By: Silver Volken Raven

Disclaimer: LoZ: TP characters © Nintendo and Other Characters © SVR (Me).

Summary: (TP) As the older man left, Link turned back to the chaotic art of flaming homes and horrified screams. The cruel, crimson gleam of hatred in his eyes, his dark voice rasped, "I promise you, Zelda, one way or another. I WILL have my revenge."

Genre: Adventure/Angst/ slight Horror

Note: Wolf Link will be dubbed as Wolf's sayings will be -Speech-. And Dark's sayings are labeled as Speech.

Chapter 5: Of Silver and Gold

ClOP, CLOP, CLOP! The onyx hooves of a Clydesdale mare thundered against the dirt path with fervor. As the sun rose to late morning, the large, wooden bridge in the center of Kakariko Gorge was within the equine's sight. Putting in an extra burst of speed, Epona raced past the miscellaneous moblins and bokoblins, kicking up as a large amount of dust. Her precious cargo gave limp jolts once in a while, yet never fell off.

She stampeded past the many burgundy bokoblins, ignoring the ones wandering off in the field and sometimes trampling those who dare stagger onto the dirt cast a glance over her shoulder at her wounded master, before looking forward and shaking her head. Ever since seeing large impending, ominous wall of Twilight at the end of the bridge to Faron, the mare had known only extraordinary terrors would exude from it. Now, three years later, the Hylian that had fought so desperately to save Hyrule and his Ordonian family and friends attacked them and nearly killed one of them.

Link, what have you gotten yourself into?

The gate to Kakariko Village appeared before her, closed. Powerful muscles in her hocks and hind legs urged her to jump over the twisted, wiry metal and she landed on the other side in a flurry of dust and dirt. Following the dirt path to the entrance of the village, Epona splashed about in the large spirit's spring, catching the attention of the few villagers out and about, tending to their daily lives. After the Twilit invasion, many people, Gorons and Hylians alike, came to occupy the once desolate Kakariko Village. Many of the worn, patch-work houses have been rebuilt as well as others adding to the town, presenting the current size of the village.

In her erractic movements, Link fell off her back and into Eldin's spring, falling into the water, unconscious. The mare became desperate, whining loudly and rearing up on her hind legs to make a bigger scene. Finally one of the people, a short, chubby girl, who was perhaps seven years of age, came running over to the frantic equine.

"Hey, girl! What's the matter?" she asked, reaching up to Epona in an attempt to calm her. Epona, however, would have none of it, and snapped at the girl in frustation."Ah! Don't bite me, horsey!" The girl was clutching her hand in fear and was about to turn away when she noticed the mare gesturing to some thing behind her, in the water. "Huh?" Creeping around the horse, she gasped at the sight of a man laying on his side in the water, covering in blood and various, life-threatening wounds.

Squealing, she doubled back before running off to find Renado, the chief shaman of Kakariko Village. Epona lay awkwardly down beside her master, snorting and wuffling his blood-stained locks, fearing for his life.

-XXX-

Looking out the large window, Renado observed the ethereal twilight as it descended upon his village and the rest of Hyrule, casting orange ghosts about the landscape. Breathing deeply through his open mouth, the shaman stood up from his sitting position and went to check on his recent patient. He was surprised to find Rona, the little seamstress' daughter, running to him, screaming about an injured man in Eldin's Spring. However, to find that the injured man was none other than Link, Hero of Hyrule, covered in life-threatening wounds and bleeding to death, he was a little more than surprised. What manner of beast or man could have done this to him? He asked Rona, but she couldn't say, only that she found him as such. Epona was in a fright, herself, a very uncharacteristic emotion for the brave mare. When Renado finally managed to calm her down, he tethered her up to a post outside of his hut, feeding her stacks of hay.

Thinking back on the dire look of Link's wounds, Renado murmured, "It will take a lot more than a red potion to heal him. Perhaps Eldin's water would heal him." It was quite a mystery as to why the red potion has such a little effect on healing his wounds. When coaxing Link to drink the less than savory-tasting liquid, the shaman had expected him to be nearly be healed if not completely. The potion barely healed him. Shaking his head, he gathered Eldin's spring water in a small bottle, and returned to the sanctum of the hut.

Going over to where he lay on a cot, he removed the cover and his bandages, careful of his wounds. Uncorking the small bottle, he poured the enchanted water steadily onto the injuries, rubbing some of it in occasionally. Then he sat back and waited for the healing to go into effect. And waited he did. However, the effect he got wasn't what he had anticipated, nor welcomed.

He nearly jumped back as Link erupted in a bout of hissing and snarling. He sounded not unlike a wounded animal. The snarling and hissing turned to growling and shouting frantically in pain and the shaman could has swore he heard the liquid bubbling sickeningly as it burned away at the skin. Rushing to his side, he immediately poured water on the attacking substance, and Link began to subside, whimpering in pain, like a dog. His flickering lids settled back to the placid look that they held a moment ago.

"What in Din's name happened?" whispered the befuddled, slightly startled shaman. In all his years of healing, this has never happened to anyone, much less Link. Shouldn't the Goddess jump at the chance to heal their vassal? He wiped off the blood and skin, cringing at the pieces of flesh that have been burned off. At this rate, it will take Link twice as long to heal. After he wrapped the injuries in fresh bandages, he slipped another red potion passed the Hero's lips, and covered him with a thick quilt. Renado shuffled off to sleep in his own bed, all the while pondering the conundrum of events.

-XXX-

A week had passed throughout Hyrule since the arrival in Kakariko village of a frantic Epona and her nearly-dead master, Link. The young man was healing at an inexplicably fast rate, the bruises and scratches completely gone from existence and the severe wounds left scabs in their wake. A particularly odd injury that Renado had discovered was a large, black splotch in the middle of Link's abdomen and from there extended luminescent, green runes. Odder still, he recalled the odd, ancient markings from somewhere in rather recent memory. The wound, if that was what this peculiar deformity could be called, seemed old; certainly older than the ones he had sported when Epona came charging around madly into the village.

Standing getting up from the cross-legged position he had sat himself in while recalling the past week, Renado returned to his hut to check on his patient. Inside, he turned to place wood in the small, shabby fireplace, which was not much more than a spot of ashes and wood. Pulling one of the torches from the wall, he bent down, watching the flames immediately jump from the torch to the pile of susceptible material. Hearing a faint groan from the area Link occupied, Renado stood quickly in alarm, and instantly regretted the action at the sudden pain in his older joints. Looking at the young man, he was surprised to see a pair of cerulean eyes gazing back at him, bemused. He smiled welcomingly at him and said, “Good afternoon, Link. Its relieving to find that you finally had awoke."

He blinked, still incoherent and confused and muttered, "Renado?" The village shaman nodded. Link gazed around him, the haze still covering his eyes. "What happened? How did I get here?" He looked expectantly at Renado.

Pursing his broad lips he answered as best as he could."Epona came here with you, unconscious, bleeding, severely injured and dying, a week ago. I can't tell you what happened to put you in such a state, for I know naught. I'm wondering, myself, actually."

Link's eyes bulged out at the words "a week". He had been unconscious for a whole week? Who could have- Stopping short, he remembered what had occurred before his fainting. The violent images of Dark taking over, attacking Colin, nearly ending Ilia's life, and battling his own father figure, Rusl, nearly to the death. Remembering the pain of that final, surely fatal blow, it was a miracle that he was still alive. Or, perhaps, a curse. Shaking the thoughts and images from his mind, he tried to sit up. And instantly felt penitence for doing so. A rupture of agony spread throughout his body, the shaman coming to his side quickly and eased him back down.

"Don't move too much, Link. Your wounds haven't completely healed, yet." He insisted, pulling another bottle of red potion out and pulling off the cork. Link cringed, tasting the potion, but barely feeling its effects. What? Shouldn't I be already healed? Closing his eyes, he tried to go back to sleep.

Renado called to his attention by speaking, "You should go back to sleep. If you need me, I'll be near by. If not, I'll send someone to attend to you." Link nodded as he turned and walked out the door, temporarily letting in sunshine and warmth, before the door closed.

Closing his eyes again, he snorted. Go back to sleep? Puh! I've been unconscious for a week! I don't think so! After a while of sitting still in the silence of the abode, he began to feel bored. What does someone do, while bed-ridden? Opening his eyes, when sleep eluded him, he pondered on why it was so quiet, aside from the obviousness of quiet on his part and no one else being in the room. The sounds of the village life flitted into one of the bare, open windows, yet despite this the silence still crept in on deft wings, invading from all sides. Why is it so damn quiet? He thought, agitated, feeling he should remember something about what happened a week ago, but strangely unable.

After thinking hard on it, a figurative light flashed in his mind. The silence wasn't a physical quiescence but rather a mental one. Wolf and Dark were silent. Well, Dark, for the most part was normally inactive in his mind, but Wolf was pretty animated. For a mental entity, anyway. He tried calling out to him. Wolf? He got no response. You there? The same hush persisted. If you're mad at me, then you have no right to be after what happened a week ago! Still, he didn't get a reply. Not even the familiar whimper or whine of remorse that Wolf would typically show in similar situations. And, while Link found that irritating, he preferred it verily over this laconism that trumpeted loudly in his mind. Tentatively and nervously, he whispered telepathically for Dark. Dark? Hello? You in there somewhere? Yet, he got the same lack of an answer. He couldn't even feel either of them. Which had two sides of course, as he was glad to be rid of Dark, however, Wolf became, over the years, endearing and amusing, if not extremely helpful at times.

Shifting uneasily at the hollowness of his mind, he turned his gaze to the window above his temporary (or so he hoped) resting place. The final rays of twilight shone through the window, giving everything a soft, golden color. Thinking of his lost love, his eyes clouded over with wistfulness and sorrow. That time of day again. It seems to get longer and longer with each passing day. Finally, upon hours (or perhaps minutes that felt like eternity?) of laying almost completely still, his consciousness began to drift away from him, just as Renado returned from dealings in his village. By the time he got to properly dressing the wounds, Link had already lapsed into an uneasy slumber.

-XXX-

Another week drifted by with disquieted lethargy, the same routine dragging the days along by a lengthy chain. Renado cleaned Link's wounds and changed his bandages daily, willing Link to bed rest for nearly the entire week. The former Hero of Twilight still heard not a remark or telepathic sound from the two entities that took up residence in his consciousness. Not matter how long or how loudly he beckoned them, Wolf and Dark remained silent. Its been so long, he now began to think that they finally left him. Forever.

These days have been mentally taxing for the Hylian, as well. On the village shaman's orders, Link was to stay in the cot that he had woke up in. Only to get up to relieve himself, not even allowed to get up to eat or drink. Due to the "odd nature of his wounds" (the shaman's words, not his), he was not to move unless absolutely necessary. The mental forlornly lonesome wasn't very helpful, either. He wondered how Epona was doing. He hasn't talked nor seen her for two weeks. Solitude swept over him. When Renado gets back, I'll ask him if I can see Epona. Not that there could be a chance for that but it was worth a try. Sitting up, he didn't even hiss in pain, as he would have, a week prior. Link unwrapped his bandages, examining the various wounds on his arm, leg, abdomen, and shoulder. Thin pale scars were the only remnants of the battle against his own father figure. Thinking of Rusl, a tirade of unpleasant emotions washed over him. Guilt, shame, anger, pain. How dare they make me do that to Rusl! To Colin! To Ilia! Oh, when they show up they are gonna-

His threatening thought process was interrupted when the entrance to the hut was opened and Renado stepped in. His wizened face, riddled with the hardships of life and contours of age, was weary and somewhat worried. However, when his dark brown eyes landed on Link, a scowl twisted up the slight wrinkles there.

"Did you take off your bandages?" He snapped.

Link wanted to roll his eyes. No. The Mountain Fairy unwrapped them! Who do you think did? He wanted to say this, but out of respect, he instead replied, "Renado, my wounds are fully healed. I don't even feel pain. Can't I get up, if not leave, at least?" His patience has nearly worn out. Two weeks he lay there and obeyed the Shaman. He was ready to leave, now! Besides, wasn't he not only a here but the Hero, who saved Hyrule? Shouldn't he be able to go and come where and when he pleased?

Renado pursed is broad lips in thought, though clearly leaning towards keeping Link here. The man did have a point. He was fully healed. Only scars. Scars that would probably remain for the rest of his life. Renado, actually, knew Link was healed. He had been completely healed for a few days. The shaman, however, wanted to study the odd nature of the "wound" on the Hylian's abdomen. He had never seen anything like it in his entire life. Hoping Shad, the scholar in Hyrule Castle Town, would know, Renado had wanted him to study it. He had sent a letter to Shad relating to the topic, but since he didn't receive on from him in turn, he could only assume he had not arrived. Seems like he'll just have to ask Link, himself. Not that he may get any vital information about it. It is worth the try, though.

"Link. That mark on your abdomen. Where did it come from?" he asked. The sudden question caught Link, who had his feet planted on the bare-earthen floor, ready to stand, completely off guard. Renado waited attentively, as Link's entire body tensed. The slightly bioluminescent blemish (which Wolf had referred to as his "Twilit Mark") seemed to throb, though, not painfully. Link glared down at it, before his cold azure eyes bore into Renado's in suspicious question.

"Forgive me for answering a question with a question but why do you want to know?" He countered. The crimson tints in his eyes seemed to stand out more than ever now. Or perhaps, Renado hoped, that was just is imagination. Perhaps.

Decidedly, the shaman told the truth, "It seems like a permanent bruise. The glowing runes, however, have me worried." Blue eyes searched brown ones for any hint of deceit, then flickering back down to the "Twilit Mark". At this, Renado could not help the slight hurt and alarm he felt. Why would Link have a reason to think he would stoop so low as to betray him? The alarm could not be explained.

Without waiting for his consent or reply, Link stood from the cot, a little wobbly, as he had not walked for a while, and said, "I take my leave, now. Thank you for treating me, Renado. I am in your debt." He bowed slightly, grabbing his shirt (which he found was washed free of blood and sewn back together), slipping it over his head. With another nod to Renado, he walked out of the hut.

For a reason unknown to him, the shaman stood stock-still, unable to take his eyes away from the back of Link's head nor shake the feeling of alarm and dread. As the door closed, he seemed to shake from his slight stupor. The quick change in the young man's mannerism stunned him; as Link was normally quiet and polite. This cold, impatient man was a stranger to him. Renado had figured the young Hero had changed since fighting off whatever evil descended on Hyrule, but not this drastically. Not this alarmingly. And there was the rightful suspicion that those runes on his stomach had an awful lot to do with it.

Sitting down on the recently vacated cot, Renado looked down at the floor and scratched his head. Hey, where are my sandals?

-XXX-

Outside of Renado's hut, Link scanned the village with his eyes for Epona. On his adventures, his brave mare rarely left his side, unless going into temples. Where is she? He thought impatiently, tapping his sandal-clad foot. The sandals that he had slid his feet into came from Renado's hut and he assumed that they belonged to the Shaman. Oh well, Link thought, I'll return them some other time, should I come back here. Spotting a clump of Horseshoe Reeds, Link plucked one up from the ground and gently blew into the little reed-like piece at the end. The familiar melody filled the dusty, hot air of Kakariko Village as it resounded over the boulders and mountains surrounding the settlement.

Link had to only listen for a few brief minutes before the whinnying of Epona, followed be the clop of her iron-shod hooves could be heard. Epona's deep mocha eyes danced with joy at seeing her master again, well and about as she skidded to a stop, flinging sand on his cream-colored toes. She waffed his flaxen-colored hair affectionately. When he didn't chuckle and pat her cheek as he often would have when she greeted him in this manor, she looked at his face. His blue eyes were cold and clouded in thought, like a storm cloud high in the sky, ready to unleash its lightning and rain. Link glanced up at her and smiled, as if hearing her unspoken question.

He muttered vaguely, "Some people really should mind their own business." At that cryptic remark, he placed his foot in the left stirrup and swung himself onto her back. Gently touching his heels to her sides, he urged her South-bound, out of the village, at a slow pace.

Glancing up, he noted that Twilight had once again fallen, basking the Kakariko Gorge in amber warmth. Epona gave a small, sad whinny, feeling her master's solemnity that always occurred at this hour. He smiled a small, bittersweet smile back at her, running his fingers through her ivory mane.

Still petting the straw-like locks, he said, "Hn. You need a good grooming, girl." She tossed her head in response, liking the idea of it. Looking up from the equine, he gazed into the horizon, sighing, and “Too bad that won't before a long time. What am I going to do now?" Now that he had no home, no family, no friends, but the trail of vicious blood of those he betrayed, knowing that if they saw him again, they would undoubtedly kill him.

-XXX-

By nightfall, Epona and Link reached the edge of Faron Province. There weren't many bokoblins or moblins, which Link found bemusing, since Ganondorf was, presumably, still alive and active. At the thought of his name, Link spit into the dirt beneath Epona's hooves. Just thinking of the vile man's name made his blood boil in fury and his heart ache for revenge. Sensing her master's rage, she stopped almost abruptly, causing her master to nearly smack into her strong neck. They both craned their heads to look into the other's eyes, a question they each had.

"What is it girl?" he asked, glancing around on high alert. He should have at least stuck around the village longer to find or buy a weapon. How foolish of him. Epona faced forward again, but didn't move. If only she could speak to her master in this form! She swerved her head from left to right, asking silently where to go.

Link, for a few minutes didn't catch her message, until it suddenly slapped him across the face. "Oh! You wanna know where to go? Hmm. I don't even know where, myself. How about...close to the Forest Temple. Yeah, we should be far enough from Ordon there. They don't really go there, often, if at all. Let's go, girl." He then began steering her passed Coro's house and towards the tunnel that lead to the Forest Temple. Epona complied, hooves thumping softly against the ground, as if she were trying not the stir the sleeping man from within the grungy house. That was the objective. Coro didn't make such a fuss as some of other did when seeing the Hero of Twilight, but still, Link would rather avoid sentient company for awhile.

Sadly, luck was not on his side, for a candlelight lit up a window in Coro's house. A familiar head, covered in russet, bushy hair and some possible forest debris, along with a tan face and dark eyes, peered out the window. "Link?" His sleepy, yet curious voice called.

Sighing, Link knew he could not avoid this conversation and, not want to appear rude to someone undeserving of such behavior, Link smiled a bit and said," Yeah, Coro. It's me." He hoped confirming his identity would convince the lantern oil seller to go back to bed and leave him be. As previously mentioned, luck was just not on good terms with Link. And why should it be? He mused pessimistically.

Giving what sounded like a small breath of relief, Coro huffed, “Phew! I thought you were some bokoblin wanderin' about! What are you doing out here?" If Coro wasn't staring intently at him for an answer, Link would have visibly winced. However, as to not raise suspicion, the wince was only mental. He had hoped the man wouldn't ask that. What was he to say? Oh hey Coro, I was just on my way back to the village I was probably banished from. You know, visiting old friends who I nearly killed and whatnot, eh-heh. Wanna come?

Absolutely not. He wasn't too convincing a liar so he didn't do so often, but it was worth a shot, “Well, Epona and I were just taking a late night stroll around Faron Woods. It's a nice night and all, right?" He gave a smile that ended up twitching on his face like a grimace and Coro stared so closely at him, he thought he'd seen through his ruse.

Suddenly he yawned, “Okay. 'Night Link. Good seein' you again, though the hour's late." He stretched his arms in a dramatic gesture before extinguishing the small flame and returning to the recess of his shack. Link let out a breath of reprieve, glad to have thwarted him this early before it came to the Inquisition. Urging Epona on, she continued at a more brisk pace, as eager as her master to be away from the lantern oil seller.

Crossing through the tunnel, they ran into little adversaries, once again. Wouldn't Ganondorf's taking power cause more monsters, not less? Odd. Due to the height of the tunnels and the height of Link (yes, he has unbelievably achieved an additional three inches in height), he had to stand beside the Clydesdale mare when walking through. Once out on the other side, they carefully treaded over to the gate leading to the Forest Temple. It wouldn't do for either of them to alert some powerful beast of the night whilst Link was weaponless and Epona vulnerable.

Another strange happening was the vanishing of the thick amethyst mist that clung to the ground at these parts. When Link had wandered though Faron sometime after the Twilit invasion, he found that the purple fog all but disappeared. This wasn't particularly a bad thing. Just strange.

Outside the Forest Temple, near the winding, hollow-log pathway that leads up to the entrance, Link tethered Epona to a tree. Seeing no bokoblins, he felt safe when tethering her up, not tightly, incase she needed to escape. Lying down in the patch of grass near Epona, Link gazed up at the stars. How mind-bending, these weeks, no years have been! First Zelda's betrayal and Midna's death, then betraying the Ordon villagers and escaping to Kakariko, only to return to Faron! Link shook his head to rid his mind of these thoughts. Epona again tousled his hair, wanting to ease his troubles, but knowing she can't. She could only stand through it with him. Laying down behind him, she nickered softly before resting her head to sleep. Link sat up and leaned against Epona, her warmth very much welcome on such a chilly night.

Still staring at the sky, Link curled his knees up to his chest, hoping to obtain and preserve some body heat. Despite the season and the warm wool shirt, Link still felt an unusual chilliness in the air. Should it be so brisk on a nice night like this? Glancing around, he felt or seen nothing out of place and went back to star-gazing. After a few hours of watching the stars and restlessness, Link stood up, only to feel a mind-numbingly cold wind splay over him. Someone might as well have threw snow on his back!

Whirling around, he saw nothing and when he whipped his head the other way, towards the path to the Forest Temple, he saw a familiar, starlit, silver wolf with the glowing, malachite aura. Link's eyes squinted, trying to remember where he had seen this particular wolf and it struck him. The day where he had ran off on his own before anyone caught him as a wolf. As Wolf. Come to think of it....

Suddenly the great, magnificent beast jumped forward and Link threw up his arms in defense. The white canid stopped a few feet away from him and began to circle around him, as if searching for a vulnerable spot to attack. Those deep purple eyes never left his as it did so, still pacing around him.

Growing sick of the beast's pacing, Link snapped, "Alright! What do you want? Why do you kept popping up here, attacking me? Do I have something of yours? If so, please say so now! I'm getting sick of these late night "visits!" As Link said this, the wolf sat down in front of him, still some feet away. It didn't respond, not that Link expected it to and merely titled its head to one side.

Fed up, Link threw his arms into the air and began to walk off, away from the wolf, Epona, and the clearing, not really knowing where he was going but it was somewhere away from the frustration that stupid animal caused.

Then he felt another draft, however, it was felt from the inside of him rather than the outside and Link shuddered, pausing in his steps. "My, my, my. Impatient are we? You're patience is more limited than the Hybrid’s and the Hero Shade's. The voice was a mere whisper in the back of his mind and with each word came a cool feeling that had Link shivering visibly. Seems some one is shocked into silence. My display of telepathic speech does that to people. Turning around slowly, the Hylian Hero faced the wolf again and this time noticed an amused look in its violet eyes.

"Did-di-did you-you say something-thing? Wa-was that you?" He tried to ask between his chattering teeth. The wolf's telepathic speech truly did shock Link. He hadn't expected to the animal to be sentient. Did he not say that he wanted to stay away from sentient beings for a while? Then again, luck wasn't fighting on his side, but against him.

Even more stunningly, the mysterious creature gave a barking cough that sounded very much akin to laughter. "Of course I did. Though, your mental barrier is as thick and hard as Adulmine. I don't suppose you know what Adulmine is, do you?

Still in a stupor, Link shook his head. Giving his head a shake, he finally managed to utter, "Who are you?" Dealing with bizarre things, people, and creatures in the past should give him slight leverage in being articulate in the presence of this one.

The wolf answered "That question could take your lifetime to answer. Let's start with "What is your name?" He smirked. Or made something close to that on his wolfish features. Link's left eye twitched in annoyance. It has not been thirty minutes and already this creature was infuriating him.

Breathing to keep a reign on his temper, Link hissed through gritted teeth, "Fine. What is your name?" He gestured a hand out to him, palm-up, while his right hand fisted upon his hips. The beast, apparently thought he looked quiet amusing.

"Ah, peace with you, Young One. I mean not to toy with you. Although, I find it rather amusing. Ahem. My name before death is lost to me, yet you may call and know me as Augustine." As he said this, he stood on all fours and made a bowing gesture with his front half, while his rear stuck in the air. Link frowned a bit in thought. So, this wolf was a spirit of sorts? Only the dead usually guided and directed Link. He was no stranger to spirits, sprites, or ghosts.

"You're absolutely right. Not a ghost or sprite I am, but a spirit. You could call me a guide," Augustine telepathically answered his thoughts.

This made Link's frown deepen, “Will you stay out of my head?" Another grin was his answer. Sighing, Link cut to the chase, “What is the reason of you showing yourself to me? Do you have a message or are you a guide? Like the Hero Shade was?"

At these questions, Augustine became somber and quiet. It was a bit of time before he responded and he seemed to choose his words carefully, “There is a very important reason. A reason that goes beyond the mortal realm. I am sent as your guide for the Deity of Spirit, who has great need of your help." He looked away from Link and up into the surrounding forest, as if searching for something there. Before Link could ask or say anything, he continued, “Interesting you should mention the Hero's Shade. He was sent to guide you, as well. In a more prominent way than before." His eyes never left the trees.

Link started, "May I ask something?" At the silence from the other, he continued, "Who is the Deity of Spirit? And why is the Hero's Shade here? What is his message for me? You both need to guide me? Why? What's going on?" He cut short there, though there were many more questions wishing to spring off of his tongue and free himself from his lips.

Taking his time in answering, Augustine still did not look at Link when he answered some of his questions, “The Deity of Spirit will be revealed to you, should you chose to accept our paths. The Hero's Shade's message is unknown to me. I only know that he is arriving and will be here shortly. I suppose we both do have to guide you, for this road is perilous enough," Augustine turned away from Link, once more. "Now, be silent he approaches." Link wanted to ask who, but then, in a gold shine of light, another wolf figure appeared before Link and Augustine. It's one crimson eye was glowed still yet the other eye was a pale mint-green. Its golden fur shone above the eerie glow of Augustine's pelt, nearly smothering it and bloating the silver sheen out. Without even waiting, the Hero's Shade spoke, launching into the vitals of the message.

"Link. As you have heard from Augustine, I bear a message for you, as well. Lady Farore is in great need of her Hero. The Darkness of fire and water is descending. Earth and wind must fight back! With our guide, you can defeat the Triforces of Wisdom and Power. You can free us..." He trailed off, but never taking his mis-matched eyes off Link. Augustine, too, stared at the Hylian.

Then the sterling-pelted canine beheld him as he spoke these next words with much zeal, “The gods are calling, Link. They are calling you. You being alive after that blow dealt by Ganondorf is a testament of their power and their need for you! They are calling, Link. Will you answer it? Or will you let Hyrule and the Heavens fall into ruin? Choose wisely, Hero."

Link stared at the ground then back at the two wolves demanding an answer. He didn't truly understand what they were asking of him. What was this that the Hero's Shade had spoken about fire and water fighting wind and earth? What could possibly be happening that would doom the very Heavens of Hyrule? Should I really follow them? Watching them watch him, their opposite pelts of silver and gold illuminated the night. Of silver and gold...of silver and gold....

The memory of fainting on the way from Mayor Bo's home and the strange dream that followed flashed into his mind. A divine voice chanted the riddle softly in his ear, on the wind.

"Of Silver and Gold..."

That's it! Link thought. The first part of the riddle! 'Of Silver and Gold'! Augustine and the Hero's Shade are the first part of the riddle! I need to follow them, to heed the call fo Farore and this Deity of Spirit...Staring at them each in the eyes, he decided.

"Augustine. Hero's Shade." They didn't move a muscle. Standing statue-still, as if carved from silver and gold, themselves. Link continued," I will allow you to guide me. I will answer the call of Courage and Spirit!" Both wolves turned and howled into the night sky, filling the air with a sweetly dissonnent melody. Now more than ever, Link longed to be a wolf. To give into the beast that their howls called forth.

Deciding it made no difference, Link threw his head back and made as close to an authentic howl as his vocal cords could muster. The three howled into the night, signaling to the world that war has been wrought and the heavens will clash in this ultimate battle.

During the talking and howling, Epona slept peacefully, more peacefully than she every had in her life.

SVR- I know, after you bet the game, the mist doesn't leave, but for the sake of smoothness of the fic, let's pretend, k? Thank you. This chapter (as you all know) has taken forever and for all of my faithful reviewers (if I have any left) I am deeply and dearly sorry. My new goal is to get chapters done by the week ( but that may not happen Xo ). I'll try as hard as I can to execute that. On a lighter note, you guys finally meet Augustine (a valued OC of mine)! And you find out what's happened to Midna. Though I feel it's too soon, but this fic may have a total of twenty or so chapters? Maybe? Oh well. I know a good chunk of it seemed like a Link/Epona fest, but showing the relation between master and steed (which the game doesn't do) is rather nice and accurate. Besides, Epona is actually important to Link's character in this story (which in future chapters will be very OCC). I hope you all liked it! And I'll try to work out that "chapter a week" deal. Try. No promises, though.

By the way, about Adulmine, I don't even know what it is. Possibly some sort of metal ore from Junta? *shrugs*

Revenge of the Twilight