Raine set her pen down beside her book and looked up at Link. "Let me get this straight. After you pulled the sword, you fell asleep for seven years?"

"Wow," Genis said with a grin, "even Lloyd can't sleep that long."

Raine glanced back over the last few pages of notes she had just taken. Link's adventure sounded like something straight out of a children's book, or one of the fantasy adventures her younger students would sometimes make up. A talking tree, going inside a giant fish, rock people; a part of her wanted to dismiss it as nothing more than elaborate cover to hide his true origins. And yet, something about how he told the story made her want to believe it.

"So what happened to the Triforce?" Kratos asked.

Link shifted uneasily in his chair. "Ganondorf got it. Or rather, he got to it."

"The Master Sword was the final seal," Navi added. "Once it was removed, the door to the Sacred Realm was opened. But Link was too young to wield it, so he was sealed away to protect him until he was old enough to wield it. But with the door now open, Ganondorf was able to enter and take the Triforce."

"Then how did Link end up with it?" Lloyd asked, sounding a little confused. "And what is so special about it that Ganondorf would try to kill so many people?"

"Well..." Navi thought a moment on how to answer. "In short, the Triforce grants wishes, or rather one wish, to whoever places their hand upon it."

"Does that mean Link can grant wishes?" Colette asked.

"The word tri means three," Raine replied as she resumed her note taking. "If you examine the mark on Link's hand, you'll notice only one of the three triangles is filled."

"That's right," Navi chimed. "There are three pieces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. If the person who touches the Triforce has an unbalanced heart and makes a selfish wish, the Triforce will shatter. The one who made the wish receives one of the three pieces; the one that most suits their desire. The other two are granted to those that best represent their power."

Raine thumbed back a page in her book. "So Link received Courage, and I'm guessing that Ganondorf got Power," Navi nodded in reply, "then who received Wisdom?"

"The princess Zelda, I would assume," Kratos answered.

Link looked up in surprise. "How did you know?!"

"Was she not the one who suspected Ganondorf's treachery?" He pointed out. "And it was also her plan to beat him to the Sacred Realm."

"Told you it was obvious," Navi taunted as she flew around Link's head. "I told you she would have it. But did you listen to me? Nooooooo."

"So what happened after you woke up?" Genis asked, trying to get back to the story.

"Let's see..."


Ganondorf stood alone in the vast chamber. The sound of wind echoed through every corner but there was no apparent source. He reached out and slid his hand across the surface of the large smooth alter that lay before him. Reaching into his pocket, he felt around for the objects he had brought.

"You're late," he spoke to the empty room. "Did you enjoy your little...reunion?"

Off to his left the shadows began to twist and bend. "My apologies Master."

"Leave the brat and the Chosen alone. Were those not my explicit orders? And yet you brazenly attack them both, exposing yourself and risking my plans."

"It will not happen again," Shadow Link replied with a deep bow. "I simply wished to gauge the strength of his companions; to ensure they are not a threat to your plans."

"You are a poor liar." Ganondorf extended his hand towards the black figure. Shadow Link cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony. "I created you, and I can destroy you just as easily. Remember that, the next time you decide to disobey me." Ganondorf dropped his hand and Shadow Link fell still upon the floor. "Serve me well however, and I may yet grant you your desire."

Shadow Link painfully pushed himself up off the floor. "Yes...Lord Ganondorf."

Ganondorf turn and began walking away from the altar. "Exspheres," he spoke aloud and held the five small stones up before him. "Such power, such potential," he closed his fist around the orbs, "wasted in the hands of that fool. His age of lifeless beings is nothing more than a wistful dream."

He stopped in the center of the vast chamber and turned back to face the altar again. "I will show him what it means to wield the ultimate power." He opened his hand and the Exspheres rose into the air, hovering before him. "I will show him what it means to be a king." Dark energy coiled around him as he drew upon his power. Black lightning leapt from his fingers and coiled itself around the floating Exspheres before him. "And when this world is mine, I will show him what it means to know fear!" A bolt of energy erupted forth from the Exspheres and fired across the room, striking the altar. The seal groaned against the onslaught as the dark magic slid across the surface, prying at the edges. With an ear-shattering crack, the altar was forced open; he could hear the pained cry from the summon spirit as his spell did its work.

Above the altar a vortex of dark energy appeared. Ganondorf drew mana out of the ruptured seal and fed it into the portal, stretching it wider. A hissing screech came from the other side as the shape of a massive creature became visible just beyond the edge of the vortex.

Another loud crack echoed through the halls as the seal suddenly slammed shut. The dark vortex shrunk down and vanished from sight as the spell collapsed in on itself. The chamber once again fell silent save for the sound of gusting wind.

"Looks like it failed," Shadow Link spoke in a slightly mocking tone.

"Failed?" Ganondorf scoffed and he reached out and grabbed the Exspheres from the air. "I have failed at nothing." He held out the now blackened Exspheres, their life and energy completely drained. "Things are going even better than I had originally planned. There is only one minor detail to work out, and I'm certain the 'Hero' of Time will be more than willing to assist me." He tightened his fist around the dead Exspheres, crushing them. "You will return to the north and ensure that things go smoothly with Kvar, and then I will have a special job for you; one I think you will enjoy."

"And when Kvar has served his purpose?" Shadow Link asked eagerly.

Ganondorf held his hand up, letting the crushed Exsphere dust slowly trickle away. "Surprise me!"


Genis listened with wide-eyed wonder as Link told them all of his adventure. He had never heard of any of the places or towns, not even from Raine, and while the whole travel back in time to change things seven years later sounded more far-fetched than anything Lloyd or Colette could come up with combined, something about it seemed real. Maybe it was the way he told it, emphasising what he thought was fun or exciting and glancing over the more mundane parts. Navi of course was always there to fill in missing pieces, or point out that some of Link's victories were not quite as heroic as he claimed them to be.

Across the room Raine was taking notes down as fast as Link could speak, often asking him to slow down or explain certain elements over again. Lloyd on the other hand was enraptured by the tale. Battles against ghosts, monsters and even a dragon were more than enough to keep his attention, even through the more boring parts.

The tale was not all fun and games however. Ganondorf had had seven years to decimate the people and countryside, and Link seemed reluctant to go into much detail about it.

"He tried to collapse the tower on top of you?" Colette asked wide eyed as she sat on the edge of her seat. "How did you escape?!"

"Me and Zelda had to run down through the collapsing tower, dodging debris and fending off the last of his surviving minions," Link replied. "But it wasn't over. Ganondorf wasn't dead. He burst from the rubble and transformed into massive, sword wielding beast. We battled atop the rubble of the collapsed tower until I was finally able to deliver a crippling blow, stunning him long enough for Zelda and the sages to act. And... then..."

"And!?" Lloyd asked enthusiastically.

Link shifted uncomfortably. "He escaped."

"Huh?" Lloyd asked in confusion. "How did he escape? Why didn't you just finish him off right there?"

"I tried!" Link insisted. "I drove the Master Sword right through his forehead and he still got up. Ganondorf is a powerful warlock with incredible magic. Combined with the Triforce of Power he is all but invincible. The six sages had planned to seal him within the Sacred Realm, permanently locking him away for all time. After I wounded him, they opened the gate to the Sacred Realm and tried to draw him in, but he created a portal of his own and vanished through it."

"He opened a portal to another world? Just like that?" Raine asked sceptically. "Assuming such a thing is possible, how could someone just do this on a whim? Even a powerful practitioner of magic would require time and preparation before ever attempting such a powerful spell."

"It was not the first time he did it," Navi replied. "In the Forest Temple we saw him use a similar portal to banish Phantom Ganon; and some of his minions were creatures never before seen in Hyrule."

"But that doesn't explain how you also ended up here," Kratos pointed out.

"After Ganondorf fled, Zelda and the other Sages decided to send me back in time, back before any of this had started. But as I was going back, I remember seeing a hole—or maybe a tear—in the River of Time. When I awoke, you were standing over me in the forest." Link reclined back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "And you already know the rest. I'm sorry I never told you any of this sooner; I just didn't think it would matter. I know you may not believe me, but I want you to know the truth… and also, why I have to leave now."

"Leave!?" Genis, Colette, and Lloyd shouted together. Even Raine and Kratos shared confused glances.

"What do you mean you're leaving? Why?" Genis pressed.

"Because Ganondorf is out there, and it's my job to stop him," Link replied, though his voice carried a hint of unease. "And I'm putting you all in danger. Genis, you were attacked by Shadow Link just because we were traveling together. I don't want to do that, not to my..." Links voice trailed off.

"What makes it your responsibility?" Kratos asked.

Link looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You said it's your job to stop Ganondorf, a job given to you first by Zelda and later by the Sage Rauru. But that job ended when he left Hyrule, did it not? Your being here was merely an accident. So, why not let someone else handle it now? You can go off and find a way home or even enjoy a new life here."

Lloyd stood up and started to say something but Kratos shot him down with an angry glare. Link looked angrily up at Kratos, visibly offended at the very suggestion. "I failed to get the Triforce before Ganondorf. He used its power to kill countless people, and I wasn't there to stop him. He has to pay for what he's done." His eyes fell to the floor. "And I must make up for my mistakes."

"Come here," Kratos said, gesturing towards the window. "Look outside and tell me what you see."

Link walked to the window and looked out into the night. "The refugees?"

Kratos nodded. "Many of them lost friends and family to the Desians when they were attacked. If you had been there, could you have saved those people?"

"Possibly," Link replied as he looked through the glass.

"Then, their deaths are also your fault," Kratos pointed out.

Link spun from the window, confused at the sudden accusation, as Lloyd jumped to his feet again. "That's not fair! How can Link be responsible for people he never knew or even met before! The Desians are responsible for killing those people, not Link!"

"Why not?" Kratos insisted. "Link claims responsibility for the people killed by Ganondorf in his absence. How is this any different?"

"Besides," Raine added, "you took responsibility for the deaths in Isellia even though those people were also killed by Desians."

"That's different!" Lloyd insisted.

"How?" Kratos asked, pretending to look skeptical.

"Because the attack on Iselliea would not have happened if I had not gone to the Ranch and attacked the gaurds. I knew it was not allowed, I knew killing the Desians would cause problems, but I did it anyway. I'm not responsible because I couldn't stop it, but because I caused it!"

"Exactly," Kratos said. "You take responsibility for your actions."

"But what does that have to do with Link and the murdered refugees?" Navi asked.

"Everything," Kratos replied. "Link, you claim that Ganondorf's actions while you were asleep are your fault, but that's not true."

"But... I helped him get the Triforce, and with it—"

"That's true," Kratos agreed. "And for that you may be partly to blame. But what he did with it, what he does now, is out of your control. Failing to stop a fire does not make it your fault."

"But I'm still endangering you all by being near you!" Link insisted.

"But we are already in danger," Genis pointed out. "Lloyd is being hunted by the Desains for his Exsphere, and so is Colette just for being the Chosen. Besides, if you hadn't been with us, Colette might have died at the Seal of Fire and against the assassin."

"But..." Link started.

"Let us look at this from a more logical perspective then," Kratos stated, cutting him off. "Let's say you leave. What then? You have no leads, no idea where Ganondorf may be, and even if you were to find him, no help this time. However, If you recall what Shadow Link said after the attack, Ganondorf has taken an interest in the success of the Chosen. If that's true, then you may discover his whereabouts along the Journey of Regeneration."

Link wanted to argue back, but Kratos was right. Before he had had some help and guidance; he knew where he needed to go, what he needed to find. The road was hard and he had to find his own way through, but he always had a goal. Here he had nothing, not even Saria's vague riddles to go by.

"Kratos...has a point," Raine said slowly. "It's no secret that I was uncomfortable about having you join us, and was even ready to send you away, but..." She thumbed back through her notes again, "If, and I'm not saying it is, but if what you told us is true, then going off alone might be a bad idea. And you have risked your life for Colette, even though you had no real reason to."

Link stood silent for a moment. "I need some time," he said at last, "to think about what you said."

Kratos nodded. "Why don't you take first watch, then? Everyone else should get some sleep."

Link sat alone in the hallway, his back against the door where the others were sleeping. Navi was keeping watch at the window outside, leaving him completely alone with his thoughts. He knew Kratos was right, that his best chance of finding Ganondorf was with Colette, and yet he still felt the urge to go it alone. The remains of Castle Town, the burning of Kakariko Village, the horrors and death that Ganondorf had wrought upon all the races of Hyrule; he just could not force the images from his mind.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door knob turning. He stood up as the door quietly slid open and a head popped out.

"Colette? What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," she replied with a smile. "Can I sit with you?"

Link nodded as she slipped into the hall and pulled the door shut behind her. He sat back down against the door as she joined him.

"Are you really going to leave?" Colette asked.

"I... I don't know anymore," Link replied. "I felt so sure at first, but now... I haven't felt this way since I first left Kokiri Forest." He thought back to that day on the bridge with Saria. He knew what he had to do and what was at stake. The Great Deku Tree had entrusted him with his dying breath to seek out Zelda. And yet, it was so hard to leave. Not because it was his home, but because he knew he might never see her again; the only friend he had ever had.

"I know what it's like," Colette said pulling him out of his memories. "I never had many friends. Most people saw me only as the Chosen and treated me different. But I had Lloyd and Genis. Lloyd never called me Chosen One—to him, I was always Colette. That's why I didn't want him to come with me."

"I don't understand?"

"The Journey of Regeneration is dangerous, many Chosen have died and even those who succeed... I didn't want him to endure that. I wanted to protect him." A tear rolled down her cheek as she spoke, but despite that, she still smiled. "But now that he's here, I'm happy. I know he's in danger, and that he could be hurt, but, I'm happy that I can spend time with him again; that I can just be Colette again, even if it's only for a while. And that makes it all worthwhile."

As Link sat there in silence Colette reached over and pulled his hat off. "I know you want to leave because we are your friends and you want to protect us, even if you don't realise it yet. I understand that. But running away and hurting your friends isn't going to protect them, it's just going to make them worry about you." She smiled again as she pulled his hat down over her hair.

As he sat there looking at her big, dumb grin, he couldn't help but smile back. He reached over and straightened his hat for her. "Thanks Colette."

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