A/N: A little disclaimer before you read this chapter- I have not played the new game. (Well it's been out for over a year now, I guess it isn't new anymore...) So there won't be anything from it in this story. Also, I don't know when the next chapter will come after this one. I'll try. :)

By the time Link and Ganon arrived at the Sealed Temple, the pain in Link's stomach had spread to her chest, and she could barely stand. "Ganon, hurry. Go over to that sword in the ground and wake up Fi. Maybe she'll know what's happening..." Link just couldn't understand what was going on, she wasn't hurt this badly...

Ganon ran over to the sword, but wasn't sure what to do. Poking it only made his sore hands hurt worse. "Nuthin's happening. Should I pull on it?"

Link crawled over and touched it herself, but Fi still didn't come out. "Fi? Oh, not now..."

"Hey, Mommy, look!" Ganon pointed to markings on the ground, which resembled a winged emblem. However, part of the emblem was missing.

"Ghirahim moved some things when we were last here... Quick, look for the other wing!" Link looked around the immediate vicinity, while Ganon looked a little further away. By the time Ganon found it, Link was in rather serious pain.

"Mommy! I found it, hang on!" Ganon stuffed the wing into place, after which the pedestal began to glow. "Hey, sword, wake up!"

"...Your designation is unknown to me, however I presume you are the missing child Ganon." Fi emerged from the blade and looked him over, but changed her focus upon spotting Link almost unconscious. "Link, I detect you are in very serious pain."

Link weakly nodded. "I was slightly injured at the Ancient Cistern, but not enough to cause this... What's going on?"

Fi closed her eyes for a moment, before asking, "You are bonded to Ghirahim, correct?"

"Yes, wha... Oh no, is he in trouble?" Link's eyes grew wide with fear, and she started shaking. "How could those little bokoblins and one shadow creature overcome him? He's a demon lord!"

"He is a demon lord, and a very powerful sword spirit," Fi recalled. "That is why his absence is concerning. The pain you feel may be related to several things, though I do not have specific details at this time. It would be best for you to rest until we can determine a more accurate cause of this pain."

"I can't rest!" Link raised her voice at the suggestion. "Sacred temple or not, I have to keep vigilant and make sure Ganon isn't taken again! Not only that, I need to... treat his hands..."

"There is a 98% probability that you would fall in battle should you face your enemies in your current state," Fi spouted matter of fact. "In addition, Ganon's wounds do not seem to be bothering him as much as you think they are. He is capable of treating them himself with my guidance while you rest."

Fi turned and pointed to a part of the temple off to the side, where the walls and roof were still in decent shape. "Ganon, please help your mother to that alcove, where the vegetation may serve as a suitable bed. There is also a chest in the vicinity that you should open."

"What's in it?" the curious boy asked, always eager for a present.

"A sacred shield," Fi replied. "This type of shield is known for its ability to repel creatures of evil fortitude. It will prove invaluable for protection, as I believe the Dark Link will not be able to seize you directly if you brandish it. In addition, the plants growing around the chest release a sap with healing properties when the leaves are broken. Spread this on your hands for pain relief."

"Neat!" Ganon ran over and opened the chest, then brought the shield back for Link to tie on his back while he rubbed the plant sap on his hands.

"There, my little warrior..." For good measure, Link withdrew one of Ghirahim's daggers from her belt, and gave it to Ganon. "Here, can't have a shield without a blade."

"Thank you, Mommy!" Ganon kissed Link's cheek, then helped her over to the little resting nook. Once Link had settled in, Ganon crawled in beside her and laid his head on her shoulder. After all, he was quite exhausted from the day's events as well.

Link woke with a start, finding Ganon's little hand covering her mouth and his body tucked up against the wall out of fright. A curtain of ivy hid them and obscured her view, but listening to the ambient sounds of the temple soon made her aware of the situation- something was in the temple with them, and whatever it was had a nasty temper. It stomped around looking for something, and smashed at some rubble when it didn't find it.

When Link heard the large great doors leading out into the circular valley creak, then suddenly slam back and shake the remains of the structure, she realized it must not have found what it was looking for and had moved outside. She pulled Ganon into her arms and whispered to him to calm him down, wiping tears from his cheeks. The poor boy's heart was beating so rapidly, it was almost bursting from his chest.

"...Miss Link," Fi called out to them, once it was clear the intruder had gone. "You must come here, quickly."

Nervous that the creature would come back, Link instructed Ganon to stay hidden while she poked her head out from the alcove. No monsters were in sight, so she crawled out and went over to Fi. "Fi, what was that?!"

"Are you rested?"

"Yes, I am feeling a little better, but..."

"Then you must withdraw the Master Sword from the pedestal."

Link looked at Fi in shock. "What?! Why?"

Fi turned and motioned to the great doors, one of which was now off the hinges. "That being was possessed by a dark and evil magic, one which you can not hope to defeat without divine intervention. If you wish to protect your child, you will need to fight with all your strength. Unfortunately, it is clear you are still weakened by the damage caused from the bond between yourself and Ghirahim. Without the aid of the Master Sword, you may not be able to fend off the threats against you."

Thinking back to how scared she was as a child lost in the forest, Link realized that paled to what Ganon was going through now. He lost one mother as she was murdered in front of him, and he had to watch another as she collapsed from unknown injury. Link then made up her mind that she would be strong for him, and that included standing up to this bully that had come to take him away. Putting a hand on the hilt, she braced herself against the pedestal and worked the Master Sword free from its slumber.

"Link, you must be strong," Fi urged. "Remember, what is out there is possessed by the same evil magic that wants to take your son away from you, and use him to resurrect Demise. You must not let them have him."

"I understand," Link nodded as she gripped the Master Sword in her hands. "What am I dealing with?"

"...A creature with substantial battle experience," Fi answered very bluntly. "You may not be able to beat it by sheer strength alone. Use your knowledge of strategy to exploit its weaknesses, and don't let its appearance fool you. That thing wants to kill you and take Ganon away. It won't show you mercy."

Link was startled by these words, but for Ganon's sake called up her courage and headed for the door. "You defeated Vaati when you were only a child, you can do this now." Once outside, she scanned the valley for the creature. The terrain was strange; remains of an old coaster track bordered the area, and many crumbled stones littered the ground.

In the center was a large stone platform that must have once been a statue, and as Link approached it, she had a flashback to the dream she had of her ancestor lamenting behind the statue of a great winged goddess. "Hylia," she mumbled as she touched what remained.

A sudden chill ran through Link's spine, and she turned in time to block a strike aimed at her sword arm. No one was there however, and her eyes were drawn to the throwing dagger now laying at her feet. "No..."

"You can make it easy on yourself and tell me where you hid him, or we can do it the hard way and I can force the information out of you. And you know me, I like it rough."

A dark figure stood atop the temple facade, a figure with moon-white hair and markings zig-zagging a body as black as death. In the center of its chest was a glowing red diamond, much like the hundreds of little diamonds now surrounding and enclosing the valley. But worst of all were its eyes; solid white eyes staring coldly into Link's soul.

"Oh, what's the matter, Skychild? Don't you recognize me?