LoH: Partners Of Time (Part 2)

Several moons had passed since the last time Alden had sensed his partner around. It had been a mostly dull time being stuck in his blade only able to sense a few people go by. Time itself seemed to pass him by as he didn’t know how long he was in there. Sensing people was never a good way to keep track of time. The last time he was stuck like this was when the hilt of his vessel blade was broken. Perhaps not quite given the people around… more like being stuck in the Sacred Realm for seven years.

Being stuck in Impa’s house left him with little to be desired, especially since it was a continuing problem. He could hardly feel those moving around given his location and the lack of people that actually came to the area nearby given Link’s residence of the place. His only company seemed to be the random chickens or villagers who passed by. Some of the villagers held magic but he refused to use any of it to appear. Being thrust back into his blade wasn’t something he enjoyed. Sometimes a sheikah would come in or would pass by but they knew how to hide their magic from him. Who was he kidding? He wasn’t really paying attention to anyone but only waiting for Link to return. Perhaps then they could just reminisce about happier times.

Alden couldn’t understand how this wasn’t tiring for Link or how Link just wanted to be alone. The last couple of weeks the sword spirit was always prepared to go off with his partner only to hear “You better stay here. It’s better if I go alone.” The young knight himself had become tired of his partner always trying to help, causing mischief, or just misunderstanding situations. This lead him to be in trouble with not only the knights but the sheikah as well. Even the princess got on his case about the continuing problems the sword spirit was causing. No matter how much Alden promised to behave, something always went wrong even if it was just talking. Both of them were sick of it.

Caught up in his own thoughts of how he’d talk to Link when he got back, he finally started to feel a familiar presence. It was Link though he was a ways off yet. Part of the sword spirit was excited that his friend was coming home finally while the other part dreaded what could possibly go wrong. Patiently he waited, sensing Link coming closer until he could finally reach the magic if he actually wanted to. There was no need to do such a thing right away. It would only lead to disaster.

The door was thrust opened then slammed shut. A tired, beaten up Link entered the house. He threw his sword and shield on the table before he tore the boots off his feet. They were thrown against the wall before he started up the stairs. Each step was a stomp, continuing well past him getting up them. It wasn’t until he reached the bed, threw his backpack next to it, and flung himself upon it. Alden’s vessel blade was knocked down by the backpack’s collision into it, falling onto the ground. The sword spirit was upset by this but did nothing, waiting for his partner to pick it up. It took a good long while before that even happened.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself off the bed and looked down to the blade. The dark circles and scraps on his face were quite visible now. His face looked as though he had fought too hard too long and he was just done. He stood for just a few moments before plopping back down on it, sitting this time and staring at the floor.

“I’m guessing it didn’t go well.” Alden spoke up from his blade, being as careful as he could with his words. His partner was in terrible shape. “Can I come out? Or are you going to go to bed?”

Link stared at the blade, blinking for a while before giving a harsh answer. “I don’t care. Do whatever. I’m not going to bed. But I know you want to do your own thing.”

Alden took those words rather harshly, waiting a few moments before appearing out of his blade. A flash of light revealed him sitting next to Link on the bed. His legs kicked as the tips of his shoes moves a bit, his oversized sleeves draping off the bed too. Though his head was staring down at the ground, his eyes were on Link. “Thanks.” His voice was somewhat sarcastic which resulted in a grunt from Link.

The two sat there quietly for a long while. Alden fixed his own hat and continued kicking as Link just stared at the ground. The sword spirit wanted to talk but he didn’t know how to start. It was obvious that Link was in no mood but Alden also wanted to cheer him up. If he had only went with, perhaps he would know more to what was troubling his partner.

“What did you end up doing?” Alden muttered once before repeating a second time which actually gained Link’s attention.
“Nothing that concerns you.”
“Why couldn’t I go?”
“You know why?” His head turned and a glare was given.
“But…” The sword spirit choked for a moment. “I just wanted to go with. I promised I wouldn’t come out of my blade or talk."
“Didn’t you hear me?” Link’s voice raised. “I said you know why.”
Alden winced in response. “I said I was sorry. About what happened before.”

“You’re not sorry enough.” Straightening up, Link became even louder. “I’m stuck with all the work the knights don’t want to do. They push me harder than anyone else. They’re hounding me more than they ever have. Ever since you started trying to get involved in everything, my life—“ He stopped, turning his head away to try and hold his tongue.

Alden looked away in shame, knowing he was a cause of pain for Link. Last month he attacked a noble who was only offering a gift. A few days before that he caused an accident in some of the pens. The other week he spoke when he shouldn’t have. Impa had even taken the blade away at one point. Everything he tried to do to help just blew up in his face and even more in his partner’s. His hands moved from where he was holding them and his legs finally stopped kicking.

“How many times did you get me into trouble since I’ve become a knight?” Link was quiet for now, still refusing to look over at Alden. He wanted to be alone still, just sleep. He knew Alden wouldn’t so he was only doing this out of habit himself even if he was sick of it. “Not that you care. You’re not the one with the reputation. You’re not the hero. You’re just the sword spirit that he can’t control properly or know how to get rid of." Once again he paused though he looked to Alden and saw how his partner was cowering a bit. “You can’t clean up after yourself so I’ve been stuck with all the dirty work. You’re lucky you have me around you know.”

It was clear that Alden understood he was a problem and he knew he tried his best to correct the problem. However, as his friend spoke he couldn’t help but want to just leave. This was a feeling he never had before. The spirit finally stood up and walked towards a window in the house when Link had become quiet. Outside Kakariko Village was quiet save a few people. The moon was out and it became the object of his attention. It was his own attempt to not lash out at how Link was treating him.

“You’re not really alive. You’re not like me or other kokiri or any other living race. You’re a goddess forsaken piece of metal that somehow thinks he’s like a kokiri. You don’t understand the actual pressures they put on me, do you? You realize how much I can’t live up to their expectations?” Links voice started to rise. “Hero? Ha! That means nothing to them. Being a hero means nothing! They don’t care. I’m just a knight because Zelda felt like it. I’m just some kid to them. Picking up all the messes they have because of you. Do you really think—”

This was too much. Alden shot around, stomping his right foot on the ground before he matched Link’s tones. “How many times do I have to tell you I was sorry? How many, huh Link? Because I’ve lost count. I didn’t realize what was going on, I didn’t know I shouldn’t have said anything, I didn’t know a lot of things. You don’t tell me anything. They don’t tell you anything. It’s not my fault. I can be quieter than a sleeping redead and you’re still not happy about what I’m doing.”

“Because I’m still cleaning up after all your other messes!” His voice was now in all out shouting. Link stood up, snarling a bit. “What about that kid?”

His foot stomped again. “I thought someone was in danger so I tried to save them. I didn’t mean to hurt them. It was an accident. They were saved isn’t that what matters? She would have been off a lot worse if it wasn’t for me! No one else has ever gotten hurt. I don’t get why it’s such a big deal!”

“Because you made a big deal out of it like you always do! It’s not the forest. No one cares! We’re not adventuring anymore. There are rules we both have to abide by!”

“Well maybe I don’t want to abide by them. Yours or anyone else’s. They’re dumb.” Alden stomped one final time, enough to shatter some of the wood below him. His disguise was failing slowly due to his own frustrations though he didn’t notice it. “You can’t even take your partner with you, your friend who has been with you the entire journey you’ve been out of the woods. I’ve known you since you were a baby and you don’t even care! Some hero you are. All you do is the petty things that they ask you to do. Mail, delivery, whatever! You’re not rebuilding Hyrule. You’re just being a dog to the higher ranked knights. You’re not better than a ranchhand!”

“What in Hylia’s name does that make you then, huh?” Link snatched up the kokiri sword before marching over to Alden, towering above the spirit. If it wasn’t for the sheath, his hand would be in a lot of pain. “You sure aren’t a hero either, little man. You’re a spoiled brat who whines when he doesn’t get his way! You can’t even do anything and you’ve never been able to!”

“You’re not a hero! Heroes help people. Their friends especially.” Alden was finally starting to realize he was losing his disguise. This sleeves were completely off and his true form’s hands were there. Other parts of his body were also starting to be revealed. “I haven’t seen Malon in a while. Don’t you even care about taking care of your horse? What about the sages? I know they’re busy but do you even check in with them? What about Saria? Oh wait, you abandoned all of them like you do all of your friends!”

Alden’s comment about Saria made Link’s eyes open wide, his jaw drop for just a second before it turned to an expression of pure fury. His breath became heavy as his hand clutched the sword even tighter. At this point, he was funneling all the magic he could into Alden’s blade since he was drawing so much anyway and was unable to properly use it given his emotions. He wanted the spirit to shut up.

“I fulfilled my promise to the Deku Tree Sprout! I helped you. I protected you. And now I don’t want to be with you anymore.” His voice finally lowered as he was in his true form. His expressionless eyes made it clear he was quite serious. “I don’t want to be with someone who hates their friends and leaves them to rot. You’re not my partner and I don’t know why I stayed with you. You need to fulfill your end of your promise and take me back to the forest, or are you going to fail at that too? You’re already a failure of a hero.”

It was then that Alden suddenly felt weak. He looked to Link’s hand and finally noticed the blade and how the magic he once sense built up in Link was completely gone. Only a few seconds passed before he found himself back in his blade, the world mostly dark around him. Those seconds allowed him to hear Link state “Fine. I’ll do what you want.”

The spirit didn’t know what had just happened besides the magic drain by Link. It was a trick he shouldn’t have fallen for but he did. Alden beat himself up as he tried his best to just sense what was going on. It was so hard now to do it, actually harder than before. Part of him wondered if Link had been taught something but he didn’t know. Perhaps Link was that exhausted. Others passing by he could actually feel but he couldn’t reach to them and he knew why. His mind was racing about the entire exchange that just occurred.

It wasn’t long before Alden started to sense Epona as well. They were going somewhere. Did Link really intend on getting him back to the forest? He didn’t know but only assumed given what was said. Panic started to get the better of him as he shouted, nothing actually escaping his blade. He had no way to say anything and Link was making sure of it. He screamed he was sorry, how he was wrong but eventually fell silent as he once again couldn’t figure out how much time was passing, or where they were. Alden wondered if he had really done it this time.

The first sign of where they actually were was a familiar one. The Lost Woods had always given off a particular feeling. Ever since Ganondorf’s reign, the place never felt quite the same given the Deku Tree’s long absence due to the darkness. His weakened senses also didn’t help. All he knew at this point was that Link was in danger of turning into a stalfos. He could only guess at how long Link had been wandering out in the woods.

Alden’s panic made him reach out towards any magic he could get his hands on but it was still so hard to find. No fairy, the sprout’s presence wasn’t nearby, and not even a skull kid hide in the trees. Link was the only one around who could be of help but his magic was continuously exhausted by him. Why was Saria not helping? She knew the way back or could get someone to help. Link was going to turn and all because of a stupid argument. If Navi was around, what would have she said about all of this?

Alden had just about given up on trying to find a way to get out of his blade before he realized that Link’s magic was finally starting to replenish. The rate it was going up was most likely due to a green potion. He still refused to touch it. At least the world was starting to open up a bit but not enough to fully understand. It seemed as though Link was walking in the same area, complaining under his breath about something. The complaints were muffled but Alden still felt terrible.

The time travelling allowed him to think about what had happened before he was stuck in his blade. Link was tired and sore looking. Alden knew he was annoyed by him. He also realized that he too was annoyed by being stuck and had becoming increasingly annoying. It wasn’t what he meant. He just had never been alone except when he was injured. Someone was always around him. He didn’t get to fully realize how he hated being alone as he finally heard Link swearing. The knight was upset he wasn’t home yet.

Before Alden realized it, the blade was thrust into the top of a broken down tree trunk in an area that was starting to be overgrown. It was put in rather straight and was still being held. Link called out to him, demanding he appear. Alden did so, cowering in fear as he stood on the tree trunk behind his blade. His hands quickly reached forward and he placed them on top of Link’s hand. He gave a smile, a weak one at that as he saw the face of a man who was just plain done.

Link spoke up, firmly. “I can’t get you home. Someone will find you, take you back.” He tried to get his hand off the blade but Alden held it there.

“I’m sorry. I-I didn’t… I really didn’t mean it. I was just upset. I’ll make it up to you this time, I promise. Link, please. We’re partners. We’ve always worked it out before.”
“Not anymore.” With a forceful tug, Link finally got his hand free as panic struck Alden’s face.
“Please don’t leave me here. This isn’t home. I was wrong. I’ll make it up. I’ll behave. Just like I should. I won’t complain anymore. I know I’m a problem and I cause them. I just… I don’t… I’ve always had someone with me.”
“You’ll have someone soon enough.” He turned around and started to walk away. “You’ll have a partner, have some adventures, be the silver spirit like you once were. The kokiri’s guardian. More importantly, you’ll be a pest off my back.”

The spirit had no idea what to do. Link was moving far too fast and he felt himself starting to weaken. He wouldn’t have much longer to be outside of his blade. He ran after Link, pleading. “Link, please. I’m sorry. You’re right. What can I do? I’ll do anything and you know it. I can’t stay here. I belong with you. I didn’t fulfill my promise. My job. It’s my job. I can’t do it if I’m not with you. You’re my best friend! I don’t know what I’d do without—” He was cut off, back in his blade still screaming for Link to come back.

The woods around him were all Alden could sense and all he did was plead for his best friend and partner to return. What if Link didn’t make it out? Alden would have failed. What if no one found the kokiri sword stuck in this stump? What if he couldn’t make sure Link was safe and never saw him again? So many thoughts crossed his mind, his pleading continuing too. The area around him hardly changed. He only sensed a few things from time to time which he could hardly pull magic from given his mindset. Not even he knew how long it took before he gave up the pleading and waited.

Once he thought he felt someone try to pull out his blade but quickly give up. That person had magic but he was still trapped in his own thoughts. They weren’t Link. He had to figure out how to apologize. That was his focus. It then happened a second time with someone else, someone with a fairy but they were gone so quick. At this point he didn’t care. The apology was still on his mind, at least until he heard the shout for help.