[ZGen] The Legend of Zelda: Time After Time (T)

Rated T for Teen: violence and some disturbing imagery


EzloSpirit proudly presents

An EzloSpirit-Zelda Universe Original Fanfic

LoZ: Time Games, Book 1:
The Legend of Zelda: Time After Time
by EzloSpirit


Prologue:

It is a legend spoken of today: the tale of the Hero of Time, and how he harnessed the powers of Time and conquered the evil dark lord Ganondorf.

The power to tame the threads of Time was sealed away in a small musical instrument touched by the Golden Goddesses themselves known as the Ocarina of Time. This power was only to be awakened by a member of the royal family or the one who would rise up and defeat the evil. The only known way to do this was in special Songs. Each Song, when played on the Ocarina of Time, would call upon a thread of Time and bend it to the will of the Song, the Ocarina, and the player.

But what nobody knew was that the powers to control Time were many more than those which the Songs called upon. The knowledge of these extra powers was never passed on by the Golden Goddesses, for the sole reason that most of these were dangerous and unreliable. Many of these powers had the ability to completely alter Time itself.

There was but one who knew of these sealed abilities. Her name was Zelda. She was a princess. The Hero of Time saved her from the evil grasp of the Dark King Ganondorf. But still, she never told a soul about the Ocarina of Time's additional abilities. That is, not a soul besides her diary. Not a soul even knew about her diary. And even if one found her diary tucked away behind a loose brick directly behind a tapestry depicting the creation of Hyrule, he or she would not understand it, for it was written in the ancient Hylian language...and musical notes.

But secrets can never last forever. For as her hero was away saving a separate world from disaster by the hands of a mask, Zelda's diary would be read. And the diary of Princess Zelda would never be found for hundreds of years. The one who had read her diary had taken it and gotten his hands on the Ocarina of Time. He had gone backward then farther forward than the present in Time, both diary and Ocarina in hand. All he had done was play a simple song on the Ocarina of Time, one that was never written anywhere else except the diary of Princess Zelda.

Zelda herself was in a panic that her diary had gone missing. She was afraid that it had been stolen and that the one who had stolen it could understand the ancient Hylian language. She looked all around Hyrule Castle for the Ocarina of Time, but it was nowhere to be found. The truth began to dawn on her that she was right, and the diary had been stolen along with the Ocarina. But she could tell no one, for they would find out about her diary and possibly the contents. All she could do was wait until the one she trusted the most returned to Hyrule. The Hero of Time, Link. He was the only one she trusted enough to tell her secrets to. So she sat in the top of the tallest tower in Hyrule Castle, waiting for Link's return.

Zelda waited for many years, but Link never returned. Something was very wrong. Perhaps he was dead. Or maybe he was a prisoner or a slave for some new evil. Something had to be done. She went to her father.

"Father?" the princess said, trying hard but successfully to conceal her panic.

"Yes, my Zelda?" the king replied.

"It has been many years, yet Link has not returned. I believe he went to another realm known as Termina."

The king raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I know of every other realm in existence. There is no Termina."

That sent shivers up Zelda's spine.


Next Chapter


Table of Contents:

Prologue (in this post)
Chapter 1: Time Crash (click above link)
Chapter 2: Time Crisis
Chapter 3: Encounter at Lon Lon Ranch
Chapter 4: Escape to the Future
Chapter 5: Double Take
Chapter 6: A Changed Hyrule
Chapter 7: Something Sinister in Ordon Village
Chapter 8: Supper with Rusl
Chapter 9: The Resistance
Chapter 10: Shad's Research (Coming Soon!)

Audiobook (new chapter uploaded periodically):
Audiobook Introduction (explains a little about fan fiction, ZU, and not much else. If you don't have much patience, just skip it)
Prologue
Chapter 1: Time Crash
Chapter 2: Time Crisis
Chapter 3: Encounter at Lon Lon Ranch
Chapter 4: Escape to the Future
Chapter 5: Double Take
Chapter 6: A Changed Hyrule
Chapter 7: Something Sinister in Ordon Village
Chapter 8: Supper With Rusl
Chapter 9: The Resistance
(more to come!)



This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.

This is a great story. I loved the richly detailed back ground you put in. I've never even played that Zelda, but I understand all the things you wrote because it was so descriptive and awesome! Good job, I don't see anything that you could change to make it better, because it already is the best. Please write part two soon!

Chapter 1:
Time Crash


The mask laughed an evil laugh. Its eyes seemed to bore into the very essence of the green-clad young man who stood before it, sword and shield in hand.

A green cap hung back over the young man's unkempt blond hair. His face was set with extreme determination. He was determined to destroy this mask who wished to stop him from saving Termina from the moon set on a collision course with Clock Town, just as he had been determined to save the Princess Zelda from the clutches of the Dark King Ganondorf before. His name was Link. The legendary Hero of Time.

Link rushed at the mask, sword held back, and jumped, spinning. His sword swung around as he did, except that it made contact with the mask. The mask fell to the floor, wide-eyed and staring up at Link. Then its expression returned to its former state, angry and confident. Link stood over it, preparing to stab the blade down straight through the mask, when it spoke. Its voice was that of a bratty child's.

"You wouldn't do that. You are weak. You lack the strength and confidence in yourself to be able to kill an innocent Skull Kid. They call you the Hero of Time? Meh."

"You are wrong, Majora," Link replied with total confidence and courage. He raised the sword higher...and brought it down for the final blow....

* * *

Everything went black. There was no light to be seen anywhere. At first, Link thought the moon had collided with Termina. But he had had plenty of time left. Had the sword even made it to Majora's Mask? He rummaged in his pocket for the Ocarina of Time. It was not there.

Suddenly, he noticed he began forgetting all that had happened in the past seventy hours or so. He could not figure out what had become of Termina or if it was he who was removed from anything else. Wait. Termina? What is a Termina? He wondered whether Majora's Mask had been destroyed or not. Majora's Mask? Who is Majora and what is so special about Majora's Mask?

Link felt like he was falling. But everything was pitch-black and there was no way to tell which way was up or down or if he was even falling at all. It was like floating in a dream without images. Then the darkness began to break up. Light began to pierce through the endless walls of shadow. What was happening?

* * *

The Hero of Time opened his eyes. A red horse was staring down at him with concern, whinnying softly.

Link smiled. "Hello, Epona." The horse seemed almost to smile back. Link stood up. He found he was on Hyrule Field. He looked behind him and there was Hyrule Castle...with one of its towers broken off. The Hero of Time mounted Epona. "Yah!" he cried as he whipped the reins. They turned around and rode towards Hyrule Castle. Link had his sword in one hand. He was ready to save Zelda again if need be.

But Link always had an uncomfortable, pressing feeling that he was forgetting something. Something important....


Next Chapter

You are a great writer. I love how your doing this story and providing such back grounds. I have read many books by famous authors, and I think you could be a famous author some day. Your storys are interesting and very well written with great garmmer. Good work! I can't wait to read part three.

Chapter 2:
Time Crisis


Dusk had fallen by the time Link reached Hyrule Castle. The sky shone bright in a comforting fire of oranges and reds. It served as a background for the great, looming, shining castle. And one other thing: Princess Zelda, standing on the rooftop smiling down at him, an urgent yet excited twinkle in her eyes.

Link dismounted Epona. He hurried into the castle. Zelda was running down the grand staircase.

"I must speak with you," she gasped, short of breath.

Link smiled. "I'd give all my time in this world to talk to you, my princess."

"Don't make me slap you, you naughty boy," Zelda said, mocking him. Then she continued, seriously,"No this is serious. This could mean life or death for all of us."

Link's expression turned deathly serious. "Tell me everything."

"I've never told anybody, not even my father, but I have a diary," the princess began. "In it are my thoughts and feelings, daydreams and general musings, but there are things much more valuble contained within: the scared musical Notes of the Ocarina Songs never passed down by the Golden Goddesses."

"I'm missing the Ocarina, Zelda," Link said solemnly.

"That is what I feared," relpied Zelda, almost to herself. Then, more clearly, she continued. "My diary went missing. I noticed it this morning. It was all written in the ancient Hylian language, so I am not sure why anyone would steal it, but perhaps there are others who understand the language. At first, I thought I'd lost the Ocarina, too, but then I remembered you had it. And now that you mention its disappearence, I fear the worst has happened: I believe my diary and the Ocarina have been stolen, and the hidden powers to control Time are being used for evil purposes. The destruction of one of the main towers of the castle, something my father told me had happened more than a century ago, the mysterious non-existence of Termina.... Link, you must do something. With the Ocarina and my diary in the hands of evil, Time can change for the worse at any moment."

"How do I chase someone or something that travels through Time?" Link asked, grim.

"I suppose the only thing we can do is wait for the culprit to travel to this time again. Or to seven years ago because you have the ability to travel between seven years ago and now."

"I'm going to go to the Past now then."

"Good luck," Zelda whispered.

With that, Link ran out of Hyrule Castle and mounted Epona once more. "To the Temple of Time, Epona," he told the beautiful red horse. Epona whinnied and galloped off towards the Temple of Time.



Next Chapter

It's great. I love how you put such detail into it, but it's not so much that it becomes a chore. Keep it up. It has promise

Chapter 3:
Encounter at Lon Lon Ranch


Link smiled to himself as he walked in bustling Hyrule Market. He liked being a child. There was less responsibility, less burden. No worrying about true love, only silly little pretend love. Old friends still had time to be friends. The perfect life.

"Wotcher, Link!" a short, black-bearded, mostly bald man called.

"Good day, Talon," Link said. "Sleeping well lately?" Talon shot him an annoyed glance. The young boy was always poking fun at him since Link caught him sleeping far away from his ranch during his adventure to save Zelda from Ganondorf. Link grinned smugly. "Anyway, I don't suppose I could come for a little visit at the ranch? I would like to see Epona."

"Let's go together; I just finished my shopping anyway." In his arms, Talon cradled a basket filled with all sorts of produce.

The two set off for Lon Lon Ranch, home of Talon, Malon, his daughter, and baby Epona. Link felt the purity of Hyrule Field from the moment he set foot on it. In this end of Time, Ganondorf had not yet touched Hyrule with his curse.

The sun was at its peak when young Link and old Talon reached the walls of Lon Lon Ranch. Or what was left of them.

"What in the name of the Golden Goddesses has happened here?" Talon exclaimed.

Link frowned. There was something sinister in the calm breeze that blew across Hyrule Field and through Lon Lon Ranch, unobstructed by the walls that should have been around the ranch, completely intact. The stones that made up the outer walls of the ranch had been blown apart, leaving nothing standing around the ranch to keep thieves and creatures out and escaped horses in.

"INGO!" Talon shouted. "I smell you behind this disaster! What did you do, set a bomb off?" There was no answer. Talon marched ahead and into the stables. Link followed. Ingo was there. He had been tending to the cows like he should have been. But now he was lying on the floor, a bloody stain in his outfit surrounding a pitchfork stabbed through his chest. Ingo the stableman was dead.

"Wha-wha-WHAT HAPPENED?" Talon cried. He burst into tears, mourning his helper, despite the fact that they did not get along well. Malon, a small girl about Link's age in this time with long red hair, came running in. She screamed and ran away.

Link left Talon to his dead stableman and walked outside. He looked across the ranch to see Epona staring at him knowingly and fearfully. He ran to her. "What is it, Epona girl? What did you see? What happened to Ingo?" Epona whinnied in reply.

Suddenly, at the far end of the ranch, a small, shadowy figure darted from one side of the ranch to another. "Hey! Stop right there!" Link demanded. The perpetrator did stop...and Link saw who it was. And it did not make any sense. "Sk-sk-sk-Skull Kid?" He was suddenly remembering things that had been erased from his mind. Termina, the moon, and...Majora's Mask. "What? How is this possible? You are in another world. How could you be here?" Skull Kid just smiled back. He held up Majora's Mask and put it on. Then he held up the Ocarina of Time and a small book that could only have been Zelda's diary.

"You?" Link gasped.


Next Chapter

I like the twist with Lon Lon Ranch and Skull kid

Chapter 4:
Escape to the Future


"Yes, Hero of Time," said Skull Kid, manipulated by Majora's Mask. "It was me all along. I was the one who caused the collision of the moon with Termina a century early. It was I who destroyed one of the towers of Hyrule Castle to get you on my trail. I stole the Ocarina of Time from Hyrule Castle before you were meant to depart for Termina before it was destroyed. And it was I who stole the princess's diary so I could do all that I did, including kill Ingo, once again for the purpose of leading you out here...alone."

"A time paradox?" Link inquired almost fearfully.

Skull Kid smiled under the mask. "It seems so. And the memories you have just regained are technically false and they would not have happened yet anyway. Not for seven years."

"I learned the Song of Storms from myself, if still indirectly."

"And I learned the Ballad of Time-Still-to-Come from your princess, if still indirectly." Majora laughed the same laugh it had when Link had battled, will battle, or should have eventually battled it in Termina. Then it put the Ocarina of Time to its lips and began to play, so quietly that only Link and itself could hear, a song that had a calming, yet solemn tune.

It was a song Link had never heard before. But he somehow felt safer and more secure, even in the presence of Majora's Mask, as he closed his eyes to listen. It wasn't until he opened his eyes what seemed like one minute later that he realized it had been a big mistake to listen to the Ballad of Time-Still-to-Come. For when he opened his eyes, the ruined Lon Lon Ranch was gone. In its place was a vast field of green and brown, stretching almost endlessly over hills and into the distance until it reached the moat surrounding the walls of a vast, looming castle with tall, menacing spires and enormous towers. It almost reminded Link of Hyrule Castle, but this castle was too large and complicated to be Hyrule Castle.

As he looked around, Majora's Mask was nowhere to be seen. "Majora?" Link called. Only his echo answered him. He set off in the direction of the giant, shining castle. Only then did he realize that even though he had gone into the future, he was still a child. The Ocarina of Time was powerful indeed.

The Hero of Time reached the gate. It was slightly ajar. He looked inside and saw what looked to be a large community square, with people of all ages and sizes stopping to socialize and some people playing music. A great sparkling fountain dominated the very center of the square. Link was reminded of Hyrule Market. He stepped in through the gate.

Suddenly, there came a loud crash. Link drew his Kokiri Sword. Then the fountain exploded in a shower of water and marble. The reasonably quiet square turned to complete chaos. People were running around, screaming. "Gods, save us!" someone shouted.

No one else saw it. It was there floating above the broken marble base of the fountain. It laughed. Evilly. "Welcome to the future, Hero of Time," Majora's Mask hissed. "We are about one or two centuries beyond your time. In about a month from now, an evil force will take over and send Hyrule into an endless Twilight. I intend to stop that. I have evil plans of my own, and I do not need any other evil overlords inturrupting me."

"You'll never get away with this!" Link cried, confident.

"But if I do not, evil will still take over Hyrule anyway. So you see, Link, there is nothing you can do. Evil will prevail. Evil shall always prevail!" Majora laughed.

Link was stuck. There was nothing he could do. And then he saw himself. He was adult Link wearing farmer's garb. Who was this other Link? Surely he, the Hero of Time, would not live another hundred years and still look like he was eighteen or so? Two Links walking around Hyrule could be disastrous to the threads that hold Time together. This could greatly weaken Time...and if it lasted too long, it could destroy Time and all of existence. He needed to get out of this future. And fast. But Majora's Mask had the Ocarina and Zelda's diary. He would have to defeat Majora to get back. Before it was too late.


Next Chapter (see post directly below)

Chapter 5:
Double Take


Link opened his eyes. It was still dark. He rolled over on his scratchy, smelly bed of straw and stared at the back of the counter. He was hiding out in the back of a stall that sold things for farm animals for the night.

After the young boy had run off into an alley, away from his doppelganger, he had gone inside a bar. He had then stumbled to the lady at the counter and inquired as to where he was. She had looked at him suspiciously and informed him that he was at Telma's Bar in Hyrule Castle Town. Not believing his ears, Link had run away and hid in a corner, pondering over the events of the past few hours, until night fell, when he found the vacant farm-supply stall.

Link found it incredibly difficult to fall asleep. He tossed and turned on his meager bed of hay, afraid that he might meet his doppelganger face-to-face. The small hero eventually convinced himself that he would find all of the answers in due time. He finally sank into a deep, undisturbed sleep.

* * *

Link woke to the sound of shouting. It took him a moment to realize someone was shouting at him. He rolled over onto his back. Staring down at him angrily was a short, burly man.

"What the bloody hell are you doing down here in my shop, you nasty little runt?" the man was shouting. "What do you think you are, a sheep? Or a cow? I'll call the guards if you don't---" He stopped abruptly as someone tapped him on the shoulder. The man turned around.

Link could not see exactly who it was, but from the conversation that followed, it sounded like a customer. Then the customer leaned over the counter. And staring down at the suddenly wide-awake little boy was his mysterious doppelganger. He gasped. The older him smiled warmly.

"What are you doing back there, little guy?" the doppelganger asked kindly. Link just stared back, wide-eyed and terrified. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Get away from me, you monster!" Link suddenly screamed out. He drew his Kokiri Sword and pointed it at his older self. Link's doppelganger flinched.

"Watch where you are pointing that thing, kid. Are you related to Rusl or something?"

"Who?" Link said.

"Come back with me to Ordon Village. We'll decide what to do with you there. Oh, and what did you say your name was?"

"I never said. It's Link."

"Funny. That's mine, too! I was named after a distant ancestor of mine, who was said to be a hero. I highly doubt that. I'm just a poor farmer."

Young Link stared, wide-eyed, at the one whom he had just figured out was probably his great-great-great-great-grandson or something of the sort. That's when he decided he would have to go to this Ordon Village place with his descendant if he was to learn more about this future, and possibly what Majora's Mask had in store for it.

He stood up and sheathed his sword. "Okay. I'll come with you."

"Have you ever ridden a horse?"

"You can say that."

"Good. It will take us about thirty minutes or so to get home. Follow me."

With that, young Link's descendant set off toward the gates of Hyrule Castle Town, clueless that the small boy following him to his horse was his ancestor, the mighty Hero of Time. The two reached a bright red horse, mounted her, and set off toward the place known as Ordon Village.


Next Chapter (see post directly below)

Chapter 6:
A Changed Hyrule

The two Links, one young, the other old enough that he should be dead, finally arrived at the gates to the small Ordona Province by midday. What the future Link had said would take half an hour became about three hours; he had been informed by a Royal Guard that had been posted at that particular gate to Hyrule Castle Town that the shortest route to the Ordona Province had been overrun by a hoard of angry Skulltulas. The young Hero of Time had shuddered when he heard that.

"You know what they are?" Link the farmer had asked him, surprised. "I don't even know."

"Skulltulas are large spiders that like to either cling to walls covered in vines or hang in a threshold and swing down to attack unsuspecting prey," the Hero of Time had informed his descendant.

"How did you know that?"

Young Link had remained silent. Giving away his identity as the Hero of Time to his descendant---or anyone in this time for that matter---could have devastating effects on the delicate threads that hold Time together like the thin strands of webbing in a Skulltula's web.

The two had ridden in silence after that for the remainder of their lengthy trip to Ordon Village. They just listened to the sounds of the beautiful day: birds chirping a solemn tune, the trees quietly rustling in the gentle breeze, and the distant shrieks and cries of an angry mob of Skulltulas.

* * *

The two Links dismounted the bright red horse in a clearing that contained a small hut nestled in the branches of a tree. It reminded young Link of the past of his own home in the Kokiri Forest.

"Thank you, Epona," the farmer Link said to the horse. The Hero of Time turned away so his descendant could not see his astonished expression. "All right, Link," the Link of the future said. "We'll sit down here and have some lunch before we enter the village. Can you please start a fire? I'll go get the pot and raw cucoo meat." With that, he climbed the rope ladder up to his home to get their lunch.

The young hero did as he was told; he got to sticks, rubbed them together, and started a fire. He threw some more kindling into the blaze so it would not go out very soon. He needed a long meal so he could get all the answers he desperately needed.

The young hero's host came down with a pot and raw meat, just as he had said. He set up the pot, which was already filled with water from some previous meal, over the fire and tossed in the meat.

"I have a lot of questions to ask you about Hyrule," young Link blurted out. "I know it may be crazy but it's for a, erm...a research project for my sword-training school." He felt he also needed an excuse for being a fully armed child.

His host smiled. "Ask away!"

"Who is the current princess of Hyrule?"

"I do not believe we have one. The queen, Zelda, never married."

Young Link quickly moved on to his next question to keep himself from showing any surprise to the farmer's answer. "What are the other provinces, and which races are the most prominent in each one?"

"From what I have read, the provinces are: Ordona, Faron, Eldin, Lanayru, Desert, and Snowpeak. I do not know any of the races."

"What has become of the Kokiri Forest and the Temple of Time, as well as the Gerudo Fortress and the Gerudos?"

"The what Forest? And I've heard legends about the Temple of Time, mostly involving my supposedly legendary ancestor, but I doubt it exists. As for the Gerudos, their race died out long ago. The ruins of their fortress is rumored to be in the Desert Province, but the Desert Province is unreachable."

"Are the Zoras and Gorons still around?"

"I've heard of them, but I'm not sure. I have not heard any stories or documents saying anything happened to them, so they may still be around."

"Is Kakariko Village still in existence? I did see Death Mountain or something like it."

"Kakariko Village is at the very foot of Death Mountain. Yes, I think it still exists."

"No," the Hero of Time said. "Kakariko Village should be on a cliffside of Death Mountain, not at the foot!"

"What?" the Link of the future said, bewildered.

"Uh, never mind!" young Link snapped, startled that he had said that aloud. "That's enough for now. Thanks."

"Any time, I guess," the farmer replied, giving the young boy in front of him an odd look.

The two of them quickly finished their meal after that. Link the farmer went off to tend to his horse, Epona. The Hero of Time, still shaken from his outburst about Kakariko Village, laid down with his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, hoping that this nightmare would be over when he woke up.


Next Chapter

This is really good. The character's are actually "in character", which I love (:

Chapter 7:
Something Sinister in Ordon Village


When the Hero of Time awoke, the sun was setting. He sat up and looked around. There was no sign of his descendant anywhere. He stood up and began walking down a small, narrow path that curved downward. When he came to the bottom, he gasped then smiled. Before him, was a small village that seemed to young Link like a smaller, quieter Kakariko Village. This must have been Ordon Village.

As he walked down the center of the village, he came across what looked to be a small shop. A sign hung out in front that read, "Sera's Shop." Link entered. Inside was a large, cheerful woman sitting behind a small counter.

"Hello, dear," the woman greeted Link in a bright, singsong voice. "We only get the occasional visitor to Ordon, and none of them have ever been lone children. Are your parents around?"

Young Link just stared up at her and blinked. He did not understand the concept of "having parents," as his mother had abandoned him as an infant, and he grew up in the Kokiri Forest where there were no parents except, perhaps, the Great Deku Tree.

"No? Well then, what can I do for you, dear? My name is Sera, by the way."

"Mind if I have a some of that slingshot ammo? I'll pay you!"

"Only if you have a slingshot. And I do not know anyone from outside Ordon that owns one."

Link brought out a sack of forty rupees and his slingshot for proof. Sera just stared down at him, wide-eyed and a bit frightened. She hastily took four sacks of slingshot ammo from the shelf and handed them to the young boy in front of her.

Suddenly, the door opened. "This young boy isn't causing you any trouble, is he Sera?" Link the farmer inquired as he stepped into the small shop. When he saw the annoyed expression on the other Link's face, he told the other Link, "Oh, I was up at the ranch, herding goats."

So his descendant was not a farmer, but a rancher, the Hero of Time thought. Herding goats? Such a pathetic job compared being the savior of Hyrule.

All of a sudden, a loud crash came from outside. The two Links stepped out of the small shop. "The water wheel!" Link the rancher exclaimed. The water wheel further down the road that had been peacefully turning was now laying flat on the ground...on top of a small, black cat.

Sera ran outside to see what all the commotion was about. When she saw the cat lying in the shallow water, bleeding, she screamed. "MY CAT!" She burst into tears. Link the rancher walked up to her and comforted her. While he was doing that, Link the hero ran off and jumped into the water. He began swimming down the small pass until he reached a small island at the end. He was just out of sight of the rest of the village.

"I know you are behind this, Majora!" he shouted. "You can come out now!" What came out was not Majora's Mask, but a large, menacing...Skulltula. It leaped at him, pincers thrashing. Link drew his sword and stabbed the monster on its descent. He was splattered with thick, green ichor. He felt like puking.

The Hero of Time jumped back into the water and began to swim back to the main part of the village, wiping himself off as he swam. When he reached everyone, he stood in front of them, looking proud. They stared down at him expectantly. "I have found and killed your culprit!" he announced. "It was just a Skulltula, a large, monstrous spider." Everybody cheered. The other Link then stood by him.

"Everyone, this is Link," he declared. "He is from..." Then, whispering to the young hero, "Where did you say you were from?"

"The Kokiri Forest," he young boy replied.

"He is from the Kokiri Forest," the rancher continued, one again addressing everybody. "He will be joining us here in Ordon Village for a little while." The villagers cheered. One tall man with short, brown hair stepped forward.

"Young Link, would you care to join my family for supper tonight?" he offered. "Our Link may join us, too."

"I'd love to!" the Hero of Time said, smiling.

"Sure!" the Ordonian Link said.

"Excellent! I have a lot to talk about with you, young Link. My name is Rusl, by the way."

The young boy nodded. The other Link had mentioned Rusl before in Hyrule Castle Town when he had drawn his sword. This Rusl must have been a warrior, and may have been wondering how he had killed the Skulltula on his own.

"We'd best be getting back now," Link he rancher told everyone. "After this tragic event, Link and I should head back to my house. I hate for this to have happened before he had gotten a true first impression of our peaceful village." With that, the two Links began heading back up the road for the rancher's home.

* * *

"Ha ha ha ha!" Majora's Mask laughed. "They don't suspect a thing!" It sat looking down at Ordon Village from his vantage point at the top of the large tree toward the entrance to the village. "That Skulltula was so useful. They think it was all an accident. They have no idea it was I who sent the Skulltula down into the village to cause destruction. And best of all, they think their troubles have come and gone. But they have yet to come. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"


Note to the readers: Sorry, if anyone was offended by the cat being killed by the water wheel. I myself am a cat lover and it hurt to write that part. So, I am very sorry if you were offended. -EzloSpirit

Next Chapter (see post directly below)

Chapter 8:
Supper With Rusl


"Welcome, Links," Rusl greeted the two distant relatives when they knocked on his cottage door. "Please! Do come in." He stepped aside to let the Links pass.

"I'm still in the middle of cooking supper. You see, my wife is the one who usually cooks, but she is away in Kakariko Village at the moment. So now I'm stuck with all her chores, which happen to include watching over our troublesome children," he added with a wink.

"I heard that, Daddy," a girl who looked about three years older than the young Hero of Time complained as she walked into the small kitchen and dining room. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she noticed the two Links. "Hey, Link," she said to the rancher in a flirty tone. Then she looked at the younger Link and said, "I've never seen you around before! You're kind of cute." The Hero of Time blushed.

"Now, now, Beth," Rusl said to his daughter. "Please do not bother our guests."

"Whatever," Beth retorted dismissively. She then sat down at one of the six chairs at the table, rested her head in her hands, and proceeded to stare at Link the rancher.

Ignoring her, the older Link asked, "May we sit down, Rusl?"

"Why, of course!" The Links each took a seat at the table next to each other, at the opposite corner on the other side of the table from where Beth was sitting.

Suddenly, a small boy about young Link's age carrying a toddler over his head came running in.

"TALO!" Rusl shouted accusingly. "Put Malo down and take a seat right now!" Talo did as he was asked still smiling mischievously. Rusl came over holding a large plate of fish. He put a piece of fish on everyone's plate. Then he sat down himself.

"So. You say you are from the Kokiri Forest, eh?" Rusl asked the Hero of Time. Young Link nodded. "Hmm. Well, according to legend, the Hero of Time was originally from that place. It no longer exists, although many believe that the Faron Woods just north of Ordon is what became of the Kokiri Forest. So, either you are from the Faron Woods and are calling them by their old name...or you are from the distant past." Rusl searched the little boy's suddenly pale face for an answer.

Young Link was speechless. He did not know how to answer. He wanted to tell the truth. But that may have led to disastrous consequences. Then, he wanted to say he was from the Faron Woods. But he wasn't sure if anybody lived in them or not. If nobody did, it would clearly be a lie. He decided to take a chance. "I'm from the Faron Woods." He waited for a reply.

Finally, Rusl smiled, "Interesting. I heard there was a small colony of Skull Kids living deep within. Do you live with them?"

At the sound of Rusl saying "Skull Kids," the young hero nearly fainted. "S-s-s-sure," he managed to get out.

"Anyway," Rusl continued, "I invited you here to talk about that sword you have there. Are you training for something?"

"He told me he was attending a sword-training class," Link the rancher declared.

Rusl shook his head, smiling. "There are few in Hyrule that know the art of the sword. There are no training classes held anywhere." He smiled knowingly at the Hero of Time.

Young Link was taken aback. Rusl knew everything. He knew Link was from the past. He knew Link was the Hero of Time. What he (nor anybody but the young boy, for that matter) didn't know was that Majora's Mask was on the loose in their time. But what nobody in the small house knew was that Majora's Mask was standing on the roof, holding a ball of fire in its hand.

"Things are about to get hot in there, Hero of Time!" it shouted into the chimney. "Ha ha ha ha ha!" It leaped off the roof, throwing the small fireball. Soon, the whole rooftop was in a blaze.

Inside, Rusl's children were screaming. "CHILDREN!" Rusl yelled. They calmed down. "I want all of you to calmly and quickly follow me out of the---" All of a sudden, the front door caught fire.

"There's got to be another way out!" Link the rancher shouted above the loud, crackling inferno that was quickly enveloping the cottage. He looked around frantically. "The window!" he shouted, pointing to an open window facing the stream that was slowly flooding from the blockage that was the broken water wheel. "We're going to have to jump! Link, you take Malo! I'll take Talo! Beth, you go first! Then, you go, Link! I'll go third, and you go last, Rusl!" Everyone shouted their okay's.

Beth dived through the opening and rolled down the hill to the stream, laughing the whole way. The Hero of Time, holding little Malo in one arm, leaped out the window next. The rancher approached the window, looked back at Rusl, nodded, then proceeded to jump out the window to safety, Talo screaming the whole time.

The last person to escape was to be Rusl. But before Rusl could make a dive out the window, too, flames enveloped the window. There were no other escape routes. He was trapped.

* * *

"That ought to put an end to those meddling heroes," Majora's Mask cackled to itself. It was sitting in an alleyway in Hyrule Castle Town, just outside Telma's Bar. "With Rusl out of the way, there are only three members of that underground order of swordsmen and -women left. And once I rid of them, nothing will stand in my way! I shall rule over all of Time! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"


Next Chapter (see post directly below)

Chapter 9:
The Resistance


"He was our adopted father," Beth cried, tears streaming down her face. The four children, the rancher, and the rancher's friend Ilia sat together inside Ilia's house, just past the water wheel's normal spot. "A month ago, our parents were killed by a pack of crazed Skull Kids that had come out of the Faron Woods," she continued, now mostly to young Link, since everyone else already knew. "I don't know why they attacked. Skull Kids are usually quite gentle...." The Hero of Time stifled a laugh. "Anyway, after that, Rusl and Uli took us in. Their own son, Colin, had been sick with some new, never-before-seen illness. He had died about a week later."

"I'm really sorry for everything that's happened to you," young Link said, sympathetically.

"Rusl gave us the name of who to go to in case of emergency," Malo---the Hero of Time still found it hard to believe one as young as Malo could speak as if he were an educated adult---declared. "Her name is Ashei, and she apparently spends quite a lot of time in a place known as the Snowpeak Province."

"Wait," Ilia said. " I think my father has a map of Hyrule somewhere around here." She walked off to one side of the room and began searching through all the stuff messily piled up there. "Here it is!" she declared, holding up a large piece of parchment. She proceeded to look it over. "According to the map, Snowpeak is in the northwest part of Hyrule."

"How will we get there?" Talo asked.

"Glad you asked!" Ilia and Link the rancher both said simultaneously.

* * *

Soon, Link the rancher and Ilia were riding his Epona, young Link, Talo and Malo were riding another horse, and Beth riding solo on yet another horse. They galloped on. Eventually, they reached a great, rolling river. Ilia suggested they follow the river northwest. They proceeded to do so.

They reached the lake by sundown. It was a beautiful sight. Reds and oranges reflected off of the clear, pure water. Brilliant waterfalls cascaded down the cliff, crashing into the lake below, sending up large splashes of white water that created rainbows in the air.

"What is this place?" Talo inquired.

"It's beautiful!" Beth said.

"Zora's Domain," said a voice behind them. They whirled around.

"A Zora!" exclaimed the Hero of Time. He was right. Zoras were a silver-skinned marine race. They each had a fish-tail coming out the back of their heads and a slightly pointed face.

"Indeed, I am," the Zora said, smiling. It seemed to be a male. "And what brings you Hylians here?"

"We are looking for the way to the Snowpeak Province," Link the rancher told him.

The Zora pointed to a path to the right of them. "Be careful. It's cold and dangerous in those mountains."

"Thanks!" Ilia said gratefully. With that, the small group of children set out on the path to Snowpeak.

* * *

As soon as they set foot in Snowpeak, they immediately knew what the Zora had been talking about. It was freezing. Ice and snow blanketed everything in sight. Ahead of them were tall mountains. They too were completely covered in shining, white snow.

A figure walked toward them. Soon, they realized it was a woman. She had pitch-black hair braided into two pigtails hanging down the back. She had warm clothes on and a sword sheathed on her back.

"Children!" she exclaimed as she saw them. "What are young ones like you doing here?"

"Ashei?" Link the rancher asked.

"Yes, that is my---" Ashei paused. "Are you Rusl's adopted children?"

"We are," Beth, Talo, and Malo all told her in unison.

"Ah. What happened?"

"The house caught fire and---" young Link began.

"It must be the work of that mask!" Ashei exclaimed suddenly.

"You know of Majora's Mask?" the young hero exclaimed, startled.

"Yes. I've been researching about it ever since I found it lurking outside Telma's Bar in Hyrule Castle Town. It was said to be from an alternate Hyrule known as Termina,which was destroyed centuries ago.

"I have the right to believe it murdered Rusl for a reason. It is probably planning to wipe out the Resistance."

"The Resistance?" Ilia said.

"The Resistance is a group of four swordsmen: Rusl, myself, Auru, and Shad. Well, actually, Shad isn't really a swordsman, but he still attends our meetings. He takes notes and things. We meet in Telma's Bar.

"Majora's Mask must feel that we are a threat to its plans, whatever they may be, and so it is taking us down, one by one," Ashei concluded, grim.

Suddenly, the voice the Hero of Time had dreaded hearing again came from above. "You are very good, Ashei! I admire your wisdom and logic. Too bad you will not be around much longer to use and share it!"

"If something happens to me," Ashei hurriedly told the children, "I want you to find Shad. He should be in Kakariko Village now. Now run!"

All of a sudden, large chunks of ice broke off the nearest mountain and tumbled down. The ground rumbled. "Run! It's starting an avalanche!" Ashei shouted.

The children, on horseback, galloped away back toward Zora's Domain as fast as they could.

Ashei, sword in hand, sliced at the ice that came down toward her. Eventually, there was too much to stop. She screamed as she was buried under many feet of snow.

On the mountaintop above, Majora's Mask smiled to itself, satisfied. Then it leaped into the air...and disappeared.


(to be continued in Chapter 10: Shad's Research, coming soon!)

Comments and reviews are welcome and encouraged! I tell the truth when I say that they actually do help me learn what I'm doing right and/or what I may need to improve in future chapters and stories!

[CENTER]Chapter 10:
Shad's Research[CENTER]


"It's so different!" young Link declared.

"What are you talking about?" muttered his descendant.

"Never mind that you two; we've got a mission," Ilia inturrupted.

The children and company had heard Ashei's scream when they had already followed Zora's River to the center of Hyrule Field.

When they had reached what Ilia had said was the Kakariko Gorge, they had all dismounted their horses. They proceeded to trek on foot to Kakariko Village, supposedly dead ahead.

And that is where they now stood, just inside the gates to Kakariko Village.

"Ashei said we needed to find Shad," Malo explained. "Where would you find someone who seems to be of the intuectual type, a characteristic learned from what Ashei had said about his taking notes and things at meetings of the Resistance?"

"Let's ask that weird man over there!" Beth suggested. (chapter not yet complete)