MYAHAHAHA!!! Seems a lot of you liked the death of Sir Link. What? You didn't? FINE!!! XP. And yes, the explaining of the mask's powers is crapass. But ah, well. A minor setback. Here's the next chapter, as promised… A nice Halloween gift for you, my friends ^ u ^.

Scroll X

Reawakening

"No!" Din cried, "Don't do this!!"

The Skull Kid wasn't listening anymore. He put the mask on, and for a moment, felt the evil power that had overwhelmed him before. But… why didn't it… why didn't it completely control him? Was the evil truly gone? And then what was left…?

"Now-" the Skull Kid said coolly, "…!!!"

For Ralph had rushed forward, sword out. The Skull Kid barely dodged in time, and leapt into a tree.

Ralph looked up at him, then suddenly swung his sword at the tree. The Skull Kid lost his footing as the tree swayed, then collapsed.

'He… he cut through the tree?!' The Skull Kid panicked. "Ok, no more fooling around…'

The Skull Kid concentrated hard. He still didn't know what the mask could and couldn't do, but that didn't matter. He was so furious he could do anything now. But what…? He looked around at the splinters of the tree lying around him, and got an idea. He concentrated harder, and the splinters rose up, hurling themselves at Ralph. But… right before they would have hit, something deflected them, and Ralph came through the attack unscathed!

"What?!" the Skull Kid gasped. 'I thought I could do anything-! !!! Wait…' He stopped. 'They should have hit. But how could they be deflected if Ralph's not…'

So, you little brat, the Skull Kid heard someone speaking in his head, You finally figured it out.

He was sure Din and Nayru couldn't see it, but if the Skull Kid looked closer, he could see a black light outlining Ralph's body, like some kind of dark aura.

'No! No way!' The Skull Kid was speechless. 'Veran?!'

No, I'm not Veran, the voice continued, that amateur would never be capable of what I am-destroying the Hero of Time!!

"Ralph!!" The Skull Kid cried suddenly. Ralph said nothing, but as the Skull Kid watched, a dark silhouette emerged from the black light.

Oh, you foolish child… the voice mocked as the shadow came closer to the Skull Kid, if only you hadn't been so weak-minded… The black shadow was only a few inches away. It bent down so it was eye-to-eye with the Skull Kid, and it reached out with what seemed like a hand, cupping it under the Skull Kid's chin. Yes… you would have been an excellent servant for the Angel of Death, but no matter… it's not too late, you know…

Disgusted and horrified, the Skull Kid pulled away. "So-" he said quietly, "She-whatever it is-it's controlling you. Ralph… That changes everything…!!"

So you have chosen to die instead, the voice sighed. The black shadow stood up and retreated back to inside Ralph. Very well.

THWACK!!

Ralph hit the Skull Kid with the flat of his blade, sending the forest child flying into a stump and knocking the mask off his face.

"No!!" Din cried, struggling to get up despite the gash in her side. "Ralph… s-stop it!"

He paid no attention to her, and stood over the Skull Kid, pointing his sword at the throat.

'So…' the Skull Kid cursed himself. 'I guess this is it. Heh… I couldn't do it, Link… I couldn't stop him… and now…'

THUD!!

A small yellow orb crashed into Ralph and began attacking him with tooth and nail.

"Rrgh… You leave 'im alone, you-you-you-!" Tatl shouted between punches, kicks, and bites.

Ralph turned around, indifferent, and Tatl saw her chance to punch him in the nose. Ralph put his hand up to his face, looked at the blood from his nose on his hand, and hit Tatl so hard she went skidding through the air and hit a tree trunk.

"Sis!!!!!" Tael cried and flew to his sister. Tatl moaned and collapsed, but she was still alive.

Nayru surveyed the scene, panic-stricken. First Link… and now the Skull Kid. If someone didn't help Ralph, stop whatever was wrong with him, everyone was going to die.

"N-Nayru!?" Din looked up as Nayru clenched her fists and walked toward Ralph, who was once again leveling his sword at the Skull Kid.

"Game over," Ralph spat. The Skull Kid gave a fleeting look at Link's body, and shut his eyes tight, waiting for the end that never came.

"Ralph."

Nayru's voice, calm despite what was going on, made Ralph's heart stop. Nayru came up behind him and put her hand on the sword, on top of Ralph's, lowering it. The Skull Kid scrambled away from the stump and ran to Tatl and Tael.

Huh? This girl… Who is she…? I suddenly lost control of myself… !!!

Ralph watched the Skull Kid run, emotionless.

"What are you doing?!" Nayru asked, tears springing up in her eyes. "Why?"

Ralph looked at her blankly for a few seconds before sheathing his sword and turning away. "What? You don't care. You've never cared."

"I care!!"

Ralph looked back at her. "…"

Nayru began to cry. "Ralph, you're my best friend."

Ralph turned all the way around, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "That isn't what you said earlier."

"H-Huh…?"

If it was possible, Ralph scowled even more than he had been. "You told Din… before I came back… you told her that you couldn't stand me; that I was always getting in the way and you don't need me." He began to draw his sword, but Nayru stepped closer, and-

SMACK!!!

-she smacked Ralph across the face with all her strength.

"Who told you…" she spat, "Who told you such a terrible lie?"

Ralph didn't move. He stayed frozen, his hand about to grab his sword, his head turned to the right, his cheek throbbing.

"Someone must have told you…" Nayru continued. "Because you were far away from where the rest of us were! Wake up and stop feeling sorry for yourself!! I'd never say such a thing!!"

For a moment, Nayru thought she saw Ralph's eyes shining.

'N… Nayru?'

Ohh… this girl!!! It can't be!!! No!!!! I've got to stay calm… I'm losing control of him…

Nayru was sure she imagined it, because when Ralph blinked again, his eyes were as cold as ever.

"Feh," he chuckled. "If you hate me to this point, then after I kill your friends and take what I'm looking for, I'll do what you want and leave."

"No! No!! NO!!!" Nayru cried. "I don't want you to leave!! I-!"

She blinked, realizing what she had said.

"You what?" Ralph asked coldly.

'Why… why did I say that?' Nayru said to herself.

"What…?" Ralph crossed his arms. "I'm waiting…"

"I… Um… I…"

I'm getting impatient. What does she want to say!? !!! No… surely… she can't…

"Okay," Nayru took a breath. Then, she muttered something under her breath.

'Nayru… What…?'

"What?" Ralph asked.

"Ralph, I…"

Nayru gritted her teeth. With a resolved determination, she let him have it.

"Ralph, I love you, dammit!! I LOVE YOU!!!"

Ralph took a step back, shocked.

Nayru turned crimson and put her hands over her mouth. 'I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have said that!!'

'"I… love you"?' Din thought as she got up, leaning on the Skull Kid for support. 'Nayru…'

NO!!!!

Everyone heard the voice this time. For an instant, everyone saw the black silhouette as it rose into the air, taking its black light out of Ralph's body.

You… the black silhouette spat, You will pay for this!! The Angel of Death will make you all pay with your lives!!! You can see to that!!

With a scream, the black light and the silhouette flew higher into the sky, until…

"It's… gone!" Din said, amazed.

Nayru shielded her eyes, but it was true; the light had disappeared. She turned back to Ralph, who still had a dazed look on his face.

"N…" he began. "Nay…ru……?" Then he collapsed.

"Ralph!!!" Nayru yelled, and ran to him, catching him before he hit the ground.

'No… no… no… no… no!!' Nayru began to cry again. 'Ralph… please be all right!!!'

Din and the Skull Kid rushed forward, Tatl, Tael, and Navi following.

"Hero of Time…"

Navi stopped in her tracks, and turned to Link's body. Could he…? No, it wasn't possible…

~~~

"Hero of Time…"

'What…?' Link slowly opened his eyes, but it wouldn't have mattered much; everything was dark. 'Who… who said that!?'

"Hero of Time… please wake up. Please."

"Who's there?!" Link called into the darkness, but received no answer. "Where am I…" then he remembered. 'Oh. That's right… I… died. Then…?'

"No… no… please wake up, Link."

He recognized that voice!

Zelda!

~~~

"Ralph?! Ralph!"

The first thing Ralph felt when he regained consciousness was a warmth he hadn't felt in what felt like forever, even though it had only been a few days. He tried to move his head, but found he couldn't. He could only open his eyes, and did so to see Nayru's face above him. It was crying, but seemed happy to see that he was fine. He suddenly realized where he was; on the ground, his head in Nayru's lap.

"Are you all right…?" Nayru asked, quietly.

"I'm find, but…" he looked up. "Did you mean it… what you said?"

Nayru smiled. "Every word!"

Ralph smiled too, for once without a trace of embarrassment. It suddenly hit him what was wrong.

"Shit!!" He sat up, looking around frantically. "Where's Link!?"

Nayru looked sad. "You… don't remember?" she asked. "You… killed him."

"No!!!" Ralph got up and ran to Link's body. "Link, wake up!! Come on, dammit!! Wake up! Be okay!!!"

Din and the Skull Kid looked on from a distance.

"He… he'll be okay, won't he?" the Skull Kid asked. "Isn't there some way Link can wake up?"

Din shook her head. "I… I don't know…"

"Come ON, please!!" Ralph said, shaking Link's shoulders, "If you're dead, I'll never forgive myself!! Link wake up!!"

~~~

"Zelda!?" Link looked around. "Where are you?"

He was blinded by a bright light in front of him. At the center of the light was…

The Spiritual Stone of the Forest. The Kokiri's Emerald. What the hell…?

"Link, take the stone!" Zelda's voice cried out.

Link reached out, but as soon as he touched it, the stone shattered. Link suddenly felt a wave of despair sweep over him.

"No… No, Link, don't despair. It's all right! Just open your eyes. Everything will be all right now." Zelda's voice sounded reassuring, even hopeful. "Open your eyes."

And so he did.

~~~

Farore followed the Sages upstairs when she felt a pain in her heart. It was so painful, she had to stop for a moment to catch her breath.

"Farore…?" Saria turned around. "Are you all right?"

"Yes… yes, I'm okay," Farore said. "I just need to sit down… I'll be up there in a minute…"

The Sages gave her a confused look and left. Farore sat down on the steps with her hand over her heart.

'Why…?'

~~~

"Link!!! LINK!!! NO!!!" Ralph cried.

Nayru felt her throat contract as she watched Ralph try, in vain. Finally, she could take it no more. She reached out, and put a hand on Ralph's shoulder.

Ralph sagged. "No…"

Nayru sat down next to him. She put an arm around his shoulder, and her hand on his upper arm, slowly helped him up, and led him a few feet away. Ralph looked away from her, in case he began to cry. If he had not, he would have seen…

~~~

Link slowly opened his eyes. Everything felt numb, and a part of his chest was throbbing. Yet… he sat up. He heard someone let out a little cry of surprise, but just looked around. His gaze first rested on Ralph and Nayru, some ways off. He saw Ralph looking away, and saw Nayru put her hand on his cheek.

'Th-They're not…!? They're not going to…!' Link's eyes widened. But he stood up, and greeted them with:

"Hey."

Awww…. Toldja Link would come back. But I bet you didn't expect within a chapter!! Expect the next chapter to be romantic-y crap when I update it next week. Happy Halloween and Día de los Muertos, minna-sama!! Hey, three languages in one! Nice…

~ Megun-chan