Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Zelda universe, not even stock in Nintendo. I'm sure you understand that if I did, I wouldn't be writing a FAN fiction, if I had any real control...

With much adieu, I give you my second attempt at a fanfiction! Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Impromptu

The moon rides high in it's orbit, it's cascade of light bathing everything below it in an ethereal blue-white glow. The snow on the ground is fresh, only laid down an hour or so earlier. The tree's retain their needles, but others lose their leaves, nature not making any sense to most persons who might observe it.

"hunna...ugh...mah, ack...", came from a grumbling form we cannot see.

One tree we can see, has a ladder and deck built onto it, along with an opening covered by a thick cloth. If one was to simply brush it aside, they would gain entrance. Stepping into the room, we'd find a small bed occupied by a body that's just a little too big for it, and a well furnished, tidy room.

Here, our sight ends, as another's begins...

Ruins are everywhere, the ground black and cracked, the sky red and dusty. This is the picture one gets, when thinking about the end of the world. With a harsh wind blowing, and the dust filling his lungs, Link coughs as he looks around for something, anything to tell him where he is

A piercing shriek has Link's sword jump into his hand and spin around. With a shocked gasp, he almost drops it, and Link then noticed what he was actually holding. It's not his trusted gilded sword, it's the double helix blade he grew familiar with in Termina. Eyes prying forward, Link was aghast with disgust, and fear at what was in front of him.

Three gleaming triangles that have been so familiar to him, but different. Tilted onto their point, that wasn't the thing that made his stomach cringe. Zelda was nailed upon it, hanging sullenly with a paleness only death can bring. With his fear still in his chest, Link reached forward to remove a nail and leaped back when he saw her head move.

"Link...", the head had said, as it twisted almost mechanically till it was sideways to the ground, natural but unnatural all at the same time. Her eyes open but unfocused, Link can feel his soul being pierced as he stood there before this... abomination of everything he's ever known.

"The world will be undone, if not stopped", was barely audible on the whipping wind. Simultaneous with that, Zelda began bucking against the nails, her body gyrating and thumping against the Triforce, trying to get off.

"The Hero, The Princess, The Thief", again this was barely able to be heard upon the fearsome winds, and again made more difficult by the piercing screech emitting from Zelda, her body still trying to buck it's way off the nails.

"The Fallen, The Dancer, The Gladiator", the wind at a crescendo now, the black-red dust filling Link's nose, his lungs, his skin, everything. Zelda's piercing wails have toned down to the moans of a dying woman, as if that was any better. Blood has begun to seep from her ears, and eyes, along with where she was nailed to the Triforce.

"All are necessary, each must come", the voice spoke in a subdued whisper again. With this, the wind stopped suddenly, the dust in the air simply... Floating, in this space. Zelda hung there, limply. The Triforce was dull, used up looking.

"Before the end", and this whisper spoken in complete silence seemed to reverberate across this land, this place of desecration, this place of unholy disgust. Link stepped backwards, and crunched something underfoot. Looking at it, he saw it was the shards of the Kokiri Emerald. Off to the side he saw the Goron Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire.

The Temple of Time? In ruins? Behind the Triforce was a broken Mastersword, it's blade rusted and in disrepair.

Zelda suddenly filled his vision, her torn and bloodied royal dress, her arms and legs with holes he could see all the way through, her hair so matted and brittle at the same time. Her arms circled around him, encircled him with her death, her eyes not seeing as she tilted her face to his...

"Save me Link.. Save me from you."

With that, this world shattered. The stench he just noticed, the cracked dry earth, the ruins of what he knew so well, the blood red sky, all gone.

All that remains, is his room, his bed, his childhood. His twelve year old body was whole, was fit, and Link was relieved not covered by the sickening grime of that... nightmare. With a groan, Link gets up careful to not wake Navi sleeping on his pillow. With his bare feet on the cold floor, Link was swift. To his flap he looked outside, just after midnight.

"Still time to sleep, I suppose..." was uttered from him. Turning back to his bed, he stopped and just looked at it. At the head of it, next to where his face was, was the mask from Termina. Not a mask, the mask. The one that gave him an adult Hylian body, if not that of a god... Grabbing it, Link stuffs it back into his sack, and jumps into bed under the somehow icy cold covers again.

With practiced ease, Link falls asleep again, to forget his troubles but he couldn't help but utter, "before the end".

The moon's arc ended quickly, time speeding forward, waiting for no man. The sun cracked over the tree filled horizon, the bright light illuminating everything in it's golden rays. With this, Link's covered windows let in dimmed light, going from almost pitch black, to workably sight oriented. A groan emerged from Link's form, as the light hit his eyelids as it caused him to roll over and hide from it.

However, a green demon stood in his doorway, the drape swung widely to the side. If one could see this, they would know that this...being, to put it so, sole purpose was the causing of pain to others. A slight cackle was heard, and a lilting voice bespoke, "Link..."

Link groaned in automatic response, seeking to slumber that extra hour or so... But the demon would have none of this! She, the demon was a she, jumped upon him! With the rustling of fabric and gasps and groans, Link was awoken.

"Leave me, foul beast! Sleep is mine only repose from this world so cruel!" cried Link, his mouth working before his mind.

"Whiner, you'd get up at noon if I'd let you!" screamed the indignant girl, Saria. She crossed her arms as she sat cross legged, at the side of his bed. Picking up something from the nearby table, she thrust it under Link's nose.

"Wassat?" Link asked slightly cross-eyed, holding the underside of the bowl with his hand automatically, and looking for a spoon, before snatching it out of Saria's hand. Naturally Link spooned it into his mouth, the whitish yellow goop strangely appetizing.

"Link. It's porridge. You ask me this every day, and I say the same thing... I added a bit of honey to it, as well." She smirked as Link's face blanched when he got a spoonful of the substance that hadn't been stirred in.

"Too much!" Link stuck his tongue out after swallowing, one of his eye's screwing up. Remembering his dream, he rationalized today would be a good day to see Zelda, not that he wanted the apocalypse or anything to come.

"Saria, I'm leaving the forest today." Link said quietly as he set it down beside him in bed. Saria looked at Link with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape.

"I had a dream, that...It's going to sound stupid but... I had a dream that it was up to me to save the world from destruction." Link said this with a tone of finality in his voice, his eyes downcast, his back rigid. He hated moments like this.

"I...Alright Link. I knew you'd leave again, Link. It was just a matter of time..." Saria said with a sad smile on her face. She stood up, and looked around his home. "Should I keep this place up? Or do we let someone else move in...?"

"I'm not really sure Saria, but whatever you do will be right. I have to see Princess Zelda, she's going to be the key to understanding this dream." Link said as he stood up, his bowl of porridge forgotten upon his bed.

"I'll wait over by the log tunnel, the one to the big field we can't go to... Alright?" Saria said with a slightly hopeful look to her, but still smiling her sad smile.

"Alright Saria... Thank you." Link said with little conviction to his voice, hollow sounding to himself. Saria left his room, and he was left alone with the nip of cold.

Pulling closed his drape, Link turned around and began to undress out of his pajamas, into his normal clothes. Leggings, undershirt, tunic, belt, socks, boots. Hat! Instinctively, Link belted on his sword and sheathe, their weight comforting to him. Having slid his shield on, Link fitted his bomb bag, wallet, and hookshot onto his belt. Fitting his boomerang in the small of his back in his belt, Link felt better. Almost forgetting his mask bag, Link threw that on as well, and shoved the Ocarina of Time into his tunic's inside pocket.

Looking around his room, he grabbed his six bottles and stored them about his person somehow, and finished his surveying of his very tidy room. Satisfied he left nothing behind, he threw on a dark green scarf and his old gauntlets and set out.

Climbing down, Link tried to reason out what he was doing. He was leaving the paradise of the Kokiri Forest, to go see Princess Zelda, and explain to her the world is in imminent danger if he didn't save it.

He'd heard worse before. He'd done the same. Feet hitting the ground, Link spun around and crunched his way on the soft snow packed ground to the exit and entrance of the Kokiri Forest, and could see Saria in her green clothes just like his, waiting for him.

"Link! Aren't you forgetting something?" Saria asked as she held onto Navi, who had come back after he returned from Termina. Saria handed Link Navi, and he stuck her under his hat, easily one of the warmest places on him.

"Thanks Saria... She would've never forgiven me if I went on another adventure without her." With that, Link heard Navi grumbling in her tiny voice, telling him to shut up and get on with it, ruining her sleep. Link chuckled with humor as he knew that pain all too well.

Link scooped Saria up in a hug and spun her around, setting her down again. All too soon, both of them were concerned, really. Saria stepped aside from the tunnel, and nodded slowly.

With that, Link took off at a jog into the world outside, glad again to be moving again. Glad to travel. Glad to adventure, his step was light, his feeling on the end of happiness, Link felt... great, for the first time in a long time.

Coming across the final tree that really signified he was out in the Hylian Field, Link shielded his eyes. It was a white winter land, the snow thick, and up to his knees. In the distance he could see the Lon-Lon Ranch, it's great stone walls ever a comfort to any traveler willing to do some work, and any friend of the family.

With a sigh and quick breath of harsh winter air, Link strode forward, content to be moving. Looking at the sky, he noted the clouds were dark and heavy. Not the best news for travel, but he had to move. With urgency in step, Link plodded forward.

About a fifth of the way to the ranch, which meant a tenth of the way to Castle Town, the wind kicked up, blowing loose snow at his side. Again, he continued to move forward, conscious of the impending storm that felt so near.

About halfway to the ranch, Link was about two miles off as the wind worsened even more so. It began to snow as well, causing a white, blinding wind to obscure everything from him. Unable to see ten feet in front of himself, Link shivered in the onslaught. He needed shelter, and soon. His hands began to lose feeling, and his teeth have started their chattering as well.

Link fell down multiple times, his legs either numbed so much and unable to compensate for the terrain, or the wind blowing him over. Link thought he could see a wall in front of him at one point, but it was simply a trick of the eyes, snow, and wind.

After struggling in this snowstorm, a blizzard in truth, Link made it to the gate of the ranch. Stepping inside the walls, he breathed a sigh of relief. He must've been out in that for two and a half hours, maybe more... Disgusting ordeal.

Link made his way to the house, still shivering and chattering, wet and cold. Stepping in, the warmth of the happy fire almost made him pass out. Link looked around, and didn't see Talon, nor Ingo. Making a ruckus, Link tripped over what amounted to be nothing, and crashed onto the floor. Thumping heard upstairs, someone helped him to over by the fire. By the fiery red hair, Link knew it was Malon.

"Link... You need to eat something, and keep moving. You're deathly cold." Malon said to Link, with a determined look in her eyes.

After an hour or so of her ministrations, Link was out of any real danger, and Malon content with Link's status. Icy blue eyes met with warm water, Link finally broke down and smiled, and Malon deepened her smile as well.

"So, what possessed you to leave in this massive snow storm?" Malon asked casually, but was very interested in this, wanting to know if he's actually as crazy as the situation made it look like.

"I had to go to Castle Town. I needed to talk to Zelda, and look through the library there." Link responded openly, freely, and easily.

"That...and it wasn't a snowstorm at the time I was out there. It really all happened so fast... What time is it?" Link said as he took a swig of warmed milk, helping take the residual chills away.

"Well, it's... six thirty? Yeah, six thirty." Malon responded looking at the clock behind Link. After responding, she saw Link deep in thought.

"Well, I left Kokiri Forest at about seven am... and made it out to the field at about seven thirty, and I've been here for about an hour so it...took me ten hours?" Link said in a light mumble retracing everything he had done and figuring out the times, gradually getting louder and louder, till he screamed out the last three words.

"Ten hours? To get from Kokiri Forest to here? Must've been dragging, or gotten twisted around..." Malon said with shock in her eyes. No wonder he came in half frozen, and from the worst storm of the year so far!

"I hardly believe myself, Malon... But the clock isn't wrong, and I know when I left the forest." Link said as he slumped in his chair, enjoying the warm plush blanket about him, and the meaty cushions under him.

"...Are you leaving again, Link?" Malon suddenly asked, flashing back to the times where Link told her fantastic stories about how he went here, or did this, and saved that. She knew he wasn't lying, and it wasn't a boastful story telling. It was almost therapeutic, in that he needed someone to tell, and she was his someone to talk to.

"Yes... Yes I am leaving again." Link said hollowly, not really wanting to now that he was here with his friend, and ruin the joy he was having by simply being around her.

"Oh...I... I see." Malon said sadly, her pretty face screwing up slightly, tears in the corners of her eyes. She continued to look at Link, not moving, and not saying anything else. She wouldn't push him away by going close to him...

"Don't be sad Malon... It just means I'll have more stories for you." Link cooed gently, halfway not believing he'll come back, unsure of if he could really tell her half the things he's ever done. His eye's drooped sadly, knowing no one else he could tell anything to, or tell at all.

"And...if you don't come back?" Malon asked, her face burying itself into the blanket she had around her as she sat across from him, hiding everything but her eyes, and her hair even obscuring those.

"I will, Malon, I will." Link said with a burst of confidence he didn't really feel, with enthusiasm and vigor he didn't really have. Life was uncertain, and Link knew this well.

The wind's howling over the house ceased, and it simply stopped. The two of them looked at each other with a shock about them, and Link jumped up, glad to be out of that conversation. Their quick shuffle to the windows, they saw the sky was clear, and the storm gone. Link and Malon slipped outside, both of them ready to dart should the hint of the storm come back, but the skies were an icy gray, awash in their own darkness subduing the light from the sun.

The storm was over, and so suddenly. Link looked over the horizon to see the moon and sun both in the sky at the same time. An omen to leave, and get on with this. Link turned to Malon and took her into an embrace, his arms squeezing her tightly.

"Don't worry about me Malon. You'll hear my story, one way or another." Link said as he still held onto her, and then let go, and turned away walking already.

"Link... be careful!" Malon shouted at him, stepping forward herself with force. Link looked over his shoulder at her, and waved, disappearing around the corner.

"Silly fairy-boy..." Malon said just above a whisper. Or was she the silly one, for wishing the fairy-boy was hers? She didn't know, and wouldn't. She went inside and sat staring at the fire.

Link trudged through the new snow easily, his spirits high, and his energy back. It was hard shutting the gate, and not running back in to spend more time with Malon but... the duty of a hero is to everyone, even at the expense of himself, he told himself.

Link made it in record time to Castle Town, reaching the gates of the castle at about eight o'clock at night, and made his way up the wall fairly easily.

"Thank the Goddesses for the hookshot..."

First chapter, complete! The chapter of goodbyes, it seems. It'll pick up more in the next chapter, I assure you. First one must set the stage, before one may begin the play...

Reviews are always welcome! Criticism or congratulation, both or neither! I like hearing from my audience.