A Kid Named Link.

v1.4

By: (o'.')o

Disclaimer:

I know this guy who knows a guy, no names…he says that Nintendo actually doesn't own Zelda….that it's a huge massive conspiracy by the developers of NUON. Now that NUON is close to it's release, it'll come out with a blockbuster lawsuit against Nintendo for taking this "borrowing" thing a little to far. However, since this has yet to be proved, I'll have to concede to the fact that the Legend of Zelda series is owned and operated by Nintendo of Japan/America.

Note from (o'.')o:

If you read this, please review. That's all. Enjoy.

In V1.3:

Link found out who had terrorized his family. Apparently, a kid with the mark of one of the Triforce arrived at Lon Lon Ranch, nearly killing Malon and demanding for his whereabouts. Before that, a nicer visitor had arrived, asking for the young elf. Before Link could digest all this information, Princess Zelda comes along, and together, they go visit the visitor.

*******

Link was staring into the bright shiny stars of the Hyrulian sky. The tail end of his Tuke fell over the top of his face. Strands of blonde hair peeked out from underneath, getting into his eyes and ears. He pointed his gloved finger into the damp-tasting sky. Link thought it might rain…if not narrowly missing the area. Link sighed.

It was a bit out of despair. It was probably no longer his birthday, the moon hanging in the apex of the sky. He wasn't able to spend one good moment with Malon. Not only that, but his family gets accosted by some demon-pig freak from who knows where…and some old Sage is calling him…probably to put him to some half-baked quest. All after he notices his Triforce mark on his left hand. If Link were superstitious, he might think there was something to this whole 'Legendary Hero' Thing.

But there wasn't. All of this was just a big unfortunate coincidence. Link took in a deep, cleansing breath. "Just a coincidence." He thought again.

Link was lying against a rough tree that stood alone in the middle of a clearing. They had traveled for quite a few hours. Zelda promised him they were close to the location of the Sage, so they could rest. Which is what they were doing.

Link couldn't get to sleep quite yet. He took another deep breath, slightly conscious of Zelda lying on the opposite side of the tree. Obviously she was quite conscious of him.

"You all right?" Zelda asked from the other side of the old oak.

"Never better." Link answered, not meaning a word.

"I meant what I said. You'll be back at the Ranch before the sun is down the tomorrow." She turned her head towards him. " I guess that girl back there should be happy."

"Her name's Malon."

"Is she your wife?"

Link nearly choked on that question. He shot up to a sitting position and sunk his head down a bit. He looked to the side…towards the girl at the other side of the tree. "What makes you think that?"

"I don' t know." Zelda said. "You just seem pretty sweet on her."

"That's a far cry from marriage."

"A simple 'yes' or 'no' would have been enough." Zelda said, exasperated.

Link leaned back towards the tree. "Princess, when will you be getting married?"

Zelda hesitated. "That's up to me, Link." she bit through clenched teeth.

"Should be soon, yes?"

"Yes."

"Within a year, probably?"

"Probably."

Link nodded to himself, smiling, a bit disappointed. " It should be a joyous occasion for all Hyrule."

Zelda turned an eye to Link. She nodded slowly. "It should." She turned and looked up at the moon. It's gray reflection glittered off her crystal blue eyes. She didn't like this conversation, she liked even less the feelings it brought up. She brushed them away angrily and slumped against the tree. "Goodnight." She called back silently.

Link didn't respond, and soon enough, he heard the steady breathing from Zelda that indicated sleep. He smiled sadly and slumped back against the tree. Still looking at the moon, it was a few minutes before the slumber took him.

******

By mid-morning, the pair had reached the whereabouts of the Sage. There was on old cottage nestled at the end of the sparse forest. Smoke was pouring out of the chimney, and a small water-mill was churning up the water in the stream that ran next to the building. ( If water could be churned. )

Zelda walked up to the entrance, but before she could knock, the door opened itself. Link waved Zelda in first, then followed. The inside was just as quaint and antiquated as the outside. Next to a fireplace in a thick woolly chair sat the Sage.

He was pretty old, eyes covered by big bushy eyebrows. Leathery skin surrounded his big old nose. His hair was matted at the top, and there was a lot of it, but it was all a silver color now. He gestured towards the two chairs that were opposite of the one he was in.

Zelda sat down first, then Link. Link noticed the mans clothing. Purple with triangles spotting along the lines. Golden Triangles. Link chuckled, it seemed a popular motif nowadays.

Zelda leaned towards the Sage. "This is Link." she said.

"I know." he answered.

Silence permeated the air for another minute. Link couldn't stand it. Sage or no Sage, he wasn't going to sit here like a lump for the rest of the day.

"You called me old man," Link said heatedly. "I'm here. You want to chat, let's chat. Otherwise, I'll take my leave now."

Zelda stared at Link, totally appalled, but the old man smiled and sat up straighter. He looked Link in the eye.

"Very well, young man." He told him. "I am the Sage of Hyrule." He nodded to Zelda. "I was commissioned a such in the days of her grandfather. I was to keep watch for the signs of the Time of Trouble."

"Do you see those signs now?" Zelda asked. To her chagrin, the old man turned to her and slowly nodded.

"Indeed, I do. Everything, from the weather, to the appearance of some shady creatures and men, to the emergence of a Candidate." He said the last part motioning towards Link. "These are all signs. Truly, the Time of Trouble is upon us. But…"

Zelda looked confused. "But what?"

The old man sighed. "It isn't the same type of Trouble…or the same…perhaps level. Maybe this is why we have him as a Candidate" he said, looking at Link.

"What do you mean?" Link said indignantly. Zelda hushed him, and looked towards the man again.

"Is Ganondorf responsible? Is he amongst us again?" she asked anxiously.

"I do not sense Ganondorf." The old man sighed. "That does not yet mean he is not involved. However, if things continue to escalate, there is no telling the damage Hyrule will have to endure." He looked at Link. " A boy came to your home, around your age…not too long ago."

Link, shocked at his insight, nodded slowly.

"What happened when he did visit will be the least of what will happen." The old man sank back into his chair. "He is the one to fear for now. He's the only other dark soul I can sense…" he said…peering at Link.

"What does he want?" Zelda asked. The Sage shrugged.

"All I know is that he has to be stopped. Whatever his plans are, they can't be good for any one of us in Hyrule."

Link thought back to what happened to Malon. Something worse? He shook his head. He wasn't going to let that happen, not while he had breath in him. "What can I do about it?"

The Sage peered at Link again. "I don't know." he said simply.

Link gritted his teeth and looked away, a tuft of blonde hair swinging with his anger. "Nothing." He hissed in his mind. "What bloody good are you then?"

Zelda suddenly looked up at him, eyes bright. She wore a smile. " The Master Sword!" she exclaimed. "Sword of Evils Bane, we can use that can't we!" she looked at the Sage. "Link can use that! Sage, tell us where it is!"

The Sage sighed. "There are 3 keys to getting the Master Sword. They are hidden deep in Hyrule, and are difficult enough to procure."

"So, tell us where to get these keys!" Zelda pushed.

The Sage took a hard long look at Link, who returned his stare with determination. It sounded risky…and silly. Everyone knew the Master Sword was legend. But right now he didn't care. He didn't want to be a hero, or save Hyrule. He wanted to protect. That's all.

The Sage stared at him some more, than rested against the back of his chair, legs stretching underneath the wooden table between him and his guests. The answer was obvious. He looked at the squarely.

"No." he said.

Zelda stared at him. She had no idea what to do or say next. "No?" she said to herself. "How can you say that?"

Link voiced his thoughts aloud. "Why 'no', old man?" he asked, a hint of menace in his voice.

The Sage remained calm. "Because the Master Sword will not except you." he said simply. "You'll be wasting your time. You might still be able to solve this threat without the Master Sword, you are the Candidate. However, the Master Sword will not help you."

"Why not???" Zelda practically shouted.

"He isn't worthy. He is not pure." The Sage took Links stare dead on. "He's not like the past ones. Though this one also contains Courage, he contains something else. Something that makes him no different than those he will undoubtedly hunt." He looked straight into the young elf's eyes, whose hue became lighter and lighter. " He's a killer." He turned to Zelda. "He might turn on you."

Zelda couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stared at Link, whose eyes now where a stark gray. She could almost feel the anger coming from him in waves.

Link clenched his fists tight. The old man knew about him….about his flares. Everyone knew Link had a temper, but they didn't know the worse. He thought back to his time at Lon Lon Ranch as a child. How sometimes playing with Malon and her friends could turn into something worse. He knew how he was when he was angry, but that wasn't the worse thing the Sage said about him.

Link calmly put his palms flat on the table and stared heatedly into the old man. "You may not think me worthy," he began slowly. "You may think…that the Master Sword would turn me away. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not like the past Links. Maybe I'm a blight on the Legacy. I can concede to that. That's fine."

For some reason it hurt Zelda to hear Link say this about himself. She was going to ask him to stop, but he pushed on.

"But that choice belongs to the Master Sword, not you. If it's the best means for me..to protect….the ones that I love….then I will do it. I'll do all this heroic bullshit that you think needs to be done!" Link blasted roughly. " I'll fight your monsters, your demons, I'll put life and limb on the line, I'll do whatever it takes, " He leaned closer to the Sage, who was unimpressed. "..to protect the ones I love." Link finished.

Zelda's face was ashen. "The ones he loved?" she thought. Of all the things that were said, for some reason, that hurt her the most.

Link still clenched at the table…he wasn't finished. " Tell me where the keys are to the Master Sword. If it destroys me, then at least I tried. Don't try to keep this from me, old man. Sage." Link sat down again, staring at the old man. His eyes were now deep brown. "Please." He pleaded.

The Sage stared at the boy for a shorter time…then sighed. "There are three keys…Fire, Forest, Water. Take these to the Hidden Glade. There the Master Sword will make it's choice."

Link nodded. "That's all I need." He smiled almost apologetically as he rose from his seat. "Thanks."

"I don't know what the Master Sword will see in you." the Sage called after him. "It's called, 'Sword of Evil's bane." That means all evil, in everyone. Not even the Royal Family is exempt. Only the Chosen One can touch it without dying." He looked at Zelda, then the boy. "You're not the Chosen One."

Link shrugged. "Maybe not." He conceded. He opened the door and looked back. "Maybe the Master Sword isn't as stringent as you think." With that, he left the cottage.

Zelda turned to the old man and nodded, then she took her leave as well. Link was waiting for her outside. She strode up to him, almost shyly. She remembered what he did at the castle to those assassins. Suddenly he wasn't such a silly boy anymore.

"What will you do now?" she asked him. He turned to her and smiled that annoyingly cute smile of his, looking at her with bright brown eyes.

"Now," he said. "we go back."

******

True to Zelda's word, the sun had not set by the time they reached the Lon Lon Ranch. Malon greeted Link with enthusiasm, and Zelda with a bit of intimidation and apprehension. The princess was invited to dinner in their humble abode, hoping to scare her off to the Castle. To their surprise, she accepted. Link chuckled, he wasn't surprised at all.

During dinner, Link explained what had happened and what he was planning to do. Ingo nodded in satisfaction upon knowing that Link would be leaving. Talon resigned in unhappiness, wishing Link the luck of the Goddesses. Malon was strangely unemotional.

Later that night, Link was in his room, preparing for his trip. He would be leaving tomorrow, and he should be set. He tried not to think about what was said back at the Cottage, and what he was getting himself into. All that kept him going was thoughts of revenge against the bastard who had hurt Malon.

As if on cue, Malon knocked, then peaked into the room. Seeing Link was clothed, she walked in, something behind her back.

Link looked at her. "Malon?"

"Happy birthday." She said silently. "One day late." She produced from behind her back, a Triforce-patterned leather-cased sheath. Link accepted it. It was perfect and length and weight. He noticed something in the hard inner-casing of the sheath.

"Ingo helped me make it so that it'll sharpen your sword every time it comes out." She said. Link took out his single-edged blade and slid it into its new sheath. Like a glove, it fit perfectly.

"I don't know what to say." Link said slowly. "It's perfect. Thanks Malon." He looked at her now, her pretty face completely un-readable. "I hope, you don't …um…"

"miss you?" she finished.

"Yeah…while I'm gone." Link said sheepishly.

"I won't." Malon said matter-of-factly. "Because I'll be going with you."

"W-WHAT!!?"

"I have my quarter-staff. I can use it to take care of myself. "

It was true, she was pretty good with that quarter-staff. But this was madness! "Malon, you can't come with me! There's no way, I'm sorry."

"The princess is going with you." She said simply.

"She IS?" Link gasped. Great, now they could crucify him when they found out the Princess was killed on a journey with a punk farm-boy. "N-no…I'll figure this out."

"She said she's going, whether you like it or not." Malon smiled. "She said she had a vested interest to see you get the Master Sword."

Link was aghast. "S…So what! If the princess jumped off a bridge, would you??"

"Depends." Malon answered. "If she jumped after you…for some vested interest…I'd go too."

"For what?" Link asked incredulously. "A 'vested interest?'"

"No." Malon said. "Because…because I…" she sighed. "Because your my friend. If anything's going to happen, I should be there." She looked at him in the eye. "I'd feel bad if I didn't."

"You'd feel worse if you were dead."

"Link, Epona is mine!" Malon shouted. She strode forward and pointed a finger in his chest. "If you want to use her, I'll have to come along, unless you want to walk! And if you want to walk, it'll make it easier on me to follow you! I'm coming, and that's final."

Link stared, mouth agape. "M…Malon…"

"Goodnight. See you tomorrow, we have a long trip ahead of us." Malon said sweetly. She then left the room and shut it silently behind her.

Link still stared, mouth agape, after she left. He shook his head finally. He'd wake up early and steal away from here. That's what he'd do. He could hide his tracks, they wouldn't be able to follow him. Link yawned. He sure was tired. The events of the last 2 days were finally catching up with him. He walked over to the bed-table and blew out the candle. He'd take a couple hours for a nap, then steal away with Epona. That's what he'd do. They wouldn't know until it was too late.

Those thoughts were still on his mind when his head hit the pillow. Within seconds he was asleep.

END

Next: I don't think Link will wake up in time, do you? His journey for the first Key…the forest one. There he meets an old friend….and the reunion isn't completely joyous.