Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda, any of its characters, or a car.
I've tried not to make this confusing. But to clear up some more immediate questions you may ask, I'll tell you a little bit about this one shot.
This will be written in first person from Link's point of view. In addition, it takes place just as Link has entered the Temple of Time to place down the stones and get the triforce. These are his thoughts and feeling about what happens when he wakes up as an adult and his first encounter with Sheik.
Now, on with the show.
Waking Up
I push the heavy doors out of my way quickly.
I don't have time for this.
Zelda's running away from that Ganon guy, and I'm stuck here, trying to get some stupid thing that I've never even heard of.
I don't know what good this Triforce Zelda's always talking about will do.
My footsteps echo in the cavernous hall.
Tall windows line the upper part of it.
Right now, though, I really don't care about how beautiful this hall could be.
I see the altar.
That's where I'm supposed to put the stones then, I'm guessing.
I take them out of my pocket.
They've been really heavy.
I've been carrying them round for days now.
Finally I can get rid of them.
I place them down on the altar in order.
They shine brightly and cast an eerie glow throughout the hall.
"Link."
I turn quickly at the sound of her voice.
I knew who it was.
She only needed to say one word and I knew her voice.
Zelda.
Only, she wasn't there.
Only the empty space of the temple looked back to me.
"Link, can you hear me?"
I look around wildly for her,
Checking if I missed her the first time.
Nothing.
"Can you hear me?"
"Yes." I call out to the walls.
Not knowing if she could hear me.
"Good, listen there's not much time left."
I close my eyes,
I feel that I can hear her better.
I can muster an image of her face and see her speaking.
"If you receive this message, it means that I have failed at my part.
It is up to you now.
After you've placed the stones, take the Ocarina I gave you.
Play this song."
I take out my new instrument and held it in my hands.
The light from the stones reflected off of it.
Making it look, not only blue, but rainbow.
The song notes echo through my mind.
I can't really hear them.
It was...
Weird.
I can feel the song.
I knew now that I could play it.
I bring the Ocarina to my lips.
It feels cold.
As if,
It was ice.
I play the song.
Without even thinking, I play it.
A slow, melancholy, song.
It makes me tingle I as play it.
I take it away from my lips and put it to my side.
The song is gone from my mind.
I can't feel it anymore.
"Good luck."
She's still here.
I realize that I didn't hear her either.
I felt her, like the song.
Her presence in my mind,
Speaking to me.
Then,
Just like she came, she left.
Gone.
Just like the song had disappeared,
She was gone.
A rumble fills the air.
Why can't I ever be left alone?
To think.
To feel.
Everything I do has to be instant,
Perfect.
Can't I be normal?
Can't I have time?
The door behind the altar opened.
I prepare to walk through it.
Navi buzzes around my head.
I walk into another huge room.
In it, was only one thing.
A sword.
Sitting by itself.
Laid down into a pedestal.
I feel like I've seen it.
Like I've been here already.
Like a deja-vu.
"Is that... the Master Sword?"
Squeaked Navi.
Even its name is familiar somehow.
I walk out into the room.
I stand next to the sword.
I hold out my hand to take it.
A feeling overcomes me.
I don't really want take this sword.
Not really.
But...
But, I see Zelda's face again.
She wants me to.
I have to.
I grip my fingers around the hilt.
Something's wrong.
I can't tell what it is.
But I know.
I know that this can only bring pain.
I hesitate.
I don't want to touch this sword.
But I have to.
I pull with all my might.
But I don't need to.
It comes out easily.
I feel light.
I can't explain what's happening.
I see the ground becoming further and further away.
I'm floating.
Flying.
Up.
White light consumes me.
Its all around me.
It's warm and conforting.
I can see nothing.
Nothing except...
A dark silhouette stands before me.
I can't see his face.
He laughs.
I know him now.
Ganondorf.
My legs give way.
I can't support myself.
What's going on?
I can't move.
I fall face first to the ground.
I don't fell myself hit the floor.
There is no floor.
I fall into light.
I can't breathe.
My chest stops rising.
I try to yell out to him...
Nothing
I see him walk past me.
I see his face.
He's smiling at me.
His mouth is moving.
He's speaking to me, but I can't hear him.
My eyes aren't working.
He's going in and out of focus.
I strain my ears to hear him.
"Yes kid, I owe it all to you."
He laughs.
He used me.
He used me!
To get here.
To get the stupid triforce.
I can't move.
I can't stop him.
I can't lift my new sword.
I can't... do anything.
I'm so sorry.
I tried.
I'm sorry that I...
Failed you.
I force my voice to work.
"Zelda!"
I screamed as loud as I could...
But it was only a rasp.
He used me, Zelda.
I'm so sorry.
I feel myself go cold.
I'm not breathing.
I'm not moving.
I shut my eyes,
I'm ready to die.
**********************************************************************************
I feel air pass through my chest.
I can't remember what happened.
Why do I ache all over?
I open my eyes and see nothing but blue.
Blue.
Blue.
Blue.
That's it.
A light floats in front of my face.
Navi?
It is her!
Then... I can't be dead.
"Navi." I croak.
I can't speak properly.
I clear my throat.
"What happened?"
I clear my throat again.
My voice is still deep and raspy.
"Thank the Goddesses you're finally awake!"
She sounds happy to see me.
Why would she be?
I begin to remember now.
He was laughing at me.
I remember.
I was supposed to be helping Zelda.
"What happened? Where's Zelda?"
I clear my throat.
Silence.
"Well, Link. She's... You're."
I sit up.
"What is it?"
I put my hand to my throat to check if something was wrong with it.
It doesn't feel right.
Like it's large, or swollen.
Thick... that's more the word for it.
I pull my hand away.
What is going on?
It's not my hand.
It's large and old.
I follow the arm of the hand to find that it is attached to a shoulder.
My shoulder.
It is my hand.
I wriggle my fingers.
They move.
I scramble to my feet.
"Navi?"
I call to her.
"Navi? What the hell is goin' off?"
I realize now that there was nothing wrong with my voice.
It's just... changed.
I turn my hands in front of my face to examine them.
I look down to my feet.
I'm so much taller and higher off the ground then before.
What has happened?
"Navi?"
I call again.
A man stepped out from the blue light.
He was a fully grown Hylian man.
And I was looking eye to eye with him.
Why?
What?
What's happening?
"I will explain this to him, Navi." He said.
Good.
Because I need some answers.
"Hero of Time. You have finally awoken."
Is he taking to me?
"My name's Link."
"Hero, you must know, things have changed."
"Apparently."
"You were too young to be what destiny had laid out for you.
Your body was sealed in this realm, the Sacred Realm, until you were ready."
Ready?
Ready for what?
"Link, don't be afraid. Look at yourself."
He pointed over to a pool of blue liquid.
I walk over to it and look at my reflection.
My eyes are smaller, colder.
My hair is longer, sleeker.
My cheeks are smaller, with less colour.
My ears are longer, slimmer.
My entire face is longer, older.
My clothes are larger.
I'm wearing some kind of tights.
With long sleeves and legs.
My boots are taller.
I'm wearing earrings.
Shock.
What?
I...
I'm older.
This can't be real.
I stumble backwards and grab hold of my face.
"No." I stuttered. "This isn't real."
"It is real. Seven years have passed now since you entered this Realm."
Seven years?
I do the math.
I'm seventeen.
"The time has finally come for you to learn your destiny, Hero of Time."
I stand there, looking at him.
"You were chosen to be the one who wields the Master Sword, the blade of evil's bane. You were given the task of searching for all the sages and activating their power. Their power is the only thing that can stand up to the power of the Evil King. It is your destiny to find the sages and add their power to yours. Do you understand your destiny?"
No,
Of course I don't.
Did he honestly think that I would?
I have to save the world now?
What happened to the way it was?
I want to get out of here.
Maybe someone in the real world would have some answers.
Zelda would.
"Yes." I lied to him.
I need to talk to her.
The faster I can get out of here, the better.
"Alright then, Hero of Time. Here. I am the Sage of Light. Take this medallion. It is the item of my power."
He passed it to me.
I take it and put it in my tunic.
"Now, go back to your land and fulfill your destiny."
The same feeling I remember came over me.
I was floating again.
Flying again.
The blue disappeared and the gray-white stone of the Temple returned.
I was put down on my feet gently.
The Temple was just I as I saw it...
Seven years ago?
Was it even seven years in the future?
"We're back." Said Navi, "But have seven years really pasted?"
I couldn't answer.
I wasn't sure.
I was about to start to walk outside but something was heavy on my back.
Not a bad heavy.
Just... a comfortable heavy.
I reach up behind my head where I kept my sword and pull out a new, unfamiliar one.
The Master Sword.
It didn't feel wrong anymore.
It felt like... it completed me.
It was...
Strange.
It was... part of me.
I whirled it around and smiled at it.
I felt I was ready for anything.
I could take anything.
I put the sword away and began to walk outside.
I heard something.
My ears picked something up.
I know I heard something.
I turn around and draw my sword in one motion.
I'm pointing the tip in someone's face.
Yet they didn't flinch.
His face was hidden by a mass of blond hair and rags.
His head was covered by a small turban.
He was wearing tight blue clothing with a white rag over top.
His red eyes glared at me.
"Welcome back, Hero of Time."
"Who are you?"
"I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah."
What kind of name is that?
"You have been chosen to find the sages, and I will guide you."
"How do I know I can trust you?" I ask.
"Because I'm the only one to trust."
I laughed bitterly.
"You're no hope." I said.
"You're right. The sages are our only hope. One in a deep forest, one on top a huge mountain, one under a huge ocean, one in the darkness of shadows and one in the Goddess of sand.
The first sage is a girl I'm sure you already know."
A forest.
A girl.
Saria.
"Saria! Is she alright? Where is she?"
He didn't speak.
"Tell me. You said you'd help."
"You must awaken her as a sage."
"You mean to say that she doesn't know that she's a sage yet?"
"That task belongs to you."
"Where is she?!?"
"You cannot enter the Forest Temple equipped as you are. You must go to Kakariko and find the object of your need."
Kakariko?
Why didn't this guy make any sense?
Why can't he just tell me how to get in or what 'object' I need.
"Fine." I snap.
I turn to leave.
He speaks again.
"Brace yourself,
for the world you knew,
is no more."
I don't bother to respond.
I keep walking.
Who did this Sheik think he was.
Why'd he think he was the only one I could trust.
I push open the Temple's doors and out into...
Shock.
I look around for anything familiar.
Anything...
But I see nothing.
The trees are dead.
The houses are destroyed.
The people are gone.
The sky is black and red with smoke.
The ring of Death Mountain is in flames.
The paths are ravished.
Nothing is left.
ReDeads are scattered around the ancient plaza.
I stand at the entrance.
What do I do now?
Sheik walks up to my side.
"This is all that is left of your world. We have fallen apart."
This isn't real.
It can't be.
I..
It..
Just... No.
"No. This isn't real. I saw this place not ten minutes ago! Everything was fine. Fine!"
I'm numb.
This isn't real.
What happened.
Who did this?
Ganondorf.
My thoughts click.
"Where's Zelda?"
No answer.
"Where is she?!?" I asked desperately.
Sheik's face screwed up grotesquely.
"Gone." He muttered.
He sounded bitter.
My fears were realized.
Gone.
Everything I had worked for...
Gone.
All I had done...
Gone.
All that she had told me... promised me...
Gone.
Did she know?
Did she know this was going to happen?
Did she know that he was going to be trapped?
How could she have just left me here with nothing?
How could she have left her people, her land, me?
"No." I said again. "Zelda would have never let this happen."
Sheik turned around.
"She didn't do it willingly."
I turn around to look at him.
He fished in his pocket.
"Until we meet again, Hero."
"Call me Link." I call to him.
He threw what he grabbed from his pocket onto the ground.
A flash of light.
He was gone.
And so,
I was left to face all the horrors of the world,
Of my home,
Alone.