A/N: Ok, so this chapter took far longer than I anticipated to write. I rewrote this chapter so many times but I'm pleased with it now. :)

This is a rather long chapter, so hopefully, that will make up for my massive time delay.

Thanks to all who have been following, liking and reviewing. It means a lot to see what you all think of the story so far.

In regards to spelling and grammar mistakes, if you find any, please don't hesitate to tell me. I won't get offended and it would help me a lot. I do edit before I post but sometimes mistakes slip through.

Enjoy!

Nightfall was steadily approaching over the beautiful land of Hyrule. The sky was ablaze with vibrant colours of orange and yellow, and the air was gradually cooling as the sun began to disappear behind the horizon. In the east, the quaint little village of Hateno was pleasantly quiet and lacking in its usual activity. The many village inhabitances had cleared the streets and were now packed away safely into their homes. With the day completed, the only thought left on their minds was to get a good nights sleep, ready for when the sun returned on a brand new day.

For one young Hylian however, sleep had already arrived. He lay against the trunk of a tree, the dim dappled sunlight highlighting his angelic face and slender form, relaxed and peaceful in sleep. Calloused fingers gripped loosely at the grass below him, and his golden locks swayed freely in the gentle evening breeze. The Hylian breathed in deeply as the wind swept over him, but breathed out again without rousing from his slumber.

A short distance away, a beautiful mare with a bay coat, white socks and a silver mane looked up from the grass she was chewing on to stare at her master. She whinnied hopefully, as she watched him shift in his sleep, but fell silent again when he became still. The mare snorted before she dipped her head to nibble on the grass once more. Though she wanted his attention, she remained a respectable distance away so she would not accidentally disturb him. She had sensed his tiredness all day and had seen how he had fought the pull of sleep. He had eventually succumbed to its beckoning call, but a lot later than the mare had expected. She felt deeply concerned for him, so was content to let him sleep peacefully.

Time passed, and the remaining light of the sun was quickly fading. The suns form had disappeared behind the horizon by now, and blues and purples were gradually staining the sunsets firey colours to make way for a starry black sky. It was only when the moon had just begun to appear did the Hylian finally begin to stir.

His body twitched suddenly as a soft groan passed his lips. He began to mumble incoherently, his body still twitching and eyelids fluttering as he appeared to become more and more distressed. His brow creased sharply as his fingers tightened around the grass below him, his nails scraping into the dirt. Then, as his twitching became more and more frantic, he let out a short cry which alerted his mare at once. The horse quickly galloped over to him, neighing loudly, trying to make her master wake up from his nightmare. When her cries when unheard, she nuzzled his face desperately, and only them did then Hylian finally wake.

Link sat forward quickly, his breathing fast and heavy. Though awake, haunting images still continued to flash in his mind and a headache throbbed painfully in his temples. The light was irritating to his head and eyes, so he pressed a hand to his sweaty brow. The action dulled his headache, just enough for him to concentrate fully on the nightmare. Despite his lingering fear, Link tried desperately to hold onto the events of the dream. But the details were trickling away like water in a sieve, and soon enough, Link had forgotten the nightmare entirely.

Groaning in frustration, Link sat back against the tree as the last of his fear seeped away. He cautiously pulled his hand from his eyes and squinted as light flooded his vision. He rubbed his temples soothingly as the world slowly came into sharp focus, his headache gradually improving as it did.

For weeks now, Link had been plagued by nightmares that he immediately forgot when he woke up. He had tried every method he could think of to help him remember, but nothing had worked. The dreams always faded from his mind too quickly, leaving nothing but a blank spot in his memory where the nightmares should be.

A small part of him wanted to believe that the dreams were not worth remembering. Perhaps it was just his mind reliving moments of his past, of the horrors he had encountered on his long and tiring journey to free Hyrule from Calamity. But something inside him, buried deep within his being, told him these dreams were trying to tell him something. Of a warning, he must hear.

'But if they're so important, why can't I remember them?' He thought angrily to himself. 'Why must I face this constant torture of tiredness?'

He had lost a lot of sleep over these dreams, and although he could go several days at a time without sleep, he was not immortal.

He had not realised it at first, but Links health, both physically and mentally, had been rapidly declining. Over time, his behaviour had shifted. He had become much more withdrawn and quieter than usual, sometimes going an entire week without uttering a single word. He had not wanted for someone to catch on that something was wrong with him. He had not been looking for sympathy, nor did he want to burden somebody with a problem they couldn't fix.

But Zelda, of course, had not agreed with him on this front. She knew him too well, and his silence had only alerted her to a problem, rather than deter her. At first, she had resisted confronting him, choosing instead to act like nothing was wrong in hopes he would open up to her of his own accord. However, Link had not accepted her silent invitation and had stubbornly remained quiet. He knew Zelda had not liked this, but he could not bring himself to burden her further when she already had enough on her plate.

After the fall of Calamity Ganon, Zelda had not hesitated in trying to achieve her ambitions of rebuilding the Kingdom of Hyrule to its former glory. She had travelled to all the villages and towns across the land, Link always by her side. The people had been ecstatic when news of their princesses return had reached them and had welcomed Zelda back with open arms, much to her great relief. The Hylians and Sheikah had all been supportive and enthusiastic of her plans to rebuild Hyrule. Even the Gorons, Zoras, Ruto and Garudo had been supportive of her ideas, willingly offering up their services if ever she needed them.

But unfortunately, getting their support was only half the battle. Soon into their journey, Zelda had explained to him all the complications that might come there way, now that Calamity Ganon was gone.

In her heart, Zelda had not held a single doubt that the people of Hyrule would come together to rebuild the damage. In the past, evil had gripped their country many, many times. But its people had always come together to rebuild when peace had been restored.

The restoration plans were indeed Zelda's top priority, but so were international negotiations. Hyrule was a very sort after country. It had magically enriched soils, capable of producing highly nutritious crops in half the time it did elsewhere. It was also home to a rich history, fantastic creatures and miraculous sights that were impossible to find anywhere else in the world. These were some of the things that tended to give Hyrule unwanted attention from neighbouring countries. One hundred years ago, decent relations between the Royal Family and its neighbouring countries had kept the land safe. But Zelda was not naive. She knew full well that rulers tended to be opportunistic. Zelda had theorised that for all the pain and destruction Calamity Ganon and the Guardians had caused, they had also been the only thing keeping Hyrule safe while its Princess and Hero of Legend were sealed away. However, with Calamity Ganon now defeated and the remaining guardians deactivated or destroyed, the safety they had provided was no more. With this in mind, Zelda had wanted to start international talks as soon as possible. But for that, she had needed unity and structure within her own country first.

Now, a year later, Zelda was finally in a position to travel to other countries with the intention of re-establishing herself among the other foreign noble families. She hoped the descendants of the former rulers she had known so long ago, were just as negotiable and willing to form the treaties and alliances that they had once had. Hyrule could not afford another war.

Amazingly, despite having all her royal responsibilities, Zelda had still managed to make time to have some freedom with Link. They would often go somewhere quiet and secluded, to relax in the sun or to enjoy a picnic together. It was during these moments that Link noticed Zelda would often encourage Link to talk and express himself but never sort to pressure him to do so. Unsurprisingly, by the end of the evening, Zelda would have inevitably done most the talking, but Link appreciated her efforts. She always listened to him, even when he spoke about the littlest things. Link would tell her stories of his adventures, and they would reminisce over the past. They would laugh and joke around. They would talk about there worries and concerns and would exchange useful tips to best solve and overcome their problems. Overall, it was a relaxing and fulfilling time for both of them.

That was until the nightmares started. Link started spending less and less time with Zelda in his free time, and would more often than not, disappear into the forests or explored a nearby mountain. It wasn't that he did not want to spend time with her, but rather, he was desperate for a distraction against his tiredness. He knew that if he used Zelda as a distraction, she would notice and want to know what was wrong. He was adamant to not let that happen. Instead, he tapped into his insatiable curiosity that usually came with exploring the wild, providing him with a few hours of relief until he needed to return.

Zelda, of course, had never been happy with him once he had come back though. "Why did you not tell me you were going to wander off? If you had said something, I would not have worried about you so much," she had said on more than one occasion.

But underneath her frustration over his disappearing acts, Link could sense her concern. Guilt ate at him constantly around Zelda, and it only seemed to get worse when his sleep deprivation became too great to hide.

"I don't know why you won't tell me what is wrong, Link," she had said, her eyes examining his pale skin and dark eyes. "But please know that I only want to help you."

Link had listened to her but had not responded. He had no intention of telling Zelda about nightmares she could not get rid of, and no amount of convincing could sway him. If he had any recollection of the events of the dreams, then maybe he would feel inclined to discuss it with her. But for all he knew, the nightmares could be of absolutely nothing, becoming another unnecessary burden on her shoulders.

But her suggestion was not to talk like he had expected.

"I'm giving you some time off Link," she told him. "It's clear to me that you are unfocused, and your health is deteriorating. I may not know why exactly, but I can see that being alone and away for your obligations to Hyrule is doing you some good. So I am giving you a chance."

She had then gone on to tell him that she would not be travelling anytime soon and that she did not necessarily need her appointed knight. Link was skilled in many fields, but dealing with political matters was not one of his strong suits. Zelda had the Sheikah to help her with that.

"You'd be foolish to deny this opportunity Link. You might not get another chance for quite some time," She had said. "I have enough affairs to keep me busy for at least a week or two. After that, I will send someone to find you."

Reluctantly, he had agreed to Zelda's proposal and had travelled to the first place he could think of to deal with his problems.

Home.

The name pulled him out of his thoughts, as he looked towards the house he had bestowed with that name. He found it funny how he so easily called it that.

If he had been honest with himself, when he had decided to buy the house, Link hadn't truly believed he would ever call it home. The idea of a domestic life for him after everything he had been through, even at the time, seemed farfetched. Almost laughable even. That wasn't to say he hadn't wanted that type of life though, and maybe that was his true purpose behind buying the house in the first place. To give him the option, if it ever became possible.

Regardless of his motives, however, in his eyes, the house was perfect. The property had everything he could ever want. The house itself was big enough for him to live comfortably, with storage space that could store all his gear without getting hazardously cluttered. It came with a decent bit of land that not only had a fabulous view but was also somewhat separated from the mainland of Hateno by a small fissure. A single wooden bridge was the easiest way to access the property without having to walk through dense woodland. A high cliff face surrounded the property, which served to hide the house from view. Only those who lived in the village generally knew it was there. It meant he was still as a much a part of the community of Hateno as any other resident. But it offered him the privacy that he so often craved.

Now that the renovations had been completed, the house had become a safe and stable place for him. And his faithful companions.

With a sharp poke to the side, Link was suddenly pushed to the ground. He heard the stomping of hooves as a shadow fell over him, accompanied by the snorts and whines of an agitated horse. Link turned onto his back and looked up to see his beloved mare standing over him. The moment he had looked upon her, the mare had pressed her snout into his face and sniffed him vigorously. Link knew she was wondering if he was ok after his dream.

He laughed as the hairs on the mare's nose tickled his skin, and he brought a hand up to gently push her away. Once the horse had stepped back a bit, Link sat up straight and began to stroke her coarse fur soothingly.

"There, there Epona," he said softly. "I'm alright now, see!"

He held his arms out wide to indicate himself and the mare neighed happily before nuzzling her head into his chest. He chuckled again at her antics and brought his arms around to cuddle her large head. Like Zelda, Epona never failed to cheer him up.

As it was, Epona was probably the only creature in Hyrule who knew the full extent of his problems. She always seemed acutely aware of his state of mind in both his waking hours and when he slept. She was always there to pull him out of his nightmares and stayed around to make sure he had recovered. He chuckled as he kneaded his hands through Epona's mane, thinking of all the times he had woken up to find a horse in his face.

"You know, you can be a right mother hen sometimes," he said jokingly, and Epona responded by playfully pushing him back into the dirt again.

"Alright, alright Epona! Can I get up now?" he laughed.

The mare snorted before reluctantly stepping back to allow Link to stand. He quickly brushed himself off once he had gotten to his feet, before making his way over to Eponas small stable that had been built around the side of his house. Lent up against one of the support beams of the stable, was a large brown sack. The sack bulged to the point of bursting with freshly picked apples, supplied from the tree that grew around the back of his house. Link leaned down and untied the sack, earning a nicker of anticipation from Epona.

"You earned them girl," he said as he tipped about a dozen apples onto her soft straw bedding that Link had provided. As Link stepped out of the stable, the mare trotted merrily inside. She immediately dipped her head and began munching on the apples, noisily.

Link retied the sack of the remaining apples, as he watched Epona eat. Once it was tied, he threw the bag over his shoulder and turned to head indoors. With one final look towards the horizon, the moon now glistening high in the sky, the young hero placed a hand on his door, ready to retire inside for the night.

"Goodnight Epona," he called over his shoulder before he opened his door and stepped inside.

Immediately, Link was bathed in the warm glow of lantern light, illuminating the interior of his house brightly. Link did not own much furniture as he wasn't the type for pointless extravagance. The main room of the house was practical and well used, with shelves and cabinets lining the walls and a large dining table in the middle. His only decorations, aside from the white and blue vase on the table, was a large rug on the floor and gear displays hung on the walls.

On the table sat a plate with the remains of his dinner. He had placed a bowl on top of the plate to protect the food until he felt like eating it. At the thought of food, Links stomach growled expectantly.

He shut the door and deposited the sack of apples to one side before he quickly moved to the table and lifted the bowl. Sat on top of the plate was a single meat skewer. It wasn't much, and the meat had gone cold, but Link hardly cared as he bit into it eagerly. The snack filled his stomach satisfyingly.

Link yawned as a sudden wave of tiredness hit him, and he groaned in exasperation. He was sick of feeling tired all the time and was desperate for a good nights sleep that he knew would not happen. So, he looked for a reason to stay awake, and like most nights, his gaze landed on his pouch which hung on the back of one his dining table chair.

Checking through his pouch had become a regular habit of his before he braved sleep. Link liked to know that he was fully stocked for a journey in case he suddenly had to leave. It was a routine that he had not broken from his travelling days, but ever since his dreams had started, Link had felt more inclined to do it than ever.

He couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen, and his dreams were only part of what made him feel that way. As he thought this, Link found his eyes straying upwards to land on the sword hanging on the centre most weapon holder on his wall. There, looking just as spectacular and celestial as always was the Legendary Master Sword.

The blade had gone silent since his victory over Ganon. It no longer glowed with its calming blue light, and Link could no longer feel its power coursing through him every time he held it. One hundred years ago, he had been told that when this happened, the blade was no longer needed. They had said that his final duty as the hero, would be to place the sword back in its pedestal, ready for the next hero to take up arms against evil. However, now that he was here, the thought of putting the blade to rest felt wrong. If anything, it felt as though the blade itself was urging him to keep them together. Their feelings of dread were shared, and they needed to be ready for what was to come, whatever that might be.

Though he made sure to keep his dreams to himself, Link had asked Zelda about The Master Sword, and whether his decision to keep it in his possession was the right thing to do.

"You and The Master Sword share a unique and unbreakable bond, one that perhaps I will never fully understand. I trust you will know when the time is right for you to place it back in its pedestal to slumber," she had said in response. "If you feel like that time has not yet come, then you should not feel obliged to put it back just because the legends tell you too."

Link trusted Zelda's judgment and so, any guilt over the sword had been extinguished. He also trusted The Master Sword. They were ready in case something happened, but he wished he knew what they were waiting for. He hoped he would get his answers soon, whether it be through his dreams or by the sword itself. He hated being left in the dark like this.

Link sighed, pulling his gaze down from the sword. He pulled up one of his chairs and sat down, grabbing his pouch and pulling it in front of him. He was sure he knew what was stored in the pouch, but a routine check before bed had never hurt.

It took about an hour for Link to go through his entire inventory. He had already stored enough food away for at least a few weeks previously. But he had decided to add the remaining apples from the sack to his stash, just in case. He had plenty of weapons and arrows secured too, with a healthy amount of rupees in his wallet.

His eyes were dry and itchy by the time he put the pouch down, and he was struggling to keep his eyelids from closing. At this rate, he would fall asleep at the table again. Waking up in a panicked state, sat at his table had not been pleasant. Hitting his legs when sitting up with a stiff back had not been fun. Admittedly, the pain had instantly brought him to his senses after that particular nightmare. But it was not an experience he would like to repeat.

Groggily, he pushed his chair back and stood, not bothering to push it neatly back under the table. He would do it in the morning. He made his way towards the stairs leading to the upper levels of his house. He blindly climbed the stairs, the weight of tiredness on his eyelids keeping them closed most of the time. Link stumbled as he reached the upper level, but smiled faintly as he spotted his bed, the soft covers practically calling to him to come and lie down.

He quickly decided that he felt too tired to change into some nightwear, but used the last of his strength to pull off his boots and placed them under his writing desk, ready for tomorrow. Though he called it a writing desk, he hardly ever used it for that purpose. Currently, the desk was clear of writing materials and instead, a small pile of spare clothes rested upon the wooden surface, ready for him to grab at a moments notice. Through his blurry eyes, he could make out the unmistakable blue of his champions tunic, resting neatly on top of the pile.

Lent by the side of the desk was a Korok leaf, that he used to put out the many lanterns hanging from his roof. He picked up the leaf and with one half-hearted swish, the leaf produced a gust of wind that blew the small fires of the lanterns out instantly. Link was plunged into darkness, his only source of light being the silvery moonlight streaming in through the window. The moon highlighted his bed invitingly.

Too tired to think of his nightmares, Link pulled back the covers and slid smoothly into bed. His head hit the pillow, and he sank into its softness. Within minutes, his breathing became slow and even, as he slipped into a deep sleep.

He was formless, a mere spirit, suspended within an inky black void. The void was vast, seemingly with no end. The darkness swirled and rippled all around him, undulating and coiling like serpents made of shadow.

Link was frozen in place within that strange emptiness, conscious but not fully aware. Despite how ominous the darkness appeared, Link felt warm and peaceful. He wanted nothing more than to sink into that blissful oblivion, to soothe his painful tiredness. To be swallowed into nothingness as he rested.

But just as that thought crossed his semiconscious mind, the void around him shifted. The shadows began to condense and constrict. Links mind was brought into sharp focus as he felt pressure closing in around him, pulling and pushing at his disembodied form harshly from all sides. The soft clouds of shadows became harsh and jagged as solid shapes and lines seemed to burst into existence from the depths of the darkness. Soon the void around him settled, but Link felt uncomfortable in this new place. The solid shapes around him sharply contrasted his shapeless self. He suddenly felt painfully out of place.

Soon, colours began to infiltrate into the darkness, like blood soaking into clothes from a wound. The colours gave the jagged form of the darkness depth, bringing a scene to life around him. In no time at all, the dark void had morphed into the appearance of a cave.

The dark tunnel of the cave stretched out endlessly before him, its greatest depths disappearing into cold darkness. Sparsely positioned down the cave, luminous stones stood tall and proud among the mundane grey rocks and stalagmites. There eternal blue glow was the only source of light that Link could see along the tunnel. Stalactites protruded from the ceiling like monstrous teeth. Water rolled down there surfaces to collect at there points. They rained down from the ceiling, there sound bouncing off the cave walls. Though Links senses were not the same in his spiritual form, he could feel that the air was cold and thick with moisture.

But it was not the cave itself that was making him feel cold inside. Whispers resounded eerily in the air around him. They were muffled and incoherent, hissing softly in the background. But at times, a voice would draw uncomfortably close so that they whispered directly beside him. He shivered when it happened.

Link remained stationary in mid-air, staring blankly down the cave. He tried to turn to look behind him, but he found he could not. He had no control over his movements, no matter how much he tried. He couldn't even blink, not that he had a reason too. All he could do was stare. For a moment, he wondered if he was going to move deeper into the cave and was surprised at the twinge of longing he could feel. He wanted to go deeper into the cave. Something was down there, waiting for him.

As he thought this, the whispering Voices became more frantic. They pressed closer into him, so close that Link could have sworn he had felt breath brushing against his skin, even though he knew it was impossible in his current form.

Then, from behind him, Link felt a sharp tugging sensation, like someone had tied a wire around his soul and was yanking on the other end. Link tried to fight the tugging, trying to get deeper down the tunnel. But it only resulted in the sensation becoming sharper and painful. It lessened again as he stopped fighting and allowed the invisible wire to drag his formless body back the opposite way. Link continued to stare down into the depths of the tunnel, the walls of the cave zipping past him, disappointment welling up where his longing had been.

Several minutes passed, and Link was still being carried through the underground passage. The cave system remained mostly straight, and Link could see very few paths leading away from the main tunnel. Luminous stones flashed by like blue fireflies before they disappeared into the deep darkness that followed him up the cave, like a silent phantom. Occasionally, Link would catch sight of ruined structures carved into the sides of the cave. They were only visible if a florescent stone was nearby. But even then, Links form was travelling too fast for him to make out the entirety of the structures or discern any details.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, the tugging began to lessen. Link began to slow down. Unfortunately, Link passed no curious ruins as he continued to move slowly up the tunnel. What he did notice, however, was far more concerning. Seeping through the rocks from cracks and crevises were thin vine-like growths that snaked over the walls of the cave, like veins. The vines dark purple surface pulsed and rippled in a familiar way that confirmed the substance was malice, growing through the rocks.

The pulling increased again, and this time he flew through the cave with far more speed than before. The walls of the cave were a blur of grey, making Link feel disorientated. Then, he realised the grey colours were getting lighter, and natural light was shining in from an exit somewhere behind him. The cave continued to get lighter and lighter until he was blinded by white.

When his vision cleared, he realised that he was not only outside but had somehow appeared on the very top of Hyrule castle, hovering above the tallest spire.

Even though Link had climbed this spire before, it didn't stop the sense of vertigo that struck him, as he stared straight down towards the ground. He tried to orientate himself to lessen the feeling but was unsurprised when he found he could still not move. Silently, he thanked the goddesses for giving him unbreakable courage rather than a fear of heights. It made the vertigo somewhat bearable.

Then, without warning, the world around Link changed. Hyrule Castle and its surrounding landscape became blue and transparent, looking like the maps of the Devine Beasts and the Castle he had seen on his Sheikah slate. Link struggled to make out the difference between the structure of the castle and the ground. But that did not concern him much. What did, were the bright red lines that he could see extending out far below him.

They started from under the castle and travelled through castle town and past the towns tall boundary walls. Beyond that, Link struggled to make out where the lines went. Seemingly responding to his thoughts again, the unseen puppeteer guided Links form along the red lines. He came down the castle and travelled to the town border. The force let him hover inches above the red, pulsing lines with a small strip of a blue transparent mass separating him from it. He realised, quickly, that it was the ground. Whatever these lines were meant to represent, they ran underground.

Dread steadily began to rise inside him as he began to put the pieces together. He was pretty sure he knew what the red lines were, but Link hoped he was wrong.

His form was not carried much beyond the borders of Castle Town before he was brought to a halt. Below him, he saw the red lines disappear further underground. Despite his transparent surroundings, he could not see where the lines went.

Links vision changed again, flashing back to normal around him. The invisible force, it transpired, had directed Link over to the sacred ground ruins. More specifically, Link was positioned directly over the intricately carved engraving on the floor of the topmost platform. With a surge of fresh dread, Link then realised that the glowing red lines must have descended into the ground right underneath the circular platform. Unfortunately, his fears where only confirmed when Link began to float down towards the stone floor.

Unimpeded by the hard material, his form fazed straight through the stone. On the other side was an underground chamber. There was no natural light within the room itself, but somehow Link was still able to see. A passageway extended out further in front of him, and Link began to move along it. At first, the passage appeared to be nothing more than a large dirt tunnel, barely big enough to fit a horse and cart. The only thing unordinary about it, however, was the floor. Intricate mosaic tiles decorated the floor. Some of the tiles were cracked, and soil covered many of them from years of decay. But elegant patterns and images were still visible in many areas.

Further up the passageway, the walls began to change from natural to manmade. Cut stone replaced the earth and roots. Towering pillars supported a curved ceiling at even intervals along the tunnel. Cylindrical in design. The path became wider the further Link went until stone walls began to rise from the mosaic floor on either side. Suddenly, the passageway looked less like a tunnel, and more like something he might find in Hyrule Castle. Granted, the passages within the castle and this place had its fair share of differences. But there were enough similarities to make Link wonder if it had indeed been a part of the castle at one point.

Link then realised that his eyes were not being restricted to one position anymore. The force did not protest as Link began to look around, intrigued by his completely unexplored surroundings. It was then that he noticed that the walls seemed to be crumbling in places, and the cause of it did not fill him with joy like new discoveries often did. Vine-like tendrils, similar to the ones he had seen in the cave, were protruding from out the rock. They snaked across the walls, connecting and intertwining with other coils of malice. The malice pulsed and rippled grotesquely, its red-pinkish light standing out brightly in the dark.

The passageway only continued for a short way until it stopped at another chamber. This chamber was circular and had a high domed ceiling. The dimensions of the room were wider and taller than the passage had been. The raised stone walls on either side of the passage had become dividing walls, that separated the inner section of the chamber from an outer path that rimmed the room. Link supposed it had once been used for observational purposes. The mosaic flooring ended at the foot of a circular dais, situated in the middle of the chamber. Positioned at the centre of the dais, Link could see a pair of ornate, white marble doors that were so large, they filled most of the room. The doors were free-standing and connected to nothing. Large golden chains held the marble frame to the floor and ceiling. Glittering wisps of energy flickered over the shiny surfaces of the links.

"Magic," he said, his voice coming out as a gentle whisper. Like a voice carried in the wind.

The Voices, who had followed him from within the cave, spoke up once again. This time, he could understand them.

"Seal...bound...seal...hidden ...restrained...danger...closed...sealed...forever," They whispered frantically.

The closer he got to the door, the more agitated The Whispers seemed to get, but Link knew why. Link was no expert on magic, but even he could sense the enormous amount of magical power that made the stale air of the chamber hum. The magic of the glittering chains was heavy and oppressive, smothering everything around it. It was so strong that Link nearly didn't sense the other magical energy permeating the room. It was faint, but there.

A foreign energy, unlike anything he had ever experienced before was seeping around the room like a bad smell. The closer he got to the doors, the more he realised that this power was coming from the doors themselves. The chains were suppressing that power, or at least, were meant too. The other magic was leaking out, but Link had a pretty good idea on how.

Clinging to the walls and marble frame the malice grew like a fleshy spiderweb. No malice eyes or mouths had formed yet, but the beginnings of sludgy mounds and hardened clumps were starting to form. Tendrils of malice had twined themselves around the golden chains, protruding from the walls. In some areas, the malice hissed and smoked as the powerful magic of the chains tried to fend it off, but in others, the metal had turned dark and powerless.

"Powerless...gone...stolen...powerless," The Whispers chanted, and Link realised what was happening. The malice was absorbing the magic of the chains. Bit by bit, it's magic was getting weaker.

Uncomfortable unease settled over Link once again. He wasn't sure what would happen if the chains lost their powers or how the malice was absorbing it, but he knew, instinctually, that it did not mean good things for Hyrule.

"And for those beyond," The Whispers hissed. Link found himself agreeing even though he didn't know what they meant by 'those beyond'.

Links gaze left the chains, and instead, he examined the doors. Like the chains that bound them, its surface seemed to give off a faint glow, but it wasn't nearly as bright and obviously magical. The marble was expertly cut and very thick, and had retained its glossy polished finish despite the long passage of time. In the centre, carved across both the doors was the Hylian royal crest, accompanied by three other symbols that were commonly associated with Hyrule.

"The jewels...time...The sacred jewels...Hero of Time," The Whispers murmured in the background.

Unlike the chains, the marble doors held firm against the malice attack. None of the grotesque sludge seemed to be clinging to its glossy surface. For now, at least.

"For now...for now...for now," The Whispers chanted, but their tones had changed. They sounded harsh and unfriendly like they were scolding Link for saying something offensive. The air around him suddenly grew cold and thick. He felt like he was being suffocated and compressed, coursing his mind to go fuzzy and his vision to dance with spots. He felt like he was going to pass out.

Then, just as quickly as it started, it stopped. The world around Link shifted, and suddenly, Link had a solid form again. He was in his body, and for a moment, he wondered if he had woken up. One thing was for sure, though. He was no longer in bed.

Link was standing at the centre of a large and familiar room. He was wearing the armour that Mipha had made for him, with his weapons held on his back. With a painful pang to his heart, he realised the Master Sword was not there. His eyes swept the room again, and suddenly he realised why it all looked so familiar, for he had only been here a short time ago. Link was within Vah Ruta, in the same chamber where the Main Control Unit was held. It was also the room where he had fought Waterblight Ganon. Behind him, a strange ringing sound met his ears, and he turned to see that the Control Unit was glowing with bright orange light.

'It should be blue,' he thought, frowning as he approached the Control Unit of the Devine Beast. Link reached out to run his hand over the Sheikah Slate port when the whole Unit suddenly erupted in black and pink flames. Link flinched back, his eyes wide with surprised.

"No," he murmured. "No, it's gone. I defeated it."

He watched, horrified, as strands of blue light appeared in the air around him. They twirled and snaked about before disappearing behind him. Swallowing his fear and mastering his courage, Link turned to see a horrible creature beginning to form. The blue light faded and Waterblight Ganon roared to the heavens. Link gritted his teeth as water sprayed everywhere. Instinct surged through his muscles and in no time at all, a weapon and shield were ready in his hands. Waterblight Ganon raised its giant spear as Link charged forward, his eyes trained on the glowing weapon as it struck down.

Suddenly Links vision flashed white, and he cried out. He was back in the hidden chamber but had kept his form. He felt jumpy and disorientated, and his body was shaking badly, as adrenaline continued to surge through his veins. He breathed in deeply as he tried to control himself, the image of Waterblight baring down on him, making it difficult for him to do so. He was so out of it that he nearly did not notice that the chamber around him had changed. The malice had grown since the last time he had seen it. Large bulbous clumps had formed, covering most of the walls and smothering the path that had ringed the circular chamber completely. The air was denser than ever, sulfur mixing with the stale air. The chains were almost entirely engulfed in malice now, with very little of the golden metal showing through. The magical shimmer it had once held was no longer present.

His body now mostly under control, Link looked more closely at the doors. With the chains having lost their magic, Link wondered if the marble was strong enough to hold back the malice and protect what lay beyond. Malice pulsed across the frame but the doors themselves seemed unharmed. Like the chains, the doors possessed some kind of magical property which repelled the malice. The magic seemed to be holding the malice at bay, but not completely.

At the bottom of the right door, the malice had somehow latched on. The edges of the malice smoked as the magic of the doors tried to repel it. But the malice held on. Link looked more closely at the area, frowning. It was barely noticeable, but a thin crack had formed in the marble surface. Though the scratch was no wider than a single strand of hair, it seemed to be wide enough for the malice to force its way in.

"Past the barrier...hatred...past the seal...seal...it drains...seal...magic," The Whispers said softly, and Link understood.

'The glossy surface is a magical barrier,' he thought, and the air hummed with a sense of approval. The Voices chittered incoherently in the background.

The crack, caused by age or the malice, had provided the malice with a foothold. It had burrowed its way into the marble itself, draining it of its magic from the inside, weakening the protective barrier so it could then be consumed.

'Is that what happened to the chains?' Link thought to The Voices.

"Imperfection...mistake...burrowed within...drained...burrowed...consumed," The Whispers hissed, and Link shivered as phantom breath brushed over his ears. It felt so much more uncomfortable in his body.

Then, without warning, Links vision flashed white again. The air turned stiflingly hot, and Links body suddenly felt weighed down. He staggered, his weapons and shield rattling against his thick Goron armour. His bow was already clasped in his hands, and an ancient arrow was positioned ready for him to fire. From somewhere above him, Link heard a horrible cry. He turned and saw Fireblight Ganon looming over him, its oversized blade raised ready to attack. Battle instincts immediately surged back into his body, and his muscles reacted before his mind could fully comprehend what was happening. He lifted the bow and drew back the arrow, letting it go a moment later. The ancient arrow flew right on target, hitting Fireblight Ganon right in the eye. The arrow exploded in a bubble of powerful energy which consumed the Blights head. Bright blue cut through his mirky orange surroundings, and he flinched as he was blinded.

When he opened his eyes, he had shifted locations again, and he no longer bore his armour or his weapons. Instantly he choked as the chamber air rushed up his nostrils. A thick purple haze floated around the room. It was humid and the air smelled like decay, and Link had to fight the urge to gag. Even the castle had not been this bad. The malice covered the walls so thickly now, the tunnel looked more like the inside of some grotesque creature. Hardened black pillars sprouted from the fleshy walls and ceiling, and black orbs were beginning to grow out from the walls. Though partly formed and closed, Link knew they were malice eyes.

Where the chains had once been was now a wall of pulsating malice, stringing the rock and marble frame together like an artificial wall. The doors were in an alarmingly neglected state. The thin crack had widened, and fracture lines spread out across the right door. Powerless darkness spread out over the door from the crevis like a disease, as the malice continued to drain its power. Flakes of marble littered the dais below.

The whispering was incomprehensible but very frantic now, voices upon voices laying one another in panicked murmurs. Ghostly cold breath licked Links ears, brushed his cheeks and ruffled his hair. He flinched away from them, trying to escape but they closed in around him, trying to make their voice heard above the rest. He gripped his head in his hands, temples beginning to throb from the horrible air and persistent whispers. He wished they would stop, he could not think like this. He felt painfully claustrophobic.

Link cried out as his world shifted again in a flash of light. He stumbled as strong air currents beat against his body suddenly, and bitting cold lapped at his face. The wind howled in his ears, and his head gave a nasty throb at the noise. The whispers did not stop this time. They had followed him and still Link could not make out a single word they were saying. He felt disorientated and overwhelmed, spinning around as the unseen whisperers hissed from all directions.

A weapon was clenched in his hands, and Link looked down. The blade of the Master Sword, glowing serenely in the golden sun was poised in his hands ready for battle. But something was wrong. The sword normally felt light and gentle in his hands, filling him with strength and a sense of calm even when sheathed over his back. But this blade felt wrong. It was heavy, and the surface of the hilt was rough. Link felt detached and cold inside when he felt this blade. The familiar presence within the sword was missing. Painful sadness welled up inside him as he stared at the empty sword. He felt incomplete and hollow, without her there.

Suddenly, there was a howl, and Link looked up as Windblight Ganon suddenly swooped down from the air. Before he had a chance to raise the empty blade in defence, the Blight had drawn back its hand and had swiped at him with its claws. He was hit, hard on the side and was flung back. Pain erupted over his body, causing him to cry out. The wind created by the beast caused him to sail through the air until he hit the wall of a ruin. The world shifted to the chamber again as he fell forwards, onto the hard stone floor.

Link could barely breathe in the chamber now. The pain from the battle still coursed through his body, and his heart was thumping painfully in his chest. After a moment, he stood shakily to his feet and pressed a hand to his stabbing side. His hand touched something wet, and he knew at once that he must have been bleeding.

With as much effort as he could muster, Link looked up at the doors but immediately wished he hadn't. The right door had lost its magical glow completely now, and the polished finish that had once covered it was cracked and peeling. Large cracks spread right across the door, and chunks of marble had started to fall out. But despite this, the left door remained strong and unblemished against the assault of the malice. And despite the massive amount of damage, Link knew somehow that whatever lay beyond the doors was still safe. The malice had not gotten through to the other side.

"YET...FAILING...YET...TIME," the Voices cried suddenly, and Link pressed his hands to his ears.

"It's just a dream, it's just a dream," he said desperately as the Voices continued to scream at him. He wished he had the Master Sword with him. He felt so painfully vulnerable, a feeling he could not bear above all things. He didn't know what to do, he did not know how to make them stop.

Again, the world changed in a flash. Head throbbing and side still stabbing with pain, Link fell to his knees, breathing hard. But he did not stay down for long. Teeth bared, he rose to his feet with the empty blade clutched in his hand and glared at Thunderblight Ganon. The Blight disappeared in a blur of speed, but Link was ready. In the split second that the Blight had reappeared beside him, Link had jumped to the side. Time slowed down, and with a burst of anger, he began to attack the Blight repeatedly. Just as time was about to return to normal, Link darted in front of Thunderblight Ganon. He pulled back his blade and stabbed straight into the eye of the Blight. Time returned to normal as the Blight screamed. The blade, still mostly buried in the writhing beast, then suddenly began to glow.

The calming presence of the holy blade returned and Link sighed as he allowed her soothing presence to watch over him. Power surged into his body, and the sword felt right again. With a smirk, he drew back the blade, and it slid out of the monsters face. The Blight reeled back instantly and began to shake violently, screaming all the while. Soon, it died and disappeared.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, his body began to glitter with golden light. Soon, his form erupted and he became a spirit again.

The next few events passed in a blur. Images flashed across Links eyes, like how he tended to recall his lost memories. He saw the doors, then Hyrule castle. He then saw himself looking up at the terrifying cacoon that had held Calamity Ganon. Then, he saw the doors, and amongst the destroyed marble of the right door, a sliver of white light was shining. He then saw himself striking down the spider-like Ganon. The cracks of silver got wider. Dark Beast Ganon stomped across Hyrule field as Link galloped around him on his horse. He watched as he pelted Ganon with arrows from the Bow of Light. The Right door was beginning to crumble, and the silver light shone brightly into the darkness. Link was propelled into the air on an updraft of wind. Time slowed as he put away his paraglider and aimed the Bow of Light at the malice eye on top of Ganon's head. The glittering arrow flew and struck the eye.

In an instant, something beautiful shot out of Ganon and into the air. Princess Zelda, bathed in holy light, opened her eyes. Ganon's eyes widened as the last descendent of the Goddess Hylia settled on the ground. Ganon tried to escape, but it was no use. Zelda raised a hand as the Triforce blazed brightly in a ball of light.

In the same moment that Ganon was destroyed, the right door gave way and broke apart completely.

Link shot up quickly in bed but cried out as bright blue light penetrated his vision. For one horrible moment, he thought he was still in the dream.

Tentatively, he opened his eyes again and looked down to the lower section of his house. The Master Sword was glowing brighter than ever, and then Link realised that, unlike before, he could remember the dream. He remembered all of it!

Link rubbed his temples, trying to soothe his aching head as his heart banged loudly in his chest. He was drenched in sweat, and his breathing was fast, adrenaline still pumping in his veins, but at least he could remember.

"Now?" he asked the sword. "Is it time?"

There was a moment of silence, then The Master Sword chimed.

"Yes Master," Link heard.

At once, Link flung off his covers and ripped off his soaked clothes. He tossed them to the ground and grabbed his champions gear. Once everything was on, he flew down the stairs and gathered up his pouch, pulling it around himself in an instant.

He then turned to The Master Sword and carefully, pulled it off the wall. The blades light dimmed as Link grasped the hilt, but the celestial sheen he had always known the sword to posses remained. He smiled as he felt the familiar power surge into his body, making him feel whole once more.

He sheathed his blade and secured his bow, quiver and Hylian shield to his back. Then, he turned to his door and threw it open without hesitation. Over by the stable, Epona let out a high pitched whine as she was startled out of sleep.

"Sorry girl," he said gently. The mare stood as Link came towards her and he ran his hand over her neck to calm her. "We've got to go, are you ready?" He asked and the mare nuzzled her head to his chest.

Quickly, he secured her saddle and bridle and swung onto her back. Wasting little time, he spurred Epona on. She responded immediately and galloped over the bridge. They flew through Hateno and out of the village entrance.

As he passed the gates, Thadd the village guard jumped about a foot in the air and nearly dropped the torch he was using to see in the dark.

As Link and Epona sped down the forest path, he heard Thadd yelling in the distance. "Hey Link, where's the fire?"

A/N: How was that? I hope it's ok. The dream sequence was a little difficult to do but hopefully, it makes sense.

Side note, I have no idea if this story will work chronologically once Breath of the Wild 2 is out, and of course, I know nothing about it other then what was on the trailer. but I thought it would be fitting to tease it here.

Not sure when I'll update the next one but I have a plan at least.

Till next time. :)