Link already knew something was wrong the second he stepped onto the bridge leading from the field to the Kokiri's Forest. There was a sense of fear, destruction, and terror that washed over him as he slowly crept over the bridge with Zelda close behind. A sense of foreboding was in the air, and Link motioned to Zelda to stop where she was.
"Stay here, it may be dangerous ahead. I'll go on and meet you back here if it's safe to come in," Link said while drawing his sword and placing his shield in front of him. Zelda nodded as he walked forward through the passageway into his homeland. What met him inside was nothing he could have prepared for. His sword fell to the ground with a clatter and his shield dropped in amazement and despair.
Everything was aflame. Mido's house, the trees, his own house, everything was burning. Looking around, he only saw bodies lying in the dirt. Most were facedown, but those that weren't showed signs of terror frozen on their lifeless faces. Link slowly walked forward into the carnage, hoping against hope that he would see Saria still alive amongst so much death, and his hope dwindled as he saw her dwelling, or what was left of it, ahead and burning as well. Link stood staring at it for a moment, and then sank to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes. His home, his link to the past, was gone. Here he had endured endless teasing by Mido for not having his own fairy, fights started by his own determination to end the torture, and scolding by Saria for having started them and not just walking away from Mido.
He wished, while he lived here, that all the teasing, all the scolding, all the pain would go away. But now, with everything gone, he'd take all the torture life could give him to get all his friends back. Navi flew out from under Link's hat to comfort the hero, her wings folded in sorrow. Link stood up, gathered some twigs and a large stone from the quarry, and made an honorary grave for the fallen Kokiris, the only family he had ever known. After his task was finished he looked back, bowed, and turned to leave.
As he left the forest, Link's thoughts were of only one thing: vengeance. He wanted revenge on Ganondorf and whomever he worked with for this insanity. He wanted to kill him and torture him the way he'd killed all of Link's family and friends. He barely noticed Zelda on the return across the bridge and when she questioned him as to what was wrong, he only kept walking, struggling to keep himself from crying in front of her. The last thing he needed was to break down in front of the person who needed his strength. After walking in silence across Hyrule field for some time, finally it was Link who broke the silence.
"We need to find Ganondorf now. We need to end this madness quickly, before anyone else gets hurt. We need to finish this once and for all before the world is destroyed. The Kokiris were only the first victims; if we leave Ganondorf unchecked there will be more; perhaps there already have been. Whatever the case, he needs to pay for his crimes, him and his companion." Link said, so quietly that Zelda had to struggle to hear him. She was shocked at the mention of the Kokiris being victims of Ganondorf, but she chose not to mention it, for she knew that the loss had devastated Link greatly. When Zelda spoke it was in a hushed voice.
"We should search the Gerudo valley. That area is where Ganondorf came from and it's most likely where he has set up his base, along with whoever set him free. We can head there and try to think up a plan, despite not having spoken to anyone" She said, glancing anxiously at her anguished friend. Link only nodded and they set off together westward for the home of the Gerudos.
When the duo arrived at the great Gerudo Fortress they were horrified at the carnage before them. They saw the fallen Gerudos; the twisted mutilations manifested in re-deads, and heard the slow, mournful wails of the zombie-like creatures. Link and Zelda were awestruck that Ganondorf could do such things to two proud races, the Kokiri and the Gerudo. Little did they know however that Sheik had done the same to the Gorons and the Zoras. They were alone in their struggle to end the madman's bloodlust. They had no idea of what they were to face, but they knew that they could not fail.
"How could he? The Gerudos didn't deserve this, no one did! He's a horrible man to have killed so many innocents! He needs to be stopped before he hurts anyone else!" Zelda wailed, fury rising within her as she witnessed the atrocities lain out in front of her. She was answered by laughter, loud, booming laughter that seemed to come from everywhere at once. A flash of light announced the arrival of two men in midair, both of them familiar, though only one expected.
Ganondorf was there of course, but the other man was one they were shocked to see. The idea that Sheik had been separated from Zelda had been dismissed after a fierce debate between Zelda and Link, but there was no doubt now that the former had been correct in his accusations: Sheik was very much alive and right in front of them.
"Surprised to see me, princess? I suppose I should thank you for creating me and using me as a disguise for so long. Your powers nourished me well, and I have grown powerful indeed. As you can see, no race is a match for my powers," Sheik gestured to the slain women lying before them all and laughed a high-pitched laugh that did not suit his low, menacing voice.
"You monster, how could you do this just to get to us? If it was us you wanted then you should have come for us from the start instead of slaughtering countless innocent people!" Zelda yelled at Sheik, who only continued to laugh as she spoke.
"Ah, but I want so much more than the two of you; as you will see in time. But for now, I will be satisfied with killing the Hero beside you. His death would mean so much to my friend here so I think it best that we get started. Shall we?" He looked at Link as he spoke these last words and Link only glared in response, nodding slowly, and drew his sword and raised his shield in preparation for the battle ahead.
"No no no, not here. This area is much too cluttered with all these useless bodies. Let's go somewhere more…interesting." Sheik snapped his fingers and they were instantly transported. Death mountain crater surrounded them now, and a long fall into the lava below was what awaited the loser.