THE EVIL SHADOW
By Poppy Melendez (?)

After Link had destroyed Ganon, He returned the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time and the Ocarina of Time to Princess Zelda. Link was returned to Kokiri Forest as a child, and Hyrule was finally free from Ganon and his minions.

As Link slept peacefully in his house in the forest, he began to have more nightmares... this time not of Ganondorf. He began to feel like he was trapped in a small room with no air whatsoever. He woke up in a cold sweat. He screamed and Navi came flying through his window. �Link, what�s wrong? Is everything OK?� asked Navi. �Navi, I think it�s time to take up the Master Sword again.

In the morning, Link set out for Hyrule Castle. He needed to talk to Zelda. When he finally got in to see Zelda, he told her of his nightmares. I�ve been having this dream that I would be trapped in this room, and I couldn�t breathe. Then I would see a big, tall shadowy figure. Link explained.

"Well Link, I can�t determine weather it means something or not. Maybe you should try to figure out what this means by yourself." Link headed out of Hyrule Castle in shame. He couldn�t believe that the Princess didn�t believe that something was strange abut his dream. He knew that there was something plotting Hyrule... he just couldn�t figure it out.

Just as Link was about to head to Lake Hylia, a guard on horse back rode over to him. "Hero of Time, we need your help once again. Will you help us?" the guard pleaded.

"Uhh...I guess so. What�s the problem?" asked Link.

"The Princess of Destiny has been captured by an evil force. Hero of Time, take this Ocarina and take up the Master Sword once again!" The guard pleaded as he bolted away towards the castle.

"OK, Link! It looks like it�s time to fulfill your destiny once more!" said Navi. There was not much time. He had to run all the way to The Temple of Time. Link ran, racing the wind and thinking about what could be strong enough to break the seal (there was an even stronger seal this time.) Oh, how he wished he had his horse, Epona again.

When he reached the Door of Time, he played his ocarina. The door opened and once again he saw the Master Sword resting majestically in the Pedestal of Time. He ran over to it, and used all his strength to pick up the Legendary Blade. After a period of time, he stood at the entrance to the Temple of Time. He felt stronger, and he looked down at his brown gauntlets, and his muscles.

"Navi, why do I have these blue earrings in my ears? Don�t girls just wear earrings?" asked Link.

"I have no idea Link, but come on! Let�s get going!" Navi said. Sword firmly gripped in his left hand and shield in his right, he set out of the temple.

"Hold on, Navi! I have no idea where to go!" screamed Link. Navi was no where to be seen. "Navi? Navi? Where are you?" Link yelled out in the market. Out of no where, a beautiful young lady stepped out from a stand to his left. He turned in her direction and stared blankly at the beautiful maiden.

"Hello Link, Hero of Time," said the girl.

"Uhh... hello, miss," said Link.

"I am Navi, a member of the Great Fairy race. As you remember the day we met each other..." Navi said.

"Navi? Is that really you? I can�t believe it!" exclaimed Link.

"Yes Link, it really is me. You were so handsome the first time you took up the Master Sword. I never had enough courage to tell that... that I love you, Link." Link just stared wide-eyed at Navi. "Link, don�t look at me like that. The time has come for you to start an adventure by yourself. No, you won�t have the ability to �Z� target anymore. Please don�t forget me. Navi then faded away into the darkness. Link fell to his knees and cried over Navi�s departure. He pulled his knees up to his chin, and just sat thinking over the times he had had with Navi. Oh how he missed her so much. Link soon grew tired and found an abandoned shop nearby. When morning came, he set out for Hyrule Castle.

Oh, it is the Hero of Time! What is it that you wish of us?� asked the patrolling guard."

"I want to see the Princess..." Link�s voice trailed off.

"You must speak up, Link, if you want me to fulfill your wishes," said the guard.

I want to see Zelda!" Link screamed in anger.

"Ahhhh!" screamed the guard as he opened the gate. Link ran all the way to the entrance to the castle. He suddenly remembered that seven years ago, a guard once told him that the Princess was taken away by an evil force. He decided to check Zelda�s bedchamber.

"Who goes there?" asked the guard above his head.

It is I, the Hero of Time, Link! Please let me in!� Link screamed into the air.

"Oh, but of course!" he said as the gate lowered.

Link ran inside. While he was running through the castle, he stopped short. "Oh, that sickening feeling." Link put his hands to his stomach and fell on the ground. He was unconscious. When he finally awoke, he looked at the castle.

"What happened here? I�ll bet it is the evil force!" Link stood up, and continued through the castle. He had to be careful, for there were Moblins around every corner. When he finally reached Zelda�s room, he looked around the room for any trap doors that might catch his eye. When he walked in, he fell through a trap door in the floor.

"Oh, no! Someone, help!" Link screamed as he fell through the hole. Luckily, water below broke his fall. Link stood up and kept walking until he came to a door. He walked close to it, and then he felt a sharp pain in his back.

"Noo! Who.." Link fell on the ground and layed there, suffering the pain. "What is this?" He tried to feel the object that was stuck in his back, but his gauntlets prevented his sense of touch. "Stupid gauntlets!" He slipped off his gauntlets and pulled out a dagger. "If I would have been more careful."� were Link�s final breaths.

Ha! Now that I have the Hero of Time and the Princess, Hyrule will be my prize!" laughed an evil shadow.

Link awakened to the sound of Saria�s Song. "Huh? Saria? What are you doing here?" Link looked up and there sat Saria. Link felt his back, and there was still a deep wound.

Here, Link. Take this fresh tunic." She handed him a tunic and he took off his old one.

"Thank you, Saria." He said.

"No problem. What are friends for anyway? By the way, where�s your fairy?"

Link explained the whole story. "Saria, why am I in the forest?" Link asked.

"I don�t know."

Link stood up and saw a gate. "Is that the way out?" he asked.

"Yes it is. Link, you can�t leave. There are millions of Moblins on the other side." Saria explained.

Well, I have a solution." Link took out his Megaton Hammer and smashed the gate down. "Saria, aren�t you coming?" Link asked. He went on ahead without an answer. As he began to run out of the forest, he tripped.

"What is happening?" he looked at the ground and a black mass began to wrap around his feet. "No!" he screamed as he was being pulled into the ground. He fell on a hard, cement floor. "Where am I? Zelda, is that you?" he turned to a young lady tied up to the wall. He ran over to her and used his sword to cut the ropes. She fell to the ground and breathed slowly. He held her in his arms and sat with her.

Shhh, it�s all right... I�m here." Link said trying to comfort her.

"It was...horrible..." she said occasionally coughing up blood.

"Zelda, it�s not over yet." He stood up and laid her back down in the corner. He gripped his sword in his left hand, and walked slowly.

"So, you thought you could save the Princess all by yourself, did you? Well, it won�t be that easy!!" Suddenly, and evil shadow appeared and slashed Link in the arm. He ignored the pain, and he slashed his sword at the shadow. Nothing worked. He remembered how he beat Dark Link in the Water Temple. He grabbed his Megaton Hammer and finally defeated the shadow.

"No! Spoiled again! This is not the end of me! I will be back, back to kill you, Link!" He vowed as he disappeared into the floor. Link fell to his knees and collapsed. Zelda ran over to him and comforted him. He spent a while in the castle�s hospital to recover. He had decided to stay an adult... just in case Navi ever wanted to come back. Either way, he was ready to fight an evil that threatened the beautiful and legendary land of Hyrule.