Legend of Zelda: The Untold Legend

Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legend
-By ForgottenHero
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Disclaimer: I, ForgottenHero, do not own Legend of Zelda. Any Legend of Zelda related items are respectfully owned by their respectful creators. I am not making any profit from this fictional, loosely-based fanfiction.

A/N: [READ] This story is a mixture of fictional writing created by my own imagination and some plot lines from; Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker & Twilight Princess. The plot and basic concept of this fanfiction was created by me ForgottenHero.

Warnings: Sexual Situations [Lemons, Citrus etc..], Violence/Gore and Language. This fanfiction is rated M/NC-17 and is for mature readers only. Any one under the age of 17 and with the mental maturity of that of a 10 year old and younger please leave. Thank You.
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ForgottenHero Corner;

Hello and welcome to my very first Legend of Zelda fanfiction. I have always loved this game series and have always had the desire to write a fanfiction based off of it. This is my concept of Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time and my own ideas.

Now about the story. I will not really have Link talk. Why? Because in all the games we do not hear him talk. He only makes noises as expression (fighting, movement, injuries, seeing someone etc...). If Link actually does talk in the games we do not hear [or see it] it because we are controlling him and the characters just answer questions you would have asked.

Also, this is a Zelda x Link pairing and I am truly excited to write the many lemons that are going to pop in when Zelda is found. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story and will like it enough to Review. I am looking forward to your comments/reviews.


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..../\/\ Chapter One: Rising

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This was originally my story called The Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legend but I have forgotten the password to my account and so made another one.


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Before time began there was emptiness. Before chaos and peace, dark and light, there was nothing. Then three lights fell from the Heaven. In an array of red, blue and green the Goddesses of the universe circled the dark abyss.

Din the Goddess of Power. Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom. Farore the Goddess of Courage.

Din, with her firey arms, cultivated and shaped the land and red earth. Nayru shaped the sky and created the spirit of law and honor. Farore produced the life that would uphold the laws. With their godly powers, the red earth sprouted forth greenery, water sprang from the depths of the soil and creatures of every appearance and potential stumbled forth.

The Three Goddessess, their labors complete, viewed their work and felt reassured their task was complete. They then departed for the Heavens in a brilliant flash. From this flash emerged their last gift to the world; The Triforce.

Three golden triangles aligned in a large triangle, the Triforce harvested the Three Goddesses powers; Strength, Wisdom, and Courage.

From this came forth the people of the Goddesses who took on their appearance, the Hylians. They were long, pointed ear people. They built homes, harvested the land and cultivated a grand kingdom. But their birthright, the Triforce, was lost and soon became a myth among the older generations. It was said the elders of the race had hid it from their people in an attempt to put a stopper on any chance of a person growing too greedy or ambitious for the dangerous power.

Sealed away in a tomb, the Triforce slumbered, forgotten. However, many mortals attempted to find it and harvest its immense powers only to perish in their vain journey. It was finally established that the Royal Family of the Hylian people were to be its protectors. The Hylian family held the closest blood link to the Goddessess and from that held many powers that descended to each new generation.

The Triforce was forever sealed in the tomb beneath Hyrule Castle, the task of protecting it being passed down to each new ruler of Hyrule and the Royal Family's personal guard, the Sheikah. It eventually came to pass that the daughter of the deceased King inherited the task. The princess was known for her powers in magic and her beauty. Hyrule remained peaceful and prospered while the Princess kept the Triforce and the Sacred Seal safe from evil's hands.

Then one day a shadow fell across the Land. An evil man ladden with greed rose from the depths of the ancient lands of evil and devised an evil plan. When his plan came into play and succeeded, he stood before the coveted Triforce and reached out to claim it. As soon as he touched the Triforce, the impurity of his heart caused it to split into three individual triangles.

He claimed the most treasured of pieces, the power of strength, as his own. The other two, wisdom and courage, flew off into the sky and descended upon two Hylians; the princess and another.

The evil man was eager to take all of the pieces and soon captured the Princess. The last piece, the force of Courage, however was impossible to find. The man tore a part Hyrule with his evil and many tragities took place. Just as the people thought that all was lost, a boy came out of no where. He bore the Triforce of Courage for his bravery knew no bounds. Clad in green and bearing a magical sword, the boy and the evil fought. The boy defeated the evil but suddenly, the Goddesses had had enough of the destruction and fighting.

They banished the evil man into another realm. The Hero unfortunately disappeared with the evil. The Royal Family was once again placed into power and the people and land healed yet no one rememembered nothing of the incident. Intending to rid of anything that was of high significance to the war, the Goddesses then placed a seal on the door leading to the evil and erased all traces of the tragedy. The Triforce was sealed away for good by the Goddesses who hoped to stop all the fighting and evil in Hyrule.

Hyrule was finally at peace and the Triforce was forgotten. Harmony was finally restored to the lands...


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The sun rest lazily in the sky, its soft rays shinning upon the land while a soft breeze blew across the green plains. In the midst of a summit upon of a high hill sat a lone ranch. The paper oragami foldings danced merrily on the yarn threaded through the tall wooden planks in the warm summer wind as the lush green grass gently folded forward to the ground underneath the feathery pressure of the summer breeze. Large goats with circular horns upon their head ate the grass with zeal, their dark blue shaggy fur trailing behind them as they walked to and fro to gather their delicious meal. In the midst of this field lay a figure clad in a white shirt with a leather piece covering one shoulder. The buckle of the leather assemble was worn and tied around a lean, muscled chest of the figure.

The loose shirt ruffled a bit when another gust of wind blew from the North, making strands of fine blond hair whip softly across a high cheekbone.

Long ears, pointed at the ends, twitched at the sounds of the near by herd of goats yowling and munching, their mouths ajar to only close again to chew the grass. Turning on his side, the boy placed his hands comfortably underneath his head, his body splayed out on the ground in a comfortable position. His sapphire eyes slanted and large, he gazed up at the sky, watching the clouds roll by. A smile tugged on his slender lips, his tanned face content. He eyed the clump of dry weeds to his right and deftly picked a long stem and placed it in his mouth, chewing on it's end thoughtfully.

A large shadow fell over him. Squinting and looking up, he saw a burly guy around his age looking down at him with thoughful dark brown eyes and a tanned face.

"Link? You bored buddy?" Fado, the goatskeeper, asked his deep voice slow and thoughtful.

Link smiled at him and shook his head.

Fado shrugged his brawny, tanned shoulders and sat beside the boy. He ran a hand through his short, curly brown hair.

"Ah look at these guys. All they do is eat. We gotta round 'em up soon and put them to bed, ya hear?"

He glanced to his side to see Link nod sleepily. Fado smiled and chuckled. He certainly appreciated Link's help at the ranch and it was a pleasure to have him as company but he had yet to meet anyone as quiet as the ranch hand. Blinking when he saw a little figure running up the dirt path up the hill, Fado placed a hand over his eyes and squinted at the tiny figure heading towards them. He smiled.

"Eh, Link! Isn't that Aryll over there?"

The boy's eyes snapped open and he sat up. A look of curiosity crossed his young, stunning face and nodded.

Fado cocked a brow. "Wonder what she's doing here... thought she was with Beth and Talo playing 'Hero'..."

The little figure ran daintily over the field, avoiding the large goats and the piles of dung gracefully. A little girl of no more then eight then appeared before them. She panted and gasped for breath yet still managed a sweet smile.

"Hi, Brother!" she panted.

Link gave her a warm smile.

"Are you almost done?" the little girl asked excitedly.

He shook his head. He then nodded to the goats and raised a brow to her. He watched her pout.

"Link round them up and let's go! Please please?"

Fado laughed outright at this and stood. Scratching his taut stomach through the coarse wool of his shirt, he smiled down at his friend.

"Might as well does what she asks. Its gonna get dark soon anyways. If ya can, call up Epona and get these guys in and we can all call it a day."

The boy sighed and nodded. He stood in a fluid movement, the blue apron with its intricate designs of his clan and Hyrule woven into it falling to his knees. Brushing off his brown knee-high capri pants, he placed his feet back in their worn sandals and laced the threadbare ties up his calves. He stretched his arms slowly. Aryll watched her brother with intent, curious blue eyes. She watched him then head to a piece of glass and pluck it. Her long, pointed ears perked up in excitement. She loved the whistle of the horse call. She didn't know anyone who could blow the sweet melody from the blade of grass like her older brother could. The eerie, beautiful call rang from the blade, echoing across the hills.

Aryll stiffened in joy when she heard the familiar thunder of hoofbeats. She spurned backwards and giggled when she saw a large chesnut-brown horse leap over the gate and prance towards them. The horse reared on its muscular, strong legs and snorted when it landed. Aryll cooed to the horse and patted her gently, her little face alight with love.

"You are the most noble and beautiful of horses in all of Hyrule Epona." she murmured.

Epona whinnied in agreement and tossed her thick white mane in a flash of vanity. Link rolled his eyes and smiled. He honestly had to somehow teach Aryll to not always praise Epona. The horse's head was getting almost as big as her saddle! Nodding to Fado and Aryll, he leapt into Epona's saddle and dug his heels into her sides. The horse whinnied and then spurt forward. The reins in one hand and his other held upwards, he steered towards the loneliest goats and began to steer them towards the main group.

"Hyaah! Hyaah!" he shouted at them.

The goats 'baaa'd in fear and ran towards their companions. In no time the goats were trotting into the large paddock, shaking their heads and rippling their fur in aggitation at being sent to bed. Link sat in his saddle, pleased, and patted Epona on the back. Loosely grasping Epona's reins, he trotted towards the beaming Aryll.

Fado nodded and smiled. "Thanks buddy. You really are a big help. These guys... have been really difficult lately. Really skittish."

A concerned look crossed the goatskeeper's face as he eyed the paddock.

"I've never had a hard time with 'em but they've been breaking out into the village and been real jumpy. I think they're just tired or something."

Fado turned to Aryll and lifted her into the saddle in front of Link. He smiled at the pair of them.

"Anyways, thanks again bud. You have tomorrow off. I'm keeping those guys locked up for the day and giving them more relaxation time. Maybe their jitters will calm, ye?"

Aryll waved goodbye to Fado as Link then lightly spurned Epona forward, causing her to walk in a slow, steady prance. Fado waved bye and turned to the paddock, intending to lock up and then head down to his home down in the village. Aryll leaned against her brother's chest, her eyes becoming heavy. Cuddling into his lean figure, she whispered,

"Big brother... its your birthday tomorrow. You're going to be sixteen."

Link nodded and gave her a light squeeze.

Aryll smiled.

"You will become a man tomorrow Link. You will have to leave the village and go to Castletown in Hyrule and do deeds and missions for Mayor Bo..."

She looked up at him, her face highlighted in the setting sun.

"I'll miss you. And thats why I have a present for you tomorrow. But you have to wait until tomorrow."

Link gave her a half-smile and nodded as he lightly patted her on her little head, her silky golden hair threading through his slender fingers. The village was quiet except for the occasional croak of a frog and the steady whispering of the stream that pooled through the center of the village. Everyone had already gone to bed except one candle light a small round hut near the front of the village. An older woman that was very short and kind looking stood at the door. Her old black eyes became warm at the sight of the siblings.

"Link, how was work?" she asked.

He shrugged and jumped from Epona with Aryll in his arms. He landed gracefully with no sound on the worn ground. The little girl mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. He smiled gently. The grandmother chuckled and opened the door. The small hut smelt of stew and herbs. In the corner sat a bunk bed. He walked to it and set his sister in it, placing the covers around her. Grandmother watched the tender scene quietly, her eyes soft with adoration. Watching her beautiful grandson straighten and smile at her, she accepted his gentle hug and sighed.

"You will become a man tomorrow Link. However..."

She looked at him.

"In my eyes you are already a man. You have cared for myself and Aryll for a long time now and even take care of yourself and your own home. You help all in the village and influence the youngsters positively."

Her wrinkled face split into a proud grin.

"You are a wonderful man that we can all expect great things from. I am very proud of you and love you very much. All of us in the village are so proud and so eager to see you flourish into the extraordinary man we know you will become."

He felt a warmth spread in his chest. His perfect face smooth into a gentle smile. Leaning forward, he placed a soft, chaste kiss upon his grandmother's wrinkled, spotted forehead. He drew back to see the love and tears in her eyes. He cupped her sagging cheek and nodded. She sighed and watched her grandson exit the hut. The wood planks creaked as she wobbled to the little window. He pulled himself into Epona's saddle and trotted up the path into the woods. She glanced to the sky, seeing the sun had already almost completely disappeared underneath the horizon. A twinge of fear danced in her chest.

A nameless foreboding was plaguing her lately and she knew not why. Yet all she could do was prepare for the ominous tragedy that was lurking in her mind.

She waddled over to the hearth and stroked the fire with a metal poker. Her face seemed to have aged ten years more now. She was worried and ill at heart. Something was happening and causing an uneasiness to sink into the land. The animals were tense. The trees were whispering of an evil. She shuddered. She did not know if it was what she assumed it was but she certainly prayed to the Goddessess that it wasn't. The elder woman looked up at the mantle of her fireplace at the bronze shield with the engraved markings.

If the time came for it she would do as she knew would have to happen. Even if it pained her and lead to her own demise, she refused to sacrifice her grandchildren. She had already lost her husband and her own son...

Tears appeared in her onyx eyes. Just remembering their beautiful, angelic faces pained her. They all looked the same. Fine blond hair. Large blue eyes. Slender, lithe frame. It was a curse and a blessing. They bore the bloodline of nobility yet it never had aided them. Nay. Never. Aryll mumbled in her sleep catching the woman's attention. She sighed. Now was not the time to linger over such dark thoughts. There was much to be thankful for and probably more to look forward to. She shuffled forward and smiled down at her slumbering granddaughter. She patted her golden locks and nodded.

She was looked so much like her Father...

The candle blew out and the grandmother settled in her bed, already sleeping by the time her head hit the pillow.


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"Link? You up?"

A beautiful blue eye cracked open reluctantly at the sound intruding his sleep. Yawning, he rolled out of his bed and looked out the circular window down to the ground outside his tree home. A group of people stood there. Aryll and the children from the village all stood down in front of his house, beaming. Beth, a little girl with a large forehead, short auburn hair and large green eyes stepped forward.

"Are you coming down Link? We have a surprise for you!"

He blinked and nodded. Talo and Malo, the two sons of the housewife Pergie and the carpenter/armorer Jaggle, stepped forward. Talo wore a red bandana and had bright greene eyes while his brother who looked no more then one years old (but was actually eight) walked forward, his little legs and feet hidden underneath the too long tunic and apron.

"Hey! Link! Come down! Come on!" Talo yelled.

Malo glared at his brother icily. "Please come before he yells some more." He asked Link dryly.

Shaking his head and chuckling, Link pulled himself back into his tree home and leapt from the top floor to the bottom. He landed softly despite the immense height and opened the door. He leapt from the small plank entrance doorway and landed with a natural born-grace to him before the wide-eyed children. They clapped and nodded in awe.

"I wish I could jump like you Link!" Talo stated enviously, eyeing Link's legs as if he wanted to steal them as his own.

Malo frowned at Link, perplexed. "Yes you certainly are light-footed..."

A snort came from Beth. "Of course he is! He's Link!" she interrupted fiercely.

A little boy with round blue eyes and a bob-style cut of blond hair shyly piped up. "Can we all just do what we are here to do...?"

Aryll patted Colin on his small shoulder. "Ya! After this you have to go to the spring big brother but that's something else. Anyways..."

The children then grouped together and smiled at him (minus Malo) and yelled, "Happy Birthday Link!"

Link beamed. He watched as Colin then stepped forward nervously. A long wooden stick crudely painted was grasped in his shaking hands. He was staring down at his bare feet.

"I-I made this fishing pole for you Link... my dad said every man needs one..."

Link smiled and patted him on the head and accepted the gift. Colin sighed thankfully and stepped back. Beth came forward, her face smug.

"I bought this myself from my parent's shop. We all know you're really good at aiming and going to be doing missions and needs weapons... so here."

She withdrew her hand from behind her back. Everyone gasped. A slingshot with a bright red banner gleamed in her grasp, reeking of adulthood and manliness. Talo yipped in excitement and immediately rushed forward to grab the slingshot and try it for himself. Malo glared at him and pulled on his apron.

"Stop embarassing us. Present our gift."

Talo scowled at his brother and eyed the slingshot again. Huffing angrily, he came forward and gave Link a wooden sword and shield. Setting them at his feet near the slingshot that he so enviously eyed, he muttered,

"We had our dad whittle these for you even though you'll be doing swordsmanship with Rusl with real swords now. We couldn't get him to make you real ones... we know you're already really good with swords and stuff but ya we know you like them and got you this."

Link then looked at Aryll. His sister smiled at him shyly which was odd for the usually no-reservations child. She hesitantly stepped forward, a flush on her round cheeks, and murmured,

"I really wanted something special. So I got you this."

Link watched her open her small hands to reveal two sapphire blue hoop earrings. Talo and Malo looked at each other in confusion as Beth squealed.

"O my Goddessess! I so wanted those!" Beth screamed.

Aryll smiled at her. "I thought Link might like them instead of his plain silver ones... they remind me of his eyes..."

Link stepped forward, catching everyone's attention. Crouching down to Aryll's level, he slowly took out his silver hoop earrings and placed them in the pocket in the helm of his apron and fastened in the sapphire blue hoops. Aryll giggled and tweaked them gently, her beautiful little face glowing.

"I knew they were perfect for you." she stated.

He stood, his gifts in his arms and smiled at them, his blue eyes warm, his beautiful face beaming. The kids all looked at each other in relief and pride. They then turned to walk back to the village, yelling to Link more birthday wishes over their shoulders. Aryll hugged her brother and then joined Beth, giggling and grasping her doll as they talked about the rest of the day's events that were focused on Link. All left except for Colin. The boy stood awkwardly, his eyes downcast, and looked up at the person he admired most.

"Uh... Ilia wants to meet you at the Ordon springs."

Patting Colin on the head, the young man turned on his heel and ran to the path leading from his house to the woods where the spring was nestled. Just a short distance away, he saw the flowered greenery of the bridge that lead from the village across the mountain pass. He then turned right to the bright spring. A young women with sandy blond hair and a simple long cream tunic and brown capris stood waiting at the edge, soaking her dainty feet in the pure, clean water. He smiled. Ilia had been his friend ever since he could remember.

The girl gasped when she saw him. Her bright green eyes lighting with pleasure she ran forward.

"Link! Happy Birthday!" she gasped excitedly.

He flushed to the tips of his ears and nodded. A neigh caught his attention. Epona stood in the water, gleaming with droplets. He raised a brow at Ilia. The girl giggled.

"I bathed Epona for you. But thats not my present." He watched Ilia reach into her pant's pocket and withdraw a piece of string with something on it.

"This is what I've been working on since last month for you for this special occasion."

She handed him the necklace. Link looked down at the horseshoe shaped pendant on the worn leath string. He looked at Ilia who smiled enouragingly. He raised it to his lips and blew as through the end of it as if it were a piece of grass. Epona perked up and sprinted forward excitedly, tossing her mane. Link smiled and patted his horse. He looked to Ilia, his eyes revealing his gratitude. Ilia sighed and petted Epona gently.

"She does love that tune doesn't she? Anyways, what I was saying-"

Epona stiffened. Link blinked in alarm and looked around. Ilia watched the transformation, confused.

"Link is everything okay?"

He ignored her, his senses alert. Epona shuffled nervously, whinning in aggitation. He held her reins in his callused hands, his eyes shifting nervously. Something was not right. Ilia watched silently, concerned. Suddenly, the pair then became relaxed. The girl frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What was that?"

Link looked at his friend reluctantly. He could see the confusion, concern and demand in her gaze. He began to chew his bottom lip. He then shrugged nonchalantly and leapt on top of Epona. Ilia huffed and stepped in front of the horse, her arms held out. Her green eyes burning, the girl stated firmly,

"That was really weird Link. Tell me right now what just happened. And dont try and play it off that you're completely mute. We both know you can use your voice if the time calls for it."

He stared down at her blankly. Ilia scowled. He was giving her that emotionless look that was rare for him but a clear sign he was hiding something. She stepped back and watched angrily as he then spurred Epona forward, leaving her in the spring. She frowned. What was wrong with Link? He was always happy and relaxed...

Link pushed Epona forward, frowning. He had felt something odd and... evil. What was this ominous feeling? His heart began to race, his blood sped and his body began to shake. Something was not right and Epona knew it too. He looked down at his left hand and stared at the brown tattoo of the Triforce on his hand's surface. He had had this mark ever since he was born and presumed it was a tattoo that all boys got when they were born. But Malo nor Talo or any of the men in the village had the mark. His hand fisted.

Why was he so different from everybody?

Epona slowed to a trot and began to steadily enter the village. The townspeople were gathered there and immediately broke out into cheerful well wishes and greetings when they saw him. Halting Epona, he leapt from her and walked to his grandmother. She hugged him tightly and whispered,

"I made your favorite meal; Grandma's home-made soup."

He gave her a tight squeeze and turned to the adults. Rusl, the towns swordsman, stepped forward, laughing. He clapped Link on his slender shoulder and shook his bandaged head.

"Ah its finally come! Well I have important to tell you. It is appropiate for when boys become men for them to do a mission to prove they are worthy of manhood."

The village waited silently, tension in the air. The swordsman smiled.

"I have talked to Mayor Bo," the muscular, beefy mayor with the tusks around his mouth waved at Link, "and he has agreed that you will have the honor and duty of heading to Hyrule Castle tomorrow to bring the Royal Family these tokens."

Jaggle stepped forward with a bronze shield inscribed with the holy writing of Hylians and the Triforce and a steel sword with a leather handle. Both pieces were finely made and of sturdy stock. Link blinked in awe. He was too bring the royal gifts? He looked first to his beaming grandmother, then to his kind swords teacher and then the Mayor himself. Bo stepped forward chuckling.

"Yes it is necessary for a lad to go out into the world and explore, experience and grow. We are giving you this most important duty and we all know you will perform it splendidly."

He patted Link's shoulder affectionately.

"Just dont be late or it'll look bad on Ordon, ya hear?"

The village laughed at this. Sera the shopkeeper and mother to Beth stepped forward, her cat trotting behind her, close to her heels. She then handed a small bottle to the boy.

"This is some Lon Lon ranch milk and you can use that bottle for loads of stuff on your adventure. I hope it comes in good use and is really handy dear."

She then stood beside her husband Hanch who looked miserable and full of bee stings from his prior attempt to dislodge a bee's nest from a near by tree. Looking at his gifts in awe, he heard his grandmother chuckle.

"You'll have to wait until tonight to get my gift Link. Now go see Aryll. She wants some time with her brother before he leaves."

Bowing and thanking the villagers and placing his gifts on Epona's saddle, the boy walked to the creek and saw Aryll splashing in the water while Beth sunbathed. Screaming in excitement when she saw her brother, she jumped onto him and hugged his legs.

"Brother can we go across the bridge and see Faron Spring!"

Beth snorted. "I told her it was the same as Ordon's but she still wants to go."

He glanced at his sister and couldn't help but nod and smile. The girl shrieked with delight and ran to Epona. Waving goodbye to a disgruntled Beth, he ran after Aryll. They brought Epona back to his home and settled her in the small grove between the trunk of the large tree and the hill side. They then stored all his gifts in his home from his bottle, fishing rod and practice sword and shield. He eyed his sling shot and for some reason attached it to his belt, latching the small leather purse of pellets to his hip. Aryll sighed.

"Its not like you're actually going to need that Link. Come on. Its just across a bridge. There's nothing bad around here."

Link shrugged his shoulders. Taking his hand, Aryll lead him through the orest, past Ordon's spring and opened the gates to the creakity bridge. Suspended above a river thousands of feet bellow, Link laughed outloud when he saw Aryll go white.

"Um... maybe we shouldn't go after all..."

He hoisted her in his arms and despite her shrieks ran across the rickety bridge. Setting her down, he laughed again at the scowl she gave him. She punched him on his leg with ehr all her might. He winced and rubbed it.

"Funny. Now lets go! I heard Faron's springs has actual faeries!" she squealed.


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"Link! Link!" Aryll called as she splashed in the water of the spring.

Wincing due to the direct sunlight glaring into his eye, the boy frowned and sat up from the grass padded ground along the spring's edge, yawning slightly. Looking to find the bearer of the voice, he watched his sister standing in the crystal clear water, walking towards him. Smiling a bit despite himself, he propped his arms on his knees and waited for the tiny girl to make her way in front of him.

"So how do you feel about going to Hyrule Castle Link? Aren't you scared? This will be your first time leaving the village."

She grabbed a frog that had been sitting on top of a lilypad in the water and stared into its bulbous eyes.

"I don't see why you have to prove your manhood. Didn't you already by helping Fado at the ranch and being goood with a sword? I don't see why you have to go all the way to Hyrule Castle to prove yourself."

Seeing her brother's amused look, the girl scowled.

"Don't look at me like that! You really need to be careful out there Link! Besides... I dont want you to go."

Link shrugged again and smiled silently at his little sister. Taking the smile as an invitation, the girl sat down beside him, staring out across the spring that flowed from the mountain and between the strangely engraved stones into the wide, shallow pond beneath, its waterfall clear and beautiful. Watching from the corner of her eye at her brother who smiled serenely, his stunning face content, she sighed. Her brother didn't talk often. In fact it was rare to hear his voice. Why? She did not know. Link's face and eyes were expressive enough, however, for his many friends and family to understand his unhearable speech.

Playing with her two blond pig tails, the tiny girl smiled. She loved her brother so much and knew he would always protect her. The girl giggled and hugged her older brother.

"Link, I cant wait for you to come back when you're done this task! You can even teach me the sword to! I'd love to learn!"

The boy nodded and patted her on her little head. Placing his arm around her small shoulders, he sighed. Aryll was not going to stay young forever but she would always be his little sister. He would protect her from anything and everything. As long as he was breathing she would never have any cause to fear. Seeing the sun had raised high in the sky, he calculated it was coming close to dinner. Shaking his head to the path at his sister, signalling her it was time to go, he stood and stretched.

She frowned and reluctantly stood and walked beside him. At a slow and steady pace they walked side by side. With out a word she grabbed his hand, her tiny hand enclosed in his much larger one. She looked up at the sky.

"I can't believe it Link! You're sixteen! That means...you're...old now."

The girl heard her brother laugh at that, his beautiful face pulled into a stunning smile.

Sighing, the girl pouted. "I can't wait 'till I'm sixteen. I'll be the best warrior around. Everyone will know my name! They will fear me; the Great Aryll!" she stated confidently.

Link rose a brow at his sister, his look saying 'I-bet-so'. Aryll smiled at Link, her small white teeth bright.

"Big brother, why is it all of the boys in our village train to be warriors? Grandma says that the days of war have been done and gone for many tears now. Yet we still have the boys learn to play with swords and arrows."

Aryll frowned.

"I'll never get to have a sword or get to target with arrows. I'm a girl which means I have to learn all those boring legends, stories and songs on our ancestor's harp to play."

Link smiled at Aryll, his blue eyes sparkling with laughter. Aryll hummed a bit. Turning to her brother thus stopping his swift stride, Aryll stared directly itno his eyes, her face serious.

"Link do you promise to always protect me, the village and grandma?"

He stared at her in shock. She sounded so serious and wise for someone so young. Blinking, his shocked looked faded into a serious appearance and he nodded firmly. Aryll sighed, relaxing. She smiled.

"Good. I know if anyone can protect us in case a war or something ever did happen again Link it'd be you."

Nodding, Link continued to walk beside her, holding her hand. He then cast a look at her. She wore a blue dress with a bright orange belt that held the apron with its Hyrule symbols embroided on it. The Three Goddesses were also sewn on top and were dyed green, red and blue for their appropiate colors. Link smiled, his gaze softening in memory. He remembered watching their Grandma sew the apron and dress for two straight weeks for little Aryll. Aryll had other dresses and aprons but she preferred the blue one. She insisted it matched her eyes perfectly; which it did.

He stared at the Triforce and the Three Goddessess. He winced when his head began to ache. Aryll glanced up to her brother and saw his grimace.

"Link are you okay?" she asked in obvious worry.

Link nodded stiffly, his blue eyes downcast. Frowning, Aryll glanced at her solemn looking brother. Stepping forward, she placed her hand on his arm.

"Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?" she asked in confusion, her blue eyes showing her concern.

Link stared into his sister's tiny face. Her large blue eyes, blond hair and little pointed ears. He stared at her ears and large eyes, a traiditional marking of a Hylian. Hylians were descendents of the Goddessess themselves and had special abilities in potion making, magic and psychic powers. Sighing, Link smiled grimly and shook his head. How could he possibly tell Aryll of his own confusion over his distrubance of something he was not sure of?

He stared at the Triforce and Goddessess again. Another pain splintered his mind. How could he explain the disturbing mixture of fear and longing he experienced when he saw the symbol of the Triforce and the Godessess? Bowing his head, Link sighed. It was bad enough he did not talk a lot and with the insecurity of his feelings plus his ignorance of speech, it was impossible to explain to his sister of his thoughts and much less, his feelings.

Why did he feel this peculiar longing?

"Big brother come on!" Aryll yelled as she then began to run across the bridge.

She had apparently ran ahead of her brother who had walked slowly during his pondering. Glancing up, the boy ran forward, sprinting to his sister. Aryll giggled, clapping her hands.

"I'll race you to the village, Link! Whoever gets to the hut first gets out of feeding the cuckoos tonight!" she called from behind her back as she continued to run.

Smirking at the childish fun, Link easily caught up to his sister, his lithe, elegant frame light due to its size, his long selnder legs and his unnatural grace. Running beside the giggling girl, Link suddenly froze, his legs stopping their flight. The feeling of dread forced itself within his stiffened body, giving him a sense something wasn't right. Looking up and seeing Aryll running ahead, Link swore under his breath and ran as fast as his long legs could take him. He had to catch up to Aryll. He needed to stop her from going to the village.

Something was not right!

Trying to catch up to his giggling sister, he watched her turn down the pass from his home and into the village. Breathing heavily through his nose as the overwhelming fear overtook him, he turned down the path, feeling the blood sing in his veins. Finally turning around the corner, Link almost tripped when he saw it.

The huts of his village set in the closed off mountains were burning to the ground, smoke rising from their ashes. Stunned, his blue eyes wide with horror and shock, he stood there as if frozen in time. Hearing the shrill screams of his fellow villagers, Link panicked when he remembered Aryll and his Grandma. Running into the village turned battlefield, the boy felt his heart stop when he heard Aryll scream.

"Aryll!" he yelled in response, hoping his rarely used voice would calm his lost sister.

The village was a mess. The huts were burnt, there was fire licking the ground, furniture and valuables were scattered all over the place. He tripped over a wheel of a wagon and stumbled into Fado's burning home. Coughing as he inhaled the smoke, he felt his eyes begin to tear in fear. What was happening? Who in the Goddessess was doing this? Stumbling out of the house, he yelled in horror when a group of five boars ran past him, carrying the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. They held clubs, readily notched bows and swords in their clawed hands, their shinny yellow-red eyes glowed in the smoke that curled thick in the air. They screamed in an incomprehendible language and leapt from the boars.

Pushing his legs and body to their extreme, following the boars and their riders, the boy slid to a stop when he was met with a gruesome sight. A large army of monsters were carrying off all the women and children, their beady eyes inspecting their heads as they pulled back their hair. Cursing, Link hid behind a tree and watched, trying to figure out how he could save the survivors of his village. Link stared at the weird creature's bloodsoaked weapons. Malets, swords and spears dripping with the red blood of his people. Tears gathering in his eyes, Link clenched his hands tightly.

A bloodcurdling scream split the air, causing goosebumps and a horrible shudder to ripple through his body. Looking to the source, Link stiffened in shock.

Bo, the mighty warrior and famed wrestler, was strapped to his house that was burning. A screaming, crying Ilia was fighting with two creatures who were holding her back thus preventing her from reaching her father. Link watched transfixed as a creature knocked her unconscious with a club. Talo, Malo, Beth and Colin were huddled together in a cart, holding onto one another. Ilia was thrown in beside them, the door closed again. Rusl, the swordsman, was lying on the ground bleeding, his crying wife Uli screaming in horror.

"You killed him! You horrible monsters killed him!" she screamed at them.

The monsters grinned maliciously and clubbed the pregnant woman unconcsious and threw her into the cart as well. Link looked desperately for Aryll and stiffened when he saw her thrown into the cart beside Uli and Illia. Looking around the area desperately, he noticed Rusl's sword stuck in the mud, its hilt calling for his grasp. Glancing at the creatures and seeing them starting to organise the terrified women and children all the while growling at each other in a form of dialect only they could converse to eachother, Link grasped the leather-covered hilt and quickly pulled the sword from the thick mud. Turning to the monsters and twisting the sword in his hand, Link let out a battle cry and jumped at the creatures.

"Heeeyaa!" he screamed as he sliced the sword at a goblin, decapitating him.

The thick, black blood of the beast spurted and splashed him in the face but he did not care. These murderers had killed his friends and family. They were attempting to steal the survivors who were his friends and loved ones! Squeals and howls sounded off at the sudden attack by the furious boy. Seeing a spear coming his way, Link back flipped and landed on his feet gracefully, his blood stained sword raised in front of his face.

Six green goblins leapt towards him, screeching, intending to pierce him with their swords. He fended them off in fluid, elegant swipes and blocks, his practice with Rusl and natural abilities evident. Evading a jab and pivoting, he lanced another creature and ignored its death cry as he turned to another beast.

"Link! Link!"

'Aryll!' his mind screamed in response to the tiny voice.

Turning to his sister, he saw her trying to reach him through the bars of the wooden cart filled with the captives. Growling, Link began to run to the cart that was guarded by some more snarling monsters brandishing wicked looking clubs. Fighting his way desperately, Link stiffened when he heard a horn blow behind him. The creatures grinned sadistically and backed away from him. From the smoke came a large, metal-clad boar and on top of it the largest thing wearing armor he had ever seen. Obviously the leader of the monsters, the creature leered at Link, chuckling deep in its throat. It then spoke in its native tongue to the others who then began to whip the boars strapped to the cart causing the cart to begin to drive away.

Ignoring his new enemy, he ran forward to the cart, intending to stop it at all costs. Focused on the sight of his little sister at the back of the cart, her tears dropping to the ground bellow, he heard her screams.

"Link! Link!" she screamed in terror, calling for her brother to save her despite the knowledge the rescue she wished for was impossible.

"Aryll!" he screamed, his hand reaching out to the tiny hand escaping through the bars, as if trying to grab his sister's hand and pull her into the safety of his arms.

"Big brother! Watch out!" Aryll screamed, pointing behind him.

Sliding to a stop, he turned to meet the attack but found himself attacked from the front as well. Fighting vainly with the sword, Link screamed in pain when he felt a spear slice its way through his unarmored shoulder. Falling to the ground and sinking in the mud, the boy stiffened when the beasts surrounded him, laughing and snorting maliciously. He looked up at the owner of the spear that lanced him. The large beast had left his boar and was now looking down at him. He slowly withdrew his axe, the huge blade ready to decapitate him. The two stared at each other, Link's eyes fierce with hatred and blood lust.

The creature snorted and chuckled again. It said something odd and then sheathed its axe. Confused, the boy looked at the cart and weakly tried to reach out to the sobbing Aryll while the cart now enetered the forest and was passing his house. Seeing her large blue eyes and white face, he stiffened when he felt a huge splitting crash on the back of his head, the blow caused by the blunt end of a sword. Hearing the snarls and growls of the monsters, he slumped into the muddy ground, his mind blanking out. His vision fading, the boy watched the cart and his sister wheel away into the darkness of the woods and then lost consciousness.


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"Link? Link..." a crackly voice, sounding so far away, called to him.

Groaning, blue eyes opened reluctantly to met the sad pair of eyes belonging to his grandmother. Blinking, the boy swiftly rose from the ground only to regret it. Hissing between his clenched teeth, he grasped the back of his head. Feeling something sticky and warm slide over his fingers, the boy drew back his hand to see blood sliding down his hand, the red liquid dark and warm. His face paling, he looked at the elder woman at his side, noticing the concern in her worn, gentle face.

Clasping, his shoulder, Link glanced around him, shocked. His village... his home of sixteen years was destroyed. Aryll and all the people he knew were gone. They were either captured or dead. Bowing his head forward to hide the grief he felt, the boy gripped his injured shoulder tightly, ignoring the burning pain he felt from his own strong grasp.

The elder woman watched the boy's oddly calm body tense when she moved towards him.

"Link are you alright? My Goddessess... Aryll and the others... are... are..." her voice caught. She looke away from her pale, silent grandson and shook. The tears of pain, regret and misery welled in her old eyes and began to seep through her tightly closed lids. Damning everything for ignoring her premonition, the grandmother shuddered and let loose a sob.

"They're gone... they're all gone... little Aryll... I failed them. I failed your Father... your mother..." she whispered, her voice wavering.

Link watched his Grandmother cry, feeling useless as his only present family member wept. Forcing himself from the ground, he pulled his only living relative other then Aryll into his arms and hugged her. Gently, Link pushed his Grandmother away from him, his blue eyes searching her old, blue ones.

"What happened." he demanded in his soft voice.

She blinked in shock at hearing him talk. Staring into his stunning face, she ignored the odd use of his voice. She had more important things. Link watched his Grandmother wring her hands together nervously.

"I was readying our hut for your party to celebrate your birthday and thats when I heard yelling and screaming. I looked out to see Rusl, Bo and all the other men rush to defend the village but those...those... beasts slew them in one hit! It was horrible! They grabbed all the young women and children and pulled their hair back. They seemed to be looking at our ears, Link." She looked at her shaking aged hands and fisted them.

"I knew this was going to happen. Its all my fault. I had a feeling..." The elder woman choked, her tears trickling down her worn face.

Leaning forward, he caught her chin in his fingers gently and forced her to meet his sad, gentle gaze. He shook his head and then kissed her cheek. The grandmother sighed and bowed her head.

"Are you okay?" she managed to ask shakily, glancing at his injured shoulder.

Nodding, Link stood shakily, looking around the desolate place. Softly pushing his Grandmother to tell her to follow him, Link saw the smoking remains of his Grandmother's home. All of Aryll's stuff from her dolls to dresses were gone now. His jaw clenching, he stared at the black-charred structure. Stepping through the debree and pot holes filled with mud, he stopped infront of the broken steps of the shop. Staring at it, a rush of savage hatred welled up with in the boy, his blue eyes darkening to a navy color in their anger.

"He-Help me..." a voice croaked, interrupting the tense moment.

Glancing at his confused Grandmother, Link looked around. Who was calling for help? Hearing a groan and then a rather terrible gurgling sound of someone choking on their own blood, Link saw a broken form shuddering underneath a large piece of what had been a roof. Hurrying forward, Link pushed the heavy wood off of the shaking form of Orca, the town spearsman and the village's wise man. Ignoring the pain on his injured shoulder due to the movement, he tried to withdraw the swordsman from the ruins.

"Li-Link...?" The man whispered, relief apparent in his voice.

Link's Grandmother stepped forward and gasped. "Orca! I thought that you had fallen..." she trailed off uncertainly.

Orca smiled grimly. "It is saddening to know the old have survived whilst where the young have not. How cruel Fate is to its puppets."

Link's Grandmother frowned at her silent grandson. Kneeling beside Link and Orca, she stared at the wise man, suddenly calm and put together.

"Why did this happen, Orca? Why did those beasts attack us? What is happening to the times of peace and prosperity?"

Orca stared into the sky, his breathing shallow.

"I-I do not know. But to say I did not expect this, I would be lieing. I have felt an ominous aura enter Hyrule for a long time. At first I thought it was nothing but my imagination until I noticed the dark shadow falling over our world."

Pausing he stared into the old woman's eyes.

"The Legend...of our people...is being re-inacted. The shadow that tore this land apart many years ago has some how risen from the depths of its imprisonment to rule over Hyrule once more." he whispered.

Link felt his gut twist and his hand started shaking. That feeling. The feeling of familarity... why was this happening now? Nodding, Link listened, sweatdotting his smooth forehead as he tried to restrain the shaking of his body. Orca continued, oblivious to the distress he was placing on the youngest of the trio with his explaination.

"The Hero of Time is the only one who can save us but it is said in the Legend he dissapeared; the Goddesses sending him far away from this world."

The elder sighed.

"Without the Hero and the sword of evil's bane... we are doomed."

Orca paused to cough again. Gasping, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, the old man forced himself to continue in his soft, whispery voice.

"Our world has come to an end. The evil will spread across the world, polluting all in its path with its potent destruction. Goron, Fairy, Korok, Kokiri, Zora or even Hylian... it will not matter. Nothing and no one will be spared."

Orca's eyes hardened.

"This evil is a disease and will be caught by every one. Except... this time... there is no cure."

Link clenched his teeth, his eyes tearing up. His hand's hold on his shoulder intensified as he tried to cease the odd sensations prickling in the back of his head and the sudden violent pain in his body. Link's Grandmother looked at her grand son, her face concerned.

"Link is your shoulder in that much pain? Let me help you..."

Link growled, his eyes tightly shutting. The pain... the horrible, flashing pain in his mind! Orca watched the boy struggling with himself, awed. His wise old eyes narrowing, Orca frowned. Could it be? Using his psychic powers, Orca gasped at the golden light shinning in Link's soul.

'Can it be....that Link is...? No..it couldn't. But yet...this is impossible.'

Watching the boy pant from the pain his soul and body were under, Orca's wise face lost its grim look to be replaced by one of hope.

'He is the one. The one who can save us all. He may be a boy... but wasn't the Hero just a boy as well?'

"Link."

Link shivered as the sweat pooled down his back. The light in his mind was spreading, its hot warmth making him gasp under its heat. Bringing his sapphire eyes to the old black pair of Orca's he nodded stiffly at the old man to show he acknowledged him.

"Link... You are the only left and capable to stop the evil. Only a Hylian of Hyrule can draw out the Master sword."

Orca waited for Link to absorb this.

"Link... go. Go on the journey to save our people and Hyrule. Do the quests that is required to enter the chamber where dwells the Master Sword of evil's bane. You are strong. I sense it in your spirit."

Gasping, Orca coughed weakly. Looking into those beautiful blue eyes set in that stunningly handsome face, Orca whispered,

"You are the only one who can defeat this evil and save us all. Please Link. Rise now as a Hero - Hryule's Hero."

Link stared into Orca's face, his own features tight with pain. The pain from his own exterior injuries aided by the emotional, the boy was fighting his instincts to groan in pain. Her eyes wide, Link's Grandmother leaned towards her grandson, her face stressed.

"Link..."

Clenching his teeth together in an attempt to resist the urge to scream in pain, he brought his suffering gaze to his only mentor and parental figure. Staring into her aged eyes, he awaited tensly for her to speak in respectful silence. The Grandmother stood stiffly, her head bowed.

"Please... go."

Bringing her pleading eyes to her grandson's, she stared down at her shaking hand, her face pale and drawn while her body trembled like an autumn life caught in a strong wind.

"You and Aryll are all I have left... please... go get Aryll and bring her back safely to me. I do not wish to see Hyrule be purged into eternal darkness... again."

Stopping her plead, she stared at the silent Orca.

"Orca has never been wrong...and for him to suggest that you are the only one who can save Hyrule frightens me. For I knew all along."

Link's brows flew up in surprise. His hand dropping from his shoulder, the boy fixed his stunned sapphire eyes on his now abash paternal figure, disbelief lighting on his naturally stunningly beautiful features.

What?

Frowning, he waited for the elderly woman to continue.

The Grandmother shuffled on her feet uneasily, unwilling to let the information pass her cracked, shrivelled lips. Yet the knowledge prodded her mind, forcing her to admit her long kept secret. Looking away from her grandson's penetrating gaze, she croaked,

"Your blood line is that of the Hero of Time, Link. Your bloodline is that of the sworn protectors of Hyrule and its people. For many centuries they were the saviours along side the mysterious people of the Sheikah who protected Hyrule, its people and Royal family. Your father and grandfather... they were the Hero of Time.... You were the Hero of time."

Orca gasped while Link's brow furrowed in confusion. How could he have been the Hero? The Hero was before he was even born.

The Grandmother sighed and glanced at him sadly. "You are one soul Link and have been repeadetly reincarnated for one purpose: to cleanse the land. You will always be born from yourself and a true love while the evil exists. It is your curse. You will never know the peace and rest of the afterlife until this evil is entirely destroyed."

Bringing her old eyes to her grandchild's shocked face, she smiled sadly.

"I did not tell you, as selfish as it was, out of fear you would leave me as your father and grandfather did to go smite the evil and let the lands and your soul finally rest in peace. You have always left me Link and yet still I love you. I have watched you grow and die for two generations now and I could not bare a third. You always manage to seal the evil but you die in your attempt to destroy it... why I do not know."

Link stared at his grandmother in shock. He was his own Father and... his own grandfather? He stared at the ground. He was the legendary hero... the one doomed to exist and be reborn while evil prevailed...

"I fear I will never see you again...but...I believe in you, my dearest Link. I believe that you can save Hyrule, Aryll and restore peace to the Land. That you can free your soul from this duty and rid of this evilness once and for all."

Orca nodded grimly.

"Your grandmother is right, Link. You must go...It will be a perilious journey but one that will mayhap service you in some way."

Link listened to this, his eyes never straying from the ground. His head bowed forward, he stood up slowly, his form stiff. Bringing his sapphire eyes to the hopeful gazes of his only family, he nodded. Link's Grandmother stepped forward hesitantly. They stared at each other. She had once been her lover, her son and was now her grandson. Link stared into those old eyes. Suddenly, the small, wrinkled woman changed. She was suddenly a petite beautiful woman with long, silky whitish-blond hair, large black eyes and a quick smile. He felt his heart lurch.

"Elin..." he whispered, the name now familiar.

The elderly woman gave hima shaky, sad smile. "Yes. You remember somewhat now. Your memories from centuries ago and different lives will surface Link. Soon you will be sure of who you are and the people you touched and who touched you." She sighed and smiled yet the grin held no humor. "Hurry home Link. Hurry home with your sister and find peace for once for not only Hrule but yourself."

She then walked forward and hugged him tightly, burrowing her head in his lean chest to hide her tears yet he felt them soak through his thin cotton shirt.

"Please come back to us. I will wait here with Orca and the others for your and Aryll's return."

Drawing back, she gave a sad smile.

"You are not afraid, are you Link?"

Seeing him shake his head 'no', she chuckled.

"You never were one to back down. That is why I believe you will succeed this time. You have learnt this evil's weaknessess completely now and you are the strongest more determined reincarnation I've seen yet." Staring into the eyes of her deceased son and his father, her lover and child in the form of her grandson, the Grandmother gasped. Shuffling away quickly, she called to Link,

"Please wait one more moment, Link! I must get you some items for your departure."

Watching his Grandmother almost run with her swift stride, Link looked down at the old man at his feet. Bending his legs, Link rested on the heels of his precise feet and stared into the aged face of the seasoned warrior. The two companions sized each other up, respect and curiousity evident in theirs gazes. Before either could remark to each otherr, Link's Grandmother was beside the two men, her aged face shinning with pride as she gazed at her pertrubed grandson. Stepping towards Link, she pressed a hastily parcel to him. She watched him eagerly as his one hand pulled the tight knots apart, digging through the Hylian parchment to the lumpy gift beneath the layers of the wrapping.

Link blinked when he noticed an olive green color emerging from the paper and swiftly began to pull the paper back more carefully. Finally, Link stared at his present that was supposed to be a gift of his memerable day, his blue eyes showing his diseblief and pleasure.

"This is your birthday present." The woman's crackly voice croaked.

She watched him open it to reveal a green tunic, leather belt with a silver clasp, a pair of brown knee-high boots, light creamy brown trouser-pants, a white under shirt and chainmail handed down from centuries ago and a long, pointy-tip green hat. Looking into his astonished face, she smiled.

"I think now it is only suitable to give you this since now you are a warrior, Link. This is the legendary garb of the Hero. This is your heirloom."

Link held the suit in his left hand, staring at the outfit in wonder. Looking to see both his Grandmother's and Orca's urging gazes, he quickly pulled off his white shirt and leather arm-bind and pulled the white under-shirt, chainmail and green tunic on. Pulling the pants onto his long, slender, muscled legs and the brown boots, he fastly fastened the leather belt around his defined hips. Shifting in his new outfit, Link felt the long, odd hat be placed on his head. Gazing into those blue eyes that were so warm in their pride, he clasped his grandmother tightly to his body, silently thanking her.

Orca wheezed, his chest heaving.

"Link...go into my hut around that tree. It was not burnt, the Goddesses be thanked. You will find several items you will need for your journey; a sword, hand and arm coverings, scabbard, bow and arrows and what ever else you assume you will need."

Swiftly walking to the hut, Link stepped inside looking around. His eyes came upon the many glorious carved shields, swords, body armor and other weaponry Orca and Jaggle and Rusl had made over the years. Glancing at the shelves ont he wall, Link noticed a beautifully made pair of leather gauntlets and hand bindings. The boy grabbed the binds and swiftly put the arm coverings on his muscled biceps. Pulling the leather hand binds on and strapping the sword sheath on that he had found in a neaby cvorner of the hut, he quickly took two clear glass bottles from the table and strapped them to his belt.

Exiting the hut, he grabbed Rusl's sword and felt its worn hilt in his grasp. Twisting his wrist, he sliced the air with a natural born expertise, feeling an odd completion enter his soul. He was meant to have a sword in hand it seemed. Frowning slightly, he placed the sword in its sheath, eager to begin his journey to save Aryll. Noticing Link was finally out of the hut, his grandmother hurried forward with yet another gift.

"Dont forget this." she whispered as she handed the bronze shield meant to be a gift for the Royal Family.

Smiling, his cerulan eyes shinning, Link strapped the shield on his back and efficently pushed it onto his back and stood in all his glory before his small audience. The Grandmother wiped her eyes, tears threatening to over come her sight at the beautiful picture her only grandson made. Orca had managed to now stand on one foot, his wrinkled and old body shivering from his injuries. Yet the old spearsmaster limped forward to his newest student and bowed to him.

"Take the road on the west outskirts of the village and walk until you enter the Lost Woods."

Orca hesitated, his face becoming grim with the tension of the new events taken upon him.

"Link heed these words I say unto you and remember them as you have the Legend. The Lost Woods are a dangerous and mysterious realm that many odd creatures and people inhabit, Link. Never let your guard down and do not fall prey to any one. Go into the forest and through the temple. There is the tree.. the Deku tree and the spirit of the Woods Faron. You will need to seek both. They will help you find the sword and weapons necessary to thwart this evil and to save everyone."

Link nodded stiffly, his jaw set. Smiling a very small, hopeless grin, Orca clasped Link's strong, calloused hand.

"Good luck Link and may the Goddesses be with you."

Link's Grandmother sobbed and quickly cluthced her only grandson to her bosom.

"Hurry home Link. Hurry home."

Backing away from the only two people left in the world to him, Link smiled and waved good bye to them, walking down the dirt path through the burnt reminents of his village.
Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legend
-By ForgottenHero
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Disclaimer: I, ForgottenHero, do not own Legend of Zelda. Any Legend of Zelda related items are respectfully owned by their respectful creators. I am not making any profit from this fictional, loosely-based fanfiction.

A/N: [READ] This story is a mixture of fictional writing created by my own imagination and some plot lines from; Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker & Twilight Princess. The plot and basic concept of this fanfiction was created by me ForgottenHero.

Warnings: Sexual Situations [Lemons, Citrus etc..], Violence/Gore and Language. This fanfiction is rated M/NC-17 and is for mature readers only. Any one under the age of 17 and with the mental maturity of that of a 10 year old and younger please leave. Thank You.
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ForgottenHero Corner;

Hello and welcome to my very first Legend of Zelda fanfiction. I have always loved this game series and have always had the desire to write a fanfiction based off of it. This is my concept of Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time and my own ideas.

Now about the story. I will not really have Link talk. Why? Because in all the games we do not hear him talk. He only makes noises as expression (fighting, movement, injuries, seeing someone etc...). If Link actually does talk in the games we do not hear [or see it] it because we are controlling him and the characters just answer questions you would have asked.

Also, this is a Zelda x Link pairing and I am truly excited to write the many lemons that are going to pop in when Zelda is found. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story and will like it enough to Review. I am looking forward to your comments/reviews.


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......../\/\ Chapter One: Rising

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This was originally my story called The Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legend but I have forgotten the password to my account and so made another one.


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Before time began there was emptiness. Before chaos and peace, dark and light, there was nothing. Then three lights fell from the Heaven. In an array of red, blue and green the Goddesses of the universe circled the dark abyss.

Din the Goddess of Power. Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom. Farore the Goddess of Courage.

Din, with her firey arms, cultivated and shaped the land and red earth. Nayru shaped the sky and created the spirit of law and honor. Farore produced the life that would uphold the laws. With their godly powers, the red earth sprouted forth greenery, water sprang from the depths of the soil and creatures of every appearance and potential stumbled forth.

The Three Goddessess, their labors complete, viewed their work and felt reassured their task was complete. They then departed for the Heavens in a brilliant flash. From this flash emerged their last gift to the world; The Triforce.

Three golden triangles aligned in a large triangle, the Triforce harvested the Three Goddesses powers; Strength, Wisdom, and Courage.

From this came forth the people of the Goddesses who took on their appearance, the Hylians. They were long, pointed ear people. They built homes, harvested the land and cultivated a grand kingdom. But their birthright, the Triforce, was lost and soon became a myth among the older generations. It was said the elders of the race had hid it from their people in an attempt to put a stopper on any chance of a person growing too greedy or ambitious for the dangerous power.

Sealed away in a tomb, the Triforce slumbered, forgotten. However, many mortals attempted to find it and harvest its immense powers only to perish in their vain journey. It was finally established that the Royal Family of the Hylian people were to be its protectors. The Hylian family held the closest blood link to the Goddessess and from that held many powers that descended to each new generation.

The Triforce was forever sealed in the tomb beneath Hyrule Castle, the task of protecting it being passed down to each new ruler of Hyrule and the Royal Family's personal guard, the Sheikah. It eventually came to pass that the daughter of the deceased King inherited the task. The princess was known for her powers in magic and her beauty. Hyrule remained peaceful and prospered while the Princess kept the Triforce and the Sacred Seal safe from evil's hands.

Then one day a shadow fell across the Land. An evil man ladden with greed rose from the depths of the ancient lands of evil and devised an evil plan. When his plan came into play and succeeded, he stood before the coveted Triforce and reached out to claim it. As soon as he touched the Triforce, the impurity of his heart caused it to split into three individual triangles.

He claimed the most treasured of pieces, the power of strength, as his own. The other two, wisdom and courage, flew off into the sky and descended upon two Hylians; the princess and another.

The evil man was eager to take all of the pieces and soon captured the Princess. The last piece, the force of Courage, however was impossible to find. The man tore a part Hyrule with his evil and many tragities took place. Just as the people thought that all was lost, a boy came out of no where. He bore the Triforce of Courage for his bravery knew no bounds. Clad in green and bearing a magical sword, the boy and the evil fought. The boy defeated the evil but suddenly, the Goddesses had had enough of the destruction and fighting.

They banished the evil man into another realm. The Hero unfortunately disappeared with the evil. The Royal Family was once again placed into power and the people and land healed yet no one rememembered nothing of the incident. Intending to rid of anything that was of high significance to the war, the Goddesses then placed a seal on the door leading to the evil and erased all traces of the tragedy. The Triforce was sealed away for good by the Goddesses who hoped to stop all the fighting and evil in Hyrule.

Hyrule was finally at peace and the Triforce was forgotten. Harmony was finally restored to the lands...


...../\
..../\/\


The sun rest lazily in the sky, its soft rays shinning upon the land while a soft breeze blew across the green plains. In the midst of a summit upon of a high hill sat a lone ranch. The paper oragami foldings danced merrily on the yarn threaded through the tall wooden planks in the warm summer wind as the lush green grass gently folded forward to the ground underneath the feathery pressure of the summer breeze. Large goats with circular horns upon their head ate the grass with zeal, their dark blue shaggy fur trailing behind them as they walked to and fro to gather their delicious meal. In the midst of this field lay a figure clad in a white shirt with a leather piece covering one shoulder. The buckle of the leather assemble was worn and tied around a lean, muscled chest of the figure.

The loose shirt ruffled a bit when another gust of wind blew from the North, making strands of fine blond hair whip softly across a high cheekbone.

Long ears, pointed at the ends, twitched at the sounds of the near by herd of goats yowling and munching, their mouths ajar to only close again to chew the grass. Turning on his side, the boy placed his hands comfortably underneath his head, his body splayed out on the ground in a comfortable position. His sapphire eyes slanted and large, he gazed up at the sky, watching the clouds roll by. A smile tugged on his slender lips, his tanned face content. He eyed the clump of dry weeds to his right and deftly picked a long stem and placed it in his mouth, chewing on it's end thoughtfully.

A large shadow fell over him. Squinting and looking up, he saw a burly guy around his age looking down at him with thoughful dark brown eyes and a tanned face.

"Link? You bored buddy?" Fado, the goatskeeper, asked his deep voice slow and thoughtful.

Link smiled at him and shook his head.

Fado shrugged his brawny, tanned shoulders and sat beside the boy. He ran a hand through his short, curly brown hair.

"Ah look at these guys. All they do is eat. We gotta round 'em up soon and put them to bed, ya hear?"

He glanced to his side to see Link nod sleepily. Fado smiled and chuckled. He certainly appreciated Link's help at the ranch and it was a pleasure to have him as company but he had yet to meet anyone as quiet as the ranch hand. Blinking when he saw a little figure running up the dirt path up the hill, Fado placed a hand over his eyes and squinted at the tiny figure heading towards them. He smiled.

"Eh, Link! Isn't that Aryll over there?"

The boy's eyes snapped open and he sat up. A look of curiosity crossed his young, stunning face and nodded.

Fado cocked a brow. "Wonder what she's doing here... thought she was with Beth and Talo playing 'Hero'..."

The little figure ran daintily over the field, avoiding the large goats and the piles of dung gracefully. A little girl of no more then eight then appeared before them. She panted and gasped for breath yet still managed a sweet smile.

"Hi, Brother!" she panted.

Link gave her a warm smile.

"Are you almost done?" the little girl asked excitedly.

He shook his head. He then nodded to the goats and raised a brow to her. He watched her pout.

"Link round them up and let's go! Please please?"

Fado laughed outright at this and stood. Scratching his taut stomach through the coarse wool of his shirt, he smiled down at his friend.

"Might as well does what she asks. Its gonna get dark soon anyways. If ya can, call up Epona and get these guys in and we can all call it a day."

The boy sighed and nodded. He stood in a fluid movement, the blue apron with its intricate designs of his clan and Hyrule woven into it falling to his knees. Brushing off his brown knee-high capri pants, he placed his feet back in their worn sandals and laced the threadbare ties up his calves. He stretched his arms slowly. Aryll watched her brother with intent, curious blue eyes. She watched him then head to a piece of glass and pluck it. Her long, pointed ears perked up in excitement. She loved the whistle of the horse call. She didn't know anyone who could blow the sweet melody from the blade of grass like her older brother could. The eerie, beautiful call rang from the blade, echoing across the hills.

Aryll stiffened in joy when she heard the familiar thunder of hoofbeats. She spurned backwards and giggled when she saw a large chesnut-brown horse leap over the gate and prance towards them. The horse reared on its muscular, strong legs and snorted when it landed. Aryll cooed to the horse and patted her gently, her little face alight with love.

"You are the most noble and beautiful of horses in all of Hyrule Epona." she murmured.

Epona whinnied in agreement and tossed her thick white mane in a flash of vanity. Link rolled his eyes and smiled. He honestly had to somehow teach Aryll to not always praise Epona. The horse's head was getting almost as big as her saddle! Nodding to Fado and Aryll, he leapt into Epona's saddle and dug his heels into her sides. The horse whinnied and then spurt forward. The reins in one hand and his other held upwards, he steered towards the loneliest goats and began to steer them towards the main group.

"Hyaah! Hyaah!" he shouted at them.

The goats 'baaa'd in fear and ran towards their companions. In no time the goats were trotting into the large paddock, shaking their heads and rippling their fur in aggitation at being sent to bed. Link sat in his saddle, pleased, and patted Epona on the back. Loosely grasping Epona's reins, he trotted towards the beaming Aryll.

Fado nodded and smiled. "Thanks buddy. You really are a big help. These guys... have been really difficult lately. Really skittish."

A concerned look crossed the goatskeeper's face as he eyed the paddock.

"I've never had a hard time with 'em but they've been breaking out into the village and been real jumpy. I think they're just tired or something."

Fado turned to Aryll and lifted her into the saddle in front of Link. He smiled at the pair of them.

"Anyways, thanks again bud. You have tomorrow off. I'm keeping those guys locked up for the day and giving them more relaxation time. Maybe their jitters will calm, ye?"

Aryll waved goodbye to Fado as Link then lightly spurned Epona forward, causing her to walk in a slow, steady prance. Fado waved bye and turned to the paddock, intending to lock up and then head down to his home down in the village. Aryll leaned against her brother's chest, her eyes becoming heavy. Cuddling into his lean figure, she whispered,

"Big brother... its your birthday tomorrow. You're going to be sixteen."

Link nodded and gave her a light squeeze.

Aryll smiled.

"You will become a man tomorrow Link. You will have to leave the village and go to Castletown in Hyrule and do deeds and missions for Mayor Bo..."

She looked up at him, her face highlighted in the setting sun.

"I'll miss you. And thats why I have a present for you tomorrow. But you have to wait until tomorrow."

Link gave her a half-smile and nodded as he lightly patted her on her little head, her silky golden hair threading through his slender fingers. The village was quiet except for the occasional croak of a frog and the steady whispering of the stream that pooled through the center of the village. Everyone had already gone to bed except one candle light a small round hut near the front of the village. An older woman that was very short and kind looking stood at the door. Her old black eyes became warm at the sight of the siblings.

"Link, how was work?" she asked.

He shrugged and jumped from Epona with Aryll in his arms. He landed gracefully with no sound on the worn ground. The little girl mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. He smiled gently. The grandmother chuckled and opened the door. The small hut smelt of stew and herbs. In the corner sat a bunk bed. He walked to it and set his sister in it, placing the covers around her. Grandmother watched the tender scene quietly, her eyes soft with adoration. Watching her beautiful grandson straighten and smile at her, she accepted his gentle hug and sighed.

"You will become a man tomorrow Link. However..."

She looked at him.

"In my eyes you are already a man. You have cared for myself and Aryll for a long time now and even take care of yourself and your own home. You help all in the village and influence the youngsters positively."

Her wrinkled face split into a proud grin.

"You are a wonderful man that we can all expect great things from. I am very proud of you and love you very much. All of us in the village are so proud and so eager to see you flourish into the extraordinary man we know you will become."

He felt a warmth spread in his chest. His perfect face smooth into a gentle smile. Leaning forward, he placed a soft, chaste kiss upon his grandmother's wrinkled, spotted forehead. He drew back to see the love and tears in her eyes. He cupped her sagging cheek and nodded. She sighed and watched her grandson exit the hut. The wood planks creaked as she wobbled to the little window. He pulled himself into Epona's saddle and trotted up the path into the woods. She glanced to the sky, seeing the sun had already almost completely disappeared underneath the horizon. A twinge of fear danced in her chest.

A nameless foreboding was plaguing her lately and she knew not why. Yet all she could do was prepare for the ominous tragedy that was lurking in her mind.

She waddled over to the hearth and stroked the fire with a metal poker. Her face seemed to have aged ten years more now. She was worried and ill at heart. Something was happening and causing an uneasiness to sink into the land. The animals were tense. The trees were whispering of an evil. She shuddered. She did not know if it was what she assumed it was but she certainly prayed to the Goddessess that it wasn't. The elder woman looked up at the mantle of her fireplace at the bronze shield with the engraved markings.

If the time came for it she would do as she knew would have to happen. Even if it pained her and lead to her own demise, she refused to sacrifice her grandchildren. She had already lost her husband and her own son...

Tears appeared in her onyx eyes. Just remembering their beautiful, angelic faces pained her. They all looked the same. Fine blond hair. Large blue eyes. Slender, lithe frame. It was a curse and a blessing. They bore the bloodline of nobility yet it never had aided them. Nay. Never. Aryll mumbled in her sleep catching the woman's attention. She sighed. Now was not the time to linger over such dark thoughts. There was much to be thankful for and probably more to look forward to. She shuffled forward and smiled down at her slumbering granddaughter. She patted her golden locks and nodded.

She was looked so much like her Father...

The candle blew out and the grandmother settled in her bed, already sleeping by the time her head hit the pillow.


...../\
..../\/\


"Link? You up?"

A beautiful blue eye cracked open reluctantly at the sound intruding his sleep. Yawning, he rolled out of his bed and looked out the circular window down to the ground outside his tree home. A group of people stood there. Aryll and the children from the village all stood down in front of his house, beaming. Beth, a little girl with a large forehead, short auburn hair and large green eyes stepped forward.

"Are you coming down Link? We have a surprise for you!"

He blinked and nodded. Talo and Malo, the two sons of the housewife Pergie and the carpenter/armorer Jaggle, stepped forward. Talo wore a red bandana and had bright greene eyes while his brother who looked no more then one years old (but was actually eight) walked forward, his little legs and feet hidden underneath the too long tunic and apron.

"Hey! Link! Come down! Come on!" Talo yelled.

Malo glared at his brother icily. "Please come before he yells some more." He asked Link dryly.

Shaking his head and chuckling, Link pulled himself back into his tree home and leapt from the top floor to the bottom. He landed softly despite the immense height and opened the door. He leapt from the small plank entrance doorway and landed with a natural born-grace to him before the wide-eyed children. They clapped and nodded in awe.

"I wish I could jump like you Link!" Talo stated enviously, eyeing Link's legs as if he wanted to steal them as his own.

Malo frowned at Link, perplexed. "Yes you certainly are light-footed..."

A snort came from Beth. "Of course he is! He's Link!" she interrupted fiercely.

A little boy with round blue eyes and a bob-style cut of blond hair shyly piped up. "Can we all just do what we are here to do...?"

Aryll patted Colin on his small shoulder. "Ya! After this you have to go to the spring big brother but that's something else. Anyways..."

The children then grouped together and smiled at him (minus Malo) and yelled, "Happy Birthday Link!"

Link beamed. He watched as Colin then stepped forward nervously. A long wooden stick crudely painted was grasped in his shaking hands. He was staring down at his bare feet.

"I-I made this fishing pole for you Link... my dad said every man needs one..."

Link smiled and patted him on the head and accepted the gift. Colin sighed thankfully and stepped back. Beth came forward, her face smug.

"I bought this myself from my parent's shop. We all know you're really good at aiming and going to be doing missions and needs weapons... so here."

She withdrew her hand from behind her back. Everyone gasped. A slingshot with a bright red banner gleamed in her grasp, reeking of adulthood and manliness. Talo yipped in excitement and immediately rushed forward to grab the slingshot and try it for himself. Malo glared at him and pulled on his apron.

"Stop embarassing us. Present our gift."

Talo scowled at his brother and eyed the slingshot again. Huffing angrily, he came forward and gave Link a wooden sword and shield. Setting them at his feet near the slingshot that he so enviously eyed, he muttered,

"We had our dad whittle these for you even though you'll be doing swordsmanship with Rusl with real swords now. We couldn't get him to make you real ones... we know you're already really good with swords and stuff but ya we know you like them and got you this."

Link then looked at Aryll. His sister smiled at him shyly which was odd for the usually no-reservations child. She hesitantly stepped forward, a flush on her round cheeks, and murmured,

"I really wanted something special. So I got you this."

Link watched her open her small hands to reveal two sapphire blue hoop earrings. Talo and Malo looked at each other in confusion as Beth squealed.

"O my Goddessess! I so wanted those!" Beth screamed.

Aryll smiled at her. "I thought Link might like them instead of his plain silver ones... they remind me of his eyes..."

Link stepped forward, catching everyone's attention. Crouching down to Aryll's level, he slowly took out his silver hoop earrings and placed them in the pocket in the helm of his apron and fastened in the sapphire blue hoops. Aryll giggled and tweaked them gently, her beautiful little face glowing.

"I knew they were perfect for you." she stated.

He stood, his gifts in his arms and smiled at them, his blue eyes warm, his beautiful face beaming. The kids all looked at each other in relief and pride. They then turned to walk back to the village, yelling to Link more birthday wishes over their shoulders. Aryll hugged her brother and then joined Beth, giggling and grasping her doll as they talked about the rest of the day's events that were focused on Link. All left except for Colin. The boy stood awkwardly, his eyes downcast, and looked up at the person he admired most.

"Uh... Ilia wants to meet you at the Ordon springs."

Patting Colin on the head, the young man turned on his heel and ran to the path leading from his house to the woods where the spring was nestled. Just a short distance away, he saw the flowered greenery of the bridge that lead from the village across the mountain pass. He then turned right to the bright spring. A young women with sandy blond hair and a simple long cream tunic and brown capris stood waiting at the edge, soaking her dainty feet in the pure, clean water. He smiled. Ilia had been his friend ever since he could remember.

The girl gasped when she saw him. Her bright green eyes lighting with pleasure she ran forward.

"Link! Happy Birthday!" she gasped excitedly.

He flushed to the tips of his ears and nodded. A neigh caught his attention. Epona stood in the water, gleaming with droplets. He raised a brow at Ilia. The girl giggled.

"I bathed Epona for you. But thats not my present." He watched Ilia reach into her pant's pocket and withdraw a piece of string with something on it.

"This is what I've been working on since last month for you for this special occasion."

She handed him the necklace. Link looked down at the horseshoe shaped pendant on the worn leath string. He looked at Ilia who smiled enouragingly. He raised it to his lips and blew as through the end of it as if it were a piece of grass. Epona perked up and sprinted forward excitedly, tossing her mane. Link smiled and patted his horse. He looked to Ilia, his eyes revealing his gratitude. Ilia sighed and petted Epona gently.

"She does love that tune doesn't she? Anyways, what I was saying-"

Epona stiffened. Link blinked in alarm and looked around. Ilia watched the transformation, confused.

"Link is everything okay?"

He ignored her, his senses alert. Epona shuffled nervously, whinning in aggitation. He held her reins in his callused hands, his eyes shifting nervously. Something was not right. Ilia watched silently, concerned. Suddenly, the pair then became relaxed. The girl frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What was that?"

Link looked at his friend reluctantly. He could see the confusion, concern and demand in her gaze. He began to chew his bottom lip. He then shrugged nonchalantly and leapt on top of Epona. Ilia huffed and stepped in front of the horse, her arms held out. Her green eyes burning, the girl stated firmly,

"That was really weird Link. Tell me right now what just happened. And dont try and play it off that you're completely mute. We both know you can use your voice if the time calls for it."

He stared down at her blankly. Ilia scowled. He was giving her that emotionless look that was rare for him but a clear sign he was hiding something. She stepped back and watched angrily as he then spurred Epona forward, leaving her in the spring. She frowned. What was wrong with Link? He was always happy and relaxed...

Link pushed Epona forward, frowning. He had felt something odd and... evil. What was this ominous feeling? His heart began to race, his blood sped and his body began to shake. Something was not right and Epona knew it too. He looked down at his left hand and stared at the brown tattoo of the Triforce on his hand's surface. He had had this mark ever since he was born and presumed it was a tattoo that all boys got when they were born. But Malo nor Talo or any of the men in the village had the mark. His hand fisted.

Why was he so different from everybody?

Epona slowed to a trot and began to steadily enter the village. The townspeople were gathered there and immediately broke out into cheerful well wishes and greetings when they saw him. Halting Epona, he leapt from her and walked to his grandmother. She hugged him tightly and whispered,

"I made your favorite meal; Grandma's home-made soup."

He gave her a tight squeeze and turned to the adults. Rusl, the towns swordsman, stepped forward, laughing. He clapped Link on his slender shoulder and shook his bandaged head.

"Ah its finally come! Well I have important to tell you. It is appropiate for when boys become men for them to do a mission to prove they are worthy of manhood."

The village waited silently, tension in the air. The swordsman smiled.

"I have talked to Mayor Bo," the muscular, beefy mayor with the tusks around his mouth waved at Link, "and he has agreed that you will have the honor and duty of heading to Hyrule Castle tomorrow to bring the Royal Family these tokens."

Jaggle stepped forward with a bronze shield inscribed with the holy writing of Hylians and the Triforce and a steel sword with a leather handle. Both pieces were finely made and of sturdy stock. Link blinked in awe. He was too bring the royal gifts? He looked first to his beaming grandmother, then to his kind swords teacher and then the Mayor himself. Bo stepped forward chuckling.

"Yes it is necessary for a lad to go out into the world and explore, experience and grow. We are giving you this most important duty and we all know you will perform it splendidly."

He patted Link's shoulder affectionately.

"Just dont be late or it'll look bad on Ordon, ya hear?"

The village laughed at this. Sera the shopkeeper and mother to Beth stepped forward, her cat trotting behind her, close to her heels. She then handed a small bottle to the boy.

"This is some Lon Lon ranch milk and you can use that bottle for loads of stuff on your adventure. I hope it comes in good use and is really handy dear."

She then stood beside her husband Hanch who looked miserable and full of bee stings from his prior attempt to dislodge a bee's nest from a near by tree. Looking at his gifts in awe, he heard his grandmother chuckle.

"You'll have to wait until tonight to get my gift Link. Now go see Aryll. She wants some time with her brother before he leaves."

Bowing and thanking the villagers and placing his gifts on Epona's saddle, the boy walked to the creek and saw Aryll splashing in the water while Beth sunbathed. Screaming in excitement when she saw her brother, she jumped onto him and hugged his legs.

"Brother can we go across the bridge and see Faron Spring!"

Beth snorted. "I told her it was the same as Ordon's but she still wants to go."

He glanced at his sister and couldn't help but nod and smile. The girl shrieked with delight and ran to Epona. Waving goodbye to a disgruntled Beth, he ran after Aryll. They brought Epona back to his home and settled her in the small grove between the trunk of the large tree and the hill side. They then stored all his gifts in his home from his bottle, fishing rod and practice sword and shield. He eyed his sling shot and for some reason attached it to his belt, latching the small leather purse of pellets to his hip. Aryll sighed.

"Its not like you're actually going to need that Link. Come on. Its just across a bridge. There's nothing bad around here."

Link shrugged his shoulders. Taking his hand, Aryll lead him through the orest, past Ordon's spring and opened the gates to the creakity bridge. Suspended above a river thousands of feet bellow, Link laughed outloud when he saw Aryll go white.

"Um... maybe we shouldn't go after all..."

He hoisted her in his arms and despite her shrieks ran across the rickety bridge. Setting her down, he laughed again at the scowl she gave him. She punched him on his leg with ehr all her might. He winced and rubbed it.

"Funny. Now lets go! I heard Faron's springs has actual faeries!" she squealed.


...../\
..../\/\


"Link! Link!" Aryll called as she splashed in the water of the spring.

Wincing due to the direct sunlight glaring into his eye, the boy frowned and sat up from the grass padded ground along the spring's edge, yawning slightly. Looking to find the bearer of the voice, he watched his sister standing in the crystal clear water, walking towards him. Smiling a bit despite himself, he propped his arms on his knees and waited for the tiny girl to make her way in front of him.

"So how do you feel about going to Hyrule Castle Link? Aren't you scared? This will be your first time leaving the village."

She grabbed a frog that had been sitting on top of a lilypad in the water and stared into its bulbous eyes.

"I don't see why you have to prove your manhood. Didn't you already by helping Fado at the ranch and being goood with a sword? I don't see why you have to go all the way to Hyrule Castle to prove yourself."

Seeing her brother's amused look, the girl scowled.

"Don't look at me like that! You really need to be careful out there Link! Besides... I dont want you to go."

Link shrugged again and smiled silently at his little sister. Taking the smile as an invitation, the girl sat down beside him, staring out across the spring that flowed from the mountain and between the strangely engraved stones into the wide, shallow pond beneath, its waterfall clear and beautiful. Watching from the corner of her eye at her brother who smiled serenely, his stunning face content, she sighed. Her brother didn't talk often. In fact it was rare to hear his voice. Why? She did not know. Link's face and eyes were expressive enough, however, for his many friends and family to understand his unhearable speech.

Playing with her two blond pig tails, the tiny girl smiled. She loved her brother so much and knew he would always protect her. The girl giggled and hugged her older brother.

"Link, I cant wait for you to come back when you're done this task! You can even teach me the sword to! I'd love to learn!"

The boy nodded and patted her on her little head. Placing his arm around her small shoulders, he sighed. Aryll was not going to stay young forever but she would always be his little sister. He would protect her from anything and everything. As long as he was breathing she would never have any cause to fear. Seeing the sun had raised high in the sky, he calculated it was coming close to dinner. Shaking his head to the path at his sister, signalling her it was time to go, he stood and stretched.

She frowned and reluctantly stood and walked beside him. At a slow and steady pace they walked side by side. With out a word she grabbed his hand, her tiny hand enclosed in his much larger one. She looked up at the sky.

"I can't believe it Link! You're sixteen! That means...you're...old now."

The girl heard her brother laugh at that, his beautiful face pulled into a stunning smile.

Sighing, the girl pouted. "I can't wait 'till I'm sixteen. I'll be the best warrior around. Everyone will know my name! They will fear me; the Great Aryll!" she stated confidently.

Link rose a brow at his sister, his look saying 'I-bet-so'. Aryll smiled at Link, her small white teeth bright.

"Big brother, why is it all of the boys in our village train to be warriors? Grandma says that the days of war have been done and gone for many tears now. Yet we still have the boys learn to play with swords and arrows."

Aryll frowned.

"I'll never get to have a sword or get to target with arrows. I'm a girl which means I have to learn all those boring legends, stories and songs on our ancestor's harp to play."

Link smiled at Aryll, his blue eyes sparkling with laughter. Aryll hummed a bit. Turning to her brother thus stopping his swift stride, Aryll stared directly itno his eyes, her face serious.

"Link do you promise to always protect me, the village and grandma?"

He stared at her in shock. She sounded so serious and wise for someone so young. Blinking, his shocked looked faded into a serious appearance and he nodded firmly. Aryll sighed, relaxing. She smiled.

"Good. I know if anyone can protect us in case a war or something ever did happen again Link it'd be you."

Nodding, Link continued to walk beside her, holding her hand. He then cast a look at her. She wore a blue dress with a bright orange belt that held the apron with its Hyrule symbols embroided on it. The Three Goddesses were also sewn on top and were dyed green, red and blue for their appropiate colors. Link smiled, his gaze softening in memory. He remembered watching their Grandma sew the apron and dress for two straight weeks for little Aryll. Aryll had other dresses and aprons but she preferred the blue one. She insisted it matched her eyes perfectly; which it did.

He stared at the Triforce and the Three Goddessess. He winced when his head began to ache. Aryll glanced up to her brother and saw his grimace.

"Link are you okay?" she asked in obvious worry.

Link nodded stiffly, his blue eyes downcast. Frowning, Aryll glanced at her solemn looking brother. Stepping forward, she placed her hand on his arm.

"Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?" she asked in confusion, her blue eyes showing her concern.

Link stared into his sister's tiny face. Her large blue eyes, blond hair and little pointed ears. He stared at her ears and large eyes, a traiditional marking of a Hylian. Hylians were descendents of the Goddessess themselves and had special abilities in potion making, magic and psychic powers. Sighing, Link smiled grimly and shook his head. How could he possibly tell Aryll of his own confusion over his distrubance of something he was not sure of?

He stared at the Triforce and Goddessess again. Another pain splintered his mind. How could he explain the disturbing mixture of fear and longing he experienced when he saw the symbol of the Triforce and the Godessess? Bowing his head, Link sighed. It was bad enough he did not talk a lot and with the insecurity of his feelings plus his ignorance of speech, it was impossible to explain to his sister of his thoughts and much less, his feelings.

Why did he feel this peculiar longing?

"Big brother come on!" Aryll yelled as she then began to run across the bridge.

She had apparently ran ahead of her brother who had walked slowly during his pondering. Glancing up, the boy ran forward, sprinting to his sister. Aryll giggled, clapping her hands.

"I'll race you to the village, Link! Whoever gets to the hut first gets out of feeding the cuckoos tonight!" she called from behind her back as she continued to run.

Smirking at the childish fun, Link easily caught up to his sister, his lithe, elegant frame light due to its size, his long selnder legs and his unnatural grace. Running beside the giggling girl, Link suddenly froze, his legs stopping their flight. The feeling of dread forced itself within his stiffened body, giving him a sense something wasn't right. Looking up and seeing Aryll running ahead, Link swore under his breath and ran as fast as his long legs could take him. He had to catch up to Aryll. He needed to stop her from going to the village.

Something was not right!

Trying to catch up to his giggling sister, he watched her turn down the pass from his home and into the village. Breathing heavily through his nose as the overwhelming fear overtook him, he turned down the path, feeling the blood sing in his veins. Finally turning around the corner, Link almost tripped when he saw it.

The huts of his village set in the closed off mountains were burning to the ground, smoke rising from their ashes. Stunned, his blue eyes wide with horror and shock, he stood there as if frozen in time. Hearing the shrill screams of his fellow villagers, Link panicked when he remembered Aryll and his Grandma. Running into the village turned battlefield, the boy felt his heart stop when he heard Aryll scream.

"Aryll!" he yelled in response, hoping his rarely used voice would calm his lost sister.

The village was a mess. The huts were burnt, there was fire licking the ground, furniture and valuables were scattered all over the place. He tripped over a wheel of a wagon and stumbled into Fado's burning home. Coughing as he inhaled the smoke, he felt his eyes begin to tear in fear. What was happening? Who in the Goddessess was doing this? Stumbling out of the house, he yelled in horror when a group of five boars ran past him, carrying the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. They held clubs, readily notched bows and swords in their clawed hands, their shinny yellow-red eyes glowed in the smoke that curled thick in the air. They screamed in an incomprehendible language and leapt from the boars.

Pushing his legs and body to their extreme, following the boars and their riders, the boy slid to a stop when he was met with a gruesome sight. A large army of monsters were carrying off all the women and children, their beady eyes inspecting their heads as they pulled back their hair. Cursing, Link hid behind a tree and watched, trying to figure out how he could save the survivors of his village. Link stared at the weird creature's bloodsoaked weapons. Malets, swords and spears dripping with the red blood of his people. Tears gathering in his eyes, Link clenched his hands tightly.

A bloodcurdling scream split the air, causing goosebumps and a horrible shudder to ripple through his body. Looking to the source, Link stiffened in shock.

Bo, the mighty warrior and famed wrestler, was strapped to his house that was burning. A screaming, crying Ilia was fighting with two creatures who were holding her back thus preventing her from reaching her father. Link watched transfixed as a creature knocked her unconscious with a club. Talo, Malo, Beth and Colin were huddled together in a cart, holding onto one another. Ilia was thrown in beside them, the door closed again. Rusl, the swordsman, was lying on the ground bleeding, his crying wife Uli screaming in horror.

"You killed him! You horrible monsters killed him!" she screamed at them.

The monsters grinned maliciously and clubbed the pregnant woman unconcsious and threw her into the cart as well. Link looked desperately for Aryll and stiffened when he saw her thrown into the cart beside Uli and Illia. Looking around the area desperately, he noticed Rusl's sword stuck in the mud, its hilt calling for his grasp. Glancing at the creatures and seeing them starting to organise the terrified women and children all the while growling at each other in a form of dialect only they could converse to eachother, Link grasped the leather-covered hilt and quickly pulled the sword from the thick mud. Turning to the monsters and twisting the sword in his hand, Link let out a battle cry and jumped at the creatures.

"Heeeyaa!" he screamed as he sliced the sword at a goblin, decapitating him.

The thick, black blood of the beast spurted and splashed him in the face but he did not care. These murderers had killed his friends and family. They were attempting to steal the survivors who were his friends and loved ones! Squeals and howls sounded off at the sudden attack by the furious boy. Seeing a spear coming his way, Link back flipped and landed on his feet gracefully, his blood stained sword raised in front of his face.

Six green goblins leapt towards him, screeching, intending to pierce him with their swords. He fended them off in fluid, elegant swipes and blocks, his practice with Rusl and natural abilities evident. Evading a jab and pivoting, he lanced another creature and ignored its death cry as he turned to another beast.

"Link! Link!"

'Aryll!' his mind screamed in response to the tiny voice.

Turning to his sister, he saw her trying to reach him through the bars of the wooden cart filled with the captives. Growling, Link began to run to the cart that was guarded by some more snarling monsters brandishing wicked looking clubs. Fighting his way desperately, Link stiffened when he heard a horn blow behind him. The creatures grinned sadistically and backed away from him. From the smoke came a large, metal-clad boar and on top of it the largest thing wearing armor he had ever seen. Obviously the leader of the monsters, the creature leered at Link, chuckling deep in its throat. It then spoke in its native tongue to the others who then began to whip the boars strapped to the cart causing the cart to begin to drive away.

Ignoring his new enemy, he ran forward to the cart, intending to stop it at all costs. Focused on the sight of his little sister at the back of the cart, her tears dropping to the ground bellow, he heard her screams.

"Link! Link!" she screamed in terror, calling for her brother to save her despite the knowledge the rescue she wished for was impossible.

"Aryll!" he screamed, his hand reaching out to the tiny hand escaping through the bars, as if trying to grab his sister's hand and pull her into the safety of his arms.

"Big brother! Watch out!" Aryll screamed, pointing behind him.

Sliding to a stop, he turned to meet the attack but found himself attacked from the front as well. Fighting vainly with the sword, Link screamed in pain when he felt a spear slice its way through his unarmored shoulder. Falling to the ground and sinking in the mud, the boy stiffened when the beasts surrounded him, laughing and snorting maliciously. He looked up at the owner of the spear that lanced him. The large beast had left his boar and was now looking down at him. He slowly withdrew his axe, the huge blade ready to decapitate him. The two stared at each other, Link's eyes fierce with hatred and blood lust.

The creature snorted and chuckled again. It said something odd and then sheathed its axe. Confused, the boy looked at the cart and weakly tried to reach out to the sobbing Aryll while the cart now enetered the forest and was passing his house. Seeing her large blue eyes and white face, he stiffened when he felt a huge splitting crash on the back of his head, the blow caused by the blunt end of a sword. Hearing the snarls and growls of the monsters, he slumped into the muddy ground, his mind blanking out. His vision fading, the boy watched the cart and his sister wheel away into the darkness of the woods and then lost consciousness.


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"Link? Link..." a crackly voice, sounding so far away, called to him.

Groaning, blue eyes opened reluctantly to met the sad pair of eyes belonging to his grandmother. Blinking, the boy swiftly rose from the ground only to regret it. Hissing between his clenched teeth, he grasped the back of his head. Feeling something sticky and warm slide over his fingers, the boy drew back his hand to see blood sliding down his hand, the red liquid dark and warm. His face paling, he looked at the elder woman at his side, noticing the concern in her worn, gentle face.

Clasping, his shoulder, Link glanced around him, shocked. His village... his home of sixteen years was destroyed. Aryll and all the people he knew were gone. They were either captured or dead. Bowing his head forward to hide the grief he felt, the boy gripped his injured shoulder tightly, ignoring the burning pain he felt from his own strong grasp.

The elder woman watched the boy's oddly calm body tense when she moved towards him.

"Link are you alright? My Goddessess... Aryll and the others... are... are..." her voice caught. She looke away from her pale, silent grandson and shook. The tears of pain, regret and misery welled in her old eyes and began to seep through her tightly closed lids. Damning everything for ignoring her premonition, the grandmother shuddered and let loose a sob.

"They're gone... they're all gone... little Aryll... I failed them. I failed your Father... your mother..." she whispered, her voice wavering.

Link watched his Grandmother cry, feeling useless as his only present family member wept. Forcing himself from the ground, he pulled his only living relative other then Aryll into his arms and hugged her. Gently, Link pushed his Grandmother away from him, his blue eyes searching her old, blue ones.

"What happened." he demanded in his soft voice.

She blinked in shock at hearing him talk. Staring into his stunning face, she ignored the odd use of his voice. She had more important things. Link watched his Grandmother wring her hands together nervously.

"I was readying our hut for your party to celebrate your birthday and thats when I heard yelling and screaming. I looked out to see Rusl, Bo and all the other men rush to defend the village but those...those... beasts slew them in one hit! It was horrible! They grabbed all the young women and children and pulled their hair back. They seemed to be looking at our ears, Link." She looked at her shaking aged hands and fisted them.

"I knew this was going to happen. Its all my fault. I had a feeling..." The elder woman choked, her tears trickling down her worn face.

Leaning forward, he caught her chin in his fingers gently and forced her to meet his sad, gentle gaze. He shook his head and then kissed her cheek. The grandmother sighed and bowed her head.

"Are you okay?" she managed to ask shakily, glancing at his injured shoulder.

Nodding, Link stood shakily, looking around the desolate place. Softly pushing his Grandmother to tell her to follow him, Link saw the smoking remains of his Grandmother's home. All of Aryll's stuff from her dolls to dresses were gone now. His jaw clenching, he stared at the black-charred structure. Stepping through the debree and pot holes filled with mud, he stopped infront of the broken steps of the shop. Staring at it, a rush of savage hatred welled up with in the boy, his blue eyes darkening to a navy color in their anger.

"He-Help me..." a voice croaked, interrupting the tense moment.

Glancing at his confused Grandmother, Link looked around. Who was calling for help? Hearing a groan and then a rather terrible gurgling sound of someone choking on their own blood, Link saw a broken form shuddering underneath a large piece of what had been a roof. Hurrying forward, Link pushed the heavy wood off of the shaking form of Orca, the town spearsman and the village's wise man. Ignoring the pain on his injured shoulder due to the movement, he tried to withdraw the swordsman from the ruins.

"Li-Link...?" The man whispered, relief apparent in his voice.

Link's Grandmother stepped forward and gasped. "Orca! I thought that you had fallen..." she trailed off uncertainly.

Orca smiled grimly. "It is saddening to know the old have survived whilst where the young have not. How cruel Fate is to its puppets."

Link's Grandmother frowned at her silent grandson. Kneeling beside Link and Orca, she stared at the wise man, suddenly calm and put together.

"Why did this happen, Orca? Why did those beasts attack us? What is happening to the times of peace and prosperity?"

Orca stared into the sky, his breathing shallow.

"I-I do not know. But to say I did not expect this, I would be lieing. I have felt an ominous aura enter Hyrule for a long time. At first I thought it was nothing but my imagination until I noticed the dark shadow falling over our world."

Pausing he stared into the old woman's eyes.

"The Legend...of our people...is being re-inacted. The shadow that tore this land apart many years ago has some how risen from the depths of its imprisonment to rule over Hyrule once more." he whispered.

Link felt his gut twist and his hand started shaking. That feeling. The feeling of familarity... why was this happening now? Nodding, Link listened, sweatdotting his smooth forehead as he tried to restrain the shaking of his body.

Orca continued, oblivious to the distress he was placing on the youngest of the trio with his explaination.

"The Hero of Time is the only one who can save us but it is said in the Legend he dissapeared; the Goddesses sending him far away from this world."

The elder sighed.

"Without the Hero and the sword of evil's bane... we are doomed."

Orca paused to cough again.

Gasping, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, the old man forced himself to continue in his soft, whispery voice.

"Our world has come to an end. The evil will spread across the world, polluting all in its path with its potent destruction. Goron, Fairy, Korok, Kokiri, Zora or even Hylian... it will not matter. Nothing and no one will be spared."

Orca's eyes hardened.

"This evil is a disease and will be caught by every one. Except... this time... there is no cure."

Link clenched his teeth, his eyes tearing up. His hand's hold on his shoulder intensified as he tried to cease the odd sensations prickling in the back of his head and the sudden violent pain in his body.

Link's Grandmother looked at her grand son, her face concerned. "Link....what is wrong?"

Link growled, his eyes tightly shutting. The pain... the horrible, flashing pain in his mind! Orca watched the boy struggling with himself, awed. His wise old eyes narrowing, Orca frowned. Could it be? Using his psychic powers, Orca gasped at the golden light shinning in Link's soul.

'Can it be....that Link is...? No..it couldn't. But yet...this is impossible.'

Watching the boy pant from the pain his soul and body were under, Orca's wise face lost its grim look to be replaced by one of hope.

'He is the one. The one who can save us all. He may be a boy...but wasn't the Hero just a boy as well?'

"Link."

Link shivered as the sweat pooled down his back. The light in his mind was spreading, its hot warmth making him gasp under its heat. Bringing his sapphire eyes to the old black pair of Orca's he nodded stiffly at the old man to show he acknowledged him.

"Link... You are the only left and capable to stop the evil. Only a Hylian of Hyrule can draw out the Master sword." Orca waited for Link to absorb this. "Link... go. Go on the journey to save our people and Hyrule. Do the quests that is required to enter the chamber where dwells the Master Sword of evil's bane. You are strong. I sense it in your spirit."

Gasping, Orca coughed weakly.

Looking into those beautiful blue eyes set in that stunningly handsome face, Orca whispered. "You are the only one who can defeat this evil and save us all. Please Link. Rise now as a Hero; Hryule's Hero."

Link stared into Orca's face, his own features tight with pain. The pain from his own exterior injuries aided by the emotional, the boy was fighting his instincts to groan in pain. Her eyes wide, Link's Grandmother leaned towards her grandson, her face stressed.

"Link..."

Clenching his teeth together in an attempt to resist the urge to scream in pain, he brought his suffering gaze to his only mentor and parental figure. Staring into her aged eyes, he awaited tensly for her to speak in respectful silence. The Grandmother stood stiffly, her head bowed.

"Please...go."

Bringing her pleading eyes to her grandson's, she wept weakly, her body trembling.

"You and Aryll are all I have left... please... go get Aryll and bring her back safely to me. I do not wish to see Hyrule be purged into eternal darkness. Again." Stopping her plead, she stared at the silent Orca. "Orca has never been wrong...and for him to suggest that you are the only one who can save Hyrule frightens me. For I knew all along."

Link's brows flew up in surprise. His hand dropping from his shoulder, the boy fixed his stunned sapphire eyes on his now abash paternal figure, disbelief lighting on his naturally stunningly beautiful features.

What?

Frowning, he waited for the elderly woman to continue.

The Grandmother shuffled on her feet uneasily, unwilling to let the information pass her cracked, shrivelled lips. Yet the knowledge prodded her mind, forcing her to admit her long kept secret. Looking away from her grandson's penetrating gaze, she croaked,

"Our blood line is that of the Hero of Time, Link. Our blood line is the sworn protectors of Hyrule and its people. For many centuries we were the saviours along side the mysterious people of the Sheikah who protected Hyrule, its people and Royal family. Your father and grandfather... they were the Hero of Time. You are one soul Link. A reincarnation. You will always be born again from yourself and a true love while the evil exists. It is your curse. You will never know the peace and rest of the afterlife until this evil is entirely destroyed."

Bringing her old eyes to her grandchild's shocked face, she smiled sadly.

"I did not tell you, as selfish as it was, out of fear you would leave me as your father and grandfather did. You always have left me Link. I love you. I have watched you grow and die for two generations now and I could not bare a third. You always manage to seal the evil but you die in your attempt to destroy it... why I do not know."

Link stared at his grandmother in shock. He was his own Father... his own grandfather? He stared at the ground. He was the legendary hero... the one doomed to exist and be reborn while evil prevailed...

"I fear I will never see you again...but...I believe in you, my dearest Link. I believe that you can save Hyrule, Aryll and restore peace to the Land. That you can free your soul from this duty and rid of this evilness once and for all."

Orca nodded grimly.

"Your grandmother is right, Link. You must go...It will be a perilious journey but one that will mayhap service you in some way."

Link listened to this, his eyes never straying from the ground. His head bowed forward, he stood up slowly, his form stiff. Bringing his sapphire eyes to the hopeful gazes of his only family, he nodded. Link's Grandmother sobbed and quickly ran forward to envelope her grandson into her small, chubby body. Her tears falling into his golden hair, the elderly woman whispered in his long, pointed ear,

"Please come back to us. I will wait here with Orca for your and Aryll's return."

Drawing back, she gave a sad smile.

"You are not afraid, are you Link?"

Seeing him shake his head 'no', she chuckled.

"You never were one to back down. That is why I believe you will succeed." Staring into the eyes so alike to her now deceased son and his father, her lover and child in the form of her grandson, the Grandmother gasped. Shuffling away quickly, she called to Link,

"Please wait one more moment, Link! I must get you some items for your departure."

Watching his Grandmother almost run with her swift stride, Link looked down at the old man at his feet. Bending his legs, Link rested on the heels of his precise feet and stared into the aged face of the seasoned warrior. The two companions sized each other up, respect and curiousity evident in theirs gazes. Before either could remark to each otherr, Link's Grandmother was beside the two men, her aged face shinning with pride as she gazed at her pertrubed grandson. Stepping towards Link, she pressed a hastily parcel to him. She watched him eagerly as his one hand pulled the tight knots apaart, digging through the Hylian parchment to the lumpy gift beneath the layers of the wrapping.

Link blinked when he noticed an olive green color emerging from the paper and swiftly began to pull the paper back more carefully. Finally, Link stared at his present that was supposed to be a gift of his memerable day, his blue eyes showing his diseblief and pleasure.

"This is your birthday present." The woman's crackly voice croaked.

She watched him open it to reveal a green tunic, leather belt with a silver clasp, a pair of brown knee-high boots, light creamy brown trouser-pants, a white under shirt, chainmail handed down from centuries ago and a long, pointy-tip green hat. Looking into his astonished face, she smiled.

"I think now it is only suitable to give you this since now you are a warrior, Link. This si the legendary garb of the Hero. This is your heirloom."

Link held the suit in his left hand, staring at the outfit in wonder. Looking to see both his Grandmother's and Orca's urging gazes, he quickly pulled off his white shirt and leather arm-bind and pulled the white under-shirt, chainmail and green tunic on. Pulling the pants onto his long, slender, muscled legs and the brown boots, he fastly fastened the leather belt around his defined hips. Shifting in his new outfit, Link felt the long, odd hat be placed on his head. Gazing into those blue eyes that were so warm in their pride, he clasped his grandmother tightly to his body, silently thanking her.

Orca wheezed, his chest heaving.

"Link...go into my hut around that tree. It was not burnt, the Goddesses be thanked. You will find several items you will need for your journey; a sword, hand and arm coverings, scabbard, bow and arrows and what ever else you assume you will need."

Swiftly walking to the hut, Link stepped inside looking around. His eyes came upon the many glorious carved shields, swords, body armor and other weaponry Orca and Jaggle and Rusl had made over the years. Glancing at the shelves ont he wall, Link noticed a beautifully made pair of leather gauntlets and hand bindings. The boy grabbed the binds and swiftly put the arm coverings on his muscled biceps. Pulling the leather hand binds on and strapping the sword sheath on that he had found in a neaby cvorner of the hut, he quickly took two clear glass bottles from the table and strapped them to his belt.

Exiting the hut, he grabbed Rusl's sword and felt its worn hilt in his grasp. Twisting his wrist, he sliced the air with a natural born expertise, feeling an odd completion enter his soul. He was meant to have a sword in hand it seemed. Frowning slightly, he placed the sword in its sheath, eager to begin his journey to save Aryll. Noticing Link was finally out of the hut, his grandmother hurried forward with yet another gift.

"Dont forget this." She whispered as she handed the bronze shield meant to be a gift for the Royal Family.

Smiling, his cerulan eyes shinning, Link strapped the shield on his back and efficently pushed it onto his back and stood in all his glory before his small audience. The Grandmother wiped her eyes, tears threatening to over come her sight at the beautiful picture her only grandson made. Orca had managed to now stand on one foot, his wrinkled and old body shivering from his injuries. Yet the old spearsmaster limped forward to his newest student and bowed to him.

"Take the road on the west outskirts of the village and walk until you enter the Lost Woods."

Orca hesitated, his face becoming grim with the tension of the new events taken upon him.

"Link heed these words I say unto you and remember them as you have the Legend. The Lost Woods are a dangerous and mysterious realm that many odd creatures and people inhabit, Link. Never let your guard down and do not fall prey to any one. Go into the forest and through the temple. There is the tree.. the Deku tree and the spirit of the Woods Faron. You will need to seek both. They will help you find the sword and weapons necessary to thwart this evil and to save everyone."

Link nodded stiffly, his jaw set. Smiling a very small, hopeless grin, Orca clasped Link's strong, calloused hand.

"Good luck Link and may the Goddesses be with you."

Link's Grandmother sobbed and quickly cluthced her only grandson to her bosom.

"Hurry home Link. Hurry home."

Backing away from the only two people left in the world to him, Link smiled and waved good bye to them, walking down the dirt path through the burnt reminents of his village.
Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legend
-By ForgottenHero
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Disclaimer: I, ForgottenHero, do not own Legend of Zelda. Any Legend of Zelda related items are respectfully owned by their respectful creators. I am not making any profit from this fictional, loosely-based fanfiction.

A/N: [READ] This story is a mixture of fictional writing created by my own imagination and some plot lines from; Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker & Twilight Princess. The plot and basic concept of this fanfiction was created by me ForgottenHero.

Warnings: Sexual Situations [Lemons, Citrus etc..], Violence/Gore and Language. This fanfiction is rated M/NC-17 and is for mature readers only. Any one under the age of 17 and with the mental maturity of that of a 10 year old and younger please leave. Thank You.
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ForgottenHero Corner;

Hello and welcome to my very first Legend of Zelda fanfiction. I have always loved this game series and have always had the desire to write a fanfiction based off of it. This is my concept of Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time and my own ideas.

Now about the story. I will not really have Link talk. Why? Because in all the games we do not hear him talk. He only makes noises as expression (fighting, movement, injuries, seeing someone etc...). If Link actually does talk in the games we do not hear [or see it] it because we are controlling him and the characters just answer questions you would have asked.

Also, this is a Zelda x Link pairing and I am truly excited to write the many lemons that are going to pop in when Zelda is found. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story and will like it enough to Review. I am looking forward to your comments/reviews.


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......../\/\ Chapter One: Rising

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This was originally my story called The Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legend but I have forgotten the password to my account and so made another one.


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Before time began there was emptiness. Before chaos and peace, dark and light, there was nothing. Then three lights fell from the Heaven. In an array of red, blue and green the Goddesses of the universe circled the dark abyss.

Din the Goddess of Power. Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom. Farore the Goddess of Courage.

Din, with her firey arms, cultivated and shaped the land and red earth. Nayru shaped the sky and created the spirit of law and honor. Farore produced the life that would uphold the laws. With their godly powers, the red earth sprouted forth greenery, water sprang from the depths of the soil and creatures of every appearance and potential stumbled forth.

The Three Goddessess, their labors complete, viewed their work and felt reassured their task was complete. They then departed for the Heavens in a brilliant flash. From this flash emerged their last gift to the world; The Triforce.

Three golden triangles aligned in a large triangle, the Triforce harvested the Three Goddesses powers; Strength, Wisdom, and Courage.

From this came forth the people of the Goddesses who took on their appearance, the Hylians. They were long, pointed ear people. They built homes, harvested the land and cultivated a grand kingdom. But their birthright, the Triforce, was lost and soon became a myth among the older generations. It was said the elders of the race had hid it from their people in an attempt to put a stopper on any chance of a person growing too greedy or ambitious for the dangerous power.

Sealed away in a tomb, the Triforce slumbered, forgotten. However, many mortals attempted to find it and harvest its immense powers only to perish in their vain journey. It was finally established that the Royal Family of the Hylian people were to be its protectors. The Hylian family held the closest blood link to the Goddessess and from that held many powers that descended to each new generation.

The Triforce was forever sealed in the tomb beneath Hyrule Castle, the task of protecting it being passed down to each new ruler of Hyrule and the Royal Family's personal guard, the Sheikah. It eventually came to pass that the daughter of the deceased King inherited the task. The princess was known for her powers in magic and her beauty. Hyrule remained peaceful and prospered while the Princess kept the Triforce and the Sacred Seal safe from evil's hands.

Then one day a shadow fell across the Land. An evil man ladden with greed rose from the depths of the ancient lands of evil and devised an evil plan. When his plan came into play and succeeded, he stood before the coveted Triforce and reached out to claim it. As soon as he touched the Triforce, the impurity of his heart caused it to split into three individual triangles.

He claimed the most treasured of pieces, the power of strength, as his own. The other two, wisdom and courage, flew off into the sky and descended upon two Hylians; the princess and another.

The evil man was eager to take all of the pieces and soon captured the Princess. The last piece, the force of Courage, however was impossible to find. The man tore a part Hyrule with his evil and many tragities took place. Just as the people thought that all was lost, a boy came out of no where. He bore the Triforce of Courage for his bravery knew no bounds. Clad in green and bearing a magical sword, the boy and the evil fought. The boy defeated the evil but suddenly, the Goddesses had had enough of the destruction and fighting.

They banished the evil man into another realm. The Hero unfortunately disappeared with the evil. The Royal Family was once again placed into power and the people and land healed yet no one rememembered nothing of the incident. Intending to rid of anything that was of high significance to the war, the Goddesses then placed a seal on the door leading to the evil and erased all traces of the tragedy. The Triforce was sealed away for good by the Goddesses who hoped to stop all the fighting and evil in Hyrule.

Hyrule was finally at peace and the Triforce was forgotten. Harmony was finally restored to the lands...


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The sun rest lazily in the sky, its soft rays shinning upon the land while a soft breeze blew across the green plains. In the midst of a summit upon of a high hill sat a lone ranch. The paper oragami foldings danced merrily on the yarn threaded through the tall wooden planks in the warm summer wind as the lush green grass gently folded forward to the ground underneath the feathery pressure of the summer breeze. Large goats with circular horns upon their head ate the grass with zeal, their dark blue shaggy fur trailing behind them as they walked to and fro to gather their delicious meal. In the midst of this field lay a figure clad in a white shirt with a leather piece covering one shoulder. The buckle of the leather assemble was worn and tied around a lean, muscled chest of the figure.

The loose shirt ruffled a bit when another gust of wind blew from the North, making strands of fine blond hair whip softly across a high cheekbone.

Long ears, pointed at the ends, twitched at the sounds of the near by herd of goats yowling and munching, their mouths ajar to only close again to chew the grass. Turning on his side, the boy placed his hands comfortably underneath his head, his body splayed out on the ground in a comfortable position. His sapphire eyes slanted and large, he gazed up at the sky, watching the clouds roll by. A smile tugged on his slender lips, his tanned face content. He eyed the clump of dry weeds to his right and deftly picked a long stem and placed it in his mouth, chewing on it's end thoughtfully.

A large shadow fell over him. Squinting and looking up, he saw a burly guy around his age looking down at him with thoughful dark brown eyes and a tanned face.

"Link? You bored buddy?" Fado, the goatskeeper, asked his deep voice slow and thoughtful.

Link smiled at him and shook his head.

Fado shrugged his brawny, tanned shoulders and sat beside the boy. He ran a hand through his short, curly brown hair.

"Ah look at these guys. All they do is eat. We gotta round 'em up soon and put them to bed, ya hear?"

He glanced to his side to see Link nod sleepily. Fado smiled and chuckled. He certainly appreciated Link's help at the ranch and it was a pleasure to have him as company but he had yet to meet anyone as quiet as the ranch hand. Blinking when he saw a little figure running up the dirt path up the hill, Fado placed a hand over his eyes and squinted at the tiny figure heading towards them. He smiled.

"Eh, Link! Isn't that Aryll over there?"

The boy's eyes snapped open and he sat up. A look of curiosity crossed his young, stunning face and nodded.

Fado cocked a brow. "Wonder what she's doing here... thought she was with Beth and Talo playing 'Hero'..."

The little figure ran daintily over the field, avoiding the large goats and the piles of dung gracefully. A little girl of no more then eight then appeared before them. She panted and gasped for breath yet still managed a sweet smile.

"Hi, Brother!" she panted.

Link gave her a warm smile.

"Are you almost done?" the little girl asked excitedly.

He shook his head. He then nodded to the goats and raised a brow to her. He watched her pout.

"Link round them up and let's go! Please please?"

Fado laughed outright at this and stood. Scratching his taut stomach through the coarse wool of his shirt, he smiled down at his friend.

"Might as well does what she asks. Its gonna get dark soon anyways. If ya can, call up Epona and get these guys in and we can all call it a day."

The boy sighed and nodded. He stood in a fluid movement, the blue apron with its intricate designs of his clan and Hyrule woven into it falling to his knees. Brushing off his brown knee-high capri pants, he placed his feet back in their worn sandals and laced the threadbare ties up his calves. He stretched his arms slowly. Aryll watched her brother with intent, curious blue eyes. She watched him then head to a piece of glass and pluck it. Her long, pointed ears perked up in excitement. She loved the whistle of the horse call. She didn't know anyone who could blow the sweet melody from the blade of grass like her older brother could. The eerie, beautiful call rang from the blade, echoing across the hills.

Aryll stiffened in joy when she heard the familiar thunder of hoofbeats. She spurned backwards and giggled when she saw a large chesnut-brown horse leap over the gate and prance towards them. The horse reared on its muscular, strong legs and snorted when it landed. Aryll cooed to the horse and patted her gently, her little face alight with love.

"You are the most noble and beautiful of horses in all of Hyrule Epona." she murmured.

Epona whinnied in agreement and tossed her thick white mane in a flash of vanity. Link rolled his eyes and smiled. He honestly had to somehow teach Aryll to not always praise Epona. The horse's head was getting almost as big as her saddle! Nodding to Fado and Aryll, he leapt into Epona's saddle and dug his heels into her sides. The horse whinnied and then spurt forward. The reins in one hand and his other held upwards, he steered towards the loneliest goats and began to steer them towards the main group.

"Hyaah! Hyaah!" he shouted at them.

The goats 'baaa'd in fear and ran towards their companions. In no time the goats were trotting into the large paddock, shaking their heads and rippling their fur in aggitation at being sent to bed. Link sat in his saddle, pleased, and patted Epona on the back. Loosely grasping Epona's reins, he trotted towards the beaming Aryll.

Fado nodded and smiled. "Thanks buddy. You really are a big help. These guys... have been really difficult lately. Really skittish."

A concerned look crossed the goatskeeper's face as he eyed the paddock.

"I've never had a hard time with 'em but they've been breaking out into the village and been real jumpy. I think they're just tired or something."

Fado turned to Aryll and lifted her into the saddle in front of Link. He smiled at the pair of them.

"Anyways, thanks again bud. You have tomorrow off. I'm keeping those guys locked up for the day and giving them more relaxation time. Maybe their jitters will calm, ye?"

Aryll waved goodbye to Fado as Link then lightly spurned Epona forward, causing her to walk in a slow, steady prance. Fado waved bye and turned to the paddock, intending to lock up and then head down to his home down in the village. Aryll leaned against her brother's chest, her eyes becoming heavy. Cuddling into his lean figure, she whispered,

"Big brother... its your birthday tomorrow. You're going to be sixteen."

Link nodded and gave her a light squeeze.

Aryll smiled.

"You will become a man tomorrow Link. You will have to leave the village and go to Castletown in Hyrule and do deeds and missions for Mayor Bo..."

She looked up at him, her face highlighted in the setting sun.

"I'll miss you. And thats why I have a present for you tomorrow. But you have to wait until tomorrow."

Link gave her a half-smile and nodded as he lightly patted her on her little head, her silky golden hair threading through his slender fingers. The village was quiet except for the occasional croak of a frog and the steady whispering of the stream that pooled through the center of the village. Everyone had already gone to bed except one candle light a small round hut near the front of the village. An older woman that was very short and kind looking stood at the door. Her old black eyes became warm at the sight of the siblings.

"Link, how was work?" she asked.

He shrugged and jumped from Epona with Aryll in his arms. He landed gracefully with no sound on the worn ground. The little girl mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. He smiled gently. The grandmother chuckled and opened the door. The small hut smelt of stew and herbs. In the corner sat a bunk bed. He walked to it and set his sister in it, placing the covers around her. Grandmother watched the tender scene quietly, her eyes soft with adoration. Watching her beautiful grandson straighten and smile at her, she accepted his gentle hug and sighed.

"You will become a man tomorrow Link. However..."

She looked at him.

"In my eyes you are already a man. You have cared for myself and Aryll for a long time now and even take care of yourself and your own home. You help all in the village and influence the youngsters positively."

Her wrinkled face split into a proud grin.

"You are a wonderful man that we can all expect great things from. I am very proud of you and love you very much. All of us in the village are so proud and so eager to see you flourish into the extraordinary man we know you will become."

He felt a warmth spread in his chest. His perfect face smooth into a gentle smile. Leaning forward, he placed a soft, chaste kiss upon his grandmother's wrinkled, spotted forehead. He drew back to see the love and tears in her eyes. He cupped her sagging cheek and nodded. She sighed and watched her grandson exit the hut. The wood planks creaked as she wobbled to the little window. He pulled himself into Epona's saddle and trotted up the path into the woods. She glanced to the sky, seeing the sun had already almost completely disappeared underneath the horizon. A twinge of fear danced in her chest.

A nameless foreboding was plaguing her lately and she knew not why. Yet all she could do was prepare for the ominous tragedy that was lurking in her mind.

She waddled over to the hearth and stroked the fire with a metal poker. Her face seemed to have aged ten years more now. She was worried and ill at heart. Something was happening and causing an uneasiness to sink into the land. The animals were tense. The trees were whispering of an evil. She shuddered. She did not know if it was what she assumed it was but she certainly prayed to the Goddessess that it wasn't. The elder woman looked up at the mantle of her fireplace at the bronze shield with the engraved markings.

If the time came for it she would do as she knew would have to happen. Even if it pained her and lead to her own demise, she refused to sacrifice her grandchildren. She had already lost her husband and her own son...

Tears appeared in her onyx eyes. Just remembering their beautiful, angelic faces pained her. They all looked the same. Fine blond hair. Large blue eyes. Slender, lithe frame. It was a curse and a blessing. They bore the bloodline of nobility yet it never had aided them. Nay. Never. Aryll mumbled in her sleep catching the woman's attention. She sighed. Now was not the time to linger over such dark thoughts. There was much to be thankful for and probably more to look forward to. She shuffled forward and smiled down at her slumbering granddaughter. She patted her golden locks and nodded.

She was looked so much like her Father...

The candle blew out and the grandmother settled in her bed, already sleeping by the time her head hit the pillow.


...../\
..../\/\


"Link? You up?"

A beautiful blue eye cracked open reluctantly at the sound intruding his sleep. Yawning, he rolled out of his bed and looked out the circular window down to the ground outside his tree home. A group of people stood there. Aryll and the children from the village all stood down in front of his house, beaming. Beth, a little girl with a large forehead, short auburn hair and large green eyes stepped forward.

"Are you coming down Link? We have a surprise for you!"

He blinked and nodded. Talo and Malo, the two sons of the housewife Pergie and the carpenter/armorer Jaggle, stepped forward. Talo wore a red bandana and had bright greene eyes while his brother who looked no more then one years old (but was actually eight) walked forward, his little legs and feet hidden underneath the too long tunic and apron.

"Hey! Link! Come down! Come on!" Talo yelled.

Malo glared at his brother icily. "Please come before he yells some more." He asked Link dryly.

Shaking his head and chuckling, Link pulled himself back into his tree home and leapt from the top floor to the bottom. He landed softly despite the immense height and opened the door. He leapt from the small plank entrance doorway and landed with a natural born-grace to him before the wide-eyed children. They clapped and nodded in awe.

"I wish I could jump like you Link!" Talo stated enviously, eyeing Link's legs as if he wanted to steal them as his own.

Malo frowned at Link, perplexed. "Yes you certainly are light-footed..."

A snort came from Beth. "Of course he is! He's Link!" she interrupted fiercely.

A little boy with round blue eyes and a bob-style cut of blond hair shyly piped up. "Can we all just do what we are here to do...?"

Aryll patted Colin on his small shoulder. "Ya! After this you have to go to the spring big brother but that's something else. Anyways..."

The children then grouped together and smiled at him (minus Malo) and yelled, "Happy Birthday Link!"

Link beamed. He watched as Colin then stepped forward nervously. A long wooden stick crudely painted was grasped in his shaking hands. He was staring down at his bare feet.

"I-I made this fishing pole for you Link... my dad said every man needs one..."

Link smiled and patted him on the head and accepted the gift. Colin sighed thankfully and stepped back. Beth came forward, her face smug.

"I bought this myself from my parent's shop. We all know you're really good at aiming and going to be doing missions and needs weapons... so here."

She withdrew her hand from behind her back. Everyone gasped. A slingshot with a bright red banner gleamed in her grasp, reeking of adulthood and manliness. Talo yipped in excitement and immediately rushed forward to grab the slingshot and try it for himself. Malo glared at him and pulled on his apron.

"Stop embarassing us. Present our gift."

Talo scowled at his brother and eyed the slingshot again. Huffing angrily, he came forward and gave Link a wooden sword and shield. Setting them at his feet near the slingshot that he so enviously eyed, he muttered,

"We had our dad whittle these for you even though you'll be doing swordsmanship with Rusl with real swords now. We couldn't get him to make you real ones... we know you're already really good with swords and stuff but ya we know you like them and got you this."

Link then looked at Aryll. His sister smiled at him shyly which was odd for the usually no-reservations child. She hesitantly stepped forward, a flush on her round cheeks, and murmured,

"I really wanted something special. So I got you this."

Link watched her open her small hands to reveal two sapphire blue hoop earrings. Talo and Malo looked at each other in confusion as Beth squealed.

"O my Goddessess! I so wanted those!" Beth screamed.

Aryll smiled at her. "I thought Link might like them instead of his plain silver ones... they remind me of his eyes..."

Link stepped forward, catching everyone's attention. Crouching down to Aryll's level, he slowly took out his silver hoop earrings and placed them in the pocket in the helm of his apron and fastened in the sapphire blue hoops. Aryll giggled and tweaked them gently, her beautiful little face glowing.

"I knew they were perfect for you." she stated.

He stood, his gifts in his arms and smiled at them, his blue eyes warm, his beautiful face beaming. The kids all looked at each other in relief and pride. They then turned to walk back to the village, yelling to Link more birthday wishes over their shoulders. Aryll hugged her brother and then joined Beth, giggling and grasping her doll as they talked about the rest of the day's events that were focused on Link. All left except for Colin. The boy stood awkwardly, his eyes downcast, and looked up at the person he admired most.

"Uh... Ilia wants to meet you at the Ordon springs."

Patting Colin on the head, the young man turned on his heel and ran to the path leading from his house to the woods where the spring was nestled. Just a short distance away, he saw the flowered greenery of the bridge that lead from the village across the mountain pass. He then turned right to the bright spring. A young women with sandy blond hair and a simple long cream tunic and brown capris stood waiting at the edge, soaking her dainty feet in the pure, clean water. He smiled. Ilia had been his friend ever since he could remember.

The girl gasped when she saw him. Her bright green eyes lighting with pleasure she ran forward.

"Link! Happy Birthday!" she gasped excitedly.

He flushed to the tips of his ears and nodded. A neigh caught his attention. Epona stood in the water, gleaming with droplets. He raised a brow at Ilia. The girl giggled.

"I bathed Epona for you. But thats not my present." He watched Ilia reach into her pant's pocket and withdraw a piece of string with something on it.

"This is what I've been working on since last month for you for this special occasion."

She handed him the necklace. Link looked down at the horseshoe shaped pendant on the worn leath string. He looked at Ilia who smiled enouragingly. He raised it to his lips and blew as through the end of it as if it were a piece of grass. Epona perked up and sprinted forward excitedly, tossing her mane. Link smiled and patted his horse. He looked to Ilia, his eyes revealing his gratitude. Ilia sighed and petted Epona gently.

"She does love that tune doesn't she? Anyways, what I was saying-"

Epona stiffened. Link blinked in alarm and looked around. Ilia watched the transformation, confused.

"Link is everything okay?"

He ignored her, his senses alert. Epona shuffled nervously, whinning in aggitation. He held her reins in his callused hands, his eyes shifting nervously. Something was not right. Ilia watched silently, concerned. Suddenly, the pair then became relaxed. The girl frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What was that?"

Link looked at his friend reluctantly. He could see the confusion, concern and demand in her gaze. He began to chew his bottom lip. He then shrugged nonchalantly and leapt on top of Epona. Ilia huffed and stepped in front of the horse, her arms held out. Her green eyes burning, the girl stated firmly,

"That was really weird Link. Tell me right now what just happened. And dont try and play it off that you're completely mute. We both know you can use your voice if the time calls for it."

He stared down at her blankly. Ilia scowled. He was giving her that emotionless look that was rare for him but a clear sign he was hiding something. She stepped back and watched angrily as he then spurred Epona forward, leaving her in the spring. She frowned. What was wrong with Link? He was always happy and relaxed...

Link pushed Epona forward, frowning. He had felt something odd and... evil. What was this ominous feeling? His heart began to race, his blood sped and his body began to shake. Something was not right and Epona knew it too. He looked down at his left hand and stared at the brown tattoo of the Triforce on his hand's surface. He had had this mark ever since he was born and presumed it was a tattoo that all boys got when they were born. But Malo nor Talo or any of the men in the village had the mark. His hand fisted.

Why was he so different from everybody?

Epona slowed to a trot and began to steadily enter the village. The townspeople were gathered there and immediately broke out into cheerful well wishes and greetings when they saw him. Halting Epona, he leapt from her and walked to his grandmother. She hugged him tightly and whispered,

"I made your favorite meal; Grandma's home-made soup."

He gave her a tight squeeze and turned to the adults. Rusl, the towns swordsman, stepped forward, laughing. He clapped Link on his slender shoulder and shook his bandaged head.

"Ah its finally come! Well I have important to tell you. It is appropiate for when boys become men for them to do a mission to prove they are worthy of manhood."

The village waited silently, tension in the air. The swordsman smiled.

"I have talked to Mayor Bo," the muscular, beefy mayor with the tusks around his mouth waved at Link, "and he has agreed that you will have the honor and duty of heading to Hyrule Castle tomorrow to bring the Royal Family these tokens."

Jaggle stepped forward with a bronze shield inscribed with the holy writing of Hylians and the Triforce and a steel sword with a leather handle. Both pieces were finely made and of sturdy stock. Link blinked in awe. He was too bring the royal gifts? He looked first to his beaming grandmother, then to his kind swords teacher and then the Mayor himself. Bo stepped forward chuckling.

"Yes it is necessary for a lad to go out into the world and explore, experience and grow. We are giving you this most important duty and we all know you will perform it splendidly."

He patted Link's shoulder affectionately.

"Just dont be late or it'll look bad on Ordon, ya hear?"

The village laughed at this. Sera the shopkeeper and mother to Beth stepped forward, her cat trotting behind her, close to her heels. She then handed a small bottle to the boy.

"This is some Lon Lon ranch milk and you can use that bottle for loads of stuff on your adventure. I hope it comes in good use and is really handy dear."

She then stood beside her husband Hanch who looked miserable and full of bee stings from his prior attempt to dislodge a bee's nest from a near by tree. Looking at his gifts in awe, he heard his grandmother chuckle.

"You'll have to wait until tonight to get my gift Link. Now go see Aryll. She wants some time with her brother before he leaves."

Bowing and thanking the villagers and placing his gifts on Epona's saddle, the boy walked to the creek and saw Aryll splashing in the water while Beth sunbathed. Screaming in excitement when she saw her brother, she jumped onto him and hugged his legs.

"Brother can we go across the bridge and see Faron Spring!"

Beth snorted. "I told her it was the same as Ordon's but she still wants to go."

He glanced at his sister and couldn't help but nod and smile. The girl shrieked with delight and ran to Epona. Waving goodbye to a disgruntled Beth, he ran after Aryll. They brought Epona back to his home and settled her in the small grove between the trunk of the large tree and the hill side. They then stored all his gifts in his home from his bottle, fishing rod and practice sword and shield. He eyed his sling shot and for some reason attached it to his belt, latching the small leather purse of pellets to his hip. Aryll sighed.

"Its not like you're actually going to need that Link. Come on. Its just across a bridge. There's nothing bad around here."

Link shrugged his shoulders. Taking his hand, Aryll lead him through the orest, past Ordon's spring and opened the gates to the creakity bridge. Suspended above a river thousands of feet bellow, Link laughed outloud when he saw Aryll go white.

"Um... maybe we shouldn't go after all..."

He hoisted her in his arms and despite her shrieks ran across the rickety bridge. Setting her down, he laughed again at the scowl she gave him. She punched him on his leg with ehr all her might. He winced and rubbed it.

"Funny. Now lets go! I heard Faron's springs has actual faeries!" she squealed.


...../\
..../\/\


"Link! Link!" Aryll called as she splashed in the water of the spring.

Wincing due to the direct sunlight glaring into his eye, the boy frowned and sat up from the grass padded ground along the spring's edge, yawning slightly. Looking to find the bearer of the voice, he watched his sister standing in the crystal clear water, walking towards him. Smiling a bit despite himself, he propped his arms on his knees and waited for the tiny girl to make her way in front of him.

"So how do you feel about going to Hyrule Castle Link? Aren't you scared? This will be your first time leaving the village."

She grabbed a frog that had been sitting on top of a lilypad in the water and stared into its bulbous eyes.

"I don't see why you have to prove your manhood. Didn't you already by helping Fado at the ranch and being goood with a sword? I don't see why you have to go all the way to Hyrule Castle to prove yourself."

Seeing her brother's amused look, the girl scowled.

"Don't look at me like that! You really need to be careful out there Link! Besides... I dont want you to go."

Link shrugged again and smiled silently at his little sister. Taking the smile as an invitation, the girl sat down beside him, staring out across the spring that flowed from the mountain and between the strangely engraved stones into the wide, shallow pond beneath, its waterfall clear and beautiful. Watching from the corner of her eye at her brother who smiled serenely, his stunning face content, she sighed. Her brother didn't talk often. In fact it was rare to hear his voice. Why? She did not know. Link's face and eyes were expressive enough, however, for his many friends and family to understand his unhearable speech.

Playing with her two blond pig tails, the tiny girl smiled. She loved her brother so much and knew he would always protect her. The girl giggled and hugged her older brother.

"Link, I cant wait for you to come back when you're done this task! You can even teach me the sword to! I'd love to learn!"

The boy nodded and patted her on her little head. Placing his arm around her small shoulders, he sighed. Aryll was not going to stay young forever but she would always be his little sister. He would protect her from anything and everything. As long as he was breathing she would never have any cause to fear. Seeing the sun had raised high in the sky, he calculated it was coming close to dinner. Shaking his head to the path at his sister, signalling her it was time to go, he stood and stretched.

She frowned and reluctantly stood and walked beside him. At a slow and steady pace they walked side by side. With out a word she grabbed his hand, her tiny hand enclosed in his much larger one. She looked up at the sky.

"I can't believe it Link! You're sixteen! That means...you're...old now."

The girl heard her brother laugh at that, his beautiful face pulled into a stunning smile.

Sighing, the girl pouted. "I can't wait 'till I'm sixteen. I'll be the best warrior around. Everyone will know my name! They will fear me; the Great Aryll!" she stated confidently.

Link rose a brow at his sister, his look saying 'I-bet-so'. Aryll smiled at Link, her small white teeth bright.

"Big brother, why is it all of the boys in our village train to be warriors? Grandma says that the days of war have been done and gone for many tears now. Yet we still have the boys learn to play with swords and arrows."

Aryll frowned.

"I'll never get to have a sword or get to target with arrows. I'm a girl which means I have to learn all those boring legends, stories and songs on our ancestor's harp to play."

Link smiled at Aryll, his blue eyes sparkling with laughter. Aryll hummed a bit. Turning to her brother thus stopping his swift stride, Aryll stared directly itno his eyes, her face serious.

"Link do you promise to always protect me, the village and grandma?"

He stared at her in shock. She sounded so serious and wise for someone so young. Blinking, his shocked looked faded into a serious appearance and he nodded firmly. Aryll sighed, relaxing. She smiled.

"Good. I know if anyone can protect us in case a war or something ever did happen again Link it'd be you."

Nodding, Link continued to walk beside her, holding her hand. He then cast a look at her. She wore a blue dress with a bright orange belt that held the apron with its Hyrule symbols embroided on it. The Three Goddesses were also sewn on top and were dyed green, red and blue for their appropiate colors. Link smiled, his gaze softening in memory. He remembered watching their Grandma sew the apron and dress for two straight weeks for little Aryll. Aryll had other dresses and aprons but she preferred the blue one. She insisted it matched her eyes perfectly; which it did.

He stared at the Triforce and the Three Goddessess. He winced when his head began to ache. Aryll glanced up to her brother and saw his grimace.

"Link are you okay?" she asked in obvious worry.

Link nodded stiffly, his blue eyes downcast. Frowning, Aryll glanced at her solemn looking brother. Stepping forward, she placed her hand on his arm.

"Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?" she asked in confusion, her blue eyes showing her concern.

Link stared into his sister's tiny face. Her large blue eyes, blond hair and little pointed ears. He stared at her ears and large eyes, a traiditional marking of a Hylian. Hylians were descendents of the Goddessess themselves and had special abilities in potion making, magic and psychic powers. Sighing, Link smiled grimly and shook his head. How could he possibly tell Aryll of his own confusion over his distrubance of something he was not sure of?

He stared at the Triforce and Goddessess again. Another pain splintered his mind. How could he explain the disturbing mixture of fear and longing he experienced when he saw the symbol of the Triforce and the Godessess? Bowing his head, Link sighed. It was bad enough he did not talk a lot and with the insecurity of his feelings plus his ignorance of speech, it was impossible to explain to his sister of his thoughts and much less, his feelings.

Why did he feel this peculiar longing?

"Big brother come on!" Aryll yelled as she then began to run across the bridge.

She had apparently ran ahead of her brother who had walked slowly during his pondering. Glancing up, the boy ran forward, sprinting to his sister. Aryll giggled, clapping her hands.

"I'll race you to the village, Link! Whoever gets to the hut first gets out of feeding the cuckoos tonight!" she called from behind her back as she continued to run.

Smirking at the childish fun, Link easily caught up to his sister, his lithe, elegant frame light due to its size, his long selnder legs and his unnatural grace. Running beside the giggling girl, Link suddenly froze, his legs stopping their flight. The feeling of dread forced itself within his stiffened body, giving him a sense something wasn't right. Looking up and seeing Aryll running ahead, Link swore under his breath and ran as fast as his long legs could take him. He had to catch up to Aryll. He needed to stop her from going to the village.

Something was not right!

Trying to catch up to his giggling sister, he watched her turn down the pass from his home and into the village. Breathing heavily through his nose as the overwhelming fear overtook him, he turned down the path, feeling the blood sing in his veins. Finally turning around the corner, Link almost tripped when he saw it.

The huts of his village set in the closed off mountains were burning to the ground, smoke rising from their ashes. Stunned, his blue eyes wide with horror and shock, he stood there as if frozen in time. Hearing the shrill screams of his fellow villagers, Link panicked when he remembered Aryll and his Grandma. Running into the village turned battlefield, the boy felt his heart stop when he heard Aryll scream.

"Aryll!" he yelled in response, hoping his rarely used voice would calm his lost sister.

The village was a mess. The huts were burnt, there was fire licking the ground, furniture and valuables were scattered all over the place. He tripped over a wheel of a wagon and stumbled into Fado's burning home. Coughing as he inhaled the smoke, he felt his eyes begin to tear in fear. What was happening? Who in the Goddessess was doing this? Stumbling out of the house, he yelled in horror when a group of five boars ran past him, carrying the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. They held clubs, readily notched bows and swords in their clawed hands, their shinny yellow-red eyes glowed in the smoke that curled thick in the air. They screamed in an incomprehendible language and leapt from the boars.

Pushing his legs and body to their extreme, following the boars and their riders, the boy slid to a stop when he was met with a gruesome sight. A large army of monsters were carrying off all the women and children, their beady eyes inspecting their heads as they pulled back their hair. Cursing, Link hid behind a tree and watched, trying to figure out how he could save the survivors of his village. Link stared at the weird creature's bloodsoaked weapons. Malets, swords and spears dripping with the red blood of his people. Tears gathering in his eyes, Link clenched his hands tightly.

A bloodcurdling scream split the air, causing goosebumps and a horrible shudder to ripple through his body. Looking to the source, Link stiffened in shock.

Bo, the mighty warrior and famed wrestler, was strapped to his house that was burning. A screaming, crying Ilia was fighting with two creatures who were holding her back thus preventing her from reaching her father. Link watched transfixed as a creature knocked her unconscious with a club. Talo, Malo, Beth and Colin were huddled together in a cart, holding onto one another. Ilia was thrown in beside them, the door closed again. Rusl, the swordsman, was lying on the ground bleeding, his crying wife Uli screaming in horror.

"You killed him! You horrible monsters killed him!" she screamed at them.

The monsters grinned maliciously and clubbed the pregnant woman unconcsious and threw her into the cart as well. Link looked desperately for Aryll and stiffened when he saw her thrown into the cart beside Uli and Illia. Looking around the area desperately, he noticed Rusl's sword stuck in the mud, its hilt calling for his grasp. Glancing at the creatures and seeing them starting to organise the terrified women and children all the while growling at each other in a form of dialect only they could converse to eachother, Link grasped the leather-covered hilt and quickly pulled the sword from the thick mud. Turning to the monsters and twisting the sword in his hand, Link let out a battle cry and jumped at the creatures.

"Heeeyaa!" he screamed as he sliced the sword at a goblin, decapitating him.

The thick, black blood of the beast spurted and splashed him in the face but he did not care. These murderers had killed his friends and family. They were attempting to steal the survivors who were his friends and loved ones! Squeals and howls sounded off at the sudden attack by the furious boy. Seeing a spear coming his way, Link back flipped and landed on his feet gracefully, his blood stained sword raised in front of his face.

Six green goblins leapt towards him, screeching, intending to pierce him with their swords. He fended them off in fluid, elegant swipes and blocks, his practice with Rusl and natural abilities evident. Evading a jab and pivoting, he lanced another creature and ignored its death cry as he turned to another beast.

"Link! Link!"

'Aryll!' his mind screamed in response to the tiny voice.

Turning to his sister, he saw her trying to reach him through the bars of the wooden cart filled with the captives. Growling, Link began to run to the cart that was guarded by some more snarling monsters brandishing wicked looking clubs. Fighting his way desperately, Link stiffened when he heard a horn blow behind him. The creatures grinned sadistically and backed away from him. From the smoke came a large, metal-clad boar and on top of it the largest thing wearing armor he had ever seen. Obviously the leader of the monsters, the creature leered at Link, chuckling deep in its throat. It then spoke in its native tongue to the others who then began to whip the boars strapped to the cart causing the cart to begin to drive away.

Ignoring his new enemy, he ran forward to the cart, intending to stop it at all costs. Focused on the sight of his little sister at the back of the cart, her tears dropping to the ground bellow, he heard her screams.

"Link! Link!" she screamed in terror, calling for her brother to save her despite the knowledge the rescue she wished for was impossible.

"Aryll!" he screamed, his hand reaching out to the tiny hand escaping through the bars, as if trying to grab his sister's hand and pull her into the safety of his arms.

"Big brother! Watch out!" Aryll screamed, pointing behind him.

Sliding to a stop, he turned to meet the attack but found himself attacked from the front as well. Fighting vainly with the sword, Link screamed in pain when he felt a spear slice its way through his unarmored shoulder. Falling to the ground and sinking in the mud, the boy stiffened when the beasts surrounded him, laughing and snorting maliciously. He looked up at the owner of the spear that lanced him. The large beast had left his boar and was now looking down at him. He slowly withdrew his axe, the huge blade ready to decapitate him. The two stared at each other, Link's eyes fierce with hatred and blood lust.

The creature snorted and chuckled again. It said something odd and then sheathed its axe. Confused, the boy looked at the cart and weakly tried to reach out to the sobbing Aryll while the cart now enetered the forest and was passing his house. Seeing her large blue eyes and white face, he stiffened when he felt a huge splitting crash on the back of his head, the blow caused by the blunt end of a sword. Hearing the snarls and growls of the monsters, he slumped into the muddy ground, his mind blanking out. His vision fading, the boy watched the cart and his sister wheel away into the darkness of the woods and then lost consciousness.


...../\
..../\/\


"Link? Link..." a crackly voice, sounding so far away, called to him.

Groaning, blue eyes opened reluctantly to met the sad pair of eyes belonging to his grandmother. Blinking, the boy swiftly rose from the ground only to regret it. Hissing between his clenched teeth, he grasped the back of his head. Feeling something sticky and warm slide over his fingers, the boy drew back his hand to see blood sliding down his hand, the red liquid dark and warm. His face paling, he looked at the elder woman at his side, noticing the concern in her worn, gentle face.

Clasping, his shoulder, Link glanced around him, shocked. His village... his home of sixteen years was destroyed. Aryll and all the people he knew were gone. They were either captured or dead. Bowing his head forward to hide the grief he felt, the boy gripped his injured shoulder tightly, ignoring the burning pain he felt from his own strong grasp.

The elder woman watched the boy's oddly calm body tense when she moved towards him.

"Link are you alright? My Goddessess... Aryll and the others... are... are..." her voice caught. She looke away from her pale, silent grandson and shook. The tears of pain, regret and misery welled in her old eyes and began to seep through her tightly closed lids. Damning everything for ignoring her premonition, the grandmother shuddered and let loose a sob.

"They're gone... they're all gone... little Aryll... I failed them. I failed your Father... your mother..." she whispered, her voice wavering.

Link watched his Grandmother cry, feeling useless as his only present family member wept. Forcing himself from the ground, he pulled his only living relative other then Aryll into his arms and hugged her. Gently, Link pushed his Grandmother away from him, his blue eyes searching her old, blue ones.

"What happened." he demanded in his soft voice.

She blinked in shock at hearing him talk. Staring into his stunning face, she ignored the odd use of his voice. She had more important things. Link watched his Grandmother wring her hands together nervously.

"I was readying our hut for your party to celebrate your birthday and thats when I heard yelling and screaming. I looked out to see Rusl, Bo and all the other men rush to defend the village but those...those... beasts slew them in one hit! It was horrible! They grabbed all the young women and children and pulled their hair back. They seemed to be looking at our ears, Link." She looked at her shaking aged hands and fisted them.

"I knew this was going to happen. Its all my fault. I had a feeling..." The elder woman choked, her tears trickling down her worn face.

Leaning forward, he caught her chin in his fingers gently and forced her to meet his sad, gentle gaze. He shook his head and then kissed her cheek. The grandmother sighed and bowed her head.

"Are you okay?" she managed to ask shakily, glancing at his injured shoulder.

Nodding, Link stood shakily, looking around the desolate place. Softly pushing his Grandmother to tell her to follow him, Link saw the smoking remains of his Grandmother's home. All of Aryll's stuff from her dolls to dresses were gone now. His jaw clenching, he stared at the black-charred structure. Stepping through the debree and pot holes filled with mud, he stopped infront of the broken steps of the shop. Staring at it, a rush of savage hatred welled up with in the boy, his blue eyes darkening to a navy color in their anger.

"He-Help me..." a voice croaked, interrupting the tense moment.

Glancing at his confused Grandmother, Link looked around. Who was calling for help? Hearing a groan and then a rather terrible gurgling sound of someone choking on their own blood, Link saw a broken form shuddering underneath a large piece of what had been a roof. Hurrying forward, Link pushed the heavy wood off of the shaking form of Orca, the town spearsman and the village's wise man. Ignoring the pain on his injured shoulder due to the movement, he tried to withdraw the swordsman from the ruins.

"Li-Link...?" The man whispered, relief apparent in his voice.

Link's Grandmother stepped forward and gasped. "Orca! I thought that you had fallen..." she trailed off uncertainly.

Orca smiled grimly. "It is saddening to know the old have survived whilst where the young have not. How cruel Fate is to its puppets."

Link's Grandmother frowned at her silent grandson. Kneeling beside Link and Orca, she stared at the wise man, suddenly calm and put together.

"Why did this happen, Orca? Why did those beasts attack us? What is happening to the times of peace and prosperity?"

Orca stared into the sky, his breathing shallow.

"I-I do not know. But to say I did not expect this, I would be lieing. I have felt an ominous aura enter Hyrule for a long time. At first I thought it was nothing but my imagination until I noticed the dark shadow falling over our world."

Pausing he stared into the old woman's eyes.

"The Legend...of our people...is being re-inacted. The shadow that tore this land apart many years ago has some how risen from the depths of its imprisonment to rule over Hyrule once more." he whispered.

Link felt his gut twist and his hand started shaking. That feeling. The feeling of familarity... why was this happening now? Nodding, Link listened, sweatdotting his smooth forehead as he tried to restrain the shaking of his body.

Orca continued, oblivious to the distress he was placing on the youngest of the trio with his explaination.

"The Hero of Time is the only one who can save us but it is said in the Legend he dissapeared; the Goddesses sending him far away from this world."

The elder sighed.

"Without the Hero and the sword of evil's bane... we are doomed."

Orca paused to cough again.

Gasping, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, the old man forced himself to continue in his soft, whispery voice.

"Our world has come to an end. The evil will spread across the world, polluting all in its path with its potent destruction. Goron, Fairy, Korok, Kokiri, Zora or even Hylian... it will not matter. Nothing and no one will be spared."

Orca's eyes hardened.

"This evil is a disease and will be caught by every one. Except... this time... there is no cure."

Link clenched his teeth, his eyes tearing up. His hand's hold on his shoulder intensified as he tried to cease the odd sensations prickling in the back of his head and the sudden violent pain in his body.

Link's Grandmother looked at her grand son, her face concerned. "Link....what is wrong?"

Link growled, his eyes tightly shutting. The pain... the horrible, flashing pain in his mind! Orca watched the boy struggling with himself, awed. His wise old eyes narrowing, Orca frowned. Could it be? Using his psychic powers, Orca gasped at the golden light shinning in Link's soul.

'Can it be....that Link is...? No..it couldn't. But yet...this is impossible.'

Watching the boy pant from the pain his soul and body were under, Orca's wise face lost its grim look to be replaced by one of hope.

'He is the one. The one who can save us all. He may be a boy...but wasn't the Hero just a boy as well?'

"Link."

Link shivered as the sweat pooled down his back. The light in his mind was spreading, its hot warmth making him gasp under its heat. Bringing his sapphire eyes to the old black pair of Orca's he nodded stiffly at the old man to show he acknowledged him.

"Link... You are the only left and capable to stop the evil. Only a Hylian of Hyrule can draw out the Master sword." Orca waited for Link to absorb this. "Link... go. Go on the journey to save our people and Hyrule. Do the quests that is required to enter the chamber where dwells the Master Sword of evil's bane. You are strong. I sense it in your spirit."

Gasping, Orca coughed weakly.

Looking into those beautiful blue eyes set in that stunningly handsome face, Orca whispered. "You are the only one who can defeat this evil and save us all. Please Link. Rise now as a Hero; Hryule's Hero."

Link stared into Orca's face, his own features tight with pain. The pain from his own exterior injuries aided by the emotional, the boy was fighting his instincts to groan in pain. Her eyes wide, Link's Grandmother leaned towards her grandson, her face stressed.

"Link..."

Clenching his teeth together in an attempt to resist the urge to scream in pain, he brought his suffering gaze to his only mentor and parental figure. Staring into her aged eyes, he awaited tensly for her to speak in respectful silence. The Grandmother stood stiffly, her head bowed.

"Please...go."

Bringing her pleading eyes to her grandson's, she wept weakly, her body trembling.

"You and Aryll are all I have left... please... go get Aryll and bring her back safely to me. I do not wish to see Hyrule be purged into eternal darkness. Again." Stopping her plead, she stared at the silent Orca. "Orca has never been wrong...and for him to suggest that you are the only one who can save Hyrule frightens me. For I knew all along."

Link's brows flew up in surprise. His hand dropping from his shoulder, the boy fixed his stunned sapphire eyes on his now abash paternal figure, disbelief lighting on his naturally stunningly beautiful features.

What?

Frowning, he waited for the elderly woman to continue.

The Grandmother shuffled on her feet uneasily, unwilling to let the information pass her cracked, shrivelled lips. Yet the knowledge prodded her mind, forcing her to admit her long kept secret. Looking away from her grandson's penetrating gaze, she croaked,

"Our blood line is that of the Hero of Time, Link. Our blood line is the sworn protectors of Hyrule and its people. For many centuries we were the saviours along side the mysterious people of the Sheikah who protected Hyrule, its people and Royal family. Your father and grandfather... they were the Hero of Time. You are one soul Link. A reincarnation. You will always be born again from yourself and a true love while the evil exists. It is your curse. You will never know the peace and rest of the afterlife until this evil is entirely destroyed."

Bringing her old eyes to her grandchild's shocked face, she smiled sadly.

"I did not tell you, as selfish as it was, out of fear you would leave me as your father and grandfather did. You always have left me Link. I love you. I have watched you grow and die for two generations now and I could not bare a third. You always manage to seal the evil but you die in your attempt to destroy it... why I do not know."

Link stared at his grandmother in shock. He was his own Father... his own grandfather? He stared at the ground. He was the legendary hero... the one doomed to exist and be reborn while evil prevailed...

"I fear I will never see you again...but...I believe in you, my dearest Link. I believe that you can save Hyrule, Aryll and restore peace to the Land. That you can free your soul from this duty and rid of this evilness once and for all."

Orca nodded grimly.

"Your grandmother is right, Link. You must go...It will be a perilious journey but one that will mayhap service you in some way."

Link listened to this, his eyes never straying from the ground. His head bowed forward, he stood up slowly, his form stiff. Bringing his sapphire eyes to the hopeful gazes of his only family, he nodded. Link's Grandmother sobbed and quickly ran forward to envelope her grandson into her small, chubby body. Her tears falling into his golden hair, the elderly woman whispered in his long, pointed ear,

"Please come back to us. I will wait here with Orca for your and Aryll's return."

Drawing back, she gave a sad smile.

"You are not afraid, are you Link?"

Seeing him shake his head 'no', she chuckled.

"You never were one to back down. That is why I believe you will succeed." Staring into the eyes so alike to her now deceased son and his father, her lover and child in the form of her grandson, the Grandmother gasped. Shuffling away quickly, she called to Link,

"Please wait one more moment, Link! I must get you some items for your departure."

Watching his Grandmother almost run with her swift stride, Link looked down at the old man at his feet. Bending his legs, Link rested on the heels of his precise feet and stared into the aged face of the seasoned warrior. The two companions sized each other up, respect and curiousity evident in theirs gazes. Before either could remark to each otherr, Link's Grandmother was beside the two men, her aged face shinning with pride as she gazed at her pertrubed grandson. Stepping towards Link, she pressed a hastily parcel to him. She watched him eagerly as his one hand pulled the tight knots apaart, digging through the Hylian parchment to the lumpy gift beneath the layers of the wrapping.

Link blinked when he noticed an olive green color emerging from the paper and swiftly began to pull the paper back more carefully. Finally, Link stared at his present that was supposed to be a gift of his memerable day, his blue eyes showing his diseblief and pleasure.

"This is your birthday present." The woman's crackly voice croaked.

She watched him open it to reveal a green tunic, leather belt with a silver clasp, a pair of brown knee-high boots, light creamy brown trouser-pants, a white under shirt, chainmail handed down from centuries ago and a long, pointy-tip green hat. Looking into his astonished face, she smiled.

"I think now it is only suitable to give you this since now you are a warrior, Link. This si the legendary garb of the Hero. This is your heirloom."

Link held the suit in his left hand, staring at the outfit in wonder. Looking to see both his Grandmother's and Orca's urging gazes, he quickly pulled off his white shirt and leather arm-bind and pulled the white under-shirt, chainmail and green tunic on. Pulling the pants onto his long, slender, muscled legs and the brown boots, he fastly fastened the leather belt around his defined hips. Shifting in his new outfit, Link felt the long, odd hat be placed on his head. Gazing into those blue eyes that were so warm in their pride, he clasped his grandmother tightly to his body, silently thanking her.

Orca wheezed, his chest heaving.

"Link...go into my hut around that tree. It was not burnt, the Goddesses be thanked. You will find several items you will need for your journey; a sword, hand and arm coverings, scabbard, bow and arrows and what ever else you assume you will need."

Swiftly walking to the hut, Link stepped inside looking around. His eyes came upon the many glorious carved shields, swords, body armor and other weaponry Orca and Jaggle and Rusl had made over the years. Glancing at the shelves ont he wall, Link noticed a beautifully made pair of leather gauntlets and hand bindings. The boy grabbed the binds and swiftly put the arm coverings on his muscled biceps. Pulling the leather hand binds on and strapping the sword sheath on that he had found in a neaby cvorner of the hut, he quickly took two clear glass bottles from the table and strapped them to his belt.

Exiting the hut, he grabbed Rusl's sword and felt its worn hilt in his grasp. Twisting his wrist, he sliced the air with a natural born expertise, feeling an odd completion enter his soul. He was meant to have a sword in hand it seemed. Frowning slightly, he placed the sword in its sheath, eager to begin his journey to save Aryll. Noticing Link was finally out of the hut, his grandmother hurried forward with yet another gift.

"Dont forget this." She whispered as she handed the bronze shield meant to be a gift for the Royal Family.

Smiling, his cerulan eyes shinning, Link strapped the shield on his back and efficently pushed it onto his back and stood in all his glory before his small audience. The Grandmother wiped her eyes, tears threatening to over come her sight at the beautiful picture her only grandson made. Orca had managed to now stand on one foot, his wrinkled and old body shivering from his injuries. Yet the old spearsmaster limped forward to his newest student and bowed to him.

"Take the road on the west outskirts of the village and walk until you enter the Lost Woods."

Orca hesitated, his face becoming grim with the tension of the new events taken upon him.

"Link heed these words I say unto you and remember them as you have the Legend. The Lost Woods are a dangerous and mysterious realm that many odd creatures and people inhabit, Link. Never let your guard down and do not fall prey to any one. Go into the forest and through the temple. There is the tree.. the Deku tree and the spirit of the Woods Faron. You will need to seek both. They will help you find the sword and weapons necessary to thwart this evil and to save everyone."

Link nodded stiffly, his jaw set. Smiling a very small, hopeless grin, Orca clasped Link's strong, calloused hand.

"Good luck Link and may the Goddesses be with you."

Link's Grandmother frowned at him and hugged him gently. As she withdrew, she murmured, "Hurry home Link. Hurry home."

Backing away from the only two people left in the world to him, Link smiled and waved good bye to them, walking down the dirt path through the burnt reminents of his village.

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