Resisting the Heart

by Spaz-attack101

For eighteen years Hyrule has been in great turmoil under the dictating Republic led by Ganondorf. The people's only hope: a young nobleman and his companions as well as the royal siblings.

2. Chapter One

Hello to anyone who is actually reading my story. Just a head's up: I've updated my prologue, so if you may want to consider reading it before continuing on. Also, for those who haven't played Skyward Sword, well, this chapter basically tells the entire storyline. Yes it is essential for later on in the story, so don't whine to me about it cause I'm not changing it.

Just a heads up, I'll always give a warning when there's going to be a long chapter. I'm not too sure how many there will be yet. Check my profile to see the chapter progress if you want to know in advanced.

WARNING: this chapter is going to be one of the longest chapters in the story.

I'll say this once: I do NOT own The Legend of Zelda. But that doesn't mean I can't love it!

On with the show!

Chapter 1

Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.

~Napoleon Bonaparte

Eighteen years later

As time passed from the disappearance of the two children, the once humble streets of Castle town became a colossal mass of vengeful citizens out for the blood of all those who had "persecuted" and "scorned" them just because of their poor conditions. Victims of their wrath desperately tried to plead innocence, but their pleas fell upon deaf ears before their hearts were carved out to be sacrificed to the demon lord who engraved the lies on the fickle hearts of the commonwealth people of Hyrule Castle Town.

They called themselves: The Republic.

To the commonwealth; The Republic were heroes.

Aristocrats; spiteful, deceiving, murderers.

But then again, even if the well-loved Aristocrats tried to help their people understand, they would just be accused of treason and immediately have their hearts evicted from their bodies. Thus transforming into the fearsome Redead: the leader of The Republic's main bodyguards.

The Golden Years before the lies and oppression were deeply engraved on the hearts of the noble and true citizens of Hyrule; Aristocratic as well as Commonwealth. These people firmly believed that the victims of the Bloody Reign of Terror would be avenged by their holy goddesses: Din, with her powerful fiery arms that carved the magnificent world, Nayru, the creator of the laws with her infinite wisdom, Farore, the creator of life to sustain Din's world and uphold Nayru's law, last of all Hylia, the protector of the goddesses creations by sacrificing her own place in the Sacred Realm, that she may physically protect her loving sister's children.

Alas, for as many as ten years, the prayers of those who were not deceived by the Dark One's malicious lies were not answered. The innocent and deceived were brutally beaten to the point where their hopes, whether conscious or hidden deep within the heart that the mind is unable to gain access, were reduced to dying embers.

The goddesses wept bitterly for their beloved children and their suffering. But they knew that it wasn't time for their sister's reincarnation and her chosen champion to save the suffering souls from the Dark One. But they sent a Holy Man to bring hope and peace to their little ones.

Rauru was fervently praying for the lost souls from the day's execution in the central plaza. As he knelt in meditation a golden light fell upon him, blinding him with its glory. As his eye's adjusted to the beacon of light, he beheld the image of the sacred Triforce subsiding to the background as the silhouette of a man and a woman appeared before his eyes. The man's figure was entirely green outlined in a golden light, while the woman's was completely blue with the same golden light outlining her delicate frame. As if life was suddenly breathed into the man and woman, they simultaneously began to interact with one another, and a bell like voice spoke within Rauru's heart.

"...They began their tale during the First Great War. By the creation of Hylia's Goddess Sword, they were able to successfully seal the Dark One for the time of one thousand years. But the sealing came with a price. Due to a blow from the Dark One's awesome powers, the man lost his life. The woman gave up her own life in eternal sleep to keep the seal firm and strong. The remaining Hylians were sent upon a piece of land up to the skies and lived a peaceful lifestyle. ..."

Rauru saw the horrid battles between the man and woman versus the Dark One of old, as well as the breathtaking creation of Hylia's gift to the world. Tear's went unnoticed as he witnessed the death of the man and the woman's sorrow as she gave her life to uphold the seal. The survivors rose in the sky with the large island, oblivious of their savior's sacrifice for them.

"...Time is ephemeral by the terms of eternity. The seal of the Dark One began to weaken tremendously nearly breaking against the Dark One's resistance. The man and woman were born again to protect the goddesses holy creations. ..."

The vision portrayed the Dark One's struggle under a different dimension of the earth that was held together by a faltering seal at the bottom of a crater, it's light was fading. An ancient temple stood proudly behind the extensive crater with an old woman casted in the shadows of the Sheikah tribe looking anxiously at the seal.

The image immediately shot up above a cloud barrier to a large floating island filled with Hylians and great birds surrounding the island. Rauru immediately spotted the man and woman for they were the only Hylians with color, the rest were mere shadows with white outlines. The man and woman were in a child's form playing around a great statue with a large red bird standing behind the boy and a large blue bird behind the girl.

"...As soon as the man and woman came of age of adulthood in their village, their celebration was disrupted by a massive, black, tornado. It ripped the woman off her loftwing and below the cloud barrier to the surface. The man desperately tried to save her, but was knocked unconscious by the force of the twister and was carried to safety by his Crimson Loftwing. Determination filled his spirit to retrieve his beloved friend, thus beginning the awakening process of the powers of his first life. The night before he became knighted, the spirit of the Goddess Sword appeared before him in a beckoning manner. The man followed her to the Goddess Statue and entered the sealed chamber of the Goddess Sword. There he reawakened the lesser power of Hylia's creation, and began his journey searching for his friend."

" The woman's arrival to the surface came as a great shock to the woman, for she was not prepared to see anything according to the people from her home. The guardian of the Sealed Temple was awaiting her and helped her by revealing her part in Hylia's plan and sent her on her way to the Skyview Temple to begin her purification process. ..."

Life-like images showed the coming-of-age ceremony that the village youth participated in. A flying demonstration race was held for the boy's to test their mastery of their 'loftwing' and one girl was chosen to act as the goddess Hylia for the formal knighting ceremony. The man won the race and the woman was chosen to be the goddess; together they flew on the Crimson Loftwing to the Goddess Statue where the woman knighted him. Afterwards they went flying alone in the skies enjoying each other's company when the appearance of the twister forced them apart. Blackness would have engulfed Rauru's vision if not for the Golden Triforce in the background. The next scene showed the man following a blue and indigo spirit to the Goddess Statue to reveal the Goddess Sword. The release of the sword gave him the key to opening the cloud barrier to the surface below.

The woman already have arrived shyly accepted the old woman's help and listened intently to the words she spoke. Once the old woman was done speaking, she directed where the woman should go to begin her purification. The last scene with the woman before the man came in again was when the woman entered a room in the temple where a spring was located and the woman began to pray in front of a smaller goddess statue.

"...The man descended to the surface for the first time to be met with astonishment, for he believed that the surface was a desolate place. When he got over his state of awe he was not permitted to enter the Sealed Temple for he had to prove that he was the one that was chosen by Hylia by resealing the imprisoned beast with a seal that was stronger than the one that gave way. Once he enforced the seal on the imprisoned, the old woman granted him access to the Sealed Temple. She told him where the woman went and how to find her, and he quickly departed after she warned him of the immense danger the woman was in by being alone on her journey."

"When he arrived to the Skyview Temple, numerous monsters were already searching for the woman. The man fought his way through the temple with the help of the spirit and confronted the servant of the Dark One. After the servant sensed that the woman was no longer there, he left the man to go into the sacred spring. Sorrow entered his heart for finding her already a great distance apart from him, he received the key to enter a different area below the cloud barrier. ..."

Although Rauru was unable to see the man's face, the vision was realistic enough that he could feel the man's utter surprise, confusion, and fear. The man was tense seeing the black, scale-like, monstrosity that had broken free of the seal at the bottom of the crater. Before the man jumped down into the battlefield, it was as if the goddesses were whispering encouragement and giving their strength, courage, and wisdom to aid the man during his first opponent blocking his way to reach his lovely one. After skittering around the massive steps, chopping off toes, and shoving the sealing stake back into the imprisoned skull, the old woman finally unsealed the doors to the temple and instructed the man how to reseal the imprisoned. Delighted that the man was finally going to get a clue where the woman was, he raced up the ramp circling the inside of the crater. The man and the old woman met face to face, ready for the questions and answers they were both eagerly asking each other.

When the man discovered the direction that the woman went, he ran out the room to save her from the dangers of the strange new land. Finally arriving at the temple, he gathered he courage and strength and entered with caution. Entering the final room that blocked his way from the woman, subsequently he came face to face to a familiar looking demon in Rauru's opinion. Eventually, after several blows on both sides, the familiar demon vanished, essentially unlocking the last door. Running up the stairs, the man's hopes were crushed when the woman was not there.

"...The woman traveled on her loftwing to the next location that the old woman told her where the next sacred spring was located. The Earth Temple. Located in the fiery terrain that is Eldin Volcano. The woman trekked up the rocky, uneven ground to the entrance of the temple, only to see that it was surrounded by monsters that were waiting for her. She ran in quickly only to be pursued until she was captured and chained to the floor until the demon lord came for her. When the woman nearly lost all hope, a lean, tall, dark woman came to save the woman. The dark woman eradicated the monstrous guards, broke the woman's chains, and rushed her to the safety of the sacred spring to begin the purification process."

"By this time the man had entered into a monster infiltrated temple going room to room looking for his dear friend. Upon the arrival in the final room he came face to face with the demon lord once again. Only this time, they did not clash swords. Instead, the demon lord summoned a monster made out of a magma core with a rock shell. The man gave the final blow with the Goddess Sword and the entrance to the Sacred Spring was opened. Eagerly, the man ran up the stairs to see that the woman was about to leave with the dark woman-who was reveal to be the guide and guardian of the woman. The woman turned to see the man and rejoiced that he was safe, but before she could go towards him, the dark woman would not allow the reunion of the two, for the man had to learn that he needed to fully understand how serious the situation was. In a flash of golden light, the two disappeared somewhere on the world. Broken hearted for his failures, the man retrieved the third and final key to the last location where he could find the woman. Determination began to come back with a vengeance to save the woman he truly cared for. ..."

The life like images of the vision continued to show the woman journeying on the mountain, and being chased through the Earth Temple by hundreds of monsters that resided there. It showed the image of the woman losing hope after her capture, and hesitation to continue with the other figure cloaked in the Sheikah's tribal shadow to finish the purification process. And then the man entered the picture, the sweat made his clothing cling onto him like a second skin as he ventured deeper and deeper into the Earth Temple.

After the final room, the first sighting that the man and woman had of each other made the vision seem a little brighter because of their happiness of the other's well being. Yet the cold empty distance came on too quickly when the woman was pushed away from the man and vanished. Heart break was clearly evident in the man's movements for a while; only to be replaced by determination to get her back after he got the final key.

"... Continuing her journey, the woman and the guardian arrived at the Temple of Time to enter through the gate of time. Sensing the Demon Lord's approach, the guardian caused the entrance to collapse, essentially blocking the way to reach the woman. The man, was hot on their heels, but was unable to get there before the destruction of the gates."

"He was then forced to find the ancient Lanayru Mines in the vast dessert. Once finding the entrance with the help of the mystical Time Shift Stones, he was able to find another entrance to the temple. As he surfaced from the ground, he was able to witness the woman performing the sacred ritual to enter through the Gate of Time. Just as it ended, the Demon Lord was able to break through the barricade. The woman sent the man the revered Goddess Harp and tried to get to the gate before the demon lord could reach her. Within a few short steps, the demon defeated the guardian and was about to run towards the woman. Yet the man leaped into action, fighting off the demon and giving the guardian and the woman a chance to escape one thousand years to the past and destroying the gate. Furious, the demon left to find clues as to how he could get the woman back to revive his master. Heavy-hearted, the man returned to the Sealed Grounds to receive council from the old woman. ..."

The image of the woman and her guardian were headed towards a temple that's walls were up but no ceiling. Instead, there was a great statue of the Triforce on top of Hylia's crest. The same image that was the exact replica of the deceased royal family's crest. Realization began to creep into his mind, but was unable to fully ponder it by the sudden destruction of the temple's gates. Following shortly after, the man appeared exasperated by the sight of the gate entrance.

When the spirit appeared before the man once again, Rauru inferred that she was the one that told him of another way to get in the temple. Astonishment graced Rauru's features as he beheld the advanced technology of the past as the man journeyed through the ancient mines and to the second entrance of the Temple of Time. A pure white light brightened around the woman as she performed the ritual that would open the Gate of Time. Joy radiated from the man and woman as they were actually able to see each other for more than a moment. Yet their joy was short lived as the demon blew away the debris of the fallen gate and attacking the guardian. The woman held up a harp and glowed even brighter sending the harp to the man for his next search that would bring them together. After the man received the harp, the demon broke through the guardian's barrier and prepared for his next attack, only to have the man intercede and push him away from the women. Once they safely away, by the destruction of the Gate of Time, the demon left the man alone; the man turned longingly to the place he last saw the woman and left to return to the temple by the crater.

"... The man descended to the surface, but was shocked to see one of the village boys followed him to the surface. The old woman foresaw this, knowing that the boy would be of great need in the near future. Yet after a time of trying to explain this to the boy, the Imprisoned escaped once again. The man took off immediately to try and stop it from reaching the temple as the boy cowered in fear. Once defeated the man resealed the Imprisoned and returned to the old woman to know what he had to do in order to see his friend again. She had him pull out the harp and together played Hylia's hymn. Once completed, the dormant stage of the second Gate of Time appeared before the man. The old woman explained to him that the only way to awaken the Gate of Time, he had to gain more power for himself and the Goddess Sword. The only way he could harvest the power was by searching for the three Sacred Flames: Farore, Nayru, and Din. ..."

A new figure was reintroduced in the vision as a burley boy with a peculiar hairstyle who was also in the celebration, but he did not qualify to go onto the knighting ceremony like the man. The image shook as the imprisoned broke free from its holding; the boy hid inside while the man went out to reseal the beast. After his return, the boy miserably left the scene while the old woman and the man summoned the dormant Gate of Time. It was a massive rectangular pillar that glowed a faint blue-green light. The man tried to awaken it, but the woman stopped his efforts by the words that the bell-like voice that narrated the vision had depicted.

"... The woman and her guardian were transported to the world of the past by one thousand years. They were currently in the Temple of Time, but after a short time moved to the Temple of Hylia. It was there that they awaited the arrival of the man."

"The old woman directed the man to find clues about the locations of the three sacred flames and left so that she could help the boy see his way to help the man and woman. By her instructions, the man took to the skies back to his village. With the help of the village leader, the man was able to locate the next area where he could open a entrance to a massive thundercloud remained. By playing Hylia's hymn where her symbol was, the man gained entrance in the thundercloud. It was there that he found another island with the same Goddess Statue as the one back on his village. ..."

The Temple of Time in the past was a complete building without the massive crest. The Gate of Time there was still whole, but was closed off from being entered again. The woman and guardian departed from the consecrated place to go to Hylia's temple. Surrounded by the wounded world, the woman and guardian went to the forest. There they were greeted by a beautiful temple that stood behind a freshly carved crater with a sealing stake on the bottom center. Entering the temple, they saw the second Gate of Time fully awakened. The guardian awaited in the front of the Gate's opening while the woman went behind the closed doors on a platform in the middle of the room.

The old woman was finished speaking with the man and moved towards the dejected figure in the background. The man took off to the skies and flew to his village. There he went to the proud man that commenced the celebration to see what information he could give the man. Moving on, the man climbed a tower that faced the thunderhead and pulled out the harp. The spirit appeared and together they played the hymn. A mirror appeared reflecting a beam that shot through the cloud to the other Goddess Statue where the man appeared next. After solving a type of slide puzzle, the man was able to crawl through a small entrance and wandered in to the center of the statue.

"... Using the sacred Skyward Strike, the man unlocked a message from the goddess that was locked inside the sword spirit's mind. 'He who seeks the sacred flames, listen well, for I guide you from my place at the edge of time. The sacred flames are three in number. To obtain them, you must also earn relics known as the three sacred gifts. For each trial you overcome, you shall be blessed with one of the gifts... Make use of the power of these gifts, and you will find your way to the purifying sacred flames. Now, I bestow unto you a melody. It will serve you as a key, opening the first trial that awaits you deep in the wilds of Faron Woods.' The spirit taught the man Farore's Hymn and he commenced to the woods to complete the first trial. ..."

Engulfed in a holy light the sword emanated, the man performed a vertical strike on Hylia's crest and a small goddess statue arose in front of the man. The spirit appeared before the man and began to dance as she relayed the message unlocked from her mind. When learning the song to unlock his first trial, the light turned green and the air was magical as the man performed the hymn. Once the message was complete, he left to the woods. The entrance was located in the middle of the woods.

"... When the man opened the portal to the trial, he was transported to the shadow realm of Faron Woods. The spirit then spoke to him explaining what he had to do in order to complete the trial. She explained to him that the warrior-like statues were the guardians of the goddesses gifts and once he left the circle of safety, they would hunt him down. By one touch, they would destroy his soul, yet the tears that he had to collect would leave them in a dormant stage for a short period of time. The man was also warned of numerous awakening calls. Should he set them off, he had little chances of completing the trial unless he was near a tear. As she finished illuminating the trial, the man walked out of the circle. Dread filled his being as the atmosphere turned ominous. He saw guardian's begin to run towards him; panicking the man quickly scanned the area for a tear. Finding one he ran towards it. Dodging several attacks, he rolled and grasped the tear. The air turned peaceful once again. The spirit once again spoke into his heart informing him that he had one of the fifteen tears and that the white fruit would send beacons of light where the other tears were. Once again wishing him luck, the man grabbed the fruit and headed to the nearest beacon."

"As he continued the trial, he had several close calls. He discovered that the off-colored water was a trigger to awaken the guardians as well as a poe-like spirit with a lamp. He was very annoyed to have the poe's chase him when he got close to them; that's how he discovered the water's affect. When he finally seized the final tear, a heavenly glow was emitted from the circle. The man began to run towards it when out of nowhere a poe caught him and awoke the guardians. A high speed chase took place between the man and all of the guardians. By the man's strength, intelligence, and fortitude alone, he was able to make it to the circle of safety before the guardians could capture him. The tears glowed in the illumination of the circle. They bestowed the first gift of the water dragon's scale. The man's soul returned to his body. ..."

Images that continued to flood Rauru's mind revealed to him that the man took up his sword and impaled it into the ground. His body remained in the knelt position as his soul journeyed into a shadowed world. Faron Wood transformed from bright carefree place to hauntingly beautiful. He could see the lethal weapons the guardians motionless forums held in their hands for quick access. Completely harmless in their current condition, but more deadly than a mother bear protecting her cub when awake. The man stood still in a marked circle. Rauru implicit that the man was receiving counsel from the spirit girl, so he continued to observe the different surroundings of the silent realm.

Once the man set off, a drastic change took place in the realm. No longer was it the peaceful shades of blue, green, and gray. Instead, ominous colors of red, yellow, and orange blended into one as the silent killers began to surround the man. With panicked features, the man looked desperately around for a tear. Spotting a small, green, tear-shaped orb, the man dashed to it and clutched it in his hands. Instantly, everything returned serene and the man grabbed a small white fruit and ran to one of the fourteen lights. As he collected more tears Rauru saw what the voice called poe's and awakening water. They seemed to be located in the more difficult areas to maneuver. Several times the man woke the guardians. The sight of them chasing the man made Rauru's insides freeze over despite the hard pounding of his heart pumping his warm blood throughout his body. This especially happened after the man was returning to the circle. Rauru nearly screamed as one of the big bulky guardians' sword nearly decapitated the man's head, but the man quickly rolled into the circle's safeguard.

The glowing tears began to hover over the man's head forming a pod-like bud. Blooming suddenly, the man was holding a leather bound necklace with a beautiful blue dragon scale. He put it around his neck and was reunited with his body.

"... Withdrawing his sword, the man was met by one of the peaceful creatures of the forest called a Kikwi. The man inquired the Kikwi's chief if it knew anything of a sacred flame. The chief did not yet knew that the eldest Kikwi did. So he told the man that the eldest Kikwi could be found somewhere on the great tree behind them. The man thanked him and ran to look for a way to climb up the massive tree. The spirit informed the man that he could try to look for an entrance at the bottom of the pond that was located next by the tree, for the dragon scale came from the water dragon and it gave him the power to hold his breath underwater for long periods of time. Finding the entrance, the man journeyed inside the hollowed tree and climbed up to the top where the Kikwi elder was located. There he was directed to find the water dragon that resided in Lake Floria."

"The man found the lake and followed one of the fish people to the water dragon. He enquired about the flame the dragon protected, but the dragon would only give the information about the flame after the man was tested. The water dragon was injured when a demon lord attacked it's sanctuary; it's healing waters recently lost its remedial properties, so the dragon sent the man on a quest to retrieve more of the water that was back in the Skyview Temple's sacred spring. The man quickly left to retrieve the water and came back immediately. The dragon was satisfied and opened the way for the man to enter its cistern where the flame was held. ..."

After the man kneeling on the ground stood up, Rauru saw a huge creature that he had never before seen. It seemed to be very harmless, and somewhat adorable - not that he would ever admit that. Shortly after he saw the man jump into the small pond that hugged a side of the great tree and swim in an opening that was just big enough for him to enter. He trekked inside the tree until he found another opening that allowed him to climb up a carved ramp all the way to the top of the canopy. There he located a smaller and very old Kikwi. The man's visit was not very long. Shortly after he jumped down the top of the tree (using a small, cloth, parachute to ease his fall ) and ran off to find the entrance of Lake Floria.

Unlocking the stone gate by carving an image onto its surface with the Goddess Sword, the man jumped into the lake and came up to a fish person. The fish person was frightened and began to swim away as fast as it could to the protection of the water dragon. The man was able to keep up with the fish person, thanks to the water dragon's scale, and was able to meet the water dragon. The water dragon was a large, deep-blue dragon with sharp claws and a beautiful shimmering neck. The man went up to it and spoke with the dragon. The dragon then told the man of its conditions for gaining access to the flame, and the man set off to fulfill those conditions. Returning to the Skyview Temple, the man ran straight through, got the water, and ran back to the home of the water dragon. Once the water dragon was healed, it leaded the man out the back to a beautiful lake with a waterfall. The water dragon sealed off the flow of the waterfall and allowed the man to enter the cave.

"... The man could tell the cistern was ancient, but it was very beautiful. He traveled through the temple searching all of the rooms for ways to get to the very top of the reservoir. According to the spirit's dowsing capabilities, the first sacred flame was located there. After searching both the top area, symbolizing life, and the lower area, symbolizing death, he finally made it to the top. There he met with the demon lord once again, but instead of fighting him, the man fought a mechanical warrior in the demon lord's place. Once defeated, the room of the sacred flame was unlocked and the man entered."

"The room was dark with a small unlit torch. The spirit of the Goddess Sword emerged and ignited the first flame. Consuming her body, the spirit instructed her master to hold out his sword. The man did so. Fire balls launched at the sword and the holy powers were absorbed in the sword. It enhanced the sword's strength and added onto the man's own powers. Once he was finished, the man sheathed his sword and returned to the Isle of the Goddess. ..."

The cistern was breathtaking. Rauru recognized many of the symbols in the upper rooms as the symbols of life. Yet when the man traveled to the lower room, the world of death was evident by every glance. However, Rauru marveled the fact that the man had to fight through the ways of life and death in order to achieve his goal. Evidence in the increase of courage the man had when he faced the strange golden warrior with the six razor sharp blades.

Rauru observed the room of the sacred flame. He could see the symbol of the goddess Farore. When the spirit summoned the green flame his suspicions were confirmed. This was Farore's sacred flame. He began to wonder if the other two goddesses had sacred flames as well when the man took to the skies and returned to the Isle of the Goddess. Yet because of his wonderings, Rauru missed the important moment when the Triforce of Courage appeared on the man's right hand.

"... The man entered the Goddess Statue and once again struck the symbol of Hylia. Another message from the goddess was revealed to the sword's spirit, and she appeared before her master to relay Hylia's word to him. 'He who seeks the sacred flames, listen well, for I am the one guiding you from my place at the edge of time. Two sacred flames remain. Should you desire to possess them, you must obtain the other sacred gifts. For each trial you overcome, you shall be blessed with another gift. Harness the power of these gifts, and let there be no doubt you shall find yourself standing before the majesty of the sacred flames. Now, I give you another melody. It will serve as a key to unlocking your next trial, which awaits you within the shifting sands of Lanayru Desert. The spirit taught the man Nayru's Hymn and they set off to the blazing dessert to the next trial."

"Journeying back through the skies, the man descended to the Lanayru Desert where the spirit informed the location of the gate of the next trial. Once finding the entrance, the man performed Nayru's hymn and readied his sword to complete the unlocking process. He felt his body being spirited away once again to perform the trial that the goddess prepared for him. In the desert's silent realm, the man looked around seeing a glowing, blue, tear-shaped vessel. In front of that tear was a guardian frozen in its dormant state. The man inwardly groaned as the spirit told him that he had to go through the same type of trial as in Faron Wood. Summoning all of his courage, the man bolted to the first tear. Desperately trying his hardest not to scream as the guardian swung his great sword at the man's head. After collecting all of the tears the light was once emitted again from the circle; the man was careful to not make the same mistake as last time and avoided all poes and waking water. With great pride in accomplishing his goal, the man prepared to receive the next gift from the goddess. The tears gave of a strong glow and faded away to reveal the clawshots. ..."

Rauru was not surprised when he saw the man perform the exact same actions inside the statue. What did astonish him was that the emitting light was a rich blue instead of a green like before. For he believed that the goddess Farore was his patron goddess because of the images green figure. He continued to think about it as the man and spirit played Nayru's Hymn. Coming to a conclusion that back then, the most known out of the gods was the one called Hylia. Things changed drastically over time, for there was no recollection of a 'goddess Hylia'. Only the goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. Returning from his thoughts to see where the images of the man continued, Rauru quickly identified the man's location as the middle of Lanayru Desert and entering the second trial.

Feeling pity in his heart for the man, Rauru focused on how well the man would do the second time facing the guardians, poes, waking water, and the race against the clock. The man did increasingly better than his first attempt. He only awoke the guardians once because the awakening water surrounding a cart in the middle of the sand constantly appeared and disappeared. The man had to move the cart yet timed it wrong and was caught in the water. Rauru was quite impressed by the man's quick reflexes and ability to learn on the run. Throughout the trial, he saw wisdom amplifying within the man to the very last step. As the man's gift was shown, Rauru could see a great resemblance in the clawed gloves connected by chains with a similar tool that the hero of the legends used. He brushed it off as the vision continued.

"The man began to extend his exploration by using his clawshots to hook onto targets or vines in higher places. By doing this, he discovered a place with an endless ocean of sand. The spirit claimed that she sensed the sacred flame somewhere in the sand that imitated water. Running on an ancient dock, the man saw a robotic figure from the past next by a rundown boat. In the middle of the boat, he beheld a Time Shift Stone. Striking the stone: water replaced the sand, the boat was in perfect condition, and the robot came back to life claiming he was captain who's ship was stolen from him. The man inquired if the captain knew anything about the sacred flame. The captain was in charge of protecting the sacred flame and it was on his ship. After searching the water's together, the captain realized that the pirate turned on the invisibility device. Once finding the ship by the spirits dowsing ability, the man shot cannons at it to deactivate the invisibility device. Pulling to the ships ladder, the man ascended onto the ship."

"The man saw many Time Shift Stones, and used them once again to aid him in his quest. Freeing the crew, defeating the pirate, and protecting the area of the ship that held the sacred flame from the sea beast, the spirit emerged from the sword as the man revealed the torch. She went to the blazing blue flame and allowed it to engulf her body. The man raised his sword out facing her, and flaming balls of blue fire rocketed onto the Goddess Sword. Once finished, the sword was once more enhanced, both physically and spiritually, and the man gained more power drawing him one step closer to awakening the dormant Gate of Time that separated him from the woman. Taking to the skies, the man headed -for the last time- to the Isle of the Goddess. ..."

The man explored around many gorges and high cliffs that lead to caves. All of it was thanks to the clawshots. When the man stumbled upon the sea of sand and the boat, Rauru couldn't help but think of the Great Sea and the King of the Red Lions from the tale of the Hero of Winds. He shook it off immediately and watched as the captain and the man searched for the ship.

Rauru was fascinated by the powers of the Time Shift Stones as the man went back and forth on the same ship but in different states of time. Feeling somewhat disappointed that the man didn't have to use the stones when facing the monster, he observed how the man tried to make sure that the ship wouldn't sink. Feeling very reasonable, Rauru reasoned that if the ship sunk, then the stones would lose power and be buried beneath the sand where the man had no chances of retrieving. Satisfied with his answer, Rauru returned his focus in time to see the spirit of the sword instruct the man to return to the Isle of the Goddess; once again missing the Triforce of Wisdom appear left of the Triforce of Courage.

"... The man gave Hylia's symbol the strike from the heavens to unlock another message from Hylia within the Goddess Sword's spirit. 'He who seeks the sacred flames, listen well, for I am the one guiding you from my place at the edge of time. The last of the sacred flames still eludes you. To obtain it, you must claim another sacred gift. For each trial you overcome, you shall be blessed with another gift. Make use of the power of these gifts, and you will most certainly find the path to the sacred flames. Now, I bestow unto you another melody. Let it serve as a key to unlocking you final trial. It awaits you upon Eldin Volcano.' The spirit taught the man Din's Hymn and they left to the melting heat of the volcano to seek out the last trial for the flame."

"The man traveled through the rocky terrain searching for the entrance. Coming up to a bridge, the man found and opened the entrance of the trial with the power of his sword. The Silent Realm trial was unchanged from the other two, yet there were more obstacles the man had to complete. Many of the glowing, red, tear-shaped vessels were surrounded by magma or steep hillsides with waking water covering a large portion. With the courage and wisdom the man gained from the last two trials and flames, he conquered the third trial. Throughout the trial, his physical power increased. The fifteen tears glowed magnificently and revealed two red earring that would protect him from intense heat. ..."

The man was raised on a smaller platform with a goddess statue underneath it. As the spirit appeared, a red light shone down upon her. Continuing the pattern of the last two visits to the Isle of the Goddess, the lighting and song were obviously dedicated to the goddess of power, Din. The spirit returned to her resting spot in the Goddess Sword and the man raced to his Crimson Loftwing and flew to Eldin Volcano.

When he located the entrance of the third trial, he inserted the Goddess Sword into the rough ground and entered the silent realm. Rauru gazed upon the man's green silhouette and felt his confidence magnify ten-fold as he rushed to retrieve all the tears. He could dare say that the man was actually enjoying this trial, except when the man ran out of time and could not for the life of him find the last tear. By sheer dumb luck alone, the man tripped on an uneven stone and right on top of said tear just as a guardian swung down. Shaking his head in disbelief, Rauru watched the guardian return to its statue form while the man headed back to the circle. After the man received the fiery red earrings, he replaced his current blue one with them.

The man journeyed to the top of the volcano to the room that was so hot, his clothes ignited more than once. Yet this time, the earrings formed a cooled barrier around him shielding his body from the intense heat. Taking the opportunity, the man continued to explore the uncharted locations of the volcano. His wanderings eventually led him to an entrance that was blocked off by a fiery gate that could only be opened by pouring water on the tong of a frog shaped head statue. Seeing as the man could not reach it, he took to the skies to retrieve the water dragon's healing basin for water.

"... The man was able to use the water dragon's basin to open the flaming gate. He walked into the sanctuary dedicated to the flames and traversed throughout the temple in search of the last sacred flame. The man considered this temple to be the most dangerous of the three, for there were many times where he made a tactless error in his footing and nearly fell in the molten lava that flowed like water within the temple walls. As the man crossed the threshold of the last room, he came face to face with the demon lord once again. This time the demon lord crossed blades with the man once again in hopes that he'd kill the man and keep him out of his business."

"The man was not at all shocked that the demon gained more powers because of the hatred for the man. Once the man defeated the demon lord again, the demon lord quickly fled to the location where he found was the second gate of time. Understanding this, the man hastily entered the chamber were the torch of Din's sacred flame resided. The spirit emerged from her physical state and brought a crimson flame to life. Engulfed in the red flames, the spirit instructed her master to hold out the sword. As the man did, the flames shot to the sword enhancing it creating the unofficial Master Sword. The spirit informed her master that he had enough power to awaken the gate of time. By hearing this, the man raced through the skies to the sealed ground. ..."

The Fire Sanctuary was magnificent in Rauru's eyes. He felt it was a mirror image of the power that the goddess Din exhorted. Rauru could tell that the man had to exert massive amounts of mental strength to journey within the temple's awesome power. For example, the little digging creatures called mogmas told the man of a legendary treasure. However, the man had to find two statues facing each other and jump off a platform. When the man discovered that he could not go on without jumping off that platform, he gathered his courage and leaped into the river of lava below. Barely before the point of panicking, an invisible landing plate took form and gave the man access to the final rooms; where he faced the familiar demon lord and found the last sacred flame.

Rauru's curiosity took over his tumbling thoughts as to what next was going to happen to the Goddess Sword. As the flames smothered the Goddess Sword, it changed form as the man raised it to the skies. No longer was there a green handle with a blade with green and blue indentations. Instead a form very similar to the legendary Master Sword was in its place. The handle was gray and the blade seemed to glow with a heavenly light. Astonishment overflowed Rauru in the revelation that the Master Sword was created by the gods in a lesser form, and a man refined it to the sword's true potential. He was so shocked that he failed to see the Triforce of Power appear on top of the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage. Thus creating the ultimate power of the gods. By time he was able to accept the true forging of the Master Sword, the man was sealing away the imprisoned for a third time.

"... Returning to the Sealed Temple, the man struck Hylia's crest with the Skyward Strike, efficiently awakening the dormant gate. Once the gate was awakened, the man left his past behind to enter the one thousand year past. There he was met by the woman's guardian who relayed the message that he was currently in the Temple of Hylia also that the woman was awaiting him behind the monstrous doors that hid away the back room. The man felt butterflies in his stomach when he laid eyes on the woman and her serene beauty. She explained to him that through her the goddess Hylia would be able to establish the ultimate power of the Master Sword. Kneeling before the woman and taking her hand, the man was blessed by the woman to be the true wielder of the Master Sword. The man then arouse and raised the Master Sword to the skies completing the bestowing of power to the sword. Becoming the bane of evil's blade, the True Master Sword."

"As the man turned his gaze from the Master Sword back to the woman, his right hand began to tingle. He look down and saw the Triforce glowing brightly back at him. The woman began to explain the purpose of her journey and why they were chosen to rid the world of evil. She told the man the true reason as to why the first seal on the imprisoned lasted for a thousand years, and it dawned on the man just what she was going to do. He raced to stop her, but it was too late, her amber seal already encased her form. By her powers, she would hold the Dark One and his followers for a thousand years until the man came to awaken her from her eternal slumber. Promising to go back to her as soon as it was safe in their world, the woman entered into a deep sleep to last a millennium. Sorrow filled the man's heart for the sacrifice his friend made, he returned to his time and enquired the old woman about the Triforce on the back of his hand. The old woman directed him to search out the Guardian of the Skies. Being true to his word, the man left in search of the sky guardian to make their world safe enough to awaken his friend from her unconscious state. ..."

An abundance of joy filled Rauru's heart as he witnesses the awakening of the gate and the reunited friends. The blessing the woman gave the man reminded Rauru about the winged ceremony that seemed to happen so very long ago. Rauru felt humility wash over him as he realized the important legend that he was entrusted to see. Though it was just a vision, Rauru could feel the power of the gods flow through the man and the sword in order to create the True Master Sword.

Shock filled his system when he saw the completed Triforce symbol glow brightly against the man's hand, but shock was shortly replaced with a reverent awe as the voice in his heart spoke the words that the man and woman were chosen to defeat the source of evil in the world. It didn't occur to him that this scene possibly foreshadowed the event of the more common legends throughout time, for his heart was too busy reaching out to the man as he lost his friend for a thousand years until he actually brought peace to his present. The man took to the skies, after he met up with the old woman, and began his search for the Sky Dragon.

"... The man picked the villagers ideas as to where the sky's guardian might be located and was led to a small island inside of the thunderhead. He was greeted by a large dragon possessed by a parasite. Destroying the parasite, the Sky Dragon was peaceful and gave instructions to find the other dragons to complete the final song that would be the man's key to receiving the true Triforce, not the shell of it. The man took off to find the Water Dragon in the woods. After being delayed by the flooding of the woods, the man was able to ask the Water Dragon about the first piece of the final song. The Water Dragon scattered the notes throughout the flooded woods and sent the man searching for them. Once completed, the man left to find the next dragon located at Eldin Volcano."

"As the man descended from the sky, a bad wind struck him and he fell unconscious and was captured by the monsters. Beaten and robbed, the man awoke sometime later. Frustration overcame him when he realized that he had none of his weapons nor tools. Pondering on what to do, a mogma appeared before him and gave him back the man's digging mitts. Escaping his cell, the man snuck up the infiltrated mountain to regain his possessions and find the Fire Dragon. After regaining his things, the man entered the cave where the Fire Dragon resided. Not wanting to cause more grief for the man, the Fire Dragon gave the man the next part of the final song. Bidding farewell, the man left for Lanayru Dessert in search of the third dragon."

"Using his clawshots, the man was able to travel to the location that described the place the rock creatures -called gorons- told him legends of the where the thunder dragon resided in. By the aid of the mystical Time Shift Stones, the man was able to go throughout a different mine and brought the skeleton of the Thunder Dragon back its original state. Only the Thunder Dragon was too sick to give the man its part of the final song. So seeking out the dying little tree that the robotic life forms tried to grow for the dragon, the man took it with him and sought out rich soil. By suggestion of the spirit, he went through the Gate of Time and planted it in the rich soil within the Temple of Hylia. Quickly returning to his present, he saw that the tree had already matured and produced one of its healing fruits. Returning to the Thunder Dragon, he gave it the fruit and the dragon felt well enough to bestow the third part of the final song. Excitement filled the man and he rushed to the Sky Dragon to learn the final song. ..."

Rauru witnessed the endless searching for each dragon and admired the man's determination. No matter what obstacle was in the man's path, he always found a way around it. He chuckled at his thought. 'If only there were more like him.'

"... Back to the Sky Dragon's presence, the man learned the final piece of the final song. All of the dragons gathered around the man and gave him their blessing to continue on to the Goddesses Trial. The man inquired the Sky Dragon the reason behind the unexpected trial, and the Sky Dragon simply answered that it was the only way to acquire the entire Triforce. So by the aid of the spirit, the man found the entrance of the trial on a landing dock on his own village. Playing the Final Song, the man, for the last time, unlocked the entrance to the Silent Realm and his spirit left his body to complete it."

"It was strange for the man to see the powerful guardians around his home, but confidence grew within him. He knew his village like the back of his hand, and he was not in some foreign land like the other three. Immediately he set off in search of the fifteen tears. While some were harder than the rest, the man completed the final trial with ease. His final gift was an orange gem with the Goddess Hylia's crest engraved within. The spirit prompted the man to find the mate of the stone so he could continue on to retrieve the Triforce and save everyone that he cares for. The man looked all over his village and came across a bird statue with one eye empty and the other with a duplicate stone in the other. placing the stone in the empty eye socket, the statue came to life and shot a cannon at the bottom of the Goddess Statue. The earth surrounding the stone fell to the surface and revealed an entrance at the very bottom. The statue then shot floating clawshot targets in the air; taking advantage of the easy way over the man entered the Sky Keep Temple. ..."

Rauru could only describe the way the dragon's blessed the man. Breathtaking. They flew around the man giving him the temporary power to float in the air. The spirit also appeared and guided the man to his harp where her powers flowed into it as she danced. The man left after his final questions were answered by the Sky Dragon. He came to a frequently used landing dock and unlocked the final Silent Realm.

Total opposite. That was the only way Rauru could describe the village in this silent state. While in the real world, the village was full of life and activity. But in the Silent Realm, it was very eerie. Rauru mourned at the thought of his beloved Hyrule's current state, yet he was able to bring himself out of his anguish to see the man receive the orange gem. As the man place the gem in, Rauru saw it turn to face the earth underneath the Goddess Statue and shoot a canon at it. Several moments of ... absolutely nothing went by until the bird statue shot the familiar clawshot targets leading to the entrance. Observing the man's great integrity upon bowing his head before the entrance, peace touched Rauru's heart.

"... Sky Keep reminded the man greatly of a slide puzzle that he and the woman use to play as children. He went through every room in search of the Triforce pieces. Upon entering a room with a Triforce, he was transported to the Silent Realm. Instead of facing the guardians like he was use to, he was faced with either a green, blue, or red glowing room. In the middle of the room was either the Triforce of Courage, Wisdom, or Power. When the man came into contact with the Triforce pieces, great tower bells rang. Symbolizing that the Triforce piece was claimed."

"When the man acquired all pieces of the Triforce, he made a wish with the strength of his heart that the Dark One would be defeated. Glowing brightly, the power of the gods granted his wish. The Goddess Statue began to quake to the point where it broke off entirely from village island. Falling and falling below the cloud barrier, the man began to fear for his life. His fear quickly went away when he felt the escaped Imprisoned flatten beneath the weight of the Goddess Statue's massive form. Leaving the statue's inside, the man observed that the Goddess Statue must have been a part of the land that was sent to the skies a millennia ago. The spirit enlightened the man that the gods have granted his wish by the power of the Triforce within him. ..."

Journeying inside the Goddess Statue's temple, Rauru realized that the rooms all represented the numerous temples that the man explored. Yet the serenity of the Silent Realms that held a Triforce piece seemed to be intensified. Rauru came to the conclusion that it was mainly because there were no guardians to run from and the Triforce created a god-like presence.

Just like the legends say about the Triforce, Rauru saw the man make a wish that mirrored his pure heart. As the statue plummeted to the earth, Rauru saw that it was heading to the crater of the Imprisoned. Just as the Imprisoned emerged, the statue slammed down upon its body and destroyed it in the present day. By its destruction, the surface seemed to brighten tremendously.

"... Racing inside the Sealed Temple, the man entered the room where the woman slept in her amber tomb. Upon his arrival, the cocoon of amber began to crack and crack until it shattered, sending shards all over the world. Awoken from her thousand year slumber, the woman's first sight was the same as her last sight. The man before her. Only this time, sorrow was not on his face, but of pure ecstasy. She tried to move towards him, but her limbs felt stiff and she began to fall. Bracing herself for the ground's impact, she was shocked to feel the warm embrace of the man's arms. Holding her head to his chest, the man began to weep silently as the woman bided him good morning."

"After the few minutes of their embrace, the man and the woman returned to the old woman and the village boy. Their happiness radiated throughout the entire temple. But the war was not yet over like they had hoped. The demon lord had snuck in and sent an attack causing the inhabitance in the temple to collapse. The man awoke to see that the woman was captured by the demon lord. When he tried to stand, the demon lord laughed and entered the Gate of Time with tremendous speed. Finally able to get back on his feet, the man pursued the demon lord. Entering the Temple of Hylia, the guardian woman told him where the demon lord took the woman and urged him to hurry before her soul was consumed. ..."

Tears escaped Rauru's eyes unnoticed as he watched the man and woman's reuniting moments. Yet those moments seemed to be short-lived as the demon lord sprang into action with a mighty sweep of his sword, sending everyone to the ground. Grabbing the woman and throwing her over his shoulder, the demon lord laughed at the man's struggling to stand and dashed into the Gate of Time sending himself and the woman a millennia into the past. Urging the man within his heart to go faster, Rauru began to feel adrenalin pump through his veins. After passing through the gate and seeing the woman, the man bolted out of Hylia's Temple and found that the demon lord was already performing the ritual to extract the woman's soul.

"... As the man tried to leap down into the crater, the demon lord put a barrier forcing the man to descend by the spiraling land. But with the barrier came a humongous hoard of monsters of all kind, eagerness to spill the man's blood consumed their bodies. Righteous fury pounded throughout the man's body, and he spared no mercy. Slice after slice. Stab after stab. Hack after hack. Consumed by his fierce determination, the man wiped out the majority of the massive hoard. The remaining monsters -having some kind of intelligence- fled for their lives, and the demon lord cursed those who fled from the man."

"As the man stalked closer to the demon lord, a chuckle full of malice erupted from the demon lord's throat that only increased as the man drew closer. Within a few short steps the woman's body began to glow. As the glowing increased, her body began to rise in the air. She cried and screamed as she fought the spell to rip her soul away from her body. The man leaped into action as this happened and attacked the demon lord. Because of his distraction, the woman was flung away and the boy from the sky village caught her before she could collide on the ground. Because of this, the final battle between the man and the demon lord took place. ..."

Rauru felt shivers run down his spin at the cold glare the man gave the hoard of monsters and the demon lord. What terrified him even more was the fierce and aggressive way that the man fought the demon lord. There were only three times that Rauru could ever recall someone ever fighting that viciously and they were the Hero of Time, the Hero of Wind, and the Hero of Twilight; each of those men only fought that deadly when the Princess of Destiny was going to be killed by the King of Evil. A connection was beginning to form between the four men and Rauru began to observe the man in his vision a little more closely.

"... Defeating the demon lord, the man turned to see how the woman was holding against the soul-ripping curse. He knew that she was strong, so his hopes were high that she would be okay. Alas, because of the delay that the monsters provided, the curse was able to claim half of her soul and it was fed to the imprisoned giving it enough power to break free of the seal and reviled to be the Dark One that sought the power of the Triforce a thousand years ago. The guardian told the man that the only way to reclaim the part of the woman's soul was to destroy the Dark One's immortal form."

"Returning his attentions back to the feeble demon lord, the man witnessed the seal dissipate and revealed the god-like form of the Dark One. The Demon Lord rose and bowed to him welcoming him back to the world and, much like the Master Sword Spirit to the man, called him Master. The man stood in shock as the Dark One brushed away the Demon Lord's explanations as to why he was not completely successful. He felt a twinge of pity for the Demon Lord when the Dark One forcefully change him into his true form, the Dark Master Sword."

"The Dark One then turned his attentions to the man. Immediately preparing to defend the Dark One's blow, the Dark One simply looked at the man then to the unconscious woman and laughed. He mocked the woman and the goddess Hylia to increase the man's fury. Once the Dark One was satisfied that the man was truly enraged, he then insulted the man's pride by not fighting him in the world, but in a realm made for a battle between gods. The Dark One returned to the center of the crater and vanished leaving a portal between the world's realm and the realm where the god's battle. ..."

In Rauru's opinion, the Demon Lord was punished by the natural laws of justice known as karma. A part of him wondered how the man could even feel a twinge of pity for a creature that caused such heartache and struggles for him and his friends. However, a more influential part of him knew that the man's character was pure. Not perfect, but pure. The same went for the woman.

"...Swallowing his dignity, the man accepted the Dark One's terms. Giving one last look at the weakened woman, courage took hold of his body and he entered the Dark One's portal. The realm was dark and ominous; reflecting the Dark One's heart perfectly. The Dark One scoffed at the man calling him foolish, yet he was pleased in his sickly ways for he had awaited for someone imprudent enough to challenge him. After his words, their battle began."

"The man and the Dark One circled around one another slicing, blocking, parrying. But when the man was able to knock the Dark One down, rage pumped furiously within the Dark One. Lightning flashed and struck his raised sword giving him it deadly power. The man dodged the powerful skyward strike and quickly imitated the Dark One's attack. Being more bulky than the man the Dark One struggled more to move away and was knocked down by the electric blow infused with the power of the gods. Taking this as the man's opening to end his war, he struck. Leaping high into the air with his sword acting as a lightning rod, lightning encased the Master Sword, and as he plummeted, he impaled the Dark One through his black heart."

"By the power of the Master Sword, the Triforce, and the lightning that amplified the powers, the Dark One's immortality could not save him. It shattered his everlasting body in the air. The only way he could ever return was to be reincarnated as a mortal. ..."

If Rauru felt anything like fear in the past, it was nothing compared to the fear that he felt by the presence of the Dark One's immortal form. His past fears would be more welcomed than the fear of seeing the Dark One and the man fight. He figured that his younger brother would be able to handle this better than he, for Arauru was once a high commander for the late royal family and was use to seeing terrifying situations. Yet that didn't mean that it didn't come without a consequence. Relief filled him as the Dark One was obliterated by the man.

"... The spirit instructed her master to raise his sword to the sky to absorb the remaining evil that remained in that world. As the man did so, the deadly clouds vanished and were purified by the Master Sword. Peace was finally brought to the past and present. Returning to his world, the man ran to the woman as her soul was made whole once more. As his form flooded her sight, tears of relief and pure joy ran down her face."

"The man, woman, and boy returned to their present. Once they arrived, the spirit appeared before her master. She told him to go to the pedestal where the woman slept for a thousand years so that she too could go into her dormant stage, for her mission from the goddess was complete. A heavy weight entered the man's heart as the spirit told him that they could never see one another again. Understanding by her reasoning lifted the weight enough for him to say goodbye and seal away her consciousness. The man drove the Master Sword into the sacred pedestal and began to walk away back to the woman when he was stopped by the spirit one final time. She told him that she believed that she was feeling what he once described to her as 'happiness' and that they would be reunited once again in another life when the time comes. By her final words, peace entered into the man's heart and the spirit slept."

"Returning to the woman they walked side by side to the old woman who was comforting the distraught boy. Curious as to what was happening, the man and the woman approached the duo only to realize why the boy was so upset. The old woman was about to die. The woman's protests were the most fierce of the boy and man. The old woman then spoke only to the woman. The words she spoke were the same that the woman's guardian spoke to her during their adventure together. Tears filled the woman's eyes as she saw the bracelet that she gave to the guardian before she returned to the present around the old woman's writs. Realization dawned on the man and the boy as the woman announced that the guardian and the old woman were the same person. A smile graced the old woman's face and she said her final farewell before her body glowed and she entered the Sacred Realm of the deceased. ..."

Theories that Rauru began to form in his head about the man and the hero's from the legends being the same person were confirmed by the Master Sword spirit's words to the man. It was the revelation of the old woman that truly left him speechless. For that meant that the old woman was alive for over a millennia. Neither person nor animal have ever lived that long. The only recorded civilization that lived that long were the Great Deku Tree and the Kokiri.

"...After the trio wept for their deceased companion, they returned to the village in the sky and began to bring the inhabitance down to the surface to see for their own eyes. The villagers didn't stay until several generations later. However, after the war was over, the man returned the Triforce to the Goddess Statue in its completed structure. It was at that moment that the man and woman decided to remain on the surface and become the guardian's of the Triforce. It was on the surface that they lived the rest of their lives together."

The last image that Rauru saw of the man and woman was the both of them together on the Goddess Statue's platform where they performed the ceremony. The Triforce hovered behind them and the man played Hylia's hymn for the woman on the harp the same way that the woman did for him those many months ago. The images went away completely except for the Triforce in the background.

The voice was silent, and Rauru began to wonder if the vision was over. When the Triforce grew brighter, the voice returned, yet at the same time it was not the same voice that Rauru was expecting to hear. This voice was different for it was not just one voice, but three.

"Oh ye righteous one. Blessed are ye by your faith. As our servant, go to the middle of Castle Town and deliver our message to our little ones. For their hearts are heavy and are in desperate need of a revived hope. ..."

Rauru trembled in happiness. The goddesses have answered his and many other believer's prayers. Hope for deliverance was to be sent to the oppressed.

"... Go and tell our little ones that the Chosen Hero and the Princess of Destiny were born into the world to deliver them from the evil ones who hold power over them."

"I will go and do as you have commanded, Holy Ones. May I also share what thou hast shown me?" Rauru prayed.

"Do not speak a word of what we have allowed you to see. For if you speak of it to anyone besides our chosen children, then thou wilt put our children in terrible danger."

Curiosity fill Rauru's mind like a young child at the goddesses commandment, "Why, Great Ones?"

"The leaders of the Republic, Ganondorf and Ghirahim, know of this story. When they overthrew the royal family, they sought and killed the sages, for they too knew of this story. If the people knew of this story before the right time, then pure chaos would erupt. This oppression is only a stage of that chaos. By revealing that story, then our sister who protects our children would be sought after in her weakened form. She has not awakened yet. But the time is nigh that she will come forth with her chosen, for they are the same as ours."

Rauru accepted their answer; he then voiced his ponderings about the man in the vision. "Oh Great Ones, if it is thy will to answer thy servant's humble question, is the man from the story the same man reincarnated as the Hero of Time, the Hero of Wind, and the Hero of Twilight?" The Triforce glowed brightly, effectively blinding Rauru. When the light reseeded, he saw three young men and a young boy. All were clad in the green garb of the Chosen Hero. The first man held a blue ocarina to his lips. The young boy stood against the man's back, yet he held a mask of a goron instead of an ocarina. The second man stood in a red boat with the head of a lion and a baton held in his hand. The third man stood in light, yet a wolf with blue eye's stood against his back surrounded by twilight.

"It is as thou hast said. Yet that is the only revelation that ye may come to know about this legend in this life. For our sages have only known as much as thee. It is crucial that the bearers of the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Wisdom know all of this beginning. A new prophesy has been spoken, this generation of the Chosen Hero and the Princess of Destiny will rid the world of the evil one once and for all. Now go, my son, bring the tidings of hope to the people of Hyrule. If you shall be killed, fear not. You will die in our service and we will preserve your body. Peace will be granted unto your family. Worry not for their well-being, for we will watch over them and guide them."

The images of the hero's of the legends vanished along with the Triforce. Rauru awoke from his vision.

"Thank you," he prayed, "for entrusting me with this important task. And for blessing me with comfort in leaving this world by ensuring safety over my family. I will do as thou hast commanded of me. I vow this by Din's Power, Nayru's Wisdom, and Farore's Courage. Amen." Rauru arose and wrote a quick farewell to his brother and the two children they took in. Leaving it behind the Temple of Time's alter, Rauru rounded to stand in front of the alter, bowed to the symbol of the gods, and left to preach their message.

Upon leaving the Temple of Time, Rauru glanced back to see the beautiful architecture of the reconstructed temple. A sense of melancholy filled him as memories flooded through his mind of the many, many times he came as a young man. Eager and full of determination to serve the goddesses and the people of Hyrule. He recalled that only a month after being ordained a High Priest, the rebellion took a hold of his beloved country, it was around that time where he and his brother took in two children whose parents were killed in the massacre. Shaking his head of these thoughts, Rauru stepped off the worn path onto the streets of Castle Town.

Walking past the people always broke Rauru's heart. The once charitable people were persecuted by the receivers of their charity. Righteous, noble men and women who served the people to the best of their abilities, abuse, treachery, and death was the gratitude that the hard-hearted bestowed upon them. Few aristocrats that always had greed, disdain, or smugness engraved upon their hearts were elevated and protected by the leaders of the Republic.

Arriving at the center plaza within Castle Town, Rauru had to hold back his vomit. An execution had just transpired and the cracks within the street stones were the veins of a person. The life blood of many men, women, and children flowed through them.

Soft weeping of many good people could be heard throughout the blood-thirsty people in the multitude. Their cries both crushed Rauru's heart and strengthened his determination to share the promise of peace.

Pushing his way through the back of the crowd, a path slowly parted for the High Priest of the goddesses. The coffin bearers were carrying the first of the pair of coffins leaving the other behind until they were able to come back for it. Putting his hands together and bowing his head in prayer, Rauru blesses the multiple souls who were martyred by the corrupted government. The people watched in true silence, marveling in the reverent tears that their beloved Priest shed for the deceased.

For several moments the stillness robbed every person a chance to speak.

It had never been that silent in Castle Town since the dawn of time.

Ending his petition, Rauru spoke in a low voice filled with anguish for the wickedness that had transpired for nearly two decades. "What is it that you must prove to the world?"

Shock waves at the tone of Rauru's voice plowed through the hearts of many. "How is it, that a once great and noble people turn a blind eye to those who's corrupted hearts seeped their deadly poison in our lives that the evil ones now rule over our land and destroy the righteous? Why were their fabrications soaked within the hearts of the credulous?"

Some people had enough grace to look bashful, while others became offended. A low murmur began to rise from the crowd.

"Will you really let this King of Evil use you for his sick pleasures? Where is your honor? Dignity? Fortitude? Humility?" Rauru's voice grew above the spiteful murmurs of the guilty. The innocent took his every word to heart, and tears misted their eyes.

"I know of the atrocious acts many of you have committed in the name of this so-called Republic." Rauru spat. "I come unto you bearing a message from Din, Nayru, and Farore themselves."

The level of Rauru's voice began to edge the border between normal and shouting. "The end is nigh! Repent of your wrong doings before their wrath and justice is upon you." Outraged shouts broke through the haughty. Fear incased the feeble-minded.

A fearsome roar came from Rauru's lips, "GANONDORF'S REIGN WILL END! THE CHOSEN HERO AND THE PRINCESS OF DESINEY WILL EMERGE WITHIN DUE TIME TO AHNIALATE THE DARK ONE ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

Speechless at the bone-chilling tone of the well loved Priest, Rauru saw that the Redead were rapidly approaching him. Ghirahim in the lead. Knowing that he would die in the service of the goddesses, thereby blessing his family with protection, Rauru uttered his final words before his mortal life was ended. "Blessed are ye who have been faithful and true to the goddesses. Fear not any longer. They have heard your cries and will avenge your fallen. May peace enter your hearts, and may the power of justice flow through your veins to give you courage in the darkest hours of this fatal storm. Justice... AGH!" Ghirahim tackled Rauru to the bloodied platform where the executions took place and knocked him unconscious.

Before Rauru succumbed to the darkness he whispered his final sentence. "Justice will prevail."

With a snap of Ghirahim's fingers, both he and the Priest vanished. Leaving the people to be forced back by the Redead.

They appeared within the Throne Room and Ghirahim forcefully removed himself from Rauru, causing the old Priest's head to crack on the cold marble floor. "Foolish old man." An eerie chuckle echoed throughout the walls as Rauru pushed himself from the floor to search for malevolent creature of a man. That is, if he truly was a man.

Ghirahim's laughter was replaced by a more ominous, bone-chilling, laughter that sounded identical to The Dark One from his vision. Ganondorf rose from the shadowy throne. With is rising, several of his closest followers stepped from the shadows, essentially surrounding Rauru. 'Is it possible? Could Ganondorf and The Dark One truly be the same being, but in different forms? Just like Hylia? How could this be? For I saw his spirit...' Rauru's thoughts were sharply cut off by a powerful yank of his arms that forced him to arise and look into the wicked leader's eyes.

The rumors that Rauru hear about one being filled with turmoil that the bravest of men would tremble at the sight of Ganondorf's eye's were not false. Terror filled his being as he stared into the compassionless eyes of his ruler. Praying silently for courage, Rauru looked Ganondorf head on.

A booming chuckle was emitted within Ganondorf's throat."So, you are not completely full of hot air like I assumed when you preached in the plaza." Rauru still did not shrink by the close proximity of the deadly man. A smirk graced Ganondorf's face. "No. You are not a coward. You are a fool." His minions laughed and Rauru could feel the chuckles from his captor. They were forced.

A flash of hope for this man surged through Rauru, 'If this one man of Ganondorf's followers is having a change of heart from the message, then just maybe, others are too. Perhaps, it is through the sacrifice of my life that will consecrate the goddesses message within the people's hearts. If this is so, then please, I offer myself to bring the people the desperately needed hope to aid them in these stormy times.'

"Ganondorf, I am not the fool. The goddesses would not have chosen a man that the people did not respect to relay their message. It is yourself, as well as your followers, that is the true fool of Hyrule. This land's divinity will not be mocked! By the powers of the bearers of the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Wisdom, you will be destroyed. Once and for all! The curse will end." The serenity inside of Rauru gave him power behind his words. He could feel his captor begin to slightly shake in fear for what he has done.

The smirk on Ganondorf's face was gone. At his violent glare, Rauru knew that he only had a moment left to give his captor hope. "If you let go of your hatred and repent before it is too late, then you will find peace and live within the Sacred Realm."

Hearing enough Ganondorf slightly nodded his head, and a Twilight man by the name of Zant emerged and forcefully shoved his pointed hands into Rauru's chest. Blood began to leak out of the corner of Rauru's mouth. Rauru screamed in agony as Zant's cold hands squeezed his heart and ripped it out without as much as a second thought.

His screams echoed throughout the castle, but they were not alone. His captor's screams reverberated with his, essentially sounding out to the people still outside in the town square. Rauru knew that his captor -a deeply tanned young man whose black hair framed his handsome face- would find his way back to the goddesses. And he died.

The man dropped his hold on the old Priest and tried to contain his horror as Ganondorf spoke, "Prepare his body for the transforma... WHAT!?" Before he could finish his orders, a golden light surrounded Rauru's corpse like a cocoon. Blinding everyone in the Throne Room. When the light subsided, Ganondorf let out a roar of frustration. Rauru's body had been taken by the goddesses, just like Impa. The Sage of Shadow.

During these events, a breathtaking young woman turned to a man who was cloaked in shadows. "Brother, they've killed him." Tears began to stream down her face and her azure colored eyes were rimmed red from her grief.

The man put his arms around his companion and left silently without a single trace that they had been there.

Several feet away, a group of seven felt a great sorrow in their bosoms'. A man with inky black hair that appeared violet in the light spoke, breaking the shell-shocked group, "I cannot fathom how much this country has suffered. And now, to lose a High Priest? I simply wish there was something I could do for these people." The group all nodded and one by one, walked away from the horrors that they witnessed. One man, however was too intrigued by the image that plagued the back of his left hand from his birth.

'I could have sworn it was glowing a few seconds ago. I'm not hallucinating, am I? The last time it glowed like that was when... No. It can't be. They told me they were dead. I must be seeing things.' The man turned and began to catch up with his companions.

'But if it was a hallucination, then why does it feel warmer than usual?'

"Link!" the man looked up at his companion with the short, brown, hair that called to him and began to jog to join his friends as they left Castle Town.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Just a reminder: not all of my chapters are going to be a whopping 26 pages in Microsoft Word. On my profile page, I will be giving you a heads up as to how long each chapter will be. It is updated every other day.

Please leave me a review! I would love to see what you think. Please try to refrain from cussing. I don't mind flames. Constructive criticism will help me immensely, especially when I upload chapters.

Also, PM me if you are interested to be my beta reader, or if you have any questions that I can answer.

Hope you liked it!

Spaz-attack101

Word count: 14,405