"Awaken, Chosen Hero of Time!"
Link's eyes slowly fluttered open as a voice cut through the fog that clouded his mind. He stared at the strange void that seemed to go on forever. He stood up to get a better look, only to nearly fall over on wobbly legs. He couldn't quite place it, but he felt...off.
"Whoa," he groaned while holding his head. "What happened? Where am I?" His thoughts were cut short at the sound of someone moaning. He whipped his head to see three men lying around him on top of the triangles that made up the Triforce, with himself in the very center. "Guys! Are you okay?!" he cried out in panic as he knelt down towards Edd.
"Link?" Edd groaned as he opened his eyes and looked up at his friend. He blinked a few times before his sight finally cleared. "Link? Is that you?"
"Who's there?" came Ed's voice as the dumbest of the Eds sat up and yawned.
"Ed! You're okay!" came Navi's voice as she suddenly flew out from behind Link's back.
"What? No one gonna ask about me?" The three of them all turned to see Eddy lying there rubbing his head while looking at them all. "Thanks a lot."
"Eddy!" Ed yelled in joy before stopping, his grin fading to a confused stare. "Eddy?"
"Whoa!" Navi whispered as she finally took in the sight of them all. "You've all...changed." All of them were now standing up and looking at themselves before slowly realizing that Navi was right. For one, each of them had grown. No longer were they mere boys, but grown men. Link's clothing had changed in some ways as well. Link still had his green tunic and cap, but now wore white leggings, a long white undershirt, brown leather gloves, and an earing on his left ear. The Eds clothing looked the same on them, though just a little longer, along with their hair.
"Check it out!" Eddy yelled with a grin while flexing a muscle on his arm. "I bet I'm as tall as my brother! Maybe even taller!"
"Strange. How on Earth have we aged?" Edd asked before coughing and humming. "Is that my voice?"
"Look at all the pretty colors." said Ed as he gazed at the multiple symbols surrounding them. Six symbols were scattered about, each one of different color and look.
"Yawn." Eddy mocked yawn before looking around. "Where's the exit?" They didn't have time to think before one of the symbols on the ground began to shine. Each of them got defensive as a figure rose from the symbol before the light faded, revealing a bald elderly man in an orange monk like robe, a white mousetache spreading from under his nose and connecting to his hairline.
"I am Rauru, one of the ancient Sages." said the man.
"Hiya, Mr. Rauru." Ed greeted with a grin while the others all listened.
"Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm. This is the Chamber of Sages, inside the Temple of Light." Rauru continued.
"Intriguing." Edd mused as he stared about the place.
"The Temple of Light, situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm, is the last stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces. The Master Sword-the evil destroying sword that you have pulled from the Pedestal of Time-was the final key to the Sacred Realm." Rauru finished. Link's eyes widened before he unsheathed the Master Sword from behind him and gazed upon it, it's silver blade seeming to gleam in the light.
"That sword is so cool! Can I hold it?!" Ed asked in excitement, prompting the others to keep him away from it. Raura continued on, halting them from their squabble.
"The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch. Only one worthy of the title of 'Hero of Time' can pull it from the Pedestal of Time. However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time. Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years." Rauru explained.
"Seven years?" Edd gasped in shock. No wonder they all looked older.
"Indeed." Rauru confirmed as he looked at the Eds. "Your spirits were sealed as well so that you may aid Link. Now that you are all old enough, it is now time for Link to awaken as the Hero of Time."
"Cool! Link's a hero!" Ed yelled with a smile before grabbing Link in a hug and dancing around, causing an endless protest from the tunic wearing man.
"However," Rauru added grimly, stopping them all once again. "Though you all opened the Door of Time in the name of peace, Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm!"
"WHAT?!" yelled the boys and Navi, horror etched on their faces.
"He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with it's power, he became the King of Evil." Rauru said.
"Are you kidding me?!" Eddy shouted. "After all the work we did to stop Ganondorf, he STILL got what he wanted?!"
"We were the bad guy's doormen?" Ed asked.
"I'm afraid so." Rauru nodded. "His evil radiated from the temples around Hyrule, and in seven short years, he transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters."
"Oh dear." Edd gulped while Link's grip on the Master Sword weakened until it fell from his hand. He dropped to his knees and hung his head as his mind went to all those that he had met. The Deku Tree that lost it's life to Ganondorf. The Gorons and Zoras who put their trust in them to stop Ganondorf. Princess Zelda.
"We...we failed." Link muttered, his eyes beginning to burn with tears. "We...I let everyone down." The Eds and Navi stared down at their friend, the sadness beginning to spread around them all.
"Not all hope is lost." Rauru spoke again. They all turned to him to see a small smile on his face. "There is still one hope to make everything right. The Power of the Sages remain."
"Really?" Link asked before rubbing the tears away from his eyes and standing up. "What do we have to do?"
"When the Power of all the Sages is awakened, the Sages' Seals will contain all the evil within the void of the Realm. I, Rauru, am one of the Sages. And your power to fight with the Sages is what makes you the Hero of Time, Link! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword" Link could only show a determined smile as a new flame of hope began to burn within him. He didn't know why he was chosen as the Hero of Time, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was defeating Ganondorf, and returning peace to Hyrule.
"Excuse me. Mr. Rauru!" Edd stepped forward.
"Yes young Eddward?" Rauru responded.
"I was hoping that maybe you could answer a question for me." Edd said.
"And that is?" Rauru said.
"My friends and I come from a different world. We've been wondering how, and why, we were sent here." Edd explained.
"I see." Rauru said before closing his eyes. "While I do know why you are here, I'm afraid that it is not my place to give you the answer."
"What? Why not?" Eddy asked with a frown.
"Aww, come on. Please? Just a hint?" Ed asked.
"All in good time." Rauru answered before raising his arms out. The boys looked ready to protest again, but were stopped when Rauru burst into a blinding light. They all shielded their eyes for a moment until the light faded, leaving a floating light yellow medallion in his place.
"Where'd he go?" Eddy asked as Link stepped forward and took the medallion.
"This Light Medallion holds my spirit." came Rauru's voice. Link looked at the medallion to see Rauru's reflection looking at him. "Take it with you, gather the other Sages, and add their might to your own. Now go!" At his words, the area was enveloped in light. The boys held their eyes shut until for awhile before they slowly opened them in surprise.
"We're...back in the Temple of Time." Navi stated.
"What do we do now?" Ed asked.
"We now have a new mission." Edd said. "We have to awaken the Sages and defeat Ganondorf."
"Don't worry. That chump won't know what hit him!" Eddy smirked as he took out his slingshot. His smirk fell when he held up the slingshot, now looking smaller than he remembered.
"I guess you've all outgrown some of the previous items you once had." Navi guessed as Edd examined his tiny boomerang before putting it away. "Let's get out of here." They all nodded and began to walk towards the door, only to stop after a few steps. They couldn't help it, but they all felt like they were being watched. They all quickly turned around, with Link unsheathing his blade, and found themselves glaring at a mysterious figure that was now standing in front of the Pedestal of Time. The figure stepped forward into the light, revealing a man dressed in blue and white, with a red eye with a line down the middle of the man's shirt. The only part of that man's face that could be seen was his right eye, with his left eye hidden behind blond hair.
"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time." said the man in a light voice.
"Me?" Link asked in confusion before shaking his head and steeling his gaze. "Who are you?"
"I am Sheik. Survivor of the Sheikah." the man said. "When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in a deep forest. One on a high mountain. One under a vast lake. One within the house of the dead. One inside a goddess of the sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world. This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah."
"More poems and legends." Eddy groaned before mumbling. "Why can't they just give us a straight answer on what we have to do at the beginning?"
"Eddy!" Edd scolded.
"As I see you standing there, the mythical Master Sword in your hand, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time." said Sheik.
"What are we? Chopped liver?" Eddy asked.
"We are?" Ed asked before biting his hand. "OW! No. Don't taste like liver."
"If you believe in the legend," Sheik continued, either not caring or just plain ignoring the Eds' antics. "Then you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages."
"Tell us something we don't know." Eddy said, now earning a glare from all but Ed.
"One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. The Sage is a girl I'm sure you know." Sheik explained. Link's eyes widened.
'A girl? The Forest Temple? Does he mean-'
"Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm." Sheik continued.
"Then we must defeat this evil and save the Sage!" Ed declared with a raised finger.
"Unfortunately, equpped as you all are, you cannot fight this evil, nor enter the temple." Sheik said, making Ed's finger droop and the others to stare at him. "But, if you believe what I'm saying, you should head to Kakariko Village for supplies. I pray for your safefy." Sheik said before tossing a flashbomb on the ground and disappearing from sight.
"Who was that strange fellow?" Edd asked as he rubbed his eyes after being blinded by the light.
"I don't know, but we should take his advice." Link said.
"Off to Kakariko!" Ed declared.
"Stop shouting already!" Eddy snapped as they all turned and walked towards the exit and to a new adventure. At least until Ed flapped his jacket to release some hot air out and all but Ed fell over and began to gag.
"WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME IS THAT ODOR?!" Edd wailed as they all backed away from Ed.
"I knew he stank before, but this is unreal!" Link mumbled through his clenched nose while Eddy and Navi tried not to barf. Edd's eyes began to water before, to his horror, he recognized that smell.
"Ed, please tell me you don't have another cheese chunk on you!" Edd yelled.
"Oh! I almost forgot about," he said before pulling a green and black spotted item from his jacket. "Sheldon III! Wow, he aged!"
"ED!" the others cried out as Ed began to try and introduce it to them all.
A/N: I know. A lot of it was just repeating what they said in the game, but I couldn't think of a lot to get the story going. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for new attire for the Eds', something more Hyrule-ish, then please send suggestions in a PM and I'll see what I can do for the next chapter. All reviews with suggestions will be ignored.