Time lay down, staring up at the night sky. Warriors sat down beside him, mummy tucking the eldest into bed.

“What kind of story?” Warriors asked.

Time squirmed, freeing his arms from the blanket. “A happy one.”

“Very well.”