Chapter 4

--It is impossible. After so many years of fighting how is it feasible he return, after just being condemned by the sages? There is no logical explanation. Unless......no. NO! There's just no way! It can't be true. If it was, that would mean......Agahnim. But Agahnim was banished as well. Oh this frustrating! What is happening to the world in which we live? Is Nayru punishing the people of Hyrule?!--

He flapped his wings hard and flew higher in the sky.

The wind rustled his feathers as he soared above the land.

--On the other hand, this may be a blessing in disguise. If Agahnim has returned it could finally give the others and myself another chance at the life we left behind. But, Zelda. Zelda needs to know. No. Not yet. First I must discover whether my suspicions are correct, and if they are, it is the sages that must first be informed. No doubt, though, they've already noticed the change. That cloud above the castle is something too familiar to be natural.--

He turned sharply to his right and began to lower to the ground. His left foot touched the branch of the Kiamora tree deep within the Lost Woods, and he perched and patiently waited for his rendezvous to arrive.

Chapter 5

"Marin! Hey Marin, have you seen Malon anywhere?"

"Not in a little while. She went into town with Anju to deliver the milk.....remember? Oh, never mind, YOU WERE SLEEPING!" She laughed.

"I was nnn.........resting my eyes." He grumbled, a smile under his mustache.

"Anyway, while you were 'resting your eyes' they loaded the wagon and went to town. But, that was....9 hours ago." She said, softer than before.

The realization suddenly hit her. Her eyes scanned the skies.

Talon smiled at her. He loved her like a daughter. It touched him to see her so concerned about her friends.

"Not to worry, sweetheart. You know them, they're young! They're probably horsin' around. You kids do that all the time."

"Yeah. But, we were going to go out tonight, remember? Kakoriko Village is having a party in honor of the King. I hear he is going to introduce that new man he added to the kingdom. They haven't had a chance to meet him yet." She said, still puzzled by the disappearance of her friends.

"Oh yes, the ummm, the Gerudo man."

"Ganondorf, yes." Said Marin still staring at the skies.

"I, don't know a lot about him, and I'm not royalty or anything like that," she paused.

"Oh you're a princess in my eyes." Talon said, trying not to miss a beat.

"No, that's not what I mean. What I was going to say is, I'm not royalty or anything, but I get a bad feeling from that Ganondorf man."

He could see how serious she was.

"But you don't even know him. Besides, he can't be all that bad, he's the one who offered to pay a hefty ruppee for one of the horses here at the ranch." Talon coaxed, trying to be convincing.

"Yeah, but, don't you ever just get a bad impression about some people?"

Her blue eyes were locked on his. She looked frightened. She needed to see him be an adult. He had to speak rationally.

"The King is a good man. He's been around a long time and he knows his Kingdom. Do you think he would allow someone to come and help him rule over us if he didn't think him fit to do the job?" He said, confident in his response.

"I don't think it's a matter of being fit to do the job, but more of caring for the people. I hear he's ruthless, willing to throw anyone out of the way to get what he wants." She replied sternly.

"But that's just what this place needs, somebody who isn't afraid to step on people's toes. Sometimes you gotta do things the hard way to come out stronger." he said, thinking he had won the debate.

"Being strong doesn't necessarily mean being rough." she said calmly.

--GAHHHHH!!! She can shoot down any response.-- he thought.

"Welll, you're probably right. You know I don't pay much attention to those politics and such. But, perhaps you should go to the King and tell him how you feel. You never know, maybe someday they'll be throwin' a party in Kakoriko Village for you!" He said trying to make up for lost ground.

She smiled.

"Someday, maybe. After all, I do think I know the people pretty well." She boasted playfully.

"Well, we'll put you to a test: Why don't you tell me how I'm feeling right now?" Talon smirked.

"I don't know." she said unenthusiastically.

"C'mon, guess."

"Sleepy."

"Close." He smiled. "HUNGRY! Let's go inside."

Chapter 6

"Unnnnnnggggghhhhh."

His eyes crept open. He placed his hand atop his forehead and shook his head back and forth to hasten his awakening. It felt heavy.

"Ahhhhhhh." he mumbled lazily.

He wasn't ready to get up.

--Five more minutes, just five more minutes-- he thought, covering himself with a pillow.

He was lying to himself.

He had every intention of closing his eyes and drifting back to sleep, but he couldn't. It wasn't insomnia that was keeping him awake. It wasn't that he wasn't tired.

It was the noise outside. It wasn't loud by any means, it was just.......so familiar.

A song he had been taught long ago filled the air inside, outside, and around his hollowed tree home.

--That sound. It's.........SARIA!!!---

Just the thought of seeing his old friend filled him with adrenaline. He shot out of bed with a new found energy and ran toward the door.

The door burst open and he, a smile on his face, was ready to greet the day!

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the forest air.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

--How refreshing-- he thought.

He gave his homeland a quick sweep from his balcony, but the sun was in his eyes so he jumped to the forest floor.

The grass was soft and cushioned his boots. The sun glistened through freshly settled dewdrops giving a small rainbow glare to the surrounding area. The entire village had a glowing green aura and the air smelt of pine and oak. Oh how happy he was to be home at last!

He ran up the small hill in front of his home and eagerly awaited the appearance of the friend he missed so much.

But his excitement had clouded his mind. In the haste of his anticipation there were several things he left unnoticed.

His blood was pumping hard. He wanted to speak with his friend, and that was all he was thinking about. Everything else had become unimportant.

But Saria was unable to be found. Any Kokiri, for that matter, was unable to be found.

Something felt wrong to him. Where was everyone? Perhaps he was up too early, but the ever beaming presence of the sun ruled out this possibility. But that wasn't the only thing out of the ordinary.

He had an idea. He reached for the Ocarina, with the intent of communicating with Saria.

Something stopped him. The Ocarina of Time had vanished.

--Zelda. Zelda has the Ocarina. When she brought me back to where I belong the Ocarina stayed with her, as if none of this had ever happened.-- he realized.

--But Navi! Navi must have the Ocarina Saria gave to me.--

After all, Navi used her magical specter to hold all the items too large or abundant for any normal being to hold.

But Navi had also vanished without a trace.

He didn't understand what was going on. Was this a dream?

He wanted to know what had happened. He wanted to know why no one was around. But most of all, he wanted to see his friend.

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He had discovered one of the things he had passed over earlier. His height.

Just one of the many irregularities afflicting his paradise.

The world in which he lived seemed to be the same one as when he was a child, but he was already an adult. Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

--What, what has happened to me?-- he thought burying his head in his hands.

--Where are my friends? How did I get here? Is this the past or the present? Or is this, the future? This doesn't make any sense!-- he pondered, drilling himself for information.

He was alone, and had no idea why.