The next morning large grey storm clouds filled the now light grey sky. A great wind picked up and whirled through the land. Small showers of gentle rain turned into strong downpours.

The market was empty, no people or stalls were open because the rain was so heavy. Link peeked out of the door to the Temple of Time and gasped at how windy it was. He shoved the door closed and returned to the main room.

Rauru was busily opening packets of biscuits and other sugary snacks for breakfast. Saria sat on the couch shivering now and again from the cold. The temple didn't have heating so it was usually freezing. Link went over to the couch and pulled Saria close to him so they could both keep warm.

"No wonder Rauru doesn't feel this cold look at the things he eats all the time." Saria whispered into Link's ear.

Link snorted making Rauru look up from his packet opening. Link quickly stopped grinning as Rauru picked up a knife to cut the packets. Rauru sliced at a packet of popcorn so hard that the bag burst sending pieces all over the place.

"Oh no that was my last packet of popcorn!" Rauru wailed as he got down on the floor picking up loose pieces of corn.

The other two burst out laughing at Rauru as he crawled on the floor searching for stray popcorn.

"Shouldn't you two be getting ready to leave for the boat?" Rauru growled.

They stopped laughing and went to get their things. Saria picked up her locket and put it around her neck. The locket sparkled in the morning light attracting Rauru's attention. He waddled over to Saria and asked to take a look at the locket. The old sage held the shining locket turning it in his chubby hand. He had a strange look on his face.

"No this can't be the same locket it just can't be." Rauru thought to himself.

You ok Rauru?" Link asked coming over near him. Rauru woke up from his thinking and put on a smile.

"Yes. Yes of course. That locket is one of a kind take good care of it." He then returned to opening packets of sickly foods.

Both Saria and Link stared at the old man wondering what he was on about.

Down by Hyrule docks which were behind the castle, Ruto had a massive hiking bag strapped to her back. As she made her way onto the ramp that entered the ship she was stopped by a guard.

"I'm sorry Princess Ruto but no more than a few items are allowed, this big sack is against the rules."

Ruto put on her sweetest smile. "But a girl needs her makeup (Yeah and she needs a truck load.) how will I live without it?"

The guard grabbed the sack from her and threw it to another guard who took it into the castle. Ruto kicked the guard and stormed onto the ship.

Link and Saria hurried onto the peer and into the boat. In the main room it was like a lounge. It had a light brown carpet withsoft creamchairs and cream curtains to match. It looked a very comfy room. There was a second door that led up some metal stairs which went up onto the deck if anyone wanted some air. The ship itsself was only a small white vessel that could carry around 25 people.

Ruto was lounging on a big comfy seat staring out of a window. The rain was still shooting down and the wind rocked the boat slightly. Ruto didn't mind the rain she really enjoyed it but it would not be good if the ship toppled over.

Mido clambered onto the seat next to Ruto who was still gazing out of the window. Link and Saria sat as usual, Link had his arms tightly around Saria who leaned against his chest. As soon as Ruto saw this she demanded that her and Mido should get closer. Mido did like Ruto a lot but he couldn't always treat her like Link treated Saria, it just wasn't him. Mido made a quick excuse of needing some fresh air so he could escape Ruto's angry glares.

Alfos Red entered the lounge and received weird stares from some people. He walked over to an empty chair in the corner and sat silently.

Soon the ship was floating slowly over the waves. The weather was not helping as it rocked and shook the ship causing Ruto togroan even more. Lightning began to crack and thunder boomed as the ship sailed further into the ocean. The captain was worried that they would get caught in the storm.

Link had also noticed the rough storm approaching. He hoped the ship was strong enough to pull through. Link then looked down at Saria who was holding him tightly, he wished Ruto had never come into the Forest Temple and practically made Saria join this stupid tournament so then she wouldn't be on this ship in a dangerous storm, she would be safe at home.

Darunia was cowering by a wall hoping to the goddesses this storm would end. Zelda was sat with two guards on either side of her in case anything should happen. Impa had offered to look after the princess herself but Zelda liked to be independent.

In the captain's cabin an argument had started between the captain and his first mate.

"We can't go any further captain the storm is too rough, the ship won't hold!" The first mate yelled at the stubborn captain.

"Don't tell me how to run this ship, we are going ahead and we will reach the island. The King is counting on us."

"The King will be counting how many graves he will have to dig if the storm hits us."

The captain whacked his friend over the head and ordered him to get lost.

Ruto had a serious expression drawn on her face. She could sense the change of the waters, she knew the storm would hit any second and if it did they may not survive. Ruto jumped up and headed for the door that led off the ship. Though she didn't show it she was very scared and wanted to go home back to Zora's Domain where she could hide from the storm. Ruto thought that if she could get off the ship right now she would be able to swim back to shore. The Zora didn't care about the challenge, she just had to get out of the ship. Ruto grabbed the door handle but was pulled away by some guards who demanded for her to stay calm and not to tryto do silly things.

Saria was leaning by a window when suddenly she got a shock as the ship tipped sending Link tumbling into her making them both slidebumpily into the wall. Ruto flew off her seat and crashed into a table. The two guards by Zelda held her tightly as the ship tipped upside down in the great wind fighting in the storm.

The captain struggled for the exit, untied the lifeboat and hopped in a lifeboat leaving the ship to get to the island on its own. He had realised his friend was right and he didn't want to be one of the ones who would never see another day. The King would probably kill him anyway but he would rather die in a warm room than drown slowly. His friend jumped in after him and one more figure who wasn't seen due to the mists closing around the ship.

Link had closed his eyes as the ship had toppled over and as he opened them he had a surprise. The ship was upside down, now water was leaking slowly in through the roof which was now the floor. The first thing he heard was Ruto's wailing. But she wasn't moaning she was really crying. Then it hit Link like a slap in the face. Mido had been standing on the upper deck when the boat had tipped and if Link knew Mido he would not have been able to survive in the water.

Thinking about Mido made Link think about Saria. He chucked all of the pillows out of the way to find his friend. He hugged her so tight she had to pull away. As she did this she noticed tears in Link's eyes.

"Link are you ok?" She asked looking really concerned. Because she had been buried under so many pillows she had not heard Ruto's sobs.

"I think Mido has..has drowned." Link blurted out controlling his emotions. He didn't know what to feel, the boy who had picked on him and made him feel like a loser for so long might be dead and he didn't know how to react.

Saria was speechless. The boy that had used to always follow her around begging her to love him and the boy that had picked on her best friend could be dead. She couldn't believe it.

Link pushed Mido out of his headto concentrate on the task at hand. The ship was slowly filling with water and if they didn't get out theywould alldrown. Link grabbed Saria's hand and started to search for the exit. The guards jumped up and began to move chairs and tables out of the way so they could help find the door. It was hard to find because the ship had turned over but eventually they found it. Link shoved it open letting a cool breeze drift in. Luckily the storm had died down and only a thin fog was left.

Link reached out and grasped onto the roof, he gave himself a big pull up and crawled onto it. He stared across the ocean and could see the outline of the island through the mist. The only thing needed now was some sort of raft to get there.

"Do you see anything Link?" Saria called from the door. Link leaned over the edge of the roof and explained that he saw the island not too far away but they would need some rafts. Saria turned back into the room. She noticed the tables were made of wood so they might float.

The guards used their blades to cut the legs off the tables and soon enough they had five rafts that would hold about four people each. Zelda, two guards and Darunia got on the first raft and using a table leg for an ore they paddled through the now calm sea. The others followed until there was one table top left. Saria, Ruto and Link were the last on the boat.

Saria looked over the room to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Link swung from the roof into the room to see Saria staring at the corner.

"Link wasn't Alfos Red in a corner?"

Link thought for a moment then remembered Alfos had come into the room and sat in a corner but now he was gone.

"I don't know Sar maybe he used magic or something. Anyway we had better get off this boat quick or we won't be here either."

Link looked over at a distressed Ruto who was sitting in a puddle of water glaring at her reflection.

"Come on Ruto Mido might not even be dead."

Ruto turned her stare to Link who was standing over her.

"Oh you really think that do you? I didn't think you were that stupid!" Ruto snapped as she got to her feet and jumped on the table top.

Saria and Link looked at each other and shrugged as they pushed the table into the water and got on. Link pushed a table leg through the water moving the table slowly through the waves.

Meanwhile while the contestants were escaping the boat the lifeboat carrying three figures sailed in the direction of Hyrule.

The third figure was Alfos Red. He had jumped in just as the boat was taking off.

"Those fools have no idea what I am about to do." Alfos sniggered to himself.

Suddenly he shot two purple energy blasts into the other twolaughing as he heard them scream with pain. He then used his magic to turn the boat around and head to the island.

As Alfos was travelling back past the toppled boat he saw something green in the water. It looked like someone drowning.

"There is that stupid fool who hangs around that fish princess." Alfos grumbled in his head. "I will spare his life for now, he may be useful later." Alfos reached a bony arm into the water and grasped Mido's collar and dropped the small boy roughly into the boat. When he arrived on the now sunny island Alfos dropped Mido on the sand and just walked off to wait for his pathetic partner.

After sailing for a good 15 minutes the group reached the island.

It was a small island with a large volcano in the centre surrounded by a dark forest full of monsters and caves.

The group was led along the beach by the tour guide who had been asked by the King to help the contestants. Out of nowhere Ruto got the biggest shock.

"MIDO!" she yelled running towards the stunned boy as he sat up rubbing his eyes. Ruto dived on him hugging him for her life. Mido explained that the last thing he had seen was the deep grey water taking him under and then he was laying on this beach.

Soon the guide stopped the group and began to explain the rules.

"Ok people the challenge is to reach the top of that volcano in the centre. On your way you will encounter a few hardships that will slow you down. Remember if you think you can't go on please blow your whistle and one of our trained staff will get you back here but if you blow a whistle you are out of the challenge. The first pair to reach the flag on the volcano will win 50 points if they are in the tournament. It should take you about two days from now to reach the top."

The guide then led the group around the island placing each pair in a different place so they all wouldn't start in the same place.

A loud bang was heard and the challenge began.


A/N thanks for the reviews. And Devin I am going to make them 15 but that will be in a sequal because this story is a bit long.