A/N: Hi! You kinda like this story, so I'm here with a monstrous 9.3k word chapter. Big shoutout to my betas, Byrony and Sylph! You guys rock!! Also, I've just recently (like this last week) decided I'm going to learn how to draw. So expect to eventually see some very crappy stuff from me. *snickers*.

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Alone in the Darkness, We Find a Light

Strings of Fate Unwind

New Faces Emerge, Unveiling the Questions

That Once we Left Behind

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It'd been a month since Faron joined the group. They had yet to hit his home Hyrule, but he was rather okay with that. Traveling with everyone... it was fun. He enjoyed the quiet nights of keeping watch and the rambunctious days of travel. Wind always kept the energy up, and Time made sure things didn't get too hectic.

Perhaps that was why Faron had let his guard down. He was starting to trust them. To like them. And Legend's newfound trust in him had seemed to spark a sort of olive branch of trust from the others—not that they hadn't been trusting before. Sometimes Faron could even believe that they mistook him for one of them.

They were in Twilight's Hyrule. It was so lush and green and full of life. Faron would never tire of seeing these Hyrules full of magic and energy. They were immeasurably beautiful and he couldn't wait to tell Navi about it all.

"I can't believe how big this Hyrule is!" Wind laughed. "There's so many trees! I've never seen mountains like that before!"

"Well, we've never seen a Hyrule that was covered by the sea, so I suppose we're even." Warriors smirked.

"There are so many weird animals, too." Wind tilted his head. "And I haven't seen a single pig."

A few of them startled, Faron more than most. "Pig?" Twilight questioned gently. "I think that's a different term in your Hyrule."

"Huh?" Wind turned his attention towards Twilight. "Pigs are cute little animals that go oink! They're tasty, too!"

Many of them relaxed. "Pig isn't a word used to describe animals in most of our Hyrules." Twilight explained. "It's a slur—an insult. One of the worst you can give someone, because of its association with Ganon."

"O-oh. I didn't know, I'm sorry." Wind bit his lip. "In my world, it's just an animal. Sometimes if someone eats a lot, or eats really messy, you can call them a pig. I didn't know it was such a bad thing, here."

Faron winced. If Wind had unknowingly called someone a pig in good fun, he probably would've gotten punched. Likely by Faron, himself.

"Pig isn't a word in my Hyrule at all." Sky spoke up with a soft smile. "Since Ganon's not a thing in Skyloft."

Quite a few of them startled at that. "He isn't?" Legend shot Sky a look. "Then who did you fight?"

"Not all of us fought Ganon." Four spoke up. "I fought Vaati—a wind mage."

"I fought Demise, the Demon King of Hatred." Sky answered simply, and Time paled.

"Isn't that a god?" He asked, a light tremble to his tone.

"Technically, yeah." Sky nodded. "He was insanely strong, too."

"Wait, so you fought a literal god and won?" Legend stared at Sky incredulously.

"I mean, I technically won." He ran a hand through his hair as he glanced at Fi. "Look. There's something I should tell you guys."

Everyone turned their gaze towards the Skyloftian. Faron idly noted how the sun was starting to dip towards the horizon. Night would fall upon them quickly.

"When I fought Demise... he, erm... he uttered a curse. On me. And on Zelda. And that curse is why you all have had to go through the things you have." He looked halfway to tears as he met their gazes. "He cursed the ones with the Spirit of the Hero and the blood of the Goddess into a never ending cycle with his own reincarnation—Ganon. So I'm the reason you've been through hell. And I'm so sorry that I couldn't just kill him."

Faron looked at Sky for a long moment. This man standing before him was the reason for Ganon having been created. Technically, if Sky hadn't been around, he would never have gotten stuck living in a cave in the wastelands of Hyrule.

But Sky had also saved the land. If Sky hadn't been born, who's to say that this Demise wouldn't have created a world darker than his Hyrule? Faron noted the way that the others were processing this information, and sighed internally when he saw Sky starting to take their silence the wrong way.

"Don't be an idiot." Faron spoke up. "Listen." He said in the same tone Navi used, which snatched Sky's attention instantly. He also noticed the way Time flinched lightly. "I know I don't really have a place to say this. I'm not a hero like you guys. But I've seen the damage Ganon can do—I've lived it. And I'm pretty sure that Demise would've done worse if you hadn't defeated him. What's done is done. Don't blame yourself for someone else's actions. Demise wasn't you. I can't speak for everyone, but I certainly don't think it's your fault."

"He's right." Time spoke up, putting a hand on Sky's shoulder. "No matter how this cycle started, you did the best you could do at the time. You aren't to blame for the monster Ganondorf became."

"Faron's right. You are an idiot." Legend huffed. "You really think that this bullshit's your fault?"

"Come on, now. I thought you were smarter than this." Warriors grinned, slinging an arm around Sky. "We're heroes, yeah? We can't just let things alone when someone's in trouble. It's in the job description to poke our noses in where they don't belong. You can't blame yourself for the trouble we've gotten into over the years."

"Wait, so you're the oldest, then?" Wild tilted his head.

"Yeah." Sky nodded. "From what I understand, I'm the first incarnation of the Hero's Spirit. My Zelda is Hylia in mortal form, so I can only assume—"

"Wait, Sun is what?!" Legend choked, staring at Sky like he just blew up the moon. "You mean she's actually The Goddess?!"

"Yeah." Sky shrugged. "But she's still Sun."

"Hold on." Warriors looked at Sky with an unreadable expression. "You mean to tell us that you're dating The Goddess herself? So you're like... some kind of god-in-law?" He snickered as Sky blushed a beet red.

"N-no! I mean, yeah, we're together, but... I'm not a god." Sky stammered, turning redder with each word.

"Relax, Sky. I'm just messin with you." Warriors reassured. "But still. You literally landed a goddess."

"The Goddess." Four corrected.

"Wait a minute." Twilight spoke up as he leaned against the edge of the bridge they'd stopped on. "So if you're from back when Hylia had a mortal form... and you said you're from Skyloft—an island in the sky, right?"

"Yeah?" Sky tilted his head.

"So what was going on with Hyrule? If there was no Goddess to watch over it..."

"Oh." Sky smiled. "That's easy. So a long time ago, Hylia lifted Skyloft into the sky to protect the remaining people from Demise. The population of Skyloft is all the Hylains in my time. We're working on repopulating the surface."

Faron stared at him, slack-jawed. "You mean you founded Hyrule?!"

"Uh... I guess?" Sky scratched the back of his head. "It's honestly something I don't think about often. Seeing all your kingdoms so alive and thriving... It makes me feel proud of the work I've done—I'm doing." He frowned. "I feel satisfied."

"As you should." Time patted his shoulder. "Hyrule is a kingdom that has outlasted countless others, and brought great joy to many."

Faron couldn't meet Sky's gaze. How could he when the land that Sky had founded was beyond destroyed in his own time?

"Um, Sky?" Wind asked suddenly, tugging on his sailcloth to get his attention. "If you and Sun are together, and every Zelda's a descendant of Hylia... does that mean that you started the Royal Family? Are you a king?" His eyes sparkled as Sky descended into a blushing stuttering mess.

Faron shot Legend a smirk. "Don't you dare." He growled.

"Aw, but Sky's like your great-great grandfather or something." He whispered with a chuckle.

"He's a lot older than that." Legend huffed, turning a bit red, himself.

"Well, that is how genetics work." Time smirked as Sky flushed harder. Faron snorted in amusement.

"Come on, it'll get dark, soon." Twilight frowned as the glowing embers of his namesake crept across the skies, casting the world in an ethereal glow. It only seemed to do this in Twilight's Hyrule, oddly enough. Faron figured it had something to do with Twilight's journey, so he never asked. Especially since the hero always looked so sullen during this time. "There's a cavern up ahead that we can make camp in. It's just got some chuchus to take care of."

"Right." Time nodded as the group started walking again. Warriors and Wind were still teasing Sky, trying to get the Founder of Hyrule to turn as dark a shade of red as possible.

Faron just enjoyed the lighter atmosphere that drifted around them while casually scanning his surroundings. He'd never felt so safe as he did with this group of heroes. He supposed that it had something to do with the fact that he'd never really traveled with other people before. It was nice not to have to watch his back every second.

As if his thoughts had been heard by Hylia herself, a sudden thrill of fear shot up his spine. Instantly, all feelings of warmth and safety vanished like the illusion he knew them to be; replaced by the familiar anxiety and hyper-awareness that had saved his life more times than he could count.

His shield was on his arm not a moment later, and he cautiously reached for his sword, scanning his surroundings with a critical gaze, searching for whatever monster he'd sensed.

"Faron?" Legend questioned, drawing the attention of the group.

"Something's wrong." There was a tense moment of silence as the rest of the group drew their weapons. Then, the sound of a horn rose into the air and a group of bokoblins and moblins launched their attack.

It was a confusing cacophony of clashing blades and clanging shields. The monsters were attacking from all angles in what looked like a planned and coordinated strike. They had to be infected—something the group had explained to Wind not long after the kid joined them. No regular monsters of this caliber could plan like that.

His hunch was proven correct when he sliced a bokoblin's arm, and was rewarded with a slow trickle of viscous black fluid. He grimaced. This fight would not be easy.

Faron wasn't quite fast enough to dodge the next attack, and he clenched his teeth as the blade bit deeply into his side. He bit his cheek as he shoved his shield into the blade, ripping it free of his flesh. He spun, using his momentum to slice into another beast. He sensed, more than saw, the blade coming for his neck, and brought up his shield to defend. A mistake—he realized quickly—as his whole body vibrated under the full weight of the moblin's blow.

He barely dodged another swipe and retreated several steps, panting. His side was screaming at him and he had a sinking feeling that it had hit something important. Moreover, this was now a three-on-one fight. Two bokoblins and one moblin. This was not looking good. He tightened his grip, muttering a speed-boosting spell and a minor strength-boosting spell. He didn't dare use more magic than that. If someone else got hurt, he was their best healer.

The moblin roared as it charged, and he brought up the shield to parry, but the monster was smarter than he gave it credit for. It grabbed his shield and threw it to the side. He was practically defenseless now, having been forced to release said shield or lose his arm.

He ignored the clang of the shield hitting the grass as he rolled to the side, the bokoblin's club flinging dirt and debris where he'd been a half second ago. He slashed out at the moblin's legs and managed to get in a lucky strike. It stumbled and growled before moving to attack again. He was ready to block when he noticed the other bokoblin charging at him.

"Shit!" He swore, dearly missing Navi's observational skills. He abandoned the idea of blocking and simply dodged both strikes, but the third bokoblin had somehow gotten behind him and got him in the shoulder with a downward swing of its sword.

Faron stumbled under the weight of the blow, and blindly stabbed behind him where he thought the beast was. He heard a cry and risked a glance. A fatal blow—the bokoblin was out. A sudden instinct had him jumping to the side right where the remaining bokoblin had attempted to lop off his head.

No more getting distracted. He eyed the two remaining monsters. His shoulder wound was deep, and the slash to his side was bleeding profusely, likely having been torn wider with all his jumping around. The ground was growing slick with his blood, and he distantly noted that he would need treatment soon or he'd bleed out.

He had to end this fast. He could still hear the others fighting a fair distance away, but either he'd been slowly migrating away from the group, or they'd been slowly moving away from him, because he couldn't see them anymore. He couldn't count on backup.

"Idiot." He whispered to himself. "You've grown soft. You know better. You can only depend on yourself."

He grabbed his sword with both hands and charged the moblin. The monster was momentarily taken aback by his sudden change in tactics, but Faron had always thrived on fighting on instinct alone. It was what had made him a dangerous and unpredictable enemy back home, and he had a feeling it would work here, too.

The mobin's sword missed him by inches, and Faron didn't waste his chance. He buried his blade deeply within the beast's neck, ripping it out to the side. It fell, dead. He turned towards the bokoblin, who had started an attack of its own.

Faron bared his teeth, an unhinged feral expression crossing his features as he blocked the blade with the metal plate sewn into the back of his left glove. He then stabbed forwards, impaling the monster.

Only when he saw the light die in its eyes did he take a moment to breathe. He staggered under the weight of exhaustion as his injuries screamed and throbbed. But he couldn't afford to rest—not yet. The others may have been better fighters than him, but he might still be able to help somehow.

That thought in mind, he followed the cries of battle. The hill was harder to climb than it should've been. At one point, his foot slipped in his own blood and he hit the grass with an agonizing thud. A small cry of pain escaped his lips. He panted, breathing through the pain with clenched teeth. The crest of the hill was just a little further.

With a gargantuan amount of effort, he pushed himself to his knees and staggered to his feet. He swayed dangerously as his vision hazed over for a moment, barely keeping himself from slipping back down the slope. With several agonizingly heavy steps, he made it to the top of the hill.

Darkness had befallen them by this point. He was sure that if he hadn't spent several years living in a cave, he wouldn't see anything at all with the small sliver of light the crescent moon cast upon the battlefield.

He could see enough to tell that while some of them were struggling a bit, none were as seriously injured as he was. As he was now, Faron would be nothing a liability to them. It would be foolish to attempt to jump in when he could barely stay on his feet. It was better for them and for himself if he just stayed put and readied whatever medical supplies they'd need should he pass out first.

He belatedly realized that his sword was not in his hand, and a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that it had rolled down to the base of the hill when he'd slipped earlier. He'd barely managed the trip up—he didn't think he could do it twice. There was no way he could be of any help to them without a weapon, so he resigned himself to staying put. He was already starting to hear a ringing in his ears, and knew that he'd pass out soon. He needed to stem the bleeding as much as he could.

But then he saw it. The light of the moon peeked out from between the clouds and illuminated Sky, who was struggling alongside Wind to defeat two moblins. Faron realized what was going to happen a moment before they did—if only because the moblin he fought did the same to him.

One moblin grabbed the Master Sword and flung it to the side in Faron's general direction, while the other went in for an attack. Wind barely managed to block it, but the first moblin was readying itself to strike again. Sky had no shield—likely lost earlier in the battle—and Faron knew that the attack would be devastating if not instantly fatal. With Wind busy blocking the first attack, there was no way for Sky to handle the second one. If he dodged, the attack would hit Wind, and Faron was sure he couldn't disengage and dodge quickly enough to avoid damage.

A sudden wave of adrenaline flooded his system, pushing the pain and fatigue to the back of his mind. Without a moment's thought or hesitation, he picked up the Master Sword that had landed by his feet and rushed forward. She glowed in his hands, pulsing with a comfortable warmth. He felt his Triforce warm as he ignored his screaming shoulder and lifted the blade just in time to block the blow.

"F-Faron?!" Sky's eyes were blown wide at the sight of the Master Sword in his hands.

"Talk later! Monsters now!" Faron gasped out as he felt the blood flowing freely from his shoulder and side at the sudden action. Black started encroaching on his vision, but with the new wave of energy, he managed to focus on the fight.

Faron pushed back the blade of the monster and slashed again. The Master Sword was by far the best weapon he'd ever had the pleasure of wielding. It was perfectly balanced and incredibly sharp. There was a hum of magic and he felt that it would act as a focus—perhaps even an amplifier—for any spells he cast while wielding it.

It was still a little gaudy, though.

An echoey chime-like sound that he just knew was Fi made him smirk. She must've been mildly offended by his thought. Oh, well. She could smite him later. After Sky and Wind were safe.

He had half a mind to give the blade back to Sky, but the hero looked utterly exhausted. At least Faron had caught his second wind. He blocked another incoming attack with his gloved hand, wincing as he felt the metal plate creak. He redirected the momentum of the strike towards the ground, making the moblin overcorrect itself and practically fall atop the Master Sword. He slashed it out of the side to ensure its demise. He ignored the sudden coolness on his hand.

He looked over to aid Wind, but the child was already finishing off his foe. He realized that the fight was finally done, and an almost eerie hush started to fall over the field. He then heard people calling out, asking one another if they were okay. In the darkness that had befallen them, it appeared that nobody could ascertain each other's injuries accurately.

Now that the fight was over, he realized he was in much worse shape than he'd initially thought. He had lost a lot of blood. This was bad. His legs shook beneath him and he could hardly keep ahold of Fi. He held out the sword towards Sky. She must've let him wield her because her masters were in danger. The longer he held her, the higher his odds of getting hurt.

"Faron..." Sky stared at Fi for a moment, and Faron wished Sky would just take her. His numb fingers finally lost his grip on the blade as his knee buckled and he staggered with a pained gasp. Sky caught him, steadying him for a moment, only for his eyes to widen at the sight of his injuries. "Guys!! Faron's hurt, I need potions!!"

Sky carefully lowered Faron to the ground. "Fuck." The traveler cursed, panting for air. Everything hurt. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this bad off. Had it been that fight with Ganon? Maybe that one time he'd gotten captured by some monsters. Usually when he got hurt, he'd flee until he healed up, so it rarely got this bad. Here, he hadn't had that option. Faron blinked when he saw Sky's lips moving. He was saying something to him, and he could make out Wind's worried voice, but they sounded garbled and far away.

"Faron!" Legend's voice rang crisply in his ears as he cracked open his eyes. When had he closed them? The veteran had an expression of fierce concern etched onto his face as he held up a red potion to Faron's lips. For once, Faron didn't hesitate in drinking it all. He knew he was in bad shape, but the potion only helped him a little bit. At least now, with effort, he could make out the voices that were speaking. "You idiot, how many did you fight alone?!" Legend glared.

"'M used to it." His words slurred. Speaking was beyond taxing, and even breathing was painful. He knew he'd just downed a potion, but he felt like he'd only had a sip of water.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Wind asked Time with a tearful gaze. The older hero just put a hand on Wind's shoulder.

"Anyone have more healing items?" He asked urgently, looking around as he pulled out an ocarina. Was he going to play a song?

"I've got two potions." Warriors volunteered quickly, pulling them out. "What's with the flute?"

"It's an ocarina." Time corrected as he brought it to his lips. "I know a song of healing. It won't do much, but it should buy us more time." A pretty flowing melody flowed out from the instrument, cutting through the haze in his mind. Everything was still muddled, but at the very least he could now process who everybody was. He could feel the blood start to stem a bit, and the pain of his injuries dulled minutely. He distantly noted it wasn't healing so much as it was stalling his injuries a bit.

"I–I've got a fairy!" Twilight exclaimed, bringing out a bottle. "I'd forgotten about this."

"Perfect." Warriors nodded, handing his potions to Legend, who had somehow ended up cradling Faron's head in his lap. Time nodded to Twilight, refusing to stop his playing. Faron idly wondered if something bad would happen if he did. Then he finally registered the small light coming from the glass bottle in Twilight's hands.

Faron's first instinct was to refuse, because fairies were used for the most serious life-threatening injuries to stabilize someone who was on the brink of death. He tried to open his mouth to protest when something hot welled up in his throat, dribbling down his chin as he fought to breathe. Legend turned him carefully to the side so he could cough up the sticky warm substance without choking. The small amount of energy he'd managed to regain left him instantly.

He belatedly realized that the cold numbness creeping up his limbs and the black that slithered from the edges of his vision were more than just falling unconscious. Maybe he needed that fairy, after all. The sudden realization that he was dying hit him differently than he'd imagined it would. He wasn't scared.

He was relieved.

A sudden pang of guilt twisted his heart painfully as something warm fell on his cheek. "Damnit, Faron, hold on." Legend whispered. "I can't bury you, too."

He forced another breath into his lungs—how long had it been since his last one? He couldn't do this to Legend. He couldn't. The veteran had already lost so much... Faron couldn't be selfish. Not only that, but Sky's eyes were full of guilt. There was no way he could die and leave Sky to blame himself for something Faron had done to himself.

A flicker of light caught his attention as the little fairy fluttered over to him, tilting her head as she recognized the fae in his blood. She sent him a smile before dashing over to his side. He felt the warm pulse of her magic as she urged the wound to close enough to stem the bleeding. She then fluttered over to his shoulder and did the same. He knew instantly that she'd only been able to close them enough to stop the bleeding. He was still in horrible shape.

He felt another potion pressed to his lips and drank it without complaint. When was the last time he'd trusted someone enough to not poison him? He tried to think. It'd been a long time.

After a long moment, he felt coherency return to him, even as the dregs of exhaustion tugged him towards a welcoming abyss of sleep. He blinked a couple of times, trying to stay awake as he focused on the people around him. Legend let out a massive sigh of relief as he shifted Faron's head in his lap.

"Thanks." Faron croaked out as he gave him a weak smile. His limbs were still numb and he felt like he was made of lead. His head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton, and he honestly wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep. But some part of his mind warned him that sleeping was a very bad idea right now, so he turned his attention towards the heroes around him.

Time finally let the ocarina fall from his lips, but he didn't put it away. "Good to have you back, Traveler." He smiled, and Faron got the sudden impression that him playing that magical song meant more than the traveler knew.

"There you are." Legend wiped something away from his eyes. "Don't scare us like that! Idiot."

"Glad you're okay." Twilight grinned. "You were... bad." He glanced off in the direction of Faron's fight. "The caverns aren't far. We'd be safer there."

"Right." Time nodded. "Sky, can you carry Faron?"

"Yeah." Sky stood, gingerly scooping Faron up into his arms. The action jostled his injuries, and he couldn't help the small whimper of pain that escaped him. "Sorry." Sky quickly apologized.

"T's fine." He reassured.

"But you aren't." Legend's mouth was a thin line and his brow was creased in worry.

"I've been better." He admitted. "I've also been worse."

"Worse?" Four shot him a look. "You were dying."

"Uh huh." Faron relaxed in Sky's grip. His sailcloth was really soft and he wondered if he'd ever let Faron snuggle up in it for a night. "It's so soft..."

"Sun made that for me." Sky chuckled. "She made it by hand for a ceremony."

"A cloth made by Hylia herself." Time mused. "Didn't know the Goddess was into sewing and embroidery."

Twilight let out a laugh that sounded remarkably similar to a bark. Faron wondered if perhaps he'd once been cursed with a dog form. That dark magic swirling around him like a second skin certainly felt like a curse of some kind. Not a malevolent one, but a curse all the same.

He blinked a bit when something tapped his face. Sky looked at him with worried eyes. "I don't think it's safe for you to sleep, yet. We should still tend to your injuries."

"Yeah." Faron nodded, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Hey, isn't this your shield?" Wind asked, bending down to pick up Faron's shield. He realized that they were in the area he'd fought in.

"By Din, is all this blood yours?!" Warriors gaped as the moonlight reflected off the crimson coated grass.

"Probably." Faron admitted. "Think my sword's over here too."

"I've got it." Four spoke up, holding up the bloodied blade. "I'll clean it for you when we make camp."

"Thanks, Four." He smiled. There was a sort of tension as they passed through the field. He wondered if they just weren't used to seeing non-heroes fight so recklessly.

A coolness washed over him as they entered the cavern. When had they left the fields? He felt himself being lowered in front of a freshly made fire. The light flickered off the walls of the cave and he was reminded of his own little cavern back in his time. Would Navi be there when he returned?

"Hold still, we've gotta take that tunic off." Legend warned. Faron braced himself as Sky carefully lifted him to a sitting position. He grit his teeth as his side protested the action loudly. His shoulder was just as furious with Legend pulling his tunic over his head so they could properly assess his wounds.

He shivered in the cool night air as Four carefully took a damp cloth and wiped the blood from the wounds.

"Those look really bad." Warriors frowned. Other than Faron, he seemed to hold the most medical knowledge. "That fairy wasn't able to do much—you must've been hurt worse than we initially thought." Faron glanced down at his side, noting that he was right. Those injuries were barely closed. The fariy must've concentrated on some internal damage he'd neglected to notice.

Warriors dug through Faron's medical bag to grab the supplies he needed. With deft fingers, he started wrapping him up.

"You have so many scars." Wind noted. "Aren't you just a traveler?"

"My Hyrule is dangerous." Faron explained, ignoring the look from Sky. "Monsters take all kinds of forms, there. Some even masquerade as people to catch victims off guard." The pain was starting to sharpen his awareness. He wondered if perhaps Legend hadn't slipped him some kind of stamina potion when he wasn't looking.

"Your monsters take hylian forms?" Warriors stared. "How does that work?"

"Dunno." He blinked against the exhaustion that was clawing at him. "Monsters where I'm from are pretty smart. Some can even talk." He smiled a bit, thinking of his friend, Blin.

"Talking monsters, huh? Sounds like a bad trip." Warriors chuckled. "You're all done." He nodded at his handiwork as Legend helped Faron lay down in a nest of blankets he'd pulled from the traveler's bag.

"Thanks." He hummed quietly as he let the warmth of the fire wash over him.

"You should be okay to sleep now." Time noted, glancing at the moon. Of all of them, he was the only one that was acutely aware of the time regardless of where or when they were. Perhaps it had something to do with his title or journey. If Time said it'd been long enough that it was safe to sleep, then Faron trusted him.

Sky removed his sailcloth and wrapped it around Faron like a blanket. He blinked up in confusion. "Isn't this yours?"

"I'm sure you don't want us pulling that tunic back on tonight." Sky smiled. "Besides, you could use it a bit more than me, right now."

Faron didn't argue. It was just as soft as it had been when Sky was carrying him, and he relished the sense of comfort he got from the object. If this was how it always felt, it was no wonder Sky never took it off. He met Sky's gaze. He could see the question fighting to break the barrier of his lips. "Tomorrow." He promised. Sky frowned but nodded, taking a seat by Faron's small nest of blankets.

Legend took his place at Faron's other side, resolutely refusing to leave him alone. He let a small smile pass over his lips as he finally fell into the blissful dredges of slumber.

linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineilneline

"Link!" Hazel spun around, light brown curls with golden highlights shimmered in the afternoon sun. "Link, come see!" She ran over and grabbed his hand.

"Slow down, Hazel!" He laughed, letting her lead him into the forest. "Did you find another fairy?"

"Momma said the faiwies awe lonely, so I made fwiends with them!" She beamed as a few orbs of light fluttered around her. "Pwetty!" She reached up to touch one of the flickering orbs of magic.

"Hazel, it's going to get dark soon." Link noted with a frown. Something felt off. "We should get home before mom gets worried. You don't want Dad to send Garret back out, do you?"

"No!" Hazel protested, stomping her foot. "Gawwet always makes fun of me!"

"Don't worry, little princess." He grinned, picking her up and swinging her around. She let out a gleeful squeal as her blue-green eyes glittered in joy. "Your big brother Link will protect you!" She laughed harder as he picked her up and put her on his shoulders.

"So tall!" She squrimed in delight.

"Careful!" He warned her. "Don't fall."

"I won't!" She bent over to grin in his face, her hair hanging down to frame her freckles. "Because you'we hewe to pwotect me!"

He felt his heart swell as a sense of pride settled within him. Hazel reached up to smack the leaves and branches as they walked towards home. He could just barely see the smoke rising from the chimney of home, when he got the distinct impression that they were not alone.

Hazel didn't seem to sense anything, but Link's every instinct told him that running or turning around was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Haha! Pwetty!" Hazel reached for a fairy that drifted by. He was hit by a sudden feeling of wrongness.

"No, Hazel! Don't touch that!" But for whatever reason, he just couldn't react quickly enough. The moment she touched the light, her squeals of delight became horrific screams of fear and agony.

"Hazel!" He cried out as her weight vanished from his shoulders. He whirled around, sword in hand.

Faron's eyes widened. Ganon was standing there, holding Hazel tightly in his grasp. At his side was the familiar mirrored figure of himself. White hair and blood red eyes shone out from under a charcoal cap and matching tunic.

"How cute." Dark Link smirked, eyeing the struggling form of his sister. "I didn't know you had a family. I thought that sailor was the only one." He tilted his head as he turned his gaze from Hazel to Faron. "Shame you won't see them again."

"Wh–Let her go!" He screamed out, moving to take a step forward, but Ganon's grasp tightened and Hazel let out a cry of pain. He froze, unable to do more than watch and pray.

"You were an unexpected calculation." Dark Link drawled lazily as he shoved a hand in one of his pockets. "I don't recall inviting you to the party."

"What are you talking about?" Faron swallowed thickly, eyes flickering between Dark Link and his sister in Ganon's grasp. If he could just catch him off-guard, he might be able to lop off his arm and free his sister.

"No matter." Dark Link laughed a bit as he flicked his wrist—sword suddenly in his hand. Hazel's struggles ceased as her head fell from her body, landing on the ground with a sickening thump. It rolled towards him, expression frozen in fear and pain. Faron felt his insides freeze and his blood boil. "There are ways of dealing with... unforeseen variables."

Dark Link flicked the blood from his sword, and pointed at Faron. He found himself suddenly frozen in place, unable to move even a finger. His monochrome counterpart slowly walked towards him, placing a finger on Faron's lips. "Be a good boy... and die."

A piercing pain in his side left him gasping for air. His gaze traveled down to see that Dark Link had run him through with his sword. A hand clasped around his neck, and squeezed. A panic filled him as he fought to breathe. Dark Link leaned into his ear and whispered. "Goodbye..."

"Faron!"

Faron's eyes snapped open as he gasped, trembling. That had been... a nightmare? He looked down at the tangle of blankets he found himself in, one of which was in Legend's grasp. "Geez, I fall asleep for two seconds and you end up with a blanket wrapped around your neck." He huffed.

He blinked, trying to understand what was going on. His hand migrated towards the stab wound Dark Link had inflicted on him, only to realize it was the injury from the other day. He took a glance around, noting that most everyone else was awake and milling around outside in the sunshine.

"You looked like you were having a nightmare, so I woke you." Legend explained. "Are you okay? You look pale."

"Y-yeah. Just a nightmare." He shook his head. His sister was fine. Hazel was fine. She was safe at home with their parents and brothers.

"Hey, look who's up." Warriors smirked as he walked into the cavern. "How's that side feeling? We should change the bandages."

Faron relaxed a bit as Warriors removed the bandages, willing the nightmare to the back of his mind. "It feels much better." He noted, eyeing the new scar tissue. "My innate magic must be speeding up the healing process."

"You look a lot better, too." Warriors nodded resolutely. "But just to be safe, we're staying here for the day so everyone can rest. That ambush was no joke." He finished rewrapping the wound. "You should take it easy, today. You're fine to be up and about, but I don't want you wandering off."

"I know my limitations with an injury." Faron reminded him. He probably shouldn't do too much walking today, if it could be helped. But the sunlight was enticing him to go out and join the others. Sitting in the grass and watching Time and Twilight spar didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Come on." Legend rolled his eyes as he offered him a hand. "I know that look."

Faron laughed and rubbed the back of his head with his good arm, his right arm having been regulated to a sling until his shoulder healed up a bit more. "Am I that obvious?"

"Nah, I just pay attention." Legend shot him a smirk as he helped Faron to his feet. He stumbled a bit, legs still a little shaky. He went lightheaded for a moment, and Legend made sure to keep him steady. "You good?"

"Yeah, thanks." He gave him a grateful smile as Warriors joined them in heading outside.

"Hey! He's up!" Wind beamed. "How're you feeling?"

"Much better." Faron smiled. He sat down in the grass, leaning against a boulder as he enjoyed the warmth seeping into his back. He held out the sailcloth towards Sky, who took it with a smile. "Thank you. It's very soft."

"So you've said." He chuckled. Faron flushed a bit. Had he said anything else last night that he didn't remember?

"No worries, you didn't embarrass yourself too badly." Legend snickered.

Faron sighed with a shake of his head as he smiled. "So you say." He turned his attention towards the spar. Time and Twilight were fairly evenly matched. He didn't know anything about fighting styles, but Twilight pulled some moves that reminded him a lot of Time. Maybe he taught him? How far apart were their eras, anyways?

Time pulled some kind of tricky feint and managed to disarm Twilight. Faron found himself impressed. He was once again reminded that these heroes were on a completely different scale of power and experience than a simple traveler like him. In all honesty, he wouldn't be surprised if they decided to keep someone with him during fights.

After another round—Wind vs. Four, which Four won by suddenly switching complete fighting styles on the fly—everyone decided to take a well-earned lunch break. Time sliced up the apples and some other fruit and passed them around. It wasn't much, but it was certainly better than whatever Faron could cook up.

Chatter was light and Faron could almost forget the disaster that was the day before. "Hey, Faron?" Sky spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "About yesterday..."

He sighed. He should've known Sky would ask when he couldn't get away. At least he was nice enough not to corner him completely about it. "Go on. I know you've been wanting to ask since last night."

"You... You wielded the Master Sword." His words were followed by a quiet disbelieving hush.

"It was probably just because you were in danger." Faron denied. "I'm not a hero."

"You have the Triforce, though." Sky pointed to his hand, and Faron paled as he abruptly realized his glove had been lost in the fight yesterday. He covered it up quickly, instinctively tensing as he prepared to run.

"Hey, it's okay." Legend soothed. "We're not mad... confused, but not mad."

"I..." Faron felt his mouth go dry as he tried to force words out of his mouth.

"Is... Is Faron your real name?" Warriors asked softly.

"It's the name I've gone by for over a year." He chewed on his lip a bit. "My actual name brings me nothing but trouble back in my Hyrule, so I never use it." Nobody said anything, but Faron could see the urging in their eyes. "It's L-Link. My original name was Link."

It was like a mist of relief and confusion settled around them all. "Why do you go by Faron?" Wind finally asked.

"Like I said, my original name gave me nothing but trouble in my Hyrule. People know Link. They don't know Faron. It's much easier to just be another face in the crowd. And that Triforce is an easy identifier." He shook his head. "Besides, it's not like I knew you were all named Link until you explained it to Wind."

"So that's why you were brought to us." Twilight realized. "You are a hero."

"I'm not." Faron denied. "I'm just a traveler. Nothing more."

"Too humble." He heard Four grumble under his breath. "Either way, Hylia must think you're hero enough if you've been brought to us."

He opened his mouth to argue, when Sky held Fi out towards him. "Whether you think you're a hero or not, you've been sent with us on this journey for a reason. If you'd like, I think Fi's got a title for you. Or we can keep calling you Faron."

He hesitated as he looked between Sky and Fi. He could leave it be and keep being Faron—the healer of the group. But... would a title really change who he was? Regardless of what they thought, he was just a normal person. He wasn't a chosen hero, or a descendant of the Goddess. He was a farmer's son from an entirely different country.

But something about the sword called to him. He reached out a hand and hesitantly took the blade, half-expecting her to shock him. Instead, a beautiful glow encompassed her as she hummed happily in his hands.

Again, he marveled at how balanced she felt in his hands, despite his smaller stature. A life on the road was not good for a growing boy's height, after all. After a long moment, she dulled and he handed her back to Sky.

"Know that she tells me nothing of your journey but the basics." Sky started. "It seems you've had a very hard journey—very lonely. You never wielded her, but you still defeated Ganon. It's a pleasure to formally welcome you, Hero of Hyrule."

Faron—Hyrule, now, he supposed—wasn't sure what to think of it. "This doesn't really change anything." Time spoke up. "You're still the same traveler that we've come to care about. A name does not define you."

"I suppose you're right." Hyrule sighed, leaning against Legend a bit as he returned to his apple slice.

"Wait, so you said you were from the same timeline as Legend, right?" Wind perked up. "Does that mean you're Legend's successor?"

"Probably." Legend shrugged.

"I don't know." Hyrule scratched the back of his head. "I'm not even from Hyrule."

"You're not?!" Wind gasped, and a few of the others looked startled as well.

"No, like I keep saying, I'm a traveler." He stressed. "I'm from a completely different country. I've been to several others as well, but when I visited Hyrule..." He winced. "I got roped into defeating Ganon and waking a Zelda that'd been asleep for about a hundred years."

"Now, this sounds like a good story." Warriors grinned as he threw a slice of pear up into the air and caught it in his mouth. He gave a go on gesture to Hyrule.

"Not much to say." He shrugged. "I had two quests—one to defeat Ganon, and the other to wake a princess in a cursed slumber. I had to find the Triforce of Courage to awaken her, and after that..." He hummed. "Well, my Hyrule has two Zeldas now."

"That's gotta be confusing." Four chuckled. "Do you call them both Zelda?"

"Well, the one that was asleep for a century goes by Zel. She's just a kid, after all. I think... maybe twelve?"

"We tend to give our Zeldas nicknames to prevent confusion." Time explained. "Since Wind's Zelda already goes by Tetra, I don't think that was ever explained to you."

"A lot of stuff wasn't explained to me." Hyrule sighed. "So I'm supposed to just pick a nickname for them?"

"If you want." Twilight grinned. "Some of us play off our titles, while others pick something that suits that particular Zelda. Mine is called Dusk."

"Fable is my Zelda." Legend picked up. "Four's goes by Dot, Time's is Lullaby. Warriors' is Artemis, and Sky's is Sun."

Hyrule sat back and thought for a long moment. "How about... Dawn for the Zelda who wasn't asleep? She's due to be queen in a few years, and she'll rule a new era without Ganon." He tilted his head as he thought. "And... Aurora for the one who was asleep."

"Aurora?" Wind tilted his head. "Like the lights they say appear in snowy areas?"

"Sort of." Hyrule chuckled. "There's a story back in my homeland about a princess who was cursed into a slumber for eternity, and the only thing that could wake her was a true love's kiss. Her name was Aurora, so I thought it was fitting."

"What's your homeland like?" Four asked. "I've never left Hyrule."

"I don't think many of us have left Hyrule." Twilight frowned.

"I have." Legend crossed his arms. "I've been to several different countries."

"I've traveled beyond the borders of Hyrule as well." Time nodded.

"My homeland is peaceful." Hyrule smiled wistfully. "Lots of open farmland and forests that stretch beyond the horizon. Some call it the homeland of the Fae, because it's said there's a spring where fairies are born."

"Really?" Time blinked, curiosity shining in his eye.

"I've seen it myself." He nodded, smile widening into a grin. "Magical sensitivity is common in my homeland. I remember watching a fairy being born. The magic welled up from the spring... It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

"It sounds amazing!" Wind bounced where he sat. "I wanna see it one day!"

"The spring is said to be ageless. If you travel enough, you might find it in your own time one day."

"If you're not from Hyrule, why go there?" Warriors asked. "Last night you said your Hyrule was dangerous."

Hyrule looked away for a long moment. "I have my reasons." He finally decided. He liked these people. He even sort of trusted them. But he wasn't about to let himself rely on them. He wasn't like them. Regardless of what they said... regardless of what the sword said, he wasn't a hero. He doubted he'd last very long on this journey with them. He just... was cut from a different cloth.

Warriors frowned but let the topic drop. Hyrule was grateful—he really didn't know what he'd have done if the hero decided to push the topic. He shuddered a bit as the image from last night's nightmare flashed in his mind, bringing with it a sense of impending danger.

"You good?" Legend asked quietly as Warriors and Four argued about something relating to smithing.

"Yeah." He felt a yawn escape him as he leaned against the hero in the red tunic. "Just a bit tired."

"Then take a nap." Legend smiled softly. Hyrule was sure he wasn't meant to see it, but it made him feel warm all the same. "I'll make sure these idiots don't wake you up."

"Thanks, Vet."

"Any time, Traveler."

linelienlinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelienline

Legend sat beneath the stars. It was his turn to take watch, and he couldn't stop thinking about what happened earlier. Faron—a person he begrudgingly felt a connection to—nearly died yesterday. And he could do nothing but put a couple of potions to his lips. If Twilight hadn't had that fairy, Faron would be dead.

Well, he supposed it was Hyrule, now, wasn't it? And therein was the second headache of the night. Faron was never actually Faron. Okay, well, he was, but he was one of them and hadn't told them.

It had taken a bit before Legend was able to wrap his head around the why. Logically, it made sense. Besides, Legend had greeted the guy with a sword to the face, so why should he give them his real name?

No, what Legend wanted to know was why he'd been going by the name Faron for over a year. What had made Hyrule so afraid to give them the name Link? Just what were his lands like that had him using a pseudonym instead of his name when he wasn't even originally from Hyrule? None of them had used nicknames, as far as he knew.

He'd said the name brought nothing but trouble, and the vague response only served to pique his concern more. There was also an underlying current of unease when he'd spoken his name aloud that Legend wasn't sure the others had caught. And moreover, when Sky had pointed out his Triforce, there was a flash of terror in his eyes. Like he was afraid he'd be attacked for it. The way he'd covered it up and had tensed as if to flee only added to that theory.

That did not sit right with Legend. Because like it or not, Hyrule was likely his successor. Which meant, like Time was to Twilight, Hyrule was his responsibility. And he'd be damned if he let his successor feel unsafe with them.

He shifted when he heard movement to his left. He turned to see the object of his thoughts sitting beside him. "You should rest." Legend scowled. "You're still recovering."

"I feel much better, now." Hyrule leaned back against the side of the cave. "I wanted to look at the stars."

"Fine. Suit yourself." He huffed. Hyrule should be resting. Didn't he know how serious those injuries were?! If they were just a minute slower even a fairy wouldn't have been able to—

"What's on your mind?"

Legend startled and glanced over at Hyrule. His bright green eyes looked almost black in the low lighting, yet they sparkled with the reflection of the stars.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie, it's unbecoming." Hyrule frowned. "You're thinking of my being a Link, aren't you?"

"...maybe." Legend let out a frustrated breath. "I don't understand... why didn't we just pick you up like everyone else?"

"I could sense the portals opening up for weeks before I actually found one stable enough to go through. I wasn't sure what it was, so I decided to step through."

"You can really sense that?" Legend blinked.

"Yeah. I can use more magic than the rest of you. It's because I'm from..." Hyrule started before sighing. "No, I've lied to you enough." He shook his head. "Truth is, I've got– I've got fae blood in me." He all but whispered it, and Legend instinctively understood that this was a secret that Hyrule had likely kept his whole life.

"Fae blood?"

"Yeah. I can actually erm... transform into a fairy." He flushed to his eartips, and Legend resisted the urge to snort.

"Well... I have a cursed form that lets me change into a mermaid, so there." He fought down the blush that tried to sneak its way up. "A secret for a secret." That was a good mentor thing, right? Encourage him to say stuff? Ack!! He'd have to ask Time for some pointers.

No. No way he could bring this up to the old man! He'd just laugh at him. No, Legend would figure this mentor thing out himself!

"My fae blood comes from my mother's side of the family. I don't think my father really knows about it. She was always so insistent that I keep it a secret." He smiled softly.

"So you knew your parents, then?" Legend wondered if he was one of the only Links among them to have known his parents.

"Know." Hyrule corrected. "My parents and siblings are all very much alive, and I sometimes get letters from them." He smiled as he pulled out an old worn leather notebook. It was stuffed with loose papers and letters. Hyrule pulled out one of the letters and handed it to Legend.

He carefully opened it, noting the somewhat messy childish handwriting.

'Dear Big Brother, I made some new friends today!! The fairies at the Lagoon finally let me play with them! I had so much fun!! Daddy made us a yummy dinner and mommy even said she'd buy me some new clothes with the money you sent us!! Will you come visit soon? I know you're busy having adventures, but I can't wait to play with my favorite big brother! Love you lots!!

-Hazel'

He noted the tear stains on the letter and realized that Hyrule must've cried when he'd first read it. "She sounds cute."

"I last saw her when she was four." Hyrule sighed. "She was so adorable. I was always her favorite brother. She's about ten, now, I think."

"Why not visit?" Legend may not always see eye-to-eye with his sister, but at least they visited one another. Technically illegally, since he was a wanted criminal and all that, but still. He was a good enough brother to visit his twin.

"My Hyrule is very dangerous. Lots of monsters are after me specifically. I'm afraid that I'd lead them home. I'd rather my sister hate me for leaving than be the reason for her death." There was a heavy silence for a long moment.

"I can understand, to an extent." Legend finally spoke up. "My uncle... he raised me. He died on my first journey."

"First?"

"I've had five or so."

"Holy crap." Hyrule shook his head. "That's..."

"There's a reason they call me 'the veteran'." Legend chuckled lightly. Things went quiet for a while, and the two just gazed out at the stars. "Hey, Rule?"

"Yeah?"

"I want you to know... that I'm here for you, got it? I don't care what the others say, you're... technically my successor. And that kinda makes me your mentor. So..." He felt his face burning. Legend didn't do feelings.

"So...?" Hyrule smirked as he looked at Legend expectantly. He had half a mind to just tell him to shove it, but... he was going to try to be a good mentor.

"So..." He took a deep breath, face burning brightly against the cool night air. "I'm going to look out for you." There. He'd said it. Goddesses, this mentor thing was hard.

"Thanks, Leg." Hyrule smiled. It was a soft smile. Open and vulnerable and trusting. He'd never seen the traveler smile at him like that before. Maybe this mentor thing was worth it, after all.