When Link opened his eyes again he was holding the Master Sword in his hand. He gave it a few testing swings to accustom himself to its weight before he sheathed the sword.

He turned and walked through the chamber and down the short passage to where Zelda and the other Sages stood. He bowed his head to Zelda and whispered, "Now I am ready, milady. What is thy bidding?"

Zelda likewise bowed her head. "Saria came to me as soon as she found that you had returned to Hyrule. I sent a platoon of soldiers so that I would have time to gather the other Sages. There is a pestilence upon the land. Darkness infests much of the sky and the land is dying.

"Lake Hylia and Gerudo Valley are completely blackened, and the Lost Woods are dying. The evil of the lands beyond that the Lost Woods withstand are advancing. Even the Deku Sapling cannot withstand the evil, for he is young and inexperienced."

"What do you plan do to, milady?" Link asked, though he was beginning to lose his interest in formality.

"I am sending you and the Sages to Terminia, escorted by a platoon of soldiers. There you will bring the forces of the inhabitants there, as well as the Gods that reside in the Temples there."

"Very well," Links said. "But I want Captain Ramiro, the man that escorted me here, to lead the platoon. And I need to get something from an old acquaintance."

"You may go," Zelda said.

Link nodded. He knelt before Zelda and kissed her hand. He went to each of the Sages and formally said goodbye. Rauro he bowed to, and the architect did likewise. Saria he hugged. Darmia he clasped hands with, and tried not to show his pain. Ruto he also embraced, but more tightly. Impa he clasped hands with also, but in the same manner as one would arm wrestle someone else. And he kissed each of Nabooru's cheeks, and she did likewise to him.

With that he was gone. He departed the Temple of Time and went to the Market center. He took a right and entered the Happy Mask Shop. The short man inside looked up and smiled at him.

"Link!"

The Happy Mask Man was an old acquaintance of Link's, for Link had saved Terminia from one of his evil Masks: Majora's Mask. Now he was forever in Link's debt.

"What do you need, Link? I never thought I'd see you again!"

Link cleared his throat. "I need the Captain's Mask: that skeleton mask I gave to you after the whole Majora's Mask incident."

"You gave me many masks after that incident, Link. But I think I have it here..." The Happy Mask Man stooped below his counter and rummaged through some masks and came up holding a mask that resembled the front of a skull.

Link smiled. "Thank you."

Link turned and left the shop. He walked across the Market to the Inn and opened the door. He walked up to the receptionist and placed a silver coin on the desk. "I'd like a room for one night. My name is Link."

The receptionist scanned her list of rooms and said. "I already have a Link and a Navi. They haven't checked into his room yet. The Princess herself reserved the rooms for them"

Navi flew out of Link's pouch. "I'm Navi. Show us to our rooms!"

The receptionist smiled. "Wow! a fairy! Very well, Mr. Link, Mrs. Navi. Here is your key." She handed a key on a rasp to Link and Link received it gratefully.

Link studied the key for the room number and climbed a flight of stairs. He found his room and was about to open the door when Darmia came stomping up the stairs. The Goron laughed and tromped over to Link and patted his friend on the shoulder, nearly sending him through the floor.

"Good to see you, Link."

"Good to see you too, Darmia." Link rubbed his shoulder and winced.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow, Link. Don't try to be a Hero before we get to Terminia. There are plenty of warriors on this journey." At this Darmia jabbed his chest with his thumb.

Link nodded, and Navi sat upon his shoulder, glowing brightly. "We'll see you around, Darmia," she said.

Link opened the door to his quarters and found them well-stocked for a warrior. Link placed the Master Sword and its sheath on the bed and studied his surroundings. He was in one room that had a bed, a desk, and some stored weapons.

Link saw a piece of parchment on the desk. He walked over to it, picked it up, and began to read it:

Dear Link,

I had to put this in writing, so here it is: I love you. I remember when you saved my life inside Lord Jabu-Jabu. Afterwards I gave you the Spiritual Stone, thinking you would marry me. I didn't know that you needed it to save Hyrule, and even if I had, I was young——

I still love you for what you did, and I understand that I had to give you the Spiritual Stone, but...

The letter ended there. Link felt a tear trickle down his cheek and he turned his head to look at Navi, his friend. She reached up her tiny little hand and wiped away the tear.

"You love her too, you know," she said. "You did ever since you met her."

Link nodded and turned over the parchment. He blinked in surprise. On the back of the parchment there was a number: 203.

Link looked at Navi. "Could you wait here?"

"Sure, Link. I'm your friend. I understand."

Link smiled at her watched her fly onto the bed. He left his room and walked down the hallway to room number 203. He hesitated, but then knocked on the door. A voice called, "Just a minute."

Then the door was open, and there was Ruto. She smiled. "Hi Link."

"I got your letter," was all Link could manage.

She lowered her head. "I never should have written it. You're the Hero of Time—"

Link put his forefinger beneath her chin and lifted her head. "I'm glad you wrote that letter. I'm glad because I love you too."

She looked up at him and smiled a big smile. Then he leaned down and kissed her, and she soon was kissing him back.

* * *

The next day the whole party set out. They were Hyrule's hope and only chance at survival. Zelda gave them all gifts to speed them on their journey. To Link she gave the Fierce Deity Mask, a weapon that she had reclaimed from the Happy Mask Man.

To Captain Ramiro she gave the best platoon of Hylian Soldiers, under his command, to protect Link and the Sages.

To Darmia she gave a suit of Goron Armor, that would protect him through good or ill.

To Ruto she gave a Water Crystal, a weapon that would let Ruto focus her power as a Sage into the rock, and send it out in the form of power.

To Rauro she gave several rolls of parchment, saying that he was to keep a strict log of their travels.

To Saria she gave a pouch of magic dust. This would make plants grow twenty year's worth of growth in one day.

To Impa she gave new sickles, Impa's weapon of choice.

And to Nabooru she gave two new scimitars, her weapon of choice.

With this they were off, on one of the most important adventures of their lives.