The curtain closes on Link's greatest adventure. After collecting three spiritual stones, traveling through time, saving 6 sages, rescuing the princess, and saving the vast land of Hyrule, Link was returned home to be able to relive the seven long years he had lost. It was difficult learning how to walk once again in his smaller, ten year-old body but he got the hang of it again quickly. After he left the Temple of Time, he went back to his home in the enchanted, fairy-filled forest, but he knew he couldn't stay for very long. The time was telling him that his place couldn't be here for a while.

"Saria, it's time for me to go. I know it doesn't seem fair, but this is the way it has to be now." Link said.

"But why?" Saria said with a saddened expression. "Why do you have to go? You just came back to us. You don't ever have to leave the Kokiri Forest ever again. I know… that you've always been different from us… but… that doesn't mean you have to leave! Stay. You belong here."

"I can't… Believe me, you don't know how much I would love to just stay here in peace for the rest of my life, but…. Well, I have to go!" Link said, failing miserably to give her an excuse for why he was leaving. "I don't like it… But I promise that I'll see you again. You can be sure of that."

Link gathered his things and headed out. He took one last glance over his shoulder as he left the beautiful forest and the greatest friend he'd ever had. Link looked at the ground in shame as he walked. "If only I could tell everyone the REAL reason I'm leaving… I can't stay here because when I went to the future, no one had seen me in 7 years… Ganon still lives in this time, but my older self WILL see to his fall. If I were to stay here, then it would throw off the entire set of time. And I can't tell Saria that she'll become a sage because that might mess something up… I wish I could say good-bye to everyone first… But I guess I shouldn't… Time can be a really delicate thing. This must be the Goddesses' way of saying it's time to embark on a new journey… Maybe Malon will let me borrow Epona. Wait… I can't do that unless I bring her right back soon… Ok, I'll do that." Malon graciously agreed to lend Epona to him for a while. Link thanked her and decided to travel northwest. To the land of Termina.

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Ganondorf's defeat had finally come. He was sent to the Evil Realm by the 7 sages.

All of Hyrule celebrated the vanquishing of evil and they all danced at the Lon Lon Ranch. Everyone, even the thieving Gerudos and the reserved Zoras, danced, for the shadow had finally left them. However, there was one young man who lived in the shadow of Death Mountain who didn't like this one bit.

"Damn!" He called out, cursing the fact that Ganon was only imprisoned. "This sets a lot of things back! Now I may never attain immortality. No… I WILL have it, yet. Even if the King of Evil were still here… There is still no way I could over come his power. Not as I am now… But I need that part of the Triforce that dwells within his left hand…. Only then can I finally get that which I desire. To do that I need more power… More than I already have." The young man pondered and pondered how it was possible to be even more powerful. He had trained his skills in hand-to-hand combat and sword-play to the maximum and he couldn't push his limits any farther. He had to find a way to gain more… abilities… "Yes that's it!" He shouted, realizing the answer to his problem. "I need more power. Like that inner power found in the sages. They will not be easy opponents, but I MUST win! If I can just beat them and steal their power… perhaps then I could at least be strong enough to kill Princess Zelda or that boy." The young man mused, tongues of flame showing in his dark purple eyes that were partially covered up by his neck-length brown hair.

"Ryu? Are you here?" A gentle voice called from behind him. The young man turned around.

"Yes, I'm here Mother." A woman who looked as if she were in her early 40's approached him.

"Are you alright? Lately you seem so… angry… Your face always shows such anguish. What ails you, my child?"

Ryu had an evil smirk on his face. "Nothing is wrong. In fact I feel marvelous! Everything shall go according to plan."

"What are you talking about? What plan? What's going to happen?"

"Oh, you will see within time, Mother. You will see within time…" Ryu walked by her and left.

His mother was puzzled with the way he was acting. "I hope he's alright… Ever since his father was killed… he's been acting so strangely…" A tear trickled down her face out of worry of her son and despair for her lost husband.

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Ryu finally got up from his deep meditation and looked up to see the gargantuan volcano towering over the now peaceful village of Kakariko. "Hm… I suppose my first attack should be on Darunia. He most likely has the most power to offer and he happens to be the closest sage from where I am." Ryu started up the long rode up Death Mountain, with his long, seven foot samurai sword in its sheath by his side.