Chapter 3


Link and Saria had travelled throughout the lands of Hyrule. In the space of just over a month, they had camped out under the stars of the deep canyons, and the high mountains. They never went to the same place twice. Link loved showing her all he can, telling her about the experiences. In a way, it made light of how serious and dangerous his predicament was.

As an experienced explorer, Link knew how to live with minimal recourses at his disposal. His knowledge of the terrains and various shortcuts impressed Saria greatly. He thanked Saria for the complement, but acknowledged it was Navi who taught him or her suggestions that saved him in the end.

Link showed her the Goron city. She was able to see the stone warriors and how they lived. She even got to meet Darunia, who considered Link a blood brother for his help while they lost their main food source to the dodongo.

"It is good to see you Link, after so long." Darunia said with a rare smile cracking his stone features.

"Likewise, I want you to meet Saria" he introduced.

The old goron eyed her. "Friends of Link are always welcomed, especially a pretty girl. When you marry, I will become your blood brother too! You are getting married soon, are you not?"

"I- that is-" Link stammered as best he could turning red from embarrassment.

Saria was at a loss for words too. "We are not really-"

"You have a lot to learn my Brother!" Darunia laughed giving Link a slight push.

Link nearly fell on his back by the force, but he shifted his weight automatically to regain balance.

Darunia took them to the main chambers. "Come, we are having a big feast to celebrate. Everyone was in a party mood, even my people. I'm told very classy pearl rocks will be available, and that is just for starters! Later on we will have a course of diamond encased in marbles." The usually bad tempered Darunia was in an exceptionally good mood.

"You are still celebrating?" said Saria surprised. She had thought the spirit of celebrations were long over.

"Of course! We Gorons celebrate far longer then most others, being sturdier."

"Thanks Darunia for the offer, but we can't eat rocks," said Link politely.

"I'm sure we can find something for you too. Get my chef at once!" he called. "Prepare a meal and drinks for two hylian guests. We have stories to trade do we not?"


******************

The meal proceeded well. They didn't have much to offer Link and Saria, but they gave fresh mountain water, and very sweet berries. They also gave an assortment of other vegetables, prepared expertly by the Goron chef with a unique flavor that was surprisingly pleasant.

Darunia took a huge chunk of lava rock from the table; it was spread like a small rockery. He split it like a piece of fruit, swallowing the first half. Another Goron was banging hollow stones, in some form of music. All in all, it was the noisiest way of eating Link had ever observed.

Saria could only stare at the Gorons, tossing rocks and boulders as if light as feathers. She was cautious not to go too close to the table, less she get picked up accidentally!

"Boy! Where have you been anyway? You missed a lot of excitement." Darunia wanted to hear everything.

Saria smiled. "Link and I were helping people" she said simply.

Darunia laughed heartedly. "Ha! Yes, my brother here is a generous and brave soul. I never met a Hylian like him. I was always wary about the younger Hylians and I now know I was right: They are a spirited bunch. He alone stood against the Dodongos and helped us get food for my people."

"Not to mention Volvagia" added Saria proudly.

"Volvagia? The Dragon?" Darunia laughed again. "Link is brave, but he is not foolish enough to fight something like that! Besides that dragon rests forever in the lava core, has been for ten thousand years! I prey it will always be so."

Link shook his head. It was always going to be like this.

Saria asked another question. "By the way, did mask salesman come to you? I heard you were changed by him. I take it he changed you back?"

Darunia suddenly frowned angrily. His mighty fists impacted against the stone table, visibly making it crack. "The fowl warlock! If I ever see him again he will regret the day he saw me. He dared to cast magic on me! Greatest of all Gorons!" He emphasised his point by hitting the table again.

His sore mood was back. Some of the Gorons shuffled away from him. He was quite sensitive about what happened; to be tricked by such a man was low to him. After a while he forgot about it and the subject was not brought up again.

The mood of the feast started to dwindle. Link told more about their adventures, with Saria adding a few sentiments to it. Some Gorons danced to the beating of the drums. Link and Saria tried to dance to the music, but the rhythm was a little alien to them, even to the adaptable Link.

Hours passed, as the rhythm started to slow taking a more casual turn.

"You are leaving already?" said Darunia spotting his two guests heading for the exit.

"Afraid so," said Link. "This is quite a party though," Saria agreed as well with him in this.

"Your first Goron party feast no doubt! There is no shame in admitting you Hylians don't have the same constitutions as us. This party will last many hours yet!"

Link knew he was boasting a little over the top. Some Gorons were already slumped into discreet corners, already full and tired. They have been doing this on and off for the whole month he guessed. Gorons took the party as they rolled- full of momentum. When started, they wont stop after a long time.

"Keep the party going for us," said Link .

"Yeah!" said Saria with as much enthusiasm as she could.

Darunia nodded. "You can count on it brother. You! Wake up and say goodbye to our guest!"

A Goron shuffled awake, giving a small wave and a goron-like snore as he curled back up.

"Bring on the lava rocks there are still many hours to go! We will continue this until the next sunrise!"

Link and Saria continued to leave. Their heads were pounding from- well the pounding of rocks and drums.

The peace of the mountain trail made them pause a little as they recuperated.

"Those were interesting friends of yours, Link" said Saria grateful she could now rest a bit.

"I know," agreed Link. "They take some getting used to. Darunia was exceptionally happy with the Party. Say, this might be a good chance for us to see the very top of Death Mountain! You can even see the forest from here if you look hard enough."

"Link, I- um" she stopped slightly.

"What wrong?" said Link looking at her in concern.

"It's just well- I'm starting to feel a little tired." Saria stammered a little ashamed. They have been constantly on the move, since leaving the woods. She admired Link's never ending stamina, but she was reaching her limits. "Do you think- I mean if you don't mind, I think I want a home to sleep in."

"A home," Link thought. "I understand. Do you- well, you know, you can still go back to the woods. I want you happy Saria, and the Deku tree said we can return if we wished." Link offered.

"If we did, would you stay?"

Link fell silent. "You know the answer to that Saria," he sighed sadly. "I wish I could but- I can't."

Saria nodded. "I feel the same way Link. After being out here with you, I also know I can never really return, Maybe visit, but not 'really' return.' It was not something she regretted, as long as she was with her friend. "I just wish we had a new home for ourselves now, if we have new lives we should have a new home, shouldn't we?"

"I think I know how we can get that," said Link as he formed a plan. "Let's go to Kakariko."

"Really? You can get us a home?"

"I'm sure of it. Trust me. There is a home waiting for us in the village." Link repeated proudly.

Saria thought it would be perfect if they could do that. "In that case, why don't we see the top of Death Mountain first then?"

"I thought you were tired," said Link confused.

"Well, if you say there is a home for us in Kakariko, I can rest afterwards now!" Saria laughed, the tension inside her broke with this.

Link smiled, glad to put Saria's worries at ease. "Alright, we'll just do a quick stop. Believe me, the sight is something you will never forget.

*************

Ruto was almost in tears. Every time she thought she had caught up to the salesman, he had always left faster then was possible and she lost trace of him. The last straw came when she had followed his trail to the Gerudo encampment. When she reached there, she was told the traveller had gone into the desert itself some time ago without a guide. Success! She thought. The salesman would have to come back to the encampment after spending time in the desert. She could wait here.

The Zoran was already feeling slightly ill with dehydration this close into the arid area, there was no way she would ever try to cross the Hyrulean Desert itself! Only the holy waters of Jabu Jabu were keeping her from collapsing there and then. The Gerudo tended to her, offering water and hospitality. They seemed to think she had the look of a warrior, even if somewhat different to the ones they were used to. She thanked them greatly for their help and spent a few days with them anxiously waiting for the re-emergence of the salesman.

Ruto was perhaps the first Zoran these Gerudo had ever seen in their area. She answered questions about the zora, but did not say she was the princess. After all, Gerudo were still thieves at heart, she didn't know if their honor disapproved of kidnappings. She was quite relaxed until she was told the salesman had come and gone from the encampment.

The Zoran princess rushed out, hoping to catch him on the canyon bridge. However, he had once again eluded her. She called out his name in vain, hoping for him to reappear, but he did not. Anxiously, she ran pass the bridge and onto the sloping Hylian fields.

There was not a figure around anywhere. Once again she called for him, to no avail.

Resigned, there was only one choice and that was to keep moving.

"He just keeps going," she thought. What was he doing? There seemed to be no pattern at all to his movements. He would go someplace in the shortest way, then moved to another just as urgently using that annoying teleportation thing he does. It made absolutely no sense. She could never keep up the pace indefinitely, her supply of holy water was running out.

Worse, since she lost track of him on the fields itself, there was no way to know his general direction at all. She started to drink the last of the Holy water, leaving only one sip for later.

*Zoran * whistled a voice.

Ruto looked around.

* I am here my child, * said the voice.

She couldn't believe it. In the casket of the holy water, reflected was the silhouette of Lord Jabu Jabu. He was talking to her directly!

"Lord Jabu Jabu! I um-" She stumbled over what to say. Lord Jabu Jabu rarely spoke more then a few words, and even then only if you were within his presence!

The silhouette became stronger, until the water in her casket reflected the whale in its entirety. It waited for Ruto to say something.

"I- I suppose you may be wondering why I've not come back yet. Well, it's taken a bit longer then I thought. I just need more week-"

"No time, my child," said Jabu Jabu.

"No time? What do you mean?"

"You will now be Queen... You have reached the age. Return to the caverns" the ocean deity commanded.

"Look Jabu Jabu I know you might think that, but I really haven't grown despite what it looks like."

The reflection of Jabu Jabu looked impassively.

"Come on! Give me another day! Then you will see I'm not really ready. You owe me when I helped you before." She reminded.

Jabu Jabu spoke, not listening. "The cycle continues. You are the start; your parents are the end. It continues for a millennium like the tides, and will continue for as long as I remain. You must return at once. Your eggs are ready. The new generation must be prepared by your hand, with my guidance. Then the cycle will repeat."


"I am not queen of the zorans yet!" she shouted to the deity.

Jabu Jabu did not respond.

Ruto continued to argue. "Stop telling me what to do alright! I hate it. If you would just see- I mean you are Lord Jabu Jabu, can't you see what happened on the Isle of Time?"

"Ruto, you have grown. Your instincts alone will pull you back to the caverns."

"I can get more holy water. It's worked so far. Can't I have more? Just a little more?"

"Your eggs are ready. Come." With that, the picture of Jabu Jabu became cloudy and vanished, replaced by the reflection of Ruto.

Ruto felt herself go numb, as her mind started to wonder. Her thoughts regressed back home, that wonderful comfortable and warm caverns, with their waters pure and fresh. Why was she here, in the harsh climate of the fields? Return to the caverns. It was much nicer.

"No!" she screamed, realising where her thoughts were going. She sipped the last of the holy water of Jabu Jabu, anxious that he not make another return. "Your spell won't work Jabu Jabu," she thought to herself. At least, she hoped it was a spell. It was difficult to concentrate, but she as long as she focused on something else, she hoped she would be fine.

She had to continue and find the salesman.


******************

The salesman felt drained. The journey across the desert was harsh, but another portal was closed. That was the sixth portal. Each time he sealed one that strange feeling of dread always emerged. It was as if something was watching him, waiting for him to loose his guard. The portals bled darkness into Hyrule, a darkness born of his old magic. Still he felt he had done some good in stopping the darkness in its tracks.

If something was trying to escape, perhaps Gannondorf, he had to hurry. He knew there were two portals left. Thankfully, they were very close together. Both were atop Death Mountain. He tried once more to shift himself toward them, but the teleportation jumps were becoming more and more erratic.

He persevered, knowing he was very close to his goal. "It is just two more, just two more. I can do two more!"

He tried another teleportation, only to reach within eye distance of the entrance of Kakariko. Once again, that drained feeling came to him. He was on his last remaining powers now. There would be no more teleportation, for a very long time. He anxiously ran the rest of the way to the village, certain time was running out.

He felt a pressing need in him to close these two portals in particular. The darkness within them had grown to a new level. He thought it was like closing a pipe with many holes in it- the last holes will pour water at a faster rate. The same was so with the evil powers from the other world.

He dug deep down within his sprit, trying to find enough power to do one more teleportation. He felt the power once again come temperamentally, just enough. In mid run, he vanished.

********************

"This could be our home," said Link opening the door. "After you," he said with excitement.

Saria studied the huge house as she entered. It was extremely spacious, not like the Kokiri huts. But it lacked the charm she associated with a home. "We can just move into it?"

"Well kind of. This house belonged to a family I once helped. I ran into them when I was searching for Navi. They said they had no wish to live here anymore and offered the house to me as a gift. I didn't take the house, but they gave me the deed anyway. They said I can move into it when ever I wanted."

"Where did they go?" asked Saria.

"They wanted to start over. They were cursed with a greed for wealth. They felt giving away the house to me would be a good start to their new lives. They wanted to start over."

"I guess we could start over here too," she said. "The place does need cleaning up though." It was well kept physically though.

"We can fix it up in no time. It will have everything we like."

Saria smiled at the idea. "But how do we get everything? I mean we don't have the Deku tree to just make it for us anymore." Living in the forest was very convenient with the Deku tree to help them. He was able to make food, clothing, even the beds they slept in. None of that can happen here.

Link had it all planned out. "We need to buy things. I have enough money to buy the basics. There are some builders that owe me a favor as well. This place will be great!"

Saria wondered how they could live here. It would not be like the Kokiri forest. The people of Kakariko were incredibly different. She certainly couldn't fit in with them. Link was so good at adapting to new situations, it was like he belonged everywhere he went. She wished she had that innate ability. There will always be a part of her that will remember the woods as her home. She knew, in some small way, Link could also feel it. After all, he had spent his entire young life with them.

"What do you think Saria?" Link asked hoping it was okay. She seemed lost a little as she thought about it.

"I think this could work," said Saria warming to the idea. "I guess we still have to use the sleeping bags until everything is made though. Some greenery would be nice here."

"It will be perfect," said Link again enthusiastically. "The people of Kakariko are quite friendly too."

"I guess, they just seem different then what I expected" she said looking out the window. She thought Hylians in a village would be relaxed. If they worked as hard as she saw in the market place, should they not rest in their village? There were pockets of activity scattered throughout.

Putting her thoughts aside Saria walked upstairs, finding the dusty loft. The previous occupiers had taken everything with them. The window was smaller up here, but gave an okay view of the town as well as some of the Hylian fields. Sayl then alerted her when a prickly feeling invaded her senses.

"I sense magic on the mountain" The fairy said calmly.

Saria could barely see the mountain from her view but with telepathy, she was able to see what the fairy saw. She rushed back downstairs.

"I heard!" said Link before Saria said anything. They both ran out to investigate.

All of Kakariko was looking at the spectacle, like someone has lit a firework bright enough to be seen for miles.

* What's happening * thought Saria telepathically.

* I don't know * Link though back. "But I think we should find out."

*************

Ruto was now passing Lon Lon ranch. It was at this point she became confused and disorientated. The salesman could have gone anywhere from here.

Her instincts took advantage of her confusion, sending a clear message to move towards the caverns. Is it not possible the salesman was there? It was one of the only places he did not go. He might be there. It was not impossible.

She tried to regain her focus, to remember exactly what she was doing. The voice of Jabu Jabu was becoming stronger and harder to resist. She resisted is with all her will. It was then she saw the spark of light on the mountain.

It pulsed outward like a bright star, staying for well over a minute. It was red at first, and then turned blue. Suddenly it became a fierce white, and ebbed and vanished from sight.

"It has to be him!" She said gratefully, though uncertain what was happening. Nothing was going to stop her now. Not even Lord Jabu Jabu.

With purpose, she ran towards the mountain path, ignoring as best she could thoughts about the caverns.


********

The salesman felt his body on fire as he reappeared on the mountain path. He had just used more magic then he actually had. He was slowly feeling better however. The magic from the portal was nearby, and actually fed new life in to him. 'It was not right', he mused silently. These portals were evil. He had no doubt about it, just as he had no doubt that his magic was not evil. Yet here he was taking the power like milk to a baby; especially here where the mountains permeated Mask Magic.

He couldn't help it. He took the magic, letting it sustain him for just a little longer. Once he felt strong enough, he walked closer to the source, feeling stronger each step he took.

This was the first of the portals of Death Mountain. The mask salesman raised his hands, in a practiced fashion. He took a deep breath, using the magic from the environment, making it bend to his will. He willed it slowly, eventually bringing a required amount to his command. A great flash lit the mountain. Like an ignition in a gas filled room, the spark of power lit the magic permeating already around him.

"Seal!" He pronounced, partially aware of the great spectacle. The portal shifted, fighting the spell being cast on it. "Seal!" he repeated. The portal started to succumb and the spell was complete. The salesman found another stone, and carefully placed it atop as an added safety measure.

"I'm getting too old for this," he said at last, "just one more to go." It was further up the mountain. In order to get there, he may have to wind close to where the Gorons lived. He prayed the Gorons would not catch him. That Darunia fellow was quite adamant he was not to be seen again. They may thank him, if he saved them from all the evils in the other world, he hoped. He had to hope it.

"One more teleport. Just one more… one more please" He concentrated with everything he had, but there was absolutely no chance he could do it again. If magic could be gauged, he guessed he had entered into the realm of negative numbers. On the bright side, he knew exactly where the portal was now. Unfortunately, it was in a part of the mountain where there was no clear path to reach.

"Hey! What you doing here?" A Goron rolled down, attracted by his display of magic.

"Hi there!" the salesman said a little nervously at being caught by a Goron. "I was just thinking I could use your help. You see there is some bad magic going around-"

"Our leader warned all of us about you. You he that laid curse on him."

"No! Well yeah, kind of. But we are friends now. Look, I need to get up there and undo this nasty-"

"You did something up there?"

"Me? No. Well not really. Actually in part, but-"

A second Goron appeared. "He the one that made magic light?"

The first Goron nodded. "I tell Darunia he has returned. Would not want to be you now, Warlock. You stand guard; make sure he doesn't try anything funny." The Goron left quickly to get Darunia.

"Okay, I stand guard. Warlock will not leave I promise."

The salesman felt himself scared, and wanted to leave as he looked at his guard. But he could not allow that one portal up there to remain open. He looked up, wishing he could fly up there. Suddenly, he felt the wind knocked out of him. Everything seemed to become skewed and stretched. The sound of the wind was all he could here.

"This is so cool!" a young voice piped. "You're safe now!"

The salesman slumped to the floor. He was a good three hundred meter distance from where he started and out of sight from the Goron. He looked to see Amber, the young girl had the rabbit mask.

"Amber." He said realising. "You did not make that mask, did you?" he asked quietly.

"No. Actually, Mr Salesman, it came from your shop."

"I see… and were you in my shop at the time?"

"Well… I didn't mean to take it. Honestly, it just sort of came to me. I tried throwing it back to your window, but it-"

"Came back to you," the salesman sighed. "Yes, it tends to do that. How long have you had it?"

"Ever since you left your shop- um three weeks ago I think."

"And… it hasn't turned you into a rabbit?" asked the salesman carefully.

Amber laughed. "Well… it did, at first." She said it casually.

The salesman eyed her carefully. "You're obviously not a rabbit now… why is that?"

"Well… I am slightly" She showed her feet, which were large and rabbit like. "We talked it over and struck a compromise, see? The mask says it's so I don't get hurt when I run. Also, it goes away when I take the mask off."

"I see," said the Mask Salesman in wonder. "That mask doesn't usually listen to me anymore. What did you offer it that I couldn't?"

"This mask is brilliant! I've ran over the whole of Hyrule with it. I promised I would you see, but it's something I've always wanted to do anyway."

"So, you offered it freedom" thought the salesman wistfully.

"I was playing in Kakariko, then I saw that flashy light thingy right on the mountain. I thought I could go quickly and see for one minute. I saw you do that whole magic spell. It was beautiful."

The salesman gulped. "You… saw that?"

Amber nodded. "Then I saw you in trouble with the Goron, I just pulled you with me here. Cool, huh? I moved so fast you can't even see me!"

The salesman scratched his heard not sure how to respond. "Since you are here, I think you can help me. I need you to take me up there." He pointed to a cliff face.

"Up there? Why in Hylia would you want to go there? There's nothing up there. Oh I get it, you need to do the same thing you did before, don't you."

"Yes. Yes I do," he admitted realising he couldn't evade her. "Kindly take me up there if you would. The mask will let you, since you have such a good relationship with it."

"I can do it; I've been practicing a lot." She said proudly.

The salesman got a little worried. "After we do this, I'm going to have to take my mask back too. You should run back home too."

"How can I run home without the mask? Bad guys could catch me."

"Alright, you can use the mask to go back home in Kakariko. After I finish my job up there, I will go see you in the village. Then you can give it to me."

"But then, how will you come back from that ledge? You'll never be able to climb down."

The salesman started to wonder, just what is it with children always finding something to say back? He considered himself very good with children; after all he was a salesman. But this one was becoming infuriating. No wonder the rabbit mask likes her. "I tell you what," he said very slowly. "Take me up there, and then move to a safer place. When I am done sealing the portal, you can take me back then we all go to Kakariko."

"And for this, I get to keep the mask right?" she asked innocently.

The salesman scratched his head in frustration. "Please, I really don't have time for this. Just get me up there! Pretty please?"

"Oh okay," she laughed.

An instant later, they were at the top of the cliff.

"Now," said the salesman. "Go a safe distance. I don't know how powerful the magic is up here. It feels… different" The last portal was bound to be the strongest.

Amber nodded, zipping down the cliff with relative ease.

"Further!" shouted the salesman. "Move further back!" he was taking no chances.

Amber sped away.

The salesman turned his attention to the portal. A strange presence was here, he felt. Up here, the tear was larger then all the others. But he remembered it being smaller in his visions, when he first set out on his journey. "Has someone… widened the portal?" A strong gust of wind blew, his only answer.

It was time now to seal the final portal.

He conjured his powers as best he could, once again using magic from the portal itself against it. "Seal," he said quietly, his eyes burned yellow. However, that was the only visual conformation that he was actually casting a spell. There was not the usual flare of power like last time. "Something… is wrong," he realised. "Come on work!" No matter how hard he tried, the magic in the environment would no longer bend to his will.

"The power no longer belongs to you," said a voice.

The salesman stared as something started to materialise through the portal he tried to close. "Who… what are you?"

The robed creature laughed as he twirled his staff. "You don't need to know."

The salesman's magic felt drained in the presence of this… entity. Actually, drained wasn't the correct word. It was more like it was cut off. "How have you somehow taken my powers?" he said worried.

"No. It is because they no longer belong to you, they are mine. We are alike, you and I. We work in different ways, but at heart we have the same business in mind. You try to spread happiness, I only spread misery. You deal in form, I deal in the formless. You have rules in your shop. I, on the other hand do not. Indeed, you could say we are brothers. Your magic will only obey me from now on."

"This can not be!" This was the last thing he expected to hear. Seeing this creature, he didn't feel any fear- yet. "You are nothing like me," the salesman said firmly, despite the connection he felt. "You can't be. It is simply not possible. I am the only one with these kinds of powers… the only one. In all my long life, I never encountered another."

"Neither have I Mask salesman. We were never supposed to meet. You were able to sense only those with form, whereas I am the formless, you can not sense me. But things are different now, are they not? You are powerless, more so then ever."

The salesman widened his eyes. "I may not be the same as I was, but I consider myself stronger then ever."

"Ha! You are weak Mask Salesman. Only a weak mind would consider such a notion." the figure slammed his staff to the ground, making the earth shake. "You once tried to teach Link about balance. You did not consider if it applied to you as well…."

"No…" the salesman felt his spirit fall. Cold hands were pressing against him, draining the life out of him. The power this being possessed was incredible.

"I allowed you the courtesy of trying to close the portals. It made you weaker and weaker. The weaker you became, the stronger I became!" He turned his staff, focussing the powers into it. "You wasted your power! Even at the height of your powers you would only be able to slow the inevitable.

"I'd say I did a good job," the salesman said softly ignoring the pain. "If… you are what I suspect… you have no power against me. The rules…"

The creature chuckled. "You fool! The rules no longer apply. You now have a soul… A strong and formless soul such as yours- it shall be mine." The staff in his hand glowed with power.

The salesman tried to resist as the pain intensified, but he had no idea how to defend himself from this onslaught. "T-T-They are the powers that set me apart from the world and drove me to madness… you can't understand what they will do if you continue."

"Oh please. I am nothing like these lower beings you have become. Your fall from your pedestal resounded like a bell to all in this realm. Your star has fallen, Mask Salesman. Now my star has risen. It is my turn to stand on the pedestal of fate!"

The salesman had to think. He raised a hand reaching with his palm against the robed mage. This creature was drawing on the same magic as he. If they both draw from the same pool, all he had to do was draw more and cut him off. It should work. Small magical energies flowed into his hand, but it reached too high a capacity too fast to be of any use.

"Foolish Salesman" said the robed figure. "I 'am' the pool."

"Leave him alone you creep!" shouted a young girl. It was Amber.

"No… stay back Amber. He is not mortal" the salesman voiced in vain.

Amber quickly sped to her friend. Using the power of the rabbit mask, she felt speed surge though her. She took the salesman, picking him up like a feather and ran away.

"You can not run!" said the robed figure.

Amber and the salesman stopped on another ledge.

"Listen Amber," the salesman said quickly. Run away from here. Go back to Kakariko."

"No way! How will you fight him?"

"I don't know. He has great power, but I must try. He might be from the other world. He is like a twisted mirror… a reflection."

"I can get my Dad. He might be able to help he-"

"Amber run now! No time to argue. Just go!" he pleaded.

The robed figure materialised in front of them. "An interesting friend you have there, you have given her your mask of speed. She will be the first of many. A spirit like hers will tip the balance in our favor."

"You will not touch her!" the salesman shouted madly. He cast an ordinary shield spell he had seen cast many times. It was strictly a novice spell, not as good as Nayru's Love, but it worked and encompassed both of them in safety.

"Physical barriers will not stop me," the figure said, as he turned translucent like a ghost.

"He disappeared?" said Amber. She could not make him out.

"No!" the salesman cried fearfully. The creature had gone to the ethereal plane! He lacked any power against it, even at the height of his powers.

The ghostly image floated to them like a slow engine of death. Only the robed figure's red eye remained solid, burning into the minds it stared at. When he tried to pass through the salesman's shield though, he felt an impact and fell. "Impossible!" he screamed as he became solid again.

The salesman noticed then that the mask on Amber's head glowed in a Golden light. Curious, he touched it. He felt an instant surge of magic and power, not like his own. The spirit of the mask was extremely potent. Potent enough it seems, to stop ghostly ethereal attacks.

The robed creature recovered. "It would seem you are not quite as defenceless as I had hoped. You have the aid of one of the spirits- Cuniculus if I am not mistaken" The ghostly being said again as he placed his staff in an angle. "But not even the spirit of Cuniculus can save you." The staff disappeared in his hand, replaced by a jar. "I call the Ten to my command!"

The salesman and Amber stared as he opened the jar. They had counted ten puffs of smoke, black and evil as they took form. Instantly they were surrounded by Poes.

The shadowy mage chuckled. "Do not let their forms fool you. They are the Ten Big Poes of Hyrule! All Ten are under my command."

The Ten spirits all at once pressed into them, impacting against the spiritual shield.

"They were beyond my own powers to capture. However not for one boy… yes."

Instantly, the mask on Amber's head glowed even brighter. She felt herself change, becoming more rabbit like. * I help * Almost instinctively, she waved her hand, strengthening the shield against the Ten with a spiritual component.

The salesman was surprised at this turn of events. They had a slight advantage now, and he wasn't going to waste it. "Listen to me Amber. Keep circling and look into their eyes! They dislike being seen in the eye."

They circled around back to back, staring at each one in turn making the ghosts flinch for a moment. However, they could not look at all ten of them at the same time. The ones they didn't look at impacted against the shield.

The robed figure hissed angrily. "Forget the Mask Salesman! Kill the avatar of Cuniculus!"

Amber continued to glow, becoming a fiery white. The salesman turned his minds eye to the mask itself, concerned that it had bonded to Amber so completely. Doing so shared the power with the spirit of the wearer. But Amber was too young to have any real power of her own, most had to be coming from the mask alone. There was no way it could hold out for long against the Ten big poes of Hyrule.

A blinding flash lit the area, distracting the ghosts and ceasing their attacks.

Link, followed by Saria and their fairies immerged on the path. The hylian boy was ready and loaded another light arrow into his bow, aiming it carefully towards the ghosts.

The red robed figure turned, as did the Ten Great Poes. The ghosts felt venomous rage and anger at the face of their capturer.

"You," said the robed figure, instantly making his staff reappear. "Link if I'm not mistaken. You've changed, become stronger. You have brought new powers into yourself."

Link was confused at seeing him. "You? But- you can't be here! You should be erased form history!"

"A ghost seller is never lost in time Link. You gave me what I needed; you and I remember it, so it happened. Even if this had not happened to others; that it happened to me and you is sufficient for the ethereal world."

"Who is this, Link?" asked Saria.

"I don't know. Some kind of ghost seller I think. He offered me a gift if I can bring all Ten Poes to him."

"You did this?" said Saria ludicrously. The ten poes were ghastly and horrible to look at. They seem overwhelmingly strong in unison, they almost resonated evil.

"I thought by trapping the ghosts, Hyrule would be safer. He said he would give me something important to help me too! When I saw the dark bleak future, he was the first person I saw and offered me help. I was willing to believe anybody after I saw the market place and Hyrule overrun by evil."

"Didn't it help?" asked the seller curiously.

"No! Well sometimes. I don't know!"

What did he give you?" Saria pressed.

Link sighed. "A magic bottle."

The seller laughed. "It was a fair trade. You have no idea how hard I worked to get the Ten under my control. The havoc they would unleash, should they ever become free. They are my army, to take souls I deem fit. Ten! Attack the boy."

The Ghosts obeyed.

"Dins fire!" shouted Link confidently as they approached. This spell always worked before. Not this time.

The Ghosts were unaffected by the circular fires. As they closed in, Link could feel his life force ebbing away. They took a hold of his spirit, weakening it the closer they got. They attacked Saria too, she felt the same thing.

"I- I won't let you…" Link felt his heart burn as the sensation deepened. He fought the despair that entered into his mind, planted there by these creatures of darkness. They were attacking him from the inside out.

Saria felt fear overwhelm her, she couldn't even scream. She shook violently under the stress, unable to take more of this.

"They are spirits Link!" shouted the salesman. "You can not fight them physically."

Both Link and Saria collapsed at the strain they were under. The Ten started to move closer. Seeing Saria in such pain was all Link could take. He crawled to her unconscious form, even as the poes pressed against him, eventually getting her hand. He felt his mind and hers join telepathically. As it did, the psychic torment of the poes halved instantly.

Saria opened her eyes as the pressure eased. * What are we going to do? *

* Play this on your ocarina.* Link pulsed notes of magic and power into Saria's mind, as they both got up still in hand contact. The great poes advanced ever closer.

Link brought out the Ocarina, as did Saria. 'This has to work' he thought silently.

He played the song of storms. Saria joined in with him. Link learned on Termina this song had another power; the power to calm the savage spirits. As the song completed, the poes were suddenly confused, and shuttled in and out of the ethereal plane.

Rain started to trickle on the mountain, fresh and pure. The lightning storm brought a static feeling in the air, A flash from the clouds attacked the ghosts, ringing all around them. They started to disappear.

"No! You dared to mess with my Great poes! You dare to try and exorcise them? I'll show you never to disturb the sprits, you ignorant mortal!" The ghost seller raised his staff, aiming it at Link.

"Link!" Saria shouted.

There was no defence Link had against it, and he saw death in the dark powerful blast about to be unleashed.

Only Amber was fast enough to see what happened; a residual affect form the rabbit mask. She felt the hood on her head magically lift itself, changing her back to normal. Instantly, the mask found itself on Link's head instead. He was unaware of this.

As the dark ethereal magic smashed into Link, a spirit barrier formed around his body, powered by the rabbit mask. The light form the mask increased, as it absorbed the power from the dark ghost seller.

* Run. * said the mask.

Uncertain what was happening, Link charged at the ghostly mage, before it could attack again. To him it was a normal charge. To everyone else however, his speed was immeasurable. As he ran, the spirit shield formed around him once more, impacting against the Ghost seller hurting it.

* Up. *

Link still had no idea what was happening, but the ghost seller was now unconscious. He picked him up. The mask was in full control of his feet and hands. He was taken to the portal in an instant, carrying the ghost seller.

* I shall seal *

The mask popped out of Link's head, floating to the portal.

* Goodbye. *

A blinding flash lit the mountain and Link shielded his eyes, free from the powerful influence of the mask once more. From charge to flash, the whole manoeuvre was less then five seconds.

As the flash subsided, the Ghost seller was gone. All that was left was the charred remains of the rabbit mask.

*******************************

"Link, are you alright up there!" called Saria.

Link lifted himself from the ground. "I'm fine" he shouted back. "But the rabbit mask is… I'll bring it down."

Carefully, Link started to climb down. It took well over an hour for him to do this, and only with Navi's help.

Saria hugged him as he came back. "What happened up there?"

"I don't know. But I think the rabbit mask saved me. Here." He held out the mask. It tingled to his touch, as residual incoherent powers scattered into nothingness. "Can you do something for it Mask salesman?"

"You can do it Mr Salesman!" said Amber enthusiastically. "Please, you have to!"

The salesman picked up the mask, carefully looking at it. "I don't think so… it has died. Terrible sadness… it has used its own spirit to block this portal. Its sacrifice was not in vain. We saved Hyrule, I think."

"What do you mean?" said Link.

"That was the last of the portals to the dark world," he explained. "The rabbit mask has sealed it with its very being; I guess it was the only way." Never in all his years did he expect a mask to sacrifice itself. "I feel the last of my powers have also gone with that portal. I can no longer make any masks like it. It is all for the best really…"

Amber started to cry. "I loved that mask. I loved it… even if you did make another, it wouldn't be anything like it…"

"True…" sighed the salesman. "But it is over now. Let's go home-"

"There you are!" shouted a woman. It was Ruto.

"Ruto?" everyone said except for Amber.

"Oh dear, I completely forgot!" said the salesman as he realised his mistake.

"Forgot? Forgot! I'll show you 'forgot'! Do you know the things I've been through? I searched for you throughout the whole of Hyrule. Just what are you trying to do, avoid me?"

"Calm down, we can sort it all out I'm sure" said the salesman slowly.

"You haven't changed her back yet?" said Link raising an eyebrow.

"You still can, right?" Said Saria suddenly worried. Didn't he just say he had no magic?

The salesman scratched his head. "Yes I think so. I would have done it sooner, but things got complicated. I had my own quest you see- are you alright Ruto?"

Ruto had a glazed look in her eye. She was resisting the summoning back to the Zoran caverns. "Please just change me back now… I can talk to you about it later."

"That shouldn't be a problem," said the salesman. Making someone true to themselves is more like reliving them of a curse, then casting an actual spell. It took no magic to do. Anybody could do it with practice. That was a funny thing about mask magic, the less power someone appeared to have, the more they actually got. "Link, please take Amber home. I will need to sort this out."

"Oh, I want to see how to do it" pouted Amber, deciding to use the same words as the salesman. "Pretty please?"

"Amber we talked about this. Please Link, take her home. I'll join you in a minute."

Link and Saria nodded. Amber grudgingly left with them.

********

"Okay, do it. Change me back." Said Ruto. At last, this nightmare was going to be over.

The salesman rubbed his hands. He just had to get more information first. "Why the big hurry? Didn't you like being older?"

Ruto felt herself shake, part in anger, part to keep her focus here. "Oh it was fine… that is until Lord Jabu Jabu found me."

"Oh… he didn't like it?" the salesman got concerned at the idea he would argue with the Lord of the Sea for some harmless fun.

"Not at all. He liked it."

"Really?" said the salesman earnestly.

"He wanted me to marry straight away. Don't you understand?"

"Not really… so you refused?"

"Of course I refused!" stated Ruto. She didn't want to go into the details of it.

"Well, I can sort this out… just concentrate on your true form." The salesman brought out his organ, and played the song of Healing. The music was empowered by his spirit and mind, subtle but with practice such power can change the world. Instantly, Ruto started shifting back. In a matter of moments, she was back to her normal self. However, without any magic, no mask was created from this.

Ruto sighed happily as she looked at herself. "Thank you! Thank you! Hey, are you sure this is how I was? I remember being a little shorter." She was also glad at having her more perky voice back.

"You are your correct age princess," said the salesman as he started on the path back to Kakariko.

Ruto waltzed beside him. "Are you sure? How can you be sure? I want to put off being a grownup for as long as I can after this experience. Any chance you have a way of keeping me young? So I don't have to get married?"

The salesman gave a short laugh. "The sands of Time cannot be stopped for anyone. And from my perspective, I don't see why you would want to. It makes you unhappy. More then you can imagine."


***********

"You failed," said Gannon. He felt completely closed off from Hyrule now. The triforce would not let him even view the world so out of his reach.

"Not at all," the Ghost seller said. He appeared in Gannon's pyramid, right in front of the Dark King himself. He was so badly wounded that he laid there for over three hours and had only now woken up.

"You seem to have lost a battle," said Gannon with a slight smirk. "They have banished you into my world. You are trapped just as I am now, aren't you." Ganon knew this was a waste of his time.

The ghost seller stood proudly. "I was surprised, but not unprepared. I promised my help, and you shall have it. They had a spirit help them, but no longer. I sense it has died. Next time, we shall be victorious."

"What good is that if we are trapped here?!" Gannon lost his temper with the intent of hitting into the ghost seller.

"Calm yourself, Triforce keeper for we now have an advantage. Consider, they have not only blocked you, but they have blocked themselves from reaching you. We can open a new portal at the weakest point, controlled from this side alone. Then, the plan will continue."

"How long will this take…"

"What is time, to one such as you, my lord?"

Ganon grinned. Yes, what was time? Nothing.


*********

To be continued.

A/N- I'm not 100% certain about this story so far, but I'm writing as I'm seeing so to speak :) I hope there is not too disapointment about the lack of Aghamin. Bear in mind, he is a mage I consider existing +1000 years ish. Still, I am sure he will play a part towards the end. He 'does' start Zelda III, it is only fitting he gets a part. Thinking about the timeline too much gives me a headache anyway :P