Archive of Our Own ^beta

The chain got dropped into a new era just after finishing a battle against a few guardians on wilds Hyrule. battered and bruised but otherwise fine the heroes look around to spot any landmarks this era has. Yet no one seems to find anything besides a forest in front of them. The trees seem to move and foliage is barely letting any light through. Time recognised these woods immediately. He would always know how his childhood home looks like. He was rather shocked that he and the rest were able to enter as they were clearly not part of the forest folk inhabiting this place.
"Where are we? Does anybody recognise the place?" Twilight asked. The only answer he got were the younger links simply shaking their heads while the older ones like Sky or Warriors vocalising their cluelessness.

Meanwhile Time has sunken deep into the ocean of thoughts about how it is possible they were able to visit his childhood home. Adults and children that aren’t Kokiri shouldn't even be able to enter the lost woods let alone stay in them. So the heroes would immediately turn into stalfos or lost children upon entering. But then why did the portal spit them out right in front of the forest? It just didn't make sense to the former forest child. Should he try and get to the Deku tree and ask him for answers? But that would with the risk of the others getting curious about his past and then he would have to remember everything. If he were to lead them out of the woods to gather information on the black blooded monsters or the shadow. But then he would possibly loose his only chance at talking to his first fatherly figure again. He should probably tell the others first that he knows where they all landed. And then they can all decide together. That's what the captain would do.

"Everyone I know where we are." Time accidentally interrupted four, who was in the middle of sharing a guess at their current location.
"-oh that's good and where are we?" the Smith simply said instead of his original idea.
"The sacred forest of my era. I have thought of two options on what to do and want your opinion on them." the one eyed male explained.
"Go ahead sprite. We are listening."
And with the captains encouragement time relayed the options he thought of to the rest of the group.

"OK, so let me summarise." Legend started. „Option one is we go further into the forest and talk to some sort of forest guardian as to why we are able to withstand something that's supposed to kill us, or we move out of the forest to see if we can get more information in our enemies…. say we talk to the tree."
The other heroes all seem to agree with the veteran, even Warriors.

And so the nine heroes of Hyrule embark on the rather confusing trip through the lost woods of their leaders era. “I want you to please stay close and not to run off. Stay on the path at all times. Is that clear?” Time ask before they move. The others give their form of affirmative and with that the group starts moving.

The light filtered through the canopy in dapples of gold and green, painting the forest floor with dancing shadows. The air smelled of moss and something faintly sweet, like rain on new leaves. The air seems to grow colder by a few degrees. And any and all outside noise seems to fade away as soon as they cross the bridge connecting the smaller part of the forest with the main part. While looking around and looking for anything interesting some notice that it almost seems as if the very woods are watching them back.

Time immediately slows down, scanning the treeline with a quiet kind of respect. That prompts the others to slow too, looking at their leader, waiting for him to make the next move. He turns around to face the group. “Stay close and on the path. The woods don’t particularly like strangers wandering of.” He warns.
That causes the other to exchange glances. Some heroes like Sky or Hyrule seem rather amused by that warning, while others like Legend or Warriors seem rather sceptical of the implications.
The veteran muttered something along the lines of “ Great. Another haunted forest.”, while the champion started poking at some unusual looking mushrooms. The rancher tried to track some scents, yet that turned out to confuse him even more as he can´t seem to catch a specific one to follow. Wind looked at their leader, wide-eyed and excited “It´s like the trees whispering!”
“Wonderful. Whispering trees. Just perfect.” Warriors co uldn’t help but comment dryly.

Something happens behind them. The path behind the heroes shifts- roots curling, leaves rustling in laughter-like patterns. It´s subtle but Time notices it nonetheless. ´It seems like the woods are in a rather playful mood´, Time thought, chuckling silently to himself.
A faint breeze stirred, carrying a lilting tune across the group. Yet as soon as the links noticed it the tune was gone again, leaving them in wonder about what they think they heard.
“Did you guys hear that?” Hyrule asked the others, looking around. “It sounded as the wind was singing a tune.”
“It was probably just a trick on the ears.” Warriors said quickly, to calm Hyrule down. Time Had to stifle a laughter at that, considering Hyrule did indeed hear that correctly. The forest chuckled, or rather make the rustling of leaves to sound like one.

Despite Time warning them, Wild drifts of the path. He saw something glowing shift past in periphery and went to investigate it, thinking it might be a blupee or something similar. But as soon as he went to investigate, he was lost and there was no track of the lowing thing he saw.
The others noticed his absence almost immediately, Sky pointing it out. The rest of the Links look around searching his blue tunic between the roes of the wood. Twilight is trying to locate his pups scent, yet it is rather futile.
The longer they search the more panicked the chain gets, yet Time seems to stay completely calm. Hyrule is trying to locate their lost champion with a spell yet the magic signature of the woods confuses him to no end. Yet it resolves rather quickly when Wild stumbles into Time a few steps away from the rest, looking a bit dazed.
“I guess you weren’t kidding about the wandering Thing, huh Old man?” he says as soon as the daze cleared up, while brushing his tunic of.
“You´ll learn faster, if you were to listen,” the mentioned hero replies mildly, picking some lose twigs out of the hair of the groups cook. Yet his eyes were fond, betraying his stoic nature and the forest seemed to hum in approval with Times words.
They regroup with the rest and while the others calm down Time steels his resolve in anticipation of what will happen very soon.

The deeper they went, the stranger the air became. It wasn’t heavy or dark — just alive. Every breath carried the scent of moss and old magic, and the leaves whispered overhead in a language that only Time seemed to understand.
The outside world faded until there was only birdsong, rustling branches, and the faint sound of breathing — too even, too deliberate to be just theirs.
“...Anyone else feel like we’re being watched?” Legend asked after a few minutes.
Wind turned in a slow circle, eyes wide. “Watched by what?”
“Everything,” Legend muttered.
“Relax,” Warriors said, though his hand hadn’t left his sword hilt. “It’s just trees.”
Twilight glanced around, frowning. “Trees don’t stare back.”
“They’re not staring,” Time said lightly from the front. He didn’t look over his shoulder, but the faint smile on his face said enough. “They’re listening.”
That didn’t help.
“Listening to what?” Warriors demanded.
“Us,” Wild said cheerfully. “We’re fascinating.”
A breeze stirred, and somewhere above them a low creak echoed — almost like laughter.
Four squinted up at the canopy. “Did the trees just… chuckle?”
“Don’t start,” Legend said.
The path wound ahead in lazy turns, but when Twilight tried to mark their direction — dragging a line into the dirt with his boot — it vanished the moment he looked away. A fresh layer of leaves fell, smooth and unbroken.
“Okay,” Twilight muttered, crouching down. “That’s new.”
“It’s not harmful,” Hyrule said, touching one of the trunks. His fingers brushed bark that pulsed faintly with light, like veins under skin. “It feels… curious.”
“Curious,” Warriors repeated flatly. “That’s one word for it.”
Four frowned at his notebook. “The map keeps changing.”
“Maybe you’re bad at maps,” Wind offered.
“I’m not bad at maps!” Four hissed, flipping the page around — only to freeze. The sketch had rearranged itself again. “Okay, I might be bad at these maps.”
Warriors groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve led soldiers through war zones easier than this forest.”
“Maybe compliment it,” Wild suggested. “Flatter the trees a little. They might like you more.”
Warriors glared. “I’m not flirting with foliage, Wild.”
Something rustled right behind him — a sudden shift of branches. Everyone turned. A small vine reached down from above, tapped him on the shoulder, and then darted back into the shadows like a mischievous animal.
Wild promptly doubled over laughing. “I think it’s flirting with you!”
“Absolutely not,” Warriors snapped, brushing at his shoulder as if that might help.
The forest rustled again, sounding suspiciously like a giggle.
Wind had wandered a few steps ahead, chasing a flicker of light between the trees. “Hey, guys—” he started, and then yelped as a curtain of roots dropped in front of him.
“Wind!” Twilight lunged forward, but the roots lifted on their own, dropping the boy back onto the path with a soft thump.
He blinked up at them, unharmed but covered in leaves. “I’m fine! Totally fine. Just… mildly scolded.”
Time’s lips twitched as he crouched to brush a twig off Wind’s hair. “That’s what happens when you wander off,” he said mildly. “They like to remind you who’s in charge here.”
“They?” Warriors asked, exasperated.
Time only hummed, standing again. “Old friends. They mean no harm.”
That answer did nothing to soothe anyone.
A soft, tinkling laugh broke the silence, and a small golden fairy appeared, circling Wind’s head like a delighted spark.
“She says I have a good vibe!” Wind announced proudly.
Legend groaned. “We’ve officially lost it.”
Hyrule smiled faintly. “Or maybe we’re just being welcomed.”
The forest hummed again, a low, contented sound that vibrated in their bones. Light filtered through the leaves like liquid gold, spilling across Time’s shoulders as he paused ahead of them.
He placed a hand on a broad trunk and whispered something under his breath — the words too soft to catch, too old to understand. The wind shifted. The whispering stopped.
When he turned back, the air felt lighter. The path ahead had cleared, straight and sunlit, as if the Woods themselves had bowed out of the way.
Wind blinked. “Uh… did you just tell the forest to behave?”
Time only smiled — that quiet, unreadable sort of smile that said yes without saying anything at all.
“Come on,” he said, stepping forward as leaves rustled in greeting.
“We’re almost there.”

The forest quieted as they walked. The playful whispers that had filled the air before grew softer, fading into a hush so deep it felt like the Woods were holding their breath.
Even the light changed — dimmer now, cooler, threaded with drifting motes that glowed faintly gold. The path widened, sloping gently downward until the trees opened into a vast clearing carpeted in moss.
And at its heart stood something enormous.
The Great Deku Tree’s trunk rose higher than a castle tower, its roots curling through the earth like the bones of the world. Its bark shimmered faintly with the pulse of magic, and when the wind stirred, the branches swayed with a slow, living sigh. The air smelled older here, thick with the scent of sap and memory.
Wind let out a low whistle. “He’s huge.”
“Be respectful,” Time said quietly, though his voice was more fond than stern.
Before anyone could respond, the ground beneath their feet gave a deep rumble — not threatening, more like the forest stretching awake. Leaves shivered loose from the canopy, spiralling down through beams of light.
Then a low, booming voice rolled through the clearing, so full of warmth it made the air hum.
“Ahhh… I know that step.”
The Links froze. The sound wasn’t loud — it was everywhere, woven through the soil, the wind, the rustle of bark.
“It has been long indeed, little sprout.”
Every head turned to Time.
Wild blinked. “Little sprout?”
Time’s shoulders tensed just slightly. “…He remembers me.”
Warriors raised an eyebrow. “Apparently fondly.”
The Deku Tree chuckled, the sound like thunder filtered through laughter. Leaves rustled overhead, shaking down a soft rain of petals.
“So tall now, and yet… still so very small.”
Wind burst out laughing. “Little sprout! That’s adorable!”
Time pressed a hand to his face. “He doesn’t mean—”
“And you’ve brought friends,” the Tree continued, sounding delighted. “Many of them, I see. So many faces, yet the same spirit shines behind each.”
Hyrule smiled faintly, stepping closer. “You… know who we are?”
“Children of Courage,” said the Tree. “I can feel it in your hearts. Each bears a spark of the same light, though you are shaped by different times. It is good to see you gathered.”
The Chain exchanged quiet looks — surprise softening into wonder. Even Legend didn’t have anything snarky to say for a full ten seconds.
Four was the first to recover. “You mean you recognize all of us?”
“How could I not?” The Tree’s branches swayed. “You all hum with the same melody. One of my favourite songs.”
Wild grinned. “Bet it’s Saria’s Song.”
“Indeed,” said the Tree, amused. “Though this one—” a faint gust stirred, rustling through Time’s hair, “—used to forget the second verse.”
Time groaned softly as Wind collapsed into laughter again.
“Please stop telling them things,” he muttered.
“Never,” said the Tree warmly.
Twilight stepped forward then, tipping his head respectfully. “It’s an honour to meet you, Great Deku Tree.”
“And an honour to host you, child of twilight. All of you are welcome here.”
The ground shifted, forming smooth seats of root and moss, and a few small sprites flickered into being around them — tiny lights darting between flowers, humming softly.
Wind immediately sat down and waved at one. “They’re cute!”
Legend eyed the sprites suspiciously. “They’re watching us.”
“Better than tripping us,” Warriors muttered.
“The Woods misbehave sometimes,” said the Tree, amusement clear in its deep voice. “But only because they missed their sprout.”
Time groaned again. “Please—”
“And now look at him,” the Tree continued grandly, “a full-grown oak! Traveling worlds, gathering kin, still forgetting to rest.”
That earned a chorus of knowing looks from the others.
Wild elbowed him lightly. “Guess even the trees tell you to take a nap.”
“Traitor,” Time muttered under his breath.
“You have done well, all of you,” the Tree said, his tone softening. “The world is brighter for your steps upon it.”
For a moment, the clearing glowed — a shimmer of gentle gold that soaked into their skin like sunlight. The air grew warmer, kinder.
And just like that, the forest around them relaxed. The whispers turned playful again, the light dappled and bright. The Great Deku Tree’s laughter rolled through the branches, gentle and proud.
“Now,” he said, “sit, rest, and tell me what adventures my sprout has found this time.”
Wind beamed. “Oh, so many!”
“Don’t you dare,” Time warned.

The clearing had changed while they spoke. Where moments ago it had been moss and shadow, now tiny golden lights drifted lazily through the air, and soft patches of grass shimmered like starlight had spilled across the ground. The forest seemed to exhale, content.
Roots curled up into natural benches around a small hollow in the earth that glowed faintly with warmth — a forest hearth. The Chain gathered instinctively, settling down among the moss and fairy-light.
Wind plopped down first, legs crossed, eyes shining. “Okay,” he said eagerly, “where do I start?”
“You don’t,” Time said immediately.
Wind’s grin widened. “Too late.”
Warriors leaned back against a root with a sigh. “Go on, let the kid talk. I could use a laugh.”
“A fine suggestion,” the Deku Tree rumbled, sounding amused. “It has been far too long since I’ve heard a proper story. Go on, young sailor — tell me of the seas that stretch beyond the forest’s edge.”
And that was all the encouragement Wind needed.
He launched into a tale about storms and pirates and sailing between islands of monsters, his hands waving wildly as he spoke. The fairy lights seemed to gather closer, pulsing in time with his excitement.
“And then—then this huge octopus showed up, and I thought we were sunk for sure, but—”
“You shot yourself out of a cannon,” Warriors interrupted. “Again.”
“It worked!” Wind said defensively.
“That’s not the point.”
The Deku Tree’s laughter rolled through the clearing, a sound like wind chimes in thunder. Even Time couldn’t quite hide his smile, his hand resting loosely over his knee as he watched them.
“So much courage in such small hearts,” said the Tree fondly. “You remind me of someone.”
Wind turned to Time with a grin that could split clouds. “See? He means you!”
Time sighed. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“And what of you, Hero of Time?” the Tree asked. “Have your travels been kind?”
For a moment, Time hesitated. The fireflies drifted lazily between them, their glow reflected in his eyes. “Kinder than I deserve,” he said softly. “Louder, certainly.”
That earned a snort from Legend. “You’re welcome.”
“Not what I meant,” Time said, but the edge of his mouth curved upward.
Hyrule smiled. “You’ve done well by us, Time.”
The Great Deku Tree hummed in agreement.
“Indeed. You carry the weight of many years, but not alone. The forest can see that much.”
The words lingered in the quiet that followed, warm as sunlight through leaves.
Four broke it first. “Well,” he said, stretching, “I think this might be the safest camp we’ve had in weeks.”
“The Woods will keep watch,” said the Tree. “Rest, little ones.”
Roots shifted softly, weaving together into protective arches overhead. The light dimmed to a comfortable glow.
Wind yawned and immediately curled up under his sailcloth. Wild was already setting up his bedroll beside him, though it was clear he’d fall asleep mid-sentence. Twilight sat close by, polishing his sword with calm, steady motions; Hyrule hummed under his breath, something old and familiar.
Even Legend, who claimed not to trust “talking vegetation,” had tucked himself in with only mild grumbling.
Warriors leaned back with a sigh, hands behind his head. “I could get used to this,” he said. “Trees that watch your back.”
“They always have,” the Tree said kindly. “You simply never stopped long enough to notice.”
The words drifted over them like a lullaby.
Time sat for a while longer, watching the others settle — faces relaxed, armor set aside, laughter replaced by the quiet rhythm of breathing.
When he finally looked up, the Deku Tree’s great eyes were half-lidded, glowing faintly with ancient calm.
“You’ve done well, my sprout,” the Tree said softly. “You have grown straight and strong, even in strange soil.”
Time bowed his head, eyes warm. “Thank you, old friend.”
“Rest,” the Tree murmured. “The dawn will find you ready for new roads.”
Time lingered only a moment more before stretching out beneath the canopy, the scent of moss and sunlight thick in the air. The forest hummed a soft, wordless song — one he hadn’t heard since his childhood.
And as the Chain drifted into sleep, the Great Deku Tree kept quiet watch, his laughter echoing faintly in the leaves.
“So many sprouts,” he whispered to the night. “And all of them growing well.”

Morning came quietly in the Lost Woods.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy in pale green ribbons, dappling the ground with light that moved like water. Dew clung to everything — every leaf, every root — and the air smelled of damp earth and growing things. Somewhere above, birds sang in high, silvery voices.
Time woke first. He always did.
He sat up slowly, careful not to disturb the others, and stretched the stiffness from his shoulders. For a moment he simply listened — the hum of the forest, the slow breath of the Deku Tree, the faint laughter of sprites still hidden among the roots.
Then, faint and distant, came another sound: soft footsteps. Light, quick, small.
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. He knew that rhythm anywhere.
“You can come out,” he said quietly.
A pause — and then the underbrush erupted with giggles as half a dozen tiny figures darted into the clearing.
The Kokiri.
Barefoot and bright-eyed, dressed in greens and browns, they looked exactly as Time remembered — though perhaps a little bolder now. One clutched a slingshot, another had flowers braided into her hair, and all of them wore identical expressions of awe at the sight of the strangers sleeping beneath their forest’s guardian.
“Time!” one of them squeaked, racing forward to hug his leg. “You came back!”
Wind, halfway through a sleepy stretch, blinked blearily. “Uh… are those kids?”
Legend rubbed his eyes. “Forest spirits,” he muttered. “Don’t touch anything.”
“Hey!” one of the Kokiri snapped. “We’re not spirits! We’re Kokiri!”
“Prove it,” Warriors said, only to yelp as a nut from a slingshot whizzed past his ear.
Wild cackled. “Okay, that’s proof enough.”
The clearing quickly filled with chatter. The Kokiri swarmed curiously around the Chain — tugging at Wild’s tunic, poking at Twilight’s wolf pelt, marveling at Four’s divided colours. One perched right on Hyrule’s knee, staring up at him with enormous eyes.
“You smell like sunlight,” she announced.
Hyrule blinked. “Um. Thank you?”
Time, meanwhile, had knelt to greet them properly, his expression soft in a way few of the others had ever seen.
“You’ve grown,” he said, though of course they hadn’t. Kokiri never did. But it felt right to say it anyway.
“We missed you,” said another, clutching his hand. “The forest missed you too.”
“And I missed it,” Time said, voice low. “More than I realized.”
The Great Deku Tree rumbled fondly from above.
“I see you’ve found your family again, little sprout.”
Wind snickered. “Still calling him that, huh?”
“Always,” said the Tree. “It suits him.”
Time groaned softly, but he was smiling now.
The Kokiri, delighted by the attention, decided to show off. They scattered across the clearing, demonstrating their best tricks — darting through branches, vanishing behind roots, whistling to call the sprites back into glittering spirals of light.
Twilight and Warriors watched with half-amused disbelief while Wild tried to imitate one of the spins and promptly fell into a patch of moss.
Legend didn’t even pretend to help him up. “You’re blending in,” he said dryly. “Maybe they’ll keep you.”
“Wouldn’t mind!” Wild said, grinning through the leaves.
The morning passed like that — laughter, the gentle hum of the forest, the Kokiri darting around them like sparks of memory brought to life.
Eventually, the Deku Tree’s deep voice rolled through the clearing again.
“The Woods thank you for your visit, heroes. The world beyond still calls for your courage.”
Time rose, brushing moss from his knees. “And we’ll answer it.”
The Kokiri’s smiles dimmed a little. “You’ll come back, right?”
He hesitated — then knelt again, meeting their eyes. “Always. The path may twist, but it never closes.”
That seemed to satisfy them. They waved until the Chain disappeared into the green light at the forest’s edge, their laughter trailing behind like bells in the wind.
As they stepped back into the brighter world beyond, Wild glanced up at Time. “So,” he said, grinning, “how does it feel being everyone’s favourite forest dad?”
Time chuckled, shaking his head. “Exhausting.”
Wind tugged his sleeve. “But you liked it.”
“…Maybe.”
The forest rustled behind them — a sound like a chuckle.

By the time they found the true edge of the Lost Woods, the light had changed. It was no longer the soft green glow of the forest’s heart, but the gold of real morning — warm and open, stretching across rolling fields beyond the trees.
The air tasted lighter out here. Sunlight glittered on the dew, and the smell of earth gave way to wind and sky.
Wind bounded ahead, his laughter carrying behind him. “We made it! I didn’t even get lost once!”
Legend snorted. “That you know of.”
“Hey, I’d remember!”
“Would you?”
While they bickered, Time lingered at the treeline. The shadows of the Woods still clung to him, the whisper of leaves brushing his shoulders like a farewell. He turned, and for a heartbeat, he could almost see the faint outline of the Deku Tree far off through the green haze — watching, smiling.
“Thank you, old friend,” he murmured.
A breeze stirred the canopy in reply, gentle and approving.
Twilight came to stand beside him, adjusting the strap of his pack. “Hard to leave, huh?”
“Always,” Time admitted. “But it feels lighter this time.”
Wild grinned. “That’s because you got closure and breakfast from the forest.”
“Breakfast?” Warriors echoed.
Wild held up a handful of bright berries. “The Kokiri said they help you ‘see happy things.’”
Legend groaned. “You mean they’re hallucinogenic?”
“They’re magical!” Wind insisted, snatching one.
“Don’t—” Time started, but Wind had already popped it in his mouth.
Everyone waited. Wind blinked once… twice… then gasped. “Whoa. You all look—sparkly.”
Hyrule laughed so hard he nearly fell over. “Guess they work.”
Time pinched the bridge of his nose, but he was smiling despite himself. “Let’s move before he starts hugging trees again.”
They filed out into the open, sunlight catching on steel and fabric, laughter following like echoes of the forest itself.
As the last of them stepped from shade to light, the Woods seemed to sigh — not in sorrow, but in contentment. The path behind them rippled once and faded, swallowed by green.
Wind twirled around, still grinning. “So, where to next?”
“Anywhere that doesn’t talk to me,” Warriors said.
“Aw, admit it,” Legend teased. “You liked the trees.”
“I did not.”
“Sure, Captain.”
The chain’s laughter carried out across the fields, bright and full — the kind of sound even the forest might miss when it was gone.
Time glanced back one last time, eyes soft. “Until next time,” he whispered.
And somewhere in the depths of the Woods, a low, contented chuckle answered, rustling the leaves like applause.