I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters.

Chapter 2: Another Chance

Link's lips curled inwards and his face strained fighting back emotions. He gently laid the deceased swordsman on his back closing his eyelids over his crimson eyes, and watched as the fog around him dissipated and the area turned into a simple blue tiled room. He glanced to his right as he heard the bars of the exit door slide open. "Link! We can leave now!" Navi spoke but then noticed the Hero's sorrowful demeanor, "It was for the best, he was an evil minion of Ganondorf's!" She cried urging him to proceed but Link shook his head.

"Then why would he have given his life in order for us to continue our journey, Navi? He was not evil… only lost." Link replied and stood to his feet. He sighed giving his dark reflection another glance. The part that bothered him the most was that his body didn't disappear into flames, sent back into the dark realm as Ganondorf's other followers had. He was bleeding, he had been in pain, and he had showed emotion. During battle, he seemed like a product of the underworld seething with black magic, there was nothing human about him. But now he just lay motionless, an empty shell as blood continued to seep out of his pale body.

Ganondorf must not have realized that by making a creature designed after the hero of time, he had to be somewhat mortal. Link let out a slight cry of frustration then placed his sword stained a rusty crimson back into its sheath. He walked slowly to his exit but when he was about to open the door, he caught sight of his hands covered in Dark's blood and he gasped. He tried to muster his composure and then headed into the next room. Upon receiving the long shot, the guilt started to set in deeper. A life for a weapon. Of course Link knew it wasn't JUST for the weapon, but also necessary in completing the temple and hence conquering his quest; however, at the time that's exactly how it felt.

"I can't do this Navi. I cannot continue on knowing what I've done here." Link stated looking at the floor, his pale blonde bangs hiding his face, "I've… never killed a human before. Especially one like… him." Navi knew he was referring to the bond that the two men shared. Even though they had only just met, it didn't matter. Together they made a whole and she knew that with Dark dead, a part of Link was gone.

"Li… Link! What are you saying?" Navi shouted nervously, "Surely you can't back out now! We're nearly done with this temple!"

"We will finish the temple. But I need to make things right first." Link then turned around and re-entered the room where his other half still lie motionless.

"Link, please reconsider!" Navi suggested, but Link had already made his mind up.

He walked over to Dark and picked him up in his arms. How am I going to transport him? Link figured that he would be able to take Dark's body out of the room considering he was deceased and the doors were now open, but he wasn't about ready to carry him all the way out of the temple. Especially since that would mean dragging his poor body through the water. Link sighed considering his options. He thought that the act of teleporting via ocarina was risky, but Navi was able to go with him just fine. However, she was a fairy with magical characteristics. Link decided to follow through with the plan anyways. What could possibly happen? Dark would remain here, and Link would proceed? It isn't like he would get lost in the fabric of time… he hoped. Link sat on the floor laying Dark in his lap. He pulled his ocarina from his pocket and sighed.

"Here goes nothing." He whispered. Besides, he WAS already dead. Link became to blow into his magical instrument generating beautiful high and low notes. The song was called The Minuet of Forest and it would transport him to the Sacred Forest Meadow, just outside the lost woods. He knew he could get help there. Suddenly, Link could feel an energy come over them.

"Come close, Navi." He said and she flew into the collar of his tunic, "Let's hope this works or it will all be in vein." He held onto Dark tight and a strong flash of light surrounded them causing him to close his eyes tight. It felt as though they were spinning at light speed and before he knew it he landed with a thud in front of the forest temple. He groaned and brought a hand to his forehead then looked around. Teleporting always made him feel woozy. Unfortunately, Dark was nowhere to be seen.

"Damn," Link muttered but as he was about to stand up a body came falling from the sky.

"Huh?… Ahhhhhh!" Link screamed as Dark came crashing down on him knocking out his breath, "So it works… just lags out a bit."

Link whimpered in pain as he stood to his feet bringing Dark up with him. He carried him bridle style down a long stairway surrounded by dark green grass and whimsical vines. He became frustrated when he found a large giant at the end of a small corridor with a huge club in his hands waiting to smash him to bits; however, he sniped him with a couple of arrows and he eventually fell to the ground. Link was growing tired of carrying Dark, he wasn't extremely heavy but it wasn't exactly a walk in the park either. The staircase led to an area of narrow corridors where evil creatures lurked in waiting. After scanning for enemies he threw Dark over his shoulder and climbed a nearby rusty ladder that led to a series of ledges Link could easily jump across to avoid the maze of giants below. However, before he was to leave the area he needed to make a stop.

"Sorry about this buddy," Link apologized and loosely dropped Dark down a dark hole. He cringed when he heard the thud knowing he made it to the bottom. Link jumped in after Dark and smiled at the glorious sight before him. The hole in the ground was the entrance to a fairy fountain. There was a beautiful cave underneath the surface where there were lovely white pillars that sparkled in the light that the many pink glowing fairies illuminated. The columns formed a somewhat octagon-like shape around a shallow pool of crystal clear water, and under the water lay white granite tiles. There were hundreds of pink fairies, all gathered here in case some wounded soul should come across.

Link carried Dark and laid him in the shallow pool of water. He dropped down to his knees and begged the fairies to please revive this poor man. Link had relied countless times on these small pink fairies when his heart had stopped in combat from too many lethal injuries. Although Dark had been dead for almost an hour, Link was confident that the fairies could help him.

"Hero of time!" The fairies called in unison echoing through the cave, "We would be honored to help your friend but his soul is of dark nature… are you sure that you can trust him?"

"To be honest I am not quite sure. However, if he is a menace to be dealt with I will take care of him. I promise." Link replied assuring.

"We believe in you Link. We shall grant him another chance at life, although we suggest that you take him to the Great Fairy so she can rid him of evil spirits and black magic." Link nodded in confirmation and took a few steps back to let the mystical beings do their work. The pink fairies swirled around Dark's body and he slowly started to levitate in the air. It looked as though pink glitter were falling from their wings onto his frail frame closing the large wound in his stomach.

"Why can't you heal me when I need it?" Link questioned Navi with a devious grin. Instead of answering, she just scowled and huffed in distaste. As the fairies finished their work, Dark's body was gently lowered to the ground and he began to come to. He sat up and brought both of his hands to his face, "What… happened?" He instantly looked down at his stomach and gasped in shock at the lack of a giant gash and then looked up to see a familiar figure in a green tunic staring back at him with a worried smile, "You?... Where?... Wha?" Dark stuttered as he attempted to stand on his feet. His legs wobbled and he fell to his knees.

Link walked over to Dark and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Are you alright?" Dark didn't know what to tell him.

"I'm more confused than anything." He replied and then began to look at his surroundings. His mouth fell agape. He'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life. He'd never seen anything besides his cold dark room in the water temple.

"Your friend is alive, but he is still weak. You will have to help him to wherever you are going." The fairies all cooed.

"Link, did you do this?" Dark asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't look nearly as happy as Link expected but he didn't look angry. Not sad… not anything. His stare seemed lost as if no matter what he was staring at, he was looking right through it at something else.

"I didn't do anything but bring you here. You will have to thank these wonderful creatures." Link answered bowing to the many glowing orbs of pink.

"Th… Thank you. I suppose." Dark muttered to the fairies bowing his head.

"You are truly welcome. We would do anything for the hero of time. In case you ever grow weary, feel free to take one of us on your adventure." They echoed.

"We're fine, thank you!" Navi squealed in jealousy, "Let's go see the Great Fairy Link so we can get back on track!"

"Come now, Dark." Link stated and held out his hand for Dark to take.

"Wait a second. Why are you to assume I will be coming with you?" Dark asked suspiciously.

"You… you can't be serious?" Link asked bewildered at the comment.

"You make plans without my opinion and then order me like a dog." Dark retaliated.

"Dark, you were dead! How was I supposed to ask your opinion?" Link replied sharply.

"I don't know how to feel about this Link."

Link sighed. For some reason he knew that Dark would feel this way if he ever again became conscious. He didn't think that Dark was angry with him for bringing him back to life but more in shock. They were supposed to be enemies after all; however, Dark's last action before he was killed had been in kindness. Most of all Link felt Dark was more astonished if anything at the sights he saw before him. After all, he'd spent years in that wretched temple room and now he was out, and he didn't know what to do.

"Can we please go outside and talk about this?" Link suggested and once again offered his hand to Dark. Dark was hesitant but then took Link's hand and he pulled him up. He wrapped his arm around Dark's waste and took his arm around his neck making sure to get a sturdy grip on him. They slowly walked to the light that was being emitted by the opening in the ceiling from which they entered. Link turned around once as they were leaving to wave at the fairies. "Bye Li-Link!" They all shouted.

They stood under the beam of light and were magically sent to the surface. Link situated himself on the ground and Dark took a seat next to him. He looked at Dark as he gazed out at the forest. The greenery, the trees, the scent of oak and fresh grass was all so new to him.

"Are we on some sort of wall?" Dark asked trying to look below them. Link pressed him back from the edge lightly.

"You don't want to go down there, trust me." Link said as they watched a large giant on patrol with a very deadly looking spear in tow.

"This place is amazing." Dark mumbled, taken in by all the new senses; the feel of the slightly damp grass on his skin and the humidity and temperature of the air.

"It's alright I suppose. This is where I grew up." Link said fiddling with a dandelion, "Of course, back then the monsters were scarce… and much smaller." He added with a chuckle.

"So these guys… they're not going to…" Dark trailed off nervously. He was concerned about fighting in the state he was in.

"They don't normally attack unless you're in their way… they definitely aren't going to climb up here. Besides, when we… IF… you decide to leave with me. We will just jump across the ledges to the exit, harm free." Link smiled.

"I'm sorry if I'm coming off a bit irritated, I'm a bit flustered if you can understand. I never expected to be brought back to life. Hell, I never expected to die the way I did. And now… I don't know what to do with myself." Dark said in a solemn tone Link had never heard him use before, "I gave my life because I know that Ganondorf would have never come to retrieve me from the temple. I would not gain anything from killing you. It was not going to give me my freedom." Dark explained as he looked at the ground, "As much as I hate to admit it… I would rather give my life for somebody who actually cared about my well-being then take someone else's for somebody who didn't give a rat's ass. I guess it was partly out of angst towards the Dark Lord. I figured I was either going to die for the good of Hyrule or be trapped forever and rot in that room. I would rather die."

"I knew you weren't all bad." Link joked nudging him gently in the side with his elbow.

"Link there is something that you need to understand," Dark stated seriously and made sure he was making eye contact with the blonde hyrulian boy, "I was not created to be good. What you see as a performance of kindness was actually an act of selfishness and hatred." At this, Link frowned. He wanted Dark to be a nice guy so bad.

"Do not get me wrong fellow… I had grown quite fond of you those few short moments we spent in that temple. I could feel your empathy and compassion. I may not be good-willed, but I can still feel guilt. You intrigued me. How a creature could be so sympathetic towards it's enemy. You know I could have killed you if I wanted… I know you know that."

"…I do." Link finally answered after a moment's silence. Dark was surprised that the Hero of Hyrule had actually admitted it, but after consideration it didn't seem so shocking. That was one of the traits that the two men shared. Honesty.

"I will come with you for now, Link. I have already taken up too much of your time to let it go in vein. However, I do not feel obligated to stay with you forever. If I should want to leave, do not be surprised. I'm letting you know now that I do plan on leaving."

Link nodded showing that he understood hiding the slight tinge of pain he felt in his heart, "Then we should get going, aye?" he replied covering up with a grin and helped Dark to his feet.

A/N: Awww how sweet. They're making friends. :3 I tried my best to explain that area in front of the forest temple and the fairy fountain. It was kind of difficult. If you have any suggestions, leave a review! Hope you enjoyed!