Shadow of the Fallen Lands

~Time~

We were trudging through a forest that reminded me uncomfortably of the Lost Woods. After Fi had bestowed our nicknames on us, we hadn't rested. Instead, we explored our surroundings, the woods around us. It was strangely silent here. I strained my less-than-average Hylian ears. I could have sworn I heard something. "Sky, come here a second" I called to my fellow hero. "I can hear something, like the sound of a sword being drawn. I'm worried we might be being followed by something." Sky stopped his conversation with Fi, and walked over to where I was standing. "Your right, I can hear rustling, there's something in the bush."

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That person in the bushes chose that moment to leap out, brandishing a simple, but very sharp looking, sword, and thrust it in my direction. Because of my barely healed broken ribs, I failed to dodge the point of their blade, and I got a jagged gash down my chest as a reward. I hit the ground, somehow managing to avoid rebreaking my ribs, but Sky could still swordfight. He drew Fi, and rushed the attacker, who only just put his shield up in time. The stranger wore what appeared to be his take on Skyloftian fashion, with a huge black pelt on his shoulders. And his face... I saw a lot of me in his face. He had a pointy nose like mine, except slightly smaller, and his face was generally laid out like mine. His hair wasn't like mine at all, but the markings, oh they reminded me so much of my Fierce Deity scars, except without the colour. I was forced to cut short my musings when the boy managed to shake Sky off his back for a few seconds, giving him time to counter the Chosen Hero's blows.

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The kid dodged, angrily jabbing at his opponent, and Sky raised the unbreakable Hylian Shield in defence. He seemed to realise who he was fighting. "You..." He mumbled "The replica heroes" Sky was confused, and I was too. "I don't think we're replica heroes, if anything, you're a replica of me." The kid started to snort, then realised Sky was serious. "He has a valid point" I added from my place on the floor. He lowered his blade, which allowed my to get to my feet, and then, drawing the last ounce of stamina from my old bones, and lunged at him, pinning him to the trunk of a tree. "So, why are you attacking us?" I asked in a perfectly reasonable, if slightly gruff tone. "Because this is our forest, I'm the only Hylian who lives here, and it's my job to protect it, and all the animals and people who live here!" Sky looked up from the Master Sword, gentle blue eyes sparkling. "But, aren't we in Hyrule?" The Chosen Hero asked. "And, the other people who live here would be Hylians too, right?" I was wondering that too, but Sky got there before me. "No, we're in the Ordona Province. We aren't in Hyrule, just outside of it. I can take you there if you want." He seemed to have calmed down after his attempt at killing us, which was a good thing.

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"That would be nice, thanks, but first..." Sky said, raising Fi into the boy's view. He gasped, and bared his teeth, before seemingly remembering himself. "The Master Sword, but where, how?" Sky smiled kindly. "I take it that you recognise this sword. By any chance, is your name Link?" The kid gave a gravelly sigh. He had a generally scratchy voice, like some kind of predator. "Yes, my name is Link, and I saved Hyrule just once." Sky offered him the sword, and said "Take it, just this once. Fi needs to decide your nickname." Link nodded, and wrapped his calloused fingers around the hilt. Fi's metallic voice emanated from the blade. "Welcome, Hero of Twilight"

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After dressing my gash with a makeshift bandage, we trekked back to the village where Twilight seemed to live. He pointed to a tree house, and my heart rose into my mouth, there was no way I was not related to this boy. He lived in a tree house, just like I had as a child! "That's my house, feel free to crash there if you need rest." He led us through the rest of Ordon Village, past some very strange looking houses. A pretty girl was standing outside a grander looking house, seemingly waiting for something. As she heard us approaching, she turned around. Her ears... Her ears were rounded, not pointy! "Everyone" Twilight announced "This is Ilia, my motivation, and friend." Sky smiled, and I introduced myself. "I'm Time, the Hero of Time, and this is Sky, the Hero of Skies." Ilia smiled, and ran off shouting "Father, Father, Link's back!" That only made Twilight laugh, because apparently Ilia ran the village, not her father, Mayor Bo.

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Soon, though we were wandering Hyrule instead of Ordona. Sky was giving him the explanation, while I was deep in thought. 'That hero looks so much like me, even the markings' Despite the obvious difference in appearance, the silver burns on his forehead looked so much like Fierce Deity scars. Though, they were ever so slightly different. Just slightly.

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