Uhh... chapter one's kinda long... and shitty... it's pretty shitty until there's some humor... like... the middle of chapter three. It will get better! Please bear with me. T.T First fic... be lenient on me... Oh yeh, and I rated it PG-13 because I wasn't sure if it would be bad enough later to rate it R. It may change depending on the violence and language... that's about it XD alrighty! Thanks for reading... if anyone does T.T
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“I do not understand, Impa...” Zelda murmured under her breath. “Why did she seem so... distant?”
“She was a good woman, your mother...” Impa replied somberly, leaning against the doorway- arms crossed and oculars shut.

“Did she... leave anything?”
“...I am not certain... your father, may have some old pictograph’s... shall I look for you, your highness?”
“I would like that... thank you, Impa.” Zelda nodded giving her nanny a weak smile. Impa returned it with one of her own, bowed, and stepped out of the room.

Zelda sighed, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. It had been a long while since she was given the gift of silence, which she was thankful for every second she got of.
Dealing with issues the sages had, the potential Gerudo treaty (now led by Nabooru), she was swamped... and procrastinating.

The only time she could ponder thoroughly was when she was alone, no noise to distract her- this only time being when she was going to bed. That was nearly enough time to deal with anything, let alone thoughts of sages and thief treaties.
No meetings today, no potential threats, and the sages had no problems. Zelda was free. Hence why she had the liberty to freely think about her mother.

An hour or so passed before Impa returned, seeming empty handed.

She approached Zelda, bowed, and handed her a small sheet. Upon inspection it was indeed an old pictograph, so old in fact, her mother looked like an entirely different person.
“That ...woman does not look at all like-” Impa cut Zelda off, bowing apologetically afterwards. Zelda waved it off.
“She is, indeed, your mother...”

She looked up from it at Impa, her eyes returning to the small bit of ink covered parchment. Her eyes slowly widened, pupils shrinking with each second she stared.
“...Two... children?” Zelda mouthed. Impa responded.
“Yes, your highness, ...two children...”
“Who- ...The second one?- I...”
“...It will make sense in time, your highness. I trust you will realize all that you need.” Impa bowed again, turning on her heel to leave. She stopped at the door frame, resting her hand on it. “And though I am not qualified, nor the right person to remedy your inquiries... There are a few people who know the answers to the questions you have yet to form...”

A few days and unanswered questions passed, and Zelda’s curiosity perked with every moment. She asked Impa, on several occasions, where she had retrieved the pictograph from, She replied “I am not the one who answered that.” Or some odd cryptic comment. “Who am I to dwell in the affairs of the princess?”

Impa’s secrecy was becoming a nuisance. Zelda wanted her questions answered, and couldn’t understand why Impa wouldn’t divulge information she so dreadfully desired.
“Impa, this is such a bother! I must know! Why can you not tell me?”

Impa gazed at her for a while before responding.
“Have you not realized who holds the answers to your questions yet?” Eyes closed, standing akimbo.
“...You are the only one that can answer my questions, Impa... No one else knows what I must find out...” Zelda’s gaze fell to the floor, her eyes beginning to flood.

“While this is the truth, your highness... You are perfectly capable of figuring it out on your own.” She looked back up at Zelda. “So no need for tears.”
Zelda looked away, wiping away her tears gingerly. “Yes... but... If I cannot-“

“I will only give hints, though it is truly simple. That pictograph has all the information you need. Surely the heir of to the throne of Hyrule’s royal family can figure out her own past?” The right corner of her mouth upturned into a light grin before she bowed, completing her smile. “I shall take my leave now, highness.” Impa turned and left, closing the door behind her.


“Blast!” Zelda shouted into her pillow as she flopped onto her four-poster bed. She sat up, looking at her hands that were loosely clasped together. “How am I to go about this when all I have is an old picto-... graph.” She quickly reached for the small, single drawer in the night stand just next to her bed, taking out another pictograph. Her eyes scanned it thoroughly, catching every detail. That woman was most definitely not her mother. And the children, twins, both with the same eye and hair tone in the dark inking.

Her father, also, seemed much happier in the pictograph with the twins, one being her but she didn’t not recollect that woman at all. She shuffled in the drawer again, taking out another pictograph (this one in much better condition).She examined them both. The fresh one she just pulled out, her father had a much weaker smile standing next to her mother, whom was holding the young Zelda.

“Father... please help me understand...” She whispered. Did I have siblings? Was one my aunt? Had my father re-married?

But when could that have happened? She shook her head to clear out all thoughts, keeping the ones that made absolute sense. Only two seemed fathomable: Having a potential sibling, and her father possibly remarrying.

Zelda was becoming frantic, she had to speak with Impa immediately. After a few moments of not moving entirely, sleep over took her, both pictographs in hand.

The sudden amount of thought fluctuation, as well as the actualization that her past had been all a lie exhausted her.

The clatter of a plate woke her the next morning. Impa had set her breakfast on the night stand, bowing her good morning.

“I’ve brought you your breakfast. You’ve overslept, your highness. Are you well? I do not recall you over sleeping previously.”

Zelda sat up, fixing her hair into a manageable state, before she looked at the plate of food, and then Impa. “My father remarried, had he not?”

Impa’s eyes widened for a second, but returned to normal when she smiled.

“And a sibling. I have a sibling. That must be the other baby in the pictograph.”

Impa nodded slowly, smile intact. “I did not think that in one night’s time, you would figure out so much, your highness. Commendable. I am truly impressed.” Impa bowed once more. “Both of your accusations are... correct.”

Zelda’s eyes widened. “...Why... Why have I not known?! Why did father keep it from me... Why did you keep it from me?!” Zelda shouted, jumping to her feet, eyes watering again. “If I could not trust my father, then I at least thought I could trust you, Impa.”

“Your highness, please, calm yourself... It is not as though we have not wanted to tell you, but your father, long before his own passing made me promise not to speak a word of it to you... He did not want to hurt you with knowing you had ... lost your mother and brother...” Impa’s gaze fell.

“...How were they lost...? I know everything else now, Impa, and I’ve figured it out all on my own. So how did this all come to be?” Zelda was the one to cross her arms now, a grim look in her tear filled eyes.

Impa sighed, nodding before she looked back up at Zelda with tense features.

“You recall why your father wanted to make a pact with Ganondorf, the self proclaimed King of Thieves?” She began.

Zelda nodded.

“Also what you are trying to get from the Gerudo’s at this moment, a peace treaty. When you and... your brother... were very, very young, there was an attack on this castle by Gerudo’s. Ganondorf denied himself being at the front of the fray.

“I fled with you, your father fought, and your mother left with your brother. We were going to stay at Lake Hylia, and your mother and brother on the bridge just outside of Kokiri Forest. She had been... gravely injured on the way by a stray arrow... both were lost.”

“What was his name...? ...My brother, I mean...” Zelda kept her eyes on the window, trying to take it all in.
Impa shook her head. “It would not be prudent.”
Zelda’s eyes watered more, but she nodded all the same. Impa bowed and took her leave.

After those few days that seemed to drag on, and yet fly by so quickly, the amount of time Zelda had to think quickly depleted to minutes from hours. Her courtly life was back in full swing, and her moments of silence were restricted once more.

“What sort of meeting was Rauru talking about, Impa?” Zelda asked s they made preparations to go to the Chamber of Sages (Temple of Light).

“An informant one... He mentioned something about a disturbance of sorts.” She replied flatly.
“I see...” Zelda nodded inwardly, but was taken aback by Impa’s calmness.

“Ancient Sages of Hyrule,” Rauru began once everyone was present and accounted for. “Ganondorf, as you well remember, was sealed away in the Evil Realm. ...I have felt for the longest time, a disturbance in our power than contains him...”

There were littered gasps and murmurs following Rauru’s words. Impa was silent. Zelda assumed Impa was already privy to the information, so she wouldn’t take already known
information as much of a shock.
“I believe that if that disturbance continues growing as it has,... Ganondorf will eventually escape...”

Shouts resonated now, especially from Nabooru, but she was drowned out by Darunia’s bellowing.

“Silence, please. Do not be alarmed, he could not be contained forever, we knew this from the start.”

Murmurs ceased.

“Now... if I cannot find a way to seal him permanently within the time of fourteen days, and I expect you all to think things through as well, then... the Hero of Time must help us again. He will be at the next meeting, you will bring him, Saria.”

Zelda took a half-step forwards, her mouth open to speak, but Saria took the opportunity first.

“Please, Rauru, think this through! Hasn’t Link gone through enough the first time around?”

The murmurs began again. Rauru allowed their mini-discussion to carry-on until a few minutes passed and he silenced all with a raise of his hand.

“Yes, yes... very well, then. Saria, once this meeting is adjourned you must go tell Link of this issue.”
“Y-... yes.” Saria nodded, looking at her feet.
“Rauru, if I may interject?” Impa stepped up.

Rauru nodded.

“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Now, I have certain leads on information.” Her face was smug. Eyes closed, and one hand on her hip as she smirked. “My resources tell me about... a missing piece of the triforce.” Her crimson eyes opened, glancing to the center of the chamber, the triforce mark.
Everyone’s mouths dropped slightly, especially Zelda’s, but Rauru seemed un-phased by this unexpected revelation. All those that were confused looked at Rauru, who had his eyes closed as he pondered.

“...Yes... it is true...” Rauru stated.

“How?! I hold the triforce of wisdom, Link has courage and Ganon has power... what other triforce piece is there? And who would have it!?” Zelda tried to reason, but Impa shook her head.

“We know not who would hold it,” She explained. “But, the triforce was originally a quadraforce, a piece in the center... a dark piece...”

Rauru nodded and continued the explanation. “There was no record of this fourth piece, so only the ones with ancient knowledge would know of this.”

The conversation continued on a loop until Rauru decided to draw the meeting to a temporary close. All of them had to wait until the next meeting to find out if Link would agree or not, and Saria was placed with the burden as messenger.

“Impa, I cannot cope with this!” Zelda shouted halfway through her rant upon returning home. “First I find out that my family life was a lie, and now I must figure out all of this, or Ganon will escape...” She was beginning to cry again, being far too overwhelmed for the Evil Realm ordeal.

“I apologize, your highness...” Impa said quietly.
“Still... I must know, Impa... It will ease me to hear his name...”
“...Your highness, I... mm...” Impa looked away. “...No... I apologize for my impertinence, but I cannot...” She shook her head.
Zelda sighed, placing her hands over her face. “This is ridiculous... absolutely ridiculous... How can so much be going on in one week?”
“Perhaps you’re just lucky, your highness.” Impa suggested sarcastically. Zelda frowned.

~~

“Link? Link, are you there?” Saria called up his tree house, just in front of the ladder. No reply came. “Liiiink!?” She tried again, a dull thud escaping the cloth covered doorway.

“Ow...” Foot steps followed the word, and Link stuck his tired face out from behind the cloth. “Uh... yeah, Saria?” He cleared his throat from the nights inactivity.

“Link, we’ve just had a meeting of the sages, and there’s something really bad going on...”
Link’s eyes widened, all tiredness fleeting as he registered what she had said.

“...Come up, then.” He nodded, smiling weakly and stepping back behind the curtain.
Saria climbed up the ladder reluctantly, and went through the curtain to see Link standing much taller than her as he finished putting on his shirt.

“What happened at the meeting?” He asked, pulling his hat on as well.

“Rauru said he felt a disturbance or something in the power that’s keeping Ganondorf in the Evil Realm... our power might be weakening, Link... Ganon might escape.”

His sapphire orbs drifted to the floor.
“I see... How long did Rauru say we had until...?”

“Fourteen days... approximately...”

He nodded. “That’s not much... “ He sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed. “This isn’t good... It hasn’t really been long at all since that happened...”

“Rauru said his power should have deteriorated while he was sealed away, eventually destroying him, but... he seems to be getting more powerful...”

“What if it’s the triforce piece he’s still got?”

“That’s what Rauru thinks too.”
Link nodded again, crossing his arms. “Well... at least we’ve got some sort of a lead. ...Did he say anything else?”

“Uh- ...mm...” She nodded. “In fourteen days we might need your help again, unless Rauru can figure out a way to seal him up entirely... “

He gave a small laugh. “Well I’m not just gonna sit around, am I?” Saria smiled weakly in compliance and nodded. “Is that all then? ...I’ll have to train more...” He said that last bit more to himself than Saria.

“Well,... Impa and Rauru did mention something else...”

“Yeah?”

“It was ... about the triforce.”

“What’d they say?” He was trying to seem childish.

“There was ... a fourth piece... it used to be a quadraforce, but they don’t know what happened to make it split into a triforce and someone might have the fourth piece, which is... apparently evil.”

Link stared at her quizzically, trying to see if she was joking or not.

“That’s ... new.” He said, scratching his head after he realized she was telling the truth. “Well...I’m guessing they’ll want me at the next meeting?”

Saria nodded. “A week from today.”

“Alright.” He smiled, standing back up. “Thanks, Saria...” Saria returned his smile with one of her own, and lead herself out after they said good-bye.

“Oi...” Link sighed, arms at his sides as he watched Saria leave. “This isn’t good at all... Why couldn’t he have waited a few hundred years?” He muttered to himself, shaking his head as he got his sword and shield out.

If Ganon’s power was returning, and the sage’s waning, then there was no doubt more monsters were going to turn up- which was perfect practice for Link who hadn’t picked up his sword in a long time. So out of practice it’s ridiculous...

Getting all of his gear ready, putting his tunic on fully, and strapping his sword in it’s sheath to his back he stepped out of his house and descended the ladder. Some of the Kokiri questioned him about his leaving, but he reassured them all he wouldn’t be gone that long this time.

~~

“I shall stand for it no more, Impa. I must know my brother’s name.” Zelda gritted her teeth behind closed lips, her eyes narrowing.

“Your highness, I cannot tell you his name. We have been through this... I’ve said before there are others who know. Just think it over and it’ll become clear... Now Saria’s just informed me that Link is getting ready to begin training again, I must meet him in the field so we can prepare him... He has gotten rusty, highness.”

Zelda nodded haughtily before exited the room. Impa disappeared in a flash of light.

~~

“Oh... Hi, Impa.” Link said dully.

“Saria told you, I’m assuming?”

“Yeah, all of it... the Ganon and quadraforce thing... So a fourth Goddess...?”

“Exactly. The Sheikah, as well as the two most ancient sages know of it, of course...”

“One’s dead, and Rauru’s not corporeal...” Link finished for her.

“So you have agreed to aid us once more. It’s no wonder you have the triforce of courage.”

Link laughed sheepishly- flattered, but not wanting to stall his training any longer.

“Right. I’m guessing you’re not here to talk, so...”

“Yes. Your skills must be honed once more. You’ve lost your touch.”

He nodded.

Link really had lost his touch if it had taken him so much more work to fell a peahat than normal. The work was hard, and lasted many hours. Link flopped back onto the grass, a few blades flying up when he collapsed.

“Nice work.” Impa smirked. “You have not entirely lost your prowess.”

Link laughed through his heavy breathing.
“Y- ...yeh... guess not... you’re tough competition, though..”

“It is different when raised as a warrior, Hero of Time.”

Link sat up, resting his arms on his knees.
“We’ll have to do this daily... until I can do it all without thinking again...”

Impa agreed. “But you must rest now. It is nearly nightfall.”

“Yeah. Thanks again, Impa. You’re a huge help.” He smiled, collected his gear (sword and shield) and walked back to the Kokiri Forest.

The Kokiri had all gotten tired of waiting for Link to come back, so no one was outside by the time he returned. He climbed up his ladder, put his sword and shield away and fell onto his bed.

“Thirteen days...” He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

~~

“Um... Link?” Saria’s voice woke him. His eyes half opened, the green and tan blob in front of him slowly cleared into a feebly smiling Saria.

“Uhn... Wh- wha... What?” He replied, slurring as he wiped his bangs out of his eyes.

“Zelda’s outside...”

His eyes shot open and jumped up, throwing the blanket off of him (fell asleep dressed, minus the boots).

“What is she doing here?! What time is it- oof!” He fell onto his back, one leg raised, both hands on the boot. “Ow...”

“She said she really needs to speak with you.”

“Alright. But ask her what for.” He pulled the one boot on and began on the next one.

Saria stepped out of the curtain and looked down the ladder. “He wants to know why, but he’s getting ready now.”

Zelda looked over her shoulder, arms crossed. “It concerns my family... as well as the issue with Ganondorf.”

Saria nodded and went back in. “Did you get that?”

“Yeah.” Link patted his shirt to get the dust from his floor off of it. “Thanks, Saria.” He threw her a smile before stepping out onto the deck.

“Oh, good.” The princess whispered, stepping up to him as he descended the ladder. “Link, I’ve need of you. Impa gave me this,” She took out the pictograph. “This woman is supposedly my mother, and this other child..” She pointed. “Is my brother that was lost and I had no knowledge of...”

Link stared at her for a few seconds, looking from the pictograph to her. “And... This has to do with me, how?”
Zelda sighed. “I need your help. The castle library is gigantic. I need to locate the few royal family’s pictograph albums. They are scattered about, and I cannot find them all on my own in that place.”

“So you want my help.” Link stated rhetorically.

“Yes. It won’t take long with the both of us, we shall start at either end and find at least something before we reach the center.”

Link sighed, folding his arms in front of him and leaning back on the ladder. “I’ll need to train with Impa, so it can’t take all day.”

“Of course. That is why I came so early.”

“...What time is it anyway?”

“Five in the morning.”

“...The castle and the forest are at other ends of Hyrule, what time did you have to wake up to get here at five!?”

“I have yet to sleep.”

Link gaped at her. He shook his head. “Alright, but we’re warping... I’ll be too tired to train if we walk the whole way.”

Tossing a book behind him, Link sorted through a few rows of all kinds of books, novels, and encyclopedia’s. All of which were useless to Zelda’s cause.

“How much longer is this going to take, Princess?” He shook his head as he skimmed a few more titles down the row.

“It has only been two hours, Link.” Zelda called sourly from the other end of the room.

“But have either of us found anything even resembling a pictograph album? I think not.”
“You forget this library’s size, Link... honestly...”

Link clicked his tongue, going down the seemingly never ending bookshelf row. “Hm?” One caught his attention, the tatter dark blue binding on the small book made it practically unnoticeable next to the much larger volumes surrounding it. “What’s this?” He pulled it, eyes alight with curiosity.

Pulling the book from between the other large books, the rest of the books on that end of the shelf followed, piling on top of Link. “Gwah!” A few more dropped onto the pile he concealed by, his left arm sticking out holding the small blue book out of the pile.

“Link...? Are you alright?” Zelda called, coming over when no response came. “Oh, what have you found?” She took the small record out of his hand. Flipping through a few pages of hylian, she stopped at a book marked page with an old dried white flower, and another pictograph of the same four family members in a different pose.

She gasped when the thought struck her. “Link, I think this is my mothers journal...” She turned around to face the pile of books Link was under again, his hand twitching slightly to try and whack a few books off and make an air hole. “Oh dear...” She set the book onto a small desk not far off, and came back to take all off the books off of his torso (he could get the rest).

“Ugh.... what now...?” Link queried as he stepped out of the books that now littered the dark tile floor. He began setting them back up in no particular order.

“That book you found... I believe it is my mothers journal.” She walked back over to the desk and came back with it, holding it in her crossed arms like a small kitten.

“Why do you say that?”

“It has a pictograph of us all, as well as a flower I remember Impa telling me about that was only in a secluded patch where she liked to wander from time to time...”

“Well what does it say? Or have you not even read it, yet?” He faced her once all the books were back in place.
“Well... actually...,” Zelda’s peripheral fell to the ground. “I am a little frightened...”

“Of your own mother’s words?”

She nodded, taking the book into her hands and staring at the front. An etching of the triforce, white, and the center piece was black. In hylian, the script read Anyeal Misunao Lealne Hyrules Private Writings. Zelda ran her index finger over the rough edged etching of the hylian characters.

“Are you going to read it, or should I?” Link suggested, crossing his arms as he watched her become more and more infatuated with the literature. Zelda shook her head quickly, retracting it back towards her chest, her fingers clenched around its bindings in a death-grip.
“Alright, then open it. You’ve been so curious...”

Zelda sighed and looked down at the journal again. She inhaled deeply and opened to the first page.

It is truly wonderful. Twins. So beautiful. A girl and a boy, and their names are Zelda and L-

Zelda’s eyes shot open, the corner of her lip quivering slightly. “...What?” Her eyes lingered on the name of her brother, and then drifted slowly up to Link who held a confused look on his face.

“Well? Who is it?” He asked innocently, trying to look over the cover of the book, but she kept bringing it closer to her so he couldn’t see. “That’s not fair, come on, Zelda... Who’s your brother?”

She gaped at Link silently for a few moments, mouth lolling open slightly, eyes as wide as ever. “...You.”

“Me? Hahah... What?!?” His eyes went wide too, wider even than Zeldas. “I’m...!?” He pointed to himself, not losing eye contact with Zelda so he knew she wasn’t joking. Zelda just nodded slowly before looking back at the book to see if it mentioned it anywhere else.

Almost every page was Zelda and Link, Link and Zelda, Zelda and Link.
“This is ridiculous...” She muttered, still flipping.
“This is insane...” Link muttered as well.
“No, it is perfectly rational.” Both of them whirled around to see Impa standing at the door of the library. “How could you not be related and look so much alike?”

They stared at Impa, then at each other, and back at Impa. Their eyes still widening.
“But... Impa, why did you not tell me to begin with?!” Zelda shouted, dropping the book. Link caught it before it hit the ground.

“There was no need. You have figured it out for yourself, and now it is done with.”
“It’s not done with!” Link interjected. “It’s creepy!”
“Creepy?!” Zelda gasped, looking at him.
“In a way that we were friends and are brother and sister, not ew creepy.”Link explained.

They looked back at where Impa was standing after that was cleared up, but she had already left, leaving them there to deal with their little quarrel.

Cold, narrowed red orbs scanned the field. Black slitted irises like a cats in the center. Black hair fell over their face, hiding the expression of the pale, cloaked figure. Eyes narrowed more, catching movement, he got down from his perch in a tree just outside of the Lon Lon Ranch. Adjusting the front of the cloak so it covered his lower face, he stepped out into the dim moonlight.

You must finish this. The temple must be located. The blood of Light and Darkness must be shed to open this realm without the aid of the sages.

He pulled the cloak tighter around himself, walking down the dirt path towards the closed drawbridge wherein was the blood of Light he needed.

Reaching the drawbridge, he gazed up at it, right hand on the sword hilt at his side. Grip tightening, he jumped onto the top edge of the wooden blockade, his eyes examining all terrains for motion. When none was made, he hoped down onto the cobblestone with nary a sound. Closer the figure crept, concealing himself in the shadows of buildings, crates. No sound came with every step, every breath as silent as death.

The two guards charged with keeping watch of the entrance to the castle had gone off gallivanting with two other girls accompanying them. Lucky for him, at any rate.

Once inside the outskirts of the castle, he leaped up the vine covered side wall, dashing past the guards. Soundlessly, and out of sight. Eyes narrowed, hold on the hilt tightening still, he bounded over the side gate, just in front of the castle.

Keeping his back to the wall, he watched the two guards at the entrance.

They conversed about imbecilic affairs; What other guards had done that day, Things with their familys, How much sales have inclined since Ganondorf had been sealed away.

Pitiful.

Sliding out from his cover, he skidded from the dirt onto the cobblestone just in back of the two guards. They fell to the ground without a sound, blood pooling around the right one, the other with a smoldering wound on the back of his neck and a slice across his back. The figure eyed them, right hand and sword raised to the side, blood steadily dripping from the blade in a nice pattern in the dirt. His left hand outstretched, fingers tense as his hand burning a black flame that dispersed at the click of his wrist.

Sheathing his sword, he concealed his right hand again beneath the cloak as he made his way to the side entrance door. Rusty as it was, burning the handle long enough melted the lock and the door swung open.

The halls candles remained unlit. No movement save for that of the cloaked figure. Climbing the steps, he peered out the window. Dawn was soon approaching, and time was fleeting. His pace quickened, the one he had to find was in this castle- higher or lower levels he was unsure of, but he could sense him...

His eyes widened at a small noise nearby, he flattened himself against a wall and waited for it to sound again, but no luck. Perhaps it was a mouse of some other form of rodent.

Shrugging it off, he took quick peeks and listens into all the rooms that were on that level. Unsuccessful, he decided to venture to the lower levels.

Noise was apparent.

A sort of discussion it seemed, between someone refined and another...less elegant individual. He crept closer to the barely open doorway, a small crack was the only thing letting any sound escape.

"Wow," Link muttered as he paced around the study "I missed out on training today, and I found out I have a sister...that's ...wow."

"You are right." Zelda said looking at the floor, holding her head in her hands.

"I need some air, I'll come back in a minute or two alright?"

"...Yes..."

"Are you ok?" he asked stopping by the doorway.

"Yes I'm quite alright, I just need some rest."

"You should go to sleep, it was a big day for you to, I can stay here the night if you want?"

"Yes, Thank you, Link."

Link... Link... That was him... Who's blood was required.

The door handle turned and Link stepped out. The man standing there just seconds before was gone, and Link sensed nothing off him. Zelda walked out after Link had ascended the stairs and she closed the door behind her with a sigh. "This is so perplexing..." She shook her head and went off to bed.

Link walked over to the side door, but stopped seeing it wide open. "...What?" He stepped closer, picking up the deformed melted lock from the floor. Something's not right....

He tossed the lock aside, and slowly stepped outside, holding onto the door frame. He checked in the moat with a quick glance. Nothing. Over the fence. Nada. He jumped when something fell not far in front of him.

The cloaked man stood slowly, back to Link. "You are the one..." He muttered, no emotion present in his voice. He turned, hand on his sword hilt and ready to withdraw.

Link took a step back, drawing his own blade and shield.
"...Who's blood I need." The man finished, pulling down the front of the cloak to reveal his face. Save for the skin tone, hair and eyes, Link was face to face with a man identical to him. "You, ...but, I-" Link cut off when his face was planted I the dirt.

Without him seeing any movement, this man had managed to give him a face plant. Link coughed, and turned his head to look at the cold-eyed man with his elbow out. What had jabbed him in the back.

"Pathetic." He commented, cloak swishing as he made another movement. Link back rolled to his feet just as the other planted his sword in the ground where Links neck had been. Unfazed, the man continued his assault with quick jerky movements, unpredictable to Link.

Link slashed unsuccessfully the first chance he got, and the man hopped onto the blade, jumped behind Link. Link tried to turn, but the man pivoted on his heel to soon and slashed his shoulder.

He jumped back, staring at the bloody blade and took out a cloth to wipe the blood off.

Link charged, but the man was still to quick and back flipped over the fence. Links sword was caught in one of the fence spacing. "Damn." He muttered, glancing at the man every so often as he tried to pull the blade out. One quick look away and back caught him off guard. As soon as he blinked the man seemed to be engulfed by a large black flame and then disappeared along with it. The only remnant of him ever being there was the chard ground the flame had left.

"What the hell...?" He squinted, but fell onto his back with a yelp as his sword freed itself from the fence. "Erghh..." He sighed, sitting up and rubbing his back. Link glanced once more at where the man had been before he doubled over holding his bloody shoulder. "Ach..." Guess not training took away my pain tolerance as well... He sheathed his sword and put his shield on his back before he walked over to the entrance of the castle.

The dead soldiers caught his attention immediately in the growing sunlight. Link dashed over, holding onto his shoulder, and knelt down beside them. Neither of them were breathing. Did he do this too?
One of Darkness...
One of Light...
Blood is the key to take off these shackles and free me...
My last minion still resists me...
Pity...
He could do so more if I wasn't force to control him...

Black flames shot from the ground of a dark cathedral-like room. Two low swinging torches were the only light source, a few keese congregated in a dark corner to the left of him.
A large window pane took up the majority of the room on the front wall, gray light showing through making the room seem even less welcoming.

The cloaked man, right shoulder bloody beneath shirt and outer garment. His face remained unchanged- expressionless and eyes cold.

Dark Link... The voice echoed through the halls, reverberating like grainy rocks against metal.
You have successfully retrieved your light half's blood, as well as your own. One more step must be taken before I can be released...

Dark Link's eyes narrowed, listening to his forced masters orders.

He walked over to a pedestal just before the large mosaic window. The gray light shone on his skin, making him look even paler than he was.

Taking the cloth he had used to clean the sword in his fight with Link, he set it face up in the center of the small square holster. Flipping the cloak off of his shoulder, he tore away some of the fabric that was covering up his simultaneous wound and placed it face down over top of the other cloth, sandwiching them together. He held his right hand up, abruptly catching on black fire that remained just above his wrist, not even catching his black glove or sleeve alight.

Dark Link lightly placed his palm onto the fabric, the fire catching onto it but not moving until he removed it. A small flicker came from the flame on the cloth, and it dodged around making a circle in the center of an upside down triangle. The fire continued moving about the cloth until it rested in the top piece of a quadraforce.

The minuscule flame gave out and died away, turning to ash and crumbled. A long slit on the underside of the pedestal shot open glowing a ghostly white. More lighted up on the walls, each a different color pertaining to one of the seven sages. The colored energy shot into the center of the room, all converging at one point. The white shot in last, and a large dark beam shot up from where the white light hit all the others.

The black beam began to grow, taking over the enter room and throwing it into a perpetual night. A blast of wind shot through, the two looming lantern flames going out and spinning in a torrent of gusts.

One of the chains broke and sent it sliding across the floor, shattered glass following it in a line as it hit the tile and skidded to a stop when it hit the door.

When the room lit again after an explosion of red light, the black armored Gerudo King stood where the colored lights had converged, each back in their glowing slots.

"Finally... I am free again...." Ganondorf laughed malevolently, clenching his hands into fists. "Dark Link," He said sternly, once finished. "Another order."

Dark Link tensed up.

"Bring me the seventh sage..." He pointed to one of the glowing slots, an aureate light shimmering in its holding. "Her majesty, the Princess Zelda..."

“It is a grave announcement to make...,” Rauru commenced the meeting grimly, looking pale as a ghost. “Ganondorf has been released from his prison in the Evil Realm. We do not know how. We do not know who aided him. Nor do we know where he is currently hiding out. It was yesterday we all felt something lost within us, correct?”

All but Link nodded in the Chamber of Sages.
“This tragedy must be dealt with quickly before he begins his tyranny and distorts Hyrule into a world of darkness... Link. As Hero of Time, you are tasked with this, but he still has the triforce of power and it has made him stronger. We cannot send you to your death.”

“I still have the triforce of courage, there’s no way I’m just going to sit and watch Ganon destroy Hyrule...” Link cut Rauru off, which he apologized for after his statement was made.

“We realize this, and something must be done. The sages willing and able will accompany you as far as possible, ... but there will be nothing we can do if anyone of you is lost by his hand.”

The murmuring began amongst themselves again. Zelda stepped beside Link, as well as Nabooru, Impa, and Darunia. Link looked over at Saria who stared at the blueish colored light emanating from beneath them all.
“It’s alright.” Link spoke quietly to her, smiling.

Saria shivered when he put his hand on her head, she looked in the opposite direction.

“No one’s going to force you to come... It’s alright, really...”

“I’m a coward...”

“What? No you’re not. Saria...,” He knelt down to face her, still smiling. “You are very brave. Remember how you used to go in the lost woods all the time? That’s brave...”

“It’s not the same thing, Link!” She cried, putting her arms around him in a tight hug. “You could die, and ... “

“I won’t die.” Returning her hug, she smiled weekly, tears streaming. “I’ll come back... maybe even with a present.” She laughed after seeing his childishly smiling face after they broke apart. She nodded, the few fingers that poked out from her long green sleeve over her mouth as she tried to hide it.

Link nodded to her and stepped back into the center of the chamber. “Where is his power the strongest?” He addressed Rauru.

“He is disguising it well. The strongest emanating power source I would have to say is farther north than the castle. How far I do not know, however.”

Link looked at the few who were going to go with him, all smiling weakly. He looked back at Rauru and nodded. “We’ll go.”

“Ch...” Ruto crossed her arms and looked in the other direction.”Rauru, you’re with-holding information.”
They all looked at Ruto, confusion bright on their faces. “He’s told no one then? Heh. Well, go ahead, Rauru. Tell them your theory.”

Rauru gazed down at the watery light, all eyes on him as he remained silent.

“What theory?” Link asked, taking a step closer. “About what?”

“About why Ganon escaped.” Ruto answered for Rauru.
He nodded. “Yes. The power of the sages was waning not only because Ganondorf’s power was growing from the triforce piece he still holds. I believe... that center piece has something to do with it.”

“What’s your whole theory, then?” Nabooru asked, arms crossed as she stood behind Link and the others.
“Not only the fourth triforce piece, but... I had sent Ruto to investigate and find any information she could about the fourth goddess. Apparently this fourth goddess was exiled from the fold of the other three because she was tainting their good power. We do not know if this is for certain, but we will find it all out... also, coinciding with the evil goddess was a sage of her own creation. The first hylian, first sage, the first mortal being in Hyrule.

“She was killed, along with the fourth goddess, but she was still a sage... I believe that is why our power was waning.” Rauru’s eyes glanced at all the sages in the room. “We are missing a sage.”

“But we have all seven.” Darunia protested.

“If that’s so, then where’s the this sages temple? How come we haven’t sensed this other sages power?” Questioned Nabooru.

“What are they the sage of?” Zelda spoke up.

Rauru held his hand up again to silence them all. “Oblivion. Both goddess and sage. If the goddess was evil, we have no way of knowing if we can even trust this sage or not. They would be very powerful, and Ganondorf may even be looking for them, and that may be why he is concealing his power.

“We will find this sage, but once we do it will be a double-edged sword. They can either help us, or destroy us...”

“We realize this.” Impa smirked.

“But if there’s any chance for us to beat Ganon, we’ll find this sage.” Link finished, grinning.
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-^^- I was so happy to see people actually reading it, even if you're not reviewing. Please do. And I don't mind flames, as long as they're not cruel DX -^^- constructive critisism is good. I really would like it if you reviewed and tell me what needs fixing and such. I'm trying to make it readable to you all XD I am. Thanks agains!
~::†::~
Ang

Ganondorf laughed, holding a silvery orb in his hands. Switching from left to right he kept his fiery amber eyes on it, a small translucent cloud in the center revealed the Chamber of Sages.

"Pitiable. They still don’t see whom I’ve sent there... " He cackled to himself under his breath as he watched.

The view seemed to be from someone’s head, a few strands of red hair over the cloud. The person faced Rauru as he spoke. Rauru finished and Ganon set the orb down, it going entirely silver.

"Another sage... I see... Dark Link." He snapped, turning to the left.

Dark Link was leaning against the black stone wall, arms crossed. His eyes opened at the sound of his name.

"A change of plan...," Ganon stood. "You’ll just need to do some reconnaissance. Find out more about this... ‘Sage of Oblivion’. Books. Scrolls. Anything you can find bring back here."

Without a response, the black fire engulfed Dark Link once more and he disappeared.

"Good little puppet... With each order, he fights back less and less... Grand."

~~

"Where should we start?" Nabooru asked enthusiastically, cracking all joints possible as she readied herself for the trip. Zelda cringed.

"Well, Rauru said it was north," Link looked over at the castle. "But the castle is north..."

"There must be something farther north than the castle, brother." Darunia said, hand over his face as he shook his head.

"We’ll find it, we’ll find it. Who knows how long we’ll have to walk for, though... so we should bring horses!" Suggested Nabooru.

"She has a point, but..." Impa looked over at Darunia.

Zelda chuckled sheepishly. "On foot, then..."

"Wait," Link looked over at the castle. There was something behind it. Far behind it. Was it a mountain? "Maybe a few of us should stay here, incase Ganon tries to attack the castle... Plus, Zelda...,"

He stopped to look away for a second, recollecting the revelation about them from the night before.

"Uh...," He shook his head, putting him back in the present. "Ganon captured you before, so... he might try again. If you come, that’s just putting you right where he wants."

"He has a point." Impa looked over at Zelda, head tilted slightly.

"Well... alright. But some one else must stay with me. If I cannot do anything to help out against Ganon, then we must try and find something out about that other sage and goddess."

After some debating, it was decided that Darunia be the one to stay and study up with Zelda. Before all else, now that they could, they would need to get horses. Nabooru took them to the Fortress where they borrowed some horses for free.

"These horses can’t die, or I’m gonna owe Shizuna a lot of money." Nabooru told them as she waved behind her to the horse dealer, Shizuna.

"I saw something earlier." Link looked in the direction of the castle again, once they were out of Gerudo Valley. "It was just behind the castle, it looked like a mountain but it was pretty far off, so I couldn’t really tell. That might be it, though..."

"Very possible... Good job, Link." Impa commended him with a grip on his shoulder before allowing him to pull ahead.

"It’s been a few hours... maybe we should check on Zelda?" Link asked, playing with the horses reins feverishly.

"Link. I know you are worried about your sister, but Darunia is with her. He will protect her."

Link nodded, watching the ground pass under him as he sat on the horse. "Right... Sorry, it’s just..."

"I understand." She smiled.

Nabooru was ignoring the conversation at hand and going through a small pouch at her side. Talking to herself as she looked for something with in its confines. "That blasted little... oh there- no... mrrrr.... I know you’re there..."

Link laughed under his breath and Impa shook her head, sighing heavily.

~~

Zelda flipped through a large volume of old hylian prophecies. Perhaps something would be listed there. Darunia was slowly skimming through a much smaller book as he set some of the other books Zelda had already gone through- front to back - on their respective shelves.

"Nothing. None of these books say anything about this goddess or the sage..." She put her arms on the desk and hid her face in them, exhausted.

"Perhaps it’s just not as conspicuous as you’d like it to be." Darunia suggested, flipping some pages himself.

Zelda smiled weakly, sitting back up and continuing her search through the prophecy record.

...Sage of Oblivion...

...Books... Scrolls... Anything you can find bring back here...

...Reconnaissance...

The orders repeated over and over again in his psyche.

Dark Link looked at the door to the castle library. Two people were in it. Both sages. Pulling the cloak closer to him he ascended the steps once more, scouting for another entrance to the large basement library. Surely there wasn’t just the one door...

He found another entrance, it seemed like an escape route, fairly well hidden. The door was sealed shut as though it hadn’t been used in quite a long time. Dark Link smirked and melted the door handle it, swung open silently. He heard the two sages murmuring to each other about useless books. Because the study was so big he was able to get in undetected.

Skimming the books lining the walls, a section completely hidden caught his eye. He moved towards it stealthily, and began to skim the titles of the large volumes. They were so covered in dust, if he was to cough, it would give away their cover. Dark Link placed a gloved hand over his mouth so no dust would cause him to be detected. Wiping some dust off the spine of one particularly large book, he tilted his head, trying to read the faded title.

Olinsita Oblivon

"Oblivion Records..." Dark Link mouthed silently and pulled it from the shelf, and put it under his arm. He thumbed through a few more books, but found nothing else. He left the room before he teleported in an uproar of silent black flames.

"All I have to show is an old rendition of what the goddess and sage may have looked like. Very, very old... " Zelda turned the large book over to face Darunia, who set his current book on the shelf.

Two women stood next to each other in a dark crimson space. One was blonde with short hair, a more detailed interpretation of the makings on the hylian shield adorned her front. Half lidded blue eyes looked up at a darkening spot on the corner of the painting. The other had long black hair and green eyes. Her skin was tanned while the others was pale. The latter woman looked down at a much lighter corner of the picture.

"Well... We’re bringing this to the next meeting." Darunia commented, looking the picture up and down.

"This is the old them, though...and it may be wrong. Rauru must see if it is accurate enough or not, and who knows what the new sage looks like... even if the new sage is attainable by either us or Ganondorf."

."We will know once Rauru confirms at the next meeting." He tried to reassure her.

"Alright... but there isn’t much more to look through. Only one more section." Zelda got up and walked towards the hidden section Dark Link had recently raided. She gasped at the lines through the dust. "Darunia... some one was here and we did not notice..."

"What?" He squeezed through the bookshelf rows to meet her in the more closed in section. "How could we not have noticed?"

"I do not know, but look here... no finger prints, but there were definitely hands on these books." She ran her pink gloved hands along the fingers lines, depicting to Darunia how the intruder would have done so.

"Was a book taken?"

"I believe so..."

~~

Link, Impa and Nabooru rode over the new terrain awkwardly. There were a lot of hills, bumps, and some ponds none of them had ever had any knowledge of before this day. As far as they knew, no one had ever gone behind the castles boundaries.

"This is taking a while, isn’t it...?" Nabooru complained, slouching as she directed her horse.

"Better to be aware of the areas around you then to rush into a new area blindly." Impa rode between her and Link.

"She’s got point, Nabooru. We can’t rush this... " Link turned to look back at her.

"Well you can’t blame me for wanting this done with as soon as possible." Nabooru turned and pouted childishly at Link. She reached her arms up and stretched again, putting them behind her head once finished. "No fun..."

Link laughed under his breath. Reaching the top of a steep incline, Link stopped abruptly causing Impa and Nabooru’s horses to skid and nearly ram into his own.

"What’s wrong with- ...oh." Nabooru started before she finally looked across the valley. The grass stopped just after a long line of small white flowers that seemed to go on forever in either direction. The charred, blackened dead earth flowing all the way down a hill, reaching the steps of a large black building resembling the Temple of Time.

"What in the hell..." Nabooru dismounted and took a step forward, stopping at the flowers. "Why does it just.. Stop like that?"

"I don’t know," Link dismounted as well. "But it’s definitely not good..."

"It is just as well. We found Ganons stronghold. Our forces are limited and he is probably awaiting an attack." Impa spoke last, but didn’t dismount.

"What should we do?" Nabooru glanced over at Link. She knelt down, amusing herself with the soft pedals of the bloom.

"...I don’t know..."

The four mighty goddesses descended upon the emptiness that was to be Hyrule. Din, with her strong flaming arms cultivated the land. Nayru, pouring her wisdom into the earth she created the law. Farore, breathed life onto the land so that the law would be obeyed. Ryo, her darkness flowed onto the land of serenity as she constructed chaos and forged death.

One sage, with-holding the powers of destruction, sent by Ryo to dispose of her meddlesome sisters. Sage of chaos, sage of oblivion, sent into that which her power ruled over by her creators sisters. The fourth goddess herself, not long after, had her physical form stripped of her, and the black piece that tainted the golden relic removed.

Both beings could not entirely disappear, and so they were entitled to reincarnation by the Three Sacred Maidens if they would repent for their acts of deceit.

"Both entitled to reincarnation if they repent..." Ganon read the line over and over again aloud, running his finger along the hylian script. "This other sage must be here then, ... and perhaps the goddess as well. This is going in my favor more than I anticipated."

Ganondorf stood up from a dark ebony throne just ahead of the mosaic window, closing the book and setting it down on the small pedestal at the side of it. "Good find, Dark Link. It has aided us phenomenally, as well as keeping this valuable information from the other sages and that fool of a hero."

Dark Link remained eerily still as he stood in his usual place, back against the wall as he awaited orders.

~~

"These flowers..." Impa murmured, narrowing her scarlet oculars at them before quickly hopping off and kneeling down to pluck one from it’s long row. "I know these flowers..." She turned to Link, twirling the stem between her fingers. "Your mother used to pick these flowers. She always said it was in one place, and one place only. She would never tell me where that place was..." She stood up and let go of the flower, the wind taking it down the hill towards the Temple.

"Zelda mentioned that!" Link blurted loudly. "It was dead and dried, but..." He looked down at the flowers as well. "...at least we know where she went, now." He smiled weakly.

"Are we just gonna stand here all day talking about flowers? Or are we at least going to go back and inform the princess and Darunia about our findings? If not, let’s head down there right now. I’d love to see the look on Ganondorf’s stupid face." Nabooru growled, glaring down at the dark temple.

"With just the three of us, I think that would be a little stupid." Link replied, peering down the hill at the structure as well. "Let’s tell Zelda first. See if they’ve found anything at all..."

They remounted, Link taking one of the flowers so he could tell Zelda exactly what they had found.

~~

"It is not much at all, is it?" Zelda looked down at a few notes she had taken on a small torn piece of parchment from a book as well as the page they had taken out of the book with the painting of the goddess and sage.

"It is still an achievement. Be glad we have found anything." Darunia commented, cleaning up all the mess they had caused in the labyrinth of a study. "We should get some rest anyway. Staying all day in a dim, dusty basement is no way for a princess to take care of herself."

"I do not need to be pampered." Zelda frowned at him. She got up and began helping return books to their proper shelving. "I still need to know who that person was that snuck in, and what they took..."Her eyes glanced in the direction the section was in.

Darunia nodded. "All will be found out, we just need to wait. Rushing things will not help anyone."

"I know..." She moved one of the books over and a large one fell of the shelf causing her to jolt. She sighed, rolling her eyes and picked up the fallen book, putting the others back.

Blowing the dust from the cover of the thick volume, she cocked her head quizzically as she read. "...Oblivion... Records…volume…two?" She gasped and flipped the book open in barely a second.

Darunia came around the corner, and stared at Zelda’s back as she hunched over the book in her hands, taking in ever word possible. "What’s the matter?" He asked, seeing her clasp a hand over her mouth which dropped open.

"Darunia... This book has accurate, detailed descriptions of the fourth goddess and eighth sage... paintings, small ones, but... also... how they were destroyed... "

Darunia stepped over to her quickly and peeked over her shoulder to read along with her finger.

The sage holding the powers of the fourth goddess, Ryo, had long brown hair and two different colored eyes. It is a theory that her right eye; green, was meant to represent Farore, while the left; blue, to represent Nayru. No theory of this involves Din. This sage was the first hylian, created before Farore forged the life unto this land of Hyrule.

The fourth goddess with piercing crimson orbs, blonde hair that was tied back in a thin ponytail. Blood red bangs came down to just below her chin. The reason for her exile and destruction is unknown, but one theory is that she had sent the sage of oblivion to try and destroy her sisters because they were in her way of destroying the very place they sought to make a paradise.

Another being was with them, also destroyed. Nothing is known of this creature.

"We are so lucky." Darunia smiled, rejoicing for a time.

"Not entirely... More luck than we have been dealt with, but there is still a great deal we do not know about this sage and goddess." Zelda flipped a few more pages, going back to the beginning and reading the original legend.

She walked back over to the desk and flipped the book open again from the beginning. Rummaging through some other papers she found a small container of ink and a quill. Turning the paper she had used to take the other notes on its back, she copied the text as small as she could, verbatim.

"Darunia, do you know when Rauru wants the next meeting?" Zelda asked while copying.

"In three days, I believe." He watched her copy with a quick, precise hand.

The meeting was held in three days time. No new information was uprooted, nor did Ganondorf attack.

"This new evidence is uplifting. I believe we can all rejoice once this new sage is found." Rauru addressed them all once Zelda and Darunia’s findings were presented to all the sages and Link.

"Still," He continued. "Reincarnation is difficult... They may look nothing like this sage and goddess, if the goddess was reincarnated as well."

The usual murmurings began after a comment like that. Rauru ignored it and carried on. "But we should not loose hope. There may be something we can trace through their reincarnation... This was long ago, so the sage may have been reincarnated many times. How many we do not know. A physical trait is present occasionally. It is very rare, but a possibility we should all look out for. My guess would be the most unique thing about them. The eyes. For the sage, one green and one blue. For the goddess, red. The sheikah are known for red eyes, but Impa is the last known member of that race to our knowledge." Rauru bowed his head signifying the meetings end.

They were all dispersed back to their homes for the mean time, Link, Zelda and Impa going to the castle.

"I think I’ll stay here for a while..." Link gave a small smile to Zelda before taking a step towards the side door.

"Until... all of this is over?" She queried, following him.

"Maybe longer... I haven’t decided. I mean... you’re my sister, but... I’ve always known the Kokiri forest as my home... " He looked over his shoulder at her. "You understand?"

Zelda stopped and looked up at him. She remained silent for a moment, but smiled faintly and nodded. "Of course..."
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Heh, shitty ending. -^^-''' Be sure to look out for the sequel, Released! It'll be up, very very soon. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, but more of you readers SHOULD be reviewing. Really, thank you. I appreciate it.