Conqueror

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

-Rev 20: 7, 8

Chapter Nine

Two years had passed and a now-seventeen-year-old Link stood before the Door of Time, excitement, adrenaline and fear running freely through his veins.

If Zelda had timed it correctly, Ganondorf's return was at hand. She'd spent all of the last two years explaining his parallel life to him…involving defeating this great evil king in another world. An alternate universe. Right. Some version of himself had defeated a great evil king and forgotten completely about it.

Link had accepted it after awhile, realizing that there was no way on earth that they were going to give this up. He had to face facts. He was born to be a hero, and that was it. No ifs, ands or buts, unfortunately.

Taking in a deep breath, Link stepped forward and with his Ocarina, played the Song of Time to open the Door.

Stepping forward, hearing nothing but the faint click of his boots on the tiled floor, he glanced into the overwhelming room, shocked at the size of this room. Supposedly, this was the room that led to the Chamber of the Sages. Supposedly, it also led to the Sacred Realm. Supposedly, Link had lost his mind. Why else would a temple have a room that was the size of a house to hold a pedestal and a sword that couldn't be more than five feet long?

Sighing, Link stepped up to the pedestal, this "Pedestal of Time", and placed his left hand on the hilt. He jumped, startled at the sensation that ran up his arm. What was this thing? Zelda had said that this was the sword that would change the future. She'd also said that this sword was the one sword that had the power to seal evil, as well as the one sword that chose who was to wield it. It was so puny, though! Link took a deep breath and placed his other hand on the hilt. "Well, you never know until you try," he told himself and pulled the sword from the pedestal.

--

When Link awoke, he found himself standing, staring into the eyes of a fat old man with blue eyes. The man, who resembled who Link imagined to be Santa Claus, was draped in a large orange curtain of a robe, with sleeves so long that Link couldn't detect hands coming from the openings.

"Welcome to the Chamber of the Sages, Link. I am Rauru, the Sage of Light."

Link licked his lips and said nothing, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions, but they'll all have to wait for now. They'll be answered in due time."

Link had thousands of questions, but none of them were for the orange-curtain man. He had questions for Zelda. Where was she?

"The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch... Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time... However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time... Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. And now that you are old enough, the time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time!"

Why did Link hear this when Rauru hadn't spoken to him? Perhaps…this was what the Sage had said last time he'd been here. Perhaps…there was a rip in time. Maybe Link had screwed something up by taking the sword from the pedestal.

"My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains."

Saria.

"When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight together with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time!"

There was more than one? Zelda had said that, right.

"The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!"

Find Saria? Who else had he met as a youngster that was now dead? How long had he been in this Chamber?

"You've only been in the Chamber for a short time, Link. I'm aware that you know of your previous life's experiences now, but this time it's different. Ganondorf has taken the Triforce, as he did before, but this time, you hadn't the time to rest in the Realm for seven years. This time…you must go right away. Now go! Find the Sages!"

A strange light surrounded Link and he found himself opening his eyes once the light had dispersed, only to find himself in the Temple of Time again, next to the Pedestal.

The blonde hero shook his head. "This is…so weird."

He heard a footstep behind him and whirled around, drawing his sword as a reflex. A few feet behind him stood a young blonde man with crimson eyes. Noting his clothes, Link raised his eyebrows. A Sheikah!

"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time... When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples."

Five temples? "Must be those perilous quests Zelda was talking about," he muttered to himself.

Link swore he saw the visible crimson eye crinkle in amusement, but shook it off as him imagining things. "So…who are you?" Link asked.

"Forgive me, Hero of Time. I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah."

So?

"About the Sages, together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world... This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah."

"So, you're saying…I'm going to these 'temples', finding these 'sages', one of whom was my best friend and is now dead, and what, sucking up their power to steal for my own?"

Sheik could see that Link was a little upset and sighed, almost amused. He'd expected this.

"You'll understand this all in time, Link. Go, now, to the village. Get some rest before pursuing the mountain path. I'm sure you'll find some answers there from an old friend."

The man who called himself Sheik raised his arm above his head and let a Deku Nut strike the ground, creating a flash of light as he disappeared.

When Link's sight returned, he was alone once again.

"This…is so messed up," he muttered to himself, sheathing his sword.

--

In Kakariko Village, Link wasn't surprised to see that Impa was no longer there. Impa had been making more and more visits to the graveyard, perhaps to visit the gravesites of her people, but perhaps she was there on another business, one that Link wasn't aware of. Either that or she was at the castle with Zelda, assuming Zelda hadn't fled the country by now.

The past few years of training and legends had brought a touch of bitterness to Link's outlook on life. He didn't blame it entirely on the loss of Saria, but he imagined most of it was due to that.

Settling in his bed for the night, Link prepared for a restful sleep, but as usual, wasn't granted what he wanted.

--

He could hear her voice, happy to hear his, and he felt chills up his spine. This couldn't be possible.

Saria, where are you?

"Great! You're safe! I knew I would hear from you again! I'm in the Forest Temple! The forest spirits were calling for help, so I went to check it out... But it's full of evil monsters! Help me, Link! Link…"

Link grimaced in his sleep, sweat beading on his forehead. That was her last call for help, he imagined…and he'd not heard it. Had he known, he could have gone to her…he could have saved her and she might still be alive.

"Have you been traveling around much, mister? Have you ever met a boy named Link? Mido said that the Great Deku Tree withered because that boy did something wrong to it... Only Saria defended Link--until she left." This time, he heard the voice of one of the girls from the forest. She'd always been nice to him, unlike Mido and some of the other boys.

Of course she left. She didn't come back because she's dead. Dead, and it's all my fault because I'm a lousy hero and a failure.

"He left the forest and never came back... I wonder if Link will ever return?"

Why would you want me to when Saria's death was all my fault?

In his sleep, a tear trickled down the side of Link's face as the guilt of Saria's death plagued him, weighing heavily on his heart like a ton of bricks.

Link, in his dream, whirled from where he stood to face the Deku Tree. The Great Deku Tree…his 'father'. As he watched, the tree withered and died, and a new tree, the Sprout, was grown in its stead, just in front of where the dead tree sat.

Link walked up to it, the small thing seemingly full of answers for such a twig…and Link heard the familiar voice explaining a story that he knew too well.

"The Deku Tree could sense that this was a child of destiny, whose fate would affect the entire world, so he took him into the forest. After the mother passed away, the baby was raised as a Kokiri. And now, finally, the day of destiny has come!"

Link's heart hurt. Why had they chosen him? He wasn't qualified…he was just some kid who grew up when he wasn't supposed to. He was some kid who'd lost his best friend, his childhood, and pretty much everything else he'd grown attached to.

"Now, Link, break the curses on all of the Temples, and return peace to Hyrule!"

Bite me, you stupid plant.

Link was back in the forest, talking with Mido. This time…Mido could see him.

"Saria hasn't come back yet... But I know she'll return someday…"

Link shook his head sadly, giving his small friend the news he'd been dreading to hear.

"Oh...I see... Saria won't ever come back... But...I...I made a promise to Saria…"

Tears were beginning to well in the small boy's eyes. "If Link came back, I would be sure to tell him that Saria had been waiting for him... Because Saria...really...liked…"

Link couldn't stand it anymore and clapped his hands over his ears, screaming so loudly he woke himself up.

---------

Actual game text (quite a bit of it, actually), taken from Text Dump at this site:

http/ note to SilentRainFalls: Thank you so much. You have no idea how much you've encouraged me. I believe that I'll continue with this story solely because you gave me that review. Thanks for lifting me back up and giving me a reason to continue. I mean, at least I know someone's enjoying it. So thanks again.