The young woman sat on her floor, lamenting the recent departure of her childhood friend. Even if he'd been cold and aggressive, he was still her friend. But if she knew one thing, it was that Link had changed. He wasn't the same as he had been before, that was for sure. Ilia sighed as she slipped her beaded anklet over her heel. "I wonder if he'll ever be okay..." Her father apparently heard her, as he stuck his head around her doorframe. "Hmm, Ilia? Oh, ya mean Link! That young'un hasn't been normal, 'as he?" She shook her head glumly, fingers tracing her round ears. "He's so distant... Never smiles, an' Rusl... He's so wary of 'im... They were practically father an' son before all this..." Bo waved a hand in the air, searching for the right word. "Commotion, what with the 'orrible wolf in the village an' all..." She pushed herself up, walking purposefully out of the door. "I 'ope he comes back, there's no Ordon wivvout Link!" 

Her footsteps were the only sound as she trekked up to Link's abandoned tree house, passing by the children, standing silently by the entrance to the village, waiting for their hero to return. Talo looked really excited, gesturing to the sky when she asked him what was up. "Look! Up there!" Ilia glanced at the sky, which, to her surprise, was tinged a bloodstained purple with a tornado-vortex twisting over Faron Woods. She looked away, and, grabbing Talo by his clothes and trusting the others to follow, Ilia ran to Uli's home and all but kicked the door down. "Ilia? What is it, dear?" Uli said, holding her daughter in one arm as she looked at Ilia, concerned. "Its... Not safe out there! Take 'em, please!" And with that, she shoved the children into the door and nodded at Colin's mother, before taking off through the Village again. Uli, a surprised look on her face, shepherded all of them inside, listening patiently to Talo's colourful protests. Beth looked out, face pressed against the window, before screaming. "There's people!! Fallin' from th' sky!" and rushing out of the door. Uli held her child close to her chest, hoping the people who were apparently 'falling from the sky' were a figment of Beth's overactive imagination.

With an almighty crash, and the crunching and screaming of Legend breaking his knees by landing on his feet, the mess of Links slowly came to from their unceremonious dumping out of their cuddle pile in Four's cosy home. Twi's ear flicked, then again, then he opened one of his silver eyes to the view of his steed's concerned face. Coughing, Twi pushed himself to his feet, growling when he saw the achingly familiar gates to Ordon. "It's mine... Unfortunately, we're near Ordon." Time stood, dislodging a half-asleep Sailor from his shoulder, who landed on the ground with a soft flump. "Oh...? Okay then, everyone up. Status?" Hyrule looked up from where he was force feeding Lege a potion for his shattered legs. "Well, I'm okay, Sky's asleep still, Four knocked himself out on the ground, I think Lege might need to be carried and Wars is... Out of it? Everyone else seems fine." Time nodded, picking up an unconscious Smithy and setting him on his back.

Extending a hand to slap the Old Man's chest, Twi bared his fangs a little. "When we get into the village, you better not tell anyone I'm with you. I don't want to see most of them again." His father placed a steady hand on Twi's shoulder. "If you don't want to, we don't have to go into the village. Your choice." Wild came up behind him, sporting a nasty, jagged gash down the side of his head, and jumped on Twi's back. "Goddesses, Wild!" His protégé went limp, forcing the Rancher to carry him. "Well..." Time said, mirth in his voice, "I think Wars will have to carry Sky, then. Or at least wake him up. Legend can ride Epona." The Veteran's colourful grumbling was drowned out by a girl's scream. Twi span, causing Wild to cry out, and locked eyes with Ilia. "Link! Oh Link I've been so, so worried 'bout 'cha!" She tried to hug him, but he leapt back, shielding Wild from her, and glared at her through his beautiful grey eyes. Warriors slung an arm over Twi protectively, and despite himself, Twi leant into the Captain's touch. "Link? What's wrong? Aren't ya pleased to see me? Say somethin'!" His face twisted into a disgusted frown.

Without another word, Ilia sped off down the path, the sky now a normal, if not gloomy, grey sky, running so fast her bare feet stung as they slapped against the dry ground. Panting slightly, she put a hand to her cheek and hollered loud and clear "Ev'ryone! Link's here!" Rusl looked up from his blade, eyes full of hope. "Link's back?" Ilia nodded, face grim. "Link's back, but... He said to his companions tha' he never wanted to see any of us again..." Mayor Bo looked at his daughter in horror, her stricken face telling him that what she said was true. But there was something else bothering him. "Did Link seem... Properly close... t' any of his new friends? D'ya think he might've been bluffin'?" Uli has come down from her home, Beth following her closely and Talo sprinting around madly. "No, I don' think they're his friends. I think... I think they migh' be 'is family." The villagers' gasps and mutterings didn't go unnoticed either, as a wolf's keen ears hear more than they should.

"Alright, we're not stayin' here any longer than we need to, so the plan is just to get what 'cha need an' run. Sound good?" Twi said, accent coming out a bit in his nervousness. Wild was still slumped on his back, snoozing happily, face nestled between Twi's shoulders. "Once again, Twilight, we don't have to go in if you don't want to." Sky's words were just as quiet and gentle as his expression, a slight smile as he laid a supporting hand on the Rancher's forearm. "Nah, Bird Brain. Ya worry too much. I'll be fine. Let's jus' go." And with that, he marched into the village, Wild remaining still on his back, followed closely by Time, who had a now conscious Four sat on his shoulders, and Warriors, Wind dogging his footsteps. Epona's hooves hit the dirt with a gentle thud each time she took a step, with a fuming Legend balanced in her saddle, which was way too big for his tiny stature. Wild slipped off Twi's shoulders and whistled for his steed, watching happily as she came hurtling towards him. He swung himself onto the saddle, watching from higher up as Sky walked with Hyrule, guiding Twilight's mare around all the winding turns the path took. Eventually, though, Twilight was once again looking at the charming gates into Ordona. "Alright, no runnin' off or anythin' cause I don' wanna come look for ya." And with that, he shouldered open the gates and stepped in, almost knocked off his feet immediately by Epona barrelling through, the Veteran on her back smirking viciously. With a feral yell, Wild followed suit, nearly running Twi over in his haste to chase Epona.

"Hold it, all o' you. I hear somethin'..." Bo said, striding to stand next to Rusl. His guard looked at him, sadness in his eyes. The blonde-haired man had always known Link as a son, and his sudden change had hit him the hardest out of all of them. He heard hooves, presumably Epona, before there was an outburst of startled yelling and Link's horse came galloping into view, a figure on her back. There was no way that was Link riding her though, as the rider was, in Bo's eyes, a child, who clearly had no idea what he was doing and was loving every second of it. The boy steered her straight towards them, pushing the mare until she was going so fast the imprints left by her hooves were at least an inch deep. "He ain't stoppin'!! Watch out!", and everyone immediately dove to the sides to let the mad kid pass. Much to the villager's surprise, a handsome, noble looking man with an elegant accent and regal attire came sprinting into Ordon. "Oi! Lege! Where did you go now you daft rat! Come back here!" He cast his eyes around, and Ilia felt her heart stop for a second. It was the one Link had been leaning on when she found him.

"Wars!" And suddenly there was another kid, this one dressed in a cheerful blue with extremely tanned skin and tousled blonde curls. "Wait- *huff* Wait up! They've *wheeze* lost ya!" A shrill whistle rang through the air, making Uli's baby squeal in horror, as a heavily scarred teen came barrelling over the hill on a horse that looked almost exactly like Epona, except slightly smaller, with feathers around her fetlocks. Another boy was seated in her saddle behind the first, holding onto his companion's waist and whooping with pure joy as the Epona-lookalike shot past. "Oi! Watch it, will ya?" Jaggle shouted as he almost got his face ripped off by the horse's saddle. And just to add to the villager's confusion, a boy in a light green tunic with a white cape came jogging in, panting like he'd just escaped a charging Bulbo. "What do you all think you're doing! Time's gonna have a migraine if any more of you run off!" A bored sounding voice joined the first, and Bo felt his heart go out to that poor man. "No, no it's fine. You go on ahead. But for the love of Hylia, at least try to catch Legend, Wild and 'Rule before something gets set on fire, will you?"  

And with that, a man with a tiny kid seated on one of his armoured shoulders walked into view, another figure striding beside him, head down. Bo recoiled slightly, as the armoured man had only one eye, his face painted with intimidating war stripes. The man beside him looked up, pallid and gaunt. "Oh my sweet, sweet goddesses... Link!" Their ranch hand looked tired. Really tired, with soulless eyes and pale skin. Rusl stepped closer to him, ignoring the knight-looking man's glare. "Ma boy, d'you know how worried I've been 'bout 'cha? Come on, you can tell your ol' dad what's wrong with ya!" And Link gave him a wary look, fear deep in his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the war-painted man giving his boy a questioning stare. The blonde man decided it would be safe, and rushed towards the teen he viewed as his son, only to have the wind knocked out of him. Link lunged forwards, kicking out with his leather booted foot, catching Rusl in the chest, throwing him to the floor. "Twi!" the kid spoke up, jumping down from the shoulder of the man, eyes flashing violet ominously. "Impressive form, I've got to say. You've been practicing!" Uli gasped, and Sera could only stare in horror. Poor Ilia looked like she was about to collapse. "He... He jus'... He jus' kicked Rusl..."

"I'm not Link. But that's right, I did. And none of you will ever know why." His voice was gravelly, flat and full of hate, a contrast to the smooth, lilting, cheerful tones he'd bantered in before his journey. "Now leave. Me. Alone." He stormed off, shooting the man an apologetic look over his shoulder. "I apologise for him. Now, did two horses come through here at lightning speed?" And Bo nodded, as they had nearly decapitated two of his finest warriors. "Ah... I'm sorry about them. It's hard, having to look after eight boys, most of whom don't want to be looked after." Bo nodded, he was beginning to like this man. Ilia was hard enough on her own, but eight sons? He couldn't imagine what this man went through every day. "Say, if we're gonna give y'all a proper Ordon welc'me, I think we aught to know your names."

The tanned boy from earlier and the attractive knight came jogging towards the crowd, Beth fluttering her long eyelashes at the soldier. "Time! They're fine, just letting the horses rest a little." The boy offered the crowd a sneaky grin. "Hey, there's nothing to see here! Why don't you go about your day normally and let us talk to your leader and... This guy." The other villagers left, Talo being dragged away by Colin and Beth. "Okay, now that we're alone, we can do introductions. I'm Time." Bo nodded, wondering why such an important looking man had such a weird name. The sunny boy spoke up, fiddling with his white cape. "I'm Sky!" Soldier inclined his head in greeting. "My name is Warriors, and this little sea-rat is Wind." The boy, Wind, presumably, elbowed Warriors hard in the side, pouting innocently. "Sea-rat? I have no idea what you're talking about." And without another word, he yanked the knight's scarf off and ran away laughing as the older boy gave chase. "The three who charged through the village earlier will probably come back in a minute, and you'd do better to give Twilight his personal space." Rusl frowned. "Have we met this... Twil'ght?" Time nodded. "I believe he was the one who roundhouse kicked you." 

Bo nodded, silently following his words, whilst also being very confused as he'd been so sure that boy who attacked Rusl had been his Link, but inside his mind was alight with questions about this man. "And, who's your kid?" The 'kid' looked up at him, gritted teeth and angry blue eyes. "I'm Four. Call me a kid again and I'll have your kneecaps faster than you can say Minish." Wincing, the Ordon mayor turned to greet the three new arrivals, each dusty and covered in horse hair, but all looking triumphant. Bo recognised the mad kid who'd galloped Epona through the village earlier. "The name's Legend, because that's what I am." The other two snorted at that, and Time raised an eyebrow. "Oh! I'm Hyrule!" And that was where Bo's suspicions deepened. Who named their child after a Kingdom? As if sensing his unease, the boy continued. "It gets a little confusing though, so just call me 'Rule!" And finally, the last boy stepped up, though just looking at his face was hard without staring. The horrific burn scars the kid had wrapped around half his face, down his neck and had seemingly claimed an ear too, as he only had one. "Hi! I'm Wild!" Ilia had snuck back into the conversation at some point, choosing now to say something. "Oh, you sure are wild." Wild looked offended, pouting crossly. "Hey! I meant my name! My name's Wild!" Bo's daughter reached over and ruffled Wild's hair, causing the boy to squawk and duck out of her way, running and hiding behind Time, who picked up the kid and held him out to her. "A quick warning, he bites." She looked between Time's deadly serious face and Wild's disgruntled expression, choosing to believe the older man. But, just as a joke, she reached out to ruffle the boy's bangs and-

"Get your filthy paws off my Cub!"

 The man from earlier was there, standing directly in front of them, sword drawn, fang-like teeth bared, glaring daggers at all the Ordonians. "Link?" Ilia squeaked, eyes wide. "Your cub? What?" Bo looked like he was going into shock, seeing his daughter's best friend swing a sword dangerously close to her nose. Time grabbed Twi, pulling him close, and all the tension drained out of the Rancher. In front of all the other villagers, not caring if he was being watched or not, he slumped in his father's hold, legs giving up and depositing the broken hero on the floor. Twi's breathing skyrocketed as he began to panic, looking around frantically. Time knew immediately that his son was going to run off, which was not what he wanted right now. Grabbing Twi's hands, he pressed them to his chest, murmuring instructions to the Wolf Hero. "Now, breathe. Deep breaths, in and out. That's it, keep going. You're doing well, good, Twi, good..." With Twilight now calmer, rage at the villagers gone, along with his panic and sadness, Twi stood and brushed himself off, giving Time a hand up too, and welcoming Wild into his arms. "Hello everyone."

Ilia and Uli looked at each other, exchanging a glance of wariness, before deciding Link was probably trying to be peaceful. "Oh... Link!" He smiled thinly, eyes remaining cold, but not the blind fury he'd had when he first arrived. "I supposed y'all'll be wantin' an  explanation?" At the two women's nods, he heaved a heavy sigh. "I only wan' you and Bo an'... An'... Him. Him too. Nobody else can hear this, they'll think I'm dangerous." His laugh was sharp, humourless. "Hah! Maybe I am. But it's not her fault, okay? She didn't do anythin' wrong, so don't you dare disrespect her." Time gave his son an encouraging nod, a half-smile. "First of all, I think you should know who this is." Letting go of Wild for a second, he grabbed Time's hand, yanking him over to them. "I'm guessin' y'all've already met Time,  Well, he's my true father." Rusl reeled back, shaken by Link's revelation. He'd always assumed Link to be an orphan, ever since he found him in the woods being watched over by a glowing, golden wolf. That golden wolf had looked after the young Link, keeping watch over him and when Rusl took him into Ordon, the wolf stayed for a bit too. They nicknamed him Sunny. And looking between them, it was obvious Link was telling the truth. They had similar features, big blue eyes that held a lot of pain, handsome sharp noses and chiselled jawlines, although Link's hair was more reddish than Time's. And there was no way Link had seven siblings, though the small scarred one he held close to him might be his brother with how close they were. 

"You're our Link's prop'r dad? I fin' that 'ard to believe." Bo put a hand on Rusl's shoulder. "Rusl, please. I kno' you're hurt tha' Link's been cold, but don' attack him!" Time almost smiled, lips quirking up a little. "It's no surprise to me, really. I was a terrible father, going and dying like I did and leaving my poor son to fend for himself." Uli swayed on her feet, looking very confused. "D-dying?" She squeaked, leaning heavily on Ilia. "How are ya here if you're well... Restin' with the Gods?" And to that, Time really laughed. So hard that if Four hadn't shoved him he would've fallen on top of the small kid-who-apparently-wasn't-a-kid. "Oh, I'm not dead, but the me in this timeline should be. You see, I'm not from this time, none of us except Twi are. I'm the Hero of Time. You may have heard of me. But enough about us, I'll take the others to go and find a good spot to camp or something and leave you to your discussion. And Twi, you'd better tell them the truth. As Malon says, grudges come between so much, best let them go." And with the crunching of boots on the hard earth, all the mysterious travellers left. 

Link, or Twilight, as he supposed he should call him now, looked ready to faint. He was really pale, making the strange silver marks on his forehead stand out even more, sweat trickling into his pelt, which he'd wrapped around his shoulders tightly. Come to think of it, that pelt looked kinda familiar. "That pelt... That looks like the fur coat tha' mutt had on 'is wretched skinny frame." And nobody, not even Talo, missed how violently Link flinched when Rusl called it 'wretched' and 'skinny'. "So that's what you think, hmm? Maybe I should just go with my new family. At least they don't ignore my feelings." Bo gaped, watching as Ilia, with fire in her eyes, marched towards her childhood friend. "Now listen here, ya wreck!! You ain't been back here long an' you're already bringin' the rest o' us down! What. Is. Up. With. You. What's your goddess-damned problem?!" And Link looked furious, mouth open wide enough so all could see his terrifying fangs. "I don' got a problem with any of you!! Except..." He span on his heel, knocking Ilia out of his way. Standing in front of Rusl, he leered at his adoptive father. "You wanna know what this pelt hides? Do you? Really? Are you sure you're ready for the guilt I'm about to dump on you?" Rusl nodded, blonde hair bouncing as he did. "Hmm. Well, you've got some nerve to try and hug me after what you did." He turned around, untying the black fur and letting it fall. "For the last time, are you ready?" Uli looked at Rusl; Rusl looked at Uli. "I'm ready."

Link, with a wide, mad, pained grin on his face, slowly turned so they could see his torso. His right shoulder was a horrific mess of knotted burns and stab wounds, deep and thin, with slices and nicks crisscrossing the scorch marks. "You know who did this? You, Rusl. You." Everyone in the village was watching now as their hero, their bright Ranchhand, their boy, accused his mentor and adoptive father of abuse. "Do you see now? Why I wear the fur? And there's a second reason too. When Ilia got kidnapped by King Bulblin, I chased after them, directly into a Twilight Gateway. I was... transformed." Bo shuddered at the implications of Link's words, forming pictures in his mind. "You mentioned, I believe, a wolf that came into your village, yes? You claimed it was trying to attack Uli. I think otherwise." 

Ilia looked slightly nervous, grasping at Talo's shoulders and standing protectively in front of Beth as Link got more and more worked up, silver eyes narrowed in a glare directed at Rusl the entire time. "I think the wolf had a perfectly good reason to be in the Village. In fact, it's almost like he was in his place. I'm going to tell you now, that wolf and me have a very strong bond. We're joined in the soul. And Wolfie did NOT appreciate the torch and the sword." Link fingered something below the neckline of his tunic, unhooking a fraying string and bringing out an ominous, glowing, spiny black crystal. Orange veins wept along its surface and each point was crusted with a faded red liquid that looked scarily like blood. "Yes, I think... I think the wolf will be more than happy to be your personal Reaper..." The ranchhand, eyes filled with a sort of maddened fury. He grasped the crystal, points cutting into his fingers, but he didn't care. Muttering under his breath in a language nobody could understand, black squares encasing him. With a broken scream and a heartrending shriek, their farmer boy began to shift shape within the darkness, his skull bending, eyes changing to an almost almond shape, ears sprouting from the crown of his head, untamed fur covering him. And when the smoke dissipated, Rusl took one look at the beast standing before him. 

"T-the wolf? Oh gods..."

There was a thudding of feet as Time dashed towards them, hand glowing brightly golden; the man opened his scarred eye, revealing that it was white, pupilless and white, blank but at the same time, angry. He threw himself between the wolf and Rusl, mouth drawn into a cold line of fury. This man... He had a strange aura about him, a Light aura that the villagers had only ever seen on the Princess. Holding up his glowing hand, all they saw was three triangles in a formation, a marking that had seemingly been branded into the man's skin. It was the source of the glowing energy, and, placing it over Link's crystal, Time threw himself back, enveloped in the glow, alongside some of the strange black magic from Link's transformation. In Time's place there was a wolf the colour of a burning sunset, rusty gold with white spirals down his sides and one red eye. Before Rusl now stood Sunny, the wolf who'd raised Link. 

Ilia, face flushed a foreboding pink, stepped forwards, waving a finger at the two mutts. "Would anyone care to explain what just happened? I'm very confu-" Sunny jumped on her, pressing his nose to her face in the same gesture of 'shut up' he'd used back then. Link circled Rusl, hackles raised, the burn marks and slices clear as day on his grey fur. Silence, silence. Silence except for the low growl of anger emanating from Twilight.

This wasn't Rusl's son.

This was a monster.