It has been a while hasn't it? I shall not keep you any longer! Read on and enjoy!

'Blah' = Koi talking even though nothing is heard

"Blah" = normal speech

It had been ten long years and the evil had become stronger, darkening the skies and spirits of those under them. The fairy fountains were still, their shimmering waters black and tepid shining only like the greasy brown of axel grease. The Kokiri, they had visited once, were gone, the village empty, the Great Deku Tree silent and foreboding, providing no answers. The Hero of Time had failed, though he concealed his anguish expertly letting nothing distract him from what he could still do.

Link scanned the twilight stained sky searching for any hope at all in the twinkling stars, sighing when he found none. Koi, now seventeen watched his elder with apprehension stealing quick glances at Tanej. Navi spent her days concealed in Link's hat grower weaker as time passed. Only because she had stayed so far from Kokiri forest had she not fallen under the same fate as her fairy brothers and sisters, but fate would not be so kind for long.

It had been a long and arduous task interrupted by illness, trips and mourning but Koi was now a competent swordsman. He could wield the mysterious steel known as the Master Sword as well as the Hero of Time himself. Once again the Kokiri blade lay dormant in the sheath its usefulness exhausted.

For an entire decade Link had watched the land of Hyrule wither and die like a rose past it's prime. His heart longed for Saria, his soul for the land he loved. He felt Koi's hand on his arm the silver piercing the blue eyes of the Hero.

"It's time." They said to Link.

"Ten years has the land of the Gerudo thieves been our safe haven. I guess it's time to go save the world again." He laughed as Koi threw him a look. 'Leave it to me old man.' "Don't take that tone with me!" Link chuckled; he could read Koi like an old text.

Rolling his eyes at his guardian's comment Koi kicked a pebble and laughed soundlessly, walking out of the valley and under the cold sun. All humor vanished and they both felt the chill in the air. Lightning flashed once, twice, three times and thunder cracked in the distance over where the castle, if it still stood, would be. They stepped warily out into the never-ending darkness and were enveloped at once in a cold mist that concealed even the fiery death mountain's steep slopes and the mouth of the valley behind them. There was no choice now but to go forward.

"He is giving up hope..." Saria, Sage of the Forest Temple sighed to her friend, Darunia, Sage of the Fire Temple.

"My Sworn Brother will not give up until the Fairy Fountains sparkle again. You will see." The Kokiri maid didn't have the great Goron's confidence.

"I wish I could tell him that the Kokiri still live. He looked so heart broken when he found they were gone."

"I know, but you know you can't."

"...Yeah...but if I could just see him...once...and tell him I still believe in him..." Darunia picked her up carefully and set her on his broad shoulders.

"This land will be beautiful again sometime, you will see."

Zelda sat, weeping, in her chambers. Her dreams had become more vivid then ever and each time showed the death of the Hyrulian she had come to love and care of.

"Link...how could you be so naive?" She cried, reliving the nightmares over. Impa had long since given up on comforting the Princess, nothing could be done, bit she did know the Hero's whereabouts and checked up on him now and then. With the dreams increasing it had been hard to keep her temper at bay when she saw the speechless murderer but she trusted well the warrior's words. "He would be the one to save this land! I am sure of it!"

Now the Sheikah watched the pair feel their way out of the mists engulfing the field and into a patch of icy-clear sunlight. Link was talking to his younger friend but she was too far away to hear.

Koi toyed with his own blade, a gift from Link when he had finally been able to lift the Master sword, which was slung across his back akin to his mentor. Something had been nagging him all day but he couldn't quite put his finger on it but he though it had something to do with his own fairy.

"Are you listening?" The Sheikah looked up abruptly, cocking his head to one side to indicate that he hadn't. "I said we must find where all this evil is coming from, and soon. Hopefully, whatever it is it will come to us and make this easier..." Link held a hand to his head and shook it while Koi stared in horror. A huge shadow was beginning to surround his teacher but it seemed only he could see it. "I...don't know...voices...Koi...help...me..." Drawing his sword in one and catching Link as he fell the mute struck at the darkness threatening to engulf them both. He shook the Hero of Time hard, trying to snap him back into wakefulness but nothing was working.

Impa struggled to move but was held fast by something, like invisible strings tying her down where she stood. She tried to shout but it came as a whisper.

"...Koi..."

His silver eyes searching desperately for a way out of the black Koi began to panic. His sword was melting in his hand; burning and shifting like molten rock even as he swung at the offending shadows. He felt Link slip from his arms and suddenly disappear leaving him alone in the dark. The sword was gone now replaced by a puddle of glowing material that seemed to fade as he stared at it. He sat still listening and almost giving in to despair. Both his hands burned but something told him to press on.

"Forward..." it said, "you must go forward...seek the blade..." Koi lurched to his feet, pushing against the heavy black that threatened to suffocate him.

'Forward..." he thought, 'forward...' he closed his eyes and pressed deeper, 'forward...Link...' when he finally did open his eyes all he could see was grey and something green lying in the middle of it all. He spun around expecting to see a surging black mass but there was only grey. Left with nothing he decided to walk forward, towards the green. As he got closer he could see that it was a body, and then finally that it was Link.

'Link!' He mouthed, trying to scream. Now he ran and made small progress until it seemed he would never make it. Exhausted he stopped, sitting in the grey and watching. The body of the warrior moved slightly and eventually sat up. If he squinted Koi could just make out the features and what he saw scared him. Link's eyes were completely white and he seemed to sneer. The shell stood and began to walk slowly towards the terrifies Sheikah. 'Something's wrong...why can't I move...?" He thought, eyes widening.

"Koi...come...let's got train..." it was said with a smile but not with Link's voice and Koi found his body obeying even though he tried not to.

'No!' Koi said silently. "I won't!" This time his words projected and he immediately flung a hand to his neck, the scar was gone.

"But if you do...you will speak again..." Link's doppelganger stepped closer. "Don't you want that?"

"No! Tanej, help me!" The fairy came out of hiding.

"Sniveling whelp, why should I?" The bright orb of light flew up to Link leaving Koi still paralyzed. "You have done well." She said, "let me finish it, open wide!"

"Stop! Please!" The fairy forced herself down Link's throat. "Stop..." his voice began to fade. "Pl..." 'ease!'

"Fool." Suddenly Koi could move and he flung himself down to the ground feeling the rush of wind as the Master Sword's blade swung right where his middle was. The berserker rushed at Koi again, slashing his cheek and arms. A swift up swing caught his chest and ripped open a gash there as well while a swing across caught Koi's back as he twisted out of the way. He managed to dodge an upswing but most of his blood stained the grey background and he didn't think he could dodge again.

'Stop!' Koi screamed on the downswing. And surprisingly Link did.

"Koi...?" Link murmured as if waking from a dream. "Koi! Take the Master Sword quickly! Hurry!" He shouted when the Sheikah hesitated. The blade glowed blue when it switched grips and the burns on Koi's hands disappeared. "Kill me..." Link grunted between clenched teeth. "Do it! Do it now!"

'No, I can't'

"You...must...I can't hold it back much longer..." Indeed Link's body was coming forward and his blue eyes were beginning to fade into nothingness again. Koi gulped and held the sword tighter, preparing to thrust. "I'm sorry..." Link muttered. Quickly the Sheikah boy plunged the steel into Link's stomach and watched with tears coursing down his cheeks, stinging the cuts there, as the real Link came out again, yelping once and falling forward onto Koi, his blood seeping into that of the shadow being's tunic. "...Thank...you..." Link smiled and began to fade away.

'No! Come back!' Koi mouthed frantically. Suddenly the black was pressing in again and he couldn't breathe. Finally able to fight it no longer he passed out holding the sword close.