The sun was setting as the Hero of the Wild stood in the heart of Hyrule once again, but it wasn't his Hyrule. He was standing in the Age of Calamity Hyrule, a world of lush green fields, thriving villages, and vibrant, prosperous towns. It was a land that had not yet faced the horrors of Calamity Ganon's reign, and it felt like a dream. He was still wearing his hood, his face partially obscured, his gaze distant, yet somehow focused.
The pull that had brought him here was still fresh in his mind, and as the darkness of confusion slowly cleared, a sense of responsibility filled his heart. The weight of his duty, long forgotten in the wake of his own Hyrule's fall, had suddenly returned with a sharpness that left him uneasy.
Beside him stood the Hero of Age of Calamity, the very same person but from another time, his armor shining brightly and his posture proud. Age of Calamity Link smiled, relief in his eyes as he looked around. His Hyrule was here, thriving, safe, and everything he remembered before Ganon had ravaged it.
"It's good to be home," Age of Calamity Link said softly, his eyes scanning the kingdom he had once fought to protect. Zelda, the princess of this land, stood beside him, her eyes beaming with joy.
"You're back," she said, a mix of surprise and elation on her face. "I knew you would return."
The Hero of the Wild, though, was quiet. His heart ached as he gazed at the kingdom, remembering his own Hyrule—how it had been devastated by Ganon's wrath. His Hyrule was nothing like this anymore; it was a land scarred by time, full of ruin, grief, and loss. Seeing this prosperous version of Hyrule stirred something deep inside him—a longing, perhaps for what could have been.
He remained silent, his mind wandering back to the memories of his world, when the land was full of life and hope. His Hyrule had been destroyed, his friends and family gone, and all that remained was the pain of his endless battles. And yet, standing here, he saw what he had once fought for—a thriving kingdom.
Age of Calamity Link noticed the quiet mood of his counterpart and glanced over at him with a questioning look.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice low.
The Hero of the Wild nodded, but didn't speak. He didn't feel the need to. His emotions were too raw, his mind too clouded with the memories of his own battles, of what had happened to his Hyrule. But here, seeing this version of his world in its prime, he felt both comforted and heartbroken.
Without saying a word, he left the castle. There was something else calling to him, something his heart couldn't quite grasp. The Hero of the Wild had known destruction, but here, in this moment of peace, he felt an unfamiliar pull.
For now, though, he would walk alongside the other Links, in this version of Hyrule, as a protector of the land—once again, and for the last time, a hero without a home.
As the sun set over Hyrule Castle, casting a warm glow across the vibrant kingdom, Link of the Wild found himself alone in the gardens, standing by the edge of the reflecting pool. Age of Calamity Link's Hyrule felt familiar yet foreign, a stark reminder of the days before his own Hyrule fell to ruin. He ran his fingers along the rough, worn scars on his forearm, feeling the weight of his memories and battles pressing on him.
The sound of soft footsteps broke his thoughts. Mipha approached, her gentle presence unmistakable. She had seen him arrive with Age of Calamity Link, but the reunion had been brief and filled with cautious warmth. Now, finding a moment alone with him, her eyes fell on the scars scattered across his arms and shoulders, like a testament to hardships she couldn't imagine.
