This is my first fic, please be kind!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Legend of Zelda.

Powers of a Black Rose

Chapter 1

A Ripped Soul

Link was fishing one beautiful morning in Lake Hylia. The crystal clear water made the fish show easily. Link had already broken his current record of the biggest fish ever caught…three times! He wasn't concentrating on the fish, though; he was thinking about his adventure in Termina. He'd just got back from the festivities of the Carnival of Time. He was now pondering what to do with his masks.

Most of them were Masks of Happiness, but the most powerful of all was not. The Fierce Deity Mask was an evil mask, and Link had had to resort to using it to destroy the evil inside Majora's Mask. But using it had slightly corrupted him. Something inside him thirsted to use it again.

He was now wondering what to do. Of course he knew what to do. He should destroy it. But something inside him was telling him not to. It was a powerful artefact, after all. It could be used as a weapon.

Link pushed the idea away. No, he didn't need it. He was the Hero of Time, for Farore's sake! He only used it for a last resort.

…But wouldn't it be nice to take the easy way out? Not have to use it as a resort at all? To use it for any quest! Just think of the possibilities!

Link was in such deep thinking that he didn't feel his Ocarina shaking slightly. At least, not until a voice came from it.

"Hey! Link! Aren't you there?"

Link jumped, and picked it up.

"Sorry, Saria. I was just thinking."

"About what? You never think about me! Have you forgotten our meeting?"

"Oh, sorry! I'll be right over."

"You better be!"

Link, being fourteen years of age, hadn't come to the time in his life when Saria became a sage. They had both known that since Ganon had been sealed in the Evil Realm. Link had promised to meet with Saria in the Sacred Forest Meadow.

"Hi!"

"Hi, Saria. Sorry I'm late."

"That's okay, I had a pleasant conversation with a decent Deku Scrub while waiting." Saria smiled at him. Link tried to return the smile, but Saria noticed the grim atmosphere. "Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine, thanks."

They conversed for a few hours. Saria became increasingly aware of Link's tendency to lose attention of his surroundings and get lost in his thoughts.

"Link? Is anything wrong?"

"Huh? What? Oh, I'm fine, thanks."

"You keep saying that. Is there anything you're not telling me?"

Link tried to resist telling her his secret battle, but those eyes eventually made him give in.

"You know about my last adventure, right? And the last resort?"

"Yeah…but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Since I used the mask, it's like its taken control of part of me. Sometimes I want to destroy it, but other times I want to use it and…"

"And what?"

"…and…kill things, you know?"

"Link, this is serious. You don't get feelings like that. That mask obviously wants to possess you."

"But how can it be? Only Majora can do that! And don't look at me like that either," he quickly added, seeing the look on Saria's face, "this isn't the mask talking through me. I…or is it? I just don't know what thoughts are mine and what thoughts are the mask's!"

"If you want, I can destroy it for you."

"No!" Link instantly rejected that idea. "I mean it. It'll be a good thing, I admit, but…it's so powerful…we can't afford to destroy it…"

Slap! Link reeled, and then fell off of his stump. Saria towered over him. "You idiot! That's what the mask wants! It's making you want to wear it so it can use you. I even regret the fact that you used it. If you hadn't worn it, this wouldn't be happening!"

"Sorry…but can you think of another way? A part of me will die if that…thing is destroyed, I just know it!"

"Well…can't we seal it with Ganon?"

"Into the Evil Realm? Saria, if you do that, that'll be worse! Ganondorf will use it for his own, don't you see?"

"But there's always the chance that he'll never find it. The Evil Realm's big, you know. And there's something else I haven't told you.

"When we sealed Ganon into the Evil Realm, he fell into the Chamber of Power. The other two chambers, the Chamber of Wisdom and the Chamber of Courage, aren't filled yet. If we manage to fill them, Ganon will never be free."

"But what chambers will the Mask fall into?" Link asked, feeling slightly ill.

"You can make it go into your chamber. After all, it's now a part of you. You'll still be here, doing good deeds, while the Mask radiates the courage you have."

"But what about Wisdom? You said all the chambers have to be filled."

"This is where it becomes a little risky. We might have to talk to Zelda."

"You're not locking Zelda away!" Link yelled.

"I didn't say that! The Master Sword-"

"What does the Master Sword have to do with this?"

"The Sword was forged by Zelda's ancestors. Therefore, if we seal the Sword in the Chamber of Wisdom, it will fit there well. And, if everything goes well, two evils will be sealed away permanently!" Saria said.

Link pondered this for a moment. Then-

"We'll see Zelda."

Well, what do you think? A little short, I think. But this IS my first fic. Please don't flame. R&R...yeah, could you just send me constructive critisms? Thanks.