I wasn't going to write anything specific for whumptober. But then this idea came to me and I thought, why not give myself a goal for this month?!
Content warnings for this fic: Manipulation, betrayal, injury detail (not in this chapter) emotional and physical hurt.
Overview: Dark tricks Wild into helping him get to Hyrule in order to resurrect Ganon. Not caring that Wild is going to relive some painful memories along the way.
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Wild shuddered despite the warmth of the campfire and the blanket pulled tight around his shoulders. The lowlands around the Hebra mountains were significantly warmer than the snow capped peaks, but the night air seemed to have borrowed some of their chill. He rubbed his hands together before stuffing them under his armpits.
A quick look at the sky told him dawn would soon be upon them and he could wake his brothers. Letting his gaze wander over their sleeping forms settled his heart. Nothing made him happier than when they were all together in moments of peace like this. Even when they awoke and the chaos of morning rituals began, their boisterous behaviour always made him happy.
Somewhere behind him, Wild heard a crow squawking. His head snapped around in an instant. It was still far too early for the dawn chorus to begin. Still, a single crow calling in the early hours wasn't that unusual. Yet, Wild felt the need to investigate.
Shedding his blanket and pushing to his feet, Wild moved silently over to Twilight. The rancher lay on his side, pelt pulled up to his ears.
“Hey, Twi,” Wild whispered, giving his brother a firm nudge.
Twilight groaned as he began to stir, though his eyes remained firmly shut.
“I'm just gonna go check something out in the woods. I'll be right back,” Wild muttered.
Without waiting for Twilight to respond, Wild hurried off into the trees, a pale streak of blue among the slowly dissipating shadows.
Morning light grew steadily stronger, filtering through the canopy above. As Wild walked, he could see little disturbance in the forest undergrowth. There were deer tracks and the tell tale signs of wild boar where they had been snuffling for roots. Other than that, he couldn't see what could have startled the crow.
Continuing to meander through the trees, Wild began to notice something else. Tuning out the sound of his own breathing and heartbeat, he listened to the wilderness around him. A brief gust of wind rustled the leaves overhead. The trees creaked as they swayed imperceptibly. He focused harder.
The sound of lightly shifting feet on hard dirt came from up ahead. It was so subtle that Wild was sure I wouldn't have heard it if he had brought the others.
Cautiously, he lifted his bow from his back and nocked an arrow to the string. Staying low and using the trees for cover as much as possible, Wild moved towards the sound. His steps were silent, months of experience gained from hunting kept him away from fallen twigs and dried leaves. Someone would have to look directly at him in order to see him coming at all.
Unless of course, they were expecting him.
“Ha ha ha!”
The ghostly laugh echoed around a small glade lined with large branching oak trees. The hairs on the back of Wild's neck rose, as did his bow. Turning in a small circle he waited for the flutter of crimson paper, or the spark of a magic circle to give his enemy away.
Another shrill laugh sounded behind him and he spun on the spot. A skinny Yiga footsoldier squatted in one of the trees, duplex bow raised and ready to fire. He shot off three arrows to Wild's one. The Yiga missed, and so did Wild. But only because the Yiga coward vanished before his arrow could meet its mark.
Wild hissed in frustration. He took a step backwards, breaking one of the Yiga arrows on the ground. It snapped neatly in two, drawing Wild's attention momentarily. But he continued to stare as he noticed something strange about the grass beneath his feet. Lines had been drawn upon the ground. Runes and circles similar to the ones which appeared when the Yiga teleported. Wild bent to investigate and poked one of the lines with a finger. The paint was still wet, meaning they had only drawn it very recently.
Wild took an experimental sniff of the substance on his finger, but recoiled instantly. The smell triggered a memory. It was the same acrid, vile scent of the black blooded monsters. The smell often lingered after the beasts had been dispatched and their bodies turned to ash. Did that mean that the Yiga had drawn this circle with black monster blood?
Panic flared through Wild's heart.
“Shit!” He exclaimed, turning to run back the way he had come.
This is a trap! His mind screamed at him.
When he turned however, he found his path blocked by two bladesmiths. However, they held no weapons, instead carrying strange pinkish plants cradled in their arms. Wild recognised them immediately. He'd thrown plenty of the muddle buds at his enemies in the past.
He was about to turn and try to escape in another direction, when something soft hit him in the side of the head. Wild coughed and sputtered as the air around his head was suddenly filled with spores. He tried to cover his mouth and nose but it was already too late. He could feel the sticky spores clinging to his throat as he breathed in.
The blademasters advanced, forcing Wild to stumble back into the circle. This time, as he crossed the outer edge, the lines began to glow a bright and vibrant red. Wild tried to lift his bow and shoot at the two soldiers advancing on him, but his arms were trembling and his aim went wide.
Another cloud of dusky pink spores exploded into Wild's vision as the Yiga threw their muddle buds at his feet. In the haze, Wild stumbled over his own feet and landed on his back in the middle of the circle. Choking and struggling to breathe, Wild sensed the tingle of dark magic all around him. The sections of the runes which touched his body seemed to burn like fire. He wanted to get up, to run and get reinforcements, but his body refused to comply.
Wild could already feel his mind slipping from his control. He began to forget where he was and what he had been doing before he got there. Wherever there was. Had he been with someone? He knew he was in danger, but for some reason he wasn't scared anymore. In fact, he couldn't remember what he was supposed to be scared of anyway.
Which is why when a pale gray face with burning red eyes waltzed into Wild's field of vision, he smiled stupidly to see another Hylian face. Dark loomed over his prize and great delight. His eyes flaring brightly amid his shadowed features.
“Right now the muddle bud pollen is doing its work, re-writing your thoughts and confusing your emotions. Normally, the effects are only temporary. However, with the Yiga’s rune magic, along with a few improvements of my own, I can make the effects a little more… permanent.”
Dark grinned down at his captive, spread helpless upon the forest floor. Moving slowly around the circle, Dark squatted above Wild's head and looked down into his dazed eyes.
“As unpleasant as this feels for you now, I promise you it will only get worse.”
Dark paused and grinned, now he had a captive audience, who was going to stop him from monologuing?
“This spell binds you to me. When I give you the order I have planned, you will follow it as though your life depends on it. And make no mistake, hero, it very much does. If you fail to bring me what I want, or someone convinces you to do otherwise, you will drink this vial of poison.”
Dark waved a small bottle of amber liquid in front of Wild's face, before slipping it into Wild's pouch. Wild could feel his consciousness slipping away. Though from the spell or the pollen closing off his airways, he wasn't sure. Above him, Dark's voice cut through what was left of his awareness.
“You will bring me the Hero of Hyrule. You will protect him at all costs and bring him to Hyrule Castle. - She is your only purpose, remember, Champion? Princess Zelda is the reason for your existence. You must protect her and return her safely to Hyrule Castle. Her life depends on it. Do you understand?”
As Dark spoke, his voice changed until it resembled the rumbling tones of King Rhoam.
Wild used what coherency he had left to offer a single nod of reply, before darkness claimed him and he was aware no more.
The Chain finally catch up with their missing brothers, however, Link isn't about to let the Yiga recapture his Princess.
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Catching up to Wild in his own era was no easy feet. After consulting the map Warriors had drawn while studying Wild's slate one day, he and the others decided that an alternate route to the castle might give them their best chance. By heading south instead of north east, they crossed over the great bridge of Tabantha and walked around the south side of the bog lands.
If Warriors’ plan and timing was right, they should cross paths with Wild and Hyrule somewhere before they crossed the Tamio River. Although some of the others complained about this tactic, he insisted it had worked well in the past when trying to cut off the advances of enemy troops.
Of course Wars had to remind himself that he wasn't chasing down an enemy this time, he was chasing down his brother. Even if that brother had attacked five of them and seemingly kidnapped another.
Of course he's betrayed you, dumass! Snarled the voice in Wars’ head. Everyone is a traitor in the end. It just takes time.
“Shut up,” Wars hissed.
Twilight glanced sideways at the Captain but made no comment.
“Wild wouldn't betray us.” Wars argued with himself. “Anyone but him. He wouldn't betray himself like that, let alone us. He's gained too much and fought too hard.”
But turn Wild had. He had attacked his friends and left them for dead. There was something larger at work, forcing Wild's hand. Perhaps if Wars saw Wild for himself, he would be able to tell what was going on. Also, if Twilight's theory was correct and Wild was reliving some old memory from before he awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection, perhaps there was a way to get through to him.
“You okay Cap?” Wind asked, appearing at Wars’ left side.
“Yeah,” Wars huffed.
“Liar,” Wind tutted.
“Yeah,” Wars sighed, hanging his head as he walked.
“We'll get him back. Both of them. We'll save Hyrule and Wild,” Wind insisted with a calm sense of confidence.
“How can you be sure?” Wars asked, allowing his mask of bravery to drop for a brief moment.
“Because that's what we do. We're heroes. We might make mistakes and face terrible hardships, but we always find a way to pull through. And don't be too hard on yourself or start imagining the worst either, I know what you're like Cap.”
Warriors looked down at Wind with a mixture of surprise and adoration.
“Since when did you get so wise?” He said, smiling absentmindedly.
“You guys may all be older than me, but I'm a big brother too, you know. Aryl asks me all kinds of questions and I have to come up with answers for her. Or I have to be there when she's scared or hurt. Being an older brother means being responsible and looking out for other people.” Wind explained.
For a moment Wars could see the young sailor several years from now. In his late teens maybe, captaining a ship of his own, causing havoc and settling disputes across the great sea. But also how he understood his responsibilities to his family.
“How could I forget,” Wars chuckled.
Wind beamed at him, then proceeded to shatter the illusion by running forwards and throwing a rock at a snow laden branch overhanging the road. The rock struck true and the blanket of snow thundered down upon Sky and Legend's heads. Screeching with laughter, Wind sprinted off to keep out of reach of Sky's retaliatory snowballs.
***
The Breach of Demise, was one of Link's least favourite places in Hyrule. Normally, he would have gone around along the path across the north plain, however, a landslide had made the road impassable for their horses. So they pressed on beneath the towering columns of rocks, looming over the two riders like the jaws of some ancient creature. The sandstone peaks always left Link with a sense of foreboding he couldn't explain.
It wasn't as though this area were any more dangerous than any other in Hyrule. But whenever Link had been forced to take the road through the rocky outcrop, he did so with great reluctance.
Looking over his shoulder, Link could see that Zelda sensed it too. Her shoulders were hunched and her eyes furtive. Searching for enemies behind every rock and shrub they passed. For the time being at least, no monsters had shown their faces. If they did however, Link now felt more confident since the Master Sword had returned to her place on his back.
Hyrule was becoming more and more concerned the more time passed. He had to practically beg Wild to let them stop for a lunch break. Even then they had stopped for no more than ten minutes before getting back on the road. Hyrule felt a sense of urgency coming from Wild now, which had not been there the day before. Whatever his reasons for taking him/Zelda to the castle, he was in a hurry.
“Come on!” Wild called to Hyrule. “It's not far to the bridge now!”
Hyrule sighed with dismay, as he watched Wild give his horse a kick and urge it into a canter. Not trusting his mount as much as the real Zelda might, Hyrule continued on at a trot, hoping he wouldn't lose sight of Wild.
“Link, wait!” Hyrule called after him, his voice echoing off the rock walls around them.
Hyrule's voice rebounded up and down the length and breath of the dusty canyon. Alerting the Wizzrobe and its consorts to their presence.
Link's horse reared dangerously, threatening to throw him off, as a dark green bokoblin leapt into the path.
“Whoa! Steady!” Link tried to sooth his horse, while also pulling out his bow and loading an arrow.
As his horse recovered from the fright, Link trained his sight on the monster and aimed squarely between the eyes. His shot missed by a few inches, still hitting the creature's head but not landing a killing blow. He was about to reload, when a lightning bolt hit the ground a few feet away from the horse’s back legs. The poor thing bucked and threw its rider off over its head.
Link left the saddle and flew several feet through the air. He had the wherewithal to tuck his limbs in and landed with a roll across the dirt. His knees and one shoulder were bruised but he couldn't do anything about that right now. As he rose and turned, he located the Wizzrobe that had fired at him. The floating menace was halfway between him and Zelda, still on her horse thank the goddess.
Luckily, the bokoblins, of which there were three, and the Wizzrobe, seemed to have made Link the center of their attention. Good, best to keep them distracted and give Zelda time to escape.
***
A blast from somewhere up ahead made everyone look up.
“What was that?” Sky asked,
“Well, there's only one thing I can think of off the top of my head that makes explosions in this Hyrule!” Legend said with a subtle smirk.
The boys hurried forwards, scrambling as they dropped down a steep incline towards some small pools beneath great pillars of sandy coloured rock. The unmistakable screech of bokoblins caught their attention at once. With their longer legs, Warriors, Twilight and Time edged ahead and rounded the bend first.
They had expected the scene laid out before them to be more chaotic. However, standing in the middle of the road, Wild held his sword and shield ready to strike. He was surrounded on all sides by Bokoblins and a Wizzrobe. The hooded figure crackled with electric energy. Time glanced down at his armour then to his side where Wars stood.
The Captain would probably be better off than he was against a lightning wielding Wizzrobe. But if they could avoid being hit at all, that would be a blessing.
Time charged forwards, with Wars and Twilight not far behind him. The three of them spotted Hyrule trying to wrangle with his startled horse, but he waved them off and pointed towards Wild. They got the message, Hyrule could take care of himself. Wild was their priority.
Link saw the Yiga coming a mile off. However, they didn't seem to be using their teleport powers, which gave him time to deal with the monsters first. Dodging the Wizzrobe’s lightning blasts, Link spun and slashed at the monsters around him. Dark blood stained the bright colours of his shield as he blocked their attacks. Two of the bokoblins were down, and the other half dead before the Yiga made it within striking distance.
As Link pulled the master sword from the skull of the final bokoblin, the first Yiga, the biggest and most likely the stupidest, drew an enormous eightfold blade and raised it high. Link prepared himself to dodge or block the strike, but it never came. Instead, the Yiga embedded its sword in the Wizzrobe’s torso.
For a moment Link was confused. Why would a Yiga stop a monster from attacking him? He stood dumbfounded for a moment while his brain struggled to keep up with what he was seeing. In that moment, Dark's spell faltered, if only briefly.
Wild saw Time standing before him, he looked stricken and unsure. As though Wild were a stranger to him, or some mad creature the older hero was trying to tame.
Reality shifted once more and Link readied himself to attack. Of course there was only one reason for the Yiga to kill their master's servants, to get to him.
Time registered the brief clarity in Wild's eyes and almost let his guard down. He was glad he didn't however, when Wild charged towards him. Time's sword came up to meet Wild's where the clang of metal rang out around the gorge. The rest of the Chain came to a halt nearby, forming a semi circle behind Time, all ready to help out their leader should he need it.
Link grit his teeth as he realised he'd been cut off from Zelda once again. No less than seven Yiga had placed themselves between him and her. With a cry he broke the stalemate between himself and the bladesmith, turning to swipe at the soldier's legs.
Time stepped to the side but Wild attacked again, trying to topple the larger enemy. Something Time himself had shown the others how to do. Sky tapped in, blocking Wild's next blow with his shield and defending Time's position.
“Link!” He shouted into Wild's face. “Stop, think about what you're doing! You don't want to do this!”
Link couldn't hear his beloved brother's voice, all he heard was a Yiga traitor goading him into a fight. He was more than happy to oblige of course. The Master Sword cut through the air between them, forcing the Yiga to retreat a few paces. More of them began to press in around him, weapons drawn, their masked faces staring at him unmoved.
Where was Zelda? Link realised with a jolt, that she was no longer on her horse. Perhaps she had seen a chance to escape and had run. That meant having to find her again. But first he needed to deal with these traitors. Link decided he'd had enough of the Yiga for one day and as much fun as it would be to spend time dispatching a whole squad in hand to hand combat, he really didn't have time for that.
Legend was the first to notice Wild put away his shield and begin to flick through his slate. The now all too familiar glow of sheikah light coalesced between his finger tips. Legend's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to scream. By then the others had already seen the danger.
“Get down!” Legend hollered, searching for a hiding place and scrambling for the nearest pile of boulders.
Hyrule appeared beside him and slammed into Legend's side. Four also hunkered down behind their hiding spot and covered his head with his arms.
The tick, tick, boom of Wild's rolling bomb shook the gorge. Dust bloomed and showered them from all directions. Rocks and chips of stone rained down from above, though nothing big enough to cause concern.
As the dust cloud began to dissipate, Legend chanced a glance over the top of the rock to see if he could spot Wild. The faint smear of bright blue amid the hazy yellow dust was all that gave him away.
“Oh Din’s tits,” Legend swore, as he watched Wild summon another bomb.
He didn't throw it however, simply stood with it in his hands, waiting for the enemy to show themselves.
“What do we do?” Hyrule huffed, choking a little on the rock dust in the air.
“I was hoping you might have come up with a plan by now Rulie,” Legend sighed, giving the traveler a fond elbow to the ribs. “Glad to see you're not dead by the way.”
“Thanks. And no, I haven't been able to figure anything out yet,” Hyrule replied.
“Time thinks he's been hit with muddle bud spores. That's why he doesn't recognise any of us,” Four explained.
“Well that would make sense, except that it would have worn off by now. He's been like this for more than a day!” Hyrule sighed, once again feeling helpless without knowing what to do.
While the others deliberated, Four watched Wild as he let his bomb disappear. With one more sweep of his gaze around the road, he turned and began to hurry off towards the bridge.
Seeing that no one else had a plan to do anything, Four stepped out from behind the boulder and reached into his pack to find one of his oldest weapons. The short wooden handle felt far too small to him these days and he was lucky he still carried any deku seeds at all. But he managed to find one to put into his slingshot.
Before any of the others could say anything and before Wild was too far out of range, Four let the seed fly.
Something small and hard struck Link in the back of the head. Smacking into the base of his skull the projectile dropped Link to his knees. His head was spinning and his legs felt numb. Before his vision blacked out, Link watched as several cackling Yiga surrounded him. He felt forceful hands pull his arms behind his back and took away his slate and weapons.
He should have been irate that he had been felled so easily. Should have been concerned about Zelda, alone and unprotected. Should have fought until his last breath to kill these traitors to the crown.
But as Link fell into the unconscious nothingness, he only had one thought.
