(Zgen) Evil’s Bane [T]

Here is the first three chapters of "Evil's Bane", a fanfic in progress. It is based primarily in the OoT vein, though I do borrow a bit from others. It starts out towards the ending of OoT, though I have adjusted it a little and am writing my own continuation. If there is any comments/reviews/criticism to be had so far, I'd love to read them! As far as how long this is going to be, who knows? With my writing, stories only come to an end when they are finished so it could be under fifty pages, could be two-hundred. I guess we'll just have to see

P.S. Oh, and just so you know, the first chapter is the bulk of the thread, the others not so long. I wasn't planning on doing any more with this, but I just felt the urge to do it this morning. Hope you like!

P.S.S. Also, you may notice that the first chapter seems to end, wrapping up as if it were to be finished. This was the original intent, but the continuation came after. Yes, I need to edit it a little to make it fit in better, but for now I'm going to do my best to ignore it until the main story is finished and I can clean it up.



 Chapter One: “Heart of Darkness”



“In the land of Hyrule, there echoes a legend. A legend held dearly by the royal family that tells of a boy who became a man. He embarked on a great journey to the deepest darkest corners of the earth, battling the forces of evil, testing the limits of his will. All to fulfill his destiny which is, above all else....to save....me .”

- Princess Zelda, 2047 HC


Sword and shield at the ready, the mighty hero leapt from stair to stair, charging the inner sanctum of the dark lord, Ganondorf Dragmire, the great destroyer of the Sacred Realm. Breaking through wave after wave of Lizalfos, Wizzrobes, Stalfos, Darknuts, and Iron Knuckles, the battle-hardened gallant pushed through insurmountable odds to reach his foe.

With the Master Sword in hand, he was but a boy with a blade. Sent on an impossible quest by his princess, he found himself just another pawn in the grand scheme, a master plan of villainy to conquer and subjugate all the free races of his homeland, Hyrule. He had failed to see the darkness behind the veil, but in turn had learned to see how things aren’t quite the same in the dark as they are in the light.

Blessed with the power of the Goddesses, Link held the courage to triumph over this foreboding. With the help of his friends found along the way, some now lost to the sands of time and space, he fought through drowning lakes, bone-chilling caves, skin-eating deserts, and poisonous forests of emerald. Hunting his quarry across the very fabrics of time, no other hero of old had more proved their worth of legend.

And here, now, approaching the top of the dark lord’s spire, the fate of millions living, as well as the destinies of the coming generations, were all depending on this small, insignificant boy from the forest. Armed with the weapons of his ancestors, he pillaged the King of Thieves’ hordes, ground his armies into dust, and laid to waste the desert powers of an empire. A child of destiny, he forged himself in the heat of battle and grew to unbelievable strength; courage needed for the impending conflict.

Reaching the crest of Ganondorf’s castle, the steadfast Hero of Time brazenly entered, no fear in his eyes as he dauntlessly treaded upon the inner sanctum. His weapon now sheathed, he armed himself only with his faith and his resolve to set things right and return things to how they should have been.

Sitting near the end of his self-absorbing shrine upon that throne of power, the dark lord sat bemused. Seeing this speck of a child before him, he couldn’t believe it. A boy with a blade had sundered the breath of an army, silenced the chants of the witches, and had released the healing waters of the Zora’s. Light was again entering into the realm, and he could not bear it any longer.

Wordless, the imposing Gerudo King rose to his feet and gestured to his right, an evil leer upon his dark lips. There, imprisoned in a transcendental crystal of black magic, was the princess Zelda. Completely suspended, she was obviously aware yet powerless to intervene.

The hero’s eyes grew stern and his breath fluttered. He thought the princess long since dead, as Ganondorf was assuredly to claim her piece of the Triforce from her, the Triforce of Wisdom, the power of the Goddess Nayru.

“You seek answers.” Ganondorf said darkly, his voice coarse and foreboding. “But all you will find here is your death. I will finish what the wars started, those seventeen years ago. You were not meant to live. Your mother should have died in my tower, long before you came into this wretched world.”

The hero reached back with his left hand and withdrew the Master Sword, evil’s bane, his right hand gripping tightly his Hylian shield. His anger grew at the mention of his mother, and it was all he could do to prevent himself from lashing out at the dark king in a rage.

Ganondorf laughed devilishly. “Do you seriously think that some rusty weapon of the old-age will help you here? My power is absolute! The power of the Gods!! You’re no hero. You’re no protector of time. You’re a weakling, a coward, and a Hylian. A boy amongst men in the shadows of darkness.

“Your mother knew better than to fight when the time came, so she ran. You should do the same....while I allow it and you are still capable.”

As if drifting into a dream, the room blurred to white and the boy found himself alone in a grove of white. Singing softly like the wings of a butterfly, the hero could hear the princess’ voice in his head.

Don’t listen to him, Link! He’s trying to tear you down, as he did me. Your mother died to save us all, you’ve known that all your life. Don’t let him rule you!

Look into your heart, Link of the Kokiri, son of Rachel, and see what is right and true. Ganondorf sees through stained glass, crooked and colored, but to defeat him you must look through the purest of waters. Leave all that binds you behind, even if it means all that you hold dear and true.

Remember what Rauru said, in the Temple of Light? ‘Evil cannot triumph over the pure of heart, only self-defeat can destroy hope.’

You ARE the Hero of Time, Link. Become the man I know you to be. Take up Evil’s Bane as your sword, and I shall be your shield! Fear not, the coming of the storm!

Instantly returning to the room, Link refocused his eyes, the dark lord still before him.

“Fool of a Hylian!” The desert man reached behind his throne and retrieved his bladed staff, pointing the menacing scythe at his enemy. “Then let us see the doom of your race in all it’s faded glory!”

Focusing his dark energy, Ganondorf released a powerful wave of magic into the room. The pointed spire of the roof evaporated into nothingness and the walls of the tower melted into air. Zelda’s prison faded and disappeared, leaving the boy and Hyrule’s antithesis alone at the top of a circular pedestal, a scalding abyss of lava nine levels below them.

“Behold!” Ganondorf raised his right hand in a fist. “The power of Din!”

His hand began to glow with an unearthly heat, the mark of the Triforce of Power clearly etched into his shadowy skin. Just then, Link felt an itch the face of his left hand, the Triforce of Courage reacting to the close proximity of it’s sister shard.

“I see know.” Ganondorf said, his face turned sour. “The courage of Farore rests within you. All this time searching, and it was within this scrap! Had I known, you wouldn’t have lived passed opening the Temple of Time!

“So here, in my tower, all three pieces of the Triforce are within my grasp! Foolish boy! Knowing any better, you would have buried yourself under Lake Hylia when the waters raised!

“Now I need but reach out my hand and this world will end! Paving the way for a sunless paradise, my vessel in which I intend to travel the stars!”

The hero eased his thoughts and cleared his mind. Focusing the power of the Triforce of Courage that lay within his soul, he fought out the apprehension that was building and took a step forward, signifying his will to strike down evil wherever it should choose to flourish.

Ganondorf chuckled and raised his staff above his head, his muscular form filling all of Link’s sight. “Then come!”

Dashing forward, his Pegasus Boots churning up dust as he flew, the Hero of Time leapt across the slim divide between him and his adversary, striking downward with the Master Sword with all the strength he could muster.

Ganondorf Dragmire grinned. Blocking the futile assault with merely his left forearm, he chuckled his intentions and swept the boy away with an inherent abominable grace, his red cloak billowing behind him from the force. Looking at his arm, he could see a slight scuff on his armor, nothing more than a scratch in the darkened steel.

“Do you see now, boy?” Ganondorf showed the score. “Master Sword indeed!”

Taken aback by the lack of damage inflicted on the Dark Lord, Link took a step back and readied his shield in expectation of a retaliatory move.

Ganondorf couldn’t control his vile laughter. “Do you not see?!? I..AM..A GOD!!!”

Taking his bladed staff in both hands, the Gerudo King charged the scythe with black magic and charged at the boy. Swinging the black-fire-burning rod, Ganondorf crushed down on the boy, hatred seething through his teeth.

Incapable of parrying such brute strength, Link rolled forward and narrowly dodged the flaming cane as it smashed into the floor, creating a deep crack in the chiseled stone. Now behind the Dark Lord, the hero swung the Master Sword at the Gerudo’s Achilles, an attack that would fell any creature on legs.

Glancing off, the attack only made Ganondorf even more vain. “Please, try something a little more clever. I am growing bored with these pokes and pricks.”

Circling around with amazing speed, Ganondorf swung a mighty right hand like a hammer, striking the hero across his right temple. Flying to the edge of the tower, if his mind had but been a little more somnolent he would have surely rolled off the edge and down into the molten rock at it’s base. Gripping a slit in the rock, he pulled himself back to the relative safety of the towers facade.

Slowly raising to his feet, the boy’s right eye started to swell from that crushing blow and a slight trickle of blood ran down his chin.

“Do you see, boy?” Ganondorf dropped the staff, no longer feeling the Hylian a direct threat. “Even with that magical stick in hand you are nothing more than a recreant fairy-herder! Come at me, I will not even defend! Let’s see what other futile attacks you have!”

Gritting his teeth, Link dashed at the Gerudo. Jumping through the air, he quickly sheathed the Master Sword and threw his fist down to the ground, erupting the gray stone in a blazing explosion of fire and heat.

Withdrawing back a few feet, Link half-expected Ganondorf to be at least singed, but was horrified at the sight of the dark lord not even moved.

“Din’s fire?!? Ganondorf himself couldn’t believe it. “By the Goddesses, boy, what do you think I am made of?!?”

Repeating Link’s attempt in his own fashion, Ganondorf snapped his fingers and the entire top of the tower was engulfed in a conflagration hot enough to rival the liquefied rock at the base of the tower.

Ducking behind his shield to defend himself from the blast, the boy was surprised to see himself encapsulated by some kind of blue-tinted crystal, shielding him from the heat of the fire.

Link! The hero could hear the Princess calling him from some nethermost plain. He’s too powerful to defeat with just a blade! Realize the truth! The Master Sword is just that, a sword. YOU are evil’s bane, Link. You ARE the Master Sword! The power is in you....and me.

Link didn’t understand.

The Triforce, Link! He holds the power of Din, force and fire his only weapons! You can’t fight him with that power, your not strong enough! You can’t be! Only courage and wisdom together can defeat the dark lord.

I entrust it to you, the power of the Goddess Nayru. May her love descend upon you in this dark time and give you the strength you need.

Link felt a curious swell within him, as if being lifted up from the ocean. Simultaneously he felt a pinch, the Princess Zelda’s voice going silent and the feeling of her presence leaving the boy.

Taking in a deep breath, Link dropped the shield and stood to his feet, the force of the blazing inferno at the top of the tower passing around him like a rock parting a stream. His eyes turning solid white, Link removed the Master Sword from it’s scabbard and pointed it towards Ganondorf, the sheen of it’s blade starting to glow brightly.

The Black King ceased his display of fire and stood astonished, the boy before him standing firm against his colossal strength. Seeing the Master Sword returned to such power as of legend, he quickly retrieved his staff, holding it in a defensive position.

“Still just a boy.” Ganondorf said defiantly.

Culminating a ball of dark-energy in each of his fists, Ganondorf rushed the boy and swung his staff, the blade close enough to shave off the boy’s left ear.

Ducking and rolling, Link made the same move as he did before, coming about and facing the back of the dark lord. Sheathing the Master Sword, he quickly whipped out his fairy bow and instinctively loaded an arrow. He didn’t know why he did it, it just seemed like the right thing to
do.

“What are you going to do?” Ganondorf stared down the arrow that was pointed at his chest. “You have the Master Sword and yet you threaten me with a sliver of wood? Enough of this charade! You’re end is now!”

The giant of a man charged at the minuscule boy, his burning staff flailing wildly in the wind. Link knew he should fear it, but he didn’t. Instead he felt a calming peace come over him, and the sage Rauru’s presence could be felt in Link’s fingertips. Carousing across the shaft of the arrow like arboreal vines of light, Link’s entire body turned luminescent with the powers of the Light Sage. A paragon of light amongst the dark and dreary landscape of modern Hyrule that could be seen all across the land from the high mountaintops all the way to the distant lakes of Hylia.

Fill him with light. Rauru’s thoughts could be heard. And he will fall.

Loosing the shaft from the taut strings of the fairy bow, Link closed his eyes as the missile struck home.

Falling back a few feet, his mind disbelieving, Ganondorf looked down to see the arrow protruding from in-between his ribs, firmly lodged within his right lung. A sliver of a crack appearing in his armor, he could see a faint light coming from within.

“What is this?”

Ganondorf felt a numbing sensation in his chest and for the first time felt weakness. Looking up to his adversary, he, for a brief, intangible moment, held a begrudging respect for one who at last could challenge his superiority.

“I will not fail.” Ganondorf said antagonistically. “You’re people will wither and die, my kind will rule the stars once again!”

Wordlessly answering, Link reloaded his bow and fired another arrow into the dark lord, this one hitting him cleanly in the gut.

Gasping as the power of light started to fill his darkness-infested body, Ganondorf fell to a knee and gripped the shaft of the second arrow. Trying to remove the arrow, he spit out a vile darkness that was his blood, the shaft unwilling to budge.

“Is this how you would defeat me?” Ganondorf’s ways were never to change. “Like a coward in the distance? Still no honor in your wretched house. Your father was the same, unwilling to risk his own life but plenty able to send those whom served him to their deaths.”

Link stood to his feet and selectively launched another arrow into Dragmire’s other lung, the poisonous light of the sages starting to make his skin lighten.

“Fine.” Ganondorf placed a hand on the ground to steady himself. “Murder me. It is you’re descendants that will pay, if not you. I will have my vengeance, wether in this life or the next, and you will be long dead when I return to conquer! I curse you!”

Ganondorf was clearly losing control of himself, growing desperate as the power of Din and light started to consume him. “Curse you!! And your house!! And your Children!! All the comings of the ages are for me to command, and you shall never be rid of me! This I swear, the Triforce of Power within my soul, that you will never be complete without me!!

Ganondorf pushed himself to his feet, his armor cracking and his red cloak turning to shreds. “I am Ganondorf Dragmire! King of the Gerudos! High Lord of Hyrule! Commander of the Triforce of Power! I am a God amongst men, and you are nothing but a shadow in the dust!”

Lifting up his staff he charged at Link, the Gerudo’s eyes turning red with hatred. Reacting defensively, the boy dropped the bow and unsheathed the Master Sword once more, throwing it like a spear into the heart of the Black King.

The force of the blade entering his body threw Ganondorf backwards and onto his back. Unnaturally still alive, he struggled to remove the blade which seemed to leech onto his body like a vine, holding firm against his strength.

“Not yet!” Ganondorf screamed, tearing the sword out of his body, his heart still attached to the ardent blade.

Rolling over in agony, the dark lord shivered and convulsed, his hands holding over the gaping hole in his chest, but soon fell still.

Taking in a deep breath, Link closed his eyes and felt a sense of relief pass over him. It was done, Ganondorf had been defeated and shuffled loose. Hyrule was safe again, the progeny of civilization will continue to thrive and rebuild. Walking to the edge of the tower, he spied outwards across Hyrule field and the great beyond of the Wildlands.

Link! The boy could hear the voice of his childhood friend, the Kokiri sage of the forest, Saria, whispering in his mind.

Turning his head back to Ganondorf’s corpse, the boy could see that the heart of the villain, while pierced by the sword and no longer within his body, was still beating. Glancing over to where the body should have been, there only lay a smudge on the rock, a shadow of the man. The ground started to quake and pieces of the tower started to crumble, the base laughter of the Black King carried on the wind and echoed amongst the distant mountains. Link wasted no time in retrieving the Master Sword, sliding the black heart off with his boot and kicking it off the tower and into the charring lava below.

Run, Link, run! Saria screamed into Link’s mind.

Little did he know, those would be the last words he would ever hear his friend speak.

Running to the opposite ledge of the tower, Link saw a distant arm of a flagpole, dramatically jutting forward about halfway down the cylindrical castle. Nearly four flights down, Link quickly dove off the edge of the tower and flipped out his Hover Boots, using them with his hands to slow his drop enough.

Hooking the pole with the inside of his elbow, Link slid down the angled shaft and flew through a stained-glass window, one that previously was in old-Hyrule castle in the throne room. Rolling against the near wall, the hero was surrounded by falling rock and fleeing Iron Knuckles who paid little attention to the regicidal maniac in their midst while the tower collapsed.

Ignoring his enemies as well, Link got to his feet and started to make for the nearest stairs when he heard a faint call, coming from somewhere deep within the castle. Throwing away all inhibition the hero ran to the cry, hurdling over the crumbling stone and the dead he had left behind while he ascended the tower only minutes before.

Coming to a vaulted door, he pushed through the heavy iron-clad slats and entered what looked to be a sacrificial chamber, the Princess Zelda strapped to a gold and purple-velvet covered table. She looked like she wasn’t breathing.

Rushing over to her, Link quickly cut the leather cords that held her down and heaved her slender frame over his shoulder. Invoking the powers of Nayru, Link erected an impenetrable shield of reflecting crystal to shield the Princess from the falling rock and scant defenders still in
the tower.

Kicking out a near window, the hero pulled out his hookshot and took aim at a near wooden timber that made up a canopy over the main entrance to the castle. Launching the spring-loaded grappling hook at the timber, it firmly took hold and yanked the two out of the window and into the open air.

Locking the chain at it’s distance, Link swung around the front of the castle. Perfectly timing the descent, he released the clamping mechanism on the hookshot and dropped the two on the Light Bridge that connected the castle to the mainland; a passage to supposed safety. Nearly sliding off the side of the bridge, a fortuitous gust of wind from the underside of the bridge steadied the boy and the comatose Princess in his arms.

Relieved to have had made it out of the castle, Link turned and watched as the imposing shrine to death shifted and crumbled into the lake of lava, in turn ending the symbol for the seven years of tyranny and oppression that had plagued the Hylian people.

But the question remained and the boy searched for signs of him all over the ruined grounds: where was Ganondorf?

Gently laying the Princess down on the mainland, Link placed a dirtied hand on her slender neck, feeling no beating of her heart to the touch of his fingers. She looked angelic, her skin light and her face showing no signs of pain. She was as Link always wished to remember her: a Princess of Hyrule.

Defeat settled in. Even though Ganondorf received a mortal blow, the cost seemed too high to the young man. The land was devastated. The inhabitants all but enslaved and destroyed. The Kokiri were gone, the Deku tree dead. The Zoras were encased in ice, perhaps never to awaken. The Gorons where sacrificed to a fire-breathing dragon, few remain. The Gerudos, whom a male was only born every one-hundred years, was without a heir and would quickly die out and fade into the other races.

Even then, with all this death and destruction supposedly behind them, had anything really changed? The Black King was still out there. Link could feel it, and it was only a matter of time before he resurfaced again.

“Link?”

The boy jumped to his feet, startled by a familiar voice.

“Is it done?”

The hero looked down. The Princess’ eyes were open, tired-looking against the setting sun. Incapable of reacting to the sudden sight of Zelda being alive, he stood there emotionless like a statue.

“Is it done, Link?” The Princess asked again.

Just then, a slight rumble could be heard coming from the base of the ruined castle. Link turned to Zelda and shook his head, knowing now that this fight may never end.

“Help me.” Zelda held up a gloved hand to her friend.

Taking the young woman’s delicate hand, Link raised her to her feet and helped her steady herself, her footing seeming to be feeble and unsure.

“I’m fine.” Zelda reassured her companion. “At least for the moment. Don’t worry about me. All that matters now is him.”

Unbeknownst to the two would-be saviors of Hyrule, down in the bottomless depths of the lava flow was Ganondorf’s heart, slowly sinking as the molten rock tried hopelessly to consume the mantle of evil that pervaded it’s sole existence. Still beating, the heart was a testament to the dark lord’s intentions: eternity absolute.

Branded upon the heart’s surface was the form of a triangle on top of two others. Starting to glow and pulsate, the power of the Triforce could not be undone.

Bursting forth from the lava, the demon-god Ganon forced it’s way to the surface. It was the body of Ganondorf, unmistakably so, but the soul of the man that once was no doubt had been consumed. It’s eyes shooting flames that licked across the creatures face, it vaulted into the air and took space above the ruins of the castle.

The sky grew dark, but no clouds or stars were anywhere to be seen. Darkness crept into the world, though not through the absence of light. Evil had just been birthed. Anything before had just been a fluttering of infamy. This was pure sin amongst the living, the dead in their tombs turning to ash and the very fabrics of the Sacred Realm starting to unwind.

Lightning struck. Thunder roared through the impenetrable heavens. It was all Zelda could do to prevent herself from falling into terror, her piece of the Triforce still in Link’s possession.

“Ganondorf.” Zelda spoke into the open.

Answered only by the demonic laughter of the beast before them, the phantom raised a hand and with a lifting motion the lava field below lifted up to the level of the castle and the mainland. Link and Zelda stepped back, but didn’t flee. A grin could be seen on the face of the distant Ganon and he screamed a ghoulish screech, the lava answering by instantly cooling and reverting back to solid stone.

Dropping to the ground with an aerial grace, Ganon moved his head to the side and stared at the reflecting beauty of the Light Bridge. Then, with a disgusted wave of his hand, the bridge turned to ash, cracked, crumbled, and fell to the ground. Appeased with his own wretchedness, Ganon folded his arms and awaited a response from the two Hylians before him.

Link again took sword in hand, holding evil’s bane in his left grip. Offering his fairy bow and his quiver of arrows to the Princess, he knew that he would need her help if there were to be any hope of defeating this immortal.

“I can’t.” Zelda said, backing away. “I’m not strong enough.”

Link placed a dirtied hand upon the Princess’ cheek, feeling a warm tear pass down over his knuckles.

“Never fear.” The hero whispered with a weak smile.

Link returned the Triforce of Wisdom to Zelda, never once considering of keeping it for himself. Her strength of mind returned, Zelda nodded to the Hero of Time and took the bow and quiver without further thought or speech. Loading a shaft onto the tense string, she closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to herself. Invoking Rauru’s power within her, Zelda infused the arrows with that same evil-burning light that Link had and stepped forward first towards the demon-god.

Ganon laughed.

Rushing forward, Link threw all his strength into his Pegasus boots and darted towards Ganon with blinding speed. Launching one carefully aimed Light Arrow, Zelda hit her mark and it exploded into a brilliant fireball of light. The demon momentarily blinded, Link pulled out his hookshot and shot it forward, the piercing tip latching onto Ganon’s armor.

The hookshot pulling the boy at his foe at an even faster rate than the magic boots could manage, Link flew through the air like an arrow in his own right. Master Sword at point, Link surged the blade through the chest of the demon and twisted it upwards, lodging the blade firmly within Ganon’s body. The blade went straight up his throat and into his skull, the hilt pressing deeply into his chest.

Swiping the boy away with a claw that could shred steel, Ganon giggled and started to move towards the boy with a victor’s gait.

Lying on his face on the rock, blood rushing from him freely, the demon gripped Link and lifted him up by the scruff of his neck, proudly displaying him for Zelda to see.

Zelda couldn’t help but load up another Light Arrow and launch it at Ganon. Reacting as if he could see it before it happened, Link grabbed Ganon by the neck with his right hand and swung himself around, giving the demon what looked like a bear hug just as the arrow struck the hero square in the back.

Zelda gasped and dropped the bow, terrified of what she had done.

The bolt firmly in him, Link managed to look up at the demon in his grip. Ganon grinned at first, ecstatic to see the Hero of Time finally vanquished, but then his face turned to horror when he saw the boy smile back.

His body virtually infected with the healing powers of pure light, Link melded himself with the Master Sword embedded within Ganon’s body, causing the demon’s body to also be drawn into it’s reflective blade. Belting out curses in indiscernible languages, Ganon breathed his last free Hylian breath as he disappeared into the Master Sword, his evil permanently imprisoned.

Zelda rushed to the sight, the sword falling from the air and clattering upon the craggy surface. Stooping over Evil’s Bane, she shed a tear onto it’s glossy blade and for a brief moment saw the face of her champion, a friendly smile was all he gave as he faded into the light.

All that remained of Ganon and Link were their shadows, permanently etched into the rock below from the brilliance of the light.

Taking the sword in hand, Zelda empowered the blade with the Triforce of Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, and the three pieces of the relic were again whole. The blade was returned to the Temple of Time and again sealed, the three Spiritual Stone Keys returned to their native peoples. No one knows what happened to the Ocarina of Time, the final key to the Sacred Realm where the Triforce now rests, but most think it sang it’s final note as the sun rose the following day; a lament for the fallen hero.

Kokiri friend, son of Rachel and Carnelian, the Hero of Time, the savior of Hyrule, the Master of the Winds. These are all names of the legend that would be told amongst the peoples of Hyrule for generations to come, but to Zelda he would simply be known as Link, her quiet hero.

As for the hero himself, only time could tell where he had gone.



Chapter Two: “A Cold Awakening”



“The rising sun will eventually set, a newborn's life will fade. From sun to moon, moon to sun. Give peaceful rest to the living dead.”

- The Composer Brothers



Link’s sleep was restless, frigid, and dark. Flashing images of old wounds and past foes cut through his psyche as a sickle glides through wheat. He could see faces. Hundreds of faces, ally, enemy, and stranger alike, flickering around him as his memories faded into one another. Some were just as he remembered them, warm and friendly. Others were not so pleasant.

“Link....” Their voices were ethereal and distant, many blending into one. “Brave Link....dost thou still have the courage?”

Just then, Link felt Saria’s presence singled out from the horde. He couldn’t see her, but he knew she was near. Even in this dreamscape, he realized he was in danger as his childhood friend only came to him when menace lay in wait.

Frozen down to his soul, Link desperately tried to wake himself, only to find he was trapped within his own mind. Confused, he searched his thoughts for what brought him here, for what entangled him in this madness.

All he could see was a blank slate; darkness begetting shadier schemes. But somehow he knew who he was. He could feel his friend Saria, somewhere in this labyrinth of suppressed memory. He knew he wasn’t alone, but he couldn’t help but feel that way.

Then there was a light in the distance. At first hazy and intermittent, it soon grew and brightened. Warming the chill in his veins, Link could feel the sweet breath of life fill his slumbering body. His eyes opened, as if for the first time, and laying before him he could see it: the Master Sword in it’s pedestal.

Surrounded by crumbled stone and feral vines, the blade was rusted and dull; a sign of age and neglect. Link was worried of what had become of it, seeing a steadfast relic of the ages in such a state of decay.

The boy looked around him, seeing at once foreign and familiar places. Odd, old things littered the ground, debris and ruins long since cast aside and forgotten. Shattered mirrors, tumbled statues, and fallen chandeliers were all about the legendary blade. Long, arching fingers of stone clawed their way into the sky overhead; the bones of a kingdom.

As his memories returned, Link finally recognized where he was: the Temple of Time.

In awe at the rampant chaos about this sacred grove in the forest, Link moved towards the upright blade in the ground. Not one part of the blade was as it should have been. The blade was rusted and chipped, a slight crack running across it’s center. The hilt was covered in drooping vines of gossamer hedge. The pommel was slightly crooked, as if someone intent on taking the sword tried to crush it with a hammer when the blade wouldn’t budge from it’s nest.

Link reached out to touch the once might weapon of the Goddesses, but jerked back as he heard a wicked laughter fill the grove. Searching around for the source, there wasn’t anyone else in the grove, but Link knew that he was definitely not alone.

Rummaging about his clothing for weapons, Link found himself lacking. Drawing near the Master Sword, he stood by it to await his foe from the darkness.

“It is time, boy!” Ganondorf’s coarse and powerful voice echoed into the decrepit temple. “For all your meddling, for all your triumph, here we are in the ruins of what you saved. And for what? For your beneficiaries to destroy it themselves!”

Link’s face was stern, unmovable. It was as if it were yesterday that he sacrificed himself to defeat the Gerudo King, and yet things had changed so much.

“I am free once again!” Ganondorf said with wicked glee. “The Triforce of Power in my fist, there is nothing to stop me! You, trapped within these walls of air, are doomed to be imprisoned within the very magic you used to destroy me!

“Look! The very blade you would use against me is broken!

“So tell me then, Hylian spawn, where are your Goddesses now?”

Then Link saw him. Entering the grove as if from nowhere, Ganondorf’s towering frame of black armor dauntlessly ventured forth. Carrying a luminous sword that looked as if it were made of light, he charged forward at the boy, hatred burning in his eyes.

Link instinctively reached out and gripped the Master Sword. With all his might he pulled on the blade, it’s body refusing to budge.

Swinging that foul blade, Ganondorf Dragmire cut clean through the Master Sword as Link rolled away, the hilt and pommel of Evil’s Bane flying off into the trees with a dark, whistling sound. Link looked at the severed blade in horror, the weapon of the Goddesses destroyed so easily.

Guttural laughter escaped from Dragmire’s lungs. “Now do you see, boy? It was all for nothing!”

Ganondorf lunged at the small boy, the fearsome tip of his engulfing sword flying through the air like a stream of liquid rock. Link was despaired, but his courage and his will to defeat evil didn’t falter.

Rolling forward under the singing blade, Link flew into Ganondorf’s legs, causing the Dark Lord to tumble and fall, nearly onto his own sword. Seeing no chance in defeating him in this meeting, Link bolted off towards the trees, snatching up the Master Sword hilt as he went.

“Curse you, Link!” Ganondorf screamed into the jungle as he watched the boy run. “Your days are numbered!”

Returning to the pedestal with the shard of the Master Sword jutting profoundly into the air, the Dark Lord grinned.

With his vile tongue dancing behind his teeth, he whispered ever so softly into the grove. “And so are the days of those of which you are ancestor.”

Link ran and ran and ran through the drooping trees and wind-blown rock. Never before in his previous adventures had he chose to flee rather than fight. Unsettling in it’s nature, Link had to accept defeat for this day.

After many arduous miles of overgrown jungle, Link finally came to rest at the base of a trickling waterfall. Judging by the shape of the land, he was sure it was once a grand river, now just a small stream bubbling amongst the rounded stones.

Dropping to his knees, he held the Master Sword’s hilt in his hands and looked at it’s once wondrous form. Rusted to the very core of the steel, the knife was useless, cancerous, and defeated. Gripping the hilt tightly, he held it to his chest and cradled it like a child in his arms, praying for strength to return.

Looking at his left hand, he could see the outline of the Triforce of Courage, though it was faint and barely visible. Link wondered to himself how long had he been trapped with the Dark Lord within Evil’s Bane, the prison made by the goddesses to contain evil. But even with Ganondorf caged, it seemed like the land had still fallen into turmoil and regress.

And then the thought hit him: where was Zelda?



Chapter Three: “Old Friends - New Friends”



“The flow of time is always cruel... its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it... A thing that does not change with time is a memory of younger days... “

- Sheik



Physically exhausted from the speedy flight and mentally exhausted from the shock of recent events, Link fell into a comatose state in the soft earth and bushy hedges near the river. He couldn’t think at this point. What was he to do? Ganondorf was back out into the world and the only weapon against him had been shattered. He needed to get some bearings.

Then, as he lay there motionless, a tall, gaunt person came into the corner of his eye. Close, a mere ten feet away, the figure was stooping over the stream and gathering water in a leather pouch. He must have been an adventurer: a woodsman out in the forests and mountains, possibly on the run.

Unsure of the man’s leanings, Link quickly sprung up and wrapped around the man’s back, neatly placing the rusty Master Sword at his neck.

“Whoa, there!” The man said, obviously not afraid as he put his hands in the air. “Didn’t know this stream belonged to anyone. Apologies.”

Link sensed this man wasn’t a dark being and released his grip. Backing away he lowered his fragile blade and showed his hands in earnest.

The stranger turned to face the boy, hiding any expression at the sight of Link’s pointed ears.

“Quite a weapon you got there.” The woodsman commented on the rusty blade. “You new to the region?”

Link pondered the thought for a moment, but then relented with a nod.

“Well then, let me be the first to welcome you!” The man said cheerfully. “I am known as Cale, and this jumbled mess of a woodland is known as Creydo, the royal forest. What’s your name?”

The boy responded quietly.

“Link, eh?” Cale said with a warm smile, having seen a myriad of lost travelers in the region lately. “Welcome, Link of the Creydo. This is a place of new beginnings for many, and I hope it will be good to you. I’d ask where you’ve come from, but most would rather it be forgotten.

Cale finished filling his water pouch and strung it to his hip. “I’m heading to the Fortress City for a festival. One of the biggest of the year. Care to join me? We could get you set up until you figure out where you want to be?”

Link was unsure if he wanted to see the world so changed, but knew it was the only way to set things right before it was too late. He gave the woodsman a nod.

“Good!” Cale approached and put a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Then come with me, Link of the Creydo, and I’ll show you the time of your life.”

Following the adventurer for a few miles, the two came to an opening in the forest, the choking foliage shifting into roving grasslands of amber. Link thought of Hyrule Field when he saw it, but couldn’t be sure as the landscape was so vastly different to all those sunsets he grew up with.

“See there?” Cale said, pointing due east at a massive castle in the center of the field. “Ersatz Fortress, this kingdom’s seat. Impressive, yes?”

Link nodded, taking note of the similarity of the fortress design to Ganon’s Tower, mixed with Hyrule Castle.

Cale turned back to his new friend. “It’s been there for centuries. You ever hear of it?”

Link shook his head, his eyes never leaving the dark towers.

“Good! It’ll give us something to talk about for the remainder of the journey.

“It was built after a great war, the two fighting hardly even remembered now. The tale goes that the old country that was here, High Rule I believe it was called, was decimated by disease, famine, and desert raiders before succumbing, the very forests taking back the land that was stolen from it.

“And after decades of neglect, the land was finally raised up again under a new king, supposedly descended from the very knights that first tamed this land, and he built his castle in the very center of the realm. Not a very wise decision, as it would be impossible to defend all around at once, but a strong statement of the man’s will to control the kingdom.

“And soon after that, the entire realm under his rule, he vanished. No statement, no reason, no heir, no nothing. Just up and gone! Can you believe that? Becoming king just to run away?”

Link couldn’t take his eyes off the fortress as the two plodded on.

“He must have been mad.” The woodsman continued. “Anyhoo, after the kingship failed, a tribe of warrior women came and snatched up the realm for their own, and here we are.

“Which leads me to my first point that you must understand.” Cale stopped and turned to Link, looking him square in the eye. “Ersatz can be a very unforgiving place, especially in times like these with strangers coming from all over the world to live. You may not be welcomed, least of all with....”

Cale looked at Link’s ears. “You better cover them up. Most people here, myself included, have never seen Highlander before. I thought you were all wiped out centuries ago with the fall of your kingdom, or even just a piece of legend. Forgive my asking, but where did you come from?”

Link didn’t know what else to do other than shrug, the truth being to difficult to explain to someone who didn’t know.

“I see. Well....here.” Cale reached into his bag and handed Link a brown woolen hat. “It may be a little warm for this time of year, but it’s better than getting dragged away into the Empress’ inner keep. Your dress isn’t that impressive either, but this time of year in Ersatz anything goes.”

Link threw the cap on over his head, tucking his ears into the itchy fabric.

“Good!” Cale said, trying not to laugh at the silliness of how Link appeared in his green tunic. “Let’s hurry then, we want to get into the city before nightfall!”

The two walked at a fast pace for the final leg of the journey, reaching the high gates of Ersatz just before the sun began to set over the now-distant Creydo woodlands. Looking to the north, Link finally saw a truly familiar sight that hadn’t changed at all: Death Mountain. He wondered what ever became of Darunia and Link, Darunia’s son who carried the same name as him.

Taking note of Link’s pause, Cale stood next to him and also gazed up at the bare peak. “That’s the Cursed Mountain, Link. Gaze upon it, but do not ever venture there. They say it is full of monsters, ones who breath fire and eat stone while they wait for human prey. Best let it alone.

“Come, before they close the gate on us. No one is allowed to enter or leave once nightfall comes.”

Following the man, Link passed through the massive archways that led into the city within it’s walls. Tucking the hilt of the Master Sword into his belt, he draped his tunic over it to keep it hidden from prying eyes.

It was a wild city, full of merchants, entertainers, soldiers, and adventurers alike. Link thought to himself that if Hyrule had this many fighting men in wait when Ganondorf attacked, perhaps things may have been different. Perhaps none of this would have ever happened.

“Hey there!” Cale said to the boy with the wandering mind. “You here or you off battling a dragon?"

Link gave him a smile. If only he knew.

“Good! Come, let’s get you set up before the festival starts. Don’t want to miss the party, now, do we?”

Coursing through the mob of people like rocks in a stream, the two travelers came upon a shop. Motioning to the boy to follow, Cale walked on in and began perusing clothing.

“Here!” The man said with a hint of excitement. “Take these.”

Link looked at the man blankly.

“Oh, no don’t worry about it.” Cale said with a wink. “I’ve got all money in the world!”

Link thought the getup a bit too colorful and baggy for his taste, but agreed so he could blend in more with the rest this new world.

“Fantastic....” Cale also wasn’t sure of how it looked on him, but knew no one would ever guess that he was an outsider. “Well then, what are you waiting for? Let’s go!”

Taking Link to a large square in the city, Link was amazed to see things like acrobats, fire-breathers, jugglers, and contortionists in the crowds of people. Passing through, the two engaged in mild-mannered frivolity such as races, lawn bowling, and drinking contests until they came to an archery competition.

“Can you shoot?” Cale asked of the boy.

Link nodded halfheartedly, not wishing to draw attention to himself.

“Oh, come on now. Don’t be shy!” The man working the archery range said. “Any fool can shoot a bow, let alone a pistol.”

“Here, let’s see what you got.” Cale grabbed a bow from the counter and strung an arrow for the boy. “Try for the center.”

Link tested the bow’s string. It was loose, probably needed to be replaced, but he knew all about the tricks these festival-folk would try to make you lose. Taking aim at the nearest target, he let loose the arrow which struck on the far outside of the target.

“Oh, too bad.” Cale said. “Guess I’ll have to show you up.”

Cale reached behind him and pulled out a beautiful ash bow, ornately decorated and obviously a sign of the man’s trade. With one of his own arrows, he launched a bolt that flew like the wind, striking the nearest target dead-center.

“Here.” Cale haded the bow with a strung arrow to Link. “Try it with mine.”

Taking aim at the same target, Link’s first thought was to only do slightly better, but his pride got the best of him and he let an arrow fly into the distance, striking the farthest target on the range with perfect accuracy.

“Well....done....” The man behind the counter said. “Wow! That target never’s been hit before with a bow! Pistols, yes, but never a bow!”

“Lucky shot.” Cale undermined the boy’s skill. “Bet you can’t do it again.”

Link looked Cale in the eye, noticing the man’s tone was slightly off from normal. Just then, he knew he did something he shouldn’t have. Taking another arrow, he launched it in the same direction, but struck it in the ground.

“There, you see?” Cale said with a grin. “Lucky shot.”

“Too bad.” The operator said. “I thought you where really that good.”

“Yes, too bad.” Cale gripped Link on the shoulder. “Come, let’s try something we can actually win.”

Walking off into the crowd, Cale kept his eyes forward but whispered to Link in a harsh tone. “Never do that again in the city. Unless you want to be taken by the armored guard and forced into the army, you need to be average. Understand?”

Link silently nodded, having heard stories back at home about Gerudos taking Hylian children to raise them as their own soldiers.

“Good!” Cale returned to his cheerful self.

Cale was about to take Link into a mead hall when the booming sound of one of the massive city bells rang out into the city. The crowd grew quiet and started to rush towards the northern end of the fortress, near the base of one of the towers.

“Well, never mind that then. Come, Link. It’s time for the Empress to join the party.”

Here's the next chapter.

Chapter Four: "Heroes of Songs Unsung"


"They say we Hylians have big ears in order to hear the voices of the gods...but I’ve never heard them!"

- Hyrulean Villager


Moving towards that massive obelisk that was the inner keep of the Empress and her government, Link and Cale grab a couple of flagons of mead and stand in the crowd. Gazing up, there was an outcropping about ten stories from the ground, a balcony from which any official could address the people of Ersatz. It was as if you were listening to the very Goddesses themselves.

Then she came to the cheers of the mob below. So high even Link’s Hyrulean eyes could barely see her, but he could swear he knew her. At least, he thought he did.

"Ah....there she is." Cale said with a whimsical sigh to Link. "The Empress of all Ersatz and the surrounding badlands. She’s quite a beauty, from what I hear, but unfortunately from this distance we may never know.

"More mead?" He asked of the Highlander.

Link didn’t respond. Staring upwards at the prominent figure in the sky, he was entranced. He felt so uncertain about her, a monarch of such a country, but felt that he had to see her.

"Don’t even think." Cale said sternly. "I feel as if I know you, Link, and I can read your thoughts better than that sham of a fortune teller back there. Breaking into the tower is punishable by death, on the spot! Madness, friend!"

Link smiled.

"Fine, be that way. But don’t go getting blood on that nice new shirt I bought for you."

The crowd grew silent, the Empress’ hands in the air.

"Well, here we go." Cale said, the mead making his fingertips feel a little fuzzy.

"People of Ersatz." The Empress’ voice was clean and crisp, like an autumn leaf flowing down a stream. "We are here this day to celebrate great deeds and heroes of legend. From the curses of The Mountain, to the secrets of the eastern woodlands, fallen men and women of honor ask us for this day. From the great lakes to the south and the vast seas of the west, those taken by the water Gods also ask us for this day.

"But, more importantly, the Great Hero asks us for this day. A day to remember, a day to celebrate, and a day to honor his sacrifice to rid the world of evil. Though centuries have passed since this great deed, we are here this day in due part to his valiant triumph over the darkness that plagued this land."

Link looked away, taking glances at those in the crowd, people enthralled by the story told by their Breathtaking Empress. Could it really be that what he had done had passed on for so long through the generations?

"And so, let us take up a cup." The Empress took a golden chalice from a servant and raised it to the heavens. "All hail Ganondorf."

The crowd all yelled hail in unison and drank, toasting their great hero of old. Link's face turned placid and he froze, flagon of mead still in hand.

"And to the defeated foe!" The Empress continued. "That the Highlander may never again roam this world, lest we fall into darkness and despair under their villainy!"

The mass drank again to the demise of Link’s people. The boy checked his hat to ensure his ears were still in tight.

"Your not drinking?" A stranger noticed that Link wasn’t raising his glass.

Link looked the man square in the eyes, the boy’s demeanor showing his nervousness amongst a crowd of possible enemies.

"Who are you?" The stranger asked of Link, others starting to take notice.

"He’s a friend of mine." Cale jumped in, trying to draw the attention away. "My brother. Just came in from the woodlands."

"Your brother doesn’t toast to Ganondorf, the Hero!" A large, burly man stepped in. "Blasphemy, to ignore his sacrifice!"

"He did too drink, didn’t you Link?" Cale was at the end of his being able to protect the outlander. "They just didn’t see, right?"

Link was grabbed by the collar before he could respond. "Lies! I know what I saw!"

"Order!" The loud, thunderous voice of a gold-armored knight rang out from the Empresses side. "What is this disturbance on the Day of Heroes?"

"This one wont drink!!" The large man holding on to Link’s shirt bellowed. "A spy!!"

"Bring him forward." The Empress said calmly. "Let him answer for himself."

Roughly moving the boy through the crowd, some men with daggers drawn, Link was thrown up onto a platform in the center of the crowd. Entering into the square, a platoon of dark-armored guards surrounded the platform, shielding the boy from possible acts of violence. One of the guards, his armor golden like the one on the balcony, stepped up onto the platform and put a firm grip on Link’s shoulder.

"Are you of Ersatz, stranger?" The gold-armored one asked of the boy. "Where is your country?"

Link didn’t know what to say. Where was his country?

Taking the boy’s silence as an act of treason, the knight swiftly swung an armored fist, striking Link across the face and causing the boy’s hat to fly off into the crowd.

Seeing the hat no longer disguising the boy, Cale quickly mingled into the crowd and disappeared.

The crowd grew silent as Link rose to his knees, his ears protruding plainly for everyone to see. Even the golden knights were taken aback, as no Highlander had been seen for well over a hundred years. They were supposed to be extinct.

"A Highlander?" The knight whispered. "A Highlander?!?"

"Death to the heretic!" A voice cried from the crowd, soon followed by others.

"Silence!" The knight in the tower commanded.

The Empress stayed motionless, unsure of what to do. The law was clear in regards to those of High Rule. They were prophesied to bring about the end of the world, as they had done in the past, and must be eliminated.

"What do we know of this Highlander, Sir Ironside?" The Empress asked of the golden knight. "Has he been followed since entering the city?"

"We thought him just a woodsman." The gold-encased knight answered. "He showed skill in the archery range, but tried to mask it. Other than that, he’s never been seen in Ersatz before."

"Hmm...." The Empress pondered this strange newcomer. "What do you recommend, good Sir knight?"

"Beheading." Ironside said without thought or conscience. "Now. For all to see. We were going to bring him in and do it quietly, but now the people are involved. It must be done."

The knight raised his hand, the one below responding by drawing out his sword and placing it against the back of Link’s neck.

"On your order, Empress."

She mulled over the point for a few moments, the crowd in utter despair over the lack of swift judgement. This was the Day of Heroes; bloodlust was running rampant, but she just didn’t think she could bear it. There was something about him, strange and familiar, but in the end her position won out.

"On my order." She whispered to herself. "The sentence is death, by the heading. Carry on, Sir knight."

A wicked smile on his face, the knight baring the blade at Link’s neck pulled back the knife and prepared to swing.

"Let this be an example for all the people of Ersatz to follow." Ironside said with a hint of pride to the mob below. "The only good Highlander....is a dead Highlander."

Flexing his muscles for the kill, the golden executioner stepped in to swing, but was met full force with an arrow, striking through the weak decorative plates and lodging deep within his chest.

Chaos erupted in the crowded square. The knights all stormed the center platform to aid their captain, only to be met with a hail of barbed shafts from all unseen directions. It was as if they were everywhere, veiled shadow archers striking out at their unknowing masters.

"Seal the city!" Ironside belted out as he rushed the Empress back into the tower. "Call in the outer rings, sweep through the streets, and pull those cowards out from their holes."

Shutting themselves in the tower, Ironside left the Empress and headed towards the armory with a disgusted gait, a stride fit for a warrior. Of all days to have a fight within the fortress, the renegades had to pick this one. He should have known better. He should have recognized the threat when he first saw that Highlander enter through his gates.

Coming to the end of a large hall, Ironside brushed the heavy oak doors aside and entered into the armory. His temper fuming with self-doubt, he felt like he needed to crush someone.

"Esclados!" He belted into the vast weapons storehouse.

"Aye?" A quiet man replied from behind some crates, unseen to Ironside’s eyes.

"Ready the city for war! High Rule’s stain has returned!"

A bit hard to understand, but not a bad story.
And it's Hyrule not High Rule. And Hyrulian or Hylian, not Highlander.

Originally Posted by Draconic

A bit hard to understand, but not a bad story.
And it's Hyrule not High Rule. And Hyrulian or Hylian, not Highlander.

Very good. I look forward to seeing more of this. Comprehension was okay on my part.
Keep up the good work.

"Highlander" and "High Rule" are used purposefully, as the names of places and peoples have changed through time....or are they yet to change? Even for me, nothing is certain. I don't plan stories out, they become too cliché and structured when I do; focus is lost. My stories evolve and grow as they are written, and I can only hope that I do the series justice.

Oh, and thank you, Akìtsune, for the comment. Yes, I probably will have another chapter or two within the next few hours.

Time for more!


Chapter Five: “The Shadows Amongst Us”


“Restless souls wander where they don't belong. Bring them calm with the Sun's Song.”

- Anonymous


Diving off the platform, Link’s initial reaction to the anarchy building in the streets was to disappear. Ersatz had become a dangerous place for him and without weapons or armor he was a good as dead. Then the thought came to him.

Dashing through the square, the people around him pushing and shoving to get away from the Highlander, Link made his way back to the archery range. Seeing the man behind the counter was gone, the unabashed Link snatched up the flimsy bow and a case of arrows, slinging the cheaply built quiver over his shoulder.

“There he is!” A boisterous voice said from the crowd.

A squad of knights entered the square, all of them baring teeth of serrated steel in their grips. Link quickly set an arrow on the bow, his fingers delicately holding on to the dirtied fletching at the butt of the shaft.

“Gonna shoot me, boy?” One of the knights said with a chuckle. “You couldn’t even hit a twenty-foot target with that piece of junk!”

Then the Shadows came. Coming out of the darkness like wraiths from their tombs, men drenched in ashen dusk and smoke mingled into the small contingent of knights, their bodies passing through wood and stone as if mere water and air. Taking the armored men one by one back into their dark nests, the Shadows quickly silenced their cries, leaving the boy alone in this jungle of madness and dark magics.

“Come!” One of the masked Shadows said to Link in a darkly female voice, reaching out to him with an ethereal hand. “While you still can!”

Link saw no lie in the strangers gray eyes and took her arm, the other pulling him into a near wall.

Feeling as if the very life was draining from him, the Link glanced around as the landscape began to shift and change. Walls, once thick and impenetrable, were but transparent barricades of hazy light. He could see everything, even into the farthest reaches of Ersatz and the surrounding countryside. Soldiers coming and going, Shadow people taking them at will, and the terror building within the chaos.

“Here!” That masked woman said, calling to the boy. “This way! Hurry!”

Link did as he was told, following the Shadow through a maze of walls, underground tunnels, and hidden cisterns buried within the city’s heart. Reaching a large staircase, the two Spiraled downward for what seemed an age of damp stone and mossy steps.

Silently, Link and his guide went deeper and deeper into the bottomless abyss until they came to a set of heavy oak doors. Large and foreboding with intricately detailed knots in the woodwork, Link could see an inscription on the bulky slats but the meaning eluded him. It was something akin to Hylian, but with more curves and circles. Curious still, Link couldn’t see through this door, as he could all the others in the upper world after the woman touched him.

“It’s the language of the old world,” The veiled woman said. “The inscription here. In the common tongue it means: If I cannot bend evil, then I shall move heaven.

“Don’t worry, you will be safe here....for now. I suppose you have questions. Who wouldn’t, given circumstance.”

Link nodded,

“Fair enough.” The woman removed her mask and hood, revealing her colorless hair and gossamer skin. “My name is Mara, and this is my city, Veritas.”

Mara lifted up her hands and pulled back her hair, revealing a set of Hylian ears. Link’s eyes widened and a smile came across his face.

“Yes, we are like you: Highlanders. Though I find you to be strange. I’ve never seen an old-one with blue eyes before.”

“Lady Mara!” A voice called from behind the two, back in the dark tunnels.

“Here, Jarilo.” Mara answered.

A man jogged up to the two at the doors. Having the same look of a ghost, he stopped at their feet, panting for breath and leaning on his knees.

“My Lady....the soldiers....are....” The man looked as if he was about to pass out.

“Take your time, Jarilo.” Mara’s demeanor was cool and calm. “When your ready.”

The man took a few seconds to catch his breath, then stood upright. “Ersatz is in total disorder. If we strike now at the keep....we have a good chance we can overrun them.”

“No.” Mara said plainly. “Conquest is not our goal.”

“But we may not get another chance!” Jarilo’s face turned cross. “We’ve exposed ourselves! They’d be ready for us next time!”

“And for good reason.” Mara reached out and put a hand on Link’s shoulder.

“No offense, my Lady, but what good does a scrap kid do for our kind? Why have we risked all these years of concealment for him?”

Mara smiled and pointed at Link’s ears. “But he is of our kind, is he not?”

“But look at him! He’s got color to him. It’s unnatural.”

“Yes,” Mara said to the other with a weak smile. “But no more than you or I. Call the rest home. We’ve done enough Shadow-work for today.”

Jarilo didn’t argue. Giving Mara a nod, he picked up his feet and ran off back into the tunnels.

“Such a blood-hound.” Mara said, watching the man go. “If he were lord of Veritas, we’d be at war every day of our lives.

“But never mind our problems, let’s look at yours.” Mara turned back to the boy. “What’s your name? ....Link? Interesting, if not foreign. I welcome you to my city, Link, and may it serve you well.”

Mara reached out and placed her right palm flat against the doors. Leaving from the woman’s fingertips, small traces of light wound through the knots on the lumber, it’s face slowly opening for the two on the outside.

“Enter, Link, with my invitation.” Mara said with a sense of tradition.

Link walked through the archway and found himself within a enormous expanse, hidden deep under the soil of Ersatz. A city made of earth and stone, it at once spoke of humility and temperance, yet showed the pride and craftsmanship of it’s people. The symbol of the knot and the sun were heavily prevalent amongst the archways and doors, signs of life and kinship. Link at first thought the people lived in absolute darkness when he traveled down those winding steps, but here he could see a sliver of light coming from the center of the expanse’s roof.

“That is our source of life.” Mara said, taking note of the boy’s observations. “That light is reflected off of mirrors that pass through long chains of tunnels, catching the sun’s rays from the peak of the mountain where it is purest.”

Link looked at the woman, feeling slight pity and a willingness to help.

“I know what you are thinking, but it’s impossible.” Mara said, despair hidden well within her words. “After all these generations of living underground, we’ve become sensitive to direct sunlight. Only by the light of the moon are we able to venture out into the upper world. Even then we have to be extremely cautious to not be too exposed.”

Link looked at his hand, him still being able to gaze through it to the ground below.

“Yes, you must forgive me for that. The only way I could save you from those brutes above was to bring you into our world. What you are experiencing is what we call The Eventide. Most children here can control it at will, but in your case it will take some time to harness it, as you are not born into it’s way. In that you must be careful. Don’t want you getting stuck inside a rock, now do we?

“Eventide is our form of battle. Stealth, secrecy, and fear are our weapons. Learn to use them, couple them with an arrow and bow, and our trade will become your greatest asset the dark times to come. To the upper-folk, we are known as Shadow people, rightfully so, and till now we were just of myth and legend.

“Your coming marks a new age for Veritas. I sense greatness in you, Link, and I think you can help us.”

Link gave the Lady of the underworld a nod.

“Then I suppose I should tell you why I brought you here. It wasn’t just idle curiosity. Our survival is too delicate for such petty undertakings.

“To put it plainly, sunlight, the giver of life, is turning into our greatest enemy. The forces of Ersatz are becoming more and more brazen on the slopes of the Cursed Mountain, pushing further and further with each passing year. Our spreading of superstition and ghost stories worked well for ages, but now there are those who no longer believe in such things. In short, they will soon find our mirrors, and undoubtedly smash them all to pieces. Our people cannot survive in darkness, despite what you might think. These mirrors must be protected!

“Which is where you come in. You are Highlander, one of our own, but you can also travel by day. I want you to go to the Cursed Mountain and protect the mirrors until we can come up with a plan to make them safe again.”

Mara Leaned in close, putting a hand on Link’s shoulder. Her silvery eyes were cold, dead-like even, but in them Link could see immense strength and tenderness, reminding Link of someone he used to know.

“Will you help us?” Mara entreated.

Without any thought for himself, Link nodded with that stern face of heart and determination.

Mara breathed a sigh of relief. “I thank you, Link, for the quest you are about to undertake. Do you have weapons?”

Link produced the rigged bow and crooked arrows he took from the archery range, but kept the Master Sword’s hilt concealed beneath his shirt.

Mara giggled at the sight. “Well, we can’t have you going out on an adventure in not but your skin, now can we? Follow me, we’ll set you off right.”

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn.

This story is stellar, and I might even go as far as to say that this is one of the best fanfictions I've read in this site quite a while. Your punctuation and grammar are occasionally a little spotty- I've noticed you tend to forget commas and randomly capitalize words that shouldn't be- but that can be fixed with editing. Your narrative is rich, your descriptions are vivid. You introduce new ideas without overwhelming the reader. Your action scenes are nice, and cntrary to what others said- I found it very easy to follow.

Overall: creative, interesting, just needs a bit more editing. But really, I'm hooked! Keep up the fantastic work! :3

Lly, I thank you for your kind words and I appreciate the input. Yes, I tend tend to fly through my writing pretty quickly, leaving spot-check editing for very last (or I make my wife do it ).

As far as punctuation and other shtuff is concerned, I pretty much taught myself how to write over the past few months so I am still learning and have plenty of room for improvement. I've considered taking some college-level writing courses, as I haven't been in school for a good seven years now, but just haven't been able to push myself through the door. Truly, if you ever want to see something really scary, you should check out some of my older works on my myspace *cringe*

P.S. Oh yes, I almost forgot! This story is my attempt to downsize my writing into more digestible blocks. My previous attempt, an epic 500+ page fantasy novel, was so overwhelming with information that even I couldn't keep track of it all and the story was going nowhere because of it. I'm glad to hear that this is passable!

Thanks again!

More on the way 


Chapter Six: “Tools of the Trade”

“Oh well...It's tough to be a working man.”

- Ingo

Mara took the young boy in the colorful shirt to the heart of Veritas, a center of instruction and conflict laying in wait. Unable to hide her elation and relief coupled with Link’s destined coming, the Lady of the underworld couldn’t help but show a smile on her chalky face as they passed by the common folk, curiosity in their eyes.

“Here we are.” Mara said, stopping just short of a darkened archway that seemed to stretch into improbable nothingness. “And this is where we part ways....for now. There, in the tunnels of woe, you must prove yourself worthy of our art.

“I won’t lie to you, Link. This is a dangerous place, even for us shadows, and you must be ever careful that you don’t fall victim to it’s treachery.”

Lady Mara stepped just inside the arch. Her presence seeming to drive the very darkness away from it’s feral haunt, the gloom opened up to a large descending staircase of stone and iron, beckoning unwise souls to dare enter.

“It is an evil place, the tunnels of woe. Keep your feet in front of you, and I will see you on the other side. But do not trust a dream while within it’s grasp. It would only destroy you from within.”

Link pulled out an arrow and strung it on his bow’s loose string, not one to blindly enter such a place without constant readiness.

“No.” Mara interjected. “Only a fool would enter here with anything more than strength of heart and spirit. Arms such as this would but lead you to your death.”

Unsure of it, Link relented and passed the bow and quiver to the shadowy Lady. Taking a deep breath, Link steeled his nerves and pushed his feet on.

Mara stood by as Link passed through the archway, her eyes never leaving him. “Farewell, Link....and....good luck.”

Link turned to face her, but saw only a solid wall of rock cutting off his return to the light. Sealed within the tunnels, the shaft slowly lapsed back into that stifling darkness that Link knew all too well. His Hylian eyes adjusting, he could see a hazy flicker of a torch at the base of the stairs, beckoning him to enter this maw of duress.

Unshaken, Link boldly made his way down the stairs. He didn’t know what to expect. He had explored countless dungeons, underground temples, and lofty peaks of molten rock, but this place was different. It was cold. The kind that settled deep within your bones and chilled you to your very soul.

His breath was steady and even, creating clouds of hazy mist in the crisp air. The smell of old memory was prevalent, even more so the deeper he went. Like traveling back through time, places meant to be forgotten once again broached into the world of the living.

Reaching the base of the stairs, Link found himself at a rotting door of oak and antiquity. It’s patina hinges creaking like a ghoulish lament, the boy swung the gate aside with all the strength he could muster and entered into the tunnels of woe, taking the faint torch with him.

Sprawling before him were three archways, each inscribed with crudely chiseled symbols above their lofty arcs. Unsure of their meaning, Link chose to take the left path first, as he always did, and slowly passed under the damp stone.

The corridor underneath was long, straight, and unadorned. The scene was quiet, save the gentle rushing of air that passed through Links’ ears and the soft plodding of his boots. Taking each step cautiously, as who knows what could by lying under his feet, Link followed the endless tunnel for a time until he came upon a dead end.

Looking back behind him, a black hole from whence he came, Link placed a hand on the rough surface of the tunnel. Confused with the direct path to nowhere, the boy was about to turn around and return to the triple archways when he heard a modest scuttling noise, coming from deep in the black.

Holding the delicate torch high, Link squinted his eyes and desperately scanned the empty for the source of the sound. Nothing ever came.

Shrugging it off as an invention of the mind, Link started to walk back to the entrance when the ground started to rumble.

Far in the distance, the boy could see a shape drawing dangerously near. He couldn’t quite make out what it was, but it was traveling fast, faster than anything he had ever faced before, a red-glowing lantern bobbing in the air.

Backing up near the wall, Link was trapped with no exits other than the way he came in. Hurriedly glancing about the tunnel for hidden doors or hatches, he found himself boxed without recourse.

Entering into the offensive glimmer of the torch, Link could now see the fiend in full light. A skeletal warrior, covered in rusty chains and barbed plates of cancerous steel, charged at the boy with a bloodied iron club that looked as if it had bludgeoned an entire army. The vermilion light of the creature’s lantern created an eerie haze all around as it danced, causing Link to feel disoriented.

With no weapons to speak of, Link kept his mind focused but braced himself for the worst.

The creature swinging that barbarous cudgel with a gruesome screech, Link instinctively jumped backwards to avoid the blow and found himself falling into shadow, the torch blowing out as he fell. Passing through the solid wall that once held him prisoner, Link could see the brute howling it’s enmity towards the boy and then rushing off into the tunnel.

Falling for what seemed an age, the boy’s mind dizzy with the aftereffects of the shadow people’s Eventide, Link finally hit the bottom as he splashed into a chilling pool of dirtied water. Luckily conscious enough to return to the surface, Link pulled himself out of the basin and rolled over onto the grainy rock floor.

Finding himself in an immense underground chasm, Link stood to his feet and shook the water from his ears. He was curious of where the light was coming from, this deep in the underworld, but couldn’t identify any given source. It was as if the rocks themselves were emitting slight traces of radiance into this normally blinding darkness.

Glancing about, Link noticed his situation hadn’t improved much; no exits anywhere in sight. His vision sliding back into focus, he could see an ornate wooden chest fortuitously lying but a few feet from him. Moving towards the chest, Link reached down and lifted up it’s lid, the dust of a era crumbling and billowing across the soft conical shapes of the underground formations that were strewn about the chamber.

Looking into the chest, Link was both astounded and confused at what he saw. It was empty. Nothing but a couple of cobwebs and a boxful of air.

His mind wracked, he looked around the room for clues, anything that would give him a sign he was on the right track. Getting down on the floor, he saw what looked like hoofprints, faintly etched into the glassy floor.

Following the tracks, Link traced them to the far end of the room, one of the stalagmites rising up from the floor at the end of the trail. Inspecting the formation, he could see plainly a slot near the tip - a scar within the rock. Then he saw a slight glimmer, coming from behind.

Reaching back, Link gripped the item and pulled it from it’s derelict tomb. Brushing off the dust and earth, he had found a small curved dagger. Intricately inscribed with knots on the blade, it was a superb piece of craftsmanship. Still sharp after being buried in this dark place for who knows how long, Link stood back to his feet and eyed the blemish on the formation.

Accustomed to simple riddles as such, Link carelessly dropped the blade into the slot.

For a moment, nothing happened. But then, erupting from the pool of water like a fountain of crimson mortality, a thrashing beast exploded into the chasm. Gargantuan in comparison to the small boy, Link crouched down to get a steady look at the monster, as it’s heaving footsteps were churning the floor.

Decrepit and mutilated, it was a horror within itself. With sickly long arms and legs, it was a cadaverous-looking giant with the face resembling that of an Octorok, squid-like and choleric. Deep-red it’s muscular skin, the beast flexed and bellowed out it’s intentions at the boy, saliva dripping from it’s tentacle-laced mouth.

The particularly interesting feature of it was it’s eyes. Bandaged with a rotting strip of cloth, the monster was either unseeing or sensitive to the faint light of the chasm. A possible weakness Link knew he would need to exploit if he were to survive.

Retrieving the dagger from the slot in the formation, Link brandished it towards the monstrosity, it’s blinded face reacting with a huffing cackle. Somehow able to sense Link’s motions, the beast tracked his every movement as if it were perfectly tuned for such subtle instinct.

The boy with his meager edge standing firm, the beast charged with it’s clawed hands flailing wildly, talons capable of shredding even the darkest of steels. Link dodged the best he could and looked for a way into it’s defenses, but the fiend’s speed was astounding. Rolling around, Link backed away towards the pool of water to make some distance between him and his foe, his stance cautious and determined.

Spinning, the beast howled at it’s missed target and readied to assail the intruder again. Seeing no opening in the monster’s strategy, Link desperately looked around the room for possibilities. And there one was.

Dangling ever so precariously above the center of the room was a downward-pointing spire of rock, signs of previous attempts to bring it down ever-apparent on it’s chipped face. Taking dagger in hand, knowing he might only have one chance, Link waited for the beast to charge.

Doing as anticipated, the monster spurred forward with carnal rage.

Reacting with perfect timing, Link threw the dagger, which seemed to take on a life of it’s own once in the air, flying into that deadly-looking column. The thin blade slicing clean through the rock with arcing sparks of blue and green, the spire came crashing down. The blade’s path seemed to slightly curve as it flew through the air, sticking into the floor but a few feet away from the hero.

Seeing the boy’s intent and it’s own demise at hand, the horror sidestepped and flung itself into the near wall, narrowly avoiding an assured death as the rock buried into the ground.

Link’s eyes grew wide. His one chance, and he missed.

The beast cackled again, knowing his victory was but moments away.

Diving for the dagger, Link quickly snatched it up and hurdled the collapsing rubble. Taking a flying leap, the base of the spire his platform, Link swung the dagger with all his might at the chimera. A deep slicing cut was made across it’s blindfolded eyes, drawing out a vile and rancid substance that seemed to eat through the stone floor.

The beast screeched in anguish, falling backwards onto the pile of rock. It writhed unnaturally for a few moments, but soon fell still, the piece of dirtied cloth falling to the ground. Link was taken aback at the sight: a small imp laying inside of a hollow void within the creatures face.

The boy stepped forward, eying the bizarre symbiotic creature with a neat slash across it’s throat. Getting closer, the beast suddenly twitched, giving Link’s heart a jump and causing him to nearly fall off his feet. But there, draped around the monster’s neck, was a square piece of smooth stone. Cutting the cord around it’s neck, Link took the stone in hand and again eyed the slotted formation at the back of the room.

This time a little more cautious, Link carefully dropped the small chink of stone into the breach. As if coming alive, the entire room eclipsed from it’s twilight state into a bright haven of whiteness and tangible ecstasy, small fairy-like creatures emerging from the stones.

“Well done, Link.” Mara’s weightless voice could be heard from some nether realm. “Well done.”

I think this will do it for me today. I might get to some more tomorrow, but I guess there’s chores to be a doin :disappoin



Chapter Seven: "Wisps-o’-will"

"Without a fairy, you’re not even a real man!"

- Mido

Link stood alone in the midst of the fairy creatures, their wispy wings breathing fresh air into his face. Holding up his hands, the fairies dove and swam around him like moths to a flame. Angelic and playful, they never spoke any words but Link could tell they were overjoyed.

The boy’s thoughts drew to Navi in that moment.

"Link!" Mara’s voice interrupted the boy’s reverie.

The boy blinked, returned to the present, and looked behind him. Mara’s shadowy form was standing near the water’s edge, her dark cloak wrapping tightly around her.

"You’ve done a great thing here." She couldn’t deny her excitement. "I must say, you have done better than I expected. You must have done this sort of thing before, yes?"

Link’s modesty won out.

"Oh, never mind." The Lady was beaming. "This is a sacred place that you have restored, the fountain of essence."

"It is from here that we Highlanders could once see the future and drive it as such. In the old days, well before the falling of High Rule, the wise ones would come here to commune with the spirits of the fountain, learning all their secrets so they may better serve the world.

Mara reached up and felt the cool touch of a fairy that flew close to her face. "These little ones, a long time sleeping here in obscurity, are the oracles. Those who can tell one’s fate, if they but learn how to listen.

"But then, when peace had finally settled in the hearts of men, a dark one came. No one knew his name, save he was a Highlander, and most thought nothing of him. That is, until he entered here.

"The dark one muffled the oracles’ guidance, returning them to the heart of the earth from which they had come, driving the world into darkness and despair. For without the all-knowing oracles at our side, the fate of High Rule was uncertain and in doubt. For the first time, we were afraid.

"Don’t you see?" Mara gave Link a stern look. "It was this frailty, this dependence on the oracles, that destroyed our people. We couldn’t make laws without knowing what would happen. We couldn’t ensure peace without seeing the consequences. And we couldn’t make war without spying the outcome. We had become reapers of the harvest instead of the keepers of the seed. And then, when the fountain had died, we were left with nothing.

"But enough of bad memories. This should be a joyous occasion! You are the first, Link of the overworld, to purge the evil from the cradle of foresight, and you deserve just reward."

Lady Mara gestured towards the curved dagger in Link’s left hand. "That blade you carry is no ordinary edge, as I am sure you know. Please, take it. Take it respectfully!

"It belonged to the dark one, who used it’s mystic power to carve out a piece of the fountain. He thought he could use it to empower himself with the gifts of wisdom and providence. I’ll never understand why such a person would leave a blade like that behind, as if it meant nothing to him after his plan failed."

Link’s face drew a smile as one of the fairy-creatures buzzed around his head.

"That one seems to like you." Mara said with a giggle. "Can you hear it’s voice?"

Link shook his head. All he could hear was a slight high-pitched noise, like the gentle ting of a small bell.

"She says...." Mara was squinting her eyes, straining to read the fairy. "She say’s her name is....Whisper, I think. It’s difficult to understand fairy-speak, as they don’t use words. You almost have to feel what they are saying, and it has been quite a while since I have seen one."

Link gave the fairy a nod. He remembered being able to hear Navi’s voice as clear as the wind in the sky, but these ones were different. One distinct difference was Navi had a blue tint to her, these fairies were pure white.

"Hmm...." Mara said, a quizzical look on her. "That’s strange...."

Link glanced over to the Lady, him being unable to understand the fairies at all.

"I think she wants to go with you." Mara folded her arms. "No. It can’t be done."

Whisper the fairy flew over to Mara and fervently bounced up and down, her body seeming to grow brighter as her dainty wings frantically beat against the air.

"None of you have ever left the fountain before." Mara protested. "What would become of it if one of you left?"

Whisper darted back over to Link and rested down on his shoulder, showing she had no intention of leaving his side.

"Hmpf! Bullheaded fairies!" Mara rolled her eyes and looked away. "Fine! Do as you wish. Just don’t come crawling back here if you can’t stomach it!"

Whisper was jubilant at the response, cruising in circles around Link’s face.

The boy was uncertain of this, having a fairy companion after being so long without one, but welcomed the company. That and having a light in the next dark crevice would be more than appreciated.

"I guess that’s all we need from here, isn’t it?" Mara asked.

Link looked up towards the ceiling, knowing there was two other tunnels he was yet to explore, not to mention that emaciated soldier roaming the underground unchallenged and unchecked.

"Oh, don’t worry about those other places just yet." Mara walked over to the fallen beast. "You have proven yourself worthy to learn our arts, and one you have learned. Eventide is a difficult ability to master, you need time to develop it. The other tests must wait for another day."

The Lady crouched down, looking over the dispatched imp and it’s outer frame. "Such a wretched creature, living all these years in the tunnels of woe...."

Reaching out with a tenuous hand, Mara waived over the monster’s body, it’s form slowly melting into the rock and disappearing altogether.

"Ready to go back to Veritas?"

Link glanced about the brilliant room once more, taking in all the memory he could gather, and then gave the Lady a nod.

"Good." Mara responded. "Now that play is over, there is work to be done."

Chapter Eight: “A Ruinous Road”

“You will encounter many hardships ahead... That is your fate.”

- Kaepora Gaebora

Three days passed. Mara had things to take care of, leaving the hero to roam the hazy byways of Veritas alone with Whisper. After a while, there wasn’t much left of the city to be explored, but, strangely enough, Link still found the place to be a complete mystery.

How had his people come to such a place? What madness drove them into this life of dust and shadow? They were like ghosts, ever content to brood over days long since spent. None of the villagers wanted to say much to the boy, let alone to each other, spending their time in constant solitude and gloom.

The nights were even worse. It seemed the people never slept, roaming their city by day, haunting others by moonlight, leaving the boy all to himself amongst the dry-earth caverns.

On that third day, his restlessness near it’s peak, Link was relieved to see the Lady Mara once again, though her stride was short and plodding. The woman came to him, her head hanging low and dejected, and with a shaky hand she gripped him on the shoulder.

“Link....” She started, trying to find a soft way to tell him something of importance. “I have communed with the oracles, and I saw....I saw....”

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him, the truth too raw to place into common words.

Link wasn’t sure how to react but to return a supportive hand to the Lady’s arm.

“Thank you, Link....thank you.” Something was troubling her deeply, but she didn’t have the strength to let it out. “It’s time for you to leave, if you would still have the heart to help us.”

Link nodded without question or thought.

Mara stood upright, her pride and position taking the front. “Then let me show you the way.”

Link followed Lady Mara back to the heavy gate from which he entered, the inside of the door smooth and plain in contrast to the front’s complex weaving of knots in the wood. Mara stopped and faced the boy, sorrow hidden well within her cold eyes.

“This is the egress, our portal into the outer world. From here we can go anywhere, as long as the power of the sun shines into Veritas. If the sun were to die, we too would die and be entombed in this place.”

Mara reached up to the door, a curious black stone medallion strapped to her palm with some leather cords.

“Shield the mirrors on the Cursed Mountain from harm with my blessing. We don’t have much to give you in terms of reward, but if you succeed all I have would be yours, if it be only the thanks of a people in need.”

Touching the door with that strange medallion, the heavy planks creaked forward and opened into the dark burrow that once brought the two to the city.

“Here, take this.” Mara handed Link the medallion, her fingers surprisingly warm to the touch. “And just remember: whenever you wear this darkened stone, never again will you stray far from home.”

Link was baffled by the poem, trying to decipher it as he walked through the door. Whisper too was interested in it, flying close to the rock and looking all around it’s glossy face.

“Farewell, Link.” Lady Mara said bowing away. “May your travels bring you fortune.”

The door slid shut, sealing Veritas from unwanted eyes. Link turned to the ascending staircase that led back to the overworld, draping the medallion around his neck and tucking it into his shirt.

Climbing the mossy steps back to the surface, Link wondered how he was going to accomplish the task he was given. It was Hyrule, or High Rule, as they called it now, the boy’s home country. But it had changed so much, nothing aside from the mountain was the same. He longed for a familiar face, though he knew none would come. Whisper was a welcomed companion, but he found it awkward as he couldn’t hear her voice.

Reaching the top, Link wound his way back though that maze of walls, underground tunnels, and hidden cisterns. Familiar, but seeming so strange after the past three days of events, they flashed to life under the light of Whispers radiance and then slid back into the nothingness that draped their forgotten lives.

Then Link came to the wall, the one he first passed through on the beginning of this journey. Finding himself a little more comfortable with the eventide in his control, Link squinted his eyes and reached out with his soul, the wall before him turning transparent.

Gazing through, he could see soldiers. Hundreds of soldiers, preparing for war within the very heart of the city. Link knew he had to get back out into the woodlands of Credo before nightfall, else he would have to cross over a no-doubt-alligator-infested moat. Looking up at the setting sun, his time was short. Knowing her own weaknesses in this environment, Whisper jumped into Link’s hair, keeping her bright luminescence hidden.

Waiting for a squad of armored soldier to pass, Link gracefully leapt through the wall and made his way through the square and into the side streets. Dodging the sight of the fully- equipped soldiers, Link hid within walls, buildings, under shadowy overhangs, and inside crates to make it to his goal. But there, at the massive gate to the outside world, a massive portcullis was blocking the way out. The city was sealed, the boy trapped within it. He’d have to find another way out.

Nearly spotted more than once, Link was at the end of his wits. He didn’t know this city well enough, it’s secrets eluding him. He was about to give up and return to Veritas for perhaps a map or some help when he heard the sound of tapping on a near wall down an alleyway.

Coming close, Link put his ear to the sound. It was sporadic and seemingly random, but soon turned silent. Passing it off as nothing, Link turned to move on when a hand reached through the wall and grappled him around the neck, pulling him into the room.

Link whipped out his dagger and spun to attack, but stopped just short of planting the blade in the other’s neck. It was Cale.

“That’s the second time you’ve skinned a blade on me this week, boy!” The man said, anxiety in his voice. “And what have I ever done to you? Hmm? Nothing! That’s right, nothing, so relax.”

Link did so, replacing the knife in his belt.

“Well, I must say that’s a much better weapon then you had before, that rusty piece of scrap metal.” Cale moved over to a desk that was in the room. “I though you were dead, taken by those shadow monsters.”

Cale took in a deep breath and turned back to face Link. “But, you’re here now, aren’t you? How’d you escape?”

Link related the story to the woodsman, the man’s eyes wide and attentive all along.

“Highlanders....” Cale almost couldn’t believe it. “Gone for so long, and all the while just beneath us....amazing.”

Cale was suddenly startled by the pounding of armored feet and shod horses racing through the street nearby. Voices could be heard. They were talking about Link and they somehow knew he was back in the city.

“They know you’re near.” Cale said, his face worried. “You have to get out. Get out now!”

Link didn’t know where to go.

“Take this back passage, go east until you reach a potion shop at the end and exit through his back door. He has his own loading platform at the back of the city, a boat should be there. You can take it through the moat and down-river. It will take you away from the Cursed Mountain, but at least you can get out of the city.”

Link gave the man a nod and poked his head out of the wall, looking for guards.

“Link!” Cale said, drawing him back into the room. “Be careful out there. Those guards will put you down on sight.”

Link nodded and escaped back into the city, not once thinking of what just happened.

Following the woodsman’s directions, Link flew through the walls of the shop, the man behind the counter looking at him as if he were a ghost, and jumped into the small canoe gently rocking in the water of the moat.

Casting off, Link paddled his way towards the mouth of the river, hearing the shouts and bellowed orders of men behind him. Looking back as the sun lapsed into night, Link could see soldiers up on the high walls of the castle. Lighting arrows, they launched the fiery darts into the air at the boy, causing Link to paddle as fast as his arms could manage until he hit the current of the river. The shafts splashing into the water all around, Link’s heart was racing as he desperately tried to elude the barrage.

Sir Ironside was up on the wall watching the boy go, his eyes devoid of emotion as his quarry yet again escaped.

“Should we pursue, Sir?” One of the soldiers asked of his commanding officer.

Ironside mulled over the thought for a moment, grinding his teeth. “No, it is too late. He no doubt wishes to draw us out, leaving the city vulnerable to more shadow attacks. We will wait till first light. And then, with the powers of darkness at it’s weakest, we will strike.”

Ironside left the view of the wall, beckoning for a runner to come.

“Here.” He said, handing a rolled parchment to the boy messenger. “Take this note directly to Esclados. It’s time for him to earn his place here amongst the Gods.”

Here's the next chapter -short, but vital to what's to come.


Chapter Nine: "Downstream"

"This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time."

- Sheik

Link paddled until his heart felt as if it would burst. His lungs were burning, corroded from the strain of the flight. He felt light headed and found himself near collapse when he decided to take the canoe ashore and find a safe place to camp out for the night.

Exhausted, Link was barely able to drag the heavy canoe up the silvery-white rocks of the lonesome shore. He wasn’t sure exactly where he was, as before there was no river that ran down the center of Hyrule Field, but his guess was that he was very near lake Hylia. The size of Death Mountain in the distance was the key factor, a sight he couldn’t mistake for anything but southern Hyrule.

Under cover of moonlight, Link stashed the canoe in some nearby trees, hiding it away with some loose shrubs and fallen sticks. He was wary of attacking Peahats and Stalchildren that roamed the fields at night, but to his surprise none came.

He pondered the thought for a moment, reflecting back on those days that seemed so far gone. The Peahats and Stalchildren were heavily prevalent in Hyrule Field when he was younger, but seemed to become less and less common during the reign of Ganondorf. Strange, that such creatures of brutality and darkness would disappear in times where you would think they would flourish. Where did they go?

Link was weighing on these memories for a time, ignoring the task at hand as he slumped down against a tall Ash tree. His eyes slowly closed, though he fought desperately to stay awake and alert, and he soon slipped into a brittle reverie of flashing lights and phantoms.

He could see them, all those he had loved in those younger days. Nabooru, Darunia, Ruto, all those he knew were present save Zelda and Saria, there places mysteriously vacant. Calling his name, they beckoned him to draw near and join them in their loneliness. They missed him. They needed him. But, as Link reached out to take their hands, he felt a gust of cold come over him, and the kind, amicable faces of his friends deviated into dark creatures of unimaginable nightmare.

Their eyes turned to crimson blood, their teeth to fangs of steel, and their voices, once gentle and caring, became harbingers of deathly shrieks. They grew wings of dusk and circled the boy standing alone, snapping at him with their feral snouts. And then, just when Link thought they would strike, a lone, solitary figure approached from the distance.

Bathed in clouds of ashen dust, the body was hooded and cloaked, advancing slowly through the barbed monsters that circled overhead. His pace was steady and deliberate. His face was hidden, but Link had this sense of dread wash over him, as if he didn’t want to know who this pall creature might be.

Coming near, the other stopped and stood firm, his head hanging low. Link reached to his side, but found his dagger and the Master Sword’s hilt was missing. He was defenseless, surrounded by evil, but he hid his fear well behind the Triforce of Courage, even though it’s power seemed dim.

The stranger lifted his head slightly, just enough so Link could see his mouth.

"Link." The other said with a chilling prominence. "I’ve been waiting. Oh, for ages, I have been waiting."

The winged demons spun into death-dives, swooping down towards the exposed boy, but just before they could attack the stranger unsheathed a black-bladed curved sword and dispatched them, saving the boy’s life.

The creatures each fell, one by one crashing down to the unforgiving earth. Link’s elation turned to horror when they shifted back to their original forms, all the sages and people he had known, lying dead in their own blood. The bodies seemed to be everywhere, a mass grave that followed Link wherever he went.

The shadowy man laughed with a guttural wheeze. "Remember this day, boy. The day where I took everything and everyone away from you!"

It was Ganondorf. It had to be.

Link snapped. Flying through the air at his adversary, the boy overpowered the other with pure speed and agility, dropping him to the ground and taking his dark weapon from him. Pointing the serrated edge at his throat, Link thought himself victorious.

"And what have you won?" The other asked, removing his mask. "Nothing."

Link’s eyes widened. It was not the dark-eyed Ganondorf that he thought was concealed behind the veil. Link, having defeated this master of villainy, had actually just defeated himself.

Link’s double lay there, eyes closed, no emotion showing through. The two stayed motionless for a time, Link staring his twin in the face. He thought he had killed his shadow long ago in the Water Temple with the Master Sword, it was impossible that he could be here now, after all these centuries had passed.

A slight grin came across the doppelgänger’s face as he slowly opened his eyes, his pupils a hazy red. "Surprised? I know I am."

Link jerked awake, finding himself in the same quiet nestle of Ash trees that he was in before. His breathing heavy, sweat upon his brow, he relaxed against the tree and tried to fall back asleep; a fool’s hope that such peaceful repose would come this night.

Here's the next chapter. I know, shame on me for leaving such a long drought between posts (3 days ), but I was doing some history and background brainstorming. I think the unfolding story is going to be awesome, but that's me. Overall, I'm just glad someone else reads it! Hope you like!


Chapter Ten: “Going Under”

“Have you seen anything strange in the lake?”

- Zora at Lake Hylia

Link awoke early, the eastern sun barely etching it’s prominence over the distant mountainside. He was still exhausted, having barely gotten any sleep in, but he knew it best not to linger. Patrols from Ersatz were no doubt leaving the city into the fields, searching for the one who got away.

Stretching his tired limbs as he lay there against the Ash tree, Link gazed southwards towards the lake, and then back to the north. Death Mountain and the mirrors of Veritas was his main goal, but blocking his only passage was a dark tower, armies at it’s command. He couldn’t fight them all, not in this state. He’d have to find another way around.

Then, the idea popped in his head: what of the underwater passage that linked Lake Hylia with Zora’s domain? Would it still be there after all this time?

After a few seconds of internal debate, Link made up his mind. After all, what other choice was there?

The boy pushed himself up to his feet, a swooping yawn escaping his lips. Rubbing the stardust out of his eyes, he began that southern descent along the riverbank. After a short while, he came upon the old Hylian gate, though massively upgraded. Link thought it amazing that it was still standing while everything else that he knew had disappeared.

Coming close, Link could tell there was one distinct difference in this gate from the one that was in his own time. While the old one was an easy hop for Epona, this was near impassible. A permanent twenty-foot high grate secured by heavy bolts of reinforced iron blocked the way, but, curiously enough, there was a small unlocked door within the gate on the right-hand side, standing right above the river that flowed underneath.

Coming up to the door, Link could tell it hadn’t been used in a very long time, rust blanketing the metal like dew on morning grass. He wondered, was the gate bolstered to keep people out, or to keep people in?

Link shoved on the barred door, it’s hinges grinding and creaking with the unprecedented strain.

Like walking through a portal into another world, the soft, low-laying grasses of Hyrule Field shifted into tall, unkept shrubs, some as tall as chest-height, with bulrush stems spotted about. This place must have been without movement for a very long time indeed for such undergrowth to overwhelm in such a manner.

Link reached behind him and pulled out his dagger, for who knows what could be lurking beneath his feet. The place would seem to be a haven for Deku Babas, just waiting for the passing unaware, but to his surprise nothing came. The place was desolate. Save for the weeds, no animated life was to be seen.

Link pressed on through the amber grass until he reached the edge of a clearing. His first thought was he had reached the lake, but that soon faded into astonishment - it was gone.

Winding south like the curvy line of a snake’s body, Lake Hylia had been reduced to a mere trickle of a waterfall, it’s deep basin now composing the footnotes of a long, narrow canyon. Far in the distance, Link could see a shiny line that was reflecting the glassy luminescence of the morning sun. Seeming to beckon him to the horizon, Link didn’t know what it was and was enticed to find out, but knew this wasn’t the time for such ventures.

Bringing his gaze back to the near surroundings, Link could see an ancient-looking staircase to the east. Carved straight from the rock, it wound up the side of the old lake wall up to a small plateau. Link immediately knew where it lead to; an old habit of his - the bald man’s fishing pond.

There was a lot to be seen here, but Link’s determination and focus won out and he proceeded to where the underwater tunnel should have been. Leaping down into the beginning of the ravine, Link could see remnants of those old stone obelisks that once stood there in the water. Now fallen and corroded from the exposure to the sun and wind, they were pale vestiges of what majesty they used to carry.

Link felt a cold chill come over him as he stood before the opening to the tunnel. He was somewhat startled that it was still there, not to mention it just lying open for anyone to enter. He did notice a few differences, however, most prominently being the symbol on the crest above.

It was a lidless eye, cleanly chiseled into the rock, with a single teardrop clinging to it’s perfectly cut form. Link knew the symbol, but he also knew without a doubt that Impa was the last Sheikah to walk the lands of Hyrule, their kind vanishing into the threads of memory. There couldn’t be others....could there?

Link brushed aside his misgivings and boldly stepped into the tunnel, this time the darkened channel filled with currents of air, rather than water.

The light in the underground pass going dim, Whisper jumped out of Link’s hair, now unafraid as they ventured underground. This brought a warm smile to Link’s face, as now not only did he have a light, but also a friend to steady his nerves.

Continuing on, Link reached the point at which he would normally get whisked away to the upper waters of Zora’s Domain. On the floor, a smudged inscription that was once part of a cryptic circle lay in pieces. Link never saw the carving before, as it was always pure darkness in the cool water, and thought it strange that someone would deface a magical portal such as this.

Looking beyond, Link thought it would be a straight shot that lead directly to the north, but was baffled to see a faint light in the distance. Moving towards it, he soon found the small tunnel opening up into a large underground chamber, much like those found in Veritas. Lit by torchlight, it reminded the boy of the Fire Temple on Death Mountain in appearance, though this place was cold and damp, much like the Water Temple that succeeded it.

All around were paintings of battle, carvings of unimaginable landscapes, and woven tapestries of the brightest of colors. Whomever built this place had a strong sense of balance and culture, though the place seemed all but abandoned.

Whisper fluttered all about the enclosure, having never seen such relics of wonder and heritage before. It was all she could do to contain her excitement and to stay calm.

Link, too, was amazed, but felt a slight pinch of sadness rush over him. Who were these people, living under the sign of the Sheikah, and where had they gone?

After a short period of exploring empty dugouts and parched wells, Link came to a small room on a raised ground. A point of interest, it sat much higher than the rest of the compound and could be spied from almost anywhere in the underground village. Link thought it perhaps where the borough’s leader would speak or preach from.

Lying on top of a simple table in the rear of the room was an ornate wooden box, the Eye of Truth painted on the top in a forbidding crimson color. Link approached it, hesitant to learn of it’s arcane secrets.

Link looked back out to the village, ensuring no one was watching, and then took the box in hand. Slowly reaching over it, he slid off the thin cover with the eye, placing it delicately on the table. Inside the box was a tuft of straw, neatly packing in whatever the box was hiding.

Whisper sensed something coming. Trying to warn the boy, her silent pleas didn’t even phase him, Link being too busy with this new find to notice her signals.

Removing the stuffing, Link’s eyes lit up at what he saw. Made of the finest steel and leathers, it was a claw-like weapon that one would strap onto their fist. With four barbs of razor-sharp fury, in the hands of a master it would be a dreadful weapon indeed.

Link’s admiration was interrupted by a sharp howl, emanating from somewhere deep in the tunnels. Hurriedly wrapping the claw in a piece of cloth, Link stuffed it into his belt and drew out his dagger. It had been a long time since he heard the cry of a Wolfos, but once you hear it you never forget it’s sorrowful note.

Leaping off the raised platform, Link took a quick scan of the city as the beasts approached. One or two wouldn’t have been much of a task, but Link could make out at least six pairs of yellow eyes galloping down towards him. They must have followed him in.

Link missed his old equipment. Oh, what he wouldn’t give for some Deku Nuts right now.

Whisper bounced against Link’s head, her other attempts to get his attention coming up empty. Flying off towards the northern end of the city, she stopped at the entrance to another tunnel, one that would lead even deeper into the underground.

Taking her cue, Link bolted towards the entrance, the gentle padding of the Wolfos’ paws and the visceral panting of their fangs becoming louder by the second. Flying into the darkness without caution, Link unwittingly slipped into a bottomless chasm, tumbling downwards as if into the very blistering heart of the world itself.

Whisper quickly followed as Link plummeted into the deep unknown, her heart frightened at what this new path might bring, and where it could possibly take them.

The Wolfos stopped just short of the abyss, howling and crying at their escaped prey. Then, at the audible snap of a finger, they pulled back into the city, their master staying hidden amongst the mossy stones.

Chapter Eleven: "Memento"

“It is said that the clouds surrounding this peak reflect the condition of Death Mountain. When they look normal, it is at peace.”

- Kaepora Gaebora

Link descended into an eternal darkness, glancing only slight hints of light from Whisper as she hurried to catch up. Link closed his eyes and braced for the worst, an assured collision with a rocky floor quickly nearing. But then, just as the boy felt the air turn it’s coldest, his body suddenly stopped and the escaping rock that surrounded him ceased to fly by.

Suspended in mid-air, Link’s eyes slowly focused as a relieved Whisper came near his face. He found himself entranced in a kind of protective circle, encompassing his entire body outright. It was of a hazy white color, much like Whispers airy form, and didn’t seem the least bit frightening. In fact, it was almost comforting.

Whisper started to flit about wildly. Something had excited her, though Link didn’t know what it was, and she was in a state of absolute elation.

The circle began to swirl, gently brushing across the points of Link’s ears. It was calming, like being in a hot spring, and the boy started to feel as if he could sleep forever. Faster and faster the wispy cloud enveloped the two within it’s hollow sphere, until it flashed into a bright nothingness of magic and celestial prominence.

Link didn’t know how long he was asleep, nor did he care to at the time. He was in a state of complete repose, devoid of any pain or harsh emotion. All his troubles seemed to melt away, and he thought he was going to drift forever until he suddenly snapped awake, the feeling of a root digging into his back.

The hero opened his eyes and gazed about him. He was outside, the air clean and fresh, and the scent of pine blanketing him entirely. Lying on the cool ground, his eyes slid into focus, the first thing to come to his vision an embracing Whisper. She was obviously glad to see that Link was alright.

Link noticed that it was becoming slightly easier to read her thoughts, though nothing direct had come to him yet; just feelings that he could deduce from her antics.

Sitting up, Link stretched his limbs. He felt unwound, rejuvenated, as if the very weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. He still had work to do, without a doubt, but the burden didn’t seem so heavy now.

The boy jumped to his feet, and scanned the realm around him. It was the old Death Mountain Trail, he was sure of it. The winding switchbacks, the tall escarpment of the surrounding rock, the skeletal forms of the conifer trees - it all spoke of the sacred mountain. The smell hadn’t changed any, neither had the face, but it was different. Somehow, the feeling had shifted, or maybe it was Link that had changed, a boy long since astray amongst cloudless skies.

Link’s first thought was to travel down to Kakariko, if indeed it was still there, but then reneged. It was possible that the village had turned into an encampment of the Ersatz army. Better to check it out after his work up the mountain had been finished, rather than start a fight now.

Turning towards the peak, Link pushed up the steady incline of the trail. There weren’t any Tektites or Gorons to be seen. Link’s thoughts snagged on that for a moment. He hadn’t seen any non-humans in his trip so far. No Gorons, no Zoras, and no Kokiri had been anywhere to be seen, only the people of Ersatz, who were obviously of Gerudo descent, were present. It was strange, as the others were so populous and scattered all over Hyrule in his time.

Link pushed aside the mystery for the time being and focused on his task: the Mirrors of Veritas. He wondered where he could find them. It’s not like they’d be laying around for anyone to stumble upon. They’d have to be buried, deep within the land’s crust, away from prying eyes.

Link wound his way up the mountainside until he came to the place where Dodongo’s Cavern should have been. Link shook his head in disbelief. The entire side of the mountain was nothing but a cascading rock-pile, as if the very cavern had caved, sealing the Dodongo’s and the Goron’s main food source within.

Sullen over the thought, Link pressed on until he came around to the entrance to the Goron City, sitting halfway up the trail. The entrance was the same; loose stones in a giant pile of rubble, but before the crumbled entrance stood a lone piece of rock, purposefully sunken into the ground.

Link approached the stone, immediately recognizing it’s shape. It was the pedestal in which the Goron’s Ruby used to sit, the symbol of the Goron people still clearly visible on it’s face. On the base of the pedestal lay a finely chiseled inscription, luckily in the old Hylian language that Link could understand.

Dodongos sleep under rock, ensnared,
darkness keeps the forever-sunken lair.
Gorons weep, for time passes still,
until that day when hope stands fulfilled.

Judging by the look of the pedestal and the collapsed entrance to Goron City, Link knew it had been a long time since this occurred. Whatever it was, it no doubt forced the Gorons to leave their home to find another. Even if there was a chance to help them, even if he had known, it was obviously too late.

Link gritted his teeth and moved on upwards to the mountain’s apex, the fate of the Goron’s weighing heavily on his mind. Whisper tried her best to cheer the boy up by feigning mischief, but came up empty. Link appreciated the gesture, but at the moment was irreconcilable.

The sun was reaching it’s climax, the temperature slowly beginning to recede back into night’s chill. Link pushed himself faster, not wishing to be out in the open after nightfall. Hopefully he would find shelter at the roof of the mountain. If not, at least it wasn’t likely that anything would follow him up the steep ascent.

Link reached the foot of the vertical face, the footholds still prominent in the face. The boy sighed, wishing he had his longshot. Swallowing his regrets, Link stuck his hands on the wall and climbed to the top.

Half-expecting another collapsed entry, Link wasn’t the least surprised when he saw the entrance to Death Mountain Crater was completely gone, but was pleasantly relieved to see that the entry to the Great Fairy Fountain was still open. Ready for a familiar face, link pressed on in without hesitation.

Again, Link found himself perplexed. The fountain was gone, the Great Fairy with it, but a narrow pathway at the rear of the cave led on past into the heart of the mountain; a secondary entrance to the crater within. Link’s first notion was to find another way, his fire tunic missing, but found the air inside the crater to be only mildly warm. The spewing lava and flame of the mountain had subsided, leaving a solid, rocky core behind.

Link caught a glimpse of a shiny object at the far end of the crater. Moving towards it, Link could tell it was a mirror, catching the rapidly departing power of the sun on it’s glossy facade. Whisper jumped and shook at the sight, delighted to see the first stage of the journey complete. Link, too, was relieved.

Approaching the mirror, Link was astounded at the size. It was twice as big as a man, flawless in it’s construction, and supported by a massive black-rock pedestal. The light coming from above was reflecting off and to the north - the tunnel that lead to the Fire Temple.

Link pursued the dimming light, making him think of his exploits in the Desert Colossus, following streams of flaxen sunshine. Another mirror was placed at the entry to the Fire Temple, this one beaming light straight down.

The boy leaned over the entry, seeing it descend forever. The ladder was gone, as well as the floor that it once connected to. All that remained was a bottomless chasm filled with light.

Whisper started acting up, Link now prone to listening to his companion. Turning around, a dark, shadowy figure was standing in the center of the crater. Shrouded in a black cowl, the figure stood motionless, his hidden eyes staring at the boy. Reaching for his dagger, Link took a readied stance.

“You don’t belong here, boy.” The shroud said, enmity overlaying his words. “But I thank you for leading me to the mirrors.”

Chapter Twelve: “Mistaken Identity”

“Have you heard the legend of the ‘Shadow Folk’? They are the Sheikah...the shadows of the Hylians.”

- Old Man in Castle Town

“Step aside.” The secretive man said.

Link stood his ground, knowing full well the consequences if but one mirror was destroyed: the entombment of Veritas and it’s people.

“I applaud your courage in dark times such as these, but I beg you, walk away.”

Link pulled out his dagger, holding it in his right hand, his left clasping over the steel claw that was hidden under his shirt.

“I warn you, boy.” The man’s voice was stern and unforgiving. “I will not hesitate to put you down like a horse with a broken leg if you do not leave this place this instant.”

Link’s face hardened.

“Very well.” The man pushed his draping robes aside, revealing a golden-armor-clad warrior, the symbols of Ersatz engraved into the leafy plates. “In the name of the Empress!”

The golden knight charged at the boy with nothing but his bare hands. As he neared, Link tried to spy the man’s face, but underneath his hood seemed to be an infernal darkness, keeping him concealed from prying eyes.

The man swung a heavy fist, one that could topple stone towers, but it came off too high, Link’s agile form ducking underneath and rolling away.

“You’ll have to be faster than that if you wish to escape!” The man said, flying at the boy again.

The man threw another fist, Link ducking and rolling again, but this time the warrior adjusted and dropped his elbow to the floor, catching a surprised Link underneath him. Link tried to avoid the armored drop, but found himself helpless as the gilded metal dug into his spine.

Then Link remembered.

Using the Eventide, Link dropped into the floor and whirled around, popping back into the room some twenty feet away from his assailant.

“Notable, but foolish.” the man jeered.

Himself dropping into the floor, Link found himself all alone, whisper frantically roaming the room to find where the attacker had gone.

“Shadow work is but for fools and back-stabbers. So which are you? Fool, or back-stabber?”

Link’s eyes circled the floor, only to be hit from behind. The knight caught the boy right across the backs of his knees, forcing him to the floor. Link caught a glimpse of him from the corner of his eye, only to see him disappear into a near wall.

Link rose to his feet, only to be hit again, but this time the attack came from below. Grabbing his ankles from underneath, the knight flipped the small boy into the air, sending him reeling with a solid kick to his chest.

Link sputtered as his body came to a stop, the taste of copper in his mouth.

“It’s a fool’s errand, boy.” The man’s voice came from high in the crater. “Yield now, and I will make your end quick. Refuse, and....well....let’s just say that this can go on for hours, if need be.”

Link pulled out the steel claw. Dropping the rag it was wrapped in, he quickly strapped it onto his left hand. He was unsure how to use such an unwieldy device, but at this point he was desperate.

The man appeared, slowly entering the crater from a spire. “You know the ways of shadow, which speaks many things to me, though none of them fit you. You are either cursed, or you are not of this world. You have the look of a Highlander, and yet you still carry blood in your veins. You are followed by a fairy creature, insects that once were banished from these lands.

“You are a blight upon this world, boy, and you bring death with you. Here, in this sacred place, is where you fail. I will not allow you to harm these mirrors.”

The youth blinked.

“....you....” The man responded to the boy’s confused stare. “You’re not here to destroy the mirrors?”

Link shook his head.

“Then why are you here if not...to....” The man relaxed his heaving body, his intimidating brawn melting into an eclipsing gentleness. “You’ve been to Veritas.”

Link nodded, gripping his aching chest.

“Then....you’ve met Lady Mara, yes?” The man’s voice sounded desperate to know. “Have you seen her?”

Link nodded again.

The golden warrior fell to his knees, bowing down to the ground as if he were just rescued from a den of hungry lions.

“Praise the Goddesses!” The man exclaimed, jubilation in his voice. “I thought for sure they were....”

He had forgotten about the boy whom he had nearly bludgeoned to death. “Forgive me, boy. Oh, I beg of you to forgive me! I thought you an agent of Sir Ironside!”

The man rose to his feet and shed off his armor as fast as he could manage. It was akin to someone casting off a poisonous spider, as if the armor were contaminating him.

Link could now see the man for what he really was: a Sheikah!

He was tall and muscular with white hair and pale red eyes. The symbol of his people, the red eye with a single tear, was stitched into his white jerkin.

“My name is Esclados....well, at least that’s what the people of Ersatz call me.” The Sheikah offered a hand to the mangled boy. “Come. Take my hand as a token of my penance.”

Link did so, relieved to see that the Sheikah tribe had indeed survived the passing of time.

“And what is your name, brave adventurer? Link? I pray I have not injured you too badly? You must understand, I thought you an assassin. It’s my duty to protect the mirrors from intruders.”

Esclados’ eyes drew to the claw in the boy’s left hand. “May I ask, where did you get that?”

Link told him of the underground cave in the south, the claw laying in it’s dusty coffin.

“It was there?” Esclados was delighted to hear everything Link had to say, a big smile on his face; a rarity amongst Sheikah. “Astonishing! That city has been empty for decades. It’s amazing that claw was never found by pillagers.”

Esclados stepped back and took in a deep breath. “Forgive my rudeness, Link. There is so much I want to tell you and so much I want to ask.

“And you too!” The man turned to Whisper. “I am sorry for calling you an insect. I am, in fact, quite fond of fairy folk. Wear the armor of Ersatz for so long and you begin to act like one of them!”

“Come!” Esclados was beaming. “I will take you to my village. There, we will be able to talk more of matters at hand.”

Link followed the Sheikah back to the mouth of the mountain crater, taking in a deep look at the subtle colors of a sun laying to rest. It was the same, the sunset in this time, as it was in his own: fading pinks and oranges cascading into streaking lengths of wispy clouds. He could see Ersatz in the distance, standing like a dead tree in the center of a clearing, and even the remains of Lake Hylia to the far south could be viewed. Again, he caught a glimpse of that silvery line on the horizon, glittering like diamonds in desert sand.

Esclados noticed the boy’s attention. “You’ve never been there, have you?”

Link shook his head, unsure of what ‘there’ even was.

“Don’t worry.” Esclados put a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You will. Even if I have to carry you down the ravines myself, you’ll reach the southern ends. But first, there’s things that need doing, yes?”

Link gave the Sheikah a determined nod.

“Good.” Esclados gave Link a rough pat on the back, causing the boy to wince. “Let’s get you to my father. He’ll fix you up in no time!”

Chapter Thirteen: “Ascent”

“Dost thou sense it? The climate of evil descending upon this realm...”

- The Great Deku Tree

Sir Ironside was livid. It had been days since Esclados had left Ersatz in search of the escaped shadow, and no word had been sent. Even the other patrols that were sent into the forbidden southern canyon didn’t return. Something was shrouding this boy, keeping him from him, denying him the pleasure of watching his inevitable death.

No one dared to deny a toast to the great hero, Ganondorf. No one. It was heresy to the nth degree. Punishable by death on the spot. And yet, he escaped. A entire legion of the city’s best troops within it’s walls, and he still escaped. The very notion of defeat at the hands of a boy made the battle-worn soldier sick to his stomach. Someone had to have been helping the usurper. There was no other explanation.

“Sir Ironside!” The voice of a runner said from a close distance, panting from his quick dispatch. “Message.”

Ironside’s face crumpled, taking his view off the southern fields. All he needed was more bad news, or lack thereof. “Proceed, boy. And make it quick!”

The runner came to a stop and put his hands on his knees. “The Empress....requests an....an audience with you....Sir Ironside.”

“And how long has it taken you to get me this message?” Ironside’s face turned callous. He felt the sudden urge to hurt someone come from deep within his gut.

“Just now. I came straight from the Empress’ chambers.”

“Get out of my sight! Worthless dog!” Ironside gave the messenger a solid kick to his behind. “If I see you again on this tower it’ll be your head in place of the Highlander’s!”

The boy scampered off, not one to offend the great knight. He knew Ironside’s temper was the direct result of failure, or the visible possibility of failure. There were very few battles Ironside had ever retreated from, let alone lost. The man’s pride was without end.

Ironside smashed an armored fist onto the near wall, placing a fine crack in the chiseled marble. Cursing the ineptitude of the men at his command, he shoved off from the wall and headed towards the Empress’ chambers, an agitated gait preceding his cascading shadow.

Reaching the solid jade doors, Ironside gave himself a slap across his own face, calming his nerves so he didn’t say anything in front of the Empress that he might regret. Only once had he questioned a decision that his Lady had made, an experience he would rather have lived without.

“Ironside?” The Empress’ gentle voice came from the other side of the door. Somehow she was always able to sense who was drawing near without ever seeing their faces.

“Yes, Empress. You summoned me?”

“Enter.” The way she said it was in no way threatening, but Ironside knew better. She may show favor to some, but to him it would come at a cost.

Steeling himself, the knight gritted his teeth and pushed the heavy doors open. Without glancing forward, his head hanging low, the man started to walk into the room.

“That’s far enough.” The Empress said, Ironside not even inside the room. “We have much to discuss.”

Ironside was surprised at the coldness in the Empress’ voice. She was a firm monarch, to be sure, but never before had she denied him entrance into her meeting chambers. Falling to a knee, Ironside thought it best to remain silent until spoken to.

“Sir Ironside.” The empress said. “Rise.”

The knight did as instructed and raised his view, only to see it obstructed by a hanging veil of semitransparent red silk; the Empress standing on the other side. He couldn’t quite tell, but it almost seemed as if she weren’t standing on the ground. It seemed to him as if she were levitating about a foot in the air, but not being able to see her, he wasn’t sure.

“Where is the boy?” The Empress said, her voice cutting through the air like a knife. “You have had three days, entire armies at your disposal. Your time nears it’s end.”

“I....” Ironside was about to lay the blame on his commanders, but knew that could very well lead to his death, given the current state of things. “I have failed you, my Lady. Try as I may, some evil gives sway to this Highlander. Some unseen darkness gives speed to his stride and turns his tracks into dust. I, myself, have not heard from my patrols in as many days. It was as if they have vanished into the southern ravines.”

“And what of Esclados?” The Empress was growing impatient.

“No word from the Sheikah either. Not even a track or a scent on the wind.”

The Empress’ arms curled and flexed, the feeling of power emanating from across the thin veil to the knight. “As I said, your time nears it’s end. The great hero, Ganondorf, is going to return to us. But this boy stands in the way of his triumphant rebirth.”

Ironside was taken aback. “The great hero? He’s to return? How?”

“I have seen it. A prophecy has come to me, Ironside! A vision of great days to come! Three days from now, at the setting of the last sun of summer, the hero will return! But he cannot do so with this boy in the land. The Highlander is perverse, unclean, and a blight upon us. Even now, he defiles the sanctuaries that hold the remains of our beloved hero! His body, his mind, and his heart all lay helpless to the corrupting blade that this boy carries!”

Ironside could scarcely believe what he was hearing. And from his Empress no less. Never before had he heard any such talk of reviving the great hero of old; he didn’t think it possible.

“Ironside!” The Empress could somehow sense that the knight was distracted. “You will focus, or you will be dispatched to the gallows!”

Ironside gave a penitent bow, staying silent.

“Good! Now, here is the task you are given. Are you up to the challenge, greatest of all knights, or do I need to find some stableboy to take your place?”

Ironside flinched at the insult, anger swelling in his heart.

“No, of course not.” The Empress said evilly, answering her own question. “Dwell on that thought while you are marching the army to the northern slopes.”

“North, Empress?” Ironside was confused at this whole matter. The cursed mountain lay in that direction; nothing but ghosts and corpses of ancient battles.

“North. The boy has taken refuge with a band of Highlander sympathizers. He already carries the blade that may murder our hero before his glorious return. If he is allowed to continue, Ganondorf will surely be destroyed and never again be free to walk this world anew. And we will be thrust into an age of total darkness and despair.

“It is the same, this time, as it was before. This is the same boy that the great hero defeated before the dawning of time, sealing him within that foul blade. The very evil of the ages has returned to us, Ironside. Have you not the courage to defeat it? Take your place in the Hall of Heroes, Sir knight. Have your name sung on the eve of veneration, as your forbears. Bring about the return of the great hero, and you, too, shall be immortal in song.”

Ironside knew the consequences if he were to refuse or to argue. “If by my life, my Empress’ will be done.”

“Good.” The Lady’s once pristine voice grated like sand on rock. “Now, get out of my sight. If I see you in the city before the setting sun of summer, without the boy’s head, it will be you that take his place.”

Ironside bowed out of the room, anxious to leave, and pulled the massive jade doors shut behind him. He was vexed. Something was wrong. Over the past few months, the Empress had started acting more and more barbaric, issuing death warrants and threats of invasion on a near daily basis. Something was wrong. But he couldn’t see any particular reason or cause.

Brushing aside his misgivings, the knight captain quickly made his way to a runner’s station, giving a boy the message to call together the war council; all the knight captains in the kingdom to assemble in the great hall.

Ironside popped his knuckles and took in a deep breath, gazing northwards to the imposing peak of the cursed mountain. “Goddesses, protect us.”

“All the people in this village are born to serve the Royal Family of Hyrule.”

- Sharp the Elder

Link slowly roused from his peaceful slumber, the first he had received in weeks. He still felt worn and tired, but his mind was refreshed. Taking in a deep breath of the clean mountain air, he rubbed the cobwebs from his eyes and rose to his feet. Whisper danced in the air around him, glad to see him awake after so long a time.

Stepping out of the battered shanty that was his shelter, Link gazed around the skeletal remains of Kakariko village. It wasn’t the same as it was before. Not only had it been moved deeper into the mountains, but the very soul of it seemed to be missing. It came across as devoid of meaning or purpose, the once proud guardians of the royal family reduced to beggars and thieves.

“Oy, Link!” The familiar voice of Esclados came from down one of the side streets. Link perked up his ears and looked in his direction. “Still alive, old man?”

Link gave a smile at the friendly jest, keeping the fact of the statement to himself.

“My father’s been looking for you. He didn’t believe me when I told him that a wanderer such as yourself would still be in bed at ten in the morning.”

Esclados walked up near to Link, handing him a liquid-filled skin. “Here, drink. You’ve been sleeping for nearly two days. You must be parched.”

Link took the skin and held the opening to his dry lips. He was at first surprised that it wasn’t water, but then found himself unable to stop drinking it. It was sweet, like the juice of a berry, but then turned bitter like a cheaply-mixed mead.

“Good, yes?” Esclados was trying not to laugh at the way Link was guzzling the pink liquid. “It’s a healing potion that my father makes. Two skins of that after a full night of fighting and you could jump right back in.”

The potion tasted nothing like the red stuff that Link was used to, but at the same time it seemed much more powerful. Already he was feeling strength flowing through him, the tips of his fingers somewhat tingly.

Link finished off the skin and handed it back to Esclados. Wiping the rosy fluid from the corners of his lips, he stretched his arms out, feeling rejuvenated and ready for anything.

Esclados handed Link a simple cup made of clay. “Take this with you, you’ll need it. My father is up near the spring; wanted me to tell you to meet him there as soon as you were up. Better get going.”

Link nodded to his friend and turned northwards, the sound of rushing water nearby. Passing by the crudely built huts and shacks, he thought it amazing that the people of the Sheikah has survived as long as they had. But what of the underground village that was to the south? What drove this strong and battle-tested people from such a place of protection?

Link mulled over the thoughts as he came to the river. It wasn’t very wide, only a few yards across, but it was one of the deepest rivers he had ever come across. Unable to see the bottom, he wished he could dive down to uncover it’s assuredly long-lost secrets, but was warned beforehand of the dangers of the undercurrent below. Esclados told him how very few who had tried to conquer the tow of the river lived to tell of it, as the current would sweep you away into the dark honeycomb of caves that lead into the belly of the cursed mountain.

Link looked up and down the river until he saw Esclados’ father, ankle deep in the river on the opposite shore. Esclabor was a powerful man, much bigger than most in the village, and could probably take on a Dodongo barehanded.

“Here, Link.” The Sheikah said, his eyes trapped on the surface of the water. “Step on in.”

Link did as he was told, wading into the river a couple of feet, standing just before the drop-off.

“I see Esclados sent you up prepared.” Esclabor said, looking at the clay cup in Link’s hand. “He’s a fine young man, canny and clever. Almost too clever for his own good, such as yourself.

“Go ahead, Link.” Esclabor motioned the other to dip the cup in the river. “Put the entire thing in the water, let no side of it stay above the surface.”

Link did as he was instructed, unsure of what the Sheikah was getting to.

“Now, very slowly, turn the cup upside down. Remember, keep the whole cup submerged!”

Link rotated the chalice until the base was facing him. Curious, Link noticed there was a small hole in the bottom of the cup.

“Now, Link, bend down and gaze into that little hole there. Close your other eye, and look straight in.”

He did so, his nose touching the cool water as it sped past. Gazing through, Link could see something swirling in the darkness below, the outside light blocked. It looked like a creature of some sort, wiry and coursing like a snake, moving incredibly fast against the current. It had to be rather large, swimming near the bottom of the river.

“Do you see anything?” Esclabor said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “Anything at all?”

Link nodded, keeping his eye fixed on the creature. Whisper also wanted to watch, but kept back so Link could see.

“A dragon, perhaps?”

Link looked up from the spyhole, seeing Esclabor sporting a grin.

“Want to see it up close?”

Link was unsure if he wanted to see another dragon. One too many had he already met.

“We call the water Drakes. Don’t worry, they’re perfectly harmless....as long as you do as I say. And don’t fret about it’s size. It may seem like a monstrous beast, down in the dark deep, but, in reality, it’s not but the size of your palm. It’s bite, however, can make your arm go numb for hours.”

Link nodded his understanding.

“Good. Here’s what you need to do: place both hands on the sides of the cup; careful not to wrap your fingers around the brim, lest you get bitten. I’ll tell you from experience, it stings like a swarm of Keese.”

Link did as told, taking care not to expose himself.

“Okay.” Esclabor continued. “Now listen carefully, as this is the difficult part. Not many Sheikah children can do this first try, so it may take a couple of flips before you get it down right.

“First, you need to wait for the Drake to swim close to the looking hole. Only then can you capture it. Next, you need to flip the cup as fast as you can and lift it out of the water. Precision is critical, for if the Drake leaves the water, even for but a moment, it will die. Water is it’s lifeblood. Take that away, and it becomes not but a pile of cerulean dust; which is still useful, but not as precious as a live Drake.

“Also, when you lift the cup out of the water, be sure to place one finger on the hole at the bottom of the cup. Don’t want the Drake to lose it’s pool, now, do we?”

Esclabor folded his arms. “Ready? Go ahead, give it a try.”

Link relaxed his muscles and bent over the spyhole again, seeing the creature surging through the water like a leaf on the wind. Effortlessly, it changed course, sped up and slowed down as if the water’s strong drift meant nothing to it. It neared once, Link ready to pounce and capture, but it quickly left as fast as it came. Link knew he would need more than speed to capture a thing such as this. A little luck would be in order.

It came again, this time nearly right into Link’s eye, but still the moment didn’t seem right. It was too fast, and he didn’t want to scare it off. Three times it did this, taunting him to the point of reckless spins, but he was tenacious in his task.

Then the moment came. With all the swiftness he could command, Link flipped the cup and heaved it out of the river, water splashing all over him as he raised the chalice up overhead.

“Good!” Esclabor was impressed. “Quickly now! Plug up the base!”

Link nearly forgot and hurriedly placed a finger over the small leak.

“Go ahead! Have a look!”

Link dropped the cup down to his face, getting a close view of the Drake. It didn’t seem upset, as Link expected, but rather looked content, rubbing up against the sides of the cup as if it were it’s own home. Up close, he could see the Drake had silvery spines running across it’s back and long, white whiskers that rippled in the water as it swam.

“They like the clay; reminds them of home.” Esclabor said, using a long stick to vault himself back to Link’s side of the river. “You never want to supplant a Water Drake in a metal cup. That is, unless you want it to jump out and bite you on the nose.”

Link grinned at the thought, though Esclabor didn’t share in the amusement.

“The point here isn’t just to show you how to catch a strange fish, Link. You must understand this if you are to continue down this path that has been chosen for you. Even the most noble of creatures can be tricked and captured, such as this. If you feel at home, if you feel safe, you’ll be lulled into defeat without you even knowing it.

“This Drake will make a fine potion, just like the one you have been living off of the past few days. It’s uses are profound and are the very bricks upon which my people are built. But, in the end, it still must lose it’s life for this to occur. Don’t be like the Drake in the earthen cup, Link. You must be like the one caught in metal, always. You may look on it as the wrong decision, to sacrifice yourself if you are caught, but in reality it is the right thing to do.

“Choose your paths wisely, my young man. Do this, and you will avoid simple tricks such as these and not even have to make such decisions.”

Link understood what the Sheikah chieftain was trying to tell him. This is a strange land, even though it is the land of his birth. He needed to be wary of even the slightest warnings, the minute details, else he could become caught up in the storm.

Esclabor took the cup from Link, placing his own finger over the hole in it’s base. “Come. Let’s go back to the village and show the rest of the Sheikah what you have accomplished this day.”

Link couldn’t help but show a little pride with a closed-lipped smile.

Heading back to the center of the shanties, Esclabor handed the cup off to a Sheikah woman, who hurriedly ran off with it. “We have a small pool that we have built to hold the Drakes until we are ready to make potions with them. It’s a rather difficult task that we only do once a month. Sorry to say that you will probably be gone by the time we do it again. Perhaps when you visit us again?”

Link nodded. Potion making wasn’t the most appealing task to him, but he knew that the results of this potion were worth almost anything.

“Esclados!” The chieftain said loudly into the village, his son nowhere to be seen. “By the Goddesses, do I need to tie that boy down for when I need him?”

Another Sheikah came running from the southern pass, the sound of his flight mysteriously absent. It was as if he was gliding on air; he was a ghost, trained in speed and stealth.

“Esclabor!” The man said, coming near. He stopped just short of the chieftain, lowering himself to a knee to rest from the haste of his journey.

“What is it, Lanval? Do you know of Esclados’ whereabouts?”

“Nay.” Lanval said, his chest heaving. “It took me all night to reach here. I was being followed, I had to lose them deep in the mountains. I saw fires burning to the south, thousands of torches amassed on the slopes of the mountain, near Old Kakariko. I think it’s an army. An army of Ersatz.”

“An army?” Esclabor jested. “What army? The forces of Ersatz are terrified of this place. Even the Empress herself would never set foot on our door.”

Esclabor moved closer to the other, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “You are sure of this? An army of Ersatz?”

“Without a doubt.” Lanval answered, no misgivings in his eyes.

Esclabor’s muscles tensed and tightened, his sturdy frame becoming even more imposing than before. “Then we will answer.” He said with a resolve that could topple a mountain. “Call out every able-bodied man, woman, and child. Gather every last drop of Drake potion that we can carry. We make for the summit come dusk.”

Lanval gave Esclabor a quick nod and jumped to his feet, going door to door in the village to sound the calling of war.

“I am sorry, Link, that I cannot continue protecting you here. We are leaving this place, and we may not return. You are welcome to stay as long as you like, but, come morning, you best be far away from here.”

Link fully understood what the chieftain was asking of him, but felt the time he needed was cut too short. He had many questions left unanswered. What was this Sheikah claw that he carried? How did the Sheikah know of the Hyruleans living underground in Veritas?

Link’s thoughts were sundered by the pounding of war drums, echoing from somewhere deep in the canyons and ravines of Death Mountain’s roots.

“Go, Link.” Esclabor said keeping his vision to the south. “Head west to the Creydo forests, back to the sacred places. I will meet with you there as soon as I can.”

Before Link could even take a step, something black and ominous appeared on the skyline. Hovering just above the rocky cliffs that surrounded the village, soon, many others raised up into the sky, blacking out the midday sun with their shadowy wings. Even though he had never spied these renditions before in his life, Link could tell exactly what they were, his Hylian eyes betraying him not.

Dinolfos with wings.

The larger one in the lead spewing fire into the sky, Esclabor quickly reached behind him and pulled out a claw, much like the one Link had found in the south. Strapping it to his right fist, he let the metal glint in the sun, showing the Dinolfos exactly where he was.

“Run, Link.” The Sheikah breathed wistfully to himself, as if the hero wasn’t even there. “Run.”

“A terrible thing has happened! The evil shadow spirit has been released!”

- Sheik

Link watched in horror as the Dinolfos hovered over the cusp of the village, the sound of pounding drums and clanking metal in the background. An army was at New Kakariko’s door, the handful of Sheikah powerless to stop it.

“Did you not hear what I said?!?” Esclabor gave Link a powerful shove, almost toppling the boy to the ground. “Get out, Link! Get out!”

Link turned to the mountain pass and bolted, Whisper close behind.

Seeing movement on the ground, the lead Dinolfos spun and plummeted into a dive, wrapping it’s wings around it’s body to gain tremendous speed. Breathing out fire as it plunged, it became a flying spear of flame, threatening to consume all in it’s beeline path towards the dashing Link.

The hero didn’t stop to look, but he knew he was the intended target. That, and the war drums coming from down the trail, made him push that much harder towards the pass that led back up to Death Mountain Summit.

His lungs heaving, Link dodged the metal and clay shanties, passing by other Sheikah who were preparing for war. In all haste, they were strapping on claws, swords, shields, Drake potions; an array of weapons that Link had never seen before in one place, let alone on one person.

Link saw a familiar face standing at the edge of the mountain pass, staring at the boy as he approached. It was Esclados, his face white with terror as he stared up into the sky.

Link turned to look, only to see the singeing body of the Dinolfos not but a few yards away and coming fast.

“Link!” Esclados yelled to the hero to roll away, but stood still and did nothing as the monster approached.

Link pulled out his dagger, but felt helpless at the sight of such an onslaught as this.

Just then, right before the Dinolfos struck, Esclabor flew into the scene, stepping in front of Link with a shield of hardened steel, the eye of the Sheikah painted on it’s ashen face. Grabbing Link by the collar, he pulled him close and dropped to the ground in a defensive stance, shielding the two of them from the scalding fires of the Dinolfos’ corrupted breath. Terrified, Whisper jumped under Link’s hair, clinging to him for protection.

The monster breathed a stream of liquid fire onto the shield and spun off to the side, leaving a trail of charring embers as it spun away. Unfolding it’s wings, it dropped to the ground, the talons of it’s hands and feet clawing at the rough dirt and rock until it came to a stop. Standing up to it’s full height, it was much taller, and bulkier, than the Dinolfos that Link had encountered before in his adventures. Pulling out two short swords that were glowing with unearthly heat, it slowly approached Link and Esclabor who stayed huddled behind their fireproof defense.

“Stay true, Link.” Esclabor said to him. “Take this shield and defend yourself until we can get you out. Your task is to defend the mirrors. At all costs, even to the taking of our lives, and yours, the mirrors must not be destroyed! Lady Mara and all of Veritas depends upon us to do this, else they will fall.”

Esclabor gave Link a weak smile. “Ready?”

Link nodded, stern determination in his eyes.

“Follow close behind, and watch my back.”

Esclabor handed Link the shield and leapt out of the safeness of the enclosure with an agility that was beyond belief. His lone claw slicing through the air with lightning speed and precision, he delicately wove himself inside the defenses of the Dinolfos, dodging sword, fire, and flailing tail whips with such grace, Link could not help but to watch. So entranced by the display of artistry, Link nearly failed to notice the snarls and trumpeting of the other Dinolfos, dropping into the village.

Link turned his back to Esclabor and the fire-breather, eyeing the scene. There were dozens of Dinolfos filling the streets and byways of New Kakariko, setting ablaze the simple buildings and trees, trampling nearby crops, and knocking over the gravestones and memorials of soldier Sheikah long since passed. The entire village was in ruin and flame, Link and the Sheikah with no other recourse than to let it happen.

Seeing the befoulment taking place in his village, a rage so blistering and pure ignited within Esclabor, and with one swift and decided swing of his claw, the giant Dinolfos fell over onto it’s back, the perverse green blood flowing unhindered from it’s belly staining the ground.

Esclabor quickly forgot his triumph and turned to the village. Bellowing a call of war more bone-chilling than the shriek of a wraith, Esclabor’s eyes seemed to lose their color and shift into a pure white, his body tensing and shaking with power and fury.

Answering the call, the handful of Sheikah that inhabited the village charged into battle, employing nearly every weapon imaginable against the invaders. The power of the Sheikah had been unleashed.

As the battle waged, the howls and screams filling the air cut into Link’s heart and mind. He had battled many monsters and demons before, but never before had he witnessed full blown war. It was sinister, to say the least; harrowing to the soul.

Link turned and looked to the mountain pass, just as Esclados took off and ran out of the village. He must be running off to protect the mirrors, Link thought to himself.

“Link!” Esclabor yelled. “Go!”

Shield in hand, Link dashed for the outlet into the mountains, following Esclados’ trail. Rounding a couple of bends, he skidded to a stop, his eyes growing wide.

Marching up the ramparts of New Kakariko was the true army of Ersatz. Armors of black, red, and prominent gold glinted in the afternoon sun as they steadily marched, the ground quaking under their unison steps. Filling all the gaps in the southern passage, it was an impossible sea of bodies, armed to the teeth, ready to conquer.

Link reeled and broke into a sprint back to the village. He maybe could have escaped into the northern mountains, but Esclabor and the rest of the Sheikah needed to be warned.

Flying back into the village, Link spotted Esclabor dispatching Dinolfos as if they were paper dolls. He was drenched in green blood and sweat; dark streaks of emerald and his own red on his face.

“Link?!?” Esclabor was in disbelief at the stupidity. “What, in the name of the Goddesses, are you doing?!?”

Link ran up close to the Sheikah, pointing backwards at the pass just as the soldiers of Ersatz rounded the corner and began pouring into the village like ants from a hill.

“Powers protect us.” Esclabor said, trying to count the soldiers. “Sheikah! To the west pass!”

Like a wild ocean tide, the Sheikah all shifted towards the pass, cutting down Dinolfos as effortlessly as breathing. They were growing tired, some bloodied and cleaved, but their resolve as warriors held stronger than the pain.

“Link!” Esclabor beckoned for the hero to follow. “To the river!”

The pair ran as fast as their legs would carry them, Lin having to push much harder to keep up with Esclabor’s massive strides. Reaching the riverbank, the Sheikah placed a firm hand on Link’s shoulder.

“Do you have a Keystone?”

Link didn’t know what the man was talking about.

“Did Lady Mara give you a black stone with some etchings on it? Quickly, we haven’t much time!”

Link reached into his pocket and retrieved the small amulet, it’s glimmering facade flashing in the light of day.

“Wrap it tightly around your right hand, the smooth face against your palm.” Esclabor helped strap the shield to Link’s back, keeping an eye on the battle ensuing in the village below. “With haste, Link! They come!”

As fast as he could manage, Link pulled the cords tightly around his hand and wrist.

“Good. Now all you need to do is...” Esclabor stopped short, his ears perking up to the sky. “Move!”

The Sheikah gave Link a solid push out of the way just as a hail of steel bolts came flying through the air, peppering the ground and the river. Following the volley, a small group of soldiers came charging up the steady incline towards the waterfront, swords drawn. A bolt lodged firmly in his left shoulder, Esclabor yelled in defiance at the encroachers.

Surrounding Link and the Sheikah, the soldiers pointed their steel menacingly, poisonous looks hidden underneath their plated enclosures.

Not one to wait for destiny, Esclabor lunged into the fray, cutting down two of the soldiers with his claw. With only a dagger and a sword hilt, Link could do next to nothing but defend himself best he could from the long reach of the men.

Taking another soldier down, Esclabor wrested the man’s blade from him and tossed it to the Highlander.

Clasping the sword with his left hand, it’s grip still warm with it’s previous owners heat, Link spun the blade, testing the weight and the balance. Satisfied, he lunged at the near soldiers, the familiar feeling of sword-to-sword combat instantly coming back to him. Strange, he thought, how this fight reminded him of that final battle with Ganondorf in his tower. Such a long time ago it seemed, distant and ethereal. He knew then, without a doubt, that something else was lingering in the village of New Kakariko. Neither of Sheikah nor of Ersatz, something vile and villainous was drawing near.

The pain and loss of blood getting to him, Esclabor was beginning to falter. Glancing off a mortal blow with his claw, the steel barbs shattered, the Sheikah now left with nothing but his fists. Gripping the soldier with his bear-claw-hands, he pummeled the warrior through his helmet, dropping the man to the ground.

Another soldier jumped in, catching Esclabor across the jaw with an armored knuckle. The Sheikah spun and fell to the ground. Stepping over him, the soldier lifted his blade high, intent on staining his sword with the blood from Esclabor’s heart.

“Sword!” Esclabor yelled to Link, who quickly snatched up another and tossed it to the Sheikah.

Catching the hilt in his off hand, Esclabor rolled to his side and put all the energy he could muster into the swing, the razor’s edge passing clean through the plating around the soldiers throat; blood spattering all over the eye on Esclabor’s tunic.

Pushing the corpse over, the last of the soldiers in the area dead, Esclabor motioned for Link to help him to his feet. Doing so without hesitation, Link pulled the man up, his body seeming weary and lax.

“Time to go, Link.” The Sheikah Chieftain said, his voice shaky. “That medallion will lead you to where you need to be. They always do.”

Esclabor reached into his tunic and pulled out a similar stone that was draped around his neck. Snapping the cords, he handed it to Link. “When again you see Lady Mara, be sure to return this to her. I no longer have need of it.”

Link looked into the Sheikah’s eyes, knowing all to well what he was planning.

“Never let that stone get into the hands of Ersatz. Never. It could lead them to Veritas and they could destroy them all. Lady Mara grows weak, as now I grow weak. A full on assault on the underground would be a massacre.

“Run now, Link. Take a deep breath.”

Link didn’t understand at first, but then squeezed in a quick breath as the Sheikah pushed him into the river, the undertow seemingly gripping him by the ankles and sucking him down into the deep chasm of water.

“Speed on, Link.” Esclabor said, hunching over to his knees, his power leaving him.

Sitting still for a moment, Esclabor’s senses were again snapped awake at the sound of heavy, armored boots approaching, the gentle padding of another Sheikah close behind.

"The flow of this waterfall serves the King of Hyrule. When the King slumbers, so too do these falls."

- Zora Inscription

Link tumbled and tossed through the underground labyrinth of a river, flowing deep into the heart of the cursed mountain. Desperately trying to keep himself away from the craggy rocks, he found it near impossible to swim in a current such as this.

Gripping the Keystones tightly in his right hand, the pirated sword in his left, Link spun through the hazy dark, the only light to be seen coming from Whisper's glimmering wings. The fairy herself was also caught in the immense tow, though she was able to use her wings to somewhat navigate the river. Link wasn't so lucky.

Link's chest was starting to shudder, the breath in him giving it's last. His mind blurred and swam, much like the water around him. He was running out of time; no end of the river in sight.

With great effort, Link pulled the Keystones close to his chest, clinching his fingers around their smooth surfaces as if they were his lifeline. Little did he know, they were.

Flaring to life in the stark, cavernous abyss, the Keystones began to pulse through the water, causing gentle ripples within the enclosure. Link could feel the palpitations deep within him, making his body careen in the already pounding river.

Caressing and enveloping, the ripples joined to form a barrier around his body, sealing him within. The water left the cocoon, Link and Whisper both slumping to the floor. His lungs exploded for air. He expected none to find, but was relieved when he felt the cool, crisp wind fill his body. He could feel a gentle breeze within the shell, as if the protective barrier was drawing air from the water itself, giving him life and hope.

Whisper rose into the air, fluttering the moisture off her wings, little sprinkles dancing off Link's face. He gave a weak laugh, holding up his hands from the delicate shower.

Whisper hovered close. "Thank the Goddesses for that!"

Link's jaw dropped. He heard the fairy's voice as clear as the midday sun.

"You...you can understand me?"

Link nodded, a smile of amazement slowly creeping over.

"Finally!" The fairy exclaimed, elated that her role of silence had been lifted. "I thought you were never going to come around!"

Link reached up with his hand, letting Whisper land on his finger. She felt cool to the touch.

"Most can find the way quite easily. You, boy, are full of straw! The Goddesses could have created another world in the time it took you to align!

"But, no matter. All that matters is that you can listen now!"

Link released his grip on the sword, letting it rest on the side of the cocoon as they sped through the dark underworld with an incredible speed.

"Do you know where we are going?" Whisper asked of her companion.

Link shook his head. He didn't even know where they were at the moment, let alone where they would end up.

Whisper turned away, looking at the passing rock. "Me neither. But we're sure to end up where we need to be!" She spun back around, her spirits lifted. "I guess we were never properly introduced. Lady Mara called me Whisper, as that is how she sees me. If she would have looked a little deeper, she would have seen much, much more. But, for now, Whisper will do. Nice to finally meet your acquaintance, Link!"

The hero nodded and smiled to his companion. He, too, was relieved to finally have someone he could talk to.

"Now, down to business." Whisper floated up to the roof of the cocoon, watching the juts and crags of rock as they flew by. "There's so many things I have to tell you, but I fear we don't have the time. Alright then! Just the important stuff!

Whisper floated back down and hovered in Link's direct view. "Veritas is in more danger than you, or it's inhabitants, know. The mirrors are important, yes, but there is a greater threat. I have sensed it building for some time now, but, until you freed me from the tunnels of woe, I was powerless to do anything about it. But no longer!

"The dark stranger, the one who trapped me and my sisters in the rock, he has returned! I could sense him in the air back in New Kakariko. This man has dark power. Power that not even I can defend against. It's as if he has the very strength of the Goddesses at his command!

"He follows us. Even now, he follows us. You caught wind of him back in the underground city to the south. Those were his Wolfos that attacked us. I didn't see him, but I wouldn't forget the feeling of his presence if I were trapped in rock for all eternity!"

Whisper drooped down a little lower, making sure she had Link's undivided attention. "Do you know what it is that he wanted from me and my sisters in the fountain of essence?"

Link hadn't the slightest idea.

"He was looking for...him."

The boy didn't need to ask. He knew exactly who she was referring to.

"Your eyes betray you, Link. You know of whom I speak. You have met this man before. ...good. It will save you; and hopefully me and the rest of the world!

"The stranger is gathering all the pieces of the dark lord. At the end of this night, all will be decided. There is an alignment of stars in the heavens that will begin as soon as dusk settles. Time is short. If only you hadn't been asleep for so long..."

Link's thought immediately drew to Esclados.

"By the Goddesses." Whisper came to the realization at the same time as Link. "The Sheikah...I thought...I thought he was our friend...." The fairy's wings went flat. "He kept you asleep for those two days. He wanted you to stay out until the alignment!"

Link gritted his teeth. The bitter cut of betrayal had etched it's mark on his heart.

"Oh, I am sorry, Link! I didn't see it! But there's still time! Time enough to stop the dark stranger from bringing Ganondorf back!"

Link's spirit wilted. He told Whisper of his coming into this world, and of seeing Ganondorf, and of the Master Sword's fate. Producing the shattered hilt, he held it up for the fairy to see.

"I...I don't know what to say, other than to say that Ganondorf is not here. He couldn't be. I can see into the other side, you know. I'm of the fountain of essence! I can see the dark lord, even now, awaiting his return in the other realm. The veil is thick, but the shadow remains. What you saw...it must have been a dream."

Link wanted to believe her. With all his heart, he wished it were true.

"Even if he were here in body, his spirit is not. That's for certain. Something else is out there, be it the dark stranger or some other force, but not Ganondorf Dragmire. Ersatz may want it differently, but, if it were to happen, they'd regret it for sure.

"Help me, Link! Help me ensure that never happens!"

He desperately wanted to walk away. To him, it seemed only moments since his last confrontation with Ganon in his tower. His very life was taken from him that fateful day. Everything; friends, family; everything. He had given and lost so much. He didn't want to do it again. And besides, without the Master Sword, what was he to do?

"Come on, Link!" Whisper could see he was in doubt. "I can't do this without you! You are the only one that can carry this burden! I can't do it. If I could, I would take up that sword and show that pig-faced Gerudo a thing or two, but I can't. I'm just a fairy.

"But you...you're Link. The Hero of Time. Evil's Bane. Master of the Winds. You are the One. I can see all you have done through the centuries, though not many others have. You're destined to conquer evil, just as you were destined to come here to save us from that same evil resurrected.

Link knew he would try, though his heart felt weary.

"If not for me," Whisper said, turning to last resort. "Do it for Zelda."

Link's eyes and ears perked up.

"I didn't want to tell you. You have too much to worry about already."

Whisper floated to the other side of the cocoon, cold, dark water rushing by. She could see a faint sliver of light in the far distance, gradually growing as they approached. She knew the time for talk was going to be cut short within moments.

"Link, there isn't time! All I can tell you now is that Zelda is alive and in Ersatz, for now. You can't help her. Don't even think to try. Not in the state you are in, anyway. Look at your hand."

Link gazed down at his left hand, the outline of the Triforce of Courage having grown even fainter than before.

"You see? Even now the power of the Triforce begins to waver under this dark shadow. I don't know where we are going to get it, but we need help! Esclados may have betrayed us, but not to the end! He failed, Link! You are fated to overcome! There are others. Others that would give their lives to help you. I don't know how, but I think one of them is coming near."

Link looked passed Whisper's dainty body at the nearing light in the tunnel just as the cocoon began to unwind. Water quickly began to fill the empty space, Whisper rushing to her companion and clinging to his tunic. Link took a large gulp of air, the biggest one he could muster, and was again submerged in the wild waters of the mountain.

Wow that was a great read, good work and i can't wait for the next installment