Chapter Text
Wild was the only thing that stood between Four, who was suffering a nasty spell of portal sickness, two silver bokoblins, and an electric wizzrobe. He was down to his last sword and was certain it wouldn’t last long enough to kill all three. He didn’t say this to Four, however. Four had to worry more about getting better, and Wild was the man who can kill Guardians with nothing but a pot lid and a soup ladle. He had this, totally.
One and a half Bokoblins later and Wild realized he very much did not have this. His sword had one more hit left in it. If he hit the remaining boko hard enough he could probably take it out, but that would still leave the Wizzrobe- who danced through the air and cackled tauntingly. He could see the Wizzrobe charging to cast his lightning, and knew he had to act fast. He jumped forward into the path of the Wizzrobe, taunting the bokoblin after him with his back to the Wizzrobe, crouching low as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Just as the Wizzrobe released its spell, Wild jumped forward and stabbed his sword into the Bokoblin, letting the sword act as a lightning rod. His *intention* was to flip over the bokoblin and pray it bought him enough time to find an improvised weapon of some kind, but he forgot how smart some of these black blooded monsters could be. The bokoblin grabbed his ankle, and Wild could feel the electricity arc from the metal of the sword through his body.
He especially felt it where the Sheikah Slate attached to his body- with metal connections from the Slate and the socket implanted in his hip.
Wild let out a scream as he hit the ground, thrashing in pain. His ears rang, but he forced himself up to his feet. The boko was already nothing but smoke, but he still had to kill the Wizzrobe. There was no way Four was okay yet. He would kill the Wizzrobe, and then he could pass out. Wild stumbled up to his feet, his vision already double as he found Four, still on the ground but trying to force himself upwards. Wild collected himself enough to jump forward, barely able to hear himself apologize to Four and promise not to break his sword before he grabbed the hilt of the Four Sword and pulled.
It felt like everything shattered. His mind, his body, the world around him. He struck out blindly in the direction of the Wizzrobe… He hoped. He felt lightning strike him again, coursing up the sword and into his arm, yanking another scream from his throat. The whole world pitched around him. He could taste bile in his throat as he felt his body collide with the ground. He could barely think, the world spinning around him.
The Sheikah Slate sparked, glitching from the electricity coursing through it. Suddenly, Wild was back in Blatchery Plains. It was raining, his entire body burning from exhaustion, adrenaline, and extensive injuries. His ears were ringing as he ran with Zelda through the mud. He could hear that haunting beeping of their pursuers, could feel himself slide in the mud as he tried to support himself to protect her- to always protect her, no matter what, at all costs he must protect-
His world flashed white. He could have sworn he heard several voices calling out to him as everything slipped away.
˗ˏˋ⚡︎ˎˊ˗
Link groaned as he started to wake up, head throbbing. He rolled onto his side, clutching at his head and whimpering. His body hurt all over, like he fell out of a tree and hit every branch on the way down. He curled up on his side, and suddenly became aware of voices around him. They were saying something about him waking up. Link felt someone lift his head, heard a soft voice telling him they needed him to drink a potion. Something about being hurt really bad. Maybe he did fall out of a tree? He let the person lift him until he was sitting up, letting out another pained whimper. He felt the bottle against his lips and drank in slow, controlled sips until he simply couldn’t anymore. He choked and started coughing, which only made his body hurt more. He whined and curled up against the warm body that was holding him, instinctively trying to seek warmth and comfort. He felt hands rubbing his back as he slipped back into oblivion.
⚡︎˖ ࣪
When Link woke up, the first thing he was aware of was the taste of bile in his mouth, and his entire body throbbing in pain. He felt like he just sparred half the regiment. He turned his head slightly, but movement made his head swim and his stomach lurch. Instincts took over him in that moment, rolling over and up onto his elbow just in time to empty his stomach. He heard shouts of surprise from indistinct-yet-unfamiliar voices. He felt someone rubbing his back as he fought the fog filling his mind, dragging him back into the depths. He groaned, letting himself collapse back down onto his side on his cot, his awareness slipping away from him.
⚡︎ ⋆.˚
Wild felt like he just fell down a cliff. His body was sore, his head swimming. He had felt worse pain by far, but something was… different. His body felt wrong, and his head… His skull throbbed in time with his heartbeat. He tried to open his eyes, but that felt like an insurmountable struggle. He rolled onto his side, reaching out blindly. He whimpered for Twilight, for his brother. He suddenly felt a hand grab onto his.
“I’m here, Cub. I’m here,” he felt Twilight’s familiar voice whisper, felt the rough hands of the rancher brush his hair away from his face.
Wild struggled to sit up, Twilight muttering about him going easy, but helped raise him up so he could rest against his chest. Wild felt the warmth of his mentor’s pelt envelop him. He slipped back away, feeling safe in his brother’s arms.
༄࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
Link groaned, gritting his teeth as he rolled himself onto his side. He felt like a frox had fallen on top of him- And not just any regular old frox, but an obsidian frox. Those things were *dense.* He pushed himself up onto his elbows, pushing down the nausea that caused.
”Ugh.. fuck me..” he grunted as he opened his eyes, taking a few deep breaths- checking for broken ribs. “What the hell happened..” he looked up to take in his surroundings.
He was surprised to see eight others staring back at him. A small brunette stepped forward, looking cautious. Like he thought Link was going to bite. Well.. He wouldn’t be wrong. He wasn’t above biting.
“How are you feeling?” the brunette asked, approaching with a red elixir.
Link pushed a hand against his forehead to try and think through the weird throbbing in his head. “Like I have a concussion,” he said as he pushed himself up and sat back on his legs. He looked off to the side, realizing there were a few others in various states of recovery from something. He squinted slightly as he took in the sight of… Himself (leaning against a strange man with a wolf pelt), himself (laying on his side), and himself (curled up in a ball with his hands covering his head). They got progressively younger, though he could recognize each one.
Himself, the Champion of Hyrule who defeated Calamity Ganon.
Himself, the dutiful knight and personal guard of Princess Zelda.
Himself, the child without a sword or a care in the world.
“Okay no, now I’m *sure* I have a concussion.”