A/N- I apologize this chapter took so long to release. Things and life got busy I suppose. Anyways, to make up for it, this chapter is especially lengthy. Enjoy!

On another note, there are now approximately 10 chapters remaining until the end. We're almost there!

A cold night gust brushed through the village, whispering silent howls into the air as it squeezed through the ruined buildings and structures of Kasuto. Large gray clouds covered the sky like a wool blanket. A sliver of crescent moonlight poked through the clouds, shining on the field of snow-covered graves that memorialized Kasuto's fallen. Small snowflakes drifted gently towards the ground like tiny stars, gently tickling Kari's cheeks before dissolving into thin air.

The Sheikah sat cross-legged in the snow beside Midna's grave. His eyes were closed and his head was tilted towards the ground. His hands rested on his knees. The ruins around him were quiet and still as if in a long slumber. Even the mountain's predators and scavengers dared not approach this place. It was so quiet the Sheikah could hear himself think.

Kari visited Midna's grave on a daily basis. It was the one place he felt he could think clearly. His connection to this place spanned hundreds of years; the silence made meditation almost effortless. If there was such a place that he could look into his very soul, this was it. As he reflected inward, a tempest of conflicting emotions and desires raged inside him. He hoped by coming here, he could sort through some of them.

The wind tamer looked towards Midna's grave. As he looked at the rough stone texture, he realized he had no tears left to shed. However, he could not rid himself of the heaviness in his heart. He never forgot his vow to return to her. Nor could he forget his failure to keep it. So many hopes unfulfilled, so many memories never made. All that existed was an empty void in his heart that burned within.

Since waking in this current era, he had often wondered what it would've been like if he could turn back time and redo it all. How would life be different if he had gone with her instead of staying behind? Would they have been happier?

With the Ocarina of Time now in his possession, all of that and more suddenly became possible. He and Sharlo could return to the past and change things for the better. They could stop the village from ever being destroyed. They could prevent the entire Sheikah race from bordering on extinction. But most important to Kari, he could finally regain lost time with the person that mattered most to him.

So why did he still feel uneasy?

There was nothing left for him in this era. He never even belonged here to begin with. While he had forged a handful of strong friendships during his brief time here, his life was in the distant past. For now, his village was nothing but a graveyard and a heap of ruins. The winds of time had not been kind to it, reducing it to little more than a haunted pile of rubble briefly mentioned in a handful of old history books. But if he returned to the past, all of that would change.

Even the friendships from this era, nice as they had been, weren't worth keeping. The scar from Link's betrayal sliced a wound in Kari's heart that would not easily heal. The sooner he moved on, the better it would be for the both of them.

Even so, he would still miss Link and the others. Abandoning them was going to be harder than he anticipated. Being forced to confront and ultimately betray them had made that apparent.

Currently, it felt like a piece of him was missing, like he had sacrificed a part of his integrity by resorting to such drastic actions. Still, it had to be done if he was to return to his own time. He was sure the feeling would pass in time. In the end, it would be worth it.

Kari imagined what life would be like back with his own people. He looked to the graves that surrounded him and imagined what it would be like for each one of them to still be alive. He looked again to Midna's grave. She would be one of them.

His imagined fantasy slowly faded.

But what would happen to Colin and the others once he left? Would they be able to succeed without him? Or would they end up in graves like these? What if he was just exchanging their lives for the lives of his people?

The thought chilled the wind tamer and sent shivers down his spine. Did he have the right to make such a weighty decision? What good was it to regain his old friendships if his current ones died as a result? Would Midna approve of such an action?

The seeds of doubt slowly planted themselves.

Kari shifted uncomfortably from his position, his wet clothes now making him aware of how cold he really was. His thoughts had enveloped him so much that he had ignored the moistening of his clothes from the falling snow and the freezing of his hands and face from the winter wind.

"Taking time to enjoy the sights before we depart?" Sharlo asked, approaching Kari from behind.

The wind tamer jumped to his feet. His deep concentration had silenced Sharlo's approach. "Father! How long have you been standing there?"

Sharlo rested his hand on the grave. "Long enough to know it's time we return to our own time. Are you ready?"

Kari looked out over the village. "Will this really work? Will we really be able to go back?"

Sharlo looked at him curiously. "That ocarina has the power to control time itself. Why wouldn't it work?"

The Sheikah shuffled one foot in the snow and looked around the village. "It just seems too surreal. Looking at these ruins, I can't imagine them filled with people again. With our people. Is it really possible to bring the village back to life?"

Sharlo stood beside him and rested his hand on Kari's shoulder. "Rest assured, my son. It will work." He gently lifted his hand and pulled out the Ocarina. "All we have to do is play this instrument and we'll finally be home."

Kari's eyes dropped to the snow. It didn't escape Sharlo's notice.

"Is something wrong, Kari?"

The Sheikah lifted his gaze. "It's just…" He paused. "No, it's nothing."

Sharlo placed the ocarina in Kari's hands. "Good. Then it is time we left this place behind us." He nodded. "Go ahead, Kari. Play it."

The wind tamer turned the instrument over in his hands. His father's words rung in his mind as his fingertips felt the smooth surface of the instrument. In a few short moments, he would finally be home. He would finally be among his own people. No longer would the loneliness follow him like a shadow. No longer would a decrepit stone be the only tangible reminder of the one to whom he pledged his life.

Kari brought the instrument to his lips and took a deep breath. His fingers felt for the holes of the instrument. He took a few short breaths as he accustomed himself to the different notes it could play. There was a magic in the instrument, but it felt weak to him, like time itself had robbed the instrument of its former power. It occurred to him that if they used it to go back in time, there might not be enough magic left to return. This would truly be his last time here.

He paused, his fingers holding the instrument against his lips. The Sheikah didn't move.

"What seems to be the problem?" Sharlo asked with a hint of a snarl.

"I…I can't do it," Kari said, slowly lowering the instrument.

Sharlo's face folded into a scowl. "Why not? Are you having second thoughts?"

The wind tamer shook his head and tried to ignore his father's temper. "That's not the issue. I'm ready to go home. I simply don't know the song. I've read about it in the ancient legends, but I never learned the melody."

Sharlo seemed to relax slightly but his face was still cross. "Are you sure you can't recall anything? We need that song!"

Kari raised his voice. "Do you think I'd forget it at a time like this? I never learned it!"

Sharlo folded his arms. "How do I know you're not just stalling for time?"

Kari's eyes burned. "You question my resolve?" He shoved the ocarina back in Sharlo's hands. "Fine! Why don't you play it? Let me know when you remember the song!"

Kari began to walk away. Sharlo chased after him.

"Kari! Come back!" the Twili shouted. "Perhaps I was a bit hasty with my words." He finally succeeded in catching the wind tamer by the shoulder. He pulled Kari to a stop and forced the ocarina back into his hands. "Arguing like this won't get us anywhere." He looked around while he thought. "We need to figure out who might know that song."

"What about Mudora?" Kari snapped.

Sharlo shook his head. "Absolutely out of the question! He can't know about our plan. If we ask him, he may try and stop us."

"What possible use could he have for us? You've already freed him from his prison. Link's been dealt with. And all the sages can't awaken without…" Kari stopped short.

Sharlo changed the subject. "One of your traitorous friends must know the song. Who would it be?"

The wind tamer paused, his foot tapping rhythmically in the snow as he thought. "Link might have known, but he's long gone. Perhaps he taught it to Tifa, but that'd be a long shot. Perhaps Zelda might know."

Sharlo clenched his hand into a fist. "Then we must get it from her immediately. The sooner we have it, the sooner we can leave."

Kari folded his arms. "And what will happen if we succeed? What will happen to those we leave behind?"

Sharlo grunted. "Who cares? We won't be here to experience it."

"But I want to know!" Kari insisted.

Sharlo looked away. "They'll probably all become monsters. And even if they don't, they'll be killed by those who are. This world is doomed no matter what. That's why we should escape while we still can."

Kari's mouth opened. This was the first he had heard of Mudora's plan. While it didn't outright surprise him, hearing the details of it gave more weight to the consequences of his decision.

"But why do we have to let this world die? Isn't there another way?"

"You would prefer to die here than return to where we belong?" Sharlo asked.

"I'm not saying that at all." Kari paused. "I just don't understand why we can't do both. Couldn't we stop Mudora first and then return to the past? That way everyone gets what they want."

The wind tamer's father shook his head. "I have already risked my life once stopping Mudora. I see no reason to do it again, especially for a world that has driven our people to extinction."

Kari scowled. "Fine. If you won't help me, then I'll do it myself!"

Sharlo shook his head. "Are you insane? You'll die!"

The wind tamer crossed his arms. "Is your faith in my abilities really so small?"

The Twili was silent. He looked away.

"Your silence condemns me louder than your words." Kari said solemnly.

Sharlo looked back at him. "That isn't the reason at all."

"Then what is it?"

"Don't ask a question for which you aren't ready to hear the answer."

"Just tell me already!" Kari said sternly. "It cannot be worse than your complete lack of faith in me. I've never been good enough for you!"

Sharlo swallowed hard. "No. I fear the exact opposite. I fear that you will succeed."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Sharlo looked away. "If you succeed in killing Mudora, then you'll die as well."

Kari slammed his fists onto one of the graves. "Stop speaking in riddles! You always do this!"

Sharlo's voice rose. "I'm not speaking in riddles! I'm answering your question!"

"Your words sound like the prattling of a drunken Hylian to me."

Sharlo slapped Kari hard across the face. The wind tamer writhed as the blow struck his cheek.

"I am still your father!" the Twili scolded. "You will show me respect!" He looked Kari straight in the eye.

The wind tamer met his father's leer. His cheek stung fierce, but he purposely stilled his hand from massaging it. Something inside him, perhaps his pride, forced him to stand his ground. It surprised him. He couldn't remember ever openly defying his father like this.

Tired of the confrontation, Sharlo looked away and began walking towards the mountain. He glanced quickly over his shoulder.

"Come with me. I have something to show you," he said quietly.

Kari glanced once more at Midna's grave before following his father. The two walked with a tense silence between them, hiking along the base of the mountain until they retreated once again into its depths. The tunnel was dark, warm, and dank but still a welcome shelter from the cold winter air. Keese flapped around restlessly as the two descended further into its depths. Kari recognized it as yet another path to the Shadow Temple.

"Kari, do you remember our battle in Hyrule Field? When my army was attempting to breech Hyrule and before you knew who I was?" Sharlo's voice broke through the darkness of the tunnel. A small flame hovering above his hand served as the only source of light.

Kari nodded. "It is not one of my favorite memories. You tried to kill me."

There was a tense silence for a moment. Kari wondered if his father was angry.

"Do you remember what you said to me? That I couldn't kill you?" His voice was neutral. Kari couldn't tell what his father was thinking.

"I do remember that," the wind tamer replied. "And your act was very convincing."

There was a darker tone in Sharlo's voice. "That was no act. I had every intention of killing you."

Kari was speechless. He would've laughed at it for a joke, but his father was not that type of man.

"I can sense your disbelief," Sharlo said without looking back. He continued walking down the long, dark tunnel with Kari right behind him. "I beat you within an inch of your life. And when that didn't work, I threw you into the ocean because I knew you couldn't swim."

The wind tamer finally found the strength to mutter a weak response. "But why?"

"Because I was testing you. Or rather the power inside you. As I recall, you were nearly dead at Hyrule Field. You couldn't even stand. And yet, somehow you mustered the strength to summon a tornado strong enough to wipe out my entire army." He paused to let his words sink in. "And then, when you were supposed to sink to the bottom of the ocean, you manipulated the wind to form a water cyclone that pulled you back to the surface, killing a Big Octo in the process. Does any of this sound familiar to you?"

Kari shook his head. "Only because others have told me about those events. I have no recollection of my own."

Sharlo nodded. "So you don't even remember? Do you care to explain that?"

The wind tamer shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps it didn't happen?"

Sharlo's voice was bitter. "I assure you that they happened. I was present for both of them."

"Then perhaps I don't know my own strength?"

The Twili shook his head. "Even at full strength you are not capable of such feats by yourself. Never mind on the brink of death."

"How do you know you're not underestimating me?"

"Because I know the real reason you were capable of such feats. Don't you find it odd that such miraculous events only occur when you are on death's door? Have you ever wondered why you can't command such power on a regular basis?"

Kari's brows furrowed. "I assume you know the answer."

"It was because I knew that answer that I tried to kill you. Because I knew I'd fail." He sighed. "After all, you cannot kill someone who is already dead."

Kari felt a chill slither down his spine. "I am clearly standing right here. So you must've meant that in a figurative sense. Or perhaps you were using the 'sarcasm' I could never master."

His father grunted. "You will understand what I mean soon enough." He stopped as they finally reached the end of the tunnel. His father pushed against the wall, triggering a hidden door to open. They both walked inside. "We are here. Does this room look familiar to you?"

Kari looked at the room. A large door stood on the opposite side of the room. There was an altar in the middle with a body on top of it. Two large flaming torches lit the room with blue fire.

"This…this is the doorway to the Underworld. This is where you first showed me the Fused Shadows."

Sharlo looked down at the ground. "This is also where the eternal nightmare with Mudora first began. All from a single moment of desperation."

"You mean the war with the Hylians?"

The Twili shook his head. "That was the catalyst. But the war itself was not the cause of my desperation."

"Then what?"

Sharlo looked up at the altar where the body lay still as stone. "You, Kari. You died out on the battlefield. I thought by bringing you here I could somehow bring you back to life."

Kari felt his heart pounding harder. "Died? But how is that possible? I'm right here!"

The Twili shook his head. "The only reason you're standing at all is because Mudora brought you back to life."

It felt like someone punched Kari hard in the gut. What sort of foolishness was his father talking about?

"This is sarcasm, right? Please tell me this is," Kari pleaded.

Sharlo shook his head. "I don't even know what sarcasm is."

Kari's heart dropped. So his father had meant that statement literally. But what could it mean? It didn't make sense.

Sharlo's gaze became lost in the eerie blue light of the torch's burning flames. "The night you died, you were captured by Lieutenant Ordona. I and several others broke into the prison to try and free you, but we were too late. By the time I reached you, you were cold and lifeless." Hatred filled Sharlo's features. "I can still see Ordona's cold, bloodthirsty eyes looking over you like some sort of prize. I was ready to kill him, but he and that traitorous Sheik disappeared in a flash of light, leaving me alone to mourn over your lifeless body in my arms."

Kari shifted uncomfortably as his father recounted what had happened. Parts of it sounded familiar. He remembered being captured. He remembered hearing the whole camp in chaos as he was about to be executed. But then his memory blanked after that. Could his father really be telling the truth?

Sharlo continued. "I was desperate and inconsolable. I feared I would lose you forever. That fear drove me to this place, where I searched for anything that would bring you back to the land of the living." His fist clenched. "And that was the night Mudora found me."

Kari looked to the Wind Waker in his hand. He flipped it between his fingers. His body felt quite real to him.

"What happened between you two that night?" Kari asked.

Sharlo looked to the large, foreboding door that led to the Underworld. "That night, Mudora and I struck a deal. He placed within you a portion of his power, restoring your body to life in the process. But in exchange, I had to become his servant and help him escape from the Underworld. That is why you're even able to stand right now." His eyes dropped. "And that is why I am trapped in a web of circumstances that I cannot escape."

Kari backed away. His mind still couldn't grasp what his father was saying. "But I don't understand. I feel perfectly normal. How can this be?"

"I assure you his power is there inside you, even if you're not aware of it. How else do you explain your sudden ability to use the Wind Waker after your disastrous first mission? Or the fact that you haven't aged during your long slumber?"

Kari shook his head. "I'm at a loss."

The wind tamer's head began to spin. Could all of this really be true? His father had hid so many things that it now seemed impossible to distinguish fact from fiction. And even if his words were true, could Kari bring himself to believe it? Especially when everything within him wanted to deny it?

Kari leered at his father, his anger slowly starting to build. "If you speak the truth, does that mean my entire life has been a lie? Am I no more than a bargaining chip between you and Mudora?"

"I may not have been completely honest with you, but you are for more than a bargaining chip, Kari. Everything I did, I did for you. Can't you see that?"

Kari crossed his arms. "All I see is a man who sold his soul to a monster but is trying to use his son to justify it."

"Insolent brat! Will you listen for a change?" Sharlo shouted, his voice echoing off the hard, stone walls. "Mudora gave you your life back! He can just as easily take it away! That is the only reason I've been compliant all these years! I cannot afford to lose you again!"

Kari's face softened. This was the first time he had seen his father so vulnerable.

"Is that why we can't fight against Mudora? Because you're afraid he'll take my life away?"

Sharlo shook his head. "I don't know. It's not that simple. After all, you two are connected." He walked towards the altar. "As long as one of you is alive, the other will be as well. Conversely, if one of you dies, the other will die as well. So no matter who wins this conflict, whether you kill him or he kills you, I will be the ultimate loser."

"So has he been bluffing this entire time? After all, if he dies when I die, that means he can't kill me, right?"

Sharlo shook his head. "Only as long as his power dwells within you. But he could easily take it back and severe that connection. In which case, you would go back to the way you were." He hesitated. "In other words, you would become a lifeless corpse."

Kari furrowed his brows. "Then you're afraid that confronting him will cost me my life whether we're victorious or not." He looked around. "Then what's to stop me from taking my life now? I could end Mudora right now and there's nothing he could do about it."

"Go ahead and try it if you think it'll work," Sharlo said, withdrawing one of his cleavers and tossing it to Kari.

The Sheikah caught the blade and examined it for a moment. Why was his father so confident? Did he really doubt his resolve to try it?

Kari gripped the blade tightly and took a deep breath. It had been just a thought, but now his father's reaction drove his curiosity. He had to test this for himself.

If he was going to do this, it had to be one smooth motion with no hesitation. Without thinking, he drove the blade towards his heart. He instinctively winced and closed his eyes as he sensed the cleaver coming closer. Yet, when it was only inches from his chest, his hands froze. The tip of the blade gently touched his cloak, but he could move it no closer. Try as he might, his hand refused to obey him.

"My hand…it's frozen. Why can't I move it?"

Sharlo shook his head. "I told you that Mudora wants you alive. The power he placed inside you ensures that. Normally its effects are subtle and unnoticeable. However, when your life is in danger, it manifests itself in unusual ways, doing whatever it must to keep you alive. That is how you destroyed an entire army in Hyrule Field and survived being thrown into the ocean. It gave you the power to survive both of those situations."

"But why go through all this effort? What could Mudora possibly gain from all this?"

Sharlo shook his head. "Do you think I know everything? Ask him yourself." He walked over to the altar and laid one hand on it. His face was solemn. "All I know is that connection was the only thing that allowed me to seal him away. And even that was a hollow victory."

Kari looked at his father. "How did you seal him away?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answer to."

"No more secrets, Sharlo! Just tell me!"

The man flinched from being addressed by his first name. His fist curled in anger, but he took a deep breath and let the comment slide. "When we parted ways on the night the village was destroyed, I knew that I didn't have the power to suppress Mudora's wrath. I knew I had to stop him somehow, but a direct confrontation would be suicide. I knew of the connection you two shared at the time, so I staked my victory on a risky assumption."

Kari felt his stomach churn. Thinking about Kasuto's destruction brought back painful memories.

Sharlo paused to take another deep breath. "I thought that if I put you to sleep, then Mudora would slumber as well. But I knew it couldn't be an ordinary sleep; it had to be a deep one, only to be woken when the time was right. And so, before we parted ways, I placed a sleeping spell on you, ready to be activated as a failsafe should my initial efforts fail."

"When did you do that? I don't remember any such thing."

"Of course you wouldn't have noticed it. At most, you would have felt a small sting when I touched you, but your mind was already overwhelmed with other things to notice it." He looked at the door. "In the end, I had to activate the spell, forcing both of you into a slumber that would not be disturbed for centuries."

Kari rose to his feet. "Is that why I was asleep all this time? Because I was your backup plan?" His voice rose significantly. "Do you realize what you took away from me?" He leered at Sharlo. "I promised Midna I'd be with her forever! And you took that away from me!"

"Kari! Calm down!" Sharlo chastised. "I know I've made my share of mistakes. We've both had to sacrifice everything because of Mudora!" He turned around and forced a smile. "But it's not too late for us to undo all that. The sooner you can learn the Song of Time, the sooner we can return to where we belong."

"How do you expect me to calm down when you took my entire life from me?"

"I'm giving you the chance to get that life back! So just simmer down already, you foolish boy!"

Kari began to pace. "And what happens if I don't calm down? Will you put me to sleep again?"

Sharlo shook his head. "Only if you want to join Link!"

"Is that a threat?"

"It just might be."

"Fine! Go ahead and do it! You've already done it once! What's a few more years?"

"Maybe I will!"

There was a stiff silence between the two of them as their words hung in the air. Both father and son huffed and puffed from yelling. Eventually, they looked away from one another while they let their tempers simmer. The eerie blue torches crackled and popped while both men gathered their thoughts.

Kari knew that yelling would get them nowhere, but there was no other relief valve for the shock and hurt gripping him. How could his own father rip everything away from him so easily? He decided it best to change the subject.

"Why bring Link up now of all times?" he asked.

Sharlo gestured his son forward with his head. The Sheikah approached the altar where his father was standing. Sure enough, it was Link's body lying on the altar.

"What happened to him?" Kari asked. His tone was neutral, but the scowl on his face hinted at an anger bubbling just beneath the surface. His fists were still clenched, his shoulders were raised, and his entire body was tense as if ready for battle.

"He's in a deep sleep just like you used to be," Sharlo replied. "Even if the mountain erupted, he still wouldn't wake."

Kari placed his hand on Link's forehead. It was cold as ice. "Then how do we wake him?"

"The same way you were woken. By calling out to him. But it must be a voice he recognizes."

Kari shook his head. "But I don't recall you being the one to wake me. You're the only person whose voice I would've recognized."

Sharlo scowled. "That's because Link was the one who woke you. Somehow he managed to circumvent the spell."

"But how is that possible?"

"I wish I knew," Sharlo replied.

Kari's mind began to churn. There had to be a logical explanation for this.

If his father was telling the truth about how the spell was broken, then he had to have met Link somewhere before. But where? Link would've had to have been around sometime before Kasuto's destruction. And surely he wasn't that old!

Kari looked at the ocarina in his father's hand. Inspiration struck him.

What if Link had traveled to the past at some point? Wasn't that what he and his father were planning? With the Ocarina of Time or the Harp of Ages, it was certainly possible!

But that brought up another issue. How come Kari couldn't remember him?

The Sheikah looked at Link's face and carefully studied it, trying to match it to anyone he remembered from his life centuries ago. No one from his tribe came even close. Even the villagers from the other tribes bared no resemblance.

Kari sighed and turned away. Was he just chasing the wind at this point?

No! He had to be onto something here. If it wasn't someone from his tribe, it had to be a Hylian. In which case, the only time Kari could've met him was sometime after his capture. But with so many Hylians there, it seemed impossible to pinpoint which one might've been Link.

Suddenly, inspiration hit him like a bolt of lightning. The man from the jail cell! The one who had captured him. The one who had taken care of both he and Midna during their time in captivity. The one who hated the war but was forced to fight in it anyways. The man of constant contradictions, the man who called himself Ordona! It had to be him! Who else's voice would he have recognized?

But what proof did Kari have? Logically, it made sense. But he had made so many outrageous assumptions to get there that the notion now seemed silly.

As Kari thought furiously in his mind, he remembered one small detail that he had noticed earlier but overlooked until this point. When they were in Labrynna, he had noticed Zelda wearing Sheikah clothing. At first, he had dismissed it. But now, as he thought about it, it began to lend credibility to his theory.

If Zelda had the Harp of Ages, wasn't it possible she and Link had gone back in time together? With her Sheikah clothing, she must've disguised herself while Link took on the persona of Ordona. It was a wild theory, but it explained some of the things that were otherwise inexplicable.

Kari's breathing became faster as he thought. Was it really possible that Link and Ordona were one and the same? At first, it had seemed ridiculous. But the more he thought about it, the more other details sunk into place to strengthen his theory. Link was from the Ordona province. He and Ordona both had the same mannerisms. They both fought with the same style.

There seemed to be no other logical conclusion.

The force of the realization hit Kari so hard that the room began to spin. Everything was connected. It all stemmed back to that one night, the night he had supposedly died and Mudora had brought him back to life. But what did it all mean? Why was he just learning all this now?

"Kari, are you okay? You don't look so good," Sharlo remarked.

The wind tamer's anger began to bubble to the surface once again. He grasped his forehead as he stumbled towards the exit. "Of course I'm not okay! You stole my life from me and tried to hide it! Instead, you hide your identity and try to kill me! Twice! Why should I be okay?"

"Kari! I know this is hard for you to take. But we still need to talk about the Song of Time."

Kari halted at the exit and turned around. "You can burn in the underworld! I don't want to be anywhere near you right now!"

Sharlo called after him, but Kari refused to stop or turn around.

He needed to figure things out. Thoughts thundered through his head like a horde of galloping horses. Although he was finally starting to learn what had really happened, he wasn't sure if he was ready to believe it. Not yet anyways. He needed to hear it directly from the source. And for that, he had no other choice but to talk to Mudora.

Mudora was sitting on the ground with his back against a rock wall when Kari entered the deity's chamber. Of course, chamber was not quite the word to describe the small cavern where Mudora spent much of his time, but the deity referred to it as such anyways. There were dozens of books stacked in piles all over the place while several torches scattered across the room provided adequate lighting.

It was strange to see the one man capable of destroying the entire world leisurely reading as if it were a pleasant summer afternoon. Or was he a god? Kari still wasn't quite sure. As the deity's eyes gleaned intently over each set of pages like a young school child, the Sheikah noticed the scars sullying his otherwise pristine face. When had those appeared?

Mudora tore himself from his book and looked up as he heard the footfalls of Kari's approach. "Well, this is an unexpected treat," he said with a genuine smile. "I wasn't expecting company. You'll have to forgive me for getting lost among my treasures here. Even though there's much I've learned, there is still so much more I don't know."

Kari looked at a nearby stack. They appeared to all be history books. "Like what?"

Mudora gently closed the book he had been reading and set it aside. "Well, I have been locked away for many years. A lot happens in that amount of time." He looked to the stack of books and sighed. "But the more I read, the more I realize that humanity really hasn't changed in my absence. They still kill each other. They still fight. The violence continues whether I'm here or not." He looked back to Kari. "But where are my manners? You didn't come to hear me rant. You clearly came here with a purpose. What is it?"

The wind tamer felt his muscles tense. Although Mudora's friendly demeanor attempted to make him comfortable, it accomplished just the opposite. There was more to this scholar then appeared on the surface; he couldn't afford to drop his guard.

Still, there were so many questions circling in his mind right now that he didn't know where to begin. Everything he thought he knew might be a lie. All this time he had thought of himself as an agent of the goddesses when in fact he might be little more than a bargaining chip between Mudora and his father. Everything had been taken from him: his home, his life. Now even his freedom to live seemed to be in jeopardy. And at the end of it all, he still had a critical decision to make.

Mudora seemed to realize this as well. "You poor child. Your confusion has leaked from your thoughts onto your face." He gazed intently for a moment, as if he could look through Kari's eyes into his soul. "Zant told you everything, didn't he? Or is he calling himself Sharlo nowadays? His identity crisis always did amuse me."

Kari nodded. Better to get to the point now and then allow Mudora to try and deceive him. "He told me everything. How you brought me back to life. How you manipulated him to do what you wanted." His face folded into a scowl. "How you destroyed Kasuto when he refused to listen."

Mudora's face hardened. "I see he has told you everything."

The Sheikah's voice rose. "Is it really true? Did you do all that he claims?"

The scholar nodded slowly. "I deny none of it. It is as your father said. However, I would like to clarify that I myself did not destroy Kasuto. I merely released the monsters from the Underworld to do as they pleased. Your village was a casualty of that."

Kari was fuming. What arrogance! How dare he deny his part in Kasuto's destruction! Nonetheless, he could not risk a direct confrontation just yet; Kari took a deep breath to try and keep his anger in check.

As the anger slowly subsided, the Sheikah started digesting Mudora's words. So everything his father had said was true. Kari's heart dropped at the assertion. Part of him had hoped it might be an elaborate trick.

"So if I am just a pawn in your plan, why keep me alive? What do you gain from it?" he asked.

Mudora shook his head and smiled warmly. "You underestimate your value, child. Your passion, strength, and willingness to learn make you a man of great character. It would be a shame for one of your caliber to meet an untimely end. Besides, I don't delight in death. Violence is violence no matter how you look at it."

"But you still haven't answered my question."

"That is because you are asking the wrong one. The correct question is why would I have reason to kill you? Do you perceive me as such a monster that I would cast aside your life so easily?"

Kari leered at the sage. "Well, Sharlo also told me that you intend to turn this world into a den of monsters. Is this true?"

"This world is already a den of monsters," Mudora replied. "But yes, I intend to expedite the process if that is what you are referring to."

"And what will happen if your plan succeeds?"

Mudora saw where this was going and didn't like it. The warm smile disappeared off his face. "Either the world will destroy itself or be incinerated by the goddesses. Either way, hopefully it will lay the foundation for a new and better world."

Kari tightened his grip on the Wind Waker and glowered. He had heard enough. "And my father knew all this. And yet he makes no effort to stop you."

Mudora looked at the instrument in Kari's hand. "Do you mean to use that against me? Didn't I warn you that it will not work?"

In his anger, the Sheikah refused to heed the sage's warning. He pointed it at Mudora in the hopes of summoning any sort of wind. The air remained as still as ever; the flames danced in place as if nothing had happened.

Mudora shook his head. "Didn't your father tell you? The only reason you can use the Wind Waker as well as you do is because my power dwells within you. Do you really think I'd let you use my own power against me?"

Kari slowly lowered his hand to his side. "It was worth a try," he grumbled.

"Well, now that we've gotten that nonsense over with, why don't you tell me why you're really here?" Mudora asked. "I know you didn't come up here just to confirm what you already know. You had something else you wanted to ask, didn't you?"

Kari looked around the room. The flickering of the torches' flames created shadows that jumped and danced along the wall like creatures in the night. The amount of books stuffed into the room was overwhelming. How did Mudora have time to read them all?

Kari looked back at the sage. "Why are you doing all this? Why are you trying to destroy everything? It doesn't make sense. You claim to follow a path of peace, but all I see is destruction."

Mudora returned Kari's gaze. "You do realize that neither of those questions have simple answers, right?" He slowly rose to his feet and brushed the dirt off from his robes. "But I will try my best to answer them. Unlike your father, I have no reason to hide anything from you."

Kari flinched when Mudora attempted to walk towards him. The sage noticed this and stopped in his tracks.

"Tell me, Kari, have you ever seen a cocoon? Or a great fire among the planes? Or even the birth of a new child?"

"I have seen a few of these things."

"Do you know what they have in common?"

There was only silence.

Mudora decided to answer his own question. "They all involve great struggle and pain before new life can be brought into the world. A butterfly must break free from its shell before it can spread its wings. A great fire clears all the heath and brush away so that new plants may grow. A mother endures the pains of labor before she can hold her newborn in her arms. In the same way, this world must endure the pain and suffering of violence but a little longer before it can be reborn."

"Is that your twisted excuse to get revenge on those who imprisoned you?"

Mudora seemed genuinely surprised. "Revenge? Is that what you think this is about? If you mean against the goddesses, then I suppose there is some revenge involved. It was their foolish decisions that enabled all this trouble in the first place. But on those who imprisoned me?" He shook his head. "I have no desire to get revenge on them. They were once my close friends. And they did not imprison me; they actually freed me."

Kari's fingers curled and uncurled into a fist. "You speak in riddles!"

The deity sighed. "Of course I make no sense. As much as you have studied, you know nothing about me or my history. How could you possibly hope to understand my motives?"

The Sheikah folded his arms. "Then tell me."

Mudora smiled slyly. "Why? Will that help you decide whether you should escape to the past?"

Kari's face turned pale. "You knew about that?"

The sage shrugged his shoulders. "Remember that you and I are connected. I can sense your feelings and emotions. I can tell that right now you are greatly conflicted." He held out his hand and beckoned for Kari. "If you think that hearing my story will bring you some clarity, come towards me."

Kari stepped forward and stopped. "What are you about to do?"

"It will be easier for me to show you what happened in the past than to explain it. If you come here, I can transmit images from my memory to yours."

The wind tamer stepped forward once more. "Is it safe?"

Mudora shrugged. "Only one way to find out. What do you have to lose?"

Kari hesitated a moment before finally relenting. He walked over and flinched when Mudora placed his hand on his forehead.

"I apologize for the small stinging sensation. I am attempting to connect our magical energies," Mudora explained.

Suddenly, a brilliant light enveloped Kari and everything disappeared around him. Mudora was nowhere in sight, yet the Sheikah could still feel his presence. He was alone in a void, looking every which way but seeing nothing.

Suddenly, he was transported to an ancient and beautiful forest. Animals scampered benevolently along the trees and flowers bloomed in a warm, balmy breeze. Long vines hung from the trees, and a bubbling brook flowed nearby. It seemed untouched by human influence.

The Sheikah looked in the distance and saw three celestial beings. He walked towards them, at first thinking them to be the golden goddesses. However, as he came closer, he quickly saw his mistake. The first deity he recognized as Mudora. The other two, however, were unknown to him.

The first was a man who bore a startling resemblance to Link, but slightly taller. His clothes were as blue as a clear sky, mysterious paint covered his cheeks, and a helix-shaped sword hung from a scabbard on his back.

The other was a young woman with skin that shone like the sun, eyes as clear as crystal, and long golden hair that reached down to her back. She wore a long white gown and held a golden harp beneath her arm. Her movements were as graceful as a river.

Kari's first instinct was to hide as they approached, but they had likely already seen him. So he stayed where he was. They continued walking towards him, their mouths moving in conversation but nothing audible being said. In fact, when they finally reached him, they walked right through him as if he was a ghost. It was then that Kari realized that here he was only a spectator; he had no need to worry about interfering with these memories from the past.

"Where am I?" Kari asked aloud.

"You are in my memories," Mudora's voice replied. Although he was not present, the deity's words echoed throughout the forest. "Currently, you are in a time when the world was still young and the Goddesses had just left. Back then, there were three of us who walked the land. They are the friends I was referring to."

So I can only hear Mudora's voice? Kari thought. That made his role as a spectator quite clear. He would only hear what Mudora wanted him to.

Kari ran to catch up with the three figures. "Who are they? The man on the left? He looks like Link!"

"That's because he is…at least in a sense," Mudora replied. "And the one on the right…her name is Hylia. Do you recognize that name?"

"Hylia?" Kari gasped. "Of course I do! What Sheikah wouldn't? We are her guardians." He paused. "You were her friend?"

"I was friends with both of them for a time. But then certain events happened that forced them to abandon their divine forms and reduce themselves to mortals."

Suddenly, the forest turned dark and the three deities vanished. Kari was lifted to the sky and watched as a great demonic army appeared from the fissures of the earth. The landscape panned to reveal burning forests and plundered villages. Screams filled the air as demons slayed people by the hundreds. Standing among it all was their demon king, a tall figure with flaming hair, glaring red eyes, and a long, dark sword in his hand. The picture hit too close to home for Kari.

The three figures soon joined the fray: Hylia, Mudora, and Link. Kari watched as they and their allies fought against the demon king and his army in a fierce battle. In the end, the demon king and his hordes were defeated, but at great cost. Hylia and Link had been gravely wounded. Mudora stood over both of them, trying to heal them as best he could. Kari saw the desperation in the sage's eyes. Hylia seemed to be pleading with him, but Mudora wasn't listening.

"Why didn't you join them?" Kari asked.

The scene gradually faded. Mudora suddenly became quiet. It was as if he couldn't come up with an answer.

"Because I thought it would be a temporary change," he said at last. "But I was wrong."

The scene changed to show two Hylians. The first was a young man with scraggly blonde hair and signature green attire. His demeanor was calm and friendly, but Kari noticed a boundless sense of adventure etched into his eyes. The other was a young woman with long blonde hair, dazzling blue eyes, and an infectious smile. Her every movement was filled with vibrancy and energy.

Kari assumed they were the new incarnations of Hylia and Link. Although they shared many similarities with their current day counterparts, they were unique at the same time.

Soon, a small castle appeared before them. Its structure was not as impressive as the Hyrule Castle Kari had seen, but it looked new nonetheless. There was a small crowd gathered outside the entrance, with Link and Zelda at the center of it. Everyone seemed to be celebrating something. There were smiles all around.

"In time, the events that caused them to abandon their divine forms were resolved," Mudora explained. "But as I soon learned, the change was permanent. Hylia, now known as Zelda, and Link would remain as humans and live among their people. In time, they would build the kingdom you know as Hyrule."

Slowly, the forest surrounding gave way to the buildings springing up beside the castle. The castle itself grew larger and more eloquent as the years passed. In a matter of seconds, Kari watched as the tiny structure and its surroundings grew into a large city.

"Where were you in all this?" he asked.

"I will show you," came the response.

The wind tamer was ushered into the throne room of the castle. The floors and walls shined with the polish of new construction. Stain glass windows reflected the brilliance of their designers. The plush red carpet gracing the floor seemed to be freshly made.

At the end of the carpet were two simple wooden chairs with cushions that served as thrones; Link sat on one while Zelda sat beside him. They appeared older now than when he had previously seen them. Strands of gray were starting to appear in Zelda's golden hair. Link had several more battle scars across his face and wrinkles forming on his cheekbones. There was an aura of responsibility and solemnity in the way they sat upright in their chairs. And yet, a portion of their childlike innocence endured; they held each other's hands even as they watched Mudora enter the room. As usual, none of them paid Kari any mind.

As the wind tamer looked around, he noticed a Sheikah standing in the shadows. It flinched as Mudora approached, but Link held up his hand to put the shinobi at ease.

The wind tamer nodded. So his people's loyalty stretched even this far back.

Kari turned his attention back to Mudora, who stopped a short distance in front of the king and queen and bowed slightly. Zelda bolted from her throne and threw her arms around the sage, sparking a puzzled look from Link.

"What's going on here?" Kari asked.

Zelda turned around and started talking to Link. He listened intently and nodded as she talked.

"She's explaining to Link who I am." Mudora's voice replied. "When they were reborn as mortals, they lost the memories of their previous existence. They forgot the connection we once shared. Only Zelda was able to regain those memories after an arduous journey. That is why Link does not recognize me."

"Really? How did she get them back?"

"I like your curiosity, Kari. Never lose it. But that is a story for another day."

Zelda had finished talking and both of them now looked at Mudora.

"Now what's happening?"

"She finished explaining who I was and that I was here to help them." He paused. "You see…before they gave up their mortality, I promised them I would watch over this land in their absence. Now that they once again walked the earth and their primary task was complete, I was there to aid with the next stage."

"And what was that?"

"The development of Hyrule." He paused. "As mortals, they could no longer watch over their land like they once did. So they asked me to do it in their place."

"I see. And so Zelda is explaining that to Link?"

"Precisely."

"So what happened?"

Kari was taken outside the castle once again to the vast plains of Hyrule Field. The sun shone high in the sky, bathing the land in its golden rays. The sky was clear without a single cloud. The proud structure of Hyrule Castle stood in the distance.

"While they were alive, our friendship continued where it had left off. I worked tirelessly to make their new land a success. I advised them on many things, and they listened. As a result, Hyrule experienced a golden age of peace, prosperity, and expansion under their rule."

The sun set and the moon took the sky. The field became shrouded in shadows.

"But it could not last." Mudora continued. "Eventually, their bodies succumbed to the decay of old age. Of course, they left successors, but they did not have the same wisdom or strength of character as their parents. As the generations passed, I noticed a darkness hovering over the kingdom. Slowly, Hyrule turned away from the principles it was founded on. Fights and arguments became more frequent, and even the monarchy became corrupt. I feared it was only a matter of time before war broke out, especially over the Triforce."

Kari shook his head. "Hylians have an appetite that cannot be satisfied."

Mudora gently scolded him. "That was true of all of them except one. His name was Rauru, and he was the only man I ever respected on the same level as Hylia and Link. Like me, he feared for the Triforce because he could see where the darkness in men's hearts would lead. We agreed that something had to be done."

The scene suddenly switched to a great temple whose spires clawed at the sky.

"I recognize this place!" Kari exclaimed.

"As you should, for this is the Temple of Time. With Rauru's help, I sealed away the Triforce deep in the Sacred Realm so that men could not touch it. But alas, even that great act could not stave off the inevitable wars to come."

"Such as the war with my people," Kari grumbled.

"Tell me, Kari. Do you know how the war between the Hylians and Sheikah first started?"

The wind tamer was silent. He had spent years searching for an answer but had never found it.

"Then I suggest you pay careful attention. I am about to show you how that war started in the first place, and the final straw that caused me to give up on this world altogether."

Kari nodded. "I'm listening."

The scene returned to the throne room, but it was different from last time. The sheen of the stain-glass windows had dulled. The carpet had dust all over it, and the crooked portraits of Zelda and Link the First seemed to be on the verge of falling. It was a far cry from the newly built castle he had just seen during Hyrule's golden age.

The two thrones from his previous visit were gone; replaced by an ornately decorated throne that commanded the attention of the entire room. In it sat a middle-aged man adorned in royal fineries. His brows were furrowed and his mouth moved wildly in anger. Mudora knelt in front of the throne, his teeth clenched tightly as he endured the king's fury.

"What's he yelling about?" Kari asked.

"The king demanded I give him the keys to the Sacred Realm. I refused to yield," Mudora's voice answered calmly.

Spit was flying out of the man's mouth as he rose from his throne. He began angrily pointing towards the door.

"He seems pretty upset," the Sheikah remarked.

There was hostility in the sage's voice now. "That man was a fool. He refused to understand why I would not give him the Triforce."

The Sheikah watched the scene play out before him. The two argued for several more minutes until Mudora finally threw his hands up in the air and rose to his feet. Without another word, the deity turned around and walked out of the chamber. The king stopped yelling momentarily, only to turn his face flush red as he realized he was being ignored.

"Where are you going?" Kari asked.

"That was the day I left Hyrule, never again to return to its borders for many years."

"But why?" Kari asked. "Didn't you promise Her Grace…er…Zelda to watch over it in her absence?"

Mudora shook his head. "That was my original intention. But I realized it was too great a task even for me. That act was only one stone in a mountain of travesties. For years, I watched over Hyrule and saw as it spiraled downward into darkness. Countless times I tried to warn them of what would happen if they continued on their path of greed and selfishness. But they refused to listen. The significance of this moment stems from the fact that it finally made me realize that Hyrule was beyond saving."

"But what about my people? You made no mention of them or the war."

"You have read lots of history, have you not? Have you ever noticed how it tends to repeat itself?"

Kari nodded.

"Let's say that you were in my place just now. If the king threatened you to give him the keys to the Triforce or die, what would you choose? Would you choose loyalty to the monarchy, descended from the line of Hylia? Or would you choose loyalty to Hylia herself, who tasked you with guarding the Triforce in the first place?"

Kari looked down at the ground. "I…I don't know. Could such a thing really happen?"

"Such a thing did happen. In fact, it happened several generations after what I just showed you. Your people were forced to make that very choice. They chose Hylia. They isolated themselves from the Royal Family and went into hiding, hoping anxiously for Hylia's return so that all could be made right. But the Hylian monarchy would not be satisfied. They chased down your people and forced you to fight back. And so, the age old conflict you are familiar with began."

The wind tamer shook his head. "So much bloodshed and hatred on both sides. When will it end?"

This time, Mudora's voice was sterner. "It will never end, Kari, as you are about to find out. You see, I originally thought that this lust for conquest and destruction lived only in Hyrule. So after I left, I traveled to the neighboring kingdom of Ikana. Surely, I thought, these people would do better."

"But you were proven wrong?"

Kari was brought to a battlefield outside Ikana Castle. As the memory played out, hooded warriors rushed at the castle while castle soldiers pelted them with arrows from above. Casualties mounted on both sides, and soon the field became a mound of corpses. Those who still lived burned their dead and returned to their camps, ready to begin the battle anew.

"More than proven wrong, Kari. For years I acted as an advisor to their king in their never-ending battle with the Garo. The more they fought, the angrier I became. The more lives were lost, the more I lost hope for your kind. The more blood was spilled, the more I resolved to destroy them. One day, it became too much for even me to handle."

Kari scowled. "And that's why you were sealed away."

Kari was brought to Ikana Valley. It was a desolate place where no plants grew and no animals lived. ReDead and Gibdo wandered aimlessly through the blood-soaked valley. Poes floated through the air as casually as birds. Broken weapons lay scattered all over the hard soil. And still, Ikana Castle stood with gates locked shut as if the war had never ended. In the distance, over the cliffs, stood the source of the valley's curse: Stone Tower Temple.

"I was sealed away, Kari, because I became a monster. No better than the monster that forced Hylia and Link to surrender their immortality. I destroyed both the Garo and the Kingdom of Ikana and cursed them to forever wander their blood-soaked battlefields as restless spirits unable to find the afterlife. After that, I destroyed countless others." There was a pause. "Don't you see? I embodied the very violence I loathed so much."

"And yet it sounds like you regret it."

"Of course I regret it! Do you know who it was that finally freed me from my mindless rage? It was Link and Zelda! The same beings I once called friends! Except this time, they were forced to imprison me for my foolishness!"

Another picture of Link and Zelda appeared, this time much younger than the other pair. They appeared to be no more than teenagers. The looks on their faces was a mixture of sadness and disappointment.

Kari could somehow feel Mudora's shame and hurt. Was it the connection they shared?

"But they didn't remember you," Kari said.

Mudora shook his head. For the first time, the deity sounded human. "No. No they didn't." Another pause. "You and I have more in common than you think, Kari. You may be the last of the Sheikah, but I am the last of the Firstborns. We are both the surviving members of our kind."

The deity took his hand off Kari's forehead and returned it to his side. The Sheikah's consciousness jolted back into his body. It took him some time to readjust. He felt dizzy, and a slight stinging sensation persisted on his forehead.

"Last or not, you deserved your imprisonment. And now that you are free, I can see you have learned nothing!" Kari accused. He stumbled over to a wall to steady himself.

Mudora shook his head. "Quite the contrary. During my imprisonment, I observed something quite curious. It happened quite a while ago, back when Termina was nearly destroyed by the moon. For the first time, I saw people put aside their differences and come together. Only when faced with an insurmountable obstacle did they finally focus their attention on what was truly important."

"But what does it matter?"

"That moment changed my entire outlook on things, Kari. It inspired me to do what I am doing now."

"But how is that any different from what you did back then? If you truly regretted your actions, you wouldn't be trying to destroy us all!"

Mudora scolded him. "Not everything is that simple, Kari. You are a bright lad, and I have tried to explain myself, but it seems even you cannot comprehend my reasoning." He walked over to where he had been sitting before and grabbed another book. "So what will you do now that you've heard a portion of my story? Will you oppose me and face certain death? Will you join me? Or will you run to the past where you are safe? The decision is yours. Just know that your decision affects countless others besides you."

Kari was silent. He already knew that. He didn't need to be reminded.

Mudora nodded knowingly. "It seems you still have not decided. Just keep in mind that you do not have much time. We march for the Tower of the Gods in a matter of days. If you do not go with me, then I will have to assume you are against me."

Kari looked away. "I've heard enough. I'm leaving."

Mudora nodded and picked up the book he had been reading earlier. "Go ahead. You are free to do as you wish."

The deity watched as the Sheikah left the small cavern. He smiled and remarked to himself. "It should be interesting to see what you decide, Kari. Let us see if you act as I think you will."

Before long, Kari found himself once again in front of Midna's grave. The air was cold just like before. The buildings still stood in their ruined state. The only thing that was different was the thoughts and questions crashing around in his head. What was he supposed to do?

Joining with Mudora wasn't an option. Not after learning what he was planning to do. But the alternatives weren't much better. If he returned to his own time, everyone would die. If he stayed to fight, he would die. No matter which path he chose, there would be no happy ending!

The Sheikah kicked at the snow and let out an angry growl to vent his frustration. His voice echoed into the cold winter air.

If only he had some sort of guidance. He didn't care what it was. He just needed something to show him the way.

"Great goddesses!" a frail voice exclaimed. "What are you doing out here? I never thought I'd see another person in a place like this. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

The voice took Kari by surprise. He looked around but couldn't find the speaker.

"Down here, young man," the voice said.

Kari looked down, and sure enough, found an old woman leaning against one of the graves for support. Her hair was white as the snow falling through the air, and her arm shook as she leaned against an old wooden cane for support. Wrinkles covered her entire face, making it difficult to discern what she was thinking. She was so short that Kari hadn't seen her hidden behind the grave.

"What's your name, young man, and what are you doing in a place like this?"

Kari didn't see any harm in humoring her questions. What was the worst she could do to him?

"The name is Kari." He hesitated for a moment. "I come here sometimes to think." He looked the frail old woman up and down several times. "Who are you? What are you doing all the way out here?"

The old woman smiled and laughed. "I'm just reminiscing a bit. I wanted to see this place one last time before things get too crazy." Her expression hardened. "There's a war coming, you know, or so Zelda tells me. Best to get these sorts of things in now."

Kari nodded. "And your name?"

The old woman chuckled again. "Oh, forgive me. My memory isn't what it used to be." She leaned hard against her cane with one hand and extended the other. "You can call me Impaz. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kari."