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Authors note: The end of Zelda V and what I have learnt of the
beginning of the Japanese version of Zelda VI have still not made
clear to me exactly what happened at the end of Zelda V. Because
of this, I have purposely left the subject vague.
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The bright morning sun slowly begun to rise above the horizon of the ancient desert. Its light travelled across the never ending sand; and unveiled the macabre scene to the world. Twenty four stone slabs laid out in a circular arrangement. In the centre of them was located another stone slab, but this one was made out of pure white marble.

The occupant of this slab behaved differently as well. While the other victims tried to pull themselves free from the cruel bonds, which kept them held tight to the stone, the young girl on this one did not even move, or shout in fear.

The sun had finally broken free from the ground when the only standing figure appeared. He was dressed in a simple brown robe, whose hood managed to cover his face in shadow. Slowly, this man walked to the first stone slab, a small dagger clutched tightly in his fist. He did not hurry; for he had all the time he needed.

The man, if he could be called a man, as he could not be much past eighteen, stared up at the figure; his screams stopped in fright. His eye became obsessed the glint of light gleaming off that cruel dagger. Finally, the brown robe was above him, and the young man could just make out the muttering as being in the old language.

Finally, the robed man finished his words, nodded his head slightly, and then flung his arm down into the other one's chest. Then, he pulled out of a pocket a small rag of material, and began to wipe the blood off the knife.

Gradually, every victim was silenced; their lives were taken. The murdered stopped, looked up at the now high in the sky sun, and then moved towards the white marble. This time, his muttering went on for much longer, and instead on simply stabbing her through the heart, he carved a wide crescent in her flesh.

"Thank you," he told, stroking her face slightly, and brushing some of her bright red hair.

Then, he turned on his heel and walked away; never to return there again.

Only several hours later did two also red haired women find the sacrificial site. For a minute they just stared, and then feeling slightly sick, asked each other a question which would be repeated a lot over the next few days.

"What have we done?"

One

Her name was Tai. She was one of the desert thieves, commonly known as the Gerudos. She had short red hair, was medium height, and had eyes that burned with passion. The eyes betrayed her, for even though she had a simple form, she was about as strong as her kind could get.

Now she was leaning forward, bent down as far on her knees as she could go, and staring at the giant statue of her god which was hidden deep within the Spirit Temple. She felt into the small yellow pouch that she always kept with her and drew out a small glass bottle. It was filled with a yellow dust that to the common eye looked just like sand. She uncorked it, drew out some of the dust and threw it into the air before her. For a moment in hung in the air as a large yellow cloud.

Then, the air shimmered like it was a mirage and slowly Nura, the god depicted in the statue, began to glow red. Nura was emerging from the spirit world and reawakening into the statue. The deformed face, melted 7 years ago by the traitor, began to re-materialise into its proper grandness. It was impossible to tell that the one she hated had ever melted it.

What is it?

Tai shivered, as she always shivered when her mind became connected to that great mass of knowledge. "I need more," her voice shakily replied.

More?

"Yes," she breathed, "for him."

For who?

Normally Tai would have got annoyed at hearing that question which she always heard but she knew that Nura listened to such much that it was impossible for her to be able to remember information quickly.

"I hear you," the Gerudo chanted, using the old ceremony, "read me."

Her mind became no longer her own, only a part of a much greater and bigger conscience, the conscience of Nura. But she could only feel the power not read any thoughts, like she was just a memory of days long gone by hidden in Nura's mind. In an instant, Tai relived every scene in her live, from her birth to when she had first entered the old Temple. The pain and the pleasure combined, and at that moment she felt like shrieking in terror and in enjoyment at the same time.

And then it was no more, and again she was kneeling in front of the red statue waiting for its answer.

He will never return properly, you cannot prevent that. And he is not dead, so you cannot resurrect him. Nothing can break through the barrier of the wise men.

"Please..." she whispered, "with Din's power on our side, surely we could break the barrier of the seven sages."

Maybe... But he is not like you knew him, Tai. He has secrets that you do not know. And he is different in form.

"I do not care for his sight," Tai said firmly.

Then I will help you, but you must know that what you want is impossible.

She lowered her head. "Yes," she sighed.

*-*

"Link!" the pleasant voice called out to him.

Smiling, Link slowed his horse, jumped off and ran over to where the ranch girl was standing. Her name was Malon, and she was one of Link's greatest friends. Her bright smile never failed to cheer him up. At the moment she was fixing one of the walls near her home, Lon Lon Ranch.

"Talon got you slaving away?" he asked.

"Ah well," she sighed. "It's my forfeit for going to Zelda's big party tonight."

Zelda's party! He had totally forgotten about that, after receiving the invitation more than two weeks ago. The mentioning of her name made him redden slightly; he was still annoyed at the way she had decided not to speak to him about what had happened, thinking it best if they just all forgot. And he wished she hadn't robbed him of his maturity. After all, he had grown to seventeen naturally; he had just done a lot of sleeping in the process...

"Too busy to race?" he tried.

"Race!" she said, pretending to be indignant. "Talon would kill me if I raced you again. He's still not quite forgotten about all the chaos you caused last time."

"Yeah, but how is he going to know?"

"Well, me walking into the stables and taking out a horse might be a small pointer..."

"Thus is Talon we're talking about? I bet you he's fast asleep."

She glared at him. She was very fond of her father, and didn't appreciate jokes made about him, which unfortunately came very regularly from the majority of Hyrule's residents. Link was about the only person who could get it away with it, without having a very sore face if she was in hearing distance.

"Well..." she relented. "I guess it wouldn't hurt too much..."

"At all," Link corrected.

"Back in a minute," she told him, and she ran back over to the ranch.

Link walked back over to his horse Epona, and gently began to stroke her. He smiled as he remembered the last race. 'Chaos' was perhaps a slight under statement...

"You coming or not?" Malon's call interrupted his reminiscences, and smiling he jumped onto Epona's back.

"First down to the island in the lake, and then back up to Goron City?" he suggested.

"Agreed," she said, her horse already galloping down the plains.

*-*

Zelda stared down through the window at the busy courtyard, wishing that she could help the servants in setting up all the tables for the party that night. Yet she knew her father would not approve, and she would never hear the end of it from her brother. He was always going on about the way she acted, and saying that she didn't behave like a person of royalty should. Yet she was so bored just standing here.

She walked slowly down the nearby steps and made her way over to the stables. Her white horse, Winter, was standing in its normal place, and looked almost as bored as she was. She longed to go charging across the fields in it, or to jump across deep chasms. Instead she could only occassionally go on rides with Impa, and then they didn't tend to go too fast.

At least this party would be something interesting to do. Half the people in Hyrule were coming to it, including even the Kokiri who had finally been persuaded to leave their forest. It should be a celebration like had never been held of for many years.

It had taken a lot of convincing before her father had agreed to the idea. After all, he had argued, what was it even to celebrate? And so she had had to, well not exactly lie, yet not really tell him the whole truth, and say that it was just to celebrate the summer. In her mind though she knew it was celebrating something far more important than that.

"You will be strong; won't you?" said an old voice.

She stared around her and found that she had walked right into Rauru.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Something momentous is going to happen," the man explained. "There are signs - I have not seen the like of them for many years since... you know."

She shivered. Surely he was mistaken? After all she had had no strange dreams for ages, hadn't she? Unless you counted that one when she was trapped on that stone slab in the desert. But wasn't that just a nightmare?

"What kind of momentous something?" she said slowly.

"I do not know," he replied truthfully. "But... do not let your guard down. Be ready for anything fate may throw at you. I fear that this all may concern you."

"I'll be ready," she told him as he moved away. Now there was something that she could do. Quickly she ran up to her bedroom, searched her chest, and brought it out. Her bow! Smiling she made her way back down again to the archery range and began to shoot at some targets.

She smiled as her arrow shot in not far off the centre of the target. Yes, she would be ready. Let fate throw at her whatever it could, and she would be ready to counter it. She wasn't afraid... Yet.

*-*

"Come on!" Link shouted at Epona, willing her to go faster even though he knew she was at her limit. The race had been fairly close all the way and yet he had stayed lagging slightly behind Malon since the start.

Malon had just crossed over the bridge spanning Zora's River when Link decided to take a slight short cut. He steered his horse slightly to the left and she was forced to jump. For a moment he thought he would make it, and then for another he thought that he would come crashing down into the water.

His former thought proved correct and relieved he found that he had gained a lot of ground on Malon who had not yet reached the steps up to Kakariko Village. The two horses reached them at nearly the same time, with Malon's creature just in head.

"Getting better fairy boy," smiled back Malon as she crossed into the village itself. The phrase was pretty much redundant now seeing as he had not even seen Navi for the last six months.

A chicken hastily jumped out of the way as their two horses leapt up the left side of the village, not bothering to take the steps. An old woman staring out of a window in one of the houses scowled disapprovingly, while several small children cheered them on.

Then they were on the final stretch up the Death Mountain Trail, and Malon's horse was starting to slow just slightly. Epona had always had slightly more stamina. "Come on," he whispered to her, "it's not far now."

Around the corner past Dodonogo's Cave they sped, now with the two horses head to head. The stones tumbled in a mini avalanche down behind them as they shot up the last path, their concentration so high that they didn't even notice the Goron which went speeding past them.

Malon began nudging her horse further right and to his horror Link found that he was heading dangerously near to the edge. For a while he tried to push back to the left, but it was no use. Finally he gave up and slowed down, letting Malon charge past and through the doors of the underground city. Smiling, Link followed her in.

A few of the Gorons looked bemused as she began cheering.

"You can't even beat me..." she crowed, as Epona slowly walked in.

"Just because you were cheating," he protested, "you were getting downright dangerous on that last bit. Did you want to kill me or something?"

"It's called tactics," she told him. "If you can't handle them..."

"Of course he can," defended a young Goron voice.

"Hi Link!" said Link, to his Goron namesake.

"Hi!" said the friendly child, as he waddled out of a nearby tunnel. "Are you going to the party too?"

"Yeah... I guess so," he replied. "Are you coming?"

Bad answer. The Goron immediately began to look incredibly downcast. "No," he muttered. "Dad won't let me go. He thinks that I'm too young."

Link tried to hide his look of relief, and his not entirely successful attempt caused Malon to smile broadly. He liked the kid a lot, but his hero worship did get a bit annoying after a while, and the thought of a night being asked endless questions terrified him.

"Well... I'm sure you'll go to lots of parties when you're older," he reassured the Goron.

"I suppose," the Goron sighed, "That's what everyone says. It's always 'maybe when you're older.' I want to do something now. Have an adventure, some excitement in my life."

"How about sometime next week we go on an excursion together?" Link suggested. "You can show me what it's like on the other side of Death Mountain or something."

The Goron nodded slowly, and then at the sound of his father's voice said his goodbyes and left. Malon nodded at Link, and the two of them started on the long trek back to Lon Lon Ranch. They stayed silent as their horses walked, and both of them began to contemplate their own problems and other thoughts.

"See you tonight," Malon said in farewell when they finally reached the old building, and Link nodded.

*-*

"You look great!"

Link stared at Saria's smiling face. She was in her element, going from Kokiri to Kokiri and organising them for the big excursion tonight. She loved organisation, and this party had given her a load of it.

Normally he would have trusted her judgement, but he couldn't get used to these new 'official' red Kokiri clothes that they were wearing. He had told her that it would be easier for him to just wear his Goron Tunic, but she had said that that would be going against the spirit of things.

He smiled as he stared around the rest of the Kokiri. Sometimes he had felt a bit ridiculous staying with them, especially as he towered twice as high as any of them. Then again, he had never liked to leave them, and he had grown fond of his tree house. Someday he would have to leave, but not quite yet.

"I don't feel great," he replied to her.

"Link," she said, suddenly serious. "I know you don't like wearing it, but... Please try at least. I'd really appreciate it. Some of the others are starting to think that... Well, it doesn't matter, but can you try?"

He nodded slowly, wondering what was wrong. She was dressed, as normal in the last few years, perfectly, without a thread out of place. She smiled for a moment, and then moved over to check if Mido was all right.

Finally, ready at last, all thirty of them began to slowly walk out of the forest. Most of them had now ventured out before this, but they had done it sufficiently little for them to be excited at seeing the great green plains again.

Epona wondered on behind them, slightly disappointed that Link had not chosen to ride her, not knowing that he would feel awkward riding whilst the others were on their feet. She was actually quite happy to walk slowly as she had been tired out by the race, although she would have galloped off again at a word from her master.

It had gotten dark while they were walking, but they could easily see the town because of the many fires lighting it up. As they came near the Zora River they met up with a few people who were still coming from Kakariko Village. Luckily, the drawbridge had been left down even beyond dark and so they had no problems getting in.

All the shops were closed and the stalls were packed away but no one wanted to go to them anyway. Everyone followed the same path through the market square, up the small dirt path and stairs, over another drawbridge, down a few corridors and then finally into the busy courtyard. It was lit up by hundreds of candles, although they probably wouldn't have been needed thanks to the strong moonlight.

Now the Kokiri were really amazed, staring around in wonder at all the tall humans and even stranger the huge yellow creatures or the graceful blue people sitting in the small river. Link knew that the Zoras didn't need to be in water, but they much preferred it. He smiled as several servants came over and led the Kokiri to a huge table that had been prepared for them. Link was thankful that it had not been made especially small for them, because although once they were helped up the Kokiri didn't mind not being able to touch the floor with their feet he would have been terrible embarrassed having to try to fit into a small chair. The jokes Malon would have made about it for the next few months would have been bad enough.

Speaking of Malon... Where was she? Finally Link spotted her, sitting at the end of a table by her father and looking curiously at the Kokiri. As were the majority of the people there for that matter. Link looked around again to see whom he could see. He quickly avoided looking at Princess Ruto and then smiled at Darunia who was sitting at a lively table of Gorons who looked like they were having a lot of fun. Link almost wished that he could be sitting with them.

Noticeably absent were the Gerudos. They hadn't done any stealing for a long, long time and liked to keep themselves to themselves, and yet move of the rest of Hyrule's people had at least a strong dislike to them. The only one who was here was Nabooru, and she was sitting at the royal table with the King, Queen, Prince and...

"Good evening your Highness," curtsied Saria to the now roving Zelda. So that was where was Zelda was. The princess smiled and nodded at Saria and then at the rest of the people sitting there. Her eyes passed over Link, stayed for a while, and then quickly hurried on.

"It's been a long time," he said to her.

Slightly shocked, she turned around and, now not trying to hide her glance, looked hard at him.

"Your majesty," hinted Saria in a whisper.

Link ignored his friend and spoke again to Zelda. "Don't you think?"

"Yes," she finally admitted. "Time does pass quickly doesn't it? If you've finished, I think I'll go now."

She pointedly turned her back on him and returned to the head table. Link almost glared at her. Why was she still so keen to ignore him? After all he had done, couldn't she at least talk to him?

"I think you annoyed her," said Saria, rather stating the obvious.

That was it. Now properly glaring around at the staring Kokiri he reached for the nearest bottle. Drinking could at least stop him thinking till the morning. After all, he only needed to have one or two glasses...

"Don't you think you've had enough?" Saria at one pointed asked him, but annoyed at being questioned he just began to drink again.

Finally when he could drink no more he organised his thoughts enough to realise that everyone was slowly beginning to leave now. He didn't think he could stand the dreadfully slow pace of the rest of the Kokiri, so he stumbled off on his own.

Miraculously he reached the fields safely, but as he stared out into the distance he really couldn't be bothered to walk on further. Suddenly realising how he was, he dropped underneath a nearby bush and fell into a beautifully deep sleep.

*-*

The blue flames were the only things that showed any light in the dark chamber of the Spirit Temple, burning away in their strange ornamental candles. They cast a weird blue glow over Tai as she worked.

Yet again, she studied the old book that was laid out in front of her, changing the details of the summon spell to match her needs. She pulled out of a jar the hair that she had searched for. A hair of the traitor, the traitor who had been given free access to anywhere in the fortress, and then had killed their king. The days searching the floor of the temple to find it would be worth it. She knew enough Medicine to know that it would have the faintest traces of Links blood, enough for her.

She placed it into a blue liquid that quickly turned a deep red. She poured the liquid into some empty bottles. If she needed to, she could always repeat the spell; although for some reason she knew that she wouldn't.

Then she performed the altered part of the ceremony, taking out a strong acidic liquid, which had had some of the sand-like substance dissolved into it, and drank the whole bottle.

Immediately she felt much stronger, stronger than if she had... The mystical golden gauntlets on? No, stronger than that. Strong enough to lift the whole Spirit Temple with her bare hands and throw it into that hated Hyrule Castle. Fast enough to beat any horse in a race on her own feet. She knew that the call had worked. She had summoned Nura into her own body and soul. Now, until she released her, she was immortal.

Smiling, she hesitated for a moment to let the impact of what she was about to do sink into her, and then poured the red liquid into a stone basin on the floor, shouting out the powerful words she had memorised as she did so.

The words started in her normal voice, but even as she spoke they changed, and became deeper, stronger and more sinister.

She pulled an old Deku stick from her pouch and lit it in the blue flames before pushing it into the red liquid. Immediately the liquid was on fire, a strange, magical red fire that rose and formed a circle in the air, a gate the golden realm.

But in the hole was a yellow barrier, stopping anyone from getting in or out - the seal created by the sages. Tai pushed out her arms, and let the blue energy run from them and into the yellow seal. But although normally she even a wizard would be struggling to keep this amount of power up, she was using the very lowest of her power, and soon more and more blue power was surging out. The power was so great that the seal shook, and Tai could see through it into the land beyond.

And then, from the other side a powerful red beam shot into the seal, and Tai knew it was the power of the Triforce that represented Din, the goddess of power. And now with two God's powers on it, the seal created by seven mortals shook, shattered, and then was gone.

For a moment there was silence, and Tai stood there, breathing heavily and wondering what was going to happen. Then, with a swagger in his walk that he had not used for seven years, his looks returned back to their former manlike self, Ganondorf walked out of the Sacred Realm.

And Tai, for the first time, could see her master, and if it were not for the pain from Nura trying to escape, she would have been in complete ecstasy. Ganondorf smiled, and said simply, "Give her to me."

His eyes seemed to burn into her mind, and her hand almost instinctively reached out for the sceptre he held. A moment later, she was weak again and the sceptre looked like it would burst with the power it held in it.

Ganondorf stared around him, and a deep hatred began to raise itself in his heart. He hated this land and what had done to him. He would have his revenge, and noone would be able to stop him.

And so he gave his first order: "Destroy this place," he commanded, almost calmly. The light burst out of it, a terrifyingly strong light that nothing would be able to hold. It tore throughout the land, carrying out its deadly mission.

This land needed a saviour, but its hero was drunk, asleep under a bush.

And so Hyrule was destroyed.