"Do your worst Prince. Tonight and from now on I am yours."

He couldn't be happier with himself- soon to be married to his best friend, life was feeling good. But tonight wasn't the time to be hasty.

"I'm not going to push it further tonight, we've got all the time in the world. If you'll excuse me, I need to take care of some business…"

"R-right... see you in a few," she said as he shuffled out from under the sheets, the bed soon felt much bigger and cold without his presence.

Link wandered through the empty halls for awhile till he reached the washroom to 'let some air out of the tire' and cool his head. He wandered around till he lost his way, I've never been down this way before… It feels like something's… calling me…

He came outside to a small grove, in the middle stood an ornate blade in a carefully crafted stone chock. "That's strange, I didn't know there was another garden in the grounds- and this blade, it feels vaguely familiar to me…"

As he approached the glaive, it began to glow with an unearthly blue and a little voice spoke into his mind, It's good to see you again, Master.

"Who was that? Who's speaking to me?"

I am Master. It's me right in front of you…

"The sword? But that's impossible. Swords don't talk to people, nor are sentient. Are you…?"

I am the Master Sword, Fi. I was created by the goddesses and forged to my current state by you- It seems like you've forgotten your past memories, allow me to help you, Master Link.

"Past memories? The goddesses? I don't understand…" he grasped the purple hilt and memories of the sword poured into his mind. A blue figure dressed in the motif of the sword itself came to guide him through the torrent of memories.

I first met you in the age of the goddess, Hylia. We fought against the Daemon King, Demise, and won, but you didn't make it to the patch of land her holiness lifted skyward and died in her arms. I was locked inside of a temple till I sensed your spirit in a young knight trainee centuries later after the colony became known as Skyloft and the land below was only spoken of as myths. After we sealed Demise again, I was thrusted into this chock, and my consciousness faded.

Millenia later, I met you once again. This time you were a young boy accompanied with a fairy from the forest. I deemed you too young and I used my powers to put you into a seven year slumber till you were strong enough to wield me. Somehow Demise reincarnated into the form of the sole Gerudo male of the tribe. His form was driven by greed and it was his downfall. After you encountered him, he transformed into a hideous beastly swine. After wearing him down, you plunged me through his skull and ending him. Sadly, the princess at the time wanted you to have you at least have your childhood back. She used some mysterious force to bring you back before it happened, and you prevented the tragedy from happening. I was returned to my place in the temple and your fairy companion flew off in a goodbye.

You didn't reincarnate for another century, and the land was once again in turmoil. A thick black fog descended on the lands, you came to me after being cursed with your beast form - of that of a wolf. The light from my blade lifted the curse and you regained your true form and took me along with as you gathered these pieces of a mirror. Once again Ganondorf returned after being exiled into the Twilight Realm. He was relentless with his assault on you, using her holiness as a mere puppet, and even went on a rampage in his beastly form. But soon afterwards, a duel decided the fate of Hyrule, with some dumb luck, you managed to overpower him and plunged me through his heart. He still stood as his life force was draining out of him, not even faltering once he succumbed to his wound. You returned me to my pedestal in what once was my temple in the great southern Faron Woods.

The last time I saw you, you were just a small child wandering through the Lost Woods. I nearly forgot how much time passed since I last seen you returning me to my place, but I think I scared you- just like you recoiled from my voice even now. The kingdom grew greatly since I last traveled with you, and we went on adventures through the land. Your father found out that you claimed me, and brought you before the king at the time. He insisted you to become a knight and protect his daughter. I remember various bits and pieces, but her ladyship resented you at first, but came to love you as you did your duty to protect her. But, it was almost all for naught when Ganon reincarnated into his most powerful form to date. You fought to your last breath, and in that moment, the princess unlocked her holy powers once again. Master, you nearly died at that point when I awoke to soothe her holiness. She had you placed in a chamber that would revive you back to prime condition. But the price was that it was going to take a century to heal your multiple wounds from a lack of power to the device. I was damaged from fighting these mechanical monstrosities, and the princess returned me to the Lost Woods in order for me to repair myself and wait till you came to get me again.

A century later you came back, but you were lacking the strength that you once had, my acquaintance, the Deku tree suggested that you find these shrines and train to build up your strength. Sure enough, you did and pulled me out of the pedestal. I needed to make sure you were ready, and I drained your life force as you drew me. We returned the the ruins of the castle to face Ganon, known as Calamity Ganon. He was a monster. A spider like form augmented by machinery, and fueled with pure hatred and destruction. A mere shell of the previous incarnations, but his power was unbelieveable. As a last resort he returned to his true form, of an angered boar. We managed to weaken him for her holiness to seal him once and for all.

I can't remember what else happened from that point, but if you are drawn to me, then that means Ganon is coming once again.

"This… this was me? But I hardly look like them- I hardly have held a sword let alone fought in any kind of conflict!"

Looks do not matter, as long as you have the courage to wield me. Please, Master, pull me from this pedestal. You need to find the reincarnation of her holiness, she is your other half in this ordeal.

"You mean Zelda?"

That's what her holiness was called through the ages…

Link firmly grasped the hilt in both of his hands and put all of his strength to remove the blade. It slid out of it's pedestal and Link fell on his bottom as soon as the blade was freed.

Then reality came down on him like a ton of bricks- he was the chosen hero from the fables his father read to him and Zelda as children. He was the hero that represented courage. A gallant figure clothed in green. Something that he wasn't- far, far away from those figures of old.

"I'm just a coward, a horrible example of a Prince. I have to have everything handed to me on a silver platter… I couldn't possibly be the hero from the legends."

Master Link, your spirit is most certainly the reincarnated hero of old. If you were not, you wouldn't have been able to pull me out. I once heard an old saying: Courage is being terrified, but still saddling up and going head first into danger anyways. The previous incarnations had to learn this as well, albeit a much different route than you now.

Link sighed, "Just another burden for me to wear…"

It seems bad, but you need to do this for your kingdom, and for your future.

Dawn was about ready to break, and he did not sleep a wink yet again. He needed to return to his chambers before Impa found out. Without a second thought, he ran back to his room with the Master Sword in hand. He leaned the blade against his nightstand and curled up next to Zelda. She stirred for a moment as she noticed the warmth return to the bed.

Impa promptly came as she normally did at sunrise and pulled the curtains open to let the morning sun flood the room.

"Time to get up you two lovebirds," she spoke as she heard groans and yawns escape them as they rose out of their bed. Link was still exhausted after his short nap.

Impa turned to face them and saw the sacred blade leaning against the furniture, "Is that-? No it can't be…"

"You talking about the Master Sword? I heard it's call and found it last night," Link said as he glanced at the legendary glaive.

"Come with me now, and take the blade with you, Link."

"Uh, okay? Where are we going? Impa, you are scaring me…" he hopped out of bed and grabbed the sword and left his room, still in his lounge pants and shirtless.

"We need to speak with your father about this-" she gestured to the weapon in his hand.

"Why? The sword told me everything last night…"

"That's precisely why- it's an omen of sorts. We need to start to prepare ourselves as soon as possible."

Link was going to throw out a retort, but there's no backing out of this. His fate was slowly becoming laid out in front of him.

The king was already awake and pacing through his suite. He did not need any details after seeing his son walk in with the blade of evil's bane from the old tales.

"Impa, it's time. Please let me speak to him in private."

"Of course your majesty." Impa took a deep bow and left the room.

"Now tell me… what kind of knowledge did the sword impart with you? Rumors state that it is older than the kingdom itself."

"It showed me in past lives… She explained that the hero will rise when Hyrule's need is at it's greatest…"

"Now, I know you never had a fondness for weapons, but you are going to need to know how to wield it… I shall speak to the captain to start training you in the ways of the sword."

"The blade also said something about Zelda being my counterpart? She hinted at Zelda being the goddess incarnate?"

"As the legends state- the hero was the one to battle the daemon king, and the princess, or in our case, Zelda was there to seal Ganon away… I think it's time for her to begin some special training… Separate from you though I'm sad to say…"

Link looked a little hurt from his father's words, he would face this challenge alone? The two had been nearly inseparable since she took residence in the castle. The king rummaged through his collection to find an ornate scabbard to sheath the sword in.

"May I spend the day with her, before breaking the news?"

"I can grant you that, I suppose. One day, then you will start bright and early tomorrow. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."