I thought I knew Hyrule.

With the Hylian Champion at my side, I had scoured damn near each and every single inch of this land; I'd swam in its rivers, hiked up its mountainous trails, went by horseback across its plains. Up into the snowfields we went, and even through the sky I had gone, clinging to the paraglider after leaping courageously off of clifftops.

But this... this was not the Hyrule I knew.

The Hyrule I had traveled through before had been beautiful but dangerous, chaotic but peaceful. This Hyrule had gaping chasms and floating islands and... and the Hyrule I knew before had Link in it. This one did not.

He and the princess had gone beneath Hyrule Castle, and I had been with them up until the very last step where we could still see sunlight and I had... I had withdrawn. Something had called to me on the surface, urging me not to go down beneath the castle.

Inwardly, I was equal parts being grateful for and regretting that decision and the contradiction would give me a headache thinking about it, even now. The reason for my regret should have been clear; if I had gone, I might have been able to help. I'd at least know for sure what had happened to Link and Princess Zelda. It might have proved that I meant something in this tapestry of history they were weaving together. Instead, I had pulled away, removing myself from it entirely.

But I was grateful for it too, though that reasoning was a bit more complicated.

I was not Link, the Hylian Champion, the princess' guard, the one chosen by the princess and the Master Sword. I was not a hero, no matter what he said. I was also not Princess Zelda, the heir to an incredible power, a manifestation of all things wise and patient. I was not integral to this and their effort, no matter what she said.

No matter what they said, I did not have a real part of this.

So, during the Upheaval, if I had been down beneath the castle when it happened - because they must have unearthed something or set off a reaction of some kind to set it off - I'm sure that Hylia, the three golden goddesses, and fate itself would not have hesitated to do away with me.

Whatever had happened to the princess and the swordsman was unclear, but what was clear was that the Upheaval had uprooted Hyrule just as the Calamity had once before. And because I was no more significant than before, if I found myself reaching too far, if I dared to do more than I was ever meant to...

If I had gone with them, I would have died. I felt this to be true, deep in my heart.

So, I was grateful for it. And yet it was my deepest regret, because even if it cost me my life, I'd have wanted to make sure that Link was alright.

Dammit, I'd vowed to myself and to him that I would never leave him, that he would never be alone again and...

I let out a sigh. There was nothing left to be done about it now, but... but they'd been beneath the castle when it had risen up out of the ground, foundations and all. All that loose soil and rock would have crushed them for sure... wouldn't it?

Oh, but I couldn't just believe they were gone. They couldn't be. Of anyone, they were far too important. I'd been hard-pressed enough to dodge all the falling rock as I ran, ran from the castle only to double back because I couldn't possibly leave them...

I'd been cut off by monsters. Turning a corner only to find myself finding a trio of Bokoblins, I'd figured it'd be an easy fight, only for the earth to shake beneath me and the sky seem to split and suddenly I was facing something far larger, a Bokoblin but comparable in size to a Hinox. Heavy-set and with a huge club, and looking right at me, I'd had no choice but to focus up and fight it.

Only... I'd been forced to watch, transfixed, as my trusty weapon, my blade of the Royal Guard - the very same Link had handed to me - had rusted all the way from the tip of the blade to the pommel beneath my hand.

Not my only weapon, I sheathed it, only to find that my spear, my bow, all my arrows, and even an ax, had all decayed, too. Falling rocks and Hyrule Castle floating into the sky had not killed me, but that group of monsters nearly had.

After doing so, I had to get to higher ground, that was obvious. I'd climbed and climbed, working my way at last to Hyrule Field. When I reached the surface, I found myself looking at a Hyrule that I knew was home but was not familiar to me.

I saw only one sensible option, so it was to Lookout Landing that I went.

Admittedly, since Link had gone off and defeated Calamity Ganon, we weren't naïve enough to think our job was over, but Zelda had been gracious enough to allot us some time away. After doing what was necessary in reacquainting her with her kingdom, he and I had gone to Hateno for a while, where we relaxed and healed and rested up.

We were soon called back into active duty, so to speak, and so we went.

And now, a couple of years after the end of the Calamity, it seemed that unheard-of horrors had decided to strike Hyrule once more.

Lookout Landing, a developing little hub, was one well under construction before the Upheaval, and I was happy to see it mostly unaffected. Designed as a small base for research and development, as well as a resting point and residence (as Hyrule Castle was busy undergoing its own extensive repairs), it had become home for the past few months or so. 

Before, it was just a fence and a few tents but now, a couple of weeks after the afore-mentioned events, it was a busy little area with fortifications, a huge tower, a research lab, and even the beginnings of a stable that was still in progress.

And Link and the princess still had not yet returned.

I let out another sigh. I knew there was nothing to be done about it right now, because the search party was doing its best to find them, but I'd never felt quite so useless.

"That's the third sigh since your shift started," came a familiar voice, and I could feel a smile tug at my lips, but I fought to keep it away. I did turn my head though, and I found myself looking at Thadd, once Hateno's steadfast gatekeeper and now, diligent guardsman for Lookout Landing. It had been all hands on deck to fortify this place after the Upheaval, and Thadd had been one of the most ready and able men to step up.

I was grateful for it, and really, we all were. It seemed that every day, more and more injured and hurting and lost people passed through our gates and we were hard-pressed to deal with them all. It was a lot for anyone to handle and as I took the unofficial lead on helping the injured and helping brief them on where they were, Thadd was at my side the entire time, or nearly.

And as one of my dearest and oldest friends, I appreciated his support more than I knew how to say.

As he mentioned, for now I was stationed in one of the lookout towers here at the landing and, with a rusted spear resting against my shoulder, I'd been leaning back against the railing and watching the horizon for signs of monsters or newcomers. But today had been quiet and now, as the sun began its downward arc towards the horizon, my shift would be over soon.

"I know you're bored," Thadd said, joining me there by the railing, his pale skin warmed by the glow of the setting sun, "and I know that you're worried, more than anything else. But you know why you can't rejoin the search party."

I huffed and looked away. "I know," I responded anyway. "Because you all think I'm going to throw myself off a cliff or something."

"You're on edge," Thadd said gently. "It's understandable, given what you've gone through. You nearly died when the castle lifted up and now, to be without both the princess and Link..."

"I'm not a child," I pressed, looking up at him. "I know my limit, and-"

"And running around, climbing and jumping over things, and fighting all the monsters you can see, and doing Hylia only knows what else for three days straight is exactly why we want you here."

"But I can't... I can't be useless like this. I saw light in that tunnel I saw, if I just had a few more rations I could make it, and maybe a few more weapons too. I can find them, Thadd. I can-"

"You're hurt," he cut in, and I snapped my mouth shut. "It's a damn miracle that you can even walk, let alone all of that other nonsense you were doing! It won't do Link any good if he comes back only to find you dead, instead! You can't keep pushing yourself like this!"

"Thadd," I began, only for him to shake his head.

"From here, at least, you can use ranged weapons," he supplied gently, his frustration fading from his face and being replaced with nothing but thinly-veiled concern and care. "For his sake, for your sake, for your brother's sake, for all of our sake... You have to stay strong, (Y/n). You have to, for us, but for you two, too."

"I can't," I began, only to trail off and go with another thought. "It'd been weeks. What if they're..."

"Don't think that way," he told me. "When you left the first time, I was worried sick. I stayed at the gate like always, but... I couldn't move. I was scared stiff for you. But I learned that worrying so much wasn't healthy, so I had to try to focus on other things."

I knew that, for him, this was a lot to admit. It was no secret that growing up, he had nursed a crush on me for years, and it hurt him terribly to hear me talk of leaving Hateno and to see me eventually do it, and with a stranger. And then to come back later with that same stranger, and...

It had been a lot for him. He wasn't saying all of this from nowhere, it was from a place of genuine care. Any romantic feelings were gone but left behind was all the care and concern he'd always had for me. And I'd never been more grateful for it, for him.

"So, what did you do?"

"I focused on everything else in life," he told me. "It was hard for a while, and I found that I couldn't stop worrying, not entirely. But it got easier with time."

"You're telling me I have to just give it time, then."

"It sucks to think that it's all I can say, but yes."

At last, I allowed myself to smile. "I guess I have no choice but to give it a shot. Thank you, Thadd."

He smiled too and, relieved he had helped me at least a little, made to say something when we heard commotion coming from the other side of the lookout. Rushing to the other side of the lookout tower, we both leaned over the railing to look first, to see what was going on.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know," I responded, then noticed a group forming on the other end. "Someone's arrived."

"Someone really important, or someone really hurt, if they're causing such a fuss," Thadd said, and that confirmed it for me.

"Alright," I said. "Come on. Let's go."

"I've gotta stay up here," he said. "But your shift is already almost over. Go on, I'll cover your spot for a while."

"Thank you," I said in a hurry, sending him a grateful smile before starting down the ladder.

I leapt from the ladder to skip the last few rungs and landed favoring my good leg - a sting of discomfort still ran up my injured leg, but I ignored it and dashed across the plaza to reach the other side. I ran up the steps, bumping right into Scorpis who was returning to his spot right above the emergency shelter. With a stunted grunt I stumbled back, and Scorpis looked over his shoulder at me apologetically.

"Sorry, (Y/n)," he said. "Are you hurt?"

"No more than I have been, thanks," I said, still rubbing absently at where my shoulder had dug into his greaves. "What's going on?"

He looked down at me strangely, opened his mouth to speak, then decided against it. But he did gesture with his spear for me to continue on in the direction I'd been going in. I needed no more direction than that, and continued on.

Of course, by the time I got there, the commotion had died out, and I found myself seeing no new faces and... actually, I was getting more attention than anyone else. People were looking at me warily, a bit strangely, meeting my eyes a bit hesitantly.

"What's going on?" I asked when Robbie came to a stop beside me. "Why's everyone looking at me like that?"

"I'll just tell you what I told the last guy," he said gruffly. "Go see Purah."

Strange, I thought, but fine. I'll go see Purah.

"Oh," I heard Josha say as I ascended the wooden stairs, for some reason ensuring my steps were silent and that I stepped over the creaky step, "but the travel point is still undergoing final adjustments!"

"The travel point needs tweaking," Purah mumbled just as I reached the main landing, the one leading to her research lab. "Sounds like I better get cracking."

There was Josha, and there was Purah, and there, standing just before them, his hands on his hips and listening intently... with golden blond hair flowing freely, wearing a strange tunic, with one blue earring in each pointed ear...

"Sorry about this, Linky," Purah said, and at that, my breath caught in my throat as though the air solidified to lead.

Linky.

"I'll fix it up quick, so just hang tight," she said to him. "In the meantime, why don't you rest up? You must be pretty tired. The... Ah." Just then, she caught sight of me over Link's shoulder, and she smiled. "I figured it was only a matter of time before you realized he was back."

Cluing into the fact that there was someone behind him, he turned.

And for the first time in weeks, in several excruciatingly long weeks...

I found myself looking into the eyes of Link.

It could only be him, because I knew those eyes. I knew that figure. I knew that look of surprise, one that grew softer first with his eyes, then his lips. He eased into a smile, one hesitant and soft and...

Then he hurried to gather his hair back, miming having a ponytail - and I chuckled softly, because he must have thought that I forgot what he looked like. "I recognize you, Link," I assured him.

He called my name quietly, and I nodded. And all at once, as though we came to the conclusion at the same time, we ran to each other and we met in such a sweet embrace it was hard to believe it was real. His arms were wrapped so tightly around me it was nearly hard to breathe, and he was pulling me against him so far he was leaning back and the tips of my toes were lifting off the wooden platform, and I could not stop tears from welling up in my eyes even if I tried.

"Link," I breathed out, noting that Purah and Josha had granted us some privacy, at any rate. At least outwardly, that's what they did - but I knew that they, like everyone else, were watching closely.

"Oh, firefly," he spoke gently, his voice muffled against the fabric of my tunic. He was pressing all of me into him, and I was putting forth all of my energy towards clinging to him, not daring to let any space squeeze between us for even a second. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to be away for so long."

"That wasn't anything you could help," I said. "I'm just so happy that you're back."

"I lost the Master Sword," he told me, "and I don't know where Zelda is, and..."

"Shh," I hushed him gently, and he set me down gently.

While he was away, I had been left to wait, but that was not new. But dear Hylia, he was back. He had new clothes, and no sword, and no princess, but he was back. At the end of it all, selfish thought it may be, this was all that mattered to me. That he was safe, that he was alright...

"Tell me the details later," I said quietly, drawing away from him. I set one of my palms against his cheek, relishing in the way that he was still solid, and he was still standing, and he was still alive. I brought my other hand to his heart, and to know that deep within, his heart was still beating, his chest rising up to meet my palm...

"This is what matters right now," I said to him. "You're here, and you're safe. Focus on that for now."

"I missed you," he spoke softly. "So much, firefly."

"I miss you too, hero," I said, and when he started to lean in, so did I... but I gasped and leaned away with a jolt because...

His arm was not his own. He had his left arm, pure and intact, but where his right arm had been was another. It was foreign, yet he was using it as though he'd had it his entire life. The tunic he now wore was tattered yet having only one sleeve seemed intentional - or at least, it was a wicked stroke of fate and luck that allowed him to chance upon it or steal it or whatever he'd done wherever he'd been.

The skin was hot to the touch, this I only knew because he'd tucked the hand beneath my chin probably without even realizing it because that's what he always had done, and...

"(Y/n)," he said, almost desperately. "I can explain, I..."

I took his new hand into my own, flipping it over and examining it closely. Where once there had been smooth skin there was now raised patterning and instead of scars there were swirls, and instead of callouses there was a distant but noticeable thrum of magic.

"(Y/n)..."

"What did you find," I began evenly, "beneath the castle?"

"Something old," he said. "Ancient, more so than the castle itself, if I had to guess. It was a mummy of sorts, frozen in place by this arm. When we got close to it, it fell and released the mummy and... that's probably what caused all of this. But Zelda fell into a fissure, and... and I couldn't save her. I think she's safe, though," he added before I could ask.

"But what about you?"

"I leapt after her," he answered, "but though she was protected by her powers, this arm grabbed me and... and I woke up and it was attached to my arm."

"Right, but..."

"Oh," he said, "right. I forgot. This weird gloom reached for the princess but I protected her and it latched onto the sword, then to me. That's how I lost my arm and the sword broke."

Sometimes I forgot how he could say such things so easily, but he could.

"I awoke alone and with this new arm on an island in the sky," he explained. "I was guided along by one of the Zonai, leapt from the sky, and eventually was able to come back home."

I recognized his words and smiled. Real details, more details, would come later. But for now, I was content with the information I had and the company I now kept.

"You're smiling," he said, "but you're still troubled."

"A lot's been going on," I said. "And I was so worried for you... but don't worry about that for now. You must be exhausted, Link. Come on, I'll show you where I've been staying."

"Purah said it wouldn't be long," he began to argue, but I took his left hand - his hand - into my own and stood at his side.

"And Purah didn't just fall from the sky," I told him. "Whatever you need to do can wait until morning."

"But..."

"Link," I said, "please. You of all people should know that you only fight your best when you're well-rested."

He considered it for a moment, then allowed himself to smile sheepishly. "I suppose I am being hypocritical," he said. "And... admittedly, I can't remember the last time I slept through the night."

"It's perfect, then," I said, starting to lead him down the steps. "Besides, those clothes of yours smell."

"Well, I didn't really have access to a washing line or anything up there, and-"

"Not that," I said. "It just smells old. Dusty. I've got something for you to change into."

"Oh, you mean you don't like it? I think it makes me look kind of handsome," he said. "Shows off my arm nicely, don't you think?"

"And it's not your arm, is it?"

"Well, no, but... Alright, fine. But doesn't it look good anyway?"

Honestly.

"You're ridiculous," I said with a chuckle. "But yes, Link. It looks good."

I had to contain my emotions, just for now. I wanted to hug him close and kiss him and tell him about how much I missed him but I couldn't do that just right now. I would have to hold onto it... just for a little while longer.

note: welcome to a kinda canon, kinda not continuation of the totk special I published in celebration of the game's release! I kinda fell in love with the first part and wrote... a lot. there's more on the way soon! 

at any rate, an explanation: kinda canon in that it uses the same link/reader that I've introduced in the story, but kinda not canon because I don't know if I'll turn this into a full sequel or not yet. I still have yet to play even a single story mission in the game. literally just having fun messing around in Hyrule and exploring.

if it does become a sequel, it will likely focus on her being sidelined from the fighting, something she'll struggle with! so, thoughts? I really like how it's turning out!

updates for this will be sporadic and unannounced, and regular updates will continue! and... gasp! is there perhaps a spoiler for maybe... a nickname Link comes up with for you...? hmm! maybe!

anyway, thank you for reading. see you in the next update! <3