Chapter One: Light's Awakening

Title: LoZ: The Time Keeper

Chapter: 1

Author: Hikari no Vikki

Genre: Romance

Parings: Link x Zelda / Dark Link x OC

Disclaimer: If all this were mine, I would have made Kingdom Hearts use Hyrule as a world already.

Description: Previously known as Divine Impurity. Following the events of Ocarina of Time, a girl with a legacy she knows nothing about joins the fight against Ganon. She falls in love with the Hero's shadow, and finds herself caught up in a war that seems impossible to win.

A girl stood in front of an altar; her bright, auburn hair swaying slightly though the air is still and quiet. Three stones that glitter like jewels twirl in the air an inch above the altar before her. It's cold here. She shivers. Beyond the altar lies a corridor, and beyond that is a pedestal: but it holds nothing.

Where am I? Why am I here?

Unanswered questions run through her head tirelessly. For what seems hours she ponders them, searching for answers in the darkness. This darkness bit her, but was not wholly unkind. It was almost…prompt? Why in Din's good earth was it so cold? She could feel her breathing quicken. She could breathe?

She didn't know how long she had been there. She wished she knew. Wind blew her snow-white dress. Again wind blew, chilling her. A thought finally came to her mind.

Her best friend, Link. That was why she was there.

He pulled the sword and then he was…gone. He was gone. Gone where? And where exactly, was here? She could feel tears streaming down her face. Why was she crying? She had other friends, right? Didn't she? She couldn't remember. In desperation, she willed her eyes to open.

She opened her eyes for the first time, finally coming out of the shadow. She held an arm up to shield her eyes from the light, but as her sight gradually adjusted, she slowly let it fall to her side again.

Her eyes were a light crimson color, and they seemed to call out of her soul for something long gone. Her feet were bare, so they felt the ice-cold tiles. She looked around her. Something wasn't right. The ground was further away than she remembered it last. Then she looked at herself. She was taller. But why? And how? She still wasn't sure why she was still here.

She shivered again, violently this time. She was so cold. She looked around her, slowly, for something to keep warm with. Sitting right in front of her, placed neatly side-by-side, were stockings, boots, and a shawl. It was almost like they had been placed there just for her.

She knelt down and reached for the stockings with her right hand, prodding them with two fingers. Seeing that nothing was happening, she grasped them in her hand, and held them, her hand shaking a little. She put them on in silence, one thing she now realized about this place. There was no sound, not even when she put on the slim fitting boots, which she recognized were made of brown leather.

She picked up the shawl as she stood, wrapping it around her tightly. The wool felt nice and warm against her bare arms. She looked around and felt so small, even though she was taller than she remembered herself to be. But why was she still there? She tried to move her feet, but they would not. They were unfamiliar to her, and she did feel safe here. Glancing towards the huge door behind her she whimpered. The outside did not feel safe.

So she stayed, and her thoughts began to wander.

The first thing that came to her were the memories. Recent, horrid memories brought tears to her eyes at the image of father, who she had last seen dying, and a deep, terrible mourning began to creep into her and mix with her anguish over Link's disappearance. She rememberd she'd only known Link for a year or so, but he was the only friend she had, save for one other. She thought she was the only friend HE had. Slowly, more memories returned to her; the last moments before… the darkness.

.oOo.

She ran out of the house after Samuel, the potion's apprentice. She was wearing a petite white dress made from spiderworm silk that her mother had made for her. Today was her birthday and she wanted to go see Link again. Her eyes danced brightly as she ran after her friend.

"You're it Sam! Tag me if you can!" She ran as fast as she could away from him, spotting her father. 'Perfect to hide behind.' She tugged at her father's shirttail to get him to notice.

"Papa?" "Hmm?"

He turned around to her, smiling a little. His hair was a mop of flaming red, and his eyes were an intense blood red, just like his daughter.

"What is it dear heart?" She looked up at him sweetly. "May I go take Sam to see Link? Please? Please!" He couldn't help but say yes to that face. "Oh thank you, thank you!" she crooned. Suddenly, a dark expression crossed his face, and she frowned, afraid. "What is it, Papa?" Her father paused, about to speak, but shook his head.

"Just… be careful coming home, darling."

At once, she brightened, and grinned at him. "Of course, Papa! You know I'm careful! And Link always walks me home. He won't let anything eat me." She giggled and ran off before he could stop her.

She dragged Sam out of the village to Link's house in the forest. "Link! Oh Link! Where are you?" She could hear frantic clattering from the attic of Link's house. "Sam, wait here please." She climbed up the ladder and crept slowly into the tree house. "Link?" As soon as her voice penetrated the air, the clatter suddenly stopped. He came down from his attic, a sword on his back and a pouch full of items. "Hello. What are you doing here?"

She looked at him quizzically. "It's my birthday. Don't you remember?" He looked at her, dumbfounded and in slight shock. He rummaged through a trunk and took out a small box. He hesitated for a bit, but turned around to face her. He put the box in her hand and said, "I swear, I didn't forget, really. Just, do me a favor and open it later and whatever wish you make will come true." She looked at the velvet box, stroking it and glancing up at him incredulously.

"You didn't steal this, did you?" Link's face reddened. "Of course not! I'm a Kokiri, not a thief!" She sighed contentedly and shoved it into a satchel she'd brought from home. "You want to play with me and Sam?" she asked, grinning. Link glanced out at the light and then at his fairy, which shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" he said, glancing off into the middle distance. Then he met her eyes and smiled. "Hey, let's go annoy the Deku Nuts outta Mido!"

The three of them, the Kokiri, red-haired girl, and quiet potions apprentice, played for hours. When it was time for the sun to set over the trees, Link turned to the two of them and said quietly, " Come on, I'll walk you home. I'll keep you safe from any Stalkids."

The girl shuddered. "Please do. I don't fancy being eaten." They laughed as they exited the forest.

So Link walked the two over to the bridge before the town. He took the girl's hand and said, "I hope to see you soon." His voice had an odd, sorrowful tone to it. She was about to ask why he seemed so sad until… she saw the smoke rising from the town's treetops.

She gasped, a high, girlish trill, and ran. Samuel ran after her and Link ran after him. She ran through the burning village until she came to her house, which was engulfed in flames. She found her father until a pile of rubble and half burnt two by fours. "Papa? Father? Father? Come on, you can make it!" He motioned to her with sad eyes that he couldn't. Tears poured down her face as she cried into him. His hands shook as he clumsily placed a golden locket around her neck and shoved something into her satchel. "That's… your mother's… take good care of… it…" Wait… where was her mother? She stumbled backward, breathing in dust and smoke, and she fell to the ground, exhaustion claiming her.

She awoke to Link standing over her, his face blanketed with worry. "Come with me, it's your only chance of survival. Now!" He grabbed her wrist and ran away from the village, still half coated in flames. She looked back for Samuel, but he was nowhere to be seen. She had no choice but to go with him, as her parents were gone and her other family lived nowhere near Kakariko.

He stopped at the market gates, waiting for them to open. But as soon as they were down, two figures on a white horse fled past. The smaller of the two chunked a small blue object into the water behind them, as they ran away from the new figure that was approaching. It was a black-clad man with an evil aura around him. He looked at Link.

"You, boy! Did you see where that horse went?" Link backed away a bit and took his sword out, protecting her as he shook his head no. "Stupid kids. Need to learn to respect your elders better, child." He kicked his horse and sped off in the direction of the white horse.

After fishing out the blue thing out of the water, which turned out to be a flute-like instrument, Link took her into the town, which was now deserted, and up the steps to the Temple of Time. He walked slowly up to the altar, placing three small stones on it then he played a short melody with the instrument. A large door opened to reveal a sparkling sword. He ran up to it, picked it up, and then… that's when it all went blank.

But, whispering through the light was a voice. A woman's voice.

"I'm sorry…" And then she knew no more.

.oOo.

That's all she remembered. She realized now the necklace that had once been big on her as a child fit perfectly now. Her father had said it had been her mother's. She brought her left hand up to it to touch it, ever so lightly. Her right hand brushed against something. It was satchel, hanging from a faded brown belt on her waist.

There was a shifting behind her. A something snapped.

Suddenly she felt the presence of someone behind her. She whipped around, her eyes wide.

Someone tall and slim stood in the shadows. "Who are you?" the girl whispered.

The figure walked into the light. Whoever the figure was, they were dressed in the traditional Shiekah garb, and had a harp strapped to their back. The person then asked her in return, "Why are you here?"

She tried to reply back, but couldn't find anything to say. She wasn't herself anymore. Her mind had gone completely blank, though it had been filled with thousands of thoughts moments ago.

"I don't know," she mumbled, scrambling for something to say, "the last thing I remember was…" She couldn't say anymore; it was too painful and confusing.

And then there was silence.

Suddenly she heard a light hum and she felt a new presence. She turned around slowly.

Link!

But he wasn't so small anymore either. The Sheikah motioned to her for her to wait. He walked up to him and the talked quietly for a little while.

Then he stood away from the exit and said softly, "There's someone who wants to see you." Link turned around slowly, his face lighting up in recognition. He ran to her, but stopped short about a foot away, breathless. Then he whispered to her as soft as the Sheikah had, "After all that time, I never knew your name. What is it?" She smiled and whispered a single word to him.

"Victoria."