"Yeah," Link said joyfully. His glee then became a mix of anger and confusion. "Saria...what are you?"
"Heehee," Saria giggled, before morphing into an extremely bright light and then a fairy. "I'm one of the six mages...this is my true form. I created an identity, Saria, to keep a close eye on you. The others would have helped, but they did not think you were the Chosen One."
"Why did Ganon call you Farore? That's a goddess."
"Just 'trash talk'," Saria said.
"What...is your real name?"
"Ciela."
"Do you know a Navi?"
Ciela had no expression upon the small orb that was her true form, but Link could feel the sense of dread within her. "Yes...Navi is...Navi was one of the mages. She sacrificed herself by reviving you from what was about to be certain death. Link...I must tell you something of great importance."
"When the world was created, lightness and darkness completed eachother, but were soon at each other's throats. As the Goddesses began establishing life and community, the light and dark spawned a body to represent their sides: The dark created a figure who showed royalty, power, and command: Ganondorf. But the light went a different direction: a youth who showed even the common boy is powerful enough when strengthened by the light. This lifetime, that is you, Link."
"I was...born to kill Ganon?"
"Yes."
"There is no other choice for me?"
"Do not worry, Link," Ciela smiled, "you can defeat him."
"That's not what he meant," Zelda glared at Ciela before returning her attention to Link.
"Nothing I ever decided even mattered? All of my choices...they were made beforehand?" Link mumbled, now sitting down, gazing off into the distance.
"Link, don't think about that. That's weird and stupid. Focus on what's important: You have to stop Ganon to save Hyrule."
"Oh, don't worry, if I don't do anything, I'll still go to kill him. Fate, right?"
"You really wanna test that? Leave the subjects of Hyrule to your experimentation?"
"...No."
"Then get up, idiot. You need to finish Ganon off."
"He's too powerful, Zelda. I'm just a kid."
"So were the others! Get up!" Zelda shoved Link, and he fell down the grassy hill. Unharmed, he stared into the sky, breathing carefully.
Zelda...
He stood up and dusted off his tunic. "Well, see you later," Link waved to Zelda, and set off.
"Wh-for real? You're just gonna waltz over to Ganon's tower and hope you make it out lucky?"
"Not sure what else to do," Link shrugged, his face showing off the darkness inside him. "You got the wrong Chosen One, Zelda. I'll die for the kingdom, but I'm not gonna save it."
"Ughh!" Zelda growled, "I'm coming with you!"
"Zelda," Ciela butted in, "I've got something for the two of you. For you, Zelda," a bow and arrows appeared from thin air. The bow's shape was sleek and royal, a stark contrast to Link's bulky wooden one.
"And for you, Link," Ciela said fondly, emitting a second-long jealous glare from Zelda, who quickly hid it, "direction. Your Sword, though you've found the Triforce, is weak. And because you so rashly fought Ganon, you'll notice the Triforce is cracked," she gestured to Link's pocket. Link dug around in it for the Triforce, and saw that it was, indeed, severely injured.
"You'll need to find the six mages to repair it. Once the TriForce is again complete...well, you'll figure it out."
"But Navi's dead."
"Mages cannot die," Ciela shouted, "like energy, they simply transfer into new forms. When Navi, one of my only friends, sacrificed herself for you, you became a mage. Then, you spent your energy focused on a single being...love, maybe?"
"What are you saying?" Zelda growled.
"That Link, through some legendary process, has transferred his power to you...that you, Zelda, are now a mage, just like I or any of the others."
"Cool," Zelda said glumly, remembering the death of her father. "C'mon, Link. Let's go kill that big jerk."
"Hold on just a moment," Ciela patronizingly spoke up, and focused her energy into the cracked Triforce. A small tear relieved itself from the golden power, and Ciela breathed out.
"Be on your way, then," Ciela waved them off. "You'll find another mage in Kakariko."
The pair walked in silence through their plight to Kakariko. The world around them seemed dark. The grass had a little less green in it. The sky, a tad too gray. Trees sparsely littered the Hyrule fields. Looking at the castle from afar as they passed by, they could hear the chaos assuming within it. A fire suddenly burst just above the castle wall. The drawbridge appeared to be locked, likely by the royal guard, still discussing what to do with the dead King of Hyrule whose only kin was missing. Zelda let out a small whimper as shouts echoed within Castle Town. There was no time to help the citizenry of the previously high-held kingdom. Link and the Princess had a mission to focus on.
As they traversed the Lost Woods, the forest itself seemed to open up a path for them as they went along. The two hesitantly followed the trail and luckily found themselves right in front of the Kakariko territory.
"Link!" the boy clad in green heard his name growled and turned to his right. There was his good pal, Mido. The bigger boy was rushing towards the duo, some tears streaming down his face. As he came closer, he raised his fist and prepared to attack, when Zelda suddenly waved her hand. Glows of glitter appeared from the clear air, and Mido was pushed back by an invisible force. Mido landed hard, his legs going up and a trail following where his rear ripped through the soil. He began to blubber and pointed at Link, shouting unintelligible gibberish.
"What do you want, Mido?" Link asked the boy, unsurprised by Zelda's little trick so soon after the news she had become magical. Link unsheathed the Master Sword and aimed it at his former bully.
"You're the reason Saria left!" Mido shouted, jerking his head forward in such a way Link had to pull his sword back in fear the idiot would accidentally impale himself. Link sheathed the blade and chuckled, before his face returned to an imagery of sorrow.
"Saria was never real, Mido," Link shook his head, "just an identity to keep tabs on me."
"Yeah, right!" Mido struggled back up and stepped closer to Link. Link gestured to Zelda to stand down.
"I was gonna marry her!" the crying boy screamed. "We were gonna have pretty lives together...so pretty..."
Link looked into Mido's eyes, glazed with tears. His face, red with anger and desperation. He trembled with hatred before plopping himself back on the ground, throwing his head into his hands.
"Zelda," Link turned to his partner, "go find Orca. If anyone knows who the mage in town is, it's him. Wooden shack, tribal fish paintings on the outer wall." Zelda rushed off into the village.
Link kneeled down, trying to think of how to comfort his former enemy. Looking at Mido, Link realized how trivial all their petty fighting had been. How pointless. Link rested a hand on Mido's shoulder, and Mido looked up, letting Link see his teary face. Link exhaled, bit his lip, and said:
"I'm sorry."
The empathetic words rung throughout Mido's mind, bouncing around as his body prepared a response. Instead, he let his head hang, turned back up, and stood, holding out a hand for Link. Link slapped his hand into Mido's, grabbing it, and Mido gave a soft yank, helping Link up.
"Thanks," Mido whispered.
Link, whose eyes now were also wet, nodded and broke eye contact. "I'll talk to you later, Mido." He turned and headed for Orca's.
"The Triforce." Orca demanded as Link stepped inside.
"Uh, what?" Link turned to Zelda, who shrugged.
"I'm the mage you're looking for," Orca explained, and thrust an open palm outward. "The Triforce! You haven't got all the time in the world!"
As Link fished for the Triforce in his pocket, Orca began more in-depth reasoning. "You best hurry and find the remaining mages," he grabbed the Triforce from Link's outstretched hand, and began healing it, "to use the Triforce to strike Ganon while he is recovering from the attack. You'll find Ruto in the Hylia Lake. She'll give you directions to see Darunia, and so on." The Triforce glowed as another crack filled with solid gold. "Now go, you two. You'll need every second you can get."
Orca handed the Triforce back and shooed them off. Link and Zelda took off quickly.
"Huh," Link uttered as they strolled.
"What?" Zelda asked, fiddling with her hair.
"Nothing, I've just known that old geezer forever."
"Oh," Zelda laughed faintly, "that would come as a surprise, then!"
"Yeah," Link chuckled himself, and turned to Zelda. He remembered how beautiful she was, as wispy strands of blonde flowed across her face.