A/N: Three words- School. Is. TORMENT! I mean, I've been working so freaking hard to get just one A while many others I know have straight A's without trying-

*Realizes this is an A/N*

Oh... hehe...

Anyways, it's been a long time since you've seen me, yeah? (Just like Deidara! :P)

Yup... many things have been holding me up this time. I HAVE EXCUSES THIS TIME! And what is it called?

HIGH SCHOOL.

Man, the only place worse than High School is Middle School! Now THAT was torture... at least at High School you can eat Ice Cream at lunch as part of your lunch account! That is good. :D

I also have the excuse that my social life has ALSO been torment. I've really set a record- in three weeks I lost three of four of my best friends. 'Tis not fun sitting alone at lunch...

Anyways, I've been ranting WAAAAAAAAAAAY to much about this.

Now to rant about the chapter! One time the author Ally Condie made a visit to my library, and when I asked about her writing life, she said what worked for her was to set deadlines for herself.

So that's exactly what I did! Even through my good-for-nothing social life, school and my Naruto obsession, I set a deadline that I would not, WOULD NOT, take longer than a month to get a chapter out! WE all know how that went last time...

And I made it! I just BARELY made it! Now my next deadline will be a lot shorter- from now on, I'm gonna try to get AT LEAST one chapter every two weeks, more if I can. So now, if I don't get Chapter 8 in by Halloween, I will give you a large, 48-piece virtual cake of any of your choice, one more piece for every day I take past Halloween. And I won't get to have any of it. But if I do get it in, then we'll all have a 48 piece virtual cake, but I get at least half of it. :D

Oh! I almost forgot! Thanks to Cimar of Turalis, InkWoven, TwilightWakerofTime (Btw Waker, I'm thinking about getting PH now. :D), CrystalIceFire, Eternal Nocturne, Mysticbreeze327, Morumotto-chi, kingdomhearts4eva (Totally agree with that username XD), and Blood-of-Silver. Whew... that was a lot! Thanks a bunch for all that support!

Now, to ze chapter!


Chapter 7: A New Goal

Zelda's lower lip dropped open in shock and disbelief. Ganondorf returned…

Her knees knocked against each other. To think, how she and Link had tried to dispatch of Ganondorf- now that he returned, it was like none of it mattered.

And the Sages, dead…

Zelda immediately thought of Impa. How had she reacted? Was she killed immediately, with no chance to react, or had she gone down fighting? Had it been quick, or slow and painful?

Tears welled out of Zelda's eyes. Oh, Impa…

Her muscles knotted. "Impa!"

Link nodded slowly. "Saria," he muttered reverently.

Darunia. Rauru. Nabooru. Ruto. Saria. Impa. All of the Sages, gone. Ganondorf, returned. This time, there was no way Hyrule could be saved.

Zelda's eyes quivered in sadness, full of grief and remorse. It was like Zelda's body was a hollow shell.

Then it was as if Zelda's body were on fire.

Anger bubbled in the depths of her stomach, a sensation she rarely felt. A horrible, rare feeling- yet powerful.

Zelda closed her eyes and suddenly punched the wall, screaming. She forgot all about her usual calm, why should she be in this moment of all of them?

Ganondorf would pay! She would ensure that!

"So stupid of me!" she yelled. "Why did I run away from Hyrule? As the Princess and Wisdom Bearer, I should have known better! Out of all people! I was so-"

"Would you stop it Zelda?" Link yelled suddenly.

"N-No!" Zelda chocked. "This is all my fault! Impa… this is more than I can take!"

"Oh yeah, how do you think I feel about Saria?" protested Link. "Stop this, Zelda! This is so unlike you!"

Zelda laughed, as if she were going insane from sorrow. "Oh yeah? Well, at least it's not your fault that Hyrule is gone for good!"

"Actually," Navi interrupted, "you're the leader of the Sages, and Link's the Hero of Time. You both have different pieces of the Triforce. You guys leaving Hyrule just may have been the best thing that's happened."

Link and Zelda shut their mouths, stunned by how true Navi's words stood.

Zelda was the first to regain her composure as Princess of Hyrule- or Princess of Nothing, now. Motivated by Navi's words suddenly, she set her shoulders back and squared her jaw.

"You're right. We sealed Ganondorf once- we can do it again." Zelda's voice stuck out determinedly.

"But to seal Ganondorf again would require the Sages," Link pointed out. "And, obviously, they're dead."

"Not all of them," Zelda said, racking her brain anxiously. "I'm still standing, and I'm the leader."

"And one Sage is good enough to seal the King of Evil?"

"I'm the Wisdom Bearer and Princess as well."

"Even so. You would still need other Sages."

Zelda rested her chin on her fist in thought. "Well…" Zelda looked up, detaching her head from her hand. "Perhaps, somehow, we could find new Sages."

Right when she said it, Zelda wished she could take it back. How absurd! Finding new Sages…

Slowly she realized, as they needed them badly, it might now be too bad of an idea…

Link nodded cautiously. "Yeah, maybe," he considered. "It's a good idea- but how're we gonna get to Hyrule and find the necessary people?"

"Yes, Ganondorf has complete control over Hyrule now," Navi put in. "You- both of you- are wanted, and millions of search parties are being sent after you. Going to Hyrule is suicide!"

Zelda gulped. Not to mention, there was surely word by now that there was a new Brawler to come fight in the Smash Arena. How long would it be before they realized just who that Brawler was and tracked her down?

But she couldn't worry about that right now. As of the moment, she and Link had to focus on finding new Sages. It was their best bet.

"What about you?" Link turned to Navi, pulling Zelda out of her head. She had missed some conversation, hadn't she?

Navi lifted half an inch higher in the air, which Zelda was safe to assume was the the best example of a shrug a fairy could perform.

"I fled as soon as I could," she told them. "Ganondorf would surely want me for questioning, fairy or no. So…" Navi didn't finish the sentence.

Link grimly nodded in understanding.

Zelda closed her eyes softly. "So how will we find new Sages?" she almost whispered.

No one spoke, all in deep thought. What were they to do? How could they save Hyrule without being caught first?

Link finally broke the silence and brought up a suggestion that took Zelda and Navi aback.

"Simple. We don't use Hylians."

Zelda took a step back in shock. Was Link insane?

"But the Goddesses- the remaining Six Sages need to be of other races! It's the only way!" Zelda said desperately. "And you know it!"

Link sighed. "I knew you would say that. But face it- what other choice do we have?"

"Do you even have the slightest idea of who we would use for Sages if not Hylians?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. The Brawlers."

Zelda stared at Link as if he had suddenly grown a hundred extra arms. "The Brawlers… as Sages?" she asked as if Link had proposed they waved flags around Hyrule stating who they were.

"Why not?" Navi suggested.

Zelda paused. Why not…

She sighed. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps they could use Brawlers. Perhaps they could actually do it…

No. It was wrong. It was wrong and Link knew it. No way could they break the tradition of the Sages being Hylians unless they were truly desperate.

Which they were.

"Princess Zelda," Link spoke. She was surprised by the formality- normally Link left the title out unless he was deadly serious about something. "We have no choice."

For a few tedious moments, Zelda's thoughts wandered, taking multiple directions and taking several things into consideration all at once. Then it all exploded and Zelda sighed, giving up.

"I guess we could… but the thing is, how... how could the Brawlers become Sages?" Zelda looked up at Link.

It had been Link's suggestion, so not only would it make sense if Link proposed a miraculous suggestion, but it would have been incredible as well. So Zelda had been expecting to Link have a good idea-

Link shrugged.

Zelda shook her head in defeat. "Told you," she mumbled.

"Wait… isn't there someone that has the power to ordain them Sages?" Navi mused. "There's gotta be someone…"

Zelda thought for a moment. "Well, I guess the Goddesses would have the power to do so-" An idea sprang in her head, just like that.

Navi twinkled, urging her. Zelda nodded and closed her eyes, stretching her arms towards the ceiling as if she were trying to touch it.

"Goddesses of Hyrule!" she called out. Immediately a warm, iridescent light flooded her, meeting her.

Zelda relaxed at this light, recognizing the light of Din, Nayru and Farore. They were encouraging…

This was all she needed. "I humbly request the power to ordain Sages, in an effort to protect the land you created with your hands," she continued. "Please… lend me your strength!"

At first, there was nothing.

Then a new kind of power immediately flooded through her entire being. Not just one, singular power- the power of all Sages, combined and sleeping within her. They all seemed to mix together until they formed into a concrete light.

Zelda opened her eyes, and immediately felt something dancing on her palms. She looked down to find a radiating light of many colors held- this light she had felt so warm to her, she almost didn't want to give it to the necessary future Sages.

The light slowly faded, dissolving into her hand like rushing water aiming down. When it was finally gone, Zelda looked up and smiled, knowing that perhaps Link was right.

Perhaps this would work.