Author's Note: Thank you again for making it to this point. I really hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Chapters 14-21 are post-Majora's Mask, so all the in-game cutscenes are finished. The rest of the story is where I got to take some liberties, while still keeping to canon as much as possible.

It was familiar, natural, a sight too recognizable.

'Hyrule Field in all its' majesty…I'm back…I actually made it back…alive…'

I looked over at Hyrule Castle in the distance with a longing gaze.

'I will see her again. It seems so much more possible now. I'm quite pleased that it's unquestionable that I will see her again, that I will be able to make sure that she is safe, that I can show her that I kept my promise…but…'

'I need to see her again when my inner demons have left me, when I can finally get closure on not being remembered as the hero, when I've been able to say goodbye to Navi, goodbye to my past, and focus on my future…with Zelda…'

Although I was comforted by what I saw, deep green patches of grass, wooden Kokiri huts, the ethereal lighting of the forest, the nostalgia-ridden smells of the woods, I couldn't shake a feeling of apprehension.

'Everything will be fine,' I thought to myself as I took a deep breath and dismounted my horse.

I started to climb up the green vines and stood in front of the hollowed-out tree, staring into it's mesmerizing empty darkness.

'It's only the Lost Woods, I know the way through. I've done it multiple times. Right, left, right, left, straight, left, right. I'll just go in and find her. I have this feeling…I…I just know she's in there…she has to be…'

"Link?"

Startled, I turned around quickly to find a young girl clothed in green with blue eyes, green hair, and a pink fairy floating above her.

I exhaled out of relief and said, "Saria…"

Saria smiled.

"Link! It really is you! You'd been gone for so long that I'd…"

Saria stopped herself when her eyes met mine. Her smile faded.

"Link…your eyes…they're so…they're so…tortured…Link…Is everything all right? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

I forced a smile, yet Saria's gaze remained concerned.

She was silent for a moment and looked as if she was trying to figure me out.

"Why are you here? You know you can't go into the Lost Woods without a fairy to guide you. You know how dangerous it is."

"I have to find her. I have to make sure."

"Link, what are you talking about? You're not making any sense. Who do you have to find? Come on, you know it's too dangerous. I'm sorry, but, you don't have a fairy, you never have. It's okay though, we can play together…like we used to."

"I'm not a child anymore, Saria!"

Saria was taken aback by the volume my voice had raised and my angry expression.

"You have absolutely no idea what I've been through! You could never understand!" I yelled, my voice almost breaking.

As soon as I stopped, I stepped back in astonishment of myself, of what I had done.

"Link…" Saria said with a bowed head.

"I'm sorry, Saria. I really am."

"I…I guess I don't know you as well as I thought I did…"

Saria looked back up at me with sad eyes and asked,

"Are we still friends, Link?"

"Of course, Saria. We'll always be friends…I just…this is something I have to do…"

"At least let me help you…I can try to guide you throu-"

"No," I didn't want to interrupt her but I needed to make her understand.

"No, Saria. I have to do this alone. Everything will be fine…I…I know what I'm doing."

'But do I?'

Saria walked towards me and clasped her right hand into my left. She gave it a squeeze as she said,

"Please be safe, Link"

She let go of my hand and I entered the Lost Woods.

'I know this place…there's nothing to worry about, except…'

Something was different from the last time I had been there.

I heard whispers, voices, mutterings. I tried to focus on the simple words of direction, the simple words that would keep me from getting lost, yet the voices gradually got louder.

'Right.'

"Master Link…"

'Left.'

"Thine is one boy who does not have a fairy."

"You've met with a terrible fate haven't you?"

'Right'

"Your current power would disgrace the proud green of the hero's tunic you wear."

"As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not."

"No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life"

'Left'

"Without a fairy, you're not even a real man!"

'No'

"Do you really think you can beat me as I am now? Fool!"

'Shut up'

"Do not think this ends here…The history of light and shadow will be written in blood."

'No'

"I think I'm on the same page as the princess regarding…this boy."

'Don't listen'

'Straight'

"An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!"

'No'

"Someday when this seal is broken, that is when I will exterminate your descendants. As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand…"

'Don't pay attention.'

"You be the bad guy, and when you're the bad guy, you just run."

'They're just voices in my head'

"Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?"

'They're not real'

"You must save her, my daughter…"

'They couldn't be'

'Left'

"The truth of it is you were late. You were late, and you failed to protect her."

'No, I saved her'

"…Link…"

'I SAVED HER! SHE'S SAFE!'

"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time"

"Zelda?" I asked to an empty forest.

"Link, promise me you'll be safe, promise me you'll come home safe."

"Zelda, where are you?" I asked again.

"Link, lend us the last of your power…"

"I can hear you so clearly," I said.

"No, no…Link!"

"Zelda!" I exclaimed.

'Left'