Chapter Text
The Shadow was crafty.
Legend hated when monsters were crafty. He enjoyed the occasional challenge, the exhilaration of adapting on the fly to overcome impossible odds, the intoxicating sensation of his magic flowing freely through enchanted weapons, jewelry, and clothing as he danced with death. But challenging was different from crafty. Crafty was unpredictable. Crafty was frightening. Crafty was dangerous.
Crafty was especially dangerous when he had people to protect.
They had gotten a report from Fable that the Shadow had been spotted gathering troops in the ruins near the Eastern Palace. Sure enough, when they arrived, they found several encampments scattered among the crumbling stones. A variety of moblins, taros, stalfos, and even some geru were moving between the encampments and the palace itself, stockpiling weapons and building barricades.
“Damn things are trying to turn it into their base,” Legend grumbled.
“Good thing pest control is here,” Wild whispered, pulling out a bomb arrow with a grin.
Legend grinned back. “Just don't hit the palace, or Sahasrahla will have my head.”
Wars narrowed his eyes. “I don't see the Shadow anywhere; it may be hiding inside. Let's draw up a plan and get this done before they get anything else built.”
Strategies were made, positions were taken, and Operation Pest Control began. Monsters shrieked and scattered as their fortifications fell to a handful of well placed bomb arrows. Once the rain of arrows ceased, the ground assault began. Legend and Hyrule were the first on the scene, showing the others how to fight the enemies that only the duo was familiar with. Wars, Time, Four, Wind, and Sky soon followed, while Wild and Twilight remained on higher ground to provide support and keep an eye out for any sign of the Shadow.
The plan had worked perfectly, until Hyrule let out a surprised yelp at the same time that Twilight gave the whistle that the Shadow had been located.
Legend turned just in time to see the Shadow drag Hyrule through a newly opened portal. Instinct pumped magic into his pegasus boots, and he bolted past a pair of stalfos after his successor.
The portal began to close. Legend ran harder than he ever had before, begging it to stay open for just a second longer.
He dove through the portal, and it snapped shut behind him, leaving nothing but an eerie silence in its wake.
“Get offa me you overgrown salamander-”
“Ow! Rulie, stop, its me!”
Hyrule paused, breathing heavily. “Vet? Then where's the Shadow?”
Right, the Shadow! Legend leapt to his feet with his sword at the ready, expecting to see the large inky lizalfos swinging it's sword at his head. However, to his surprise, they were completely alone. The only movement to be seen was the gentle swaying of the leaves in the trees around them and the fluttering of birds that had been startled by the heroes' sudden appearance.
“Looks like it just...ran off again,” he said uncertainly, though he kept his guard up.
Hyrule rose as well, grabbing his sword from where it had fallen when Legend had accidentally tackled him. His eyes narrowed as he studied the undergrowth.
“It snuck up on me by hiding in the shadow of a pillar,” he explained. “It might be hiding in another shadow now.”
Legend pointed. “Looks like the forest thins out over there, that should give it fewer places to attack us from.”
The two carefully began moving out of the dense brush, watching each other's backs as they went. Legend's ears twitched around at every noise (in a way that he insisted did not resemble any sort of lagomorph, thank you very much). Right before they reached the edge of the forest, their feet suddenly hit stone rather than dirt and plants. Hyrule looked down and immediately relaxed.
“It's a warded path!” he exclaimed. “We're safe from monsters here!”
“Warded path?” Legend echoed. Now that he looked at the path they had stumbled upon, he could clearly see a spell engraved on the stones that lined it. If he focused, he could sense the enchantment humming gently within the marks.
“Remnants of Hyrule's Golden Era, between my era and yours,” Hyrule explained. “The sages of that time built enchanted roads all across the kingdom to protect travelers. As long as you're on the road, no monster can see or touch you.”
Legend whistled. “Across the whole kingdom? How do they get enough magic to maintain that? My warded items drain my magic pretty quickly, and they're way smaller than this.”
“Great fairies, mostly. Their magic stores far exceed any human, though they still need the sages to come by occasionally and check the wards to make sure they're working properly.” The Traveler sheathed his sword and knelt to study the stones more closely. “This path wasn't here last time I was, Aurora must have ordered its construction while I was away.”
“That's the princess that you woke from a cursed sleep, right?”
Hyrule blushed faintly. “That's her. The practice of wards was lost when the kingdom fell into decline, but since she is from the Golden Era, she was able to help us decipher the writings that survived. Now we are able to both restore the old paths and build new ones.”
“Sounds like you've done some amazing work for your people,” Legend said, a proud smile dancing in the corners of his eyes.
Hyrule rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I mean, I didn't do that much, but thanks.”
Before Legend could tease him for being too humble, a commotion in the forest caught their attention. Swords were immediately at the ready again, only to be lowered when a half dozen deer rushed by and the forest once again fell into relative silence.
“Right,” Hyrule remembered, “still no sign of that Shadow.” He pulled out a map, then peered out at the desert that bordered the southern edge of the forest. “Looks like we're in the southeastern corner of Hyrule. There's a town nearby called New Kasuto, and I bet this path leads right to it. We should be able to reach it long before nightfall and ask around for any news of monster activity.”
Legend grinned. “Sounds like a plan to me. Let's track that thing down and politely convince it to send us back to the others.”
“Exactly,” chuckled Hyrule.
The two set off eastward down the path, but they hadn't gotten far when they spotted a man on the path running towards them. Legend's hand went to his sword, but Hyrule motioned for him to wait.
“Please!” the stranger gasped as he neared them, “travelers, please help me!”
“Easy, sir, what's the matter?” Hyrule asked, reaching out to support the man as he stumbled to a stop before them, clearly exhausted.
The man took a moment to catch his breath, then looked up at Hyrule. His eyes went almost comically wide. “Sir, might you be...the wandering hero? The one who slew Ganon himself?”
Hyrule nodded. “Yes, that's me. What do you need?”
“My name is Sinon, sir,” the man began. “My sister, Helena, was just abducted by monsters! Please, help me rescue her!”
“Of course, lead the way,” Hyrule answered, helping Sinon to his feet. He turned to Legend, his expression focused and determined. “Looks like we've got our first lead.”
“That Shadow certainly didn't waste any time causing trouble,” the Vet remarked as he rolled his shoulders and drew his sword.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, sirs!” Sinon exclaimed. “Please, this way!”
He led them quickly along the path, seemingly re-energized by Hyrule's presence.
“They grabbed her not far from here,” he explained as they ran, “I think they're planning to take her through the mountains to the north. They have all kinds of maze-like tunnels in there, we need to reach her before they enter one!”
“How did they get her?” Hyrule asked, “Were you not on the path?”
“We were foraging for food in the woods, and we didn't notice the monsters in time to make it back.” Sinon stopped and pointed into the trees. “Here! This is the trail we were on!”
The group hurried deeper into the woods, following the footprints that could now be seen in the dirt. Legend studied the prints as they ran, and his brow furrowed in confusion.
“Hey, Mister Sinon, I can only see one set of footprints here-”
He suddenly cried out in pain as an arrow sank into his right shoulder. Monsters jumped from the trees, surrounding the two heroes. Hyrule yelped as he narrowly parried a strike from Sinon, who now wore a ghastly grin.
“Spawn of a moblin,” Legend cursed. The traitor bowed mockingly in response.
The clash of steel on steel rang through the woods, sending animals fleeing for cover. Legend and Hyrule fought hard to stay near each other and try to escape the ambush, but they were slowly being driven apart by some of the smarter monsters.
While Hyrule clashed with a particularly large moblin, he caught sight of a flash of metal on its belt. His heart leapt when he realized what the monster was carrying.
A magic clock. Capable of freezing any number of nearby enemies in time. Practically an automatic victory, if he could steal it.
He went fully on the offensive, pushing the moblin as hard as he could. It stumbled backwards over a tree root, and Hyrule made a swipe for the clock. The moblin, however, was faster than it looked. It dodged his hand and made a run for it through the center of the battle, trying to gain some distance from the Traveler.
Hyrule realized as he gave chase that he had lost track of Legend in the chaos. Dread began to prickle in the back of his mind.
“Vet!” he called.
“I'm here!” Legend called somewhere nearby.
“If you see a moblin with a clock on its belt, swipe the stupid thing for me!”
A pause, likely to process the strange request. “Got it!”
Hyrule dodged a daira's ax and continued pursuing the moblin. He channeled his fire spell into his sword and threw a fireball at the beast, hitting it in the head. It barely flinched, instead veering sharply to the right.
The dread in Hyrule's mind intensified when he realized the moblin was heading right for Sinon, who appeared to be waiting for it.
Something terrible was about to happen.
He shot another fireball, then another. The moblin slowed a little, but it was too late.
Hyrule watched in horror as the moblin grabbed the clock from its belt and threw it to Sinon. The little device began to glow as the man raised it high with a triumphant sneer.
“WAIT-!”
The clock shone brilliantly, and a wave of magic exploded out in all directions.
Hyrule froze in place, unable to move a muscle, his unfinished scream lingering on his lips. Pure terror crystallized like ice in his veins. He strained desperately against the spell that held him, but nothing happened.
Sinon casually tossed the clock, admiring its magical glow. “Hmm, what do you know, it does work on heroes.” He looked back to Hyrule. “Bind him and seal his magic. Oh, and bring me his equipment.”
No, no, no, this can't be happening!
Two dairas and a strange looking bubble approached Hyrule. He was powerless to stop them as one of the dairas took his sword, shield, and item bag. The other yanked his arms back and tied them securely with a thick rope. It then carefully lowered him to the ground. A patch of soft moss pressed mockingly against his cheek.
Can't treat me too harshly, they don't want to risk wasting any blood, Hyrule understood distantly through a cloud of suffocating fear.
His legs were bound the same way as his arms, and the dairas left, satisfied with their work. Hyrule heard the bubble approach him, its jaw clattering in a way that may have been laughter. It bit down on his shoulder, and the cold sensation of a curse washed over him. The reserve of magic he could usually feel burning brightly beneath his skin suddenly became muted, like a glowing fairy being shut in a box.
“What do we do with this one?” a boarblin asked nearby.
If Hyrule's breathing hadn't already been suspended in time, it would have stopped then.
Vet!
Sinon hummed thoughtfully. He walked up to Hyrule, lifted him into a sitting position, and turned him towards the Vet. Legend was frozen mid-turn, a startled look in his eyes as he stared at Hyrule.
He must have heard my scream and tried to back me up.
A hand roughly grabbed the Traveler's hair, making sure he was looking right at Legend.
“Kill that one,” ordered Sinon.
No, please!
With a bone-chilling grin, the boarblin turned and plunged its sword into Legend's heart.
Hyrule was sure his chest would burst under the pressure of the scream trapped within. He watched as the boarblin withdrew its blade and cackled at the deep red that coated it. No blood flowed from Legend's body, and the hole in his tunic was barely visible from the distance Hyrule was at, but this brought no comfort or hope. Once the clock's magic wore off, Legend's fate would be sealed.
“Oh, and grab his bag too,” Sinon added, “we don't want any healing items messing anything up.”
The boarblin slashed the belt from Legend's waist and retrieved the bag. A nearby goriya tried to grab the tempered sword as well, but shrieked and yanked its hand back as soon as it touched the hilt. The whole sword, save for the part still clutched in the Vet's hand, glowed like a raging fire, the monsters hissing and spitting at the light.
Sinon clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Another magic sword. No matter, we have what we came for. Let's bring Lord Ganon his sacrifice!”
A victorious roar rang painfully in Hyrule's ears as the monsters prepared to set off. Sinon moved to pick Hyrule up, but paused and looked down at the clock still clutched in his hand.
“Whoops, out of time!” he remarked.
The spell broke, and Hyrule immediately lashed out, kicking at Sinon as hard as he could with an enraged cry. Nearby, Legend fell to the ground and groaned weakly, blood now gushing freely from his heart and soaking the ground.
“VET! VET!” Hyrule screamed, thrashing against his bonds like a bear in a trap. A few monsters rushed to pin him down, but he only fought harder. “GET OFF ME, I'LL KILL YOU! VET! HOLD ON!”
Sinon, who had been sent sprawling to the ground by Hyrule's kick, nonchalantly picked himself up and brushed some leaves from his tunic. “Someone shut him up,” he sighed.
A club came down hard on Hyrule's head, and he fell into darkness.
Consciousness returned slowly. The stabbing pain in his temple that followed soon after almost made Hyrule wish he hadn't woken up. Something jostled him, and a groan escaped before he could stop it.
“Good morning!” sang an infuriatingly familiar voice, “did you have a good nap?”
Hyrule attempted to unleash his best curses in response, but found that he had been gagged. He settled for the best growl he could muster.
“Whoa there, don't try anything. Unless you'd like to be hit harder, in which case please feel free to struggle pitifully.”
Rage burned in Hyrule's lungs and he almost tried to kick Sinon again, but he forced the urge down in favor of analyzing the current situation. He was currently being carried over the man's shoulder, which certainly was not helping his throbbing head feel any better. The strange bubble was still latched onto his shoulder, smothering his magic abilities, and his hands and feet were still bound tightly. At least he didn't seem to be bleeding anywhere.
Yet, his brain helpfully added.
A chill went down his spine. Right, he had been captured by the Eyes of Ganon. He had suspected their involvement from the ambush began, but now it was finally catching up to him just how dire things were. If he didn't escape fast, it would be more than his life on the line. The whole kingdom could be destroyed if he was sacrificed to revive the King of Evil. He needed to find a way out, now.
He studied the shadows on the ground below. It appeared to be sometime in the early afternoon, and they were headed north. The earth itself was red and rocky with occasional vegetation, and he could see the forest a little ways downhill. Huge chunks of stone lined the path they were taking. The monsters were headed into the mountains just northeast of New Kasuto, then, and it seemed that Hyrule hadn't been unconscious for very long.
A flash of yellow caught his eye, and his breath caught in his throat. One of the dairas at the back of the group was holding his and Legend's bags, as well as Legend's belt.
Tears began to gather in Hyrule's eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. No. No. The Vet wouldn't fall to a bunch of regular monsters. He had overcome far greater odds countless times over; he had more experience than anyone else in their group. He always had something on hand that was a perfect match for any challenge he faced.
The item bag swayed tauntingly in the daira's hand.
Hyrule took a deep breath through his nose. No. He had to believe in the Vet.
He had to get to the Vet.
The sound of leathery wings suddenly approached behind him.
“Lord Sinon,” the ache chattered, “there's been a small landslide at the mouth of the tunnel ahead. The entrance is mostly blocked, but the rest of the tunnel is intact.”
Sinon went to investigate, and groaned when the ache's report was confirmed. “What a pain. Everyone, get that tunnel clear. We don't want to be out in the open any longer than we need to be.”
The monsters around Hyrule disappeared from view as they went to start clearing the rocks. He looked around, searching for anything that could help him escape. Nothing came to mind. The monsters continued to dig.
Something golden sparkled for a moment, just a little ways down the path.
The whole mountain suddenly and violently heaved.
Monsters scattered, shrieking, running for their lives only to be crushed by boulders or swallowed by the churning earth. Sinon let out a startled yelp and stumbled. Hyrule threw his own weight forward as hard as he could, creating just enough momentum to send Sinon to the ground. He bashed the bubble on his shoulder against the ground once, twice, three times, until it crumbled to dust. His magic roared to life as the curse lifted, rushing through his veins like magma and pouring from his fingertips, burning through the ropes in seconds. He brought his hands up just in time to catch the dagger aimed right at his face.
“Filthy mongrel!” Sinon screamed, putting all of his weight onto the dagger, “I don't know how you got around the curse, but your tricks won't save you! I'll kill you now and bring your blood to Lord Ganon in a bottle!”
Hyrule cast fire again, scorching Sinon's hands. The man cried out in pain and loosened his grip on the dagger. Hyrule ripped it from his grasp, turned it around...
...And plunged it into Sinon's neck.
For a moment the two simply stared at each other, frozen with shock. Sinon let out one horrible gurgle and collapsed on top of Hyrule. The Traveler flinched as hot, sticky blood splashed across his face and chest. He scrambled out from under the body, removed the remaining rope and gag, and leapt to his feet, fighting to keep his balance as tremors continued to rock the earth. A few aches swooped down at him, screeching angrily, but they were quickly dispatched with a few slashes. Finally, the ground stilled once more. Silence washed over the mountain, broken only by Hyrule's heavy breathing. Smoke and dust rose and twisted in the air above the rubble, the only remaining sign of the monsters.
Hyrule caught a glimpse of dusty leather lying among the rocks. He rushed over to find his and Legend's bags still perfectly intact, and he quickly gathered them up.
Wait, the Vet!
He leapt to his feet and practically flew back down the path.
That quake had magic in it. It had to be the Vet, it just had to be.
He had to be alive.
Hyrule's heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of the golden glimmer again. He ran towards it, skidding to a stop by a large rock.
A golden chain lay on the ground, three magical medallions hanging from it.
And next to it, one hand reaching out as if to snatch them up...
Legend lay motionless in a puddle of blood that ran back down the path to the woods. More blood trailed down his face from his nose, a clear sign of extreme magical exhaustion. The color stood starkly against his unnaturally pale skin. His sword lay sheathed by his side, the end of the sheath coated in dirt; a makeshift cane.
Hyrule fell to his knees, reaching out with shaking hands to check for a pulse.
He found none.
“No, no, no, Vet, please,” he pleaded, pressing harder at Legend's neck and wrist. The skin was terrifyingly cold. He withdrew and fumbled at the latch of his bag, ripping it open desperately. Glass clinked inside as he dug around and retrieved a bottled fairy. He ripped the cork out and practically dumped the poor creature onto Legend's chest.
“Sister, please, save him!”
She hesitantly cast her healing magic. Once, twice, a third time just to be sure. The magic passed right through the body. Her wings drooped, and she looked up at Hyrule.
“I'm sorry, sister,” she chimed mournfully, “he's gone.”
The words slammed into Hyrule like a charging lynel, knocking the breath from his lungs. He just stared at his brother's body for a moment, though his eyes did not focus on anything. He carefully gathered Legend into his arms, choking out a sob as the boy's head fell back limply. The fairy fluttered up into the Traveler's hair, unwilling to leave him to mourn alone. He curled tightly around his brother and let out a tortured cry into the beautiful, soaked tunic.
Goddesses, anyone, please. Please, don't take my brother from me.
Somewhere nearby, Hyrule heard the faint sound of fabric being torn apart.
Legend gasped.
“Ru-Rulie?”
Hyrule sat straight up like he had been shocked. He and Legend stared at each other for a moment.
“...Vet?”
Legend blinked, then quickly checked his chest where he had been stabbed. The tear in the tunic remained, and everything was still covered in blood, but the skin beneath was unharmed.
“I... I died,” he stated numbly. “I know I did. How did I...”
“This isn't a trick, right?” Hyrule asked timidly, his lip wobbling slightly, “You're okay?”
Legend gently took one of Hyrule's hands and squeezed it. “I suppose I am. Sorry to scare you, Rulie.”
The Traveler embraced Legend again. This time, tears of joy streamed down his cheeks as he pressed his ear to his brother's chest, basking in the wonderful sound of his heartbeat. He whispered Legend's name over and over in relief.
Legend hugged back just as hard, taking a moment to just breathe.
“How did you do it?” he asked after a while.
Hyrule pulled back, confused. “I thought you did something?”
Legend shook his head. “I have no items or abilities that can bring someone back to life. I've had countless fairies pull me back from the brink, but this was different. I've never felt anything like it before. It almost felt like... like my soul was stuffed back into my body, and the opening was stitched closed.”
Hyrule and the fairy on his head gasped at the same time. Legend yelped in surprise as Hyrule suddenly dropped him and snatched up his item bag. All eyes were on the Traveler as he dug through the contents, finally coming up with something strange.
A small cloth doll that resembled Hyrule himself lay in his hand. Little bits of straw stuck out of a rip on its chest. The boy stared at it, his mouth open in wonder.
“It...” he whispered, “it saved you.”
Legend stared at the doll, suddenly feeling a little apprehensive.
“What is it?”
“I call it a life doll,” Hyrule explained as he held it reverently. “It acts as a kind of body double. If you die to a wound, the wound is transferred to the doll and you are revived. Oh goddesses, I'm so glad I still had one left-”
The ground dropped out from under Legend's feet. His mouth spoke against his will, pursuing the knowledge he did not want.
“...One left?”
Hyrule slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide.
Legend persisted.
“Rulie, how many of these dolls did you have?”
“I- that's not important.”
Legend grabbed Hyrule's wrist, fixing him with a desperate stare. “Tell me, please.”
Hyrule opened and closed his mouth silently. His eyes flicked nervously at the ground. Eventually, his shoulders sagged in defeat.
“I think I had five others? But I might be miscounting, it might be fewer than that. Yeah, it was probably fewer-”
Legend released Hyrule's wrist, his fingers suddenly numb. His chest felt like a deep, hollow pit; his shallow breaths rattled in its depths.
Five times.
He hadn't outright said it, but he had implied it.
Hyrule had died five times.
Hyrule had been rescued from death five times.
Legend had just stolen his sixth chance.
The grief of the realization crashed over the Veteran like the waves that haunted his nightmares. Tears pricked at his eyes, though he barely noticed them. He reached out with trembling fingers and took the hand still clutching the ruined doll in his own, then bowed his head.
“I'm...I'm so sorry,” Legend said hoarsely.
Those words had never felt so meaningless.
Hyrule left the doll in Legend's hands and threw both arms around him, pulling him close.
“Don't,” he hissed, his words choked with tears. “Don't you dare apologize. All of my items are worth nothing compared to you. I would happily give everything I have to keep you safe, because I love you, Link. You hear me? I love you.”
Legend began to cry softly, the warmth of his brother's words too great to bear. He buried his face in Hyrule's shoulder and hesitantly hugged him back. He had never felt so small before. He took a moment to find his voice again.
“...Okay,” he whispered. It was all he could manage, and it was wholly insufficient.
Hyrule squeezed him tightly before pulling away to give him a tear-stained smile. He stood and offered Legend a hand up.
“Let's get somewhere safe, yeah?”
Legend took the offered hand. His heart, though a little lighter, still sat heavy behind his ribs. It may have been restored physically, but Legend could still feel a hole. One he would have to fill himself.
He suddenly snapped out of his guilty thoughts, remembering what he had been doing before he was revived.
“Wait, Traveler, what happened to the monsters that took you? Did I manage to take them down? Are you hurt?”
A grieved expression once again marred Hyrule's face.
“I'm not hurt,” he said softly, “and yes, you got almost all of them. I took care of the rest. But, now that you mention it, there is something I need to do before we go to New Kasuto. Come with me.”
Legend followed apprehensively as Hyrule solemnly led them back to the blocked cave entrance. Boulders from the quake littered the path, but as expected, any fallen monsters had long since disappeared into smoke. The lone exception lay motionless right where Hyrule had left him, and Legend's blood ran cold at the sight.
Hyrule knelt by the man's body.
“During my second adventure, I encountered monsters called aches. They sometimes took human forms in order to lure me in, but they always turned back into their true forms before I killed them, and they disappeared like all other monsters do.”
His shoulders began to shake as he stared at the blood drying on the man's neck. Legend knelt as well and waited for Hyrule to continue, though he had already pieced together what had happened.
“This man was able to walk on the warded paths. He was able to use a magic clock. His body is still here. He was human, Vet.”
Hyrule reached out, as if to touch the body, but faltered and quickly withdrew.
“I-I've never killed a human before.”
Legend thought his heart would tear itself apart. He desperately wished that he had some comforting words to say, some magic to turn back time and spare Hyrule this horrible choice, but he had nothing.
“Have you ever-” Hyrule began, before thinking better of it, “No, never mind, sorry.”
The desperation in the half spoken question gave Legend the courage to act.
“...I have. Two castle guards, during my first adventure.”
Hyrule looked up in surprise. Legend met his gaze steadily.
“...How do you live with it?” Hyrule asked timidly.
A bitter smile. “I think I'm the worst person to answer that, Rulie.”
The Traveler fell silent again at that. He wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face in them, attempting to hide the new tears gathering in his eyes.
Legend tried again.
“I could say that self defense is justified, but I know that doesn't sit right with people like us, even if it is true. I suppose...I atone by saving whoever I can. Talking to my friends back home helps too.” He picked at the hem of his sleeve. “Once we reunite with the others, you should talk to one of them. They're better at this than I am. Shoot, wait, I'm not trying to say that any of them have killed someone before. I hope they haven't. I- ugh-”
Frustration jabbed at Legend's throat. He hated feeling so useless. He hated when his words refused to cooperate. What good was his sword when a friend needed bandages? What good was his bleeding heart when he couldn't feed people with the drops?
He ran a hand angrily through his bangs, fingers tangling in and yanking on the thick locks.
“I'm sorry.” He felt like a broken record. “You don't deserve this burden. I should have carried it for you.”
Hyrule quickly sat up, shaking his head.
“No, no, don't say things like that. I will learn to carry it. It's the least I can do for him.”
Legend wanted to argue, but he knew there was little point. Instead he looked back at the man lying in front of them.
“Would you like me to help you bury him?”
Letting out a resigned sigh, Hyrule nodded and rose to his feet.
“Yes, please.”
They carried the man to a softer patch of earth. Legend retrieved two shovels from his item bag, handed one to Hyrule, and the two began to dig a grave. A variety of power gloves and bracelets adorned their hands, making the work faster and easier on their tired bodies. Soon they had a grave deep enough to lower the man into, and they silently covered his body as the sun set mournfully in the blazing orange sky.
Hyrule took only a few moments to catch his breath before picking up a fairly large nearby rock and placing it at the head of the grave.
“I'm going to carve a headstone,” he explained.
“Rulie, you should rest,” argued Legend. “We can come back and do that tomorrow.”
“It won't take long. I'll use magic to carve it.”
Legend's eyebrows furrowed in worry. Hyrule's eyes were dull with exhaustion, and his movements were sluggish.
“At least drink some green potion first,” the Vet coaxed.
Hyrule thought about it for a moment, then fished one out of his bag and drank half of the contents. A little alertness returned to his expression, and he focused back on the headstone. Legend pulled out his water-skin and drank a little as well, watching closely as Hyrule began to chant a spell. The boy pressed a finger to the flat side of the rock, and a pale blue light appeared at the tip of his finger. He began to write, the words glowing a little brighter as he continued to chant.
The spell drifted through the air, brushing Legend's bangs before settling to the ground around the grave, and a strange sense of safety and calm bloomed in the Vet's heart. A warding spell, he realized, just like the ones on the paths.
Hyrule stopped chanting and removed his finger from the headstone. The blue glow faded, revealing the finished inscription magically carved into the rock.
Legend shuffled closer. He realized that his grasp of Hyrule's language was not as strong as he thought.
“What does it say?” he asked.
The Traveler hesitated.
“...It's a traditional inscription in my era. It reads: “Here lies a child of the goddesses, led astray by evil. We children of Farore pray that you find safe passage into her arms.””
“I see,” Legend responded. He stood there quietly, unwilling to argue that perhaps the message was a kinder one than the man deserved. As long as it brought Hyrule some peace, he was satisfied.
Hyrule took a deep breath and turned from the grave. “It's late, we should get going.”
Silently, solemnly, they headed back to the road.
After a quick detour to a nearby lake to wash the blood and dirt from their bodies, the two exhausted heroes finally made their way to New Kasuto. They arrived at the gates right as the last of the pink drained from the clouds on the horizon and stars began to glimmer far above their heads. A watchman, sitting in the light of a lantern by the gate, jumped to his feet as they approached.
“Halt,” he called, “state your business.”
“It's me, Link,” answered Hyrule. “My friend and I need a safe place to spend the night.”
The man's eyes lit up in recognition as he spotted the bejeweled hilt of Hyrule's sword. “Link! It's been a while!” He opened the gate and beckoned them forward. “Come in, quickly.”
Hyrule thanked him and hurried inside, practically dragging Legend with him. The watchman closed the gate as soon as they entered, peering out into the darkness outside.
“You're certain you weren't followed?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Hyrule, “we ran into some trouble on the way, but we took care of it.”
“And you're certain your friend here is trustworthy?”
“Positive.”
The man nodded. “Good, good. Can't be too careful right now, with the Eyes on the move.”
Hyrule's ears twitched, and he shared a glance with Legend. “Where have they been spotted?” he asked.
“Mostly farther north around Maze Island. Though... they did attack this town a few weeks back,” the man added solemnly. “Carried a few people off with them; haven't seen them since. Everyone's been on high alert. The Princesses sent some soldiers and mages to strengthen our defenses, but the people are still scared that another attack will come soon.”
Guilt sat like hot tar in Hyrule's chest. “I'm sorry I wasn't here to help,” he said softly, “but now that I'm back, I'll do whatever I can to make sure the Eyes don't return.”
The watchman rested a hand on Hyrule's shoulder. “That's all we can ask of you, dear lad. Your help will be greatly appreciated. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you,” Hyrule smiled. “For now, we just need a place to sleep.”
The man suddenly looked rather embarrassed. “Ah, I'm afraid that everyone's doors are locked tight right now. No one will be willing to open up at this hour. All I have to offer you is the stables, but I'd be happy to find you the best beds available if you wish to stay tomorrow night-”
“That's all right, thanks again,” Hyrule laughed. He turned to lead Legend to the stables.
“Oh, one more thing,” the watchman called after them, “there are rumors that the Eyes have a new leader. A great, black lizard with blood red eyes, they say.”
The heroes looked at each other.
Bingo.
“Understood,” Hyrule answered. “Goodnight, sir. May the goddesses guard you.”
“Same to you, lad.”
Hyrule and Legend continued down the street on the perimeter of the town, and soon found the stables. They opened the door to find a few donkeys lying in the warm straw. One startled awake as they entered, but Legend quickly soothed it and it soon settled down again.
The Vet pulled out a lantern, lit it, and followed Hyrule up into the hayloft. They both sighed heavily as they collapsed into the large piles of hay.
“With how this day has gone, this feels like a bed fit for a king,” Hyrule hummed.
“You've got that right,” Legend agreed, voice muffled by the hay.
They lay there in silence for a little while, listening to the soft snores of the donkeys below. Yet, despite their exhaustion, sleep eluded them.
Legend looked over and saw Hyrule staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.
“Are you thinking about the Shadow too?” he asked.
The Traveler nodded.
“I wonder if that thing really is leading the Eyes of Ganon now. I wonder if it's trying to build an army across eras, to confront us at every turn.”
Legend sat up. “If that's the case, we can't afford to wait to reunite with the others. We don't want to risk more attacks on your people.”
“I don't like the idea of remaining split up for this,” Hyrule sighed, “but you're right. We should start planning first thing in the morning.”
“...What is this Maze Island, anyway?” asked Legend.
Hyrule reached into his bag and pulled out the map from earlier. He pointed to a large island in the northeastern corner.
“That's Maze Island,” he said as Legend shuffled closer with the lantern. “There were rumors after my second adventure that the Eyes of Ganon were relocating there from Death Mountain. It sounds like those rumors might be true.”
“The Eyes of Ganon,” Legend murmured. “That's the cult that you once told me was hunting you, right? The ones who want to resurrect Ganon by sprinkling your blood on his ashes?”
The Traveler grimaced. “That's them. The group that ambushed us was definitely part of that cult. What worries me is that they've managed to recruit people to use magic clocks. They're far more cunning than before, and I bet the Shadow is the reason why.”
“Do you think they have more of them?”
“I don't know,” Hyrule admitted. “Artifacts like that were extremely rare during my first adventure, and I didn't find a single one on my second adventure. To be honest, I thought they were all gone until today.”
Legend picked at the corner of his tunic, uncharacteristically nervous.
“Let's try to get some sleep,” he said, “we can worry about this tomorrow.”
Hyrule sighed and put the map away. Legend extinguished his lantern.
“Goodnight, Vet.”
“...Goodnight.”
Hyrule dreamed of blood that night.
Legend's. His own. It was hard to tell the difference. Both stained Ganon's altar. It dripped in a grisly rhythm beneath a chorus of monsters cheering their victory.
A corpse stood over him, its neck bathed in the same crimson sheen.
“Where is my brother, o hero?” it asked, “where is yours?”
The room erupted into flames, brighter and hotter than anything a sorcerer could conjure.
Hyrule awoke with a soft gasp, the phantom scent of charred flesh still burning in his lungs. He took a moment to calm his frantic breathing, then blearily opened his eyes and sat up. Legend lay by Hyrule's side, his chest rising and falling gently like waves lapping the shore. One who did not know him as well as the Traveler did would think he was truly asleep, but Hyrule could see from the tilt of his ears that he had heard Hyrule wake from the nightmare and was listening intently to make sure everything was alright.
What a worrywart, Hyrule thought fondly. He cast a quick look around the stable to confirm that they were safe, then lied back down to show he was fine.
Well, maybe not completely fine. His instincts were still whispering of danger, insisting that something was wrong.
It was just a dream, he reasoned with himself, the Vet and I are safe.
Danger, danger, his mind chanted back.
Legend shuffled a little in the straw behind Hyrule.
See? We've got each other's backs. Even if something does happen, we'll protect each other.
A faint ticking sound chilled Hyrule to the bone.
Danger, danger, danger.
Magic once again bound his limbs, and panic filled Hyrule's lungs.
How? Where? Had the cult found them again? Why hadn't the watchman raised the alarm?
Legend shuffled again.
...What?
He leaned over Hyrule...
...and placed a magic clock in his frozen hand.
Hyrule simply stared, his mind uncomprehending.
“The monsters had two clocks,” Legend whispered apologetically. “I only saw this one, and I let my guard down once I managed to grab it.”
What are you doing, Vet?
“My careless mistake cost you your final fail-safe. I can't undo that, but I can ensure that the Eyes of Ganon never harm you again.”
Idiot! Are you planning to take them on by yourself?!
Legend began to dig through Hyrule's bag. “I'm sorry to use the clock on you, but I can't have you following me and I know you sleep too lightly for me to simply sneak away.” He pulled some maps out of Hyrule's bag, then reached into his own. “Don't worry, I'll make sure no one touches you while I'm gone.”
Hyrule wanted to scream as Legend pulled out the magic cape and draped it over his stiff body, fastening the clasp around his neck almost reverently. The magic activated against Hyrule's will, hiding him even from Legend.
The Vet descended the hayloft's ladder and approached the stable door. He turned back to look at where he knew Hyrule lay. The dim light of a nearby lantern accentuated the guilt that swam in his exhausted eyes, clashing with the brave smile he was trying to muster.
Please, don't do this, Hyrule pleaded silently.
“Wait for me, okay? I'll return to you victorious, I swear it.”
He stepped through the door, and disappeared with a flutter of pegasus wings.