The Legend of Zelda: Blade of Harmony

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The midday sun rested gently in the sky, bringing light to the small village below. In this village, a young girl with blonde hair made her way to a large tree. On the front of the old tree was a ladder that leads to a doorway, and above that was a small window.

The young girl climbed up the ladder and politely knocked on the door. There was a pause, but no one came to the door.

She knocked again. No answer. She pouted somewhat, then opened the door. Inside the tree was a simple living room with a white carpet with a blue rim. Over to the right was a ladder that went up a two-floor loft. The girl smiled and walked over to the new ladder, then proceeded to climb up.

She reached the top of the ladder, which brought her to a small bed. Resting on this bed was a young, pointy-eared man with messy blonde hair, dressed in green slacks and a simple white shirt.

The girl let out a small chuckle, then placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Link..." She said as she shook him. He did not wake up. "Liiink," Once again, he was still asleep. "Link," Her tone became more forceful, as did her shaking. But, as before, Link didn't so much as stir from his slumber.

The girl scowled in frustration. She placed both hands on Link's shoulder and began to furiously shake him.

"LINK," The girl shouted. He shot up in surprise, his head almost bumping the girl's. He turned in her direction, his look of surprise slowly faded to a warm smile as he recognized his childhood friend, Ilia. Her scowl also faded to a warm smile.

"Sorry about that," She said. "Fado wanted me to come wake you up, he needs you to help him with the goats today, remember?"

Link nodded and shifted his position so that he was sitting on the side of the bed. He let out a yawn as he stretched his arms out and prepared to take on the day. Link placed his hands on the bed and got up with a helpful push. He continued down the ladder and to the first floor. Over in the corner was a fireplace with a cooking pot hanging in it, and a tea kettle on the nearby shelf. Link unhooked the cooking pot and replaced it with the tea kettle. He grabbed a match box and was about to light the fire, but he realized that he hadn't put any water in the pot.

"You might wanna hurry up, Link!" Ilia called down. "Y'know how easily the goats get out when it's just Fado watching them!"

Link turned towards Ilia and gave her and nodded, then he turned back around and grabbed and empty bottle from the shelf next to him. He glanced back towards Ilia, then went over to the door and went outside with the intent of getting some water.

As soon as Link stepped outside, he heard the familiar whinny of his horse, Epona. The chestnut mare galloped from the main village gates, slowing to a halt as she neared the tree that Link lived in. She let out another whinny and reared up upon seeing him.

Link's smile found its way back as he saw his good friend. The two had been through much together, ever since the dark lord Zant had attempted his coup of Hyrule. She had been the one who had gotten Link around where he needed to go and had also assisted him during the fight with the true mastermind behind Zant's scheme, the dark lord Ganondorf.

Link felt a shudder go down his spine as he remembered those events. Had it not been for Epona or Princess Zelda, Link surely would have perished during the battle.

He decided not to dwell on it too much, and went down the ladder. He walked over to Epona and rubbed the back of the mare's neck. Link knew that no matter what, he could depend on her. He wished that he could understand her again, though, like he could when he was a wolf. Once again, Link decided not to dwell on the past and he proceeded to walk down the dirt path leading away from the village.

Behind him, Epona followed. The two went down the winding path into the lush Faron Woods, stopping as the path came to a fork in the road. One path lead further towards a wooden bridge suspended over a small canyon, and the other path lead to a beautiful spring that glimmered in the sunlight.

Link turned to his left and went to the spring, where several pink orbs with dragonfly wings fluttered about.

Link began to reminisce again; these orbs were fairies that had been sent to this spring after Link had completed a cave of ordeals. The small sprites were, to Link, considered a Hero's best friend. If something were to deliver a blow that would have killed you, the fairy would revive you.

This spring also held significance in another sort, as this place was where Link's quest began. The memories came back fluidly: Ilia upset about Epona getting hurt, another of Link's friends being there with them, then the monster.

The round form of the King Bulblin riding on his Warthog crashing through the gates, knocking Link unconscious and kidnapping his friends. Link awoke shortly after and pursued them, leading him to the first of the Twilit walls. A dark hand pulled him in, where he was forced into the form of a wolf. Then he met her.

The one person who he had ever felt truly attached to. An imp-like creature met Link where he was captured, most of her face being obscured by a large mask. She spoke in a whimsical high-pitched voice, her small form floated around Link. She had helped Link throughout the whole ordeal, being with him every step of the way until the end.

Sadness began to well within Link. At the end of their journey, she had left for her home and destroyed the gateway in order to prevent the darkness from overtaking the land once again.

What's happened in the past is in the past. Link kept repeating those words to himself since that day. He took the cork out of the bottle he had, then scooped up some water with it. Putting the cork back in the bottle, he set off towards his house. As he went, he felt an odd sense that something was watching him.

Link turned behind him, and a ways away he saw a dark figure standing over on the other side of the bridge that separated Ordon from the vast Faron woods. It wore a heavy grey cloak that obscured its features; save for two red eyes that glowed from under its hood.

The dark being held out its hand, black mist swirled and danced about in the air, solidifying in a very familiar shape. There was no mistaking what he saw. It held a black longsword with a handle resembling bat wings and a crimson blade sharper than any steel. He was looking at some twisted perversion of the Master Sword. The figure stared a the blade. Its body language suggested it was amused, then it set its eyes on Link, staring unblinking. A dark grumbling sound resembling a laugh came from the being. It continued it's laugh ans it idssipated into black fog, taking the imitation Master Sword with it.

Link stood still for several seconds, not taking his eyes off the spot the dark figure just occupied. His mind was puzzled as to if what he'd seen was real or not. Link rubbed his eyes, then looked back to the spot the figure had been. Empty. The black smoke was gone, there was no indication that anything had been there. Link wondered to himself if it was just a hallucination.

Link turned away and began to set off towards his home again, with Epona walking behind him. He couldn't help but risk another glance back at where the figure stood. Once again, it was barren. Despite that, Link could still feel a foreboding presence watching him.

Link's home came into view, where he saw Ilia waiting on the front porch. She smiled and waved as she saw him. "Hi!" She yelled. Her disposition visibly lowered as she got a better look at Link. "Are you alright? You look as if you'd seen Ganon alive again."

Link knew that that last part was a joke, but he couldn't help but glare. He eased up and walked over to the ladder and climbed up. Once at the top, Link explained to Ilia what he saw.

She sat there, contemplating what he had told her. A short silence befell them, and then Ilia looked up at Link. "Don't worry, I'm sure that whatever it is, you can handle it. After all, you saved Hyrule once before, I know that this isn't anything to worry about."
Link smiled softly at Ilia after she said that. It made him feel good that others felt confidence in his abilities. "Now come on, get ready so Fado doesn't have any goats get out again."

Link nodded and the two went inside his house.

Twilight Sparkle, sided by her brother and Fluttershy, stood speechless at Volvagia's destruction. Nearly half of Ponyville had been ravaged from the attack, whether it was fire, or from being ransacked by the skeletons. At least four hours had passed, the monsters had left and the Pegasi extinguished the fires.

The news of Vaati being the mastermind behind the attack spread quickly. Ponies were unsettled, putting it lightly. For Twilight Sparkle, the former wielder of the Element of Magic which was powered by friendship, to have brought this evil into the world was a thought none wanted to believe, not even Twilight herself.

Currently, the Ponies were searching through the ruins of town to find any Ponies that hadn't been able to escape the assault. Fluttershy choked back tears as she saw some Unicorns solemnly carry off the lifeless bodies of foals that had been butchered by the monsters. Applejack, who stood nearby, comforting Applebloom, stared in shock at the sheer brutality of the events. She was thankful that Applebloom hadn't noticed.

Twilight didn't move in the slightest as she viewed the disaster. She saw a Unicorn and an Earth Pony pulling somepony out from under the charred debris of a home, two other ponies down the street helped a mare, who was in hysterics, her foal having been one of the dead. A tear made its way down Twilight's face. For all this to happen...

Shining Armor, however, focused on the more imminent threat. Vaati was still out there, and so was Volvagia and that 'Wizzrobe' character. It wouldn't be too long until the other Princesses arrived, but when they did, Shining Armor made sure he would inform them of the impending attackers.

Down the road a ways, Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked after Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. None of them were taking the day’s events well, especially not Sweetie Belle, who sobbed into her sister's chest.

Scootaloo gazed solemnly at the ground. Rainbow Dash took notice and wrapped her wing around the filly.

"Hey, don't worry, Scoots." Rainbow Dash said softly, leaning towards the foal. "If those guys show back up, we'll get 'em." Scootaloo seemed to cheer up slightly with that, but that didn't last for long. Scootaloo's gaze returned to the charred grass she sat upon. "Hey," Rainbow Dash spoke, grabbing Scootaloo gently by the face, a serious expression coming to her own. "We've dealt with other things like this. Vaati isn't any different from the others. Remember when I told you about King Sombra? He was way worse than this guy, and we easily wiped the floor with him!"

Scootaloo's disposition didn't change. The poor filly held back a sob as she spoke. "But Rainbow Dash," She spoke, her voice shaking. "When you went up against those guys, you had the Elements of Harmony! You don't have those anymore!" Scootaloo wrapped her forearms around her childhood idol, crying as she spoke her next words. "Y-you even s-saw Vaati kill some p-pony! I d-don't want you t-to die!"

Rainbow Dash was silent as Scootaloo wept, a shudder going down her spine as she remembered how helpless she felt when Vaati murdered Book Quill, then attempted to kill her as well. Rainbow Dash wouldn't admit it, but she was terrified for the short few seconds she was frozen. Being that close to death...

She gave her head a quick shake. Vaati was just another villain, he wouldn't be too tough. But Scootaloo was right, the other foes they faced were defeated by powerful magic artifacts. With the Elements of Harmony no longer in their possession, Vaati would be difficult to defeat.

"Hey, Scoots," Rainbow Dash began. "I need to go talk to Twilight for a minute." Scootaloo, eyes still watered, gave her a solemn nod, walking over to Applejack and leaving the cerulean Pegasus to herself.

Rainbow Dash made her way over to Twilight, a look of remorseful determination came to her face. Rainbow Dash had an idea for stopping Vaati, though whether or not Twilight would be willing to go for it had yet to be seen. Rainbow Dash continued walking, stopping only to pass a comforting look to Fluttershy, who gave a forced smile before heading off into the town to help any animals that were caught in the destruction.

Twilight lowered her head, disappointment and depression setting in. She'd tried her best to teach Vaati the same lessons she had learned in friendship, he seemed to get the hang of things quickly. Twilight wondered what could have possibly possessed him to commit an act such as this. She was broken from her state of thought as Rainbow Dash placed a hoof around her shoulder.

To say that Rainbow Dash looked horrible was an understatement. Her mane was an even bigger mess than it usually was, the colors had been faded from ash and soot. Her eyes were bloodshot from the stress of the day, feathers had fallen off of her wings. Despite this, she was more well-kept than Twilight was at the moment.

"Why?" Twilight asked. Rainbow Dash blinked with slight confusion, not quite understanding what Twilight meant. "Why would he do this? Vaati was my friend, he would never do something like this!" Tears began to crawl down Twilight's face, her next words spoken through sobs. "Why? He isn't a murderer! He isn't evil! If anything, Vaati had to be one of the kindest Ponies I'd met!"

Rainbow Dash was about to console Twilight, but something she said didn't seem quite right.

"Did you just call him a Pony?" Rainbow Dash asked in a more blunt tone than she would have liked. Twilight stopped for a brief moment, having realized what she had just said. She turned to Rainbow Dash, letting out a worried sigh as she continued.

"Yes. Vaati was a Unicorn when I'd met him. I'm sorry; I've just been so caught up in what had happened, I never thought why Vaati was a human back at the library. But that's beside the point, Vaati is a good person, something has to be controlling him!"

Rainbow Dash stepped closer to Twilight, taking this opportunity to state her plan. "Twilight," She began, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Twilight, we need the Elements of Harmony to beat him." She said quickly. Twilight was silent for a few seconds, as if she was processing Rainbow Dash's words.

"I don't think the Tree of Harmony has had enough time to regain its power, Rainbow Dash." She said mournfully. "I'm not sure what would happen if we removed the Elements now, the results could be catastrophic!"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and took a step towards Twilight.

"Hey, the tree of harmony was able to last for a thousand years without the Elements inside of it, right?" She asked, imitating Spitfire from the Wonderbolts training camp. "Well, the Tree of Harmony seemed to get all its power back after the Elements were put inside, it should be fine if we use the Elements of Harmony just this once against Vaati!" A slight smile began to from across Twilight's face. "If we do that, then, hopefully, whatever it is that you think is making him do all these evil things should go away!"

Twilight's face lit up. "That's a perfect idea!" She exclaimed, hugging Rainbow Dash. That's when Twilight noticed that Applejack had come over. She'd heard every word Rainbow Dash and Twilight had said. Applejack took a few steps towards them, a skeptical look on her face.

"Twilight, even if your apprentice is being mind-controlled, what about Volvagia, that Wizzrobe guy, and the monsters? I don't think those problems are gonna go away," Applejack said, stopping just a short ways away from Twilight. "Vaati said himself, those monsters ain't his! And trust me, I can tell when somepony lies, and it didn't seem like he was lying then. If that's the case, we may have two huge threats to Equestria!"

Rainbow Dash and Twilight were silent. As much as it was something they didn't want to believe, Applejack tended to be right in these situations. Twilight scowled with determination, her vision focused on one of the many ruined buildings around Ponyville.

"If that truly is the case, Celestia knows I hope it isn't, then we'll need the Elements now more than ever." She said sternly. "Applejack, can you stay here while the rest of us gather the Elements? We need somepony to notify the other Princesses about the possibilities of two evil beings attacking Equestria."

"I'll tell them about it," Shining Armor chimed in, having overheard their conversation. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both had forgotten he was even there, he seemed to be there one moment and gone the next. "Go rally the other bearers and retrieve the Elements, I'll keep an eye on things until Celestia and Luna get here."

Twilight gave Shining Armor a warm smile, than gave him a quick hug. "Thank you." She said. After she let go, Twilight turned to face Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "Go get the others. We're going into the forest."

Link galloped through the Ordon fields mounted up on Epona, leading several of the Ordon goats over towards the stables, where Fado hurriedly put the goats into their pens.

"Alright, Link," he yelled. "Just a few more and were good!"

Link nodded and pulled on Epona's reins. She stopped her gallop as the goats they were chasing ran into the stables. Link looked around the ranch, seeing only three goats left, each of them grazing in the middle of the field. He gave Epona a soft kick in the side and she began to gallop off towards them.

One of the goats stopped grazing as it heard Epona galloping towards them. The goat bleated then ran off, scaring the other goats away as well.

Link let out an irritated grunt, then gave Epona another slight kick. She whinnied loudly as her galloping increased in speed. Link almost immediately went for the closest of the goats. The goat heard Link coming and the chase began. Link and Epona pursued the goat, which had ran in the opposite direction of the stables Link was trying to lead it to.

Link gave another slight kick and Epona's speed increased gain. They quickly caught up to the goat, and Link gave a short yell at the goat, which made it turn away in fright. However, this goat had turned towards the stables, and had ran over to the other goats, which had resumed grazing. Link smirked, then yelled again, scaring the rest of the goats over towards the stables. The goats all ran inside and Fado locked the gates, keeping the goats in their pens.

"Alright, Link," He yelled. "that's all of them!" Fado walked out of the stables, closing the main gates as he got to the exit.

Link pulled back on Epona's reins again and she slowed to a halt. He gave her a pat on the neck for a job well done, to which she responded with a gratified whinny. He hopped off the saddle and walked over to Fado, who was still waiting over by the stable entrance.

"Thanks again for agreeing to help with this. As promised, I thought I'd give ya something special." Fado reached into his back pocket and handed Link a small item. He smiled widely, holding up the item in excitement.

~You got an Orange Rupee! That's worth 100 Rupees,~
-don't spend it all in one place!-

There was an awkward silence.

"What are you doing?" Fado asked with a puzzled expression.

Link still held the Orange Rupee above his head with a blank expression on his face. He couldn't think up an excuse. He slowly lowered his arm, still keeping his blank expression, then slipped the rupee into a small bag strung to his hip. The silence lasted a bit longer, when Link heard another horse galloping up the path.

A lightly armored Palomino approached, mounted upon it was a large man. He carried himself in a prideful manner, his head held high. A suit of fine steel armor adorned the man, with the Hylian crest in the middle of his cuirass, and a full helmet protecting his head.

Fado bowed respectfully to the Hylian knight, as did Link. The knight gave a hearty laugh as he dismounted from his horse and walked with swagger to them. Immediately upon getting to Link, he took up the young man's hand a gave it a forceful shake.

"So, you're the one who defeated Ganondorf, huh?" The knight asked. His voice was deep and boisterous, and he was very casual for a knight. Link gave a nod to him, the knight laughed again as he gave a cursory glance around the ranch. "Huh, I always thought Ordon Ranch would be a little bigger..." he muttered

"No disrespect, sir," Fado began, nervously approaching the knight. "But, what are you doing all the way down here?"

The knight spun to face Fado, then gestured to Link.

"Princess Zelda sent me to get Link. Something happened that needs him, though the Princess wouldn't say why." The knight looked over to Link, who had gone over to Epona. "I'm not sure what she wants, but I need to take you to the castle." The knight walked up to Link, his gaze set on Epona. "Say, that's a nice horse. Flaxen, right?"

Link nodded, a small smile forming on his face. It wasn't that often he met someone who knew that much about horses.

"Thought so...Anyways, if you need anything, grab it. Princess Zelda sounded worried, and I wouldn't like to keep her waiting." The knight stepped away from Epona, heading back and remounting on his own horse.

Link stood uncertain. An uneasy feeling began to set in his stomach. The dark being Link encountered at the bridge may be the source of Zelda's worries. Link blinked in slight shock as a thought occurred to him. Perhaps that figure was a Twilit beast, one that Zant had stationed here should his plans have failed.

Without so much as a second thought, Link remounted Epona, his brows furrowed in determination, and asked the knight where they were heading with a serious tone in his voice.

"Hyrule Castle, of course." The knight responded with a slight chuckle. "Knowing your track record, I'd recommend grabbing a sword. Here-" He unfastened the steel shortsword sheathed on his hip, then handed it to Link. "-you can use mine."

Link nodded thankfully as he took the blade, slinging the scabbard over his shoulder.

~You got the Knight's Sword!~
-It's a gift, take care of it!-

Link swiveled around, facing Fado from upon Epona. Fado held his arms crossed, though he had a small smile on his face.

"Take care, lad." He said, dropping his arms. "We'll need you back here."

Link returned the smile and nodded. The Knight had already mounted upon his horse and trotted up next to Link and Epona.

"Ready to go?" He asked. Once again, Link confirmed with a quick nod. "Alright then, let's get going!" With that, the knight whipped the reins on his horse and he began down the path, his horse's hooves clopping quietly down the path.

Link did the same with Epona, and the two set off. They quietly made their way through the small village, a few of the villagers gathered and waved farewell to Link as he now embarked on another quest. Despite their happy faces, there was a subtle hint of somberness in their actions. Link didn't blame them, he had only been home for a few months and now he was going again.

Link returned their waves, the same undertone affecting his actions.

They soon both entered the small clearing Link's home resided in. Ilia sat on the porch, her feet dangling over the ladder. She too seemed to carry herself solemnly.

Without any words, she hopped down and ran up to Link, gazing hopefully at him. There were no words exchanged. Link knew what she would say, as did she. They didn't need to vocalize their words to another, they just seemed to know.

She followed them up to the bridge, silent the entire way. As they approached, she glanced up to Link.

"Be safe, alright?" She asked, placing her hand on Link's. Link smiled softly at her. He had spent a good portion of his time home wallowing over Midna's departure, having forgotten how caring Ilia was for him.

He nodded, turning over the hand that Ilia's rested on and holding hers. She smiled warmly at Link, then let go of him. Link and the knight continued onward across the bridge. At the end, Link passed one final glance to Ilia, who stood at the other side.

"Don't leave us worrying!" She called. Link called back to her, reassuring that he would be alright. She giggled, then began to walk back to the village.

Link was still, watching as she faded from view. The knight, out of courtesy, waited until Ilia was gone before continuing onwards. Link sat for a short time longer, gazing longingly at the spot she had occupied. Then, he continued onwards.

Link and the knight were silent. Link took this time to think up possibilities of why Princess Zelda wanted him so urgently. Perhaps another power-hungry man was attempting to take Hyrule? Perhaps an ancient evil had resurfaced? Or maybe she simply wanted to see Link and made up an excuse.

"So," The knight began. "The village life as peaceful as they say?"

Link chuckled, saying that unless you counted a giant monster kidnapping the children, everything was uninteresting. This elicited a hearty laugh from the knight.

"I hear you on that! I was making a run through Hyrule Field when the Twilit walls came down, I was almost butchered by some Shadow Beasts," The knight gave a chuckle, one with much less enthusiasm than he'd had earlier. "My name's Groose, by the way."

Link and Groose kept up a slow conversation, stopping as they came upon another Fairy Spring. Link asked Groose to stop here for a moment, then he hopped off Epona. Link still had the bottle with him, and if things are going to be how he expects them to be, then perhaps having a Fairy would be a good idea.

He popped the cork from the bottle and scooped up one of the floating sprites. The floating pink orb sat contently inside the bottle, ready to come to Link's aid when needed.

With that done, Link went and remounted Epona. He gave her a slight kick and they were off once more, with Groose following behind. Both were silent, for the most part. Groose had nothing interesting to speak about at the moment and Link never really was one to start a conversation.

They continued forward, soon passing out of Faron Woods and into the expansive Hyrule Field. Just over the horizon of the rolling green, Hyrule Castle stood tall and mighty, casting its protecting gaze over the land.

"We should be there in no time," Groose began. "Ever since the Gorons cleared up the path, we've had a straight shot from there to Ordon. The trip should only be about half an hour."

Link nodded, leaning back slightly in Epona's saddle. He tried to relax, but the dark figure from earlier plus Zelda summoning him seemed way too coincidental. Something had to be up, and since the figure wielded a Dark Master Sword, then Hyrule had a new threat on its hands. Link made a mental note to tell Princess Zelda about the figure if that's not why he was summoned.

A slight noise was caught in Link's pointed ears. It was a faint sound, but it sounded as if someone had drawn their sword. The young Hylian turned around, searching with his eyes for the source. Link saw nothing of interest or anything that could have made the noise. He chalked it up to just being paranoid.

Link turned back around, facing forward again. Unease set in the pit of his stomach, however. Something familiar was at work, yet at the same time, this felt completely different from Ganondorf. Link took a breath as he tried to calm himself. Whatever lies ahead can't be any worse than what Ganondorf had done.

Yet in the back of his mind, Link knew this was far, far worse.

Twilight, followed by the rest of the former Element Bearers, went down the path into the Everfree forest.

"Come on, Fluttershy," Twilight heard Rainbow Dash call from behind her. "We need these if we want to stop Vaati!"

Fluttershy stood completely still at the mouth of the forest, shooting an uncertain glance back and forth between it and Ponyville.

"I know that this is important," She said. "But I haven't found any animals yet! I can't think straight, knowing that there might be some critters trapped inside the-"

"Don't worry about it," Applejack interrupted with a kind tone. "I told them back at Ponyville to search for animals. They're in good hooves now, Sugarcube."

Fluttershy glanced back for another brief moment, muttering something under her breath. Without any further hesitation, she galloped over to the girls, still seeming uncertain.

The group was silent as they passed from the rolling meadows near Fluttershy's cottage, into the thick vines and trees of the Everfree Forest, though it was more comparable to a mixture of a marsh and a jungle.

All light vanished around them as the tree canopies blocked the sunlight. Black and green were the only colors that were easily distinguishable in the thicket. Large trees towered from the ground, curling and spiraling the further up they went.

The path they trotted upon, thankfully, was incredibly linear. They would be at their destination within minutes.

Tired of the silence, Rainbow Dash turned to the group and spoke. "So, what do you think his motives are," She asked, referring to Vaati.

The group was silent for a moment, then Applejack spoke up.

"I trust what Twilight says, it very well could be something possessing him, like with Luna and Nightmare Moon. It probably wants to try and rule Equestria."

"What if it is Nightmare Moon again," Pinkie Pie started. "The Nightmare's probably mad about getting defeated, so it wants to take revenge on us by possessing someone dear to Twilight and using them to further their goals! With us out of the way, they'd then try to destroy the world by taking over Luna again and having the moon crash into us!"

Rarity shot an amused look at Pinkie. "Pinkie, dear, Nightmare is gone. Even then, she wanted to bring eternal night so Ponies could bask in its beauty. Luna's gotten that wish now! Besides, we'd have plenty of time to stop them if they did decide to bring the moon down."

"How much time," Pinkie responded.

"I'd say...Three days at the minimum." Twilight chimed in.

"We've gone off topic," Rainbow Dash called. "I think that Vaati was looking for something, why else would he trash the library like that?'

"But what would he even be looking for?" Fluttershy spoke up. "Twilight took most of her things with her when she moved to Canterlot, so Vaati could have just gotten it there. The only possible thing I can think of that a sorcerer would want that was in the library is..."

The entire group's eyes widened in fear as the realization dawned upon them.

"The Elements of Harmony!" The collectively screamed as they went from their calm walk to a panicked sprint.

The brush of the forest quickly gave way to a large clearing. There, they saw it; the former castle of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, gone into great disrepair after centuries of abandonment. A great canyon encircled the castle, the only way across being a rotting wooden bridge. What the girls were looking for, however, was inside the canyon.

But a few yards away, stone stairs led down into the canyon, a short path went into a cave that contained a bright white glow. The girls galloped down the stairs, skidding to a halt as they reached the cave's mouth.

The cave gave way to a large cavern, resting within was what they had been looking for, the Tree of Harmony. The massive crystalline structure sprouted from the ground, five gems were embedded inside the Tree's branches. The orange apple of Honesty, the pink butterfly of Kindness, the purple diamond of Generosity, the blue balloon of Laughter, and the red lightning bolt of Loyalty. In the center of the great tree was the magenta star of Magic.

The girls felt a wave of easiness wash over them as they entered proximity of the Elements. It was almost as if they'd met old friends again.

"Should we do this," Rainbow Dash asked rhetorically. Twilight nodded as she stepped out from the group, moving towards the tree. Her horn lit up with a deep magenta aura as she built up her energy. A faint spark emitted from the tip and floated to the star. As it touched, a bright wave of energy blasted out from the tree.

The girls smiled warmly as the Harmony wave enveloped their bodies. Slowly, each gem floated out of their slots, hovering over to their respective bearers. The golden necklaces that previously contained the gems reappeared of their bearers' necks as the gems floated into their slots. A golden tiara formed upon Twilight's head as the star of Magic floated into its slot, completing the set.

The Elements of Harmony, now back on their appropriate owners, glowed brightly as they reconnected to the girls.

"Oh, Celestia, that feels good," Pinkie Pie squealed in delight. "I haven't felt this good since the time I ate that huge buffet during that party a few months ago!"

"Well, I'm sorry to interrupt, then."

Everypony's blood ran cold as they recognized that voice. They all quickly turned to the entrance of the cave, eyes going wide as they saw him standing there, staring without emotion at them.

Vaati marched forward; Wizzrobe floated just a ways behind him. Barely visible from the bird-like mask that he wore, the Ponies saw a hideous fanged grin on Wizzrobe's face.

"Thank you for leading me to this place," Vaati spoke once again in monotone. "It was difficult to track the Elements, but now I have them right where I want them." He turned his head towards his subordinate. "You may leave us. This is something I wish to do alone."

Wizzrobe seemed almost offended by that statement.

"But master, what if they try to pull something while I'm gone! Surely-"

"Enough," Vaati interrupted, raising his hand to the red-robed wizard. "You will obey me, or there will be dire consequences awaiting you."

Wizzrobe faltered a minute, shooting an intense glare from his mask towards the Ponies. He let out an angered cry, then vanished with a swirl of purple smoke.

Vaati was all alone now, save for the Elements.

"Now then, you will be handing the Elements to me," He said calmly, taking a few more steps towards the girls.

"No way," Rainbow Dash yelled defiantly as she flew above the girls. "No one burns down our home or attacks us with monsters and gets away with it!"

Vaati, for a slight moment, seemed to show a hint of amusement at what Rainbow had said.

"Ah, Rainbow Dash," Vaati said, pulling her close by the necklace with his magic. "The Element of Loyalty. Yours is commendable, but you truly are rather dense."

"Who you calling dense?" She boasted. "Let me go, or I swear, I'll beat your head in!"

"Like you tried to at the library? And how did that end for you, hm?" Rainbow Dash was silent; she glared at Vaati, hoping that she'd make his head explode if she tried hard enough. "Exactly. The fact that you think it will work again proves how dense you are."

"Vaati," Twilight yelled, running out of the group. "Let her go." There was a moment of tense silence as Vaati and Twilight both stared at each other. Twilight felt slightly unnerved. She couldn't tell what was running through Vaati's mind, his eyes showed just as little emotion as his voice.

"Very well," Vaati lowered his hand, Rainbow Dash being let go with it. Rainbow Dash reared back and was about to charge, when Vaati snapped his fingers, teleporting the Pegasus over to the rest of the group. For good measure, Vaati created a barrier around them. The remaining five Elements were now trapped inside a white dome of energy.

"Vaati," Twilight began, her tone sorrowful. "Why are you doing this? This isn't what I taught you!"

Vaati was silent for a moment, just as before, Twilight wasn't sure what he was thinking.

"Simple. I need the Elements of Harmony, and you knew where they were."

"But why did you send Volvagia? Why do you need the Elements," Twilight's voice went dangerously low as she said her next words. "Why did you murder Book Quill?"

"Murder? Hardly. I cannot say what, but she most definitely was not an Equestrian. Now step aside, Twilight. I'm taking what is rightfully mine."

"I can't allow you to do this Vaati," Twilight said, standing defiantly between him and her friends. "We've faced beings that posed much bigger a threat than you do, and now that we have the Elements of Harmony back in our own hooves, you won't be able to harm anypony else."

Vaati seemed to be disappointed, but as usual, nopony could read his face. He let out a small sigh as he stepped closer.

"Very well, Twilight," Vaati said. "If you truly think you can stop me, go right ahead and try." Vaati snapped his fingers; the barrier surrounding the others vanished without a sound.

Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood close together as they channeled the powers of Harmony. A bright glow enveloped the six ponies as their gems lit up like stars. Vaati stood unmoving, his face expressionless, as the girls floated into the air.

Twilight's eyes opened, glowing. The power of Harmony had reached its peak, now all they needed to do was unleash it upon Vaati.

The Wind Mage smirked, then quickly shoved out his right hand. A powerful gust knocked the girls out of formation, breaking the link and erasing the power they'd built up. They clambered to their hooves, Rainbow Dash and Applejack glared dangerously at Vaati, who, for once, had a wide smirk on his face.

Vaati marched towards the girls, powerful winds forming behind him. Rainbow Dash flared out her wings and shot forwards at breakneck speed towards Vaati, who sidestepped and brought down a powerful strike on her back with his elbow. Rainbow Dash was sent directly into the ground; Vaati chuckled as he reached down and grabbed the Element of Loyalty from her neck.

"As I've said before, you are the densest being I've met."

He then snapped in the direction of the others, blasting over to them with a speed boost provided by his wind. The closest Pony to him was Rarity, who was quickly dispatched by a well-placed kick. Vaati then leaped into the air and landed next to Applejack and Pinkie Pie. He grabbed them both by the head and smashed them together, knocking them out cold.

Twilight stared in shock, each of Vaati's attacks was within seconds of another, none of the girls had time to react to his movements. Now it was just her and Fluttershy.

Vaati gazed at the two of them, his red eyes filled with malice. Twilight faltered slightly, being startled by Vaati finally showing emotions in his face.

"Now, as I've said before," Vaati began, stepping closer to Twilight. "I shall be taking-" Vaati charged some form of magic in his hands, a blue orb of energy formed in each palm. He threw his hands forward, launching both orbs at Twilight. "-what is rightfully mine!"

Twilight teleported out of the way as the orbs came withing inches of striking her. She reappeared next to Fluttershy, who had frozen in fear. Twilight charged a beam of magic in her horn and fired at Vaati, who simply batted it away with his hand.

"I grow tired of this."

Vaati raised left arm and waved his hand quickly towards him. A blast of wind threw the Ponies into the air. Twilight and Fluttershy both landed hard on the ground, Twilight was about to get up, when Vaati grabbed her by the horn.

"Now then, I'll be taking the Element-" Vaati let out a yell of pain as something struck him in the side of the face, sending him sailing across the cavern. He slammed back-first into the rock wall, glaring every bladed weapon there was at his attacker.

Fluttershy stood, her face contorted into an uncharacteristic rage. Vaati began to work his way off the wall, only for Fluttershy to blast towards him at speeds that Rainbow Dash would be envious of and pin him there.

"No one," She said in a dangerously low tone. "And I mean no one, ever hurts my friends." Fluttershy reared her hoof back, preparing to plow Vaati right in the face. The Wind mage, however, pressed his hand against her stomach and fired a blast of wind, sending her across the room.

Vaati dislodged himself from the wall, clumsily landing on the floor. He looked up; his face of rage rivaled that of Fluttershy's. Vaati stood up, charging dark energy in his hands. He fired two bolts, each spiraling into the air, leaving a trail of smoke before crashing into the ground.

Two large beasts stepped from the purple smoke left by the bolts' impact. They were humanoid like Vaati, but were more muscular. They had small, hooved legs, and brown fur that covered them from head to hoof. They did not have human faces, rather the heads of boars.

The boar-monsters snorted as they marched forward, both of them carrying large spears.

"Go, Moblins!" Vaati called, clutching his side in pain. "Show them what happens when you trifle with me!"

One of the Moblins snorted loudly as it charged at Fluttershy, raising its spear overhead before swinging at her. The beast was knocked off its feet by a blast from Twilight, though. The Moblin hit the ground and exploded into purple mist, then faded away.

The second Moblin went for Twilight, only to be easily defeated by Fluttershy, who delivered a powerful strike to the beast's skull. The Moblin died with another blast of purple mist, leaving Vaati all alone now.

Twilight and Fluttershy marched to the Sorcerer, who still held Rainbow Dash's Element in his hands, and cornered him.
Vaati grunted as he held his side. Twilight glared at him, though it was not hateful, it was more how a disappointed parent would look at their child if they'd done something wrong.

"It's over, Vaati," Twilight said. "I don't know why you're doing this, but you won't harm anypony anymore."

Vaati faltered a minute, his face going dark. Then he smirked. Vaati slammed his palm into the ground, creating large cracks through the floor. Strong blasts of magic rushed through the cracks, throwing Fluttershy and Twilight into the air. Vaati's hands both began to glow vibrant blue as two orbs of the same shade appeared; one in each hand. With a hefty swing of both arms, the orbs were sent sailing into the two airborne girls; screams of pain ringing out from them as blue electricity danced around their bodies..

Both of the girls landed with a soft thud.

Vaati gave them a pitiful look, then took Twilight and Fluttershy's Elements. He then walked out of the cave, grabbing the other Elements as he passed the respective bearer. For the first time in eons, Vaati genuinely smiled; things were going according to plan, though he'd taken a few hits, but none of that mattered now. Now there was nothing to stop him.

Vaati allowed a small laugh to escape his lips, but he drew it back in as he saw the Elements begin to glow white. The gems inside each piece of jewelry began to move, breaking out of the necklaces and crown, then floated around the wind mage. Vaati reached an arm out to grab them, but the Elements suddenly vanished.

Vaati stared at where the Elements had been with look of crushed shock that quickly turned to pure rage as his arms went limp; the golden adornments clattering to the ground. He turned towards Twilight, fully expecting her to have cast a spell that made the Elements disappear, but she still lay on the floor. Vaati then noticed the faint glow that faded from the Tree of Harmony.

He was silent for several seconds; his rage could not be contained much longer. Vaati let out an anguished cry as he fired a blast of energy at the Tree of Harmony.

The crystal structure shattered from Vaati's attack, the pristine white color of the crystals faded to dark purple as purple bolts flew out erratically, high-pitched giggles echoing around the chamber as the demons sealed within the tree flew about.

Vaati paused, noting the similarities between these monsters and the ones he had control over. His face returned to the previously expressionless slate it was before as he held up his arm; a white aura surrounding it. With a flick of his wrist, a massive wave of energy shot out like a dome, encompassing the entirety of the cave. All the demons froze, their giggles silencing, then they faced Vaati.

"You are now under my control," Ha declared, his voice booming through the cave. "The Tree of Harmony has scattered the Elements around Equestria, and as your first orders under my control, you will search them out!" The demons cheered, their souls emitting high giggles again, only for Vaati to raise his hand and silence them. "You are to find the elements and return them to me! Any adventurous souls hoping to steal them from we will meet quite a horrible end!"

Several of the hazy spirits grimaced, while others were rallied by their new master's cruelty. Thunderous cheers and cackles from the legions of monsters now at Vaati's command resounded through the caves.

"Good," Vaati said. "Now go, bring me the Elements of Harmony!"

The souls of the demons howled with glee as they sped out of the cave. As they exited the mouth, the skies of Equestria darkened from the beautiful blue to a depressingly drab orange-brown.

At the edges of Equestria, near where the Frozen North met, the being that sent the monsters to attack Ponyville gave a slightly concerned glance to the sky. He knew that this was not his doing, and he also knew what the darkened skies meant. He already controlled an army of monsters; the demons that roamed free would make for excellent allies.

The man let out a deranged laugh as he began to make his way into Equestria.

"Things are going according to plan," He said in a whimsical tone, a sadistic smile spreading across his face. "Soon, my plans will bear fruit, and this land will be mine!" The figure began to laugh manically as he entered Equestria's borders, legions of skeletal warriors following behind him.

Groose marched through two massive doors at the top of Hyrule Castle's tower with Link following behind him. The door opened up to a large outdoor balcony that gave a great view of Hyrule; two large ramps went around the sides of the door and lead to the throne room where Link and Midna had battled Ganondorf.

The room was huge, with large marble columns holding the roof up. A long blue carpet stretched from the throne to the door, complementing the bright white colors everything else had in the room. Behind the throne was a large statue depicting the three Golden Goddesses; Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom; Din, Goddess of Power; and Farore, the Goddess of Courage. The three golden deity statues wrapped themselves around a great representation of the holy triangle of Hyrule; The Triforce.

A young woman with bright blue eyes and auburn hair sat calmly in the throne, wearing a regal white dress with golden plates on the shoulders and chest. She stood up upon Link and Groose's entry and began to walk towards them; she carried herself with a strong gait, her body language said that she was not one to be messed with, despite her soft appearance.

"I'm glad that you have arrived," She said. "I also see that you've left your tunic behind. Thank you, Groose. You may leave if you want."

"Your welcome, Princess. Though, I think I'll remain here."

"Very well, then." Zelda chuckled slightly at him. Link was surprised that Zelda was capable of laughter, she never really showed any emotion. She turned back to Link. "Link, I have called you here for your aid. Hyrule is in grave danger."

Link quietly muttered under his breath that he had called it. Zelda shot him an unamused look, to which he sheepishly laughed and asked her to continue. Zelda rolled her eyes before carrying on.

"Link, earlier today, I sensed the presence of an evil that had been thought dead for eons." Zelda began, motioning for Link to follow her as she walked behind the throne. Link did so, as did Groose. "Like Ganondorf, they were defeated by a hero wielding a legendary blade. This evil was named Vaati, and he was defeated by the great Four Sword. Vaati was a menace that kidnapped women from all across Hyrule in hopes of making one to be his bride; one of my ancestors was among those taken. Since his defeat, he has been sealed away for centuries; I cannot begin to imagine his psychological state."

She stopped as they came to a large door. Zelda opened the stone door, revealing a long hallway made from smooth bricks carved from a grey-blue stone. She had them follow as she went down the path.

"Because of his possible insanity and immense power, Vaati may pose a bigger threat than Ganondorf had."

Link felt his heart rate drop as Zelda had said that. He felt uneasy again, knowing he was right about this being worse. Hopefully, whatever Zelda was leading them to would make short work of Vaati. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as the hallway gave to a large chamber, one not unlike the chamber that held the Master Sword.

In the center of this room was a pedestal; embedded in it was a double-edged broadsword with a brilliant golden hilt that had four grooves running through the crossguard, as well as a red gem in the center. Like the Master Sword, this blade had a short ricasso in it, but it also had a small fuller near the hilt; something the Master Sword lacked. Link felt an odd magic coming from the sword, as if the very elements of nature were powering it. Link came to the conclusion that this was the Four Sword.

"This is the sword that was used to defeat Vaati, Link," Zelda confirmed. "This blade will split you into four individual Links once you draw it; four of you should make very short work of Vaati."

Link nodded, then walked over to the Four Sword's pedestal. He grabbed the blade, gasping slightly as the magic powering it shot through his veins like adrenaline. Link set his face in determination as he readied himself, planting both feet in just the right position so that the Four Sword would slide right out when pulled. He took a deep breath, then, with all his strength, Link pulled the blade out from its pedestal!

Or he would have, if it hadn't been stuck. Link shot a puzzled look at the Four Sword, then gave it another tug. It still didn't move in the slightest. He tried one more time, but this time he found himself tumbling backwards as his hands slipped off the sword's grip.

Zelda stared at the blade with an equally confused expression, as did Groose. Link got up and brushed himself off, shooting a resentful glance to the sword in the stone. He then turned to Zelda, asking her if there's something wrong with the blade.

"Well, there shouldn't be..." She said uncertainly. "The Four Sword has a spell on it that prevents it from being drawn while Vaati is still sealed away. But I detected Vaati's presence earlier... Link, we must leave the castle."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Groose interrupted. "Princess, you're not supposed to exit the castle grounds, not after what happened with Zant!" Groose reached up and took off his helmet. Despite being a regularly sized helmet, it was able to fit an impressive red pompadour under it. "You even said yourself, I'm supposed to-"

"Groose, I cannot begin to describe how imperative it is that we head out. I detected Vaati near Death Mountain, all we need to do is investigate that area." Zelda then gave the tall man what had to be the most impressive puppy-eyes Link had seen. "Please?"

Groose shifted uncomfortably as he considered Zelda's words. He grumbled something under his breath, then gave her a reluctant nod. "Alright, alright. But I'm coming with you!"

Zelda nodded, returning to her stern outlook.

"Very well, Groose. You may accompany us."

Groose did a quick salute, then set off outside ahead of Link and Zelda, leaving the two to walk together.

Link commented on Zelda's begging back there, stating that he'd never expected someone who always seemed so serious to do something like that. Zelda gave a tiny giggle in response. "A good leader always keeps a calm face in front of her subjects, but that doesn't mean she can't have fun every now and then."

The two then walked out of the Four Sword's chamber. As they came to the throne room, Link told Zelda of the dark figure he saw that wielded what he had begun to call the Anti-Master Sword. As he told her, Zelda acquired a worried expression.

"I do not know what to make of this, Link," She said, her tone carrying a hint of sorrow. "Surely this being's arrival, plus Vaati being detected, are not at all coincidence. Something I cannot describe is happening in Hyrule, Link. I do not know what, but I have the greatest feeling that we will be in an unfamiliar situation."

The rest of the walk was in silence. Link and Zelda soon found themselves outside Hyrule Castle-town's southern exit; the location that Link battled and defeated Zant at. Groose was already mounted up on his horse and glanced expectantly at the Hero and the Princess.

Link and Zelda continued walking until they reached Epona, who gave a glad whinny as Link patted her neck. He climbed up on her saddle and Princess Zelda followed suit. Link and Groose then gave their horses a slight kick in the side and then they were off.

From their current position, it would take approximately thirty minutes to reach Death Mountain. Until then, Link let his thoughts wander about why the Four Sword wouldn't draw though Vaati had apparently escaped. At the moment, the most plausible theory Link could think of was that the being wielding the Anti-Master Sword was spawned by Vaati to act as an agent that would try to free him.

Link stopped his theorizing, however, as he heard Groose stop his horse. They hand't even made it that far from the castle, the southern exit to Castle Town was still visible behind them. Link wondered why they'd stopped, exactly, but he found his answer as he looked up from Epona's saddle.

Black mist rained down from the sky, focusing on a single spot only a few yards from the group. Two deep red eyes snapped open, glaring intently at the three. There was a loud *shlink*, the mist began to solidify as an ethereal figure marched forward, the gleaming red blade of the Anti-Master Sword in hand.

"Wh-what the heck is that thing?!" Groose yelled.

Princess Celestia, mover and the sun and overseer of the day, couldn't bring herself to look at the sight before her.

Her former student, Twilight Sparkle, currently rested in a small hospital bed. She was recovering from a curse put on her by Vaati; one that sapped her of her power and energy, no doubt in an attempt to remove her as an obstacle for the Wind Mage.
Short, quiet breaths escaped from her mouth, sweat dripped down her face. If it weren't for the distinct magic essence Vaati had, Princess Celestia would have easily mistaken this for a bad case of nausea.

Though she would pull through unharmed, Princess Celestia still feared for Twilight. This had only proven that Vaati no longer had the kindness in his heart that he had when Twilight found him, though why, Celestia didn't know. The entirety of the past day's events left a scar on Equestria, both physical and emotional. Vaati had shown that he wasn't afraid to send his minions to ravage a town if needed, that he wasn't afraid to go toe-to-hoof with anypony, and that, worst of all, they had nothing to stop him.

The Sun Princess slowly stood up. She had been at Twilight's side ever since they'd found her, but now, she needed to leave Twilight alone. She walked over to the door, her golden horseshoes clank-clopping on the linoleum floors. As she reached the door, Celestia couldn't help but give a final glance to Twilight. She stared solemnly at her ex-student, then, she continued out the door.

Out in already in the hallway was Princess Luna; the midnight blue Alicorn approached her sister as she exited the room.

"Feeling better, Tia?" She asked. Celestia knew it was a rhetorical statement, but she answered anyways, shaking her head ins response to her younger sister.

"I'm having a difficult time coping with what's happened, sister," Celestia began, her voice wracked with fatigue. "Ponyville has had so much taken from it; their homes, their safety, their state of mind..." She trailed off, her next words caught in her throat.
"Their...Children..." Celestia let out a loud breath, she was only inches away from having a total breakdown.

Luna gave her sister a resembling look. Though she hadn't grown as attached to the Equestria she lived in now as the one she lived in before the millennium long banishment, this was still her kingdom, and it was part of her duty as Princess of the Night to keep her subjects safe. Though, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

"Sister," Luna began, her voice going low. "These events...They match what the ancients said would happen..." Celestia's eyes shot open and dilated to pinpricks as she went slack-jawed. "...The end of the world, Sister..." Luna's words carried heavy sadness.

Celestia stared at the floor, remembering exactly what Luna spoke of...What she had always feared would happen.

"When dark winds blow through Equestria," Celestia recited, closing her eyes as she spoke, "When the fires of malice scorch happiness, when demons dance upon the cinders, the Elements of Harmony will vanish. Only he who possesses Courage greater than any other can find them; else the black blade of evil shall cut down Harmony, and darkness will reign..." Celestia looked up from the floor and to her sister, staring directly into Luna's azure irises. "And we still have not found him in Equestria."

The Solar Princess slumped down, resting her haunches on the floor. For centuries, ever since she'd first heard those words, Celestia had spent every day searching for the one who would be their savior when the darkness took hold, but each time, she'd find nothing. She had searched the entire world, day by day, week after week, yet, as if some cruel joke, there was nothing. During her searches, an idea had crossed her mind, but it was one that came with great risks. Considering the circumstances, however, the risks seemed much lower than they were.

"Luna," Celestia said, standing up. "I have a plan for bringing our hero here..."

The mist had fully formed into the same figure Link had seen at the bridge. The gray cloak that covered it's black tunic flapped about in a nonexistent wind.

Link felt his stomach lurch, but he quickly regained himself. He gave Zelda a glance, then hopped off Epona, drawing the Knight's Sword as he walked out to meet the figure.

It let out an unnatural, guttural noise that sounded like a laugh and walked to meet Link as well. The two stopped feet away from each other.

Link glared with determination while the dark being stared uninterested at him. He waited for his opponent to make the first move, but it seemed like the dark being was doing the same thing.

Then, without warning, the figure lifted the Anti-Master Sword and lunged.

Link was caught off guard by the sudden strike, but he sidestepped before it could impale him. He retaliated with a diagonal swipe aimed at the being's now-unprotected side, but the attack was intercepted by the Anti-Master Sword. The two blades were locked until Link withdrew his blade and swung again, aiming for the legs, only for this attack to be parried as well.

The dark being then back-flipped away from Link as he attempted to land another strike, landing perfectly on its feet, then it charged at Link with its sword held close to the left side of its body.

Link stood ready, holding the Knight's Sword out in front of him defensively. It was moments like this when he wished he had a shield. The dark being swung and Link raised his sword to block the attack. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face as the sword strike bounced off his blade. The being was staggered by the parry, Link took advantage of this and thrust his sword with the intent of impaling his adversary.

Faster than he could have anticipated, the being recovered and did a back-handspring, once again landing perfectly, then jumped at Link. It landed perfectly balanced on Link's still-held-out sword. Link stared with awe and a hint of panic as the dark being crouched on the Knight's Sword.

The being quickly held the Anti-Master Sword at its side in preparation to attack, but Link threw it off the blade before it could strike. The dark being didn't quite land properly this time, and Link took this opportunity; he swung his sword horizontally at the being, aiming to cleave it in half. The sword struck, but only did a glancing blow. Link was confused as to how that could have been, but quickly turned his attention to the recovering enemy.

Dark mist poured from the slight wound; the being payed it no mind, however. It charged at Link, who once again assumed a defensive stance. Link prepared to parry the oncoming attack, only for the figure to duck and deliver a spinning kick to Link's leg, knocking the Hylian to the ground, then followed up with an elbow-drop that knocked all the air out of the Hero.

The dark being leaped into the air and did a downward thrust, but Link rolled out of the way at the last second. The Anti-Master Sword became imbedded in the ground, giving Link much needed respite as the dark being struggled to remove the blade.

One he had his air back, Link went on the offensive. He charged at the still struggling dark being, sword held to the right in preparation to strike. A shimmer went up Link's sword, then he leaped into the air! The Hero brought his sword down to conclude the Jump-Strike, but the dark being had removed the Anti-Master Sword and swung its own blade to reflect the blow.

The Knight's Sword and the Anti-Master Sword struck each other; with aloud *clang*, the Knight's Sword shattered from the attack, leaving a stunned Link wide open for attack.

The dark being followed its attack up with a strong punch to Link's gut, forcing the hero on his knees. It circled around Link once, then smacked his face with the Anti-Master Sword's pommel. Link grunted in pain, spitting out a small amount of blood as he did. The dark being then kicked Link in the back, flooring him.

It tried to strike again, but the dark being was knocked to the ground by a forceful impact. Groose stood, fists raised, over the dark creature, glaring defiantly at it. It stared at Groose; the knight found himself unnerved by its glowing red eyes and utter lack of expression they had.

The dark being swiftly moved to a crouch and kicked Groose right in the kneecap. He howled with pain as the kick bent Groose's knee backwards with a loud crack. As the knight crumpled to the ground, the dark being turned its attention back to Link.

He writhed on the ground, glaring strongly at the dark creature. It seemed almost amused by the sight, at least, its body language suggested that.

The dark being held out both of its hands, turning the Anti-Master Sword upside-down and grasping the handle with both hands. Link knew what the creature was about to do, and if he wanted to get out of this alive, he needed to act now. Right next to Link lay a shard from the knight's blade, the sunlight's reflection gleaming off from it.

Without any thought, Link grabbed the shard and leaped up from the ground, slashing the dark creature's throat. There was a loud crackling noise, the world around Link and the group practically faded away. Zelda stared in shocked silence as the dark being stood stunned. A croaking gurgle escaped from the monster's concealed lips, then it fell.

The dark creature's glowing eyes faded out as the rest of its body dissolved into black mist once more. The Anti-Master Sword did the exact same, disappearing into a cloud of darkness.

Link panted heavily, viscous purple fluid dripped from the sword shard he held. The world began to reform, though Link's rattled mind payed none to it. He felt his strength escaping him, his muscles became more and more lax until he dropped to the floor.

He heard an unfamiliar voice calling his name with panic, then he slipped out from consciousness.

Link stood on unseen ground; black stretched out all around him. The young Hero turned his head in every direction in hopes of seeing something, but alas, there was nothing to be seen in any direction he looked. Out of the absence of everything, something made a noise though. Link froze as a deep, guttural laugh echoed through the black.

With heavy reluctance, Link turned towards the source of the voice, instantly regretting the choice.

A massive dark shape towered over the Hero, standing at least twice as tall as Ganondorf! This monster was half-man, half-horse. Its muscles looked stronger than steel, its skin was a deep, blood red, with the only garments it wore being a black leather tunic. Then Link saw its face. The resemblance this creature had to Ganondorf was uncanny; it looked like him in every way, only with a longer, black beard and hair to match, as well as a pair of horns.

The centaur glanced down at Link, raising a bushy eyebrow at the Hylian in curiosity. Link gaped at the corrupted majesty this demon possessed, looking as regal as it did terrifying. Yet, before anything could be said or anything could be done, the creature slowly evaporated into a white energy that another man absorbed.

He stood taller than Link, but shorter than Ganondorf. His eyes showed held-back blood-lust and malice, each one with heavy dark circles under them. The outfit he wore couldn't be considered anything more than flamboyant, yet couldn't be easily described, either.

Then, the man released the energy. A powerful blast of pure darkness shot from his palm, aimed directly at Link. The hero braced himself for the strike; the blast struck him dead on, sending Link into a swirling white.