Thank you to all reading. Please remember reviews are helpful and welcome. Thank you for those following my art in DA (at the moment drawing suggestions are welcome)

Next chapter will be available in two weeks and will be rated "M" I hope the themes in this entire work are received with as much tact as I try to portray them. Thank you again.

My heart is sunken, my thoughts all broken, and still I think of you

My hopes have turned to tears, my memories into fears

and my whole world into suffering

The worst of times; bring songs and rhymes,

And loneliness

I.

The dark Lorule sky and the storm clouds gathering in the horizon made it hard to tell if it was night or day. Three days had passed since Link had run out of his home. Half of the candies he took from Ravio were still in his pocket, but he could not remember how he got them. He had crossed another dungeon, and freed another sage. He had done so quickly and without taking any damage, but he had less than scarce recollection of that as well.

Broken visions that flashed before his eyes in bouts; an ephemeral scent of vanilla he could not stop thinking about; and the periodic and horrifying sound of a small child screaming in despair had all robbed him of sleep and sanity. He was without any real awareness of his surroundings and without coherent memory of his life or current purpose. It was as if he had suddenly escaped himself and what remained was a crude sketch of the man he used to be just a few days prior.

He wandered the paths of Lorule mindlessly slashing through foes as he encountered them and walking aimlessly from one abyss to another.

The wind was becoming stronger, the day was becoming colder and the complete depravation of rest and nourishment were starting to waken Link's instincts.

"I . . .have to keep warm. . .I have to eat…I feel. So empty" His thoughts took only fleeting and unsubstantial form. He put his hand above his stomach and realized that, although he was hungry, the uncomfortable emptiness he felt was not caused by this.

Another gust of wind chilled Link to his core causing him to shield his hands in his pockets. He felt the rice paper wrappers of the candied safflinas he carried. He took a handful of them and furrowed his brow as he stared at them. He put his free hand above his heart and recognized the source of his discomfort.

"I have forgotten something. . . something important"

Link squeezed his eyes shut as the scent of vanilla filled his lungs again. He allowed himself to fall into the entranced state this would induce, taking in images and paying close attention to the sound of children's voices echoing in his head.

"Are you looking for something to eat?"

"Maybe you shouldn't go back!"

"I promise"

Link moved his hands to cover his ears then opened his eyes and realized he had dropped the candies by his feet.

"It's ok"

Link looked up and it was then that he could finally, clearly see what he had been missing. It was a little boy with pale porcelain skin, violet-black hair, and the most kind and beautiful light green eyes Link had ever seen.

"It's candied safflina flowers" The little boy's voice was soft and candy sweet. He bowed gently to pick up the fallen candies and offered them to Link.

Link fell to his knees in reverence of this apparition which exuded an aura of peace, love and kindness greater than Link had ever felt or dreamt of.

The Lorulean-Blacksmith stepped out of his shop and was a little weirded out to see Link kneeling alone in the grass with his hands held out before him.

"Hey Link, over here lad! What ever are you doing? How is that sword working out for you?" he called out.

Link looked all around him. He stood and paced in circles a few times then approached The Blacksmith looking wide-eye and pale.

"Lad are you ok? You look like you have been talking to a ghost" The Blacksmith said.

"No, the little boy is not a ghost. I must find him. Do you know where he is?" Link's voice sounded shaky and desperate.

"Which one do you mean?" The Blacksmith asked.

"He has green eyes and pale skin. He lives in the castle but he uses the vacant house south of it as shelter" Link noticed The Blacksmith's expression turn to one of utter confusion, but continued "I need to find him. We were to meet"

The blacksmith's Wife walked out then, curious about what was going on.

"I don't know what you mean. There was a nameless child owned by the royal family. He did seem to play in that vacant house a whole lot, and he had striking green eyes, but that was a good six or eight years ago. There is no other I know of that would fit that description" The blacksmith explained.

"What? Years ago?" Link was hit with a dim recognizance of reality, but he could not make sense of it, and did not want to distract himself with that "Where is he now? What happened to him?" he asked.

"I don't know. One day he started causing a lot of trouble and the royal guards came to take him away"

"They say he was executed. Can you believe that!? That's why he was never seen again. That child and his witchery! I wonder what he did to deserve such fate!" The blacksmith's Wife interrupted.

"Wife please! Those are just rumors" The Blacksmith clarified.

Link tried his best to fight the nausea he was struck with.

"I need to find him." He said.

"Well, if that is who you are looking for maybe you could ask Ravio. He is also a magic user owned by the royals, and he took over that vacant house a few years ago, maybe he has some information. He hasn't been around in a couple of weeks, but maybe you can find him in Lon-Lon ranch. He goes to set up shop in the small market they hold there every once in a while"

"Oh he is a no-good dark wizard just like that child, lots of help he could be!" The blacksmith's Wife remarked, then returned back inside without further thought.

"Don't mind her lad. Hey! Maybe you'll find what you are looking for" The blacksmith said.

Link took his map and showed it to him.

"Would you tell me where?" He asked.

The blacksmith took the map.

"I'm sorry Link, Lon-Lon ranch is beyond the area covered on your map. I will be glad to mark it for you if you find a complete map." He said.

Link took his map back and nodded silently before setting out to find another map.

The blacksmith felt kind of sorry as he stared at Link walking away. He thought Link was weird, but also rather nice, and "nice" got one nothing but heartache in Lorule.

Link quickly made his way to the closest fissure he could find. His senses were awakening and allowing him to become aware of his surroundings. He heard the unmistakable chirp of a baby mai-mai. He analyzed the area then used his Tornado rod to uncover and rescue the mai-mai.

"I'll return him to mother mai-mai and upgrade some items before setting out to a new area. That complete map of Lorule may prove useful as well. . .Why did I need it?" Link looked back at the blacksmith's house in wonder. "Did he say I should ask Ravio for it?" He was confused, but smiled as he thought of Ravio. He did not know why the Lorule Blacksmith sent him to find Ravio, but the thought of visiting him, and getting some good rest at home seemed like a really good idea. He could not remember the last time he saw Ravio and he missed him terribly.

Link turned another corner in Thieves town and was then aware of a presence which zoned in on him with menacing speed.

"You really are an idiot"

Link heard a voice almost identical to his own speak into his ear. The shadow presence that had appeared before him at the bar in Hyrule now stood right behind him. Link stood perfectly still as he also became aware of the dark blade already pressed against his jugular.

He quickly reviewed his options.

"How much would it really hurt to get slashed across the neck?" He wondered as he tightened his grip on the tornado rod he still held in his hand.

"You let them take what was most dear to you! Ugh!"

"Gah!" Link brought his right hand to his throat. The shadow being managed to cut him before being pushed back by strong whirling winds.

Link secured the tornado rod to his belt before unsheathing his sword.

The shadow figure was relentless, soon running towards Link again as it thrusted and swung its sword. Link parried with as much force as he could. He tried to use his attacker's strong approach to make it drop its sword. His attempt; however, served only to deter the blows. His dark doppelganger had a grip of steel.

"You let him slip away, and now you are just going to forget!" The accusing tone of The Shadow was turning into one of anguish as it took a glowing object which mimicked a fire rod and directed its attack towards Link.

Link was quick in evading the column of fire. He took his bow and shot an arrow straight through it, and into The Shadow's chest, then slashed at him several times before shielding himself in caution. He saw The Shadow begin to waver in this stance. It was weakly staggering, yet took only minimal pause before attacking again.

They engaged in an arduous duel. Link had sparred with many before, on account of his job. He recognized the Shadow's abilities were a wild mash-up of every style he had ever seen. It was becoming harder and harder to deflect or counter its movements.

"I have to stop him!" Link jumped back and risked dropping his shield to quickly take his bow in hand once more. He screamed in pain as felt the Shadow's blade hit his skin and cut deep into his sides. He jumped back once more and took his shot.

The Shadow being fell onto its knees. The arrow had pierced through its neck and its dark thick blood started forming a pool around him.

Link thought the scene was wretched and grotesque but he knew it would soon vanish, and that the Shadow being's energy would return to whatever world it belonged.

"Well done" The Shadow's voice sounded like a hideous gurgling.

Link's face contorted in disgust.

"Who are yAH!" Link bent over in pain as he felt a sharp object impale him. He looked down and saw a dark glowing chain coming out of his chest.

The Shadow retracted his hook-shot, pulling Link up close to him.

"No hard feelings little hero" The Shadow being pressed his lips hard against Link's and immediately became no more than a cloud of smoke which quickly slipped into Link's lungs through his mouth and healed him of all injury.

Link stood in shock for a few seconds before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell unconscious onto the ground.

II.

The night was dark and the cold wind blew softly as Ravio returned home from the lake. He wore an old blue tunic and a pair of white trousers which he had taken from Link's belongings, as he had given up on washing his own clothes.

He pushed the door open as slow, and as quiet as possible. A part of him had constructed a fantasy in which Link had come back home and was now sleeping safely on the duvets that Ravio always made sure to set up.

He peaked in and quickly realized his caution was in vain. Link's home was cold, dark and somber, as it always was when Link was not there. Ravio sighed loudly in disappointment and closed the door behind him. He removed his boots and his hood, then retrieved a bottle of vintage milk from his thermal pot. He sat on the floor at a corner of the room and stared at the total darkness in front of him.

He had slept only a few scattered hours since Link had run out. He had been too worried to eat at all and, to top his despair, the strange force that had previously attacked him made its presence known once again. Ghastly gashes had appeared all over his body and he had bled profusely from his chest and throat. Then, just like the previous time, he was suddenly healed and the assailing presence had gone away leaving nothing but a horrid memory, discolored markings all over his body, and a bloody mess which took quite a while to clean up. Ravio was exhausted, very worried, cold, hungry and terrified.

He took a few sips of his vintage milk. The sweet scent was comforting, but he realized it felt like acid on his empty stomach.

Sheerow fluttered faithfully above him. He could not understand in full what Ravio was going through, but he could always tell how Ravio was feeling, and he knew he was not well.

"I think we should leave Sheerow. I don't know if anything I've done was right"

Sheerow flew down and lightly pecked at Ravio's hand in an affectionate manner.

"I just wish I could talk to him. Why did I let all of this go so far?" Ravio took another sip of his vintage milk then took a long, hard look at the bottle as he remembered all the things Link had said and asked the night he left.

"The first time I had vintage milk I was…" Ravio tried his best to piece together a coherent memory. He could not recall his age, only that the ceilings in Lorule Castle seemed much taller then, and that door knobs were just about at eye level. . .

Ravio knocked on the door of Yuga's study but did not wait for an answer before walking in with a spring in his step.

"Hi Yuga!" He said waiving dramatically. "Look! I crafted some bunny ears for myself, aren't they neat!?"

"What will it take for you to bother someone else for a change?" Yuga asked, annoyed at Ravio's intrusion.

"There is no one else in this wing of the castle. You know that!" Ravio giggled as he pulled a chair away from the wall.

"You are annoying and unpleasant, you ugly child. Leave me alone at once." Yuga's high pitched voice was but a low roar.

"I'm just a little mischievous. I bet it's actually charming! You know, you keep saying I am ugly, but I know you really don't think that" Ravio remarked.

Yuga would have rolled his eyes, had he not found that gesture anti-aesthetic.

"I have noticed you stare at me a lot. You wouldn't do that if you really thought me ugly!" Ravio continued as he hopped up to kneel on the chair.

Yuga recognized he had been caught, and he was very angry because the child before him was right. Ravio's unique eyes took far more of his attention than he would ever admit. Their shameless perfection was almost mocking to Yuga.

"Leave me alone you horrid worm or I will turn you into something unsightly!" he said.

Ravio giggled.

"I thought you found me unsightly already!" He said hopping back down, then making sure the makeshift bunny ears he wore were in proper place.

Yuga resisted grinding his teeth.

"I have a neat trick to show you! The kind only I can do! Do you want to see? I'm going to show it you!" Ravio walked up to the wall and leaned into it, becoming a painting, then re-emerged after a few seconds.

Yuga sighed in annoyance.

"Yeah big deal. Would you leave?" he said.

"Look closely" Ravio smiled. He pulled up his sleeves, ran his hands through his hair a couple of times, pulled up his robes up to his knees and slowly rotated a couple of times.

Yuga stood and looked closely.

"You have no items, no artifacts?" he said, shocked.

"Nothing!" Ravio said running his fingers though his hair again, then displaying his hands front and back so Yuga could see he had no artifacts on him.

"How?" Yuga felt intimidated. He had always been fast learner, and a powerful wizard, but Ravio's abilities were growing beyond his own very quickly. He believed this could prove problematic in the future. That little child was not easily manipulated.

"I can also do this!" Ravio interrupted Yuga's thoughts. Yuga paid attention. It first appeared as if Ravio was doing nothing, but soon the flame from Yuga's oil lamp burned hot and high, then descended.

"No items!" Ravio laughed happily throwing his hands in the air as if inviting Yuga to search him if he was doubtful.

Yuga stared silent for a moment in a mix of admiration, disapproval and worry.

"Uh, what's wrong?" Ravio asked.

"You might be right child. I do not totally dislike you. But don't you understand I am busy?" Yuga's words were unexpected and his tone was soft, yet his demeanor seemed much more stern than usual. It made Ravio uncomfortable.

"Look. Allow me to work kid. Understood? Take this with you" Yuga said as he handed a bottle of vintage milk to Ravio.

Ravio took it and looked at Yuga, puzzled.

"It's a most coveted elixir; vintage milk. This one is brewed to perfection. Keep the bottle too. Go on, go enjoy it, but go elsewhere."

Ravio was surprised by Yuga's gift, especially since he had always heard vintage milk was for grown-ups. But, as Yuga was almost technically a grown-up himself, and he thought it fine, Ravio did not hesitate in accepting it or in keeping his part in Yuga's proposed "deal;" He took off happily singing about his intention to play near the woods.

Yuga was not happy to give up a fine bottle of vintage milk, but he thought it was worth getting rid of the distraction, and he hoped Ravio would get drunk and lost in the forest.

"Maybe he will get eaten by a pack of wolves" he scoffed.