Here's my next chapter. Sorry I took so long, but it did give me a bit of trouble. I suppose that you can say that it's not as complete as I would like, but ultimately, you get to decide if it works or not, so -in a not so subtle hint- leave a review. Flames are laughed at, if I might add.

Disclaimer: Just in case anyone forgot. Or was stuck under a rock...

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Link and Komali both jumped in surprise at the booming voice of the Great Deku Tree. They watched as the visitors began to make their way from wherever they had been in the Haven towards the Forest Guardian.

Komali let Skett and Akoot go, and the hero watched as the two guards tucked away their spears and flew off to the high entrances above them. "They're keeping an eye out for any trouble," the Rito explained. "Them and four other guards, plus two ships from Windfall."

"Why so many?" Link asked in surprise. "Can't really be for just this council, can it?"

The two had started walking towards the members that were seated on the grass, caught up in the rush of others who had gone outside.

"It is," the boy chieftain answered while sighing heavily. "Don't know about the lack of guards in here when it comes to your race, but the Rito won't let me so much as cut my own food without a guard and a healer to watch my every move. Insufferable it is," he added wearily.

Komali shook his head and took his place next to Valoo, the Sky Guardian, along with a healer and a priest, leaving Link to wonder why he would mind such extensive protection. Wouldn't have minded back-up in the Savage Labyrinth, that's for sure.

He sat away from them all, directly opposite the Guardians. The arrangement was a basic circle, but the Great Deku Tree, Jabun, and Valoo took up almost an entire half, while Zephos and Cyclos took places apart from each other, flanking the Guardians, Zephos next to Jabun, Cyclos to Valoo.

Link noted the Windfall visitors' positions beside the Rito, but who were those near the Sea Guardian?

A young woman with reddish hair saw him gawking at her and her companions. She frowned slightly when he didn't turn away, and she stood up, brushing dust away from her blue and green dress.

"Hello," she said calmly when she sat back down next to him.

The lighting inside the Haven must have been bad, or his eyes must not have yet adjusted, because she now seemed barely older than him!

"Er...hi," he replied quickly. "Who ARE you?" he blurted without thinking. YOU IDIOT, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!, mentally kicking himself. Aryll's etiquette lessons had apparently failed him.

The girl didn't seem to be surprised by his strange outburst. If anything, she looked exasperated. "Well, I shouldn't have expected a hero turned hermit to know that Greatfish Isle has been restored," she sighed. "Or that we've returned from the outer islands, beyond the borders of the Great Sea..."

The hero turned hermit flushed in embarrassment. "Heh...um, yeah, well, I couldn't really leave Outset...kind of hard to, actually, what with the supposed threat...hm?"

Looking around while grinning sheepishly, he finally noticed that the entire council was looking at him expectantly. Bugger...

The introductions had been brief. Mercifully so, but Link neither noticed or cared. He wanted to know what, exactly, was going on, and only the Great Deku Tree would be able to answer him. When the last of the Greatfish members sat back down, the Forest Guardian coughed, bringing attention back to himself.

"I, the Deku Tree and protector of the Forest Haven, called this meeting of the races and islands of the Great Sea, to impart the knowledge given to me by the Goddesses themselves." He paused for a moment, as the words sank in. The Golden Goddesses did not freely offer their knowledge of the world to the Guardians, much less a mortal.

"I'm quite certain that you all have heard the rumors that fly ear to ear, seen the troubles that dampen our peace, and feel the shift in the winds' gust and ocean's waves," he continued. "Darkness once again threatens the Great Sea. We stand, my friends and allies, on the brink of war."

The mood, until then recently light, had turned immediately wary, alert...frightened. Muttering broke out among the Windfall and Greatfish delegation. At that moment, it felt as cold as night.

"KOMALI!!" the Great Deku Tree suddenly boomed out, startling everyone, including Valoo, who promptly released a small burst of flame that quickly died out.

The Rito, a hard look on his face, stood up. "Yes, my lord?" he replied softly.

"Forgive my blunt question, but it is necessary. How did your father die?" the guardian asked. His leafy branches quivered expectantly, a leveled gaze directed at the young chieftain.

Komali glanced at the ground briefly, before answering, "Exploring the remnants of the Forsaken Fortress... A group of Moblins and Bokoblins attacked him and his guards...only Skett and Akoot escaped, unharmed... We lost five Rito that day..."

Heads bowed at the boy's loss. It was exceedingly difficult to slay a Rito, due to their honed strength, much less five, and the Chieftain's guard at that. He lost his father, Link thought sadly, not just a leader.

"I see," the Great Deku Tree muttered. "And what did the two who escaped tell you of the exploration?"

Komali, struggling to maintain a respectable demeanor, answered, "Skett and Akoot could only say that they were not the monsters we are accustomed to. They were more powerful, more brutal... Skett said that through it all, morning had never come, even though they returned to Windfall days after they had left. It was as though night had come permanently to the island." He looked away from everyone and sat back down.

"Darkness, unending night, and a change in the winds, these have not come since Ganon's attempt at the Triforce," he muttered audibly.

"GANON!?" Link shouted, jumping to his feet, eyes flashing scarlet. "What does he have to do with this?! I sealed him away under the sea in case anyone doesn't remember!"

The Great Deku Tree regarded him closely. "He has everything to do with this, Link. You are right, he is sealed under the sea, but Ganondorf is not."

"What?" came the question from the entire council. Even the King of Red Lions, who had been set near Zephos gawked in pure shock. "But, Great Deku Tree," the king said, "how is it possible? Aren't they one and the same?"

"Nay, the Golden Goddesses themselves have told me that this Ganondorf hails from the era of the Lost Kingdom of Hyrule, during the time of the Great Hero." The Great Deku Tree paused for breath. "The Ocarina of Time, treasure of the Royal Family, was taken from the Hero in battle...He is here, they tell me, to resurrect his future from beneath the waves, to bring our land back into darkness, perhaps even the world."

The council listened to his every word, faces impassive as they struggled to understand the severity of the situation. Every so often, one would turn to shock. Link himself was struggling to control his temper, fighting the urge to go to the Forsaken Fortress and challenge the evil wizard.

"I must say one more thing, friends and allies," he said gravely. "There is no power strong enough to destroy him save for the Master Sword. The might of the Guardians is nothing against his power, not while this Ganondorf still bears his Triforce of Power...Only the other two Triforces will stop him."

Muttering broke out among the members, mostly within the Windfall group, and they glanced every so often at the boy hero, whose face was set in a fierce glare.

"And my hand, Great Deku Tree?" Link spoke, holding out his left hand, marked with the Triforce, so that everyone could see. "Five days ago, I had a cramp in my left hand. The hand marked with the image Triforce of Courage. What do you make of that?" His face was stonily set.

The Great Deku Tree gazed at him. "Then the second part of their knowledge is true..." he mumbled. His face brightened a bit, and he answered, "The goddesses have revealed Ganondorf's intentions, but they also told me of the limited actions they could take to combat this darkness. If your marked hand reacted as you say it did-"

"It did," Link interjected quietly.

"-then the Goddesses have succeeded in bringing both the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny to the Great Sea."

Another gasp passed through the Council. The Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny who battled the Darkness in the Lost Kingdom! "When did we cross into lore and fairy tales?" came one voice that dripped in shock and disbelief. The next pronouncement, though, was the most surprising yet...

"UNKNOWN SHIPS APPROACH!! THEY BEAR THE BANNER OF THE EVIL KING!!"

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Thanks to The Dmgirl for beta-ing and point-ing out near-fatal flaws. Thanks to all those who review. And to all those who like my story but didn't review, "WTH?!" It's called anonymous reviews people, use 'em!