Link didn't know where he was running, he just was. He wasn't completely sure what was in front of him, but he kept going. He didn't know what he was running from, but whatever it was, he didn't want to be caught by it.
He ran and ran in a blind frenzy. The images of the soldiers and their names that had flashed in his mind back in the graveyard reappeared, burning themselves permanently into Link's memory. From those memories, other fragments of his past came to the surface.
Link remembered fleeing from the castle. He clutched something in his hand, but he couldn't remember what. He was too focused on the chaos and destruction that surrounded him. The Guardians had turned on them, rampaging through Hyrule Castle, firing at everyone that came within their sights. They were beginning to spill into the town, razing everything in their path.
The screams of people as they were torn apart or burned alive by Guardians, the sights of blood and death staining the ground, the terrible smell of smoke and burning flesh...they all suddenly became fresh in Link's mind.
He remembered running without a second thought in mind, holding something in his hand. All he knew was that he needed to get somewhere safe. He was hurt badly already. He'd known that he wouldn't survive if he stayed and fought. He had to get out of there.
And that seemed to be the end of it. Link had abandoned them. He'd deserted the castle. He couldn't remember why, but knowing he had done it hurt so much.
Why would he do that? Why didn't he stay and fight? What sort of soulless person deserted their own kingdom, their comrades and friends, their own family?
He left them all to die.
Why didn't he stay?
He could've tried to protect them!
What sort of coward was he?
Link had deliberately avoided this subject ever since it had crossed his mind. He had speculations and fears about it ever since he was told about his past by King Rhoam. Why did he survive? Why did everyone else die? He feared the answer he might get. He didn't want to find out. He didn't want to remember.
But he'd found his answer for it. He wasn't just a failure, but he was a coward too. He had made the deliberate choice to leave his friends to their deaths. He must've known where the Shrine of Resurrection was to heal his injuries. Why else would he be there? He was no better than a traitor.
In the back of his mind, Link questioned if he was even thinking clearly at the moment. His head was still pounding and his muscles had begun to ache as he needlessly and carelessly spent his energy running. His emotions were like a raging storm in his brain, uncontrolled and unfettered, wreaking havoc in its wake.
Maybe he had a good reason to run? Maybe he was planning a strategic retreat?
No, it didn't matter if he had a good reason to or not. It didn't matter if he even had a reason at all.
He still abandoned them. He left them to die. That was unforgivable. The one thing a hero shouldn't do, and he had done it.
It was no wonder the Master Sword despised him. He was a coward. He was scum, an insult to the very idea of being a reincarnated hero. None of his predecessors would've taken such an action, not even the ones that failed. At least they fought and died like true brave heroes.
Link had run from the people in trouble. The people who needed him. People he could've saved.
There was no coming back from something like that, regardless of reasons.
He was no hero.
He was just a disgrace.
Link stopped running. His head was close to exploding.
He didn't know where to go. He wasn't sure where he was. He was too exhausted to continue, but if he did he wasn't sure he would have the will to do it.
He was so cold. Link's breath was visible now, taunting him with the life he selfishly protected at the expense of others.
And he was so very tired.
He just wanted to sleep.
But he couldn't. He was afraid to. Yet more proof he was a coward, being afraid to sleep.
Link spied a hollowed out tree trunk nearby. Without much thought, he started hobbling toward it as the weight of his fatigue began to set in.
He sat down within the spacious hollow, out of the mist. He wasn't necessarily sure it was any warmer, but it made him feel safer. He pulled his legs in toward himself and wrapped his arms around them.
He was trying to catch his breath. His head hurt along the sides, and his mind was foggy. He wasn't even sure if he was really thinking anymore. His brain just felt like static. Every thought he tried to muster was weak and flimsy, and his tiredness prevented him from investing any energy into them. His thoughts surfaced only to sink again into oblivion.
All he could do for now was stare into the forest.
There he sat, unmoving in both body and mind, facing the forest with an empty stare. He wasn't waiting for anyone to come, or waiting for anything to happen. He just sat.
He was still cold. The pain in his skull and the cold nipping at his skin were the only indications that he was present at all. He'd stopped trying to warm himself. He no longer saw a point to it. He was too cold to warm up.
He wasn't sure how long he sat there, staring at nothing. But he heard something nearby. It sounded like little jingling from something wooden. It caused him to react slightly, but he wasn't sure what it was, so he ignored it. It didn't seem dangerous.
Then he heard something else, a high pitched voice:
"Yahaha! I found you!"
Link weakly turned his head toward the creature standing at the entrance to the hollowed out tree trunk. It was a small Korok whose face was a red leaf with a face on it, just like the others. A small stalk with leaves on it grew out of its hand. Link recognized it as a Deku propeller, a strange plant the Koroks used to fly around.
He could barely muster a reaction. He just stared at the Korok, who was looking around, confused.
"Where's Hestu?" he asked.
Hestu?
That's right...Link had run away, leaving Hestu by himself.
Last time he'd seen him it was with that thing. The horseman.
So he abandoned him too. Left him for dead. Just another failure on his part, another friend he'd selfishly failed to protect.
He sunk his head into his hands, refusing to look the Korok in the eye.
The Korok wandered about the area a bit. Then it said. "Oh! He's close, at least. That's good."
Link looked up.
"Seems he just fell behind, is all," the Korok said. "He's moving this way."
Link still didn't move. He was thankful Hestu was okay, but he'd still abandoned him; run off and left him behind. He must've loathed him by now.
"Link! Link!" Hestu called from somewhere to the left. His voice was filled with concern.
"Hestu, over here!" the Korok called.
Link heard footsteps approaching. Eventually, Hestu entered his field of vision.
"Maca?" Hestu asked. "What are you doing here, shaka? Where's Link?"
"To answer the first question, the Great Deku Tree sent me to find you both," Maca said. "Both of your presences disappeared suddenly, and he got concerned. He sent me to find you all." Maca then gestured inside the trunk. "And Link's in here."
Hestu looked inside. Link stared at him for a moment, then looked away in shame.
"Link?" Hestu asked. "Are you okay?"
Link nodded.
By this point, Hestu knew that wasn't true. In hindsight, he acted similarly back then, always saying he was okay despite appearances. But he'd never looked this bad before. Hestu felt awful for not trying to help back then when he knew something was clearly wrong.
But he couldn't argue with Link about his own feelings. That felt wrong. But he didn't know what to do for him right now.
First they had to get back to the grove somehow. But where even were they?
"Maca, how did you find us?" Hestu asked. "Our presences disappeared, right?"
"They did," Maca said. "We couldn't sense you at all from the grove. But stepping into the forest caused your presences to reappear, though faintly. The Great Deku Tree said something otherworldly has invaded the forest and is trying to lure you to its nest by influencing the surroundings and guiding you toward its territory."
"That horseman?" Hestu guessed.
"I don't know anything about a horseman," Maca said. "What makes you think it's them?"
"Well," Hestu said, "they just felt so unnatural. It was like several creatures had become lumped together into a single form. The intensity of their anger and sorrow was beyond compare. Their malicious aura surpassed that of every monster I've come across too."
"Yeah, it's probably them then," Maca said. "We can report this to the Great Deku Tree when we return."
"Good idea, shoko!" Hestu said. He turned.
Link was still sitting in place, despondent.
"Hey, Link?"
Link turned his head toward Hestu, though not meeting his eyes.
"We're going back to the grove. Do you think you'll be able to follow us?"
Link paused. But slowly, he nodded.
"Good," Hestu said. He turned to Maca. "So can you lead us back?"
"Well..." Maca trailed off.
"Hm?"
"Depends on if that horseman doesn't seal us in here," he said. "According to the Great Deku Tree, the whole forest except for the grove is currently between our world and the horseman's world. It hasn't sealed its world yet because we're not far enough inside yet. It needs us closer."
"But if we move toward our world, we should be okay?"
"That should be the case," Maca said. "But moving toward it may be tricky. There's no telling which way will lead us further in and which one will lead to safety. It seems the horseman can manipulate environments too, making it harder."
"Shaka..." Hestu said. "Then what do we do?"
"Watch our step, I guess," Maca said. "You can still feel the presence of our world, right?"
"It's faint, but yeah," Hestu said.
"Let's follow that for now," Maca said. "If things feel weird, go in a different direction. Got it?"
"Good idea," Hestu said. He turned. "Are you ready to go Link?"
Link was still. For a moment, Hestu thought he didn't hear what he said. But his friend slowly crawled out from the tree trunk and began to get up.
Hestu offered his arm to help Link pull himself up. Link held up his hand, and Hestu stepped away. He didn't need any help. He didn't want any help. He didn't deserve any help.
Link got to his feet, still not meeting Hestu's eyes.
"Alright, just follow Hestu and me," Maca said to Link. "We'll get you out of here."
And so the three were off, Maca and Hestu leading the way, while Link slowly followed from behind.
Link saw Hestu glance back at him occasionally, as if to make sure he was still there. He really didn't need to do that. Link was okay. He had to be.
Every step he took felt difficult, as though he were walking through an underwater current. Link wasn't sure why it was so hard to simply walk now. It was truly pathetic on his part. Hestu's pity only made him feel worse. Link was only burdening him. He, the hero, should not be burdening anyone. He should be the one taking them off the shoulders of others.
Hestu knew that he probably shouldn't continue glancing at Link. That would make anyone uncomfortable, friend or not. But he was concerned. Some people reacted to being glanced at. But Link gave no acknowledgement or gesture that he even knew they were there. He just stared forward with a blank face and dull eyes, going through the motions, watching rather than looking or seeing.
He hoped the Great Deku Tree could help him. He was one of the wisest and kindest beings to ever exist. Surely he could help snap Link back to his old self...
Hestu discarded that thought. What he saw was Link's old and current self, the part of him that he'd deliberately hid away. It was just enhanced and far worse than before, built up and intensified by whatever experience he had gone through. He could do little but provide Link any support he needed. But would it be enough?
Hestu didn't know. And he was scared that it wouldn't.
Link wished Hestu would stop looking at him the way he was. He should just focus on the path ahead and pay no mind to him. He didn't need to concern himself with Link. It would be easier on him if he didn't.
Link looked away. But when he did, he thought he heard something.
It was a low rumbling. Link could swear he felt some sort of movement nearby from something large. It didn't sound like a monster. This sounded like something else, like a stampede composed of one creature. It was getting closer, approaching from behind.
"We're almost out," Maca said. "You feel us getting closer, Hestu?"
Hestu turned to Maca. "Yeah, I can feel it. The forest feels so much closer now than it did before."
"Yep!" Maca said. "I told you I could lead you back no problem!"
The sound was closing in from behind. Link jolted when he realized how close it was.
Every instinct in his body re-ignited. His mind kicked into gear. His voice rose up and he shouted:
"Move! Something's coming!"
Hestu and Maca glanced behind them to see a dark shape rushing toward them. It was coming at an unprecedented speed, almost too fast for any of them to react.
But they were able to leap out of the way. Link dove to the side. Hestu and Maca made their Deku propellers appear in their hands and flew over the incoming shape. It zipped right past them, crashing into a tree up ahead.
The two Koroks descended and Link emerged from his hiding spot. They all stared at the object from afar.
It was shaped like a large rock. It had been going so fast that it had heated up, causing steam to rise out. It was covered in some black and purple gunk—a substance Link was already familiar with.
"Don't get near," Link warned. "That's a monster!"
"Ahahahaha!"
The object had started laughing coldly. Link couldn't help but feel a chill from it.
In the depths of his memory, he recalled a much warmer laugh, one always filled with mirth and joy. It was infectious, able to lift the spirits of all who heard it, including Link's. The man behind it had been one of the kindest people he had ever met. He was one of the burliest, toughest looking people in Hyrule, yet one of the gentlest creatures Hylia had ever created.
But this laugh was more twisted. There was no sense of good or kindness in it. The joy and mirth in it was artificial, an emotionless sound that only imitated and mocked the good heart of the man whose body it had stolen. It was as empty and hollow as the heart that now beat in the body's chest.
"Looks like you're still as sharp as ever, little guy!"
The object began to unfurl, revealing its limbs. It used its arms to push itself to its feet, revealing a large, muscular physique. It clutched a large two handed sword in its hand. The clattering of its chainmail on its rock-solid chest reverberated around the area as it walked toward them.
Hestu recognized the shape at a glance. It was shadowy and as dark as ink, but he knew what it was. "Isn't that a Goron?"
"No," Link growled. "Don't even refer to it as such. That's nothing but a sick imitation, just like the last one. It's not him. It's not."
The bird was also one of these things? Hestu thought back to it. Now that he thought about it, the bird did look like something. Despite how mangled and broken its body appeared, it was shaped like a Rito. But there had been no other features present on it.
But what did Link mean by "him?" All Hestu saw was a nondescript shadowy shape of a Goron, nothing that made it stand out. Gorons were all the same gender, but Link spoke as though he knew who it was. Hestu didn't understand how he could possibly recognize this shadow.
Unless...did Link see something he didn't?
The creature came into full view. While Hestu saw nothing but a large shadow, Link saw the creature far differently.
Its rock body was riddled with deep cracks as if it had suffered an incredibly powerful concussive blow that had enveloped its whole body. Purple ooze covered the deepest cracks. Part of its skull looked like it had caved in on the side, with a deep crater visible around its left eye. A tattered cloth hung from its body, charred black from fire. Its grin was broken and twisted, and within its mouth were rows of shattered teeth.
"So, little guy! How've ya been? You get the Master Sword again?"
Link just continued to glare at the monster that dared use his friends voice and mannerisms as if it were their own.
"I don't see the sword on you," the monster noted. "What's up with that? I thought you were the hero. All heroes can use it!"
"Then again, you're not much of a hero now, are ya?" it said. "You ran away from us after all. You didn't even try to help. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like something a hero would do, especially when everyone expected so much better of you, me included."
Link's arm darted for his sword in a flash of anger. He was shaking in his fury and was very close to snapping.
The creature laughed again. "That thing won't scratch me, and you know it! Sorry little guy, but you can't beat me!"
Link didn't care if he could win or not. He just needed to distract it long enough to get Hestu and Maca past.
Suddenly, the monster sheathed its own large weapon.
"Navigating this forest is such a pain, y'know?" it said. "Super confusing. Even after they enveloped this place in their influence, we couldn't find the path that led us to the Korok village." It flashed its broken smile. "Until now."
"I just wanna thank your friends, little guy!" it said. "Thanks to them, they led us right where we needed to go! Ahahaha!"
They had been following them? So that's why the horseman hadn't sealed them in its world yet.
Link recalled what he'd seen at the Woodland Stable. No one had survived it, not even his faithful steed or a sweet little girl that didn't deserve her fate.
He refused to let that happen again!
"Both of you, go ahead and warn the other Koroks!" Link said to Hestu and Maca. "I'll try to keep it busy!"
"You can try," the monster said. "If you can catch me!"
It turned around and ran down the path, laughing.
Without a moment to lose, Link leapt forward and dashed after the creature.
Link was gaining on the monster. But it was strange. The creature was running on its legs. With its Goron body, surely it knew that it could curl up and go faster. It had done it before, why not now? It wouldn't make sense to do it...unless there was a factor Link was missing.
He noticed the sound of wings flapping and a heavy gale blowing behind him. He glanced behind himself, then ducked out of the way just as an arrow soared past him.
"Oh yeah, forgot to mention," the monster said. "I ain't alone!"
The mangled bird was flying above the branches, pursuing Link from behind. It had a bow, using its wings to fly and using its talons to fire arrows. Despite its broken neck and injuries, it aimed with deadly precision, hailing arrows down on Link from above. He held up his shield to block the projectiles. The arrowtips broke through the metal, turning the shield into a pincushion.
"L...iiiiiiiiiink!" the bird shrieked.
"Ahahaha!" The monster leapt forward and curled up into a boulder, picking up speed. "Good luck, little guy!"
It sped off into the mist.
The bird shrieked again as several arrows at once were loosed from its bow. Link ran faster to dodge the incoming projectiles.
Unfortunately, the bird seemed to anticipate that. Alongside the regular arrows, it had fired several bomb arrows that soared past Link. But they hadn't been aimed at him, they had been aimed at the road in front of him.
The bombs exploded, causing a cloud of black smoke and fire to rise in front of Link. He was going too fast to avoid the hazard. He ran directly into it.
Link covered his nose and mouth quickly to avoid breathing in the foul substance. The action had greatly reduced his visibility too, burning his eyes and obscuring anything beyond the smoke. The only upside was that it was warmer, but if it had been any hotter, Link knew he would likely have suffered a stroke from the sudden change in temperature.
Then he heard the same rumbling from earlier. It was circling around the smoke and fire, approaching quickly.
Link realized too late. He turned to run, only to be dealt a powerful blow in the back by the monster's enormous blunt sword.
Link was sent flying across the forest. The fact the blow hadn't broken his spine was truly a miracle. But the pain was intense, too intense for him to even scream. He thought the Master Sword's rejection was the most painful thing he'd ever felt. But the sharp pain he felt right now was worse.
He landed on stones, causing further pain. The force of the blow was enough to cause him to skip across the ground like a pebble in a lake. He came to rest on a flat stone surface, dazed.
Link leapt back to his feet, nearly losing his balance and puking. His vision was blurred and spinning. He tried reaching for his sword, but realized it wasn't there anymore. It must've flown off of him during his flight.
He saw the two monsters getting closer to him. Link glanced around frantically, trying to find where his sword had landed, his blurred vision making things harder.
Then he found it. It was embedded in a nearby stone, standing perfectly upright, inches away from him. He hobbled over to it, stumbling and nearly falling, like he was a zombie.
"End of the line, little guy!" the monster declared. "Don't worry though, I promise to make it quick. Then you'll be happy again! We'll hang out again, just like the old times! We're all there, Mipha, Urbosa, me, Revali here, your old man, and Sidon—the whole gang! All ya gotta do is give up. Accept that no matter what, you're gonna live an unworthy and painful life! Coming with us is the only way for you to feel better!"
Link collapsed on to the sword's hilt. He fumbled with his hands to try to get a solid grip on it.
"That sword ain't gonna save ya," the monster said. "You ain't even worthy of wielding it. Trying is pointless."
Link was able to get his hands around the hilt.
"Struggling just makes it worse. It's better to just accept reality. This world is filled with nothing but pain and suffering, and it always will be for everyone living in it. The harder you fight, the worse you'll feel when it all comes crashing down. There's no point in doing it if hardship is only replaced with more hardship."
Link was prepared to pull out the blade. But then his grip weakened.
It was right. What was a life for one such as him, experiencing hardship after hardship? All he did was fight and fight, and things never got any better.
That was how Hyrule worked for many years. No matter how many heroes appeared to defeat the impending darkness, they would always come back. Calamity Ganon always came back. Link's actions wouldn't matter hundreds of years from now. Another hero would reappear to fight him, then another hero after that, then another one after that.
Why should he fight if it didn't matter what he did? He wasn't even capable of sealing Ganon away. That was Zelda...
Zelda was still fighting Ganon...
She was all alone, trying to seal the evil once again, knowing it would break out again one day in the far future.
She'd been fighting alone for one hundred years now.
Why did she still fight? Wouldn't it just be easier to give up?
Yet she fought on. She suffered for a century at the hands of the demon king of Hyrule. Link thought about the pain she must be going through, the anguish on her face, not knowing when it would all end.
Link remembered those words she spoke so long ago, when he had poured his fear filled heart out to her, where he cried and hugged her, when he had felt safe and understood for the first time since becoming the hero.
We're in this together.
Link's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
Zelda hadn't given up yet. She was still trapped in the castle, fighting Ganon. She needed help.
Link wanted to defeat Ganon.
But he wanted to see Zelda more.
He wanted to hug her again, to be together, to finally be free from their divine duties with her. He wanted his friend back.
He wanted to be with Zelda.
He wanted her in his life.
So long as she was by his side in some way, as a friend or as something more, that's all he needed.
He wanted to see her safe.
He wanted to see her smile, to laugh, to be goofy, to be free!
That's all he wanted!
Because if she was happy, so would he!
He yanked the blade with a powerful vigor.
The blade popped out effortlessly.
Link turned the blade on the monsters in front of him. His vision became stable and he felt much less dazed than before. If he could just keep them busy enough to get the Koroks in the village to flee...
To his surprise, the monsters were backing away. The big one spoke:
"No! That's not possible! You can't just become worthy again overnight!"
Link was confused for a moment. Then he noticed the blade in his hand.
It wasn't the sword that had flown out of his hand like he'd initially thought, no. The rocks it was wedged between weren't rocks at all, it was a pedestal.
Link could do little but stare in awe.
Without realizing it, he had reclaimed the Master Sword.