Chapter -3-
Links of a Chain

A man's face peered out of a small, tinted glass window in the blast door. The window was no larger than the palm of the average person's hand.

LJ could barely make out the man's facial features through the tinting film. The blast door began to lift with a soft metallic grunt, stopping at about knee-height.

The man, in a green tunic, crouched down and crawled out beneath it.

The door slid shut again, then offered a pressurized hydraulic hiss, locking into place once more.

The man hurried toward the defeated robot, snatched the sword from the back of its head, put his foot up on the body frame, and launched himself forward into a somersault.

Impressively, he brought the sword down from above, striking the back of the second robot, which was facing LJ.

It didn't seem to injure the robot, but it did manage to get the robot's attention.

The man in the archaic-styled green tunic turned about, wedged the sword beneath the defeated robot, then quickly pried the machine into rolling over. He grabbed the hookshot and shoved a hand into the gauntlet.

LJ stood there, eyes wide, looking at the man who looked eerily like himself but with longer hair.

The man twirled the sword in expert fashion until it was seated in his palm, where he clenched it tightly in a fist. He lifted the hookshot and shot it into the ceiling.

LJ blinked, not expecting the ceiling to be the target.

The man in the green tunic launched upward by one arm and swung forward. He used the sword in his other arm, struck the robot in its neck, and followed through the swing by kicking his legs forward. The hook retracted from the ceiling in mid swing. He tucked his legs, went into a half-flip and landed on his feet facing the robot.

He leapt at the robot, swinging the sword upward as an extension of his arm like an uppercut.

The head of the robot snapped back but didn't seem to receive any damage.

LJ said, "The other guy had to be knocked down, then I could stick the sword into the back of its head."

"I saw, mister. You did well; I shall dispatch these other two, and then I wish to look at your shoulder."

"If you'd listen to me, I'm telling you how I beat the other one! Maybe you've gotta knock'em down in order to hurt'em!"

"Different model, mister." The man in the tunic turned to the robot in the doorway across the room, braced his arm, and shot the hookshot. He ran around the second robot the way LJ had earlier run around the workbench when fighting the first robot.

The third robot went flying out of the doorway and slammed into the second robot. They both fell to the ground, appearing fazed. The man drew his sword up then brought it down like an axe, striking both robots in their adjacent heads.

Next, he drew the sword out like a tennis player setting up for a swing, then he pivoted hard. He spun about, striking both robots again. He pirouetted a second time, striking them with the circular attack twice in a row.

The second robot started to get up. The man fired the hookshot yet again, but at close range. He jumped up onto its shoulders as it stood, seemingly confusing the robot. He drove the sword through the back of its head so that the blade appeared through the front, between the machine's eye lenses. The man used his weight to make the machine topple forward.

It landed upon the third robot. The sword went through the head of both robots so that the tip of the blade pierced the floor.

The man in the green tunic slid off the robot's shoulders, causing his blond hair to billow up and then fan outward. He got up onto its back, and, similar to how LJ finished the first bot, he used his boot to drive the sword another few inches. All the way to the hilt so that the parry rested against the metal shell that encased the robot's head.

LJ felt a quick spike of excitement, seeing them both finished off in such a manner. He clenched a fist and jerked it down and back, quickly hissing, "Yes! Eat that, you bastards," in a whispered tone.

Pinned to the floor and to one another, the two robots flailed but couldn't upright themselves.

The man leaned down, picked up the empty gun by its barrel and struck a plate on the top robot's back, using the handle to claw the plate off the bot's back. He plunged the gun into the robot and hooked the handle around old tubes.

At a glance, the old tubes looked like wire conduits.

He jerked hard, using the pistol like a crowbar.

The tube of wires broke, ripping the connections from where they were attached. Sparks flew from the tips of exposed, bundled wires touching one another.

The man dove toward LJ just as the second robot exploded, wiping out the third by proximity of the two together. He passed through the field created from the cane of Byrna just in time to save himself from the shrapnel. Bit and pieces glanced off the field harmlessly.

Both men breathed a sigh of relief in unison.

LJ offered his left hand and helped the other man to his feet.

The man moved to LJ's right and put his palms firmly on LJ's aching shoulder. He felt around the joint then said, "Thine injury is the least pressing of thy concerns…" He cleared his throat, forced a weak smile, and added, "Forgive me, I am mixing tongues."

LJ scrunched his brows. "That does not sound right."

"You handle yourself well for a bibliopole. Most likely, your injury consists of ... ah, what's the word…"

"I dislocated my shoulder. I got lucky and it went right back in place."

"Yes. You pulled your arm out of your shoulder. I've seen skeletons with no muscle or tendons to hold them together, yet animated, were they, to affright those that might stand up against Ganon's ways. I am, therefore, quite familiar with how these joints are designed. You may be surprised to learn there is a … ball joint – yes, that's the word – and it goes into a cup, which is your shoulder. It's very painful when it becomes separated. I'm Link of Calatia." He reached for LJ's left hand and they shook.

"What the hell is a bibliopole?"

"A chapman of tomes, yes?"

"Okay, tomes are books, but what is a chapman?"

"Do you … not peddle manuscripts?"

"I wrote a book, if that's what you're asking."

"Ah, from carl to clerk in one sentence." Link exhaled. "I was doing quite well with the modern speech. My adrenaline, forgive me, has reduced me from cully to dandiprat. I will, how you say, get better at it."

LJ relinquished the seemingly long handshake. "I'm also Link, popular name, huh? Link Josiah. Everyone calls me LJ. And, yeah, ball joints and rotator cuffs are pretty standard high school biology class information. I've never dislocated my shoulder before. It sucked."

"Sucked…? I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing. Nevermind. I'm cool now."

"Ah. I would like to check on the king and his daughter, then we can find you a coat or blanket."

"I..." LJ blinked. "Wait, what? A blanket? Why would I need one?"

"You said you felt cool. I assume you said such because you are uncomfortable. It seems concern worthy if you feel cold considering the fact you are sweating."

LJ pulled the cane from the strap that went across his back to the satchel on his hip and handed it to Link. "You've seriously never heard the expression that something or someone is cool? It means good. I'm good. I'm fine. I'm cool."

"Ah! You are well? It surprises me a writer would use the terms 'good' and 'well' interchangeably." Link took the cane and gently thumped the base on the ground. The light distortion of energy disappeared. "Forgive me. I've recently awoken from a type of 'eternal sleep.' I spoke a different language than this, I'm not familiar with your euphemisms and your slang."

"Wait … eternal sleep?"

"Yesterday, when I woke up, for me it was the year 1675. When I laid my head down on a 'cot' last eventide, it was 2050."

LJ rubbed his face. "Goddess-freaking-Din, can we just talk about how you look exactly like me?"

Link tilted his head. He turned from LJ and walked over to the remains of the second and third robots. He put his foot on the ruined remnants and jerked the sword free of their heads. "I was born four hundred years before you. With all due respect, Mr. LJ, it is you who shares my appearance." He looked around for the sword's sheath but didn't see it. "The last vestiges of these ancient devices, now in ruin for the remainder of time. Such a travesty." He continued to look around the area. "Did you find this sword bare?"

"If you're looking for the cover-thing, it's out in the hallway somewhere."

"Ah." Link walked back to the blast door and tapped the handle of the sword against the metal door. "Those of you within, the vestibule is cleared of danger."

"They can't hear you through that thing. It's a blast door. It's insulated, sealed, and sound-dampened." LJ walked over to the small, tinted window at the center of the blast door. He withdrew his personal communicator, thumbed the screen then activated a small white light on the end of it. He held it up in the small square window and waved it back and forth. "They'll see the flashlight."

"Your small contraption has a magic torch?"

"Magic? Are you serious? It's an LED diode; my Sheikah Slate uses it as a camera flash."

"Ah, the princess also possesses just such a crinkum-crankum. Forgive me for being dark on your equipage. Was it found within the depths of a fane, or did you smith it, yourself?" Link exhaled sharply, frustrated with himself. "Forgive me … for my … ignorance on your … slate, you called it?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Was it found in a shrine of the ancients, or did you make it yourself?"

"I bought it at a store, dude. Man, you are a trip. No, scratch that. You're the whole vacation, especially in that get up." He continued to wave his phone's light in the small window.

A moment later, the door began to slide up, slowly.

LJ unfolded his phone into a tablet, checked to see if he got reception in the lab then frowned. He folded up the tablet, due to the Q-OLED screen being flexible; it became a phone again. He thumbed the screen, deactivated the camera flash that he used as a light, then slid the phone into his pocket.

"If I may, I wish further elucidation regarding…" Link took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then exhaled, and repeated his breathing exercise to calm his heartrate, post-fight. Finally, he said, "Would you please clarify that strange object you were just using?"

"I'll explain it later … old man." LJ offered Link a wry grin. The door continued up above hip height. Both of them stiffened up and turned to the doorway expectantly. "It's safe to come out, everyone."

Link added, "We've defeated the threat, my liege. This gentleman, Link Josiah, managed to bring proper weapons. However, before any of you come from that safe-room, I would like the opportunity to patrol the immediate grounds to ensure there are no remaining threats."

LJ brought a finger to his ear then cleared his throat. "The security guard at her desk is telling me that the rest of the complex is all clear." He turned to Link, and in a softer tone, added, "The security station upstairs has a visual on every room and hallway in this area."

Link nodded in understanding. "Ah. You have a telepathic link to your friend, I gather."

"Wh…what? No. I have a radio in my ear that she gave me. Are you for real with this 'I'm from the distant past' routine?" In a sarcastic tone, LJ added, "Radio, man. Ray-dee-oh. It turns magic waves in the air into…"

Link abruptly responded, "My intemerate mind cannot possibly comprehend the fanciful devices with which your society has become so … my apologies. This is a strange new world, and I am frustrated I cannot return to my time and see my betrothed. I recently learned she held hope for my return, but according to history recorded in your 'com-pu-ter,' budding relations, which started with a buss, has apparently … had apparently resulted in accouchement … ehm … I mean to say … she birthed the fruit of our love. A son I will never meet, raise, teach, know…" Link clenched his free hand into a fist. "I am not the sort of man to chicane you, sir. Verily, my child grew into a man and she, my love, never knew the arms of another – she remained alone until the time of her expiry. I recently learned of this before the attack on this compound, so as one might imagine, man to man, I am lamenting what cumbrances I wrought upon her. For to rear a child alone is both unfair and exhaustinh, most assuredly. Never-please-mind the fact I gave her a child to raise alone. A man of honor and integrity I am, forsooth. For, you see, I left her a feminal and fair maid without the bonds of matrimony, a malison to any lady! But, I digress … I shall never experience another chance to grow old with a gammer by mine side. Why? Because I had to forfend Hyrule from the evil of Ganon. So, I am still doing my best to … come to terms with this … this knowledge of all that I have missed. I will do my best not to be froward ward to you, good sir."

"Gentlemen, please." Bagu stepped out of the room first. "LJ Kasuto, I read your book and it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dr. Bagu Tantari, PhD. Welcome to SROL," he said, pronouncing the acronym as 'S. Roll.' "I'm heading up the archeological dig. Do you have your clearance paperwork?"

"I, uh … it's up with the guard, upstairs."

The king came out next and turned to LJ. He took the boy's hand and shook it firmly. "Young man, we all crowded around that tiny window and watched you fight those monstrosities by yourself. That was incredibly brave and…" The king trailed off and lifted LJ's left hand up for closer inspection. "By the light of Din's flame, you have the Triforce on your skin."

"Oh, uh, I'm … it's a birthmark, not a tattoo. People always ask if it's a tattoo, especially because it, uh, gets darker when I tan, and…" LJ abruptly drew quiet, swallowed back his nervousness, then said, "Sorry, Your Highness. The adrenaline is wearing off." He silently berated himself for rambling to the King of Hyrule.

Link, quick to notice LJ appeared nervous, addressed the king with a bow of the head. "Your Grace."

The King replied to Link with a curt nod of acknowledgment, then cut his gaze back to LJ. "My boy, this is the birthmark of he whose spirit has been touched by the Triforce of Courage. It's no longer common knowledge, but it's something that any member of the Royal Family would recognize. It's rare. Perhaps one born every one-hundred-years or longer will have this mark naturally on his hand from birth. I'm honored to be in your presence, lad."

LJ suddenly became aware that his heart was pounding its way right out of his chest. "My sister would faint. I … sorry, my little sister is at that impressionable age where she's obsessed with princes, princesses, and fantasy heroes. She even wears a tiara around the house."

The king smiled. "As a father, I can only assume your parents must be proud of you both. They've raised a fine, brave son, Mr. Kasuto."

"Oh, uh…" LJ felt the blood rush right back out of his face and swallowed a lump of emotion back. "Thank you, sir. Uhm. My father passed a long, long time ago. Shortly after Aryll was born. My mother died of cancer four years ago. I've been raising Aryll since my senior year in high school. She's thirteen this year. And you know how girls are at that age. Thirteen going on thirty. Takes herself too seriously, strides around the house all regal and proper … all that stuff."

A young woman stepped out behind Gustaf and curtsied to Link and LJ.

"I certainly do understand," said the king with a fatherly smile. He put his hand on his daughter's shoulder and announced, "Zelda Daltus, Princess of Hyrule."

She offered her hand to LJ.

He took it with a brilliant blush. "I…"

Link leaned close and whispered into LJ's ear, "You kiss her knuckles and refer to her as, 'your highness,' and don't make her feel like you're uncomfortable around her, because she has emotions like any other woman."

LJ passed a lump in his throat, trying to swallow back his newfound social awkwardness. "F-forgive me. I've never made a fool of myself like this before, your highness." He leaned his head down, brushed his lips over her gloved knuckles then offered a nervous smile. "LJ Kasuto. It's a pleasure to meet you. My sister is going to be telling all her friends at school for the next five years that I got to meet you today."

Gustaf glanced back at his daughter and softly remarked, "His sister is thirteen, now, obsessed with princes and princesses, and Mr. Kasuto is all she has left in her life."

"Oh?" Zelda offered a brilliant smile and gave LJ's hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for coming when you did. I appreciate the both of you fighting those creatures. Oh, and Mr. Kasuto, we owe you our lives. Those robots were attempting to learn the computer encryption to bypass the door. All the monitors within the room were showing computer code language scrolling from bottom to top. Between brute force and computer communication, they would have eventually breached that door. How did you know you could do what an entire security team could not?"

"Yeah, uh…" LJ cleared his throat. "I heard the Royal Guardsmen detachment was still too far out. I decided if I could somehow get these robots to chase me, I'd be able to buy you guys some time. I had no idea that one was going to block the door. I … you're really nice. I thought regal people were supposed to give off an air of great import. But you're really disarming."

Zelda glanced at her father with a knowing smile then looked back to LJ. "You will find that I am friendlier than people apparently expect from someone of clout or money. And we watched you fight. Your sister is lucky to have someone so capable of keeping her safe." She leaned in and looked at his shoulder then turned back to her father and asked, "May I?"

"Zelda…"

"Please, daddy. Consider who he might very well be, or at the very least what he has shown of himself thusfar. May I?"

"Very well. Let's not make this a habit. People won't understand."

"Thank you, daddy." She placed her palms on LJ's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Stay still, Mr. Kasuto." She took a deep breath, and her heart began to race.

The pain seeped out of LJ's shoulder. He felt her palms grow warm. The sensation, akin to a hot towel, felt strange but the pain faded to a dull throb. After another moment it disappeared completely. He felt brief discomfort, like an itch on the inside of his skin that he couldn't scratch. That also faded.

Zelda sighed in relief, as though having just released a heavy object. Her eyes fluttered open. "Please, with all respect, I ask that you keep that moment between us. It's something I was born with, and we of the Royal Family like to keep our secrets close to our chest."

"I promise. Thank you." He rolled his shoulder a bit then shrugged firmly. "It doesn't hurt at all. I … that was incredible."

Zelda withdrew her palm from LJ and held her gloved hand aloft, knuckles facing down, and said, "May I see your Sheikah Slate, Mr. Kasuto?"

"I … uhm, yes ma'am." He reached into his pocket and pulled it free then passed it to her.

She thumbed the screen to life, located the camera application, and handed it to her father. She came between LJ and Link, put her arms around them and said, "Link, could you give Mr. Kasuto the sword to pose for this? It's for his sister."

"My pleasure." Link passed the sword to his doppelganger. "We could be twins, you know, mister."

"Just LJ, please. All of you. I appreciate the courtesy of the title, but … I'm just LJ."

Everyone drew quiet and smiled. The camera phone flashed, capturing a crisp, sharp photograph.

Zelda took the phone from her father, went back to the home screen, opened the phone application, and located Aryll's name at the very top of the contacts list then said, "I'm going to call her and tell her what a splendid gentleman and hero you were today." She looked at the reception icon then added, "If Dr. Rauru could accompany me upstairs to the lobby with the large windows? I don't know the halls and … if we could, is there a way to circumvent the hallway of the fallen security guards?"

Dr. Rauru nodded from where she stood in the doorway to the SCIF and said, "We'll return your Sheikah Slate to you – LJ was it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Just Ruto," she replied to him with a firm nod, then she motioned for Zelda to follow her through the SCIF office. They passed through and out of a door on the other side that went into Alpha lab. They left through a hallway leading out of Alpha, which took them to a nearby elevator.

Meanwhile, back in Bravo Lab, the king turned back to LJ and offered a firm handshake. "I would have preferred she ask you permission before simply dashing off with your phone. My apologies."

LJ shrugged. "Aryll is going to be completely jazzed. It's fine, though, really. She … your daughter I mean … she is probably still processing the attack, and this is her way of trying to put a little good back into the world or something. Or she just needs to talk to another girl, or … you know what I mean?"

"Mm, you make a good point, young man. My daughter has a gift for how to handle herself with others. She delights the media, she charms the public, she relishes the chance to hold babies, and to shake hands with everyone she meets. People adore her. I adore her. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her. And, LJ, thank you for promising to keep her secret, lad. She's worried people will judge her. But she's always been very benevolent with her gift."

"Did it hurt her to use it?" LJ asked, returning the firm handshake, mindful not to squeeze tighter than the King's grip.

Gustaf relinquished the handshake. "As I understand, she takes your pain and makes it her own. Then her body uses the gift to heal itself. So, yes. For a moment, she'll feel what you felt. When she was your sister's age, she took the pain of a handmaiden who went into labor. Nearly two hours of holding that woman's hand throughout the birthing. I begged her to stop, but she wouldn't let go."

"Holy Hylia," LJ murmured.

"When you were injured, she gasped in worry. We couldn't hear you, but she saw the expression on your face. She's very empathetic and she was able to feel the injury in your arm because she experiences sympathy pain on an empathic level. She made her mind up, then and there, that she wanted to heal you. Also, she didn't want to go through the hallway with the dead bodies because it upsets her that it's too late to heal them. She feels the need to try and help everyone she meets. She's on a personal mission to save the world one individual at a time."

LJ looked down at his feet. "That's pretty amazing. I consider myself a good judge of character, and I'm impressed. She's got a good heart. You've raised a fine daughter, your highness."

Gustaf smiled. "You see? We're people just like you, LJ. See how easy it is to warm up to us? If anything, I am impressed that you ran in here, ready to give your life to try and help people you don't know, let alone never met."

"My pleasure, sir."

"But, next time, son, think of who would raise your sister if you were to die. Sometimes, being the hero is the one that doesn't put himself in danger because the life of another depends on him. You're the hero of your sister, and that's more than enough, I promise you. Family should always come first."

"It was really no trouble. Aryll would have been disappointed in me if I didn't try and help." LJ paused and looked over his shoulder. The sound of boots out in the hall marched closer. "The cavalry is here."

Gustaf gave Link and LJ's shoulders simultaneous pats. "The cavalry was here long before the guards showed up. You were resourceful enough to procure proper weapons before coming here. If you'll both excuse me, I have to tend to my fallen friend, Conductor Barker Parapa. He was my personal hand-to-hand Champion, and I've known him since before I was crowned King. He proposed to his now-wife at my coronation. He was the first man I knighted after taking the throne." Gustaf took a deep breath, his heart heavy, and walked out of the lab to greet his royal guards.

From there, he went with his entourage to find his fallen friend.

Bagu looked at Link and LJ and shook his head. "You two really could be twins. It's uncanny. Link, your eyes are a crystal-clear blue. LJ, yours are a little cloudier grey, but even your eyes are close in hue. If you both had your hair the same way, it would be hard for me to tell you two apart."

LJ asked, "So … who is he and why does he look like me?"

Bagu said, "Yesterday, we managed to open a newly unearthed Sheikah cryogentic stasis pod. He was alive inside, and thawed out in about twenty-minutes of us opening the thing."

LJ eyed Bagu. "The ancient Sheikah had suspended animation chambers?"

Bagu nodded firmly. "I'll bet you want to see it for your next book."

LJ nodded emphatically. He cut his gaze over to Link and rubbed his chin. "I mean, I'm still kind of skeptical, but … just … I'll warm up to it, I just need to wrap my head around this."

Link tilted his head. "What is it you find difficult to digest, LJ?"

"Art imitates life, not the other way around. At least not on this level. I'm not supposed to be a baby bird asking people that look like me, 'Are You My Ancestor?' like a little kid's book.

Link responded with a frown. "I do not understand your reference."

"It's fine. It was a children's book."

Link glanced down at the sword in LJ's grasp and asked, "Is there no way to determine with clarity the potential bond we might share in vitae?"

LJ turned to Bagu and cleared his throat. "We should do a DNA test," he announced with a firm nod. He glanced back at Link and added, "It's something really small in your blood that holds information like what color hair you'll have, or if you'll have high cheekbones or not. It can also be used in determining if I'm somehow your descendant."

"I see. And did you say you have a sister? Will I get to meet her? Do you think she'll be able to tell us apart?"

LJ frowned thoughtfully. "Uh, yeah … no not yet. I'm very protective of my sister and I've only just met you, no offense."

"Non taken, my friend."

Bagu gave them both a pat on their shoulder, much the way the king had done moments earlier. "Pick up one of those robots, get them up on what's left of that workbench. I need to get something from the office, gentlemen." He headed into the SCIF.

Link and LJ worked together to heft one of the robots up onto the table. The model they chose still had the back plate on its torso.

Bagu returned and booted up a spectral analysis scanner he brought from the office. "See this, boys? This will tell us more about these things. They sat in disuse for a long time and should not have been able to power up."

LJ nodded firmly. "Agreed. I have several chapters devoted to these things, that's why I knew where the hollow cavities were, and where the important components were located. It worked great when fighting the first one, but … their batteries should not have been able to hold power for a very, very long time. Like, thousands of years."

The doctor carefully removed the panel and began rummaging through the torso. He used the scanner to show that current was still moving through the insides, but the color on the screen wasn't one he was used to seeing.

LJ noticed the look of confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The body is still receiving power but it's not coming from the battery cells."

LJ glanced at the scanner then back at Bagu. "Okay, it's not running, but it's still receiving power…? How the hell is that possible?"

Bagu continued. "There's a layer of calcification on the battery packs, layered with sediment from eons of being in and out of water, mud, and then buried beneath Hyrule. The main battery cells are in the process of fossilization. Still, I followed the energy from the CPU throughout all the sections of the robot. The power is not coming from the battery packs; they're useless, as I've said."

Link whispered to LJ, "What's a CPU?"

"Central Processing Unit," said LJ, handing the sword back to Link. "Here. Better in your hands than mine. Anyway, in modern computers, the CPU processes data like…" LJ trailed off.

Link took the sword but stayed quiet.

LJ held his hands outward, gesturing for effect. "So, it's basically the robot's brain. Then the robot will have something where they store what commands they learn. In modern computers, that storage is called the 'hard drive.' Sometimes they store more than just commands. If we're lucky, they will also store things they've seen. Then we could see if someone brought them back to functionality and programmed them … or if this was some sort of anomaly, which I highly doubt."

Bagu looked back from the inside of the machine to LJ. "You think someone tampered with them and programmed them to attack? Found a way to activate them, then hacked their programming, and interfaced with them? That would mean this theoretical person was deliberately trying to assassinate the Royal Family."

LJ frowned at the implications. "Yeah. Let's work off of that theory and see if we can't eliminate it, but … the King, Queen, and Princess have to know."

"How is this even possible?" Bagu murmured softly with a shake of his head. In a slightly louder tone, he added, "Trust me, I restored two out of the three machines that attacked. They were not able to operate. There was a layer of calcification, and sedimentary layers that created a fossil record easily readable in strata. These robots had been flooded, buried, unearthed, re-flooded, and re-buried. They sat at the bottom of the Great Ocean after Skyloft disappeared from the sky."

Link frowned. "Ganon told me, on his deathbed, that he caused a part of 'Skyloft' to crash into the ocean around the time of the Great Deluge of Hyrule. He described how it caused a huge wave, which finished off the entire valley. He then spoke of this … Skyloft … as though the entirety of it now rests at the bottom of the Great Ocean."

Bagu blinked. "Skyloft, itself, is at the bottom of the Great Ocean?"

"I'm afraid so."

Bagu rubbed his stubbly chin. "That means it's somewhere beneath Hyrule, maybe even beneath our feet. If I could get the funding, we could use sound waves to search a grid area of Hyrule until we find it…" As an afterthought, he asked, "Are you sure, Link?"

Link replied with a firm nod. "I tend to believe him; he had no reason to lie about it. He was bragging in his final moments. He also mentioned using technology to 'seed' the clouds, and bring about the rain to keep Hyrule flooded, as well as bringing glaciers from Lorule and the Sacred Realm, which he later claimed to have returned at a much later time. Whether he managed these things … that is the question; but he no doubt believes what he told me. Insofar as these robots … they are from this … Skyloft, are they not?"

"They are," Bagu confirmed.

Link asked, "So how did Skyloft robots wind up below a dig site in Hyrule? Shouldn't you have found this … this Skyloft by now, since you found the robots?"

Bagu said, "I always assumed a section of Skyloft fell from the sky and landed in this area. Just a section. With the robots and a few other artifacts. It's one of the only reasons we know about Skyloft to begin with. Because of what we've found right here in Hyrule."

"So how did the robots get beneath Hyrule?"

"Well, son, my working theory is that Skyloft broke up during the fall. Apparently, most of it is likely below the ocean at the edge of Hyrule and some of it very well may be beneath the fields of Hyrule; the thought of having any part of Skyloft accessible … incredible. I will have a grid set up to sonar-scan the ocean floor. Needless to say, some of it may have further broke up when it hit the ocean. Some of that would have sank to the bottom and became stuck in the mud with the rest of Hyrule. And in time, it would have been pushed down by water pressure, tectonic movement, and Hylia-knows-what-else."

"Please continued," Link asked of Bagu.

"Well, all right … when the water receded, a new Hyrule was simply built atop of what we found there, and the land that had borrowed the name Hyrule was renamed to Calatia. To think we might one day find the rest of Skyloft, though … it's exciting to an archeologist like me." He suddenly looked up at LJ and Link with a look of confusion then leaned back down, gazing into the robot's torso. "What the devil…"

"What've you found?" asked LJ. "Or, rather, the scanner … something interesting?"

"Negative Energy. It's powered by Negative Energy."

"Say what?" LJ folded his arms. "Like sci-fi anti-matter or something? Is that some sort of new theory and I didn't read that paper, yet? What in the world is negative energy?"

"The antithesis of matter is antimatter. And when they are brought together, they cause a chaotic reaction. If energy is a 'one hundred,' and being in a state of rest is 'zero,' the negative energy is negative one hundred, but in the Sacred Realm it would be one hundred."

LJ rubbed his smooth chin in thought but had nothing to say.

Bagu continued. "We developed this prototype scanner because we wanted to measure the aura of energy around the fossils of fairies. Their race, their species, is highly misunderstood. This is the highest 'negative energy' spike I have ever seen, and … yes … this scanner is properly calibrated."

LJ scrunched his brows upward. "Fairies? Seriously?"

Bagu nodded firmly. "Yes. Fairies. Their fossilized relics are not in museums, because they were a sentient species, and displaying them in museums has only ever led to the fossils being immediately stolen, and the perpetrators are never caught, leaving some to believe the fairies, themselves, come and take the remains of their ancestors."

LJ scoffed. "So, they're still around, yet none of us have talked to one?"

Bagu shrugged a bit with a measure of indifference to LJ's argument. "A handful of them still live in the wild, but in all my years, I have seen only glimpses and these sightings were few and far between … but the real question is … is it true they can heal people? The jury is still out on that."

Link nodded firmly. "Some can, yes. Other fairies were used as companions for a time. How do you explain what you've learned of them thus far, if you do not mind my inquiry?"

"I don't mind you asking, Link. It's what people called 'light magic' during their time. Well, by comparison, these robots were powered by Negative Energy. Not negative the way you're probably thinking. Dark Energy. The antithesis of normal energy as we understand it."

LJ piped up again. "I'm having trouble believing that, Dr. Bagu."

"We only have theories. It's published conjecture created by theoretical quantum physics scientists who understand such things using math."

This time, Link rubbed his own chin, tracing his thumb and forefinger over his recently shaven youthful face. "From where does this energy originate?"

"Nobody understands it, or how it works, but if I were to wager a guess, I would posit that it would have to come from a parallel universe that is charged with the negative energy as the norm. It would be considered Black Magic in this universe, theoretically speaking. We think it exists, though, because we found an artifact called The Moon Pearl a few years ago. After a lot of study, we concluded that it was a quantum entanglement device that allows the user to remain entangled to the Light World … this universe … so that they could retain their physical normality when in said universe."

LJ eyed him for a moment. "You're more than an archeologist."

"Yes, you're right. My other degree is in theoretical and quantum level math; I have nothing published in that field, however."

"So, is there a difference between dark energy and dark matter?"

"Indeed there is, LJ. Dark matter slows down the expansion of the universe, while dark energy speeds this up. Likely, this is because dark matter interacts with gravity, but it doesn't reflect, absorb, or emit light. Dark matter is an attractive force, a sort of cosmic magnet or possibly a bonding agent that holds the universe together. Meanwhile, dark energy is very anti-gravity in that it repulses forces, which causes it to drive the universe's expansion, meaning that in this universe, dark energy either is stronger than dark matter, or there is more dark energy than dark matter. Science suggests that dark energy is far more dominant than dark matter, with dark energy making up over sixty-five percent of the universe's mass and energy. Meanwhile dark matter makes up a little over a quarter percent. Meanwhile, about five percent of the universe is made up with regular matter, which is what we physically interact with on a daily basis. The question is, is there a universe where these numbers are the opposite? Or is our universe made up of both realms? And, in this case, is the scanner showing it as dark energy, when it should be showing up as negative energy? Or is this energy some sort of entirely new frequency that this scanner cannot understand? Either way, its wavelength is consistent with elements we have been studying that are said to have come from the Golden Realm we now call the dark world."

LJ glanced at Link.

Link pursed his lips with a frown. "These such things are far above my understanding. Is there an easier way to explain it?"

Bagu said, "Over a hundred years ago, astronomers noticed that a distant cluster of galaxies appeared to move at such a rate of speed that they should have come apart, but then these scientists speculated there was a dark matter in play that held them together. It was confirmed when, later on, more astronomers pointed out that stars at a galaxy's outer edge should, in theory, circle slower than stars near the center, but that wasn't the case – the star systems on the galaxy's outskirts orbited faster than the stars closer to the center, yet the galaxy still managed to hold itself together."

Link furrowed his brows. "So, scientists did not observe this … cosmic bonding agent, they observed the effects caused by it, and simply had faith it existed because they could see the outcome?"

"Precisely," Bagu replied with a brilliant smile. "This is why I'm trying to use science to prove my religion is legitimate."

Link nodded firmly. "It makes perfect sense to me. I see the outcome of the goddess, Hylia, all around me. That is how I know she is real, despite what Ganon suggested. He looks around the world and sees something unexplainable and theorizes either the ancients or the pre-ancients had a hand in the world. I look around and see the unexplainable and I see the goddess' guiding hand in motion."

LJ grimaced. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, so what's powering these robots? The goddess, because you can't see or explain what is powering them? Make me understand what you're suggesting, Dr. Bagu."

Bagu looked from Link to LJ then back to the robot. "I think the device is powered either by a form of Dark Energy or some sort of reverse polarity electricity, possibly from the dark world. Either way, there is some sort of energy signature, which powers this device, and is void of all normal energy signatures and frequencies. Based on the scanning device, which labels the electricity as Dark Energy or possibly Anti-Energy … and I'm positing that it is somehow being channeled from the Dark Realm. The theoretical Golden Sacred Realm. I think it's coming from there."

LJ ran a hand up through his short tousled blond locks. "You're going to need proof to make that argument in a publication, though."

"Yes, that much is true." Bagu reached in with a pair of tweezers and plucked out a small item. He held the tiny object up to the scanner. "I …I think it's a miniature Moon Pearl. A quantum entanglement device that keeps the energy from changing to light world energy once it crosses over to this side of the universe. This robot was made with battery packs that were designed to run Light World electricity … normal energy. But it's being run by Dark Energy that remains Dark Energy once coming over to this side of the barrier. And it's this miniature Anti-Moon Pearl that allows it to stay anti-energy. You were right LJ."

"What was I right about?"

"That someone caused this."

"I observed that it likely wasn't the goddess causing it, and it was acting with logic and reason … so someone caused this."

Bagu smirked. "They say, 'never meet your heroes,' and I loved your book, young man. Just the same, I hope to prove the will of the goddess to you one day."

LJ shrugged somewhat, keeping his arms crossed over his chest.

Bagu said, "This theoretical Dark Energy would hypothetically only be able to power objects that are completely void of positive energy … or adapted to ignore regular Light Energy."

LJ shrugged again. "Okay, I'll bite … what else would be powered by this negative polarity energy?"

Link frowned. "It would likely be used for animating skeleton warriors, stone creatures, or these robots, which haven't run on the standard form of electricity for thousands of years. If Ganon is somehow powering them and trying to use them to attack the Royal Family, then we must stop him."

LJ rubbed his face and frowned. "Okay, devil's advocate: So, why now? Why not, say, last week?"

Bagu snapped his fingers. "Link, what if you are Ganon's beacon? He somehow became aware that you were awoken on this side, and so he would assume that you would see the Royal Family and introduce yourself to them. It's what you know, because that's who you are. And so, Ganon somehow sent a stream of the 'dark energy' to animate something to attack. The only question is how did he manage to install an entanglement device into the robots to keep the energy signature from changing once it was beamed over to this side of the universe, to the Light Realm…?"

"I can't wrap my mind around this," LJ murmured. "I'm supposed to be the one who is an expert on Middle Aged tech. And you guys are talking about an energy source that can power dead objects. And who is the culprit? A mythological enemy that disappeared so long ago that most of the world doesn't even believe he's real. Am I the only one who thinks this sounds like bullcrap?"

"If you have the moon pearl, Dr. Bagu, I can go into the Dark Realm and stop Ganon again. We just need to trace this energy to see if there is any more like it in the rest of the world … then we can link that to a gate where I can crossover and put a stop to him once and for all."

"Link … it will take time."

LJ sighed. "I'm going upstairs to see what they're doing. I won't believe in all this mythological crap until I can see positive proof of its existence."

"That's what I'm hoping to do," said Bagu. "We'll have to find where the veil between realms is the thinnest, then find a way to open it. Then, Link, we'll help you in any way we can to mount an attack against Ganon and his forces in the Dark World."

"Okay, not that I believe in this, because I don't," said LJ, "Skeptics are needed in the science community, so that empirical evidence is satisfactory to all sides of the same coin. But, let me ask you this: have you guys ever stopped to consider that if, and that's a big if … but, if this was real, and if we're stuck between a battle with the goddesses on one side, and the devil-pig, himself, on the other side … and if he was powering those robots with his so-called 'bad-guy' magic … and if this was because he used Link's awakening as a beacon of what, where, and when to attack … then why on earth would anyone want to find a gateway to his realm, let alone open it? That's exactly what I would want if I was banished somewhere. I'd want you to open the freaking door for me so I could come back through."

Link said, "He can't come through. Not as he was when last I fought him. But I killed him. So, his soul … his memories are sealed there. If … or when … he is reborn, and his reborn self finds a way to the thin vail between realms because he is drawn to it … and he becomes whole … then he will reawaken his memories. I, too, accused him of falsehoods, LJ. He claimed he was the reborn Ganon, and that I was the reborn Chosen Hero of Hylia. I did not believe him, as I do not 'remember' any past memories … so am I reborn? Am I something else altogether? Is Ganon simply an insane person trapped in the Dark World, believing himself to be something he learned of in mythology? I must consider all possibilities but there is one supposition that truly speaks to my heart … what if the goddess, herself, led Dr. Bagu's team to find and awaken me, knowing that Ganon would be returning the following day?"

Bagu's smile brightened. "That is an exceptional theory, Link."

LJ shrugged with indifference. "Link, you also need to consider the possibility that you were not fated to fight Ganon … maybe you were never fated to do anything, because maybe fate isn't a thing. Maybe we all have the freewill to become whatever we want in our lives, and all it takes is a bit of motivation and some self-confidence to make the most of our lives."

Link eyed LJ. "Then who am I?"

"Dude…" LJ sighed softly with a shake of his head. Again, he shrugged. "Maybe you were just … the guy that finally put his foot down and said, 'enough! No more hurting people! Everyone is afraid of you, but I'm going to put my boot up your butt!' You know?"

Link shrugged in a similar fashion. "Perhaps…"

Bagu frowned. "Going into that realm would prove the old Hylian mythology existed. Perhaps not every detail, but certainly it would prove my religion is real. This is what I set out to do when I started my research, before the Royal Family funded my work … before they even heard of me. Seeing the Sacred Realm for ourselves would be monumental. And, most importantly of all, if the Triforce is trapped in the same realm as a creature like Ganon… it's our duty to liberate the Triforce, and by extension, the goddesses. Besides, boys, if Ganon were behind these attacks, he's found a way to bring these robots to life and attack the Royal Family. Sealed in the Dark World or not, he is still able to fight us. To attack us. We would have to go and meet him on his 'turf' so to speak, and then fight him there."

LJ rubbed his face with his palms, followed by a soft grunt of dissatisfaction. "I need to clear my head, guys. I'm going upstairs to see how the King and Princess are doing. Plus, she still has my phone and I want to send that picture to my sister. I'll, uh, catch up with you guys soon, okay? It's getting a little too thick down here. I just don't believe in that stuff, I'm sorry. But I respect that you guys do believe it. And Dr. B., if you could set up that DNA test tomorrow, let me know what time to come in for the cheek-swab."

Bagu replied with a soft sigh. "I understand. Too many scientists have responded to my faith the same way. And, yes, I'll let you know when I'll be able to process a sample and run it through the computer. I just need to check the employee schedule to see which analyst is on duty and reach out to you with a time."

LJ nodded to them then headed out of Bravo lab.

The silence of the corridor was a bit unnerving.

Up ahead, he saw people being moved into body bags, winced, and headed for the stairs. "Dark World, what a crock of crap," he said with a scoff and a shake of his head. "They can't just ask me to suspend my disbelief. That garbage just isn't real."

LJ pushed the door open and stepped into the lobby. He approached the large observatory window with a sigh, shook his head, then he froze.

Down in the city, in the distance, he could make out multiple plumes of black smoke rising into the skyline throughout Hyrule.

Smoke billowed out of the top of a skyscraper; one of the older medium-height buildings was no longer part of the cityscape.

From this distance and height, it was hard to make out many details, but it was still painfully obvious that the capital city was under some sort of aggressive attack.

His heart raced. He stared at the city for a few seconds longer then ran toward the security guard at the desk. "Wait, where's Ovona? Nevermind, it doesn't matter. Just … turn on the news, quick. And give me the phone, I need to call and see if my sister is okay." He reached over the counter and snatched the handset off its base.

The security guard, a young Hylian man dressed in a similar security agency uniform to what Ovona was wearing earlier, punched a code in on the keypad.

A dial tone came over the receiver.

LJ leaned over the countertop and dialed the number to his sister's phone. He removed the radio earpiece and set it on the counter with the handset, then brought the phone receiver to his ear. The line rang four times then went to voice mail. Then a beep.

"Aryll, this is LJ. I'm at the Spectacle Rock Research place. You know, the observatory where I took you on your field trip three years ago. Listen, a bunch of crazy stuff happened here, some good and some bad. I lent my phone to Princess Zelda, I know that sounds crazy, but she said she was going to try getting a hold of you. I'm hoping that's why you're not answering. I just saw that uptown and downtown Hyrule is a mess. I'm going to get my phone back in case you try calling me, then I'm going to come straight home and get you out of there. I love you, stay safe, and don't let anyone in the house, okay? I'm on my way." He handed the receiver to the guard. "Where is the Princess? She said she came up here to get reception."

The guard hung up the receiver on the phone base. "She's in a mobile security bunker … basically a tank-like armored APC the size of an RV. It's sitting out back, by the service entrance. I'll show you to the exit, follow me."

"Great, let's hurry. I gotta get home to Aryll as soon as possible."

X

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2013's A/N: Okay! So, I wrote the prologue and first three chapters last night. I glanced over them this morning only to find that FFnet and FicPressCom were down. Defuq? Weird.

So, I'm uploading them now.

I have no clue where I am going with this story. I do the storyboarding and planning for my original series. But when it comes to FanFiction, I do it to relax. I don't want to think, I just clear my mind, write, and see what happens. Its liberating, y'know?

SO… thoughts? Critique? Flames? STEP RIGHT UP AND SHOUT TO THE HEAVENS. I'm a big boy, I can take the heat. And I try to always be humble, so by all means… let me know if anyone is even reading this thing? Lol

If you didn't read my notes from before, I'm working on an original story that I wanna publish. It requires me to re-read everything, make notations about what changes I wanna make, or things I wanna add, and then I gotta go back and do a huge re-write. HOWEVER…

I go nuts when I can't write…SOMETHING. So, I'm writing THIS while I do my enormous re-read of my original work draft, which can be found on FFnet's sister site. Same pen name, too. Kit-Karamak with the hyphen.

I'll have to pull all those stories down once I get them edited and self-published. SO! Once I pay for editorial, I'll get the first book down and pull all the draft versions off of FictionPress. MOVING ON!

Or you can always throw 50 rupees into the pond of Happiness for me.

Today you will have:

...Great Luck!

So, what're your thoughts on this Zelda fic so far? Hate it? Like it? Did you even get this far? Lemmie know! :D