Darkness… everywhere he looked, he was surrounded by darkness… and in that darkness… fathomless evil…
"Curse them all…" Gannondorf clenched his fist tightly, illuminating the mark of the triforce on it. "Curse them all for trapping me in here! When I find a way out of here, they… will… SUFFER!!"
A sinister chuckle caught Gannon's attention, and he whirled around to face whoever dared to mock him. The darkness lightened to a toxic violet, revealing a short creature with a deceitful smile plastered across its face.
"Who the hell are you!?" Gannon growled.
"Maybe a friend, maybe a foe…" came the stranger's calm, playful tone. "Perhaps even both! But you'll never know, now, will you?"
"You dare to insult the Great Gannondorf, you insolent pest!?" roared the King of Evil.
The violet light surrounding them seemed to brighten a bit more around them, and Gannon could make out the creature's features much more clearly. It was a fox, who hovered easily before him. The animal had a paw to its chin as though deep in thought. It's three excessively long, brushy tails waved lazily in the still air of the Void.
"Hm…" the fox uttered with a smirk. "Yes, I guess I do dare to insult the 'Great Gannondorf!'"
"You…!" Gannon reared back his fist and swiped at the fox, but his hand connected only with air. The creature's laughter was heard a moment later behind him.
"Temper, temper!" it smirked while shaking it's finger disapprovingly. "It's no wonder you were cast in here so easily. Your anger makes you stupid!"
"You are no better off than I am!" Gannon retorted.
"True, true…" the fox frowned. "but I am not just here… I am everywhere…"
Getting a second look at the intruder, Gannondorf was suddenly struck with a feeling of recognition. Those eyes, that face… where had he seen them before?
"Tell me your name." Gannon inquired, his tone much calmer than it had been earlier.
"Oh! Woe is me!" the fox cried, raising its arms dramatically. "Has it been so long that no one remembers the Great Keaton anymore?"
Keaton! That rotten Hero of Time had had a mask of this creature at one time or another. If the childhood legends were true, he was standing in the presence of the Spirit of Trickery and Deceit.
"I do remember you…" Gannon said with a smirk. "I used to pray to you and the Spirits of Chaos to help me take over Hyrule many years ago."
Keaton shifted into a sitting position in mid-air, sporting an intrigued expression on his face.
"And we answered those prayers, did we not, Gannondorf?" a fang glistened in the dull light.
"Yes, and I ruled over Hyrule with an iron fist for seven years…"
"Only seven?"
"Yes… all because of that brat, the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages!"
"They are quite troublesome…" Keaton remarked, tapping a bored finger against his furry face. "Were it not for them, I and the other Spirits would be free to roam Hyrule as we pleased. We are fortunate enough to be able to still have influence on the land even from this infernal Void."
"Ah, so you want revenge on the Sages as well?"
"Yes, we do... and we have the opportunity to get that revenge if only we could find the hole in this world…"
"Hole?" Gannon raised a curious and hopeful eyebrow.
"Yes," replied Keaton, pointing around them. "Do you see this light?"
"I do."
"This light is coming from a crack between this world and Hyrule. It's possible to escape, but…"
"But what?"
"We need to find the hole before we can pass through it."
"How does one go about finding it?"
"It's impossible, unless one carries one of the three triforces with them…"
Gannondorf's smug grin reflected the tickled fancy within. Finally! A chance to escape! To have his revenge! They would pay most dearly for sealing him away!
"What a coincidence, my 'friend'…" he said conceitedly. "I think I might be in a position to help,… for a price, of course…" He held the back of his hand up to Keaton's face to show him the mark of the triforce. The fox could not help but grin, a mischievous glinting in his eye.
"So you are!" Keaton laughed. "And what is it that the 'Great Gannondorf' has to ask of the Spirits of Chaos?"
"A partnership…" Gannon replied politely. "With you and the other Chaos Spirits by my side, not even the Hero of Time and the Sages combined could strike us down!"
"A very delicious offer!" Keaton licked his chops and scratched his chin. "It almost seems as though you're paying us rather than us paying you…where's the catch?"
"That's it."
"That's it?"
Gannon nodded.
"Then what are we waiting for, hm?" Keaton extended a paw to Gannondorf, who took it and shook it firmly. "I for one certainly want nothing more to do with this empty place!"
*****************************************************
The bright afternoon sun shone magnificently down over Hyrule and all it's occupants. Peace had reigned over the land for a little over a year now, and things were slowly returning to normal. The Castle of Hyrule was nearly complete, and the town below was rebuilt and cleared of undead creatures. After Gannondorf's banishment, the entire world seemed to lift up its head and bustle with activity.
The echo of galloping hooves across the grassy plains told the world that a horse was carrying its rider off towards the Kokiri Forest. Well, actually, there were two riders; one wore a rugged, green Kokiri tunic and cap, and the other wore a lovely royal dress with the triforce insignia embroidered into it.
"Enjoying the ride, Princess Zelda?" Link peeked over his shoulder at her, a warm smile playing on his face.
"I certainly am!" Zelda responded, tightening her grip around his waist. "I couldn't have planned a better day for a picnic if I tried!"
This elicited a sweet laugh from the hero as he coaxed Epona to pick up the pace. The horse whinnied and complied. Soon, the wooden gates of the Kokiri Forest came into view, as well as two of the other guests that had been invited to the outing. Link already knew that the third and last one would be waiting just within the woods.
They pulled up beside the gateway and dismounted. The Zora Princess and the young ranch girl hurried to greet them.
"Alright! You're finally here!" Malon beamed.
"It's about time you both got here!" Ruto smirked, her fins flapping gently in the breeze. "We were worried you weren't going to show up!"
"Oh, come on, Princess Ruto." Malon rested her hand on the Zora girl's shoulder. "Not all of us happen to have a shortcut in the Lost Woods!"
"And what Lost Woods they are!" Ruto laughed. "I was afraid I was going to dry out before I found my way out of there!"
All four of them laughed as they headed in through the gates. As Link had anticipated, the fifth guest invited to the picnic was just inside waiting for them - Saria. Her bored expression quickly brightened at the sight of her friends.
"Great! You're all here!" Saria smiled. "Come on! I'll take you to the spot I picked in the Lost Woods."
"Y-You mean were going back in there?!" Ruto's voice nearly caught in her throat. "What if we never get out?!"
"Don't worry, Princess Ruto." Link reassured her. "I've been through there so many times that I hardly ever get lost any more. I guess it just comes with living in the area."
"I know the feeling!" Saria nodded.
After several twists and turns through the seemingly endless maze, the Kokiri girl led them to a small plain with a pond nearby. Saria had specifically chosen this spot so that Ruto wouldn't have to worry about drying up. Soon, they had set up their things and were enjoying their picnic together.
There was always something fun to do. Malon sang for a bit with Link following the melody on the ocarina. After that, Ruto initiated a game of charades, which had everyone laughing. Saria led them all on a walk around the Lost Woods to play some games, and Zelda shared several of the bedtime stories she had heard from Impa. After hours of fun, they all laid back on the grass and gazed up at the sky.
"What a great day this has been!" Zelda remarked.
"You said it!" Ruto chipped in.
"We should do this sort of thing more often!" Malon smiled. "Wouldn't you agree, Link?"
At first, the girls took Link's silence to mean that he had fallen asleep, but when they sat up to check, they noticed him staring very intently at something in the sky.
"Link?" said Zelda softly.
"Are you ok?" asked Ruto. "What are you staring at?"
His expression turned to one of deep concern, but his eyes never left the heavens. The smile he had carried all day had disappeared, replaced by a concentrated frown.
"Something doesn't seem right." He finally spoke, pointing upwards. "Look."
The girls looked to where he was pointing and understood his change of mood. Though the sunsets of Hyrule were typically brilliant and colorful, one could not help but notice a particularly dark violet streak waving somewhat menacingly across the sky. They all glanced at one another, not knowing what to make of it.
"I think we should head back to the Kokiri Forest." Link sat up quickly and began to pack up their picnic things. "Saria, can you lead the way?"
"Sure…" the Kokiri girl replied.
With Saria's help, they made it back to the Kokiri Forest easily. Throughout the entire trip, though, Link had rarely taken his eyes off the purple wisp above them.
"I think it would be safer if I took you girls home." Link said. "Somehow, I get the feeling this isn't anything good."
"We understand." Zelda nodded.
"What do you think it could be?" asked Ruto.
"I don't know." Link replied. "but I already don't like it."
Link and the others bid farewell to Saria and headed outside to where Epona was. After petting the animal, which also seemed a bit unnerved, he assisted Malon onto its back.
"Epona," Link spoke to the horse. "Take Malon home for me and stay there until I call you, ok?"
Epona nodded with a soft bray and hurried to take the farm girl back to the Lon Lon Ranch.
"Zelda, Ruto, stand next to me." Link pulled out the ocarina and played the Serenade of Water. They soon found themselves in the middle of Lake Hylia.
"This is my stop." said Ruto, looking around. "Catch you guys later!" And with that, the Zora Princess dived into the water and swam home.
Link then played the Prelude of Light and appeared with Zelda at the Temple of Time. Putting away the ocarina and taking her hand, he began leading her home.
"Link?"
"Yes, Princess?"
"I'm scared…"
"Even with the Triforce of Courage…" he thought silently, nodding to Zelda. "…so am I…"
***********************************
"At last…" Keaton breathed as he, Gannondorf, and the other 4 spirits came within view of the Void's fissure. The light that had been spreading throughout the bleak land was brightest here, and they could not help but drool with anticipation at the possibilities this defect held for them.
"Shall we?" Keaton grinned.
"After you." Gannon gestured politely. "If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have known about this."
"And without you, none of us would have found it!" the fox replied, cracking his knuckles. "Well now, let's be rid of this place!"
One by one, the five spirits slipped through the crack between the worlds with ease. As soon as the last one squeezed out, it was Gannondorf's turn to pass through, but being the giant that he was, he found the crevice too small to make his escape. He growled impatiently, but reached out for assistance from the other side. His blood boiled at the sound of laughter.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he thundered.
"But Gannondorf," Keaton peeked at him through the passage. "If you come out now, then what will happen if the Hero of Time comes after you? Do you want to be banished here again?"
"AT LEAST I WOULD NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!"
"Tch, tch, tch…" the foxy spirit shook his head, but the smile never left his face. "So impatient, Gannondorf!… I'll tell you what, though… we'll take care of that pesky hero first and then come back for you. How does that sound?"
"I DEMAND THAT YOU GET ME OUT OF HERE THIS INSTANT!!"
There came no reply, and when the King of Evil peered through the crevice, the spirits were gone. Furious, he slammed his mighty fist against the corner of the hole, shaking even the very air around him. When he looked up, he saw to his amazement that, even if only by an inch, the crack had widened. Gannondorf grinned. One way or the other, he was most definitely going to get out of this accursed place!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is Chapter 1. Where would you like to go next?
