Linked Through The Ages: A Linked Universe AU

Chapter 6: A New Awakening

"Castielswings2, you told us you'd be back to writing this story over Christmas break and it's now  flipping July!!! Where have you been?!?!"

Well... I'll tell you more in depth in the end of chapter notes, but yeah... Let's just say all hell broke loose these past few months.🙃 Anyways... hope you enjoy this chapter!😅

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Link's eyes snapped open to a blurred world of colors, of an aching pain emanating deep in his bones, fingers tightly gripping his shoulders, a new rush of adrenaline racing through his bloodstream.  Captive. Pain. Zelda... Where was Zelda?!   He thrashed against whoever his captor happened to be.  Monster?  Yiga?  Something unknown he hadn't seen before, maybe?  It wouldn't matter much anyway unless he could get out from underneath it.  Whatever this was had wrapped itself around his legs.  Oh goddesses, this thing was going to kill him, wasn't it?  He could feel the pain radiating from the gashes left along his arms, legs, even his torso, from its' long piercing claws.  He screamed, somewhere between ear piercing and strangled, desperate for anyone to hear him.  Without him, Zelda would never be saved!  He would fail and die again!  The shrine!  They would return him once again to that cursed place.  Once again, his body would reform while his braincells rotted, forgetting the few memories with the people whom he had considered dear to him and the newly built relationships that had flowered across his newly beating heart.  Unlike his first awakening, he would wake utterly and completely alone with no one to turn to, no one to fight for.

"Link!"

The claws dug further into his skin, shaking him viciously.  How long had he been this vulnerable?!  How could it have known his name?!  He was going to die by the hands of whatever abomination snuck up on him while he was sleeping!  Unconscious.  The odd thought floated across his mind, just as hazy and beat into submission by his enraged headache as every other thought that wondered into its' path.

"Link!  Stop!"

He had to MOVE!  To get away from this thing! It was trying to kill him and succeeding with its' mission judging by the white-hot pain racing through his body!  It was killing him!  He couldn't breathe!  IT WAS KILLING HIM AND HE COULDN'T BREATHE!!!!

"LINK!"

Whatever thing holding him captive, released his shoulders and wrapped its' palms around the side of his face, turning his head to stare at the ceiling.  It wants to look me in the eye as it kills me!  Frankly, he wouldn't give it the satisfaction it wanted.  As it pleaded with him to open his eyes, he gripped the talons that dug into his cheeks and wrenched his head back as far as he could, giving himself momentum before he thrusted himself forward to collide with the wretched being in front of him. Instead of the bloodthirsty monster he expected to meet his angry glare, his eyes met a pair of worried, bright green eyes.

"OW! LINK! It's me!  You're safe for Hylia's sake!"

"Wha...?" Link blinked from his position halfway thrown off of the bed he had been laying on.  That voice... it was far too high pitched and so, so familiar, but... it couldn't be... A scratchy, freshly starched blanket wrapped around his legs, barely holding him from falling face first off of the bed, from where it was tucked underneath the mattress.  So... it wasn't a monster?  He chanced a glance at the blurry silhouette of whoever was in front of him.  Bright, golden hair reflected the warm light of a lamp sitting on a small table situated along the dark timber of a hut wall.  The strands hung limp and damp across her face as her hands clutched a steadily swelling lump across her forehead.  A towel wrapped around her neck, keeping the hair that stuck to it from dripping down the traditional Sheikah robe she currently wore.