Author's Notes:

Yes, I do have a bad habit of starting stories when I've got others to finish. It gives me something to do between getting writers block on the others.
This (currently) little story has been marinating in ideas for some time, has been re-written four times, and beaten with a cleaver even more times.
Now, I'm finally satisfied with the first chapter enough to let you all have a read.
Most of it should explain itself, even if it does seem a little ambiguous at first, so I won't spoil anything here.

Darkness.

Emptiness.

Nothingness.

Silence.

Alone.

There was nothing there at all. Just me. And I wasn't even really there. It was more just my thoughts.

It'd been this way for a while. Ever since I was beaten by that brat in green.

I could have been so much more, if I'd been the one doing the beating.

Instead, I was stuck there. And there is nowhere. It's nothing. Just endless nothing.

I don't even know why I was put there.

It's not how I pictured death. I hadn't expected to die anyway.

Then something happened that changed everything.

There was a voice, and not my own.

"You are dead."

Duh. No kidding.

"You are dead, and without form or purpose, denied existence."

Did this guy have to state the obvious?

"You are dead because you tried to stop the Hero of Time."

He deserved it. Well, would have, if I'd gotten him.

"You are dead... but it appears there is a need for you."

"Oh, really?" My voice. I hadn't heard it for... however long I'd been there.

"You are dead, and thus you are freed from the constraints of time and space."

"You don't need to keep repeating that I'm dead. I kinda know that already."

"There is a need for someone who can handle a sword. Someone worthy of the title of Hero."

"Go look at my do-gooder self who killed me then."

"You are that Hero. He cannot leave. He is not dead. You are."

"So, you're turning to me?"

"You are required."

"What's in it for me?"

"Life."

I couldn't argue with that. Better than no life.

"And what do you want done? Come to think of it, just who are you?"

"No one. You are required to eliminate a threat."

"Do you ever give straight answers, or are you just this retarded by nature?"

"The nature of the threat will become apparent shortly after your arrival."

"I'm guessing it's the retarded option then."

"You will be forced to make hard choices between what is good, and what is not."

"No contest. Evil always works better for me."

"You may have no choice."

"So I have a choice that I don't have? Man, you're more stupid than I thought. That doesn't even make sense."

"It will become clear in time."

"Well if this place is beyond time, I don't care. You want my help, you'll have to convince me it's worth it, beyond just being alive again. I could take up your offer and then ignore what you want done."

"An evil rises in the lands you will go to that plans to steal a sword of great power, and use it to dominate."

"Sounds like my kind of person. Maybe I should offer to work with him."

"He is not interested in sharing. He is interested only in power."

"Too bad. Your offer still isn't looking interesting."

"It may be possible for you to acquire the sword for yourself in defeating him."

"What's so special about it?"

"It is the Sword of Aeons. It's wielder gains the benefits of powerful magic that, if properly used, render the wielder unstoppable."

"I'd have to work for it though, wouldn't I?"

"Correct."

A straight answer. Finally. This idea was looking more appetising now.

"Tell me the rest of the details then."

"You will take the name of Adam, though that may be changed when you graduate from the Hero's Guild. Your life will begin fresh from a new beginning. You will have access to your current memories and abilities, though you should not show them."

"You mean I gotta go through growing up, again?"

"It is a requirement of giving you life again."

I didn't like that, but a few more years couldn't hurt.

"So, all I got to do is join the Hero's Guild?"

"You do not need to. There will be an event in which you are given placement."

"Alright, so I get into the guild, graduate..."

"Pay heed to he guildmaster's words, for they will take you through the quests to reach the evil. Though your path is still your own, you will face it eventually. Do we have your cooperation?"

"Sure, what the hell. It's not like I don't have anything better to do around here."

I'm not sure if that was a mistake or not.

Seven years later, in Oakvale, I was a terror of a kid. It was deliberate.

Oakvale was a quiet village, and it was what became my home. Through the north gate lay Barrow Fields, where my new big sister, Theresa, use to play often. Heading south into the village from there, there lay a Cullis Gate – A means of getting around quickly for graduates of the Hero's Guild – and two paths, one up the hill, and one through into the village.

The one up the hill led to a wooden bridge that crossed over the main thoroughfare, to some cottages, among them my own home. That path curved down the hill to the Inn, the same as the main thoroughfare, which also had a couple of cottages and stores along the way.
Also at the top of the hill lay another route that lead down the other side of the hill. That path had more houses on, and a trail leading to the memorial garden. A fancy name for the graveyard.

Finally, just behind the Inn, to the east lay the storehouses, and to the west was the beach. There's a cave on that beach that leads to a pass owned by bandits, but they generally didn't bother us. Traders sometimes made their way in, and came back again. Sometimes they didn't come back, but then, they were dealing with bandits.

Theresa and I weren't the only kids in the village by a long way. There was the girl next door, who continually lost her doll she'd named Rosie. The fact she usually forgot giving it to her brother didn't help, and it was further worsened by his being a total wimp, meaning that the village bully – well, alright, other bully, since I was a bully too, and often bulled him – often stole it.

Though I still resented being made to grow up again, I made the best of it by keeping my hostile act up to anyone I didn't like, which was everyone not in my family, and the kids next door. They got off free from me because of the other bully.

Then one day – Theresa's birthday, actually – everything changed.
It started fairly normally, with me dozing on the doorstep. I wasn't going to put in work if I didn't have to. I was still waiting for the event I was told would get me into the Hero's Guild.

Dad woke me up though.

"Hey, Adam!" his voice came to me. "You're sleeping again."

I roused myself, and treated him to an annoyed look.

"Don't think that cuts any weight with me, young man. You've forgotten what day it is again, haven't you?"

I thought, and drew a blank. I didn't really try, anyway. Dad would tell me.

"It's your sister's birthday, and you don't have a present again. I'm not bailing you out this time."

"Some birthday for her if I don't have enough to get anything," I muttered.

"That's your own fault. I'll give you a gold piece for each good deed you do. Foreign concept to you, I know, but still. There's a trader still outside the Inn, you can get something from him. Now get moving. You don't want your sister to find out you forgot, do you?"

I grunted a reply, and lazily hauled myself to my feet, heading down the hill toward the tavern.

Along the way, the girl next door – I'm terrible with names that far back, so bear with me – she told me she'd lost her doll yet again.

Knowing her, she'd given it to her brother again, and knowing him... you see where it's going.

I turned right around, and went across the wooden bridge, finding, yes, the other bully and her brother. Her brother noticed me, but said nothing – he'd always tried to avoid me in case I picked on him next.

The bully had his back to me though, so didn't hear me come up behind him and grab his head, which was subsequently smashed into a nearby rock. He gave up the doll almost immediately. I was the only one who ever bullied him, with good reason – I was stronger than him.

The kid took the doll, thanked me nervously, and ran off himself. What do you know, I'd done a good deed. Sort of.

Next I went down to the warehouses. I had been planning to sneak in and nick something from them, I'd done that before, and closed up the crates so no one would know until afterwards. People suspected me, but you can't prove it if there's no evidence.

I would have done that again, except it was clear the poor watchman wanted a quick break, so I let him go off, then poked around in one of the crates. Of all the things

I could have found there, I discovered a small pouch of gold. Who said there's no money to be made in thievery?

The bag would have been obvious, so I stowed it in a fold of the oversized tunic I wore. It had plenty of hidden pockets I'd added inside those folds.

I almost felt sorry for the watchman when he came back to find me leaning against a post, and not suspecting a thing, but then he had just paid for Theresa's present, with plenty left over for a decent profit, so why worry? So I'm immoral. Did you think getting killed was going to change that?

The trader was going to be next, but I overheard a woman outside the general store fuming to herself, and decided to investigate. I had a feeling I knew what it was.

She glanced up at my shadow. "Oh, it's you Adam. Have you seen my husband by any chance? Hasn't been home all day, and he's meant to be helping!"

"I'll keep a lookout for him, and let you know if I hear anything."

She didn't reply. Well, I did have a bit of a reputation for being unreliable, but that was because they never made things worth my time.

I knew exactly where he was – up behind the house two down from my own, and as usual, making out with another woman. They were so busy, they didn't notice me come up and lean on a fence.

I cleared my throat and pulled on an amused smirk as he turned around, mortified.

"Adam! Uh, I'm not, uh, I mean, uh..." he stammered.

"Your wife's looking for ya, you know," I told him, still smirking. "She'd love to know about this." Amused sarcasm practically dripped from every word.

"You can't tell her!" he blurted. "She'd kill me!"

"Oh, I don't know... didn't you say the same thing the last time someone caught you? This is, what, the fourth time this week already?"

"Adam, please! Don't tell her!"

"What's in it for me?"

Irritation flashed across his face briefly, then he pulled out ten gold pieces, and handed them to me.

"Don't tell her!" he repeated.

"Oh, alright. I guess I can forget... for now."

They were back pawing each other before I'd gotten out of sight.

Naturally I had no intention of staying silent, and told his wife. She was furious.

"Thank you, young sir," she said to me, with a faint hint of the scathing tone she planned to use on him. "Just wait 'till I get my hands on him!" she half shouted, running up toward where they were. I quickly stopped by the trader outside the inn before her husband found out what I'd done, and for just seven gold (skinflint – it was normally five) I bought a box of chocolates. I've never liked them myself, but Theresa... well, keeping her happy kept her from telling Dad about some of the other things I got up to. He wouldn't have liked them anyway.

Theresa, of course, was in the fields not far from the northern entrance. Not in the Barrow Fields themselves, but just inside. The fields there lay empty – had done for as long as I could remember.

Strangely, Theresa seemed to take everything I did in stride. It never bothered her in the slightest that no one else trusted me, and few had any liking for me.

"I knew you were coming little brother," she said while I jumped the fence. It always creeped me out that she seemed to know things before anyone else did. I handed her the box of chocolates without a word.

"Just as I thought," she continued, glancing at them. "I had a dream last night, exactly like this."

"Coincidence," I replied. I didn't say much around her if I could help it, she always found a way to turn mystical on me.

"Maybe, but-"

A scream cut her off. We both turned toward Barrow Fields to see a man running into town, clearly terrified. Moments later, his back sprouted an arrow, and he collapsed to the ground, dead or dying.

Bandits, of course. There were plenty of bandit clans out there, the Hero's Guild often got called to suppress them. We even saw a few Heroes in Oakvale once in a while.

I had stolen some light weapons and hidden them in the field. Some old swords, I think there might have even been a spear there too. Never could tell when I might need one, and I liked to keep in practice. It gave me something to do when there was no one to push around, and no trouble to cause.

Theresa stopped me as a reached for one.

"No! You mustn't get involved in this Adam. Hide, quickly!"

"And leave you here for them to see?"

"I'll be safe – I know what's going to happen, I dreamt it! You must hide Adam, it's very important."

I didn't like it, but she had a stubborn streak in her, and I could hear the bandits heading closer to the village, so I did as she asked. I grabbed a long dagger from the ground along the way to a large bush. I wasn't going to stay unarmed when there was a fight going on, hidden or not. I still retained most of the skills I'd had when I matched against Link, although until I grew up a bit more, I was going to have trouble with them. There was no way I was lifting any sword like the one I'd had back then.

I've no idea how long I stayed hidden in that bush. I could hear a lot of screaming, and fires breaking out. The guards who tried to keep order were probably outnumbered – I'd seen a lot of bandits come storming in.

When it all eventually started to die down, night had fallen.

I picked my way out, looking for Theresa – I wanted to make sure she'd kept her promise.

Along the way, I picked over the various bodies. Most of them didn't have much on them, but some had some gold on them. Alright, so it's a disgusting thing to do, but picking pockets of dead people is a lot easier than living ones. I was young, and corrupt. What do you expect of me?

Theresa was nowhere to be found though. I did find my own father laying dead right outside our own home. I might have feigned a dislike for him, but he was my father, and I felt irrationally angry at the bandit that had seen fit to cut him up.

There was a cry behind me, a warlike cry rather than a cry for help. I got up, turning sharply to see a bandit running toward me.

He was a lot bigger than me, but my small size lent itself to being quicker and able to dodge better. I doubt he was expecting to find an experienced swordsman in a seven year old.

I blocked his first strikes, then disarmed him by cutting into one hand. I couldn't quite reach enough to do any real damage though.

Then something odd happened. A bolt of lightning shot over my head, into the bandit, killing him.

"Are you alright boy?" a deep voice asked from behind. I wish people wouldn't come up behind unannounced – it's always unnerved me.

This guy had long blue robes, white hair and glowing blue-white marks on his face. I decided there and then I didn't like him. I turned out to be right on that score, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

"I was doing just fine until you robbed me of revenge," I retorted, glancing meaningfully at my father.

"Don't be silly," he snapped. "You might have some skill, but you're no match for a grown man."

He and I got off on the wrong foot almost immediately. I didn't dignify his comment with a response and stalked away.

"Where do you think you're going?" the stranger called after me, following. "You've nothing left here, and no doubt there'll be more bandits along before long."

"Let them come," I told him harshly. I had no idea what I was looking for either, actually, but I wasn't going to admit it to him.

"If it's revenge you want, you'll need what only I can offer you."

"Oh, really? What makes your offer so special?"

"I can get you into the Hero's Guild. I'm Maze, head of the Guild."

"What do I have to do?"

"Merely come with me. And put that knife down, you'll get a proper weapon if you do well at the Guild."

"What do you get out of it?"

"Do I need a reason to look for people worthy of joining the Guild? What's your name, boy?"

"Adam. And don't call me boy."

"Alright then Adam, drop that weapon and take my hand. I'll take you to the Guild."

I trusted him enough with that, against better judgement, and let him do whatever it was he was going to. He pulled an odd talisman out of a pocket. It glowed blue, then everything around blurred into that same blue. I felt a kind of wrenching feeling, as if being pulled a long way, then when my view cleared, I was somewhere else.

There was a massive imposing wall not far ahead of me, with equally imposing double doors set into them. Behind was a castle-like structure, and in front was a raised platform off beside the path we were on that led to the doors.

Maze went on ahead to the doors of the Guild – or at least I assumed it was the Guild.

"Come on, boy, the Guildmaster is waiting."

"I told you to stop calling me that," I told him, joining him. He gave me a curious look, but said nothing, opening the doors and guiding me in.

Inside was a pair of staircases going around the outside of the room to an upstairs landing. At the bottom of each were small rooms, one had a Cullis gate in, the other something I didn't recognise. In the centre of the room as a large table with a map on it. Unlike normal maps, the mountains and forests actually rose out of the map, as if it was a miniature of the real world. Symbols hung above it, semitransparent and in either bronze, silver or gold colour. To one side of this table stood a man I assumed was the Guildmaster.

He was shorter than Maze, and was bald. His robes were also in blue, and showed him to be considerable smaller and thinner than Maze. He wasn't too much taller than me, actually.

"I have a new member for you," Maze told him. "He's the one I told you about this morning."

"Well, you don't look like much," the Guildmaster said, looking me over. He had a gentle tone in his voice. "But I suppose Maze knows what he's doing."

"You don't look like anything special either," I told him in a critical tone.

"I'll leave him in your care," Maze said to the Guildmaster, then turned to me. "Don't be unkind to him, Adam. He's the one who'll take care of your learning here, and the tests afterwards."

That was hardly reason to start being nice to people, I reasoned as he left.

The Guildmaster gave a faint smile at Maze's words, then beckoned to me as he started up one of the large staircases."Come on. Follow me, and I'll take you to your room here. You'll be sharing a room with Whisper, one of our brightest and sharpest young students."

"Oh, joy," I muttered sarcastically, but he made no reply.