Author's Note:

Sorry for the delay. I was out of town.

This chapter is long. The plot of the main story isn't brought in, except for the end. That is very important.
Those who know the story of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and some of the other games will find this chapter familiar. Those who do not should be able to understand it, I have explained the events.

As always, I must disclaim:

I do not own Zelda, the game stories, the characters or the places.

Hope you like it. Please review.

Chapter Four: Stories and Family Matters

"You're the Hero of Time, aren't you?" Link said, to the point as always.

"I am. How did you find out?"

"There were signs...the Great Spin Attack and your last words gave it away," Link said with a grin. The Shade smiled.

"Can you tell me your story?" Link asked. The Shade complied.

"My name was also Link. In fact, I appeared to your village blacksmith in a dream and told him what to name you. This was eighteen years ago, when he found you on his doorstep." Link sat down and listened.

"I grew up in these forests. Then, it was called Kokiri Forest. Children known as Kokiri, who never grew up, lived there, under the guidance of a sentient, wise tree, known as the Great Deku Tree."

"One day, I dreamt of a young girl being taken away by a large man on a black horse. On that same day, the Deku Tree fell sick, and I went inside to cure him. I defeated a spider known as Gohma in its depths, but the Tree had already been badly poisoned. He died soon after. Before he left, the Tree told me that I would be a great hero, and would have to save Hyrule. He told me of the Triforce, and of Ganondorf, who had put Gohma inside him."

"The Tree gave me the Spiritual Stone of the forest, the Kokiri Emerald. He told me to find the Princess of the land, Zelda, and also find the other two Spiritual Stones, so I could defeat Ganondorf."

"I did so, guided by a fairy called Navi. I helped the Gorons reclaim their food supplies from the lizards called Dodongos, and I rescued the Zora Princess from inside their deity Lord Jabu-Jabu. For these, I was rewarded with the other two Stones, the Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire."

"I then went to find Princess Zelda. I found her and her nursemaid Impa escaping the castle on a horse, chased by Ganondorf. Zelda threw a blue object in the castle moat, which turned out to be the Ocarina of Time. My best friend, Saria, had taught me to play the ocarina already."

"Zelda told me telepathically how to obtain the Master Sword, which you now hold, Link. I followed her instructions, went to the Temple of Time, and used the three Stones and Ocarina to open the Door of Time. I went into the Sacred Realm, and drew the Master Sword in the Temple of Light there."

"I was frozen in time for seven years, Link." Link stared. This was not mentioned anywhere.

"The Sage of Light, Rauru, appeared then. He told me I had been too young to wield the sword, and so I was put to sleep until I was old enough to bear it. However, Ganondorf had followed me into the Sacred Realm, and claimed the Triforce while I left the door to it open."

"However, he only believed in Power, and that was the portion he received. Zelda had then gotten the portion of Wisdom, while I had gotten Courage." The Hero's Shade took off his glove and showed Link the three triangles on his left hand.

"Now, I was seventeen, with a terrible burden – saving Hyrule – and terrible power – one third of the Triforce. But I took it well. Rauru told me to return to Hyrule and find the other six sages, and together we would defeat Ganondorf."

"I fought my way across Hyrule, which was now in ruins. I found five Sages in five parts. Every time I entered a region, the people who helped me most there turned out to be the Sages."

"Saria, my best friend and a respected Kokiri, was the Forest Sage. The Goron chief Darunia who had given me the Ruby was the Fire Sage. The Zora Princess Ruto was that of Water. Shadow was Zelda's Sheikah guardian Impa, while Spirit was held by the Gerudo chieftain Nabooru. I defeated evils in each of the Sage's temples and unlocked their powers as Sages."

"The Ocarina of Time let me do great things with music. But the best of all was that I could travel back in time, seven years, to my peaceful childhood, and escape from the violence and chaos of Ganondorf's realm. That kept me sane, Link. That and one other thing."

"Her name was Malon. Her father ran Lon Lon Ranch in Hyrule Field, the best keepers of horses and suppliers of dairy products. She was a great friend, and then something more."

"I gathered the Sages and fought my way through Hyrule Castle. I defeated Ganon finally, with Zelda's help. She turned out to be the Sage of Time. Since Ganondorf could not die then, the Sages sealed him away into the Twilight Realm."

"Zelda sent me back to my childhood with the Ocarina. It was painful, losing seven years of hard work and adventure, but it was worth it."

"Later, Navi went away, and while looking for her, I reached a world called Termina, whose moon was about to crash onto it. I found the source of the evil over the land, the embodiment of a great power called Majora, in the form of a mask. I had three days before Termina was destroyed."

"I fought the evils of the land for three days. Then I found the Skull Kid – he is still around here somewhere – possessed by Majora's Mask. He had stolen my Ocarina. I got it back from him, and used it to replay the three days until I could free the Four Giants who protected the land."

"The Giants stopped the Moon from falling, and I went onto it and destroyed Majora. I found my way back to Hyrule somehow, married Malon and led a peaceful life."

Link smiled. This was how stories should be.

But...

"Why did you have to stay behind? As a spirit?"

"I made that choice myself. I needed to train you to face Ganondorf. Then I could return to my loved ones in the Sacred Realm. I can still come here to talk to you if needed."

"Thank you." The living Link said. "But why me? And why did you call me your child?"

"I had a son with Malon, who we also named Link. He too was a great hero. Princess, no, Queen Zelda married a noble and had a daughter, who was also named Zelda. Our son saved the young Princess from Ganondorf, who had returned. Twice."

"He then went to different countries to protect them from evil. Holodrum, Labrynna. Our son was no less of a hero than I. I had two large quests, he had several smaller ones. That was the primary difference."

"Our son married a girl from Castle Town, and he too led a quiet life after his adventures. He named his son Link too, just as the Princess also named her daughter Zelda. That daughter is your ruler today."

"But that might mean..."

"Not 'might mean'. Link II is your father. And I am your grandfather."

"Where are my parents?" Link asked.

"Your mother had to go to Labrynna to help them rebuild after the evils that shook their land. Your father saved a land known as Koholint Island, but is still at sea. They're alive, child."

"And you're my grandfather."

The Hero of Time's my grandfather.