Chapter 3

Illia was found in the early hours of the morning by Fado. Spying her by chance as he entered the ranch, the goat herder gathered the young girl up into his arms as fast as he could. She was pale and cold from spending the night outside, breathing light and shallow. Rushing back into the village, he woke the mayor. The two men got her into a bed, hastily moved next to a well stoked fire.Her father was beside himself with worry. "What happened? Where did you find her?!" Interrogating the hapless Fado mercilessly, the walrus-like man wouldn't accept 'I don't know' for an answer. Sending the goat herder back to the ranch for clues he almost fainted when he saw dried blood lacing down his daughters arm. "Who ever did this shall HANG!" he roared, storming from the room to help Fado with the investigation.
Halfway up to the ranch he almost ran into the goat herder sprinting back. "They…they took Epona" the muscle bound man managed to pant. Thinking the mayor couldn't possibly get any redder and angrier, Fado found himself mistaken. "WHAT?!" Spraying the rancher with spit, the mayor turned round and sprinted off round the village at amazing speed, roaring at the top of his voice "THIEVES! BURGLARS!!! WE'VE BEEN ROBBED!!!"
Soon the whole village was awake. Gathering in a disgruntled mob around the Mayor's house they listened wide eyed to the recount of that morning's events. Suddenly a cry sprung up from the children "Where's link? Where's LINK?"
"Yeah he'll get em!"
A group of adults set out to the young hero's house. The rest of the village was left in tight knit groups, talking in under tones as the mayor retreated back into his house.
Finding Fado at the girl's bed side attending to her wound, he demanded to know how she was.The rancher turned to him with a troubled look in his eyes "I…I just don't know…" The mayor sighed heavily. "I'm sorry" the rancher said comfortingly "…but I'm sure she'll wake up soon."A cry was heard through out the village as it was found Link had disappeared. "Well he's obviously gone after the blighters!" the mayor declared triumphantly.
A chorus of muttering in agreement followed "Good old link!" "Yeah he'll show them!" Satisfied, the villagers melted away, returning to their daily lives.
The state of alert dissipated. Link would handle it.

XXXX

Meanwhile, said boy, was opening his eyes, sore and tired from spending the night sleeping on Hyrule town's cobbled street at the foot of Hyrule his bloodshot eyes wearily, Link ignored the horrible feeling of guilt stabbing at the back of his mind. Attempting to blink the tiredness away, he staggered up the castle steps, eyes itchy and raw. The sentry soldiers' spears came up to his throat. "State your name and business or leave." Security at the castle was still tight after Gannondorf. Link sighed, shoulders visibly sagging. This was going to be a long day. "I'M LINK YOU IDIOTS!!" he screamed. Not even caring what their reaction was, he trudged through the castle gates, over the bridge, through more doors and across the hideously large front gardens.Finally up the steps and into the castle he stopped. In the main entry chamber, he found who he was looking for; she stood in all her majesty on the plinth, dress flowing about her. He stood staring, swaying slightly on the spot. She looked more beautiful than he had ever remembered."Link?" she summoned him over with a wave of her gloved hand. "Why are you here? You look terrible!"
Hastily wiping drool from his mouth, the fallen hero made his way over to her and said his request: "Is there any way you could reopen the Twilight realm?"
Zelda paused for a moment then looked at him sadly "You miss her don't you?"
Link nodded quietly.
"I'm sorry… You remember what I said before." Zelda looked down at him with pity in her bright blue eyes "Our worlds can never unite…" She looked away, swallowing hard "And I stand by that."
"But-" Link started up the steps "please! You don't understand…" he came level with her "-I have to see Midna again."
The princess gazed into his eyes for a second before looking down uncomfortably. "I-I can't help you" she turned her back to him, biting her lip in anxiety. She could see he was in a state. "I'm sorry Link" she said hurriedly. Casting a final guilty glance back at the hero, she hopped gracefully off the plinth and started to walk away.Turning at the door, she looked back. He was still standing there motionless and staring, just staring hopelessly at the space she had just been in.
Her heart went out to him. "Link" sighing, she called out to him, soft voice resonating off the high walls of the chamber He looked up jerkily. "Come with me." He couldn't believe it. Zelda held out her hand invitingly "We'll see what we can do ok?"
Jumping clumsily off the platform, he rushed over to the door, face cracking into a smile for the first time in days. "Thank you…Zelda" he breathed as he passed her, heading into the main castle.

XXXX

Illia floated in nothing, unaware of anything. Gradually lightness came into the dark. A platform of light. She floated down gently, landing on the shining square. She stood for a moment, suspended in a tranquil state of awe. Reason caught up with her. What was she doing here? Her thoughts were fuzzy and disjointed, but a thread of fear managed to work itself into her consciousness. If she could think then why couldn't she wake up? What was happening Looking around frantically, her vision blurred. She became dizzy; falling to her knees she heard a voice. It was speaking to her through the brightness. "Don't fight this… its urgent"
O god I've lost it! Illia tried in vain to get up; instinct told her…if she could just get off this platform of light then it would disappear...
The voice came again, louder and strangely familiar. Irritated this time "Will you just stay put?! Premonitions are hard enough to do without you squirming around!" Illia stopped. She recognised it. That voice. "So you know me now?" the voice held a hint of amusement "Well you might think you do at least…"Illia froze, on her knees, she looked up. "Link?!" The hazy silhouette of a figure came towards her. "Yes…" the figure spoke again "but not the Link you know…" He swam into focus.
Illia screamed.
A skeleton, skin still rotting off its bones was dressed in rusty armour, far too big for its skeletal frame, flakes falling off the dull metal like brown snow against the white. Black empty eye socket stared unseeingly into hers. Its demented jaw was grinning at her, teeth grey, hanging on by threads of stringy black mould. And what made it all about ten times worse, was the giant sword it held as though it were a feather in its left hand. "Leave me ALONE!" she screamed, trying desperately to shake off the dizziness and move as the thing stepped closer. Hysterical with fear she tried to drag herself away from the grotesque thing. Dizziness increased the more distance she put between the creature and her. She was almost to the edge of the platform. Blinded by the light, she couldn't hear what the thing was saying above her own screams. Her hand hooked over the edge of the platform. Dragging herself towards it, she got her head hanging over it and looked down.
Blackness. So dark and deep. She saw it for a fraction a second. Her heart stopped. She felt herself go cold. Eyes closed as her breath caught in her throat. Feeling as though she was about to throw up, confusion still tangling her mind, Illia found herself slipping away into the nothingness of the black abyss. She didn't want to go. Trying to cling into the platform of light, she felt herself being pulled towards the nothing. A new wave of pure terror stormed her mind as she felt herself losing touch. She knew what the darkness was. Death. It was tempting her, pulling her towards its embrace. "Help me!" the shout was desperate, the last hope before she never woke up again.

XXX

Quite unexpectedly she found herself back on the platform, shaking and shivering, in a heap. Infront of her stood the most magnificent white wolf its brilliant white fur shining, blood red eyes holding the warmth of a thousand fires. "Death is rather scary. Please don't do that again" the animal remarked calmly in the same voice as the skeleton before. Illia blinked. Staring into the wolf's eyes, she felt the coldness and fear melt away... "You're Link aren't you?" she asked. All traces of fright gone. If she just kept staring into his eyes…it would all be alright.
"Yes" he stated simply. "I thought you might prefer me in my current human form." The ruby eyes held the suggestion of an ironic smile. "Apparently I thought wrong."
"So…" Illia began with a flicker of understanding "you're not my Link are you?" The wolf shook its head.
"I used to be the Link known... as the hero of time…"

Ta daaah!!

Ok this was a surprisingly quick chapter…ok I know people have made comments about the spacing of the writing well in my defence…it comes out weird on the Fanfic Site ok?!

Well I've listened to the people and tried to make it more consistent this time…feel free to tell me what you think!