The Ocarina of Time Novelization Chapter 4

Maiden of Forests

By Habuki

Copyright: I do not own Zelda, Nintendo does. Story by Habuki productions.

        "Link.Link.Link. wake up."

Blinding flashes of light were the last things he remembered a light so large and fast it would have stopped him in his tracks. Now, only a few seconds later a deep voice within his head sounded him, but the boy shook his head numbly and kept those lips shuts. Suddenly the voice was a bit impatient, yet all the same a gentle tone came out of it, soothing the boy awake as a mother would do when trying to be firm, yet having the parental touch. Yet again the boy kept away from the gruff voice (not recognizing it as Navi's, so totally ignoring it.) Whatever he did to the voice, seemed to spark him awake as it yelled out in a furious tone, the deliberate fury of the tone stoning him awake in his path.

"Link!" Peeking through those blonde brows, the pupils did, refocusing them out after a good night's sleep, but hadn't he just pulled the--ah, the thought wasn't there, it was as if he was brainwashed. The room he was in, was blue, the only colour of the room, some of the areas infront of him black, and the land where it was stand able was a blue that shimmered in between white and gray with them, switching back occasionally. Spying no one in his path of vision, the boy's lids sunken back down into semi- consciousness before a loud grunt gutted h back to the three-fourths of a consciousness. Seeing no one still in his way, he looked over to the left, only to be surprised by a bulbous man seated upon a yellow platform.

"Link, you are awake." The man, who looked about in his early fifties, was a medium skinned man with a long tuff of gray hair staring at the rims of his head and connecting into a full-grown beard above his nose. Where hair should have been on the top of the head, was nothing but baldness stood abrupt. Studying those dark eyes, he moved away from the least interesting part of the chunky man and went down to the main course: his ensemble. A huge red scarf was sticking off of his neck, seeing that if it went over his head than you wouldn't have been able to see his head, maybe like the Grim Reaper. That part really did give Link the shivers, thinking that maybe the impact of the sword had killed him and now some fat creature was judging him.

Connecting to the scarf was a deep, luscious orange robe that flowed right down to the tips of his feet, starting at about where his shoulders were give, the robe so long that the man's hands weren't even shown in it (of course, that could be for the victim's sake.) Victim's sake? Now he was talking nonsense, and going back to examining the man, he saw that the scarf wasn't a scarf at all, it went down towards the end of his chest and cut off, so it was a robe. At the center of the robe wasn't white at all, but a bright white colour, that was either sown into the robe, or some sort of undershirt shown off to the public. No, with close examination he concluded it had to is another robe sown in, for at where his hips would be were the tassels of the white robe (on both sides), blue marks being imprinted upon them.

Shaking his head In disbelief at where his stomach was, there stood some sort of belt snapped across it as if he were some championship fighter, imprinted in the center of the belt yellow stitching of the Triforce. Surrounding the symbol were six other symbols, each stitched in another colour, but none of them were actually filled in with anything of the yarn. Finally, below the belt was the end of the robe, a matching part to the robe that was the same colour, but was actually the front part of the robe. Letting a piece of cloth hide down to cover up any of his legs that might have shown through this uniform. No shoes or sandals were on the man, for his feet were covered up with him, and to Link's approval he wore no scythe in his hand. Staring at the man with deep ease, he couldn't help but feel rejoice to see him.

"Young hero, you have awakened. I am Rauru, the Sage of Light."

"And I am Link, nice to meet you, Rauru-sama." Sage was a high title, so he shouldn't disapprove of this being, the funny thing was that he didn't know exactly what a sage did, he guessed it was some sort of high priest since he had mentioned himself of Light. From his clothes, he did resemble an old priest, since many hadn't been around Hyrule in this day and age, there didn't seem to be a need to worship deities for the Hylians, they seemed to have understood the world of science, leaving the Triforce as a myth. Well, Link couldn't disregard it anymore, he had seen the Master Sword, and now was looking around a room he had never seen before, only awakening himself less than three minutes ago. Not being able to move, the silent boy stared down at the man, as if asking for help.

"Ah, yes, young hero. You don't even have to speak; I can read it in your face. But before I let you down, stare down into your reflection, you will notice something eerily different about you." That did freak out the boy, how could a priest read his thoughts? Smiling nervously, the boy looked down at where the man pointed, but never got to the reflection, he was mesmerized at the resemblance this place had to his pre-existing place, the place where he pulled the sword out. It was the exact same platform as before, same shape--everything was the same--except the structure was blue and each of the marks that had been a deep gray from before were now in multiple colours. Next to the one where Rauru stood was a green one, followed by red, blue, purple, and yellow. Some of the symbols he recognized once again.

Shaking his head, as he looked for the pedestal and sword (for he felt it not on his body) the boy stared down at the water, his eyes drawn back--his face shuddering--w-was this a dream! There in the cool reflection of the water wasn't a boy at all; there was some sort of man in his place. Falling to his knees, the reflection splattering when his knees collapsed down, he looked at the man with worry plastered on his face--seeing it also on the man's face. In the aquatic illusion was a man with the same clothes on as him, except they were much bigger, a complete white undershirt on under his body, bigger boots, a larger satchel and side pack, plus gloves were on this man's hands. The same hat, the same hair (just now stopping at below the front part of his spine), the sword and shield put on behind him. Shuddering with disbelief, he shook his head, slamming that light colored glove into the water--staring in horror as his hand did indeed have the glove snatched upon it.

Shaking his head again, longer elven ears remaining in place, he studied his structure: the darker skin, a pointer nose, the hat having been added onto so that it would be the same size, and his ears! He had piercing in his ears? T-this.what is this! Leaping up in a bound, the new white suit soaked in the warm water, along with the brim of his tunic, he stared down at this so-called Sage with a rage that was fired beyond all belief. How could be this old, for one he was a Kokiiri, it had only been a few minutes, and where was Navi! Crying out silently, detecting for the first time that his own voice was indeed a lot deeper than any of the Kokiiri's could have seemed, he laid his hands down on their sides, touching the building abdominal muscles that had developed over a period of seconds.

"N-now, Hero, let me ex--" The Sage's face had become quite flustered, never had he imagined such a reaction from someone like this, the anger swelling in his face was unbelievable. Only thing to do was reason with him, somehow, or someway, whichever came first. Those ends of his robe where his arms were supposed to go weren't too small; they were banded shut by some sort of rubber, preventing his own hands from escaping. Rubbing the left cloth at his chin, the other one staying at the man's chest, he tried to speak again, only interrupted.

"My name is Link! What did you do to me!"

"W-we had to seal you up for se--"

"We, who is we!"

"The Goddess', I was told to seal you up, now be quiet!" Flashing a hand before the boy, he stopped in a sudden movement, paralyzed for the time being. "When you pulled the Sword of Evil's Bane from the Pedestal you were destined to become the Hero of Time, but you were too young to become the hero, you see, so you were sealed up in here: the Chamber of Sages, for the next seven years." "Seven years.are you serious?" Seven long years, years he could have spend re-aquatint himself with new people, reminiscing with old ones, seeing the new lands, finding new journeys, and he had spent seven years locked up in this stupid hell-hole, aging at a marketable speed of a normal person. How could someone be so cruel, how could they have pent up anger so much to let this happen, why wasn't he just left in the Forest where he could spend his days until he grew up (which still mystique him.) Curse them, curse them for doing this, for taking my childhood away, how dare they have such a right? He was the one taking care of the land, not them!

"Yes, Hero of Time."

Spitting off to the side, he growled at the man. "Do not call me that." It wasn't as if he this reward was bad to him, for he did deserve the title, he did beyond all recognition, but he would not accept that title upon him, until he truly felt that this was a good thing. Right now not even excepting this face as a wonderful event. Catching the paste of dishonor in the old man's face, the older boy came to think that maybe this was one of the original sages he had read about oh-so-long ago in his teachings from Saria. They were still fresh on his mind, what else would be for seven long years, but moreover, he came to think that the Light was a position in the sages.

"How come I have never read of this place before?"

"It is so sacred that it isn't covered in your history books, plus up until now it wasn't that real important. This place is the last stronghold of the Sacred Realm, the rest was corrupted by the evil king." Shaking his head a little, Rauru had to keep from throwing up to throw those images out of his mind. Clasping his hands together, he watched the newly awakened hero question his surroundings.

"Where his my friend?"

"Who, you mean your guardian?"

"My friend." Having no time for these foolish traits, he clicked his tongue partially from impatience and waited as the man stared down at the ground, mumbling silently to him and after a few minutes nothing happening. Keeping his arms crossed upon his chest, a small crystal appeared before the boy, the size of a block in his hands, beginning to rapidly un-melt. Link had a feeling that was what he, himself, had been trapped in for close to a decade, and that feeling still didn't suit too well for him--why didn't they at leas tell him, then maybe he would have done it for the good of the country. What good of the country, the King of Hyrule has probably taken care of this place, Ganon is dead.

At the very bottom of the melting process, two simple cracks occurred upon each side of the stone wall, the two slabs of ice disappearing back into the water and going back to wince they came from. There, unconsciousness for the time being was his young fairie, she having grown over these seven years also. From before she was only the size of his middle finger, but now she was two inches taller than that, getting a little bit bigger in ounces. Wings had spread out in six different directions now, two pair in the front to keep her performance at its best. Studying the skin that was just as silk, blue hair dropping down to her waist, and the same clothes, but different sizes on her--he couldn't help to smile.

"Navi." Ignoring the big man who had just tried to explain the situation in Hyrule; all he heard was something about Ganon. Not caring about that wet- bag of a man, the boy continued to blow upon his fairie with gentle breezes, wiping off the crystals of ice that had formed around had when the ice was melting. Somehow as it melted, it had kept her dry, so she was still as dry as he had been just before waking up. Holding her upon his palm, he blew a few more times, before those eyes jutted awake to the eyes of someone new--someone foreign. That wasn't a good reaction for the new meeting with an old friend, for she did not great up, but flew away from him, searching around.

Where was she? What had happened? Nothing made sense, she awoke in some stranger's arms, and someone dressed in a green tunic like Link, but not Link at all. Looking around the room, she recognized it as the room they had only pulled the sword out a few seconds ago, looking about the room, she saw that it was entirely blue and black. A bearded man and the young teen that had touched her were the only places around here--the old man sitting on the yellow insignia. While the boy sat on the middle section-- well stood--upon the thing that held out Triforce mark with only the one on the left was lit up in this picture. No Link, no pedestal, no nothing at all, she shook her head, trying to fly away from the two, but was caught by a pair of strong arms. Automatically she began to sizzle and burst, maybe trying to burn his hands in the process, but damned all the luck that he wore some study gloves. Holding her above his face (maybe to eat me), she stared down into those perpendicular blue eyes.

"Navi.what's wrong with you?" The voice wasn't familiar, it was smooth and sweet, and having not been hit the right notes of puberty all that from a few years ago.

"W-who're you?"

".Navi, y-you don't recognize me?" Dropping her, who she caught herself up, the young teen leapt off his platform and dove straight for the man in the beard, cursing wildly under his breath. When he neared the man, the older one held his hands infront of his face, summoning a bright shield that deflected the boy back to his seat. Slumping down in the water, he slammed his fist down on the hard marble of the structure, looking over to Navi with a face that changed so quickly it was unbelievable. The face of anger switched so surprisingly to that of utter compassion, to sadness seeping in the ends of it. "Navi.it's me, Link."

"You aren't Link.Link is ten years old, he is a little boy, and a Kokiiri. Besides you look nothing like him--"

"I know! It's weird, but this guy--he claims to be the sage of Light-- he says that I have aged during these seven years of eternal sleep." The man had tried to interrupt Link, but he glared back at him, ready to pounce him at will be, when the man just crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from the group. Good, let them discuss this amongst themselves, because from what Link was getting at, it would take quite a while for them to get used to this sort of stuff--to get used to being much older--that is if he could convince Navi it was him. She might become too hard-headed and just flat-out leave Link searching for the real Link, unless he had some sort of evidence, maybe some sort of proof.

"You have no evidence you are Link, so I won't believe you." Crossing her arms firmly across her chest, she managed to take a look down and saw that he wasn't lying about the years of aging, that had went on, but Link shouldn't be like that. Link would be about Saria's size, not much older than thirteen would, and that was supposed to be the age he would remain the rest of his life. Studying her new form had actually made her feel nice--she felt beautiful in this form--not that the other form was cute, but it was a kid form. This little piece was her woman-self, a self she had been dying to get into, but the wait had been forever.

"Rauru-sama, cover your ears! And no mind-reading!" Turning at the man called Rauru, the man gave a little smile, covering his hands upon his ears, making the change in his face seem like he had just died. Turning back to Navi, he placed a palm upon her, scooping her up into his arms and looked down at her--smiling a little, before he leaned in and pecked her cheek. That wasn't the proof, of course not, it was just something that he would remember her by if she decided to high tail it. Yet for the time being she seemed to be tolerating him, so he petted her hair out and spoke softly, making that louder voice seem to disappear, at least momentarily. "The proof is that a few nights before I grabbed the sword we kissed--ain't no way no one else knew about that, but me and you."

Gasping, her hands clasped over her mouth, she looked over to him and pointed with only one finger. Giving a slight grin, and nodding, he stood up from his place and snapped his fingers to the man, who uncovered his face and seemed to come back alive. Navi stood in silence, of course it was Link--there was no need for anymore testimonials, if this was an imposter there was no way he could have gotten that out of Link, and plus, he wouldn't have known otherwise. Landing up upon his harder skin, she rested on her shoulder, running her fingers through his hair, then his neck- -so amazed at how much he had changed. Maybe it was something to do with the Deku magic leaving you when you left the forest that made him grow up, that could be a factor to consider.

"You are from the ancient text, right?" Link blurted out, staring at the man.

"Why, yes, Hero, I am." Keeping true to his wishes, 'Hero' was much better for Link. "I am one of the original six sages, the other five having died out unfortunately from one way or another--perhaps to the most relevant trials of Ganondorf." Rauru's face turned grim, the expression souring.

"Ganondorf--he's still around?" Now the name did perk interest in Link's mind, he was contented with having proved his innocence to his faire; so the boy did want to learn what had gone on in the world these past seven years. Without so much as a word, Rauru didn't bother to explain he silently went dormant again and projected images that had been cast down by the Goddesses to the Sages, images that what happened those seven years ago. After Ganondorf had seen the young boy gone without a trace and decided to make the most of it, by reaching for the heavens and taking the power of the God's for himself.

Images of Ganondorf riding to the gates of Hyrule Castle Market with an entire army of Gerudo women at his side, no one else could be seen as it seemed every person of the civilization had banded up for this event. Young and old, even some of the teenagers were about acting as squires if they couldn't muster the strength to fight. At first the King thinking it was some sort of joke, he was later very mistaken when they attacked through the streets of the market, destroying men, women, children, and burning anything that came within their way. It didn't last very long, an indeed, since the knights were positioned so far away that the town market was burnt before they could even make it halfway.

Ambushing most of the knights when they went in the market to search for survivors, the pitiful men were savagely mutilated in all parts of their bodies, screaming for a painless death, but rewarded with hours and hours of torture. Holding back the tears, the boy watched in silence as all the knights were taken care of (at least the ones that had left) the Gerudos and Ganon had rode the days trip to the castle gates of Hyrule, but instead of fighting with the men, Ganondorf did something else. The man ripped off his left glove and out shone a Triforce symbol, a piece of the symbol glowing up at the top and in a flash of an instant the battle was over.

Buildings crumbled, people murdered, the King was sliced to bits by the ravaging Ganondorf with him and his new power too the throne as not the King of Thieves, but as Ganondorf, the King of Evil. This had happened less than a week after Link had been gone, the land over the next few years being dried and sucked out of until it was barren all around Hyrule Castle market. People fled from that place, cursing the Goddesses, and praying for some sort of hero that never came. Now the castle that once housed the royal family only housed the Evil King--himself-- and his minions for bidding his own evil, no one could get inside for it was pinned up with a barrier and other resources. Rauru didn't show the castle to them, for he said that they would see it in due time.

The images faded away in a slowly mask of fate, the boy holding back the tears, as Navi burst into a few of her own, being comforted by the boy. Sage of Light wrapped his arms around his chest, giving a gruff nod to the woman's content, and waiting until it was finally over to speak to them as a whole. When Navi had dried herself up, gotten contented with her again, the man stared at the boy with a questionable look on his face. Nodding that the emotions were not to be spread until later, Rauru accepted this conference and went on with his story.

"Ganondorf is now the King of Evil, as you saw. That is where you step in, Hero of T--Hero." "I have another mission?"

"Unfortunately, you do. I am assigning you to freeing the six sages of the lands; each one with the combined power of the Master Sword will be able to take down the evil King. When you left this world, the man called Ganon went inside the Door of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. There he tried to seize the Triforce for himself, only resisting being able to break the piece into three separate parts: Courage, Power, and Wisdom. We have no idea where Wisdom is, Ganon has the piece of Power, and as for Courage.take off your right glove."

Slipping it off, the power that exterminated made him hold it back in fear of blinding himself. There upon his left hand, the back of his hand was a Triforce symbol embodied into his skin with the left mark was glowing brightly. Staring at it for a few more seconds, he slipped the glove on that concealed the light of it, giving no detection what-so-ever to what had been the best source of power he had ever seen. Looking up to Rauru, the man smiled greatly, his arms opening in a welcome signal before doing what he had done best: explaining.

"Yes, you have Courage. Be warned, do not show that piece to just anybody, for there are people who have been corrupted by Ganon's evil and would turn you in a second. Ganondorf thinks you were burnt to pieces when you laid your hands upon the sword, so until you defeat the first temple he will not know otherwise. There are six sages to awaken, but I will make it easy for you--since the Temple of Time is the temple of light and I am already awakened you shall receive my medallion."

"Medallion?" Navi spoke up, Link was busy snapping his glove on, and wondering what material concealed such. Flipping the glove back in and out of its position a few times, he stopped when Navi slapped him on the arm, trying to make him pay attention. Mentally he was the same, not that he was stupid, but still had the innocence of a young child. Yet his adult side did show, as she had seen earlier before, something that seemed flawed in most ways, but high, too.

"Remember those Spiritual stones you collected? Well, those blue lights that you thought powered you up--you were mistaken, it was the jewels themselves that added their power into you--even Ruto's, even though you didn't know you were getting it. It was as if the jewel itself knew it, all those blue lights did was used teleportation." Pulling out around his neck, he produced a small medallion that would be able to fit in the palm of their hands. Placing the medallion to Link, he gasped as some power surged through him--not like the jewel's powers, but power he needed since he was an adult, and that was something to be able to wield the blade well.

"What is this?" Link pondered out in the open.

"This is the Light Medallion, hero, it contains a sum of my power needed for you."

"Thank you Rauru-san. Will we see you again?"

"Oh, yes. I am the leader of the Sages so whenever you open up a temple and awaken a sage you shall be returned here to receive the medallion and the power. Please do not lose these medallions, they are needed to open up the gates to Ganondorf's castle." Waving to the boy, he seemed to disappear from existence, as another blue light surrounded their body, the fear of another seven years passing before both of their eyes. It soon went away when that shocking feeling from before wasn't there, the emotion that time itself had stopped in mid-air. As the lights cleared, they stared out into the darkness, quite unable to see where they were, a quiet hymn being played in the background. Navi recognized it automatically: the Temple of Time.

The hymn, it was so beautiful, with the composition of humming of the ancients, clashed with an old textile organ playing, Link couldn't help but sigh a deep content of pleasure when he stepped from the platform, hands weakened at his side. Not having yet learned how to draw his sword, the teen would occasionally lay a finger upon the hilt, as if ready to yank it out at any prepared second. Smiling contented, from the windows shown it was dark, but none of the moon shown through the lights, either it was a new moon or something was abyss. Also, the sky that had once been a perfect blue from that scene in the windows that streamed up a few miles, were now painted a violet colour. I have no time to deal with this; we must see what has happened to this work. Looking down at the pedestal for his new and improved sword (the previous one, and a lot of his weapons missing), the boy did it to remind himself he was back in the real world and not in a land of sages. Tapping his foot upon the ground, getting his legs straightened, he tried to balance his weight and walk.

That ended up in a little bit of a disaster, Link had barely weighted over a hundred pounds before, and now he was packing up in the sixties, also holding down a five feet and seven inch broad frame. Stumbling over, the boy hit the ground with a wheeze sound out of his mouth. It was a little bad, but with some quick movements of his hands, he was up again and began to descent down the stairs of the platform. Taking each small step, trying with all his might not to trip over the medallion insignia's, the boy came to the very end of the room when a voice rocked in his direction. Correction, the voice rocked behind him, a voice deep and menacing, somehow holding a gentle touch with it at the same time.

"It's sad the hero can be so clumsy." A male voice, but not Ganondorf.

Spinning around, shifting in his knees and falling back down, he tilted his larger head up only to meet the eyes (or eye) of a male Hylian, but the attire showed that this couldn't be a Hylian, something else, perhaps? Around where his head was, stood a large white piece of cloth, serving as some sort of cap, or protection from attacks (although not very heavy, so it wouldn't provide perfect protection.) Sticking from the cap were streaks of golden blonde hair, most of it covered by the piece of cloth, so he could only notice the spikiness of the bangs that hung from the left and right in a fashion that revealed his face. Concealed underneath the hair stood a dark-skinned complexion, with crimson pours standing out for his enjoyment. Normally this could have been an albino Hylian, but the skin was a dead give-away that this person was far from white, he had been heavily tanned in more ways than one.

The rest of his skin could have been white, for all Link knew, for on his muscled body was a body suit, much better looking than Link's. Starting off with a large white collar that stood up all the way up to the end of his nose, hiding the face and giving his voice the booming effect. Below that Shinobi mask, connected in all ways, was a long white jump suit that in the vest part was white with a simple sign of a blood red eye, the pupil opened up while three triangles in the north, northwest, and north east directions sticking out. Attached underneath the eye was a red blood drop that was painted on, going on for several inches, and reminding him more of a teardrop, than a blood-drop. Around the shoulders was a separate layer of cloth, maybe to conceal in dark places from enemies, but it was white so that idea was trashed in an instant. Rest of the appendages, up until his thighs, were poured on with a sleek material that Link didn't have the words to describe, stopping at the thighs and consisting of the same colour, but turning a light shade of blue. "W-who're you?" He asked dumbly, reaching for his sword as protection.

"Tsk, tsk tsk. If I was an enemy, you'd be dead." Holding his hand out, that was bandages for no apparent reason, he held out some shurikens for Link's exposure. Tossing the bladed knives up in his hands, not even worrying that if they so much as moved in the wrong direction he'd have a spilt appendage. The Shinobi returned the star-shaped knives into a little slot that rested around his waist, looking like a small sheath for a dagger, except larger. Now they couldn't see the expression upon the man's face, but from the look in his one eye (the other covered by that piece of cloth) a definite smirk was on his part. Maybe for Link's lack of strength, maybe for that he didn't know why Link seemed so weak, and named the Hero of Time.

"Who are you, ninja?" Navi asked calmly, the weapons didn't impress her, nothing seemed to impress her upon him. The boy didn't look very friendly, so he might have been an assassin to take care of the boy if he ever reappeared, or one who guarded the Temple of Time. He didn't seem like the guarding type, more like the type who would want to be in battle more often than once, living for the taste of blood whenever a battle ended, always wanting more. Shuddering in recognition, the little Farie stood infront of the boy (whose face had gone incredibly pale when he saw the stars), keeping her stance as a guard for this one. They had just arrived and no two-bit punk was going to take care of her partner the second he touched ground, no, no she wouldn't allow for him to lay a finger upon him.

"I admire your courage, maybe you should become the Time's hero, little sprite. Not this wimp." Leaning against the wall, in the shadows, the man had moved away from the pedestal and back into the shadows from wince it came. Admiring the shadows was something that anyone could do, respecting the dark and the stealth it gave out, loving how darkness could over win the lightness in any fight. A shrieking sound of metal came out, when the man stepped back into the light he had two extra additions added to his wrapped hands. Lying on the hands were a pair of gloves, razor sharp spikes sticking out of them, dried blood crusted on the edges from previous fights.

"We're going to fight?"

'I am not your enemy, hero. I was called to train you, too wield you in that sword, you are so clumsy with it I doubt you can life it." Wiping a brush of hair from the back of his head, Link could just smell a pretty-boy face under there. How dare he be so rude to him, for no reason at all, and the boy nodded a quick approval reaching for his new blade and yanking it out of the new sheath that rested just below his old Hylian Shield. With a thinner sound of metallic riding, the boy held the double-edges sword out in two hands (even though the sword was a one-handed, he wasn't used to so much in a blade, that this one seemed so immense.) Giving a small grin of approval, pointing the sword at the man, Link clicked his tongue a few times.

"Wait, there are rules. You are out of this fairie." Before she could reply, the new one had appeared right infront of her a small bottle encased in her hands. Slamming her into the battle, he snapped the cap upon it, the jar being compressed in their so no air could enter or exit. Smirking, through that cloth veil, the boy threw up the jar, catching it with little ease and placed it about ten feet away from him, without moving, or so it seemed to the young Link. Reacting quickly, charging in, the man shook his head and pointed at the bottle with a little sigh placing down his throat, showing he was definitely up to something, it not anything else.

"Defeat me and she lives, lose and she dies. Hold you tongue fairie! There is only two minutes in there." Throwing down a small seed, the room filled with mist, the ninja falling out in an instant to his whereabouts. Yet the smoke didn't clear as when he was in the fights with Impa, it simply stayed there. Must be a Shiekah. Link quickly jumped for the bottle, only to be thrown back by some mystical force, a force field of some kind, and cursing his luck, the boy heard a small taunt about how cheating wouldn't get him anywhere in the room, the voice seeming like it came from everywhere. Gripping the hilt of the sword, it suddenly didn't seem to weigh as much as before, the real nature of the sword revealed as the edge of it began to glow brighter and brighter, as if absorbing the young hero.

"Ha, you are the hero! Only he could do that, now use your quick skills to find me, or the one dies." Goddess, how can he throw his voice like that? Link had heard of ventriloquist, but this guy was throwing his voice so far that it seemed to be going in every direction in the room at once. While the right hand gripped the sword bravely, the left hand held out his hand to searched with his hands over his eyes to stare around the room for some sort of movement, some sort of detection of some kind. When nothing went around, the boy reached through his new side pack to see what just the great Light Sage had removed. Missing his boomerang, Fairie Slingshot, Deku sticks, and the sapling seed was all that was gone, and his little tunic that he wore as a child, that one also throw away or something. Grabbing out for a Deku Nut, he threw it out towards his left, seeing a flash of light, but nothing move.

        --------------------

She shouldn't of let her guard down, she should have shot that freak from the moment she saw him. Yea, that was a Shiekah, why hadn't she noticed it before, she had read about them oh-so long ago. The symbol meant for the Royal Family, the tear added so recently to represent when the Shiekah were all dead except a few, a symbol that Impa had added only fifteen or so years ago. Shiekah's were dirty and underhanded; they had both faced some brutal attacks by the great Impa when training with her. Stealth skills, hidings down, finding her within a time limit. Why hadn't she noticed it before, it was so simple that a child could have figured it out in a matter of seconds.

Seconds were too late as she pounded upon the invulnerable jar, trying to yank on the top of it with no choice but take shallow breaths, holding her breath whenever possible. Firing Ki marks didn't seem to work either, the bottle either absorbed them or deflected them (which was bad in a jar) back at him. Staring through the glass, she silently cheered on her boy as he began to throw nuts around, understanding the concept behind the strategy and what was the plan. If Navi could have talked through the glass she could have told him his location in a matter of seconds, the night-vision of her magic working with her. The Shiekah had obviously seen that, imprisoning me for that handicap, and that the stakes were to low. I mean, this person obviously wanted Link for some reason or another.

Cheering silently within the bottle, she finally got out of the process of yelling, and into the process of keeping her breaths calm and clean. Or hoping that the man was lying to get on Link's bad side or that her former Kokiiri could get move a little faster and catch that creep in the head- lock that he deserved. Whatever his problem was, they were going to fix it, if he had some sort of grudge then maybe they would duel it out, but how dare it separate them. They were a team, they didn't need someone keeping them locked up together, but the instant thought of them being separate. That's what Impa said. Exactly what she had said, that one day they might be trapped, so was this some sort of follower of Impa?

Hoping that their sensei was a former trader to Ganondorf (if this kid even did work for the evil King) her hopes were drained clean when she noticed that through her night-vision the boy was watching Link throw the little nuts. It was as if he were testing the boy, knowing full well what was happening, but allowing it to happen so that it was destiny. Maybe the boy was just resting us to get on our bad sides, and if that was what he aimed for, he got it. Leaning up against the clean glass, she let her aura stay on, sighing a little bit, this fight wasn't going to take long. If it were, then she'd find out what the ninja's true intentions were. Unfortunately for her, she would be dead when that happened.

        --------------------

"That won't work, I can't be paralyzed."

"We'll see about that, heh...Throwing out a total number of seven nuts in the room, each in a different direction, he detected no movement from the Shiekah, only the occasional middle-of-the-room chuckling and some taunting that paralyzing wasn't going to happen for this ninja. The funny thing was that the boy wasn't trying to freeze him in his tracks, he was looking for the smarter position, the position where it was easier too see through the mist when the flash of burst came about. Finally the seventh nut stuck to the northeastern section, seeing a figure sitting behind in the twilight, leaning against the wall. Only a few minutes or so left, go for the old approach! Turning to the northwest, he threw another nut, growling with frustration, trying his acting skills out for a few seconds.

"Damnit, where is he? I can't find him, maybe here?" Leaping to the northwestern direction, the man was caught in the middle of a laugh when Link had pounced on top of him, holding the man down by the throat, the sword held to his side in a slashing manner. Gasping, the Shinobi had been tricked indeed, for while he was chuckling away from the boy's inconvenience, Link had made a quick attack to the left and overtaken the defenseless one. With a grip upon his neck, so close to breaking it that he could taste it, the boy gave a sickening grin from his lips while they moved down into the light that was shining from the Triforce symbol up at the top of the room. "Let her go, now!"

Disappearing away from the lad, the man snapped his fingers once, the jar disappearing and Navi reappearing next to Link's side, as the two rejoiced in a few hugs and kisses, the Shinobi stared off to the side about to gag from all the emotion. To be a Shiekah meant to be alone, like a Shinobi or ninja, it meant to stay in the darkness, the shadow of the Royal Family, not to be respected, nor honored. He understood this taking great pride in his situations, not even admiring the boy for his power. Finally, the boy turned back to the man, did he fully begin to talk to that one: the hero.

"What is your name, Shinobi?" The gagging fairie answered, still trying to clear her lungs from the past adventures. Link patted her on the back, since he didn't have a grip on the boy any more; it was obvious that he was testing them, from the point in his skill he could probably take them out. The thing was that he didn't, so that showed he wasn't some accursed man, but someone with a mission, maybe another person who taught techniques, or maybe another rival looking for a quick thrill. Whatever the case, it was obvious that the cheering section of this band camp were ready to take on anyone who would directly hurt another member of the team.

"Shiek, and I am a Shiekah. Never call me 'Shinobi'." From the tone in his voice, he didn't appreciate the Shinobi too much. Maybe it was like that bond between Samurai and Ninja, if you got them mixed up then dire consequences were faces from the people of both clans. Shinobi were stealthier, wore black, and killed for a living. Navi didn't really know what a Shiekah did, it had been so long ago since they lived, except the gentle Impa, but obviously they were loyal. Maybe the complete opposite of Shinobi, where they killed they Shiekah would clean and help others in need. That would be a good reason for becoming over-edgy of a name.

"Alright, Shiek. What is your business here?"

"Hrm, I am here for help, if you must know. I know your partner here is the Hero of Time."

"Hero of Time, what's that?" Link slapped his head. Of course! Navi had been resting when this went on, but he, himself had no idea what exactly the Hero of Time was. From the meaning it meant maybe someone who traveled through time, also being a hero? That would be good in this case, because figuratively he did travel ahead seven years in time, without his own knowledge, or growing up. Only problem was that there wasn't a way to get back down this his original form, relive his childhood that had been washed away in an instant. Staring down glumly, the boy recollected upon those thoughts as Shiek explained.

"The Hero of Time is the person who shall wield the blade that repels evil, the Master Sword. Also, the Hero of Time shall change the future for all of Hyrule by defeating the once re-noted King of Thieves, Ganondorf Dragmire. To perform this task, you will have to cross through forest, down into mountains, in the most vast sea, out in the spirits of the dead, and deep within the desert." Smiling to himself as his small introduction, he went on. "The Hero shall be the most powerful, most will not believe he is the hero, maybe a False Prophet, or just another insane person who has gone mad over the time that Ganondorf has been around, you and your partner shall be the ones to take out this evil. He being dubbed the Hero of Time and you being dubbed the Fiireui Ruiilu, or Fiery Ruin. As the old sage may have presented to you, you must collect all five medallions from the places I explained."

"I-I see. So, you are saying we are to go to the Lost Woods, Death Mountain, Hylia, somewhere ancient, and the Gerudo home?" Link stated out, looking up at the man. No, not a man, a boy he had to be, but still older than him.

"No, hero, I am not saying that. I am not saying anything to you, for this is your destiny and you shall handle it however you like. Now I want you to draw your blade--you seem to be able to handle it with one hand--so attack me as hard as you can."

"A-attack you? You are unarmed!"

"Just do it, idiot! You need to learn or you will not accept in your leadership as the hero. Understand that the training you received from Impa was essential, but these monsters are twice as fierce compared to these new monsters. They are rulers from each division, under Ganondorf's power, or his generals."

How does he know about that? How could this guy know about him and Rauru, the stones quest, and Impa? Shaking his head, the bangs slicing to the left and right as he turned, the boy grappled for his sword, the slithering sound of a snake resented as it slid from its holster. Holding the blade right before him, giving a quick and honorable bow to Shiek, he pressed the Shiekah in the most admirable fashion he could seem good. Still worried about the fact that Shiek had no weapons on him, no shield for defense, nor could he detect any manna for a physical barrier. That worried him beyond belief, not really caring for the older boy, but not wanting to ruin his life just before the man was cocky. Biting his lip, the boy swung to the left of Shiek's ribcage.

"He's gone, Link!" She couldn't believe that, right when Link had sliced down at his side, the boy seemed to vanish, as if he were an apparition. Simply amazed by the conflict, her eyes began to wonder around the room to see that if he was real or not, but she wasn't really surprised when she saw him hiding amongst the shadows, a finger to his lips for her to quiet herself. Not that that stopped the young fairie from spilling the action to Link, so she quickly whispered a few words in the boy's ears, loving the face that appeared on Shiek. Absolutely ridiculed, she could see that he raised his finger up, the middle one, giving it to her before taking off into the deepest part of the room. He could be anywhere, for the boy could hide up in the shadows, farther up than Link could reach.

"Link.I don't see him anymore."

"Hrm, where could he be. I wish he would just att--" His prayers were answered when something caught him in the left of his eyes. Gasping, a leap back saved his skin as the Shiekah came down with a malicious look plastered upon his face, baring weapons that Link hadn't even paid much heed to until now. The claws that were hooked to his hands--not real ones, but metal ones--they had slit down right for Link's face when he had dodged the attack. Raising the sword up, the boy knew that this attack couldn't be dodged, they were head on together, nothing was going to save him, for Link was near a corner that Shiek was blocked into. Link also noticed that down where the palms were, there was a pair of spikes sticking out, so if he were to grab someone they would be pierced. Preparing himself, the sweat tingling from his brow, he threw his weight all into the blade to vanquish the evil.

        Shiiing

Oh, my Goddess how did he! With the blade pressed upon Shiek, or so it seemed, the enlarged Kokiiri was staring down at the man whose eye was gleaming a re-collectively amount of crimson. Both of his hands were crossed in the shape of an 'X' giving off the indication of trying to defend himself, but what was weird was how he was holding himself off. Feet spread a few feet out, the hands were shaped like the letter at the beginning, but near where the claws were was where the fun started, they were hooked in with the blade. Yes, somehow, at the right exact moment Shiek had grasped the blade with his sword, letting that cold look give out to Link that this wasn't just luck.

        "How did you--" Link began only to be cut off.

"Because I am better." Using the wall as a deflector, he pressed his back up against it and jumped into the air, pressing his feet into Link's chest for balance. Those shoes he wore weren't so hard, so nothing was broken when Shiek launched himself off of the boy, using him as some sort of catapult, skydiving over the boy's head and revealing himself back into the shadows before Link could even manage up the power to turn around. When he finally did spin around, all he saw was his silent partner and the darkness that seemed to have filled up the entire space. It was if the Triforce that was in the entire Temple was fading, fading fast--he didn't think it had to do with Shiek either.

        "Did you see that?" Navi blurted out, looking out with her eyes around the room. Somehow the boy couldn't be detected of the intense darkness. It had gotten so dark now that the only parts that were lit up was the room outside of the Door of Time (which didn't matter), and simply the pedestal was giving off a faint reflection of the gray material about. Standing in the center of the room, the girl could hear something, something metallic that was being ready for something. Then her mind thought back to what she had feared, those little knives. Grabbing a hold of his head, she hit his head fiercely, trying desperately to get her boy off his feet.

        "Get down, Shuriken!" Hitting the floor, three of the tiny stars zipped past them and clattered into the nearby wall, directly passing over where they had stood just seconds ago. Shiek wasn't talking anymore, so that must have meant it was time for business, the hero had to stop him or he would die. Leaping back to his feet, Link began to search the room, thinking as the seconds passed into minutes, nothing happening at all except the occasional unsheathe of a shuriken, and when he threw it and they hit the floor. His fairie didn't have any problems stopping the little knives that were collecting into the near wall, but he sure did. If Shiek decided to go for a knife down when he was on the ground then he was dead meat.

        Still lying upon his back, he could only hear two things In this room: his own heartbeat, and the sudden gasps of Navi as she would sigh with relief when he would evade precisely. Laying his hands infront of him, the sword in the left, while the shield in the right, he did notice something. That all the shurikens seemed to be coming from one general direction: the north. No, not all of them were north exactly; some were headed more towards east and west, then north, while most stood around northeast and its counter part of the west. Springing a wonderful idea into his mind, the boy looked over to his fairie, speaking to her so silently the Shiekah couldn't hear.

        "Plan, I got one."

        "Which is?"

        "Direction I see, go in with shield raised and hope doesn't aim for legs." Speaking incoherently, he was doing this to throw off any indication that the boy could get a peek at them, or an earful. Navi caught on, deciding only to nod with a bit of relief reflected on her face, but she did show some worry about that fact he couldn't guard his legs. As a child he could have ran forward with the shield (if he could lift it) and would have done it easily, but being bit had its advantages and disadvantages. Link hadn't really discovered on any of the advantages yet, his own soul pleading to be returned to its initial inhabitants. Jumping up, he felt one of the knives whiz past his ear, causing some pain and blood to pour down that delicate feature, and grabbing the ear, he was responded with another one, this time raising the shield to defend himself.

        --------------------

        He was getting to smart, to fast. Not that was expected of the boy, he was the Hero of Time. He had just expected them to be at it for a few hours, instead of only a few minutes, and with the damage cut to his ear that meant the malice in the boy was going to be intensified. Not that Shiek minded the little messy part of the battles; those were always the most fun of the battles, getting in real close and personal for the final assault. Maybe he could try the ramming trick again, but he doubted Link would fall for it--he wasn't stupid or anything. Gripping his palms together, gnashing the claws, he leapt in as Link charged.

        Being accustomed to the night was a good thing, he could see most of everything in the dark, most colors were almost natural to him, but there were a few that escaped his mind. Ah, if only blue hadn't been one of those colours, then the battle would have gone on for a few hours or possibly even days. All Shiek saw was a large bird headed his way, a Triforce hidden under it with some other insignias printed upon it, and only when he noticed that Link was towered over it did he leap up for defense (he hadn't seen Navi, she was blue also.) Not having enough time to move, he crossed his claws together, bracing himself for the impact, no matter how hard it would be.

        Yes, it was over when he hit it. Link hadn't held back his power that time, the Ki in his soul had moved up to a higher caliber than Shiek could imagine for the younger child. When he slammed down into Shiek, the man slammed into the wall, making a few rumbling sounds come about (not that anyone would notice!) That kind of joke made the pain disappear somewhat when he slumped down, the shield being pried off of him, and a huge mark of the shield printed all over his upper-chest and face arena. There he was about to jump up when the legendary evil repel was pressed from Link's hand up to where Shiek's throat was, obviously not liking him in any bit.

        Slumping down to the ground all the way, he knew when he was beat, it was quite a shame that the battle had lasted so short. Stopping wouldn't have been an option until Link over-took him, that was only when the boy would be able to face the first general of Ganondorf. Not that Shiek was weak or anything, he was more powerful than the Hero would be for months, but this was all the power he was allowed to use on the hero without getting in trouble. Grabbing the blade, he yanked it away and stood up, walking over into the light and sitting down upon the pedestal of the sword. There the Triforce brightened again ah-ha so it had just only been his doing.

        --------------------

        The two hadn't really known what Shiek could see under the darkness of night, but they took a chance and came out lucky. A bit of the part on Navi's side, she had suggested he be quiet instead of his plan of yelling a war car and charging the boy with the fierce battle that was supposed to be laid ahead. To both of their surprises, the Shiekah laid down with a snort and jumped up, pulling off his weapons (no--he pressed a button and they depressed down into his wrapped hands.) Crossing over to the land where the pedestal, they saw him take a seat the light return back to the room, making it a seemingly more happily place. So, it had just been some trickery of the man, but something was wrong, it wasn't as bright as seven years ago that was for sure.

        "Hrm, you've proven yourself worthy, for that I shall teach you a song that will help you."

        "A song?" He had nearly forgotten about his instrument.

        "Yes, pretty soon you will have to travel to this temple as lightning speed, so this song is sort of a teleportation device. As in if you play it than the song will transport you from wherever you are standing to the spot in the middle of the Temple of Time where there is that platform with the Triforce and the symbol on it. Yes, you've seen it before." Chuckling, he snapped his bandaged fingers together, a bit of a sparkle arousing and then a golden jewel appeared in his hands. Not a jewel, but it certainly assumed the identity of one, it was actually a harp of some sort, the thing incrusted purely in gold so it had quite a beautiful value rate. Ripe stringers sang upon the delicate siren, giving off the incantation of holiness, and holding it out, the boy tuned it up with the brim of his fingers.

        "Transportation? I don't believe you." Navi spoke out, looking towards with boy.

        "Yes, you probably don't either, do you hero?"

        "Well, it is farfetched."

        "Just as farfetched as the Chamber of Sages." They both remained quiet, so he continued. "This song is a beautiful tune, it is entitled the Prelude of Light. Composed many thousands of years ago when the earth was still young, it was played to the Goddesses as a sign of forgiveness for their sins, letting off the holiness of all three sisters being combined and chastised as one. Now take out your Ocarina and follow along, I will only do this once."

        Pulling for the strap, he was faced with a conflict. Which one of them would he take the fairie from Saria or the one made from glass by the princess of the Kingdom? The man who said that the Fairie Ocarina didn't give off the special powers that the Ocarina of Time gave out quickly gave his answer. Nodding, he kissed his old piece, snapping the pack shut and turning towards Shiek, pushing the Ocarina at his lips. Readying himself for the passage of the song, he blew up inside of the Ocarina, cleaning some of the dust upon the edges, he may have been preserved but this thing sure hadn't.

        Shiek's tune did turn out to be very melodic. Where the story about the honoring the heavens was true or not, had to be determined by someone else, maybe a scholar (if any where left.) It was made up of six different notes, as all the other songs had been, the notes gliding out into quite a chipper mood yet giving off a somber look of it. While the boy tried the first time to play the tune, Shiek reached down into his satchel and grabbed up the piece of station that Link had for his songs. Reading it over, while the disgraced boy practiced, Shiek grabbed the writing tool from his pack and began to write on the paper, not just copying notes, but drawing something.

        About fifteen minutes of practicing proved the tune was a little harder than the rest, but it gave Shiek the time to work on the paper, whatever he was doing, and Navi to peer over his shoulder with a sudden interest. The time he finished the six-note tune perfectly, a light sprang above him, making a yellow aura surround him in a flash. Covering his eyes from the blindness that the light would surely give, his entire existence was gone from the spot he stood, Navi too being sucked up with him. When he opened his eyes this time, he was back in the first room of the Temple of Time; the jewels still stuck inside the slots of the room that opened his path to destiny.

        "Link, it worked."

        "Y-yea, guess he wasn't lying."

        "Of course I wasn't." Stepping out of the Door of Time came Shiek, the paper and writing utensil handed back to Link who looked at it with his own interest poked in. When Link had copied down his songs he wrote down the name, notes and how they were played, a very bad manner it was in, but Link didn't compose. Shiek must have been some sort of composer, for it was written with the whole style that music was written in, with the little sign and lines all around, the tunes at such an easy access to remember. The stationary was obviously new, the old one had been crumpled and gray, the songs printed on there in a good fashion, and storing it down in his satchel, he grinned up at Shiek.

        "Thank you."

        "Don't mention it. Now, you may have been wondering where your weapons and everything are, correct?"

        Actually he had been wondering where they are, but he just shrugged a simple shoulder. What was the point in worrying someone over old weapons, although he did have to return the weapons of the Kokiiri back to their original place--no one would recognize him now, would they? Shiek grinned at his confidence, walking up to the entrance of the Temple of Time and slamming a palm on the surface of the marble wall. Yes, this entire place was composed of stone and marble, maybe a mixture so complex that it was hard to tell which one went where. Anyway, the stones slid back in an orderly fashion, where there stood a rack that held the sheathed Kokiiri Sword, his old boots and tunic, Deku sticks, the magic seeds, and that boomerang. "As you can see, these weapons aren't fit for you, or that's what Rauru has decided. Fortunately for you and me, I don't listen to thousands of years old men. Help yourself."

        And like children at Christmas, Link and Navi gathered up to their old cabaret, searching through the old merchandise for some sort of beautiful traditions. The tunic and boots were a no-no, but the Kokiiri sword would come in handy, so he grabbed it and stuck the blade down in his side pack, it could act as a last line of defense. Everything else was pretty much useless, the boomerang was too small, seeds weren't of any use anymore, and the Deku sticks were like twigs in his hands. Shutting the thing all the way, he looked over towards the man, who clapped his hands and the wall returned to its original space, no mark was there to shown as if it had ever moved.

        It was hard to judge Shiek's expression, you could tell by the way the material moved, as when he was grinning it stuck up a little, when he frowned it went down a bit. Link had only seen happiness and cockiness in his new ally, but now the cloth did go when he spoke of something grave, something Link didn't want to hear. No, he didn't want to hear, but he simply had too, it was for the best if he heard it from his new friend (?) before seeing it for his own eyes. His hometown was having an over-running of monsters.

        "Your serious?" Navi and Link spoke at the same time, their face graven with age.

        "Yes, I have looked on and I see all the children hide within their homes in fear as Baba plants have sprout up, Deku Scrubs, even those evil Octaroks you faced in the Zora's place have migrated to the waters. Also, there seems to be a strange aura coming out from the Forest Temple there, that means the general is readying to attack and destroy everything in his path, now since no other temple is not activated up as of yet, I saw you start there."

        "Tell me about these generals, are they different from our past main enemies?" It was Navi speaking.

        "Unfortunately, yes. The enemies you encountered were bred, bribed, and given unknown power that they accepted for their own enjoyment. Before they received the powers, all were minions of Ganon--now don't make that face--they were the most powerful minions of Ganondorf, but not anything compared to the Generals. Your first one, was a tree of some sort, but a dispute came about and I heard he was killed, so someone new may get there. Others are usually elemented what you will be fighting, so expect a fire, forest, desert, death, and water monsters. Yea, it only gets tougher from here. Oh, that reminds me!" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a piece of paper and threw it at Link.

        Catching the paper, he unfolded it and read it aloud for Navi to hear. "'New treasure supposedly discovered in tomb of late Danpte'. Oh, he's that guy we dug with back then, huh? So, what about it, Shiek?"

        "I know the treasure he has, he's still a ghost and since I am Shiekah we have the ability to interact with the world--think of us as Shamans, but without all the integrating stuff, we only speak to them. Now, he has a tool that you will need to get into the Forest Temple."

        "That's right, Link, remember? When we went to the meadow that place above us, the place near the top of the tree, that is the Forest Temple, right, Shiek-kun?" Navi asked, she perching upon her boy's shoulder, lazily. Yea, she had gotten some little respect for Shiek, he was just too battle hardy, she still doubted that the jar she had been in was really empty of air. Of course who couldn't help but be a little bloodthirsty in the way she still remembered from those images, shuddering at the thoughts. Whatever Hyrule looked like was probably worse than ever, maybe even decaying dead bodies around. The thing she was truly glad was over had to be the battles, maybe that was a way the Goddesses had protected Link, for if he was asleep and imprisoned away from the world than no one could hurt him.

        "You are right, miss fairie. And don't try leaping from that tree, it's about forty feet across. The weapon you will get is ca

led a hook- shot, it is basically a hook attached to a base that fires off a chain and when it connects with the target it will pull you up with the recoil."

        "And we need this?" Link chirped in, not really in the mood for anymore side quests. He had had his share of fun as that when he was a kid, now he really just wanted to get all these medallions, win whatever there was to win, defeat Ganondorf Dragmire and go home. Since Shiek had said that there would be a time he should return quickly here, than Link made that to believe that maybe he could travel back home somehow. Everything was possible, right? I mean, we can get home somehow. Link caught something from the man named Shiek, a small little brown bag wrapped up with a band of rubber, and undoing it he discovered that there was some food in it, meat, cheese and some bread. Grasping the food to his chest, he smiled to the older man, who shrugged it off.

        "Yes, hero, you do. Anymore questions?"

        "Can we get home when this is over?"

        "Yes, during one of your medallion quests you will be required to return, hero. To return to your past you simply slip the Master Sword back into the slot from which it came, if the sword is no longer in the world of the present than you return back to normal, remembering everything of course. Oh, that reminds me, transportation. I figured you are older now so you may want a need of transportation, I don't know where many are left around here, but you shall look. Mm, also, I think your friend is in danger--the one you hold so high in your heart." Smiling a little, he caught Link looking down to the ground and there was the time to make his exit. Holding out a seed like before, these were more of a darker gray, seeming the same in comparison as Impa's. Backing up ten feet, he threw the seeds on the ground, where there was s small explosion, and when the smoke cleared he was gone.

        "Just like Impa." He spoke, admiring the grace at which he left, it was so weird, but he felt so familiarized around the new ally. Crossing his arms around his chest, Link walked over to the wall of the temple, leaning against and letting the marble touch his skin, caressing it softly between the fabrics. Sighing sweetly, he held out a hand, which Navi accompanied over to him, staring at him in utter fascination. What would become of them was still unknown, still very much stupefied the boy, but that didn't mean it wasn't time to show it. Pecking her forehead with a kiss, she began to talk to him in her sweet-mannered way.

        "The only transportation I can think of is--"

        Snapping his fingers, he intercepted her. "Lon Lon Ranch!"

        "Yup, some horses, maybe not a buggy but what about that horse whose song you know. Epoch, wasn't it?"
        "Epona, Navi, Epona. Yea, I remember her song and if we play that than surely we can overtake her with us, that is if Malon will allow us. Epona maybe nice and all, but she isn't my mare, I would like to see how she is doing, so we can just head off to the trail, and suppose we don't get Epona, we can always take another horse in action. What is she, seven now?"

        "Yup, but we must hurry. I think we are in for some surprises. Shiek said that Saria was in trouble, or is there another Forest girl that you admire much from afar?"

        "N-no, I think its her. She always stays out in the meadow--alone since I left-- so if the thing attacks it will probably take her hostage or something, I don't want her to get hurt so I'll go after her. Wonder if she'll still call me little?" He just had to chuckle over that, jumping off from the wall and giving a large glance around. It was funny; she was older, yet he would probably size over her many times, not that he wouldn't mind. This body was, after all, just a shell of himself, maybe it wasn't even his real body, but what he'd be like if he could grow up--something the Goddesses made so that he could handle the sword. Something like that, but there was no way that he was ever gonna grow up, for when this was over and he went back to his own time he was gonna go back to the forest and stay a few years.

        "I think she'll like you even more, you are quite handsome now. At first you were cute, now you are handsome."

        "Is that better?"

        "Kinda. In some ways it is, but you are even bigger now." Whining, she laid down upon his hand, while he went around the room checking out for any other secret passages. It was true that now she was smaller than his middle finger, but it didn't matter, it was as simple as that. Navi did hope that Link's theories were true and this was just something that the heavens produced to do their own work, that would be fine with her, as long as he was all right in the end. Finally, he readjusted his cap, slapping the shield on his back and holding the Master Sword in his left hand, walking to the doors of the temple.

        "This world might be frightening, Link, you sure you're ready?"

        "Ready as I'll even be, if it is dark and gloomy, we'll face it together, okay?"

        "Mmhm, that's right, sweetheart. Nothing can stop us." Leaning up and kissing his cheek, he let her get one on the cheek too, letting those tender muscles press against hers as it moved, the sweet pink muscles. Finally stopping the kiss of her cheek, he pressed upon the doors, seeing the Triforce dim from the back room, making a promise to fulfil his destiny, no matter what the cost, and give it all his all. It hurt to think of dying for a country he had never had the time to experience, dying for something other than that, but when he thought about it: he wasn't fighting for Hyrule. It may have seemed that way on first glance, but it was really fighting for Navi, for Saria, for Malon, for Ruto, and Zelda (wherever she was.) He was fighting for a future of these species, so that one day we'd all live in peace.

        --------------------

        Good, he's gone. Limply hanging his head, the boy slipped out through the shadows when the smoke had been at large. That was the best way to go, just like a true Shinobi, out the window when no one was looking, as quiet as a mouth, slick as a snake in attacks, and quick as a weasel. Chuckling dully, he knew what the boy had to face right out of Hyrule, nothing too desperate for his skill in the master blade, but something to test his abilities. Of course Shiek had gone easy on him, if he had used his full power than the boy would be dead within a few minutes, and the fact was that he was stronger: a lot stronger than the hero was at this time. Yet, it didn't matter if the hero was weaker now, he had to have received the sage's powers to realize his full potential, only then would he extend beyond the human limits in power and vitality. Right now he did cross over the borders of a normal human, but Shiek could beat a normal human, he was far beyond those days, back when he was younger.

        Would have been easier if he was trained instead of kept sealed up. Rauru was so stupid sometimes, he should have trained the child inside the Chamber of Sages, there he might be able to change to different environments, let the boy train in a variation of arsenal, and teach him some simple hand-to-hand combat. That's what worried him the most, that one day he might have his sword thrown aside and without it all he had were his little gadgets for protection, no other weapons. He had to give him credit; it was nice to store that knife down, if only he'd have stored it somewhere it had easy access, like his boot for instance. Oh, well, you don't except apprentices to surpass the teachers within the first day, do you? Not that Shiek was his teacher, far from it; he was simply helping the time hero in his quest.

        No harm done in that, he had commanded himself since he heard of the great hero to do this deed so that the evil king could go down. Speaking of the devil, I have to report in, the thoughts trance forward while he slipped passed the slums of Hyrule, ignoring them with utter disgust, slipping out of the large and barren market, making his way down into the castle gates, where that the palace stood. There stood the deep black castle of Ganon, once home of the Royal Family, only born of his generals and their precious allies, only the strongest, though. Since Ganondorf's take-over, the path to the palace had shortened so great a bit that if it was walked then it would take only six hours, but this was Shiek who was walking. Scaling the paths and soiled ground with only barren earth, he reached the castle within a few seconds, taking out another one of those pellets and slamming it into the ground.

        Unlike the generals of the evil king, Shiek didn't wear any detection that he was with him. Why would he, he wasn't one of them, he was basically a mercenary for the king, one who could gather valuable vital information, and keeping on the Gerudo's good side. You never wanted to get on the bad side of Ganondorf, no matter how much more powerful Shiek was than Link, Ganon was ten fold that power, the Triforce of Power had been described for the right reasons, all it gave was power. Courage was assigned to give more vigor, energy, and willingness to survive, while Wisdom allowed more intelligence and healing skills. Wherever the Wisdom was, that person was awful wise in worldly affairs.

        The pellet he threw down was kind of like Link's Ocarina songs, they did transport him through out the evil castle, having to miss all the shadows and wizards (what a loss) and come out to where the throne room stood. Placing his hand on the velvet doors, the boy gave a giant shove, the fifteen feet tall double doors spreading across and leading down a darkened path, showing nothing quite so bright for the future. Each step at a time lit up his path a little and little farther, that was until he reached the end when the lights suddenly flashed on, the sound of organ music floating through the air. Covering his eyes from the light, he'd never get used to that, the ninja stared forward through dimmed bright and caught a gander of his fearless leader sitting on a stool, the organ that was played being himself.

        Kneeling before the throne, which was right infront of the organ, he spoke aloud. "My Lord." Suddenly those hands cracked into the organ key, splintering a few of them in the frenzy. Placing his hands on the sides of the organ, the man spun around to face his own little pet. Most would have screamed at the terror pasted on Ganon's face, he was the most powerful man in the world, after all, yet Shiek just looked at him with determination in that one eye. When Ganondorf gave a slight nod, the man stood up at the front of the throne that his boss had rested himself on, listening with an eager ear.

        "He's awakened."

        "Who, the hero?"

        "Yes, sire. That wretched fool has awakened the Hero of Time."

        "Interesting." Shiek was assigned to guard the Temple of Time from intruders, that was so no one would be able try to do what he had done: defile the pure land of the Sacred Realm. Nothing was pretty about this land, Ganondorf knew that, but he also knew that it was his land, the land of his people now, not the land of those dreaded Hylians. At his side stood two female Gerudos, each silent with a Kwan Dao, ancient blades of the past that was made up of a simple steel pole with two pieces of sharp curved blades on each side. Quite an impressive arsenal for these beautifies, but they were guarding the King from any assassins, it wasn't as if anyone had ever tried to take over the land (all the knights and their sons were dead) it was only a precaution.

        "I have been watching him close, he doesn't seem too well developed in the sword now. Might this be a good time to kill him?"

        "Oh, Shiek, you are too blood-thirsty. I know you are dying to taste his blood, but let him go through the temples, and if he goes in the correct order than he shall be ready when he gets to me. Besides, I doubt if that stupid boy even be able to get past the Forest warrior I have replaced Shiiu with, he is quite more powerful."

        "I see, sire. Well, all right. I bid you farewell, I am going to keep a close eye out on him from a distance." Shiek forgot the to mention the part about the songs, he just thought they weren't that important and would probably piss the king off. Right now, all he had to worry about was what the King would do, the King had decided to let the boy live for now. That was quite fine with him, but he didn't like the fact on how cheery that his master was getting, it quite an eerie look on his face, as if he wanted to fight Link. Must be the case, since he hasn't had a good fight in over seven years, not even seeming to have aged in that time, his bones are probably restless for battle: a worthy opponent.

        "Good idea, see what he is up too, don't show your presence, but just watch him when he sleeps, guard him, I guess. I do want him to live incase he gets to my castle and we face, I want that show for myself, but I do still doubt he will get past the Forest warrior, even if he gets past the guards." Guards were still in Hyrule, not the human Gerudo, but a different type of guards. His own kind were positioned around the world, everywhere except the Kokiiri forest where his beauties couldn't enter without being turned into some stupid Deku Tree. The guards that Ganondorf had planned for a Link would be enough to see if this was really the Hero of Time, no one to save him this time, nothing to protect him from the power of his evil. Zelda was gone, the king was gone, no one was around to save him, only himself. Ever since that day Ganon had taken an interest in the boy, he really could be the Hero of Time; he only needed to find out.

        "So, who is replacing Shiiu. The sisters?"

        "Ha! They are too weak; they are still in second commands. Mm, the person who is in charge is me!"

        --------------------

        The sky, it's too black. In fact it was the middle of the day when they stepped out of the room, Link proved this by slapping the older Gossip stone, only to receive that it was eight o'clock in the morning. Staring at the statue in disbelief, he slapped the other four that were next to it in the garden, just before the Hyrule market, each one repeating the same answer. That wasn't the worst of it, no not at all, the worst of it would have been the light that was in the sky, just like in the windows they gave of that malice aura. Deep violet clouds surrounded the entire sky, letting not an inch of sun or the transpolar clouds peek through, as if a thunderstorm was brewing on, but nothing was being summoned to strike down in an electrical fashion. Holding the sword out, he tapped it upon the ground, glancing at his fairie every now and then as they walked down the steps to the market.

        "What is it?" She had finally caught his glance after a few of the looks, smiling at the shyness he was giving, but worried for his health. The boy was showing signs of weakness in his heart, the sign he was about to break down, the signs of everything were in his mind, giving off in the perfect aura that only she could view, surrounded him.
        "I feel uncomfortable here, this world is so different."

        "I am sure it's just Hyrule market, you remember what happened over in the mind clips Rauru gave us."
        Did he ever, those images were burned inside his eye-sockets for the rest of eternity. Not taking anymore time holding back, the boy held out a gasp that would have come out, if not for the presence of Navi in him. It was weird, but he felt like he could cry in front of her, as if that was some sort of sin to show his weakness. It was quite the irony that when he was younger he cried all the time to her, not younger, but in his younger spirit he would weep to her as if she was some sort of bigger sister. What caused him to hold back his fear, his face twisting in fear, was near the end of the steps was a pile of bones (fresh, he couldn't tell), them piling down and inside the pile was a human skull.

        Navi wretched away with him, seeing he wasn't going to check the bones, so she did it for him, not thinking of him as weak, just short- stomached. Inside the pile (which was only one earthling) she saw that tatter pieces of clothing showed that this thing wasn't too old, had been a peasant, and where he held his hand laid a broken scythe, so it was given off that he was a farmer. Fortunately the body structure didn't match those of a heavy-set man, so the thought of it being Talon of Lon Lon Ranch was out of her mind, and yet feeling the sorrow for the family of this young man. Shivering from the bones, she came back up to where he was, wiping her hands on his new tunic. She did this because something was on her hands, from the bones.

"A farmer, or something. Been dead for about a weak, but was picked clean, I saw saliva on the bones--or some liquid." Brushing her dried hands against his tunic once more, she wiped herself off and stared around the room, since the end of the stairs they were right in one of the many beginnings of the Hyrule Castle Town Market, or at least she thought this was the Town Market. From the looks of things around it had bee deserted for quite a while, maybe after that film was taken seven years ago, so the place must have been all alone and sucked up the power from Ganon's Triforce piece. A power that wasn't to be reconciled with, or so it seemed.

        "This is horrible. He is killing the land, whatever is in that Power piece we need to stop." Navi nodded quietly while Link spoke his mind. Gripping the handle of the sword, he couldn't help but drag it across the ground in the pain as they stared around. There were bones everywhere, some decaying, some not (the good thing was that there were no fresh bodies around.) Whatever had cleaned them left must have just left from wherever it was coming from, for that reason he lowered his guard for the seances. Now where the fountain in the center of the ground once stood, there was now the same fountain, but it was more cracked around the edges, having no water, no spring of joy it must have been. Cuccos that he had heard here before were gone, the kids that played beautifully, and the women who would yell at him for bothering him when they were shopping.

        "I don't see anyone, should they be guarding the fences for intruders."

        "Doubt they expected someone to come from the Triforce temple, Navi."

        "Mm, maybe you are right. There might be ones more northern, and we have to get to Lon Lon Ranch, so let's get a move on."

Taking a few steps forward, his body stiffened as a long and melancholia moan went out into the air. It certainly wasn't the air, for even though clouds were around, there wasn't anything around to blow the wind, letting this howling being maybe the one who had eaten the others. He had heard that howl before, a distant howl of that sort, it was a lot younger back then, some more of them were around then, but the distinct enemy plastered on his face. Not being able to remember the name, he pictured that evil entity, the brown flaky skin, bad posture, and that evil mask to hide off the fact it didn't have a soul. Redead, those were the names, and revenge was their game.

"Oh, no, are those what I think, Link?" When he nodded, she stifled a quick whimper. Damnit, it was those stupid zombie-like creatures from back in the Kakariko graveyards, where they received that song of the sun. It had worked in paralyzing the enemies, but since the sun was supposed to be out and it was blocked out, she doubted the sun wouldn't help either. Link seemed to mentally agree with her, for he drew out the blade of evil's bane as one of the figures staggered out from behind one of torn down tents that were around, moaning for sweet flesh for some relief. She didn't know if they were zombies, or just liked to munch on your skin, whatever the case, she was not going to take a chance on that.

"The ocarina song won't be any good, right?" It was doubtful to try it, so he yanked his musical machine from its holder, pulling it to his lips and releasing the melodic upbeat tune of the son, composed by those dead brothers all those long years ago. The sun normally would have reappeared from the clouds and shone down to paralyze those Redeads inside small pillars of white silk, something of what a spider did, but it didn't do that. All what happened was the zombies noticed the music coming from the general direction, turning around to see what the commotion was. Sinking down behind a box stealthily, he watched as they closed over him, not moving by sense, but by those soulless eyes. As soon as they passed, he wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning on his knees now, noticing how uncomfortable it was to do something never even thought imaginable in the old body.

"Shoulda' let me answer, Link." She appeared at his shoulder, turning his veil off so the bright colours wouldn't attract the zombies. Actually, it was a pure guess that they thought on senses near the eye sockets, instead of near the nose (they're noses were decayed off, so there was only a slumped bump where it would be, some of them even having them compressed into a single triangle.) Those creatures either thought on their sightless eyes, or maybe touch, that would explain why they were always staggering around. What they ate was uncertain; they were just going from the old legends of the dead that were passed down in stories, the dead that waked for flesh of the living.

"Mm, at least they can't find us. How many are out there?" Finally relaxing, he sat down on his rump. "At least a dozen or so, and those are just as far as we can see, you know there have to be more hidden in the valleys and troughs throughout the market."

"Goddess, what happened here, I knew it was bad. But are those the people who were killed here?" Shivering deeply, he placed his hands over his chest, laying the blade in his lap as he did. Since it was a double-edged blade, it was laying down on the bottom parts, instead of the side that would have surely cut him up. Link didn't know what was going on here, this place was so weird, so creepy, it wasn't the place that a naïve lad had wondered upon all those years ago, it wasn't the place that was always bustling with people, good and bad. No, that scenery had died seven years ago, that scene was gone down to hell, nothing to protect it from the fires licking slowly away at it. Ganondorf.he could never be forgiven, he would be punished for his crimes, to this the hero vowed.

"We try to sneak out, Navi?"

"Only way, unless you want to go at them head first."

"Heh, no thank you. I'll keep my blade presentable, though, won't want to run into trouble bare."

"Good idea, and I'll keep my barrier down, although your clothes are quite.recognizable, the land here is a purplish black, while you are a light green. Ah, I've got it!" It was risky, would get him dirty, but it was better than being surrounded by ten zombies and having them all gnaw at your skin. Floating down to where he saw, she clasped up some handfuls of dirt and threw them upon the boy. At first he glared at her angrily, for messing up his tunic, but soon he caught on the idea that the dirt was the same colour as the ground, it had changed the same colour of violet blended with black. Grasping the dirt, he covered his entire body with it, doing the hat with it too and tucking that luscious hair down inside of it. Banding the blade with the dirt too, it looked awful to stain such a beautiful piece of still, yet it had to be done if they were going to go on, another thing was that sword was gonna have to go.

It was too risky to be climbing around on the floor with a handy blade in one hand that could accidentally clatter to the ground, getting the Redeads attentions. Better to be stealthy, like Shiek is, he thought tucking the blade quietly into the slot, looking down at the small clink that went about, fortunately thanking his lucky stars when none of the Redeads didn't turn around. Decayed ears were on their bodies, so maybe it was easier for them not to hear any of the stuff that would make shuffling against the barren part of the market much easier this time. Spraying some dirt lastly on his face and eyebrows, he looked down at his body in amazement if this was the same guy only a few seconds, he actually looked like a darker looking, sinister boy instead of the cherry one.

"You too."

"I can just hide in your--"

"Not enough room, Navi." With a groan, she allowed herself to be dipped inside of the dirt and pulled back, tucking her right under his collar. All her clothes were dirty too, but that would be fixed, for soon they would be out of Hyrule Castle and able to bathe in the moat that surrounded the castle, hence the reason for the drawbridge. Yea, it was tough to be here, tough to get dirty, yet sometimes you just needed to bite your lip, take the pain and hope that when it was over you could look back on it and laugh. All of their bodies were covered down in dirt, the armour that he wore, and bags that carried the supplies of food that obviously wasn't there anymore (most of it was rotten, the only thing that survived was the milk, damn that Lon Lon was good.) Standing up all the way, pressing against the wall in a Shinobi manner, Link began to go onward.

The box was right near the stairs that led to the Temple of Light, so naturally soon he ran out of darkness to hide under (and wall to press into.) There he was right before the stairs, and taking a few glances over at the Redeads, to make sure they weren't looking--his luck they weren't-- glancing forward he made a mad leap ahead, not actually attempting a leap. Maybe tumble was a better word, for the leapt gave away and as he fell down, rolled into a wall and slid down the stairs and back into the darkness, slamming into a wall on impact. Layers and layers of more dirt caught them in the nose and mouth, making them gag out for several seconds, not even aware of the sounds they made. When they were done with the gag session, Link peered against the wall and looked out to the Redead, astonished at how mad their hearing was, they had not even budged an inch.

"We are lucky.these Redead are much stupider than the others." Remarked Navi, still bundled in his collar. "I guess maybe that the others had been underground so much that they adapted intelligence, although we never really tested their intelligence."

"Mm, you are right. However, the stars are in our favor now, all we have left is past those curtains were the merchants used to be and down the path to the end, maybe two or three are there." Link nodded in agreement, all that was left were straight walls, nothing else but walls awaited them until they were past the old selling booths, then they would have to do down a straight corridor (the one where he met that guard one time ago.) Past that Link and Navi would encounter nothing else but the drawbridge, hoping it was at least open, or they might require a small problem on their hands, that thing couldn't be broken into easily.

With little ease, he slipped past the rest of the walls, letting it turn a crack and then onto the next wall that held in the rest of the curtains. From the looks of things a very big riot had occurred such a long time ago that it was sad, nothing was left of the sheets except decaying wood that had one held up the top commotion of the town. Supplies were gone, the food probably long gone, the supplies were perhaps looted when the town was in utter chaos, people tended to react to the most rash situations so weirdly. Sliding past the wood, sighing at the display of the town, the hero couldn't help but whisper a quiet prayer to the souls of the ancient ones that had lived here, the ones who had given their lives while the 'hero' was asleep. It was sad, yes, but mostly it gave him false hope.

Gulping silently, he watched as the wall disappeared with his sliding motions, the open air of the land readying for the path that would lead down into there. When at least he reached the end of the sliding wall, the boy took a quick peer over with his eyes, catching only the door of that place where he had never entered, some more buildings that were decayed, and the hole of where the drawbridge had once been. Doing a double take, he saw that the bridge itself wasn't lowered, there was no wall punched through it, the thing itself was literally gone, torn from the hinges by something terrible, something he never wanted to face, but known he'd have too one day. Scratching the back of his neck, freeing the dirty tresses from the hat, he slipped out and began to walk, still sliding against the wall.

"Link.it's okay, no one's here."

"I feel better this way, maybe it's a way to honor the souls of the dead, not stepping on their tracks. Goddess, do you see that door Navi, am I imagining it?"

"No.no, I see it. I-I knew Ganondorf had power beforehand, but his power must have expanded by ten folds to let him be able to do that, plus this town. That door was consisted of ten thick inches of wood, plus I saw metal that was made in it, all that, it's so wondrous that a power like that could be harnessed, and for all the wrong reasons." The speech she made had she tingling with excitement, fear, and anticipation of getting through with this journey and face this power. Unimaginable power that somehow was harassed, for all the wrong reasons, something that she would never get over. Those words did ring true in her head and mind as she watched him keeping his pace up in the sliding motions, coming out of his collar and sitting on his hat, brushing the dirt from her. Coughing out the rest of the filth from her mouth, somehow she thought she was allergic, Navi continued to watch behind and he, to make sure nothing would follow them. If they did come over, she would just blast them with a Ki blast, which would get them off their high horse for food and off the rode of perdition.

"Link, I really think you should be able too-" Her words were caught off as something fell off from the roof above, ten feet above, slamming into the ground. A bone-shattering crack came out of the slump, since it was so dark Link couldn't get a few view, so he motioned for her to brighten up, which she did without the slightest hesitation. Sitting before them was a man with long ears, obviously Hylian, in his mid to later thirties, the man was wearing a suit that made him jump back: a knight's armour. The same armour he had seen on the men that were in the room with the King and Ganondorf, on his visit to Zelda the first time, before he even considered collecting two more stones. Now they were fourteen feet apart from each other's, Link trying to take a step forward, but a roar of fury stopped him.

Leaping off the roof of the building he never entered was this man's captor, and one who punished. Before Link had stumbled back, he had inspected many slash and bite wounds on the soldier, some of them were fresh and bleeding (the mouth marks), and while the slash marks were all dried with crusted blood, puss forming over some of them. With the signs of infection, it might have been a blessing with a dark figure surrounded the Hylian, diving down onto the man who let out a long screech of pain, an inhuman scream that came from the victim. Covering his sensitive ears, Link watched in horror at the monster ravaged on the soldier, the screams not stopping until the creature reached the man's face--one of the last things it got too.

Stumbling even more back, the boy yanked out his sword, readying it in his right hand, while the left reached behind and pulled the shield out with little ease. Until recently Link had strapped the shield tightly around his body, only as a boy, so that it wouldn't come off whenever he was in a place that it might be lost. Now, however, Rauru had added a small feature that really gave the boy a comforting matter, there was a new slit in the place of the other where the shield held on from its back, making it easier for access. Now gripping the newly discovered slit, he yanked it out just as the monster was done with the dead man, sniffing the air hungrily, catching wind behind him, and jumping forward.

Navi screamed as the tyrant jumped forward, being deflected back by the strong force of the Hylian shield. It slammed up in its face, knocking the creature back several feet, with this it actually knocked the monster out of proportion so it had to help itself shake off the dizziness. No need for role call at this point, Link was up and at them, watching in Navi's gaze at the monster, shivering down with it. The monster had at one time been some sort of human, a mutation had occurred in this human (he couldn't tell if it was Hylian or Gerudo), making it all the more worthwhile. A cross between a reptile and a human was the best answer, except nothing scaly was on this beast.

Maybe an amphibian was a better choice, but Link hadn't felt it so he didn't know if the creature was slimy or not. Anew, the monster was a greenish colour, almost matching his tunic, the inceptions of the human characteristics shining through, showing that it could have been one of Ganon's minions, maybe that would account for the fact that it was evil. He didn't know what Ganondorf looked like, maybe sort of like this, but this very well could be what the intermission of what the Triforce of Power did to you. All that he hoped was that the Courage piece didn't have any side effects on him; he hadn't really gained anything from the piece. Gripping the blade, he launched himself forward, only to be shoved away before he could land a single blow on him.

        --------------------

Navi hadn't pushed him, that was well thoughts, but she was shoved along with the boy, into the wall with them as the monster launched forward and slashed into thin air. Twirling around, she searched for the one who had touched them, the one who had not let them get a single blow in the creature, but all they received were the simple sounds of the wind. Whoever did that was fast and quiet maybe it was Shiek? Maybe so, but she didn't know, all she knew what that this freak needed to go, some loony who had obviously been corrupted by the evil powers of the Triforce. The case on trial was that they had gotten lucky in receiving the pieces, the good one was handed down to her partner, while the other one was splashed down to the evil King. It was great that he hadn't received the whole piece of Triforce, otherwise they would have never awoken, for the whole piece would have granted him the power for full mortality.

She didn't know if the rest of Hyrule was like this or not, and frankly at this moment she didn't give a damn. The only thing that was important at this moment was defeating this evil entity and protecting her boy at the same time, and firing off a Ki mark at the monster, her utter disgust was revealed. Just like in a previous battle, the mark didn't seem to connect-- no it did connect, the thing just deflected itself off and slammed into the wall, creating some pieces of stone to crack and fall on the ground. Grimacing at this display, she didn't find herself lucky when the monster gave her, yes he noticed her, a look of content on his face, some sort of chuckle following before it leapt out at them again.

This time the boy was ready, throwing the shield up into the air, she watched as it stood in the air and came down to the ground while the monster was on its way to Link. When he threw it into the air, he aimed upward, she thinking it was very lucky that he threw at the right exact moment, for when it reached them the shield clanged on its head. Her eyes glanced upward as when he jumped on top of the shield, a loud crunching noise sounded, the monster giving off one last scream of defeat, the body jerking convulsing, and finally slumping down. They would have to clean the thing off in the river, but at least they were free of that monster-- whatever it was, she thought they wouldn't see another one until a time for a journey back here was necessary, fortunately they would use that sacred Prelude to return. He guessed the time was right for that song, the title giving off that this indeed was the prelude, or beginning of a treacherous journey.

"You all right, Link?" He was pulling the shield off, studying the remains of the one that was once human. Sickly, she too gave it a look, if only out of respect, but had to turn away to keep from throwing up, because the monster had turned from hideous to gut wrenching. Where its head stood was just a lone mass of pulp, the head splintered down the middle and smashed brains being pushed in, and imprints of the shield were pressed in through the brains in a sickening manner. Since he was lying on his back when the event occurred, it was easy to see that the eyes weren't visible, but she had to guess they were out of their sockets and burst along with the rest of the body. Looking back to her boy, she saw that he was only looking down, shaking his head, while simple tears rolled down his cheeks, but why? Of course, he had never killed a man before that was very depressing.

"Hey, Link, it's okay. You were only defending yourself."

"I.I killed someone. Ha! That's a.well, it's sort of a relief. Yea, I was defending myself, but I could have gone while he was gone, I could have run, but my blood lust kicked in. I knew he was evil, and I needed to punish him for his deeds, so I.I could of made it less nasty, but I guess I love the smell of blood--guess I wanted to see this." Showing no respect for the being, she saw him hawk up some phlegm in the back of his throat and spit a wad of it down at the monster, taking the tip of his enlarged Kokiiri boots and smashing it into the tattered brains of it. Navi couldn't help it anymore; she ran off to one of the corners and vomited herself dizzy a few times, hearing the smash as Link repetitively brought his heel down on the brains. Yes, he was bashing the monster's brains in, not enjoying it, for when she came back after he was done those eyes were still filled with the tears of hate, the tears of pain, the tears of pure angst in its most natural form. That form was where a single thing like that wouldn't stand in the way, nothing mattered besides this, and by Goddess a thing like a conscious didn't stop the pure fact of this was bliss.

She should of said something, she would curse herself later for not saying anything, but as he went over and cleaned the soul of his left boot by beating it against the wall (attracting other creatures maybe, yet not caring) she did nothing. It seemed the right thing to do at the time, let him battle with his own spirits, let him be alone with himself, no she didn't even give a comforting hand on his shoulder--even as so little, it still would have mattered--no words. Although what would she say at a time like this? Ha, it was quite such irony to think of a speech of something that was about to hunt you down with barred claws, but maybe that was the humorous thoughts in it: irony was like that sometimes. While the drift would go on, there was no one to stop the bad thoughts from entering your brain, the lust of the death as it flowed through your body. While listening to these thoughts, she jerked when he spoke out loud, determination caressed in a voice of his.

"I shall not kill again." Waiting for some protest, he actually looked hurt when no other voice interrupted, but went on. "No, let me rephrase that. I shall not kill another human again.except one more, and you know who that is, Navi. Yes, I shall kill the evil King Ganondorf, I don't care who he is, any great title or anything, he is not great in my eyes, nor a king, he is a stupid Gerudo who used me for the powers of the heavens." Tightening his fist, the boy looked up to the girl with tears glistening in his eyes, she could smell how much he wanted a hug, how much he needed some comfort, but she took her instincts and nodded flatly. Another strike of pain appeared over his body, as if thinking he wasn't good enough for care anymore, yet he went on, the pain bracing in his voice. "If another human attacks, I shall not kill, I will only knock them unconscious, I can't bear that again.I'm sorry, I know I seem weak."

"No you don't. You are the bravest person I have ever met; you are doing this quest without any rewards. You are so pure, greed, power, lust.nothing tempts you, you are perfect in an essence."

"Yea, right. I have my faults, Navi." He seemed so much older when he spoke that it frightened her.

"That's true, hee, you do have your faults." With that he smiled towards her, a small dirty glove coming up and wiping the tears from his eyes. Catching on in the brink of his glove, he noted it for a second before launching the salty discharge off to the left, listening with quiet ears as he slapped into the ground. Pushing the sword back into the sheath, but not returning the pack back to its original place (when they bathed he would wash it) the boy couldn't help but grin out at the land. So funny, because from where he was positioned the land that led out got less and less dark, he couldn't see the closest landmark of Lon Lon Ranch, but somehow he foresaw that it looked just as beautiful as seven years ago. Clearing his matured throat, the boy shook the last of the tears aside and glanced up at his fairie who had returned to his side for the first time since the same back. No, he wasn't going to speak, he simply gathered her up in his arms, caressing her dirty body with the gloved hands of his own, before putting her back and taking off out the door.

What the two heroes missed about the previous battle had been quite an exciting element that should have been duly noted, that was the fact that Link hadn't killed the man, someone else had. Yes, upon close examination, it was seen that the perpetrator had used Shuriken, the small knives with no handles, a small hole in the center where they were held. Some Shinobi Shuriken were implanted inside the little body, so deep in that they were quite hard to view, but nevertheless the blades penetrated inside the region right around the heard. What this meant that a stealthy, quite person that had hid up in the shadows had aided the young boy in his journey, by lending a helping hand. The battle with the monster was hard, that evil thing would have taken over the boy if not for this mysterious being's presence. Who it was, that was uncertain, yet the fact was that a good suspect was in order.

        --------------------

For the next few days they took it easy, after exiting the castle, they discovered that the castle bridge hadn't been thrown away, but had fallen down the remainder of the feet down into the moat. The water was still warm and beautiful as before, so that was where they bathed, it tasting and feeling as refreshing as ever. Washing all over their tired bodies, the two were then washing their clothes, Link's armour and most of his weapons that hadn't been inside the satchel, then scrubbing the guts and muck off of that shield. It took the remainder of the day to finish that job, for when they exited the castle the sun was in it's fully glory, shining upon the twelve o'clock position. That and they soaked in the water for the remainder hours gave way that they truly were done in that portion.

After his first meal in seven years (some of the unspoiled milk from his jar and the meat, for it spoiled first) the stuffed ones went to sleep under the stars, no worries of what would happen in the morning. The nice thing about these nights that no more nightmares came that night, maybe it was forever, but it was unlikely, even if they were back to normal, there would always be nightmares. The next morning was received in freshness, where they chopped up the rest of the meat from the pile and took off with four days of food on their hands, more than enough to reach their next destination: Lon Lon Ranch. Of course Shiek probably thought they would be headed straight to the Kokiiri Forest, but there was no sense in that since he needed transportation.

The funny thing about that night was that they didn't use any fire, since his kindle kit had been long since ruined after the aging process, but the Stalchildren hadn't paid them a visit. When he presented the question to the ever-present Navi, so just shrugged a shoulder and simply replied that maybe after all these years the Stalchildren have found new homes, since so many had died. Taking that depressing response as an 'I don't know' answer, he simply forgot about it as the days moved on, not really caring that they were gone, it was just the simple curiosity. It was true that he was still a boy at heart, those two days to the horse ranch proved it to Navi, and the boy was just too sweet to be a teenager, not ready for the patients and stupidity of adolescence.

On Link's part, Navi had to agree it was very unjust of the heavens to process in him time, her too, but she really didn't have much of a problem with losing her childhood as he did. On those two moons and suns that set sometimes the conversations would switch to the topic, both of them agreeing that the heaven deities were not as perfect as some perfected them in the legends, they were just like regular people. They made mistakes, this one being one of the worst ones and had happened to Link, what would have been better was to train him those seven years. Although it seemed like he had been trained, with only a few nights to practice, the boy was already getting better and better in the ways of the sword, already having some experience with the dagger added up in the help. No new techniques had come to him, yet he was still trying to perfect the one he used in Jabu, explaining to Navi (when she asked) that he had learned it from that guard who had attacked them that time they were there.

On the nights he would train his body and mind physically and mentally with some meditation (a technique he just started doing the first night, he explained to his partner that it helped him relax, yea she was with him now.) Before they had trained separately, but now it would have been better to be together some nights, the two nights they spend together learning some new moves, some moves that Link wanted to use without his sword. Navi had suggested the idea, saying that one day he may have had his sword taken away from him, and then he wouldn't know what to do, she was insisting that he was too dependant on the blade. Acting arrogant, he protested until she took his sword, weapons, and magic away from him and asked him to attack--which he could do nothing but complain.

His fairie wasn't much of an expert in the martial arts department, but what she had picked up from some of the other fairies from their boy partners was some basic techniques in fighting. Since he already knew how to flip backwards in his younger form, so they worked on flipping in his newly acquired form, relenting on it, because for the first few hours he couldn't do a thing with himself, but jump around and fall back. It was on the second night that he preformed his first flip, moving back with such ease it seemed almost too easy to believe, and with that he was able to flip back, sway side to side with some training. He wasn't that abdominal correct, so the flips were quite easy, he had the physique of an acrobat, he was very thin, but not scrawny and could move with the easy of one, yet he wasn't that weak in the power department. He could pack a punch, yet dodge one so easily, with practice that is.

Now that's what they worked on with him, for the first three hours they worked on flipping the first night, but up until five o'clock they were working on something new, a technique that required the two of them to do some moves to perform it. A double tech was the name that Link came up with, yet he wouldn't discuss it with anyone, whoever was watching would just have to wait for an actual battle to see it out in action. Passing aside the technique and flipping, Navi was perfected in using his own weapons (not the sword), but grabbing Deku nuts and throwing them, reaching for a bomb and getting rid of it. Just a weird way to protect herself when he was in danger and in no feel to help her out, either in pain or near death. All of his bottles were also empty except for the one with milk, the one with the fairie was gone, she had escaped when he was put to sleep, good, for he didn't like the fact of a beautiful sprite trapped inside of his bottle for seven long years. Either Rauru freed her, or she got herself out and flew away, either way was fine by him.

        --------------------

Supplies were good when the overhead sun peered out at the third day, but he was over tracked from the situation, it was there that he stayed until the third night, watching as the sun glared over its horizon. Somehow he didn't feel well staying there that day, for troops were coming in and out of the milk farm, making the boy very nervous. Hiding in the tree that day, Link was surprised that Ganondorf's troops did look very normal, that other one must have been some weird mutation that went out of control and escaped. Ganondorf had a weird flag; it was a blood red flag, and a small triangle in the middle with the letter 'G' placed in the center of the square, the triangle also in the center. That was the only thing they could think of as they laid down in the apple tree, very much contented with the supply of their water (filling the canteen up at the stream) and munching on apples as he watched the sun peer over the horizon.

The troops stopping their comings and goings at about the time nine o'clock was around the corner, Link peering over the gates of the ranch just to be sure nothing had rested that night over here. He still didn't know if he had been discovered yet, something told him Ganondorf knew he was around the minute that the sage of Light took him back to his own temple. Now nothing was there, only the usual milk carts some of them so dusty from his view that they looked like they hadn't been used in months. Shrugging a shoulder, the boy pulled his larger satchel now (filled with apples) and hopped down from the tree, sliding down most of the way and landing down on his feet. Navi was at his side, slumbering somewhat, but watching with a lazily eye. Grinning at her, he reshuffled his large pack and spoke out loud towards her.

"You ready for sleep already?"

        "Yea, I know we've done slept all day, but maybe the apples tired me out." Giving a small grin, she floated lazily up to his shoulder and took refuge up in the clumps of the large tunic, not closing her eyes, yet looking onward as Link nodded and started walking. That apple tree wasn't that far from where the ranch was, about half a mile, so as her boy slowly walked along the path, her mind would wonder on other subjects they were on with the world. For one, she thought about that flag, thinking the letter stood for his name or his race, the triangle meaning the Power piece, and the darkness probably meaning black. Crimson colour was most likely the blood he had shed in this war, if it could be called that, and maybe the blood he had shed before the war even began.

        "Well, soon as we meet Malon we'll get a place to sleep, just bear with me?"

        "Yea.you think Malon had gotten prettier?" She spoke up while they continued the walk, the ranch coming within distance, it was still the same as before, not at all like the previous little installment of the castle. As their presumptions were predicted, the places beyond Ganon's headquarters were not as effected as the places otherwise out of reach. Death Mountain seemed to have some sort of strange cloud, the ash around the entire range--or so far as he had seen-- was covered up, giving off a weird aura whenever he saw it, only which had been when they were in Hyrule, or had just gotten out of it. Link didn't plan to travel to Death Mountain until he was after the Fire Medallion, which he guessed was where it was, so it was safe to say he knew where all of them were except one.

        "Hmm? Do I think she's prettier?" He repeated the question nervously.

        "Yeah, do you?"

        "Urm, well, I don't think she is. I mean, she was a cute kid and all, but.if anyone.I think you are much more beautiful." Navi couldn't help, but blush at this comment and look away from the boy for a few seconds, when she returned her complexion more fixed than before. Returning her face back, she shrugged a shoulder, really not agreeing with him, but she didn't disagree with him. Malon had always been a cute kid and with some of the growing pains, she was probably an older and more beautiful woman than he was now. So the boy did find her better looking than a woman he had never seen before, at least he still had the mind of a child, or other things would present themselves to turmoil him.
        Link nodded with a quick remise, staring over at the sign that read in the language of Hylian 'Lon Lon Ranch.' Chuckling silently at the sign, he led his hand across the wood, noticed it hadn't been paved in a few months, so the milk trucks were messed up, troops were coming in and out of the place, what has happened? Something was wrong with this place, he doubted Talon ever gave into the punishment of Ganondorf, he seemed more like an independent, if interested in politics at all. Maybe they had been captured and this was a fort of some kind? Nah, that couldn't be true because he smelt those nasty horse smells as he climbed up down and tried to maneuver through the green path that would lead onward to the land of the horses.

        --------------------

The land hadn't changed, nope not at all. Except for the milk carts and the sign from before, Link couldn't notice anything at all different about this place, the same smells over filled his nauseous nostrils as he passed wind of the stables, where the horses stayed the nights, listening to the whinnying. Yup, everything was in normal, the smell of the ranch was here, nothing dark or disturbing was around here, seeing that the place wasn't protruding with monsters or anything, that left him with a breath of satisfaction. Laying his hands down to his sides, the teenaged hero staked past the stables, coming up to the house that was directly on the left, seeing that it was locked and no windows were on it. When he had stayed here last time, the window above had led down to Malon's room, that was good, for he didn't want to wake up Talon when he chunked a huge rock at the brown shutters.

"Hey! You little bastards, stop that!" Grimacing, he took off running when the shutters burst open, peering over the corner to see the more maturely Ingo glance around with his hands placed on a pitchfork placed between his arms. The man.the man looked different, his features were darker, circles were placed under his eyes where he had pulled some all nights, his clothes had also changed from the friendly white to a dark suit that looking of what a clown would wear. Now away from the houses and much northern, where sometimes the Cuccos would frolic and eat, the house of where they were was gone. Slumping down to the ground, the boy heaved a sigh of relief and turned back around when the infuriated man shut the gates muttering some curse words under his breath. Link turned to his faire, those eyes rolling in a sarcastic manner.

"Wasn't that the girl's room before?" Navi pondered to Link. Of course it was quite possible that the girl could have changed rooms within the seven- year period, but didn't the attendant have a small shack-like house where he resigned before? It was strange that he would have an upstairs bedroom around here, yet the thought of Talon making another room seemed out of the question, last time they had been here he wasn't much of a handyman at work. That wouldn't even enter her mind as she looked back at the boy with the same look on her face, the look that somehow showed that things weren't as right as they had thought. No, something was wrong, Link may not have felt it, but Navi felt the presence full wind, she could smell it in the aura of wind, the wind was strong and gave off a dark breeze which make her hold herself in fear. Not like Ganondorf's power, no this was a little less than that, it wasn't even an evil they had to worry about harming them, but it just something that worried her.

"Yea, I think it was."

"Hrm, wonder what happened around here these seven days." Leaning on her shoulder, she looked out at the circular iron gate fence in the distance, a place where the horses roamed at night. Link also stared back with her, glancing out at it where there was something that caught both of their eyes: a tune was coming out of there, and a light was blooming out. Glancing at his fairie for approval, she gave it to him and he hunched himself up off the ground, beginning to walk past through the luscious grass and down where the