A/N: Okay, I'm rewriting this story, from chapter 1. I hope you all enjoy it, with all that I'm going to add in, now.

For new readers, Hi. This is going to be a little more of a novel than my first story, and I'm going to pour all I can into it, and I hope you stick along for the ride.

When I talk about locations in Twilight Princess, I'm talking about the Wii Version.

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Tribulations of Twilight

Chapter 1

Link walked aimlessly in Western Hyrule Field. His thoughts were clouded with misery, pain, and sorrow. He couldn't bear it. She had left forever, and he didn't do anything about it. He had lost her twice now, and there was nothing he could do.

The rain came down hard, as he fell to his knees. It had been a week, and he bottled up his feelings. He just ran. Ran from the pain, but he couldn't leave it resting forever.

He fell forward, but his hands rescued him, as he leaned on his outstretched arms. He recalled what had happened what had seemed like yesterday, but in reality, was a week ago.

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Link stared at the platform, unable to think clearly. His whole world was crumbling into rubble around him, nothing remaining. He wanted to scream that he loved her before she left, but his voice was lost. He was too afraid, that what she was trying to say wasn't what he had thought, and that this could ruin them forever.

But he knew now, that he had lost his chance forever, with no hopes of actually telling her how he felt. She dispersed into white particles, and left forever. He slowly walked to the mirror, but he didn't make it.

He fell onto his knees, and gripped his temples, shaking his head furiously. He let out a sheer cry of anguish, but his feelings were bottled up inside, never to be heard. He slowly stopped shaking his head, and looked forward. He saw a shard glimmer in the setting sun. It couldn't be longer than six inches. He reached out, grabbed it, and looked at it.

Zelda watched, biting her thumb, watching the hero. She walked toward him, and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. But suddenly, he threw her hand off, surprising her. Then, he ran.

Link had no idea what he was doing, he didn't want to talk to anyone, he just ran. He ran through the Arbiter's Grounds, and exited the entrance before mounting Epona, and running off into the desert.

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He couldn't hide anything anymore. He pounded the ground repeatedly, until his fist was bleeding. The rain came down hard, as if answering his feelings. He yelled at the top of his lungs, his shattered voice piercing the air, as he screamed.

"DAMN! IT! ALL!" He screeched.

Link heard thunder in the distance, as he turned his gaze ahead. 'I didn't do anything! I didn't stop her... I couldn't tell her how I feel! Why had I been so afraid! Now I lost her forever! Some Bearer of the Triforce of Courage I turned out to be!'

He stood up, and walked along Hyrule Field.

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Link didn't know how long he had been wandering, he only knew that his provisions were running low, and that his water was nearly gone, and that somehow he was on the Bridge of Eldin, and that the sky was cleared, and it was nearing the Hour of Twilight.

Link sat on the bridge, and stared into the Twilight, the Belt of Venus, and the Earth's Shadow. The dark orange and amber hues, with the purplish streak brought a temporary calm to Link. But, like everything else in Hyrule, it just reminded him of her.

He felt like everything was taunting him, as if screaming, "Hey! Remember this? You were here with her!"

Link felt his Triforce pulse, as he looked at it. It was glowing a radiant gold, as he felt another pulse. He felt rage build within him. Link felt as if his life was just being used to do the Goddesses dirty work. He also remembered what Zelda had said at the mirror chamber, "...It was the Goddesses design that we should meet..."

That just pissed him off. Going by her logic, I was destined to fall in love with Midna, then have her shatter the damn Mirror! Do they find this funny? Do they enjoy their hero's pain!He savagely thought.

He shook with unspeakable pure rage. Little did he know, his Triforce was reacting to his feelings, and suddenly, it glowed a very violent crimson. Link fell to his knees, his rage, his pain, his sorrow, and his regret all coming together, to form a very powerful feeling within him.

Link felt everything build up inside him. He let out a hysterical war-cry, and slammed his left fist against the bridge, emitting a shock wave of pure energy. The bridge collapsed under the sudden release of the power, leaving Link to fall into the ravine.

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From inside the castle, to Princess Zelda's chambers, she watched the west with a growing fear. Her Triforce of Wisdom was telling her to go to the Bridge of Eldin. Her right hand was clenched over her left, trying to shut up the Triforce of Wisdom, for she didn't want to believe what it was telling her. But the words of undeniable wisdom were seeping into her mind, until she gave up. She immediately fled her room, down the stone corridors and into the main hall, in search of the Captain of the Guard.

As Zelda entered the main hall, and down the recently-repaired flight of stairs, she found the Captain in his steel-plated body armor, with his red cape signaling his position, yelling at two quivering guards for slacking off. She overheard him yell, "You two are a disgrace! The Knights of Hyrule would be ashamed of this filth before me!"

Zelda approached the three, before clearing her throat to grab their attention. The Captain turned around, and saw the Princess standing before him. He turned his head at the two guards, and barked, "Dismissed. We'll discuss your punishments later."

The two guards quickly shuffled away, while one of them dropped their helmets and tripped on it. He shakily stood up, grabbing his helmet, before running off, leaving the Captain to slap his forehead with a metal hand in disgust. "Recruits..." He mumbled, before turning around back to Zelda, as he knelt. "What is it, your Highness?" He asked.

"Captain Mikhail, there's no time for formalities, the Hero of Twilight is in dire need, I need you and some others to assist me to the Bridge of Eldin!" She quickly ordered.

Mikhail rose, before stating, "Yes, of course. I shall grab five of my finest soldiers, and I shall ready your horse."

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Link slowly awoke, feeling pain and exhaustion all over his body. He tried to move, but pain shot from his right arm, and he grunted from pain, his left hand flying to his arm. He looked at it, and found it to be broken. He sat up, and looked around, and found it the ravine to be very dark, and lonesome. He slowly rose to his feet, and tried to navigate through the ravine. He slowly wondered how much time had passed, and found it to be nightfall.

Link sighed, before he continued to walk along the ravine. He felt very cold, which was unusual in every sense of the word. 'When I'm usually injured, my Triforce heals it over time, and I have this sense of warmth radiating from it... So, why isn't it healing me?'

He ran the events that occurred in his mind, and suddenly, an idea dawned on him. 'Wait, the bridge!' He recalled slamming his fist against the bridge. 'My Triforce... Did it really do that...?' He thought. Link ran the events in his mind over and over, and found there to be no other explanation, aside from an assassination attempt, which was possible, but it was unlikely.

Link continued to travel along the ravine, for what seemed like hours. He didn't feel his Triforce doing anything about his broken arm, either. The exhaustion was too much, and Link fell to his knees. 'So, this is it, huh? I'm going to die down here... Maybe... One day, I'll find her there...'

Link crawled to a wall of the ravine, to rest. He thought about her, and how he wished he was with her right now, by her side. But reality was cruel, and here he was, sitting in a ravine battered and broken.

He wondered how many lives he had taken along his journey. Link thought it was pretty ironic that he would die this way, when not a single creature could bring him down. No, he thought it was ironic that among all the things he had beat, everyone he had killed, that one single person – a Twili, no less, would bring him down. Bring him down indeed, to the bottom of a ravine. He chuckled to himself at his own dark humor.

Link heard faint footsteps, and looked in the direction from which they came. He saw a man walk toward him with sandy blonde hair, hazel green eyes, black sleeveless shirt, black pants, and black leather boots and a Claymore across his back. Link noticed a black pentacle tattoo on his arm. He was carrying a Lantern, as he walked toward Link.

Link looked at the new arrival with an intimidating look with his dull, lifeless sapphire eyes. "No need to be hostile, Link. I am a friend."

Link looked at the stranger suspiciously, before he knelt next to Link. "I am sorry in advance, Link." He murmured. Link looked at him strangely, before his hands shot out, grabbed Link's right one, and pulled while twisting. A sickening crack filled the air, while Link grunted in severe pain.

The stranger let go of Link's hand, and turned his hazel-green gaze into Link's sapphire. "Sorry." He apologized again. "It had to be done. Your right arm was dislocated, so I had to relocate it. Here, this will heal it and ease the pain."

The stranger held Link's arm with both hands, and closed his eyes in concentration. "What are you...?" Link asked in pain, but then he saw the pentacle tattoo glow silver, and suddenly, his arm glowed the same color, and he felt the pain ease, until his arm didn't hurt anymore.

Link looked surprised. As the stranger removed his hands from Link's arm, he moved it around, feeling no pain or restraint whatsoever. "Thanks, but how did you..?" Link inquired, before the Stranger cut him off. "Heal it? Simple. I used magic."

Link looked at the man curiously. "Who are you, anyway?" Link asked.

The stranger sat across from Link, staring into his eyes, as if searching for something. "I am Zeke."

"How do you know magic?"

"All Hylians are born with a sense of magical prowess. It just takes time to utilize it, and expand it."

Link scratched his head. "I don't know a lick about magic."

"That's a problem. You have a Triforce, which should amplify your magic to remarkable levels."

Link began to grow suspicious. "And how would you know?"

"I have my sources." Zeke answered monotonic.

Link sighed. He guessed that if he pressed, he would just get nowhere. "Well, magic has nothing to do with me, anyway." Link got up, and began to walk away, trying to figure out where to go.

Zeke got up slowly, still gazing at Link. "She is in danger, you know."

Link stopped dead in his tracks, and slowly turned around, "What...?" He murmured

"She is in danger. You know who I'm talking about."

Link felt his stomach back flip. He raised a hand to his temple, shuddering. He slowly looked at Zeke, "Midna...?" He whispered, just enough for Zeke to hear.

"Yes." He confirmed.

Link grew angry, and started to yell at Zeke. "How the hell would you know! How the hell would you know ANYTHING! You're just a stranger I just met, and yet you come all this way, and tell me that Midna's life is on the line! Just who the hell are you!"

Through Link's yelling, Zeke stayed calm, and folded his arms, as if he did this every day. "I know this through the Goddesses, Link."

Link felt something in his head snap. "Oh, so they tell you, but not their damn chosen hero!"

Zeke raised his voice a little, "They can't, your anger and sadness is clouding your Triforce, they can't even reach you! Right now, you've made a self-made force-field, repelling everything and everyone! Now be quiet, and let me explain, OR ELSE SHE WILL DIE, AND HER BLOOD WILL BE ON YOUR HANDS!"

Link flinched, as if he had been struck. Zeke spoke again, in his usual calm voice, "Now then, the Goddesses called upon me to tell you that an ancient organization has showed themselves. These people are known as the Templar, and they have one goal; Complete Annihilation of both realms. Only you can stop it, and I need to build you up so that you can."

Link looked strangely at Zeke, "Is that a challenge? I can assure you, I'm the best swordsman in all of Hyrule."

Zeke said nothing, but he unfolded his arms, and drew out his claymore. It shined in the lantern's light, with a steel blade, and a black handle with a silver jewel crested in the hilt. His tattoo glowed the same silver once more.

Link looked dangerously at Zeke, before he drew out his Master Sword, and Hylian Shield, and got into his stance. Zeke charged at Link, holding the claymore with both hands, as he swung it horizontally. Link blocked with his Hylian Shield, as he saw sparks fly from the collision. Link sliced with his blade, but Zeke was quick, despite his sword's weight, and blocked it with ease, before he unleashed a fury of slices with the Claymore, but Link was no newbie. Link swiftly dodged, and blocked the attacks, while he back flipped and dodged a horizontal strike. Link vertically swing his blade, and Zeke horizontally blocked, and the two became locked in place, each fighting against each others strength. Suddenly, Zeke's tattoo glowed brightly, and a shock wave fired out, sending Link flying, as he dropped his sword and shield. The Hylian Shield hit the ground with a loud CLANG, While the Master Sword struck into the earth 3 feet away from Link, as the Hero slammed against the ground, rolled, and lay on his stomach.

Zeke put the claymore back on his back, and walked toward Link, extending his hand. Link groaned, before looking up and seeing the gesture. He took up on it, and got pulled to his feet by Zeke, before asking, "What the hell was that?"

Zeke seemed to have a shadow of amusement on his face, before he answered, "Magic. Indeed, I forfeit when you say you're the best in swordplay, but it will take more than swordplay to defeat magic. When you're up against a magic user, you need to use magic. You ever hear the saying fight fire with fire?"

Link nodded his head. There was a silence between the two warriors, before Zeke broke it, "You're wondering how we're going to get there. Don't worry, we have at least four years until things start to heat up in the Twilight Realm. And believe me, even with your Triforce, harnessing magic will take a while. But, you have to promise me one thing."

Link looked at his counterpart, waiting for him to continue.

"For these upcoming years, you will recluse yourself from society. You will never be found, never be seen, and never be heard. To everyone in Hyrule, you will be dead. Am I clear?"

Link thought about this. He didn't have a choice, but he couldn't come in contact with anyone? Not a living soul, save for Zeke? 'It's going to be hard, but I have to do this to save her, if what Zeke is telling me is the truth.'

Link looked at Zeke, a bearing determination in his eyes, as he slowly nodded. He felt his Triforce radiate heat, as if it agreed on his decision.

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Zelda looked at Castle Town from her throne room, bags under her ocean-blue eyes. She had not slept well these past ten weeks, for no sign of Link was ever to be found. She would have to face it – He wasn't going to be found. Not anytime soon, but she held onto the shred of ignorance that he was still alive somewhere. Despite all of the evidence that he was dead, she wouldn't believe it. Mikhail slowly walked toward Zelda, a grim expression on his face. He held his helmet under his right arm, as he let his jet-black spiky hair fall over his face, as he looked at the Princess with his emerald green eyes, before kneeling.

"My Lady, it may be time to come to the conclusion that Sir Link, is dead."

Zelda stiffened, as she looked at the newly-promoted General of the Guard. "And what evidence do you have, pray tell me, that would support that theory?"

Mikhail looked to the floor, as if he didn't want to say it. From his back, he drew out a metal object. From one look at it, Zelda gasped, and found it hard to breathe.

It was the Hylian Shield that Link favored. It was torn up in many places, and at the center of the shield, was a large hole. Some parts were also black with soot, but Zelda didn't want to think about that, she didn't want to think about anything. At that moment, she just wanted to crawl up into a ball, and sob the world away.

"My Lady... Link, of Ordon, no... Link, of Hyrule, the Hero of Light and Twilight, is dead."

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It had been a long, unbearable, four years. The magic training was hard, and Link barely made through it all, but he began to understand it as a Master would. Zeke knew that Link would eventually best him, but in four years? That just made Zeke feel bad, for it took a lot longer for him. But he knew everything would turn out alright, for the Goddesses were on their side. Zeke remembered a hard point along the way, like how on the tenth day, Link accidentally lost his concentration, and a Backlash emitted, giving Link a brand new scar that extended from the top of his right eyebrow, across his nose, and to his left cheek. But if Link really had wished it, Zeke could have made it disappear like a bad hangover. But, he kept it as a reminder. Now, Zeke and Link looked at Hyrule Castle from Western Hyrule Field.

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Link and Zeke were wearing long black cloaks, and both of them had the hood on. It was time to come out of hiding, and into the world. Link missed the surface, but he trained everyday so that he could see it again, as a brave warrior. He missed his Hylian Shield, and on that day Zeke and him were sparring, the Hyrule Guards had to come by. But, he learned to do without it, but he was certain he was going to get it back, and repair it with his newly-acquired skills, courtesy of his Triforce.

The Link looked at Zeke, who gave a confirming nod, and the two walked to Hyrule Castle.

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The two walked past the gate, and into the crowds. It was busy as always, just like Link remembered it. Though, the buildings all had flowers decorating the doorway, and some were talking about the incident four years ago, as if lamenting on it. He couldn't fathom why, was today a special day? He didn't know, but the two warriors walked on. Link stopped dead when he heard a civilian say,

"Poor kid. I heard he was from Ordon, the little village to the South. Must've taken a toll on him after saving Hyrule."

Link turned his head to his left, when he heard someone say,

"I can't believe it's been four years already. He was so young too, 18? 17?"

Link was running possibilities in his head, when he looked at Zeke. Zeke looked at him in the eye, before he whispered,

"Today marks the anniversary which you disappeared."

Realization dawned on him, Zelda must have made today a national holiday for the Hero of Twilight. 'Oh man, either she is going to be really relieved, or really pissed...'

Link and Zeke pressed on, until they made it to the Castle Gates. The guards stopped them there, questioning them. Link didn't feel like giving away the 'surprise' so early, so he just pointed his left hand at the two, and uttered an incantation, and they both fell asleep on the spot.

Link opened the heavy doors, for the second time. The first time, he was going to face Ganondorf to kill him, and now, he was going to make his existence known to the ruler of Hyrule.

The two warriors slipped by the gate, passed by many guards, and when confronted by them, made them unconscious by sleeping spells. Slowly, they made their way to the Throne room.

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Zelda felt her triforce warning her of something, as it glowed faintly. It was reacting to something, but what? Then, she felt the wisdom seeping into her head from it – Two warriors had entered the Castle, wearing black cloaks, on their way to see her. 'Assassins?' She thought.

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Link and Zeke threw the Throne Room doors open. Link ran in, his cloak flapping behind him, as he ran toward the throne. He grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword, strapped on his back, but hidden by the Cloak. He unsheathed it, and slowed to a brisk walk, as Zelda gasped, seeing the two cloaked men, and one wielding the Master Sword.

Link walked to her, stopping feet away from the throne, before getting on one knee, Zeke doing the same behind him, as he placed the tip of the Master Sword on the ground, holding it vertically, as he knelt.

"It's been a long four years, Princess Zelda."

Zelda gasped, as she heard the familiar voice. Link raised his hand, gripped the hood, and threw it off, revealing his face. Zelda let out an unrecognizable noise, as Zeke removed his hood as well.

"L-L-L-LINK?" She practically yelled, as the Guards who finally realized what was going on, stopped pointing their pikes at the two.

Link looked up at her, as he scratched his head,"It's been a while. How are you?" He said lamely.

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Link finished his long tale, Zelda gripping onto every word. Zelda looked at Link, as Zeke spoke, "It'd be better off if you keep Link labeled as Dead."

"What? Why?" Zelda asked.

"Because, we only decided to reappear so that we could access the Royal Library. The Twilight Realm is in danger, and the only one who can stop it is Link. Plus, we don't even know if we can come back once we reach there."

Zelda sighed, Zeke was right. No point in labeling Link alive, when he was going to disappear again and possibly never come back. He was better off dead.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's the only way. I don't feel like letting everyone know I'm alive, and that I'm leaving again, never to be seen." Link told Zelda.

Zeke nodded, before asking, "So, if you will allow us to use your library..."

Zelda sighed, before answering, "Yes, you may use it to the fullest extent... I just hope you find what you are looking for."

Link nodded to her, before looking at Zeke. The two exchanged glances, before Zeke turned around, and headed toward the door. Link was about to follow, as he sheathed the Master Sword, but he suddenly turned around.

"By the way, where's my Hylian Shield?"

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A/N:Well then. This took longer than I had anticipated. I hope you all enjoyed this. In my opinion, I think I made this ever-so-slightly better. But that's what I think. What do you think? And don't worry, I won't take like a month to come out with the next chapter.