Thanks to a guest and Shadows from Twilight for their reviews for the last two chapters. With that, here's chapter three and more will be explained...I think.

Also, Aginah was a character in A Link to the Past, the old sage found in the desert cave. Sahasrahla was the first sage met in both A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds.

-miano53

"You've been friends since you were kids? Big deal. It doesn't change the fact that you float through life with your head in the clouds."

-unknown

Chapter Three: The Exam

"Uh…Um…" Prince Ralis stammered.

He really, REALLY wanted to leave the dark caverns but didn't want to show any cowardice towards anyone. He knew that a king would never leave his subjects behind…a good king wouldn't, anyway. The Zora prince wanted to follow the Twilight Princess's advice and flee, but couldn't…as he needed a light source and the group had all of it. He also needed to know why the undead Hero killed many of those who protected him on that failed journey to Hyrule Castle Town.

The prince and the others gasped as they saw what looked like Link…but with unhealed wounds and his green garb and hat covered in bloodstains. The Shadow Crystal Princess Midna spoke of protruded from the center of his chest and glowed ominously. A rusted iron sword was in his left hand and the Hylian Shield Link used to have was missing. His facial appearance differed slightly from the time Prince Ralis saw him last. His eyes were red in color, his formerly blond hair was grey and black, and Twili-like markings marred his deathly pale skin.

The undead Link looked them over and Princess Midna was the first to speak up.

"You attacked Ralis' men…didn't you?" she asked.

He gave her no reply, only giving her a blank stare.

"And you used powerful magic…?" Rusl asked.

The undead looked up at him and muttered, "Rusl…I…I'm…I don't know what's happening to me…"

Ashei, unnerved, was the first to unsheathe her weapon, a broadsword. She charged to attack and ran into an invisible barrier. Prince Ralis noticed that the undead's eyes were glowing brightly and the harsh red of them scared him.

Shad chanted a spell that summoned orbs of light to him. He pointed at the wraith and the orbs were sent flying. The creature lifted his right hand and the light was absorbed into darkness.

"What…the…?" Shad muttered.

The undead Link's attention was turned to the fallen Ashei. Not wanting him to attack, Rusl, Auru and the Zora guards started their charge…only to get hit by a shockwave. The wave of energy pushed them all into the cavern's walls, injuring many.

Terrified of his newfound power, Prince Ralis hid behind Princess Midna. The Twilight Princess pulled out two scimitars and pointed one at the wraith.

With the undead unleashing another shockwave, the pair was pushed back into a wall and the Zora prince began to hyperventilate. The wraith held his sword above the Twili princess's head and was about to strike when Auru recovered, tackling the undead to the ground.

The creature got back up and attacked Auru with a flurry of sword swipes. Auru tried his best to dodge and defend himself with a small cannon he carried. Rusl shot an arrow at the undead and it struck his chest. He fell down onto his back and was motionless.

Princess Midna quickly rushed to the wraith and made an attempt to rip out the Shadow Crystal when she was shocked by it. She pulled her hand back and said, "It's not letting me take it out."

"Then we cut it out!" Ashei declared.

She pulled out a knife and was going to cut Link's chest open when the blade broke on contact as if it struck a rock.

"What…?" the warrior said in disbelief.

"T-Then we s-should bind him and leave him here…" a Zora guard stammered.

The others agreed and the Twilight Princess summoned chains to bind the wraith's arms to the stone wall. Princess Midna took the tattered green cap off of his head and said, "You're not him. You'll never be him. The Link we know is dead. The Link I lo…Link…He's dead and you can't replace him!"

The group left the cavern and sealed it once outside. Prince Ralis hoped never to see the creature again…and had the idea to tell the king, Ganondorf, of the monster.

'Maybe…Maybe he'll be reasonable and put that thing far below the surface…And maybe…he won't persecute us for helping Link…when he was alive…' Prince Ralis thought.

5 Nabooru 1015 of the 6th Era of Water, Aboda Village's school, 10 a.m...

"Did you study, Groose?" Karane asked.

Coming out of memories, Groose nodded and turned to Pipit. The teen said, "Well I did. What 'bout you, Karane?"

"I did, but I do wonder why we have to take a test on all this," Karane said.

The trio looked to Link and he jolted. His expression was that of discomfort and Karane asked, "We were wondering if you studied."

Link made a face of uncertainty and the trio knew that he didn't. Groose sighed, not getting why the guy was so lazy. He felt that he was just dragging his family's name down. Not that he ever said anything about it.

Elder Sahasrahla entered with a large stack of papers. He placed them on his desk in front of the class and said, "Alright students. I hope that you are all prepared for the exam. The test will be three hours long. Once you're done with your test, you are allowed to go home."

The elder passed out the exam and Groose readied himself. He pulled out his pen and was given the exam. Just before he started, he saw Link's head fall, as if he had fallen asleep. Moments later, he lifted his head up and looked around in confusion.

Groose thought it was odd and immediately started his test as Elder Sahasrahla glared at him. The first series of questions were about the landscape of the empire. He was to name the regions, the major cities, and the races that live there. Groose answered as best as he could.

He glanced toward Karane and saw that she was having a difficult time. Pipit as well. Groose looked at Link for a bit and saw that he was vigorously answering questions. A slight gold glow was in his azure eyes and Groose thought he was just seeing things.

Turning back to his test, Groose started answering the second set of questions. They included the elements, how they relate to each other, how they differed, and how one could use them.

He remembered the elements of Forest, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Spirit, Shadow, and Light. Forest magic was an evolution of Water magic and gave certain people the ability to control flora. Fire magic was the manipulation of fire and lava, primarily used by Gorons and the Subrosians. Water magic was the manipulation of water, mist, ice, and snow and was used mainly by the Zoras. Earth magic was the ability to use the earth itself and was used mostly by the Gorons.

Wind magic was used by the tribes that lived on the sky continents above the Great Sea. Spirit magic was used mostly by Hyrulians and Gerudo and was the manipulation of people's minds. Shadow magic was used by the secretive Sheikah and the Twili and allowed them to use the very shadows to attack. Lastly, Light magic was used by "pointy-eared" Hyrulians called "Hylians" and allowed them to summon light to do their bidding. Due to benevolence, they taught other humans like the Gerudo and a few "rounder-eared" Hyrulians how to use it.

Despite this, not everyone could use magic. To use it, one would have to learn said magic from the various tribes and then be certified through the empire, similar to using any other weapons like swords and arrowguns. Once licensed, a person could use magic...up to a point.

Groose finished and grinned. The grin disappeared once he saw the third series of questions. It was about the known eras of world history. He sighed and really hoped that he could remember what he studied and make Elder Aginah proud.

Ten years ago, Adoba Village Outskirts...

"It's okay! It's okay! It's going to be okay," a younger Dame Lydia said, hugging a small Gerudo boy.

Sir Sigmund and the other Hylian Knights investigated the snowy area. What they found along with the lone Gerudo child were the remains of what were carriages and a traveler's camp. The deceased included other Gerudo and a few Hyrulians of the rounded-ear variety. Their horses were also massacred, making the sight quite pitiful. It looked as if a group of monsters had attacked, eating and tearing everyone and everything apart. But...many of the wounds they had looked as if they were made by a sword.

The child was found under one of the overturned carriages, hiding underneath some covers. The simple tan shirt and pants he wore weren't conducive for the snowy mountains and the knights wondered why they were there. Based on their belongings, the group may have been a traveling caravan from the southwestern deserts.

Sigmund took several pictographs for his report and told Lydia, "We should return to town as the sun's going down."

"Alright, but where will this child stay?" Lydia asked.

"We'll take him with us for now. Let's just get out of here," Sigmund told her.

The knights returned to town, heading to their respective homes. Lydia and Sigmund took the Gerudo child to their home, receiving many questionable looks from the townsfolk. Once they arrived at their abode, the first to greet them was their excitable son.

"HI! HI! HI! Hi Momma! Hi Papa!" the five-year-old yelled, hopping up and down.

He was followed by two-year-old twin girls. The girls, in their limited speech, yelled, "Mommy! Poppy!"

"Hey, my little 'chipmunks'!" Lydia said, hugging the three.

The Gerudo child started crying, missing his own mother and father. Sigmund hugged the red-haired boy and their son took notice.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Well, Link...This is...uh..." Sigmund started.

He turned to the boy and asked, "Um...What is your name, son?"

With the Hylian he knew, the boy said, "Um...G-Groose...Groose Eldirani..."

"Oh! Hi, Groose! I'm Link! These are my sisters, Aryll and Agitha. And this is my Momma and Papa. And I got a Granny but she's not here right now," Link told him, introducing himself and his family.

Groose started crying again, still horrified from what he saw. A man in a black cloak and a mask obscuring most of his face appeared out of nowhere. His family's caravan stopped at one of the ice rivers in Snowpeak to make camp for that night. They were on their way to Holodrum and wanted to avoid patrols on both sides of the border.

When the man appeared, his family asked if he was lost. He laughed and told them that he was looking for someone. Groose's father tried to ask who he was looking for, but the man wouldn't specify. He then mentioned that he was starving and Groose's mother offered him food.

The man laughed louder and his voice became monstrous. He took off his mask and Groose saw that the man's face was that of an undead. The creature roared and Groose dove into the first carriage he could. He put the cover over himself and hoped that the man wouldn't find him.

The screams of his family and the panicked neighing of the horses filled the air. Groose could hear the undead whistle a melancholy tune and his distorted maniacal laughter. He covered his ears and begged for the Goddess of the Sand, the Gerudo guardian goddess Solara, to protect him.

The carriage he was in was turned over and Groose hit his head, almost losing consciousness. The sounds of the screams ceased and Groose dared not leave the carriage. He stayed there for hours until the Hylian Knights of the region found him freezing and in tears.

"Groose? Groose? GROOSE!" Link yelled.

Groose turned his attention to the Hylian child and said nothing. Link, with a smile on his face, said, "Papa said that you can stay here for a while until you can get 'adoted'. And if you don't, you can be my brother!"

The Gerudo child thought of him as odd but was happy to find a friendly face after what he went through.

Two hours later...

Groose collapsed onto the floor outside of the classroom after writing for two hours straight. He was so tired of writing and didn't want to see another paper or pen for the next two months. The good thing was that the exam day was the last day of school and they were to go on a two-month vacation, courtesy of the capital. The only problem was that they were expected to work around the village, in the mines or the ice caves.

He sat next to the door of the classroom, waiting on the others to finish. Ten minutes passed and Link was next to complete the test. He sat at the wall across from Groose and seemed bored.

"How do you think ya did?" Groose asked.

Link said nothing. He turned away, scowling, and it seemed as if Link was...different again. A few more minutes passed and Karane left the class along with a few of the others. She smiled and said, "I think I did good. How about you guys?"

"I guess I did good. Link, what 'bout you?" Groose asked.

Link refused to make eye contact and kept silent. Another twenty minutes passed and Pipit left the classroom. He sighed and said, "I don't even know how I did...Why do we have to take those tests anyway?"

"Well, the empire does want to make sure that we know about Hyrulian history among other things," Karane told him

Pipit sighed and turned to Link.

"How did you do?" he asked.

Instead of replying, Link scoffed, got up, and headed for home. The remaining trio looked at each other and Karane asked, "Do you think...?"

"I dunno. But is it just me or is it getting worse?" Pipit asked.

Groose had a bit of a clue what Pipit was talking about, that being drastic changes in Link's personality. Originally, he thought that the guy had something called bipolar disorder, where his emotions would go out of control. But after what happened yesterday, he had a feeling that something else was going on.

"Groose, I'm afraid that you'll have to stay with Elder Aginah for now," Lydia told the seven-year-old.

The child was nearly in tears as he was practically kicked out of the Nodor household by the amnesiac Link. He thought he had a home and a family to replace the one he lost. But after Link attacked him and the others in the hospital, he didn't think he would stay.

He was right as Link avoided Groose altogether and whenever he would see the Gerudo child, he would attack.

Lydia sighed and told Groose, "It'll be only temporary. When Link remembers you, he'll be friendly again and then you can return."

"But!" Groose yelled.

"Just...trust me on this. He'll remember. Sooner or later, he will..." Lydia told him.

"So, will you speak to me, Link?" Elder Aginah asked.

Groose sat in the home's small hallway, out of Link's sight, and overheard his foster grandfather speaking with the teen. He tried his usual in coaxing him to speak, but Link refused. He would give a few disappointed sighs, grunts, and scoffs whenever Elder Aginah tried.

"So, I believe you're one of the others...aren't you?" the elder asked.

Groose peeked from his hiding spot and saw Link's demeanor change. He had a bit of a smirk on his face and Groose was a bit shaken by it. His eyes also changed and it was as if looking at another person, just like how it was when they found Link in the library.

"How could you tell?" Link asked, his voice changed to a gruffer voice and without a single stutter.

The teen's accent changed drastically and Groose couldn't identify it. Link leaned back onto the couch and asked Elder Aginah, "So, is everyone here this dense?"

The elder glared and told him, "It is not that we're 'dense'. We..."

"You really hope that the 'kid'll' recover and talk. You do realize that he won't, right? He's scared of being made fun over a little stutter. The kid's a coward and you know it," Link, or whoever it was, said harshly.

"Yet you're a part of him and he's a part of you," Elder Aginah told him.

"Link" scoffed and said, "It's not like I had a choice."

He turned to his left and locked eyes with Groose, who release a slew of curses. The Hylian shot off an orb of Light magic at him and Groose jumped out of the way.

"Wha-What was that for?" Groose yelled.

"What are you doing here, Gerudo?" "Link" asked.

"I LIVE here! Who're you and what've you done to my friend?" Groose yelled.

"Link" stood up and asked, "Why should I tell you, you 'sandblasted gorja'?"

"A what?" Groose asked.

Elder Aginah shook his head and told Groose, "He just called you something extremely derogatory in Labrynnan…I really hoped that the others would behave and stay asleep within him."

"But I didn't. So, I guess your wishes didn't come true, old man," "Link" said, scoffing.

'Link would never say somethin' like that. What the heck's goin' on?' Groose thought.

Elder Aginah turned to Groose and said, "This is..."

"'Nyx'," Link, or "Nyx", added.

"He is one of the many other...personalities Link has..." Elder Aginah explained.

Groose mouth dropped, shocked that Link had an alter ego. But after what happened yesterday, he could believe it. He didn't know if that and the accident were connected somehow, but he had a feeling that it did.

"I'm not another 'personality'. I'm me!" "Nyx" yelled.

Elder Aginah wasn't having it and said, "He is one of the few personalities that 'awakened' recently. According to Elder Matilde, he was 'born' after the accident."

"Nyx" was offended and yelled, "What are you talking about? I was born..."

"Do you even remember where you're from, 'Nyx'?" Elder Aginah asked.

"I..." "Nyx" started.

"Do you remember your parents or any of your family? Do you remember your childhood? What about your adolescent years? Your adult years?" Elder Aginah asked.

"Nyx" fell silent and it seemed like he didn't know what to say.

"And why do you hate me so much?" Groose asked.

"Nyx" turned his attention to him and replied with, "Gerudo can't be trusted."

"Why not? I didn't do anythin'! And I thought we were friends, practically brothers," Groose said.

"That kid's friends with a gorja?" "Nyx" asked.

"Yes...YOU are. Link is friends with Groose Eldirani, despite your 'birth' and racist behavior towards him when you're 'awake'," Elder Aginah told him.

The alter ego was silent again and the elder continued.

"You aren't a person. You're a fragment of Link's mind. Nothing more. Nothing less," Elder Aginah said.

"Nyx" glared and Groose saw his eyes turn a gold color. A faint light came from his left hand and the alter ego told the two, "I'll prove you wrong, old man. You two, Gerudo."

He passed out, falling onto his right side, and the aura from his left had dissipated. Seconds later, the Hylian woke up, looked around in confusion, and asked through stutters, "W-What happened? I-I-I..."

"You don't remember talkin' to us?" Groose asked.

"I-I-I d-did? Wh-What did...did I s-say? D-did...?" Link asked.

"You did say something...rather..." Elder Aginah told him.

Link looked guilty and asked, "Wh-What did I-I-I s-say?"

Before the elder could stop him, Groose told him, "You kept callin' yourself 'kid', called Elder Aginah 'old man' and you kept glarin' at me. And you shot magic at me! What did I ever do to you?"

"I-I-I did? I...I d-don't know m-magic," Link told him.

Elder Aginah slapped himself on the forehead and told Groose, "Please, Groose. Do not say more."

"Why not? Just tell him the truth. He's been actin' really weird for the past two days and has been sayin' some messed up stuff," Groose continued.

Link was horrified and Groose added, "And you called yourself..."

"Groose no!" Elder Aginah yelled.

"Wh-What...did-did I...?" Link asked.

Not heeding the elder, Groose said, "You called yourself 'Nyx' and said that you weren't 'another personality'."

"Wha...? Wh-Why w-would I c-call myself th-that?" Link yelled in disbelief.

Elder Aginah sighed and told Link, "Please go home now. We'll discuss this later."

Link did as he was told and the elder turned to Groose.

"As for you," he started.

The teen was slapped on the back of his head and the elder told him, "When I tell you not to say anything, don't say anything!"

"But he's gotta know!" Groose yelled.

"It is not time for him to know. Now that you've told him, his emotional state will be unstable, affecting his mental state. It's already been shattered and I'm afraid that what you've said will damage it further," Elder Aginah said.

Groose felt guilty, not knowing or even thinking about that. He just wanted the guy to know what was going on.

"Er...Well...um...I…uh. Sorry 'bout that..." Groose muttered.

"It's too late to apologize. Just pray to the gods that what you've revealed will not further harm Link," Elder Aginah said.

So, another persona revealed itself. And Elder Aginah didn't want Link to find out about them. Wonder why.

Also, a bit of Groose's backstory is revealed. The poor guy. Lost his entire family to a monster.