Disclaimer: I do not owe any of the characters in the Zelda series and all credit goes to the creators of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I do, however, own any characters I make up and I will specify which ones are mine.

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Prologue

Link cast his gaze up at the moon through the window, the pale beams of the glowing orb in the heavens the only light in the room. It was times like this, when everything was serene and still, that he could think back on seven years ago, when he'd traveled through time to save the land of Hyrule. And with those memories, he would remember him.

Link turned around swiftly at the soft whisper of sound behind him that no ordinary elf would hear. It was because of his experience in adventuring, that he could even hear it.

An eye the color of red blood met his own blue, topaz orbs, and Link relaxed, as the strange Sheikah straightened to his full height from his crouch and slowly approached him.

"The flow of time is always cruel . . . Its speed seems different for every person, but no one can change it . . . a thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days . . . In order to come back here again, play the Minuet of Forest." The voice, as when Link had first met him, was serious, low, guarded.

As the Sheikah pulled out his harp and glanced briefly at the hero, Link obediently pulled out his ocarina, and began to imitate the notes strummed on the harp . . .

In all seriousness, Link wasn't sure what to really think about Sheik at all. Of course, Sheik had turned out to be Zelda, but Sheik had seemed like a totally separate person in the brief periods Link had encountered him. Either Zelda was a really good actor, or Link was just living in a fantasy world.

"You need to get some sleep, Link," Zelda's head peered through his doorway suddenly, and if Link hadn't been used to sudden appearances and surprises, it would have startled him. Her cerulean blue eyes were framed with long, golden lashes, and her lips were shapely and full, but she held no attraction for him, no matter how beautiful she was. Link thought of Zelda far too much as a sister.

Link let out a breath, watching as a shock of his thick golden hair flipped up from the burst of air. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "I used to go without sleep all the time, Zelda. I can do it now."

"The point is that you don't have to, now." Zelda retorted, annoyed. Link promptly ignored her.

"I just don't understand why you're so depressed these days. You saved Hyrule seven years ago, Link. It's been seven years! Do you not register that?" She moved into the room and Link heard the soft swish of her pink skirt against the floor as the moved over to him. Her musical voice was urgent. "Seven long years have passed in peace and prosperity, and yet, you sit here, moping as if we're experiencing the hell we went through all over again! What's a matter with you?"

Link lifted his eyes heavenwards again. "I don't know. Loneliness, maybe?"

"You have me," Zelda sat down on the opposite side of the window sill, gazing intently at him. She patted his knee reassuringly.

Link sighed. "I don't mean like that, Zelda. I need . . . a companion. I need someone like . . ."

"Like a friend?" Zelda supplied.

"Someone like Navi." Link finished sadly. "I never understood why she left."

Zelda glanced down at her gloved hands, saying gently, "She came to me later that night after she left you and told me she had no other choice. You were a Hylian-- therefore, she was not allowed to remain with you. Faced with those circumstances, I don't think she had a choice but to leave. You don't blame her, do you?"

Link shook his head. "No. It wasn't her fault."

Zelda nodded. "Precisely. Do you think that maybe . . ." she blushed, "A woman in your life could lighten things up a bit?"

Link snorted with laughter. "Perhaps," He smiled, a little, glancing at Zelda, who was smiling in return. "I could always take Ruto up on her offer." he murmured.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "No offense to Ruto, but I think you need someone closer to your own race,"

Link laughed. "Point taken. Malon?" He lifted an eyebrow.

Zelda grinned. "Not a bad choice, but think . . . Isn't there someone else you're forgetting?"

Link's eyes widened. "Nabooru!? Are you serious?"

Zelda laughed. "Well, it was a thought. She was pretty."

Link blushed, looking down. "I never said she wasn't." he mumbled. Zelda just giggled.

"Well, I think you would make a fine match for Nabooru." Zelda replied.

Link just shook his head, standing up suddenly and saying, "I'm going outside for a little while. And please, refrain yourself from arranging a marriage while I'm gone." he added, recalling the last time he and Zelda had had a conversation like this.

Zelda pouted. "It wasn't a marriage, it was simply a date."

"Yeah, well, it felt like marriage," Link muttered, before moving from the room of the inn and down into the empty tavern. It was so empty because it was late at night, and everyone was either asleep or prowling around outside or with their lovers(he forced himself not to think too explicitly about that kind of thing).

Link stepped out into the small town of Kakariko, stretching with a yawn(he wasn't about to let Zelda see that he was tired)and glancing around lazily. Everything was still, quiet.

He turned to the left, and rounded the corner of the small inn, heading up the small series of steps that led to the well. He moved up to it and gazed down the empty stone well, shuddering as he recalled the memories of having to venture down within its depths.

Seven years ago, he had witnessed Sheik being attacked by Bongo-Bongo, the evil spirit supposedly sealed down within the well. Remembering how he'd been attacked after Sheik, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

Screams echoed throughout the tiny village, and the smell of smoke was thick in the air. Link looked around with wide, alarmed eyes, seeing the red roofs of houses on fire, seeing the menacing yellowish green of the sky above.

Link rushed towards the well as he saw the blue and black-clad figure in front of it, but before he could say anything, Sheik ordered, "Get back, Link!"

Link turned around to survey the village behind him, confused as to what was going on, and all he heard was a cry of pain and he whipped back around, just in time to see Sheik flung violently through the air. Sheik crashed to the ground quite a few feet away with a grunt, and Link rushed down to his side, demanding, "Are you all right?"

Link drew his sword as he saw the red mist issuing along the ground toward him, and Sheik reached a hand out toward him, choking out, "Link, no--"

Everything went black.

"Looks like you're coming around . . . " Link looked up into the single ruby-red eye that was visible, and sighed, feeling his head was pounding.

"Link . . . a terrible thing has happened! The evil shadow spirit has been released! Impa, the leader of Kakariko village, had sealed the evil shadow spirit in the bottom of the well . . . But the force of the evil spirit got so strong, the seal of the well broke, and it escaped into the world! I believe Impa has gone to the Shadow Temple to seal it again, but . . . she will be in danger without any help! Link! Impa is one of the six Sages . . . Destroy the evil shadow spirit and save Impa! There is an entrance to the Shadow Temple beneath the graveyard behind this village. The only thing I can do for you is teach you the melody that will lead you to the Shadow Temple . . . This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time . . . Listen to this, the Nocturne of Shadow!" Sheik withdrew his harp, and Link also withdrew his ocarina.

Once the last notes of the melody echoed hauntingly through the village, Sheik stowed his harp away and said urgently, "Let me take care of the village! I'm counting on you, Link!"

Link snapped from his memories once again, sighing. He didn't know what he needed, truly. He didn't know why he felt so depressed lately. He wasn't really sure of anything anymore.

What he did know was that the years of 'prosperity and peace', as Zelda called it, weren't as peaceful and prosperous as she liked to think. He'd seen more and more monsters about the fields of Hyrule lately, and he had the feeling that sooner or later something would be going on. He wasn't sure what, but it was coming, whatever it was.

Even as he thought it, Link glanced down into the well once more and was startled to hear a groan from the depths of it. It sounded definitely male, and it sounded in pain.

Hesitating, Link called, "Is anyone down there?"

He waited. There was silence. He was about to dismiss it as a trick of his imagination before he heard a weak voice respond, saying, "Yes! Please give me your assistance in getting out! I'm afraid I don't have strength to pull myself from this blasted well!"

Suspicious and cautious, Link peered down into the well, seeing the dark, humanoid figure at the bottom. He made sure to be completely silent as he slowly pulled back and withdrew his sword, before leaning back over and saying, "I'll shoot my hookshot down there. You'll have to grab onto the chain quickly before it comes back and it will pull you up. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." came the tired reply. The voice sounded very strange, very foreign. But Link didn't pay it any attention.

He withdrew his hookshot from one of the pouches in his belt, before he aimed it towards one of the rungs on the ladder and pulled the trigger, feeling the force of the chain springing forth jolt his arm. He swiftly pressed another trigger on the hookshot so it wouldn't yank him forward, but would instead withdraw back.

Link could feel the weight as the hookshot reeled back in, and he used both his arms to hold the chain until he saw a tuft of blond hair beginning to emerge from the top. He gripped slender shoulders and heaved the person up, and was startled as the person leaned on him and caused him to lose his balance, making them both tumble back onto the grass in a tangle of limbs.

When Link detached himself from the other man(he found out it was a man very quickly)he looked to the face, to see if the person was recognizable. He glimpsed a flash of red, a hidden face--

"Sheik!?" Link gasped.

I know it's really short, but tell me what you think so far and if you think I should keep going. -Gives huge grin- I want to know if I should continue.