Had things gone Link's way, he would have walked out of Lanayru Spring, Fused Shadows in hand, and he and Midna would have discussed their next course of action against the forces of the Twilight. But it was not to be.

Link stood there for a moment, still dripping wet in the Zora Armor, before turning around to find himself face-to-face with a tall figure he had never seen before. The stranger was a head taller than even him, who'd always been considered big even when he was the age of the Ordon children. The adversary stared down at him through his metal helm, not saying a word. Before Link could make another move, there was a sudden flash of light and a gush of wind. He lies on his side, paralyzed.

His vision turned blurry and his ears were ringing. He vaguely registered the water from the grove swirling, and then another blast of power filling the entire area. Everything in his fading line of sight became darker.

He did not so much see Midna crouch beside him as feel it. And incredibly, he felt her hand on his forehead. Was it really that bad? She had never shown such concern in the past.

What he could not see was that his body had been reduced to his wolf form. And the black crystal forced itself, slowly and painlessly, through his forehead. Midna moved her hand, but found herself hoisted in the air. She yelped as the invisible force yanked her body around to face the new assailant.

Twilight King Zant looked at her, his arms motionless at his side. Thanks to his magic, she hung in the air, completely at his mercy. Although his helmet was opaque steel, she could feel the smirk behind it.

Then he moved his head ever so slightly to the side, and Midna saw, to her shock, another figure running into the situation. She blinked.

Yes, it was Link. The young man ran in from the dark opening of the grove, decked out in his green tunic, and with his sword in hand. His glared furiously, and sweat fell off his face as he raised his blade.

"Hah!"

Zant began to turn, but he is too late. The steel sliced through the air, and he feebly raised a gnarled gray hand a split second too late. The King let out a blood-curdling shriek as Link slashes clean through his wrist. Light blue blood spurted from the stump. With his focus gone, the magical hold he had imposed on Midna let up. The diminutive Twili hit the ground face-down and with a low grunt.

Zant's left hand lands on the dirt the same moment, twitching uselessly in its death throes.


Link had gone back in time when the mysterious man, whoever he was, had played the ocarina. But once he had realized exactly what day he was in when he had seen that sign waver.

He had rushed straight out of Hyrule Castle Town, forcing himself through the crowds and not sparing a thought as to how strange he would seem to be.

He ran as fast as he could. His eyes took in the cobblestones, the fields of grass, and the waterways, but all he could see, really, was the image of Midna, curled up on a dank floor, her skin turned deathly white and her breath slight.

He did not even pause to look for a reed. The time he could spend summoning the horse Epona, he felt, would be better spent running.

He finally made his way to Lake Hylia, and went straight for the grove. If his memory served, it was just about now, when the sun had started to fall, that he had gotten through the Lakebed Temple and claimed the final Fused Shadow.

And he was correct.

The scene he came across when he burst into the grove was exactly as he'd remembered it. His past self had been trapped in wolf form, and the usurper Zant had Midna suspended in the air. The spirit Lanayru, too, was almost certainly subdued beneath the water.

Link did not hesitate. He roared, yanked his sword free from its scabbard, and ran straight for Zant. The Twili turned around just in time to watch the sword swing his way, cutting through his left wrist.

Zant screamed and stumbled back as Link pressed his advantage. He grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands and swung downward.

Zant's remaining hand flashed, and there was a clang as he blocks his enemy's blade with his summoned scimitar. He gasped from pain and effort from beneath his helm.

The two stood there, grunting, before Link pulled back and slammed forward, forcing Zant back another few steps.

It was at that moment that the wolf regained most of his senses. He understood only two things; that he had lost his human form yet again, and that the one responsible for the Twilight Invasion was within paw's reach. He leapt toward Zant from his prone position beside Midna, teeth bared and claws at the ready.

But Zant had already lost a hand to one surprise attack, and even his distracted state of mind would not allow him to fall victim to another.

He whipped around, and the wolf's growl was cut short as Zant swung his scimitar in an upward arc, piercing straight through the creature's gut. The point burst through the back as the eyes roll back in the skull.

Zant did not bother to withdraw his blade. Instead, putting all his strength into his remaining arm, he flung the wolf down with the blade still piercing him through. The creature let out a low, dull groan as the metal shifts inside him.

Clutching at his bloody wrist, Zant let his body disappear from the scene with a flurry of Twilight particles.

For his part, Link was frozen, as he had been when he had seen Zant run his past self through. He gaped as he beheld the creature, who had already bled out or was close to it.

What would become of him, the future Link, now?


"I will say it again, Your Apology." The older man bowed. "This old retainer cannot apologize enough."

Queen, formerly Princess, Zelda leaned back in the chair and waved her hand. She sat primly, her hair carefully combed back, dressed modestly in a long white dress that matched her gloves. But Auru had known her since she was a little girl, and a man such as himself could detect the slightest tinges of worry in her face.

Hyrule Castle had been destroyed in the final battle against Ganondorf, and Zelda had made, in Auru's opinion, the unprecedented decision to put off reconstructing the palace and live in the home of her cousin, Agitha. It was not too grand, but that suited the newly crowned Queen just fine. The topmost room, a spacious attic with a few triangular windows, was perfect for meetings like this. It was too bad that the atmosphere of this one was so somber.

To say that the past night had been a disaster would be an understatement. A thief had successfully breached the mansion and made off with an object of untold value, the Ocarina of Time. An attempt was made to capture the intruder, but he had escaped through a rip in time created by the ocarina. The entire area of Hyrule Castle Town had been closed off.

Auru closed his eyes. Six months ago, when he had decided that the Twilight Invasion was sufficient cause to rejoin the royal court, he had not foreseen that something like this could happen.

"To your knowledge, has anyone found their way through the portal?"

"No, Your Majesty." Auru forced himself to focus again. "The entire area has been closed off. Soldiers are patrolling every hour, and they themselves are forbidden from investigating the portal on their own."

"Very well," Zelda nodded curtly. "You are dismissed."

She watched Auru bow, turn, and walk down the staircase. She let herself sink a little more into the chair. She prayed that the goddesses will help her solve this problem quickly.

Auru had been her first visitor for the day. What followed that meeting was hour upon hour of interactions with statesmen, merchants, and advisors. Particular attention was paid to her proclamation the week before, where she had gone to the center of Hyrule Castle Town and publicly thanked the Heroic Six who had saved the kingdom from the Twilight; Rusl, Ashei, Auru, Shad, Telma, and the Hero of Dusk, Link.

Now and then in the past few months, she had replayed her memories of Midna, and the same thought had always come back to her: They should be the Heroic Seven.

She had nodded and smiled and acquiesced all throughout the tiresome meetings, but could not keep her mind off the stolen Ocarina of Time.

When dusk finally came, Zelda walked out of the attic and made her way down to her personal quarters. The guards and servants she passed invariably bowed in her presence, but she did not want company.

Once she was on her own side of the iron double doors, she locked them together and takes a deep breath. She let her eyes wander to the bed on the side. The sheets had been freshly washed, as were the blankets. It looked so inviting, especially after the events of the day.

But she could wait.

She took another look at the locked door, just in case. Then she went to the center of the room, knelt, and pulled away the small circular rug.

There were many flat stones to make up the floor, but there was only one that truly mattered. Zelda tugged at one corner of it, removing it from its place and exposing the compartment below it. The Queen peered down into it, and permitted herself a sigh of relief. The odds of someone could possibly stealing it is one to a hundred, but she had to be sure.

And so she thanked the goddesses that the thief had not managed to get his hands on this. There was no telling what kind of horrors he could have unleashed if he had.

Chapter 2 is out! Thanks for your viewership!