Shadow of the Fallen Lands

~Time~

"Fairy Boy!" Malon snapped, tapping my foot with her shovel  "You've been standing there in silence for ten minutes straight! Say something!" I smacked myself out of my darkening thoughts. Malon knows when I go silent that I'm thinking about my journeys, both of them. Hyrule, which cost me my childhood, and Termina, which cost me the sight in one of my eyes. I was about to move, to talk to my wife, when a vortex of red erupted by my feet. "What in the name of Din?" I shouted, before I realised it was totally harmless. It enveloped me in black lightning, crackling and fizzing like one of the Lake Scientist's failed experiments. "Malon" I called to my wife, "I can sense Hylia! I think she wants me to go thr-" I was interrupted by Malon yelling back "Then go, Fairy Boy!" I smiled, that hotheaded farmer girl I first met was still there. Then, I let myself fall into the portal.

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I was deposited on the ground, which did nothing good for my back, sprawled there. My one eye was blurred and unfocused, and when I tried to stand, I fell hard. I shakily crawled until I knew I was over grass, not dry earth, then tried standing again. This time, however, I was successful, and I staggered away, leaning on trees for support. I was walking for nearly the whole day, and, as night began to steal the sky, I stopped to rest. I let my thoughts roam, and I wondered what I'd eat tonight. Nothing, probably. I fell asleep to the quiet noises of night.

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I awoke, and was immediately alerted by... What in the name of the Golden Goddesses was that? A strange, hunched figure with reddish skin, pointed ears and long, wild white hair. It carried a behemoth blade to rival my Biggoron's Sword. I didn't know where I was, but it wasn't Hyrule, and it definitely wasn't Termina. That thing looked so different from anything I'd ever seen before, and I wasn't sure what it was. I had the unsettling feeling of not belonging, like this place didn't need me, and I figured it was right. I wasn't supposed to be here, let alone fight the monsters here. However, I had spotted what I thought was a deku baba, and it looked uncannily similar to one from the Kokiri Forest, which puzzled me. I decided it was time to move, so I got up as quietly as I could, but a one-eyed Hylian with the marks of a Fierce Deity wearing a ton of armour can't really do stealth very well. 

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Unsurprisingly, the thing noticed me, and brandished its massive weapon. I drew my sword to defend myself. "This should be a breeze!" I told myself. It was anything but a breeze. The disgusting monster charged me, its empty black eyes filled with hate, its greatsword covered in flecks of blood. I blocked its heavy swipe, and was almost knocked off my feet by the sheer weight of its swing. It took its chance, while I was off balance, and swung a second time, smacking me in the chest. It threw me backwards, despite my armour, and I felt the familiar sensation of blood oozing down my tunic. It stung, and I knew I'd broken at least two ribs. I fought to get through the pain, but, failing and weak, I collapsed to the ground. The monster raised its sword, preparing for the final blow.

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A figure charged past me, wailing like a certain zora princess, with a familiar blade raised above their head. I winced as the stranger brought down the Master Sword on the monster's head. Black blood spurted from the wound. Black blood? Monsters bled red, everybody knew that! The figure leapt back' nimbly dodging the weapon thrust their way by the dying creature, and dashed forward, smacking it in the head with the flat of their sacred blade, killing it. The stranger wiped the Sword that Seals the Darkness on the grass, pulling a disgusted face. "Who?" I managed, wheezing slightly because of my broken ribs. "M'name's Link, an' yours?" He offered me a gloved hand, and I took it gratefully. It was easier to talk now that I wasn't on the floor. "This might be a bit confusing, but my name's also Link" My rescuer sighed. "Hylia appeared to me a few days ago, told me I'd need to find eight more heroes. I'm guessing you're one of them."

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All was silent for a minute, as we realised our shared issue. Our name. "Ah" Link said. "We can't call each other by our shared name, it'll be too confusing, and there are supposed to be seven more heroes! Seven Links!" I nodded, this was very strange. The Master Sword flashed white, and a girl in blue and purple burst from it. She spoke in an emotionless, metallic voice fitting for a sword. "Masters, in order to avoid confusion in future meetings, hand me to the hero and I will give him a name that best fits him. I detect an 100% chance that you are both heroes, and I will give you your titles shortly." She dissipated back into the sword. "Okay, thanks Fi" Link said, went first, and the girl's voice sounded from the blade. "Welcome, Hero of the Sky." The newly christened 'Sky' handed the forsaken weapon that ruined my life to me. I reluctantly gripped the hilt. "Welcome, Hero of Time"