summary: you are a celestial being who stays hidden in the shadows, but your interest in a certain deity turns you bolder.
pairing: fierce deity x gn!reader
cw: none that I can think of
note: the ending is lowkey ass, but this was an old work and I want to post something so I decided to try and finish this as best I could. So here you go.
wc: 1.7k
master list
Each soul shined brightly, filling the empty vastness that surrounded you. It was your duty to watch over each one, to create their form in the next life. It wasn’t much, but you enjoyed your role, watching souls come and go for eternity. There was one soul that was different. He was no mortal, his role crafted to protect the creations of Hylia, to protect those sweet souls you’d help put on Hyrule. His soul was the most brilliant, you had thought when you first met him. Blank eyes that could pierce through the toughest soldier, face blank as he stood over bodies of monsters and hylians alike.
The first time you had met the deity was after an intense battle and you had come down to collect the souls personally. He did not blink as you materialized out of thin air, barely even batting an eye at your form. You merely blinked, in awe at the existence of such a being. His soul was something you had never seen before, Hylia and the other goddess’ didn’t even compare. Blinking out of your stupor, you quickly got to work collecting the souls of the fallen, the small orbs of light thrumming with energy in your palms, trying to ignore the rapid pulsing throughout your being.
“What are you doing?” His deep voice rumbled in the near silent clearing.
“I’m making sure they can rest in peace,” You replied back seamlessly. It was hard to ignore the warmth that built under your skin when his gaze finally fell onto you. As emotionless as he seemed, you noticed how his soul seemed conflicted, the colors and shape swirling along with his thoughts. It was silent once more, many had fallen, which left you to pick up after the gruesome battle.
“I was supposed to protect them,” He stated. While his tone was unwavering, you saw his soul flicker, like it was trying to hold itself together after this failure.
“It’s the circle of life,” Your response seemed cold, but this was something you had dealt with for as long as you remembered. “Do not fret, they will be back. Perhaps not the same, they will look different, they may not even be hylian in their next life, but they will live once more.”
“What is your name?” He asked, stepping closer to your hovering figure.
You gave it easily with a shy smile, tucking the last soul safely within your magical bubble, “I am tasked with keeping balance with both Hylia’s and Farore’s creations. I haven’t met you yet, though.”
“I am known as Fierce Deity,” the deity spoke, watching in curiosity. He watched as your hands hovered over the bodies, extracting something he couldn’t see, and seemingly storing it.
A frown formed on your face at his reply, “No name?” He shook his head, white hair swaying with the movement. “Well that won’t do,” You huffed, crossing your arms. “How about Fierce?”
It was after that fateful meeting that you started to personally collect souls yourself in the hope of catching the handsome deity once more, and more often than not you did. It seemed that he was surrounded by death. You watched as he grew, watched as the horrors of life rolled off his back, watched as he would turn to you for a semblance of solace. You enjoyed the moments you shared, taking in the world you helped keep going with the man who had enchanted you wholly. It was a brief respite for you both, a moment to forget about the roles you both played. Just two people who were entranced with the other.
Yet you should’ve realized it wouldn’t last forever. Nothing good ever does, you have witnessed countless unhappy endings throughout your long lifetime. Perhaps you were blindsided by the change of your routine, by the warmth that consumed you every time he would look at you so softly, by the fact that neither of you were mortal. You had felt it deep in your being, he wasn’t gone, but something had dulled the shine of his soul. You would still go to Hyrule, thinking that perhaps this time you would see him, that he could tell you what had happened, why he had left you for so long.
You weren’t sure how long it took for you to find him. Was it years? Decades? Centuries? You couldn’t tell, for someone who has lived as long as you, time was meaningless. Of course it was when you finally stumbled upon Hylia’s chosen hero, one soul out of three that had always given you trouble. With blonde hair styled just like the one you loved, face paint eerily similar as well. You nearly had to do a double take if it weren’t for the difference of his souls. The hero stared at you with a calculating eye, unsure of who you were or what your intentions were. It was then that you had found that beautiful soul you had been searching for all these years.
A mask, hauntingly resembling the deity you loved slipped itself out of the hero’s satchel as you coaxed the soul towards you. With a shout, the hero leapt forward, attempting to grab the mask, but you would not have it, creating a shield blocking the hero from approaching your or the mask. Once it reached you, you cradled it gently, heart feeling heavy. His soul was trapped in this mask, how long had he been like this? Tears welled in your eyes, how long has it been for his soul to become so dull?
“Who are you?” The hero snarled, sword raised towards your form.
“I am nobody,” You replied, unable to tear your eyes away from the one you loved. “I’m doing my job by collecting the souls of the fallen.” Your grip tightened at your last words, voice wobbling just slightly. Oh how the mighty have fallen indeed.
“That mask contains a dangerous power,” He huffed, eye turning wide as you turned with a snarl.
“He did his duty and protected Hylia’s creations and this is how he was rewarded?” You were practically growling, anger infesting deep into your bones. You had seen the deity, truly seen him. He wasn’t some savage killer like the people would spew, the claims would anger you, but Fierce would assure you it was a part of his job. That he didn’t care what they said as he was carrying out the goddess’ will. Why would they do this to him? You could clearly remember the last time you met with him, how warm his hand was in your own, how tired he was, how he whispered for your ears only that he wished to stay by your side. You felt like your blood was boiling, your sadness melting into full blown anger.
The hero stood silent, watching as you pressed a loving kiss onto the forehead of the mask. A bright light pierced through the forest, causing him to close his eye. Your words had made him pause, nauseous at how they resonated with his own fate. His hesitation had caused him to be too late, even though he wasn’t sure if he could fight against you. When Link was able to look once more he felt his heart drop, the mask had transformed, you had released Fierce Deity. His grip on his sword nearly shook as the deity glared at him, you were firmly pressed into the god’s chest.
“Fierce,” You whispered, arms wrapping around his torso. Tears slid down your cheeks as your old friend and lover held you dearly.
“My love,” he whispered back reverently. “I have missed you.”
Your hands cradled his face, pulling him down and pressing your lips together in a loving kiss. You didn’t realize how much you had missed this. He was warm and loving, holding you gently as if you would break, but tight as if you’d slip through his fingers, a contrast only he could manage. Neither of you wished to pull away, but you’d make sure you would both make up for lost time later. You gently brushed your thumb across his cheek, taking in every marking, every wrinkle, every beauty mark that dotted his skin, before finally turning back to face the hero.
“I apologize for scaring you,” You spoke, not having felt so calm in a millenia. The hero merely eyed you wearily, still on guard but less tense than before. “I have been searching for Fierce for quite some time. I see he has aided you in your journey, but it is time for him to return to where he belongs. Fear not, chosen one, he will cause you, nor the creations of Hylia any harm.”
“Do you hold power over him?” The hero questioned, eyes squinting.
Fierce stared the hero down, nearly stepping forward in anger at such a question, but you raised a hand, making him stop midstep.
“No,” You shake your head, but are unable to erase your smile. “But we respect each other, and that is enough.”
Little did you realize, you held a lot of power over Fierce. He would do anything for you without you even asking him to. You could look wistfully to the horizon and he would give you the sun, moon and stars, but he would not let the chosen one know that you were his greatest weakness.
“I wish you best on your journey, little one,” You hummed, taking a step back, ready to head back to your realm. “And know the fallen are well taken care of.”
Fierce doesn’t hesitate to follow you, entering your strange void between the planet and the infinite void that was your domain. While this wasn’t his first time, it still never failed to amaze him, watching as you pour out the souls you collected and sort them into reincarnation and what was basically ‘storage’. He trails behind you, arms wrapping around your waist as he rests his head in the crook of your neck. He had been locked up in that mask for so long, in his own personal void, that the site of the nothingness that was your domain had turned daunting for a new reason.
You leaned back into his touch, a bittersweet feeling filling you. While things may not be perfect, and you wished to have a talk with a certain goddess, you wouldn’t change the moment for anything. You were wrapped up in the arms of your love, reunited after far too long, soaking in the other’s presence like a dried up sponge. And for now, that was enough.
Heading back home from work in another village is a little interesting today.
Author's note: First time writing a fanfic after some time so I know it's gonna be shit so don't mind me.
CW: Blood, violence, death of some monsters, and that's all.
Word count: 6436 words
The forest was vast, secluded, and empty. The air is humid and the surroundings are darker than before. You were on your way home after selling goods as a merchant. You've memorized the path of the forest in the back of your head, not expecting much but something feels off tonight. You weren't much of a fighter but you always carried a sword with you. You know the basics but past that, nothing. When you travel alone, you always have to secure your protection- your father told you.
Life as a merchant isn't always quiet. You met some... Very interesting folks. Some bartering for lower prices to straight up complaining about the prices of goods. Understandably, if you were in their place, you'd complain too.life has gotten harder due to the prices rising and expenses higher
You let out a sigh of frustration, one hand brushing up your hair and the other gripping on your lantern. You wonder when life will give you a well deserved break. "Hylia, bless me a good day and my life is yours." You silently pray as you continue to walk down the dark path with only your lantern lighting up the path, not knowing the evil following you.
As you walk down the path, you hear a crack of a stick from the sides. You immediately look over, a hand on your sword, ready to strike. You walk closer on for a deer to jump out of the bushes and run away. You sigh ''Right, a deer. I better get home before something gets me. I shouldn't be too far." You carry on your path. Paranoid or not, someone like you shouldn't be out so late in the forest.
Something feels off. It's like you're being watched from behind. But when you turn around, there's nothing there. You know not to panic but the feeling of being watched is already getting to you. So, you walk faster before you start hearing someone walking after you... No, multiple people. You finally turn around to see monsters. Those aren't people!
You unsheathed your sword from your hilt and hung your lantern at the hook on your side, flight or fight senses kicking in. You've had monster encounters before but something feels different about this. Something not good. 5 dinolfos? Out here?
One of them charged at you, sword slashing across the air but you parry it with your own, pushing it back. No, you can't beat these things. You have to run- but your legs won't move! Another dinolfo rushes at you but you managed to side step in time to dodge it
It's like you're on automatic but barely processing anything. One managed to slice through your sword and another piercing its sword on your arm, you let out a cry of pain before backing off. You look at your arm and the nasty gash across it, blood pouring out. That's gonna leave a nasty scar.
You have to run.
So you did.
The monsters chased after you deep into the forest. You might get lost but it's better to live than to die in the hands of those things. As you ran blindly, you ram into something hard, face first into metal before falling back on your hind on the ground
"ow, ow, ow-" you hold on to your face before wiping off what seems to be blood dripping down your nose. Hopefully you didn't break it! "What the in din's name did i-"
You look up to see what you rammed in to only to see a man, larger than most people you've ever seen. Decked in armour and a strange looking sword on his back. What's stranger about him is his white eyes that seem to glow lightly in the dark and that blue and red markings in his face but none of that matters when you just remembered you were being chased.
You gasped, turning around to see those dinolfos getting closer. You stumbled trying to stand up before looking back at the man "You're a-a knight, are you? You have to help me, please-" you try to reach out only for the man to pull away and look back behind you.
The dinolfos make it over to where you are, swords ready before making an attack. You've accepted death before you could even move but something- or someone, grabs your arm and pulls you behind them. The man unsheathed the strange blade behind him, a firm grip over its handle and slashes through the air, decapitating a dinolfo. Just how strong is this man? You wonder. You were left to watch as the man tore through the dinolfos.
one dinolfo tried to attack the man from behind but You wouldn't let that slide. You charge forward, sword out to get the dinolfos. The man turned around to see you clashing swords against the monster. You dragged your sword through the monster's chest, pulling it out once it was dead.
You pant, your sword hitting the ground as you let a chuckle, adrenaline finally finishing its course. You look up at the man who looks down at you, sheathing back his blade. He doesn't talk, only stares.
You two look at each other awkwardly for a bit before you look away and shake your head and glance over to your arm with a sigh. Another tunic to fix, sigh.
You fix your posture and look over to the man again, his lower arm has a gash. "o-oh, let me help you with that!" You dig through your pouch for a bandage and an extra potion before facing him again. You force the man to sit on a nearby log before giving him the health potion "Here, it's not much but should do the trick... May I?" Your hand hovers over his arm before he nods. You wipe along the wound before wrapping it along the injured area.
All he does is stare which makes you feel intimated and a little shy so you try to avoid his eyes.
After a minute of silence, he finally talks.
"...You're helping me." His voice is cold, straightforward and whole. Oddly enough, it sounds like something you'd fall asleep to in the right conditions.
You laugh it off, tying a knot on his bandaged arm "You helped me too. It's just...returning the favor." You smile up at him.
"You are also injured." He glances over to your injured arm "Ahh, well. I have more potions here." You take a bottle in your pouch and down it, your injury feeling better already "see?" You put the bottle back as you sit there for a while.
The man stares at you for a while, making you feel smaller than before- until he reaches out to wipe the blood from your nose from earlier... Ah. You flush, hopefully the darkness is enough to hide that. You immediately wipe the rest off the blood from your nose, embarrassed. "D-don't mind that!' you stutter. You could almost see a smirk tug at the stranger's lips but that must be your imagination.
"h-here, have this." You hand him a red rupee "For saving me. I'd be dead if It weren't for you, Mister." You tilt your head to the side as you smile. He looks down at the rupee with his brows slightly furrowed "I have no need for this." He tries to give it back but you place your hand on top of his and close his as you spoke "I insist. It's not much but I'm sure you'll find a good use for it at some point. So, keep it. Plus, it matches that tattoo on your face!" You try to joke but he just stares at you so you clear your throat awkwardly.
You kept your hand on his for a while before realizing how dark it is already. "O-oh, it's so dark now- I gotta go! Thank you for saving me. You should go home too, mister!" You start to pack up, one hand on your lantern and the other on your sword. You bow to him before backing up "Goodnight, mister! Have a safe trip!" You wave him goodbye, turning around and walking away with pep on your step, your figure slowly disappearing as you get farther and farther.
The man watches you from behind, remaining seated at the log before looking back down at the red rupee. It's just another clueless mortal, what difference is there? Is it the fact you tried to save him? cleaned and bandaged a small injury? Gave him an offering you didn't even know counted as an offering to a god? Or how you didn't seem to fear him, only seeing him as a savior of the day. It's almost cute, how clueless you were.
He caressed the surface of the shiny rupee, his eyes soft. It seems like this wouldn't be the last time you'd meet him.
I always like it when people write the Fierce Deity as stoic softie who’s only actually scary while he’s obliterating enemies with his sword. Maybe the Fierce Deity used to be a Link or he’s Link’s godly ancestor(like how Hylia is Zelda’s and Demise is Ganon/Ganondorf’s), so it’d make some sense that he might be similar to Link, but like more quiet and gruff.
So imagine a modern au, where the Legend of Zelda series is based on real events of an ancient past. Reader happens to find the Fierce Deity’s Mask in a forest or something silly like a Spirit Halloween. Going with the store one, maybe the store owner doesn’t realize that the fearsome mask that’s being displayed on the wall is the real deal and the owner is selling it for cheap. Reader buys it, thinking it’s just a cool replica. But when they touch it to put it in their bag, they can feel a heavy presence and some sort of dark energy emanating from it, as if the mask is… alive.
For a few days after buying it, nothing really happens. Something about the mask they recently bought makes them feel… safe. Maybe the Reader happens to talk out loud to themselves and/or talks on the phone a lot. They’re unaware that their new mask is hearing everything. Overtime, the Fierce Deity gets super attached to his new owner.
Maybe around a month later, he breaks out of his mask. Now Reader has to deal with like an eight foot tall godly beefcake who wants hugs and wants to spoil/dote on the Reader. The Reader needs to be careful what they say or think because the Fierce Deity will give it to them. Like Reader wants a double chocolate cake? Boom. The Fierce Deity just spontaneously creates one with magic for them. Reader wants to get an expensive statue of like Twilight Princess Link, but doesn’t have enough money in their bank account? Boom. There’s magically enough money to buy it thanks to the Fierce Deity.
I'M BACK, but I want to know from you, my audience, my angels, I want to know if you liked the old era or the new one, both banner, title, name, color and writing, I want to know which ones you prefer.
I wanted to see if you guys prefer any model or what, since I'm thinking about going back to writing
hello! I read your yanlinks and wanted to know if can be possible some hc of the links (+deity and dark link) with darling taking mask as their child? like I always wanted to hug and punch the goddess for what the poor kid suffer, imagine that traumatized kid just being take of that doomed world and just the reader just ‘this my child now, he will have the childhood all of you deserve but had’ so they better accept it. sorry :( if you can’t is okay
AHH OMG I LOVE THIS
ofc i can do this
thank you for sending this in-
so i didn’t do headcannons (so sorry) but I’ll definitely write more with mask ((i had too much fun)) and could make hcs!!
Also, funfact, my hotel had to evacuate while i was writing this
TW: Yandere content
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
There are few times you were separated from the chain anymore. As the trip progressed and their mental states began to spiral, you began to notice more and more how much they’d begun to infringe on your time. There was always one of them there, vying, hoping, tripping over themselves if they could just be of use to you. It was because of that you couldn’t leave. There were always eyes on you and a hand lingering somewhere on your skin.
A loving quirk, you may call it.
And you’d be willing to dismiss it if it were simply a matter of chance— there are plenty of them and one of you, it seems perfectly reasonable there’d be someone near you at all times… right?
The time you’d returned from bathing without telling them only to find Wind backed into a tree explaining he didn’t mean to lose sight of you says that thought is wrong. Time hardly ever yelled. Never at you and never again in your presence, but you’re reminded thinking back to that just how dangerous these boys are beneath their sweet smiles and reverent gaze.
And you may think that they simply wish to protect you. The woods are dangerous, afterall. The woods crawl with creatures that intend to bite. To take you and harm you.
Wind spent the rest of that night crying and huddled into you. He had not much more than a sliced lip, but he certainly was shaken. The others didn’t do much to hide their glares, after all they were justified.
Weren’t they?
They just wanted to keep you safe.
It’s exactly those prior events that made this specific circumstance so… unsettling.
You were alone.
The woods were quiet.
There were no monsters.
Your legs were shaky and weak beneath you as your hands pulled you up. The bark on the tree you’d used for support was wet and the earth smelled of fresh rain. The back of your clothes stuck to your skin, the cold seeping in.
Slowly, the world began to move at a pace that made sense. You didn’t realise until a gust of wind had shook the gnarled trees that the air was stagnant and dead.
Nor did you realise the sound of a hiccuping child, crying over the buzz of cicadas.
Internally, you struggled. This is the exact kind of fae trap you’d expect waking up in Hylia knows where, it’d be dumb to go blindly walking into that.
But the worst that could happen is you move from one cage to another, so your get began to tread across the muddy ground.
You certainly weren’t expecting what you got.
A boy. A link. Curled up at the base of a tree, crying. The sight was rather painful to bear, his fragile shoulders shuddering as he tried to choke everything back. his face his scrunched up, and he bares a snarl that is missing a few teeth when you kneel to help.
“Hello Li…” You trail off, quite unsure how he’d react to seeing you know his name when he was already quite unhappy at being interrupted.
“Hello, little one” You settle on that, pulling the sleeve of your shirt up and over your thumb to wipe the tears and snot off his face. He’s backed into the tree as far as his legs can manage to push him. You pause to gather exactly who you’re looking at, and if there’s anything to guess by the bright green tunic, ocarina and collection of masks, this is the young time you’d originally thought him to be.
“Are you alright? What happened” You try your hardest to soothe him, but it’s clear the distrust has already been so deeply woven within him. He just shakes his head and shoves you away.
So, without much else to do, you set up camp.
You talk aimlessly as you work, noticing that despite his stubborn silence, the young Link (Mask, as you decide to call him) was awfully perceptive. You hope, somewhere in his little mind, he can gather through your subpar attempts at starting a fire and your light-hearted ramblings that you’re not a threat. That the food you made was not poison and you were someone he could rely on.
You saw what the world had done to those boys.
Maybe you could help this one meet with a better fate.
It’s hours into the night before he’s cheered up. He chews happily on some chicken skewers you made, the world easing its grip on him. He recounts his own tales about Epona and Navi, ones Time wouldn’t usually be vulnerable enough to share. And even then he never spoke with such the same spark. This little boy in front of you, beaten down as he was, had so much life in him.
You would not let anyone take it from him.
Not Hylia, not the people, not whatever evil incarnate found him, not even the world.
He does nod off in time. It’s far later than you’d expect his little body to endure, but he falls asleep slumped against you. It seems with just the notion of safety, he gave out.
He’s just hardly light enough to carry, so you were able to unpack his bedroll and drape whatever fabric you could find to make a blanket.
The world goes sickeningly still again. The wind stopped and it felt as though the forest died. A voice, too loud and too encompassing cuts through the dead air. It’s multiplied and shifting, as though it can’t tell how it wishes to portray itself. It’s thousands of people.
But also just one.
“Hello, Little one” It mimicked your tone in every manner from soothing to mocking. You reach slowly to your side to grab your dagger.
“You needn’t be frightened. I have no need in harming you” The voice comes from in front of you instead of behind you. Your breath is stagnant in your lungs the moment you think you’re caught— that Time had found you.
No. He had not.
But the deity had.
He stands, impossibly tall and almost incomprehensibly grand. He has no pupils in the vast whiteness of his eyes, but you know he’s looking at you. You know because something in you freezes up. He sets down his sword with a thump, the intertwined metal heavy and ebbing a sense of power equal to the man who wields it. You purse your lips to start saying— something, but he holds up a single hand in dismissal.
“I know who you are. I know why you’re here” He kneels across from you, the fire licking each contour of his bold features. He’s comparable to many of the great roman or grecian statues, striking and yet too perfect to be human. The warm light casts his skin in a warm highlight to almost convince you that his body, his vessel holds warmth, but it’s the cold moonlight and the shadows that creep around his edges that remind you who it is you’re speaking with.
“You truly must forgive my… abrupt course of action. The others left me without much time.” He quiets his voice, eventually managing to mimic something close enough to human. It’s uncanny, but ignorable.
“So… you know about-“ You choke on the thought, “the others?” It is quite odd that despite this being some split into the past he knows not just of you, but he knows you— your situation.
“The hero never truly ridded of me, you know.” His lips curl halfway between a snarl and a smile, “I was always there. Watching. Observing. Learning.” As he speaks, his words feel as if they curl around you, cinching in.
“If I hadn’t taken you when I did, it might’ve been fair to say you would’ve been stuck.” Each syllable is sharp. Concise.
“What do you-“
“I’m sorry if you’re not feeling well. Time travel truly isn’t something the mortal body is accustomed to. Especially into such an obscure timeline. But I had to be sure I kept you safe. Hidden.”
One cage for another.
“There are no monsters in these woods anymore, my flower. Don’t worry. I ensured it” He whispers, that menacing grin branding into your mind.
But there was a monster in these woods.
Because not always are they agents of evil and incapable of causing anything but harm.
Sometimes they bare their teeth in grins. They take you and harm you. They hide their worst intentions behind sweetened tones and good intentions while they hold a knife to another.
Warning(s): None, just some introspective fluff and controlled chaos with everyone's favorite deity <3
Masterlist
“(Y/n).”
You awoke to the gentle calling of your name and a firm hand on your shoulder. A groan left you as you tried to turn away, to hide in the downy pillows and scattered sheets of your bed, but the voice was too persistent to ignore. A quick glance at your nightstand revealed that it was four in the morning, which was only cemented by the fact that the sun hadn’t even risen yet.
“(Y/n),” the voice, oddly familiar, continued to press. “Wake up.”
Wake up, he said. You already had an inkling of who would dare disturb your slumber, and it only became clear when you saw the Fierce Deity’s silver-haired reflection on the glossy surface of your alarm clock. He was wearing his armor and that blade of his was secured to his back, which undoubtedly meant something significant had occurred since you bid him and the other boys goodnight six-ish hours ago. “Oh my god, what happened?”
There was a slight pause. You could practically feel the tension through the calloused hand on your bare shoulder and sincerely hoped he hadn’t gone out and killed someone… or set the kitchen on fire. Again. You weren’t sure which was worse, because at least a body was easy enough to hide when you had nine heroes at your disposal.
“Can humans consume deer meat?”
What?
You had to physically turn around to convey the bafflement you were currently feeling. Ever the gentleman, he removed his hand and took a respectful step backward. Now facing each other, you looked him straight in the eye and asked: “Is there a deer in my kitchen?”
“Yes.”
“...Is it for breakfast?”
“Yes.”
…Okay. You were an adult, so you would handle it as such. It was a minor miracle that he had the foresight to talk to you before attempting to use your stove (you hoped). Besides, you did say that you were going to teach the boys about your world until another portal showed up to dump them somewhere else, and Fierce would be no exception. “I’ll be down in five. Do I need to watch meat-cleaning videos or did you put that sword to use?”
The Fierce Deity, destroyer of gods and civilizations alike, looked almost offended by your assumption of his sword usage. You watched, amused, as his voice took on a scolding tone. “I would never, it is much too large for such a task.”
“Whatever you say, buddy,” you slid out of bed with the grace of a waterlogged snail, arranging the blankets in some haphazard semblance of a made bed. Fierce quickly made himself scarce, leaving you alone with your thoughts.
Your relationship with the deity was an… unusual one. You had been cleaning when you accidentally knocked over Time’s precariously placed traveling pack, only for a vaguely-humanoid mask to fall out. You proceeded to snatch it up and the shit that followed was wild enough to be the star of a bestselling novel on Booktok, because there was no other way to describe it when a seven-foot, fully-armored man materialized two feet away wielding a sword that was as long as you were tall. Chaos had ensued and a fight nearly broke out between the newcomer and Sky, of all people, in your kitchen until Time managed to calm everyone down. From then on, he had simply coexisted in your home, though there were occasionally spats between him and the other boys. Traditionally, Time was the one to break it up when it happened, but you also discovered you yourself had some sway to him when you screamed loud enough.
Recently, however, Fierce had become unusually devoted to helping out around the house, going so far as to attempt to duel Wild for the right to cook dinner. It had taken a full minute of scolding to get him to pipe down and watch Family Feud with the others, though you got the vague sense that he was pouting as he watched you from the couch. His behavior only ramped up when your boss blessed (cursed) you with more hours at work and you returned home to learn that, in the span of five hours, he had managed to not only break your vacuum cleaner, but nearly maim the mailman for “invading your territory”, to which you informed him that things were drastically different in your world and promptly bought a “guard dog on duty” sign to hang on your mailbox.
A quiet creak of the floorboards outside reminded you of who you were keeping waiting. With a muffled curse, you threw on a half-decent shirt, leaving your axalotle pj pants right where they were, and dashed outside to meet the deity. He was leaning against your wall, arms crossed over that mouthwateringly muscled chest (you had eyes), but seemed to snap to attention when you barreled into the hallway. “Let’s cook this bitch!”
And so you did. While the gorey mess practically dripping from your island wasn’t particularly enthusing, you sucked it up and retrieved a pan, turning the stove to the max. A bit of oil later and you had a butchered flank roasting on the front burner, while a large pot filled with bones boiled away. Fierce was very considerate of your lack of knowledge on this sort of thing, quietly handing you the finished cuts when you requested them. He hardly spoke, choosing to listen as you prattled on about nothing in particular. Within the hour, you had an entire pile of roasted meat on a serving plate, and several members of the chain had begun to trickle in, likely drawn by the delicious scent of food. It was only when everyone was downstairs did you notice that he had disappeared. Despite the minor fuss the younger boys raised, you grabbed some food and went to find him.
It was on the woodpile in the very corner of your property where you tracked him to. Even with his impressive bulk, there was still space to sit on the stacked logs, so you plopped down happily. Fierce looked at you with a surprised expression, but said nothing. So you did instead, offering him the plate. “I hope you know I’m not going to let you run off without eating after all you did.”
He took the plate. “It is nothing.”
You shrugged and began peeling the orange you snagged earlier. “Maybe to you, but not to me. You gave us a break and I’m grateful.”
“I stole sleep from you.”
“And?” You honestly had no idea why he thought you cared about that. Sure, waking up early sucked sometimes, but you weren’t made of glass. You popped an orange slice into your mouth. “I’m an adult.”
There was silence, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as one would think. The sun had long since risen, bathing you in warm golden hues that not even the gentle breeze could chill. It didn’t even dawn on you how strange you must have looked–sitting next to an actual deity while dressed in a stained t-shirt and printed animal pants–or how unusual your life had become.
“I have a question,” said the deity. You listened intently before answering–it wasn’t often that he initiated conversation and you didn’t want to spoil it.
“...I have an answer.”
If you had looked closely, you would have seen the subtle quirk of his usually flat mouth before his expression reformed to something more solemn. You wondered if you should have mentally prepared for this conversation. “You do not fear me… why?”
You blinked, trying to process what had just been said to you. “Excuse me?”
As if sensing your bafflement, the Fierce Deity elaborated: “I could end your existence with a sweep of my sword. Thousands have recognized this, but you either deny or remain oblivious to it.”
Ouch? You knew little of his backstory beyond being imprisoned in a mask for countless years by someone named Hylia for–... well, you don’t think he had informed you, but it was far from warranting fear. If he had wanted to hurt you he would have done so already. You were honestly a bit offended he thought so little of you. “Is that all you think there is to it? I’ve told you before and I’ll say it again: you’ve done nothing to warrant my fear, so I don’t know where you’re getting this from,” you paused, realizing how harsh you sounded. “...Sorry, I just… I don’t see you that way.”
“Then how do you see me?” asked the deity, and you were caught off guard by the genuine curiosity in his pupil-less eyes. Was he… self conscious? It was a laughable thought, that the Fierce Deity was capable of such an emotion, but it was the only one that made sense in this dance of conversation.
That begs the question… how did you see him? ‘A person’ was your first thought, but it was what anyone would say. An acquaintance? Yes, but then it made your relationship seem almost transactional, which was not what you were aiming to convey. He was clearly looking for reassurance beneath that stoic facade and you knew an opportunity like this wouldn’t come again.
“A friend,” the words rolled off your tongue before you could stop them, but what could you do besides continue? “You’re my friend.”
It was simple, really, though that didn’t stop him from looking completely and utterly baffled. “You consider me… a friend?”
Why did it sound like such an affront when he said it like that? Your orange was long gone, but it didn’t stop you from fiddling with the peel in your hands. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it,” you responded honestly, because, really, you wouldn’t have. “You don’t sound like you have many friends.”
There was a sort of bitter melancholy in his tone that you knew all too well. “I have none.”
You grinned and reached up to pat his shoulder, emboldened by the rising light and your own sense of duty. “Until now.”
For the first time in forever, The Fierce Deity, vanquisher of worlds and gods alike, smiled. Truly smiled. You could have sworn his porcelain cheeks seemed a little less stark when he took your hand, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of it like in the fantasy novels you read as a child. Then, before you could choke out a flustered response, he leaned close and said. “I vow to not disappoint you.”
It was almost impressive how quickly you recovered from the shock of his actions. With a small laugh, you laid your hand on his shoulder, warm as an inferno, and whispered. “You could never.”
Is this the same AU as Knightmare In Toronto? Who knows!
They asked for a human sacrifice to the one and only Fierce Deity. The events are as follows. Enjoy!
Masterlist
Content under the cut!
It was at dawn, at the waking breaths of the earth when there was a shift of change in the air. It happened every now and then, but the air itself tasted different. Sweet. Sour. Acrid. Strange. It was strange. It was personal.
He had no name that he would have assigned himself. He was created with a purpose. His only job was to see it through. The humans however were less enthralled with the concept.
They had called him The Fierce Deity, a being worthy of praise or of contempt depending on who you ask.
He was fine with either, knowing that so long as no one was in his way to protect the humans from themselves and of other threats that sought to do them harm, he could handle any indignity that the universe threw at him.
The way the humans looked at the way he worked was one of curiosity and reverence. The occasional unease trickled through the humans every now and then. More often than not, his presence was often followed by a surging sense of foreboding. The humans knew that wherever he went, violence was sure to follow.
Due to their misconceptions, they often sent him gifts for mercy- in vain hopes that his blade would never come against their people and to buy his peace and protection from the threats to them and their land.
The Fierce Deity would have done so regardless. It was his purpose. But the reason for his existence didn’t dictate that he shouldn’t accept the gifts and he wasn’t inclined to correct the people if it meant that they would give their continued cooperation.
He was on his way to pick up the leftover gift when the stench in the air all but disturbed his very sense of balance. The humans were waiting for him. As in, multiple humans.
They had never bothered to wait for him before.
Cautious, he approached the no doubt fearful group. And it was a group. There were at least five individuals. Most appeared to be male (although he never considered himself very good at telling the humans apart from one another), but there was one in a bright, white gown that no doubt held significance to the humans he protected, but one he never bothered to learn.
All the humans bowed low to the ground at once, save for the one in the dress and waited until he stood in front of them to speak. They were all shaking, but only the one in the dress dared to look at him. Intriguing. The Deity noted this with a hidden grin. He favored the brave.
They were striking in appearance, adorned with many fine metals and jewels that were meant to accentuate their appearance. It worked. The god found himself fascinated by the particular shade of their eyes and the lines of their features.
“Oh great and mighty Fierce Deity.” One of the humans spoke with his face to the dirt. It had halted his blizzard fascination with the mortal they deemed worthy of being in his presence. “We have little to give. A famine has desecrated our lands and there is nothing of substance for Your Grace.”
The Fierce Deity stayed silent, for there was little he could do or say about the matter.
The human continued. “In hopes of mercy and time for the land to heal and produce, we offer the most beautiful of our people to you. They are yours to do with as you see fit.”
He stared at the pitiful man in the dirt by his boots. The deity… was perplexed to say the least. He had no need for the humans to sacrifice to him to begin with. It was never part of his duties or his vows or purpose.
The human in question, now that the context was beginning to dawn on him, was tied by the wrists and no doubt tied by their ankles as well.
Anger churred dangerously in his gut before he found the will to speak. He tried to cause as little fear in the humans as he could but this warranted the terror he’d produce in their hearts. “Are they a willing sacrifice?”
He may not be the most benevolent creature, but he wasn’t cruel. Ruthless, yes. Many a time. But cruel? He was built to protect, not destroy. The very thought made his blood boil. After all this time, had they thought so little of him? After everything he’s done for them?
His words had shaken the mortals to their core, giving the rope around his “sacrifice’s” wrists a deeper, far more twisted meaning. He raised his hand to the hilt of his sword before the mortal in question stepped forward, putting them between him and their captors.
“I am willing.” They said, swallowing the last of their fear, meeting his eyes at last. He could see their shoulders shake with the strength and force they exuded to keep their tremors hidden from his gaze. The Fierce Deity was trained to notice such subtleties in body language on all fronts, but once more, he admired their courage.
“Very well.” He rolled his shoulders, hoping to quell the unease and fury coiling around in his stomach. “And what am I to do with a human sacrifice?”
“Whatever you see fit.” Came a reply from the dirt before the sacrifice could answer for themselves. “A slave, a companion, a meal, a lover- just have mercy on us and our village.”
He growled.
The mortals flinched at the inhumane sound, attempting to burrow themselves into the ground as it was. Even his steely-eyed sacrifice had turned their gaze away with a wince at the otherworldly portrayal of rage.
“I may have to reconsider our arrangement.” He took a step back but took a breath to calm himself. Desperation drives even the most sane ones to madness. He will do himself no favors if he exudes punishment when they feel as if they have run out of options. Instead, he reaches a hand toward the adorned jewel among them, forcing his touch and demeanor into a more gentler tone. “Come. No harm will come to you… or your village.”
No matter how much he wanted to personally rain hell fire for this subordination.
A life is a life and should never be used to curry favors.
The thought nearly had him growling once more at the back of his throat. He managed to quell the instinctual response for the sake of his impromptu guest, but he will have to have a heavy handed conversation with such village dwellers when he returns from his patrol.
Hesitantly, the mortal thrust into his care placed their hand in his, allowing their trust (and their very life) to be put into the palm of his hand.
“...Thank you.” Their near impossibly quiet voice was a gunshot through the tense atmosphere. He had thought they would be braver, more robust and forthcoming, but perhaps that had been in the moment of fear. And frankly, in comparison to the other mortals that had dropped to the earth at the sight of him, there was little contest between the two parties.
All the other mortals had all but fainted on the spot, relief filling every fiber of their beings as they went back to his domain. Once they had traveled a fair distance away from any more prying eyes, the Fierce Deity turned on his heel and took out his less impressive blade. A simple dagger, but just as sharp and deadly as his double helix sword.
He held the blade up and his… pet? The word felt infinitesimally wrong. Tossing the descriptors aside for now, he noticed that they had closed their eyes at the sight of a weapon in his hands. Their head had turned away and once more their shoulders shook with the effort they exuded to keep a calm facade.
He cut the ropes around their wrists.
It fell away at once.
Their head snapped to their wrists, taking in the weight of his actions. The Fierce Deity also took in the exposed flesh before him. Gently, he cradled their hands, looking at their abused wrists that had been rubbed raw from the coarse material that had bound them. He would need to find a salve for them. The skin was red and angry, flaking at certain parts to show that damage had taken place, but there was no blood. It would heal, unlikely to even scar.
Their breath had hitched under his consideration. He gently returned their hands to their sides. “Are you injured anywhere else?”
“You’re not going to kill me?” They blurted in response, clutching their wrists close to their chest. “I thought… I thought you’d-”
“I am not the cold hearted killer as you humans love to portray me.” He says in a not so quiet voice despite his best attempts. “I get no pleasure from the destruction of the innocent.”
Anger returned to the edges of his skin. It was bubbling with unrestrained energy at the implications of this so-called sacrifice. The mortal rubbed their wrists, following at the same slow pace he had kept them at despite his subconscious shift in speed. It was only when he had noticed they had begun to fall back did he remember his previous question and intent.
Groaning inwardly, he turned once more and stopped in front of the mortal. “I don’t like to repeat myself, but I am inclined to admit this was my own folly. However, for future reference, do not test my patience. I had asked if you were injured elsewhere.”
The mortal stood frozen to the earth before slowly lowering their head at long last. “...My ankles are also tied up.”
Inwardly, the Fierce Deity cursed, but that would have been very ungentlemanly behavior toward this poor soul. Scowling over this morning's events wasn’t beneath him however, so he lowered himself to the dirt and lifted the hem of the dress. “Excuse me.”
They squeaked, but made no move to stop him as he pushed the silken material aside. He reached in, taking their leg in his hand and pulled it towards him. His hands were rough and calloused from constant use and abuse from his battles and training regiment but their skin was nothing of the sort. It was soft, almost as silken as the dress they donned. He kept his gaze low, not wanting to appear too wanton but the skin contact was inciting reactions he hadn’t known he was capable of experiencing.
He made no comment about it and said nothing to give away the thoughts in his head.
The Fierce Deity pulled the leg closer to him- until it was pulled taut against an opposing force. The rope. Leaning closer so that it would be easier for the both of them, he once again took up his dagger and reached for the rope within the fabric.
Their hands landed on his much larger shoulders to keep their balance as he quickly did away with the physical limitation to their mobility. Afterwards, he cut away the knot found at the base at their leg, right where they said it would be. His fingertips lingered for a moment longer.
They would have to apply more salve to the irritated skin than he initially guessed but their shoes (also adorned in a higher fashion to match the rest of the gown and jewels) had protected much of their flesh as it was.
Slowly, hoping to not startle this already shaken individual, he moved to the other side and repeated the process of gently moving the gown away and reaching for their leg. To his surprise, they cooperated quickly and allowed him to take the knot away from their other foot.
Once the job was complete, he detached himself quickly. No need to entertain strange and primal thoughts.
“Come.” He spoke again, leading them deeper in unknown territory. Since they were now free from their bonds, they were able to move at a much faster pace- however his stride was not easily matched by anyone and the Fierce Deity found himself needing to slow down in order to keep them close.
He may not live in the most dangerous part of the land (his very presence is enough to keep even the more foolish monsters at bay) but that didn’t mean that threats weren’t watching them both from within the shadows among them.
“Oh.” They exclaimed quietly to themselves when they had arrived at his home. They seemed surprised, although he could not fathom why. He looked at them and as if on cue, they were rambling to explain themselves. “I didn’t think you would have lived…. Like this.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I have never needed much. What were you expecting?”
“Not a hut.” Came their honest reply. “I thought… a palace would have been more suited to you. Somewhere big and grandiose… not… Well, not this.”
He chuckled, startling his companion once more. “You humans know so little about me. Your assumptions are amusing.”
They laughed in return but it was stunted and weak. They were still nervous. “If… I may be so bold… what happens to me now?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? The Fierce Deity sighed and closed the distance to the front door. Opening it, he gestured to his guest to follow him in. “I do not intend to cause you harm. You need not fear for your safety or your life. However, I have no need for a servant or a slave…. And I do not enjoy the taste of human flesh.”
He added that last part in jest, hoping to dispel any lingering reservations about his violent nature. It didn’t appear to stick as he had hoped, then again, his voice was unnaturally stoic. “I will give you the choice to leave if you wish. There isn’t anything for you here.”
“...May I stay?”
Once more, this mortal had left him perplexed and intrigued. He had noted before that their braver had kept their head up even as he, with all the wrong assumptions in their head, had approached them. He was willing to bet that they had more courage than all the sniveling fools in their village had to offer.
“Why stay? I have nothing for you.” Aside from protection of course, but that was a given due to his nature.
Shocking him once more as their gaze reached his eyes, they spoke. “I have nowhere else to go. I came here willingly, knowing that I would never be accepted back in my village. If I return, I will be shunned and exiled for failing my task to please you.”
Something stirred within him once more at their words. “...I see.”
Interestingly, he had noticed that he had spoken more in this instance, in their company, than he had in many, many years. It was nice. Enjoyable even.
