The Legend of Zelda: A Hero's Return (Book 1)

Chapter 5: A Race against Time

"So why would the forest be under attack?"

Malon was trying her best to hold on as Epona was galloping at full speed.

"I mean, it's just a bunch of trees right?"

"It's more than a forest. It's a crucial part of Hyrule. If it wasn't for the Kokiri, you wouldn't have wood for your houses, or fuel for your fire."

Malon looked up and swore she saw a tear form in the corner of his eye. Gripping him tighter, she continued on.

"They must mean a lot to you? They raised you from a baby right?"

"Yes. Without them, I would have died alongside my mother."

Tears were beginning to pour down Link's face.

"Why choose me? Why take away my real family and then tell me to destroy an enemy I know nothing about?"

Link pulled on the reigns and Epona slid to a halt. He pulled himself together and got off the horse.

"Stay here."

Before Malon could speak her mind, he was already through the entrance and halfway across the bridge. As he entered his home village, he noticed a person resembling himself standing just ahead of him. The only difference was he looked almost like a shadow. You could almost see right through him.

"It took you long enough."

The mysterious figure turned and with a sinister smile.

"Let's play a game."

"Who are you and why do you look exactly like me?"

"I am you; only, I'm not a goodie-two-shoe like you. I was created from the darkness from your heart."

He pulled out what seemed to be a sword out of nowhere.

"If you can beat me in a one on one battle and find your friends before all of the sand hits the bottom"

As if by magic, an hourglass appeared in his free hand.

"I will leave your pathetic village and never return."

"And what if I lose?"

Link pulled out his knife and prepared his shield.

"If you lose, you lose your life."

The Dark Link rushed towards our hero and kicked him, hitting his shield, and knocking him over.

"Come on, you can do better than that."

Link strengthened his grip on the knife, struggled to his feet and proceeded to charge towards his darker self. He swung the small blade in a downward motion hoping to hit his opponent in his chest. Sadly this was not meant to be. Instead of dodging to the side or back, he seemed to disappear. However, before Link could realize this, his dark counterpart appeared behind him, leaned in and gently whispered.

"How does it feel to have lost your whole family, to have been abandoned in the woods by your own mother?"

Hearing that, Link stepped forward out of fear and anger.

"How dare you speak of my mother like that?"

Once again, he tried to rush towards his enemy but yet again, he disappeared right before the blade hit him. This time though, he didn't reveal himself. Link scrambled to find a real weapon but he forgot that his knife is indeed a sword in the hands of the Kokiri. He went into his old neighbor's house to see if he could find anything useful. "Nothing", he told himself. Just then he could faintly hear a voice.