Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda is the property of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto-Sensei.

The Legend of Zelda

Mask of Twilight

Prologue

Before time began, there was chaos. Then, descending from the heavens three goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore brought order to the chaos, Din creating the firmament and the earth, Nayru the laws of the land, and Farore the life that would uphold the laws and inhabit the earth. After their toils the Golden Goddesses left for the Sacred Realm. That is what the histories say, however there is another story preserved by the Denizens of Twilight. The Interlopers tell us of a fourth goddess, Azera, the goddess of light and dark, who brings a hero to embody light, and a villain to embody the darkness.

Chapter One

"Link...hear"

"Link...can..you.."

"Link...can you hear me?"

"Your destiny awaits" Link's blue eyes snapped open, the words still ringing in his head. A thunderstorm had awakened him from his slumber, its gale causing the tree his house was nestled in to sway violently. He looked out the window, his view blurred by the rain pelting the pane. He vaguely made out the silhouette of a man walking up the path that led to town. He ran to his door and pulled it open to see the wrath of the storm. He could hear Epona, his trusted steed, whinnying from her shelter to his right. He checked the shelter, making sure she was alright. As he turned to head back inside he noticed that the man had made it to his door.

"Link, the river is flooding," the man said, his voice at a scream to overcome the roar of the deluge, "We need to close the flood gate. Grab some rope and arm yourself, the gate to the field blew open and the creatures from the field are pouring through." Link nodded and went and threw a coil of rope over his shoulder and the wooden sword that he had carved himself for sparring practice. Link followed the man towards the village's flood gate. He walked to the bridge and started to run across when it collapsed from under him. Link reacted by flipping to land on the bank below the bridge. He looked at the rope and fastened a lasso at the end. Link tossed it to nearby tree and pulled the loop tight. He then tied it around his waist and dived into the water, making sure that the rope didn't snap as he swam. Link fought with the current and paddled furiously. He steadily made it across and upon finally getting to the other side, Link untied himself and he took a second to catch his breath. He walked to the tree and undid the knot as quickly as he could.

Finding the ladder that led to the top of the hill that the flood gate was built into, he scrambled up. He gazed across the battered maw of his hometown, only to see the man on the other side. The man cast his rope to the gates line post and heaved. Link tied a loop in his rope and did the same. His arms shuddered as he pulled with all his might. The gate moved slowly but was ebbing the flow of the water to the stream and the water slowly began to recede.

With one last mighty heave, they managed to close the gate, holding it until the lock engaged. Link, too busy watching the lock close, didn't realize the line was frayed. As the lock was closing, the rope snapped and sent him reeling. He landed at the base of a tree, unconscious.

"Link… can you hear me," the voice asked again echoing in his mind. "Link, I am a spirit...I have watched over you and your ancestors since the dawn of time...Link...evil has crept into the world again...that storm was meant to kill you...Oh Link...Legend of Hyrule...Hero of Time...find me...I...am...waiting..."

Link squinted his eyes against the morning light. He made a face in the blinding sun.

Alria giggled. "You had quite a nasty fall."

Link made to get up, but gasped in pain. He massaged his head and found a lump there. Puzzled for a second, he thought, "What did she say? A fall? That's right, the tree...THE FLOOD GATE!" He bolted up and flew to the door and saw that it was closed. Link sighed in relief while his head screamed in pain at his quick reaction. He sauntered back over to the bed he had been laying on and plopped down. Alria, tickled by this, giggled out.

"Well, at least you remember." She sobered and then said, "The king is calling a council together to address the situation. The mayor selected you as a representative. The storm wasn't just here Link; they're feeling it across the fields. I hope everything's okay. If our river flooded then Lake Hylia must have been affected and that means that the Zoras are probably having problems. And all this rain can't be good for the Gorons. It's bad enough that Death Mountain was already acting strangely. I think it's about to erupt. Anyway, we all have to do our part to fix what happened. Please excuse me, I need to get back to the cleaning committee the Mayor enlisted." She stood and left the squat home that Link had recouped in.

"My Goddesses, does that girl ever shut up!" A voice called, oddly familiar. Link was taken aback. He looked around him, and as he had thought, he was alone. "Peek-a-boo," it said, coming from the left. Link turned to see a mirror on the wall. He looked into it and he could faintly make out a dark haze in the shape of a young man. He appraised the dark specter, he noticed that it had a similar height, and if solid, it would be about the same weight. In fact, save for the reasons that , A, it was floating immaterial black mass and B, it's similar features were offset by a red light coming from where the eyes would be, Link was convinced that he was beside himself...literally.

Link rubbed his head. "Oh, you're not hallucinating. You're still completely sane," it said. Link gave a look that clearly meant he wanted to argue. "Okay, let me explain," the figure said, "I am an embodiment of you; I'm your emotions personified. In short, I'm a shadow, an echo of your existence." He finished. Link stared, bewildered.

"I was brought into existence by the goddesses." Link's shadow said, "Oh yes," responded to Link's new face of surprise, "I can read your thoughts, after all, I am their embodiment." Link trembled a little, at the twisted version of his smile that spread across the shadow's face. "Dark Link," it said, "That's what I am, your shadow, yet also you."

Link shook his head trying to get rid of the image of Dark Link. Nothing. He was still there. "You're just going to have to live with it for now. Oh, I might want to mention that you and the Great Spirits are the only ones who can hear or see me." Link nodded, but still held a skeptical look at this "Dark Link."

"Link," called a voice from the door. "Are you awake?" The mayor walked through the door. "Ah! There's m'boy! Ordon's ablaze with rumors of your heroism," he said. Link rubbed his head sheepishly. "Oh don't be so modest!" The mayor slapped him on his back. "Now, as town hero, you have been made representative in my stead on the council. And you also take my place on the Adviser's Court. Oh, this is exciting; we haven't had a Hero in so long. My ancestor enacted the last Hero, saved a couple o'kids after they were snatched by Bulblins. The mayor babbled on as he left the house. He turned and said, "You leave tomorrow for Hyrule Castle."

The following morning, Link made provisions to head out, enduring the remarks of Dark Link. He opened his door to take scope of the town as it bustled to life. "And what is that?" Dark Link asked. Link, finally deciding it worthwhile to pay attention, followed the outstretched finger of Dark Link. On his door there was a note posted on the nail that held his goat horns. "What's it say?" Link held up a hand in annoyance as he read. "Ah, a meeting at the waterfall" Dark Link said, obtaining the knowledge by means of Link's mind. They set out to the waterfall, Dark Link lingering in Link's shadow, to find the author of the note. As they approached the waterfall they saw the old form of Malo, who still had his baby fat in his extreme old age.

"Good, good, you came. Normally I would ask for Rupees for what I'm about to do, but it's rightfully yours so THIS time it's free of charge," Malo said. Link looked at Malo's hands, expecting to see some trinket or bauble that once had magic powers, but instead Malo hobbled off to the brink of the pool at the base of the waterfall. Link followed hesitantly. Malo bent over and plucked a strange reed that Link barely recognized, placed it to his lips and blew. He played a soothing melody, with it that sounded like water cascading down from a high cloud. After he finished he pointed at the waterfall, and Link followed with his eyes and was shocked to find that the waterfall had slowed greatly.

"That door," Malo said, while indicating it, "opens with this key. Your ancestor told me one day, that his descendant might need whatever is in there. I bet now is the time you are going to need it." Malo gave Link the key and hobbled off back to town.

Author's note: the Malo in this story is not the Malo from TP, but his grandson with the same name.