Author's Note: Reviews are always appreciated, keep 'em coming people! What can I say, I'm a feedback whore. Anyway, this chapter should help assuage some fears, if there are any, about Link being left out. Fair amount of plot development here, not as much as the next chappie will have though! That being said, read on!

Wings of Time

Rebirth

/Begin/

In the darkness all was quiet. No noise, no pain, no thought. Floating in an eternity of blackness. Peace.

For brief moments, he felt restless, as though something remained undone that required his attention. Or maybe those feelings lasted millennia, there was no way of knowing. Then again, it didn't matter. Only rest was of importance. His soul was…tired. Weary after running the gambit life had thrust upon him. Now the inky darkness surrounded him, permeated him; comforting and soothing the soul into the afterlife. It felt like a favorite blanket; warm and inviting.

Still, the feeling of restlessness came upon him. It didn't matter how frequently, for there was only now. Now the urge tugged him, and it was gaining strength.

"Awaken, Hero."

No! Not yet…

Slowly, he felt his senses returning. A feeling of calm still enveloped him, his perceptions slightly hazy as though waking from a dream. His eyes began to focus on the light in front of him.

Three figures stood before him, robed in flickering energy that danced like fire. Blue, green, and red; all three of the Triforce goddesses stood present and accounted for.

"Won't you three ever let me give me a break?" Link sighed, "I've played your little game, aren't I supposed to get eternal rest now or something?"

"Link, Hyrule still needs you," Nayru soothed, quiet and gentle like the darkness they were floating in.

"Your princess is in danger," Din reminded almost impatiently.

"Can't you find someone else to do your dirty work? Excuse me if I don't feel too inclined to jump back into the mortal plane, but I sort of just got killed. I'd like some downtime if you don't mind. Put someone else through the hell I endured."

"And Zelda?" Farore asked, her eyebrows quirked, if that was possible for a goddess with no definable face.

"Zelda's tough," he faltered, "You made her that way. She can handle whatever little bandit issue is going on."

"Do you honestly think we'd resurrect you for the sake of some upstart bandits?" Din snorted, "I thought you knew us better than that, Hero."

Blue and green shot twin reproachful looks at their sister, who merely shrugged at her own bluntness.

"Whatever it is you may choose to believe about yourself, the point is we still need that little soul of yours. Not to inflate your ego more than it already has been, but souls like yours don't come around too often. Besides, no one else would have the personal motivation for this task."

"You make it sound like the world's going to end."

"In a way, it has for Zelda," Nayru interjected, sympathy evident in her voice. Sweeping her arm to the side, she revealed an image of the blond sage weeping in her private chambers, clutching one of Link's old green tunics. Her face was hidden by the clothing, but even from the afterlife Link could feel the waves of pain washing off of her.

"Goddesses forgive me, it's all my fault! I'll do anything to see him again, just let me say I'm sorry!" the image of the princess sobbed. Link wasn't as heartless as she thought; a sharp pain filled his chest at the sight of her weeping over him.

"You want me to end her pain?" he asked numbly. Maybe a brief apparition to his love wouldn't be so bad, just to say goodbye…

"She's perfectly capable of doing that herself," Farore answered soberly.

"What the hell are you tal-" he began, but was cut off when the vision began to move, and move with a purpose. Placing the tunic down on the bed like it would shatter at any moment if mishandled, Zelda then methodically took off her gloves. Through her silent tears she walked to her desk, pulling out a small dagger from a drawer. Link's heart nearly leaped out of his throat.

"Stop her!" he pleaded.

Din closed her eyes momentarily, her face grave at what her sister was showing the mortal. She hated suicides.

"Your highness, you have to try to eat," a voice Link recognized as Impa's said, slowly pushing the door opening. Once she found where the princess was standing in the room, the tray of food she had been carrying instantly crashed to the floor, and the royal attendant crossed the room in a flash.

Zelda never had a chance, in mere seconds she was disarmed. It didn't take long for her to cease her struggling and resume her pained crying. Impa simply held her for a time, and then when the girl seemed to have calmed down and regained her senses, she held the princess out at arms length and slapped her.

"Don't you ever dare to be so stupid. Hyrule needs you to lead, Zelda. Link or no Link, you have an obligation to those people. Don't make them lose both of their national symbols in such a short time. We need you alive, you're not the only one who misses him."

"But they aren't the ones that killed him," the blond hiccupped.

"Neither are you, foolish girl. Are you the one who shot the bolt into his chest? Did someone forget to inform me of when you became a bandit?" Impa shot back.

"But he-"

"What's done is done, princess. We can't change the fact that Link's gone, so the best we can hope for is to survive without him. Right now I need you to survive."

The portal faded from view before Link could hear Zelda's response.

"Hyrule needs her, and she needs you. No one ever said your task was over Link, but if you perform this service satisfactorily for us you may decide your fate as a reward," Nayru said levelly.

Frozen blue eyes shut in a moment of contemplation. In reality, there was nothing to decide. Zelda needed him, and like always he would come dashing in with a sword ready to save her from evil. At least it would be a chance to say his farewells.

Link's piercing eyes snapped open as he studied the waiting goddesses. Purpose filled those eyes now, a longing to set things right.

"Tell me what needs to be done."

And the goddesses smiled.

/End/

Hope you enjoyed, next chapter should be posted quite soon as I'm on break at the moment. Be glad for my lack of a life :P