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Prologue

Author Notice:

Throughout this story, Link is fourteen years old. There are several flashbacks within the story concerning his memories when he was just ten years old. Also, he is at least a little shorter than Kagome, which isn't too bad. Kagome is also 15. I hope this helps clears up any confusion later on.

OOO

"In the land of Hyrule, there
echoes a legend. A legend held
dearly by the Royal Family that
tells of a boy…

A boy who,
after battling evil and saving
Hyrule, crept away from the land
That had made him a legend…

Done with the battles he once
waged across time, he embarked
on a journey. A secret
and personal journey…

A journey in search of a
beloved and invaluable friend…

A friend with whom he parted
ways when he finally fulfilled his
heroic destiny and took his place
among legends…"

Chapter One

The Vision

The woods were strangely quiet that evening, with night slowly creeping up, changing the once blue sky dark, with colors set off into the horizon where the sun began its slow descent. Alone in such a mysterious and dangerous place, a young boy, approximately fourteen years of age, wandered to and fro repeatedly in a manner of frustration. All the while, a memory which had burned itself deep within his subconscious years before pulled at his emotions. This memory haunted him during the day and throughout his restless sleep. Fear, helplessness, naivety, those were the three emotions triggered on that fatal day.

Flash back

While Link had searched throughout all of Hyrule for Navi, he could not find her. Without her there with him, Link felt alone, like he had long before he met her. Sure he had friends back in Kokiri Forest, but there was not one child who understood his feeling more than she did. There was no meaning if she was not there with him, and he knew it was selfish of him to want her back, but the truth in the matter must have been that her task was over. Navi was to lead Link forward on what seemed like an impossible quest filled with unspeakable dangers, yet she guided him through, warning him and educating him on the most common of things. Link was never truly a Kokiri; he figured that out long ago.

Link knew he would probably never see her again, and the thought troubled him. He searched through the Lost Woods, searching among the trees hopefully. There were several times he had even called out to her, but she never answered. Losing faith that he might never locate his fairy friend, Link ushered his foul, Epona, to stop as he looked about the forest. She wasn't there.

Not long after his stop, he was suddenly bombarded by two fairies. Frightened, Epona reared back, throwing Link to the ground where he laid unconscious for a few moments. All of it was unexpected, and when he opened his eyes, he found who was responsible.

Playing with his ocarina, an imp, with his back to the child, slowly turned and jumped with alarm. Feigning innocence, he hid the ocarina behind him. Before Link could jump at him to retrieve his instrument, the imp wearing the strange mask jumped onto his stead before taking off in a mad hurry. Not giving up so easily, Link managed to latch onto the misfit's leg, and although it was painful as his body hit the ground, he kept his hold tight. The moment Epona changed her direction, the imp kicked Link right in the face, effectively knocking him to the ground as he made his escape.

Link chased after despite that. He entered a tunnel and fell off a ledge into an abyss of darkness, with colors and shapes that rose up around him. Not a moment longer, Link reached the end, falling upon a flower which eased his landing. It was there, in that small dark room that he confronted the trouble maker, who at the time was hovering in midair. The thief laughed at him and explained that he got rid of his horse, much to Link's disbelief. Because Link was not laughing right along with him, he suddenly placed a spell of some sort on the boy. After that he ran away, and one of his supposed fairy companions was left behind.

In his new transformed state, Link tried to chase after, but the fairy made that difficult for him, but before long she accompanied Link on his new adventure, wanting only to get to her brother.

When Link left the room, he realized he was inside a Clock Tower, and it was there that Link met a familiar man who claimed to have been following him for some time. The man, who was actually a mask-sales man from Hyrule, practically forced Link to recollect an important mask that was stolen from him by the same imp.

Link agreed on the task, and it wasn't only because the older man needed help, but also to get his original form back, as well as the precious ocarina which was given to him by the princess. Not only that, but without his horse, how would he travel the vast distances around the land? That and he made a promised to a dear friend back in Hyrule. Epona was under his care, and Link wasn't the type to break a promise.

No longer in Hyrule, Link found his surroundings strange. There was no castle, but there were familiar faces. No one seemed to recognize Link, and of course it was understandable since he was in the form of a Deku child. The land was called Termina, and at the time, it faced a calamity of terror. The moon, which appeared awfully close to the land, slowly descended upon Termina, and there was only three days before it would fall. The citizens were either in fear or were nonchalant about it. Either way, Link had to do something.

He traveled across the land's four regions and defeated many familiar monsters and some that were morbid. On his way, he made friends and enemies; some proved helpful and others quite bothersome. There were also many side quests Link took part in. Whether it was saving a monkey who was imprisoned by a worried king or playing a melody on his ocarina to return a daughter's father back to normal, Link helped in any way that he could, but he only had three days to save everyone, and with his ocarina, it was easily achieved. The Song of Time, taught to him long before, helped him greatly in this adventure. With the melody, he was able to go back to the first day he set foot in Termina, and he learned more melodies which allowed him to slow the flow of time or to make it go by faster.

Eventually he faced the true evil threatening the land, and with the help of the four giants which protected Termina, he challenged the mask which was responsible for everything. It was then that Link realized that it wasn't the imp responsible for so much trouble, but it was in fact the mask. The artifact took complete control over the imp's mind, making a puppet out of him.

Valiantly, Link defeated the cursed mask, known as Majora, and the imp was free to go about his life. The green garbed youth saved Termina from what appeared to be an inevitable end. The people, no longer living in the shadows of evil, celebrated jubilantly for the New Day. Link, however, would not attend such a festival; he had to be elsewhere. He knew he couldn't put his previous quest on hold any longer. Because the land was safe, and no longer in need of aid, Link ventured away from Clock Town.

Standing near the outskirts of Clock Town, near the woods entrance, Link approached the grinning man before he could leave on his journey. Believing that he would finally return home, Link questioned if he remembered the path back to his homeland. For a while, Link pondered on how the man could have happened in Termina as it was indeed a mystery. Could he have followed Link or perhaps he knew of this other world?

"After retrieving my mask, I am quite thankful…indeed, it took me such great lengths to get this mask, but you were courageous enough to return it to me. I owe you greatly," Happy Mask Salesman replied, marveling over the mask, yet inspecting the inside, before his smile fell. "I see…so the evil has fled…"

Baffled, Link couldn't help but wonder if he was upset about the loss of the spirit that had dwelled within the mask. As far as he remembered, the spirit was filled with malevolent and ill powers, and still Link wondered why the Happy Mask Salesman went to great lengths to get the mask of Majora. In fact, where had he gotten it and why?

"Well I'm afraid my time is just about up. There are places I need to be, and I must be going."

Link nodded. "I see. Good luck on your travels.

Pausing, he scrutinized the boy, before placing a finger thoughtfully on his chin. "But then…surely you don't plan to remain in Termina, do you? For someone so lively and full of tremendous courage…"

Link smiled. "Actually I plan on heading back to Hyrule after today, but…I am unsure of how to return…I've traveled these woods, but they do not lead to my homeland."

Having heard the name, Hyrule, his interest grew. "Hmm…Hyrule you say? Let me think…yes, I do remember spending some short days there, but I'm afraid I can't remember the path back either," He apologized, his regular smiling reappearing on his face. "You could always ask around, but I'm sure no one here has heard of the land, but then again, there are other worldly beings that might know."

Link was surprised. Wait, didn't the older man just recently arrive in Termina from the Lost Woods three days ago? And somehow he couldn't remember the path back? It didn't make sense, but at the time, Link didn't think too much on it. "I guess I could ask the Great Fairy," He said aloud.

Before departing, he turned back. "Where there is a greeting a parting is sure to follow, but that parting need not last forever…farewell, and I hope that you will not stay too long here." With that said, he walked off a few short distances before his entire form disappeared from view, and it was then that Link couldn't help but wonder about that man's origins. Who was the Happy Mask Salesman?

Deciding not to think too much on the subject, he smiled, and turned back to the town. His walk into town was not as stifling as it had been three days prior, in fact, there was a certain skip in his step, and that was of fulfillment. Link had successfully saved the town and all of Termina from what seemed like an inevitable end.

Familiar faces passed him as he brushed by many civilians celebrating the New Year, and because it was so early in the day, the carpenters were busy setting up the fireworks for that night, while the children frolicked around joyously, and young couples conversed, holding hands and expressing their sweet affections. From all of this, Link smiled.

Everyone was happily, and there was important news abuzz, and that regarded a certain ceremony for a familiar and happy couple by the names of Anju and Kafei. Long ago, the two had made a promise to wed, and this day marked the day of promise. The wedding was said to begin exactly at noon, and because there was still time to spare, Link ventured up the ramp and past the Clock Tower toward the North sector of the town, where he was sure to find the cave of the Great Fairy. He knew that after getting exact coordinates to his homeland, he'd be sure to attend the ceremony and then leave the town.

Upon noticing his presence in her spring, the Great Fairy offered a kindly smile. Graceful and full of beauty, she hovered above her fountain, her long flowing hair cascading around her in soft curls. "Hello Link, what can I do for you today?"

"I was hoping you would know of a way back to Hyrule."

At the mentioning of 'Hyrule,' her smile fell and she pondered for a few short moments. "Hyrule? Is that your homeland? I can't seem to recall a place with that name."

"Huh?" What did she mean she didn't know of Hyrule? The path from the Lost Woods brought him to Termina, in fact it was that long drop down a tree trunk that manifested himself into the place, so similar to his own land. "I came here by a doorway leading from inside the Clock Tower. I arrived here three days ago, and once I entered into the tower, the door closed. It hasn't opened since," Link admitted despondently.

How strange. The Great Fairy couldn't comprehend such a situation, and she wondered if it was possible he had been sent here to Termina to aid in the destruction of the land. "I see…"

Link sighed, and removed his cap, scratching his head uncertain of what to do now. Should he go out and search for clues on how to return? Other than trying to pry the door open, he knew it wouldn't open with his strength alone. That's why he sought the help of the Great Fairy.

She frowned. "I'm afraid I can't help you…I'm not sure what magic brought you here to Termina, but I'm afraid you might be stuck here…but that does not mean you should give up on finding a way," She kindly explained, hoping to refuel his ambitions to continue his search.

"I see…" If she did not know, then that meant there was no way to return. Still that didn't mean he would give up on his search for Hyrule. If there was a way in Termina, then there was surely a way out… "I kind of wish see everyone again…" He faked a laugh. The whole point of this quest was to find Navi, his missing fairy companion, and after his quest in Termina, there had been no sighting of her anywhere.

"You miss your friends…" The Great Fairy noted, reading his thoughts easily. The enchantress could practically feel the sadness radiating off him, and it saddened her that she could not help him return home. "That door that you spoke of, in the Clock Tower…that door was used long ago by the ancient ones of Clock Town, but it was not a path leading to other worlds…in fact, it's something much deeper, much darker, if you care to hear?"

Link nodded, bemused about the mystery surrounding that very door.

Seeing his confirmation to continue, she explained that the door was used long ago by an ancient tribe, known as the Garo. The door had initially been used as a place to house the spirits of the dead and departed; in other words, it was known as a cemetery of sort, except, the bodies of the deceased were thrown off the ledges and into the dark abyss; this was their ritual of course, but only for the elderly who died of natural causes.

But because Link had mentioned that the door had led to another world, truly did pique her interest, but as she explained, beyond that door, there was nothing but the darkness of the afterlife, and for many a millennium it had been sealed shut, and as the guardian of this world, the door had never opened as far as she knew. Even with her powers, she knew there was no possible way of breaking that seal, so however he appeared in Termina was beyond her, but that didn't mean he wasn't welcome to stay.

Link thought about this. How was it even possible. He distinctively remembered passing through that door, of course he had crossed through a strange path that turned in a clockwise fashion and then he was inside the tower and the door closed behind him. There was another world beyond that door…and it led to the Lost Woods; he knew for a fact because he had fallen through the tree trunk in the forest after the Skull Kid had stolen his horse and left through the same path and…

Realization returned to him. He had fallen a long ways down, so far, and had landed safely onto a flowery surface unscathed; the thought seemed too good to be true; any normal person would have possibly died from such a fall, but he hadn't, and hovering there before him, as if awaiting his arrival was the Skull Kid, only without his horse. Somehow he had sent his horse all the way to Romani's Ranch, but it such a short time; it seemed impossible, and why would he come back just to wait on him? There had been some strange magic used that day; Link didn't understand how it was used, but maybe that magic could return him home.

Noticing his thoughts trying to decipher how he had been brought to Termina, the Great Fairy couldn't help but wait patiently.

'I don't understand…I mean I never thought about it before, but my arrival here does not seem possible…' In truth, Link knew the Lost Woods like the back of his hand, and all that time, he never knew of a place that could send you to another world, that held many of the same faces of the people he once knew back in Hyrule. A parallel universe? Or, was it something much more? If it was a parallel universe, then wouldn't that mean there would be someone just like himself here?

No. There was only him, no other copy.

Fed up, and bothered because he could not fathom any of it, he turned his attention back to the floating enchantress. "Is there anything in your power that could possibly send me back?" Link didn't belong here.

For a moment, she was silent. "I'm afraid I don't have the ability to send you back into your world…my powers are limited, I'm afraid…however, I can try to focus on your world and show you a vision of your home land, if you wish? It might take some time…"

Link frowned deeply. No way home, huh? Gulping, he slowly nodded, and he watched as a bright light enveloped her form as she concentrated on her task.