The Legend of Zelda: Restoration Age

Dungeon Chapter 1 - Temple of Wilting Odes

The disc continued without waiting for a reply, "The third individual needed for the Restoration to begin. Locating Zelda Hyrule."

There was silence as the disc turned from a pale yellow to a faint blue. Dwarf whispered, "What is it talkin' about? How does it know who we are?"

"What does it want with the princess?" Link asked. "You don't think...You don't think it thinks we're them? Like. Them."

"There are plenty of guys named Link Sayre in Hyrule," Dwarf suggested, but the tone in his voice sounded unsure. "We had three Links in 3rd grade."

"Plenty of people named Zelda too," Link added, swallowing. Maybe Zelda, but not Zelda Hyrule. That was the Royal Family's name. It was protected by law or something that you weren't allowed to take it legally, out of respect for the crown. "Yours isn't that uncommon?" For a Gerudo male name, sure.

"Princess Zelda Hyrule located. Within radius of targeting. Beginning trasmittion."

Link's eyes widened. "What does it mean target?" Dwarf said nothing, looking mildly ill. Link stood up, some how finding it in himself to shout, "What do you mean target?"

"Greetings, Link Sayre." The disc turned back to its yellow hue, flashing again as it spoke.

"What do you mean by target? What are you going to do to the princess?" Link demanded.

"The first step of the Restoration is to restore the Triforce to its bearers," the disc answered. "Two are present here, the third will need to be transmitted a short distance. The third bearer is en route as we speak. It is outside my parameters about what is bringing her here. Was it your doing?"

Dwarf turned to Link. "The temple was goin' to be rebuilt. The princess was coming to oversee it."

"I must confess, I am surprised," the disc cut in. Link and Dwarf slowly turned back towards it. "I was not expecting to find this particular combination of bearers here. It is unprecedented. Updating logs for anomaly data."

"I don't like this," Dwarf said, taking a step away from the disc. "We should get out of here, before it does-- whatever it is that it's planning on doing."

Link backed away as well. "Agreed."

"Remain where you are." Not a request. The disc started glowing a little brighter. "Stage zero of the Restoration is about to begin." Before Link or Dwarf could ask or run or hide, the disc emit a brilliant light. Three orbs shot out of it. Link only managed to glance the third one before it went rocketing through the roof. Moments later, another orb hit him.

He was set flying back. After a moment of rolling over himself, Link hit the support beam with a unsettling thud. Link tried to push himself up. He was sore, but otherwise fine at least. Beside him, Dwarf seemed to be in the same condition.

"What in the Goddesses' names--" Dwarf stopped as he leaned back against the beam. He pointed to Link. "What is that?"

Lifting his left hand, Link staggered as he looked at the mark now etched there. It glowed faintly in is lower right third before settling. Link pointed to Dwarf's own right hand, the top portion now dimming as well. Dwarf stepped back, further and further away from the disc. "No. No, no, no, no. No! We're not them!"

"Stage zero completed. Preparations for stage one of the Restoration beginning."

Dwarf looked panicked. More panicked than Link had ever seen his friend. "Is it even listening to us?" With each moment, Dwarf began looking more and more frantic, scared. Like something was eating at him. Link started to believe something was actually eating at Dwarf, eating at his mind.