The Winds of Time

By Sonic TH

DISCLAIMER: Regrettably, I don't have any ownership rights of anyone from the Legend of Zelda series. Only thing I do own is Gardoc the sorcerer and that's not much (I only invented him for the sake of this story).

Prologue Part 1

Time: 7 real years after the events in Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask

Place: The Kingdom Of Hyrule

Character: Link, the 17-year old Hero of Time

It has been 7 real-time years since Link vanquished the evil Lord Ganondorf Dragmire from the sacred realm of Hyrule and rescuing Zelda from him. Link was returned to his time 7 years before where he had aged like a normal Hylian. After he had visited the world of Termina, he chose to stay in Kokiri Forest until he was truly old enough to wield the great Master Sword of Power to rise as the true Hero of Time destined to safeguard Hyrule Kingdom from the forces of darkness and evil. He had revealed his secret of being a Hylian boy and not a Kokiri to his friends in the village. They accepted it as he was truly destined to arise as the Hero of Time.

Now 7 years has past. Link is 17 and the world of Hyrule is safe. He left the forest at the age of 15 to finally take up the blade of legends and protect Hyrule. For the next 2 years, he managed to fulfill the prophecy of the sages and prevent evil from ever entering the sacred realm. However, a new force has entered Hyrule and is determined to wash the land with darkness and despair once more like Ganondorf did before Link banished him.

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A mysterious man cloaked in a white robe, an ivory white cape whipping in the wind, and a cloth mask that shields the lower half of his face stands on a hill overlooking the market in front of Hyrule Castle.

"Well…this is the land that the legendary Hero of Time seeks to protect? Should not be hard to take it for myself…" he said to himself. "This realm is weak and pathetic. No wonder they need a savior. Bringing back Lord Ganondorf will not be a burden in the least. Once I have the Blade of Legends, this world can do nothing to save itself. Then I shall revive Ganondorf, banish the Hero of Time together, and blanket this world with the wrath of our evil to create the empire Ganondorf sought to establish…"

The figure spun around and suddenly, in a cloud of blue smoke, vanished off the hill.

"Eh? Who was that?" said a villager who saw the cloud of smoke appear out of nowhere as the man who stood there before disappeared. "Oh well, it was probably nothing."

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Later in the day, as the sun is going down, Link is riding his horse Epona across Hyrule Field when his fairy, Navi, flies in front of his head as if she has something to say.

"Hey! Listen! I have a feeling that Saria wants to say something. Play Saria's Song and talk to her," Navi said, sounding fairly concerned.

"Are you sure?" Link asked. Navi assured him she felt something was ill. He pulled out his silver Ocarina of Time given to him by Zelda. He played the notes of Saria's Song. Instantly, he heard a voice of a young girl inside his head.

"Link, is that you? Something is terribly wrong. I can sense it. As a sage I can detect an evil presence brewing anywhere in Hyrule. However, not since the rule of Ganondorf have I ever felt such a strong manifestation. Meet me at the Sacred Forest Meadow in front of the Forest Temple and we'll talk there," the voice explained.

The voice ended and Link's mind returned to his body.

"Well? What did she say?" Navi asked, inquisitively.

"I don't know. She just sounded really frantic, as if something horrible was about to happen," Link replied. "She said to visit her at the Sacred Forest Meadow but that was it."

"Well, then lets go!" Navi said.

Link took out his Ocarina again and played the Minuet of Forest. He instantly warped away to the Meadow.

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Link landed on the giant Triforce logo in front of the Forest Temple. Saria was sitting on the tree stump nearby.

"Saria, what's going on? Why did you summon me here?"

"The presence of evil is growing stronger by the minute. I can feel it. There's a dark and ominous aura surrounding Hyrule," she said darkly. "Or it could be right here…" Her voice suddenly changed to that of a man.

"Wha…?" Link asked in a worried voice. "Saria? Are you alright?"

"Oh quite alright," said the mysterious voice that had inhabited the Sage of the Forest. Saria stood up but she had a much more menacing look in her eyes. "I've possessed her body. And now…to reveal myself."

Instantly, Saria's body was covered with a white light. Link shielded his eyes from the rays of energy coming off her. When he looked back at her, she was lying on the ground unconscious next to a man dressed entirely in white. He removed his face mask and spoke with a sinister mannerism. He had a long nose and a wide mouth.

"My name is Gardoc. I am a sorcerer from another dimension. I was sent here by request by the one you call Ganondorf," said the evil figure standing before Link.

"Why are you here and what business do you have with Saria?" Link said in a more confident voice. He unsheathed the Master Sword from his back and put his shield on his arm.

"Oh, I have no business with Saria. She was just a vessel. I needed to track you down somehow so I used her body to talk to you. What better way to do it than with one of your friends?" Gardoc said. He raised one hand above his head and fired a blue magic ball at Link. Link rolled to the side to avoid.

"Ganondorf is destroyed. I banished him from this realm," Link told the sorcerer.

"On the contrary, boy. You only believe you destroyed him. In fact, he's in a gap between this dimension and mine. He managed to contact me and told me of you and your legendary sword. I was offered wealth, power, and control in exchange for vanquishing you. An offer, I must say, that cannot be refused. All I must do is bring him the Master Sword and my business with you is complete."

Gardoc suddenly lifted Link off his feet with magic and brought Link close to his face.

"Listen to me, boy, you've got no chance to stand against me. Imagine, someone of your age protecting a realm from evil. It surprises me you lasted this long. Well, its over for you," Gardoc levitated the Master Sword out of Link's hand and grabbed him in a one-handed choke. "I control your fate now…" he whispered with an evil grin.

A purple, swirling portal appeared behind Link. He struggled to break free but he couldn't.

"Prepare for your final journey!"

With that, Gardoc tossed him into the portal. Link was sucked into its murky purple haze then the portal closed. All that was heard was his final scream of terror echoing through the Sacred Meadow.

No one knows what happened to Hyrule following that. It's said that Ganon returned from his prison between the dimensions, but turned on Gardoc instead of aligning with him. Ganon banished Gardoc to a faraway place never to be heard from again. Ganon then began his wrath of terror across Hyrule. However, the legendary blade of the gods, the Master Sword, managed to escape the evil clutches of Ganon. Ganon took control of the world and without the Hero of Time to save them; the people were at his mercy. Time passed and eventually, the kingdom of Hyrule was overthrown and the royal family disappeared. All that was left for him to do was to attain the Triforce of the Royal Family so he could complete his evil vision of a dark and desolate world where he would rule supreme.