A/N: Ri2, do you have any stories, or a pen-name? The ideas you have seem to me to be those worthy of a good writer, and I'd love to read whatever you've got! I may just use some of your ideas in my story, or I may not... you'll just have to see! I will too. After all, I'm writing these chapters as they're posted. Not much rough-drafting, I just have basic ideas of what each chapter is about, so it turns into like an episode of a drama, where it relates to itself, but has a lot to do with the rest of the "series".

On another note, I know they are Stalfos, but I consider Stalfos the "adult" skeletons, and Stalchildren the "children". You'll soon find why I chose not to make it a 'Stalfos' persay... As for the big cucco, re-read PD chapter 2. Hopefully, you'll wig out. But you may not.

And I know I said that I didn't like the time travel with the Master Sword, but that doesn't mean there will be no time travel... I'm still working that out, so we'll see what I come up with. Anyway, I know why you're all here, so let's get to the story!

A Hero's Path

Chapter 20: The End of Innocence

They soared over Hyrule Field, heading straight toward Hyrule Castle Town. Over the town was a big smoke cloud, and flames went up through the city. Something was happening. As they flew, Stalchildren rose from the earth, staring up at the great owl carrying the child, their greatest opponent. In the distance behind, Link saw a figure on horseback rushing out from the desert.

Kaepora Gaebora dropped Link at the gate. "This is where we part ways, Link," he said. "But I will leave you with some advice. One day you must face those two witches. They have polar opposite magic. You may be able to use that to your advantage. I will continue to watch you." With that, he started to fly off.

"Wait!" Link shouted. Kaepora circled back around. "Do I look like a hero now?"

"More than ever! Now hurry to the Temple of Time!" The great owl hooted one last time and disappeared in the distance.

Navi flew out of Link's hat and they walked over the drawbridge. It was still open, though it was late at night. Beyond, they could see straight into the city. In Town Square, there was a large battle occurring. In the confusion, Link couldn't tell who was on whose side. It was made up of Gerudos, Royal Guards, and townsfolk, but he would occassionally see the townsfolk fighting guards.

Link remembered the path in his dream to the temple. He hurried down the riot-filled streets, fighting Gerudos as they crossed his path. He came upon a guard. Surely the guards would know what was going on.

"Excuse me, mister guard!" Link said. "Can you tell me..."

"Link! Look out!" Navi shouted. Link gazed into the guards eyes, and found nothing. Literally, nothing. He had no eyes. His flesh was sagging off his face. His mouth was gaping open and it issued out a loud, sharp, scream. The sound was so skin-crawlingly shrill it paralyzed Link by the shiver going up his neck.

The guard bent down, reaching out with its hands at Link. It gripped his shoulders, and all Link did was stare into its eye sockets.

"Link!" Navi shouted, snapping Link out of his mezmorized state. The creature opened its mouth wider to reveal sharp pieces of teeth and it reached toward Link's throat with its mouth. Link pulled out his sword and slashed the creature's head off. It crumbled to the ground.

"What happened?" Navi asked.

"You tell me!"

"Was it hypnosis or fear paralysis, Link?"

"What? I was just scared out of my mind!"

"Come on!" Navi said. "We've gotta find the Temple of Time!"

"I think I know where it is!" Link led the way through the streets as he remembered. The whole time, Navi was asking how he knew what he was doing. Link didn't know. But such a vivid dream had only occurred once before in Link's life, and it came to pass. This one had to be real, too.

A group of three Gerudo spear-women blocked the street they hurried down now. The Gerudos wore something similar to Nabooru's clothing, but simpler and in dark purple. They had just killed a man with a pitchfork in hand, and he was bleeding all over the road. Link raised his sword at the women.

"I need through here, now, and you're gonna let me," he said as ferociously as he knew how. The Gerudos laughed.

"Perhaps you haven't heard, kid," one of them said. "We're the new Royal Guard."

"Yeah, the old one is dead, but not buried!"

"This is so stupid," Navi said. "LET US THROUGH!"

The Gerudos jumped into position, ready to attack.

"You're just a kid, but you've got a knife," one said. "We're ready to fight you."

"We've been put here to keep people out. King Ganondorf Dragmire's orders."

"Hey! You're that Kokiri kid, aren't you?" one realized. "How'd you escape prison?"

"Because," Link said. "I'm a Kokiri warrior. And I'm a hero. You're going down!"

"Can we cut all the corny crap and get this fight going now?" Navi shouted. With that, Link jumped at the Gerudos. They raised their spears defensively.

Link couldn't break through the spiky wall. He spun himself backward and took the spears in the back with his shield. He hit the ground and rolled to his feet.

"You've got moves kid," one said. They rushed at him. He prepared his sword for the onslaught. They came and he jumped to one side, striking the head off the outside Gerudo's spear.

They turned to face him again and rushed him again. He jumped to the other side and whacked off the other outside Gerudo's spearhead. The two blade-less Gerudos stepped back and the third one faced Link. He had to get through, but didn't want to hurt these women. He'd fought all creatures up to this point, never a person. Except Mido, but he couldn't hurt him either. So far, he'd disarmed two Gerudos, but they were fierce warriors, unlike Mido. They could fight without weapons.

Link and the Gerudo woman circled each other, waiting for an opening. Link remembered all the good Gerudos. The ones who were killed by Kotake and Koume. And Nabooru, Ganondorf's daughter. Raised by the most horrid evil Link knew, she was the ultimate example of how a Gerudo could be whatever they want. They weren't just creatures who were raised or bred for the purpose of killing. They were people. Link couldn't kill a person.

As Link thought about this, the Gerudo woman struck he blocked the spear's blade with his sword. The blade was about as long as the Kokiri Sword. But the woman was atleast as strong as Link, and she had more leverage with a longer handle. Link broke the encounter and pulled back. He couldn't take her head-on. She charged forward as Link prepared for her attack. She struck down and he jumped aside. The spear hit the ground and he chopped the staff between her arms. She now held a sword the size of the Kokiri Sword. She sliced it through the air at him. He blocked, but she was still stronger. Much stronger. She was a warrior, raised in an army for years. Link pulled back as his sword was nearly turned on him.

She charged at him, and he realized that this could go on forever. Her strike was stronger than his, and eventually she may just have to win out.

"Link, her sword's unbalanced!" Navi said.

"What?" He dodged her attack.

"The blade was balanced with a longer handle. It's not as effective without. If you get one good hit..."

"Quiet!" The Gerudo swatted at Navi, who flew back. Link held that advice. Now the Gerudo was on guard about the blade, but soon...

They met in several clashes after that, and Link let her push him back farther and farther. He retreated from her, and she started feeling cocky. Link knew it. He took his sword in both hands and charged at her, holding his sword down at his side. She charged as well, raising her blade to strike him down. Link knew he had to hit it just right. They met, and she struck down.

He swung up to meet her blade. He hit it full force, and it flew through the air toward the other two women. Link kicked the disarmed woman down and held his sword at her throat.

"I'll say it again!" he said angrily to the Gerudos. "I'm comin' through!" He ran past the guards, and they let him go. No telling what would happen if he got really angry.

Beyond the street was a large cathedral made of white stone. It had a large door with ornate images on the frame. Link stepped inside to find a large, open hall. Large, arched windows lined the walls. Normally, those windows were sure to bring in much sunlight and light the entire temple, but in the middle of the night in a city at war, the only light coming in was that from burning rooftops. At the end was an altar in front of the wall. The wall had an intersting symbol. At the top was the familiar symbol of the three triangles.

"The Triforce," Navi said.

"Where?"

"Those triangles up there. It's the symbol of the Triforce, Link."

"Oh. I thought it was here."

"No. The Triforce is in the Sacred Realm, but this is the gate to the Sacred Realm."

As they drew close to the altar, they found the three Spiritual Stones already resting in hollows on it. Shattered clay was scattered on the floor around the altar. Link picked up a large piece. It was curved and there were circular holes in it. Link knew it all too well. His greatest comfort: Saria's ocarina.

He held the piece close. "Navi," he said. "He broke it."

"Is that...?" Link nodded. He threw it to the ground.

"All that man cares about is the land," Link said. "He is too greedy for his own good. We have to stop him!"

"Ye who owns three Spiritual Stones, Stand with the Ocarina of Time and play the Song of Time," Navi read off the altar. "Link, we need that song if we're to stop Ganondorf!"

"Link, play this song in front of the altar in the Temple of Time," Link remembered Zelda saying in his dream. He held up the Ocarina of Time, which he had strung around his neck. He remembered every note to that slow, sorrowful melody, and played it note for note, as he had in his dream.

"Where'd you learn that?" Navi asked. Suddenly, something started to happen. The ground rumbled ever so slightly as the back wall cracked in the middle and started opening.

"The Door of Time?" Link said.

"I guess so." Light rushed out from behind the door as it opened. They stepped toward it. They walked into the room beyond. Was it the Sacred Realm? They stepped through the door, now completely open, and looked inside.

It was brightly lit by another arched window, high up in the room. The light coming in from the window shone straight down to an object in the middle of the room. The object was surrounded by stairs leading up all around. Strange symbols surrounded the middle. And in the middle, sat a sword, stuck in a pedestal. It reminded Link of the splendor set up by the Know-it-All Brothers.

The sword sat majestically. It had a royal blue hilt, very ornate, with a yellow jewel set in it. The hilt ended with "wings" with the blade issuing from between them. The symbol of the Triforce was inscribed on the blade.

"Link, isn't that..." Navi started to say. She realized Link wouldn't know, but her heart jumped when she realized, it had to be! "It's that legendary blade..."

"What blade?"

"The Master Sword!" Navi fluttered all around it, examining it to make sure she was right. It had to be. "They say only the one meant to wield it can draw the sword from its resting place in the Pedestal of Time."

Link stepped up to it. It was much too large for him to carry. It couldn't be his sword. But he would try anyway. He stepped up onto the stone and rubbed his hands together. He would give it his best shot, and if that didn't work, oh well. He would finally be done. He could go home and leave Hyrule in the care of the one more worthy. Finally.

Now he almost hoped he couldn't draw the sword. But what if he could? What if he was destined to more and greater things than just collecting stones and leaving everything in others' hands? What if he was destined to actually save Hyrule?

He grabbed hold of the hilt. It felt unnatural. It couldn't be his.

"Link, you are the Hero," Kaepora Gaebora had said. That big cucco had such faith in him. There must be something to it. He gripped the sword tight and pulled straight up.

Nothing seemed to prevent the sword from coming up. It came straight out and a blue light surrounded the circular area on which he stood. He felt a strange feeling come over him, and then a familiar evil laugh came to his ear.

"Excellent work!" the evil man mocked, walking into the eerie light. "As I thought, you still had the rest of the keys to the Door of Time! I knew if I let you escape the desert you would lead me right to the Sacred Realm! Yes, I owe it all to you, kid!"

The last thing Link heard as the light blinded him was Ganondorf's evil laughter...