The Legend of Zelda

Legacy of the Sages

Chapter 14: A Hero Awakens, Part 1


Hyrule Field, 3 months later…

Zelda sat patiently as she tended to the fire, pushing the charring sticks and kindling with the point of a small dagger in her hand. She sighed as she stared off at the storm clouds in the distance, allowing the wind to brush her hair back past her face.

She was quite a sight compared to the Princess Zelda of Hyrule Castle Town. Since she couldn't change out of a wardrobe, her dress that she had on during the attack was the only one left in her belongings. Save for some traveling clothes, Zelda had virtually nothing left to call her own. Her clothes, meant for travelling in carriages or in brisk summer mornings on horseback, could offer little protection against the cold winds coming from the northeast, signaling that a terrible and early winter would soon come after the October month had ended.

She had been thinking carefully about what was going on in her life. Ever since she had fled from Hyrule Castle Town, with Naru at her side, she could not help but feel that there was emptiness in her heart. Something that had given her a brief moment of happiness, however, was that she could feel the magic in her heart cascade, knowing now that Link had the Ocarina of Time in his possession…

It was afterwards that she had felt the emptiness.

She could not explain how or why, but the force that had suddenly opened up caused her to go unconscious. Naru had to slow their pace tremendously in order to ensure Zelda's safety. For the past week, Naru had walked the horse along the forest paths near the great cliffs that led to the Gerudo Desert, making sure to stay well away from the roads with the knowledge that the Seven Sorcerers were now in control and were searching for the elusive princess. By the time Zelda had awoken, Naru had declared that they were going to stop at that point and wait in the darkness of the pine forests to allow Zelda a chance to recover. Zelda could not recall how many times they had broken camp and left to different areas of the forest because of Naru's Gerudo instincts, but she obeyed nevertheless.

Today was the second day since they finally left the forest to continue south to the Gerudo Desert, where Naru claimed to have kin that would be able to take them in. Zelda personally doubted that anyone would remember Naru; after all, the Gerudo bodyguard left when she wasn't yet an adult, and not even Naru could tell whether or not the Gerudos would remember her. Still, Zelda would trust Naru's judgment. She had gotten Zelda this far, and it would be almost nigh impossible for them to return north. Zelda would follow her bodyguard, her best friend and companion, to the bitter end if the time arose…

…this was why Naru was teaching Zelda sword fighting in the meantime.

"Princess?"

Zelda turned at the sound of Naru's voice. The Gerudo, standing about three yards from the princess, had her sword drawn, the scimitar's giant blade glistening in the sunlight that wasn't covered by the storm clouds to the east.

"It is time to practice again," Naru said.

Zelda sighed and stood up. Beneath the folds of her travelling dress she revealed a very beautiful saber, its edges polished and sharpened so that the sword seemed to appear as if it were a solid ray of silver sunlight. The blade was in well kept condition, even with the sword practicing that the 11-year old had done to keep in shape.

"I am ready," Zelda said, bringing the blade out of the leather sheath. She brought the blade up with her hands so that it could point a diagonal guard from the top left pointing right, providing good defensive measures as well as a potential means to perform a powerful slash from the left leg up to the right shoulder should she attack.

"On guard," Naru said, bringing her sword so that it pointed backwards behind her, preparing it so that, if she did attack, she could bring the weapon up and create an equally powerful slash, while being able to parry whatever blow that Zelda could make.

Zelda and Naru both stood there for a while, breathing lightly under the storm clouds, their bodies tensed and ready for battle. Not even a bird whistled or a cricket chirped while the two girls stood their ground, glaring as if daring the other to come forward and attack.

A lightning strike shattered the silence, and with it also shattered the peace.

Naru was the first to attack. Zelda prepared by blocking Naru's blow, pushing hard and using the momentum to attempt to disarm Naru's blade. Naru was quick, twisting her own blade around and attempting to strike at Zelda's unprotected legs. Zelda was quick to jump and dodge the blow, back flipping and attacking with a forward thrust. Naru quickly knocked Zelda's blade aside, preparing to attack with a side-sweep from the left.

Zelda parried the blade, using the momentum to once again try to disarm Naru. Naru shrugged it off, showing her prowess and skill with her own blade by turning the tables on Zelda. Zelda could barely hold on as Naru twisted both blades around, attempting to catch Zelda's blade with the fancy Gerudo Scimitar.

Zelda suddenly surprised Naru by pulling her blade to the left; completely shrugging off Naru's disarming movements. Bringing the saber in front of her chest, she swiftly lunged forward, bringing her full bodyweight to the stroke that she was about to make.

Naru nimbly dodged aside, causing Zelda to suddenly trip up and fall flat on her face, her sword tossed to the right and away from her reach. Naru's Scimitar lightly touched the back of Zelda's neck. Zelda could feel its deadly edge threatening to cut the back of her neck any second.

It was a good thing that Naru was on her side.

"You are getting better," Naru said, "That's the first you've managed to counter my disarming. However, I'd disregard ever doing a maneuver like that one again. Lunging into your enemy is only good if you are close enough to catch them unawares. Had you have been about a foot or two closer I would have probably allowed you to run yourself into my blade, but there is also the chance that your opponent is smart enough to point his or her own blade in your direction."

Naru helped Zelda up, wiping the dust off of the princess's clothing and retrieving the girl's saber. Zelda silently thanked the Gerudo before placing the blade back into her sheath.

"Sometimes I wish I had taken fencing class instead of philosophy," Zelda said as she sat back down to attend to the fire.

"Your choices at the time were wise ones, Zelda," Naru said, "However; no one could have expected such a crisis as this to occur. Think nothing of it. Once we arrive to the Gerudo Fortress, you should be safe from harm, and we'll have all the time in the world to train you to defend yourself, and also to fight back."

"How do I know that the Gerudo will even accept me?" Zelda asked, "Sure, they have their loyalties to the crown, but those loyalties were to my father, and he is dead. For all I know, my status as a princess was gone as soon as Vaati set foot into our doors."

Naru sheathed her Scimitar, sighing as she crouched down at Naru's side.

"You are a good person, Zelda," Naru said, "You are the only heir to the throne, save for your father's cousin from the north. For now, we should be at peace. The Gerudo will accept you; we always accept those who have been in troubled times. Before Ganondorf, our code was to never hurt the innocent and give refuge to those who face peril. Last I checked those ideals still exist in our order. Besides; I have kin in high places."

"You always say that," Zelda said, "and yet for all I know the only one who you'd consider kin in this world is me. How do you even know that this person is alive?"

Naru smiled as she stood back up, grabbing a pack from the ground as she did.

"Because," Naru said, "That person is a Gerudo. We are born to survive."


7 years later…


At first, the dream was a void. He could not exactly see himself standing, but he was aware that he was standing in a black nothingness. It was then that the voice came. It was a deep, masculine voice, one that displayed great authority and power. It spoke clearly in the darkness, and Link trembled before it.

"It has begun," the voice spoke, "The time to act has come upon us all, son of Dalon, heir to the Hero of Time. Long ago, this green and prosperous land has seen many forms of peace, but peace, while a gift, can swiftly become a curse. Peace should never last so long, for while the forces of good relax, evil never sleeps, and as we grow content in our lifestyle, evil chooses the time to come to act.

"And once again, our lands are strewn headlong by conflict…"

Link saw a large field. He recognized it as the Hyrule Field, the strip of land that existed throughout Hyrule and surrounded Lon Lon Ranch, the castle of Hyrule standing just nearby. However, this field was different; it was covered in hills and rocks. Death Mountain, the largest peak in all of Hyrule, was in flames.

The formerly quiet Hyrule field suddenly erupted in noise as war cries from at least a hundred nations resonated from the south. Hundreds of Hylians, most of them wearing dark armor, charged through the land, swords drawn and shields raised. Some of them wore the garments of barbarians, while others carried so much armor that it was a wonder they could even run, and yet they all kept to the same speed, rushing through the land at high speeds. Several kinds of cavalry, mostly horses, but also some other monstrous creatures that Link couldn't identify, all rushed headlong across the field. Link looked to see that the army seemed to number by the thousands, all of them headed north.

Link was suddenly whisked away towards Hyrule Castle. Upon the hill where the castle stood was a brilliant figure clad in armor, his entire body gleaming silvery gray. He held a mighty sword in one hand, which would have been so heavy that not even two Hylian men would have been able to hold it up. In his other hand he held a shield, which showed the crest of the royal family.

"Heroes rise to challenge their fate," the voice continued, "and to take on foes of all kinds. They lead their brethren to battle, fighting alongside battle brothers of every kind and distinction."

The knight lowered his sword, pointing it towards the upcoming army. Immediately, hundreds upon thousands of Hylian knights, along with large Gorons, mighty Zoras, and seemingly reluctant Gerudo thieves, began to charge their way out of the castle and down towards the valley below. Though they were not running as vigorously as the Hylians or the other races, Link could see battle frenzied in their eyes, and each Gerudo swordswoman raced on to the upcoming army ahead of them.

The voice continued. "Regardless of race, wealth, or heritage, even the most hated of rivals come together to take on a common foe, and die trying to preserve their now fragile existence on their world."

Suddenly, as if cued, the dark army transformed. Though they were still running, they began to change their appearance. Now, instead of an army of dark-clad Hylians, an army of Stalfos, Lizalfos, and an all manner of dark creatures began racing towards the silver-clad Hylians and their racial allies. The only ones that didn't changed where the armored warriors, though they now appeared lifeless, their faces covered by their armor and their bodies moving with a strange gait. Redeads, Stalchilds, and other monsters burst from the ground to follow them into battle.

"And this foe," the voice whispered, barely audible through the din, "is by far the darkest foe that all of Hyrule has ever faced, for he exists within the very bedrock of time and space itself!"

Link watched in horror as the armies of good stopped to defend Hyrule Castle, while the dark armies began to charge and hit the army of good dead on. As both armies clashed each other, the land around the castle went up in flames. Link was shocked as, suddenly, the very ground began to splinter beneath the feet of the oncoming armies, as something horrifyingly evil burst from beneath Hyrule Castle. It let out a hellish scream as it flew into the sky, its presence suddenly blotting out the sun.

Everything went black again. But as the world faded back into existence, all that Link could see was the Knight, standing in the middle of a monstrous storm. Though his helmet was in his right hand, his face was covered in the gloom, and Link could barely make out a head full of dark-blonde hair. The knight, his face still unseeing save for a pair of glowing blue eyes, pointed his free hand in Link's direction. From his figure the voice boomed into the night, as if the very world itself was shaking at its roots.

"You," the knight said, "must draw the sword of your birthright, and take up the Hero's Legacy!"

Seek me out…


Link could only see darkness. He heard nothing. He smelt nothing. He saw nothing. There was nothing save for his body existing somewhere within the void of space, his consciousness hidden in some astral plane. Never before had he felt so alone, though he felt that he was too tired to care.

It was then that a familiar voice whispered in the void of his mind.

Rise, Hero of Time…

Link couldn't explain what happened, but, somehow, those words caused him to feel once more. His senses began to pick up the steady ripple of what seemed to be a tiny and drizzling rain echoing in a dark chamber. His body felt like it had been in a state of dormancy, and he felt tired and worn out. Carefully bracing himself for the sunlight that would eventually shine in his face, Link opened his eyes.

Link found himself staring into a rather dark chamber. The center of the chamber, however, seemed to cascade in light, similarly to a fairy fountain. Link almost thought that this was, in fact, a fairy fountain, until he noticed the seven pillars surrounding him, hanging in space.

Link decided to look down. He was on a gigantic pillar, one far bigger than the other seven, its center holding a pedestal with a Triforce symbol engraved upon the stone. The pillar's bases were enveloped in darkness; there was absolutely no way that he could see the bottom, if there was one. He shivered at the thought of tripping off of the edge of the pillar into the abyss below.

As Link walked forward, he stopped as something began moving in the shadows in front of him. Stepping out from these shadows appeared the figure of a great warrior: A knight in gray armor, carrying a mighty sword of great size, and a shield that bore the crest of the Royal Family of Hyrule. He wore a helmet that covered his head and hid his face, though long, silvery-white hair hung down from his shoulders. Link recognized the knight as the one from his dreams…dreams that made reality feel more like one with every passing moment.

"And so," the knight said in a low, deep voice that echoed throughout the chamber, "the destined one has awakened. Come forward, Link. Welcome to the Chamber of the Sages. Do not fear me…I am a valuable ally to you."

Link stepped forward, glad to be away from the edge of the platform. He stopped as he came to the foot of the strange stone with the Triforce etched into its hard surface. The knight sheathed his mighty sword, gazing upon Link in silence and mystery. Link wondered what was going on; he had many questions to ask, such as where the Seven Sorcerers had gone off to; what was happening to Hyrule; is Ganondorf still locked away and is the Master Sword safe?

Link could barely see the mighty knight smiled from behind his helmet, as if he had read Link's mind. The knight took a deep breath, his big chest plate heaving up and then down as the giant of a Hylian exhaled the air. Link managed to see the dark blue eyes of the Hylian glimmer in the strange chamber, reminding him of the eyes of the wise owl, Kaepora Gaebora.

"I suggest you sit down," the knight said, "This could take a while. In fact, what I am about to tell you covers many hundreds of years. You must understand the importance of this to every detail, and you must also understand that what you are about to here is almost forgotten knowledge in this difficult time."

The knight slapped his left fist on his chest, causing a metallic clang that reverberated and echoed through the strange chamber.

"My name…" the mighty knight said, "is King Hyrule the First, ruler and founder of the kingdom of Hyrule."

Link did as he was told and sat down, though the name that the knight gave him echoed in his mind. No way, he thought, it couldn't be…could it?

The knight went down on one knee, his shield held firmly in his hand as he began to tell his age old tale…


Many hundreds of years ago, Hyrule was not as it once was. Long ago, during the golden ages, the Old Kingdom had suddenly begun to turn into an age of peril when the good king had died. Many lords and nobles clashed for his throne, resulting in a dark age where the Hylian race was reduced to a group of clans squabbling for land and gold.

During this dark time, the priests of the Sect of Time, an ancient religion that was said to have been founded on those chosen by the three goddesses to protect the Triforce, felt that none could get their hands upon the sacred artifact. In order to ensure its safety, the sect hid the Mantle of Time and sealed it, hiding it away in a forest far to the east. Without the Triforce, the thoughts of a united Hyrule came plummeting down as morale seeped like bloody wounds, though even the wisest of leaders could see the wisdom in the Sect's actions.

As time went by, there came a point in Hyrule's long history that two clans began to rise over the others and vie for dominance. The first of the two was the Darknut Clan, a clan of mighty warriors who dominated by force and sought an empire over all of the lands in Hyrule. The second was my clan, the descendants of the first kingdom of Hyrule. I was chosen as their leader, given the title of king, and was given the name Hyrule after our beloved land.

War had begun, and was taking a heavy toll on us. The Darknuts conquered every clan in sight, capturing our soldiers and forcing them to fight for them. The alliance that Hyrule had made with the other clans was slowly being diminished. It was then that I realized that Hylians couldn't fight King Darknut and his army alone, and so I sought an alliance with the other races of Hyrule, requesting the aid of the stealthy and elusive Kokiri, the stalwart and strong Gorons, the proud and swift Zoras, and the mighty and cunning Gerudo. With them at our side, we began to finally defeat the Darknut Clan's forces, until we cornered them at their stronghold in the south; Castle Darknut.

At the time, the Darknuts had under their slavery a cursed clan of Hylians called the Stalvan clan. The Stalvans were a clan of nomadic vampires, who were cursed long ago when they sought a means to defeat the Darknuts but eventually were enslaved by their enemies. The Stalvans came to me for help, and I graciously accepted their aid.

The attack upon Castle Darknut left a great hole in both our forces and the forces of the enemy. At the time, the warriors of the Darknut Clan were experts in magic as well as being warriors of strength and might. Many of them practiced in dark and chaotic magics that were far unstable to be used lightly. As the Stalvans stormed the castle while our forces attacked from the outside, King Darknut was rumored to have performed a ritual that would destroy all of our forces in a mighty clash between chaos and order. However, as Lord Stalvan of the Stalvan Clan attacked King Darknut, the ritual was broken and the Darknuts paid a terrible price.

None of our forces save the Stalvan Clan was inside the castle when it happened. A great curse suddenly seeped from inside, causing all within to vanish in smoke. The few Stalvans that weren't infected could feel their brethren perishing in the gloom. With that, the war was over, and Hyrule could once again be united under one banner, and I became king. We built our city in the old lands to the north, where my castle was built and our people were free once more. The Mantle of Time was brought back to its rightful place; with our people. Hyrule had a new king, and we could finally be at peace…

Or so we thought…

Little did I suspect that one of the Darknut casters would survive that day; a magi who was powerful in his chaotic arts…powerful enough that he could walk freely under the sun. His name was lost long ago, but he instead created a new name for himself…Malgannis!

Though Malgannis never showed his face in Hyrule ever again, through my powers I could sense his existence. In my final years of life, I asked the Seven Sages, the high council of the Sect of Time, to seal my spirit into my armor and send me into the Golden Lands beyond to protect the Triforce. It was this object that I knew that Malgannis would seek in the future, and I knew that he would try to use it to complete whatever dark ritual the Darknuts had begun all those years ago. And so, for hundreds of years, I waited patiently for Malgannis to attempt to try and steal the Triforce…and I would be there to stop him.

However, when the gate between the Golden World and Hyrule parted, it was not Malgannis who arrived, but another…one far stronger in will and in dominance. Since I had not been properly awakened by the Seven Sages, I was forced to watch as Ganondorf defeated them easily and took the Triforce of Power into his possession. Rauru, the Sage of Light, was the only survivor, but even his power alone couldn't allow me to awaken. We both were forced to wait until your ancestor awakened before the Triforce could be rescued…

When your ancestor, the first Hero of Time, came out of the shadows and began his quest to defeat Ganondorf's minions and destroy all that Ganondorf strived to control. Thanks to him, as well as my descendant, the first Zelda, Ganondorf was brought to his knees in defeat. However, Ganondorf's actions had caused the Triforce to break into three pieces, and I knew it was only a matter of time before Malgannis came out of the shadows and claimed it for himself. After Link departed to the unknown regions, six of the Seven Sages used their combined powers to help break a part of my seal, so that if the time came for me to stop Malgannis, I wouldn't be forced to stand by and watch as Malgannis claimed what he believed would be his.

Now, comes the present. As I thought, Malgannis came here to seek the Triforce, or at least a piece of it, in the form of Ganondorf. However, Malgannis has managed to thwart my beliefs in his attack, instead deciding to side with six others of great power and potential in magic in order to defeat the Sages and resurrect Ganondorf from his prison beneath our feet. In the resulting battle, they managed to defeat six of the Seven Sages before Rauru used his power to set me free. I barely managed to defeat the seven of them…but at a price. Ganondorf's seal was already partially broken, and though the Seven Sorcerers were defeated, they took parts of the seals of the Seven Sages with them, further breaking the seal of Ganondorf's prison. In Rauru's dying breath, he made me the new Sage of Light, and I was instructed to contain Ganondorf, to forever lock in combat with him if need be, until you would at last awaken…


Link had sunk everything in, taking in every last detail of the amazing tale that King Hyrule told him. However, he was a little surprised about the last part.

"Wait," he said, "until I awaken at last…what are you talking about? How long was I out?"

Link almost jumped at the sound of his own voice. Since when had his vocal chords sounded so deep? He wasn't even 13 yet…right?

Hyrule sighed, shaking his head, as if expecting that this would happen. "Your great grandfather said the same thing to Rauru before he found out. Link…turn around and look down…"

Link wondered what King Hyrule could mean, but he did it anyway. As he turned, he spotted the gleaming surface of the strange "water" start to solidify and create a reflection. As he stared down, Link's eyes went wide as he saw the face of an 18 year old boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a green tunic and matching hat…his hat…

Link was 18 years old!

Link began to stutter and stare at the reflection in disbelief. He had to admit his figure was awesome, but the very fact that he was so old was like a nightmare. He had just spent 7 years of his life asleep, and whole events in Hyrule had come and gone and he didn't even know it!

"Surprised?" King Hyrule asked, "Your great grandfather felt the same way. Rauru agreed that there were many things that happened to that one that should have been fixed the moment Ganondorf had been defeated…but the sages, and Princess Zelda, agreed that they made a mistake when they sent him back in time to live his life as he should when he was young. Because of that, the time stream was broken, and it took years for Hyrule to return to normal while Link was off in the unknown regions. I was just glad that he showed up two years later back in his own time…otherwise, this world would probably never be the same without its hero..or his descendants for that matter…"

Link was at a loss for words. He had been asleep for seven years? How could this happen? Why did this happen?!? What had been going on in the world since he was gone? What happened to…Rose?

Link then noticed the hilt poking out of his shoulder. Instinctively, Link reached back and grabbed the strange weapon, and was shocked to see that he had a hold of the legendary Master Sword! As he unsheathed the weapon, the beautiful silver-colored blade made a ringing sound through the air, the blade gleaming in the light as if it were a single star in a midnight sky. The purple-blue hilt felt as if it were made of firm wood and leather, and the Triforce symbol in the center of the hilt gleamed as Link peered into its golden surface. The hilt was a perfect fit for one or both hands, as if it were made for him.

Somehow, the very fact that it seemed made for him didn't surprise him at all.

"The Master Sword chose well," King Hyrule said, "Very seldom have individuals touched its blade. You are the second in your line to have done so. However, the tragedy that helped open up a path for Malgannis and his forces was too great a chance. The fact that he did wasn't surprising at all. Even if he weren't such a risk, knowing that you would be destined to wield the sword of your ancestor was too obvious of a reality."

"Too obvious…" Link whispered, his grip on the Master Sword suddenly tightening. He looked up at King Hyrule, his gaze fixed angrily on the mighty knight. "Too obvious? Sure, it's easy for you to say that, but what about for the person who is supposed to be 'destined' for it?!? I happen to be minding my own business one birthday when all of a sudden you show up in a dream; a nightmare, no less! Next thing you know, me and a fairy happen to go off on a life-threatening adventure, where friends have died and I had to kill people! All the while, I was trying to stop a group of sorcerers attempting to take over the kingdom, and I come up to attempt to protect this stupid thing in my hands, and you say it's obvious that they were going to do it?!? Hell, you've been here for centuries! Why is this happening to me-?"

Link was knocked backwards as King Hyrule tripped him over with a mighty swing of his cape. Link was down and the mighty sword was inches from his nose before he could even groan from the pain. King Hyrule looked down at Link in anger, though his anger melted away into a stern and serious gaze.

"In my days, those who question destiny and the words of their king were announcing a challenge," he said, lifting the sword up and allowing Link to stand, "However, these aren't my days anymore, though the point remains the same. You had no right to question destiny. Although you had no knowledge of what was to happen, you still cannot deny what the universe has planned for you."

Link got up, picking up the Master Sword from where he dropped it on the ground and keeping it steadily in his hand in case he were to provoke the great knight again. "How am I supposed to know this isn't just a bunch of stuff made up to cover the fact that I screwed up?" he asked.

The knight, instead of getting angry again, sighed and sheathed his mighty sword. "When you first gazed upon the Master Sword, inside of the Temple of Time those seven years ago, explain what you felt."

Link was taken aback from the question. He had no idea where the knight was going, but he decided to at least answer the question anyway. He quickly did his best to recall the moment he had gazed upon the Master Sword, that moment seven years ago that seemed to still be a few minutes back in his mind.

"I…don't really know," Link said as he thought. He gazed upon the Master Sword as if for reference, trying to remember exactly what had happened on that day, "I remember that I felt this…strange feeling. It was like meeting an old friend for the first time in years…only, older. I felt as if I had known it once before…as if we knew each other…"

Link realized what he was going to say and stopped. The knight nodded his head as if he also knew, and beckoned Link to continue speaking.

"…as if we already knew each other from before I was even born," Link said.

The knight nodded. Link's pride refused to admit to those words, and yet they all made sense. Link couldn't explain how…or why for that matter, but he realized that, when all words parted, he was somehow tied to the mysterious blade in his hand.

Tied to destiny…the strange voice whispered.

"It is no surprise that you felt that the blade belonged to you somehow," the knight said, "Even if you were young, and your adventures taught you not to touch something out of the ordinary, you still decided to touch the blade to see exactly why it felt as if it belonged. The Master Sword's influence took it from there, granting you the strength to pull the mighty blade from its stone sheath.

"Now the time has come for you to continue your destiny," King Hyrule said. He drew his blade again, as if preparing himself for a conflict that may soon occur. "Many years ago, your ancestor, of whom you bear your name and sword from, had been given the task of finding the Seven Sages, and gathering their combined powers so that he may be able to stop Ganondorf. Now the time has come for you to take on that role. Though the sages are either dead or scattered to the wind, you are given the task of finding their descendants; those who could take up the role of the sages so that we may be able to seal Ganondorf once and for all, and defeat the forces of the Seven Sorcerers.

"When the Seven left the battle, they became lost in the Dark World. Their resulting wave of conquest had made them strong, though their true strength resides in the pieces of the amulets that they stole from the Seven Sages. Though they still have those seven pieces, the seven as a whole still have enough spare power to empower you in your journey. As the Sage of Light, I grant you what power I can spare for your battles to come. Take the power of light upon your journey, Hero of Time!"

The knight raised his sword high into the air. The tip suddenly gleamed as a white light shone blindingly from its tip. With a great "SCHING!" the light seemed to explode, sending a strange object through the air. Link reached up and grabbed the strange thing. The strange shard glowed dimly as Link held it tight, suddenly feeling a wave of pain and emotion surge through his body. He surprisingly felt calm, even though each and every nerve in his body felt like it was going to explode. The shard suddenly disappeared into his hand and his pain began to cease from his hand to the rest of his body.

Light…Courage…

Link opened his eyes, and felt a strange wave of satisfaction flow through his body. His good mood changed when he saw King Hyrule suddenly tense his body, as if waiting for something to happen.

"So," the knight whispered, holding his sword and shield in a guard position and staring down into the abyss below, "It finally begins."

Link watched in horror as a sudden black shadow seemed to leap from the dark abyss below. The mighty knight brought his shield up and blocked the blow coming from the abysmal shadow, parrying it with an attack from his sword. As he cut through the shadows, a savage roar shook the chamber, seeming to cause the rays of light to fragment with its great wrath. Link almost covered his ears from the onslaught of noise, and watched as the shadows dispersed back into the abyss below.

"The seal protecting Ganondorf has weakened further," the knight said with a pant. He turned to Link, gazing upon him with an expression of seriousness. "Do not be afraid. Though he is strong, and far stronger than even you are at this point in your life, he still has to face me before escaping. Flee! Return to the Temple of Time while you still have a chance, or be forced to lock in combat with him forever while your mortal enemies destroy the land you love!"

Link was about to oblige, though concern for the knight, a mighty figure in Hyrule's history, was almost unbearable.

"What about you?!" Link asked.

"I have been asleep for hundreds of years," the knight said, "My power is strong, and my will is stronger. I am the cornerstone from which the land of Hyrule stood upon during the days it was to come crashing down. I will not allow that beast to be freed! With every last breath in my immortal body, I will stop him. Now, GO!"

The knight pointed his great sword in Link's direction. Link suddenly felt the familiar sensation of teleportation grip his entire body as the Chamber of Sages began to disappear before his eyes. Link barely had enough time to see the old King of Hyrule turn around and parry another blow from the monstrous shadow of Ganondorf before the room disappeared, leaving him in total darkness…

To be continued…

Kerian: At long last, the wait is over. Zelda dissapears from the land of Hyrule, Link awakens to find that he is 18 years old, and the first King of Hyrule informs him that he is the Hero of Time. How could this be? What is going on in the land of Hyrule. Has the Dejavu spree that I began finally ended?

Link: It better have. I'm tired of following my great grandfather's footsteps! Hey! Get that eraser away from my mou-*MMMMPH!!!*

Kerian: Link, such language! Anyway, the climax caused earlier in the story has probably caused many of you to think "Where the *(QUACK!)* is chapter 14 part 1?!? Why is Kerian taking so long?!? Is this story going downhill the same way that his earlier stories have?!" *coughs* Anyway, my age long break has finally come to a close. This chapter took a little while to make, mostly because of a writer's block that, sadly, took my planned fanfic called The Seige of Uldaman downhill with it. However, the good news is that I've finally gotten started writing again, and I even got a fanfic for Redwall in the works. This story, called The Fallen Star, is currently in progress and has already been released. To make sure that I keep both stories up to date every day, I will be working on a chapter of each different story each day, so that you guys can have a chance of seeing updated versions of both of my work without me getting a writer's overload.

Now that I've finally gotten my sorry butt in gear and gotten back to writing this story, here comes some bad news. School starts again and I am prepared to continue my highschool years as usual. Hopefully this time I won't get behind and I'll manage to get ahead in school. However, if I do manage to get behind in school it is a guaranteed fact that I will get behind in my writing, which in turn means this; very llllooooooonnnggg wait for updates. Fortunately, school's going to be a bit better for me this year, which in turn means so will my rate of writing. So, now that you have those tasty behind-the-scenes information that you probably aren't going to take to heart (unless you are a stalker, though I don't think I'm famous enough for stalkers yet), I'll be closing with my forever favorite saying, me out!

-Kerian

Link: *MMMMMMMMPPPPPPHHHHH!!!!!*

Kerian: Oh shut up. You're lucky I haven't given you a horrible personality. Don't forget...I CONTROL YOUR VERY LIFE AND ACTIONS! MUAHAHAHAHA-cough! Cough! COUGH! Bleah...that's hard on the throat...oops, I forgot to hit save and exit the editing page, didn't I?

Link: *Mm-hhmm.*