A/N: Hello. Recently(on chapter two), I had a very rude review about my timing on writing this story. I have to say this: I am sorry it took me so long but I lost my password... however, that doesn't mean I'll tolerate people being snappy and rude if I can't get a chapter up for a while. Some artists and writers take MONTHS to make their art right, so complaining will just make the time period longer for you.

Ahem.

In this chapter, I will introduce the concept of the Four Swords Links being, in actuality, elemental spirits of the Four Sword that steal and duplicate Link's body and memories. AND THE ONLY TWO OCS YOU WILL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH FROM ME. Enjoy.

Earth Elemental: Despite her incessant need to tinker with our world, Yumi Hamano does not own any of us or anything at all, except the plotline.

Shadow: Ouch... nasty, man...

Vaati: You're one to talk.

CHAPTER 4

In Which Loyalty Crumbles

Deep inside the soul of the now evil Link, a lock kept the four elements from once more walking the world. They had saved it, before, but that was a long time ago and the bloodline they had used to gain hylian form was off limits to them. They tried time and time again, but noone else had the necessary powers to control the Four Sword... the tool of their fleshly birth.

Yes, the spirits were powerful. Forged back at the beginning when the essences of the four elements were gathered by a boy and absorbed by his sacred sword, their misty selves bore only traces of hylian form, and none of the substance. They learned to remedy that. Perhaps they should have thought of a better way.

The deep purple, thick, heady scented mist of Earth, the eldest, was churning in anger as he watched the decline of the hero Link. The disrespect for ancient power that the boy had... well, if Earth had his hylian form back he'd probably have attacked him by now. It wasn't that which worried him though: Fire was dying.

The smoky red haze of his youngest brother's form was nearly translucent, as the evil suppressed the innocent elemental. Link's soul was no longer a safe place to linger, and Earth feared he would be the only one to weather the coming storm. Wind, nearer his age, also seemed troubled: the thick green cloud was tossed by hidden turbulence and he could hardly keep a normal form. The middle brother, Water, brooded within a non-hylian, blue fog-form as he watched Fire helplessly.

The first to speak was Wind, breaking a silence of near a hundred years.

"Brother Earth. I know you have contacts in the outside world... can you please try once more to get the sword to a proper bearer? The winds are just right, and I feel that someone out there is trying to save Hyrule with MY element." His brother's voice was strained, and older, more mature than the teen he had been the last time they wore flesh. But when your brother is sick, you learn to become what you are, and Wind was losing his hylian qualities.

"...I will send my Oracle and her Sage brother. If I am correct as to who wields your element, I know exactly where they will be found."

And so Earth sent the Oracle Violetta, child of his flesh, and the Sage who had been raised her brother to the mighty Fortress where the dark alliance sat planning...

"BROTHER! Hey, VARAN! Wake up, Grandfather told me he has an errand for us!"

The Kokiri tribe had become different in the many years of their life. They grew older now, though slower than normal hylians. Violetta, however, was not a kokiri... even though Varan most certainly was.

Varan wasn't unusual. Red hair, green eyes, fairy, etc... except he was the Sage-in-training. He was just like all other kokiri and he wished his sister were too. Violetta was scary.

The element of earth was obvious in her eyes, a bright and cheery amethyst. Her hair was cornsilk gold, and she was FAR taller than him. In fact, as she was a hylian, she was technically twice his age even though the two were the same in years. 18. Huzza.

"Whaaaat? Can't the old ghost bugger off for TEN MINUTES?"

"No, it's important! We have to take that old sword to the Gerudo lands!"

Varan sat silently, mouth agape.

"You're kidding me!"

"Uh, no, not really. Look, you're strong and I can't do it alone. Also, he says I look too much like Link so I need a helper."

"Sometimes I wish you weren't so damned smart."

"It's in my blood... I'm a descendant of Vio!"

The two set off for the Fortress with the battered Four Sword in tow, and in her work tunic Violetta cut an almost familiar figure, observing quietly... unknowing that the shadows were watching her back.

"I don't believe it. How did he have children?"

Shadow was greatly confused, as he had right to be. Vio had kids? It was the only thing that would explain it... but he knew Vio wasn't the type of guy who would have kids. In fact, Vio had confided to him that he hated kids, and barely tolerated Red. He peered through the mirror again just to make sure.

The girl was lovely really, but she had too much of her ancestor in her. Too quietly bold, and probably one who would brag in private if given the chance. A girl who would probably carry on the 'I hate kids' motto just because she couldn't find the right guy. The thought of a female Vio made Shadow roll his eyes and shake his head. It just didn't fit right.

As he continued to watch, he saw that they carried the Four Sword, the girl and her friend... they were bringing it here!

Shadow ran to tell Vaati and Ganondorf of what he had found.

On the way, he was given more time to think. He had existed long before Ganondorf, as he had recently discovered. He was from the time of the first hero Link... a Goddess-created shadow, even when Ganondorf corrupted him. So he was starting to remember his early lives.

One memory shone clear: the forging of the Four Sword and the four elements it had contained. The hero of that time using it to summon shining mists in forms like his own... Shadow shook it off. The sword was made for that boy, so it did different things to him than to the Link of Vio's time. No need to worry. At least, no worries for HIM.

"Vaati! Ganondorf! You should see this!" he didn't wait for a reply but rather moved the Dark Mirror into the room next to him, picture still the same, following the party of two. But while Vaati was curious, Ganondorf blanched. He had reason.

Living in a tribe of warrior women, of course Ganondorf knew the insane power of a woman enraged. Couple that with the insane power of the Hero's Blood and you have big trouble. But closer inspection and sound, provided by Vaati, cleared the issue entirely.

"So, what exactly did Grandfather tell you, Violetta?"

"He said his brother sensed a powerful wind user and that the good and need to help Hyrule in this person would be just the key to unlock the true power of the sword. From what I scrounged out of his old journal, I think I know who it is already. So I did some research, and the minish told me where he is. I really hope Vaati is as nice now as they say he is..."

"Ditto that..."

They stared at Vaati in disbelief.

"So, your prison will become your weapon... but what is this Grandfather nonsense? If she has Vio's blood, then it'd have to be Ancestor, not Grandfather..." Shadow couldn't help but blurt out his thoughts, as usual. The two other powers shared a look behind Shadow's back.

"Actually, Shadow, he appeared about a hundred years ago while you were in a time of total memory loss, stayed almost a year and a half, then vanished. I'm sorry I neglected to mention any news of your favorite person to you but I didn't want another enemy, seeing what you tended to do." Vaati was fidgeting as he spoke, knowing Ganondorf also knew the same details. Shadow simply shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, now that I'm seeing this, I really don't want him to be involved. Dead or not, he switched loyalties all too easily."

"And the girl?" Ganondorf's stern face was set in a mask of emotionlessness, gesturing toward the mirror. "We can't take any chances, she could be the end of us."

"I think that we should give little Violetta a chance. After all, she seems good enough." Vaati's voice stopped all the tension in the room instantly and whatever half-baked desperation was present in Ganondorf faded. The three turned to the mirror once more, continuing to watch Violetta's quick progress across Hyrule.

Shadow had to think, though, that things were starting to look bad for the Dark Alliance... whose side was she on?

"Hmmm... I think we're almost there."

Three days on the trek, avoiding monsters and living solely off Violetta's borrowed earth powers... three days before they finally found even the edge of the desert. Varan, quite frankly, was exhausted.

It was times like this he reminded himself that Kokiri shouldn't leave the forest...and that he shouldn't always listen to his sister. His feet were COVERED in blisters, and the sword slung over his back hit him with every step he took, just because it wouldn't be proper for Violetta(who was stronger anyways) to carry the damn thing.

"You could have done this on your own you know."

But his sister ignored that and continued on, dragging him for a ways before he finally stopped stalling. She had seen something in the distance and her unfocused eyes were locked on it, carrying her body and his along for the ride.

And that is how a Kokiri and an Oracle wound up in the middle of Gerudo desert with almost no water, less food, and no way out...

...Oh, and a giant sandstorm headed their way.

A/N: So how'd you like it? Violetta is an OC, but a carefully made one. She may be an Oracle, but that also means she can't fight... which is why her Sage-in-Training brother has to come along. Her powers are limited to what her Grandfather Vio(the Earth Elemental) is willing to grant her, and she gives people a nasty vibe, like she's constantly reading their past and sneering at it. To be honest, Vio had the same flavor to him, so we know where she learned it.

BIO FACTS: Violetta

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 153 lb

Age: 18

Eyes: Amethyst

Hair: Blonde

Misc: Air of superiority: UTTERLY FALSE. Actually quite insecure at times.

BIO FACTS: Varan

Height: 4'5"

Weight: 78 lb

Age: 18

Eyes: Forest Green

Hair: Red

Misc: Looks weaker than he is: Forest Sage-in-training

Shadow: Damn.

Vaati: What?

Shadow: I just know she's gonna end up pairing me with that NUTCASE Violetta now.

Earth Elemental: (shifty eyes) Please review.