Chapter 1
Familiar Faces

Hooves clipped on the sun-dried desert ground. A familiar figure rode into the canyon that marked the edge of Hyrule, guarding the way to the wastelands. A massive gate and watch tower stood at one end of the canyon and to his right was the famed Gerudo fortress.

Link let his horse slow to a walk, staring up at the massive fortress. Women warriors patrolled diligently under the blazing sun, startling slightly when they saw the newcomer and relaxing when they recognized him. The hero of time, champion of Hyrule, adopted brother to the gorgons, and the only male member of the Gerudo thieves-well, aside from the man he'd recently killed. Funny how he still just felt like a little fairy boy sometimes. Maybe growing up prematurely had done this to him. He'd sort of spent seven crucial years of development in a coma, after all.

A Gerudo approached, holding her spear to one side and adjusting the veil over her face. "Link, Naboroo would like to see you immediately."

"Yea. What's this about?"

"It's...something you need to see."

A few minutes later, Link stood numb, staring open-mouthed at the figure in the cell. Its wrists were chained to the wall above its head, but that did little to make it look unintimidating. Red eyes glared back at him, tunic and hat ink-black.

"How..."

"He was headed into the desert. I almost think I should have let him go, let the sun kill him for us." Naboroo was shivering—he'd never seen that before. "I don't like it. Gives me the creeps. Link, do you know what it is?"

What it was? No, not exactly. He knew what—who—it looked like. The hair was black, but was exactly the same length and fell in exactly the same places. The build was the same—same height, probably the same weight. The smile was grim and slightly sadistic, watching their confusion with sheer amusement.

"Something I met in the Water Temple. I don't know..." Link trailed off, eyes narrowing. He pointed at the creature uncertainly. "I killed you."

"Evidently not."

Link nearly jumped when the thing spoke. It had his voice too. Maybe slightly deeper or rougher, like its throat was dry. But it was Link's voice.

And it didn't stop. "Now are you going to let me out of here or what?"

Link stepped back, disgust curling his lip. "How did you survive?"

"I am a shadow, my dear Link. You cannot kill me. I simply disappeared into the dark," the creature laughed at his incredible stupidity. Then the grin faded, eyes narrowed in soberness. "You cheated, by the way."

And now it was Link's turn to smirk. "The hammer?"

"And the fire. That was a cheap trick, dog."

"Huh. ...You know, its funny. If you could melt into shadow before, why aren't you doing it now? Seems like a waste of time to be rotting here in a cell."

Silence answered him. Silence and another unnatural red-eyed glare. Link's smirk slowly widened. Now that he knew what to look for, he noticed something different about the creature. Something off. The eyes weren't glowing, as they had been. Sunlight spilled into the room from a high window, bright as ever. The creature's natural darkness had no effect. It must have weakened, when Ganondorf died.

"You can't," Link hissed triumphantly. Silence again. That was as good as a yes. "Bet you can die now. Lady Nabaroo, just kill the thing."

"All too happy to."

"Now wait just a second!" The voice sounded so much like Link's own. The creature snarled, flattening itself against the wall and away from the woman. Nabaroo's blade sang as it was drawn from its sheathe. Link felt sick, he'd never know why. He turned, not particularly wanting to watch. Could it even feel pain? Would it bleed?

"Hey! Hold on!" The sound of the cell banging open. Link took a step and another, blue eyes set on the doorway. "Wait! Stop! This is imporant!"

"Hold still!" Nabaroo's voice again. "And I may make this quick!" Link walked faster, couldn't walk fast enough.

"Ganondorf is alive! He's back! He'll kill everyone!"

Link stopped dead. Something else happened that he'd never understand. It was like having a short mental spasm. His head reeled and he suddenly felt sick, vision going black for all of a split second. Then it was gone.

"You're a poor liar." Nabaroo's laughter, for all its years honed under the desert sun, sounded cold as ice. Link felt rather than heard her raise her sword again.

He spun. "Wait!"

The blade held. Two pairs of eyes met his, one clearly irritated, the other not exactly looking relieved.

Deep breath. Let it out. Link stepped forward, into the cell, stopping short of the being below him. "One chance. What proof do you have?"

The eyes scanned Link again, slower, more carefully, as though the creature finally understood the weight of its position. "None but myself. I grow stronger every day. As do all Gannondorf's old minions. They hide still, nursing their wounds, but they'll come back soon. Start slaughtering your precious Hylians all over again. And maybe you won't defeat us so easily this time."

Link bit his lip, feeling cold, and not in the frightened way. He didn't believe the thing. And its words sounded like a threat. He played with the idea of letting Nabaroo go at it again, cut its head off.

"Link." A new voice entered the conversation. He felt a small weight on his head, just under his hat. That would be Navi, lifting up his hat so she could peer out. "You shouldn't kill someone unarmed." She'd read his mind, but that wasn't really surprising. She knew him well. Sometimes he wondered, had the Duku Tree been trying to give him a fairy or a conscience?

The shadow creature was watching Link unblinkingly and he shivered, determinedly looking away from it. "What should I do then, Navi? It said it's getting stronger. This prison won't hold it in its full state."

"I'm a 'he,' thank you." Of course the creature would have to cut in. "I'd think you would know that, me being the same as you. Unless... you know, you're confused about your own gender."

"Shut up. I can still kill you, you know."

Silence again. Three pairs of eyes this time, Nabaroo, Navi, and the thing, all waiting for his decision. Why does it have to be mine?

Maybe it didn't. "Zelda," he said suddenly. "I can take you to her. She'll know if you're telling the truth and...what to do with you." He spoke lightly, problem solved. She had the triforce of wisdom, after all. It was time they actually used it for something.

Nabaroo sheathed her sword, looking resigned. Navi's mood was closer to satisfied, slipping back under his hat. The creature...it was scowling.

"Hmm. Great. Perfect. Zelda..." it muttered to itself, voice dripping with sarcasm. " 'Nother idiot to deal with."

Nabaroo took Link's arm, leading him towards the door. "How do you intend to get him there? Mind you, Zelda is welcome to simply come here."

"She has a kingdom to rebuild, I hardly think she has the time." Nabaroo had a point, though. Epona wouldn't carry the creature. "Just chain its hands, bring it outside. I'll handle it."

"You say so. Be careful, my friend. The shadow man was right about at least one thing. The creatures of the dark are still out there. Sometimes we can hear them, at night, just beyond our fortress's lights. And they're betting bolder."

A/N: First fanfic, to anyone that reads this, go easy on me please. ^^; Um... there is a slight mix of TP in this as far as scenery and some of the monsters go. More of that later. =)

T rating is for language and violence in later chapters and not likely to go up.