"Run!" I shouted. Marin faced forward and increased his pace. He was still much too fast for me. I used Farore's wind to keep up.

Marin called, "Is he still chasing us?"

The clatter of wood striking wood was all I needed to know. "Yeah!"

The wooden puppets dropped from the tree ahead of us. I shoved Marin sideways and Farore's wind dropped me back on my feet on his other side. Marin recovered and jumped a dead log. We scrambled up the side of a ravine. The puppets were never far behind.

The clearing was a hundred feet away. A puppet swung at my head. I tumbled and rolled back onto my feet. In the light, the puppets hesitated. Marin put his back to mine and drew his sword. "Where are they?"

"I-" I gasped for breath, "-don't know."

The puppet master fell from the trees. He landed in a heap. For a second it looked like he was dead. Then he popped back to his feet shaking his head. The creature was less than three feet tall. His skin was the bark of trees and his eyes were the color of deku nuts. He put his pipe to his lips. I muttered, "Here they come."

The wooden puppets came in waves. We spun in synchrony. Their strings were nonexistent and they were easy to defeat, but what they lacked in strength, they made up for in number. The puppets drew Marin away from me. I shouted, "Stay with me!"

The puppets were closing the gap. We were going to get separated. I called up Din's fire. The puppets flew back from the fiery blast. Most of them didn't get back up, but a few did. Marin complained, "Now they're on fire!"

"Shut up and form up!" Marin bit back a retort and back stepped to my side. I asked, "You still know how to end it?"

Marin nodded. "I'm ready when you are."

I swallowed and grabbed Marin's arm. Farore's wind carried us behind the puppet master. I ran forward, cleaving the path with the master sword and Fi's skyward strikes. When the puppets were felled, Marin drew my bow and drew back an arrow.

We had done this drill dozens of times, but this one was different. Bright light gathered around the arrow tip. Marin screamed as energy built around him. I sprinted forward. "Skullkid, get down!"

I tackled Skullkid as Marin lost control of the arrow. Marin's voice cut off. The arrow flew over us into a tree. The trunk was completely destroyed and the tree came crashing to the forest floor. I set Skullkid back on his feet and ran to Marin's side.

He was barely conscious. His eyes were unfocused and rolling in the sockets. I slapped his cheek. "Marin! Marin, stay awake! Navi, I need a fairy!"

Navi zipped away. I lifted Marin's shoulders and held him to my chest. "Goddess, don't take him. I didn't know he had magic!"

Navi returned with three pink and red fairies. They immediately set upon Marin. He gasped violently, eyes wide. Then he passed out in my arms. I lifted him. "Skullkid, protect the forest."

I whistled and the wolves sat up from where they watched at the edge of the clearing. Genesus crouched and I settled Marin on his back. He grunted from our combined weight then loped back to the forest temple. Farore put us back in the sanctuary and I waited anxiously for Marin to wake.

He was stronger than he'd been when we first fled Kakariko. We had both grown in height and stature. When I sparred with Marin, he was nearly as strong as Stephan had been when we fought in the field. I prayed it was enough.

Hours later, I heard a groan. I looked up. Marin slowly sat up. He put a hand to his head. I supported his shoulders with an arm. "Easy. You spent too much energy."

"What?"

I looked into his eyes. The pupils dilated according to the light. I sighed in relief. "What do you remember?"

Marin shook his head woozily. "We were drilling with that skullkid. Everything was going fine... Then... I don't know."

I opened my mouth, but Fi beat me to it. "Perhaps I may explain, Master. The man, Marin, used a holy spell of light. Only priests of pure hearts can summon that power. Your skyward strike is similar in strength and composition, Master."

Marin asked, "I'm a priest?"

Fi nodded. "As much as Link is a priestess."

I hugged Marin. "Never scare me like that again! You could have died! I passed out from using Farore's blessing for three days, but your heart stopped!"

Marin wrapped an arm around my back. "I didn't know. I'm sorry, Link."

"You're such a jerk." The venom of my words was buffered by my inability to stop shaking. "We can ask Sef more about it later."

After a meal and Marin reassuring me countless times that he was fine, we returned to the sacred realm. Sef was waiting for us. We bowed to our teacher and sat. Sef sat before us. "You're both quiet."

We shared a look. I started, "Something happened today..."

Sef kept his expression neutral. When I was done explaining, Sef nodded. "Walk with me, Marin."

The two of them disappeared into the trees. The worry in my stomach didn't leave. Marin had magic! Did the fairies bless him too? Had he always had it? He seemed just as surprised as I had been.

The twilight darkened as evening set in. They had been gone for over an hour. Clouds began to gather. My breathing picked up with the wind. A branch cracked. I stood as they finally reemerged from the forest. I took a step toward them. "You were making me nerv-"

The sacred realm echoed with screams. Smoke and fire danced along the rooftops of buildings. I drew my sword as fear made my throat clench. Marin shouted and covered his ears. He crouched and shut his eyes. I looked around. A massive shape crushed the grass beneath it, though I could not see what it was.

I was suddenly moving through the creature. I saw what it saw. A woman chanted in an ancient language and behind her sat a familiar large cabinet. One door was completely blown away and the other hung off its hinges. The creature bellowed and charged at the woman.

Then the vision ended. I gasped as I came back to myself. "What was that?"

Marin stood shakily. "You... You saw it too?"

"You see the future also?"

Sef held Marin's arm. "That was too strong. The combination of your gifts is nearly enough to ruin this realm. Go. Your months of training are going to be put to the test. Hyrule needs you."

I nodded and woke up. I shot to my feet as Marin jumped beside me. I turned to the master sword. "The village is two days away. If we stop for a second horse in Kokiri, we might make it in two thirds that." I looked over. Marin was digging through my bag. "What are you-"

He put the ocarina to his lips and played a foreign song. Before I could react, he was gone in a purple light. I stood in shock. "He left me."

I was immobile for less than ten seconds. Then I put on the rest of my things and sprinted to Epona. With barely a pause, we galloped through the trees. We didn't stop or slow through the night and the following day. She was finally starting to lag when we reached the edge of the forest.

I left her to rest and dived into the river. The zoran armor accelerated my swim. Smoke rose from further inside the canyon. I cursed and sprinted up the stairs to the village. A familiar figure stood in the center of the road. No one else was in sight.

"Zelda! Goddess, what happened?"

She turned and held out a hand, "No! Stay back!"

The fear in her voice made me slide to a stop. Then she froze. Her clothes had deep imprints on them as if something had a hold of her. Her neck turned painfully and she screamed. I drew the master sword and called upon Fi. As I swung her holy light, Zelda was tossed. She hit the ground behind me.

My beam hit nothing and faded. I looked around. "Show yourself, beast."

A cold tendril wrapped around my ankle and yanked me off my feet. It lifted me into the air and whipped me into the side of a building before throwing me.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up. Zelda gave a pained smile. "Looks like you're coming around."

She clutched her side. I slowly stood. Rain was falling, but houses were still on fire. The villagers had returned. "Gra... Grannie!"

I staggered into a run. The roof of her home had been blown off. I crawled through the broken doorway. "Grannie! Grannie, are you here?"

My frantic cries were met with silence. I pushed a beam out of the way and crawled to the back. My worst fears were confirmed. The cabinet holding the spirits she had contained was destroyed. I fought back tears and screamed, "Grannie, where are you!"

A reptilian growl came from the back room. He wiggled his way between fallen boards and stuck his tongue out before turning and leading me onward. I shoved my way into the back room. Grannie's lower body and a section of her chest were crushed by part of the roof.

I took hold and grunted. Even with the gorons' strength I couldn't get the debris to shift much, but it was enough. I propped it up on a beam and slid Grannie out from under it.

The lizard licked her cheek. Grannie's eyes fluttered. "Linore... you came back..." I tried lifting her, but she cried in protest. "No, goddess, no! It hurts too much, child!"

The house shifted. I flinched. "Grannie, I need to get you out of here."

Grannie shook her head. "No, child. I'm broken. Already I can feel my life ebbing away..."

"No, don't say that. I'll take you-"

"Child. Listen to me..." Her voice was fading. "The one who broke the cabinet..." Her breath rattled in her lungs. She tried to shake her head. "You cannot trust them. Do not believe what they say. They will lie. The one who broke the seals... was a sheikah..." Blood covered her lips as it began to fall from the corner of her mouth. "Linore... go back... to your childhood... and meet me again... for the first time."

Her eyes closed and her chest stopped moving. "Grannie... Grannie, no. Don't leave me." I held her broken body to myself.

Someone came through the doorway. Zelda put a hand on my shoulder. "She is gone, Link."

"No! She..."

"I am sorry, hero."

Zelda reached forward and put a hand on Grannie's forehead. She muttered a blessing. Grannie's final warning hit me like lightning. "No! Stay back!" I lifted Grannie into my arms. Her ancient body weighed practically nothing. "Do not touch her."

"Link, I want to help."

I carried Grannie from the house. The lizard scuttled out the door and down the road. He disappeared from view at the top of the stairs to the field.

The part of town furthest from the graveyard had been spared. I placed Grannie's body in my bed. I don't know how much time passed before Ben crashed through the door. "Link, thank the gods you're safe!"

"I went to find-" My jaw clenched and shook at the same time. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. "Uncle, she's gone!"

Ben's happiness I was alive was utterly ruined as he looked at the dead woman behind me. He came forward and wrapped me in his arms. I screamed and wailed as the grief hit me with the force of eternity.

It was hours before I calmed down. Ben had wrapped Grannie's body and placed it out of sight. There was a knock despite the front door still being open. I looked over with swollen red eyes and a runny nose from where I sat on the floor. Zelda's shoulders sagged.

She entered and sat beside me. There was space between us. Not enough for new acquaintances, but less than standard for close friends. Ben watched from beside the fireplace where a kettle was just starting to boil. My voice was raspy as I said for lack of conversation, "You've grown."

Zelda looked at the floor between her feet. "You have as well." She was quiet and reserved, the trademark of a true sheikah. I knew I shouldn't let her stay, but I didn't have the energy to fight her. At last she said, "The spirit that attacked the village has returned to the temple of the clan. Once morning breaks, Impaz is going to lead an assault to try to recapture it. We will not let it run rampant. Your grandmother and all the others who perished will not die in vain. I promise you this."

Ben asked, "How many..."

"Sixty two dead, eighty four missing. Search and rescue will resume at first light."

I closed my eyes as new tears fell. I covered my face. "If only I had gotten here sooner."

Zelda clasped my arm. "There was no warning. No one could have foreseen this."

I blinked at her with tired eyes. "I did."

Zelda held back tears. "Sleep, hero. There is nothing more to be done tonight."

The next morning, I rose before dawn. Ben said nothing as I left the house. I saw sheikah gathering in pairs and trios in the fog. Impaz stood at the entrance to the graveyard. A woman stood next to him. When he turned to the clan, his eyes lingered on me in the back.

He nodded and the sheikah came forward. But not everyone. Only those willing to enter the temple separated from their brethren. I felt bile rise in my throat. Too few were going with him. Zelda tried to follow, but Impaz put a hand on her arm and shook his head. She stepped back and stood by the woman.

I had seen enough. I turned and walked back to Ben's house to arm myself. Once again, there was a knock at the door. Zelda let herself in. She held one wrist in her hand. "He told me to stay behind."

"I know."

"Where are you going?"

I finished my task and turned. "I have to return to the Temple of Time. The way back is there, I know it."

Zelda's eyes widened. "You're leaving?"

I nodded. Then my hand flew to my belt and I cursed. "The ocarina! That theif took it from me!"

"The blue ocarina?" I looked over as Zelda produced the instrument from a pocket. "Marin gave this to me. He apologized and said there was no other way."

She handed the ocarina to me. I held it to my chest. "Thank the goddesses it's unbroken. A special friend gave it to me for safe keeping."

Zelda gave a half smile. "I can teach you how to return to the Temple of Time. Link, once you are there, place the master sword in the pedestal of time. Then, you will travel back seven years to the beginning of everything. Listen to the Prelude of Light."

She lifted her harp into her hands and played a song that was much too happy and pleasant to follow the events that had occured. I lifted the ocarina and echoed her notes as tears fell. The magic of the ocarina carried me to the Temple of Time.

I gathered my strength and walked up to the pedestal. I took a deep breath and plunged the sword into its original sheath. Blue light surrounded me like the first time I had drawn it. I closed my eyes and let the current carry me back to better times.

The temple was silent. I took a step back and tripped. My wooden shield knocked the back of my head. My toes curled and I held my breath while I waited for the pain to fade.

Wait. I'd dealt with pain worse than this. I looked closer at myself. My tunic was back. And so were my boots and slingshot. "Navi! Navi, I'm little again!"

He hugged my neck. "You're alright. Calm down. There's no need to panic."

I calmed my breathing and stood. I wobbled as my balance was thrown off. "I don't like this."

Navi flew around me. "Go slow. You're much closer to the ground now. Let's go outside and figure out when we are."

I nodded, nearly losing balance again. My arms swung wildly at my sides as I counterbalanced. A crowd could be heard as I approached the market square. Instead of stalls, there were field tents lining the road. Citizens filed into and out of them. I looked into one tent. Doctors were still trying to treat patients.

Navi whispered in my ear, "This must be right after the siege."

I pushed my way toward the town gates. Everyone was going against me. Voices shouted ahead. The clop of a lone horseman could be heard approaching. I hadn't even made it out of the square before a black horse and rider cleared the road. The crowds fell silent before her and pushed back until there was a wide berth around her.

Guinandora stopped her horse beside the well. The hylians watched with apprehension and terror. She glared at them all. Then she raised her voice. "Your royal family is dead."

The hylians shouted and protested in disbelief. Guinandora's horse reared and the hylians fell silent again. "I killed them. I, Guinandora, your new queen."

My anger made my body shake. It wasn't true! I knew it wasn't! I opened my mouth.

"Liar!" Another voice covered my outburst. The laughing idiot from the square entrance walked forward into the space around Guinandora. He pointed at her and shouted, "I saw the prince! His nanny managed to keep him out of your clutches! You're a fraud! You're not our que-"

Lightning shot from Guinandora's hand. The idiot was struck in the chest. His body flew back. It lay smoking, unmoving, on the ground. More than a few women cried out. Guinandora smirked. "Anyone else want to deny me my right? No? Then kneel before your queen."

A baby cried. The hylians murmured. It was slow. A few of those closest lowered themselves. A wave spread from there. My fists shook. This was wrong!

I was the last one standing, not that I was much taller than the adults around me. Guinandora surveyed her people with a triumphant grin. Before her gaze reached me, I was yanked down. My protests were muffled by a hand and a strong arm wrapped around my chest.

A woman held a shaking finger to her lips and a man whispered in my ear, "Quiet, or you're going to get yourself killed."

I stopped struggling. Guinandora's horse clopped toward the castle. The man didn't let go of me until the sound was gone. Around us, the hylians slowly stood. The revulsion and fear from the day the evil queen had visited Kakariko was in their expressions.

The woman held onto the man. "What are we going to do, darling?"

He held the back of her head. "Stick to the plan. My friends have secured a wagon. We'll leave for Kakariko as soon as the gates reopen."

The crowds began to move again. I was pushed back into the man's legs. He held my shoulder to keep me upright. "Wait a second? Aren't you that kid that stayed in the guardhouse about a week ago?"

I felt my blood drain and tried to run. His hand tightened on my shoulder. I shouted, "Let me go!"

The woman knelt before me and put a calming hand on my cheek. "You're the one he told me about? You must be so scared."

I felt tears come to my eyes. No. I had witnessed and experienced worse. Why was this bothering me? The man's grip loosened slightly. "Honey, we should take her with us."

She nodded. "You're right, darling." She smiled at me. "We're evacuating from Castle Town. Would you like to come with us?"

Navi whispered in my ear, "They're going to Kakariko. Say yes."

I nodded with a shaky breath. 'Honey' hugged me. "Alright then. Let's go meet your friends, darling."

'Darling' nodded and lifted me onto his hip. Taking Honey's hand, he wove through the crowds to an alley. He let us into a home. Three other men waited inside. They stood around a table with a map of the city.

Darling set me down and went to his fellows. Honey held my hand and went toward a corner where several sacks waited to be filled. The men kept their voices low. Darling filled them in on what had happened in the square. Curses came from each of them.

"We can't wait any longer."

"But the gates..."

"What about Tiernan? We should wait for him."

Darling nodded. "As soon as he returns we'll leave. He would have gotten caught up in the castle."

"No, he wasn't." The men looked at me. I bit my lip. "After Guinandora chased after the prince, I found him in an alley. Tiernan had tried to help the prince escape. He was wounded. He-"

I choked up and looked away. Honey wrapped me in a hug. One man leaned on the table. Another said, "We can't wait..."

Darling nodded again. "Alright. They said they'd have the gate mechanism fixed by now. We can leave with the caravan to bury the dead. No one will question another wagon."

The men split up to prepare. Darling kissed Honey's hand. "Take only what you need, dearest. I promise, I'll keep you safe."

Honey nodded. Darling went into another room. I helped Honey fill the sacks with food and some clothes. When they were ready, we went out the front door. A wagon pulled by one horse and two saddled horses were hitched.

Darling lifted me and Honey climbed into the wagon. He took the drivers seat. Another climbed in beside me and Honey and the others took the horses. Darling guided the wagon out to the main street. The riders kept pedestrians back to keep us unhindered. We joined a convoy of three other wagons. Darling kept his posture relaxed, but his head kept turning as he watched around us.

I whispered, "Are you defecting?" The man beside me flinched. I looked ahead. "Do not worry. I will not judge you for it."

The man sucked a breath through his teeth. "It's kind of hard to defect when the person you were contracted to protect is dead. Still, I doubt the other soldiers will understand."

I nodded. "We all must do what we can to protect our loved ones."

Honey looked at me oddly. I realized how bizarre it must seem for a child to say such things. I shut up and waited for the wagon to reach the city limits. The man cursed beside me and Honey clutched my hand. Guards were checking the wagons as they passed.

Darling gripped the reins tighter and the horsemen looked back to him for guidance. He muttered, "Hold steady."

The guards looked into the wagon ahead of us. The man beside me cursed again. The guards waved the wagon onward and Darling flicked the reins. The guard said, "State your business."

Darling wore a broken expression. "We go to bury our dead."

The guard nodded to his partner. The second man took a step toward us. A horse bucked on the other side of the road. The guards tensed and looked away. I jumped over the side of the wagon and ducked beside the wheel. The guards gave a nervous laugh and went to continue checking the wagon.

I crouched and ran under the wagon and drew my slingshot. Loading several seeds, I pulled back and shot them at the horse that had bucked. Two hit the horse in the rump and the rest hit the wagon behind him. The driver shouted as he tried to regain control of the horse while it screamed and bucked. I fired again and broke a pot on the wagon.

The guards were thoroughly distracted. They waved us through and went to see what the commotion was about. I ran beneath the wagon and crawled above the axle. When we were out of town, we seperated from the other wagons and turned toward Kakariko.

I crawled out from under the wagon and pulled myself up over the side. The man helped me sit beside him again. Darling called back, "Do we still have her?"

Honey shouted back, "She's here!"

The man patted my shoulder. "That was quick thinking, kid."

I smiled. "Don't thank me yet. We still have to reach Kakariko and the sun will set soon."

Darling confirmed, "She's right. Everyone be on guard. The creatures of the field might be bold after the blow Hyrule has been dealt."

Torches were lit and the horsemen drew swords. The man beside me uncovered a bow and watched behind us. Honey kept hold of my hand, but whether she was trying to comfort me or herself wasn't clear.

Two hours after sunset, I heard a familiar noise. The men in the wagon flinched. I stood. Navi flew out from my hat for the first time. I commanded, "Find it!"

Navi flew from the wagon, his blue light illuminating further than the torches could. He blinked yellow above them. Two stalchildren and three stalfos. Honey screamed.

I drew my sword. "Keep going! They'll slow down if we can get to the river!"

Darling flicked the reins and shouted to the horse. The horsemen rode ahead, the flames of their torches whipping in the wind. The man beside me drew his bow. I put a hand on his arm. "That won't do any good."

He grit his teeth. "Who are you, girl?"

"That is of little consequence." The stalchildren were falling behind, but two of the stalfos had picked up their pace. Their bones rattled behind the wagon as they gained on us. I cursed. "We'll never outrun them."

Honey whimpered. Navi flew back to me. Then I heard a wolf howl. The man turned to the night. I felt a flicker of hope. I whistled. Two wolves emerged from the dark. I shouted when the man drew his bow again. Darling asked, "What's going on back there?"

I pushed the archer down in the wagon and jumped onto Genesus's back as he sprinted alongside the wagon. Navi flew high above us and I drew my sword. We pulled back as I heard Honey shout after me.

Terminus tackled the first stalfos. She ripped the head from it and immediately turned. I swiped at the second, my sword cleaving right through the spine beneath the base of the skull. Genesus wrapped his jaws around the last one and crushed its head.

The wolves sprinted back toward the wagon. I heard a man cry out. One of the horses screamed and took off into the field. The man who had fallen was set upon by a strange figure in a black robe.

I fired my slingshot. It drew the creature's attention. As it turned to us, its movements inhuman, Navi shouted, "Goddess, it's a wizrobe!"

The thing called up purple flames. It moved toward us. The motion was too fluid and unnatural. I called up Din's fire. Genesus met it with fang and claw. I could smell burning hair. Genesus yelped in pain and backed off. I hurled flames at the wizrobe.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Terminus drag the man by his arm after the wagon and toss him in. I had to end the creature. It hissed with a noise that wasn't like any animal I'd ever heard. When it leapt forward, Genesus ducked and I let my holy flames brush the creature's clothing. It burst into flame. The creature screamed and ran off into the night.

Genesus returned to the wagon. I jumped off his back hitting the boards. The man who had been knocked off his horse had a broken leg. The bone was poking out through the skin. Honey and the archer were trying to calm him.

I pushed them out of the way and punched the man in the face. He fell unconscious. I sat in the back of the wagon. "Now help him."

They looked at me with slight fear. I sighed and watched the night. The wolves followed until we hit the river. I waved as they turned back toward the forest. Darling called back, "Are we safe now?"

Honey looked at me. I confirmed, "Yes."

The ride lost some of its roughness as the horses slowed. They were breathing hard and dark with sweat. The horseman came to the side of the wagon. He held the torch in a shaking hand. "Is he alright?"

The archer answered, "He'll live."

Several hours later, we reached the path to the village. The others sighed in relief. Navi whispered in my ear, "Something still feels wrong."

The city gate was within sight when I heard screams and smelt smoke. "Oh gods, it's First Night!"

Dark shapes chased villagers throughout the city. Houses were on fire. Darling stopped the wagon and I jumped out. "Wait! Kid, come back!"

I stood in the main street. Anger boiled within me. Din's fire burned white hot. I could feel Fi stir inside me. The night monsters turned to me. The mass of shapeless dark blacker than the night grew and overshadowed me. I screamed with everything I had.

My pure holy attack radiated out from me in a devastating blast that covered the whole town. The screams faded and the village fell silent.

The fire still burned. I reached into my pack and sighed. Pulling the ocarina out, I played the song to call upon the rain. Heavy droplets struck me as the downpour began.

Darling and Honey had abandoned the wagon to follow me. They watched with apprehension. I smiled and fell to my knees. Honey took a step toward me. Darling tried to hold her back, but she shook free. "Girl, are you..."

I tried to stand. Honey caught me. She lifted me in her arms. The archer guided the wagon forward. We climbed back in and I fell asleep in her arms before we reached our destination.