Chapter Text
“Wild!” Legend yelled through the trees, for the fifth time in as many minutes. A few birds shook themselves into the sky, cawing in annoyance. He stomped around a patch of ferns to find Wild on one knee on the forest floor, bent over a clump of small, greenish-looking mushrooms. He looked up when he saw Legend, his face bright.
“Hey, Legend, check these out!”
Legend groaned. “Well done. You found some fungus. Meanwhile, everyone’s been wondering where you disappeared to for the past hour. As usual.”
“I’ve never seen mushrooms like these before,” Wild was saying with interest. Legend didn’t think he’d even heard what he had said. He was reaching out to pick one when Legend lunged forwards and knocked his hand away. Wild looked up at him in surprise.
“Don’t touch it, you idiot! They could be poisonous!”
Wild rolled his eyes. “Or, they could have some awesome properties we don’t know about yet.” He plucked a couple, turning them over in his hands and inspecting them with intense fascination. Then he glanced at Legend, lips twitching at the corners, and popped one raw into his mouth. Legend stared at him in horror.
“What d’you think you’re doing!”
Wild chewed the mushroom slowly, tilting his head on one side, keeping his dancing eyes on Legend. Clearly, he was getting the reaction he’d wanted. “Mmm, salty.” Then he suddenly clutched at his throat and made a choking sound.
Legend’s face twisted in panic and he grabbed at his friend’s shoulders, horrified. Wild immediately dissolved into spluttering laughter as Legend threw up his hands in disgust and straightened up. “Fine. Whatever. Hilarious. I’m going back to camp. See you there, if you live.”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” Wild said, and he did look apologetic. It didn’t really ring true though, with him kneeling so happily there in the mud, his hands full of dubious-looking green mushrooms. “But seriously, how else are you supposed to figure out if something’s safe to eat?”
“Ask someone who knows? Look it up in a book? This isn’t your Hyrule, Wild, you have to be more careful.”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s my Hyrule or not. If something doesn’t make me sick then it’s either food or a potion ingredient. There’s only one way to find out.” He paused, considering, then shot Legend an evil grin. “There was this one mushroom back in my Hyrule that made me have these crazy visions, though.”
Legend gave him a hard, incredulous look. Wild lifted his hands, palms up, widening his eyes innocently.
“What? It was kind of terrifying but also fun.”
“And what if you kill yourself by accident?”
“That’s never happened so far,” Wild pointed out, deadpan. Legend rolled his eyes. He wasn’t going to win this one. “Are you coming back with me or not?”
“Just a moment…” Wild picked the rest of the mushrooms and slid them into his bag before standing up. Legend eyed the bag dubiously, assuming Wild was thinking about cooking with them. No matter that the little gremlin seemed to be fine so far, Legend was not convinced about those things.
They had just been pulled through a portal into Twilight’s Hyrule, somewhere mountainous that even Twilight said he didn’t know very well. Wild had a tendency, whenever he found himself in a new world, to get incredibly over-excited about the prospect of new places, new skies, new forests, new mountains, new possibilities - new mushrooms, apparently. Wild was easily distracted and apt to just wander off at the best of times, but after a switch the group had to keep an even closer eye on him than usual. Nobody was really surprised anymore but it frustrated Legend. Wild had never been here before, there could be a thousand dangers lurking that had never even occurred to him, he had to be more careful. Legend just hoped it didn’t take mushroom-poisoning for that to sink in.
The others had built a fire in a small glade in their absence. Legend kept an eye on Wild until he was sure at least one other person had seen him appear, so that he wasn’t exclusively his responsibility anymore. That person, unsurprisingly, happened to be Twilight. Wild bounded over to his mentor to show him the mushrooms, talking animatedly. Legend watched Twilight’s face briefly pale – presumably when Wild admitted he’d eaten one of them – and then, seeing that his protégé was clearly fine, he rolled his eyes and conceded to inspecting them.
Time was helping Warriors sit down on a log. They’d been ambushed by a trio of black-blooded moblins earlier that day, before the switch, and Warriors had been thrown into a tree, while stopping one landing a hit on Wind from behind. He’d been fine except for a fractured bone in his leg, which a red potion and a trickle of Hyrule’s more targeted magic had gone a long way towards healing, but they had splinted it all the same and it still hurt too much for Warriors to put much weight on it. Time had already decided that they should stay here the following day, to give Warriors time to rest and fully heal up.
Where was Hyrule? Legend glanced around and spotted him just walking back out of the forest, his arms laden with firewood. He seemed to be on his own, which was unexpected. When the group was just getting their bearings after a switch, it was better not to go off alone. Legend hurried over to him. He always felt weirdly responsible for Hyrule, although he himself was only a year older than him and Wild. Probably it was because Hyrule was his successor in their timeline, so the devastated world that Hyrule had survived and fought for had once been Legend’s. As if everything Legend had done to defend it hadn’t, somehow, been enough. He knew, theoretically, in rational terms, that the harsh life Hyrule had lived wasn’t on him, but that didn’t change how he felt.
“Why are you on your own?” Legend asked him. Hyrule gave him a sheepish look.
“I needed a break?”
It wasn’t the first time. Hyrule was so used to being on his own, fighting, sleeping walking, exploring, surviving, planning, thinking, feeling alone, for his entire life, that now he easily got overwhelmed by constant proximity to people. People included the other Links, he’d had to clarify, the first time he’d had to take some time out. It wasn’t personal, he’d assured them. He just needed to recharge on his own for a bit. Sometimes, for a lot.
In that sense he was a lot like Wild, except that Wild was more likely to just go, and did, frequently, while Hyrule was the type to suffer in silence for weeks before finally admitting, quietly and apologetically, that he was losing his mind. Which was in fact exactly what had happened, shortly after he’d joined the chain.
Today, he’d been more in the middle of things than he probably liked – he’d fixed up Warriors’ leg and with Sky’s help fashioned him a makeshift crutch out of a tree branch. That was fine, but then he’d walked close beside him all day, helping him whenever Warriors stumbled at the unaccustomed balance of the crutch, and constantly checking on the splint.
Legend knew that Hyrule felt a huge personal responsibility whenever one of the Links got hurt or sick. It didn’t matter how many times the others tried to relieve him of the burden, he was the one with the healing magic, so in his mind it was his job and his job alone to fix them when they were in any way broken. Legend actually thought Hyrule sometimes felt their pain, emotional or physical. Maybe he’d just never had the chance to learn about boundaries, what they were generally, what his were specifically. Warriors was fine, he’d be good as new in a few days. But today, Legend assumed, had been intense for Hyrule for more reasons than one.
“Fair enough. D’you need a hand?” The ridiculous quantity of firewood Hyrule was carrying suggested that his solitary walk had taken him quite some distance away and he’d apparently picked up every stick he found to give his absence an airtight excuse. Legend took a heavy armful off him and Hyrule smiled his thanks as they headed back towards the others.
“What’s Wild doing?” Hyrule said as they neared the fire. He didn’t wait for Legend to respond, which Legend decided was a mercy. Instead Hyrule hurried over, dropping his pile of sticks, and crouched down beside Wild, who was intent on poking one of the green mushrooms into the hottest part of the fire on the end of a sharpened stick. His expression read, clearly: I wonder what happens if I do this…
As Legend watched, he drew the flaming mushroom back out of the fire, his eyes wide with fascination. Then, suddenly, the mushroom gave a small pop and exploded. Hyrule laughed and Wild, who had jerked back just in time, looked delighted.
Legend heard a soft groan from beside him and turned to see Twilight also watching them. “He ate one of those,” Twilight muttered, with an expression of resigned despair.
“Unless he sets himself on fire, it shouldn’t be a problem,” Legend pointed out. Twilight put his head in his hands.
“That doesn’t reassure me.”
That evening the nine heroes sat around the fire, eating a rice dish prepared by Wild which contained, to Legend’s relief, no mushrooms. Twilight and Time were poring over a map, trying to pinpoint exactly where they were.
“I think,” Twilight said uncertainly. “That we’re a few days’ walk from Eldin Spring. But I can’t be sure.”
“We can scout around tomorrow, since we’re sticking around,” Time said. “Try and get a better sense of where we are.”
Hyrule was very quiet, Legend noticed. He was sitting on the edge of the group, and Legend could see that he was picking at his food, eating slowly and distractedly. His eyes kept flicking anxiously to Warriors - who was sitting with Wind on Time’s other side and laughing at something the kid had just said – and then out again, fixing far above their heads.
Wild had clearly noticed, too, and followed the direction of Hyrule’s longing gaze. Under the starlight, a long, angular ridge of rock stuck out from the side of the mountain slopes to the north. Legend saw Wild take in Hyrule’s tense posture and closed-off expression, then back at the mountains.
“Twi,” Wild said in an innocent tone. “What’s that ridge over there?”
Twilight shrugged. “I’m not sure. If we are where I think we are, these mountains are full of Goron tunnels. Could be a quarry.”
“Goron?” Wild repeated, his eyes lighting up.
“Let’s just assume that whatever association you have with the Goron, it doesn’t apply here, okay?” Legend sighed. He didn’t like the way Wild and Hyrule were sneaking looks at each other, as if they were trying to communicate something without anyone else noticing.
The plan the next day was to split up and try and get their bearings in the forest. They would reconvene at midday to check in and compare notes. But when the sun was at its zenith in the sky and Legend got back to camp with Four, Wild and Hyrule had still not materialized. Warriors said he hadn’t even seen them leave and after another hour had passed with still no sign of them, Legend was starting to get anxious. The ridgeline they’d been talking about the previous night still loomed stark and jagged against the sky to the north. It was becoming quite obvious what had happened.
Time was mildly annoyed that Wild and Hyrule had evidently deviated from what they were supposed to be doing, but it wasn’t exactly unexpected and they were here for the day anyway while Warriors’ leg healed. “If they’re not back in a few hours we’ll have to go after them,” he said calmly, but to Legend his face looked grave. Sky didn’t seem concerned: “they’ll be back when they’ve got it out of their system,” was his response. Wind was just furious that they hadn't taken him along. Four kept his thoughts to himself and Twilight was still out scouting the forest; based on previous experience Legend knew he’d be gone for hours. He seemed to be able to move a lot faster on his own, for some reason.
Wild and Hyrule were both capable and they’d both survived a lot. Technically, Legend knew, it wasn’t as if they were holding anyone up and there was no major reason why they shouldn’t explore. Provided they were together. Provided they didn’t get lost. Provided they were careful.
There was no major reason why they shouldn’t explore except that this was Wild and Hyrule and on their own they never, never failed to attract whatever trouble there might be within a twenty-mile radius. Especially Wild. He moved fast, so the twenty-mile radius did, too.
Legend was livid, and he wasn’t even really sure why.
It didn’t occur to him that what his anger was actually covering up was fear.
The ridge was beautiful.
Wild had been sure that all Hyrule needed was to get away from the others and just break away and explore for a little bit. Initially Hyrule had been flustered and anxious, continually asking Wild if he thought Warriors might need him, if he should head back to keep an eye on him.
“Wars is fine,” Wild insisted. “Give him a day to rest and he’ll be kicking your ass with that leg in sparring practice just like usual.”
Just as he’d expected, they’d not even been walking for half an hour through the tangled trees and dense undergrowth towards the mountain, when the tension in Hyrule’s shoulders seemed to lift away and he started looking around himself with a new animation and ease. Wild had been relieved – Hyrule took on a lot, and got easily overwhelmed. It could be difficult for his friends to help him, especially when sometimes they were the problem.
Once they’d crossed the forest, the ridge jutted out like a great lip from the side of the mountain, at the top of a cascade of violet boulders and mossy scree. From below, Wild could see twists of cloud coalesce out from the peaks above. From up there, he knew, they’d be able to see for leagues.
“We’ll be able to tell them exactly where we are and where to go, when we get back,” he exclaimed. “Just have to get up high enough to really see.” He tipped his head further back, shading his eyes against the sun. There was a small dark space in the cliffside just above the ridgeline. “Hey, look – isn’t that a cave up there? That must be one of the tunnels Twilight mentioned!” He ran forwards, scanning the scree slope for the best line upwards. “Come on, let’s see if we can get inside.”
Hyrule glanced dubiously at the slope. “I’m not sure, Wild,” he said, biting his lip. “It looks pretty unstable and we don’t even have a rope. I’m not such a good climber as you…”
“This is not a climb,” Wild pointed out. “This is just a… a scramble. Just follow me. Put your hands and feet where I do.” Hyrule smiled a little uncertainly and nodded.
Wild took care to move more slowly and carefully than he would on his own, knowing that Hyrule was less sure-footed than he was. It really was an easy scramble, though; the slope was on their side and the rocks held steady under his boots. Well, most of them did. He tested them carefully before letting them take his weight, and following his, Hyrule’s, and only once did he stand on a treacherous one, which plunged beneath him and sent him sprawling with a yelp of surprise. Together they picked their way up the slope, Hyrule’s confidence growing with every minute he didn’t find himself falling to his death. By the time they reached the ledge he was grinning.
“Okay, that was actually really fun,” he admitted. Wild beamed, spinning around to face the slope they’d just climbed. It actually did look like quite an extreme way up, if he was honest with himself, now that he was looking down on it. He could see all the way across the forest, the treeline rising and falling in sync with the foothills of the mountains. It was an exhilarating sight.
“Thanks, Wild,” Hyrule said suddenly, shyly. Wild’s attention snapped back to his friend.
“For what?”
“For, um, coming out exploring with me.”
Wild was surprised. “I thought you came out exploring with me.” He couldn’t actually remember which of them had suggested coming out to find the ridge, last night – as soon as he’d seen Hyrule looking at it, wondering, he’d wanted to check it out, because it just looked so awesome in the moonlight, and Hyrule had obviously needed a break, and somehow they’d just ended up…going.
Hyrule shrugged. “Either way. I wouldn’t have climbed up here without you, but I’m glad we did. I was getting a bit… overwhelmed, yesterday. Thanks.” He was smiling as he stared out over the forest, with a genuine simple joy Wild hadn’t seen light up his face for ages. “Let’s check out this cave,” he said suddenly, turning back to Wild. “D’you think it goes right through to the other side?”
“Maybe…” Hyrule led the way into the cave; Wild actually felt a little uneasy as he followed his friend inside. Darkness fell away before him so fast inside it dizzied him. It looked like it did go a long, long way through, into the heart of the mountain. He took another step forwards, suddenly unwilling to go too far from the cave mouth. The ceiling looked like it sloped in, too, getting closer and closer to the ground, giving him a feeling of faint claustrophobia even this close to the entrance. The rocks looked disjointed and crumbly. The ground, too, was uneven and shook a little under his feet. He glanced at Hyrule, who was several paces ahead and who looked much more comfortable in this rickety rock-cage than Wild did. He reminded himself that Hyrule was probably much more used to tunnels and labyrinths than he was.
“I’m not sure this is safe,” Hyrule said at that moment, for the second time that day, only this time Wild was inclined to agree. The tunnel did feel as if it might just collapse at any moment.
“Yeah, maybe we should…”
And that moment there was a horrific cracking sound and the rocky surface below their feet shook wildly. Wild looked up in time to see the ceiling splintering, like glass or wood, slabs of rock tilting wildly in all directions.
Hyrule –
One of the slabs was spinning hard downwards, straight towards him. Wild didn’t even think – he jumped the space between them – cannoned into Hyrule, wrapped his arms around him and shielded him with his own body.
Wild was barely aware of the slab’s impact because by then everything was falling. The rock screeched and groaned as the cave collapsed around them, he felt like he was being ripped in half and simultaneously crushed and the pressure and emptiness was dizzying, absolute and he couldn’t focus on anything except the excruciating, impossible pain as they fell; and Hyrule’s panicked voice yelling his name through the chaos, over and over again, and Wild clung onto the sound with every fibre of his fragmenting consciousness because it meant Hyrule was alive, alive, alive.