The Forgotten Hero

The flow of time is always cruel... Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it...

..

Propelled by the soft summer breezes, clouds gently floated across the blue skies, casting shadows along the grassy fields and providing solace from the warm summer sun. Birds flew freely through the air, their chirping and the soft whistling of wind playing as background music. The fields were devoid of the monsters that once occupied its fields several months ago, a welcome and peaceful change.

Then, there was a boy and his horse.

"We're almost there, girl," the rider encouraged his horse, "Just a little farther, and you get to see Ilia again, okay?"

The horse neighed and picked up the pace, his words offering some comfort. The horse, a girl, was a beautiful one with beautiful brown hair and a snow white mane. Her legs were built and strong, yet she moved smoothly and gracefully.

The rider was a teen, probably about sixteen years old or so. He had dirty blond hair and sapphire blue eyes, along with pointy ears that defined him as a Hylian. The boy was clad in a green tunic, with a shield and sword strapped to his back.

They passed through the narrow cliffs easily and after a short distance, found themselves in a very familiar place - Ordon Springs. The boy hopped off his horse, and she trotted into the springs to get a nice drink of water. The boy sat down, plucked one of the brown whistles next to him, and blew.

The notes were bright and brilliant, a sense of longing and nostalgia tinging the melody. The horse neighed in happiness, and even after the song ended, the tune lingered in the air.

"Hey, Epona," the boy said, "I heard from the Spirits that the previous Hero - I think he was called the Hero of Time - he played this song for his horse. Apparently, she was also named Epona, and he got her from some place called Lon Lon Ranch. Hear they used to be famous for their milk back then, too."

Silence.

The boy sighed. "Still won't talk to me, eh?"

The horse just neighed, almost as if questioning him. The boy sighed again as he laid down. "One day, I'll hear you talk to me again," he murmured like a self-promise. As idiotic and foolish as it sounded, hearing it from him made it seem... true. Like his horse could actually talk. And he could understand her.

Folding his arms behind his head, it wasn't long before he fell into a nice nap. Eventually, his horse also got its fill of water and knelt down next to her rider, where she too fell asleep.

..

"I'm telling you! Some unknown guy came riding in with his horse!" a boy shouted, waving his arms for emphasis.

Another boy next to him, quite small and short in stature, rolled his eyes. He could have passed off as a six-year old boy if it weren't for the way he spoke. "Please," he muttered, "no one ever goes into Ordon Village anymore. The only person who does is that irritating Postman."

A girl next to him had to agree. "Malo's right, Talo. Why would someone come here?" she wondered.

The boy, Talo, huffed. His prized wooden sword was strapped across his back. "How should I know? He was playing on the whistles Ilia said were really rare—"

"Oh, that's not good," the girl cut him off, eyes widening. "Ilia won't be happy—"

"Beth!" a voice interrupted, "Aunt Sera's calling you! Link ran away again!"

The girl, Beth, groaned. "That stupid cat, not again!" she cried as she ran towards the gates that led into the village. Shouting over her shoulder, she yelled, "I'll talk to you guys later!" and a "Thanks, Ilia!" towards the girl who told her.

"You're welcome, Beth," Ilia said as her friend ran past her. The two boys ran up to the teenage girl.

"Hey, Ilia! Where's Colin?" Talo asked as he skidded to a stop.

"He's helping Aunt Uli take care of Cassandra," Ilia said, giggling, "She's crawling all over now, and Colin, of course, has to watch over his baby sister."

Talo snickered. "Poor Colin," he said, "I swear, I'm glad Malo's not like that."

"I can hear you, you know?" Malo muttered, "As if I'd ever act like that." Both Ilia and Talo laughed.

"So, anyways," Talo said, "Ilia, there was some guy who walked into the Springs earlier today."

Ilia blinked. "Why would someone come to Ordon Village?"

Talo shrugged. "I don't know. But he was playing on those whistles you told us never to touch."

"Oh... he was?"

Talo nodded. "Didn't you say those were rare or something? Like, they never grow back unless you play the right tune?"

Another nod.

"Yeah, he was playing those ones, and—OW! What was that for?" Talo hissed as Malo, rubbing his leg where his little brother kicked him. Contrary to his small size, the boy's hits could hurt.

Malo pointed to Ilia, and, immediately, Talo knew.

'Ilia loves those whistles,' Talo remembered. Immediately, he grew angry. He hated seeing Ilia sad.

"Come on," Talo growled, startling Ilia, "I want to see who he is, and what's he doing here. He's going to pay for playing on those whistles."

Ilia frowned, "Talo, it's not good to spy on other people," she said, angering Talo. She was sticking up for a guy who she didn't even know! But he had hurt her feelings!

That just wasn't right. "It's not spying," Talo retorted, "We're just... observing."

"Which is technically the same thing," Malo remarked.

"Oh, who cares. All I know is that I need to know why he's here." And with that, Talo marched towards the Springs.

Ilia and Malo exchanged a glance before reluctantly running after Talo.

..

The boy groaned, waking up to a strange tickling to his nose, and a heavy weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he was met with a familiar pair of gold eyes and a white-and-brown cat.

"...Link?" he finally asked, and the cat meowed in response.

The boy chuckled as he slowly sat up, the cat hopping off him. "What are you doing here?" he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be with Aunt Sera? Or did she not give you fish again?"

"Meow. Meow."

"Just got bored being cooped up, eh? Epona hates that, too," the boy said, smiling, "Ah, but I'm pretty sure Aunt Sera's worrying about you. You better head on home."

Silence... And then, "Meow."

"You should go home," he repeated.

"Meow. Meow."

The boy sighed, "Fine, I'll get you some fish first."

Suddenly, the cat jumped at him. "Mreeeow!"

"Woah!" The boy fell over, the shock of the cat jumping at him making him lose his balance.

"Link!" a voice shouted, "Are you alright?"

The boy, also named Link, groaned as he shook his head. "Just about, Epona," he answered, his mind not exactly registering the fact he just understood his horse. Instead, he turned to the cat, and asked, "What was that for, Link?"

The cat raised a white paw towards the spring where an arrow quickly died out of its flames. Link's eyes widened and he turned to the gates just in time to spot another arrow heading his way. Scooping up Link the cat in his arms, he rolled to the side and jumped, simultaneously unsheathing his sword.

Epona reared up her legs, but an invisible force suddenly crashed into her and Epona flew into the water.

"Epona!" Link cried, and the cat jumped out of the boy's arms and leapt toward Epona in help.

Link growled as he leaped, swinging his sword in a wide arc but missing his attacker by an inch. Just as Link was about to strike again, he stopped short with wide eyes.

Gold eyes stared back at him.

"Ganondorf?"

..

"Talo, I don't think this is a good idea," Ilia said as she caught up with the boy, "We should probably go call my dad or Rusl - we shouldn't be going alone."

Talo shook his head. "I want to find out who this person is," he said, stubborn as always, "We can't always let the adults do all the work."

"Ilia's right, Talo," Malo said, "Who knows. He could be just a passing traveler who heard of the Springs here, but he could also be dangerous."

Talo snorted. "Whatever. I know I can take him."

BOOOOM!

Smoke billowed towards them, and Ilia quickly pulled Talo close. The three of them dropped to the ground as the smoke engulfed the area. The two boys turned to Ilia with frightened eyes."

"Go back, now." Ilia left no room for argument as she grabbed the boys and ran for the entrance of their village. She held them low, low enough that they wouldn't inhale too much smoke, and covered her own mouth with her shirt. They didn't make it very far before they hard the sound of metal clanging together, a sound they knew all too well after watching Rusl and Bo spar with their own metal swords.

Ilia could hear Talo and Malo whispering to each other, undoubtedly talking about what was happening, and she gripped them tighter. "Not now," she said, forcing back tears as the smoke stung her eyes. She hoped her dad and Rusl were coming soon.

..

Link forced himself to concentrate on the enemy before him, gritting his teeth as he struggled against the blade.

'Concentrate,' he told himself, 'This man is not Ganondorf. He is dead. You killed him...' That sudden thought made Link's concentration waver and that was enough to let the enemy push him back, sending him flying into the cliffs behind him.

The man stepped out of the smoke, grinning wickedly.

'He's not Ganondorf,' Link repeated inside his head as he stood up, 'The violet hair is a dead giveaway, at least.'

The man, who was Ganondorf's spitting image save for his violet hair, raised his sword.

Link's body moved on his own, but his mind stuttered in shock at the sight of the sword.

The sword was pure black - everything, from its hilt to the blade, was glowing and radiating with the stench of darkness. Link tensed as dread washed over him with every parry, every near hit, and he could feel malicious thoughts growing in his mind.

Murderer, they whispered, and Link gritted his teeth together as he sidestepped a thrust.

The voices continued. Hero? they mocked, You're not a hero. Heroes don't kill. You're a demon.

Link yelled in frustration as he jumped and swung his blade down. Not-Ganondorf dodged, and Link backflipped away, needing to put distance between him and his enemy. The two of them circled each other, waiting for the other to make the next move.

The sense of unease grew as Link scrutinized the man's sword. Link had never seen a sword like that before, but it looked too familiar to Link for it to be a coincidence. Link risked a glance down at his own sword. It was a simple one, a steel blade with a green hilt, nothing at all like the Master Sword he had used during his travels.

Not-Ganondorf rushed at Link, sword raised high in the air, and the thought struck him. Link raised his sword in defense, but it seemed to stand nothing near to the sword's own power. From the blade to the winged guard and even the grip, the sword was a replica of the Master Sword.

The very thought shook Link. The Master Sword was known as Evil's Bane for a reason. There shouldn't be a replica of the sword, let alone one that seemed to be the origin of darkness itself.

Lost in his thoughts, Link missed the man's sudden sneer. Link ducked into a roll, coming up to ready a swing at the man's back. But a sudden force collided into Link's side, and he crashed into the rocks. Pain dazed him, and the last thing Link saw before his vision went black was the sight of Ilia, Malo, and Talo staring at him in shock and horror.

..

The smoke was still a heavy blanket, but Ilia, Talo, and Malo could clearly see the violet-haired man with a manic grin on his face. He held a black sword in hand, and it was dripping with blood.

Ilia shook Malo and Talo. "We need to go," she whispered, but the two boys were paralyzed with fear at the sight before them. "Now!" She struggled to pull them away, but her heart leaped into her throat when the man turned to them.

"Ilia!"

Ilia had never been so relieved in her life. "Dad!" she shouted, but as she turned her head, the man took his chance.

He raised his hand, a golden light engulfing his right hand. Ilia pushed Talo and Malo away, and then the man aimed his hand at Ilia and fired.

Ilia screamed as the cliffs behind her exploded. Rocks and debris fell around her, but they missed by inches. The other boy, who had previously been unconscious, now held a firm grip on the man's leg.

"Ilia!" Bo and the other adults were coming closer now, and Ilia slipped out of the rocks and toward Malo and Talo and they ran towards the adults.

..

Link gritted his teeth through the pain. His mind slipped in and out of consciousness, but his grip on the man's leg didn't waver.

A low, inhuman voice growled, "Let go of me."

Link didn't answer. The air around him suddenly grew heavier, and Link found himself struggling to breathe as gravity itself seemed to crush Link.

Not-Ganondorf towered over Link, the dark sword glinting with Link's own blood. Link felt sick by the man's gleeful smile, as if he were somehow enjoying Link's pain. Not-Ganondorf's mouth moved, but Link found he couldn't hear his words. His senses grew dull, and Link felt his grip slacken until his arm fell to the ground.

Suddenly, the man turned and raised his sword. A column of darkness shot up from the ground, and Link couldn't do anything as Not-Ganondorf walked into the darkness, and the column disappeared, taking him with it.

The force that had been pining Link to the ground suddenly disappeared, and all the air rushed back into Link's lungs, leaving him coughing but alive. From the springs, he could hear Epona struggling toward him, but Link's eyes grew heavy.

Just before he fell unconscious, he heard someone ask: "Who is he?"

..

Ilia nodded, trying to calm her shivering as her dad embraced her.

"Ilia, are you sure? You're not hurt?" Bo asked, genuinely worried for his only daughter.

Ilia nodded slowly, "I-I'm fine, d-dad," she stuttered, shivering. Her mind was still trying to wrap its mind around what just happened, including the unconscious boy that was being carried to their home.

Nearby, the same thing was happening with Talo and Malo as Jaggie and Pergie fretted over their two sons.

"What were you thinking?" Jaggie asked in a harsh tone. Underneath all the anger, however, was worry and concern.

Talo flinched, "I was just worried," he admitted, "I-I mean... no one ever comes here..."

Pergie glared at her husband, "Let them be," she told him. Then, she turned to her sons, and said in a gentle, soft voice, "Malo, Talo, you aren't hurt, right?"

Malo and Talo nodded, "We're fine," they both said.

"But what about that boy?" Malo asked, "Is he alright?"

Pergie sighed, "We're not sure," she admitted, "Uli is checking up on him."

Ilia glanced at the house where Uli and the boy was. "I hope he's alright," she murmured, "What was he doing here anyways?"

Bo put a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter. The only thing is that he saved you, Talo, and Malo from that man. We owe him a great debt..."

"Yes, but that's just thing thing... Who is he?" Ilia asked, voicing the very same question she did before.

Bo sighed as he shook his head. "I don't know."

..

"-right? Are you...-"

"-on't... yet... can't tell..."

"-man? Will he return?"

"Oh, shh! I think he's waking up."

The boy groaned as he awoke to the sound of conversation. He blinked, trying to clear away the fog that was entering his mind. When it did, he saw the familiar faces of Ilia, Bo, Uli, and Rusl next to the bed he was laying in.

"...Where..."

Then, it struck him.

'I'm in Uli's house,' he thought, 'Ordon Village.'

Uli glanced at him in worry. "Are you alright?" she asked.

The boy didn't answer for a brief moment. 'What happened?' he wondered, 'That man... he... Epona!'

"Epona!" he blurted, startling the occupants in the room. "She's—is she—"

"Calm down, child," Bo said, "Epona—your horse, right?"

He nodded. "Is she..."

"She's fine," Rusl assured him, "A sprained front leg, but nothing that can't be healed. If it weren't for Link, Sera's cat, we would have never seen her. We found her in the Springs, and, luckily, she seems to be doing well."

The boy sighed in relief.

"Now, back to the question. Are you alright?" Uli asked again.

He nodded. "I'm fine," he said. Suddenly, a thought struck him, one that should have hit him the moment they first said it. "Wait, child? Bo, since when did you call me that?"

His comment earned him frightened gazes.

"What?"

Bo stared at him nervously. "How... do you know my name?"

The boy blinked in confusion. "You're the mayor here, why wouldn't I know your name?"

"Yes, that is true," Bo admitted cautiously. "But I do not know you."

"...What?"

Bo stared at the boy before him. "I do not know you," he repeated.

The boy's eyes widened. "C-come on, guys," he said, his voice cracking. "Don't joke around with me."

Bo shook his head. "We're not joking. Who are you, and who was that man?"

The boy muttered something under his breath that Bo couldn't catch.

"What was that?"

His head snapped up. "Nothing," he said. "But I'm wondering the exact same thing as to who that man was," the boy admitted.

Uli glanced over him. "Well, whoever he was, he sure did a number on you," she said, referring to the bruises that now colored his skin, and the bandages around his chest. "It's a miracle you're even alive."

"But that's not the point here," the boy finally said, "What do you mean you don't know me? I live here."

His comment once again earned strange gazes.

"Live here?" Bo asked. He burst into laughter, "Child, I'm the mayor of Ordon Village. I've never seen you before in my life. Are you sure the damage that man gave you didn't make you lose your mind?"

"Dad!" Ilia shouted, horrified at her dad's callousness, "Don't say that!"

The boy grew silent. 'What's happening here?' he wondered, 'I... I was only gone for five months... I was... I was...'

For a scary moment, he forgot why he was gone for five months.

'...Why am I here again? Because I... I'm looking for someone…'

To his horror, names, people, places, events – his memories – began slipping from his mind.

In a moment of desperation, his mind grasped onto a single word (No, not a word, his mind supplied, a name): 'Midna,' but the boy floundered. 'Midna? Who's Midna?'

A sense of fear and hopelessness washed over him. 'What's happening?'

Then, suddenly, a neigh was heard was just outside.

"I'll go check on the horse," Rusl said, and went outside.

The boy suddenly remembered.

'I'm here because I live here. I'm here because a man who looked like Ganondorf attacked me. And that was my horse, Epona,' Link remembered, the familiar sound of his horse bringing back his memories. 'And I was gone for five months because I was looking for... for Midna...'

Midna.

It all came flooding back into his mind.

The long journey he took not too long ago, the enemies he faced, the friends he made, and the experience he knew no one else would ever know or ever experience. And then, there was the name that branded him as a hero. The Hero of Twilight.

The boy then remembered her. The Twilight Princess. And the shattered Mirror of Twilight, the Mirror Chamber in Arbiter's Ground that disappeared as though it had never been there in the first place, and the fact that the two realms were now separated forever.

'And that's why I spent the last five months searching for Midna,' he remembered.

"Are you okay?" Uli asked, concerned, snapping him out of his thoughts.

The boy nodded. "I... I'm fine. But... but I do live here," he said.

"...How about we start with your name before we get any farther?" Uli offered.

He took a breath. "My name's Link," he answered.

Ilia cocked her head, testing it on her lips. "Link..." she said, "An odd name, but it sounds nice."

Bo agreed, "Link, huh? A fine name for a young lad."

"No last name?" Uli asked.

Link shook his head. Suddenly, a thought struck him as he laid his eyes on his bag, an idea forming. "Could you pass me my bag, please?"

Uli nodded, handing him the worn bag. Link opened it and dug around, a feeling of relief washing over him as he grabbed the familiar object that held many memories. And a bond of friendship.

Holding it up, he turned to Ilia. "Don't you remember this?" he asked, desperation in his voice, "You gave it to me in Kakariko Village."

Ilia, however, just glanced at it in curiosity. "I'm sorry," she apologized, sounding genuinely sorry, "I've never seen it before. Well, I've wanted to make one for a horse that Fado is going to buy to help him watch over the goats. But I haven't even decided on the design or how I'm going to make it yet."

Link's heart almost broke at her words. 'They really don't remember,' he thought sadly. 'It's just like... just like what happened in Castle Town.'

Link recalled, 'I was going through Castle Town to see if they were any leads on the Mirror of Twilight,' he thought as he glanced at the mirror which was hung up on the wall in Ilia's living room. It reminded him eerily of the Mirror of Twilight. He noted that the castle seemed to be more busier than before, and that even Telmas's Bar had a lot of people in it, too. But a certain Rusl wasn't there.

That was when things became strange.

Telma, herself, asked who he was. The Princess, who the boy fought evil with, threatened to send guards after him if he didn't state his reason for being in the castle. The Resistance, a group that (apparently) fought against a group that threatened to overrule the King and won, shooed him away as though he were a mere little kid. Nothing was right.

Then, Telma suddenly gave the boy a bone-crushing hug. The Princess smiled and invited him to sit down, and the Resistance called him back, asking him, "Where are you going?" as though nothing happened earlier. The boy shrugged it off then.

'And in the end, I came up empty-handed throughout that entire search. No leads, no nothing. I suppose... that really was the only link from their realm to the Twilight realm...'

But that wasn't what was important right now.

'It's no coincidence,' Link thought. He knew better than to ignore such obvious hints that something was going on, and that it wasn't good. And now that reality was staring him in the face, Link indefinitely knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

The strange feeling came back. It was evident throughout the five-month journey he took directly after his long journey. That strange feeling... It was always there, always probing him in the back of his mind. Like frost forming on the back of his neck.

"You don't... remember?" Link asked, his voice near cracking point.

Ilia nodded. Uli sighed as she stood up. "Why don't you rest for now?" she asked, "It looks like you need it."

Link gave a empty nod, his mind blank, his heart aching. "Okay," he muttered, his voice so soft it didn't even sound like he said anything at all.

Slowly, one by one, they went out, Bo first, followed by Ilia, and lastly, Uli. As the door closed, Link bit back the urge to scream.

"Nothing... nothing makes sense..." he murmured, his voice cracking this time.

"Is the horse alright?" Ilia asked as she exited the house.

Rusl nodded. "I think she was just worried about the boy," he said as he carefully stroked her. Though the horse looked tame and friendly, he didn't want to risk it. He knew how dangerous angry horses could be, especially with legs like hers.

Ilia glanced at the horse curiously. "Wow... she's a amazing horse," she said, breathless at the sight of the horse.

The horse neighed.

"What was her name again?" she asked.

"I think it was... Epona," Bo said.

The horse neighed again in acknowledgment.

Ilia smiled. "Epona... what a lovely name."

The horse seemed to like that.

And suddenly, Ilia felt a strange tugging at her heart. A bond that seemed to form between the horse and her, and strangely enough... that strange boy and her.

'I... I don't even know him... do I?'

..

The presence of Twilight was always mysterious. It was like a unknown force that slowly sneaked into the day, embracing both sides of light and dark, yet favoring neither. A mutual race it was, it was always fascinating to watch.

Link awoke as Twilight approached. He didn't know why he always could sense when Twilight came. After he'd been transform into a wolf, Link felt as if he was apart of the Twilight realm as well. And being there when Twilight descending was the only way he could truly feel he was with her again... Midna.

Today, Twilight came later than usual. It was eight by the time Twilight finally passed, and Link was careful to seem as though he was still asleep as Ilia and Bo quietly descended the stairs to their rooms to not wake their supposedly sleeping guest.

Once Link heard the doors close, and the sound of two people breathing as they slept, he sat up slowly, determined to figure out just what was going on.

'I look like a wreck,' Link thought as he observed himself in the mirror. 'From the looks of it, it'll take at least a week to heal before I can move properly again.' Link slipped on his tunic and quietly crept out of the house.

"Epona," Link whispered, looking around for his horse. He didn't see her anywhere.

'I'm guessing she's at Fado's farm,' Link thought. 'That's not good. Once the bulls notice me, they'll definitely charge. They charge at anyone who comes in during the night.'

Link glanced back at the farm. 'Sorry girl,' he thought, 'I'll come back for you as soon as I get my answers.'

With that, Link sneaked out of Ordon Farm.

"O' Hero chosen by the Goddesses..." a voice rung as a bright orb of light sprung from the top of the Spring.

Link felt relief wash over him as he saw the familiar spirit that guarded Faron Province. It proved to him that the journey he took was real; that he wasn't going crazy.

"Ordona," Link spoke, "why do my friends not remember me?"

"It is the work of evil," the spirit answered, "That man you faced bears a sacred power – The Triforce of Power."

Link's eyes widened. 'That explains the strange glowing I saw when he almost fired at Ilia,' he realized, 'But that also means that... Ganondorf is...'

"Yes, Hero," Ordona said, "Ganondorf is truly dead. The evil which has tortured us for many centuries is finally long gone, but that brings upon yet another horrible reality. The Triforce of Power must find a new bearer, and the person it chose was the man you faced."

"Who is this man?" Link asked.

"That, I can not tell you as of yet," Ordona said. "This man, however, has managed to erase all of Hyrule's memory of you ever existing. I do not know what his plans are yet, but beware, Hero. He is much stronger than any other evil you have ever faced."

And with those parting words, Ordona disappeared, her bright light disappearing and the darkness neared in again. Link stayed silent as he absorbed her words.

'A enemy much stronger than Ganondorf who terrorized Hyrule for more than a century?' Link thought. Fear seemed to engulf him as the words finally seemed to sink in.

"Link."

Link, startled, whipped around. But he was greeted with the sight of none other than his beloved horse, Epona. He grinned. "I thought I'd never hear you speak again," he said, "Why now?"

Epona seemed to mock-glare at him for that. "Why else?" she asked.

'Heh, even though the last link to the Twilight realm was broken, I can still understand creatures – animals – even without the help of the Twilight stone,' Link thought, 'But when Epona didn't talk to me, I thought I was going crazy... again.'

Silence fell.

"What are you going to do now, Link?" Epona questioned, breaking the silence, "No one remembers you. From what Ordona said, this man is much stronger than Ganondorf as well."

Link sighed. "I... I don't know," he admitted, "It's just so much to take in. Where am I suppose to go? I can't stay in Ordon Village... chances are, that man will come back and try to kill me – and kill the others as well."

"...Castle Town."

"Huh?"

"Ever since Hyrule Castle was destroyed, it's been renovating, remember? You can stay there for awhile. With all the construction going on, I doubt they'd ever notice someone new," Epona offered.

'It's true,' Link mused.

After the last and final fight, Hyrule Castle was destroyed. During his five-month journey, Link himself observed many of the changes going on. It could work...

'But it just doesn't feel right,' Link thought.

"Another day to think about it?" Epona asked.

"...It depends..." Link murmured. He couldn't just leave everything to go to Castle Town. He couldn't just give up all hope and believe that everyone truly lost their memory. He just couldn't.

But he had to.

Link sighed. After a moment of silence, he said, "Let me go get my bag first... and leave them a note. It wouldn't be right to just leave them like that."

Epona nodded, accepting that as an answer.

As Link walked back towards the village, he noticed something he hadn't in his haste to get to Ordon Springs. Where his house used to be... was just a pile of fresh dirt.

Piles and piles of dead branches and decaying leaves were gathered to the sides. An axe lay next to a wheelbarrow full of chopped wood, and a watering hose was coiled on the ground. Fading burn marks scorched the ground.

He no longer had a home to go back to.

..

"Dad? Is something the matter?" Ilia asked, covering her mouth as she yawned right after. Her normally straight blond hair was a bit messy, growing longer after she decided not to cut it for a couple of months. Morning had come by so fast, and she was feeling the effects of it.

"No, not really, Ilia," her dad called from below. "Up already?"

"Yeah, I have to go tutor Collin today," Ilia answered, running a hand through her hair.

"Mmh..."

Ilia frowned. 'Something's wrong,' she thought, 'Dad's worrying about something.'

"Dad, are you sure nothing's wrong?" she asked as she descended the stairs. "You're never up this early, too, especially on weekends."

Ilia stopped at the sight of her father and Uli sitting at the table, tension in both of their faces.

Uli smiled, but it seemed strained. "Good morning, Ilia."

"Alright, now I know something is wrong," Ilia said as she walked over. Uli never was here this early in there morning, and her smiles were never forced.

"Well..." Her dad sighed. "Yes, there is something wrong. Come, take a look at this."

Curiously, Ilia walked over to her dad. In his hands, there was a paper – a note, to be exact. It read:

Dear Bo,

I am grateful to you for saving my life. I thank you much for your hospitality, but I'm afraid I can not stay. I do hope you do not take this the wrong way, but I am doing this for your safety. I am in your debt, and I hope to be back soon.

Link.

Ilia frowned as she stared at her dad and Uli, voicing the exact same question they were thinking.

"Who's Link?"

..

Ilia sighed as she stared out her window. The note left inside their home was brushed off as a prank by someone (presumably by the Postmaster, who was always shot by a slingshot, courtesy of Talo and Malo).

Speaking of the two, they were playing outside, running around with Beth and Colin. Ilia smiled as she watched them.

"They look like they're having fun," she murmured. "But... it's so lonely... for me, at least." Ilia sighed as she fell back onto her bed and glanced up at the ceiling. Memories flashed through her head of herself when she was much, much younger. Perhaps around the age of five or six. However, these memories were very faint and blurry, yet they felt so precious to her. It scared Ilia to know that one day, she might forget about the memories.

But her memories always puzzled her.

Because in them, there was an unnamed blond-haired boy and his horse.

..

A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days...

..