Chapter Text
Two days. It had been two days since Wind had fallen ill. He was feverish and only half conscious. Wars was worried. Hyrule had tried his best even after saying that his magic doesn't work on illness. He was right. Wind was still warm, clammy, and, for the most part, unresponsive.
They were in Twilight's era when the youngest had fallen sick. They were travelling north when the sailor had started to complain about the heat. He had been lagging behind with Sky by his side. The weather was almost the complete opposite of what the sailor claimed it was. Despite his persistent complaints that it was hot, the surrounding weather was cool and even slightly chilly. Not long after, Wind had fallen silent. The captain had noted this but just figured that he was tired. They all were. Not even a minute later a yelp from Sky alerted the others that something was wrong. Everyone immediately turned and retreated back towards Sky and a now unconscious Wind, pale and limp in the bird boy's arms.
"He's got a fever," Sky claimed, cradling Wind in his arms.
"We can't stay here," Twilight cut in, glancing around nervously, "It's not safe. We have to keep moving."
"You heard the rancher, everyone keep moving, we'll make camp when we are in a safe area," Time called to the others. They were all worried but Twilight was right, they could almost feel eyes on the group, this was not a place to stop and rest.
"Sky, can you carry him? We need to move," Time asked.
"Yeah, I got him." Sky agreed. With some help from Wars, who didn't want to be too far from his little brother, Sky was loaded up with Wind on his back and they were moving again.
It took hours before Twilight had deemed it safe enough to set up for the night. Wind was gently lowered from Sky’s back and placed on his laid-out bedroll. Wars could see the glistening sweat that coated the younger boy’s pale face. Guilt twisted in his gut for not seeing it sooner. How could he have missed the sailor getting sick? Let alone this bad?
~~~
That was two days ago.
Worry and concern hung in the air, they were all slightly unnerved by how quickly the illness had appeared, and how the sailor only seemed to be getting worse. Over the last two days since Wind fell sick he had been in and out of consciousness, now it was a constant to hear his labored breathing all throughout the day and night.
They weren't able to stay put as Twilight still deemed the location "too close to danger", so each day they continued moving.
Another day passed and the mood was still somber. They had finally felt they were far enough from any danger to set up camp for a few days. Wind still hadn't improved, if anything he was still getting worse. Red angry bumps spiralled up his left arm, starting at the back of his hand and going all the way up to hiding under the sleeve of his shirt. Heavy bags rested under the young boy's eyes and his face was constantly flushed by a fever.
It wasn’t the first time one of them had been sick, but this was something different, Wars could tell and so could the others.
They were all worried. The last day and a half Hyrule had barely left the ailing hero's side- only when he was guided away by the Vet.
There was little the traveler could do for Wind, as his healing magic was for the injured not the ill. Still, once again he sat by the boy's side, doing what he could to ease the pain evident on the sailor's scrunched face.
Wars watched as the healer gently brushed Wind's forehead with his hand as it emitted a dull glow just as he had every 10 minutes for the last 2 hours. The light seemed to recede back into Hyrule’s palm as he finally backed away, looking slightly pale. Legend placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and a shiver seemed to shoot down the traveler's spine.
"Come on," Legend soothed as he guided his protegé away from his patient, "Let's get you some food."
Wars sighed as he noticed the old man's eyes on him. He heard the cracking of Time's knees as the older man stood. Moments later a hand was placed on the captain's shoulder, barely getting any more than a flinch in acknowledgment, his mind already too far gone.
Wars waited for the scolding about “not taking care of himself” but it never came, instead he only heard softly spoken words coaxing him to bed. He gripped Wind’s hand tighter for a moment trying to fight against the soothing tone of the words and the fog in his head. Finally, he gave in, large hands guided him to let go of the Sailor. Strong arms helped him to stand and take the few short steps to his own bed. Before sleep overtook him he looked directly into the old man’s eyes, “Promise you’ll wake me if h-he… if anything changes.” He pleaded.
Wars heard Time chuckle, “I will Captain. Now get some rest.”
“Yes sir,” Wars replied, voice full of sleepy sarcasm.
Time let out a hearty laugh, “Goodnight Wars.”
”Goodnight… Old man.”
…
Wars was woken barely a few hours later by a shout of surprise.
Turned out that a portal had opened up in the middle of the camp during Twilight’s watch.
The camp was chaos compared to their usual organised packing but soon enough they were all packed with the sailor loaded onto Sky’s back once again, and ready to move on in almost pitch-black light. There was a brief discussion of waiting til morning but even then the pull of the portal seemed stronger than usual. In pairs, they made their way through the portal.
Time and Twilight.
Then Hyrule and Legend.
Then Sky, Wind and Wild.
Then finally it was his turn.
He and Four passed through the portal and moments later their feet hit the ground, well, his did, Four crumpled straight into his arms as soon as they landed in the new era. Small amounts of light filtered through the dense trees, most likely from the sun rising on the distant horizon.
The Old man quickly approached them, the traveller not far behind, as he gently laid Four on the ground.
"Is he ok?" Time asked.
"I'm not sure," Hyrule responded, "It is pretty normal for him after a portal but just in case we need to keep a close eye on him."
"Agreed." Wars nodded, "I'll carry him."
"Ok," Time stated before addressing the others in the growing light, "Does anyone know where we are?"
Silence followed as everyone searched for anything familiar. Wars immediately ruled out his own, being that the weather was quite humid despite the light breeze, and he knew that his hyrule lacked a rainforest, unlike the one they were currently in. The sailor's was also an unlikely location given that they could see mountains in the distance and as far as Wind and told Wars his hyrule didn't have any islands large enough for those.
Many others came to a similar conclusion until only Wild was left, looking rather confused.
"Wild?" Wars asked, "Is this your Hyrule?"
"I-I think it might be," Wild started, "I mean, well, it feels like mine but different, so... I think so?"
"Good enough," Time cut in, "Wild lead the way, but, everyone be on your guard until we are sure of when we are."
Wars stood with Four placed gently on his back. "Well, where to first Chef?"
He watched as Wild disconnected his slate from his hip before he brought it in front of him and started tapping.
Twilight stood beside him peering over his shoulder. "We're in Damel forest, yeah? Isn't there a path just south of here?"
"Yeah, it's not far." Wild agreed.
"Great," Wars chimed, "let's go. I can see it on Sky's face Wind may be small but he can be heavy if you carry him for long enough."
"Hey!" The Skylian protested, "I am fine thank you very much!"
"Sure you are bird boy."
Time cut off any more bickering by telling them to get moving.
10 minutes later they were on the path.
"Ok," Time said, "which direction now?"
Everyone turned to Wild who was staring frustratedly at his slate.
"It keeps glitching out," Wild sighed, "um, west."
"Get moving, we will make camp when we find a clear area." Time commanded.
Down the road across the bridge and after several warnings from Wild about monsters on cliffs later, everything seemed peaceful but Wars thought too soon.
"That can't be right," Wild stated and halted in place.
"What, Cub?" Twilight responded coming up behind him, Wars following close behind.
"I know every inch of this place every cave, critter and shrine," Wild reasoned, pointing to his right, "there should be one right there."
"Are you sure?" Wars asked, "Aren't there like a lot of those shrines?"
"Yes," Wild insisted running off in that direction.
"Cub, wait!" Twilight called.
Everyone walked closer following the slightly distraught hero.
Wild stopped just before a cliff face then turned toward them.
Wars could see his eyes taking in everything around them, every tree, every speck of light, all of it.
"Pumaag Nitae," Wild said.
"What is he on about?" Legend snarked.
"That's the shrine that should be here, Pumaag Nitae."
"We can't do much about a missing shrine," Time reasoned, "maybe it's best that our first destination is that small camp you told us about just outside the castle. We might be able to get some answers there."
"Ok," Wild agreed, "we continue west at the next crossroad."
"Alright let's get moving."