Five men ran in the forest back to their camp.
"Quick, they're already on our trail!"
Behind them, soldiers where chasing them.
"They're up ahead!"
They continue running until they couldn't see the thieves anymore.
"Dang!" Yelled Osun, the captain of the guards. "There's no way we can catch them now! We're already in thief's territory!"
He signaled his men to turn around, when a single horse galloped on. It wasn't one of his men.
"Who was that!?"
He ran to his tent to grab a bow, when he noticed a note.
"I've been following you and the thieves. I'm going to take their whole camp, stay clear.
-Link"
"Link...! So, you're still alive."
I rode furiously on Epona, slowly catching up on the thieves.
I can see a fire now, burning over the tree-line.
"Thieves' camp!"
I'm almost upon the running thieves.
I jump off Epona and land in front of the thieves.
"Wha-"
Then they look at my size.
"It's just a kid, kill him!"
They charge, swords raised.
I draw my sword, which I held with two hands, and got ready for the attack.
They swiped and slashed, but I rolled and disarmed all of them.
Once they saw their weapons on the ground, they tried to run away, but I threw my boomerang and stunned them.
I take a rope and tie them up.
"Alright, next stop, thieves' camp."
I run through the the woods straight for the thieves' camp.
I stop near the entrance.
Three guards where posted at the gate.
I grab the hero's bow and aimed at them. I pulled the string up to the right side of my face and straightened my back.
I let the first arrow fly, and quickly shoot two others at the other guards.
They collapsed, with arrows sticking out of their chests.
I nod. I've gotten to be a good shot.
I quickly look in the camp grounds.
"Might need to use a mask."
I reach for one of my four masks. I feel a chill as I touch the fierce deity's mask.
"No, not today."
I grab a few mini-bombs and set them on fire.
I throw them in the camp, as I charge in. The bombs cause a fire, and the camp begins to burn.
Soldiers quickly attack me, but I slash at their legs and chests until they're all on the ground.
I sheath my sword.
Suddenly, I'm surrounded by the archers.
"Hold up your hands!"
I put my hands behind my head.
They had already begun to put out the fire, when the leader of the group of thieves walked up.
"A child?! They where defeated by a child!"
He looked at the clip that connect my dark-green cloak I'm wearing up.
"That's the mark of the royal family! You fools, this is Link the legendary swordsman!"
He draws his sword and slashes down at me.
I clicked the button in my glove, which activates a blade to come out of the top of the glove.
I deflect the sword, and I see the archers let go of their arrows.
Time practically freezes.
Only one option left.
I grab the fierce deity's mask and put it on!
I feel the energy surge coarse through my body and I feel myself grow!
The arrows are deflected by my thick armor.
I raise up the double-helix sword, and slash down!
The captain of the thieves tried to run, but I kicked him in the head, knocking him clean out!
I slash at anyone I see, and shoot energy blasts out of my sword.
Soon the entire camp is on fire, and feel the urge for more destruction.
Not today.
I took off the mask and breathed a sigh of relief.
I pick up my detached green cloak and fastened the two sides together with the triforce pin.
I took a look around at the destroyed camp.
"...how...?"
I turn around and look at the captain of the thieves.
"How did you destroy my camp with ease?"
I walk over to him.
I turn my left hand and pulled down the glove, revealing the triforce of courage.
His eyes open wide.
"No... You! You can't be-"
"The hero of time." I cut him off.
I pull up the glove.
"Not yet anyway."
I grab my dagger and hit him with the butt of it, making him fall unconscious.
I close my eyes as I pull up the ocarina of time and play Epona's song.
She comes quickly, and I throw the unconscious captain on the saddle as I ride away to kakariko village.
When we arrived at kakariko, I stop Epona by the inn and tie her up next to a pole.
I then go to the front of the inn and walk inside, walking past the men at the bar.
I go up to the front table.
The bartender eyes me suspiciously.
"You're too young to order anything here, go away."
I smile a little.
"No no, I'm not here for refreshments, although if you have any dried beef, I'll take a bit. Anyway, I have a message to Impa. If she is here, tell her Link is here."
He looks at me suspiciously and hands me some dried beef on a plate.
"Link? The swordsman? He hasn't been seen in Hyrule in months, in fact he's presumed dead. Why would a dead person want to see Impa?"
I exhale. Dead? I was only gone for six months.
"Too many questions." I reply.
I look outside the door and see a guard looking suspiciously where I tied Epona.
He suddenly rushes in.
"Someone's horse has a man tied to it! Who's horse is that!?"
Everyone looks around, but the bartender looks at me.
I shrug and stand up.
"That'll be my horse."
He squints at me, then laughs.
"Ha ha ha ha ha, that's the best joke I've heard today!"
I glance at him, not amused.
"I think you'll find the the man on my horse is in fact Ghat Rakjol, The Gibdo Thief."
He looks over his shoulder at Epona.
"That can't be him! He's the leader of a band of thieves that deep in the forest!"
I take a bite out of the dried beef and chew.
"I followed some soldiers, who where chasing some thieves through the woods after a robbery. They led me straight to their camp, which I destroyed, and took their captain hostage, so I can turn him in to the authorities."
I take another bite, chew, then swallow.
"You can take him now if you want."
He stares at me in disbelief.
"But, you're just a child, you couldn't possibly have-"
I grab one of my knives and threw it at a man's cup, causing his drink to spill.
"Aww." He moaned.
The guard raised his spear at me.
"Who are you?"
I raise my head.
"My name is Link, and I am still alive not taking crap from anyone!"
I click the buttons in my gloves, and the blades pop out.
The guard backs away.
"Link! That's enough!"
I know that voice.
I turn around.
"Impa! You haven't changed a day!"
She glares at me.
"You seem to have changed for the worse."
Ouch.
She waved the guard aside.
"You may leave now."
He quickly ran out the door.
She looked at me.
"Come with me."
In Impa's quarters, I sat down in a chair, and took off my dark green cloak.
She poured a glass of herbal tea.
She sighs.
"Where have you been? It's been six months since you where seen last! We thought you where dead! Zelda wouldn't come out of her room for a week!"
I inhaled.
"Sorry, I got a little side tracked. I was in Termina, followed by several months of trying to get out of the woods, followed by guiding myself through multiple desert villages, and swampland, just to find myself following soldiers chasing thieves through the woods."
She stopped pouring the tea.
"Termina!?"
She grabs me.
"How do you know of its existence!?"
"I fell in a hole, while chasing a stalkid." I reply.
She stands up straight.
"Termina is a sacred land of the Sheikiah, for we where the first ones to find it, many years ago! It was carefully hidden from the outsiders, for fear of discovery of themselves from out world!"
"Hey hey, relax! There was no other version of me!"
She looks at my mask bag suspiciously.
"What's in the bag, Link?"
"Not much, just some masks."
She grabs the bag and takes the masks out.
"Deku, Zora, Goron..."
She grabs the Fierce Deity mask.
"What is this?!"
I flinch.
"Just a mask I made out of my likeliness." I lie.
She looks at it.
"Oh, then you won't mind if I put it on."
She begins to put it up to her face, and I over react.
"No!"
I grab it and put it back in the bag.
She stands up.
"Tell the truth."
I close my eyes.
"Fine. These mask are what is left after a spirit is calmed down; if you put one of them on, you'll take their form."
She holds up the Deku mask.
"The residue of a stir it is in here... Then in that mask is your alternate version's spirit! Destroy it immediately!"
"No!"
She draws her sword.
"Now Link!"
She points it at my face.
"Now! I don't want to do this now, give me the mask or destroy it yourself!"
I click the buttons in my glove, and the blade came out, and shattered Impa's sword!
I put boy of my blades at Impa.
Her eyes open wide.
"Link, calm down. Put the blades down."
I start to feel dizzy.
The mask! I know she's right, but I can't destroy it. If it is, he will be released.
I lower my hands, and sheath both blades back into my gloves.
"...I'm sorry, you're right."
I look her in the eyes.
"But I can't destroy it, if I did, des aster would fall over the world."
I take a deep breath.
"Take me to Zelda."
We waited until morning to leave to hyrule castle. Snow covered half of Hyrule field, because it was in the middle of winter.
I sat in the carriage with Impa, who was wondering about my glove blades.
"They completely shattered my sword." She stated.
"Sorry, they're made of solmetal, the hardest metal in Termina."
She glanced at my gloves.
"Did you make the gloves?"
I nod.
"Took a few weeks, but they where so worth it."
I glanced over my shoulder at a small hill.
"Wait, I want to visit Lon Lon ranch first."
I run up the hill of Lon Lon ranch and looked around.
I breathed in the fresh air, and knock on the door.
Epona neither by me.
Talon answered the door.
"Who's there?"
He looks down.
"L-Link!"
He turned around and ran to the stairs.
"Malon! You might want to come down here!"
I heard some footsteps, and then Malon came to the door.
Her face brights up.
"Link!"
She hugs me, which I didn't expect.
"They said you where dead, but I didn't believe it!"
She lets go and I blush, which makes her giggle.
I put my hand on my neck.
"Anyway, Epona is tired from the long journey, so can you take care of her for awhile?"
She smiles at me.
"Is Epona the only reason you're here?"
My face is burning red now.
"Um, I got to go, but I'll be back later."
I begin to walk away, but then I turn around.
"Um, bye!"
Talon watched as I walked away.
"Malon, what was that about?"
She walked back inside.
"Ooh, I've found my knight in shining armor."
Talon looked back at me as I walked away.
"He is a hard worker." He muttered.
Malon looked up and smiled.
Talon rolled his eyes.
"I'll consider it." He said as he closed his eyes.
Malon ran up to her room.
On her door, she had a flyer for a festival in two days.
"Perfect!"
I got back in the carriage, and Impa looked at my face.
She smirked as she looked at me.
"You look happy about something."
I blinked back into reality.
"It's nothing!"
She laughed as I blushed.
"Shut up Impa!"
She continued laughing until we reached hyrule castle gate, which we then got off the carriage and walked into town.
"Remember, come to the castle in an hour."
"Hey, I got it!"
She walked off towards the castle, and I looked around town square.
"It's been forever since I've been here."
I passed the town market, and onto the new sword training grounds.
Around me, I could see people my age practicing a sword duel.
"I approve of this."
A few yards away, I could see an instructor teaching on how to defend yourself.
"Remember, in two days the festival will have a sword fighting tournament for all ages, and I want one of you to win! You are now dismissed!"
I turn and watch two people fighting.
"Step to the right." I whispered.
"Ha, look at this!"
I turn to see someone who was older than me pointing at me.
"He wants to be good! Look at his oversized sword! I bet it's made of wood!"
I look him in the eye.
"Actually it's pure steel, the same stuff at the captain of the guard."
He rolls his eyes.
"Yeah, sure. It's so lopsided holding it with one hand would tip you over!"
I grab it and hold it firm with one hand.
"Ooh, so you can hold it. I'm surprised you can even do that!"
I smirk.
"Do you even know who I am?"
He tries to keep a straight, but then breaks into laughter.
"He's forgotten his own name!"
The crown around him laughed.
I stare at him mincingly.
"How about we have a duel right now!"
"Oooohhh!"
He draws his sword.
"Fine."
He slashes at me, and I simply sidestep and slash his hat off, as well his shoes before he could blink. I kick his sword aside and point mine at his face.
"Do you yield?"
His eyes are open wide and his mouth is open.
"Um, yeah."
I sheath my sword.
"Well, I best be off."
I walk past the crowd towards the castle.
"Wait, who are you!?"
I turn around.
"The name's Link."
I left them with their mouths open and their eyes wide.
I walked up to the gate to the castle path. A guard put his spear in front of me.
"You may not pass without authority from a member of the Royal family or permission from-"
"Impa, this guard is giving me trouble!"
He turned around to see Impa through the gate.
"Lady Impa!"
"It's fine, he's with me."
"Oh, of course!"
He opened the gate and let me through.
I walk with Impa towards the castle.
"What trouble did you get yourself in?" She asks me.
"No trouble, I just stopped by the sword training dojo."
She looks down at me.
"Sure there was no trouble?"
"Hey, come on, what do you take me for, a wild animal?"
We step inside the castle.
"No, but you smell like one. You mush bathe before meeting with the royal family."
For the second time today, my face turns bright red.
"Come on! This is anarchy!"
She hands me a towel.
"Down the hall to the left, and hurry!"
I angrily grab the towel and head down to the bathing room.
After my bath, I put on so me spare clothes from my bag.
I grab a towel and dry my hair completely.
With my fingers, I rake my hair.
I look in the mirror and nod. Good enough for the royal family.
I step outside and make my way to the entrance of the castle, where Impa was standing still.
"Done yet."
"Yes."
She smiles.
"Good, then I believe someone wants to see you."
Standing behind Impa, smiling with a bright smile, was princess Zelda.
"Link."
"It's been awhile."
