Faraway in Hyrule Impa was abruptly jerked awake. The sword she always kept under her pillow sprang as if alive to her hands and still in the realms of dream she attacked. There was terrific crash that died away into a pure sweet tone that rang true. Impa dropped her mighty sword from nerveless hands and sat back upon her bed, staring dumbly at the steel shield next to her bed. The Sheikan warrior had cut it clean in half as easily as a knife cuts butter. Gasping for breath, unable to stop her heart from pounding as if it were attempting to escape her body, Impa stood and slipped out of her room. The hairs on the back of the Sheiken's neck began pricking in a sudden chill. If she had stayed a few moments longer she would have realized that the ringing tone of the broken shield had begun to change. If she had listened she might have detected Sheik's song singing from her room. It was a ghostly melody that chimed quietly through out the castle. The stones caught the vibrations, and the castle began to sing.

The sword in all of its shining glory fell toward its master, death's light gleaming almost manically from within its silver blade. Link watched it approaching, this was it, this was death. He didn't know why he felt so calm after all, he was about to die alone in this strange world but he faced death now, defied it.

"I am not afraid of you!" The young warrior thought to himself as he faced his own weapon of destruction.

"You do not frighten me, I am your master!"

And then the sword had fallen.

Crimson eyes of terrible fury burned in the darkness. The eyes belonged to a creature that had cleverly hid itself after taking its first victim. Hyrule's protectors had not yet discovered it but the beast was hungry. It needed flesh and now it slunk out from its forest cover. The beast was on the hunt again.

Impa sat outside on one of the turrets reveling in the silence of the night. It was completely still outside but for a fresh breeze that amused itself by gently running its soft fingers through her hair. The moon had begun her usual journey through the night skies and her radiance lit up the land of Hyrule before the Sheikan warrior. All seemed well, but beneath the tranquility she knew there was darkness.

"Even the fields are silent, where are the skull children?" Impa shivered involuntarily. Ever since the people of Hyrule's town began to disappear there had been something dark growing. When Link had left to protect his people the hero had never come back. The reports of missing soldiers were quickly becoming more frequent and Zelda continued to fade away. The Sheikan could feel Hyrule's life fading with that of its angel.

"Oh Hero of Time, Savior of Light what has become of you? Hyrule is weeping!, She is bleeding! We beg of you, our hero, return to us."

Clang! There was a clash and a flash of blinding light, Link felt a searing pain surge through his left shoulder and race through his arm, he feel to his knees.

"So this is what it's like to die." He thought quietly, knowing that the weakness spreading through his body was smothering him, dousing the spirit within him. The pain soon faded into a numb chill that hungrily devoured his body.

"It doesn't really hurt…do my enemies feel this way when I kill them? Did Gannon sink into this dark cold rest as I am now?" Part of him was crying out, his heart was pounding at his chest as if begging him to let it out; his warrior's heart didn't want to die.
"It doesn't matter," He whispered to no one but his dying body. "I'm lost and alone, my steed lies dead upon the ground, my sword has been dipped into its master's blood. My only regret is not having seen fair Hyrule one more time…nor its angel. A pity, one that burns. Not that it matters, I give up my spirit to you, dear Hyrule, may you bloom in peace even without your hero. Farwell, fair angel, you will never find my body you will never know. I am sorry I have failed, forgive me." And then the raising dark entirely engulfed the Hero of Time.

Link was again flying, this time above a world he had never seen before yet still fair and lush, blooming with life and health. He drifted like a lone cloud, calm and at peace, floating on pure white wings that flashed like lightening upon steel. There was a soft breeze carrying him upward, ever upward, he didn't resist but gave in to the call.

Soon the land had faded and now he was above the clouds and soaring higher, never looking back only intent on going up. He broke a layer of high-level clouds and was almost blinded by a golden light that's radiance outshone the sun and stars in the sky. Its beauty could only be described as divine; he had to shield his eyes against the terrible yet beautiful brilliance.

"I am home, at last." Link thought to himself, nearing the end of his goal. But as his wings carried him toward the entrance to beyond something stopped him. Something huge and powerful yet shone with a cold magnificence that made him recoil. This being was so bright that he didn't dare look directly at it but averted his eyes.

"You cannot pass!" The being cried in a terrible melody of dancing light and chiming chords that hummed and murmured, vibrating through Link to his very core where they stayed, still singing inside of his soul even after the echoes had died.

"I am so weary, please, let me enter." Link whispered, his voice sounding harsh and feeble compared to the mighty power of the being he faced.

"You cannot pass!" The divinity repeated this time with a hint of impatience. "You have yet to complete your task, and I as the guardian turn you away! You cannot pass!"

"Please," The hero was trembling, his wings were tiring. "I need but to rest."

"Go back!" The voice thundered, its fury blasting from it in waves of staggering power and light, cowering Link. "You have a responsibility to fulfill. Do not forget what you stand for oh Hero. Do not forget. Do not forget what this stands for!"

Something huge rose from behind the guardian, it shone with glory and a holy strength. As if carved from the sun's core it glistened of gold and priceless value. It's peak sharper than the edge of any blade, its three symbols blazed of the heavens.

Link recognized it, and cried out, tears stinging his eyes. His hand, of its own accord, rose to reach longingly toward the triforce. It strained against its masters will, the hand that held that wretched triangle strove to reach what had risen beyond the gate.

"No!" He screamed, pulling back. "Never! I am not ready! I will go back!"

And the being bent down in such a way that its lips touched Link's hand, the hand that burned of unrestrained golden power. Than, its hand, if that's what you could call it, gently laid itself upon Link's breast.

"Do not lose faith." The being whispered gently, tilting Link's face towards its own. "The triforce may give power but the heart is what makes the hero. Farewell until the time we meet again." And it released him, his wings disappeared and he fell back to earth and his body.