Link stopped his moped as he reached the bridge between Kakariko Heights and the rest of Hyrule City. Getting off, he stripped off all of his clothes to his underwear, and jumped in the river. With all the waterworks in the entire city offline, there current was next to nothing. Link floated on the surface, the water washing away the dirt from the mines.
'This feels so good. I wish none of this had ever happened.' He thought. Opening his eyes, he could almost make out the pale form of the sun, defiantly trying to break through the clouds. After taking a quick drink from the river, Link climbed back up onto the bank to dry off. 'Thank goodness that this wind is good for something.' After a few minutes, he pulled his clothes and gear back on and drove off towards the forest.
As he drove in, Link could feel something oppressive in the air. Remembering the Wolfos that attacked him from what seemed like a lifetime ago, he kept his bike at a speed that was a little dangerous to use in a heavily wooded area. Having made a general estimation of where the Kokiri village was located when he left, Link steered his bike towards he thought it was. He could remember the forest being full of life, but there was nothing but heavy silence all around.
Link's guess was correct, as he soon drove over the familiar bridge and through the tunnel. When he pulled into sight of the village, he was surprised that the Kokiri were running around, laughing and playing like there was nothing going on. Link got off of his moped and ran to where the Great Deku Tree was. He could feel the stares of the Kokiri all around him. It was odd for an outsider to come to the village and even odder for one to willingly return.
Link ran though the short passageway and stood on the grassy plain before the Great Deku Tree. *Link, thou hast returned. I feared for thy life after I felt the presence of Ganondorf once again.*
"I'm alright as you can see. Um, I've got a problem that I hoped that you could help me with."
*Ask away, young warrior.* Link found it kind of embarrassing to be called a warrior.
"Well, I've got the Master Sword. But there's a problem with it."
*A problem with the sacred sword? This is a most unfortunate turn of events. The Master Sword is the only weapon capable of defeating Ganondorf.*
"Yeah, so I've been told. Anyways, the problem is that the handle of the thing has been broken off and I was wondering if you know where it is." Link stood there in silence as he waited for the Great Deku Tree to respond.
*Forgive me Link; my powers have been dwindling ever since Ganondorf returned to our world. However, I do sense a strong magical presence in the Forest Temple. Although I cannot tell what the source of this magic is, it is the only place that I can see.* Link nodded. "Thanks, I'll head there at once." He was about to leave when the Great Deku Tree stopped him. *Wait Link! The way is treacherous as the Forest Temple lies within the Lost Woods. I shall send a Kokiri to guide you through. Listen to what she says, as it will mean the difference between your life and death.*
"If you say so." Link ran back out through the tunnel and waited for his guide. He didn't have to wait too long, as his guide was coming out of her house. Like all Kokiri, she was dressed in green and her blond hair was tied into two buns to the sides of her head. "Are you Link?" She asked. "Yeah. Are you my tour guide?" The Kokiri did not get his little joke. "I guess so. Follow me and don't wander off." She started running to the lost woods entrance above the village.
Link only had to jog to keep up with her, the dirt path very easy. When they had gotten to the tunnel, they slowed down. "Now be careful. If you get lost, you'll eventually turn into a Staflos." "What's a Staflos?" "A skeleton warrior." Link gulped, becoming an undead skeleton not part of his plan. The forest was still deadly quiet as they walked through the maze of trees. Link occasionally heard something unfamiliar let out a shriek. After ten minutes of hiking, they emerged in a maze.
"Okay, the Forest Temple is right through there. I'll stay here and wait for you." The Kokiri found a nearby rock and sat down on it. "Ummm, what about that maze?" Link asked, pointing to it. "It's not really a maze. You can make it through without me." He shrugged. "Okay, if you say so." He turned around and entered. Like she had said, it wasn't a maze. Just mounds of dirt made to look like one. After taking an unwanted dip in a pond, Link was at the entrance of the Forest Temple.
'Now how the hell am I going to get up there?' He wondered as he looked at the broken steps. 'Maybe I can find something to use as a ramp.' He immediately thought of the nearby rotting tree. 'Yeah, that'll work.' Putting all of his strength into it, Link leaned his back on the tree and started pushing. "Come… on… dammit… FALL!" The tree started groaning in protest, its roots starting to splinter. With a cry, he finally toppled the tree and it made the perfect ramp for him.
Pausing only a moment to catch his breath, Link climbed up the fallen tree and entered the Forest Temple. "This place is OLD!" He said, as he turned on his maglite. Walking through the first room, he could feel something in the air, although he couldn't put his finger on it. Link decided that he could sight see the place later, now was the time to be a treasure hunter. An hour later though, he had explored the entire temple and no sword handle. He did however; find a bow with a quiver of thirty arrows, which now hung on his belt.
'This was an entire waste of time.' Link thought as he crossed the central room. He was surprised when the booth in the center of the room started to descend as soon as he had stepped in it. 'Must be an elevator of some kind.' The booth stopped after traveling a few stories down and Link stepped off. The booth stayed where it had come to a halt, waiting for him to board again. Looking around, he could see only a door to his right and a small closet space to his left. As he walked to the door, an eerie feeling started to overtake him.
The door opened as soon as Link stepped in front of it. Walking through, he saw steps in front of him and an elevated platform in the center of the room. As he climbed the stairs, the door slammed shut, sealing him in like a tomb. As he reached the platform, Link's eyes lit up. Sitting in the center of the room was the hilt of the Master Sword. "YES!" Running over, he bent down and scooped it up. Holding it in his left hand, he felt as if it had been forged just for him. Quickly putting it in his knapsack, he went to leave when spiked bars shot up from the ground, blocking his retreat.
"What the hell?" Link ran over and started to push the bars down when he heard a sound behind him. Whipping around, his eyes widened in horror as he saw Ganondorf sitting on his horse before him. "OH SHIT!" He slung the bow off of his shoulder and notched an arrow, ready to defend himself. Ganondorf grinned and started to pull his face off. Link gasped as a strange light emerged from underneath, finally revealing a skull. 'That's not him!' Phantom Ganon gave a shout, rose up into the air, and flew into one of the paintings.
'This keeps on getting weirder and weirder.' Link watched the painting as he waited for the phantom to reemerge. He hears a sound behind him and turns around just in time to get hit with a ball of energy. It sends him into the nearby corner and knocks the bow and arrow from his hands. "Ow." Shaking his head, Link picked up his fallen items and waited for Phantom Ganon to make his next move. Keeping his eyes on the paintings, he was able to see the phantom rush him from within. 'That's right you bastard, just keep on coming.'
A magic vortex appeared on the painting as the phantom emerged. "GOTCH YA!" Link pulled back the arrow, aimed, and let go. The arrow hit the phantom's horse immediately, causing it to turn around and head right back into the painting. Grinning, Link pulled another arrow from the quiver and got ready to fire. Looking into the paintings, he saw Phantom Ganon racing towards the front. 'Come on, I'm ready for ya.' The phantom reached the front, but then turned back inside. "What the-?"
Link heard another vortex open to his right. Dropping the bow and arrow, he jumped to the side, just missing the ball of energy. 'Damn, that thing's got more than one trick up his sleeve.' He ran back over and retrieved his weapons. 'I'll have to find both of the paintings that he's going to come from.' Link spotted the phantom in the picture directly in front of him. Looking to his left, he saw an exact duplicate. He took a step back and got the arrow ready to fire. The first phantom he saw turned back and the other started to materialize. As soon as it was out, he let the arrow fly.
Link watched with satisfaction as the ghost retreated back into the painting. 'Good, now I've figured out his attack pattern.' The next time that the phantom came out, he repeated his attack the same as before. After hitting Phantom Ganon a total of five times, the horse disappeared and the phantom floated in the air. Link pulled back his next arrow and let go, fully expecting to hit. Instead, the phantom knocked the arrow aside and laughed.
'This ain't good. I can't hit him anymore.' He put his bow away and began to assess his options. The phantom charged up an energy ball and shot it at Link. He instantly jumped to his side, the ball harmlessly hitting the ground where he once stood. 'I am toast.' The battle progressed the same way for a few minutes, until an accident happened. When Link jumped to the side, he stumbled and fell. The energy ball hit the Mirror Shield and was reflected up at the ceiling.
Without a second thought, Link jumped onto his feet and got the shield at ready. The phantom heedlessly charged up another ball and shot it. Link put the shield directly in front of himself and reflected the ball. The phantom was taken by surprise and was paralyzed by his own attack, falling to the ground. "YES!" Link got the bow and arrow out and started firing off arrows as fast as he could. The phantom let out shouts of pain as it was assaulted. As soon as the energy dissipated, it rose back into the air and resumed its attack.
'Bring it on.' Link reshouldered his bow and took out the Mirror Shield. Phantom Ganon shot another round off and it was reflected. Not to be caught the same way twice; it hit the ball back, sending it faster than before. Link didn't even flinch as he kept the shield right in front of him. The ball was bounced back and forth a few times before finally paralyzing the phantom again. Quicker than the eye could follow, Link had the arrows flying through the air. The phantom's body was riddled with arrows. Finally, Link notched his final arrow and took aim on its head. "Asta la vista, baby."
The arrow hit its mark and Phantom Ganon reeled in pain. Link watched with satisfaction as the phantom screamed in its death throes, evaporating into nothingness. At last the chamber silent, the bars retracted into the floor and he was able to leave. The feel of evil, which he had felt ever since he entered the forest, dissipated. Link quickly exited the now purified Forest Temple.
In his floating castle, Ganondorf looked over what little land he had been able to conquer. The technology of the present was hard for him to understand. However, he was the only being on this plane of existence which could use magic. Suddenly he felt a notable portion of his power return to him. 'My phantom has been destroyed. Someone now has the hilt of the Master Sword in their possession.'
Ganondorf remembered the three youths that he had cast a sleep spell over. It had been only a mere week since his return, and already he could feel his tedious hold on Hyrule starting to slip. He did the only thing that could ease his troubled soul. He sat down and started playing his organ.
In the desert to the west, Zelda was occupying her time be exploring the military headquarters. Long ago, it had been the fortress of the Gerudo. Now it was where all military operations were conducted. "Zelda? Where are you?" Keith's voice rang out. He had become very protective of Zelda, much to her chagrin. "I'm over here." She yelled out. Keith quickly turned the corner to where she was. "I was wondering if you'd want a snack." "Sure, that sounds good."
Pulling up a pair of crates for chairs, they sat down at a desk to eat. When Keith had learned magic, he created a thing called an 'interdimensional bag' that, as he put, could store a near infinite amount of objects in a small space. He pulled out two strips of beef jerky and handed one to Zelda. As she was chewing the tough food, she saw Keith check his gun, a Colt 1911A1, a habit which he had quickly fallen into. Although he had said he could protect Zelda from things that an army would crumble before, he carried one around to make her feel safe.
After she had finished, Zelda told Keith she was going to lie down for a little while. "Alright, I'll be here if you need me." She walked over to the nearby bed that she had made up and fell asleep. She expected to have the nightmare again, but was pleasantly disappointed. Zelda found herself floating in the clouds above the ground, the sun as bright as a clear day. She smiled, feeling the warm glow of the sun rays upon her skin. She felt someone behind her, and turned around for the surprise of her life.
Standing in front of Zelda, was what appeared to be a mirror of herself. Her twin was dressed differently, a flowing gown covering her body, long gloves on her arms, and numerous pieces of jewelry adorning her. "Greetings, my descendant." Her twin said with a smile. Zelda took a step back. "What?"
"Do not be alarmed. I have need to speak with you."
"Who… who are you?"
"I am your ancestor, the very first Zelda, once the princess of Hyrule." Zelda was shocked. "How is it possible that you're speaking to me?"
"Through a powerful force that flows through your veins."
"You mean, because we're related."
"Partially because of that."
"Then, how else could you be talking to me?"
"Through my bloodline, a great ward is passed down each generation. Your mother was the previous protector. That is, until you were born."
"What is this, thing then?"
"The Triforce of Wisdom. It is within you right now, dormant however because you have no knowledge of its existence."
Zelda looked at her ancestor with wide eyes. 'Triforce of Wisdom? Sounds like something that Keith would have or at least, know about.' She felt a tingling on her right hand and looked at it. A symbol of three triangles appeared, the triangle on the right lighting up. Zelda felt as if her eyes opened for the first time as her mind and spirit were flooded with wisdom. "Now do you understand?"
"Yes, I do."
"Good. Now there is one more thing I must give you. Link will have to fight the Evil King Ganondorf. He will need the Arrow of Light, the only weapon capable of piercing Ganondorf's armor." Princess Zelda raised her hands in the air and a brilliant light emanated from between them. The light vanished and in its place was the Light Arrow. She sent it to Zelda, who took it immediately. "You must hurry. Link will soon face Ganondorf. Without the Light Arrow, he will be defeated, and all hope lost."
Zelda awoke with a start. 'Did… did that just really happen?' She looked at her right hand and with very little concentration, made the symbol of the Triforce appear. Beside her was the Light Arrow, now looking like a normal arrow. Grabbing it, she ran off to Keith. When she found him, Zelda started saying that they had to go find Link. Keith was 100% against the idea, stating that her safety was his topmost priority. After a few minutes of arguing back and forth, Keith finally agreed. They got onto his moped and raced off in search of Link.
As they passed the entrance to the governmental district, Keith immediately sensed danger. Without hesitation, he grabbed Zelda and fell off the bike with her, just in time to avoid getting destroyed by a fireball. His bike was destroyed, but he didn't care. He jumped to his feet and assumed a defensive position in front of Zelda. "I give you credit boy. Not many would've been able to survive that blast."
Ganondorf rode up on his black steed. "I sense a power in you that I did not sense before. You must be a true Sheikah now." Keith stayed silent, confidant that he could withstand any attack of Ganondorf's now. "You are nothing before me." He raised his hand and summoned forth the powers of darkness to form a dark energy ball. Keith stood still. Ganondorf released the energy, it slamming into Keith in a mere fraction of a second. "AUGH!"
Keith was thrown backwards, coming to a halt near the moat. "KEITH!" Zelda rushed over to her friend's aid. "Ugh, Zelda… Run…" He blacked out. "NOOOO!!!!" Ganondorf watched with amusement. Suddenly he felt the Triforce of Power start vibrating. 'Of course. As her descendant she would be the most logical bearer.' Ganondorf rode over to where the two teens were lying. "Now my dear, you will be coming with me."
Link emerged from the forest in high spirits. 'This is great. It's still the first day and I'm almost done already.' Suddenly a scream pierced the air. 'Zelda!' He leaned down into the wind and managed to squeeze a few extra mphs out of his moped. As Link rode into view of the governmental district, he saw the smoke rising into the air, as well as the form of Keith on the ground. As soon as he got near, he jumped off his moped. It fell over and got the hell scratched and dented out of it, but he didn't take much account of that.
Link bended down at his friend. "Keith! Keith!" He started shaking him. Groans started emanating from Keith's mouth as he regained consciousness. "Uhhhh… Link. Is… is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me bud."
"Uhhhh… Link, I failed. Ganondorf has Zelda. I… was cocky. I thought that I could withstand his magical attacks. I was wrong."
"He's got Zelda!?! He'll pay. He will definitely pay."
"Listen, Link. Zelda wanted to give you something. I don't know what it is. Do you have the piece?"
"I got. It's right in my knapsack."
"Good. Take it to the Sages. Repair the Master Sword. You MUST hurry!"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I can sense it. Ganondorf's army is being pushed back. In a few hours, the army will be here."
"That's great! He'll be done for."
"No! Ganondorf is close to achieving his greatest goal. If he does, then no army on earth could stand up to him. You are the only one who can stop him."
"If you say so. What about you though?"
"I've got internal injuries."
"What does that mean? Broken bones?"
"No. Link… I'm dying."
"NO! You can't! Not after this!"
"Forget about me Link. I'm no longer an important factor in this." Link nodded and was about to leave when Keith stopped him one last time.
"Link, give no quarter, for you will be given none." Link then saw the light leave his friend's eye. "Destroy the bastard! Or prepare to die trying."
Link nodded and ran off into the heart of evil.