Time's Moving Faster Than I Can Count

An Understanding

"You say this creature is darkness?" She spoke up.
"Yes," He returned his attention to her. "He's a pure shadow version of the Hero's Spirit. A perfect copy of us, designed to trip us up and make us fail. The upside to it, the only upside I will say, is that it's abilities only match us at the level it's created at. If we improve in skill, it would be no match for us."
"That sounds... dreadful."
"It is." He nodded. "A few of us, myself included, have had to fight our copies one-on-one. I don't know how the others handled theirs, but mine didn't expect me to use a hammer."
"A hammer?" She managed to contain her smirk, but her tone showed her interest. "How did that work?"
"Simple, he was made to fight me like a mirror using a sword and shield, so I pulled out the hammer and smacked him repeatedly with it." He grinned slightly.
"That is certainly one way to handle it." She smiled briefly before putting her blank mask back on, but it was there long enough to show Time she was amused.
"Eh, it worked." He shrugged carelessly. "So why not? Got rid of him for sure."
"I assume this one is not so simple?"
"Unfortunately not. We believe he's some kind of mashup between us all I some way. It won't stop us though, we'll get rid of it."
"Well, if no one has told you yet, thank you for keeping Hyrule safe."
"I'll be sure to let my boys know." He turned back to looking at them all. "They deserve to hear that."

---

Time had called them 'My boys'. Not 'These heroes', not 'The other Links', but 'My boys'. Had Link been aware of that? She looked at him and realised that yes, he was. He wouldn't have cried for someone who he didn't love like family, or someone who didn't love him like family either. The man had very obviously cared for each of them like they were his own children. She didn't doubt he was a great father. Had he had children?