Last time on AWIOK, we took a look behind the scenes at the Green-cloaked thief, Zelnite, as well as a step into the memory of the Angelic Paladin… and what created his conviction and desire to remain steadfast until the end of the God Wars. In light of this information however, what trials await Kuura and Link as they begin their training? And will Hyrule be safe while its Hero is gone? The only way to find out would be to read on and find out for yourself.

Credit to Nintendo for Legend of Zelda, Alim/Gumi for Brave Frontier, and myself for Kuura and Elise.

Remember to Rate and Review before leaving, seeing that my stories are being enjoyed motivates me to write more and ultimately put out more chapters for you to enjoy.

Chapter 10- Training Begins… Doubt-filled Hearts…

It was early the next morning as Kuura sat on the side of his bed, fumbling with his Summoning Talismans in his hands. He had been unable to get much sleep through the night, and before long gave up on trying to get any rest if his body was not ready for it. He alternated his gaze between his Talismans and the gauntlet that Sage Rauru granted him. The Sage stated that it would help assist him in honing his Summoning Powers by serving as a limiter, but that didn't tell Kuura exactly how it would behave when he actually used the Summoning Art. With a sigh, he lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling to lose himself in his thoughts.

"So much has happened in that last twenty-four hours…" he mused quietly, "I discover I'm a Summoner, Hyrule's come under the threat of the God Army, Shida's trying to make it worse call it here, and then I got to meet the Great Sage, Rauru, and prepare for training with Link. I feel that Link took the news alright… well… as well as any of us could I guess. None of us really know what to do, and all we have to go off of is what Zephyr told us about the origins of the God Wars. While that already helps a lot, it still doesn't give us any kind of idea for a direction to go. And while Link and I are busy training… who'll be here to protect Hyrule?"

His musings were interrupted by a light knock on his door, followed by a soft "Kuura? You awake?"

Kuura sat up and looked at the door to see Elise peeking through the crack in the door, "Yeah I'm awake. Couldn't sleep really."

Elise stepped inside and closed the door behind her, slowly walking towards the bed and sitting next to Kuura. She kept her head down and didn't say a word for a short time. "You're really going through with this, huh?" She finally asked, raising her head a little, "Never thought I'd see the day when the great pacifist would want to actually fight."

Kuura chuckled a little at her comment, "Haha… yeah me too. I never thought that I'd wanna do something like this either, but I guess if you have something that no one else can do, it doesn't really give you much choice for backing out."

"So that means you're still finding a way around fighting? You heard what Zephyr said Kuura… it doesn't look like this God Army won't accept negotiations or peace talks."

"I never said I was trying to back out… but… you're right. I'm just still trying to process everything is all, a lot of stuff happened in the last several hours."

Elise hung her head back down, staring at her knees, "Yeah…"

"Hey… are you ok Elise?"

"Kuura… I know you're really far out of your comfort zone with this kind of thing… and to be honest I'm a little scared too… but… I want you to promise me something, and I want to you swear you'll uphold it."

Kuura blinked a couple times in confusion, "Uhm… okay? What would that be?"

Elise suddenly looked up to him, her cheeks flushed red, eyes holding back tears, a serious expression on her face, "Swear it Kuura!"

He leaned back a little and quickly held up his hand, "Ok ok, I swear it. But… what exactly am I swearing to?"

"Ugghh… Kuura you idiot…" Elise used her glove to wipe away the forming tears from her eyes, and then suddenly leaned forward to kiss his cheek. Kuura was in utter shock as his own face lit up and flushed, as he had never been this close to Elise ever before in the past, let alone any other girl. Finally, she whispered into his ear, "Whatever happens out there… don't you dare die, Kuura Isagami."

"I-I… I-uhhm…." Kuura was still in shock to properly form words.

"We've both been big parts of each other's lives growing up, and I'd really hate to lose you to something as silly as a war."

"B-But Elise, I-"

"Let me finish Kuura, I'm not done speaking. I know that you really don't have a choice in all of this, but… just know that if you ever think about chickening out, I'll be there to put you back in line; whether you want me to or not."

She flashed a faint smile before pulling away and looking around, "I think it'll be exciting for you though… you know… getting to train alongside the Hero of Time. I'm honestly a little jealous."

Kuura finally recovered and looked to the side, "Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fun…"

"Cheer up Kuura, you'll make it through this. And just remember what I said, if you ever think about leaving, I will personally beat you senseless myself before those gods even get a chance to touch you. Understand me?" She looked over at him with something of a glare, but Kuura was too fixated on that to see the smirk on her lips.

He slightly cringed, "Yes Ma'am."

Elise then headed back for the door, but stopped as she rested her hand on the doorknob, "You know… I only act like this because I care about you, right? Because honestly Kuura… I… I uhh…"

Kuura looked back at her curiously.

"N-Nevermind… I'll tell you later. I think I heard Link down in the lobby of the Inn though, so I think you should go meet up with him when you get a chance."

Elise quickly left the room and closed the door behind her as she headed back towards her room. Twice now she had attempted to say something really personal to Kuura, and twice now the butterflies in her stomach or some kind of interference prevented her from saying it. She had been waiting for years to say her mind, and now that Hyrule's fate hung in the balance, with Kuura being the scale that will determine the ultimate outcome, she was scared she would never get a chance to speak. All she could do as she closed the door to her room was offer a small prayer.

"Goddesses… please watch over us all… but more importantly, watch over Kuura. I know that a lot's fallen on his shoulders, but just remind him that he has people that want to be there to help him…"

An hour passed before Everyone had met outside of the Temple of Time for a final confirmation on what was about to take place. Link and Kuura were to speak with Sage Rauru and be taken to the place he had prepared for them to train. That unfortunately, was as far as they got with the plan. Zelda had suggested that she speak with the other Sages and perhaps find ways to slow down Shida's advance, or simply a way to buy them some time before he shows his face again. Impa approved with a nod, under the agreement that the queen was to stay within the confines of the castle until Link and Kuura's return. Malon and Elise stayed silent, not necessarily liking the situation, but knowing that it had to be done regardless of what they thought. Reluctantly, Zelda agreed to her caretaker's terms, and without a further word, they all entered the Temple together.

Link leaned over towards Kuura,, seeing him nervously ball his hands into fists and then releasing them, "Hey, you alright Kuura?"

"Huh?" Kuura returned, shaking his head slightly, "Yeah, I guess so. I have the gauntlet that Sage Rauru gave me, as well as my Summoning Talismans. Do I know how to use them, that… is to be determined."

"Ha… well don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll learn in time and become a great Summoner."

"Thanks Link, this training should go well for you too huh?"

"I can hope. I'm honestly in shock still at how lax I've gotten in these years of peace…" Link looked around the tall and pristine walls of the Temple's interior, "But like you, I suppose we'll have to see how well this training will go."

"On that note though… where exactly is Sage Rauru taking us anyway?"

"You mean he didn't tell you?"

Kuura shook his head, "Not me or Zelda."

They all stood before the Altar at the far end of the Temple, and the ethereal form of the Sage of Light appeared in front of them.

"Sage Rauru," Link began, "We're ready to begin our training."

"That… I can see." The Sage of Light agreed, looking at the sword and shield strapped to the Hero's back, "And you… young Summoner… are you ready to begin your path towards mastery of your hidden art?"

Kuura took a breath to clear his mind, and then looked up at the Sage, "Yes I am."

"Good… then the preparations are complete. Hero… play the Song passed down by the Royal Family… and open the Doors of Time."

Link gave Zelda a brief look of confusion, but a subtle nod from the queen assured him that it would be alright, as he fished a clay ocarina from his satchel. He frowned slightly at remembering that he used the Sacred Instrument of the Royal Family the last time that song had importance such as this, but this time around however, that treasure was stored away in the royal archives.

"Worry not…" Sage Rauru stated, "I shall assist you in opening the Doors… you need only to play the Sacred Melody."

The Hero gave a slight shrug before putting the ocarina to his lips, and very slowly playing a melody that echoed through the empty halls of the Temple; the Song of Time, a song with the ability to supposedly allow someone to transcend to authority of the clock, and turn back its hands to a time gone past, or forward to a time not yet taken place. Of course, these were only rumors spread by the town villagers, but Link, Zelda, and Impa knew better. The power of the song was indeed as the people said, however, because it was not being played by the Royal Family's Sacred Treasure, the Ocarina of Time, its effects were simply that of a melody pleasing to the ear and to the soul. The Song of Time ringing through the Temple of Time, the Sage of Light turned and faced the stone doors behind him, and raised both his arms skyward. A sudden rumbling could be felt underneath everyone's feet as Link ceased playing the song, and everyone looked up to see the Sage's power open the Doors of Time, a flashing white preventing anyone from seeing what lay beyond the door. The rumbling stopped a short time later as Sage Rauru turned to face them once more.

"The Doors have been stabilized… but they will not remain open for long…" he said, "Your highness… when Kuura and the Hero pass through the doors… close them."

Both Link and Kuura looked at Zelda in shock. In essence, they would be for the most part locked inside whatever world or realm that the Doors had opened to, and that didn't sound necessarily inviting.

"I am sorry…" Zelda sighed, "but if we do not wish for Shida to find the Sacred Realm, we must close the Doors behind you."

"Do not fret… I will watch over you as you train, and when you have completed what trials await you beyond these Doors, I will call forth the Sages and we will open the Doors for you."

"But…" Kuura began, "where exactly are you taking us?"

"The power of the Song of Time is to grant the user the ability to travel through time under certain circumstances… And the Temple of Time is said to have been built on the ancient grounds that are known today as the Sacred Realm. These statements are correct… and the Doors of Time have opened to send you two to the original era where the Temple of Time was first erected."

"But that's over a few hundred years ago!" Elise shouted in surprise, "You mean to tell me that you're sending them that far back?"

"Elise…" Kuura assured as he looked over at her, "It's ok. Don't worry."

"Hero… Summoner… prepare to enter the Doors…" the Sage of Light said, "We cannot risk to keep them open much longer."

Zelda and Impa took a couple steps back, seeing that the two people that needed to say goodbye-for-now were not them; but Malon and Elise.

Link took Malon by the hand, and gently lifted her chin with the other hand, "I'll be back before you know it, I promise."

Malon sighed softly before meeting his gaze, "I know… you just be careful Fairy Boy, ok?"

Link gave a nod and gently squeezed her hand before letting go and heading up to the Doors of Time. Elise stood where she was as Kuura waited for a moment, as well as tried to think of something to say; but unfortunately, could find nothing.

"You don't need to worry about saying anything sappy Kuura," Elise bluntly sighed, and looked away, "Just… make sure you come back safely. We don't know when that Shida guy may strike again."

Kuura nodded and gave her a small smile, "Got it, I'll do my best Elise. So, I'll uh… see you later I guess..."

He slowly turned and then met Link in front of the stone doors, and with one final nod to each other, faced the Doors of Time and entered into the white beyond. As soon as their silhouettes had vanished from sight, Zelda used her power to close the Doors and seal them once again.

"Worry not, your Highness…" the Sage of Light finished before slowly fading away, "I will remain ever watchful over them… They are… after all… Hyrule's only hope…"

A moment of silence ensued before the four women turned and then left the Temple of Time, hoping for the best, and each of them silently offering a small prayer for safe travels… for but them AND themselves.

When Link and Kuura emerged on the other side of the doors, they were in shock to see the vastness of what the original Temple of Time looked like. The corridors were almost as tall as they were back in their time, but it seemed like the Temple extended much farther and deeper than where Link knew where the Master Sword slept. The timeless feeling in the air still could be felt as they looked around and took in the view, and it was only the shifting of the stone doors behind them that returned their minds to reality.

"Whoa…" Kuura began in awe, "is this really the Temple of Time?"

"Not quite as your expected… is it?" Sage Rauru's voice echoed through the empty corridors, "This is indeed the ancient Temple of Time… but this portion… you could say… was a bridge that allowed the Hero of this Era to test his courage… to prove to the goddesses that he was indeed worthy of crossing the threshold into the Sacred Realm."

"So you're saying…" Link clarified, "this is a testing ground?"

"Correct… I have brought you here to allow you to train uninterrupted. Roaming throughout the hallways and rooms are many guardians that are designed to test certain attributes of the coming Hero… You may choose to progress together… or you may opt to train independently… the choice is yours. I will watch over you in the meantime… and when you are ready to leave… state so."

"Thank you Sage Rauru, we'll make sure to take advantage of this while we can."

"See that you do, Hero of Time… Hyrule's fate hangs on both yours… and the Young Summoner's… shoulders."

The Sage of Light's presence left the two alone as Link began to rotate his shoulders and stretch them.

"So Kuura," he began, "You want to try going together or you wanna go by yourself for a bit?"

Kuura thought about it carefully, but looking around the ancient hallways only made it more difficult; seeing that there were several places where they could split up and explore. But then again, perhaps a little cooperation together may serve useful as well. Ultimately, he could not make a choice, but then decided that he knew someone he could ask as he removed Zephyr's Talisman from his keyring. The boy held his arm out and calmed his mind; channeling what he could of his latent ability to call forth an ally.

"Open the Gate to the Phantom Victor… Zephyr!"

Kuura twisted his wrist as the Talisman flashed a bright light, and Link covered his eyes instinctively; having never witnessed this action before as Zephyr appeared before them when the flash faded a moment later.

The Phantom Victor turned to face Kuura and Link, "Kuura, Link, how nice to see you two again."

"Same to you Zephyr." Kuura nodded, "Glad to see I've been getting better at this Summoning thing."

"Indeed, so how can I be of assistance to you?"

"Well Link and I were transported to the Temple of Time from hundreds of years ago, to give us a chance to train and hone our skills, and we were just getting started."

"I see."

"So do you think we should train together or in our own ways?"

Zephyr looked over at Link and gave him a once-over as he considered his answer, "I feel it would be wise if each of you honed your skills independently to begin with. Kuura especially will need to undergo a more… rigorous, for lack of better term… training session than you, Link, who already has skill and experience in combat."

Link nodded in agreement, "That seems fair, and I have to agree with you. But as long as you're with Kuura I don't think I'll need to worry either about something happening."

"H-Hold on a sec…" Kuura interrupted, "What do you mean by more… rigorous?"

The Phantom Victor coolly looked over at Kuura, "Not only are you in need of training for your Summoning Arts, but also for your skills in general combat. Many Summoners dually and freely practiced mastery of some sort of weapon to allow them to fight alongside their summoned allies. Surely now Kuura you did not think I would fight all of your battles, did you?"

Zephyr's expression very slightly narrowed as Kuura let out a sigh, "No… I just don't know how to really fight with a weapon is all… never really had the need to learn until now."

"That's why we're here Kuura," the Hero of Time shrugged, "and I'm pretty sure that there're several different kinds of weapons lying around the place, so all you need to do is find one that suits your tastes and then practice with it."

"That won't be necessary." Zephyr stated, "There already is a weapon designed just for him."

The boy gave him a slightly confused look before sighing once again, "This is going to be a looong training session…"

"Right…" Link finished as he drew his sword and shield, "then I guess we'll go on our own for a little bit at first. So meet back here in a couple hours?"

"Agreed." The Phantom Victor nodded, "Best of luck."

"Same to you two."

Link started off for an out of the way corridor to their right, while Kuura and Zephyr took a more open route to their left. A few minutes passed as they looked around the pristine corridors in silence. It was as if each brick and torch that made the walls were just placed that day, as well as each fiber of the regal red rugs underneath their feet just freshly sewn and placed. This left Kuura in awe, but as his mind wandered, he couldn't help but wonder what Zephyr meant by a 'weapon made just for him'. All he could do was ask.

"Hey Zephyr," Kuura began, "what'd you mean with that deal about me already having a weapon? I don't have any to my name, at least that I know of anyway."

"It's just as you said Kuura, 'that you know of.' You will discover it in due time as you hone more of your Summoning Arts."

"Okay… and what about us going alone? You seemed pretty quick to decide that we went separate first."

"As I claimed, allowing you to train individually would allow Link to proceed with his own training at his own pace. Having you nearby would mean he would need to alter his skill level to compensate for you, and that ultimately will not make for bettering your mastery in an art."

"Fair point I guess…"

"Is something the matter?"

"No no… everything's ok. I was just curious is all."

Zephyr was silent for a moment before continuing, "I also feel slightly uncomfortable around Link, if I may be so honest. So I suppose that my judgement was partially based on my own opinion."

Kuura looked up at the Phantom Victor in surprise, "What do you mean? Link's not a bad guy by any means!"

"It's not his character that I question, you misunderstand me Kuura. I can see that Link is indeed a brave and noble soul who has sacrificed much for Hyrule, that I can plainly see and commend. However… it's his affiliations that I particularly find distrust in."

"In English please Zephyr?" The boy sighed, "I'm afraid I'm not really following…"

The Phantom Victor sighed quietly before putting a hand on Kuura's shoulder, both standing still in the hallway, "Listen to me Kuura. I understand that you have grown up here and don't see any of this world's traditions as questionable or suspicious, but regardless of such, it is this world's affiliation with gods or goddesses that troubles me. And us both hailing from the same world, I feel that you too should be wary of this fact, knowing what beings of that rank and power have done to our home."

"But the goddesses haven't done anything wrong though. I've read all the stories and heard the legends of old. The only time their power gets out of hand was when someone tries to take it for themselves!"

"That story is common in every world Kuura… Think further now. How did the savior in each of those stories strike down the evil ones?"

Kuura thought about it for a moment, his eyes darting here and there as his mind searched for an answer, and then it clicked. In every legend he heard, and in every story he read about Heroes of Hyrule's past, they all had one thing in common. When a great evil arose using the goddess's power, the Hero always wielded another part of the goddess's might to strike him down and restore the balance. Zephyr could see the realization on Kuura's face as he removed his hand.

"You understand now… right?" Zephyr continued, "Humans are creatures of curiosity, and when they dabble in arts or power they should not, the gods have no qualms about making an example out of those foolish ones. Those kinds of stories are all over Grand Gaia as well, and the best examples I can give you are the Six Heroes themselves. Vargas, Selena, Lance, Eze, Atro, and Magress… they all were ordinary humans at first, living perfectly normal lives. But when the God Wars threatened those closest to them, they took up arms and before long became powerful enough to strike down the aggressors, using the god's own power against them. Does this not sound familiar?"

"But the Gods wanted to annihilate the humans in Grand Gaia Zephyr! The goddesses here only want the best for their kingdom."

"And suppose that their definition of 'best' involves the eradication of you or a loved one… would you still defend them? Would you still support them even if your definition of 'better' was not what they had in mind?"

Kuura opened his mouth to respond, but ultimately could think of no good answer. Zephyr indeed had a solid point, what if their definition of 'best' DID involve getting rid of someone close to him? WOULD he still claim affiliation to the Golden Three? Would he still choose to fight in their names?

Zephyr took a silent breath to calm the mood, "I can see that I was a little too forward with you, using my personal beliefs to fuel my actions. For that I apologize. However, what I'm saying is to remain wary of where one's loyalty lies. Who you think is your closest ally may in reality be your worst enemy."

"Well I mean…" Kuura stuttered, still trying to come up with a response, "you do have a point, and I agree with you… Because I honestly don't know what I would do if what I thought was 'good' wasn't that they considered. It's just hard to take something like that and process it when you've grown up learning otherwise all your life."

"Understandable Kuura, I apologize if I have distressed you."

"No no, it's ok, you're fine. Lemme just… think about it, ok?"

"Fair enough, now come, we must begin your training."

A short time later, they found a large room that Zephyr felt could be a good place to begin Kuura's training. Without saying a word, he let Kuura walk ahead of him as he prepared his nine blades with a snap of his fingers. Kuura was preoccupied trying to look around the room for any kind of clue or hidden meaning in the walls of décor, not paying attention to the Phantom Victor at all.

"Hey Zephyr, doesn't look like there's anything he-!" Kuura was cut short as he suddenly and instinctively dove for the ground; a dark-colored blade sailing through the air where he once stood and then back to its owner, the Phantom Victor. The boy quickly jumped back on his feet and faced Zephyr, "What the heck was that for!?"

"I can see your reflexes are on-point." Zephyr nodded, "but the best way to properly learn a skill it not to slowly ease into it. No, the best way possible is to fully immerse yourself in the desired art; jump in feet-first as many would say. You must live your art, you must breathe your art, and you must put forth your soul into your art. In your case Kuura, combat is what you will master, and until I deem your abilities as satisfactory, I will not allow you to leave this room."

Kuura began to panic, and seeing the serious expression in the Phantom Victor's eyes told him he wasn't kidding either, "Zephyr you're crazy! You think that's the way to train a newbie like me?!"

Zephyr ignored him as held his hand forward, hand open and fingers spread out, and the marking under his right eye slightly glowing, "Prepare yourself, Kuura Isagami… your training begins now!"

-000-

On the other side of the Temple, Link ventured through the halls as his mind wandered. Sure, Kuura would be safe with Zephyr nearby, but that still didn't stop him from personally worrying about the boy. On that note though, he did feel somewhat sorry for him, never having been in combat before, and then having suddenly been thrust into the middle of it all. Link felt, and could easily tell, that Kuura was way out of his comfort zone with all this. But, he unfortunately didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Kuura had his Summoning Arts, and that, according to Sage Rauru, was the edge they needed in order to fend off the God Army should it come to invade; so his mastery of that skill was really important not only to Kuura himself, but to all of Hyrule. That being said however, Link felt that his own lack of skills was also to blame for the direness of the situation. Link's heart had never faltered and always prepared to stand in protection of others at a moment's notice. Unfortunately, his body had begun to long forget his agility and adeptness with a blade when he had challenged Logan to battle. The revelation of such a lax response time still continued to berate him as he clenched a fist.

"I still can't believe how lax I've become… and to think it almost cost me my life no less…" the Hero sighed quietly, "I'm honestly glad though that Malon or anyone didn't follow me when I first took off like that, but at the same time, while the guilt of not holding my own in a battle like that haunts me still… the fact that if someone I cared about was nearby and got hurt, what kind of danger would they be in… if I can't protect them? What if someone died because I simply wasn't strong enough to protect them?"

Link's descent into self-guilt was stopped by something he remembered a dear friend of his say whenever he felt like that. Navi the fairy… as annoying as the little ball of light with wings was, she always had a good piece of advice or a perfect word of encourage to help get him back on his feet.

"Come on Link, I know you can do it! You're the Hero of Time, and a lot of people are counting on you. If they see you giving up, what does that tell them? But I know you won't give up, just like you never gave up on waiting for a Fairy to come to you, and here I am! So don't worry about what happened in the past Link, just get back up and keep fighting, your perseverance will pay off before long, I promise!"

Recalling the fairy's words almost made Link emotional as he shook his head back to reality, "I still miss you Navi… but then again I can only imagine the earful I'd get from you once you heard I lost a battle like that. Ahhh but regardless, you're right. I can't give up or worry about the past. No one got seriously hurt, and I did the best I could with what I knew. All I can do from here is to simply train hard to recover the skills I lost."

The Hero could feel at least a little bit of his spirit renewed as he continued down the hallway and made a left. For a place that was supposed to test the coming Hero, Link wondered, the corridors were certainly pretty empty. It could be the cause for some kind of suspicion, but then again Link had been through worse than letting his guard down at the least opportune moment. The room he wandered into was vast in size, but more another corridor that had a door at the other end; likely to provide access to the deepen chambers of the Temple. Figuring that it was perhaps the inner rooms and corridors of the Temple that had all the guardians and such, Link made haste in walking to the other side of the hallway, the tapping of his boots on the polished stone floor echoing through the room. Once he was almost to the door, a loud boom, as if like thunder, screamed throughout the room; sharply startling the Hero in the meantime. Link quickly drew his blade and turned his back towards the door to face where the sound came from. To his shock, another boom could be heard as an ethereal crack began to form from seemingly nowhere. The crack expanded, and grew, each growth accompanied by another boom until it became large enough for a person to pass through it. Link didn't dare move, but remained battle ready as he could see some sort of silhouette coming to shape within the ethereal crack. With one final boom, a figure was thrown out of the crack, and as quickly as it appeared, it vanished as the room fell silent once more. The Hero watched the new presence carefully as they shakily stood up on their feet and looked around; they back facing him.

He was armored from head-to-toe in emerald green armor lined in gold, and in his hand was a very ornate broadsword with a blue hilt. What confused the Hero however were the various tree vines and branches that twisted themselves around his arms and legs, and sprouted seemingly from his back like some kind of wings.

"That certainly was not expected by any means…" he said, "but more importantly, where am I? This certainly seems nothing like La Veda or Vriksha…"

Link was debating whether or not to approach him, but seeing how carefully the figure clenched the blade in his hand told him that he was very well experienced in the way of the sword. Now that he thought about it, even this person's aura could be felt as one who devoted their lives to mastering swordsmanship. Link knew immediately that he stood no chance in his current skill level against this person if they clashed. But then again, he never knew if he didn't try, though that would not be the Hero's number one choice for a first meeting with someone like this. Perhaps trying to talk peacefully would serve as a good starting place.

"Umm… excuse me?" Link called to them, "You seem lost, can I help you at all?"

The swordsman quickly turned to face Link and said nothing, but quickly readied himself into battle stance out of instinct. Link watched his form, but it was unlike any stance he had ever seen for a sword fight. His feet were spread apart and knees slightly bent, his blade-wielding arm in front of him and crossed over his front with his palm facing out, and his other hand open and bent as if to serve as a ready guard against any rear attacks; this person made it well evident he would not be backing down without a fight. A kind of fencing stance perhaps? No… it was too unconventional a form to be something like that. A more defensive stance? Or maybe a balanced stance to help the user determine what kind of attacks to begin with?

"L-Listen it's ok," Link assured, "I'm not here to hurt you, I just wanna talk."

"But I see you are armed with a sword," the swordsman returned, "in that case let our blades speak for us. If you're able to match my skill, then perhaps I will reconsider!"

"Well, there goes any hopes of peacefully getting through this…" Link sighed as he readied for battle himself, "I can only hope that I can keep up with this guy and not end up like I did against Logan…"

-000-

In present Hyrule's Lost Woods, Saria wandered through the thick trees to clear her mind. It was one of her favorite things to do whenever something was going on, or even when there wasn't and she was simply bored with nothing to do, and the song of the forest only helped to lift her spirits a little further. Her role as the Forest's Spiritual Guardian has really changed little in the last five years of peace. Even after Link helped awaken her latent powers as the new Sage of Forest, Saria lived her life as she did beforehand; happy and carefree, with a child's enthusiasm for everything around her. The new Great Deku Tree was growing still, both in knowledge and in size, but unfortunately was not quite ready to become the new Guardian of the Forest like the old one Link and Saria knew when Link was a child. Saria missed that Deku Tree, as it felt the most like a Father-figure to the Kokiri and all other races that made the forest their home, but she had high hopes that the new Deku Tree would become just as wise and kind as the one before it. The Sage of Forest stopped and leaned back against one of the larger trees in the Lost Woods and looked up to the skies through the thick canopy of green leaves.

"A lot's sure been going on in the last while…" she mused to herself, letting her echo be her only conversation partner, "and to say I'm a little nervous would be an understatement. I mean… sure we all pulled together and made it count when we sealed Ganondorf away, but can we really do something against a bad guy like that Necromancer? Rauru says that we as Sages need to be careful and watch over our own realms while Link and that Summoner-kid train. Still… it makes me kinda scared to know that something like this could actually happen. An enemy from another world, threats of Hyrule's destruction by their hands, and then that Kuura-boy…"

She was interrupted from her musings by a fell wind that whispered through the trees. Having grown up in these woods and memorized almost every tree and Deku Scrub hideout, Saria could tell in an instant that something was off. Curious, she listened closely for it once more and followed it deeper into the forest. She knew the paths well, and she realized that the wind was coming from a location nearby the Forest Temple and Sacred Meadow. This suddenly filled the Sage of Forest with worry as she quickened her pace to quickly find the source of the fell wind. When she came across the source about ten minutes later and much deeper into the Lost Woods, Saria was mortified to see a black, sinister-looking portal in the middle of a small clearing. The inside reached far into a formless void that would seemingly drain one's own life force if they stare for too long, and its frame a two-tone black and violet color, with the texture and shape of a gnarled tree trunk. Its base anchored deep into the ground and expanded out, very similar to that of an actual tree and its roots.

"W-What…" The Sage of Forest stuttered fearfully, holding her hands to her mouth, "What is that thing? I'm not getting very good feelings from… whatever that thing is. I gotta tell Rauru and the others at once!"

She failed to sense a presence behind her as its shadow began to cover her, "Well well well… seems one of the Forest Children got a little too curious for their own good, now haven't they?"

Saria froze in utter shock at being caught so easily, but she wasn't about to give up as she broke past the figure into a mad dash deeper into the Lost Woods. The figure watched her run away in amusement before taking to the treetops and following her in pursuit. Saria ran as fast as her childlike body would allow her. Even with her powers as a Sage, she was still limited by her physical body when not inside the Chamber of the Sages.

She occasionally looked behind her to see if she was being followed, "This is bad… this is really REALLY bad! I gotta warn Rauru and Zelda about this, but only if I can get away safely! But I also need to lead them away from the Forest Temple!"

The figure stopped Saria dead in her tracks as they appeared in front of her. She tried turning in another direction and using an alternate route to escape the Lost Woods. Heading to the Forest Temple and fleeing via the Chamber of the Sages was out of the question, especially since she knew nothing of her pursuer outside of being very potentially hostile. She apparently saw something she wasn't supposed to see, and Saria feared the worst as she continued to run in the direction she was facing. She thankfully was running away from the Forest Temple and Sacred Meadow, quickly making a mental map of where she was in the Lost Woods to help her keep track of where she was going, but she was beginning to run out of breath as she stopped next to one of the trees and quickly looked around her surroundings between gasps for air. Nothing seemingly was in sight, but that made the Sage of Forest more so fearful, she was defenseless against a foe she could not see.

"What am I gonna do?" Saria gasped as she finally began to prepare for another run through the woods, "I can't see that guy anywhere… and I don't know where to go to lose 'em."

"You don't need to look far…" A dark voice purred from behind her, "I'm closer than you think…"

The next thing Saria felt was a swift blow to the back of her head before blacking out and falling unconscious on the ground. The assailant, Master Assassin Kuda, appeared from the shadows and stood over Saria's form, hoisting her over his shoulder and heading back in the direction of the portal, "I can feel an otherworldly power coursing through your body… the Necromancer may be interested in having a look at you… Sage."

It seems trouble's brewing just about everywhere… Zephyr creates doubt in Kuura's mind regarding the Goddesses, Link is met by a strange figure and challenged to battle, and Saria is captured by Kuda. Only time will tell if anything good will come out of any of this.

Until next time Summoners! Remember to Rate and Review, thanks in advance!

(-Chapter's Unit Library-)

Phantom Victor Zephyr

Master Assassin Kuda

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