Chapter 1

Link

Link opened his eyes. Floating, in a dark space.

In the distance, there was a small light, a figure. Moving toward it, he called out: "Hello?" There was no response, and yet this presence felt familiar.

Getting closer, he started. "Zelda?"

She faced him, but there was no light in her gaze. "He is coming."

"W-what?" A broken whisper.

"He is coming."

Red light began to fill the darkness. Tendrils of a burning, viscous substance rose up to surround her. Link raced towards her, wanting to stop the odd substance from covering her. But a few feet away, the ooze wrapped around his legs, preventing him from moving any further. It burned with an intensity he had never felt before. Link struggled to move, desperate to help his friend. The substance moved faster, covering his arms and torso, freezing him entirely. Her unusually cold gaze burned into him. One last phrase escaped her lips: "How could you have failed me... Link." And then she was gone, turned to ash.

Link let out a pained whimper, frozen still by the angry, corroding substance. Zel... I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do! I couldn't move! I'M SORRY! He gave a strangled gasp, as he felt himself begin to disintegrate as well.

A new presence appeared, a shadow that emanated the malicious, painful miasma. It grabbed Link by the throat and lifted him up to its eye level.

"So THIS is the supposed 'hero'? Pathetic. A sniveling coward."

Link gasped for breath, absorbing the words of this - this thing. He's right... I'm a coward... I didn't do anything at all to help Zelda...

"Well, no matter. You'll be gone long before your precious land is ravaged, becomes something better, where I rule ALL!"

The monstrous being squeezed tighter, choking him, killing him. One last raspy breath was taken, before the demon's face and awful words disappeared into the darkness.

_/|||\_

Link awoke, gasping for breath. Sweat trickled down his face as he took in the familiar surroundings. Father and uncle, snoring in the next room. Moonlight filtering through the old curtains. His gear lying haphazardly in the corner.

He managed to take a deep, shaky breath. The nightmares were back, more haunting than ever.

What time is it? He glanced over at the glowing clock. 5:32. No point trying to fall back asleep now; he normally had to get up at six to get to school on time. Link sighed and began to get dressed, albeit quietly; it wouldn't do to wake up Aryll yet.

Oh, and it's the finals in fencing today. Better make sure to grab my extra sabre, in case Groose snatched my usual again. Idiot.

As Link reached for the blade, he heard a small chime. Frowning, he glanced to where he had heard it. Nothing. Perhaps he was just imagining things after that nightmare. Grabbing the sabre and his backpack, Link and his way for the door, when he heard the chime again. Looking again, he could have sworn a small light had flitted away from the window.

Just imagining things.

_/|||\_

Link reached the bus stop just as the doors had begun to close. Luckily, Uma, the driver, was kind and opened it up for him. He slipped to the middle of the bus, hoping no one would try and talk to him. He found an empty seat and put his earbuds in; the universal sign (among sensible people) that he didn't want to be bothered.

The bus made it to school, and Link headed to the fencing locker room to place the sabre in his. Coming out, he noticed a familiar golden-haired girl bouncing toward him. He tried not to flinch, the nightmare still fresh in his mind. He tried for a gentle smile, and she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Link! You'll never guess what happened this weekend!"

He pulled back. Small smile. "What?"

"I got to go to this archeological site, and there was so much! They had already uncovered part of one thing, it was an enormous skeleton! It looked like an ancient Leviathan!"

Link smiled brightly, and tried not to blush. Zelda's enthusiasm for just about everything was infectious. "Where was i-t? I heard there was one in H-hebra that they were di-digging up..."

"Oh, no. It was in the Gerudo desert, actually quite far from Gerudo Town. But I did get to see Urbosa and Nabooru," she replied. Just as Link was about to respond, the bell rang. Zelda sighed. "C'mon, let's get to class."

Luckily, they were right next to their next class: Gym. Unluckily, as soon as they entered with a bunch of other kids, Link's blood ran cold. A symbol was drawn on the wall, one of hate and vile intent. The eye of the Sheikah, flipped, as a sign of the Yiga clan. Heralds of evil, a gang obsessed with violence, especially to Hylians. And a group he had encountered before. And words next to it, ones that sent his mind whirling.

He is coming.


A/N: I will use some fencing, archery, and maybe other sports' terms, especially in the beginning chapters. I'm not really experienced in these areas, so if I make a mistake, make sure to let me know. (: A sabre is supposedly a type of fencing blade that is used differently than the foil and épée. Instead of just thrusts, the sabre is also a cutting blade, and the entire blade can score. I felt like it would be the closest to the sword style that Link uses in games.