Author's note: This story uses the Link from the games Link to the past, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, and Link's awakening (in that particular order) and is set after the events of all of those games.

Chapter 1

Above all else, Link hated the desert.

The shifting and blowing sands were all around him, burning his eyes and and nostrils, and filling his boots with sand as he walked. A vicious sandstorm had just blown up recently, and the howling winds threatened to tear the flesh clean off of his bones. The hero could only see a few feet in front of him or behind him, as the storm obscured everything out beyond that. How he wished he wasn't out here.

"Are you all right back there, master Link?" A voice called out from somewhere ahead.

A short, middle aged man wearing a hooded cloak to protect himself from the buffeting winds walked back towards Link. "When you fell behind, I was afraid you had been attacked by a Leever or a Geldman!" This was Solon, a nomad living in the desert, whom Link had hired to act as his guide.

"No Solon, I'm fine." Link replied, shielding his face from the blowing sands with his arm. "Let's keep moving." The guide nodded, and they continued their march forward.

Link had first met Solon when he had came out into the Desert of Mystery, on his quest to find the pendant of Power. The old Nomad had been a thief in Kakariko Village, until he moved out to the desert to get away from his old life of crime. When Link found him, he was pretending to be a crazy old hermit, so people would leave him alone. In exchange for keeping the old man's secret, Solon had opened a locked Treasure chest for the hero, and still aided him when he needed help in the Desert.

As they trekked across the endless sea of sand, Link held his green hat down tightly on his head, to keep it from blowing off. "How much farther is it, Solon?" The hero asked in an annoyed voice.

"Not much farther, my friend!" The desert nomad replied, smiling. "Soon, you will have what you came for!"

"Great..." Link replied, as he thought back to exactly what he had come here for...

Kakariko Village, three days ago-

Link had been summoned to Kakariko village by Sharalsha, the town elder, on an urgent matter that required the hero's attention.

"The town of Ruto's water supply has been cursed Link!" Saralsha told the Hero solemnly. "Anyone who drinks the foul water falls into a sleep from which they do not awaken!"

"But what can I do to help, elder?" Link asked, puzzled. "I can't lift curses! I'm a hero, not a mage!"

"There is an old tale of an enchanted trophy that can remove and purify curses." The elder replied, stroking his long, white beard. "It was once used by the Gerudo to purify their water supplies in the Desert."

"...And you want me to retrieve the Trophy!" Link said, a smile creeping across his face. "Now that I can do! Where does the story say this trophy can be found now?"

"The legend says the Gerudo sealed the trophy in a cave for safekeeping, before fleeing from the desert when the flood waters covered Hyrule." Sharalsha pointed at a map of Hyrule on the wall. "When the flood waters drained away, the Gerudo never reclaimed the trophy when they returned to the desert... and it is believed to be there still."

"Then I shall find it!" Link proclaimed boldly.

--

Link wondered about that promise now, as he walked deeper into the desert of mystery than he ever had before. The hero said a silent prayer to the goddesses that there were no Gerudo bands patrolling the area, lest they attack two thieves trying to steal one of their ancient treasures. "Gerudoes attacking thieves... now there's irony for you." The hero said to himself with a chuckle.

"We're here, master Link!" Solon said suddenly. Looking up, Link found himself facing a large rock wall, eroded heavily by the desert. In the center was a large slab, with the ancient Hylian language written on it. "Door is supposed to weigh a hundred tons ... how you gonna get in?" Solon asked incredulously.

"Like this." Link replied smugly. Reaching into his bag, the hero pulled out a pair of large golden gauntlets, and slipped them on. "These little beauties are called the Titan's mitts... now watch!" Link easily picked up the slab, and hurled it away like a child's toy. The large door flew several hundred feet into the air, and the two Hylians heard it go crashing down somewhere off in the distance.

"That... was incredible!" Solon said in amazement.

"These things give me the strength of a hundred gorons." He walked into the entrance of the cave. "You wait here, just inside the entrance, I'll be back soon."

"Yes master Link!" Solon replied eagerly. "I don't wanna tangle with whatever nasties are in there anyway!"

Nodding, Link pulled out his lantern, and lit it. As he descended into the cave, the hero focused his attention to the matter at hand. The darkness of the cave seemed to close in on Link, the meager light of his lamp being the only thing that held it at bay. Their was only total and utter silence surrounding him, which made the hero all the more nervous. There had to be air getting into the cave somehow, Link realized, as he had no trouble breathing.

As he pressed forward, the tiny cave opened into a large, vaulted cavern. Looking around at the ceiling, Link saw the walls decorated with both ancient Hylian writing, and Zuna Hieroglyphics. "Nice atmosphere...I love the decor" Link muttered to himself. It was just then that the hero noticed several large stone coffins arranged in a circle around a large pedestal. And there, on the pedestal, stood the very object that Link was looking for, a large golden trophy that glinted in the darkness.

"Okay, I've been in enough dungeons to know what's gonna happen here." Link thought to himself. "I snag that trophy, and a whole swarm Stalfos or redead or something comes pouring out of those coffins to devour my brains." Setting down the lantern, Link reached into his bag again. "Well, let's see if I can't outsmart this little trap." Pulling out his hookshot, he aimed carefully for the trophy. He fired the hookshot, the chain shot out and...

SPROING! It snatched the trophy, and brought it safely back into Link's waiting arms. Just then, Link heard several rumbling sounds, as the lids on the sarcophagi began to slide off, and several bandaged figures began to emerge.

"Gibidos... great." Link muttered to himself. Turning around, he grabbed his lantern from the flor, and dashed back towards the entrance.

Link was almost to the opening that led outside, when a large black blade swung up right in front of his throat, stopping him dead in his tracks. "That's far enough boy." A raspy voice that sounded just like his own hissed. "I'll be taking that trophy, Thank you."

"Wha?" Link looked over and saw a shadowy version of himself with red glowing eyes holding a sword at his throat. Even though Link had never seen this creature before, he immediately knew what he was. "Shadow Link?! What in Din's fire are you doing here?!"

"Oh, just preventing you from ruining my plans is all." The evil shade said with a smirk. "Who do you think it was who had the Wizzrobes curse Ruto town's water supply? I'm sure the townspeople will surrender their town to Ganon's army, in exchange for having their water purified and the cursed sleeping citizens cured. But I can't do that if you bring that trophy back, now can I?" He pushed the blade right up against Link's throat. "Hand it over!"

Unable to reach his sword, Link had no choice but to fork over the trophy. Sneering, Shadow Link also grabbed the Hero's lantern. "Oh, and I'll take these, as well!" He replied, pointing to the golden gauntlets. Link took them off, and tossed them to shadow Link.

"Thank you for being so cooperative hero." He looked back outside the cave. "Servant! Put these gauntlets on my arms, and grab the trophy!"

"Coming, master!" Solon replied, running into the cave, and doing as Shadow Link commanded.

"Solon!?" Link yelled in anger and surprise. "You vile little-"

"I offered him more Rupees than you did." Shadow Link replied. "He was secretly leading me here when he was leading you here, as well."

"You really should pay more, Master Link." Solon mocked.

"And now, I leave the Gibido to their meal." Shadow Link said smugly, pulling his sword away from Link's throat, and kicking im back against the wall. "Try not to give them indigestion!"

By the time the infuriated Link Leaped back to his feet and drew his sword, Shadow Link had already used the gauntlets to reseal the cave's entrance with a large boulder. Behind him, Link could already hear the sounds of the Gibidos shuffling towards him in the dark.

"Great...just...Great" link muttered. As the bandaged mummies surged forward, Link wildly swung his sword around in the dark. He could hear the screams of the mummies again and again, and felt his sword hack into several of the creatures' limbs, and he felt a thick liquid begin to ooze out over his wrist as he sliced. He could tell he was causing the Gibdoes pain, even if he couldn't see it. Finally, several of them managed to pin him down, swarming all over the hero.

Link struggled against the Gibdos, their rotting, bandaged hands grabbing at his green tunic,tearing it. The stench of their decomposing flesh nearly overwhelmed Link, but he held on. Getting one hand free he was able to reach down into his pouch, he dug around, desperately searching for the one item that could get him out of this mess. And just as several Gibdoes teeth began to sink into his flesh, he found what he was looking for.

"Eat fire rod, Pussbags!"

Whipping out the fire rod, he sent a stream of flames hurling at his tormentors. They were all driven back, as the red hot flames came roaring towards them. Many of the Gibidos burst into flames instantly, and began running around the cavern in a panic, like cuccos with their heads cut off. Swinging his sword in one hand, and spewing flames out of the rod in the other,the Hero sliced and burned his way through the swarm, covering the entire cave in burned gibdo parts, and black ooze.

Finally, Link ceased his frenzied attack. All of the Gibdoes were either dead, or had fled back into the depths of the cave. Gasping for air, Link looked back at the sealed entrance. "Only one way out of this place." He said to no one in particular. Pulling a bomb out of his pouch, he lit the fuse, set it at the door, and ran back into the cave. A massive explosion rocked the desert, as the entrance to the cave was blasted wide open.

Link stumbled out into the sands, glad to be out of that Gibdo-infested hole. After feeling the monster's wrecthed skin -blackened and covered with pus-filled sores- against his own flesh, the searing and howling winds of the desert felt like little more than a warm spring breeze to him now. Looking down at himself, he noticed his tunic was half torn off of his body, and he was covered with scratches and bites all over his body. His hands were covered in dried blood, both the Gibdos, and his own.

"Oh Goddesses... I'm a mess." he thought to himself. What was he going to do now? Link would have to go back and tell Saralsha he had failed, and that the people of Ruto were doomed. Cursing under his breath, we swore he would make Shadow Link pay, once he got out of this desert...

That is, if he got out of this desert.

With no guide to aid him, Link began to walk forward, with no particular destination in mind. Eventually, he reasoned, he would have to come to something. He continued to walk for what seemed an eternity, growing more weary with each step he took. Soon, the sandstorm ended, and the hot desert sun was beating down upon him. Link had lost all track of time, and felt his eyes becoming heavy. As his last ounce of strength failed him, the Hero collapsed onto the sand.

"So this is how it ends, huh?" Link thought to himself. Looking up into the sky, he saw several helmaroc Vultures circling overhead. "Don't worry, you guys will have your meal soon enough!" The hero managed to rasp out. "Better you gnawing on my innards than those damn mummies!"

The Hero know that this was the end... after all of his adventures, he was finally going to die. Well, at least he had lived a full life! And surely the Hero of Time, the Hero of Twilight, the Hero of the Winds, and all of his other ancestors would welcome him into the halls of the dead with a great feast!

It was then that Link began to hallucinate- seeing all the people who had been important in his life... his uncle, who had raised him, and taught him the way of the sword. Saralsha, who had taught the lore of ancient Hyrule, and had explained exactly what it meant to be a hero. He also thought of Bippin and Blossom, the young couple who had made Link the godfather of their child. The boy so wanted to grow up to be just like Link ... his hero.

And he thought of the girls, as well. Zelda, the kind princess of Hyrule, who he had rescued from the dungeons of the Wizard Agahnim, and who he could never be with, as their two bloodlines must never cross. He thought of Maple, the young witch-in-training who he kept crashing into whenever she rode on her broomstick. Although she said she found Link annoying, he was sure she had a crush on him. And then there was Marin, the singing beauty of Kolnohoit island, whom he would never see again. He wondered... if any of them knew he was about to die... would any of them shed a tear?

Just then, Link imagined he heard several horses come galloping up, and soon saw several Gerudo warrior women standing over him. "Now this is a strange Mirage." The hero thought to himself. Out from among them, a Beautiful red haired Half-Gerudo came running up to him.

"LINK! What are you doing out here, are you all right?!" Her long red ponytail, and pointed ears seemed familiar to his hazy mind... who was it?

Din...yes... the Dancer from Holodrum, the Oracle of Seasons whom he had saved from Onox, general of darkness. How fitting that this girl named for the goddess of power should be the last hallucination he see before moving on to the afterlife, for she was the one he felt the most for. As the last bits of his consciousness drained away from him, he imagined he felt himself lifted on to a wooden cart, with Din gently cradling his head in her lap. Then, closing his eyes, the Hero drew what he believed to be his last breath.

And with that, the Hero of Cataclysm's eve knew no more.