Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda; so do not file a lawsuit. Besides, all you would get is my collection of paper planes; I'm rather broke at the moment. Also, this disclaimer applies to all parts of this story.

"Speech"

"Inner Thoughts"

Prologue:

A young blonde boy tentatively released his hold on the legendary blade, the Master Sword. He had just embedded his faithful weapon into the Pedestal of Time, for what hopefully was the last time. With a regretful sigh, he gave his sword one final glance before turning out through the Door of Time.

The boy hurried through the bustling Hyrule Market. The people of the rather large town continued with their daily routines, oblivious to the mighty fate they had just endured. Fortunately, the castle guards were just as oblivious to any intruders, as the child clad in a bright green tunic managed to sneak past all of them and into the castle walls.

'It seems like just hours ago, I was here, at Ganon's castle,' thought the boy, 'Just hours ago the world was in chaos and ruin.'

The boy's thoughts trailed off as he made his way through the garden. It was a good thing that the guards were inattentive, since he was lost in thought in a manner unusual for his years.

'Seven long years, seven years I missed from my life,' mused the boy, 'Yet I don't think I really would have minded staying in...that Hyrule...It wouldn't have been that bad...'

The boy finally reached his goal, a small courtyard in which a young girl was peeping through a window. The girl was draped in a long and expensive purple robe, the small tiara on her head the evidence of her royalty.

"Princess Zelda?" called the boy out softly.

"Huh!" The young princess whirled around to find the boy staring at her oddly. "What are you doing here? Gua—"

Like lightning the young boy leapt forward and gently clasped his hands over the princess's mouth. 'Hmm,' thought the boy wryly, 'at least my reflexes haven't dulled in seven years, though Zelda's mind seems to have.'

"Zelda," commanded the boy, "Tell me, what do you remember about me?" His eyes were stern, yet even he couldn't hide the slight tremor in his lips as he awaited the answer and slowly released her lips while still keeping her body immobile.

"I...I don't know who you are, but...somehow, you...you feel...familiar," whispered the scared princess.

'Shit, she really doesn't remember, cursed the boy, mentally, I guess since I didn't travel back with the sword, she rewrote past when she sent me back...'

The boy let go of the princess completely and began to depart. There was nothing left for him here.

"Wait!" cried out Zelda, "Are you, are you from the forest?

The boy froze in his tracks, his back still towards the princess.

"I had...a dream," started Zelda quietly, "In it, I was looking at Hyrule's lovely blue sky, when suddenly, there was a brief flash of darkness, instantly dispelled by a flash of light that came from the forest...that light...I think, it was you..."

The boy slowly turned around, and said quietly, "Yes."

"What?" inquired the puzzled princess.

"Yes, I'm from the forest," replied the boy tersely. 'Is it just me, or has she gotten...dumber?' continued the boy mentally. "How did the dream end?"

"It ended, with me, handing you this," finished Zelda, holding up a blue ocarina.

The boy gave Zelda a wistful smile while walking back up to her. "The name's Link."

"Link," murmured Zelda quietly, rolling around the name in her mouth, "It sound so, familiar, "

Link had reached her by this time and took the ocarina back. "In another time, it really would have been that familiar," he whispered, as he took it. He then brightened up, gave Zelda a wink, and hurled a deku nut into the ground. By the time the flash had faded, Link was gone.

"That was a rather harsh thing to tell the boy," said Impa, the Sage of Shadows as she jumped to the ground.

A tear filled Zelda's eye. "It's for his own good you know," she murmured weakly.

"Whatever you feel is best, princess," said Impa, with a hint of sarcasm, "Now if you're done with your justifications for your decision, it's time for me to return to the Shadow Temple." Impa dropped a deku nut and also disappeared with a bright flash.

The princess, left in the suddenly silent courtyard, turned back to the window. 'I'm...I'm sorry, Link,' she thought, as yet another tear fell to the ground.

The Not so Sacred Realm

There was white, everywhere. Blazing, purifying, holy light extended as far as the eye could see. In this realm space and time were nothing more than foolish mortal inventions, as this sacred prison transcended all boundaries.

"Curse you Link!" roared the King of Darkness for the umpteenth time. "Someday, somehow, I will escape this prison. And when I do, you and your cursed sages had best beware..."

The holy white light of the sacred realm slowly filled with a dark and evil chuckle, which soon grew into a never-ending chorus of a twisted man's despair.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading my first story on ! Please tell me how you liked it and of course, to do that, you'll need to review. I accept all forms of review, from check to credit card ;). If you liked what you read, chances are I won't update unless someone pressures me to do it, I'm very lazy. So please, review. I'll stop bugging you now.

Just kidding, review!

Okay, I'm really done.

Inversion