"If you ever open a history book, you might notice a pattern." Din looked into Alela's eyes. " The world is put in danger by some evil being, and is shortly thereafter saved by a green-clad hero. It's happened several times in the past, and it'll happen even more times in the future." There was something off about the tone she said this in, almost as though she was waiting for something funny to happen once she'd finished her story, but Alela couldn't for the life of her tell what it was. "It's been like that ever since we created this world. I'll personally see to it that it doesn't end any time soon." Alela glared at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" Din chuckled. "Well, neither I nor my sisters are going to vanquish the evil that rises in Hyrule. If anything, I'm personally considering helping it win, for once."
Alela stepped back. Was she serious? Could she really bring herself to do such a thing? Was she even able to do it? Din smiled at her, a cruel, almost sadistic smile. "Of course, I wouldn't just let the bad guy waltz right in and kill everyone, but he might get a bit of an upper hand, just to spice it up a bit. Maybe he'll start off with two out of three pieces of the Triforce?" Her smile grew more sinister with every word she said, and Alela was terrified. "Y-you can't just-" She stammered, but Din cut her off. "Yes I can, and I might. It would make it more entertaining to watch." Alela looked at the Goddess in absolute horror. "W-what?" She couldn't understand how Din, one of the three Golden Goddesses, one of the creators of this very world and the people in it, could even say such a thing. "Don't you get it, Alela?" Din said, her tone was no longer that of a person waiting for a joke to be told, but rather that of someone trying to fight back laughter. "You're nothing more than puppets, dancing for our entertainment." She smiled. "And right now, the eyes of the audience are all on you."
"My queen! You've returned!" Zele, a young Zora boy, was sitting on the ground just outside the waterfall that hid the entrance to the Zora's Domain, leaning against a wall in the cave right next to it. He had had just woken up, he enjoyed relaxing in the sunlight, despite the risk, and had fallen asleep. He had been woken up by a sound in the water, he shrugged it off as just an Octorock splashing around, and was about to go back to sleep when Queen Ruto leapt out of the river. She didn't even seem to notice him, as she walked in a brisk pace, heading straight for the well, leading to the Kokiri Forest. "Queen Ruto? Where are you going?" If Ruto heard him, she didn't show it. She just walked up to the well, and dived in. "Queen Ruto! Wait!" Zele knew how dangerous the forest could be, so without even considering his own safety, he got up, and dived in the well after her.
Saria's Song was no longer playing, or if it was, Link couldn't hear it. The only thing he could hear right now, was the deep, rasping breathing of the Stalfos in front of him, mixing with the furious grunting of Toko behind him. "You two go, take Alela to he well. I'll hold this thing off." Link held his shield up in front of him, a Stalfos was very predictable, but tough to fight. "No way. I'm not leaving you behind!" Toko protested. "You're her father, if you die here-" "If I die here, I die protecting her." Link snapped at the Goron. "It's the only way I could ever wish to go. Now get out of here." Toko reluctantly turned and followed Satu. "This way, the well isn't far off." Once they were gone, Link looked at the Stalfos. "I've fought so many of you." He looked right into its eyes. "This is the first time I've seen one of your kind hesitate before attacking me." The Stalfos' eyes lowered towards the ground, and were the shadows of the forest playing a trick on Link's eyes, or did the skeletal creature suddenly look sad? "Co... Ji... Ro..." As those words came out of the Stalfos' mouth, momentarily interrupting the rasping breathing, Link dropped his guard, his eyes going wide with realization.
Ruto was swimming at an incredible speed. Zele had trouble following her, he didn't know why she was heading for the forest, but didn't want his queen to go to such a dangerous place alone. "Queen Ruto! Wait!" He shouted through the water. But she didn't hear him, she just kept the same speed, and Zele tried his best to keep up with her.
Saria was sitting on the same tree stump she usually sat on, playing the song she usually played. The melody that would help Link find his way through the forest. Navi was laying on her lab, still unconscious. 'Who, or rather, what was was that thing?' She thought to herself. The Dark Link had been waiting for Saria to arrive at the entrance to the Forest Temple, it ambushed her and she was knocked out before she had chance to defend herself. When came to, she was in the temple of time, the Dark Link had explained his plan: When Link woke up, he would be given the choice of whether it should kill her or Navi. After that choice had been made, he would kill the other one as well, and then leave Link to mourn. When Saria had tried to get up, to fight it or run away from it, it simply buried the tip of it's sword deep in her arm. It still hurt now, had it not been for Ruto, she would've been dead by now.
She continued playing her song. As she played, it seemed that the forest was getting... darker? No, that wasn't possible, she hadn't been gone for that long, it should be around mid-day by now. But there was no denying it. The forest was getting darker... 'I must be getting tired.' She blinked, and then she dropped her ocarina. There it was again, the Dark Link. No... Not just the Dark Link, but the Dark Links! Three Dark Links were standing a few feet away from her, the one in the middle had a large, gaping wound in its chest, black blood staining its shadowy clothes. "No matter how many times you kill me..." All three of them said in unison. But Saria didn't hear any more, as she realized that there was a fourth voice, right behind her. Then everything went dark.
Ruto leapt out of the well, Zele following shortly afterwards, and landed on the rough ground in the forest. Saria was playing her song, like she usually did when she would guide Link through the forest. She couldn't see Toko, or Alela, or Link anywhere. As she looked around, the only person she saw, aside from herself, was Zele. "What are you doing here?" She glared at the boy, he was barely 17, and he was not suited for this place. Zele immediately bowed. "My queen, I followed you here to protect you from the dangers of this forest." Ruto's glare seemed to intensify, she had once before made the huge Biggoron back down simply by staring at him, but this boy didn't even seem remotely intimidated by her. "You're far too young to be here, Zele, turn back." The boy didn't move an inch. "I will not leave this forest before I know that you are safe, my queen. And I know that noone, perhaps with the exception of the Kokiri, could be safe in a place like this. Ruto sighed in irritation, she knew how stubborn Zele was, and she knew he was right. She also knew that Saria was able to play on her ocarina for several days without taking a break, so why did she suddenly stop playing? She ran towards the Forest Temple, Zele following her closely.
"You're..." … The carpenter's son... Link looked at the Stalfos, unable to finish his sentence, but it didn't seem to care. It held one hand out, apparently wanting something from him. "Co... Ji... Ro..." Link shook his head. "I don't have him. I left him with you." The Stalfos looked directly into Link's eyes. "Flew... Away..." It held its hand out again. "Give... Him... Back..." Link stepped backwards. "I don't have him." The Stalfos' eyes seemed to glow with anger. "You... Lie..." Link clutched his sword, he could see where this was going. "No, I'm telling you the truth, I don't-" "YOU LIE!" The Stalfos roared as it charged forwards, its large sword raised to strike. Link raised his shield, he had hoped the Stalfos wouldn't attack him, just for once. But of course not, it would seem that he would never be able to live in peace for more than a few years at a time.
"The well is close by." Just as Satu had said this they reached a clearing, and right at the end of it, was a well. Toko walked up to the well, cradling Alela in his arms like a sick child. He noticed a bag hanging from her shoulder, similar to his own, except this one seemed to be made from Zora scales rather than leather. He gently took the bag off her shoulder, briefly wondering where it had come from, she wasn't wearing it while they'd been traveling. It seemed like it had just appeared out of thin air. He shrugged, and gently placed his friend in the water. Almost immediately, she began to shine, like her father's fairy. "What the...?" He looked at Satu, but he was just a surprised as himself.
Ruto and Zele reached the entrance to the temple, and the both of them gasped at what they saw. Four dark silhouettes, one wounded, all of them looked like Link. One of them was carrying Saria, Navi was laying on the ground. One of the Dark Links, the one carrying Saria, was standing over the fairy, one foot raised, about to step on her, crush her. However, it never managed to do so, as the Zora Queen suddenly appeared behind it, and pulled it into her portal. The three other Dark Links looked up, only to see their companion gone. "Where in Majora's name did he go?" They looked around, but couldn't find anything, even the fairy was gone. "Who's out there? Show yourself, you cowar-" The Dark Link speaking was cut off by their missing man falling from just above the entrance to the temple, and hit the ground, landing on its head. Shortly after, the Queen of the Zoras leapt down from the same spot, and landed on the body of the Dark Link, which then vanished.
"Here I am." She looked at the stunned Dark Links with the same royal pride she'd faced the first one with. In her arms, she held the unconscious Saria, and on top of her lay Navi. The three Dark Links drew their swords, but only two of them charged forwards, and immediately stopped to look back at the third, who fell to its knees, its head rolling along the ground. Behind it stood a young Zora boy, the blade-like fins that would normally sit on his elbows flew through the air, covered in the black blood of the dead Dark Link, he caught the fins and put them in their place. "I have your back, my queen." He looked at the two remaining Dark Links, as the one he'd decapitated vanished, anger burning in his eyes. "You dare impersonate our king? For this crime, I will personally send the heads of both of you rolling."