"Get a hold of yourself! Stop crying!"

Saria chastised herself verbally for getting so upset. Leaned against a lone tree in Hyrule Field, she wiped tears from her red face. Every time she thought about how all her friends, even Link, rejected her, she couldn't help but get worked up.

"None of this is real... this is all an illusion. Some cruel, twisted illusion made by a bunch of ghosts. That wasn't Link..."

"Thissss may be an illussssssion, but that doesssssn't make thisssss any lesssss real..."

"Bah! Who's there!?"

Frightened, Saria clutched against the tree and tried to find the owner of the voice. The best she could make out was a faint wisp, that almost looked like a shadow. She would have mistaken it for one, but the way it moved was all too unnatural.

"Do not be alarmed... I mean no harm. Tell me... what ailssssssss you?"

Despite her best efforts, Saria could not identify what was talking to her. Was it not of Hyrule? Saria turned a shoulder to the wisp, in hopes that it would go away. If it was a ghost, she wanted nothing to do with it!

"Don't think me rude, but I want to be alone right now."

"Nonesssssssensssssse... no one ssssshould have to ssssssit all by themsssssself. Would you mind if I ssssssssssat here myssssself?"

Saria's first instinct was to dismiss the odd wisp, but at least it was trying to be friendly. She felt an odd familiarity in it, despite having never met anything like it in her two hundred sixty-eight or so years alive.

"I... I guess not. As long as you don't bother me."

"Wonderful... many thankssssss..."

Saria watched with a bit of unease as the strange figure sat down. Now that its outline was defined against the tree, she found the shadow vaguely humanoid. Something about it was off-putting.

"Who are you?"

"A friend. Sssssso hard to find one thesssssse dayssssss... are they not?"

"Yeah... but I'll always have Link. Even though we had a fight not too long ago, we're still best friends. They say all friends fight, after all."

"Thissssss Link issss a good friend. One you ssssshould alwayssss keep nearby. Ssssssuch a ssssssshame you two will have to leave each other sssso ssssoon."

Saria turned over her shoulder to give the shadow a quizzical glare.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Have you forgotten that you mussssst return to your world? Oncccce you return, you cannot come back to the world of the boy."

"How did you know about my quest?!"

"Thisssss illussssion isssss created from your conssssciousssss, why wouldn't I know? The important thing issss, I am right, am I not?"

When Saria finally processed what the wisp had said, a heavy sadness filled her heart.

"But... but Link will be there to slay the malice. Surely, he will stay with me in my world, right?"

"Why do you deny the inevitable? Hiss ssoul iss no longer tethered to your world, therefore, he cannot stay in it."

The shadow lost its whisper-like lisp as it became more defined. Whatever it was now had glowing red eyes. Saria could almost swear it resembled herself a bit.

"I don't think I want to sit next to you anymore. Who are you, and what do you want from me?"

Saria gave the dark form a stern gaze, until it giggled. It's voice was now clearly that of a girl.

"Heehee! I am the depths of your soul, and your deepest thoughts. I am only saying what you are thinking."

"Huh? Wait... so you're like my conscience?"

"Yes... you could say that. Your conscience."

Saria's mysterious twin repeated the phrase like the name of a long lost love.

"Really?... What's it like in my head? Is it warm?"

"It's quite restless, not to mention very lonely."

"Wow... I'm sorry I guess. I really have been all out of sorts lately... and I am lonely sometimes. More than I care to admit. Sometimes, it feels like I'm the only one alive. Sometimes... I don't even feel like I'm alive."

"It is such a shame your friend Link can't stay forever..."

Tears trickled down Saria's face as she turned to face her conscience.

"It really is... *sniff* I thought maybe me and him could just live in the forest and have fun again... *sniff* ...but some things just aren't meant to be... at least I'll have all my other friends when I go home."

"But haven't you realized yet?"

"What?"

"My... a shame that you have forgotten. You knew the consequences when you accepted this quest."

"What is it? What did I forget?"

"Time has shifted during your time here, your friends have all been dead for generations."


Sword at the ready, Link assumed a light-footed posture.

Both he and Dark Link strafed around each other, waiting for either to make the first move. Dark Link lunged forward, and Link rebounded the blow with his shield, before trying to counter with a sweep at the shadow's legs. With a backflip, Dark Link avoided the parry, and resumed his own offensive.

"You should have given in! We would have made an unstoppable duo!"

Link's only response was a battle cry, followed by a wild series of slashes. Dark Link backpedaled towards the dry moat of Castle Town, and returned with his own array of swordplay. Undeterred, the young hero made another charge at his adversary. Teetering along the edge of the shallow crevasse, Dark Link smiled before regaining his balance.

"Trying to use the battlefield against me? If you're gonna do that, might as well take us to our favorite place!"

With the snap of his fingers, Hyrule Field vanished, and was replaced by Termina's Clock Town, the angry moon looming close in the red sky. Link doubled back from the sudden environment change, giving Dark Link just enough a window to strike. He landed a quick nick on Link's cheek, not enough to seriously wound the boy, but certainly enough to catch his attention.

"Fool! You cannot best me! I have more power than you ever will!"

With the tables turned, Dark Link began pushing Link backwards up the scaffolding of the clock tower. Whack after whack, the doppelgänger pushed his original closer and closer to the edge of the platform. An earthquake offset Link's footing. Hacking one solid swing into his shield, Dark Link had Link flailing for his balance, his body exposed. He reared back to swing, before an incredible resounding *DING DONG! DING DONG!* forced him to cover his ears. Link took advantage of the chime of the tower bells, and brought the Master Sword down upon Dark Link, cleaving a piece of skin from his forearm.

"Gyaaaah! You'll pay for that!"

Dark Link made an angry outburst toward Link, but the spirited boy dodged into the wall of the clock tower. With another chime from the tower's bells, the passageway to the tower roof slid open. Link darted through, Dark Link hot on his tail. Several times on the stairway, Dark Link took a swing at Link's legs, but was just shy of them. Finally at the top of the clock tower, Link took a moment to adjust his grip on his sword and shield, before Dark Link jumped at him again.

"Back at the clock tower again? By now, you would think Termina has had enough of us!"

Both exchanged several whacks with their blades, but none landed. They pushed back and forth, towards one side, and back towards the other. Soon, however, Link found that he was getting a bit too close to the edge. He tried to shove the shadow swordsman off his person with his shield, but instead, he bashed his opponent's sword downward, and took a nasty slice on his lower leg. Wincing from the raw wound, Link staggered to the ground, while Dark Link backed up to catch his breath.

"Wow... *huff* ...I really underestimated you! I didn't think you would even last this long. But alas, it is inevitable, is it not? You, light, will die, and I, darkness, will reign supreme."

With all his power, Link struggled to his feet, his wounded leg wobbling like jelly. He grimaced before falling back to the wooden arena's floor. His opponent had gotten him good. Dark Link circled to the opposite side of the clock face, and sneered.

"Hah! Look at you, you can't even stand! So pitiful! Give up now, and I will make quick work of you."

"N-... n-never..."

Link heaved up the words while he tried to swallow his pain.

"Fine then, foolish one, I will give you your just deserts! You say it is Navi who you look for, but what does your heart say? Navi isn't why you've come all this way! She's just an excuse! You're afraid of your own self, and you're too scared to admit it! You try and hide yourself from others, but even now, they have seen only a glimpse of who you really are. Now, you have met your greatest fear. And you will die to it. The whole world will see you for who you really are. I will make your suffering last a lifetime. You will perish, I will take your place. And your friends won't even know the difference! Not that daft fairy, not that stupid naive little girl! "

The tower's bells tolled again. Five after midnight, someone was going to die. Again Link hobbled upright on his wounded leg. While it still wobbled, he did not fall down. The opposition raised a brow. Biting his lip hard enough for him to taste blood, Link pulled the Master Sword in front of himself, and held it blade pointed forward. A sound began to come from his mouth. While it started low and throaty, it climbed in intensity, louder and louder, until he was unleashing a full on yell. The whole world seemed to shake with the guttural war cry. Dark Link could only look on in confusion, as he could not determine what his light counterpart was up to. Link took one step. And then another. And another. Each step that he took, he took with increasing speed. A flummoxed Dark Link looked on with fear. What in Hylia's name was he doing? Before he was halfway across the clock tower's face, the boy had broke into a full sprint. Link forced his body into the air with his good leg, sword still pointed forward. Dark Link tried to block the seemingly mad boy's charge, but the Master Sword pierced right through his shield. Link sent both of them hurtling off the clock tower, a shield separating the blade of evil's bane from Dark Link's chest by mere inches. They careened towards the ground, spinning and screaming as they fell. Dark Link hit the ground first, putting Link on top to drive the Master Sword right through his chest. For but a moment, the entire world went quiet. Not not even the earth quaked.

"Nobody talks bad about my friends."

A severely injured Dark Link gasped for breath and looked up at the glowing blade driven into his heart. That boy had done it. He had actually defeated his dark side.

"You can never truly- *gasp* -rid yourself of darkness... *gasp* I will always be hidden away in the depths of your heart..."

"But you will never be as powerful ever again. Not so long as I breath."

After one last wheeze for life, Dark Link ceased breathing, and the slight red glow in his eyes faded. The anxiety within Link calmed and he collapsed to the side. Once more the bells tolled. Once more, Link had attained peace.


"How could I be so stupid?! Why?! Why did I take this stupid quest in the first place?! Why!?"

Saria shouted angrily to herself, her face red and tear covered. The shadow only seemed disappointed in the girl's behavior.

"That is in the past, you cannot change it now."

"I'm friendless! Nobody will know me or like me, I'm doomed to a future of loneliness!"

"Indeed. You certainly will be all alone."

Saria's anger quickly turned into sadness and fear. She burst into a fit of sobbing, her hands covering my face.

"I don't want to be alone! I need a friend! W-... will you be my friend?"

"I am only a part of your own conscience. Sadly, under most circumstances, I am not tangible in the real world."

"Then I really am alone!? I-I'm scared! I don't know what to do!"

Though Saria could not see it, her shadow cracked a slight grin.

"There is nothing you can do. Fate has drawn an ill lot for you."

Fate? Hah! If Saria knew one thing about about fate, it was that it never did what one expected. She longed for the times when her and her friends lived a simpler life in Kokiri Forest. She would even settle for her slightly miserable existence in Kakariko village at this point in time. At least people knew and cared for her then. It would be as if she started life all over with nothing but her memories. Wait... how had Link survived starting over? When Zelda sent him back in time, everything he had done in the future had been undone. While it may have clearly bruised him, he did not buckle to the reset altogether. Even if he had lived out his recent days searching for his only old friend, he had made a few new ones along the way. While it may not have been friendship, the mask man clearly liked the boy. From what she could tell, the boy had made a few friends in Termina too. She had witnessed firsthand as Link befriended several people in Fairy Valley. She had even made friends. Like young Junior of Dekudeku village, the jolly Goron Rodergi, and the spunky brunette Martha. Just because all her old friends were gone did not mean she could not make new ones. Sure, it would hurt losing them, but she would always have memories for them to live on in. If only she had opened herself up to even her old friends before in Kakariko village, instead of dwelling on what she had lost.

"You have stopped crying. Is something wrong?"

"No... nothing is wrong. In fact, I'd say I'm just fine."

"But just a moment ago, you were so upset!"

"Yeah, but now I'm better. I may be doomed to lose all my friends, but that does not mean I cannot make new ones. Every day, a new opportunity presents itself, don't you see? Wow... a good cry really is all it takes sometimes. Mari was right."

"But what about Link? Aren't you sad you will never see him again?"

"What's your deal? It's almost like you want me to be unhappy! Sorry conscience, as long as I have memories of Link, I'll always be fine! That I get to spend more time with him before I lose him is plain lucky! Not many people get a chance to have fun with a previously deceased friend. I'm gonna make the most out of my time left with him!"

"No! You fool! You weeere ssssuposssed to ssssurender to daaaaaarknessssss..."

As mysteriously as it had appeared, the wisp faded away once more, leaving a slightly cheerful Saria alone in the field.

"They certainly were odd. Some conscience they were. I hope I never see them again."