A/N: I OBVIOUSLY don't own Legend of Zelda or its characters, or I would have made a game about this, not write about it

The Gerudo Desert was always cold at night. Pain, blinding pain. A shriek in the darkness, bodies everywhere. A man shivered, pulling his cloak closer to him. Bodies littered the streets, blood was on the walls. A little girl kept crying for her mother, somewhere far away. He had stab marks all through him; he never had the time to don his armor. The symbol appearing on his hand, three upward triangles: the Triforce. He had black hair cut roughly at neck length blowing into his eyes. His lips were chapped and bleeding over his smooth chin. A seventeen year old boy clawed his way through the wreckage, half dead himself.

It was three years ago today that his town was massacred, and he alone escaped. He was half a ghost, even then, clutching his blade bitterly as the blood poured out of him. Death should have come for me on that day, he reflected silently, for he had no strength left to utter words. Also, what kind of madman screamed defiance while facing Death's own eyes, bleeding from far too many wounds?

I did, he thought. I faced Death and laughed in his face, spiteful bastard that I was. Three years ago. Indeed, it had been three long years of torment after his town fell. But I survived. Unexplainable. He wasn't sure, however, if it was the Goddesses or someone much more sinister that had saved him, that first time. He was saved by being granted a piece of the Triforce, and yet… he had never seen a Triforce piece like this. It hurt, he thought, reflecting on that as well. It was burning into my hand, and I screamed… then my wounds healed, and I was safe.

But was he, truly? He looked down at his hand. The highest triangle was the Piece of Wisdom: Yet it was not his. The rightmost, Courage: Also not his. Finally leftmost, there was the Piece of Power… not his. His piece was directly in the middle of the Triforce, and it burned black as sin. Why couldn't they go bother some other twenty year old? Why did it have to be me? But if it was truly the Goddesses that had saved him, then they, in fact, did bother someone else. Someone who saved the world, the Hero of Twilight, was seventeen when they went through their trials. That was a year ago, and he had been hunting the boy down. Then tonight, on the anniversary of that horrific slaughter that haunted him to this day, a race he had never expected to see again appeared. The Gerudo… the killers of my fellow villagers, have reappeared. They almost killed me once, and tonight they have finished the job.

The man heard sand crunching in the distance. It cannot be Gerudo; I would have never heard them approach. He summoned strength he didn't know he had, hauling himself to his feet. His vividly green eyes surveyed the landscape. The person was behind a rock, meaning he wouldn't see them until they were upon him. He lifted his blade, holding it at the ready. His eyes burned with determination. Slowly stepping out from behind the rock, blade drawn, was Link.

The man could have laughed, but he saved the energy for his words. He would need every last second remaining to him. He sheathed his blade. Link seemed puzzled for a moment, unsure of what to do. The man finally summoned his strength. "Relax, kid. If I had wanted to fight you I would have fought. Can't guarantee that I would've won, though," hoping to find Link's weak point so he would put the damn blade down before the man hurt Link. I come to help you save this pathetic excuse of a kingdom, and its Hero openly threatens me? Then he reconsidered. He was in the desert notorious for Gerudo Thieves, and as a matter of fact, it was those same people that brought him to the brink of death now.

"You're hurt," The boy suddenly exclaimed, noticing the blood that dripped between the black plated armor that he had thrown over it, hoping to hide this from Link until it was too late. The Hero swiftly lowered his blade.

Ah, so honor would be your weakness. You're lucky we're on the same side, then. "You've no time for that," the man spat. "That pitiful blade is not the one you were wearing when you saved Hyrule the first time, I trust?"

Link shook his head, still staring at the amount of blood draining from the man. "No, this is an Ordon Sword; I returned the Master Sword after my quest had been finished… wait, the first time I saved Hyrule?"

The man laughed. The boy was beginning to see. "Not the last time, either. Great trials lay ahead of you. You must open what was never meant to be closed, and retrieve that which has been permanently lost. I send you on a fool's errand, hoping desperately that it is not too late."

Link shook his head, trying frantically. "But Hyrule's at peace, nobody could be happier. What could possibly-"

He was cut off mid-sentence. "The Gerudo never died, and they are not happy with the death of their king. They have summoned the Red Fury, and all his minions. There is not much time left…"

Link turned away rapidly, and he could see the confusion brewing in his mind. The boy was all mixed up now. "NO! I don't believe you," he swore.

The man chuckled. "Listen, kid, and listen well. Have you ever heard of a man lying while on his deathbed?" He could see the light of understanding dawning in the boy's eyes. He hurried on before Link could interrupt again. "Seek Lanayru. He may not have been answering your call, of late, but I think he will if he sees what lays in your mind. Take heart, there is still time. Just… not for me…" The boy watched him, and he could see him struggling against tears. How can he witness the horrors of the land and still be so naïve, he wondered. Then a crueler thought still, maybe because he never has. The Hero only has to get rid of the 'Bad Guy', and suddenly the world is A-Okay again. Then he felt his vision going black, and he succumbed to Death's embrace.

-...-...-...-

The Hero of Twilight rode hard and fast throughout the land, the man slumped in the saddle in front of him. It was difficult to keep him on the brink of life, especially because the man had lost the will to fight. But Link pulled him through the worst of it with sheer determination. No one ever died if Link was there to protect them. He hadn't failed since that first day, with the Bulbins, and he never planned on doing so again. They had retreated to the edge of the desert, a three day journey. The man never woke once, and Link stopped waiting.

Link was able to use his Clawshot to grab an unsuspecting Cucco, and so they floated into Lake Hylia. His next destination: that insufferable Light Spirit bastard, Lanayru. He walked into the spring, his voice booming across the ancient rocks. "Hear me, mighty Spirit of Light! We've had our differences, but my need is direr than ever before, and I unfortunately need your help yet again. It worked. Lanayru appeared out of his lake, but upon seeing the unconscious man he hissed. "Get him out of here. Out!" Link just stood there, astonished. Then he got angry. "He's been more of a help to me in five minutes than you've been in the last year, Lanayru!" He drew the Light Spirit's name out, making it sound more like a curse.

"You dare speak to me in such a hostile manner! You forget your place, Hero. As such, I would be most delighted to deny your help. But I must once again help your pathetic being in yet another quest, because the Goddesses haven't quite finished laughing at me. You will find what you seek in the deepest part of Death Mountain, and may it destroy you before you ever have the chance to come here again. Then Eldin appeared, looking totally out of his element.

"This is not the way to speak to the man who saved our lands! Link, I beg your apology in my brother's stead, and grant to you something that may prove more useful than you might think." Link watched as Eldin hit the man that Link rescued with a ball of light. He watched a cloud of darkness lift into the air and swirl for a moment before resettling upon him. Both Eldin and Lanayru watched warily as the man opened his eyes. He watched the man run suddenly, away from here. Link sighed and followed.

"No! I'm not going back there!" The man exclaimed. He watched the building where the spirit resided warily from the walkway to the cannon.

Link sighed. "C'mon… I don't even know your name!" He watched the man suspiciously. The man groaned. "Shioru." Link started and rubbed his eyes. I've heard that name before… Ack! "Well I don't need to go back in there, anyway. As long as you know where to go, we can just go on regardless."

Shioru appeared to think a moment. "Yes, well… I need time to properly heal. All they did was shock my heart, and if it wasn't for your bandages in the first place… I can't say I wanted to be healed, but I guess now that I am I owe you my gratitude." Link shook his head, but didn't speak, so Shioru continued. "I need a place to stay for the next week. Perhaps your home in Ordon?"

Link wanted to shake his head. He remembered his last conversation with Ilia, and his heart sank. I had to leave, and when she knew it was about Midna, she cried… she never wants to speak to me again… "Let's go, then." Shioru hauled himself up to his feet. There was no need to use Fyer, anymore, since the princess had a ramp built up the side of the cliff face where Falbi's house was. Link and Shioru climbed aboard Epona and began their journey.

-...-...-...-

All was quiet in the shadows of Ordon. At the stake of my reputation, it has to be said. It was too quiet (A/N: sorry guys, needed to be done). Shioru tensed. Not even the animals are moving… he had been here before, in his search for the Hero. It was always teeming with life, no matter the hour. At first it kept him up at night, but it soon became comforting. Something has happened, and Link can feel it. Shioru, instead of speaking, slid off of Epona's back. Link steered the horse off the road and followed suit. They both drew their blades, Link clutching the Ordon Sword tightly, Shioru loosely gripping his onyx blade, the tip slowly moving in small circles. Cautiously, the two men walked up to where Link's house was, sliding along the wall. Nothing was there. Shioru took point, even with his injuries, and Link didn't object. He can tell I've run the fair fight before, he mused.

A/N: I hope I didn't give the wrong impression when the only two battles I spoke of where ones Shioru lost. The first battle he was in he only had rudimentary training with sword fighting, and his great battle tactic was to stick them with the pointy end. The last battle he was in was 1 vs. 50, which was slightly uneven. I'm obviously exaggerating a bit, he's not like all powerful or anything, but he could take 15 to 25 Gerudos easily. speaking of similar staggering odds; and i assure you, i did not realize i did this until after it was already written,

He peeked around the corner of the ramp leading into Ordon Village. He couldn't see anything there either. Shioru turned to Link. "You head into the village. I'm going to sneak around. If there's an ambush, then I'll ambush the ambushers." Link looked lost, and Shioru fought the urge to laugh. "Go ahead kid. Stay on your guard and let me handle the complicated plans." Link nodded to him. Shioru crept away.

-...-...-...-

Link felt weaker after the man left already. He didn't know why, but he always worked better with a guide telling him what to do. I'm not a planner; I'm a doer, that's why. But why has it taken so long for the ambush to spring? Of course, men began pouring out from behind the buildings, rushing him with blades drawn, screaming. Oh, that's how long. I hope Shioru knows what he's doing. Then he turned to the wall of men and lifted his shield, switching into battle stance. Things did not go well for the Hero. It was one vs. fifty, and Shioru was nowhere to be seen.

Did that bastard abandon me? He wondered frantically as he dispatched the closest man by deflecting his attack off of his shield, and then stabbing him in the gut. The men were in full plate mail, helmets with visors hiding their faces. Their armor was ebony black, with crimson stripes running across their armor. It vaguely resembled a devil's face. The next man fell to a slash across the neck before he could even strike. The full brunt of the group was almost upon him. Where the hell is Shioru?!

Where is he, indeed? you'll find out!