I own whatever Nintendo says, however they're still not talking to me so... nothing.

This takes place after the ocarina of time…

Things are messed up.

The art of memory

White surrounded all. It was like of void of nothingness yet there was something. Not an object per-say but a sound. A dull clicking sound that echoed over and over and over driving him insane.

Click…Click… click…click…

Then all sound stopped, and the void started to fade. Blackness started to take the world. It consumed all. It slowly made it's way over the white leaving only a pillar of light to penetrate the darkness.

And a figure appeared. It was dressed in all white; long sliver hair flowed from it. it had a sort of peaches and cream colored skin, creamy just by the sight. It was too hazy to see anything with real detail but one could just make out that the figure was female, the gentle curves giving it away.

And another pillar of light shone through the darkness. This one fading in and out, whether or not it was to be affiliated with the darkness unknown. In it was also a figure.

She had a flowing red dress; silky black hair flowed from her and mixed with the darkness. She had a paler colored skin, but creamy just the same. Beyond that all was unknown, the haze covering the eyes more and more.

Then a third pillar arrived, this one shaking the ground under it and causing it to crack. The light was unnatural, a pale blue. In it a figure slowly descended from above. It's body stopping inches before the feet touched the ground. The arms hung loosely and unused at it's side. It's head cocked to the right.

will of it's own. He wore a red tunic with red pants underneath. The pant's where slightly large, bellowing in an unseen wind.

He also had a soft creamy white skin but it was his eyes that attracted the attention. They where gray, the pupils dilated and slightly moving around with a sporadic motion.

On him were wings. One, the right, was pitch black and was flooded into the darkness. The whole wing was visible, being darker than the darkness.

The other wing was silver, the same color as the other woman's hair. It was folded neatly at his side not touching the darkness.

A low hollow moan resonated in the darkness, the voice breathless and tiered.

And the haze took over.

A young man shot to awareness and sat up in his bead, his eyes blank and scared. His breath was ragged and his muscles tight.

He looked down at his hands to see them clenched into fists, the knuckles white. His eyes looked around the room taking it all in. he slowly opened his mouth, teeth hurting from being clenched together.

He was in a room, his bed at the far wall. There was one window, light shining through it onto his face. Next to his was a small dresser, on it his sword in it's sheath and his mirror shield reflecting some of the morning rays into the other parts of the room. Besides that there was nothing in the room. He didn't care however; it wasn't his normal room, just a room at the inn.

He looked at his sword, the master sword he had guessed from the handle, and it was spotless and as sharp and shiny as it was first made, defiantly a work of art.

He got out of bed, his clothes already on from yesterday, and picked up his equipment. His sword strap fitting easily over his shoulder, next he secured his shield to his body and walked off. He stopped at the door and picked up his bow and arrows and put them on.

His attention was caught by the mirror beside the wall. He looked in to check and make sure he looked all right.

His face starred back at him.

Gray eyes locked on to his own. Bangs of spiky blond hair covered his forehead. He his face had soft curves to it; a scar making it's way down his right cheek the only thing marring it. His nose was small, but not tiny. Also on his head, slightly covered by his blond hair, were elfin ears. He starred at them for a quick second before looking down at his clothes.

He still wore the red tunic like he had the day his memory started… which was not the day of his birth. His pants were still worn in the same baggy stile making it comfortable to run.

Well-toned muscles lined his body, some still tight from his awakening. On his hands were black fingerless gloves. The palms tarnished and worn from use. On the back of each was a small diamond.

He looked at himself one last time before heading out the door.

He was 5"9', shot for a sixteen year-old.

Four years ago.

Thee soldiers made their wave through Hyrule field, their horses running at top speed. They had simple chest armor and swords, nothing more. But for these men a sword was all they needed. The armor was to let all know that they were soldiers. In fact they were top of their class, second to only the seven elite.

A shining caught their attention as they crossed over a hill on the way past Lonlon ranch. The stopped their horses and looked.

Off in the distance was a boy, he looked barely twelve. He trudged along as a mirror shield twice his size on his back caught the sunlight and reflected it.

Loki, the third best fighter out of the three turned to his friends. He was a large man, but only muscle took up his body. His neck was thick and his arms burly. He had a large mustache of deep red hair, the only hair on his head besides his eyebrows. He scratched his chin and spoke.

"I don' suppose ya know what that boy there is doin' out in the field at a time like this do ya?" he said mentioning to the falling sun which was almost hidden behind the mountains.

"No… but that shield looks rather expensive if you know what I mean." Norris said. He was the second best and loved to let people know. He was a medium sized man, his arms coved in muscle and scars. His face was round, his eyes glinting in mischief. He was without a beard and well-groomed black hair covered his head. His face was ordinary with nothing special on it.

"So…" Rusty, the commander of the three, asked as he turned to look at Norris. Rusty, was older than the two, around thirty. His green hair stood up in spikes. His eyes were a lifeless green but sparkled with something more. Knowledge, power, and… youth. He always had on a worm smile. His face was clean-shaven, a cut on his left eyebrow separating it down the middle. He had a slightly angular face but everything else was fine. His frame was wracked with muscle, the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt bulging.

"So, I want it!" Norris cried as he took off towards the kid.

"Norris! Get back here, that's an order!" Rusty yelled out to him but it was of no use.

Norris's black mare ran and incredible speeds as he headed towards the boy. He ignored the order by his commander, the first mistake.

Air rushed through his hair as the boy got closer and closer. The longer he starred at the shield the more he wanted it.

Our business is done at Hyrule, I'm sure the queen of Ethanol won't mind us coming a little late. His mind chuckled as he drove his horse faster. He looked at the shield.

The shield had the basic design of the Hyrule shield but more intricate designs were carved into it. He smiled as he guessed the selling price of such an item. The boy's back was turned to him giving him the perfect chance of a surprise attack.

As he got close enough he pulled his sword from his scabbard ready to end it in a quick slash. His second mistake.

Rusty and Loki watched in horror as Norris bore down on the boy. He raised his arm to cleave the boy's head off and something happened.

It was so fast that it only left a wide ark of blurred metal. Norris's arm fell to the ground right next to the boy.

Rusty looked at the boy; he had not even seen him draw his sword. The boy stood there, unmoving as he watched the horse ride past him. The blade he had used was supposed to be too long for a boy his age but he held it to his side with ease. Blood flowed down the metal before it reached the edge and dripped to the ground.

"My god!" Loki cried out as he watched Norris turn his horse around and stop.

Norris was screaming in utter agony as he clutched the shoulder of his right arm, the actual right arm laying on the ground useless. Blood seeped from between his fingers staining his white shirt and flowing over his chest plate.

The horse looked at the boy and gave off a little whinny. Slowly the right half of the horse's head slid off showing a clean cut of bone and brains. The slab of meat fell to the ground with a dull thud followed by the collapse of the rest of the horse.

"My god indeed." Rusty said in a choked breath.

Norris groaned as he pulled his left leg from under the dead horse. He lost a boot to the fight but his leg was undamaged. He looked at the boy irate. He had sliced off his good sword arm.

Emotionless gray eyes starred back at him. The boy's dirty blond hair was mostly hidden under a red hat. He wore a red tunic, his pants slightly baggy. His right hand clutching the sword tightly.

Norris noticed strange markings on his hands, a triangle on both. He had heard about that somewhere before. Some Hyrulian fairy tale.

He groaned in pain and let go of his shoulder. The boy would die for that.

Rusty watched interested as Norris pulled a long knife from within his boot. His final mistake.

Norris has signed his own fate. He thought grimly as he watched on. Norris attacked with a jab to the stomach, which the boy easily dodged. He continued with continuous slashes that barely even came close to the body.

In an instant the boy's sword was above his head, blood poring down off the sword onto his arms. A trail of blood traced a diagonal ark through the air before dissipating. Drops of blood had been sent hundreds of meters with the attack.

Norris looked at the boy with wide eyes. With a clank the Brest plate fell into two pieces.

Norris followed its example as his top half fell backwards and his legs fell forwards. The cut had been a clean forty-five degree angle through his stomach. Intestine flooded onto the floor as Norris gasped for breath.

The boy calmly waked over and straddled Norris's chest. Nothing came to the boy and he lifted his sword and plunged it into the man's forehead stripping him of his extra seconds of life.

There was no emotion from it. No triumph and no sorrow.

The boy pulled his sword from the man and shook off the blood.

He had already started to sheath it when two men rode up on horses.

"What's yer name lad?" the bald one said as he got off his horse. His voice was gruff. The other stayed on his horse examining him with a keen eye.

Rusty's smile was gone as he looked at the boy who felled his friend. The boy had great fighting skills, superceding his teachers.

The only one who could take him down is an elite. He acknowledged grimly.

"He asked you your name boy." Rusty snarled through half lidded eyes. The boys face scrunched up in confusion before he turned to Rusty.

"Link… I think." He said as he turned his gaze to the ground.

"You think!? What are you stupid?" Rusty screamed as he jumped from his horse.

"Rusty!" Loki admonished with a glare. Rusty glared at him back but said nothing in return.

"I… I can't remember anything. I only remember finding myself in a temple with this sword," his said as he lifted it up for all to see, " ad this shield. I walked out and found myself in a town, called Hyrule if I remember correctly. I decided that I didn't want to be there so I left. I've been walking for hours." He finished and looked back at the two.

"Well now… what ta do?" Loki said as he scratched his chin in thought.

"Yer pretty good with that sword, maybe yer a knight in trainin' or somethin'. What'd ya think Rust?" He asked his commander.

"I think that even if you're not, you are now." He said as his smile came back. Link looked at him in confusion.

"What do you think? Should we allow him to train as a knight of Ethanol?" He asked Loki with excitement in his eyes.

"But he killed Norris!" Loki said with trepidation. He pointed to the lifeless copse of Norris, the eyes still starring out in fear as blood seeped from the gash in his head.

"Norris was a fool. Besides, this boy could easily replace him." Rusty said, his smile growing wider.

"Fine, but yer the one who's gunna tell queen Edema." He said with a shake of the head.

"C'mon kid, lets go." Loki said as he jumped on his horse.

Present

Link still couldn't remember his past but it didn't bother him too mush. Only the dreams. Yes, the dreams like last night.

He made his way to the main floor of the inn. There he found Loki and Rusty. Both were sitting on a couch looking at chickens as they walked around.

"… That one looks good enough to eat." He heard he conversation as he got close enough.

"I thought we were talkin' about women?" Loki asked as he turned his attention to Link.

"hey lad," Loki said with a nod, "lets go." He finished as he stood up and they headed for the door.

"Hey wait!" a feminine voice called as they made it only a few feet.

They turned around to see a girl of sixteen come running at them. She had long red hair they flowed behind her. She was beautiful, light cream-colored skin with soft facial features. Her blue eyes starred out with a light heaviness. She was nicely filled out and had curves in all the right places. All three had to avert their eyes from her ample bosom as they tried to be gentlemen.

"It you!" she cried as she walked up to Link so they were inches away. Link's breath caught as he stood up straight and tall, his surprised eyes locking onto hers.

"D-do I know you?" he asked with curiousness.

He better know her. Rusty though gravely as he remembered one of the reasons he was here.

"Don't you remember me? It's me Malon!" she cried happily as she took a step back so he could examine her.

"Malon… I don't recall knowing a Malon…" he said confused.

"But it's me! Come on fairyboy!" the words were sent straight to his brain and caused an immediate reaction.

His breath quickened, and his eyes grew wide. His heart rate shot up to thousands of beats per second and pain flared into his head. He took a step back as his hands rushed up to and gripped his head. He let out a groan of pain and doubled over.

Then all went black.

Link awoke again from the second time in one day. His eyes slowly adjusted to the light and he was able to make out two figures.

"Rusty… Loki?" he asked with a gruff voice as he winced in pain.

"We're here lad." Loki soothed.

"What happened?" rusty asked as he leaned over link, blocking the sun from shining in his face.

"I don't know… there was some flashes of… something… a girl I think, and then pain. Lots of it." He explained as he slowly opened his eyes.

"That girl, Malon, there's something I have to tell you about her." Rusty said with a sigh as he sat down heavily in a chair.

"What?" link said as he sat up.

"Well I kind of… well… you know…" he went on as he tried to find the right words.

"What Rusty?" he asked worried. Rusty never was this hesitant with anything unless it was serious.

"He engaged you to her about three months ago" Loki answered for him.

"WHAT!"

Malon stood outside the door with anxiety written all over her face. She was biting her left thumbnail with worry, a habit her father had told her to break.

Something's happened to link… he doesn't remember anything. Is he even my link anymore… why did this have to happen? I thought things were just starting to get better. A lone tear made it's way down her face before she wiped it away.

Oh father… why….

"Look link, she has nothing left. Her father died a couple months ago and without a husband she won't be able to maintain her farm for long, and she can't sell it without one either. She needs you help." Rusty exclaimed as he paced the floor, only looking at link for quick seconds.

"But I'm already married!" he screamed in frustration.

"Look Link, you have to put Ann behind you. We're all sad that she died but you can't go on like this forever. You're only almost seventeen for god's sake. Think of your future. You have to put her behind you!" he yelled, they had had this conversation many times.

"I can't just forget about her!" he screamed back at him as he got out of bet.

"It's been almost two years link! She's dead, get over it!" he was rewarded with a fist to the mouth. Rusty stumbled back and spit out blood.

"Don't you EVER just blow off her death like that! You don't know how it feels to lose your squadron, the men who are supposed to be you family, and your wife both on the same day!" he screamed.

"It's your fault." Cut clean through to the soul.

"Rusty!" Loki cried out appalled.

"It's your fault they died," he continued, " if you had just held them off for a few more minutes then our reinforcements could've arrived. If you had been stronger, better, killed more than they wouldn't have gotten through you and into your wife's village. They never would've overpowered your men, still weak from the last battle. It's your fault." Rusty looked at Link and spit out more blood onto the ground.

"Don' listen to him Link!" Loki cried as he pulled out his sword fearing the meltdown that was imminent. He looked at Rusty with a look of "are you insane?"

"No… he's right. If I had been better then I'd have been able to hold them all off. It is my fault." He said as his eyes looked out the window unfocused as if seeing far beyond normal sight.

"But ya would never have been able to hold off all one hundred of them. Ya did good gettin' sixty!" Loki encouraged.

"Are you going to let it happen again?" Rusty asked, mischief in his eyes.

"What?" link asked as he turned his gaze towards him.

"This situation is similar to that one. Are you not going to be strong enough to let Ann go? Not going to be strong enough to stand tall and hold back the enemies of that girl when she really needs you? Are you?" he questioned as he looked link straight in the eye. He watched as sorrow gave way to acknowledgement and finally changed to determination.

"I'll do it." It was softly whispered but they both heard it,

"Good, then lets go."

Malon paced the hall as she waited for them to come out. The rooms were amazingly soundproofed and she wasn't able to hear any of their conversation.

The squeak of the hinges of a door caught her attention and she whirled around to see who it was.

Link exited the door first and walked up to her. He seemed nervous and she noticed that he wouldn't meet her eyes.

No… he's called it off… she thought sorrowfully and brought her thumb to her mouth again. She watched him the whole way as he came up to her and stood in front of her. He never met her eyes until he stopped.

"Malon… I don't remember you," her heart stopped dead and tears made their way to her eyes, "they say it's some sort of amnesia, I'm sorry." Tears slowly made their way down her face.

He doesn't want to marry me… she cried in her head.

"However, I still find you to be the most beautiful woman I've ever met. I would gladly marry you. Hopefully you still feel the same since I'm not the person you thought I was." He finished. He averted his gaze once again as he waited for rejection.

"Link… I... I… yes, just yes." She cried as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. He looked at her stunned, she had agreed.

Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back to sooth her.

They were like that for several minutes.

Link slowly made his way up the pathway to Hyrule temple. They had been delayed a couple hours with the fainting and all but they were finally here. Malon had gone back to her ranch after he assured her that he would be back later that night.

Loki sighed as he looked at the last hill.

"I'll be so glad when we get to walk down these hills instead of up." He complained as they headed up it. At the crescent was the final gate to the castle. A single guard was on patrol there.

"Who be you?" he called through his helmet. Loki looked at rusty and shrugged.

"We be us?" he said in the same sentence structuring.

"Are you making a fool of me?" he asked in a gruff voice as he reached for his sword.

"We are the knights of Ethanol here to see princess Zelda." Rusty stepped in before anything bad happened to the guard.

"I'm sorry but she's in a very important meeting and visiting hours are over." He answered as he stood up straight.

"Look ya farmer reject, if ya don' let us in this instant then arrg!" Loki said as he demonstrated by punching his fist into the gate fiercely, all the while "take that and that and that" coming out of his mouth.

All three looked at him like he was some sort of maniac and took a good step away from him.

"Look, this is very important and we need to see the princess now!" Rusty raised his voice to show his annoyance.

"I'm sorry but visiting hours are –umph." The guard said as Link planted an uppercut to his chin sending him sprawled out of the floor unconscious.

"This isn't a hospital." Link murmured as he stepped over the man and pushed the gate open.

"Oh well, so much for the un-violent method." Rusty said and followed.

"Princess Zelda, princess Zelda!" Amy, Zelda's handmaid, screamed as she rushed up to her. Amy was seven; long red hair flowing behind her as her little legs went a million miles an hour. She had the cutest face, which consisted of a constant smile and blush. She had amazing sapphire eyes and her small nose made her all the more adorable. Zelda smiled as she looked at the girls red lips, she had been getting into her makeup again. The girl also woe a little green dress, courtesy of Zelda's old clothes.

"Yes Amy?" Zelda asked with a smile. The girl climbed into her lap before answering. Zelda shook her head as she realized that her pink dress was getting wrinkled.

It's the same dress I sent Link home in she remembered.

"There are knights from Ethanol wanting to see you." She said with her normal cheeriness. Despite all this childishness, Amy was rather smart and mature for her age.

"Well send them in," she answered with a smile.

"Yes ma'am!" Amy said and rushed off.

Seconds later three men walked into the room. She studied them one by one.

From her left was a bald man, he didn't look older than twenty-seven but he was still… bald. He was nicely built, his muscle showing finely but he was… bald.

The second man was older, mid thirty's maybe. He was also nicely muscled, she guessed that these were real nights, like the ones in her armies and not the guards that walked around and harassed the women.

He had green hair reminding her of Sarah. He looked rather well but his lips looked like they were busted recently. He, like the first, wore a simple chest plate with the emblem of a ferocious dragon on it. The rest of his clothing, a white shirt and black pants, were rather normal. However she knew Ethanol had their own dress code for their knights, these must have been elites.

The last one shocked her; she hadn't seen him in years. The crazy mop of blond hair gave it all away. But something struck her odd. His eyes were… gray. Also his favorite color green had been replaced with red, the hat was gone, and his pants were baggy.

Something had changed.

"Greetings princess." The one in the middle said and they all bowed.

"We are here ta informe ya of our great loss. Our kingdom of Ethanol has fallen during a great war and we are the only survivors." The… bald… one said. She was taken back by the news; she had heard nothing of a war.

"I see…" she said turning her attention from Link's changes to the new information.

"I'm sorry for your loss." She said as she looked each in the eye.

"Thank you your highness," it was Link's turn to speak; "however that is only part of our reason for coming here." Besides getting me engaged he scoffed in his head.

"Oh, there is more?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, we have come here to join an allegiance with Hyrule and become protectors and knights of her benevolence." He continued as he looked her in the eye.

"I see… are you all willing to take the challenge?" she asked as she eyed them all one by one, her gaze lingering on Link for a while.

"Yes princess." They said in unison.

"Very well then, meet here at midday for your challenge. You may be dismissed." She answered and they all turned and started to walk out of the room.

"Oh and link, it's good to see you again. You can stay here in the castle if you wish." She called after him. He stopped where he was and turned to her.

"I'm sorry princess but I don't remember anything of my childhood past four year ago, all I have from then are these," he said as he pulled out his shield and sword. She was amazed by the shield, something she had only a glimpse of in their former life but what surprised her was that he still had the master sword.

She felt a pang of guilt as she realized that he really didn't remember anything. She had screwed up somehow with sending him back.

"And as for you offer, I must decline. Sorry but my fiancé is waiting for me." He said with a bow. With that he turned and started to walk away again.

Zelda looked at her hands and summoned the Triforce of wisdom as a last test to make sure it was still link.

Link stopped and turned around as he felt a burning sensation in his hands. Slowly he pulled of his left glove to revel the Triforce of courage. She gasped as she saw it, proof that he was Link.

"It's glowing again." He mumbled just loud enough for all to hear. With hesitation he reached over and pulled off his right glove.

Zelda gasped in utter surprise as she looked at the final piece of the Triforce, the Triforce of power. Link had them both, one on each hand. Jut the thought made her dizzy.

"I must be going now." He called out as he gave one last looked at the princess. Then he was gone.

"My god, did ya see her?" Loki cried out in happiness.

"Yeah?" Rusty said thoughts elsewhere.

"She was so beautiful, the pink dress with the gold trim. Her body had filled out nicely hadn' it? She was so beautiful!" he cried out to the heavens, "and to think, ya used to know her!" he said as he jabbed Link in the side.

"And she's yer age just like that other girl. What's with ya and women anyway? Why don' they look at me?" he cried.

"You shouldn't talk about women like that, it's against the code of a knight. Besides I think they don't look at you because you don't have enough hair." Link said honestly.

"What!? Ya mean my mustache has to be longer?" he cried. Link just sighed and kept walking.

Amy jumped onto Zelda's lap for a second time. She giggled as Zelda jumped in surprise since her mind was elsewhere.

"You have the hots for that Link guy, don't you!?" she giggled and watched Zelda squirm.

"I do not!" she cried and looked away, blush on her cheeks. She cursed Amy for knowing her too well.

"Yes you do!" she pestered.

"No I don't. Besides he's engaged." Zelda said with a groan.

"So, engaged is not married. You still got a chance, the odds are just stacked against you." She said with mature insight.

"You think so?" Zelda asked her adult like counterpart.

"I know so."

Lonlon ranch was the same as it always was. Link slowly made his way into the house somehow knowing where to go even though he couldn't remember ever being here. He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes locked onto the couch.

On it was Malon, fast asleep. He guessed the time was around one in the morning. A small smile crept onto his face as he starred at her. She looked so peaceful laying there; a smile on her face and a few strands of hair falling over and onto her face.

He slowly walked up to her and lifter her up in his arms. He did so careful as to not wake her up.

She shifted in his arms so that her chest rested against his and her face looked up at his.

"Mmm… Link." She mumbled in her sleep. He blushed from the contact but ignored it and made his way to her room. He thanked the heavens for his good night vision as he walked into her room.

Her room was neat and tidy and the bed was in the middle of the room but it was dreadfully dark without the moonlight that normally came through the window.

He softly set her down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. She sighed contentedly. And rolled over.

It was in that instant that the clouds blocking the moonlight moved away giving him the most serene glimpse of a woman he ever had. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

The moonlight shone in her red hair giving it an ethereal glow. She looked almost pale in the moonlight but the smile was what made it so beautiful. Her smile filled his insides with a feeling he hadn't felt in almost two years.

He swallowed hard but his face moved into a small smile of it's own.

"Good night Malon." The clouds took the light away.

Well it's ix thirty-eight in the morning. I spent all night writing this. Gives me a new meaning to writing all knight instead of just reading. This is not a one-shot (as many of you could tell) but I really wouldn't expect more for a while. We all know how that went with my other story. As for that, if you really want to know how much I got done in all this time…

Three fourths a chapter.

I guess you could say that I'm lazy when it comes to stories I have promised to finish… heh heh.

This story just came to me. If the characters seem different then it's probably from the change of major events and the screw up of others. Also Links past isn't what it should have been, nope. I fooled with that too. However it may be awhile before you get a good glimpse at it. I still have to write the chapters. (Fuck!)

Hopefully this caught you interest, and if not then it gives me a good reason to procrastinate.

Also I've decided to post a couple random stories… I'll probably procrastinate there too… grrr. I'm usually not this lazy, I swear.

If you want me… you know where to find me.

Demonsaint.