Castle town marketplace had once been a cheery place. Now, like the rest of the land surrounding Ganondorf's fortress, it was infested with dark magic and all sorts of unholy vermin. Buildings that once housed life sat decaying on the edge of the streets; the stench of corpses rent the air. Thick, sulfurous clouds kept the world obscured in an eternal darkness that did not change with the rising of the sun or moon. Zelda had braced herself for the carnage, but not to this degree.

In a shower of magic, she found herself standing within Temple of Time. The building itself seemed timeless; nothing here had changed since she was child. Seeing it in person again filled her with nostalgia and powerful foreboding. She suddenly felt sick.

I don't know what I'm doing, she conceded, extracting a leather bound book from her pouch and flipping through its musty yellow pages. The symbol of the Sheikah was engraved into the cover. Zelda had long ago discovered this book in Impa's library. It had proved to be an essential part of becoming Sheik.

Zelda closed the book. She gazed at the detailed architecture of the building, striding slowly along the red carpet toward the altar where three Sacred Stones hovered. Eyes narrow, she studied the inscription.

The Ocarina of Time opened the door. The Hero of Time, with the Master Sword, ascended here.

The sick feeling intensified. Zelda pinched the bridge of her nose and tried not to reflect on the times she'd spent with Link. No, this could not be. Inhaling, she peered down the dim corridor.

A sole window lit the pedestal of time. Zelda pushed the bangs from her eyes to see it more clearly upon her advance. It was like a dream. There was the legendary pedestal, sitting in the legendary hall. The stone base of the sword had a tiny carving of the Triforce.

It was empty.

Zelda felt her lungs constricting into the smallest possible form they could make while the rest of her insides twisted into knots. What Rauru told her must've been true. The sword was gone. It could only be pulled by the legendary hero…

Oh goddesses, I am going to be sick. All over the sacred pedestal. Zelda crouched to try and contain her spinning head. She had made this happen; she had given Link all the tools to open the Sacred Realm. He had followed her instructions. Therefore she was to blame for Ganondorf snatching the Triforce. Zelda furiously rubbed her temples, standing up straight and turning from the chamber.

An eerie moaning drifted from the tall doors at the entrance of the Temple of Time. Zelda started toward it, grateful for a distraction to snap her out of her thoughts. Ganondorf would send legions of monsters to take down the hero while he was still weak. She thought momentarily about the temples, and again glanced at the book in her hand.

Blue light from the pedestal of time shone brilliantly around him as he descended from the fading Sacred Realm, just like it had when he pulled out the Master Sword. Link didn't open his eyes until they again touched ground.

Navi flew before him and gasped. "It's… just like it was before!" she exclaimed.

Link's left eye popped open, followed the right. He stared at the ceiling with Navi. "It's gotten smaller."

"No, you've just gotten bigger, Link."

He gazed around the chamber, turning to see if anything was different. "You're right, it's exactly the same." His voice reverberated off the walls. It sounded weird.

Navi sighed. "I wonder if seven years really have passed."

The sounds of fighting caught their ears. Link stepped down from the pedestal and toward the corridor curiously, Navi trailing behind him. "What the…?"

An unfamiliar person stood near the end of the hallway, fending off strange creatures as they tried to get in. The bandaged hands of Redeads grasped blindly for Zelda's face through the crack of the doors, moans and shrieks sending chills up her spine as she shoved them back. One had nearly shambled into the Temple before she had beaten it back, and now four of them stood groaning right outside.

"Uhh!" She grunted, leaning into the doors with all her strength. She would not let them terrorize this temple, nor this little hero. Ganondorf, you fiend. Unbeknownst to her, Link came rushing in from behind. An arm suddenly thrust into the door beside her head and it slammed shut.

She turned, gripping the arm and flipping the poor young man straight over her head. He crashed to the ground with an audible, "gah!"

"Who are you!?" Sheik demanded, glaring down at him with blood red eyes. The strange man coughed, a wild expression taking his face. She noted immediately he was armed with a sword and a shield and she instinctively withdrew a knife. "Where did you come from!?"

The man stumbled to get to his feet. "Hey, I was just trying to help!" he blurted. He scowled at her offensively, rubbing his arm.

Sheik's gazed narrowed, though the Link and Navi could not see the hesitation in her eyes. How had he appeared here? She quickly took inventory. He was a smidge taller than she. He wore a tunic of some sort, leather gloves, and boots. He was dressed to be in a fight, though his youthful face did not look like the kind to get involved in one. What in Hyrule was going on!?

The moans of the Redeads snapped up Zelda's attention once again. Link watched the Sheikah leap for the front doors, slamming them shut. "They will—not—hold!" the person angrily grunted. The Sheikah's red eyes fixed on him as he approached. "Stay where you are!"

Link stopped. "I'm trying to help you!"

"I do not know you and therefore will not trust you," Sheik informed him, voice brisk and grating. The weighted thuds of the undead beat against her back as she held back the door. The young man put up his hands defensively. Strange, Zelda thought, noticing his messy blonde hair and blue eyes. Her heart was thudding so rapidly from the commotion she could not think straight. He looks very familiar…

"Just let me help." Zelda was positive she had never seen this young man before in her life—she certainly would have remembered—but even the sound of his voice struck a hollow chord. He reached for his weapon.

"Don't!" Sheik rammed the doors again. "I am here on a sacred duty to protect this temple, and mark my words, if you let these creatures in here, so help me—"

A bright blue orb of light with wings zipped out from behind the young man. "LOOK OUT!"

BAM! Sheik flew from the door as it opened, rolling ungracefully to the side. More half a dozen soldiers of the undead shambled in behind her. Moaaaannn. In a flash the young man drew his sword as his fairy cried "duck!" and unleashed a spin attack, slashing through the monsters in a burst of light.

Zelda scrambled to the side, watching in disbelief as two of the monsters dropped upon impact. Redeads, de-animated so quickly? As others stumbled and recovered, the lifeless forms on the ground began to dissolve. This was unbelievable. They are being destroyed! What is this!?

The young man thrust his weapon into the remaining creatures. She noticed that the shield he wore on his back was Hylian. Zelda's eyes flew to the sword and her heart stopped. In his hand was the legendary, purple-hilted blade she recognized from her time reading books as a young princess. The Master Sword. Her stomach lurched as she gazed upon the young man, heart filling with dread. She had made a terrible mistake. Stop fighting! Turn away!

A blood-curdling shriek ripped through the air, piercing Zelda's ears as paralysis took hold of her. The young hero froze mid-swing, unable to so much as cringe as the redeads grasped for him. She watched, helpless, as the nearest climbed onto his back. Oh no!

There wasn't so much as a gasp from him as the rotted corpse clung his body, skin paling as his life was drained right before her eyes. His little blue fairy zipped around him in panic, crying out. The spell binding Zelda broke suddenly and she sprung to her feet.

Slashing her fingers across the strings as she ripped it from her pouch, she plucked a tune on her bandaged lyre. Magic from the instrument filled the room. In an instant the sickly foes froze, turning from brown to white. The creature that had latched itself to the young man's back tumbled off.

The Sheikah returned her harp to her pouch as quickly as she had withdrawn it, surging toward the Redeads with daggers in hand and a gleam in her red eyes. Moans and shrieks filled the chamber as one-by-one they began to collapse.

"Help him!"

The fairy's shrill cry echoed in Zelda's ears. She turned right as the hero thrust his sword into the creature beside her. The fairy was referring to me, Zelda understood, diving toward another redead. The white glow of the spell encasing them was wearing off.

"Why are there redeads in castle town?" he cried over the bustle, shield clinking against his sheath as he whirled toward the last monster. Sheik impaled it with several kunai. "Ganondorf."

He withdrew as the Redead dissolved, wiping his forehead wearily. Zelda carefully composed herself. It was astounding she had not seen it earlier. He looked just like Link, down to the floppy green hat and the blue fairy. She was simply not expecting him to be an adult.

"Are they gone?" he asked. Zelda nodded in a detached manner.

"That was close," the fairy chirped, wings fluttering. "Things have changed a lot in seven years, haven't they, Link?"

He straightened up. Green tunic, leather boots, blonde hair. Blue eyes. "I apologize," Sheik cut in lowly. "I had assumed you were a Kokiri."

He sheathed the Master Sword, turning to the Sheikah with a funny look. "I am a Kokiri."

Sheik folded her arms. "Kokiri are children. They remain children all their lives. They do not grow up. You are most certainly not a child."

Navi fluttered about him as he glanced at himself. "I didn't mean to grow up," he half-murmured, looking sorry. He glanced to his fairy. "Navi, did you know I could grow up?"

Navi's sigh was a tinkling noise. "The Great Deku Tree never mentioned it."

Link faced the Sheikah. "It might have been the sword…you see, I pulled it out, and afterwards there was this bright light and everything went white—" He stumbled forward and caught himself, eyes wide. "Zelda! Princess Zelda! Where's the princess!?"

Sheik was motionless. Voice even, she replied, "The princess has not been seen for several years."

Link looked distraught. "No, that can't be—I, I was going to find her, she asked me to—has it really been seven years!?"

Sheik nodded slowly. "It has."

"Oh no, she's probably in trouble. We have to save her." He drew his sword, eyes fixed resolutely on the exit. "Come on, Navi, let's go!"

"Wait." Sheik stepped in front of the young man, causing him nearly to trip over himself. "You have just woken from a long sleep in the Sacred Realm. You are weak. There are hordes of the undead out there."

Link scowled at her. "I can handle them."

Sheik's gaze was unfaltering, which perhaps was the reason he took a step back. "Listen to me. You're not ready yet. If you take on Ganondorf now, you'll kill yourself. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen."

Looking miffed, Link scanned her. "Who are you, anyway?"

Sheik sighed a little. The question grated at the sorest part of her heart. "I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah. I'm here to help you save Hyrule."

Link relaxed a bit, studying the mysterious person in front of him. The same crest Zelda's nanny, Impa, had worn was draped over Sheik's front like a banner. Rags covered his mouth and head, and yellow hair hid his face except for one red eye. Something about him seemed a little strange.

"Princess Zelda's caretaker was a Sheikah," Navi whispered into his ear. Link replied out of the corner of his mouth, "Then we can probably trust him."

Sheik decided to ignore their conversation. "'When evil rules all," she began to recite softly. "An awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages who dwell in the five temples. One, in a deep forest…one on a high mountain…one under a vast lake…one within the house of the dead… one inside a goddess of sand…"

He was silent. Zelda closed her eyes, continuing. "Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world.'"

His sudden inhale caught her off guard. "So there's a way to fix everything?"

Zelda opened her eyes again. "What I have just told you is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah. If the legends are to be believed, then the awakening voice from the Sacred Realm is you, Link."

"Me?"

"Yes." Her gaze drifted from his stance to his sword. Can he really be the legendary hero?

Link glanced at the weapon offhandedly. "What's wrong?"

Sheik stiffened, straightening. I must maintain my composure. "If you believe the legends, and you want to save the princess, you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five sages."

He grimaced. "Five Temples? Where do I start?"

Sheik crossed her arms, gears whirring in her mind. Where should he start? "One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple—a Kokiri girl I'm sure you know."

Navi gasped. "The Kokiri! We've got to make sure they're okay!"

Link's dark blonde eyebrows shot up. "Saria!"

"Because of the evil power within the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm. Unfortunately," Sheik murmured, "equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple where your friend is trapped. But if you do believe what I'm saying, head to Kakariko village. You'll find a weapon to aide you there."

Link said nothing, gazing from the sword to the exit behind her head. She watched him take a few steps over to the pedestal on the floor, studying it. He sighed.

"How bad is it out there?"

Sheik's expression faltered. What do I say? "The world has changed a lot from what you used to know."

He glanced up with a deeper dismay in his eyes than she had been expecting. The guilt Zelda felt earlier intensified all over again. This was entirely her fault. By pulling the Sword, he had opened the realm and enabled the Triforce to be taken. Link had been sealed away for seven years of his life. His childhood was ruined. And here I am, thrusting these things upon him the moment he wakes up.

Navi flew over, prodding him gently on the cheek. "It'll be alright, Link," she tinkled softly. "Remember, we can still find Princess Zelda."

His gaze quickly lit up. "Zelda!" He scowled sharply. "She's in danger! Sheik—do you have any idea where the princess is?"

Zelda forced herself to remain calm, clenching her hands into fists. "I cannot say," she replied briskly. "Ganondorf has been searching for her relentlessly, but so far she has not been found."

"Ganondorf has been searching for her!?" Link cried, sounding outraged.

"For good reason," Sheik cooly managed. "It is believed she holds the Triforce of Wisdom, one of the three pieces of the Triforce. He wants to take that power."

"I made a pact with the princess not to let Ganondorf get the Triforce," Link said gruffly, holding out his sword. "If he tries to get ahold of her—"

"Calm down." Sheik pointed the tip of his sword away. "From what I hear, the princess is safely in hiding. I will help you find the sages, and if all goes well, the princess. There is no need to expose her just yet."

He did not look pacified. Zelda had to remind herself he had the mind of a ten year-old in a seventeen year-old's body.

Navi, ever-so-helpful, floated forward in spite of Link's stubbornness. "What do we need to do first?"

Zelda sighed. "Like I said, your Kokiri friend needs rescue. Before you can get her, you must find the weapon hidden in Kakariko village. Do you understand?"

Link nodded, hat flopping enthusiastically. But his fairy zipped up to his face. "Link, you're still hurt from earlier, remember? Don't you have any potions?"

He hesitated, scratching his head. "I might have some milk…"

Zelda fingered her pouch, not desiring to discover what state his milk was in after seven years of curdling. Then again, maybe milk in the Spirit Realm did not rot. "She's correct. Drink this." She held out a half-empty bottle of red potion. Link raised his eyebrows.

"Thanks," he said, accepting and unstopping it. "Wait, you sure you don't need it?"

She shook her head. "You'll require all the help you can get."

He gulped down the potion, wiping his mouth on the back of his glove. "Can I keep the bottle?"

"No."

She returned it to her pouch. "I expect you're feeling better?"

He straightened, complexion already more colored again. "Yeah, I'm great, let's go!"

Sheik moved only slightly, expression skeptical. "Are you aware of what weapons you can and cannot use in your inventory?"

Link stopped, agitated. "It's fine, I've got lots of stuff—" He rummaged through his pouch, face scrunching up as he pulled out a sling shot. Sheik looked at it, unimpressed.

"That's far too small to use."

Link gave her a dirty look. "It's helpful!"

The Sheikah pointed at it. "It's made for children."

Link lifted it to his face, pouting. He withdrew a boomerang from his pouch and gave it a similar look with a groan.

"You're big now, Link," Navi chirped.

"I know," he grumbled, shoving the items back into his enchanted sack. He gripped the sword with both hands. "At least I can use this sword and shield."

Navi giggled. "The Hylian shield used to be so big you could hide underneath it!"

Sheik tensed as Link reminisced with his fairy. Memories from the past flooded her mind, bringing back painful emotions. Ahh, stop, Zelda. Focus on the present situation.

"You'll gather more items as you begin your journey," Sheik coughed. "It's time to leave this sanctuary. If you have any more questions, you may ask me. Let us go."

Link fell into step at her side as they approached the entrance of the temple. "You're coming with me?"

She could not bring herself to look at him. "For the time being. You'll do much of your traveling on your own." I shall spy on you and see whether or not you can manage to survive.

"Oh. Okay." Link readied his sword as they reached the doors. With a grunt, Sheik pulled them open. No Redeads here. She stepped out into the air, surveying the area. Link followed.

"What is that smell?" He pinched his nose. "Why is it so dark? What happened!?"

Zelda exhaled. The aura of evil encroached them the farther they walked from the temple. "Ganondorf's doing. Not long after he raided the castle, he consumed the town. It burned for three days."

"That's awful." Link's expression was mortified as they walked along the now dead brush. "It used to be so nice."

"It's been left to rot since then." Zelda carefully descended the crumbling steps. "Unholy creations haunt its remains."

They entered the heart of the marketplace with trepidation, faint moans and rustlings filling the stiff air. Navi zoomed into Link's hat.

"Is this what the rest of Hyrule looks like?" he asked, voice filled with despair.

Zelda gratefully shook her head. "Only castle town. A majority of the land is untouched, save the unseen consequences of Ganondorf's reign."

They paused, drinking in the scene of the marketplace. A flashback of how it had been the last time she was here with Link crossed her mind. Now it was a filthy, decaying hole. The fountain was filled with muck. Several Redeads stood or sat silently around its once lively streets, blending eerily into the brown-red colors of the town.

"If you get caught in the middle of all of them, you will be ravaged," Sheik whispered fiercely. "Which is why you must learn how to sneak past without notice. If one of them shrieks, stay as far away as possible. Otherwise, pray to the goddesses you'll survive."

Link nodded silently, eyes wide. She pointed toward the end of the street. "Head there. Once you leave the city, travel to Death Mountain. You'll find the village with a graveyard and the item you need."

He lowered his sword. "Aren't you coming?"

Sheik bowed stiffly. "I have to watch over the temple. You'll do best to go forward from here on your own, Link."

Her guts wrenched themselves when she saw the expression on his face. All too forcefully, the image of the little boy left standing by the drawbridge passed over her mind's eye. I am not abandoning him, she managed, clenching her teeth. He has to do this himself…

Navi reappeared from his hat suddenly, sounding offended. "He's not alone! He still has me!"

Sheik coughed, unable to meet their eyes. "Of course." To Link, the expressionless Sheikah simply folded his arms and nodded his head. "Hurry."

Link gave Navi a determined look and nodded once, twirling the Master Sword. "Let's go!"

Sheik stood and watched, stiff, as he ran out into the marketplace. Several of the undead moaned and began to shuffle after his green-clad figure, but none got too close. Hat bobbing, he ran until he reached the outer streets untouched, passing out of sight. Thunder rolled overhead. Sheik released a ragged sigh, shoulders sagging.

Impa's voice would not stop echoing in her mind as she returned the empty temple. "I needn't remind you Kokiri do not grow up, do I, princess?"

Sheik dragged her feet across the tile, collapsing on top of the altar and watching the Sacred Stones spin. Her vision was blurry.

A different voice settled in her mind. You seem down, Zelda.

She touched one of Stones. "I thought he was dead."

He has been here, the kind, old sage whispered.

She sniffed. "I was certain he would be a child."

A sense of sympathy washed over her. After seven years, he has matured.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I do not understand."

It is his destiny, princess.

"But why him? Why not another?" Her expression turned spiteful. "I cannot protect him from the forces that seek to kill him—" She choked. "He may die."

Rauru's voice was tentative. She envisioned him watching from the Sacred Realm. He possesses the reborn spirit of the hero, he whispered. He will not die so long as you are there to guide him.

Old, buried memories of Zelda's childhood friendship were flooding outward now, unhindered. Tears slid down her cheeks. She hid her face in her bandaged arms, wishing she could return to those childhood years. Darker memories ensued…the long nights, alone, in the cold, sobbing…sobbing for weeks on end… Sheik's shoulders shook. Now he is alive again and… and I cannot even ensure his safety…

The face of the smiling young Kokiri boy made her feel like red-hot iron was being seared into her chest. The young man she had just encountered both soothed and intensified the pain. How could she call him by name and not break down into tears? He does not even know who I am.

Rauru spoke to her once more. Everything will work out in due time, Zelda.

She wiped her cheeks, shamefaced to have shed tears while under Sheik's cover.

"It is my duty to see to it, then," she decided, pulling herself from the altar and straightening up. It was going to hurt, but it would hurt more if she avoided him. She withdrew the harp. "I will make sure he lives."

She felt the old man's gentle spirit comforting her. Good luck. Plucking a quiet tune on her lyre, a swirl of light enveloped her as she once again returned to Kakariko village.

Author Notes: RELEASED ON TIME! I DID IT! I BEAT THE DEMON! (procrastination) YAAASSSS!

Hello. Hope your day is nice. Mine is pretty good. Woke up at 1pm, but I stay up pretty late so it's fine. I'm in the crapboat now, though, cuz the next chapter is not together yet. AHHHHH it's okay, it's okay. I will get it done! I promise! *muttering to self* Hope y'all like this chapter! Love Link! Awww, he's my favorite :3

Enough craziness! Since I had rewritten this scene SO MANY TIMES, I actually decided to include an earlier version below! Thanks so much to every single reader, you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, you are fabulous souls :) and a big shout out to reviewers (THANK YOU!). Haha, okay, I'll stop with the silliness, (I'm really hyped today for some reason, I apologize). Onto the next chapter! Estimated release date: July 10, 2017!

Deleted Scene: Temple of Time (as promised)

"Sorry. I am waiting for someone." She sheathed her knife, deciding to trust this odd man. "The mission is very important. If you're really here to help, having a second line of defense against these demons would be nice."

He frowned at her like she might throw him again. "Are you a Sheikah?"

She nodded, sticking out a hand. He eyed it. "They call me Sheik."

"I'll stay over here, thanks." He took a step back, just in case. "What are you doing in here?"

Zelda sighed, placing her hand on her hip. "I told you, I'm waiting for someone." She glanced down the dark corridor, scowling slightly.

"Who?"

Why so many questions? "The reborn spirit of the hero," she said, voice clipped. "One who comes from the forest." She folded her arms.

He raised his eyebrows. "A hero from the forest?"

She nodded. "He's the one who pulled that sword, and the only one who can defeat the wicked Ganondorf."

He scratched his messy blonde hair. "Geez, that's a lot to put on one guy…don't you think?"

She squinted at him. "It's his fate. Why are you so interested?"

His blue eyes widened. "Oh, ah, um…just curious." He sort of awkwardly shrugged. Zelda scowled, taking a step closer, and he stepped away.

"Do you know of someone like that?" She peered at him, walking over now. He backpedaled right into a pillar, scooting around it with his hands up. "Don't think so."

Zelda followed him around the pillar. He continued to evade her, sliding over to the next one.

"What is your name?"

He backed up to the altar. "Uhh…you want to know my name?"

She strode forward adamantly. "Yes, your name!"

He glanced over his shoulder, rolling up and over the place where the Sacred Stones lay. "It's—Mido!"

"Mido!" She barely missed snatching the edge of his tunic. "Where does that name hail from?"

He glanced at her, backing slowly into the corridor. "You know, for a Sheikah, you're really freaking me out."

Sheik's eyes dangerously narrowed. "I have that effect on people."

He made a face, and a bright blue orb of light suddenly zipped out of his hat. It had wings—a fairy. "What is your real name?"

"Frido." He dodged her, running out of the corridor. She rotated, almost snagging his hat. "Bizbo, Poco! Whoa!"

She faced him, frustrated. "Where did you come from!?"

He held his hands up. "The Great Deku Tree sent me!"

Her tense arms went limp. She stared at his features while the fairy flew around his head.

Zelda clenched her hand into a fist. "That—that's impossible! You—you were supposed to be a Kokiri!"

The young man grimaced. "I am a Kokiri!"

"No!" She could not help the shrillness of her voice. "You're all grown up!"

He frowned, gazing down at himself. "Yeah, so?"

Zelda plunged her fist into her forehead. "Kokiri. Don't. Grow. Up."

-End

Ha, he just runs away. Psssh, Link.

Alright, that's it. Until next time!