This isn't Hyrule (Genshin x Linked Universe)

Chapter 3

Wild sometimes wonders what his life could have been if he had not been the Hero. If the Sword had chosen someone else instead of little Link, who wasn't strong or big enough to hold the sword correctly in those first few years. Would he have lived a normal childhood? Would he have become a knight through normal means once he was old enough to officially start training? Would he live through the Calamity?

Would the Other Hero not fail, as he did?

He knew it was pointless to think of this, to think of his failures as a Hero. Pointless to think of the what-ifs of a time long passed. A hundred years had passed while he slept and recovered in the Shrine, while Hyrule suffered yet slowly recovered, even with the Malice in the air.

While his brain continued to run circles through the usual cycle of Disappointment-Anger-Guilt, a new thought reared its head.

What if he had never continued? If he woke up from that Shrine, practically a newborn, and never learned of his Hero status? If he took to living in the woods like a feral cryptic, never seeing another hylian for as long as he lived? Logically, and though he doesn't enjoy thinking about it, he knows that Zelda would have not held much longer in keeping the Calamity trapped and at bay in the castle; yet, he can't help but wonder what his life would have looked like living feral at top of the plateau.

Looking at the semi-feral boy being comforted by Time, he thinks he has an idea of what it would have looked like. Granted, the kid still seems to know how to converse and act human, so he probably didn't grow up with just the wolves he calls family. With the city nearby, he had probably run into other hylians and humans, and learned from them as he grew, while Wild would have only had the animals and monsters to keep him company (it brings a sudden mental image of Wild being raised as a bokoblin and he has to viciously stamp it out so he doesn't start audibly laughing).

Still, though the kid looks and somewhat acts like a person, there's also part of him that is undeniably animal in nature. His hair, long, wild, and untamed looked haphazardly brushed as if only to make sure it wouldn't mat, his body littered with scratches and scars both new and old, dirt caked on his boots and staining his clothes. The sharpness to his eyes even when relaxed, his slightly hunched stance, how his shoulders and body screamed uncomfortable, confused, lonely, where's pack? Not forgetting the way he quietly fought Twilight with body language and minimal words when he thought his pack would be in danger from Twilight's.

Speaking of body language, Time had shifted to rubbing up and down the kid's back and Razor looked so visibly confused at the action Wild had to hold back a snort.

"I think the kid's fine already, Old Man," he said, and he actually snorted when Time blinked and tilted his head to look back at the kid, who was in his blind spot, as if he hadn't noticed he was still doing it.

While he pulled his hand away, Four (he was so glad he woke up, he was starting to get worried) spoke up, "So, Warriors already filled me in on what we know, which isn't much. Do you think he knows?" he asked, nodding at Razor who blinked at being addressed again.

"Know?" he tilted his head in question.

"Ah, right," Time piped up, turning again to face Razor straight-on, "Do you know where we are? We're travelers, and I'm afraid we've gotten lost." Well, that wasn't a complete lie, they were travelers and they had gotten lost. Just. On a whole different era, 's all.

Razor paused before squinting in — what Wild could guess was — thought. Wild thought he looked frustrated, and he was proven right when he grunted and shook his head. "Sorry... Not, ah... not good with... names..."

"It's alright," Wild soothed; he knew what it was like to struggle to find the words to communicate with others after his awakening.

"Do you think you could guide us to the city?" Sky asked. "We saw it on the way here but we're not sure how to get there."