-Never Return-

Link and King Mario stood upon the rock, observing the situation before them. They had come to a gorge on the way to the hunting grounds, but there was a problem. A herd of wildebeests had taken settlement on the northern edge of the gorge, and the southern edge was many miles away. They had agreed not to hunt the wildebeests this season due to an excess of them being hunted in the previous few seasons. They could try asking permission to pass, but since wildebeests were notorious for bearing a grudge, it was unlikely they'd be granted it, and very likely they'd respond violently, which would be the case if they tried to sneak around them northwards. If they went south, many hours would be lost, and they'd never reach the hunting grounds before nightfall. Meanwhile, behind the rock, Scar was fiddling with an invention of his; a simple mechanism that would allow him to conceal a dagger under his lower arm, and then spout it forward into his hand when he needed. This would allow him an element of surprise when he needed it desperately. He activated it and sure enough the rapier dagger flew forward into his hand. He smiled, confident it would become useful.

"I got an idea," Link suggested to his father, "I'll climb down the gorge and see if I can't climb up the other side."

"I'm not sure," Mario replied pessimistically, "Those cliffs are treacherous, and even the most skilled climbers of our people would find difficulty in ascending."

"Well that seems to be our best option if we can manage it," Link observed, "If we go south, we'll never reach the hunting grounds before nightfall, and we'll leave ourselves exposed for the night. If we go north, we'll be in for an unpleasant time with the wildebeests. We might as well try a third route, and if we can't manage it… well, I guess we can cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Very well," Mario conceded, "But be careful."

"I will," Link assured his father. He hopped off the rock and went to the edge of the gorge. He drew a breath and then began to descend down into the gorge, making sure to keep his footing steady. Finally, before he knew it, he reached the bottom of the gorge and went across. Once he made it to the other side, he looked up at how steep and dangerous the wall looked. He grabbed the closest graspable rock and began to climb upwards. Slowly, but surely, he began to ascend the gorge wall. For a moment, he began to think he was gonna be able to do it, but then the earth on the wall came loose under Link's foot, causing him to lose his grip and fall back. He hit the bottom hard on his back, stunning him as he hissed from the pain. He managed to pick himself up, sighing at his failure. The gorge was not going to make this easy. He could turn back and tell his father it was impossible, but then he remembered what their other two options were, and figured it'd be weak to give up after one try. So he decided to give it another go.

He grabbed another rock and began to make his way up the side. He was more cautious this time, and before he knew it, he had past the point from where he fell. He smiled a bit, thinking that perhaps he could make it this time. However, not long after, the rock he grabbed onto came loose. Horrified, he tried frantically to grab onto something, anything, but could find nothing, and so gravity pulled him back and he fell once again. He landed even harder than last time, the extra height taking its toll. Link winced hard in pain. He looked up furiously at the wall, frustrated by his inability to climb up further. He jumped onto the wall and began to climb again, furiously determined, but he accidently tore through the earth and fell. This time, he felt no additional pain, only increased frustration. He breathed in and out, trying to relieve his frustration, since that would only make things worse. After a moment, he began to climb again. But then he realized the portion he tried to climb up had run out of rocks or graspable earth. While he tried to think of what to do next, the earth he grabbed onto gave out and he fell once more.

Boiling with pure anger at his failure to climb up, Link pushed himself up, fuming. He clenched his fists tight, needing some way to release his anger. He found a rock on the ground and jumped onto it, roaring as loud as he could. The mighty roar echoed loudly throughout the gorge, and Link was at first shocked at how loud he was. Like a charm, his anger had mostly subsided and so he jumped off the rock. However, what he sensed next replaced it with pure terror. He felt the very earth underneath his feet rumble and shake. He could tell there was a powerful force moving quickly, but what could it be? He turned northward and saw his answer. The entire wildebeest herd was on the move. They were all rushing down the slope at the north end, frightened by the roar, running like mad trying to get away from whatever caused that roar, unaware they were heading straight for the source. Link froze dead in his tracks for a moment, taking in the sight; thousands of wildebeests pouring into the canyon like a rapid river, stomping over anything and everything in their path.

Link had caused a stampede.

The freeze that held Link in place was melted away by the rush of adrenaline now pumping through his veins. Still terrified, Link could think only one thought: Run! And ran he did. He turned southward and ran as fast as he could. The adrenaline gave Link speed he never knew he had previously. He ran quickly south through the gorge as the wildebeests caught up to him, threatening to pass by and overtake him.

Mario looked on in horror as the wildebeests flooded into the canyon. He shouted, "Scar, we have to hurry! There's a stampede in the gorge! Link's down there!"

Scar shot up, running behind the rock, following his brother as they hurriedly ran down into the gorge, stopping at a cliff to see where Link was.

"There!" Mario shouted, pointing to a spot in the stampede. Link was running amongst the wildebeests, dodging and trying not to get trampled. Scar responded, "You go save him! I'll go get help!"

Mario nodded and dove into the stampede. Scar climbed back up a bit but got to another cliff and hid behind a rock, watching what would happen next.

Mario made his way through the stampede of the wildebeests. They paid no heed to his prescience, and rushed past him as if he were only another obstacle, which would prove fatal for Mario if he didn't find Link soon. He finally spotted Link and made his way over to him. He had been pushed to the ground by a wildebeest and was struggling to get up amidst the chaos. Mario rushed to his son's side and helped him up. Link felt a great relief to have his father by his side as the two made their way over to the wall they had come down from. They found a stone ledge and Link climbed up onto it. He grabbed his father's hand and started to pull him up as well, but wildebeests struck him hard and threw him forward onto the ground as Link cried out, "Dad!"

Then he was gone. Link looked frantically, trying to spot his father, but could find nothing. His worst fears began to overcome him when he saw his father leap out of the stampede, his mighty sword in hand as he drove it into the gorge wall. He then began to slowly, but surely, climb up the side. However, it was slanted now but getting steeper, and soon would shoot straight up, which would prevent him from climbing further. Link ran behind the stone wall dividing them and began to climb up to the ledge Mario was trying to reach. He stumbled over the rocks as he slowly made his way up.

Mario reached nearly the ledge he was trying to climb up, but could go no further. It now shot straight up, and all he could do was hold on desperately. He looked up and saw Scar standing on the ledge looking down at his brother as he hung on for dear life.

"Scar!" Mario cried out desperately, "Brother! Help me!"

He hung on more as he slowly began to lose his grip. Scar kneeled down and stretched out his left hand to grab his brother's right wrist, which held the sword. Once he held it, however, he sprung out his dagger swiftly and drove it into his brother's right hand. Mario cried out in pain from this. He looked up at his brother in confusion at what he was doing, and that's when he saw it. His brother's good eye gave an evil look of sheer contempt, his lips curled into a cruel smile as he leaned in and whispered, "Long live the king…"

Mario's eyes widened with fear and then Luigi quickly (in a single motion) stood up, removing the dagger's blade from his brother's hand while kicking forward, hitting Mario in the chin and sending him backwards. His sword released from the wall and fell with its owner. Mario roared out in defiance as he fell into the stampede of wildebeests.

"NO!" Link cried out in terror and disbelief. Scar was shocked to see he had just now managed to climb up to the ledge and quickly hid behind a stone. Link looked down at the stampede, barely able to take in what had just happened. Then, quickly as they came, the wildebeest stampede ended, and all that was left was the thick cloud of dust and dirt they kicked up in their escapade, covering the gorge floor.

Link slowly made his way down into the cloud, his hands shaking like mad because of what he had just witnessed. Scar revealed himself and looked up to see the hyenas standing there, trying to be stealthy, but nonetheless revealing themselves now that only Scar could see them. He motioned them to climb down to him. Once they did, he whispered, "Follow me, but stay hidden until I call you forth."

They nodded and followed him down into the cloud.

Link stood at the gorge bottom, searching for what he hoped he wouldn't find. He called out, "Dad!"

No answer came. Nor when Link called out again. He walked forward more, trying to see why he wouldn't answer. Then he stopped in his tracks, for he now saw why. His father lay there on the ground, slumped up, his back riddled with holes from where the horns of the wildebeests made contact with his body. Link rushed over to his father's side, almost tripping over the golden hilted sword that lay by his side. He fell to his knees, gasping as he saw his father's eyes were closed and his abdomen was still. He reached out shakily and shook his father's body, whispering, "Dad?"

No reply came. No motion at all. Link shook him more and began to tear up, whispering, "Dad, please don't… You can't be…"

His emotions overcame him, and he broke down in tears. He sobbed as he covered his face, unable to bear the sight anymore as it all began to sink in.

King Mario was dead.

Link heard footsteps behind him, and he looked up to see his Uncle Scar standing there, shook etched in his face as he said, "Link…"

Link shakily stood up and began to make his way over to his uncle when Scar said, "What have you done?"

Link stopped there, taken aback by his uncle's words as he stammered, "I… I didn't…"

That's when he realized it. He caused the stampede, and his father had come to his rescue. And now he was dead as a result. Link gasped in shock as this revelation sank in. Scar walked past his nephew, looking at his brother's body as he asked, "What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Link managed to ask, despite sobbing more. Scar turned and faced his nephew, the shock in his face now turned to reluctant harshness, "You realize what this means, don't you? You are responsible for your father's death."

"But I… I didn't mean to…" Link found himself unable to finish the sentence as Scar replied sadly, "Oh Link, I know… I know you would never do anything like that."

He then came forward and hugged Link, who hugged back tightly, sobbing hard. After a moment, Scar continued, "But, regardless, you will still have to answer for this. And they may not be as understanding as I."

"Who?" Link sobbed.

"Your judges," Scar said, "Now that you are of age, they may feel you did it to take your place on the throne."

Link stepped back, terrified of the prospect as Scar continued, "And if they do find you guilty, you know what the punishment would be…"

"What… What do I do?" Link looked at his uncle in terrified desperation. Scar said calmly, "There is only one thing you can do: run."

"Run?" Link asked confused as Scar nodded, "I will return to Pride Rock and tell them you died in the stampede along with your father. But Link, you must understand; once you run, you may never return."

"Never?" Link whispered, "So I can never see my mother, or my brother, or Zelda or you ever again?"

"I'm afraid not," Scar said sadly, "But think about it. If you did return, and they judge you guilty, would it be any better? At least this way your honor and innocence will be upheld."

Link nodded, looking down, "I'll never forget you, Uncle Scar…"

"Nor I you, my boy," Scar said, "Now go."

Link nodded and turned around, running away into the cloud. Once he was gone, Scar looked down at his brother's body and sighed. He then summoned the hyenas to his side. Zant asked him, "Why didn't you just kill him?"

"I've spilt enough familiar blood for one day," he said simply, "You take care of the boy."

The three nodded and rushed in Link's direction. Scar watched them disappear into the dust and sighed once more. He picked up his brother's golden hilted sword, admiring it. It was so strange. This was the moment he had been plotting for so long, the moment where there was nothing in the way of him becoming king… and yet he couldn't even manage a smile for this moment.

Link continued to run into the cloud when he heard the barking of the hyenas behind him. He grew terrified and noticed a crevice in the wall. He dove into it as the hyenas approached and began to make his way through, desperate to reach the other side in time. The hyenas followed in hot pursuit, determined to catch their prey. They began to close in as Link tried to move faster. Finally, he dove through the opening and slide down a rocky slope. He reached the bottom and saw before him was a field of thorn bushes. He looked back and saw the hyenas sliding down after him. He climbed down into the thorns and began to make his way through, careful not to get pricked.

Zant slid down the slope ahead of the others. However, when he saw they were headed straight into to thorns, he managed to stop on the edge. Veran came in right after and bumped into him, leaving him teetering on the verge of falling in as he tried to grab onto rock. Unfortunately, Ghirahim came in and bumped the two more, sending Zant falling into the thorns. He cried out in pain and quickly climbed out, covered in thorns as he slowly and painfully pulled them out. Veran and Ghirahim laughed hysterically at this site as Zant shouted, "You think it's so funny why don't you go in?"

"And come out looking like you?" Veran scoffed, "I don't think so! Scar banished him anyway right? So let him stay banished!"

They saw Link come out the other side of the fields and fall to his knees in exhaustion. He realized he was being worn down by what he was carrying. He slipped the quiver off his shoulder and lay it aside. He took the bow off his back and, after admiring it for a moment, threw it away. He then removed the sword, still sheathed, from his hip and stared at the bronze hilt for a moment, remembering how it was a gift from his father. He teared up a bit more and threw it to the ground as he got up and ran into the distance, leaving his weapons, and ultimately his life as prince, behind. As he ran into the distance, he could only think one thought: King Mario was dead… and it was all his fault.

There you have it. Arguably the saddest moment in animated film history recreated. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it. Next will be the epilogue of Act I and that'll be the end of the first act. Hope I'm doing good so far, and hope everyone stays tuned for the rest. As always, please leave plenty of reviews.