WhiteXIII: Okay. After much waiting on the behalf of many… Here is the revision of "Only Time Can Tell the Tale!" Old readers please refrain from flames, it is different, but it's still awesome!
Spazzy: And I'm still here! I'm a Co-Arth!
XIII: Um… You mean co-author?
O Spastic One: No! Co-Arth!
XIII: Um… okay. ENJOY!
DISCLAIMER: We do not own The Legend of Zelda, its characters, places, etc. in any way, shape or form. They are the sole property of their respected owners. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!
Prologue
Zelda struggled vainly against the grip of the strange creatures as they entered a dark, cobblestone room with torches held to the walls for the only light. The monsters were everywhere. Zelda struggled again. She wasn't sure where she was or what was going on, but was positive she didn't like it one bit.
The red monsters threw her forward and Zelda fell on her knees to the ground. She looked up, shaking, but determined to not show too much fear.
A dark voice emanated somewhere ahead of her, but Zelda couldn't find the owner's face in the pitch black darkness. However, a strand of airy shadows reached out in tendrils and touched her face gingerly.
The voice spoke, "Zelda… Why do you refuse me when you could join us… and live? Time's almost up for all of us. Where will you stand? With him or with us on the side of victory?"
Zelda's eyes were wide as she searched the dungeon. What was going on? Where was she? What was this guy even talking about?
Before she could answer, there was a popping sound and smoke filled the room.
Zelda coughed but took the chance to get up and run, even if she couldn't see where she was headed. Miraculously, she found her way to the door she had entered. She pushed it open and bolted.
Her eyes flew around in near panic as she tried to remember all the twists and turns she had taken to get down there in the first place.
"Zellie, dear, it's time," an elderly voice called out to her.
Zelda's head shot up. "Grandma?" she gasped between breathes.
"Play the Song of Time… Release the Summon…"
"Grandma!" Zelda gasped, reaching her hand out to the darkness. "Where are you? Help me!"
"Release the Summon…" Her voice then faded out, leaving Zelda alone yet again.
Zelda finally came to a stop as she fumbled for her Ocarina in her jean pockets. It wasn't there. However, it still appeared from seemingly thin air. Not taking the time to wonder where it had come from, she pressed the blue instrument to her lips and began to play.
The air warped around her and, suddenly, she felt a gentle hand on her forearm. She looked up into those deep sapphire eyes yet again. Recognition crossed her face as she recognized his rough features and messy, dirty blond hair.
"You're…" she paused, lacking a name. She had seen him several times before… in her dreams… Wait… Was this a-?
He simply smiled at her and whispered, "Let's go."
Zelda quickly obliged and darted through a series of turns and twists. "What's happening?" she asked the blond boy as he dragged her around yet another corner. A name suddenly snapped into her mind, she wasn't sure from where, but it strangely seemed to fit. "Link, answer me!"
Link's head began turning slowly to face her over his broad shoulders. He opened his mouth to speak and Zelda heard a familiar voice say, "Zelda!"
Her brain slowed in confusion. She blinked several times. Wait… That couldn't be right. That wasn't the voice he had just used… That sounded like…
"ZEEEEELDAAA!"
Zelda's eyes snapped open as she jumped up groggily in an attempt to evade the monsters that had dissipated from her dream. Instead the Hylian female tumbled to the floor, her shoulders resting there while her legs remained in the warmth of her sheets. She turned to see a familiar red-headed male and frowned. "Venex," she hissed. She pouted slightly. She was about to see that boy's, Link's, face…
Venex turned his beaming face towards his sister and saw her now-pale face. "You okay? You look like you've been trying to break dance again." He then placed his hand against his sister's forehead, as if looking for a temperature.
"I've never tried to break dance," Zelda said, confused as she sat up from her uncomfortable position.
"I know," chuckled Venex.
"But it couldn't hurt you to learn," another masculine voice added.
Zelda turned to glower at the figure standing in the doorway.
The figure grinned, his blond hair falling scraggily to the sides of his face, and said, "Morning, sis. Hey, you think we should dress the same today? Maybe nobody'll tell us apart."
"We're fraternal twins, Sheik. Not identical copies."
He shrugged. "You never know…"
She shook her head, looking up at ceiling and wondering what she had done to get brothers like Venex and Sheik. Her hand came up and lifted Venex's hand from its spot on her head. "Never mind. Just get outta here! I need to get ready."
"Ok! I was just coming up here to remind you that we only have four weeks left, then I'll officially be halfway through my Senior year of high school!" Venex reminded his little sister with a little cheer as he exited her room.
"And us through our Junior year!" added Sheik, closing the door and racing the older brother down the stairs.
She shook her head at her brothers' antics. As soon as the door was shut, she reached into her dresser, threw on a t-shirt and jeans and then put her hair into a ponytail. Zelda then proceeded to the adjoining bathroom, she had her own since she was the only girl in the house, and splashed some water on her face in an attempt to soothe her nerves.
After a moment's pause, she slowly looked up at her reflection, her nightmare replaying through her mind. And the blond boy at the end… the way he had appeared from thin air and reached for her… "It all seemed so real…" she muttered. She bit her tongue as her mind mulled over other dreams she had had recently, but she was certain: he was the same boy from every single one.
Instantly, she shook her head. Great. Now she was fantasizing about wars and the same blond hero every night. This couldn't be too healthy.
She dried her face and glanced up for a final look. Often she had thought that, perhaps, a long time ago, she had met that boy somewhere, but Zelda was pretty sure she hadn't… There was something different about him. Something she just couldn't place her finger on.
And what kind of a name was Link anyway?
Disregarding the thoughts with the shake of her head, Zelda turned and re-entered her room. She hefted her navy backpack, prepared to lug it down the stairs and into the kitchen, when she hesitated.
She set it down on her bed and opened the first pocket.
Her Ocarina lay, shimmering in the dim morning light of an ending winter. Zelda paused, but gingerly picked the blue instrument from its case, pressed it to her lips and played. It was a melancholy tune, a song that had been passed down through generations. "The Song of Time" was the title it had been given; apparently it had been passed through multiple generations just to reach her. It had been taught to her by her grandmother, who had died just three years back.
After she had finished it, she placed it back, satisfied that she had fulfilled dream-grandma's request. And, strangely enough, Zelda had a feeling that, somehow, everything was going to be fine.
…
Pointed Hylian ears suddenly perked, dirty blond hair tousled slightly in an unseen wind and luminous blue orbs widened suddenly.
"Link?" a voice spoke quizzically.
A lopsided grin appeared over the boy's face as he turned to the voice and simply explained, "I've received the Summon."
The owner of the voice grinned. "Where to now, boy?"
"Hyrule, Ordona Province."
"Then what are we doing on the opposite side of the world?" the voice demanded.
Without waiting for further instruction, the boy's left hand rose to the side of his face. His thumb and middle finger flew past each other in a snap. Suddenly, the wind picked up and the inhabitants, those who had spoken and those who had been silent, all vanished through space, leaving the place they had inhabited forgetting they had even existed.
The wait was finally over.
O Spastic One: I hope you guys are still reading, 'cuz this took us forever. *screams*
WhiteXIII: It's okay, Spazzy, you were only viciously attacked by the laundry… Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Drop a review please! Please and thankies!
OH! And special thanks to MangaMaid4545 (my lovely editor) for helping with this fic!
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